20th Century Tournament RECAPS

1900s SEASON RECAP

The 1900s saw Theodore Roosevelt dominate the Western Hemisphere with his Big Stick Policy, but Ty Cobb, Hugh Duffy, Sam Crawford and Nap Lajoie wielded some pretty big sticks themselves, though Cobb didn’t much follow the “walk softly” admonition. The new “ fad” of automobiles was catching on, with 8000 of the new-fangled vehicles running on a grand total of 10 miles of paved American roads, but speedsters like Cobb, Donie Bush, and Miller Huggins threatened to break the speed limits on the basepaths. The Wright brothers lifted the 76 million American population’s gaze to new heights, but so did the Chicago Cubs, New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, and Cleveland Indians as they sought the crown of best team of the 1900s.

EASTERN DIVISION
John McGraw whipped his charges to a rather dominant regular season, and the New York Giants won the pennant by 16 games. The Giants had all 4 starters win at least 20 games and throw at least 350 innings: ERA Champion Christy Mathewson (25-11, 1.84 ERA, 1.05 ERA), “Iron Man” Joe McGinnity (20-17, 2.91 ERA), Tim Keefe (25-11, 2.52 ERA) and Amos Rusie (22-12, 2.76). On offense, McGraw’s men played with aggression, stealing 363 bases, led by George Van Haltren, with 66 thefts, and Bill Dahlen with 64. Mike Donlin batted .327, with 86 Runs Scored and 82 RBI, while the Giants other big stick was first baseman Roger Connor (.278 AVG, 17 HR, 123 RBI). For his part, McGraw batted .305 and scored 115 runs, proving to be the catalyst for the G’ints. The Philadelphia Athletics, though dominated by the Giants in the regular season, managed to win the Wild Card for Connie Mack. Chief Bender (22-15, 2.15 ERA) and Eddie Plank (25-12, 2.43 ERA) were a fine one-two punch on the mound, and outfielders Bris Lord (.294 AVG, 75 RBI) and Danny Murphy (.325 AVG, 76 RBI) led the offensive attack in Shibe Park. The A’s finished the season in Fenway Park with the Wild Card on the line, but Chick Fraser and Bender shut down the Red Sox in the first two games of the series, giving the playoff berth to the City of Brotherly Love. The Red Sox had great pitching as well, with Eddie Cicotte (24-12, 2.07 ERA) and Cy Young (20-19, 2.48 ERA). Buck Freeman (25 HR, 112 RBI) and Red Parnell (.318, 14 HR, 85 RBI) gave Boston fans plenty to cheer about when they stepped to the plate. Philadelphia had a population of 1.2 million in 1900, and it is a safe bet that more Philadelphians beat a path to Shibe Park than made their way to Baker Bowl to watch the Phillies. The Phillies did finish last in the Eastern Division, but they had some fine performances as well, led by Ben Tincup and his 37 Saves and Big Ed Delahanty, who batted .287 and scored 99 runs. The biggest star in Philadelphia was Sam Thompson, who batted a white-hot .360, with 25 Doubles, 24 Triples, and 16 Home Runs, while driving in 110 RBI.

CENTRAL DIVISION
The Cleveland Indians had the league’s best offense, led by League MVP Nap Lajoie, who batted .351 with 233 hits, with 76 Extra-Base hits, and scored 120 runs. Elmer Flick (.334 AVG, 40 2b, 108 RBI) and Charlie Hickman (.290 AVG, 106 RBI) were solid middle-of-the-order hitters for the Central Division Champions, who also boasted 4 20-game winners: Addie Joss (25-13, 2.27 ERA), Otto Hess (22-16, 3.30 ERA), Bob Rhoads (21-17, 2.71 ERA), and Bill Bernhard (20-13, 2.92). Though the Pittsburgh Pirates had a winning season, they were never able to seriously challenge the Indians. Honus Wagner had solid, if slightly disappointing season, batting .303, while driving in and scoring 80 runs and stealing 55 bases. Chief Wilson led the league with an amazing 37 Triples, but the pitching staff did not perform to preseason expectations. The St. Louis Browns started off strong, but faded quicker than a William Jennings Bryan presidential run. Hugh Duffy (.379 AVG, 52 2b, 99 XBH, 99 RBI) and Billy Hamilton (.328 AVG, 53 SB) could not make up for a weak pitching staff, and Duffy’s boys sunk to third place. The Cincinnati Reds finished last in the Central Division, but there were a few bright spots for the fans at the Palace of the Fans. Miller Huggins (.303 AVG, 96 Runs) pilfered 73 bags, Cy Seymour (.314 AVG) and Jimmy Ryan (.300 AVG) batted .300, and Jesse Tannehill pitched well (2.94 ERA).

WESTERN DIVISION
The Western Division was a blowout, as the Chicago Cubs produced the league’s best pitching staff: Mordecai Brown (27-13, 2.32 ERA), Jack Pfiester (22-12, 2.37 ERA), Jack Taylor (22-14, 2.34 ERA), Jake Weimer (21-14), and closer Ed Reulbach (36 Saves). The bats on the Northside were strong as well, led by player-manager Frank Chance (.296 AVG, 85 RBI), Harry Steinfeldt (.319 AVG, 83 RBI), Johnny Kling (.313 AVG, 73 RBI), and Frank Schulte (.317 AVG, 83 RBI). If Ogden Nash is reading, the singular regular season negative for the Cubs was that Tinker to Evers to Chance only produced 94 Double Plays, only good enough for 10th in the League. There was a good battle second place between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. The White Sox finished in second by one game, led by the league’s best pitcher, Cy Young Award winner Big Ed Walsh, who went 29-10 with a 2.10 ERA. The team’s downfall was at bat: 5’9 shortstop George Davis was the team’s leading hitter, batting .278 with 94 RBI. The Detroit Tigers were expected to contend, but Ty Cobb (.374 AVG, 114 Runs, 99 RBI and a league leading 108 SB)) and Wahoo Sam Crawford (.286 AVG, 91 RBI, 58 SB) could only do so much. Ed summers did win 20 games (20-17) and Clint Brown recorded 46 Saves for the Bengals. The St. Louis Cardinals limped to a fourth place finish, with catcher Mike Grady (.264 AVG, 54 RBI, 37 SB), Frog Redus (.289 AVG, 13 HR, 78 RBI), and Red Murray (.282, 53 SB) leading the team at the dish.



SEMI-FINALS Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Athletics
The Semi-Finals saw the Cubs and the Giants, the two best teams from the regular season, hosting playoff games. The Cubs faced Connie Mack’s Wild Card Athletics, the team John McGraw had derisively called “a white elephant” during the regular season when the Giants dominated the A’s. The A’s placed the pearl-white pachyderm on their uniforms as a badge of honor, and spent the Semi-Finals gaining the respect that they had not garnered during the regular season. Game 1 took place at West Side Park, and Chief Bender scattered 8 hits while shutting out the Cubs and hard-luck loser Mordecai Brown. The A’s scored their lone run when Danny Hoffman walked, Lave Cross singled, and Wilbert Robinson grounded to third, plating Hoffman, who was off on contact. Game 2 was another pitcher’s duel, with southpaws Rube Waddell and Jack Pfiester facing off. The A’s plated an early run on Bris Lord’s 4th inning double. The game moved on scoreless through the latter innings, and in the top of the 9th Pfiester recorded two easy outs and induced Danny Murphy into what appeared to be an inning-ending groundout. Shortstop Joe Tinker’s wild throw flew into the stands, and, seconds later, with Murphy standing at second, Harry Davis knocked him in with a double. The Cubs scored one in the bottom of the 9th on Harry Steinfeldt’s triple, but Waddell placed goat horns on Tinker, retiring him and the Cubs on a popout to shortstop.

The series moved to Shibe Park for Game 3. The Cubs scored two runs in the first, but the A’s scored in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th, led by Claude Ritchey’s 3-3 day, and Eddie Plank and Dutch Henry combined to give Mr. Mack the win. Game 4 was the last chance for the Cubs to make a series out of this shellacking, and things did not look good for the Northsiders, as the A’s took a 3-0 lead after 3 innings. The Cubs cut the lead to 3-2 in the 6th inning, and the game moved to the 9th, when closer Jimmy Dygert entered the game. Jimmy Sheckard greeted him with a triple to center, and Joe Tinker gained a measure of revenge by singling Sheckard in to tie the game and prolong the Cub’s season. Cubs starter Jake Weimer came back out for the 10th inning, even though manager Frank Chance had star closer Ed Reulbach ready in the bullpen. Weimer was immediately stung by Danny Hoffman’s double, placing the Series-winning run in scoring position. Reulbach then entered the game, and, incredibly, struck out Kid Elberfeld and then watched as Hoffman attempted to steal THIRD with the series-winning run. Johnny Kling’s bullet throw gunned down Hoffman, leaving Philadelphia fans perplexed. Topsy Hartsel walked and stole second, and Claude Ritchey singled to right, scoring the series-winning run and making the Hoffman blunder a moot point.


SEMI-FINALS New York Giants and Cleveland Indians
Game 1 of the Giants/Indians semi-final was a see-saw affair that ultimately was decided in extra innings. The Indians started the game with 3 consecutive singles, and a passed ball and two-out single by Joe Birmingham gave the Indians a 3-0 lead. Mike Donlin homered in the 2nd and Roger Connor homered in the 4th to bring the score to 3-2. Roger Bresnahan and Connor then singled in runs in the 5th, giving the home-standing Giants a 4-3 lead. In the top of the 7th inning, Charlie Hickman blasted a three-run homer, and the Tribe led 6-4. Donlin thrilled the Polo Grounds fans in the bottom of the 8th with his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that tied the score at 6. Nap Lajoie doubled in two runs in the 10th inning, and after Roger Connor doubled in the bottom of the 10th, Jack Townsend came in and struck out Giants hero Donlin, and the Indians had won Game 1. Addie Joss gave the Indians 9 great innings in Game 2, and Charlie Hickman struck again, homering in the Indians’ 4-run 5th inning. The Hickman/Joss combination gave the Indians a 2-0 Series advantage. Game 3 moved the series to Cleveland’s League Park, and Bill Bernhard gave the Cleveland fans a pitching clinic, shutting out the Giants on 4 hits and leading the Indians to a 5-0 win. The Giants Game 4 starter, Amos Rusie, turned in their best pitching performance, going 9 innings and allowing only two runs, while Roger Connor had 3 hits, including a home run, and drove in 3 runs in the Giants 7-2 win. The Giants began Game 5 with the same fire that they ended Game 4, and took an early 4-0 lead, led by Larry Doyle’s triple. A single by Indians catcher Harry Bemis put the Indians on the board in the 6th, and series hero Charlie Hickman launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th, his 4th homer of the series. In the bottom of the 8th, with Harry Bay at 3rd and only one out , Terry Turner laid down a beautiful suicide squeeze, and Roger Connor could only get an out at first, allowing the Indians to come all the way back to tie the game at 4. The Indians made it all the way back in the bottom of the 9th, as Elmer Flick singled off of Christy Mathewson, and, who else but Hickman doubled him in to send the Cleveland Indians to the World Series.



WORLD SERIES Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Athletics
The World Series began in Cleveland’s League Park, and the Indians fans left Game 1 happy, as Addie Joss again pitched masterfully, allowing only 5 hits while shutting out Connie Mack’s A’s 2-0. In Game 2, Cornelius McGillicuddy himself could have pitched for the A’s, as they banged out 21 hits en route to a 13-2 victory. All but two A’s knocked in runs and Rube Waddell pitched well as the A’s knotted the series at 1-1. Game 3’s venue was Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, and Elmer Flick and Charlie Hickman drove in two runs apiece, backing the pitching of Bob Rhoads and giving the Tribe a 6-1 victory. In Game 4’s 1st inning, Bill Bradley doubled in Nap Lajoie and Elmer Flick singled in Bradley, and that was all that Otto Hess would need, as Switzerland’s favorite son remained decidedly un-neutral in the contest, allowing 1 run over 9 great innings as the Indians won 2-1 and moved to within a game of a World Championship. Game 5 saw the aces of each team, Chief Bender and Addie Joss, take the mound. Each big right-hander pitched superbly, and after 8 innings there were only gooseeggs on the scoreboard. In the top of the 9th, the Indians began with Bunk Congalton, who singled. Bender then made his first mistake of the game when he bobbled Joe Birmingham’s sacrifice bunt attempt, allowing both runners to advance. After a groundout, Bill Hinchman then singled in both runners, and the Indians took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th inning. Bris Lord thrilled the Philadelphia fans as he tripled off Joss to begin the inning, and, after one out, Socks Seybold added to the excitement as he singled in Lord. Lave Cross grounded to third for the second out, allowing Seybold to move up to second. Connie Mack then substituted pinch-runner Joe Cassidy for Seybold, hoping to plate the game-tying run. Just as Mack hoped, Kid Elberfeld laced a single into right field. However, right field is where the strong right arm of Elmer Flick resides, and Flick’s one-hop strike to the plate cut down Cassidy, giving the Tribe the World Series victory.



WORLD CHAMPION 1906 Cleveland Indians

League Awards
MVP-Nap Lajoie, Indians

Cy Young Award-Ed Walsh, White Sox

Fireman Award-Clint Brown, Tigers


League Leaders
Batting Average-Hugh Duffy, Browns .379

Home Runs-Buck Freeman, Red Sox 25 HR

RBI-Roger Connor, Giants 123 RBI

Runs-Nap Lajoie, Indians 120 Runs

Hits-Ty Cobb, Tigers 242 Hits

Doubles- Hugh Duffy, Browns 52 2B

Triples-Chief Wilson, Pirates 37 3B

Stolen Bases-Ty Cobb, Tigers 108 SB

Hit Streak-Bernardo Baro, Athletics 21 games




Pitching Leaders
Wins-Ed Walsh, White Sox 29-10

Saves-Clint Brown, Tigers 46 Saves

Strikeouts-Rube Waddell, Athletics 307 K

ERA-Christy Mathewson, Giants 1.84 ERA

1910s RECAP

The decade of 1910-1919 was played out on the world stage, as the United States fought monopolies, social problems, the women’s suffrage issue on the home front and helped defeat the Central Powers as our doughboys went “Over There”. There were victories by Jim Thorpe at the Olympics, successes and (short-lived) peace at Versailles, but big winners were also the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and slugger Rogers Hornsby. There were also disasters, as the Cincinnati Reds sunk faster than the Titanic and the Lusitania. And just as Theodore Roosevelt couldn’t wake up the past echoes and saw his Presidential run in his Bull Moose Party fall short, so John McGraw couldn’t revive his Giants, as they slipped to a losing record.


EASTERN DIVISION
The Boston Red Sox had the best record in baseball. Bill Carrigan managed, caught, and directed a star pitching staff, led by Smokey Joe Wood (25-15, 2.73 ERA, League-leading 277 strikeouts) , Dutch Leonard (15-21, 2.60 ERA), Carl Mays (19-12), and a young Babe Ruth (24-10, 2.46 ERA). Tris Speaker was the unquestioned leader at bat for the Red Sox, as the Grey Eagle batted .380, with 46 doubles, 93 RBI, 102 Runs, and 44 stolen bases. Harry Hooper scored 107 runs, outfield mate Duffy Lewis batted .299, and first baseman Doc Hoblitzell knocked in 90 runs. Wilbert Robinson’s Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers rode Cy Young winner Ed Reulbach all season, and Big Ed compiled a 28-10 record to go along with a miniscule 1.94 ERA. The rest of the club did not hold up its end of the bargain, although outfielder Zach Wheat (.358 AVG, 96 Runs, 75 RBI) did have an outstanding year for the erstwhile Robins. No amount of cursing and cheating could goad John McGraw’s New York Giants to a winning record. Mike Donlin was the Giants leading hitter, and “Turkey Mike” batted .332, with 36 doubles and 96 Runs scored. Catcher Chief Meyers batted .298, while shortstop Buck Herzog had 38 doubles and 75 RBI. Christy Mathewson (19-14, 2.55 ERA) and Rube Marquard (21-17, 3.50 ERA) led the Giants on the mound. The Washington Senators were mostly a vehicle for the country to see the pitching mastery of Walter Johnson, who went 21-17, with a 2.50 ERA and a dominant WHIP of 1.00, with 262 Strikeouts. The rest of the Senators proved why Washington was “first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.”

CENTRAL DIVISION
The Central Division seemed to be the division no one wanted to win, as the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics traded out at the top spot all season. The A’s won two of three from the Miracle Boston Braves, while the Tigers could only defeat the hapless Cincinnati Reds once in three tries, and the pennant went to Connie Mack and the A’s. The top batters for the A’s and their “Million Dollar Infield” were second sacker Eddie Collins (.346 AVG, 114 Runs, 68 Steals), third baseman Frank ‘Home Run’ Baker (.293 AVG, 96 RBI), and first baseman Stuffy McInnis (.316 AVG). Rightfielder Danny Murphy (.303, 90 Runs, 93 RBI) joined in somewhat with the fun the “Million Dollar Infield” had at the plate. Chief Bender was the star on the mound, with a 25-13 record, 2.87 ERA, and 219 Strikeouts. The Detroit Tigers had solid pitching, led by Jean Dubuc’s 50 Saves, and a .300-hitting outfield, but it wasn’t quite enough. Ty Cobb (League-leading .389 AVG, 110 Steals, 114 Runs and 96 RBI), Sam Crawford (.318 AVG, 85 Steals, 105 Runs), Bobby Veach (.333 AVG, 105 RBI) and Davy Jones (.301 AVG) provided the offensive firepower for Hughie Jennings. There was no miracle forthcoming for this version of the Boston Braves, who were led nonetheless by pitcher Otto Hess (21-15, 2.38 ERA) and third baseman Red Smith (.297 AVG, 82 RBI). Although the Braves pitching was adequate, George Stallings just could not manufacture enough runs to keep his charges afloat. The Cincinnati Reds struggled in most aspects of the game, nor could they find enough opponents willing to succumb to gamblers’ promises. Slim Sallee (18-15, 3.02 ERA) and closer George Suggs (29 Saves) pitched well, and Mike Mitchell (,282 AVG, 72 RBI), Edd Roush (.285 AVG, 75 RBI), Sherry Magee (13 HR, 78 RBI), third baseman Heinie Groh (.271 AVG, 76 RBI)and first baseman Jake Daubert (.282 AVG, 77 RBI)were bright spots in an otherwise dismal season at Palace of the Fans.

WESTERN DIVISION
The Western Division saw three fine teams battle for the division crown. The Pittsburgh Pirates came out on top, nad their pitching was led by Babe Adams, who compiled a sparkling 21-6 record with a 2.41 ERA. Offensively, player-manager Fred Clarke (.278 AVG, 87 Runs, 78 RBI) led the way, and outfielders Max Carey (.297 AVG, 126 Runs, 58 Steals), Chief Wilson (.314 AVG, 105 RBI, 38 Triples), and Solly Hofman (.306 AVG, 92 Runs) all collected at least 200 hits. However, no one could dispute the true greatness in the Steel City----the man they called “The Flying Dutchman”. Honus Wagner (.355 AVG, 110 Runs, 118 RBI, 63 Steals) was the only German with a winning record in this decade, as Kaiser Wilhelm II could attest from his exile in the Netherlands. Manager Miller Huggins prodded his St. Louis Cardinals to a second place finish and a Wild Card berth. More to the point, the Cardinals hopped on the broad shoulders of Rogers Hornsby and rode all the way to the playoffs. Hornsby led the League in Home Runs (35), RBI (139), Hits (256), and Runs (128), and was only .004 from securing the Triple Crown, batting .385. The pitching, other than Hank Robinson’s 45 Saves, was pedestrian, but it was enough to finish ahead of the surprising Phillies and win the Wild Card. The Philadelphia Phillies were not quite as much a one-trick pony, but the biggest treat for the City of Brotherly Love was watching Pete Alexander mow through opposing lineups. Pete had a 24-12 record, led the League with an ERA of 1.86, and struck out 252 batters. Sluggers Gavvy Cravath (20 HR, 90 RBI, 96 Runs)and Irish Meusel (.306 AVG, 14 HR, 97 RBI, 101 Runs) led the offense. The last place St.Louis Browns didn’t pitch well, but George Sisler (.348 AVG, 18 HR, 114 RBI, 116 Runs) , Baby Doll Jacobson (.346 AVG, 108 RBI, 96 Runs), Earl Smith (.330 AVG), and Jack Tobin (.308 AVG, 97 Runs) entertained the Sportsman’s Park crowds with plenty of offense.



SEMI-FINALS St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox
The St.Louis Cardinals traveled to Fenway Park for Game 1 of the Semi-Finals, and were treated rudely by Dutch Leonard and the Red Sox offense. The Sox scored 5 runs in the bottom of the first, as 8 of the first 9 Boston batters reached base. Game 2 was another loss for the Cardinals, as Smokey Joe Wood struck out 9 en route to a 4-1 complete game decision. Doc Hoblitzell led the Red Sox with 3 hits.

Game 3 moved to St.Louis, but the results were the same, as rookie southpaw Babe Ruth matched Wood with 3 hits and only one run. Hoblitzell again was the batting star in the Sox 4-1 win, collecting 3 hits and 3 RBI. Game 4 was an epic contest, with the Cardinals on the brink of elimination. The Cards scored first when, in the bottom of the second, Sox hurler Carl Mays misplayed a ground ball and allowed a run to score. The Red Sox tied the score in the top of the third when Duffy Lewis singled in a run. The Cardinals took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 4th on Jim Delahanty’s triple and Bob Bescher’s double. The Red Sox tied it in the top of the 9th off of closer Hank Robinson, as Steve Yerkes tripled and Larry Gardner singled him in. Gardner was sacrificed to second and then shortstop Everett Scott singled to tie the game. The game remained tied until the bottom of the 13th inning, when Tony Boeckel singled, Bobby Wallace walked, Rogers Hornsby walked, and then Jack Fournier walked to force in the winning run, making the final score 4-3. In Game 5, the Cardinals scored 2 in the bottom of the second on a Steve Evans triple, got good pitching from Bob Harmon and Gene Packard, and defeated the Red Sox 4-2. As the series moved back to Boston, two facts hung ominously over the head of the surging Cardinals---hitting star Rogers Hornsby was 2-18 for the series, and Smokey Joe Wood was taking the mound for the Red Sox. Wood was simply dominant in Game 6. He allowed only 4 hits in shutting out the Cardinals 11-0. There were hitting stars aplenty for the Sox. Larry Gardner was 5-5 including a triple, and Doc Hoblitzell, Duffy Lewis, and Harry Hooper each had 3 hits. Hornsby, who had only been .004 points from the Triple Crown in the regular season, batted .095 for the series. His batting mates weren’t much better, as Red Sox pitching held Cardinals bats to a .188 AVG.



SEMI-FINALS Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Athletics
The other Semi-Final was an all-Pennsylvania affair, pitting the Pirates and the Athletics. Game 1 was in Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, matching up Howie Camnitz and Eddie Plank. Rightfielder Chief Wilson homered in the 4th and 5th innings, driving in 5 runs in an easy 9-3 Pirates victory. There was some controversy, as reliever Dave Danforth hit Wilson in his next at-bat after his two homers. Connie Mack said, “Mr. Danforth was simply trying to get inside on Mr. Wilson. There was obviously no intent or message---just a bad pitch.” Fred Clarke said, “Mr. Mack may cover it over with fancy words, but I feel it was intentio…..inten….in…, it was on purpose.” Game 2 saw a matchup of aces, with Chief Bender and Babe Adams taking the mound. Both hurlers were outstanding, allowing only one extra-base hit between them. Eddie Collins doubled off of Adams in the top of the 6th and later scored on Home Run Baker’s sacrifice fly. There was no more scoring until the bottom of the 8th inning. Bender walked leadoff batter Max Carey, who was sacrificed to second by Solly Hofman. Athletics-killer Chief Wilson singled Carey in to tie the game at 1. Honus Wagner then singled, with Wilson taking third. Player-manager Fred Clarke then slapped a hard groundball to Baker at third, who misplayed the ball, allowing the go-ahead, and subsequent winning run to score. Adams used a groundball double play and a flyout to end the A’s threat and give the Pirates a 2-1 win.

Game 3 moved across the state, where the A’s broke out their bats, scoring 3 runs in the 5th inning and 5 runs in the7th to lead them to an 8-1 victory. Cy Morgan got the complete game win, and Stuffy McInnis’ 3 RBI and Baker’s 3 hits led the A’s offense. A’s pitcher Harry Krause was the story in Game 4, pitching a complete game shutout as the A’s evened the series with a 6-0 score. Topsy Hartsell was 3-4 with 3 RBI in the victory, which evened the series at 2. Game 5 was a rematch of Camnitz and Plank, with both teams scoring a run in the first; the Pirates on a Wagner RBI single and the A’s on a Stuffy McInnis RBI single. The Pirates then took the lead in the 4th when Bill Abstein executed a beautiful suicide squeeze, scoring Wagner. The Pirates knocked Plank out of the box in the 5th with 5 runs. Max Carey singled and Solly Hofman doubled him in. Chief Wilson tripled Hofman in, Wagner singled Wilson in, and Tommy Leach blasted Plank’s last offering into Shibe Park’s centerfield bleachers. The A’s scored 4 in the bottom of the 6th on Bris Lord’s triple, but Camnitz allowed them to get no closer, en route to a 7-5 win.

The series moved back to Pittsburgh for Game 6 with the Pirates leading the series 3 games to 2. The Pirates’ fans may have come to the park anticipating a Pirates series victory, but the A’s quickly dashed those hopes. Wilbur Cooper allowed four hits in the first, producing 3 A’s runs. The second inning was no better for Cooper, who allowed a single, a walk, and then three successive singles before being removed. After 4 runs scored in the second, the A’s led 7-0. Chief Bender was outstanding for Mr. Mack, allowing 6 hits and 1 run over 9 innings, leading the A’s to a 15-1 blowout. McInnis had 4 hits, while Eddie Collins, Frank Baker, Rube Oldring, and Bris Lord contributed 3 hits apiece, with the A’s totaling 23 hits in the game.
Game 7 was a wonderful, heart-wrenching, see-saw affair. Home Run Baker opened the scoring in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly, scoring Danny Murphy, but Max Carey homered leading off the bottom of the frame for the Pirates. Babe Adams and Cy Morgan moved through two scoreless innings before the Pirates struck again in the bottom of the 4th. Chief Wilson doubled with one out, and then after a groundout, Fred Clarke singled Wilson in. Tommy Leach and Bill Abstein both walked, loading the bases. Catcher George Gibson then cleared the bases with double, and the Pirates led 5-1. The A’s had their own big inning in the top of the 6th, as Bris Lord hit a bases-loaded double, scoring two. Ira Thomas then hit a two-run single, and the score tightened to 5-4. George Gibson answered again in the bottom of the frame, doubling in two more runs. The Pirates now led 8-5 going into the 7th inning. Baker singled for the A’s with one out, McInnis singled, and then Bris Lord hit another two-run double, before scoring on Ira Thomas’ single. Suddenly, the A’s had booted Pirate ace Adams from the game, and the score was 8-7. The Pirates had no answer in the bottom of the 7th, but the A’s began the top of their 8th inning with a Jack Barry single, followed by an Eddie Collins single. Danny Murphy sacrificed the runners to second and third. With the infield in, Home Run Baker hit a groundball to third, but Tommy Leach’s throw home was not in time to catch the fleet-footed Barry, and the A’s had tied the score with only one out. Pirates reliever Roy Sanders noticed that Baker was celebrating a little too much at first, and promptly picked the stunned third baseman off at first. Now, the A’s had to score Collins from third with TWO outs to take the lead, but McInnis’ groundout failed to do the job. The Pirates began their half of the 8th with a single by Tommy Leach. Clarke flashed the bunt sign to Bill Abstein, who once again laid down a great sacrifice bunt, moving Leach to second with the go-ahead run. Boardwalk Brown then walked hot-hitting George Gibson on an “unintentional” intentional walk. Second baseman Dots Miller made that strategy a moot point as he singled to center, with Leach scoring ahead of Rube Oldring’s throw. Connie Mack then went to Dave Danforth, the villain who hit Chief Wilson earlier in the series. Danforth was booed mercilessly by the Pirates fans as he took his warmup tosses, and apparently shook Danforth up, because he wasn’t prepared for Clarke’s next move. George Gibson lit out from third as Danforth’s hands broke, and Max Carey bunted the ball back to the pitcher. Danforth was late throwing the ball home, and everybody was safe. The Pirates now had a 10-8 lead. Danforth retired the next two Pirates. Roy Sanders began the 9th by allowing a Rube Oldring single, but the next batter, Bris Lord, rolled a groundball to the wrong spot----inside the range of Honus Wagner’s bow legs and huge hands. Wagner ranged behind the second base bag, flipped to Dots Miller, who slung the ball down to Abstein for a double play. Ira Thomas then fouled out to George Gibson, and Forbes Field went wild.



WORLD SERIES Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates and the Red Sox clashed in the World Series. Game 1 was held in Fenway Park, and it appeared early on that it would be a high-scoring affair. Chief Wilson did what Chief Wilson does---he tripled in Solly Hofman with the Series’ first run, off Red Sox starter Dutch Leonard. The Red Sox answered in the bottom of the 1st, with a run-scoring singles by Doc Hoblitzell. The Pirates took the lead in the top of the 3rd, when Wilson singled in a run. In the bottom of the 3rd, the Grey Eagle, Red Sox great Tris Speaker, singled to center and promptly stole second. After Steve Yerkes’ groundout moved Speaker to 3rd, Larry Gardner singled Speaker in to tie the game at 2. After am error and an out, Everett Scott singled Gardner in, and the Red Sox led 3-2. It would be all Leonard needed, as he set down 15 of the last 17 batters he faced, giving the Red Sox a 3-2 win and a World Series lead. Fenway Park looked like it was Pirates hurler Lefty Leifield’s personal playground for most of Game 2. Leifield allowed only two hits through the first 7 innings, and the Pirates used run-scoring singles by Wilson and Wagner in the top of the 6th to enable the Pirates to build a 2-0 lead going into the fateful 8th inning. Larry Gardner led off the 8th with a single for the Red Sox, then moved to third on Clyde Engle’s infield single that Abstein knocked down but could not record an out on. Red Sox manager Bill Carrigan then hit a sacrifice fly to center, deep enough to score Gardner. Shortstop Everett Scott’s single moved Engle to second. Roy Sanders entered the game for the Pirates, but he could do no better, as Harry Hooper tripled both runners in, giving the Red Sox a 3-2 lead. Then Carrigan, borrowing from opposite manager Fred Clarke’s penchant for going for the jugular when a team gets down, ordered and received a perfectly executed suicide squeeze from Duffy Lewis, scoring Hooper. Smokey Joe Wood, who pitched without his best stuff on this night, took the mound for the Red Sox in the top of the 9th. He recorded two quick outs, but then allowed singles to Dots Miller and Max Carey. Solly Hofman then slapped a single into left field, and Miller, running with two outs, appeared to be scoring the tying run. However, what happened next had Pirate fans cursing a baseline in a ballpark they had never even seen. Miller inexplicably tripped running down the third base line, and was barely able to crawl back to third to avoid becoming the third out. From his vantage point behind home plate, Carrigan had seen enough. He thanked his pitcher for battling all night, then brought closer Tom Seaton in. Seaton induced Chief Wilson into a groundout to short, and the Red Sox had an improbable 4-2 victory, and a 2-0 Series lead.

The Series moved to Pittsburgh, with the Pirates feeling they had been in both games, only to see bad luck rise up time and again. In Game 3, the Pirates scored a run off Sox starter Babe Ruth on a Honus Wagner triple. Pirates starter Claude Hendrix allowed the Red Sox to tie the game at 1 in the top of the 2nd on a Larry Gardner sacrifice fly. The Pirates took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second on back-to-back triples by Dots Miller and Max Carey. The top of the 5th was a great inning for the Red Sox. Bill Carrigan led off with a single, and then, after two outs, Harry Hooper hit a triple over Max Carey’s head in center, scoring Carrigan. Duffy Lewis walked, and then Mr. Clutch, Doc Hoblitzell struck a crucial blow, homering over the centerfield fence, driving in 3. Babe Ruth now had a 5-2 lead, which the Sox stretched to 6-2 on a rare event---Everett Scott’s home run to centerfield. The Pirates would not go quietly, however, and struck back in the bottom of the seventh. Dots Miller singled, then, after two were out, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Solly Hofman’s single. Hofman moved to second on Carrigan’s passed ball, and when Chief Wilson grounded what should have been the third out to shortstop Everett Scott, Scott threw the ball over the dugout, scoring Hofman on the error and moving Wilson to second. Honus Wagner then singled in Wilson, and the Pirates trailed by one, 6-5. The young Babe Ruth induced Fred Clarke to ground out to Dots Miller. Ruth then shut the Pirates down in the 8th and 9th, allowing the Red Sox to hold on to their 6-5 lead and move to within one win of the World Series Championship.
Game 4 was another great game, leaving fans on both sides on the edge of their seats. Carl Mays took the mound for the visiting Red Sox, while Pirates ace Babe Adams started for the Bucs. In the top of the 3rd, Scott and Harry Hooper singled for the Red Sox. Duffy Lewis singled Scott in, and Doc Hoblitzell’s groundout scored Hooper, giving the Sox a 2-0 lead. The Pirates scratched back for a run on Tommy Leach’s triple and Bill Abstein’s sacrifice fly. The game then moved scoreless to the 8th, when , in the top of the frame, Hooper’s two-out triple and Duffy Lewis’ single gave the Red Sox a 3-1 lead. The Pirates never gave up, and began the bottom of the 8th with a walk by Dots Miller. Max Carey then deposited a Carl Mays spitball into the centerfield bleachers, tying the game at 3, and sending the Pirates fans into delirium. Solly Hofman then singled, and Carrigan went to closer Tom Seaton. Seaton recorded one out, but then allowed a double to Honus Wagner, moving Hofman to third. Carrigan then instructed Seaton to intentionally walk Fred Clarke. Bill Abstein, who always seemed to be in the action for the Pirates, hit a ground ball to sure-handed Larry Gardner, but the pressure of the moment made Gardner bobble the ball, allowing everyone to be safe, including the go-ahead run in the form of Solly Hofman. Seaton then recorded the final out of the inning, but the damage was done. The Pirates led 4-3, and the Forbes Field fans sighed a sigh of relief, hoping the hometown boys had done enough to stave off elimination. They had not. Tris Speaker singled to start the 9th, then stole second. Steve Yerkes popped out to Leach at third, and then, for some unknown reason, Speaker attempted to steal third. Gibson’s throw cut down the Grey Eagle, and, instead of the tying run at second with one out, the Red Sox now had two outs and no one on base. With two outs, Larry Gardner strode to the plate, still smarting from his costly error in the bottom of the 8th. Gardner lined a shot into the right-centerfield gap, bringing his redemption and the tying run into third with a two-out triple. Fred Clarke then went to right-handed specialist Joe DeBerry, who promptly walked Clyde Engle. Now, with two outs and the tying run on third, Red Sox manager Bill Carrigan came to the plate. Carrigan flashed a hand signal to Engle at first, reminding him to get a good secondary lead and look to score on a hit. DeBerry worked the count to 2-2 on Carrigan, but hung a curveball on the next pitch, and Carrigan slapped it down the third base line into the corner. Gardner scored easily, and Engle never checked up, sliding in home just in front of Honus Wagner’s relay throw. The Red Sox had come back to take a 5-4 lead. Now, Tom Seaton, who had dribbled away the lead in the 8th, began the bottom of the 9th by allowing a Dots Miller single. Max Carey then sacrificed Miller to second, moving the tying run into scoring position. Carrigan went out to the mound, encouraged Seaton, then crouched back behind the plate. Seaton, with new confidence, struck out Solly Hofman and Chief Wilson in succession, giving the Boston Red Sox the World Series Championship on a 4-0 Series sweep.



WORLD CHAMPION 1915 Boston Red Sox


League Awards
MVP-Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals

CY Young Award-Ed Reulbach, Dodgers

Fireman Award-Jean Dubuc, Tigers


League Leaders
Batting Average-Ty Cobb, Tigers .389

Home Runs-Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals 35 HR

RBI-Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals 139 RBI

Runs- Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals 128 Runs

Hits- Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals 256 Hits

Doubles- Ty Cobb, Tigers 49 2B

Triples-Chief Wilson, Pirates 38 3B

Stolen Bases-Ty Cobb, Tigers 110 SB

Hit Streak-Baby Doll Jacobson, Browns 26 games


Pitching Leaders
Wins-Ed Reulbach, Dodgers 28-10

Saves-Jean Dubuc, Tigers 50 Saves

Strikeouts-Joe Wood, Red Sox 277 K

ERA-Pete Alexander, Phillies 1.86 ERA

Great stuff, Andy; very enjoyable. Please pardon my one nitpick: Ogden Nash had nothing to do with "Tinker to Evers to Chance." The poem was written by a New York newspaperman named Frank Adams in less than five minutes (on deadline!) after he was informed from the composing room that his game story was eight lines too short and he needed to write more. As I recall, the lyrics went something like:

These are the saddest of possible words,
Tinker to Evers to Chance.
Trio of bearcubs and fleeter than birds.
Tinker to Evers to Chance.
Thoughtlessly breaking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double,
Words that are weighty with nothing but trouble,
Tinker to Evers to Chance.

It might have been the most powerful 49 words ever written about baseball (assuredly, the poem got all three into the HOF). Boy, those were the good old days of baseball -- and newspapers!

Tom

You're right Tom. NAsh wrote some poem taking each letter and naming an early baseball star, didnt he? Must have mixed the two up

I think you're right about Nash, Andy. In the deep recesses of my mind, I remember that alphabet poem:

J is for Johnson
The Big Train in his prime
Was so fast
He could strke out
Three men at a time.

Don't know why that one stuck with me and none of the others.

bump

1920s SEASON RECAP

The Roaring Twenties was a great decade for the National Pastime, with its post-war economic boom and a “live” new baseball. Charles Lindbergh made his historic flight, women had gained the right to vote, Al Capone and other gangsters ran their crime syndicates during Prohibition, and Babe Ruth “had a better year” than President Coolidge.


EASTERN DIVISION
The New York Yankees were the class of baseball during the 1920s, winning the Eastern Division over the Washington Senators. Miller Huggins’ club hitched its wagon to two slugging superstars, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Ruth (.350 AVG, 60 HR, 169 RBI) was named Most Valuable Player, producing prodigious blasts, while Gehrig (.352 AVG, 48 HR, 178 RBI)knocked in every run that Ruth left on the base paths. Leadoff man Earle Combs (.340 AVG, 141 Runs, 31 Triples) patrolled centerfield and Bob Meusel (.266 AVG, 91 RBI) provided another potent bat on “Murderer’s Row”. The pitching staff was led by Waite Hoyt (25-10, 3.85 ERA) and closer Wilcy Moore, who saved 42 games for Colonel Ruppert’s charges. The Washington Senators were led by Cy Young Award winner Walter Johnson (24-16, 2.12 ERA, 260 K) and Closer Allen Russell (24 Saves, 2.30 ERA) on the mound, and offensive MVP Goose Goslin (.347 AVG, 29 HR, 100 RBI). Other outstanding batmen for player/manager Bucky Harris were Buddy Myer (.325 AVG, 113 Runs), Joe Judge (.302 AVG, 102 RBI) , and Sam Rice (.292 AVG, 103 RBI). The New York Giants were another formidable squad in the Eastern Division, with fine offensive action from Ross Youngs (.300 AVG, 100 Runs, 96 RBI), Irish Meusel (.271 AVG, 96 Runs, 90 RBI), Fred Lindstrom (.318 AVG, 103 RBI), George Kelly (.298 AVG, 107 RBI) and Frankie Frisch (.291 AVG), the Fordham Flash. Though Red Shea saved 42 games and Red Lucas (201-13, 3.54 ERA) was a 20-game winner, John McGraw’s club had a difficult time stopping opposing teams from touching the dish. The Brooklyn Dodgers finished last in the East, though Wilbert Robinson gave Brooklyn fans a few bonafide All-Stars in Jack Fournier (.330 AVG, 31 HR, 137 RBI) and Zack Wheat (.378 AVG, 24 HR, 129 RBI), and Dazzy Vance struck out 323.

CENTRAL DIVISION
Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics were the Central Division Champions, and the Mackmen boasted a number of great ballplayers, including Jimmie Foxx (.330 AVG, 55 HR, 155 RBI), Al Simmons (.337 AVG, 35 HR, 134 RBI), Jimmie Dykes (.289 AVG, 20 HR, 93 RBI), and Mickey Cochrane (.322 AVG, 103 Runs). Lefty Grove (26-12, 2.68 ERA, 201 K) was the majors’ Wins leader, Howard Ehmke (43 Saves) was the leagues’ Saves leader, and Rube Walberg (22-11) contributed greatly on the mound as well. The Cleveland Indians produced a winning season, led by Batting Champion Tris Speaker (.383 AVG, 131 Runs, 54 Doubles, 136 RBI, 56 Steals), Elmer Smith (.326 AVG, 104 RBI), shortstop Ray Chapman (.272, 109 Runs), and hurler Stan Coveleski (22-15, 2.65 ERA). Ty Cobb (.347 AVG, 109 RBI), Harry Heilmann (.376 AVG, 125 RBI), Heinie Manush (.330 AVG, 107 Runs, 44 Doubles), and Charlie Gehringer (.292 AVG, 124 Runs) led the Detroit Tigers on offense, while Bill Foster (21-16) and Phil Cockrell (21-11) were 20-game winners, yet the Tigers inexplicably had a losing season. The St.Louis Browns struggled mightily whenever they toed the rubber, though superstar first sacker George Sisler (.372 AVG, 137 Runs, 50 Doubles 25 HR, 100 RBI), catcher Hank Severeid (.277 AVG, 103 RBI), Baby Doll Jacobson (.338 AVG, 120 Runs), and Jack Tobin (.332 AVG) provided good offense for the Sportsman Park fans.


WESTERN DIVISION
The Chicago White Sox used outstanding pitching and timely hitting to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals and win the Western Division. Eddie Cicotte (20-13, 2.94 ERA) and Ted Lyons (23-14, 3.18 ERA)were the aces for noted tightwad Charles Comiskey, and Dickie Kerr saved 24 games. The often-inept offense was carried by Shoeless Joe Jackson, who batted .348 and knocked in 105 runs, and Eddie Collins (.347 AVG, 114 Runs). The Cardinals were strong contenders all season, and Rogers Hornsby (.356 AVG, 139 Runs, (42 HR, 155 RBI) , Jim Bottomley (.291 AVG, 112 Runs, 43 HR, 151 RBI), and Chick Hafey (.281 AVG, 20 HR, 108 RBI) led the way offensively. Three pitchers gave St.Louis a good top of the rotation: Pete Alexander (22-13, 3.20 ERA), Jesse Haines (20-15), and Dick Redding (19-13, 3.99 ERA). The Chicago Cubs gave Northsiders an offensive juggernaut that could have been even stronger had they been able to face their own pitchers. Joe McCarthy filled out a lineup card every day with the likes of Hack Wilson (.318 AVG, 54 HR, 154 RBI), catcher Gabby Hartnett (.289 AVG, 37 HR, 131 RBI), Big John Beckwith (.346 AVG, 52 HR, 155 RBI), Riggs Stephenson (.304 AVG, 121 Runs) and Willard Brown (.330 AVG, 46 HR, 139 RBI), but his moundmen could not hold leads, compiling an 11-26 record in one-run games. The last-place Pittsburgh Pirates had similar issues. “Big Poison” Paul Waner (.358 AVG, 19 HR, 124 RBI), “Little Poison” Lloyd Waner (84 Runs), and Pie Traynor (.319 AVG, 84 RBI) allowed the Bucs to score, but a committee of hurlers could not pitch well enough to produce a winning season in Forbes Field.

WILD CARD RACE
Though the Division Titles were not hotly contested, the three-way battle for the Wild Card came down to the final day. Going into the final weekend, the Giants and Cardinals led the Senators by one game. The Giants beat their crosstown rivals, the Dodgers, 9-6, the Senators beat the Yankees 5-1, while the Cardinals were shut out by the White Sox, 3-0. It looked as if John McGraw’s boys were set to ride into the playoffs, but Dazzy Vance beat Red Lucas 11-5, while the Walter Johnson beat the Yankees 8-5, bringing the Senators into a tie with the Giants with one game to play. Meanwhile, the Cardinals’ potent attack was shut out once again, this time 1-0 in extra frames. On the final day, the Cardinals awoke from their slumber, bashing the White Sox 10-6. They could only wait as the Senators lost to the Yankees 7-3, creating a two-way tie. The Giants jumped to a 3-1 lead over their rivals, and went ahead 4-2 in the top of the 6th. The Dodgers scored once in the bottom of the sixth, and then tied the game in the bottom of the 7th on Andy High’s RBI single. Extra innings would decide the Wild Card race, and, in the bottom of the 10th, Zack Wheat’s two-out double to the right-centerfield gap scored Jimmy Johnston with the winning run. The Wild Card was decided by run differential, which meant that the Washington Senators were the Wild Card winners.



SEMI-FINALS Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees
The Playoffs began with the White Sox traveling to New York to face the Yankees. In Game 1, Babe Ruth greeted an inexplicably straight Eddie Cicotte knuckleball with a crushing blow to centerfield, staking the Yankees to a 3-0 lead. It was all Herb Pennock would need, as he cruised to a 5-2 victory. Game 2 was a carbon-copy of Game 1, thought this time Lou Gehrig was the home run hero, slamming Ted Lyons’ offering into the right field stands for a three-run circuit clout. Waite Hoyt knew what to do with a lead, and defeated the demoralized White Sox 5-3.

In Game 3, the White Sox Red Faber made a Swede Risberg Sacrifice Fly stand up, at least until the top of the 5th, when Pat Collins homered. In the top of the 6th, Babe Ruth homered to lead off the inning. Flustered, Red Faber then allowed two walks and two singles before committing a bases-loaded error, giving the Yankees a 5-1 lead. George Pipgras then finished what Urban Shocker started, and Miller Huggins’ squad was one win from the World Series. In Game 4, Swede Risberg’s RBI double stoked a 4-run 2nd inning, Lefty Williams shut down the Yankee bats, and the Comiskey fans left with a bit of a reprieve, as well as a 6-2 victory. Game 5 continued the White Sox excitement early on, as Shano Collins doubled in Eddie Collins, then later scored on Happy Felsch’s Sac Fly, giving the Southsiders an early 2-0 lead. However, in the top of the 6th, Mike Gazella smashed an Eddie Cicotte pitch into the right field corner, scoring Earle Combs. Cicotte began the 7th, but after one out, Earle Combs singled, then Gazella singled, then Babe Ruth singled to left, tying the game at 2-2. Grover Lowdermilk entered in relief, but actually poured gasoline on the fire by walking Lou Gehrig, loading the bases. Bob Meusel then stroked a long fly to center, scoring Gazella with what proved to be the winning run. Wilcy Moore finished off the White Sox for the save, and the Yankees prepared for the World Series.



SEMI-FINALS Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Senators
The Athletics met the Wild Card Senators in the other Semi-Final, beginning the series in Shibe Park. Game 1 would be a battle of what many believed were the finest hurlers in the league: Walter Johnson of the Senators and Lefty Grove of the A’s. However, Grove did not even make it out of the first inning, as the Senators scored 5 runs, led by Goose Goslin’s triple and Joe Judge’s double. The first inning proved to be vital to the outcome, as Johnson struck out 8 en route to a 7-3 opening game win. Game 2 shocked the baseball world, as the light-hitting Senators exploded for 14 runs, led by Wid Matthews 4-6, 5 RBI day. Tom Zachary followed The Big Train’s lead, posting a complete game 14-2 victory. The Washington club had come into Connie Mack’s ballyard and won two games.

The Series moved to Griffith Stadium, and the A’s began Game 3 by scoring a run in the first on Al Simmons’ groundout. Mule Haas then homered to left-center in the top of the 4th, giving the A’s a 2-1 lead. In the top of the 5th Jimmy Dykes homered into the backwards triangle in Griffith’s deep center field. A Haas double, followed by a Max Bishop triple in the top of the 7th helped to plate four runs, and the A’s won Game 3, 11-4. In Game 4, the Senators took an early two run lead on RBI singles by player/manager Buck Harris and Joe Judge. In the top of the 4th, Jimmie Foxx homered off Curly Ogden, in the top of the 5th, Mickey Cochrane doubled in Bing Miller, and Foxx again blasted an Ogden offering to center in the top of the 6th, giving the A’s a 3-2 lead. Relief ace Howard Ehmke entered for the A’s and pitched well until the bottom of the 8th. Roger Peckinpaugh led off with a single, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Then, the light-hitting skipper, Harris, singled to right, scoring Peckinpaugh and tying the game at 3. Both teams threatened in the 9th, but could not push a run across the dish. The game moved to the top of the 11th, with Ehmke still in the game for Connie Mack. Ehmke walked Doc Prothro, who then attempted to steal second off All-Star catcher Mickey Cochrane. Cochrane threw the ball into centerfield, however, allowing Prothro to take third. Then, in a move that would be hotly debated for years to come, Connie Mack eschewed the conventional wisdom and chose not to walk the bases loaded. He then motioned with his scorecard to his infield, bringing them in to cut down Prothro at the plate. However, Sam Rice slapped a grounder through the drawn-in infield, giving the upstart Senators the exciting home victory.
Game 5 was a rematch of Game 1’s pitchers, and Lefty Grove pitched much better, settling down after allowing a run in the first and second innings, on a Doc Prothro Sacrifice Fly and a Joe Judge home run. Unfortunately, his opposing number was the Big Train, Walter Johnson, who was pitching a gem. Other than a single run scoring in the 4th on a Jimmie Foxx groundout, Johnson struck out 9 and defeated the A’s in a complete game 4-1 win.



WORLD SERIES New York Yankees and Washington Senators
The World Series gave the upstart Washington Senators one more shot at their division nemesis, the New York Yankees. Many prognosticators predicted a sweep at the hands of Murderer’s Row. Game 1 saw Walter Johnson take the mound for the Senators, with Herb Pennock pitching for the Yankees. Both hurlers pitched well, until Lou Gehrig homered off Johnson in the bottom of the 4th. Washington tied the score in the top of the 6th when Buddy Myer tripled and Earl McNeely hit a sacrifice fly to Earle Combs in centerfield. Combs took that run back in the bottom of the 6th when he doubled in shortstop Everett Scott, who had tripled. The extra-base hits kept coming, as back-to-back doubles by Sam Rice and Muddy Ruel tied the game once again. In the bottom of the 8th, Combs singled. Mike Gazella hit a shot into right center, but centerfielder Earl McNeely got to the ball quickly, and fired to second baseman Bucky Harris, who relayed the ball home to cut down Combs at the plate. Babe Ruth doubled, however, scoring Gazella and giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead heading into the 9th. Closer Wilcy Moore entered the game, striking out Roger Peckinpaugh to begin the frame. Bucky Harris singled to center, then gave the hit and run sign to Buddy Myer, who executed it flawlessly, singling to right center. With the tying run now at third, Harris called for a squeeze bunt from Earl McNeely. McNeely’s bunt was perfect, coming to rest between Moore and third baseman Gazella. Harris scored the tying run, and Myer was at second with McNeely safe at first. After a passed ball, Goslin was intentionally walked. Joe Judge then lined a single to center, scoring Myer and Gazella. The Big Train finished off the Yankees in the 9th, and the Senators won Game 1 from the vaunted Yankees by a score of 5-3. Game 2 gave Miller Huggins the opportunity to throw Yankee ace Waite Hoyt. The Yanks scored in the second on Pat Collins’ single, then took a 2-0 lead when, following Harris’ Game 1 strategy, Huggins called a suicide squeeze as DH Johnny Grabowski bunted in “Poosh ‘em up” Tony Lazzeri. Jumpin’ Joe Dugan doubled in another run in the 7th, and a Grabowski sacrifice fly and a Combs single gave the Yankees a 6-1 Game 2 victory.
Game 3 at Griffith Stadium was a great pitcher’s duel, pitting New York’s Urban Shocker and Washington’s George Mogridge. Mogridge went the distance for Bucky Harris, but one of his five hits allowed was a Babe Ruth home run to right-center field in the 3rd inning. It was Mogridge’s only mistake, but it was one more than Shocker and closer Wilcy Moore made. Shocker went 7 shutout innings, and Moore got the two-inning save, as the Yankees took a 2-1 Series lead. Yankees’ lefthander Dutch Ruether was THE story in Game 4, as he threw a 2-hit shutout, with no walks and 4 strikeouts. Ruether got all he needed when Combs tripled in Everett Scott, then later scored on Lou Gehrig’s sacrifice fly. Bob Meusel also contributed a 2-run single, and the Yankees were on win from a World Series victory.
Bucky Harris decided that any New York celebration would first have to go through the Big Train. Walter Johnson would throw for Washington, but he would be opposed by Herb Pennock, whose Game 1 lead was blown by Wilcy Moore. The first run of the contest scored in the top of the 3rd when Mike Gazella, the Yankees’ postseason spark plug, doubled down the right field line. Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, slapped an opposite field line drive which Peckinpaugh knocked down. The ball trickled away and the shortstop couldn’t gather it in, allowing Ruth to reach first safely while Gazella, reading the ball perfectly, scored on the infield hit. Peckinpaugh made it up to the Washington fans by homering to left center in the bottom of the 5th. In the 6th, Gazella and Ruth both singled. After a Lou Gehrig fly out, Bob Meusel hit a shot to right, but a good throw by Sam Rice held Gazella up at third. Tony Lazzeri then hit a long fly to McNeely in center, scoring Gazella on the sacrifice fly. Pennock reacted well to a lead, getting 6 consecutive outs in the 6th and 7th. Huggins then went to Wilcy Moore, asking him to hold the lead in the same situation that he had failed to save in Game 1. Moore had no trouble with the Senators this time around, getting a 2-inning save and giving the New York Yankees the World Series. Though they had only homered twice in the Series, pitching and “inside baseball” had given “Murderer’s Row” a reprieve, and most importantly, the title of Champion.


WORLD CHAMPION1927 New York Yankees

League Awards
MVP-Babe Ruth, Yankees
CY Young Award-Walter Johnson, Senators
Fireman Award-Wilcy Moore, Yankees

League Leaders
Batting Average-Tris Speaker, Indians .383
Home Runs-Babe Ruth, Yankees 60 HR
RBI-Lou Gehrig, Yankees 178 RBI
Runs- Babe Ruth, Yankees 173 Runs
Hits- George Sisler, Browns 265 Hits
Doubles- Tris Speaker, Indians 54 2B
Triples-Earle Combs, Yankees 31 3B
Stolen Bases-Tris Speaker, Indians 56 SB
Hit Streak-Buddy Myer, Senators 10 games

Pitching Leaders
Wins-Lefty Grove, Athletics 26-12
Saves-Rip Collins, Tigers 49 Saves
Strikeouts-Dazzy Vance, Dodgers 323 K
ERA-Walter Johnson, Senators 2.12 ERA

Another great job! Almost as if I were in the World Series stands!

Awesome job there Andy.

Really excellent, Andy. I felt like I was right there watching!