1919 AL - Ruth's chase for the all-time home-run record


PlayerYearTeamGPHR
Williamson, Ed1884Chicago NL10727
Freeman, Buck1899Washington NL15525
Pfeffer, Fred1884Chicago NL11225
Cravath, Gavvy1915Philadelphia NL15024
Ruth, Babe1919Boston AL9423
Dalrymple, Abner1884Chicago NL11122
Anson, Cap1884Chicago NL11221
Schulte, Frank1911Chicago NL15421
Thompson, Sam1889Philadelphia NL12820

1919 AL - Games of Tuesday, 20 August

Yankees 7, Indians 5: A 7th-inning fielding error by Bill Wambsganss was the key play as the Yankees rallied to win in the late innings in Cleveland. A four-run Indian 3rd inning that featured doubles from Elmer Smith and Ray Chapman and a triple from Tris Speaker had been cancelled out by single NY runs in each of the 2nd through 5th innings, but the home team had taken the lead once again when Smith hit his 8th home run of the year to lead off the 6th. In the Yankees' next at-bat they got two singles, but also two outs, when Wally Pipp knocked one to Wambsganss that kicked off the heel of the secondbaseman's glove to load the bases. Del Pratt (three hits, three RBI) then made the miscue count when he lined a single to right field that scored two runs and put New York in front. Jack Quinn (15-10), who had settled down nicely after the early four-spot, shut the Indians down on one hit over the final three innings and retired the last five men in order. [box]

1919 AL - Games of Monday, 18 August

Indians 10, Yankees 2: Ray Chapman and Tris Speaker each drove home three runs as Cleveland used a five-run 4th inning outburst to run away from New York in The Forest City. The teams each scored twice in the 3rd, with Sammy Vick and Frank Baker knocking RBI extra-base hits for NY and Speaker singled home a pair with two outs for CLE. In the following inning, however, it went pear-shaped in a big way for Yankees starter Carl Mays (1-3); he plunked Jack Graney to load the bases with two outs and Chapman then drilled one over the head of Ping Bodie and to the CF wall for a three-run three-bagger, and Speaker and Gardner (three hits) followed with RBI hits that chased the surly right-hander from the game. Jim Bagby (12-12) was in complete control from that point, retiring sixteen of seventeen at one stretch and then setting down the final four Yanks while his teammates were piling on in the late innings. [box]

1919 AL - Games of Sunday, 17 August

White Sox 11, Athletics 3: Buck Weaver hit a three-run homer, in addition to a pair of singles, as Chicago ran the accounting into double figures against Philadelphia at Comiskey Park. The Sox already led 5-1 when Weaver followed Eddie Collins' two-run base hit with a drive into the left-field seats, his second four-bagger of the year, to cap a five-run 5th inning. Grover Lowdermilk (5-4) was the beneficiary of all of this Chicago clouting, holding the A's to one run on five hits before wilting a bit in the 9th inning on a warm Midwest afternoon. Collins had four RBI and Nemo Leibold scored three times, while Cy Perkins had two hits and two RBI for the visitors. [box]