YEAR IN REVIEW : 1925 National League

Off the field...

One of the most sensational court cases in twentieth-century America, the "Scopes Monkey Trial" went infinitely beyond the boundaries of law and the courtroom to question the social, intellectual, and cultural values of America. In 1925, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced that it was willing to financially support anyone challenging a recently enacted Tennessee law that prohibited the teaching of Darwinism in the state's schools. John T. Scopes, a twenty-five year-old high-school science teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, who taught evolution in his school biology class, accepted the ACLU offer and agreed to stand as the defendant in a test case to challenge the law. At the conclusion of the hearings, Scopes' attorney asked the jury to return a verdict of guilty in order that the case might be appealed to the Tennessee Supreme Court where, he hoped, the anti-Darwin law would be overturned. The jury, complying with his request, returned a verdict of guilty and fined Scopes $100.

In the American League...

Ty Cobb set another one of his many Major League records on May 5th after going six-for-six, (including three home runs) in a Detroit Tiger win over the St. Louis Browns. Cobb's sixteen total bases topped the American League record previously set by Joe Hauser (fourteen) on August 2nd of 1924.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Ira Flagstead initiated three double plays on May 19th in an 8-2 loss to the St. Louis Browns breaking the record previously set by Tris Speaker in 1918. (All of Speaker's were unassisted).

Rookie Ben Paschal of the New York Yankees hit two inside-the-park home runs, in an 11-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on September 22nd. Paschal totaled seven home runs in the month of September setting a franchise record (for rookies) that stood until 1998.

In the National League...

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Glenn Wright pulled off the impossible after completing a solo triple play at second base during a 10-9 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on May 7th. Wright ended the game after snagging a Jim Bottomley line drive while simultaneously stepping on the bag before Johnny Cooney could return. Then he tagged Rogers Hornsby who was attempting to retreat after coming down from first base.

Second baseman Milt Stock of the Brooklyn Dodgers set a modern National League record after tallying four hits in four consecutive games.

Marv Goodwin (one of the few remaining "spitball" pitchers) was killed in an accident during an Air Reserve training flight on October 21st. The former right-hander for the St. Louis Cardinals had recently joined the Cincinnati Reds at the end of the season and became the first active-player ever to be killed in a plane crash.

Around the League...

At the annual meeting of American League owners, a plan was adopted to alternate the site of future World Series openers by league rather than deciding it by a coin toss. Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 would be played in one park and 3, 4, and 5 would take place in the other.

On April 5th, New York Yankees icon Babe Ruth collapsed suddenly at a railroad station in Asheville, North Carolina. He later underwent an emergency operation for an ulcer at New York Hospital on April 17th and remained in bed until May 26th.

Baseball legend Christy Mathewson died of tuberculosis on October 7th at Saranac Lake, New York, at the age of forty-five. At the time of his death he was part owner and president of the Boston Braves franchise.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby

1925 National League Player Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Jack Fournier Brooklyn 86 Top 25
Batting Average Rogers Hornsby St. Louis .403 Top 25
Doubles Jim Bottomley St. Louis 44 Top 25
Hits Jim Bottomley St. Louis 227 Top 25
Home Runs Rogers Hornsby St. Louis 39 Top 25
On Base Percentage Rogers Hornsby St. Louis .489 Top 25
RBI Rogers Hornsby St. Louis 143 Top 25
Runs Kiki Cuyler Pittsburgh 144 Top 25
Slugging Average Rogers Hornsby St. Louis .756 Top 25
Stolen Bases Max Carey Pittsburgh 46 Top 25
Total Bases Rogers Hornsby St. Louis 381 Top 25
Triples Kiki Cuyler Pittsburgh 26 Top 25

1925 National League Pitcher Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Pete Donohue Cincinnati 27 Top 25
ERA Dolf Luque Cincinnati 2.63 Top 25
Games Johnny Morrison Pittsburgh 44 Top 25
Saves Guy Bush Chicago 4 Top 25
Johnny Morrison Pittsburgh
Shutouts Hal Carlson Philadelphia 4 Top 25
Dolf Luque Cincinnati
Dazzy Vance Brooklyn
Strikeouts Dazzy Vance Brooklyn 221 Top 25
Winning Percentage Bill Sherdel St. Louis .714 Top 25
Wins Dazzy Vance Brooklyn 22 Top 25

1925 National League

Team Standings

Pittsburgh Pirates 95 58 .621 0
New York Giants 86 66 .566
Cincinnati Reds 80 73 .523 15
St. Louis Cardinals 77 76 .503 18
Boston Braves 70 83 .458 25
Philadelphia Phillies 68 85 .444 27
Brooklyn Robins 68 85 .444 27
Chicago Cubs 68 86 .442 27½

1925 National League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Pittsburgh 499
Batting Average Pittsburgh .307
Doubles Pittsburgh 316
Hits Pittsburgh 1,651
Home Runs New York 114
On Base Percentage Pittsburgh .369
Runs Pittsburgh 912
Slugging Average Pittsburgh .449
Stolen Bases Pittsburgh 159
Triples Pittsburgh 105

1925 National League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Cincinnati 92
ERA Cincinnati 3.39
Fewest Hits Allowed Cincinnati 1,447
Fewest Home Runs Allowed Cincinnati 35
Fewest Walks Allowed Cincinnati 324
Saves Pittsburgh 13
Shutouts Cincinnati 11
Strikeouts Brooklyn 518
Seasonal Events: All-Star Game | World Series
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Retirements | Rookies List
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baseball almanac fast facts

On April 14, 1925 the Chicago Cubs began broadcasting via radio regular season games and their announcer was Quin Ryan of WGN.

No National League games were played on April 21, 1925, in respect for the legendary Dodger president Charles Ebbets who had died on April 18, 1925.

In 1925, Rogers Hornsby batted .403, went deep thirty-nine times, and drove in one-hundred forty-three runs to earn his second Triple Crown and became the only player-manager to hit for a Triple Crown title.