Forbes Field opens in Pittsburgh, PA with a sell-out crowd of 30,332 watching the first-place Pirates lose, 3 – 2, to the Cubs. Built at a cost of over $1 million, it is the most expensive ballpark built to this point and the first to feature amenities such as elevators and an underground parking garage for motorcars.
At Washington Park, the Superbas gaff the Giants, 7 – 2, beating Hooks Wiltse in the opener. The Giants come back in the nitecap, 3 – 0, behind Christy Mathewson. Matty strikes out nine and allows four hits.
Pitching against the Highlanders, Walter Johnson gives up a solo homer to Ray Demmitt in the 7th, the first home run he’s allowed since his debut in 1907. Demmitt’s shot is the only score for New York, as Johnson beats them for the second time in 10 days.
Playing their last game in Exposition Park, the Pirates score four runs in the 1st inning off Mordecai Brown and sail to an 8 – 1 win over Chicago. Lefty Leifield is the winner. Tomorrow, the Pirates will move to Forbes Field, named after British General John Forbes, who captured Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War.
Phillies president Israel Durham dies four months after taking over the team.
On June 25, 1909 The Giants sweep their third doubleheader in a row, beating Brooklyn, 4 – 2 and 9 – 1. Hooks Wiltse wins the opener and Christy Mathewson takes the nightcap, leaving after five innings with a 7 – 0 lead. Source Baseball Reference June 25
1909 – At the Polo Grounds, Christy Mathewson wins a doubleheader against Boston. Matty relieves Rube Marquard in the opener with the score tied 4 – 4 in the 9th. After shutting down Boston, the Giants score a run for the 5 – 4 win. Matty then coasts in the nitecap to an 11 – 1 win. Mathewson leaves after two innings with a 4 – 1 lead, and Doc Crandall operates the rest of the way. The official scorer awards the game to Christy.
Christy Mathewson pitches four innings for the Bucknell alumni against the varsity, as the undergrads win, 13 – 12. Matty also plays 3B and chips in with three hits.
The National League postpones its games for today because of the funeral of George Dovey, co-owner of the Boston Doves with his brother John. Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss is one of the honorary pall bearers for the funeral in Philadelphia.
The Detroit club buys the rest of the vacant Bennett Field grounds as the site for a new park.
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