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 heightened more so 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. Of course, I'll be exercising my creative license whenever and wherever ever possible. But, 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 #81
POLO GROUNDS
Pirates Even Series; Giants Walk Plank in Tenth
The first-place Pirates strike back, but it takes extra innings to ultimately gain victory. A crowd of 36,000 watches on with dismay when George Cutshaw drives home Carson Bigbee and Rabbit Maranville in the top half of the tenth. With two outs and a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom half of the frame, Frankie Frisch pops foul to first baseman Charlie Grimm and the crowd exits quietly. After four scoreless innings, the Giants and Pirates battle to a four-all tie through nine. Dave Robertson and Charlie Grimm each drive home a run for Pittsburgh; High Pockets Kelly and Bill Cunningham each plate a run for the Giants. Jesse Barnes is relieved after the eight innings, having allowed eight hits, including a Charlie Grimm home run and one walk, but escapes with a no-decision. Making his first appearance upon being acquired from the Phillies, Red Causey takes the loss. Pittsburgh starter Earl Hamilton pitches all ten innings for the win.
- FINAL: PITT 4; NYG 2 *10 innings
- RECORD: 51-30 (.630); second place, 3.0 GB of Pittsburgh
⚾
GAME #83
Navin Field
Seventh In A Row Pulls Yankees Within One Of Cleveland
With Sunday's defeat of the Tigers, New York extends their win streak to seven consecutive games. However, it's the Tigers who opened the scoring early and often. Trailing 5-1 through the fourth, the Yankees erupt for seven runs in the fifth to get starter Rip Collins off the hook. Collins allows five runs (only one earned) on six hits and five walks in three innings. Jack Quinn pitches six scoreless innings in relief of Collins for the win. Home Run Baker and Wally Pipp each drive in two runs apiece. Aaron Ward leads the team with three hits and drives home one run. Coupled with Cleveland's loss against the Senators, the Yankees pull within one game of first place.
- FINAL: NYY 8; DET 5
- RECORD: 52-31 (.627); second place, 1.0 GB of Cleveland
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