1915 Red Sox - 1936 Yankees split 60 games!

Speaker, Lewis and Ruth lead Sox.
Gehrig spearheads Yankee attack.

When Gomez and Gehrig defeat young Babe Ruth in game 23, it's part of a five game sweep by the Bronx Bombers at Fenway Park, and seems to signal that the Yanks are taking control of the season. But then the two teams make the journey to New York (200 miles and 21 years). And the New Englanders roar back, taking 4 0f 5 in the Bronx.

Ruth and Gomez square off in a rematch (Game 28). The Babe vindicates himself, scattering five singles while collecting three himself, and pitching seven shutout innings for the win.

The Yanks heat up agaim, taking a 21-16 record into Game 38. Again, it's Lefty Gomez meeting lefty Ruth. Again it's in the Bronx. And again youth is served with the Babe going the distance and winning 7-2, while helping his cause with a double and a run scored.

Afterwards:
"Lefty... do you think he has the makings of becoming a good pitcher?"
"Becoming? Hell... what are you guys watching? He is a good pitcher! Right now!"

After 56 games the Yanks hold a four game edge (30-26). Game 56 at the Stadium features the two aces, Red Ruffing (NY) and George 'Rube' Foster (Boston). But the difference this day is Bill Dickey, on fire all year thus far. He knocks in four with a homer and a double. The Yankees win going away, 9-1.

But then the Red Sox show 60,000 New Yorkers (per game) why and how they won the 1915 World Championship. They sweep the next four in enemy territory to even up the season at the 60 game mark. Once again Babe Ruth defeats Lefty Gomez (Game 58). He goes the distance, yielding only one earned run on 5 hits, and wins 10-3. He helps himself by scoring two runs after working two walks.

Game 59 finds Ruth watching from the bench as his teammates put the worst beating of the year on the New Yorkers. Sixty-two thousand watch in horror as Boston romps for a 20-0 whitewashing. Duffy Lewis, having himself a fine year, knocks in five. But he is hit by a pitch late, which drew a little ire from his teammates, and a lot from the Yankee crowd, since the bases were full at the time. But the next day, Lewis is hit again. This time the Red Sox take exception. Red Sox pitcher Carl Mays fires a few close ones at the Yankee batters enroute to a 7-5 victory.

At the 60 game mark, Lou Gehrig leads all batters with 50 RBI while hitting .310 after a slow start. Rookie DiMaggio also has overcome an early season funk, batting .309 with 41 RBI. Duffy Lewis has knocked in 49. Tris Speaker is hitting .340. And the former Baltimore prodigy Babe Ruth is making Lefty Gomez's appraisal hold up. He's 6-3 with a 1.87 ERA in 90-2/3 innings... against arguably the most powerful aggregate of hitters ever assembled. And yes, he's scaring the Yanks with the stick, batting .387 and slugging .645.