Baseball – 1918

Baseball in 1918

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January


January 4The Cubs acquire Braves crossfiring ace Lefty Tyler‚ sending vets Larry Doyle‚ Art Wilson and $15‚000 to Boston (NL). Tyler will win 19 games for the Cubs this year.
January 8Buck Herzog‚ in McGraw’s doghouse since September‚ is traded to the Braves for veteran Larry Doyle and righty Jesse Barnes. Doyle‚ a former Giant and fan favorite‚ was acquired from the Cubs 4 days ago and his trade was rumored. He will play three years in New York before retiring.
January 9Brooklyn sends OF Casey Stengel and infielder George Cutshaw to Pittsburgh for P Burleigh Grimes‚ P Al Mamaux‚ and infielder Chuck Ward.
January 10Connie Mack alarms Philadelphia by dealing Stuffy McInnis‚ the last player in his $100‚000 infield‚ to Boston for players to be announced. The furor dies down when Mack announces he has received 3B Larry Gardner‚ OF Tilly Walker‚ and C Hick Cady.

While acknowledging that Ty Cobb‚ Tris Speaker‚ and Eddie Collins are all good ball players‚ Cap Anson picks his all-time team‚ leaving them off while modestly naming himself as the first baseman. In the current issue of TSN‚ Anson selects C-Buck Ewing and King Kelly; P-Amos Rusie‚ John Clarkson‚ Jim McCormick; 2B-Fred Pfeffer; 3B-Ned Williamson; SS-Ross Barnes; OF-Bill Lange‚ George Gore‚ Jimmy Ryan‚ and Hugh Duffy.
January 22The Yankees trade P Nick Cullop‚ P Urban Shocker‚ C Les Nunamaker‚ 3B Fritz Maisel‚ and infielder Joe Gedeon to the Browns for P Eddie Plank and 2B Del Pratt. Plank‚ a 300-game winner‚ retires‚ but Pratt gives New York three good years at 2B. Shocker is the gem‚ posting 4 straight seasons of 20 or more wins in St. Louis. Maisel‚ who the Yankees refused to trade in early 1916 for either Boston’s Tris Speaker (and cash) or Chicago’s Joe Jackson‚ will hit just .232 in 90 games and be gone.

February


February 11The Red Sox announce that Ed Barrow is their new manager‚ replacing Jack Barry who enlisted in the military the previous November. With the announcement‚ Barrow also formerly resigns as president of the International League. The major leagues now have no player-managers.
February 23Barney Dreyfuss of the Rules Committee launches a campaign to ban the spitter. He will succeed next year.

March


March 8The Yankees buy 1B George Burns‚ 37‚ from Detroit‚ then swap him to the A’s for another veteran Ping Bodie‚ 30. Burns will replace Stuffy McInnis‚ the last of the “$100‚000 infield‚” who went to the Red Sox in January.
March 20Although the leagues optimistically keep the schedules at 154 games‚ the owners agree to halve the spring training time in an attempt to save money‚ The Cards open their camp at Hot Wells‚ Arkansas.

April


April 1In Dallas‚ the Red Sox edge the Brooklyn Robins‚ 7-6‚ in 16 innings. Starters Rube Marquard and Babe Ruth are both gone after five innings‚ but not before the Babe strikes out left-handed‚ then right-handed‚ against Rube.
April 7In the A.M. game of a doubleheader in Los Angeles‚ Doc Crandall‘s no-hit bid against Salt Lake City (Pacific Coast League) is spoiled with 2 outs in the 9th by Crandall’s brother Karl‚ but Los Angeles wins‚ 14-0.
April 15The AL season opens with Boston’s Babe Ruth pitching a 4-hit‚ 7-1‚ victory over the A’s‚ his 3rd opening day victory in a row. Willie Adams‚ pitching his first ML game since 1913‚ takes the loss. Red Sox manager Ed Barrow will start Ruth’s conversion to slugger by working him into 72 games as OF-1B.

In the opener in Washington‚ pre-game ceremonies include a biplane scattering thousands of liberty loan cards for the war effort. The Yankees‚ under new manager Miller Huggins‚ rap 11 hits to beat Walter Johnson‚ 6-3. Starter George Mogridge gets the win despite pitching just 3 1/3 innings. Allan Russell relieves and allows just one hit in 5 1/3 innings to save the victory. Johnson strikes out two while allowing 11 hits and will lose again in the 3-game series with New York.
April 16The Reds’ Pete Schneider‚ in a season opener‚ and the Red Sox’ Carl Mays each pitch one-hitters. Red Sox submariner Mays loses his no-hitter in the 8th on Dugan’s ground single stopped by 2B Dave Shean‚ but beats the A’s‚ 1-0. Everett Scott drives home the winner in the bottom of the 9th off Scott Perry. The Reds top the Pirates Wilber Cooper‚ 2-0‚ with Casey Stengel‘s single the lone Buc shot.

In St‚ Louis‚ the Cardinals get 9 hits against Grover Cleveland Alexander and beat the Cubs‚ 4-2‚ behind Lee “Specs” Meadows.

The Giants open before a crowd of 28‚000 at the Polo Grounds‚ beating Brooklyn‚ 6-4. Rube Marquard gives up 4 hits in a third of an inning as Giants jump score three runs in the first.

Washington reliever George Dumont lines an 8th inning double to tie the game and the Senators tally four runs to beat the Yankees‚ 7-5.
April 17The Red Sox overcome bad fielding from Whiteman and P Dutch Leonard to beat the A’s Scott Perry‚ 5-4‚ for the second day in a row. Perry loses in 9th inning relief of Willie Adams.
April 18With two Tigers on base in the 9th (Ossie Vitt on 2B‚ Babe Ellison on 1B)‚ Cleveland CF Tris Speaker turns an unassisted double play to seal the Indians win‚ 6-2. He traps a fly ball in the 9th and runs in to tag out Vitt who had hesitated‚ and then steps on 2B forcing Ellison. On April 29th‚ he will make another unassisted DP against Chicago‚ his 6th unassisted DP‚ a career record for outfielders. Stan Coveleski is the Indian winner today.

In the opener in St. Louis‚ Hippo Vaughn pitches the Cubs to a 6-4 win over Spittin’ Bill Doak despite giving up the year’s first home run‚ to the Cards Doug Baird. There will be just 239 four-baggers hit in this year of the shortened season.
April 19The Phillies top the Braves in the 10th inning when rookie Irish Meusel hits a ball into the RF bleachers with Johnny Rawlings on 1B. The rules state that Meusel gets credit for just a triple‚ not a homer. The only homers in the game‚ the lone multi-homer game this April‚ are slugged by Phils 1B Fred Luderus and Braves pitcher Tom Hughes.

In the annual Patriot’s Day twinbill in Boston‚ new Red Sox pitcher Joe Bush debuts with a 2-1 four-hit win over the Yankees in the a.m. game. The Red Sox complete the sweep in the afternoon with a 9-5 win behind Babe Ruth‘s 13-hitter. Ruth contributes a single and a long RBI fly to right that scores Everett Scott from 2B.
April 20On a cold aftenoon‚ the Red Sox best Slim Love‚ 4-3‚ to beat the Yankees and run their record to 6-0‚ the first Sox team to start the season so well. They’ll lose on the 22nd.
April 21Seventeen walks are handed out in the Browns-Indians game as St. Louis wins‚ 11-7. Al Sotheron is the leader with 7 walks in 5 innings. The Cleveland scorer records 303 pitches thrown: 67 strikes‚ 136 balls‚ 44 fouls‚ 30 for base hits and 25 hit fair for outs.
April 23Yankee lefty Herb Thormahlen loses his no-hitter when Boston’s Amos Strunk singles with one out in the 9th. A single by PH Ruth and a walk load the bases and a short fly to Ping Bodie is dropped‚ allowing Strunk to score the winner‚ 1-0.

At Cleveland, the Indians down the St. Louis Browns, 8–2. Winning pitcher Fritz Coumbe allows two runs in the 4th when he walks Joe Gedeon follows with an inside-the-park homerun, missplayed by LF Jack Graney who, thinking the line drive is foul, doesn’t chase the ball. It is Gedeon’s only ML homerun.

At Cleveland, the Indians down the St. Louis Browns, 8–2. Winning pitcher Fritz Coumbe allows two runs in the 4th when he walks George Sisler and Joe Gedeon follows with an inside-the-park homerun, missplayed by LF Jack Graney who, thinking the line drive is foul, doesn’t chase the ball. It is Gedeon’s only ML homerun.

At Cleveland, the Indians down the St. Louis Browns, 8–2. Winning pitcher Fritz Coumbe allows two runs in the 4th when he walks George Sisler and Joe Gedeon follows with an inside-the-park homerun, when LF Jack Graney, thinking the line drive is foul, doesn’t chase the ball. It is Gedeon’s only ML homerun.
April 24The A’s Vean Gregg shuts out the Red Sox‚ 3-0. George Burns’s 3-run homer off Babe Ruth in the bottom of the 8th provides all the scoring.

The Cubs win their home opener over the Cardinals‚ 2-0‚ as Hippo Vaughn allows just one hit-a Rogers Hornsby single. Lee Meadows is the loser for the Redbirds.
April 26In Chicago‚ Grover Alexander finally shows his star form‚ stopping the Cardinals on two hits to win‚ 3-2. Again‚ both hits are by Hornsby. Alexander leaves tomorrow for military duty on the 30th.

The Giants jump on four Brooklyn pitchers and roll to an 11-5 victory. The final Brooklyn twirler‚ Norman Plitt‚ allows one run in 2 innings as is 1-for-1 with a run scored. After this one ML apperance‚ Plitt will quite baseball next month but will be reinstated by the National Commission a year from now. Then he will find himself on the ineligible list in 1922 for violations of the reserve obligations. In March of 1922‚ Plitt and six others are ruled ineligible but can be reinstated if they dissociate themselves with baseball for a year. Plitt’s next ML appearance will be in 1927.

In the Browns 7-6 win over Chicago‚ Sox 2B Eddie Collins plays in his 473 straight game‚ a new AL record. He tied Sam Crawford‘s mark in his last game‚ on April 22nd.
April 27The Giants’ 9-0 winning start and the Dodgers’ 0-9 losing streak are stopped as Brooklyn’s Larry Cheney wins 5-3. Cheney also drives home the winning run.
April 28At Braves Field‚ 28‚000 fans watch the first Sunday game in Boston as Camp Devens defeats the Commonwealth Pier team‚ 6-2.

The Browns send 2B Lee Magee back to the Yankees in exchange for Tim Hendryx. New York then swaps Magee to the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Tommy Clarke. Clarke won’t play for the Yanks‚ but appears in just one this year‚ for the Cubs.
April 29With Eddie Collins on 2B and Joe Jackson at 1B‚ center fielder Tris Speaker turns the 6th unassisted double play of his career‚ and his 2nd of the month. But Cleveland still loses 8-4 to the White Sox. The 2 unassisted DPs is an AL season record. Speaker will erroneously be listed in the 1927 TSN Record book as completing 2 unassisted DPs in each of two games this month‚ and that error‚ plus the later discovery of 2 additional (earlier) unassisted Speaker DPs‚ will cause confusion. For the record‚ Speaker’s unassisted double plays were: June 6‚ 1909-g2‚ April 23‚ 1910‚ April 21‚ 1914‚ August 8‚ 1914 and the two this month. Speaker’s mark is a ML record.

Boston rolls past Washington‚ 8-1. Babe Ruth allows 5 hits and is 2-for-2 at the plate‚ both doubles‚ plus a stolen base.

In Cincinnati‚ the Reds top the Cardinals‚ 4-3‚ in a game that the Cards protest. St. Louis says that Roush‚ who is 2-for-3 in the game‚ deliberately juggled a fly ball causing a base runner to leave to soon. The protest will be upheld and the records expunged. The Cards will be involved in another protested game on June 3 with both contests having a bearing on the batting title.
April 30Grover Alexander‚ 2-1 in 3 starts for the Cubs‚ joins the Army in Manhattan‚ KS‚ after receiving his draft notice on April 18th. Alexander will be in uniform but is expected to play baseball‚ not fight. He joins the Giants Clarence Mitchell‚ A’s Winny Noyes‚ Cleveland’s Otis Lambeth‚ and others.

At the Polo grounds‚ the Yankees whip the A’s‚ 2-0‚ behind Slim Love. Love will go 13-12 this season‚ with his lone away victory coming in Philadelphia.

Despite the failure of the NY State Legislature to approve Sunday baseball‚ it is announced that there will be major league baseball on Sunday at the former Federal League Park in Harrison‚ NJ. (TSN) All three New York teams-the Giants‚ Dodgers and Yankees-will participate. This arrangement would have been in effect last Sunday but the Senators‚ scheduled to meet the Yanks‚ had already scheduled an exhibition game. The Sunday games in Harrison will necessitate the rescheduling of some IL games from there. The agreement‚ in which the 2 leagues will pay $10‚000 a year in rent for the park‚ comes about because of the settlement with the Federal League.

May


May 1In Boston‚ Walter Johnson tops the Red Sox and Carl Mays 5-0. For the Big Train‚ it is his first win of the year after three losses. Harry Hooper has 3 of the Sox 4 hits.
May 4At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees lay down a ML record (since tied) of 8 sacrifices‚ 6 coming on bunts‚ and nudge Boston 5-4. The bunting by New York takes advantage of Boston lefty Babe Ruth‚ who is nursing a hangover. Babe makes 2 errors and has 9 assists handling 13 fielding chances. Despite contributing his first homer of the year‚ plus a double‚ Ruth loses to Allan Russell. Boston’s 1B Dick Hoblitzell injures his finger‚ and in the next game Ruth will make his first career start as a position player.

Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes‚ loser of 13 straight games starting on May 10‚ 1917‚ breaks his losing streak with a 3-hit‚ 2-0‚ win over the Phils. Prendergast takes the loss.

Walter Johnson‚ in relief of Harry Harper‚ loses to the A’s Scott Perry‚ 1-0‚ in 11 innings. Johnson will appear in 15 extra-inning games this year‚ nine as a starter and six in relief. He’ll beat every club in extra frames except the A’s.
May 5Long-time minor league manager Ned Egan is found dead from a self-inflicted wound in a Chicago Hotel. Egan‚ signed as Milwaukee’s manager for 1918‚ had been depressed after suffering a spinal injury while skating this past winter. He was known for winning more minor league pennants than any other manager.
May 6Brooklyn’s Dan Griner has a no-hitter with 2 outs in the 9th‚ but gives up a hit to Phillie Gavvy Cravath. He nevertheless wins‚ 2-0. Griner had a one-hitter in July 1914 which he lost.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Babe Ruth subs for the injured Dick Hoblitzel at first base and bats 6th. It is the first time Ruth hits in any other spot besides 9th. He goes 2-for-4 with a home run as the Sox lose 10-3. Ping Bodie has 5 RBIs as the Yankees sweep the 3-game series.
May 7In Washington‚ Babe Ruth hits his 3rd homer in three games‚ a tremendous blast over the RF wall‚ to account for all of the Red Sox scoring in a 7-2 loss to Walter Johnson. It is the first homer in Griffith Stadium this year‚ and the 6th ever over the barrier (Eddie Murphy reportedly hit the 1st‚ which hit the top and bounded over)‚ and earns Babe a big ovation. For Ruth‚ it is the first of 10 homers he’ll hit off Walter Johnson. Ruth plays first base today for the 2nd game in a row and will be in the outfield for the first time in his career on May 10th.

Former Dodger Pat Ragan coasts to a 16-0 win over the Dodgers as the Braves pile up 17 hits. John Rawlings is 5-for-5. Ragan fans Jimmy Hickman 4 times. Zack Wheat‚ a hold out until April 30‚ makes his first appearance in the Brooklyn lineup.
May 9After knocking in the tying run in the 9th with a pinch sac fly‚ Walter Johnson pitches in relief in the 10th inning and picks up his 3rd win in 9 days against Boston‚ a 4-3 win for Washington. The only Red Sox safety in the 10th is a double by losing pitcher‚ starter Babe Ruth‚ who then gets thrown out trying to steal 3B. Ruth allows 11 hits while striking out one: batting cleanup‚ Ruth goes 5-for-5‚ with 3 doubles and a triple‚ and has a ten-game hit streak.
May 10Pittsburgh’s lefty Earl Hamilton is 6-0 with an 0.83 ERA after beating the Giants‚ 4-2. He then enlists in the Navy.

The Red Sox snap their 6-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the hapless Browns. Babe Ruth‚ playing his first game in the OF‚ is 0-for-5 but plays well patrolling “Duffy’s Cliff” in left field.

Walter Johnson bests Cleveland’s Jim Bagby‚ 1-0‚ the first of three straight shutouts the Big Train will throw.

Chicago;s Red Faber overcomes back-to-back homers by the A’s Clarence Walker & George Burns to beat the A’s‚ 5-3.
May 11The A’s Scott Perry holds the White Sox to one hit‚ a single by Swede Risberg‚ in besting fellow rookie Frank Shellenback‚ 1-0. The A’s score in the 8th. Chicago’s Red Faber will repay Perry in 3 days‚ when he pitches a 3-hit shutout to win‚ 3-0.
May 13The Phils’ Joe Oeschger pitches 9 no-hit innings‚ but they come after the Cards put together 2 hits and a walk for 3 runs in the first inning of a 10-inning 3-3 tie.
May 14Sunday baseball is made legal in Washington‚ DC. District commissioners rescind the ban in view of the large increase in the city’s wartime population and the need for recreation and amusement facilities.
May 15Former player-manager Patsy Tebeau commits suicide in St. Louis.

In a game that features no substitutes and no errors‚ White Sox pitcher Lefty Williams and the Senators Walter Johnson hook up for an 18-inning shutout marathon. The Nats finally push across a run in the 18th when Williams gives up two singles and then‚ with runners on the corners‚ heaves a wild pitch. Johnson scatter 10 hits in the win while Lefty allows 8. Johnson’s gem is the longest shutout ever‚ but will be tied by Hubbell in 1933.
May 16At Washinton‚ the Nats knock Chicago’s Joe Benz out of the box in the 1st innng‚ scoring 2 runs‚ but reliever Dan Danforth holds Washington scoreless from the 1st to the 11th as the Sox win‚ 4-2.
May 17The Red Sox stake Dutch Leonard to a 7-0 lead‚ but then hold on to beat the Tigers‚ 11-8.
May 20With 2 outs in bottom of the 14th inning‚ the A’s Merlin Kopp swipes home with the game-winner as Philadelphia beats Detroit‚ 5-4. Kopp has 2 steals in the game‚ as well as a double and triple. The A’s Elmer Myers and the Tigers Hooks Dauss each go the distance as both teams score runs in the 10th and 12th. Ty Cobb has three hits to run his consecutive game hitting streak against the A’s to 23 games (as noted by Trent McCotter) matching his career mark set in 1912.

In a 5-2 loss at Cincinnati‚ Braves 3B Red Smith makes an out after 10 straight hits over 5 games‚ a Braves franchise record (since tied). He has 3 straight hits today before making out.
May 22In a 6-5 12-inning win over the Phillies‚ Pirate reliever Wilbur Cooper drives in the winning run with a single. Cooper relieved Harmon in the 10th.
May 23The Giants win 6-4 in St. Louis‚ no thanks to outfielder Benny Kauff who strikes out 5 times. The 5 K’s ties the ML record.
May 24Former P Joe Wood hits a HR in the 19th inning-his second of the game-to end a 3:45 marathon with a 3-2 Cleveland win over New York. Cleveland pitcher Stan Coveleski goes the distance allowing 12 hits. For New York‚ Home Run Baker’s 11 assists tie the AL record for 3B in an extra-inning game.
May 26In a Sunday game in Washington‚ the Senators and Tigers finish off a 2-2‚ 16-inning tie that opened their series on May 24. Walter Johnson wins‚ 4-0‚ allowing 4 hits in 9 innings and extending his scoreless inning streak to 40. The Big Train also has a single‚ triple and a walk in 3 plate appearances‚ to raise his average to .323. The Red Sox will score in the 1st on Johnson on May 29‚ snapping his streak.
May 28At Fenway‚ Boston’s Joe Bush pitches a one-hit‚ 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox and drives in the lone run. The lone Chicago hit is a “flying single” (Harry Casey‚ in the Boston Evening Record) by Happy Felsch‚ which occurs when he throws his bat at the ball on a hit and run. Eddie Cicotte allows 5 hits‚ 3 by Thomas‚ in the loss.

June


June 1Losing 5-3 against the Yankees‚ the White Sox load the bases in the 8th with no outs. Chick Gandil lines a shot to 3B Frank Baker‚ who turns it into a triple play. Yankees win‚ 6-3.
June 2At Washington‚ Cleveland’s Jim Bagby and Walter Johnson square off‚ and both are there 11 innings later when Cleveland pushes over a 2-out score to win‚ 1-0.
June 3Boston lefty Hub Leonard pitches his 2nd no-hitter‚ beating the Tigers’ all right-handed lineup in Detroit 5-0‚ and allowing just a first-inning walk. Babe Ruth‚ playing CF for the first time in his career‚ slugs a first-inning HR‚ his 2nd in 2 days. Ty Cobb‚ out a week with an injured shoulder‚ pinch-hits in the 9th and fouls out.

Washington scores in the top of the 9th to beat Cleveland‚ 3-2‚ with the win going to Walter Johnson in relief. Eddie Foster is 0-for-4 against Coveleski to stop his 21-game hitting streak.

The A’s Vean Gregg fires a one-hitter to beat the Browns‚ 2-1. Catcher Les Nunamaker has the only safety‚ a single.

At Brooklyn‚ the Cardinals outslug the Dodgers‚ 15-12‚ in 10 innings. But the Dodgers play the game under protest after a 6th inning run by Doug Baird is allowed by umpire Rigler. the baserunner Baird passesd 3B ‚reverses hmself to head for 2B‚ reverses again and scores by cutting across the diamond. The NL will uphold the protest‚ erasing today’s game and Zach Wheat‘s 0-for-5 at the plate. This‚ plus the Reds’ protested game of April 29‚ will give Wheat the batting title over Edd Roush .335 to .333.
June 4Washington’s Jim Shaw wins his own game‚ 3-1‚ with a bases loaded triple in the 5th against Cleveland. However‚ Shaw injures his leg sliding into 3rd on the hit and reliever Doc Ayres finishes up for him.
June 5The Giants score 3 in the 9th to beat Pittsburgh‚ 4-3‚ and move into first place.
June 6In Brooklyn‚ the ever-popular Casey Stengel‚ now a Pirate after being traded by Brooklyn in January‚ is good-naturedly applauded when he comes to bat in the 7th inning. He calls time‚ doffs his cap in response‚ and to everyone’s delight releases an “irate but much relieved” sparrow he had hidden there. Brooklyn wins‚ 1-0‚ when Hy Myers scores from 3rd on double steal. This famous anecdote has been reported in some books as having occurred on May 25‚ 1919.

The Red Sox top the Indians‚ 2-0‚ in 10 innings‚ with the Babe in LF going hitless ending his streak of 4 homers in 4 games. Jones is the CG winner over reliever Jim Bagby.
June 7The Indians club six Red Sox pitchers for 13 hits in a 14-7 win. Left fielder Babe Ruth‚ with a single and triple at bat‚ comes in to pitch the 7th and walks his only two batters. The two come around to score the tying and winning run‚ handing Ruth (4-5) his 5th loss of the year. The Indians also swipe 7 bases‚ including a triple steal in the 7th inning led by Braggo Roth‚ the 2nd he’s led. The battery is Vincent Molyneaux and Wally Schang.
June 9Washington’s Walter Johnson allows one hit-a single by Oscar Vitt-in beating the Tigers‚ 2-0.
June 10The Braves Rudolph fires the 2nd one-hitter in two days‚ beating Rube Bressler and the visiting Reds‚ 3-0. Hal Chase has the lone hit.
June 11The franchise owners in the Southern League vote to suspend operations on June 28. Transportation difficulties‚ increasing rail rates‚ and lack of interest in some cities are the reasons cited. In 9 days the 6-team Texas League will vote not to add New Orleans and Beaumont for the remainder of the year. The stumbling block is New Orleans‚ which wanted the right to pull out for next year in case the Southern League reorganizes.

Lefty Tyler allows 2 hits but the Giants win‚ 1-0‚ on a fluke homer in the 1st inning by George Burns. He hits a line single to Max Flack who falls down and the ball skips by for an inside-the-park homer. The Cubs 9-game win streak ends.

The Pirates Roy Sanders and Boston’s Bunny Hearn battle for 16 innings before the Bucs win‚ 3-2‚ on a bases-loaded squeeze play. Sanders allows one hit over the last 8 innings.
June 12The Cubs play turnabout‚ beating the Giants‚ 1-0. The other NL game is Boston beating the Pirates‚ 1-0‚ behind Fillingam’s 3-hitter.
June 13The Phils and Cardinals go 19 innings ending in an 8-8 tie. The Phils blow a 6-run lead with St. Louis tying at 8-8 in the 7th. Hornsby has 4 errors in 21 chances‚ while Cliff Heathcote hits for the cycle‚ though it takes him 9 at bats.

A day after his Browns blow a 4-0 lead in the 9th and lose to the Senators‚ 6-4‚ manager Fielder Jones abruptly leaves the team. Shortstop Jimmy Austin will skipper the team for 16 games before Jimmy Burke is brought aboard.
June 15Cubs’ base runner Charlie Deal races home from 3rd with the go-ahead run when Dodger pitcher Jack Coombs drops the ball while winding up. The balls rolls towards 2B and Deal scores. The Cubs go on to win‚ 6-1.

Batting cleanup and playing left field‚ Babe Ruth clubs a three-run homer in the 7th‚ his 8th roundtripper of the year. He drives home another run in the 9th to lead the visiting Red Sox to an 8-4 win over the Browns.
June 16In a Sunday game in St. Louis‚ the Browns edge the Red Sox‚ 2-1‚ as Ruth goes 0-for-1‚ receiving intentional passes his last three times up. The Browns will lose to the Red Sox tomorrow‚ 8-0‚ but St. Louis pitchers will hand two more intentional walks to the Babe in his first two at-bats-a total of five in a row.
June 17The National Commission rules that P Scott Perry‚ who has been winning games for the Athletics‚ belongs to the Boston Braves. Although purchased by the Braves from Atlanta in 1917‚ the deal was not completed. While on Atlanta’s ineligible list‚ he was sold to Connie Mack. Aroused by Perry’s AL success‚ the Braves enter their proper claim. Mack breaks precedent‚ goes outside organized baseball to civil court‚ and gets an injunction against Boston. The NL‚ having sat still for the loss of George Sisler‚ is furious. The clubs’ anger at player-allocation decisions will ultimately topple the National Commission‚ making way for Judge K.M. Landis.

The Detroit-New York game ends in a 5-5 tie‚ called after 8 innings in Detroit because the Yankees have to catch a train to Cleveland.
June 18Pittsburgh’s Wilbur Cooper allows just one hit against the Phils‚ but loses 1-0 on a wild pitch and an error. Milt Stock‘s 1st inning double turns into a run after an error and wild pitch. Brad Hogg is the winner.

Benny Kauff plates a pair of runs in his last home game before going into the army as the Giants win‚ 7-1‚ over Matty’s Reds. Pol Perritt (9-1) is the winner.
June 19The Yankees purchase OF Ham Hyatt from the Braves‚ but he proves to be a turkey and is soon released. Tomorrow they will buy Brownie pitcher John Robinson‚ who will suffer the same fate as Hyatt.
June 20In Chicago‚ the White Sox play the Indians with the receipts going to build a recreation house for the benefit of soldiers and sailors. A baseball autographed by evanglist Billy Sunday‚ a former center fielder for the Chicago White Stockings‚ sells for $50. An autographed ball signed by President Wilson goes for $5‚650 while o0ne signed by Mrs. Woodrow Wilson goes for $1‚450. The Sox push across a run in the 10th to win‚ 5-4.

The Red Sox and A’s trade shutouts‚ with Boston losing the opener‚ 2-0 before winning‚ 3-0. Tilly Walker does the most damamge‚ hitting a 2-run HR in game one that lands on Landsdowne Avenue. It is the 4th time he has homered over the LF wall at Fenway‚ having hit one off Keating‚ Gregg and Leonard previously). Walker also knocks Dutch Leonard out of the second game when he hits a line drive off the pitcher’s hand in the 6th. Vince Molyneaux finishes up for his only career win‚ while Scott Perry absorbs his 7th straight loss.

Dutch Leonard will jump the Sox to take a job at the Fore River Ship Yard in Quincy‚ Mass.‚ and pitch for the team there. The move will interrupt Leonard’s streak of reaching double figure in wins every year‚ but prompt the Sox to trade him at the end of the year. Big Jeff Tesreau says he has jumped the Giants to take a job with a steel company and pitch in the Steel league. He knows his days are numbered and he wants to learn the steel business.
June 21The Cards score 8 runs in the opening inning versus the Reds to coast to a 12-6 win. The highlight in the big inning is Jeff Heathcote with a home run and double.

Boston’s Carl Mays pitches his 2nd one-hitter against the A’s this year‚ beating Philadelphia‚ 13-0. This time it is Jake Munch who has the lone single‚ a scratch hit in front of the plate that Mays fields rather than C Wally Schang.

Walter Johnson wins his 12th straight‚ though it takes him 13 innings to do it‚ as he beats New York‚ 3-2. Clyde Milan‚ whose muff in the 9th with 2 outs allowed the tying run to score‚ drives in the game winner with a single.
June 22Behind the pitching of Hippo Vaughn‚ the Cubs beat the Pirates‚ 5-2. For Hippo‚ it is his 11th straight win over the Bucs‚ going back to July 4‚ 1916.
June 24Sam Rice‚ playing CF‚ has 2 hits to help the Senators beat the Athletics‚ 2-1. Rice‚ playing a few games while on furlough from the Army‚ returns to duty after the game.
June 25Babe Ruth pounds out his 9th homer of the year‚ off Allan Russell‚ as the Red Sox and Sam Jones beat the Yankees‚ 7-3. It is the Babe’s 3rd of the season into the upper deck at the Polo Grounds. But the Yanks will win the next two games to retake first place from Boston.
June 26No mercy rule as the Cubs roll over the Cardinals‚ 14-0. The Cubs pile on in the 4th inning when they pull off a triple steal against the battery of Sherdel and Gonzales. Three ex-American Leaguers‚ Charley Deal‚ Zeider and Killifer‚ do the wholesale thievery. After Lefty Tyler walks to reload the bases‚ Max Flack clears them with a grand slam.

The Yankees top the Red Sox‚ 3-1‚ as Babe Ruth scores the only Sox run following a double. Babe injures his wrist sliding into second base and will repeat the injury tomorrow on the same play.

The Senators edge the St. Louis Browns‚ 3-2. And now we know why Frank Shulte is called wildfire as Jimmy Austin of the Browns nabs him with a successful hidden ball trick.
June 27The Red Sox pound out 17 hits against the Yankees and still lose‚ 7-5. New York takes over first place.
June 28Lanky Harry Harper allows one hit-a home run by Babe Ruth-in beating the Red Sox‚ 2-1. Harper was in danger of losing the game until the Senators score a pair in the 8th off Bader.
June 29At Detroit‚ the Indians score 10 runs in the 8th to turn a close game into a rout‚ winning 13-4.

The A’s edge the Yankees‚ 2-1‚ behind Scott Perry. The victory snaps Perry’s 9-game losing streak.

Lawyers and judges will square off in a game at Cubs Park to raise money for ‘smokes for soldiers.’ The judges will be clad in Sox uniforms and the lawyers will play in Cubs garb. The match will be umped by Ring Lardner and Jimmy Ryan and will be announced by Bob Figg. Other features include autographed balls by President Wilson to be auctioned off by Judge Cermak‚ as well as a grenade-throwing contest between the two teams. The grenades are duds.
June 30In the 10th inning in Washington‚ Babe Ruth‚ playing CF‚ hits his 11th HR to beat Walter Johnson 3-1 and boost the Red Sox back into first place. Ruth also cracked a HR off Johnson on May 7‚ the only home runs the Washington ace gives up between September 1917 and May 1920. Carl Mays is the winner‚ striking out 6‚ while Johnson K’s one. Ruth will hit no more homers this year‚ but his 11-in just 95 games-will be good enough to share the ML lead with the A’s Tilly Walker.

The Reds slow the Cubs’ pennant drive in Cincinnati by taking the first game of a doubleheader‚ 7-0‚ behind Jimmy Ring. Cincy gets all the runs it needs when Cubs starter Claude Hendrix walks four of the first 5 batters. The nitecap ends in a 7-7 tie‚ called at 7 o’clock by prior agreement to allow the Cubs to catch a train for St. Louis.

Detroit takes a pair from Cleveland‚ winning 10-2 and 2-0. Ty Cobb is 7-for-9 in the two games. Tris Speaker helps the Bengals in game one with 3 errors.

In Washington‚ Ty Cobb‘s brother starts a 4-run 9th inning rally as the Quantico Marines beat Army Operations‚ 6-5‚ at Georgetown Field.

Pittsburgh pitcher Bob Steele allows just one hit against his former teammates‚ but his wild throw in the 4th inning accounts for two runs‚ and the Cardinals win‚ 2-1. Red Ames is the victor while Jeff Heathcote’s double is the only St. Louis hit. Pittsburgh takes the nitecap‚ 5-4‚ scoring the winning run on a triple by Buster Caton and double by Carson Bigbee in the 11th inning. Starter Wilber Cooper goes all the way for the victory.

In London‚ Red Cross workers complete work on 800 baseball uniforms to be sent to American camps around Great Britain. The uniforms are completed in time for July 4th games.

July


July 1At Quincy‚ in the Bethlehem Steel League‚ Dutch Leonard loses to Eddie Plank‚ 6-2. It is Leonard’s first game in the league.
July 2In Washington‚ Red Sox star Babe Ruth quits the team after arguing with manager Ed Barrow. This follows a 3-0 loss to Washington’s Harry Harper in which the Babe‚ playing CF‚ goes hitless in two at bats and makes an error. Harry Harper cops his 2nd win in the series and his 7th in a row‚ beating Guy Bush.

The first-place Yankees are “dipped in the whitewash vat” by the A’s young Bob Geary‚ who allows just 3 singles in the 5-0 victory. The host Mackmen‚ led by Merlin Kopp‚ rattle 3 Yankee pitchers for 10 hits‚ handing the loss to Slim Love. Kopp is 4-for-4 with 4 runs and a stolen base. The Yanks maintain their two-game lead over the Red Sox and Cleveland.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Long Cy Williams clouts a three-run homer in the 7th‚ off Slim Sallee‚ to lead the Phillies to 5-2 win over the Giants. But several bright spots for the Giants include the appearances of Laughing Larry Doyle and Ferdie Schupp‚ both out of the lineup for months. Doyle was hitting .420 when was hit by a pitch on May 4th and has been in the hospital for much of the interim. Before the game‚ each of the 20 Philley players was presented with a new wrist watch because Bob Meusel hit the Ingersoll watch sign on the outfield fence the other day.

In Boston‚ proceedings started to determine the status of professional baseball players under the new work or fight rules. Summons were sent to 14 Boston Braves-all the players except Wally Rehg‚ Ray Powell and Joe Kelly‚ who will enter the U.S. Navy Reserve this week. Three other players-Buck Herzog‚ Ed Konetchy‚ and Tom Hughes-are beyond the draft age. Meanwhile‚ the Braves host the Dodgers. Burleigh Grimes allows just three hits and tallies three himself as he spins a 4-0 win.
July 3Babe Ruth announces that he has joined the Chester team of the Delaware River Shipbuilding League and will not play for Boston. The Red Sox players are unperturbed and the Red Sox management threatens an injunction. Heinie Wagner tracks down the Babe in Baltimore and convinces him to return to the Sox. Meanwhile‚ the Ruth-less Sox unravel‚ losing 6-0 to the A’ Vean Gregg. Gregg allows just one hit in the first six innings‚ and four overall.

The first-place Cubs finally lose a game to the last-place Cards‚ 2-1‚ in St. Louis. With the score tied‚ Bob Fisher singles in the 8th‚ steals 2B and 3B‚ and scores on Charlie Grimm‘s single. Fisher helps again in the 9th inning when he nabs Dode Paskert at 2B with a hidden ball trick.

Giants pitcher Fred Anderson follows in the footsteps of Jeff Tesreau and jumps the team to join a shipyard team. Anderson has been trying to join the Navy’s dental corp.‚ and the Giants don’t know his whereabouts. He’ll rejoin the team‚ however. The Giants are also unsuccessful in luring back Dave Robertson from government service in Norfolk. Robertson‚ the NL’s co-leader in homers in 1916-17‚ turns down an offer of $7‚500 and will not rejoin the Giants until next year. The players aren’t needed today as the Giants sweep a pair from the Dodgers‚ 9-4 and 1-0 to move to two back of the Cubs.
July 4There are few fireworks today as the Cubs whitewash the Cards‚ winning both games by a 1-0 score. Lefty Tyler‚ in extra innings‚ and Claude Hendrix are the winners over Red Ames and Bill Doak. Tyler and Hippo Vaughn will tie for the NL lead in shutouts this year with 8.

Behind Rube Marquard and Jack Coombs‚ the Dodgers take a pair from the Giants. Rube shuts out the Giants‚ 2-0‚ in the first game‚ which begins at 10:15 a.m. Coombs‚ the Kennebunk Express‚ overcomes seven Brooklyn errors to win the afternoon contest‚ 4-3. Coombs scores the winning run after hitting a 10th inning triple‚ his third hit of the game. Jimmy Hickman adds a 4th inning homer.

Despite the heroics of Ty Cobb at Comiskey Park‚ the White Sox sweep two from the Tigers‚ winning 7-6 in 12 innings‚ then 2-1. Cobb is 5-for-6 in the 1st game‚ and goes from 1st to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt. Playing 1B in the nitecap‚ Ty pulls the hidden ball trick on Joe Benz‚ the winning pitcher for Chicago. Ed Cicotte is the winner in game one over Hooks Dauss.

In Washington‚ the Yankees split with the Senators while Cleveland is winning twice from the Browns. Cleveland (43-32) takes over first from New York (38-29) and Boston (40-31). The Yankees win the morning game‚ 7-0‚ behind the pitching of Bob Shawkey and the slugging of Frank Baker. Baker collects a homer‚ double‚ and 2 singles and adds 2 singles in the afternoon contest. The Yankees rap 9 hits off Walter Johnson in the p.m. game‚ but shoddy fielding gives the Nats a 4-3 win.

Boston splits with the A’s‚ taking the morning contest 11-9. Starting pitcher Sad Sam Jones is rapped for 9 hits in 5 2/3 innings‚ but is awarded the victory. Ruth is not used in the morning game‚ but returns to the lineup in the nitecap‚ striking out twice‚ as Scott Perry outpitches Carl Mays for the 2-1 11-inning A’s victory. With every team in the majors playing twinbills‚ this is one of seven extra-inning games today: this won’t be matched until August 15‚ 1998 when half (7) the games go extra frames. Also‚ 11 of the games are one-run affairs‚ a mark that won’t be matched until April 14‚ 2001.

At London’s Chelsea football grounds‚ 18‚000 people‚ including King George and the royal family‚ watch an American Army team defeat a U.S. Navy team‚ 2-1. The King is prevented from tossing out the first ball by the netting in front of the royal box‚ and instead walks on the field and hands the ball to umpire Arlie Latham.

In a Steel League morning game at Lehigh Stadium in Bethlehem‚ Pa‚ Dutch Leonard strikes out 18 to defeat Jeff Tesreau‚ 2-0. The game draws 4‚000. The afternoon game‚ featuring the pitching of former major leaguers Lefty Baumgartner and Al Mamaux‚ draws 18‚000.
July 5The A’s tie the Red Sox in the 9th‚ only to lose in the 10th‚ 4-3. Starting pitcher Babe Ruth draws a walk off Bob Geary in the 10th and scores the winning run on Stuffy McInnis‘ triple.

The PCL announces that it will end the season tomorrow.

In Toronto‚ the Cincinnati Reds edge the Toronto Internationals‚ 2-1‚ in an exhibition game.
July 6After walking 7 batters‚ the Reds’ Pete Schneider takes a 10-0 one-hitter versus the Phils into the 9th‚ but walks the first 6 batters in the inning to force in 3 runs. Two relievers later‚ the Phils have 9 runs‚ but lose 10-9. Pete’s 13 walks is still a club record.

At Chicago‚ Hippo Vaughn pitches and bats the Cubs to a 1-0‚ 12-inning victory over the Giants. Hippo wastes an 11thinning double but his single in the 12th drives in the only run.

The Red Sox regain first place‚ beating the Indians‚ 5-4. Pinch hitter Babe Ruth drives in two runs in the 6th inning with a triple and scores the winning run when the relay is fumbled.
July 7The Browns beat the host Washington Nationals‚ 3-0‚ as the Nats manage just 3 hits off Allen Sothoron. Browns SS Jimmy Austin triples in the 9th off Walter Johnson‚ then steals home.

In Chicago‚ the Cubs hand the Giants their 4th straight loss‚ beating New York‚ 6-1. Starter Pol Perritt goes five innings to take the loss. Phil Douglas wins to give Chicago a six-game lead in the NL. Perritt will come back tomorrow and pitch a complete game victory to give the Giants a split of their doubleheader with Chicago.

Rabbit Maranville gets a 10-day leave from the Navy and hits .316 in 11 games for the Braves before going back to sea.

At Newport‚ RI‚ the Indians lose an exhibition game to a Navy team 5-2. The Navy offense is paced by OF Wally Rehg‘s 2-run homer‚ one of three Navy outfielders from the Boston Braves. Joe Kelly and Ray Powell team with Rehg.

In Omaha‚ the Western League votes to end this season after today’s games. In Ft Worth‚ Texas League president J. Walter Morris announces the Texas League season will end today. The Pacific Coast and International Leagues also close today.
July 8Although Babe Ruth‘s 10th inning blast over the fence in Fenway scores Amos Strunk in the Red Sox win 1-0 over Cleveland‚ the prevailing rules about the winning run scoring ahead of the home run reduce Babe’s HR to a triple. The run gives Sad Sam Jones the win over Stanley Coveleskie. Guy Morton gives up 3 Boston hits in the nitecap to beat Carl Mays‚ 4-3. Ruth will hit 11 homers this year‚ all on the road.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees come from behind to tie White Sox with 3 runs in the 8th‚ then win in the 9th‚ 6-5‚ on Frank Baker’s 100th hit of the season. Baker is the first player to reach the century mark in hits this year.

In a battle of the top two teams‚ the Cubs spilt a doubleheader with the Giants. Behind George Tyler’s complete game‚ Chicago takes the opener from the visitors‚ 6-3. Pol Perritt‚ a loser yesterday‚ beats the Cubs in the nitecap‚ 3-1. Hendrix is the loser.

The A’s pound out a 16-9 win over the Tigers‚ who are playing without Harry Heilmann. Heilmann is struck by a bat in pregame practice. Three players-Cobb‚ McAvoy and Acosta-collect four hits apiece‚ but Cobb playing 2B and Bush at short add two errors apiece.
July 9In Chicago‚ the Giants stop the Cubs‚ 7-6‚ on a solo homer by Jim Thorpe in the 10th inning‚ off Phil Douglas. Thorpe is subbing for the injured Ross Young‚ who is out with a twisted ankle. The Giants‚ down 6-0‚ jump on Hippo Vaughn in the 7th to tie. Cecil Causey pitches the last two innings in relief of Fred Anderson to win. The Cubs lead is down to 5 games.

The Red Sox tighten their hold on first place with a 12-inning‚ 1-0 victory over the visiting Indians. Everett Scott doubles over Tris Speaker‘s head‚ and after a forceout‚ the winning run scores on a single by Wally Mayer. Starter Joe Bush outduels Jim Bagby for the win.

The Dodgers make twelve hits off the Cards‚ but lose 6-4. The Cards also collect 12 hits and Dodger pitcher Larry Cheney helps with 5 wild pitches.

In the 2nd game of a twinbill‚ the Tigers edge the A’s‚ 5-4. Ty Cobb provides the winning margin with a swipe of home in the 5th.
July 10Reds pitchers Jimmy Ring and Mike Regan combine to whitewash the Robins‚ winning 7-0 and 5-0. Brooklyn manages 6 hits in the opener‚ and two in second game. Lee Magee and Edd Roush combine for 6 hits and 4 runs off Burleigh Grimes in game 2.

The Red Sox beat the Indians‚ 2-0‚ in 5 innings‚ winning their 4th game in the series with Cleveland. Ruth’s triple in the 4th scores the first run‚ the 3rd time in the series that Ruth has driven in the winner with a triple. The game is called after 5 innings because of rain.
July 11Cubs pitcher Phil Douglas picks up two wins over the Braves today‚ relieving in the 9th of the opener and beating Art Nehf‚ 4-3‚ in 10 innings. Shufflin’ Phil starts the nitecap and tops veteran Pat Ragan‚ 3-2.

At Washington‚ the Tigers overcome a 6-run deficit to beat Walter Johnson‚ 8-6. Detroit scores 5 runs in the 7th and 3 in the 9th for the win. Cobb is 2-for-3 with a sac fly and 2 runs scored.

The first-place Red Sox top Chicago‚ 4-0‚ with Carl Mays outpitching Ed Cicotte. Cicotte gives up 9 hits‚ including 3 opposite field doubles to Babe Ruth. Playing 1B‚ the Babe records 20 putouts.
July 13The first place Cubs beat the Braves‚ 5-3‚ behind Hippo Vaughn. Boston gets a 9th inning HR From J.C. Smith‚ but it is not enough. Rookie Hugo Canavan takes the loss. The two teams announce plans to play an exhibition game on July 28 in Montreal‚ the first ML game to ever be played in Canada.

The Tigers edge the Senators‚ 1-0‚ scoring their only run in the first Harry Heilmann‘s Texas Leaguer. The loss is starter Harry Harper‘s first following 7 straight wins. Ty Cobb announces that he will join the military after the season. The statement by the AL’s leading hitter comes after he and his family drop in at the White House following the game.

The Reds sweep two from the Dodgers‚ winning 3-1 and 4-2. Heinie Groh‚ the NL’s leading hitter (.355 through July 11 to runner-up Benny Kauff‘s .324) is 4-for-8 in the 2 games.
July 15New York reaches Stanley Coveleskie for 3 runs in the 1st‚ but that’s all the scoring they manage against the Yankee nemesis. Cleveland ties the game in the 7th and Smoky Joe Wood’s homer in the 8th is the clincher. Wood and Braggo Roth each have 4 hits for the Tribe. Umpire Brick Owens confiscates a ball from Yank pitcher Joe Finneran‚ who had earlier been accused by George Moriarty of throwing a tallow ball‚ and will send the exhibit A to Ban Johnson. Owens also throws out more than the ball when he tosses Bill Wambsganss in the first for protesting a strike call and Steve O’Neill in the 2nd for disagreeing on an out call. Cleveland now moves into 3rd place ahead of the Yankees.

Slim Sallee‚ who has been out of action with a lame back‚ gives up 5 Reds hits in pitching the Giants to a 2-1 win. Fred Toney takes the loss for Cincy.

Pittsburgh edges Brooklyn 6-5 on an error by catcher Mack Wheat‚ offsetting the 3-for-3 hitting of brother Zack Wheat. Chief Mayer wins with Rube Marquard taking the loss.

Scott Perry ices two games for the last-place A’s‚ as Philadelphia tops the Browns‚ 5-3 and 6-4. Perry relieves in the opener in the 7th and holds the Browns scoreless while driving in 2 runs in the 8th inning. Perry then wins the nitecap when Larry Gardner drives in 2 runs in the 5th with a triple.
July 17Chicago’s Lefty Tyler goes 21 innings‚ the longest complete game in Cubs history‚ against Milt Watson‚ to beat the Phils‚ 2-1. Lefty scatters 13 hits and strikes out 8 in the marathon effort. Three Chicago pinch hitters reach base in the 21st‚ and Max Flack drives home the winner with his 5th hit of the game. Flack scored the game’s first run in the first inning. Watson takes the complete game loss‚ allowing 19 hits.

The Red Sox sweep two from the Browns‚ shutting St. Louis out in both games. Joe Bush takes the first game‚ 7-0‚ and Babe Ruth follows‚ 4-0‚ while adding two doubles in two trips to the plate.
July 18During an 8-5 win in St. Louis‚ Giants manager McGraw bawls out Heinie Zimmerman for not running out a fly ball. A miffed Zimmerman leaves the ball park during the game and only returns to the team after several days absence. McGraw slaps Heinie with a stiff fine.

In the 2nd game of a twinbill at Baltimore (International League)‚ the Orioles rookie lefty Ralph Worrell beats Newark‚ 6-3. Newark manager‚ Tommy McCarthy‚ 55-years-old‚ inserts himself as a pinch hitter in the 9th and singles‚ but is cut down trying to stretch the hit. Worrell will win 25 games this year‚ the highest in Organized Baseball. Alas‚ at the end of the season he will enter the service and die of influenza in November.
July 19Washington C Eddie Ainsmith applies for deferment from the draft. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker rules that baseball is not an essential occupation and all players of draft age are subject to the “work-in-essential-industries-or-fight” rule. Ban Johnson says the AL will close down July 21st‚ a pronouncement that upsets the owners‚ but the next day both leagues vote to continue. A week later‚ Baker exempts players from the rule until September 1st. Both leagues vote to cut the season short‚ and end on Labor Day‚ September 2nd.

The Braves score 4 in the first against the Reds‚ knocking out Jimmy Ring for the 1st time since joining the team. But Cincinnati comes back to win‚ 6-4. with Mike Regan‚ in relief‚ winning over Dick Rudolph. The Braves strand 12 and commit 5 miscues to help the Cincy cause.

At Fenway‚ the peachless Tigers fall to the first-place Red Sox‚ 5-0‚ managing just 3 hits off Carl Mays‚ one less than Stuffy McInnis has. Old Bill Bailey takes to the loss for the Bengals‚ who play without Ty Cobb. Ty‚ suffering from a sore shoulder‚ missed the train back from New York where‚ according to the Tiger players‚ he had gone to enlist.
July 20Cleveland president James Dunn wires AL headquarters “We will play a double-header with Washington tomorrow and then close the ball park for the balance of the season. It is our desire to comply with Secretary Baker’s ruling on baseball.” Dunn’s wire is in answer to Ban Johnson‘s telegram asking if the owners wanted to comply at once.

The visiting Dodgers beat the Cubs for the third game in a row‚ topping the Bruins‚ 6-4. Chicago scores first when Fred Merkle clips Rube Marquard for a 3-run homer‚ but with the game knotted in the 9th‚ Hy Myers clouts a two-run homer off a tired Claude Hendrix. Larry Cheney wins in relief.

In Washington‚ Walter Johnson goes the distance in beating the White Sox‚ 6-1. The Nationals score four runs in the 4th off Frank Shellenback‚ who takes the loss.

At Philadelphia‚ the A’s take the opener with Cleveland‚ 10-4‚ then forfeits the nitecap when the crowd surges on the field. Cleveland is leading 9-1 in the 9th when fans surged onto the field and stood along the foul lines. The AL indefinitely suspends Bill Wambsganss and Steve O’Neill for their altercations on the 15th in New York.

The visiting Boston Braves beat the Reds‚ 8-3. Rookie Jesse Haines makes his lone appearance for the Reds‚ allowing a run in 5 innings‚ but he’ll return to the Western League. Haines will resurface in the majors with the Cardinals in 1920‚ eventually making the Hall of fame.
July 21A’s rookie Mule Watson toils 11 innings and gives up 12 hits before losing to the Indians‚ 3-2. Undaunted‚ the aptly named Mule pitches the nitecap‚ scattering 10 hits in 8 innings before the game is declared a 5-5 tie so the Indians can catch a train.

At Braves Field‚ a crowd of 15‚000 watch a doubleheader in which the Boston Base sailors defeat the Marine Corp of the Boston Navy Yard‚ 4-1. In the nitecap at the Wigwam‚ Camp Bevens wallops Fort Andrews‚ 15-4‚ driving starter Frank Fahey‚ briefly with the A’s‚ from the mound.

August Herrmann‚ Reds president and chairman of the national baseball commission‚ announces the cancellation of a pair of games in Chicago tomorrow. Herrmann says they are makeup games and that the Reds will be traveling East to play their regularly scheduled games.
July 22With today’s game possibly the last of the season‚ 10‚000 fans show up at Fenway in 98 degree heat. The Red Sox win their 2nd doubleheader shutout in 5 days‚ this time over the Tigers. Joe Bush wins the opener‚ 1-0‚ and Carl Mays takes the nitecap 3-0. Ruth goes 0-for-7 in the two games.

The Giants purchase pitcher Fred Toney from the Reds.
July 25Walter Johnson gives up one hit (a triple by George Sisler) in the first 11 innings of a 15-inning‚ 4-hit 1-0 win over the Browns.

At the Polo Grounds the Giants beat the Cardinals twice by 3-2 scores. Pol Perritt and Causey are the winners as the 2nd place Giants pick up a half game on the Cubs. Chicago leads the NL by 3 games.

The Reds sweep a pair from the Braves winning 4-2 in 13 innings‚ and 5-0. In the opener‚ Lee McGee’s grounder takes a bad bounce and breaks SS Johnny Rawlings nose‚ and Edd Roush follows with a home run over Jimmy Canavan’s head in left. Both starters finish as Hod Eller wins over Pat Ragan. Pete Schneider is the shutout winner in the 2nd game. In 1920‚ Lee Magee will admit in court that he and Hal Chase bet on Boston to win the first game today‚ and he aided the bet with 2 errors and one base-running gaffe in the game.
July 26That’s spelled Steal. Giants pitcher Bob Steele tosses a 7-hit shutout over the Cardinals to win 8-0. In the 6-run 7th‚ Steele steals home. The Giants are now 2 games in back of the Cubs‚ losers today to the Phils.
July 27Brooklyn takes the first of two games against last-place St. Louis‚ winning 2-0‚ behind the 6-hit pitching of Dick Robertson. Mickey Doolin leads the Superbas with 3 hits and a stolen base. The nitecap is another story: Brooklyn starts rookie righthander Harry Heitmann‚ the IL Iron man‚ who pitched two doubleheaders at Rochester. Heitmann is stationed in Brooklyn by the Navy. The young sailor is swamped with two triples and two singles in the first 5 batters and is relieved by Burleigh Grimes. It’s Heitmann’s first and last ML appearance‚ leaving him with a career ERA of 108.00. (TSN shows Heitmann with 1/3 IP‚ while the NY Times and NY Telegram list him as retiring no batters) St. Louis tallies 26 hits in racking up a 22-7 slugfest win. Bob Fisher‚ Gene Paulette‚ Hornsby and McHenry each score 4 runs. Fisher collects a triple and homer‚ while George Anderson has a double and two triples to go along with his single. Winning pitcher Bill Sherdel only lasts to the 5th‚ but has a sacrifice fly and hits a 2-run homer over RF Jack Coombs‘ head. In the 7th‚ Coombs relieves losing pitcher Burleigh Grimes and in 3 innings allows 12 hits and 10 runs.

At Braves Field‚ Hippo Vaughn holds the Braves to 4 singles‚ while his Chicago teammates tally 11 hits to beat Boston‚ 7-1. With the bases loaded and 2 outs in the first‚ an errant throw by 3B Red Smith opens the door for 4 Chicago runs. The Cubs score all their runs in the first 4 frames off Dick Rudolph.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Pirates take the first game in the series with the Giants‚ 8-4. The Bucs score 5 in the 7th after Larry Doyle fumbles a ball which should have been the 3rd out. Frank “Bullet” Miller is the winner over Bill Demaree.

Detroit’s Bill James‚ pitching his last game before joining the Army‚ loses to the A’s‚ 5-3. James is ordered to report to his Ann Arbor draft board tomorrow. John Watson picks up the win for Philadelphia.

Cincinnati wins two from the Phillies‚ 14-5 and 3-0. Matty’s men rack up 20 hits in the opener and steal 8 bases‚ including 4 in the first inning. Greasy Neale had 3 stolen bases‚ while Sherry Magee had 4 hits and 2 steals. Sherry had another 3 hits in the nitecap to back Mike Regan’s 4-hit shutout.

In two Steel League tilts‚ Eddie Plank outduels Dutch Leonard to win‚ 1-0‚ in Steelton‚ Pa. In Philadelphia‚ Bethlehem wins over Lebanon‚ 1-0‚ behind the pitching of Jeff Tesreau. Former Yank hurler Jeff Buckles buckles in the 8th.
July 28In a matched billed as the first major league game ever played in Montreal-though an exhibition-the Boston Braves edge the Cubs‚ 3-2‚ before a packed crowd at Atwater Park. To the delight of the fans‚ Cubs twirler Roy Walker walks Red Smith‚ a former Royal‚ with the bases loaded in the 9th‚ then passes Bull Henry to force home the winner. The teams chipped in to pay the umpires’ train fare from Boston‚ where the teams played yesterday and will play tomorrow.

Reb Russell is in fine form‚ shutting out the Red Sox‚ 8-0‚ and beating Carl Mays‚ handing the submariner his 2nd loss in the series. Eddie Collins has two hits and 3 stolen bases to help the White Sox 10-hit attack‚ while Russell slams 2 doubles. His 2nd‚ misplayed by Ruth‚ drives in 3 runs in the 6th. The Babe recovers to throw out Rebel trying to stretch the hit into a triple. Former Cub Wilbur Good‚ just signed‚ started in CF for the White Sox.

Sisler’s triple and score on a wild throw by 2B Hank Shanks proves to be the decisive run as the Browns top the Washington Nationals‚ 4-3. Rasty Wright‚ with relief from Byron Houck‚ earns the win over Hick Hovlik.

In an exhibition game in Connecticut‚ the Bridgeports top the Pittsburgh Pirates‚ 2-1‚ in 10 innings. Carmen Hill takes the loss for the Bucs‚ while Ferguson is the winner.
July 29Back in the rotation‚ Babe Ruth tops the Browns‚ 3-2‚ for the first place Red Sox‚ allowing just 4 hits. Ruth has a triple and one RBI at the plate.
July 30After a meeting with Giants executives‚ NL president John Tener says he is not in favor of playing the World Series this year‚ but will abide by the majority views of the owners when they meet on Saturday. Tener feels that with the shortened season‚ there is a lack of interest from the fans.

Led by Burt Shotton’s hitting‚ Washington scores 3 runs in the 9th off Ed Cicotte and tops the White Sox‚ 3-0. Jim Shaw allows just 3 hits to win.

Paced by Babe Ruth and Amos Strunk‚ each with 3 hits‚ the Red Sox light up 5 Brownie pitchers to beat St. Louis‚ 14-5. Sam Jones is the winner.
July 31The Yankees and Detroit split a pair‚ New York winning the opener 5-3 and Detroit‚ behind Cobb’s double and triple‚ take the nitecap‚ 6-2. Cobb‚ leading the AL in hitting‚ is 5-for-7 today.

At Brooklyn‚ Zach Wheat has five hits to lead the Robins to a sweep of the Cardinals‚ 2-1 and 7-2. Wheat has now hit in 19 straight games.

Washington is a 3-2 winner over the White Sox as Walter Johnson strikes out 11 in recording the win over Frank Shellenback. Johnson is 2-for-3 with a triple.

Bullet Joe Bush stops the host Browns‚ 8-4. He also helps the Boston offense going 4-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

August


August 1At Boston‚ Pittsburgh and Boston play a ML record 20 scoreless innings; before the Pirates win 2-0 in the 21st. Max Carey drives home the deuce with a single. Art Nehf pitches all 21 innings for Boston‚ while Wilbur Cooper toils the first 16 for Pittsburgh before Mayer takes over.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the league-leading Cubs win 5-0 over the 2nd place Giants. For the 2nd time this season‚ Hippo Vaughn gives up just one hit‚ a safety by Heinie Zimmerman in the 2nd‚ in beating Fred Toney‚ recently acquired from the Reds. The Cubs now lead the NL by 4.

The Nationals lose 21-year-old catcher Val Picinich to the Navy. Picinich had been the starting catcher‚ beating out Eddie Aismith.
August 3In the first game of two with the Cards‚ the Phils tally 15 hits and 12 runs in the last 3 innings‚ but still lose‚ 16-12. Gene Packard cruises to the win‚ while Joe Oeschger picks up one of his league leading 18 losses in less than two innings of work. The Phils drop the nitecap‚ 7-1.

The Robins and Reds split‚ with Cincy pounding Rube Marquard in the opener. Brooklyn takes the nitecap‚ 3-1. Zack Wheat hits in both contests to run his streak to 23 straight games.

At a special meeting of AL owners in Cleveland‚ it is agreed that the AL schedule will play through September 2nd‚ with the WS opening on September 3rd or 4th. Early indications were that the AL would vote to close down between August 17th and August 20th‚ but Barney Dreyfuss‚ owner of the Pirates who is there as NL representative‚ argues that his league would not stop before September 2nd and would not begin the Series early.
August 4In the nitecap at Detroit‚ Walter Johnson goes 17 1/3 innings‚ his 2nd longest outing ever‚ and faces 64 batters in losing to the Tigers‚ 7-6. Detroit collects 16 hits and 8 walks against the Nats’ ace. Detroit ties the score 6-6 in the 7th inning when Ty Cobb drives in a run‚ and wins it in the 18th on a Cobb double. Cobb‚ in CF‚ also throws out a Milan at home in the 13th‚ while SS Donie Bush nails two Nats at home in the 14th. Hooks Dauss is the winner with 10 innings of relief. In the first game‚ the Nats score 6 runs in the 1st three innings off rookie Rudy Kallio and coast 7-0 behind Doc Ayers. Ayers scatters 7 hits and shuts out Cobb. Johnson is now 1-1 in 18-inning games this year!

In Chicago‚ the Sox sweep two from the A’s‚ winning 7-6 and 3-2 in 10 innings. Dave Danforth goes 7 innings in the opener and‚ though lifted with the score 2-2‚ is credited with the win over Willie Adams‚ who goes all the way. Ed Cicotte is the victor in the nitecap.

In Cleveland‚ the Indians split with the league-leading Red Sox‚ to take three out of four in the series. The Sox win the opener‚ 2-1 in 12 innings‚ with starter Babe Ruth going the distance and allowing just 4 hits. Ruth drives in the first run with a single‚ and the Tribe ties the game in the 8th with two hits. Cleveland takes the nitecap‚ 2-0‚ in a game called after 6 innings because of rain. Ruth‚ playing LF‚ has one hit and is hit once by winner Stanley Coveleskie.
August 5At Boston‚ Braves left fielder Bob Taggert leads off the bottom of the 9th with his 3rd hit of the game‚ a triple‚ and scores two outs later on J.C. Smith’s single for a 1-0 win over the Pirates. Taggert previously played for the Pirates and PittFeds under the name Barney Kelly.

During the Reds batting practice at Ebbets Field‚ fans are treated to an impromptu fight between two Reds‚ 2B Lee Magee and left fielder Earl “Greasy” Neale. Teammates separate the two but the decision is awarded to Neale‚ who will play just 3 innings today. The Reds then turn on the Robins‚ pounding 13 hits for a 5-0 win. Mike Regan is the winner‚ scattering 4 hits. The Reds (43-51) are in 5th place‚ a half-game ahead of Brooklyn.
August 6John Tener resigns as President of the NL in a dispute over the Scott Perry case. Tener‚ NL Prexy since 1913‚ refused to serve on the National Commission unless the AL abided by the awarding of Perry to the Boston Braves. But when the Commission award the minor leaguer to the Athletics‚ it was a foregone conclusion that Tener would step down. Tener‚ a former Governor of Pennsylvania‚ almost quit in December but stayed on when the owners said the job would not interfere with his business interests. John Heydler will serve as acting president and it is he who will arrange a compromise solution: Connie Mack pays Boston $2‚500 and keeps Perry (henceforth a loser).

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants Pete Compton drives home Art Fletcher in the bottom of the 9th to beat Matty’s Reds‚ 4-3. Bob Steele‚ acquired from the Bucs‚ is the winner over Jimmie Ring. Lee Magee‚ with his face swollen after yesterday’s fight‚ sits out the game for the Reds and Heinie Zimmerman‚ on doctor’s orders to avoid the near 90+ degree heat‚ watches for the Giants.

At Ebbets Field‚ the first place Cubs keep their lead of 6 1/2 games by beating the Robins 6-3 behind Lefty Tyler. Tyler scatters 9 hits‚ including one by Zack Wheat‚ who stretches his consecutive hitting skein to 25 games.

With the temperature at 115 degrees on the field at Detroit‚ the Tigers outhit the Red Sox‚ 14-12‚ but the Sox win the game 7-5 in 10 innings. Starter Carl Mays is victorious over reliever Rudy Kallio.

At Cleveland‚ the Indians stay 3 1/2 games behind Boston by edging Washington‚ 1-0‚ in the 10th. Second baseman Smoky Joe Wood leads off the 10th with a triple and pinch runner Doc Evans scores the winner. Starter Jim Bagby is the winning pitcher despite allowing 11 hits.

In the 10-2 Pittsburgh win at Philadelphia‚ Buc catcher W..J. Smith collapses in the 7th but is revived with ice and continues in the heat. Ump Hank O’Day collapses in the 8th but also recovers to continue.
August 7The Yankees make it 7 straight losses‚ as the White Sox drop them twice in Chicago‚ 8-4 and 4-0. New York makes 24 hits in the two games‚ but Ed Cicotte is tough in the pinch to win the opener for the Sox. Slim Love takes the loss. In the nitecap‚ Roy Sanders‚ making his first start for New York‚ gives up no hits in the first 3 innings‚ but records no outs in the 4th as the Sox rack him for 4 straight doubles. Frank Shellenback goes all the way for the Sox win. Chicago now takes over 4th place from the Yankees.

Brooklyn slows the Cubs’ victory drive by beating Chicago 3-2 behind Burleigh Grimes. All the Robins scoring comes on a 3-run homer by Mack Wheat-his first in the majors‚ while his brother Zack has a single to stretch his hitting streak to 26 games. Phil Douglas takes the loss for the Cubs.
August 8Brooklyn tops the Cubs again‚ beating Hippo Vaughn‚ 4-1‚ done in by two wild heaves by 3B Eddie Pick. Zach Wheat‚ hit by a pitch once by Vaughn‚ goes hitless to stop his consecutive game streak at 26. Rube Marquard‚ despite leaving in the 5th with a strained back‚ is the winner. With the Giants losing to the Reds‚ the Cubs stay 6 1/2 ahead.

It is announced that Ebbets Field will become a Government storehouse as soon as the season is over on September 2nd. The Brooklyn team offered the park as a much-needed storage facility for war supplies‚ and it is now expected that other teams will follow suit. The New York Times states that “the turning over of the baseball park means that the major leagues will not attempt to play next season.” Washington Park‚ the old Federal League park‚ has already been converted to a government storehouse.
August 9With Sherry Magee at 1B for Cincinnati‚ the Pirates defeat the Reds‚ 4-3. Carmen Hill wins it in relief of Pete Schneider. Reds manager Christy Mathewson suspects 1B Hal Chase of taking bribes to fix games‚ and suspends him “for indifferent play.” He will be formally charged after season by owner Herrmann‚ but will be acquitted by NL Prexy Heydler. During the hearings‚ John McGraw said that if Chase is found innocent he would hire him for the Giants. But Prince Hal will be reinstated and play for the Giants in 1919.
August 10The Reds bang out 17 hits to defeat the Cards‚ 9-8. Edd Roush drives home the winner in the 9th inning with two out by making his 5th hit of the day. Heinie Groh‚ 2nd in the NL to Wheat in hitting at .327 through August 8‚ is 3-for-3. Wheat will win the title‚ but Roush (.301 through August 8) will finish 2nd with a .333 average‚ .002 behind Zack.

In Brooklyn‚ the Robins take the opener over the Phils‚ 4-0‚ behind Burleigh Grimes‘ two hitter. Zack Wheat has 3 of the Robins’ 7 hits off loser Joe Oeschger. In the nitecap‚ a fair call in the 4th inning on a drive by Cy Williams prompt all the Brooklyn players to rush umpire Charley Moran. Moran’s call‚ a double‚ is just one of 4 hits that veteran Jack Coombs allows. The Phils win‚ 3-2‚ however‚ and it takes a dozen policemen to protect Moran after the game.
August 12At Fenway‚ the Yankees win their 10th of 15 games with the league leaders by beating Boston‚ 2-1. Getting his opportunity because of the war‚ lefty Hank Robinson is making his first ML start since 1915. He allows just 3 hits in besting Babe Ruth‚ who gives up 4 safeties. Jack Fournier scores the winning run on a squeeze bunt‚ while Ruth‚ hitless on the afternoon‚ pops out for the last out of the game.

Cleveland moves to with 2 1/2 games of the Red Sox by unraveling the visiting White Sox‚ 11-2. Ray Chapman leads the offense with 3 hits and 3 runs‚ while Guy Morton gives up just two Chicago hits.

At Chicago‚ Carmen Hill coasts to a 12-1 win over the Cubs‚ as Pittsburgh rattles 17 hits off three Chicago pitchers. Walter Schmidt is the big Buc with 2 doubles‚ a triple‚ and a stolen base.
August 14Sailor Burleigh Grimes pitches Brooklyn to a 4-2 win over the Phils. The Phils take the lead‚ but veteran Jimmy Archer relieves young Mack Wheat behind the plate in the 5th and Grimes’ spitball works to perfection after that.
August 16The 2nd place Indians trample the Yankees‚ 12-4‚ behind the slugging of Smoky Joe Wood. Smoky is 4-for-5‚ with 3 RBIs‚ and a steal of home‚ while winner Fritz Coumbe adds 3 hits for Cleveland. Del Pratt has 2-run HR in the first off Coumbe but Cleveland retaliates with 7 runs against Happy FinneranRay Chapman‘s verbal assault on Finneran helps drive the pitcher from the mound in the 4th.

The Tigers score 6 runs in the 9th inning against the Senators to tie the game at 6 apiece. The Motor Citymen are shutout in the next 6 innings by reliever Walter Johnson‚ but score 2 in the 16th to win‚ 8-7. Reliever George Cunningham scores the deciding run to beat Johnson.

The Dodgers hand Erskine Mayer his first loss since joining the Pirates‚ beating him‚ 5-1‚ behind the six-hit pitching of Larry Chaney. Mayer had won 8 straight since coming to the Buccaneers from the Phils on July 1.
August 17The Cubs shutout the Phils in both ends of a doubleheader. Claude Hendrix wins the opener‚ 3-0‚ over Elmer Jacobs and Lefty Tyler follows with a 2-0 win against Joe Oeschger.

The Red Sox (66-45) increase their lead to 3 games by beating 2nd place Cleveland (64-49) 4-2‚ at Boston. Babe Ruth scatter five hits for the win over Guy Morton and reliever Bagby. The Sox will win the next game‚ on Monday (19th)‚ in the series‚ 6-0‚ to go 4 games up.

The Yankees and White Sox split a pair‚ with Chicago taking the first game‚ 7-4‚ and New York winning the nitecap‚ 7-2. Frank Shellenback wins for Chicago in the opener‚ while New York’s Slim Love strikes out 12 Sox hitters in the 2nd game‚ the highest total for the season. Yanks pitcher Ray Caldwell is absent today‚ reportedly having joined the war effort at a local shipyard.
August 18The Cardinals sweep the visiting Phils‚ winning 4-0 and 5-1 behind Bill Sherdel and Lee Meadows. In the opener‚ as SS Rogers Hornsby scores 2 of the Birds runs‚ then provides the big blow in the nitecap‚ by following three walks with a grand slam in the 3rd inning off Milt Watson. This is one of six grand slams in the NL; the AL will have no slams for the only time in history.

The Senators take a home victory from the Browns for the first time this season‚ edging St. Louis‚ 2-1. Jim Shaw wins‚ allowing 4 hits‚ 2 to Sisler.

In an exhibition game in New Haven the semi-pro Colonials beat the Red Sox 4-3‚ overcoming a Babe Ruth home run. Ruth’s hit is one of the longest ever seen on the Lighthouse grounds. Winning pitcher Frank Woodward’s effort results in his being signed by the Phillies.
August 19Walter Johnson beats St. Louis‚ 4-3‚ in 14 innings. The Big Train will work in 15 extra-inning games‚ including 2 of 18 innings‚ one of 16 innings‚ and another of 15 innings.

In the battle for 2nd place‚ the visiting Giants split with the Pirates‚ losing 8-1 before coming back for a 2-1 win. The Bucs rough up Red Causey for 12 hits in 6 innings in the opener‚ while Ralph Comstock scatters 9 hits for the win. In the nitecap‚ Fred Toney allows just 3 hits in 8 innings‚ and 3 more in the 9th‚ but emerges with the win over Wilbur Cooper.

Jack Quinn‚ pitching for the White Sox‚ trims the Yanks‚ 4-1‚ at the Polo Grounds. While the Yankees maintain the Quinn‚ who was in the minor leagues‚ is their property‚ he is wearing a Sox uniform‚ while Jack Fournier‚ awarded to the Sox‚ is at 1B for New York. Fournier has 3 hits today off Quinn‚ who has yet to lose. A busy Ray Caldwell‚ who pitched Saturday for his Weehawken ship yard team (and reportedly played CF for them on Sunday) is the loser.

Edd Roush hits a grand slam‚ off Rube Marquard in the 7th‚ to lead the Reds to an 8-4 win over visiting Brooklyn.
August 21Led by Edd Roush‘s three hits‚ including a double and triple‚ the Reds edge the Phils 4-3 in 10 innings. Each starter goes the distance with Hod Eller winning over Brad Hogg. The Reds lost yesterday to Brooklyn‚ 2-1‚ snapping their 8 game win streak‚ but they will win their next 3.
August 22The Giants nip the host Cubs‚ 4-2‚ on a 10th inning double by Lew McCarty. McCarty‚ pinch hitting for Benny Kauff‚ drives Fred Toney and George Burns‚ who had reached on singles. Toney picks up the victory over Hippo Vaughn.

Roush continues his hot hitting against the Phils‚ going 4-for-5 with a triple and homer‚ to lead the Reds to a 9-6 win. Heinie Groh adds 3 hits while winning pitcher Pete Schneider has 2 hits and 2 runs. For the Phils‚ 1B Fred Luderus has 7 assists‚ a NL record that will last till June 1971.

Zack Wheat has three hits against Brooklyn but it is Hugh Bezdel’s bases loaded walk in the 9th that brings home John Brock with the winning run. St. Louis wins‚ 4-3. Brooklyn comes back to take the nitecap‚ 5-2‚ using shoddy St. Louis fielding to beat Lee Meadows.

At Washington‚ 3B Eddie Foster is 4-for-4 in the Nationals 7-1 victory over the A’s. The Nats score all their runs in the first off Jim Bagby‚ who does not finish the inning. Gruntin’ Jim Shaw is the winner.
August 23At Fenway Park‚ the Red Sox break a 9th inning tie with a two-out double steal. With Amos Strunk at 2B and Ruth at 1B‚ the two pull off the theft‚ and when Hank Severeid‘s throw to Maisel is wild‚ Strunk scores the game winner. Sad Sam Jones is the winner‚ 6-5‚ over reliever Byron Houck.

At Chicago‚ the Cubs score 2 in the 9th off Red Causey to beat the Giants‚ 3-2. Bob O’Farrell’s triple drives in the winning run‚ while winning pitcher Claude Hendrix adds a double and home run.

At Cincinnati‚ Phils rookie Irish Meusel hits an inside-the-park grand slam‚ the first IP slam in Phils history. But it is not enough as the Reds win‚ 8-7.
August 24As anticipated‚ Secretary Baker grants an extended exemption to players in the WS; 3 days later the National Commission gets an official approval to play from General Enoch Crowder‚ providing that 10 percent of the revenues go to war charities.

Lefty Leifield holds Boston to just 4 hits‚ including 2 scratch singles‚ but the Browns manage just 5 hits off Red Sox P Babe Ruth and lose‚ 3-1. The Sox score all their runs in the 2nd‚ including one on a swipe of home by Ruth on the front end of another double steal‚ his 2nd steal in two days. It is Ruth’s first steal of home and his only swipe of home as a pitcher. Like his future steals of home‚ it comes on a double steal.

The White Sox split with A’s‚ taking the opener 9-4 behind Jack Quinn. A’s starter Mule Watson leaves after 6 innings and takes the loss. The A’s take the nitecap‚ 2-1‚ behind Scott Perry when Cy Perkins triple scores the game-winner.

The Cubs increase their NL lead to 11 1/2 games‚ taking two from the Dodgers. Burleigh Grimes is roughed up for 15 hits in the opener and takes his first loss in 10 games‚ and Bill Killefer outguesses former teammate Larry Cheney in the nitecap for a 3-1 win. With the score tied and a man on 3B‚ Cheney attempts to walk Killefer‚ but the Cub catcher throws his bat at the ball and connects for a single.

In Baltimore‚ Babe Ruth‘s father suffers a fatal concussion in a fight with his brother-in-law outside his saloon. The funeral will be on the 28th and Babe will miss two Sox games.
August 25The Cubs clinch the NL pennant over the idle Giants by splitting with the Dodgers. Thanks to shoddy fielding by Brooklyn‚ Roy Walker improves his record to 1-3‚ winning the opener‚ 5-3. Brooklyn takes the nitecap‚ 2-1‚ behind the 5-hit pitching of Columbia George Smith.

At Boston‚ the Reds top the Braves‚ 4-2‚ in 13 innings. In February‚ Lee Magee will confess that he and Hal Chase each bet $500 for their team‚ the Reds‚ to lose this game. Ironically‚ Magee scores the winning when Edd Roush hits a two run homer.

Boston Red Sox president George Frazee says the WS schedule arrangements is not acceptable and he will refuse to abide by them If the Sox win the pennant. The schedule calls for the first three games in Chicago‚ and Frazee says this puts his team at a disadvantage. “It is not only unfair to the Boston club‚ but an insult to the Boston fans. . . .The schedule as given out by Mr. [Ban] Johnson will necessitate the passing up of both the Saturday and Sunday dates‚ which I think is a big mistake‚” says Frazee.
August 26Ban Johnson casts the deciding vote in a National Commission decision awarding the disputed services of P Jack Quinn to the Yankees for 1919 over the claim of the White Sox‚ for whom Quinn was 5-1 this year. Quinn became available when the PCL ended its season early.
August 27After today’s doubleheader split with the Braves in Cincinnati‚ Christy Mathewson resigns as Reds manager to accept a commission as a captain in the chemical warfare branch of the Army. He leaves the team in 3rd place with a 61-57 record. Heinie Groh takes over for the last 10 games of the season‚ going 7-3.

Lefty George Mogridge saves the Yanks 4-2 win in the opener against the Browns‚ relieving Slim Love. LF Ham Hyatt connects for a Yankee HR in the 2nd as New York scores all its runs in the first two innings. In the 2nd game‚ the Browns start George Sisler on the mound. The Michigan Marvel pitches the first 7 innings and is 3-for-5 with a 3-run HR before being relieved by Byron Houck and returning to 1B. The Yanks prevail in 12 innings‚ 7-6‚ with the victory going to reliever Mogridge‚ who bats in the winner. It is Sisler’s first start in 10 years‚ and the last of his career‚ and he would “probably have pitched to victory had it not been for [Les] Nunamaker’s shaky substitution in the gateway corner” (NY Times). Nunamaker makes 3 errors at 1B before being banished to LF‚ but is 6-for-6 for the afternoon‚ including 5 hits and an intentional walk in the nitecap.

The Red Sox’ Bullet Joe Bush strikes out AL-season high 13 Tigers‚ including 8 in the first 3 innings‚ but loses‚ 2-1. Cobb and Ruth are absent from their lineups‚ with Babe attending the funeral of his father‚ who was killed by a blow from his brother-in-law.

At Pittsburgh‚ the Phils take advantage of shaky Pirate fielding to sweep two from the host team‚ winning 7-6 and 11-2. Brad Hogg and Milt Watson notch wins as Buc SS Luke Boone boots four on the afternoon‚ and 1B Bill Hinchman adds two more errors.
August 28Tris Speaker is suspended for the remainder of the season because of his assault on umpire Tom Connolly following a dispute at home plate in a game in Philadelphia.
August 29The Cubs wrap up the pennant with a 1-0 win over the Reds. Lefty Tyler is the winner.
August 30Carl Mays of the Red Sox pitches and wins 2 games‚ 12-0 and 4-1‚ over the A’s to finish at 21-13. Mays helps himself with 5 hits on the afternoon. With his two wins today‚ Mays begins a AL-record winning streak of 24 straight victories over Philadelphia‚ and will not lose to them until July 24‚ 1923‚ when he pitches for the Yankees. The record books show 23 straight wins‚ but historian Lyle Spatz will find that the correct total is 24.

The Indians play 2 postponed games with the Tigers‚ doubling the Bengals in both‚ 2-1 and 4-2. Coveleski allows 4 hits in the opener and Bagby 7 in the nitecap.

In the 2nd fastest NL game ever‚ the Giants beat Brooklyn 1-0 in 57 minutes behind the pitching of Pol Perritt‚ scoring their lone run in the 9th. Veteran Jack Coombs takes the loss and after the game announces his retirement. The Giants will play a game against the Phillies next year on September 28 in just 51 minutes‚ a ML record: the AL record will be set on September 25‚ 1926 and matched the next day.
August 31The Red Sox clinch the pennant‚ winning the first of a twin bill from the A’s‚ 6-1. Ruth wins his 9th game in his last 11 starts‚ beating rookie Mule Watson. Despite giving up 12 hits in the opener‚ Watson pitches a complete game in the nightcap and gives up just one hit to win‚ 1-0. This is the 2nd doubleheader Watson has pitched this year.

The second place Indians win‚ 2-1‚ over the White Sox‚ but are officially eliminated from the AL race. Owner Jim Dunn then announces that the team will not go to St. Louis for its final game‚ a doubleheader with the Browns‚ but will disband for the year. On September 2‚ the Browns field a team and the Browns pitchers‚ Rogers and Leifield‚ tosses 10 pitches‚ 5 for each game; St. Louis then claims a doubleheader victory‚ which goes into the standings.

September


September 1The Browns and Tigers finish the season with a doubleheader split in St. Louis as the Cleveland Indians refuse to make the trip for the Labor Day doubleheader. In Game 2‚ Ty Cobb pitches 2 innings against the Browns while the Browns’ George Sisler pitches one scoreless inning. The Browns win‚ 6-2‚ and Sisler hits a double off of Cobb. Detroit wins the opener‚ 7-2.
September 2Brooklyn ends the abbreviated season by splitting a doubleheader with the Phils‚ losing the 1st game 4-2 before taking the nitecap‚ 5-3. Zack Wheat leads the NL with a .335 average and is only player to ever win a batting title and hit no home runs.

In Washington‚ the Senators end the year on a light note‚ by splitting with the A’s. Philadelphia wins the opener and the Nats take the nitecap‚ 8-3. The 2nd game is Washington’s traditional year-end laugher‚ and 43-year-old coach Nick Altrock finishes in relief‚ one of his 5 appearances in 1918. Altrock bats in the bottom of the 8th and Wickey McAvoy‚ a catcher playing first for the day‚ comes in to throw. Altrock finally lines one of his lobs into the outfield‚ rambles around the bases and-according to Al Kermisch’s description-neglects 2B and 3B. Ump Billy Evans calls Altrock safe at the plate for the only homer by a Senator hit at home this season. For Altrock‚ it’s been 14 years since his last round tripper. The game ends with General March throwing out the last ball; he’ll toss out the first next year.

The Tigers host the White Sox in a pair at Navin Field‚ winning both. Weaver is 5-for-5 in game 1‚ a Sox loss. 11-5. In between games‚ ex-Tiger Davey Jones visits with both teams. When Tiger manager Hugh Jennings suggests that Bill Donovan start game 2 (Donovan last won a ML game in 1912)‚ “Wild Bill” agrees‚ but asks that Jones also play. As noted by historian Trent McCotter‚ the game is played like an exhibition. The Tigers collect 21 hits off Eddie Cicotte. Ty Cobb has 3 hits‚ including 2 bunt singles‚ then pitches the 6th and 7th innings (2 walks‚ 3 hits) before giving way to outfielder Oscar Veach‚ who finishes up. Hugh Jennings‚ who last played in 1912‚ finishes up at 1B. Davey Jones’ appearance here has been credited to Deacon Jones‚ but it was Davey 0-for-2‚ who made the last putout in the 7-3 win.

The Reds end their season with 6-3 and 1-0 sweep of the Cardinals. Cuban rookie Dolf Luque‚ purchased in July‚ twirls the shutout.
September 4Rain delays the start of Wednesday’s World Series opener.

Pirate minor league pitcher Marcus Milligan is killed in a fall from an Army airplane in Ft. Worth Texas. Milligan had enlisted last December.
September 5In order to cut down on the use of trains‚ the first 3 games of the WS are played in Chicago‚ the next 3 in Boston. The Cubs switch their home games to Comiskey Park with its larger seating capacity. Babe Ruth‚ having completed 13 scoreless innings in his first WS 2 years ago‚ adds 9 more in edging Hippo Vaughn 1-0 in the opener. Also‚ when 2B Dave Shean bats for Boston‚ he becomes the oldest player (40 years‚ 3 months‚ 18 days) to play in the WS‚ a mark other graybeards will top.

During the 7th-inning stretch‚ a military band plays “The Star Spangled Banner” and Red Sox player Fred Thomas‚ on leave from the Navy‚ snaps to attention. From then on‚ the song is played at every WS game‚ every season opener‚ and whenever a band is present to play it‚ though it is not yet adopted as the national anthem. The custom of playing it before every game will begin during WW II‚ when the installation of public address systems makes it practical. The first time it is recorded that the song was played at a ball game was on May 15‚ 1862‚ at the Union Grounds in Brooklyn. The base ball game was led off by a band concert.
September 6In game 2‚ Lefty Tyler drives in 2 runs in the Cubs’ 3-run second. The Red Sox get one in the 9th and that’s all the scoring for the day‚ with George Tyler beating Joe Bush. The game also features fights between Heinie Wagner and Hippo Vaughn and another involving Lester Mann and Joe Bush.
September 7On one day’s rest‚ Hippo Vaughn gives up only 7 hits‚ but Carl Mays wins a 2-1 duel. Wally Schang has 2 hits for Boston. Game 3 ends with the Cubs’ Charlie Pick caught in a rundown between 3B and home while trying to score on a passed ball.
September 9In game 4‚ Ruth bats in 2 runs on a triple in the 4th and pitches 7 scoreless innings before the Cubs tie it in the 8th‚ ending Ruth’s WS record of 29 2/3 scoreless innings. Shufflin’ Phil Douglas relieves Lefty Tyler for Chicago in the last of the 8th and throws away the game‚ first by a wild pitch‚ then with an error. Ruth is the winning pitcher‚ but Mays relieves with 2 on and no out in the 9th.

Finners Quinlan‚ an OF who last played in 1915‚ is wounded fighting in a battle at Argonne Wood‚ France. He loses an eye and his right leg.
September 10Players on both sides threaten to strike unless they are guaranteed $2‚500 to the winners and $1‚000 each for the losers. They back off‚ however‚ when told they will appear greedy while their countrymen are fighting a war. There are no fines‚ but no WS rings or mementos are given out this year. On the field‚ Hippo Vaughn comes back with 2 days of rest and blanks the Red Sox 3-0 on 5 hits in game 5.
September 11The Red Sox win the WS in game 6 on Carl Mays‘s 2nd victory‚ a 2-1 three-hitter. With 2 on and 2 out in the 3rd‚ utility OF George Whiteman lines a hard drive to RF. Max Flack drops it‚ allowing the only runs off Lefty Tyler. Righty Claude Hendrix‚ 20-7 during the year‚ finally makes an appearance‚ tossing a final inning for the Cubs. Cubs pitchers compile a 1.04 ERA‚ while Boston’s .186 BA is the lowest ever for a WS winner‚ but they compensate by making just one error‚ a record not beaten this century in a 6-game WS. The Red Sox will realize $1‚102 each‚ the Cubs $671‚ the smallest winner’s share since 1906. The inning-by-inning results of the game were relayed to Fort Devans‚ 58 miles away‚ via homing nine pigeons.

October


October 5Giant infielder Eddie Grant is killed in action in the Argonne forest in France.
October 7Former Detroit P Bun Troy‚ born in Germany‚ is killed in Meuse‚ France.

November


November 1Outfielder Alex Burr is killed in France on his 25th birthday‚ the 3rd Major Leaguer to die of WW1. MLB players killed in WWI include Alex Burr‚ Larry Chappell (in 8 days)‚ Eddie Grant‚ Ralph Sharman‚ and Bun Troy. World War 2 ML casualties will be Elmer Gedeon and Harry O’Neill. Bob Neighbors will be listed as Missing in Action in Korea to complete the casualty list. There will be no ML players killed in Korea.
November 9Braves OF Larry Chappell‚ 27‚ dies of influenza at an army camp.

December


December 10NL secretary John A. Heydler is formally elected president of the league. He had been acting president since John Tener stepped down last August.
December 18Duffy Lewis returns from the military‚ and is traded by the Red Sox to the Yankees. He goes along with front-line pitchers Ernie Shore and Dutch Leonard for spitballer Ray “slim” Caldwell‚ Slim Love‚ catcher Roxy Walters‚ OF Frank Gilhooley‚ and $15‚000. The Tigers had turned down a deal for Leonard on the 16th. The Boston Post reports that “it will take a lot to convince Boston fans that they got the best of this one.”

AL umpire Silk O’Loughlin dies of influenza at age 48. His wife also contracted the disease in the epidemic but she will survive.
December 31Kid Gleason replaces Pants Rowland as White Sox manager following the team’s skid to 5th.

Giants pitcher Fred Toney is sentenced to 4 months in jail after he pleads guilty to violating the Mann Act‚ which prohibits taking a woman across state lines for immoral purposes.