The 1918 Boston Red Sox season was the 18th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished first in the American League (AL) with a record of 75 wins and 51 losses, in a season cut short due to World War I. The team then faced the National League (NL) champion Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series, which the Red Sox won in six games to capture the franchise's fifth World Series. This would be the last World Series championship for the Red Sox until 2004.
With World War I ongoing, a "work or fight" mandate was issued by the government, requiring men with non-essential jobs to enlist or take war-related jobs by July 1, else risk being drafted. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker granted an extension to MLB players through Labor Day, September 2. In early August, MLB clubs decided that the regular season would end at that time. As a result, AL teams played between 123 and 130 regular-season games (including ties), reduced from their original 154-game schedules. Later in August, Baker granted a further extension to allow for the World Series to be contested; it began on September 5 and ended on September 11. World War I would end two months later, with the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
Due to the entry of the United States into World War I, several Red Sox players enlisted with the military over the winter. Notable players who enlisted included Pitchers Ernie Shore and Herb Pennock, Outfielder Duffy Lewis, as well as Manager Jack Barry.
The Red Sox' pitching staff, led by Carl Mays and Bullet Joe Bush, allowed the fewest runs in the league. Babe Ruth was the fourth starter and also spent significant time in the outfield, as he was the best hitter on the team, leading the AL in home runs and slugging percentage.
After this season, the Red Sox would fall into mediocrity, mainly because they traded away most of their star players to other teams, most notably, sending Ruth to the Yankees in 1920. The team would not have another winning record until 1935, 18 years later.
Regular season Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Opening Day lineup Harry Hooper RFDave Shean 2BAmos Strunk CFDick Hoblitzel 1BStuffy McInnis 3BGeorge Whiteman LFEverett Scott SSSam Agnew CBabe Ruth P
Roster 1918 Boston Red Sox Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Player stats = Indicates team leader = Indicates league leader
Batting Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C 72 199 33 .166 0 6 1B 117 423 115 .272 0 56 2B 115 425 112 .264 0 34 SS 126 443 98 .221 0 43 3B 44 144 37 .257 1 11 OF 71 214 57 .266 1 28 OF 114 413 106 .257 0 35 OF 126 474 137 .289 1 44
Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI 90 317 95 .300 11* 66 88 225 55 .244 0 20 25 69 11 .159 0 4 24 60 7 .117 0 3 26 49 11 .224 0 5 20 47 6 .128 0 2 15 44 7 .159 1 2 15 36 10 .278 0 2 13 29 5 .172 0 2 12 29 8 .276 0 4 3 8 1 .125 0 0 3 5 2 .400 0 0 1 1 0 .000 0 0 Tied with Tillie Walker (Philadelphia Athletics)
Pitching Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 35 293.1 21 13 2.21 114 36 272.2 15 15 2.11 125 24 184.0 16 5 2.25 44 20 166.1 13 7 2.22 40 16 125.2 8 6 2.72 47 5 27.0 1 3 3.33 10
Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 2 10.2 0 1 4.22 1 3 9.2 0 1 2.79 3
Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SO 6 1 0 0 3.38 1 5 0 0 0 1.80 4 1 0 0 0 3.00 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 2
Awards and honors League top ten finishers Bullet Joe Bush #3 strikeouts (125) #5 earned run average (2.11)
Harry Hooper #3 runs scored (81)
Carl Mays #3 wins (21) #5 strikeouts (114)
Babe Ruth #1 home runs (11) #1 slugging percentage (.555) #2 on-base percentage (.411) #3 runs batted in (66)
1918 World Series
AL Boston Red Sox (4) vs. NL Chicago Cubs (2) GameScoreDateLocationAttendance1 Red Sox – 1, Cubs – 0 September 5Comiskey Park 19,2742 Red Sox – 1, Cubs – 3 September 6Comiskey Park 20,0403 Red Sox – 2, Cubs – 1 September 7Comiskey Park 27,0544 Cubs – 2, Red Sox – 3 September 9Fenway Park 22,1835 Cubs – 3, Red Sox – 0 September 10Fenway Park 24,6946 Cubs – 1, Red Sox – 2 September 11Fenway Park 15,238
References
External links 1918 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference 1918 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com