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.
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.
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.
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.
"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 ReviewHitting Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
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 |
Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
1925 National League Pitcher ReviewPitching Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
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 |
Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
1925 National LeagueTeam Standings |
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Team [Click for roster] | Wins | Losses | WP | GB |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 95 | 58 | .621 | 0 |
New York Giants | 86 | 66 | .566 | 8½ |
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 ReviewHitting Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Team | # |
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 ReviewPitching Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Team | # |
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 |
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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.