YEAR IN REVIEW : 1919 American League

Off the field...

A federal prohibition act known as the "Volstead Act" was passed over the veto of President Woodrow Wilson making provisions for the enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment, which strictly forbid the manufacturing, sale, importing, or exporting of all intoxicating liquors. The act defined an intoxicating beverage as one containing more than .5% alcohol by volume and included all hard liquors and wines. It also gave federal agents the power to investigate and prosecute violations of the amendment at their own discretion.

On September 9th, three-quarters of the Boston police force voted to go on strike. Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge quickly intervened to dismiss the strikers, stating that no labor dispute would be allowed to compromise public safety.

Race riots erupted in twenty-six U.S. cities during the summer including an extremely violent protest in Chicago that left thirty-eight dead, more than five-hundred injured, and many more homeless. The killing of a black teenager at the 26th Street beach sparked the conflict, but racial tension had been brewing in the "Windy City" for years.

In the American League...

In December, Colonel Jacob Ruppert purchased Babe Ruth from Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee. The New York Yankees owner paid a reported sum of $125,000 and guaranteed a $300,000 loan with Fenway Park as collateral for the promising pitcher / infielder (13-wins / 11-home runs).

Chicago White Sox ace Eddie Cicotte (a member of the "Black Sox" scandal) beat the Philadelphia Athletics for the second time on June 14th en route to a 29-7 season and an astounding 1.82 ERA.

On June 23rd, Boston Red Sox first baseman Stuffy McInnis made his first fielding error after successfully handling five-hundred twenty-six chances.

In the National League...

On June 8th, the Philadelphia Phillies outsmarted the New York Giants and broke the record for most stolen bases in an inning (set by Washington in 1915) after four runners made it to first base in the ninth and each stole both second and third.

Brooklyn Dodger Ed Konetchy went five-for-five on June 29, 1919, then collected his tenth straight hit on July 1st during a 9-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, tying a record set by Washington's Jake Gettman in 1897.

The National League voted to ban the use of spitball's by all new pitchers. The ban was formally worked out by the Rules Committee the following February and was expanded to include the use of all foreign substances (saliva, resin, talcum powder, paraffin) as well as any other alterations (shine or emery) to balls by pitchers.

Around the League...

Anticipating a poor season at the gate, major league owners decided to open a reduced one-hundred forty game season. Despite the lack of close races, attendance remained high all year and every club managed to show a profit at the end of the year.

The 1919 World Series ignited the infamous "Black Sox" scandal after eight members of the participating White Sox including pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Claude (Lefty) Williams, outfielders Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch, first baseman Chick Gandil, shortstop Swede Risberg, third baseman Buck Weaver and reserve infielder Fred McMullin were all charged with conspiring to fix the outcome of the Fall Classic against the Cincinnati Reds. Cynics were tipped off before the Series even started when the pre-game betting odds swapped shortly before the first game. Despite the rumors, most fans and members of the press accepted the games to be true, but all that would change in 1920 as suspicions turned into confessions. To this day participants in the conspiracy have been denied entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"I have pitched the best ball of my life, but I am not winning. The team (Red Sox) just deosn't win when I'm pitching, so I'm going home to Pennsylvania." - Carl Mays (July 12, 1919)

1919 American League Player Review

1918 | 1919 Hitting Statistics League Leaders | 1920

Base on Balls Jack Graney Cleveland 105 Top 25
Batting Average Ty Cobb Detroit .384 Top 25
Doubles BobbyVeach Detroit 45 Top 25
Hits Ty Cobb Detroit 191 Top 25
BobbyVeach Detroit
Home Runs Babe Ruth Boston 29 Top 25
On Base Percentage Babe Ruth Boston .456 Top 25
RBI Babe Ruth Boston 114 Top 25
Runs Babe Ruth Boston 103 Top 25
Slugging Average Babe Ruth Boston .657 Top 25
Stolen Bases Eddie Collins Chicago 33 Top 25
Total Bases Babe Ruth Boston 284 Top 25
Triples BobbyVeach Detroit 17 Top 25
1919 N.L. | A.L. Retirements | A.L. Rookies | Year-by-Year

1919 American League Pitcher Review

1918 | 1919 Pitching Statistics League Leaders | 1920

Complete Games Eddie Cicotte Chicago 30 Top 25
ERA Walter Johnson Washington 1.49 Top 25
Games Jim Shaw Washington 45 Top 25
Saves Allan Russell New York 5 Top 25
Boston
Bob Shawkey New York
Jim Shaw Washington
Shutouts Walter Johnson Washington 7 Top 25
Strikeouts Walter Johnson Washington 147 Top 25
Winning Percentage Eddie Cicotte Chicago .806 Top 25
Wins Eddie Cicotte Chicago 29 Top 25
1919 N.L. | A.L. Retirements | A.L. Rookies | Year-by-Year

1919 American League Standings

1919 Team Standings | 1919 World Series

Chicago White Sox 88 52 .629 0
Cleveland Indians 84 55 .604
New York Yankees 80 59 .576
Detroit Tigers 80 60 .571 8
St. Louis Browns 67 72 .482 20½
Boston Red Sox 66 71 .482 20½
Washington Senators 56 84 .400 32
Philadelphia Athletics 36 104 .257 52
Final 1919 AL Official Standings

1919 American League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Cleveland 498
Batting Average Chicago .287
Doubles Cleveland 254
Hits Chicago 1,343
Home Runs New York 45
On Base Percentage Cleveland .354
Runs Chicago 667
Slugging Average Cleveland .381
Stolen Bases Chicago 150
Triples Detroit 84

1919 American League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Boston 89
ERA New York 2.82
Fewest Hits Allowed New York 1,143
Fewest Home Runs Allowed Boston 16
Fewest Walks Allowed Chicago 342
Saves Cleveland 10
Washington
Shutouts Boston 15
Strikeouts Washington 536
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

On April 23, 1919, Walter Johnson threw a record fifth career Opening Day shutout. President Woodrow Wilson missed this occasion, but sent Army Chief of Staff General Peyton C. March who became the first active General to throw out an Opening Day pitch.

Did you know that on May 20, 1919, Babe Ruth, who pitched seventeen games during the season for the Red Sox, hit his first career grand slam (6-4 win versus St. Louis)?

Strange, but true — on August 24, 1919, Ray Caldwell of Cleveland was about to deliver a pitch when he was struck by lightning. Caldwell recovered and won the game 2-1 versus the Athletics.