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 of 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 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 as 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!
GAME #42
POLO GROUNDS
Rosy Ryan Twirls a Dandy; High Pockets Hits Number Nine
Frankie Frisch and Rosy Youngs lash back-to-back triples in the first, giving the Giants an instant 3-0 lead and starter Rosy Ryan makes it stand. Ross Youngs knocks home two more, and Curt Walker drives home another in a three-run third. With Eddie Brown (double) standing on second in the fifth, High Pockets Kelly hits his ninth home run this season. Not yet done, Kelly knocks home Frisch in the seventh for the Giants' ninth score of the afternoon. Ryan comes up roses, allowing two earned runs on eight hits and no walks with two strikeouts through nine innings for the win. Jimmy Ring takes the loss.
- FINAL: PHI 2; NYG 9
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GAME #43
POLO GROUNDS
Rube Benton Tosses Three-Hitter, Dave Bancroft Takes Care of the Rest
The Phillies strike first. Errors by Dave Bancroft and Goldie Rapp open the way for two Philadelphia runs in the second. Bancroft makes up for his misplay with a triple in the third driving home George Burns. In the fourth, Earl Smith plates Curt Walker with a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the game at two. A big five-run fifth knocks Phillies starter George Smith out of the box. Bancroft hits an inside-the-park home run; Ross Youngs, High Pockets Kelly, and Earl Smith also drive in runs. Dave Bancroft caps off a big day at the plate with a double in the sixth, scoring Burns. Starter Rube Benton yields three runs, none earned, on just three hits and two walks for his fourth victory against one loss with a 1.19 ERA.
- FINAL: PHI 3; NYG 8
- RECORD: 29-14 (.674); second place, 2.5 GB of Pittsburgh
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GAME #41
Griffith Stadium
Walter Johnson Outlasts Carl Mays; Miller Huggins Under Scrutiny
Behind the great Walter Johnson, Washington wins today's series finale and defeat the Yankees three games to one. New York appeared headed towards a sure victory. Chick Fewster's run-scoring double in the top of the ninth gives the Yankees a 7-3 lead. But with one out and one on in the home ninth, starter Carl Mays yields a triple to pinch-hitter Clyde Milan. Then with two outs, Bucky Harris reaches safely on an errant throw by shortstop Mike McNally, pinch-runner Bobby LaMotte scores from third. Miller Huggins makes no move even as he watches Sam Rice triple to left field. Now down by one, right fielder Frank Brower singles home Rice with the tying run. Miller Huggins still makes no move. Left Fielder Bing Miller then doubles to center field, plating Brower with the winning run. Carl Mays allows eight runs, but only six are earned. Otherwise, the Senators hammer Mays for twelve hits, four going for extra bases, and three coming in the ninth. Miller Huggins must answer for this one.
- FINAL: NYY 7; WAS 8
- RECORD: 24-17 (.585), second place, 4.0 GB of Cleveland
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