by andycummings65 » Tue May 04, 2010 9:35 am
[size=18:0786624025][b:0786624025]SEASON #4 RECAP[/b:0786624025][/size:0786624025]
Close pennant races, great pitching, the first repeat champion, and Ty Cobb’s latest flirtation with .400 were the stories of Season Four. Catfish Hunter of the A’s tied the Single Season record for most wins in a season, and Joe “Iron Man McGinnity set an ERA record of 2.82, garnering his second ERA title and the Cy Young Award.
The Eastern Division could be characterized as weak in Season 4. The Expansion Team struggled, despite All-Star performances from Mike Schmidt(58 HR, 139 RBI), George Brett(46 HR, 125 RBI, .325), and Robin Yount(36 HR, 119 RBI), but their pitching staff could not keep the ball in the yard, surrendering a staggering 284 home runs. Mark McGwire smacked a league-leading 71 longballs for the third place Cardinals. The battle for the division crown was a back-and-forth affair between the defending champion Tigers and the seemingly perennial bridesmaids, the White Sox. The Pale Hose offense was led by Dick Allen(34 HR, 104 RBI), shortstop Luke Appling(.317 AVG, .411 OBP), and Joe Jackson(207 hits, .332 AVG), while Ed Walsh(21 wins, 3.96 ERA) anchored an inconsistent staff. The Tigers were pushed along, cajoled, and challenged by fiery outfielder Ty Cobb, who hated the opposition only slightly less than his hatred of losing. Cobb stayed at the .400 mark most of the summer, finishing with batting title with a record .391 batting average. Cobb also set a new Single Season record with 887 stolen bases, obliterating Eric Davis’ former record of 62. Hank Greenberg(44 HR, 129 RBI) and Rocky Colavito(44 HR, 118 RBI) provided the power, and Denny McLain (21-10, 3.30 ERA, 200 strikeouts) and Willie Hernandez (42 saves, 3.03 ERA) dominated on the mound. The Tigers beat the White Sox 2 out of 3 in the next to last series of the season, then outlasted them on the season’s final day to have the opportunity to defend their Season Three championship, leaving the White Sox painfully short once again.
The A’s coasted to the Central Division title, though the Dodgers made a late run and finished second. The Reds struggled all season, and the Cubs, though bolstered by Pete Alexander’s 21 wins, were never a factor. Dazzy Vance(23-14, 363 Strikeouts), Don Drysdale(23-15, 4.14 ERA), and Sandy Koufax(17-18, 304 strikeouts) led the Dodger’s moundmen, and catcher Roy Campanella(41 HR, 102 RBI) and designated hitter Mike Piazza(54 HR, 128 RBI) led at the plate, but it was too little, too late to overtake Connie Mack’s boys. All four of the A’s pitchers provided quality starts, led by Single Season wins leader Catfish Hunter (27-11, 4.14 ERA). Vida Blue(22-11), Chief Bender(20-19), and Rube Waddell(18-21) all produced ERA’s in the mid-to-low 4.00s. Secondbaseman Eddie Collins(108 runs, .325, 46 SB) and leftfielder Rickey Henderson(127 runs, 50 SB)) paced the top of the A’s order, and Jimmie Foxx(.308, 62 HR, 149 RBI) saw to it that the bags didn’t stay full.
The Western Division was provided the most regular season excitement, as the Indians, Giants, and Yankees battled for the title. The Indians looked to centerfielder Tris Speaker(.319, 116 runs, 50 2b) and thirdbaseman Al Rosen(32 HR, 102 RBI) to lead their offense. However, the real strength of the Tribe was on the mound, led by twin closers Don Mossi (24 saves) and Ray Narleski (23 saves). Bob Feller(25-11), Stan Coveleski(21-15), and Addie Joss(3.91 ERA) gave the Indians the outs they needed.
The Giants also looked to their pitching staff for leadership in Season Four. Joe McGinnity won the Cy Young Award with a 25-11 record and a Single Season record 2.82 ERA. The Iron Man was assisted by Carl Hubbell(22-10, 4.19 ERA), Christy Mathewson(16-20, 3.85 ERA), and closer Stu Miller(24 saves). Barry Bonds(56 HR, 138 RBI) took the lead offensively, as centerfielder Willie Mays(24 HR, 107 RBI) and rightfielder Mel Ott(31 HR, 102 RBI) contributed as well, though the capricious winds at Candlestick Park toyed with the hitters and their numbers all season long.
The Yankees were the antithesis to their pitching-based rivals. Babe Ruth won his second straight MVP Award, bashing a league leading 71 circuit clouts, 148 runs scored, and 160 RBI, also leading the league in that category. Mickey Mantle hit 62 home runs, knocked in 141 runs, and scored a league leading 169 times, and firstbaseman Lou Gehrig(48 HR, 131 RBI), designated hitter Joe DiMaggio(32 HR, 132 RBI), and catcher Yogi Berra(37 HR, 111 RBI) provided punch as well. Jack Chesbro(23-23, 3.98 ERA) pitched well for the Bronx Bombers, and closer Goose Gossage made up for his failings in Season Three’s World Series by handling 25 save chances with no blown saves. It was not enough, however, as the Yankees began to slide out of the race in the last few days of the season. The Giants and Indians maintained a vicious battle, and the Giants moved into first place by one game heading into the last game of the season. The Indians did their part, defeating the hapless Pirates behind Coveleski’s 2 hit shutout. In the Giants-Yankees game, Babe Ruth decided to interject himself into the pennant race one last time, crushing 3 home runs along with 8 RBI, leading the Yankees to a 15-6 blowout of the Giants, leaving a stewing John McGraw to check the division title tiebreakers, which, to Little Napoleon’s consternation, gave the Western Division title to the Tribe. McGraw and the Giants would have to settle for the Wild Card.
In the Semi-Finals, the Tigers and Indians engaged in a battle of Lake Erie, but it was the defending champs who would end up all wet. The Indians jumped to an early 2-0 lead in spacious League Park on the pitching of Addie Joss and Stan Coveleski. In Game 3, the Tigers tried to rise up for their home fans, winning 11-1 behind big Jim Bunning, but Game 4 was a different story. The Tigers led 7-5 through 7 innings, and Hal Newhouser handed the ball off to closer Willie Hernandez to get the final 9 outs to move the Tigers to Game 5. Hernandez got through the 7th in short order, but in the top of the 8th, centerfielder Ty Cobb inexplicably dropped Eddie Murray’s leadoff fly to center. Elmer Flick’s single to center scored Murray and brought the Tribe to within one run. Then, with 2 outs and Flick on third, Riggs Stephenson singled to left-center, and the Tigers fans watched in horror as the ball rolled under Cobb’s glove, all the way to the wall, enabling Stephenson to rumble around the bases to score the winning run. Don Mossi then shut the Tigers down in their last two innings, leaving Cobb to contemplate a record-breaking regular season ended by 2 errors and a .200 playoff batting average.
The A’s and Giants met in the Semi-Finals for the third time in four seasons, and the results were as exciting as expected. The Giants won Game 1 7-5 behind Cy Young winner Joe McGinnity, and the A’s evened the score by taking Game 2 by a score of 4-1, in large part due to Rube Waddell’s dominating complete game 3-hitter. Christy Mathewson one-upped Waddell by throwing a 4-hit shutout against the A’s in Game 3, helped by Freddie Lindstrom’s 2-run triple. Game 4 went to the A’s, as Rickey Henderson did what he has done so often in his career, leading off the game with a home run. Rickey would finish the day with 2 home runs, 3 rbi, and 3 runs scored, more than enough for Catfish Hunter to walk away with a 6-4 win. Game 5 saw Giants ace McGinnity get chased in the 4th inning by Reggie Jackson’s 2-run triple and aptly named Frank ‘Home Run’ Baker’s 2-run home run. Chief Bender had no similar trouble with the Giants bats, holding them to 4 hits and 1 run. With that, the A’s moved on to their second trip to the World Series.
The Indians and the A’s met in an epic World Series. While the Tribe looked to make history in their first playoff appearance, the A’s were looking to make a little history of their own by winning their second World Championship. In Game 1, Addie Joss pitched the Indians to a 4-3 with help from Mossi and Narleski, and in Game 2, Stan Coveleski went 9 as the Indians beat up on Connie Mack’s boys by a score of 15-5. Nap Lajoie doubled once and tripled twice and knocked in four runs, while centerfielder Tris Speaker went 3 for 5 with 3 RBI. With that, the Indians were staked to a 2-0 lead in the series.
Connie Mack hoped that moving the series back to Shibe Park would awaken his slumbering lumber, and that plan worked as the A’s got back into the series behind Jimmie Foxx and his 4 RBI day. Eddie Collins, Reggie Jackson, and Frank Baker all contributed home runs as well, and the A’s won 12-5. Game 4 was dominated by 2 relative newcomers, as Jose Canseco smashed 2 home runs and Dennis Eckersley picked up a save with 2 perfect innings, evening the series with an 8-6 victory. Game 5 showed the back and forth nature of this series, as Speaker hit a 2-run home run in the top of the first, only to see Rickey Henderson and Foxx go back-to-back in the bottom of the first, followed by the A’s manufacturing another run to take a 3-2 lead. Eddie Murray tied the game in the next inning with a home run to center, only to see Henderson answer again with another home run in the bottom frame. The Indians got close, but Rube Waddell held them at bay for a complete game 6-5 win.
The series shifted back to League Park for Game 6, and the Tribe looked to postseason hero Coveleski, who righted the Indians canoe with 7 innings of one-hit ball combined with a Mossi save to a 4-1 win and move the series to a final seventh game.
Game 7 looked to be a classic, with Chief Bender opposing Bob Feller. However, the A’s batters gave Rapid Robert a quick run to the showers, led by two of Mr. Mack’s favorites—Jimmie Foxx and Al Simmons. Foxx singled in two runs and then homered, and Simmons singled in a run and then hit a 3-run homer that ultimately ran Feller from the game in the 6th. While the Swinging A’s were doing their best swinging at Feller, Bender was allowing 3 hits through 9 innings, only allowing a Speaker home run in the 4th inning. Chief, later named Postseason MVP, took a 7-1 lead into the ninth, then struck out Al Rosen to end the game and place the World Series trophy into the hands of Connie Mack, who laid down his scorecard to pick up the World Series trophy for the second time.
[img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/tiny%20logos/jwrg5ev03kpa50eefaaxtm50g-1.gif[/img:0786624025][size=18:0786624025][b:0786624025][color=green:0786624025]WORLD SERIES CHAMPION ATHLETICS[/size:0786624025][/color:0786624025][/b:0786624025][img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/tiny%20logos/jwrg5ev03kpa50eefaaxtm50g-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
[size=18:0786624025]MVP—Babe Ruth(2), Yankees [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Cy Young Award—Joe McGinnity, Giants [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/cpqj6up5bvgpoedg5fwsk20ve-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Fireman Award—Willie Hernandez, Tigers [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
[b:0786624025]League Leaders [/b:0786624025]
Batting Average—Ty Cobb(3), Tigers .391 [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Home Runs—Mark McGwire(2), Cardinals 71 HR [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/3zhma0aeq17tktge1huh7yok5-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
[color=white:0786624025]Home Runs i said--[/color:0786624025]Babe Ruth, Yankees 71 HR [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
RBI---Babe Ruth, Yankees 160 RBI [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Runs—Mickey Mantle, Yankees 169 Runs* [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/7205-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Hits---Ty Cobb(3), Tigers 273 Hits* [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Doubles—Ty Cobb(2), Tigers 57 2b [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Triples—Elmer Flick(2), Indians 26 3b* [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/wnyd2zhh84f50ux4uxyqbktbh-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Stolen Bases—Ty Cobb(2), Tigers 87* [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Hit Streak—Kirby Puckett, Beltway 22 games [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/1196-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Wins---Catfish Hunter, Athletics 27-11 [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/fbf8agpcrht8b1wlh5el22hba-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Saves—Willie Hernandez, Tigers 42 Saves [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/txtu234jlffk0q5l62uhnwm3q-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Strikeouts—Dazzy Vance, Dodgers 363 Strikeouts [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/tayw0n3tsg72i7bwr6ef4u5y3-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
ERA—Joe McGinnity(2), Giants 2.82* [img:0786624025]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab13/andycummings/supersmall%20Logos/cpqj6up5bvgpoedg5fwsk20ve-1-1.gif[/img:0786624025]
Shutouts—8 with 3 ShO
*indicates Single Season Record[/size:0786624025]
Last edited by
andycummings65 on Fri Jun 04, 2010 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.