Sunday, November 11, 2018

1915 Yankee Home Run hitters: 28 home, 3 road.

While checking to see if Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth was among the American League leaders in Ruth's 1915 rookie season with his four Home Runs, I noticed that five Yankees were among the top 15 (there were lots of ties in the top ten).

RkPlayerHRABRBIYearAgeTmLgGPARH2B3BBBIBBSOHBPSHSFGDPSBCSBAOBPSLGOPSPos
1Braggo Roth738455191522TOTAL10945067103101751725102610.268.361.438.799857/H9
2Rube Oldring640842191531PHAAL10743849101233222145116.248.293.363.655*7/58H69
3Luke Boone543143191525NYYAL130494448812241538141417.204.285.276.562*46/5
4Roger Peckinpaugh554044191524NYYAL1426266711918749723331912.220.289.307.596*6
5Tillie Walker551049191527SLBAL1445675313720736775162017.269.323.365.688*89/H7
6Shoeless Joe Jackson546181191527TOTAL12853163142201452236111620.308.385.445.8309387/H
7Jack Fournier542277191525CHWAL126514861362018643715132116.322.429.491.920*378/H9
8George Burns539250191522DETAL1054394999183225151793.253.301.352.653*3/H
9Sam Crawford4612112191535DETAL15669381183311966290162414.299.367.431.799*9
10Fritz Maisel453046191525NYYAL1355917714916648351135112.281.342.357.699*5/H
11Eddie Collins452177191528CHWAL1556811181732210119275354630.332.460.436.896*4
12Ray Caldwell414420191527NYYAL721552735419320243.243.288.368.656*H*1
13Wally Pipp447960191522NYYAL1365615911820136681114187.246.339.367.706*3/H
14Babe Ruth49220191520BOSAL4210316291019230200.315.376.576.952*1H
15Marty Kavanagh433249191524DETAL11338655981413424421088.295.378.452.82934H/75

Babe Ruth had only 92 AB. Ruth pitching for the 1915 World Series champion Red Sox:
18-6, 2.44 ERA, 218 Innings, 3 HR allowed:

1915#car#yr#gmDateBatter@BatScoreInnOutRoBRBOPPosbWPAbWENotesPlay Description
22111915-07-13 (1)Ray ChapmanCLEBOSb 22326IPHR
33211915-08-10 (2)Tillie WalkerSLB@BOSt 9258
44311915-08-28 (1)Steve O'NeillCLEBOSb 7282Bounced

The first 3 of Ruth's 4 Home Runs were against the Yankees, the first two in New York at the Polo Grounds, the third in Boston in Fenway Park. Ruth hit all four of his 1915 homers in games in which he only pitched. He also pinch hit in 12 games, including one in which he remained in the game and pitched.

1915#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRoBRBIBOPPosWPAbWENotesPlay Description
11111915-05-06BOS@NYYJack Warhopt 30191
22211915-06-02BOS@NYYJack Warhopt 22291
33311915-06-25BOSNYYRay Caldwellb 231
44411915-07-21BOS@SLBBill Jamest 311

Yankee pitcher Jack Warhop gave up the first two Home Runs to 20 year old Babe Ruth. Warhop led the AL in HR allowed in 1914 (8) and 1915 (7), which was his last season.
___________________________________

Here are just the Yankee Home Runs leaders:

RkPlayerHRABRBIYearAgeTmLgGPARH2B3BBBIBBSOHBPSHSFGDPSBCSBAOBPSLGOPSPos
1Luke Boone543143191525NYYAL130494448812241538141417.204.285.276.562*46/5
2Roger Peckinpaugh554044191524NYYAL1426266711918749723331912.220.289.307.596*6
3Ray Caldwell414420191527NYYAL721552735419320243.243.288.368.656*H*1
4Fritz Maisel453046191525NYYAL1355917714916648351135112.281.342.357.699*5/H
5Wally Pipp447960191522NYYAL1365615911820136681114187.246.339.367.706*3/H

Ray Caldwell, like Ruth, was a starting pitcher. In 1915:
19-16, 2.89 ERA, 305 Innings

Caldwell started pitching in 1910 and the four homers he hit in 1915 were his first and most. He pitched through 1921 and hit four more homers: two in 1917 and one each in 1918 and 1921. Two of his four 1915 homers were hit as a pinch hitter; three were hit in the Polo Grounds:

1915#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRBIBOPPosWPANotes
11111915-04-19NYY@PHAHerb Pennockt 411
22211915-06-10NYYCHWJim Scottb 919PH
33311915-06-11NYYCHWRed Faberb 6038PH
44411915-06-12NYYSLBEarl Hamiltonb 4391

Pennock and Faber are in the Hall of Fame. Ray Caldwell 1915 HR allowed:

1915#car#yr#gmDateBatter@BatScoreInnOutRBOPPosNotes
2020111915-05-07Harry HooperBOS@NYYt 929
2121211915-06-25Babe RuthBOSNYYb 231
2222311915-07-19 (1)Burt ShottonSLBNYYb 8119
2323411915-08-09Jay KirkeCLE@NYYt 2153Bounced
2424511915-08-16Rube BresslerPHA@NYYt 5191
2525611915-09-15Bobby VeachDET@NYYt 617

Burt Shotton managed the Brooklyn Dodgers in Jackie Robinson's rookie season, 1947.

Luke Boone infielder (no relation to Aaron Boone, current Yankee manager):
YearAgeTmLgGPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBGDPHBPSHSFIBBPosAwards
191323NYYAL61512340001031.333.467.333.800135400/6
191424NYYAL10641437034828202110183141.222.285.254.53962942104/59
191525NYYAL130494431448812254314174153.204.285.276.56268119814*46/5
191626NYYAL46146124142340187810.185.252.242.49447303756/4
191828PITNL27101917183003186.198.263.231.4934821066/4

Boone then played in the minors 1919-1935 (age 45). All his major league Home Runs were for the Yankees at home in the Polo Grounds:

1915#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRBIBOPPosWPANotes
11111915-04-22NYYWSHJim Shawb 70174
22211915-05-01NYYPHABob Shawkeyb 31274
33311915-06-12NYYSLBEarl Hamiltonb 20174
44411915-07-03 (1)NYYWSHJoe Boehlingb 42274IPHR
55511915-09-25 (2)NYYCLEAllan Collamoreb 7334
1916#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRBIBOPPosWPANotes
66111916-07-14 (1)NYYDETWillie Mitchellb 2274

Number 4 in 1915 was an Inside the Park Home Run (IPHR).

 Roger Peckinpaugh was the Yankee shortstop 1913-1921. His most Home Runs was 8 in both 1920 and 1921. Top ten:
1915 AL  5 (3rd)
1916 AL  4 (9th)
1919 AL  7 (8th)
1915#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRoBRBIBOPPosWPAbWENotesPlay Description
66111915-05-07NYYBOSDutch Leonardb 9116
77211915-06-11NYYCHWEddie Cicotteb 61126
88311915-06-19 (2)NYYCLERip Hagermanb 6136
99411915-07-03 (1)NYYWSHBert Galliab 92126
1010511915-10-04 (2)NYYBOSRube Fosterb 916

Like teammate Boone, all his 1915 homers were at home in the Polo Grounds.

Fritz Maisel played for the Yankees 1913-1917 and was the starting third baseman in 1914 and 1915.

1914#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRBIBOPPosWPANotes
11111914-09-03NYYWSHDoc Ayersb 10115Lead-Off
22211914-10-02NYY@BOSBabe Rutht 9115IPHR
1915#car#yr#gmDate@BatPitcherScoreInnOutRBIBOPPosWPANotes
33111915-04-20NYY@PHABob Shawkeyt 6115Bounced
44211915-05-13NYY@CLEOscar Harstadt 9115
55311915-06-01NYYBOSSmoky Joe Woodb 10115Lead-Off,IPHR
66411915-06-14 (2)NYYSLBCarl Weilmanb 6135IPHR

Maisel hit 6 career Home Runs. In 1915 Maisel hit 2 IPHR and one that bounced over the fence (rule changed after 1930 season). His second career home run was IPHR hit off Babe Ruth.

Wally Pipp played first base for the Yankees 1915-1925. Pipp was the first Yankee to lead the AL in HR:
1915 AL  4 (9th)
1916 AL  12 (1st)
1917 AL  9 (1st)
1919 AL  7 (8th)
1920 AL  11 (7th)
1924 AL  9 (10th)

In 1915 all four of Pipp's HR were hit in the Polo Grounds.

ISplitGGSPAABRH2B3BHR
RBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBGDPHBPSHSFIBBROEBAbiptOPS+sOPS+
NYG-Polo Grounds17631646129532460912991645960463195583672.244.324.331.6551761451760.270101105
PHA-Shibe Pk15821485709485369812211747026357223605620.252.340.332.6731613472040.284107100
DET-Navin Field169215458795087734136019110418600200560529.267.345.356.7021813461860.296115100
League Pk II17131545941520863913302109016336158503635.255.325.339.6651768361940.288104100
CHW-ComiskeyPk 117101585854509858912491599813461162473595.245.316.322.6381643572260.27596100
STL-Sportsman Pk16671525707487755311701924913283205570666.240.326.307.6341499572020.27695100
BOS-Fenway Pk1698152543447065451132176719407129468504.241.316.314.6301477512090.2689498
WSH-GriffithStad 1697160585351495561245143765360173462643.242.310.302.6121555511910.27588100

The Polo Grounds was owned by the New York Giants of the National League. The Yankees rented the Polo Grounds from the Giants 1913-1922. Above are 1915 AL parks sorted by HR hit. The Polo Grounds had the most AB and HR in the AL in 1915. HR hit in the Polo Grounds in AL in 1915 were more than twice any other AL park.

During the first 7 years that the Yankees played their home games in the Polo Grounds, it had the most Home Runs hit every season except 1913 when it was third.

Babe Ruth joined the Yankees in 1920 so it's surprising that the Polo Grounds led AL only in 1920.  In 1921 seven more HR were hit in Shibe Park in Philadelphia and in 1922:
Shibe Park in Philadelphia 168
Sportsman Park St. Louis 111
Polo Grounds New York 101

1922 St. Louis Browns:
ISplitGGSPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBGDPHBPSHSFIBBROEBAbiptOPS+sOPS+
Home821772988262547183614260704426936248178.318.382.498.880130820950.322113127
Away802773150279639684615034283566737226203.303.359.411.7691148181090.31988112

St. Louis Brown Ken Williams led AL in HR in 1922 with these splits:
ISplitGGSPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBGDPHBPSHSFIBBROEBAbiptOPS+sOPS+
Home777733529580110148321021983013.373.438.8001.23823646.312134216
Away7676343290488420375218124418.290.389.452.84013136.29166131

Here are the Home Run splits for the 1915 Yankees, plus Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth. The Yankees hit 28 home and 3 road:

homehomehomeroadroadroad
HRABAB/HRBHRABAB/HR
Luke Boone520641.2R02250
Roger Peckinpaugh528557R02550
Ray Caldwell38127L16363
Fritz Maisel2279139.5R2251125.5
Wally Pipp425764.3L02220
top 5191,10858.331,0160
rest of Yankees91,496166.201,3610
Yankees282,60493.032,377792.3
HRABAB/HRHRABAB/HRpitcher
Babe Ruth14444L35117
Polo Grounds2115.5Jack Warhop


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