Turbow: Grover Cleveland Alexander in the 1915 World Series
From Jason Turbow at The National Pastime Museum on July 11, 2016:
One batter, one decision, one moment upon which everything rode. Choose right, take a big step toward winning the World Series. Choose wrong, risk the label of also-ran.
It didn’t hurt that the man upon whom the outcome rested was one of the most celebrated pitchers in Major League history, coming off one of the most dominant seasons before or since. It was the third game of the 1915 Fall Classic, and Grover Cleveland Alexander, Old Pete himself, was on the mound for the Phillies in the ninth inning of a 1–1 tie. Two were out and runners stood at second and third. Philadelphia and the Red Sox had each won a game.
Alexander was 28 years old, and had emerged from the regular season as the Major League leader in wins (31), ERA (1.22), shutouts (12) and strikeouts (241), as well as categories that hadn’t yet been invented such as WHIP, FIP, ERA+, SO/W, and SO9. The great right-hander’s 10.8 WAR would not be topped by a National League pitcher save for Alexander himself until Bob Gibson in 1968. The hands in which the decision rested were unequivocally expert.
Read the full article here: http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/grover-cleveland-alexander-1915-world-series
Originally published: July 12, 2016. Last Updated: July 12, 2016.