This day in baseball: Dinneen’s complete season
Posted: October 10, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, Bill Dinneen, Boston Pilgrims, history, Jack Chesbro, New York Highlanders, sports 2 CommentsOn October 10, 1904, 41-game winner Jack Chesbro of the Highlanders let loose a wild pitch in the ninth inning of the final game of the season. This snapped a 2-2 tie, allowing Pilgrims right-hander Bill Dinneen to claim victory as the Boston team claimed the AL pennant. Dinneen finished the year having completed every game he started during the season, throwing 337.2 consecutive innings without relief during his streak of 37 consecutive complete games.
Bill Dinneen (The Sporting News)
This day in baseball: One hundred-loss matchup
Posted: October 6, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Beaneaters, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, sports Leave a commentFor the second time in major league history, two one hundred-loss teams faced one another on October 6, 1923. The 52-100 Beaneaters beat the 50-102 Phillies, 5-4, in the first game of a doubleheader. Boston had also been part of the first one hundred-loss matchup when the 50-100 club played 45-103 Brooklyn in 1905.
Philadelphia Phillies logo, 1923-1924 (Business Insider)
This day in baseball: The rookie puts on a hitting clinic
Posted: September 30, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Beaneaters, Duff Cooley, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Robison Field, sports, St. Louis Browns Leave a commentOn September 30, 1893, the last day of the season, rookie Duff Cooley of the St. Louis Browns collected six hits to help destroy the Boston Beaneaters, 16-4. The twenty-year-old utility player accomplished the feat by hitting four singles, a double, and a triple at Robison Field in St. Louis.
Duff Cooley in 1905 (Library of Congress)
This day in baseball: Burkett hits .400 … again
Posted: September 26, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Cleveland Spiders, Eclipse Park, history, Jesse Burkett, Louisville Colonels, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports Leave a commentSeptember 26, 1896 marked the season finale for the Cleveland Spiders, which they played against the Louisville Colonels at Eclipse Park. Cleveland outfielder Jesse Burkett collected three hits as the Spiders won, 4-3. Burkett thus finished the season with a .410 batting average, making him the first player to hit .400 in consecutive years, having batted .405 the previous season.
Jesse Burkett in 1903 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Cy Young’s final win
Posted: September 22, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Rustlers, Cy Young, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, sports Leave a commentCy Young pitched and recorded his 511th and final career victory on September 22, 1911, when he defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Young kept the Pirates scoreless at Forbes Field, winning 1-0. With a season record of 35-101, the Boston Rustlers won only three contests in 22 attempts against Pittsburgh during the 1911 season, with two of the victories coming as a result of shutouts thrown by the 44 year-old Cy Young.
This day in baseball: Digging up a ploy
Posted: September 17, 2019 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, sports, Tommy Corcoran Leave a commentOn September 17, 1900, Reds shortstop Tommy Corcoran left his position and began digging around the third base coaching box with his spikes at Philadelphia Park. The Reds captain ended up digging out a metal box containing an electrical device inside with attached wires. It was suspected that the device was being used by the Phillies in a sophisticated scheme to steal signs, though I’m curious as to what tipped off Corcoran to start digging.
Tommy Corcoran (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Out confusion
Posted: September 14, 2019 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Bob Reach, Boston Red Stockings, Cap Anson, Fergy Malone, George Wright, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentIn a game between the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Stockings on September 14, 1872, the Athletics led 4-1 in the seventh inning with runners on first and second. Fergy Malone popped up to shortstop George Wright, who caught the ball in his hat and then proceeded to throw the ball to third base. The ball was then thrown to second base. Wright claimed a double play has been completed, as a batter cannot be retired with a “hat catch,” and thus runners Cap Anson and Bob Reach should have been forced out. This naturally caused some confusion, and ultimately , the umpire decided to give Malone another at bat, declaring nobody out on the play. The Athletics won this game, 6-4.
George Wright, 1872 (Wikipedia)
