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Chicago Cubs - 1935
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At the beginning of the season, Woody injured his ankle and this caused his numbers to drop off considerably. He was also hampered by an injured thumb. The effects of these injuries cause Woody to play in only 34 game and his batting average dropped to .202. Billy Jurges and Freddie Lindstrom move into the starting lineup at short stop and thired base.
The Cubs made some additional changes to the team that was essential to them winning the National League Pennant. Phil Cavarretta sign on with the Cubs in September of 1934 so 1935 was actually his rookie season. He replaced the aging Charlie Grimm at first base and batted .275 with 162 hits and 82 RBI's. Augie Galan was in his second season and move from the infield to outfield because of his importance at the plate. Augie was the lead off hitter and batted .314 with 203 hits and also had 87 walks.
The Chicago Cubs won the National League Pennant with a record of 100 wins verses only 54 losses. They led the league averaging 5.5 runs per game and gave up only 3.88 runs per game.
Fielders:
Augie Galan, LF
Billy Herman, 2B
KiKi Cuyler, CF
Freddie Lindstrom, 3B
Chuck Klein, RF
Charlie Grimm, 1B
Gabby Hartnett, C
Billy Jurges, SS
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Starting Pitchers:
Bill Lee
Larry French
Tex Carleton
Roy Henshaw
Lon Warneke
Relievers:
Fabian Kowalik
Charlie Root
Hugh Casey
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What made this year most memorable was the fact that in order for the Cubs to win the pennant, they set a record of 21 straight victories jumping over the New York Giants and the Saint Louis Cardinals to win the National League Pennant. In September, during a 18 game home stand, they won every one. Their last five games was against the Cardinals and they needed only two wins to represent the National League in the World Series.
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The Cardinal had Dizzy and Paul Dean, both good pitchers, to lead off the series. Paul pitched a shut-out until Phil Cavarretta hit a home run and the Cubs won the first game, 1-0. Dizzy pitch the second game and the Cubs hit him pretty good and won the game along with the next that sealed the pennant. St. Louis won the last one but it didn't matter.
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The Detroit Tigers, who played in the 1934 World Series, won the American League Pennant. The series started in Detroit and Lon Warneke held the Tigers to no runs on four hits. The Cubs scored 2 runs in the first and added another in the ninth for a 3-0 victory. The game was not without controversy. The Cubs, known for their dugout jockeying, were relentless with snide remarks about Tiger's star, Hank Greenberg, who happened to be Jewish. At one point in the game, home plate umpire, George Moriarty, threatened that if he heard any more profanity, he would eject manager Grimm and the other four that was with him. After the game, Judge Landis, commissioner of baseball, call Greenburg in to hear what was said by the Cubs bench and Moriarty. But Greenberg, exhibiting dignity told Judge Landis he did not hear anything.
In the second game, the weather was extremely cold and aging Charlie Root pitching for the Cubs was not able to get warmed up and was knocked out in the first. The Tigers took a 4-0 lead into the the fourth inning and then added 3 more runs off of reliever, Roy Henshaw. The Cubs scored 1 in the fifth and 2 in the seventh but came on closer. Final score was Tigers, 8 and the Cubs 3. In the seventh inning, Tiger star Hank Greenberg broke this wrist sliding into home plate which was blocked be Gabby Hartnett. Greenberg would have the watch the rest of the series from the bench. In this game, Grimm acting as third base coach, received the verbal assault from the Tigers dugout. However, when he complained to Moriarty, he did nothing. Following the game, Judge Landis called in Grimm, Moriarty and several players to hear their account of the incident.
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The series moved to Chicago where the weather and fans were much more friendly. Starting pitcher for the Cubs was ace Bill Lee. Lee had the best regular season record for the Cubs at 20-6, with a very respectable 2.93 ERA. The Tigers countered with Eldon Auder, (18-7; 3.83 ERA). The Cubs struck first with 2 runs in the second inning and another in the fifth. The Tigers got their first run in the sixth inning off a triple by Pete Fox. In the bottom half of the sixth inning, umpire George Moriarty had had enought with the Cubs protesting his plate calling. He strolled over the the Cubs bench and ejected manager Charlie Grimm. In the next inning, he then sent Tuck Stainback, Billy Jurges and Woody to the dressing room.
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The Tigers added 4 more runs in the eighth and going into the ninth inning the Cubs trailed 5-3. But reliever, Schoolboy Rowe, could not hold the lead allowing three hits and a sacrifice fly to knot the score at 5-5. Unfortunately, the Cubs, without pinch-hitters, were unable to score any more. After a scoreless tenth inning, the Tigers scored a lone run on a two-out single by Jo-Jo White sending Billy Rogell home from second base. The Tigers take a 2-1 series lead. Judge Landis called in Moriarty, Grimm, Jurges, Herman and Woody for a 55 minute heated conference. Landis waited until after the series and fined each $200.
In the next game, the Cubs started the scoring with a home run by Gabby Hartnett in the second inning. But Augie Galan allowed a run to score in the third with an error, and Billy Jurges also had an error in the sixth scoring a run. Even though Cubs pitcher, Tex Charlon, did an excellent job on the mound, the Cubs hitters were held in check by Tigers' Alvin Crowder and the series favored Detroit 3-1.
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In the last game in Chicago, the Cubs called on Lon Warneke once again. Warneke beat the Tigers and pitcher, Schoolboy Rowe, in game one and he prevailed in this game. The Cubs scored first in the third inning when reserve Chuck Klein hit a home run scoring Billy Herman who had tripled before him. The Cubs added another in the seventh. The lone run scored by the Tigers in the ninth was not enough to prevent the series from going back to Detroit.
Going back to Detroit, trailing by one game, the Cubs knew they had quite a task before them. However, this was the closest the team had come to winning a championship since the 1918 series. Starting for the visitors was left-hander, Larry French. Larry had lost in relief in game three, but having only pitched one inning, he was obviously well rested. His regular season ERA was a respectable 2.96 with a 17-10 win/loss record. Detroit countered with Tommy Bridges, (21-10, 3.51 ERA.) The weather was like a mid July day, perfect for baseball.
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In the bottom half of the first, Detroit drew first blood on two singles by Micky Cochrane and Charlie Gehringer. Pete Fox brought Cochrane across the plate with a double. French buckled down and the Tigers got no more. In the third inning, the Cubs drew even with three singles by Jurges, French and Herman. Detroit again took a one run lead in the bottom half of the fourth with singles by Walker and Rogell and a RBI ground out by Bridges. The determined Cubs took the lead with a 2 run home run by Billy Herman in the fifth inning. In this back and forth battle, the Tigers tied the score in the sixth inning with a double by Billy Rogell and a single by Marv Owens. The score remained deadlocked at 3-3 until the bottom of the ninth.
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Stan Hack opened the top of the of the ninth with a triple to center. However, Bridges struck out Billy Jurges, followed by a ground out by pitcher Larry French. Augie Galen hit a soft fly to center to leave Hack stranded at third. The Tigers ended the contest with a two-out blooper to center field scoring Cochrane from second.
Once again, the Cubs chance at a World Series Championship was dashed
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