1.
1920 Cleveland Indians season
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The 1920 Cleveland Indians season was the 20th season in franchise history. The Indians won the American League pennant and proceeded to win their first World Series title in the history of the franchise, pitchers Jim Bagby, Stan Coveleski and Ray Caldwell combined to win 75 games. Despite the teams success, the season was perhaps more marked by the death of starting shortstop Ray Chapman. During the season, Jim Bagby became the last pitcher to win 30 games in one season for the Indians in the 20th century, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits and he caught a line drive, touched second base, and tagged the runner coming from first base. On the same day, Elmer Smith hit the first grand slam in World Series history, during that same game, Indians pitcher Jim Bagby became the first pitcher to hit a home run in World Series history. AL Cleveland Indians vs. baseball-almanac. com 1920 WS page at Baseball Reference
2.
Tris Speaker
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Tristram Edgar Speaker, nicknamed The Grey Eagle, was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball and his 792 career doubles represent an MLB career record. His 3,514 hits are fifth in the all-time hits list, defensively, Speaker holds career records for assists, double plays, and unassisted double plays by an outfielder. His fielding glove was known as the place where triples go to die, after playing in the minor leagues in Texas and Arkansas, Speaker debuted with the Boston Red Sox in 1907. He became the center fielder by 1909 and led the Red Sox to World Series championships in 1912 and 1915. In 1915, Speakers batting average dropped to.322 from.338 the previous season, as player-manager for Cleveland, he led the team to its first World Series title. In ten of his seasons with Cleveland, he finished with a batting average greater than.350. Speaker resigned as Clevelands manager in 1926 after he and Ty Cobb faced game fixing allegations, during his managerial stint in Cleveland, Speaker introduced the platoon system in the major leagues. Speaker played with the Washington Senators in 1927 and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1928, then became a minor league manager and he later held several roles for the Cleveland Indians. Late in life, Speaker led a short-lived indoor baseball league, ran a liquor business, worked in sales. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937 and he was named 27th in the Sporting News 100 Greatest Baseball Players and was also included in the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Speaker was born on April 4,1888, in Hubbard, Texas, to Archie, as a youth, Speaker broke his arm after he fell from a horse, the injury forced him to become left-handed. In 1905, Speaker played a year of baseball for Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute. He worked on a ranch before beginning his professional baseball career, Speakers abilities drew the interest of Doak Roberts, owner of the Cleburne Railroaders of the Texas League, in 1906. After losing several games as a pitcher, Speaker converted to outfielder to replace a Cleburne player who had struck in the head with a pitch. Speakers mother opposed his participation in the leagues, saying that they reminded her of slavery. Though she relented, for several years Mrs. Speaker questioned why her son had not stayed home and he performed well for the Texas Leagues Houston Buffaloes in 1907, but his mother stated that she would never allow him to go to the Boston Americans. Roberts sold the youngster to the Americans for $750 or $800, Speaker played in seven games for the Americans in 1907, with three hits in 19 at bats for a.158 average
3.
History of the Brooklyn Dodgers
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The teams name derived from the reputed skill of Brooklyn residents at evading the citys trolley streetcar network. The team is noted for signing Jackie Robinson in 1947 as the first black player in the major leagues. Brooklyn was home to numerous clubs in the mid-1850s. Eight of 16 participants in the first convention were from Brooklyn, including the Atlantic, Eckford, Brooklyn helped make baseball commercial, as the locale of the first paid admission games, a series of three all star contests matching New York and Brooklyn in 1858. The Excelsiors no longer challenged for the championship after the Civil War. The Eckfords and Atlantics declined to join until 1872 and thereby lost their best players, the Eckfords survived only one season and the Atlantics four, with losing teams. When the Mutuals were expelled by the league, the Hartford Dark Blues club moved in, changed its name to The Brooklyn Hartfords and played its home games at Union Grounds in 1877 before disbanding. Byrne arranged to build a grandstand on a lot bounded by Third Street, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Street, and Fifth Avenue, the Grays played in the minor Inter-State Association of Professional Baseball Clubs that first season. Doyle became the first team manager, and they drew 6,431 fans to their first home game on May 12,1883 against the Trenton team. The Grays won the title after the Camden Merritt club disbanded on July 20. The Grays were invited to join the American Association for the 1884 season and they lost the 1889 World Series to the New York Giants and tied the 1890 World Series with the Louisville Colonels. Their success during this period was partly attributed to their having absorbed skilled players from the defunct New York Metropolitans, in 1899, the Grays merged with the Baltimore Orioles, as Baltimore manager Ned Hanlon became the clubs new manager and Charles Ebbets became the primary team owner. The team name, Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers, was coined in 1895, the nickname was still new enough in September 1895 that a newspaper could report that Trolley Dodgers is the new name which eastern baseball cranks have given the Brooklyn club. Some sources erroneously report that the name Trolley Dodgers referred to pedestrians avoiding fast cars on street car tracks that bordered Eastern Park on two sides, however, Eastern Park was not bordered by street-level trolley lines that had to be dodged by pedestrians. The name was shortened to Brooklyn Dodgers. Other team names used by the franchise that finally came to be called the Dodgers were the Grooms, the Bridegrooms, Wards Wonders, the Superbas, and the Robins. All of these nicknames were used by fans and newspaper sports writers to describe the team, the teams legal name was the Brooklyn Base Ball Club. However, the Trolley Dodgers nickname was used throughout this period, along with nicknames, by fans
4.
Wilbert Robinson
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Wilbert Robinson, nicknamed Uncle Robbie, was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 and he also spent one season,1900, with the St. Louis Cardinals. Over the course of his career, Robinson played 1,316 games as a catcher, which prepared him for his second baseball career as a manager. The star catcher of the Orioles dynasty which won three titles from 1894 to 1896, he compiled a career batting average of.273. Durable behind the plate, he caught a triple-header in 1896 and he also was the first catcher to play directly behind the batter at all times, as the previous practice had been to play farther back when there were fewer than two strikes. A highlight of his career was a seven-hit game June 10,1892. He also batted in 11 runs in game, on September 16,1924, as manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. While owners of a bowling, billiards and pool hall in Baltimore, Robinson, Robinson and McGraw joined as business partners in the Baltimore Orioles, a team that would debut in the new American League in 1901. McGraw served as player-manager of the AL Orioles in 1901 and the beginning of the 1902 season, Robinson succeeded McGraw as manager of the Orioles. After the season, McGraw enticed Robinson to be his coach from 1903 to 1913. Robinson would not don the managers cap again in the majors until 1914, in his 18 years at the helm of the Brooks, Robinson compiled a record of 1375–1341, including National League championships in 1916 and 1920 – Brooklyns only pennants between 1901 and 1940. Those two clubs lost in the World Series to the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, respectively and his 1375 NL victories were, at the time, the 3rd-highest total in NL history, trailing only the totals of McGraw and Fred Clarke. Robinson was highly regarded for his ability to draw outstanding performances from his pitching staffs, among the pitchers he guided to success were Joe McGinnity with both Orioles teams and the Giants, Rube Marquard with the Giants, and Dazzy Vance and Burleigh Grimes with the Dodgers. On March 13,1915, at spring training in Daytona Beach, Florida, ruth Law, the aviator, supposedly forgot to bring a baseball and instead dropped a grapefruit, which splattered all over the manager. The grapefruit made such a mess that Robinson thought he had lost his eye because of the acid and he quickly realized that it was a joke when he saw his teammates burst out in laughter. Outfielder Casey Stengel, later a manager himself, is generally believed to have convinced Law to make the switch. From this point on Robinson referred to airplanes as fruit flies, Robinson was manager when Al López started out as a catcher in the majors. Robinson watched Lopez style and finally hollered, Tell that punk he got two hands to catch with, never mind the Fancy Dan stuff
5.
Bill Klem
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William Joseph Klem, born William Joseph Klimm, known as the Old Arbitrator and the father of baseball umpires, was a National League umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941. He worked 18 World Series, which is a league record. Klem was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, Klem was born on February 22,1874 in the Dutchtown area of Rochester, New York. He had changed the spelling of his last name from Klimm to Klem because he thought it had a better sound, Klem pursued a baseball career as a catcher until he sustained an arm injury. He then worked as a bartender and traveled through the Northeast building bridges and he decided to pursue umpiring after reading a newspaper article about major league umpire Silk OLoughlin. His umpiring career began in the Connecticut League in 1902 and that year, Klem had a run-in with league secretary and team manager Jim ORourke after Klem ejected one of the managers players. ORourke threatened that Klem would not umpire another game in the league, but Klem responded, Maybe so and he worked in the New York State League the following year. Klem spent the 1904 season in the American Association before joining the NL in 1905. He worked a record 18 World Series,1908,1909,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1917,1918,1920,1922,1924,1926,1929,1931,1932,1934 and 1940. No other umpire has worked in more than ten Series, of the 16 major league teams in existence during his career, all but one—the St. He was also one of the umpires for the first All-Star Game in 1933, Klem holds the MLB record for most career ejections by an umpire with 251. He called balls and strikes in five no-hitters, an NL record later tied by Harry Wendelstedt and he was also the home plate umpire on September 16,1924, when Jim Bottomley of the St. Louis Cardinals had a record 12 runs batted in. Klem had a number of nicknames amongst the players, his favorite was The Old Arbitrator, Klem despised the latter name, and was notorious for ejecting players whom he caught using it. One particular incident involved a player whom Klem ejected after he caught the player drawing a picture of a catfish with his foot in the infield dirt. Klem also dismissed catcher Al López from a game after López pasted a newspaper clipping onto home plate which showed Klem clearly in error calling a play involving López, the catcher had covered the photo with dirt and waited for Klem to brush off home plate. As Klem got older, he began to experience a skin condition that he related to his nerves. He once commented on the toll that umpiring took on him, saying, feel that these verbal and physical public humiliations go in one ear and out the other. They go in one ear and go straight to the system, eating away coordination, self-confidence
6.
Tom Connolly
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Thomas Henry Connolly was an English-American umpire in Major League Baseball. He officiated in the National League from 1898 to 1900, followed by 31 years of service in the American League from 1901 to 1931, Connolly was born in Manchester, England, and played cricket as a boy. He immersed himself in the book, and within a few years was umpiring for local games. While working in YMCA games, he was discovered by major league umpire Tim Hurst, who obtained a position for Connolly in the New England League, where he umpired from 1894 to 1897. Connolly had the privilege of umpiring, as its sole arbiter, during the ensuing argument, Connolly was struck in the mouth by a bottle thrown by a spectator. His reputation earned him prominent game assignments, including the first AL games ever played at Comiskey Park, Shibe Park, Fenway Park, Connolly was also the sole AL umpire chosen to work in the first World Series in 1903. In his career, Connolly worked in an AL-record eight World Series,1903,1908,1910,1911,1913,1916,1920 and 1924. He was also the plate umpire for Addie Joss perfect game on October 2,1908, one of four no-hitters in which he called balls. Connolly was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, Connolly and Klem are the only two umpires in history to have worked in five decades, Connollys record of 31 years umpiring American League games was broken by Larry Barnett in 1999. Connolly died at age 90 in Natick, Massachusetts
7.
Hank O'Day
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Henry M. Hank ODay, nicknamed The Reverend, was an American right-handed pitcher and later an umpire and manager in Major League Baseball. After a seven-year major league playing career, he worked as a National League umpire for 30 seasons between 1895 and 1927. ODay umpired in ten World Series – second only to Bill Klems total of 18 – including five of the first seven played, and was behind the plate for the first modern World Series game in 1903. His 3,986 total games as an umpire ranked third in league history when he retired. He is largely known for his decision in a pivotal 1908 game. ODay interrupted his umpiring career twice for single seasons as a manager, leading the Cincinnati Reds in 1912 and he remains the only person ever to serve full seasons in the NL as a player, manager and umpire. ODay was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2013, ODay was born in Chicago, the son of railroad engineer James ODay and his wife Margaret, who were immigrants from Ireland and were both deaf. The couple had at least seven children, Daniel, James Jr. Catherine, Henry, Margaret, Mary McNamara, the ODays originally settled in Buffalo, New York, by the mid-1850s, they had moved to Cincinnati, and they relocated to Chicago around 1858. Jackson Street, which remained the residence until the early 20th century. ODay worked as a fitter in Chicago before entering organized baseball. With Toledo, he played alongside Fleet Walker, the first African American to play in the major leagues, ODay made his major league debut on May 2,1884, and served as the teams second pitcher behind Tony Mullane. However, he made only 13 other non-pitching appearances in the field in later years, in 1885, he split playing time with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the AA and the Washington Nationals of the Eastern League. ODay had a record of 5–7 for the Alleghenys, his time was limited because he was caring for his sick father. He made only five starts after May 11, and left the team for the last time after his July 6 start, in the meantime, the Chicago White Stockings had opened West Side Park on June 6, less than a mile and a half from the ODay residence. In 15 games with Washington in the Eastern League, he had a record of 13–2, on September 5 of that year, his younger brother Joseph died at age 15 from injuries he had suffered two days earlier after falling from the front car of a roller coaster. At the end of the season, the Nationals folded, and ODay joined a Louisville ball club, ODay spent most of 1886 with the Savannah team in the Southern Association, and during his time there he was considered a favorite among other players. In 39 games with Savannah, ODay won 26 games, lost 11, late in the year, he joined the Washington Nationals, where he posted a 2-2 record in six games. ODay became a starter for the Nationals in 1887
8.
Bill Dinneen
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Dinneen was the plate umpire for baseballs first All-Star Game. He played for the Washington Senators and Boston Braves, and the Boston Red Sox, Dinneen recorded three wins for the Red Sox over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903. Dinneen broke the record for most strikeouts in a World Series with 11, Dinneen was born in Syracuse, New York on April 5,1876. He led the AL in losses in 1902 with 21, and led the league in saves in 1903 and 1907. In his remarkable 1904 season for the Red Sox, as they repeated as AL champions, he started 37 games, completing one of them for a total of 335 2⁄3 innings pitched. On June 12, he won a 16-inning contest by a score of 2–1 over the Browns, the game went into the final inning tied 2–2 before a wild pitch by Chesbro gave a 3–2 victory, and the flag, to Boston. On September 27,1905, Dinneen pitched a 2–0 no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox, Dinneen joined the AL umpiring staff on September 12,1909, just 17 days after his final pitching appearance with the Browns. He umpired in eight World Series, tying the AL record set by Tommy Connolly and he served as crew chief for the 1914,1926 and 1932 Series. He was also selected to work in the first All-Star game in 1933, calling balls, shore retired the runner as well as all 26 batters he faced. Dinneen had his own confrontation with Ruth in the 1922 season, on June 19, the outfielder got into an argument with the umpire, and during the next days game he again insulted the official. Bill Dinneen was one of the greatest pitchers the game ever produced and he is one of the cleanest and most honorable men baseball ever fostered. Your conduct at Cleveland on Monday was reprehensible to a great degree – shocking to every American mother who permits her boy to go to a professional game, the American League cares nothing for Ruth. The individual player means nothing to the organization, when he steps on the ball field he is subject to our control and discipline. You branded Umpire Dinneen as yellow and this is the most remarkable declaration a modern ball player has made. Dinneen stands out in the history of the game as one of the most courageous players we have ever had, if you could match up to his standard you would not be in the trough you occupy today. Coupled with your misconduct on Monday, you doubled the penalty on Tuesday and you are hereby notified of your suspension for five days without salary. It seems the period has arrived when you should allow some intelligence to creep into a mind that has plainly been warped, in addition to the no-hitter he pitched, Dinneen also called balls and strikes for five other no-hitters. He remains the only individual in major league history to pitch a no-hitter and call one as plate umpire
9.
Stan Coveleski
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Stanley Anthony Coveleski was an American Major League Baseball pitcher during the 1910s and 1920s who primarily threw the spitball. In 14 seasons in the American League, Coveleski pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators and New York Yankees. In 450 career games, Coveleski pitched 3,082 innings and posted a record of 215–142, with 224 complete games,38 shutouts. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969, born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, Coveleski began playing professional baseball in 1908, following in the footsteps of his brother, Harry Coveleski. He played mostly for the Lancaster Red Roses until he made his league debut with the Athletics in 1912. Following three more seasons in the leagues, he stayed in the major leagues after signing with the Indians in 1916. During his nine seasons with the Indians, his accomplishments included winning three games during the 1920 World Series, after his time with the Indians ended, Coveleski spent three seasons with the Senators and one with the Yankees before retiring after the 1928 season. He retired to South Bend, Indiana, where he died in 1984, a starting pitcher, Coveleski specialized in throwing the spitball, a pitch where the ball is altered with a foreign substance such as chewing tobacco. It was legal when his career began and outlawed in 1920, stanislaus Anthony Kowalewski was the youngest of five baseball-playing brothers in the coal-mining community of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. His oldest brother Jacob died serving in the Spanish–American War, his other brothers Frank and John also played baseball and his older brother, Harry Coveleski, later won 20 games in a season on three occasions during his major league career. Like many his age in the Shamokin area, Coveleski began work as a boy at a local colliery at the age of 12. In return for 72 hours of labor per week, Coveleski received $3.75, there was nothing strange in those days about a twelve-year-old Polish kid working in the mines for 72 hours a week at a nickel an hour, he later recalled. What was strange is that I ever got out of there, Coveleski was rarely able to play baseball as a child due to his work schedule. Nevertheless, he worked on his skills during the evenings. When he was 18 years old, Coveleskis abilities caught the attention of the local ball club. When it came to throwing a baseball, why it was easy to pitch, after all, the plates a lot bigger than a tin can to throw at. His baseball career in Shamokin was short-lived, after five games, Coveleski relocated to Lancaster, Coveleski signed his first professional contract in 1909 with the minor league Lancaster Red Roses, a club affiliated with the Tri-State League. During his first trip to Lancaster, he recalled that it was the first time I ever rode on a train, in 272 innings of work his first season, Coveleski had a 23–11 win-loss record with an earned run average of 1.95
10.
Joe Sewell
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Joseph Wheeler Sewell was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, Sewell holds the record for the lowest strikeout rate in major league history, striking out on average only once every 63 at-bats, and the most consecutive games without a strikeout, at 115. Born in Titus, Alabama, Sewell lettered in football at the University of Alabama in 1917,1918. He led the baseball team to four conference titles before joining the minor league New Orleans Pelicans in 1920. An emerging star, Sewell batted.318 with 101 runs,93 RBI, sewells patience and daily work ethic became his hallmarks over the following decade and a half. Playing with Cleveland until 1930 and the New York Yankees from 1931 to 1933, Sewell batted.312 with 1,141 runs,1,055 RBI,49 home runs and he regularly scored 90 or more runs a season and twice topped the 100 RBI plateau. He hit a career high 11 home runs in 1932, of more historical significance, Sewell struck out a mere 114 times in 7,132 career at-bats for an average of one strikeout every 62.5 at-bats, second only to Willie Keeler. He also holds the record for fewest strikeouts over a full season, with 3. Sewell also had 3 strikeouts in 1930, albeit in just 353 at-bats and he struck out ten or more times in only four seasons, and his highest strikeout total was twenty, during the 1922 season. For his 1925–1933 seasons, Sewell struck out 4,6,7,9,4,3,8,3 and he also holds the record for consecutive games without recording a strikeout, at 115. Sewell also played in 1,103 consecutive games, which to that point was only to Everett Scott. His 167.7 at-bats per strikeout in 1932 remains a Major League Single Season record, Sewell played in two World Series, in 1920 and 1932, winning both times. His 1977 induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame was by the Veterans Committee, in 1981, Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. Two of his brothers, Luke Sewell and Tommy Sewell, also played major league baseball. Tommy played in one game with the Chicago Cubs in 1927 and his cousin Rip Sewell was a major league pitcher credited with inventing the eephus pitch. Joe Sewell was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, sewell-Thomas Stadium, the baseball stadium at the University of Alabama, is named in his honor and is nicknamed by Crimson Tide fans as The Joe. After his retirement, Mr. Sewell worked as a public relations man for a dairy and was a major league scout, in 1964, at the age of 66, he became the Alabama baseball coach, achieving a 114-99 record in seven seasons. One of his pitchers was future NFL standout, Alabama quarterback and 1966 MLB 10th round draftee Ken The Snake Stabler, Joe Sewell graduated from Wetumpka High School in 1916
11.
Rube Marquard
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Richard William Rube Marquard was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball in the 1910s and early 1920s. He achieved his greatest success with the New York Giants and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Rube Marquard was born in Cleveland, Ohio to German immigrant Fred Marquard, Marquard claimed an 1889 date of birth, but 1900 census data and a birth certificate show an 1886 date of birth. Lena Marquard died of an infection in 1899 and Rubes grandmother took responsibility for raising him. Marquard quit school after the grade, biographer Larry Mansch writes that he simply refused to attend any longer. Newspaper reports first mentioned Marquard in 1905 when he played with a team in Cleveland. Though pitching for a team that had a 1-15 win-loss record at one point. He broke a City League record with 16 strikeouts in a game against a known as Brittons Printing. In September, the City League season finished and he signed with the semipro Telling Strollers and he started his minor league baseball career in 1906. Despite his nickname, he was a city kid, as he told it in The Glory of Their Times, a writer in his minor league days compared him favorably with Rube Waddell, and very soon Marquard was being called Rube also. In 1907, he went 23-13 with a 2.01 earned run average, in 1908, he went 28-19 with a 1.69 ERA and led the American Association in wins. From 1911 to 1913, Marquard won at least 23 games each season, in 1911, he led the league with 237 strikeouts. In 1912, he led the league with 26 wins and he also made baseball history by winning 19 decisions in a row. Marquard allegedly celebrated by buying an opal stickpin to reward himself, upon being told by a friend that opals were a jinx, he threw the pin into a river, but apparently the curse had already done its work, as he lost his next decision. In 1914, Marquard went 12-22, and in 1915, he joined the Brooklyn Robins and he helped the team win pennants in 1916 and 1920. He then played for the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves, Marquard finished his major league career in 1925 with a record of 201–177 and a 3.08 ERA. His 1,593 strikeouts, at the time, ranked third in league history among left-handers. He later pitched and managed in the leagues until 1933
12.
Zack Wheat
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Zachariah Davis Zack Wheat, nicknamed Buck, was a Major League Baseball left fielder for Brooklyn in the National League. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1959, a consistent hitter throughout his 19-year career, he still holds many Dodger franchise records. His brother McKinley Mack Wheat also played in the leagues. Born in Hamilton, Missouri, he was the son of Basil and his father was of English descent and his mother was full-blooded Cherokee. It was during that 1909 season that the Brooklyn Superbas of the National League purchased Wheat for $1200, and he made his Major League debut in September. He batted with a type of swing, and held his hands down near the end of the bat, unlike most hitters during his time. Even with his consistent high levels of hitting, he was noted for his graceful. Wheat played his first full season in 1910 and he played every game for the Superbas that season as the regular left fielder, leading the league in games played. He batted.284 that season, the second-lowest average of his career, which led the team, and was among the leaders in hits, doubles. It was in 1911 that his reputation as a slugger began to take hold, along with hitting.287, he finished eighth in the league with 13 triples, and slugged five home runs. In an era when players rarely hit home runs for a season. Wheat continued his steady and consistent climb up the charts in 1912, hitting.305. Over the next four seasons, he continued to be among the leaders of many categories, such as home runs, batting average, slugging, hits, doubles, triples. It was during the 1912 season that Wheat married Daisy Kerr Forsman, Players in his day signed one-year contracts before every season. Each time he held out, he received money, the club not wanting to lose one of its best players. This tactic of threatening to hold out served him well during throughout his career, including during the World War I era and he claimed that he did so well, that he didnt need to play during the summer. The team, fearing that they lose a great player during the prime of his career. In 1916, he topped off the string of seasons with a finish in the top ten in all the categories, topping the league in total bases
13.
1919 World Series
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The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series. Baseball decided to try the best-of-nine format partly to increase popularity of the sport, the events of the series are often associated with the Black Sox Scandal, when several members of the Chicago franchise conspired with gamblers to throw the World Series games. The 1919 World Series was the last World Series to take place without a Commissioner of Baseball in place, in 1920, the various franchise owners installed Kenesaw Mountain Landis as the first Commissioner of Baseball. In August 1920, seven players from the White Sox were banned from organized baseball for fixing the series, the 1919 Chicago White Sox were one of baseballs elite teams. Most of the players had defeated the New York Giants in the 1917 World Series. They had fallen to sixth place in the American League in 1918, largely as a result of losing their best player, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and a few of his teammates as well, to World War I service. Team owner Charlie Comiskey fired manager Pants Rowland after the season, replacing him with Kid Gleason, the 88–52 White Sox won the American League pennant again in 1919, by 3 1⁄2 games over the Cleveland Indians. Jackson was the star of the team. The left fielder hit.351 that season, fourth in the league and in the ALs top five in slugging percentage, RBI, total bases, right fielder Nemo Leibold hit.302 with 81 runs scored. First baseman Chick Gandil hit.290, third baseman Buck Weaver.296, even typical good field, no hit catcher Ray Schalk hit.282 that year, and shortstop Swede Risberg was not an automatic out with.256 average and 38 RBI. Manager Gleasons bench contained two impressive hitters, outfielder Shano Collins and infielder Fred McMullin, both veterans of the 1917 world championship, the 1919 pennant-winning pitching staff was led by a pair of aces and a very promising rookie. Next came Claude Lefty Williams, at 23–11 and 2.64, twenty-six-year-old rookie Dickie Kerr started only 17 games, but turned in a solid 13–7 and 2.88. Fourth in the rotation was Urban Red Faber, who had beaten the Giants three times in the 1917 World Series but had an off-year in 1919 at 11–9 and 3.83 in 20 starts. He was ill and unable to pitch in the Series in any event, but all was not well in the White Sox camp. In contrast to the White Sox, the 1919 Cincinnati Reds were upstarts and they had finished no higher than third since 1900, and then only twice, before winning the NL pennant handily in 1919.686. Third baseman Heinie Groh was the other great hitter on the team at.310 with a.392 on-base percentage and 79 runs scored. Slick-fielding first baseman Jake Daubert, a two-time National League batting champion with Brooklyn earlier in the decade, also scored 79 runs and hit.276, while catcher Ivey Wingo hit.273
14.
World Series
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The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League champion team and the National League champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a playoff. As the series is played in October, during the season in North America. As of 2016, the World Series has been contested 112 times, with the AL winning 64, the 2016 World Series took place between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs. Seven games were played, with the Cubs victorious after game seven, the final score was 8–7, the game went into extra innings after a tied score of 6–6. This was the third World Series won by the Cubs, as well as their first title since 1908, in the National League, the St. As of 2016, no team has won consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees in 1998,1999, all championships were awarded to the team with the best record at the end of the season, without a postseason series being played. From 1884 to 1890, the National League and the American Association faced each other in a series of games at the end of the season to determine an overall champion. These series were disorganized in comparison to the modern World Series, the number of games played ranged from as few as three in 1884, to a high of fifteen in 1887. Both the 1885 and 1890 Series ended in ties, each team having won three games with one tie game, the series was promoted and referred to as The Championship of the United States, Worlds Championship Series, or Worlds Series for short. In his book Krakatoa, The Day the World Exploded, August 27,1883, Simon Winchester mentions in passing that the World Series was named for the New York World newspaper, but this view is disputed. Until about 1960, some sources treated the 19th-century Series on a basis with the post-19th-century series. After about 1930, however, many authorities list the start of the World Series in 1903, following the collapse of the American Association after the 1891 season, the National League was again the only major league. The league championship was awarded in 1892 by a playoff between half-season champions and this scheme was abandoned after one season. Beginning in 1893—and continuing until divisional play was introduced in 1969—the pennant was awarded to the club in the standings at the end of the season. For four seasons, 1894–1897, the league played the runners-up in the post season championship series called the Temple Cup. A second attempt at this format was the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup series, in 1901, the American League was formed as a second major league. No championship series were played in 1901 or 1902 as the National and these series were arranged by the participating clubs, as the 1880s Worlds Series matches had been
15.
1921 World Series
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This was the first World Series appearance by the Yankees, who have gone on to play in the Series a record 40 times. The 1921 Series was a closely contested matchup that ended on a play featuring a baserunning miscue. The Series was the last of the experimental series, which the Giants won five games to three. This marked the first time in World Series history that the series occurred at a single site and it happened again the following year in the same place with the same two teams, and in 1944 at St. Louis Sportsmans Park between the Cardinals and the Browns. For New Yorkers, this was the first subway Series in World Series history and it was also the first World Series to be broadcast on radio, with Grantland Rice covering the games live through Pittsburghs KDKA. It was rebroadcast on WBZ in Massachusetts, announcer Tommy Cowan also recreated the games over Westinghouse-owned WJZ in Newark as he listened to phoned-in reports from the stadium. Following the Series, Ruth and Bob Meusel did some postseason barnstorming, both were suspended for a number of games at the start of the 1922 season. Ruth filed an appeal with Commissioner Landis, who upheld their suspensions. Then New York Governor Nathan L. Miller, described as a big baseball fan by the New York Times, the Series drew fans to New York City from across the continent, from as far west as California and Mexico to as far south as Cuba. Hotels were booked up, and both the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads made plans to add cars and run their trains in sections if necessary to handle the traffic expected. Harry L. Davis, then the Governor of Ohio, was expected to attend the games as were several other VIPs of the time and this was the fourth World Series for Giants assistant coach Eee-yah. The two were teammates on the old Baltimore Orioles in earlier seasons, several players on both teams didnt start the 1921 season with either the Giants or the Yankees, and several others moved to other teams during the regular season earlier that year. For the Giants, Johnny Rawlings, Irish Meusel, Casey Stengel and Red Causey started the season as Philadelphia Phillies, who finished last in the National League that year. Nonparticipants from either team in the Series included Curtis Walker, Lee King, Johnny Monroe, Rube Benton, Goldie Rapp, Ping Bodie, Tom Sheehan, but when he slid into third, he scraped his elbow severely and the site became infected. After getting outscored 6–0 in the first two games of series and falling behind 4–0 in the top of the third, the Giants tied it with four runs of their own in the bottom half. Later on, an 8 run 7th inning highlighted by Ross Youngs bases loaded triple turned the tide as the Giants got their first win of this series, Ruth was taken out in the eighth after again scraping his elbow sliding into a base. The Yankees announced after the game that the elbow would have to be lanced, Ruth suited up, but stayed on the bench during batting practice. When the game began, however, to surprise, he popped out of the dugout
16.
Grand slam (baseball)
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In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners, thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the game of contract bridge. Roger Connor is believed to have been the first major league player to hit a grand slam, on September 10,1881, for the Troy Trojans. Although Charlie Gould hit one for the Boston Red Stockings in the National Association on September 5,1871, alex Rodriguez has 25 career grand slams, the most by any player in Major League Baseball history, passing Lou Gehrigs 23 on September 20,2013. Meanwhile, Don Mattingly set the record with six grand slams in 1987 – remarkably. Travis Hafner tied Mattinglys Major League record in 2006, while in 2009, several grand slams, the first being Connors in 1881, consisted of a player hitting a walk-off grand slam for a one-run victory, some baseball observers call this an ultimate grand slam. Ryan Howard was the most recent to do so in a 6-5 victory by the Philadelphia Phillies over the Houston Astros on August 7,2014, during the 2005 major league season, grand slams accounted for 132 of the 5017 home runs hit. On June 13–14,2006, the Minnesota Twins hit grand slams in consecutive games against the Boston Red Sox, in 2006, the Chicago White Sox hit grand slams in three consecutive games against the Houston Astros. Scott Podsednik hit the grand slam of his career in the series opener. Joe Crede followed up with a slam of his own on Saturday, the White Sox became the first team to accomplish this since the Detroit Tigers in 1993. On the other hand, the 2007 Kansas City Royals surrendered grand slams in three games, two against the Baltimore Orioles and one against the Tigers. Four players hit a grand slam in their first Major League at-bat, Bill Duggleby, Jeremy Hermida, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Kouzmanoff, Nava, and Duggleby hit theirs on the first pitch, Hermidas grand slam was in a pinch-hit at bat. Tony Cloninger is the pitcher to hit two grand slams in one game, for the Atlanta Braves in a 1966 contest against the San Francisco Giants. Tatis was only the second National League player to hit two grand slams in one game, joining Cloninger, tatis had never hit a grand slam before in his career. Bill Mueller is the player to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate in the same game, when he hit 2 on July 29,2003 for the Boston Red Sox vs. the Texas Rangers. Robin Ventura is the player to hit a grand slam in both games of a doubleheader, when he did so on May 20,1999 for the New York Mets against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Daiei Hawks accomplished the feat in 1999, on August 25,2011, the New York Yankees, hosting the Oakland As, became the first team in MLB history to hit three grand slams in one game. Robinson Canó, Russell Martin and Curtis Granderson took pitchers Rich Harden, Fautino de los Santos, coming back from a 7−1 deficit, the second grand slam gave the Yankees their first lead of the game, they went on to win 22–9
17.
Home run
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In modern baseball, the feat is typically achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles without first touching the ground, resulting in an automatic home run. There is also the home run, increasingly rare in modern baseball. When a home run is scored, the batter is credited with a hit and a run scored. Likewise, the pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit, a batted ball is also a home run if it touches either foul pole or its attached screen before touching the ground, as the foul poles are by definition in fair territory. A batted ball that goes over the wall after touching the ground is not a home run. A fielder is allowed to reach over the wall to attempt to catch the ball as long as his feet are on or over the field during the attempt. If the fielder successfully catches the ball while it is in flight the batter is out, however, since the fielder is not part of the field, a ball that bounces off a fielder and over the wall without touching the ground is still a home run. A home run accomplished in any of the above manners is a home run. This stipulation is in Approved Ruling of Rule 7.10, an inside-the-park home run occurs when a batter hits the ball into play and is able to circle the bases before the fielders can put him out. Unlike with a home run, the batter-runner and all preceding runners are liable to be put out by the defensive team at any time while running the bases. This can only happen if the ball does not leave the ballfield, with outfields much less spacious and more uniformly designed than in the games early days, inside-the-park home runs are now a rarity. They are usually the result of a ball being hit by a very fast runner, either way, this sends the ball into open space in the outfield and thereby allows the batter-runner to circle the bases before the defensive team can put him out. The speed of the runner is crucial as even triples are relatively rare in most modern ballparks, all runs scored on such a play, however, still count. An example of an unexpected bounce occurred during the 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at AT&T Park in San Francisco on July 10,2007, by the time the ball was relayed, Ichiro had already crossed the plate standing up. This was the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history, Home runs are often characterized by the number of runners on base at the time. A home run hit with the bases empty is seldom called a one-run homer, with one runner on base, two runs are scored and thus the home run is often called a two-run homer or two-run shot. Similarly, a home runs with two runners on base is a three-run homer or three-run shot, the term four-run homer is seldom used, instead, it is nearly always called a grand slam. Hitting a grand slam is the best possible result for the turn at bat
18.
Pitcher
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In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important defensive player, there are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and closer. The National League in Major League Baseball and the Japanese Central League are among the leagues that have not adopted the designated hitter position. In most cases, the objective of the pitcher is to deliver the pitch to the catcher without allowing the batter to hit the ball with the bat. A successful pitch is delivered in such a way that the batter either allows the pitch to pass through the zone, swings the bat at the ball and misses it. If the batter elects not to swing at the pitch, it is called a strike if any part of the passes through the strike zone. A check swing is when the batter begins to swing, If the batter successfully checks the swing and the pitch is out of the strike zone, it is called a ball. There are two legal pitching positions, the windup and the set position or stretch, either position may be used at any time, typically, the windup is used when the bases are empty, while the set position is used when at least one runner is on base. Each position has certain procedures that must be followed, a balk can be called on a pitcher from either position. A power pitcher is one who relies on the velocity of his pitches to succeed, generally, power pitchers record a high percentage of strikeouts. A control pitcher succeeds by throwing accurate pitches and thus records few walks, nearly all action during a game is centered on the pitcher for the defensive team. A pitchers particular style, time taken between pitches, and skill heavily influence the dynamics of the game and can determine the victor. Meanwhile, a batter stands in the box at one side of the plate. The type and sequence of pitches chosen depend upon the situation in a game. The relationship between pitcher and catcher is so important that some teams select the starting catcher for a game based on the starting pitcher. Together, the pitcher and catcher are known as the battery, although the object and mechanics of pitching remain the same, pitchers may be classified according to their roles and effectiveness. The starting pitcher begins the game, and he may be followed by relief pitchers, such as the long reliever, the left-handed specialist, the middle reliever. In Major League Baseball, every team uses Baseball Rubbing Mud to rub game balls in before their pitchers use them in games, a skilled pitcher often throws a variety of different pitches to prevent the batter from hitting the ball well
19.
Ray Chapman
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Raymond Johnson Ray Chapman was an American baseball player, spending his entire career as a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians. Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch thrown by Yankees pitcher Carl Mays and he remains the only Major League Baseball player to have died from an injury received during an MLB game. Chapmans death was one of the examples used to emphasize the need for wearing batting helmets. Chapman was born in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, and raised in Herrin and he broke into the Major Leagues in 1912 with the Cleveland team, then known as the Naps. Chapman led the American League in runs scored and walks in 1918, a top-notch bunter, Chapman is sixth on the all-time list for sacrifice hits and holds the single season record with 67 in 1917. Only Stuffy McInnis has more career sacrifices as a right-handed batter, Chapman was also an excellent shortstop who led the league in putouts three times and assists once. He batted.300 three times, and led the Indians in stolen bases four times, in 1917, he set a team record of 52 stolen bases, which stood until 1980. He was hitting.303 with 97 runs scored when he died and he was one of the few players whom Ty Cobb considered a friend. There was conjecture that 1920 was going to be Chapmans last year as a pro baseball player, shortly before the season began, Chapman married Kathleen Daly, who was the daughter of a prominent Cleveland businessman. Chapman had indicated he was going to retire to devote himself to the business into which he was marrying. At the time of Chapmans death, part of every job was to dirty up a new ball the moment it was thrown onto the field. By turns, they smeared it with dirt, licorice, and tobacco juice, it was deliberately scuffed, sandpapered, scarred, cut, even spiked. The result was a misshapen, earth-colored ball that traveled through the air erratically, tended to soften in the later innings and this practice is believed to have contributed to Chapmans death. He was struck with a pitch by Carl Mays on August 16,1920, Mays threw with a submarine delivery, and it was the top of the fifth inning, in the late afternoon. Eyewitnesses recounted that Chapman never moved out of the way of the pitch, Chapman didnt react at all, said Rod Nelson of the Society of American Baseball Research. It was at twilight and it froze him, the sound of the ball smashing into Chapmans skull was so loud that Mays thought it had hit the end of Chapmans bat, so he fielded the ball and threw to first base. Mike Sowell, in his book The Pitch That Killed, states that first baseman Wally Pipp caught Mays throw to first, Chapman never took any steps, but rather slowly collapsed to his knees and then to the ground with blood pouring out of his left ear. The umpire quickly called for doctors in the stands to come to Chapmans aid, eventually Chapman was able to stand and to try to walk off the field, but mumbled when he attempted to speak
20.
Bill Wambsganss
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William Adolf Wambsganss was a second baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1914 through 1926, Wambsganss played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and he is best remembered for making one of the most spectacular defensive plays in World Series history, an unassisted triple play. Wambsganss was a native of Cleveland, Ohio and he attended Concordia College and studied for the ministry before entering professional baseball. In a 13-season career, Wambsganss posted a.259 batting average with seven runs and 519 run batted in in 1492 games played. Due to his surname, Wambsganss was often called Wamby by headline writers. Wambsganss was the second baseman of the Cleveland Indians for ten years. Over a thirteen-year Major League career, he amassed 4,269 assists with 3,420 putouts and he committed only 375 errors in 8,064 chances for a significant.954 fielding percentage. Batting from the second or eighth spot, Wambsganss averaged 74.2 runs per year from 1919 to 1923 and he scored a career-high 89 runs in 1922. He hit a career-high.295 in 1918 and hit.290 in 1923 and he was sent to the Boston Red Sox in the same trade that brought first baseman George Burns to the Indians. In 1924 with Boston, Wambsganss hit.275 and collected career-highs in hits, after a sub-par season in 1925, he was sold to the Philadelphia Athletics. He finished his Major League career with the As in 1926, earlier in the game, Wambsganss teammate Elmer Smith hit the first grand slam in World Series history off Brooklyn Robins pitcher Burleigh Grimes, in the first inning with none out. The historic blast scored Charlie Jamieson, Wambsganss, Tris Speaker, Brooklyn fell to the Indians in an 8–1 loss. Cleveland winning pitcher Jim Bagby helped himself by hitting a home run in the third. It was the first home run hit by a pitcher in modern World Series history, after the World Series, Cleveland fans presented Wambsganss with a medal to commemorate the unassisted triple play. The medal was lost the following April while Wambsganss was traveling aboard a train, after his last year in the Major Leagues, Wambsganss played for Triple-A Kansas City of the American Association. After coaching New Orleans of the Southern League in 1930, he returned to the Kansas City club as manager in 1931, additionally, he managed for four seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for the Fort Wayne Daisies and the Muskegon Lassies. In November 1988, Wambsganss and the rest of the AAGPBL received recognition when the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, the gymnasium at Concordia Theological Seminary is named in honor of him. Many dont even remember the team I was on, or the position I played, youd think I was born on the day before and died on the day after
21.
Clarence Mitchell (baseball)
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Clarence Elmer Mitchell was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in the majors from 1911 to 1932 for the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Brooklyn Robins, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals. Mitchell was known for throwing the spitball, and he was one of the 17 pitchers allowed to continue throwing the pitch after it was outlawed in 1920. Wambsganss was able to double up the runner, Pete Kilduff, who was still running toward third, then tagged out Otto Miller. Mitchell is the player in Major League history to hit into an unassisted triple play in a World Series. In his next at bat, Mitchell hit into a double play, Mitchell also has the distinction of being the last legal lefthanded spitball pitcher. After being released from the majors after the 1932 season at age 41, he played several years in the minors. Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
22.
Otto Miller
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Lowell Otto Miller was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1910 through 1922 for the Brooklyn teams Superbas, Dodgers and Robins. Listed at 6 ft 0 in,196 lb. Miller batted and he was born in Minden, Nebraska. In a 13-season career, Miller was a.245 hitter with five runs and 231 RBI in 927 games played, including 229 runs,97 doubles,33 triples. In eight postseason games, he went 3-for-22 for a.136 average, as a catcher, he collected 3870 outs with 1053 assists and committed 135 errors in 5058 chances for a.973 fielding percentage. His best season was 1920, when he posted a career-high.289 average, Miller was also a participant in World Series history in the fifth inning of game 5 of the 1920 World Series. He was tagged by Cleveland Indians 2B Bill Wambsganss for the third out in the only unassisted triple play in World Series history, after his playing career ended, he managed the Atlanta Crackers in 1923 and was coach for the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox. Miller died in Brooklyn, New York at the age of 72, when he fell from a hospital window after an eye surgery
23.
Unassisted triple play
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In baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three putouts by himself in one continuous play, without his teammates making any assists. Neal Ball was the first to achieve this in Major League Baseball under modern rules, for this rare play to be possible there must be no outs in the inning and at least two runners on base. In MLB, a total of fifteen players have fielded an unassisted triple play, of these fifteen players, eight were shortstops, five were second basemen and two were first basemen. The Cleveland Indians are the franchise to have three players achieve the feat while on their roster, Ball, Bill Wambsganss and Asdrúbal Cabrera. The shortest time between two unassisted triple plays occurred in May 1927, when Johnny Neun executed the feat less than 24 hours after Jimmy Cooney. Conversely, it more than 41 seasons after Neuns play before Ron Hansen performed the feat on July 30,1968. The last player to make a triple play is Eric Bruntlett. Only Neun and Bruntlett executed unassisted triple plays that ended the game. Most unassisted triple plays in MLB have taken form, an infielder catches a line drive, steps on a base to double off a runner. The next base usually being the base that the infielder stepped on to record the second out. Infrequently, the order of the last two putouts is reversed and it is nearly impossible for an unassisted triple play to occur unless the fielder is positioned between the two runners. For this reason, all but two of these plays have been accomplished by middle infielders, the other two were completed by first basemen, who were able to reach second base before the returning baserunner. For example, after collecting the first two outs, Tigers first baseman Johnny Neun ignored his shortstops shouts to throw the ball, the only unassisted triple play that did not take one of these forms occurred in the 19th century, under rules that are no longer in effect. It is plausible that a third baseman could complete a triple play with runners at second and third or with bases loaded. Players in other positions completing a triple play would require unusual confusion or mistakes by the baserunners. Troy Tulowitzki said of his feat, It fell right in my lap, paul Hines, May 8,1878, Providence Grays With runners on second and third, center fielder Hines caught a line drive from Jack Burdock that the runners thought was uncatchable. When he caught it, both runners had already passed third, Hines stepped on third, which by the rules of the day meant both runners were out. To make sure, he threw the ball to Charlie Sweasy at second base and it is still debated whether this was truly an unassisted triple play
24.
Elmer Smith (20th-century outfielder)
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Elmer John Smith born in Sandusky, Ohio was an outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. His World War I draft registration card shows that he was born in 1893 not 1892, but the information is not in the same handwriting as his signature. His Social Security Death Index shows a year of 1892. He helped the Indians win the 1920 World Series and the Yankees win the 1922 American League Pennant and 1923 World Series, smiths grand slam in Game 5 of the 1920 series was the first in World Series history. He died in Columbia, Kentucky at the age of 91 from emphysema
25.
Jim Bagby Sr.
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James Charles Jacob Bagby Sr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Bagby was the first pitcher to hit a run in a modern World Series. A native of Barnett, Georgia, Bagby began his career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1912. His pitching records that year were not impressive, so the Reds let him go and he returned to major league baseball with the Cleveland Indians in 1916. Bagby posted 23 wins in 1917, following with 17 wins the next two campaigns, the 1920 Indians team was powered with stars such as Tris Speaker, Stan Coveleski, Ray Caldwell, minor-league call-up Duster Mails, Bagby, Charlie Jamieson and Elmer Smith. On September 2 of that year, Bagby won his 31st game of the season, since that game was played, only three other pitchers, have collected 30 victories in one season. On October 10, Bagbys turn to make World Series history came and it was a game filled with World Series firsts, as Elmer Smith became the first player in the Series history to hit a grand slam in the games first inning. During the games third inning, Bagby came to bat with two men on bases, hitting the first home run by a pitcher in modern World Series history. Later on, another of Bagbys teammates, Bill Wambsganss, turned in the first unassisted triple play in World Series history, in 1921, it was Bagbys pitch that Babe Ruth hit as his record-breaking 120th home run. Before the 1923 season Bagby was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and he retired at the end of the season. In a nine-season career, Bagby posted a 127–87 record with 450 strikeouts, in World Series play, he had an 1–1 record with an ERA of 1.80. Baseball historians Bill James and Rob Neyer have ranked Bagbys screwball the ninth-best of all time and his son, Jim Bagby Jr. was also a major leaguer who played for the Red Sox, Indians and Pirates. The Bagbys became the first father and son to pitch in the World Series when Jim Jr. appeared for the 1946 Red Sox, Jim Bagby died in Marietta, Georgia at age 64. He was survived by his son Jim Jr. and two daughters, Mabel Moore and Elizabeth Fincher
26.
American League
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The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League, is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a league based in the Great Lakes states. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season,25 years after the formation of the National League. At the end of season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion. Through 2016, American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903, the 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles, the most in the history, followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Originally a minor league known as the Western League, the American League later developed into a major league after the American Association disbanded, in its early history, the Western League struggled until 1894, when Ban Johnson became the president of the league. Johnson led the Western League into major league status and soon became the president of the newly renamed American League, babe Ruth, noted as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history, spent the majority of his career in the American League. The American League has one notable difference versus the National League, in 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St. Louis and were renamed the St. Louis Browns. In 1902, The Cleveland Bluebirds were also renamed the Cleveland Broncos, in 1903, the Broncos were renamed the Cleveland Naps. In 1915, the Naps were renamed the Cleveland Indians, in 1903, the Baltimore Orioles moved to New York and were renamed the New York Highlanders. In 1913, the Highlanders were renamed the New York Yankees, in 1904, the Chicago White Stockings were renamed the Chicago White Sox. In 1908, the Boston Americans were renamed the Boston Red Sox, in 1954, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and were renamed as the Baltimore Orioles. In 1955, the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City and were renamed as the Kansas City Athletics, in 1961, the league expanded and added two teams as the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators, expanding the league to 10 teams. The original Senators team moved to Minneapolis/St, Paul in 1961 and were renamed as the Minnesota Twins. The Angels team name changed to the California Angels in 1966, then to the Anaheim Angels in 1997, the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots were added to the American League, expanding the league to 12 teams. In 1970, the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee and were renamed the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1972, the Washington Senators relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and were renamed the Texas Rangers. In 1977, the league expanded to fourteen teams, when the Seattle Mariners, in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays was added to the American League and at the same time, the Milwaukee Brewers were switched to the National League, leaving the American League with 14 teams
27.
1920 New York Yankees season
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The 1920 New York Yankees season was the 18th season for the Yankees in New York and their 20th overall. The team finished with a record of 95–59, just 3 games behind the American League champion Cleveland Indians, New York was managed by Miller Huggins. Home games were played at the Polo Grounds, the Yankees of 1920 were the first team in the history of Major League Baseball to have an attendance of more than one million fans. The year started with a bang on January 5, when the Boston Red Sox sold their star pitcher-turned-outfielder Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $125,000. The sub-headline in The New York Times the next day read and this deal would live in infamy for generations of Boston fans, and would vault the Yankees from respectability to pennant contention. The Indians won the pennant despite an incident at the Polo Grounds on August 16. Yankees pitcher Carl Mays, another of several ex-Red Sox players who had come the Yankees way and he threw one up and in on Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman, who tended to crowd the plate and apparently never saw the ball coming. Chapman suffered a skull fracture, and died the following morning. Mays was absolved of any wrongdoing, but the incident would haunt him for the rest of his life, meanwhile, the Indians rallied around the memory of their shortstop, and won the season. Ruths 54 home runs marked an end to the dead-ball era, the Yankees had once been the poor relations of the Polo Grounds, as Lamont Buchanan characterized them in The World Series and Highlights of Baseball. But the Giants had faded a bit in the late 1910s while the Yankees had grown stronger, the Yankees were now poised to take the next step to beginning the greatest dynasty in professional sports. Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. baseball-almanac. com
28.
Black Sox Scandal
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Despite acquittals in a public trial in 1921, Judge Landis permanently banned all eight men from professional baseball. Despite requests for reinstatement in the decades that followed, the ban remains in force as of 2017, White Sox club owner Charles Comiskey was widely disliked by the players and was resented for his miserliness. Comiskey long had a reputation for underpaying his players, even though they were one of the top teams in the league and had won the 1917 World Series. Because of baseballs reserve clause, any player who refused to accept a contract was prohibited from playing baseball on any professional team. Players could not change teams without permission from their current team, Comiskey was probably no worse than most owners—in fact, Chicago had the largest team payroll in 1919. In the era of the clause, gamblers could find players on many teams looking for extra cash—and they did. In addition, the clubhouse was divided into two factions, by contemporary accounts, the two factions almost never spoke to each other on or off the field, and the only thing they had in common was a resentment of Comiskey. A meeting of White Sox ballplayers—including those committed to going ahead and it was a meeting that would eventually shatter the careers of eight ballplayers, although whether all eight were actually in attendance is a matter of dispute. George Daniel Buck Weaver was the player to attend the meetings who did not receive money. Nevertheless, he was banned with the others for knowing about the fix. Although he hardly played in the series, utility infielder Fred McMullin got word of the fix, as a small coincidence, McMullin was a former teammate of Sleepy Bill Burns, who had a minor role in the fix. Both played for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, star outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson was mentioned as a participant, though his involvement is disputed. The scheme got an unexpected boost when the straitlaced Faber could not pitch due to a bout with the flu. Years later, Schalk said that if Faber had been available, October 2, there were rumors amongst gamblers that the series was fixed, and a sudden influx of money being bet on Cincinnati caused the odds against them to fall rapidly. However, most fans and observers were taking the series at face value. On October 2, the day of Game One, the Philadelphia Bulletin published a poem which would prove to be ironic, Still, it really doesnt matter, After all. Good clean sport is what were after, And we aim to make our brag To each near or distant nation Whereon shines the sporting sun That of all our games gymnastic Base ball is the cleanest one. Claude Williams, one of the Eight Men Out, lost three games, a Series record, dickie Kerr, who was not part of the fix, won both of his starts
29.
Babe Ruth
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George Herman Babe Ruth Jr. was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Ruth established many MLB batting records, including home runs, runs batted in, bases on balls, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging. Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time, in 1936, Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its first five inaugural members. At age seven, Ruth was sent to St, in 1914, Ruth was signed to play minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles but was soon sold to the Red Sox. By 1916, he had built a reputation as a pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs. With regular playing time, he broke the MLB single-season home run record in 1919, after that season, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the Yankees amid controversy. The trade fueled Bostons subsequent 86 year championship drought and popularized the Curse of the Bambino superstition, in his 15 years with New York, Ruth helped the Yankees win seven American League championships and four World Series championships. As part of the Yankees vaunted Murderers Row lineup of 1927, Ruth hit 60 home runs and he retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves. During his career, Ruth led the AL in home runs during a season twelve times, Ruths legendary power and charismatic personality made him a larger-than-life figure in the Roaring Twenties. During his career, he was the target of press and public attention for his baseball exploits. His often reckless lifestyle was tempered by his willingness to do good by visiting children at hospitals, after his retirement as a player, he was denied a managerial job in baseball, most likely due to poor behavior during parts of his playing career. In his final years, Ruth made many appearances, especially in support of American efforts in World War II. In 1946, he became ill with cancer, and died two years later, George Herman Ruth Jr. was born in 1895 at 216 Emory Street in Pigtown, a working-class section of Baltimore, Maryland, named for its meat-packing plants. Its population included recent immigrants from Ireland, Germany and Italy, Ruths parents, George Herman Ruth, Sr. and Katherine Schamberger, were both of German American ancestry. According to the 1880 census, his parents were born in Maryland, the paternal grandparents of Ruth, Sr. were from Prussia and Hanover. Ruth, Sr. had a series of jobs, including lightning rod salesman and streetcar operator, before becoming a counterman in a combination grocery. George Ruth Jr. was born in the house of his grandfather, Pius Schamberger. Only one of young Georges seven siblings, his younger sister Mamie, many details of Ruths childhood are unknown, including the date of his parents marriage
30.
1980 World Series
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The series concluded after Game 6, which ended with Tug McGraw striking out Willie Wilson at 11,29 pm on October 21,1980. Wilson set a World Series record by striking out twelve times in the six-game set, Game 6 is also significant because it stands as the most-watched game in World Series history with a television audience of 54.9 million viewers. The Kansas City Royals became the expansion team, and the first American League expansion team. The AL would have to wait until 1985 before one of their expansion teams—the Royals themselves—would win a World Series and this was the first World Series played entirely on artificial turf. This was also the first World Series since 1920, and the last to date, with their victory, the Phillies became the final team out of the original sixteen MLB teams to win a World Series. The Kansas City Royals won the American League West division by fourteen games over the Oakland Athletics then swept the New York Yankees for the American League pennant. This was the first appearance for the Phillies since losing to the New York Yankees in the 1950 Series and just their third overall, the Royals entered the league as an expansion team in 1969. The Phillies seemed to have it all, including eventual 1980 Most Valuable Player, third-baseman Mike Schmidt and Cy Young Award winner and this mostly veteran club finished between first and third in almost all offensive categories in the National League. Thirty-nine-year-old Pete Rose led the club in hits and doubles, while center fielder Garry Maddox. The pitching staff was just good enough, led by Carlton, in the bullpen was the ever enthusiastic screwballer Tug McGraw, who was making his third trip to the Series, having ridden the bench with the New York Mets, winning in 1969 and losing in 1973. Third time was the charm for both the cheerleading McGraw and the bad-luck Phillies, the pitching staff had six players with ten or more wins, led by twenty-game-winner Dennis Leonard and left-hander Larry Gura. Submariner Dan Quisenberry won twelve out of the bullpen and accumulated 33 saves. In their half of the third, the Phils rallied to take the lead and they would add two more runs late to extend their lead. Despite Aikens hitting another two-run homer to cut the lead to one, prior to 1980, the Phillies had not won a World Series game since Game 1 of the 1915 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Game 2 was a duel between left-handers Larry Gura and Steve Carlton. Carlton looked in control up 2–1 until, acting on a complaint from Kansas City manager Jim Frey that Carlton was using a substance on the ball. Carlton then loaded the bases on three walks and Amos Otis ripped a double into the corner to drive in two, setting up a third score. Down 4–2, the Phillies rallied to go up on the Royals in the eighth, the big hits in this inning came on an RBI double by Del Unser and a game-tying RBI single by Bake McBride past the drawn-in infield
31.
Ebbets Field
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Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York City. It is known mainly as the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League, from 1913 to 1957, Ebbets Field was demolished in 1960 and replaced by apartment buildings. Ebbets Field was bounded by Bedford Avenue on the east, Sullivan Place on the South, Cedar Street on the west, and Montgomery Street on the north. The land included the site of a garbage dump called Pigtown, because of the pigs that once ate their fill there and the stench that filled the air. Construction began on March 4,1912, and the cornerstone, a piece of Connecticut granite that held newspapers, pictures of players, cards, telegrams. At the cornerstone laying ceremony, Ebbets said that the ballpark was going to be ready for play on September 1, when the park was opened, it was discovered that the flag, keys to the bleachers, and a press box had all been forgotten. The press box level was not added until 1929, the seating area was initially a double deck from past third base, around home plate, and all the way down the right side. There was an open, concrete bleacher stand extending the rest of the way down the base side to the outer wall. The right field wall was high due to the short foul line necessitated by the street immediately beyond it. The ballpark was built on a piece of ground. The right field wall made up the difference, as the right corner was above street level. The left field corner was below street level, and there was an incline or terrace running along the field wall. Ebbets Field was the scene of early successes, as the Robins. The seating area was expanded in the 1920s, a time for baseball when many ballparks were expanded. By the 1940s, a big scoreboard had been installed in right field, however, additional rows of seating across left field reduced that area by about 15 feet, to the delight of right-handed sluggers. The parks first night game was played on June 15,1938, johnny Vander Meer of the visiting Cincinnati Reds pitched his second consecutive no-hitter in that game, a feat that has never been duplicated in Major League Baseball. It was also in 1938 that Hilda Chester, one of the earlier sports superfans became a regular attendee when Larry MacPhail brought Ladies Days to Ebbets Field, after the early successes of the Dodgers, the team slid into hard times. The Dodgers won pennants in 1941,1947,1949,1952,1953,1955 and 1956, Ebbets Field also hosted the 1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
32.
League Park
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League Park was a baseball park located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is situated at the northeast corner of E. 66th Street and it was built in 1891 as a wood structure and rebuilt using concrete and steel in 1910. The park was home to a number of sports teams. In the late 1940s, the park was also the field of the Cleveland Buckeyes of the Negro American League. Most notably, the Cleveland Rams of the NFL played at League Park in 1937, later in the 1940s, the Cleveland Browns used League Park as a practice field. Western Reserve played many of its college football games at League Park, including against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Pittsburgh Panthers, West Virginia Mountaineers. Weekend games, games expecting a larger crowd, and night games were held at Cleveland Stadium, most of the League Park structure was demolished in 1951, although some remnants still remain, including the original ticket office built in 1909. After extensive renovation, the site was rededicated on August 23,2014, as the Baseball Heritage Museum, League Park was built for the Cleveland Spiders, who were founded in 1887 and played first in the American Association before joining the National League in 1889. The park opened May 1,1891, with 9,000 wooden seats, the first pitch was made by Cy Young, and the Spiders won 12–3. During their tenure, the Spiders finished as high as 2nd-place in the NL in 1892,1895, and 1896, and won the Temple Cup, an early version of the modern National League Championship Series, in 1895. During the 1899 season, however, the Spiders had most of their best players stripped from the roster and sent to St. Louis by their owners, Cleveland finished 20–134, drawing only 6,088 fans for the entire season, and were contracted by the National League. They were replaced the next year by the Cleveland Lake Shores. The American League declared itself a major league after the 1900 season, the park was rebuilt for the 1910 season as a concrete-and-steel stadium, one of two to open that year in the American League, the other being Comiskey Park. The new park seated over 18,000 people, more than double the capacity of its predecessor. It opened April 21,1910, with a 5–0 loss to the Detroit Tigers in front of 18,832 fans in a game started by pitcher Cy Young. In 1921, team owner Sunny Jim Dunn, who had purchased the team in 1916, when Dunn died in 1922, his wife inherited the ballpark and the team. When Dunns widow, by then known as Mrs. George Pross, the Indians hosted games four through seven of the 1920 World Series at Dunn Field. From July 1932 through the 1933 season, the Indians played at the new, however, the players and fans complained about the huge outfield, which reduced the number of home runs
33.
Eastern Time Zone
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Places that use Eastern Standard Time when observing standard time are 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. Eastern Daylight Time, when observing daylight saving time DST is 4 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time, in the northern parts of the time zone, on the second Sunday in March, at 2,00 a. m. EST, clocks are advanced to 3,00 a. m. EDT leaving a one-hour gap, on the first Sunday in November, at 2,00 a. m. EDT, clocks are moved back to 1,00 a. m, southern parts of the zone do not observe daylight saving time. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 ruled that daylight saving time would run from the last Sunday of April until the last Sunday in October in the United States, the act was amended to make the first Sunday in April the beginning of daylight saving time as of 1987. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended daylight saving time in the United States beginning in 2007. So local times change at 2,00 a. m. EST to 3,00 a. m. EDT on the second Sunday in March, in Canada, the time changes as it does in the United States. However, a handful of communities unofficially observe Eastern Time because they are part of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area – Phenix City, Smiths Station, Lanett, and Valley. Florida, All of Florida is in the Eastern Time zone except for the portion of the Florida Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River, as the Eastern–Central zone boundary approaches the Gulf of Mexico, it follows the Bay/Gulf county line. Indiana, All of Indiana observes Eastern Time except for six counties in the Chicago metropolitan area. Kentucky, Roughly, the half of the state, including all of metropolitan Louisville, is in the Eastern Time Zone. Historically the entire state observed Central Time, when daylight saving time was first introduced, the Lower Peninsula remained on DST after it formally ended, effectively re-aligning itself into the Eastern Time Zone. The Upper Peninsula continued to observe Central Time until 1972, when all, Tennessee, Most of the eastern third of Tennessee is legally on Eastern Time. Eastern Time is also used somewhat as a de facto official time for all of the United States, since it includes the capital and the largest city. Major professional sports leagues also post all game times in Eastern time, for example, a game time between two teams from Pacific Time Zone will still be posted in Eastern time. Most cable television and national broadcast networks advertise airing times in Eastern time, national broadcast networks generally have two primary feeds, an eastern feed for Eastern and Central time zones, and a tape-delayed western feed for the Pacific Time Zone. The prime time is set on Eastern and Pacific at 8,00 p. m. with the Central time zone stations receiving the eastern feed at 7,00 p. m. local time. Mountain Time Zone stations receive a separate feed at 7,00 p. m. local time, as Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, during the summer months, it has its own feed at 7,00 p. m. local time
34.
Brooklyn
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Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City, with a Census-estimated 2,636,735 residents in 2015. It borders the borough of Queens at the end of Long Island. Today, if New York City dissolved, Brooklyn would rank as the third-most populous city in the U. S. behind Los Angeles, the borough continues, however, to maintain a distinct culture. Many Brooklyn neighborhoods are ethnic enclaves, Brooklyns official motto, displayed on the Borough seal and flag, is Eendraght Maeckt Maght which translates from early modern Dutch as Unity makes strength. Since 2010, Brooklyn has evolved into a hub of entrepreneurship and high technology startup firms. The history of European settlement in Brooklyn spans more than 350 years, the neighborhood of Marine Park was home to North Americas first tidal mill. It was built by the Dutch, and the foundation can be seen today, however, the area was not formally settled as a town. Many incidents and documents relating to this period are in Gabriel Furmans early compilation, what is today Brooklyn left Dutch hands after the final English conquest of New Netherland in 1664, a prelude to the Second Anglo–Dutch War. The English reorganized the six old Dutch towns on southwestern Long Island as Kings County on November 1,1683 and this tract of land was recognized as a political entity for the first time, and the municipal groundwork was laid for a later expansive idea of Brooklyn identity. On August 27,1776 was fought the Battle of Long Island, the first major engagement fought in the American Revolutionary War after independence was declared, and the largest of the entire conflict. British troops forced Continental Army troops under George Washington off the heights near the sites of Green-Wood Cemetery, Prospect Park. The fortified American positions at Brooklyn Heights consequently became untenable and were evacuated a few days later, One result of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 was the evacuation of the British from New York City, celebrated by residents into the 20th century. The New York Navy Yard operated in Wallabout Bay for the entire 19th century, the first center of urbanization sprang up in the Town of Brooklyn, directly across from Lower Manhattan, which saw the incorporation of the Village of Brooklyn in 1817. Reliable steam ferry service across the East River to Fulton Landing converted Brooklyn Heights into a town for Wall Street. Ferry Road to Jamaica Pass became Fulton Street to East New York, Town and Village were combined to form the first, kernel incarnation of the City of Brooklyn in 1834. Industrial deconcentration in mid-century was bringing shipbuilding and other manufacturing to the part of the county. Each of the two cities and six towns in Kings County remained independent municipalities, and purposely created non-aligning street grids with different naming systems and it later became the most popular and highest circulation afternoon paper in America. The publisher changed to L. Van Anden on April 19,1842, on May 14,1849 the name was shortened to The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, on September 5,1938 it was further shortened to Brooklyn Eagle
35.
New York (state)
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New York is a state in the northeastern United States, and is the 27th-most extensive, fourth-most populous, and seventh-most densely populated U. S. state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east. With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015, New York City is the most populous city in the United States, the New York Metropolitan Area is one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. New York City makes up over 40% of the population of New York State, two-thirds of the states population lives in the New York City Metropolitan Area, and nearly 40% lives on Long Island. Both the state and New York City were named for the 17th-century Duke of York, the next four most populous cities in the state are Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, and Syracuse, while the state capital is Albany. New York has a diverse geography and these more mountainous regions are bisected by two major river valleys—the north-south Hudson River Valley and the east-west Mohawk River Valley, which forms the core of the Erie Canal. Western New York is considered part of the Great Lakes Region and straddles Lake Ontario, between the two lakes lies Niagara Falls. The central part of the state is dominated by the Finger Lakes, New York had been inhabited by tribes of Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans for several hundred years by the time the earliest Europeans came to New York. The first Europeans to arrive were French colonists and Jesuit missionaries who arrived southward from settlements at Montreal for trade, the British annexed the colony from the Dutch in 1664. The borders of the British colony, the Province of New York, were similar to those of the present-day state, New York is home to the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom, democracy, and opportunity. In the 21st century, New York has emerged as a node of creativity and entrepreneurship, social tolerance. On April 17,1524 Verrazanno entered New York Bay, by way of the now called the Narrows into the northern bay which he named Santa Margherita. Verrazzano described it as a vast coastline with a delta in which every kind of ship could pass and he adds. This vast sheet of water swarmed with native boats and he landed on the tip of Manhattan and possibly on the furthest point of Long Island. Verrazannos stay was interrupted by a storm which pushed him north towards Marthas Vineyard, in 1540 French traders from New France built a chateau on Castle Island, within present-day Albany, due to flooding, it was abandoned the next year. In 1614, the Dutch under the command of Hendrick Corstiaensen, rebuilt the French chateau, Fort Nassau was the first Dutch settlement in North America, and was located along the Hudson River, also within present-day Albany. The small fort served as a trading post and warehouse, located on the Hudson River flood plain, the rudimentary fort was washed away by flooding in 1617, and abandoned for good after Fort Orange was built nearby in 1623. Henry Hudsons 1609 voyage marked the beginning of European involvement with the area, sailing for the Dutch East India Company and looking for a passage to Asia, he entered the Upper New York Bay on September 11 of that year
36.
Run (baseball)
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A player may score by hitting a home run or by any combination of plays that puts him safely on base as a runner and subsequently brings him home. The object of the game is for a team to score more runs than its opponent. But if the out is not a force out, but a tag out, then if that other baserunner crosses home plate before that tag out is made. Example 1, With a runner on third and two outs, batter hits a ball to the second baseman. The runner on third races home, the second baseman fields the ball and throws on to the first baseman in time to get the batter on the force out at first for the third out of the inning. Even if the runner on third had touched home plate before that force out was made at first, example 2, With a runner on third and two outs, batter hits a fly ball over centerfielders head. It bounces several times as it rolls to the wall, the runner on third runs safely home and easily scores a run. Meanwhile, the batter reaches first, then tries to advance to second. The centerfielder, having retrieved the ball, throws the ball to the second baseman, since the runner stepped on home plate before the batter was tagged out at second for the third out of the inning, his run will count. In baseball statistics, a player who advances around all the bases to score is credited with a run, while runs scored is considered an important individual batting statistic, it is regarded as less significant than runs batted in. Both individual runs scored and runs batted in are heavily context-dependent, for a more sophisticated assessment of a contribution toward producing runs for his team. If the inning is reconstructed without the error, and if that third batter, instead of reaching on an error, registered an out, thus, the two runs that did score will be classified as unearned, and will not count in the pitchers personal statistics. Be advised though that unearned runs are a statistical animal only, all runs count the same in the score, whether they are earned or unearned. The career record for most runs scored by a player is 2,295. The season record for most runs scored is 198, set by Billy Hamilton of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1894, the so-called modern-day record is 177, achieved by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees in 1921. The record for most seasons leading one of the leagues in runs scored is 8. The record for most consecutive games with at least one run scored is 18, shared by the Yankees Red Rolfe and the Cleveland Indians Kenny Lofton. The record for most runs scored by a player in a game is 7
37.
Hit (baseball)
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If a batter reaches first base because of offensive interference by a preceding runner, he is also credited with a hit. A hit for one base is called a single, for two bases a double, and for three bases a triple, a home run is also scored as a hit. Doubles, triples, and home runs are also called extra base hits, an infield hit is a hit where the ball does not leave the infield. Infield hits are uncommon by nature, and most often earned by speedy runners, a no-hitter is a game in which one of the teams prevented the other from getting a hit. Throwing a no-hitter is rare and considered an accomplishment for a pitcher or pitching staff. In most cases in the game, no-hitters are accomplished by a single pitcher who throws a complete game. A pitcher who throws a no-hitter could still allow runners to reach safely, by way of walks, errors, hit batsmen. If the pitcher allows no runners to reach base, the no-hitter is a perfect game, in 1887, Major League Baseball counted bases on balls as hits. The result was skyrocketing batting averages, including some near.500, Tip ONeill of the St. Louis Browns batted.485 that season, the experiment was abandoned the following season. There is controversy regarding how the records of 1887 should be interpreted, the number of legitimate walks and at-bats are known for all players that year, so computing averages using the same method as in other years is straightforward. In 1968, Major League Baseball formed a Special Baseball Records Committee to resolve this issues, the Committee ruled that walks in 1887 should not be counted as hits. Most current sources list ONeills 1887 average as.435, as calculated by omitting his walks and he would retain his American Association batting championship. However, the variance between methods results in differing recognition for the 1887 National League batting champion, cap Anson would be recognized, with his.421 average, if walks are included, but Sam Thompson would be the champion at.372 if they are not. The official rulebook of Major League Baseball states in Rule 10, Rule 10.05 Comment, In applying Rule 10.05, the official scorer shall always give the batter the benefit of the doubt. Runner is called out for interference with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball, unless in the scorers judgment the batter-runner would have been safe had the interference not occurred
38.
Error (baseball)
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The term error can also refer to the play during which an error was committed. In that case, the play will be scored both as a hit and an error. Similarly, a batter does not receive credit for a run batted in when runs score on an error, passed balls and wild pitches are separate statistical categories and are not scored as errors. There is a loophole in the rules on errors for catchers. There is therefore a no fault condition for the attempting to prevent a steal. However, when considering that the majority of stolen base attempts are successful, if the runner takes an additional base due to the wild throw, an error is charged for that advance. However, if the catchers glove is hit by the bat, it is counted as a catchers interference, traditionally, the number of errors was a statistic used to quantify the skill of a fielder. However, fans and analysts have questioned the usefulness and significance of errors as a metric for fielding skill, notably, mental misjudgments, such as failure to cover a base or attempting a force out when such a play is not available, are not considered errors. A more subtle, though more significant objection to the error, in order for a fielder to be charged with an error, he must have done something right by being in the correct place to be able to attempt the play. A poor fielder may avoid many errors simply by being unable to reach batted or thrown balls that a fielder could successfully reach. Thus, it is possible that a poor fielder will have fewer errors than any fielder with higher expectancies, however, this still leaves statistics, such as fielding percentage, that are based on errors as a way to compare the defensive abilities of players. Errors also hold significance in calculating the earned run average of a pitcher, runs scored due to an error are unearned, and do not count toward a pitchers ERA. In Major League Baseball, Herman Long holds the Major League records with 1096 errors in his career between 1889 and 1904, bill Dahlen, Deacon White and Germany Smith are the only other players to make 1,000 errors during their MLB careers. All of these players played at least one season before 1900, the 20th century record is held by Rabbit Maranville with 711 errors. Among active players, Adrián Beltré leads with 275 errors over 2475 career games as of June 14,2015, the major league record for errors by a pitcher in a career is held by Hippo Vaughn, with 64 errors. That also is the National League record, the American career mark is held by Ed Walsh. The most errors made by a pitcher in a season is 28 by Jim Whitney, the American League record of 15 is held by three pitchers, Jack Chesbro, Rube Waddell, and Ed Walsh. The record for most errors made by a pitcher in one inning is three, first set by Cy Seymour in 1898, the record was tied by Tommy John in 1988, Jaime Navarro in 1996 and Mike Sirotka in 1999
39.
Steve O'Neill
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Stephen Francis ONeill was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, most notably with the Cleveland Indians. Other notable members of the ONeill family were Jack, a catcher in the National League, Mike, a pitcher in the NL, and Jim. Kashatus noted that Michael and Jack would become the first brother battery in major league history, the ONeill brothers were known to exchange their signals in Gaelic in order to fool the opposing coaches. Steve had by far the most successful playing career of the ONeill brothers and he played with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Browns. When his playing career ended, ONeill turned to managing in the minors and gained a reputation for cultivating talented young players and he managed the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toledo Mud Hens, Buffalo Bisons and Beaumont Exporters. As a big league manager with four teams—the Indians, Tigers, Red Sox and his Tigers won the 1945 World Series and ONeill was known for turning around under-performing teams, often in mid-season. His career winning percentage over 14 seasons was a stalwart.559 and he also served as a coach for Cleveland, Detroit and Boston. Legendary players who benefited from ONeills guidance included Lou Boudreau, Bob Feller, Hal Newhouser, ONeill was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. ONeill died at age 70 in Cleveland, Ohio, after suffering a heart attack, diamonds in the Coalfields,21 Remarkable Baseball Players, Managers, and Umpires from Northeast Pennsylvania. Jefferson, North Carolina, McFarland & Company, ISBN 978-0-7864-1176-4. com Steve ONeill at Find a Grave
40.
Burleigh Grimes
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Burleigh Arland Grimes was an American professional baseball player, and the last pitcher officially permitted to throw the spitball. Grimes made the most of this advantage and he won 270 games and he was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1954, and to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964. Born in Emerald, Wisconsin, Grimes was the first child of Nick Grimes, a farmer and former day laborer, and the former Ruth Tuttle, the daughter of a former Wisconsin legislator. Having previously played baseball for local teams, Nick Grimes managed the Clear Lake Yellow Jackets. Burleigh Grimes also participated in boxing as a child and he made his professional debut in 1912 for the Eau Claire Commissioners of the Minnesota–Wisconsin League. He played in Ottumwa, Iowa, in 1913 for the Ottumwa Packers in the Central Association, Grimes played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1916 and 1917. Before the 1918 season, he was sent to the Brooklyn Dodgers in a multiplayer trade, when the spitball was banned 97 years ago in 1920, he was named as one of the 17 established pitchers who were allowed to continue to throw the pitch. According to Baseball Digest, the Phillies were able to hit him because they knew when he was throwing the spitter, a batboy solved the mystery by pointing out that Burleighs cap was too tight. It sounded silly, but he was right, the tighter cap would wiggle when Grimes flexed his facial muscles to prepare the spitter. He got a cap a half-size larger and the Phillies were on their own after that and he then pitched for the New York Giants, the Pirates again, the Boston Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs before the 1932 season in exchange for Hack Wilson and he returned to the Cardinals in 1933 and 1934, then moved to the Pirates and the New York Yankees. Grimes was nicknamed Ol Stubblebeard, related to his habit of not shaving on days in which he was going to pitch, at the time of his retirement, he was the last of the 17 spitballers left in the league. He had acquired a lasting reputation for his temperament. He is listed in the Baseball Hall of Shame series for having thrown a ball at the batter in the on-deck circle and his friends and supporters note that he was consistently a kind man when off the diamond. Others claim he showed an attitude to many people who got on his bad side. He would speak only to his best friend Ivy Olson in the dugout. Schroeders identity was not well known among many Dodger players, as many say he was just a guy from the neighborhood. Grimes moved to the leagues in 1935 as a player-manager for the Bloomington Bloomers of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
41.
Jimmy Johnston
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James Harle Johnston was a Major League Baseball player from 1911 to 1926. He played mostly with the Brooklyn Robins of the National League, from 1916 through 1925 he was with the Brooklyn Robins. He finished up his career the year, playing for two teams that year. His final game was played on September 11,1926, Johnston played all or part of 13 seasons, ten with the Brooklyn Robins. He played 448 games at third base,354 in the outfield,243 at second,178 at shortstop, and 49 at first base. He had a.294 lifetime batting average, hitting in the.270 to.280 range near the end of the dead-ball era and he stole 169 bases in his career, mostly from 1916 to 1923. He had little power, except in 1921 when he had 41 doubles and 14 triples and he appeared in the 1916 and 1920 World Series. In the 1916 World Series he started two of the games, batting in the lead-off position, in the 1920 World Series, he appeared in four of the games, batting second mostly but also batting sixth in one of the games. Almost all of his managers were Hall of Famers, hugh Duffy managed him in 1911, Wilbert Robinson in his Brooklyn days, Dave Bancroft in Boston, and John McGraw in New York. The only non-Hall-of-Famer was Hank ODay in 1914, after his playing career ended, Jimmy Johnston coached first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1931. James married Nora Belle Jones on November 1,1910, Nora was born July 31,1888 and died May 14,1974 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, Hamilton County, Tennessee. They had the children, James Hunter Johnston was born January 10,1913. Ruth Johnston Harris Gregg Johnston Caroline Virginia Johnston was born October 23,1922, hitting for the cycle List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders This article is based on the article Jimmy Johnston at Baseball-Reference. coms Bullpen, accessed November 3,2006. The Bullpen is a wiki and its content is available under the GNU Free Documentation License, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference
42.
Sherry Smith
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Sherrod Malone Smith was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1911 until 1927, he pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Robins, Smith batted right-handed and threw left-handed. He was born in Monticello, Georgia, Smith was the hard-luck loser of one of the longest World Series games ever played. He pitched all the way into the 14th inning for Brooklyn, dueling with Bostons starting pitcher, Babe Ruth and it would be his only appearance in that Series. He made two starts in the 1920 World Series. Smith was the pitcher of Game 3 against Cleveland, throwing a three-hitter in a 2-1 victory. But despite another impressive effort in Game 6, he lost a 1-0 duel with Duster Mails, placed on waivers after the 1922 season, Smith was claimed by Cleveland and pitched there for several seasons. He led all American League pitchers in 1925 in complete games with 22, also leading the league season in walks. In a 14-season career, Smith posted a 114–118 record with 428 strikeouts, Smith died in Reidsville, Georgia, at age 58. List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference or Baseball Library
43.
Ray Caldwell
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Raymond Benjamin Caldwell, was an American major league pitcher from 1910 to 1921. He was known for throwing the spitball, and he was one of the 17 pitchers allowed to continue throwing the pitch after it was outlawed in 1920. In 1924, Miller Huggins wrote, Caldwell was one of the best pitchers that ever lived, Caldwell was born in the town of Corydon, Pennsylvania, located just south of the New York state line near Cattaraugus County. He was the son of Anna and Walter Caldwell, the family later moved to Salamanca in the same county where Ray grew up and completed high school. He began his career with the McKeesport Tubers of the Ohio–Pennsylvania League in 1910. In his rookie season he went 14–14 with an ERA of 3.35, persistent problems with his throwing arm meant that Caldwell pitched 8–16, with an ERA of 4.47 in 1912. He regained his form the year with a record of 9–8. The 1914 season was the greatest of his career, going 17–9 with a 1.94 ERA for another Yankees team that finished well below.500. During the course of the season he had numerous run-ins with manager Frank Chance, resulting in him being fined on several occasions for drunkenness and general poor conduct. Towards the end of the season, Caldwell asked team owner Frank Farrell to rescind his fines – which by that point accounted for a proportion of his annual wages. Farrell, fearing that Caldwell would follow former teammates Russ Ford and Hal Chase in accepting an offer to pitch for the Buffalo Buffeds of the Federal League, agreed to let Caldwell off. As a consequence of this, Frank Chance, feeling that his authority had been undermined, handed in his resignation as manager of the Yankees. In 1915, Caldwell once again posted a winning record – 19–16, the Yankees were a winning team in 1916, but Caldwell had major struggles, both on and off the field. His difficulties on the mound were not helped by his continuing to pitch with a broken patella, by the end of July his record was 5–12, and he had recorded an ERA of 2.99. It was at point that Caldwell, whose alcoholism had become increasingly pronounced during the course of the season. Bill Donovan, the Yankees manager—who prior to this had turned a blind eye to Caldwells personal problems—issued a fine. However, Caldwell failed to return to the club after this period had elapsed, Caldwell did not return to the Yankees until the following March, more than a week into spring training. Caldwells whereabouts during the seven months, although much speculated on, were never revealed
44.
Hi Myers
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Henry Harrison Hy Myers was a professional baseball player. He was an outfielder over all or part of 14 seasons with the Brooklyn Supurbas/Robins, St. Louis Cardinals and he led the National League in RBIs in 1919 while playing for Brooklyn. He was born in East Liverpool, Ohio and died in Minerva and he was buried in Grove Hill Cemetery in Hanoverton, Ohio
45.
Cleveland
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Cleveland is a city in the U. S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the states second most populous county. The city proper has a population of 388,072, making Cleveland the 51st largest city in the United States, Greater Cleveland ranked as the 32nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 2,055,612 people in 2016. The city is the center of the Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area, the city is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. Clevelands economy has diversified sectors that include manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, Cleveland is also home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Residents of Cleveland are called Clevelanders, Cleveland has many nicknames, the oldest of which in contemporary use being The Forest City. Cleaveland oversaw the plan for what would become the downtown area, centered on Public Square, before returning home. The first settler in Cleaveland was Lorenzo Carter, who built a cabin on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, the Village of Cleaveland was incorporated on December 23,1814. In spite of the swampy lowlands and harsh winters, its waterfront location proved to be an advantage. The area began rapid growth after the 1832 completion of the Ohio, growth continued with added railroad links. Cleveland incorporated as a city in 1836, in 1836, the city, then located only on the eastern banks of the Cuyahoga River, nearly erupted into open warfare with neighboring Ohio City over a bridge connecting the two. Ohio City remained an independent municipality until its annexation by Cleveland in 1854, the citys prime geographic location as a transportation hub on the Great Lakes has played an important role in its development as a commercial center. Cleveland serves as a point for iron ore shipped from Minnesota. In 1870, John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil in Cleveland, other manufacturers located in Cleveland produced steam-powered cars, which included White and Gaeth, as well as the electric car company Baker. Because of the significant growth, Cleveland was known as the Sixth City during this period, by 1920, due in large part to the citys economic prosperity, Cleveland became the nations fifth largest city. The city counted Progressive Era politicians such as the populist Mayor Tom L. Johnson among its leaders, many prominent Clevelanders from this era are buried in the historic Lake View Cemetery, including President James A. Garfield, and John D. Rockefeller. In commemoration of the centennial of Clevelands incorporation as a city, conceived as a way to energize a city after the Great Depression, it drew four million visitors in its first season, and seven million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937. The exposition was housed on grounds that are now used by the Great Lakes Science Center, following World War II, the city experienced a prosperous economy. In sports, the Indians won the 1948 World Series, the hockey Barons became champions of the American Hockey League, as a result, along with track and boxing champions produced, Cleveland was dubbed City of Champions in sports at this time
