PTWSW #9: The 1912 Boston Red Sox

Manager: Jake Stahl
Record: 105-47
Ballpark: Fenway Park
Owners: John I. Taylor, Jimmy McAleer and Robert McRoy

Future Hall of Famers: Harry Hooper, Tris Speaker

Team Leaders, Batting

BA: Tris Speaker, .383
OBP: Tris Speaker, .464 (AL leader)
SLG: Tris Speaker, .567
OPS: Tris Speaker, 1.031
2B: Tris Speaker, 53 (AL leader)
3B: Larry Gardner, 18
HR: Tris Speaker, 10 (AL leader)
RBI: Duffy Lewis, 109
BB: Tris Speaker, 82
SB: Tris Speaker, 52

Team Leaders, Pitching

W: Joe Wood, 34 (AL leader)
SO: Joe Wood, 258
ERA: Joe Wood, 1.91
IP: Joe Wood, 344
CG: Joe Wood, 35 (AL leader)
SHO: Joe Wood, 10 (AL leader)
K/BB: Joe Wood, 3.15
SV: Hugh Bedient, Charley Hall, 2

Tidbits

Oldest Player: Jake Stahl (b. April 13, 1879)

Youngest Player: Doug Smith (b. May 25, 1892)

First to Leave Us: Larry Pape (d. July 21, 1918)

Last Survivor: Joe Wood (d. July 27, 1985)

First in Majors: Heinie Wagner (first game July 1, 1902)

Last in Majors: Tris Speaker (final game August 30, 1928)

First to Play For the Franchise: Jake Stahl (April 20, 1903)

Last to Play For the Franchise: Harry Hooper (September 28, 1920). Hooper and Heinie Wagner were the only ones to play on all four of the Red Sox' World Series winners during the 1910's. Hooper was the only one who played in each Series.

Pre-union Team: The 1908-09 New York Highlanders, with Neal Ball, Jake Stahl (1908) and Clyde Engle (1909).

Reunion Team: The 1919-21 Cleveland Indians (Larry Gardner, Les Nunamaker, Tris Speaker, Pinch Thomas, Joe Wood). So good was this core (led by player-manager Speaker) that they won another World Series together.

Accomplishments

Tris Speaker, 30-game hitting streak
Tris Speaker, cycle on June 9
Tris Speaker, AL MVP

Season Summary

It was a year of change for the Red Sox. Jimmy McAleer and Robert McRoy purchased 50% ownership of the team at the end of the previous season, Jake Stahl took over as manager and first baseman, and Fenway Park opened its gates for the first time. Led by MVP Tris Speaker, their offense was the AL's most prolific, and their pitching and defense combined to allow the fewest runs in the circuit. Had there been a Cy Young Award at the time, the Red Sox' young ace "Smoky Joe" Wood would've been a top candidate with his 34-5 record, 1.91 ERA and 10 shutouts.

The Chicago White Sox got off to a better start, but the Red Sox took three matches in a mid-June four-game series against the Pale Hose to grab first place. They'd remain there for the rest of the season, and the pennant would eventually be won by 14 games. The World Series against the New York Giants went eight games (Game 2 was called due to darkness), with the 10th inning of Game 8 being a classic. The Giants scored a run in the top half to take the lead, but the Red Sox (benefitting from Giant center fielder Fred Snodgrass' "muff") rallied for two runs to win the Series.

Acknowledgements:

Baseball Reference
Baseball Almanac
Google News Archives