1926 SEASON RECAP
If 1925 represented a short changing of the guard, 1926 represented a quick shift back to the status quo. The New York Giants won the NL Pennant again, adding onto their 1905, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1917, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1924 NL Pennants. They were seeking their fourth World Series in franchise history and first since 1922. Facing them would be another powerhouse in the early days of MLB, the Philadelphia Athletics. The Athletics won the AL in 1905, 1910, 1911, 1913, and 1914, defeating the Giants in 1911 and 1913, but losing to them in 1905. The familiar foes quarreled for six games, but Philadelphia's firepower was too much for New York.
You name it, the Athletics had it. The lineup was downright scary, as pitchers had to figure out how to navigate around Al Simmons, Paul Waner, Jimmy Dykes, and Mickey Cochrane. Simmons, Waner, and Dykes all hit .346 or better, while the 23-year-old Cochrane hit .293 behind the dish. Cochrane also had the pleasure of catching two 20 game winners in Lefty Grove, who was named the 1926 AL Cy Young Award winner, and "Sad Sam" Gray, who apparently wasn't happy despite winning 20 games. There was still a formidable opponent between the A's and the World Series, as the Giants stood in their way yet again. New York won 100 games of their own, and the names across the roster were just as storied.
The lineup was led by 27-year-old Frankie Frisch. Supporting him was Freddie Lindstrom, High Pockets Kelly, and Hack Wilson. 'Ol High Pockets had the lowest batting average of the fearsome foursome, batting .295. The true superstar of the 1926 New York Giants was starting pitcher "Fat Freddie" Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons brought home the NL Cy Young Award and the NL MVP Award after going 27-9 with a 2.13 ERA.
The only award winner that didn't participate in the World Series was the New York Yankees 25-year-old first baseman Lou Gehrig, who won the AL MVP. Gehrig batted .382, launched a league leading 34 homers, and drove in 126 runs.
Liga Mexicana de Béisbol
Year two of the Mexican Baseball League didn't look too different from year one, but there were some important milestones. Mired in a midseason slump, the Veracruz Azules were desperate to find talent to help them back to Serie del Rey. They turned their eye to the Negro League, purchasing 25-year-old outfielder Turkey Stearnes from the Detroit Stars. The purchase made Mexico the first fully integrated professional summer league in the world. Stearnes would play 60 games for Los Azules, hitting .282 with 13 HR and 57 RBIs, enough to catapult them into first place in the standings.
Veracruz wasn't able to bring home their second straight title, however, as they lost to the Monterrey Industriales in Serie del Rey in six games. Similar to the year prior, the champion didn't have the best player in the league, but rather the runner up, as Veracruz pitcher Carlos Galindo won the Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year Awards after winning 19 games with a 1.91 ERA.
