Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sunday, August 22, 2010

1916 Red Sox-1937 Yankees!

"I wanna do it again!"

With that utterance, the young 21-year old left-hander who now calls Sudbury, Massachusetts home throws down the gauntlet. Of course, throwing down a challenge in front of the 1936-39 Yankees is kind of like throwing down a lamb chop in front of a hungry wolf. If the lamb chop ain't big enough...

Are you sure you want to do this, young man?

"Sure, I am!"

The young Red Sox southpaw continues to chop wood for his fireplace. The ease, power and efficiency with which he swings his axe speaks to his powerful shoulders and arms. It is the dead of winter, 1916. Snow is on the ground. A crisp chill bites the air. I suspect the young man before me could pack and throw a mean snowball too. This is a man for all seasons. Between swings of the axe, he continues to make his case.

"Look! I know the Yanks are a good team. I ain't sayin' otherwise. But we won back-to-back World Series too!" Evidently it's late 1916. Or maybe even early 1917. Better check my watch... er, timepiece.
"We beat Grover Alexander! Then we smacked Brooklyn around! Mister Carrigan didn't even let me pitch in the '15 Series! But this year, against the Dodgers..." And young George Ruth stood up. Even though he wore a heavy winter jacket, I thought I detected a brawny chest puff out a bit. "This year, he finally gave me a chance! And I beat those Brooklyn boys! Set a record too!"

The record young George refers to is winning the longest World Series game in history. He went 14 innings - the distance - to beat Sherry Smith and the Dodgers 2-1. Ruth gave up a run in the top of the 1st inning. And no more. Besides thirteen shutout innings, Ruth drove in the tying run in the third on a fielder's choice. And unbeknownst to anyone at the time, it was the beginning of another record - 29 consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play. The young axeman laboring in front of me did have a superlative sophomore season. All he did was throw 320-plus innings, win 23 ballgames, the ERA title, and toss 9 shutouts, an AL record for lefties which stands to this day.

Yes, George, you did have a great year... a spectacular year. But you don't get to pitch every day. You don't get to hit every day either. The boys you would be facing do! And they are good! That kid DiMaggio? He had a sophomore season for the ages. Gehrig... well, he's still Gehrig. And the Yanks even came up with anothe rookie star, a kid named Henrich... they had more hitters than positions to play them!

And then there's the matter of Speaker.

"Damn! Hadda bring that up!"

Tris Speaker, the best centerfielder of all time by some estimates, had been sold before the 1916 seasons began. All Spoke had done was anchor a great defensive outfield in center, batted .322, and led the Sox to the World Title. All he had done in a Boston uniform was hit .337, help the Sox win two titles, and set the standard in centerfield by which all glovemen were measured. And all he got was sold to Cleveland because he refused to take a several-thousand-dollar pay cut. Of course, Boston's problem was Cleveland's pleasure. Tris hit .386 in 1916, led the AL in hits and doubles (like he had for Boston in '14), and carved out the rest of his future Hall of Fame plaque, which includes the all-time doubles record of 792.

"We give away our best player for cash!" George Ruth swings the axe viciously... I wince, hoping he doesn't miss and catch a shin or something. "I mean, money's important, sure... but why be in baseball if you're not in it to win!"

But you did win George. Even without Speaker and his batting title.

"Yeah..." Ruth stops chopping and stands up again. He grins slyly. "We did win, didn't we?" The 21-year-old has tricked me into making his argument for him. His curves and change-ups are as good as his fast one. This is a smart southpaw, not just a strong one. But are you sure you want to do this, young man?

"Bring 'em on!"

Unfortunately for the husky left-hander from Baltimore by way of Boston... the 1937 edition of the New York Yankees proved too powerful for the 1916 Red Sox. The Yanks simply had too many weapons, while the Red Sox, having sold their best player, were severely hamstrung. Besides losing their superstar centerfielder, they saw the Yanks improve in centerfield, simply by watching Joe DiMaggio come of age in his sophomore season. In 1937 the Yankee Clipper drove in 167 runs, which would be a career high. He achieved this tremendous total despite playing in a cavernous Yankee stadium particularly hazardous to right-handed power hitters. In addition, the Yankees came up with a rookie, Tommy Henrich. All he did was hit .320 and knock in 42 in 206 at-bats. Gehrig was still Gehrig, actually having his last season as a healthy man. His 159 RBI, along with DiMag's 167 and Bill Dickey's 133, give the Bronx Bombers 459 from three men... only 91 less than the entire 1916 Red Sox team.

Granted, the 1916 World Champs played in a run-scarce environment, while the 1937 guys played in a run-rich era (AL ERA was 4.62 that year) But then you have Lefty Gomez (21-11, 2.33 ERA) and Red Ruffing (20-7, 2.98) leading a staff whose lead leading ERA (3.65) was half-run better than the 2nd place White Sox.

Red Sox Home Games will be played at Huntington Avenue Grounds:

LF-350ft
LCF-440ft
CF-530ft*
RCF-424ft
RF-280Ft

These will simulate 1916 Fenway Park, which was 500 feet to center field then.

*According to several sources, CF was increased to 635 feet in 1908!


Once again, to simulate the conditions in which the Red Sox played, I played their home games at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, the Sox' home before Fenway. The Sim League Baseball simulator is outstanding. But their 1916 Fenway dimensions are the same as they are today... which is simply not true. It was 480-plus to dead center and 400-plus to straight-away right! I did not know this until I read The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs by Bill Jenkinson.

But the 1937 Yanks proved as adaptable to the 1916 dead-ball game as their 1936 team was (against the 1915 World Champs). Actually more so.

The Yankees put the season away early. They took 9 of 10, 16 of 20, and 32 of 40. Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing were lights out.

After 40 games:

Gomez...... 6-1.....72 innings.....1.63 ERA
Ruffing...... 6-0.....57-1/3 inn....0.90 ERA 7 RBI

Selkirk..... 2hr 45rbi .376/.536
Gehrig..... 0hr 30rbi .333/.400
Dickey..... 0hr 30rbi .281/.327
Lazzeri.... 1hr 19rbi .257/.316
DiMaggio. 3hr 49rbi .450/.626
Henrich.... 1hr 38rbi .318/.446

Lewis..... 14-2b 30rbi .303/.427
Ruth...... 1hr 5rbi .286/.536
Ruth...... 3-4 80-2/3 inn... 3.98 ERA

Ruth connects for his 1st long one in game 38, a two-run blast into the right-centerfield 1937 Yankee Stadium bleachers. He helps his own cause as he goes the full nine, scattering seven hits and allowing only RBI singles to Dickey and DiMaggio. The 6-2 win is only Boston's eighth, with the Babe earning three of the eight.

The Babe, despite his so-so record, is a horse. He won 6-1 on opening day, singling home two runs himself and allowing only a solo HR to that kid DiMaggio among 4 NY hits. The Babe gets two hits in his 2nd start but rookie Tom Henrich beats him with a 3-run triple, 4-1. He's also bested on the mound by Lefty Gomez, who had mabe his finest year in 1937. Game 16 would illustrate what the Babe and the Bosox face... Ruth goes eight and gives up only two runs. But Lefty goes nine and also yields only two. The Yanks win it in 11, though, 10-5.

The next day, however the Yankee Stadium crowd buzzes quietly as the young Red Sox southpaw enters the game in the 11th inning himself. With the score knotted at 1-1, Babe Ruth comes into the game with two out in the top of the 11th. After retiring the side, Ruth pitches 5 innings of shutout ball, yielding only a single to Bill Dickey in the 16th. Duffy Lewis wins it in the top of the 16th with a run-scoring single, and Ruth retires the Yankees to win 2-1.

Game 21. Huntington Grounds, Boston. Ruth yields only 4 hits, but two walks and a 2B by Rolfe cost him a bitter loss. He collects two hits including a triple, but it's no consolation in a 4-3 defeat.

Game 26. Yankee Stadium, the Bronx. Gehrig doubles and drives in three. That kid DiMaggio doubles and triples. And the Babe is again bested by Gomez, 5-1.

The frustration continues after game 40. Ruth loses 2-1 in game 46. He wins in Boston 5-3 (game 51) despite DiMaggio's 7th three-bagger of the year. And so it goes. The Babe wins some, drops some. And he comes into game 80 with a 7-7 record... pitching for a team that has otherwise gone 20-52.

Then comes game 80.

Yankee Stadium-
Bottom of the 9th:
With the Red Sox leading 1-0, Babe Ruth takes the mound to begin the bottom of the ninth, three outs from victory, and three outs from immortality. He has allowed three base runners in 8 innings:
-A walk to Lou Gehrig in the 5th.
-A walk to Tommy Henrich in the 8th.
-A walk to Tony Lazzeri in the 8th.
And that’s it.

Now in the ninth, Ruth stands on the hill. 53,345 paid attendees stand in the Yankee Stadium stands, cheering. It is hard to tell what they are rooting for. After all, the Yans are down by only one tally.

But when Frank Crosetti leads off with a walk, a good many faithful groan. It is the obvious that at least some want to see some history.

With the Boston infield at double play depth,
R.Rolfe squares and lays down a sacrifice bunt to the right side of the mound. Ruth fields it and throws it to Jack Barry covering first. Crosetti reaches second with one out.
There are more cheers, but it is still not clear why. After all, Rolfe’s successful sacrifice puts Crosetti in scoring position, with two powerful run producers due to get their hacks.

But George Selkirk swings at the first pitch and hits a routine three-hopper to Barry, who throws him out for the second out. The fans explode. Crosetti advances to third with the tying run, but it is apparent that many here are cheering the fact that the Bambino needs one more out to achieve the unthinkable. And the mighty Lou Gehrig stands in his way.

With Frank Crosetti edging off third in foul territory, Ruth pitches from the stretch. After looking over his shoulder at Crosetti, he nods to his catcher and fires a tailing fastball. Gehrig watches it go by. “Stee-riiiike ONE!”

Ruth takes the return throw from catcher Pinch Thomas. He then peers in for the next sign. He nods, checks the runner. He then fires another fastball. This one is a tad higher and a little tighter to Gehrig.

Gehrig swings mightily. The ball flies high in the air, straight up. “I-GOT-IT! I-GOT-IT! I-GOT-IT!” First baseman Dick Hoblitzel comes charging to the right side of the mound, frantically waving his arms as he looks skyward. Then finally he reaches up, and snares the falling ball.

PANDEMONIUM!

Gehrig has popped up for the 27th and final out. Hoblitzel squeezes the ball, and then squeezes his pitcher, hugging him tightly as the rest of the Boston infield quickly joins the fray, jumping, hollering and whooping it up.

And the fans in the Yankee Stadium stands are also jumping, cheering wildly for the arch-rival team’s left-hander. Last year, as a rookie, Ruth had carried a no-no into the 9th in Boston against the 1936 Bombers. As it is today, Ruth’s mound opponent was Lefty Gomez. Gomez was a worthy adversary, then, and he is today, yielding but one run and 7 hits himself. Now, today he yields the stage, his stage, to a fellow left-handed ace.
Amidst the throng of jumping, yelling teammates on the Stadium infield, Ruth manages to glance into the Yankee dugout, where most of the players still are. He spots Gomez, who nods quietly and slightly, touching the bill of his cap. On the mound, the Babe also touches his bill and nods.
When the Bambino finally begins to depart the mound and Yankee Stadium infield, the New York partisan denizens cheer loudly once more. And the Babe responds, tipping his cap in all directions and waving to the roaring throng.

TEAMS......................... 123 456 789 - R H E
1916 Boston Red Sox.... 001 000 000 - 1 7 0
1937 N Y Yankees.........000 000 000 - 0 0 0

A year earlier in this imaginary drama, the rookie Ruth had squared off against Lefty Gomez and the 1936 Yankees, and had come within three outs of no-hitting them in the 93rd game of the season. Now he's a second year left-hander who would win 23 in the actual 1916 season. He would fire 9 shutouts, an AL record for lefties which still stands. He would win the longest game in World Series history 2-1, going the 14 inning distance. And here, he would use the no-hitter as a springboard, turning a 7-7 record into a 22-9 mark with a 3.11 ERA… against the finest aggregate of hitters ever to take the field.

80 Games NY record 52-28 .650
PLAYER........HR.....RBI............BA/SA

Selkirk - 6hr 58rbi .319/.427
Gehrig - 0hr 44rbi .299/.357
Dickey - 4hr 54rbi .306/.394
Lazzeri - 5hr 39rbi .247/.341
DiMaggio - 3hr 75rbi .397/.558
Henrich - 4hr 68rbi .331/.451

Lewis - 30 2b 54rbi .294/.416
Ruth - 2hr 10rbi .290/.500
Ruth - 8-7 166-1/3 innings 3.52 ERA
Gomez - 12-4 129-2/3 innings 1.62ERA
Ruffing - 8-4 115-1/3 innings 2.89 ERA 7 RBI


The two teams travel to Boston, and back 21 years, for game 81. Joe DiMaggio goes 3 for 5, leaving the 2nd year center-fielder at an even .400. Red Ruffing goes 8-2/3 and gives up five runs, but he wins, because Dutch Leonard has a nightmarish outing. By the 5th frame the score is already 8-0. The game was lost. So apparently is the season. And in the 5th, the slaughter continues. Dutch Leonard opens the frame by walking the bases loaded. Then he walks Red Rolfe to force in a run. The Boston faithful boo loudly. Buoyed by the news of Babe Ruth’s no hit classic in New York, they have packed the brand new Fenway Park to see their team. But they have seen only despair. The booing continues as Leonard walks Myril Hoag.

Hoag hadn’t even in the starting line-up. He entered the fray in the bottom of the third 3rd inning. George Selkirk had been ejected in the top of the 3rd for arguing with umpire Bill Klem, after being called out on strikes… and after hitting a two-run homer in the 1st to start the Boston beating.

The five consecutive walks have made the score 10-0. And still a Yankee has yet to hit a ball safely in the frame. Lou Gehrig ends that streak. Swinging at an off-the-plate offering from Leonard, Gehrig, who had a still-record 23 grand slams in his career, nearly hits one now, lining a double to deep right that clears the bases. It would have been a triple except Lou, with a healthy respect for baseball, glides into second standing up and stays there. Joe DiMaggio then swing at the first pitch and hits a dribbler to SS Everett Scott. Scott can do nothing with it, so DiMag reaches first, and Gehrig stops at third. Then Bill Dickey draws the 6th walk of the inning to reload the bases. In the dugout, Rough Carrigan fumes. Then Tommy Henrich swings at the first pitch from Leonard and lines out to short. It’s a frozen rope, but the first out of the inning. “Who wants to pitch?” Barks Carrigan in the dugout.
“Me!” Barks back a husky voice.

“Babe… you can’t pitch. It’s only been two days!”
“It’s only been five for Dutch!” shot back the Bambino. “How’s he doing? He might need police protection if he tries to leave the mound!” Carrigan smiles, for the 1st time since the 1st inning.
“How long you need to loosen up? I’ll tell Klem that Dutch is injured…”
“I’ll warm up against Lazzeri!” Barked the Babe again. Again Carrigan smiled. “Bill…go easy on Dutch. We’ve all had those days.”
“I know Babe.”

The Babe grabs his glove and heads out of the dugout. At the first sight of him, the Fenway faithful roars, their booing turning to joyous pandemonium. Ruth walks slowly out to the mound. There he takes the ball from Dutch Leonard.
“It might not look like it, Babe. But I was trying. Trying hard.”
“I know, Dutch. Pitching to these guys is like tossing lamb chops to a pack of lions. When you leave the mound, walk like you struck out the side.”
Ruth took the ball from Leonard. As Dutch departed there were mixed boos and cheers. Leonard indeed walked with his head up, and indeed tipped his cap unsmilingly at the Boston throng. Amazingly enough, the booing lessened, as if the Red Sox fans knew that Leonard was acknowledging his responsibility for the mess.

On the mound, the 21-year old Ruth began to warm up. And the Fenway fans began to cheer once more. Ruth threw only five warm-up tosses. Then he waved to Klem that he was ready. With the bases full of Yankees, who were now leading 13-0, Ruth went to the full wind-up.

Tony Lazzeri settled into the batters’ box. He swung at a tailing fastball and hit a grounder to second baseman Jack Barry. Barry, who won 3 World Series emblems with the Philadelphia Athletics and two more with the Red Sox, fumbles the grounder. Gehrig scores the 14th run as all hands are safe. Barry dejectedly brings the ball to Ruth on the mound.

“Relax, Jack. Either we’ll retire the side or it’ll get dark.” Barry grinned and trotted back to second. Pitcher Red Ruffing, a good hitter, was next. “Hey, Red!” Ruth shouted to the plate. “You know what this is like, don’t you?” Ruffing, a hard-boiled competitor who indeed toiled for lousy Red Sox teams before he found success as a Yankee, grinned and nodded. Then he lifted a fly ball to left field. Hooper caught it. Lou Gehrig ran home as Hooper’s throw was off-line. Yanks 15, Sox 0. Two out. Then Frank Crosetti also hit a fly to left. Hooper again squeezed it. The Fenway faithful rose and gave the 21-year old southpaw a standing ovation as he departed the mound. But he headed toward the visiting Yankee dugout.

“Fellas! I want your word. You’re gonna play your damnest! Got it?” Yankee manager Joe McCarthy nodded. “You heard him, boys!”
Ruth finished the game, pitching four more innings of two-hit, shutout ball. He also hit a run-scoring double in the 9th to close the gap to 15-4. Moments later the game was over, final, 15-5.

“Babe, that was even more impressive than the no-hitter in New York.” Said Yankee manager Joe McCarthy.

“Joe, these fans have been through a lot. They paid to see our best. Today our best was awful. I just thought they deserved a little something back…”
“You gave ‘em plenty.” Then McCarthy’s voice got a little husky as the men shook hands. “And I know you gave us plenty too.” McCarthy gestured toward the Yankee dugout. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Skip!” Ruth grinned and winked. Maybe we’ll re-unite the ’32 gang. That was fun wasn’t it?”
“Yep. You helped me get even with the Cubs for canning me. I never thanked you properly.”
“You’re welcome.” Babe winked again. “Let’s do it again real soon!”


Game 93. Huntington Avenue Grounds, Boston. Joe DiMaggio goes 4 for 6 to push his average back up to .398. But the game goes into overtime knotted 6-6. The Beantown faithful cheer when George Ruth takes the mound to start the 11th. They cheer more when he sets down the Yanks in the 11th and the 12th. And they cheer the loudest when the Babe sigles home the winning run in the bottom of the 12th.

Game 115. Huntington Avenue Grounds, Boston.
“That was some of the smartest, gutsiest pitching you’ll ever see from anyone, let alone a 21-year old.” Mused Yankee skipper Joe McCarthy. With two out and two on in the 1st, Ruth intentionally walked Joe DiMaggio to load the bases. Then the Babe induced Bill Dickey to hit a bouncer to Larry Gardner at 3B. Gardner picked up the grounder, stepped on third, and the Yanks did not score. Boston goes onto win 4-2. Ruth improves to 16-7, winning his 9th straight since tossing the no-hitter at Yankee Stadium (game 80).

Game 123. Huntington Avenue Grounds, Boston.
Joe DiMaggio drives in half-a-dozen. The Yankee Clipper might have had even more. In the top of the 1st with the bases jammed, Joe hit a mammoth shot to deep left. But deep left in the Huntington Avenue grounds is really deep… 424 to left-center. What might have been a grand-slam or at least a double was just a very loud sac-fly. Nevertheless the 23-year-old belts his 17th triple to go with a single and double. The Yanks win big, 13-3. Lefty Gomez goes 18-5, goes the distance, and his ERA actually rises... to 1.87.

Game 140. Yankee Stadium, the Bronx. The Babe wins his 20th game in unorthodox fashion. He enters the game in 9th with the Red Sox trailing 9-6. He singles as part of a two out, four run rally to overtake the Yankees. Then he retires the Yanks for the victory. Despite the Red Sox sporting a dismal 52-88 record, the sophomore southpaw has beaten the two NY aces to the 20-win plateau. The workhorse lefty has thrown 283 innings. He's batting .330, and his slugging mark of .547 is the highest on both squads. True, it's in limited plate appearances. But also true, it's also while going 20-9.


154 Games (Final)
1937 Yankees defeat 1916 Red Sox 99-55 .643

Selkirk - 13hr 117rbi .307/.414
Gehrig - 3hr 108rbi .323/.409
Dickey - 9hr 101rbi .305/.399
Lazzeri - 8hr 69rbi .262/.344
DiMaggio - 8hr 138rbi .367/.527
Henrich - 8hr 114rbi .294/.417
Lewis - 56db 6-3b 103rbi .304/.417
Ruth - 4hr 20rbi .327/.558

Ruth - 22-9 309 innings 3.11 ERA
Gomez 22-7 287-1/3 innings 2.35 ERA
Ruffing 18-5 233 innings 2.96 ERA 14 RBI


In the final analysis, Joe DiMaggio leads the NY attack as he did in 1937. Coping with two massive ballparks, the young Clipper hits only 8 homers but smacks 21 triples. Duffy Lewis manfully tried to take up the offensive slack left by Hall-of-Famer Tris Speaker's departure. Fifty-six doubles and six triples make for a great season. But off course the 1915 Sox had Lewis AND Speaker. Even in our imaginary matchup, Lewis had 115 RBI in 1915 and 103 RBI here a year later. But Speaker's 24 doubles, 83 RBI and .327 average are no longer available to help.

The Boston faithful don't know it at this time, of course, but their dynasty is crumbling. And contrary to popular legend, the destruction didn't all happen when Harry Frazee bought the team and sold off all its stars. For most of the 1st half of the 20th century, baseball's all-time consensus dream-time outfield was Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth. Unbeknownst to the Red Sox fans at the time, they had in their midst two-thirds of this mythical outfield right under their noses... only to be sold for cash.

1800 RBI's to 1900 RBI's... A Long Stretch?

Just a few days ago I commented on A-Rod's stellar performance against the KC Royals (3 HR) and his stellar career (1803 RBI). I made a few perfunctory observations about age, projected numbers, and performance in the twilight of a career. And I cautioned that such projections are precarious. Father time always has the first say.

Remember when Ken Griffey Jr. was the odds-on favorite to win the race to Henry Aaron's 755? Henry himself thought so. Griff was looked upon ahead of Barry, A-Rod, and everybody else. His youth, natural power swing, and limber, non-musclebound body were seen as plusses on the road to longevity. Then Junior seemingly grew old overnight. He was allowed to become a Cincinnati Red. Instead of chasing Aaron, Griffey seemed to be channeling Mantle, an oft-injured star whose second half career ruptured like a torn achilles. Junior bravely played on, but his legacy went from young superstar to aging 'what-might-have-been' seemingly over night. It was sad to watch, not only because the injuries robbed Griffey of time and ability, but also a certain palpable joy he had brought to the ballyard ever since he started robbing major-league hitters of homers as a teenager.

(By the way, the late, great Yankee PA announcer Bob Shepard, who was meticulous at his job, asked Junior if he wanted to be announced as 'Ken Griffey', once Junior's Dad had finally retired. Junior said no, that he would always be Ken Griffey Junior. That's why I rooted for Junior ever since, and still do.)

Now Junior's teammate, Alex Rodriguez, has pulled up lame. His calf injury is turning into a cow. A-Rod is 35. Teddy Ballgame said that if you're in the game past 35 "You're in on a pass..." And there's the rub. Some go quickly. Some go slower. But we all go. Almost always before we're ready, and usually a lot earlier than we realize.

A-Rod will soon discover... maybe he already has... that his competition on the all-time MLB home run and RBI lists are not names like Aaron, Ruth and Ramirez, but rather Mother Nature, Father Time and Alex Rodriguez. Will his body betray him before he gets to pass any more greats?

Projections are fun, but they are also folly. A-Rod hit 3 the other day in KC; two of the homers were monster shots. Babe Ruth hit three at Forbes Field, numbers 712, 713, and 714. The 714th cleared the roof in distant right field. And of course, the Babe never hit another. It's not the skill or the will that leaves first. It's the ability. The ability to recover, bounce back, tell your body... actually you don't tell your body anything, it tells you. Just because A-Rod has has such mind-numbing success at an early age does not mean he is destined to climb to the top of the statistical charts. And it should not, and will not diminish his status as an all-time great.

I am in the middle of using a game simulator to, well, simulate baseball games. In the process of doing so I constantly discover and rediscover things about the all-time greats of baseball. I just finished one season involving the 1932 Yankees. This was the squad that produced Babe Ruth's final World Series appearance. You know, the one with the 'called shot', right? Anyway, the Babe was in his decline phase. Boys and girls, the Babe's decline phase was pretty good! In the field he slowed up dramatically. He was 37. You will often read that his decline was due to years of hard partying, neglect and dissipation.

Hogwash! Balderdash! Bull!

Ruth was still the most dominating force of every game he was in. Problem was, his game time was diminishing. The Babe drove in 137 runs in 1932, with 41 HRs and a .341 batting average. Problem was, he only played 133 games. He came out of some of those in the late innings. He only had 13 doubles all year long. Wanna bet some of them singles were long drives off the right field fences?

But look at the productivity! 137 RBI and 120 runs scored in 133 games! Ruth was still every bit as dangerous when he got on the field. The hard part was saddling it up day after day.

My game simulations take place in a utopian environment. Every player is healthy, every day. That goes for both sides, so what you get is peak performance out of everybody. That's fine with me. I want to see Willie take on the Babe at their respective bests. I'm not interested in watching 1973 Willie Mays of the New York Mets taking on the 1935 Babe Ruth of the Boston Braves. I wanna see Willie go back on a long one in the Polo Grounds off the bat of the Babe in his prime! Anyway, without giving too much away, I played Ruth's 1932 Yankees a season or two. And he gets to play the full schedule, as does everyone else. Guess what. The man can still hit!

Ruth took care of himself! He worked out every winter from 1926 onward. He eased up on the partying somewhat. He lasted until 40, and it wasn't just on sheer talent. Wanna have some fun sometimes, compare the Babe's career over 30... and over 35... with anybody elses...EVERYBODY elses. That is where Ruth gets them all... even all of the so called fitness fanatics. Ruth didn't just overpower everyone, he outlasted them too. He didn't just drive in 140-160 runs a year. He drove in 2200. Henry Aaron drove in 2300, minus three. That doesn't come from a hot streak. That comes from will AND skill... lots of liniment, conditioning, and the burning desire to get out on that field just one more time.

And A-Rod, like all others, is finding out how tough a task that is going to be.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Yanks Clinch Season Against Red Sox!

Late surge makes 1936 Champs victorious once again.

The 1936 Yankees won the AL pennant by 19 1/2 games. THe 1915 Red Sox managed to split the first 68 games of the schedule, and were able to climb to within four as late as the 140th game. So the 1915 World Champions should take some pride and some solace in what they have accomplished.

"We let them get away from us in mid-season," Manager Bill 'Rough' Carrigan. "They adapted well to the 'dead-ball' 1915 style baseball we played back then. They adapted way better than I thought they would. I thought all those long fly-ball outs they were hitting might frustrated them. They were able to change their game plan on the fly... against the finest pitching staff - ours - I've ever seen. I give them a lot of credit. And of course, I am proud of our boys as well."

Indeed, Bill Carrigan's assessment is spot on. Only one Yankee cracked double figures in home runs... Lou Gehrig with 13. Only two drove in 100... Gehrig (114) and DiMaggio (105) against the 1915 Sox, while five had done so against the American League in 1936. And Carrigan was justifiably proud of 'his boys'. Duffy Lewis managed to hang onto his overall RBI title, edging the great Gehrig with 115 RBI. Tris Speaker led all the Boston regulars with a .326 average against an underrated Yankee pitching staff. We say 'regulars' because Speaker's .326 average trails the .333 compiled by the rookie wonderkind from Baltimore, George Herman Ruth, Jr.

"Beaten out by a rookie pitcher!" Tris grins. It is pointed out that Ruth wouldn't be eligible for any batting titles because of his limited plate appearances. "Yeah, but he also led us in home runs (Ruth had five, with 19 RBI)! Heck, he'd be third on the Yankees! And those boys can hit some long ones!"

"You talking about that big sonofagun again?"
"Hello Lefty!" Speaker and Lefty Gomez shake hands. "It hurts like hell, Lefty. But congratulations. And yeah, we were talking about that kid Ruth... although Carrigan is right. He ain't a kid no more. He grew up a lot in 1915. And he showed it plenty here."
"Sure did, Tex! He may act kinda goofy once in a while... but he's got fire. He wants to win, and he's got the goods to do something about it."

Finally the young southpaw everyone is talking about happens by.
"Babe!" yells Lefty Gomez. "Get over here!" George Ruth turns and approaches. "Helluva year, Babe!" The two lefties shake hands.
"My sentiments exactly..." agrees Tris Speaker. "You're a heckuva pitcher and a heckuva hitter, young fellow! You're gonna leave a mark in this game."
"Yeah... black-and-blue marks!" pipes Lefty Gomez. "All over American League pitchers. Can you play the outfield?" Ruth shrugs.
"I guess I could play anywhere. Except center when Tris is around."
"You can play the outfield with me any time, Babe. I'd rather watch your drives from the dugout than chase them!" The Babe, still disappointed with the way the season ends, manages a grin.
"Thanks, Tris. One thing I like about pitching with the Sox is looking around and seeing you backing me up in the outfield. Always feel like I got a shot at winning when I see you in center... and Lewis and Hooper on either side."
"I'm getting that way with DiMaggio," nods Lefty Gomez.
"He's a heck of a rookie." Speaker agrees. "Doesn't play like one. Not scared one bit."
"Hard to pitch to." adds young George Ruth. "But fun to pitch to. I like pitching to the tough ones... the ones that swing like they wan to kill you."
"You handled us really good, Babe!" says Lefty. You got nothing to hang your head about."
"Thanks, Lefty. I wouldn't mind doing it again."
Me too, son. Like I said all year long, you're a good pitcher. And you're only gonna get better. But I gotta warn you. If you play us again, some of our guys will get better too."
"Like Joe?"
"Like Joe." nods Lefty.
154 Games. 1936 New York Yankees - 82-72. 1915 Boston Red Sox - 72-82.

New York:
George Selkirk - 8 HR 82 RBI .250 BA, .327 SA
Lou Gehrig - 13 HR 114 RBI .296 BA, .428 SA
Joe DiMaggio - 7 HR 105 RBI .312 BA, .426 SA
Bill Dickey - 8 HR 94 RBI .339 BA, .441 SA

Boston:
Tris Speaker - 24 2B 83 RBI .327 BA, .399 SA
Babe Ruth - 5 HR 19 RBI .333 BA, .639 SA
Babe Ruth - 15-12, 2.81 ERA, 221 innings.
Duffy Lewis 114 RBI.





1915 Red Sox - 1936 Yankees (145 games)

Yanks Sweep Five at Fenway
Clinch Tie for Season

The Yankee offense of 1936 arises and takes control. Snapping out of a 20 game funk, Gehrig and DiMaggio provide plenty of firepower to all but clinch the 154 game season. In game 142, DiMaggio doubles twice, homers, and drives in all four Yankee runs as they beat Ernie Shore 4-2. The next day they snap Babe Ruth's four game winning streak, with a Lazzeri home run (his 5th) leading the way to a 4-1 win. Ruth himself doubles twice but it's not enough.

The next day brings a 14-3 shellacking at the hands of the Bombers. They hit no home runs, but a balanced attack produces RBI from eight different men. And in the series finale (game 145) New York scores twelve more, then holds off a late Boston rally to beat Smoky Joe Wood 12-9. DiMaggio drives in three more, and Bill Dickey, who has been the quiet stalwart of the Yankee lineup, plates four on three hits and a home run. The Yanks head to the Bronx (and 1936) with plans to wrap things up and celebrate at Yankee Stadium.

Friday, August 20, 2010

1915 Red Sox-1936 Yanks (140 games)

140 Game Summary
New York.. 72-68
Boston...... 68-72 4GB

New York
Lou Gehrig 11 HR 99 RBI .300 BA
Bill Dickey 6 HR 83 RBI .338 BA
Joe DiMaggio 6 HR 86 RBI .305 BA
George Selkirk 7 HR 71 RBI .248 BA

Boston Red Sox
Tris Speaker 23 2B 79 RBI .326 BA
Duffy Lewis 21 2B 106 RBI .309 BA
Babe Ruth 14-10, 2.52, 200 2/3 innings
Babe Ruth 4 HR 18 RBI .324 BA .634 SA

(Slugging average leads both teams)

The Red Sox have taken 8 of 10 and 15 of 20 to vault themselves back into contention. Duffy Lewis continues to drive in runs in bunches. The Babe has won four straight games. And Boston's superb defense has clamped down. The Yanks scored 2,2,3,2,2,3,3,2,1,and 5 in the last ten games... the five runs coming in a 9-5 defeat where Boston had the game in hand early. Not only did the actual 1915 Boston staff contain five unusually strong starters, they also had Carl Mays, a future 207 game winner, coming out of the bullpen in case things got dicey.

Another young pitcher in the Boston bullpen had little impact in 1915, but would leave his stamp later on, a lefty named Herb Pennock. Pennock would go 16-8 in 1919 - but then would be shipped to New York 'a la Ruth' after the 1922 season as part of the gigantic fire sale Harry Frazee had conducted to turn a once-proud franchise into a New England train wreck.

Babe Ruth Wins 4th Straight (Game 138)

Red Sox left-hander throws a few pitches close.

"I didn't hit anybody, did I?"
The usually genial rookie is truculent as he posts his rhetorical question. But the 20-year old southpaw makes a valid point. He threw close enough to shave every starter in the Yankee line-up... even pitcher Lefty Gomez... but plunked no one.

"How many did I walk today?" Ruth queries. The answer is six. All appear intentional, unorthodox. On each of the six bases-on-balls issued, the Babe misses inside. Several hitters spin away or move back. Some even come on ball four. But none of the Yanks are actually hit. All just glare at the big kid on the mound as they take their base. He glares back, not blinking, just rubbing up the baseball. Then he returns to the rubber, takes the stretch position, and awaits the next sign from catcher Forrest Cady.

"How many of them runners scored?" The Babe grins for the first time. The answer as he knows - as everyone knows - is none...zero...zilch. None of the six men walked even got as far as second base. Young Babe Ruth was in complete control through seven innings. When Bill Carrigan came out to remove him with two out in the eighth, he did so with the game secure, a 6-0 Boston lead. By then, the rookie southpaw had thrown 115 pitches. Several of them were message senders to the New Yorkers... 'purpose' pitches. Which is why Carrigan is smiling when he comes to the mound and takes the ball from his young hurler.
"Great job, Babe. Take the rest of the afternoon off. We've got this one."
The Babe hands the ball to his skipper, who says, "And thanks for standing up for Duffy." The Babe departs the Yankee Stadium mound to loud boos. The 34,898 New York partisans do not like seeing their line-up brushed back, unsettled, uncomfortable... and unproductive. Ruth resists the temptation to tip his cap to the booing crowd. Instead he is content to walk into the Red Sox dugout. To a man, the Boston bench stands up to shake his hand, recognizing that the youngster from the Baltimore streets had gone to bat for his oft-plunked teammate and RBI leader, Duffy Lewis. And had sent a message to the other side without, as Carrigan had requested, costing his team the game, which ended 6-2 in Boston's favor.

"You all saw a boy-wonder come of age today," said Bill Carrigan after the game. "That 'big kid from Baltimore' stuff won't work any more. He's a big man from Boston now. And he is no longer a rookie."

Red Sox Hammer Yanks! 18-2!

Duffy Lewis again leads charge.
Boston left fielder knocks in five.

Fenway Park. 1915. Game 135. Attendance 26,575.
The Red Sox signal they will not go quietly. They win their fourth in the last five games, improving their record to 64-71. Duffy Lewis doubles and drives in five runs. Catcher Forrest Cady also doubles and plates four. First-sacker Dick Hoblitzell collects 3 RBI. And Smoky Joe Wood, former 34 game winner (1912), clamps down on the powerful Yankee line-up as Boston prevails 18-2.

The Red Sox send 15 men to the plate in the first inning. Duffy Lewis goes 2 for 2 and drives in three. Lewis drives in two more in a six-run 6th, collecting four hits and five RBI. In the ninth, Lewis is plunked by a pitch, recalling similar events earlier in the year. That time the Sox had let it pass. This time a few of the Boston players, notably Carl Mays and rookie southpaw Babe Ruth, take exception.

"Some sonofabitch is going to pay." barks the Babe on the Boston bench. '"Don't let it cost us a game..." intones manager Bill 'Rough' Carrigan, biting his words. "That's all I gotta say about it."

In game 131 Lewis had become the first man on either squad to knock in 100 on the season as Boston roughed up Ruffing, 9-2. Then game 133 saw Babe Ruth win his third straight decision, going eight strong innings (one run on three hits) to beat Lefty Gomez and the Yanks. Of course the rookie southpaw helped at the bat with two hits, a double, and 2 RBI.

1915 Red Sox-1936 Yankees (130 Games)

130 Game Summary

New York 70-60
Boston... 60-70 10 GB


Yankees Batting Leaders
Lou Gehrig: 10 HR 95 RBI .300 BA
Joe DiMaggio: 6 HR 85 RBI .312 BA
Bill Dickey: 6 HR 80 RBI .338 BA

Red Sox Batting Leaders
Tris Speaker: 22 2B 72 RBI .326 BA
(Speaker still holds lifetime record 793 doubles)
Duffy Lewis: 19 2B 99 RBI .311 BA
Babe Ruth: 4 HR 16 RBI .317 BA
(.635 Slugging Pct. leads both squads)
Babe Ruth: 12-10, 2.68 ERA, 185 innings

Although Boston has mounted a late charge, winning 7 0f 10, they still have a hard road ahead. The Yanks need only eight more victories to clinch the 154 game season.

Babe Ruth Homers to Beat Yankees!

Rookie allows four runs on mound;
plates four himself.

Fenway Park, Boston. 1915. Game 123. Attendance: 28,232.
Babe Ruth, the young southpaw from the Camden section of Baltimore, allows an RBI double to his rookie counterpart Joe DiMaggio Tony Lazzeri, who literally drove rookie Joe to spring training in early 1936, drives in DiMaggio and Gehrig with a 2-run triple. But the Babe himself doubles in Cady the third, and lines a 450 foot home run to right-center in the fifth, good for three more runs. He goes seven and wins his eleventh of the season, bringing the Red Sox to 54-69.

The Babe's victory sparks the Red Sox. They go on a tear, winning six straight from the 1936 Bronx Bombers. The sixth is another win for the Babe, this time in front of 41,000 in the Bronx (1936). This time Yankee freshman DiMaggio takes the Babe deep, a long, loud home run over the 415 sign near the Red Sox bullpen.

Editor's Note: That 415 sign is where Al Gionfriddo would rob DiMag of a 3-run homer in the '47 World Series. That's one that brought usthe famous Red Barber 'back-back-back' play-by-play call, and the shot that saw DiMaggio kick the dirt near second, a rare display of emotion on the field.

But here in 1936, it is the Babe kicking the dirt behind the mound after DiMaggio's two run shot. But the Babe manages a two run single himself. And Duffy Lewis, having a great year, knocks in five with a pair of doubles to lead Boston to a 10-5 win, their sixth straight. The Sox improve to 59-69. The Babe improves to 12-10 on the year, though his ERA rises a bit (2.68).


Thursday, August 19, 2010

DUFFY LEWIS PLATES EIGHT! (Game 97)

Duffy Drives 1915 Sox past 1936 Yanks!

Game 97. Yankee Stadium.
Visiting the huge ballpark in the Bronx, the Boston left-fielder single handedly brings Boston home to victory before 45,000 New Yorkers. The vaunted Yankee line-up lives up to the hype, smacking around Boston's Ernie Shore and a couple relievers for eight runs. But Duffy Lewis matches that output himself with two two-run doubles and a grand-slam homer. The Red Sox win 12-8, bringing their record to 43-54.

Game 98. Yankee Stadium.
Duffy drives in two more to give himself 10 RBI in two days and 78 for the season, pacing both teams. First sacker Dick Hoblitzel knocks in three with a double as Boston prevails again, 7-5. Babe Ruth starts, but is not sharp, giving up five runs in five innings. He is accorded a standing ovation by the New York crowd as he is relieved with one out in the sixth, in tribute to his near no-hit performance in Boston, five games earlier. He grins and tips his cap as he departs the Yankee Stadium field.

Boston's Babe shuts down the Yankees!

Boston's Fenway Park. 1915.
93rd Game of a 154 game season.
Ninth inning.

Rookie left-hander George Ruth casually slings his warm-up tosses plateward. Behind him his infielders toss a ball around. And in the on-deck area, Yankees third baseman Red Rolfe limbers up with two bats as he prepares to lead off the top of the ninth. And in the stands, 23,556 Fenway faithful stand and cheer. Boston has a comfortable 6-0. Wins have been hard to come by for the Red Sox lately. The 1915 World Champs had gone toe-to toe with their 1936 New York counterparts for the first half of the season. The two teams split the first 68 contests. New York's powerful line-up seemed unable to overpower the superb pitching staff. Boston seemed to be able to come up with timely hits over and over, play great defense, and of course, send a strong hurler to the mound day in and day out. Five men with at least 15 wins in the actual 1915 campaign, with lefty Dutch Leonard, 15-7, sporting the lowest winning percentage.

But suddenly, as the second half of this mythical season arrives, the 1936 Yankees seem to find an extra gear. They win an astounding 17 out of 22. Gehrig, Dickey and rookie Joe DiMaggio are not knocking out home runs left-and-right (Gehrig leads with seven after 90 games). But New York seems to adapt to the 'small ball' or 'dead ball' game very well. Their pitching solidifies. And the Red Sox find themselves fighting to get back in contention.

Which brings the two teams, and us, to game 93. New York has extended their hot streak to 19 of 24. Boston has sent rookie Ruth to the mound to try and halt the Yankee train. And here, now, for eight terrific innings, the Babe from Baltimore has done it. He has completely shut down the line-up that terrorized the American League to the tune of 1000-plus runs. And Ruth had even helped out at the plate, lining a Lefty Gomez fastball 444 feet to right center for a solo homer in the fifth. Now, three outs are all that separates he and his mates from cheer and beer for a well earned victory.

Ruth finishes his warmup tosses. Forrest Cady fires the ball down to second. Red Rolfe settles into the left-hand batters box. Ruth snags the ball from third baseman Larry Gardner and walks up to toe the rubber. Umpire Bill Klem gives the 'play ball' signal. And 23,000 Red Sox rooters remain standing and cheering.

Ruth nods at the signal from catcher Cady, winds and fires. Rolfe swings at the first pitch fastball and lifts a high fly ball. It floats down the right-field line before barely clearing the wall just fair of the pole... home run.

The fans gasp and groan loudly. Then, they begin to cheer. As Rolfe circles the bases the cheer gets louder and louder. On the mound, Ruth shrugs and calls for another ball from umpire Klem. Then he notices Boston Manager Bill Carrigan coming to the mound.

"You taking me out, Skip? I ain't tired."
"Babe! Don't you know what's going on?"
"Yeah! We're about to win. And it's about damn time!"
"Babe! They're cheering you!"
Just then umpire Klem comes to the mound with a fresh baseball.
"Nice job, Babe!" The umpire Klem grins.
"Thanks! I won't call you 'Catfish' just for that."
"Babe!" Interjects Carrigan. "You really don't know what's going on, do you? Tip your damn cap!" The Bambino looks quizzically at Carrigan. he indeed doffs his cap to the Boston fans who are on their feet, still cheering. "Babe, that home run you just surrendered to Rolfe was the Yanks' first hit of the game. You pitched a no-hitter for eight innings!" The Babe grinned.
"You're not upset?" queried umpire Klem.
"Nah! These fans ain't had much to cheer about for a long, long time." The Babe waved his cap again. Then he retired the side to secure the victory.


After the game Ruth comes out of the Red Sox clubhouse. He's surprised to see the losing pitcher, Lefty Gomez.
"Kid; that was the best I've seen in a long time. That was a clinic you gave out there today." The youngster stammered a bit.
"T-Thanks, Mr. Gomez."
"Lefty! You call me 'Mr. Gomez', it makes me sound like your grandpa!" Ruth grinned.
"That was a long time coming. I'm sick and tired of losing."
"Listen Babe... this Yankee team... do you know how damn good they are?"
"I'm gettin' the idea."
"They score a thousand runs a year. Without my help. They keep me on the mound to keep me away from the batters' box. Sometimes after I retire the side, they sneak off the field and hope I stay out there!" The Babe laughed.
"They keep you on the mound because you're a great pitcher. Something I'm trying to be."
"Something you already are."
"Thanks, Lefty. Maybe someday they'll call me 'Lefty' too."
"I think they've got another nickname in mind for you." Lefty then stuck out his hand. "Just keep pitching them, son. Let's do it again in four days." And the two left-handers shook hands.






Wednesday, August 18, 2010

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.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Gehrig's Slam beats Ruth's Sox! (Game 23)

The 1915 Boston Red Sox and the 1936 New York Yankees have split the first twenty games of this mythical championship season.

The Bronx Bombers have not enjoyed their usual offensive success. But then again, they are facing a pitching staff so stellar, that rookie Babe Ruth, an 18-8 pitcher that year, was not given a start in the actual 1915 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

But here in 1915-1936, Bill Carrigan is making good use of his strong left-hander. Coming into game number 23, the Baltimore Babe is 3-1, with a 2.70 ERA. Moreover, he's hitting .500 and slugging 1.000, with one homer and 4 RBI. Left-fielder Duffy Lewis is expertly patrolling that 'banked' left field (which came to be known as Duffy's Cliff), and leading both teams with 17 RBI. Tris Speaker is off to a good start, enjoying life in the .330's. His 13 RBI are second on the Red Sox and tied with Twinkletoes George Selkirk, who leads the Yanks.

With the two teams knotted at 10 wins, they open a 5-game set at Fenway, which in 1915 is opening its fourth year of operation. Yankee rookie Joe DiMaggio's three hits and four ribbies pace the Yanks and ace right-hander Red Ruffing to a 5-2 win. The Yanks take the next one too, with Bill Dickey going 4-4 and knocking in two. Dickey is hitting well over .400, wisely using the entire field instead of trying to overpower a 440 foot fenway power alley.

Game 23 pits the two southpaws Ruth and Gomez... rookie and veteran, a rematch of game three where the youngster homered and prevailed. This time the outcome is different though. Lefty Gomez has something special working for him today... or rather, someone special, in the form of one Henry Louis Gehrig.

Gehrig is off to a slow start, stuck in the .260s with only 10 RBI. But in game 23, Columbia Lou cracks two tremendous drives that shrink even the enormous Fenway park of 1915... both Home Runs clear the 488 foot center field barrier at a height of 20-30 feet. The second shot, a grand slam in the 7th frame, wins the game for the Bombers, 6-4. Grand slams are a Gehrig specialty, of course. More than 80 years after Gehrig's retirement, his 23 bases-loaded bombs are still the all-time record. Lou's 5 RBI are half of his season total for the first 22 games!


The fatal 7th frame starts well for Boston's young, strong southpaw. He fans Red Rolfe and Lefty Gomez. Frank Crosetti then breaks a bat on a tailing fastball, looping a single into short right. Jake Powell then hits a room service grounder to SS Everett Scott. Everett scoops up the ball but then tosses it wildly to first, allowing Powell to reach on the error. Ruth should be out of the inning with a 4-2 lead. Instead, a groundball single to left from George Selkirk brings up Gehrig. With the bases loaded, Ruth challenges the Iron Horse, who drives a shoulder-high fastball so far and so high to center that Tris Speaker does not turn around to look. The score is suddenly 6-4 in favor of New York, and that's how it remains.

"Tough inning, Babe. You pitched well."
"Not well enough."
"Four unearned runs..."
"Nah... don't put that on the Deacon," said the young hurler. "I gave up three hits. Two came after the error. That's me, not Ev. Ev is who I want behind me at short."
"That's might magnanimous of you, Babe." Babe grins for the first time.
"Thanks... whatever that means."
"It means nice."
"Oh! I just say 'nice'. But anyway, Scott never bitches when I walk the bases loaded. So I can't complain if he throws one wild."
"Believe it or not, Babe, you did strike out the side!"
(Editors note: after Gehrig's grand slam, the Babe struck out Yankees rookie Joe DiMaggio.)
"Yeah... goes to show you strikeouts are overrated. I will say this... that damned Dutchman can hit! He hit two off of me that must be going. You gotta be strong to hit it out of this place... especially in centerfield!"
"You're taking the loss well."
"Look. I hate losing. But you can't let it eat your guts out. Those New York boys look pretty good. But we're good too. We'll be back tomorrow."

Editor's footnote: By 1936 Lou Gehrig had long since become baseball's all time Iron Man when he played in his record 1308th consecutive game. The man whose record 1307 games Gehrig surpassed was shortstop Everett 'Deacon' Scott, who won several pennants with both the Red Sox and the Yankees.

Monday, August 16, 2010

1915 Red Sox vs 1936 Yankees (Game 3)

Boston's Fenway Park, 1915.
Lefty Gomez squares off against lefty rookie Ruth.

Yankee starter Vernon 'Lefty' Gomez walks out onto the field. Both squads are casually loosening up... tossing baseballs here, smacking fungoes there... guys cracking jokes in the midday New England springtime sun. It's Lefty's 7th season with the big club. He knows his routine before a start... knows how to pace himself. He intends to go nine. And he intends to win. He stretches and limbers up slowly and looks around. He says to no one in particular...
"I know this is Fenway. But it don't look like any Fenway I've ever seen!"
"I'm thinking the same thing..." Lefty turns to his right and sees the tall youngster from San Francisco, rookie Joe DiMaggio.
"Don't be sneaking up on me like that!" Gomez retorts.
"Sorry." Young Joe grins. So does Lefty. "But seriously Lefty, look at that left field! It's banked. And look at centerfield. It's enormous. Huge."
"Just about five hundred to the deepest part!" Comes another voice with a Texas drawl.
"Hello, Tristam!" Barks Gomez. "Tristam. Want you to meet my newest project... Joseph P. DiMaggio. He runs down all of my mistakes, and hits everybody elses!"
Joe extends a hand and Tris Speaker shakes it.
"Glad to meet you son." Tris nods. "Like the way you stand up there at the plate. All business. No bull."
"Thanks, Mr. Speaker." Answers Joe quietly.
"Tris! Call me Tris." Joe nods respectfully. Tris continues. "How you feelin' today Lefty? Gonna go nine?"
"Well, Tris... with these fences being so deep and all..." Lefty looks around. "I might stand a chance."
"We're starting a southpaw today too... big kid from Baltimore. George Ruth."
"Heard about him." Nods Gomez.
"He's some piece of work." Continues Speaker. "Swings his bat harder than he throws his fastball. And he has a real good fastball. Gets wild sometimes. Better stay loose." Gomez glares at Speaker with mock suspicion.
"Saaaaay, Tristam! Are you trying to coach us, or scare us." Speaker winks and grins. He shrugs his shoulders.
"He's big as a water buffalo, about as strong... and he's only twenty. I guess I'm coaching you." Tris grins again. "So stay loose!"

The Red Sox and Yanks have split the first two games of the brand new season. Now, with Game three about to begin, the Red Sox rookie southpaw George "Babe" Ruth indeed walks out and takes the mound and the ball. He begins to toss warm-ups to catcher Forrest Cady. After only five he signals to Cady he's ready. Cady whips the ball to third baseman Larry Gardner, who sends it around the infield... Everett Scott... Jack Barry... Dick Hoblitzell. Rookie Ruth walks around the mound and looks at his outfielders... Duffy Lewis, Tris Speaker and Harry Hooper... considered by many the best defensive outfield yet to take the field. Ruth takes a deep breath as Hoblitzell tosses him the ball. Ruth snags it, rubs it up, and walks up the mound. Umpire Bill Klem dusts off the plate one final time as Frankie Crosetti, the Yankee shortstop, gets ready to dig in.

Ruth peers in for the signal from Cady. Crosetti sets himself in the right-hand batters' box. Ruth grins, then wheels and fires. It's a high hard one... very high. It sails over Cady's mitt... over the right shoulder of umpire Klem, and clear to the backstop, where it clangs against a support beam. Ball One! The ball rebounds near Cady, who picks it up and fires it back to Ruth. Ruth walks back up and toes the rubber. He nods, winds, and a fires another high, hard one. Crosetti's eyes widen as the ball nears his neck... and he quickly bails out. The ball sails inside and Cady leaps up again to snag it.

"SETTLE DOWN!" Yells Cady as he flips the ball back to Ruth. But then he winks. Ruth turns to face the outfield and rubs up the ball. Crosetti and Klem cannot see him grin. Ruth turns back around, slams the ball into his glove in mock anger, and toes the rubber. Two-and-oh. Ruth winds and 'fires' a dandy of a change-up. Crosetti swings. And audible crack is heard around the park as Crosetti's bat shatters. Jack Barry scoops up the easy grounder and tosses it to first in plenty of time to get Crosetti at first. And the game is underway.

In the Yankee dugout Lefty Gomez quietly muses. "Well I'll be damned..."

Top of the fifth. No score. Rookie Ruth winds and fires a fastball. "Stee-rike!" bellows Bill Klem. Rookie DiMaggio, in the righty batters' box, doesn't move. Ruth takes the ball back, wheels, and fires again... a dandy of a curve ball, breaking sharply down and in. Until rookie DiMaggio swings and connects. The ball sails like a rocket, far past the centerfielder Tris Speaker. He gives chase as DiMaggio lopes around the Fenway basepaths, gliding into third standing up before the ball is finally retrieved from the deepest caverns of centerfield. Rookie George Ruth, backing up behind third base, takes the ball from Larry Gardner. As he passes rookie DiMaggio, he says "Nice hit, Kid!" DiMaggio, a bit surprised, stammers. "Thanks..."
Ruth toes the rubber and faces another challenge. No rookire this time, but instead the great Lou Gehrig. Like DiMaggio, Gehrig squares himself in the batters' box with little fanfare or fuss. Only Lou, of course, swings from the left side. And he swings at rookie Ruth's first offering, a shoulder high fastball thAt might be a strike... might be a ball. Gehrig connects, and there is no doubt about the fate of Ruth's pitch -KER-RACK! The ball rockets toward deepest right-center. Speaker and right-fielder Harry Hooper give chase. But they quickly see the futility in doing so. It's well over 400 to the right-center field fence, but the ball quickly sails far over it and into the crowded bleachers. Gehrig circles the bases as Ruth kicks at the ground with his spikes. He calls for a new ball from umpire Bill Klem, just as Gehrig dents the plate with spikes of his own. New York draws first blood, 2-0.

Bottom of the fifth. One on. No one out. Lefty Gomez is in control. Up to the plate comes rookie George 'Babe' Ruth. The Babe has already struck out. With batterymate Forrset Cady on first, Ruth might bunt him over and let the top of the order try to bring him in.
"You buntin', kid?" Gomez yells from the mound. Ruth, standing in the lefty batters' box, flashes a slightly startled grin. Lefty stretches, and fires. Ruth squares, but doesn't offer. "BALL ONE!" bellows Bill Klem. Gomez retrieves the ball from catcher Bill Dickey. He stretches and fires again. The ball is high and away... tough to bunt. But Ruth isn't bunting.
KER-RACK! The ball soars far past rookie Yankee centerfielder Joe DiMaggio, who like his counterpart Tris Speaker, gives chase. Ruth rounds first and heads for second. DiMaggio picks up the ball in deepest center and fires a strong strike to Crosetti at deep short. Ruth cruises into second as Cady crosses the plate. Yankees 2, Sox 1. Two outs later, Tris Speaker himself comes to the plate. He picks out a pitch from Gomez and lines a single past Gehrig into right field. Rookie Ruth round third and scores easily. And just like that, he is back even, 2-2.

Seventh inning. The game is still knotted 2-2. Larry Gardner is on first. Two out. And up comes the rookie Ruth again. This time the question isn't whether Ruth is bunting, but whether he is hitting at all. Eyes look to the Boston dugout. But Bill "Rough" Carrigan is poker faced. He makes no move of any sort. And the kid from Baltimore digs in.

"You buntin' kid?" Gomez again hollers from the mound. Ruth grins again. From the Yankee dugout booms manager Marsh Joe McCarthy. "Quit kiddin' Lefty, dammit!" Lefty yells back. "Who's kidding? Don't you want him to bunt, too?" McCarthy shakes his head. Gomez goes into his stretch and fires a fastball. STEEE-RRRIIIKE!" Lefty gets the ball back. Now he quips with the umpire, Bill Klem. "You sure about that, Bill?" Even Klem finds it hard to suppress a grin. Catcher Dickey shakes his head. "No, Bill!" Yells Gomez. "YOU give the signs! I shake 'em off!" Dickey shrugs and puts down a sign. Gomez nods and fires. A dandy of a slow curve. Rookie Ruth hitches, waits, and swings. KERR-ACKK! "Dammit!" snaps Gomez. DiMaggio takes a couple steps toward right-center field, but slows quickly and puts his hands on his hips. Right fielder George Selkirk takes a few more steps, but he also quickly sizes things up. The ball flies over the fence, over the fans, and over the bleachers. Gardner and Ruth trot around the bases and homeward, giving Boston a 4-2 lead.

And it's a lead the lefty from Baltimore does not relinquish. The young kid, nicknamed 'Dunnie's Babe' as a protege of Baltimore Oriole skipper Jack Dunn in 1914, singles in the eighth and scores ahead of Tris Speaker for the second time. The final score: Boston 6, New York 2. Dunnie's Babe wins his first game of the season, goes three-for-four with a double, a homer, and three RBI. Not a bad opener against a powerful New York line-up.

1915 Boston Red Sox vs 1936 NY Yankees!

1915 Boston Red Sox
101-50 (.669)
World Champions
669 Runs Scored
449 Runs Allowed
Team ERA 2.39
Five pitchers 15 victories each.
Team total 14 Home runs.
The team Home Run leader (4) is a rookie southpaw from Baltimore named George Ruth. His Slugging Percentage of .576 is the highest on the squad. His on-base percentage is second only to an all-time great centerfielder, Tris Speaker. The young slugger's home runs come in only 92 at-bats, as he goes 18-8 on the mound during one of the greatest rookie campaigns of all time.

1936 New York Yankees
102-51 (.667)
World Champions
1065 runs scored (lead AL)
731 runs allowed (fewest in AL)
Team Batting Average- .300
182 Home Runs
Five men with 100 RBI
Six men with more than Boston's team total of 14 Home Runs.
The Yankees showcase a rookie of their own from San Francisco, a Pacific Coast League graduate named Joseph Paul DiMaggio.

The two teams will play a full 154 game schedule. Half will take place in 1936 New York. Half will take place in 1915 Boston. All games will be played under the auspices of MLB (Mac's Legendary Baseball). Rules may or may mot be explained as time and interest dictate.

PLAY BALL!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

A Chat With the Bambino

"Hello Babe! How have you been? What are you up to these days?"
"Hiya, Kid. I'm swell. Thanks for askin'. I'm getting together a barnstorming tour. Gonna get some of my pals together from the old days and set up some games against some fellas we never got to play."
"Really? Like who?"
"Well, I'm gonna get some of my pals from my Red Sox days... thought I'd do a little pitching. And then I'll get a hold of some of the fellas from New York, and do some hitting... a LOTTA hitting," The Babe grinned.
"Who are you going to play?"
"We're gonna challenge some of the greatest teams of all time. Newer teams... older teams... guys from the dead ball days... guys from the '90s..."
"Babe, would that be the eighteen-nineties or nineteen-nineties?" The Babe grinned again.
"Both! Anyone who thinks they have a chance against the boys I get together."
"Will we see the 1927 bunch?"
"Oh, yeah... but not only them. If yer a Yankee fan you'll get to see guys like Wally Pipp, Lefty Gomez, Carl Mays... even ol' Home Run Baker. I had a whole lotta teammates over twenty years. Wanna give 'em all a chance to loosen up and saddle up one more time."
"You played on a lot of great teams, Babe. Nothing much to prove."
"Prove? No one's gonna prove anything here, kid. This is gonna be pure baseball. For the pure fun of it. We're gonna play hard, don't get me wrong. But nothing's on the line here. Like... I wanna play the '21 Giants. You know, the guys that beat us in our first Series as the Yankees. Gonna play them a whole season. 154 games. Know what? We beat 'em 154-0... they'll still be the World Champs of 1921. And I'll still tip my Yankee Cap to them for that."
"That was an all Polo Grounds affair, right Babe?"
"Yeah! Man, I liked the Polo Grounds. I mean, Yankee Stadium was great. But Polo Grounds was where it all got started for me in New York. Kinda sad to leave it. Kind of sad that the Giants left it years later."
"You know about all that, Babe?"
"Know about it? You kiddin' me? I love the West Coast! Lotsa guys did... in the old days, guys stayed in the PCL rather than come to the bigs... just riding up and down the coast and playing all year 'round! I love Frisco. Cobb moved there later on, you know. Anyway, I wanna try out that new park they got on the water... try to see how many I can put in the water... take batting practice with that Bonds kid."
"Kid?"
"Well, I do have a few years on him, don't I?"

Saturday, August 14, 2010

1800 RBI's

You are probably well aware (whether you care...) that A-Rod has just entered the 600 HR club. Well, this evening, August 14, 2010, Alex's stellar performance against the Kansas City Royals puts him in another exclusive fraternity... a little less glamorous but maybe more impressive. His 3 Home Run - 5 Runs Batted In performance gives Rodriguez, who just turned 35, 1803 RBI for his career. He has achieved that mountainous total in just 8725 at bats.

Is that impressive? Well, consider this. Alex has played 109 games this year. He's supposedly 'not having that good' a year, but he's only three ribbie's shy of cracking 100 for the 13th consecutive campaign and 14th out of his 15 full seasons in the bigs.

How many will he get till his tank runs empty? Sadly, Alex's age (35) is not a reliable predictor. Lou Gehrig finished with 1995 RBI, and grabbed all of them before HE was 36. Jimmie Foxx, with 1922 RBI, actually grabbed his even quicker than A-Rod, pushing across 1863 by the age of 34. Gehrig, of course was cut down prematurely by a fatal disease that got him out of the line-up permanently, just prior to turning 36. Jimmie Foxx was a heavy drinker. That probably cost him several years of playing time, though that's hard to measure.

But let's look at someone who took care of himself and had the good fortune of good health... the great Henry Aaron! During Hammerin' Hank's fabled career he was badly overlooked and underrated. He had 510 Home Runs, 484 Doubles, 1603 Runs, and 1627 RBI... all by the ripe old age of 34! The remarkably durable Henry had already appeared in 2279 games and batted 8889 times. To put that in perspective, Henry Louis Aaron had already passed Henry Louis Gehrig in games played, and we all know how tough the Iron Horse was!

It took Henry Aaron two more campaigns to crash th 1800 RBI barrier. At 36 the all-time HR king (until the 21st century) knocked in 118 runs. This magnificent Hall of Famer did it again a year later... 118 RBIs! At 37, Aaron belted hs career high 47 home runs and left little doubt that his sights were set on George Herman Ruth in the HR department. By the age of 37, Henry had collected a colossal 1960 RBI, on his way to his own record of 2297! By the way... Henry Aaron is 76 years old now. Know what? He's STILL underrated!

But back to Alex Rodriguez. Nobody underrates A-Rod. Indeed, whatever he does, according to most, he's 'supposed to' do it. It's hard to exceed expectations when your salary is eight-figures...HIGH eight-figures! But Alex is only 260-ish HRs away from that Mount Olympus, and less than 500 RBI shy of the all-time RBI crown as well. Forget 5 good years for a second; if Alex has a decent finish this year, say 110 (he's at 97 now)... and knocks in 85 each of the next two seasons, the list of greats he passes until he knocks on the 2000-RBI door will be every bit as impressive as his HR totals... again, maybe more so. Musial... Cobb... Say Hey... Teddy Ballgame... Barry Bonds... Eddie Murray... Yaz. A-Rod will be younger than each of these gentlemen were when they set their respective RBI standards!

But what about catching Henry? Well, that's the terrific thing about lifetime records and chasing them. Let's reset the clock here; if Alex gets to 2000 RBI, that still leaves him nearly 300 shy of Aaron. For that matter, it leaves hin more than 200 short of the Babe! So if... IF... A-Rod can crack the door to the 2000-RBI club AND keep marching, each step will force each of us ponder seriously who deserves Hall-of-Fame recognition from the 'steroid era'. Each step will also make us once again appreciate anew the stunning achievements set down before by the baseball immortals whose numbers guys like A-Rod chase.