1922 New York Giants: Getting Hits

1922 New York Giants: Getting Hits

1922 New York Giants: Getting Hits

The New York Giants were known for grinding out hits in the 1920’s, and they got plenty of timely hitting in the 1922 regular season. The Giants went 93-61 in 1922, finishing 7 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and 8 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the National League pennant. In head-to-head play the Giants took care of all 3 National League rivals as they went 12-10 against the Reds, 13-9 against the Cardinals and 11-11 against the Pirates. The Giants went 51-27 at home and 42-34 on the road.

Catcher Frank Snyder batted .343 with 5 home runs, 109 hits, 21 doubles and 5 triples. Right fielder Ross Youngs batted .331 with 7 home runs and 86 RBI’s off 185 hits, 34 doubles, 10 triples and 17 stolen bases. Left fielder Emil “Irish” Meusel batted .331 with 16 home runs and 132 RBI’s off 204 hits, 18 doubles, 17 triples and 12 stolen bases. Center fielder Casey Stengel batted .368 with 7 home runs, 92 hits and 10 triples in 84 games.

First baseman George “High Pockets” Kelly batted .328 with 17 home runs and 107 RBI’s off 194 hits, 33 doubles, 8 triples and 12 stolen bases. Second baseman Frankie Frisch batted .327 with 5 home runs, 168 hits, 16 doubles, 13 triples and 31 stolen bases. Shortstop Dave Bancroft batted .321 with 209 hits, 41 doubles and 16 stolen bases. Third baseman Henry “Heinie” Groh had 113 hits and 21 doubles. Backup catcher Earl Smith bated .278 with 9 home runs and 11 doubles in 90 games.

The pitching staff for the Giants was very solid. Starting pitcher Art Nehf went 19-13 with a 3.29 ERA and recorded 20 complete games and 2 shutouts. Jesse Barnes went 13-8 with a 3.51 ERA and recorded 15 complete games and 2 shutouts. Phil Douglas went 11-4 with a 2.63 ERA and recorded 9 complete games and 1 shutout. Hugh McQuillan went 6-5 with a 3.82 ERA and recorded 6 complete games. Jack Scott went 8-2 and recorded 5 complete games. Wilfred “Rosy” Ryan went 17-12 with a 3.01 ERA and recorded 12 complete games and 1 shutout.

Relief pitcher Claude Jonnard went 6-1 with a 3.84 ERA and 4 saves. Red Causey went 4-3 with a 3.18 ERA and 1 save. Virgil Barnes went 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA and 2 saves.

The New York Giants would play the American League Champion New York Yankees in the 1922 World Series, and the unique part of this World Series was that both the Giants and the Yankees called the Polo Grounds home for the 1922 since the original Yankee Stadium was still being built. For each game the teams would alternate who would get to be the home team.

In Game 1 on October 4 the Giants won 3-2. In the top of the 6th inning, legendary right fielder Babe Ruth had an RBI single for the Yankees, and in the top of the 7th second baseman Aaron Ward had a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the 8th Irish Meusel had a 2-run single, and then Ross Youngs followed with a sacrifice fly.

Game 2 on October 5 proved to be the most interesting and most controversial game of the Fall Classic. The game ended in a 3-3 tie as the umpiring crew would call the game due to darkness. However, there was reportedly still enough sunlight for the Giants and the Yankees to play a few more innings. The speculation was that both teams allowed the tie so that they could take in the money made from the tickets at the gates. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis was furious about Game 2 being declared a tie, and this would be the final tie game in the history of the World Series.

Irish Meusel walloped a 3-run home run in the top of the 1st inning for the Giants, and then the Yankees fought back with an RBI single by first baseman Wally Pipp in the bottom of the 1st, a solo home run by Ward in the bottom of the 4th, and an RBI double by left fielder Bob Meusel, the brother of Irish, in the bottom of the 8th.

The Giants then blanked the Yankees 3-0 in Game 3 on October 6. Jack Scott pitched a complete game, giving up 4 hits and 1 walk, but recorded 2 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 3rd inning Frankie Frisch had a sacrifice fly, and then Irish Meusel followed with an RBI single. Frisch then an had an RBI single in the bottom of the 7th.

In Game 4 on October 7 the Giants won 4-3. The Yankees got on the board first with RBI singles by Wally Pipp and Bob Meusel in the bottom of the 1st inning, but then the Giants took over in the top of the 5th with a 2-run single by Dave Bancroft, an RBI ground-out by Irish Meusel, and an RBI single by Ross Youngs. Aaron Ward’s solo home run in the bottom of the 7th wasn’t enough for the Yankees.

In Game 5 on October 8 the Giants beat the Yankees 5-3 to win their 5th World Series championship in franchise history. Pipp had an RBI single in the top of the 1st inning, and in the bottom of the 2nd center fielder Bill Cunningham had a 2-run single for the Giants. Pitcher “Bullet” Joe Bush had an RBI single in the top of the 5th, and in the top of the 7th Yankees shortstop Everett Scott had a sacrifice fly. The Giants claimed victory in the bottom of the 8th when George Kelly had a 2-run single, and pinch hitting center fielder Lee King had an RBI single.

Top performers for the Giants in the 1922 World Series included Henry Groh who batted .474 with 9 hits and 1 triple, and Frankie Frisch who batted .471 with 8 hits and 1 double. Irish Meusel had 5 hits and 7 RBI’s.