26 Innings of Baseball: Nobody Won.
May 1, 1920. In the city of Boston, the police were uneasy in the murky morning mist. Between intermittent showers, they stood with shoulders hunched against the chilly air as they trudged out in extra details, alert to the morning headlines, “Guard against Bolshevik uprisings…
May 1, 1920. In the city of Boston, the police were uneasy in the murky morning mist. Between intermittent showers, they stood with shoulders hunched against the chilly air as they trudged out in extra details, alert to the morning headlines, “Guard against Bolshevik uprisings here. As it turned out, the only battle that day took place at the local ball field as the Bostons, and the Brooklyns battled for 26 innings and ended up tied. It still stands as the longest game in major league history.
On the mound, that day for Uncle Robbie’s Brooklyn team was Leon Cadore. The 28-year-old Cadore was in his 4th full season in the big leagues. He would post a 15-14 mark that year, helping Brooklyn win the NL pennant. His mound opponent was Joe Oeschger. Always described as jovial, Oeschger was in the beginning of what for him, was a resurgent season. He had finished 4-4 in 1919, playing for three teams, the Phils, Giants, and then Boston. He and Cadore had met 10 days earlier, and Cadore outlasted him, 1-0 in 11 innings. Brooklyn was led by their star outfielder, Zack Wheat. Manager George Stalling’s team was not nearly that talented. They would finish in 7th place in the NL that year with a 60-92-1 record.
It was drizzling when the umpire, Bill McCormick, yelled, “Play ball”. Ivy Olsen, the Robins leadoff hitter, stepped into the box. But the rain stopped abruptly after the first inning, and the crowd settled in to watch the game. Three more scoreless innings would pass. In the fifth inning, Brooklyn’s catcher, Ernie Krueger, worked a walk. Cadore then bounced one back to Oeschger, but he had the ball pop out of his hand, and his only play was to first. Krueger then scored when Olsen singled over Rabbit Maranville’s head.
In the sixth, Boston’s right fielder, Wally Cruise, tripled off of the fence in right-center field. Holke then hit a ball over third base that looked like a hit, but Wheat came flying in and made a shoestring catch and almost doubled Cruise off at third. But then Tony Boeckel lined a single to center, scoring Cruise. The score was tied 1-1.
It was cold and damp, and there was the wind blowing in from the Charles River just beyond center field. It cut down balls that could have been hits, into harmless outs. The crowd huddled together in the cold as the double string of zeros continued to grow. Both of the pitchers were very careful since they knew one mistake could cost them the win.
The harder the players tried to get hits, the easier it was for the pitchers to get them out. In the ninth, however, Boston loaded the bases with two outs. Maranville was on third. Charley Pick hit a hard grounder that Olsen pounced on; he tried to tag Ray Powell but missed, then he threw to first just in time to get Pick. Meanwhile, Maranville crossed the plate, but umpire Eugene Hart ruled that Powell had run out of the baseline, so the run was invalid.
The zeros kept piling up until in the 17th inning, when a New York Times reporter noticed that the zeros were extending beyond the scoreboard. Brooklyn finally got to Oeschger in the 17th and had the bases loaded with one out. Wheat was on third. Elliott hit a grounder back to the pitcher, who threw to C Hank Gowdy for the force. Gowdy’s throw to first went wild, and Holke barely knocked it down. Ed Konetchy tried to score from second. Holke threw to Gowdy, who threw himself across the plate, meeting Konetchy’s spikes with his bare hand.
The zeros kept piling up. When they hit the 23rd inning, they broke the NL record. When they hit 25, they broke the Major League record. When the 26th inning was done, Umpire Bill McCormick surveyed the darkening skies. Ivy Olsen, guessing his intent, ran up to him and spoke, ” Wait one more inning! I want to tell my grandchildren I played the equivalent of three nine-inning games in one day.” “Not without a miner’s lamp.” snapped McCormick. He raised his hands, calling the game because of darkness.
The line score read Brooklyn 1-9-2 Boston 1-15-2. Only two Brooklyn hitters had more than one hit, Wheat, and 3B, Jimmie Johnston. They had no extra-base hits. Boston had a couple of doubles and a triple. The entire game took 3 hours and 50 minutes and was played before 4500 intrepid fans. The Robins left Boston the next day on a train. They then lost a 13-inning game to the Phillies that afternoon. Monday, they were back in Boston, where they lost in 19 innings. In 58 hours, they lost two and had a tie. The game would be finished later in the season, with the Braves getting the win. But Brooklyn went to the World Series, so that had to be some consolation. Oeschger would continue his resurgence the next season, winning 20 games. But he never won in double figures after 1921. He finished his career with Brooklyn in 1925, going 1-2 for a career mark of 82-116. Leon Cadore pitched until 1924, finishing his career with the Giants. He won 13 in 1922 but also never reached double figures again. He finished with a career 68-72 record.
26 innings of baseball. The longest MLB game ever in terms of innings played. There have been games time-wise in the modern era that are much longer. In 1974, the Cardinals and Mets played 25 innings, with the Cards getting the win. In 1984, the White Sox and Brewers also played 25, with the Sox prevailing. That game took 8 hours and 6 minutes. The Cards-Mets tiff took seven hours 23 minutes. The longest 9-inning game timewise was a Yankee win at Boston in 2006, which took four hours 45 minutes. NL record is four hours 30 minutes by the D-Backs and Rockies in 2016 and the Phils and Pirates in 2018.
Both the Brooklyn Dodgers and the L.A. version have 22-inning wins. Brooklyn beat the Pirates 6-5 in Brooklyn in 1917, and LA beat Montreal 1-0 in Montreal in 1989.
Keith Law’s Top 60
See what I have been telling you?
- Bobby Miller has #1 potential
- Gavin Stone – I told you so.
- Look how much Vargas jumped.
- Don’t count Pages out
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Discussion (265)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Gallo’s career line. .201/.301/.417 with 170 HR’s and 991 K’s in 8 seasons. He has never hit above .253 in his entire career. He did that in 2019. He has already struck out 106 times this season. just what they need, another whiff machine.
Cano is also available. Pretty big day for Preller. Can’t believe he got gif of Hosmer! I’d love to know what AF’s best offer was.
It’s been said that 3 other teams were interested in Gallo, Brewers, Padres and Rays. There must be SOMETHING of interest about Gallo.
Where does Beeter fall as a prospect for us ? afford to lose ? Thanks
History has shown that time and again AF pulls a Head scratcher out of the water and we’re all surprised with the successful results.
Maybe Friedman thought he was ordering a case of Gallo wines?
Maybe AF is playing a new game, Go Fish!
He stated many times AF is playing chess while we play checkers. In all actuality AF plays a much more involved game than chess could ever be and we can only play like we’re playing checkers
Gallo – UGHHHH !! Really !
Joey Gallo grew up
In Las Vegas so he’ll be coming home. He needs a reset and I think will do well for the Dodgers for not a lot of cost. Plays third, first and outfield. Pretty good move AF!
Gallo, Muncy and Bellinger. Misdemeanor Row!
I don’t remember how that sentence goes that Mark says: Some play chess while AF plays what? I don’t remember, but we all know that AF isn’t stupid, maybe it’s what he’s doing, playing chess while… Obviously Gallo isn’t the solution, simply because there’s nothing to solve, they brought him to LA for a reason… ..
Gallo for Beeter?
Soon to be 80, I have been around the block a few times! A Dodger fan since 1951, I still remember that year & the statement “The Giants is dead!”. Yes we have a big lead on SD, but there are still lots of games to be played. I don’t want to have to use that statement from the early 1950’s , “Wait til next year!”. Keep the prospects, play with what you’ve got.
I for one am very happy with the news coming down the pipe today.
Don’t want Soto and the money it would take to pay him…..so now we can give it to Tre Turner.
And I’m very excited to see all these hot prospects you guys have been touting and following can have their chance to wear Dodgers Blue. Especially glad not to trade any of our young pitchers plus James Outman.
For the record, I don’t worry about other teams…they have a right to improve too. Be glad there isn’t a salary cap like there is one for football or hockey. Congrats to the Padres and Yankees for making moves to improve their chances to make it to the big dance. I hope you both watch LA hoist the trophy high again though.
TM
Not sure if anyone asked, but the Trade Simulator was pretty good on the Soto deal too:
171 vs. 147.
Their editor chimed in:
UPDATED DEAL: Minor underpay by San Diego. This is more reasonable.
We’ve removed Hosmer temporarily because he hasn’t approved the deal from his side (he has a no-trade clause that includes the Nationals). If he is included, the Padres will cover the $39M he’s owed from 2023-25. Since we had Hosmer at -35, that’s a net positive addition of $4M to their package.
If he does not approve it, the deal will still go through without him, at which point the $4M net will be removed. Wouldn’t change the parameters of the deal substantially either way, from a value standpoint.
Personally, I still think it’s surprising the Nats thought this offer was the best one, but at least it’s reasonable now.
They may want to keep prospects, first because they’re so good and also because they’re so much cheaper, so they can continue to pay established stars millionaire salaries, and that could mean Trea will be a Dodger for several years.
Trea, Betts, Freeman, Smith and possibly Bellinger and Muncy recover at least a little of the level they have had, and Lux is getting better and better every day, this lineup will be much more powerful than others, which only have 3 or 4 strong players, only They would look for a LF or give Thompson a chance for more continuity, or Outman himself, and Taylor to return to his utility job.
I don’t know why, but I feel that many are worried, feeling as if SD were already champion today, come on, first they have to play the games, then qualify for the playoffs, then beat not only the Dodgers, but also the Mets, Braves, Cardinals, then to Houston, Yankees, that is, a single player to another team and many already feel defeated
How sad I am for those who already feel defeated, long before a single inning has been played tonight.
I love the Padres! Super fun.
Between their aggressiveness, and the Braves resigning of Riley and the corresponding moves. Both the Padres and Braves should be a example for other mid and small market teams about how to be well-run and aggressive.
The Angels, Reds, Pirates and White Sox should be ashamed.
And spare me the “what championships have they won” silliness. As Brisbee wrote:
The stands are full. The fans are invested. It’s the only sports team in a city of 1.4 million people, and it’s all everyone can talk about. They’ve become more exciting. Reducing sports to a binary championship-or-bust experience is missing so much.
One thing this tells me :
dodgers must be reall sky high on Cartaya, Miller , Vargas that they would not even include them in a potential trade for Soto. If you do not include them in a trade for Soto you will not include them for anybody else too. Exception maybe Ohtani .
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
J.D Martinez and maybe John Screiber would be more than fine, but I doubt Boston wants to trade Schreiber, if not, then Eovaldi? And voila, that’s all it takes!
They would definitely not cost high level prospects and could help a lot, experience and good numbers, nothing spectacular, but effective!
Eovaldi could be a good closer in the playoffs, at least more reliable than Kimbrel
Maybe I’m high (leftover from yesterday). Maybe I’m too positive, or being a homer.
But I think all we need is for 1 of Muncy or Belly to get hot the last 2 months and into Oct, and we will steamroll thru October. The rest of the lineup has gone crazy without those two helping out much.
Great write up Bear. Always enjoy your work.
* If the Soto to SD reports are true, I’m delighted. Just so it ain’t us!
now back to Dodger Baseball for now:
* Watching Freddie go the other way is a hitting clinic every day. Maybe the math still says it works but I can’t figure out why teams continue to shift the guy. I like Jessica’s report about how he takes BP. He never hits on the field where he could be enticed to get infatuated with hitting balls over the fence. Instead he works of the far less glamorous skill of hitting balls where he wants to; like grounders right at the make believe shortstop who isn’t there. Why does no one else learn that? Instead we’ll get rule changes. And I think BP on the field, the Old Fashion Way, is practically useless this day and age any way. But that’s a conversation for another time.
* Many years ago during my playing days, I had the great fortune to meet and watch a 60 year old man take BP. The Cardinals roving hitting instructor was Joe “Ducky” Medwick. Joe had won the MVP and Triple Crown with the Red Birds in 37 and was a Dodger in 1940. His story is interesting and something Bear might report on someday. Anyway, Ducky would occasionally get in the cage as a 60 year old and take some swings. He would hit 2 over third, 2 over short, second and first 2 gappers to each side. He hit line drives placed around the diamond and called it a deal after 12 swings. A piece of bat control art, it was. And it’s etched in my memory forever.
* I haven’t paid attention since he was a White Sox but Yermin Mercedes is a beast. Just a big man. He needs a bigger uni but he isn’t just a fat guy. He has some guns and thighs. I wouldn’t want to take him on in a football game.
* Nice to see Muncy run into one. While the results aren’t there yet, he’s swinging better.
* Despite the dinger to Flores, I thought Chris Martin looked okay. He sure is tall. He comes in with 6 reported pitches. If he sticks around long I bet he won’t have 6. More like 3. Pick the 3 best; One that goes left. One that goes right. And one that drops, stops or hops.
* Always nice to beat the Giants.
Hosmer not in deal – deal done
If you read how Keith Law ranked the TOP 4 Dodger Prospects (all 4 in the TOP 36), you should understand why AF doesn’t have to do anything.
The #1 or the #2 seed in playoffs?
As baseball will NOT reseed I really think its better to get the #2 seed in the NL.
Would you rather play Brewers Vs Cards winner or Braves vs SD winner???
As it stands right now the #2 seed will play winner of Brewers and the #6 seed; whoever that may be. The 1 Seed would play ATL or SD, as it stands today.
The key is obviously to get the first round bye but as it stands right now I’d take that #2 seed vs the #1. Of course getting HFA in the NLCS would be nice too.
We should have had it last year based on record. I do think Travel was a factor in that series as well as Scherzer being a wuss.
Just some food for thought…