1918 Major League Baseball season

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1918 MLB season
LeagueMajor League Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationApril 15 – September 11, 1918
Number of games154 (scheduled)
123–131 (actual)
Number of teams16
Pennant Winners
AL championsBoston Red Sox
  AL runners-upCleveland Indians
NL championsChicago Cubs
  NL runners-upNew York Giants
World Series
ChampionsBoston Red Sox
  Runners-upChicago Cubs
MLB seasons

The 1918 Major League Baseball season featured a reduced schedule due to American participation in World War I.[1] The American League and National League champions, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, respectively, met in the World Series, which was won by Boston in six games.

Shortened season[edit]

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.[2] Secretary of War Newton D. Baker granted an extension to MLB players through Labor Day, September 2.[3] In early August, MLB clubs decided that the regular season would end at that time.[4] 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 ties[5]—reduced from their original 154-game schedules. Later in August, Baker granted a further extension to allow for the World Series to be contested;[3] it began on September 5 and ended on September 11.[6] World War I would end two months later, with the Armistice of 11 November 1918.

Standings[edit]

Postseason[edit]

Bracket[edit]

World Series
   
AL Boston Red Sox 4
NL Chicago Cubs 2

Managers[edit]

League leaders[edit]

American League[edit]

National League[edit]

Home field attendance[edit]

Team name Wins Home attendance Per game
Chicago Cubs[7] 84 13.5% 337,256 -6.4% 4,558
Cleveland Indians[8] 73 -17.0% 295,515 -38.1% 4,766
New York Yankees[9] 60 -15.5% 282,047 -14.6% 4,210
New York Giants[10] 71 -27.6% 256,618 -48.7% 4,582
Boston Red Sox[11] 75 -16.7% 249,513 -35.7% 3,564
Pittsburgh Pirates[12] 65 27.5% 213,610 10.8% 3,009
Detroit Tigers[13] 55 -29.5% 203,719 -55.5% 3,512
Chicago White Sox[14] 57 -43.0% 195,081 -71.5% 3,484
Washington Senators[15] 72 -2.7% 182,122 103.1% 2,461
Philadelphia Athletics[16] 52 -5.5% 177,926 -19.6% 2,617
Cincinnati Reds[17] 68 -12.8% 163,009 -39.4% 2,296
Philadelphia Phillies[18] 55 -36.8% 122,266 -65.5% 2,145
St. Louis Browns[19] 58 1.8% 122,076 -42.0% 2,303
St. Louis Cardinals[20] 51 -37.8% 110,599 -61.7% 1,515
Boston Braves[21] 53 -26.4% 84,938 -51.3% 1,633
Brooklyn Robins[22] 57 -18.6% 83,831 -62.2% 1,552

Notable events[edit]

  • September 2 – In the last game of the season, against the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers centerfielder Ty Cobb fields at third base and also pitches, yielding three hits and one run in two innings.[23]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1918 All Work or Fight and No Play," This Great Game: The Online Book of Baseball. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  2. ^ Baker, Kendall; Tracy, Jeff (April 6, 2020). "Special report: War, fever and baseball in 1918". axios.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Verducci, Tom (June 22, 2020). "Love, Loss and Baseball: Letters From the Hub, Chapters VI - IX". SI.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  4. ^ "Cutting Down Baseball Season Favors Present Club Leaders for Final Honors". Star-Gazette. Elmira, New York. August 5, 1918. p. 8. Retrieved October 8, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "The 1918 Season". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  6. ^ "The 1918 Post-Season Games". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "Cleveland Guardians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  12. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  14. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  15. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  16. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  17. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  19. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  20. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  21. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  22. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Paschal, John (January 29, 2019). "Once Upon A Time: When Hall of Famers Go One-And-Done". tht.fangraphs.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.

External links[edit]