The Memorial Day Brawl of 1932
From SABR member Mike Lynch at Seamheads.com on May 29:
Twelve years after the Black Sox scandal decimated the White Sox and led to lifetime bans of eight players, a postgame brawl with umpire George Moriarty on Memorial Day 1932 could have resulted in lifetime bans to four more members of the franchise. It was May 30, 1932 and the Cleveland Indians had just pummeled the Chicago White Sox, 12-6, in the first game of a doubleheader.
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It was a win the Indians desperately needed to keep up with the surging Yankees who had jumped out to a 26-11 record and held a three-game lead over the Washington Senators heading into the Memorial Day doubleheaders. The Detroit Tigers were in third place, four and a half games back; the Philadelphia Athletics were in fourth, five and a half games back; and the Indians sat in fifth, six games out of first. The White Sox were going nowhere fast and sat in seventh place with a record of 14-25 and a 13-game deficit. Only the lowly Boston Red Sox at 7-30 kept the Pale Hose out of the American League cellar.
On Memorial Day, the Yankees were in the process of sweeping the Red Sox, the Tigers were sweeping the Browns, and the A’s were sweeping the Senators. The Indians needed a sweep of the White Sox to keep pace.
Twelve years after the Black Sox scandal decimated the White Sox and led to lifetime bans of eight players, a postgame brawl with umpire George Moriarty on Memorial Day 1932 could have resulted in lifetime bans to four more members of the franchise. It was May 30, 1932 and the Cleveland Indians had just pummeled the Chicago White Sox, 12-6, in the first game of a doubleheader. Thirty-nine-year-old “Sad Sam” Jones, at the time a 19-year veteran, lasted only three innings and left the game with no outs in the fourth with his team losing 5-3. Tommy Thomas took over mound duties for the Sox and fared no better, allowing seven runs in five innings. First baseman Ed Morgan and center fielder Earl Averill did most of the damage for the Tribe, knocking in eight runs between them on six hits, including round-trippers by both—a two-run shot by Averill in the fourth, and a solo job by Morgan in the fifth. Former White Sox hurler Sarge Connally went the distance for the win.
It was a win the Indians desperately needed to keep up with the surging Yankees who had jumped out to a 26-11 record and held a three-game lead over the Washington Senators heading into the Memorial Day doubleheaders. The Detroit Tigers were in third place, four and a half games back; the Philadelphia Athletics were in fourth, five and a half games back; and the Indians sat in fifth, six games out of first. The White Sox were going nowhere fast and sat in seventh place with a record of 14-25 and a 13-game deficit. Only the lowly Boston Red Sox at 7-30 kept the Pale Hose out of the American League cellar.
On Memorial Day, the Yankees were in the process of sweeping the Red Sox, the Tigers were sweeping the Browns, and the A’s were sweeping the Senators. The Indians needed a sweep of the White Sox to keep pace.
Source: Seamheads.com (http://s.tt/12yjG)
Twelve years after the Black Sox scandal decimated the White Sox and led to lifetime bans of eight players, a postgame brawl with umpire George Moriarty on Memorial Day 1932 could have resulted in lifetime bans to four more members of the franchise. It was May 30, 1932 and the Cleveland Indians had just pummeled the Chicago White Sox, 12-6, in the first game of a doubleheader. Thirty-nine-year-old “Sad Sam” Jones, at the time a 19-year veteran, lasted only three innings and left the game with no outs in the fourth with his team losing 5-3. Tommy Thomas took over mound duties for the Sox and fared no better, allowing seven runs in five innings. First baseman Ed Morgan and center fielder Earl Averill did most of the damage for the Tribe, knocking in eight runs between them on six hits, including round-trippers by both—a two-run shot by Averill in the fourth, and a solo job by Morgan in the fifth. Former White Sox hurler Sarge Connally went the distance for the win.
It was a win the Indians desperately needed to keep up with the surging Yankees who had jumped out to a 26-11 record and held a three-game lead over the Washington Senators heading into the Memorial Day doubleheaders. The Detroit Tigers were in third place, four and a half games back; the Philadelphia Athletics were in fourth, five and a half games back; and the Indians sat in fifth, six games out of first. The White Sox were going nowhere fast and sat in seventh place with a record of 14-25 and a 13-game deficit. Only the lowly Boston Red Sox at 7-30 kept the Pale Hose out of the American League cellar.
On Memorial Day, the Yankees were in the process of sweeping the Red Sox, the Tigers were sweeping the Browns, and the A’s were sweeping the Senators. The Indians needed a sweep of the White Sox to keep pace.
Source: Seamheads.com (http://s.tt/12yjG)
Read the full article here: http://www.seamheads.com/2011/05/29/the-memorial-day-brawl-of-1932/
Originally published: May 30, 2011. Last Updated: May 30, 2011.