1911 Baseball Season Highlights

The 1911 baseball season saw the introduction of the Chalmers Award for Most Valuable Player in each league; it also witnessed stunning wins and losses by baseball's greatest. Below, you will find highlights of the 1911 baseball season:

  • The A's repeat as American League champs.
  • The Giants take their first National League flag since 1905.
  • The A's win the 1911 World Series in six games.
  • Philly's Frank Baker receives the nickname "Home Run" when he hits two crucial homers in Series.
  • Christy Mathewson wins game one of the World Series, loses game two in 11 innings on two unearned runs.
  • Cub Wildfire Schulte wins the first Chalmers Award (MVP) in the National League.
  • Ty Cobb receives the first American League Chalmers Award.
  • Ty Cobb hits .420 (20th-century record for outfielders) to win American League bat crown.
  • Cobb leads in SA (.621), hits (248), runs (147), doubles (47), triples (24), and total bases (367).
  • Cobb hits in 40 straight games, a new American League record.
  • Walter Johnson wins 25 games for seventh-place Washington and leads the American League in CGs (36)

Walter Johnson's record achievements remained unbroken for more than 50 years.
Walter Johnson's record achievements remained unbroken for more than 50 years.

  • Cleveland rookie Vean Gregg wins 23 games and tops American League in ERA (1.80).
  • Honus Wagner wins the National League bat crown (.334) by a single point.
  • Schulte hits 21 homers, a new 20th-century record, and ties for the National League RBI lead with 107.
  • Phils rookie Pete Alexander leads the National League with 28 wins; sets the 20th-century Major League rookie record.
  • Pete Alexander fans 227, a new rookie record (since broken).
  • The Polo Grounds -- the Giants' home -- is ravaged by fire and has to be rebuilt.
  • The Giants' 347 steals set a 20th-century Major League record for a team.
  • The Braves post a home record of 19-54, the worst in the 20th century by a National League team.
  • Ty Cobb's 367 total bases are the most by anyone during the dead-ball era.
  • Cleveland's Joe Jackson hits .408 to set a Major League rookie BA record.
  • Both leagues adopt the dual-umpire system for every game.
  • Helen Britton becomes the first woman to own a major league team when she takes control of the Cardinals.
  • Jimmy Walsh of the Phils plays all nine positions during the season.
  • At this juncture, Cleveland's Terry Turner holds the season FA records at both third and short.
  • On Sept. 22, Cy Young beats Pittsburgh 1-0 for his 511th and last career win.
  • Cliff Curtis of the Braves ends his all-time record skein of 23 consecutive losses.
  • Cincinnati's Bob Bescher's 81 steals set a National League record for a 154-game season.
  • Joe Wood of the Red Sox no-hits St. Louis on July 29.
  • Ed Walsh of Chicago no-hits the Red Sox on August 27.
  • Rube Marquard tops the National League in strike-outs with 237 and win pet. at .774.
  • Christy Mathewson posts 27 wins and leads the National League in ERA at 1.99.
  • The A's hit an American League record (since broken) .296 as a team.
  • On May 13 vs. the Cards, the Giants score ten runs before recording their first out of the game.
  • The Giants' Larry Doyle leads the majors with 25 triples.
  • The American League batting average jumps 30 points over 1910 with the introduction of a livelier ball.

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