The major leagues scheduled and played six games on September 26, 1920. The Dodgers beat the Giants 4-2 in the low scoring game of the day, as Brooklyn clinches a tie for the NL pennant. Across town the Yankees beat the Senators 9-5 as the Polo Grounds sees the most runs on the day.
Aaron Ward leads the Yankees charge as he posts a three for four day with two home runs and a walk. According to the news story, the second of the two homers stayed inside the park. Ward becomes the fourth player on the Yankees to reach double digits in homers. Ward, Bob Meusel, and Wally Pipp total 31 homer to the 51 hit by Babe Ruth.
It’s appropriate that the Yankees played well that day, as it is also the anniversary of the birth of my father, a life-long Yankees fan. I had hoped to be celebrating his 100th birthday, but it took a once in a century pandemic, featuring SARS-CoV-2, to bring him down. His birth took place in Foggia, Italy. The family recorded his birth immediately, but his twin brother Nicky appeared too weak to survive. Two days later he doing better, so their dates of recording are days apart, which caused some confusion later in life.
He came to the United States in 1929. He parents moved here early in the twentieth century, but returned to the home country in the teens. My grandfather could make more money in the US and returned in the early 1920s, but it took awhile to bring the rest of the family over. Dad attended Lou Gehrig day, a fact that he didn’t bother to tell me until about 20 years ago. Sometimes when I’m looking at the day’s baseball schedule, I think, “I have to call dad and tell him when the Yankees are playing.” Here is his obituary.
Rube Marquard of the Dodgers gets the win against the Giants and earns best pitched game of the day. He allows two unearned runs on five hits and two walks, striking out five. Marquard pitched well against the Giants in 1920, going 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA through this game.
With seven game left, George Sisler of the Browns puts a tight hold in the AL Batting title. He goes three for five to raise his BA to .404. Meanwhile, in the same game, Tris Speaker of the Indians goes one for four to lower his batting average to .385, nineteen points back.
The Indians win that game 7-5 to stay in first place. The White Sox beat the Tigers 8-1 to stay 1/2 games back. Chicago is up one in the totally unimportant win column. The Yankees remain three games back. Cleveland’s magic number drops to six.
The scandal involving the White Sox continues to grow. Once again the story sits on the front page. President of the National League John Heydler announces he started investigating the the fix of the Word Series after game one, when Chicago manager Kid Gleason and owner Charles Comiskey approached the head of the NL. Comiskey did not get along with American League president Ban Johnson, which is why they spoke with Heydler. Heydler found evidence, gave it to Johnson, but Johnson was not enthused with the investigation.
Back on the sports page, Reds Manager Pat Moran scoffs at the idea that the White Sox threw games.
“We defeated the White Sox fairly and squarely last year and I challenge anybody to prove otherwise. To my mind all of these reports regarding the fixing of certain members of the White Sox are pure bunk.
New York Tribune
He would be proven wrong. There is also a story there about betting in Boston, where a betting ring put a lot of money on the Reds when they were a 2 to 8 shot.