An immediate success in 1924, Kremer went 18-10 for Pittsburgh, tying for the NL
lead with 41 appearances and four shutouts. He later tied for the league high in
wins with 20 in both 1926 and 1930, led the NL in ERA in 1926 and '27, and in starts
(38), innings (276) and hits (366) in 1930. A two-fisted drinker, Kremer was known
to tear up a Pullman car and throw his teammates' shoes out the window en route to
the next city. But he had 15 or more wins for seven straight years. After pitching
a complete game victory in Game Six of the 1925 WS, he returned to defeat the Senators
in the clincher with four innings of relief work.
(NLM)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»October 13, 1925: Back home for game six before 43,810, the largest crowd of the Series, Pittsburgh's Ray Kremer (17-8) gives up a first-inning home run to Goose Goslin and a run in the 2nd on Roger Peckinpaugh's RBI double. Joe Ferguson is touched for two in 3rd. The tie is broken by 2B Eddie Moore's home run, the 11th in the Series, and Pittsburgh wins 3–2.
»October 15, 1925: A steady downpour yesterday and today has left the field a muddy mess as the 7th game is played in the rainiest conditions ever. It's a short day for Vic Aldridge: three walks and two hits, and he's out of there with one out in the first. Walter Johnson takes a 4–0 lead to the mound. The Bucs clobber him for 15 hits, good for 24 total bases. Max Carey's 4-for-5 gives him a Series-high .458. The Senators make the most of seven hits, scoring seven runs, including Roger Peckinpaugh's home run, the 12th of the Series, a World Series record. Johnson would have fared better but for two more errors by SS Peckinpaugh, the MVP's 7th and 8th, still the World Series record for any position. The Senators made only one other error. Ray Kremer picks up his 2nd win with a 4-inning relief effort, as the Senators lose 9–7. The Series breaks all financial records, grossing almost $1.2 million. Winning shares are $5,332.72; losers' $3,734.60.
»October 5, 1927:
Pittsburgh's Ray Kremer (19-8) opens against
Waite Hoyt (22-7). In the 3rd, 2 walks and 2 Pirates
errors help the Yankees to 3 runs and a 4-1 lead.
With 9 hits, the Pirates come close, but the final
is 5-4 New York.
»May 4, 1928: At Pittsburgh, the Boston Braves beat Ray Kremer and the Pirates, 5–4, in 11 innings. Kremer is matched by Ed Brandt who also goes 11 frames. For Kremer, it is his first loss at home after 22 wins, a major-league record for consecutive wins at home that won't be matched in the 20th century.
»April 2, 2000: Texas Ranger starter Kenny Rogers ties Frank Viola for third place in consecutive home wins when he defeats the Chicago White Sox in Arlington. Rogers has won 19 consecutive home games and hasn't lost on his own turf since June 28, 1997, a span of 1,012 days (through April 4). Ray Kremer of the Pittsburgh Pirates holds the record of 22 consecutive home wins set in 1926-27: Lefty Grove of Boston (1938-41) is 2nd with 20 straight home wins.
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