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6/1/1924 – The Reds confused their lineup in a home game against the Cardinals. Hughie Critz, in his second major league game, was listed batting seventh, However, he batted sixth the first time through the order and singled to CF. The Redbirds pointed out the batting out of turn and Boob Fowler was called out.

ByTom

6/1/1924 – The Reds confused their lineup in a home game against the Cardinals. Hughie Critz, in his second major league game, was listed batting seventh, However, he batted sixth the first time through the order and singled to CF. The Redbirds pointed out the batting out of turn and Boob Fowler was called out.

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9/3/1923 – The St. Louis Browns confused their lineup in the first game of a doubleheader in Cleveland. Ken Williams usually hit in the third spot but the lineup given to the umpires had William Jacobson third, Marty McManus fourth and Williams fifth. In the first inning after Wally Gerber doubled and Jack Tobin reached on a bunt, Williams, hitting out of turn, doubled home the first run of the game. Then Jacobson, also hitting out of order, hit a run-producing ground out. McManus, hitting in his proper spot after Jacobson, walked. The next hitter should have been Williams but Pat Collins, the sixth-place hitter, came up and struck out. No more runs were scored in that inning. The Indians figured out that the Browns had hit out of turn later and tried to protest the runs scored but umpire Evans properly allowed them to stand. However, Cleveland came back to win the game, 4-2.

ByTom

9/3/1923 – The St. Louis Browns confused their lineup in the first game of a doubleheader in Cleveland. Ken Williams usually hit in the third spot but the lineup given to the umpires had William Jacobson third, Marty McManus fourth and Williams fifth. In the first inning after Wally Gerber doubled and Jack Tobin reached on a bunt, Williams, hitting out of turn, doubled home the first run of the game. Then Jacobson, also hitting out of order, hit a run-producing ground out. McManus, hitting in his proper spot after Jacobson, walked. The next hitter should have been Williams but Pat Collins, the sixth-place hitter, came up and struck out. No more runs were scored in that inning. The Indians figured out that the Browns had hit out of turn later and tried to protest the runs scored but umpire Evans properly allowed them to stand. However, Cleveland came back to win the game, 4-2.

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8/9/1923 – In the top of the ninth inning in St. Louis, the Giants’ Frank Snyder pinch hit for relief pitcher Jack Bentley in the ninth spot in the order. Snyder remained in the game as the catcher and the new pitcher, Jack Scott, entered the game in the eighth place in the order where the previous catcher had been. The seventh-place hitter, Travis Jackson, ended the tenth inning by grounding out. Scott should have started the eleventh inning but the Giants confused the order when Snyder batted in that place. Snyder singled to left and Hugh McQuillan ran for him. Then Scott, also out of order, singled to left. Both runners eventually scored and the Giants seemed to have the game in hand because the Cardinals did not protest the batting order. Alex Gaston entered the game as the new catcher in the ninth spot in the order and the Redbirds tied the game in the bottom of the eleventh. In the twelfth and fifteenth innings, Gaston and Scott batted in reverse order but both made outs in each case. The Cardinals never noticed the reversal since they were batting in the order that the defensive positions had been listed at the start of the game. St. Louis finally won, 13-12, in the fifteenth inning. A total of 37 players and 12 pitchers played in the game.

ByTom

8/9/1923 – In the top of the ninth inning in St. Louis, the Giants’ Frank Snyder pinch hit for relief pitcher Jack Bentley in the ninth spot in the order. Snyder remained in the game as the catcher and the new pitcher, Jack Scott, entered the game in the eighth place in the order where the previous catcher had been. The seventh-place hitter, Travis Jackson, ended the tenth inning by grounding out. Scott should have started the eleventh inning but the Giants confused the order when Snyder batted in that place. Snyder singled to left and Hugh McQuillan ran for him. Then Scott, also out of order, singled to left. Both runners eventually scored and the Giants seemed to have the game in hand because the Cardinals did not protest the batting order. Alex Gaston entered the game as the new catcher in the ninth spot in the order and the Redbirds tied the game in the bottom of the eleventh. In the twelfth and fifteenth innings, Gaston and Scott batted in reverse order but both made outs in each case. The Cardinals never noticed the reversal since they were batting in the order that the defensive positions had been listed at the start of the game. St. Louis finally won, 13-12, in the fifteenth inning. A total of 37 players and 12 pitchers played in the game.

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8/2/1923 – The St. Louis Browns had considerable trouble with the batting order in the first game of two in Washington, which they lost 5-0. Manager Lee Fohl changed the lineup order from the usual and the players did not adjust. A contemporary newspaper story said that Fohl changed the batting order frequently during the season. Two different swaps were made as Ken Williams and William Jacobson swapped the third and fourth positions and Wally Gerber and Hank Severeid swapped the sixth and seventh places. In the first inning, there was a runner on first and one out. Williams came to the plate instead of Jacobson and walked. When the Senators pointed out that Williams was the wrong batter, Jacobson was declared out and Williams batted again. This time he doubled to right but Eddie Foster was thrown out trying to score from first on the hit. Those two players batted in the proper order after that. Senators skipper Donie Bush noticed the other situation early in the game. In the second, fifth and seventh innings both Gerber and Severeid made outs so Bush said nothing. However, in the ninth inning, Gerber batted with two out and a runner on first base. He singled advancing the runner to third. Bush then spoke up and Umpire Ormsby declared the batter out to end the game.

ByTom

8/2/1923 – The St. Louis Browns had considerable trouble with the batting order in the first game of two in Washington, which they lost 5-0. Manager Lee Fohl changed the lineup order from the usual and the players did not adjust. A contemporary newspaper story said that Fohl changed the batting order frequently during the season. Two different swaps were made as Ken Williams and William Jacobson swapped the third and fourth positions and Wally Gerber and Hank Severeid swapped the sixth and seventh places. In the first inning, there was a runner on first and one out. Williams came to the plate instead of Jacobson and walked. When the Senators pointed out that Williams was the wrong batter, Jacobson was declared out and Williams batted again. This time he doubled to right but Eddie Foster was thrown out trying to score from first on the hit. Those two players batted in the proper order after that. Senators skipper Donie Bush noticed the other situation early in the game. In the second, fifth and seventh innings both Gerber and Severeid made outs so Bush said nothing. However, in the ninth inning, Gerber batted with two out and a runner on first base. He singled advancing the runner to third. Bush then spoke up and Umpire Ormsby declared the batter out to end the game.

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7/19/1923 – The Cubs played in Philadelphia this day. Before the game the announcer listed John Kelleher playing third and batting fifth for the Cubs. However, when that spot in the lineup came up for the first time Bernie Friberg batted. He singled to left, knocking in the first run of the game but Umpire Bill Klem declared that Kelleher should have batted and called Friberg out for batting out of turn. Since Friberg was not in the lineup he should have been considered a pinch hitter and allowed to bat. When the Cubs took the field in the bottom half of the inning, Friberg went to third and played the rest of the game, which was won by Chicago, 7-1.

ByTom

7/19/1923 – The Cubs played in Philadelphia this day. Before the game the announcer listed John Kelleher playing third and batting fifth for the Cubs. However, when that spot in the lineup came up for the first time Bernie Friberg batted. He singled to left, knocking in the first run of the game but Umpire Bill Klem declared that Kelleher should have batted and called Friberg out for batting out of turn. Since Friberg was not in the lineup he should have been considered a pinch hitter and allowed to bat. When the Cubs took the field in the bottom half of the inning, Friberg went to third and played the rest of the game, which was won by Chicago, 7-1.

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5/25/1923 – Red Faber of the White Sox beat the Tigers in Detroit, 5-3. In the bottom of the seventh, Johnny Bassler pinch hit for pitcher Herm Pillette and walked. Les Burke then ran for Bassler and remained in the game in the ninth spot in the order at second base. The new pitcher entered the game in the seventh spot previously occupied by the second baseman. With two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Burke batted in the seventh place in the order out of turn but grounded out to end the game.

ByTom

5/25/1923 – Red Faber of the White Sox beat the Tigers in Detroit, 5-3. In the bottom of the seventh, Johnny Bassler pinch hit for pitcher Herm Pillette and walked. Les Burke then ran for Bassler and remained in the game in the ninth spot in the order at second base. The new pitcher entered the game in the seventh spot previously occupied by the second baseman. With two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Burke batted in the seventh place in the order out of turn but grounded out to end the game.

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5/25/1923 – A second team batted out of order on this day. The Pirates confused their lineup the first time though the order in this game at home against the Cardinals. The fifth-place hitter, Pie Traynor, had ended the first inning. Johnny Rawlings should have started the second inning but Charlie Grimm (listed seventh) batted and singled to center. Then Rawlings came to the plate and singled to right advancing Grimm to second base. The Cardinals then spoke with Umpire Bill Klem and he called Grimm out and removed him from the basepath. Rawlings was allowed to stay on first base. Pirates manager McKechnie told Klem that he intended to protest the game. The next hitter was the eighth-place batter, Johnny Gooch. Thus Klem seemed to call the wrong player out and allow the wrong batter to hit. The Redbirds had scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning. In the ninth, the Pirates scored two runs to win the game and make McKechnie’s protest unnecessary.

ByTom

5/25/1923 – A second team batted out of order on this day. The Pirates confused their lineup the first time though the order in this game at home against the Cardinals. The fifth-place hitter, Pie Traynor, had ended the first inning. Johnny Rawlings should have started the second inning but Charlie Grimm (listed seventh) batted and singled to center. Then Rawlings came to the plate and singled to right advancing Grimm to second base. The Cardinals then spoke with Umpire Bill Klem and he called Grimm out and removed him from the basepath. Rawlings was allowed to stay on first base. Pirates manager McKechnie told Klem that he intended to protest the game. The next hitter was the eighth-place batter, Johnny Gooch. Thus Klem seemed to call the wrong player out and allow the wrong batter to hit. The Redbirds had scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning. In the ninth, the Pirates scored two runs to win the game and make McKechnie’s protest unnecessary.

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8/7/1922 – In the bottom of the first with a runner on second on two outs, William “Baby Doll” Jacobson hitting in the clean up spot drew a walk. However, he was the number five hitter, so the Senators objected. Based on the box score, it appears that the proper number four batter, Marty MacManus, was called out, and Jacobson led of the second as he should have.

ByTom

8/7/1922 – In the bottom of the first with a runner on second on two outs, William “Baby Doll” Jacobson hitting in the clean up spot drew a walk. However, he was the number five hitter, so the Senators objected. Based on the box score, it appears that the proper number four batter, Marty MacManus, was called out, and Jacobson led of the second as he should have.

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7/4/1921 – In the first game of the holiday twin bill in Chicago, the Reds managed to bat in the wrong order twice in the first three innings. Pat Moran, the Reds manager, thought he had put Ivey Wingo in the number five spot, but he was eighth on the official lineup card. In the second inning, he batted fifth and struck out for the first out, so the Cubs naturally did not object. The next batter should have been the pitcher in the number nine spot, but not surprisingly, Greasy Neale, the true number five hitter, hit next and drew a walk. The Cubs protested, and after some consultation, Neale was called out although it should have been the pitcher Dolf Luque. Pat Duncan, the number six hitter in the order batted next although if the rule had been applied correctly, the lead off hitter should have come to bat. Duncan fanned for the third out. The number seven hitter correctly started the third, and he also struck out. That meant Wingo was the proper batter, but Luque hit next and singled. The Cubs again protested. Bill Klem, the home plate umpire called Luque out and ordered the lead off hitter to bat. So even a Hall of Fame ump did not understand the rule, which was not applied correctly in the second inning. This time the other ump, Bob Emslie, talked to Klem and they got it right by calling Wingo out and having Luque bat again. He again singled so he was able to get two hits, one of which did not count, in one at bat. The Reds batted in the correct order after the third.

ByTom

7/4/1921 – In the first game of the holiday twin bill in Chicago, the Reds managed to bat in the wrong order twice in the first three innings. Pat Moran, the Reds manager, thought he had put Ivey Wingo in the number five spot, but he was eighth on the official lineup card. In the second inning, he batted fifth and struck out for the first out, so the Cubs naturally did not object. The next batter should have been the pitcher in the number nine spot, but not surprisingly, Greasy Neale, the true number five hitter, hit next and drew a walk. The Cubs protested, and after some consultation, Neale was called out although it should have been the pitcher Dolf Luque. Pat Duncan, the number six hitter in the order batted next although if the rule had been applied correctly, the lead off hitter should have come to bat. Duncan fanned for the third out. The number seven hitter correctly started the third, and he also struck out. That meant Wingo was the proper batter, but Luque hit next and singled. The Cubs again protested. Bill Klem, the home plate umpire called Luque out and ordered the lead off hitter to bat. So even a Hall of Fame ump did not understand the rule, which was not applied correctly in the second inning. This time the other ump, Bob Emslie, talked to Klem and they got it right by calling Wingo out and having Luque bat again. He again singled so he was able to get two hits, one of which did not count, in one at bat. The Reds batted in the correct order after the third.

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6/10/1921 – Ty Cobb’s Tigers were in Washington completing a series against the Senators. Before the game, Cobb changed his lineup by reversing Harry Heilmann and Bobby Veach. However, the skipper failed to tell the players of this switch. In the top of the first inning, Heilmann batted in Veach’s spot and hit a two-run home run to left field. Umpire Billy Evans declared Heilmann out. When Veach finally got to bat in the fourth inning, he homered to right. There was also a Washington runner called out for coach’s interference later in the game. The Tigers won, 6-3.

ByThis Day in Baseball

6/10/1921 – Ty Cobb’s Tigers were in Washington completing a series against the Senators. Before the game, Cobb changed his lineup by reversing Harry Heilmann and Bobby Veach. However, the skipper failed to tell the players of this switch. In the top of the first inning, Heilmann batted in Veach’s spot and hit a two-run home run to left field. Umpire Billy Evans declared Heilmann out. When Veach finally got to bat in the fourth inning, he homered to right. There was also a Washington runner called out for coach’s interference later in the game. The Tigers won, 6-3.