Baseball – 1920

Baseball in 1920

<< Previous Year | Next Year >>

January

January 5The Yankees announce the purchase of Babe Ruth; it had been delayed until Ruth agreed to terms believed to be $40‚000 total for 2 years. (Lawrence Ritter‘s The Babe‚ has this announcement on January 6‚ 11 days after the deal was consummated.)
January 12A plan developed by Charles Ebbets many years ago is finally adopted: the annual drafting of players from the minor leagues will be done in inverse order to the teams’ final standings.

February

February 9The Joint Rules Committee bans all foreign substances or other alterations to the ball by pitchers‚ including saliva‚ resin‚ talcum powder‚ paraffin‚ and the shine and emery ball. A pitcher caught cheating will be suspended for 10 days. The AL allows each club to name just 2 pitchers who will be allowed to use the pitch for one more season. The NL allows each club to name all its spitball pitchers. No pitchers other than those designated will be permitted to use it‚ and none at all after 1920 (though this will be changed in December). The list of grandfathered spitballers will include Red Faber (White Sox)‚ (Doc Ayers and Dutch Leonard (Tigers)‚ Ray Caldwell and Stan Coveleski (Indians)‚ Bill Doak (Cardinals)‚ Phil Douglas (Giants)‚ Dana Fillingim (Braves)‚ Ray Fisher (Reds)‚ Marv Goodwin (Cardinals)‚ Burleigh Grimes and Clarence Mitchell (Dodgers)‚ Jack Quinn (Yankees)‚ Dick Rudolph (Braves)‚ Allan Russell (Red Sox)‚ Urban Shocker and Allen Sothoron (Browns).

Other rules changes: the adoption of writer Fred Lieb‘s proposal that a game-winning HR with men on base be counted as a HR even if its run is not needed to win the game. Also‚ the intentional walk is banned‚ and everything that happens in a protested game will go in the records. From 1910 to 1919‚ records in protested games were excluded.

The Cards announce the first trade of the meetings. They acquire 1B Jack Fournier from the Los Angeles Angels for 4 players‚ all acquired earlier. LA gets 1B Art Griggs‚ C Grover Hartley‚ P Claude Thomas‚ and INF Jim McAuley.
February 10At a joint meeting in Chicago‚ all bleacher prices are raised to 50 cents‚ pavilion to 75 cents‚ and grandstand to $1.00. Clubs may set aside bleacher space for kids under 14 at 15 and 25 cents if they wish. The May 15th-August 30th player limits are raised from 21 to 25. The AL prohibits player transfers after July 1st; the NL‚ after August 20th.

Lee Magee‚ “wanting to make a clean breast of things‚” admits to NL Prexy Heydler and Cubs head William Veeck that he tried to “toss” a game with the Braves when he was with the Reds‚ but that the Reds won in the 13th. Heydler will later testify on June 8th that Magee told him he became suspicious that Hal Chase had double-crossed him and so he stopped payment on the check.
February 12Frank “Home Run” Baker’s wife‚ Ottalee‚ dies at 31‚ leaving 2 small children. Baker will miss the entire season to stay home and take care of the children‚ returning in 1921 to hit .294. Baker also missed the 1915 season‚ preferring to hold out rather than sign with the A’s.

In a defeat for AL president Johnson‚ Carl Mays is reinstated‚ and the Yankees’ 3rd place finish is recognized. Furthermore‚ a two man committee is appointed to review all fines over $100 and suspensions of more than 10 days. Dissatisfaction with the National Commission system comes to a head. The NL votes 6-2 for a one-man commission; the AL votes 6-2 for the status quo. Chairman Garry Herrmann resigns‚ stating his belief that no club owner should serve on the governing board. When the 2 leagues cannot agree on a chairman‚ it is left to the league presidents to decide disputes.
February 20The Cubs give an unconditional release to Lee Magee after they learned a week ago from him that he had been betting against his team. Magee will sue the Cubs for his salary of $4‚500 charging that his livelihood as a ball player was destroyed through the sudden canceling of his contract. The Cubs will ask for a dismissal of the suit‚ saying that “previous to the making of the contract the plaintiff was guilty of betting against the team of which he was a member‚ and sought to win bets by intentional bad playing to defeat said team.”

March

March 25In a spring training match between the Yankees and Dodgers‚ a sweeping inside curve ball by Brooklyn’s Little Jeff Pfeffer beans Chick Fewster striking the Yankee SS behind the ear and flattening him. Fewster revives 10 minutes later but soon loses the ability to speak. Taken to the hospital with a skull fracture and a blood clot on his brain‚ Fewster will recover slowly and return to play in mid-season.
March 26Walter Johnson is wild and hittable in his first intersquad game‚ hitting 3 batters and walking 2. One of the batters he hits is Bucky Harris who takes a pitch that glances off the side of his head. Johnson gives up 7 runs in 3 innings.

April

April 13The Negro National League (chartered as the National Association of Colored Professional Baseball Clubs) is organized at a meeting at the YMCA in Kansas City‚ MO.
April 14On Opening Day at Cleveland’s League Park‚ 20‚000 fans cheer as Stan Coveleski shuts out the Browns 5-0‚ beating Indian killer Allen Sothoron. The spitballer had won 5 of 6 last year from Cleveland.

At Shibe Park‚ Babe Ruth makes his Yankee debut‚ lacing two hits‚ but dropping an easy fly in center that allows two runs to score in the 8th. The A’s Scott Perry is the beneficiary of Babe’s error‚ winning‚ 3-1 over Bob Shawkey. Each allows 7 hits‚ one homer‚ and a walk. Wally Pipp lofts a homer for New York‚ while Cy Perkins connects for the A’s. New York leaves its best pitcher Carl Mays back in New York‚ since there is still a warrant out for his arrest in Philley.

The World Champion Reds open the season in Cincinnati by whipping Grover Cleveland Alexander‚ 7-3. The Reds combine 12 hits‚ including a HR by Edd Roush‚ and Dutch Ruether‘s pitching to beat the Cubs. Alexander has a triple and all 3 Cub RBIs.

At Pittsburgh‚ the Pirates win their Opener‚ 5-4‚ over the St. Louis Cardinals. Babe Adams in the winner. It is the first win for new manager George Gibson‚ the first Canadian big league manager.
April 15In Boston‚ the Sox jump on Washington ace Walter Johnson and score 5 runs on four hits before the Big Train is lifted after 2 innings. Johnson ‘s sore arm will limit him to an 8-10 record this year. The Sox hang on to win 7-6 with Allan Russell picking up the win.

The Yanks rally for 4 runs in the last 3 innings to top the A’s‚ 4-1. Ruth is hitless in 5 at bats.
April 17A pitching duel between the Pirates Elmer Ponder and the Cards Jess Haines ends when the Bucs score 3 runs in the top of the 13th for a 3-0 victory.

Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee announces that suspended catcher Wally Schang will be enjoined from playing for any other team.
April 19Not clowning around‚ the Senators Al Schacht‚ later known as “The Clown Prince of Baseball‚” shuts out the A’s‚ 7-0. A sore arm will end his career after the next season‚ but the Schacht act will be on hand for 25 World Series and 18 All-Star games.

In the annual Patriots Day doubleheader in Boston‚ the Red Sox take the A.M. game 6-0 in front of 6‚000 fans. In the P.M. game‚ 22‚000 are on hand to watch ex-Red Sox Carl Mays pitch for the Yankees. The Sox don’t disappoint‚ cuffing Mays for 4 runs in 7 innings as they win 8-3. Babe Ruth is 3-for-8 for the two games.
April 20Phils’ manager Gavvy Cravath inserts himself as a pinch hitter and hits a 3-run HR to beat the Giants‚ 3-0. For Cravath‚ the top HR hitter of the past decade‚ it is his last four bagger. Eppa Rixey is the winner over Rube Benton.

In a preview of their May 1 marathon‚ Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore and the Braves’ Joe Oeschger battle for 11 innings before Brooklyn rookie Walter Hood lines an RBI double to win it‚ 1-0. Hood took over in CF in the 6th after Hy Myers was tossed for fighting with Oscar Dugey.

At Cleveland the Indians wins a marathon from Detroit‚ 11-10‚ as 10 pitchers combine to issue 18 walks and a hit batsman. Caldwell is the winner for the Tribe in a game that takes 3 hours and 4 minutes.
April 22The Yankees open their home season with a 8-6 win over the A’s‚ but lose Babe Ruth to an injury. The $125‚000 batsman pulls a cartilage in batting practice and‚ after striking out in the 1st‚ has to be assisted off the field. The team announces he’ll be out 2 weeks.
April 24The Yankees Carl Mays pitches 10 innings in beating the Philadelphia Athletics‚ 3-2. Mays allows 6 hits in winning his 6th straight over the Mackmen.

According to historian David Vincent‚ this is the last day in major league history that all teams played games and no home runs were hit. The last day of 8 games (5AL; 3NL) in which no homers were hit is August 8‚ 1923.
April 25The largest crowd ever to attend a game in Brooklyn watch as the Giants down the locals‚ 5-2. Jess Barnes holds Brooklyn to 4 hits in beating Leon Cadore. The game is called with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th when the crowd surges onto the field.
April 26In Washington‚ Red Sox SS Everett Scott plays in his 534th consecutive game‚ a major league record. The previous mark was 533‚ set by the Phillies Fred Luderus. The Nationals win‚ 2-0‚ as Joe Johnson outduels Bush.

May

May 1In Boston‚ Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore and the Braves’ Joe Oeschger duel 26 innings to a 1-1 tie in the longest game ever played in the ML. Oeschger shuts out the Dodgers for the last 21 innings‚ topping Art Nehf‘s 20 scoreless frames in a row on August 1‚ 1918. He gives up 9 hits‚ and Cadore allows 12‚ in the 3-hour‚ 50-minute battle‚ the longest marathon (26 inn.) any 2 pitchers have hurled this century. An unusual double play occurs in the 17th inning when the bases are loaded with one out. A grounder to P Oeschger results in a throw home‚ forcing the runner. C Hank Gowdy‘s throw to 1B Walter Holke is fumbled‚ and when the runner tries to score from 2B‚ the throw back to Gowdy nips the sliding Ed Konetchy. Holke must have been tired as he made a first baseman’s record of 42 putouts in the game‚ while Cadore‚ who sets a NL record (ties ML) for assists by a pitcher (12) as well as batters faced (96) in a game‚ will spend the next 36 hours in bed. Oeschger faces 90 batters. The Dodgers lose to the Phils at home in 13 innings the next day‚ then return to Boston for a Monday game where they lose again in 19. For 58 innings work in 3 days‚ they will be 0-2.

Babe Ruth hits his first HR‚ and the 50th of his career‚ as a Yankee in a 6-0 win over the Red Sox. The HR clears the RF roof of the Polo Grounds‚ duplicating the feat of Joe Jackson. Duffy Lewis adds a homer‚ both coming off Herb Pennock. During the game‚ Yankee bench hecklers Carl Mays‚ Ernie Shore and Frank O’Doul manage to get themselves ejected.
May 2Cleveland drops the Tigers‚ 5-2‚ leaving the Bengals with a 0-13 record‚ equaling Washington’s lowly start of 1904. Jim Bagby is the winner‚ allowing 8 hits. Lefty Red Oldham takes the loss.

In Brooklyn‚ the Phillies win in 13 innings‚ 4-3. Zack Wheat’s homer in the 9th ties the match‚ and Dave Bancroft scores the go ahead run in the 13th. Casey Stengel‘s sensational catch of Mitchell’s long fly prevents another tie.
May 3Two days after Boston and Brooklyn battled to a 20-inning 1-1 tie game‚ they go at it again for 19 innings in Boston this time. Boston prevails in the bottom of the 19th‚ 2-1 by bunching three singles. Dana Fillingham scatter 12 hits for a complete game 19-inning win‚ while starter Sherrod Smith allows 13 in a losing effort. Brooklyn has played 58 innings in their past 3 games.

The Cubs sweep a pair from the Reds‚ 2-1 and 5-0. Hippo Vaughn is the winner in the opener and drives in both runs. In the 2nd game‚ Grover Alexander continues his wins streak by shutting out the Reds‚ 5-0‚ and beating Ray Fisher. Fisher will finish the year at 14-5. Alex pitches a six hitter and Dave Robertson homers.

The Tigers finally win their first game‚ tripping the Indians‚ 5-1‚ behind Dutch Leonard’s 5-hitter.
May 4At Griffith Stadium‚ the Senators edge the Tigers‚ 9-8‚ as Walter Johnson‚ in relief‚ records his 300th win. He pitches the last 3 2/3 innings‚ allowing 9 runs and going 2-for-2 at the plate. The Nats score a run in the 9th for the win.

Jack Quinn tosses a five-hitter as the Yankees beat Boston’s Waite Hoyt‚ 5-0. Umpire Nallin clears the Yankee bench in the 6th inning because of “too much conversation.

Joe Leonard‚ a reserve infielder for Washington‚ dies of appendicitis‚ complicated with pneumonia following an operation. Leonard was taken ill a week ago when Washington was playing New York.
May 5The Yankees beat Walter Johnson and the Senators‚ 7-1‚ racking up 11 hits. Only one of the runs off Johnson is earned as Carl Mays is the easy winner. The Babe is 2-for-2‚ both doubles‚ draws two walks‚ and drives home two.

Chicago’s Red Faber outpitches Stan Coveleski‚ but loses to the Indians ace‚ 3-2. Faber’s error allows the 2nd run and Happy Felsch‘s 9th inning error allows the winner. Ray Chapman and Larry Gardner swipe bases for the Tribe. Gardner will nab his season total of 3 in the first half of the season‚ but continue to run. He’ll be caught stealing twenty times.
May 6Washington does all its scoring in the first 2 innings to beat the Yankees‚ 6-5. Joe Judge is 5-for-5 for the Nats.
May 8Cubs pitcher Hippo Vaughn wins his second straight game with his bat‚ hitting a bases loaded triple in the 9th off Earl Hamilton to beat the Pirates‚ 4-1.
May 9Indians ace P Stan Coveleski wins his 6th straight‚ beating the White Sox‚ to put Cleveland in 1st place. Except for 2 days in May‚ when the Red Sox take over‚ and 4 days in July‚ when the Yankees occupy first‚ the Indians will remain atop the AL into August.

The Cubs edge the Pirates‚ 8-7‚ behind the offense of Max Flack. Flack has 4 hits‚ including two doubles‚ and steals home in the 8th for the winning run. George Cutshaw has 4 hits for the Pirates.
May 11For the first time in 9 years‚ a NL player hits 3 triples in a game. Ross Youngs does the trick‚ and his teammates add two more in Cincinnati‚ but the Giants lose 9-4.
May 14Pitching 3 2/3 inning of relief‚ Walter Johnson wins 9-8 over visiting Detroit for his 300th victory. Johnson will beat Detroit 66 times in his career‚ the most wins over one team by an AL pitcher.

The Giants inform the Yankees that after the 1920 season‚ the lease allowing the American Leaguers to play in the Polo Grounds will not be renewed. No reason is given but the recent signing of Babe Ruth appears to be the main cause. Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert responds that the Giants‚ “have gone back on their word.” The Giants cave in a week later‚ but by then Ruppert has initiated plans to obtain a site for his own park.
May 15At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees beat Cleveland‚ handing Stan Coveleski (7-1) his first loss of the year. Pitcher Jack Quinn hits a homer off Coveleski with a man on in the 8th to win‚ 2-0. Quinn allows just 4 hits with only one runner getting past 1B. Ruth is 0-for-1‚ tohugh the official socrec ard has him at 0-for-2‚ a discrepancy that will not be corrected till 2005.
May 16Before an overflow house of 38‚000-their biggest crowd since 1911 at the Polo Grounds‚ the Indians jump on Carl Mays for 5 runs in the 1st inning and coast to an 8-2 win over the Yankees. Jim Bagby is the winner‚ allowing a single run until the 9th when Ruth doubles home the second score.

At Chicago‚ Pete Alexander wins his 7th straight‚ defeating the Braves 5-1. Boston’s one run is unearned.

At Cincinnati‚ the Phils break their 9-game loss streak by beating the Reds‚ 3-2‚ in 15 innings. Eppa Rixey pitches a complete game for Philley‚ finally winning his own game with a sacrifice fly. Jimmy Ring pitches 15 innings to take the loss.
May 17The Tigers get two homers from Ira Flagstead and another from Cobb to edge the A’s‚ 9-7. Cobb scores three times to help Hooks Dauss take the win over Kinney.

Pittsburgh scores 3 runs in the bottom of the 15th to overtake the Giants‚ 8-7. The game takes 2:43 minutes.
May 18Cleveland’s Stan Coveleski avenges his Friday defeat to the Yankees by shutting them out 5-0. The Indians split their 4 games in New York and leave still in first place.

The Phils cut the Cards‚ 1-0‚ behind Stengel. Casey triples‚ one of two hits off Jess Haines‚ and scores the only run on a wild throw by catcher Dilhoefer. George Smith is the winning pitcher.

Last-place Detroit topples the A’s‚ 8-2‚ behind Howard Ehmke. Harry Heilmann homers and Cobb triples‚ then swipes home in the 8th inning.

In Tokyo‚ the University of Chicago team beats Keio University‚ 1-0‚ in 10 innings.
May 19In Chicago‚ the Giants beat the Cubs 8-6 in 12 innings but lose John McGraw for 5 days. McGraw’s game long hectoring of umpires Bill Klem and Charley Moran earns him a 5-day suspension. Christy Mathewson will “act as executor of the Giants’ personal estate” (NY Times) in McGraw’s absence.

The host Cardinals bunch their hits and defeat the Phillies‚ 8-2. The Birds score five in the 5th with the big blow a sacks-full triple by Rogers Hornsby. Bill Doak is the winner over Causey.
May 20The Phils hit the cellar‚ having fallen from first in 17 days. They lose 6-4 to the Cards with the Bert Gallia‚ in his first NL start after coming from the Browns‚ taking the loss. Willie Sherdel‚ the 3rd St. Louis pitcher‚ allows no base runners. With the season all but over‚ Phils manager Gavvy Cravath will start fast-working pitcher Lee Meadows every Saturday at home‚ so Cravath can get an early start to his weekend cottage.

Requested by Cubs officials‚ policemen disguised as soldiers‚ farmers‚ and bootblacks raid the Cubs bleachers and arrest 24 fans for gambling. Meanwhile‚ Grover Alexander tops the Giants‚ 4-2‚ for his 8th straight win.

With the White Sox and Washington tied 3-3 at the end of 14‚ both teams score twice in the 15th. Chicago then piles on with 8 runs in the 16th on a double‚ 2 triples‚ 2 singles and 4 errors to beat Walter Johnson. The 8 runs is a ML record for the 16th.

Infielder Wilson Fewster reports to the Yankees. Fewster was beaned in spring training and spent a month in a Baltimore hospital.

The Reds beat the Robins‚ 7-0‚ behind Ruether’s six hitter. Brooklyn first sacker Ed Konetchy has half the hit total with a single‚ double‚ and triple‚ while Reds Jake Daubert makes 4 hits. It’s not a complete loss for Brooklyn as manager Wilbert Robinson announces that he has persuaded Tommy Griffith to rejoin the team immediately. The right fielder retired after the 1919 season and has been working as bond salesman in Cincinnati.
May 22At Philadelphia‚ the Cubs outslug the Phils‚ 15-8. Renie Martin pitches the entire game for the Cubs‚ with both teams collecting 16 hits. Phils manager Gavvy Cravath lifts shortstop Dave Bancroft because of poor playing and the ensuing argument between the two almost comes to blows. Cy Williams has three hits‚ including a double a triple‚ and 4 runs scored.
May 23The Braves beat the Reds‚ 7-0‚ behind Jack Scott’s three-hitter. Boston chases Jimmy Ring in the 3rd inning and go on to tally 12 hits.

After a week in bed with illness‚ Babe Ruth returns to belt a two run homer in the 6th‚ off Carl Weilman‚ to give the Yankees a 3-2 win over the visiting Browns. Baby Doll Jacobson’s two run homer in the 4th is the only Browns scoring off Bob Shawkey.
May 25At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yanks top the Tigers 4-3 with Babe Ruth‘s 2 run HR providing the margin. It’s the Babe’s 8th HR of the year‚ breaking a tie for the AL lead with Chicago’s Happy Felsch.

A’s rookie Roy Moore stops the White Sox‚ 5-1‚ and drives in 3 runs. Two of the runs come in on a homer‚ while Frank Walker adds his 6th homer of the year. This is Moore’s only victory of the year as he loses his next 13 to end at 1-13.

The Reds Rube Bressler makes his first start of season‚ pitching 2 innings. He singles in the Reds 5-run 2nd‚ then snaps his ankle sliding into 2B. Dolf Luque takes the mound and coasts to an 11-2 win over the visiting Braves.
May 26The Senators knock the Indians out of first place‚ winning 13-9. Tom Zachary is the winner with Walter Johnson pitching four innings of relief. Joe Judge has 5 singles in five at bats for the Nats‚ his 2nd 5-for-5 day this month.
May 27At Fenway Park‚ New York’s Bob Shawkey walks in a run in the 4th inning and yells at the umpire George Hildebrand. When play resumes‚ Shawkey takes 5 minutes to tie his shoe on the mound. Then after a called 3rd strike on Harry Hooper‚ he doffs his cap and bows low to the ump. As Shawkey walks past Hildebrand‚ the ump informs him he’s out of the game: Shawkey’s response is to swing at the ump and Hildebrand then bangs him with his mask. Mays replaces Shawkey and gives up no runs to insure the Yankees’ 6-1 win. Shawkey draws a one week suspension and a $200 fine for his theatrics. Additional theatrics are provided by Babe Ruth who clubs homers off Harry Harper and Benn Karr. Ruth has now belted four homers in three days‚ the first 20th century slugger to do so (Ed Williamson is the other slugger‚ in 1884): He’ll hit his 11th‚ in tomorrow’s double win over the Hubmen.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Braves defeat the Giants twice‚ 5-2 and 5-0. Rudolph and Scott are the winning pitchers‚ while Winters‚ with 3 2/3 innings in game 1‚ and Barnes are the losers. Winters hits Les Mann twice with pitches and when Barnes plunks him on the elbow in game 2‚ Mann is forced to leave. The two teams combine for 45 (Braves 26) runners left on base‚ considered a record at the time.

The train car carrying the Phillies uniforms and equipment is left in Albany‚ and the Quakers borrow the road uniforms‚ bats‚ and shoes of the host Dodgers and win‚ 5-4‚ in 11 innings. George Smith goes all the way to pick up the victory.

Composer Louis Hirsch sues the Yankees for $100‚000 because of an incident at the Yankee game at the Polo Grounds on the 24th. To avoid sitting next to a cigar smoker‚ Hirsch switched seats with his brother. An usher informed him it was against the rules to shift seats‚ and ordered the two brothers to switch back. Hirsch refused and was forcibly ejected from the stands.
May 28The Senators edge the host A’s‚ 6-4‚ behind Clyde Milan‘s 5 singles in 5 at bats. Eric Erickson is the CG winner.

The Boston Braves sell P Mule Watson (5-4) to Pittsburgh. Mule will make 5 appearances for the Pirates‚ who ship him back to Boston on June 30‚ and he’ll not appear the rest of the year.
May 29The Senators take two from the A’s‚ winning 11-5 and 5-0. Against the A’s‚ Walter Johnson plunks the first two batters‚ then easily beats the gun-shy Philadelphia lineup to win 5-0. Val Picinich has a homer‚ off Roy Moore‚ in the Nats’ 4-run 4th.

The first place Cubs make it 6 straight wins‚ beating the Cards 8-5‚ in a game in which base stealing determines the outcome. For Chicago‚ a double steal by Hollocher and Paskert helps‚ while the Cards drive Claude Hendrix from the mound in the 8th inning‚ then end the rally when Doc Lavan swipes third base‚ already occupied by teammate Jack Fournier.
May 30George Kelly knocks in six runs and Casey Stengel homers as the Giants down the Phillies 10-6.
May 31With 2 runners on‚ pitcher Pete Alexander hits a dramatic game-ending homer in the bottom of the 10th to win his own game 3-2 against the Reds in Chicago. It is his 11th straight victory. The Reds take the afternoon match‚ 4-2‚ behind Jimmy Ring.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees outslug Washington‚ winning 7-6 in the morning game and 10-7 in the afternoon match. New York wins the opener with three runs in the 9th to pin the loss on reliever Al Schacht. George Mogridge is the winner. New York scores 5 in the 6th when Duff Lewis and Truck Hannah hit back-to-back homers‚ and the Yanks get a single and two triples to knock out Shaw. In the afternoon game before 38‚000 fans‚ Walter Johnson pitches 4 2/3 innings of ineffective relief for the Nats and gives up a tremendous HR by Ruth in the 8th that hits the facade on the upper deck in right field. A bright spot for Washington is Braggo Roth‚ who swipes four bases‚ including 2B and 3B in the 4th inning‚‚ then swiping home on the front end of a double steal: Braggo will swipe another 4 on June 12. Peckinpaugh has four hits in game 2‚ including a pair of doubles and a triple.

The Dodgers capture both ends of the holiday twinbill against the Giants‚ and climb into a first-place tie with the Cubs. Burleigh Grimes wins the opener‚ 5-2‚ and is 3-for-3 at bat. Al Mamaux takes the nitecap‚ 5-1‚ leading the way with a pair of hits.

June

June 1In New York‚ Ruth makes his first start on the mound this season‚ pitches 4 innings‚ then goes to RF as the Yankees take a 10-run lead. Roger Peckinpaugh‘s inside-the-park homer and Ping Bodie‘s homer off Erickson are the big blows. New York rolls to a 14-7 win over the Senators‚ the 9th win in a row for the Yankees‚ as they move into 2nd place behind the Indians.

The Robins nip the Giants‚ 10-9‚ and take over first place in the NL. Brooklyn’s Tommy Griffith‚ making his first appearance since giving up the life of a Cincinnati bond salesman‚ pinch singles and scores the winner on Larry Doyle‘s error on a double play ball.

Detroit outhits Cleveland 17 to 16 and outscores the Tribe‚ 11-10. Harry Heilmann is 5-for-5 while Cleveland’s Joe Evans has three doubles in four at bats. Howard Ehmke toils nine innings to win‚ while the Indians use five pitchers and three catchers.

The Braves top the Phillies‚ 8-4 clinching behind Les Mann‘s three-run homer in the 9th. For the Phils‚ Casey Stengel hits a pair‚ one over the RF wall‚ and one over to left field.
June 2New York stretches its win streak to 10 games by beating the Senators 8-1 behind Jack Quinn. Ruth hits a two home runs in the opener of the doubleheader‚ connecting off Tom Zachary and Carlson. Babe bangs another‚ his 14th‚ in the nitecap off Snyder‚ but the Senators win 7-6. Milan homers in the 1st game‚ while Meusel‚ Shanks‚ Ruel‚ and Roth all homer in game 2. The New York Times notes that “Ruth is the only player in the game who has the handle of his bat wound with tape. It gives him a better grip.”
June 3Ping Bodie hits a 6th inning grand slam to lead the Yankees to an 5-4 win over the Athletics. Bob Shawkey‚ whose indefinite suspension was lifted today‚ gives up homers to Walker and Dykes but settles down and pitches a complete game win.
June 4In St. Louis‚ the Cardinals beat the Cubs‚ 5-1‚ as Grover Alexander loses after 11 wins. Bill Doak is the winner and Hornsby leads the Cards offense with 2 triples over the left fielder’s head. After the game Alexander calls Hornsby “the greatest hitter I’ve ever had to face. I have tried to fool him every way possible‚ but it just cannot be done.” Alex will be 27-14 for the 5th-place Cubs‚ and his 1.91 ERA will be the only one under 2.00.
June 5Today’s twinbill between the A’s-Yankees is washed out‚ but A’s vice president Thomas Shibe denies charges that the baseballs currently being used are livelier. Shibe‚ a member of the firm that manufactures the balls‚ cites the abolition of the spitball and other “freak” pitches as the reason for the increase in HRs this season. In the past seven games‚ New York has collected 39 extra-base hits‚ including 13 homers.

Cleveland loses their third in a row to the Browns‚ 6-0‚ but retain their half-game lead over the Yankees. Urban Shocker holds the Tribe to 3 hits. Jack Tobin has three hits in his first three at-bat‚ giving him 7 straight hits. He makes out in his last at bat.
June 6The Cardinals play their final game at decrepit Robison Field‚ beating the Cubs‚ 5-2. It is the last major league played in a 19th Century wooden ballpark.‚ the field having opened in 1885. The Cards will now share Sportsman’s Park with the Browns and‚ for the next 32 years‚ St. Louis will be the only two-franchise city with one ball park.

Carl Mays allows 6 runs-3 unearned-but the Yankee submariner earns his 7th straight win over the Athletics‚ 12-6. Babe Ruth is 3-for-3 with a stolen base to lead the 15-hit attack.
June 8Failing in his efforts to buy Rogers Hornsby from St. Louis‚ John McGraw picks up the NL’s top SS‚ Dave Bancroft‚ from the Phils for veteran SS Art Fletcher‚ P Bill Hubbell‚ and $100‚000. The future Hall of Famer will provide the spark to the Giants’ successful pennant drives of 1921-24. Following the death of his father‚ Fletcher will retire after this season to run the family business‚ then return in 1922 for a final year. Fletch plays his first game with the Phils and has a double and single off Pete Alexander as the Phils top the Chicago ace‚ 5-3. Gene Paulette‘s three-run homer in the 8th‚ his only homer of the year‚ is the game winner.

The Indians maintain their lead with a 7-5 win over the A’s. Evans and Speaker have three hits each to back Earl Caldwell‘s pitching.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Reds’ Edd Roush falls asleep in CF during a long argument in the infield. Heinie Groh goes out to wake him‚ but the ump ejects Roush for delaying the game. As a result of the long argument‚ McGraw announces that he will file a protest if the Giants lose. But they don’t‚ winning 5-4 behind Jesse Barnes.

The Senators beat the Browns‚ 5-3‚ with the help of some ragged St. Louis fielding. Walter Johnson is the winner over Al Sothoron‚ putting the Nationals ahead in the 7th with a home run into the RF bleachers. Ken Williams and George Sisler hit homers for the Browns off Johnson.

Former Reds pitcher Pete Schneider‚ now with Beaumont (Texas)‚ denies that he was implicated with Lee Magee and Hal Chase in an alleged plan to throw a July 25‚ 1918 game to Boston when he was with the Reds. Schneider said that before the game in question‚ Sherry Magee told him “he’d better be careful” because he (Magee) understood that some of the Reds players were betting on Boston. “If that so‚ I won’t work today‚” Schneider supposedly said to Magee. Schneider said he was not approached by Lee Magee or Hal Chase prior to the first game of 2 (New York Times) in which he ended up not pitching. He threw a shutout in the nitecap. The two Magees-unrelated‚ Chase‚ and Schneider were teammates on the Reds in 1918.
June 9Former Chicago OF Lee Magee loses his suit against the Cubs. He had charged that he was released without just cause last February. While on the witness stand‚ Magee admitted to having bet on the first game of a doubleheader with Cincinnati on July 25‚ 1918‚ while a member of the Reds. He said he bet $500 along with Hal Chase. He said he found out after the game that the money had been bet on Boston and stopped payment on the check to the bookmaker. Chase’s check went through. The Reds won the game in the 13th on Roush’s HR. Christy Mathewson testifies that as the Reds manager he was suspicious that all was not right in the game.

The Yankees come from behind to club the host Tigers‚ 13-6. Pacing the Yanks are Bob Meusel‚ with a double and two singles‚ and George Mogridge with a bases-loaded double before the Tigers knocked him out. Ruth has a single‚ two walks and is hit with a pitch. The Tigers are playing without Cobb‚ out ten days with a injured knee.
June 12In Cleveland‚ the AL’s top two team square off as Yankee spitter Jack Quinn (9-1) starts against the Indians Slim Caldwell‚ also known to hoist a wet one now and then. The Tribe pushes across a run in the 8th to break a 4-4 tie for the win. The victory puts the Indians a game ahead of New York.

In Boston‚ Pete Alexander stops the Braves‚ 8-1‚ and also stops the Cubs losing streak at 10 games.
June 13The Yankees rout the Indians‚ 14-0‚ as Ruth hits his 17th HR of the year‚ off Myers. New York scores 6 in the first inning.
June 15The Indians jump on Carl Mays in the 3rd inning after the submariner walks 3 in succession. The Tribe scores 5 times enroute to a 10-2 victory‚ the 3rd in 4 games with the Yankees. New York is now 2 games behind Cleveland.

Possum Whited swipes home with the winning run in the 10th inning as the Pirates nip the Phillies‚ 7-6. Possum’s steal is on the front end of a double steal with Grimm.
June 16The Cubs’ Hippo Vaughn wins his 7th straight whipping the Braves‚ 1-0‚ on Hollocher’s RBI triple in the 8th. Leon Cadore allows just 3 Chicago hits in the loss.
June 19At Brooklyn. Grover Alexander wins 5-3 in 12 innings for Chicago. Bob O’Farrell’s 3-run homer in the 12th off starter Al Mamaux is the winner.
June 22In St. Louis‚ Yanks Carl Mays fills the bases on walks‚ then forces in a run with a free pass to Baby Doll Jacobson. Mays gives up 8 runs to the Browns as he loses his 7th game.

For the second time in 4 days‚ Detroit’s Babe Pinelli successfully pulls a hidden ball trick on a star player‚ this time nabbing Washington’s Sam Rice (as researched by Lyle Spatz) at 3B in the 1st inning. Rice reaches 3B after Braggo Roth’s double. The Senators still win‚ 6-1. Pinelli pulled the hidden ball trick on the 19th‚ tagging out Stuffy McInnis at 3B following an Eddie Foster double. The play costs the Sox at least one run as Howard Ehmke followed with a balk.
June 23At the Polo Grounds‚ Fred Toney bests Grover Alexander to give the Giants a 2-1 victory over Chicago. Chicago outhits the Giants‚ 9 to 7.
June 24The visiting Reds beat the Phillies‚ 6-3‚ dropping the Quakers to last place and sparking a riot. Spectators surge onto the field after the game and when Greasy Neale allegedly spikes a fan‚ a free-for-all ensues. One fan is badly cut but the Reds gain the safety of the clubhouse without injury.

In Columbus‚ Ohio‚ the Yankees play an exhibition game against a semi-pro team‚ winning 10-1. Babe Ruth hits 6 balls out in batting practice‚ including one over the LF fence onto the brewery’s roof. He grounds out‚ walks‚ homers far over the RF fence his third at bat. He hits a Texas Leaguer to short left on the next AB‚ but hustles it into a double. He walks his last AB. Babe steals two bases‚ and pitches the bottom of the ninth‚ allowing two hits and the only run. Lefty O’Doul‚ who pitches only 3 2/3 innings in 1920 for NY‚ pitches 8 shutout innings.
June 26In Cincinnati‚ Reds P Dolf Luque swings at umpire Bill Klem‚ accusing the arbiter of “vicious language.” Fans chip in with several thrown pop bottles‚ protesting an earlier Klem call at home plate. The Cardinals win the battle‚ 5-0.

In Philadelphia‚ Clyde Milan lines a 9th inning single to give Washington a 4-3 win over the Athletics. For the Quakers‚ it is their 17th straight defeat.

Behind the one-hit pitching of Warren “Rip” Collins‚ making his 3rd ML start‚ the Yankees roll over the Red Sox‚ 14-0. Eddie Foster has the only safety for Boston.

Lou Gehrig gets his first national mention when‚ as a high school junior for New York City’s School of Commerce‚ he steals the show in a high school championship game against Lane Tech in Chicago. His grand-slam HR in the 8th gives the NY team a 12-8 victory. Scouts sit with open mouths as the ball sails out of Cubs Park (later known as Wrigley Field).
June 27Walter Johnson uses just 72 pitches in topping the A’s 7-0. For the Athletics‚ who manage just 3 hits in the game‚ it is their 18th straight loss. Washington‚ in winning its 7th straight game‚ moves ahead of the Red Sox into 4th place in the AL.
June 28Dave Bancroft goes 6-for-6‚ all singles‚ and the Giants total 20 hits to whip the Phils 18-3. Bancroft ties the mark of six singles in a regulation game‚ and no National Leaguer will match it this century. Despite the hits‚ the game is completed in 1 hour‚ 58 minutes. Frisch‚ Kelly‚ and George Burns have homers and Burns will hit another tomorrow.

The A’s snap their losing streak of 18 games‚ defeating the Senators‚ 6-2‚ behind Harris. Seeking help‚ the A’s sign Harvard 1B Jeff Jones‚ who will report tomorrow.
June 30Cubs ace Hippo Vaughn stops the Pirates on one hit to beat Elmer Ponder‚ 1-0. Possum Whitted has the lone hit.

The White Sox swamp the Tigers 14-0 on 18 hits. Detroit tosses in the towel after 4 innings and pitching coach Jack Coombs‚ who last toed a rubber two years ago‚ tosses the last five innings. He allows just 2 runs. Red Faber allows five hits in the shut out‚ while Eddie Collins has four hits‚ three runs‚ and two steals.

July

July 1Walter Johnson pitches a no-hitter‚ his first‚ against the Red Sox at Fenway. An error by Bucky Harris costs him a perfect game‚ but Harris’s hit drives in Washington’s only run. Johnson strikes out 10 and gets 6 Red Sox on foul flies. Tomorrow‚ Johnson comes up with a sore arm again and is useless for the rest of the year‚ finishing 8-10. Harry Harper is the loser against his old teammates.

The Yankees (45-23) beat the A’s 9-5 to gain a tie for first place with the Indians (43-22) by 2 percentage points. Ernie Shore is the winner despite giving up 13 hits.

At Cincinnati‚ Chicago’s Grover Cleveland Alexander allows 7 hits in shutting out the first place Reds‚ 1-0‚ and beating Dolf Luque.

The third-place Cardinals play their first game at Sportsman’s Park. Mayor Henry Kiel throws out the first ball‚ and then 15‚000 fans watch the Cards lose‚ 6-2‚ to the Pirates in ten innings. Pittsburgh bunches four hits and a walk off Willie Sherdel to win for Babe Adams.
July 2With the Dodgers winning‚ the Reds maintain their two game lead with a 6-5 extra inning win over the Cubs. Jimmy Ring goes all the way for the win‚ helped by Kopf’s three runs scored.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants pound out six homers to earn a split with the Braves. Boston takes the opener‚ 9-7 in 11 innings‚ but the Giants cop the 2nd game‚ 13-4. In the first game‚ Boston scores two in the 9th to take the lead‚ but New York used homers by Larry Doyle and George Burns to tie‚ but reliever Phil Douglas gives it back in the 11th. Douglas starts game 2 and is more effective‚ taking the victory to end the day at 1-1. Larry Doyle is 4-for-4 in game 2‚ including another homer. Benny Kauff also homers in game 2‚ but it does him no good: after the game‚ the Giants trade Kauff‚ along with Wilbur Hubbell and cash‚ to Toronto for OF Vernon Spencer. Kauff‚ a .300 hitter‚ never lived up to his reputation. Kauff will later be accused of receiving stolen goods in New York and newly appointed commissioner Landis will bar him for life. The Giants also waive utility infielder Edward Sicking to the Reds.

The Yankees are outhit by the A’s 10 to 7‚ but Philadelphia errors give New York a 7-4 win. Starter Slim Harriss‚ with 6 innings‚ takes the loss for the Mackman‚ the first of his ML record tying 14 straight losses to the Yankees. The Yankees maintain a slim .004 lead over the Indians.
July 3In Philadelphia‚ Connie Mack sets up a meeting between Yankee pitcher Carl Mays and Bryan Hayes‚ the fan who filed a complaint against Mays for hitting him with a ball last year. Mays apologizes and Hayes withdraws his complaint‚ which has kept the pitcher from appearing in Philley for over a year. Mays also apologizes before today’s A’s-Yankees game to the 16‚000 fans‚ then shuts out the last place “Apathetics‚” 5-0 in 1 hr: 23 minutes. Rip Collins makes it a sweep by beating the A’s‚ 4-2 on a 4 hitter. Rip has two hits‚ while Ruth has 4 hits for the afternoon. Scott Perry takes the loss in game 1.

The slumping Robins lose to last place Philadelphia‚ 5-2 to drop three games behind the Reds‚ winners over the visiting Cubs‚ 5-3. Chicago also loses catcher Bill Killefer when he is badly cut in the face when a foul tip breaks his mask. Killefer has already missed a month with a broken finger.
July 4In Washington‚ the Nats top the Yanks‚ 5-2‚ with Shaw winning over Jack Quinn. Meanwhile‚ the Indians are beating the Tigers‚ 11-3‚ to reclaim first place.

At Reading‚ Pa‚ Toronto shortstop Frank O’Rourke has six hits in a game against Rochester (IL). O’Rourke also had six hits on opening day for Toronto.
July 5At Washington‚ a record crowd of 18‚821 is on hand with the expectation of seeing a Johnson-Ruth matchup in the 2nd game of the doubleheader. With Johnson out with a sore arm‚ rookie Al Schacht volunteers to start. Schacht wins‚ 9-3‚ striking out Ruth with the bases loaded‚ and Washington takes 2 from New York‚ winning the morning game‚ 4-2‚ behind Tom Zachary.

In the Cardinals sweep of the Cubs‚ 4-1 and 2-1 winners‚ Ferdie Schupp pitches a 2-hit victory with both hits coming off the bat of Dode Paskert.

After the Phils win 5-1 over the Giants in the first of 2‚ the Giants return the favor‚ taking a 6-0 lead when the game is postponed in the 6th. It is completed on September 20 with the Giants winning‚ 13-0.

At Chicago the White Sox win an a.m.-p.m. twinbill with the Indians‚ 5-3 and 6-5. The Sox manage just three hits in the first seven innings of the nitecap off Stan Coveleski‚ but then make eight hits in the 8th to score all their runs. Lefty Williams and Dickie Kerr are the winners today.
July 6After 3 straight losses to the Senators‚ the Yankees score 14 in the 5th and submarine Washington 17-0. It’s the biggest inning ever until the Red Sox score 17 in a 1953 game. Ruth has an intentional pass and two-run single in the big inning‚ but the highlite is a Del Pratt liner that rolls through a hole in the right field wall for a three-run homer. Ruth‚ under orders from Huggins not to slide‚ ignores the mandate and slides into 3B jamming his left wrist. Carl Mays is the easy winner over Olaf Erickson‚ allowing just 3 hits. It is the first time this season that the Senators have been shut out‚ and ties their club mark for the biggest shutout loss.

The White Sox top the Indians‚ 5-4 on Happy Felsch‘s homer in the 11th off Jim Bagby.

The Red Sox split a pair with the A’s‚ winning game 1‚ 11-0‚ behind Sam Jones. Rollie Naylors is a 5-1 inner for the A’s in the 2nd game‚ with home run support from Walker‚ Dykes and Welch. Gene Bailey‚ obtained from the Braves in May‚ has 6 hits in the 2 games. He is the only man to play for the Boston Braves and the Red Sox in the same season.
July 7Following the Yankee series in Washington‚ Babe Ruth‚ wife Helen‚ OF Frank Gleich‚ C Fred Hofmann‚ and coach Charley O’Leary drive north stopping a few times for drinks. About 3 A.M. near Wawa‚ Pennsylvania‚ Ruth takes a curve too fast and rolls the car into a ditch. Incredibly‚ no one is hurt though headlines tomorrow will proclaim: RUTH REPORTED KILLED IN CAR CRASH.

The A’s win two shutouts from the Red Sox‚ as Dave Keefe takes the first game 6-0 and Scott Perry wins a 1-0 squeaker in the nitecap. For Keefe‚ the inventor of the forkball‚ it is his only career shutout.

At Pittsburgh‚ the Pirates pull off the first triple play in more than 2 years‚ and edge the Phils‚ 2-1. Winning pitcher Wilbur Cooper starts the TP by catching Zach Wheat‘s fly.
July 8The Indians sweep a doubleheader in Washington winning 4-2 and 9-6‚ to move back into first place in the AL. Seldom used Guy Morton wins the opener with a 5-hitter‚ and George Uhle take the second game. The majors’ only player-manager‚ Tris Speaker‚ connects for 7 straight singles (5-for-5 in game 2) in the two games.

At New York‚ Ty Cobb‚ out with a wrenched knee since June 6‚ hits a pinch single in the 9th to drive home the winner in a victory over the Yankees. Cobb extends his hit streak to 12 games‚ while Ruth‚ who put the Yanks ahead with a RBI-triple‚ runs his hit streak to 22 games. New York scores one in the 9th but loses‚ 4-3.
July 9Cleveland scores 4 in the 7th and 4 more in the 8th to win again‚ 8-4‚ over Washington. Tris Speaker collects another 3 singles‚ and leaves in the 7th after injuring his leg. Jim Bagby in relief wins over Tom Zachary.
July 10Tris Speaker doubles his first time up‚ then is stopped after banging out 11 straight hits to top the AL record 10 straight‚ set by Lajoie in 1901. It’s the record until Pinky Higgins of the Red Sox racks up 12 in a row in 1938. Speaker has five hits for the day and is now hitting over .400. The Indians split today’s Sunday doubleheader‚ winning the opener 7-2‚ with Stan Coveleski beating Bill Snyder. Washington takes the nitecap‚ 2-1‚ behind Jim Shaw.

Red Faber stops the A’s on five hits to shut out Philley‚ 6-0. Joe Jackson leads the sixteen hit White Sox attack with four hits.

Behind George Kelly‘s six RBIs‚ the Giants top the Cubs‚ 8-5. Kelly has a bases loaded triple in the first inning‚ a two run single in the 2nd and a solo homer in the 4th to complete his efforts.
July 11Guy Morton provides the Indians with another starter when he wins his second straight game‚ a 4-0 win over the Senators.

With the Reds and Braves tied at 3–3 in Cincinnati, Jake Daubert hits a 2-out 3-run homer in the bottom of the 9th to win it for the Reds, 6–3. Daubert’s homer is the first to take advantage of the new rule giving a batter a walkoff home run instead crediting him with the number of bases (in his case, a double) needed to score the winning run (as noted by David Vincent). Daubert’s hit is a bounce homer.
July 13The visiting Browns divide a pair with the Yankees‚ winning 6-4 and losing 7-2. Urban Shocker fans 14 Yanks in the opener. Ruth has 2 walks and a single for the day‚ but fans 5 times.

At Redland Field‚ the Reds Greasy Neale sets a NL record (20th C) by accepting 10 chances in an 8-2 win over the Phillies. Neale has 9 POs and an assist. The Phils Casey Stengel will match the mark on July 30th.
July 14At Washington‚ the Senators jolt the White Sox‚ 6-4‚ with the help of a 3-run homer in the 5th inning by Sam Rice. For Rice‚ it is the 1st of 9 homers he will hit at home in his 19 seasons with the Senators‚ and all of the round trippers are inside-the-park.
July 15Babe Ruth ties his 1919 record of 29 HRs with a game-winner in the 11th‚ off lefty Bill Burwell‚ to beat the Browns‚ 13-10. The Babe’s blast is the first AL walk off homer under the new rules; Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Jake Daubert’s walk-off homer four days earlier is the only other hit this season.Ruth scores three runs‚ while Pratt has hits in his first four at bats. Wally Pipp homers‚ but the Browns match it with home runs by George Sisler‚ Ken Williams and Tobin. Rip Collins is the winner in relief over Allan Sothoron.

Behind Jim Bagby‚ the Indians beat the A’s‚ 5-1‚ in a game called after one out in the 7th. Tris Speaker has three hits to take over the lead in hitting.
July 16At Pittsburgh‚ the Pirates’ Earl Hamilton runs out of steam after pitching 16 scoreless innings against the Giants‚ and loses 7-0 in 17. Rube Benton picks up the CG win. The Giants put together three straight triples in the last inning‚ with Frankie Frisch‘s coming with the sacks full. George Kelly and Lee King follow Frisch with triples. Cooper then relieves to put out the side. The 7 runs in the 17th is a ML record and comes just 2 months after a record is set for the 16th frame.

In the first of two games‚ Red Faber and the White Sox top Washington‚ 4-1‚ handing Walter Johnson his 10th loss of the season. The Washington ace‚ suffering from a sore arm‚ will not pitch any more this season‚ and will appear only as a pinch hitter in a few September games. Faber allows five hits and stops Sam Rice‘s hitting streak at 28 games. Eddie Cicotte wins the 2nd game‚ 8-5‚ when Joe Jackson hits a grand slam in the top of the 9th. It’s a birthday present to himself.

Brownie pitcher Bill Bayne allows no Yankees hits until the 7th in stopping New York‚ 5-2. George Sisler leads the offense going 3-for-4 with a homer‚ walk‚ and two stolen bases. Ruth is 1-for-2.

Waite Hoyt returns to the mound after eleven weeks and pitches well against the Tigers for 9 innings before being lifted. But Bobby Veach‘s double in the 10th scores Cobb and the Red Sox lose‚ 6-5.

The Robins hand the faltering Reds a 6-4 defeat to drop the World Champions three games back of Brooklyn. The Dodgers make 13 hits‚ and Burleigh Grimes scatters twelve to win.
July 17The Phils stop the Cards‚ 1-0‚ behind the pitching of George Smith. Casey Stengel leads off the 9th with a walk off Ferdie Schupp and comes around to score.

The Yankees collect 21 hits‚ good for forty bases‚ to starch the White Sox‚ 20-5. Aaron Ward shines in the field and drives out a home run‚ triple‚ and two singles. Ruth is held to a double and two singles‚ while Happy Felsch leads the Sox with four RBI. With the Indians sweeping two from Boston‚ the Yankees trail the Tribe by two games.
July 18The Senators make 17 hits to easily deflate the Tigers‚ 10-3. Tiger pitching coach Jack Coombs comes in to mop up in the 9th‚ but aggravates an old injury and has to be carried from the field. The Nationals Al Schacht is the easy winner. Three Nationals-Rice‚ Harris and Gharrity-each make three hits and score twice. Rice swipes another base on his way to a league high 63: he’ll also lead the AL in being caught with 30.
July 19The Babe sets a record with his 30th homer and adds blast‚ both off Dickie Kerr‚ but the Yankees lose to the White Sox‚ 8-5. Joe Jackson and Roger Peckinpaugh also homer. In the opener‚ Bob Shawkey‚ making his first start since being injured June 23rd‚ wins 8-2‚ giving up an unearned run and another in the 9th after he allows Al Schalk to reach 2B and 3B unmolested. Shawkey wins his 10th straight.

The Cubs Hippo Vaughn shuts out the Braves‚ 5-0‚ and his three-run homer in the 3rd off Dick Rudolph is all the scoring he needs.
July 20With two outs in the 9th‚ the White Sox score four to defeat the Yankees‚ 7-5. The Yanks load the bases in their half of the 9th and fail to score. Babe Ruth poles his 32nd homer in the losing cause. The Yanks come back to win the 2nd game‚ 6-3‚ behind George Mogridge. Ruth is hitless but Wally Pipp hits a homer. The series at the Polo Grounds sets a new attendance record of 120‚000 for the four days.
July 21In New York‚ the first place Indians (58-28) open a series with the Yankees (58-32) and are held in check through 8 innings by Carl Mays. Wilting in the 9th‚ Mays gives up 3 runs and is relieved by Rip Collins. Ray Chapman fans with the sacks full to end the game and New York holds on to win‚ 4-3. Meusel and Pipp homer for New York‚ while the Babe is hitless for the second game in a row.
July 22The Yanks move to seven percentage points behind the Indians by tripping the Tribe‚ 11-3 in 7 innings. The Yanks put it away early and then try and speed play to beat the rain: Ruth doubles in the 4th and is out strolling to 3B‚ Meusel does the same‚ and when Bodie follows with a single-turned-double when Speaker doesn’t throw to 2B. the Indians leave Ping alone as he goes to 3B on a passed ball and strolls home to score. With the crowd booing‚ Ward walks and then Muddy Ruel waves at three to end the 4th inning. Cleveland goes down in the 5th‚ and the two teams play normally until the 7th. Rip Collins is the winner over Stan Coveleski.

The Red Sox protest the sale of Portsmouth (VA) shortstop Pie Traynor to the Pirates for $10‚000. The Red Sox sent Traynor to Portsmouth on the condition they would have first choice of any players. The future Hall of Fame third baseman will play just 24 games for Pittsburgh in the next two seasons‚ but then anchor the Pirate infield for a decade.
July 24After losing 3 in a row‚ Cleveland salvages a win against New York by scoring 2 runs in the 11th inning to win 4-2. Both Yankee runs come on solo homers by Meusel and Ruth. Ruth‚ who hit his 34th home run to give the Yanks a temporary 2-1 lead‚ moves to 1B in the 8th to take over for Wally Pipp‚ who was ejected. Ruth’s high throw on a grounder allows Cleveland’s Ray Chapman to reach base safely‚ and he and Joe Wood score on a Gardner triple that eludes Meusel. Jim Bagby is the winner. Cleveland leaves New York with a slim lead over the Yanks.

At St. Louis‚ the Cards beat the Braves 7-6 in 10 innings. After Dillhoefer triples to lead off the bottom of the 10th‚ Heathcote and McHenry are purposely passed. An out later‚ Jack Smith hits a drive to CF that would’ve been a homer had more than single been needed to drive in the winner.
July 25The Yankees Carl Mays (15-7) beats Boston‚ 8-2‚ for his 8th straight win. Ruth bangs his 35th of the year‚ off Waite Hoyt‚ and adds a double and a spectacular catch. Boston second baseman Mike McNally snags a line drive in the 3rd inning to start a triple play with McInnis. Pratt‚ with 3 hits‚ lines into the TP.

Led by Ainsmith’s four hits‚ the Tigers collect 22 safeties to defeat the Browns‚ 21-8. Oldham‚ with three hits at bat‚ is the winner. Only shortstop Babe Pinelli is hitless in the Tiger lineup.
July 26Caution pays off as Sam Jones walks Ruth four times and fires a three hitter at 2nd place New York. The Red Sox win‚ 9-0.
July 27Virgil Barnes bats‚ runs‚ and pitches the Giants to an 8-1 win over the Cardinals. Barnes has 3 hits and‚ in the 6th‚ reaches 3B where he and Dave Bancroft‚ on 1B‚ pull off a double steal. When Dillhoefer’s throw is mishandled-one of 6 St. Louis errors (3 by Austin McHenry in LF)-Bancroft takes 3B. When the next batter reaches 1B‚ the Giants try the double steal again‚ but this time Bancroft gets hung up and is put out. Hornsby is spiked covering 1B in the 2nd frame and is replaced by Knode. The Rajah will miss several games.

At League Park‚ the Senators and Indians split a pair‚ with the Tribe taking the opener‚ 5-4 and getting blasted in the nitecap‚ 19-6. Charley Jamieson makes 4 spectacular in LF to support Guy Morton’s pitching in the lidlifter. On their way to 19‚ the Nats then unload 9 runs in the 2nd inning of game 2‚ with Joe Judge and Braggo Roth scoring 4 apiece.
July 29The Indians sweep a pair from the Browns‚ 9-6 and 5-4. In the opener‚ Elmer Smith has a single‚ double and grand slam to drive home 6 Indians.
July 30Behind Carl Mays‚ the Yankees roll to a 21-hit‚ 19-3 laugher against the host Browns. Sisler homers for the Browns lone bright spot‚ but Ruth counters with a 2-run homer in the 9th over the RF bleachers. Meusel follows with a homer‚ his 2nd in 2 days.

Behind Hubbell‚ the Phillies beat the visiting Pirates‚ 7-2. Casey Stengel in RF ties the NL mark set this month by accepting 10 chances (9 PO and 1 assist).

August

August 1In Chicago‚ sensational fielding and Eddie Ciccotte’s pitching stop the Yankees‚ 3-0. LF Joe Jackson robs Ruth of a double when he catches the ball and tumbles into the stands on top of fans. The Sox contend he dropped the ball and play the game under protest. CF Happy Felsch robs Peckinpaugh of a sure double by snagging his line drive with his bare hand.
August 5After losing 3 out of 4 in Chicago‚ the Yanks drop their first game in Detroit‚ 7-1‚ to Howard Ehmke. Babe Ruth supplies the only NY score with a shot in the 7th that clears a wire fence in front of the RF wall and bounced back. The ground rule is it’s a HR.
August 6Ruth clouts 2 more homers‚ giving him 41‚ to lead the Yanks to a 11-7 victory over the Tigers. Both homers are off Hooks Dauss‚ who is given the hook in the 8th. Quinn pitches 2 inning for New York before being lifted for Mogridge.
August 8Detroit’s Howard Ehmke whitewashes the Yankees 1-0 in just 1 hour‚ 13 minutes‚ one of the shortest games in AL history (shortest 1-0 game) With no outs and 2 on in the 5th inning‚ the Yanks fail to capitalize as Ping Bodie falls for the hidden ball trick applied by 2B Ralph Young.

The Browns sweep a pair from Washington‚ winning 3-2 and 11-4. Jack Tobin is 4-for-4‚ with a double and triple in game one‚ while in the 2nd game‚ against Olaf Erickson‚ the Browns George Sisler hits for the cycle and drives in 6 runs.

As reported by Fred Stein and Nick Peters‚ actor John Slavin is found badly beaten in John McGraw‘s New York apartment. Both Slavin and McGraw deny that a fight took place‚ but prohibition agents will obtain a grand jury injunction against the Giants manager charging him with violating the Volstead Act “by unlawfully possessing a bottle of whiskey.” The two pugilists will settle out of court but the Lamb’s Club‚ where the drinking took place‚ will expel McGraw as a member. McGraw will later be acquitted of the charge and the club will welcome him back. He will also be called to testify in Chicago hearings investigating gambling and bribery among players‚ including Hal Chase and Heinie Zimmerman.
August 9In Cleveland‚ the Yankees top the Indians 6-3 to cut the Tribe’s lead to 3 1/2 games. Ruth‚ with 41 homers‚ is walked 3 times and goes hitless twice.
August 10Failure to cover 1B in the 7th costs Bill Doak a no-hitter in the Cards’ 5-1 win over the Phils. Doak‚ a decent-fielding pitcher‚ is the inventor of a revolutionary glove with multi-thong web laced into the first finger and thumb. The Rawlings Sporting Goods company began producing a Bill Doak glove in the spring of this year‚ after field testing it in 1919. They will make a three-finger model in 1925 and the Bill Doak glove will stay in Rawlings line until 1953.

Babe Ruth stretches a 1st inning single into a double‚ but wrenches his right knee sliding into 2B. Cleveland’s Elmer Smith smashes a 3rd inning grand slam‚ his 2nd in 11 days‚ off Carl Mays‚ but the Yanks tie in regulation‚ and win it 7-4 in the 10th. The Yanks’ win cuts the Indians lead to 2 1/2 games.
August 13In a Friday game at Cleveland‚ the Yankees complete a 4-game sweep of the leading Indians by beating them 4-3. Shawkey is the winner with relief help from Carl Mays. The Indians leave for their final Eastern swing with a 70-40 record‚ with New York and Chicago both at 72-42.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Fred Toney makes 3 wild pitches‚ all of which figure in the scoring‚ as he loses to Brooklyn‚ 4-2. Two of the heaves come in the 4th with the bases loaded and all 3 runs score. The last comes in the 8th and puts Myers in a position to score.
August 15Cleveland rookie submariner Bob Clark tosses a 4-hit shutout over the Browns for a 5-0 win his first major-league start. His win gives Cleveland’s top 3 starters a needed rest for the upcoming series with the Yankees in New York.

The Senators top New York‚ 6-4‚ while the White Sox beat the Tigers 10-3. The Sox are now in 2nd place.
August 16At the Polo Grounds Cleveland SS Ray Chapman‚ 29‚ is beaned by a Carl Mays pitch. A righthanded batter who crowds the plate‚ Chapman freezes and fails to get out of the way of the submarine delivery. He is carried from the field and dies the next day from a fractured skull. Mays‚ a surly‚ unpopular pitcher‚ will be the target of fans’ and players’ outrage. Chapman‚ a Cleveland favorite since his debut in 1912‚ had been married the previous year. In October his wife will receive a full World Series share‚ $3‚986.34. The incident has no effect on Mays’s pitching. One week later he will blank Detroit 10-0‚ and go on to win 26 and lose 11. Joe Sewell will be called up to take Chapman’s place‚ and for 14 years he will be the hardest man in baseball to strike out. The Indians‚ ahead 3-0 at the time of the beaning‚ edge the Yanks‚ 4-3‚ to open a half-game lead on the idle White Sox.
August 17In memory of Ray Chapman‚ the Yankees postpone today’s game with the Indians.

At a meeting between the Red Sox and Tigers in Boston‚ the players threaten to boycott playing against Carl Mays. Tiger SS Donie Bush announces to the press that he is willing to leave the Tigers and play SS for Cleveland in Chapman’s place. In Washington‚ the Browns unanimously agree that Mays “must be removed from baseball‚” though they don’t accuse Mays of deliberately throwing at Chapman. The Senators are less strident. Ban Johnson receives a telegram informing him of the threatened boycotts around the AL.

Mays charges that if there is any blame it should go to umpire Tommy Connolly because he allowed a ball with a rough spot to be kept in play. From Boston‚ umpires Billy Evans and Will Dinneen blast Mays stating “no pitcher in the American League resorted to trickery more than Carl Mays in attempting to rough a ball to get a break on it. . . .”
August 18Wally Pipp hits a 2-run inside-the-park homer in the 9th inning‚ off Jim Bagby‚ to give the Yankees a 4-3 over the first-place Indians at the Polo Grounds. Both teams wear black arm bands in memory of Ray Chapman; Mays is conspicuous in not wearing the arm band.
August 19Despite Ruth’s 43rd HR of the year‚ the Indians Slim Caldwell allows just 4 other hits to top the Yanks‚ 3-2. The Indians answer with homers by Elmer Smith and two hits from new shortstop Harry Lunte. The Indian players leave immediately for Cleveland and Chapman’s funeral with a half-game lead over Chicago and 1 1?2 over the Yankees‚. It will be the tightest race since 1908.

Ban Johnson states diplomatically that Carl Mays “is greatly affected [by the fatal beaning] and may never be capable temperamentally of pitching again.”

In Cincinnati‚ the Reds strengthen their hold on 1st place‚ beating their nearest rivals the Dodgers‚ 3-2‚ in 13 innings. Leon Cadore‚ who takes over for Grimes after 10 innings‚ loses to reliever Jimmy Ring.
August 20The Friday Red Sox-Indians game in Boston is postponed because of Chapman’s funeral in Cleveland. It will be part of a Monday doubleheader.

After two minutes of silence at the start of the 5th inning‚ the White Sox sweep a pair from the A’s in Philadelphia. The Sox win the opener‚ 7-4 and take the nitecap on a forfeit when the crowd surges on the field thinking a foul grounder had ended the game. Chicago is leading 5-2 at the time. The double win moves Chicago into a virtual tie with the Indians.
August 21In Boston‚ the Red Sox sweep a Saturday doubleheader from the shell-shocked Indians‚ who play without Speaker‚ still in Cleveland dealing with matters relating to Chapman’s death. Pitchers Waite Hoyt and Herb Pennock each allow just 3 hits in throwing shutouts‚ winning 12-0 and 4-0. The 2 losses drop the Indians into 2nd place behind the first place White Sox‚ double winners in Washington. The Sox have won 10 of their last 12 games.

Pittsburgh pitcher Wilbur Cooper starts his 2nd triple play of the year‚ a ML record‚ but the Pirates lose 3-1 to the Phils.

A car that president Shibe of the A’s is driving is struck by another and he is severely injured. His health will not be the same afterwards and he will die in less than two years.
August 22Ty Cobb has 5 hits‚ scores 2 runs and knocks in 2 to lead Detroit to an 11-9 victory over the Yankees.
August 23Cleveland splits a doubleheader in Boston‚ winning the opener 2-1 behind Slim Caldwell. Boston takes the nitecap 4-3 in 13 innings.

In New York‚ Carl Mays waits to make his first appearance since the beaning of Chapman‚ when a clubhouse boy delivers a note from Ty Cobb. It reads: “If it was within my power‚ I would have inscribed on Ray Chapman‘s tombstone these words: ‘Here lies a victim of arrogance‚ viciousness and greed.'” Though nervous in the early innings‚ Mays shuts out the Tigers to win 10-0. He then issues a statement against his critics on the Tigers and Red Sox: “Both those clubs have pitchers who have hit more men this year than I have.” Mays has hit six‚ but Boston’s Joe Bush (10) and Howard Ehmke (9) have more.

This evening the Indians draft a “round robin” letter to circulate throughout the league (excluding the Yankees). The letter asks the players “to refuse to participate in any games where Mays is assigned to pitch.” All the Indians sign the letter except for Speaker. The Browns and Senators will support the Indians‚ while the Tigers and Red Sox are waiting to see how effective the boycott is before joining. The A’s and the White Sox take the position that it was an accident.
August 24The Indians lose 7-2 in Boston as the Sox rock rookie submariner Bob Clark for 13 hits.
August 25At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees edge the Indians 4-3 on Wally Pipp‘s 2-run inside-the-park home run.
August 26In Philadelphia‚ the A’s top the Indians 3-2 behind Three-Finger Keefe‚ sending the Tribe to its 7th loss in 9 games. Ban Johnson‚ in Philadelphia for a league meeting‚ meets with the Indians‚ who announce that Tris Speaker has nothing to do with the boycott petition. Johnson deflates the boycott movement by sending word out that any team will be fined $1‚000 and face forfeit for not playing against Mays.

The White Sox open their series in New York with a 16-4 pounding of the Yankees. New York scores 3 runs in the first off Dickie Kerr‚ led by Ruth’s 44th homer‚ but do little after that.
August 27The first place White Sox lose to the Yankees 6-5 in 12 innings but still lead the AL. Ruth is out of the Yank’s lineup with a swollen arm from chigger bites incurred while working off days as a star in the filming of Safe At Home.

The Indians break out of their slump by scalping the A’s 15-3 on 21 hits.

At Chicago‚ the Cubs scratch out a 1-0 win over Brooklyn‚ with Pete Alexander beating Burleigh Grimes.

The Giants knock the Reds out of 1st place‚ winning the first game of a doubleheader in 17 innings‚ 6-4. Doyle’s double scores Young and Kelly. The score is tied at 4 each at the end of the 6th and starters Art Nehf and Ray Fisher match zeros until the 17th. The 2nd game ends in a five inning tie.
August 28Giants pitcher Rube Benton bends but doesn’t break‚ as he allows 12 Cincinnati hits‚ but shuts out the Reds‚ 4-0.
August 29In St. Louis‚ Yankee P Jack Quinn loses his spitter and in the 6th when a drizzle starts‚ and Carl Mays relieves for New York with the score 2-2 Despite 2 runners thrown out at home by OF Duffy Lewis‚ the Browns take a 3-2 lead. But New York plates 2 more runs to win 4-3 and give Carl Mays his 20th victory.

The Senators top the Indians 3-2 to drop Cleveland to 3rd place.
August 31In Chicago‚ the Phils beat the Cubs‚ 3-0‚ as Lee Meadows tops Pete Alexander. This game later draws some suspicion because of heavy betting reportedly placed on the outcome‚ which shifted the odds from the Cubs to the Phils. Bill Veeck pulls his scheduled pitcher Claude Hendrix for Alex‚ who is above suspicion‚ and offers the ace $500 if he wins. Hendrix‚ who made 23 starts this year‚ makes none the rest of the campaign and will be released after the season.

September

September 1The Senators knock out rookie starter Duster Mails‚ but the Indians rally to win 9-5.‚ and regain 1st place from the White Sox‚ loser of 6 of their last 7 games.

Carl Mays shuts out the Browns 3-0 on 4 hits for the Yankees.

The Reds beat the Braves‚ 6-3 behind Ray Fisher and Dolf Luque to move into first place by two points.
September 2In Boston‚ the Red Sox top the Yankees 6-2‚ in the opener of a 4-game series. Ruth‚ still recovering from his swollen arm‚ coaches 1B. The Sox have feasted off the top 3 contenders recently: In the past 9 games‚ Boston took 4 out of 5 from Cleveland‚ swept 3 from the White Sox‚ and topped the Yankees today.
September 3At League Park in Cleveland‚ a lone bugler plays taps before the Indians first home game since Ray Chapman‘s death. Cleveland’s Stan Coveleski and Detroit’s Dutch Leonard are each scoreless for 8 innings before Cobb drives home the lone run of the game in the 9th.

With the score tied 3-3 in the 8th‚ Carl Mays relieves Jack Quinn for the Yankees. New York scores 2 in the 9th to beat Boston 5-3.

The Dodgers Burleigh Grimes stops the Phillies on 4 hits to win‚ 6-0. Zack Wheat leads the offense with 2 triples and a double as the hosts drive out George Smith in the 7th‚ totaling 14 hits. For Smith‚ this is the first of a ML record-tying 14 straight losses to the Dodgers through
September 4Eddie Collins has 2 hits in the nitecap against the Browns‚ as the White Sox win 5-2. Collins has hit safely since August 21‚ and will ring up a 22-game hitting streak through September 13.

In Boston‚ 33‚000 are on hand for a doubleheader and to see Ruth return to the Yankee lineup. The Babe hits his 45th in the opener to give New York a 5-3 win. In the nitecap‚ Carl Mays pitches to a mixture of boos and cheers. Mays takes a 5-3 lead into the 9th‚ then he fails to back up home on a play at the plate. A loose ball allows Joe Bush to score the winning run and Boston wins 6-5.

Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore gives up 12 hits but coasts to a 10-0 shutout over the Braves.
September 5Cleveland and St. Louis split a twinbill‚ with Cleveland winning the opener‚ 10-5 and the Browns taking game 2 by a 12-8 score. Starting in yesterday’s game and going through game 2 today‚ the Indians Elmer Smith sets an AL record for consecutive long hits with 7. Included in his streak are 3 doubles‚ 4 homers‚ and 2 walks). The mark will be tied by Earl Sheely in 1926.

Brooklyn retains its slim lead in the NL by trimming the visiting Braves‚ 2-1‚ behind Rube Marquard. It’s the 3rd straight win at home.
September 6At the Polo Grounds‚ the 3rd-place Yankees win an A.M.-P.M doubleheader from the Athletics. Thormahlen wins the morning game‚ 4-1‚ beating Dave Keefe‚ who K’s Ruth 3 times. In the afternoon‚ Bob Shawkey tosses a 3-hitter to shut out the A’s 5-0.

Cleveland sweeps an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader from the Browns‚ 7-2 and 6-5 to retain first-place in the AL by a thin margin (.623) over Chicago (.614) and New York (.611). In the morning’s game‚ slick-fielding SS Harry Lunte‚ Chapman’s replacement‚ pulls up lame running out a single and is out of action. OF Joey Evans takes over short‚ but manager Tris Speaker will push to buy 21-year-old minor leaguer Joe Sewell. Cleveland wins game 2 by scoring a pair of runs in the 9th inning. RF Elmer Smith helps on defense with an unassisted DP‚ the 2nd of 4 he’ll pull off in his career.

The White Sox keep pace with the Indians in the pennant race by winning a pair from the Tigers‚ 6-2 and 5-4 in 10 innings. Shorty Hodge makes his ML debut in the afternoon game and pitches a 2-hitter‚ with just one of the hits being clean. Harry Baumgartner‚ brought up today‚ finishes both games‚ taking the loss in the afternoon.

The Giants pick up Slim Sallee from the Reds. Slim won 134 games for the Giants between 1908 and 1918.

The Reds go back on top by sweeping a holiday twinbill with the Cards‚ 5-3 and 4-2. Fisher wins the opener while Jimmy Ring takes game 2. The Phils flop the Dodgers twice‚ 3-2 and 6-5.
September 7At the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees Carl Mays shuts out the A’s on a 4-hitter‚ 2-0‚ for his 9th straight win over the A’s. Two of the hits are clean and 2 are scratch. Rommel‚ in relief of losing P Scott Perry‚ strikes out Ruth‚ Pratt‚ and Meusel in the 8th.

At Cleveland’s League Park‚ Jim Bagby tops the Tigers 5-4 for his 26th win. The pitcher also doubles‚ his 8th hit in his last 11 at bats.

Illinois State Attorney Maclay Hoyne announces he is summoning a grand jury to investigate charges that the 1919 World Series was fixed. Adding fuel to the suspicions are recent reports of heavy gambling on the Phillies-Cubs game of August 31st.
September 8On their way to Cleveland‚ the Yanks play an exhibition game against the Pirates and suffers injuries to starters‚ Muddy Ruel (split finger) and Ping Bodie (sprained ankle). With Carl Mays skipping the Indians series to avoid any scenes‚ New York is short handed.
September 9In the opener of the pivotal 3-game series‚ Cleveland blasts the Yanks 10-4 behind the pitching of Stan Coveleski and the hitting of Doc Johnston. Johnston has 4 hits‚ two of them triples‚ and a steal of home. Ruth hits his 47th homer in the first‚ then receives 3 intentional walks.
September 10Cleveland loses 6-1 to the Yanks as Ruth hits a 2-run homer. Shortstop Joe Sewell‚ brought up from the New Orleans Pelicans‚ makes his ML debut‚ filling in for the injured Harry Lunte. Sewell goes hitless‚ but will then go 10-for-22 to win the job for the decade. Cleveland now leads by percentage points over the White Sox‚ and a half game ahead of the 3rd place Yankees.
September 11New York takes the final game of the series‚ topping Cleveland 6-2 as Ruth cracks two doubles. Cleveland now leads by a .001 points over New York with the Sox a game back.

With the Reds losing twice to the Braves‚ the Dodgers win a pair from the Cards to take over first place by two games. Brooklyn wins 15-4 and 2-0. Sherry Smith fires the shutout win‚ hits 2 doubles and scores a run.
September 12The Indians beat the A’s 5-2 as Duster Mails wins his 3rd straight game.

In Detroit‚ an overflow crowd of 29‚000 boo Carl Mays as Detroit roughs up the Yankee submariner for a 4-0 lead to knock him out of the box. But the Yankees rally on 5 ground rule doubles into the crowd‚ and HRs by Wally Pipp and Duffy Lewis to win 13-6.

The White Sox lose 5-0 to Washington and fall 1 1/2 games off the pace.

Flint’s Frank Wetzel (Michigan-Ontario League) finishes the season going 22-for 23. His hits include 8 doubles‚ 7 triples and 2 homers. The streak began with a doubleheader of September 6. Wetzel raises his average from .354 to .387 to lead the league.
September 13Carl Mays‚ who started yesterday‚ opens today for the Yankees in Detroit. This time he is more effective‚ stopping Detroit on 2 runs. Ruth hits his 49th HR and Mays drives in the final run of a 4-2 win.

The Indians and Sox both win‚ the Tribe edging the A’s‚ 3-2‚ and the Sox mauling the Nats‚ 15-6.
September 14The Yankees increase their AL lead to 1 1/2 games by topping the Tigers 13-3. Cleveland the Sox are both shut out‚ the A’s beating the Indians 8-0 and Washington whitewashing the Sox 7-0. The Sox are now 2 1/2 games back.
September 15The Indians give Jim Bagby 14 runs on 22 hits and he coasts over the A’s 14-0.
September 16Duster Mails delivers for the Indians‚ canceling the Senators 1-0 for his 4th win without a loss. Joe Sewell scores the lone run.

Chicago’s Dickie Kerr tops the Yankees 8-3‚ the loss dropping New York to 2nd place behind Cleveland.
September 17The Tigers Bobby Veach and the Giants George Burns hit for the cycle‚ the only time it has ever happened twice in the same day. The Giants beat Pittsburgh in 10 innings‚ 4-3‚ as Burns adds a 2nd double to his cycle. Detroit‚ behind Veach’s 6-for-6‚ outlasts Boston‚ 14-13‚ in 12 innings‚ despite a major-league record 20 Bosox batters receiving walks. Eight Tigers walk off to set another ML record of 28 walks in an extra-inning game. Veach’s hits come off Bosox hurlers Sam Jones‚ Harry Harper‚ and Ben Karr.

The first place Indians top the A’s‚ 9-3‚ while the White Sox‚ behind Red Faber‚ are again beating the Yankees‚ 6-4. Faber gets first inning help from Eddie Collins‚ Joe Jackson‚ and Happy Felsch who all hit two-out triples: Collins and Jackson triple later as Chicago totals an AL record 6 triples. The 3rd-place Sox are 1 1/2 games back.

The Cards set a NL record by cracking out 12 consecutive hits in the 4th and 5th innings against the Braves. Ten of the hits occur in the 4th inning when St. Louis scores 8 runs. The last 2 outs come as Milt Stock tries to stretch a single and Austin McHenry tries the same on a double. Both are thrown out. In the 5th inning‚ Doc Lavan opens with a double and Cliff Heathcote singles before a Redbird finally makes an out. St. Louis wins‚ 9-4.
September 18The White Sox complete a 3-game sweep of New York‚ beating the Yanks and Bob Shawkey‚ 15-9. The Babe manages just a 9th inning single‚ off Eddie Cicotte. The Indians stay in first with a 7-5 win over Washington‚ despite 3 errors in one inning by rookie Joe Sewell. The White Sox trail by 1 1/2 games with New York two games back. Today’s Chicago Tribune features a letter on the front page of the sports section by businessman Fred Loomis. The headline over the letter blares: IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SOX? 1919 WORLD SERIES SCANDAL REVIVED.
September 19Behind Jim Bagby‚ the Indians top the Red Sox‚ 2-0‚ in a Sunday game at home. It is Bagby’s 29th win of the year and keeps the Indians 1 1/2 games ahead of Chicago.

In New York‚ Babe Ruth‘s movie opens at Madison Square Garden. It has been retitled Heading Home. In St. Louis‚ the Browns beat the Yankees 6-1. The White Sox top the A’s to stay 1 1/2 game behind the Tribe.
September 20Carl Mays stops the Yanks 4 game loss streak with a 4-3 win over the Browns. Ruth tallies the winning run in the 11th inning for NY‚ giving the Babe an AL-record 148 runs scored. Cobb had 147 in 1911. Ruth doubled off Carl Weilman in the 11th after striking out twice on slow curves.

In Cleveland‚ Duster Mails cancels the Red Sox 8-3‚ for the Indians’ 6th win in a row. The A’s lose to the White Sox 13-6.

At New York‚ the Giants and Reds break even‚ with New York taking the 1st game‚ 5-2‚ with 3 unearned runs. The Reds win game 2‚ 9-3‚ as Hod Eller strikes out 8‚ including George Burns 3 times. Cincinnati 2B Maurice Rath‚ who will hit only 2 HRs in 506 ABs‚ collects both of them in game 2: both are inside-the-park HRs‚ in the 7th and 8th innings.
September 21First-place Cleveland routs the Red Sox 12-1‚ and have a day off before meeting the 2nd place Sox‚ winners of their last 6 games.
September 22A Chicago grand jury convenes to investigate charges that 8 White Sox players conspired to fix the 1919 World Series.
September 23In a 3-game showdown in Cleveland to decide the pennant‚ White Sox hurler Dickie Kerr tops the Indians 10-3 beating 29-game winner Jim Bagby. The Sox‚ winners of their last 7‚ are now just a half-game behind Cleveland.
September 24In the first game of a twinbill‚ Babe Ruth hits his 50th HR in the first inning‚ off the Senators Jose Acosta. He then adds number 51 in a 4-for-4 second game‚ a 2-1 win‚ to give the Yankees a sweep. The other 3 hits off loser Shaw are by Phelps.

At League Park‚ Duster Mails pitches Cleveland to a Friday afternoon 2-0 victory over the White Sox‚ dropping them to 1 1/2 games back. In the 5th‚ Mails walks three straight batters on 12 pitches‚ but stays in and strikes out the side. No Sox reach base after that.
September 25Behind Shoeless Joe Jackson‘s homer and 2 doubles and the pitching of Claude Williams‚ the White Sox beat host Cleveland 5-1‚ to shave the Indians lead down to a 1/2 game. Jackson is hitting .387.

The A’s lose their 100th game‚ falling to the Red Sox‚ 4-2. Dugan has 3 doubles‚ and finishes the series with 7 two base hits.
September 26In his last game of the season‚ Pittsburgh’s Babe Adams (17-13) walks one in an 8-0 loss to the Reds. He has walked 18 in 263 IP‚ making him the stingiest pitcher ever for one season.

Rube Marquard pitches his final victory as a Dodger‚ a 4-2 win over his former team‚ the Giants‚ and allows just 5 hits. The Giants will lose tomorrow to Boston and the Dodgers will clinch the pennant.

In St. Louis‚ an overflow Sunday crowd of 30‚000 watch the Indians top the Browns 7-5 behind 7 innings of strong relief by George Uhle. Joe Sewell knocks home 4 runs and Steve O’Neill contributes a drive that hits a mounted policeman’s horse for a ground rule double. Marty McManus debuts with St. Louis and is 1-for-3 with a triple.

Chicago’s Eddie Cicotte tosses a 7 hitter in beating the Tigers‚ 8-1. The Sox stay a half-game in back of the Tribe.
September 27The Indians continue on their warpath by topping the Browns‚ 8-4. Duster Mails wins his 6th straight and Tris Speaker breaks out of a slump by collecting 2 hits. He had been 1-for-19. Charlie Jamieson adds four hits.

Behind the pitching of Dickie Kerr‚ the White Sox top Detroit‚ 2-0. In the clubhouse following the game‚ copies of the Chicago papers are spread on the table. The headlines feature Philadelphia writer Jimmy Isaminger’s interview with Billy Maharg where Maharg admits to his involvement‚ and that of former pitcher Bill Burns‚ in the scandal.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Braves eliminate the 2nd-place Giants in game 2 by a 3-2 score on Boeckel’s homer in the 9th. The Giants win the opener‚ 2-1. The loss cinches the pennant for Brooklyn.

Carl Mays and the Yankees beat the A’s‚ 3-0‚ as Mays allows just 4 hits. It is his 3rd straight shutout over Philadelphia and his 10th straight win against them. Babe Ruth drives in all the runs on a pair of homers over the RF fence off Rommel‚ his 52nd and 53rd homers of the campaign. He hit 2 other liners to left and center that were close to the wall.
September 28On the strength of Jim Bagby’s 30th win‚ the Indians beat the Browns 9-5. The Indians now lead the idle Sox by one game and by 3 1/2 over the New York‚ which can do no better than tie for the pennant now.

At Cincinnati‚ the Reds take a pair from the Pirates‚ winning 2-0 and 5-3. Dolf Luque leaves with a sore arm after one inning of the lidlifter and Hod Eller throws 8 innings to win. Eller then goes 5 1/3 innings of game 2 but leaves without a decision.

The Illinois grand jury indicts the 8 Chicago players in the 1919 WS scandal‚ and Charles Comiskey immediately suspends the seven players (Chick Gandil had retired before the season). Yankees owners Jacob Ruppert and Cap Huston send a telegram to Chicago owner Charles Comiskey offering to place their entire team at his disposal‚ following the suspension of 8 players in the scandal. Comiskey says he cannot accept the proposal.
September 29The Indians complete a 4-game sweep of the Browns with a 10-2 win. Coveleski wins his 24th. Cleveland has now won 20 of 26‚ and are 14-3 with rookie Joe Sewell in the lineup.

Babe Ruth hits HR number 54 in Philadelphia as the Yankees win 7-2. That is more than any other team total except the Phils. He is responsible for 241 of his team’s 838 runs‚ even though he misses 12 games‚ with a modern record 158 runs scored‚ beating Ty Cobb‘s 147 in 1911.

At Boston‚ the Braves divide a pair with the Phils‚ winning 1-0‚ behind Joe Oeschger‚ then losing‚ 5-1. The first game take 65 minutes‚ with game 2 finishing in 1 hour: 40 minutes‚ the fastest doubleheader of the year.

October

October 1In the first of 2 games the Indians blow a 4-0 lead over the Tigers and Jim Bagby‚ in a rare relief appearance replacing Duster Mails‚ loses in the 10th‚ 5-4. Sewell’s 2-base error put the winning run on base. Cleveland rebounds in the 2nd game and has a 10-3 lead in the 8th when the game is called because of darkness. Ray Caldwell wins his 20th game‚ a decision that assures the Indians of at least a tie for the pennant.

With the White Sox makeshift lineup‚ they take a 3-0 lead‚ but the St. Louis Browns knock out Red Faber in the 3rd and wins‚ 8-6. the Tribe leads by 2 games with 2 remaining.

Grover Alexander outlasts Jesse Haines as both go 17 innings in the Cubs‚ 3-2‚ win over St. Louis. For Haines‚ it is his 20th loss of the year. It is Alexander’s 27th win of the year‚ tops in the NL.
October 2Jim Bagby wins his 31st game‚ clinching the pennant for the Indians with a 10-1 win over the Tigers. Tris Speaker contributes 3 hits to finish the year at .388‚ 2nd to George Sisler‘s .407. The Sox 10-7 victory over the Browns is not needed by the Indians. The Indians’ victory is due primarily to a .303 team BA (the Browns lead the league at .308) and the pitching of Jim Bagby‚ 31-12‚ Stan Coveleski‚ 24-14‚ and Ray Caldwell‚ 20-10. A big boost came from Duster Mails‚ brought up from the Pacific Coast League at the end of August‚ who won 7 without a loss on a 1.85 ERA. Despite the heavy hitting in the AL‚ there are ten 20-game winners; the White Sox have 4 of them-Red Faber‚ Eddie Cicotte‚ Dickie Kerr‚ and Lefty Williams.

With the last two games rained out‚ fans get their money’s worth in Pittsburgh as the Pirates and Reds‚ battling to determine 3rd place‚ play the century’s only tripleheader. Starting at noon‚ the Reds win the first‚ 13-4‚ to clinch 3rd place. The Reds win game 2 as well‚ 7-3‚ with a number of players at odd positions: Reds put catcher Ivy Wingo at 2B‚ with pitchers Bressler‚ Ruether‚ Coumbe‚ and Eller at field positions. The Pirates take the finale 6-0‚ called after 6 innings because of darkness. The only “tribill” played this century is played in 5 hours. Clyde Barnhart‚ who made his major league debut ten days earlier‚ doubles in the first two games‚ and singles in the 3rd‚ the only player to hit in all three games. .

Shaken by the possible effects of the scandal surrounding baseball‚ club owners begin a series of meetings to reform the game. Albert D. Lasker‚ a Chicago advertising man and minority stockholder‚ of the Cubs‚ proposes a 3-man board of non baseball men‚ with the chairman to be paid $25‚000 year. Among the names mentioned: Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis‚ former President William Howard Taft‚ General George Pershing‚ Senator Hiram Johnson‚ General Leonard Wood‚ and ex-treasury secretary William McAdoo.
October 3In the Browns’ 16-7 win over Chicago‚ George Sisler has 3 hits and gets his 257th hit of the season to set a ML record. His 4 total bases today gives him a ML record 399 for the year. Sisler throws in 3 stolen bases and‚ acceding to the demands of the fans‚ also hurls a scoreless 9th inning in relief‚ striking out 2.

At Cincinnati‚ Reds recruit Dazzy Swartz makes his big-league debut‚ hurling a 12-inning complete game‚ scattering 17 hits‚ and losing to the Cards‚ 6-3. He adds a 2-for-4 at-bat‚ but never plays another game in the ML.
October 5Before the start of the WS‚ Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets gives his approval for the addition of rookie Joe Sewell to the Indians’ roster. Sewell joined the team after September 1st and was not eligible for the series. The tradition of low-scoring WS games continues when the Indians manage to collect only 5 hits off Brooklyn’s Rube Marquard (10-7) and 2 relievers. Stan Coveleski’s (24-14) 5-hitter gives the Indians a 3-1 opening win.
October 6When Wheeler Johnston pinch-hits for Cleveland in the 9th inning of game 2‚ his brother Jimmy is playing 3B for Brooklyn. They become the first brothers to take opposite sides in a WS. Spitballer Burleigh Grimes (23-11) strands 10 Indians while the Robins chip away at Jim Bagby (31-12) for 3 single tallies and a 3-0 Series evener.

Hal Chase and Heinie Zimmerman are indicted on bribery charges as an aftermath of the investigation into the 1919 World Series. John McGraw testified that he dropped the two after the 1919 season for throwing games and trying to entice Fred Toney‚ Rube Benton and Benny Kauff to join them. Zimmerman denies the charges‚ Chase ignores them‚ but the duo will be banned for life from baseball by Judge Landis.
October 7Two Brooklyn runs in the first lead to a quick exit for Cleveland starter Ray Caldwell (20-10). John “Duster” Mails and George Uhle shut down the Robins‚ but southpaw Sherry Smith (11-9) gives up 3 hits; the visitors’ only run results from an error by Zack Wheat on Tris Speaker‘s double. It’s a 2-1 win‚ and 2-1 Series lead for Brooklyn.
October 9Several hours before the start of game 4‚ Brooklyn’s Rube Marquard‚ a Cleveland native‚ is arrested when he tries to sell a WS ticket to an undercover cop for $350. He will be found guilty and fined a dollar and court costs ($3.80). For their first WS game on the lakefront‚ 25‚734 Indians fans watch their home team score 2 in the first and 2 in the 3rd off Leon Cadore (15-14) and Al Mamaux. Cleveland wins game 4‚ 5-1.
October 10In the bottom of the first of an event-laden game‚ Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes gives up hits to Charlie Jamieson‚ Bill Wambsganss‚ and Speaker. OF Elmer Smith then hits the first grand slam in WS history‚ jumping on a Grimes spitter in the opening inning. In the 3rd‚ P Jim Bagby comes up with 2 on and crashes another Grimes delivery for a 3-run HR‚ the first ever by a pitcher in WS play. Bagby is roughed for 13 hits‚ but he gets out of jams with the aid of 3 DPs and an unassisted triple play. In the 5th with Pete Kilduff on 2B and Otto Miller on 1B‚ relief pitcher Clarence Mitchell hits a line drive at SS Wambsganss‚ who steps on 2B and tags the off-and-running Miller before he can retreat. Cleveland dominates‚ 8-1.
October 11In game 6‚ Brooklyn’s P Sherry Smith gives up a 6th-inning single to Tris Speaker and double to George Burns. That’s all the scoring for the day‚ as Brooklyn reject Duster Mails yields 3 hits for a 1-0 win and 4-2 lead for Cleveland in the best-of-9 series.
October 12Stan Coveleski wins his 3rd complete game of the Series‚ and the Indians wrap it up‚ as Dodger bats are silent again. Burleigh Grimes is nicked for single scores in the 4th‚ 5th‚ and 7th‚ for a 3-0 loss. Utility IF Jack Sheehan plays 3B for Brooklyn and gets his 2nd hit of the Series‚ the same number of hits he had during the season. These 4 are his only ML hits. Brooklyn manager Robinson‚ upset with Marquard’s arrest‚ keeps Rube on the bench: the Dodgers have already made the decision to unload the pitcher. Rube’s wife‚ “Blossom Seeley” -her vaudeville name‚ comes to the same conclusion and files for divorce next week.
October 18NL directors meet in New York‚ joined by Jacob Ruppert‚ Cap Huston‚ Charles Comiskey‚ and Harry Frazee of the AL. They name a committee to draw up an agreement along the lines of Albert Lasker’s proposal‚ and give the 5 AL clubs still backing Ban Johnson an ultimatum: come in by November 1st or the Yankees‚ White Sox‚ and Red Sox will pull out of the AL and join a 12-team NL (with a team in Detroit to complete the roster). The AL 5 turns it down‚ and bluff and counterbluff blow through the autumn air.
October 23The Chicago grand jury indictment adds the names of former featherweight boxing champ Abe Attell‚ Hal Chase‚ and Bill Burns as go-betweens in the WS scandal. Confessions‚ later repudiated‚ are signed by Ed Cicotte‚ Joe Jackson‚ Lefty Williams‚ and Happy Felsch.
October 29The Yankees sign Red Sox manager Ed Barrow as business manager‚ completing the front office team that will build the game’s most successful record. Hugh Duffy replaces Barrow in Boston.

November

November 8At a meeting to depose Ban Johnson‚ a new 12-team National League‚ made up of the dissenting 11 teams plus one of the 5 teams loyal to Johnson‚ is agreed to. John Heydler will be its president and Judge Landis the proposed chairman of the new commission. With no stomach for another war‚ 4 of the 5 AL clubs still backing Johnson agree to a joint meeting November 12th in Chicago.
November 12With Ban Johnson barred from the meeting‚ the 16 ML clubs settle their differences. The 12-team-league idea is discarded‚ and the 2 leagues will continue with their same identities. The owners unanimously elect Kenesaw Mountain Landis chairman for 7 years. Judge Landis accepts‚ but only as sole commissioner with final authority over the players and owners‚ while remaining a federal judge (with his $7‚500 federal salary deducted from the baseball salary of $50‚000). The agreement will be signed on January 12‚ 1921‚ when he is to begin his duties.

December

December 6A 5-year-old lawsuit that awarded $264‚000 damages to the Baltimore Federal League club on April 12‚ 1919‚ is reversed by a court of appeals‚ which upholds the reserve clause and holds that baseball is not interstate commerce nor subject to antitrust laws. The original was initiated because the Baltimore Feds were not included in the settlement of the Federal League war. They wanted a ML team in Baltimore and did not get it. This ruling will be upheld in 1922 by the U.S. Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice William Howard Taft‚ brother of Cubs former owner‚ Charles Taft.
December 15The NL reveals a most telling statistic‚ pointing out the changes in the game: the use of 27‚924 baseballs during the season‚ an increase of 10‚248 over 1919.

The Yankees’ Ed Barrow pries future Hall of Fame P Waite Hoyt‚ C Wally Schang‚ lefty Harry Harper‚ and IF Mike McNally from his former Boston team in exchange for 2B Del Pratt‚ C Muddy Ruel‚ P Hank Thormahlen‚ OF Sammy Vick‚ and cash. Schang‚ expected to give more punch to the Yankees’ lineup‚ will go 0-for-25 before connecting for hit. Thormahlen, once predicted to be a star, will win just one more ML game. Umpire Billy Evans commented about him in the May 17, 1918 (New York) Globe and Commercial Advertiser, “He constantly kept the ball just far enough outside or inside to bother the batters. . . . It was pitching that an umpire must watch closely, for Thormahlen was constantly getting them into that neutral zone where either a strike or a ball could be called. . . . I predict that this fellow will be a star.”

Brooklyn sends Rube Marquard to the Reds for Dutch Ruether. Marquard was in the Charlie Ebbets doghouse after being arrested in a Cleveland hotel lobby for scalping WS tickets.

The Giants hand a release to 2B Larry Doyle so that he can manage the Toronto team.
December 17The AL votes to allow pitchers who used the spitball in 1920 to continue using it as long as they are in the league. The NL will do the same. There will be 17 designated spitters in all‚ 8 in the NL and 9 in the AL. For the NL‚ the spitball pitchers are: Bill Doak‚ Phil Douglas‚ Dana Fillingim‚ Ray Fisher‚ Marv Goodwin‚ Burleigh Grimes‚ Clarence Mitchell‚ and Dick Rudolph. For the AL: Doc Ayers‚ Ray “Slim” Caldwell‚ Stan Coveleskie‚ Red Faber‚ H.B. “Dutch” Leonard‚ Jack Quinn‚ Allan Russell‚ Urban Shocker‚ and Allen Sothoron. One story has the White Sox forgetting to name Frank Shellenback as a spitball pitcher‚ forcing him to go the PCL to throw a wet one‚ and where he wins 296 games.
December 18On his 34th birthday‚ Ty Cobb signs to manage the Tigers for $32‚500‚ making him the highest-paid player and 2nd to John McGraw among managers. He replaces Hughie Jennings‚ who resigns after 14 years to join his old teammate McGraw as assistant manager of the Giants. In other managerial changes at the ML meetings: Lee Fohl replaces Jimmy Burke with the Browns; Clark Griffith‚ now president of the Senators‚ gives up the managing job to SS George McBride; George Stallings buys the Rochester club and leaves the Boston Braves‚ replaced by Fred Mitchell from the Cubs‚ who is replaced by Johnny Evers; former Yankees skipper Bill Donovan takes over the Phils from Gavvy Cravath.