|

5/1/1943 – In the second game of a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, the Dodgers batted out of turn in the first inning but discovered the problem themselves. Alex Kampouris batted one spot too early in place of Dee Moore and flew out. Dodger skipper Leo Durocher noticed the mistake and sent Kampouris up again, supposedly in his own place in the lineup. However, once Kampouris batted the next batter should have been Bobo Newsom who was listed after Kampouris. Kampy walked in his second trip to the plate. Brooklyn swept the twin bill by scores of 9-2 and 3-0.

ByTom

5/1/1943 – In the second game of a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, the Dodgers batted out of turn in the first inning but discovered the problem themselves. Alex Kampouris batted one spot too early in place of Dee Moore and flew out. Dodger skipper Leo Durocher noticed the mistake and sent Kampouris up again, supposedly in his own place in the lineup. However, once Kampouris batted the next batter should have been Bobo Newsom who was listed after Kampouris. Kampy walked in his second trip to the plate. Brooklyn swept the twin bill by scores of 9-2 and 3-0.

|

5/5/1942 – With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Frankie Gustine of the Pirates singled to CF. When Braves manager Casey Stengel pointed out that Stu Martin should have batted, Martin was called out and Gustine taken off the base. While Martin was on the lineup card given to the home plate umpire, Gustine had taken his place in the field when the game started. That made him an unannounced substitution and properly in the lineup. The umpire’s ruling thus was incorrect. However, the Pirates should have pointed out that Gustine was the proper batter.

ByTom

5/5/1942 – With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Frankie Gustine of the Pirates singled to CF. When Braves manager Casey Stengel pointed out that Stu Martin should have batted, Martin was called out and Gustine taken off the base. While Martin was on the lineup card given to the home plate umpire, Gustine had taken his place in the field when the game started. That made him an unannounced substitution and properly in the lineup. The umpire’s ruling thus was incorrect. However, the Pirates should have pointed out that Gustine was the proper batter.

Sketchley called out for batting out of order

Sketchley called out for batting out of order

ByThis Day in Baseball

4/26/1942 – In a game at Comiskey Park, the White Sox had some difficulties with their batting order. The unofficial batting order, given to the official scorer a few minutes before game time, had Bob Kennedy scheduled to bat sixth and Bud Sketchley to bat seventh. Then came the official batting order as submitted to the umpires and the Indians, showing Sketchley was supposed to bat ahead of Kennedy. The public address announcer, who had supplied the lineup to scorer, corrected his listing and announced the proper order. Kennedy, batting out of order, supplied the third out in the second inning. In the third inning, before Sketchley took his turn at bat, Manager Jimmy Dykes ran out to Umpire Steve Basil and told him that Sketchley was not the proper batter. Sketchley sat and Tom Turner batted since he was listed after Kennedy. The Indians thought (and the scoreboard showed) that Sketchley was called out for batting out of turn, which was not the case since the Pale Hose successfully changed to Turner before Sketchley completed his turn at the plate. Turner doubled to left center and eventually scored. When the second out was recorded in the inning and the Indians saw they needed one more, Cleveland Manager Lou Boudreau argued and then protested the game. The protest was dropped as the Tribe beat Chicago, 3-2.

|

6/4/1939 – In the first game of a doubleheader with Washington visiting St. Louis, the Browns batted out of turn in the second inning. They had made several lineup changes this day in an effort to end their 11-game losing streak and John Berardino mistakenly batted in Joe Glenn’s spot. The Senators pointed out the error and Glenn was ruled out, making Berardino the next correct batter. Beradino then made an out. The Browns survived this error and ended their losing streak by sweeping the doubleheader. We would like to find details of Berardino’s two plays. Please e-mail the webmaster if you have some information.

ByTom

6/4/1939 – In the first game of a doubleheader with Washington visiting St. Louis, the Browns batted out of turn in the second inning. They had made several lineup changes this day in an effort to end their 11-game losing streak and John Berardino mistakenly batted in Joe Glenn’s spot. The Senators pointed out the error and Glenn was ruled out, making Berardino the next correct batter. Beradino then made an out. The Browns survived this error and ended their losing streak by sweeping the doubleheader. We would like to find details of Berardino’s two plays. Please e-mail the webmaster if you have some information.

|

10/3/1937 – In a double header at Pittsburgh, Woody Jensen led off the lid-lifter for the Pirates and went three for four in the game. In the second game, Jensen led off the bottom of the first inning by flying out. Then Reds manager Bobby Wallace talked with umpire Charlie Moran. Lloyd Waner had been penciled into his usual leadoff position for game two. Moran called Waner out and Jensen, the number two hitter, was told to bat and was put out again. There was no reason for Wallace to speak up since Jensen was already out.

ByTom

10/3/1937 – In a double header at Pittsburgh, Woody Jensen led off the lid-lifter for the Pirates and went three for four in the game. In the second game, Jensen led off the bottom of the first inning by flying out. Then Reds manager Bobby Wallace talked with umpire Charlie Moran. Lloyd Waner had been penciled into his usual leadoff position for game two. Moran called Waner out and Jensen, the number two hitter, was told to bat and was put out again. There was no reason for Wallace to speak up since Jensen was already out.

|

Reds bat out of order but Cub’s still win

ByTom

7/27/1935 – In the first game of two at Wrigley Field, the Reds started the top of the fifth with the pitcher due up. Instead, the batter at the top of the lineup, short stop Billy Myers, hit instead and singled. According to the next day’s Chicago Tribune, the “radio announcers caused quite a commotion in an effort to arouse [manager Charlie] Grimm, but to no avail.” Lew Riggs then stepped to the plate and once a pitch had been made to him, it was too late to protest the hit by Myers. Riggs struck out, Myers stole second and Babe Herman singled to left with Myers moving to third. Now Grimm came out to protest the batting out of turn – two batters too late! The Tribune’s account said: “Umpire [Cy] Rigler suggested to him that it might aid his pennant drive if he would try reading a rule book.” Jim Bottomley then knocked in the run that should not have scored. However, the Cubs swept the double header, so only marginal damage was done by this event.

|

8/10/1934 – The Yankees batted out of turn twice without the Red Sox protesting in a game that the New Yorkers won, 10-3. Manager Joe McCarthy had revised his lineup and the players did not bat in the order on the official lineup handed to the umpires. In the top of the first inning there were two outs when both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig walked. Ben Chapman then batted ahead of Bill Dickey and loaded the bases with an infield single. Dickey then came to the plate out of turn and singled to center scoring Ruth and Gehrig. Pitcher Rube Walberg then threw the ball into center field trying to pick off Chapman at second and both runners advanced one bag. Tony Lazzeri then singled to center scoring both runners. If the Red Sox had protested when either Chapman or Dickey hit out of turn, none of the four runs would have scored in the inning. Chapman and Dickey again batted out of turn the second time through the lineup but without any damage done. In the fifth inning, Gehrig walked and Chapman, again out of turn, struck out. Then Dickey batted out of turn and singled. Finally the Red Sox noticed and protested the batting order. The Yankees then followed the official lineup through the end of the game.

ByTom

8/10/1934 – The Yankees batted out of turn twice without the Red Sox protesting in a game that the New Yorkers won, 10-3. Manager Joe McCarthy had revised his lineup and the players did not bat in the order on the official lineup handed to the umpires. In the top of the first inning there were two outs when both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig walked. Ben Chapman then batted ahead of Bill Dickey and loaded the bases with an infield single. Dickey then came to the plate out of turn and singled to center scoring Ruth and Gehrig. Pitcher Rube Walberg then threw the ball into center field trying to pick off Chapman at second and both runners advanced one bag. Tony Lazzeri then singled to center scoring both runners. If the Red Sox had protested when either Chapman or Dickey hit out of turn, none of the four runs would have scored in the inning. Chapman and Dickey again batted out of turn the second time through the lineup but without any damage done. In the fifth inning, Gehrig walked and Chapman, again out of turn, struck out. Then Dickey batted out of turn and singled. Finally the Red Sox noticed and protested the batting order. The Yankees then followed the official lineup through the end of the game.

Ethan Allen of the Cards races around the bases for an inside-the-park home run at the Polo Grounds, but is out for batting out of turn
|

Ethan Allen of the Cards races around the bases for an inside-the-park home run at the Polo Grounds, but is out for batting out of turn

ByThis Day in Baseball

In the top of the 2nd, Ethan Allen of the Cards races around the bases for an inside-the-park home run at the Polo Grounds, but is out for batting out of turn. Joe Medwickwas the correct batter. Allen then bats for himself and grounds out. But St. Louis prevails, 7 – 3.

|

The Cubs beat the Giants at Wrigley Field in a ten-inning game that witnessed an eclipse

ByTom

8/31/1932 – The Cubs beat the Giants at Wrigley Field in a ten-inning game that witnessed an eclipse. The two teams combined for nine runs in the extra frame, as the hosts won the contest, 10-9. The confusion started in the eighth inning, when Stan Hack pinch ran for Charlie Grimm, who was in the sixth spot in the lineup. Marv Gudat pinch hit for Gabby Hartnett in the seventh spot and made an out to end the inning. He remained in the game at first base. At the start of the ninth, Zack Taylor entered the contest as the catcher, and would have to be in the sixth batting spot in the lineup, because he was the only player entering the game and that was the only empty spot. In the bottom of the ninth, Mark Koenig batted in his eighth spot and then Frank Demaree hit for Bob Smith. The Cubs scored one run to tie the game, 5-5. The last hitter of the inning was Johnny Moore in the fifth spot in the lineup. The only new player in the top of the tenth for Chicago was pitcher Guy Bush, and he was relieved before retiring anyone by Leroy Herrmann, who should be in the ninth spot in the order. So now the order is:After the Giants scored four runs in the top of the tenth, the Cubs half of the inning went as follows: Billy Jurges pinch hit for Taylor and made an out. Gudat fouled out. Koenig homered into right field bleachers to make the score 9-6. So far, everything is OK. Taylor then singled to right, although he is out of the game because Jurges hit for him. The Giants don’t realize the mistake and therefore say nothing. If they had spoken up at this time, the proper batter, Herrmann, would be called out. He would have been the third out of the inning and the game would be over. Herman singled to center. English hit an RBI-single to center. Cuyler hit a three-run homer into the centerfield bleachers to win the game.

|

8/1/1932 – The Yankees won the game at Detroit 6-3 behind the hitting of Lou Gehrig. However, Tigers Manager, Bucky Harris informed umpire Dick Nallin in the 2nd inning that if the Tigers lost he would protest the game because the batting order given to the home team before the game had Chapman batting ahead of Lazzeri. It did not match the correct order that was given to the umpire. When Lazzeri singled in the 2nd, Harris brought the situation to the attention of the umpire. However, the umpire refused to call the batter out. The protest was latter upheld and the game was declared a no contest.

ByTom

8/1/1932 – The Yankees won the game at Detroit 6-3 behind the hitting of Lou Gehrig. However, Tigers Manager, Bucky Harris informed umpire Dick Nallin in the 2nd inning that if the Tigers lost he would protest the game because the batting order given to the home team before the game had Chapman batting ahead of Lazzeri. It did not match the correct order that was given to the umpire. When Lazzeri singled in the 2nd, Harris brought the situation to the attention of the umpire. However, the umpire refused to call the batter out. The protest was latter upheld and the game was declared a no contest.