1909 – The first-place Pirates set a National League record with their 16th victory in a row, before the Giants stop them, 8 – 7, in the 2nd game of a doubleheader.
1909 – Washington rookie Bob Groom loses his 15th consecutive game, an American League record that will be surpassed by Jack Nabors (in 1916) and Mike Parrott (in 1980). He will lead the AL with 26 losses.
1909 – Rest seems to have cured Walter Johnson’s sore arm, as the Nats’ ace shuts out Detroit, 2 – 0, in his first appearance since August 29th. He will finish the season at 13-25, 10 of the losses coming in shutouts. Five of the shutout losses are to the White Sox.
Before 35,409, the largest paid baseball attendance ever, Chief Bender beats Bill Donovan and the Tigers, 2 – 0, at Philadelphia to keep the A’s in the pennant race. The A’s are 14-8 against Detroit this year, setting an American League record for most wins against the pennant winner. Ty Cobb is the Triple Crown winner with a .377 BA, nine home runs (all inside-the-park), and 107 RBI. He also will lead the American League with 216 hits, 116 runs, and 296 total bases. His 76 stolen bases make him the only player ever to win a “quadruple crown”.
In Pittsburgh, Vic Willis stops Brooklyn on just one hit, a topped roller in the 3rd inning by Zack Wheat. It will be the closest ever to a no-hitter by any pitcher at Forbes Field.
President Taft attends a Cubs-Giants game in Chicago and players are introduced to him before the game. Giants ace Christy Mathewson then outdeals Chicago ace Three Finger Brown, 2 – 1, with each allowing seven hits. Taft downs popcorn and lemonade during the match, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The University of Wisconsin baseball team arrives in Tokyo to begin a series of games against Japanese schools.
On September 16, 1909, William Howard Taft becomes the first U.S. President to attend a major league game. President Taft watches Christy Mathewson and the New York Giants defeat the Cubs in Chicago, 2-1. Mathewson outduels another Hall of Famer, Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown.
In the second game of a doubleheader, as night is falling, second baseman Charles Pinkney of the Dayton Veterans of the central League is hit square in the head by a pitch from Casey Hageman of Grand Rapids Wolverines. He will die the in a Dayton, OH hospital the following day.
John Heydler announces that the National League will use two umpires per game in 1910.