CONTENTS John McGraw Comes to NewYork by Clifford Blau ~3 56-Game Hitting Streaks Revisited by Michael Freiman 11 Lou vs. Babe in'Real Life and inPride ofthe Yankees by Frank Ardolino 16 The Evolution ofWorld Series Scheduling by Charlie Bevis 21 BattingAverage by Count and Pitch 1YPe by J. Eric Bickel & Dean Stotz 29 HarryWright by Christopher Devine 35 International League RBI Leaders by David F. Chrisman 39 Identifying Dick Higham by Harold Higham 45 Best ofTimes, Worst ofTimes by Scott Nelson 51 Baseball's Most Unbreakable Records by Joe Dittmar 54 /Ri]] Ooak's Three "No-Hitters" by Stephen Boren , , , , , ,62 TIle Kiltg is Dead by Victor Debs 64 Home Runs: More Influential Than Ever by Jean-Pierre Caillault , 72 The Most Exciting World Series Games by Peter Reidhead & Ron Visco 76 '~~"" The Best __."..II ••LlI Team Ever? David Surdam 80 Kamenshek, the All-American by John Holway 83 Most Dominant Triple CrownWinner by Vince Gennaro '.86 Preventing Base Hits by Dick Cramer , , , ,, , , , 88 Not Quite Marching Through Georgia by Roger Godin 93 Forbes Field, Hitter's Nightmare? by Ron SeIter 95 RBI, Opportunities, and Power Hitting by Cyril Morong 98 Babe Ruth Dethroned? by Gabe Costa 102 Wanted: One First-Class Shortstop by Robert Schaefer 107 .; Does Experiellce Help ill tIle Post-Season? by Tom Hanrahan ' 111 jThe Riot at the FirstWorld Series by Louis P. Masur 114 Why Isn't Gil Hodges In the Hall ofFame? by John Saccoman It ••••••••••••••••••••••••118 From a Researcher's Notebook by AI Kermisch ' 123 EDITOR'S NOTE I believe that this thirty-first issue of the Baseball Research Journal has something for everyone: controversy, nostalgia, origi­ nality, mystery-even a riot. Starting back to front, the last article in this BRJ-as it has been in the journal for two decades-is Al Kermisch's Notes From a Researcher, certainly one ofthe most popular and widely read fea­ tures. This is Al's last column. He wrote it just weeks before he passed away, and I am proud to include it here. His writing and his presence will be missed. No one can read Joe Dittmar's engaging piece on unbreakable records without trying to come up with one missed by the Records Committee. A most unique research mystery is solved by Harold Higham, who identifies his 19th century ancestor through various photo techniques, including those used by the FDI. Early star Dick Higham is mostly misidelltified ill 19t11 century team photos. Dick Cramer's statistical argument that fielders are more impor­ tant than pitchers is sure to raise hackles. Eric Bickel and Dean Stotz wade in with more original data on batting average by pitch count, a fascinating topic for every baseball fan and researcher. Cy Morong tells us that you can't knock in runs unless there are run­ ners on ba..'ie-a.nd then who the best RBI are.. original work on early International League RBI leaders. John Holway gets in touch with his feminine side, and argues that the best fielding first baseman ever wore skirts. While David Sl..lrdam reminds us that the 1966 Yankees weren't really that bad, despite their last-place finish. Young Chris Devine, a winner ofthe Jack Kavanagh award, offers a solid article on HarryWright, which should reassure all ofus that the future ofbaseball research is in good hands. Also, a number of fine articles on aspects of the World Series, including one on the "riot" at the 1903 games, are included. I was particularly taken with Charlie Bevis's timely piece on World Series scheduling. There are other fine COlltributioI1S by some of SABR's most cre­ ative thinkers and veteran writers. I trust you will enjoy this issue oftheBRJ. Jim.Charlton CLIFFORD BLAU John McGraw Comes to New York The 1902 New York Giants ohn McGraw was one of the most successful parwith the NL. While its playing talent was probably baseball managers ever, leading the New York not equal to the NL's that year, it did succeed in JGiants to 10 pennants in his 30 years with the attracting such top stars as Nap Lajoie and Cy Young. club. His arrival in mid-1902 marked the turning Following the 1901 season, the AL took advantage of point in the fortunes ofthe Giants, a team which had the chaotic situation in the NL to step up its player been struggling for years. However, despite an influx raids. Many of the NL's top players, such as Elmer of new players whom McGraw brought with him to Flick, Jimmy Sheckard, Jesse Burkett, AI Orth, and New 'York, the Giants barely showed any improve­ Ed Delahanty signed with the American League. ment for the balance of the 1902 season, losing over Meanwhile, the Giants seemed to be making little 60 percent oftheir decisions in that period. This arti­ effort to resign their players or obtain new talent. By cle will review the Giants' 1902 season and attempt to the end of 1901, regulars Kip Selbach, Jack Warner, show why McGraw was unable to make an immediate Charley Hickman, and pitcher Luther Taylor, who had improvement in the team. led the league's pitchers in Ka.nles started, llad signed 1902 was a seaSOll ofturrTIoil notjustfor tIle Giarlts, with American League teams. Most damaging, future but for all oforganized baseball. TIle NatioIlal League Hall ofFame shortstop George Davis, the Giants man­ was at war not only with the American League, but ager in 1901, signed with the Chicago White with itself. In its December 1901 meeting, four owners Stockings. Later, third basenlan SallllllY Strang supported a plan proposed by John Brush to convert jumped ship as well. The decline of the Giants since the National League into a trust which would be they were purchased by the petulant, domineering owned by all eight owners. This trust would own all Andrew Freedman in 1894 seemed to be complete. OWllers supported the candidacy league had finished last or llext to last the past three seasons. president Albert Goodwill Spalding. Spalding had led Freedman likely expected the trust scheme to be the league in its successful battles with the Players adopted, and that the Giants would get first pick of League in 1890 and the American Association in 1891, the league's stars. Because of the stalemate over that a.rId these four owners felt he was the perfect choice to issue, they llad to rebuild the club the old-fashioned defend the league against the upstart American way. With no National Agreement between the major League. The two sides couldn't reach an agreement, and minor leagues, there was no draft to provide a and the trust group, including Giants owner Andrew cheap souce ofnew talent. Freedman, left the meeting. The other four owners, Late in December, the Giants started putting claiming a quorum was still present, elected Spalding together a team for 1902 by signing minor league president. A lawsuit was filed by the trust group, and pitchers Roy Evans and John Burke as well as catcher the matterwasn't resolved until the beginning ofApril Manley Thurston. They also purchased second base­ 1902. The season schedule was adopted on AprilS, man/manager George Smith from the Eastern League just 12 days before openiJ.?g day. champion Rochester team. An offer was made to Jesse The American League, under its strong president, Burkett, who had just jumped to the AL, but he Ban Johnson, had moved into several large Eastern turned it down. The Giants also tried to woo manager cities in 1901 and declared itself a major league on a Ned Hanlon away from their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Superbas, but that was also unsuccessful. Toward the end of January, Freedman chose Horace CLIFFORD BLAU is a 20-year veteran ofSABR. When he's not researching baseball, he wishes that he were. Fogel to manage the team. Fogel's managerial experience consisted ofone sea- 3 THE BASEBALL RESEARCH JOURNAL son at the helm of Indianapolis of the National the Giants managing to win them all. Five other League. Otherwise, he made his living as a sports­ games were cancelled due to the weather. When that writer and editor, mainly in Philadelphia. Fogel prom­ happened, the Giants could work out with weights or ised to sign some stars, but all he found were college exercise machines in the Polo Grounds clubhouse. players, American League rejects, and "Roaring" Bill Other players failing to make the grade during Kennedy, a one-time star pitcher who had been cut spring training were Stafford and Dupee, with Clark loose by the Superbas. As February neared its end, returning to complete his studies at Brown University. however, the Giants seized an opportunity when Bowerman and Van Haltren were injured during Chicago released first baseman Jack Doyle. Fogel training camp; thus when the Giants opened the sea­ quickly signed Doyle and appointed·him team cap­ son at home against the Philadelphia Phillies on April tain, giving him responsibility for the team during 17, the lineup looked like this: games. Doyle had been a member of the champion Baltimore Orioles in 1896 and had spent three sea­ Dunn SS sons with the Giants before 1901. He was a good hit­ Delahanty RF ter and aggressive baserunner. However, he tended to Jones CF make enemies wherever he went, as he was demand­ Lauder 3B ing and lacking in diplomacy. Doyle IB The Giants didn't go south for spring training, Jackson LF which was not unusual at the time. Fourteen players Smith 2B reported to the Polo Grounds on March 24 to begin Yeager C workil1g outullder tIle directioll ofJack Doyle.