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1918 Major League Baseball season

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This article is about the 1918 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1918 in baseball.
1918 MLB season
LeagueAmerican League (AL)
National League (NL)
SportBaseball
DurationRegular season:
  • April 15 – September 2, 1918 (AL)
  • April 16 – September 2, 1918 (NL)
World Series:
  • September 5–11, 1918
Number of games154 (scheduled)
123–131 (actual)
Number of teams16 (8 per league)
Pennant winners
AL championsBoston Red Sox
  AL runners-upCleveland Indians
NL championsChicago Cubs
  NL runners-upNew York Giants
World Series
ChampionsBoston Red Sox
  Runners-upChicago Cubs
MLB seasons
Locations of teams for the 1915–1922 American League seasons
American League
Locations of teams for the 1916–1919 National League seasons
National League

The 1918 major league baseball season began on April 15, 1918. The regular season ended earlier than originally scheduled, September 2, because of a reduced schedule due to American participation in World War I.[1] The National League and American League champions were the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 15th World Series on September 5 and ended with Game 6 on September 11. The Red Sox defeated the Cubs, four games to two, capturing their fifth championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1916.

Schedule

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See also: Major League Baseball schedule

Scheduled start

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American League Opening Day took place on April 15 with four American League teams playing, the Philadelphia Athletics at Boston Red Sox, and the New York Yankees at Washington Senators, while National League Opening Day saw all eight teams play the following day. It was the first season since 1906 which saw the two leagues open on different days.

Shortened season

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With World War I ongoing, a "work or fight" mandate was issued by the government, requiring men with non-essential jobs to enlist or take war-related jobs by July 1, or else risk being drafted.[2] Secretary of War Newton D. Baker granted an extension to MLB players through Labor Day, September 2.[3] In early August, MLB clubs decided that the regular season would end at that time.[4] As a result, the number of regular-season games that each team played varied—123 to 130 for AL teams and 124 to 131 for NL teams, including ties[5]—reduced from their original 154-game schedules. The final day of the regular season would see all teams but the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns play. Later in August, Baker granted a further extension to allow for the World Series to be contested;[3] it began on September 5 and ended on September 11.[6] World War I would end two months later, with the Armistice of 11 November 1918.

Teams

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League Team City Stadium Capacity Manager
American League Boston Red Sox Boston, Massachusetts Fenway Park 35,000 Ed Barrow
Chicago White Sox Chicago, Illinois Comiskey Park 28,000 Pants Rowland
Cleveland Indians Cleveland, Ohio League Park 21,414 Lee Fohl
Detroit Tigers Detroit, Michigan Navin Field 23,000 Hughie Jennings
New York Yankees New York, New York Brush Stadium 36,000 Miller Huggins
Philadelphia Athletics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Shibe Park 23,000 Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns St. Louis, Missouri Sportsman's Park 18,000 Fielder Jones,
Jimmy Austin,
Jimmy Burke
Washington Senators Washington, D.C. Griffith Stadium 27,000 Clark Griffith
National League Boston Braves Boston, Massachusetts Braves Field 40,000 George Stallings
Brooklyn Robins New York, New York Ebbets Field 30,000 Wilbert Robinson
Chicago Cubs Chicago, Illinois Weeghman Park 15,000 Fred Mitchell
Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati, Ohio Redland Field 20,696 Christy Mathewson,
Heinie Groh
New York Giants New York, New York Brush Stadium 36,000 John McGraw
Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania National League Park 18,000 Pat Moran
Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Forbes Field 25,000 Hugo Bezdek
St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis, Missouri Robison Field 21,000 Jack Hendricks

Standings

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American League

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American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Boston Red Sox 75 51 .595 — 49‍–‍21 26‍–‍30
Cleveland Indians 73 54 .575 2½ 38‍–‍22 35‍–‍32
Washington Senators 72 56 .562 4 41‍–‍32 31‍–‍24
New York Yankees 60 63 .488 13½ 37‍–‍29 23‍–‍34
St. Louis Browns 58 64 .475 15 23‍–‍30 35‍–‍34
Chicago White Sox 57 67 .460 17 30‍–‍26 27‍–‍41
Detroit Tigers 55 71 .437 20 28‍–‍29 27‍–‍42
Philadelphia Athletics 52 76 .406 24 35‍–‍32 17‍–‍44

National League

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National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Chicago Cubs 84 45 .651 — 49‍–‍25 35‍–‍20
New York Giants 71 53 .573 10½ 35‍–‍21 36‍–‍32
Cincinnati Reds 68 60 .531 15½ 46‍–‍24 22‍–‍36
Pittsburgh Pirates 65 60 .520 17 42‍–‍28 23‍–‍32
Brooklyn Robins 57 69 .452 25½ 33‍–‍21 24‍–‍48
Philadelphia Phillies 55 68 .447 26 27‍–‍29 28‍–‍39
Boston Braves 53 71 .427 28½ 23‍–‍29 30‍–‍42
St. Louis Cardinals 51 78 .395 33 32‍–‍40 19‍–‍38

Postseason

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Bracket

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World Series
        
AL Boston Red Sox 1 1 2 3 0 2
NL Chicago Cubs 0 3 1 2 3 1

Managerial changes

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Off-season

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Team Former Manager New Manager
Boston Red Sox Jack Barry Ed Barrow
New York Yankees Bill Donovan Miller Huggins
St. Louis Cardinals Miller Huggins Jack Hendricks

In-season

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Team Former Manager New Manager
Cincinnati Reds Christy Mathewson Heinie Groh
St. Louis Browns Fielder Jones Jimmy Austin
Jimmy Austin Jimmy Burke

League leaders

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American League

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Hitting leaders
Stat Player Total
AVG Ty Cobb (DET) .382
OPS Babe Ruth (BRS) .966
HR Babe Ruth (BRS)
Tillie Walker (PHA) 		11
RBI Bobby Veach (DET) 84
R Ray Chapman (CLE) 84
H George Burns (PHA) 178
SB George Sisler (SLB) 45

1 American League Triple Crown pitching winner

Pitching leaders
Stat Player Total
W Walter Johnson1 (WSH) 23
L Eddie Cicotte (CWS)
Scott Perry (PHA) 		19
ERA Walter Johnson1 (WSH) 1.27
K Walter Johnson1 (WSH) 162
IP Scott Perry (PHA) 332.1
SV George Mogridge (NYY) 7
WHIP Walter Johnson (WSH) 0.954

National League

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Hitting leaders
Stat Player Total
AVG Zack Wheat (BKN) .335
OPS Edd Roush (CIN) .823
HR Gavvy Cravath (PHP) 8
RBI Sherry Magee (CIN) 76
R Heinie Groh (CIN) 86
H Charlie Hollocher (CHC) 161
SB Max Carey (PIT) 58

1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner

Pitching leaders
Stat Player Total
W Hippo Vaughn1 (CHC) 22
L Rube Marquard (BKN)
Joe Oeschger (PHP) 		18
ERA Hippo Vaughn1 (CHC) 1.74
K Hippo Vaughn1 (CHC) 148
IP Hippo Vaughn (CHC) 290.1
SV Fred Anderson (NYG)
Wilbur Cooper (PIT)
Joe Oeschger (PHP)
Fred Toney (NYG/CIN) 		3
WHIP Hippo Vaughn (CHC) 1.006

Home field attendance

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Team name Wins %± Home attendance %± Per game
Chicago Cubs[7] 84 13.5% 337,256 −6.4% 4,558
Cleveland Indians[8] 73 −17.0% 295,515 −38.1% 4,766
New York Yankees[9] 60 −15.5% 282,047 −14.6% 4,210
New York Giants[10] 71 −27.6% 256,618 −48.7% 4,582
Boston Red Sox[11] 75 −16.7% 249,513 −35.7% 3,564
Pittsburgh Pirates[12] 65 27.5% 213,610 10.8% 3,009
Detroit Tigers[13] 55 −29.5% 203,719 −55.5% 3,512
Chicago White Sox[14] 57 −43.0% 195,081 −71.5% 3,484
Washington Senators[15] 72 −2.7% 182,122 103.1% 2,461
Philadelphia Athletics[16] 52 −5.5% 177,926 −19.6% 2,617
Cincinnati Reds[17] 68 −12.8% 163,009 −39.4% 2,296
Philadelphia Phillies[18] 55 −36.8% 122,266 −65.5% 2,145
St. Louis Browns[19] 58 1.8% 122,076 −42.0% 2,303
St. Louis Cardinals[20] 51 −37.8% 110,599 −61.7% 1,515
Boston Braves[21] 53 −26.4% 84,938 −51.3% 1,633
Brooklyn Robins[22] 57 −18.6% 83,831 −62.2% 1,552

Notable events

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  • September 2 – In the last game of the season, against the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers centerfielder Ty Cobb fields at third base and also pitches, yielding three hits and one run in two innings.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "1918 All Work or Fight and No Play," This Great Game: The Online Book of Baseball. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. ^ Baker, Kendall; Tracy, Jeff (April 6, 2020). "Special report: War, fever and baseball in 1918". axios.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Verducci, Tom (June 22, 2020). "Love, Loss and Baseball: Letters From the Hub, Chapters VI - IX". SI.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  4. ^ "Cutting Down Baseball Season Favors Present Club Leaders for Final Honors". Star-Gazette. Elmira, New York. August 5, 1918. p. 8. Retrieved October 8, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "The 1918 Season". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  6. ^ "The 1918 Post-Season Games". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "Cleveland Guardians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  12. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  14. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  15. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  16. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  17. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  19. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  20. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  21. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  22. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Paschal, John (January 29, 2019). "Once Upon A Time: When Hall of Famers Go One-And-Done". tht.fangraphs.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
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