Speed, power, spitballs, and the greatness of 1920s baseball (Part I)

[@Dench999or911]

One thing I’ve grown to love about this sport is its respect for the game’s history. I’m British and here in the UK, references to football history prior to the 1990s is essentially non-existent in the mainstream media. Yet when I tune into a baseball broadcast, the commentators will reminisce about bygone eras. I know I appreciate it at least👏

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I haven't watched much cricket. Do commentators refer to 19th century players?

[@Dench999or911]

@@thebaseballprofessor Could not tell you as I do not watch cricket! It’s possible as the pace of the game is slower and allows for more discourse. Funnily enough, the Olympics is probably the one sport event over here that broadcasters frequently talk about history. One of the main reasons for football history being negated is the advent of Sky Sports. The unofficial motto of the broadcaster is “here and now”. They have ruled British sports since the 1990s and as they have limited rights to archival footage, they have seemingly decided to forget about it entirely. The phrase “football existed before 1992” is a reference to the pre-premier league era of English football. Another reason is possibly that the sport has changed so drastically, unlike baseball where statistics can be compared fairly reasonably. I still don’t think this is a good excuse to ignore history. I will add that international football tournaments like the World Cup and Euros do talk about history more. Sky do not have broadcast rights, they belong to the BBC and ITV

[@anonymousYTviewer69]

@@thebaseballprofessor shoeless joe tried telling that turd comiskey about the fix but was igmored. comiskey should have been [punished in some way. instead he gets a stadium named for him like a hero. thats F'd up!!!!!

[@thebaseballprofessor]

@@Dench999or911 It's true enough that the pace of baseball or cricket permits broadcasters to tell stories and remind views of the past while football is so dyanmic and moves faster. That said, I figured English broadcasters would discuss the game's history during pregame shows, especially since the world's first professional leagues developed in Britain. Amazing how much power media has to shape what is and isn't discussed.

[@deepcosmiclove]

That's because a good ballplayer in 1920 would be a good ballplayer in 2020. This is unlike other sports. Size & weight offer no inherent advantage in baseball.

[@big8dog887]

You briefly touched upon this, but it should be noted that this was the golden age of sports writing. (At least from a literary perspective, not necessarily hard journalism.) Since there was no television and very little radio, the newspaper writers had to give very vivid accounts of games to make them interesting. Guys like Ring Lardner, Grantland Rice, and Damon Runyon could take a simple game and turn it into an epic tale with larger-than-life heroes that people would read about, then clamor to go to the ballpark to see.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for the comment. I just read a few stories by Ring Lardner and Grantland Rice on newspapers.com. They're great.

[@lovedavantlamour301]

They also had the power to ruin players careers with a certain level of impunity , like Fred Merkle or shoeless Joe Jackson . Ted Williams may have been the first guy to stage an all out war against the writers and he held his ground throughout his entire career in uniform , even choosing to bring back his famous 15 minute ban on any media entering the clubhouse immediately after games as manager of the Senators , to the consternation of Washington paper writers who complained to Bob Short the same way the Boston press corps wailed to Tom Yawkey . In retrospect it seems silly that any group of people would feel that entitled over something so trivial

[@CrabbyOldLady]

@@lovedavantlamour301 The writers didn't ruin the career of Joe Jackson. Misplaced loyalty to his crooked teammates ruined Joe Jackson's career.

[@lovedavantlamour301]

@@CrabbyOldLady yea I don’t know about that , who hustles out triples in games they were supposed to be throwing ?

[@lovedavantlamour301]

@@CrabbyOldLady i will say that his easygoing down south naivety cost him dearly , I can’t imagine what it would feel like having that much cash dumped in the floor of my hotel room in the year 1919 , the fear of outright saying no to the kind of person capable of delivering that much money on behalf of someone like Arnold Rothstein would likely be paralyzing even for someone hardened by a lifetime in a big city , let alone someone like Joe who probably went back to the carolinas to work a regular job or perhaps as a clerk at the bar / general store he may have owned by then …

[@meisherenow]

My grandfather pitched for the Tigers in the early 20s. He claimed to have punched Ty Cobb when the latter asked him to do something unsportsmanlike. He'd get his old glove out when we played catch, and it really was just a glove, nothing like the giant, webbed Bob Gibson model I had.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Great story. Thanks

[@TR-yi8up]

My Dad was a pretty decent D1 college pitcher during the late 50’s/early 60’s. I still love following up every humble brag he makes about that time by noting that he pitching during the dead ball era. But the man also pitched against Satchel

[@brendanjobe6895]

My dad was the same: all-SEC/SEC champion Ole Miss Rebel pitcher in the late 1950's. Somehow or another, he also pitched against Satchel and Carl Erskine. He said Satchel could still throw the ball hard at the time.

[@LordJudgement1818]

I will always love deadball baseball but the 20s was popping

[@SADFORIAN]

Great video. That 20 minutes flew by. Thanks also for not including the usual crapping on Ty Cobb whenever he's mentioned that some historians feel obliged to do.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Ty Cobb was wrongly maligned by Al Stump' book and Hollywood's smear film Cobb. He was flawed but not the man Ken Burns' film history made him out to be. I want to do a video on reputations in baseball history. Amazing how the American public felt about Cobb in 1950 compared his reputation in 2000.

[@brandonguzman2757]

@@thebaseballprofessor - great idea, great stuff. I gave up on the "modern" game long ago. We need a channel like this to remind us what we've lost or ruined.

[@sanford943]

​@thebaseballprofessor did you read A Terrible Beauty

[@thebaseballprofessor]

@@sanford943 I did!

[@phixxxer11]

Yeah let's honor bigots like in the old days😂

[@jimc.goodfellas]

I love that time period of baseball...if i could go back in time, I'd want to go back to the 20s to a Yankees game, and even further back to see an Old Hoss Radbourn pitched game

[@phixxxer11]

No u wouldn't. 😂

[@Itriedtobe-wq9lj]

Baseball was, is and always shall be a contest of brains, strength , speed and skill.

[@risboturbide9396]

Well said!

[@Cruise-fx9bm]

So in other words: Athletic talent.

[@hollywoodjoe123]

100 years ago in the 1920s - the game of baseball was more in reality of what the game was intended to be - and it flowed smoother - no long period of time between pitches - no meetings at the mound - less pitching changes -MORE stolen bases - MORE bunts - MOREspeed on the bags - period - now a days it is an slow motion compared to 100+ years ago - period !

[@sammyweed4771]

Well spoken

[@fattyfatfat1988]

Another strike against modern baseball is the cost of going to a game. Paying billionaire owners several hundred dollars to take your family to a game to watch millionaires play takes some of the romanticism out of the whole experience. A beer at Dodger Stadium costs almost $20! Now there's your scandal!

[@thebaseballprofessor]

The business model in cities like NY and LA doesn't seem optimized for long term success. Fewer fans have the wherewithall to treat kids/nieces/nephews to a ballpark experience that creates emotional connections to franchise/stadium. And yes, $20 for one beer is wrong. It's corrupt. It's un-American. The commissioner of baseball should fine the Dodgers ownership group or banish their conccessions person. Congress needs to get involved and hold hearings. This aggression against fans will not stand, man!

[@tommyfu9271]

tickets for most games are extremely cheap. I go to a lot of Yankees games and some Mets games and for 90 percent of games it's very cheap to buy tickets on the secondary market. Most markets are a lot cheaper than NY. Now concession prices are outrageous but if someone can't go 3 hours without eating there's something seriously wrong.

[@jamesanthony5681]

You can always stay home and watch all 162 games of your local team. That's something you couldn't do 40 , 50 years ago in any sport.

[@tommyfu9271]

@@jamesanthony5681 even more than that- you can watch 162 games of ANY team which you couldn't do even 20 years ago.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@@tommyfu9271 True.

[@williamford9564]

Great video and I can't wait for the 1924 World Series presentation.

[@williamford9564]

0:41: The "fan experience" WAS much different back then. This was decades before luxury boxes, artificial turf playing surfaces, expanded playoff fields and big dollar TV contracts , the first and latter of which especially made revenues from paying "every day Joes" much less important

[@suremanwhatever]

Thank you for your candidness and genuine interest in the history of baseball. What a game it is! Just saw the 3rd base ump get hit by a fair ball while he was holding out his arms to declare said ball as LIVE. Then Manny Machado proceeded to pat him on the back, pick up the ball, and make a terrible throw that Kyle Higashioka somehow managed to wrangle and JUST tag out a streaking Ohtani (who totally blew off his 3rd base coach telling him to STOP). I love baseball. It's the best game ever.

[@jeromemckenna7102]

Newspapers were still important in the 1960s and 1970s for following baseball. I went to college and and worked in NYC in the early 1970's, the NY Daily News used to print the score of the game on the back page. If you were moving around during the afternoon or evening, you could follow the progress by looking at papers people were reading in the subway.

[@nobodyaskedbut]

In 1929 the incomparable Charlie Gehringer led the AL in runs, hits, 2bs, 3bs, & SB as well as leading 2Bmen in As, DPs & TC. He later became & still is the only MIF to ever handle 900 chances in a season 6X & was the 1st MIF to make 100 DPs in a season 6X & the 1st to do it 7X. He is also the only player in MLB history to accomplish each of the following in 5 consecutive seasons: 200 Hits; 100 Runs & 100 RBI; 200 Runs Produced (R+RBI-HR). He is also the only player to ever finish in the top 10 of either league in both offensive AND defensive WAR for 6 consecutive seasons. He was the only one to play every inning of the first 6 MLB all-star games in which he batted .500, didn't strikeout & didn't make an error. Satchel Paige called him, next to Josh Gibson, the best hitter ever faced. Needless to say, Gehringer is the most historically under-valued MLB player of all-time.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I don't disagree. You probably have to go back to the 19th century in search of someone so under-valued for his lifetime achievements.

[@iracordem]

my dad, born in 1912, had senators season tickets at 12yo. he saw the ‘24 & ‘25 series’ in person, saw all the great AL stars of the era.. as a fan and history geek, i loved his stories. he considered cobb the greatest competitor, mentioned many iron-armed pitchers, but one name did he use only in reverent tone…WALTER JOHNSON

[@Sam_on_YouTube]

The Judge clip maybe wasn't the best example. Dude broke his toe and missed a huge chunk of the season. Otherwise, he'd be trying for 60 homers for the 3rd straight year right now. There was a concrete pad right behind the wall he ran through and he kicked it really hard. They removed the concrete after that game though, making it safer.

[@humanbeing2420]

Wow - Fantastic work!

[@lucymoody4927]

Wonderful documentary!! Bravo!!

[@acbower4468]

Just subscribed, great mini documentary!

[@doppelplusungutmensch1141]

As a baseball fan in Germany, I really love your stories about baseball history! Keep doing them. Thank you!

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it!

[@BqgWyy]

Lol I thought only north and south Americans Koreans and Japanese followed baseball! It's an acquired taste, but a very interesting game once u understand what's going on. The pacing is different from other sports. The tension slowly builds up to one or two critical junctures during the game, which determines the outcome. If you haven't seen the 2004 ALCS series, i recommend it. Yankees vs red Sox. Also, the regular season year 2000 match up between Roger clemens vs Pedro martinez at Yankee stadium. The first pitcher to give up a run will lose the game. And they both go 9 innings of amazing pitching

[@williamford9564]

3:43: The amazing thing about Honus Wagner and his speed and stolen bases was that he was burly and build more like a football fullback. He was one Inch shorter than Ty Cobb and at 200 pounds outweighed him by 25 pounds.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Wagner doesn't look like a slick shortstop who steals bases. Too bad there isn't film of him fielding and running bases. I love that baseball bodies come in all sizes.

[@LordJudgement1818]

Thanks!

[@BiggestCorvid]

Ive never subbed to a channel faster. Im so happy the algorithm sent me your way.

[@DerbyKnowledge93]

well done, I enjoyed it.. oh btw, my favorite baseball movie is It Happens Every Spring 1949, starring Ray Milland..its a good one

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I need to see "It Happens Every Spring".

[@TheManDownstairs13]

Well presented. Thank you.

[@BqgWyy]

The size of these dam parks. Crazy

[@mark-bs1wg]

good summary of play in early part of 20th century , thanks

[@1rwjwith]

Excellent video…love it!

[@gus473]

⚾ Welcome back, Professor! 😎✌️

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks! 😃

[@gus473]

@@thebaseballprofessor Great episode! Looking forward to the rest of the series!

[@davidswift7776]

Excellent and insightful commentary, thoroughly enjoyed your pragmatic offering! Absolutely kept my attention for every second. Well done indeed. Looking forward to watching the 1924 World Series. Further, I wish I could go back in time and sit in those bleachers during the 20’s ! Thank you !

[@animelodies-_-]

Brilliant! Thank you

[@williamford9564]

6:50: Getting back to the earlier discussion about stolen bases, it seems that those covered with dirt and grime baseballs of the dead ball era could have contributed to making stolen bases easier. Imagine a catcher having to launch those slopped up deadened balls 127 feet, more than twice the distance from home plate to the pitching mound.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Good point about catchers getting a deadened ball from home to second.

[@tommyfu9271]

it was way easier. pitchers were also slower to the plate, didn't throw as hard, catching equipment sucked, it is harder to throw some mud filled balled,catchers also didn't throw as hard or as quickly as they do today.

[@somedayzo6]

Excellent video! Truly enjoyed the informative style and enjoyable pace! You earned a new subscriber!

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for the comment.

[@RyanBrown-hr7ct]

This is great!

[@retiredatforty]

Absolutely outstanding content and delivery. A new favorite of mine. Subscribed!

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Awesome, thank you!

[@ingloriousday8811]

Fantastic stuff!

[@risboturbide9396]

Thank you for this. 🍻🍻

[@robertpoen5383]

The style of game was more exciting, more hits, hit and run, steals, etc. Now games have more strikeouts than hits. League average of about .230, everyone swings for the fence on every pitch, it's boring. Bring back the dead ball, move the mound back 3 feet to 63.5 feet, and watch those BAs go up. Bring back skinny, fast guys, the triple, and hitting to the right side to move the runner up.... oh, I was dreaming, alas.

[@bnx200]

The dead ball is far too dangerous.

[@MarlinWilliams-ts5ul]

Firpo Marberry was one of the first dedicated relievers.

[@straycatttt2766]

2:50. Rube Waddell was a power pitcher in the first decade of the 20th century.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Good comment. Waddell averaged 7-8 Ks per nine innings (mucher higher than Johnson or Mathewson). He was a power pitcher for the deadball era, but not someone like Sandy Koufax or Nolan Ryan. Those guys would pitch 300+ innings and strikeout 10 per 9.

[@Rick-jf6sg]

@@thebaseballprofessor Koufax and Ryan were beasts on the mound.

[@tommyfu9271]

@@thebaseballprofessor Yea Waddel was such an outlier for his time. His strikeout numbers are incredible.

[@notacynic1]

In 1904 Rube pitched 383 innings and recorded 349 strikeouts ...

[@gus473]

4:35 "Wait, what!?!!" 😅

[@alandesouzacruz5124]

Good class teacher greatings from Brazil

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for the message. Saudações para você

[@TheMickeymental]

Games at Wrigley field were called for darkness 1987. The field received lights in 1988.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I did not know that. Thanks

[@TheMickeymental]

@@thebaseballprofessor Went to the first night game in 1988. Rained out in 3.5 innings. Moagana the Kissing Bandit was there and had promised to run on the field to kiss Ryne Samberg. She was a very large chested woman who was an entertainer by trade. She had platinum blonde hair. She was easy to spot and she was surrounded as soon as she made a move. I saw Satchel Paige in the 1960's who was warming up in the bullpen which was on the first base sidelines, the Braves had put him on the roster for a couple of days, I thin,. Interesting Pete Rose story, and the Cubs fans hated Rose who was playing the outfield that day. Out of the bleachers a toilet seat comes flying at his head. it would have killed him if it hit him. Hot girl with her feet on the outfield wall basket fence. She was wearing a short skirt and going commando trying to attract a Dodger outfielder. She go arrested Ernie Banks and a saying, "Lets play two." I got invited to the press box for half and inning. Walked out of the press box and Ernie had a woman on each arm and I asked him Hey Ernie you gonna play two today. He smiled and laughed The ladies liked the line. Love you videos and best of luck.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

@@TheMickeymental Great stories. Thanks.

[@abhcoat]

I love baseball and it's history. I have to love baseball i'm a long suffering Mets fan. Only the love of baseball keeps me suffering 😅.

[@matthewmcclure3181]

I heard flame-thrower Walter Johnson's fastball could sometimes approach 88-91 MPH! He would totally dominate high-school hitters today.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I think he would dominate high schoolers!

[@WonkNRoll]

Eddie Collins was definitely mostly a singles hitter but he hit a ton of triples and a decent number of doubles. He was top 10 in SLG nine times.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Good point. In an age when triples were like homeruns, Collins had a lot of them.

[@WonkNRoll]

@@thebaseballprofessor There’s nothing like watching some stretch a double into a triple and he did with exceptional regularity. He must have been one of the most exciting players to see in action. (Great video BTW, didn’t mean to come across snarky)

[@johnradovich8809]

I don’t follow baseball anymore. It leaves me cold. On the other hand I could watch historic videos like this all day. And can anyone here explain to me why I loathe anyone taking steroids thinking they should be banned for life and on the other hand really miss the spitball? Both are illegal.

[@peachjwp]

It must be noted that beginning in early 1970’s a minute was added the break between innings. That’s 18 mins added to the time of the game.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for this comment.

[@JohnMedley-n7e]

The babe babe Ruth 🐾🐾⚾⚾⚾⚾❤️❤️♦️♦️♦️♦️❤️❤️⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾🗽🗽🗽🗽💓💪🚀🚀🗝️💯💯🪖🎶🎶🪖🦈💋💋💋🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🐾🐾🐾🥁🥁🥁🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️

[@floxy20]

When did the center field backdrop come about to help the hitter see the ball? Love the dirty ball by the way.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I know that western teams like the Dodgers and Astros built new stadiums in the 1960s with center field blackdrops. Here's what ChatGPT said, "The concept of a center field backdrop, also known as a 'batter's eye,' to help hitters see the ball more clearly, began to emerge in the 1940s and 1950s." Interesting topic I might look into further for a mid-twentieth century video. Thanks.

[@michaelway7936]

R.I.P to a true hall of famer - Pete Rose 😢

[@peachjwp]

In addition the live ball was introduced to enhance interest in the game after the 1919 Black Sox scandal.

[@theccpisaparasite8813]

Reserve Clause ... the minus ... player exploitation. The plus, players were part of a city for whole careers

[@joeyriley5354]

Sorry I'm late. Was watching Blake Snell toss a NO NO.

[@andrewyarosh1809]

Modern players aren’t “allowed” to steal home because it “shows up” the other team. And we can’t have that, can we…..

[@tommyfu9271]

it has nothing to do with that. it's an extremely low percentage play that is almost always a stupid idea unless you catch the pitcher napping. 100 years ago pitchers were more slower to the plate,didn't throw nearly as hard and catchers weren't nearly as good defensively than they are now so it made more sense.

[@WillieSimpson777]

It blows my mind how people found time to go to games on workdays in the afternoons...seems like a crazy business to count on that revenue...was it mostly retired people at games? I'm guessing sick days and vacations were less of a thing back then too.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I've had the same thought! Most people work during the day. I will say that most games started at 3 pm, not noon. I imagine some people got off work early. But the working class fan who had a 9-5 in the factory, Monday thru Saturday, couldn't go until night baseball.

[@omenoflaherty1294]

I’m surprised some wealthy entrepreneur in the US hasn’t taken a shot at developing a side league with a different style of play to the majors, with drastically different rules to make the game faster and more exciting. I think there would be a big market for it.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Have you heard of the Savannah Bananas? I could see "Banana Ball" rules taking off at some point.

[@sdgakatbk]

Landis had to do something after the 1919 World Series but he also lied. There was the game fixing involving Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, Dutch Leonard, and Smoky Joe Wood that Landis did nothing about.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I'm not so sure I believe Dutch Leonard's account of the game fixing conspiracy since he hated Ty Cobb passionately and refused to testify before Landis and the evidence produced was not definitive.

[@richdouglas2311]

Home Run Baker was known as "Frank Baker," not "John Baker," even though his birth name was John Franklin Baker. A LOT of steals of home are usually the front end of a double steal (from 1st and 3rd) rather than a straight steal of home. The World Series began in 1903, two years after the formation of the modern American League (joining the established National League). There was no World Series the following year because the manager of the NL pennant-winning Giants refused to allow his team to participate. Eyewitness testimony indicates Chapman never saw the pitch that killed him, with him not even moving to avoid it. Managing a team back in Cobb's days involved little more than drawing up the lineup. There is a lot of evidence that Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker threw games for gamblers. For the Black Sox, "exonerated" is a really strong word. They were acquitted in court because of the disappearance of their written confessions right before trial. In varying degrees, they did it.

[@bnx200]

Did they ever show any game films or highlights in movie theatres? That would have been a good way to bring in additional revenue, and give more people a chance to see Major League baseball.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

What I can say about this topic is that baseball owners were reluctant to allow radio broadcasts and then televised broadcasts of their product. The conservative thinking of the time held that Americans wouldn't go to the ballpark if they could listen to live games or watch them.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Check out this incredible newsreel of the 1919 World Series: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zp6zeaSYf713h6s

[@UnderhillKoufax]

Good video, but I would connect the owners and SCOTUS suppressing player wages as the source of player cheating. Plus, Judge Landis should never be portrayed heroically since he was an avowed racist who enforced the suppression of player wages. In fact, I would rip out his HOF plaque and replace it with Joe Jackson’s HOF plaque.

[@gus473]

Can't disagree with most of your points 😎✌️

[@DavidK-z8q]

Although "Home Run" Baker's first name is John, he went by Frank. His middle name was Franklin.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for the comment. I only know Baker's statistical accomplishments.

[@SamuraiSam]

Really good and informative video! Bravo! 🙂 And sorry to be "that guy" but you did mispronounce Jacoby Ellsbury's first name. (It's JU-KO-BEE)

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Thanks for the comment. This isn't my first pronuncation faux pas.

[@sanford943]

Hard to tell if it faster. Those old movies were speeded up

[@LesterMoore]

As a child in elementary school I fell on love with baseball and until recently attended games or listened on the radio. A wonderful way to enjo a Summer's afternoon with an iced tea/lemonade at hand on the large arm rest if an Adirondack cloth padded chair.. However since the social direction of the MLB management and it's Woke direction I have left my long precious association with the Grand Old Gsme. The gimmicky appears to have no end. Many of the fans have dumbed down and have lost the knowledge of the game and resort to beach balls, fancy crowd waves and other nonsense to keep their interest in the game at hand. Designated runners on second base in extra innings, the DH (serving to keep players with the mobility of an overweight sloth in the game), and other owner "strategies" to gin up attendance have curtailed manager tactical control of the game. Radio announcers should be poet/baseball historical knowledgeable/tacticisn/voices of the game. Similar to Vin Scully that place the listeners vicariously into the stands. Seeing no change, I'm afraid it's goodbye baseball.

[@michelleleeginger5225]

Stole home, not " stoled".

[@user-bl7em8sx6o]

Lol

[@barrykochverts4149]

Note: If you set playback speed to 0.5, the comedy is stripped from the early sped-up scenes. Since we can easily do this on our devices, why don't content generators do it first? These films were not shown this way in their day; they were projected at the same number of frames/second as they were shot.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I see your point, but it's the film as preserved in the Library of Congress. I don't like doctoring it too much.

[@JohnBaranich-wv6ot]

It’s Frank “Homerun” Baker

[@GizmoBeach]

That’s why I can’t understand the introduction of a baseball in 1930 that warped the record books as badly as illegal PED’s did for too long. 1930 was a joke because of that change, what was wrong with 20’s baseball they did that? If it was for increased revenue due to fan excitement over the long ball, expanded Playoffs to four teams per league vs. one would’ve been a far better choice.

[@tommyfu9271]

expanded playoffs wouldn't have added much. You're thinking in modern terms where playoffs mean big money through TV.

[@dovbarleib3256]

When Carl Mays killed the batter, Baseball should have immediately introduced batting helmets.

[@doublem1975x]

Like 70% of the players today wouldn’t be allowed to play.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Probably true and yet, players in the 1920s didn't have modern analytics, strength training, video analysis of swings/windups, superior nutrition, etc.

[@jnavillus]

Jacob Ellsbury you say?

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Oops. Jacoby

[@jnavillus]

@@thebaseballprofessor its no biggie, just made me laugh is all.

[@19MichaelDixon]

1:18. 483 to straight away Center? What ballpark was that? And did anybody ever hit one there? Over 483 feet is a SHOT

[@thebaseballprofessor]

The polo grounds in New York City was an unusual ballpark, but a great place for homeruns down the line. I'm not sure if anyone hit a homer to dead center, but plenty of homers were hit to center right and center left.

[@CrookedEyeSniper]

I wonder how fans of that era would think about modern baseball? Would they find it more exciting? Or would they find it boring or ridiculous?

[@thebaseballprofessor]

My guess is that 1920s Americans would be stunned by the speed and power of modern pitchers and the athleticism of our fielders who commit far fewer errors. At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if they complained about the lack of batted balls in play or the superabundance of strikeouts.

[@CrookedEyeSniper]

@@thebaseballprofessor Their minds would be blown by the pitch clock as well.

[@ismaelcruz2148]

I'm not sure how Gehrig stole home and Ruth second when Ruth batted IN FRONT of Gehrig.

[@henridevigne1096]

Frank. Not John Baker. Still good stuff.

[@thomasedward1319]

Urban Shocker, Cooperstown 2025

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Parents don't name em like they used to

[@naciremasti]

How's the shadowball documentary coming along?

[@thebaseballprofessor]

It's coming. The topic demands long visits to archives in France and China. So that might take a few years.

[@no_problem8023]

The state of modern baseball is by far the fastest and most talented and conditioned it’s EVER been and it’s not even close.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

It's faster and and more talented. More exciting to see? Debatable.

[@no_problem8023]

@@thebaseballprofessor Fair!

[@rayrussell6258]

Not mentioned in this video, but highly important to the way the game was played in the early 1900's is the fact that there were only 8 teams in each league. There was no "expansion" of teams in the leagues for years, or the associated dilution of talent at the MLB level in that time. Low home run totals were impacted by the poorly constructed baseballs of the era but, more than that, the talent of MLB pitchers made it harder to hit the ball and required more "small ball" strategies like bunting and stealing bases. I was very disappointed by the poor editing of this video ..... for instance the Washington franchise was the Senators, not the Nationals, but graphics shows Nationals even when the audio said Senators.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

The franchise went by the Senators initially, 1901-1904, before officially switching to the Nationals from 1905-1955. Fans still called them the Senators or "Griffs" after owner Clark Griffith. From newspaper research, I noted that reporters used the two terms, Senators and Nats, interchangeably. I should probably just call them the Senators to avoid confusion.

[@rayrussell6258]

@@thebaseballprofessor yes, Senators is what's considered to be common knowledge throughout their time in Washington, until the recent expansion team took "Nationals" as the name. I doubt anyone alive but someone looking through dusty old records like you did would say the team was called anything but Senators. Also, you may want to re-check your sources, because "Nats" was an abbreviation for Senators (taken from the middle letters of the name), not an abbreviation for "Nationals", as far as my history knowledge goes about the franchise.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

@@rayrussell6258 Well, I'm glad for the exchange with you because I'm doing a video on the Senators in 1924. I'll prefer Senators to Nats in my narration.

[@tommyfu9271]

8 teams in each league but the player pool was comprised of white players almost all of whom happen to grow up near and mlb city. Socuts weren't scoring the country let alone the world for talent. The population today is almost much bigger than it was 100 years ago. The talent level was significantly lower today than it was 100 years ago. If some 1920s pitcher got transported todays game they would get absolutely shelled and couldn't come close to pitching in the major leagues with very few exceptions. Small ball strategies were more correct back then bc the balls were dead and beaten to hell, bats weighed 50 ounces, fences were often extremely deep and hitters were basically slap hitters. Pitchers throwing 80 mile an hour slop wasn't the issue.

[@rayrussell6258]

@@tommyfu9271 you have no idea, you just made up stuff to feel good. Granted, there was no 24/7/365 weight room conditioning program in 1920's, but if you adjust for that, the athletes were better in the '20's because there was no dilution of talent brought on by expansion. Everybody was good, or else you got cut, and real fast. Don't try to defend what you said, there is no defense for it. And you are totally wrong if you think there were no scouts looking at talent in every nook and cranny of the country back then. There was a HUGE Minor league structure back then, far far bigger than the MLB teams have today. Scouts went everywhere. Anyone with common sense and historical knowledge of the game knows you don't know what you don't know.

[@davidgabrielsen2139]

Jacoby Ellsbury not Jacob

[@nyjsackexchange]

Polo Grounds dimensions at 1:17

[@scottl.1568]

AND BEST OF ALL, NO BULLSHIT DH RULE!!!!

[@notacynic1]

'John' Home Run Baker??

[@notacynic1]

He went by 'Frank,' of course, though I see now that his given name actually was John. (How about that ; )

[@anonymousYTviewer69]

1. there was and is nothing wrong with a 3 hour game... 2. anyone think about this? pitchers threw way more innings back in the old days. more CGs and wins. rarely got injured. today, fewer innings and getting injured way more. tommu john surgery is getting way more prevalent. shouldnt we go back to 3 or 4 man rotation?

[@williamford9564]

You are wrong about "getting injured". Smokey Joe Wood, Ed Walsh and many others blew their arms out prematurely because of over use. Pitchers were throwing 300-400 innings a year, starting every second or third day.

[@anonymousYTviewer69]

@@williamford9564 I'm sure some did but nothing like today. The huge increase in tommy John surgeries ...how would u explain those? It's just an opinion.

[@DogSniffing]

Tommy John surgery = strategically controlling your slave while they are in a state to be manipulated by people who they must trust to (not) manipulate them (for reasons). Tightening the leash. Svengali/Trilby stuff.

[@tommyfu9271]

pitchers didn't rarely get injured. they were abused and often just done at 25 after they blew their arm out. Now i think they're babied too much today but what went on 100 years ago with pitchers was insane.

[@anonymousYTviewer69]

@@tommyfu9271 what proof do u have that they were abused? Many pitched beyond age 25!!

[@kpmurphy2738]

The guys from the 20's would take one look at modern day MLB and jump for joy and then ROFL. And do not tell me that modern day MLB is better than it was 60-70-80 years ago. If this were true, then why does MLB keep changing the rules of the game? And you can stuff the idea that the pitching today is so much better. That is 100% opinionated crap. MLB is about stats and on paper Greg Maddux is the greatest pitcher of all time and he peaked in the late 80's and never broke 95mph. Furthermore, Nolan Ryan, the strike out king, came into the league in 1968, 56 years ago. And I can go on and on and on. The fact is, modern day MLB is terrible, that is unless you like watching people strike out.

[@CrabbyOldLady]

Judge Landis was perhaps the biggest driving force in keeping baseball's color line in place. There were, in fact, a smattering of black players in major league baseball in the first few decades of the 20th century. They were accepted, with a broad wink, as not being black, but "Cuban". There were a few managers, GMs, and owners who very much wanted to sign talented black players. But Landis, a racist-to-the-bone former judge, firmly opposed any such development.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I don't disagree with you that Landis maintained the color line he inherited from previous generations. He wasn't at all progressive on race. That said, I see him more as a symbol of established attitudes. It's too bad he couldn't use his office to make baseball more like boxing and track.

[@tommyfu9271]

Charles Commisky also played a huge part in keeping them out of the league. He also tried to cover up the Black Sox scandal. Yet somehow he's in the HOF.

[@CrabbyOldLady]

@@thebaseballprofessor When you're the Commissioner who runs major league baseball with an iron fist, you're more than a symbol. And the fact remains that without his opposition, the color line would have been broken decades earlier than it finally was.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@@CrabbyOldLady Really? Landis was only doing what his bosses (or the majority of them) told him to do. If Landis went to them in 1921 with a plan to integrate the game, what do you think the owners would have done? I think they would have bounced him out on his ear.

[@CrabbyOldLady]

@@jamesanthony5681 Completely false. Landis did exactly what he wanted to do. He wasn't a late 20th century commissioner, doing whatever the owners wanted. He was an absolute ruler in an earlier era. In the aftermath of the Black Sox scandal, Landis let the owners know that if they wanted him to lead them out of the mess, he had to have absolute power. And they gave it to him.

[@300zxster]

jacoby not jacob ellsbury

[@johnrains8409]

There never has been anything "interesting" about any baseball game. Some may find it entertaining though.

[@charlesbarkley223]

Ja-coby ... Not jacob lol how do u run a baseball channel and not know who he is

[@thebaseballprofessor]

I know who he is. Mind knows Jacoby, mouth says Jacob.

[@UnderhillKoufax]

MLB should deaden the ball today. Too many home runs, which is boring.

[@deepcosmiclove]

Too many strikeouts which even more boring.

[@UnderhillKoufax]

@@deepcosmiclove, Then move the pitcher’s mound back. It worked in 1893. It can work again.

[@deepcosmiclove]

@@UnderhillKoufax 1 & 1/2 foot would do it.

[@Rick-jf6sg]

@@deepcosmiclove Abso-dang-lutely.

[@dactah5177]

I'm with you. As an alternative, make minimum fence distances are requirement. 335 down the lines 390 to the alleys 420 to center. I'm tired of these guys, even judge, missing the sweet spot and hitting some flyball to right field 350 feet for a Homerun. Last year judge hit 15 home runs to right field and Yankee Stadium that would not have been a home run anywhere else. Now that is a testament to his strength because it probably would've been a pop-up or short fly for most, but don't reward a late swing or somebody not squaring up the ball

[@nyjsackexchange]

No DH

[@steveswangler6373]

“He (Walter Johnson) threw much harder, much faster than anyone else in the league….” And the buzzer rings in- off the top of my head- Addie Joss, Eppa Rixey and Rube Waddell(slightly before Johnson’s time are just three fastball pitchers that Johnson did not throw “much harder, much faster” than. And the content creator overlooks Smokey Joe Wood about whom Johnson himself said when asked, “no one throws harder than Smokey Joe Wood.” I think the baseball professor better go back to being a baseball student, because this comes off as lazy research, or possibly no research and just regurgitating the best known players.

[@thebaseballprofessor]

Who was the most dominant? I'd go with Amos Rusie for the 1890s, Rube Waddell for the aughts, and Walter Johnson for the 1910s. If we go with strikeouts per 9 innings, no one comes close to Waddell until Sandy Koufax in the 1960s. Lots of observers said Walter Johnson was the fastest they'd seen, but who knows.

[@3crowns21]

Too many errors to list. Here are a few: His name was Frank "Home Run" Baker; those are photographers not spectators near home plate; it was called League Park.

[@holdenmcgroin9774]

The baseball in the 20s was so awful. It was very racist sport and Mountain Landis kept it that way. Bad white athletes and even slower so called athletes. It was like watching paint dry. It was only tolerated because baseball was in its infancy. It was new and a novelty.

[@joethaler7921]

Your presentation is spot on. It is a pleasure to listen and watch your presentation. Please keep up the excellent work. The Walking Encyclopedia of Baseball (1960-2024), Old Joe

[@Commonsense1458]

In 2024, just about every professional sport in America sucks.