TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Hall of Famer, 1917 World Champion and 2 time ERA Champion Red Faber was born on September 6, 1888 in Cascade, IA.

Faber was a steady, even-tempered spitballer whose long life in the second division probably kept him from the select 300-win club, or possibly his late debut at age 25. With Chicago's lineup decimated by the loss of the Black Sox stars, Faber endured 13 seasons in or below fifth place, and only three at .500 or above. His lifetime winning percentage of .545 was achieved mostly with teams below .500.

Faber acquired his spitter in 1911, after a sore arm ruined early tryouts with the Pirates. Sold to Des Moines (Western League), he had two sterling seasons, and was purchased by the White Sox for $3,500. The Sox and Giants scheduled a world tour after the 1913 season. Faber, who had not yet pitched an inning of major league ball, was loaned to the Giants when Christy Mathewson declined to take the trip. Faber won four exhibitions against his future teammates, after his performance John Mcgraw tried to pry him away from the White Sox but they would not trade him away. He made his debut in 1914 and became a main stay with the White Sox beganing his 20-year, one-team career in 1914.

He was the pitching star of the 1917 Series win over the Giants, and probably would have won the World Series MVP award had it been given at the time. He threw a complete game victory in Game 2 and lost when the Sox were shut out in Game 4. He came on in relief on just one day of rest in Game 5, threw two scoreless innings, and was credited with the victory. He topped it off by pitching a series-clinching complete game victory in Game 6, again on just one day's rest. It wasn't all good, he is also famous for a baserunning blunder in Game 2, when he tried to steal third base even though it was already occupied by teammate Buck Weaver.

He missed most of 1918 to Military service in the Navy, and returned to help win the 1919 pennant with 11 victories. He was on the bench for the scandalous Series, however, with recurring arm trouble and the flu (the notorious Spanish Flu which killed millions around the globe). Faber's unavailability may have indirectly contributed to the Black Sox Scandal. Without Faber, White Sox manager Kid Gleason had little choice but to leave conspirators Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams in his starting rotation even after he suspected them of throwing games. Had Faber been healthy, Gleason could have shifted to a rotation of Faber, rookie Dickie Kerr, and one of the conspirators (or even a two-man rotation of Faber and Kerr) as a way of minimizing the Black Sox's ability to throw games.

Faber's peak years were 1921 and 1922, when he won 25 and 21 games while the Sox were finishing seventh and fifth. He led the league in ERA and complete games both years. From 1914 through 1923, he had ten consecutive winning seasons.

But he was not overpowering. His 1,471 strikeouts are far down the all-time list, yet he always claimed success against Ruth and Cobb. Like many spitballers, he threw the spitter sparingly, for contrast, and with a variety of motions. Always poised, the excellent control pitcher became increasingly sager. In his 4,087 innings, he allowed only 110 HR (one every 37 innings), and hit only 104 batters (one every 39).

His oddest statistical feats came as a batter. A .134 switch hitter, in 1915 he walked seven times in a row. Twice, he made the most of his rare on-base appearances by stealing home.

Faber served several seasons as a White Sox coach. Inducted into the Hall of Fame as Player in 1964. (Voted by Veterans Committee).

Listen to his interview below

Todays Podcast

September 6, 1912 — In a game that purposely matches the superstars, Boston hurler Smokey Joe Wood bests Senators’ legend Walter Johnson, 1-0, for his 30th (14th consecutive) victory in a season in which he will win 34. The Red Sox’ only run is a result of back-to-back doubles by Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis; the first two-bagger should have been an easy fly out, but the ball lands into an area cordoned off by a rope to section off the overflow Fenway Park crowd.

September 6, 1943 — Carl Scheib became the youngest player to appear in an American League game when he tosses two-thirds of an inning in the A’s 11-4 loss to New York, giving up two hits and an earned run in the ninth inning of the Shibe Park contest. He was 16 years and eight months. He was a good-hitting right-hander will post a 45-65 win-loss record, along with a .250 batting average during his 11 seasons in the major leagues.

September 6, 1948 — The Boston Braves increase their lead to 4 games as Warren Spahn lasts 14 innings to beat Da Bums‚ 2 – 1. Spahn twice picks off Jackie Robinson in his 5-hitter. In the 7-inning nitecap‚ Johnny Sain wins‚ 4 – 0. Bill Salkeldand Mike McCormick bat out of turn 3 times in game 2 and not till the latter’s single in the 5th is the irregularity noticed. The umps then rule he’s out of turn and he loses his hit; Salkeld’s two earlier hits stand. The crowd of 40‚000 pushes the Braves attendance over the 1.3 million mark‚ a new high. Spahn and Sain will start 11 of the next 16 games.

September 6, 1953 — The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Giants, 6 – 3, but lose Carl Furillo‚ the National League’s leading hitter at .344‚ for the rest of the regular season. Furillo is hit on the wrist by a Ruben Gomez pitch in the 2nd and is restrained from charging the mound. after hearing Giants manager Leo Durocher yelling “stick it in his ear”.

September 6, 1962 — Commissioner Ford Frick announces that any transfer of Bo Belinsky to the Athletics as part of the Dan Osinski deal will be voided due to a technicality in the rules.

September 6, 1963, the Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators play the 100,000th game in major league history, according to Hall of Fame historian Lee Allen. Bennie Daniels pitches the Senators to a 7-2 victory over the Indians.

September 6, 1976 Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager is seriously injured when the jagged end of teammate Bill Russell’s broken bat strikes him in the throat while he is waiting in the on-deck circle. He had nine pieces of wood taken out of his neck during a 98 minute surgery. Yeager later invented a throat protector that hangs from every catcher's mask today.

September 6, 1977 The Angels acquire slugger Dave Kingman from San Diego for cash consideration. Nine days later, the Yankees will buy Kingman, making him the first player to wear four uniforms in four divisions in the same year. Kingman, who started the season with the Mets, will hit twenty-six home runs to set the mark for the most by a player with more than two teams.

Here is a previous email on Kingman

September 6, 1995 - Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive Major League game to surpass Lou Gehrig's 56-year record. When the game becomes official in the middle of the fifth inning, Ripken takes a victory lap around Camden Yards during the 22-minute standing ovation from the sell-out crowd. Ripken went 2 for 4, including a home run, in Baltimore's 4 - 2 win over California.

Here is an email we did on the streak

September 6, 2001 During the Diamondbacks – Giants game, Barry Bonds becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 60 home runs in a season. He joins Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Bonds, the oldest to join this elite group, reaches the historic plateau the quickest, needing only 141 games to reach the milestone.

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