100 Years Ago Today 8/15/1920: Brooklyn Robins Alone in First After Victory Over Phillies

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champion

Game #112: Sunday, August 15, 1920 - BR
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Brooklyn Dodgers
Ebbets Field

Fireman Burleigh Grimes Saves the Day; Robins Back in Sole Possession of First

It takes longer than anticipated, but the Robins outlast the Phillies at Ebbets Field to regain sole possession of first place.  Facing Jeff Pfeffer, Philadelphia leads 4-2 after five innings.  Pitching for Philadelphia is former Trolley Dodger George Smith.  Pfeffer is knocked out of the game after yielding four earned runs on six hits and a walk through six innings.  In the Brooklyn seventh, Ivy Olson, Jimmy Johnston and Tommy Griffith together generate two runs tying the game at four.  Pitching in relief of Jeff Pfeffer and Leon Cardore in the Philadelphia eighth, Al Mamaux walks two of three batters faced.  That prompts a visit by Uncle Robbie who urgently summons Burleigh Grimes from the bullpen.  The spitballer rewards his manager with a goose egg.  But the game stays knotted through the ninth and tenth and eleventh innings.  Philadelphia breaks the deadlock in the top of the twelfth helped by Ivy Olson's errant throw with the bases loaded.  Grimes regains control of the situation and escapes with only one run scored.  Brooklyn born right-hander Johnny Enzmann enters the game for the Phillies.  Ivy Olson and Jimmy Johnston greet him with consecutive singles, and with one out Zack Wheat is issued an intentional walk.  Manager Gavvy Cravath looks on as Ivy Olson steps in.  Cravath gets his wish, a sure double play ground ball to short is returned home for a force out.  But catcher Mack Wheat throws errantly to first base allowing both brother Zack and Jimmy Johnston to score.  Native Brooklynite and former Robins pitcher Johnny Enzmann suffers his first loss in only his fifth appearance of the season.  Back in 1914 he appears in seven games for his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers.  The spitballer Burleigh Grimes allows no earned runs on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts though 4.2 innings for the win.  He improves to 18-7 with a 2.18 earned run average.  Chicago whitewashes the Reds at Cubs Park, and the Giants split a twin bill with the Braves at the Polo Grounds.

• RECORD: 63-48 (.568)
• First Place; 1.0 GA