On April 11, 1907, Roger Bresnahan of the New York Giants plays the Opening Day game wearing leg guards usually used in cricket-the first shin guards in major league history. The leg guards come in handy, protecting Bresnahan from a fifth-inning foul tip. Other catchers will follow Bresnahan’s lead and wear similar shin guards.
In St. Louis, the Cardinals defeat the Browns, 9 – 1, to take the City Series four games to three. The two teams will reprise the rivalry in the fall, and the Cardinals will also take that one, 5 games to 2.
1907 – Popular outfielder Chick Stahl, who replaced Jimmy Collins as manager of the Boston Americans at the end of last season, commits suicide while travelling with the team in West Baden Springs, Indiana. After breakfast he returns to his room and drinks four ounces of carbolic acid. He leaves a note: “Boys, I just couldn’t help it. It drove me to it.” Cy Young reluctantly agrees to start the season as Boston’s manager, but there will be three others during the year.
On February 27 1907, the National League adopts a uniform ticket scheme proposed by Charles Ebbets, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
On January 10, 1907, New York Giants manager John McGraw plays the role of off-the-field hero. McGraw stops a team of runaway horses, preventing injury to two young women. Vintage Baseball HOT ON EBAYCard Collections ENDING SOON ON EBAYMOST WANTED ROOKIE CARDSVINTAGE SPORTS TICKETSBaseball Hall of Famers @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@ Play by Play, Box Scores, News…
In an effort to prevent hitters from rubbing out chalk lines, National League umpire Hank O’Day suggests white rubber strips be used to mark out the batter’s box. The former right-handed hurler and future Hall of Famer will interrupt his 30-year umpiring career to manage the Reds in 1912 and the Cubs in 1914, becoming the only person ever to play, manage, and umpire for a full season in the major leagues.
1906 STANDINGS National League Chicago Cubs 116 36 .763 — New York Giants 96 56 .632 20 Pittsburgh Pirates 93 60 .608 23.5 Philadelphia Phillies 71 82 .484 45.5 Brooklyn Superbas 66 86 .434 50 Cincinnati Reds 64 87 .424 51.5 St. Louis Cardinals 52 98 .347 63 Boston Beaneaters 49 102 .325…
1906 – The American League gives Ban Johnson a raise to $15,000 for the remaining four years of his contract.
In a good trade for Boston, they acquire lefty Patsy Flaherty, 2B Claude Ritchey, and OF Ginger Beaumont from the Pirates for good-fielding 2B Ed Abbaticchio. Abbaticchio will lead the National League in fielding in 1908, but Ritchey will lead in 1907, and the other pair will be mainstays.
Unquestionably, all of Chicago was abuzz over the World Series pairing. The South Side Sox against the West Side Cubs. (The National Leaguers’ move to the North Side was another decade away.) Manager Fielder Jones’ White Sox played true to form in the first four games of the Series (Games 1 and 2, incidentally, were…
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