Baseball – 1926

Baseball in 1926

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January


January 11The Pacific Coast League shifts 2 franchises shifts moving the Vernon‚ CA team to San Francisco where it becomes the Mission Club. The Salt Lake City‚ UT franchise is transferred to Hollywood.
January 19The woes continue for Giants pitcher Hugh McQuillan‚ who is diagnosed with three broken bones in his pitching hand and is projected to miss the first half of the season. McQuillan broke his hand punching a cabbie in an altercation a week ago. McQuillan was suspended once last season by John McGraw for being out of shape‚ and then had his marital affairs aired in divorce court.
January 30The ML Rules Committee agrees that pitchers may have access to a resin bag. On February 8th the AL will refuse to permit its use: but on April 28th the league will give in and allow a resin bag on the field‚ but discourage its use by players. The Committee also discusses the elimination of the intentional walk‚ a topic that has come up before‚ by making the pitcher throw to the batter. Calling a catcher balk has not eliminated the intentional walk as intended. No action is taken.

February


February 1Wally Pipp‚ 33‚ has lost his Yankee 1B job to Lou Gehrig after 101?2 years; the Reds buy him for $7‚500. Pipp had been the Opening Day first baseman for the past 11 seasons.

The Browns trade P Joe Bush and outfielder Jack Tobin to Washington for P Tom Zachary and Win Ballou‚ both of whom will be gone by July. Zachary will be back with the Senators next year in time to serve up Ruth’s 60th HR.
February 2The NL holds its Golden Jubilee Banquet in New York. Among nearly 1‚000 invited guests are 10 players from the 1876 season and 2 umpires‚ including Billy McLean‚ who was the umpire for the first NL game.
February 6The Browns acquire 37-year-old catcher Wally Schang from the Yankees for pitcher George Mogridge and cash. The veteran will backstop for the Browns for three seasons.
February 7The Reds acquire C Val Picinich from the Red Sox for cash.
February 24Southpaw Eddie Plank‚ winner of 327 games in 17 years‚ dies at 51 in his native Gettysburg‚ PA.
February 28Arriving for spring training‚ a chastened John McGraw announces that he is through with the real estate business. McGraw’s involvement with Pennant Park last year cost him more than $100‚000. He turns his real estate interests over to a trust.

At Crescent City‚ Florida‚ a train carrying several Cleveland players derails. No players are injured and pitcher George Uhle sleeps through the incident.

The Dodgers sign Zack Wheat to a one year contract worth $16‚000‚ which is $167 more than Dazzy Vance’s salary. Wheat wanted a two-year contract.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announce an increase in seating prices: with tax included box seats will be $1.75; Reserved $1.50; Grandstand $1.10. Bleachers will remain at $.50.

March


March 3Wally Pipp informs the Reds that he will not report unless the Yankees give him a portion of the $20‚000 sale price.
March 5When rookie SS Moe Berg is missing from the White Sox camp‚ the team explains that he is taking a law course at Columbia and will not be available until May 15. This was previously known by the Sox and the reason they signed veteran SS Ev Scott when he was released by the Senators.
March 6In the Pirates camp‚ Art Traynor‚ brother of Pie‚ and Phil Morrison‚ brother of John‚ are trying to win a place on the team. Pie says that his brother‚ who spent the last year in Europe‚ is a better player than he is. Neither stick.
March 13The Yankee regulars lose their third straight to the Yannigans‚ 2-0. It is the second game in a row that the regulars endured a shut out. Today most of the Yannigan innings were tossed by Bob Shawkey.
March 15At St. Petersburg‚ the Braves beat the Yankees‚ 6-2‚ for their 3rd win in a row over the Hugman. After Lazzeri protests a strike in the 6th‚ he is tossed‚ along with Huggins and the rest of the bench.
March 26In San Francisco‚ Cubs owner William Wrigley says that Commissioner Landis should reinstate Jimmy O’Connell‚ who was thrown out of organized ball for allegedly trying to bribe another player to throw a game in 1924. Wrigley says that O’Connell’s assertion that he approached Phils SS Heinie Sands at the behest of Giants coach Cozy Dolan was a “crude joke” on the part of Dolan‚ and nothing more. Landis does not change his mind.

May


May 2Hugh Jennings‚ slated to be the Giants assistant manager‚ is unable to join the team due to illness. Roger Bresnahan replaces him.
May 9Following yesterday’s rainout at Fenway‚ the Red Sox and Braves take the field again‚ with the Sox winning‚ 6-1. Howard Ehmke is the winner over Rube Benton‚ and Phil Todt accounts for the only HR.
May 13More than 45‚000 at the Polo Grounds watch Brooklyn’s Jess Petty post an Opening Day‚ 3-0 one-hitter over the Giants. Frankie Frisch‘s double is the lone hit. The NL introduces something new in this game‚ the rosin bag. The Giants will win 7 in a row after the opener‚ only to be beaten again by Petty‚ 2-1‚ on April 24th.

In the last of his 14 Opening Day starts‚ Walter Johnson takes on A’s knuckleballer Eddie Rommel in baseball’s greatest Opening-Day pitchers’ duel‚ a 15-inning battle won by the Senators 1-0. Johnson gives up 6 hits‚ fans 12‚ and allows no runner past 1B in a game he considers his greatest. Rommel allows 9 hits will fanning 5. Bucky Harris singles and scores the lone run‚ coming home after a Goslin double and a Joe Harris single.

At frigid Fenway Park‚ the hitting is hot as the Yankees and Red Sox combine for 29 hits in the Opener. The Yankees score 4 runs in the 1st inning off Howard Ehmke‚ the first of six Boston hurlers. Rudy Sommers‚ making his first ML appearance in 12 years‚ takes over for Ehmke in the 5th. He gives up 3 runs on doubles by Gehrig and Ruth‚ and New York stretches its lead to 11-1. A 5-run Boston outburst in the 6th sends New York starter Bob Shawkey to the showers‚ but New York hangs on to beat the Red Sox‚ 12-11. Ruth and Joe Dugan have three hits apiece for New York‚ while Ira Flagstead has 4 hits for Boston. Ehmke is the loser for Boston.

In ceremonies before the Opener in St. Louis‚ Rogers Hornsby receives a trophy from the Cleveland Press‚ which asked its readers to choose their most popular AL and NL player. Babe Ruth won in the AL. Hornsby then collects 3 hits as the Cards win the Opener with Pittsburgh‚ 7-6.

At Cincinnati‚ the Cubs lose to the Reds‚ 7-6‚ after scoring 5 in the 8th to tie. Jakie May takes the win in the 10th when a Sammy Bohne single scores the winner. Val Picinich homers in his 1st game as a Red.
May 15In Philadelphia‚ Cy Williams blasts a grand slam to give the Phils an 8-4 win over the Boston Braves.
May 16In the home opener for Cincinnati‚ Red Lucas beats Chicago’s Grover Alexander‚ 2-1‚ in a brisk one hour‚ 15 minutes. The good-hitting Lucas also bangs a triple to help the Cincy offense.
May 17Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke tosses a 2-hitter‚ beating the A’s and Rube Walberg‚ 6-1. Phil Todt‘s triple with the bases loaded is the big blow for the Sox.

Cleveland’s Lefty Miller gives up three hits and shuts out the White Sox‚ 2-0. The loss goes to Tommy Thomas‚ making his major league debut.

At Philadelphia‚ Brooklyn’s Clarence Huber is hit by a pitch in the 3rd and replaced by a courtesy runner Heinie Sand‚ already in the game at SS. (As noted by Retrosheet). Huber returns to play 3B in the 4th before Clarence Whiteside takes over in the 5th. The magnanimous Phils win‚ 15-3.
May 18The Cubs roll over the Reds‚ 18-1‚ at Wrigley Field. Reds 18-year-old pitcher Rube Meadows faces one batter and records an out‚ for his only ML appearance.
May 19In a 2-1 p.m. win against the A’s‚ Red Sox Ira Flagstead ties a ML record by starting three double plays from the outfield‚ just the 3rd outfielder in history to do so. Two of the DPs are fly balls that Ira catches and then guns out the runner trying to score from 3B. The third twin killing is scored 8-5-4-2. Ira’s feat breaks the AL mark of 2‚ tied by a number of players. The A’s take the morning game‚ 3-1.
May 20The Yankees batter Washington 18-5. Among their 22 hits are a HR‚ 2 doubles‚ and 2 singles by Ruth‚ who scores 5 runs and drives in 8. The Babe’s home run is a 2-run shot in the 1st inning off Walter Johnson.
May 21In the home Opener at newly renamed Wrigley Field‚ Grover Alexander pitches the Cubs to a 4-2 win over Reds ace Pete Donohue. Donohue will be one of 4 pitchers to top the NL by winning an even 20 games this season. The park had been known as Cubs Park from 1920-25.
May 22The Browns’ 5 double plays against the White Sox ties the AL record‚ but the White Sox win‚ 11-7.
May 26With Cleveland leading the host White Sox 7-2‚ fans storm the field and refuse to leave‚ forcing the White Sox to forfeit the game.
May 27Walter Johnson wins his 400th career victory‚ and his 3rd win in 4 starts‚ as the Senators beat the Red Sox‚ 9-1.

In the Giants’ 9-8 win over the Phillies‚ 17-year-old Mel Ott makes his first appearance pinch-hitting for Jimmy Ring. He strikes out. He’ll get his first hit on May 2nd when he pinch hits for Tim McNamara. Ott won’t play regularly till 1927.

Player-manager Ty Cobb makes his first start of the year and shows the Tigers how to do it‚ banging a single‚ double‚ triple‚ and driving home 4 runs. Detroit edges the White Sox‚ 8-7.
May 28The A’s Lefty Grove strikes out 11‚ but loses to Sam Jones and the Yankees‚ 3-0. Grove will win his next four against New York.

The AL allows the use of the rosin bag by pitchers but discourages its use by other players. Walter Johnson states that he thinks the “resin bag” is of no use to a pitcher. It is strictly mental.
May 29At Pittsburgh‚ the Reds score 10 runs in the 5th enroute to a 16-9 win.
May 30Jess Petty (5-0) wins again‚ beating the Phils 8-4‚ and the Dodgers go into first place.

May


May 1Satchel Paige‚ 19-years-old‚ makes his debut in the Negro Southern League‚ pitching Chattanooga to a 5-4 win over Birmingham.
May 2Walter Johnson wins his 4th victory‚ a 4-3 victory over the A’s. Slim Harriss is the loser.

For the 4th straight game‚ the Cubs come from behind to win‚ beating the Cardinals‚ 6-5. Alexander picks up the victory‚ and Wee Willie Sherdel is the loser.
May 3The Reds pull off a triple steal against the Cards with Sammy Bohne‚ Val Picinich‚ and Walt Christensen doing the swiping. Cincy wins‚ 9-6 with Eppa Rixey getting the victory.
May 5Detroit batters 5 White Sox pitchers enroute to a 14-7 score over Chicago. Red Wingo puts the icing on the cake with a 9th inning grand slam.
May 6The Reds use a ML record-tying 8 sacrifices in a 14-4 win over the visiting Phillies.
May 7Chuck Dressen’s 4th hit of the game‚ in the Reds 3-run 9th‚ drives in the winning run in a 6-5 win over the Phils.
May 8Fenway Park bleachers along the left field line are partially destroyed by a fire. The Sox will not replace the seats.

The Yankees score 7 in the 2nd but lose to Detroit 14-10‚ knocking themselves out of the lead; Washington moves into first.

Chicago’s Grover Alexander beats the Giants‚ 6-4‚ with George McQuillan taking the loss. It is Alex’s last win in a Cubs uniform.
May 10At Yankee Stadium‚ Gehrig and Ruth hit back-to-back homers off Tiger starter Sam Gibson‚ and the Yankees outscore the Tigers‚ 13-9. Herb Pennock is the winner.
May 11The Giants sell sore-armed pitcher Art Nehf to the Reds. The fair-minded Nehf is upset that John McGraw has not informed Reds’ manager Jack Hendricks of Nehf’s arm problems‚ and the pitcher will not speak with the Giants’ manager for years.
May 12Walter Johnson defeats the St. Louis Browns‚ 7-4. He is now 6-1‚ but will lose his next 7 in a row as the Senators go into a tailspin.
May 15Behind Pete Donohue‚ the Reds whip the Giants‚ 11-6‚ and move into first place. Led by the NL’s 2 top hitters-C Bubbles Hargrave at .353 and OF Cuckoo Christensen at .350-and the pitching of Pete Donohue‚ Carl Mays‚ and Eppa Rixey‚ they’ll stay in 1st until mid-July.
May 18In the 8th inning at Yankee Stadium‚ Tony Lazzeri clouts a long inside-the-park grand slam over CF Johnny Mostil‘s head as the Yanks come from behind to beat the White Sox‚ 5-3.
May 19Reds ace Pete Donohue fires a 2-hitter to beat Brooklyn‚ 5-1. Singles by Wheat and Herman are the lone hits.
May 21White Sox 1B Earl Sheely hits 3 doubles a sac fly and a HR at Boston‚ following 3 doubles in his last 3 at bats yesterday. His 7 straight extra-base hits tie the ML record set by Elmer Smith in 1921. Chicago needs all of his hitting as they edge the Red Sox‚ 8-7 after yesterday’s 13-4 victory.
May 22At Rogers Hornsby Day in St. Louis‚ the Cards player-manager is presented $1‚000 in gold and a medal as the NL MVP for 1925. The Cards then whip the Phillies‚ 9-2‚ to even their record at .500.

Before the Braves-Cubs game at Wrigley Field‚ Grover Cleveland Alexander is given the keys to a Lincoln automobile‚ a gift from the fans. The Braves then cuff Alex around and win‚ 7-1. When the Cubs end their homestand‚ Alexander will be left behind in Chicago‚ and then waived.
May 23Hack Wilson smacks a 5th inning home run‚ a rare blast off the Wrigley Field scoreboard‚ situated at ground level‚ to start a route of the Braves. The Cubs score 7 runs in the 8th inning to win 14-8. Sparky Adams contributes 4 hits for Chicago. Later that night‚ Wilson and a few others are arrested at a friend’s apartment for drinking beer in violation of the Prohibition Act. The scoreboard will be moved to the left field corner in 1937‚ before one will be built atop the newly built bleachers.

In Washington‚ Al Simmons hits a solo HR‚ off Walter Johnson‚ into the CF stands. The A’s beat the Big Train‚ 5-3‚ behind the pitching of Slim Harriss.
May 25Six games in the AL today produce 145 hits and 80 runs. Leading the way are the Senators and A’s in Philadelphia with the Senators taking game 17-12‚ and losing the second game‚ 7-6. The Nats score 11 runs in the 5th inning and hold on for the victory. Mickey Cochrane homers in game 2 with a pair on.
May 26The Yankees win their 16th game in a row‚ defeating to Red Sox 9-8 to complete a 4-game sweep. The franchise record had been 15 straight wins‚ set in 1906. The streak puts New York in front by 8 1/2 games.
May 28A Boston-New York old-timers’ game is played for a Christy Mathewson Memorial at Bucknell before the regular Giants-Braves game in Boston. The Braves then win‚ 5-3 over the Giants.

In a 12-4 Reds win over the Cardinals‚ Hughie Critz is walked 5 times‚ tying the NL record (20th C.)

The A’s take 2 from the Yankees 2-1 and 6-5‚ decisively ending New York’s 16-game win streak.
May 31The Giants blow open a match with the Phils and win‚ 12-1. Ross Youngs draw two walks in the 9th inning to tie a ML record.

July


July 5After scoring a run in 11 straight games‚ the Browns Oscar Melillo goes plateless against Lefty Grove. The A’s ace wins‚ 10-1‚ at home.
July 6Player-manager Tris Speaker‚ 38‚ of the Indians‚ sporting a lifetime .350 BA‚ startles players and fans alike when he directs P George Uhle to pinch-hit for him in a close contest with the Yankees. Uhle is a good-hitting hurler‚ but he flies out. The Yankees win‚ 6-5.

After the New York Sun criticizes the Robins because top pitcher Jesse Petty is not one of their highest paid players‚ manager Wilbert Robinson phones the paper’s editor to complain. From this date on‚ the Sun reacts by referring to the team as the Dodgers‚ rather than the affectionate eponym ‘Robins’ that had often been used.
July 7The Cubs send two players and cash to Indianapolis for infielder Henry Schreiber and former major leaguer Riggs Stephenson. Stephenson was in the minors after a college football injury resurfaced‚ limiting his throwing ability. Stephenson is a steal‚ hitting .319 or better in eight of his nine seasons with Chicago and leading the club in hitting six times. His .336 with Chicago will be the club’s high mark.
July 8In Detroit‚ Babe Ruth slugs a HR reported to carry 626 feet‚ in the Yanks 11-9 slugfest over the Tigers. The hit‚ off Tiger P Lil Stoner‚ lands at the intersection of Cherry Street and Brooklyn Avenue‚ two blocks from Navin Field. The youngster who retrieves the ball sells it to the Babe for $20.
July 11The Phils top Pittsburgh 13-11 as Russ Wrightstone hits for the cycle. Wrightstone adds a double as he goes 5-for-6 with 4 long hits.
July 13Jack Fournier hits 3 homers and Brooklyn needs them all to beat the Cubs‚ 6-5. Burleigh Grimes is the winner at home.
July 14The Giants trade OF Billy Southworth‚ hitting .328‚ to the Cards for part-time OF Heinie Mueller. This will prove to be a key trade for the Cards.

Red Sox pitcher Red Ruffing hits the first of his 36 ML homers‚ connecting off Detroit’s Hooks Dauss in an 8-7 loss to Detroit. The future Hall of Famer will be 3rd on the list of homer-hitting hurlers.
July 15After sending OF Bing Miller to St. Louis for OF Baby Doll Jacobson‚ the A’s trade P Slim Harriss‚ P Freddie Heimach‚ and Jacobson to the Red Sox for OF Tom Jenkins and P Howard Ehmke‚ 32. Ehmke‚ 3-10 at Boston‚ will be 12-4 for the rest of the year at Philadelphia.

Brooklyn buys Sammy Bohne from the Reds.
July 17The Browns Ken Williams hits a grand slam in the 2nd inning and St. Louis holds on to beat Washington‚ 9-7. Wally Schang adds a triple and homer as Tom Zachary goes the distance for the win.

At Detroit‚ the A’s use a late rally to beat the Tigers 12-9. They also stop Ed Wells‘ strong of 33 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

Hal Rhyne hits a 2-run homer in the top of the 13th at the Polo Grounds to give the Pirates a 5-3 lead‚ but Freddie Lindstrom answers with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the inning for a 6-5 Giants victory. Lindstrom has to elbow his way to home plate and jubilant fans storm the field.
July 18In a 6-2 loss to the Indians‚ new Red Sox outfielder Baby Doll Jacobson does not have a putout or assist in RF and will play another 6 games without a fielding chance. His record 7 straight games between the 18th and 25th will encompass 64 1/3 innings.
July 19After winning yesterday 13-5‚ the Reds continue to punish Phillies pitching‚ sweeping 2 by scores of 8-2 and 14-6. Rube Bressler collects 7 hits‚ including a HR‚ for the afternoon.
July 20A delegation of Coffeyville‚ KS‚ fans comes to St. Louis to see their hometown hero‚ Walter Johnson‚ pitch against the Browns. Unfortunately‚ the Big Train cannot hold a 4-0 lead and loses his 7th game in a row 5-4. The big blow for the Browns is a 3-run pinch HR in the 7th by Ken Williams.
July 21At Redlands Field‚ the Reds edge the Cubs‚ 6-5‚ in 16 innings on Wally Pipp‘s RBI. Both teams score in the 12th.
July 22The Cardinals pick up 39-year-old Grover Alexander (3-3) on waivers from the Cubs to help in the pennant chase. Alexander will rejoin Bill Killefer‚ fired as Cubs manager last year‚ and now a Cardinal coach. Alex‚ who has not been in uniform for a month‚ will be 9-7 down the stretch‚ including 2 shutouts.
July 24Bullet Joe Bush‚ 1-8 with the Senators‚ is handed his release. The Pirates will sign him.

In St. Louis‚ Hornsby’s grand slam powers his Cardinals to a 6-2 win over the Pirates and again even their season W-L record. For Rajah‚ it is his career 2‚000th hit.

In game 1 at the Polo Grounds‚ Phillies relief pitcher Jack Knight homers twice‚ his only 2 career homers‚ and both come off Jimmy Ring. But the Giants win‚ 12-7‚ then complete the sweep‚ 7-2.
July 26The Cardinals move into 2nd with an 8-7 win over the Cubs at Wrigley. Bill Hallahan is victorious over Charlie Root.
July 27A crowd of 37‚718 is on hand in St. Louis to see new Cardinal P Grover Alexander pitch the first game of the doubleheader against his old team‚ the Cubs. The fans are not disappointed as Alexander wins the opener 3-2 in 10 innings‚ giving up 4 hits. The winning HR is hit by the other newcomer‚ Billy Southworth. The Cubs win the nitecap 5-0 in a game interrupted by a shower of pop bottles in 9th inning as the crowd protests a call by umpire Charlie Moran. Moran ruled Sparky Adams safe at 1B‚ despite popping out to Hornsby‚ because of catcher interference.

The first-place Reds rout the Pirates‚ 16-0‚ and turn a triple play (Emmer‚ Dressen‚ Bressler) in the process. Pete Donohue is the easy winner.
July 30With player-manager Ty Cobb coaching 3B‚ base runner Harry Heilmann falls for the hidden ball trick pulled by Browns 3B Marty McManus. The Tigers still win 4-1.

July


July 1The Pirates break an 8-game losing streak by beating St. Louis‚ 7-3. They move into 2nd‚ dropping the Cards to 3rd.

In the first of 2 at Yankee Stadium‚ Lou Gehrig‘s solo homer in the 6th‚ off Walter Johnson‚ is the difference as the Yankees win‚ 3-2‚ over the Senators. Urban Shocker takes the win. Washington comes back to win game 2‚ 12-5.
July 3At Pittsburgh‚ Vic Aldridge coasts to a 12-3 win over the Cardinals. Pie Traynor has a homer and double in one inning for the Bucs.

At Cleveland‚ George Uhle shrugs off a first inning steal of home by Ty Cobb to beat the Tigers‚ 7-5.
July 4The Cubs blank the visiting Reds‚ 2-0‚ as Charlie Root beats Emil Yde.
July 5Lefty Grove strikes out 12 Yankees as the A’s win‚ 2-1‚ scoring both runs on errors. Grove’s 12 strikeouts will be a career high.
July 6The Reds beat the Cards‚ 5-2 in 11 innings to take a 5 game lead in the NL. Wally Pipp‘s 2 run HR in the 10th‚ off Grover Alexander‚ ties the score at 2 apiece.

The Reds purchase veteran SS Everett Scott from the White Sox.

The Tigers get solo home runs from Fats Fothergill and Harry Heilmann‚ but that is all the scoring as the Browns win‚ 5-2. George Sisler has an inside-the-park homer when his grounder caroms off second baseman O’Rourke’s shoe into deep center.
July 10Washington has a ML-record 13 players score in a 19-4 blowout over the visiting Browns. Sam Rice reaches base twice on errors in the 8th inning to tie a ML record. Stanley Coveleski is the winning pitcher.
July 13Brooklyn 1B Jack Fournier subs for Babe Herman‚ the rookie who took his job‚ and makes the most of it‚ banging 5 hits and 3 homers-the first Brooklyn player to hit 3 roundtrippers in a game. Jack also totals 5 RBIs‚ but it is not enough as the Cardinals win 12-10 in St. Louis. Cards Taylor Douthit reaches 1B twice in the 5th inning and each time steals 2B.
July 14Al Maderas‚ of Springfield (Three I league) homers his first four times up against Quincy.
July 15Charlie Gehringer shocks Urban Shocker with his first ML homer‚ and the Tigers beat the Yankees‚ 7-2. Sam Gibson is the winner.
July 20Springfield makes the news again as they join with Peoria (Three I league) to set an OB scoring record. Springfield wins‚ 33-23. Peoria outhits Springfield 27 to 22 and has 4 homers‚ 3 by Harry Layne.
July 21The Tigers take the first of 2 over Washington‚ 7-6. Off Washington’s Walter Johnson in game 2‚ Heinie Manush cracks a double‚ triple and three-run homer but the Big Train still wins over Detroit‚ 10-7.
July 22The Reds pound 4 triples in an 11-run 2nd inning‚ including 2 by Curt Walker‚ against the Braves‚ tying a ML record‚ and go on to win‚ 13-3. Walker’s feat‚ the 1st since 1900‚ won’t be done again until Al Zarilla does it in the AL in 1946. On the 24th‚ the Pirates move past the Reds into the NL lead.

The Giants score two runs in the 9th inning off Pete Alexander to whip the Cardinals‚ 5-3.
July 23Detroit and Washington take the unheard of time of 2 hours and 40 minutes to play 9 innings. Detroit’s 19 hits give them a 9-6 win‚ but much of the time is consumed by manager Ty Cobb‘s arguing over a balk call‚ then trying to have a heckling fan removed from the stands.
July 24Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth demonstrate that power hitting is not the only thing they can do when Lou scores on a double steal with the Babe in a 7-4 victory over the White Sox. They had pulled the same double steal against the Red Sox on April 13th.
July 25After Braves coach Art Devlin rides Babe Pinelli‚ the Reds third sacker bumps Devlin as he comes off the field in the 3rd. Devlin swings‚ starting one of the great baseball fights of the century. Police restore order‚ but not before Boston OF Frank Wilson is arrested and taken to jail for hitting a police inspector. In the 4th‚ Boston OF Jimmy Welsh crashes into C Val Picinich in a play at the plate. Picinich takes a poke at him‚ starting round 2‚ and is ejected. The match ends in an 8-4 Braves decision.

At Philadelphia‚ the Cards top the Phils‚ 9-5‚ with the win going to Grover Alexander.
July 26Athletics ace Eddie Rommel shuts out the Red Sox‚ 5-0‚ in the only AL game played today.
July 31At Chicago‚ Babe Ruth breaks a 1-1 tie with an 8th inning home run to the deepest part of the right centerfield bleachers. The Yankees win‚ 2-1 for Sam Jones‚ for their 10th win in a row.

At St. Louis‚ the Senators win‚ 9-0‚ behind Walter Johnson‘s 112th career shutout. Goose Goslin has a homer in the 5th.

At Cleveland‚ the Indians beat the Red Sox‚ 6-2‚ for their 6th win in a row‚ but lose the services of CF Ira Flagstead when he breaks his collarbone diving for Lutzke’s soft liner.

At Detroit‚ the A’s bash the Tigers‚ 9-6. Al Simmons has a “freak” homer and Sammy Hale clouts a grand slam in the 5th.

August


August 2In the Giants 4-2 win over the Cards at the Polo Grounds‚ New York CF Ty Tyson seals the victory with an unassisted DP in the 8th inning with the bases loaded. Tyson was beaned in the 6th‚ but stays in the game and snags a Specs Toporcer line drive and touches 2B before Tommy Thevenow can get back.
August 4Stanford star fullback Ernie Nevers pitches his first complete game for the St. Louis Browns‚ beating the A’s 3-1. Nevers will be 6-12 in his brief baseball life‚ but he will win a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame playing with the Duluth Eskimos and Chicago Cardinals (1926-31).

At Chicago‚ Bill Barrett hits a grand slam in the 7th to break a 3-3 tie with the Red Sox and give the White Sox a 7-3 win. He also hits a 2-run double.

Cardinal pitcher Willie Sherdel‚ who owns the Robins‚ continues his mastery over Brooklyn with an 8-4 win. Sherdel paces the attack with a double‚ triple and home run.

The Braves and Pirates split‚ with Boston taking the opener 14-0 and the Pirates fighting back to win game 2 by a 5-2 score. Jack Smith has 8 hits for the afternoon‚ including 5 hits in game 1.
August 5Zach Wheat‚ in his 18th season for Brooklyn‚ connects for his final Dodger HR but collapses near 2B as his injured leg gives out. The future Hall of Famer refuses a pinch runner and‚ after several minutes‚ limps around to home plate. The Cards still beat Brooklyn 11-9. Wheat will add another HR to his total in 1927 while in an A’s uniform.

Detroit beats Washington‚ 6-4‚ handing the loss to Walter Johnson. Heinie Manush‚ the eventual batting champ‚ is 1-for-4 with a run scored for Detroit.
August 7Boston Brave hurler Bob Smith stops the Pirates‚ 2-0‚ and teammate Johnny Wertz matches him in the nitecap‚ winning 2-0.

Carl Mays coasts to his 3rd shutout in a row‚ an 11-0 Reds win over the Giants at the Polo Grounds. Chuck Dressen hits a grand slam in the 3rd inning‚ off Chuck Davies. The Giants come back in game 2 to win‚ 3-1.
August 9Cleveland’s Tris Speak belts a 3-run homer in the 4th‚ off Walter Johnson‚ and the Indians trip the Senators‚ 7-5. Sherry Smith is the starter and winner.
August 10In relief of Lefty Grove‚ Joe Pate picks up the win for the A’s in a 4-3 decision over the White Sox. It is Pate’s 9th straight win as he finished with a ML record 9-0 in 1926. Tom Zachary‚ 12-0 in 1929‚ Howie Krist‚ 10-0 in 1941‚ and Ken Holtzman‚ 9-0 in 1968‚ will peer Pate’s perfect percentage.
August 11Dodgers rookie Babe Herman collects his 8th and 9th hits in a row‚ but flies out to Kiki Cuyler in the 6th to fall short of the record of 10 straight‚ held by Cuyler and Ed Konetchy. Brooklyn tops the Pirates‚ 4-2.

Tris Speaker hits the 700th double of his career‚ off Joe Edwards‚ but his Indians lose to the White Sox 7-2. Tris will end his career with a record 792 doubles.

At Philadelphia‚ the Reds kick the Phils‚ 21-3‚ as Wally Pipp contributes a grand slam in the 3rd off Clarence Mitchell. The Reds score 5 in the 3rd‚ 8 in the 4th‚ 2 in the 5th and complete the scoring with 6 in the 7th.
August 13In a dispute stretching back to last season‚ Pittsburgh players ask that Fred Clarke‚ now assistant to owner Barney Dreyfuss‚ not be permitted to sit on the bench. Sam Dreyfuss‚ filling in for his father who is Europe‚ squelches the revolt by releasing Carson Bigbee and Babe Adams‚ and suspending Max Carey‚ who has slumped to .222. Carey is waived to the Dodgers. Manager Bill McKechnie will fill in till the end of the year‚ to be replaced by Donie Bush‚ Indianapolis manager. The three players protest to NL president Heydler‚ who absolves them of insubordination‚ but also confirms the owner’s right to get rid of them.

The only game played today is in Washington‚ where Lou Gehrig clouts homers in the 4th and 5th innings off Walter Johnson‚ only the 2nd time in his career that the Washington star has surrendered 2 homers to one player. The Yankees win‚ 7-5.
August 15Three runners on third! The Braves are at Ebbets Field with Brooklyn’s Hank DeBerry on 3B‚ Dazzy Vance on 2B‚ and Chick Fewster on 1B‚ when Babe Herman drives a vicious liner against the RF wall that caroms back towards the second baseman‚ Doc Gautreau. DeBerry scores‚ but Vance initially holds up‚ then rounds 3B headed for home. Fewster stops at 3B. Gautreau throws home and traps Vance‚ who heads back to 3B. Herman slides into 3B joining the crowd‚ as Fewster steps off. Herman is ruled out for passing a base runner. Fewster‚ thinking he’s out‚ too‚ walks off with Babe‚ and gets tagged out. Vance‚ still on 3B‚ later admits it was his fault. Poor Herman‚ who thought he had a triple but merely doubles into a double play‚ gets the blame. With all that‚ the Robins sweep a pair from the Braves‚ winning 4-1 and 11-3.

The Browns split a pair with the Indians‚ winning 11-7 in game one with the help of Wally Schang‘s grand slam. Bill Burns hits his 54th double for Cleveland. In the 6-4 game 2‚ limited to 7 innings by agreement‚ Tris Speaker scores the last run for Cleveland by stealing home.

Before 28‚000 at Detroit‚ the NYC Fireman blaze to a sweep of the Detroit Fireman‚ winning 9-1 and 4-1 in 3 innings.
August 16In Boston‚ the Red Sox split a pair with the Browns‚ losing 6-1 and winning 7-1. In the 2nd game‚ two Red Sox players-Alex Gaston in the 2nd‚ and Fred Haney in 6th-triple with bases loaded. This is the first time its been done in the AL‚ and ties the ML record.
August 20The Giants lose their 5th in 6 games‚ 6-2 in St. Louis. It is the Giants 3rd loss in a row to the Cards‚ giving St. Louis a momentary view from atop the NL. In today’s game‚ Frankie Frisch misses a sign that costs a run. After the game‚ berated by John McGraw in front of the team‚ Frisch buys a ticket to New York and leaves the team. Fined $500‚ McGraw’s favorite‚ and heir apparent‚ is through with the Giants.
August 21It takes Ted Lyons just 67 minutes and 81 pitches to no-hit the Red Sox 6-0 for Chicago. Lyons strikes out 2 and walks just one-the leadoff batter Johnny Tobin-in beating Slim Harriss. CF Johnny Mostil has 4 hits‚ a stolen base‚ run‚ and 3 RBIs. Lyons has now thrown 32 scoreless innings‚ including a 10-inning shutout against Detroit last Sunday.

Rabbit Maranville‚ hitting .235‚ is released by the Dodgers.
August 22After three games with the Tigers are rained out at home‚ Connie Mack and Tom Shibe decide that Sunday baseball is entitled to be played. Armed with a court injunction preventing police from interfering‚ they play the first Sunday game ever seen in Philadelphia. A light rain holds the crowd to 10‚000‚ but Lefty Grove sets down the White Sox 3-2 without incident. A court later rules Sunday baseball still illegal; it will be 1934 before that law changes in Philadelphia.

The Reds sweep a pair in extra innings with the Braves‚ winning 4-3 in 10 innings and 7-6 in 12 innings. Dick Burns‚ Boston 1B‚ drops an easy fly with 2 outs and 2 runners on to help the Reds score 3 runs in the 12th to win.
August 24The Reds beat the visiting Giants‚ 4-3‚ to run their win streak to 10 games.
August 25With a 4-3 win over Boston‚ the Cardinals regain first place in the NL‚ but the next day the Pirates retake the high ground. The five games with Pittsburgh will attract 113‚113 to Sportsman’s Park.
August 26Pittsburgh RF Paul Waner goes 6-for-6‚ including 2 doubles and a triple‚ in a 15-7 win against the Giants. Waner uses 6 different bats to accomplish his feat. Bucs P Lee Meadows is doubled up at 2B when he tries to advance on a ground out. He gives up 5 runs to New York in the next inning.
August 27Veteran P Dutch Ruether is picked up from Washington by the Yankees.
August 28The Indians use the same lineup in 2 victories over the Red Sox‚ including Emil Levsen‚ who pitches the 6-1 and 5-1 sweep. He strikes out none and allows 4 hits in the opener and then‚ responding to good natured kidding from teammates Joe Sewell and Jack Burns about how easy he had it‚ asks manager Speaker if he can pitch the nitecap. “Spoke” agrees and Levsen again allows 4 hits and no walks‚ becoming the last pitcher to throw 2 complete games in a day.

Babe Ruth hits his 40th and Meusel adds a bounce home run‚ but the Tigers prevail over the Yankees‚ 8-4. Fats Fothergill is 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles for Detroit.
August 30Hugh McQuillan and Heinie Mueller combine to stop the Giants long losing streak by stopping the Robins‚ 8-2. McQuillan allows just 5 hits while Mueller bangs two homers and a single‚ the first against Bob McGraw with two on in the 5th.

At the Stadium‚ the Senators rack up nine runs before the Yankees get on the board‚ and Walter Johnson paces himself to a 12-6 win. Big Barney strikes out 8. The Senators outhit the Hugmen‚ 12-11‚ but errors hurt the Yankees. Two hits and an error in the first inning is followed by a Joe Judge grand slam off Sam Jones‚ and the Nats add another 4 in the 3rd. Tony Lazzeri hits a 2-run HR off Johnson in the 8th.
August 31Bill Sherdel and Allen Sothoron pitch the Cards back into first place with 6-1 and 2-1 wins over the Pirates. It is the first time a Cardinal team has been in first place at the start of September.

White Sox IF Ray Morehart gets 9 hits in 10 at bats in a doubleheader split with Detroit‚ a ML record that has been matched but never broken. The Sox coast to a 19-2 blowout behind Red Faber in game 1‚ then lose 7-6 in game 2.

October


October 1Washington and Boston combine for a ML-record 11 sacrifices in a game won by the Senators 7-4. The Sox make 4 off the sacrifices‚ but it wasn’t enough.
October 2In the first game of a twinbill between Chicago and St. Louis‚ Pete Alexander exacts revenge on the Cubs‚ whipping them 2-0. Charlie Root is the loser. The Cards take the nitecap‚ 9-1.
October 3In a 17-3 Giants cakewalk over the Braves‚ the Giants unload for a NL record 12 runs in the 5th inning. Young Mel Ott plays 5 innings and goes 3-for-3. He also steals a base. The 17-year-old star will hit .383 in 35 games this year. The Giants blow it open in the 5th inning‚ scoring 12 runs.
October 4The Reds take first place by beating the Cards‚ 5-0. Pete Donohue beats Wee Willie Sherdel. Tomorrow the teams will reverse positions again when the Cards win‚ 7-3.
October 5At Baltimore‚ the minor league Orioles embarrass the Yankees‚ 18-9 in an exhibition game. Ruth is 0-for-5 and tangles with Mark Koenig in the dugout after the 8th inning. Ruth yells at Koenig of loafing on several plays.
October 6The Reds split a doubleheader with the Cubs‚ losing 2-0 to Charlie Root‚ before winning 7-4. The Reds also lose P Jakie May (13-9)‚ who is spiked in the opener‚ and is out for the remainder of the season.
October 7The Red Sox lose their 17th game in a row‚ losing 4-2 to the Yankees.
October 8The Phils trail the Dodgers‚ 4-2‚ going into the last of the 9th but rally to win‚ 8-4. The winning blow is Cy Williams grand slam‚ the 2nd Philley slam in 3 days.
October 9Trailing 6-3 at the end of 8 innings‚ Brooklyn then makes 9 hits and adds two walks to win going away‚ 12-6. A NL record five Brooklyn pinch hitters all deliver‚ including pinch hitter Dick Cox‚ who gets 2 hits‚ scores twice‚ and has 2 RBI in a 9-run 9th inning. Pinch hitter Moose Clabaugh bats twice in the 9th‚ collecting a hit: the six pinch hits sets a ML record and the 3 pinch runners scoring ties a ML mark set in 1900. The Phils use a record-tying 5 pitchers in the 9th with Waylon Dean taking the loss. The Phils are again paced by Cy Williams‚ who clubs two homers in his first two at-bats (three in a row)‚ before striking out in his next.
October 10In the Browns 5-4 win over the White Sox‚ pitcher Win Ballou stops Harry McCurdy‘s consecutive hit streak at 10‚ Win also wins.
October 11Cleveland sweeps two from the Nationals‚ winning 8-1 and 3-2. In the opener‚ Walter Johnson serves a two-run homer to Tris Speaker in the opening inning.

In a last match-up in their fraternal rivalry‚ Brooklyn’s Jesse Barnes beats his brother and the Giants‚ 6-0. Jesse is 3-2 against his brother Virgil. There won’t be another brother pitching match-up until the Niekros.
October 14The Reds take the NL lead with a 5-1 win over the Dodgers. Cincy is now up by a half game.
October 15The Yankees beat the Indians‚ 6-4‚ as Bob Meusel drives home three runs with three sacrifice flies. This ties the ML record set by Harry Steinfeldt in 1909. Bob Shawkey is the winning hurler.
October 16The Giants clean house early‚ giving Heinie Groh his release and allowing Irish Meusel to buy out his. Irish will finish out his career with a season in Brooklyn.

At Philadelphia‚ the Cards sweep a pair from the Phils to tie for first place with the Reds. They open with a 23-3 pasting‚ a game in which 36 players are used‚ 22 by the Phils. The Cards plate 12 runs in the 3rd inning‚ with all the Cardinals getting a hit except Billy Southworth‚ who is robbed of a double by Freddy Leach‘s catch. Taylor Douthit has a walk and single‚ 2 stolen bases‚ and 5 runs scored in the game. Flint Rhem is the winning pitcher. The game is enlivened in the 6th when Bill Klem thumbs C Wilson and manager Art Fletcher out of the game. Moments later a sign “Catfish Klem” appears in the clubhouse window and Klem holds up the game until it is removed. The Cards lighten up in game 2‚ winning 10-2‚ behind Art Reinhart.
October 17The Cardinals regain the NL lead in a 10-1 win over the Phils. Light-hitting Tommy Thevenow bangs his first ML homer‚ an inside the park liner off Jack Knight. The Reds continue to nose-dive‚ dropping a 5-4 decision to the Giants on Frankie Frisch‘s 10th inning HR. The Reds will lose 7 of the final 9.
October 18At Dunn Field‚ the Indians win their 4th in a row‚ defeating the Yanks 3-1‚ behind George Uhle. The win cuts the Yankees AL lead to 2 1/2 games over the Tribe.
October 19At Cleveland’s League Park‚ a crowd of 31‚000 watch the Yankees hold back the Indians‚ 8-3‚ in the final of a six game series. In the 7th‚ Ruth parks his 43rd homer of the year and Gehrig follows with another HR‚ both off Emil Levsen. Gehrig adds three doubles and 5 RBIs to lead the Yankee charge. Dutch Ruether picks up the New York win.

The White Sox beat Boston 6-3‚ the same score as yesterday‚ to complete a 5 game sweep of the Bosox in Chicago.

Detroit edges Washington‚ 8-7‚ on Ty Cobb‘s pinch single in the 9th‚ beating Walter Johnson.
October 20With the Cardinals idle‚ the Reds’ nosedive continues as the Braves sweep a pair from Cincinnati‚ 4-3 and 3-0. In game 1‚ Edd Roush misses a shoestring catch of a Andy High fly ball‚ which goes for an inside-the-park HR. Roush also misses an easy fly ball in the 6th. Bob Smith applies the calcimine in game 2‚ with Dolf Luque on the losing end.
October 21In St. Louis‚ the Senators collect 17 hits in beating the Browns for the 3rd straight time‚ 11-6. Crowder‚ the winning pitcher‚ has 2 hits‚ while Goose Goslin has 4 hits‚ including his 17th homer. All 17 of his homers have come on the road‚ the highest home run total for a player who has hit none at home. Only Babe Ruth will end up with more homers (24) on the road this year. Goose is tied for 4th in the AL.

Behind Waite Hoyt‘s two-hitter‚ the Yankees bomb the White Sox‚ 14-0‚ to retain their 3-game lead in the AL. Babe Ruth has a triple and hits his 44th homer. Al Simmons is 2nd with 19.
October 22The Cardinals‚ led by Les Bell‘s ML record-tying 3 triples and a double‚ roll by the Dodgers‚ 15-7‚ to increase their 1st place lead of Cincy to 2 1/2 games. Rookie Tommy Thevenow and Jim Bottomley chip in with home runs. For Thevenow‚ it is his 2nd homer in 6 days‚ again an inside-the-park drive. He’ll play another 12 years-3351 at bats-and never hit another homer.

In Philadelphia‚ the A’s play their first Sunday game ever‚ beating the White Sox‚ 3-2‚ behind Lefty Grove. A state Supreme Court decision will delay the next Sunday game for 8 years.
October 24At the Polo Grounds‚ the Cardinals clinch the pennant by beating the Giants 6-4 behind Flint Rhem and Bill Sherdel. Billy Southworth homers to help beat his old teammates‚ negating Bill Terry’s 3-run HR off Rhem. The Cards are now ahead of Cincinnati by three games with two to play. The Reds lose to the Phillies today‚ 9-2.
October 25The Yankees take two from the Browns to nail down the AL flag‚ winning the opener 10-2 behind Herb Pennock. Ruth’s grand slam is the big blow. In the nitecap‚ Gehrig homers in the 3rd inning‚ off Milt Gaston‚ while Ruth matches him with a 2-run HR in the 6th off Win Ballou. Ruth adds a solo shot in the 9th‚ his 46th‚ off Joe Giard to seal the Waite Hoyt 10-4 victory. Ruth has 4 RBIs in each game‚ though his official scorecard somehow lists him at two apiece: the incorrect total will not be noted until researcher Trent McCotter discovers it in 2004‚ and it raises his RBI total for the year to 150‚ not 146‚ which is his official total. Despite the score‚ the second game is played in a new AL record 55 minutes. The NL record is 51 minutes‚ on September 28‚ 1919.

In the first of two games in Chicago‚ Sox RF Bill Barrett breaks a 1-1 tie with a 9th inning solo homer of Washington’s Walter Johnson to give the win to Tommy Thomas‚ 2-1. The Senators take the 2nd game‚ 3-2‚ behind Firpo Marberry.

In Boston‚ the Pirates release veteran Stuffy McInnis so that he can return to his home nearby. McInnis is credited with telling reporters about a team vote that was taken regarding whether veep Fred Clarke should be asked to quit the bench. When word got out it was assumed that McInnis’s days were numbered. The vote resulted in the release of veterans Babe Adams and Carson Bigbee and Max Carey being waived to Brooklyn on August 13.
October 26The Browns beat the Yankees twice‚ 6-1 and 6-2‚ in a total time of 2 hours‚ 7 minutes‚ a ML record for a twinbill. The 2nd game is the fastest in AL history: 55 minutes. The Yanks total 19 hits‚ while the Browns collect 26 in the two games. Ruth has one at bat‚ then sits‚ and misses reliever George Sisler‚ who tosses 2 scoreless innings to finish for the Browns in game 2 and‚ when the Browns score 4 in the 8th‚ picks up the victory. Ruth has 47 homers-twice the runner-up‚ and also leads the AL with 139 runs‚ 155 RBI‚ and 144 bases on balls. Ruth is batting .372‚ 2nd to Detroit’s Heinie Manush‚ who will go 6-for-9 on the last day to end at .378. Browns coach Jimmie Austin‚ 46 years old‚ participates in the nitecap and contributes to the win by knocking in a run with a double and then stealing home. He is not the oldest to steal a base (Arlie Latham‚ 50‚ in 1909)‚ but he is the oldest to steal home. The Yankees use Fred Merkle in his final game. Merkle replaces Gehrig at 1B in the 6th.

The Series-bound Cardinals lose to the Reds‚ 2-1‚ when Cincinnati scores 2 runs in the 9th. Pete Donohue wins his 20th for the Reds.

At Brooklyn‚ the Robins take a pair from the Cubs‚ winning 3-1 and 6-2. Dazzy Vance strikes out 15 batters for the 3rd and last time in his career in the opener. Only three NL pitchers (Hahn‚ Mathewson‚ Rucker) this century have struck out 15 in a 9-inning game‚ and no one has topped it.

Detroit takes a pair from the Red Sox‚ winning 11-2 and 5-4. Bob Fothergill hits for the cycle for the host Tigers.
October 27Cleveland 1B George Burns hits his 64th double of the year‚ as the Indians down Philadelphia 5-4. Indians right-hander George Uhle gives up 9 hits in winning his 27th against 11 losses. He leads the AL‚ despite giving up a league-high 300 hits and 118 walks‚ and posts a 2.83 ERA. It is his best record in a 17-year‚ 200-win career.
October 29In the only games played today‚ the 7th place Braves sweep a pair from the last-place Phillies‚ 7-6 and 2-1. Rookies Johnny Werts and Bunny Hearn are the winning hurlers over Claude Willoughby and Dutch Ulrich.

October


October 2Game 1 of the WS before 61‚658 at New York belongs to southpaws Herb Pennock (25-11) and Bill Sherdel (16-12). Two hits give the Cards a quick first-inning run. Sherdel issues 3 walks for a New York run without a hit. In the 6th‚ Babe Ruth slaps a single to left‚ moves to 2B on a sacrifice‚ and scores on a Lou Gehrig single for a 2-1 win. It is the first of Gehrig’s record 8 game-winning RBI in WS play.
October 3Grover Alexander (9-7) faces Urban Shocker (19-11) as a record 63‚600 look on. The Yankees score twice in the 2nd‚ but Old Pete sets down the last 21 batters‚ striking out 10. Billy Southworth and SS Tommy Thevenow collect 3 hits each‚ including a home run apiece‚ for a 6-2 St. Louis win. Thevenow’s is a line drive that skips by Ruth for an inside-the-park homer: Thevenow will hit 2 regular season HRs in his career-both inside the park.

In Baltimore‚ the Bacharach Giants’ Red Grier tosses a 10-0 no-hitter against the Chicago American Giants in the 3rd game of the Negro League World Series. Grier wins just more one game before an unexplained ailment ends his career.
October 5Jesse Haines (13-4) stifles the Yanks on 5 hits while the Cards kayo Dutch Ruether (14-9 on the year‚ 2-5 for the Yanks) in the 5th. Haines helps his own side with a 2-run HR in the 4th. The 4-0 St. Louis win gives them the Series lead.
October 6In game 4‚ the Yankees tee off on Flint Rhem (20-7) and 4 other Cardinal hurlers for 10 runs and 14 hits‚ while Waite Hoyt (16-12) strands 10 Cardinal runners for a 10-5 win. Babe Ruth hits 3 HRs to fulfill his October 1st promise to a bedridden 11-year-old‚ Johnny Sylvester. Ruth’s 3rd clout‚ in the 6th‚ is the longest blast ever seen in St. Louis. It clears the park and goes through the window of an auto dealer across the street. In the 4th‚ Taylor Douthit and Chick Hafey collide in the OF as the ball drops; Douthit is sidelined for the rest of the Series.
October 7With the Series tied at 2-2‚ 39‚552 pack Sportsman’s Park to watch Herb Pennock and Bill Sherdel duel again. The Cards score first on a double by Jim Bottomley and single by Les Bell. Ragged play costs the Cards a run in the 6th. Tied 2-2 in the 10th‚ Mark Koenig singles‚ takes 2B on a wild pitch‚ and after a sacrifice‚ comes home on Tony Lazzeri‘s long ?y for a 3-2 Yankees win.
October 9Grover Alexander scatters 8 hits in game 6 while the Cards tee off on Bob Shawkey (8-6)‚ Urban Shocker‚ and Myles Thomas for 10 runs and 13 hits in a 10-2 romp.

At San Francisco‚ Mission (PCL) beats Los Angeles‚ 15-6 behind the hitting a pitching of Clyde Barfoot. He goes 3-for-5‚ with 3 home runs‚ 9 RBIs. Barfoot‚ who pitched for Detroit earlier in the year‚ was a .263 hitter in the majors.
October 10On a drizzling New York afternoon‚ only 38‚093 show up at the Stadium for the deciding WS contest. Grover Alexander‚ possibly sleeping off a hangover in the bullpen‚ barely notices when Jess Haines take a 3-2 lead over Waite Hoyt into the 7th. Haines weakens in the last of the 7th; 3 walks put Earle Combs‚ Bob Meusel‚ and Lou Gehrig on base with 2 out and Tony Lazzeri at the plate. Hornsby then waves in Alexander. On a 1-1 count Lazzeri hits a line drive into the left-field seats‚ a few feet to the foul side of the pole‚ then swings and misses for strike 3. Alexander sets the Yanks down in order until Babe Ruth draws his 11th walk with 2 out in the 9th‚ and is thrown out inexplicably trying to steal 2B. The Cards and St. Louis have their first World Championship. Each winner collects $5‚584.51‚ the losers‚ $3‚417.75.
October 11The Browns announce that George Sisler will be back as a player but not as manager.
October 13Cleveland 1B George Burns is voted AL MVP. Hitting .358‚ Burns makes 64 doubles‚ topping Tris Speaker‘s 59. It’ll be the record until Earl Webb’s 67 in 1931.
October 20John “Stuffy” McInnis is named manager of the Phils succeeding Art Fletcher. Fletcher will sign on with the Yankees as coach.
October 22Manager Lee Fohl resigns after 2 last-place finishes with the Red Sox.
October 23In South Bend‚ Indiana‚ the Babe Ruth All Stars‚ including Johnny Mostil‚ Marty McManus and Urban Shocker‚ beat the local South Bend Indians 7-3 in a game called after 6 innings because of a late start. The all stars were delayed 2 hours when their vehicle broke down‚ as researched by historian Kevin Paczkowski. The Babe is 3-for-4 and hits a HR estimated at 600 feet. In preparation for the Babe’s visit‚ the local team stocked up on baseballs at a cost of $1.23 each: in Montreal on October 17‚ the Babe hit 36 into a nearby river‚ according to the South Bend Tribune‚ and the ensuing game had to be stopped for lack of balls. Babe’s squad will tie tomorrow when the Indians pitch the Giants Fred Fitzsimmons‚ who lives nearby. Joining Freddie is Fred Lindstrom.

December


December 3Ty Cobb resigns as Tigers manager and announces his retirement from the game. AL umpire and former Tigers IF George Moriarty replaces him. Moriarty is the only man to hold baseball’s 4 principal jobs: player‚ umpire‚ scout‚ and manager.

Dan Howley is named St. Louis Browns manager replacing George Sisler.
December 11Eddie Collins is released as White Sox manager; he’ll rejoin the A’s as a player-coach. C Ray Schalk takes his place.
December 29Tris Speaker resigns as Indians manager. Stories of a thrown game and betting on games by Ty Cobb and Speaker gain momentum when Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis holds a secret hearing with the 2 stars and former P-OF Joe Wood. The story and testimony will not be released until December 21st. Former Tigers P Dutch Leonard wrote to Harry Heilmann that he had turned over letters written to him by Joe Wood and Ty Cobb to AL president Ban Johnson‚ implicating Wood and Cobb in betting on a Tiger-Cleveland game played in Detroit‚ September 25‚ 1919. He charged that Cobb and Speaker conspired to let Detroit win to help them gain 3rd-place money. At a secret meeting of AL directors‚ it was decided to let Cobb and Speaker resign with no publicity. But‚ as rumors spread‚ Judge Landis takes charge of the matter and holds the hearings‚ at which Leonard refuses to appear. Cobb and Wood admit to the letters‚ but say it was a horse racing bet‚ and contend Leonard is angry for having been released to the Pacific Coast League by Cobb. Speaker‚ not named in the letters‚ denies everything. Public sympathy is with the stars‚ but the matter will remain unresolved until January of next year.
December 30Bill Carrigan‚ popular Red Sox manager who won pennants in 1915 and 1916‚ is drafted out of retirement to resurrect the cellar-dwellers.

December


December 5Cardinals C Bob O’Farrell is named NL MVP. O’Farrell caught 146 games and batted .293. He polls 79 points. Reds 2B Hughie Critz is runner-up with 60. Critz set a ML record handling 588 assists‚ which will be topped by Frankie Frisch with 643 in 1927.
December 11Cleveland coach Jack McAllister is named to replace Tris Speaker as Indians manager.
December 16Judge Landis is given a new 7-year term as commissioner with a raise to $65‚000.
December 20In probably the biggest player-for-player trade to date‚ Rogers Hornsby is traded from the Cardinals to the New York Giants for Frankie Frisch and P Jimmy Ring. Hornsby‚ after 12 years in St. Louis‚ will play for 3 teams in the next 3 years. Hornsby and owner Sam Breadon had had an increasingly stormy relationship‚ and feelings between Frankie Frisch and John McGraw were equally as bad. Thirty years later‚ Hornsby will call the trade “the biggest disappointment in my life.”
December 28The NL’s 1926 MVP Bob O’Farrell is named to replace Rogers Hornsby as the Cards manager. The job was reportedly first offered to Bill Killefer who‚ out of loyalty to Hornsby turned it down‚ and quit. Killefer will sign on as a coach of the Browns.
December 30The Chicago Tribune breaks a story that the Tigers had thrown a 4-game series to the White Sox in 1917 to help Chicago win the pennant. Responding to the publicity‚ Judge Landis will begin a hearing in a week.