1918 Major League Baseball season

November 2013 1918 1918 MLB season American League (AL)National League (NL) Baseball Regular season: April 15 – September 2, 1918 (AL) April 16 – September 2, 1918 (NL)World Series: September 5–11, 1918 154 (scheduled)123–131 (actual) 16 (8 per league) Pennant winners AL Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians NL Chicago Cubs New York Giants World Series 1918 World Series Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs List of Major League Baseball seasons MLB 1917 Major League Baseball season 1917 1919 Major League Baseball season 1919 The 1918 major league baseball season began on April 15, 1918. The regular season ended earlier than originally scheduled, September 2, because of a reduced schedule due to American participation in World War I.1918: All Work or Fight and No Play https://thisgreatgame.com/1918-baseball-history/ 2026-06-20 This Great Game The National League and American League champions were the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 15th World Series on September 5 and ended with Game 6 on September 11. The Red Sox defeated the Cubs, four games to two, capturing their fifth championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1916. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Chicago White Sox from the 1917 season. Schedule Major League Baseball schedule Scheduled start American League Opening Day took place on April 15 with four American League teams playing, the Philadelphia Athletics at Boston Red Sox, and the New York Yankees at Washington Senators, while National League Opening Day saw all eight teams play the following day. It was the first season since 1906 which saw the two leagues open on different days. Shortened season With World War I ongoing, a "work or fight" mandate was issued by the government, requiring men with non-essential jobs to enlist or take war-related jobs by July 1, or else risk being drafted.https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-spanish-flu-baseball-1918-f498f2d4-7726-4a02-a5f5-59c63d982764.html Special report: War, fever and baseball in 1918 Kendall Baker Jeff Tracy Axios 2020-04-06 2020-10-08 Secretary of War Newton D. Baker granted an extension to MLB players through Labor Day, September 2.https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/22/boston-babe-ruth-1918-spanish-flu-part-2 Love, Loss and Baseball: Letters From the Hub, Chapters VI - IX Tom Verducci Sports Illustrated 2020-06-22 2020-10-08 In early August, MLB clubs decided that the regular season would end at that time.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60721539/cutting-down-baseball-season-favors/ Cutting Down Baseball Season Favors Present Club Leaders for Final Honors Star-Gazette Elmira, New York 8 1918-08-05 2020-10-08 newspapers.com As a result, the number of regular-season games that each team played varied—123 to 130 for AL teams and 124 to 131 for NL teams, including tieshttps://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/Y_1918.htm The 1918 Season Retrosheet 2020-10-08—reduced from their original 154-game schedules. The final day of the regular season would see all teams but the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns play. Later in August, Baker granted a further extension to allow for the World Series to be contested; it began on September 5 and ended on September 11.https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/YPS_1918.htm The 1918 Post-Season Games Retrosheet 2020-10-08 World War I would end two months later, with the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Teams LeagueTeamCityBallparkCapacityManager1918 Major League Managers https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1918-managers.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference enAmerican League American LeagueBoston Red SoxBoston, MassachusettsFenway Park27,000Ed BarrowChicago White SoxChicago, IllinoisComiskey Park28,000Pants RowlandCleveland IndiansCleveland, OhioDunn Field21,414Lee FohlDetroit TigersDetroit, MichiganNavin Field23,000Hughie JenningsNew York YankeesNew York, New YorkBrush Stadium36,000Miller HugginsPhiladelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaShibe Park23,000Connie MackSt. Louis BrownsSt. Louis, MissouriSportsman's Park18,000Fielder JonesJimmy AustinJimmy Burke baseballWashington SenatorsWashington, D.C.National Park27,000Clark GriffithNational League National League (baseball) National LeagueBoston BravesBoston, MassachusettsBraves Field40,000George StallingsBrooklyn RobinsNew York, New YorkEbbets Field30,000Wilbert RobinsonChicago CubsChicago, IllinoisWeeghman Park15,000Fred Mitchell baseballCincinnati RedsCincinnati, OhioRedland Field20,696Christy MathewsonHeinie GrohNew York GiantsNew York, New YorkBrush Stadium36,000John McGrawPhiladelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaNational League Park18,000Pat MoranPittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaForbes Field25,000Hugo BezdekSt. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis, MissouriRobison Field21,000Jack Hendricks Standings start American League Boston Red Sox break National League Chicago Cubs end Tie games 10 tie games (6 in AL, 4 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season. start American League Cleveland Indians, 2 Detroit Tigers, 2 New York Yankees, 3 Philadelphia Athletics, 2 St. Louis Browns, 1 Washington Senators, 2 break National League Chicago Cubs, 2 Cincinnati Reds, 1 Philadelphia Phillies, 2 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1 St. Louis Cardinals, 2 end Postseason The postseason began on September 5 and ended on September 11 with the Boston Red Sox defeating the Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series in six games. Bracket World Series AL Boston Red Sox 4 NL Chicago Cubs 2 Managerial changes Off-season Team Former Manager New ManagerBoston Red SoxJack BarryEd BarrowNew York YankeesBill DonovanMiller HugginsSt. Louis CardinalsMiller HugginsJack Hendricks In-season Team Former Manager New ManagerCincinnati RedsChristy MathewsonHeinie GrohSt. Louis BrownsFielder JonesJimmy AustinJimmy AustinJimmy Burke League leaders Any team shown in small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season. American League start + Hitting leaders1918 American League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1918-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total AVG Ty Cobb (DET) .382 OPS Babe Ruth (BOS) .966 HR Babe Ruth (BOS)Tillie Walker (PHA) 11 RBI Bobby Veach (DET) 84 R Ray Chapman (CLE) 84 H George Burns (PHA) 178 SB George Sisler (SLB) 45 break + Pitching leaders1918 American League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1918-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total W Walter Johnson1 (WSH) 23 L Eddie Cicotte (CWS)Scott Perry (PHA) 19 ERA Walter Johnson1 (WSH) 1.27 K Walter Johnson1 (WSH) 162 IP Scott Perry (PHA) 332.1 SV George Mogridge (NYY) 7 WHIP Walter Johnson (WSH) 0.954 1 American League Triple Crown pitching winner end National League start + Hitting leaders1918 National League Batting Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1918-batting-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total AVG Zack Wheat (BRO) .335 OPS Edd Roush (CIN) .823 HR Gavvy Cravath (PHI) 8 RBI Sherry Magee (CIN) 76 R Heinie Groh (CIN) 86 H Charlie Hollocher (CHC) 161 SB Max Carey (PIT) 58 break + Pitching leaders1918 National League Pitching Leaders https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1918-pitching-leaders.shtml 2025-02-05 Baseball Reference en Stat Player Total W Hippo Vaughn2 (CHC) 22 L Rube Marquard (BRO)Joe Oeschger (PHI) 18 ERA Hippo Vaughn2 (CHC) 1.74 K Hippo Vaughn2 (CHC) 148 IP Hippo Vaughn (CHC) 290.1 SV Fred Anderson (NYG)Wilbur Cooper (PIT)Joe Oeschger (PHI)Fred Toney (NYG/CIN) 3 WHIP Hippo Vaughn (CHC) 1.006 2 National League Triple Crown pitching winner end Milestones Batters Cycles List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle Cliff Heathcote (STL): Heathcote hit for his first cycle and fourth in franchise history, on June 13 against the Philadelphia Phillies.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/B06130PHI1918.htm Philadelphia Phillies 8, St. Louis Cardinals 8 1918-06-13 Retrosheet 2011-09-06 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924113337/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/B06130PHI1918.htm live Pitchers No-hitters List of Major League Baseball no-hitters Dutch Leonard (BOS): Dutch threw his second career no-hitter and ninth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Detroit Tigers 5–0 on June 3. Leonard walked one and struck out four.Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers Box Score: June 3, 1918 https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET191806030.shtml 2026-03-13 Baseball Reference en Home field attendance Team nameWins%± Percent changeHome attendance%± Percent changePer game Average home attendance per gameChicago CubsChicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference84 13.5%337,256 −6.4%4,558Cleveland IndiansCleveland Guardians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference73 −17.0%295,515 −38.1%4,766New York YankeesNew York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference60 −15.5%282,047 −14.6%4,210New York GiantsSan Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference71 −27.6%256,618 −48.7%4,582Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference75 −16.7%249,513 −35.7%3,564Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference65 27.5%213,610 10.8%3,009Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference55 −29.5%203,719 −55.5%3,512Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference57 −43.0%195,081 −71.5%3,484Washington SenatorsMinnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference72 −2.7%182,122 103.1%2,461Philadelphia AthleticsOakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference52 −5.5%177,926 −19.6%2,617Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference68 −12.8%163,009 −39.4%2,296Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference55 −36.8%122,266 −65.5%2,145St. Louis BrownsBaltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference58 1.8%122,076 −42.0%2,303St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference51 −37.8%110,599 −61.7%1,515Boston BravesAtlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference53 −26.4%84,938 −51.3%1,633Brooklyn RobinsLos Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml 2024-03-28 Baseball Reference57 −18.6%83,831 −62.2%1,552 Venues Robison Field of the St. Louis Cardinals is gradually referred to as Cardinal Field, after Helene Britton, daughter of the deceased former owner Frank Robison, sells her interest in the team following a deal in March 1917,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94539410/plan-to-sell-the-cardinals/ Plan To Sell The Cardinals Star-Gazette Elmira, New York 8 Newspapers.com 1917-03-02 2022-02-09https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94539598/cardinal-owners-pay-part-down/ Cardinal Owners Pay Part Down Wilkes-Barre Times Leader 14 Newspapers.com 1917-05-03 2022-02-09 ending the association between the Cardinals and the Robison family. By 1918, Cardinal Field became the name widely used.Thomas Joan M. Robison Field (St. Louis) Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/robison-field-st-louis/ 2025-12-05 en-US See also 1918 in baseball (Events, Births, Deaths) References External links 1918 Major League Schedule at Baseball Reference Category:Major League Baseball seasons Category:1918 in baseball