1915 Major League Baseball season
Sports season
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The 1915 major league baseball season began on April 10, 1915. The Federal League regular season ended on October 3, and saw the Chicago Whales winning the Federal League pennant. The regular season for the National League and American League ended on October 7, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 12th World Series on October 8 and ended with Game 5 on October 13. The Red Sox defeated the Phillies, four games to one, capturing their third championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1912. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Boston Braves from the 1914 season. The World Series had again featured the cities of Boston and Philadelphia, though this time with their opposite-league counterparts.
- American League (AL)
- National League (NL)
- Federal League (FL)
- April 14 â October 7, 1915 (AL, NL)
- April 10 â October 3, 1915 (FL)
- October 8â13, 1915
| 1915 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League |
|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | Regular season:
|
| Games | 154 |
| Teams | 24 (8 per league) |
| Pennant winners | |
| AL champions | Boston Red Sox |
| AL runners-up | Detroit Tigers |
| NL champions | Philadelphia Phillies |
| NL runners-up | Boston Braves |
| FL champions | Chicago Whales |
| FL runners-up | St. Louis Terriers |
| World Series | |
| Champions | Boston Red Sox (AL) |
| Runners-up | Philadelphia Phillies (NL) |
The Indianapolis Hoosiers relocated to Newark, New Jersey as the Newark Peppers. The Buffalo Buffeds, Chicago Federals, and Cleveland Naps renamed as the Buffalo Blues, Chicago Whales, and Cleveland Indians, respectively.
The Federal League brought an antitrust lawsuit against the National and American Leagues prior to the 1915 season. The parties eventually reached a settlement and the Federal League disbanded after the season.
The major-league status of the Federal League was confirmed by the Special Baseball Records Committee (as convened by then-Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert) in 1969.[1]
Schedule
The 1915 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League, National League, and Federal 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 for the 1904 season, and which lasted until the 140-game schedule of 1919. Most teams played more than 154 games, due to tie games (called on account of darkness or weather) that had to be replayed;[2] tie games are excluded from team standings, but the statistics of individual players are included in their season totals. The Federal League had its Opening Day on April 10, featuring all eight teams.[3] Opening Day for the American and National Leagues was on April 14, featuring the 16 teams of those two leagues,[4] as had been scheduled the season prior. The Federal League had the final day of its regular season on October 3.[5] The final day of the regular season for the National and American Leagues was October 7.[6] The World Series took place between October 8 and October 13.[7]
Rule change
The National League established that player-managers would count against the player limit, so the bench manager would be unable to insert himself in any game during the season without forfeiting the right to carry one of the players on his roster. The penalty for violating the rule was forfeiture of the game.[8]
Teams
An asterisk (*) denotes the ballpark a team played the minority of their home games at
Standings
American League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox | 101 | 50 | .669 | â | 55âââ20 | 46âââ30 |
| Detroit Tigers | 100 | 54 | .649 | 2½ | 51âââ26 | 49âââ28 |
| Chicago White Sox | 93 | 61 | .604 | 9½ | 54âââ24 | 39âââ37 |
| Washington Senators | 85 | 68 | .556 | 17 | 50âââ29 | 35âââ39 |
| New York Yankees | 69 | 83 | .454 | 32½ | 37âââ43 | 32âââ40 |
| St. Louis Browns | 63 | 91 | .409 | 39½ | 35âââ38 | 28âââ53 |
| Cleveland Indians | 57 | 95 | .375 | 44½ | 27âââ50 | 30âââ45 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 43 | 109 | .283 | 58½ | 19âââ53 | 24âââ56 |
National League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Phillies | 90 | 62 | .592 | â | 49âââ27 | 41âââ35 |
| Boston Braves | 83 | 69 | .546 | 7 | 49âââ27 | 34âââ42 |
| Brooklyn Robins | 80 | 72 | .526 | 10 | 51âââ26 | 29âââ46 |
| Chicago Cubs | 73 | 80 | .477 | 17½ | 42âââ34 | 31âââ46 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 73 | 81 | .474 | 18 | 40âââ37 | 33âââ44 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 72 | 81 | .471 | 18½ | 42âââ36 | 30âââ45 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 71 | 83 | .461 | 20 | 39âââ37 | 32âââ46 |
| New York Giants | 69 | 83 | .454 | 21 | 37âââ38 | 32âââ45 |
Federal League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Whales | 86 | 66 | .566 | â | 44âââ32 | 42âââ34 |
| St. Louis Terriers | 87 | 67 | .565 | â | 43âââ34 | 44âââ33 |
| Pittsburgh Rebels | 86 | 67 | .562 | ½ | 45âââ31 | 41âââ36 |
| Kansas City Packers | 81 | 72 | .529 | 5½ | 46âââ31 | 35âââ41 |
| Newark Peppers | 80 | 72 | .526 | 6 | 40âââ39 | 40âââ33 |
| Buffalo Blues | 74 | 78 | .487 | 12 | 37âââ40 | 37âââ38 |
| Brooklyn Tip-Tops | 70 | 82 | .461 | 16 | 34âââ40 | 36âââ42 |
| Baltimore Terrapins | 47 | 107 | .305 | 40 | 24âââ51 | 23âââ56 |
Tie games
31 tie games (10 in AL, 13 in NL, 8 in FL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League
- Boston Red Sox, 4
- Chicago White Sox, 1
- Cleveland Indians, 2
- Detroit Tigers, 2
- New York Yankees, 2
- Philadelphia Athletics, 2
- St. Louis Browns, 5
- Washington Senators, 2
National League
- Boston Braves, 5
- Brooklyn Robins, 2
- Chicago Cubs, 3
- Cincinnati Reds, 6
- New York Giants, 3
- Philadelphia Phillies, 1
- Pittsburgh Pirates, 2
- St. Louis Cardinals, 4
Federal League
- Brooklyn Tip-Tops, 1
- Buffalo Blues, 1
- Chicago Whales, 3
- Newark Peppers, 3
- Pittsburgh Rebels, 3
- St. Louis Terriers, 5
Postseason
The postseason began on October 8 and ended on October 13 with the Boston Red Sox defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1915 World Series in five games. The National and American Leagues refused a postseason against the Federal League.
Bracket
| World Series | ||||
| AL | Boston Red Sox | 4 | ||
| NL | Philadelphia Phillies | 1 | ||
Managerial changes
Off-season
In-season
| Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Tip-Tops | Lee Magee | John Ganzel |
| Buffalo Blues | Larry Schlafly | Walter Blair |
| Walter Blair | Harry Lord | |
| Cleveland Indians | Joe Birmingham | Lee Fohl |
| Newark Peppers | Bill Phillips | Bill McKechnie |
League leaders
Any team shown in small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.
American League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 27 |
| L | Weldon Wyckoff (PHA) | 22 |
| ERA | Smoky Joe Wood (BOS) | 1.49 |
| K | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 203 |
| IP | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 336.2 |
| SV | Carl Mays (BOS) | 7 |
| WHIP | Walter Johnson (WSH) | 0.933 |
National League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Larry Doyle (NYG) | .320 |
| OPS | Gavvy Cravath (PHI) | .902 |
| HR | Gavvy Cravath (PHI) | 24 |
| RBI | Gavvy Cravath (PHI) | 115 |
| R | Gavvy Cravath (PHI) | 89 |
| H | Larry Doyle (NYG) | 189 |
| SB | Max Carey (PIT) | 36 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Grover Alexander1 (PHI) | 31 |
| L | Dick Rudolph (BSN) Pete Schneider (CIN) |
19 |
| ERA | Grover Alexander1 (PHI) | 1.22 |
| K | Grover Alexander1 (PHI) | 241 |
| IP | Grover Alexander (PHI) | 376.1 |
| SV | Tom Hughes (BSN) | 9 |
| WHIP | Grover Alexander (PHI) | 0.842 |
1 National League Triple Crown pitching winner
Federal League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Benny Kauff (BKF) | .342 |
| OPS | Benny Kauff (BKF) | .955 |
| HR | Hal Chase (BUF) | 17 |
| RBI | Dutch Zwilling (CWH) | 94 |
| R | Babe Borton (SLT) | 97 |
| H | Jack Tobin (SLT) | 184 |
| SB | Benny Kauff (BKF) | 55 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | George McConnell (CWH) | 25 |
| L | Jack Quinn (BAL) | 22 |
| ERA | Earl Moseley (NWK) | 1.91 |
| K | Dave Davenport (SLT) | 229 |
| IP | Dave Davenport (SLT) | 392.2 |
| SV | Hugh Bedient (BUF) | 10 |
| WHIP | Dave Davenport (SLT) | 0.991 |
Milestones
Batters
Cycles
- Heinie Groh (CIN):
- Groh hit for his first cycle and sixth in franchise history, in game two of a doubleheader on July 5 against the Chicago Cubs.[16]
Pitchers
No-hitters
- Rube Marquard (BRO/NYG):
- Marquard threw his first career no-hitter and sixth no-hitter in franchise history as a part of the New York Giants, by defeating the Brooklyn Robins 2â0 on April 15. Marquard walked two and struck out two.[17][18]
- Frank Allen (PRB):
- Allen threw his first career no-hitter and first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the St. Louis Terriers 2â0 on April 24. Allen walked four and struck out two.[19][20]
- Claude Hendrix (CWH):
- Hendrix threw his first career no-hitter and first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Pittsburgh Rebels 10â0 on May 15. Hendrix walked three and struck out three.[21][22]
- Alex Main (KC):
- Main threw his first career no-hitter and first-no hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Buffalo Blues 5â0 on August 16. Main walked one and struck out seven.[23][24]
- Jimmy Lavender (CHC):
- Lavender threw his first career no-hitter and sixth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the New York Giants 2â0 in game one of a doubleheader on August 31. Lavender walked one and struck out eight.[25][26]
- Dave Davenport (SLT):
- Davenport threw his first career no-hitter and first no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Chicago Whales 3â0 in game one of a doubleheader on September 7. Davenport walked two and struck out three.[27][28]
Other pitching accomplishments
- Eddie Plank (SLT):
- Became the ninth member of the 300-win club, defeating the Newark Peppers on September 11, winning 12â5.[29]
Home field attendance
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox[30] | 101 | 11.0% | 539,885 | 12.2% | 7,104 |
| Chicago White Sox[31] | 93 | 32.9% | 539,461 | 15.0% | 6,829 |
| Detroit Tigers[32] | 100 | 25.0% | 476,105 | 14.4% | 6,183 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[33] | 90 | 21.6% | 449,898 | 224.9% | 5,920 |
| New York Giants[34] | 69 | -17.9% | 391,850 | 7.6% | 5,156 |
| Boston Braves[35] | 83 | -11.7% | 376,283 | -1.7% | 4,824 |
| Brooklyn Robins[36] | 80 | 6.7% | 297,766 | 142.7% | 3,818 |
| New York Yankees[37] | 69 | -1.4% | 256,035 | -28.8% | 3,122 |
| St. Louis Cardinals[38] | 72 | -11.1% | 252,666 | -1.3% | 3,119 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates[39] | 73 | 5.8% | 225,743 | 61.7% | 2,858 |
| Cincinnati Reds[40] | 71 | 18.3% | 218,878 | 117.2% | 2,771 |
| Chicago Cubs[41] | 73 | -6.4% | 217,058 | 7.2% | 2,819 |
| Washington Senators[42] | 85 | 4.9% | 167,332 | -31.4% | 2,092 |
| Cleveland Indians[43] | 57 | 11.8% | 159,285 | -14.4% | 2,069 |
| St. Louis Browns[44] | 63 | -11.3% | 150,358 | -38.6% | 1,978 |
| Philadelphia Athletics[45] | 43 | -56.6% | 146,223 | -57.8% | 1,976 |
Note: Attendance data for Federal League teams is unavailable.
Venues
With the relocation of the Indianapolis Hoosiers from Indianapolis, Indiana to Newark, New Jersey as the Newark Peppers, they leave Federal League Park and move into Harrison Park.
The Boston Braves would play their last game at Fenway Park on July 26, having shared the park with the Boston Red Sox since the middle of 1914, and opened Braves Field on August 18, playing their final 26 of 78 home games and where they would go on to play for 38 seasons through 1952.
The Chicago Cubs would play their final game at West Side Park on October 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals, moving into the home of the Chicago Whales (who would fold before the 1916 season), Weeghman Park for the start of the 1916 season.
For games 3 and 4 of the World Series, the Boston Red Sox use the Boston Braves home of Braves Field due to its larger capacity over their home at Fenway Park (40,000 to 27,000). This was the first year in a row where a World Series winning Red Sox used Braves Field.