100 Years Ago Today 9/27/1920: New York Giants Bow Out of National League Race

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF DEM BUMS & LITTLE NAPOLEON'S EMPIRE

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

All eyes were on the Polo Grounds.  New York on this day was supposed to be idle, like the Robins.  But with much ground to make up in the standings and so little time left, the Giants were forced to host a make-up twin bill against the Boston Braves.  Anything short of a sweep meant Brooklyn would clinch the National League pennant.  With two victories the Giants would host the Robins for three decisive games at the Polo Grounds.

Game #150: Monday, September 27, 1920, GAME ONE - BR
Boston Braves vs. New York Giants
Polo Grounds

Giants Stave Off Elimination; Art Nehf Wins Number Twenty-One

With Uncle Robbie no doubt hidden somewhere in the stands, John McGraw hands the ball to 20-game winner Art Nehf.  Frankie Frisch and Lee King in the fourth inning stake New York to a 2-0 lead and Nehf makes it hold.  In the midst of his best season, the Giants southpaw limits his former team mates to just one run on seven hits and one walk over nine innings full to earn his 21st win of the season.  Otherwise Braves starter Leo Townsend holds the Giants to just one earned run on four hits and a walk.  New York nevertheless evades elimination and pull within 4 1/2 games of the Robins with five to play.

Game #151: Monday, September 27, 1920, GAME TWO - BR
Boston Braves vs. New York Giants
Polo Grounds

Giants Fall Out of Race; Brooklyn Robins Clinch Second National League Pennant in Five Years!

Clearly in a bind, John McGraw calls upon 22-year old rookie Rosy Ryan to pitch game two.  The occasion marks just his third appearance of the season and his first since April.  Ryan duels the likewise little known and seldom used Al Pierotti, who is making just his fifth appearance of the season.  Boston opens the scoring in the first on Walter Holke's base hit.  Larry Doyle and Earl Smith join together in the fourth to tie the game at one.  In the Braves fifth, Al Pierotti aides his own cause with a run batted in.  With one out in the eighth Frankie Frisch ties the score with an inside the park home run launched deep into the right/center gap.  Into the ninth inning they go knotted at two apiece.  Nervousness among the 8,000 in attendance is palpable.  Leading off the top of the ninth, Braves third baseman Tony Boeckel deposits a Rosy Ryan offering deep into the left field stands.  Scattered pockets of Robins fans rejoice.  Pierotti in the bottom half of the ninth retires the Giants in order.  The loss leaves New York five games out of first with only four to play.  

Meanwhile, back in Brooklyn ....

100 Years Ago Today 6/1/1920: Brooklyn Robins Forge First Place Tie With Reds

From the desk of:  FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champions

Game #37: Tuesday, June 1, 1920 - BR
New York Giants vs. Brooklyn Robins
Ebbets Field

Brooklyn Robins Complete Sweep of Giants; Move Into First Place Tie With Reds

The month of June begins with a real barnburner, a fierce back and forth affair at Ebbets Field in which Brooklyn wins Tuesday's series finale and completes a three game sweep over their Giant rivals.  Rube Marquard is opposed by New York yeoman Rube Benton.  Both fail to make it out of the fifth inning.  With two out and two on in the Brooklyn first Pete Kilduff reaches safely on an error by shortstop Art Fletcher.  With the bases loaded Clarence Mitchell singles to left plating two.  New York storms back with two runs batted in each by Art Fletcher and Larry Doyle, and one run batted in from Frank Snyder, for a 5-2 lead through four and one half innings.  The Brooks then rally for two in the bottom half of the fifth on runs batted in from Bill McCabe and Ernie Krueger.  After which a Hi Myers triple in the sixth plates two for a 6-5 Robins lead.  But the bullpen duo of Art Nehf and Phil Douglas falters in the eighth yielding four runs on three hits and two walks giving New York a 9-6 advantage.  Then comes the obligatory comeback.  Pete Kuldiff and Clarence Mitchell each drive in a run apiece in the eighth cutting the Robins deficit to one.  In the Brooklyn ninth an incensed John McGraw seethes over his club's fourth error of the game, and eleventh of the series.  With two outs and the bases filled with Robins, Hi Myers doubles into deep right plating the tying and winning runs.  For the game Hi Myers is 2 for 5 with a walk, double, triple, two runs scored, and four runs batted in.  Bill McCabe starts in left field in place of the injured Zack Wheat.  Speaking of which Clarence Mitchell since taking over first base for the injured Ed Konetchy enjoys his biggest day at the plate going 4 for 5 with three runs batted in.  Sherry Smith earns his third victory in relief of Rube Marquard and George Mohart.  Marquard surrenders five earned runs on seven hits and one walk in just four innings pitched.  The Robins are now winners of six in a row.

• RECORD: 22-14 (.611)
• 1st place; tied

100 Years Ago Today 5/6/1920: New York Giants Even Series With Brooklyn Robins at Polo Grounds

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champions

Game #17: Thursday, May 6, 1920 - BR
Brooklyn Robins vs. New York Giants
Polo Grounds

Giants Take Middle Game; Starter Phil Douglas Outlasts Brooks at Polo Grounds

Ivy Olson's grounder to the right side leading off the game is mishandled by Giants second baseman Larry Doyle.  Jimmy Johnson then singles up the middle putting runners on the corners.  Next up Pete Kilduff bounces into a 6-4-3 double play while Olson crosses the plate giving the Robins a prompt 1-0 lead.  A dismayed throng at the Polo Grounds numbering upwards of 10,000 sound off disapprovingly.  But the Giants quickly reconcile the matter with three hits and two runs in the bottom half of the frame.  Potential goat Larry Doyle and center fielder Benny Kauff each drive in a run.  After which, neither team would score again.  For the next eight innings starting pitchers Al Mamaux for the Robins and Phil Douglas for New York decorate the scoreboard with goose eggs.  Making his first start of the season Al Mamaux a former 20-game winner for Pittsburgh yields two earned runs on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts through eight innings in a hard luck loss.  Acquired last year midway through the season by the Giants veteran Phil Douglas allows one unearned run on seven hits and one walk with one strikeout through nine innings for his first victory of the season.  Zack Wheat strokes two doubles in four times at-bat.  He has now hit safely in eight straight, and 16 of Brooklyn's first 17 games to start the season.  The Robins go 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

• RECORD: 9-7 (.562)
• 3rd place; 1 GB

POLO GROUNDS

100 Years Ago Today 5/5/1920: Rested Brooklyn Robins Outlast New York Giants at Polo Grounds

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champions

Game #16: Wednesday, May 5, 1920 - BR
Brooklyn Robins vs. New York Giants
Polo Grounds

Robins Get Back in Win Column With Series Opening Victory Over Rival Giants at Polo Grounds

It is said around baseball circles get to the good ones early before they settle into a rhythm.  After a sorely needed day off the rejuvenated Robins do just that against Giants starter Jesse Barnes in jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first on four hits and runs batted in from Zack Wheat and Ed Konetchy.  New York counters with a run in the bottom half of the frame with lead-off hitter George Burns singling against Robins starter Clarence Mitchell then scoring from third on a sac-fly off the bat of shortstop Art Fletcher.  Brooklyn adds a crucial insurance run in the third which would prove to be the difference - with two on and one out Ed Konetchy doubles home Hi Myers from second base giving Brooklyn a 4-1 lead.  But of course the Giants rally.  Art Fletcher doubles home his second run of the game in the sixth, and second baseman Larry Doyle promptly follows with a hit scoring Fletcher making it a 3-4 Giants deficit.  However the New Yorkers would score no more.  Burleigh Grimes relieves Clarence Mitchell who he pitches himself into trouble to start off the eighth.  Mitchell exits on the winning side of the contest having allowed three runs, two earned, on just five hits and two walks with two strikeouts through seven innings of work.  Grimes faces nine batters over two scoreless innings for the save.  Jesse "nubby" Barnes a 25-game winner last season for the Giants suffers his third defeat of the season against two victories.  He yields four runs, three earned, on twelve hits but no walks, nor a strikeout through eight innings pitched.  Brooklyn third baseman Jimmy Johnston is 4 for 5 with a run scored.  Zack Wheat goes 3 for 5 with a double, a run scored, and a run batted in.  Wheat (.357) has now hit safely in 15 of Brooklyn's first 16 games to start the season.  Meanwhile Ed Konetchy extends his team lead with ten runs batted in.

• RECORD: 9-6
• 2nd place; 1 GB

100 Years Ago Today 4/29/1920: Brooklyn Robins Defeat Giants in Rubber Game at Ebbets

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF THE BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS

1920 National League Champions

Game #11: Thursday, April 29, 1920 - BR
New York Giants vs. Brooklyn Robins
Ebbets Field

Robins Take Rubber Game at Ebbets Field; Starter Clarence Mitchell Whitewashes Giants

Giants   0

Robins  3

Cheered on by 9,000 strong at Ebbets Field the Robins continue their hot start with a 3-0 whitewashing of their rival Giants.  Fielding errors, this time committed by shortstop Art Fletcher and second baseman Larry Doyle, for a second straight game are New York's undoing.  Brooklyn tallies three unearned runs in the first and Robins southpaw Clarence Mitchell takes care of the rest.  Jimmy Johnston, Zack Wheat, and Hi Myers all cross the plate for Brooklyn.  Only Ed Konetchy is credited with a run batted in.  New York starter Fred Toney takes the loss upon yielding three unearned runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout through six innings pitched.  Robins starter Clarence Mitchell on the other hand tosses a gem limiting the Giants to just five scattered hits and four walks with one strikeout through nine scoreless innings pitched.  The suddenly stingy Mitchell has now allowed but one earned run through his first two starts and 18 innings pitched.  Brooklyn improves to 8-3 and is tied for first place with the Cincinnati Reds.

• RECORD: 8-3 (.727)
• 1st place; tied