Pete Alexander pitches the Phils to a 1 – 0 win over Boston’s 44-year-old Cy Young

Pete Alexander pitches the Phils to a 1 – 0 win over Boston’s 44-year-old Cy Young

ByThis Day in Baseball

24-yer-old Grover Alexander, winning a rookie-record 28 games, pitches the Phils to a 1 – 0 win over Boston’s 44-year-old Cy Young. Alex gives up just one hit. Alexander’s 31 complete games, 367 innings pitched, and 7 shutouts lead the National League. The American League has its own rookie sensation, lefty Vean Gregg, who breaks in for Cleveland with a 23-7 record and miserly 1.81 ERA. Gregg will win 20 his first three years, then win just 28 in the next 12 years.

The Giants lose a heartbreaker to Brooklyn in the 9th inning when, with Bert Tooley on first base, Jake Daubert lofts a high fly for the apparent third out. But Fred Snodgrassdrops the ball and Tooley scores the final run in the Superbas’ 4 – 3 win. The Giants are virtually tied with the Cubs, winners of two today.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Giants lose a heartbreaker to Brooklyn in the 9th inning when, with Bert Tooley on first base, Jake Daubert lofts a high fly for the apparent third out. But Fred Snodgrassdrops the ball and Tooley scores the final run in the Superbas’ 4 – 3 win. The Giants are virtually tied with the Cubs, winners of two today.

Chicago’s Ed Walsh pitches a 5 – 0 no-hitter against the Red Sox -S[eaker injured

Chicago’s Ed Walsh pitches a 5 – 0 no-hitter against the Red Sox -S[eaker injured

ByThis Day in Baseball

1911 – Chicago’s Ed Walsh pitches a 5 – 0 no-hitter against the Red Sox. A 4th-inning walk produces the only Red Sox runner. After going 18-20 in 1910, Walsh bounces back to win 27 and lead the league in games (56), IP (369), and strikeouts (255).

Pittsburgh, playing without Honus Wagner, is no match for Christy Mathewson, as the Giants win, 6 – 2. Tommy Leach makes three errors behind Howie Camnitz. The Giants announce that for the first 11 playing days at the new Polo Grounds, the average attendance was 23,864.

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Pittsburgh, playing without Honus Wagner, is no match for Christy Mathewson, as the Giants win, 6 – 2. Tommy Leach makes three errors behind Howie Camnitz. The Giants announce that for the first 11 playing days at the new Polo Grounds, the average attendance was 23,864.

At Brooklyn, Honus Wagner suffers a serious ankle injury rounding first in the 1st inning. He will miss 13 games, play one at first base, then miss another 12. With Wagner out, the Pirates will lose eight of 13 and drop out of the race.

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At Brooklyn, Honus Wagner suffers a serious ankle injury rounding first in the 1st inning. He will miss 13 games, play one at first base, then miss another 12. With Wagner out, the Pirates will lose eight of 13 and drop out of the race.

Lee Tannehill of the White Sox, the only SS to execute two unassisted double plays in one season, makes both of them in the same game versus Washington. Walter Johnson still wins 1 – 0 for the Senators in the first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, Germany Schaefer famously steals first base for the Senators. In the bottom of the 9th, with Clyde Milan on third base, he steals second in an attempt to draw a throw, in order to allow Milan to score. When that fails, he leads off second, and breaks towards first base on the next pitch, making it safely, and then, whil Sox manager Hugh Duffy is out arguing the call, he attempts to steal again. This time, Milan breaks for home and the White Sox throw him out to end the inning. The rules will be changed to prevent players from running the bases backwards in order to confuse the defence or make a mockery of the game, although backwards progress will still be allowed in case of genuine baserunning mistakes.

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Lee Tannehill of the White Sox, the only SS to execute two unassisted double plays in one season, makes both of them in the same game versus Washington. Walter Johnson still wins 1 – 0 for the Senators in the first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, Germany Schaefer famously steals first base for the Senators. In the bottom of the 9th, with Clyde Milan on third base, he steals second in an attempt to draw a throw, in order to allow Milan to score. When that fails, he leads off second, and breaks towards first base on the next pitch, making it safely, and then, whil Sox manager Hugh Duffy is out arguing the call, he attempts to steal again. This time, Milan breaks for home and the White Sox throw him out to end the inning. The rules will be changed to prevent players from running the bases backwards in order to confuse the defence or make a mockery of the game, although backwards progress will still be allowed in case of genuine baserunning mistakes.

Charles “Victory” Faust becomes the Giants’ mascot

Charles “Victory” Faust becomes the Giants’ mascot

ByThis Day in Baseball

1911 – Charles “Victory” Faust shows up at the Giants’ hotel in St. Louis asking for a tryout. Manager John McGraw observes the “pitcher,” who obviously is no player, and carries him on the team as an unofficial mascot and good luck charm. But the Giants lose to the Cards today, 5 – 2, with the help of five errors. McGraw will eventually let Faust pitch in a couple of meaningless games, after the pennant is secured.