1926 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1926 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1926 in baseball.

Sports season

1926 MLB season

League| American League (AL)
National League (NL)
Sport| Baseball
Duration| Regular season:

* April 13 – September 27, 1926 (AL)
* April 13 – September 29, 1926 (NL)

World Series:

* October 2–10, 1926

Number of games| 154
Number of teams| 16 (8 per league)
Regular Season
Season MVP| AL: George Burns (CLE)
NL: Bob O'Farrell (SLC)
AL champions| New York Yankees
AL runners-up| Cleveland Indians
NL champions| St. Louis Cardinals
NL runners-up| Cincinnati Reds
World Series
Champions| St. Louis Cardinals
Runners-up| New York Yankees
MLB seasons

← 1925

1927 →

Red Sox

White Sox

Indians

Tigers

Athletics

Browns

Yankees

Senators

Locations of teams for the 1923–1931 American League seasons
American League

Braves

Robins

Cubs

Reds

Giants

Phillies

Pirates

Cardinals

Locations of teams for the 1920–1931 National League seasons
National League

The 1926 major league baseball season began on April 13, 1926. The regular season ended on September 29, with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 23rd World Series on October 2 and ended with Game 7 on October 10. The Cardinals defeated the Yankees, four games to three, capturing their first championship in franchise history. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Pittsburgh Pirates from the 1925 season.

This was the fifth of eight seasons that "League Awards", a precursor to the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (introduced in 1931), were issued.

## Schedule

[edit]

See also: Major League Baseball schedule

The 1926 schedule consisted of 154 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had eight teams. Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place since the 1904 season (except for 1919) and would be used until 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League.

Opening Day, April 13, featured all sixteen teams, continuing the trend which started with the 1924 season. The American League would see its final day of the regular season was on September 27, while the National League would see its final day of the regular season on September 29 with a doubleheader between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves. The World Series took place between October 2 and October 10.

## Rule changes

[edit]

The 1926 season saw the following rule changes:

* A pitcher is now allowed to use a rosin bag prior to pitching the ball.[1][2]
* A sacrifice hit is now awarded when any base runner advances on a fly out.[2]

## Teams

[edit]

League  | Team  | City  | Stadium  | Capacity  | Manager[3]

|
|
|
|
|

American League | Boston Red Sox | Boston, Massachusetts | Fenway Park | 35,000  | Lee Fohl
Chicago White Sox | Chicago, Illinois | Comiskey Park | 28,000  | Eddie Collins
Cleveland Indians | Cleveland, Ohio | Dunn Field | 21,414  | Tris Speaker
Detroit Tigers | Detroit, Michigan | Navin Field | 30,000  | Ty Cobb
New York Yankees | New York, New York | Yankee Stadium | 58,000  | Miller Huggins
Philadelphia Athletics | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Shibe Park | 27,500  | Connie Mack
St. Louis Browns | St. Louis, Missouri | Sportsman's Park | 34,023  | George Sisler
Washington Senators | Washington, D.C. | Griffith Stadium | 27,000  | Bucky Harris
National League | Boston Braves | Boston, Massachusetts | Braves Field | 40,000  | Dave Bancroft
Brooklyn Robins | New York, New York | Ebbets Field | 28,000  | Wilbert Robinson
Chicago Cubs | Chicago, Illinois | Cubs Park | 20,000  | Joe McCarthy
Cincinnati Reds | Cincinnati, Ohio | Redland Field | 20,696  | Jack Hendricks
New York Giants | New York, New York | Polo Grounds | 55,000  | John McGraw
Philadelphia Phillies | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Baker Bowl | 18,000  | Art Fletcher
Pittsburgh Pirates | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Forbes Field | 41,000  | Bill McKechnie
St. Louis Cardinals | St. Louis, Missouri | Sportsman's Park | 34,023  | Rogers Hornsby

## Standings

[edit]

### American League

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

American League Team  | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road

|
|
|
|
|
|

New York Yankees | 91 | 63  | .591  | —  | 50‍–‍25  | 41‍–‍38
Cleveland Indians | 88 | 66  | .571  | 3  | 49‍–‍31  | 39‍–‍35
Philadelphia Athletics | 83 | 67  | .553  | 6  | 44‍–‍27  | 39‍–‍40
Washington Senators | 81 | 69  | .540  | 8  | 42‍–‍30  | 39‍–‍39
Chicago White Sox | 81 | 72  | .529  | 9½  | 47‍–‍31  | 34‍–‍41
Detroit Tigers | 79 | 75  | .513  | 12  | 39‍–‍41  | 40‍–‍34
St. Louis Browns | 62 | 92  | .403  | 29  | 40‍–‍39  | 22‍–‍53
Boston Red Sox | 46 | 107  | .301  | 44½  | 25‍–‍51  | 21‍–‍56

### National League

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

National League Team  | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road

|
|
|
|
|
|

St. Louis Cardinals | 89 | 65  | .578  | —  | 47‍–‍30  | 42‍–‍35
Cincinnati Reds | 87 | 67  | .565  | 2  | 53‍–‍23  | 34‍–‍44
Pittsburgh Pirates | 84 | 69  | .549  | 4½  | 49‍–‍28  | 35‍–‍41
Chicago Cubs | 82 | 72  | .532  | 7  | 49‍–‍28  | 33‍–‍44
New York Giants | 74 | 77  | .490  | 13½  | 43‍–‍33  | 31‍–‍44
Brooklyn Robins | 71 | 82  | .464  | 17½  | 38‍–‍38  | 33‍–‍44
Boston Braves | 66 | 86  | .434  | 22  | 43‍–‍34  | 23‍–‍52
Philadelphia Phillies | 58 | 93  | .384  | 29½  | 33‍–‍42  | 25‍–‍51

## Postseason

[edit]

The postseason began on October 2 and ended on October 10 with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the New York Yankees in the 1926 World Series in seven games.

### Bracket

[edit]

| World Series |

|
|

|  |  |  |
| AL | New York Yankees | 3 |
| NL | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 |

## Managerial changes

[edit]

### Off-season

[edit]

Team  | Former Manager  | New Manager

|
|

Chicago Cubs | George Gibson | Joe McCarthy
New York Giants | Hughie Jennings | John McGraw

## League leaders

[edit]

Any team shown in small text indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.

### American League

[edit]

Hitting leaders[4] Stat  | Player  | Total

|
|

AVG | Heinie Manush (DET)  | .378
OPS | Babe Ruth (NYY)  | 1.253
HR | Babe Ruth (NYY)  | 47
RBI | Babe Ruth (NYY)  | 153
R | Babe Ruth (NYY)  | 139
H | George Burns (CLE)
Sam Rice (WSH)  | 216
SB | Johnny Mostil (CWS)  | 35

Pitching leaders[5] Stat  | Player  | Total

|
|

W | George Uhle (CLE)  | 27
L | Milt Gaston (SLB)
Paul Zahniser (BRS)  | 18
ERA | Lefty Grove (PHA)  | 2.51
K | Lefty Grove (PHA)  | 194
IP | George Uhle (CLE)  | 318.1
SV | Firpo Marberry (WSH)  | 22
WHIP | Herb Pennock (NYY)  | 1.265

### National League

[edit]

Hitting leaders[6] Stat  | Player  | Total

|
|

AVG | Bubbles Hargrave (CIN)  | .353
OPS | Cy Williams (PHP)  | .986
HR | Hack Wilson (CHC)  | 21
RBI | Jim Bottomley (SLC)  | 120
R | Kiki Cuyler (PIT)  | 113
H | Eddie Brown (BSB)  | 201
SB | Kiki Cuyler (PIT)  | 35

Pitching leaders[7] Stat  | Player  | Total

|
|

W | Pete Donohue (CIN)
Ray Kremer (PIT)
Lee Meadows (PIT)
Flint Rhem (SLC)  | 20
L | Jesse Petty (BKN)
Charlie Root (CHC)  | 17
ERA | Ray Kremer (PIT)  | 2.61
K | Dazzy Vance (BKN)  | 140
IP | Pete Donohue (CIN)  | 285.2
SV | Chick Davies (NYG)  | 6
WHIP | Grover Alexander (STL/CHC)  | 1.108

## Awards and honors

[edit]

* League Award: Bob O'Farrell (SLC, National); George Burns (CLE, American)

## Home field attendance

[edit]

Team name  | Wins  | %± | Home attendance  | %± | Per game

|
|
|
|
|

New York Yankees[8] | 91  | 31.9%  | 1,027,675  | 47.4%  | 13,702
Chicago Cubs[9] | 82  | 20.6%  | 885,063  | 42.2%  | 11,347
Pittsburgh Pirates[10] | 84  | −11.6%  | 798,542  | −0.7%  | 10,108
Philadelphia Athletics[11] | 83  | −5.7%  | 714,508  | −17.8%  | 10,063
Detroit Tigers[12] | 79  | −2.5%  | 711,914  | −13.3%  | 8,789
Chicago White Sox[13] | 81  | 2.5%  | 710,339  | −14.6%  | 8,992
New York Giants[14] | 74  | −14.0%  | 700,362  | −10.1%  | 9,215
Cincinnati Reds[15] | 87  | 8.8%  | 672,987  | 44.8%  | 8,740
St. Louis Cardinals[16] | 89  | 15.6%  | 668,428  | 65.1%  | 8,461
Brooklyn Robins[17] | 71  | 4.4%  | 650,819  | −1.3%  | 8,563
Cleveland Indians[18] | 88  | 25.7%  | 627,426  | 49.7%  | 7,843
Washington Senators[19] | 81  | −15.6%  | 551,580  | −32.5%  | 7,454
Boston Braves[20] | 66  | −5.7%  | 303,598  | −3.2%  | 3,943
Boston Red Sox[21] | 46  | −2.1%  | 285,155  | 6.5%  | 3,703
St. Louis Browns[22] | 62  | −24.4%  | 283,986  | −38.7%  | 3,595
Philadelphia Phillies[23] | 58  | −14.7%  | 240,600  | −21.1%  | 3,166

## Notable events

[edit]

* August 26 – Dutch Levsen of the Cleveland Indians becomes the last pitcher to win both games of a doubleheader, hurling two 9 inning games back to back, winning 6–1 and 5–1.[24][25] Levsen is also the last pitcher to throw two nine-inning complete games on the same day.[25]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Gonzalez, Aimee. "1925 Winter Meetings: Different Script, Same Cast – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved April 1, 2025.
2. ^ a b "MLB Rule Changes | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
3. ^ "1926 Major League Managers". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
4. ^ "1926 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
5. ^ "1926 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
6. ^ "1926 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
7. ^ "1926 National League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
8. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
9. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
10. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
11. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
12. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
13. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
14. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
15. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
16. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
17. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
18. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
19. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
20. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
21. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
22. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
23. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
24. ^ World's Strangest Baseball stories. Watermill Press. 1993. p. 72\. ISBN 0-8167-2850X.
25. ^ a b Preston, JG (September 13, 2009). "A thorough account of pitchers who have started both games of a doubleheader in the major leagues". prestonjg.wordpress.com. Retrieved September 15, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* 1926 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference

* v
* t
* e

1926 MLB season by team

Major League Baseball|

| American League|

* Boston
* Chicago
* Cleveland
* Detroit
* New York
* Philadelphia
* St. Louis
* Washington

|

National League|

* Boston
* Brooklyn
* Chicago
* Cincinnati
* New York
* Philadelphia
* Pittsburgh
* St. Louis

Negro National League|

* Chicago
* Cleveland
* Cuban Stars (West)
* Dayton
* Detroit
* Indianapolis
* Kansas City
* St. Louis

Eastern Colored League|

* Atlantic City
* Baltimore
* Brooklyn
* Cuban Stars (East)
* Harrisburg
* Hilldale
* New York
* Newark

* 1926 World Series
* 1926 Colored World Series

* v
* t
* e

Major League Baseball seasons

Pre-modern era|

| Beginnings|

* 1876
* 1877
* 1878
* 1879
* 1880
* 1881

|

Competition|

* 1882
* 1883
* 1884
* 1885
* 1886
* 1887
* 1888
* 1889
* 1890
* 1891

NL monopoly|

* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900

Modern era|

| Dead-ball era|

* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920

|

Live-ball era|

* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941

World War II|

* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945

Post-war and integration|

* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960

First expansion|

* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968

Birth of division play|

* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993

Wild Card begins and the Steroid era|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011

Wild Card expansion|

* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022

Pitch clock era|

* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

See also|

* Major League Baseball schedule
* Major League Baseball

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[%±]: Percent change
*[Per game]: Average home attendance per game