Champions World Series: Boston Red Sox over New York Giants (4–3–1)
Awards and honors Chalmers Award Tris Speaker, Boston Red Sox, OF Larry Doyle, New York Giants, 2B
Statistical leaders American League National League Stat Player Total Player Total AVG Ty Cobb (DET) .409 Heinie Zimmerman1 (CHC) .372 HR Home Run Baker (PHA)Tris Speaker (BOS) 10 Heinie Zimmerman1 (CHC) 14 RBI Home Run Baker (PHA) 130 Heinie Zimmerman1 (CHC) 104 W Smoky Joe Wood (BOS) 34 Larry Cheney (CHC)Rube Marquard (NYG) 26 ERA Walter Johnson (WSH) 1.39 Jeff Tesreau (NYG) 1.96 K Walter Johnson (WSH) 303 Grover Alexander (PHI) 195 1 National League Triple Crown batting winner
Major league baseball final standings American League final standings
National League final standings
Events Three clubs opened brand-new ballparks in this season. Boston Red Sox : Fenway Park Cincinnati Reds : Redland Field, which later became Crosley Field Detroit Tigers : Navin Field, which was renamed Briggs Stadium and later Tiger Stadium Fenway Park is the only one still standing. In response to the demand for an alternative way to statistically rate pitchers, the National League elected to officially score the Earned Run Average for the first time. New York Giants pitcher Jeff Tesreau went on to lead the new category with a 1.96 ERA.
January January 2 – Brooklyn Superbas president and architect Charles Ebbets announces the purchase of 4.5 acres to build a 23,000-seat concrete and steel stadium in the Flatbush Pigeon section of Brooklyn, New York. As a result, construction on the ballpark will start on March 4th. In addition, Ebbets decides to name the ballpark after himself, thus it is called Ebbets Field. Completed in just over a year, Opening Day will be on April 9, 1913.
February February 12 – In a transaction of outfielders, the Boston Braves send Mike Donlin to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Vin Campbell. After one season at Pittsburgh, Donlin will be waived to the Philadelphia Phillies but will refuse to report and elect to retire.
March March 9 – Arky Vaughan is born in Clifty, Arkansas. Vaughan, a hard-hitting shortstop, will make his major league debut in 1932 and will go on to hit for a .318 batting average during a 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers, while appearing in nine All-Star Games and winning a National League batting title in 1935. In 1985, Vaughan will be elected to the Hall of Fame.
April April 9 – In the first game ever played at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox defeat the Harvard University team in an exhibition game played in a snow storm. April 10 - The Boston Braves purchase the contract of third baseman/First baseman Art Devlin from the New York Giants. April 11 : The New York Highlanders, predecessors of the New York Yankees, wear pinstripes uniforms for the first time while facing the Boston Red Sox in Opening Day at Hilltop Park. In the first inning, Boston scores a run against pitcher Ray Caldwell‚ while New York respond with two runs in the bottom against Smoky Joe Wood. That is all the scoring until the ninth inning‚ when the Sox score four runs‚ including two on a Wood single. Boston wins‚ 5–3‚ on Wood's seven hitter. New York Giants pitcher Rube Marquard begins a 19-game winning streak with an 18–3 triumph over the Brooklyn Dodgers. April 21 – The New York Giants and the New York Highlanders met at the Polo Grounds to play an unscheduled charity game to raise money for the survivors of the RMS Titanic, which had sunk six days earlier. The Giants prevailed, 11–2. April 20 – The Boston Red Sox play their first home game in the history of Fenway Park, which was built at a cost of $350,000. The Red Sox open up with an 11-inning, 7–6 victory over the New York Highlanders. Boston outfielder Tris Speaker delivers the game-winning RBI before a crowd of 27,000 fans. Minutes later, the Detroit Tigers christen their Navin Field with a 6–5 victory over the Cleveland Naps. April 26 – Hugh Bradley of the Boston Red Sox became the first player to hit a home run over the Green Monster at Fenway Park. It was his only home run of the 1912 season, and one of only two he hit in his five-season career.
May May 17 – Fenway Park is officially dedicated, almost one month after hosting its first game, as the Boston Red Sox host the Chicago White Sox playing in front of an overflow crowd. Nevertheless, the home town fans had their day spoiled as the White Sox trimmed the Red Sox, 5–2. May 18 – The Cincinnati Reds play the first game in the history of Crosley Field. Members of the Detroit Tigers protest the suspension of Ty Cobb, and vow not to play the Philadelphia A's. Manager Hughie Jennings is forced to recruit local college and semi-pro players to play in order not to forfeit the game. The A's win 24–2, with pitcher Allan Travers surrendering all 24 runs. It would mark Travers only appearance in a major league game. May 30 - The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired pitcher King Cole and outfielder Solly Hofman from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Lefty Leifield and outfielder Tommy Leach. May 31 – The St. Louis Cardinals ended the 14-game winning streak of the New York Giants after a 5–1 effort. The Giants incredible start of 43–11 remained the best of the century and stood unmatched until 1939, when the New York Yankees tied the mark.
June June 6 - The Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent pitcher Eppa Rixey. Rixey would go on to play 21 years for the Phillies and Cincinnati Reds combined without playing a single game in the minor leagues. June 9 – Boston Red Sox outfielder Tris Speaker hits for the cycle, leading his team to a 9–2 victory over the St. Louis Browns. June 10 – New York Giants catcher Chief Meyers hits for the cycle against the Chicago Cubs. Chicago wins, however, 9–8. June 28 – Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants becomes the eighth pitcher to record 300 career wins.
July July 2 – At Hilltop Park, Larry Gardner of the Boston Red Sox hit two inside-the-park home runs but Boston still lose to the New York Highlanders, 9–7. July 4 – In the second game of a double-header, George Mullin of the Detroit Tigers tosses a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns in a 7–0 Tigers win. Also, the Brooklyn Dodgers defeat the New York Giants 10–4, snapping the Giants' sixteen game winning streak. July 25 – Bert Daniels, outfielder for the New York Highlanders, hits for the cycle is a 6– 4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
August August 15 – Guy Zinn, a little-known New York Highlanders outfielder, steals home twice in a 5–4 win over the Detroit Tigers at Navin Field. This will add to last-place New York's major-league record of 18 steals of home for a single season. August 22 – Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner hits for the cycle against the New York Giants. August 30 : The Boston Red Sox run their record to 87–37 with a 2–1 win over the Philadelphia Athletics. Following the game, Athletics' manager Connie Mack says he never realized how strong the Red Sox were, and concedes the pennant to them. There are 30 games left for the Boston club, who will finish with a 105–47 record, 14 games over the Washington Senators and 15 over Philadelphia. St. Louis Browns pitcher Earl Hamilton returns the favor to the Detroit Tigers, as he tosses a no-hitter in a 7–1 Browns victory. September 17 – Brooklyn Dodgers outfielder Casey Stengel makes an impressive major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates, collecting four hits with two RBI and two stolen bases in the Dodgers 7–3 win.
September September 14 – Former major league catcher and manager and current president of the Connecticut League, Jim O'Rourke, catches a complete game for the New Haven Blues club at age 60. O'Rourke, who spent 32 seasons in the majors from 1872 to 1904, would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1945.
October October 12 - The Chicago Cubs released pitcher Mordecai Brown, AKA "Three Finger Brown". October 16 – The Boston Red Sox defeat the New York Giants, 3–2, in Game 8 of the World Series, ending one of the most exciting Series in Major League history. The Red Sox win the World Championship four games to three, with Game 2 being declared a tie. Nearly all of the contests were close, as four games in this series were decided by one run, a fifth ended in a tie, and a sixth was decided by two runs. Game 7 was the only one with a margin greater than three runs. Two games, including the decisive Game 8, went to extra innings. In Games 1 and 3, the losing team had the tying and winning runs on base when the game ended. This was the first time in which a World Series was decided by a walk-off in the final game. It was also the first Series where a team within one inning of losing the series came back to win. The next time a team that close to elimination recovered to win was in Game 6 of the 1986 Series.Cohen, Richard M.; Neft, David S. (1990). The World Series: Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903–1989. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 41–47. .
November
December December 24 - The Philadelphia Phillies claimed outfielder Mike Donlin off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Births January January 1 – Hiker Moran January 3 – Cliff Melton January 4 – Joe Mack January 6 – Hal Warnock January 31 – Jerry McQuaig
February February 12 – Linc Blakely February 12 – Dutch Dietz February 16 – Ray Harrell February 17 – Bruce Ogrodowski February 19 – Dick Siebert February 20 – Whitey Wistert February 28 – Mark Filley
March March 2 – Bennie Warren March 3 – Aubrey Epps March 5 – Dick Errickson March 5 – Jim Gleeson March 8 – Ray Mueller March 9 – Arky Vaughan March 16 – Bud Bates March 16 – Ed Edelen March 17 – Whitey Ock March 20 – Clyde Shoun March 24 – Jud McLaughlin
April April 1 – Jake Wade April 9 – Joe Royal April 12 – Jack Wilson April 13 – Jake Mooty April 22 – Pete Center April 30 – Chet Laabs
May May 3 – Paul Gehrman May 4 – Sid Gautreaux May 11 – Del Young May 17 – Ace Parker May 21 – Monty Stratton May 23 – Augie Galan May 27 – Terry Moore May 31 – Dutch Fehring
June June 8 – Lew Krausse June 10 – Whitey Moore June 11 – Dan Topping June 15 – Babe Dahlgren June 15 – Mem Lovett June 19 – Red Anderson June 19 – Don Gutteridge June 23 – Gene Ford June 30 – Dino Chiozza June 30 – Johnny Hudson June 30 – Manny Salvo
July July 8 – Salty Parker July 14 – Ed Lagger July 15 – Joe Rogalski July 16 – Milt Bocek July 19 – Ben Geraghty July 20 – Heinie Mueller July 21 – Billy Holm July 24 – Alex Carrasquel July 30 – Carl Doyle July 30 – Johnny Rizzo July 30 – Charlie Uhlir July 31 – Jesse Landrum July 31 – Archie Wise
August August 3 – Whitey Wilshere August 4 – Henry Coppola August 4 – Bill Schuster August 6 – Bud Hafey August 7 – Tom Drake August 9 – Lefty Sunkel August 12 – Harlond Clift August 14 – Paul Dean August 19 – Les Rock August 21 – Woody Williams August 24 – Frank Secory August 25 – George Cisar August 27 – Ted Olson August 28 – Luis Aparicio, Sr. August 28 – Goody Rosen
September September 1 – Ham Schulte September 1 – Claude Wilborn September 4 – Gordon Maltzberger September 4 – Fred Walters September 6 – Vince DiMaggio September 8 – Frank Oceak September 9 – Johnny Lazor September 14 – Icehouse Wilson September 16 – Emil Bildilli September 19 – Red Barkley September 20 – Tony DePhillips September 20 – Al McLean September 26 – Grey Clarke September 29 – Glen Stewart
October October 1 – Bob Griffith October 7 – Bill Patton October 9 – Mickey Haefner October 11 – Mike Guerra October 11 – Wayne Osborne October 12 – Ed Moriarty October 12 – Al Unser October 13 – Xavier Rescigno October 15 – Nick Tremark October 18 – Guy Curtright
November November 5 – Buck Rogers November 10 – Birdie Tebbetts November 11 – Hal Trosky November 11 – Al Wright November 13 – Alex Kampouris November 13 – Jackie Price November 15 – Kit Carson November 18 – Charlie Fuchs November 19 – Steve Gerkin November 19 – Stu Martin November 22 – Ted Cieslak