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Rogers Hornsby
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Rogers Hornsby from the Chronology
Aug 16, 2005 - Rod Barajas has a 2-run homer for Texas off 19-year-old Felix Hernandez and Texas triumphs over Seattle‚ 5-2. It is the 246th HR for the Rangers‚ tying the club record‚ and the 4th highest total in ML history. Michael Young extends his batting streak to 14 games with a pair of hits‚ and reaches the 200 hit mark. The Ranger shortstop joins Charlie Gehringer‚ Rogers Hornsby‚ Johnny Pesky and Derek Jeter as the only middle infielders to record three or more consecutive seasons of 200 hits.
Aug 23, 2003 - The Phillies beat the Cardinals‚ 9-4‚ in the process ending Albert Pujols' hitting streak at 30 games. It is the longest streak in the ML this season‚ and ties him with Stan Musial for the second-longest in St. Louis history. Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby hit in 33 straight games for the Cardinals' record. Pujols will go hitless in his next 13 at bats.
Sep 13, 1991 - Toronto OF Joe Carter drives in a run in the Blue Jays' 7-6 victory over the A's‚ becoming the 1st player in history to reach the 100 plateau in 3 consecutive seasons with 3 different teams. Nine players (Dick Allen‚ Orlando Cepeda‚ Rocky Colavito‚ Goose Goslin‚ Rogers Hornsby‚ Reggie Jackson‚ Lee May‚ Al Simmons‚ and Vic Wertz) have collected 100 RBI with three teams‚ but none consecutively.
Aug 28, 1990 - Ryne Sandberg homers in the Cubs' 5-2 win over the Astros to become the first 2B ever to post back-to-back 30-HR seasons. He will finish the year with 40 HRs to become the first 2B since Rogers Hornsby in 1925 to lead the league in that category.
Jul 2, 1989 - Brewers OF Robin Yount‚ 33‚ collects his 2‚500th hit in a 10-2 win over the Yankees. Ty Cobb‚ Rogers Hornsby‚ Hank Aaron‚ and Mel Ott are the only players to reach that milestone at a younger age.
Jun 24, 1984 - Oakland's Joe Morgan hits his 265th career home run as a 2B‚ breaking Rogers Hornsby's ML record for that position. Morgan‚ who has 267 home runs overall‚ connects off Frank Tanana in the first inning of the A's 4-2 win over Texas.
Jan 5, 1963 - Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby dies at age 66 of a heart ailment.
Jul 18, 1957 - Dodger slugger Gil Hodges hits his 12th career grand slam to tie the NL record of Rogers Hornsby and Ralph Kiner‚ as the Dodgers edge the Cards‚ 10-9. St. Louis remains a game behind the Phils. The slam comes against the Cardinals Wilmer Mizell.
Sep 13, 1954 - Redlegs slugger Ted Kluszewski scores a run in a 6-5 loss to the Pirates. Big Klu has scored in 17 consecutive games‚ coring 24 runs‚ tying the ML record of 17 straight games set by Rogers Hornsby in 1921. (This earlier mark was discovered in 2003 by researcher Trent McCotter) Tomorrow Brooklyn's Johnny Podres will shut the Reds out‚ 4-0.
Sep 17, 1953 - With a record of 64-82‚ the Cincinnati Redlegs fire Rogers Hornsby as their manager with 8 games left in the season. Coach Buster Mills replaces him for the remainder of the year.
Jan 17, 1953 - Martin Aarjan Jole‚ a Dutch player‚ gets a tryout with a Reds farm club in Columbia‚ SC. The 22-year-old‚ reputed to be a power hitter‚ wrote to Rogers Hornsby‚ the new Reds manager‚ asking for a tryout.
Jul 28, 1952 - Rogers Hornsby‚ after being fired by the St. Louis Browns‚ replaces another former Brownie manager‚ Luke Sewell‚ as manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Sewell firing is announced today. Hornsby will look over the Reds' minor league teams for a week and coach Earle Brucker will coach in the interim.
Jun 10, 1952 - In Boston‚ St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck fires manager Rogers Hornsby saying‚ "I made a mistake. I thought Hornsby had mellowed." That afternoon‚ the players present Veeck with a trophy for freeing them from Rajah's tyranny. The Browns name Marty Marion as their player-manager.
Jun 8, 1952 - At Yankee Stadium‚ Browns P Tommy Byrne hits a 4th inning fly ball behind 3B that New York's Gil McDougald chases. A fan catches the ball but the umpire rules interference and calls the batter out. Browns manager Rogers Hornsby‚ coaching third‚ doesn't disagree. However‚ Browns owner Bill Veeck‚ listening on the radio in St. Louis‚ phones Hornsby and orders him to protest‚ which Hornsby reluctantly does‚ but too late anyway. The Yanks win 5-2‚ then take the nitecap as Vic Raschi shuts out St. Louis. That night‚ Hornsby calls Veeck and tells him to stop meddling‚ a call that will cost him his job.
Nov 27, 1951 - The Browns send C Sherm Lollar‚ P Al Widmar‚ and INF Tommy Upton to the White Sox for C Gus Niarhos‚ P Dick Littlefield‚ 1B Gordon Goldsberry‚ Joe DeMaestri‚ and OF Jim Rivera. Rivera‚ a favorite of Browns manager Rogers Hornsby‚ will return to the Sox in 8 months.
Oct 9, 1951 - In New York‚ Browns owner Bill Veeck‚ Jr. hires Rogers Hornsby to a three-year contract to manage the Browns. The Rajah‚ who last managed in the majors in 1937 as skipper of the Browns‚ was fired by Bill Veeck‚ Sr. in 1932 when Hornsby managed the Cubs. Hornsby chooses the Browns offer over a similar one by the Cardinals‚ who just let Marty Marion go as manager.
Dec 2, 1948 - Stan Musial is picked MVP in the NL. Musial led the NL in batting at .365‚ runs (135)‚ RBI (131)‚ and in doubles and triples. His 39 HRs were one short of Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner. According to research Bill Deane‚ Musial is the last NL player in the 20th C to bat .400 on the road (minimum 80 hits). He went 132-for-318 away from home‚ good for a .415 average. Other National Leaguers to top .400 on the road include Rogers Hornsby (.405 in 1920‚ .419 in 1921‚ .401 in 1928) and Bill Terry (.404 in 1930).
Jul 6, 1945 - Despite homers by Pete Coscarart and Jim Russell to lead off the game against Don Hendrickson‚ the Braves sweep the Pirates 13-5 and 14-8. For the winners‚ Butch Nieman connects for a pinch grand slam in the opener. In the 2nd game‚ Tommy Holmes hits in his 34th consecutive game to pass Rogers Hornsby's NL record of 33 in 1922.
Feb 26, 1943 - The Phils sign Bucky Harris as manager. It is the 4th ML club Harris has led‚ not counting 2 stints-later 3-at Washington. Clark Griffith‚ Rogers Hornsby‚ Donie Bush‚ and Bill McKechnie have also managed 4 clubs.
Apr 2, 1942 - Publisher A.J. Spink‚ in TSN‚ reports on the result of a poll of 100 former major leaguers and managers as to who their choice is as best player of all time. Ty Cobb is the overwhelming pick‚ getting 60 of the votes cast. The remaining 42 votes are divided among 14 players: Honus Wagner (17): Babe Ruth (11); and Rogers Hornsby and Ross Youngs (2 votes each). The following players each received one vote: Lou Gehrig‚ Ed Delahanty‚ Tris Speaker‚ Joe DiMaggio‚ Mel Ott‚ George Sisler‚ Eddie Collins‚ Christy Mathewson‚ Walter Johnson‚ and Jerry Denny. Among those who reveal they voted for Cobb are Speaker‚ Collins‚ Sisler‚ Johnson‚ Al Simmons‚ Connie Mack‚ and Jack Coombs.
Jan 4, 1942 - Rogers Hornsby becomes the 14th player selected to the Hall of Fame‚ getting 78 percent of the vote. But Frank Chance with 58 percent and Rube Waddell with 54 percent miss out.
Nov 19, 1937 - It is not a sunny day as the Browns hand manager Jim Bottomley his walking papers. Sunny Jim replaced Rogers Hornsby at mid-season.
Jul 21, 1937 - Rogers Hornsby is fired as manager of the St. Louis Browns for "for just cause." again construed as playing the horses. Hornsby grouses‚ "they always bring that up." Jim Bottomley takes over.
Apr 20, 1937 - The Browns batter the White Sox 15-10 before 7‚500 fans‚ the Brownies largest opening day crowd since pre-Depression days. Manager Rogers Hornsby singles twice and drills a CF homer off Vern Kennedy.
Jan 17, 1937 - Cleveland gets Moose Solters‚ Ivy Andrews‚ and Lyn Lary from the St. Louis Browns for Joe Vosmik‚ Bill Knickerbocker‚ and Oral Hildebrand. The 3 departing Brownies are termed "real playboys" by manager Rogers Hornsby. Solters and Andrews were also the RBI and ERA leaders for the Brownies.
Sep 14, 1936 - Pittsburgh's Paul Waner ties Rogers Hornsby's modern NL record‚ reaching 200 hits for the 7th time as the Bucs sweep the Phils 11-4 and 6-5 in 10 innings. Big Poison gets his 200th in the first game and has 5 hits for the afternoon. Dolph Camilli (26th) and Al Todd (3rd) homer in the opener while Chuck Klein hits his 24th in the nitecap. Bill Swift and Red Lucas pitch CG wins.
Jun 9, 1936 - Browns manager Rogers Hornsby makes 2nd and last appearance of the season as he replaces the injured Jim Bottomley at 1B. The Browns beat the league-leading Yankees‚ 5-3‚ when The Rajah draws a walk to force in the winning run and Beau Bell follows with another walk.
May 31, 1936 - In a 5-run rally in the 9th at Detroit‚ Rogers Hornsby's pinch single drives in the winner and gives the Browns an 11-10 win over the Tigers. It's the first of 2 games that Rajah will play in this year. Starting pitcher Chief Hogsett‚ making his first appearance with the last-place Browns‚ hits 4 Detroit batters to tie the ML record.
Nov 23, 1935 - The Giants purchase veteran P Dick Coffman from the Browns. Coffman‚ who was on the outs with Rogers Hornsby‚ will go 24-14 over the next four years for New York.
Oct 27, 1935 - In Mexico City‚ a touring group of AL all-stars tops the Negro League champions‚ the Pittsburgh Crawfords‚ 7-2. Rogers Hornsby drives in 3 runs against Bert Hunter‚ and he drove in 3 yesterday when the all-stars won‚ 11-7. The first game ended in a 6-6 tie. The AL squad features Hornsby‚ Jimmie Foxx‚ Ted Lyons‚ and Vern Kennedy‚ while the Crawfords marquis Josh Gibson‚ Judy Johnson‚ and Cool Papa Bell.
May 17, 1934 - Down 2-0 in the 8th‚ Browns manager Rogers Hornsby inserts himself as pinch hitter and ties the game with a homer off Red Sox lefty Fritz Ostermueller. The Browns add another and hold on for a 4-3 win.
Oct 22, 1933 - Phil Ball‚ millionaire owner of the St. Louis Browns‚ dies at the age of 69 of septicemia. With Ball's financial support gone‚ the Browns will sell their Milwaukee franchise‚ retaining San Antonio as their sole minor league club. Manager Rogers Hornsby will run the team.
Jul 29, 1933 - With new manager Rogers Hornsby at the helm for his first game‚ the Browns edge the host White Sox 3-2‚ scoring two unearned runs on errors by Luke Appling and Al Simmons in the 8th.
Jul 26, 1933 - Rogers Hornsby swaps St. Louis uniforms‚ leaving the Cards to manage the Browns. The Rajah takes the place of Allen Sothoron on the 29th
Mar 11, 1933 - Rogers Hornsby‚ out of baseball since being fired as Cubs manager in August 1932‚ joins the Cardinals in spring training as a player. He will return to 2B after a 6-year absence from St. Louis.
Oct 24, 1932 - Rogers Hornsby signs with the St. Louis Cardinals for $15‚000‚ strictly as a player. He had managed the Birds to the World Championship in 1926.
Oct 14, 1932 - Judge Landis rejects Rogers Hornsby's appeal for a share of the Cubs' WS money.
Sep 22, 1932 - The Cubs announce WS shares and snub former player-manager Rogers Hornsby. Late-season arrival Mark Koenig gets just a half share. Hornsby appeals to Judge Landis‚ arguing that he was an active player for two-thirds of the season‚ and deserved a full share. Landis turns him down. In today's contest‚ Cubs Burleigh Grimes loses‚ 7-0‚ to Hal Smith of the Pirates. It's Hal's first major league start and his only decision of the year.
Sep 20, 1932 - The Chicago Cubs clinch the NL pennant when Kiki Cuyler hits a triple with the bases loaded for a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh. Guy Bush wins his 19th game and rookie Billy Herman tops the 200 mark in hits for the season. Tomorrow the Cubs will snub ex-manager Rogers Hornsby on the split of WS shares.
Aug 13, 1932 - Commissioner Landis clears Rogers Hornsby of charges of fraudulently "borrowing" money from Cubs players. The Chicago papers said Hornsby had obtained money from players‚ either loaned to him to bet on horse races‚ or to share in joint ventures. When Hornsby is fined‚ the players want refunds. Hornsby wants a lump payoff by the Cubs‚ who refuse. Landis holds several hearings‚ and as he doesn't punish anyone‚ it is taken as exoneration.
Aug 2, 1932 - The Cubs lose again in Brooklyn‚ 4-2‚ as Warneke gives up 3 runs in the 8th inning‚ and now trail the Pirates by 5 games. Warneke loses his 2nd in the series after winning 9 straight. Following the loss‚ Cubs president Veeck and Hornsby argue on the train to Philadelphia about the strategy. Further discussion in Veeck's hotel room end with the firing of Rogers Hornsby as a manager. A contributing factor in The Rajah's departure is his gambling‚ and the debts he has run up borrowing money from Cubs' players (Hornsby said to pay debts). Veeck works out a repayment schedule with the money to be subtracted from what the Cubs owe Hornsby on his contract. Affable 1B Charlie Grimm is put in charge of the team and the team will charge in front winning 20 of their next 25 games.
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Jun 3, 1932 - In an 11-inning defeat‚ 6-5‚ in Pittsburgh‚ two balls bounce by Chicago's right fielder Rogers Hornsby for triples. The Cubs player-manager‚ trying the outfield for a week‚ will bench himself. Starter Steve Swetonic is the winner when Tony Piet lines Jakey May's 1st pitch in the bottom of the 11th to the flagpole in deep CF and jogs home with an inside the park homer.
Sep 13, 1931 - At Wrigley‚ the Cubs win 11-7 over the Braves when player-manager Rogers Hornsby cracks an 11th inning pinch grand slam. According to historian David Vincent‚ this is the first extra inning pinch grand slam in ML history. The Cubs take the second game‚ 8-1‚ behind Guy Bush's one-hitter‚ his 2nd of the year. His first was against the Cards on August 9th.
Jun 30, 1931 - The Cubs roll over the Phillies‚ 14-3‚ as Rogers Hornsby clouts a grand slam off the loser‚ Clise Dudley. Pat Malone is the winner.
Apr 24, 1931 - Rogers Hornsby‚ player/manager of the Chicago Cubs‚ strokes 3 consecutive HRs and drives in 8 runs to beat the Pirates at Forbes Field 10-6. He's the 7th major leaguer to accomplish the feat‚ and the 6th in the past 8 years. He is the 2nd Cub to drive in 8 or more runs in a game: Zimmerman knocked in 9 in a 1911 game.
Sep 25, 1930 - Joe McCarthy‚ not receiving the support of Cubs owner William Wrigley‚ resigns as manager. Rogers Hornsby is named to finish the season and manage in 1931. McCarthy will not be idle long‚ and will sign with the Yankees next month.
Sep 4, 1930 - Rogers Hornsby returns to the Chicago lineup as the Cubs beat the Pirates‚ 10-7‚ in 10 innings. Jesse Petty‚ purchased from the Bucs on August 24th‚ picks up the victory‚ the last one of his career. Hornsby had been absent since Memorial Day because of a broken ankle. The Cubs are in first place‚ but the Cards‚ after thrashing the Reds 13-2‚ move into a tie for 2nd place with the Giants. The Giants lose to the Braves‚ 7-1.
May 30, 1930 - The Cubs Rogers Hornsby‚ already limping after off-season surgery on his heel‚ breaks an ankle sliding into 3B in the first game of a doubleheader in St. Louis. The Cubs win both games‚ 2-0 and 9-3‚ to move into 3rd place‚ but Hornsby will miss most of the season.
Apr 15, 1930 - In St. Louis‚ the Cubs open with a 9-8 win over the Cards. Rogers Hornsby‚ whose heel was operated on over the winter‚ is noticeably limping in the game. The newly acquired Showboat Fisher is 4-for-5.
Oct 14, 1929 - After a Sunday off‚ a special train from Washington brings President and Mrs. Hoover to Shibe Park to see if Howard Ehmke can wind up the Series against Pat Malone. They match zeroes for 3‚ but with 2 outs in the 4th‚ a walk and 3 hits give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Malone stifles the A's with 2 hits and the 2-0 lead holds up into the 9th. The Athletics rally and come up with 3 runs‚ the winning run scoring on a Bing Miller double‚ and take the series four games to one. There won't be another winning rally by a team down 2 runs in the 9th of game 7 this century; the Diamondbacks‚ in 2001‚ will do it next. NL MVP Rogers Hornsby‚ hobbled with a heel spur‚ manages just five hits in the Series.
Oct 5, 1929 - Mel Ott and Chuck Klein go into today's Giant-Phils doubleheader tied at 42 home runs apiece. In the opener‚ a 5-4 Phils victory‚ Ott manages a single‚ but Klein homers off Carl Hubbell in his first at bat to take the HR lead. In game 2‚ Ott singles in his first at bat. After that‚ manager Burt Shotton orders the Phillies pitchers‚ rather than give Ott a chance to tie Klein‚ to semi-intentionally walk him 5 times. The last (semi) intentional walk comes on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded as the Giants win‚ 12-3. Phillie Lefty O'Doul gets 6 hits in the 2 games for an NL record of 254 hits for the season. In the 5th inning of game 1‚ Lefty's 3rd hit of the game‚ a 5th inning HR‚ is his 251st of the year. He has a 4th hit in game one‚ then two more in the nitecap. Chuck Klein follows O'Doul's HR with one of his own‚ his 43rd. For Rogers Hornsby‚ it was a tough inning‚ as the two HRs eclipse two of his NL season records: most hits (250) and most HRs (42). Each player connects in all National League parks‚ the first players not named Ruth to accomplish the feat.
Sep 24, 1929 - The Giants sweep the Braves‚ 5-4 and 6-5‚ as Mel Ott hits a homer in each game‚ his 41st and 42nd HRs of the year. This ties Rogers Hornsby's NL mark.
Sep 2, 1929 - The Cubs beat the Cards twice 11-7 and 12-10‚ before 81‚000 fans at Wrigley Field. A crowd of 38‚000 fans sees the morning game and 43‚000 watch the afternoon game. Rogers Hornsby has 2 HRs and Hack Wilson has one. The Cubs now lead the NL by 12 1/2 games‚ and will clinch in two weeks.
Aug 8, 1929 - Rogers Hornsby cracks a 4th inning homer-one of his 4 hits-as Chicago edges the Reds 1-0 at Wrigley. Charlie Root allows 7 hits in beating rookie Benny Frey.
May 4, 1929 - At Baker Bowl‚ Cubs pitcher Pat Malone holds the Phillies scoreless‚ and collects 3 singles and 2 RBI to win easily‚ 16-0. Hack Wilson and Kiki Cuyler each hit 2 doubles‚ and Rogers Hornsby homers. The Cubs take the 2nd game as well‚ 9-7.
Dec 2, 1928 - Cardinals 1B Jim Bottomley is voted NL MVP with 76 points to 70 for Giants 3B Freddie Lindstrom‚ whose .358 BA was 3rd behind Rogers Hornsby and Paul Waner.
Nov 7, 1928 - The Cubs get Rogers Hornsby from the financially strapped Braves in exchange for $200‚000‚ IF Fred Maguire‚ P Percy Jones‚ C Lou Legett‚ former A's P Harry Seibold‚ and P Bruce Cunningham. Braves owner-president Emil Fuchs also decides to be his own manager. He'll be the last manager with no pro playing experience until Ted Turner's one game‚ in the 1970s. Under Fuchs‚ the Barves will finish 56-98‚ good for last place.
Jun 15, 1928 - At Boston‚ the Cubs take a 5-4 win over the sliding Braves. Farrell for the Braves‚ and Beck and Cuyler for the Cubs are deprived of homers by the new ground rule rregarding balls hit into the LF bleachers. The bleachers were erected to give Rogers Hornsby more homers‚ but the Rajah doesn't play today as he is saddled with a five-game suspension for yesterday's outburst. The Cubs do get 2nd inning homers from Hack Wilson and Charley Grimm‚ with both shots going into the CF bleachers.
Jun 14, 1928 - The Braves change the rules and stop the homer orgy that has racked up 48 homers in 15 home games. The ground rules are changed today so that any balls hit into the LF grand stands are ground rule doubles. The cardboard stands will soon be demolished‚ but today four balls are hit there in the Cards‚ 3-2 win. St. Louis wins in the 9th when Jim Bottomley triples and Chick Hafey follows with a homer‚ both off reliever Joe Genewich. Cy Pfirman is pelted with bottles in the 4th inning after thumbing manager Rogers Hornsby for protesting a 3rd strike call.
May 27, 1928 - Aging star George Sisler clears AL waivers and joins another former St. Louis hero Rogers Hornsby on the Braves. Sisler will hit .340 for the remainder of the season.
May 23, 1928 - Jack Slattery quits as manager of the last place Braves. Owner Fuch announces that "after much persuasion" Rogers Hornsby has consented to takes over as manager.
Jan 10, 1928 - After unsuccessful attempts to engineer a trade with the Chicago Cubs‚ the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers‚ Giants owner Charles Stoneham announces "that in the best interests of the team" he has traded Rogers Hornsby to the Boston Braves for Shanty Hogan, a promising young catcher, and journeyman OF Jimmy Welsh. Stoneham was not a fan of Hornsby abrasive style as fill-in manager for McGraw this past season‚ and thought that Hornsby welched on gambling debts. Hornsby was sued by a gambler‚ but in a civil case decided the previous December 21st in Missouri‚ where gambling is illegal‚ was found not liable.
Dec 4, 1927 - Pirates OF Paul Waner noses out Frankie Frisch for NL MVP honors with 72 points to 66. Rogers Hornsby‚ Cubs P Charlie Root‚ and Giants SS Travis Jackson also score high.
Sep 22, 1927 - Before a capacity crowd of 37‚000 at Forbes Field the first place Pirates hold off the 2nd place Giants by splitting a doubleheader. The Pirates win the first game 5-2‚ behind Ray Kremer and the Giants take the nitecap 2-0 behind Fred Fitzsimmons. Rogers Hornsby‚ managing the team in the absence of McGraw‚ hits a 2-run homer‚ his 26th‚ to account for the scoring in the second game. He also homers in the opener. Hornsby (.361) is 2nd to Paul Waner (.384) in hitting in the NL. Lloyd Waner (.352) is 3rd.
Jul 4, 1927 - At Ebbets Field‚ the Giants twice clip the Robins‚ winning 4-3 in 11 innings‚ then taking the nitecap‚ 9-4. George Harper's single off Jim Elliot brings home the winning run in the opener: Rogers Hornsby thought he had clouted the winning homer when he lofts a drive over the flagpole on the RF line‚ but after completing his trot around the bases‚ finds out it was called foul. Rajah hits a 3-run homer in the nitecap as Burleigh Grimes coasts home with a victory.
Jun 18, 1927 - It's Charles Lindbergh Day in St. Louis as the transatlantic flyer helps raise the Cardinals NL pennant before a 6-4 win over the Giants. Rogers Hornsby makes his first appearance in St. Louis since the big trade of last fall and Cards owner Sam Breadon picks today to raise the pennant and hand out Series rings. The Rajah has a double in the game‚ off Pete Alexander‚ but Jim Bottomley's 3-run homer for the Cards offsets that.
Apr 8, 1927 - Four days before the season opens‚ NL club representatives meet to resolve the question of the Giants Rogers Hornsby retaining his shares of stock in the St. Louis Cardinals. After a lengthy meeting‚ Hornsby breaks the impasse by agreeing to sell his stock in the Cardinals for $100‚000‚ plus $12‚000 for legal fees. He receives $86‚000 from Cards' owner Sam Breadon‚ $2‚000 from each of the other 7 NL clubs‚ and an extra $12‚000 from the Giants.
Mar 8, 1927 - In the grapefruit league‚ Rogers Hornsby appears in a Giants game for the first time and contributes 3 hits as New York pounds the Browns‚ 13-1.
Jan 31, 1927 - NL President John Heydler rules that Rogers Hornsby cannot continue to hold stock in the Cardinals and play for the Giants. Seemingly oblivious‚ the Cards board of directors meeting in St. Louis‚ voted stockholders a 10% dividend‚ earning Hornsby $2916 for his 1167 shares.
Dec 28, 1926 - The NL's 1926 MVP Bob O'Farrell is named to replace Rogers Hornsby as the Cards manager. The job was reportedly first offered to Bill Killefer who‚ out of loyalty to Hornsby turned it down‚ and quit. Killefer will sign on as a coach of the Browns.
Dec 20, 1926 - In probably the biggest player-for-player trade to date‚ Rogers Hornsby is traded from the Cardinals to the New York Giants for Frankie Frisch and P Jimmy Ring. Hornsby‚ after 12 years in St. Louis‚ will play for 3 teams in the next 3 years. Hornsby and owner Sam Breadon had had an increasingly stormy relationship‚ and feelings between Frankie Frisch and John McGraw were equally as bad. Thirty years later‚ Hornsby will call the trade "the biggest disappointment in my life."
May 22, 1926 - At Rogers Hornsby Day in St. Louis‚ the Cards player-manager is presented $1‚000 in gold and a medal as the NL MVP for 1925. The Cards then whip the Phillies‚ 9-2‚ to even their record at .500.
Apr 13, 1926 - In ceremonies before the Opener in St. Louis‚ Rogers Hornsby receives a trophy from the Cleveland Press‚ which asked its readers to choose their most popular AL and NL player. Babe Ruth won in the AL. Hornsby then collects 3 hits as the Cards win the Opener with Pittsburgh‚ 7-6.
Dec 9, 1925 - Cardinals' player-manager Rogers Hornsby is named the MVP in the NL‚ gathering 73 out of a possible 80 votes. Hornsby was runnerup in 1924 to Dazzy Vance. Other strong contenders are Kiki Cuyler‚ the Pirates top hitter at .357; the Giants' George Kelly; Pirates' SS Glenn Wright; Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance; and Dave Bancroft‚ who hit .319 and topped NL shortstops in fielding average while managing the 5th-place Boston Braves.
Sep 27, 1925 - In a doubleheader split with the Braves in St. Louis‚ the Cards player-manager Rogers Hornsby hits his 38th and 39th HRs of the year‚ along with a single‚ double‚ and triple to push his average to .403. In batting practice tomorrow‚ Hornsby will foul a ball off his foot splitting his toenail‚ and will sit the last three games. The Rajah calls reporters into the club house to view his bloody toe‚ "because some of those in the East may say I'm stallin' because I want to save my .400 average." Hornsby will be the only player-manager to win the triple crown‚ which he does by topping .400 for the 3rd time in 4 years‚ while his 39 HRs and 143 RBI are NL highs. His .756 slugging average is still the NL's best for the 20th century. The Cards take the opener 6-5 and lose the nitecap 7-6.
Sep 3, 1925 - The Cardinals score 5 runs in the 9th to break the first-place Pirates 9-game win streak‚ winning 9-3. Rogers Hornsby‚ the majors leading hitter at .387‚ has 3 hits including his 37th homer of the year to pace the attack. Babe Adams‚ who takes over for Emil Yde in the 9th‚ is hammered for 4 hits and five runs‚ but the loss goes to Yde. Art Reinhart is the winner.
Jun 11, 1925 - Four days after his average tops .400‚ Rogers Hornsby buys 1‚167 shares in the Cardinals at $42.85 a share. Hornsby pays $5‚000 in cash and borrows the rest from the bank with owner Sam Breadon endorsing his note. Breadon retains the right to buy back the stock at 6% interest.
May 30, 1925 - Between games today‚ Rogers Hornsby is named manager of the Cardinals by Sam Breadon‚ replacing Branch Rickey‚ who remains as general manager. An angry Rickey will sell his shares in the team to Hornsby. St. Louis‚ in last place‚ drops two games to Pittsburgh‚ losing 4-1 in the morning and 15-5 in the P.M. contest‚ despite two homers by the new manager. Playing in front of an overflow crowd at spacious Forbes Field‚ the Pirates sets a modern NL record by stroking 8 triples in the 2nd game; the Cards tally one for a combined record-tying 9 triples. The normal rules about balls hit into the crowds being ground-rule doubles is expanded to make them triples today: eight of the three-baggers are ground-rule triples.
Apr 18, 1925 - Collecting 22 hits‚ the Cardinals defeat the Cubs‚ 20-5. Rogers Hornsby scores 5 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks‚ as 7 homers are hit at Cubs Park. Bell rings 2 of them for St. Louis.
Sep 28, 1924 - Dazzy Vance fires a 5-hitter at the Phillies‚ beating them 5-1‚ for his 28th win. He strikes out 9‚ including 5 in a row‚ to run his season total to 277. Vance will win the MVP over Rogers Hornsby and his .424 average. One sportswriter‚ Jack Ryder‚ will leave the cranky Hornsby off all 10 spots on his ballot. Vance also wins a preseason bet with Brooklyn teammate Jack Fournier. He bet that he would win more games than Fournier would hit HRs; the first sacker tops the NL in round trippers with 27.
Aug 26, 1924 - Despite a homer and three doubles by Rogers Hornsby the Cardinals lose to Brooklyn‚ 7-4. It is Hornsby's 24th homer of the year.
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Aug 24, 1924 - The Cards nip the Robins 7-6 in the first of two at Sportsman's Park. Rogers Hornsby's leadoff HR in the 9th provides the edge. In the 4th inning of the opener‚ Cards P Leo Dickerman breaks his left arm when he is hit by a pitch from Brooklyn's Dutch Ruether. The nitecap is a Cardinal cakewalk as P Eddie Dyer benefits from 25 Cardinal hits to win 17-0. The loser is Jim Roberts.
Apr 15, 1924 - The Cards beat the Cubs‚ 6-5 as Jeff Pfeffer is the winner over Vic Aldridge. Despite the victory‚ St. Louis will waive the veteran to Pittsburgh next month. The Cards' Rogers Hornsby is the only batter who ever goes 2-for-5 on Opening Day and improves on his BA for the rest of the year. His .424 will be the highest ML BA in the 20th century. The Cardinals open the season with the players wearing small numbers on their sleeves‚ an experiment that will continue in 1925‚ then be dropped.
Mar 22, 1924 - In a spring training game‚ Rogers Hornsby faces Walter Johnson for the second and last time in his career‚ this time popping up and hitting into a DP.
Sep 25, 1923 - Rogers Hornsby is fined $500 and suspended indefinitely by the Cardinals when‚ feeling ill‚ he refuses to take the field for a game against the Robins‚ despite the team doctor's opinion that he is in condition to play. Raj is not needed as Haines tops Brooklyn‚ 4-1‚ for his 20th win.
Jun 14, 1923 - Rogers Hornsby returns to action with a home run in the Cardinals 3-2 win over the Braves. Hornsby tore something in his knee in a game on May 8th‚ and his knee was in a cast for two weeks. He'll leave tomorrow for 5 days to visit his ailing mother.
Oct 1, 1922 - In the Cards 7-1 win at Chicago‚ Rogers Hornsby's 3-for-5 on the last day puts him at .401‚ the first .400-hitter in the NL since Ed Delahanty in 1899. His NL-record 250 hits top Willie Keeler's 243 in 1897. Hornsby wins the Triple Crown with 152 RBIs and 42 HRs. His 102 extra-base hits will be the NL's tops until Chuck Klein's 107 in 1930.
Sep 24, 1922 - Rogers Hornsby hits his 41st and 42nd HRs of the year‚ connecting off brothers Jesse and Virgil Barnes of the Giants. Rosy Ryan‚ in relief of Hugh McQuillan‚ picks up the 10-6 Cards win.
Sep 23, 1922 - Rogers Hornsby belts his 40th homer‚ a solo shot in the 6th at the Polo Grounds‚ but the Giants hang on to win‚ 7-5. Ross Youngs saves a homer in the 9th when he leaps to snag Jack Smith's drive. Jack Scott hits 4-for-4 and pitches all the way for the win to keep the Giants six games in front of Pittsburgh.
Sep 20, 1922 - Brooklyn's Burleigh Grimes stops the Cardinals on 3 scratch hits to win the opener‚ 6-1‚ of twinbill against St. Louis. Grimes also snaps Rogers Hornsby's hit streak at 33 games‚ which still stands as a Cardinal record. Hornsby recovers his stroke in the nightcap and hits 2 HRs as the Cards outslug the Robins‚ 13-7.
Jul 20, 1922 - At Sportsman's Park‚ Rogers Hornsby belts a 2-out 9th inning HR with two men on the give the Cards a 7-6 win over Boston. It is the Rajah's 25th HR of the year‚ breaking Gavvy Cravath's NL home run mark (post-1900). In two weeks‚ Hornsby will break the record of 27 homers set in 1884 by Chicago's Ned Williamson.
Jul 5, 1922 - The Cards' Rogers Hornsby hits his 20th HR‚ tying Ken Williams of the AL for HR leadership.‚ and the Cards whip the Reds‚ 12-4.
Jun 29, 1922 - In an 8-5 Cardinals win over host Pittsburgh‚ Rogers Hornsby connects for a home run between the RF bleachers and the scoreboard. He is the first slugger to put one out there at Forbes Field.
Mar 9, 1922 - Rogers Hornsby signs a three-year contract with Cards owner Sam Breadon calling for $18‚500 per season. This makes the young star the highest paid player in NL history.
Sep 30, 1921 - It is Rogers Hornsby Day at Sportsman's Park‚ and the Cardinal star celebrates by pounding out a HR and two doubles against Pittsburgh to lead the third-place Cardinals to a 12-4 win. Hornsby will go hitless in the last two games‚ dropping his final average to .397 for the year ((.405 on the road) still the best in the N.L. Teammates Austin McHenry and Jack Fournier will be 2nd and 3rd in hitting in the NL.
Jun 8, 1920 - Failing in his efforts to buy Rogers Hornsby from St. Louis‚ John McGraw picks up the NL's top SS‚ Dave Bancroft‚ from the Phils for veteran SS Art Fletcher‚ P Bill Hubbell‚ and $100‚000. The future Hall of Famer will provide the spark to the Giants' successful pennant drives of 1921-24. Following the death of his father‚ Fletcher will retire after this season to run the family business‚ then return in 1922 for a final year. Fletch plays his first game with the Phils and has a double and single off Pete Alexander as the Phils top the Chicago ace‚ 5-3. Gene Paulette's three-run homer in the 8th‚ his only homer of the year‚ is the game winner.
May 19, 1920 - The host Cardinals bunch their hits and defeat the Phillies‚ 8-2. The Birds score five in the 5th with the big blow a sacks-full triple by Rogers Hornsby. Bill Doak is the winner over Causey.
Aug 18, 1918 - The Cardinals sweep the visiting Phils‚ winning 4-0 and 5-1 behind Bill Sherdel and Lee Meadows. In the opener‚ as SS Rogers Hornsby scores 2 of the Birds runs‚ then provides the big blow in the nitecap‚ by following three walks with a grand slam in the 3rd inning off Milt Watson. This is one of six grand slams in the NL; the AL will have no slams for the only time in history.
Apr 24, 1918 - The Cubs win their home opener over the Cardinals‚ 2-0‚ as Hippo Vaughn allows just one hit-a Rogers Hornsby single. Lee Meadows is the loser for the Redbirds.
Oct 21, 1917 - In an exhibition game (Henry W. Thomas' WALTER JOHNSON: BASEBALL'S BIG TRAIN) in Kansas City featuring the second and last matchup between Walter Johnson and Grover Cleveland Alexander‚ Alex's team wins‚ 4-3. Included in Alexander's lineup is 21 year-old Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby describes his last at bat (in his 1962 book MY WAR WITH BASEBALL) "Johnson had two strikes on me. He threw me a real fast ball and I knocked it straight for the fence. The ball knocked out the knot and went through the fence for a home run and we won 4-3. The hole‚ I admit‚ was one of the biggest cases of pure luck I ever heard of. I'm convinced he absolutely had the best fastball of anyone who ever played baseball." Hornsby will face Johnson again in 1924.
Jun 25, 1917 - The Reds salvage a split with the Cards by pounding out 25 hits in the 2nd game of a doubleheader to win 15-4. The Cards win the opener‚ 4-2‚ with SS Rogers Hornsby making 10 assists.
Jun 14, 1917 - At St. Louis, the Cardinals pull off a triple steal in the 5th inning to help beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-4. Dots Miller is on the front end with Walton Cruise and Tom Long following. Rogers Hornsby hits a home run in the 7th.
Jun 28, 1916 - Rogers Hornsby‚ playing his first full season for St. Louis‚ has a 5-hit day‚ with 3 singles and 2 doubles. He paces the Cards to a 9-6 win over the Reds.
May 14, 1916 - The Cardinals rookie Rogers Hornsby hits his first HR‚ off Brooklyn's Jeff Pfeffer. It is a bounce HR (legal till 1931) that lands behind 3B and skips into the stands at Robison Field in St. Louis. Brooklyn prevails today‚ 3-2.
Apr 12, 1916 - In St. Louis‚ the Cardinals open with a 2-1 win over the Pirates Erv Kantlehner. "Spitting Bill" Doak scatters six hits-three by Honus Wagner-and SS Rogers Hornsby drives in both runs for St. Louis.
Sep 14, 1915 - The Cardinals‚ battling for 4th place in the NL‚ lose 6-2 to Brooklyn's Jack Coombs. Rogers Hornsby is in the starting lineup for the first time‚ but goes hitless. Tomorrow he will get his first ML hit‚ a single off Rube Marquard.
Sep 10, 1915 - Rogers Hornsby‚ brought up a week earlier from class D Denison (Western Association)‚ makes his ML debut for the Cardinals. With the Cards trailing the Reds‚ 70‚ after 6 innings‚ Hornsby plays SS and goes hitless in two appearances against Cincy rookie Charles "King" Lear‚ who wins‚ 7-1.
Sep 26, 1896 - Jesse Burkett gets 3 hits for Cleveland in the final game of the season‚ a 3-2 win over Louisville‚ to ?nish at .410‚ becoming the first major leaguer to hit .400 in consecutive seasons‚ a feat later duplicated by Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby.
