1922 STL Browns
Yankees go 85-65 .566 (2nd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .337/.478 7 50
Koenig .297/.417 3 84
Ruth .326/.777 66 155
Gehrig .350/.676 32 147
Meusel .344/.494 5 125
Lazzeri .320/.510 20 142
Collins .278/.442 20 103
Dugan .258/.352 4 68
Paschal .314/.548 15 101(465AB)
Gazella .261/.374OBA 26(252AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Tobin .336/.450 6 87
Sisler .390/.520 6 97
Williams .339/.509 15 148
Jacobson .303/.401 5 141
McManus .285/.416 5 117
Severeid .328/.414 2 58
Collins .283/.389 7 45
Vangilder .413/.652 1 22
Since 4-16 start, Browns go 20-20, 9-21, 15-15, 17-13
The ’22 Browns gave the 1927 Yankees the most fits of everyone except the Cubs. Their approach could not have been more diametrically opposite. The Brownies bludgeoned pitching staffs into submission. As I pointed out when they ‘played’ (and beat) the 1932 Yankees, the Browns could also pitch – they paced the 1922 American League in staff ERA, and were 2nd in runs allowed – by two runs – to the 1922 AL champion New York Yankees. Of course the Browns’ batsmen led the American League in hitting, slugging, stolen bases, scoring and triples. Kind of begs the question – HOW DID THEY BLOW THAT ’22 PENNANT?
In Mac’s Legendary Baseball the 1922 Browns finished 20 games behind the 1927 Yankees. Remember, the American League finished 64 games behind in ’27. Before facing the 1927 Murderer’s Row, the 1922 St. Louisians whipped the 1932 World Champions, posting a 84-66 mark against a squad that went 107-47 and swept the Cubs. Then the Brownies beat the 1921 AL pennant-winning Yankees, going 79-71. The 1921 NY Yankees were much better than the 1922 edition. So again - HOW DID THE ’22 BROWNS BLOW THAT ’22 PENNANT?
Here in Mac’s LB the Brown’s suffered two slumps, a 4-16 stretch to start the season and a 9-21 midseason funk just as it looked as if the Brownies were getting back into it. The 1922 Browns had one Hall-of-Famer, a .300 hitting outfield, and baseball’s first ‘30-30’ man. But they also had Elam Vangilder, who turned out to be, well, the Babe Ruth of the Browns. Vangilder batted .344 in 1922 with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, and 11 RBIs in only 93 at-bats. In addition he went 19-13 with a 3.42 ERA over 245 innings. A product of Cape Girardeau, Mo (born there 1896, died there 1977), Elam went 99-102 lifetime and batted a respectable .244. He never attained the same heights in pitching or hitting after that great 1922 season, which leads to an interesting rhetorical question; should he have switched another position a la Babe Ruth and his own ex-pitching teammate George Sisler?
Here Vangilder does even better – a fat .413 average, an even fatter .652 slugging mark, 18 doubles and 22 RBI – in only 121 at-bats.
To illustrate the ferocity with which these two offensive behemoths locked horns, here are a few games from this mythical season matchup.
Game 31
NYY – 2 2 5 3 2 1 3 2 2 - 22 23 1
STL – 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 - 4 10 2
The Yanks have actually scored more runs. Even this season – 24. But this was domination… not a single zero anywhere on the scoreboard for the Yanks. The Yanks won every inning. The ‘computer’ designated the Babe as the Player of the Game, and indeed it’s hard to argue with 3 HRs, 4 hits, 5 RBIs, and thirteen (13) Total Bases. Hard to argue but not impossible; super-sub Ben Paschal hit safely 5 times, including 3 doubles, 2 runs scored and six (6) driven in. And that was from the leadoff spot! The other super-sub, Mike Gazella, who has been spelling both Mark Koenig and Jumping’ Joe Dugan, only collected one safety, but he walked twice, scored thrice, and drove in three more. Every starter including hurler George Pipgras hit safely, and every starter except Pipgras scored – but Pipgras did drive one in!
The Bambino’s blasts come in the 1st (2-run, CF, 477 ft), 6th (solo, left-center, 421 ft), and 9th (2-run, LF, 388 ft).
Game 70
STL - 0 0 0 0 8 2 0 0 0 0 1 - 11 17 2
NYY - 4 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 - 10 11 1
This game sums up how close these two teams are, despite the Yanks’ 18-game bulge in the season. These two heavyweights swapped haymakers as they have all season. Today the Browns were left standing with arms raised, while the Yanks were bloody, beaten but unbowed.
It looked like a good day for the home crowd, which was 44,323. In the bottom of the 1st Bob Meusel lines a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double into the huge left-centerfield death valley gap (470 ft) of 1927 Yankee Stadium. One out later, Yankee catcher Pat Collins, having another fine season (actually two fine seasons, one for each squad…) lines a 411 foot triple into the same gap, easily scoring Meusel. With a 4-0 edge and 18-game winner Urban Shocker on the hill, things look good for the Murderer’s Row bunch.
Until the 5th. TO that point, Shocker holds the mighty Browns to one hit, a lonely single to his ex-catcher Hank Severeid. Interestingly enough, Severeid opens the 5th frame with his (and the Browns’) 2nd single, a shot to centerfield. This time, it opens a floodgate, allowing a tide that would carry Shocker away. Consecutive singles follow and load the bases. Pitcher Dixie Davis would knock in the 1st STL tally with a fielder’s choice, but then it would get ugly. Tiny Jack Tobin singles in 3B-man Eddie Foster. Hall-of-Famer Sisler walks to reload the rifle for Kenny Williams, who fires… crushing a grand slam HR down the RF line into the short porch at Yankee Stadium. STL takes the lead, 6-4.
Out comes Shocker, and in comes Myles Thomas, the reliever with an accountant’s name. But the numbers get ugly for Myles too. Baby Doll (did they have great names in the 1920s or what?) Jacobson singles, Marty McManus triples, and then Hank Severeid, who started all of this, ends it by singling home the 8th run of the inning.
STL piles it on in the 6th, with Williams and Jacobson again driving in runs to increase the score to 10-4 STL.
After the glum home fans stand for the 7th inning stretch, they are cheered by their home team. As they root-root-rooted the Yankees on, the boys show why 44,000 paid their way in and stuck around thus far. The Yanks score a half-dozen times to tie it 10-10. Super sub Paschal, imitating the man he replaced (Earle Combs), leads off with a triple (Earle led the AL with 23 in ’27). Mark Koenig likes the idea, and triples himself… no I don’t mean that Koenig replicated himself twice! Anyway, Koenig scores a moment later on Gehrig’s single and the NY comeback is in full swing. Lazzeri, super sub #2 Gazella, reliever Wilcy Moore, and super sub #1 Ben Paschal all drive in runs. Gazella and Paschal both take bases-loaded walks, while Moore is hit by a pitch, all of which is driving STL manager Lee Fohl out of his baseball mind. This streak of wildness by STL hurlers Hub Pruitt and Bill Bayne furnish the Yankees with runs 8,9, and 10 to knot the game.
And knotted it stays until the STL 11th. By the 11th it’s ex-Yankee ace Bob Shawkey on the mound. 1927 is Bob’s final year, and unfortunately, today he shows why… he walks the winning run on board in 3rd baseman Eddie Foster. Huggins then relieves him with current ace Waite Hoyt. Hoyt tries nobly to stem the tide. But this is a great hitting club he’s up against. Hoyt gets Wally Gerber to bounce into a fielder’s choice, with Koenig tossing to Lazzeri to erase Foster. Foster upends Tony Lazzeri, preventing a throw to 1st for a double play. Of course that would prove crucial. Up comes Elam Vangilder.
STL emergency reliever Elam Vangilder, a starter who himself entered the game in the 8th, has pitched 3 innings of one-hit shutout ball. He is also, during this fictional season is batting near .400, slugging well over .600, and pitching whenever and however Lee Fohl can ask.
Now here in the 11th Elam lines a single to RF, sending Eddie Foster to 2nd. Foster then scores the game winner when 142 pound Jack Tobin grounds a single to LF. Rifle-armed Bob Meusel makes a strong, on-the-money throw to home but Wally Gerber slides around Pat Collins’ tag with the ball game.
Game 94
NY….1 0 0…1 0 1…0 0 0 – 3 8 4
STL.. 0 9 4..3 0 3..0 3 x – 22 21 1
Marty McManus doubles three times, triples once, and knocks in seven.
STL puts their stamp on the game in the 2nd, scoring nine times. George Pipgras self-destructs, loading the bases by walking Baby Doll Jacobson, Pat Collins and Wally Gerber. Jacobson and Collins pull off a double steal before the Gerber walk, which rattles Pipgras. Then opposing pitcher Elam Vangilder, a .370 hitter all year, rattles Pipgras big time, lining a long one between Combs and Paschal… a 3-run, bases clearing triple, giving STL a 3-1 lead. Tobin, Sisler, Williams, and Jacobson (batting for the 2nd time in the inning) all follow with singles. Miller Huggins relieves the battered Pipgras with a hastily warmed up Myles Thomas. The barrage continues. Marty McManus, who had stuck out looking earlier in the inning, doesn’t miss this time, lining a double past Ruth down the RF line. Williams and Jacobson score runs 7 and 8. Third sacker Frank Ellerbe rounds out the scoring by singling home McManus, and the Browns are on their way to a romp.
Interesting side notes of this matchup. I gave two Yankee subs much more playing time than they got in 1927… Ben Paschal and Mike Gazella. Ben Paschal was the Yanks 4th outfielder, and by all accounts, really good. A .309 lifetime hitter in 364 games, he played what amounts to one full season from 1925-28. He hit .321 (214-666) with 43 doubles, 11 triples, 22 homers and 22 steals. His on-base average was .380 and he slugged .518. Ben did this playing in mammoth Yankee Stadium, which was even bigger in 1927 than it would be later on.
In this particular mythic season I spotted all three Yankee outfielders with Ben Paschal. He started enough to accumulate 465 at-bats. And besides the numbers listed above Big Ben lined 46 doubles and 9 triples. Note: whenever I don’t start Paschal, he’s always Miller Huggins’ (the computerized version) 1st and best pinch-hitter.
The other sub, infielder Mike Gazella, started seeing playing time as both Mark Koenig and Jumping Joe Dugan each got off to slow starts. Koenig was stuck at .222 after 40 team games, and Dugan .203. Mike Gazella was not a thumper. But apparently he knew how to play winning baseball…the 5’7” Gazella posted a .407 on-base mark in ’27, a skill that placed atop this line-up has immense value. And in this mythic season it did. Mike managed to post a .374 OBP here in 299 plate appearances. And if you look at the stats above, you see that Koenig and Dugan were able to revive their seasons in the 2nd half, giving this team some nice infield options!
Another interesting side note: there were two men who participated on both sides of this battle – catcher Pat Collins and pitcher Urban Shocker. Shocker didn’t do particularly great for either side here. He went 11-11 for the Yanks and 6-19 for the Brownies. Shock did much better in real life and also in other seasons of Mac’s Legendary Baseball. Pat Collins did so-so here with the Browns, where he is often manager Lee Fohl’s 1st option off the bench. He did much better with the Yanks. Of course, the Browns have/had two good hitting catchers, and it’s hard to justify sitting Hank Severeid for very long. Still, Fohl never pinch-hits with Severeid, but always finds a way to get Collins’ bat in there, even for just one swing.
Once again, the Final Stats.
1922 STL Browns vs 1927 Yanks
Yankees go 85-65 .566 (2nd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .337/.478 7 50
Koenig .297/.417 3 84
Ruth .326/.777 66 155
Gehrig .350/.676 32 147
Meusel .344/.494 5 125
Lazzeri .320/.510 20 142
Collins .278/.442 20 103
Dugan .258/.352 4 68
Paschal .314/.548 15 101(465AB)
Gazella .261/.374OBA 26(252AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Tobin .336/.450 6 87
Sisler .390/.520 6 97
Williams .339/.509 15 148
Jacobson .303/.401 5 141
McManus .285/.416 5 117
Severeid .328/.414 2 58
Collins .283/.389 7 45
Vangilder .413/.652 1 22
Since 4-16 start, Browns go 20-20, 9-21, 15-15, 17-13
Monday, September 19, 2011
1927 Yanks Against All COMERS!
This essay focuses on the 1927 Yankees. All games are played using Sim League Baseball by What If Sports. A full 154 game slate is played. The teams alternate five game series at each team’s respective home parks… during each team’s respective home era. When the 1927 Yanks visit the 1894 Phillies, they not only have to deal with facing four .400 hitters in the tiny Baker Bowl, they have to deal with gaslamps, wooden ballparks and horse buggies. And when Big Ed Delahanty comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he experiences 70,000 crowds, steel-and-concrete stadiums and car-sickness for the first time.
Every effort is made to use the players the way they were used back in the day. For example, when the ’61 Yanks lost to the ’76 Reds, I couldn’t start Whitey Ford every day – or 60 games a season. On the other hand, Big Six Mathewson, Iron Man McGinnity and Kid Nichols all started every 3rd day AND came in out of the bullpen – er, I mean from the sidelines, where relievers loosened up back in the day.
Sometimes I varied things a little, but usually it wasn’t to give either team an edge, but rather to see how an unheralded scrub might perform if given a chance… a Ben Paschal here, a Johnny Blanchard there… but I did it for everybody. I let Dusty Rhodes (’54 Giants) play a lot more than Leo Durocher did, and while he was no Say Hey Kid in the field, he looked like the Sultan of Swat with the lumber in his hands.
The Sim League Baseball simulator makes all substitutions, both pitching and pinch-hitting. And the game seems to honor whatever era. When Ruth, Gehrig or DiMaggio visit the dead-ball era, the home runs become harder to come by. When Mordecai ‘Three-Finger’ Brown comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he still pitches brilliantly, but he leaves his 1.04 ERA home.
Here is how they fared. The records in parentheses are the Yankees’.
1927 Yanks
Mac’s Legendary Baseball (MLB)
17 teams up, 17 teams down!
2602 games: 1666-936 (.640)
(Chronological order)
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th)
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th)
1906 Chicago Cubs 81-69 .540 (1st)
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675
1922 STL Browns 85-65 .566 (2nd)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th)
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 .685 (18th)
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th)
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers rematch! 99-51 .660 (11th)
1962 LA Dodgers 88-66 .571 (3rd)
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th)
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th)
1927 Yanks
Mac’s Legendary Baseball (MLB)
17 teams up, 17 teams down!
2602 games: 1666-936 (.640)
(First-to-worst)
1906 Chicago Cubs 81-69 .540 (1st)
1922 STL Browns 85-65 .566 (2nd)
1962 LA Dodgers 88-66 .571 (3rd)
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th)
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied) 1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th)
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th)
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers II 99-51 .660 (11th)
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th)
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th tied)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th)
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th)
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th)
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 (18th)
1906 Chicago Cubs
Yankees go 81-69 .540 (1st)
Combs .262/.322 3 38
Koenig .228/.283 1 46
Ruth .302/.533 31 109
Gehrig .282/.413 9 82
Meusel .273/.333 0 104
Lazzeri .231/.285 4 77
Collins .224/.279 3 60
Dugan .214/.240 1 58
Schulte .277/.382 4 74
Chance .326/.479 8 97
Steinfeldt .336/.497 6 95
The teams play at West Side Grounds in Chicago (1906) and Yankee Stadium (1927). Both ballparks are huge. Both pitching staffs are historic. And by all accounts the ball used in 1906 was a lump of mushy oatmeal. All of these factors combine to put a clamp down on scoring… a season dominated by the men on the mound.
Consider:
Urban Shocker pitches a two-hitter (game 12)… and comes away empty when he is pinch-hit for in the 10th inning of a 0-0 tie… a game the Cubs win in the 10th, 1-0. Shocker loses 1-0 (game 23) because Jack Pfiester throttles the mighty Murderer’s Row – just three singles. The very next start Pfiester does it again – no runs, six singles. Finally in game 35, Shocker himself lays a masterpiece on the Cubs, a two-hitter – both singles! He beats Jack Pfiester! Shocker would pitch a 3-hitter later in the season.
Waite Hoyt throws a 2-hit gem himself (game 14), outdueling fellow Hall-of-Famer Mordecai ‘Three Finger’ Brown, who loses his 1st game despite allowing only seven hits and two earned runs himself. It is Brown who twirls the gem of the season (game 144), defeating Waite Hoyt. The three-fingered wonder holds the Yankees hitless until the 7th inning, where with two out, the Iron Horse Lou Gehrig hits a one-hopper to deep short. Joe Tinker dives to his right, snares it and fires to Frank Chance. Gehrig, running hard as always, beats the throw on a bang-bang play – SAAAAAAAFE! It would be the Yanks’ only hit.
Mordecai’s performance is not only brilliant; it is clutch. It comes as the Cubs are staving off elimination. The West-siders win that day and the next to go 68-77 on the season – before finally losing their 78th game (game 146), the toughest fight any team gives the mighty ’27 champions – thus far.
1922 STL Browns
Yankees go 85-65 .566 (2nd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .337/.478 7 50
Koenig .297/.417 3 84
Ruth .326/.777 66 155
Gehrig .350/.676 32 147
Meusel .344/.494 5 125
Lazzeri .320/.510 20 142
Collins .278/.442 20 103
Dugan .258/.352 4 68
Paschal .314/.548 15 101(465AB)
Gazella .261/.374OBA 26(252AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Tobin .336/.450 6 87
Sisler .390/.520 6 97
Williams .339/.509 15 148
Jacobson .303/.401 5 141
McManus .285/.416 5 117
Severeid .328/.414 2 58
Collins .283/.389 7 45
Vangilder .413/.652 1 22
Since 4-16 start, Browns go 20-20, 9-21, 15-15, 17-13
The ’22 Browns gave the 1927 Yankees the most fits of everyone except the Cubs. Their approach could not have been more diametrically opposite. The Brownies bludgeoned pitching staffs into submission. As I pointed out when they ‘played’ (and beat) the 1932 Yankees, the Browns could also pitch – they paced the 1922 American League in staff ERA, and were 2nd in runs allowed – by two runs – to the 1922 AL champion New York Yankees. Of course the Browns’ batsmen led the American League in hitting, slugging, stolen bases, scoring and triples. Kind of begs the question – HOW DID THEY BLOW THAT ’22 PENNANT?
In Mac’s Legendary Baseball the 1922 Browns finished 20 games behind the 1927 Yankees. Remember, the American League finished 64 games behind in ’27. Before facing the 1927 Murderer’s Row, the 1922 St. Louisians whipped the 1932 World Champions, posting a 84-66 mark against a squad that went 107-47 and swept the Cubs. Then the Brownies beat the 1921 AL pennant-winning Yankees, going 79-71. The 1921 NY Yankees were much better than the 1922 edition. So again - HOW DID THE ’22 BROWNS BLOW THAT ’22 PENNANT?
Here in Mac’s LB the Brown’s suffered two slumps, a 4-16 stretch to start the season and a 9-21 midseason funk just as it looked as if the Brownies were getting back into it. The 1922 Browns had one Hall-of-Famer, a .300 hitting outfield, and baseball’s first ‘30-30’ man. But they also had Elam Vangilder, who turned out to be, well, the Babe Ruth of the Browns. Vangilder batted .344 in 1922 with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, and 11 RBIs in only 93 at-bats. In addition he went 19-13 with a 3.42 ERA over 245 innings. A product of Cape Girardeau, Mo (born there 1896, died there 1977), Elam went 99-102 lifetime and batted a respectable .244. He never attained the same heights in pitching or hitting after that great 1922 season, which leads to an interesting rhetorical question; should he have switched another position a la Babe Ruth and his own ex-pitching teammate George Sisler?
Here Vangilder does even better – a fat .413 average, an even fatter .652 slugging mark, 18 doubles and 22 RBI – in only 121 at-bats.
To illustrate the ferocity with which these two offensive behemoths locked horns, here are three games from this mythical season matchup.
Game 31
NYY – 2 2 5 3 2 1 3 2 2 - 22 23 1
STL – 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 - 4 10 2
The Yanks have actually scored more runs. Even this season – 24. But this was domination… not a single zero anywhere on the scoreboard for the Yanks. The Yanks won every inning. The ‘computer’ designated the Babe as the Player of the Game, and indeed it’s hard to argue with 3 HRs, 4 hits, 5 RBIs, and thirteen (13) Total Bases. Hard to argue but not impossible; super-sub Ben Paschal hit safely 5 times, including 3 doubles, 2 runs scored and six (6) driven in. And that was from the leadoff spot! The other super-sub, Mike Gazella, who has been spelling both Mark Koenig and Jumping’ Joe Dugan, only collected one safety, but he walked twice, scored thrice, and drove in three more. Every starter including hurler George Pipgras hit safely, and every starter except Pipgras scored – but Pipgras did drive one in!
The Bambino’s blasts come in the 1st (2-run, CF, 477 ft), 6th (solo, left-center, 421 ft), and 9th (2-run, LF, 388 ft).
Game 70
STL - 0 0 0 0 8 2 0 0 0 0 1 - 11 17 2
NYY - 4 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 - 10 11 1
This game sums up how close these two teams are, despite the Yanks’ 18-game bulge in the season. These two heavyweights swapped haymakers as they have all season. Today the Browns were left standing with arms raised, while the Yanks were bloody, beaten but unbowed.
It looked like a good day for the home crowd, which was 44,323. In the bottom of the 1st Bob Meusel lines a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double into the huge left-centerfield death valley gap (470 ft) of 1927 Yankee Stadium. One out later, Yankee catcher Pat Collins, having another fine season (actually two fine seasons, one for each squad…) lines a 411 foot triple into the same gap, easily scoring Meusel. With a 4-0 edge and 18-game winner Urban Shocker on the hill, things look good for the Murderer’s Row bunch.
Until the 5th. TO that point, Shocker holds the mighty Browns to one hit, a lonely single to his ex-catcher Hank Severeid. Interestingly enough, Severeid opens the 5th frame with his (and the Browns’) 2nd single, a shot to centerfield. This time, it opens a floodgate, allowing a tide that would carry Shocker away. Consecutive singles follow and load the bases. Pitcher Dixie Davis would knock in the 1st STL tally with a fielder’s choice, but then it would get ugly. Tiny Jack Tobin singles in 3B-man Eddie Foster. Hall-of-Famer Sisler walks to reload the rifle for Kenny Williams, who fires… crushing a grand slam HR down the RF line into the short porch at Yankee Stadium. STL takes the lead, 6-4.
Out comes Shocker, and in comes Myles Thomas, the reliever with an accountant’s name. But the numbers get ugly for Myles too. Baby Doll (did they have great names in the 1920s or what?) Jacobson singles, Marty McManus triples, and then Hank Severeid, who started all of this, ends it by singling home the 8th run of the inning.
STL piles it on in the 6th, with Williams and Jacobson again driving in runs to increase the score to 10-4 STL.
After the glum home fans stand for the 7th inning stretch, they are cheered by their home team. As they root-root-rooted the Yankees on, the boys show why 44,000 paid their way in and stuck around thus far. The Yanks score a half-dozen times to tie it 10-10. Super sub Paschal, imitating the man he replaced (Earle Combs), leads off with a triple (Earle led the AL with 23 in ’27). Mark Koenig likes the idea, and triples himself… no I don’t mean that Koenig replicated himself twice! Anyway, Koenig scores a moment later on Gehrig’s single and the NY comeback is in full swing. Lazzeri, super sub #2 Gazella, reliever Wilcy Moore, and super sub #1 Ben Paschal all drive in runs. Gazella and Paschal both take bases-loaded walks, while Moore is hit by a pitch, all of which is driving STL manager Lee Fohl out of his baseball mind. This streak of wildness by STL hurlers Hub Pruitt and Bill Bayne furnish the Yankees with runs 8,9, and 10 to knot the game.
And knotted it stays until the STL 11th. By the 11th it’s ex-Yankee ace Bob Shawkey on the mound. 1927 is Bob’s final year, and unfortunately, today he shows why… he walks the winning run on board in 3rd baseman Eddie Foster. Huggins then relieves him with current ace Waite Hoyt. Hoyt tries nobly to stem the tide. But this is a great hitting club he’s up against. Hoyt gets Wally Gerber to bounce into a fielder’s choice, with Koenig tossing to Lazzeri to erase Foster. Foster upends Tony Lazzeri, preventing a throw to 1st for a double play. Of course that would prove crucial. Up comes Elam Vangilder.
STL emergency reliever Elam Vangilder, a starter who himself entered the game in the 8th, has pitched 3 innings of one-hit shutout ball. He is also, during this fictional season is batting near .400, slugging well over .600, and pitching whenever and however Lee Fohl can ask.
Now here in the 11th Elam lines a single to RF, sending Eddie Foster to 2nd. Foster then scores the game winner when 142 pound Jack Tobin grounds a single to LF. Rifle-armed Bob Meusel makes a strong, on-the-money throw to home but Wally Gerber slides around Pat Collins’ tag with the ball game.
Game 94
NY….1 0 0…1 0 1…0 0 0 – 3 8 4
STL.. 0 9 4..3 0 3..0 3 x – 22 21 1
Marty McManus doubles three times, triples once, and knocks in seven.
STL puts their stamp on the game in the 2nd, scoring nine times. George Pipgras self-destructs, loading the bases by walking Baby Doll Jacobson, Pat Collins and Wally Gerber. Jacobson and Collins pull off a double steal before the Gerber walk, which rattles Pipgras. Then opposing pitcher Elam Vangilder, a .370 hitter all year, rattles Pipgras big time, lining a long one between Combs and Paschal… a 3-run, bases clearing triple, giving STL a 3-1 lead. Tobin, Sisler, Williams, and Jacobson (batting for the 2nd time in the inning) all follow with singles. Miller Huggins relieves the battered Pipgras with a hastily warmed up Myles Thomas. The barrage continues. Marty McManus, who had stuck out looking earlier in the inning, doesn’t miss this time, lining a double past Ruth down the RF line. Williams and Jacobson score runs 7 and 8. Third sacker Frank Ellerbe rounds out the scoring by singling home McManus, and the Browns are on their way to a romp.
Interesting side notes of this matchup. I gave two Yankee subs much more playing time than they got in 1927… Ben Paschal and Mike Gazella. Ben Paschal was the Yanks 4th outfielder, and by all accounts, really good. A .309 lifetime hitter in 364 games, he played what amounts to one full season from 1925-28. He hit .321 (214-666) with 43 doubles, 11 triples, 22 homers and 22 steals. His on-base average was .380 and he slugged .518. Ben did this playing in mammoth Yankee Stadium, which was even bigger in 1927 than it would be later on.
In this particular mythic season I spotted all three Yankee outfielders with Ben Paschal. He started enough to accumulate 465 at-bats. And besides the numbers listed above Big Ben lined 46 doubles and 9 triples. Note: whenever I don’t start Paschal, he’s always Miller Huggins’ (the computerized version) 1st and best pinch-hitter.
The other sub, infielder Mike Gazella, started seeing playing time as both Mark Koenig and Jumping Joe Dugan each got off to slow starts. Koenig was stuck at .222 after 40 team games, and Dugan .203. Mike Gazella was not a thumper. But apparently he knew how to play winning baseball…the 5’7” Gazella posted a .407 on-base mark in ’27, a skill that placed atop this line-up has immense value. And in this mythic season it did. Mike managed to post a .374 OBP here in 299 plate appearances. And if you look at the stats above, you see that Koenig and Dugan were able to revive their seasons in the 2nd half, giving this team some nice infield options!
Another interesting side note: there were two men who participated on both sides of this battle – catcher Pat Collins and pitcher Urban Shocker. Shocker didn’t do particularly great for either side here. He went 11-11 for the Yanks and 6-19 for the Brownies. Shock did much better in real life and also in other seasons of Mac’s Legendary Baseball. Pat Collins did so-so here with the Browns, where he is often manager Lee Fohl’s 1st option off the bench. He did much better with the Yanks. Of course, the Browns have/had two good hitting catchers, and it’s hard to justify sitting Hank Severeid for very long. Still, Fohl never pinch-hits with Severeid, but always finds a way to get Collins’ bat in there, even for just one swing.
1922 STL Browns vs 1927 Yanks
Yankees go 85-65 .566 (2nd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .337/.478 7 50
Koenig .297/.417 3 84
Ruth .326/.777 66 155
Gehrig .350/.676 32 147
Meusel .344/.494 5 125
Lazzeri .320/.510 20 142
Collins .278/.442 20 103
Dugan .258/.352 4 68
Paschal .314/.548 15 101(465AB)
Gazella .261/.374OBA 26(252AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Tobin .336/.450 6 87
Sisler .390/.520 6 97
Williams .339/.509 15 148
Jacobson .303/.401 5 141
McManus .285/.416 5 117
Severeid .328/.414 2 58
Collins .283/.389 7 45
Vangilder .413/.652 1 22
Since 4-16 start, Browns go 20-20, 9-21, 15-15, 17-13
1962 LA Dodgers
Yankees go 88-66 .571 (3rd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .311/.408 10 52
Koenig .286/.348 2 57
Ruth .330/.771 73 194
Gehrig .318/.683 56 159 40 2B
Meusel .305/.419 7 94 41 2B
Lazzeri .273/.444 24 123
Collins .265/.430 20 108
Dugan .256/.321 3 56
Paschal .330/.520 8 35 16 2B
(221 AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Wills .317/.392 89 SB 65 RBI 13 3B
Gilliam .258/.328 4 HR 77
TDavis .341/.467 6 117 45 2B
WDavis .290/.413 8 102 33 SB
FHoward .270/.407 13 100
The Dodgers acquit themselves nicely, both against the ’27 Yanks and later against the ’37 Yanks as well. The LA Dodgers of 1962 did not even win the NL flag. They lost a 3 game playoff to the SF Giants. If you look down the page you will see the results of the ’62 Giants against these ’27 Yankees… and you will see that these Dodgers did better – much better.
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th) sheet 21
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied) sh 36
1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th) sheet 15
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th) sheet 17
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th) sheet 20
1953 Bklyn Dodgers II 99-51 .660 (11th) sh 16
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th) sheet 29
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675 (13th tied) sh 26
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th tied)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th) sh 30
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th) sh 27
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th) sh 22
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 (18th)
This one I admit freely, is wholly irresponsible. Little kid playing with a hammer and a stick of dynamite irresponsible. I decided to take two great offensive forces, bring them to 1995 Coors Field, Denver Colorado, and grab some popcorn.
Well, the hammer and dynamite did what I thought it would. The 1930 Cubs had Hack Wilson, who knocked in 190 in 1930, and another after he died, since he’s now credited with 191. They also featured Gabby Hartnett, Kiki Cuyler and Riggs Stephenson. Stephenson, not a Hall-of-Famer like the other two, owns the highest lifetime average of the three - and in the line-up - at .336. That honor would go to Rogers Hornsby, who mashed it in the .380s in ’29. But the Rajah was hurt in 1930, depriving the Cubs fans one of the truly historic line-ups. They scored 998 without Hornsby!
1930 Cubs stats:
Hack Wilson… .356, 56 HR 191 RBI
Kiki Cuyler…. .355, 13 HR 134 RBI 37SB
Riggs Stephenson.. .367, 5 HR 68 RBI
Gabby Hartnett…… .339, 37 HR 122 RBI
1930 Cubs stats at 1995 Coors Field:
English….. .383/.567 14 91
Riggs…….. .398/.490 7 110
Cuyler…… .408/.574 11 143
Hack…….. .426/.716 41 221
Gabby……..403/.582 22 189
Grimm…….318/.402 3 114
And of course, if the Cubs had three .4oo hitters:
1927 Yankees stats at 1995 Coors Field:
Combs .473/.712 19 161 500 TB
Koenig .424/.550 5 100
Ruth .495/1.306 135 389 794 TB
Gehrig .498/1.124 95 323 733 TB
Meusel .424/.682 19 150
Lazzeri .399/.695 26 158
Collins .359/.617 29 149
Dugan .357/.495 4 125 60 2B
Paschal .444/.838 22 156
Gazella .335/.513 3 101
Grabowski .318/.418 5-3B 22 RBI (110AB)
Game 4 NY wins 29-14(11)
NYY- 2 0 0 3 0 0 7 0 0 0 17 - 29 25 1
Chi - 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 - 14 27 3
For those of you who don’t comprehend, that’s 29-14 in extra innings, folks! In a typical Coors Field settling of hostilities, the score was 12-12 at the end of regulation – and what us baseball fanatics like to call ‘free baseball’. Well the good people of Denver, all 50,445 of them, saw the Murderers’ Row win the free baseball portion 17-2! The Yanks sent 22 men to the dish. Believe it or not, nobody homered. Just lots and lots of singles, doubles and walks. Gehrig singles in Combs and later doubles him in along with Koenig and Ruth. Meusel singles, doubles and walks, scores three, and drives home two. Lazzeri scores two and drives in two. Pinch-hitter Mike Gazella singles and walks, driving in a run each time and scoring twice.
Gehrig 13 RBI in 2 games.
Meusel 1ST 4 g: 12-22 .545 21TB .954 SA 9 RBI
Game 6 Chi 15-11 5-1
(Game number) (final score) (Yankees’ record)
Don’t blame the Babe!
In game 6, the Babe goes four for four with a walk.
1st : Walk.
3rd: 2-run HR to left-center, 396 ft.
6th: 2-run HR to right-center, 401 ft.
7th: 2-run HR to centerfield ‘rock pile’, 488 ft.
(Lou follows with back-to-back shot)
9th: Solo HR to RF, 422 ft.
Game 31 Chi 18-16 27-4
(Game number) (final score) (Yankees’ record)
Cubs snap 15 game losing streak in a big way.
NYY - 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 6 0 - 16 20 1
CHI - 2 1 2 0 11 1 1 0 x - 18 20 1
Cubs led 16-0 after 5.
NY starting nine all reach base.
Cubs starting nine all hit safely.
Hack Wilson goes deep twice, the 2nd time in the 11-run 5th. Gabby Hartnett hits a grand slam to dead center later in the inning.
Game 34 Chi 27-11
NYY - 0 0 2 1 0 5 0 0 3 - 11 20 3
CHI - 0 0 0 7 2 2 2 14 x - 27 26 0
NY starting eight all hit safely, as does PH Gazella.
Cubs starting nine all hit safely.
In the 14-run 8th Chicago 1st baseman Charlie Grimm makes two of the three outs AND draws a walk AND scores.
Babe who?
Paschal has 12 RBI in two games and 54 in 40 games (133 AB), and 22 starts. Thus far Paschal has reached double figures four times, including 10 in each of the last two games.
Game 72 NY 33-5 62-10
NYY– 3 15 0 2 3 4 0 2 4 – 33 31 0
Chi– 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 – 5 9 1
Mike Gazella: Six-of-six with a double, two triples and six driven home. The Babe drove in eight with a triple and two bombs. Together the two men total 24 bases.
Game 112 NY 15-5 95-17
HR: B.Ruth 3 (96), L.Gehrig 2 (75)
RBI: B.RUTH 9 (290), L.GEHRIG 6 (257)
Ruth and Gehrig supply all of the 15 runs.
Ruth hits 3 HR, including a grand slam in the 5th. Gehrig follows the grand slam with a HR off the LF foul pole. The HR is Lou’s 2nd of the day and both hit the pole. His 3-run bomb in the 1st clangs high off the pole while his 5th inning blast is a screaming liner that rattles the pole, which can be heard throughout Coors Field.
Between them, they total 25 bases, 15 RBI, 5 HR and 8 hits.
Game 116 NY 14-10 99-17
The Babe goes 5 of 5 with 2 HR 8 RBI.
Babe Ruth hits his 100th HR, and drives in his 300th run! Of course he’s the 1st on either side to do this.
Game 117 NY 20-3 100-17
Earle Combs hits for the cycle! Combs drives in six, as does Joe Dugan, who goes 5 of 5 with a double and HR.
Jumping Joe Dugan becomes 8th Yankee and 11th overall to surpass 100 RBIs.
Game 123 NY 25-6 105-18
NYY - 0 0 0 6 3 6 4 4 2 - 25 23 0
Chi - 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 - 6 10 0
Bob Meusel: 6 for 6, 2 HR 8 RBI.
Game 129 NY 17-9 107-22
Bob Meusel: 6 for 6, 2 doubles, HR 4 RBI.
Game 128 Chi 9-8 106-22
In the 8th, Hack Wilson walks with the bases loaded, forcing home Footsie Blair with Chicago’s tie-breaking 6th run, igniting the winning 5-run rally. As Wilson stood on 1st, a roar went up from the crowd, which rose to their feet for a long ovation.
“That’s for you, Hack!” Said Gehrig.
“What’s the big deal?”
“The scoreboard, Hack. Look!”
WITH THAT RBI, HACK WILSON MATCHES HIS ORIGINAL ACCREDITED RECORD OF 190 SET IN 1930. THOUGH THAT TOTAL HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED TO 191, NEITHER TOTAL HAS BEEN MATCHED SINCE.
Wilson grinned and tipped his cap, bemused. Then he said to Gehrig, “What’s the big deal? You got 200-something here. Babe has 300-something.”
“This is a lot of fun Hack.” Gehrig grinned back. “But none of this stuff counts. There’s only one single-season RBI leader. And right now 45,000 Colorado citizens are acknowledging who it still is.” As the fans continued the ovation for several minutes, Hack’s look of bemusement faded, replaced by a look of wonder, then gratitude. He gulped. And misty-eyed, he then doffed his cap and held it high, nodding in all directions. That’s when he noticed that all the players… the Yanks in the field, the Chicago base runners (the bases were still full), the 1st and third base coaches, and the players in both dugouts, were also applauding. “Nice going Hack!” Gehrig said finally, before retreating back to his position, since holding Wilson on with the bases loaded was unnecessary.
Game 132 NY 14-5 109-23
RUTH HITS 3 HRS FOR 4TH TIME THIS SEASON (INCLUDING ONE GAME WITH FOUR)!
Game 133 NY 20-13 110-23
GEHRIG HITS 3 HRS FOR 4TH TIME THIS SEASON; HAS FIVE IN TWO GAMES.
Hack Wilson becomes 1st Cub and 3rd overall to surpass 200 RBIs.
NYY - 1 0 0 6 2 1 1 0 9 - 20 25 1
Chi - 4 4 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 - 13 14 1
4th: Gehrig triples with the bases full. 3RBI
5th: Gehrig homers to right center with one on. 2 RBI.
7th: Gehrig homers to CF that passes by Wilson and barely clears the fence. 1 RBI.
9th: Gehrig lines a grand slam to right-center. 4 RBI.
HR: Lou GEHRIG 3 (87). 4TH TIME THIS SEASON!
RBI: Lou GEHRIG 10 (291)
TOTAL BASES: Lou GEHRIG 15.
Game 137 NY 18-11 113-24
Combs hits for cycle for 2nd time. Also, with five hits, Combs becomes the first Yankee, and overall, to collect 300 hits (302-649, .465). Gehrig is hitting .500 (296-592).
Game 138 NY 15-14 114-24
Lou Gehrig becomes 2nd Yankee and overall to surpass 300 RBIs. Riggs Stephenson becomes 5th Cub and 14th overall to reach 100 RBIs.
Another tough, wild one-run barn-burner. The Cubs took a 14-10 lead into the 6th. Hack Wilson’s 3-run bomb in the 1st gave the Cubs a quick 4-0 lead. Gabby Hartnett’s grand slam down the LF line in the 2nd made it 9-0. The Cubs knew not to ease up and they didn’t. But the Yanks got off the mat. The Babe’s 2-run blast in the 2nd capped a 5-run rally. In the 4th Hartnett hit his 2nd HR. Gehrig tripled a run in in the 4th and singled in another in the 5th. And in the 7th, the Yanks erased what was left of the lead. Lazzeri’s leadoff HR started a 4-run game knotting rally. Nine batters, six hits, including Gehrig’s third RBI hit in 3 innings tied it. And in the 7th, Dugan capped it with a single to CF. Ben Paschal dented the plate with what would be the winner.
Game 141 NY 18-4 117-24
Game 142 NY 18-4 118-24
Game 145 NY 18-5 120-25
NYY- 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 5 10 - 18 22 1
Chi - 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 - 5 15 0
Mike Gazella becomes 10th Yankee and 15th overall to reach 100 RBIs.
Game 146 NY 14-13 121-25
Chi - 5 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 - 13 15 0
NYY- 2 3 1 2 2 0 1 0 3 - 14 22 1
Ruth hits 3 HRs in a game for the 5th time, including a four HR game during 6th game of season.
Note: Ruth and Gehrig had been tied with four 3-HR games.
As has happened countless times this season, the Cubs slugged it out with NY, grabbed the lead, but couldn’t stave off the Murderer’s Row in the end. Lou Gehrig crushed a 2-run bomb to right-center in the 9th to tie it. Then Johnny Grabowski singled home Ben Paschal to win it, with Ben sliding under a tag from a great relay by Footsie Blair. Ruth homered to left-center with 2 on in the 2nd, again with one on in the 5th, and a 3rd time in the 7th. Gehrig homered twice.
1930 Cubs stats at 1995 Coors Field:
English….. .383/.567 14 91
Riggs…….. .398/.490 7 110
Cuyler…… .408/.574 11 143
Hack…….. .426/.716 41 221
Gabby……..403/.582 22 189
Grimm…….318/.402 3 114
And of course, if the Cubs had three .4oo hitters:
1927 Yankees stats at 1995 Coors Field:
Combs .473/.712 19 161 500 TB
Koenig .424/.550 5 100
Ruth .495/1.306 135 389 794 TB
Gehrig .498/1.124 95 323 733 TB
Meusel .424/.682 19 150
Lazzeri .399/.695 26 158
Collins .359/.617 29 149
Dugan .357/.495 4 125 60 2B
Paschal .444/.838 22 156
Gazella .335/.513 3 101
Grabowski .318/.418 5-3B 22 RBI (110AB)
Every effort is made to use the players the way they were used back in the day. For example, when the ’61 Yanks lost to the ’76 Reds, I couldn’t start Whitey Ford every day – or 60 games a season. On the other hand, Big Six Mathewson, Iron Man McGinnity and Kid Nichols all started every 3rd day AND came in out of the bullpen – er, I mean from the sidelines, where relievers loosened up back in the day.
Sometimes I varied things a little, but usually it wasn’t to give either team an edge, but rather to see how an unheralded scrub might perform if given a chance… a Ben Paschal here, a Johnny Blanchard there… but I did it for everybody. I let Dusty Rhodes (’54 Giants) play a lot more than Leo Durocher did, and while he was no Say Hey Kid in the field, he looked like the Sultan of Swat with the lumber in his hands.
The Sim League Baseball simulator makes all substitutions, both pitching and pinch-hitting. And the game seems to honor whatever era. When Ruth, Gehrig or DiMaggio visit the dead-ball era, the home runs become harder to come by. When Mordecai ‘Three-Finger’ Brown comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he still pitches brilliantly, but he leaves his 1.04 ERA home.
Here is how they fared. The records in parentheses are the Yankees’.
1927 Yanks
Mac’s Legendary Baseball (MLB)
17 teams up, 17 teams down!
2602 games: 1666-936 (.640)
(Chronological order)
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th)
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th)
1906 Chicago Cubs 81-69 .540 (1st)
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675
1922 STL Browns 85-65 .566 (2nd)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th)
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 .685 (18th)
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th)
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers rematch! 99-51 .660 (11th)
1962 LA Dodgers 88-66 .571 (3rd)
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th)
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th)
1927 Yanks
Mac’s Legendary Baseball (MLB)
17 teams up, 17 teams down!
2602 games: 1666-936 (.640)
(First-to-worst)
1906 Chicago Cubs 81-69 .540 (1st)
1922 STL Browns 85-65 .566 (2nd)
1962 LA Dodgers 88-66 .571 (3rd)
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th)
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied) 1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th)
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th)
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers II 99-51 .660 (11th)
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th)
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th tied)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th)
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th)
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th)
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 (18th)
1906 Chicago Cubs
Yankees go 81-69 .540 (1st)
Combs .262/.322 3 38
Koenig .228/.283 1 46
Ruth .302/.533 31 109
Gehrig .282/.413 9 82
Meusel .273/.333 0 104
Lazzeri .231/.285 4 77
Collins .224/.279 3 60
Dugan .214/.240 1 58
Schulte .277/.382 4 74
Chance .326/.479 8 97
Steinfeldt .336/.497 6 95
The teams play at West Side Grounds in Chicago (1906) and Yankee Stadium (1927). Both ballparks are huge. Both pitching staffs are historic. And by all accounts the ball used in 1906 was a lump of mushy oatmeal. All of these factors combine to put a clamp down on scoring… a season dominated by the men on the mound.
Consider:
Urban Shocker pitches a two-hitter (game 12)… and comes away empty when he is pinch-hit for in the 10th inning of a 0-0 tie… a game the Cubs win in the 10th, 1-0. Shocker loses 1-0 (game 23) because Jack Pfiester throttles the mighty Murderer’s Row – just three singles. The very next start Pfiester does it again – no runs, six singles. Finally in game 35, Shocker himself lays a masterpiece on the Cubs, a two-hitter – both singles! He beats Jack Pfiester! Shocker would pitch a 3-hitter later in the season.
Waite Hoyt throws a 2-hit gem himself (game 14), outdueling fellow Hall-of-Famer Mordecai ‘Three Finger’ Brown, who loses his 1st game despite allowing only seven hits and two earned runs himself. It is Brown who twirls the gem of the season (game 144), defeating Waite Hoyt. The three-fingered wonder holds the Yankees hitless until the 7th inning, where with two out, the Iron Horse Lou Gehrig hits a one-hopper to deep short. Joe Tinker dives to his right, snares it and fires to Frank Chance. Gehrig, running hard as always, beats the throw on a bang-bang play – SAAAAAAAFE! It would be the Yanks’ only hit.
Mordecai’s performance is not only brilliant; it is clutch. It comes as the Cubs are staving off elimination. The West-siders win that day and the next to go 68-77 on the season – before finally losing their 78th game (game 146), the toughest fight any team gives the mighty ’27 champions – thus far.
1922 STL Browns
Yankees go 85-65 .566 (2nd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .337/.478 7 50
Koenig .297/.417 3 84
Ruth .326/.777 66 155
Gehrig .350/.676 32 147
Meusel .344/.494 5 125
Lazzeri .320/.510 20 142
Collins .278/.442 20 103
Dugan .258/.352 4 68
Paschal .314/.548 15 101(465AB)
Gazella .261/.374OBA 26(252AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Tobin .336/.450 6 87
Sisler .390/.520 6 97
Williams .339/.509 15 148
Jacobson .303/.401 5 141
McManus .285/.416 5 117
Severeid .328/.414 2 58
Collins .283/.389 7 45
Vangilder .413/.652 1 22
Since 4-16 start, Browns go 20-20, 9-21, 15-15, 17-13
The ’22 Browns gave the 1927 Yankees the most fits of everyone except the Cubs. Their approach could not have been more diametrically opposite. The Brownies bludgeoned pitching staffs into submission. As I pointed out when they ‘played’ (and beat) the 1932 Yankees, the Browns could also pitch – they paced the 1922 American League in staff ERA, and were 2nd in runs allowed – by two runs – to the 1922 AL champion New York Yankees. Of course the Browns’ batsmen led the American League in hitting, slugging, stolen bases, scoring and triples. Kind of begs the question – HOW DID THEY BLOW THAT ’22 PENNANT?
In Mac’s Legendary Baseball the 1922 Browns finished 20 games behind the 1927 Yankees. Remember, the American League finished 64 games behind in ’27. Before facing the 1927 Murderer’s Row, the 1922 St. Louisians whipped the 1932 World Champions, posting a 84-66 mark against a squad that went 107-47 and swept the Cubs. Then the Brownies beat the 1921 AL pennant-winning Yankees, going 79-71. The 1921 NY Yankees were much better than the 1922 edition. So again - HOW DID THE ’22 BROWNS BLOW THAT ’22 PENNANT?
Here in Mac’s LB the Brown’s suffered two slumps, a 4-16 stretch to start the season and a 9-21 midseason funk just as it looked as if the Brownies were getting back into it. The 1922 Browns had one Hall-of-Famer, a .300 hitting outfield, and baseball’s first ‘30-30’ man. But they also had Elam Vangilder, who turned out to be, well, the Babe Ruth of the Browns. Vangilder batted .344 in 1922 with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, and 11 RBIs in only 93 at-bats. In addition he went 19-13 with a 3.42 ERA over 245 innings. A product of Cape Girardeau, Mo (born there 1896, died there 1977), Elam went 99-102 lifetime and batted a respectable .244. He never attained the same heights in pitching or hitting after that great 1922 season, which leads to an interesting rhetorical question; should he have switched another position a la Babe Ruth and his own ex-pitching teammate George Sisler?
Here Vangilder does even better – a fat .413 average, an even fatter .652 slugging mark, 18 doubles and 22 RBI – in only 121 at-bats.
To illustrate the ferocity with which these two offensive behemoths locked horns, here are three games from this mythical season matchup.
Game 31
NYY – 2 2 5 3 2 1 3 2 2 - 22 23 1
STL – 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 - 4 10 2
The Yanks have actually scored more runs. Even this season – 24. But this was domination… not a single zero anywhere on the scoreboard for the Yanks. The Yanks won every inning. The ‘computer’ designated the Babe as the Player of the Game, and indeed it’s hard to argue with 3 HRs, 4 hits, 5 RBIs, and thirteen (13) Total Bases. Hard to argue but not impossible; super-sub Ben Paschal hit safely 5 times, including 3 doubles, 2 runs scored and six (6) driven in. And that was from the leadoff spot! The other super-sub, Mike Gazella, who has been spelling both Mark Koenig and Jumping’ Joe Dugan, only collected one safety, but he walked twice, scored thrice, and drove in three more. Every starter including hurler George Pipgras hit safely, and every starter except Pipgras scored – but Pipgras did drive one in!
The Bambino’s blasts come in the 1st (2-run, CF, 477 ft), 6th (solo, left-center, 421 ft), and 9th (2-run, LF, 388 ft).
Game 70
STL - 0 0 0 0 8 2 0 0 0 0 1 - 11 17 2
NYY - 4 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 - 10 11 1
This game sums up how close these two teams are, despite the Yanks’ 18-game bulge in the season. These two heavyweights swapped haymakers as they have all season. Today the Browns were left standing with arms raised, while the Yanks were bloody, beaten but unbowed.
It looked like a good day for the home crowd, which was 44,323. In the bottom of the 1st Bob Meusel lines a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double into the huge left-centerfield death valley gap (470 ft) of 1927 Yankee Stadium. One out later, Yankee catcher Pat Collins, having another fine season (actually two fine seasons, one for each squad…) lines a 411 foot triple into the same gap, easily scoring Meusel. With a 4-0 edge and 18-game winner Urban Shocker on the hill, things look good for the Murderer’s Row bunch.
Until the 5th. TO that point, Shocker holds the mighty Browns to one hit, a lonely single to his ex-catcher Hank Severeid. Interestingly enough, Severeid opens the 5th frame with his (and the Browns’) 2nd single, a shot to centerfield. This time, it opens a floodgate, allowing a tide that would carry Shocker away. Consecutive singles follow and load the bases. Pitcher Dixie Davis would knock in the 1st STL tally with a fielder’s choice, but then it would get ugly. Tiny Jack Tobin singles in 3B-man Eddie Foster. Hall-of-Famer Sisler walks to reload the rifle for Kenny Williams, who fires… crushing a grand slam HR down the RF line into the short porch at Yankee Stadium. STL takes the lead, 6-4.
Out comes Shocker, and in comes Myles Thomas, the reliever with an accountant’s name. But the numbers get ugly for Myles too. Baby Doll (did they have great names in the 1920s or what?) Jacobson singles, Marty McManus triples, and then Hank Severeid, who started all of this, ends it by singling home the 8th run of the inning.
STL piles it on in the 6th, with Williams and Jacobson again driving in runs to increase the score to 10-4 STL.
After the glum home fans stand for the 7th inning stretch, they are cheered by their home team. As they root-root-rooted the Yankees on, the boys show why 44,000 paid their way in and stuck around thus far. The Yanks score a half-dozen times to tie it 10-10. Super sub Paschal, imitating the man he replaced (Earle Combs), leads off with a triple (Earle led the AL with 23 in ’27). Mark Koenig likes the idea, and triples himself… no I don’t mean that Koenig replicated himself twice! Anyway, Koenig scores a moment later on Gehrig’s single and the NY comeback is in full swing. Lazzeri, super sub #2 Gazella, reliever Wilcy Moore, and super sub #1 Ben Paschal all drive in runs. Gazella and Paschal both take bases-loaded walks, while Moore is hit by a pitch, all of which is driving STL manager Lee Fohl out of his baseball mind. This streak of wildness by STL hurlers Hub Pruitt and Bill Bayne furnish the Yankees with runs 8,9, and 10 to knot the game.
And knotted it stays until the STL 11th. By the 11th it’s ex-Yankee ace Bob Shawkey on the mound. 1927 is Bob’s final year, and unfortunately, today he shows why… he walks the winning run on board in 3rd baseman Eddie Foster. Huggins then relieves him with current ace Waite Hoyt. Hoyt tries nobly to stem the tide. But this is a great hitting club he’s up against. Hoyt gets Wally Gerber to bounce into a fielder’s choice, with Koenig tossing to Lazzeri to erase Foster. Foster upends Tony Lazzeri, preventing a throw to 1st for a double play. Of course that would prove crucial. Up comes Elam Vangilder.
STL emergency reliever Elam Vangilder, a starter who himself entered the game in the 8th, has pitched 3 innings of one-hit shutout ball. He is also, during this fictional season is batting near .400, slugging well over .600, and pitching whenever and however Lee Fohl can ask.
Now here in the 11th Elam lines a single to RF, sending Eddie Foster to 2nd. Foster then scores the game winner when 142 pound Jack Tobin grounds a single to LF. Rifle-armed Bob Meusel makes a strong, on-the-money throw to home but Wally Gerber slides around Pat Collins’ tag with the ball game.
Game 94
NY….1 0 0…1 0 1…0 0 0 – 3 8 4
STL.. 0 9 4..3 0 3..0 3 x – 22 21 1
Marty McManus doubles three times, triples once, and knocks in seven.
STL puts their stamp on the game in the 2nd, scoring nine times. George Pipgras self-destructs, loading the bases by walking Baby Doll Jacobson, Pat Collins and Wally Gerber. Jacobson and Collins pull off a double steal before the Gerber walk, which rattles Pipgras. Then opposing pitcher Elam Vangilder, a .370 hitter all year, rattles Pipgras big time, lining a long one between Combs and Paschal… a 3-run, bases clearing triple, giving STL a 3-1 lead. Tobin, Sisler, Williams, and Jacobson (batting for the 2nd time in the inning) all follow with singles. Miller Huggins relieves the battered Pipgras with a hastily warmed up Myles Thomas. The barrage continues. Marty McManus, who had stuck out looking earlier in the inning, doesn’t miss this time, lining a double past Ruth down the RF line. Williams and Jacobson score runs 7 and 8. Third sacker Frank Ellerbe rounds out the scoring by singling home McManus, and the Browns are on their way to a romp.
Interesting side notes of this matchup. I gave two Yankee subs much more playing time than they got in 1927… Ben Paschal and Mike Gazella. Ben Paschal was the Yanks 4th outfielder, and by all accounts, really good. A .309 lifetime hitter in 364 games, he played what amounts to one full season from 1925-28. He hit .321 (214-666) with 43 doubles, 11 triples, 22 homers and 22 steals. His on-base average was .380 and he slugged .518. Ben did this playing in mammoth Yankee Stadium, which was even bigger in 1927 than it would be later on.
In this particular mythic season I spotted all three Yankee outfielders with Ben Paschal. He started enough to accumulate 465 at-bats. And besides the numbers listed above Big Ben lined 46 doubles and 9 triples. Note: whenever I don’t start Paschal, he’s always Miller Huggins’ (the computerized version) 1st and best pinch-hitter.
The other sub, infielder Mike Gazella, started seeing playing time as both Mark Koenig and Jumping Joe Dugan each got off to slow starts. Koenig was stuck at .222 after 40 team games, and Dugan .203. Mike Gazella was not a thumper. But apparently he knew how to play winning baseball…the 5’7” Gazella posted a .407 on-base mark in ’27, a skill that placed atop this line-up has immense value. And in this mythic season it did. Mike managed to post a .374 OBP here in 299 plate appearances. And if you look at the stats above, you see that Koenig and Dugan were able to revive their seasons in the 2nd half, giving this team some nice infield options!
Another interesting side note: there were two men who participated on both sides of this battle – catcher Pat Collins and pitcher Urban Shocker. Shocker didn’t do particularly great for either side here. He went 11-11 for the Yanks and 6-19 for the Brownies. Shock did much better in real life and also in other seasons of Mac’s Legendary Baseball. Pat Collins did so-so here with the Browns, where he is often manager Lee Fohl’s 1st option off the bench. He did much better with the Yanks. Of course, the Browns have/had two good hitting catchers, and it’s hard to justify sitting Hank Severeid for very long. Still, Fohl never pinch-hits with Severeid, but always finds a way to get Collins’ bat in there, even for just one swing.
1922 STL Browns vs 1927 Yanks
Yankees go 85-65 .566 (2nd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .337/.478 7 50
Koenig .297/.417 3 84
Ruth .326/.777 66 155
Gehrig .350/.676 32 147
Meusel .344/.494 5 125
Lazzeri .320/.510 20 142
Collins .278/.442 20 103
Dugan .258/.352 4 68
Paschal .314/.548 15 101(465AB)
Gazella .261/.374OBA 26(252AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Tobin .336/.450 6 87
Sisler .390/.520 6 97
Williams .339/.509 15 148
Jacobson .303/.401 5 141
McManus .285/.416 5 117
Severeid .328/.414 2 58
Collins .283/.389 7 45
Vangilder .413/.652 1 22
Since 4-16 start, Browns go 20-20, 9-21, 15-15, 17-13
1962 LA Dodgers
Yankees go 88-66 .571 (3rd)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Combs .311/.408 10 52
Koenig .286/.348 2 57
Ruth .330/.771 73 194
Gehrig .318/.683 56 159 40 2B
Meusel .305/.419 7 94 41 2B
Lazzeri .273/.444 24 123
Collins .265/.430 20 108
Dugan .256/.321 3 56
Paschal .330/.520 8 35 16 2B
(221 AB)
PLAYER……BA/SA…....HR……RBI
Wills .317/.392 89 SB 65 RBI 13 3B
Gilliam .258/.328 4 HR 77
TDavis .341/.467 6 117 45 2B
WDavis .290/.413 8 102 33 SB
FHoward .270/.407 13 100
The Dodgers acquit themselves nicely, both against the ’27 Yanks and later against the ’37 Yanks as well. The LA Dodgers of 1962 did not even win the NL flag. They lost a 3 game playoff to the SF Giants. If you look down the page you will see the results of the ’62 Giants against these ’27 Yankees… and you will see that these Dodgers did better – much better.
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th) sheet 21
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied) sh 36
1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th) sheet 15
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th) sheet 17
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th) sheet 20
1953 Bklyn Dodgers II 99-51 .660 (11th) sh 16
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th) sheet 29
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675 (13th tied) sh 26
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th tied)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th) sh 30
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th) sh 27
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th) sh 22
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 (18th)
This one I admit freely, is wholly irresponsible. Little kid playing with a hammer and a stick of dynamite irresponsible. I decided to take two great offensive forces, bring them to 1995 Coors Field, Denver Colorado, and grab some popcorn.
Well, the hammer and dynamite did what I thought it would. The 1930 Cubs had Hack Wilson, who knocked in 190 in 1930, and another after he died, since he’s now credited with 191. They also featured Gabby Hartnett, Kiki Cuyler and Riggs Stephenson. Stephenson, not a Hall-of-Famer like the other two, owns the highest lifetime average of the three - and in the line-up - at .336. That honor would go to Rogers Hornsby, who mashed it in the .380s in ’29. But the Rajah was hurt in 1930, depriving the Cubs fans one of the truly historic line-ups. They scored 998 without Hornsby!
1930 Cubs stats:
Hack Wilson… .356, 56 HR 191 RBI
Kiki Cuyler…. .355, 13 HR 134 RBI 37SB
Riggs Stephenson.. .367, 5 HR 68 RBI
Gabby Hartnett…… .339, 37 HR 122 RBI
1930 Cubs stats at 1995 Coors Field:
English….. .383/.567 14 91
Riggs…….. .398/.490 7 110
Cuyler…… .408/.574 11 143
Hack…….. .426/.716 41 221
Gabby……..403/.582 22 189
Grimm…….318/.402 3 114
And of course, if the Cubs had three .4oo hitters:
1927 Yankees stats at 1995 Coors Field:
Combs .473/.712 19 161 500 TB
Koenig .424/.550 5 100
Ruth .495/1.306 135 389 794 TB
Gehrig .498/1.124 95 323 733 TB
Meusel .424/.682 19 150
Lazzeri .399/.695 26 158
Collins .359/.617 29 149
Dugan .357/.495 4 125 60 2B
Paschal .444/.838 22 156
Gazella .335/.513 3 101
Grabowski .318/.418 5-3B 22 RBI (110AB)
Game 4 NY wins 29-14(11)
NYY- 2 0 0 3 0 0 7 0 0 0 17 - 29 25 1
Chi - 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 - 14 27 3
For those of you who don’t comprehend, that’s 29-14 in extra innings, folks! In a typical Coors Field settling of hostilities, the score was 12-12 at the end of regulation – and what us baseball fanatics like to call ‘free baseball’. Well the good people of Denver, all 50,445 of them, saw the Murderers’ Row win the free baseball portion 17-2! The Yanks sent 22 men to the dish. Believe it or not, nobody homered. Just lots and lots of singles, doubles and walks. Gehrig singles in Combs and later doubles him in along with Koenig and Ruth. Meusel singles, doubles and walks, scores three, and drives home two. Lazzeri scores two and drives in two. Pinch-hitter Mike Gazella singles and walks, driving in a run each time and scoring twice.
Gehrig 13 RBI in 2 games.
Meusel 1ST 4 g: 12-22 .545 21TB .954 SA 9 RBI
Game 6 Chi 15-11 5-1
(Game number) (final score) (Yankees’ record)
Don’t blame the Babe!
In game 6, the Babe goes four for four with a walk.
1st : Walk.
3rd: 2-run HR to left-center, 396 ft.
6th: 2-run HR to right-center, 401 ft.
7th: 2-run HR to centerfield ‘rock pile’, 488 ft.
(Lou follows with back-to-back shot)
9th: Solo HR to RF, 422 ft.
Game 31 Chi 18-16 27-4
(Game number) (final score) (Yankees’ record)
Cubs snap 15 game losing streak in a big way.
NYY - 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 6 0 - 16 20 1
CHI - 2 1 2 0 11 1 1 0 x - 18 20 1
Cubs led 16-0 after 5.
NY starting nine all reach base.
Cubs starting nine all hit safely.
Hack Wilson goes deep twice, the 2nd time in the 11-run 5th. Gabby Hartnett hits a grand slam to dead center later in the inning.
Game 34 Chi 27-11
NYY - 0 0 2 1 0 5 0 0 3 - 11 20 3
CHI - 0 0 0 7 2 2 2 14 x - 27 26 0
NY starting eight all hit safely, as does PH Gazella.
Cubs starting nine all hit safely.
In the 14-run 8th Chicago 1st baseman Charlie Grimm makes two of the three outs AND draws a walk AND scores.
Babe who?
Paschal has 12 RBI in two games and 54 in 40 games (133 AB), and 22 starts. Thus far Paschal has reached double figures four times, including 10 in each of the last two games.
Game 72 NY 33-5 62-10
NYY– 3 15 0 2 3 4 0 2 4 – 33 31 0
Chi– 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 – 5 9 1
Mike Gazella: Six-of-six with a double, two triples and six driven home. The Babe drove in eight with a triple and two bombs. Together the two men total 24 bases.
Game 112 NY 15-5 95-17
HR: B.Ruth 3 (96), L.Gehrig 2 (75)
RBI: B.RUTH 9 (290), L.GEHRIG 6 (257)
Ruth and Gehrig supply all of the 15 runs.
Ruth hits 3 HR, including a grand slam in the 5th. Gehrig follows the grand slam with a HR off the LF foul pole. The HR is Lou’s 2nd of the day and both hit the pole. His 3-run bomb in the 1st clangs high off the pole while his 5th inning blast is a screaming liner that rattles the pole, which can be heard throughout Coors Field.
Between them, they total 25 bases, 15 RBI, 5 HR and 8 hits.
Game 116 NY 14-10 99-17
The Babe goes 5 of 5 with 2 HR 8 RBI.
Babe Ruth hits his 100th HR, and drives in his 300th run! Of course he’s the 1st on either side to do this.
Game 117 NY 20-3 100-17
Earle Combs hits for the cycle! Combs drives in six, as does Joe Dugan, who goes 5 of 5 with a double and HR.
Jumping Joe Dugan becomes 8th Yankee and 11th overall to surpass 100 RBIs.
Game 123 NY 25-6 105-18
NYY - 0 0 0 6 3 6 4 4 2 - 25 23 0
Chi - 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 - 6 10 0
Bob Meusel: 6 for 6, 2 HR 8 RBI.
Game 129 NY 17-9 107-22
Bob Meusel: 6 for 6, 2 doubles, HR 4 RBI.
Game 128 Chi 9-8 106-22
In the 8th, Hack Wilson walks with the bases loaded, forcing home Footsie Blair with Chicago’s tie-breaking 6th run, igniting the winning 5-run rally. As Wilson stood on 1st, a roar went up from the crowd, which rose to their feet for a long ovation.
“That’s for you, Hack!” Said Gehrig.
“What’s the big deal?”
“The scoreboard, Hack. Look!”
WITH THAT RBI, HACK WILSON MATCHES HIS ORIGINAL ACCREDITED RECORD OF 190 SET IN 1930. THOUGH THAT TOTAL HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED TO 191, NEITHER TOTAL HAS BEEN MATCHED SINCE.
Wilson grinned and tipped his cap, bemused. Then he said to Gehrig, “What’s the big deal? You got 200-something here. Babe has 300-something.”
“This is a lot of fun Hack.” Gehrig grinned back. “But none of this stuff counts. There’s only one single-season RBI leader. And right now 45,000 Colorado citizens are acknowledging who it still is.” As the fans continued the ovation for several minutes, Hack’s look of bemusement faded, replaced by a look of wonder, then gratitude. He gulped. And misty-eyed, he then doffed his cap and held it high, nodding in all directions. That’s when he noticed that all the players… the Yanks in the field, the Chicago base runners (the bases were still full), the 1st and third base coaches, and the players in both dugouts, were also applauding. “Nice going Hack!” Gehrig said finally, before retreating back to his position, since holding Wilson on with the bases loaded was unnecessary.
Game 132 NY 14-5 109-23
RUTH HITS 3 HRS FOR 4TH TIME THIS SEASON (INCLUDING ONE GAME WITH FOUR)!
Game 133 NY 20-13 110-23
GEHRIG HITS 3 HRS FOR 4TH TIME THIS SEASON; HAS FIVE IN TWO GAMES.
Hack Wilson becomes 1st Cub and 3rd overall to surpass 200 RBIs.
NYY - 1 0 0 6 2 1 1 0 9 - 20 25 1
Chi - 4 4 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 - 13 14 1
4th: Gehrig triples with the bases full. 3RBI
5th: Gehrig homers to right center with one on. 2 RBI.
7th: Gehrig homers to CF that passes by Wilson and barely clears the fence. 1 RBI.
9th: Gehrig lines a grand slam to right-center. 4 RBI.
HR: Lou GEHRIG 3 (87). 4TH TIME THIS SEASON!
RBI: Lou GEHRIG 10 (291)
TOTAL BASES: Lou GEHRIG 15.
Game 137 NY 18-11 113-24
Combs hits for cycle for 2nd time. Also, with five hits, Combs becomes the first Yankee, and overall, to collect 300 hits (302-649, .465). Gehrig is hitting .500 (296-592).
Game 138 NY 15-14 114-24
Lou Gehrig becomes 2nd Yankee and overall to surpass 300 RBIs. Riggs Stephenson becomes 5th Cub and 14th overall to reach 100 RBIs.
Another tough, wild one-run barn-burner. The Cubs took a 14-10 lead into the 6th. Hack Wilson’s 3-run bomb in the 1st gave the Cubs a quick 4-0 lead. Gabby Hartnett’s grand slam down the LF line in the 2nd made it 9-0. The Cubs knew not to ease up and they didn’t. But the Yanks got off the mat. The Babe’s 2-run blast in the 2nd capped a 5-run rally. In the 4th Hartnett hit his 2nd HR. Gehrig tripled a run in in the 4th and singled in another in the 5th. And in the 7th, the Yanks erased what was left of the lead. Lazzeri’s leadoff HR started a 4-run game knotting rally. Nine batters, six hits, including Gehrig’s third RBI hit in 3 innings tied it. And in the 7th, Dugan capped it with a single to CF. Ben Paschal dented the plate with what would be the winner.
Game 141 NY 18-4 117-24
Game 142 NY 18-4 118-24
Game 145 NY 18-5 120-25
NYY- 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 5 10 - 18 22 1
Chi - 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 - 5 15 0
Mike Gazella becomes 10th Yankee and 15th overall to reach 100 RBIs.
Game 146 NY 14-13 121-25
Chi - 5 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 - 13 15 0
NYY- 2 3 1 2 2 0 1 0 3 - 14 22 1
Ruth hits 3 HRs in a game for the 5th time, including a four HR game during 6th game of season.
Note: Ruth and Gehrig had been tied with four 3-HR games.
As has happened countless times this season, the Cubs slugged it out with NY, grabbed the lead, but couldn’t stave off the Murderer’s Row in the end. Lou Gehrig crushed a 2-run bomb to right-center in the 9th to tie it. Then Johnny Grabowski singled home Ben Paschal to win it, with Ben sliding under a tag from a great relay by Footsie Blair. Ruth homered to left-center with 2 on in the 2nd, again with one on in the 5th, and a 3rd time in the 7th. Gehrig homered twice.
1930 Cubs stats at 1995 Coors Field:
English….. .383/.567 14 91
Riggs…….. .398/.490 7 110
Cuyler…… .408/.574 11 143
Hack…….. .426/.716 41 221
Gabby……..403/.582 22 189
Grimm…….318/.402 3 114
And of course, if the Cubs had three .4oo hitters:
1927 Yankees stats at 1995 Coors Field:
Combs .473/.712 19 161 500 TB
Koenig .424/.550 5 100
Ruth .495/1.306 135 389 794 TB
Gehrig .498/1.124 95 323 733 TB
Meusel .424/.682 19 150
Lazzeri .399/.695 26 158
Collins .359/.617 29 149
Dugan .357/.495 4 125 60 2B
Paschal .444/.838 22 156
Gazella .335/.513 3 101
Grabowski .318/.418 5-3B 22 RBI (110AB)
NY Yankees Against ALL COMERS!
Although smarting from the 1961 Yanks whipping at the hands of the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, which backed Bill James’ theories about the relative merits of the two teams… I still had massive fun. Being a lifetime fan of Yankees past and present, I decided to pit historical matchups of the great Yankee teams against great squads of yesteryear. The opponents were usually world or league champs, or also-rans who won 100 games or boasted lots of stars. The opponents thus far have ranged from 1894 to 2002. The Yankee teams have thus far been from 1921 to 1937, plus the ’61 M&M boys.
All games are played using Sim League Baseball by What If Sports. A full 154 game slate is played. The teams alternate five game series at each team’s respective home parks… during each team’s respective home era. When the 1927 Yanks visit the 1894 Phillies, they not only have to deal with facing four .400 hitters in the tiny Baker Bowl, they have to deal with gaslamps, wooden ballparks and horse buggies. And when Big Ed Delahanty comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he experiences 70,000 crowds, steel-and-concrete stadiums and car-sickness for the first time.
Every effort is made to use the players the way they were used back in the day. For example, when the ’61 Yanks lost to the ’76 Reds, I couldn’t start Whitey Ford every day – or 60 games a season. On the other hand, Big Six Mathewson, Iron Man McGinnity and Kid Nichols all started every 3rd day AND came in out of the bullpen – er, I mean from the sidelines, where relievers loosened up back in the day.
Sometimes I varied things a little, but usually it wasn’t to give either team an edge, but rather to see how an unheralded scrub might perform if given a chance… a Ben Paschal here, a Johnny Blanchard there… but I did it for everybody. I let Dusty Rhodes (’54 Giants) play a lot more than Leo Durocher did, and while he was no Say Hey Kid in the field, he looked like the Sultan of Swat with the lumber in his hands.
The Sim League Baseball simulator makes all substitutions, both pitching and pinch-hitting. And the game seems to honor whatever era. When Ruth, Gehrig or DiMaggio visit the dead-ball era, the home runs become harder to come by. When Mordecai ‘Three-Finger’ Brown comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he still pitches brilliantly, but he leaves his 1.04 ERA home.
Here is how they fared. The records in parentheses are the Yankees’.
1921 Yanks
1905 NY Giants (77-77) tied!
1921 NY Giants (79-75) won!
1921 STL Browns (71-79) lost!
2002 SF Giants (94-60) won!
1923 Yanks
2001 SF Giants (80-74) won!
1927 Yanks
17 teams up, 17 teams down!
2602 games: 1666-936 (.640)
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th)
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th)
1906 Chicago Cubs 81-69 .540 (1st)
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675
1922 STL Browns 85-65 .566 (2nd)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th)
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 .685 (18th)
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th)
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers rematch! 99-51 .660 (11th)
1962 LA Dodgers 88-66 .571 (3rd)
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th)
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th)
1928 Yanks
1975 Cincinnati Reds 69-85 lost!
1932 Yanks
1976 Cincinnati Reds beat 1932 New York Yankees 83-71!
N. Y..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Chapman..308/.491 17 112
Ruth……….330/.660 59 176
Gehrig…… .365/.631 38 169
Lazzeri…....307/.498 21 124
Dickey……..318/.452 16 136
Cin. ..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Griffey…… .305/.444 10 80
Morgan…....370/.684 32 146
Foster……. .311/.560 30 204
Perez…….. .264/.541 36 166
1932 Yanks
1954 New York Giants 93-61 Yanks win!
PLAYER……………HR…RBI…BA/SA
Ben Chapman…….15...97.... .304/.454
Babe Ruth………….48...149...291/.588
Lou Gehrig…………36...174....330/.591
Tony Lazzeri……….10... 99....277/.411
Bill Dickey………….12... 119.. .319/.448
Willie Mays………...35... 123... .343/.625
Dusty Rhodes……..44... 151... .336/.609
Don Mueller……….. 6... 60.... .346/.462
Mays 395 total bases (overall leader)
Hank Thompson 25hr 109rbi
PITCHERS……..W-L…Inn…ERA
John Antonelli 15-10 246…3.98
Lefty Gomez……8-13…210…5.04
Red Ruffing……14-7…224…5.62
Johnny Allen….15-4… 165…4.41
Herb Pennock… 7-3… 127…4.87
1936 Yanks
1915 Red Sox 82-72 won!
1937 Yanks
1916 Red Sox 99-55 won!
1946 Red Sox 87-67 won!
1962 Dodgers 82-72 won!
1970 Baltimore 91-63 won!
1961 Yanks
1976 Cincinnati Reds 77-85 lost!
1976 Cincinnati Reds 75-87 rematch lost!
All games are played using Sim League Baseball by What If Sports. A full 154 game slate is played. The teams alternate five game series at each team’s respective home parks… during each team’s respective home era. When the 1927 Yanks visit the 1894 Phillies, they not only have to deal with facing four .400 hitters in the tiny Baker Bowl, they have to deal with gaslamps, wooden ballparks and horse buggies. And when Big Ed Delahanty comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he experiences 70,000 crowds, steel-and-concrete stadiums and car-sickness for the first time.
Every effort is made to use the players the way they were used back in the day. For example, when the ’61 Yanks lost to the ’76 Reds, I couldn’t start Whitey Ford every day – or 60 games a season. On the other hand, Big Six Mathewson, Iron Man McGinnity and Kid Nichols all started every 3rd day AND came in out of the bullpen – er, I mean from the sidelines, where relievers loosened up back in the day.
Sometimes I varied things a little, but usually it wasn’t to give either team an edge, but rather to see how an unheralded scrub might perform if given a chance… a Ben Paschal here, a Johnny Blanchard there… but I did it for everybody. I let Dusty Rhodes (’54 Giants) play a lot more than Leo Durocher did, and while he was no Say Hey Kid in the field, he looked like the Sultan of Swat with the lumber in his hands.
The Sim League Baseball simulator makes all substitutions, both pitching and pinch-hitting. And the game seems to honor whatever era. When Ruth, Gehrig or DiMaggio visit the dead-ball era, the home runs become harder to come by. When Mordecai ‘Three-Finger’ Brown comes to 1927 Yankee Stadium, he still pitches brilliantly, but he leaves his 1.04 ERA home.
Here is how they fared. The records in parentheses are the Yankees’.
1921 Yanks
1905 NY Giants (77-77) tied!
1921 NY Giants (79-75) won!
1921 STL Browns (71-79) lost!
2002 SF Giants (94-60) won!
1923 Yanks
2001 SF Giants (80-74) won!
1927 Yanks
17 teams up, 17 teams down!
2602 games: 1666-936 (.640)
1894 Baltimore Orioles 89-65 .578 (4th)
1894 Philadelphia Phils 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1894 Boston Bean-eaters 121-33 .786 (17th)
1904 NY Giants 95-55 .633 (10th)
1906 Chicago Cubs 81-69 .540 (1st)
1915 Detroit Tigers 92-62 .597 (5th)
1920 Chicago Black Sox 104-50 .675
1922 STL Browns 85-65 .566 (2nd)
1929 Chicago Cubs 111-51 .685 (15th)
1930 Chicago Cubs 124-26 .685 (18th)
1930 Phila Athletics 104-50 .675 (13th)
1931 Phila Athletics 94-56 .626 (9th)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers 95-59 .617 (6th tied)
1953 Bklyn Dodgers rematch! 99-51 .660 (11th)
1962 LA Dodgers 88-66 .571 (3rd)
1962 SF Giants 103-51 .668 (12th)
1963 LA Dodgers 114-36 .760 (16th)
1975 Cincinnati Reds 96-58 .623 (8th)
1928 Yanks
1975 Cincinnati Reds 69-85 lost!
1932 Yanks
1976 Cincinnati Reds beat 1932 New York Yankees 83-71!
N. Y..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Chapman..308/.491 17 112
Ruth……….330/.660 59 176
Gehrig…… .365/.631 38 169
Lazzeri…....307/.498 21 124
Dickey……..318/.452 16 136
Cin. ..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Griffey…… .305/.444 10 80
Morgan…....370/.684 32 146
Foster……. .311/.560 30 204
Perez…….. .264/.541 36 166
1932 Yanks
1954 New York Giants 93-61 Yanks win!
PLAYER……………HR…RBI…BA/SA
Ben Chapman…….15...97.... .304/.454
Babe Ruth………….48...149...291/.588
Lou Gehrig…………36...174....330/.591
Tony Lazzeri……….10... 99....277/.411
Bill Dickey………….12... 119.. .319/.448
Willie Mays………...35... 123... .343/.625
Dusty Rhodes……..44... 151... .336/.609
Don Mueller……….. 6... 60.... .346/.462
Mays 395 total bases (overall leader)
Hank Thompson 25hr 109rbi
PITCHERS……..W-L…Inn…ERA
John Antonelli 15-10 246…3.98
Lefty Gomez……8-13…210…5.04
Red Ruffing……14-7…224…5.62
Johnny Allen….15-4… 165…4.41
Herb Pennock… 7-3… 127…4.87
1936 Yanks
1915 Red Sox 82-72 won!
1937 Yanks
1916 Red Sox 99-55 won!
1946 Red Sox 87-67 won!
1962 Dodgers 82-72 won!
1970 Baltimore 91-63 won!
1961 Yanks
1976 Cincinnati Reds 77-85 lost!
1976 Cincinnati Reds 75-87 rematch lost!
1932 Yanks vs 1976 Cincinnati Reds!
1932 New York Yankees 107-47 (.695)
Scored 1002 runs (1st in AL)
Allowed 623 earned runs (fewest in AL)
.969 Fielding (3rd) 190 errors (4th)
Team BA .286 (2nd), 160 HR (2nd).
Four men 100 RBI
Six Yankees have at least 10 home runs.
1976 Cincinnati Reds 102-60 (.630)
Joe Morgan HOF
Ken Griffey near HOF, father of soontobe HOF
Johnny Bench HOF
Pete Rose HOF shouldbewouldbecouldbeHOF
Tony Perez HOF
1st in NL in runs(857), Batting (.280), On-Base (.357), Slugging (.424), HR(141), 2B(271), 3B(63), Stolen Bases (210), Walks
Game 6 Cin 3-2(11) NY is 4-2
Riverfront Stadium, 1976
2B: B.Ruth (1), S.Byrd (1)
3B: T.Lazzeri (1)
HR: B.Ruth (4)
RBI: B.Ruth (9), B.Dickey (1)
2B: T.Perez (1), D.Concepcion (1), B.Bailey (1),
D.Driessen (1)
HR: G.Foster (1)
RBI: G.Foster (1), B.Bailey 2 (2)
SB: K.Griffey Sr. (3)
“How do you like that? Ruth blasts one and our fans cheer him…” Murmured George Foster.
“Hell, I cheered him too!” Piped Pete Rose. “It’s Babe Friggin Ruth for crying out loud!”
10 Games NY is 8-2
PLAYER... BA/SA… HR…RBI
Chapman….310/.667 4 10
Ruth……….350/.800 5 13
Gehrig……..419/.767 4 8
Lazzeri…….146/.268 0 5
Dickey……..415/.439 0 6
Griffey… .178/.200 0 3
Morgan… .467/.867 4 8
Foster… .209/.442 3 10
Perez … .293/.512 1 7
Game 12 NY 21-0 9-3
NY - 4 3 0 3 2 0 0 0 9 - 21 23 0
Cin - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 5 1
Red Ruffing wins to go to 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA (24 inn.)
Holds Cincy to five singles
Ruth hits 2 HR and drives in 7. He now has seven homers and 21 RBI in 12 games. Joe Sewell plates six.
Game 15 Cin 9-8 NY is 9-6
Cincinnati wins 3 in a row, 4 of 5.
Ruth hits three out of Riverfront Stadium and drives home six. He now has 11 HR, 29 HR, is batting .440 and slugging 1.051.
But Ken Griffey and Johnny Bench homer. Cesar Geronimo doubles and triples. Joe Morgan triples and steals his 5th base. Five Reds drives home runs to edge the Yankees.
Game 105 at BP
Riverfront Stadium, 1976
“You looked like a kid yesterday, Babe…” Joe Morgan grinned. “Legging out that ground ball you hit to me! What are you, thirty-five?” Then Ruth grinned.
“Thirty-seven, pal. You know, when I was running out that dribbler, I forgot all about my legs. But after I beat it out, turning around to walk back to first… my legs said, ‘What the hell was that!” Then the Babe nodded out toward second base. “Of course, Joe, with you playing me out in right field like you do, I oughta beat out a hit once in a while. If I were younger, I might bunt on you.”
“You can bunt on us all day, Babe.” Morgan answered. “Me and my teammates will take up a collection.”
Babe laughed. Joe continued. “Besides, I’m not playing that deep to retire you. I’m playing that deep because I have a family to think about. You’re dangerous.”
“So are you, Joe. I never seen such a short, compact swing. “You’re like Jackie Robinson and Lou Gehrig rolled into one.”
“Wow, Babe. That’s very heady stuff. Thanks!”
“Nah! No kidding. You’re way up there with the greats. Speaking of Robbie… would you like to visit Ebbets Field?”
“You kidding?” Answered Morgan.
“Nope. Who is your favorite player?”
“Growing up? Willie Mays. Watched him growing up in the bay area.”
“You don’t say!” Barked the Babe. “We played the ’54 Giants! We beat ‘em, but Willie played great. Lead all of us in total bases… damn near got 400. Hit .340-something… just like in ’54… made catch after catch… throw after throw… just like in ’54. You wanna check out the Polo Grounds too?”
“Yeah… of course, I would! You can do that?”
“Why not. Tell your outfielders to get in shape. You think the Stadium has a big outfield? Hoo boy!”
Morgan and Ruth both laughed.
“Who’s the best you ever saw, Babe?” Joe asked.
“Geez! That’s a tough one. Willie’s gotta be near the top. Shoeless Joe. Cobb… yeah, he could be an SOB, but… but no kidding, Joe… you could definitely be on the team… any team… based on how you’re beating us.”
“Thanks again, Babe. Coming from a 37-year-old who still loves the game enough to run out ground balls the way you do… that means everything.”
“You nailed it right on the head, kid. Love this game. Always have. Always will.”
Game 105 Cin 5-2 NY is 50-55
Yanks 3-11 since going 47-44.
HR: B.Ruth (46)
RBI: B.Ruth (135)
3B: J.Morgan (6)
HR: J.Morgan (26), G.Foster (25)
RBI: J.Morgan 3 (105), G.Foster 2 (145)
Game 130 at Batting Practice
Yankee Stadium 1932
“Well Joe… you guys about have this thing wrapped up. Have you decided about playing at Ebbets? And the Polo Grounds?” Queried the Babe.
“Sure!” Answered Joe Morgan. “Both. Any other suggestions, Babe?”
“Yeah… how about Crosley Field. That’s where the Reds played in my day.”
“I”d just as soon as play there all the time. I have nothing good to say about Astroturf.”
“Yeah, that stuff is crazy, Joe. A real killer on the knees and ankles!”
“I gotta say, Babe, the fact that we’re beating you… you’re taking it well.”
“Listen Joe... I hate losing. Absolutely hate it. If we played you again, I still think we could beat you. But once the game is in the books, you can’t go back and play it again. Crying about it is a waste of time too. Remember when I legged out that ground ball to 2nd?
“Yep! Sure do, Babe.”
“You dig as hard as you can. As long as you do that, you should walk away satisfied. Nobody wins ‘em all!”
“Amen, Babe!”
“By the way, I’d like to meet that Foster guy. Does he know he’s got a shot at Hack Wilson’s 190 RBI’s?”
“I don’t know, Babe. I’ll tell him. And I’ll tell him you wanna meet him. By the way… it’s 191 RBIs for Wilson. They double-checked the record book.”
“No kidding!” Babe grinned broadly. “Maybe I’ll get them to check my stuff! I’ll creep up on Aaron and Bonds.”
“You know about those guys, Babe?” Morgan asked.
“Hell, we played ‘em! Our 1921 gang played the 2002 Giants. Then our 1923 bunch played the 2001 bunch!”
“How’d you guys do?” Joe Morgan was intrigued.
“We won both. But both seasons were very close. Barry didn’t hit that many homers though. Our pitchers walked him all the time… 200 a year. Ridiculous!”
“What about you?” Asked Joe.
“Same thing! Felt like I was walking two, three times a game! Funny thing, Joe… the 2001 Giants gave us hell. Barry said they didn’t win that year. But their line-up was loaded!”
“I remember.”
“If you beat us, Joe, try playing our ’27 team. Or even our ’21 team. I was in my prime in ’21. I’ll show you some ball playing!”
“Babe! You got 51 homers!” Morgan laughed. “That is ballplaying!”
Game 131 at BP
Crosley Field, Cincinnati.
“This place is beautiful, Babe.” Said Joe Morgan. “Love that scoreboard in left-center.”“You’ll like the power alleys too, Joe. And the grass.”
“Amen!” Came a chorus of Reds, including Foster, Griffey, Geronimo and others.
Game 132 at BP:
Crosley Field, Cincinnati.
“Babe, I’d like you to meet George Foster.” Said Joe Morgan. “George Foster, say hello to George Herman.”
The two Georges shook hands. The Babe grinned.
“George, I’d like you to meet someone!” The Babe whistled and waved to Lou Gehrig, who was warming up near 1st base. Gehrig slowly trotted over behind the batting cage.
“Lou. Meet the guy who’s gonna beat Hack Wilson. George Foster!” Foster and Gehrig shook hands.
“It’s an honor, Lou.”
“The honor’s mine. Do you know you passed me yesterday?”
“How so?” Asked Foster.
“You were tied with me for 6th place all time when you started the day.”
“Lou knocked in 174 in 1930.” Babe interjected. “Wow!” Replied Foster.
“When you hit that 2 run homer, you passed my 175 from 1927. You passed me and Jimmie Foxx.”
“I am honored,” replied George.
Game 151 Batting Practice
Yanks 21-38 since going 47-44. They are 68-82.
Wrigley Field, Chicago
“The bench jockeying was fierce Joe.” The Babe said quietly. “They called me ‘Nigger…’”
“Really…” Joe answered, a bit disquieted.
“Yeah. I got that a lot. Some guys were vicious. And I think it hurt them more than it hurt me.”
“I can believe that.” Morgan nodded.
The season is long since decided, and is winding down. Thirty-seven-year-old Babe Ruth and 32-year old Joe Morgan are standing behind the Wrigley Field cage watching BP before game 151. Morgan had asked the Babe about the 1932 World Series against the Cubs. So the Babe had arranged to have the final four games held at the historic ballpark – in 1932. Now the two all-time greats chat.
“Ben Chapman… he was a Hall Of Fame talent. He could do it all. Actually, Joe, he played like you. Steal bases, hit homers, .300- hitter, good fielder… he could do it all. But I think he let that crap ruin his career.”
“What about you, Babe?” Joe asked.
Babe smiled. “See that scoreboard out in center field?” “Yep.”
“That ball I hit in ’32 went right past it… just to the right.” Babe winked. “And I owe that to those bastards on the Chicago bench.” For the first time both Morgan and Ruth grinned.
“What about it Babe? Did you call it?”
“It’s all right there in the papers.”
“C’mon Babe!”Joe insisted.
“I’ll tell you just what I did. I pointed to the pitcher, Root. I said ‘I’m gonna knock the next pitch right down your throat!’” Ruth winked again. “Guess I got under it a bit.” Joe and the Babe both laughed.
Game 151 NY 10-6 69-82
Yanks 22-38 since going 47-44
Wrigley Field, Chicago
2B: E.Combs (1), B.Chapman (1), L.Gehrig (1),
T.Lazzeri (1)
HR: B.Ruth (55), L.Gehrig (36)
RBI: E.Combs 2 (2), B.Chapman (111),
B.Ruth 3 (167), L.Gehrig 3 (166)
2B: K.Griffey Sr. (1), J.Morgan (1), D.Concepcion (1)
HR: G.Foster (30)
RBI: G.Foster 3 (202), T.Perez (160),
J.Bench 2 (2)
Ruth’s home run traveled approximately 512 feet, leaving the park to the right of the scoreboard.
Game 152 Batting Practice
Yanks 22-38 since going 47-44. They are 69-82.
Wrigley Field, Chicago
George Foster and Joe Morgan watch as the aging Bambino launches several BP tosses into the Wrigley Field bleachers… and a couple over them. Then Babe comes out to join them as Lou Gehrig takes his hacks.
“This is still the best part of the day for me,” Ruth wiped his brow and grinned broadly. “This is why I show up.”
“This is why we played as kids, Babe.” Joe replied.
“George…” Ruth was still breathing hard. “You went over 200 RBI’s. That’s amazing, pal.”
“You went over that scoreboard yesterday, George!!”
Foster grinned. “That’s amazing.”
“You know, I had a teammate named George Foster?”
“No kidding?” Foster queried.
“Yep… everyone called him Rube… just like the Negro Leaguer. And just like the Negro Leaguer, George was a great pitcher. He was our Ace on the ’15 Red Sox… the World Champion Red Sox.”
“You were pretty good yourself that year, Babe.” Said Joe Morgan.
“We had a staff!” The Babe mused. “I won 18 games. And I didn’t get to start in the World Series!”
“Damn!” Exclaimed George Foster. “Why not?”
“Partly because of that damn George Foster!” Foster. Morgan and Ruth all laughed. “Seriously, Rube won 20, won 2 more in the Series. And he went 4 for 8.”
“Did you ever hit against the Black Rube Foster, Babe?” Asked Joe.
“Nah… he was before my time. He was a manager by the time I was a rookie. I did hit against Cannonball Redding and Smoky Joe Williams. And of course, there was Satch.”
“You hit against Satch?” Foster asked excitedly.
“Nah…” Ruth grinned. Foster looked dejected. “I mostly missed.” They all grinned. “I homered off of him once. But he was tough. Remember, he was in his twenties. He had it going!”
“Who was the fastest?” Morgan asked.
“That’s a tough one. Redding was the toughest to hit because he pitched inside. Pushed you off the plate. Then again, I was older when I faced Satch. And Williams was in his forties when he faced me.”
Game 152 Cin 13-11 NY is 69-83
Yanks 22-39 since going 47-44
Wrigley Field, Chicago
PLAYER …….POS… AB H 2B 3B HR TB
Babe Ruth…….RF… 5.....4... 0... 0... 4... 16
Lou Gehrig…....1B … 5... 5... 0... 0... 2.... 11
HR: B.Chapman (1),
B.Ruth 4 (59), L.Gehrig 2 (38)
RBI: B.Chapman (1),
B.Ruth 7 (174), L.Gehrig 2 (168), F.Crosetti (1)
HR: K.Griffey Sr. (10)
RBI: P.Rose 2 (2), K.Griffey Sr. 3 (79), G.Foster (203), T.Perez (161), J.Bench (1), D.Concepcion 4 (4),
G.Nolan (1)
1st: Ruth grounds out to Perez at 1B, unassisted.
The Reds score 5 in the bottom of the first to take the lead, 5-0.
3rd: Ruth hits a 390 foot HR into the right-center field bleachers. Red Ruffing scores ahead of the Babe to make the score 6-3, Cincinnati.
6th: The Babe leads off, and rockets a drive down the right that clears the 353 foot fence and Sheffield Avenue behind it. Ruth’s 2nd HR makes it Reds 8, Yanks 4. Lou Gehrig follows immediately with a blast to right-center, which clangs against a bleacher seat 414 feet away. Reds now lead 8-5.
7th: “Try to get on ahead of me, Ben!” Ruth says to Chapman as both men loosen up in the on-deck circle. Chapman grins and walks to the plate to lead off. Gary Nolan fires a fast-ball, and Ben Chapman lines a home-run to left field. He circles the bases and shakes Ruth’s hand at the plate. “Sorry, Babe!” Chapman yells over the roaring, 39,000-plus crowd. Ruth grins back. Then, after Sparky Anderson relieves Gary Nolan with Pedro Borbon, the Babe swings at a two-strike waste pitch, two feet outside an inches off the ground. The Babe’s 3rd HR soars to the left of the huge CF scoreboard, leaves Wrigley Field, and bounces approximately 550 feet away. In the dugout, Ben Chapman shakes his head… Holy crap!” Ruth’s 3rd home run closes the gap to 9-7.
9th inning: Cincinnati has the game in hand, 13-7. With one out, Will McEnaney walks Ben Chapman. Sparky Anderson shakes his head and comes out to remove him in favor of Pat Darcy. Darcy takes the ball and immediately fires a brushback fast-ball at the Bambino. Bambino, who of course disdains batting helmets, hits the dirt. The fans boo heavily. Ruth gets up slowly. Through the crescendo of boos, the Babe’s face is creased by a grin. He quietly says to catcher Johnny Bench… “You’re boy shoulda hit me.” Johnny grinned back. “Go easy on him Babe.” Ruth steps back into the batter’s box and digs in…six inches closer to the plate. And he stares right at Darcy. Darcy throws a change-up, which drops toward the Babe’s shoe-tops… low and inside. Ruth steps back and golfs the pitch. The Babe’s 4th home run soars majestically toward Sheffield Avenue, clearing the bleachers and disappearing from view. As Ruth trots past 2nd, Joe Morgan swats him on the rump with his glove. Ruth comes around third and hears a whistle from the pitching mound. The Babe glances up and Darcy tips his cap ever so slightly. Ruth returns the salute and dents home plate. Bench swats him on the shoulder with his catcher’s mitt as the Babe goes by.
While the Chicago throng is still cheering, Lou Gehrig hits Darcy’s first offering over the RF wall. Lou’s 2nd HR makes the score 13-11. And makes a suddenly nervous Sparky Anderson relieve Darcy with Rawly Eastwick.
“That was the best I’ve ever seen, Babe. And the best I ever hope to see.” Joe Morgan says quietly.
“Thanks, Joe.” Ruth grinned. “But you guys still won. And by the way, your hero, Willie… he hit four in a game in real life. In sixty or sixty-one, sometime around there.”
“Yeah, but I was able to witness this one. You and Gehrig both. What did you have…?”
“Twenty-seven total bases!” Sparky Anderson interjected, having just walked up behind the batting cage. “I could never hit. But I can count with anybody. Lou had 11. And this colossus had six-teen!”
“Hello, Sparky.” Said Ruth.
“Babe, do you know that Sparky’s real name is George?”
“Sunovabee!” Ruth grinned as the two Georges shook hands. Anderson repeated the number, shaking his head.
“Twenty-seven total bases! That’s three singles apiece for the whole starting line-up. Babe, it was an honor to be here and see it… and be a part of it.”
“Thanks, George!” Ruth and Anderson both grinned.
“The most amazing thing… at least two of those homers came on pitches nowhere near the plate. Darcy’s… that was a great pitch!”
“Yes it was.” Nodded the Babe. “If I could explain how I’d hit it…”
“You hit it because you’re Babe-friggin-Ruth!” Interjected Sparky Anderson. Ruth grinned.
“Sometimes that helps.” Joked Ruth.
1976 Cincinnati Reds beat 1932 New York Yankees 83-71!
N. Y..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Chapman….308/.491 17 112
Ruth……….330/.660 59 176
Gehrig…… .365/.631 38 169
Lazzeri…....307/.498 21 124
Dickey……..318/.452 16 136
Cin. ..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Griffey…… .305/.444 10 80
Morgan…....370/.684 32 146
Foster……. .311/.560 30 204
Perez…….. .264/.541 36 166
Scored 1002 runs (1st in AL)
Allowed 623 earned runs (fewest in AL)
.969 Fielding (3rd) 190 errors (4th)
Team BA .286 (2nd), 160 HR (2nd).
Four men 100 RBI
Six Yankees have at least 10 home runs.
1976 Cincinnati Reds 102-60 (.630)
Joe Morgan HOF
Ken Griffey near HOF, father of soontobe HOF
Johnny Bench HOF
Pete Rose HOF shouldbewouldbecouldbeHOF
Tony Perez HOF
1st in NL in runs(857), Batting (.280), On-Base (.357), Slugging (.424), HR(141), 2B(271), 3B(63), Stolen Bases (210), Walks
Game 6 Cin 3-2(11) NY is 4-2
Riverfront Stadium, 1976
2B: B.Ruth (1), S.Byrd (1)
3B: T.Lazzeri (1)
HR: B.Ruth (4)
RBI: B.Ruth (9), B.Dickey (1)
2B: T.Perez (1), D.Concepcion (1), B.Bailey (1),
D.Driessen (1)
HR: G.Foster (1)
RBI: G.Foster (1), B.Bailey 2 (2)
SB: K.Griffey Sr. (3)
“How do you like that? Ruth blasts one and our fans cheer him…” Murmured George Foster.
“Hell, I cheered him too!” Piped Pete Rose. “It’s Babe Friggin Ruth for crying out loud!”
10 Games NY is 8-2
PLAYER... BA/SA… HR…RBI
Chapman….310/.667 4 10
Ruth……….350/.800 5 13
Gehrig……..419/.767 4 8
Lazzeri…….146/.268 0 5
Dickey……..415/.439 0 6
Griffey… .178/.200 0 3
Morgan… .467/.867 4 8
Foster… .209/.442 3 10
Perez … .293/.512 1 7
Game 12 NY 21-0 9-3
NY - 4 3 0 3 2 0 0 0 9 - 21 23 0
Cin - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 5 1
Red Ruffing wins to go to 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA (24 inn.)
Holds Cincy to five singles
Ruth hits 2 HR and drives in 7. He now has seven homers and 21 RBI in 12 games. Joe Sewell plates six.
Game 15 Cin 9-8 NY is 9-6
Cincinnati wins 3 in a row, 4 of 5.
Ruth hits three out of Riverfront Stadium and drives home six. He now has 11 HR, 29 HR, is batting .440 and slugging 1.051.
But Ken Griffey and Johnny Bench homer. Cesar Geronimo doubles and triples. Joe Morgan triples and steals his 5th base. Five Reds drives home runs to edge the Yankees.
Game 105 at BP
Riverfront Stadium, 1976
“You looked like a kid yesterday, Babe…” Joe Morgan grinned. “Legging out that ground ball you hit to me! What are you, thirty-five?” Then Ruth grinned.
“Thirty-seven, pal. You know, when I was running out that dribbler, I forgot all about my legs. But after I beat it out, turning around to walk back to first… my legs said, ‘What the hell was that!” Then the Babe nodded out toward second base. “Of course, Joe, with you playing me out in right field like you do, I oughta beat out a hit once in a while. If I were younger, I might bunt on you.”
“You can bunt on us all day, Babe.” Morgan answered. “Me and my teammates will take up a collection.”
Babe laughed. Joe continued. “Besides, I’m not playing that deep to retire you. I’m playing that deep because I have a family to think about. You’re dangerous.”
“So are you, Joe. I never seen such a short, compact swing. “You’re like Jackie Robinson and Lou Gehrig rolled into one.”
“Wow, Babe. That’s very heady stuff. Thanks!”
“Nah! No kidding. You’re way up there with the greats. Speaking of Robbie… would you like to visit Ebbets Field?”
“You kidding?” Answered Morgan.
“Nope. Who is your favorite player?”
“Growing up? Willie Mays. Watched him growing up in the bay area.”
“You don’t say!” Barked the Babe. “We played the ’54 Giants! We beat ‘em, but Willie played great. Lead all of us in total bases… damn near got 400. Hit .340-something… just like in ’54… made catch after catch… throw after throw… just like in ’54. You wanna check out the Polo Grounds too?”
“Yeah… of course, I would! You can do that?”
“Why not. Tell your outfielders to get in shape. You think the Stadium has a big outfield? Hoo boy!”
Morgan and Ruth both laughed.
“Who’s the best you ever saw, Babe?” Joe asked.
“Geez! That’s a tough one. Willie’s gotta be near the top. Shoeless Joe. Cobb… yeah, he could be an SOB, but… but no kidding, Joe… you could definitely be on the team… any team… based on how you’re beating us.”
“Thanks again, Babe. Coming from a 37-year-old who still loves the game enough to run out ground balls the way you do… that means everything.”
“You nailed it right on the head, kid. Love this game. Always have. Always will.”
Game 105 Cin 5-2 NY is 50-55
Yanks 3-11 since going 47-44.
HR: B.Ruth (46)
RBI: B.Ruth (135)
3B: J.Morgan (6)
HR: J.Morgan (26), G.Foster (25)
RBI: J.Morgan 3 (105), G.Foster 2 (145)
Game 130 at Batting Practice
Yankee Stadium 1932
“Well Joe… you guys about have this thing wrapped up. Have you decided about playing at Ebbets? And the Polo Grounds?” Queried the Babe.
“Sure!” Answered Joe Morgan. “Both. Any other suggestions, Babe?”
“Yeah… how about Crosley Field. That’s where the Reds played in my day.”
“I”d just as soon as play there all the time. I have nothing good to say about Astroturf.”
“Yeah, that stuff is crazy, Joe. A real killer on the knees and ankles!”
“I gotta say, Babe, the fact that we’re beating you… you’re taking it well.”
“Listen Joe... I hate losing. Absolutely hate it. If we played you again, I still think we could beat you. But once the game is in the books, you can’t go back and play it again. Crying about it is a waste of time too. Remember when I legged out that ground ball to 2nd?
“Yep! Sure do, Babe.”
“You dig as hard as you can. As long as you do that, you should walk away satisfied. Nobody wins ‘em all!”
“Amen, Babe!”
“By the way, I’d like to meet that Foster guy. Does he know he’s got a shot at Hack Wilson’s 190 RBI’s?”
“I don’t know, Babe. I’ll tell him. And I’ll tell him you wanna meet him. By the way… it’s 191 RBIs for Wilson. They double-checked the record book.”
“No kidding!” Babe grinned broadly. “Maybe I’ll get them to check my stuff! I’ll creep up on Aaron and Bonds.”
“You know about those guys, Babe?” Morgan asked.
“Hell, we played ‘em! Our 1921 gang played the 2002 Giants. Then our 1923 bunch played the 2001 bunch!”
“How’d you guys do?” Joe Morgan was intrigued.
“We won both. But both seasons were very close. Barry didn’t hit that many homers though. Our pitchers walked him all the time… 200 a year. Ridiculous!”
“What about you?” Asked Joe.
“Same thing! Felt like I was walking two, three times a game! Funny thing, Joe… the 2001 Giants gave us hell. Barry said they didn’t win that year. But their line-up was loaded!”
“I remember.”
“If you beat us, Joe, try playing our ’27 team. Or even our ’21 team. I was in my prime in ’21. I’ll show you some ball playing!”
“Babe! You got 51 homers!” Morgan laughed. “That is ballplaying!”
Game 131 at BP
Crosley Field, Cincinnati.
“This place is beautiful, Babe.” Said Joe Morgan. “Love that scoreboard in left-center.”“You’ll like the power alleys too, Joe. And the grass.”
“Amen!” Came a chorus of Reds, including Foster, Griffey, Geronimo and others.
Game 132 at BP:
Crosley Field, Cincinnati.
“Babe, I’d like you to meet George Foster.” Said Joe Morgan. “George Foster, say hello to George Herman.”
The two Georges shook hands. The Babe grinned.
“George, I’d like you to meet someone!” The Babe whistled and waved to Lou Gehrig, who was warming up near 1st base. Gehrig slowly trotted over behind the batting cage.
“Lou. Meet the guy who’s gonna beat Hack Wilson. George Foster!” Foster and Gehrig shook hands.
“It’s an honor, Lou.”
“The honor’s mine. Do you know you passed me yesterday?”
“How so?” Asked Foster.
“You were tied with me for 6th place all time when you started the day.”
“Lou knocked in 174 in 1930.” Babe interjected. “Wow!” Replied Foster.
“When you hit that 2 run homer, you passed my 175 from 1927. You passed me and Jimmie Foxx.”
“I am honored,” replied George.
Game 151 Batting Practice
Yanks 21-38 since going 47-44. They are 68-82.
Wrigley Field, Chicago
“The bench jockeying was fierce Joe.” The Babe said quietly. “They called me ‘Nigger…’”
“Really…” Joe answered, a bit disquieted.
“Yeah. I got that a lot. Some guys were vicious. And I think it hurt them more than it hurt me.”
“I can believe that.” Morgan nodded.
The season is long since decided, and is winding down. Thirty-seven-year-old Babe Ruth and 32-year old Joe Morgan are standing behind the Wrigley Field cage watching BP before game 151. Morgan had asked the Babe about the 1932 World Series against the Cubs. So the Babe had arranged to have the final four games held at the historic ballpark – in 1932. Now the two all-time greats chat.
“Ben Chapman… he was a Hall Of Fame talent. He could do it all. Actually, Joe, he played like you. Steal bases, hit homers, .300- hitter, good fielder… he could do it all. But I think he let that crap ruin his career.”
“What about you, Babe?” Joe asked.
Babe smiled. “See that scoreboard out in center field?” “Yep.”
“That ball I hit in ’32 went right past it… just to the right.” Babe winked. “And I owe that to those bastards on the Chicago bench.” For the first time both Morgan and Ruth grinned.
“What about it Babe? Did you call it?”
“It’s all right there in the papers.”
“C’mon Babe!”Joe insisted.
“I’ll tell you just what I did. I pointed to the pitcher, Root. I said ‘I’m gonna knock the next pitch right down your throat!’” Ruth winked again. “Guess I got under it a bit.” Joe and the Babe both laughed.
Game 151 NY 10-6 69-82
Yanks 22-38 since going 47-44
Wrigley Field, Chicago
2B: E.Combs (1), B.Chapman (1), L.Gehrig (1),
T.Lazzeri (1)
HR: B.Ruth (55), L.Gehrig (36)
RBI: E.Combs 2 (2), B.Chapman (111),
B.Ruth 3 (167), L.Gehrig 3 (166)
2B: K.Griffey Sr. (1), J.Morgan (1), D.Concepcion (1)
HR: G.Foster (30)
RBI: G.Foster 3 (202), T.Perez (160),
J.Bench 2 (2)
Ruth’s home run traveled approximately 512 feet, leaving the park to the right of the scoreboard.
Game 152 Batting Practice
Yanks 22-38 since going 47-44. They are 69-82.
Wrigley Field, Chicago
George Foster and Joe Morgan watch as the aging Bambino launches several BP tosses into the Wrigley Field bleachers… and a couple over them. Then Babe comes out to join them as Lou Gehrig takes his hacks.
“This is still the best part of the day for me,” Ruth wiped his brow and grinned broadly. “This is why I show up.”
“This is why we played as kids, Babe.” Joe replied.
“George…” Ruth was still breathing hard. “You went over 200 RBI’s. That’s amazing, pal.”
“You went over that scoreboard yesterday, George!!”
Foster grinned. “That’s amazing.”
“You know, I had a teammate named George Foster?”
“No kidding?” Foster queried.
“Yep… everyone called him Rube… just like the Negro Leaguer. And just like the Negro Leaguer, George was a great pitcher. He was our Ace on the ’15 Red Sox… the World Champion Red Sox.”
“You were pretty good yourself that year, Babe.” Said Joe Morgan.
“We had a staff!” The Babe mused. “I won 18 games. And I didn’t get to start in the World Series!”
“Damn!” Exclaimed George Foster. “Why not?”
“Partly because of that damn George Foster!” Foster. Morgan and Ruth all laughed. “Seriously, Rube won 20, won 2 more in the Series. And he went 4 for 8.”
“Did you ever hit against the Black Rube Foster, Babe?” Asked Joe.
“Nah… he was before my time. He was a manager by the time I was a rookie. I did hit against Cannonball Redding and Smoky Joe Williams. And of course, there was Satch.”
“You hit against Satch?” Foster asked excitedly.
“Nah…” Ruth grinned. Foster looked dejected. “I mostly missed.” They all grinned. “I homered off of him once. But he was tough. Remember, he was in his twenties. He had it going!”
“Who was the fastest?” Morgan asked.
“That’s a tough one. Redding was the toughest to hit because he pitched inside. Pushed you off the plate. Then again, I was older when I faced Satch. And Williams was in his forties when he faced me.”
Game 152 Cin 13-11 NY is 69-83
Yanks 22-39 since going 47-44
Wrigley Field, Chicago
PLAYER …….POS… AB H 2B 3B HR TB
Babe Ruth…….RF… 5.....4... 0... 0... 4... 16
Lou Gehrig…....1B … 5... 5... 0... 0... 2.... 11
HR: B.Chapman (1),
B.Ruth 4 (59), L.Gehrig 2 (38)
RBI: B.Chapman (1),
B.Ruth 7 (174), L.Gehrig 2 (168), F.Crosetti (1)
HR: K.Griffey Sr. (10)
RBI: P.Rose 2 (2), K.Griffey Sr. 3 (79), G.Foster (203), T.Perez (161), J.Bench (1), D.Concepcion 4 (4),
G.Nolan (1)
1st: Ruth grounds out to Perez at 1B, unassisted.
The Reds score 5 in the bottom of the first to take the lead, 5-0.
3rd: Ruth hits a 390 foot HR into the right-center field bleachers. Red Ruffing scores ahead of the Babe to make the score 6-3, Cincinnati.
6th: The Babe leads off, and rockets a drive down the right that clears the 353 foot fence and Sheffield Avenue behind it. Ruth’s 2nd HR makes it Reds 8, Yanks 4. Lou Gehrig follows immediately with a blast to right-center, which clangs against a bleacher seat 414 feet away. Reds now lead 8-5.
7th: “Try to get on ahead of me, Ben!” Ruth says to Chapman as both men loosen up in the on-deck circle. Chapman grins and walks to the plate to lead off. Gary Nolan fires a fast-ball, and Ben Chapman lines a home-run to left field. He circles the bases and shakes Ruth’s hand at the plate. “Sorry, Babe!” Chapman yells over the roaring, 39,000-plus crowd. Ruth grins back. Then, after Sparky Anderson relieves Gary Nolan with Pedro Borbon, the Babe swings at a two-strike waste pitch, two feet outside an inches off the ground. The Babe’s 3rd HR soars to the left of the huge CF scoreboard, leaves Wrigley Field, and bounces approximately 550 feet away. In the dugout, Ben Chapman shakes his head… Holy crap!” Ruth’s 3rd home run closes the gap to 9-7.
9th inning: Cincinnati has the game in hand, 13-7. With one out, Will McEnaney walks Ben Chapman. Sparky Anderson shakes his head and comes out to remove him in favor of Pat Darcy. Darcy takes the ball and immediately fires a brushback fast-ball at the Bambino. Bambino, who of course disdains batting helmets, hits the dirt. The fans boo heavily. Ruth gets up slowly. Through the crescendo of boos, the Babe’s face is creased by a grin. He quietly says to catcher Johnny Bench… “You’re boy shoulda hit me.” Johnny grinned back. “Go easy on him Babe.” Ruth steps back into the batter’s box and digs in…six inches closer to the plate. And he stares right at Darcy. Darcy throws a change-up, which drops toward the Babe’s shoe-tops… low and inside. Ruth steps back and golfs the pitch. The Babe’s 4th home run soars majestically toward Sheffield Avenue, clearing the bleachers and disappearing from view. As Ruth trots past 2nd, Joe Morgan swats him on the rump with his glove. Ruth comes around third and hears a whistle from the pitching mound. The Babe glances up and Darcy tips his cap ever so slightly. Ruth returns the salute and dents home plate. Bench swats him on the shoulder with his catcher’s mitt as the Babe goes by.
While the Chicago throng is still cheering, Lou Gehrig hits Darcy’s first offering over the RF wall. Lou’s 2nd HR makes the score 13-11. And makes a suddenly nervous Sparky Anderson relieve Darcy with Rawly Eastwick.
“That was the best I’ve ever seen, Babe. And the best I ever hope to see.” Joe Morgan says quietly.
“Thanks, Joe.” Ruth grinned. “But you guys still won. And by the way, your hero, Willie… he hit four in a game in real life. In sixty or sixty-one, sometime around there.”
“Yeah, but I was able to witness this one. You and Gehrig both. What did you have…?”
“Twenty-seven total bases!” Sparky Anderson interjected, having just walked up behind the batting cage. “I could never hit. But I can count with anybody. Lou had 11. And this colossus had six-teen!”
“Hello, Sparky.” Said Ruth.
“Babe, do you know that Sparky’s real name is George?”
“Sunovabee!” Ruth grinned as the two Georges shook hands. Anderson repeated the number, shaking his head.
“Twenty-seven total bases! That’s three singles apiece for the whole starting line-up. Babe, it was an honor to be here and see it… and be a part of it.”
“Thanks, George!” Ruth and Anderson both grinned.
“The most amazing thing… at least two of those homers came on pitches nowhere near the plate. Darcy’s… that was a great pitch!”
“Yes it was.” Nodded the Babe. “If I could explain how I’d hit it…”
“You hit it because you’re Babe-friggin-Ruth!” Interjected Sparky Anderson. Ruth grinned.
“Sometimes that helps.” Joked Ruth.
1976 Cincinnati Reds beat 1932 New York Yankees 83-71!
N. Y..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Chapman….308/.491 17 112
Ruth……….330/.660 59 176
Gehrig…… .365/.631 38 169
Lazzeri…....307/.498 21 124
Dickey……..318/.452 16 136
Cin. ..........…BA/SA……HR…RBI
Griffey…… .305/.444 10 80
Morgan…....370/.684 32 146
Foster……. .311/.560 30 204
Perez…….. .264/.541 36 166
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