The 1919 major league baseball season began on April 19, 1919. The regular season ended on September 29, with the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 16th World Series, known for the infamous Black Sox Scandal, on October 1 and ended with Game 8 on October 9. The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Chicago White Sox, five games to three, capturing their first championship in franchise history. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Boston Red Sox from the 1918 season.
| 1919 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | Regular season:
|
| Games | 140 |
| Teams | 16 (8 per league) |
| Pennant Winners | |
| AL champions | Chicago White Sox |
| AL runners-up | Cleveland Indians |
| NL champions | Cincinnati Reds |
| NL runners-up | New York Giants |
| World Series | |
| Venue | |
| Champions | Cincinnati Reds |
| Runners-up | Chicago White Sox |
The Black Sox Scandal, for which the 1919 season is best remembered for, saw the Chicago White Sox throw (purposely lose) the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, 5–3, in order to illegally gain money from gambling. This scandal resulted in the dissolution of the National Baseball Commission and the creation of the office of the Commissioner of Baseball. The new commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, banned eight players from baseball for life.[1]
Schedule
editThe 1919 schedule consisted of 140 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 20 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This 140-game schedule format had been previously used in 1903. The 154-game schedule was re-instituted for the 1920 season.
National League Opening Day took place on April 19, when the Brooklyn Robins defeated the Boston Braves 5–2 at Braves Field in the first game of a doubleheader.[2] American League Opening Day (and most other National League teams' Opening Day) wouldn't take place until April 23, where each league saw six of their teams play. This continued the trend from the previous season which saw both leagues' Opening Day start on different days. The National League regular season ended on September 28, while the American League regular season ended on September 29 with the New York Yankees defeating the Philadelphia Athletics 4–2 at Shibe Park.[3] This was the first season since 1915 which saw both leagues end on different days, as well as the first season since 1903 that saw the leagues begin and conclude on different days. The World Series would begin in Cincinnati on October 1, before concluding on October 9.
Rule change
editThe minor leagues withdrew from the National Agreement, resulting in the abolition of the Rule 5 draft, as well as all existing optional agreements between major- and minor-league teams. The only way in which major-league clubs could acquire players from the minors was by directly purchasing their contracts. This change resulted in the previous $2,500 (equivalent to $46,400 in 2025) draft fee cap being removed.[4]
Teams
editStandings
editAmerican League
edit| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox | 88 | 52 | .629 | — | 48–22 | 40–30 |
| Cleveland Indians | 84 | 55 | .604 | 3½ | 44–25 | 40–30 |
| New York Yankees | 80 | 59 | .576 | 7½ | 46–25 | 34–34 |
| Detroit Tigers | 80 | 60 | .571 | 8 | 46–24 | 34–36 |
| St. Louis Browns | 67 | 72 | .482 | 20½ | 40–30 | 27–42 |
| Boston Red Sox | 66 | 71 | .482 | 20½ | 35–30 | 31–41 |
| Washington Senators | 56 | 84 | .400 | 32 | 32–40 | 24–44 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 36 | 104 | .257 | 52 | 21–49 | 15–55 |
National League
edit| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds | 96 | 44 | .686 | — | 51–19 | 45–25 |
| New York Giants | 87 | 53 | .621 | 9 | 46–23 | 41–30 |
| Chicago Cubs | 75 | 65 | .536 | 21 | 40–31 | 35–34 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 71 | 68 | .511 | 24½ | 39–31 | 32–37 |
| Brooklyn Robins | 69 | 71 | .493 | 27 | 36–34 | 33–37 |
| Boston Braves | 57 | 82 | .410 | 38½ | 29–38 | 28–44 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 54 | 83 | .394 | 40½ | 34–35 | 20–48 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 47 | 90 | .343 | 47½ | 26–44 | 21–46 |
Tie games
edit5 tie games (3 in AL, 2 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
Postseason
editThe postseason began on October 1 and ended on October 9 with the Cincinnati Reds defeating the Chicago White Sox in the 1919 World Series in eight games.
Bracket
edit| World Series | ||||
| AL | Chicago White Sox | 3 | ||
| NL | Cincinnati Reds | 5 | ||
Managerial changes
editOff-season changes
editOnly one team announced a new manager in the offseason:
| Date | Team | New manager | Replaced | Former job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31 | Chicago White Sox | Kid Gleason | Pants Rowland | Coach for the Chicago White Sox (1912–1914, 1916–1917) |
| January 30 | Cincinnati Reds | Pat Moran | Christy Mathewson & Heinie Groh | Won the 1915 World Series as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. |
| — | Philadelphia Phillies | Jack Coombs | Pat Moran | Pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Brooklyn Robins |
| — | St. Louis Cardinals | Branch Rickey | Jack Hendricks | General manager for the St. Louis Cardinals (1917–1918) |
In-season changes
editOne team replaced their manager during the season:
| Date | Team | New Manager | Replaced | Previous Job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 8 | Philadelphia Phillies | Gavvy Cravath | Jack Coombs | Right fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies (became player-manager) |
| July 18 | Cleveland Indians | Tris Speaker | Lee Fohl | Center fielder for the Cleveland Indians (became player-manager) |
League leaders
editAny team shown in small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American League
edit| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Ty Cobb (DET) | .384 |
| OPS | Babe Ruth (BOS) | 1.114 |
| HR | Babe Ruth (BOS) | 29 |
| RBI | Babe Ruth (BOS) | 114 |
| R | Babe Ruth (BOS) | 103 |
| H | Ty Cobb (DET) Bobby Veach (DET) |
191 |
| SB | Eddie Collins (CWS) | 33 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Eddie Cicotte (CWS) | 29 |
| L | Harry Harper (WSH) | 21 |
| ERA | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 1.49 |
| K | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 147 |
| IP | Eddie Cicotte (CWS) Jim Shaw (WSH) |
306.2 |
| SV | Allen Russell (BOS/NYY) Jim Shaw (WSH) Bob Shawkey (NYY) |
5 |
| WHIP | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 0.985 |
National League
edit| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Edd Roush (CIN) | .321 |
| OPS | Heinie Groh (CIN) | .823 |
| HR | Gavvy Cravath (PHI) | 12 |
| RBI | Hy Myers (BRO) | 73 |
| R | George Burns (NYG) | 86 |
| H | Ivy Olson (BRO) | 164 |
| SB | George Burns (NYG) | 40 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Jesse Barnes (NYG) | 25 |
| L | Lee Meadows (PHI/STL) | 20 |
| ERA | Grover Alexander (CHC) | 1.72 |
| K | Hippo Vaughn (CHC) | 141 |
| IP | Hippo Vaughn (CHC) | 306.2 |
| SV | Oscar Tuero (STL) | 4 |
| WHIP | Babe Adams (CIN) | 0.896 |
Milestones
editBatters
edit- Babe Ruth (BOS):
- Hit his first career grand slam home run against Dave Davenport of the St. Louis Browns in St. Louis as a pitcher on May 20. Boston wins 6–4.[10]
- Set a new American League record for home runs in a season by hitting his 17th home run on August 14 against the Chicago White Sox. Ruth broke the record set by Socks Seybold in 1902.
- Set a new American League record for grand slams in a season by hitting his fourth on August 23 against the Detroit Tigers. Ruth broke the record of two set by Nap Lajoie in 1901.[11][12]
- Became the first player to hit at least one home run in every American League park in the same season after hitting his 29th and last home run of the season, against the Washington Senators in Washington, D.C..[10]
- Ed Konetchy (BRO):
- Gets his 10th straight hit, tying Jake Gettman's record set with the 1890s Washington Senators in 1897, going 5-for-5 in a 9–4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Both will be topped by Walt Dropo in 1952.
- Tris Speaker (CLE):
- Ties the American League record for run scoring, crossing the plate five times in a 15–9 win against the New York Yankees.[13]
Pitchers
editNo-hitters
edit- Hod Eller (CIN):
- Eller threw his first career no-hitter and fifth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 6–0 on May 11. He walked three and struck out eight.[14]
- Ray Caldwell (CLE/BOS):
- Caldwell threw his first career no-hitter and fourth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the New York Yankees 3–0 in game one of a doubleheader on September 10. He walked one and struck out five. Just two weeks prior on August 24, he was struck by lightning.[15]
Other pitching accomplishments
edit- Walter Johnson (WSH):
- Retires 28 consecutive batters during a 12-inning scoreless tie against Jack Quinn and the New York Yankees.[16]
- Waite Hoyt (BOS):
- Threw nine perfect innings against the New York Yankees, but gives up five hits in the 13th inning to end the perfect game, eventually losing the game 2–1.[17]
Miscellaneous
edit- Cincinnati Reds:
- Set a major league record for most runs scored in the 13th inning, by scoring 10 runs against the Brooklyn Dodgers on May 15.[18]
- Ray Caldwell (CLE/BOS):
- Struck by lightning during the ninth inning during his August 24 Cleveland Indian debut, following a trade from the Red Sox. He quickly recovered, reportedly saying "Give me that danged ball and turn me toward the plate", before pitching the final out of the game.[19]
- Boston Braves vs. Chicago Cubs / Brooklyn Robins vs. Cincinnati Reds:
- On September 21 – In a period of rapidly played games, the Cubs beat the Braves 3–0 in 58 minutes of playing time.[20] It takes the Robins 55 minutes to beat the Reds 3–1,[21] with Slim Sallee throwing 65 pitches, managing to top Christy Mathewson's 69-pitch complete game.
- Fred Luderus (PHI):
- Is presented with a diamond stickpin and gold watch between doubleheader games on September 24 to commemorate his endurance effort for playing over 500 games in a row. The Brooklyn Robins defeat the Phillies twice on Fred Luderus Day in Philadelphia. The second game is the 525th in a row played by the Phillies first baseman, and he will end the season with a consecutive-game streak of 553.[22]
- Philadelphia Phillies / New York Giants:
- Set a record for the quickest nine-inning game in Major League history on September 28, lasting only 51 minutes for a Giants 6–1 victory at Brush Stadium.[23]
Home field attendance
edit| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants[24] | 87 | 22.5% | 708,857 | 176.2% | 10,273 |
| Detroit Tigers[25] | 80 | 45.5% | 643,805 | 216.0% | 9,197 |
| Chicago White Sox[26] | 88 | 54.4% | 627,186 | 221.5% | 8,960 |
| New York Yankees[27] | 80 | 33.3% | 619,164 | 119.5% | 8,482 |
| Cleveland Indians[28] | 84 | 15.1% | 538,135 | 82.1% | 7,799 |
| Cincinnati Reds[29] | 96 | 41.2% | 532,501 | 226.7% | 7,607 |
| Chicago Cubs[30] | 75 | −10.7% | 424,430 | 25.8% | 5,978 |
| Boston Red Sox[31] | 66 | −12.0% | 417,291 | 67.2% | 6,323 |
| Brooklyn Robins[32] | 69 | 21.1% | 360,721 | 330.3% | 5,153 |
| St. Louis Browns[33] | 67 | 15.5% | 349,350 | 186.2% | 4,991 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates[34] | 71 | 9.2% | 276,810 | 29.6% | 3,954 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[35] | 47 | −14.5% | 240,424 | 96.6% | 3,386 |
| Washington Senators[36] | 56 | −22.2% | 234,096 | 28.5% | 3,251 |
| Philadelphia Athletics[37] | 36 | −30.8% | 225,209 | 26.6% | 3,217 |
| Boston Braves[38] | 57 | 7.5% | 167,401 | 97.1% | 2,462 |
| St. Louis Cardinals[39] | 54 | 5.9% | 167,059 | 51.0% | 2,421 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ Purdy, Dennis (2006). The Team-by-Team Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball. New York City: Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7611-3943-5.
- ↑ "April 19, 1919 Brooklyn Robins at Boston Braves Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "September 29, 1919 New York Yankees at Philadelphia Athletics Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ Pomrenke, Jacob. "1918 Winter Meetings: Baseball Returns from the Great War". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
- ↑ "1919 Major League Managers". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ↑ "1919 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ↑ "1919 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ↑ "1919 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ↑ "1919 National League Pitching Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- 1 2 "Babe Ruth Career Home Runs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "Grand Slams Single Season Leaders". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ↑ "Babe Ruth Home Runs". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ↑ "August 11, 1919 Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "May 11, 1919 St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play – Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "September 10, 1919 Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "May 11, 1919 Washington Senators at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "September 24, 1919 Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ DeRosa, Theo. "The most runs scored in each inning, from the 1st to the 26th(!)". MLB.com. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame – Special Features – 35 Years Ago Today Ray Caldwell Survived Lightning To Beat A's". Chautauquasportshalloffame.org. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "September 21, 1919 Boston Braves at Chicago Cubs Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "September 21, 1919 Brooklyn Robins at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "The Ballplayers – Fred Luderus". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "September 28, 1919 Philadelphia Phillies at New York Giants Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Cleveland Guardians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2024.