1930 Philadelphia Athletics: Mack’s Last

1930 Philadelphia Athletics: Mack’s Last

1930 Philadelphia Athletics: Mack’s Last

Connie Mack had been the part owner of the Philadelphia Athletics organization from 1901 to 1934, and then was the full owner of the team from 1936 to 1950. Mack had also managed the team from 1901 and had guided the Athletics to 4 World Series titles in 1910, 1911, 1913 and 1929. 1930 proved to be the final year of success on the baseball diamond for Mack, a legendary influence on the game.

The Athletics went 102-52 in 1930, winning the American League pennant by 8 games over the Washington Senators. Winning the American League batting title, outfielder “Bucketfoot” Al Simmons batted .381 with 36 home runs and 165 RBI’s off 211 hits, 41 doubles, 16 triples and 9 stolen bases. Catcher Mickey Cochrane batted .357 with 10 home runs and 85 RBI’s off 174 hits, 42 doubles, 5 triples and 5 stolen bases. First baseman Jimmie Foxx batted .335 with 37 home runs and 156 RBI’s off 188 hits, 33 doubles, 13 triples and 7 stolen bases.

Outfielder Bing Miller batted .303 with 100 RBI’s, 177 hits, 38 doubles, 7 triples and 13 stolen bases. Third baseman Jimmy Dykes batted .301 with 73 RBI’s, 131 hits, 28 doubles and 4 triples. Outfielder George “Mule” Haas batted .299 with 68 RBI’s, 159 hits, 33 doubles and 7 triples. Shortstop Joe Boley batted .276 with 116 hits and 22 doubles. Second baseman Max Bishop had 10 home runs, 111 hits, 27 doubles and 6 triples.

Lefty Grove was the main workhorse of Philadelphia’s pitching staff, and he went on to winning the Pitching Triple Crown in 1930. Grove went 28-5 with 209 strikeouts and a 2.54 ERA, recording 22 complete games, 2 shutouts and 9 saves. George Earnshaw went 22-13 with 193 strikeouts, 20 complete games, 3 shutouts and 2 saves. Rube Walberg went 13-12 with 100 strikeouts, 12 complete games, 2 shutouts and 1 save. Bill Shores went 12-4 with 7 complete games and 1 shutout. Roy Mahaffey went 9-5 with 6 complete games. Closer Jack Quinn went 9-7 with 6 saves. Relief pitcher Eddie Rommel went 9-4 with 3 saves.

In their 14-1 demolishing of the Cleveland Indians at League Park IV on July 25, the Athletics made Major League Baseball history by becoming the first, and to this day the only, team to successfully pull off the triple steal 2 times in a single game.

The 1930 World Series pitted the Philadelphia Athletics against the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals, and in Game 1 on October 1 at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, the Athletics won 5-2. Bing Miller hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 2nd inning, though St. Louis would respond in the top of the 3rd with sacrifice flies by outfielder Taylor Douthit and third baseman Earl “Sparky” Adams. Al Simmons then hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 4th, and Jimmy Dykes had an RBI double in the bottom of the 6th. Joe Boley had a bunt RBI ground-out in the bottom of the 7th, and then Mickey Cochrane hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 8th.

In Game 2 on October 2 the Athletics won 6-1. George Earnshaw pitched a complete game, giving up 6 hits, 1 walk and 1 run, but recording 8 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 1st inning Cochrane hit a solo home run, and Jimmie Foxx followed with an RBI double. In the top of the 2nd St. Louis left fielder George Watkins hit a solo home run. In the bottom of the 3rd Simmons had an RBI double and Miller followed with an RBI single. Dykes finished the scoring with a 2-run double in the bottom of the 4th.

Going to Sportsman’s Park III in St. Louis for Game 3 on October 4., the Athletics were shut out by the Cardinals 5-0. Cardinals starter Bill Hallahan pitched a complete game and gave up 7 hits and 5 walks, but recorded 6 strikeouts. Douthit hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 4th inning, and then shortstop Charlie Gelbert had an RBI single in the bottom of the 5th. In the bottom of the 7th catcher Jimmie Wilson had a 2-run single, and in the bottom of the 8th left fielder Chick Haffey had an RBI double.

The Cardinals beat the Athletics again in Game 4 on October 5 by the score of 3-1 to even the series 2 games apiece. Simmons had an RBI single in the top of the 1st inning, but in the bottom of the 3rd inning pitcher Jesse Haines helped himself and his team out by getting his own RBI single. In the bottom of the 4th right fielder Ray Blades reached on an error to score Haffey, and then Gelbert followed with an infield RBI single.

In Game 5 on October 6 the Athletics blanked the Cardinals 2-0. George Earnshaw pitched 7 innings and gave up 2 hits and 3 walks while recording 5 strikeouts. The only runs Philadelphia needed came from a 2-run home run smashed by Jimmie Foxx in the top of the 9th inning.

Going back to Shibe Park for Game 6 on October 8, the Athletics won 7-1. George Earnshaw carried the ream on the mound as he pitched a complete game, giving up 5 hits, 3 walks and 1 run while recording 6 strikeouts. Mickey Cochrane and Bing Miller had RBI doubles in the bottom of the 1st inning, and then Al Simmons hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 3rd. Jimmy Dykes then smacked a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 4th, and Mule Haas followed in the bottom of the 5th with a pinch hit sacrifice fly. Cochrane had his own sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 6th, and Chick Hafey’s RBI double in the top of the 9th came too late for the Cardinals.

The 1930 World Series title would be the last that Connie Mack would win. Mack went on to manage the Athletics for 20 more years until 1950, and remained as the team owner until 1954.