1919 – The Browns set an American League record with 53 total chances against the A’s, but lose, 7 – 4. The Browns have 26 assists and St. Louis 1B George Sisler has 17 putouts. With no putouts, the St. Louis outfielders have the day off.
Chicago White Sox CF Happy Felsch ties the major-league record with four OF assists in one game, but Boston beats the White Sox, 15 – 6.
Submarine P Carl Mays quits the mound after two innings at Chicago, blaming his teammates for lack of support afield. American League president Ban Johnson suspends Mays indefinitely and orders umpires not to let him pitch. In defiance of Johnson’s order that no action be taken until Mays is returned to good standing, Boston owner Harry Frazee will trade Mays to the Yankees for pitchers Bob McGraw and Allen Russell and $40,000. The Yankees then get a court order restraining Johnson from interfering, further eroding Johnson’s authority and standing, and the American League directors reinstate Mays. In retaliation, on October 29th the National Commission will refuse to recognize the Yankees’ third-place finish and will withhold the players’ share of the World Series pool. New York’s owners will pay out of their own pockets, and Johnson will never recover his authority.
July 4, 1919 – At Sportsman Park During the first game of a double header‚ the Cincinnati Reds Edd Roush sets a major league record for outfielders (later topped in the AL by Ben Chapman) by making 6 straight putouts. Roush makes no more Putouts as the Reds win in 13 innings over the host…
1919 – Red Sox submariner Carl Mays hurls two complete games beating the Yankees, 2 – 0, in the first game and losing the nightcap, 4 – 1.
On May 21, 1919, the New York Giants sell two-sport star Jim Thorpe to the Boston Braves for the waiver price of $1,500. Thorpe, a 32-year-old Native American and standout football player, will bat .327 for the Braves, but will retire from baseball after the season…
After 12 scoreless innings, Cincinnati scores 10 runs in the 13th inning to beat Al Mamaux and the Robins, 10 – 0. Reds RF Alfred “Greasy” Neale has a record 10 putouts. Hod Eller’s scoreless string will end at 22, but he will go on to win 10 in a row.
Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators pitches 12 scoreless innings in a duel with Jack Quinn of the New York Yankees at the Polo Grounds. Johnson allows only two hits and retires 28 batters in a row. Future football star George Halas, batting leadoff for the Yankees, goes 0 for 5, striking out twice.
1919 – Anticipating a poor season at the gate, the major leagues open a reduced 140-game season. Despite the lack of close races, attendance remains high all year and every club will show a profit.
Senator right-hander Walter Johnson records his fifth Opening Day shutout, beating the A’s at Griffith Stadium, 1-0. The Philadelphia starter Scott Perry matches zeros with the ‘Big Train’ for a dozen frames until pinch-runner Mike Menosky scores the decisive run for Washington with one out in the bottom of the 13th inning.
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