1927 New York Yankees
110-44 (.714)
World Champions.
Swept Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0.
Won AL pennant by 19 games.
Led AL in scoring (976) and fewest runs allowed (599).
Also led in Batting Average (.307), On-Base Percentage (.384) and Slugging (.488), as well as Home Runs (158), and strikeouts (610), 134 more than any other team in AL.
Led in ERA (3.20). League Avg. 4.14.
1894 Baltimore Orioles
89-39 (.695)
NL champions
Scored 1171 runs (3rd), allowed 819 runs (2nd).
Second in NL Batting Average (.343), 1st On-Base Percentage (.418), 2nd in Slugging (.483). 3rd in Stolen Bases (324). 1st in Triples (150).
Won 24 of last 25 games to take the pennant.
“What do I think about playing the 1894 Orioles?” Says Waite Hoyt. “I think we’re gonna annihilate them.”
The Baltimore Orioles are perhaps the most famously remembered team of the 1890s. The Boston Bean-eaters actually dominated the decade with six pennants to the Orioles' three. But for some reason, the 1894-6 three year run garnered them more attention, at least in retrospect. A swinging bunt even today is still called a Baltimore Chop. The Orioles line-up started off with two diminutive Hall-of-Famers, John McGraw and Wee Willie Keeler, 5'7" and 5'4" respectfully. Together they weighed less than CC Sabathia or Prince Fielder. Each used his slight stature to great advantage and success. McGraw's on-base percentage is still the 3rd highest ever, behind two guys named Williams and Ruth. Keeler chopped, slapped and poked his way to a lifetime .340-plus average and one .400 season.
The two were followed by a big bruiser, Dan Brouthers, also a Hall-of-Famer, also a lifetime .340-plus hitter. Brouthers (Bill James says it's pronounced 'Broo-thers') was actually an old pro among youngsters in '94... a five-time batting champ with power. He bombed doubles, triples and homers for Detroit, Boston and Buffalo before coming to Baltimore as a veteran. His 128 RBI (in only 123 games!) for the 1894 pennant winners were a career high. The 1894 season turned out to be his last full season as his career wound down.
Each member of the entire starting line-up batted over .300, as did backup infielder Frank Bonner and four pitchers. One who did not was the back-up catcher, who still deserves mention for having one of the greatest baseball names of all time: .240 hitter Boileryard Clarke.
Interesting foot notes:
Kid Gleason - The would-be skipper of the ill-fated 1919 Chicago Black Sox, was a pitcher for this scrappy squad. Was he any good? Well in 1890 he pitched 506 innings for the Phils. He won 38 games and dropped 17 with a 2.63 ERA. Of course this was the era of iron moundmen. For the 1894 Orioles he went 15-5 but his ERA jumped to 4.45 over 172 innings. Remember - he was pitching ten feet further back. His 4.45 ERA was actually quite good. Apparently his arm gave out from the 506 innings, the extra ten feet or both. In 1895 he gave up pitching and took up 2nd base. He wasn't a really heavy hitter but his competitive fire stayed stoked. Back with the Phils the Kid led the NL in games played and plate appearances... at the age of 38.
The New York Highlanders - formed in 1903, were moved from Baltimore after the 1902 season. The Orioles, dumped from the National League after the 1899 season, were resurrected in the brand-new American League in 1901, with McGraw as their 28-year-old player-manager. He continued in 1902 before jumping back to the NL, taking over the sadsack NY Giants. Ironically, the Orioles, by now a trainwreck of a team, followed him, becoming the Highlanders, and ultimately the most successful team in baseball history as the New York Yankees.
“What do I think about playing the 1894 Orioles?” Says Waite Hoyt. “I think we’re gonna annihilate them.”
Game 10 Baltimore.
New York - 1 1 1 0 0 2 4 0 0 - 9 12 2
Baltimore - 1 0 0 2 7 0 5 5 x - 20 22 0
Babe and Lou Gehrig each homer twice. Gehrig also doubles and drives in five. But it isn't nearly enough. The Orioles, apparently not pleased with Hoyt's pre-season prediction, have been doing the annihilating themselves. They come into the game with a 4-5 record, and into the fifth tied with the 1927 Champs. Humbled Hoyt comes into the game with a 7.30 ERA, over 2 starts and 12 innings. Even though he is 1-0, Waite Hoyt has been rocked. He won on opening day despite giving up 7 runs in 7-1/3 because five different Yankees drove in runs. Earle Combs and Bob Meusel plated three apiece; catcher Pat Collins and the Babe two each. Ruth and Combs both homer in a 12-8 win.
But the Orioles come back and actually win the five-game series, sweeping the last three. Then moving to Baltimore, and from 1927 to 1894, the Yanks take three of four. They win Hoyt's 2nd start but Hoyt is again not sharp, giving up three in five innings. The Yanks again come to his aid, scoring 13. Combs hits his 3rd three-bagger of the young season, gets three hits and three RBI. Tony Lazzeri also collects three hits, all singles. He and Pat Collins both plate two, as does pinch-hitter Ben Paschal, whose two-run single puts NY ahead to stay.
For Baltimore, John McGraw has been a thorn in the Yankees side. He comes into game ten with 9 stolen bases and a .375 average. Then he collects four hits and steals two more bags here.
As stated above the two teams come into the 5th tied 3-3. Then the roof caves in... Batimore sends 14 men to the plate. Joe Kelley and Wilbert Robinson both triple. Steve Brodie and Heinie Reitz both double. And Baltimore starter Bill Hawke drives NY starter Waite Hoyt from the game with a three-run homer, part of a five RBI day. The Yanks hardly lie down. As mentioned, Gehrig also drives home five to give him 17. The Yanks, down 10-3, score six with Ruth and Gehrig each going deep for the 2nd time in the game. But the balanced attack of the Orioles... 22 hits and RBI from eight different people, are too much for even the Murderers' Row to overcome.
(Note: for those new to Mac's Legendary Baseball, the two teams play 154 game seasons, alternating 5-game series in each team's ballpark. When the two teams travel, it's time travel... thus, this season's Orioles home games take place in 1894).
10 Games Two teams tied 5-5
PLAYER.... BA/SA........ HR RBI SB
Combs...... .340/.574......... 1... 8
Ruth......... .286/.762......... 6... 8
Gehrig...... .500/1.000....... 4.. 17
Meusel..... .308/.538......... 0 ... 9
Lazzeri..... .302/.302......... 0... 7..... 1
McGraw... .413/.457......... 0... 2... 11
Keeler...... .304/.326......... 0... 6..... 4
Kelley...... .395/.579......... 0... 5 .... 2
Brouthers. .227/.409........ 0... 12.... 2
Jennings... .512/.585........ 0.... 6..... 3
With the teams tied at 7-7 going into game 15, Waite Hoyt has a chance to put the Yankees up. Instead the Orioles annihilate him once more. He lasts six innings but gives up 6 runs, though only three are earned. He gets cuffed around for 11 hits before yielding to the bullpen. Dan Brouthers drives in four of the Orioles' 13 runs as they squeeze past NY in a wild 10-inning affair, 13-12.
Behind the cage at BP before game 18:
“Hey, Mac!” Boomed the Babe
“How are things, Babe?” Answered John McGraw.
“Neer seen you look so skinny! You been working out?”
“Yeah!” Cracked McGraw. “Doin’ wind sprints! On the bases! Or haven’t you been watching?” Ruth grinned.
“Yeah, I been noticing. Just ain’t used to seeing you so fast. Usually you’re pointin’ at other people… telling them to move fast!” Now McGraw grinned.
“Babe, you never saw me in my youth. I’m 21.”
“Twenty-one! Damn that’s a great age, ain’t it, Mac?”“Could do this forever, Babe.”
Mac is in good spirits because his team is 9-8. The Babe is cheery because the Yanks' bats exploded the day before in a 26-6 rout of Mac's Orioles.
New York - 3 3 1 0 1 5 2 11 0 - 26 21 0
Baltimore - 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 1 - 6 11 2
The Babe singled four times in four tries and scored four times... chiefly through the efforts of Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri. Poosh 'em up Lazzeri pushed across seven with a homer, double and single. Columbia Lou did even better, knocking two out of Yankee Stadium, doubling and singling twice. He knocks in NINE. Five come in the 11-run eighth on a two run single and a three run homer. Catcher Pat Collins, quietly having a great season, singles home his 19th run of the season.
After the Babe's batting cage pleasantries with McGraw, he went out and had himself a day, homering and knocking home five in a 12-4 win, squaring the two teams again at 9-9. The Yanks win again (game 19).
But then in game 20 a capacity crowd of 40,000 Baltimoreans come to see Waite Hoyt again face the Baltimore Orioles of 1894. They are not disappointed when the Orioles again rout the man who said “we’ll annilihilate them…” Hoyt only lasts into the 4th, giving up 9 runs (all earned) on 8 hits. EEyah Hugh Jennings goes five-for-five with a double and four driven in. Steve Brodie doubles in two help the Orioles to a 13-8 win, again putting the two teams into a tie at 10-10.
Team Leaders at 20 games.
New York
BA: Gehrig - .429, Ruth - .376.
HR: Gehrig and Ruth - 8.
RBI: Gehrig - 34, Collins - 23, Lazzeri - 21, Ruth - 20.
Baltimore
BA: McGraw - .433, Jennings - .400, Kelley - .351.
HR: Keeler - 2. (The 5'4" mite has Baltimore's only two homers).
RBI: Brouthers - 27, Keeler - 15.
SB: McGraw - 11, Brouthers - 6, Jennings and Kelley - 5.
The Yankees have only two stolen bases, less than six members of the Orioles.
Ruth and Gehrig each have more home runs than the Orioles and the rest of the Yankees combined.
Game 30. Waite Hoyt drops to 1-3. He only allows 3 runs, and they all come on one swing... Dan Brouthers line-drive home run to deep right-center in the 4th. Unfortunately for Hoyt, Baltimore right-hander Bill Hawke is masterful, scattering six hits over eight frames to beat Hoyt and the Yankees 3-1. Hoyt had also been rocked five games earlier (11 hits and 8 runs, 5 earned in 5-2/3 innings), but the powerful Murderer's Row had bailed him out, coming back late to win it 9-8. Bob Meusel tripled, homered, and drove in four.
Baltimore springboards their latest win into a four game streak, culminating with a 15-5 pounding in front of 44,221 Yankee fans. Dan Brouthers collects four hits, two doubles and three ribbies. It's a balanced, deadly attack. Nine different Orioles drive in runs, with Wee Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, Hughie Jennings, and Steve Brodie bagging two each. The four game streak puts the Orioles at 16-17.
HOYT WINS! HOYT WINS! HOYT WINS!
Game 35. Yankee Stadium. The Bronx, 1927.
Waite goes eight... allowing only an earned run when McGraw sigles home catcher Wilbert Robinson in the 6th. Run scoring singles from Mark Koenig, Tony Lazzeri and Pat Collins help Waite win a close one, 3-2. Wilcy Moore comes on in the 9th to pick up his 6th save. Waite's record improves to just 2-3, and his ERA lowers to 7.36. But his victory puts the Yankees up 19-16 in the win column.
Preseason prediction:
“What do I think about playing the 1894 Orioles?” Says Waite Hoyt. “I think we’re gonna annihilate them.”
Camden Yards
Behind the BP cage before game 36
“How are you doing, Waite?”
“Hello, Mac!” Hoyt shakes hands with McGraw.
“Still think you’re gonna annihilate us?” Waite Hoyt shakes his head. McGraw grins.
“I can’t believe this, Mac!”
“You remember who signed you first, don’t you?”
“Yep. You. I was a 15 year-old punk kid out of Brooklyn.”
“You were never a punk kid, Waite.”
“You ain’t sore at me, Mac?”
“You kidding? We’ve been beating you like a bass drum.”
“That’s true.” Hoyt smiled. “I’m a dumbass.”
“Look, Waite, how many games you win in your career?”
“Umm… 200-something. Maybe 235?”
“Two hundred thirty-seven. And not a one for me. So who’s the dumbass?” Now both men grinned. “So… you haven’t answered my question, Waite?”
“Seriously, Mac?” McGraw nodded.
“I still think we’re gonna kick your butts. Else wise, why even take the field?” McGraw grinned again.
“Atta boy, Waite.” Hoyt grinned as well.
“Whattaya mean, boy, Mac? You’re only 21. I’m 27!”
“I know, Waite. That might be why you were so confident. You were imagining 50-year old McGraw wheezing and staggering around at third-base.”
Both men laughed.
“Glad you ain’t sore, Mac.”
“Listen, Waite, you can tell everyone who cares to listen… we intend to kick your butts. You know I’m a sore loser. But I hate quitters… not competitors.”
“Mac… I don’t have to tell anybody anything you just said. They already know.” The two men grinned and shook hands.
Earle Combs, the Yankees' adept lead-off man, usually sets the table for the big boys. Today he is the big man. He doubles and homers, driving home six. The Babe and Bob Meusel get three hits apiece and each plate three as the New Yorkers roll 16-2. Baltimore is unfazed by the beating. They take the next two (games 37-38) to climb back within two of the Yanks at 18-20. The latter game goes eleven innings. Baltimore wins it when John McGraw singles, steals second, and comes home on a Dan Brouthers single to send 37,411 Orioles fans home happy.
WAITE HOYT WINS AGAIN!
Game 40. Orioles Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore.
The Yankees' ace wins another pitchers duel, 4-2. He allows only one earned run on six hits. He's backed by home runs from - GUESS! - Ruth and Gehrig.
At the 40-game mark the Yankees are 22-18. The difference in the season is games 21-30, where the Yanks took 7 of 10. The other three ten-game stretches have all ended in 5-5 splits.
Game 45. Yankee Stadium. New York.
Waite Hoyt seems to have found his rhythm. Today he lasts into the 7th, allowing only two runs. He leaves with a 2-2 tie, however. Wilcy Moore comes on to hold the fort. Lou Gehrig comes along with a 2-run homer in the 8th to ice it, 4-3. The win puts New York at 25-20, and up five games for the 1st time all year.
The series moves back to Baltimore. Pat Collins, who has been quietly having a good year, makes noise, lining a grand slam to deep left, propelling New York to a 10-1 romp in game 46.
Games 47-60:
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig go ballistic.
A 28-55 (.509) hitting surge over the next 14 games raises the Bambino to .416 for the season. He accumulates 60 total bases over that span, (1.091 slugging).
Lou Gehrig is just as hot, going 28-57 (.491), also getting 60 total bases (1.053 Slugging). He drives in a super-human 31 runs in the 14 games. Both the Iron Horse and the Bambino knock seven out of the park, with the Babe hitting five over three games.
And the Yanks begin to take control of the season.
Gehrig’s biggest day in a streak of big days happens at Yankee Stadium before 46,411 New Yorkers (game 54). He goes four for four with two doubles and knocks in six teammates. The Yanks need every bit of Columbia Lou’s production… and everybody else’s as the Yanks win a wild one, 11-9.
Gehrig hits two homers twice. One of the two games he is joined by the Babe. Yet Baltimore tenaciously wins both games. Game 50, in Baltimore, shows how a balanced, relentless attack can overcome one man’s greatness. Six Orioles drive in runs. Joe Kelley, Hugh Jennings and Steve Brodie each drive in two teammates. Each steals a bag and score themselves. They knock Waite Hoyt out in two innings (to the delight of 36,786 Baltimoreans), then rough up George Pipgras in an emergency relief role as the Orioles win 10-6.
Game 59 has both Gehrig and Ruth each hit two out of Camden Yards. Each drive in four, yet lose to the Orioles 11-9. Yet even though the Murderer’s Row boys lose, there are signs that they are beginning to assert their dominance. For one, even with the loss the Yanks take 3 of 4 in games 57-60. Secondly, even in this win, the Orioles jump out to a quick 9-0 lead in front of a deliriously happy home crowd… only to have the crowd nearly choke on their Cracker Jack as the Babe and Lou nearly lead their team all the way back.
Gehrig drives in 11 runs in three games (57-59) while the Babe hits five homers in three (58-60). In game 58, Gehrig and Ruth drive in seven in an 8-1 win which also features Tony Lazzeri swiping three sacks. Ruth hits two out and drives in four, as he would the next day. Game 60 brings a solo shot from the Babe as the Yanks win a close one 3-2. Combs singles one in, but the story this day is George Pipgras, who goes 6-plus strong innings AND singles home Pat Collins with the game winner in the top of the 7th.
Games 61-77:
Ruth hits six homers. Lou his five. Ruth drives home 18, Lou 22. And Earle Combs, the LEADOFF man, drives in 19! And most importantly for New York, they begin to put space between themselves and the Orioles. They split ten games, but then the Yankees win 6 of 7 to get to the halfway point of the season 45-32… 13 games ahead for the first time.
In game 77 the Yanks put their stamp firmly on the season, and their collective feet on the necks of the Orioles, smashing the Baltimore pitching staff to the tune of 24 hits and 22 runs, including nine in the 9th to win 22-5. Every member of the NY starting eight collects two hits, scores at least once, and drives in at least one run. Gehrig leads the parade with his 26th and 27th homers, driving in six. Joe Dugan and Tony Lazzeri add four apiece. Ruth collects 4 singles, scores four, plates two teammates, and ends the day at .405 for the year. He has 29 home runs and 85 ribbies. Running buddy Gehrig has 27 long ones, but a gaudy 112 RBIs!
Gehrig became the 1st on either squad to go over the 100 RBI mark six games earlier (game 72). It’s a 9-2 Yankee win that also features Combs homering and hitting his 15th triples. But the Babe steals the show, hitting for the cycle and driving home four.
Six games before that… Earle Combs, the leadoff hitter, drives in eight! The six men who follow him also drive in runs, with Meusel getting three. Combs homers (among his five hits) along with Ruth and Meusel. The beneficiary of all of this offensive largess? None other than Waite Hoyt, who goes eight innings, allows seven hits and four runs (only one earned). He ups his record to 6-4 on the season as the Yanks roll 16-7.
Two games before that the Babe and Lou go a collective two-for-seven. But their ‘two’ are a pair of three run home runs. Each goes over the right-center field fence near the 429 sign, reminding the 1927 crowd how massive the new Bronx ball yard is… and reminding the Baltimore pitchers what these two brawny men can do to a baseball. The Yanks roll 13-5.
Game 68. Baltimore’s Camden Yards. Tony Lazzeri, who stole three bases in game 58, steals four more today. He also homers and drives home five as the Yanks win 11-5.
The Second Half:
As stated above, the Yankees win 6 of 7 to get to the half-way point of the season 45-32… 13 games ahead for the first time. The Orioles show their tenacity and resilience, opening up the 2nd half of the season with four straight victories. The 4th is the most resounding, a 14-2 drubbing at Yankee Stadium. Hughie “Eeyah” Jennings gets three hits, two doubles, and drives home five. Waite Hoyt lasts only two outs into the 2nd frame, gets pounded for seven runs (five earned) on seven hits, and drops to 8-5. The Yanks win one, but then Baltimore takes two more to climb within nine games (37-46). Game 83 features Wee Willie Keeler going deep for the 3rd time of the season. He adds a single and drives in four in a 12-4 romp. John McGraw swipes his 51st bag and scores 2 of the Orioles 12 runs. The next day it’s Hughie Jennings again, plating three runs on three hits in an 8-5 win.
Game 89. Camden Yards. Baltimore. The Yanks open the game with a six run 1st and close the game with a six run game 9th. Tony Lazzeri hits a grand slam and drives home five. Ben Paschal comes off the bench and lines a 3-run shot in the 9th. Gehrig and Combs each collect four hits, with one of Lou’s being a 2-run homer. The romp is the 50th win for New York and puts them eleven over the Orioles. The next day Gehrig drives home five, giving him eight in two days. He and the Babe both homer. Each gets three hits. But Baltimore edges the Yankees 11-10. McGraw, Keeler, Joe Kelley, Jennings and Steve Brodie combine for 11 hits and nine RBI.
At the 90-game juncture the Yankees are 50-40. Of course, that makes Baltimore 40-50. Winning 4 of 9 against the Yanks must be respected – the entire American League only won 2 of 7 over a 154-game stretch in ’27.
Ruth has 30 home runs. Gehrig has 29. Believe it or not, New York catcher Pat Collins is 3rd – with four. Gehrig has run away with the RBI race – his 127 put him 39 over the Babe and 49 over Orioles leader Dan Brouthers.
110 games. The home run boys are tied at 31 apiece. Over the most recent 20 games Ruth and Gehrig have combined for three homers. Ruth has become the 2nd player to pass the century mark in RBI. But Gehrig has 151. For the Orioles, John McGraw has stolen 61 bags… on a team running wild Mac has about as many as any two teammates. Though McGraw’s average has slipped below .300, he continues to walk and run – and score.
The Yankees continue to win 3 of 5, 6 of 10, and 12 of 20… not dominating, but slowly pulling away. Baltimore has their moments. Game 110 at Camden Yards delights the Baltimore faithful – an 18-2 beating of the Yanks. As has become typical, McGraw has only one hit… but two walks, a stolen sack (his 64th), and three runs scored. Hitters 2 through 6 combine for 11 RBI.
Game 106 was again the Wee Willie Keeler show. He tripled twice, singled twice more, and drove home four. Baltimore wins a wild one 14-13. Hoyt is the losing pitcher, lasting only into the fourth inning. But the next day Waite shows some resilience of his own. With the score tied 9-9 after nine, Gehrig doubles home Combs with the go-ahead run. Miller Huggins then sends in Waite Hoyt, who retires the side to win his 12th against seven losses. After starting the season 1-3, he’s gone 11-4.
Game 111. Kid Gleason, quietly having a fine campaign, ups his record to 10-4, going six innings, and allowing only eight hits and three earned runs to perhaps the deadliest line-up ever to take the field. And the Orioles? Their typical angry bee-hive swarm attack prevails… McGraw and Steve Brodie each steal two. McGraw and Joe Kelley each drive home two and score two themselves. And the O’s win 10-7.
Game 113. The game goes into the bottom of the 10th at Yankee Stadium tied 8-8. Joe Dugan has driven in four for New York on three timely singles. Baltimore’s big man is big Dan Brouthers with two singles producing three Baltimore runs. But all the 48,654 New Yorkers will remember here is the 10th. That’s when Lou Gehrig waits on a Bill Hawke curve and lines it down the right field line for the game-winning home run, his 32nd.
Two days later, Columbia Lou does it again. With the score tied 6-6 in the eighth, and the Babe on 1st with a walk, Gehrig smashes a drive deep into the right field bleachers. The Yanks win 8-6, and leave for Baltimore up 17 games (66-49) for the first time.
Game 116. Camden Yards, Baltimore.
The Babe hits his 1st home run in 17 games. It is a majestic, monstrous shot in the 1st that soars across Eutaw Street and smashes against the B & O warehouse. Everyone stands and cheers for the hometown boy who grew up literally a few feet from where the baseball lands. Even the Oriole players shake their heads. Some smile as Ruth circles the bases. They smile some more in the 4th when Brouthers nearly matches the Babe. Big Dan’s shot doesn’t hit the warehouse. But it sends two men home ahead of him. Brouthers’ five RBI help Baltimore overcome an early 5-0 deficit and win 14-11. They also put Big Dan at 100 RBI for the year, the 1st Orioles hitter to hit that mark.
But the Yanks then take three of the next four, closing the five-game set in Baltimore at 69-51. They come back to New York needing only nine victories to clinch the season.
At 120 games:
Ruth leads with a .370 batting average
Gehrig leads in slugging (.704), home runs (34), and RBI (158).
Combs has 19 triples, far ahead of everybody.
McGraw has 69 stolen bases; next closest is Joe Kelley with 42.
Game 121. Yankee Stadium.
Brooklyn native (and former NY Highlander) Willie Keeler, immensely popular in the Big Apple, has another big day. He drives in three and scores two to help stake the Orioles to a 6-4 lead. Unfortunately, the Yankees get to bat last. In the bottom of the 9th, lead-off man Earle Combs leads off, doing what he does best… lining his 20th triple between Brodie in center and Kelley in left. By itself of course, Combs’ run means nothing. McGraw reminds hurler George Hemming of that and Hemming uses the full windup against Mark Koenig. But Koenig lines a shot to deep right and pulls into 2nd standing up. Combs scores easily of course. Koenig’s run means everything. The next hitter is hitless on the day. But he’s also the Babe. Hemming now pitches from the stretch. After he checks Koenig, he tries to get Ruth to chase a low and away curve. Ruth does, lining a low liner down the left field line. Koenig scores the tying run as the Babe pulls up at 2nd. With 52,890 screaming New Yorkers standing and cheering one of their own, Lou Gehrig lines a rifle-shot deep over the head of center-fielder Steve Brodie. Ruth comes around with the game-winner. Gehrig, who likely would have scored as well, instead tags 2nd base, and then trots toward the Yankee dugout, credited with a game-winning (7-6) double.
The next three games each feature a Lou Gehrig three base hit… his 10th, 11th and 12th. He knocks home four in the three games to give him 164 on the year. Baltimore takes two of the three, however. Brodie reaches the 100 RBI mark in game 123, a 7-3 win.
Gehrig hits triple number 13 when the squads return to Baltimore (game 126). But John McGraw comes up big… two doubles and four ribbies. He supplies half of Baltimore’s offense. Kid Gleason is the beneficiary in an 8-2 win. He earned it, going six shutout innings, allowing just three hits, and raising his record to 12-5… the best record of any pitcher on either side.
Urban Shocker returns the favor, going eight strong shutout innings as New York wins going away, 8-1. The Yanks drop game 128, but close out the 5-game set with two wins, leaving them 20 games up (75-55). Ruth homers in game 129, but the big shot, and big shock, is Wilcy Moore’s two-run homer in the top of the 10th. It breaks up a 10-10 tie, and ultimately wins it 12-10. Moore is one of the worst hitters in baseball history. Lazzeri becomes the 3rd Yankee to reach 100 RBI with a sac fly in game 130, a 4-1 NY win. Lazzeri has only three home runs – but 24 stolen bases.
Game 131. Yankee Stadium.
The Orioles knock out Yankees ace Waite Hoyt in the first two innings, building an 8-0 lead on 9 hits, including 3 triples… one a run scoring shot by Wee Willie Keeler, and two by Big Dan Brouthers, who drove in a total of three with his three baggers. Many of the 70,000 standing-room only Yankee Stadium crowd are probably already making alternate plans as Hoyt exits the mound with no outs in the top of the 2nd.
Myles Thomas comes on in emergency relief. Mark Koenig immediately bobbles a routine groundball off the bat of Hugh Jennings to let in the 8th Orioles run. The chorus of boos is deafening. Thomas then gets three outs to end the carnage.
Lou Gehrig lines a solo homer down the RF line leading off the bottom of the 2nd, seemingly a futile gesture. Baltimore 8, Yanks 1. But the Murderers’ Row gang chips away at the big Baltimore lead. A single run in the 4th and 2 in the 5th make the score 8-4. A Joe Dugan RBI single in the 6th… 8-5. After the 7th inning stretch, the huge crowd who has mostly stayed is rewarded. The Babe smacks a home run down the RF line with Earle Combs aboard. Suddenly, Baltimore’s insurmountable eight run cushion is down to one.
Myles Thomas, George Pipgras, and then relief ace Wilcy Moore are magnificent, holding the Orioles to no runs on 5 hits through 8 innings.
9th inning. With two out and two on, Pat Collins is at the plate. With the count 2-2, Miller Huggins starts the runners. Collins swings at a George Hemming curve and hits a grounder to deep short. If the runners had stayed put, an easy flip to second ends the game on a fielder’s choice. Instead, Jennings, who had reached on a Koenig error earlier, has to make a long, hurried throw. His long throw to 1st sails high, pulling Dan Brouthers off the bag. Collins is safe on the error, and Lou Gehrig, getting a great jump on the pitch, scores all the way from 2nd with the tying run.
In the 10th, Wilcy Moore retires the Orioles, stranding the go-ahead Baltimore run at 3rd. Then, in the bottom of the inning, Huggins sends up Mike Gazella to hit for Wilcy Moore. Huggins is at his managerial best, pushing all the right buttons and not letting his charges quit. Gazella, facing Baltimore ace Sadie McMahan, lines a deep drive to the cavernous left-center field alley at Yankee Stadium, and pulls in standing at 3rd with a triple. Baltimore pulls the infield in. And Earle Combs completes the total team comeback, slapping a sharp grounder between a drawn in McGraw and Jennings, to win a thriller 9-8.
Game 133. Yankee Stadium.
This one went back and forth… a 4-4 tie after the 3rd… Baltimore jumping out to an 8-4 lead after seven, and then tacking on another run in the 8th. The score remained 9-4 going into the bottom of the 9th.
Earle Combs opens up the frame by working out a walk against Baltimore reliever Stubs Brown. Baltimore skipper Ned Hanlon tells Bert Inks to start loosening up. Then Mark Koenig slaps a fastball past the mound and into centerfield. Combs rounds 2nd and glides into 3rd. Time is called as Hanlon sends in Inks to relieve Brown.
Inks takes six warm up tosses as the Bambino loosens up in the on-deck circle.
Pitching carefully, Bert Inks tosses a slow curve that just misses on 3-1, and Ruth trots to 1st, loading the bases. Next is the Iron Horse. Inks decides to use the full wind-up. His first pitch to Lou Gehrig is a low, slow cure. Gehrig waits, then lines a shot 448 feet over the fence in deep right center. Gehrig, the major league all-time leader in grand slams with twenty-three, hits his 2nd game winning grand slam of the year.
The win is New York’s 77th of the season, clinching a tie. Except 21-year-old John McGraw states… there will be no tie… we will play an extra game.” McGraw said it evenly and calmly… as if he fully expected the Orioles (56-77) to rip off 21 straight wins. When Waite Hoyt hears of McGraw’s statement, he shakes his head. A small wry grin creases his face.
“I wouldn’t bet against these guys. They can beat you so many ways… and you never feel like any lead is safe. Even when we beat them, it’s a hard, exhausting day.” Then after a pause. “These guys would win in any era.”
Game 135. Yankee Stadium.
McGraw did all he could the day before. He stole his 80th base, knocked home a run and scored twice, leading the Orioles to a 6-3 win. But not even McGraw can forestall the inevitable. The Yanks chase Kid Gleason in the 2nd, with four runs on five hits. It’s not their biggest output of the season, but Herb Pennock makes it stand up with seven fine innings of one-run ball. The Yanks hold on, 6-3 with Ruth and Koenig each knocking home a pair.
The teams return to Baltimore. And it seems that the season-clinching has an effect on the Orioles. The bottom drops out and they lose all five games at Camden Yards. The 1st of the losses is a hard-fought beauty, going into the 10th a scoreless tie. For Baltimore only Steve Brodie gets as far as 2nd, with a 2nd inning double. Bob Meusel manages two singles. His 2nd comes in the top of the 10th and delivers the Babe with the game-winner.
Earle Combs knocks home six the next day, the 2nd time he’s done it (he also plated eight once). The Kentuckian also smacks his 23rd three-bagger, tying his 1927 AL-leading total. The Yanks win going away, 16-6. Bob Meusel knocks home two, giving him 101, and making him the 4th Yankee to surpass the century mark, after Gehrig, Ruth and Lazzeri.
140 games. Yankees record 83-57.
Batting Leaders:
Batting Average – Gehrig (NY) .357, Ruth (NY) .356, Kelley (Balt.) .347, Combs (NY) .344.
Slugging Average – Gehrig (NY) .710, Ruth (NY) .650, Combs (NY) .489.
Home Runs – Gehrig (NY) 37, Ruth (NY) 36, Collins (NY) and Jennings (Balt.) 4.
RBI – Gehrig (NY) 174, Ruth (NY) 133, Brouthers (Balt.) 122, Brodie (Balt.) 109.
Stolen Bases – McGraw (Balt.) 81, Kelley (Balt.) and Brodie (Balt.) 45.
Triples – Combs (NY) 23, Gehrig (NY) 13.
Game 143. Yankee Stadium.
Waite Hoyt could use today’s game to vindicate himself. But the long time ace and later beloved broadcaster of the Cincinnati Reds is magnanimous. “These guys are great. I’m proud to have played on the same field with them.” And Hoyt nods toward the Baltimore visitors’ bench.
The Yanks have just shellacked the Orioles 18-1… without the help of a single home run. Combs tripled twice. Koenig and Meusel also hit three-baggers. Meusel cracks out five hits and Combs four. Pat Collins leads the parade with 4 RBI. Lazzeri and Mark Koenig each plate 3 more. And Waite Hoyt goes seven solid innings to put his record at 14-9.
The next day, still at Yankee Stadium, Baltimore jumps all over Urban Shocker to the tune of 10 hits and seven runs in four innings. Kelley and Brodie each drive in 3. But the 5’4” 140 lb. Willie Keeler, a Brooklyn native and former New York Highlander, gets an immense ovation from the NY crowd when he doubles home McGraw and becomes the 3rd Oriole to reach 100 RBI. The Orioles win 11-3.
Game 145 features six Yankees triples, including Combs’ 26th and 27th. But Baltimore piles up 14 runs to outslug NY 14-10. Joe Kelley gets 4 hits. Six different Orioles drive home runs to help win their 60th game.
Back in Baltimore Kelley continues whipping his hot bat. Three hits and four driven lead Baltimore to an 18-8 laugher. Brodie drives home three and swipes his 47th base. On the losing end Yankee leadoff man Earle Combs slams three triples and a double, driving in three. He now has 30 three-baggers and 91 RBI.
Game 147 is Kid Gleason’s finest day in a fine year. He gives up a single to Bob Meusel in the 4th… and that’s all! He drives in two himself, one more than needed as he coasts to an 11-0 win. In going the distance the Kid needs only 85 pitches to throttle the Murderers’ Row.
Game 151. Yankee Stadium. As each Baltimore Orioles hitter came to bat for the 1st time in the game, they were accorded long, loud ovations from the partisan New York crowd. Most of the players were slightly startled, but each tipped his cap in a return of salute. Baltimore wins a lively game 12-10 as Hughie Jennings becomes the 3rd Orioles hitter to reach 100 RBI.
Game 153. Camden Yards.
Waite Hoyt completes his comeback, upping his record to 15-9, allowing just one run in five innings as the Yanks win 4-1. Then, before the final game:
“What do I think about playing the 1894 Orioles?” Says Waite Hoyt. “I think we’re gonna annihilate them.”
Before the final game, at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Waite Hoyt wears not his New York Yankee road gray flannels, but a suit and tie. He appears much older. He carries a microphone as he stands in front of the Yankee dugout.
“Ladies and Gentlemen!” Said the man behind the microphone, broadcaster Waite Hoyt. “Please welcome one more time… one of the greatest teams ever to take the field… your 1894 Champions… the great Baltimore Orioles!”
The Orioles take the field for the final time. The fans stand and give a long, loud ovation that lasts for several minutes. At 3rd, McGraw tips his cap at the crowd. Then he points it at Hoyt and winks. Hoyt nods and grins. And the crowd of 40,000 continues to cheer their heroes.
154 games Final Records
Yankees 89-65
PLAYER….BA/SA……HR…..RBI….....SB
Combs....... .351/.516.... 7 HR.....97 RBI (33 3B)
Ruth.......... .345/.621.... 37....... 138
Gehrig....... .371/.718.... 39....... 188
Meusel...... .326/.475...... 2....... 118...... 17
Lazzeri...... .303/.412...... 3....... 118...... 30
Collins..... 6 HR 93 RBI
McGraw..... .303/.364..... 0 HR..49 RBI... 87 SB
Keeler........ .302/.394..... 3...... 106.......... 37
Kelley........ .351/.457..... 0........ 98.......... 51
Brouthers... .283/.432.... 1....... 133......... 36
Jennings..... .311/.386.... 4....... 100......... 40
Brodie........ .354/.431.... 1....... 123......... 50
Friday, September 2, 2011
1927 Yanks - 1894 Boston Beaneaters!
1927 New York Yankees
You know who they are!
1894 Boston Beaneaters
83-49 (.629) 3rd NL
Scored 1220 runs 1st NL
103 Home Runs 1st NL
272 Doubles 1st NL
.331 Batting Avg 3rd NL
.401 OnBase Pct 3rd NL
.484 Slugging Avg 1st NL
3 Hall of Famers:
-Tommy McCarthy .292 lifetime BA
-Hugh Duffy .440 highest single season BA (.438 at the time)
-Kid Nichols 361-208 (.634) 2.96 ERA; 329-183 (.643) 3.00 with Boston
Seven time 30 game winner.
Eleven time 20 game winner
Kid Nichols left the big leagues and bought a percentage of the minor league Kansas City franchise in 1902, and left MLB to manage and pitch for them in 1902-03. Nichols won 48 games in the two seasons there before returning to MLB in 1904, where he won 21 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Therefore it is possible, and indeed likely, that had Kid played in the majors in 1902-03, he would have won 400 games. Looking further at his stats and bio at baseball-reference.com, the Wisconsin-born (British Columbia) Kid evidently discovered Kansas City and developed an abiding, lasting affection for that midwestern town. He debutted there in 1888 as an 18-year old. The Kid went 16-2 with a 1.14 ERA for the Kansas City Blues. Then after taking a brief hiatus to win 329 games over a brilliant 12-year career, the Kid, still only 32, came home to KC. He managed the single-A team, now called the Blue Stockings for two seasons. He also managd to go 47-19 on the mound, hurling 595 innings.
After his return to the bigs at St. Louis and Philadelphia, and a final stop in Pueblo, Colorado, Nichols apparently returned to KC... he passed away there a good long time later (1953).
Boston’s South End Grounds
LF 255 LCF 445 CF 440 RCF 440 RF 255
Boston’s South End Grounds was a miniature Polo Grounds. The fences were extremely close down the foul lines and then dropping quickly back to cavernous power alleys and a deep centerfield.
Bobby Lowe 5-10 150 lb.
1894 17 HR 115 RBI .346 AVG.
May 30, 1894 became 1st player in MLB history to hit 4 HR in one game. Bobby was the leadoff hitter; went 5 for 6 with 6 RBI. Two Hr came in a Boston 9 run 3rd inning. Boston won 20-11. Kid Nichols went the distance, scattering 14 hits and 11 runs to beat Cincinnati. Lowe’s HRs came in 4 consecutive at-bats.
This feat would not be duplicated until June 3, 1932, by Lou Gehrig.
Hugh Duffy 5-7 168 lb.
1894 18 HR 145 RBI .440 AVG.
51 2B 16 3b 48 SB.
Simply one of the greatest seasons of all time. Led NL in hits, doubles, HRs, On-Base-plus-Slugging, and of course, Batting Average.
You know who they are!
1894 Boston Beaneaters
83-49 (.629) 3rd NL
Scored 1220 runs 1st NL
103 Home Runs 1st NL
272 Doubles 1st NL
.331 Batting Avg 3rd NL
.401 OnBase Pct 3rd NL
.484 Slugging Avg 1st NL
3 Hall of Famers:
-Tommy McCarthy .292 lifetime BA
-Hugh Duffy .440 highest single season BA (.438 at the time)
-Kid Nichols 361-208 (.634) 2.96 ERA; 329-183 (.643) 3.00 with Boston
Seven time 30 game winner.
Eleven time 20 game winner
Kid Nichols left the big leagues and bought a percentage of the minor league Kansas City franchise in 1902, and left MLB to manage and pitch for them in 1902-03. Nichols won 48 games in the two seasons there before returning to MLB in 1904, where he won 21 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Therefore it is possible, and indeed likely, that had Kid played in the majors in 1902-03, he would have won 400 games. Looking further at his stats and bio at baseball-reference.com, the Wisconsin-born (British Columbia) Kid evidently discovered Kansas City and developed an abiding, lasting affection for that midwestern town. He debutted there in 1888 as an 18-year old. The Kid went 16-2 with a 1.14 ERA for the Kansas City Blues. Then after taking a brief hiatus to win 329 games over a brilliant 12-year career, the Kid, still only 32, came home to KC. He managed the single-A team, now called the Blue Stockings for two seasons. He also managd to go 47-19 on the mound, hurling 595 innings.
After his return to the bigs at St. Louis and Philadelphia, and a final stop in Pueblo, Colorado, Nichols apparently returned to KC... he passed away there a good long time later (1953).
Boston’s South End Grounds
LF 255 LCF 445 CF 440 RCF 440 RF 255
Boston’s South End Grounds was a miniature Polo Grounds. The fences were extremely close down the foul lines and then dropping quickly back to cavernous power alleys and a deep centerfield.
Bobby Lowe 5-10 150 lb.
1894 17 HR 115 RBI .346 AVG.
May 30, 1894 became 1st player in MLB history to hit 4 HR in one game. Bobby was the leadoff hitter; went 5 for 6 with 6 RBI. Two Hr came in a Boston 9 run 3rd inning. Boston won 20-11. Kid Nichols went the distance, scattering 14 hits and 11 runs to beat Cincinnati. Lowe’s HRs came in 4 consecutive at-bats.
This feat would not be duplicated until June 3, 1932, by Lou Gehrig.
Hugh Duffy 5-7 168 lb.
1894 18 HR 145 RBI .440 AVG.
51 2B 16 3b 48 SB.
Simply one of the greatest seasons of all time. Led NL in hits, doubles, HRs, On-Base-plus-Slugging, and of course, Batting Average.
1927 Yanks Visit Gaslamp District
Find 1894 to their liking
The 1927 Yankees play the 1894 Phillies, the 1894 Orioles, and the 1894 Boston Beaneaters for a full 154 game season. Though the Phillies were the best offensive group of the time, they only finished 4th in the NL that year. The Original Baltimore Orioles won the pennant with a late season charge, led by Hall-of-Famers Willie Keeler, John McGraw and Dan Brouthers. The Orioles edged the New York Giants, for whom the feisty McGraw would achieve his greatest fame and success. In 3rd landed the Boston Beaneaters, who had been the three-time (1891-93) defending league champs. The Bean town Bunch had three Hall of Famers, Tommy McCarthy, Hugh Duffy and Kid Nichols. They also had Bobby Lowe, who if not a Hall-of-Famer, enjoyed a long, fine career, and a Hall-of-Fame day.
1894 was a historic year. The pitching distance had just been reset at 60 feet 6 inches for the first time... it had been 50 feet up until the year before. As you might expect, there was a huge uptick in offense... the league average was a hefty .309 after hovering in the mid .250s the previous three years. Only two teams posted team ERAs below 5.00. The Giants at 3.82 led by a full run over Cleveland (4.97), who finished 6th with some big fella named Cy Young.
Baseball as a major professional institution was still finding and defining itself. There had been two major leagues for ten years, with the American Association battling it out from 1882 to 1891. While researching this era, by the way, I discovered that the city of Boston enjoyed TWO champions, as the Boston Reds (AA) and the Beaneaters (NL) each won their league pennants! Sadly, I cannot find any record of the two teams squaring off after the regular season. I will keep looking. Or perhaps I will match them up myself in a Mac's Legendary Baseball all-Boston championship!
Note: Stats and league standings are found at baseball-reference.com, an outstanding online encyclopedia.
The 1927 Yankees play the 1894 Phillies, the 1894 Orioles, and the 1894 Boston Beaneaters for a full 154 game season. Though the Phillies were the best offensive group of the time, they only finished 4th in the NL that year. The Original Baltimore Orioles won the pennant with a late season charge, led by Hall-of-Famers Willie Keeler, John McGraw and Dan Brouthers. The Orioles edged the New York Giants, for whom the feisty McGraw would achieve his greatest fame and success. In 3rd landed the Boston Beaneaters, who had been the three-time (1891-93) defending league champs. The Bean town Bunch had three Hall of Famers, Tommy McCarthy, Hugh Duffy and Kid Nichols. They also had Bobby Lowe, who if not a Hall-of-Famer, enjoyed a long, fine career, and a Hall-of-Fame day.
1894 was a historic year. The pitching distance had just been reset at 60 feet 6 inches for the first time... it had been 50 feet up until the year before. As you might expect, there was a huge uptick in offense... the league average was a hefty .309 after hovering in the mid .250s the previous three years. Only two teams posted team ERAs below 5.00. The Giants at 3.82 led by a full run over Cleveland (4.97), who finished 6th with some big fella named Cy Young.
Baseball as a major professional institution was still finding and defining itself. There had been two major leagues for ten years, with the American Association battling it out from 1882 to 1891. While researching this era, by the way, I discovered that the city of Boston enjoyed TWO champions, as the Boston Reds (AA) and the Beaneaters (NL) each won their league pennants! Sadly, I cannot find any record of the two teams squaring off after the regular season. I will keep looking. Or perhaps I will match them up myself in a Mac's Legendary Baseball all-Boston championship!
Note: Stats and league standings are found at baseball-reference.com, an outstanding online encyclopedia.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
1922 STL Browns vs 1932 NY Yanks
The 1922 Browns.
All but forgotten. For most of the Browns' existence in the Gateway to the West they were doormats. In 1933 they managed to draw 88,113 fans... all year long. Of course they managed to finish last. The following season, perhaps aided by the hire of Rogers Hornsby to manage, they drew 115,305 to Sportsman's Park. Hornsby, who by this time was a 38-year old part timer, must have looked around and thought, "We drew more than this when we beat the Yanks in the '26 Series!"
Sadly, that hadn't always been the case. Sadly it is largely forgotten that the 1926 World Championship won by the St. Louis Cardinals represented a changing of the guard in the Gateway city. The Browns had been the class of Sportsman's Park... in fact it had been their park... the Cards were mere tenants.
The 1922 Browns may well have been the best edition in their 50-year history. Certainly they must have been one of the most exciting teams in St. Louis baseball history. They led the AL in Runs, Batting Average, Triples, Stolen Bases, and slugging.
Who were these battling batsmen? Well, one was Hall of Famer George Sisler, who only hit a spectacular .420, swiped 51 bases and pounded out 246 hits. Backing his play was right-fielder Ken Williams, major league baseball's first '30-30' man... 39 HR, 37 Stolen Bases, 155 RBI, and a neat .332 Average. Center-fielder Baby Doll Jacobson hit .317 with 102 ribbies. And completing the STL outfield was St. Louis native and lifetime resident Jack Tobin. Though only 5-foot-8 and 142 pounds, Jack bunted, slapped and punched the ball around at a .331 clip. The Browns had two .300-hitting catchers: Hank Severeid (.321) and future Yankee Pat Collins (.307). Second sacker Marty McManus hit .312.
Now...You might say they played in a hitters' park and you'd be correct. But then you'd have to tip your cap to the Brown's pitching staff, who led the AL in team ERA, and finished 2nd in fewest runs allowed, behind only the AL champion NY Yankees, who edged them by a mere two runs... and a mere one game in the final standings. Heading up the pitching staff was none other than right-handed ace Urban Shocker, another future Yankee who won 24 games for the '22 Browns. And right behind Shocker was another right-hander, Elam Vangilder. Elam, from nearby Cape Girardeau, Mo., went 19-13 with a good 3.42 ERA for 245 innings. Perhaps even more impressively, Elam smacked the ball around himself, to the tune of a .344 clip, an on-base mark of .396 and a .559 slugging mark... 10 doubles, 2 triples and two homers in only 93 at-bats!
1922 Browns take on 1932 Yankees!
The successful World Championship drive of the 1932 Yankees is primarily remembered today for one singular event. Did the Babe point? Did he call his shot? Did he the line a Charlie Root pitch far into the center field bleachers at Wrigley Field? Well, we know he did the last of the three. We know he made some gestures of some kind. And we know (or we should), that Lou Gehrig followed the Bambino with a four-bagger of his own as the Yankees took control of the '32 Series, winning the third of what would be a four game sweep - and 12 game World Series winning streak dating back to the 1927 and 1928 Series sweeps of the Pirates and Cardinals.
The 1932 Yanks are a team in transition. The Babe's historic home run would be his last shot at October glory. The end for George Herman is clearly in view. And the game he changed with his powerful swing was in transition too. The 1932 Yankees scored more runs than the 1927 bunch - over a thousand. But the rest of baseball was catching onto and catching up to the ways of the power-hitting Yankees. Jimmie Foxx had slammed 58 homers just that season for the Philadelphia Athletics, who themselves had won three American League pennants (1929-31), supplanting the Murderer's row. The Cubs themselves had featured Hack Wilson during that same three year stretch. Hack had hacked National League pitchers for 56 homers and 191 RBIs in 1930, and was helped by slugging artists such as catcher Gabby Hartnett and veteran Rogers Hornsby, who had set a new NL single season home run record (42) in 1922.
So while the Yanks were still a magnificent offensive machine, they no longer could bomb opponents into submission. They had company in the long-ball department now. Joe McCarthy had taken over as skipper. He was in the middle of turning the Yanks into a team of efficient technicians who could beat teams with speed, defense, pitching, and heads-up play. The raucous squad of the twenties would give way to the strong, silent types that Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller and Tommy Henrich would embody. One of those strong, silent types, the Iron Horse, enjoyed one of the greatest days in baseball history on June 3rd of '32... lining four homers in his first four at-bats against the defending AL Champion Philadelphia A's at Shibe Park. Typically, Lou's great day was overshadowed by the resignation of New York Giants manager John McGraw after a 30-year run.
Here in Mac's Legendary Baseball, the 1922 St. Louis Browns have challenged the 1932 Yankees. Two powerful top-to-bottom line-ups are going to square off for a full 154 game tilt. Pitchers take cover!
Yanks Romp in St. Louis Home Opener!
The Bronx Bombers descend on the gateway city. And the Babe, who hit 3 home runs in two separate World Series games at Sportsman's Park, nearly does it again here. He jacks two bombs over the right field pavilion. His second four-bagger is a grand slam during a 6-run 8th inning, putting an exclamation point on a 14-3 Yankee romp. The Yanks had scored seven before the Browns' second at-bat, shelling their once and future teammate Urban Shocker. Lefty Gomez coasted with the huge cushion, scattering nine hits and going the distance. Ruth led the way with six ribbies. Frank Crosetti chipped in with five hits and three RBIs of his own.
But the Browns are not going anywhere. In a sign of things to come they bounce right back in game two. Elam Vangilder bests Yankees righty Red Ruffing as STL wins 6-3. Vangilder not only goes the route and holds the Yanks to three, he knocks home three himself. Two more runs are provided by an unlikely source when tiny Jack Tobin, the Browns 142-pound leadoff man and left-fielder, homers. Game three finds power from yet another unusual source. Yankee third baseman Joe Sewell, a robust 155-pounder himself, pounds two homers himself. Tony Lazzeri clears the bases with a 3-run triple in a 7-run 4th as the Yanks win 10-3. The Yanks win the fourth game 4-3 as Ruth and Sewell both homer. But game five is the best of the opening 5-game series. The Browns win a ten inning battle 10-9. Both squads go through several pitchers, but it's St. Louis starter Elam Vangilder, coming to the hill in the 10th for emergency relief, who picks up his 2nd win of the young season. Ken Williams, baseball's first 30-30 man, shows his skills, stealing a base, homering, and driving in five of the ten St. Louis runs. Though the Yanks head to Yankee Stadium with a 3-2 record, the Browns have served notice to all that the teams are in a dogfight.
Browns take four of five in the Bronx!
Yanks lone win in NY features homers from Ruth and Sewell again. The mighty Babe and the mighty mite Joe Sewell each hit their 4th long ball of the season in their 9th game, a 14-7 win. For Ruth this is not news. But for the diminutive Sewell, a fine hitter but not known as a slugger, the sudden power surge proves amusing to everybody - including Wheeler Joe. A Hall-of-Famer with a .312 lifetime average, Sewell was famous for not striking out... make that nearly never striking out. Sewell struck out only three times in 1932. That's not a misprint. Three times all year! Honesty compels me to say that I just double-checked that stat at Baseball-Reference.com, because though I knew it to be true, it's still unbelievable! While I had Sewell's page opened I happened to notice that Joe enjoyed his career high in home runs in 1932, slamming 11 of his 49 lifetime long one's that year! Think about that! Eleven homers and only three strikeouts! Joe retired after the following season with a .391 on-base percentage and only 114 strikeouts in 1903 games, and was a World Series winner with the 1920 Cleveland Indians as well as the 1932 Yankees.
But that game 9 win was New York's only triumph during opening week in the Bronx. St. Louis swept three, then took the getaway game (The teams play alternating 5-games series at each park). Urban Shocker gets some revenge in game 6, beating Lefty Gomez 11-4. Jack Tobin and STL second-sacker Marty McManus get three hits apiece. Elam Vangilder wins his 3rd in game 7, and collects his 4th RBI as well as the Browns win 9-5. The Browns win their 2nd 10-inning tilt in game 8. Elam Vangilder again comes on late and is the winner (his 4th!) as the Browns score three in the top of the 10th to win it 9-6. Baby Doll Jacobson, the Browns' center fielder does the heavy lifting with five driven in as he hits his first homer. Game ten brings an 11-0 white-washing by the Browns. Urban Shocker, who actually won 24 in 1922 (and would win 18 with the famous '27 Yanks), goes the route, scatters six singles, and goes 2-1 on the young season. Incidentally, his battery-mate for game ten is Pat Collins, who also would play for that 1927 Yankee team. Here, Collins helps Shocker by plating three of the 11 runs, banging out three hits and his first home run. In fact, Collins is a bit bemused as he circles the bases on his long ball, as the New York fans oddly cheer him.
After ten games the Yanks have four wins and the Brownies six. Tony Lazzeri leads the Yanks with 12 RBIs. Ruth has 10 in ten games. Joe Sewell leads the Yanks with a .381 batting average and is second with 11. As mentioned, Ruth and Sewell are in an unlikely tie for the team lead in home runs (4). But Kenny Williams leads everybody with 5 round trippers and 16 RBIs. He's slugging the ball at a torrid .800 clip. Pat Collins has 2 homers and 7 RBIs in only five starts. Browns' manager Lee Fohl has an enviable problem... finding playing time for two .300 hitting catchers.
Ten Run 3rd Powers Bombers past Browns
Gehrig drives in four to lead Yanks to 14-2 win.
After eighteen games the two teams are tied at 9 wins apiece. Upon returning to St. Louis the Yanks took three of five. Game 12 gave the fans of the Gateway City a lot to cheer about though, with the Browns thrashing the New Yorkers 17-7. The Yanks scored four in the first. STL answers with eight as tiny Jack Tobin goes two-for two with a 2-run homer, all in the first. Ken Williams also homers in the 2nd, doubles in the 7th and drives in five for the game. Williams continues his hot hitting in game 15, homering twice and knocking in six. Elam Vangilder wins his fifth against no losses as the Browns prevail 13-11, going back to NY with an 8-7 record. The Yanks take 2 of 3 to even the season.
STL - 0 0 1 o o o 1 0 0 - 2 8 1
NY - 1 2 10 0 0 1 0 0 x- 14 14 2
Red Ruffing not only went eight strong innings (one earned run on seven hits), he went three-for-three at the plate and knocked in two. The Iron Horse went deep in the ten-run 2nd, bringing Ruth home with him. Gehrig singled in two more later in the inning. Ruth and Bill Dickey each scored twice in the inning and each drove in two. The Yanks took game 20 (9-6) as well to end the home stand with an 11-9 record.
After 20 games Joe Sewell still leads all hitters at .373, with George Sisler right behind at .371. Sewell's 23 RBIs tie him with Bill Dickey for 2nd on the club. Dickey is also hitting .364. The Babe's nine homers and 26 RBIs lead the Yanks. But Ken Williams is right behind him with 8 long balls and he leads everybody with 29 ribbies in just 20 games.
Yanks 17-13 after 30 games
Babe homers five times in last ten.
Ben Chapman comes alive. After 20 games the Yankee left-fielder had been hitting a robust .220 with only four RBIs. McCarthy had been putting in Myril Hoag, who responded with a .386 mark and 7 RBIs in spot duty. But Big Ben wakes up. In the five games at Sportsman's Park (games 21-25) he goes 12 for 20 with 20 total bases and 9 RBIs. Then in game 29 in the Bronx, hitting in the eight-hole, Ben goes five-for-five with two doubles, a home run, a stolen base and three driven in as the Yanks coast, 12-5. Johnny Allen improves his record to 6-1 as the Yanks improve theirs to 17-12.
Game 24 Sportsman's Park St. Louis
NY - 2 4 4 2 3 0 1 0 2 - 18 26 1
STL - 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 7 12 1
Each team continues to flex their muscles. Game 24 in St. Louis sees the Yanks score in each of the first five innings to pull away early, winning 18-7. Ruth homers in the 1st and 2nd innings for five of the Yanks first six runs. Ken Williams hits a 3-run double in the bottom of the 2nd to pull the Browns within one, 6-5. But the Yanks bat around in the third and batter St. Louis pitching in the 4th and 5th to take a commanding lead even the Browns cannot overcome.
Game 26 Yankee Stadium, New York
STL - 0 5 0 0 1 7 3 0 0 - 16 23 0
NY - 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 7 11 3
The Browns return the favor, pulling within two games of the Yanks before a crowd of 47,345 in the Bronx. Second baseman Marty McManus homers in the 3rd and drives in six for the game. The Browns pound NY pitching for 23 safeties. Hall of Famer George Sisler collects four while McManus, Baby Doll Jacobson and Ken Williams get three apiece.
The Yanks shrug it off and win three straight before bowing in the series finale. During the most recent ten game stretch (games 21-30). Ben Chapman has seen his average rise from .220 to .333, and his RBI total rise from 4 to 18. Chappie went five-for-five with two doubles and a home run in game 29, a 12-5 win for Johnny Allen (6-1, 4.63 ERA). Ken Williams still paces everybody with 44 RBIs. The Babe is right behind with 42, and pulls ahead in the HR department with 15. Dickey and Sewell continue being highly productive with 33 and 32 RBIs respectively.
The two squads split the next ten, leaving the 1932 Yanks 22-18 after 40 games.
PLAYER BA SA HR RBI
Combs .322 .461 4 31
Chapman .348 .561 3 28
Ruth .282 .685 18 49
Gehrig .365 .577 6 31
Lazzeri .349 .556 3 36
Dickey .366 .552 6 45
Crosetti .264 .374 1 27
Sewell .345 .503 6 43
Hoag .368 .447 0 14
Tobin .372 .543 4 27
McManus .361 .518 5 30
Sisler .376 .525 1 29
Williams .312 .611 12 52
Jacobson .313 .469 3 40
Severeid .245 .336 1 18
Collins .268 .549 6 14
The St. Louis fans are not discouraged by the four game deficit. All of the seats in Sportsman's park were sold out for the entire five game set. A total of 121,435 tickets for the five game set, including thousands of standing room only, were sold before the two teams took the field for game 41.
And the fans were rewarded. The Browns swept five straight, in dominating fashion. They outscored the Yankees 65-22! Johnny Allen drops to 7-3 in the 41st. Ken Williams and Baby Doll Jacobson collect three safeties apiece to lead St. Louis to a 7-3 win. The next day Jacobson's four hits trump Ruth's 19th home run. Williams goes one-for-six but his one is big, a three run blast as the Browns prevail 13-6 in Game 42.
Game 43: The Browns smash the Yankees 17-3. Elam Vangilder wins his 7th. He also doubles twice, scores twice and drives home three, all in the 2nd and 3rd innings as he helps his teammates build an 11-0 lead. Tobin, Sisler and Williams each drive in four.
Browns and Yanks: 22 and 22!
Game 44 Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
NY - 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 0 - 7 19 0
STL - 3 0 0 1 0 12 0 0 0 - 16 4 2
With the game tied 4-4 in the 6th, two singles and a walk load the bases with Browns. Manager Lee Fohl sends up Pat Collins to pinch-hit. Collins bounces one to third. Joe Sewell snares it and fires home for the force-out. But then 5'8" lead-off man Jack Tobin comes to the plate. He works the count full, fouling off several George Pipgras fastballs, before Pipgras finally misses high with ball four, forcing in the go-ahead run. As often happens with a bases loaded walk, the floodgates open. The Browns bat around. Jack Tobin comes to bat a second time, again with the bases full of teammates. Two are out. The score is now 12-4. This time reliever Hank Johnson challenges the diminutive St. Louis native. This time Tobin thrills 22,000 fellow St. Louis natives by lining an outside fastball over the left-center field fence 388 feet away for a grand slam. The final score: 16-7.
After the 16-7 drubbing in Game 44, the Browns finish the carnage with a 12-3 win in Game 45. Pat Collins, who has been a heavy hitter in a limited role, comes off the bench and pinch-hits a grand slam home run.
Browns Take Three More At Yankee Stadium
Run Win Streak To Eight
The 1922 Brownies have gone from four under to four over. Urban Shocker ups his record to 7-4 with eight strong innings in game 46. Ken Williams' 15th homer, a 2-run shot, leads the way to a 6-4 win. St. Louis wins 10-8 the next day with catcher Hank Severeid driving in three. In game 48 it's Baby Doll Jacobson with three RBIs, and three hits... a single, double and triple as the Browns win their eighth straight, 8-5. In the eight game skein the Browns outscore the Yanks by a total of 89-39.
The Yanks finally break through in game 49, winning 3-1. Johnny Allen wins his eighth against only four losses. But St. Louis comes right back on getaway day, winning 9-4 as Urban Shocker, now 8-4, again bests Lefty Gomez. Ken Williams hits his 16th homer and plates four runs.
The Babe Homers Three Times (Game 52) Display reminiscent of 1926 and 1928 World Series.
"We got beat by the best," says Ken Williams, the actual American League HR and RBI champ in 1922. "Not just the best today, or the best on either squad. The best any of us will ever hope to see."
Game 53. Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Yanks wake up this day 23-28. Ken Williams has 16 HRs and 73 RBIs in 52 games. His HR total is second only to the Bambino thus far. His RBIs lead everybody. He's hitting .322 and slugging .628. The Babe, 37-years old, is outslugging the St. Louis outfielder with a robust .638 mark. But the aging Yankee right-fielder is batting just .274, the lowest mark in the New York line-up.
First inning: The Babe swings a tad late and smacks a Dix Davis fastball 378 feet to left field for 2-run homer, giving the Yanks a 2-0 lead before the St. Louis fans have settled in their seats.
Second inning: The Bambino times a Davis fastball perfectly this time, lining it 456 feet to dead center. His grand slam puts the Yanks on top 7-3 and drives Davis from the game.
Fourth inning: Leading off against lefty Dave Danforth, Ruth drives a curve to deepest left-center. The St. Louis fans jump to their feet and roar as the ball heads for the fence. But Baby Doll Jacobson also heads there and runs the drive down at the wall, 390 feet away.
Sixth inning: After a Joe Sewell line drive double to left, Babe drives a shot to deep center. Jacobson again gets a great jump and glides straight back. But this time he runs out of room. He has to pull up and watch Babe's 3rd homer land 441 feet from home plate. The score is 10-4 in favor of New York. The Babe has driven home 8 of the ten Yankee tallies.
Eighth inning: Ruth grounds out to second, the only time he would not hit the ball hard all day. The Browns fans, believing this to be the Babe's final at bat, accord the Babe a long, loud standing ovation. He grins and tips his cap several times.
Ninth inning: The Browns have battled back as they have done all year. The Yanks lead is cut to 10-7 coming into the top of the 9th. The Yanks respond by sending ten men to bat to salt the game away. Ruth scorches a line drive single to right, driving home Earle Combs. It's the Babe's 9th RBI and the Yanks' 14th and final run. They win 14-7. The Babe's big day gives him 22 HRs and 63 RBI in 52 games. He totals 13 bases for the game.
The Browns get right off that mat the next day, Game 53, pounding Yankee starter Johnny Allen and several relievers for a 16-8 win. Future Yankee catcher Pat Collins gets a rare start and homers twice. He thrills St. Louisians with a 3-run inside the park job in the 4th. Then he homers over the left-centerfield wall with one on in the 5th.
The Bambino homers twice in Game 54, a wild 14-10 win. Ruth pounds out four hits and totals 10 bases, the second time in three days he hits double figures. The Babe's 2nd bomb increases the Yankee lead to 11-3, seemingly securing the game. Ken Williams ignites a St. Louis comeback in the 7th with a 2-run homer. The Browns get to within three runs before falling short, reminding everybody that no lead is safe.
Urban Shocker wins his 10th in Game 55, a 11-6 Browns win. Ken Williams hits his 18th HR. Pat Collins continues to steal more playing time and make the most of it, doubling twice and raising his average to .304.
Babe Ruth hits his 25th home run in game 56 as NY prevails 12-7 to climb back within 4 games of STL at 26-30. Over the last 5 games, the 37-year-old veteran has caught fire, going 13 for 25 with 6 HR and 17 RBIs and 31 Total Bases. Over the same stretch, STL second-string catcher Pat Collins is 10 for 22 with 22 total bases (1.000 Slugging Percentage) and 10 RBIs.
Game 58: Yankee Stadium. The Yanks trail 4-2 in the 9th. Bill Baynes opens things by walking Ben Chapman. STL Mgr Lee Fohl does a slow burn and gets Dave Danforth to start loosening up. Bayne immediately fires a wild pitch, and Chapman takes 2nd. Chapman’s run of course, is meaningless by itself. Frank Crosetti then grounds to 1B. Pinch hitter Myril Hoag, batting .343, then takes strike three for the 2nd out. Then, in a move second-guessers delight in, Fohl relieves Bayne with Danforth, setting up a lefty-lefty confrontation with leadoff man Earle Combs. Combs is hitting .320 but is hitless in 4 tries. An opposite field hitter, Combs slices one down the LF line that bounces over the low fence for a ground-rule double, scoring Chapman. Then, another lefty, Joe Sewell, having a monster year with a .330 average and 54 RBI, picks up number 55… a big one, singling in Combs with the tying run. The Bambino then bounces to second to send it to overtime… where the Iron Horse takes care of things, hitting a fly down the RF line that lands in the bleachers. It’s only a 311 foot HR, but it’s a game winner, and the NY crowd goes nuts.
The Browns take the next two, however, leaving the Bronx with a 33-27 record. The Yanks have dropped 6 of 10, but the Babe sure did his part, slamming seven homers, driving home 21, and raising his fom .274 to .302. At the 60 game mark Ruth has a huge lead in home runs (26), with Ken Williams, the only other hitter in double figures, a distant second (19). The Browns' CF leads everybody with 86 RBI, with the Babe second (75). George Sisler is the hitting leader, though his .383 mark is far off his historic 1922 mark of .420.
Game 62. Elam Vangilder of Cape Girardeau, Mo. has himself a day!
NYY - 2 4 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 - 11 18 2
STL - 1 0 1 5 1 1 7 0 x - 16 18 0
Elam Vangilder comes on in the 4th after starter Ray Kolp and reliever Dave Danforth both get shelled, giving up a total of 9 runs on 12 hits. He immediately surrenders two doubles and a single. The second double is to Lefty Gomez, one of the worst hitters of all time. It brings in Frank Crosetti, gives NY an 11-2 cushion, and leaves St. Louis for dead.
Except no one tells Elam. All he does is shut out the Yanks the rest of the way, yielding only 3 hits. He collects four hits himself, including three doubles. He scores three times, drives in another, and leads an amazing comeback as the Browns wind up thrashing Yankee pitching and winning 16-11.
Game 63. For the 2nd straight afternoon the Yanks jump out to a big lead, only to give it all back. In the 5th, Myril Hoag lines an Urban Shocker change-up over the LCF fence at Sportsman’s Park. It’s Hoag’s 1st HR of the year, a 3-run blast that gives the Yanks a 6-2 lead, chases Browns’ ace Urban Shocker, and gives one of the Yanks two aces, Red Ruffing a cushion to work with.
But by now everyone knows no cushion is comfortable if the Browns still have at-bats coming. Ken Williams erases the bulge with a 3-run blast in the 6th, a 431 ft bomb over the CF wall that closes the gap to 7-6. It stays that way until two out in the bottom of the 9th, when Pat Collins comes off the bench as he has all year, and once again torments his once and future teammates. He lines a double over Ruth’s head, scoring Eddie Foster and sending the game into overtime. wherewith George Sisler on 1st, Ken Williams lines one over Hoag in LF. Sisler tears all the way around the bases and beats Hoag’s throw home… beating the Yankees in the process.
The Browns win three straight at Yankee Stadium to go ten games over .500 for the first time (39-29). The Babe hits homers 27 and 28 in game 68. He drives in four. Gehrig plates three and Lazzeri two more. But it isn't enough as STL wins 14-11 behind a four hit day from 2B Marty McManus, who doubles twice and drives in three. The Yanks take the next two, with game 70 a wild 18-12 affair. Tony "Poosh-em-up" Lazzeri pushes home seven runs on two doubles and a triple, while the Bambino drives home five. Ruth's 86 RBI pace NY, but Ken Williams' three ribbies in a losing cause make him the 1st on either squad to top the 100 mark (101). Ken also hits his 25th homer in game 70, and trails the Babe by only three.
After 70 games, the Browns boast a 39-31 record against the 1932 World Champs.
PLAYER BA/SA HR RBI
Combs .319/.420 4 44
Chapman .282/.445 3 39 11SB
Ruth .307/.674 28 86
Gehrig .360/.560 9 57
Lazzeri .316/.515 6 66
Dickey .344/.507 10 66
Crosetti .276/.394 3 44
Sewell .327/.478 8 62
Hoag .345/.465 2 26
Tobin .360/.553 10 52
McManus .337/.497 9 58
Sisler .396/.539 1 57 17SB
Williams .339/.682 25 101 14SB
Jacobson .340/.467 4 74
Severeid .279/.355 1 29
Collins .317/.613 10 39
Games 71-80 see the 1922 St. Louis Browns extend their lead over the 1932 World Champs to ten games (45-35). In addition to the all .300-hitting outfield and Hall of Fame 1st sacker George Sisler, STL skipper has a pleasant dilemma... two hard hitting catchers in Hank Severeid and back-up Pat Collins. Both are now hitting .300. For Collins it's a loud .313 with 12 HRs and 44 RBI in only 163 at-bats. Collins is slugging .626, behind only Ken Williams (.669) and the Babe (.663). In an ironic twist, manager Fohl has started letting Collins start behind the dish when Urban Shocker (13-6) starts. Both future Yankees (1927 champs) succeed in tormenting their future teams. In a strange time-warp development, both are cheered warmly in Yankee Stadium, where it is 1932.
Game 83 sees the Bambino again shrug off his 37 years. He hits a pair of homers to put himself at 33, and his four RBI give him 102, the first Yankee (and 2nd after Ken Williams) to surpass the century mark. On the scoreboard though, it's the Browns on top, 8-7. Among the contributors is Pat Collins, coming off the bench to line a 2-run pinch-hit home run.
Game 84 is the Red Ruffing show at Sportsmans Park in St. Louis. Red has had a rough year. He's 7-11 with an ERA in the sixes. But today he lets all his frustation out. He goes the distance, fanning eight, and allowing only two earned runs. Ruffing also collects four hits, including two doubles, and drives home SEVEN in a 15-4 shellacking of the Brownies.
An even bigger shock occurs three games later (game 87) when Lefty Gomez, one of the worst hitters in baseball history, knocks home three himself, with two singles and a double to polish up his 12-1 complete game victory at Yankee Stadium.
But in game 90, it is once again the Babe: five hits, three leaving the yard, and seven driven home in a 14-3 Yankees romp. Ruth's second homer trifecta of the season puts his season total at 40.
Games 91-95 all take place in St. Louis. Sportsmans Park again is sold out long before the first pitch. And Browns fans are once again rewarded with a five game sweep. The Browns manhandle the Yanks by a combined 63-29 score. Manager Lee Fohl, riding a hot hand, starts Pat Collins all five games, and is heavily rewarded. Collins drives in a total of 23 runs in 6 games (including game 90 in NY). In game 94, Collins hits three homers and drives home eight in a 14-10 slugfest win. The next afternoon he doubles home two more and catches for fellow future Yankee Urban Shocker, who improves to 15-7 in an 8-5 STL win.
At this point the '22 Browns are 55-40. Even the Bambino begins to wonder if his squad can catch them. Then, when the teams move to the Bronx, drama in game 97. STL scores four runs in the first two frames. Tiny Jack Tobin lines his 11th homer down the right field line in the 2nd. It only flies 303 feet, but it's far enough to score two men ahead of him. Starter Dixie Davis makes the four run bulge stand up in a big way... no hitting the powerful Yankee line-up for seven innings. Then in the eighth, Davis puts skipper Lee Fohl in a untenable position. After retiring the first two hitters, Davis walks three consecutive men to bring the tying run to the plate... in Babe Ruth. Reluctantly, Fohl brings in Hub Pruett, who’s claim to fame in an otherwise mediocre career is his success against the Bambino. Pruett strikes out Ruth to retire side, and holds the Yankees hitless in the 9th to preserve the win, and the combined no-hitter.
After 100 Games STL holds a 56-44 lead in the win column.
PLAYER..... BA/SA HR RBI
Combs....... .308/.386 4 58
Sewell....... .317/.468 13 76
Ruth......... .337/.699 41 123
Gehrig...... .361/.550 12 76
Lazzeri..... .309/.484 7 86
Dickey...... .354/.528 16 97
Chapman. .296/.463 4 58 14SB
Crosetti.... .258/.366 4 55
Hoag........ .337/.455 3 37
Tobin........ .357/.534 11 80
McManus.. .317/.469 11 74
Sisler........ .385/.529 2 77 23SB
Williams.. .324/.651 33 132 21SB
Jacobson.. .336/.481 6 98
Severeid... .306/.420 2 37
Collins..... .315/.680 20 72 219AB
Unsung heroes: for the Yankees, Bill Dickey is quietly amassing a great season. His 97 RBI are second on the club to the Babe, as are his 16 HR. His .354 average is 2nd only to Gehrig's .361. Myril Hoag has also done a superb job spelling all three outfielders. He originally subbed for Chapman when Ben was scuffling early in the year. Then he spelled the aging Ruth in right-field as he often did in '32. And Marse Joe McCarthy decided to occasionally spell Combs in center as well, especially in STL's Sportsmans Park, which was much more favorable to Hoag's right-handed bat.
And of course, for STL, second-string catcher Pat Collins continues to rake the ball with astounding authority. Like many of the Browns, Collins is a local... born in Sweet Springs, Mo. A quick look at Collins' record at BaseballReference.com shows nothing that would warrant attention: a .254 lifetime average, 33 HR, 168 RBI over ten seasons and 543 games. But a closer look, at least at his offensive numbers suggest a smart, dangerous hitter. His lifetime on-base percentage was .378, and he topped the .400 mark four times. In his actual 1922 campaign his OPS was a gaudy .949. He belted 8 homers and drove in 23 in only 127 at-bats. Project that over a full season and we're into Johnny Bench-Mike Piazza-Gary Carter territory folks! Collins had several similar years, though none as shiny as 1922. Collins, of course, was a part of three pennant winning Murderers' Row teams, including two World Champions (1927-28). And the Yanks got his best... 3 years, 264 games, a .413 OBP and a .825 OPS. In 677 AB he belted 20 HR and collected 85 RBI... as a right-handed batter in the original Yankee Stadium (495 ft to dead center, 470 to left-center). I have no idea how good Collins was defensively. But he did catch 92 games for the '27 Yankee staff, which yielded the fewest runs in the AL.
How good was Pat Collins? Probably better than people think, maybe not as good as I think. But I've played literally thousands of simulated games with him in the line-up. And he's always a run-producer, either as a 1922 Brown or a 1926-28 Yankee. Indeed, whenever the 1922 Browns play, he excels as a starter AND a pinch-hitter. Note: I use SimMatchup Baseball by WhatIfSports. I set the starting line-ups as close as possible to the way they were. Same with the pitching rotations. But from there the computer takes over, and makes all substitutions, both hitting and pitching. So I can't send up Pat Collins to pinch-hit. But a computerized Lee Fohl/Miller Huggins can. And they do. Time and time again. And Collins comes through. Time and time again.
The Browns and Yankees play vitually even for the next 40 games. Unfortunately for New York, that's not good enough. It leaves them on the verge of losing the season... with 77 wins the Browns have clinches a tie. This despite another three home run game (game 119) by the Babe, his third. As a microcosm of the season, it comes in a 8-7 loss, with the Babe having driven home all seven Yankee runs. Two games later, Lou Gehrig equals the Bambino's production. He hits only one homer and a double, but each come with the bases full for 7 RBI in a 12-8 Yankee win in STL.
But Ken Williams keeps up his jackhammer production, driving home 29 in 24 games to help clinch the season for the Browns, which they do in Sportsmans Park (game 141), a 6-3 win.
140 Games Browns record 77-63
PLAYER..... BA/SA HR RBI
Combs..... .300/.398 7 79
Sewell..... .306/.427 14 88
Ruth....... .329/.665 53 166
Gehrig.... .338/.545 23 118
Lazzeri... .318/.499 12 114
Dickey.... .347/.520 20 127
Chapman .297/.472 6 87 19SB
Crosetti... .255/.371 6 82
Hoag....... .342/.459 3 46 231AB
Tobin...... .358/.524 14 102
McManus .314/.454 12 94
Sisler...... .387/.520 4 110 42SB
Williams .308/.600 41 173 28SB
Jacobson .321/.461 9 126
Severeid. .311/.434 3 50
Collins... .327/.643 24 92 300AB
Game 149. Yankee Stadium. The Browns lay a 10-0 whitewashing on the Yanks. Future Yankee Urban Shocker is masterful, scattering seven hits, going the distance, and raising his record to 21-13. Since it is 1932 in NY, he is amused as the Bronx crowd accords him warm ovations thoughout the afternoon. His batterymate Pat Collins is similarly amused. The partisan Yankee rooters cheer Collins as he doubles, homers and drives home four. This gives Collins 26 HR, 21 doubles and 100 RBI on the season... incredibly in only 335 at-bats. In the same game, Ken Williams steals his 30th sack. With his 45 HRs he this duplicates his 1922 feat, when he became baseball's first '30-30' man.
The Browns are 84-65 at this point. There are only five games left in this long decided season. Manager Lee Fohl magaimously asks Joe McCarthy if the Yanks would care to end the season after game 150, sparing a 'meaningless' trip back to St. Louis for a mere two games.
"Not a chance!" booms a rich baritone voice from across the Yankee clubhouse. Of course it's the Babe. McCarthy just grins. "You guys beat us fair and square. We gave you all we had. No one here is hanging his head. All the guys want to finish what we started."
The Babe punctuates his remarks in the second game in STL (game 152). With one out in the 1st the Bambino lines a 396 ft home run to left-centerfield. He circles the bases, a slight limp in his trot. The Sportsman’s Park crowd accord the aging slugger a long loud ovation. Gehrig, who would collect 4 hits himself, shakes the Babe’s hand as he crosses the plate.
“The season’s about over Babe? You’re hurting out there. Why don’t you give it a rest?” Huffing and puffing as he walks down the dugout, Ruth grins.
“I’ve had plenty of rest, kid! Two more games and I’ll get plenty more.”
The home run is Ruth's 56th, and the RBI his 175th. He's had a superb year. But like so many of his homers, it comes in a losing cause as Hub Pruitt, the southpaw screwball specialist who historically gave Ruth fits, picked up his tenth win against only two losses.
Not to imply that the Babe was a one man show. The 1932 Yanks were an offensive juggernaut, scoring over 1000 runs. And they are here. But the 1922 Browns were also a hitting machine, both then and now.
154 Games 69-85 (3-1)
Final Stats HR RBI
Combs...... .302/.398 7 79
Sewell....... .293/.409 15 95
Ruth......... .321/.645 56 176
Gehrig...... .342/.539 23 124
Lazzeri..... .317/.494 12 122
Dickey....... .335/.506 21 136
Chapman.. .311/.498 8 102 20SB
Crosetti..... .250/.373 7 90
Hoag.......... .342/.456 3 49 (263AB)
Tobin........ .360/.526 16 114
McManus.. .308/.443 12 99
Sisler........ .394/.527 6 119 45SB
Williams.. .313/.612 46 189 30SB
Jacobson.. .325/.468 10 137
Severeid... .314/.432 3 58
Collins..... .310/.618 26 100 (335AB)
The Yanks and Browns come back to NY to close out the long decided season. Before the 154th and final game they are surprised to see a throng of 71,000 at the Stadium. They are even more surprised at the long ovation they get when they take the field in the 1st inning. But as they look out at the flagpole out in CF, and see their 1932 World Championship banner fluttering just beneath Old Glory, the players get it. Some of them are seen wiping their eyes as the ovation goes past the five-minute mark. All are seen tipping and waving their caps to all corners of the huge ballyard in the Bronx.
All but forgotten. For most of the Browns' existence in the Gateway to the West they were doormats. In 1933 they managed to draw 88,113 fans... all year long. Of course they managed to finish last. The following season, perhaps aided by the hire of Rogers Hornsby to manage, they drew 115,305 to Sportsman's Park. Hornsby, who by this time was a 38-year old part timer, must have looked around and thought, "We drew more than this when we beat the Yanks in the '26 Series!"
Sadly, that hadn't always been the case. Sadly it is largely forgotten that the 1926 World Championship won by the St. Louis Cardinals represented a changing of the guard in the Gateway city. The Browns had been the class of Sportsman's Park... in fact it had been their park... the Cards were mere tenants.
The 1922 Browns may well have been the best edition in their 50-year history. Certainly they must have been one of the most exciting teams in St. Louis baseball history. They led the AL in Runs, Batting Average, Triples, Stolen Bases, and slugging.
Who were these battling batsmen? Well, one was Hall of Famer George Sisler, who only hit a spectacular .420, swiped 51 bases and pounded out 246 hits. Backing his play was right-fielder Ken Williams, major league baseball's first '30-30' man... 39 HR, 37 Stolen Bases, 155 RBI, and a neat .332 Average. Center-fielder Baby Doll Jacobson hit .317 with 102 ribbies. And completing the STL outfield was St. Louis native and lifetime resident Jack Tobin. Though only 5-foot-8 and 142 pounds, Jack bunted, slapped and punched the ball around at a .331 clip. The Browns had two .300-hitting catchers: Hank Severeid (.321) and future Yankee Pat Collins (.307). Second sacker Marty McManus hit .312.
Now...You might say they played in a hitters' park and you'd be correct. But then you'd have to tip your cap to the Brown's pitching staff, who led the AL in team ERA, and finished 2nd in fewest runs allowed, behind only the AL champion NY Yankees, who edged them by a mere two runs... and a mere one game in the final standings. Heading up the pitching staff was none other than right-handed ace Urban Shocker, another future Yankee who won 24 games for the '22 Browns. And right behind Shocker was another right-hander, Elam Vangilder. Elam, from nearby Cape Girardeau, Mo., went 19-13 with a good 3.42 ERA for 245 innings. Perhaps even more impressively, Elam smacked the ball around himself, to the tune of a .344 clip, an on-base mark of .396 and a .559 slugging mark... 10 doubles, 2 triples and two homers in only 93 at-bats!
1922 Browns take on 1932 Yankees!
The successful World Championship drive of the 1932 Yankees is primarily remembered today for one singular event. Did the Babe point? Did he call his shot? Did he the line a Charlie Root pitch far into the center field bleachers at Wrigley Field? Well, we know he did the last of the three. We know he made some gestures of some kind. And we know (or we should), that Lou Gehrig followed the Bambino with a four-bagger of his own as the Yankees took control of the '32 Series, winning the third of what would be a four game sweep - and 12 game World Series winning streak dating back to the 1927 and 1928 Series sweeps of the Pirates and Cardinals.
The 1932 Yanks are a team in transition. The Babe's historic home run would be his last shot at October glory. The end for George Herman is clearly in view. And the game he changed with his powerful swing was in transition too. The 1932 Yankees scored more runs than the 1927 bunch - over a thousand. But the rest of baseball was catching onto and catching up to the ways of the power-hitting Yankees. Jimmie Foxx had slammed 58 homers just that season for the Philadelphia Athletics, who themselves had won three American League pennants (1929-31), supplanting the Murderer's row. The Cubs themselves had featured Hack Wilson during that same three year stretch. Hack had hacked National League pitchers for 56 homers and 191 RBIs in 1930, and was helped by slugging artists such as catcher Gabby Hartnett and veteran Rogers Hornsby, who had set a new NL single season home run record (42) in 1922.
So while the Yanks were still a magnificent offensive machine, they no longer could bomb opponents into submission. They had company in the long-ball department now. Joe McCarthy had taken over as skipper. He was in the middle of turning the Yanks into a team of efficient technicians who could beat teams with speed, defense, pitching, and heads-up play. The raucous squad of the twenties would give way to the strong, silent types that Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller and Tommy Henrich would embody. One of those strong, silent types, the Iron Horse, enjoyed one of the greatest days in baseball history on June 3rd of '32... lining four homers in his first four at-bats against the defending AL Champion Philadelphia A's at Shibe Park. Typically, Lou's great day was overshadowed by the resignation of New York Giants manager John McGraw after a 30-year run.
Here in Mac's Legendary Baseball, the 1922 St. Louis Browns have challenged the 1932 Yankees. Two powerful top-to-bottom line-ups are going to square off for a full 154 game tilt. Pitchers take cover!
Yanks Romp in St. Louis Home Opener!
The Bronx Bombers descend on the gateway city. And the Babe, who hit 3 home runs in two separate World Series games at Sportsman's Park, nearly does it again here. He jacks two bombs over the right field pavilion. His second four-bagger is a grand slam during a 6-run 8th inning, putting an exclamation point on a 14-3 Yankee romp. The Yanks had scored seven before the Browns' second at-bat, shelling their once and future teammate Urban Shocker. Lefty Gomez coasted with the huge cushion, scattering nine hits and going the distance. Ruth led the way with six ribbies. Frank Crosetti chipped in with five hits and three RBIs of his own.
But the Browns are not going anywhere. In a sign of things to come they bounce right back in game two. Elam Vangilder bests Yankees righty Red Ruffing as STL wins 6-3. Vangilder not only goes the route and holds the Yanks to three, he knocks home three himself. Two more runs are provided by an unlikely source when tiny Jack Tobin, the Browns 142-pound leadoff man and left-fielder, homers. Game three finds power from yet another unusual source. Yankee third baseman Joe Sewell, a robust 155-pounder himself, pounds two homers himself. Tony Lazzeri clears the bases with a 3-run triple in a 7-run 4th as the Yanks win 10-3. The Yanks win the fourth game 4-3 as Ruth and Sewell both homer. But game five is the best of the opening 5-game series. The Browns win a ten inning battle 10-9. Both squads go through several pitchers, but it's St. Louis starter Elam Vangilder, coming to the hill in the 10th for emergency relief, who picks up his 2nd win of the young season. Ken Williams, baseball's first 30-30 man, shows his skills, stealing a base, homering, and driving in five of the ten St. Louis runs. Though the Yanks head to Yankee Stadium with a 3-2 record, the Browns have served notice to all that the teams are in a dogfight.
Browns take four of five in the Bronx!
Yanks lone win in NY features homers from Ruth and Sewell again. The mighty Babe and the mighty mite Joe Sewell each hit their 4th long ball of the season in their 9th game, a 14-7 win. For Ruth this is not news. But for the diminutive Sewell, a fine hitter but not known as a slugger, the sudden power surge proves amusing to everybody - including Wheeler Joe. A Hall-of-Famer with a .312 lifetime average, Sewell was famous for not striking out... make that nearly never striking out. Sewell struck out only three times in 1932. That's not a misprint. Three times all year! Honesty compels me to say that I just double-checked that stat at Baseball-Reference.com, because though I knew it to be true, it's still unbelievable! While I had Sewell's page opened I happened to notice that Joe enjoyed his career high in home runs in 1932, slamming 11 of his 49 lifetime long one's that year! Think about that! Eleven homers and only three strikeouts! Joe retired after the following season with a .391 on-base percentage and only 114 strikeouts in 1903 games, and was a World Series winner with the 1920 Cleveland Indians as well as the 1932 Yankees.
But that game 9 win was New York's only triumph during opening week in the Bronx. St. Louis swept three, then took the getaway game (The teams play alternating 5-games series at each park). Urban Shocker gets some revenge in game 6, beating Lefty Gomez 11-4. Jack Tobin and STL second-sacker Marty McManus get three hits apiece. Elam Vangilder wins his 3rd in game 7, and collects his 4th RBI as well as the Browns win 9-5. The Browns win their 2nd 10-inning tilt in game 8. Elam Vangilder again comes on late and is the winner (his 4th!) as the Browns score three in the top of the 10th to win it 9-6. Baby Doll Jacobson, the Browns' center fielder does the heavy lifting with five driven in as he hits his first homer. Game ten brings an 11-0 white-washing by the Browns. Urban Shocker, who actually won 24 in 1922 (and would win 18 with the famous '27 Yanks), goes the route, scatters six singles, and goes 2-1 on the young season. Incidentally, his battery-mate for game ten is Pat Collins, who also would play for that 1927 Yankee team. Here, Collins helps Shocker by plating three of the 11 runs, banging out three hits and his first home run. In fact, Collins is a bit bemused as he circles the bases on his long ball, as the New York fans oddly cheer him.
After ten games the Yanks have four wins and the Brownies six. Tony Lazzeri leads the Yanks with 12 RBIs. Ruth has 10 in ten games. Joe Sewell leads the Yanks with a .381 batting average and is second with 11. As mentioned, Ruth and Sewell are in an unlikely tie for the team lead in home runs (4). But Kenny Williams leads everybody with 5 round trippers and 16 RBIs. He's slugging the ball at a torrid .800 clip. Pat Collins has 2 homers and 7 RBIs in only five starts. Browns' manager Lee Fohl has an enviable problem... finding playing time for two .300 hitting catchers.
Ten Run 3rd Powers Bombers past Browns
Gehrig drives in four to lead Yanks to 14-2 win.
After eighteen games the two teams are tied at 9 wins apiece. Upon returning to St. Louis the Yanks took three of five. Game 12 gave the fans of the Gateway City a lot to cheer about though, with the Browns thrashing the New Yorkers 17-7. The Yanks scored four in the first. STL answers with eight as tiny Jack Tobin goes two-for two with a 2-run homer, all in the first. Ken Williams also homers in the 2nd, doubles in the 7th and drives in five for the game. Williams continues his hot hitting in game 15, homering twice and knocking in six. Elam Vangilder wins his fifth against no losses as the Browns prevail 13-11, going back to NY with an 8-7 record. The Yanks take 2 of 3 to even the season.
STL - 0 0 1 o o o 1 0 0 - 2 8 1
NY - 1 2 10 0 0 1 0 0 x- 14 14 2
Red Ruffing not only went eight strong innings (one earned run on seven hits), he went three-for-three at the plate and knocked in two. The Iron Horse went deep in the ten-run 2nd, bringing Ruth home with him. Gehrig singled in two more later in the inning. Ruth and Bill Dickey each scored twice in the inning and each drove in two. The Yanks took game 20 (9-6) as well to end the home stand with an 11-9 record.
After 20 games Joe Sewell still leads all hitters at .373, with George Sisler right behind at .371. Sewell's 23 RBIs tie him with Bill Dickey for 2nd on the club. Dickey is also hitting .364. The Babe's nine homers and 26 RBIs lead the Yanks. But Ken Williams is right behind him with 8 long balls and he leads everybody with 29 ribbies in just 20 games.
Yanks 17-13 after 30 games
Babe homers five times in last ten.
Ben Chapman comes alive. After 20 games the Yankee left-fielder had been hitting a robust .220 with only four RBIs. McCarthy had been putting in Myril Hoag, who responded with a .386 mark and 7 RBIs in spot duty. But Big Ben wakes up. In the five games at Sportsman's Park (games 21-25) he goes 12 for 20 with 20 total bases and 9 RBIs. Then in game 29 in the Bronx, hitting in the eight-hole, Ben goes five-for-five with two doubles, a home run, a stolen base and three driven in as the Yanks coast, 12-5. Johnny Allen improves his record to 6-1 as the Yanks improve theirs to 17-12.
Game 24 Sportsman's Park St. Louis
NY - 2 4 4 2 3 0 1 0 2 - 18 26 1
STL - 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 7 12 1
Each team continues to flex their muscles. Game 24 in St. Louis sees the Yanks score in each of the first five innings to pull away early, winning 18-7. Ruth homers in the 1st and 2nd innings for five of the Yanks first six runs. Ken Williams hits a 3-run double in the bottom of the 2nd to pull the Browns within one, 6-5. But the Yanks bat around in the third and batter St. Louis pitching in the 4th and 5th to take a commanding lead even the Browns cannot overcome.
Game 26 Yankee Stadium, New York
STL - 0 5 0 0 1 7 3 0 0 - 16 23 0
NY - 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 7 11 3
The Browns return the favor, pulling within two games of the Yanks before a crowd of 47,345 in the Bronx. Second baseman Marty McManus homers in the 3rd and drives in six for the game. The Browns pound NY pitching for 23 safeties. Hall of Famer George Sisler collects four while McManus, Baby Doll Jacobson and Ken Williams get three apiece.
The Yanks shrug it off and win three straight before bowing in the series finale. During the most recent ten game stretch (games 21-30). Ben Chapman has seen his average rise from .220 to .333, and his RBI total rise from 4 to 18. Chappie went five-for-five with two doubles and a home run in game 29, a 12-5 win for Johnny Allen (6-1, 4.63 ERA). Ken Williams still paces everybody with 44 RBIs. The Babe is right behind with 42, and pulls ahead in the HR department with 15. Dickey and Sewell continue being highly productive with 33 and 32 RBIs respectively.
The two squads split the next ten, leaving the 1932 Yanks 22-18 after 40 games.
PLAYER BA SA HR RBI
Combs .322 .461 4 31
Chapman .348 .561 3 28
Ruth .282 .685 18 49
Gehrig .365 .577 6 31
Lazzeri .349 .556 3 36
Dickey .366 .552 6 45
Crosetti .264 .374 1 27
Sewell .345 .503 6 43
Hoag .368 .447 0 14
Tobin .372 .543 4 27
McManus .361 .518 5 30
Sisler .376 .525 1 29
Williams .312 .611 12 52
Jacobson .313 .469 3 40
Severeid .245 .336 1 18
Collins .268 .549 6 14
The St. Louis fans are not discouraged by the four game deficit. All of the seats in Sportsman's park were sold out for the entire five game set. A total of 121,435 tickets for the five game set, including thousands of standing room only, were sold before the two teams took the field for game 41.
And the fans were rewarded. The Browns swept five straight, in dominating fashion. They outscored the Yankees 65-22! Johnny Allen drops to 7-3 in the 41st. Ken Williams and Baby Doll Jacobson collect three safeties apiece to lead St. Louis to a 7-3 win. The next day Jacobson's four hits trump Ruth's 19th home run. Williams goes one-for-six but his one is big, a three run blast as the Browns prevail 13-6 in Game 42.
Game 43: The Browns smash the Yankees 17-3. Elam Vangilder wins his 7th. He also doubles twice, scores twice and drives home three, all in the 2nd and 3rd innings as he helps his teammates build an 11-0 lead. Tobin, Sisler and Williams each drive in four.
Browns and Yanks: 22 and 22!
Game 44 Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
NY - 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 0 - 7 19 0
STL - 3 0 0 1 0 12 0 0 0 - 16 4 2
With the game tied 4-4 in the 6th, two singles and a walk load the bases with Browns. Manager Lee Fohl sends up Pat Collins to pinch-hit. Collins bounces one to third. Joe Sewell snares it and fires home for the force-out. But then 5'8" lead-off man Jack Tobin comes to the plate. He works the count full, fouling off several George Pipgras fastballs, before Pipgras finally misses high with ball four, forcing in the go-ahead run. As often happens with a bases loaded walk, the floodgates open. The Browns bat around. Jack Tobin comes to bat a second time, again with the bases full of teammates. Two are out. The score is now 12-4. This time reliever Hank Johnson challenges the diminutive St. Louis native. This time Tobin thrills 22,000 fellow St. Louis natives by lining an outside fastball over the left-center field fence 388 feet away for a grand slam. The final score: 16-7.
After the 16-7 drubbing in Game 44, the Browns finish the carnage with a 12-3 win in Game 45. Pat Collins, who has been a heavy hitter in a limited role, comes off the bench and pinch-hits a grand slam home run.
Browns Take Three More At Yankee Stadium
Run Win Streak To Eight
The 1922 Brownies have gone from four under to four over. Urban Shocker ups his record to 7-4 with eight strong innings in game 46. Ken Williams' 15th homer, a 2-run shot, leads the way to a 6-4 win. St. Louis wins 10-8 the next day with catcher Hank Severeid driving in three. In game 48 it's Baby Doll Jacobson with three RBIs, and three hits... a single, double and triple as the Browns win their eighth straight, 8-5. In the eight game skein the Browns outscore the Yanks by a total of 89-39.
The Yanks finally break through in game 49, winning 3-1. Johnny Allen wins his eighth against only four losses. But St. Louis comes right back on getaway day, winning 9-4 as Urban Shocker, now 8-4, again bests Lefty Gomez. Ken Williams hits his 16th homer and plates four runs.
The Babe Homers Three Times (Game 52) Display reminiscent of 1926 and 1928 World Series.
"We got beat by the best," says Ken Williams, the actual American League HR and RBI champ in 1922. "Not just the best today, or the best on either squad. The best any of us will ever hope to see."
Game 53. Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Yanks wake up this day 23-28. Ken Williams has 16 HRs and 73 RBIs in 52 games. His HR total is second only to the Bambino thus far. His RBIs lead everybody. He's hitting .322 and slugging .628. The Babe, 37-years old, is outslugging the St. Louis outfielder with a robust .638 mark. But the aging Yankee right-fielder is batting just .274, the lowest mark in the New York line-up.
First inning: The Babe swings a tad late and smacks a Dix Davis fastball 378 feet to left field for 2-run homer, giving the Yanks a 2-0 lead before the St. Louis fans have settled in their seats.
Second inning: The Bambino times a Davis fastball perfectly this time, lining it 456 feet to dead center. His grand slam puts the Yanks on top 7-3 and drives Davis from the game.
Fourth inning: Leading off against lefty Dave Danforth, Ruth drives a curve to deepest left-center. The St. Louis fans jump to their feet and roar as the ball heads for the fence. But Baby Doll Jacobson also heads there and runs the drive down at the wall, 390 feet away.
Sixth inning: After a Joe Sewell line drive double to left, Babe drives a shot to deep center. Jacobson again gets a great jump and glides straight back. But this time he runs out of room. He has to pull up and watch Babe's 3rd homer land 441 feet from home plate. The score is 10-4 in favor of New York. The Babe has driven home 8 of the ten Yankee tallies.
Eighth inning: Ruth grounds out to second, the only time he would not hit the ball hard all day. The Browns fans, believing this to be the Babe's final at bat, accord the Babe a long, loud standing ovation. He grins and tips his cap several times.
Ninth inning: The Browns have battled back as they have done all year. The Yanks lead is cut to 10-7 coming into the top of the 9th. The Yanks respond by sending ten men to bat to salt the game away. Ruth scorches a line drive single to right, driving home Earle Combs. It's the Babe's 9th RBI and the Yanks' 14th and final run. They win 14-7. The Babe's big day gives him 22 HRs and 63 RBI in 52 games. He totals 13 bases for the game.
The Browns get right off that mat the next day, Game 53, pounding Yankee starter Johnny Allen and several relievers for a 16-8 win. Future Yankee catcher Pat Collins gets a rare start and homers twice. He thrills St. Louisians with a 3-run inside the park job in the 4th. Then he homers over the left-centerfield wall with one on in the 5th.
The Bambino homers twice in Game 54, a wild 14-10 win. Ruth pounds out four hits and totals 10 bases, the second time in three days he hits double figures. The Babe's 2nd bomb increases the Yankee lead to 11-3, seemingly securing the game. Ken Williams ignites a St. Louis comeback in the 7th with a 2-run homer. The Browns get to within three runs before falling short, reminding everybody that no lead is safe.
Urban Shocker wins his 10th in Game 55, a 11-6 Browns win. Ken Williams hits his 18th HR. Pat Collins continues to steal more playing time and make the most of it, doubling twice and raising his average to .304.
Babe Ruth hits his 25th home run in game 56 as NY prevails 12-7 to climb back within 4 games of STL at 26-30. Over the last 5 games, the 37-year-old veteran has caught fire, going 13 for 25 with 6 HR and 17 RBIs and 31 Total Bases. Over the same stretch, STL second-string catcher Pat Collins is 10 for 22 with 22 total bases (1.000 Slugging Percentage) and 10 RBIs.
Game 58: Yankee Stadium. The Yanks trail 4-2 in the 9th. Bill Baynes opens things by walking Ben Chapman. STL Mgr Lee Fohl does a slow burn and gets Dave Danforth to start loosening up. Bayne immediately fires a wild pitch, and Chapman takes 2nd. Chapman’s run of course, is meaningless by itself. Frank Crosetti then grounds to 1B. Pinch hitter Myril Hoag, batting .343, then takes strike three for the 2nd out. Then, in a move second-guessers delight in, Fohl relieves Bayne with Danforth, setting up a lefty-lefty confrontation with leadoff man Earle Combs. Combs is hitting .320 but is hitless in 4 tries. An opposite field hitter, Combs slices one down the LF line that bounces over the low fence for a ground-rule double, scoring Chapman. Then, another lefty, Joe Sewell, having a monster year with a .330 average and 54 RBI, picks up number 55… a big one, singling in Combs with the tying run. The Bambino then bounces to second to send it to overtime… where the Iron Horse takes care of things, hitting a fly down the RF line that lands in the bleachers. It’s only a 311 foot HR, but it’s a game winner, and the NY crowd goes nuts.
The Browns take the next two, however, leaving the Bronx with a 33-27 record. The Yanks have dropped 6 of 10, but the Babe sure did his part, slamming seven homers, driving home 21, and raising his fom .274 to .302. At the 60 game mark Ruth has a huge lead in home runs (26), with Ken Williams, the only other hitter in double figures, a distant second (19). The Browns' CF leads everybody with 86 RBI, with the Babe second (75). George Sisler is the hitting leader, though his .383 mark is far off his historic 1922 mark of .420.
Game 62. Elam Vangilder of Cape Girardeau, Mo. has himself a day!
NYY - 2 4 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 - 11 18 2
STL - 1 0 1 5 1 1 7 0 x - 16 18 0
Elam Vangilder comes on in the 4th after starter Ray Kolp and reliever Dave Danforth both get shelled, giving up a total of 9 runs on 12 hits. He immediately surrenders two doubles and a single. The second double is to Lefty Gomez, one of the worst hitters of all time. It brings in Frank Crosetti, gives NY an 11-2 cushion, and leaves St. Louis for dead.
Except no one tells Elam. All he does is shut out the Yanks the rest of the way, yielding only 3 hits. He collects four hits himself, including three doubles. He scores three times, drives in another, and leads an amazing comeback as the Browns wind up thrashing Yankee pitching and winning 16-11.
Game 63. For the 2nd straight afternoon the Yanks jump out to a big lead, only to give it all back. In the 5th, Myril Hoag lines an Urban Shocker change-up over the LCF fence at Sportsman’s Park. It’s Hoag’s 1st HR of the year, a 3-run blast that gives the Yanks a 6-2 lead, chases Browns’ ace Urban Shocker, and gives one of the Yanks two aces, Red Ruffing a cushion to work with.
But by now everyone knows no cushion is comfortable if the Browns still have at-bats coming. Ken Williams erases the bulge with a 3-run blast in the 6th, a 431 ft bomb over the CF wall that closes the gap to 7-6. It stays that way until two out in the bottom of the 9th, when Pat Collins comes off the bench as he has all year, and once again torments his once and future teammates. He lines a double over Ruth’s head, scoring Eddie Foster and sending the game into overtime. wherewith George Sisler on 1st, Ken Williams lines one over Hoag in LF. Sisler tears all the way around the bases and beats Hoag’s throw home… beating the Yankees in the process.
The Browns win three straight at Yankee Stadium to go ten games over .500 for the first time (39-29). The Babe hits homers 27 and 28 in game 68. He drives in four. Gehrig plates three and Lazzeri two more. But it isn't enough as STL wins 14-11 behind a four hit day from 2B Marty McManus, who doubles twice and drives in three. The Yanks take the next two, with game 70 a wild 18-12 affair. Tony "Poosh-em-up" Lazzeri pushes home seven runs on two doubles and a triple, while the Bambino drives home five. Ruth's 86 RBI pace NY, but Ken Williams' three ribbies in a losing cause make him the 1st on either squad to top the 100 mark (101). Ken also hits his 25th homer in game 70, and trails the Babe by only three.
After 70 games, the Browns boast a 39-31 record against the 1932 World Champs.
PLAYER BA/SA HR RBI
Combs .319/.420 4 44
Chapman .282/.445 3 39 11SB
Ruth .307/.674 28 86
Gehrig .360/.560 9 57
Lazzeri .316/.515 6 66
Dickey .344/.507 10 66
Crosetti .276/.394 3 44
Sewell .327/.478 8 62
Hoag .345/.465 2 26
Tobin .360/.553 10 52
McManus .337/.497 9 58
Sisler .396/.539 1 57 17SB
Williams .339/.682 25 101 14SB
Jacobson .340/.467 4 74
Severeid .279/.355 1 29
Collins .317/.613 10 39
Games 71-80 see the 1922 St. Louis Browns extend their lead over the 1932 World Champs to ten games (45-35). In addition to the all .300-hitting outfield and Hall of Fame 1st sacker George Sisler, STL skipper has a pleasant dilemma... two hard hitting catchers in Hank Severeid and back-up Pat Collins. Both are now hitting .300. For Collins it's a loud .313 with 12 HRs and 44 RBI in only 163 at-bats. Collins is slugging .626, behind only Ken Williams (.669) and the Babe (.663). In an ironic twist, manager Fohl has started letting Collins start behind the dish when Urban Shocker (13-6) starts. Both future Yankees (1927 champs) succeed in tormenting their future teams. In a strange time-warp development, both are cheered warmly in Yankee Stadium, where it is 1932.
Game 83 sees the Bambino again shrug off his 37 years. He hits a pair of homers to put himself at 33, and his four RBI give him 102, the first Yankee (and 2nd after Ken Williams) to surpass the century mark. On the scoreboard though, it's the Browns on top, 8-7. Among the contributors is Pat Collins, coming off the bench to line a 2-run pinch-hit home run.
Game 84 is the Red Ruffing show at Sportsmans Park in St. Louis. Red has had a rough year. He's 7-11 with an ERA in the sixes. But today he lets all his frustation out. He goes the distance, fanning eight, and allowing only two earned runs. Ruffing also collects four hits, including two doubles, and drives home SEVEN in a 15-4 shellacking of the Brownies.
An even bigger shock occurs three games later (game 87) when Lefty Gomez, one of the worst hitters in baseball history, knocks home three himself, with two singles and a double to polish up his 12-1 complete game victory at Yankee Stadium.
But in game 90, it is once again the Babe: five hits, three leaving the yard, and seven driven home in a 14-3 Yankees romp. Ruth's second homer trifecta of the season puts his season total at 40.
Games 91-95 all take place in St. Louis. Sportsmans Park again is sold out long before the first pitch. And Browns fans are once again rewarded with a five game sweep. The Browns manhandle the Yanks by a combined 63-29 score. Manager Lee Fohl, riding a hot hand, starts Pat Collins all five games, and is heavily rewarded. Collins drives in a total of 23 runs in 6 games (including game 90 in NY). In game 94, Collins hits three homers and drives home eight in a 14-10 slugfest win. The next afternoon he doubles home two more and catches for fellow future Yankee Urban Shocker, who improves to 15-7 in an 8-5 STL win.
At this point the '22 Browns are 55-40. Even the Bambino begins to wonder if his squad can catch them. Then, when the teams move to the Bronx, drama in game 97. STL scores four runs in the first two frames. Tiny Jack Tobin lines his 11th homer down the right field line in the 2nd. It only flies 303 feet, but it's far enough to score two men ahead of him. Starter Dixie Davis makes the four run bulge stand up in a big way... no hitting the powerful Yankee line-up for seven innings. Then in the eighth, Davis puts skipper Lee Fohl in a untenable position. After retiring the first two hitters, Davis walks three consecutive men to bring the tying run to the plate... in Babe Ruth. Reluctantly, Fohl brings in Hub Pruett, who’s claim to fame in an otherwise mediocre career is his success against the Bambino. Pruett strikes out Ruth to retire side, and holds the Yankees hitless in the 9th to preserve the win, and the combined no-hitter.
After 100 Games STL holds a 56-44 lead in the win column.
PLAYER..... BA/SA HR RBI
Combs....... .308/.386 4 58
Sewell....... .317/.468 13 76
Ruth......... .337/.699 41 123
Gehrig...... .361/.550 12 76
Lazzeri..... .309/.484 7 86
Dickey...... .354/.528 16 97
Chapman. .296/.463 4 58 14SB
Crosetti.... .258/.366 4 55
Hoag........ .337/.455 3 37
Tobin........ .357/.534 11 80
McManus.. .317/.469 11 74
Sisler........ .385/.529 2 77 23SB
Williams.. .324/.651 33 132 21SB
Jacobson.. .336/.481 6 98
Severeid... .306/.420 2 37
Collins..... .315/.680 20 72 219AB
Unsung heroes: for the Yankees, Bill Dickey is quietly amassing a great season. His 97 RBI are second on the club to the Babe, as are his 16 HR. His .354 average is 2nd only to Gehrig's .361. Myril Hoag has also done a superb job spelling all three outfielders. He originally subbed for Chapman when Ben was scuffling early in the year. Then he spelled the aging Ruth in right-field as he often did in '32. And Marse Joe McCarthy decided to occasionally spell Combs in center as well, especially in STL's Sportsmans Park, which was much more favorable to Hoag's right-handed bat.
And of course, for STL, second-string catcher Pat Collins continues to rake the ball with astounding authority. Like many of the Browns, Collins is a local... born in Sweet Springs, Mo. A quick look at Collins' record at BaseballReference.com shows nothing that would warrant attention: a .254 lifetime average, 33 HR, 168 RBI over ten seasons and 543 games. But a closer look, at least at his offensive numbers suggest a smart, dangerous hitter. His lifetime on-base percentage was .378, and he topped the .400 mark four times. In his actual 1922 campaign his OPS was a gaudy .949. He belted 8 homers and drove in 23 in only 127 at-bats. Project that over a full season and we're into Johnny Bench-Mike Piazza-Gary Carter territory folks! Collins had several similar years, though none as shiny as 1922. Collins, of course, was a part of three pennant winning Murderers' Row teams, including two World Champions (1927-28). And the Yanks got his best... 3 years, 264 games, a .413 OBP and a .825 OPS. In 677 AB he belted 20 HR and collected 85 RBI... as a right-handed batter in the original Yankee Stadium (495 ft to dead center, 470 to left-center). I have no idea how good Collins was defensively. But he did catch 92 games for the '27 Yankee staff, which yielded the fewest runs in the AL.
How good was Pat Collins? Probably better than people think, maybe not as good as I think. But I've played literally thousands of simulated games with him in the line-up. And he's always a run-producer, either as a 1922 Brown or a 1926-28 Yankee. Indeed, whenever the 1922 Browns play, he excels as a starter AND a pinch-hitter. Note: I use SimMatchup Baseball by WhatIfSports. I set the starting line-ups as close as possible to the way they were. Same with the pitching rotations. But from there the computer takes over, and makes all substitutions, both hitting and pitching. So I can't send up Pat Collins to pinch-hit. But a computerized Lee Fohl/Miller Huggins can. And they do. Time and time again. And Collins comes through. Time and time again.
The Browns and Yankees play vitually even for the next 40 games. Unfortunately for New York, that's not good enough. It leaves them on the verge of losing the season... with 77 wins the Browns have clinches a tie. This despite another three home run game (game 119) by the Babe, his third. As a microcosm of the season, it comes in a 8-7 loss, with the Babe having driven home all seven Yankee runs. Two games later, Lou Gehrig equals the Bambino's production. He hits only one homer and a double, but each come with the bases full for 7 RBI in a 12-8 Yankee win in STL.
But Ken Williams keeps up his jackhammer production, driving home 29 in 24 games to help clinch the season for the Browns, which they do in Sportsmans Park (game 141), a 6-3 win.
140 Games Browns record 77-63
PLAYER..... BA/SA HR RBI
Combs..... .300/.398 7 79
Sewell..... .306/.427 14 88
Ruth....... .329/.665 53 166
Gehrig.... .338/.545 23 118
Lazzeri... .318/.499 12 114
Dickey.... .347/.520 20 127
Chapman .297/.472 6 87 19SB
Crosetti... .255/.371 6 82
Hoag....... .342/.459 3 46 231AB
Tobin...... .358/.524 14 102
McManus .314/.454 12 94
Sisler...... .387/.520 4 110 42SB
Williams .308/.600 41 173 28SB
Jacobson .321/.461 9 126
Severeid. .311/.434 3 50
Collins... .327/.643 24 92 300AB
Game 149. Yankee Stadium. The Browns lay a 10-0 whitewashing on the Yanks. Future Yankee Urban Shocker is masterful, scattering seven hits, going the distance, and raising his record to 21-13. Since it is 1932 in NY, he is amused as the Bronx crowd accords him warm ovations thoughout the afternoon. His batterymate Pat Collins is similarly amused. The partisan Yankee rooters cheer Collins as he doubles, homers and drives home four. This gives Collins 26 HR, 21 doubles and 100 RBI on the season... incredibly in only 335 at-bats. In the same game, Ken Williams steals his 30th sack. With his 45 HRs he this duplicates his 1922 feat, when he became baseball's first '30-30' man.
The Browns are 84-65 at this point. There are only five games left in this long decided season. Manager Lee Fohl magaimously asks Joe McCarthy if the Yanks would care to end the season after game 150, sparing a 'meaningless' trip back to St. Louis for a mere two games.
"Not a chance!" booms a rich baritone voice from across the Yankee clubhouse. Of course it's the Babe. McCarthy just grins. "You guys beat us fair and square. We gave you all we had. No one here is hanging his head. All the guys want to finish what we started."
The Babe punctuates his remarks in the second game in STL (game 152). With one out in the 1st the Bambino lines a 396 ft home run to left-centerfield. He circles the bases, a slight limp in his trot. The Sportsman’s Park crowd accord the aging slugger a long loud ovation. Gehrig, who would collect 4 hits himself, shakes the Babe’s hand as he crosses the plate.
“The season’s about over Babe? You’re hurting out there. Why don’t you give it a rest?” Huffing and puffing as he walks down the dugout, Ruth grins.
“I’ve had plenty of rest, kid! Two more games and I’ll get plenty more.”
The home run is Ruth's 56th, and the RBI his 175th. He's had a superb year. But like so many of his homers, it comes in a losing cause as Hub Pruitt, the southpaw screwball specialist who historically gave Ruth fits, picked up his tenth win against only two losses.
Not to imply that the Babe was a one man show. The 1932 Yanks were an offensive juggernaut, scoring over 1000 runs. And they are here. But the 1922 Browns were also a hitting machine, both then and now.
154 Games 69-85 (3-1)
Final Stats HR RBI
Combs...... .302/.398 7 79
Sewell....... .293/.409 15 95
Ruth......... .321/.645 56 176
Gehrig...... .342/.539 23 124
Lazzeri..... .317/.494 12 122
Dickey....... .335/.506 21 136
Chapman.. .311/.498 8 102 20SB
Crosetti..... .250/.373 7 90
Hoag.......... .342/.456 3 49 (263AB)
Tobin........ .360/.526 16 114
McManus.. .308/.443 12 99
Sisler........ .394/.527 6 119 45SB
Williams.. .313/.612 46 189 30SB
Jacobson.. .325/.468 10 137
Severeid... .314/.432 3 58
Collins..... .310/.618 26 100 (335AB)
The Yanks and Browns come back to NY to close out the long decided season. Before the 154th and final game they are surprised to see a throng of 71,000 at the Stadium. They are even more surprised at the long ovation they get when they take the field in the 1st inning. But as they look out at the flagpole out in CF, and see their 1932 World Championship banner fluttering just beneath Old Glory, the players get it. Some of them are seen wiping their eyes as the ovation goes past the five-minute mark. All are seen tipping and waving their caps to all corners of the huge ballyard in the Bronx.
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