All sixteen major league teams saw action in nine games on July 13, 1920, including a double header between the Browns and the Yankees at the Polo Grounds. The Cubs scraped a little way back into the NL pennant race with a 3-2 win over the Dodgers, the low scoring game of the day. The Tigers pounded the Red Sox 10-4 for the high scoring contest.
Ira Flagsted of the Tigers takes home best offensive game of the day. He goes four for five with three doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI. It’s Flagsted’s second game of the day honor in a season in which he slashed .235/.318/.338. It was an off-year for the career .290 hitter. He collected 21 extra base hits in 1920, five of them coming in his two days at the top.
Pete Alexander of the Cubs posts a game score of 73 in the win over the Dodgers. That gives him the best pitched game of the day. Alexander allows two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks as he strikes out six in the complete game. The game leaves him tied for the NL lead in ERA with Dutch Ruether of the Reds at 1.91.
Urban Shocker of the Browns deserves a mention as well. In game one of the double header against the Yankees, Shocker walks none and strikes out fourteen batters. This is an example signature significance. In the 1985 Baseball Abstract, page 29, James talks about how poor pitchers never have games like this:
I would bet that you would find no case of one of those pitchers having a game in which he struck out 13 or more and walked two or fewer; such games are the exclusive property of good pitchers.
1985 Bill James Baseball Abstract
Shocker allowed eight hits and four runs, so it was not a marvelous game, but it does go to show how good he was. A record crowd for the Polo Grounds saw Shocker’s feat, as fans were hoping Babe Ruth would break his 1919 record of 29 home runs in a season. Instead, Ruth struck out five times on the afternoon.
George Sisler went one for nine in the two games to drop his batting average to .406. Tris Speaker goes zero for three to drop his batting average to .407, and takes over the AL lead for the batting title.
This is the halfway point of the season, with major league teams averaging 77 games played. The pennant races are close but not many teams are involved.
The Indians win Speaker’s game while the Yankees win game two for a split. That puts Cleveland 1/2 game up on New York in the AL pennant race. The White Sox beat the Senators and remain 3 1/2 games behind the leader.
In the NL, a Cincinnati win over the Phillies moves the Reds to 1/2 game behind the Dodgers. Pittsburgh beats Boston to move to six games back in third place, while a Cardinals loss puts them in a tie with the Cubs at 6 1/2 games back.