Tag: Boston Braves

Sept 8: “ain’t over ‘til it’s over”

SEPTEMBER 8, 1914 | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Yogi Berra hadn’t even been born yet to utter those famous words. But the notion was epitomized by the stunning turnaround of the Boston Braves (today’s Altanta Braves) of 1914. On July 18th of that year the Braves were in last place, 11 games out. By September 8th, the Braves found themselves in first place for good – from worst to first.

It took the Braves only 37 days to go from worst to first on August 22nd. They went 24-5 over that span to tie the New York Giants at 59-48. The Braves had leapfrogged six teams.

The Braves, Giants and St. Louis Cardinals changed places a few times for the next couple of weeks. By September 8th the Braves had passed all seven (there were only 8 teams in each league back then, no divisions), and were in sole possession of first place. Not only did the Braves pass the entire National League in a matter of weeks, they went on to win the pennant by 10.5 games.

The Boston Braves went on to sweep the heavily favored Philadelphia A’s four straight in the 1914 World Series.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Koppett’s Concise History of Major League Baseball, 2004, pg 122, by Leonard Koppett
1914 National League pennant race
World Series winners

MAY 21-QUICKEST AL NIGHT GAME

MAY 21, 1943 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – How about an hour and 29-minute major league baseball game? That’s all it took the Chicago White Sox to beat the Washington Senators (today’s Minnesota Twins) on this date in 1943. The 1-0 Chicago victory was the quickest night game in American League history. Sox starter Johnny Humphries beat Senator starter Dutch Leonard.

The National League has the American League beat in the quickest night game category, however. About a year after the above referenced Senators/Sox game, the Boston Braves (today’s Atlanta Braves) beat the Cincinnati Reds 2 to 0 in an hour and fifteen minutes in Cincinnati. And these are just night games.

The times for the quickest day games are startling: 51 minutes in the National League (NY Giants-Philadelphia Phillies September 26, 1919) and 55 minutes in the American (St. Louis Browns-NY Yankees, September 26, 1926).

It’s remarkable that a game could be played in less than an hour and a half. What’s even more amazing is that 13 of the first 26 games the St. Louis Browns (today’s Baltimore Orioles) played in 1943 took less than 2 hours. Only one took more than 3.

The same was pretty much true for the White Sox. By their 26th game, 13 had been under 2 hours. None took more than 3 hours.

There are probably several reasons games are longer now, one is relief pitchers – there are more of them, and complete games by starters – there are fewer of them. In 1943 Chicago White Sox starters completed 70 games. In 2005, the last time the Sox won a World Series, their starters completed a total of 9 games.

Television commercial breaks add to the length of games. But you cannot ignore the fact that pitchers and hitters do a whole lot of nothing between pitches. Unless there are rule changes, such as implementation of a pitch-clock, the record for the quickest night game in American League history will not be broken.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
May 21, 1943 
BASEBALL ALMANAC – Game length records
“Why Baseball Needs a Pitch Clock.”

MARCH 18: RELOCATION FLOODGATES OPEN

TODAY IN BASEBALL TAKES US BACK TO ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA ON MARCH 18, 1953. The Boston Braves got official permission from the other Major League Baseball (MLB) owners on this date in 1953 to relocate to Milwaukee. It was the first franchise move since 1903 when the Baltimore Orioles moved to New York City to eventually become the Yankees. The franchise relocation floodgates were open.

Expansion and relocation were in the air. As Braves owner Lou Pernini put it, “The country has changed in the last 75 years. You can’t deny Los Angeles and San Francisco are major league in every respect, and so are Montreal, Baltimore and some other cities.”

The next season the St. Louis Browns packed up and moved to Baltimore to become a reincarnation of the Orioles. By 1958 the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants had moved to Los Angeles and San Francisco respectively. The Milwaukee Braves moved again in 1966 to Atanta, where they remain. Montreal and several other cities, such as Seattle, Anaheim and San Diego eventually got new teams.

By 1972 there were 30 major league teams in two leagues, more than double the number the two leagues started with.

Pernini also thought back in 1953, “A third major league is the only answer for the future.” That has not come about. In fact, in 2001 there was discussion among the owners about contraction – eliminating teams. That has not occurred either. But on this date in 1953 the franchise relocation floodgates opened.

Contributing sources:
The Associated Press, St. Petersburg, FL, March 19, 1953, by Jack Hand
MLB team histories

Mar 3: One city’s loss another’s gain

TODAY IN BASEBALL TAKES US TO SARASOTA, FLORIDA MARCH 3, 1953. How does “Milwaukee Browns” sound? It almost became a reality. There was an attempt in 1953 to shift the American League’s St. Louis Browns franchise to Milwaukee, but that idea was put to rest on this date in 1953. As it turned out Milwaukee’s loss is Baltimore’s gain.

One door closing often opens another. That’s what happened here.

Veeck moved his St. Louis Browns to Baltimore where they started the 1954 season as the Orioles, and remain to this day.

Let me try to explain the sometimes convoluted machinations of Major League Baseball franchise moves and almost moves.

The Braves (today’s Atlanta Braves) technically, were still in Boston on this date 1953, but they owned a minor league franchise in Milwaukee. The Braves would have had to move that franchise if a major league team moved in.

St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck was eager to move to Milwaukee, and the city was anxious to get a major league team, using a $5 million, 32,000 seat stadium as an enticement.

It was up to the Boston Braves. Vice-president Joseph Cairnes said, “We wouldn’t stand in the way of Milwaukee getting in the major leagues, but before we give up the [minor league] franchise we want another Triple-A franchise of the same potential.” There wasn’t time to work that out before opening day 1953, so the Browns stayed in St. Louis, if only for one more year.

In 1954, Veeck moved his St. Louis Browns to Baltimore where they started the season as the Orioles, and remain to this day.

The Boston Braves saw an opening. They got permission from enough of the owners to move to Milwaukee for the start of the 1953 season. They didn’t stay long. The Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, where they remain to this day.

Contributing sources:
Browns/Orioles
Braves (Boston/Milwaukee/Atlanta)
New York Times, Sarasota, Florida, March 4, 1953