From the desk: WHEN THE POLO GROUNDS WAS THE WORLD
100 Years Ago Today at the Polo Grounds:
New York Giants & New York Yankees
1921 Seasons Revisited
In their last season at Hilltop Park, the now formerly known New York Highlanders lost 102 games. Rebranded as the Yankees, in 1913, they moved just a few blocks away into the Polo Grounds as tenants of the Senior Circuit's New York Giants. To the chagrin of Giants manager John McGraw, the Americans proceeded to lose another 94 games.
Known to hold a grudge, McGraw still harbored much animosity two full decades later, not only towards Ban Johnson and his rebel circuit (unkept promises included) but more so towards the Yankees. As they were founded at the expense of his rendered defunct Baltimore Orioles.
For as long as the Yankees paid their rent, the tenant/landlord relationship with the Giants remained amicably strained. Mainly because the middling Americans, except for one season in 1916, never elevated themselves above the ranks of Junior Circuit also-rans. But that changed in 1919 when they briefly vied for the pennant but tuckered out down the stretch to finish third. A franchise-record 619,164 fans showed up to root for the American League contenders. However, the Yankees' burgeoning success was not yet a pressing issue, per se, for the Giants, who were coming off a second-place finish and their best season in a decade at the turnstile.
Then, in 1920, baseball's tectonic plates along the New York/New England fault shift. The Yankees' purchase of George Herman "Babe" Ruth from the Boston Red Sox sends seismic waves reverberating throughout the baseball world but none more intense than in Washington Heights.
Ruth's earth-shattering record of 54 home runs was something never experienced before in the history of baseball. However, it was an accomplishment for which John McGraw had little appreciation. He believes players work too hard and earnestly only to have their skills disrespected by some miscreant's lone swing of the bat.
Gotham's citizenry never before descended from Coogan's Bluff in such quantity and spectacle than in 1920 as the Giants would set a franchise record with 929,609 reported attendance. However, the New York Nationals faced an economic dilemma of Ruthian proportions. McGraw's disdain for his tenants was further heightened when the Yankees outdrew the host Giants in their own home for the first time in each franchise's history. Headlined by Babe Ruth, the Yankees seized the city's attention, evidenced by an all-time major league record of 1,289,422 in attendance.
In 1921, over two million fans would again pack the Polo Grounds. Babe Ruth would continue accomplishing the unimaginable, and if that wasn't surreal enough, he proceeds to top it. All the while, with each passing day, John McGraw grows more incensed. Lest we forget, New York City is still Little Napoleon's empire.
Sharing a ballpark for both teams is becoming an insufferable condition—the Giants attempt to evict the Yankees before the start of 1921 to no avail. But a solution lies not too far away ...
Until then, two major league titans charge headlong into a season-ending October clash at the Polo Grounds. It is New York City's first-ever World's Championship Subway Series. All games are played at the Polo Grounds, making Coogan's Bluff the center of the baseball universe.
This is my replay of that season. I'll be exercising my creative license whenever and wherever ever possible. More than anything, this is about having fun and celebrating New York City's baseball history.
- Stats: BASEBALL REFERENCE
Enjoy the games ... PLAY BALL!
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GAME #28
POLO GROUNDS
Earl Smith Hits Ninth Inning Game-Winning Home Run; Giants Extend Win Streak to Eight
With the Cubs clinging to a one-run lead through seven, starter Buck Freeman authors his own demise by plunking pinch-hitter Eddie Brown leading off the eighth, then issuing two walks loading the bases. Manager Johnny Evers summons Lefty York from the bullpen, who proceeds to walk High Pockets Kelly and Frank Snyder, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead. For the top half of the ninth, Mister McGraw replaces starter Rube Benton with righty Phil Douglas who walks the first batter he faces, then with one out walks another. Mister McGraw would have none of it; out goes Douglas, and into the game comes Slim Salle. With two outs, shortstop Charlie Hollocher's infield hit to first scores the tying run. Leading off the bottom of the ninth, catcher Earl Smith homers to deep right field off reliever Speed Martin ends the game - just as Curt Walker had done one day ago. The Giants take the series opener and extend their winning streak to eight games. They also become the only second team in either league to achieve 20 victories to date.
- FINAL: CHI 2; NYG 3
- RECORD: 20-8 (.714); second place, 1.5 GB of Pittsburgh
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GAME #26
Comisky Park
White Sox Mount Twelve Hit Attack; Veteran Red Faber Handles the Rest
Outside of a mild retort in the seventh, the Yankees have no answer for two-time 20-game winner Red Faber and the host White Sox. Making his tenth appearance, the veteran Faber limits New York to a pair of runs on just five hits and four walks with three strikeouts over nine innings complete. He improves to 7-2 with a 1.22 earned run average. Aaron Ward is hit with a pitch leading off the seventh, then scored on the double by Chicken Hawks, who would also score when Roger Peckinpaugh bounces into a double-play. All three Yankees hurlers took their lumps, yielding a total of 12 runs (only one unearned) on twelve hits and seven walks. Starter Jack Quinn takes the loss. Chicago's second baseman Eddie Collins leads the assault, going 4 for 5 with two runs batted in; right fielder Harry Hooper was 2 for 5 with two runs scored. Left fielder Babe Ruth follows yesterday's focus-lacking performance with a muted 0 for 5 effort at the plate and therein lies Muller Huggins' consternation: with today's loss, the Yankees relinquish their half share of first place to fall one full game behind the Indians. In fairness, Bob Meusel and Home Run Baker were likewise held hitless. Said another way, today's series opener is an instance where it's perhaps best to just render Red Faber due credit.
- FINAL: NYY 2; CHI 12
- RECORD: 15-11 (.577); second place, 1.0 GB of Cleveland
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