Roy Mahaffey beat the 1933 Washington Senators for the 2nd time. Lou Finney turned a close game into a blowout, as the 1931 Philadelphia Athletics topped Washington 9-3 to force Game 5 in the American League Championship. It was a few weeks ago when Mahaffey allowed just 1 run in 6 1/3 inning against Washington in his 1st start of the Tournament. This time he allowed 8 hits and 3 runs in 8 innings. Washington got on the board with a run in the 1st, but Philadelphia got it back and more when Bing Miller drove in a run and then gave the Athletics the lead on a botched pickoff throw by Lefty Stewart. Buddy Myer hit a 2-run single to give the Senators back the lead in the 5th. In the 7th, Jimmy Dykes doubled in the tying run and scored on a sacrifice fly by Eric McNair. But in the 9th, facing reliever Jack Russell, the Athletics put the game away. A Joe Cronin error loaded the bases, and Finney tripled them all home, giving Philadelphia the lead and eventual win. It was the 1st hit of the game for Finney, who has been filling in for the injured Al Simmons. The series will head back to Philadelphia for a do-or-die game for Washington. If the Senators win, they’ll force a best-of-7 series to determine the AL Championship. Joe Cronin was 4 for 4 with 2 doubles in the losing effort.

’31 Athletics @ ’33 Senators – 10/3/23

Facing elimination, the 1931 St. Louis Cardinals turned to Syl Johnson, and he delivered. Johnson held the 1935 Chicago Cubs to just one run on 6 hits, nearly matching the shutout he pitched against the Cubs a few weeks ago. The Cardinals offense did the rest, hitting 9 doubles. Cubs starter Charlie Root allowed 6 runs on 11 hits in just 7 innings. Jim Bottomley was 3 for 4 with 3 doubles, and Chick Hafey was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI to improve his average to .420 to lead the National League. The 7-1 win forces Game 5 in the series. If the Cardinals win at Wrigley Field, they’ll send the NL Championship to a best-of-7 series. If they lose, it’ll be the end of the road for St. Louis and Chicago will advance to the Best of the 1930s World Series.

’35 Cubs @ ’31 Cardinals – 10/3/23

The 1935 Chicago Cubs only hit two balls out of the infield in the 1st 6 innings facing St. Louis’ Paul Derringer, but as Derringer tired, Chicago took advantage, scoring 6 runs in the 7th and 8th to pull ahead and top the 1931 St. Louis Cardinals 6-3. The Cardinals had gotten on the board first, breaking a scoreless tie in the 6th with a 2-out RBI double from Jim Bottomley, and a Chick Hafey 2-run home run. Stan Hack finally broke through in the 7th against Derringer with an RBI single. Frankie Frisch bobbled a grounder to extend the inning and allow the Cubs to get another run back. In the 8th, Augie Galan led off with a triple, and Billy Herman drove him in to tie things up. Chuck Klein, hitting less than .200 this Tournament, connected on the next pitch from Derringer for a 2-run homer to put Chicago in front. Larry French went the distance, allowing 11 hits and 3 runs in 9 innings to improve to 2-0. It was the 1st loss for Derringer. The Cubs are now just one win away from the National League Championship and a trip to the Best of the 1930s World Series.

’35 Cubs @ ’31 Cardinals – 10/2/23

Down 2-1 against the Philadelphia Athletics in the 8th inning with 2 outs and 2 runners on, Washington Senator’s first-baseman Joe Kuhel came through, hitting a double into the corner to score the go-ahead run off George Earnshaw. It was only Earnshaw’s 5th hit allowed in what turned out to be a pitcher’s duel. Monte Weaver improved to 3-0 in the Tournament, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits in his complete game victory. There was some drama in the 4th inning when Mickey Cochrane led off with an apparent double, but was called out on appeal for missing first base. Cochrane was ejected for arguing the call. Lou Finney went 1 for 4 in place of the injured Al Simmons. Simmons isn’t expected to rejoin the Athletics for a few more days. Washington is now a win away from forcing a best-of-7 series to determine the American League champion.

’31 Athletics @ ’33 Senators – 10/2/23

Mule Haas came in clutch as the 1931 Philadelphia Athletics overcame a 6-2 deficit to beat the 1933 Washington Senators, tying the series 1-1 as the teams head to Washington. Buddy Myer led off the game with a home run off Rube Wahlberg, and the Senators added two more runs in the 1st. Washington added 2 more runs in the 3rd and chased Wahlberg with another in the 5th to take a 6-2 lead. But Mickey Cochrane and Jimmie Foxx each hit 2-run homers for Philadelphia to keep the game close. In the 6th with 2 out, General Crowder walked the next three batters he faced, and Haas followed with a triple as the Athletics took the lead. After a costly error in the 9th by Foxx, Cliff Bolton singled in the tying run for Washington, and the game went to extra innings again. Washington won in 10 innings the day before, but had worse luck this time. Alex McColl allowed a 2-out base hit by Lou Finney that scored the winning run, and the Athletics won it 8-7. Finney was starting in place of Al Simmons who pulled a hamstring in yesterday’s game. Bolton was 4 for 5 and drove in 3 runs for Washington.

’33 Senators @ ’31 Athletics – 9/30/23

Chick Hafey had two key hits and drove in 3 runs as the 1931 St. Louis Cardinals held off the 1935 Chicago Cubs to even their series at one game each. The Cubs took advantage of a wild Bill Hallahan, who walked 8, to score runs in the 2nd and 3rd. Hafey responded with a 2-run single in the 4th to tie things up. The Cubs pulled ahead again in the 5th thanks to the 2nd unearned run of the day, but Hafey once again tied the score, this time with a solo home run in the 6th. Augie Galan had an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to give the Cubs back the lead, but the Cardinals responded again. Frankie Frisch hit an RBI double in the 7th to tie it up. Charlie Gelbert’s sacrifice fly in the 8th gave them the lead for good. The Cubs loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th thanks to two more Hallahan walks, but Jim Lindsey got Phil Cavaretta to ground out to end the game and give the Cardinals a 5-4 win. Lon Warneke allowed 5 runs on 14 hits for the Cubs, falling to 1-2 in the Tournament. Hallahan walked 8, but allowed just 7 hits in 8 2/3 innings. The series now heads to St. Louis.

’31 Cardinals @ ’35 Cubs – 9/30/23

Bill Lee allowed just 2 hits, but walked 5 in 8 innings as the 1935 Chicago Cubs topped the 1931 St. Louis Cardinals 4-1, taking Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. The lone Cardinals run came in the 1st inning when a Billy Herman error and a wild pitch led to a groundout RBI. Cardinals starter Burleigh Grimes allowed back-to-back RBI base hits in the 7th to break a 1-1 tie. The Cubs added an insurance run in the 8th. Lee is now 3-1 in the Tournament. Augie Galan was 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and an RBI leading off for the Cubs.

’31 Cardinals @ ’35 Cubs – 9/29/23

Earl Whitehill and Lefty Grove fought to a 0-0 tie through 9 innings before Washington won 3-2 in a crazy 10th. The Senators nearly scored in the 3rd, but a drawn-in infield thew out Buddy Myer at the plate to keep the game scoreless. In the 10th, Grove allowed singles to Heinie Manush and Joe Cronin to put runners on the corners with one out, but once again, gunned down Manush at the plate to stop the run. But this time Joe Kuhel followed with an RBI double to give Washington a lead. Cliff Bolton followed with a 2-run single off Eddie Rommel to make the lead 3-0. Jack Russell came in to relieve Whitehill in the bottom of the 10th when Philadelphia showed some life of their own. Max Bishop lead off with a single, and two batters later Mickey Cochrane hit a 2-run home run to cut the lead to 3-2. Jimmie Foxx doubled with 2 outs to bring up Bing Miller. Miller took the next pitch deep, but Bing Miller made a catch at the wall to save the game for the Senators, as they took Game 1 of the series 3-2. Cochrane was 4 for 5 to push his average over .400 for the Tournament. Grove had another great start, but fell to 1-3. It was Russell’s 5th save.

’33 Senators @ ’31 Athletics – 9/29/23