Major League Baseball Season Recap 1920

1920 Cleveland Indians 1920

 

Major League Baseball Season Recap 1920

World Series – Cleveland Indians AL over Brooklyn Dodgers NL 5 games to 2

The secret deal made on December 26th to sell Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000 is announced publicly

The secret deal made on December 26th to sell Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000 is announced publicly

Babe Ruth 1920

Ruth deal announced

I think the Yankees are taking a gamble. While Ruth is undoubtedly the greatest hitter the game has ever seen, he is likewise one of the most selfish and inconsiderate men ever to put on a baseball uniform.

I think the Yankees are taking a gamble. While Ruth is undoubtedly the greatest hitter the game has ever seen, he is likewise one of the most selfish and inconsiderate men ever to put on a baseball uniform.

Hall of Famer Early Wynn is born

Hall of Famer Early Wynn is born

Babe Ruth reacts to his recent sale to the Yankees in the Boston Evening Standard saying, "Frazee is not good enough to own any ball club, especially one in Boston."

Babe Ruth reacts to his recent sale to the Yankees in the Boston Evening Standard saying, “Frazee is not good enough to own any ball club, especially one in Boston.”

1920 – A plan developed by Charles Ebbets many years ago is finally adopted: the annual drafting of players from the minor leagues will be done in inverse order of the final standings.

Rube Foster spearheads the formation of the Negro Leagues

Rube Foster spearheads the formation of the Negro Leagues

Major leagues announce a rule change banning all “freak deliveries” by pitchers

Major leagues announce a rule change banning all “freak deliveries” by pitchers

Jack Fournier

St Louis Cardinals trade for Jack Fournier from the minor league Los Angeles Angels for four players

Confessions of Baseball: Lee Magee's Admission in 1920

Confessions of Baseball: Lee Magee’s Admission in 1920

Price Adjustments and Player Policies: Baseball Changes in 1920

Price Adjustments and Player Policies: Baseball Changes in 1920

Dissatisfaction with the National Commission system comes to a head

Frank "Home Run" Baker's wife Ottalee, dies at 31

Frank “Home Run” Baker’s wife Ottalee, dies at 31

Carl Mays is reinstated

Negro National League in a meeting held at the YMCA in Kansas City

Negro National League in a meeting held at the YMCA in Kansas City

1920 – The Chicago Cubs give his unconditional release to Lee Magee after having learned from him a week ago that he has been betting against his team. Magee will sue the Cubs for his salary of $4,500, charging that his livelihood as a ballplayer was destroyed through the sudden canceling of his contract. The Cubs will ask for a dismissal of the suit, saying that “previous to the making of the contract the plaintiff was guilty of betting against the team of which he was a member, and sought to win bets by intentional bad playing to defeat said team.”

1920 – In a spring training match between the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Robins, a sweeping inside curve ball throw by Dodgers pitcher Jeff Pfeffer hits Chick Fewster, striking the Yankees’ shortstop behind the ear and flattening him. Fewster revives 10 minutes later but soon loses the ability to speak. Taken to the hospital with a skull fracture and a blood clot on his brain, Fewster will recover slowly and return to play in mid-season.

At spring training, Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson is out of control in his first intersquad game, hitting three batters and walking two. One of the batters he hits is Bucky Harris, who takes a pitch that glances off the side of his head. Johnson gives up seven runs in three innings.

At spring training, Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson is out of control in his first intersquad game, hitting three batters and walking two. One of the batters he hits is Bucky Harris, who takes a pitch that glances off the side of his head. Johnson gives up seven runs in three innings.

Al Schacht

Washington Senators pitcher Al Schacht, who will later become the “Clown Prince of Baseball,” throws a 7 – 0 shutout 

Player Manager Gavvy Cravath hits a pinch hit 3 run homer to win game

Boston Braves and Brooklyn Robins play the longest tie in history

Boston Braves and Brooklyn Robins play the longest tie in history

Babe Ruth hits his 50th career home run, the first of the 659 round-trippers he will collect playing for the Yankees. The New York right fielder also contributes a double in the team’s 6-0 victory over the Red Sox at the Polo Grounds, the ballpark they share with the National League’s Giants.

Dropping their 13th consecutive decision, the Tigers still do not have a victory this season when the team loses to Cleveland, 5-2. The club’s futile 0-13 start matches the major league mark set by the 1904 Washington Senators.

Walter Johnson

Walter Johnson rescues Senators and wins his 300th career game in 9-8 Slugfest

The Giants inform the Yankees, tenants since 1913, their lease to play at the Polo Grounds will not be renewed at the end of the season. There is speculation the National League team, which later will decide to continue sharing their home until the Yankees’ new stadium is completed in 1923, may have been reacting to the team’s recent acquisition of Babe Ruth.

The Braves beat the Reds‚ 7 – 0‚ behind Jack Scott’s three-hitter. Boston chases Jimmy Ring in the 3rd inning and goes on to tally 12 hits.

After a week in bed with illness‚ Babe Ruth returns to belt a two-run homer in the 6th‚ off Carl Weilman‚ to give the Yankees a 3 – 2 win over the visiting Browns. Baby Doll Jacobson’s two-run homer in the 4th is the only Browns scoring off Bob Shawkey.

Despite a homer by Bill Terry in the 8th and a 3-run shot by Mel Ott in the 9th‚ Carl Hubbell loses to the Phillies, 9 – 8. Philadelphia bangs out 17 hits‚ including a home run by Pinky Whitney against “King Carl.”

The Senators take two from the A’s‚ winning 11 – 5 and 5 – 0. Walter Johnson plunks the first two batters‚ then easily beats the gun-shy Philadelphia lineup to win the nitecap. Val Picinich has a homer‚ off Roy Moore‚ in the Nats’ four-run 4th.

The first-place Cubs make it 6 straight wins‚ beating the Cards, 8 – 5‚ in a game in which base stealing determines the outcome. For Chicago‚ a double steal by Charlie Hollocherand Dode Paskert helps‚ while the Cards drive Claude Hendrix from the mound in the 8th inning‚ then end the rally when Doc Lavan swipes third base‚ already occupied by teammate Jack Fournier.

5/29/1920: Catcher Ernie Krueger of the Dodgers lost an inside the park homer when the ball rolled under the temporary stands in center field at Ebbets Field. He was awarded a ground-rule triple on the play. The hit came off Hugh McQuillan of the Braves in the third inning of game 2 with one out.

Babe Ruth bats cleanup in the Yankees' lineup, and also gets the win when he tosses four innings as the starter in the team's 14-7 victory over Washington at the Polo Grounds.

Babe Ruth bats cleanup in the Yankees’ lineup, and also gets the win when he tosses four innings as the starter in the team’s 14-7 victory over Washington at the Polo Grounds.

1920 – In St. Louis‚ the Cardinals beat the Cubs‚ 5 – 1‚ as Grover Alexander loses after 11 wins. Bill Doak is the winner and Rogers Hornsby leads the Cards’ offense with 2 triples over the left fielder’s head. After the game Alexander calls Hornsby “the greatest hitter I’ve ever had to face. I have tried to fool him every way possible‚ but it just cannot be done.” Alex will be 27-14 for the 5th-place Cubs‚ and his 1.91 ERA will be the only one in the league under 2.00.

Citing the abolition of the spitball as the reason for the dramatic increase of home runs, Tom Shibe denies the baseballs are livelier this season. The A’s vice president is also a member of the company which makes the baseballs.

The Cardinals play their last game at Robison Field (renamed Cardinal Field in 1917), their home field since 1893, beating the Cubs, 5-2. One of Sam Breadon’s first decisions as the team’s new owner will be to agree to a ten-year lease for $20,000 annually, allowing his team to move six blocks to share Sportsman’s Park with the Browns, and allowing him to use the money from the sale of the aging ballpark to finance Branch Rickey’s idea of establishing a farm system by investing in a club affiliation with a minor league team in Houston, Texas.

On March 21, 1988 — 1988 – Edd Roush dies in Bradenton, Florida, at the age of 94. A two-time National League batting champion and a .323 hitter over an 18-year career, Roush entered the Hall of Fame in 1962.

Edd Roush of the Cincinnati Reds falls asleep in center field during a long argument in the infield

Babe Ruth and Joe Jackson before the game

Babe Ruth and Joe Jackson before the game

1920 - Lou Gehrig gets his first national mention when, as a high school junior for New York City's School of Commerce, he steals the show in a high school championship game against Lane Tech in Chicago. His grand slam home run in the 8th gives the New York team a 12 - 8 victory. Scouts sit with open mouths as the ball sails out of the National Leaguepark (later known as Wrigley Field).

1920 – Lou Gehrig gets his first national mention when, as a high school junior for New York City’s School of Commerce, he steals the show in a high school championship game against Lane Tech in Chicago. His grand slam home run in the 8th gives the New York team a 12 – 8 victory. Scouts sit with open mouths as the ball sails out of the National Leaguepark (later known as Wrigley Field).

The Dodgers were playing a doubleheader against the Giants at the Polo Grounds. In the bottom of the seventh inning of game 1, Lew McCarty pinch hit for Jesse Winters in the ninth place in the batting order and singled. Al Lefevre ran for McCarty and stayed in the game playing second base. The new pitcher, Bill Hubbell, entered the game in the seventh spot in the lineup. In the ninth inning, Lefevre, actually in the ninth spot, batted in the seventh spot out of order but struck out. Frank Snyder, the eighth-place hitter, then came to the plate out of order and grounded out. The next hitter should be Lefevre in the ninth-hole in the order. Benny Kauff was sent up to pinch hit for Hubbell even though it was not his turn to bat. Kauff cannot be considered as batting out of order since he is a pinch hitter. Officially, he is hitting for Lefevre not Hubbell. Kauff singled in a run but none of this matters as the Dodgers beat the Giants, 7-3.

Walter Johnson

Walter Johnson no-hits the Boston Red Sox, 1-0

Leaving Robison Field in mid-season, the Cardinals make their debut as the home team at Sportsman’s Park, also the home of the American League’s St. Louis Browns, bowing to the Pirates, 6 – 2. After signing a ten-year lease for $20,000 annually with Browns’ president Phil Ball, the team moves six blocks to be able to play its home games in a modern ballpark.

The Yankees score 14 in the fifth and beat Washington, 17 – 0. It’s the biggest inning ever until the Red Sox score 17 in a 1953 game.

Tris Speaker

Tris Speaker streak of 11 consecutive hits ends

The fans are flocking to see the mighty Babe Ruth hit home runs (12 in June). A twin bill with the Browns draws a Polo Grounds record of 38,823, the third record-breaker of the year.

The fans are flocking to see the mighty Babe Ruth hit home runs (12 in June). A twin bill with the Browns draws a Polo Grounds record of 38,823, the third record-breaker of the year.

Babe Ruth ties his 1919 record of 29 home runs with a game-winner in the 13th to beat the St. Louis Browns, 13 – 10. Two days later, he will break it by hitting two off Chicago White Sox P Dickie Kerr.

Earl Hamilton of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches 16 scoreless innings against the New York Giants

Babe Ruth becomes the first player in MLB history to hit 30 home runs in one season

Babe Ruth becomes the first player in MLB history to hit 30 home runs in one season

Joe Jackson spoofs ump he caught a Ruth homerun

Joe Jackson spoofs ump he caught a Ruth homerun

John McGraw will be indicted for violating the Volstead (Prohibition) Act and charged with assault, but he will be acquitted.

John McGraw will be indicted for violating the Volstead (Prohibition) Act and charged with assault, but he will be acquitted.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Howard Ehmke wins the American League's shortest game ever when he defeats the New York Yankees, 1 - 0, in one hour, thirteen minutes. With no outs and two on in the 5th inning‚ the Yanks fail to capitalize as Ping Bodie falls for the hidden ball trick applied by 2B Ralph Young.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Howard Ehmke wins the American League’s shortest game ever when he defeats the New York Yankees, 1 – 0, in one hour, thirteen minutes. With no outs and two on in the 5th inning‚ the Yanks fail to capitalize as Ping Bodie falls for the hidden ball trick applied by 2B Ralph Young.

The Browns sweep a pair from Washington‚ winning, 3 – 2 and 11 – 4. Jack Tobin is 4 for 4‚ with a double and triple in the first game‚ while in the second game‚ against Eric Erickson‚ the Browns’ George Sisler hits for the cycle and drives in 6 runs.

1920 – Failure to cover first base in the 7th costs Bill Doak a no-hitter in the Cards’ 5 – 1 win over the Phils. Doak, a good-fielding pitcher, invented a glove with an adjustable pocket. The Rawlings Sporting Goods company began producing a Bill Doak glove in the spring of this year and the model will remain popular for decades.

Ray Chapman is beaned by Carl Mays

Ray Chapman is beaned by Carl Mays

Ray Chapman Baseball

Ray Chapman dies in a hospital, one day after being beaned by Carl Mays

1920 – The Indians beat New York, 3 – 2. They leave town with a half-game lead over Chicago and 1 1/2 over the Yankees, in what will be the tightest race since 1908.

8/31/1920 – The Giants played in Pittsburgh and had one batter at the plate at the wrong time. Larry Doyle, batting in the seventh spot in the lineup, ended the seventh inning. In the bottom half of that frame the Pirates scored six times to pull ahead of New York, 6-5, for the eventual winning margin. The last two runs scored on a dropped fly ball. In the top of the eighth inning, fifth-place batter George Kelly started the inning with a single. The Bucs pointed out the fact that he was not the proper batter and Earl Smith was declared out.

The Senators knock out rookie starter Duster Mails‚ but the Indians rally to win, 9 – 5‚ and regain first place from the White Sox‚ losers of 6 of their last 7 games.

Carl Mays shuts out the Browns, 3 – 0, on 4 hits for the Yankees.

The Reds beat the Braves‚ 6 – 3, behind Ray Fisher and Dolf Luque to move into first place by two points.

9/12/1920: In the top of the fourth inning of a game in Chicago, Washington’s Frank Ellerbe was on first base with two outs. Patsy Gharrity hit the ball into the left field bleachers for an apparent two-run homer. When Ellerbe heard the fans in those seats cheering he thought Joe Jackson had caught the ball which would have ended the inning. After rounding third base, Ellerbe turned and went to his shortstop position. Meanwhile Gharrity trotted around the bases. When he rounded third base, he was called out for passing Ellerbe. Both umpires, Bill Dinneen and Ollie Chill, made the call. Washington argued that since the ball was out of play it did not make any difference that Gharrity passed Ellerbe. The headline in the next days’ New York Times read: “Gharrity’s Homer Retires His Side.” This event had no effect on the game as the Senators beat the White Sox, 5-0.

1920 – Shaken by the possible effects of the scandal surrounding baseball, club owners begin a series of meetings to reform the game. Albert D. Lasker, a Chicago advertising man and minority stockholder, of the Cubs, proposes a 3-man board of non-baseball men, with the chairman to be paid $25,000 year. Among the names mentioned: Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, former president William Howard Taft, General George Pershing, Senator Hiram Johnson, General Leonard Wood, and ex-treasury secretary William McAdoo.

Warren G. Harding, who will serve as the next president of the United States, throws three pitches for the Kerrigan Tailors, a semi-pro team, in an exhibition game played against the Cubs. The contest, in which the Giants, Reds, and Indians declined to be participants, was arranged in the presidential candidate’s hometown to make him more appealing to the masses.

1920 – At Cincinnati, Reds recruit Monty Swartz makes his big-league debut, hurling a 12-inning complete game, scattering 17 hits, and losing to the Cards, 6 – 3. He adds a 2 for 4 performance at the bat, but never plays another game in the majors.

In Boston, 33,000 are on hand for a doubleheader and to see Babe Ruth return to the Yankee lineup. The Babe hits his 45th homer in the opener to give New York a 5 - 3 win. In the nitecap, Carl Mays pitches to a mixture of boos and cheers. Mays takes a 5 - 3 lead into the 9th, then he fails to back up home on a play at the plate. A loose ball allows Joe Bush to score the winning run and Boston wins, 6 - 5.

In Boston, 33,000 are on hand for a doubleheader and to see Babe Ruth return to the Yankee lineup. The Babe hits his 45th homer in the opener to give New York a 5 – 3 win. In the nitecap, Carl Mays pitches to a mixture of boos and cheers. Mays takes a 5 – 3 lead into the 9th, then he fails to back up home on a play at the plate. A loose ball allows Joe Bush to score the winning run and Boston wins, 6 – 5.

Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore gives up 12 hits but coasts to a 10 – 0 shutout over the Braves.

Eddie Collins has two hits in the nitecap against the Browns, as the White Sox win, 5 – 2. Collins has hit safely in every game since August 21st, and will ring up a 22-game hitting streak through September 13th.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the 3rd-place Yankees win an A.M.-P.M doubleheader from the Athletics. Hank Thormahlen wins the morning game‚ 4 – 1‚ beating Dave Keefe‚ who K’s Babe Ruth three times. In the afternoon‚ Bob Shawkey tosses a three-hitter to shut out the A’s, 5 – 0.

Cleveland sweeps an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader from the Browns‚ 7 – 2 and 6 – 5, to retain first place in the American League by a thin margin (.623) over Chicago (.614) and New York (.611). In the morning’s game‚ slick-fielding SS Harry Lunte‚ Ray Chapman’s replacement‚ pulls up lame running out a single and is out of action. OF Joe Evans takes over short‚ but manager Tris Speaker will push to buy 21-year-old minor leaguer Joe Sewell. Cleveland wins game 2 by scoring a pair of runs in the 9th inning. RF Elmer Smith helps on defense with an unassisted double play‚ the 2nd of 4 he’ll pull off in his career.

The White Sox keep pace with the Indians in the pennant race by winning a pair from the Tigers‚ 6 – 2 and 5 – 4 in 10 innings. Shorty Hodge makes his major league debut in the afternoon game and pitches a two-hitter‚ with just one of the hits being clean. Harry Baumgartner‚ brought up today‚ finishes both games‚ taking the loss in the afternoon.

The Giants pick up Slim Sallee from the Reds. Slim won 134 games for the Giants between 1908 and 1918.

The Reds go back on top by sweeping a holiday twinbill with the Cards‚ 5 – 3 and 4 – 2. Ray Fisher wins the opener while Jimmy Ring takes game 2. The Phils flop the Robinstwice‚ 3 – 2 and 6 – 5.

1920 – On their way to Cleveland, the Yanks play an exhibition game against the Pirates and suffer injuries to starters, Muddy Ruel (split finger) and Ping Bodie (sprained ankle). With Carl Mays skipping the Indians series to avoid any scenes, New York is short-handed.

1920 – Carl Mays, who started yesterday, opens today for the Yankees in Detroit. This time he is more effective, stopping Detroit on two runs. Babe Ruth hits his 49th home run and Mays drives in the final run of a 4 – 2 win.

1920 – The Yankees increase their American League lead to 1 1/2 games by topping the Tigers 13 – 3. Cleveland and the White Sox are both shut out, the A’s beating the Indians 8 – 0 and Washington whitewashing the Sox 7 – 0. The Sox are now 2 1/2 games back.

1920 – The Indians give Jim Bagby 14 runs on 22 hits and he coasts over the A’s, 14 – 0.

Chicago’s Dickie Kerr tops the Yankees, 8 – 3, the loss dropping New York to 2nd place behind Cleveland.

Duster Mails delivers for the Indians, canceling the Senators, 1 – 0, for his 4th win without a loss. Joe Sewell scores the lone run.

For the first time in major league history, two players hit for the cycle on the same day

For the first time in major league history, two players hit for the cycle on the same day

Red Faber beat the Yankees, 6 - 4

Red Faber beat the Yankees, 6 – 4

The Cards set a National League record by cracking out 12 consecutive hits in the 4th and 5th innings against the Braves. Ten of the hits occur in the 4th inning when St. Louis scores eight runs. The last two outs come as Milt Stock tries to stretch a single and Austin McHenry tries the same on a double. Both are thrown out. In the 5th inning, Doc Lavan opens with a double and Cliff Heathcote singles before a Redbird finally makes an out. St. Louis wins, 9 – 4.

1920 – National League directors meet in New York, NY, joined by Jacob Ruppert, Cap Huston, Charles Comiskey, and Harry Frazee of the American League. They name a committee to draw up an agreement along the lines of Albert Lasker’s proposal, and give the five AL clubs still backing Ban Johnson an ultimatum: come in by November 1st or the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox will pull out of the AL and join a 12-team National League (with a team in Detroit, MI to complete the roster). The AL five turn it down, and bluff and counterbluff blow through the autumn air.

Behind Jim Bagby, the Indians top the Red Sox, 2 - 0, in a Sunday game at home. It is Bagby's 29th win of the year and keeps the Indians 1 1/2 games ahead of Chicago.

Behind Jim Bagby, the Indians top the Red Sox, 2 – 0, in a Sunday game at home. It is Bagby’s 29th win of the year and keeps the Indians 1 1/2 games ahead of Chicago.

In New York, Babe Ruth’s movie opens at Madison Square Garden. It has been retitled Headin Home.

1920 – First-place Cleveland routs the Red Sox, 12 – 1, and have a day off before meeting the 2nd-place White Sox, winners of their last six games.

The Chicago grand jury indictment adds the names of former featherweight boxing champ Abe Attell, Hal Chase, and Bill Burns in the World Series scandal

The Chicago grand jury indictment adds the names of former featherweight boxing champ Abe Attell, Hal Chase, and Bill Burns in the World Series scandal

Babe Ruth hits his 50th home run

Babe Ruth hits his 50th home run

At League Park, Duster Mails pitches Cleveland to a Friday afternoon 2 – 0 victory over the White Sox, dropping them to 1 1/2 games back. In the 5th, Mails walks three straight batters on 12 pitches, but stays in and strikes out the side. No Sox reach base after that.

Behind Shoeless Joe Jackson’s homer and two doubles and the pitching of Claude Williams, the White Sox beat host Cleveland, 5 – 1, to shave the Indians’ lead down to a half game. Jackson is hitting .387.

The A’s lose their 100th game, falling to the Red Sox, 4 – 2. Joe Dugan has three doubles, and finishes the series with seven two-base hits.

Chicago’s Eddie Cicotte tosses a seven-hitter in beating the Tigers, 8 – 1. The Sox stay a half-game in back of the Tribe.

In his last game of the season, Pittsburgh’s Babe Adams walks one in an 8 – 0 loss to the Reds. He has walked 18 in 263 innings pitched, making him the stingiest pitcher ever for one season.

In St. Louis, an overflow Sunday crowd of 30,000 watch the Indians top the Browns, 7 – 5, behind seven innings of strong relief by George Uhle. Joe Sewell knocks home four runs and Steve O’Neill contributes a drive that hits a mounted policeman’s horse for a ground rule double.

Rube Marquard pitches his final victory as a Robin, a 4 - 2 win over his former team, the Giants, and allows just five hits. The Giants will lose tomorrow to Boston and the Robins will clinch the pennant.

Rube Marquard pitches his final victory as a Robin, a 4 – 2 win over his former team, the Giants, and allows just five hits. The Giants will lose tomorrow to Boston and the Robins will clinch the pennant.

At the Polo Grounds, the Braves eliminate the 2nd-place Giants in game two by a 3 – 2 score on Tony Boeckel’s homer in the 9th. The Giants win the opener, 2 – 1. The loss clinches the pennant for Brooklyn.

Carl Mays and the Yankees beat the A’s, 3 – 0, as Mays allows just four hits. It is his 3rd straight shutout over Philadelphia and his 10th straight win against them. Babe Ruth drives in all the runs on a pair of homers over the RF fence off Eddie Rommel, his 52nd and 53rd homers of the campaign. He hits two other liners to left and center that are close to the wall.

The Indians continue on their war path by topping the Browns, 8 – 4. Duster Mails wins his 6th straight and Tris Speaker breaks out of a slump by collecting two hits. He had been 1 for 19. Charlie Jamieson adds four hits.

Joe Jackson’s game-winning hit will be his last of his 13-year career to back Dickie Kerr shutout pitching

Eight White Sox players are indicted by the grand jury on charges of fixing last season’s World Series against the Reds. The eight members involved in the ‘Black Sox Scandal’ will be cleared of the charges by the court, but on the same day, they will be banned for life from baseball by Kenesaw Mountain Landis, baseball’s first commissioner.

1920 – Babe Ruth hits his major league record 54th home run on the last day of the season. Only one other team in the American League will hit more than 44 homers.

Clyde Barnhart

Clyde Barnhart becomes the only player in big league history to collect hits in three games in one day

Pete Alexander goes 17 innings to pick up his 27th win

Pete Alexander goes 17 innings to pick up his 27th win

The Indians clinch their first American League pennant when they rout the Tigers at Navin Field, 10-1. Jim Bagby, who will have a 1-1 record in the Fall Classic for the eventual World Champs, notches his 31st victory of the season.

The Century's only Triple Header

The Century’s only Triple Header

George-sisler-browns

George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns collects his 257th

Tris Speaker

Jim Bagby wins his 31st game, clinching the pennant for the Indians

Cleveland Indians starter Stan Coveleski gives the Indians a 3 - 1 opening victory with a five-hit complete game

Cleveland Indians starter Stan Coveleski gives the Indians a 3 – 1 opening victory with a five-hit complete game

1920 – Two Brooklyn runs in the 1st lead to a quick exit for Cleveland starter Ray Caldwell. John “Duster” Mails and George Uhle shut down the Robins, but southpaw Sherry Smith gives up three hits; the visitors’ only run results from an error by Zack Wheat on Tris Speaker’s double. It’s a 2 – 1 win, and a 2-1 Series lead for Brooklyn.

Brooklyn's Rube Marquard is arrested when he tries to sell a ticket to an undercover cop

Brooklyn’s Rube Marquard is arrested when he tries to sell a ticket to an undercover cop

Bill_Wambsganss

Indians’ Bill Wambsganss becomes the only player in World Series history to complete an unassisted triple play 

Tris Speaker 1920 World Series

Tris Speaker scores the only run as Duster Mails yields three hits for a 1 – 0 in Game 6 1920 World Series

Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski of the Cleveland Indians wins his third game of the World Series, a 3 - 0 shutout of the Brooklyn Robins

Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski of the Cleveland Indians wins his third game of the World Series, a 3 – 0 shutout of the Brooklyn Robins

100 Years Later: The Scandal That Rocked Baseball - The 1919 Black Sox Indictments

100 Years Later: The Scandal That Rocked Baseball – The 1919 Black Sox Indictments

1920 – The Chicago grand jury indictment adds the names of former featherweight boxing champ Abe Attell and baseball players Hal Chase and Bill Burns as go-betweens in the 1919 World Series scandal. Ed Cicotte, Joe Jackson, Lefty Williams and Happy Felsch sign confessions, which they will later recant.

In a move less heralded than the acquisition of Babe Ruth earlier in the year, the Yankees hire Red Sox skipper Ed Barrow to be the team's general manager. Under the future Hall of Famer's leadership over the next quarter-century, the Bronx Bombers will win 14 American League pennants and 10 World Series championships.

In a move less heralded than the acquisition of Babe Ruth earlier in the year, the Yankees hire Red Sox skipper Ed Barrow to be the team’s general manager. Under the future Hall of Famer’s leadership over the next quarter-century, the Bronx Bombers will win 14 American League pennants and 10 World Series championships.

Ban_Johnson,_1905

At a meeting to depose Ban Johnson as the American League president, a new 12-team National League is proposed

Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Owners unanimously elect Kenesaw Mountain Landis for seven years

future Hall of Famer Stan Musial is born in Donora, Pennsylvania

future Hall of Famer Stan Musial is born in Donora, Pennsylvania

A lawsuit that awarded $264,000 in damages to the Baltimore Federal League club on April 12, 1919, is reversed by a court of appeals

A lawsuit that awarded $264,000 in damages to the Baltimore Federal League club on April 12, 1919, is reversed by a court of appeals

The National League reveals a most telling statistic, pointing out the changes in the game: the use of 27,924 baseballs during the season, an increase of 10,248 over 1919.

The Giants hand a release to 2B Larry Doyle so that he can manage the Toronto team.

– The Yankees’ Ed Barrow pries future Hall of Fame P Waite Hoyt, C Wally Schang, lefty Harry Harper, and IF Mike McNally from his former Boston team in exchange for 2B Del Pratt, C Muddy Ruel, P Hank Thormahlen, OF Sammy Vick, and cash.

Rube Marquard

Brooklyn trades Rube Marquard to the Reds for Dutch Ruether. The Robin’s southpaw fell in displeasure with the team after being arrested in a Cleveland hotel lobby before Game 4 for scalping World Series tickets worth $52.80 for $400 to a city police detective.

Burleigh Grimes

The American League votes to allow pitchers who used the spitball in 1920 to continue using it as long as they are in the league.

On his 34th birthday, Ty Cobb signs to manage the Tigers for $32,500.

On his 34th birthday, Ty Cobb signs to manage the Tigers for $32,500.

Curt Flood-the reserve clause

Curt Flood Goes to Washington – Podcast Season 3, Episode 3

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