Baseball in the Pythagorean Universe: 1918

Over on the pre-1900 board, I've started a thread about the history of baseball in what is called the Pythagorean universe; that is, a universe where wins and losses are determined solely by the amount of runs a team scores and the amount of runs it gives up, with no outside factors involved. The records in our universe and this one can be quite different, and it makes an interesting jumping-off point for the discussion of baseball history.

There were five years that were left incomplete because of strikes and/or governmental intervention, and it's these years that I'll examine in the series of threads to come. The original "Baseball in the Pythagorean Universe" thread is still open and ongoing, but I thought that separate threads for these five seasons might stimulate more focused discussion.

Let's start with 1918, where the season was ended by "agreement" with the War Department on September 1 so that eligible ballplayers could be drafted and sent overseas to fight in World War I. I use "agreement" in quotes because the government threatened to draft the players right out from under the owners' noses if the season wasn't shut down on that date. Even the playing of the World Series was agreed to with great reluctance on the government's part, since it considered baseball a decidedly nonessential industry.

But what if they'd agreed to let the season play out, at least until the pennant races were resolved? That's what this timeline will explore. Please note that not all the games will be played if they aren't necessary to determine the pennant winners, since the government still wants the season over as soon as possible.

We begin in the National League. Numbers in parentheses are the difference between a team's real-life record and their adjusted record in the Pythagorean universe:

1. Cubs: 83-46 (-1)
2. Giants: 70-54- 10.5 GB (-1)
3. Pirates: 70-55- 11 GB (+5)
4. Reds: 68-60- 14,5 GB (0)
5. Braves: 56-68- 24.5 GB (+3)
6. Cardinals: 56-73- 27 GB (+5)
7. Phillies: 52-71- 28 GB (-3)
8. Robins: 49-77- 32.5 GB (-8)

The Cubs' magic number to clinch the pennant is eighteen.

Now for the American League:

1. Red Sox: 76-50 (+1)
2. Senators: 71-57- 6 GB (-1)
3. Indians: 70-57- 6.5 GB (-3)
4. Yankees: 64-59- 10.5 GB (+4)
5. White Sox: 63-61- 12 GB (+6)
6. Browns: 58-64- 16 GB (0)
7. Tigers: 54-72- 22 GB (-1)
8. Athletics: 49-79- 28 GB (-3)

The Red Sox' magic number to clinch the pennant is twenty-two.

To start us off, here are the games of September 3 in the National League:

Giants 3, Braves 0

Slim Sallee went all the way for the Giants, pitching a three-hit shutout, On offense, the G-Men got all three runs in the fifth on a two-run double by third baseman Heinie Zimmerman and a base hit by first baseman Walter Holke. Sallee completed his outing in just ninety-two pitches. First baseman Ed Konetchy, right fielder Al Wickland, and starting pitcher Dana Fillingrim had the Boston hits. The teams will conclude their series tomorrow here at Braves Field.

W- Sallee (9-8)
L- Fillingrim (7-7)


Cubs 5, Pirates 3

The National League leaders overcame a 3-1 deficit with three in the eighth and one in the ninth to defeat the Bucs at Forbes Field. Center fielder Dode Paskert's two-run double tied the game at three in the eighth, and Paskert went on to score on a double by second baseman Pete Kilduff. The Cubbies added their ninth-inning insurance run on a sacrifice fly. The Bucs, meanwhile, got their RBIs from first baseman Fritz Mollwitz and second baseman George Cutshaw. Speed Martin got the win in relief for Chicago, while Roy Sanders was the loser for Pittsburgh. The Cubs maintained their ten and a half game lead over the Giants in the National League with the victory.

W- Martin (6-2)
L- Sanders (7-10)


Phillies 8, Robins 3

The Phils combined a rare offensive outburst and three Brooklyn errors to romp to an easy victory in front of a serviceman-heavy crowd at Baker Bowl. The home team overcame a 3-1 deficit after five and a half, scoring three in the sixth and four in the seventh. Pinch hitter Mike Fitzgerald drove in the eventual winning runs with a two-run double in the sixth, and the seventh featured both a double steal and Brooklyn center fielder Jim Hickman throwing a fly ball into the Philadelphia bullpen, allowing a run to score. Center fielder Irish Meusel had two hits and two RBIs for the Fightins in addition to scoring a pair, and first baseman Fred Luderus had three hits and scored twice. Starting pitcher Elmer Jacobs went seven strong innings for the win, while Dick Robertson took the loss for Brooklyn.

W- Jacobs (10-5)
L- Robertson (3-7)

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 84-46
Giants: 71-54- 10.5 GB
Pirates: 70-56- 12 GB
Reds: 68-60- 15 GB
Braves: 56-69- 25.5 GB
Cardinals: 56-73- 27.5 GB
Phillies: 53-71- 28 GB
Robins: 49-78- 33.5 GB

Next: September 3 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the American League for September 3, courtesy of my friend Desmond. He's a bit pithier than I am with game descriptions and the like, but his work is still excellent, which is why I'm using it.

Boston 5, New York 1
W - Carl Mays (22-13)
L - George Mogridge (16-14)
HR - BOS: Babe Ruth (12)

The game went pretty much as expected, with Ruth providing the only power and Mays throwing a brilliant complete game.

Detroit 2, Chicago 1 (11 innings)
W - Hooks Dauss (13-16)
L - Eddie Cicotte (12-20)

This is another typical game of the era. Both starters went all the way; Dauss struck out ten, Cicotte eight. Bobby Veach ended the game with a walk-off triple.

St. Louis 4, Cleveland 3
W - Allen Sothoron (13-12)
L - Stan Coveleski (22-14)
HR - CLE: Bill Wambsganss (1)

Wambsganss' dinger gave the Indians a 3-0 lead, but the Browns scored two each in the seventh and eighth to come back for the win.

The standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 77-50
Senators: 71-57- 6.5 GB
Indians: 70-58- 7.5 GB
Yankees: 64-60- 11.5 GB
White Sox: 63-62- 13 GB
Browns: 59-64- 16 GB
Tigers: 55-72- 22 GB
Athletics: 49-79- 28.5 GB

Next: September 4 in the National League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League Report for Wednesday, September 4:

Braves 6, Giants 5

The defending NL champions took a 5-1 lead into the last of the eighth, only for the hometown Braves to score four to tie it up. Shortstop Johnny Rawlings' two-run triple tied the game at five. Then in the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Ray Powell led off with a single, was sacrificed to second by second baseman Buck Herzog, and scored on a base hit from left fielder Roy Massey. Shortstop Art Fletcher drove in three runs for the Giants in a losing cause, while center fielder Jim Kelly went four for four for Boston. The Giants are now a full eleven games behind the Cubs in the NL pennant race and just half a game ahead of the Pirates for second place.

W- Northrop (6-1)
L- Steele (3-6)

Phillies 3, Robins 1

First baseman Fred Luderus went three for four, and the Phils' pitching staff shut out the visitors over the final seven innings. Luderus' double in the first drove home the only run the Fightins needed, but they also got RBIs from center fielder Irish Meusel and right fielder Cy Williams. Dixie Davis gave up just one run on six hits over seven innings to get the win for Philadelphia, who further entrenches itself in sixth place. Burleigh Grimes pitched a complete game in a losing cause for Brooklyn, and shortstop Irv Olson drove in the lone Brooklyn run.

W- Davis (1-2)
L- Grimes (19-10)

Cardinals 4, Cubs 1

The Redbirds played like pennant contenders at the Friendly Confines, as starter Red Ames pitched a complete game, giving up just one run on seven hits and taking ninety-nine pitches; the game was over in just an hour and forty-three minutes.

Offensively, center feilder Cliff Heathcote took center stage, going three for four and driving in a pair of runs. Second baseman Bob Fisher went three for five, drove in another run, and scored a pair. The Cards' biggest inning was the third, when they scored the game's first three runs off of Cubs starter (and loser) Roy Walker. Second baseman Rolie Zeider drove in the lone Chicago run. The Cubs thus remain ten and a half games ahead of the Giants in the National League pennant race, and their magic number to clinch the pennant sits at fifteen.

W- Ames (10-14)
L- Walker (1-4)

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 84-47
Giants: 71-55- 10.5 GB
Pirates: 71-56- 11 GB
Reds: 68-61- 15 GB
Braves: 57-69- 24.5 GB
Cardinals: 58-74- 26.5 GB
Phillies: 55-72- 27 GB
Robins: 49-80- 34 GB

Next: We turn to September 4 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the American League report for September 4.

Boston 3, New York 0
W - "Bullet" Joe Bush (16-15)
L - Slim Love (13-13)

Everett Scott had three of the Red Sox's six hits and two of the three RBIs. Scott held the consecutive games played record until Lou Gehrig broke it a couple of decades later.

Detroit 5, Cleveland 1
W - Bernie Boland (15-10)
L - Jim Bagby (17-17)

Ty Cobb and Donie Bush had three hits each to pace the Tigers as the Indians lose another "must-win" game. They're now a half game behind the Senators for second place and seven and a half behind the Red Sox for first.

St. Louis 5, Chicago 4 (10 innings)
W - Dave Davenport (11-11)
L - Frank Shellenback (9-13)
HR - CWS: Buck Weaver (1)

The only dinger of the day in the AL gave the White Sox a 4-1 lead, but the Browns tied it with three in the ninth and then got a bases-loaded walk in the tenth. Earl Smith drew it, and George Sisler scored the winning run.

The American League standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 78-50
Senators: 71-57- 7 GB
Indians: 72-59- 7.5 GB
Yankees: 65-63- 13 GB
White Sox: 63-63- 14 GB
Browns: 60-65- 16.5 GB
Tigers: 56-73- 22.5 GB
Athletics: 50-81- 24.5 GB

By the way, if anyone spots any errors in the standings, be sure to let me know.

Next: We examine the National League on September 5.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League Report for Thursday, September 5:

Braves 6, Robins 0

In one of those "baseball is a funny game" specials, the Braves shut out the Robins despite being outhit by them four to three. Two of the hits and three runs batted in, including a solo home run leading off the Boston second, came from first baseman Ed Konetchy. But the big inning was the sixth, when the Bravos took advantage of three Brooklyn errors to score five runs. Robins shortstop Ivy Olson was the main goat, making run-producing errors on back-to-back grounders, including a throw to second on a force play that ended up in the Brooklyn dugout, allowing two runs to score. Braves starter Art Nehf thus had all he needed to toss a four-hit shutout.

First baseman Jake Daubert had two of the Brooklyn hits, while Rube Marquard pitched a three-hitter in a losing cause for the Robins. Time of the game: one hour and forty-one minutes.

W- Nehf (16-15)
L- Marquard (9-19)

HR- BOS: Konetchy (3)

Giants 2, Phillies 0

Our second straight shutout, this one was turned in by Giants starter Jesse Barnes, who blanked the Phils on three hits. The G-Men managed twelve, with runs scoring on a second-inning single by second baseman Larry Doyle and a seventh-inning single by first baseman Walter Holke. Meanwhile, Barnes dominated, retiring the last sixteen Phillies in a row and using only eighty-six pitches to complete the shutout. The Giants thus remain whithin ten and a half games of the Cubs in the NL pennant race for the moment. This is another sub-two hour game as well, finishing in an hour and fifty-four minutes.

W- Barnes (7-1)
L- Prendergast (13-16)

Pirates 4, Reds 1

The Bucs stayed in control of third place by vanquishing the Reds at Forbes Field. First baseman Fritz Mollwitz lashed a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth for the winning runs, and George Cutshaw's two-run dinger in the bottom of the eighth provided much-needed insurance. Starter Erskine Mayer was sidelined after five innings because of back spasms, but Ray Sanders, who had been the losing pitcher in each of the Bucs' last two games, pitched the final four to earn the unofficial save. Hod Eller took the loss for the Redlegs, and Lee Magee has their only RBI.

W- Mayer (17-7)
L- Eller (16-13)

HR- PIT: Cutshaw (6)

Cubs 5, Cardinals 1

The Cubbies reasserted their dominance over the Redbirds at the Friendly Confines (yes, Weeghman Park and Wrigley Field are the same place, in case you don't know). The Cards actually outhit their hosts six to five, but the Cubs made their hits count. Third baseman Charlie Deal had the game-winning hit for Chicago, a bases-clearing triple in the sixth. Center fielder Dode Paskert contributed the other two RBIs to go with a pair of hits. Third baseman Doug Baird had a pair of hits for St. Louis, while first baseman Gene Paulette's sacrifice fly produced their only run, thanks to Cubs starter Hippo Vaughn's dominating complete game performance. Bill Doak took the loss for the Cardinals.

The Cubs still lead the Giants by ten and a half games in the National League, and their magic number to clinch the pennant is down to fourteen. The Cubs and Cards have a day off tomorrow before resuming hostilities in St. Louis on Saturday.

W- Vaughn (23-11)
L- Doak (9-16)

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 86-48
Giants: 72-55- 10.5 GB
Pirates: 72-56- 11 GB
Reds: 68-62- 16 GB
Braves: 58-69- 24.5 GB
Cardinals: 58-75- 27.5 GB
Phillies: 55-73- 28 GB
Robins: 49-81- 35 GB

Next: September 5 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Now here's the American League Report for Thursday, September 5:

Philadelphia 8, New York 1
W - Willie Adams (6-12)
L - Ray Caldwell (9-10)
HR - PHA: George Burns (7)

The Athletics' fifteen-hit attack included a homer from first baseman Burns (not the same as the George Burns who was one of the stars of the day; that Burns played for the Giants).

Washington 4, Boston 3 (11 innings)
W - Jim Shaw (17-12)
L - "Sad" Sam Jones (16-6)

Babe Ruth, who pitched in relief, allowed the walk-off double to center fielder Clyde Milan. The Sens are now within six games of the Red Sox for first place.

Cleveland 7, Detroit 6
W - Guy Morton (16-8)
L - Rudy Kallio (8-14)
HR - CLE: Tris Speaker (1)

The thirteen combined runs made for a slugfest that was unusual at the time. Speaker's home run was inside the park, again no surprise given the era and his prodigious talent. The Tribe built a 7-0 lead and held on as the Tigers left the tying run on second at the end. The Tribe remains in striking distance of first place, as they're just six and a half out with about a month to play.

Chicago 2, St. Louis 0
W - Reb Russell (8-5)
L - Tom Rogers (8-11)

Both runs for the White Sox scored on throwing errors, one in the second inning and one in the sixth. Russell threw a two-hit shutout and struck out six. The Chisox' victory combined with the Yankees' loss has left the two teams in a virtual tie for fourth.

The American League standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 78-51
Senators: 72-57- 6 GB
Indians: 73-59- 6.5 GB
(tie) Yankees: 65-64- 13 GB
(tie) White Sox: 64-63- 13 GB
Browns: 60-66- 16.5 GB
Tigers: 56-74- 22.5 GB
Athletics: 51-81- 28.5 GB

Next: September 6 in the National League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Woodrow Wilson tried to shut down baseball?

More like his Secretary of War did, but yes. Originally, according to the article I read, he wanted it stopped on July 1 without even a World Series. The owners resisted, of course, but September 1 was the furthest they could get the season extended for everyone except the Cubs and Red Sox.

Actually, I just found out right now that these sims were played with players who were drafted during the season. There's not a lot I can do about that now, of course, since 1) I'm just reposting work Desmond and I did on another board and 2) finding out exactly who was gone when would be nearly impossible. I suppose that we could just butterfly away the government having any problem with baseball continuing at all, but that seems like too radical of a departure from real life. Just call it a case of incomplete research.
 
Here's the National League Report for Friday, September 6:

Braves 4, Robins 2

The Braves made it two in a row over their visitors from Brooklyn, with the top of the lineup doing the most damage. Left fielder Roy Massey went three for four from the leadoff spot, while second baseman Buck Herzog batted second and drove in a pair of runs. Shortstop Johnny Rawlings also added a pair of hits for the home club, while Pat Ragan went eight strong innings on the mound, giving up just two runs and scattering seven hits to get the win.

Jake Daubert had two hits to lead the Brooklyn offense and was the only Robin with more than one hit, while Larry Cheney pitched a complete game in a losing cause.

W- Ragan (9-17)
L- Cheney (11-14)

Giants 5, Phillies 2

The G-Men made up a bit of ground on the idle Cubs by taking care of the Phils rather easily at the Polo Grounds. They got all the runs they needed in the bottom of the first off of Phillies starter Brad Hogg on a two-run double by third baseman Heinie Zimmerman and a base hit by shortstop Art Fletcher. Zimmerman and Fletcher each drove in another run as well, while left fielder George Burns went three for four and has the other RBI. Starter Pol Perritt went all the way for New York, scattering five Philadelphia hits, with no member of the Fightins getting more than one. Right fielder Gavvy Cravath had the lone RBI for the Phils. The Giants now trail the Cubs by ten games in the National League race.

W- Perritt (19-13)
L- Hogg (13-14)

Pirates 4, Reds 2

A four-spot in the second was enough to lift the Bucs over the Reds at Forbes Field. Two of the runs were supplied by George Cutshaw's second home run in as many days, with the others coming on an RBI groundout by catcher Walter Schmidt and a base hit by shortstop Howdy Caton. The Reds got one in the fifth as a result of a Max Carey error and another in the sixth when right fielder Tommy Griffith grounded into a force play, but that was it. Bucco starter Bob Harmon went the first seven before giving way to Roy Sanders, who went the rest of the way. The loss went to Cincy starter Roy Mitchell, who gave up all four Pirate runs on six hits in just one and two-thirds innings.

There are two more games remaining in this series: tomorrow, which is the Pirates' home finale, then a "blue law special" Sunday at Redland Field in Cincinnati.

W- Harmon (3-7)
L- Mitchell (4-1)

HR- PIT: Cutshaw (7)

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 86-48
Giants: 73-55- 10 GB
Pirates: 73-56- 10.5 GB
Reds: 68-63- 16.5 GB
Braves: 59-69- 24 GB
Cardinals: 58-75- 27.5 GB
Phillies: 55-74- 28.5 GB
Robins: 49-82- 35.5 GB

Next: September 6 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the American League Report for Friday, September 6:

Philadelphia 5, New York 2
W - Scott Perry (21-20)
L - George Mogridge (16-15)

The A's scored five runs in the second and made it stand up. Saves were not a stat in those days, but Bob Geary would have gotten one for his two innings of brilliant relief.

Washington 4, Boston 3
W - Doc Ayers (11-13)
L - Babe Ruth (13-8)

Ruth, now only an occasional starter, was the losing pitcher as the Senators made up another game in the standings, closing to within five games of first place. With Walter Johnson scheduled to pitch tomorrow, the optimism is at a high in the Sens' clubhouse. Joe Judge had the sacrifice fly for the eventual game winner in the seventh, scoring future Dodgers manager Burt Shotton.

Cleveland 3, Detroit 0
W - Guy Morton (17-8)
L - Bill James (6-12)

Thanks to the rubber-armed Morton's five-hit shutout, the Indians avoided a sweep. They're now just five and a half games behind the Red Sox. I don't believe the Tigers pitcher is related to the sabermetrics guru of the same name.

Chicago 10, St. Louis 3
W - Joe Benz (9-8)
L - Bert Gallia (8-7)

First baseman Chick Gandil had four hits for the Sox, and catcher Ray Schalk and Shano Collins added three each. Even a relief appearance from Urban Shocker could not stop the figurative bleeding. The Sox' win and the Yankees' loss puts the South Siders in fourth place by themselves.

The American League standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 78-52
Senators: 73-57- 5 GB
Indians: 74-59- 5.5 GB
White Sox: 65-63- 12 GB
Yankees: 65-65- 13 GB
Browns: 60-67- 16.5 GB
Tigers: 56-75- 22.5 GB
Athletics: 52-81- 27.5 GB

Next: We examine September 7 in the National League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League Report for Saturday, September 7:

Braves 8, Robins 5

The key inning in the Braves' victory was the fifth, when the home team scored six times to blow a 2-1 game wide open. The key blow was catcher John Henry's (no apparent relation to the current owner of the Red Sox) three-run homer to the deepest part of center field. Ed Konetchy and Johnny Rawlings each drove in a pair for the Bravos, and leadoff man Roy Massey set the table with aplomb, going four for five and scoring three runs. A four-run Broolyn eighth, highlighted by center fielder Hy Myers' two-run single, brought them back into the game, but not far enough. Boston starter Dick Rudolph pitched seven strong innings, but was knocked out of the box by the Robins' uprising. Three relievers combine to quiet the Tweeters over the final two frames. Brooklyn starter Jack Coombs takes the loss.

The series takes the traditional off day on Sunday before resuming bright and early Monday morning at Braves Field.

W- Rudolph (10-10)
L- Coombs (8-15)

HR- BOS: Henry (1)

Phillies 8, Giants 1

The Giants had a golden opportunity to make up ground on the Cubs by tending to business against the Phils, but were instead embarrassed before a sellout crowd featuring 10,000 servicemen who shipped out immediately after the game. If those doughboys were Giant fans, their last memory was of their team giving up six runs in the fifth on their way to total humiliation.

The inning featured an error, a bases-loaded walk that drove in the pitcher, and a bases-clearing double from Philly left fielder Possum Whitted. Center fielder Irish Meusel also had a big day for the Fightins, going four for five and knocking in a pair of runs. The pitching was equally sterling, with Joe Oeschger pitching a complete game while giving up just one run on six hits. The loss goes to Giants starter Red Causey, with George Burns driving in the only New York run.

As is the case in Boston, this series takes tomorrow off before wrapping up on Monday. The Giants are now ten and a half games behind the Cubs.

W- Oeschger (8-18)
L- Causey (11-7)

Pirates 8, Reds 7

The Buccos closed out their home season in style by scoring two in the eighth and two in the ninth to beat the Redlegs and move into second place in the National League. The game was back and forth until the Cincinnati sixth, when future NFL Hall of Fame coach Greasy Neale served a bases-clearing double into the left center field gap to put Cincy up 7-4. The Bucs drew within 7-6 in the eighth on a George Cutshaw triple that missed being his third home run in as many days by inches and a base hit by catcher Walter Schmidt.

In the ninth, Howdy Caton blasted a leadoff triple to center. One out later, Max Carey grounded one back through the box to bring Caton home and tie the game at seven. Cincy closer Dolf Luque was lifted in favor of George Smith, and Carey stole second on the new man immediately. This brought up right fielder Casey Stengel, who ended things on a 1-1 pitch by dribbling one between first and second into right field. Tommy Griffith's throw was late (and wouldn't have gotten the speedy Carey anyway), thus allowing the Buccos to send Forbes Field out for the year in style.

The two teams head down the Ohio River to Redland Field to finish the series tomorrow, and the Bucs will visit every National League city between now and the end of the year on a twenty-game swing. They'll leave home in a virtual tie for second place due to this win and the Giants' loss to the Phillies.

W- Hamilton (7-0)
L- Luque (6-4)

Cardinals 7, Cubs 5

In a wild, sloppy game that featured a combined seven errors, the Cards upset the Cubs in front of a sellout crowd at Robison Field. The key inning for the home club was the eighth, when the Redbirds scored three times to break a 4-4 tie. The winning run came in on a double by second baseman Bert Niehoff, but the crippling blow came when reliever Bill Sherdel slammed one off the foul pole in left for a two-run homer that put the game out of reach for the National League leaders.

The Cubs got two hits and three RBIs from Charlie Deal in a losing effort, and starter Lefty Tyler gave up just four hits in seven innings before leaving; his five walks were what got him and the Cubs in trouble. The Redbirds also got a pair of RBIs each from Gene Paulette and Rogers Hornsby.

The Cubs thus remain a comfortable nine and a half games ahead of the Pirates going into tomorrow's series finale here in St. Louis, and their magic number to clinch the pennant is down to thirteen.

W- Sherdel (7-12)
L- Martin (6-3)

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 86-49
Pirates: 74-56- 9.5 GB
Giants: 73-56- 10 GB
Reds: 68-64- 16.5 GB
Braves: 60-69- 23 GB
Cardinals: 59-75- 26.5 GB
Phillies: 55-75- 28.5 GB
Robins: 49-83- 35.5 GB

Next: September 7 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the American League Report for Saturday, September 7:

New York 6, Philadelphia 2
W - Ray Caldwell (10-10)
L - Vean Gregg (9-15)

The Yankees put together two runs each in the third, fourth, and sixth innings in the victory. Both pitchers went all the way, something you wouldn't conceive of nowadays, especially given the score.

Washington 6, Boston 0
W - Walter Johnson (25-13)
L - "Sad" Sam Jones (16-7)

Another shutout for the Big Train drew the Senators even closer in what is now a clear battle for the American League pennant. The Sens are now just four games back with twenty still to play.

Cleveland 3, Detroit 2 (12 innings)
W - Fritz Coumbe (15-7)
L - Eric Erickson (4-6)

Tris Speaker's RBI double scored Roy Chapman with the winning run just a few minutes away from twilight. The Tribe is now just four and a half games behind the Red Sox, though they still have to get past the Sens to make a real run at the top.

Chicago 8, St. Louis 1
W - Lefty Williams (7-4)
L - Rasty Wright (8-3)
HR - CWS: Chick Gandil (1), Williams (1)

The day's only two home runs - including one by the pitcher- keyed the White Sox' blowout.

The American League standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 78-53
Senators: 74-57- 4 GB
Indians: 75-59- 4.5 GB
White Sox: 66-63- 11 GB
Yankees: 66-65- 12 GB
Browns: 60-68- 16.5 GB
Tigers: 56-76- 22.5 GB
Athletics: 52-82- 27.5 GB

Next: September 8 in the National League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League Report for Sunday, September 8:

Reds 2, Pirates 1 (Game 1)

The Reds took the fifth game of this marathon series in front of their home crowd, which drops the Pirates behind the Giants and back into third place. The home squad got its runs in the fourth on an RBI grounder by Edd Roush and in the fifth on a ground-rule double by catcher Ivey Wingo. Meanwhile, Reds starter Rube Bressler held the Bucs to just three hits over eight innings. Max Carey had two of the Pittsburgh hits and drove in their only run with a sixth-inning double. Catcher Walter Schmidt had the Bucs' only other hit. Starter Wilbur Cooper took the loss despite giving up only two runs and five hits over six innings.

From here, the Bucs travel to St. Louis, while the Reds entertain the league-leading Cubs.

W- Bressler (9-5)
L- Cooper (20-15)

Reds 9, Pirates 2 (Game 2)

In a game literally added hours beforehand that was originally scheduled for September 29, the Reds pounded the Bucs. The home team broke the game open with three runs in the fifth and four in the sixth, led by the Magees, second baseman Lee and first baseman Sherry. Lee tripled home two in the sixth, and Sherry followed that up with a two-run homer. Sherry ended up with a total of three RBIs on the day, and the Redlegs totaled fourteen hits. Greasy Neale also added a pair of RBIs for Cincy.

The Bucs, meanwhile, played like a team that's been unpleasantly surprised at the last minute, and could only manage RBIs from left fielder Lee King and third baseman Bill McKechnie. Max Carey had two hits and scored both Pittsburgh runs. Pete Schneider went the distance for the Redlegs on the mound, while Pittsburgh starter Frank Miller couldn't get out of the fifth, giving up five runs on nine hits, and was tagged with the loss.

W- Schneider (12-16)
L- Miller (11-9)

HR- CIN: S. Magee (3)

Cubs 10, Cardinals 5

The Cubs used a five-run seventh to blow this one wide open and keep their magic number to clinch the National League pennant at twelve. Left fielder Les Mann's bases-clearing double was the big hit in the seventh, and second baseman Pete Kilduff added two hits and three more RBIs. First baseman Fred Merkle also had a big day, going three for four and scoring twice. Center fielder Dode Paskert scored three more runs. The Cards got three hits from Gene Paulette, but once again their big run producer was reliever Bill Sherdel, who knocked in two more runs. Claude Hendrix got his twenty-first win of the season with six and-two-thirds gritty innings for Chicago, while Gene Packard took the loss for the Redbirds despite giving up just one earned run in six innings.

W- Hendrix (21-7)
L- Packard (13-13)

Note: The Pirates-Reds game from September 29 was added here so the Bucs wouldn't have to make a one-game trip to Cincinnati in the midst of their final Eastern Seaboard swing. This allows all of the National League action for the rest of the year after September 13 to be concentrated in Boston, Philadelphia, and the New York area.

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 87-49
Giants: 73-56- 10.5 GB
Pirates: 74-58- 11 GB
Reds: 70-64- 16 GB
Braves: 60-69- 23.5 GB
Cardinals: 59-76- 27.5 GB
Phillies: 55-75- 29 GB
Robins: 49-83- 36 GB

Next: September 8 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Due to blue laws in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., there are only two games on the American League schedule for September 8.

Detroit 1, Cleveland 0
W - Hooks Dauss (14-17)
L - Stan Coveleski (22-15)

The only run of the game was scored by Ty Cobb on a double by Oscar Vitt. Dauss carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning; Bill Wambsganss broke it up. The Indians are now a game and a half behind the second-place Sens and five games behind the first place Bosox.

St. Louis 4, Chicago 1
W - Allen Sothoron (14-12)
L - Eddie Cicotte (12-21)

The Browns got three hits each from George Sisler and Fritz Maisel. The White Sox are fighting to stay out of the second division, as their lead over the Yankees for fourth place is now just half a game.

The American League standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 78-53
Senators: 74-57- 4 GB
Indians: 75-60- 5 GB
White Sox: 66-64- 11.5 GB
Yankees: 66-65- 12 GB
Browns: 61-68- 16 GB
Tigers: 57-76- 22 GB
Athletics: 52-82- 27.5 GB

Next: September 9 in the National League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the National League Report for Monday, September 9:

Braves 1, Robins 0

Starting pitchers Dana Fillingrim (Braves) and Dick Robertson (Robins) took turns tossing goose eggs for eight and half innings at Braves Field. Only Brooklyn center fielder Hy Myers had more than one hit on the day, and no base runner had reached third base for either side. Robertson had walked two, Fillingrim none. If not for the sloppy defense (four combined errors), this game could have been called a gem. And it had a lustrous ending, as Braves right fielder Al Wickland took Robertson's second pitch of the bottom of the ninth over the right field wall for a walk-off home run. Wickland thus became the second player to have more than one hit today. Fillingrim threw ninety-nine pitches, Robertson ninety-four. Time of the game: one hour, fifty minutes.

From here, the Robins head home to entertain the Giants, while the Braves get ready to welcome the Phillies.

W- Fillingrim (8-7)
L- Robertson (3-8)

HR- BOS: Wickland (5)

Giants 2, Phillies 1

Phillies starter Elmer Jacobs took just eighty-four pitches to throw a two-hitter at the G-Men. Unfortunately for him, one of the hits was center fielder Benny Kauff's two-run homer in the third, and that was enough for the Giants to prevail. The other New York hit was right fielder Ross Youngs' leadoff single in the sixth. Gavvy Cravath's base hit in the first knocked in the only run for the Fightins, who got two hits each from shortstop Dave Bancroft, left fielder Possum Whitted, and catcher Ed Burns, and yet couldn't score. The reason was reliever Jeff Tesreau, who shut out the Phils over the final four and a third innings to get the win. The Giants thus keep pace with the Cubs; for the moment, their elimination number is still twelve. Time of the game: one hour and forty-two minutes.

W- Tesreau (5-4)
L- Jacobs (10-6)

HR- NYG: Kauff (3)

Reds 3, Cubs 1

The Reds extended their winning streak to three, and the Cubs' lead has fallen to nine and a half games. The home club got all the runs they needed in the bottom of the first on Edd Roush's triple into the left field corner and first baseman Hal Chase's single. Ivey Wingo singled home an insurance run in the eighth. The National League leaders posted ten hits, but could only score on Pete Kilduff's fourth inning triple. Roush's three hits led the Reds' attack, and starter Hod Eller gutted out eight innings with less then his best stuff to get the win. The loss went to Chicago starter Phil Douglas. Rookie right fielder Bill McCabe led the Cubbies with three hits.

W- Eller (17-13)
L- Douglas (10-10)

Pirates 4, Cardinals 1

The Bucs stayed within shouting distance of the second-place Giants by dusting off the Redbirds. Howdy Caton led the way offensively, going three for five out of the leadoff spot and driving in a pair of runs. Bill McKechnie added two hits and another RBI, and Casey Stengel knocked in the other run with a sacrifice fly. On the mound, starter Erskine Mayer shrugged off the lingering effects of his back trouble to shut out the Cards on five hits through seven innings and pick up his eighteenth win of the year. Doug Baird picked up the only St. Louis RBI, while left fielder Walton Crise had two hits. Jakie May suffers the loss for the Redbirds.

W- Mayer (18-7)
L- May (5-8)

The National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 87-50
Giants: 74-56- 9.5 GB
Pirates: 75-58- 10 GB
Reds: 71-64- 15 GB
Braves: 61-69- 22.5 GB
Cardinals: 59-77- 27.5 GB
Phillies: 55-76- 29 GB
Robins: 49-84- 36 GB

Next: September 9 in the American League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Here's the American League Report for Monday, September 9:

Philadelphia 4, New York 1
W - Willie Adams (7-12)
L - Allan Russell (7-12)
HR - PHA: Jimmy Dykes (1)

Dykes' home run was, like so many others of the era, inside the park. This would be the first of forty-three straight seasons in which he either played or managed in the big leagues.

Boston 5, Washington 4 (10 innings)
W - Carl Mays (23-13)
L - Harry Harper (12-11)

The Red Sox scored three in the top of the 10th. In the bottom, the Senators scored twice but fell short when Joe Judge grounded out with Clyde Milan on third. The Red Sox now lead the Sens by five games.

Cleveland 8, Detroit 3
W - Ed Klepfer (1-0)
L - Bernie Boland (15-11)
HR - CLE: Braggo Roth (2)

Ty Cobb was held hitless in four at-bats for Detroit, while Roth paced the Indians' attack with four hits (including the homer mentioned above) and four RBIs. The Indians and Senators are now tied for second place in the American League.

Chicago 7, St. Louis 0
W - Eddie Cicotte (13-21)
L - Dave Davenport (11-12)

Big day for the future Black Sox: Joe Jackson went five for five at the plate, while Cicotte threw a one-hit shutout. Ray Demmitt had the only Browns' hit, a double in the third inning.

The American League standings to the moment:

Red Sox: 79-53
Senators: 74-58- 5 GB
Indians: 76-60- 5 GB
White Sox: 67-64- 11.5 GB
Yankees: 66-66- 13 GB
Browns: 61-69- 17 GB
Tigers: 57-77- 23 GB
Athletics: 53-82- 27.5 GB

Next: September 10 in the National League.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
Okay, guys. Here's the story:

You may have noticed that there have been changes in the standings and some posts removed. What happened was that I found a copy of the original 1918 schedule at Retrosheet and discovered that a couple of games that we thought were canceled by World War I had already been played at other times for some unknown reason. So I deleted those two games plus the "makeup" posts from earlier in the thread. I'll redo those properly (with the games that were actually canceled) over the next few posts before I resume with the regular schedule. We didn't have the actual games that needed to be made up when we did this over at All Time Sports because Retrosheet hadn't updated their schedule files with that information yet. I'll update the pitchers' records as needed.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!
 
I've decided to start my makeups in the National League, since that's the one I'm most familiar with. First up: a doubleheader between the Giants and Phillies at Baker Bowl.

Giants 2, Phillies 1 (Game 1; 14 innings)

Left fielder Joe Wilhoit's inside-the-park home run off of reliever Milt Watson in the fourteenth inning gave the Giants a much-needed win. The winning hit was a bloop that got past Philly right fielder Gavvy Cravath and bounced into the right field corner, where it resisted all attempts at being picked up until Wilhoit was well around third. Cravath's throw to the plate was both late and offline.

Wilhoit also drove in the other New York run on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the ninth. A forgotten story of this game will be the pitching performance of the Phillies' Joe Oeschger, who held the Giants hitless for six and two-thirds innings until third baseman Heinie Zimmerman's double broke it up. The Phils had gotten their run on an RBI single by Milt Stock in the bottom of the fifth. Youngster Bob Steele had a tough no-decision for the G-Men, as he went eight superb innings giving up just one run on seven hits. Fred Toney's two scoreless innings netted him the victory.

The two teams will battle darkness in an effort to get Game 2 in. Red Causey will pitch for New York, while Elmer Jacobs takes the hill for the Fightins.

W- Toney (13-12)
L- Watson (5-8)

HR- NYG: Wilhoit (1)

Giants 5, Phillies 2 (Game 2)

The Giants pulled off the doubleheader sweep, and they're now only eight and a half games behind the Cubs. Second baseman Larry Doyle paced the offense by going four for five. His two-run double in the ninth put the game away for good. Double play partner Art Fletcher had the other three New York RBIs, two of them coming on a third-inning single that gave the Giants the lead for good. Red Causey turned in a great performance on the mound, giving up just one run on seven hits over eight innings. Milt Stock's first-inning single produced the only run for the Phils. Elmer Jacobs took the loss on the hill, giving up three runs on nine hits over seven innings.

W- Causey (12-7)
L- Jacobs (10-7)

Here are the National League standings to the moment:

Cubs: 87-50
Giants: 76-56- 8.5 GB
Pirates: 75-58- 10 GB
Reds: 71-64- 15 GB
Braves: 61-69- 22.5 GB
Cardinals: 59-77- 27.5 GB
Phillies: 55-78- 30 GB
Robins: 49-84- 36 GB

Next: The Phils welcome the Cubs for a makeup game.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
I just found out that I deleted the makeup games by mistake; they were tie games and should have been made up the way we did it originally.

I'll put the NL ones back now and do the AL later.

Makeup Set 1:

We begin our first makeup day in the National League in Cincinnati, with the Reds entertaining the Cubs:

Cubs 8, Reds 7 (13 innings)

Left fielder Turner Barber's double down the right field line in the top of the thirteenth scores right fielder Max Flack with the winning run, and Cubs starter Lefty Tyler is credited with a thirteen-inning complete game and becomes a twenty-game winner. The Cubs now have a full eleven-game lead over the idle Giants in the National League.

W- Tyler (20-8)
L- Schneider (10-16)

Phillies 4, Cardinals 3 (13 innings)

Phils' third baseman Milt Stock drives in second baseman Dave Bancroft with a thirteenth inning single to move the Phils a game ahead of the Robins in fifth place. Both starting pitcher- Joe Oeschger of the Phils and Jakie May of the Cardinals- end up pitching all thirteen innings.

W- Oeschger (7-18)
L- May (5-7)
 
Makeup Set 2:

Cardinals 10, Phillies 8 (20 innings)

Shortstop Rogers Hornsby triples in the winning run as the Cards "split" their makeup games with the Phils at Baker Bowl. Their next stop: Chicago, where their longtime rivals the Cubs are rampaging toward the National League pennant.

W- Packard (13-12)
L- Prendergast (13-15)

Pirates 4, Cubs 3 (11 innings)

Center fielder Max Carey singles home the winning run in the last of the eleventh as the Bucs beat the Cubs at Forbes Field. Winning pitcher Wilbur Cooper becomes a twenty-game winner for the Bucs. The loss knocks the Cubs' lead in the National League back down to ten and a half games over the Giants.

W- Cooper (20-14)
L- Vaughn (22-11)

All references to games behind were accurate at the time. The standings check, so I won't repost them.
 
Top