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Big Six · 07-22-2009, 09:53 PM

November 1, 1930

Code:

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

NORTHERN        W   L    PCT  GB
Boston          99  55  .643  --
Pittsburgh      81  73  .526  18
New York G      71  83  .461  28
Brooklyn        70  84  .455  29
Philadelphia    64  90  .416  35
New York Y      59  95  .383  40

MID-EAST        W   L    PCT  GB
Cleveland       91  63  .591  --
Cincinnati      87  67  .565   4
Baltimore       84  70  .545   7
Washington      80  74  .519  11
Detroit         73  81  .474  18
Milwaukee       65  89  .422  26


AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS

CONTINENTAL     W   L    PCT  GB
Chicago C       85  69  .552  --
St. Louis       81  73  .526   4
Kansas City     78  76  .506   7
Seattle         78  76  .506   7
Portland        75  79  .487  10
Chicago W       66  89  .429  19
 
PACIFIC         W   L    PCT  GB   
Oakland        107  47  .695  --
San Francisco   75  79  .487  32
San Diego       74  80  .481  33
Sacramento      71  83  .461  36
Hollywood       69  85  .448  38
Los Angeles     65  89  .422  42

Could anyone beat the Oaks?

That's what baseball fans across the nation wondered as the 1930 regular season drew to a close. The mighty champions of the Pacific Division shattered the all-time record for wins in a season, winning their division by a ridiculous total of 32 lengths. "If this had been a prize fight, they'd have stopped it after five rounds," said one rival player.

In a year dominated by hitters, the Oaks pitching staff was superb, allowing nearly a run per game less than any other team in the majors. Randall Malone (17-10, 2.99) won the AL Outstanding Pitcher Award, but it could have just as easily gone to teammates Stanford Cooper (19-5, 3.21) or Byron Farrell (17-10, 2.89). Ad Liska (14-9, 3.08) rounded out the rotation, and he was named the league's Rookie of the Year. The Oaks' bullpen was also fearsome, led by Brandon Watts (10-1, 2.90, 8 saves) and Ken Smith (9-2, 3.49, 20 saves)

The Oaks were no slouches at bat, either. RF Jimmy Welsh fell short in his quest for .400, but still hit .380 with 15 homers and 101 RBI. LF Heinie Manush (.361-14-71, 118 games) and C Tim Stephens (.332-2-79) were also tough on AL pitchers all year long.

In the American League Championship Series, the Oaks faced the Continental Division's best, the Chicago Cubs. 1B Gus Suhr (.350-28-128) and 3B Ed Morgan (.316-21-121) led a potent Cubs offense, and Syl Johnson (15-10, 3.93) and Tommy Thomas (17-10, 4.44) gave them solid pitching. Nevertheless, most experts figured the Oaks would take care of them with little trouble.

Not so fast! The Cubs upset the Oaks in a great seven-game series, and went on to face the National League champion Cleveland Indians in the World Series.

The Tribe's heroes were familiar ones to Cleveland fans: P Jim Jessup (19-8, 3.30, 142 K) and LF Ken Rich (.380-2-83 at age 38). They got great support from Gold Glove catcher Gabby Hartnett (.294-8-88) and P Alvin Crowder (16-7, 4.48). Still, many fans believed they, too, had stolen the pennant from a better club.

The Boston Red Sox, winners of the intriguing Northern Division, were a better club on paper. Their batting order featured four hitters with at least 100 RBI: LF Buzz Boyle (.380-22-100), 2B Jay Green (.343-28-136), 1B Joel Hopper (.309-24-129) and 3B Paul James (.327-15-106). Their young pitching rotation contained Ed Brandt (20-9, 4.25), Larry French (19-8, 3.97) and the inimitable Satchel Paige (19-6, 3.10, 193 K), the senior circuit's Outstanding Pitcher. Despite these stars, the Sox lost the LCS to the Indians in seven games.

After the thrilling upsets in the LCS, the World Series seemed anticlimactic. The Cubs won in six games, and none of them were close.

The other huge story of 1930 was written by the booming bats that resounded throughout the league. Offensive records fell right and left, as the game's best sluggers teed off with abandon.

No slugger had a better year than the young star of the Portland Beavers, Chuck Klein. While Klein couldn't keep his Beavers from staggering home with another sub-.500 record, he managed to keep his batting average above .400, breaking Mitsuo Nakada's record with a .412 mark. Klein also hit 52 homers and drove in 159 runs, both of which would have set new records if not for another great slugger's performance. Klein's 1.230 OPS and 132.1 VORP were, however, new league standards.

The Cardinals' Wally Berger hammered 57 home runs and drove in 175 runs, setting new major league records in the process. However Berger, who hit .356, lost the Outstanding Batter Award to Klein.

The National League's Outstanding Batter was Al Simmons of the New York Yankees (.394-31-130), and his young teammate, Buck Leonard (.335-15-100, 55 2B) won the Rookie of the Year prize.

The home run king of the NL was Lou Gehrig, who went deep 51 times; he also hit .363, drove in 152 runs, and scored 155 more. Other sluggers who hit 40 or more homers included the Senators' slugging duo, Mule Suttles (44) and Jim Bottomley (43); Cincinnati's Dale Alexander (43); and Jimmie Foxx of the American League's KC Athletics (48).

Two other pitchers deserve notice for keeping the savage sluggers of '30 under control. Baltimore's veteran ace Mike Crawford (15-7, 3.04) won the National League ERA title, while San Diego fireballer Lefty Grove (18-15, 3.51, 194 K) held American League batsmen at bay.

07-22-2009, 09:53 PM	#49 (permalink)
Big Six Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Williamsburg, VA Posts: 2,410 Thanks: 117 Thanked 91x in 73 posts	November 1, 1930 Code: NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS NORTHERN W L PCT GB Boston 99 55 .643 -- Pittsburgh 81 73 .526 18 New York G 71 83 .461 28 Brooklyn 70 84 .455 29 Philadelphia 64 90 .416 35 New York Y 59 95 .383 40 MID-EAST W L PCT GB Cleveland 91 63 .591 -- Cincinnati 87 67 .565 4 Baltimore 84 70 .545 7 Washington 80 74 .519 11 Detroit 73 81 .474 18 Milwaukee 65 89 .422 26 AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS CONTINENTAL W L PCT GB Chicago C 85 69 .552 -- St. Louis 81 73 .526 4 Kansas City 78 76 .506 7 Seattle 78 76 .506 7 Portland 75 79 .487 10 Chicago W 66 89 .429 19 PACIFIC W L PCT GB Oakland 107 47 .695 -- San Francisco 75 79 .487 32 San Diego 74 80 .481 33 Sacramento 71 83 .461 36 Hollywood 69 85 .448 38 Los Angeles 65 89 .422 42 Could anyone beat the Oaks? That's what baseball fans across the nation wondered as the 1930 regular season drew to a close. The mighty champions of the Pacific Division shattered the all-time record for wins in a season, winning their division by a ridiculous total of 32 lengths. "If this had been a prize fight, they'd have stopped it after five rounds," said one rival player. In a year dominated by hitters, the Oaks pitching staff was superb, allowing nearly a run per game less than any other team in the majors. Randall Malone (17-10, 2.99) won the AL Outstanding Pitcher Award, but it could have just as easily gone to teammates Stanford Cooper (19-5, 3.21) or Byron Farrell (17-10, 2.89). Ad Liska (14-9, 3.08) rounded out the rotation, and he was named the league's Rookie of the Year. The Oaks' bullpen was also fearsome, led by Brandon Watts (10-1, 2.90, 8 saves) and Ken Smith (9-2, 3.49, 20 saves) The Oaks were no slouches at bat, either. RF Jimmy Welsh fell short in his quest for .400, but still hit .380 with 15 homers and 101 RBI. LF Heinie Manush (.361-14-71, 118 games) and C Tim Stephens (.332-2-79) were also tough on AL pitchers all year long. In the American League Championship Series, the Oaks faced the Continental Division's best, the Chicago Cubs. 1B Gus Suhr (.350-28-128) and 3B Ed Morgan (.316-21-121) led a potent Cubs offense, and Syl Johnson (15-10, 3.93) and Tommy Thomas (17-10, 4.44) gave them solid pitching. Nevertheless, most experts figured the Oaks would take care of them with little trouble. Not so fast! The Cubs upset the Oaks in a great seven-game series, and went on to face the National League champion Cleveland Indians in the World Series. The Tribe's heroes were familiar ones to Cleveland fans: P Jim Jessup (19-8, 3.30, 142 K) and LF Ken Rich (.380-2-83 at age 38). They got great support from Gold Glove catcher Gabby Hartnett (.294-8-88) and P Alvin Crowder (16-7, 4.48). Still, many fans believed they, too, had stolen the pennant from a better club. The Boston Red Sox, winners of the intriguing Northern Division, were a better club on paper. Their batting order featured four hitters with at least 100 RBI: LF Buzz Boyle (.380-22-100), 2B Jay Green (.343-28-136), 1B Joel Hopper (.309-24-129) and 3B Paul James (.327-15-106). Their young pitching rotation contained Ed Brandt (20-9, 4.25), Larry French (19-8, 3.97) and the inimitable Satchel Paige (19-6, 3.10, 193 K), the senior circuit's Outstanding Pitcher. Despite these stars, the Sox lost the LCS to the Indians in seven games. After the thrilling upsets in the LCS, the World Series seemed anticlimactic. The Cubs won in six games, and none of them were close. The other huge story of 1930 was written by the booming bats that resounded throughout the league. Offensive records fell right and left, as the game's best sluggers teed off with abandon. No slugger had a better year than the young star of the Portland Beavers, Chuck Klein. While Klein couldn't keep his Beavers from staggering home with another sub-.500 record, he managed to keep his batting average above .400, breaking Mitsuo Nakada's record with a .412 mark. Klein also hit 52 homers and drove in 159 runs, both of which would have set new records if not for another great slugger's performance. Klein's 1.230 OPS and 132.1 VORP were, however, new league standards. The Cardinals' Wally Berger hammered 57 home runs and drove in 175 runs, setting new major league records in the process. However Berger, who hit .356, lost the Outstanding Batter Award to Klein. The National League's Outstanding Batter was Al Simmons of the New York Yankees (.394-31-130), and his young teammate, Buck Leonard (.335-15-100, 55 2B) won the Rookie of the Year prize. The home run king of the NL was Lou Gehrig, who went deep 51 times; he also hit .363, drove in 152 runs, and scored 155 more. Other sluggers who hit 40 or more homers included the Senators' slugging duo, Mule Suttles (44) and Jim Bottomley (43); Cincinnati's Dale Alexander (43); and Jimmie Foxx of the American League's KC Athletics (48). Two other pitchers deserve notice for keeping the savage sluggers of '30 under control. Baltimore's veteran ace Mike Crawford (15-7, 3.04) won the National League ERA title, while San Diego fireballer Lefty Grove (18-15, 3.51, 194 K) held American League batsmen at bay. __________________ My OOTP dynasties: The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell: where it all began The Baseball Life of Tom Haley: a story of a modern player The New England Baseball League: a fictional league story Last edited by Big Six; 07-22-2009 at 09:54 PM.