The 1923 major league baseball season began on April 17, 1923. The regular season ended on October 7, with the New York Giants and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 20th World Series on October 10 and ended with Game 6 on October 15. In the third consecutive iteration of the Subway Series, the Yankees defeated the Giants, four games to two, capturing their first championship in franchise history. This was the third World Series between the two teams, and the first to see the Yankees win over the Giants. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the New York Giants from the season.

This was the second of eight seasons that "League Awards", a precursor to the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (introduced in 1931), were issued. Only an American League award was given in 1923.

Schedule

The 1923 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the season (except for ) and would be used until in the American League and in the National League.

National League Opening Day took place on April 17 with all teams playing, while American League Opening Day took place the following day with all teams playing. The final day of the regular season was on October 7. The World Series took place between October 10 and October 15.

Rule changes The 1923 season saw the following rule changes: A rule was passed preventing the transfer of players from one club to another after June 15 except through the waiver process. The leagues decided that the major-league draft would begin on the first day of the World Series, in the city where the first World Series game was held. Waiver rules were amended to provide that a team asking for and then withdrawing a waiver request on a player must do so within 48 hours or forfeit their rights to the player. The barnstorming rule, which had resulted in the suspension of Babe Ruth at the beginning of the season, was amended to prohibit players from participating in exhibition games after October 31 (the American League had already established this rule the previous season). During World Series games, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis and the president or another official of the home team were given the authority to determine when ground conditions were suitable for play, although once a game began, the decision on whether to suspend or postpone games would rest with the umpires. Teams would be permitted to carry 40 players on their roster until June 15, instead of the prior May 15 deadline.

Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManagerBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park27,000Chicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park28,000Cleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioDunn Field21,414Detroit TigersDetroit, MichiganNavin Field30,000New York YankeesNew York, New YorkYankee Stadium58,000Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park23,000St. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park24,040Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.Griffith Stadium27,000Boston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field40,000Brooklyn RobinsNew York, New YorkEbbets Field30,000Chicago CubsChicago, IllinoisCubs Park20,000Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioRedland Field20,696New York GiantsNew York, New YorkPolo Grounds43,000Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaBaker Bowl18,000Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field25,000St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park24,040

Standings

American League

National League

Tie games 7 tie games (5 in AL, 2 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.

American League Boston Red Sox, 2 Chicago White Sox, 2 Detroit Tigers, 1 Philadelphia Athletics, 1 St. Louis Browns, 2 Washington Senators, 2

National League Boston Braves, 1 Brooklyn Robins, 1 Philadelphia Phillies, 1 St. Louis Cardinals, 1

Postseason The postseason began on October 10 and ended on October 15 with the New York Yankees defeating the New York Giants in the 1923 World Series in six games.

Bracket

Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston Red Sox Hugh DuffyFrank ChancePhiladelphia PhilliesKaiser WilhelmArt FletcherWashington SenatorsClyde MilanDonie Bush

In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerSt. Louis BrownsLee FohlJimmy Austin

League leaders American League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Harry Heilmann (DET) .403 OPS Babe Ruth (NYY) 1.309 HR Babe Ruth (NYY) 41 RBI Babe Ruth (NYY)Tris Speaker (CLE) 130 R Babe Ruth (NYY) 151 H Charlie Jamieson (CLE) 222 SB Eddie Collins (CWS) 48

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W George Uhle (CLE) 26 L Herman Pillette (DET)Eddie Rommel (PHA) 19 ERA Stan Coveleski (CLE) 2.76 K Walter Johnson (WSH) 130 IP George Uhle (CLE) 357.2 SV Allen Russell (WSH) 9 WHIP Waite Hoyt (NYY) 1.228

National League

+ Hitting leaders Stat Player Total AVG Rogers Hornsby (STL) .384 OPS Rogers Hornsby (STL) 1.086 HR Cy Williams (PHI) 41 RBI Irish Meusel (NYG) 125 R Ross Youngs (NYG) 121 H Frankie Frisch (NYG) 223 SB Max Carey (PIT) 51

+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Total W Dolf Luque (CIN) 27 L Wilbur Cooper (PIT) 19 ERA Dolf Luque (CIN) 1.93 K Dazzy Vance (BRO) 197 IP Burleigh Grimes (BRO) 327.0 SV Claude Jonnard (NYG) 7 WHIP Grover Alexander (CHC) 1.108

Milestones Batters Cycles

Pie Traynor (PIT): Traynor hit for his first cycle seventh in franchise history, on July 7 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Other batting accomplishments Max Carey (PIT): Set a major league record by stealing his 37th consecutive base against the New York Giants on May 13. Coincidentally, the streak began on July 7, also against the Giants.

Pitchers No-hitters

Sad Sam Jones (NYY): Jones threw his first career no-hitter and second no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Philadelphia Athletics 2–0 on September 4. Jones walked one and struck out none. Howard Ehmke (BOS): Ehmke threw his first career no-hitter and 10th no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Philadelphia Athletics 4–0 on September 7. Ehmke walked one and struck out one.

Other pitching accomplishments Walter Johnson (WSH): Recorded his 3,000th career strikeout on July 22 by striking out Stan Coveleski of the Cleveland Indians. Johnson became the first player to reach this mark in Major League history.

Miscellaneous Cleveland Indians: Set a modern (1900–present) major league record for most runs scored in the sixth inning, by scoring 13 runs against the Boston Red Sox in game one of a doubleheader on July 7.

Awards and honors League Award: Babe Ruth (NYY)

Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceNew York Yankees984.3%1,007,066 −1.9%13,251Detroit Tigers835.1%911,3775.8%11,836New York Giants952.2%820,780 −13.2%10,659Chicago Cubs833.8%703,70529.8%9,139Pittsburgh Pirates872.4%611,08216.7%7,936Cincinnati Reds915.8%575,06316.5%7,373Chicago White Sox69 −10.4%573,778 −4.8%7,650Brooklyn Robins760.0%564,66613.2%7,239Cleveland Indians825.1%558,8565.8%7,165Philadelphia Athletics696.2%534,12225.6%7,122St. Louis Browns74 −20.4%430,296 −39.6%5,517Washington Senators758.7%357,406 −22.1%4,524St. Louis Cardinals79 −7.1%338,551 −37.0%4,340Boston Red Sox610.0%229,688 −11.4%2,945Philadelphia Phillies50 −12.3%228,168 −1.9%3,042Boston Braves541.9%227,80235.6%2,958

Venues The New York Yankees leave the Polo Grounds, where they shared with the New York Giants for the previous 10 seasons, and open Yankee Stadium, where they would play for 84 seasons through and through . The Yankees, whose home had been Manhattan for their entire existence, moved into the Bronx where they remain to this day.

Referring to the Philadelphia Phillies' home at National League Park, on July 11, The Philadelphia Inquirer coined the term Baker Bowl. "Baker Bowl" became a common name for the stadium until its closure in 1938, although the Phillies would still refer to the venue as its official "National League Park" name in newspaper advertisements.

On August 21, Clark Griffith, owner of the Washington Senators since 1920, announced that National Park would be named after himself, Griffith Stadium.

See also 1923 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths)

References

External links 1923 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference