American journalist and publisher, William Randolph Hearst began to acquire his media empire that would eventually include eighteen newspapers and nine magazines within two decades. A flamboyant and highly controversial figure, Hearst was nonetheless an extremely competent newspaperman who quickly became one of the wealthiest men in the world. His castle at San Simeon, California, won fame for its immense art collections and is still considered one of the largest houses in the United States. The property was later presented to the state as a museum after Hearst's death.
While playing the Boston Red Sox in their opener at New York's Hilltop Park, the New York Highlanders debuted their "soon-to-be" trademark pinstripes.
One of baseball's original cathedrals, Boston's Fenway Park, (built at a cost of $350,000) was formally dedicated as the visiting White Sox beat the Red pair 5-2 before a capacity crowd.
On August 11th, Joe Jackson of the Cleveland Indians became only the second American League player ever to steal home twice in a single game. Jackson first stole home in the first, then went on to thieve second, third and home in the seventh.
Crosley Field, the home field of the Cincinnati Reds until June 24, 1970, opened its doors to fans on May 18, 1912. Originally called Redland Field (the name changed in 1933), 20,000 fans witnessed the first game in ballpark history, a 4-3 win over the New York Giants, who started Christy Mathewson that historic day.
The St. Louis Cardinals also ended the New York Giants consecutive winning streak at fourteen after a 5-1 effort on May 31st. The Giants incredible start of 43-11 remained the best of the century and stood unmatched until 1939 when the New York Yankees tied the mark.
In response to the demand for an alternative way to statistically rate pitchers, the National League elected to officially score the Earned Run Average for the first time. Jeff Tesreau of the New York Giants went on to lead the new category with a 1.96 ERA.
In an effort to eliminate the possibility of home team's ball boys influencing which ones are used for each team's turn at bat, the National League installed small boxes near home plate to supply the umpires directly.
In New York, the Giants and Highlanders met at the Polo Grounds to play an unscheduled charity game to raise money for the survivors of the Titanic (which had sunk three days earlier, April 14th). The Giants prevailed 11-2.
As a gag, Western Union telegraph operator Lou Proctor entered his name as a pinch hitter into the St. Louis Browns — Boston Red Sox box score (with no hits in one at bat). Initially, the forgery was not noticed and appeared both as a published box score in The Sporting News and in the first editions of The Baseball Encyclopedia.
"One of them (the Tigers replacement players [see fast facts]) was Joe Maharg, a name when read backwards gives the real name Graham, a gambler and preliminary fighter who later was a go-between in the Black Sox scandal." - Historian Fred Lieb
1912 American League Player Review |
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Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
Base on Balls | Donie Bush | Detroit | 117 | Top 25 |
Batting Average | Ty Cobb | Detroit | .409 | Top 25 |
Doubles | Tris Speaker | Boston | 53 | Top 25 |
Hits | Ty Cobb | Detroit | 226 | Top 25 |
Joe Jackson | Cleveland | |||
Home Runs | Frank Baker | Philadelphia | 10 | Top 25 |
Tris Speaker | Boston | |||
On Base Percentage | Tris Speaker | Boston | .464 | Top 25 |
RBI | Frank Baker | Philadelphia | 130 | Top 25 |
Runs | Eddie Collins | Philadelphia | 137 | Top 25 |
Slugging Average | Ty Cobb | Detroit | .584 | Top 25 |
Stolen Bases | Clyde Milan | Washington | 88 | Top 25 |
Total Bases | Joe Jackson | Cleveland | 331 | Top 25 |
Triples | Joe Jackson | Cleveland | 26 | Top 25 |
Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
1912 N.L. | A.L. Retirements | A.L. Rookies | Year-by-Year |
1912 American League Pitcher Review |
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Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
Complete Games | Smoky Joe Wood | Boston | 35 | Top 25 |
ERA | Walter Johnson | Washington | 1.39 | Top 25 |
Games | Ed Walsh | Chicago | 62 | Top 25 |
Saves | Ed Walsh | Chicago | 10 | Top 25 |
Shutouts | Smoky Joe Wood | Boston | 10 | Top 25 |
Strikeouts | Walter Johnson | Washington | 303 | Top 25 |
Winning Percentage | Smoky Joe Wood | Boston | .872 | Top 25 |
Wins | Smoky Joe Wood | Boston | 34 | Top 25 |
Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
1912 N.L. | A.L. Retirements | A.L. Rookies | Year-by-Year |
1912 American League Team Standings1912 Team Standings | 1912 World Series |
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Team | Roster | W | L | WP | GB |
Boston Red Sox | 105 | 47 | .691 | 0 |
Washington Senators | 91 | 61 | .599 | 14 |
Philadelphia Athletics | 90 | 62 | .592 | 15 |
Chicago White Sox | 78 | 76 | .506 | 28 |
Cleveland Naps | 75 | 78 | .490 | 30½ |
Detroit Tigers | 69 | 84 | .451 | 36½ |
St. Louis Browns | 53 | 101 | .344 | 53 |
New York Highlanders | 50 | 102 | .329 | 55 |
Team | Roster | W | L | WP | GB |
American League Team Standings |
1912 American League Team ReviewHitting Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Team | # |
Base on Balls | Boston | 565 |
Batting Average | Philadelphia | .282 |
Doubles | Boston | 269 |
Hits | Philadelphia | 1,442 |
Home Runs | Boston | 29 |
On Base Percentage | Boston | .355 |
Runs | Boston | 799 |
Slugging Average | Boston | .380 |
Stolen Bases | Washington | 274 |
Triples | Philadelphia | 108 |
Statistic | Team | # |
1912 American League Team ReviewPitching Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Team | # |
Complete Games | Boston | 108 |
ERA | Washington | 2.69 |
Fewest Hits Allowed | Washington | 1,219 |
Fewest Home Runs Allowed | Philadelphia | 12 |
Fewest Walks Allowed | Boston | 385 |
Saves | Chicago | 16 |
Shutouts | Boston | 18 |
Strikeouts | Washington | 828 |
Statistic | Team | # |
Did you know that on April 26, 1912, Hugh Bradley, of the Boston Red Sox, became the first player to hit a home run over the left field wall in Fenway Park?
Ty Cobb served the first day of a suspension on May 18, 1912. The Tigers protested by striking and an entire team of replacement players took the field against the Athletics, losing 24-2. The starting lineup was: Billy Maharg (third base), Bill Leinhauser (outfielder), Dan McGarvey (outfielder), Jim McGarr (second base), Deacon McGuire (catcher), Pat Meaney (shortstop), Joe Sugden (first base), Allen Travers (pitcher), and Hap Ward (outfielder).
On July 4, 1912, George Mullin celebrated his thirty-second birthday on Independence Day. The Tigers pitcher took the mound in Game 2 of a doubleheader and threw a 7-0 no-hitter versus the St. Louis Browns. However, did you know that Ty Cobb stole the show when he successfully stole second base, third base, and home plate during the fifth inning of Game 1 — his twenty-second steal of home plate.