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Wednesday, September 23, 2020

100 Years Ago Today 9/23/1920: Brooklyn Robins and Giants Pause Before Showdown at Ebbets Field

From the desks of: FINGERPRINTS OF DEM BUMS & LITTLE NAPOLEON'S EMPIRE

100th Anniversary
BROOKLYN ROBINS
1920 National League Champions

NO GAMES SCHEDULED: Thursday, September 23, 1920

Summer is officially behind us.  Cooler air and longer shadows loom ahead as Autumn takes its turn.  John McGraw knows time is short.  But to the dismay of an entire city a two day break in the schedule freezes the National League pennant race in place.  With the defending champion Cincinnati Reds now a distant third, local fans anxiously wait out the calm before the storm.

The New York Giants commute to Brooklyn this weekend for two games at Ebbets Field.  Burleigh Grimes (22-10) and Jesse Barnes (18-15) are tentatively set to start on Saturday.  Rube Marquard (9-7) and Fred Toney (21-11) are due to pitch Sunday.

Five of the Giants next seven games are against the Robins who hold a five game lead in the standings and own a magic number of two.  Should luck be on the Giants side and they survive these next four games against the Robins and Boston Braves, they stand to host three more games against Brooklyn at the Polo Grounds in a series that would ultimately crown a new National League champion.

1) - Brooklyn     89-59 (.601)
2) - New York    83-63 (.568)  5.0 GB

That is, unless Uncle Robbie beats em to it.  So hope the Flatbush faithful who have packed Ebbets Field in record numbers much to the delight of Charlie and the McKeever Brothers.  The club has far exceeded their previous attendance record of 447,747 set in 1916, the last season they captured the pennant.  Now John McGraw finds himself in a similar position trailing his former pitching coach and friend turned rival, Wilbert Robinson, whom he feels abandoned him for the Dodgers after the 1913 season.

The rivalry resumes Saturday.


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