Baseball – 1919

Baseball in 1919

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January


January 3The Giants pick up catcher Earl Smith from Rochester for a stiff price: they send outfielders Joe Wilhoit and Bill Kelly, 1B Joe Rodriguez, and pitchers Jack Ogden and Waite Hoyt in exchange. Hoyt got into just one game for the Giants in 1918‚ but will develop into a Hall of Fame pitcher after joining the New York Yankees via the Boston Red Sox.
January 14John McGraw‚ Charles A. Stoneham‚ and Tammany politician Judge Francis X. McQuade buy controlling interest in the Giants from the John Brush estate. Having drawn just 265‚000 fans in 1918‚ the club is sold at a bargain price. The three will spend many days in courtrooms fighting among themselves‚ and fending off government charges about Stoneham’s business practices.
January 17Washington sends C Eddie Ainsmith and P George Dumont to the Red Sox for 2B Hal Janvrin and cash. The Red Sox then pack Ainsmith‚ P Slim Love (acquired a month earlier in the Ernie Shore trade with the Yankees)‚ and Chick Shorten off to Detroit for infielder Ossie Vitt‚ who had been crowded out by Bobby Jones. Ainsmith will be stay just a short time in the Motor City before the Tigers waive him the Cardinals‚ who in turn will waive the hard-drinking backstop to Brooklyn in 1923.
January 26The Cardinals’ board of directors votes to pay off the contract of manager Jack Hendricks. Team president Branch Rickey assumes the managerial role as well‚ with no increase in salary.
January 30The Reds hire Pat Moran as manager when no word is received from manager Christy Mathewson‚ who is still in France. Moran will direct the Reds to their first NL pennant.

The Braves acquire INF Lena Blackburne from the Reds for OF Wally Rehg.

The Hal Chase trial begins in New York. Chase brought suit against Cincinnati for non-payment of salary due him while he was suspended in August‚ 1918. He denies charges of throwing games.

February


February 1After winning an out-of-court settlement of his suit against the Dodgers for the balance of his salary ($2‚150) when the 1918 season ended a month early‚ former MVP Jake Daubert is traded to the Reds for OF Tommy Griffith.
February 5Charges brought in 1918 by Reds owner Garry Herrmann and manager Mathewson against Hal Chase for betting against his team and throwing games in collusion with gamblers are dismissed by NL president John Heydler. Heydler decides Chase’s sometimes indifferent play was due to “carelessness.” Two weeks later John McGraw trades 1B Walter Holke and C Bill Rariden to the Reds for Chase‚ but the Giants will also have their problems with him. In September‚ McGraw will send Chase and Heinie Zimmerman home without explanation; during the investigation of the Black Sox scandal in 1920‚ McGraw will testify that the dismissal was because both players had thrown games and tried to enlist Fred Toney and Benny Kauff in their scheme.
February 21The Yankees acquire 36-year-old spitballer Jack Quinn from Vernon (PCL)‚ sending in exchange P Joe Finneran‚ 1B Zinn Beck‚ and cash. Quinn will be named a designated spitballer when the wet pitch is outlawed‚ and in 1921 will help the Yanks to their first pennant. He won’t call it quits till he’s 50.
February 22The Braves trade INF Jimmy Smith to the Giants for 1B Walter Holke.

March


March 1Connie Mack makes one of his biggest player mistakes‚ trading 3B Larry Gardner‚ OF Charlie Jamieson‚ and P Elmer Myers to Cleveland for OF Bobby “Braggo” Roth. Vet writer Ernest Lanigan predicts that Roth will lead the circuit in homers at Shibe‚ but Roth will be shipped on to Boston by midseason. Gardner will put in 6 more .300 years‚ and Jamieson will be a top leadoff man and .303 hitter for the next 14 years.
March 4John McGraw gives up on lefty Slim Sallee‚ selling him to the Reds. McGraw will buy him back next year.
March 6The Giants announce they will ?y to Philadelphia for their opener. But when the time comes they take the train.

The Yankees sell righty Ray Keating to the Boston Braves. He’ll go 7-11 with Boston‚ then spend the next 12 seasons in the PCL.
March 7Christy Mathewson‚ back from the war‚ rejoins the Giants as pitching coach and heir apparent to McGraw.
March 15The 2rd long-time Yankee Ray is traded as Ray Fisher is sold to the Reds. Rays Keating and Caldwell were disposed of earlier.
March 17The Red Sox‚ minus hold outs Carl Mays and Babe Ruth‚ sail from New York aboard the S.S. Arapahoe. The trip to spring training is stormy and most of the players will be seasick. Ruth will sign on the 21st in New York and leave the night for Florida. Mays‚ unsigned will join Ruth and the Sox in Tampa.
March 26With ML spring training again delayed in an attempt to cut down expenses‚ the Cardinals open training in St. Louis at Washington University’s Francis Field.

April


April 4In Tampa‚ the Red Sox begin Grapefruit League play at their new spring training site and edge the Giants 5-3 behind Babe Ruth‘s 4 RBIs. The Babe clouts a nearly 600-foot homer along with 2 singles. Decades later‚ a plaque will be erected where the homer lands‚ on the present site of the University of Tampa.
April 10Pitcher Fred Toney announces that he is retiring from baseball and will not rejoin the Giants when he is released from jail at the end of the month. Toney is serving 4 months in Tennessee for violation of the Mann Act. Toney will reconsider his retirement.
April 18The Reds send OF Lee Magee to Brooklyn for cash.

In an exhibition game against the Orioles (International League)‚ home town boy Babe Ruth slugs four homers in four at bats as the Red Sox win 12-3. Babe walks his other 2 times up.
April 19Pushed through the legislature by future New York City mayor Jimmy Walker‚ a bill legalizing Sunday baseball in the state is signed by Governor Al Smith. The bill was voted on by the lower house on April 8.

Babe starts on the mound and bats 9th‚ but takes up where he left off yesterday‚ slugging two homers his first two at bats against the Orioles in an exhibition game. Striking out his 3rd at bat‚ Ruth exits as the Red Sox go on to win 16-2.
April 23Anticipating a poor season at the gate‚ the major leagues open a reduced 140-game season. Despite the lack of close races‚ attendance remains high all year and every club will show a profit‚ a complete reverse of the previous year.

The season opens in Washington with General Peyton C. March‚ Army Chief of Staff‚ throwing out the first ball. Walter Johnson wins a magnificent 1-0‚ 13-inning duel with the A’s Scott Perry‚ scattering 9 hits and striking out 6. Johnson will beat the A’s three times this year by a 1-0 score‚ tying the AL and ML record. For the second time in his career he’ll win a total of five 1-0 games‚ tying the ML mark.

Before a capacity crowd at Redland Field in Cincinnati‚ Cuban righty Dolf Luque tops the Cardinals 6-2. Wee Willie Sherdel takes the loss.

At the Polo Grounds‚ 30‚000 fans watch the Red Sox roll over the Yankees‚ 10-0‚ behind Carl Mays. Babe Ruth bounces a ball over Lewis’s head for an inside-the-park homer in his first at bat and drives in 2 runs‚ while Wally Schang has three doubles and a single. Former Sox star Duffy Lewis‚ who missed the 1918 season while serving in the military‚ is hitless in his Yankee debut. George Mogridge takes the loss‚ allowing six runs in the 9th inning when SS Roger Peckinpaugh makes his 2nd and 3rd errors of the game.
April 24Helped by a baserunning error by Redbird rookie Cliff Heathcote‚ the Reds top St. Louis 3-1. Heathcote is on 1B when Hornsby smashes a long line-drive hit‚ but a pantomime catch by the Reds 2B makes Heathcote hold up and Hornsby passes him for the out.

In their home opener‚ the Cubs Hippo Vaughn tops the Pirates and Wilbur Cooper‚ 5-1.
April 26In St. Louis‚ rookie Art Reinhart makes his first appearance for the Cardinals in the third inning with St. Louis trailing the Reds‚ 4-0. The first batter he faces is Heinie Groh and Reinhart hits him on the hand with his first pitch. Manager Branch Rickey then yanks him and Reinhart will not be back in the majors until 1925. Dolf Luque is the winner over Bill Doaks.
April 27Red Sox P Sam Jones shuts out the Senators‚ 8-0. Left fielder Babe Ruth triples and scores 3 runs.
April 28Behind Carl Mays the Red Sox edge Walter Johnson‚ 6-5. Ruth doubles‚ triples and takes an intentional pass in 5 appearances.
April 30Like kissing your sister. Joe Oeschger goes 20 innings for the Phils in a 9-9 marathon against Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes. Both teams score three runs in the 19th. Oeschger walks 5‚ gives up 22 hits‚ while Grimes walks 5‚ and allows up 15 hits. Brooklyn’s Hy Meyers hits the game’s only HR.

May


May 1In Boston’s home opener‚ the Yankees defeat Carl Mays to win‚ 7-3. The Yanks score 4 in the 9th on 2 hits‚ 3 errors‚ a wild pitch‚ and 2 walks. .
May 2In St. Louis‚ the Reds lose their first of the year‚ 8-1‚ after winning 6 straight. The Cards Oscar Horstmann walks 5 in the 1st‚ 2 in the 2nd and is lifted with a 3 ball-count on the 3rd batter. But the Reds manage just 2 hits. Reds SS Kopf has no fielding chances.
May 4The Giants play their first legal Sunday game at home‚ before 35‚000 fans‚ losing to the Phils 4-3. More than 25‚000 turn out in Brooklyn the same day. By early June‚ the Giants will outdraw their 1918 attendance. The Phillies’ Dave Bancroft‚ 28‚ is carried off the field after breaking his right ankle while sliding into a base. He will be out of action until July 1‚ and next year he’ll be traded to the Giants‚ with whom he will have his best seasons en route to the Hall of Fame.

The A’s collect 18 hits‚ but lose to Washington‚ 12-6‚ leaving an AL-record-tying 17 on base. Walter Johnson‚ walks 2 and allows 10 hits in 7 innings to win.
May 5Hod Eller and the Reds blow a 6-0 lead as the Cubs score 6 in the 9th to tie. Chicago pushes across a run in the 12th to win‚ 7-6. The loss drops the Reds out of 1st place in the NL.

Washington pitcher Jim Shaw hits a grand slam off A’s starter Bob Johnson in the 2nd to pace the Nats to a 10-7 win and a sweep in Philadelphia. Sam Rice also homers in a rain-interrupted game finally called in the 9th inning.
May 6The Dodgers overcome a 7 run deficit to beat the visiting Phillies‚ 11-9. Four hits and 4 errors in the first give the Phils 6 runs and a Williams homer in the 2nd is the extra point. Burleigh Grimes goes the distance for the win.
May 11In the first legal Sunday game in New York for the Yankees‚ and after a 12 inning duel between Washington’s Walter Johnson and New York spitballer Jack Quinn‚ neither team score. The Big Train allows a single in the first and then retires the next 28 batters before giving up a walk in the 10th. In a misinterpretation of the new rules‚ the game is called at 6 p.m. by New York owner Jacob Ruppert.

In cold Cincinnati‚ righthander Hod Eller pitches a 6-0 no-hitter over the Cards‚ striking out 8. The Reds have 8 hits and 5 stolen bases off Jakie May.
May 12After a scoreless 12-inning game the day before‚ the Yankees and Senators complete 27 innings of action with no decision‚ going 15 innings in a 4-4 draw. Yankee lead off hitter George Halas goes hitless for the 2nd day in a row and ends his ML career with just 22 at bats. He will decide to start the NFL instead.
May 14Chicago’s Eddie Cicotte beats Boston’s Carl Mays‚ 1-0‚ with the lone run scoring on a Jack Barry error.

At Brooklyn‚ Hy Myers starts the scoring with a 3rd inning solo shot over the right centerfield wall‚ reportedly the longest homer ever hit at Ebbets Field. The Dodgers score another run and Burleigh Grimes wins‚ 2-0‚ over the Reds‚ the 7th win in a row for Brooklyn over the eventual pennant winners. For Myers it is his only HR at home-he’ll hit 4 on the road-as he will lead the league in slugging‚ with a .436 average‚ and RBIs‚ with 73‚ both the lowest top totals in ML history.
May 15After a scoreless twelve inning duel between Hod Eller and Al Mamaux‚ the Reds bomb Mamaux for 10 runs in the 13th‚ six after two are out‚ to beat first-place Brooklyn‚ 10-0. A walk‚ infield error and infield single load the bases for Edd Roush‚ who triples. A strikeout and sac fly follow to clean the sacks. Mamaux then issues his 10th walk and Ivy Wingo follows with a triple. The scoring ends when Roush drives in his 4th run of the inning‚ and Daubert flies out for the 3rd out. Reds RF Alfred “Greasy” Neale has a record 10 putouts as the Reds outfield trio makes 22 putouts. Winning P Hod Eller‚ who tossed a no-hitter in his last outing‚ will have his scoreless string end at 22 innings‚ but he will go on to win 10 in a row.

Ump George Moriarty ejects Boston P Joe Bush in the top of the 2nd inning‚ and reliever Babe Ruth pitches 11 innings‚ allowing 13 hits‚ to beat the White Sox‚ 6-5.
May 18The Yankees sell veteran Dutch Leonard‚ acquired in December from Boston‚ to Detroit.
May 20In the 2nd inning at St. Louis‚ Babe Ruth belts a grand slam‚ his first ever‚ and pitches the Red Sox to a 6-4 win over the Browns. Dave Davenport takes the loss.
May 21The Phils push over 6 runs in the `9th to beat the visiting Cardinals‚ 8-7. Birds starter Marv Goodwin is lifted in the 9th with one out a 2 on‚ and Willie Sherdel is banged for the loss.

The Giants send Jim Thorpe to the Boston Braves for the $1‚500 waiver price.
May 23It’s Hank Gowdy Day in Boston‚ the catcher’s first game after returning from the Army. He hits the first pitch he sees from Dolf Luque for a single‚ but the Reds prevail over the Braves‚ 10-4.

Phillie slugger Gavvy Cravath treats his old teammate Pete Alexander unkindly‚ collecting 3 hits and 5 RBIs to lead the Phillies to a 7-2 win over the Cubs. The winning pitcher is George Smith‚ just acquired from the Giants for P Joe Oeschger. Oeschger will be bundled to the Braves in August for Art Nehf.

Eddie Cicotte overwhelms the Yankees as the White Sox win‚ 5-0.
May 25White Sox CF Happy Felsch starts a triple play in the 8th inning to stop the Senators scoring threat‚ then the Sox score a pair in the bottom of the frame off Walter Johnson and derail the Big Train‚ 5-4.
May 26In a Memorial Day game in Philadelphia‚ the Red Sox takes 2-0 lead over the A’s‚ but when Philadelphia scores 3 runs in the 2nd inning off big Bill James‚ fans start pounding on tin roof of the visitors’ dugout. The din is interrupted when Carl Mays emerges from the Sox dugout and fires a fast ball into the crowd striking a fan named Bryan Hayes. After the game‚ won 6-4 by Boston‚ Hayes goes to the police who issue a warrant for the arrest of Mays. The Sox leave town before the arrest can be made‚ but the warrant will remain outstanding. Mays will be fined $100 by MLB for the incident.
May 27In Boston’s 6-4 loss to Cleveland‚ Babe Ruth slams a long triple‚ the first ball hit off the CF screen in Cleveland. Speaker has a pair of doubles for the Tribe.
May 28The Braves Art Nehf shuts out the Cubs‚ 4-0‚ in beating Grover Alexander.
May 29Boston’s Carl Mays allows just 4 hits in beating the A’s.‚ 7-1 at Philadelphia. No runners reach base after the 3rd inning (as noted by historian Ted Farmer).
May 30In Chicago‚ the White Sox sweep a pair from Cleveland‚ winning 4-1 in the morning behind Red Faber‚ and 3-2 in the afternoon behind Williams. The nitecap win comes when the Sox score with 2 out in the 9th. In the opener‚ CF Happy Felsch‚ who started a triple play earlier in the week‚ teams up with 3B Buck Weaver for a DP. Felsch will start 15 double plays this year‚ a ML record for outfielders. At the end of the day‚ the White Sox lead the AL by 4 games. They will be overtaken briefly by Cleveland‚ then the Yankees‚ during the next 6 weeks before taking the lead to stay.

The Cards knock out Grover Alexander in the 5th inning of game 1 and beat the Cubs‚ 4-1. Alex is now 0-5. The Cards complete the deal with a 4-1 afternoon win behind Goodwin in game 2.

In the first of 2 in Philadelphia‚ Babe Ruth has 3 hits and pitches the Red Sox to a 10-6 win over the A’s. The Babe homers in game 2 over the RF wall‚ the ball landing on top of a roof on 22nd street. The A’s win it in the 9th‚ 4-3.

June


June 1At St. Louis‚ Cubs pitcher Hippo Vaughn goes 3-for-3 and drives in the go-ahead run in the 7th to whip the Cardinals‚ 3-1.

Jeff Pfeffer pitches 18 innings for Brooklyn and ends up with a 10-9 loss to the Phillies. He allows 23 hits and walks 6. It is not even the longest outing of Pfeffer’s career: he pitched 18 1./3 against the Cubs innings four years ago.
June 2Brooklyn trades Lee Magee to the Cubs for Pete Kilduff. Magee was acquired by Brooklyn seven weeks ago.
June 3In the Browns big 8-run 5th inning‚ George Sisler bangs a double off Cleveland’s Tom Phillips. Phillips is still pitching when Sisler bats again in the inning‚ and this time he hits a homer off the former Brownie. Sisler hits another homer in the 7th as the Browns win‚ 14-6. Cleveland takes the nitecap‚ 9-5. Indians 1B Don Johnston is 2-for-3 in game 2‚ and his out ends a streak of 9 consecutive hits.

Connie Mack coaxes Harry Davis out of retirement and names him assistant manager. The long-time A’s player-captain last managed the Indians. Mack also signs veteran Paddy Livingston as pitching coach. Speculation is that Davis will eventually be the manager‚ but that will not happen.
June 4After battling through 20 innings on April 30th‚ the Phils and Brooklyn go 18 today‚ but this time the Phils win it 10-9.
June 5Eddie Collins 8th inning grand slam breaks up a pitching duel between Ernie Shore and Ed Cicotte and gives the White Sox a 7-5 win over New York.

At Boston‚ Detroit gets on the board first when Cobb triples home Bush in the first‚ but that is all the scoring as the Red Sox win‚ 3-1. Starter Babe Ruth is carried off the field on a stretcher after wrenching his knee sliding into 3B in the 3rd. Carl Mays throws 6 shutout innings for the win.
June 9Against the Reds in Cincinnati‚ Rube Marquard breaks a leg when he stumbles rounding 2B in the 5th‚ limiting him to a 3-3 record for the Dodgers. The Reds win today‚ 7-3.

Browns 1B George Sisler beats Washington 2-1 with 2 hits off Walter Johnson‚ driving in one run and scoring the other. He also makes an assist and putout when he gets a glove on a ground ball hit wide of 1B. The ball bounds toward 2B‚ and Sisler gets back to 1B to take the throw in time.
June 11New York’s Jack Quinn shuts out the Tigers‚ 7-0. Yankee SS Roger Peckinpaugh is 2-for-3 to start his 29-game hitting streak.
June 12The Cubs win their 6th in a row as Grover Alexander shuts out the Phils‚ 3-0. The losing pitcher is Elmer Jacobs‚ who will be traded on July 1st for Pittsburgh’s Erskine Meyer.

Boston’s Herb Pennock shuts down the White Sox on 3 hits as the Red Sox win 4-0. LF Babe Ruth doubles off Red Faber to drive in two runs.

The Yankees take over first place by beating the Tigers‚ 6-1‚ as Bob Shawkey tops Howard Ehmke.
June 14White Sox ace Eddie Cicotte beats the A’s for the 12th straight time en route to 29 wins versus 7 losses and a 1.82 ERA. He also registers his 12th win of the year‚ 6-3‚ in 14 innings‚ going all the way. The starter Tom Rogers‚ purchased from the Browns in April‚ is the loser for the A’s.

On the front end of a 3rd-inning double steal‚ Giants outfielder George Burns swipes home against the Cubs for the game’s only run. Burns also collects two doubles in the game‚ won by Fred Toney over Hippo Vaughn‚ 1-0. In a game last June‚ Burns hit a solo homer for the only score.
June 15A rain check dispute arises. Cincinnati rain checks read “not to be used after 4 and a half innings have been completed.” But the game is called with the Reds at bat with one out in the bottom of the 5th and the game tied 1-1. The Reds honor the rain checks‚ but the Braves demand their share of the gate ($2‚600)‚ as a legal game has been played‚ based on the wording of the rain check. In a compromise‚ the Braves accept $1‚300‚ and the other 6 clubs agree to share the cost. In future all rain checks will read “not good after five innings.”
June 16Cleveland’s Stan Coveleski allows 3 Red Sox hits in besting Sam Jones‚ 1-0 at Fenway.

The 4-team Blue Ridge League‚ the only class D league‚ folds.
June 17Alexander wins his 4th in a row for the Cubs‚ beating the visiting Giants 7-2. A muscle pull will sideline Alex until July 15th. Frankie Frisch makes his debut‚ pinch hitting for Hal Chase and making out.

The Indians sweep two from the host Red Sox‚ winning 4-3 and 3-2. Smoky Joe Wood picks up a save in the opener in his only pitching appearance of the year. Guy Morton wins the nitecap despite giving up a HR and two singles to Ruth.
June 18At Boston‚ Browns third baseman Jimmy Austin ends the game by nabbing Sox runner Wally Schang with the hidden ball trick. The Browns win‚ 3-2.
June 21At Cincinnati‚ the Phillies break their losing streak of 13 games by beating the Reds‚ 5-4. Smith homers for the Reds‚ while Meusel and Cravath homer for the winners. Cravath’s HR in the 8th is called the longest ever hit at Redlands Field. The 13 losses sets a Phils club record that will not be broken this century. It will be tied several times‚ however‚ including later this year.
June 23In a 13-3 loss to Washington‚ Red Sox 1B Stuffy McInnis makes his first error of the year after handling 526 chances.

In a 3-2 loss to Jim Bagby and Cleveland‚ White Sox CF Happy Felsch handles a ML record-tying 12 chances in a 9-inning game. Only Harry Bay of Cleveland in 1904 has been so busy.

Pittsburgh tops the Cardinals 3-2 on a homer by Casey Stengel over the RF pavilion.
June 24In an International League game at Reading‚ Rochester shows no mercy in beating Reading‚ 19-0. First baseman George “Highpockets” Kelly is 5-for-6 with a double and 4 successive home runs.
June 25The Senators and Red Sox split a twinbill‚ with the Nats pummeling starter Babe Ruth in the opener‚ 8-3‚ and collecting 9 hits and 5 walks off Babe. For the Nats‚ Clyde Milan collects 3 hits and Sam Rice cracks a HR‚ the only Hall of Famer to go deep on the Babe. Walter Johnson allows 5 hits in the nitecap but takes a 1-0 loss. Ruth plays LF in the 2nd game and has a single. After the twinbill‚ Ruth issues an ultimatum to Barrow: pitch me or play me but don’t do both. Barrow will give him tomorrow off.
June 27The second division Red Sox send veteran 2B Jack Barry and OF Amos Strunk to the A’s for Braggo Roth and 2B Red Shannon. Barry refuses to report and announces his retirement‚ and the A’s will take cash instead.
June 29With Babe Ruth at 1B for the injured Stuffy McInnis‚ Carl Mays shuts out the Yankees‚ 2-0‚ in the first game of a doubleheader in New York. Mays then pitches the 2nd game as well‚ losing a complete game‚ 4-1. Ruth has two hits in each game.

Detroit beats Cleveland‚ 4-0‚ behind Howard Ehmke‘s one-hitter.
June 30The Yanks sweep two from the Red Sox‚ winning 7-4 in the opener behind Bob Shawkey. Boston gets all its runs on a 6th inning grand slam by 1B Babe Ruth. New York takes the 2nd game‚ 4-2.

July


July 1Going 5-for-5 in a 9-4 win over the Phils‚ Brooklyn’s Ed Konetchy gets his 10th straight hit‚ tying Jake Gettman’s ML record with Washington in 1897. Both will be topped by Walt Dropo in 1952.

At Boston‚ the Braves Rabbit Maranville lines a 2nd inning inside-the-park homer off the Philley’s Eppa Rixey. Getting the hang off it‚ Rabbit reduxes in the 4th inning off Rixey for another inside-the-park. The Braves win 9-1 behind Al Demaree.

The Red Sox arrive in Philadelphia for a series with the A’s‚ but an arrest warrant stemming from the Memorial Day incident‚ prompts Carl Mays to quickly leave by train for Boston.
July 4In the morning game of an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader‚ the Giants’ Jesse Barnes hurls a 3-1 one-hit win over the Phils. The only hit is Gavvy Cravath‘s home run. The Giants repeat in the afternoon‚ 8-4.

in the morning game‚ the Reds Edd Roush sets a ML record for outfielders (later topped in the AL by Ben Chapman) by making 6 straight putouts. Roush makes no more POs as the Reds win in 13 innings over the host Cardinals‚ 4-3. Cincy also takes the p.m. game‚ 4-2.
July 5The A’s rebound from yesterday’s twinbill loss to Boston‚ by sweeping two from the Red Sox‚ 5-3 and 8-6. Boston loses the nitecap despite two homers by Babe Ruth-his 1st two-homer game‚ one in the 8th and the 2nd in the 10th. Ruth and Gavvy Cravath lead the majors with 9 apiece.
July 6At Cincinnati‚ the Reds take 2 from Pittsburgh to move into first place. The Reds and Giants will seesaw back and forth until August 1st‚ when the Reds gradually begin to pull away‚ sprinting at the end to a 9-game lead.

The NL rules that a team president can’t serve as a manager at the same time and William Veeck‚ former sportswriter‚ replaces Fred Mitchell as Cubs president. Mitchell remains manager for Chicago.
July 7The Giants‚ leading 10-2 going into the 9th in the first game of a doubleheader‚ ignore the Phils’ base runners. Four get to 1B‚ Fred Luderus‚ Eddie Sicking‚ Hick Cady‚ and Gavvy Cravath‚ and each steals 2B and 3B‚ tying the record for steals in one inning set by Washington July 19‚ 1915. The Phils still lose 10-5. In 1920 the rules will be changed so that a base runner will not get credit for a stolen base due to defensive indifference. New York wins the afternoon game‚ 7-2 in 10 innings.

In game 2 in Boston‚ the A’s make 11 hits but Carl Mays pitches the last 2 innings to save it for the Sox‚ 5-4. Boston wins game 1 by a 2-0 shutout behind Sam Jones.
July 8Jack Coombs resigns as manager of the last-place Phils. Slugger Gavvy Cravath‚ now leading the NL in hitting‚ replaces him.
July 9The Indians Stan Coveleski stops one streak‚ beating New York’s Bob Shawkey‚ 2-0‚ to end the pitcher’s 10-game win streak. But they don’t stop Yankee SS Roger Peckinpaugh‚ who singles to hit in his 29th straight game. Peck‚ who is leading the AL in hitting‚ will go hitless tomorrow.
July 10The White Sox move into first place with a 9-2 win over the A’s. Williams is the winner.
July 11At Boston‚ Cincinnati defeats the Braves‚ 4-2‚ in 13 innings when Heinie Groh belts a 2-run homer. The Reds start the scoring in the first inning when Bill Rariden bounces a hit through an opening in the scoreboard for a home run. The boy operating the scoreboard neglects to close one of the openings for the innings’ scores and it was through this that the Reds catcher lines his only homer of the year. (As noted by historian Rich Marazzi) The rules will late be changed so that it would only qualify as a double. The Reds also win game 2‚ 6-2.
July 12Ruth has three hits‚ including his 11th homer‚ tying last season’s AL record‚ to lead the Red Sox to a 12-4 win over the host White Sox. It is the Babe’s first homer at Comiskey; he has now homered in every AL park in his career. Babe’s HR in the 3rd comes on the first pitch from Dave Danforth‚ in relief of Kerr.
July 13In Chicago‚ the Red Sox lead 4-0 over the first-place White Sox when C Wally Schang‘s throw to 2nd hits P Carl Mays in the head. Mays quits the mound after 2 innings at Chicago‚ blaming his teammates for lack of support afield‚ and refuses to come back and pitch. Reliever George Dumont comes in and is roughed up for 7 runs as Chicago wins 14-9. Afterwards‚ Mays deserts the team and takes the train to Boston. The Sox will put Mays on the block prompting a showdown between dissident owners and AL President Ban Johnson.

Cleveland infielder Ray Chapman returns to the lineup after a month’s absence due to lumbago‚ a rheumatism in his lower back. He has a single in 3 at-bats as the Indians top Washington 5-4. In Chapman’s absence the Tribe lost 16 of 25 games to drop out of first place.
July 16The Giants send Ferdie Schupp to the Cardinals for Pancho Snyder. Snyder will do the bulk of the catching for the Giants in their pennant years of 1921-24.
July 17The Yankees collect 21 hits‚ the Browns 17‚ before St. Louis wins 7-6 in 17 innings. The winning run scores on a squeeze play without a base hit in the inning.

Boston’s Babe Ruth returns to the mound for the first time in 3 weeks‚ losing to Cleveland and Guy Morton‚ 4-0. Ruth is forced to pitch because of Joe Bush‘s arm problems and Carl Mays‘ jumping the team.
July 18In a Friday game in Cleveland‚ the Indians one-eyed starter Hi Jasper gives up an early 2-run homer to Boston’s Babe Ruth‚ but leaves the game in the 8th with the score tied 3-3. Joe Harris then cracks a pinch triple to drive home 3 runs as the Tribe takes a 7-3 lead. When the Sox score a run and Elmer Myers loads the bases on walks‚ manager Lee Fohl signals for another reliever. Tribe CF Speaker protests that it should be a righty‚ but Fohl goes with lefthander Fritz Coumbe‚ who had not pitched since May‚ to pitch to Ruth. The Babe pounds a high curve for a grand slam-his 3rd of the year-and an 8-7 Boston win. After the game‚ owner Jim Dunn fires Fohl‚ replacing him with Tris Speaker‚ who will stay on for 7 years. The first thing Speaker does is ticket Coumbe to the minors.

At Chicago‚ Sox pitcher Lefty Williams shuts out the Senators‚ 3-0‚ beating Harry Harper. Walter Johnson pinch hits for Harper in the 8th‚ fouling out‚ but does not stay in the game.
July 19Cincinnati beats the Braves‚ 4-2‚ in 13 innings‚ winning the game on a Heinie Groh home run. In the opening inning‚ the Reds got another home run from catcher Bill Rariden‚ when he bounces a liner that hits the scoreboard. The young scorekeeper had neglected to close one of the inning openings and the ball bounds through for a four-bagger.

Behind new manager Tris Speaker‚ who goes 3-for-3‚ the Indians defeat the Red Sox‚ 7-4. Ruth doubles off the wall and gets an intentional pass.
July 21The Tigers rough up Boston P Babe Ruth‚ scoring 6 runs with the help of two errors by Wally Schang. Down 6-1 in the 9th‚ Babe answers with a tremendous solo shot that lands on Trumbull Avenue‚ the longest home run ever hit at Navin Field.

At Chicago‚ Dickie Kerr of the White Sox wins both ends of DH against the Yankees. Kerr is the relief winner in each‚ winning 5-4 and 9-8.
July 23Grover Alexander and Shufflin’ Phil Douglas combine to whitewash Brooklyn twice‚ Alex winning‚ 3-0 in extra innings‚ and Douglas‚ 6-0. New Cubs President Bill Veeck will reward Douglas by Shuffling him off to the Giants on the 25th for slugger Dave Robertson‚ co-NL home run leader in 1916 and 1917. Robertson‚ who was in government service last season and played just a game with the Giants this year and refused to remain with the team after a pre-season deal with the Nats fells through. He will hit zero homers for the Cubs.
July 24At Fenway‚ Ruth is twice intentionally walked by Yank pitcher Bob Shawkey with runners on. But in the 8th‚ with a one run lead he gives up a single to Braggo Roth and pitches to Babe who hits his 15th homer. Sox win‚ 4-2.
July 25At Boston‚ the Yankees batter Babe Ruth for 13 hits‚ but lose to the Boston lefty‚ 8-6. Ruth has no strike outs.
July 27In his first start for the Giants‚ Phil Douglas rocks the Robins‚ 7-2.

In St. Louis‚ the Cubs Grover Alexander stops the Cardinals‚ 4-0.

Before a packed house in Cincinnati‚ the Reds win a pair from the Pirates‚ 5-3 and 2-1. The 2nd game goes only 3 innings‚ being the continuation of a July 6th game‚ called at the end of 6 innings to let the Reds catch a train for Boston. The Giants protest this game‚ saying it should have gone 9 innings. Slim Sallee wins the opener‚ walking none‚ and allowing 11 hits.
July 28Pirates manager Hugo Bezdek is found to have a heart murmur and he is sent on vacation. Carey and Cutshaw will co-manage in his place.
July 29In defiance of Ban Johnson‘s order that no action be taken until Carl Mays is returned to good standing‚ Boston owner Harry Frazee trades Mays to the Yankees for pitchers Bob McGraw‚ Allan Russell‚ an unnamed third player to be chosen‚ and a reported $20‚000 (The New York Times lists $40‚000).

The Yankees chase White Sox ace Eddie Cicotte with 12 hits in 5 innings and roll to a 10-0 win. Hank Thormahlen allows 6 hits in the white wash. Frank Baker has 4 hits‚ including 2 doubles and a triple‚ and Roger Peckinpaugh adds 3 hits.

In the 9th inning with two out‚ Detroit P Dutch Leonard walks Braggo Roth to pitch to Babe Ruth‚ who already has hit 2 doubles off him. The two had had an argument in early June at Fenway. The Babe then hits his 9th homer of the month and his 16th of the year‚ a new AL record. Despite the homer‚ Detroit tops the Red Sox‚ 10-8.
July 30The first-place White Sox and Yankees split a pair of 10-inning games, with the Yanks winning the first, 6–5, on a squeeze bunt. Yankee outfielder Ping Bodie’s steal of home in the 9th inning of game two ties the match at 3 runs apiece, but the Sox push across two runs in the 10th to win.
July 31AL Prexy Johnson suspends Carl Mays indefinitely and orders umpires not to let him pitch for New York.

Waite Hoyt‚ 19‚ makes his ML debut pitching in place of the departed Mays‚ and hurls a 12 inning 2-1 win over the Tigers. Red Sox teammate Babe Ruth has 2 singles and 2 doubles in 6 trips‚ and his 2-out single off the first baseman’s glove in the 12th helps the Sox to victory. Pinch runner McNally‚ running from 1B‚ is caught in a rundown between 3B and home when the umpire rules that Ainsmith interferes with McNally. The interference ruling gives the Sox the winning run.

Reds pitchers Bob Fisher and Dolf Luque fire blanks at the Braves to win‚ 5-0 and 2-0. Fisher allows 3 hits in the lid lifter and Luque gives up 4 in the follow-up.

August


August 1At Redlands Field‚ the Reds defeat the Giants 6-2 and ex-Red Fred Toney and take over first place again‚ a spot they will not relinquish.
August 2In New York‚ the Tigers beat the Yankees in 10 innings‚ 14-8. The big blow in the extra frame is Harry Heilman’s 2nd homer of the day‚ a grand slam‚ which comes after an intentional walk to Veach. The two had hit homers in the 8th on successive pitches. Heilman adds a pair of singles and Cobb has 4 hits and a walk. Roger Peckinpaugh paces New York with 3 hits‚ including a homer run‚ and 4 RBIs.

In Chicago‚ the Phils sweep a pair from the Cubs‚ 2-1 and 4-3. The second game was interupted by bottle throwing as fans protest a call at 3B. After game‚ several fans came onto the field after the umpires. Fred Luderus‚ Phils first sacker‚ plays in his 479th straight game‚ breaking Eddie Collins record set in 1916. Luderus’s streak will stretch to 533 games.

The Braves trade 2B Buck Herzog to the Cubs for 2B Charlie Pick and OF Les Mann.
August 3The Giants salvage the 3rd game in Cincinnati‚ winning 4-0. John McGraw then adds his own bit of of post-war topping on the win by yelling at the crowd‚ “We beat you today and we’ll be glad to get out of the home of the Huns.” (as noted by Rhodes and Snyder) His words inspire a policeman to take a swing at McGaw‚ but he misses and connects with Hal Chase. Chase then slugs the cop‚ and as the crowd surges‚ mounted policeman intercept them.
August 4The Red Sox release pitcher Ray Caldwell and he will sign with Cleveland.
August 6The Cincinnati Times-Star notes that in each of the first 3 innings of Brooklyn’s 6-1 victory over the Reds‚ Jimmy Johnston faces a different Cincinnati pitcher-Slim Sallee‚ Ray Fisher‚ and Dolf Luque-and raps each one for a single as Brooklyn gets all their runs in the first 3 frames. Luque finishes the game‚ allowing no more runs.

In Chicago‚ Cubs’ P Grover Alexander loses 2-0 to the Braves when Boston P Ray Keating hits a fly ball that bounces through a hole in the wire fence in CF for a homer. It is Keating’s lone career homer. He holds the Cubs to 3 hits.
August 7Before the start of the New York-St. Louis doubleheader at the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees present the umpires with a temporary court injunction restraining Ban Johnson‘s order preventing Carl Mays from pitching‚ further eroding Johnson’s authority and standing. Mays then pitches a 6-hitter in the nitecap‚ beating the Browns 8-2. Mays’ 9-3 record will be key to the Yankees’ 3rd place finish.
August 8Reserve outfielder Casey Stengel is traded to the Phils for Possum Whitted‚ who will bat .389 for the Pirates in the last 35 games.
August 9Cubs P Jim “Hippo” Vaughn surprises the Giants in the 8th inning by swiping home. Vaughn also picks up the victory‚ 3-1‚ over Phil Douglas. Not until Rick Sutcliffe‚ in 1988‚ will another Cub pitcher steal home.
August 10More than 28‚000 crowd Wrigley Field to watch Grover Cleveland Alexander shut out the Giants‚ 2-0.
August 11Cleveland’s Tris Speaker ties an AL record‚ scoring 5 runs in a 15-9 win at New York.
August 14In Chicago‚ Babe Ruth hits an AL-record No. 17. The 7th inning homer‚ off Erskine Mayer‚ clears the RF wall and lands in a soccer field. Chicago White Sox CF Happy Felsch ties the ML record with 4 assists‚ but Boston beats the White Sox‚ 15-6.

With the score tied 3-3 in the top of the 10th‚ starting Yankee hurler Carl Mays is called out on strikes by Brick Owens. In disgust‚ Mays flings his bat towards the stands and is thumbed out of the game before the bat lands. The Yankees overcome Muddy Ruel‘s hitting into a triple play-2B Ralph Young to SS Donie Bush-and beat the Tigers in 15 innings‚ 5-4.

The Dodgers waste no time in splitting a pair with the Cubs‚ losing‚ 2-0‚ in an hour and 10 minutes‚ then winning‚ 1-0‚ in one hour and 7 minutes.
August 15The Reds Greasy Neale swipes 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the 9th to help Cincy win 4-0 over the Giants at the Polo Grounds. in game 2 of the twinbill‚ The Reds win the opener‚ 4-3. The Giants make up for the loss by picking up Art Nehf from the Braves in exchange for righties Joe Oeschger‚ Red Causey‚ Johnny Jones‚ C Mickey O’Neil‚ and $55‚000. Nehf will help pitch the Giants to four pennants.
August 16The Browns set an AL record with 53 total chances against the A’s‚ but lose 7-4. The Browns have 27 assists and St. Louis 1B George Sisler has 18 putouts. With no putouts‚ the St. Louis outfielders have the day off.
August 17The Tigers draw a record 31‚500 at home‚ but lose 4-2 to the Senators in 11 innings. Ten ground-rule doubles-Agnew has 3-are hit into the crowd lining the OF.

In front of a Sportsman’s Field record crowd of 27‚000‚ Babe Ruth pitches the Red Sox to a 2-1 win in the opener. It is the Babe’s 12th straight win over St. Louis (streak starts 5/24/17). Playing LF in the nitecap‚ Babe clouts a first inning 2-run homer as Boston sweeps‚ 6-1.
August 19In a matchup of old buddies‚ Chicago’s Grover Alexander outpitches Shufflin’ Phil Douglas‚ to beat the Giants‚ 4-2. After the game‚ Douglas will fall off the wagon with a bang and end up back in Tennessee. The Giants will suspend Phil‚ but he’ll return to have three good seasons with the Giants.
August 20Wichita OF Joe Wilhoit (Western League) fails to get a hit against Elam Vangilder in a 5-2 win over Tulsa‚ ending a 69-game streak. During the streak he collected 155 hits in 299 at bats for a .505 batting average. The previous record was 49 by Oakland’s Jack Ness (Pacific Coast League) in 1915. Wilhoit draws a walk in his last at bat. Coincidentally‚ the Red Sox purchased Wilhoit’s contract yesterday and he will report September 15‚ Wilhoit’s streak almost ended in games 62 and 63‚ a doubleheader in Omaha: in the first game his only hit was an 11th inning HR; in game 2‚ after making out 3 times‚ he bunted to 3B. The Omaha third sacker‚ with his team leading by a big margin‚ held the ball rather than throwing Wilhoiy out. “Graham’s sportsmanship drew forth the admiration of the crowd.” (Wichita Eagle)
August 23The Tigers pull off a triple steal (Cobb‚ Heilmann and Chris Shorten) but the Red Sox counter with a grand slam by Babe Ruth off Hook Dauss‚ the longest homer ever hit at Navin Field. But that’s all the Sox scoring as Detroit wins over Boston‚ 8-4. For the Babe‚ it is his 4th grand slam of the year‚ a Red Sox record not topped this century.

In the first of 2 games‚ Ed Roush‚ Reds outfielder‚ hits a pair of doubles in the 9th off Phils pitcher Lee Meadows as the Reds win‚ 8-3. They take the second game by a 6-1 score.
August 24At Cleveland’s League Park‚ P Slim Caldwell is flattened by a bolt of lightning in his debut with the Indians. It comes with 2 outs in the 9th and the batter is Jumping Joe Dugan. Slim recovers to get the final out of the game‚ and defeats Philadelphia 2-1. Caldwell surmises that the lightning hit the metal button on his cap‚ coursed through his body‚ and exited via his metal spikes‚ leaving him with a slight burn on his chest. Caldwell has every reason to be glad that Speaker inserted a clause in his recent contract stating that the “pitcher must get drunk the night after he pitches.” After the lightning hit‚ Caldwell reportedly will drink nothing stronger than tea.

In St. Louis‚ every Brooklyn batters collects a hit‚ 21 in all‚ as Brooklyn breezes 10-1 over the Cards. Jimmy Johnston is the top contributor with 4 hits.

Babe Ruth clouts two homers and adds an RBI single to drive in Harry Hooper in the 11th as the Red Sox defeat the Tigers‚ 8-7.
August 25The Red Sox close out their road trip with a 5-4 win over the Tigers. Ruth hits #23‚ his 4th homer in 3 days‚ to lead Boston.
August 26Giants 1B Hal Chase handles 35 chances against the Pirates in a doubleheader split in New York. The Bucs win the nitecap‚ 4-2 after losing to Art Nehf ‚ 5-1.
August 28Fighting a cold‚ Walter Johnson gives up 19 hits in 14 innings and loses to New York 5-4. Bucky Harris‚ playing his first ML game‚ allows a pop fly to fall between three players and the winning run scores.

Ferdie Schupp‚ acquired last month from the Giants‚ allows just one hit as the Cardinals beat the Pirates‚ 3-1. The lone hit is Possum Whitted‘s single to drive home Carson Bigbee‚ who reached base via a walk.
August 31The Giants top the Robins‚ 4-3‚ with the help of Bill Klem who thumbs out the entire Brooklyn bench except for manager Robinson and the batboy. Adding injury to insult‚ Brooklyn P Burleigh Grimes is spiked covering 1B and will miss the rest of the campaign.

New York’s Mark Baldwin surrenders only 3 hits‚ but is out dueled by Ed Stein‚ who pitches his 2nd one-hitter of the season to lead Brooklyn to a 3-0 victory.

Cleveland’s Stanley Coveleski allows 6 hits in beating Chicago‚ 6-1. Cleveland’s Ray Chapman ties a ML mark with 4 sac bunts his first 4 times at bat.

September


September 1In the first of two Labor Day games‚ Babe Ruth allows 10 Washington hits‚ but wins 2-1. Ruth drives home one run with a triple. The win is his last in a Red Sox uniform. In the nitecap‚ Ruth’s 7th inning homer snaps a 1-1 tie as Boston wins‚ 4-1. It is the Babe’s 24th homer.

At St. Louis‚ George Sisler gives the Browns a split for the day with an 11th inning HR‚ for a 4-2 win. The Indians win the opener‚ 5-3.
September 2The National Commission recommends a best-of-9 World Series. The lengthier WS is seen as a sign of greed and is abandoned after 3 years.
September 3At Wrigley Field‚ the Reds top Pete Alexander and the Cubs‚ 6-1. Dutch Ruether is the winning pitcher for Cincy‚ and shows his speed by swiping home in the 4th inning.
September 5The Red Sox pull off a triple play and bang out 25 hits in downing the A’s‚ 15-7. Babe Ruth is 5-for 6 including his 25th homer‚ tying Buck Freeman‘s record.
September 6Jack Tobin goes 5-for-5 to pace the St. Louis Browns to a 12-10 win over the Tigers. Ty Cobb notches three hits and Harry Heilmann hits two triples and a single for Detroit.

In Cleveland’s 11-2 runaway over the Chicago White Sox‚ Chicago’s Buck Weaver swipes 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the 9th to tie the ML mark. Joe Wood has a triple and homer and winning pitcher Jim Bagby also homers. Bagby allows 14 hits in the victory‚ which leaves the White Sox in the AL lead by 6 1/2 games.
September 8Babe Ruth hits HR No. 26‚ off Hank Thormahlen in New York‚ breaking Buck Freeman‘s 1899 HR mark of 25. The Red Sox win 3-1 in the opener‚ then win 2-0 in the nitecap behind Waite Hoyt‘s 3-hitter. Ruth scores both runs for Boston. Buck Freeman‚ now an umpire in the American Association‚ congratulates the Babe on his feat. New York’s SS Roger Peckinpaugh ties an AL mark with 15 chances accepted in the first game‚ and 24 in the twinbill. The Tigers object to the 2nd game‚ on the technicality that it was originally scheduled for Boston and had been postponed there.
September 10The Indians’ Ray “Slim” Caldwell‚ struck by lightning 2 weeks earlier‚ no-hits his former teammates the Yankees 3-0 at the Polo Grounds. He uses a spitball effectively in facing just 29 batters. Carl Mays takes the loss giving up 6 hits including a 2-run homer by Joe Harris. In the 2nd game‚ the Indians win as well‚ 3-2. Peckinpaugh accepts another 20 chances in the twinbill.
September 11The Red Sox shut out the Browns for the afternoon. Herb Pennock wins the first game 4-0 and Allan Russell follows suit‚ 6-0. Boston has now won 8 in a row.

At Chicago‚ The Giants beat Grover Alexander‚ 7-3‚ as rookie Frankie Frisch connects for his first ML homer. Rube Benton takes the win for New York.

Cardinals pitcher Ferdie Schupp picks a fine time to hit his only ML homer‚ as he ends a game with visiting Brooklyn by hitting a 9th inning solo shot off Leon Cadore. The Cards win 4-3.
September 12At Chicago‚ the Cubs and Dodgers break even‚ with the Cubs winning the opener‚ 3-1‚ and the visitors taking game 2‚ 5-4. A triple play by SS Bill Hollocher to 1B Fred Merkle on a line drive by Ed Konetchy is the highlite of game 1.
September 15At Philadelphia‚ A’s pitcher Jimmy Zinn hits a pinch 3-run homer in the 9th inning off Chicago’s Red Faber‚ his 1st ML homer. His next will come in 10 years. After Zinn’s HR‚ Jackson catches the next ball against the fence and Faber escapes with an 11-10 win.
September 16Dutch Ruether beats the Giants 4-3 to clinch the Reds’ first pennant since its American Association days.
September 17The Tigers split with the host Red Sox‚ winning the opener 7-6 after Cobb and manager Hugh Jennings are tossed by umpire George Moriarty. Boston manages just 3 hits in the nitecap‚ but beats former teammate Dutch Leonard‚ 2-1.
September 20On “Babe Ruth Day” at Fenway‚ 31‚000 jam the park to see the Knights of Columbus of South Boston honor one of their own members between games of the DH with Chicago. Ruth starts on the mound in game 1‚ his first start since September 1‚ and Allan Russell relieves in the 6th inning. With the score tied 3-3 in the 9th‚ Babe‚ now playing LF‚ golfs a outside pitche from Lefty Williams over the LF wall to win the game‚ 4-3 With the hit‚ Ruth ties Ned Williamson‘s 1884 ML HR mark of 27. Boston takes the nitecap‚ 5-4‚ with Ruth scores the winning run in the 5th. He is deprived of a homer when his 5th inning drive bounces out of the bleachers and ump Billy Evans rules it a double. Evans spots the fans scrambling for the ball and rules it a ground-rule double under the day’s temporary ground rules. A petition signed by witnessing fans is brought to Evans by a National Guardsman (filling in for the striking Boston police) but the ump dismisses it.
September 21In Chicago‚ the Cubs Grover Alexander beats Boston‚ 4-2‚ taking just 58 minutes to win.

It takes the Dodgers 55 minutes to beat the Reds 3-1. Slim Sallee throws 65 pitches‚ besting Christy Mathewson‘s 69-pitch CG‚ a ML record. Slim walks one in the loss.
September 24Trying for his 30th win‚ Eddie Cicotte goes 7 innings‚ allowing ten Brownie hits‚ before exiting on the short end of a 5-4 score. The White Sox rally to win 6-5 and clinch the pennant; the final margin will be 3 1?2 games over the Indians. On the 28th‚ Cicotte will throw 2 innings against the Tigers as a World Series warm-up.

The Brooklyn Robins defeat the Phillies twice on Fred Luderus Day in Philadelphia‚ winning 4-1 and 14-7. The 2nd game is the 525th in a row played by the Philadelphia first sacker‚ who is presented with a diamond stickpin and gold watch between games to commemorate his endurance effort. He’ll end the season with a consecutive-game streak of 533‚ a ML record.

After the Red Sox win the opener behind Jack Quinn‚ 4-0 at the Polo Grounds‚ Boston’s Waite Hoyt pitches 9 perfect innings -27 outs-against the Yankees‚ but they come in between the 4th and the 13th in which he gives up hits. He loses 2-1 in the 13th when Wally Pipp triples and scores on Del Pratt‘s sac fly to Ruth. Boston’s only score is the Babe’s 28th homer of the year‚ off Bob Shawkey in the 9th‚ to “set a new world’s record” (NY Times). It is believed to be the longest hit at the Polo Grounds‚ heading over the RF roof and landing on adjacent Manhattan Field.

The Giants divide a bill with the Braves‚ winning the opener‚ 6-1‚ behind Jess Barnes 24th win of the year. The Giants collect 16 hits with Art Fletcher making 4. Wilbur Hubbell makes his debut in the nitecap‚ but the Giant’s bats are silent and he loses‚ 3-2‚ in 10 innings.
September 25In Detroit‚ the Tigers‚ fighting for 3rd place‚ use 18 hits to beat the Indians‚ 9-5. The Indians have already clinched 2nd place. Ty Cobb is 1-for-4 while Tris Speaker has three hits‚ including two triples. Cobb will later write a letter to Detroit P Dutch Leonard in which he implies there was a “business proposition” involving this game that was “disappointing.” Neither Cobb or Speaker was ever proven to have bet on this or any other games‚ but Leonard will later accuse the two of arranging for the Tigers to win today. Commissioner Landis will exonerate the pair in 1927.
September 26Carl Mays gives up 2 unearned runs in the Yankees 8-2 victory over the Athletics. He strikes out 7.

In Chicago‚ Detroit makes 8 errors but the Tigers still beat the White Sox‚ 10-7. Redsting most of their regulars‚ the Sox make 4 errors.

The Braves tie the Giants 4-4 in the 7th and acting manager Mathewson brings in the veteran Jean Dubuc to shut out Boston the rest of the way. The Giants win 5-3 giving Dubuc (6-4) his 22nd game finish‚ the NL high. Despite his 2.66 ERA‚ this is his last game. He will be banned for life for failing to report that he had prior knowledge to the WS fix.

The NL champion Reds win a pair from the Cubs‚ 6-5 and 3-0. Slim Sallee wins his 21st game in the opener and in the 9th inning helps with a single as the Reds score the winning run. He walks none‚ ending the year with 21 wins and just 20 walks. Not till Saberhagen in 1994 who will win 14 and walk 13 will anyone match him. The Reds rip Hippo Vaughn in the nitecap and win‚ 8-0‚ behind Fisher’s 3-hitter.
September 27Despite a Ruthian blast in game 1‚ the Senators sweep a pair from Boston‚ 7-3 and 3-1‚ handing both defeats to Reb Russell. Russell starts both games‚ but is relieved in the opener before coming back for the CG loss in game 2. Ruth’s 29th HR‚ off Rip Jordan and is his first of the year in Washington. It clears the 45-foot wall in RF‚ the longest ever seen there. He is the first to homer in every park in the league in one season. Ruth’s homer is his last hit for Boston as he sits in game 2 and tomorrow‚ ending the season with 29 of the 33 homers the Red Sox total.
September 28In a doubleheader match that draws 20‚000‚ the Giants beat the Phils‚ 6-1 and 7-1 in the first game‚ one that takes just 51 minutes‚ a ML record fastest game ever. Tossing just 64 pitches‚ Jess Barnes allows 5 hits to win his 25th‚ over Lee Meadows. The record for the shortest NL game was set last week by the Reds. In 1912‚ the Giants played a pre-World series exhibition with the Phils in just 39 minutes. Hal Chase bails out and skips the game; his old friend John McGraw covers up saying that the first sacker with the shady reputation has headed for California.

Against the Red Sox‚ Nationals coach and comedian Nick Altrock starts the 7th inning‚ but leaves after the first 4 batters hit safely. The Sox score 5 runs in the inning‚ but Washington prevails‚ 8-7‚ with Jim Shaw finishing up. Altrock will pitch another inning‚ but wait 5 years before doing so. Ruth sits out the finale.

At Brooklyn‚ the Yankees beat the Dodgers‚ 5-2‚ in a Sunday exhibition game.

October


October 1Just before the start of the WS‚ the highly favored White Sox became the betting underdogs. A year later the White Sox will become the Black Sox‚ and 8 of them-pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams‚ outfielders Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch‚ 1B Chick Gandil‚ SS Swede Risberg‚ 3B Buck Weaver‚ and utility infielder Fred McMullin-will be barred from baseball for taking part in throwing the Series. It will take that long for the story to unfold‚ as most observers at the time see nothing amiss when the Series opens in Cincinnati.

Eddie Cicotte‚ a 29-game winner‚ is driven to cover in a 5-run 4th. Cincinnati’s Dutch Ruether

pitches a 6-hitter‚ and has 3 RBI on 2 triples and a single for a 9-1 win. Reds OF Greasy Neale‚ the only man to play in a WS‚ coach a football team in the Rose Bowl‚ and become a pro football Hall of Fame coach‚ also has 3 hits. He will top the Reds with .357 for the Series.
October 2In game 2 after an easy 3 innings‚ Lefty Williams walks 3 Reds‚ gives up a single to Edd Roush and a triple to Larry Kopf‚ and the Reds lead 3-0. Slim Sallee scatters 10 hits as Risberg and Gandil fail in the clutch. The final score is 4-2. Joe Jackson has 3 hits; his .375 BA will make it appear later that he was trying.

Charles Comiskey tells NL president Heydler that Sox manager Kid Gleason is suspicious of his players. Heydler confers with Ban Johnson‚ who takes no action‚ fearing it will look like revenge against Comiskey‚ with whom he has been feuding. As the games unfold‚ reporters Ring Lardner and Christy Mathewson do not like what they see. Chicago reporter Hugh Fullerton will raise questions during the winter. Comiskey will offer a reward for information‚ but the 1920 season will open with the same lineup for Chicago‚ minus Chick Gandil‚ who will be in the PCL.
October 3Back in Chicago‚ 5 foot 7 inch rookie lefty Dickie Kerr pitches a 3-hitter‚ as Chicago wins 3-0. Joe Jackson is 2-for-3 and Gandil drives in 2 runs. Ray Fisher takes the loss. Cuban Adolfo Luque becomes the first Latin American ML player to appear in a WS game‚ pitching one inning of relief for the Reds in game 3 at Comiskey Park.
October 4Ed Cicotte makes 2 errors in one inning of game 4 to give the Reds the only runs of the game. He walks none and gives up 5 hits‚ but Jimmy Ring gives up only 3 hits and wins 2-0.
October 6After a Sunday rainout‚ Hod Eller blanks the Sox on 3 hits‚ fanning 6 in a row-Gandil‚ Risberg‚ Ray Schalk‚ Williams‚ Leibold‚ and Eddie Collins-in the 2nd and 3rd. Once again a big inning gives the Reds a victory. A couple of hits‚ some slow fielding‚ and poor throws by Jackson and Happy Felsch result in 4 Reds scoring in the 6th for a 5-0 win‚ their 4th in 5 games. Lefty Williams is the loser. Sox C Schalk is the 2nd man to be thrown out of a WS game when he disagrees with the call on Heinie Groh‘s slide at home.
October 7In Game 6‚ Happy Felsch‘s error and 2 boots by Swede Risberg help put Dickie Kerr in the hole 4-0‚ but Felsch‚ Weaver‚ and Jackson combine for 7 hits as the Sox win 5-4. Dutch Ruether doesn’t survive the 6th; Jimmy Ring is the loser‚ as Kerr wins his 2nd.
October 8Ed Cicotte pitches game 7‚ and the Sox play like they mean it. Joe Jackson and Felsch drive in 2 each for a 4-1 win. The Reds make 4 errors behind Slim Sallee‘s pitching‚ before 32‚006 Cincinnati fans who pay a record WS game receipt total of $101‚768.
October 9Lefty Williams gets one man out in the first before departing. The Reds lead 4-0‚ and go on to give Hod Eller a 10-5 victory and the Reds the world title in 8 games. Joe Jackson hits the only HR of the Series. Eddie Collins‘ 3 hits give him a total of 42 in WS play‚ a record broken in 1930 by Frank Frisch‚ and bettered by Lou Gehrig in 1938. A SB by Collins is his 14th in WS competition‚ a record tied by Lou Brock in 1968.
October 26New York Supreme Court Justice Robert Wagner rules in favor of the Yankees and makes permanent the team’s temporary restraining order against the AL. Wagner was persuaded that Ban Johnson acted incorrectly in banning Carl Mays two days after the pitcher was traded to New York. Johnson sent telegrams to all the owners except Boston’s Frazee telling them not to negotiate for Mays.
October 29Urged by Johnson‚ the National Commission‚ headed by the Pirates’ Garry Herrmann refuses to recognize the Yankees’ 3rd-place finish and withholds the players’ share of the pool. New York’s owners will pay out of their own pockets.

November


November 10Clark Griffith becomes a club owner and president when he joins Philadelphia grain broker William Richardson in buying controlling interest in the Washington Senators for $175‚000. Griffith‚ unable to get financial help from the AL‚ mortgages his Montana ranch to raise funds.

December


December 10The NL votes to ban the spitball’s use by all new pitchers. The ban will be formally worked out by the Rules Committee in February.

With the opposition led by New York‚ Boston‚ and Chicago owners‚ the AL directors pass a resolution accusing Ban Johnson of overstepping his duties. They demand that league files be turned over to them and that an auditor review all financial accounts.
December 26Although it will not be officially announced until January‚ the Yankees buy Babe Ruth from financially pressed Harry Frazee‚ paying $125‚000 (one-fourth cash‚ plus $25‚000 a year at 6 percent) plus guaranteeing a $300‚000 loan with Fenway Park as collateral.
December 29The Red Sox send Braggo Roth and 2B Red Shannon to Washington for P Harry Harper‚ OF Mike Menosky and 3B Eddie Foster.