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 #67
POLO GROUNDS
John McGraw's New Acquisitions Shine In Giants Win
After three straight days of being idle at Boston, a change of site was in order, and today finally, the Giants hosted the Braves at the Polo Grounds. On the one hand, Boston starter Hugh McQuillan can only scratch his head and ponder the what-if. He allows two unearned runs on just six hits and no walks with two strikeouts in a losing effort. Hod Ford triples, giving the Braves a 1-0 lead in the second. Errors by shortstop Walter Barbare in the third and Billy Southworth in the seventh lead to the tying and decisive runs. On the other hand, John McGraw walks away from game one's victory with a sense of vindication, having recently traded Goldie Rapp to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for infielder Johnny Rawlings and outfielder Casey Stengel. It is speedy Johnny Rawlings who crosses the plate in the third and singles in the seventh, scoring Casey Stengel with help from a misplay in right. Art Nehf allows one run on seven hits and no walks with four strikeouts for his ninth victory this season.
- FINAL: PHI 1; NYG 2
⚾
GAME #68
POLO GROUNDS
Make-Up: June 30, 1921
George Burns and Dave Bancroft Take Jesse Barnes Off The Hook; Giants Sweep Twin Bill
The Giants scored early, often, and late en route to a commanding 10-5 victory and sweep of Sunday's twin bill. In the first, Ross Youngs drives home Frankie Frisch, and George Burns follows with a triple in the second, scoring two. Left fielder Walton Cruise homers off Giants starter Jesse Barnes in the fourth, making it a 3-1 game. Boston then jumps ahead in the sixth with four runs on five hits highlighted by Hod Ford's home run giving the Braves a 5-3 lead. Curt Walker singles home Johnny Rawlings, and Dave Bancroft drives home two runs giving the Giants a 6-5 lead. Not yet done, the Giants post four more runs in the seventh; Curt Walker plates one, George Burns drives home two, and Dave Bancroft triples, scoring Burns for the Giants' final margin of victory. All told, Burns leads the Giants with four runs batted in, and Bancroft drives home three. Jesse Barnes allows five earned runs on ten hits and four walks through six innings pitched. Rube Benton and Slim Salle join for three scoreless innings in relief of Barnes.
- FINAL: BOS 5; NYG 10
- RECORD: 42-26 (.618); second place, 4.5 GB of Pittsburgh
NEXT GAME:
Monday, July 4, 1921, *doubleheader
POLO GROUNDS
It was not lost upon John McGraw that on Saturday the Yankees drew 36,000 fans to the Polo Grounds for their twin bill against the Red Sox, nor the fact that it is Babe Ruth they come to see in greater numbers rather than, say, Frankie Frisch, Dave Bancroft, or High Pockets Kelly. For Sunday's doubleheader against the Braves, albeit relocated from Boston due to weather conditions, the Giants drew 28,000 fans. Lest we forget, that on a Wednesday, April 13, the Yankees drew 37,000 fans to the Polo Grounds for their Opening Day contest against the A's. Whereas the Giants, on Thursday, April 21, drew just 25,000 fans for their Opening Day contest against the Phillies.
--------
While it seems Miller Huggins is everlong chapped with Babe Ruth, the Yankees manager himself is coming under scrutiny. Why the Yankees trail the Indians by two games is not in question. Why the Yankees are not leading the circuit by two games is. After Carl Mays and Waite Hoyt, pitching has become somewhat problematic for the Highlanders. Scuttlebutt says Miller Huggins is exacerbating the situation. Over the last ten games, not once has the Hugman utilized any pitcher out of the bullpen, including losses.
---------
With 30 home runs this season, Babe Ruth is just five away from tying Roger Connor's all-time mark of 138 home runs amassed over 18 seasons. Babe Ruth this year turned 26-years old and has led all of baseball in home runs in each of his last three seasons. Most noted for his years playing with the Troy Trojans and New York Giants - also not lost on John McGraw - Roger Connor hit his last home run during the 1897 season while with the St. Louis Browns. Earlier this season, Babe Ruth shattered Gavvy Cravath's 20th-century mark of 119 career home runs. Six times as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cravath led the National League in home runs, and three times led all of baseball. After leading the senior circuit again in 1919, Cactus Cravath, in 1920, hit the final home run of his career.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Say what you feel. The worse comment you can make is the one you do not make.