1912 Boston Red Sox
World Series Champions
American League Champions
LeagueAmerican League
BallparkFenway Park
CityBoston, Massachusetts
Record105–47 (.691)
League place1st
OwnersJohn I. Taylor
Jimmy McAleer
ManagersJake Stahl
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
Seasons

The 1912 Boston Red Sox season was the 12th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. This was the first year that the team played its home games at Fenway Park. The Red Sox finished first in the American League (AL) with a record of 105 wins and 47 losses. The team set the franchise record for highest winning percentage (.691) in a season, which still stands; tied the franchise record for fewest losses in a season, originally set by the 1903 team; and set a franchise record for most wins, which was not surpassed until the 2018 club.[1]

The team then faced the National League (NL) champion New York Giants in the 1912 World Series, which the Red Sox won in eight games to capture the franchise's second World Series. One of the deciding plays in the World Series was a muffed fly ball by Giants outfielder Fred Snodgrass, which became known as the "$30,000 muff" in reference to the prize money for the winning team.[2]

Behind center fielder Tris Speaker and pitcher Smoky Joe Wood, the Red Sox led the league in runs scored and fewest runs allowed. Speaker was third in batting and was voted league Most Valuable Player. Wood won 34 games, including a record 16 in a row. Although the pitching staff was satisfactory, the only star pitcher was Wood, while the only star in the starting lineup was Speaker. Little-known third baseman Larry Gardner was the next best hitter, while future Hall of Famer Harry Hooper had a poor offensive season.

1912 Boston Red Sox team photo
Red Sox players in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for spring training in 1912

Offseason

The Red Sox made several transactions during the 1912 offseason.[3] The Red Sox sold two players to the Chicago White Sox during the offseason: Jack Fournier on February 6 and Eddie Cicotte on July 9.[3] Later in the year, on November 25, Hugh Bradley was sold to the Jersey City Giants minor league baseball team of the International League.[3]

Transactions

November 6, 1911: The St. Paul Saints announce the purchase of outfielder Joe Riggert from the Red Sox.[4]

January 6, 1912: The Red Sox trade players Harold Janvrin, Martin McHale, Walter Lonergan, Hap Myers, Jack Thoney, and Billy Purtell to the Jersey City Skeeters in exchange for catcher Forrest Cady.[5]

February, 1912: The Red Sox sell infielder Rip Williams to the New York Highlanders.[6] On February 23, the Highlanders sent Williams to the Washington Nationals.[7]

February 6, 1912: The Chicago White Sox announce the purchase of infielder Jack Fournier from the Red Sox.[8]

Regular season

The new Red Sox home stadium, Fenway Park opened on April 20, the same day as Navin Field in Detroit opened.[9] It was supposed to be opened on April 18 (like Navin Field) but it rained in both cities on that day.[10] This first Major-League game played at Fenway Park pitted the Red Sox against the New York Highlanders, with the Red Sox winning by a score of 7-6, and New York's Harry Wolter being the first player to earn a hit in the park.[11]

On April 26, Hugh Bradley became the first player to hit a home run over the Green Monster at Fenway Park.[12] It was his only home run of the 1912 season, and one of only two he hit in his career, which spanned five seasons.[13]

Transactions

June 25: The Cleveland Naps sell infielder Neal Ball to the Red Sox for $2500.[14]

Season standings

American League W L Pct. GB Home Road
Boston Red Sox 10547 0.691 — 57–20 48–27
Washington Senators 9161 0.599 14 45–32 46–29
Philadelphia Athletics 9062 0.592 15 45–31 45–31
Chicago White Sox 7876 0.506 28 34–43 44–33
Cleveland Naps 7578 0.490 30½ 41–35 34–43
Detroit Tigers 6984 0.451 36½ 37–39 32–45
St. Louis Browns 53101 0.344 53 27–50 26–51
New York Highlanders 50102 0.329 55 31–44 19–58

Record vs. opponents

1912 American League record

Sources:
Team BOS CWS CLE DET NYH PHA SLB WSH
Boston —16–6–111–11–115–619–215–717–512–10
Chicago 6–16–1—11–1114–8–113–912–1013–9–29–13
Cleveland 11–11–111–11—13–913–8–18–1415–74–18
Detroit 6–158–14–19–13—16–69–1313–98–14
New York 2–199–138–13–16–16—5–1713–97–15
Philadelphia 7–1510–1214–813–917–5—16–613–7–1
St. Louis 5–179–13–27–159–139–136–16—8–14–1
Washington 10–1213–918–414–815–77–13–114–8–1—

Opening Day lineup

On April 11, 1912, the Red Sox defeated the New York Highlanders 5–3 in an away game.[15]

Harry HooperRF
Steve Yerkes2B
Tris SpeakerCF
Jake Stahl1B
Larry Gardner3B
Duffy LewisLF
Heinie WagnerSS
Les NunamakerC
Buck O'BrienP

Roster

1912 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Player stats

Batting

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Starters by position

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CBill Carrigan8726670.263024
1BJake Stahl9532698.301360
2BSteve Yerkes131523132.252042
SSHeinie Wagner144504138.274268
3BLarry Gardner143517163.315386
OFDuffy Lewis154581165.2846109
OFTris Speaker153580222.3831090
OFHarry Hooper147590143.242253

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Clyde Engle5817140.234018
Hugh Bradley4013726.190119
Hick Cady4713535.25909
Les Nunamaker3510326.25206
Olaf Henriksen445618.32108
Neal Ball18459.20006
Marty Krug203912.30807
Pinch Thomas13306.20005
All pitchers154468101.216244

Pitching

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Starting pitchers

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Smoky Joe Wood433443451.91258
Buck O'Brien37275+2⁄320132.58115
Hugh Bedient412312092.92122
Ray Collins27199+1⁄31382.5382
Charley Hall341911583.0283

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Larry Pape1348+2⁄3114.9917
Ed Cicotte946135.6720
Ben Van Dyke314+1⁄3003.148
Casey Hageman21+1⁄30027.001

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Jack Bushelman31004.705
Doug Smith10003.001

Awards and honors

League top five finishers

Duffy Lewis

  • #2 in AL in RBI (109)[16]

Tris Speaker

  • MLB leader in on-base percentage (.464)[17]
  • AL leader in home runs (10)[17]
  • #2 in AL in runs scored (136)[17]
  • #3 in AL in batting average (.383)[17]
  • #3 in AL in slugging percentage (.567)[17]
  • #4 in AL in stolen bases (52)[17]

Smoky Joe Wood

  • MLB leader in wins (34)[18]
  • MLB leader in shutouts (10)[18]
  • #2 in AL in ERA (1.91)[18]
  • #2 in AL in strikeouts (258)[18]

World Series

The 1912 World Series was played between the New York Giants of the NL and the Red Sox of the AL. The Red Sox won in eight games, 4–3, having played the Giants to a tie in Game 2.

AL Boston Red Sox (4) vs. NL New York Giants (3)[19]

Game Score Date Location Att. Ref.
1Red Sox – 4, Giants – 3October 8Polo Grounds35,730[20]
2Giants – 6, Red Sox – 6 (11)October 9Fenway Park30,148[21]
3Giants – 2, Red Sox – 1October 10Fenway Park34,624[22]
4Red Sox – 3, Giants – 1October 11Polo Grounds36,502[23]
5Giants – 1, Red Sox – 2October 12Fenway Park34,683[24]
6Red Sox – 2, Giants – 5October 14Polo Grounds30,622[25]
7Giants – 11, Red Sox – 4October 15Fenway Park32,694[26]
8Giants – 2, Red Sox – 3 (10)October 16Fenway Park17,034[27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Boston Red Sox Year-by-Year Results". MLB.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Fred Snodgrass drops ball and loses World Series". History.com. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "1912 Boston Red Sox Trades and Transactions". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  4. ↑ "St. Paul Buys Riggert". The Gazette Times. November 7, 1911. p. 9. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Boston Cast-Offs for Jersey City". The Providence Evening Tribune. January 6, 1912. p. 8. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  6. ↑ Stanley, Todd (2017). They Wore Red Socks And Pinstripes: Players Who Went to the Enemy. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-7864-9751-5.
  7. ↑ "Washington Gets Williams". The Pittsburgh Press. February 23, 1912. p. 25. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Sporting Notes". Meriden Morning Record. February 7, 1912. p. 2. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  9. ↑ The Final Season, p. 5, Tom Stanton, Thomas Dunne Books, An imprint of St. Martin's Press, New York, 2001, ISBN 0-312-29156-6
  10. ↑ The Final Season, p.40
  11. ↑ Frommer, Harvey; Frommer, Frederic J. (2014). Red Sox Vs. Yankees: The Great Rivalry (3rd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 122.
  12. ↑ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 263, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0
  13. ↑ "Hugh Bradley Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  14. ↑ Nowlin, Bill, ed. (2012). Opening Fenway Park With Style: The World Champion 1912 Boston Red Sox. Phoenix, Arizona: Society for American Baseball Research. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-933599-35-9.
  15. ↑ "Red Sox Opening Day History – 1912 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Highlanders". Boston.com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Duffy Lewis History and Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Tris Speaker Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Smokey Joe Wood Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  19. ↑ "1912 World Series – Boston Red Sox over New York Giants (4–3)". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 4, New York Giants 3".
  21. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 6, New York Giants 6".
  22. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Giants 2, Boston Red Sox 1".
  23. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 3, New York Giants 1".
  24. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 2, New York Giants 1".
  25. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Giants 5, Boston Red Sox 2".
  26. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: New York Giants 11, Boston Red Sox 4".
  27. ↑ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Red Sox 3, New York Giants 2".

Further reading

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