Major League Baseball Season Recap 1930

Major League Baseball Season Recap 1930

World Series – Philadelphia A’s AL over St. Louis Cardinals NL 4 games to 2

1930, Changes were made to the baseball in 1930, causing all-time highs for offensive production. Seven players batted .379 or better while only Philadelphia’s Lefty Grove and Brooklyn’s Dazzy Vance managed ERA’s under 3.00 for the season. Hack Wilson (.356, 56 HR, 191 RBI) set a league record for runs batted in that still stands today while Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Chuck Klein also hit over .350 with at least 40 homers and 150 RBI. The Philadelphia Athletics won their second consecutive World Series in 1930 powered by the bats of Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, and Mickey Cochrane as well as the arms of Grove and George Earnshaw. No official league awards were issued, though the Sporting News declared Washington SS Joe Cronin and Giants 1B Bill Terry as Most Valuable Players for their respective leagues.

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January 8, 1930

Chicago Cubs star Art Nehf announces his retirement

January 20, 1930

 Commissioner Landis bans boxing for all players following the brief boxing career of Chicago White Sox first baseman Art Shires

January 26, 1930

Carl Mays ends his MLB career and signs with Pacific Coast League

January 29, 1930

Boston Red Sox sell former American League home run king Ken Williams

February 2, 1930

New York Yankees waive shortstop Leo Durocher

February 5, 1930

The Reds select Leo Durocher off waivers

February 12, 1930

Connie Mack receives the prestigious Edward W. Bok Prize

February 16, 1930

1930 – Judge Landis rules that the Cards cannot farm out C Gus Mancuso to the Rochester Red Wings. Forced to keep him by the commissioner’s edict, the Cardinals finds it pays off when regular C Jimmie Wilson is injured and Mancuso bats .366 in 76 games.

March 8, 1930

Babe Ruth signs a two-year contract with the New York Yankees for $160,000. At $80,000 per year, he becomes the highest-paid player of all time.

March 13, 1930

Hall of fame umpire Doug Harvey is born

April 3, 1930

1930 – The Cuban national team loses its first game ever, after starting its history 8-0. They drop a 2-1 contest to Mexico in the 1930 Central American Games (but will still beat Mexico for the Gold). Fernando Barradas fans 10 to outduel Manuel Domínguez, while Manuel Chávez and José Alvarez each have two hits and a run for Mexico.

April 6, 1930

The Giants play their first night game‚ a 9 – 1 exhibition win against their Bridgeport farm team in Bridgeport‚ CT. The Giants won’t play a night game at home until 1940.

April 14, 1930

President Herbert Hoover, continuing the tradition started by William Taft in 1910, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the Red Sox edge the hometown Senators, 4-3. The Chief Executive, who is historically thought to be a southpaw, will do the honors right-handed six times during his one term in the White House, all four Opening Days at Washington’s Griffith Stadium and two World Series games played at Shibe Park in the 1929 and 1930 Fall Classics.

April 20, 1930

Chicago Tribune‚ writer Irwin Howe names his all-time all-star team based on his 42 years of observing baseball:

April 27, 1930

Bud Clancy, playing first base during the entire nine-inning game, never touches the ball while it is in play. The first sacker’s lack of work doesn’t hurt the White Sox when they beat the Browns at Sportsman’s Park, 2-1.

April 28, 1930

1930 – The first night game in the history of Organized Baseball is played in Independence, Kansas. The Muskogee Chiefs defeat the Independence Producers, 13 – 3, in a battle of Western Association rivals.

April 28, 1930

Thanks to a lack of control and a pair of Red Sox errors, the A’s score four runs without the benefit of a base hit. The ninth inning Boston meltdown accounts for Philadelphia’s 5-4 comeback victory at Fenway Park.

April 29, 1930

In seven major league games played today an average of over 17 runs a game are scored. After the dust settles 123 players have crossed the plate.

May 2, 1930

Joe Sewell’s consecutive streak ends at 1,103 games when he doesn’t appear in a game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park due to having a fever of 102 degrees. The Indians shortstop, who hasn’t missed a game since 1922, is only 204 games shy of the all-time record of 1,307 games set in 1925 by Yankee shortstop Everett Scott.

May 5, 1930

The Philadelphia Athletics beat the St. Louis Browns, 4 – 3, in 12 innings and score all their runs on solo home runs. Al Simmons’ lead-off home run in the bottom of the 12th makes Lefty Grove a winner over General Crowder, as both starters go all the way. Joe Boley, with two homers, and Mule Haas, with one, provide the other Athletics runs, a record to date in the American League. The New York Giants will score five runs on solo homers five weeks from now.

May 5, 1930

The Red Sox trade Red Ruffing to the Yankees for $50,000 and Cedric Durst, who will hit .245 in 102 games during his only season in Boston. New York’s new right-hander, a future Hall of Famer, will post a 231-124 (.651) record along with an ERA of 3.47 during his 15 seasons with the Bronx ball club.

May 7, 1930

George Watkins scores 5 runs and Chick Hafey has 5 RBI leading the Cardinals to a 16-11 victory

May 8, 1930

 Freddie Lindstrom has his second five-hit game of the season, hitting for the cycle, as the Giants defeat the Pirates, 13 – 10.

May 9, 1930

The Yankees’ and the Tigers’ outfielders make only two putouts for an American League record which has never been equaled. The National League record for outfield idleness is one chance (Pittsburgh versus Brooklyn on August 26, 1910). Detroit’s George Uhle strikes out 8 in winning, 5 – 4, and dropping the Yanks to 7th place. Hank Johnson (7 innings) and George Pipgras are the New York hurlers.

May 10, 1930

1930 – The A’s conquer the Indians, 6 – 4 at Philadelphia. Jimmie Foxx’s 7th-inning triple with two on breaks the tie.

May 16, 1930

Washington wins a doubleheader from Philadelphia and moves into first place. Bump Hadley wins the opener, 5 – 3, and Ad Liska adds a three-hit, 4 – 0 shutout in the nitecap, beating George Earnshaw. Joe Judge’s three-run homer in the 8th puts the game away.

May 18, 1930

George Pipgras tosses his third shutout of the season as the New York Yankees again support his pitching by bombing the host Boston Red Sox, 11 – 0. Babe Ruth hits an Ed Morris pitch over the right field bleachers, for one of the longest home runs ever at Fenway Park.

May 21, 1930

Cincinnati sends 2B Hughie Critz to the Giants for veteran P Larry Benton. Critz will prove a fine pickup for the Giants.

May 21, 1930

Babe Ruth hits three consecutive home runs in the first game of a doubleheader then bats right handed for his 4th at bat

May 22, 1930

In Philadelphia, the Yankees and the Athletics continue the home run barrage as the Yankees take both games of a second straight doubleheader, 10 – 1 and 20 – 13. Babe Ruth hits a pair of home runs in the opener, as does Ben Chapman and winning pitcher George Pipgras. The Yanks score nine runs in the first two innings of the second game, but the A’s come back to tie it at 12 apiece. The Yanks win the assault, 20 – 13, as Tony Lazzeri is 4 for 4, scores five runs, and knocks in 4. Ruth hits another in the second game, while Lou Gehrig powers three round trippers to drive in eight runs. On the A’s side, Jimmie Foxx has two homers to drive in six runs. For the afternoon, the teams combine to hit 14 round trippers, a then-record 10 in the nitecap.

May 22, 1930

Babe Ruth ties a major league record by hitting five homers in two games and six homers in three games when he hits a trio of round-trippers in the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader, two more in the opener of today’s twin bill, adding one more in the nightcap. Teammate Lou Gehrig also goes deep three times in the second game of the doubleheader, a 20-13 Yankee victory over the A’s at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park.

May 24, 1930

Babe Ruth hits home runs in both games of a doubleheader, giving him nine homers in one week. New York sweeps‚ 10 – 6 and 11 – 1. Newly-acquired Red Ruffing is the easy winner in the nitecap.

May 26, 1930

During the nightcap of a twin bill, Joe Sewell strikes out twice facing White Sox southpaw Pat Caraway in Cleveland’s 5-2 victory over Chicago. The Indians’ infielder will be fanned a total of only three times in his 353 at-bats this season.

May 28, 1930

Pete Alexander makes his final appearance

May 29, 1930

The Cubs’ scheduled game with the Reds is postponed due to the sudden death of Chicago pitcher Hal Carlson.

May 30, 1930

5/30/1930: In the first game of a Memorial Day doubleheader, Dodger Del Bissonette batted against Claude Willoughby of the Phillies in the bottom of the fourth inning with runners on first and second. As Bissonette’s fly ball neared the fence, Babe Herman, fearing a catch, stopped. Bissonette didn’t see Herman and passed him. He was called out by umpire Cy Pfirman and was credited with a 2-RBI single.

June 4, 1930

1930 – First-place Brooklyn makes 8 errors‚ losing to Pittsburgh at Ebbets Field‚ 12 – 6.

June 6, 1930

1930 – Denny Sothern hits a major league record four doubles in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 14 – 5 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

June 9, 1930

Chick Hafey removes himself from a game because of trouble with his eyes

June 10, 1930

The Pacific Coast League sees its first night game when Sacramento hosts Oakland before 10‚000 fans at Moreing Park. There are 180‚000 watts of light from 40 lamps on 40 poles. By the end of next season every PCL team will have lights. Eddie Bryan turns the lights out on the visitors‚ winning 5 – 0.

June 10, 1930

After seven consecutive victories from the start of the season, A’s right-hander Lefty Grove loses in eleven innings to the White Sox, 7-6. The future Hall of Famer will finish the season 28-5, along with a 2.54 ERA for the eventual World Champion club.

June 13, 1930

The Senators send Goose Goslin to the Browns for Heinie Manush

June 22, 1930

Lou Gehrig hits three home runs in the second game of a doubleheader

June 23, 1930

Hack Wilson hits for the cycle with two singles, a double, triple, and homer, and drives in six as the Cubs whip the Phils, 21 – 8, at Wrigley Field.

June 23, 1930

With two outs in the 6th inning, Brooklyn makes 10 hits in succession against Pittsburgh to equal the major league record. The Robins begin the 7th inning with two more after the 6th inning ends with a runner tagged out at the plate. They win, 19 – 6. Babe Herman hits two home runs during the streak.

June 27, 1930

A Ladies Day crowd swells the Wrigley Field attendance to a park record 51,556 to watch the Cubs’ 7 – 5 win over Brooklyn. Kiki Cuyler’s 10th-inning home run is the clincher.

June 27, 1930

John Quinn becomes the oldest player to hit a home run in major league history

June 30, 1930

The Cubs move into first place ahead of Brooklyn by defeating the Giants.

June 30, 1930

Brooklyn, in need of an outfielder, buys Ike Boone from the San Francisco Missions (Pacific Coast League) where he was hitting .448 through 83 games. In 1929, Boone compiled an all-time record of 553 total bases while hitting 55 homers and batting .407. Boone wasn’t even Brooklyn’s first choice; the Robins preferred another PCL batting star, Buzz Arlett, who had his eye injured in a postgame fight with umpire Chet Chadbourne, who slugged the Oakland OF with his mask.

July 2, 1930

Carl Reynolds hits 3 homeruns in consecutive innings

July 5, 1930

Negro leagues teams play at Yankee Stadium for the first time ever

July 5, 1930

The Phillies lose a doubleheader to the Braves to drop into the cellar for the rest of the season, despite a team batting average of .315. Two disclaimers should be noted – 1930 is the peak season for offense in the 20th Century, and the Phillies play in the high-octane Baker Bowl.

July 5, 1930

Frankie Frisch, Cardinals 2B, ties the league record with 16 chances in a game in which St. Louis defeats Cincinnati, 6 – 4.

July 6, 1930

Bill Veeck Sr’s very popular Ladies’ Day promotion at Wrigley Field reaches new heights when more than 30,000 female fans attend the Cubs’ doubleheader against Cincinnati. An over-capacity crowd packs the small ballpark, with thousands of others, including late-arriving regular paying patrons, who are unable to gain admission into the North Side venue.

July 9, 1930

Milt Gaston of the Red Sox beats the Senators to stop a 10-game winning streak by the league-leading Senators

July 9, 1930

The Phillies come from behind in the last of the 9th to defeat the Giants, 5 – 4. Chuck Klein’s double off Carl Hubbell drives in Lefty O’Doulfrom second base.

July 10, 1930

Freddie Lindstrom of the Giants has five hits in a game against the Phillies for the third time this season

July 13, 1930

The defending champs, the Philadelphia A’s, move into first place by beating the Browns, 12 – 1, and will remain in the lead the rest of the season.

July 18, 1930

1930 – Chuck Klein’s consecutive-game hitting streak ends at 26. The Phillie outfielder is stopped by journeymen hurlers Al Grabowski and Jim Lindsey of the Cardinals.

July 21, 1930

Harvey Henrick’s ninth-inning three-run round-tripper off the bench gives the Dodgers a dramatic 9-8 come-from-behind victory over the Redbirds at Ebbets Field in the first game of a twin bill. Redbirds George Puccinelli and Jim Bottomley and Brooklyn’s Hal Lee also homer appearing as pinch-hitters in the game.

July 22, 1930

1930 – Phillies P Phil Collins hits home runs in the 4th and 5th innings of an 11 – 5 win over the Pirates. He will hit just two more homers in his 8-year career.

July 23, 1930

Pie Traynor of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits game-winning home runs in both ends of a doubleheader

July 24, 1930

1930 – The Phillies’ Chuck Klein objects sharply to an 8th-inning strike call by umpire Lou Jorda and is banished for the first time in his career. Also ejected are manager Burt Shotton, captain Fresco Thompson and 1B Don Hurst. It is necessary to use 42-year-old Cy Williams in RF in the 9th, the only inning of play Klein will miss this season.

July 24, 1930

Jimmie Foxx and Mickey Cochrane homer in A’s win

July 25, 1930

A’s pull off two triple steals in one game

July 26, 1930

Phils pitchers continue their consistently dismal performance, giving up five home runs to the Cubs in a 16 – 2 pasting. Hack Wilson has three of the homers, while Gabby Hartnett and winning pitcher Pat Malone add the other two.

July 27, 1930

Ken Ash, throwing just one pitch in relief of Larry Benton, is credited with a full inning of work when he induces Charlie Grimm to hit into a triple play in the Reds’ 6-5 victory over the Cubs at Redland Field. The 28 year-old right-hander from West Virginia, removed in the bottom of the frame for a pinch-hitter, will also be awarded the win as the result of Cincinnati taking the lead for good in that frame.

July 28, 1930

Hack Wilson retrives a lost RBI

July 30, 1930

In the first night game ever played by a major league team, the American Association’s Indianapolis Indians defeat the Reds 17-5

July 30, 1930

Pirates third baseman Pie Traynor hits the eventual game-winning homers in both ends of a doubleheader

July 31, 1930

Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees drives in eight runs with a grand slam and two doubles.

August 2, 1930

Smoky Joe Williams of the Homestead Grays strikes out 27 Kansas City Monarchs in a memorable 12-inning night game

August 2, 1930

8/2/1930 – The Phillies were in Boston for a double header against the Braves. Their batting order for the first contest showed Don Hurst fifth, Pinky Whitney sixth and Tommy Thevenow seventh. In the top of the second inning, Whitney strode to the plate in Hurst’s spot and struck out. Hurst then grounded out. Both were out of order. Thevenow followed Hurst and was also out of order. The Phillies repeated this incorrect order in the fourth. In the seventh frame, Chuck Klein reached on an error, Whitney singled Klein to third and Hurst hit a sacrifice fly. The Phillies realized their mistake in the ninth and batted in the proper order, with Hurst reaching on an error after Klein doubled. The Braves argued that Hurst had batted out of order this time but was told that they were actually batting correctly. The Braves won the contest, 3-2.

August 3, 1930

Chuck Klein hits safely in his 26th consecutive game, the second time this season he has run a streak to this length.

August 3, 1930

At Washington, the Senators divide a pair with Boston, winning 11 – 2 and losing 7 – 1. Joe Judge manages the Nats with Walter Johnson in mourning, Senator players will act as pall bearers at Mrs. Johnson’s funeral tomorrow.

August 4, 1930

At Philadelphia, Lefty Grove helps himself to his 17th win by belting a 3-run homer in the 2nd. Al Simmons adds two triples and a 2-run homer as the A’s beat Boston, 13 – 4.

August 4, 1930

At Detroit, Charlie Gehringer hits a homer to center field with the bases loaded in the 12th inning to give the Tigers a 7 – 3 win over Chicago. It is Gehringer’s 4th hit and 2nd homer as he drives in six runs, and Gehringer’s 2nd 12th-inning homer in a month: he hit one against Cleveland on July 4.

August 6, 1930

Gene Rye becomes the first player to hit three homers in a single inning when he blasts a solo homer, a three-run shot, and a grand slam in the Waco Cubs’ 18-run eight-inning eruption in their eventual 20-7 Texas League victory over the visiting Beaumont Exporters at Katy Park. The 24 year-old diminutive southpaw-swinging outfielder, called Half Pint by his teammates, will be signed by the Red Sox, spending the first two months of next season with the team before being released when he hits just .179 in 17 games.

August 7, 1930

Chet Brewer and Smokey Joe Williams duel in one of the most famous Negro League games ever. Brewer fans 19 and allows 4 hits, while Williams whiffs 25 and gives up one hit in a 12-inning, 1 – 0 victory.

August 8, 1930

1930 – In St. Louis, the first-place Robins beat the Cardinals, 11 – 5 and are now 12 games ahead of the 4th place Birds (53-52). The Cubs win to stay close in 2nd place and the Giants sweep a pair to stay 5 1/2 games behind in third place. But it will be the 4th-place Cardinals who will make the charge.

August 9, 1930

The A’s increase their American League lead with a second straight doubleheader sweep of the White Sox, winning 9 – 2 and 3 – 0. Jimmie Foxx’s 32nd homer, with two on in the 8th, gives Ed Rommel the win in the curtain call. The second-place Senators drop a pair to the Indians.

August 9, 1930

John Stone, Detroit OF, doubles in two runs in the 6th inning against Boston as the Tigers win, 3 – 0. Stone has now hit in 23 straight games, but will go hitless in tomorrow’s Sunday game at Fenway Park. Vic Sorrell tosses today’s shutout.

August 10, 1930

The last-place Phillies win, 18 – 0, as Claude Willoughby defeats the Reds in the first game of a twin bill, then take the second game, 4 – 3. Chuck Klein and Lefty O’Doul each total six hits in the two games. The Phils will tie the major league mark they set last season by playing just six shutout games, winning four and losing two.

August 10, 1930

In a Sunday doubleheader in St. Louis, 21,000 fans cheer as the Cards sweep two from the first place Robins. Burleigh Grimes takes the opener, 8 – 2, despite Babe Hermanstarting a triple play for Brooklyn. Bill Hallahan strikes out 12 to win the nitecap, 4 – 0. The 4th-place Cards are now nine games behind Brooklyn.

August 10, 1930

At Fenway Park, Detroit’s Earl Whitehill wins his 9th straight, beating the Red Sox, 4 – 2. The Sox score their two runs in the 9th. Detroit collects nine hits, but John Stone goes hitless ending his 23-game hitting streak.

August 10, 1930

Hack Wilson hit three home runs and drove in seven in the Cubs’ sweep of Boston

August 11, 1930

The Cubs displace Brooklyn for the league lead‚ completing a four-game sweep with the Braves. Cubs P Bud Teachout wins the final game‚ 4 – 3‚ in 10 innings.

August 12, 1930

1930 – With 40‚000 fans on hand at Wrigley Field‚ Dazzy Vance gives up 14 hits and walks 4 but strands 16 Cubs runners. With the game tied‚ 2 – 2‚ in the 11th Riggs Stephenson bounces a single to drive in the winning run. Brooklyn loads the bases in both the 9th and 10th but comes up dry; in the 8th Brooklyn adds up a triple by Babe Herman‚ a walk to Del Bissonette‚ and an Al Lopez single for zero runs.

August 14, 1930

The Cubs top the faltering Robins, 5 – 1, as Pat Malone picks up the victory.

August 14, 1930

Wes Ferrell of Cleveland breezes to a 15 – 0 win over the league-leading A’s for his 20th win.

August 15, 1930

4/15/1930: Babe Ruth hit a ball headed for the right-centerfield stands in Philadelphia. It struck a loud speaker horn and bounced back into the playing field. The umpires ruled it a double. The drive came off Lefty Grove in the third inning with one man on base.

August 16, 1930

Lefty Grove (20-4) wins his 6th in a row, beating the Browns in Philadelphia, 4 – 2. Grove drives in the first two runs in the 2nd off Dick Coffman, who gives up nine hits in the loss. The Browns net 10 hits off Grove.

August 16, 1930

At Wrigley Field, the league-leading Cubs nip the Phillies, 10 – 9, in the first game of a doubleheader, then play to a 3 – 3 tie in 11 innings before darkness intervenes. In the first game, the Phils score eight runs in the 7th to take a 9 – 8 lead, but Gabby Hartnett’s drive wins the game for Chicago. Hack Wilson hits his 41st homer in the opener. The Phils manage just two hits in the nitecap, but take a 3 – 0 lead into the 9th. Chicago comes back when Riggs Stephenson scores on a balk, then Woody English cracks a two-run homer to tie. Meanwhile, 2nd place Brooklyn splits with the Pirates, 7 – 5 and 2 – 6.

August 18, 1930

1930 – Woody English scores five runs and Hack Wilson hits his 42nd home run, as the Cubs crush the Phillies, 17 – 3. Pat Malone contributes another home run and goes the distance for the win.

August 19, 1930

Hack Wilson hits his 43rd home run tying Chuck Klein’s National League 

August 19, 1930

Goose Goslin hits three consecutive home runs for St. Louis to back George Blaeholder’s 7 – 0 shutout of the Philadelphia A’s.

August 21, 1930

Chick Hafey hits for the cycle, as the Cards beat the Phillies at St. Louis, 16 – 6.

August 22, 1930

1930 – Dazzy Vance is given little support against the Reds. Pitcher Red Lucas’ fly ball in the 8th is misjudged and two runs score, and Brooklyn loses, 4 – 1.

August 23, 1930

The Giants’ Fred Lindstrom singles to extend his hitting streak to 24 games, but Pat Malone tops Carl Hubbell for a 4 – 2 Cubs win.

August 23, 1930

The Yankees buy Frank Crosetti from the San Francisco Seals but allow him to play another season in the Pacific Coast League before reporting. The Yankees will make a similar arrangement for Joe DiMaggio, buying him from the Seals but waiting a year before acquiring him in 1936.

August 24, 1930

New York’s Fred Lindstrom has his 24-game hitting streak stopped as the Giants lose to the Cubs, 3 – 2.

August 25, 1930

1930 – Tommy Bridges walks 12 Brownies, but Detroit still beats St. Louis, 7 – 5.

August 26, 1930

Hack Wilson has four RBIs to lead the Cubs over the Pirates, 7 – 5. Wilson cracks a 2-run single in the 5th, but then allows a Lloyd Waner liner to skip by him for an inside-the-park home run, and vows to atone. He hits his 44th home run, off young Larry French, breaking Chuck Klein’s one-year-old National League record.

August 26, 1930

In San Francisco, Dolph Camilli’s brother, Frankie, dies after a boxing match yesterday with heavyweight Max Baer. Fighting under the name Frankie Campbell, he has his neck broken in the 5th round by a Baer punch and never recovers. Camilli, a star for Sacramento (Pacific Coast League), will win the NL MVP in 1941.

August 28, 1930

Brooklyn beats up on Giants ace Carl Hubbell, scoring seven runs in the 6th inning, en route to a win, 8 – 7. Dazzy Vance is the victor.

August 28, 1930

The Cards outlast the league-leading Cubs, 8 – 7, in a 20-inning game at Wrigley Field. Andy High’s single scores the winning run, even though High is tagged out trying to reach second base. Taylor Douthit’s run is ruled to have scored before the out. Hack Wilson leaves the game with a strained back after a big swing.

August 29, 1930

White Sox P Pat Caraway shuts out the Indians, 3 – 0, but he has to go 13 innings to do it.

August 29, 1930

A little comedy is injected into an 11-inning, 9 – 8 Braves victory over the Phillies. The Braves’ Rabbit Maranville makes the 3rd out of the 4th inning in a steal attempt at second base. He argues vigorously and at length. Fresco Thompson of the Phils finally tires of it, picks up the scrappy little guy and carries him to his position at SS.

August 29, 1930

In the Cubs’ second successive extra-inning game, Pat Malone beats Burleigh Grimes, 9 – 8, in 13 innings, to halt the Cardinals’ 9-game win streak. With captain Charlie Grimmout of the lineup with a spike wound, the Cubs sign George Kelly, released a month earlier by Reds.

August 30, 1930

Hack Wilson returns to the Cubs lineup and drives in six runs on his 45th and 46th homers of the year to lead Chicago over the Cardinals, 16 – 4. For August, Hack hits 13 homers and drives in 53 runs.

August 30, 1930

New York’s Carl Hubbell loses to Brooklyn, 1 – 0, giving up a run in the 9th. With a runner on third base, King Carl walks two intentionally and then walks in the winning run. Giant coach Dave Bancroft argues the call with umpire Lou Jorda so loudly that he is suspended for three games.

August 31, 1930

1930 – At Ebbets Field, the Robins roll up a football-like score when they tally 23 hits, including round trippers by Babe Herman, Glenn Wright, and Rube Bressler, to stomp the Phils, 14 – 3.

August 31, 1930

With a chance to pick up a game and a half on the leading Cubs, the Giants edge the Braves, 4 – 3, in the opener a doubleheader before 40,000 fans at the Polo Grounds. In the second game, Mel Ott hits a double and three consecutive home runs to drive in six runs, but the Braves counter with a homer by George Sisler and two by slugging rookie Wally Berger among their 18 hits. Ott is the 4th major leaguer to hit three straight homers, joining Goose Goslin (August 19, 1930), Carl Reynolds (July 2, 1930), George Kelly(September 17, 1923), and Cap Anson (August 6, 1884). The final score is Boston 14, New York, 10.

August 31, 1930

Bill Hallahan, on the way to becoming the National League strikeout leader, fans 12 as the Cards beat the Cubs 8 – 3.

September 1, 1930

The Cardinals take a pair from the Pirates and go into first place. Brooklyn‚ New York‚ and Chicago are all bunched at the top of the standings with St. Louis. Cincinnati takes a pair from the Cubs‚ winning‚ 5 – 0‚ behind Red Lucas‚ and‚ 2 – 1‚ behind Benny Frey.

September 1, 1930

In the second of two games‚ Cleveland’s Wes Ferrell tops the Browns‚ 9 – 5‚ for his 13th straight win. The Indians take the opener as well‚ winning 13 – 8‚ as pitcher Willis Hudlin helps with a grand slam off the Brownies’ Dick Porter.

September 1, 1930

A Labor Day crowd of 72‚000 packs Yankee Stadium to see the World Champion A’s split with the New Yorkers. The A’s take the opener‚ 3 – 2‚ with reliever Lefty Grove striking out Babe Ruth with 2 on to end the game. Ruth drives in a run in the nitecap‚ 2 – 0, Yankee win. Red Ruffing pitches his second two-hitter in two weeks to beat George Earnshaw.

September 4, 1930

Rogers Hornsby returns to the Chicago lineup as the Cubs beat the Pirates. Hornsby had been absent since Memorial Day because of a broken ankle.

September 6, 1930

In the first game of a doubleheader‚ Ted Lyons of Chicago beats Wes Ferrell of Cleveland‚ 2 – 1‚ ending Ferrell’s winning streak at 13. It’s Ferrell’s first defeat since losing to Detroit on July 4 by a run. Lyons drives in the winning run with a triple to win his 20th on the year. Cleveland wins the nitecap‚ 4 – 2. Only 2 bases on balls are issued in the doubleheader.

September 6, 1930

At Forbes Field‚ the Cubs overcome a 12 – 8 Pirate lead after 7 innings‚ by scoring 4 runs in the 8th and 6 in the 9th to outshoot the Pirates‚ 19 – 14. Hack Wilson hits his 47th homer‚ to keep the Cubs in 1st place in the National League race.

September 6, 1930

The Phillies‚ losers 18 – 5 to the Giants on the 2nd‚ end a 3-day rest by dropping a 22 – 8 decision to the host Robins. The same 4 pitchers – Hap Collard‚ Hal Elliott‚ Buz Phillips and Les Sweetland – are on the mound for the Quakers.

September 6, 1930

After losing 3 straight to the Braves‚ the Giants manage a sweep of Boston‚ winning 13 – 1 and 7 – 2. In the opener‚ Bill Terry hits a home run‚ Mel Ott adds 3 hits‚ and starter Fred Fitzsimmons chips in with 2 hits. Third sacker Fred Lindstrom is knocked cold by a grounder off the bat of Boston’s Buster Chatham. The Giants are now tied for 2nd place with the Cards.

September 6, 1930

Lefty Grove wins his 25th game in 10 innings or Mickey Cochrane’s walk off homer

September 12, 1930

The last major league bounced home run is hit by Dodger catcher Al Lopez at Ebbets Field as the NL joins the American League, which had enacted the rule change in 1929. The player who hits the ball over the wall on a bounce will now be awarded a ground-rule double.

September 14, 1930

1930 – Brooklyn becomes the third team in three days to lead the National League, beating Cincinnati, 8 – 3, while the Cards split a doubleheader.

September 15, 1930

The Robins win their 11th straight, although Babe Herman once again stops to watch a home run disappear for a record second time in one season. This time, Glenn Wright lopes past the awestruck Herman to reduce a homer to a single.

September 15, 1930

The Cubs split a pair in Philadelphia when Lefty O’Doul pinch-hits a home run to beat the Cubs 12 – 11 in the first game. It is the second consecutive game in which O’Doul has produced a pinch-hit homer. In the second game of the day’s doubleheader, Hack Wilson hits his 50th dinger to pace the Cubs to a 6 – 4 win.

September 15, 1930

Newspapers carry the story of the disappearance of Cardinals P Flint Rhem on the eve of a crucial series in Brooklyn.

September 15, 1930

9/15/1930: In the bottom of the first with runners on 1b and 2b, Dodger Glenn Wright hit the ball to right-center. It looked like it might be caught so Babe Herman slowed up as he neared 2b. The ball bounced over the fence for a home run but Wright had his head down as he ran between 1b and 2b. Consequently, he passed Herman and was called out. He lost a homer but still knocked in 2 runs.

September 16, 1930

The Cardinals tie for first place when Bill Hallahan outduels Dazzy Vance, 1 – 0, in 10 innings

September 17, 1930

The Braves’ Wally Berger adds three home runs in a doubleheader against the Reds en route to a rookie record.

September 17, 1930

Earl Averill hits three consecutive home runs

September 18, 1930

The Cards finish a three-game sweep of Brooklyn at Ebbets Field.

September 18, 1930

The Philadelphia Athletics win the American League championship for the second year in a row, defeating the White Sox, 14 – 10.

September 18, 1930

New York starter Red Ruffing hits two home runs in the Yankees 7-6 win

September 23, 1930

RF Chuck Klein makes his 44th assist, well above the record of 39 set by Mike Mitchell with the Reds in 1907.

September 25, 1930

With four games remaining in the campaign, Cubs skipper Joe McCarthy (442-331) ‘resigns’ and is replaced by Rogers Hornsby, who was recently named by owner William Wrigley Jr. as Chicago’s player-manager for next year. McCarthy, who was not offered a contract for the upcoming season with his team still mathematically alive in the pennant race, will agree in October to manage New York, where he will win seven World Series in his 15 seasons with the Yankees.

September 25, 1930

Harry Hooper, former Red Sox and White Sox star outfielder, is named baseball coach at Princeton University.

September 26, 1930

Jesse Haines pitches the St. Louis Cardinals to a pennant-clinching win over the Pittsburgh Pirates

September 26, 1930

9/26/1930: Babe Ruth repeated his 4/15 drive headed into the right-centerfield stands in Philadelphia. This also hit the speaker and returned to the field. The double came off Charlie Perkins.

September 27, 1930

Hack Wilson of the Chicago Cubs belts two home runs, giving him a National League record 56 for the season

September 27, 1930

Rogers Hornsby replaces Joe McCarthy as manager of Cubs

September 27, 1930

Almost overlooked is Wally Berger’s 38th homer for the Braves, at Ebbets Field, as Boston tops Brooklyn, 7 – 1. It is a record for rookies and still stands as a National League record.

September 27, 1930

In Yankee Stadium, Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays hits what his biographer John Holway will call “perhaps the longest home run ever hit in the House that Ruth Built,” and Gibson himself describes as hit “on a line into the bullpen in deep left field.” The Pittsburgh Courier’s guess-timate is 430 feet while the Amsterdam News says 460. The bullpen in question extends quite a long way, and could easily accommodate anything from a 415-footer to a 500-plus-foot blast.

September 27, 1930

Lou Gehrig plays the last of 885 consecutive games at 1B. In the next game, the season’s finale, he will take Babe Ruth’s LF position.

September 28, 1930

Hack Wilson establish MLB RBI Record

September 28, 1930

As a Yankee, Babe Ruth returns to the mound after a nine-year absence at Fenway Park and pitches a complete game, beating the Red Sox at Fenway Park, 9-3. The last time the ‘Bambino’ took the mound, he defeated the A’s at the end of the 1921 season.

October 1, 1930

Philadelphia A’s take game 1 of the World Series 5-2

October 4, 1930

Bill Hallahan of the St. Louis Cardinals blanks the Philadelphia Athletics, 5 – 0

October 5, 1930

Surprise starter Jesse Haines helps the Cardinals even the world series at two games each

October 8, 1930

1930 – George Earnshaw finishes off the Cardinals, 7 – 1, to win the World Series for the Philadelphia Athletics. Earnshaw is clearly the pitching star of the Series with two victories and a 0.72 ERA.

October 24, 1930

Cleveland Indians release future Hall of Famer Joe Sewell

November 2, 1930

Ernest Barnard completes his three-year contract as president of the American League

November 6, 1930

The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Dick Bartell to the Philadelphia Phillies 

November 10, 1930

Veteran pitcher Hippo Vaughn is reinstated by Judge Landis after eight years of ineligibility

November 19, 1930

Walpole Joe Morgan is born

November 23, 1930

1930 – At the Polo Grounds, St. Louis Browns outfielder Red Badgro, playing for the NFL New York Giants, catches a touchdown pass against the Green Bay Packers. It is the third TD catch of the season for Badgro, all from quarterback Benny Friedman. In 1981, Badgro will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

November 25, 1930

Bill Terry and Joe Cronin are named Sporting News MVPs

December 1, 1930

 Shano Collins, a native New Englander, is appointed manager of the perennial last-place Boston Red Sox.

December 9, 1930

At its annual meeting, the American League reelects E.S. Barnard to a five-year term as president. Barnard will pass away next March at the Mayo clinic.

December 9, 1930

Andrew “Rube” Foster, the founder of the Negro National League, dies at the age of 52

December 11, 1930

1930 – The BBWAA votes to continue the custom of selecting an MVP for each league. Beginning in 1931 the annual vote of the BBWAA will designate a player for this honor in each league. Previous MVP winners will be able to repeat under the new rules, something that was prohibited by the American League in the 1920s.

December 12, 1930

“Bounce homers” will now be doubles in the National League

December 13, 1930

The 15-year career of George Sisler ends as the Boston Braves release him. A lifetime .340 hitter who twice led the American League with averages above .400, Sisler will be among the first to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, enshrined in 1939.

December 15, 1930

Chief Bender is signed by the New York Giants as a pitching coach

December 18, 1930

Bill Skowron is born