SEPTEMBER 13, 1919
ANOTHER WIN FOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP DEMPSEY
World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Dempsey ran his record to 33-0 after scoring an 8th round technical knockout of Sam McVey in their title fight. It was the third time McVey (63-12-3) had a shot at the World Title and for the third time the 35 year old came up short. McVey suffered title losses to Jack Johnson and James Jeffries while in his mid-twenties.
Dempsey knocked McVey down 4 times in the bout including twice in the 8th round. Although McVey beat the count on his final knockdown it was clear he was in no condition to continue and the referee wisely stopped the bout.
SEPTEMBER 20, 1919
LIGHTHEAVYWEIGHT BELT CHANGES HANDS AGAIN
It seems no one can hang on to the World Lightheavyweight Championship. Kid Norfolk is the latest title holder after scoring an unanimous decision victory over Fay Keiser last week. Keiser was making his first defense after beating Bob Sweeney in June. No one has been able to successfully defend the title since Jack Dillon's win over Philadelphia Jack O'Brien in February 1918.
SEPTEMBER 20, 1919
COLLEGE BASKETBALL RECRUITING
TOP RECRUIT AGREES TO ATTEND UCLA
Wyoming native Derrick Finneman has agreed to play his college basketball at UCLA. The 6'5" forward from Shoshoni High School is considered to be the nation's top high school recruit. Finneman joins 5th rated Brian Costello, from Illinois, as UCLA's second top ten signing this recruiting season.
Texas A&M and Kansas have also signed a pair of top ten recruits. Point guard Mark Bass, from Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Clarkston, Georgia shooting guard Mike McMaster, the number 2 and 3 rated high schoolers, both will attend Texas A&M. Kansas landed Jesse Mason, a 6'10" forward rated 4th, and Johnny Church, a 6'11" center ranked 7th.
SEPTEMBER 30, 1919
ATHLETICS AND GIANTS TO MEET IN WORLD SERIES
Code:
AMERICAN LEAGUE FINAL STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB
Philadelphia Athletics 89 51 .636 -
Boston Red Sox 85 55 .607 4.0
Cleveland Indians 82 58 .586 7.0
Chicago White Sox 66 74 .471 23.0
Detroit Tigers 63 77 .450 26.0
Washington Senators 61 79 .436 28.0
New York Yankees 59 81 .421 30.0
St. Louis Browns 55 85 .393 34.0
NATIONAL LEAGUE FINAL STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB
New York Giants 88 52 .629 -
Cincinnati Reds 76 64 .543 12.0
Chicago Cubs 71 69 .507 17.0
St. Louis Cardinals 71 69 .507 17.0
Philadelphia Phillies 66 74 .471 22.0
Boston Braves 64 76 .457 24.0
Brooklyn Robins 64 76 .457 24.0
Pittsburgh Pirates 60 80 .429 28.0
OCTOBER 3, 1919
GIANTS DRAW FIRST BLOOD IN SERIES
New York Giants hurler Joe Benz (18-10, 3.04) did it all in Game One of the 1919 World Series. On the mound Benz pitched 8 innings of 6 hit ball limiting the Athletics to just 2 earned runs while at the plate he was 3-for-3 with a home run and 3 rbi's as the Giants beat Philadelphia 5-3 in the series opener.
OCTOBER 4, 1919
ATHLETICS EVEN SERIES WITH 8-2 WIN
Shoeless Joe Jackson (.341,7,105) and Buck Weaver (.292,5,88) each had 3 hits as the Philadelphia Athletics evened the World Series at 1 game apiece with an 8-2 victory over the visiting New York Giants. Weaver and Whitey Witt (.300,1,67) each drove in 3 runs for the winners. Dana Fillingim (19-9, 3.33) went the distance for Philadelphia, scattering 8 hits. Outfielder Ross Youngs (.302,4,72) was the only Giant player to get 2 hits off of Fillingham. Lee Meadows (15-11, 2.43), a midseason pickup from the Cardinals, took the loss.
OCTOBER 6, 1919
VISITING A'S TRIM GIANTS 5-4 IN GAME THREE
Joe Jackson had 3 hits, two doubles and a homer, to go along with 2 rbi's and 3 runs scored as the Philadelphia Athletics took a 2 games to one lead in the World Series with a 5-4 victory over the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. Second baseman Whitey Witt had a pair of rbi's and has 5 in two games. Dixie Walker (15-12, 2.98) went the distance for the win while Frank Miller (7-4, 2.15) took the loss in a complete game effort.
OCTOBER 7, 1919
ATHLETICS TAKE CONTROL OF SERIES
A pair of New York Giant errors allowed the Philadelphia Athletics to score both of their runs in a 2-1 victory at the Polo Grounds. The win gives the Athletics a 3 games to one lead in the Best of Nine World Series.
Philadelphia opened the scoring in the top of the 5th when Whitey Witt reached on an error by Giants first baseman Heinie Groh with one out. Witt moved to third on a Buck Weaver single and scored on Lee McElwee's (.244,1,21) sac fly.
The Giants would even the score in the bottom of the fifth when rookie Frankie Frisch (.242,3,35) scored from third following an errant pick-off throw to first by A's starter Lefty Tyler (16-12, 3.45). However, Frisch made a defensive miscue in the top of the sixth that would cost New York the game. With two out in the inning he booted a grounder from A's rookie Dick Burrus allowing Frank Schulte (.278,0,56) to score what would prove to be the game-winning run.
Tyler allowed 6 hits in going the distance for the win. Game one star Joe Benz allowed 5 hits in 6 innings and took the loss. Veteran Christy Mathewson (9-3, 2.26) was perfect the final 3 innings after Benz was lifted for a pinch-hitter.
OCTOBER 8, 1919
MEADOWS SHUTS DOWN A'S TO GIVE GIANTS WIN
Lee Meadows scattered 6 hits and allowed just 1 earned run as the New York Giants snapped a 3-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics in Game Five of the World Series.
Frank Schulte, with 3 hits, Eddie Murphy (.326,0,53), with two, and Joe Jackson were the only Philly batters to get a hit off of Meadows. New York rapped out 12 hits including 2 hits and 2 rbi's each from Tilly Shafer (.283,8,85) and Steve Evans (.265,2,63). Dana Fillingham took the loss.
OCTOBER 10, 1919
GIANTS EVEN SERIES
Steve Evans led off the top of the ninth inning with a triple and scored the tie-breaking run on a Happy Felsch (.294,4,89) sacrifice fly as the New York Giants evened the World Series at 3 games apiece with a 3-2 victory in Philadelphia. The two teams combined for just 8 hits in the game as winning pitcher Frank Miller and Dixie Walker, who took the loss, were both outstanding.
New York took an early 1-0 lead when Frankie Frisch led off the game with a walk, stole second and then scored on a Ross Youngs single. However, Philadelphia used an error and two hits in the bottom of the third to score both of their runs. New York would even things up in the 7th inning on a 2-out pinch-hit rbi double off the bat of Jigger Statz (.311,1,16).
OCTOBER 11, 1919
14TH INNING RALLY LEAVES GIANTS ONE WIN AWAY
The New York Giants scored three runs in the top of the 14th to win a marathon Game Seven of the World Series 6-3. The win gives the National League side a 4 games to three lead in the Best-of-Nine Fall Classic.
Happy Felsch was the hero for New York with 3 hits including a 2 run double in the 14th. Fred Anderson (1-1, 1.80) got the win in relief of Urban Shocker (15-10, 1.90) while Harry Eccles (10-0, 1.75) was tagged with the loss.
OCTOBER 13, 1919
GIANTS WIN WORLD SERIES!
Tilly Shafer's 2 run homer in the 8th inning snapped a 4-4 tie and gave the New York Giants a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics at the Polo Grounds. The victory allowed the Giants to win the 1919 World Series 5 games to 3.
New York scored twice in the opening inning and doubled their lead in the 4th. Giants rookie infielder Frankie Frisch batted just .111 in the series but came up with a huge two-run single in the 4th inning that gave the Giants a 4-0 lead at the time. Philadelphia rallied to tie the contest before Tilly Shafer hit his two-run off losing pitcher Dana Fillingim. Lee Meadows allowed 11 hits as he won for the second time in 3 World Series starts.
OCTOBER 25, 1919
PITCHERS KERR, HOYT NAMED TOP ROOKIES
Dickie Kerr of the Chicago White Sox and Waite Hoyt of the New York Giants have been named the top newcomers in their respective leagues. The 25 year old Kerr was 13-16 with a 3.68 era for the 4th place Sox. Hoyt went 16-10 with a 2.28 era and threw 3 shutouts for the World Champion Giants. The 19 year old was on New York's postseason roster but did not pitch in the World Series.
OCTOBER 26, 1919
COOPER, SALLEE WIN TOP PITCHER HONOURS
Cleveland Indians righthander Wilbur Cooper was named the American League's top pitcher after going 23-9 with a 2.75 era. It was the second year in a row the 27 year old won at least 20 games. Not bad for a player who was released by Pittsburgh 6 years ago without ever getting a chance to pitch for the Bucs.
Veteran Cubs hurler Slim Sallee was named the best hurler in the National League. The 34 year old was 20-11 with a 2.59 era. It was the third time he has won 20 games in a season. For his career, Sallee is 148-142.
OCTOBER 27, 1919
NO SURPRISE AS RUTH WINS AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP
After setting a major league record with 39 homers, it comes as no surprise that pitcher turned outfielder Babe Ruth was named the American League MVP. The Boston slugger led the majors in rbi's with 117 and his home run total was 3 times that of any other American Leaguer. Ruth also batted .307 as he won his second straight MVP award. Last year the Bambino hit .290 with 23 homers and 93 rbi's in his first season as a full-time position player.
National League batting champ Rogers Hornsby of the Cardinals won the second MVP of his career. Hornsby, who also was MVP in 1917, hit .349 with 8 homers and 75 rbi's. Only American League batting champ Ty Cobb of Detroit finished with a higher average that Hornsby. Cobb hit .358.