The very first World Series had the Boston Americans overcoming the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 in a best-of-nine affair. The format did not stick, as there would be Fall Classics to come that would only best-of-seven, or not played at all.
Indeed. There was no Fall Classic in 1904, since John McGraw didn't thin the American League was a good enough opponent. His New York Giants topped the Senior Circut with 106 wins. By comparison, the Junior Circuit's best was Boston again, but with only 95 wins.
McGraw's team proved to be much superior when the World Series resumed permanently (With the exception of the 1994 strike which wiped it out that season) the next season. The Giants had their was with the poor Philadelphia Athletics. Christy Mathewson had three shutouts as the New York needed just five games to win the best-of-seven affair. If Philly wanted to play more games, they needed the best-of-nine format back.
The World Series itself seemed to stay that way for a while. McGraw's Giants dropped a heartbreaker in 1912 to the Boston Red Sox, with one game declared a tie. That would be as close as you'd get to a best-of-nine until 1919.
The Fall Classic of 1919 is famous. Some White Sox players got some bucks to throw it. Among them was Eddie Cicotte, who received $10,000 prior to game one (Which he lost, 9-1) vs. Cincinnati. A 4-2 win in the second contest at Redland Field seemed to raise some more eyebrows. Conveniently, the visiting White Sox collected ten hits (Three alone, by Shoeless Joe Jackson) to the Reds' four, but lost.
But maybe it wasn't such a surprise. Hadn't Cincy won 96 games compared to the Pale Hose' 88? And what about pitching? Slim Sallee, who gave up those ten hits in game two, topped all Cincinnati hurlers with 21 wins. But just barely. A pair of 19-game winners (Dutch Ruether, who topped the National League in W%, and Hod Eller, who'd will be heard about later) were there. The team had an additional three pitchers who won at least ten games. Two were in the regular rotation, by name Ray Fisher and Jimmy Ring. They even had a bit of a closer in Cuban-born Dolph Luque (10-3 with 3 saves). Luque would pitch in that seventh game of '19.
But it didn't look like Chicago would make it that far. Their two aces, Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams had lost (Despite Williams fine complete game four-hitter in the second contest). The White Sox did have some pretty good other pitchers not named Cicotte and Williams (Both of whom were part of the fix). However, one of them was Hall of Famer Red Faber. Faber was sick and had an injury to his ankle by the time this October Classic rolled around. How useful he'd have been (11-9, 3.83 earned run average) is anyone's guess. Eddie Cicotte, with hit knuckleball, had not only won 29 games, but posted an ERA of just 1.82. Lefty Williams, with his curveball, was 23-11 with a 2.64 ERA. Williams' earned run average really couldn't compete with anyone on the Cincinnati Reds starting five pitchers. Dutch Ruether's was 1.82. Slim Sallee's was 2.06. Ray Fisher's was 2.17. Jimmy Ring's was 2.26. Hod Eller's was 2.39. Really, the only Cincinnati pitcher who had an earned run average near Lefty Williams' was Dolph Luque (2.63) But Luque started just nine times and pitched only 106 innings.
But getting back to it, the White Sox had still another capable pitcher in Dickie Kerr. Kerr was 13-7 with a 2.88 earned run average. Kerr was kind of a tweener. He started 17 games and relieved on 22 other occasions. Perhaps it's worth noting that Chicago had two more part time starters in Bill James and Roy Wilkinson. Both pitched well for Chicago, albeit in limited duty. James was claimed off waivers from the Boston Red in August. He seemingly gotten better with each transaction in the 1919 season. Bill started out with Detroit, winning a game. But Bill James' ERA was 5.79 in his two appearances with the Tigers. With the Red Sox, that earned run average improved to 4.14, but James went just 3-5. Then, with Chicago, he pitched in five games, all starts, and went 3-2 (And a 2.52 ERA).
The White Sox had probably had high hopes with Dave Danforth. He had one of the greatest relief seasons of all-time in 1917 for Chicago. Check out his stats here. And it's not like Dave was a one-year wonder. He'd pitched first for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1911, going 4-1 with a 3.74 earned run average. Although Danforth appeared in just fourteen games (A dozen relief outings), he was the A's top fireman that season. After not doing much for Philadelphia in the coming years (And spending the majority of the time in the minor leagues, Dave became a the property of the Chicago White Sox at the end of the 1915 season when the Pale Hose drafted him.
Danforth's 6-5 record in 1916 was pretty good, as was his 3.27 earned run average. His amazing next year saw Dave make 50 appearances for the White Sox. He won 11, saved a league-best 9, and posted an ERA of 2.65. Better still, all that helped Chicago win it all in 1917. Dave couldn't quite keep it up come 1918, though. He was just 6-15, recording only 2 saves. However, his earned run average was still pretty good, 3.43.
But in 1919, things came apart. The Chicago White Sox needed him to be their top fireman, but Dave Danforth was anything but. Through July 29th, he had just one win and an ugly ERA of 7.71. The Sox needed more pitching, so they traded Dave to the minor league ("AA" level) Columbus Senators (American Association) for Roy Wilkinson on August 26th. Would Wilkinson solve any problems?
Wilkinson actually helped, as he was given the start on September 12th. He went the distance against Philadelphia, shutting them out in a 7-0 Chicago win. His next three outings were in relief. While the first two were great (Combining for six shutout innings), his last one was not. Roy relieved Eddie Cicotte on September 28th as the Chicago starter was making his second bid to finish the year a 30-game winner. In seven relief innings, Wilkinson allowed nine runs (Five earned) in a 10-9 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Wilkinson finished 1919 with a 1-1 record and a fine 2.05 earned run average despite the setback in his last September outing. While his 1920 season wasn't too bad (7-9, 4.03 ERA), that was his last decent season in the bigs. He bottomed out to just 4-20 in 1921 and then 0-1 with a 8.79 ERA the next year. Roy's big league career was over after he and John Russell were traded to the American Association's Kansas City Blues.
The 1919 World Series got off to a bad start for the Chicago White Sox until game three. Playing at home, the Pale Hose beat Cincinnati 3-0 behind Dickey Kerr. This proved to be the last game the White Sox won at home in '19. The Cincinnati Reds turned to Jimmy Ring for the pivotal game four, and he delivered.
The home team managed just three hits (And it was Shoeless Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch and Chick Gandil, ironically got got them. All were suspected / proven fixers). Eddie Cicotte didn't pitch too bad himself, and finished with a tough-luck 2-0 loss. Eddie allowed just five hits. It was his fielding that was poor.
Truth be told, if Cicotte could just take back the top of the fifth, everything would have been okay. Actually, there was a moment earlier in the contest when if Ed could have just done something with the bat, maybe the outcome would have been different.
In the last of the second inning, Shoeless Joe got a promising rally going. His leadoff double was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Happy Felsch. Chick Gandil, one of the main culprits behind the scandal, popped out. Swede Risberg, still another member of the fixers, walked and stole second. Ray Schalk, who was not in on this crooked deal, was put on with first base open. The sacks were full for Eddie Cicotte. But all the pitcher could do was ground out to second.
Chicago did have another chance in the bottom of the third. With one away, Eddie Collins (Along with Schalk and Red Faber, the only members of this pennant-winning team to make it to Cooperstown) was hit by a pitch. Buck Weaver grounded out, with first basemen Jake Daubert making the play unassisted. There were two outs and Schalk on second. Joe Jackson appeared to end the inning by grounding to second, but Morrie Rath couldn't handle it. So now there were runners on the corners.
Happy Felsch grounded out to third. And this was Chicago's last serious threat. Cincinnati took advantage of this in the fifth. After Eddie Cicotte retired Edd Roush, Pat Duncan hit a grounder that the pitcher threw wild to first. On this bad play, the Reds ended up with a runner on second. Larry Koft singled to left. Joe Jackson got to it, and fired a strike home. The ball never got there.
Cicotte intercepted it. Or tried to. What happened was, the pitcher succeeded in doing nothing right. The ball was deflected past Ray Schalk, the catcher. This enabled Roush to score. Greasy Neal followed with a double over Jackson in left (Who was playing shallow. That should raise some suspicion, but this move was approved of by manager Kid Gleason. So the skipper thought it was a good idea.) to make it 2-0, visitors. That would be the final score.
Hod Eller followed up Jimmy Ring's three-hitter with one of his own for the Reds in game five. However, I must say it was more impressive, as Hod fanned six batters in a row at one point. Lefty Williams, as he had in game two, allowed just four hits (This time only going eight innings), but it was not enough. The 5-0 win gave Cincinnati a 4-1 series lead in the 1919 Fall Classic.
The White Sox were in a real hitting slump, you might say. And it wasn't just the suspected players. Eddie Collins was hitting .111. Nemo Leibold, who'd batted leadoff in games three to five for Chicago, was 0-12 at the dish. Shano Collins (Not related to Eddie) was 1-8. Both Shano and Nemo had taken turns playing right field for Chicago. You think they should've tried someone else?
On the bright side, you had Ray Schalk who was hitting .308. But Schalk had been ejected for arguing a call at home in game five. At this point, Buck Weaver (Who attended some of the meetings with the crooked players but took no dough) was hitting an even .300 and Joe Jackson was holding his own at .316. But oddly enough, neither player had an RBI to their name.
It's not like Shoeless Joe (Who'd failed to get a hit in the fifth contest) and company suddenly woke up now, facing elimination. Nope. Cincinnati came home to Redland Field, determined to put their adversary out of their misery.
Couldn't have asked for a better start. Although Dick Kerr wasn't part of the guilty party, his effort in game six didn't seem like enough. Either on the mound or on the basepaths.
By the third, Pat Duncan scored Jake Daubert and Edd Roush with a double to break the ice. Next inning, the Reds scored two more. In the fifth, another run. Four runs on six hits. The White Sox weren't doing it with the bat or the glove, either.
Buck Weaver singled in the top of the first with two away, but Joe Jackson couldn't do anything and the inning ended. Dutch Ruether got 'em (Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil and Swede Risberg) 1-2-3 in the second. Ray Schalk opened the top of the third with a walk, but Ruether only needed to face three more batters before he got out of there without Chicago scoring. Weaver and Jackson were retired to start the fourth before Happy Felsch singled. Chick Gandil then grounded out. The guys who were suspected or proven to be in on the fix appeared to be doing a marvelous job in a game that if lost, would conclude the Fall Classic of 1919.
And that's just their hitting. How about the fielding?
Well Exhibit A is Swede Risberg. I think Swede pretty much wanted to throw this Fall Classic in the worse way. Here was his team, facing elimination, and his fielding was terrible. If it matters, Risberg was seventh in the American League in errors in 1919 with 32. League-leader Wally Gerber of the St. Louis had 45.
I'm don't think Gerber's were intentional, though. Come game six of the 1919 World Series, where supposedly the Chicago White Sox were mad about not getting all their money, Risberg seemed to have no intention of trying. In the last of the second, Swede couldn't come up with Pat Duncan's ball. The error had potential to start a big inning, as Duncan was leading off. Larry Koft followed with a walk, but Dickie Kerr pitched out of that mess. Greasy Neale tried to bunt 'em both over into scoring position, but failed. Duncan was erased at third. Cather Bill Rariden also hit into a force, as Neale was erased at second. With runners on the corners, pitcher Dutch Ruether hit a comebacker to Kerr. Kerr to Chick Gandil at first, inning over.
But in the fourth, Ruether redeemed himself with a double to left to score Neale, who'd led off with a three-bagger. The RBI by the pitcher made it 3-0, Cincinnati. Morrie Rath hit the ball to Swede Risberg. The Swede threw wide to third in an attempt to get Dutch Ruether. Third baseman Buck Weaver didn't have any chance at the peg, and Ruether scored on the throwing error. Nice work, Risberg. 4-0, Reds.
Risberg did do something right come the top of the fifth. He drew a leadoff walk. Ray Schalk followed suit. It seemed like Chicago had something going. While they got a run, it was Dickie Kerr himself who ran 'em out of the inning.
Kerr followed the two bases on balls with a single to help out his own cause. The bases were full, and the tying run was at the plate, but the Chicago White Sox still trailed 4-0. Shano Collins flied out to centre. It was not deep enough. One away. Eddie Collins then hit a flyball to centre which Edd Roush again caught. This time, it was deep enough to score Risberg. 4-1. But Kerr thought Ray Schalk was moving to third. All that ended up happening was Dickie froze on the basepaths, knowing he was in trouble. Amazingly enough, Roush had also believed Ray Schalk was going second to third. So his peg ended up to the empty bag ninety feet from home. Heinie Groh, the Reds' third basemen, trotted on over to Kerr, tagging him out (So an 8-5 putout) to end that danger.
Dutch Ruether would not be so lucky next time around. The White Sox, though, gave the Reds another baserunner in-between the top of the fifth and sixth. Dickie Kerr got the first two batters up, but then, some trouble. Happy Felsch had little trouble handling Groh's fly to start the last of the fifth. Shano Collins, to the right of Felsch, then made a fine catch on Edd Roush's fly. It seemed like an easy, routine 1-2-3 frame for Dickie Kerr. But then Felsch, who'd played some really bad defence in game five, continued it here. Trying for a one-handed catch of Pat Duncan's fly, he couldn't. The White Sox were up to three errors in just five innings. Risberg's were his third and fourth of the 1919 World Series. Felsch now had two errors in his last two games. And Happy could do it all in the field with his speed and his cannon of an arm. You need proof? In game two of the this series, he'd robbed Edd Roush of a hit, then fired the ball back to the infield to double up Heinie Groh. Felsch recorded two assists (One on a double play) in games two and four of the 1917 Fall Classic, further proof of his terrific fielding. But Happy needed to do that in games five and six, which were crucial. And he wasn't.
Anyways, Chicago came back. Buck Weaver didn't take any money from the gamblers, but still got suspended for life. But a rally was needed here, and Weaver was the catalyst. Behind in the count 1-2, the White Sox' third baseman hit a double that neither Pat Duncan (In left) and Larry Koft (At short) could get two. What you might call a Texas League hit, but I'm not sure if the ball was hit weakly. However, it's interesting to note Shoeless Joe Jackson had a double similar to this in game four, only it was between two outfielders, a shot to shallow right centre.
Speaking of Joe, his two-bagger in game four didn't score anyone. But here, Shoeless Joe stroked a clean single on the first pitch. Weaver scored. 4-2. The White Sox didn't stop there. Happy Felsch did Jackson a base better with a double to the left centre gap. And it was hit well. Cincinnati manager Pat Moran could see the White Sox had gotten to his pitcher. Three straight hits to start the top of the sixth.
Jimmy Ring came in, and the White Sox rally seemed destined to end right there. Looking at Ring's fine three-hit shutout in game four, it appeared Chicago was overmatched. It seemed like an odd move. Why not bring in relief ace Dolph Luque in this situation? Ring might not be available should Cincinnati need another start out of him. Obviously, the Reds wanted the 1919 World Series over. Right here, right now. Having said that, game seven would be at home, too. So it's not like they wouldn't have another chance at home to close this one out.
Ring got Chick Gandil to pop out. One away. Risberg grounded out, moving Felsch ninety feet away from the dish. See? A hit would have tied the contest. Are these guys really trying?
Ray Schalk was. His single made it a 4-4 ballgame. Schalk then stole second. The go-ahead run was in scoring position. But all Dickie Kerr could do was ground out to third basemen Heinie Groh.
The battle continued on into extra innings. Kerr was in and out of trouble at some points. Ring got Chicago 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. He certainly was pitching well. His team put two men on in the bottom of that frame. Ironically, it was Swede Risberg that got to the grounder by Edd Roush that led to an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
But let's not pick on Roush. Remember that double play he started in centre. That wasn't the only one for him in this affair. Chicago also had two men on (Jackson and Gandil walked), the very next inning in fact. It was there that Roush became the first outfielder to have two double plays in one Fall Classic contest. Swede Risberg actually hit the ball well. But Edd Roush was having quite the game with his glove, arm and bat. He'd reached base twice in four times up to the dish via a single and hit by pitch.
And when he snared Risberg's shot to centre and doubled off Jackson at second, the top of the eighth was over. Kerr had some trouble in the bottom of the frame as Cincinnati got two hits. Bill James started to loosen up, ready to relieve Dickie Kerr. But with two outs, Jimmy Ring batted for himself in what seemed like an odd choice in a tie game. Ring hit into an innng-ending force.
Nothing much happened in the ninth. But there was Buck Weaver again in the tenth. Just like four innings earlier, he led off with a two-bagger. Joe Jackson bunted him to third. The visiting Chicago White Sox had the makings of a huge inning. They'd settle for just one run, alas.
First, Felsch fanned. So it was Chick Gandil back at the dish. He hadn't had an RBI since game three. Chick, one of the ring leaders of this scandal, had actually gotten off to a pretty good start in this Fall Classic. Two hits in game one. Drove in the only White Sox run. 1-4 in game two. 1-3 with two RBI in game three. In fact, coming into game six, Gandil had three RBI. The rest of the team? None.
But now, as teammates Eddie Collins, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch and Ray Schalk collected the runs batted in, what was Chick Gandil doing? Well, he was mired in a batting slump at just the right time, right?
He was 1-12 since that game three, two-run single. Chick was hitting .364 after game three. But after game five, he'd slipped to .278. Nonetheless, he came through here in the top of the tenth as the White Sox needed him to. The hit itself is interesting. From what I've read, it was a bouncing hit. In David S. Neft and Richard M. Cohen's book The World Series, it is described as not even making it out of the infield. From the Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame site, the claim is made that the ball could have been fielded. The home team, however, didn't play the infield back. At normal depth, the Reds infielders couldn't field it.
So 5-4 Chicago. The hit "lifted" Chick Gandil's batting average a bit. It was down to just .238 (5-21) before, but was now .273. Gandil did not really show up the next game with his bat, however.
Swede Risberg ended the inning by lining out to his counterpart on Cincinnati, Larry Kopf. And Shoeless Joe had taken off on the crack of the bat. So he was a dead duck at second. (Ring, despite the earned run allowed, would finish the 1919 World Series with the best earned run average of any pitcher, 0.64)
It mattered little to the home team, who were retired in order. The Reds had some work to do. But were still up 4-2 in this series, and had game seven at home. Plus, they had their friend Eddie Cicotte going. Ed was 0-2 with a 4.26 earned run average. Cicotte had been routed by the Reds the last time he'd pitched at Redland Field. And let's not forget his shaky fielding in game four, either.
The Chicago pitcher wasn't a good hitter, either. He batted .186 lifetime. In the 1917 World Series, he got just a hit and a walk in eight times up at the dish. He was 0-4 so far in the Fall Classic two years later.
Cicotte did nothing at the dish in game six. 0-4 with two K's. His pitching was better. Well, funny thing, Ed hadn't allowed an earned run in nine innings in game four. But of course, those two runs were his fault via two errors. Here, two games later, he pitched well. Not that Cincinnati didn't have their share of moments against him in this potential clinching contest.
But the visiting White Sox wasted no time in getting to Slim Sallee. Slim was the type of pitcher Chicago liked to face in the postseason. Two years earlier, he was on the New York Giants, who faced the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. How'd he do?
He'd lost game one, but pitched well. Just seven hits and two (earned) runs allowed. The White Sox, though, routed him in game five, which was a crucial one. With the series tied 2-2, the Giants needed a good pitching performance from Slim Sallee, and they didn't get one. The Sox strafed Sallee for 13 hits in just 7 1/3 innings, crossing the dish eight times against him.
So come 1919, Slim's game two performance was good enough. Both runs were unearned. But Chicago got ten hits off him. Three alone by Shoeless Joe.
And by the time Joe Jackson came up for the first time against Slim Sallee in game six, there was an opportunity to do some damage.
Shano Collins got it all started in the top of the first with a single. Eddie Collins bunted him to second. Buck Weaver, still looking for his first RBI of the 1919 World Series, could only fly out. But with two away, Shoeless Joe put the White Sox ahead for good with a single to his neck of the woods, left field. The inning should have ended right there, as Jackson made the big turn around first. Too much of a jog. Jackson should have been a dead duck between first and second, as Pat Duncan had tossed the sphere back into the infield. A rundown ensued, but Jake Daubert dropped the peg. Happy Felsch appeared to make Cincinnati pay with a single of his own, but Chick Gandil hit into a force.
Shoeless Joe Jackson didn't have much time to wait and grab some lumber again. The third inning was even more to his liking. Both Collins' singled. But Buck Weaver hit into a double play, with Eddie Collins causing interference at second, making the batter out automatically. Shano Collins was stationed on second base after this, per the interference rule. So Shoeless Joe had just one runner to work with. Nonetheless, he singled. 2-0, Chicago.
In the top of the fifth, it was still 2-0 for the visitors. Eddie Cicotte was holding his own, allowing Cincinnati just one hit and one walk through four. And his team got him some more runs to play with.
After Shano Collin flew out, their second basemen of the same last name singled. Buck Weaver hit a ball to Heinie Groh at third. Groh couldn't handle it for an error. Joe Jackson himself them reached on another Reds' error, this time by second basemen Morrie Rath. Happy Felsch then took advantage of all this rigmarole by singling in two more runs. That was all for Slim Sallee. 4 1/3 innings pitched. Nine hits allowed.
Ray Fisher, who'd pitched well for Cincinnati in game three (Losing only 3-0), came in to face Chick Gandil. Gandil had been the hero of games three and six of this series, but had no such luck against either Slim Sallee and Ray Fisher in game seven. He hit the ball back to Fisher, who fired to Jake Daubert at first for the second out. There were now runners on second and third, but the top of the fifth ended with Swede Risberg fanning.
Eddie Cicotte allowed a hit and a walk in the last of the fifth, but stranded both runners. Dolph Luque, who probably should have pitched the previous game for Cincinnati, hopped in to hold Chicago. Did he ever hold 'em: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K.
It was a little too late. The home team finally pried loose a run of Eddie Cicotte in the last of the sixth. Heinie Groh hit a ground-rule two bagger with one away. Edd Roush grounded back to Eddie Cicotte, who pegged him out at first. The shutout must have not mattered to Cicotte, as there was a strong possibility he could have nailed Heinie Groh going to third. But now Groh was ninety feed away with two down. Cicotte did not retire Pat Duncan. Pat's single scored Groh. It was a 4-1 ballgame.
This inning seemed to wake up the Reds. In the seventh, Greasy Neale fanned. But Ivey Wingo, who was never once retired all game, walked. It was the third free pass of the afternoon that Wingo had received. Dolph Luque was curiously allowed to hit for himself. Eddie Cicotte fanned him. Morrie Rath got hit number five for the Reds. There bats were coming alive. But the inning ended as Jake Daubert grounded out to second basemen Eddie Collins.
After getting the side 1-2-3 in the eight, there was more trouble for Eddie Cicotte in the ninth. Working on a fine five-hitter, he stumbled.
Catcher Ivey Wingo, who finished this contest an awesome 1-1 with three bases on balls, would finish the 1919 World Series with the top batting average, .571. So Cincinnati had the pitcher with the best ERA in Jimmy Ring, and the batter with the best batting average and on-base percentage (Wingo's was .700). It's interesting to note, the .700 OBP by the Cincinnati Reds catcher puts him fourth (Tied with Barry Bonds) on highest OBP in a single Fall Classic. If you are wondering, Cincinnati has the top spot in BA and OBP in a single World Series. 81 years later, Billy Hatcher hit .750 and had a .800 on-base percentage in the 1990 World Series vs. Oakland. At the time of Ivey Wingo's 1919 performance, he stood alone atop the leaders for top batting average and on-base percentage in one October Classic. The previous best batting average in one World Series was Hank Gowdy's .545 average in 1914. Gowdy also had a remarkable .688 on-base percentage in the '14 World Series. But when the smoke cleared on this tainted 1919 World Series, Wingo stood alone.
But now, Larry Kopf and Greasy Neale were retired by Edd Cicotte. He was working on a fine five-hitter through eight and two-thirds innings pitched. But here's where Ivey Wingo got his one hit. The good news for Chicago is that would be the last time they saw him this Fall Classic. I'm sure Wingo was sad to think he wouldn't at least see Cicotte again this World Series. He'd gone 4-6 (And remember, three walks, too) against him.
The bad news for the White Sox was, the game was not over. Wingo's hit was only a single. But now the question was who would hit against the knuckleball master on the mound, who looked like he was trying to win this game. Dolph Luque, who had completely stifled the Chicago White Sox in his 4 1/3 innings of excellent relief, was the next scheduled hitter. No way, no how, down 4-1 were the Cincinnati Reds gonna let him hit. Instead it was Sherry Magee. Magee's only action in the 1919 World Series so far had been when he'd batted against Dickie Kerr in the eighth inning of game three and been retired on a flyball. Here, the one-time star of the Philadelphia Phillies was being sent up to the dish to keep the Reds hopes alive in game seven.
Magee had hit just .215 in 56 games with the Reds in 1919. This, in fact, would be his last major league plate appearance. Magee had led the Senior Circuit in runs driven three times (1907, 1910, 1914). But Sherry had just 21 in 1919.
In any event, Sherry won the battle with Cicotte. His pinch hit single moved Wingo to second. Magee's major league career ended right there, as Jimmy Smith went in to run for him. Morrie Rath was back up. He ended the game by flying out to Happy Felsch in centre.
So, Eddie Cicotte was the winning pitcher. I guess you could argue he'd pitched better in game four. But his effort was a little more honest as he made no errors. Still couldn't hit, though.
You'd think maybe Chicago was going to win this thing, now. But Lefty Williams didn't pitch well in game eight back at Comiskey Park. Nope. Got the first batter out, then gave up a pair of singles to first basemen Jake Daubert and third basemen Heinie Groh. Lefty followed that by allowing two doubles to Edd Roush and Pat Duncan. Shortstop Larry Kopf was now at the plate, with just one out and three runs in. Williams missed with the first pitch. This situation wasn't pretty and Lefty was out of there. New pitcher Bill James couldn't hold the fort either. He gave up a walk to Kopf and a two-out, run-scoring single to Bill Rariden before the inning ended. The visiting Cincinnati Reds were ahead for good.
Chicago got two men on via a single by Nemo Leibold (Playing centre as Happy Felsch was in right field) and a double by Eddie Collins. Buck Weaver was up. But Chicago was facing Hod Eller again. And Eller was masterful. He fanned Weaver. Jackson popped up behind third in foul territory. Here's where an oddity happened. Larry Kopf, the third basemen, had raced back and made a fine play to make the catch. But Nemo Leibold should have tagged and scored, getting Chicago on the board. He held right there at third. The side was instead retired without a run as Happy Felsch fanned.
Felsch ended the game 0-4, but Joe Jackson certainly did not. Next time up, Shoeless Joe hit a home run to finally get his team on the board in the last of the third. However, the visitors had crossed home in the top of the second. So the Reds were up 5-1. Leibold, by the way, sort of redeemed himself by nailing Hod Eller at home in the top of the fourth to keep Chicago within four runs of Cincinnati. For Nemo, it was his second outfield assist of the afternoon. I guess Kid Gleason had finally grown tired of Felsch's mistakes in centre. Leibold's play there had to please him.
But what Kid Gleason needed was Nemo Leibold and Happy Felsch's bats. They weren't doing enough. Weaver was having no luck. He appeared to have hit in the third, only to be robbed by Morrie Rath. On the bright side, there was Eddie Collins. When this game reached it's conclusion, he had three hits.
But maybe Kid Gleason hadn't been so smart in some of his moves. Another attempt to get back in the game prior to Joe Jackson's home run had been in the second, when the pitcher faltered through the inning. Via a walk to Swede Risberg and a single by Ray Schalk. Schalk had sort of been lucky, as he'd been given new life at the dish. The catcher had popped up to his counterpart, Bill Rariden, in foul territory. Rariden dropped it.
You'd think Pat Moran, the Reds' manager, would have wanted Ivey Wingo in there, given how well he'd played. But Wingo had made a dozen errors behind the dish in 75 games compared to Rariden's six in 70. Also, I'm sure Cincinnati didn't expect a quick outing by Lefty Williams. Williams had allowed just four hits in each of his previous starts in the 1919 World Series. Ivey Wingo batted lefty, and a lefty-lefty confrontation with the tough Chicago starter didn't sound like a good idea.
So, the White Sox had two men on, with just one out. Why let pitcher Bill James bat for himself. Why let him continue to pitch after? James was routed for eight hits in four and two-thirds innings. All he could do with the bat was pop up here, and strikeout in the fifth. Speaking of K's, that's what Hod Eller did to Nemo Leibold to end the second. Eller had three whiffs in only two innings.
The Cincinnati pitcher seemed to have it on this day. Jackson's hit was the only one given up by the Cincinnati pitcher from the third inning to the fifth. He was also up to five K's. Hod's team kept coming at Chicago. Greasy Neale singled home a run in the top of the fifth to get the five run lead back. Three more runs in the top of sixth inning and still another in the eighth upped it to 10-1 after 7 1/2.
Buck Weaver had gotten the sixth inning off on the right foot for the White Sox with a single. Joe Jackson gave it quite a ride to centre, but Edd Roush got this one. Happy Felsch and Chick Gandil were also retired on flyballs. Hod Eller had quite a sixth inning. He singled an scored in the top of the frame and then continued to frustrate the Chicago batters in the bottom of it. And Eller followed it up by getting the side in order in the seventh.
Cincinnati didn't appear to need Ivey Wingo after all. You see, Bill Rariden had driven in the tenth Reds' run in the top of the eighth to really put the game out of reach. Hod Eller did falter in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Eddie Collins singled. Buck Weaver doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Joe Jackson came through with a double. These were really the only two runs the White Sox should have scored this inning. But after retiring Happy Felsch on a pop out, Cincinnati had some bad luck. First, Chick Gandil hit a triple that right fielder Greasy Neale lost in the afternoon sun. Then, the man playing to Neale's right, Edd Roush, couldn't come up with Swede Risberg's fly. The error allowed Gandil to score. It was 10-5, now. You sort of have to feel sorry for Eller. With his bat, he'd gotten a hit and been hit by a pitch. And Hod nearly had two runs scored. A bad inning (But not really all his fault), turned his fine five-hitter into a nine-hitter. Gandil's triple ended up being his last plate appearance at the big-league level.
Cincinnati got a single by Morrie Rath off Roy Wilkinson to start the ninth, but the next three batters were retired. Wilkinson had finally relieved Bill James in the top of the sixth after giving up a single and a walk. Wilkinson had an interesting game for Chicago. He was there to put out the fire in that dreadful sixth frame. He got Jake Daubert to hit into a fielder's choice on an attempted bunt (But an error by Ray Schalk fielding it meant the bases were loaded) and Heinie Groh to strikeout. It seemed like Kid Gleason had finally made a good move.
Alas, Edd Roush 2-3 so far with two doubles, added a single to score two more runs. Pat Duncan was himself 1-3, but with a double of his own. Roy Wilkinson could not stop the bleeding. Duncan's single off him scored Jake Daubert, making it 9-1 for the visitors. Roy then walked Larry Koft before settling down. The bases were loaded again. Greasy Neal forced Edd Roush at home. Wilkinson then picked off Kopf!
Roy Wilkinson's problem lay with his control this afternoon. Sure, he got through the seventh without allowing a run (Or a hit), but there were problems. Morrie Rath drew a two-out walk. Then Rath swiped second with Jake Daubert back up. He was having quite the game. 2-4 at the dish with two runs scored so far. Here, Jake coaxed another walk of Wilkinson. Roy was up to to three free passes in just 1 2/3 innings. Heinie Groh flew out to end it.
The next inning, Roy wasn't so luck as Wilkinson hit Edd Roush. Three walks and a hit batsman. Wild times for Roy Wilkinson. Pat Duncan got Roush into scoring position with a sac bunt. Larry Kopf popped out, and Wilkinson seemed safe. But Greasy Neale drew a walk off him. That's now four walks allowed in 2 2/3 innings by the White Sox pitcher. Bill Rariden made the hurler pay for his lack of control with a single to score Roush.
So Roy Wilkinson had an odd game. He'd allowed four hits in four innings. Not bad compared to Lefty Williams allowing four hits in a third of an inning or Bill James allowing eight hits in four and two-third's inning. But the bullpen had really been bad. In a combined eight and two-thirds innings pitched, James and Wilkinson had issued seven bases on balls. Neither pitcher was in on the fix, but they sure weren't helping the Chicago White Sox cause.
So how about the bottom of the ninth?
The Reds' starting pitcher Hod Eller started the last of the ninth off badly. It had been a rought eighth for him, but Eller still entered the final frame with six strikeouts. Kid Gleason sent up Eddie Murphy to bat for Roy Wilinson. Kid Gleason had waited until it was too late use a pinch hitter for him. Looking at this eighth game, Bill James, who had relieved Lefty Williams in the top of the first, had batted for himself in the bottom of the second and fifth. Wilkinson had batted from himself in the last of the seventh. Combined, the two pitchers were 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Well, Murphy ended up getting hit by Eller. In hitting a batter, Eller equaled what Bill James and Roy Wilkinson had done in the afternoon. Chicago seemed to be getting to Hod. Nine hits, a walk, and now a hit batter. Nemo Leibold gave it a ride to centre. Edd Roush, redeeming himself from the previous inning, dove for it, and came up with the ball.
However, Eddie Collins was up. He was 2-4. Eddie made it 3-5 with a single, sending Eddie Murphy to second. Buck Weaver, still in search of his first RBI in this series, sent a pitch to right, where Greasy Neale made the catch. Murphy tagged and made it to third. Hod Eller then faced Shoeless Joe Jackson with runners now on the corners. Two on, two out. Collins stole second, and now there were two runners in scoring position for Jackson. Hod Eller got Joe Jackson to ground out to end it. So Eddie Cicotte's game seven win did not lead to the Sox taking this Fall Classic.
The best-of-nine format was used again in 1920. Only seven games were needed, as Cleveland beat Brooklyn 5-2. Then it was Babe Ruth, who'd taken some cues from Joe Jackson's style of putting the bat on the ball, who took the New York Yankees to three straight World Series.
Only the first was best-of-nine. Ruth had slugged 54 home runs in 1920, and he was just getting started. Ruth's lessons from Jackson were paying dividends. His power was unprecedented in baseball. The Babe had gone from leading the league with merely eleven home runs in 1918 with the Boston Red Sox, to 29 in 1919. Then, as a member of the New York Yankees in 1920, The Sultan of Swat hit 54.
59 more were hit by The Babe in 1921, but it wasn't enough to bring his team the World Series. It was their cross-town rivals the New York Giants, managed by John McGraw, who had the last word. Ruth did all he could. Although he missed two games with injury, the Yankee outfielder hit .313, with a home run and four RBI. The Giants were careful when they pitched to him, giving him five bases on balls. Although it looked liked the American League winners were going to be champions of the world after five games, it was not to be. Down three games to two, the Giants won three straight games to take the Fall Classic, 5-3. In the last game seven of a best-of-nine World Series, the New York Yankees needed Babe Ruth. He didn't play. And his team lost 2-1. Ruth was also needed in game eight, which the Yankees lost 1-0. The star outfielder was able to make only a pinch hitting appearance in the bottom of the ninth. The Bambino grounded out.
But what of the Chicago pitcher, who was one of the first hurler's to use the knuckleball? Well, Eddie Cicotte was kicked out of baseball along with seven other teammates after the 1920 season. Cicotte had over 200 wins to his name, and perhaps a shot at the Hall of Fame (Which would open in 1939). At one point after his baseball career ended in the mid-1920s (He played in the semipros like Swede Risberg and Joe Jackson) Cicotte ended up working for Ford Motor Company. One of the pioneers of a pitch later made famous by Hoyt Wilhelm died on May 5, 1969 in Detroit.
But getting back to it, the White Sox had still another capable pitcher in Dickie Kerr. Kerr was 13-7 with a 2.88 earned run average. Kerr was kind of a tweener. He started 17 games and relieved on 22 other occasions. Perhaps it's worth noting that Chicago had two more part time starters in Bill James and Roy Wilkinson. Both pitched well for Chicago, albeit in limited duty. James was claimed off waivers from the Boston Red in August. He seemingly gotten better with each transaction in the 1919 season. Bill started out with Detroit, winning a game. But Bill James' ERA was 5.79 in his two appearances with the Tigers. With the Red Sox, that earned run average improved to 4.14, but James went just 3-5. Then, with Chicago, he pitched in five games, all starts, and went 3-2 (And a 2.52 ERA).
The White Sox had probably had high hopes with Dave Danforth. He had one of the greatest relief seasons of all-time in 1917 for Chicago. Check out his stats here. And it's not like Dave was a one-year wonder. He'd pitched first for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1911, going 4-1 with a 3.74 earned run average. Although Danforth appeared in just fourteen games (A dozen relief outings), he was the A's top fireman that season. After not doing much for Philadelphia in the coming years (And spending the majority of the time in the minor leagues, Dave became a the property of the Chicago White Sox at the end of the 1915 season when the Pale Hose drafted him.
Danforth's 6-5 record in 1916 was pretty good, as was his 3.27 earned run average. His amazing next year saw Dave make 50 appearances for the White Sox. He won 11, saved a league-best 9, and posted an ERA of 2.65. Better still, all that helped Chicago win it all in 1917. Dave couldn't quite keep it up come 1918, though. He was just 6-15, recording only 2 saves. However, his earned run average was still pretty good, 3.43.
But in 1919, things came apart. The Chicago White Sox needed him to be their top fireman, but Dave Danforth was anything but. Through July 29th, he had just one win and an ugly ERA of 7.71. The Sox needed more pitching, so they traded Dave to the minor league ("AA" level) Columbus Senators (American Association) for Roy Wilkinson on August 26th. Would Wilkinson solve any problems?
Wilkinson actually helped, as he was given the start on September 12th. He went the distance against Philadelphia, shutting them out in a 7-0 Chicago win. His next three outings were in relief. While the first two were great (Combining for six shutout innings), his last one was not. Roy relieved Eddie Cicotte on September 28th as the Chicago starter was making his second bid to finish the year a 30-game winner. In seven relief innings, Wilkinson allowed nine runs (Five earned) in a 10-9 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Wilkinson finished 1919 with a 1-1 record and a fine 2.05 earned run average despite the setback in his last September outing. While his 1920 season wasn't too bad (7-9, 4.03 ERA), that was his last decent season in the bigs. He bottomed out to just 4-20 in 1921 and then 0-1 with a 8.79 ERA the next year. Roy's big league career was over after he and John Russell were traded to the American Association's Kansas City Blues.
The 1919 World Series got off to a bad start for the Chicago White Sox until game three. Playing at home, the Pale Hose beat Cincinnati 3-0 behind Dickey Kerr. This proved to be the last game the White Sox won at home in '19. The Cincinnati Reds turned to Jimmy Ring for the pivotal game four, and he delivered.
The home team managed just three hits (And it was Shoeless Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch and Chick Gandil, ironically got got them. All were suspected / proven fixers). Eddie Cicotte didn't pitch too bad himself, and finished with a tough-luck 2-0 loss. Eddie allowed just five hits. It was his fielding that was poor.
Truth be told, if Cicotte could just take back the top of the fifth, everything would have been okay. Actually, there was a moment earlier in the contest when if Ed could have just done something with the bat, maybe the outcome would have been different.
In the last of the second inning, Shoeless Joe got a promising rally going. His leadoff double was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Happy Felsch. Chick Gandil, one of the main culprits behind the scandal, popped out. Swede Risberg, still another member of the fixers, walked and stole second. Ray Schalk, who was not in on this crooked deal, was put on with first base open. The sacks were full for Eddie Cicotte. But all the pitcher could do was ground out to second.
Chicago did have another chance in the bottom of the third. With one away, Eddie Collins (Along with Schalk and Red Faber, the only members of this pennant-winning team to make it to Cooperstown) was hit by a pitch. Buck Weaver grounded out, with first basemen Jake Daubert making the play unassisted. There were two outs and Schalk on second. Joe Jackson appeared to end the inning by grounding to second, but Morrie Rath couldn't handle it. So now there were runners on the corners.
Happy Felsch grounded out to third. And this was Chicago's last serious threat. Cincinnati took advantage of this in the fifth. After Eddie Cicotte retired Edd Roush, Pat Duncan hit a grounder that the pitcher threw wild to first. On this bad play, the Reds ended up with a runner on second. Larry Koft singled to left. Joe Jackson got to it, and fired a strike home. The ball never got there.
Cicotte intercepted it. Or tried to. What happened was, the pitcher succeeded in doing nothing right. The ball was deflected past Ray Schalk, the catcher. This enabled Roush to score. Greasy Neal followed with a double over Jackson in left (Who was playing shallow. That should raise some suspicion, but this move was approved of by manager Kid Gleason. So the skipper thought it was a good idea.) to make it 2-0, visitors. That would be the final score.
Hod Eller followed up Jimmy Ring's three-hitter with one of his own for the Reds in game five. However, I must say it was more impressive, as Hod fanned six batters in a row at one point. Lefty Williams, as he had in game two, allowed just four hits (This time only going eight innings), but it was not enough. The 5-0 win gave Cincinnati a 4-1 series lead in the 1919 Fall Classic.
The White Sox were in a real hitting slump, you might say. And it wasn't just the suspected players. Eddie Collins was hitting .111. Nemo Leibold, who'd batted leadoff in games three to five for Chicago, was 0-12 at the dish. Shano Collins (Not related to Eddie) was 1-8. Both Shano and Nemo had taken turns playing right field for Chicago. You think they should've tried someone else?
On the bright side, you had Ray Schalk who was hitting .308. But Schalk had been ejected for arguing a call at home in game five. At this point, Buck Weaver (Who attended some of the meetings with the crooked players but took no dough) was hitting an even .300 and Joe Jackson was holding his own at .316. But oddly enough, neither player had an RBI to their name.
It's not like Shoeless Joe (Who'd failed to get a hit in the fifth contest) and company suddenly woke up now, facing elimination. Nope. Cincinnati came home to Redland Field, determined to put their adversary out of their misery.
Couldn't have asked for a better start. Although Dick Kerr wasn't part of the guilty party, his effort in game six didn't seem like enough. Either on the mound or on the basepaths.
By the third, Pat Duncan scored Jake Daubert and Edd Roush with a double to break the ice. Next inning, the Reds scored two more. In the fifth, another run. Four runs on six hits. The White Sox weren't doing it with the bat or the glove, either.
Buck Weaver singled in the top of the first with two away, but Joe Jackson couldn't do anything and the inning ended. Dutch Ruether got 'em (Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil and Swede Risberg) 1-2-3 in the second. Ray Schalk opened the top of the third with a walk, but Ruether only needed to face three more batters before he got out of there without Chicago scoring. Weaver and Jackson were retired to start the fourth before Happy Felsch singled. Chick Gandil then grounded out. The guys who were suspected or proven to be in on the fix appeared to be doing a marvelous job in a game that if lost, would conclude the Fall Classic of 1919.
And that's just their hitting. How about the fielding?
Well Exhibit A is Swede Risberg. I think Swede pretty much wanted to throw this Fall Classic in the worse way. Here was his team, facing elimination, and his fielding was terrible. If it matters, Risberg was seventh in the American League in errors in 1919 with 32. League-leader Wally Gerber of the St. Louis had 45.
I'm don't think Gerber's were intentional, though. Come game six of the 1919 World Series, where supposedly the Chicago White Sox were mad about not getting all their money, Risberg seemed to have no intention of trying. In the last of the second, Swede couldn't come up with Pat Duncan's ball. The error had potential to start a big inning, as Duncan was leading off. Larry Koft followed with a walk, but Dickie Kerr pitched out of that mess. Greasy Neale tried to bunt 'em both over into scoring position, but failed. Duncan was erased at third. Cather Bill Rariden also hit into a force, as Neale was erased at second. With runners on the corners, pitcher Dutch Ruether hit a comebacker to Kerr. Kerr to Chick Gandil at first, inning over.
But in the fourth, Ruether redeemed himself with a double to left to score Neale, who'd led off with a three-bagger. The RBI by the pitcher made it 3-0, Cincinnati. Morrie Rath hit the ball to Swede Risberg. The Swede threw wide to third in an attempt to get Dutch Ruether. Third baseman Buck Weaver didn't have any chance at the peg, and Ruether scored on the throwing error. Nice work, Risberg. 4-0, Reds.
Risberg did do something right come the top of the fifth. He drew a leadoff walk. Ray Schalk followed suit. It seemed like Chicago had something going. While they got a run, it was Dickie Kerr himself who ran 'em out of the inning.
Kerr followed the two bases on balls with a single to help out his own cause. The bases were full, and the tying run was at the plate, but the Chicago White Sox still trailed 4-0. Shano Collins flied out to centre. It was not deep enough. One away. Eddie Collins then hit a flyball to centre which Edd Roush again caught. This time, it was deep enough to score Risberg. 4-1. But Kerr thought Ray Schalk was moving to third. All that ended up happening was Dickie froze on the basepaths, knowing he was in trouble. Amazingly enough, Roush had also believed Ray Schalk was going second to third. So his peg ended up to the empty bag ninety feet from home. Heinie Groh, the Reds' third basemen, trotted on over to Kerr, tagging him out (So an 8-5 putout) to end that danger.
Dutch Ruether would not be so lucky next time around. The White Sox, though, gave the Reds another baserunner in-between the top of the fifth and sixth. Dickie Kerr got the first two batters up, but then, some trouble. Happy Felsch had little trouble handling Groh's fly to start the last of the fifth. Shano Collins, to the right of Felsch, then made a fine catch on Edd Roush's fly. It seemed like an easy, routine 1-2-3 frame for Dickie Kerr. But then Felsch, who'd played some really bad defence in game five, continued it here. Trying for a one-handed catch of Pat Duncan's fly, he couldn't. The White Sox were up to three errors in just five innings. Risberg's were his third and fourth of the 1919 World Series. Felsch now had two errors in his last two games. And Happy could do it all in the field with his speed and his cannon of an arm. You need proof? In game two of the this series, he'd robbed Edd Roush of a hit, then fired the ball back to the infield to double up Heinie Groh. Felsch recorded two assists (One on a double play) in games two and four of the 1917 Fall Classic, further proof of his terrific fielding. But Happy needed to do that in games five and six, which were crucial. And he wasn't.
Anyways, Chicago came back. Buck Weaver didn't take any money from the gamblers, but still got suspended for life. But a rally was needed here, and Weaver was the catalyst. Behind in the count 1-2, the White Sox' third baseman hit a double that neither Pat Duncan (In left) and Larry Koft (At short) could get two. What you might call a Texas League hit, but I'm not sure if the ball was hit weakly. However, it's interesting to note Shoeless Joe Jackson had a double similar to this in game four, only it was between two outfielders, a shot to shallow right centre.
Speaking of Joe, his two-bagger in game four didn't score anyone. But here, Shoeless Joe stroked a clean single on the first pitch. Weaver scored. 4-2. The White Sox didn't stop there. Happy Felsch did Jackson a base better with a double to the left centre gap. And it was hit well. Cincinnati manager Pat Moran could see the White Sox had gotten to his pitcher. Three straight hits to start the top of the sixth.
Jimmy Ring came in, and the White Sox rally seemed destined to end right there. Looking at Ring's fine three-hit shutout in game four, it appeared Chicago was overmatched. It seemed like an odd move. Why not bring in relief ace Dolph Luque in this situation? Ring might not be available should Cincinnati need another start out of him. Obviously, the Reds wanted the 1919 World Series over. Right here, right now. Having said that, game seven would be at home, too. So it's not like they wouldn't have another chance at home to close this one out.
Ring got Chick Gandil to pop out. One away. Risberg grounded out, moving Felsch ninety feet away from the dish. See? A hit would have tied the contest. Are these guys really trying?
Ray Schalk was. His single made it a 4-4 ballgame. Schalk then stole second. The go-ahead run was in scoring position. But all Dickie Kerr could do was ground out to third basemen Heinie Groh.
The battle continued on into extra innings. Kerr was in and out of trouble at some points. Ring got Chicago 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. He certainly was pitching well. His team put two men on in the bottom of that frame. Ironically, it was Swede Risberg that got to the grounder by Edd Roush that led to an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
But let's not pick on Roush. Remember that double play he started in centre. That wasn't the only one for him in this affair. Chicago also had two men on (Jackson and Gandil walked), the very next inning in fact. It was there that Roush became the first outfielder to have two double plays in one Fall Classic contest. Swede Risberg actually hit the ball well. But Edd Roush was having quite the game with his glove, arm and bat. He'd reached base twice in four times up to the dish via a single and hit by pitch.
And when he snared Risberg's shot to centre and doubled off Jackson at second, the top of the eighth was over. Kerr had some trouble in the bottom of the frame as Cincinnati got two hits. Bill James started to loosen up, ready to relieve Dickie Kerr. But with two outs, Jimmy Ring batted for himself in what seemed like an odd choice in a tie game. Ring hit into an innng-ending force.
Nothing much happened in the ninth. But there was Buck Weaver again in the tenth. Just like four innings earlier, he led off with a two-bagger. Joe Jackson bunted him to third. The visiting Chicago White Sox had the makings of a huge inning. They'd settle for just one run, alas.
First, Felsch fanned. So it was Chick Gandil back at the dish. He hadn't had an RBI since game three. Chick, one of the ring leaders of this scandal, had actually gotten off to a pretty good start in this Fall Classic. Two hits in game one. Drove in the only White Sox run. 1-4 in game two. 1-3 with two RBI in game three. In fact, coming into game six, Gandil had three RBI. The rest of the team? None.
But now, as teammates Eddie Collins, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch and Ray Schalk collected the runs batted in, what was Chick Gandil doing? Well, he was mired in a batting slump at just the right time, right?
He was 1-12 since that game three, two-run single. Chick was hitting .364 after game three. But after game five, he'd slipped to .278. Nonetheless, he came through here in the top of the tenth as the White Sox needed him to. The hit itself is interesting. From what I've read, it was a bouncing hit. In David S. Neft and Richard M. Cohen's book The World Series, it is described as not even making it out of the infield. From the Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame site, the claim is made that the ball could have been fielded. The home team, however, didn't play the infield back. At normal depth, the Reds infielders couldn't field it.
So 5-4 Chicago. The hit "lifted" Chick Gandil's batting average a bit. It was down to just .238 (5-21) before, but was now .273. Gandil did not really show up the next game with his bat, however.
Swede Risberg ended the inning by lining out to his counterpart on Cincinnati, Larry Kopf. And Shoeless Joe had taken off on the crack of the bat. So he was a dead duck at second. (Ring, despite the earned run allowed, would finish the 1919 World Series with the best earned run average of any pitcher, 0.64)
It mattered little to the home team, who were retired in order. The Reds had some work to do. But were still up 4-2 in this series, and had game seven at home. Plus, they had their friend Eddie Cicotte going. Ed was 0-2 with a 4.26 earned run average. Cicotte had been routed by the Reds the last time he'd pitched at Redland Field. And let's not forget his shaky fielding in game four, either.
The Chicago pitcher wasn't a good hitter, either. He batted .186 lifetime. In the 1917 World Series, he got just a hit and a walk in eight times up at the dish. He was 0-4 so far in the Fall Classic two years later.
Cicotte did nothing at the dish in game six. 0-4 with two K's. His pitching was better. Well, funny thing, Ed hadn't allowed an earned run in nine innings in game four. But of course, those two runs were his fault via two errors. Here, two games later, he pitched well. Not that Cincinnati didn't have their share of moments against him in this potential clinching contest.
But the visiting White Sox wasted no time in getting to Slim Sallee. Slim was the type of pitcher Chicago liked to face in the postseason. Two years earlier, he was on the New York Giants, who faced the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. How'd he do?
He'd lost game one, but pitched well. Just seven hits and two (earned) runs allowed. The White Sox, though, routed him in game five, which was a crucial one. With the series tied 2-2, the Giants needed a good pitching performance from Slim Sallee, and they didn't get one. The Sox strafed Sallee for 13 hits in just 7 1/3 innings, crossing the dish eight times against him.
So come 1919, Slim's game two performance was good enough. Both runs were unearned. But Chicago got ten hits off him. Three alone by Shoeless Joe.
And by the time Joe Jackson came up for the first time against Slim Sallee in game six, there was an opportunity to do some damage.
Shano Collins got it all started in the top of the first with a single. Eddie Collins bunted him to second. Buck Weaver, still looking for his first RBI of the 1919 World Series, could only fly out. But with two away, Shoeless Joe put the White Sox ahead for good with a single to his neck of the woods, left field. The inning should have ended right there, as Jackson made the big turn around first. Too much of a jog. Jackson should have been a dead duck between first and second, as Pat Duncan had tossed the sphere back into the infield. A rundown ensued, but Jake Daubert dropped the peg. Happy Felsch appeared to make Cincinnati pay with a single of his own, but Chick Gandil hit into a force.
Shoeless Joe Jackson didn't have much time to wait and grab some lumber again. The third inning was even more to his liking. Both Collins' singled. But Buck Weaver hit into a double play, with Eddie Collins causing interference at second, making the batter out automatically. Shano Collins was stationed on second base after this, per the interference rule. So Shoeless Joe had just one runner to work with. Nonetheless, he singled. 2-0, Chicago.
In the top of the fifth, it was still 2-0 for the visitors. Eddie Cicotte was holding his own, allowing Cincinnati just one hit and one walk through four. And his team got him some more runs to play with.
After Shano Collin flew out, their second basemen of the same last name singled. Buck Weaver hit a ball to Heinie Groh at third. Groh couldn't handle it for an error. Joe Jackson himself them reached on another Reds' error, this time by second basemen Morrie Rath. Happy Felsch then took advantage of all this rigmarole by singling in two more runs. That was all for Slim Sallee. 4 1/3 innings pitched. Nine hits allowed.
Ray Fisher, who'd pitched well for Cincinnati in game three (Losing only 3-0), came in to face Chick Gandil. Gandil had been the hero of games three and six of this series, but had no such luck against either Slim Sallee and Ray Fisher in game seven. He hit the ball back to Fisher, who fired to Jake Daubert at first for the second out. There were now runners on second and third, but the top of the fifth ended with Swede Risberg fanning.
Eddie Cicotte allowed a hit and a walk in the last of the fifth, but stranded both runners. Dolph Luque, who probably should have pitched the previous game for Cincinnati, hopped in to hold Chicago. Did he ever hold 'em: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K.
It was a little too late. The home team finally pried loose a run of Eddie Cicotte in the last of the sixth. Heinie Groh hit a ground-rule two bagger with one away. Edd Roush grounded back to Eddie Cicotte, who pegged him out at first. The shutout must have not mattered to Cicotte, as there was a strong possibility he could have nailed Heinie Groh going to third. But now Groh was ninety feed away with two down. Cicotte did not retire Pat Duncan. Pat's single scored Groh. It was a 4-1 ballgame.
This inning seemed to wake up the Reds. In the seventh, Greasy Neale fanned. But Ivey Wingo, who was never once retired all game, walked. It was the third free pass of the afternoon that Wingo had received. Dolph Luque was curiously allowed to hit for himself. Eddie Cicotte fanned him. Morrie Rath got hit number five for the Reds. There bats were coming alive. But the inning ended as Jake Daubert grounded out to second basemen Eddie Collins.
After getting the side 1-2-3 in the eight, there was more trouble for Eddie Cicotte in the ninth. Working on a fine five-hitter, he stumbled.
Catcher Ivey Wingo, who finished this contest an awesome 1-1 with three bases on balls, would finish the 1919 World Series with the top batting average, .571. So Cincinnati had the pitcher with the best ERA in Jimmy Ring, and the batter with the best batting average and on-base percentage (Wingo's was .700). It's interesting to note, the .700 OBP by the Cincinnati Reds catcher puts him fourth (Tied with Barry Bonds) on highest OBP in a single Fall Classic. If you are wondering, Cincinnati has the top spot in BA and OBP in a single World Series. 81 years later, Billy Hatcher hit .750 and had a .800 on-base percentage in the 1990 World Series vs. Oakland. At the time of Ivey Wingo's 1919 performance, he stood alone atop the leaders for top batting average and on-base percentage in one October Classic. The previous best batting average in one World Series was Hank Gowdy's .545 average in 1914. Gowdy also had a remarkable .688 on-base percentage in the '14 World Series. But when the smoke cleared on this tainted 1919 World Series, Wingo stood alone.
But now, Larry Kopf and Greasy Neale were retired by Edd Cicotte. He was working on a fine five-hitter through eight and two-thirds innings pitched. But here's where Ivey Wingo got his one hit. The good news for Chicago is that would be the last time they saw him this Fall Classic. I'm sure Wingo was sad to think he wouldn't at least see Cicotte again this World Series. He'd gone 4-6 (And remember, three walks, too) against him.
The bad news for the White Sox was, the game was not over. Wingo's hit was only a single. But now the question was who would hit against the knuckleball master on the mound, who looked like he was trying to win this game. Dolph Luque, who had completely stifled the Chicago White Sox in his 4 1/3 innings of excellent relief, was the next scheduled hitter. No way, no how, down 4-1 were the Cincinnati Reds gonna let him hit. Instead it was Sherry Magee. Magee's only action in the 1919 World Series so far had been when he'd batted against Dickie Kerr in the eighth inning of game three and been retired on a flyball. Here, the one-time star of the Philadelphia Phillies was being sent up to the dish to keep the Reds hopes alive in game seven.
Magee had hit just .215 in 56 games with the Reds in 1919. This, in fact, would be his last major league plate appearance. Magee had led the Senior Circuit in runs driven three times (1907, 1910, 1914). But Sherry had just 21 in 1919.
In any event, Sherry won the battle with Cicotte. His pinch hit single moved Wingo to second. Magee's major league career ended right there, as Jimmy Smith went in to run for him. Morrie Rath was back up. He ended the game by flying out to Happy Felsch in centre.
So, Eddie Cicotte was the winning pitcher. I guess you could argue he'd pitched better in game four. But his effort was a little more honest as he made no errors. Still couldn't hit, though.
You'd think maybe Chicago was going to win this thing, now. But Lefty Williams didn't pitch well in game eight back at Comiskey Park. Nope. Got the first batter out, then gave up a pair of singles to first basemen Jake Daubert and third basemen Heinie Groh. Lefty followed that by allowing two doubles to Edd Roush and Pat Duncan. Shortstop Larry Kopf was now at the plate, with just one out and three runs in. Williams missed with the first pitch. This situation wasn't pretty and Lefty was out of there. New pitcher Bill James couldn't hold the fort either. He gave up a walk to Kopf and a two-out, run-scoring single to Bill Rariden before the inning ended. The visiting Cincinnati Reds were ahead for good.
Chicago got two men on via a single by Nemo Leibold (Playing centre as Happy Felsch was in right field) and a double by Eddie Collins. Buck Weaver was up. But Chicago was facing Hod Eller again. And Eller was masterful. He fanned Weaver. Jackson popped up behind third in foul territory. Here's where an oddity happened. Larry Kopf, the third basemen, had raced back and made a fine play to make the catch. But Nemo Leibold should have tagged and scored, getting Chicago on the board. He held right there at third. The side was instead retired without a run as Happy Felsch fanned.
Felsch ended the game 0-4, but Joe Jackson certainly did not. Next time up, Shoeless Joe hit a home run to finally get his team on the board in the last of the third. However, the visitors had crossed home in the top of the second. So the Reds were up 5-1. Leibold, by the way, sort of redeemed himself by nailing Hod Eller at home in the top of the fourth to keep Chicago within four runs of Cincinnati. For Nemo, it was his second outfield assist of the afternoon. I guess Kid Gleason had finally grown tired of Felsch's mistakes in centre. Leibold's play there had to please him.
But what Kid Gleason needed was Nemo Leibold and Happy Felsch's bats. They weren't doing enough. Weaver was having no luck. He appeared to have hit in the third, only to be robbed by Morrie Rath. On the bright side, there was Eddie Collins. When this game reached it's conclusion, he had three hits.
But maybe Kid Gleason hadn't been so smart in some of his moves. Another attempt to get back in the game prior to Joe Jackson's home run had been in the second, when the pitcher faltered through the inning. Via a walk to Swede Risberg and a single by Ray Schalk. Schalk had sort of been lucky, as he'd been given new life at the dish. The catcher had popped up to his counterpart, Bill Rariden, in foul territory. Rariden dropped it.
You'd think Pat Moran, the Reds' manager, would have wanted Ivey Wingo in there, given how well he'd played. But Wingo had made a dozen errors behind the dish in 75 games compared to Rariden's six in 70. Also, I'm sure Cincinnati didn't expect a quick outing by Lefty Williams. Williams had allowed just four hits in each of his previous starts in the 1919 World Series. Ivey Wingo batted lefty, and a lefty-lefty confrontation with the tough Chicago starter didn't sound like a good idea.
So, the White Sox had two men on, with just one out. Why let pitcher Bill James bat for himself. Why let him continue to pitch after? James was routed for eight hits in four and two-thirds innings. All he could do with the bat was pop up here, and strikeout in the fifth. Speaking of K's, that's what Hod Eller did to Nemo Leibold to end the second. Eller had three whiffs in only two innings.
The Cincinnati pitcher seemed to have it on this day. Jackson's hit was the only one given up by the Cincinnati pitcher from the third inning to the fifth. He was also up to five K's. Hod's team kept coming at Chicago. Greasy Neale singled home a run in the top of the fifth to get the five run lead back. Three more runs in the top of sixth inning and still another in the eighth upped it to 10-1 after 7 1/2.
Buck Weaver had gotten the sixth inning off on the right foot for the White Sox with a single. Joe Jackson gave it quite a ride to centre, but Edd Roush got this one. Happy Felsch and Chick Gandil were also retired on flyballs. Hod Eller had quite a sixth inning. He singled an scored in the top of the frame and then continued to frustrate the Chicago batters in the bottom of it. And Eller followed it up by getting the side in order in the seventh.
Cincinnati didn't appear to need Ivey Wingo after all. You see, Bill Rariden had driven in the tenth Reds' run in the top of the eighth to really put the game out of reach. Hod Eller did falter in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Eddie Collins singled. Buck Weaver doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Joe Jackson came through with a double. These were really the only two runs the White Sox should have scored this inning. But after retiring Happy Felsch on a pop out, Cincinnati had some bad luck. First, Chick Gandil hit a triple that right fielder Greasy Neale lost in the afternoon sun. Then, the man playing to Neale's right, Edd Roush, couldn't come up with Swede Risberg's fly. The error allowed Gandil to score. It was 10-5, now. You sort of have to feel sorry for Eller. With his bat, he'd gotten a hit and been hit by a pitch. And Hod nearly had two runs scored. A bad inning (But not really all his fault), turned his fine five-hitter into a nine-hitter. Gandil's triple ended up being his last plate appearance at the big-league level.
Cincinnati got a single by Morrie Rath off Roy Wilkinson to start the ninth, but the next three batters were retired. Wilkinson had finally relieved Bill James in the top of the sixth after giving up a single and a walk. Wilkinson had an interesting game for Chicago. He was there to put out the fire in that dreadful sixth frame. He got Jake Daubert to hit into a fielder's choice on an attempted bunt (But an error by Ray Schalk fielding it meant the bases were loaded) and Heinie Groh to strikeout. It seemed like Kid Gleason had finally made a good move.
Alas, Edd Roush 2-3 so far with two doubles, added a single to score two more runs. Pat Duncan was himself 1-3, but with a double of his own. Roy Wilkinson could not stop the bleeding. Duncan's single off him scored Jake Daubert, making it 9-1 for the visitors. Roy then walked Larry Koft before settling down. The bases were loaded again. Greasy Neal forced Edd Roush at home. Wilkinson then picked off Kopf!
Roy Wilkinson's problem lay with his control this afternoon. Sure, he got through the seventh without allowing a run (Or a hit), but there were problems. Morrie Rath drew a two-out walk. Then Rath swiped second with Jake Daubert back up. He was having quite the game. 2-4 at the dish with two runs scored so far. Here, Jake coaxed another walk of Wilkinson. Roy was up to to three free passes in just 1 2/3 innings. Heinie Groh flew out to end it.
The next inning, Roy wasn't so luck as Wilkinson hit Edd Roush. Three walks and a hit batsman. Wild times for Roy Wilkinson. Pat Duncan got Roush into scoring position with a sac bunt. Larry Kopf popped out, and Wilkinson seemed safe. But Greasy Neale drew a walk off him. That's now four walks allowed in 2 2/3 innings by the White Sox pitcher. Bill Rariden made the hurler pay for his lack of control with a single to score Roush.
So Roy Wilkinson had an odd game. He'd allowed four hits in four innings. Not bad compared to Lefty Williams allowing four hits in a third of an inning or Bill James allowing eight hits in four and two-third's inning. But the bullpen had really been bad. In a combined eight and two-thirds innings pitched, James and Wilkinson had issued seven bases on balls. Neither pitcher was in on the fix, but they sure weren't helping the Chicago White Sox cause.
So how about the bottom of the ninth?
The Reds' starting pitcher Hod Eller started the last of the ninth off badly. It had been a rought eighth for him, but Eller still entered the final frame with six strikeouts. Kid Gleason sent up Eddie Murphy to bat for Roy Wilinson. Kid Gleason had waited until it was too late use a pinch hitter for him. Looking at this eighth game, Bill James, who had relieved Lefty Williams in the top of the first, had batted for himself in the bottom of the second and fifth. Wilkinson had batted from himself in the last of the seventh. Combined, the two pitchers were 0-3 with two strikeouts.
Well, Murphy ended up getting hit by Eller. In hitting a batter, Eller equaled what Bill James and Roy Wilkinson had done in the afternoon. Chicago seemed to be getting to Hod. Nine hits, a walk, and now a hit batter. Nemo Leibold gave it a ride to centre. Edd Roush, redeeming himself from the previous inning, dove for it, and came up with the ball.
However, Eddie Collins was up. He was 2-4. Eddie made it 3-5 with a single, sending Eddie Murphy to second. Buck Weaver, still in search of his first RBI in this series, sent a pitch to right, where Greasy Neale made the catch. Murphy tagged and made it to third. Hod Eller then faced Shoeless Joe Jackson with runners now on the corners. Two on, two out. Collins stole second, and now there were two runners in scoring position for Jackson. Hod Eller got Joe Jackson to ground out to end it. So Eddie Cicotte's game seven win did not lead to the Sox taking this Fall Classic.
The best-of-nine format was used again in 1920. Only seven games were needed, as Cleveland beat Brooklyn 5-2. Then it was Babe Ruth, who'd taken some cues from Joe Jackson's style of putting the bat on the ball, who took the New York Yankees to three straight World Series.
Only the first was best-of-nine. Ruth had slugged 54 home runs in 1920, and he was just getting started. Ruth's lessons from Jackson were paying dividends. His power was unprecedented in baseball. The Babe had gone from leading the league with merely eleven home runs in 1918 with the Boston Red Sox, to 29 in 1919. Then, as a member of the New York Yankees in 1920, The Sultan of Swat hit 54.
59 more were hit by The Babe in 1921, but it wasn't enough to bring his team the World Series. It was their cross-town rivals the New York Giants, managed by John McGraw, who had the last word. Ruth did all he could. Although he missed two games with injury, the Yankee outfielder hit .313, with a home run and four RBI. The Giants were careful when they pitched to him, giving him five bases on balls. Although it looked liked the American League winners were going to be champions of the world after five games, it was not to be. Down three games to two, the Giants won three straight games to take the Fall Classic, 5-3. In the last game seven of a best-of-nine World Series, the New York Yankees needed Babe Ruth. He didn't play. And his team lost 2-1. Ruth was also needed in game eight, which the Yankees lost 1-0. The star outfielder was able to make only a pinch hitting appearance in the bottom of the ninth. The Bambino grounded out.
But what of the Chicago pitcher, who was one of the first hurler's to use the knuckleball? Well, Eddie Cicotte was kicked out of baseball along with seven other teammates after the 1920 season. Cicotte had over 200 wins to his name, and perhaps a shot at the Hall of Fame (Which would open in 1939). At one point after his baseball career ended in the mid-1920s (He played in the semipros like Swede Risberg and Joe Jackson) Cicotte ended up working for Ford Motor Company. One of the pioneers of a pitch later made famous by Hoyt Wilhelm died on May 5, 1969 in Detroit.
References
Cook, William A. The 1919 World Series: What Really Happened? McFarland, 2001. Kindle edition.
Fountain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball, OXFORD University Press, New York, NY, 2016, pp. 95–119.
Freedman, Lew. “Where Did The Knuckler Come From?” Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch, Sports Publishing, New York, NY, 2015, pp. 8–19.
Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX, 1992.
Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain’t So, Joe!: The True Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Revised ed., Canadian Manda Group, Toronto, ON, 1992, pp. 156–231.
Halfon, Mark S. “The Black Sox Scandals.” Tales from the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History, Potomac Books, Lincoln, NE, 2014, pp. 144–158.
Hornbaker, Tim. “The Conspiracy Unfolds.” Fall from Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, Sports Publishing, New York, NY, 2018, pp. 158–172.
The Baseball Chronicle: Year-By-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, IL, 2008.
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Freedman, Lew. “Where Did The Knuckler Come From?” Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch, Sports Publishing, New York, NY, 2015, pp. 8–19.
Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX, 1992.
Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain’t So, Joe!: The True Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Revised ed., Canadian Manda Group, Toronto, ON, 1992, pp. 156–231.
Halfon, Mark S. “The Black Sox Scandals.” Tales from the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History, Potomac Books, Lincoln, NE, 2014, pp. 144–158.
Hornbaker, Tim. “The Conspiracy Unfolds.” Fall from Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, Sports Publishing, New York, NY, 2018, pp. 158–172.
The Baseball Chronicle: Year-By-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, IL, 2008.
Morissey, Scott C. 114 World Series in 1 Book. Updated ed., Pandamonium Publishing House, Ancaster, ON, 2020.
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989. St. Martin's Press, 1990.
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Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, http://www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 21 Oct. 2021.
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Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. Raincoast, Richmond, BC, 1995.
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Ward, Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. “The Faith of Fifty Million People.” Baseball: An Illustrated History, 2nd ed., Random House of Canada. Toronto, ON, 2010, pp. 133–141.
Ward, Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. “The Faith of Fifty Million People.” Baseball: An Illustrated History, 2nd ed., Random House of Canada. Toronto, ON, 2010, pp. 133–141.
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