1910s – Page 13 – Society for American Baseball Research

John “Beans” Reardon, left, wearing a flu mask underneath his umpire’s mask, prepares to call a pitch in a California Winter League game on January 26, 1919, in Pasadena, California. During a global influenza pandemic, all players and fans were required by city ordinance to wear facial coverings at all times while outdoors. The catcher and batter’s identities are unconfirmed, but the best available evidence suggests it might be Truck Hannah behind the plate and Rube Ellis at bat.

January 26, 1919: The Flu Mask Baseball Game

April 18, 1919: Babe Ruth thrills hometown Baltimore fans with 6 home runs in 6 at-bats

Boston Globe, April 20, 1919

April 19, 1919: Baseball resumes after World War I on Patriots Day in Boston

April 23, 1919: Lefty Williams, White Sox win in Kid Gleason’s managerial debut

April 30, 1919: Burleigh Grimes and Joe Oeschger go the distance in epic 20-inning tie

Max Flack (Library of Congress)

May 5, 1919: Cincinnati is red as Cubs overcome 6-0 deficit in the 9th

Grover Cleveland Alexander with the Chicago Cubs (CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM, CHICAGO DAILY NEWS, SDN-064431)

May 9, 1919: Pete Alexander’s return from World War I spoiled by Ray Fisher, Reds

May 11, 1919: Hod Eller tosses first no-hitter at Crosley Field

May 11, 1919: Walter Johnson retires 28 in a row as 12-inning shutout ends in a tie

May 12, 1919: Yankees, Senators play a 15-inning tie game

May 14, 1919: Chicago’s Eddie Cicotte begins scoreless streak by shutting out Red Sox, 1-0

Babe Ruth with the Boston Red sox, circa 1917 (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS)

May 15, 1919: Boston’s Babe Ruth pitches 11 innings of rocky relief for a win over White Sox

May 20, 1919: Babe Ruth clobbers his first career grand slam

May 24, 1919: Hank Gowdy Day at Braves Field

May 31, 1919: Gandil, Speaker drop gloves for ‘old time fistfight’ as White Sox top Indians

June 1, 1919: Brooklyn’s Jeff Pfeffer tosses 18-inning complete game

July 5, 1919: Athletics prevail over Red Sox despite a pair of home runs by Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth

July 18, 1919: Babe Ruth’s game-winning grand slam leads to Tris Speaker’s managerial career

July 21, 1919: Horrified White Sox fans witness Wingfoot Express blimp disaster in Chicago

Babe Ruth (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

July 29, 1919: Babe Ruth’s blast ties AL record as Boston goes down swinging

August 14, 1919: Babe Ruth hits 17th home run to set new American League single-season record

August 24, 1919: Ray Caldwell struck by lightning, sparks Indians to win

August 30, 1919: Outburst by Tigers’ inert offense stuns St. Louis

Eddie Cicotte (SABR-Rucker Archive)

September 19, 1919: Cicotte, White Sox turn back Boston as Black Sox Scandal brews