Showing posts with label Connie Mack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Connie Mack. Show all posts

Sunday, June 22, 2014

1905 World Series Game 5

New York: 2 Philadelphia: 0 (Giants win World Series 4-1)

WP: Mathewson (3-0)

LP: Bender (1-1)
Christy Mathewson returned for the third time in five games to shutout the A's. This time, Mathewson defeated Game 2 shutout victor Chief Bender by a score of 2-0. New York scored the only run needed in the fifth on a fly ball double play. In the eighth, Mathewson scored on a ground out. In the top of the ninth, the A's hit three weak grounders, two right back to the mound, to end the first Best-of-Seven World Series. It was the only series to feature a shutout in every game.

Christy Mathewson would have been a unanimous MVP. He threw three complete game shutouts in five games. Overall, he tossed 27 innings, surrendered 13 hits, walked 1 and struckout 18. Joe McGinnity won the other game for New York. The entire staff posted a 0.00 ERA. Red Ames made the only relief appearance for either side.

The A's posted a cumulative 1.67 ERA in defeat. They batted .155 as a team with just 2 RBI and a miniscule .373 OPS. Topsey Hatsel led the A's with a .235 average and .610 OPS. The team struck out 25 times in the five games.

New York batted marginally better than Philadelphia. They hit .216 with a .556 OPS. Roger Bresnahan hit .313 with a .938 OPS. Billy Gilbert hit .294, but not one else topped .263. Neither team hit a home run.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

1905 World Series Game 4

New York: 1 Philadelphia: 0 (New York leads 3-1)

WP: McGinnity (1-1)

LP: Plank (0-2)
Game 4 decided the World Series. Philadelphia trailed 2-1 and there was no way of recovering from a 3-1 deficit with the way Mathewson had been pitching. Connie Mack turned to Game1 starter Eddie Plank. John McGraw started Joe McGinnity. This was the third game in the series to feature a Hall of Fame pitching matchup.

Both men pitched like Hall of Famers in Game 4. The game's only run scored in the fourth. Sam Mertes reached on an error by shortstop Monte Cross. Two outs later, Mertes stood at second. With the pitcher on deck, second baseman Billy Gilbert slapped the biggest hit of his career to give New York a 1-0 lead. The unearned run stood up. Each pitcher allowed 5 hits and no earned runs in 9 innings. However, the Giants took an insurmontable 3-1 series lead with Mathewson waiting in the wings.

Monday, June 9, 2014

The 1905 World Series overview

The 1903 World Champion Boston Americans repeated as AL Champs in 1904. However, the National League champion Giants refused to play in a World Series. New York manager John McGraw refused to recognize the upstart American League. The Giants should have been forced to forfeit the world title in 1904. However, public pressure forced McGraw to play in the soon-to-be Fall Classic in 1905.

The 1905 Series featured Hall of Fame skippers John McGraw and Connie Mack. The Philadelphia A's unseated the Bostoners for the AL crown. The Giants won the NL by 9 games after a 105 win campaign. Then, McGraw's Giants won the championship in five games over the A's. Each game featured a shutout. The two teams boasted eight total Hall of Fame players including the series hero Christie Mathewson.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Chief Bender: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1953

Born: May 5, 1884

Attended college before joining A's

Debut: April 20, 1903 (A's)

1905: A's lose World Series

1910: Threw no-hitter against Indians

1910: A's Win World Series

1910s: Innovated the slider

1911: A's win World Series

1913: A's win World Series

1914: A's lose World Series

1914: Jumped to Baltimore Terrapins

1916: Purchased by Phillies

1918: Worked in shipyards during World War I

1926-50: Worked in A's organization

1953: Elected to Hall of Fame

1954: Died

Accomplishments:
3x World Champion

No-Hitter

212-127

1.113 WHIP

2.46 ERA

255 CG

40 shutouts

3017 IP

.625 win percentage

Won 15+ games: 8x

Won 20+ games: 2x

Led league in win %: 3x

10+ CG: 13x

15+CG: 9x

20+ CG: 5x

Led league in saves: 2x

200+ IP: 9x

250+ IP: 3x

1.000 whip or less: 3x

Postseason: 6-4, 2.44 ERA, 85 IP, 1.012 WHIP, 59 strikeouts (5 World Series)

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Eddie Collins: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1939

Born: May 2, 1887

1905-06: Quarterback of the Columbia Football Team

Debut: September 17, 1906 (Philadelphia A’s)

1907: Graduated from Columbia

1907: Coached Columbia baseball after getting caught playing pro ball under a pseudonym

1908: Joined the majors for good

1909: Named A’s starting second baseman

1910: A’s win World Series

1910-14: Collins was part of the “$100,000” infield.

1911: A’s win World Series

1913: A’s win World Series

1914: AL MVP

1914: A’s win pennant; lose World Series to the “Miracle” Braves

1914: Connie Mack offered Collins an unprecedented 5-year contract; Collins declined and was sold to the White Sox

1915: First season with the Chicago White Sox; Collins made $15,000 with Chicago.

1917: White Sox win World Series

1919: The “Black Sox” throw the World Series. Collins did not participate in the fix.

1924: Named Player/Manager of the White Sox (174-160 record)

1926: Fired as Sox manager

1927: Returns to A’s.

1929: A’s win World Series

1930: A’s win World Series

1930: Retired at season’s end

1931-32: A’s coach

1933-47: Boston Red Sox GM

1939: Elected to Hall of Fame on the 4th ballot

1946: Red Sox win the pennant, but lose World Series to the Cardinals

1947-51: Served in the Red Sox front office after stepping down as GM

Died: May 2, 1951

1999: Nominee for the All Century Team

Accomplishments:
6x World Champion

1914 AL MVP

Candidate for Greatest Second Baseman of All Time

.333 career hitter

3315 career hits

1300 RBI

741 steals

438 doubles

187 triples

.424 career OBP

512 sacrifice hits (#1 all time)

4258 total bases

1821 runs

Led league in runs scored: 3x

100 + runs: 7x

Stolen base leader: 4x

30+ steals: 12x

40+ steals: 10x

50+ steals: 6x

60+ steals: 3x

81 steals (1910)

Led league in walks in 1915 (119)

100+ walks: 2x

Hit .300 or better: 19x

.400+ OBP: 17x

.900+ OPS: 6x

Postseason batting: .328 in 6 World Series

Managerial Record:
174-160 (.521) No Pennants

Friday, July 15, 2011

John McGraw: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1937

Born: April 7, 1873

1890: Minor Leagues

Debut: August 26, 1891 for Baltimore Orioles

1892: Baltimore moved to the National League

1897: Led league in OBP

1898: Led league in runs and walks

1899: Led league in runs, walks, and OBP

1899: Managed Baltimore Orioles (86-62 record)

1900: Played for the Cardinals and led league in OBP

1901-02: Managed and played for AL Baltimore Orioles (94-96 record)

1902: Moved to New York Giants and played very few games until 1906

1902: Began managing New York Giants (2583-1790 record)

1904: Giants win Pennant; McGraw refused to play in the World Series. McGraw declared the Giants World Champions.

1905: Won World Series. Pitcher Christy Mathewson threw three complete game shutouts for the Giants.

Final Game as a player: September 12, 1906

1911-1913: Won NL Pennant, but lost the World Series each time.

1917: Won NL Pennant; Lost World Series to the White Sox

1921: Won World Series

1922: Won World Series

1923: Won NL Pennant, but lost World Series to the Yankees

1924: Won NL Pennant, but lost World Series to Washington

1932: Retired. His retirement dominated the news and pushed Lou Gehrig’s four home run game off the front page.

1933: Managed NL team in first All Star Game

Died: February 25, 1934

1937: Elected to Hall of Fame

Sometime after his death, his wife discovered a list of black players McGraw wanted to sign, but was blocked by the institutional racism within Major League Baseball.

Accomplishments:
3x OBP leader

2x Runs scored leader

2x Walk leader

10 Pennants

3x World Champion

4x 100-win seasons as a manager

2763-1948 career win-loss

2763 wins were first all time when he retired. Today, they are second all time behind Connie Mack. Tony LaRussa is on the verge of passing McGraw.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Connie Mack: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1937

December 22, 1862: Born

Major League Debut: September 11, 1886

Mack played for Washington, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. He was a .244 career hitter.

Final Game: August 29, 1896

1894-1896: Managed the Pirates (289-149 record).

1897-1900: Managed the minor league Milwaukee Brewers.

1901: Became manager and part-owner of the Philadelphia Athletics.

1902: Won Pennant

1905: Won Pennant, lost World Series to Giants

1910: Won World Series

1910s: A’s teams featured the “$100,000 infield” of Eddie Collins, Home Run Baker, Jack Barry, and Stuffy McInnis.

1911: Won World Series

1913: Won World Series

1914: Won Pennant, lost World Series to the Braves

1915: Mack dismantled the team rather than pay its stars. The A’s lose 109 games.

1916: 117 loss season. Philadelphia would suffer through 100 loss seasons from 1919-21.

1929: Won World Series

1930: Won World Series

1931: Lost World Series to the Cardinals

1932: Dismantled the team again at season‘s end. The Philadelphia A’s never recover.

1936: Becomes full owner of Athletics

1937: Elected to Hall of Fame

1950: Retired. At the end, his faculties were disintegrating. (A’s record: 3582-3814)

1954: The Mack Family sells the Athletics. The new owner moves them to Kansas City

February 8, 1956: Died

Accomplishments:
3731-3948 Overall record.

#1 All time wins

#1 All time losses

#1 All Time games managed

9 Pennants

5x World Champion

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Napoleon Lajoie: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1937

Born: September 5, 1874

Debut: August 12, 1896

1898: Switched to second base

1901: Left Phillies for the Athletics

1901: Wins Triple Crown (.426, 14, 125) and is walked intentionally with the bases loaded in a game. Also: 145 Runs, 232 Hits, 48 doubles, 14 triples, .463 OBP, .643 slugging, 1.106 OPS, and 350 Total Bases.

1902: Phillies gain injunction against Lajoie. He could not play for any team in Pennsylvania. Connie Mack trades Lajoie to Cleveland. Lajoie could not enter Pennsylvania until 1903.

1902: Wins Batting Title (.378)

1903: Wins Batting Title (.344)

1904: Wins Batting Title (.376)

1905-1909: Managed Cleveland (377-309 Record)

1910: Chalmers Controversy culminates rivalry with Ty Cobb

1916: Retired from Majors

1917: Played for Toronto in International League and hit .380. Won his only championship.
1918: Managed Toronto and hit .282.

1918-1925: Ran for Cuyahoga Sheriff and lost. Worked as a rubber salesman.

1925: Retired to Florida

1937: Elected to the Hall of Fame on the second ballot

Died: February 7, 1959

Accomplishments:
1901 Triple Crown

4x Batting Champion

OBP Leader: 2x

Slugging Champion: 4x

OPS Leader: 3x

Runs Scored Leader: 1901

Total Bases Leader: 4x

.338 Career Hitter

.380 Career OBP

1599 Career RBI

3242 Career Hits

1504 Career Runs


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Top 10 Managers in Baseball History

Here are the top 10 managers in Baseball history. They are in alphabetical order. If there is a number one, it is Joseph McCarthy.

Walter Alston: Dodgers (1954-1976) 2040-1613 record, 7 Pennants, and 4 World Series Titles


Sparky Anderson: Reds and Tigers (1970-1995): 2194-1834 record, 5 Pennants and 3 World Series Titles

Bobby Cox: Braves, Blue Jays (1978-1985, 1990-2010): 2504-2001 record, 5 Pennants and 1 World Series Title

Tommy Lasorda: Dodgers (1976-1996): 1599-1439 record, 4 Pennants and 2 World Series Titles

Connie Mack: Pirates and A’s (1894-1896, 1901-1950): 3731-3948 record, 9 Pennants and 5 World Series Titles

Joe McCarthy: Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox (1926-1946, 1948-1950): 2125-1333 record, 9 Pennants and 7 World Series Titles

John McGraw: Orioles and Giants (1899, 1901-1932): 2763-1948 record, 10 Pennants and 3 World Series Titles

Casey Stengel: Dodgers, Bees, Braves, Yankees, Mets (1934-1936, 1938-1943, 1949-1960, 1962-1965): 1905-1842 record, 10 Pennants and 7 World Series Titles

Joe Torre: Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees, Dodgers (1977-1984, 1990-2010): 2326-1997 record, 6 Pennants and 4 World Series Titles

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Top 10 Athletics Moments

Here are the top 10 moments in Philadelphia and Oakland A's History:

1910: $100,000 infield wins World Series: The Philadelphia Athletics fielded a highly paid team. The infield included Harry Davis, Jack Berry, Frank Baker, and Eddie Collins. The A’s won three championships in four years.

1929-1930: A’s go back-to-back: The A’s made three straight World Series appearances and won consecutive titles in 1929 and 1930. To win the pennant, they beat out the Yankees of Ruth and Gehrig.

1932: Jimmy Foxx’s season for the ages: .364, 58 HR, 169 RBI, 151 runs scored, 1.218 OPS, AL MVP.

1950: Connie Mack retires: Mack managed the A’s for fifty years. He won 3584 games as A’s manager and 149 for the Pirates. He won 9 pennants and 5 titles.

1968: Catfish throws perfect game: (against a good hitting Twins team)

1974: Three-peat: The A’s won the world title from 1972-74.

1982: Rickey steals 130 bases: That number is now mind boggling. Wasn’t at the time.

1989: A’s win Earthquake series

1991: Rickey steals #939: and is then overshadowed by Nolan Ryan’s no-hitter.

2002: A’s win 20th straight game: 12-11 over KC