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 #30
POLO GROUNDS
Late Surge Turns Back Cubs; Giants Lead Series 2-1
Despite taking an early 3-0 lead, the Giants find themselves trailing by three after five innings. Making his ninth and worst appearance to date, Fred Toney surrenders six runs all in the fifth inning, highlighted by home runs from second baseman Zeb Terry and left fielder John Sullivan. Mister McGraw removes Toney before the inning is through. Facing Hippo Vaughn pitching in relief of Percy Jones, the Giants strike back with five runs in the sixth; George Burns and Ross Youngs drive in two apiece, and Dave Bancroft delivers another for an 8-6 lead. New York scores twice more in the eighth for a 10-6 final. They are now winners of nine of their last ten and lead the Cubs two games to one.
- FINAL: CHI 6; NYG 10
- RECORD: 21-9 (.700); second place, 2.5 GB of Pittsburgh
GAME #28
Comisky Park
Yankees Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short
Chicago catcher Ray Schalk opens the scoring with a run-scoring double in the second. But Babe Ruth promptly answers in the third with a triple to center field scoring Roger Peckinpaugh, then scores on Wally Pipp's hit. Undeterred, Harry Hooper and center fielder Amos Strunk help Chicago retake a 4-2 lead. Wally Schang delivers home New York's third run in the fifth. Pitching in relief of starter Carl Mays, Tom Sheehan walks the first two batters leading off the seventh. After advancing into scoring position, Eddie Collins drives both based runners home for a 6-3 White Sox lead. With Chicago starter Dickey Kerr still in the game, the Yankees rally for two runs but fall short of a third and tying run. Carl Mays (6-3) takes the loss after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits through six innings pitched. Chicago now leads the series two games to one.
- FINAL: NYY 5; CHI 6
- RECORD: 16-12 (.571), second place, 2.0 GB of Cleveland
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