On October 5, 1910, catcher Earle Mack becomes the first major leaguer to play for his father. Mack makes his debut for the Philadelphia A’s, who are managed by future Hall of Famer Connie Mack.
The Athletics’ Jack Coombs and Chicago’s Ed Walsh duel 16 innings to a 0 – 0 tie. Coombs gives up just three hits and strikes out 18 in what he calls his best game. Walsh gives up just six hits in 16 innings but the woeful Sox offense provides no support. Working with little rest, Walsh will win 18 of 19 starts in July, August, and September, finishing 30-9 with a 1.30 ERA. His 13 shutouts are the American League record; in 12 other games he gives up just one run.
The Athletics and Red Sox split a doubleheader, each team winning, 1 – 0. The Red Sox also pick up pitcher Jack Chesbro (0-4) on waivers from the Highlanders. The future Hall of Fame member will pitch and lose one game for Boston before calling it quits.
Kid Elberfeld, the hot-headed Tabasco Kid, assaults umpire Silk O’Loughlin and is forcibly removed by police in the first game of a doubleheader, a 4 – 3 New York win over the Athletics. In the second game, New York baserunner Willie Keeler collides with SS Lave Cross trying to field a ground ball, and two runs score. O’Loughlin sees no interference, a call so hotly disputed by A’s captain Harry Davis that, after eight minutes of arguing, the umpire forfeits the game to New York. For New York, it is a major-league record 5th straight doubleheader sweep in consecutive days.
Cy Young’s 23-inning no-hit string ends. The streak included two innings on April 25th, six on April 30th, a perfect game against the Philadelphia Athletics on May 5th, and six innings today.
At Boston, the Americans trounce the Athletics, 12 – 1, in eight innings. Patsy Dougherty leads the way with three triples and two singles.
The American League formal Opening Day is played at Columbia Park, with the Philadelphia Athletics winning over the Boston Americans, 6 – 1, before 13,578. Rube Waddellbests Bill Dineen as AL President Ban Johnson presents the 1902 AL Championship pennant to the Athletics.
Nap Lajoie Intentionally Walked With Bases Loaded On May 23, 1901, Clark Griffith, the White Sox’s pitcher-manager, working in relief for his club, decides to walk Philadelphia’s Napoleon Lajoie with the bases loaded intentionally. The strategy proves to be successful when he induces the next three batters to ground out to complete the 11-9 victory…
Phillies star infielder Napoleon Lajoie is rumored to have jumped to the new American League’s Philadelphia franchise. The National League’s leading hitter, clearly in violation of the reserve clause, does switch to the Junior Circuit, where he will win the Triple Crown, leading the league with a .426 batting average, 14 homers, and 125 RBIs.
On January 28, 1901 The American League formally organizes as a major league, having been a top minor league in 1900: the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Athletics, and Boston Americans are admitted to join the Washington Nationals, Cleveland Blues, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago White Sox. Three of the original clubs – Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and…
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