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. 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 . Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Chicago White Sox from the season.
Schedule
Scheduled start 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 which saw the two leagues open on different days.
Shortened season 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. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker granted an extension to MLB players through Labor Day, September 2. In early August, MLB clubs decided that the regular season would end at that time. 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—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; it began on September 5 and ended on September 11. World War I would end two months later, with the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park27,000Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park28,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioDunn Field21,414Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganNavin Field23,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkBrush Stadium36,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park23,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park18,000Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.National Park27,000Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field40,000Brooklyn RobinsNew York, New YorkEbbets Field30,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWeeghman Park15,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioRedland Field20,696New York GiantsNew York, New YorkBrush Stadium36,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field25,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriRobison Field21,000
Standings
American League
National League
Tie games 10 tie games (6 in AL, 4 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League Cleveland Indians, 2 Detroit Tigers, 2 New York Yankees, 3 Philadelphia Athletics, 2 St. Louis Browns, 1 Washington Senators, 2
National League Chicago Cubs, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 1 Philadelphia Phillies, 2 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1 St. Louis Cardinals, 2
Postseason The postseason began on September 5 and ended on September 11 with the Boston Red Sox defeating the Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series in six games.
Bracket
Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston Red SoxJack BarryEd BarrowNew York YankeesBill DonovanMiller HugginsSt. Louis CardinalsMiller HugginsJack Hendricks
In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerCincinnati RedsChristy MathewsonHeinie GrohSt. Louis BrownsFielder JonesJimmy AustinJimmy AustinJimmy Burke
League leaders Any team shown in indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Ty Cobb (DET) .382 OPS Babe Ruth (BOS) .966 HR Babe Ruth (BOS)Tillie Walker (PHA) 11 RBI Bobby Veach (DET) 84 R Ray Chapman (CLE) 84 H George Burns (PHA) 178 SB George Sisler (SLB) 45
+ 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 1 American League Triple Crown pitching winner
National League
+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Zack Wheat (BRO) .335 OPS Edd Roush (CIN) .823 HR Gavvy Cravath (PHI) 8 RBI Sherry Magee (CIN) 76 R Heinie Groh (CIN) 86 H Charlie Hollocher (CHC) 161 SB Max Carey (PIT) 58
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Hippo Vaughn2 (CHC) 22 L Rube Marquard (BRO)Joe Oeschger (PHI) 18 ERA Hippo Vaughn2 (CHC) 1.74 K Hippo Vaughn2 (CHC) 148 IP Hippo Vaughn (CHC) 290.1 SV Fred Anderson (NYG)Wilbur Cooper (PIT)Joe Oeschger (PHI)Fred Toney (NYG/) 3 WHIP Hippo Vaughn (CHC) 1.006 2 National League Triple Crown pitching winner
Milestones Batters Cycles
Cliff Heathcote (STL): Heathcote hit for his first cycle and fourth in franchise history, on June 13 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pitchers No-hitters
Dutch Leonard (BOS): Dutch threw his second career no-hitter and ninth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Detroit Tigers 5–0 on June 3. Leonard walked one and struck out four.
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceChicago Cubs84 13.5%337,256 −6.4%4,558Cleveland Indians73 −17.0%295,515 −38.1%4,766New York Yankees60 −15.5%282,047 −14.6%4,210New York Giants71 −27.6%256,618 −48.7%4,582Boston Red Sox75 −16.7%249,513 −35.7%3,564Pittsburgh Pirates65 27.5%213,610 10.8%3,009Detroit Tigers55 −29.5%203,719 −55.5%3,512Chicago White Sox57 −43.0%195,081 −71.5%3,484Washington Senators72 −2.7%182,122 103.1%2,461Philadelphia Athletics52 −5.5%177,926 −19.6%2,617Cincinnati Reds68 −12.8%163,009 −39.4%2,296Philadelphia Phillies55 −36.8%122,266 −65.5%2,145St. Louis Browns58 1.8%122,076 −42.0%2,303St. Louis Cardinals51 −37.8%110,599 −61.7%1,515Boston Braves53 −26.4%84,938 −51.3%1,633Brooklyn Robins57 −18.6%83,831 −62.2%1,552
Venues Robison Field of the St. Louis Cardinals is gradually referred to as Cardinal Field, after Helene Britton, daughter of the deceased former owner Frank Robison, sells her interest in the team following a deal in March 1917, ending the association between the Cardinals and the Robison family. By 1918, Cardinal Field became the name widely used.
See also 1918 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)
References
External links 1918 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference