The 1919 schedule consisted of 140 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 20 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This 140-game schedule format had been previously used in 1903. The 154-game schedule was re-instituted for the
1920 season.
April 19 – Legislature is passed by future New York City mayor
Jimmy Walker that allows teams in the state of
New York to play baseball on Sundays. The
New York Giants were the first team to take advantage of this change, losing 4–3 to the
Philadelphia Phillies in front of 35,000 fans at the
Polo Ground.[20]
Walter Johnson retires 28 consecutive batters during a 12-inning scoreless tie against
Jack Quinn and the New York Yankees. Future football immortal
George Halas, batting leadoff for New York, goes 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.[22]
July 1 – Going 5-for-5 in a 9–4 win over the Phillies, Brooklyn's
Ed Konetchy gets his 10th straight hit, tying
Jake Gettman's record set with
Washington in 1897. Both will be topped by
Walt Dropo in 1952.
August 14 –
Babe Ruth hits his 17th
home run, the first of seven homers in 12 days, which will include his fourth grand slam, setting an AL record until 1959.[25]
August 24 – Cleveland Indians
pitcherRay Caldwell is hit by lightning during the ninth inning of his début for the tribe. He quickly recovered, reportedly saying "Give me that danged ball and turn me toward the plate", before pitching the final out of the game.[26]
September 2 – The
National Commission recommends a best-of-nine
World Series, abandoning the traditional seven-game series. However, the change was reverted three years later, and the seven-game format has remained ever since.
September 10 –
Ray Caldwell, the pitcher hit by lightning just a couple of weeks before, throws a no hitter in the Cleveland Indians 3–0 victory over his former team, the New York Yankees.[27]
September 16 –
Dutch Ruether beats the New York Giants, 4–3, to clinch the Cincinnati Reds first
NL pennant and their first pennant of any kind since their
American Association days.[28]
September 21 – In a period of rapidly played games, the
Cubs beat the
Braves 3–0 in 58 minutes of playing time.[29] It takes the
Robins 55 minutes to beat the Reds 3–1,[30] with
Slim Sallee throwing 65 pitches, managing to top
Christy Mathewson's 69-pitch complete game.
September 24:
The
Chicago White Sox's 6–5 win over the St. Louis Browns clinches the
AL pennant; the final margin will be 3½ games over the Cleveland Indians.[31]
The Brooklyn Robins defeat the Phillies twice on
Fred Luderus Day in Philadelphia. The second game is the 525th in a row played by the Phillies first baseman, who is presented with a diamond stickpin and gold watch between the games to commemorate his endurance effort. He will end the season with a consecutive-game streak of 553.[32]
Boston Red Sox pitcher
Waite Hoyt throws nine perfect innings against the New York Yankees, but they score in the 13th in which he gives up 5 hits, ruining his
perfect game, and losing the game 2–1.[33]
September 27 –
Babe Ruth hit his 29th home run and his first of the year in Washington, to become the first player to hit at least one home run in every AL park in the same season.[23]