The 1920 Major League Baseball season is remembered for several singular events, including the advent of the live-ball era punctuated by Babe Ruth shattering the single season home run record with 54, the tragic beaning and death of Ray Chapman that helped advance the development of batting helmets and outlaw the spitball, fallout from the 1919 Black Sox Scandal that resulted in the hiring of Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis as baseball’s first commissioner, the organization of the first successful Negro League, and a World Series that included a triple play and the first grand slam in postseason play.
Another event of 1920, of lesser importance to the development of the game but nonetheless intriguing, was the playing of a triple-header between the Reds and Pirates at the end of the regular season. This was the third (and last) triple-header ever played in the major leagues, and the only one played after the 19th century.
Two Triple-headers Played in the 19th Century
Entering play on September 1, 1890 the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (today’s Los Angeles Dodgers) had the best record of any of the eight National League teams. With a record of 71-36, they held a three game lead over the second place Boston Beaneaters (today’s Atlanta Braves) and an astounding 52.5 advantage over the lowly last place Pittsburgh Innocents (today’s Pirates), who had an anemic record of 19-89.
On that day, the first and last place teams met at Brooklyn’s Washington Park II in the first-ever triple-header in major league history. As might be expected, Brooklyn won all three games, by scores of 10-9, 3-2, and 8-4. The Bridegrooms would go onto to finish the season in first place with a record of 86-43, 66.5 games ahead of the 23-113 Innocents.
Six years later, on September 7, 1896, the Baltimore Orioles (a team that was disbanded in 1899; they are no relation to today’s Baltimore Orioles) met the Louisville Colonels (disbanded in 1899) in the major league’s second triple-header. These contests again featured the National League’s best team (Orioles) sweeping the last place team (Colonels), this time by scores of 4-3, 9-8 and 12-1.
Baltimore went on to finish in first place with a record of 90-39 while the Colonels finished in last, 48 games behind with a record of 38-93.
Reds and Pirates Battle for Third Place in 1920
Nearly a quarter century later, the Brooklyn Robins (today’s Dodgers) had wrapped up the 1920 National League pennant by the end of September. However, several other teams still had something to play for, as the top three teams all received bonuses, important in a time when salaries were relatively limited.
On October 1st, with only a few days left in the season, the Giants had secured second place but third was still undecided, with the Reds holding a 3.5 game lead over the Pirates with four to play. As it turns out, the Reds were scheduled to play the Pirates at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field but their games, like many others around the league, were rained out on September 30th and August 1st.
Many of the league’s washed-out games were simply canceled, but since the Pirates still had a chance to finish third, they desperately wanted to make up the games. However, with the season drawing to a close, there was little time to reschedule them so owner Barney Dreyfuss petitioned National League president John Heydler to play a triple header on the 2nd.
Heydler agreed and the games were set to kick off at noon. The Reds only had to win one of them to clinch third place, and they did this in quick fashion, pounding out 18 hits en route to a 13-4 win in the first game.
With third place decided, the last two games were meaningless and so the teams changed up their normal lineups. For instance, the Reds put several of their pitchers into the games, playing various infield and outfield positions, and catcher Ivy Wingo was positioned at second base.
The Reds won the second game, 7-3 in a game lasting only 1:56 (the first game, despite all the offensive activity, lasted just 2:03.) The third game, won by the Pirates, 6-0, was even shorter; it was called in the 6th inning due to darkness after 1:01.
For the day, three players for the Pirates and two for the Reds played in all three games. One of them, rookie Clyde Barnhart, had been called up to the majors only 10 days earlier. Playing at third base in all three games, he got a hit in each contest, making him the only player in modern baseball history with a hit in three games in one day.
Due to modern scheduling patterns and collective bargaining agreements, future triple headers are highly unlikely, and the 1920 game will forever stand as a footnote in the rich history of baseball.
Sources
The New York Times newspaper, October 2, 1920 and October 3, 1920 editions.
Retrosheet websites for September 1, 1890, September 7, 1896, and October 2, 1920.
Kevin Schindler - I have worked at scientific institutions for more than 20 years written more than 200 articles about science, history, and baseball.
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