The 1924 Washington Nationals

[welch]

Thanks, Alan. Now we know why Tommy Taylor played instead of Bucky Harris.

[welch]

The St. Louis Browns came to town on Thursday, July 17, and took the first game of the series 3 - 0, and the first of a double-header.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407171.shtml

Tom Zachary pitched well, but the Griffs did not hit. The game was scoreless until the top of the 6th, when Herschel Bennett walked and Browns' 1B, and future Hall of Famer, George Sisler doubled to left-center. In the 8th, the Browns' Jack Tobin tripled. Joe Evans singled, driving in Tobin. Evans stole 2b and Marty McManus brought him home with a single.

Zachary gave up 6 hits, and the Browns' Dixie Davis gave up 5.

[welch]

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407172.shtml

In the night-cap, Clark Griffith's men powered past the Brownies, 12-7, and the game was never really close. Washington had a 6-1 lead by the bottom of the 2nd, and kept piling on runs in bunches. A good crowd of about 10,000 saw the Nationals scramble through three pitchers in what would now be called a "bullpen game". Paul Zahniser opened and got the win after pitching three innings of 5 hit 3 run baseball. Allen Russell pitched 4 innings, holding the Browns to 4 runs. Fred "Firpo" Marberry pitched the last 2 innings and got a retroactive save.

In the bottom of the 1st, Sam Rice led off by flying out to CF. Nemo Leibold singled off Browns starter Elam Vangilder. Bucky Harris walked, pushing Leibold to 2b. Goose Goslin popped out to George Sisler at 1B.  Two outs. According to the play-by-play, Joe Judge was out (?) or safe (?) on a fielder's choice ground-ball to SS Wally Gerber, with Leibold taking 3b and Bucky safe at 2b. Browns 2B Marty McManus got an error in this game, so maybe he dropped a throw from Gerber. With that, the roof fell in on St Louis. Tommy Taylor singled on an infield hit to Browns 3B Gene Robertson, scoring Leibold. Sam Peckinpaugh singled to left, scoring Harris and Judge, as Taylor took 3b. The Browns replaced Vangilder with Bill Bayne, but Pinky Hargrave greeted Bayne with a single, driving in Taylor.

St Louis picked up a run on two hits in the 2nd, but Washington chased Bayne, scoring two more runs in the bottom half; Tommy Taylor doubled. By the top of the 4th, Bucky Harris had seen enough of Zahniser, replacing him with Allen Russell. Taylor singled in the 4th, scoring Goslin off of Tony Lyons, the Browns' 4th pitcher. Nats lead 7-3.

Goslin and Judge hit back-to-back doubles in the 6th to make it 9-3. The Senators kept hitting and kept scoring, but the game was as much as over.

Washington is now 48-37, and still a half-game behind the Yankees. NY did not play. As Alan reports, Babe Ruth and the Yankees had thought they had broken the spirit of the Nats, but Griif's men are still right behind New York.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=17

[Natsinpwc]

The Nats might just have a chance.

[welch]

Friday, July 18, and 5,000 saw the Browns nip the Nationals, 7-6, with 3 runs in the 9th. The big blow: a two-out 3-run triple in the 9th by Baby Doll Jacobson. The runs were unearned because Peckinpaugh had booted a ground ball.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407180.shtml



The Yankees split a double-header with the Indians, so Washington drops a full game back, where they are tied for second place with Detroit.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=18

[welch]

After that disappointing loss to the Browns, the Senators must come back, right? Sadly, St Louis beat Washington 10-9 in 16 innings.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407190.shtml

Joe Martinha, "Oyster Joe", started for the Griffs and was tagged for three runs in the first. Joe walked two hitters, got two outs, but gave up backk-to-back doubles to Baby Doll Jacobson and to Gene Robertson. As we have seen in other games, Oyster Joe was wild. He walked 6 batters. St Louis picked up two more runs in the third, as Oyster Joe gave up a couple of singles and that man, Baby Doll Jacobson, drove them in with another double. 5-0, Browns. It looked grim to the 7,500 fans.

Joe Martinha settle down in the 4th, while the Nats nibbled away at the Browns' Urban Schocker, a single here and there. But no rallies for the Griffmen. They did score a lone run in the 5th, as Rocker Peckinpaugh singled to LF, where Herschel Bennett bobbled the ball, allowing Tommy Taylor to score from 1b. Finally, in the bottom of the 6th, the Nats scored 4 runs on 5 hits. Bucky Harris singled and Goose Goslin singled. When Joe Judge struck out, it looked like the Nats might be blanked again. Just then, Tommy Taylor singled to CF, that big Griffith Stadium CF, scoring Bucky Harris. Peckinpaugh walked and Bennie Tate, Washington's reserve catcher, drove in Goslin and Taylor with a "weak" infield hit to 2B Marty McManus. Tie game 5-5.

In the 8th, Martinha cracked, or tired. Or, otherwise gave up three runs to St. Louis. With one out, Martinha hit Wally Gerber and then walked Harry Rice. Urban Schocker bunted Gerber and Rice along, but, with two outs, Martinha was almost out of the inning. Unfortunately, Jack Tobin single to RF, where Sam Rice misplayed the ball. Gerber and Harry Rice scored, and Tobin advanced all the way to 3b. From there, he was driven in by Herschel Bennett.

It looked bad for the home Nationals, trailing 8-5 in the bottom of the 8th. But with two outs, Oyster Joe Martinha doubled to RF, and Sam Rice drove him in with a triple.  Nemo Leibold drove in Sam, 8-7 Browns entering the 9th.

Martinha set down the Browns, 1-2-3 in the top of the 9th. Then Tommy Taylor doubled and Peck scored Taylor on another double. Tie game!

When Wally Gerber led off the 10th with a walk, Bucky Harris went to Allen Russell, a sometimes wobbly relief pitcher. Wally Gerber singled, unfortunately, and Jack Tobin drove him in as Washington's catcher, Bennie Tate, dropped the throw. The Nats were not done, though. Harris chose regular catcher, Muddy Ruel, to pinch-hit for CF Nemo Leibold. Muddy doubled to LF, and Ossie Bluege scored from 1b as Browns catcher Hank Severeid showed Tate how it's done. Severeid dropped the throw.

Frirpo Marberry and the Browns' Dave Danforth dueled until the 16th, when Tobin drove in Wally Gerber. Bucky Harris tried everything in the bottom of the 16th, sending up three pinch-hitters around Sam Rice's triple. The last was Walter Johnson, himself.

Washington falls 2 games behind the Yankees, third place, 1 1/2 behind Detroit.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=19


**

Jacobson'e SABR bio explains the nickname.

A big, hulking 6-foot-3, 215-pound outfielder named Baby Doll?  There has to be a story behind that nickname.  More than one, as it happens, though they overlap. The story out of Jacobson’s own mouth is probably the right one. In his obituary, The Sporting News quoted him: “Everybody called me Bill until that day in Mobile. It was opening day and a band was playing. Just before the first pitch, they struck up ‘Oh, You Beautiful Doll,’ a popular song at the time. Well, I led off with a homer on the first pitch and a lady sitting behind the plate jumped up and shouted: ‘You must be that beautiful doll they were talking about.’ The name stuck with me and that was it.”  The next day’s Mobile Register ran his photograph with the caption “That Baby Doll.”

[welch]

After several close losses to the Browns, after falling two games behind the Yankees, it should be time for Clark Griffith's men to win a few. And they did on Sunday, July 20, in front of 9,000 fans, on a Goose Goslin walk-off, 5-4. Walter Johnson started, but was not around for the come-back win.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407200.shtml

The Browns grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when George Sisler doubled, scoring Jack Tobin. Bucky Harris knotted the score when he drove in Sam Rice in the second. In the 4th, the Nats grabbed a lead, or, rather, the Browns gave the Nats a lead on a 2-error play. Dixie Davis hit Goose Goslin. Next batter, Joe Judge single to 3b, scoring Goslin, as Browns' 3B Gene Robertson threw wild to 1B George Sisler, and Sisler threw wild to Robertson. That's the best I can made of the play-by-play, which says that Judge singled, so Joe must have beaten the throw to Sisler.

Johnson pitched smoothly until the 6th, when George Sisler -- remember, future HoF -- hit an inside-the-park home run down the 425 foot 3b line. Tie game, 2-2.

In the top of the 8th, Jack Tobin and Herschel Bennett hit back-to-back triples. Bucky Harris replaced Walter Johnson with Allen Russell. After George Sisler lined out to  Harris, Marty McManus reached on a bad throw by SS Sam Peckinpaugh, and the Browns had a 4-2 lead.

Another loss on the way? Down 4-2 in the bottom of the 8th? The "scrappy Nats" had not given up. Goose Goslin led off with a single to CF, and Joe Judge followed with a double. Goslin was held at third. Muddy Ruel drove in Goslin with a groundout, and Peckinpaugh singled to LF, scoring Judge. Senators 4, Browns 4 going into the 9th.

Russell retired the Browns in order in the top of the 9th. Then Sam Rice led off the bottom of the 9th with a single. Leibold pushed Rice to 2b with a sacrifice bunt. Bluege walked. And Goose Goslin singled to CF, scoring Rice. Finally a win over the Browns!

The Yankees took two from the Indians this day, so the Nats fell another half-game behind. The Yankees lead Detroit by a game and lead Washington -- 49-39 -- by 2 1/2 games.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=20

The White Sox come to town tomorrow.

[welch]

After their team lost so many close games to the Browns, Washington fans must have been feeling down. However, on Monday, July 21, Clark Griffith's men crushed the visiting Chicago White Sox, 16-2. Tom Zachary got the win, and Chicago's Ted Lyons was left to pitch all eight innings, giving up 18 hits in his 11th loss. There must be a story behind that.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407210.shtml

The South Siders loaded the bases with only one out in the first, but Zachary struck out Bib Falk and got Willie Kamm on a flyball to CF Nemo Leibold. In the bottom half, the Senators knocked in 6 runs on 6 hits. After Sam Rice lined out to Bib Falk in LF, Leibold, Taylor, Goslin, and Judge singled for a 2-0 lead. After Muddy Ruel's sac bunt, Bucky Harris singled, driving in Goslin and Judge. Peckinpaugh walked, and Tom Zachary helped himself to two more runs with his single. Peckinpaugh scored from 1b on Falk's error.

The rest of the game went like that, with the Nats picking up a run in the second and four more in the third inning. Zachary was giving up nothing. The "Pale Hose" got a couple runs in the 8th, hopelessly trailing 16-0.

Meanwhile, Earl Whitehill of the Tigers beat the Yankees and Bullet Joe Bush, making Whitehill 11-3 on the year. Washington is now 1 1/2 games behind New York, and a game behind Detroit. Nats are 50-39.  Whitehill went to the Nats for the 1933 season, and became an ace of the pennant-winning "Wecking Crew of '33".

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=21

[JCA-CrystalCity]

you have to wonder about the attitude and the competitiveness of the White Sox so shortly after the Black Sox scandal. 1921-24 they finished 7th, 5th, 7th, and 8th, before a stretch of mediocrity (5th from 1925-28). to go a little SABR on the 2024 team, their Pythagorean record was .464, which is competitive, especially for a team that ultimately finished last. Were they a bit like the Nats the past few years, with guys getting shots, sometimes outperforming their talent, as they replaced a very talented group of players?

[welch]

you have to wonder about the attitude and the competitiveness of the White Sox so shortly after the Black Sox scandal. 1921-24 they finished 7th, 5th, 7th, and 8th, before a stretch of mediocrity (5th from 1925-28). to go a little SABR on the 2024 team, their Pythagorean record was .464, which is competitive, especially for a team that ultimately finished last. Were they a bit like the Nats the past few years, with guys getting shots, sometimes outperforming their talent, as they replaced a very talented group of players?

I remember the White Sox being very good in the 1950s, and a check through the seasons shows that they sank like a rock through the 1920s. They must have been trying new players, and, except for Eddie Collins, most of them were duds. Collins, a future Hall of Famer, became manager in the mid-20s, but could do nothing. The Yankees just became stronger, and Connie Mack built his last super-team. The Nationals -- Senators in my family -- were solid when Wal;ter Johnson and then Joe Cronin led the team, often finishing second or third behind the Yanks and the Athlerics.

The Depression seemed to kill every team...but the Yankees,

[welch]

"We're not quite dead", say the White Sox, as they take the first game of the double-header on Tuesday, July 22, 4-0. George Mogridge scattered 6 hits over 6 innings, but that was enough for the White Sox to score four times, although one run was unearned. Meanwhile, Hollis Thurston, a Chicago ace, held the Nats to 5 hits.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407221.shtml

Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Roger Peckinpaugh error. In the 6th inning, however, Mogridge slipped, giving up a single, a double, a single, and another double. The White Sox scored three more times. That was the game, as the Senators were getting nothing of of Thurston.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I remember the White Sox being very good in the 1950s, and a check through the seasons shows that they sank like a rock through the 1920s. They must have been trying new players, and, except for Eddie Collins, most of them were duds. Collins, a future Hall of Famer, became manager in the mid-20s, but could do nothing. The Yankees just became stronger, and Connie Mack built his last super-team. The Nationals -- Senators in my family -- were solid when Wal;ter Johnson and then Joe Cronin led the team, often finishing second or third behind the Yanks and the Athlerics.

The Depression seemed to kill every team...but the Yankees,

the CWS of 1925 and 1926 were above .500.

[welch]

the CWS of 1925 and 1926 were above .500.

The 1925 team was only a little above .500, and the '27 team won games, but that was the year of the Yankees. In '24, Eddie Collins was the last of the stars from 1919, and he was getting old. Over all, the pitching was weak, although young Ted Lyons grew into a good pitcher. Lyons is the poor guy who had to pitch all eight innings in that 16-2 loss to Griff's men. A big problem for all AL teams: in 1925, Mack's Athletics became a super team, beaten by Clark Griffith's best Nationals team, and from 1926 onward, the AL pennant race was always New York and Philadelphia. From about 1930 through 1933, it became New York, Philadelphia, and Washington. Chicago had never quite recovered

[welch]

In the second game of the July 22 double header, Curly Ogden pitched another good one, a 6-hitter, as the Nats beat the White Sox 4-1.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407222.shtml

Clark Griffith's team grabbed a pair of runs in the 4thon Muddy Ruel's triple to CF, that deep Griffith Stadium CF. Bucky Harris drove him in with a sacrifice fly. The Nats loaded the bases with two out on Curly Ogden's single, Sam Rice's single, and Nemo Leibold reach on an error. And have we seen this lately? Leibold hit a grounball to 1B Earl Sheely, who tossed to pitcher Leo Mangum covering 1b. And Mangum could not handle the throw. However, Tommy Taylor flied out to CF, so the Nats scored no more.

In the 6th, Curly "No DH for Me" Ogden doubled to CF and Sam Rice tripled to left. Remember, the Griffith Stadium bleachers were 424 feet down the line.

The Nationals picked up another run, and the White Sox got one back in the 9th, but Curly Ogden was in control all the way.

The Tigers beat the Yankees today, taking first place by a half-game, and leaving the Senators in third place, still 1 1/2 games back.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=22

[welch]

On Wednesday, July 23, the Chicago White Sox were still in town, so the Nats beat them 4-2. Firpo Marberry was tapped to start, and won his 5th game, against 7 losses.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407230.shtml

By the bottom of the 4th, Chicago had gotten a couple of hits, but Washington then got the hits that mattered most. Nemo Leibold walked and took second on a passed ball, but was picked off. Unfortunately for the White Sox, catcher Buck Crouse threw the ball into CF, with Nemo taking 3b. Goose Goslin singled on a pop-fly to center, scoring Leibold. Play too shallow in Geiffith Stadium's center-field, and a batter could hit one over the CF's head and all the way to that wall standing about 430 feet from home. PLay too deep, and the poor fielder could not get the texas-leaguers, like this one. Next, Joe Judge walked and Muddy Ruel singled, driving in Goslin. Bucky Harris singled to center, scoring Judge. Finally, Roger Peckinpaugh bunted, scoring Ruel on the sacrifice. 4-0 Senators.

Chicago responded with two runs in the 5th on an Earl Sheely base-hit, but that was all they got. Neither team put hits together, so that was the final score: 4-2.

The Yankees beat the Tigers today in 11 innings, as Hooks Gauss took the loss.

Washington, at 52-40, remains in third place, but they have gained ground. They trail Detroit by a half game, and the Yankees by a game. The Browns are 5 1/2 games behind the Griffmen, so as long as New York and Detroit keep beating each other, the Nats can stick close to the top.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=23
 

[alanmiley]

100 years ago in Washington Senators history
Wednesday, July 23, 1924 – You might remember all of the moaning and complaining about rain outs that appeared in these notes earlier in the season.  Delayed effects of that weather have been seen in the past several weeks.  Make up games have forced double header after double header.  We had 2 more this week, not to mention a single game that went 16 innings.  Perhaps the players are getting tired.  Whatever the reason, the Senators have recently been drifting back towards familiar (mediocre) territory.  This week’s games were against St. Louis and Chicago, neither of which had a winning record.  Coming into today’s game, the Senators won 4 of them and lost 4.  John Keller’s quote in the Evening Star haunts:  “There was a time when .500 baseball was something the Nationals were quite proud to boast of, but such is not the case these days.”

Turning to lineups and rosters, I am embarrassed to confess that I was wrong in the last report.  I had assumed that when Bucky Harris returned from his suspension, the lineup would return to what had seemed to be “normal.”  It did not.  Tommy Taylor had taken advantage of his opportunity by getting 3 hits in the two Harris-less games and he was rewarded with the starting slot at third base.  He has continued to hit and he has a .320 batting average coming into today’s game. 

As a result, Ossie Bluege has once more been relegated to the bench.  Last year Ossie was a regular until he severely hurt his leg in the final weeks of the season.  This spring Doc Prothro took over third base and hit very well.  Bluege, who was reportedly quite unhappy not playing, eventually regained his spot due to his excellent defensive skills. That choice was finalized when Prothro was traded.  However, based Taylor’s play during on Harris’s controversial suspension,  Ossie lost the starter spot once again….  But wait, Bluege replaced Taylor in the middle of yesterday’s second game and he is going to start today.  No reason has been given.  Perhaps the saga will have more twists and turns.

The other dynamic lineup spot has been that of the third outfielder.  Goose Goslin has a lock on left field and Sam Rice has been an uncontested regular, usually in right field but in center early this year.  Nemo Leibold, a 12-year veteran who joined the Senators in May of last year, was the 1923 regular third outfielder.  Although he hit .305 for Washington, there was much talk about the need for an upgrade during spring training.  Several players were tried in spring and the early season, but Leibold seemed to have settled into the position.  Then the Senators acquired the “spark plug,” Wid Matthews.  Matthews pounded the ball consistently and he was a fan favorite.  But eventually he ran into a slump and Leibold retook the position.  Suddenly, Leibold has now begun to hit.  He got 4 hits in the second game Thursday, including a triple and 3 more on Friday including another triple.  Between Thursday and yesterday, he has batted .500 (16/32)*.

The latest acquisition is outfielder/catcher  Floyd (Pete) Scott,** a .334 hitter from Kansas City of the American Association.  According to John Keller of The Evening Star, Griffith has personally seen him in the both in the outfield and behind the plate and “declares he is a capable player in either position, can throw well, run speedily, and slam the apple.”  In trade Griffith gave up backup catcher Red Hargrave, utility infielder Chick Gagnon, and the very recently acquired outfielder Bert Griffith and “a bundle of cash.”  Griffith is concentrating on finding experienced reserves to bolster the pennant drive and he doesn’t mind sacrificing young prospects to that end.  Scott was expected to report by Sunday or Monday, but he has yet to arrive.

The starters in today’s game were Red Faber for the White Sox and  Firpo Marberry for the Senators.  The veteran Faber is an excellent pitcher.  Once, in 1915, he beat the Senators in a complete game while  using only 67 pitches.***  This year he got a late start because of elbow surgery and he had a slow start after he did come back.  But since June 30 he has been very productive with 5 straight wins.  Marberry is more often seen ending games that beginning them, but this heavy schedule means all hands must be on deck.

Faber started strong and catcher Muddy Ruel, who singled to center, was the only Senator base runner for the first three innings.  In the 4th inning, the game was scoreless when Leibold led off and walked.  He stole second and a wild throw from Chicago catcher Buck Crouse allowed him to reach 3rd.  After an out, Goslin singled, scoring Leibold.  Goslin later headed for second himself and another wild throw from Crouse sent him to third.  What followed were a walk a couple more singles and a Peckinpaugh squeeze play, resulting in a 4 – 0 lead. 

Marberry gave up 10 hits, but held the White Sox to two runs for a Washington victory.

The 52 – 40 Senators are now in third place, a game behind the Yankees and a half game behind Detroit.  While the race is very tight at the top, the rest of the league has begun to fall back and the 4th place Browns are 6.5 games out.

----

* Leibold’s OPS during this period was 1.235.

** Although Scott’s last game in the majors was in 1928, he nonetheless appears in the 1933 Goudey Big League chewing gum series.

*** This  game is described in https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/may-12-1915-red-fabers-reported-67-pitch-complete-game-beats-washington/

[welch]

Thursday, July 24, Washington beat Chicago again, 7-5, in a tight game that lasted 2:15. Although Walter Johnson started, he lasted onlyfive innings and gave up 7 hits and 5 runs. "Rubberarm" Allen Russell, one of Clark Griffith's two relief slabsters, pitched three strong innings for the win. Manager Johnny Evers, of Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance, used 16 players, including four pinch-hitters, and lost. He even used his best pitcher, Hollis Thurston, as a pinch runner.

On the Washington side, Bucky Harris changed his lineup, flipping 3B Ossie Bluege to bat third, while moving himself down to bat seventh. Bucky's hitting had fallen away, but Bluege was hitting even less.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192407240.shtml

The White Sox took an early lead on a walk, a single, and two bunts. They added a second run in the top of the third on a double by part-time OF Roy Elsh and a single to CF by Eddie Collins. That is by 1919 White Sox survivor, and future Hall of Famer Collins to 1919 White Sox survivor Nemo Leibold. Nemo had taken the CF job back from Wid Matthews.

The came right back to tie the score in the bottom half. Roger Peckinpaugh led off with a walk. Sam Rice singled to RF, and Peck went from first to third. Leibold singled and Bluege singled, scoring Peck and Rice.

In the 5th, the Sox put three runs across, after which Harris decided that Walter Johnsobn was done for the day. Buck Crouse walked, but was forced at second as pitcher Gorham Leverett tried a sacrifice bunt. It was fielded by the elegant and quick Joe Judge who threw to Peckinpaugh covering second. It began to unravel for Walter when Maurice Archdeacon singled to right where Sam Rice's error allowed Leveratt to score from first and Archdeacon to reach third. Roy Elsh bunted to sacrifice Archdeacon home. Eddie Collins doubled with two out, but Earl Sheely singled, scoring Collins. Bib Falk singled, pushing Sheely to second, but Johnson struck out Willie Kamm. ChiSox: 3 runs, 4 hits, on one Nats error. They have taken a 5-2 lead.

But not for long. A Sam Rice single, followed by a Nemo Leibold single and a Goose Goslin walk loaded the bases with one out. Dependable, as well as quick, Joe Judge singled home Rice and the bases were still loaded. However, Muddy Ruel hit a flyball to left, and the runners held. Two outs. Then Bucky Harris, down in the seventh spot, drew a walk, scoring Leibold and moving the others along. With Roger Peckinpaugh batting Goose Goslin stole home. Tie score, 5-5.

Harris tapped the side-arming spit-baller Allen Russell to relieve Walter Johnson.

In the 6th, Chicago manager Evers pinch-hit for Leverett, but Rubber Arm Russell gave up nothing. Evers went with Mike Cvengros to pitch the bottom of 6th, and Russell drew a walk. Sam Rice grounded into a force of Russell at second, but Nemo Leibold bunted for a base-hit, recorded as a bunt to catcher Ray Schalk, who had replaced Buck Crouse. Ossie Bluege walked, loading the bases, with Rice on third. Then Goose Goslin broke the tie with a sac fly to right, scoring Rice and moving Leibold to third. Cvengros threw a wild pitch as Joe Judge batted, allowing Leibold to score as Bluege moved up to second. Cvengros promptly walked Judge, but Evers had young Ted Lyons relieve Cvengros and Lyons got Muddy Ruel to fly out.

In the seventh, Roy Elsh grounded into a rare double-play, Peckinpaugh-to-Harris-to-Judge. After Eddie Collins walkled, he was thrown out trying to steal second, Muddy Ruel throwing to Bucky Harris.

That was the last Chicago threat.

The Nats have now tied the Yankees, 1/2 game behind Detroit.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=24

[welch]

The Nats took the train to Cleveland. Unfortunately, a loss was waiting for them at Dunn Park, on Saturday, July 26, as Sherry Smith shut them out on only three hits. For a sense of the series, take a look at the odd shape of Dunn Park, the dimensions of which are shown here by Andy Clemm. Note that the narrow CF fence was 460 feet from home. The LF line ran 375 feet to a bleachwer, and, although the RF wall ran a mere 290-340-420, it was 45 feet high.

http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/LeaguePark.html

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE192407260.shtml

Future Hall of Famer, player-manager Tris Speaker hit an inside-the-park homoe run in the bottom of the first. In the second, George Burns doubled and Rube Lutzke singled for Clevelands second run, and that was all the scoring, and most of the hitting in the game. In the 6th, Luke Sewell singled and Burns doubled, but Riggs Stephenson grounded into a Bucky Harris to Joe Judge double play.

The Yankees and the Tigers both won, so the Nationals, 53-41, dropped to 1 1/2 game back of Detroit.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=26

[welch]

Sunday, July 27, the Nats woke up and clipped the Indians, 4-3. Curly Ogden was effective again, pitching a 6-hitter. However, he walked 6 and strukout only 2.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE192407270.shtml

The Griff men picked up single runs in the first three innings. Sam Rice, preceding James Wood, led off with a triple to right-center. A sac fly drove him in. In the second, Muddy Ruel singled and took second on a ground-out, then scored on Sam Peckinpaugh's single. The Senators scored again in the third as Nemo Leibold singled, was sacrificed to second, and scored on a single by Goose Goslin.

The Indians got their first hit in the bottom of the third, and George Uhle's leadoff single turned into a run. Uhle advanced on a groundout and then on a fielder's choice. With two outs, the play-by-play dissolves into confusion. It says "Joe Sewell Groundout: SS-2B/Forceout at 2B; G. Uhle Scores; H. Summa to 3B". Either there were four outs that inning, The mistake seems on Tris Speaker's at-bat, "Fielder's Choice 2B; G. Uhle to 3B; H. Summa to 2B; T. Speaker to 1B". Must have been an error around 2b.

Curly Ogden was unruffled, and continued setting the Indians down. In the 5th inning, the Nationals added to their lead as Goslin walked with two outs, stole second, and scored on a Joe Judge single to CF. The indians got a run back in the bottom half, and nother in the seventh, but could not bunch hits together for a rally.

The Nats, at 54-41, are now tied with the Yankees a 1/2 game behind Detroit, as the White Sox beat the Yankees and the Athletics beat Detroit.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=27

[welch]

Well, close, but a loss. On Monday, July 28, the Indians beat the Senators, 2-1. Cleveland's Stan Coveleski pitched a 6-hitter, as Tom Zachary lost his 8th game.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE192407280.shtml

In the bottom of the first, Tris Speaker tripled and stole home. I would love to have seen that run, even though it was against our Nats. How many triples do we see in a season? And how often does anyone steal home?

Next inning, Cleveland picked up its second run as Homer Summa tripled, scoring Rube Lutzki. Rube had singled.

That 2-0 score held up, inning after inning. Covaleski scattered a few lonely hits, until the 8th. Coveleski walked Peckinpaugh and Bucky Harris sent up Wid Matthews, the "Spark Plug", to pinch-hit for Zachary. Matthews doubled. With runners on second and third, Sam Rice got an infield hit to score Peckinpaugh. However, Nemo Leibold ground to SS Joe Sewell, and Sewell threw out Matthews at home.

In ther 9th, Coveleski faced three Nats and all three grounded out.

Washington's record? 54-42, falling 1 1/2 games behind New York and a 1/2 game behind Detroit. The Yankees, behind Bullet Joe Bush,

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=28

[welch]

Griff's Men just cannot beat Cleveland's Indians, even though Washington is about 10 games ahead of Cleveland. On Tuesday, July 29, Cleveland won 4-2, as spot-starter and reliever Fred Marbery did not have it. By Speece pitched a solid, but fritless five innings to finish Firpo's Game.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE192407290.shtml

Marberry gave up three runs in the bottom of the third, and Bucky Hyarris replaced with with Speece. Rube Lutzke walked, and Joe Shaute pushed him to 2b with a bunt. Pat McNulty singled, putting runners at first and third, when Homer Summa grounded to 3B Tommy Taylor, who threw Summa out at first, with Shaute scoring on the fielder's choice. McNulty was out trying to steal 3b, but Tris Speaker drew a walk and Marberry hit Joe Sewell, loading the bases. When Glenn Myatt singled, scoring Speaker and Homer Summa (four outs again? Play-by-play says 0 errors, so who knows? Maybe FC to 3b was an infield hit?). Harris had seen enough.

Indians picked up a run in the 5th and the Nats rallied for a run in the 8th, but the game was lost.

The third-place Senators fell 2 1/2 games behind the champion Yankees. The Tigers edged Philadelphia in 11 innings, to stick a game behind New York.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=29

Next, the Nationals go to Detroit for a series against those tough Tigers.

[welch]

The Nationals went to Detroit to face Ty Cobb's second-place Tigers, and Walter Johnson failed again, giving up four runs in the second inning. Yet Firpo Marrberry came on to pitch well, the Nats tied the score, and got three runs in the top of the 9th to win!

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET192407300.shtml

See Navin Field, 1926, by Andy Clem for a rough idea of the ballpark: http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/TigerStadium.html#diag

In the top of the second, Walter Johnson drove in Ossie Bluege with a home run to deep left. Looking at the diagram, Navin's LF ran from 341 on the line to 459 in dead center, so it was a blast. According to Hank Thomas, his grandfather began to pay more attention to his hitting as he got older. However, Johnson gave up three straight singles to start the bottom of the second, giving up a run on Bob Jones's single, and two more Detroit pitcher Earl Whitehill's single. After a popup to Joe Judge in foul territory, Harry Heilmann tripled, scoring Jones. Incidentally, Ty Cobb walked but was then caught stealing by Muddy Ruel's throw to Bucky Harris.

The Griffmen tied the score in the top of the third when Ruel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Goose Goslin, safe on and error, scored on a grounder.

And the scored remained tied as Firpo Marberry dodged trouble: Harry Heilmann was hit by a ground ball off 1b. In the 5th, the unlucky Heilmann was picked off second. A couple of Detroit singles yielded notjhing in bottom of the 8th.

Then the Senators struck. Batting 8th, Ossie Bluege led off with a single. Marberry bunted slowly toward first, and was safe: Bluege on second and Firpo on first. The great Sam Rice tripled down the 371 foot RF line, and Bucky Harris drove in Rice for a three run lead. Nats 7, Tigers 4. When Marberry retired Detroit's 3-4-5 hitters, including Heilmann and Cobb, Washington had its 55th win, bringing them to a half-game back of Detroit, but still 2 games behind the idle Yankees.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=30

[welch]

A gem of a game, Thursday, July 31. No other words for it: Washington won, 1-0 as Tom Zachary pitched a three-hitter against Detroit's Rip Collins and Hooks Dauss, who combined for a four-hitter. Note that the Detroit OF had Future Hall of Famer, and Nats star on the 1933 AL Pennant winners, Heinie Manush in LF. The Tigers had Harry Heilmann, Future Hall of Famer with a lifetime average of .343, calculated WAR of 72.2, lifetime OPS of .930 (OPS+ of 148) in RF. They flanked the greatest player of all time, Ty Cobb. None of the three hit safely.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET192407310.shtml

Manush: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/manushe01.shtml
Heilmann: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heilmha01.shtml
Cobb: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cobbty01.shtml

Washington scored the run of the game in the 4th, as Tom Zachary had not given up a hit, and Collins had given up a lone single in the second to Goose Goslin, who was then erased on a double-play. In the fourth, Nemo Leibold led off by flying out to Manush in left. Utility man Ralph Miller, playing 2B in place of Bucky Harris, got a rare hit, a single. Collins delivered a wild-pitch to Goose Goslin, and Miller took second. Goslin then singled to RF, putting runners on first and third. Joe Judge grounded to 2B Del Pratt who flipped to Fred Haney, the SS covering second, so Miller scored. (Incidentally, Fred Haney became manager of the Milwaukee Braves in the 1950s, when he led them to win the 1957 World Series over the almost-unbeatable Yankees, but lost to the Yankees in 1958. As good Washington Senators fans, we cheered for the Braves.)

That was nearly all the action. In the sixth, Fred Haney tripled, but was stranded. The Nationals did no more hitting. In the bottom of the ninth, the Tigerts' Bob Fothergill bunted for a base-hit and then stole second. However, Ty Cobb flied out to Leibold in center, and Harry Heilmann grounded out, Peckinpaugh to Judge.

The Griffmen could not beat the second division Indians, but they have just taken two from the mighty Tigers, and are now in second place. How about that?

Yankees: 57-43
Washington: 1/2 game back, at 56-43
Detroit: 1/2 gane behind the Nationals, 55-43

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=07&day=31

[welch]

Bucky Harris is back at 2B, and Bucky started Walter Johnson. And that was good, as Johnson gave up 8 hiots, while the Nats bashed 12 hits off of Ed Wells and Hooks Dauss.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET192408010.shtml

The Nats grabbed a lead in the top of the first, when Fred Haney could not handle a weak grounder at SS. They picked up two more in the second, when Sam Peckinpaugh ked off with a homer, and Sam Rice scored Johnson with a single. Unfortunately, Detroit got three runs right back in the bottom of the second. Lu Blue, Tigers 1B, led off with a double and then Haney singled, Bob Jones doubled, and Johnny Bassler doubled. Score tied, 3-3, and Detroit was taking liberties with Walter Johnson's pitches.

But Roger Peckinpaugh singled in the third, after Detroit had pulled off a double-play. So with two outs, young Ossie Bluege git an inside-the-park homer to deep, deep CF. Remember, the LF and RF fences met at 459 feet from home; Ty Cobb could not track it down. That's a drive and a play we would want to see.

Johnson had settled down. "Barney" promptly got Cobb on a flyball and then struck out Harry Heilmann. Hooks Dauss had replaced Wells, and in the 6th Washington struck again, scoring two more runs. Bucky Harris drove in Sam Rice, who had reached on an error. Muddy Ruel pushed Harris across the plate on another error by Fred Haney, but Goose Goslin ended the inning trying to score from second. 7-3 Washington.

[welch]

Bucky Harris is back at 2B, and Bucky started Walter Johnson. And that was good, as Johnson gave up 8 hiots, while the Nats bashed 12 hits off of Ed Wells and Hooks Dauss. Nats won, 7-3.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET192408010.shtml

The Nats grabbed a lead in the top of the first, when Fred Haney could not handle a weak grounder at SS. They picked up two more in the second, when Sam Peckinpaugh ked off with a homer, and Sam Rice scored Johnson with a single. Unfortunately, Detroit got three runs right back in the bottom of the second. Lu Blue, Tigers 1B, led off with a double and then Haney singled, Bob Jones doubled, and Johnny Bassler doubled. Score tied, 3-3, and Detroit was taking liberties with Walter Johnson's pitches.

But Roger Peckinpaugh singled in the third, after Detroit had pulled off a double-play. So with two outs, young Ossie Bluege git an inside-the-park homer to deep, deep CF. Remember, the LF and RF fences met at 459 feet from home; Ty Cobb could not track it down. That's a drive and a play we would want to see.

Johnson had settled down. "Barney" promptly got Cobb on a flyball and then struck out Harry Heilmann. Hooks Dauss had replaced Wells, and in the 6th Washington struck again, scoring two more runs. Bucky Harris drove in Sam Rice, who had reached on an error. Muddy Ruel pushed Harris across the plate on another error by Fred Haney, but Goose Goslin ended the inning trying to score from second. 7-3 Washington.

Washington added a game to the lead over Detroit, now 2 games behind the Yankees and  1/2 games behind the Senators.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/index.fcgi?year=1924&month=08&day=01