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Old 11-27-2015, 07:59 PM   #4
magritte
Minors (Rookie Ball)
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 49
1920-1939: The Age of Sluggers Begins

Notable Teams

The Chicago Bulls emerged from the long shadows cast by their cross-town rivals toward the end of World War II. Between 1917 and 1925, they would rack up 6 American League titles, four world series, and an overall regular season record of 730-530. Many saw the acquisition of established catcher Wally Schang from the Philadelphia Lions for prospect Muddy Ruel as the spark that ignited the dynasty. The disciplined Schang led the league in walks twice, and had a league leading on base percentage of .426 in 1918. He joined a team that had established star Eddie Collins at first base. Though slightly past the prime that saw him lead the league in on-base percentage five consecutive times, win five great gloves, and most valuable player awards in 1910 and 1912, he remained the best hitting second baseman until moved to right field in 1923. Another strong presence in the Bulls' infield was first baseman Jim Bottomley, who won the batting title in 1924 with a .373 mark and led the league in RBI's twice. The superb defensive outfielder Edd Roush won batting titles in 1915 and 1916, and six great gloves, four of them in center field. The pitching staff was anchored by Hall-of-Famer Eppa Rixey, who won the AL pitcher of the year in 1916 and 1921 and racked up 147 wins between 1917 and 1925. Despite the contributions of all these stars, the team was often known as Rogers' Bulls because of the central role played by1915 rookie of the year and five time MVP, Rogers Hornsby. He was a versatile player, who played about half the time in shortstop with stints of roughly equal length at third and second. In his early years, he stole as many as 29 bases, then adapted to the new style of the 1920's, and led the league in home runs twice. He won two batting titles, hitting in .400 in 1921, and his average was .353 during the great years of the team. Some saw him as the greatest player of the era, choosing him over the great slugger Babe Ruth because of his versatility and because he was a winner. Ruth's advocates scoffed at the versatility claim, pointing out that Ruth had won the pitcher of the year award in 1916, and argued that it was not his fault that his teammates were less accomplished than Hornsby's. Whatever one thinks of their accomplishments as individuals, however, it cannot be denied that Rogers' Bulls were the dominant team of the era.

The principal rivals of the Bulls were the NL's New York Archers. The Archers, led by outfield greats Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker, had kept themselves in contention for years, but had failed to get over the hump year after year. Late in their careers, the Archers finally put it all together, winning seven national league titles and two world series between 1919 and 1926, failing to win the league only in 1921 when a historic 48-HR season by Babe Ruth led the Pittsburgh Waterbearers to the title. Though Cobb won the last of his 4 MVP trophies in 1917, he remained a deluxe defensive outfielder winning six great gloves, the last in 1922 in left field. And he still hit .337 from 1919 to 1926 winning the last of his seven batting titles in 1919. If anything, speaker was even better, winning five MVP trophies, including two in 1920 and 1921, and was chosen World Series MVP in both of the Archer's series victories. The latter in 1922, was the final touch on an outstanding MVP season in which he won a batting title with a .388 average His outstanding fielding won him ten great gloves, five in center field and five in right. Two other important contributors in the lineup were the shortstop and outfielder Ira Flagstead, and later on, Gabby Hartnett at catcher, both excellent hitters for their positions. The pitching staff was led by Hall of Famer Herb Pennock who went 146-91 with a 2.83 ERA in their championship era. He was chosen the NL's best pitcher in consecutive years in 1923 and 1924, and was a workhorse, leading the league in innings pitched five times. He was capably backed up by strike-out artist Bob Shawkey (85-55, 3.33, 4.54 K's/9 IP) and 1920 Pitcher of the Year, Wilbur Cooper (84-61, 3.02 ERA). The great New York teams also featured one of the first star relievers in Ralph Comstock who went 33-19 with 42 saves and a sparkling 2.08 ERA.

The great Detroit Crabs teams of 1926 to 1928 did not dominate for as long as the Archers and Bulls, and failed to win the brass ring in the end. However, they did win three consecutive American League pennants and won 259 games in three years against only 161 losses. Their success began with star first-baseman Babe Herman's rookie campaign, and continued excellent play which led to two MVP awards in 1928 and 1929. Herman had a rare combination of skills that led him to lead the league in home runs and stolen bases twice each, as well as winning two batting titles, the last with a career high of .397 in 1929. Other key performers included catcher Pat Collins, shortstop Mark Koenig and centerfielder Heinie Manush. But the team was strong throughout its lineup, batting .302 as a team from 1926 to 1928. Similarly, the pitching was more solid than flashy. The ace was Jakie May acquired from the Philadelphia Goats for four prospects in 1927, who went 32-10 with a 2.74 ERA, but Lee Meadows (44-39, 4.00), Ken Greenfield (39-31, 4.34), Rube Walberg (31-20, 3.82), Sherriff Blake (39-21, 3.88) all contributed to the team's success.

After a dismal stretch of years when the hated Bulls dominated the Chicago media, the Scales (under the new name Chicago Balance) roared back to the top in the late twenties, winning five NL titles and five world series between 1927 and 1932 with a team that some consider the greatest of all time. The team's success was built on an overwhelming offense that in some seasons scored nearly seven runs per game, and centred around two outstanding sluggers. The first of these was Lou Gehrig who had arrived along with Rabbit Benton and Horace Allen from the Brooklyn Twins in 1923 in return for shortstop Joe Sewell, in one of the most uneven trades in history. Gehrig would win five NL MVP trophies and five Great Gloves at first base. As good a fielder as he was, it was his extraordinary skill at the plate that hammered his way to Cooperstown. He led the league in RBI's four times with a career high 142 in 1930, in runs scored three times with an amazing 157 in 1930, in on-base percentage three times, in slugging percentage four times, and in home runs four times, cracking 46 in 1928. The team shot to the top in 1927, the year he won the batting title with a .369 average, when he was joined in the everyday lineup by the outstanding hitting catcher, Jimmie Foxx, who won three MVP trophies, and led the league in home runs four times, hitting a major league record fifty in 1932. He also led the league in RBI's three times, in on-base percentage three times, and in slugging percentage five times, though he won the batting title only once in 1929 when he hit .395. Though the two superheroes dominated national league batting for years, they were not the only problems enemy pitchers had to deal with. Johnny Hodapp at second base was one of the best hitters around at his position, and the outfield of Goose Goslin, Wally Berger, and Chuck Klein was outstanding. Though Goslin's best year came in 1925 when he won the batting title with a .398 average, he averaged .324 in the championship years and won three great glove awards in left field. before being traded to Philadelphia for Joe Chaute and Al Lopez. Berger in center field was the rookie of the year inn 1930. Lastly, Chuck Klein hit .342 and averaged 19 home runs a year during the championship run. Small wonder that the Balance's batting lineup came to be known as "Murderer's Row". There were some notable achievements by the pitchers as well. Pat Malone was rookie of the year in 1929 and went 88-40 with a 3.55 ERA over the next four years. Other starters for the team included Lefty Stewart (72-44, 4.05), Bill Walker (63-26, 3.63) and Al Yeargin (51-29, 3.55). All told, the Scales went 528-312 over six years, climaxing in the extraordinary year of 1932 when they won a record 102 games.

Despite the disastrous Gehrig trade, long-suffering Twins fans finally had something to cheer about in the 1930's. Originally based in Cleveland, the team pulled up stakes and headed for Brooklyn in 1920, but continued to lose, having only one winning season in thirteen years from 1917 to 1929, and finishing in last place nine times. But beginning in 1930, the Brooklyn Twins won four straight American League pennants and compiled a record of 318-242. Their best player was likely three-time MVP Earl Averill in centre field who won the batting title three times and led the league in home runs twice. During their championship run he hit .337 and averaged 25 home runs per year. The 1924 Rookie of the Year, Al Simmons played outstanding defense in left field, winning five great gloves. He won the MVP trophy in 1930, when he hit .359 with a league-leading 31 home runs and 134 RBI's. And great as the Chicago Balance's Jimmie Foxx was, there were those who preferred the smooth-fielding Bill Dickey at catcher. He wasn't too shabby with the bat either, hitting .313 and slugging .474 in the Twins glory years, though his MVP season came in 1935 when he hit .357 with 21 home runs and 109 RBI's. Another key contributor was the solid second baseman Max Bishop, who led the league in walks three times. While the Twins had solid pitching, there was a great deal of turnover in their pitching staff. Their best pitchers were likely Danny MacFayden (59-38, 3.26) and George Pipgras (45-23, 3.07). MacFayden was chosen pitcher of the year in 1930 when he went 24-11 with a league leading 2.95 ERA. Pipgras was obtained from the Philadelphia Goats in return for second-baseman Urbane Pickering. But good as they were, none of the Twins teams of the early thirties were able to bring a championship to Brooklyn, their hopes being crushed three times by the Chicago Balance and once by the St. Louis Fish in 1933.

While Europe was troubled and the American economy still struggled in the mid to late thirties, fans of the Philadelphia Goats were cheered by their team's five consecutive national league championships and three world series wins between 1934 and 1938. Some felt their best regular starter was veteran catcher Gabby Hartnett, who was a winner wherever he went, acquiring eight world series rings with three teams. Traded from the New York Archers to the Chicago Balance in 1929, Hartnett served largely as a defensive backup for Jimmie Foxx until being traded to the Goats for Jumbo Brown and Johnny McCarthy. Back as a regular starter, Hartnett hit .331, slugged .497 and won a great glove in 1936. Others felt their best player was first baseman Hank Greenberg, who won the MVP trophy in 1935 when he hit .351 with 31 HR's, 119 RBI's and 137 runs scored. Though the offense was no murderer's row, it had depth. Smooth-fielding second baseman Billy Herman's arrival in 1934 from the Detroit Crabs coincided with the team's rise to prominence. Pepper Martin was one of the better hitting third basemen around, andd some felt Ben Chapman's glovework in center field--which brought him four great glove awards--was key to the team's success. But the team's most famous player was Dizzy Dean, the first pitcher to win the MVP trophy since Walter Johnson in 1909, for his astonishing 1936 season when he went 26-2 with a 2.52 ERA. Dean went 96-42 with a 3.02 ERA during their championship season and highlighted a superb rotation. Tommy Bridges (81-45, 3.71), Schoolboy Rowe (67-41, 3.70), Larry French (47-21, 3.64) and Cliff Melton (41-16, 3.11) gave opponents plenty to think about.

Teams Ranked by Aggregate Won-Loss Record (1920-1939)
Chicago Bulls (AL) 1528-1273, .546 - 4 pennants, 4 world series
Chicago Balance (NL) 1485-1316, .530 - 5 pennants, 5 world series
Philadelphia Goats (NL) 1471-1330, .525 - 5 pennants, 3 world series
St. Louis Fish (NL) 1461-1339, .522 - 3 pennants, 1 world series
Washington Virgins (AL) 1418-1382, .506 - 2 pennants, 1 world series
Detroit Crabs (AL) 1402-1399, .501 - 4 pennants, 1 world series
New York Archers (NL) 1386-1414, .495 - 6 pennants, 2 world series
Philadelphia Lions (AL) 1385-1415, .495 - 3 pennants, 1 world series
Cincinatti Scorpions (NL) (1366-1434, .488)
Boston Rams (AL) (1364-1436, .487) - 1 pennant
Brooklyn Twins (AL) (1304-1496, .466) - 6 pennants, 2 world series
Pittsburgh Waterbearers (NL) 1252-1548, .447 -1 pennant

American League Winners
1920 - *Detroit Crabs (83-57) RF 712 RA 576
1921 - *Chicago Bulls (87-53) RF 842 RA 681
1922 - *Washington Virgins (86-54) RF 724 RA 607
1923 - *Chicago Bulls (85-55) RF 748 RA 632
1924 - Philadelphia Lions (84-56) RF 789 RA 699
1925 - *Chicago Bulls (90-50) RF 800 RA 644
1926 - Detroit Crabs (78-62) RF 753 RA 681
1927 - Detroit Crabs (90-51) RF 770 RA 630
1928 - Detroit Crabs (91-49) RF 822 RA 628
1929 - *Chicago Bulls (92-48) RF 841 RA 616
1930 - Brooklyn Twins (78-62) RF 799 RA 713
1931 - Brooklyn Twins (79-61) RF 696 RA 658
1932 - Brooklyn Twins (85-55) RF 736 RA 555
1933 - Brooklyn Twins (76-64) RF 634 RA 519
1934 - Boston Rams (87-53) RF 717 RA 592
1935 - Washington Virgins (83-57) RF 749 RA 672
1936 - *Philadelphia Lions (83-57) RF 876 RA 809
1937 - Philadelphia Lions (83-57) RF 855 RA 651
1938 - *Brooklyn Twins (76-64) RF 661 RA 651
1939 - *Brooklyn Twins (78-62) RF 717 RA 685

National League Winners
1920 - New York Archers (86-54) RF 716 RA 530
1921 - Pittsburgh Waterbearers (89-51) RF 799 RA 598
1922 - New York Archers (77-63) RF 769 RA 646
1923 - New York Archers (87-53) RF 791 RA 623
1924 - *New York Archers (78-62) RF 695 RA 604
1925 - New York Archers (80-60) RF 826 RA 721
1926 - *New York Archers (87-53) RF 739 RA 572
1927 - *Chicago Balance (85-55) RF 750 RA 628
1928 - *Chicago Balance (88-52) RF 843 RA 669
1929 - St. Louis Fish (91-49) RF 798 RA 656
1930 - *Chicago Balance (85-55) RF 969 RA 823
1931 - *Chicago Balance (86-54) RF 774 RA 590
1932 - *Chicago Balance (102-38) RF 931 RA 550
1933 - *St. Louis Fish (81-59) RF 635 RA 554
1934 - *Philadelphia Goats (86-54) RF 723 RA 540
1935 - *Philadelphia Goats (87-54) RF 816 RA 576
1936 - Philadelphia Goats (90-50) RF 862 RA 650
1937 - *Philadelphia Goats (96-44) RF 828 RA 580
1938 - Philadelphia Goats (88-52) RF 752 RA 609
1939 - St. Louis Fish (87-53) RF 741 RA 563

American League MVP's
1920 Rogers Hornsby, Chicago Bulls (.356, 15 HRs, 92 RBIs)
1921 Rogers Hornsby, Chicago Bulls (.400, 18 HRs, 121 RBIs)
1922 Harry Heilmann, Philadelphia Lions (.426, 22 HRs, 118 RBIs)
1923 Rogers Hornsby, Chicago Bulls (.352, 25 HRs, 99 RBIs)
1924 Rogers Hornsby, Chicago Bulls (.371, 24 HRs, 124 RBIs)
1925 Jim Bottomley, Chicago Bulls (.355, 27 HRs, 142 RBIs)
1926 Paul Waner, Boston Rams (.350, 6 HRs, 83 RBIs)
1927 Hack Wilson, Chicago Bulls (.330, 31 HRs, 130 RBIs)
1928 Babe Herman, Detroit Crabs (.354, 26 HRs, 101 RBIs)
1929 Babe Herman, Detroit Crabs (.397, 25 HRs, 121 RBIs)
1930 Al Simmons, Brooklyn Twins (.359, 31 HRs, 134 RBIs)
1931 Earl Averill, Brooklyn Twins (.328, 28 HRs, 111 RBIs)
1932 Earl Averill, Brooklyn Twins (.321, 21 HRs, 84 RBIs)
1933 Earl Averill, Brooklyn Twins (.324, 22 HRs, 94 RBIs)
1934 Ripper Collins, Boston Red Sox (.337, 24 HRs, 122 RBIs)
1935 Bill Dickey, Brooklyn Twins (.357, 21 HRs, 109 RBIs)
1936 Hal Trosky Sr., Philadelphia Lions (.347, 37 HRs, 163 RBIs)
1937 Harlond Clift, Philadelphia Lions (.338, 31 HRs, 132 RBIs)
1938 Hal Trosky Sr., Philadelphia Lions (.315, 31 HRs, 134 RBIs)
1939 Ted Williams, Washington Virgins (.360, 25 HRs, 94 RBIs)

National League MVP's
1920 Babe Ruth, Pittsburgh Waterbearers (.411, 26 HRs, 104 RBIs)
1921 Babe Ruth, Pittsburgh Waterberarers (.384 48 HRs, 137 RBIs)
1922 Tris Speaker, New York Archers (.388, 7 HRs, 106 RBIs)
1923 Babe Ruth, Pittsburgh Waterbearers (.352, 31 HRs, 108 RBIs)
1924 Babe Ruth, Pittsburgh Waterbearers (.317, 35 HRs, 80 RBIs)
1925 Babe Ruth, Philadelphia Goats (.381, 43 HRs, 110 RBIs)
1926 Lou Gehrig, Chicago Balance (.339, 19 HRs, 98 RBIs)
1927 Lou Gehrig, Chicago Balance (.369, 38 HRs, 130 RBIs)
1928 Lou Gehrig, Chicago Balance (.352, 46 HRs, 128 RBIs)
1929 Mel Ott, St. Louis Fish (.338, 43 HRs, 147 RBIs)
1930 Lou Gehrig, Chicago Balance (.364, 39 HRs, 142 RBIs)
1931 Lou Gehrig, Chicago Balance (.376, 33 HRs, 86 RBIs)
1932 Jimmie Foxx, Chicago Balance (.351, 50 HRs, 158 RBIs)
1933 Jimmie Foxx, Chicago Balance (.341, 35 HRs, 84 RBIs)
1934 Jimmie Foxx, Chicago Balance (.340, 34 HRs, 107 RBIs)
1935 Hank Greenberg, Philadelphia Goats (.351, 31 HRs, 119 RBIs)
1936 Dizzy Dean, Philadelphia Goats (26-2, 2.52 ERA, 160 Ks)
1937 Joe DiMaggio, New York Archers (.384, 29 HRs, 129 RBIs)
1938 Johnny Mize, Philadelphia Goats (.388, 31 HRs, 94 RBIs)
1939 Joe DiMaggio, New York Archers (.351, 26 HRs, 98 RBIs)
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