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05-13-2002, 01:54 PM
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#1 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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History With Ruth
After some 27 years completed, my "History Without Ruth" replay got scrambled beyond repair while using a schedule-maker utility. I'm restarting in 1920, this time with Ruth firmly entrenched as a slugger. Financials off, 162 game seasons from the get-go (to level the statistical playing ground), all rookies start with their original teams.
I'm about 11 seasons in, and keeping year-by-year statistical data, so if you have any questions, reckon I can probably answer 'em. 1920 The Story – The Black Sox, fresh off a reprieve from their Series-throwing antics, set the pace from start to finish, though it wasn’t as easy as the final standings might indicate. Boston was only 1 game off the pace headed into September, and New York 4. Brooklyn looked to be the NL’s finest for much of the year, but a late August push by John McGraw’s Giants brought the pennant to Gotham. The Giants would go on to capture the World Series in four, with bookend complete-game victories by Cy Young winner Art Nehf. code:AL Standings : |
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05-13-2002, 01:55 PM
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#2 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1920 AL Team Notes
WHITE SOX – Joe Jackson led the team in batting at .396 (4th AL), just pipping Eddie Collins, who checked in at .394. Happy Felsch led in HRs with 10 and RBI with an astounding 140 (AL 1st). Eddie Cicotte (30-21, 3.55), Red Faber (28-23, 3.72) and Lefty Williams (21-8, 3.46) led the league’s best pitching staff. Cicotte’s 30 wins were AL tops, while Williams’ ERA was second, behind the freakish Slim Harriss’. Eddie Collins collected his 2000th hit on 4/12. RED SOX – LF Mike Menosky led the Beantowners in batting at .365, Harry Hooper in HRs (6) and RBI (119), though C Wally Schang (100) and SS Everett Scott (112) topped the 100+ mark as well. Three hurlers won 20 or more on the campaign: Waite Hoyt (25-19, 3.80), Herb Pennock (23-23, 3.87) and Joe Bush (20-11, 4.43). Boston received an early blow when valuable starter Allan Russell blew out his elbow on 4/9. His career ends at 51-51, 3.14. YANKEES – Babe Ruth did it all at the plate, leading in hitting at .376, HRs at 39 (AL 1st) and RBI at 131 (AL 3rd), en route to winning the AL MVP award. 1B Wally Pipp (.282, 11, 138) was second in AL HRs and RBI. RF Bob “The Rifle” Meusel (.369, 6, 111) won Rookie of the Year honors. The pitching staff was lacklustre save for Carl Mays (29-19, 3.93), who was 3rd in AL wins. SENATORS – In the running early, but trailed off after the All Star Break. Clyde Milan led the hitters at .361, while Frank Brower (.324, 6, 109) chipped in with a fine season in an otherwise weak lineup. Tom Zachary (30-18, 3.61) tied Cicotte for most AL wins and led in league shutouts at 7. Walter “Big Train” Johnson (25-18, 3.50) was 2nd in AL strikeouts with 167. Walter also picked up his 300th win 4/14 vs. Cleveland. INDIANS – Tris Speaker (.410, 5, 110) was 2nd in AL batting and the sparkplug in a power-packed lineup that featured 3 other 100+ RBI men: Elmer Smith (.359, 7, 131), 2B Larry Gardner (.327, 4, 120) and SS Ray Chapman (.318, 0, 110). Pitching was abysmal, though Guy Morton (21-17, 5.06) did manage over 20 wins. TIGERS – Ty Cobb (.396, 2, 82) had a wonderful season for the disappointing Tigers, finishing 3rd in AL batting. 1B Harry Heilmann (.370, 10, 120) and CF Bobby Veach (.328, 6, 120) swung hot bats as well. Pitching standouts included Doc Ayers (28-19, 3.79 – 1st in AL Ks with 172) and Dutch Leonard (24-19, 3.69). BROWNS – A rather embarrassing campaign was allayed somewhat by the Silver Bat of 1B George Sisler (.413, 6, 95). 100+ RBI sluggers included Jack Tobin (.381, 6, 116), Ken Williams (.370, 6, 127) and Baby Doll Jacobsen (.353, 8, 112). The lone bright spot on the hill was Carl Weilman (28-19, 3.76). Earl Smith hit for the cycle on 8/24 against Detroit. A’s – Slim Harriss (11-41, 0.72) won the AL Cy Young in the mother of all freaky seasons. He can keep the silverware, but I’m deleting the ERA mark from the record book as I simply don’t understand what the hell happened, and am a bit suspicious. |
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05-13-2002, 01:56 PM
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#3 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1920 NL Team Notes
GIANTS – SS Dave Bancroft (.384, 1, 97) was third in NL batting, while George Kelly (.309, 6, 130) paced the circuit in RBI. Benny Kauff (.320, 1, 101) also topped the 100-RBI mark. The hallmark of the champions, however, lay in their pitching. Art Nehf (31-19, 3.24) led the league in wins and picked up the Cy Young award. Jesse Barnes (20-13, 3.61) and Fred Toney (26-15, 3.83) also had stellar seasons. CARDINALS – So close for 2B Rogers Hornsby (.424, 7, 116), who led the NL in batting and HRs, but finished 2nd in RBI. The MVP award he received probably helped to soothe his feelings. Other stalwart batsmen were 1B Jack Fournier (.331, 1, 109) and Austin McHenry (.311, 4, 113). Bill Doak (30-18, 3.32) and Ferdie Schupp (28-16, 3.22) finished 2-3 in league wins. Jesse Haines (9-21, 4.64) was lost for the year with a tricep injury on 8/24. DODGERS – The masters of choke led much of the year, but dropped games in key series against the Giants and Cards down the stretch. The hitting was light, but Burleigh Grimes (27-23, 3.23 – 4th in wins) and Rube Marquard (26-23, 3.61 – led NL in shutouts with 7) gave Brooklyn a chance to win in two out of every three games. Burleigh also led the circuit in Ks with 174, Rube being 2nd with 147. CUBS – SS Charlie Hollocher (.335, 0, 59) led the club in batting, but the real stars were hurlers Pete Alexander (21-16, 3.32) and Lefty Tyler (14-7, 2.61), who led in league ERA. REDS – This light-hitting outfit were led by CF Edd Roush (.355, 2, 76) and Heinie Groh (.329, 0, 83). The staff’s hero was Dolf Luque (14-12, 2.88), who ranked 2nd in NL ERA. Pat Duncan went 6-for-6 7/24 against the Phillies. PIRATES – A tough year, but help is on the way in Rookie of the Year Fred Nicholson (.393, 4, 82), who finished 2nd to Hornsby in the batting championship. Elmer Ponder (22-25, 3.52) led in club wins, while Wilbur Cooper (16-16, 3.18) was third in NL ERA. PHILLIES – Russ Wrightstone (.359, 6, 79) proved a pleasant surprise, finishing 4th in batting and 2nd in HRs. Irish Meusel (.327, 3, 101) was also a force to be reckoned with on a club that was out of it from the start. A pair of 20-game winners emerged in Eppa Rixey (25-23, 3.71) and George Smith (23-27, 4.61), giving hope for the future. BRAVES – Walter Holke (.333, 4, 94) swung the best bat for the league’s bottom team, and least talented. Hugh McQuillan (17-21, 3.46) would likely star on a better club. |
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05-13-2002, 04:28 PM
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#4 |
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Minors (Rookie Ball)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 47
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Too bad you had to replay some seasons, but at least you didn't have to completely restart!
Very nicely done recaps, thanks for sharing your results. If you don't mind, what do you have your era settings at? Thanks Rob |
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05-13-2002, 08:49 PM
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#5 |
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Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,647
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Im willing to bet Ruth will win the best batter award at least ten times.
Dont forget to watch for Jimmie Foxx debuting in 1925. |
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05-14-2002, 05:22 AM
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#6 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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Thanks for the positive feedback - makes this fun. Ruth will have a few surprises in store as the years go by - we'll get to that. As for the league totals, I used the ones suggested by the Stickware guys for 1920-21. Starting in '22, I began using actual league totals off some spreadsheets I dl'd. But, for 1920, the #'s were:
AB: 100,000 H: 22,980 2b: 4,363 3b: 1,128 HR: 1,962 BB: 7,885 HBP: 562 K: 10,937 |
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05-14-2002, 01:44 PM
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#7 |
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Minors (Single A)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 67
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quote:I bet his earned runs went past the 255 limitation in OOTP. |
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05-14-2002, 03:05 PM
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#8 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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You may be right, greenwood, Ah well, just another colorful anecdote to add to my annal.
1921 – THE CAPITAL GANG The Story – The media was all agog before the season started about the possibility of an all-New York World Series. The defending NL champion Giants were still the most talented team on the senior circuit, while the emergence of slugger extraordinaire Babe Ruth boded well for the Yankees’ coronation. Well, the Giants played their part, fending off a mettlesome Cardinals squad for much of the season before exploding in September to blow away the rest of the field. The Yankees, in turn, looked good early. They topped the AL standings at the break, but in August a new force emerged in the form of the Washington Senators. Washington, later dubbed The Capital Gang by media pundits, stormed to the fore in early autumn and took advantage of a season-ending injury to Ruth in late September to hold on for an unlikely title. Chicago, hit hard by age and injury, finished a distant third. The World Series was a classic, lasting the maximum 7 games. The Senators looked to have matters in hand after they bolted to a 3-1 Series lead (behind two complete game victories by Walter Johnson), but McGraw’s Giants won a 2-1 squeaker in Game 5, followed by a 11-6 blowout in the capital to force a Game 7. There the immortal Walter Johnson once again took the hill and the expected result was duly rendered – a 6 to 1 Senators victory, and the beginning of a remarkable run for a very special group of players. code:AL Standings : |
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05-14-2002, 03:07 PM
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#9 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1921 AL Team Notes
SENATORS – While the Big Train may have earned the headlines during the World Series, it was the batsmen who fueled the drive to the pennant. Most outstanding was the effort of CF Bing Miller (.307, 16, 153 – AL tops), who may have laid claim to MVP honors in any league not containing a Ruth. 1B Joe Judge (.341, 7, 105) led the team in batting, while Val Picinich (.315, 9, 125) enjoyed a fine campaign as well. The staff only produced one 20 game winner – Eric Erickson (20-11, 5.21) – but the clutch pitching of young Tom Zachary (16-10, 4.74) and Walter Johnson (14-12, 4.21) down the stretch brought home the pennant. YANKEES – Oh, so close for Ruth and company, but a late-season injury to The Bambino (a broken foot) knocked him out for the season and the team out for the count. Still, Ruth’s numbers - .384, 46, 127 – were good enough for his second consecutive MVP award, and he wasn’t the only one swinging a hot bat. 1920 Rookie of the Year Bob Meusel (.386, 13, 125), 1B Wally Pipp (.314, 2, 105) and 3B Aaron Ward (.255, 19, 128) also cracked the 100-RBI barrier, Meusel’s average earning him the Silver Bat as well. The pitching, as in 1920, revolved around Carl Mays. This year he was outstanding, his numbers - 24-7, 4.02, 1 shutout – bringing him the 1921 Cy Young award. WHITE SOX – Talented but aging, the Sox surrendered to younger lions in the AL race. There were still a number of standout performances, including Happy Felsch’s (.334, 14, 150) massive RBI haul, second only to Senator Bing Miller’s in the AL. Shoeless Joe Jackson (.351, 6, 110) was superb as usual, while 2B Eddie Collins (.332, 2, 108) led the junior circuit in steals for the 2nd straight year with 54. On the hill, Red Faber (23-7, 3.98) and Eddie Cicotte (19-7, 4.30) were 2nd and 4th in wins, respectively, but lack of depth in this area stunted Chicago’s challenge. RED SOX – A hugely productive lineup made Beantown one of the more feared stops on the tour, though a certain lack of consistency kept them from serious pennant hopes. Ray Grimes (.362, 8, 143) ranked 4th in league RBI, while LF Ben Paschal (.303, 2, 116) and C Wally Schang (.298, 0, 107) were bringin’ ‘em home as well. Former Senator Harry Harper (19-12, 4.40) pitched well, but the only other hurler with a winning record was Waite Hoyt (16-15, 5.04). TIGERS – Again picked to challenge, again falling considerably short. Still, when you lose two mainline starters – Hooks Dauss (9-12, 3.42) and Doc Ayers (15-12, 4.63) – in midsummer for the year, that can happen. Ty Cobb (.384, 12, 120) was the AL’s 2nd best batsman behind Yankee Bob Meusel, and CF Bobby Veach (.316, 11, 144) was a strong 3rd in RBI. 1B Harry Heilmann (.308, 10, 119) also had a good year. Still, the pitching injuries decimated this squad in the thick of the race, leaving Howard Ehmke (18-5, 3.67) to carry the load. INDIANS – A new shining star emerged in 1921 Rookie of the Year Riggs Stephenson, whose first campaign (.365, 8, 119) ranked him 4th among AL hitters. An old one went down, as RF Tris Speaker broke his knee on 5/16 and missed the bulk of the year. Other men picked up the banner - Elmer Smith (.323, 12, 131), Joe Wood (.271, 6, 110) and SS Stuffy McInnis (.363, 3, 93) – but the pitching staff often couldn’t hold on to the leads that the lineup established. Trading SS Ray Chapman to Detroit for P Slim Love on 4/5 was probably not a step in the right direction. BROWNS – Another 7th place finish for the Brownies, who simply lack the depth in talent to contend. Still, good years were enjoyed by Baby Doll Jacobsen (.370, 10, 117), Ken Williams (.315, 15, 105) and Jack Tobin (.308, 10, 113). Wild man Bill Bayne led the AL in Ks (112) and finished 2nd in walks (134). A’s – Last in hitting, last in pitching, last in the league. Again. Talented players such as Tilly Walker (.292, 26, 124) and Jimmy Dykes (.261, 9, 105) must stay awake at night dreaming of trades. 1920 Cy Young winner Slim Harriss didn’t sport a freaky 0.74 ERA this time, but still somehow managed a winning season (15-8, 4.22) on an abysmal team. |
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05-14-2002, 03:11 PM
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#10 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1921 NL Team Notes
GIANTS – For the second straight year the crowds at the Polo Grounds saw a late-season surge capture the pennant for Gotham. Hitting was once again the key. C Butch Henline (.359, 6, 85) finished 2nd behind Hornsby in the batting championship, while CF Ross Youngs (.348, 8, 126) was a bridesmaid in the RBI category. Not to be overlooked were 2B Laughing Larry Doyle (.329, 5, 107) and George Kelly (.273, 6, 105). While the lineup may have been the NL’s best, the staff produced two 20-game winners in 1920 Cy Young winner Art Nehf (23-15, 4.27) and knuckleballin’ Fred Toney (22-9, 3.63, 5 shutouts) who, incidentally, captured the 1921 Cy Young award. OF Eddie Brown was the 1921 Rookie of the Year, hitting .336 with 3 HRs and 83 RBI in his initial campaign. CUBS – Times are good for Windy City baseball, though the Wrigley Field denizens could maybe stand to bolster their lineup if they are to equal the success of their cross-town brethren. Oft-injured SS Charlie Hollocher (.346, 1, 51) led the squad in batting, while RF Dave Robertson (.292, 13, 128) tied for the NL lead in HRs and led in RBI. Young catcher Bob O’Farrell (.291, 7, 100) was a nice surprise package. Hippo Vaughn (21-12, 3.72) was 5th in league wins, while the NL ERA championship went to Pete Alexander (19-10, 3.07). CARDINALS – All a bit disappointing for St. Louis, as they had felt confident about denying the Giants a 2nd straight pennant. 2B Rogers Hornsby (.365, 10, 95) added more silverware to his cabinet, claiming the batting championship and the 1921 MVP award. Young LF Charlie Jamieson (.336, 6, 120) and Austin McHenry (.310, 10, 124) finished 3rd and 4th in league RBI. Bill Doak (22-13, 3.57) enjoyed a stellar season, while Ferdie Schupp (18-15, 3.75) could have benefited with more run support. REDS – A bit more was expected from this young, talented bunch. Heinie Groh (.358, 1, 80) finished 3rd in NL batting, while Slim Sallee (17-20, 3.30) and Dolf Luque (20-17, 3.35) ranked 2nd and third in NL ERA. BRAVES – The top batsman was once more 1B Walter Holke (.345, 7, 112). John Sullivan (.339, 6, 77) and Eddie Eayrs (.334, 8, 56) hit for average, but the problem with this team is an absolute dearth of power and clutch hitting. Dick Rudolph (22-16, 4.30) somehow breached 20 wins, while hidden gem Hugh McQuillan (16-12, 3.86) was once more effective. DODGERS – The emergence of RF Bill Lamar (.356, 1, 117) brought smiles to the faithful, while Zack Wheat (.322, 10, 90) was his usual All Star self. C Ernie Krueger (.316, 4, 104) raised a few eyebrows with a career-type year. The pitching staff is getting older, and the worry is there are few good young arms to replace aging heroes. PIRATES – 1920 Rookie of the Year Fred Nicholson (.342, 11, 96) proved last year was no fluke, finishing 2nd in NL homers. Wilbur Cooper (15-13, 3.45) was the lone standout on the mound. PHILLIES – Philly baseball fans got their pick of two basement clubs this year. Irish Meusel (.346, 13, 88) must bug brother Bob every day about getting him onto the Yankees. Cy Williams (.323, 8, 90) also did well under trying circumstances. The pitching got hammered on a regular basis, no one approaching a .500 record. |
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05-16-2002, 01:18 PM
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#11 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1922 – THE BATTLE OF COMISKEY
The Story – At the dawn of the 1922 campaign, the AL shaped up as a fascinating contest. No fewer than 5 clubs were picked by the press as having legitimate shots at the pennant – Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New York and St. Louis. In the NL attention centered around the New York’s Giants and Dodgers, but Pittsburgh was given a quiet nod in some circles. What followed was remarkable. The Capital Gang set off in search of a 2nd straight pennant, leading for much of the summer, and settled in at the Break 1 game up on Ty Cobb’s Tigers. Come autumn, however, Chicago’s steady veteran play saw them peep ahead with Babe Ruth and the Yankees hot on their heels. At the close of the season these two teams met in a 3 game finale in Chicago with the White Sox up by single game. The teams split the first two, leaving New York with a chance to draw even on the season’s final day. Unfortunately for them, Lefty Williams outdueled Rip Collins 2-1 in a nailbiting affair to hand the Sox their 2nd pennant in three years. In the National League, Chicago and New York traded places throughout most of the season at the top of the heap. In September, however, Cincinnati made a strong push, taking advantage of their rivals’ slumping form to win the pennant going away. Brooklyn, disappointing for much of the year, finished strong to squeak into the upper division. In the World Series Chicago proved bridesmaids once more. Lefty Williams’ magic ran out – he lost both his starts, allowing a total of 16 runs – and the Reds prevailed four games to two. code:AL Standings : [ 05-16-2002, 07:21 PM: Message edited by: Celtic Forever ] |
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05-16-2002, 01:19 PM
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#12 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1922 AL Team Notes
WHITE SOX – Surely the last hurrah for the aging Black Sox. The 1922 pennant was a terrific rebound from a lackluster 1921 campaign, especially considering it came against such stiff opposition. Still, a second World Series loss (and to the REDS, of all teams!) had to be a bit galling. The same marquee names played a major role in the drive to the top. Wondrous CF Joe Jackson (.312, 13, 99) finished 2nd in AL batting, 5th in HRs and 3rd in RBI. Yet it was fellow rover Happy Felsch (.293, 10, 120)who proved truly indispensable. He once again led the league in RBI – and topped the heap with 19 triples to boot – on his way to claiming 1922 MVP honors. 35 year-old second bagger Eddie Collins (.290, 1, 61) showed he still had some spring in those legs, stealing an AL-1st 53 bases. Fellow greybeard Red Faber (now 35) led the squad in wins at 22-11 (AL 4th) and was 6th in ERA at 2.82. A changing of the guard took place as Eddie Cicotte (9-4, 3.12) was named to the All Star team, yet ultimately was replaced in the rotation by 1922 Rookie of the Year Ted Blankenship (26-12, 3.52) – a move not necessarily popular with the fans. On a historical sidenote, Shoeless Joe picked up his 2000th hit 4/6 in Cleveland. YANKEES – The major worry in New York is that Ruth’s foot (broken at the tail end of 1921) has not healed properly. The Bambino (.265, 23, 89) still led the AL in homers, but the overall production deflated as he changed his stance to acccomodate obvious discomfort. A healthy Ruth would undoubtably have carried the Yankees to the pennant. As it was, however, the best efforts of 3B Aaron Ward (.301, 7, 94) and CF Bob “The Rifle” Meusel (.262, 12, 96) left the Yankees two games short. On the hill, 1921 Cy Young winner Carl Mays (23-16, 2.52 – AL 3rd) was again outstanding, as were Bob Shawkey (19-12, 3.16) and young Rip Collins (23-8, 3.45) – loser of that heartbreaker at Comiskey. Mays and Collins tied for the AL lead in wins along with the Senators’ Harry Courtney. SENATORS – On top for most of the summer, the prospect of a second straight flag for the “Capital Gang” looked promising. Alas, they came out third-best in the September dogfight, three games behind Chicago. 1B Joe Judge (.311, 4, 61) and LF Frank Brower (.316, 1, 38) each cracked the .300 mark in injury-plagued seasons, while CF Bing Miller (.278, 15, 107) was the main power source, finishing 2nd in RBI and 4th in HRs. On the pitching front, 24 year-old Harry Courtney (23-12, 2.43, 3 shutouts) was the talk of the league, capturing the Cy Young Award after leading the circuit in wins and ERA. Teammate Tom Zachary (20-14, 3.12) was also terrific, while old man Walter Johnson (14-13, 2.86) finished in the Top 10 in AL ERA. TIGERS – RF Bobby Veach (.262, 3, 54) and CF Ty Cobb (.256, 2, 69) have clearly seen their best years pass them by. Sensing a need, the front office brought in Jack Tobin from the Browns and he responded well, hitting .320 with 3 HRs and 69 RBI to win the 1922 batting championship. 2B Danny Clark (.326, 5, 69) was promising in an injury-curtailed season, and 1B Harry Heilmann (.256, 10, 93) provided a bit of bang in the middle of the order. Hooks Dauss (18-13, 3.29) and Doc Ayers (13-8, 3.01) fared admirably with little run support. INDIANS – Former Rookie of the Year Riggs Stephenson (.309, 7, 76) fared the best of a humdrum lineup in which no one produced more than 80 RBI. 33 year-old Jim Bagby (21-15, 2.61) finished 5th in both AL wins and ERA, while fellow old-timer Stan Coveleski (18-10, 2,58) had a fine season as well. Ray Caldwell (15-15, 2.85) could have used a little run support. Aging Tris Speaker went out with a torn abdominal 5/12 and was widely expected to retire at season end. RED SOX - After an upper-division finish in 1921, the bottom dropped out on a squad that should be hitting its prime. No Beantowner approached the .300 plateau – CF Tim Hendryx’s .277 mark being the closest – and team leader Ben Paschal’s (.246, 7, 83) RBI total was hardly the stuff of legend. The hurlers, too, failed to set the world on fire, Joe Bush (16-14, 3.74) being the best of the lot. A’s – They had the worst hitters. Again. They had the worst pitching. Again. And yet, the Mackmen managed to avoid an ignomonious 3rd consecutive appearance as league bottom-feeders, instead sharing 7th with St. Louis. 1B Joe Hauser (.265, 6, 60) is a hot 23 year-old prospect Philly can’t wait to develop. Slim Harriss (17-17, 3.70), winner of that oh-so-odd 1920 Cy Young award, was the sole hurler to avoid dipping beneath .500. The other two frontline starters failed this test miserably. Scott Perry was 9-23, 3.79 and Rollie Naylor 7-21, 3.25. Maybe next year. BROWNS – 1B George Sisler (.300, 12, 94) rebounded nicely from that horribly-broken ankle he suffered last June 14th, earning an All Star place. 3B Earl Smith (.299, 1, 31) and RF Baby Doll Jacobsen (.295, 17, 95) also hit well. Jacobsen, in fact, finished among the Top 5 in average, HRs and RBI. Hard-luck Carl Weilman (10-24, 2.98) gave up few runs but still couldn’t avoid a bottom-heavy record on this lowly team. [ 05-16-2002, 07:23 PM: Message edited by: Celtic Forever ] |
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05-18-2002, 01:55 AM
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#13 |
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1922 NL Team Notes
REDS – A dominant pitching staff brought heady times to Cincinnati, winning the pennant in an era where McGraw’s Giants looked unstopppable. The key to this success was easy to spot – of the Top 5 NL ERA leaders, four were Reds: Ray Fisher (13-7, 2.38), old puss Slim Sallee (12-14, 2.41), Hod Eller (20-12, 2.43, 5 shutouts) and Dolf Luque (18-12, 2.44). Eller also finished 3rd in NL wins. The hitting was light in a year in which offensive production was subdued leaguewide, but CF Edd Roush (.310 – NL 5th, 3, 67) continues to shine in the prime of his career. 1B Jake Daubert (.189, 4, 53) was awful, but did collect his 2000th hit 7/19 in Chicago. CUBS – The Cubs still had flag fever in mid-September, but subsequently losing 6 of 8 put the giddiness to rest. RF Dave Robertson (.317, 12, 95) was a popular pick for the MVP award, finishing 2nd in batting and HRs, first in league RBI, but ultimately lost out to The Rajah for that honor. SS Charlie Hollocher (.324, 3, 63) was again superb at the plate, winning the Silver Bat as the NL’s best batsman. Red Thomas (.306, 7, 80) had a nice year as well. Yet, the key element to the Cubs’ success in recent years has always lay in their pitching, and 1922 was no exception. Pete Alexander (21-12, 2.71, 4 SHO) and Hippo Vaughn (20-16, 2.66, 6 SHO) ranked 2-3 in NL wins, while Claude Hendrix (19-19, 2.55) simply had little luck. Aging hero Fred Merkle got his 2000th hit 9/10. GIANTS – After two consecutive pennants, perhaps an off year was to be expected. None of regulars broke the .300 line, Benny Kauff being the best of the lot at .297 with 7 HRs and 60 RBI – leaving the pitching staff to sweat out a lot of tight games. In this respect 35 year-old Rube Benton (17-17, 2.96) performed admirably, leading the circuit with 8 shutouts and 198 Ks. Former Cy Young winners Art Nehf (15-15, 2.92) and Fred Toney (18-14, 2.84) struggled with niggling injuries throughout the year. CARDINALS – The Redbirds were within shouting distance of a title in early September, only to tail off badly in the final stages of the season. Talk in the Gateway City always (and deservedly!) centers around 2B Rogers Hornsby (.316, 14, 86) who was once again masterful, finishing 1st in HRs, 3rd in batting and 5th in RBI. For the third straight year he was honored with the NL MVP Award. Further silverware was handed out to brash 1B “Sunny” Jim Bottomley, whose first campaign (.303, 9, 91 – NL 3rd) netted him the 1922 Rookie of the Year Award. Left out of the media glare was another fine performance by 3B Austin McHenry (.280, 11, 94) – 2nd in NL RBI and 4th in HRs. Upon the hill, no Redbird hurler finished among the league’s Top 10 in wins, ERA or shutouts. DODGERS – All Star fixture Zack Wheat (.311 – NL 4th, 4, 66) was supported somewhat by injury-riddled Andy High (.311, 3, 38 in 319 AB), but RF Bill Lamar (.284, 7, 71) crashed to a mediocre campaign. Southpaw Rube Marquard (23-14, 2.66, 4 SHO) is surely contemplating retirement at age 36, but when you’ve just won the 1922 Cy Young Award and led the league in wins, what’s the hurry? Spittin’ Burleigh Grimes (16-10, 2.34, 5 SHO) won the ERA championship – good news as he’s the only sub-30 year-old starter on Brooklyn’s books. Zack Wheat’s hit off of Art Nehf 6/1 was the 2000th of his career. PIRATES – Well, it all went wrong for a group picked to contend in ’22. RF Fred Nicholson collapsed to .266, 10, 78, and 3B Clyde Barnhart (.297, 4, 88) seemed to be the only batsman with a clue as to what he was doing out there. Lefty starter Earl Hamilton (20-14, 3.12) was lucky rather than good, while Elmer Ponder (18-19, 2.45) was good but unlucky. With the three mainline starters all due to check in at 30+ years of age next year, Pittsburgh likely only has 1-2 years left to make its run at glory. BRAVES – It’s not getting any rosier for this bunch. Former standout 1B Walter Holke (.210, 4, 41) bombed, and the leading regular (John Sullivan) hit .276. LF Walton Cruise (.278, 5, 56) led the club in RBI despite amassing only 399 ABs. 25 year-old starter Hugh McQuillan (14-18, 2.97) and Jack Scott (13-19, 2.91) managed to keep their ERA below 3.00. PHILLIES – Cy Williams (.291, 12, 67) tied the Cubs’ Dave Robertson for 2nd in NL HRs, but otherwise production was slight. Red Causey’s (20-11, 3.06) winning 20 games on this ballclub ought to be classified as a miracle. |
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05-20-2002, 05:20 AM
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#14 |
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1923 – BACK TO NORMAL
Hall of Fame – Prior to the onset of the 1923 campaign, the Once and Future League inducted its first-ever member to the Hall of Fame. Tris “The Grey Eagle” Speaker cracked 2,326 hits, 52 HRs and 942 RBI during a career with the Red Sox and Indians that spanned the years 1907-22. He hit a career high .410 in 1920, but a broken knee forced him to miss the bulk of the 1921 season. Returning in 1922, he went down again on 5/16 with a severely-torn abdominal muscle, prompting him to hang up his cleats prematurely. Off the field he was noted for his affable personality, his presence turning the clubhouse into “one big happy family”, according to former teammate Larry Gardner. The Story – If 1922 featured a splash of the unexpected, 1923 marked a return to business as usual, with each league’s widely-acknowledged best team storming to the fore. AL defending champion Chicago played their ancient little hearts out – and actually led the Yankees by 1 at the break – but Washington’s pair of crushing 12 game win streaks in midsummer meant all dispute was at an end in early September. The Giants paced the NL circuit nearly from the start. They led ever-pesky St. Louis by 5 games at mid-season, then quashed a Cubs late summer charge by going on a 10 game win spree. Squaring off against the Senators in the World Series for the second time in three years, Gotham once more came up short. An early 2 games to 1 advantage was squandered as the hot bats of Goose Goslin and Bing Miller led the Senators to 3 straight wins and the 1923 World Championship. code:AL Standings : |
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05-22-2002, 03:24 PM
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#15 |
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All Star Reserve
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1923 AL Team Recaps
SENATORS – Keeping the big guns healthy was the key to the 1923 Senators’ championship. 1B Joe Judge (.304 – AL 9th, 8, 88) enjoyed an ironman season, appearing in all 162 contests, while solid 2B Bucky Harris (.273, 10, 85) and 3B Doc Prothro (.270, 2, 71) were in all but a smidge. The brightest light, of course, was CF Bing Miller (.298, 17, 118). The perennial All Star finished 10th in batting, 5th in HRs and 3rd in RBI. The pitching for this team was outstanding. Harry Courtney (25-8, 2.57, 5 SHO) led the AL in ERA, wins and shutouts, and was an easy choice as 1923’s Cy Young recipient. Jim Shaw (21-10, 2.89) sported the league’s 2nd best ERA in a surprisingly sparkling year. Two more 20-game winners – venerable Walter Johnson (22-15, 3.03) and young Tom Zachary (22-13, 3.37) – rounded out the circuit’s top staff. WHITE SOX – All in all a rather good year for the defending champions. The 1923 White Sox sported the league’s best hitting lineup, and were the early pacesetters through mid-July. Standouts included the usual array of suspects. MVP Shoeless Joe Jackson (.349, 12, 117) featured in all 162 games, was the AL batting champion, led the league in runs (137) and finished 4th in RBI – all this at 34 years of age. RF Happy Felsch (.327, 11, 125) ranked 4th among AL batsmen in hitting and was, once again, the RBI king. 2B Eddie Collins (.279, 1, 83) was 2nd in league steals with 35, trailing only the Browns’ George Sisler (39) – at the age of 36! 3B Willie Kamm (.290, 5, 73) had a solid debt, capturing the 1923 Rookie of the Year Award. The pitching load was primarily carried by 35 year-old Red Faber (21-8, 3.70) – AL 6th in wins – and 1922 Rookie of the Year Ted Blankenship (16-12, 3.14). The team is high on young Frank Mack (11-8, 3.40), who’s got a real blazer of a fastball. YANKEES – They may be flashy, but come the end of the day the pennant was still 14 games out of reach for this underachieving ballclub. Babe Ruth (.305, 34, 86) was rarely pitched to with ducks on the pond, with the result that most of his AL-leading homers had minimal impact. Bob Meusel (.308, 20, 117) quietly continued his stellar career, his RBI mark checking in at 4th best. On a historical sidenote, young Lou Gehrig (.211, 0, 3 – 71 AB) got his 1st cup of coffee in the Bigs. The pitching of Carl Mays (22-15, 3.29) and Bob Shawkey (24-10, 3.40 – AL 2nd in wins) was pennant-quality, but Rip Collins (13-18, 4.31) and George Mogridge (16-13, 4.39) took their lumps. Yankees regularly featured among the league headliners, top stories being Ruth’s 3 HRs against Cleveland on June 1st, and Bob Shawkey’s no-hitter against the Tigers September 7th. BROWNS – No misprint here - the Brownies underwent a spectacular turnaround from their dismal 1922 campaign. Sure, they clocked in at under .500, but a 1st division finish is a nice change of fortune from perennial league bottomfeeders. Heroes included Baby Doll Jacobsen (.325, 12, 96) – 5th in AL batting – 1B George Sisler (.293, 12, 93) and sluggin’ lefty Ken Williams (.256, 22, 101), whose HR total was 2nd-best leaguewide. The best pitcher once again was 34 year-old Carl Weilman (15-17, 3.05), whose ERA mark ranked 5th, while unpredictable Bill Bayne (17-8, 3.68) compiled a gaudy record despite a few rocky outings. INDIANS – The best hitters – Riggs Stephenson (.330, 8, 73) and Little Joe Sewell (.295, 9, 85) – got on base just fine, but more often than not were left there to rot. CF Elmer Smith (.251, 13, 81) was the lone other bat to even remotely approach 100 RBI. The pitching featured a Cy Young-class season from righty Stan Coveleski (20-14, 2.96, AL 1st 182 Ks), but beyond him no one was masterful enough to overcome the woeful lack of run production. TIGERS – The Georgia Peach (.327, 9, 82) snapped back with a fab year following the 1922 disaster, and young LF Heinie Manush (.317, 7, 78) was there to support him, though few else were. Harry Heilmann (.248, 11, 88), now in the prime of his career at 28 years of age, may in particular be singled out for disappointment. Aside from Dutch Leonard (17-15, 3.30) the pitching was not altogether effective, and repeated injuries to Hooks Dauss (4-9, 4.20) didn’t help. RED SOX – Well, they just keep sinking lower and lower, despite a reasonable array of talent on the books. C Wally Schang (.315, 3, 81) was the club’s best hitter (and the AL’s 6th best), and Bennie Paschal (.279, 13, 119) was 2nd on the circuit in RBI. Past that, the hitting was lackluster in the extreme. Harry Harper (19-11, 3.36) deserves kudos for his valiance under fire, while Herb Pennock (5.12, league-leading 24 losses) ought to be shot. A’s – They’re trying to get better, creating a bit of a leaguewide stir when they sent productive 1B Dick Burruss (.295) packing to Pittsburgh for exciting young CF Kiki Cuyler (.287, 4, 46), who ended up leading the team in hitting. Tilly Walker (.267, 20, 71) slugged some homers, but too often there was no one on base to drive in. The enigmatic Slim Harriss (13-16, 3.96) was the best of the lot on the hill. |
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05-23-2002, 01:40 PM
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#16 |
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1923 NL Team Notes
GIANTS – Matters were Back In The New York Groove at the Polo Grounds, as the Giants pecked their way to a 3rd flag in four years. Boasting the senior circuit’s best lineup AND a great pitching corps, New York overwhelmed all save a plucky Chicago team on the basis of sheer talent alone. The best batsman on this special outfit was slick 1B George Kelly (.305, 7, 74), an All Star selection who finished as one of only six regulars leaguewide to top the .300 mark. 3B Frankie Frisch, C Earl Smith and LF Benny Kauff also broke the .300 barrier, but McGraw’s rigid platoon system prevented them from amassing enough ABs to qualify for the Leader’s Table. RF Curt Walker (.276, 11, 100) was one of only two men to drive in 100 RBI or more – 1923 was, beyond any shadow of a doubt, The Year of the Pitcher. Speaking of pitchers, New York had a fine set of their own this year. Three Giant hurlers scored 20 or more victories in 1923 – Jesse Barnes (22-10, 2.82), 1920 Cy Young winner Art Nehf (22-15, 3.26) and 36 year-old southpaw Rube Benton (21-12, 3.00). Of these, Barnes was the top gun, tying teammate Nehf for the NL lead in wins and capturing the 1923 Cy Young Award. All in keeping with tradition, of course, as the G-Men have sported the Cy Young winner in their ranks each year they have won the pennant (1920-21, 1923). As a final note, Rube Benton was the league strikeout leader with 194. CUBS – Chicago made a heroic September charge, but a late 12 game win streak by the Giants ensured that they would finish as bridesmaids for the third year running. SS Charlie Hollocher (.321, 3, 73) was outstanding, finishing just 6 points shy of that batting crown we all know he’s going to grab one day. 1B Fred Merkle (.289, 6, 75), now 36 years of age, still managed to wheeze his way to a productive season. The true big gun, however, was RF Dave Robertson (.281, 8, 103), who emerged the unexpected RBI champion. C Gabby Hartnett (.233, 1, 22) is at 23 still not quite ready to replace Bob O’Farrell (.267, 5, 45) as the regular backstop. Of the hurlers, veteran Hippo Vaughn (21-17, 2.53) finished 3rd in NL ERA, and tied with Claude Hendrix (21-17, 3.24) for 3rd in wins. Lefty Tyler (19-11, 2.83) had a strong year as well. The Cubbies enjoyed a notable day on April 12th, as both Hollocher and Robertson went 6-for-6 in a 14-7 demolition of Pittsburgh. PHILLIES – Only .500, but ah, those heady heights of third place! And for 2B Lance Richbourg (.327, 1, 53), now hitting his peak, the heady heights of a batting crown to boot. C Frank Bruggy (.309, 9, 51) was another Phillie to taste the all-too-rarified air of .300 batting, but aside from that Philly had a relatively punchless lineup. The pitching staff was hurt (literally) by an interminable wave of injuries to frontline starters Bill Hubbell, Eppa Rixey and Lee Meadows. Disappointing Irish Meusel (.266, 10, 79) managed some salvation by hitting for the cycle on May 5th against the Giants. CARDINALS – Losing staff ace Jesse Haines (14-8, 3.72) for 9 weeks to a broken elbow in early May was perhaps a portent of things to come. A frustrating season was lifted somewhat by the MVP effort of 23 year-old 1B “Sunny” Jim Bottomley (.291, 20, 87) – surely a ray of hope for the future. 2B Rogers Hornsby (.294, 11, 70) produced a rather pedestrian effort, while 2-time All Star Austin McHenry (.288, 9, 66) was beset with health issues. Of the pitchers, only Haines stepped forward to claim a winning record. REDS – It’s perhaps a bit difficult to sport the league’s best pitching staff (easily) and still finish 5th, but that’s exactly what Cincy managed. Dolf Luque (19-17, 2.17) was 1923’s best pitcher, Barnes’ bit of silverware be damned – wining the ERA championship going away and hurling an NL best 5 shutouts. He also hurled one of the season’s two no-hitters, July 26th in Boston, to put a touch of frosting on the cake. Young Cactus Keck (18-11, 2.63) and Hod Eller (16-16, 2.82) finished 4th and 7th respectively in league ERA, managing the best they could with a lineup that produced little other than RF Eddie Brown (.310, 1, 69). Stalwart Edd Roush (.309, 3, 39) was lost early in the season to a broken foot. DODGERS – Bill Lamar (.314 – NL 3rd, 5, 78) and Zack Wheat (.297, 6, 73) were the only ones hitting worth a lick on this ballclub. The pitching, perhaps getting a bit grey around the edges, received a welcome bit of new blood in Rookie of the Year Leo Dickerman (17-13, 3.36, 2 SHO) who led the club in victories. Nominal ace Burleigh Grimes (10-19, 3.71) suffered a torn bicep during the spring and perhaps was rushed back a bit too quickly. PIRATES – 1920 Rookie of the Year Fred Nicholson (.295, 3, 50) played in only 123 contests, but tied with newcomer 1B Dick Burruss (.295, 1, 30) for the team batting lead. The top run producer was 3B Clyde Barnhart (.270, 9, 88) by a mile, which ought to tell you a bit about the state of the lineup. Injuries just killed this team, drastically shortening the seasons of Elmer Ponder, Wilbur Cooper, Pie Traynor and Hal Carlson. Cooper’s injury, a torn tricep suffered July 31st, is considered to be particularly serious. BRAVES – The team hit .226. I mean, c’mon. The best hitting regular was John Sullivan (.252, 8, 69), and if not for Walter Holke’s (.206, 8, 55) HR tally, he would have won the team’s triple crown. Ugh. No pitcher had a winning record, but Dick Rudolph (10-12, 2.74) and Joe Oeschger (11-13, 2.53) would have on any other team. Joe, in fact, had the NL’s 2nd best ERA mark. The current big hope for the future is 24 year-old lefty Harry Hulihan (5-6, 2.60). |
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05-25-2002, 03:35 AM
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1924 – HELL FREEZES OVER
Hall of Fame Induction – Nothing like second chances. Absolved of his wrongdoings in the infamous Black Sox scandal of ’19, the White Sox’ Eddie Cicotte did not in fact have to end his best years toiling away in a Ford factory, as he did in real life. Instead he went out in a blaze of glory that has now come to this – a Hall of Fame induction. Eddie enjoyed a 19 year career spanning 1905-23 that included stints with the Tigers and both types of Sox. He amassed 256 wins versus 182 losses with a lifetime ERA of 2.45. His best years were the back-to-back 1919-20 campaigns, when he compiled a total of 59 victories and went to the World Series twice, losing both – once honestly, once, errrmmm … The Story – Eddie was probably in the stands watching his old mates as they enjoyed a terrific spring and early summer, storming ahead of the Yankees on the momentum of a 7 game win streak to seize a 1 game lead at the break. With the exciting prospect of a World Series against the crosstown Cubs looming, the Sox then proceeded to bumble it all away in mid-August, being caught by Cobb’s Tigers on August 13 and left behind for good on the 24th. Not that Detroit could handle the hot potato either. Lurking in the shadows, like some beast from the deep, lay the AL’s deepest team – the Washington Senators. Surging to the surface in late mid-September, they snatched the lead with a last-gasp effort on September 23 and held off a stunned Tiger squad over the season’s final week to claim the crown. It looked to be the Year of the Redbird in the NL for much of 1924. St. Louis started the season an amazing 27-8 and were sitting atop the table by 5 games at the All Star Break. Yet, while the White Sox were throwing away their opportunities in the AL, the Cubs were grasping theirs – pulling within 2 of the Cards in mid-August and taking the lead for good on August 29. There followed a dogfight throughout September as St. Louis fought furiously to reclaim their perch, but when the dust had settled the Cubs’ 96 wins were two better than the Cardinals had managed. Yet the best was still to come. The Capital Gang was now considered a de facto force in professional baseball, having captured three of the last four AL pennants, as well as the 1921 and 1923 World Series over the NL juggernaut Giants. So, when they swatted a “lucky to be there” Cubs squad aside 7-3 in the World Series opener, all conceded that matters were a foregone conclusion. Claude Hendrix’ complete game 3-hitter for the Cubs in Game 2 was noted as interesting, and the subsequent 9-4 Chicago win raised a few eyebrows. But everything turned serious when leftfielder Red Thomas jacked out a 7th inning Walter Johnson offering to win Game 4, 6-3. Backs against the wall, Washington promised victory in Game 5. Instead they were nullified once more by Claude Hendrix, who scattered 7 hits over 8 2/3 innings of work as the unheralded Cubs went on to capture the game 5-2 and win the 1924 World Championship. Hell had truly frozen over. code:AL Standings : |
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05-29-2002, 11:47 AM
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#18 |
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All Star Reserve
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1924 AL Team Notes – bold numbers indicate league leader.
SENATORS Perhaps a bit disappointing to lose to what was considered a less-talented Cubs team, but the future is still bright – most of this club are now in their prime. 1922-23 Cy Young winner Harry Courtney may have bottomed out, but the honor was kept in-house when Tom Zachary won the 1924 Award. The Good – SS Jim O’Neill (.317, 1, 40); 1B Joe Judge (.308, 14, 91); CF Bing Miller (.263, 8, 112); SP Tom Zachary (23-6, 2.38, 5 SHO). The Bad – Harry Courtney (11-13, 3.73); Walter Johnson (10-11, 3.51) – now 37, perhaps should be thinking about hanging ‘em up. The Future – SS Ossie Bluege, 23; CF Showboat Fisher, 25. TIGERS The Cobb/Veach era is preparing to be cast aside in favor of good young players like 2B Charlie Gehringer, OF Bob Fothergill and OF Heinie Manush. 1B Harry “Slug” Heilmann is now waiting to be the marquee name in this lineup, but Cobb keeps going boy, winning the batting championship at 37! The Good – CF Ty Cobb (.334, 6, 69); 1B Harry Heilmann (.255, 22, 111); SP Doc Ayers (21-12, 2.77). The Bad – SS Ray Chapman (.245, 6, 53) – now 33, perhaps will give way to Topper Rigney next year. The Future – 2B Charlie Gehringer, 21; SP John Bogart, 24. WHITE SOX The core of the lineup, consisting of mid-thirtysomethings 1923 MVP Joe Jackson, 1922 MVP Happy Felsch and perennial stolen base threat Eddie Collins continues to be productive, if no longer spectacular. Collins, now 37, in fact led the league in steals wth 38. The pitching revolves around durable starter Lefty Williams, who led the AL in complete games (38). The Good - CF Joe Jackson (.288, 12, 87); RF Happy Felsch (.264, 8, 95); 2B Eddie Collins (.282, 3, 59); SP Lefty Williams (21-18, 2.88); SP Dixie Leverett (17-11, 3.14). The Bad – Former Rookie of the Year Ted Blankenship (15-10, 3.24) was plagued by elbow problems, while young Frank Mack (3-8, 3.38) ruptured his bicep tendon. The Future – SP Frank Mack. INDIANS An altogether punchless lineup doomed the efforts of a fine pitching corps – Bagby and Morton finished 1-2 in AL ERA. The farm system is barren of any top-notch batting prospects, meaning the Indians will have to trade their way out of a bleak future. The Tribe were in the headlines early when Duster Mails hurled 1924’s only no-hitter April 11th against the Browns. The Good – 2B Riggs Stephenson (.296, 8, 74); Stan Coveleski (20-12, 3.06); Jim Bagby (13-7, 2.15); (Guy Morton (19-11, 2.33), despite problems with a strained back. The Bad – CF Elmer Smith (.206, 12, 70) – too much talent to be sporting that kind of average; SS Little Joe Sewell (.212, 9, 54). The Future – SP John Middleton. RED SOX A strong effort by the pitching staff managed to help Boston claw back above the .500 mark, albeit with little aid from the regular lineup. Fenway, once a feared stop on the tour for opposing pitchers, is now considered a stat-boosting treat for hurlers leaguewide. The Good – SP Waite Hoyt (19-15, 3.40); Harry Harper (17-12, 3.51). The Bad – C Wally Schang (.263, 6, 51) – a .300 calibre hitter; RF Bennie Paschal (.228, 15, 86); SP Herb Pennock (13-19, 3.18) struggled with an inflamed elbow. The Future – P Red Ruffing, 20. YANKEES A lack of pitching depth sent the Yankees spiraling downward after posting a strong first half – injuries to frontline starters Bob Shawkey and Carl Mays could not be overcome. Babe Ruth put on quite a show, though, leading in several categories with: 33 HRs, 129 runs, 172 walks and 134 strikeouts. The Good – CF Bob Meusel (.285, 12, 123); LF Babe Ruth (.256, 33, 97); 3B Aaron Ward (.242, 21, 92); SP Carl Mays (20-8, 3.02). The Bad – SP Bob Shawkey (8-1, 1.39) was lost for the season with a ruptured disc; SP Carl Mays also had a potential Cy Young campaign shortened by a ruptured tricep tendon. The Future – 1B Lou Gehrig, 21; CF Earle Combs, 25. BROWNS The ’24 Brownies were rudely escorted back to their accustomed place in the murky depths of the AL – the warm fuzzy days of that 4th place finish in ’23 are already fading into memory. Consolation came in the superb play of 35 year-old MVP Baby Doll Jacobsen. CF Ken Williams also provided a brief bit of fun by hitting for the cycle on September 16th. The Good – RF Baby Doll Jacobsen (.316, 16, 84); 1B George Sisler (.291, 17, 80); SP Urban Shocker (16-18, 2.73) – being close to .500 on THIS team deserves kudos! The Bad – LF Herschel Bennett (.219, 4, 43); SP Carl Weilman (0-6, 3.88) – old star is starting to break down; SP Allen Sothoron (15-23, 3.07) – led all of AL with 161 walks. The Future – SP Ernie Wingard; 3B Harry Rice. A’s Yet another miserable campaign for the Mackmen, but there is some exciting young talent on display at Shibe Park. Foremost is 1924 Rookie of the Year Al Simmons, who boasted the 5th best average on the junior circuit. Alas, the real need on this team is pitching – the A’s finished last in AL ERA yet again, and by a wide margin. The Good – Rookie flash CF Al “Bucketfoot” Simmons (.298, 10, 68). The Bad – LF Kiki Cuyler (.254, 6, 44) was a disappointment, considering the A’s gave up a pretty good first-bagger in Dick Burruss to get him; all the pitching was atrocious, but particularly bad were Walt Kinney (7-26, 4.51) and Scott Perry (9-22, 4.62). The Future – SP Fred Heimach; 1B Joe Hauser; SS Bill Barrett. [ 05-29-2002, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: Celtic Forever ] |
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05-29-2002, 01:24 PM
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All Star Reserve
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1924 NL Team Notes
CUBS After consistently finishing second best, Chicago finally got their just desserts in 1924. The lineup may have been devoid of any true stars, but the pitching staff featured the best of the lot in Cy Young winner Claude Hendrix, who finished just 25 Ks short of a pitching triple crown. The Good – SS Charlie Hollocher (.295, 2, 56); SP Claude Hendrix (24-13, 1.79); SP Lefty Tyler (19-9, 2.53); SP George Stueland (19-13, 2.82). The Bad – 1B Fred Merkle (.252, 8, 63) seems to be declining. The Future – C Gabby Hartnett; 1B George Grantham; SP Herb Brett; SP Phil Collins. CARDINALS This is a good team that only figures to get better. Rogers Hornsby, still just 28 years of age, collected another batting title, while spring chicken 1B Jim Bottomley won his second straight MVP Award, right on the heels of his 1922 Rookie of the Year Award. Looks like he might be something special, eh? The Good – 2B Rogers Hornsby (.323, 17, 87); 1B Jim Bottomley (.312, 18, 86) – 1st in Runs with 104; SP Jesse Haines (20-17, 2.75); SP Ferdie Schupp (19-13, 2.78) – led NL in walks with 128. [i]The Bad[/b] – 3B Howie Shanks (.225, 5, 53). The Future – CF Wattie Holm; SP Flint Rhem. GIANTS An off year for the defending champs, finishing 12 games worse than their 1923 mark. The preferred rotation of Nehf, Toney and Benton may be getting up there in years, but strikeout king Benton proved he is still one of the top hurlers on the circuit. There remains enough in this team to make another pennant run, but the worry is they may have fallen behind the Cardinals in terms of overall talent. The Good – RF Curt Walker (.255, 20, 93); SS Frankie Frisch (.278, 6, 48) – led NL in steals with 35; SP Rube Benton (19-11, 2.61, 202 Ks). The Bad – CF Benny Kauff (.298, 8, 49) was lost for half the season with a broken wrist. The Future – LF Hack Wilson; CF Jimmy O’Connell; SP Mike Cvengros. PHILLIES Well whaddya know – a second consecutive upper division finish for Philly! Yet, this may be a last hurrah of sorts – the producers are getting older and the farm is a talent-free zone at the moment. The Good – RF Irish Meusel (.260, 15, 94); SP Eppa Rixey (22-11, 2.89); SP Lee Meadows (18-12, 3.22). The Bad – SP Red Causey (10-14, 4.27) was hampered with a ruptured disc throughout the year; CF Freddy Leach (.305, 0, 18) was lost early with a torn ACL. The Future – help wanted. REDS The sterling pitching corps actually finished 2nd to Chicago’s this year. The lineup is still relatively impotent, spiraling the Reds further and further away from their 1922 championship form. The Good – LF Edd Roush (.321, 0, 44); RF Eddie Brown (.260, 4, 74) – led NL in doubles with 40; SP Cactus Keck (16-11, 2.02); SP Pete Donohue (18-14, 3.19). The Bad – Hard luck Hod Eller (13-20, 2.65); 35 yr-old 3B Heinie Groh (.241, 1, 38) now starting to decline. The Future – CF Lew Fonseca; 2B Hughie Critz. DODGERS They’re getting dangerously old in the lineup, but the rotation welcomed its 2nd straight Rookie of the Year in Rube Ehrhardt (19-18, 3.10, 4 SHO). Last year’s winner – Leo Dickerman – fell prey to the injury bug and finished a mere 6-2, 3.57. The Good – C Ernie Krueger (.273, 10, 69) – but struck out a NL-leading 105 times; SP Big Jeff Pfeffer (19-14, 2.81). The Bad – RF Zack Wheat (.286, 9, 50) had an off year; Bill Lamar (.288, 8, 65) struggled with a broken finger. The Future – SP Rube Ehrhardt. PIRATES Most of this squad are in their prime years, which makes this dismal finish all the more worrisome. The pitching corps is solid, but a big bat is needed sorely. The Good – SP Jimmy Zinn (16-14, 2.93). The Bad – 1B Dick Burruss (.256, 1, 45) fell flat after moving over from the Athletics last year; SP Ray Kremer was lost for the year July 19th with a torn back muscle. He was only 5-9, but with a solid ERA of 2.42. The Future – SP Emil Yde; SS Glenn Wright. BRAVES What good players they had are now getting old and useless. No one with a lick of talent is ready to replace them. They figure to remain magnetized to the bottom of the table for some years to come. The Good – RF Eddie Eayrs (.283, 8, 49); SP Hugh McQuillan (8-2, 2.37) in an injury-shortened season. The Bad – 1B Walter Holke (.206, 3, 47), once a feared batsman, has now completely bottomed out with no one to replace him; SP Joe Oeschger (10-23, 3.05) led the league in losses. The Future – Hope SP Harry Hulihan (3-9, 5.07) is able to develop under trying circumstances. |
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05-30-2002, 01:48 PM
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All Star Reserve
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 529
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1925 – A YEAR FOR SURPRISES
The Story: – It looked as if the Cubs would cover themselves in glory yet again when they surged out to a 20-7 start to begin the defense of their 1924 title. Any remaining critics were silenced when Chicago still found themselves in possession of the NL lead at the Break, albeit with the Giants just 3 games adrift and St. Louis (disappointingly) 7. The Redbirds got hot, though, as the summer wore on. Spurred onward by their dual MVP candidates Hornsby and Bottomley, St. Louis caught the champions on September 1st, while McGraw’s Mashers were just 1 game back. So, for the third consecutive year, the National League settled in for a furious conclusion. The Cardinals, widely perceived to be the league’s most talented team, finally eked in front of Chicago on September 29th to hold the lead going into the season’s final day, with New York having faded to 6 games back. So to the 30th. On a day which would see both pennant races decided, St. Louis sent Bill Doak to the mound to defend their dream. That he did in style. Doak went all the way for the Cardinals in a 5-3 victory over the Pirates, with the result that the Cubs’ 8-7 win over the Phillies was rendered meaningless. The ’25 pennant was flying above the Gateway, and the Cardinals had fulfilled their potential at last. The AL race was no less lacking in drama. The Yankees got off to their traditional hot start, a stride ahead of the surprising Browns and 2 in front of the never-say-die White Sox at midseason. Then Washington – always to content to bide their time until midsummer – ripped off a 12 game win streak to pull within four of New York on July 15th. Another 6 game streak, coinciding with the Yankees’ disastrous 10 game slide, saw The Gang atop the table by 2 on the, ahem, Browns, as the campaign pushed into August. With the world’s eyes on the curious antics of New York - busy trading away their malcontented superstar Ruth for NOTHING – the Browns quietly pipped ahead of the pack to hold a 2 game lead on Washington and the Yanks as September loomed. The lead held, and on the season’s final day the Senators found themselves one game behind a team that had never so much as posted a winning record. The nation looked on aghast as Allen Sothoron beat the emotionally-drained Yankees 4-1, mooting Washington’s 5-3 win over Chicago. Against all odds, the Brownies were champions. If ever a team was just happy to show up for the World Series, it was the Browns. In an entirely unexpected all-St. Louis affair, the results all went the NL side’s way as the Redbirds swept the Browns to capture the 1925 World Championship. Jesse Haines was named Series MVP for his complete game wins in Games 1 and 4. code:AL Standings : |
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