As baseball prepared to close its books on the 1920's, the National League's Chicago Cubs were still looking for their third World Series Championship. Joe McCarthy's team was more determined than ever after losing in their previous two attempts (1910 & 1918) and had made it back to the big show on the arm of Pat Malone, who boasted twenty-two victories during the regular season. On the American League side, one of baseball's original dynasties, the Philadelphia Athletics were back on top after a lengthy rebuilding process. Connie Mack had finally assembled a line-up of talent that brought back memories of the perennial championship A's and featured players like Al Simmons, who had topped the American League with one-hundred fifty-seven RBIs. The A's were 104-46 in 1929 and won the American League pennant by eighteen games over the New York Yankees, who had swept the World Series in 1927 and 1928.
The Athletics' skipper shocked everyone after selecting Howard Ehmke, their seventh best pitcher, for the start in Game 1. The thirty-five-year-old veteran had a 7-2 record with an unimpressive ERA of 3.29. In a brilliant move, Mack had placed Ehmke in the stands at various games to study the Cub's hitters anonymously. His strategy paid off as the surprise underdog went on to beat Charlie Root and Guy Bush in a 3-1 opening victory. George Earnshaw and Lefty Grove maintained the Athletics' momentum with a Game 2 win over four of the National League's best. Pat Malone, Sheriff Blake, Hal Carlson and Art Nehf all came up short in a game that featured a combined twenty-three hits in a 9-3 Philadelphia romp. The Cubs struck back in Game 3 with a crucial 3-1 triumph that put them back in the hunt and set the stage for one of the most exciting comebacks in the history of the World Series.
Game 4 rotated nine different pitchers including the Cubs' Charlie Root, Art Nehf, Sheriff Blake, Pat Malone, Hal Carlson and the A's Jack Quinn, Rube Walberg, Eddie Rommel and Lefty Grove. Things appeared to remain in Chicago's favor even as Al Simmons added to his league leading stats with a homerun in the bottom of the seventh. Jimmie Foxx, Bing Miller and Jimmy Dykes followed him with singles. With the score still in the Cubs' advantage at 8-3 (with two runners on and no outs) Joe Boley stepped up to the plate and delivered another run-scoring single and the fifth consecutive hit off of starter Charlie Root. As the rally continued, Philadelphia had pulled within four and Root was pulled in favor of Art Nehf. The veteran lefty had won several crucial games for the New York Giants (in four consecutive World Series match-ups) but promptly surrendered three more runs on an error by outfielder Hack Wilson, who had let a long drive roll to the fence. The A's line-up had clearly taken control leaving Chicago in shock as they watched their significant lead dissolve to a single run in a single inning. Then, Mickey Cochrane walked as Sheriff Blake came in to replace the struggling Nehf. Simmons, who had started the Athletics' comeback, stepped up for the second time in the inning and added yet another single. Jimmie Foxx returned as well driving in the tying run making it an 8-8 contest. McCarthy's team had fallen into "quicksand" and was sinking fast. Pat Malone was summoned from the bullpen, but nothing changed as he hit Miller with a pitch, loading the bases. Dykes followed suite and slammed a double scoring the ninth and tenth runs of the inning, but Malone dug in and struck out Boley and Burns ending the devastation. Lefty Grove came in to finish to job and retired Chicago in order in the eighth and ninth innings while striking out four consecutive batters. The A's, staring at the likelihood of a 2-2 tie in games when they came to bat in the seventh inning, now boasted a three games-to-one lead after their unlikely 10-8 triumph and looked to close out the Cubs in Game 5.
A battered Pat Malone returned for the start in Game 5 hungry for payback after his team's Game 4 debacle. Paired up against the unlikely Game 1 winner Howard Ehmke, he managed to keep the Cubs' hopes alive with a clutch performance. Both aces were locked in a 0-0 struggle until the fourth inning when Chicago drove in two runs and Ehmke off the mound. Rube Walberg came in as relief and matched the National League ace until the bottom of the ninth. With one down and a two run lead, the Cubs stood two outs away from sending the Series back to Wrigley Field, but Max Bishop kept the A's alive with a crucial single. Mule Haas stepped up to the plate for his biggest at-bat of the season and tied the game with a bomb over the right-field wall. Down, but not out, Malone remained tough and got out #2 off a Mickey Cochrane grounder. With two down now and one to go, the Cubs still had a chance. That was until Al Simmons came up big with a priceless double - forcing the intentional walking of Jimmie Foxx. Bing Miller completed the cycle, hitting one off Shibe Park's scoreboard for the winning run and another World Series Championship. The 3-2 comeback gave Connie Mack's Athletics' their first title since 1913 and sent Chicago packing after surrendering leads in both Games 4 and 5.
"My arm is not what it once was, but I honestly feel there's one more good game left in it. I'd like a chance to prove it to you (Connie Mack)." - Howard Ehmke
1929 World Series1929 World Series Official Program Philadelphia Athletics (4) vs Chicago Cubs (1) |
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1929 World Series Fast Facts | ||
Game 1 | Date / Box Score | 10-08-1929 |
1st Pitch | William Wrigley, Jr. (Chicago Cubs Owner, 1925-32) | |
Location | Wrigley Field | |
Attendance | 50,740 | |
Game 2 | Date / Box Score | 10-09-1929 |
Location | Wrigley Field | |
Attendance | 49,987 | |
Game 3 | Date / Box Score | 10-11-1929 |
Location | Shibe Park | |
Attendance | 29,921 | |
Game 4 | Date / Box Score | 10-12-1929 |
Location | Shibe Park | |
Attendance | 29,921 | |
Game 5 | Date / Box Score | 10-14-1929 |
Location | Shibe Park | |
Attendance | 29,921 | |
1929 World Series Fast Facts |
1929 World Series
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1929 World Series Game 1 Capsule | ||||||||||||
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
Philadelphia Pitcher(s) | Chicago Pitcher(s) | |||||||||||
Howard Ehmke (W) - |
Charlie Root (L) Guy Bush (8th) |
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Philadelphia Home Runs | Chicago Home Runs | |||||||||||
Jimmie Foxx (7th) | None |
1929 World Series
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1929 World Series Game 2 Capsule | ||||||||||||
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 1 |
Philadelphia Pitcher(s) | Chicago Pitcher(s) | |||||||||||
George Earnshaw (W) Lefty Grove (S, 5th) - - |
Pat Malone (L) Sheriff Blake (4th) Hal Carlson (6th) Art Nehf (9th) |
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Philadelphia Home Runs | Chicago Home Runs | |||||||||||
Jimmie Foxx (3rd) Al Simmons (8th) |
None - |
1929 World Series
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1929 World Series Game 3 Capsule | ||||||||||||
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
Chicago Pitcher(s) | Philadelphia Pitcher(s) | |||||||||||
Guy Bush (W) | George Earnshaw (L) | |||||||||||
Chicago Home Runs | Philadelphia Home Runs | |||||||||||
None | None |
1929 World Series
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1929 World Series Game 4 Capsule | ||||||||||||
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | x | 10 | 15 | 2 |
Chicago Pitcher(s) | Philadelphia Pitcher(s) | |||||||||||
Charlie Root Art Nehf (7th) Sheriff Blake (L, 7th) Pat Malone (7th) Hal Carlson (8th) |
Jack Quinn Rube Walberg (6th) Eddie Rommel (W, 7th) Lefty Grove (S, 8th) - |
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Chicago Home Runs | Philadelphia Home Runs | |||||||||||
Charlie Grimm (4th) - |
Mule Haas (7th) Al Simmons (7th) |
1929 World Series
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1929 World Series Game 5 Capsule | ||||||||||||
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
Chicago | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
Philadelphia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Chicago Pitcher(s) | Philadelphia Pitcher(s) | |||||||||||
Pat Malone (L) - |
Howard Ehmke Rube Walberg (W, 4th) |
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Chicago Home Runs | Philadelphia Home Runs | |||||||||||
None | Mule Haas (9th) |
1929 World SeriesComposite Hitting Statistics |
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Name | Pos | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | Avg | BB | SO | SB |
Max Bishop Joe Boley George Burns Mickey Cochrane Jimmy Dykes George Earnshaw Howard Ehmke Jimmie Foxx Walter French Lefty Grove Mule Haas Bing Miller Jack Quinn Eddie Rommel Al Simmons Homer Summa Rube Walberg |
2b ss ph c 3b p p 1b ph p of of p p of ph p |
5 5 1 5 5 2 2 5 1 2 5 5 1 1 5 1 2 |
21 17 2 15 19 5 5 20 1 2 21 19 2 0 20 1 1 |
4 4 0 6 8 0 1 7 0 0 5 7 0 0 6 0 0 |
0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 |
2 1 0 5 2 1 0 5 0 0 3 1 0 0 6 0 0 |
1 1 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 6 4 0 0 5 0 0 |
.190 .235 .000 .400 .421 .000 .200 .350 .000 .000 .238 .368 .000 .000 .300 .000 .000 |
2 0 0 7 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 |
3 3 1 0 1 4 0 1 1 1 3 2 2 0 4 1 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
Totals | 171 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 26 | .281 | 13 | 27 | 0 | ||
1929 World SeriesComposite Hitting Statistics |
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Name | Pos | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | Avg | BB | SO | SB |
Footsie Blair Sheriff Blake Guy Bush Hal Carlson Kiki Cuyler Woody English Mike Gonzalez Charlie Grimm Gabby Hartnett Cliff Heathcote Rogers Hornsby Pat Malone Norm McMillan Art Nehf Charlie Root Riggs Stephenson Zack Taylor Chick Tolson Hack Wilson |
ph p p p of ss c-1 1b ph ph 2b p 3b p p of c ph of |
1 2 2 2 5 5 2 5 3 2 5 3 5 2 2 5 5 1 5 |
1 1 3 0 20 21 1 18 3 1 21 4 20 0 5 19 17 1 17 |
0 1 0 0 6 4 0 7 0 0 5 1 2 0 0 6 3 0 8 |
0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
0 0 1 0 4 1 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 |
0 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 |
.000 1.000 .000 .000 .300 .190 .000 .389 .000 .000 .238 .250 .100 .000 .000 .316 .176 .000 .471 |
0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 4 |
0 0 3 0 7 6 1 2 3 0 8 2 6 0 3 2 3 1 3 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
Totals | 173 | 43 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 15 | .249 | 13 | 50 | 1 |
1929 World SeriesComposite Pitching Statistics |
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Name | W | L | G | GS | CG | S | Sh | IP | ERA | H | SO | ER | BB |
George Earnshaw Howard Ehmke Lefty Grove Jack Quinn Eddie Rommel Rube Walberg |
1 1 0 0 1 1 |
1 0 0 0 0 0 |
2 2 2 1 1 2 |
2 2 0 1 0 0 |
1 1 0 0 0 0 |
0 0 2 0 0 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 |
13.2 12.2 6.1 5.0 1.0 6.1 |
2.63 1.42 0.00 9.00 9.00 0.00 |
14 14 3 7 2 3 |
17 13 10 2 0 8 |
4 2 0 5 1 0 |
6 3 1 2 1 0 |
Totals | 4 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 45.0 | 2.40 | 43 | 50 | 12 | 13 |
1929 World SeriesComposite Pitching Statistics |
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Name | W | L | G | GS | CG | S | Sh | IP | ERA | H | SO | ER | BB |
Sheriff Blake Guy Bush Hal Carlson Pat Malone Art Nehf Charlie Root |
0 1 0 0 0 0 |
1 0 0 2 0 1 |
2 2 2 3 2 2 |
0 1 0 2 0 2 |
0 1 0 1 0 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 |
0 0 0 0 0 0 |
1.1 11.0 4.0 13.0 1.0 13.1 |
13.50 0.82 6.75 4.15 18.00 4.72 |
4 12 7 12 1 12 |
1 4 3 11 0 8 |
2 1 3 6 2 7 |
0 2 1 7 1 2 |
Totals | 1 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43.2 | 4.33 | 48 | 27 | 21 | 13 |
Did you know that Lefty Grove was only the second pitcher in World Series history with two (2) saves during the same Series? The first to accomplish this now common feat was Firpo Marberry during the 1924 World Series.
Two (2) researchers rated the 1929 Philadelphia Athletics in their top fifteen dynasties. Do you agree or disagree with their choice? Share your opinion on our baseball message boards.
Baseball fans around the country were shocked when thirty-five (35) year old Howard Ehmke, seventh in wins (7-2) and fourth in ERA (3.29), took the mound during game one. Connie Mack had a plan to surprise the Chicago Cubs and told Ehmke to study their hitters from the stands anonymously prior to the 1929 World Series.