100 Years Ago Today 9/21/1920: New York Giants Gain on Idle Brooklyn Robins

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF DEM BUM

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champions

The Robins are so far 18-4 this September with seven games left to play.  They've never been more than 3.5 games out of first place all season.  Yesterday they conclude a two game sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates to extend their first place lead by 5.5 games over the Giants, who have three more games than Brooklyn remaining on their schedule.  Although, the Brooks magic number is now down to three.  Any combination of Robins wins and Giants losses equalling three gives Brooklyn their second National League pennant in five years.  They resume play on Wednesday with one game against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field before hosting the New York Giants this coming weekend.  Today the Brooklyn Robins (88-59) are idle.

From the desk of: LITTLE NAPOLEON'S EMPIRE

Game #146: Tuesday, September 21, 1920 - BR
Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Giants
Polo Grounds

Fred Toney Hurls Gem Over Defending Champions; Giants Five Games Back

New York defeats the Reds and take the series three games to one to push the defending champions even further down the standings.  Cincinnati is now eight games out of first.  Starter Fred Toney outclasses novice Buddy Napier who decides today he'll render the finest performance of his spotty major league career.  After trading goose eggs through six, Ross Youngs walks leading off the bottom of the seventh then advances to third of Frankie Frisch's base hit back through the middle.  With no outs and runners at the corners, High Pockets Kelly grounds to second, Youngs scores on the play.  That's all New York would need.  Fred Toney limits Cincinnati to just three hits and two walks over nine shutout innings.  He improves to 21-11 with a 2.59 ERA.  The victory chops a half game away from Brooklyn's lead.  The Giants are now five out, but Brooklyn owns a magic number of three.  The Chicago Cubs visit tomorrow for one game at the Polo Grounds.

• RECORD: 82-63 (.566)
• 2nd Place; 5.0 GB

AMERICAN LEAGUE

• The New York Yankees defeat the Browns by an 8-3 final at St. Louis.  A rambunctious Babe Ruth goes 3 for 4, with a double, triple, and two runs batted in.  He now has 128 for the season and is still sitting on forty-nine home runs.  His last swat was seven games ago.  Duffy Lewis goes 3 for 4, with three runs batted in.  Bob Shawkey wins his 19th against twelve losses with a 2.45 ERA.  However, the Highlanders gain no ground.  They remain three full games out of first as the Indians complete a three game sweep of the Red Sox, and the White Sox likewise complete a three game sweep of the Athletics to stay 1.5 games behind the Indians.