100 Years Ago Today 7/16/1920: Brooklyn Robins Turn Back Defending Champs at Redland Field

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS
1920 National League Champions

Game #84: Friday, July 16, 1920 - BR
Brooklyn Robins vs. Cincinnati Reds
Redland Field

Robins Earn 50th Victory at Defending Champion's Expense

The long anticipated showdown pitting the first place Robins and second place Reds begins.  Cincinnati with a hasty four run outburst in the second sends an early reminder to Brooklyn's dugout as to whom the defending World Champions are.  However only one run is earned as Brooklyn's lone error of the game poses a transient dilemma.  But Burleigh Grimes recomposes himself and whitewashes the Reds through the game's final seven innings.  Meanwhile Brooklyn begins mounting a counter attack with a Hi Myers triple and Ed Konetchy base hit in the fifth.  In the sixth Zack Wheat triples home two runs and Hi Myers plates Wheat with a sacrifice fly tying the game at four.  Reds starter Ray Fisher is relieved in the seventh by Dutch Reuther.  Otto Miller in the top of the eighth gives the Robins their first lead of the game with a base hit scoring Hi Myers and Ed Konetchy for a 6-4 lead and final margin of victory.  Grimes allows one earned run on twelve hits and three walks with four strikeouts.  He improves to 13-5 with a 2.04 earned run average.  Ed Konetchy lifts his average to .330, going 3 for 4 with a run batted in.  Otto Miller and Zack Wheat each drive in two runs apiece.  Hi Myers drives in his team leading 46th run for the season.  Brooklyn's victory extends their lead over the Reds to three.  The Robins are winners of four straight, and improve to 13-2 on the road trip with eight games still to go.  To date they are an amazing 17-3 in July.

• RECORD: 50-33 (.602)
• First Place; 3.0 GA