1920 Vernon Tigers season

Vernon Tigers 1920 110–88 Pacific Coast League Maier Park, Washington Park Vernon, California 1st Bill Essick E. R. Maier The 1920 Vernon Tigers season was the 12th season in the history of the Vernon Tigers baseball team. Playing in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), the team compiled a 110–88 record and won the PCL pennant.Curtain Lowered on Coast League Season with Vernon Five and One-Half Games in Lead Los Angeles Times Ed O'Malley October 18, 1920 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46820445/curtain-lowered-on-coast-league-season/ Newspapers.com Vernon compiled the best record in the PCL for a third consecutive seasons under manager Bill Essick. The Tigers' championship was marred by revelations during the 1920 season of a gambling scandal involving first baseman Babe Borton. Borton admitted paying money during the 1919 pennant race to three players on the Salt Lake City Bees to throw games against the Tigers. Borton claimed that bribes had also been paid by a teammate to Portland and Seattle players, that the bribes were paid out of a pool of money funded by numerous teammates, and that the bribes were instigated by Vernor manager Bill Essick. Borton was released by the Tigers in August 1920 and never again played professional baseball.Truth about Tigers emerges in pennant race: Grand jury exposes Borton's misdeeds, mars Vernon's 1919 title Minor League Baseball Josh Jackson January 6, 2020 February 20, 2020 https://www.milb.com/milb/news/grand-jury-exposes-babe-borton-s-cheating-for-1919-vernon-tigers-in-pc-312312742Babe Borton Is Released Los Angeles Times August 11, 1920 III-1, III-3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46820856/babe-borton-is-released/ Newspapers.comClaim Borton Was "Tool" Los Angeles Times August 12, 1920 III-1, III-2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46821118/claim-borton-was-tool/ Newspapers.com Borton was charged by a Los Angeles grand jury in December 1920 with criminal conspiracy for his role in the bribery scandal.Grand Jury Indicts Trio of Coast Ball Players Los Angeles Times December 11, 1920 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46822612/grand-jury-indicts-trio-of-coast-ball/ Newspapers.com 1920 PCL standings right|thumb|150px|Vernon's pitching ace Wheezer Dell Team W L Pct. GB Vernon Tigers 110 88 .556 -- Seattle Rainiers 102 91 .528 5.5 San Francisco Seals 103 96 .518 7.5 Los Angeles Angels 101 95 .515 8.0 Salt Lake City Bees 95 92 .508 9.5 Oakland Oaks 95 103 .480 15.0 Sacramento Senators 89 109 .449 21.0 Portland Beavers 81 102 .443 21.5Suds Lick Seals Twice; Finish In 2d Place Los Angeles Express October 18, 1920 23 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46820061/suds-lick-seals-twice/ Newspapers.comStanding of Clubs Los Angeles Times October 18, 1920 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46820276/standing-of-clubs/ Newspapers.com Statistics Batting Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; SLG = Slugging percentage Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR SLG 1B Babe Borton 123 439 143 .326 10 .487 2B Bob Fisher 190 787 244 .310 2 .395 3B Red Smith 186 616 180 .292 1 .351 LF Hugh High 177 664 191 .288 4 .373 CF Chet Chadbourne 195 775 222 .286 3 .379 LF Scotty Alcock 74 149 42 .282 0 .336 RF Tom Long 124 392 107 .273 0 .347 1B Stump Edington 124 394 107 .272 3 .343 SS Johnny Mitchell 196 790 213 .270 1 .358 1B Art Mueller 45 161 40 .248 0 .323 C Al DeVormer 159 550 133 .242 3 .311 RF Harry Morse 68 196 45 .230 0 .281 P Wheezer Dell 55 135 30 .222 0 .237 1920 Vernon Tigers Sports Reference LLC Baseball-Reference.com March 16, 2020 https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=f2c014c9 Pitching Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; PCT = Win percentage; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L PCT ERA SO Wheezer Dell 54 370.0 27 15 .643 2.99 Willie Mitchell 52 348.1 25 13 .658 2.38 Frank Shellenback 47 298.2 18 12 .600 2.71 Bill Piercy 41 243.2 10 17 .370 2.62 Byron Houck 45 278.0 19 16 .543 3.88 Walt Smallwood 43 164.2 10 10 .500 3.94 Art Fromme 21 107.2 6 8 .429 2.67 References Further reading "The Greatest Minor League: A History of the Pacific Coast League, 1903-1957", by Dennis Snelling (McFarland 2011 Category:1920 in sports in California Category:Pacific Coast League seasons