The 1926 major league baseball season began on April 13, 1926. The regular season ended on September 29, with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 23rd World Series on October 2 and ended with Game 7 on October 10. The Cardinals defeated the Yankees, four games to three, capturing their first championship in franchise history. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Pittsburgh Pirates from the season.
This was the fifth of eight seasons that "League Awards", a precursor to the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (introduced in 1931), were issued.
Schedule
The 1926 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the season (except for ) and would be used until in the American League and in the National League.
Opening Day, April 13, featured all sixteen teams, continuing the trend which started with the season. The American League would see its final day of the regular season on September 27, while the National League would see its final day of the regular season on September 29 with a doubleheader between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves. The World Series took place between October 2 and October 10.
Rule changes The 1926 season saw the following rule changes: A pitcher is now allowed to use a rosin bag prior to pitching the ball. A sacrifice hit is now awarded when any base runner advances on a fly out.
Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park27,000Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park28,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioDunn Field21,414Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganNavin Field30,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium58,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park27,500St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium27,000Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field40,000Brooklyn RobinsNew York, New YorkEbbets Field28,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisCubs Park20,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioRedland Field20,696New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds55,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaBaker Bowl18,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field41,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park34,023
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 12 tie games (5 in AL, 7 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League Boston Red Sox, 1 Chicago White Sox, 2 Detroit Tigers, 3 New York Yankees, 1 St. Louis Browns, 1 Washington Senators, 2
National League Boston Braves, 1 Brooklyn Robins, 2 Chicago Cubs, 1 Cincinnati Reds, 3 Philadelphia Phillies, 1 Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 St. Louis Cardinals, 2
Postseason The postseason began on October 2 and ended on October 10 with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the New York Yankees in the 1926 World Series in seven games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerChicago CubsGeorge GibsonJoe McCarthyNew York GiantsHughie JenningsJohn McGraw
League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Heinie Manush (DET) .378 OPS Babe Ruth (NYY) 1.253 HR Babe Ruth (NYY) 47 RBI Babe Ruth (NYY) 153 R Babe Ruth (NYY) 139 H George Burns (CLE)Sam Rice (WSH) 216 SB Johnny Mostil (CWS) 35
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W George Uhle (CLE) 27 L Milt Gaston (SLB)Paul Zahniser (BOS) 18 ERA Lefty Grove (PHA) 2.51 K Lefty Grove (PHA) 194 IP George Uhle (CLE) 318.1 SV Firpo Marberry (WSH) 22 WHIP Herb Pennock (NYY) 1.265
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Bubbles Hargrave (CIN) .353 OPS Cy Williams (PHI) .986 HR Hack Wilson (CHC) 21 RBI Jim Bottomley (STL) 120 R Kiki Cuyler (PIT) 113 H Eddie Brown (BSN) 201 SB Kiki Cuyler (PIT) 35
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Pete Donohue (CIN)Ray Kremer (PIT)Lee Meadows (PIT)Flint Rhem (STL) 20 L Jesse Petty (BRO)Charlie Root (CHC) 17 ERA Ray Kremer (PIT) 2.61 K Dazzy Vance (BRO) 140 IP Pete Donohue (CIN) 285.2 SV Chick Davies (NYG) 6 WHIP Grover Alexander (STL/) 1.108
Milestones Batters Cycles
Bob Fothergill (DET): Fothergill hit for his first cycle, second in franchise history, and third natural cycle in major league history, in game one of a doubleheader on July 21 against the Boston Red Sox.
Other batting accomplishments Ira Flagstead (BOS): Set an American League record and tied a Major League record (as the third player to do so) for starting three double plays in a single game on game two of a doubleheader April 19 against the Philadelphia Athletics.
Pitchers No-hitters
Ted Lyons (CWS): Lyons threw his first career no-hitter and the eighth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Boston Red Sox 6–0 on August 21. Vance walked one and struck out two.
Other pitching accomplishments Dutch Levsen (CLE): Became the last pitcher to win both games of a doubleheader on August 28, hurling two 9 inning games against the Boston Red Sox back-to-back, winning 6–1 and 5–1. Levsen is also the last pitcher to throw two nine-inning complete games on the same day.
Other pitching accomplishments Walter Johnson (WSH): Became the second member of the 400-win club, defeating the Boston Red Sox on April 27, winning 9–1.
Awards and honors League Award: Bob O'Farrell (STL, National); George Burns (CLE, American)
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Yankees9131.9%1,027,67547.4%13,702Chicago Cubs8220.6%885,06342.2%11,347Pittsburgh Pirates84 −11.6%798,542 −0.7%10,108Philadelphia Athletics83 −5.7%714,508 −17.8%10,063Detroit Tigers79 −2.5%711,914 −13.3%8,789Chicago White Sox812.5%710,339 −14.6%8,992New York Giants74 −14.0%700,362 −10.1%9,215Cincinnati Reds878.8%672,98744.8%8,740St. Louis Cardinals8915.6%668,42865.1%8,461Brooklyn Robins714.4%650,819 −1.3%8,563Cleveland Indians8825.7%627,42649.7%7,843Washington Senators81 −15.6%551,580 −32.5%7,454Boston Braves66 −5.7%303,598 −3.2%3,943Boston Red Sox46 −2.1%285,1556.5%3,703St. Louis Browns62 −24.4%283,986 −38.7%3,595Philadelphia Phillies58 −14.7%240,600 −21.1%3,166
See also 1926 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1926 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference