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Charlton's Baseball Chronology - 1931
January
| January 5 |
Mrs. Lucille Thomas becomes the first woman to buy a professional baseball team‚ purchasing the Topeka franchise in the Western League. |
| January 19 |
Acting under a new draft agreement with the Pacific Coast League‚ Brooklyn purchases the contract of Ernie Lombardi from Oakland. |
| January 26 |
Another Oakland star‚ Buzz Arlett‚ long coveted by ML teams and long withheld by Oakland‚ is sold to the Phillies. |
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A remarkable story: The Boston Braves release 29-year old pitcher Johnny Cooney, a 14-game winner in 1925 but a sub-par performer over the last four seasons. Cooney insisted he could hit well enough to stay in the majors as a regular outfielder. He will spend the next four seasons in the minors before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers for 13 plate appearances in 1935. However, the following season at 35--an age at which most players of that era were retiring--Cooney wins a starting job in the Brooklyn outfield and goes on to play nine more major league seasons, six of them as a regular. He returns to the Braves in 1939 and hits .319 in 1941 to finish second in the National League batting race to Dodgers centerfielder Pete Reiser. |
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The International League accepts the open draft imposed by the major leagues. Until this time the top minor leagues could control their players and refuse to sell them. |
February
| February 5 |
Hack Wilson‚ who set the NL home run and ML RBI records for the Cubs in 1930‚ signs with them for $35‚000. |
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A court finds Lefty Grove not liable in a shooting accident that occurred in November 1928. Grove was hunting with a friend Roberdeau Annan in West Virginia and when Annan crested a hill‚ Grove shot him by mistake‚ blinding his left eye. |
| February 15 |
The New York Yankees' training site in St. Petersburg is renamed Miller Huggins Field in honor of the team's late manager. |
| February 21 |
The Chicago White Sox and the New York Giants become the first ML teams to meet in a night game. They collect 23 hits in a 10-inning exhibition game played in Houston‚ at Buffs Stadium. |
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Brooklyn arrives in Cuba to play 5 inter squad games. |
| February 27 |
Finally cut loose by the New York Giants‚ for whom he refused to play in 1930 in a season-long holdout over salary terms‚ 2-time batting champ Edd Roush returns to the Cincinnati Reds. |
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E. S. Barnard‚ recently reappointed AL president‚ dies at 57. He had succeeded Ban Johnson in 1927. |
| February 28 |
Ban Johnson dies after a long illness. He had created the AL and been its dynamic‚ dictatorial leader until subdued by the advent of Judge Landis‚ who took office as the first commissioner in January 1921. |
April
| April 2 |
Miss Jackie Mitchell‚ a 17-year-old gate attraction for Joe Engel's Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern Association)‚ pitches against the New York Yankees in an exhibition game in Chattanooga. Babe Ruth waves wildly at two pitches and watches a 3rd strike go by. Lou Gehrig gallantly times his 3 swings to miss the ball‚ but unsmiling Tony Lazzeri‚ after first trying to bunt‚ walks and Miss Mitchell leaves the game. The final score is 14-4 Yankees. In 1933 Mitchell will pitch for the House of David team. |
| April 7 |
The San Francisco Seals open their new Seals Stadium with an 8-0 win over Portland. The new stadium seats 18‚500. |
| April 14 |
President Herbert Hoover throws out the first ball at Washington. Lefty Grove‚ in relief‚ gets the first win of what will be his greatest season. The A's win 5-3 in 11 innings. Lloyd Brown allows just 2 hits in the first 8 innings for the Senators. |
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Under new managers-Shano Collins for Boston‚ and Joe McCarthy for New York-the Yankees open at the Stadium with a 6-3 victory over the Red Sox. Red Ruffing gives up a leadoff triple and a run in the first‚ but the Yankees respond with two runs in the 2nd off Wilcy Moore. New York's last score is a 7th-inning solo shot by the Babe‚ off reliever Ed Durham. Boston threatens in the 8th‚ getting a two-run pinch homer from Tom Winsett in his first major league at bat. Winsett is the first player to take advantage of the new fair/foul rule regarding HRs. He hits a ball that curves foul after leaving the playing field‚ but in the judgment of the umps was a fair ball at the time it left the playing field. Then with two on‚ Red Ruffing induces Earl Webb to ground into a 3rd out. |
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At Cincinnati‚ Flint Rhem‚ who finished the 1930 season for the Cards with 8 straight wins‚ starts the 1931 season the same way‚ with a 7-2 win over the Reds. Rhem goes 6 innings before leaving for a pinch hitter with the score 1-0. The Reds score 2 off reliever Jim Lindsey in the bottom of the 6th‚ but the Cards retake the lead in the 7th to get the win for Rhem. |
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At Boston‚ the Dodgers lose 7-4 to the Braves. Tom Zachary and Bill Sherdel do the pitching for the Braves‚ while Jack Quinn makes his final ML start as the Opening Day pitcher for the Dodgers. His 15 saves will pace the NL this year‚ and his 8 saves will lead in 1932. At age 47‚ the spitballing Quinn is the oldest ML Opening Day starter ever. |
| April 15 |
New York Giant Hal Schumacher is less than princely in his ML debut as the Phils rock him for 7 hits and 7 runs in just 1 1/3 innings in a 10-7 loss to Philadelphia. New York reliever Bill Morrell serves up a homer to 32-year-old rookie Buzz Arlett‚ on his way to the best one-season performance ever. Buzz will hit .313‚ with 18 homers‚ and 72 RBIs‚ before returning to the West Coast and the PCL. In 1984‚ SABR members will name Arlett the best minor leaguer of all-time. |
| April 18 |
Cleveland's Joe Vosmik leads the Indians to an 11-2 thumping of the White Sox with a single‚ 3 doubles‚ and triple. Mel Harder is the winner. |
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Rip Collins ML debut is less than auspicious. Sent up to pinch hit for Paul Derringer with the bases loaded‚ the Cubs bring in lefty Bud Teachout. Gabby Street then yanks Collins for Pepper Martin. The Cards win‚ 7-5. |
| April 19 |
The visiting Cubs take advantage of an unusual call to beat the Cardinals‚ 4-1‚ behind Charlie Root. A line drive by the Cards Jim Bottomley is botched by Cubs LF Riggs Stephenson who allows the ball to bound into the crowd. Nevertheless‚ umpire Charles Evans makes an out call‚ stating that the fans verbally interfered with the play. The Cards protest the ruling‚ but NL Prexy John Heydler backs up Evans' interpretation on the call. |
| April 22 |
Babe Ruth collides with Charlie Berry‚ Red Sox catcher and former pro football player‚ while trying to score on a sacrifice ?y. Ruth is carried off the field at Fenway Park and taken to a hospital. Ruth has 3 hits and 2 runs before being replaced by Myril Hoag. New York wins‚ 7-5. |
| April 24 |
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. |
| April 25 |
Garry Herrmann‚ chairman of the National Commission‚ dies in Cincinnati. Herrmann was the past president of the Reds. |
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With 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th‚ Boston's Urbane Pickering swipes home with the winning run against the Yankees to give the Red Sox a 5-4 victory. Playing without Ruth‚ the Yanks manage just 6 hits‚ 3 by Gehrig. |
| April 26 |
Dusty Cooke‚ Yankee RF‚ separates his shoulder diving for a ?y ball off the bat of Ossie Bluege of Washington‚ and 1B Gehrig winds up chasing the ball‚ which becomes an inside-the-park HR. With Babe Ruth still sidelined‚ the shorthanded Yankees send P Red Ruffing to the outfield. The game's most significant play comes with Lyn Lary on base when Lou Gehrig's drive into the CF stands at Washington bounces back and is caught by CF Harry Rice. According to the rules‚ this is a home run‚ but when Lary sees Rice catching the ball‚ he thinks it's the final out of the inning. Unnoticed by Joe McCarthy‚ coaching at 3B‚ Lary heads for the dugout after crossing 3B. Gehrig circles the bases‚ but he is called out and gets credit for a triple instead of a HR and loses 2 RBI. As a result Gehrig will end the season tied for the HR title with Babe Ruth at 46 and will have "only" 184 RBI. The Yanks also lose the game‚ 9-7‚ and McCarthy will do no more coaching at the bases this season. Gehrig's triple also means that at the year's end the majors will collect 1‚070 triples‚ one more than the two leagues will total in homers (1‚069). It will be the last season that there are more triples than homers. For Cooke‚ the injury ends his season at 27 games and a .333 batting average. The injury will cut down his effectiveness and after just 3 appearances next year‚ he'll be traded to Boston. |
| April 29 |
Wes Ferrell pitches the AL's first no-hitter in 5 years‚ a 9-0 win for Cleveland against the St. Louis Browns. His brother‚ Rick‚ almost gets a hit for the Browns when he beats out a grounder that is ruled an error. Ferrell strikes out 8 and bats in 4 runs with a HR‚ off Sam Gray‚ and a double. |
May
| May 2 |
Hack Wilson hits his first HR of 1931 as the Cards beat the Cubs 6-3 at St. Louis. After hitting 56 homers last year‚ Wilson will hit only 13 with the deader NL ball. The MVP will end up as an alternate in the Cubs outfield. |
| May 3 |
Hollywood (PCL) spitballer Frank Shellenback loses a 2-0 decision to Seattle and Phil Page‚ snapping his 17-game win streak. He'll promptly start a 15-game win streak in his next outing on May 10th‚ helping his cause with a grand slam. |
| May 4 |
At Yankee Stadium‚ Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth‚ back in the lineup‚ switch positions to spare Ruth's lame leg. Despite 5 hits by the pair‚ the Red Sox beat the Yankees‚ 7-3‚ as Gehrig makes an error. It is the last game in which Gehrig plays OF. |
| May 5 |
At Philadelphia‚ George Earnshaw strikes out 10 as he pitches the A's to a 4-1 win over the Red Sox. The A's (9-9) tied for 4th‚ will reel off a 17-game win streak to vault into first place. |
| May 13 |
The A's Jimmy Dykes swipes home in the top of the 11th against the White Sox as the A's win‚ 7-5 over reliever Red Faber. |
| May 16 |
The A's move into first place to stay with a 12-5 win over the Indians at Cleveland. Philadelphia scores 9 runs in the past 2 innings to give the win to Grove. |
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At Detroit‚ Tommy Bridges gives up 3 hits in stopping the Yankees‚ 3-1‚ and dropping the Bombers to 2nd place. |
| May 18 |
Brooklyn's Babe‚ Herman that is‚ hits for the cycle to help beat the Reds‚ 14-4. Al Eckert pitches 2/3 inning to take the loss‚ his last ML decision. |
| May 20 |
At Philadelphia‚ the Phils outslug the Pirates‚ 11-7‚ with the victory going to reliever Ben Shields‚ his last ML decision. The journeyman will wrap up his undefeated career‚ finishing 4-0‚ despite an 8.27 ERA. |
| May 21 |
Dazzy Vance is knocked cold by a line drive while leading the Phillies 3-2 with 2 outs in the 9th inning. Jack Quinn gets the last out for Brooklyn. |
| May 23 |
Cleveland's Earl Averill cracks 3 doubles and a HR in a 10-5 win over Chicago. Averill is the 2nd Indian this year to hit 4 extra base hits in a game. Vosmik‚ who did it earlier‚ has a pair of doubles today. |
| May 25 |
The A's win their 17th in a row‚ 2 behind the White Sox' AL record‚ beating the Yankees 4-2 and 16-4 at Philadelphia. Grove wins the opener and Mahaffey coasts to the win in the nitecap. Cochrane and Chapman match homers in the opener‚ while Foxx is the only batter to leave the park in game 2. The streak‚ the 4th (tied) longest of the century‚ ends tomorrow when Lefty Gomez stops the A's 6-2. The A's are in first place by 5 games. |
| May 26 |
The Giants whitewash the Braves twice‚ beating Boston 6-0 and 3-0. Carl Hubbell pitches the nitecap following lefty Bill Walker's win in the opener. |
| May 27 |
AL Secretary Will Harridge is elected to succeed E. S. Barnard as president of the league. |
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The Giants surge past the Cards to move into first place‚ beating Boston 7-4. |
| May 30 |
The Cards retake first place and hold it the rest of the season‚ as they win a Memorial Day doubleheader from the Reds and the Giants lose a pair to Brooklyn. In the 2nd game at the Polo Grounds‚ Robins 3B Wally Gilbert has 6 consecutive hits but falls one short of the ML record held by his manager‚ Wilbert Robinson. The Robins' Gordon Slade adds a grand slam in the sweep. |
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Despite the Baker Bowl's reputation as a HR haven‚ no one had hit a ball over the stadium wall since 1922. But Wally Berger‚ Boston Braves slugger‚ clears it in a 10-9 loss to the Phillies. |
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At Boston‚ the A's score 5 runs in the top of the 12th to break a scoreless tie. Lefty Grove goes the distance in beating the Red Sox‚ 5-0. |
| May 31 |
Yankee Earle Combs' hitting streak ends at 29‚ although the Yankees beat Washington‚ 4-2‚ in a rain-shortened 7-inning game. |
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After beating the Pirates three times in Pittsburgh‚ the Cubs come home and beat the Pirates for the 4th time in three days. With the help of an unassisted double play by Chicago CF Adam Comorosky‚ Bob Smith shuts out the Bucs‚ 5-0. Heine Meine is the loser. |
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At St. Louis‚ the Cards take the first game from the Reds‚ 7-5‚ then drop the nitecap‚ 7-2‚ ending a streak of 25 straight home victories over Cincinnati. The streak‚ which started in the 2nd game on April 27‚ 1929‚ is an NL record. |
June
| June 4 |
After hitting safely in his last 8 times at bat‚ Oscar Melillo‚ the slick-fielding but light-hitting 2B of the Browns‚ is stopped by Red Ruffing of the Yankees. St. Louis wins 8-6. |
| June 5 |
Two days after beating the White Sox‚ 2-1‚ Lefty Grove pitches 6 innings of relief against Chicago‚ losing 7-5 in 12 innings. A homer by Lew Fonseca beats Grove‚ ending an 8-game winning streak by the A's ace. He'll promptly start another streak on the 8th. |
| June 6 |
At Yankee Stadium‚ the Indians take a 7-4 lead into the 9th when Morgan and Vosmik single against Jim Weaver. Willie Kamm lines to Lou Gehrig who starts a 3-6 triple play. The Tribe still wins‚ 7-5. |
| June 7 |
With Sunday baseball still prohibited in Philadelphia‚ the A's make a one-day trip to Detroit. They win 12-2‚ and leave 18 men on base. |
| June 14 |
Cardinal vet Taylor Douthit‚ with 2 hits in his last 2 at bats yesterday‚ collects 7 straight hits in today's doubleheader win over the Phillies and drives in 6 runs. His reward will come tomorrow when he's informed that he's been traded to the Reds for Wally Roettger in a move to make room for Pepper Martin. |
| June 15 |
Cut-down day for ML rosters brings the retirement of Eddie Collins and Harry Heilmann. Collins becomes a coach for the A's. Heilmann will return briefly to the Reds in 1932. |
| June 17 |
Tommy Connolly‚ who had umpired the first AL game in 1901‚ retires as an active arbiter to become supervisor of AL umpires. |
| June 20 |
At Chicago‚ Rube Walberg pitches the first-place A's to a 5-4 win over the White Sox. Luke Appling‚ pinch hitting in the 9th‚ hits his first ML HR off Walberg. |
| June 21 |
George Earnshaw notches the 12th consecutive victory for the A's 6-5 at Chicago. |
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At Boston‚ the first-place Cards split a pair with the Braves‚ losing 6-2 and winning 1-0. Pepper Martin homers in game 2 for the only score‚ as Grimes socks Siebold. |
| June 22 |
The tail-end Browns take the final game‚ 14-10‚ in the 5-games series with the Yankees. Oscar Melillo scores 5 runs as St. Louis overcomes a pair of HRs by Lou Gehrig‚ each with Ruth on base. Gehrig hits 5 homers‚ 4 singles and 3 doubles in the series. |
| June 23 |
The Indians make it easy for pitchers Clint Brown and Willis Hudlin‚ as Cleveland wins 13-0 and 10-0 over the visiting Red Sox. Cleveland totals 31 hits‚ including 7 by Earl Averill. |
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The A's Lefty Grove allows just 2 hits in beating the Browns‚ 3-0. |
| June 24 |
Bill Sweeney‚ Red Sox 1B‚ makes 21 putouts‚ one fewer than Hal Chase's 1906 record‚ as Boston infielders record 25 putouts. Boston outfielders have no putouts as the Red Sox win 7-3 in Cleveland. Berry drives in 5 runs for Boston. |
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The Cards sweep a pair from the Phils‚ winning both games by 4-2 scores. After allowing just 3 hits in 8 innings‚ Ray Benge loses the opener in the 9th‚ the 2nd straight game he's lost to Redbirds in the 9th. In the nitecap‚ George Watkins strokes 3 consecutive homers‚ in the 4th‚ 6th‚ and 9th innings‚ for the Cards to make Flint Rhem a winner. |
| June 25 |
At Ebbets Field‚ Dazzy Vance retires the first 18 Cardinal batsmen before George Watkins leads off the 6th with a bunt single. Jim Bottomley singles Watkins to 3rd and then when Vance tosses over to 1B‚ Watkins swipes home. Vance allows just 3 hits‚ but loses‚ 1-0‚ to Cards rookie Paul Derringer. |
| June 28 |
Records for catching ?y balls are set in a doubleheader as the A's beat the Tigers 9-1 and 5-1. The Detroit OF make 24 putouts‚ and Philadelphia's adds 19 for a 2-team total of 43 in the 2 games. |
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At the Polo Grounds‚ St. Louis infielder Sparky Adams leads off with a home run‚ his first four bagger since 1925: he had been at bat 3‚104 times since without a homer. Adams adds a double and Frisch has a HR and 2 singles to drive in 4 runs. New York's Ethan Allen answers with a 5th-inning pinch grand slam‚ off Paul Derringer‚ to tie the game. But the Cards hold on for an 11-10 win. |
July
| July 1 |
At Philadelphia‚ Chuck Klein knocks in 5 runs as he hits for the cycle to lead the Phils to a 11-6 win over the Cubs. The Phils pull off a triple play‚ the first time that's happened in a game in which a player cycles. |
| July 2 |
Babe Ruth homers-his 19th-to drive in a run for the 11th consecutive game as the Yankees drub Detroit 13-1. Ben Chapman follows Ruth with another HR. Ruth has 18 RBIs in the string‚ but will be collared in his next game. |
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The Athletics buy veteran Waite Hoyt from Detroit and he joins the team before the start of a doubleheader with the Red Sox. The Sox take the morning game‚ 9-7‚ but Hoyt is the afternoon's hero‚ hitting a double and single and pitching a complete game‚ 6-2 victory. |
| July 6 |
The Indians score 8 runs in the 6th inning enroute to a 13-4 win over the Tigers. Pitcher Willis Hudlin walks twice in the frame‚ scoring each time. |
| July 7 |
The Browns and the White Sox play a record 12-inning game in which not a single strikeout is recorded. Chicago wins 10-8. The Browns tie the game at 8-8 when pinch hitter Chad Kimsey homers in the 9th. Kimsey then pitches 2 scoreless innings before Al Simmons drives in 2 runs in the 12th. |
| July 8 |
With President Hoover in the stands‚ the Senators lose to the A's‚ 7-3. George Earnshaw who started and lost on the 5th‚ is the winner today. |
| July 9 |
The Giants beat the Phils‚ 9-3‚ behind Carl Hubbell‚ but lose Fred Lindstrom. After hitting a homer and a single‚ the right fielder breaks his left ankle sliding into 3B in the 5th. He will be out of the lineup until early August. He'll return but next year will be his first under .300 in 7 seasons. The injury leaves the Giants with only 3 outfielders. Reserve Ethan Allen is hit on the elbow by a bat and will be out for at least a week. |
| July 11 |
At Baker Bowl‚ the Giants bang out 28 hits in beating the Phils 23-5 in the opener of a doubleheader. Twenty two of the hits come off reliever Dutch Schesler‚ a Phils record‚ but he does not get the loss. Freddy Leach‚ with 5 hits and a homer‚ and Bill Terry‚ Mel Ott and Sam Leslie bang one apiece as the Giants pile on with seven doubles. Nine players have 2 or more hits. Spitballer Clarence Mitchell is the beneficiary. Despite another Ott homer in the nitecap‚ the Phils come back to win‚ 6-5. |
| July 12 |
The largest crowd in the history of Sportsman's Park in St. Louis‚ 45‚715 (in a ballpark with 35‚000 seats)‚ creates a travesty and permanently distorts the ML record for doubles hit in a game. Easy ?y balls drop for ground-rule doubles among the fans encroaching on the field. Fans even line the infield and there is an estimated 8‚000 fans on the ball field. There are 32 doubles hit in 2 games‚ 11 in the first and 21 in the 2nd‚ for ML records both for the most doubles in one game and for a doubleheader. All told‚ there were 43 extra base hits recorded. The Cubs take the opener 7-5 behind Hack Wilson's 3-run HR‚ as Jakie May outpitches Bill Hallahan. The Cards stagger to the finish in the nitecap with a 17-13 win behind Flint Rhem. Ed Baecht loses for the Cubs. |
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At New York‚ the Giants outslug the Phils twice to win‚ 13-6 and 9-4. Fred Fitzsimmons coasts in the nitecap as Mel Ott hits 2 homers and drives in 5 runs‚ and Travis Jackson is 5-for-5. In the opener Bill Terry has 2 triples and Shanty Hogan 2 homers. Mel Ott collects the 100th homer of his career: Ott‚ at 22 years and 4 months‚ is the youngest player to reach the century mark. In the AL‚ Tony Conigliaro‚ at age 22 years and 6 months‚ will reach the plateau on July 23‚ 1967. |
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The average runs produced in the games today is 13.6‚ a total that will not be topped until April 24‚ 1996. |
| July 13 |
The Indians touch Lefty Grove for 13 hits and 7 runs and lead 7-5 after 8 innings. But the A's score 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th with the big blow a grand slam by Dib Williams. Pennock pitches the 9th and Lefty's win streak continues. |
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No strikeouts are recorded as the White Sox beat the Browns‚ 10-8‚ in 12 innings. |
| July 17 |
The Indians Wes Ferrell allows 3 hits‚ including a homer by Babe Ruth‚ in subduing the Yankees‚ 2-1‚ in 8 innings. Rain shortens the game. Ferrell nullifies the Babe's blast with a 7th inning HR off Pennock to win the game. |
| July 18 |
John McGraw is ejected from a game in St. Louis after he rages over an out call by Bob Clarke on the Giants Chick Fullis. Behind Bill Walker‚ the Giants win 4-0. A telegram McGraw receives before the next game causes another tantrum‚ as NL president Heydler fines him $150 and suspends him for 3 days‚ his first suspension since 1921. Dave Bancroft will fill in. |
| July 22 |
In Detroit‚ the Tigers win 3-2 over the Yankees in game 1. In game 2‚ Ruth homers in 1st off Tommy Bridges‚ then he and Gehrig both homer in the 6th off Charles Sullivan as New York wins‚ 9-5. Lazzeri triples with the sacks full to help Babe & Lou. |
| July 24 |
Babe Herman hits for the cycle for the 2nd time this season (he did it May 18th)‚ but the Robins lose at Pittsburgh 8-7. Larry French‚ in relief‚ stops a 9th inning Brooklyn rally. |
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The Cards stretch their lead to 8 games by sweeping a pair from the Phillies‚ 10-0 and 7-2. Flint Rhem coasts in the lidlifter as the Cards collect 17 hits. Burleigh Grimes wins the nitecap. |
| July 25 |
Pittsburgh's Larry French pitches a 14-inning game‚ the longest NL contest of the season‚ to beat Brooklyn 3-2. |
| July 26 |
The Yankees split a doubleheader with the White Sox‚ taking the 2nd game 22-5 with a ML record-tying 9 players scoring 2 or more runs each. Pat Caraway‚ who had given up 11 runs to Boston in 4 2/3 innings on the 23rd‚ is hit hard in the debacle‚ the worst loss in Sox history. Chicago wins the opener‚ 5-4‚ despite collecting just 5 hits off Henry Johnson. One of the hits is a HR by Lu Blue in the 3rd inning‚ his first and only homer in his 2 seasons in a Chicago uniform. But Lu will collect 127 walks this year‚ a club mark not topped until another 1B‚ Frank Thomas‚ does it in 1991. |
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At Cleveland‚ the Tribe ends the A's 13-game win streak with a 13-2 victory. Earl Averill's HR and Burnett's 5 hits lead a 19-hit attack and pins Waite Hoyt with his first A's loss. |
| July 27 |
Riggs Stephenson‚ Cubs OF‚ breaks an ankle in the 1st inning against the Phillies‚ as Chicago loses 7-6 at Wrigley Field. Riggs turns the ankle stepping on 1B. |
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At Boston‚ Detroit's Tommy Bridges K's the side in the 1st‚ but collapses in the 4th and loses‚ 13-4. Tiger SS Mark Koenig comes in to pitch the last 2 innings‚ holding the Sox runless. Danny MacFayden‚ who started yesterday's game 1‚ starts today and wins. |
| July 28 |
The White Sox record an AL-record 12 hits in the 8th inning against the Yankees. They score 11 runs in the frame‚ led by Bob Fothergill who homers and triples‚ to win 14-12. Fats adds a pair of doubles for 4 long hits in the game. |
| July 29 |
Cleveland's Wes Ferrell shuts out Washington 6-0‚ scattering 10 hits‚ as the Senators leave a record tying 15 runners on base. It's only been done once before‚ on May 22‚ 1913‚ but it will eventually be matched and‚ in 1994‚ finally topped. |
| July 30 |
Roger Hornsby belts a grand slam to help the Cubs and Pat Malone coast to a 14-3 win at Philadelphia. |
August
| August 2 |
The Red Sox and the third-place Yankees split a Sunday doubleheader before a record 40‚000‚ played at Braves Field because of religious restrictions involving Fenway. Former Boston P Red Ruffing wins the first game 4-1‚ and ex-New Yorker Wilcy Moore blanks his former mates 1-0 in the nightcap. Moore allows just three singles in topping George Pipgras. The Yanks will go 308 games before being shut out again. |
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Washington beats the A's‚ 10-6‚ to knock Philadelphia's lead in the AL down to 14 games. |
| August 3 |
At Wrigley Field‚ Bob Smith shuts down the Reds‚ 8-0‚ to hand Cincinnati its 4th straight shutout. The four shutout losses in a row ties the NL mark for the century. The Reds lost on July 30 (0-5)‚ August 1(0-1‚ and August 2 (0-3) to the Pirates. Si Johnson takes the loss today. |
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The A's Lefty Grove beats the Senators‚ 3-2‚ giving up 11 hits. Grove has now won 13 straight games. |
| August 4 |
Pittsburgh's Heine Meine gives up 3 Cardinal runs in the 6th inning‚ halting a scoreless streak by Buc hurlers at 45 innings. The Pirates streak includes shutouts over New York and Cincy in 4 consecutive games. The Cards win today‚ 7-1. |
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The Reds finally score‚ but lose to the Cubs‚ 4-2‚ in the first of two. Guy Bush beats Larry Benton. Chicago takes the nitecap‚ 7-3‚ behind Les Sweetland as Jack Ogden is pinned with the loss. Rookie OF Vince Barton has 5 hits in the 2 games‚ including a pair of homers in game 2. |
| August 5 |
For the 2nd time in his career‚ Jim Bottomley has 6 hits in 6 at bats‚ as the Cards defeat Pittsburgh 16-2 on 23 hits. In the opener‚ Bottomley contributed 4 hits‚ but St. Louis loses to the Bucs 5-4.. |
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The Cubs edge the Reds 3-2 at Wrigley Field when Leo Durocher boots a ground ball hit by Kiki Cuyler. It ends a string of 251 errorless chances in 53 games for Durocher. |
| August 8 |
Washington's Bobby Burke‚ a little-known lefthander‚ throws a 5-0 no-hitter against Boston. Burke will finish the year 8 and 3‚ the best mark of his 10-year career. "Burke didn't throw more than a half dozen curves all afternoon‚" said plate umpire George Moriarty. |
| August 9 |
A day of one-hitters. After the White Sox take the opener‚ 4-2‚ over the Browns‚ Dick Coffman pitches the Browns to a 1-0 win‚ allowing on a 5th inning single by Johnny Kerr. Bob Wetland takes the loss. The Cubs' Guy Bush one hits the Cardinals and also wins‚ 1-0. |
| August 12 |
The Giants land highly regarded Len Koenecke from Indianapolis for OF Harry Rosenberg‚ and pitchers Joe Heving and Jack Berly. Koenecke will have a decent season in 1932 before going to Brooklyn. He will die tragically in 1935. |
| August 13 |
Tony Cuccinello wakes up the last-place Reds by going 6-for-6‚ with 3 singles‚ 2 doubles and a triple‚ as Cincy wins the first game‚ 17-3‚ of a doubleheader against Boston. Cuccinello doesn't stop there‚ belting a 3-run homer in the 8th of the nitecap to give the Reds a 4-2 win. 'Cooch' has 8 RBIs for the day. |
| August 18 |
In New York's 5-4 loss at Detroit‚ Lou Gehrig is hitless as he plays his 1‚000th consecutive game. He is 307 short of Everett Scott's record streak. |
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Paul Waner chalks up 5 hits to lead Pittsburgh to a 14-5 win over the Phils. |
| August 19 |
At Chicago‚ Lefty Grove (25-2)wins his 16th consecutive game‚ 4-2‚ tying the AL record set by Walter Johnson and Joe Wood in 1912. Grove holds the Sox scoreless till the 9th‚ while the A's score in the 2nd‚ 3rd and 8th off Red Faber. Grove has completed all but one of the wins. |
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The Giants score single runs in each of the last 3 innings to beat the Reds‚ 6-5. Giants Shanty Hogan is the first catcher to start 3 DPs-only one other catcher‚ Damian Miller in 1999-will match him. The 3 DPs ties a ML record for catchers. |
| August 20 |
At St. Louis‚ Gehrig hits his 33rd homer in the 4th to tie Ruth for the ML lead‚ but the Babe answers in the 9th with his 34th‚ a grand slam over RF roof‚ to give the Yanks a 7-3 win over the Browns. Lefty Gomez almost has New York's first shutout of the season‚ but he weakens in the 9th. |
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Tony Freitas‚ who will win 342 minor league games‚ is let out of jail to pitch for Sacramento (PCL) against the Missions. He wins‚ and then returns to finish a 5-day sentence for speeding. |
| August 21 |
After belting #599‚ a grand slam in yesterday's game‚ Babe Ruth hits his 600th HR‚ off George Blaeholder of the Browns‚ as the Yankees win 11-7. Lou Gehrig homers immediately after the Babe's historic blow. In their 10 years as teammates‚ they will homer in the same inning 19 times and in the same game 72 times. |
| August 23 |
Lefty Grove is frustrated in his effort to win a record-breaking 17th game in a row‚ as Jimmy Moore misjudges a routine ?y ball by Ski Melillo‚ turning it into a 2-out double‚ to allow the game's lone run. The volatile Grove is outraged and unforgiving‚ not at Moore‚ but that Al Simmons‚ the regular OF‚ missed the game. Dick Coffman of the Browns allows just 3 hits to win‚ 1-0. The A's win the nightcap‚ 10-0‚ behind Waite Hoyt's 6-hitter. |
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In St. Louis‚ the league-leading Cardinals go to 78-44 by sweeping the Braves. The Birds pound Boston 16-1 in the opener as Chick Hafey drives in 8 runs on 5-for-5 hitting‚ including 2 HRs. One of the homers is a grand slam. St. Louis takes the nitecap‚ 1-0‚ in 11 innings‚ winning on Jim Bottomley's HR. |
| August 25 |
At Chicago‚ the Yankees record their first shutout of the season when Herb Pennock blanks the White Sox‚ 6-0. Ben Chapman has a good day with a triple‚ single‚ 2 runs scored and his 50th and 51st stolen bases of the year. In addition‚ he beats the Sox Carl Reynolds in a pre-game 100-yard dash. |
| August 28 |
Behind Mel Harder's 4-hitter‚ the Indians trounce the visiting Browns‚ 13-1. Eddie Morgan scores 5 runs for the Tribe. |
| August 29 |
In his first start following his loss‚ Lefty Grove fans the side (Byrd‚ Sewell‚ Ruth) in the 1st inning‚ hands out a walk to Gehrig to start the 2nd‚ and records 3 more K's (Chapman‚ Lary Dickey). Lefty has 2 K's in the 3rd but develops a blister from gripping the ball. Gehrig knocks Grove out of the box with a 6th-inning grand slam‚ but the A's lefty still wins 7-4. Lou now has 142 RBIs. Jimmie Foxx knocks in 5 runs for the A's. |
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Chicago's Billy Herman's ML debut is a knockout. He singles in his first at bat and in his 2nd plate appearance‚ Herman fouls a ball off his head and has to be carried off the field. The Cubs beat the Reds‚ 14-5. |
| August 30 |
At Boston‚ Ben Chapman and Lou Gehrig each have 4 hits and together total 9 RBIs as the Yanks roll over the Red Sox‚ 14-4. One of Gehrig's hits is a homer‚ his 37th‚ and 2 of Chapman's leave the park. Hal Rhyne has 4 hits for Boston. |
| August 31 |
Wes Ferrell of Cleveland hits 2 HRs‚ as he beats the White Sox 13-5 at Chicago. He will end his career with a record 37 HRs as a hurler‚ plus one as a pinch hitter. |
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Against the Senators' Lloyd Brown‚ Lou Gehrig belts his 2nd grand slam homer in three days‚ but the Senators hang onto 2nd place by beating the Yankees‚ 6-5. |
September
| September 1 |
Gehrig hits his 3rd grand slam in 5 days and his 6th HR in consecutive games when he connects in a 5-1 2nd game win over the Red Sox. The blast‚ his 40th of the year‚ comes in the 3rd inning of Ed Morris. Gehrig connects in the opening 11-3 win against Milt Gaston‚ belting his 39th homer in the 7th inning. Lou finishes the day with 6 RBI and has knocked in 21 runs in the past 6 games. With the A's losing to Washington‚ New York is a half-game out of 2nd place. |
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Giants rookie Jim Mooney notches his 4th win since being called up 3 weeks ago‚ beating the Braves 4-0. It is his 2nd shutout. |
| September 5 |
The Cardinals lead drops to 5 1/2 as the 2nd-place Giants whip Brooklyn‚ 5-1 and 10-1. New York's Fred Fitzsimmons wins the opener‚ pitching 7 innings‚ giving up 3 hits and stroking a HR. In the 7th inning‚ Fitzsimmons is struck on the head by a pitch from Austin Moore‚ which ruptures a blood vessel and keeps the knuckleballer from making his next start. |
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In Cincinnati‚ the Cubs lose‚ 4-3‚ in 10 innings. Hack Wilson‚ in the Cubs dog house for drinking and not hitting‚ is left in the bull pen to warm up pitchers when manager Hornsby‚ short of outfielders‚ inserts pitcher Bud Teachout in LF. On the train back to Chicago that night‚ Wilson starts arguing with two writers. When Pat Malone wanders by‚ he joins in the argument and‚ with his encouragement‚ Wilson punches out both writers. Malone will be fined $500 for his actions while club president Bill L. Veeck will suspend Wilson without pay for the rest of the season. In 112 games‚ Wilson hit just .261 with 13 HRs‚ and the Cubs will send the slumping slugger to St. Louis over the winter. |
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At Boston‚ George Earnshaw loses a no-hitter in the 8th inning when Marty McManus's roller gets away from SS Williams. Earnshaw ends with a 8-0 one-hitter. The A's lose the nitecap‚ 6-3‚ to Wilcey Moore. |
| September 6 |
The visiting Cardinals tighten their hold on first place by shutting out the Reds twice‚ winning 3-0 and 7-0. Flint Rhem allows 3 hits in the opener to beat Si Johnson‚ then Syl Johnson wins the nitecap over Larry Benton. The Reds are credited with a triple play in the 6th inning of game 2‚ going from LF Cullop to C Styles to 3B Stripp to SS Leo Durocher to 2B Cuccinello. Cooch's last out is a hidden ball trick and since the ball is never returned to the pitcher‚ a TP is recorded. It's Cooch's 3rd successful hidden ball trick in two years‚ and the 2nd in which Durocher assists. It is also Cooch's 3rd triple play in two years. |
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Homestead Grays ace Smokey Joe Williams fashions a 2-hit‚ 6-2 win over the St. Louis Stars in the Negro NL Championship Series. The Grays will win in 6 games. |
| September 7 |
Van Lingle Mungo‚ Uncle Robby's last find as a pitcher‚ reports to Brooklyn from Hartford and shuts out Boston 2-0 in his first ML start. He fans 7 and hits a triple and a single to drive in both runs. Ancient Tom Zachary takes the loss. Brooklyn also took the opener‚ 5-4‚ in 10 innings on Fresco Thompson's RBI single. |
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In the morning game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia‚ the Yankees begin with 8 walks and score 8 times in the first inning on only 2 hits. Rommel‚ the 4th pitcher in the frame‚ retires Ruth‚ Gehrig‚ and Chapman on strikes. The Yanks win 15-3. In the 2nd game‚ Ruth and Gehrig bang 6th-inning homers off Waite Hoyt‚ and Ruth adds another Hoyt blow in the 9th‚ his 40th. The Yanks roll 9-4 over the first-place A's. |
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The Pirates sweep a holiday pair from the Reds‚ 6-1 and 4-3‚ scoring 3 in the 8th of the p.m. game. The Bucs lose SS Tommy Thevenow when he fractures his ankle in 2 places sliding in the 6th inning of the opener. |
| September 8 |
Bill Harris‚ 31‚ who last pitched in the majors for the Reds‚ in 1924‚ makes his first appearance for Pittsburgh and shuts out Cincinnati‚ 3-0. |
| September 9 |
To raise funds to help the unemployed in the Depression‚ the Yankees‚ Giants‚ and Robins agree to a series of benefit games. Sixty thousand fans‚ paying regular prices‚ raise $59‚000 in the first matchup‚ as Babe Ruth homers and the Yankees beat the Giants 7-2. At Comiskey Park‚ a crowd of 34‚865 raises $45‚000 for Governor Emmerson's unemployment relief fund and watch the Cubs trim the White Sox‚ 3-0‚ behind Charley Root. Root twirls a 6-hitter and drives in all the runs. |
| September 12 |
At Boston‚ Eddie Durham and Detroit's Arthur "Red" Herring hook up in a 13 inning pitching duel‚ won by the Sox pitcher‚ 1-0. |
| September 13 |
Yankee Tony Lazzeri steals 2B‚ reaches 3B‚ then steal home in the 12th to give Lefty Gomez a 2-1 win over Detroit in the lidlifter. New York edges the Tigers‚ 4-3‚ in nitecap although Earl Whitehill holds them to 6 hits. One of the hits is a 2-run HR by Gehrig in the 6th. |
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Cardinal P Paul Derringer has his scoreless inning streak stopped at 33‚ but manages to beat the Phils‚ 6-2‚ on 6 hits. |
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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. |
| September 15 |
The Philadelphia Athletics clinch the pennant‚ beating Cleveland at home‚ 14-3. Every starter for the A's has a hit and RBI. Eddie Rommel‚ veteran knuckleball pitcher for the A's‚ is the winning hurler‚ as Connie Mack wins his 3rd successive pennant. It is Mack's 9th‚ and last‚ AL championship. The A's went into first place for good on May 5th‚ when they started a win streak of 17 straight games and 20 of their next 21. In mid-July they won 13 straight. |
| September 16 |
The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-3, behind Bill Hallahan's 18th win of the year, and prepare for a rematch of the 1930 World Series. Earlier in the day, the Cincinnati Reds clinched it for the Birds by sweeping the New York Giants, 7-3 and 4-3. The Cards’ victory completes a six-game sweep of the Phillies, who have gone 5-51 at St. Louis since 1927, a winning percentage of .089, the lowest in history for a club with at least that many visiting games against a team |
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Led by Earl Webb‚ who hits his 62nd and 63rd doubles of the year‚ the Red Sox edge the visiting White Sox‚ 2-1‚ and bound out of the AL cellar. |
| September 17 |
On his 34th birthday‚ OF Earl Webb of the Red Sox ties and then sets the still-standing ML record for 2-base hits at 65. Earl doubles in the lidlifter‚ a 9-2 win over the visiting Indians‚ to tie George Burns' double record at 64. Burns set his record in 1926. In game 2‚ a 2-1 Sox loss‚ Webb doubles off Jablonowksi to set the record. He doubles tomorrow and will finish the season with a ML record 67. He would have had 68‚ but on August 4th the league corrected a May 1st box score‚ turning what had been credited as a double into a single. |
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In the first of two‚ the Yankees and Red Ruffing rough up the Browns and George Blaeholder‚ 17-0. Bill Dickey's grand slam is the big blow. The Yanks take the nitecap‚ 6-1 behind Lefty Gomez's three hitter and Babe Ruth's 41st and 42nd homers of the year. Ruth connects for a home run in every park in the AL‚ a feat he's accomplished every year since 1919‚ except 1922. No other american Leaguer has homered in every park in a season. |
| September 18 |
In a 4-3 loss to the Cardinals‚ the Giants' Mel Ott is beaned by Burleigh Grimes in the 5th inning. Ott suffers a brain concussion and‚ with the Cardinals clinching the pennant‚ he sits out the rest of the season. |
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Lefty Grove wins his 30th game‚ beating the White Sox‚ 3-1‚ on 5 hits. He is the first to win 30 since Jim Bagby of Cleveland in 1920 and will be the last AL hurler to do so until Denny McLain in 1968. |
| September 20 |
The Yanks run their win streak to 10 in a row‚ beating the Indians 7-1 and 10-4 in 7 innings. Lou Gehrig hits his 45th homer in game 1 and drives in 4 runs for the afternoon to break his old RBI mark of 175‚ set in 1927. By the season's end he will have a total of 184. Ruth also drives home 4 runs and hits his 44th in game 2. |
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Before a game with Brooklyn‚ Sparky Adams‚ Cards 3B‚ injures his ankle. He can see only limited action in the WS‚ leaving a chance for Andy High to shine as his substitute. Gabby Street‚ 48-year-old Cardinal manager‚ catches the last 3 innings of the 6-1 win against the Robins. Street‚ who last played in 1912‚ throws out Babe Herman‚ the only Brooklyn runner who tries to steal. Street is 0-for-1 at the plate. |
| September 22 |
In a 13-inning game at Forbes Field‚ Hal Finney‚ Pirates C‚ has no putouts in a 3-2 win over Philadelphia. Paul Waner draws 5 walks‚ and 20 runners are left on base‚ as Heine Meine wins his 19th game to tie for the lead in the NL. |
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At Philadelphia‚ the A's set a new franchise record as they win their 105th‚ beating the Tigers‚ 8-6. Jimmie Foxx belts his 30th‚ a 3 run homer in the first to pave the way for George Earnshaw's 21st win. Tiger infielder Mark Koenig makes his 3rd mound appearance of the season‚ walks 6 while pitching 2 runless innings. The A's complete their season series with Detroit at 18-4. |
| September 24 |
Lefty Grove wins his 31st‚ beating the Red Sox‚ 9-4‚ his 11th straight win over the Red Sox stretching back to May 26‚ 1930. Since July 25‚ 1930‚ Grove's record is 46-4‚ the best 50 decision streak in the century‚ as noted by Jim Kaplan. |
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The round-robin playoff among New York City's 3 ML teams‚ to raise money for the unemployed‚ concludes with Brooklyn losing to both the Giants and the Yankees at the Polo Grounds. Again‚ a near capacity crowd turns out and adds $48‚000 to bring the fund to $108‚000. In field events held between games‚ Babe Ruth‚ normally a left-handed hitter‚ bats right and wins the fungo hitting contest. He breaks the old distance record held by Big Ed Walsh. Ruth's drive lands in deep center field‚ 421 feet away. The old record‚ set 20 years earlier‚ was 4191?2 feet. |
| September 25 |
The A's 19-year-old rookie Lew Krausse makes his ML debut a dandy one‚ twirling a 4-hitter to beat Boston‚ 7-1. |
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Sam Rice drops a fly ball and the Yankees rally for 5 runs in the 8th to beat the Senators‚ 8-3. Ruth has two solo homers to help in the win. The 3rd place Yanks now trail the Nats by a 1/2 game. |
| September 27 |
Lou Gehrig hits a HR to tie Babe Ruth at 46 while the Yankees pound Lefty Grove‚ 13-1‚ and deny him his 32nd victory. Grove throws just 3 innings in the warm-up for the Series. Gehrig drives in 2 runs as he (184) and Ruth (163) combine to drive in 347 runs for the year‚ the most productive duo in history. Dickey has 4 hits and ends the year with no passed balls‚ the only AL catcher-and the Yankees are the only AL team-to ever accomplish the feat. The Yankees score 1‚067 runs this season‚ the highest number this century. |
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The most desperately contested battle for individual honors takes place in the race for the NL batting title. Chick Hafey‚ who reported late due to a contract dispute‚ goes into the final doubleheader with the Reds batting .353‚ 4 points over Bill Terry‚ last year's champ. Hafey gets only 2 hits in 8 times at bat to drop to .349. Bill Terry's Giants are playing archenemy Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. Brooklyn‚ in their last game as the Robins‚ wins 12-3‚ behind Clark. Terry gets only one hit in 4 times at bat. The title goes to Hafey‚ who batted .3488 to Terry's .3486. Jim Bottomley‚ Hafey's Cardinal teammate‚ goes 4-for-8 and finishes at .3481. The Cards win 6-2 and 5-3‚ to win 20 of 22 with the Reds. |
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In a scheduled doubleheader at Ebbets Field‚ the Dodgers beat the Giants 12-3 in the opener. The nitecap‚ called on account of darkness after three innings with no score‚ will turn out to be the final contest between managers Wilbert Robinson and John McGraw‚ one-time friends and business partners‚ but now bitter enemies. McGraw has the edge‚ 197-190‚ with 5 ties. |
October
| October 1 |
Pepper Martin‚ an unheralded rookie‚ gets 3 hits‚ but the A's Lefty Grove coasts to an easy 6-2 victory in the WS opener in St. Louis. |
| October 2 |
The Cards even the WS as Wild Bill Hallahan shuts out the A's 2-0 despite 7 walks and a wild pitch. Pepper Martin continues to steal the Series‚ scoring from 2B on a base hit in the 2nd inning and sliding in a cloud of dust on a squeeze play in the 8th. He has 2 stolen bases and score two runs‚ but the game almost gets away on a bonehead play by the usually savvy Cardinal C Jimmy Wilson. With 2 on base in the 9th‚ and 2 outs‚ PH Johnny Moore swings at a ball in the dirt and misses. Wilson needs only to throw the ball to 1B. Instead‚ he throws it to 3B‚ and everyone is safe. Fortunately for Wilson's reputation‚ Jim Bottomley makes a sensational catch‚ leaning into the box seats to get the final out on a pop foul by Max Bishop. |
| October 5 |
Because of a Pennsylvania law banning baseball on Sunday‚ an extra day is added as the Series moves to Philadelphia. Lefty Grove pitches the 3rd game with 3 days rest. However‚ Burleigh Grimes‚ who had lost twice to Grove in 1930‚ has a no-hitter until the 8th inning‚ winning 5-2. Pepper Martin continues to excite the crowds with 2 more hits‚ scoring twice. |
| October 6 |
The A's George Earnshaw evens the WS with a 3-0 shutout‚ giving up just 2 hits‚ both to the red-hot Pepper Martin. Jimmie Foxx hits a ball over the LF stands‚ judged one of the longest drives ever at Shibe Park. |
| October 7 |
Connie Mack‚ who surprised everyone in 1929 by starting veteran Howard Ehmke in the WS opener‚ tries the ploy with Waite Hoyt. Pitching in his 7th WS‚ Hoyt falls victim to Pepper Martin‚ who homers and drives in 4 runs with 3 hits. Hallahan wins for the Cards 5-1. |
| October 9 |
With the Series back in St. Louis‚ Lefty Grove evens matters by containing Pepper Martin and winning easily‚ 8-1. |
| October 10 |
Connie Mack sends George Earnshaw out to win the final game as he had in 1930. However‚ Burleigh Grimes carries a 4-0 lead into the 9th before he weakens. The A's score twice and have 2 runners on base with 2 outs when Bill Hallahan rescues Grimes. Max Bishop lines out to Pepper Martin for the final out as the Cardinals take the Series 4 games to 3. As in the 1929 and 1930 WS‚ the A's finish the 1931 WS with no stolen bases: Martin steals 5 for the Cards. |
| October 20 |
Frankie Frisch‚ the Cardinals' fiery field leader‚ is named MVP of the NL. He led in stolen bases with 28‚ hit .313‚ and was chosen for his all-around excellence. |
| October 23 |
Brooklyn announces Wilbert Robinson is through as manager and the club will be called the Robins only in the past tense. Max Carey‚ a no-nonsense sort‚ will take over next year. |
| October 26 |
Charles Comiskey dies at age 72. The White Sox owner and a pioneer player‚ he never recovered from the betrayal of the 1919 WS. |
| October 29 |
Lefty Grove‚ the A's P who won 31 games‚ is named the AL's MVP. He led the league in strikeouts for the 7th straight season and topped all pitchers in winning percentage‚ ERA‚ and complete games. |
November
| November 2 |
The team of ML stars arrives in Japan for its tour. The team will win all 17 games it plays. |
| November 13 |
Jake Ruppert‚ Yankees owner‚ buys the Newark franchise in the International League. During the decade the Bears will dominate the league and send a steady stream of players to New York. |
| November 30 |
George Gibson comes out of retirement to manage Pittsburgh. Ten years earlier he had led the Pirates to 3 first-division finishes. |
December
| December 2 |
Toronto sells Ken Strong to Detroit. A former All-American football player at NYU‚ Strong hit .340. However‚ a botched operation on his wrist during the winter leaves him unable to throw effectively‚ and he settles for a pro football career with the New York Giants that eventually takes him to that sport's Hall of Fame. |
| December 9 |
Baseball owners‚ fearful of the effects of the Depression‚ vote to cut squads from 25 players to 23. Both leagues will stop awarding MVP trophies. The NL continues to prohibit uniform numbers. As noted by historian Doug Pappas‚ the NL loans the Phillies $35‚000 and loans Judge Emil Fuchs‚ owner of the Braves‚ $20‚000 secured by his stock. Fuchs' finances are such that he won't even pay the interest from 1935-37‚ and will file for bankruptcy in 1938‚ three years after retiring from the Braves. |
| December 11 |
Despite 2 wins in the WS‚ spitball veteran Burleigh Grimes is traded by the Cards to the Cubs for the fallen Hack Wilson. Wilson will be offered just $7‚500 reflecting the owner's new austerity drive. Grimes will have 3 losing seasons in Chicago before calling it quits. |
