1918 in baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1918 throughout the world.

Champions

World Series: Boston Red Sox over Chicago Cubs (4–2)

MLB statistical leaders

	American League		National League
AVG	Ty Cobb DET	.382	Zack Wheat BKN	.335
HR	Babe Ruth BSR & Tilly Walker PHA	11	Gavvy Cravath PHP	8
RBI	Bobby Veach DET	78	Sherry Magee CIN	76
Wins	Walter Johnson WSH	23	Hippo Vaughn CHC	22
ERA	Walter Johnson WSH	1.27	Hippo Vaughn CHC	1.74
Ks	Walter Johnson WSH	162	Hippo Vaughn CHC	148

Major league baseball final standings

American League final standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Boston Red Sox	75	51	0.595	—	49–21	26–30
Cleveland Indians	73	54	0.575	2½	38–22	35–32
Washington Senators	72	56	0.562	4	41–32	31–24
New York Yankees	60	63	0.488	13½	37–29	23–34
St. Louis Browns	58	64	0.475	15	23–30	35–34
Chicago White Sox	57	67	0.460	17	30–26	27–41
Detroit Tigers	55	71	0.437	20	28–29	27–42
Philadelphia Athletics	52	76	0.406	24	35–32	17–44

National League final standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Chicago Cubs	84	45	0.651	—	49–25	35–20
New York Giants	71	53	0.573	10½	35–21	36–32
Cincinnati Reds	68	60	0.531	15½	46–24	22–36
Pittsburgh Pirates	65	60	0.520	17	42–28	23–32
Brooklyn Robins	57	69	0.452	25½	33–21	24–48
Philadelphia Phillies	55	68	0.447	26	27–29	28–39
Boston Braves	53	71	0.427	28½	23–29	30–42
St. Louis Cardinals	51	78	0.395	33	32–40	19–38

Events

April 15 – The American League season opened with Boston Red Sox ace Babe Ruth pitching a four-hit, 7–1 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. Shortly after, Boston manager Ed Barrow started Ruth's conversion to slugger by working him into seventy-two games as an outfielder–first baseman.
April 18 – Cleveland Indians center fielder Tris Speaker turned an unassisted double play against the Detroit Tigers. Eleven days later, Speaker duplicated the feat against the Chicago White Sox for the fourth unassisted double play of his career to set a franchise record that he would later share with teammate Elmer Smith.
May 14 – Sunday baseball was officially legalized in Washington, D.C. after district commissioners finally rescinded the ban in response to the large increase in the city's wartime population and the need for more recreational activities.
June 3 – Dutch Leonard tosses the second no-hitter of his career, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 5–0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
June 13 – St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Cliff Heathcote hits for the cycle against the Philadelphia Phillies. The game would be called for darkness with the score tied 8–8.
August 1 – The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Braves went head-to-head for a major-league record twenty scoreless innings. Marathon man Art Nehf went the distance for Boston, but was eventually beaten 2–0 in the twenty-first inning.
August 9 – Cincinnati Reds manager Christy Mathewson suspended Hal Chase indefinitely after suspecting him of taking bribes to fix games. Chase was eventually reinstated and returned to play for the New York Giants in 1919.
September 1 – During the regular season, Washington Senators ace Walter Johnson completed fifteen extra inning games, including two of eighteen innings, one of sixteen innings, and another of fifteen innings.
September 5 – During the 7th inning stretch in Game 1 of the World Series, a military band played the Star Spangled Banner as a tribute to all servicemen on leave and in attendance. From then on, the song was played at every World Series outing and every season opener, though it was not yet adopted as the national anthem. The custom of playing it before every game began during World War II, after the installation of stadium speaker systems made it more feasible.
September 11 – Against the backdrop of World War I, which forced the premature ending to the regular season on September 1, the Boston Red Sox defeated the Chicago Cubs, 2–1, in Game 6 of the World Series to win their fifth world championship, and third in four years, four games to two. The Red Sox would not win another championship for the next 86 years.
October 5 – National League infielder Eddie Grant became the first major league player killed in wartime action while leading a mission in the Meuse–Argonne Offensive to rescue the Lost Battalion, which was trapped behind German lines. Other players killed in World War I included Alex Burr, Larry Chappell, Ralph Sharman, and Bun Troy.

Births

January

January 5 – Jack Kramer
January 6 – John Corriden
January 6 – Bill Zinser
January 8 – Alma Ziegler
January 9 – Ferrell Anderson
January 10 – Bill Lillard
January 11 – Ernie Andres
January 11 – Al Gardella
January 13 – Everett Fagan
January 13 – Steve Mesner
January 13 – Emmett O'Neill
January 23 – Randy Gumpert
January 23 – Sam Jethroe
January 23 – Chris Pelekoudas
January 25 – Ernie Harwell
January 25 – Ed Head
January 25 – Steve Roser
January 29 – Bill Rigney
January 31 – Sid Peterson

February

February 3 – Sid Schacht
February 3 – Quincy Smith
February 6 – Ernie Kish
February 8 – Butch Nieman
February 8 – Cookie Cuccurullo
February 8 – Butch Nieman
February 12 – Monk Dubiel
February 13 – Norm Wallen
February 14 – Benny Zientara
February 16 – Creepy Crespi
February 18 – José Antonio Casanova
February 22 – Charles O. Finley
February 22 – Jackie Sullivan
February 23 – Jim Carlin
February 23 – Hillis Layne
February 25 – George Diehl

March

March 1 – Hank Wyse
March 2 – Frank Colman
March 3 – Bill Hoffman
March 3 – Forrest Thompson
March 4 – Mel Queen
March 9 – Dale Alderson
March 11 – Lyman Bostock
March 11 – Ed Fernandes
March 13 – Eddie Pellagrini
March 14 – Arnold Carter
March 16 – Vern Olsen
March 18 – Vern Olsen
March 18 – Dick Mulligan
March 21 – Ed Klieman
March 22 – Bill Butland
March 22 – Carl Miles
March 23 – Lou Lucier
March 31 – Marv Grissom

April

April 7 – Bobby Doerr
April 8 – Bob Mavis
April 12 – Chucho Ramos
April 19 – Whitey Kurowski
April 19 – Vidal López
April 21 – Jack Brewer
April 22 – Marshall Riddle
April 22 – Mickey Vernon
April 25 – Tex Shirley
April 26 – Jack Kraus
April 27 – John Rice
April 30 – Louella Daetweiler

May

May 2 – Berith Melin
May 5 – John Leovich
May 7 – Al Epperly
May 11 – Dewey Adkins
May 12 – Ed Runge
May 13 – Carden Gillenwater
May 13 – Lonnie Goldstein
May 14 – Wimpy Quinn
May 18 – Dewey Adkins
May 18 – Rufe Gentry
May 21 – Stan Goletz
May 21 – Neb Stewart
May 23 – Frank Mancuso
May 25 – Johnny Beazley
May 28 – Bob Malloy
May 29 – Bill Burich

June

June 5 – Al Javery
June 5 – Dave Odom
June 12 – Bitsy Mott
June 17 – Pete Elko
June 21 – Eddie Lopat
June 26 – Elmer Singleton

July

July 1 – Al Tate
July 6 – Hal Marnie
July 10 – Chuck Stevens
July 18 – Al Lyons
July 21 – Chet Hajduk
July 23 – Pee Wee Reese
July 23 – Walter Sessi
July 28 – Ross Davis
July 30 – Jack Conway

August

August 4 – Don Kolloway
August 4 – Frank McElyea
August 8 – Red Roberts
August 8 – Marlin Stuart
August 12 – Charlie Gassaway
August 13 – Elmer Weingartner
August 23 – Ken Holcombe
August 23 – Ed Murphy
August 23 – Rocky Stone
August 25 – Paul Busby
August 28 – Jeff Cross
August 28 – Ronny Miller
August 29 – Garland Lawing
August 29 – Joe Schultz
August 30 – Billy Johnson
August 30 – Ted Williams

September

September 1 – Joe L. Brown
September 1 – Jim Mallory
September 2 – Len Rice
September 4 – Bill Endicott
September 4 – George Pfister
September 9 – Woody Crowson
September 11 – Randy Heflin
September 11 – Marjorie Peters
September 12 – Al Libke
September 17 – Bob Dillinger
September 26 – Walt Chipple
September 30 – Jim Castiglia

October

October 1 – Jim Russell
October 4 – Red Munger
October 6 – Jimmy Grant
October 7 – Frank Baumholtz
October 7 – Irv Hall
October 11 – Bob Chipman
October 15 – Austin Knickerbocker
October 17 – Howie Moss
October 18 – Fred Vaughn
October 21 – Ralph McCabe
October 22 – Fred Caligiuri
October 22 – Lou Klein
October 25 – Nanny Fernandez
October 26 – Snuffy Stirnweiss
October 27 – Ed Albosta
October 30 – Tony Ordeñana

November

November 1 – Héctor Benítez
November 1 – Lefty Sloat
November 3 – Joe Cleary
November 3 – Bob Feller
November 5 – Rogelio Martínez
November 10 – John Henry Moss
November 21 – Dorothy Maguire
November 30 – Janice O'Hara

December

December 1 – Lefty Sloat
December 3 – Joe Cleary
December 4 – William Metzig
December 8 – Sam Zoldak
December 9 – Clarence Beers
December 17 – Johanna Hageman
December 17 – Dale Jones
December 19 – Bill DeKoning
December 19 – Tommy O'Brien
December 22 – Bill Kennedy
December 31 – Fats Dantonio
December 31 – Al Lakeman

Deaths

January–February

January 9 – George Ulrich, 48, National League outfielder who played between 1892 and 1896 for the Washington Senators, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants.
January 24 – Mike Gaule, 48, outfielder for the 1889 Louisville Colonels of the American Association.
February 2 – Jack Crooks, 52, second baseman who played with four different teams between 1889 and 1896, and also managed the 1892 St. Louis Browns of the National League.
February 5 – Carl Druhot, 35, pitcher who played from 1906 to 1907 for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals.
February 21 – John Fogarty, 53, outfielder for the 1885 St. Louis Maroons of the National League.

March–April

March 2 – George Kaiserling, 24, pitcher who played from 1914 through 1915 with the Indianapolis Hoosiers and the Newark Pepper of the Federal League.
March 4 – Lon Ury, 40, first baseman for the 1903 St. Louis Cardinals.
March 10 – Jim McCormick, 61, pitcher who posted a 265–214 record with a 2.43 ERA for six different teams between 1878 and 1897, who is regarded as the first ballplayer born in Glasgow to appear in a major league game.
March 22 – Jim Holdsworth, 67, shortstop for seven different teams in a nine season career that spanned between 1870 and 1884.
March 24 – Jack Farrell, 25, second baseman who played from 1914 to 1915 for the Chicago Whales.
April 6 – Bill Bowman, 49, catcher for the 1891 Chicago Colts.
April 6 – Newt Halliday, 21, first baseman for the 1916 Pittsburgh Pirates.
April 9 – Ed Wilkinson, 27, outfielder and infielder for the 1912 New York Highlanders of the American League.
April 10 – Owen Shannon, 38, backup catcher for the 1907 Washington Senators of the American League.
April 25 – Dave Williams, 37, pitcher for the 1902 Boston Americans of the American League.

May–June

May 4 – Maury Uhler, 31, outfielder for the 1914 Cincinnati Reds.
May 15 – Patsy Tebeau, 53, a 19th-century infielder/manager for the Cleveland and St. Louis National League teams.
May 24 – Chris McFarland, 56, outfielder for the 1884 Baltimore Monumentals of the Union Association.
May 24 – Ralph Sharman, 23, outfielder for the 1917 Philadelphia Athletics, who drowned while serving in World War I.
May 26 – George Bone, 43, shortstop for the 1901 Milwaukee Brewers of the American League.
June 11 – Mike Hickey, 46, second baseman who appeared in one game for the 1899 Boston Beaneaters of the National League.
June 12 – Larry Ressler, 69, outfielder who played during the 1875 season for the Washington Nationals of the National Association, who is recognized as the first player born in France to play in American professional baseball.
June 14 – George Wheeler, 36, pinch hitter who played in three games for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1910 season.
June 21 – Davy Force, 68, shortstop who posted a .249 average with 1060 hits and 653 runs scored in 1029 games for nine different teams between 1871 and 1886.
June 25 – Jake Beckley, 50, owner of the major league record for career games as a first baseman, a .308 career hitter who retired with the second most hits in major league history.

July–August

July 17 – Elmer Horton, 48, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1896) and Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1898).
July 21 – Larry Pape, 35, pitcher who posted a 12–9 record and a 2.81 ERA for the Boston Red Sox in part of three seasons between 1909 and 1912 and later pitched for Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in 1913.
August 3 – Mike Lawlor, 64, catcher for the NL Troy Trojans in 1880 and the UA Washington Nationals in 1884.

September–October

September 10 – Ed Cassian, 50, pitcher for the NL Philadelphia Phillies and the UA Washington Statesmen during the 1891 season.
September 12 – Ernie Beam, 51, pitcher for the 1895 Philadelphia Phillies.
September 28 – John Frill, 39, pitcher for the New York Highlanders, St. Louis Browns and Cincinnati Reds between 1910 and 1912.
October 4 – Phil Routcliffe, 47, Canadian outfielder who played for the 1890 Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the National League.
October 5 – Eddie Grant, 35, infielder for the Cleveland Naps, Phiildelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants between 1905 and 1917, who was killed in action while serving in World War I.
October 7 – Bun Troy, 30, German-born pitcher for 1912 Detroit Tigers, who was killed in action while serving with the U.S. Army during World War I.
October 9 – Fred Gaiser, 33, German pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1908 season.
October 10 – George LeClair, 31, Canadian pitcher who played from 1914 to 1915 in the Federal League with the Pittsburgh Rebels, Buffalo Blues and Baltimore Terrapins.
October 12 – Alex Burr, 24, outfielder for the 1914 New York Yankees, who was killed in an airplane accident while serving in World War I.
October 12 – Harry Glenn, 28, backup catcher for the 1915 St. Louis Cardinals.
October 18 – Tom Reilly, 34, shortstop in parts of three seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (1908–1909) and the Cleveland Naps (1914).
October 21 – Harry Chapman, 30, catcher who played in three different leagues from 1912 to 1916 for the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Terriers and St. Louis Browns.
October 26 – Charlie Rhodes, 33, who pitched for the Cardinals and Reds between 1906 and 1909.
October 31 – Charlie Hilsey, 54, pitcher and outfielder who played for the NL Philadelphia Quakers (1883) and the AA Philadelphia Athletics (1884).

November–December

November 7 – Mike Tiernan, 51, right fielder who played exclusively for the New York Giants from 1887 through 1899, compiling a .311 average with 106 home runs, 853 RBI, 1316 runs and 428 stolen bases in 1478 games.
November 8 – Larry Chappell, 28, outfielder for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and Boston Braves from 1913 to 1917, who died in an army camp from the Spanish flu pandemic while serving in World War I.
December 4 – Walt Dickson, 40, who pitched from 1910 through 1915 for the Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Rebels and New York Giants.
December 8 – Ed Mincher, 67, National Association outfielder who played from 1868 to 1872 for the Baltimore Marylands, Fort Wayne Kekiongas and Washington Nationals.
December 10 – Lester Dole, 63, outfielder for the 1875 New Haven Elm Citys of the National Association.
December 13 – Frank Arellanes, 36, Mexican-American pitcher for the Boston Red Sox from 1908 to 1910, who died in San Jose, California, victim of the Spanish flu pandemic.
December 20 – Silk O'Loughlin, 48, American League umpire since 1902 who worked in a record ten no-hitters and introduced the practice of shouting calls for balls, strikes and outs.
December 25 – Bob Blakiston, 63, outfielder who played from 1882 to 1884 in the American Association for the Philadelphia Athletics and Indianapolis Hoosiers.

History of baseball

1845 to 1868 1869

1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889

1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909

1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929

1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949

1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

See also Baseball Major League Baseball Minor league baseball Negro league baseball Nippon Professional Baseball

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