More 1930 Baseball Season Headlines

Following are more major headlines from the 1930 baseball season, including the A's repeating as World Champs.

Sam Rice Sets Records

The only ostensible sign that Sam Rice might have slowed down in 1930, when he turned 40 years old, was that his number of stolen bases diminished from 16 the previous year to 13 that season. In every other respect, he more than held his own, setting four major league records and five American League records for players past their 40th birthdays.

Al Simmons Cops 1930 American League Bat Title

The last right-handed hitter to win back-to-back batting crowns in the American League (.381 in 1930, .390 in 1931), Al Simmons was traded by Connie Mack after the 1932 season. He returned twice more to the A's before retiring as an active player in 1944.

1930 Philadelphia A's Repeat as World Series Champs

The 1930 Philadelphia A's won the World Series Championship for the second year in a row. Among the many contributors to Connie Mack's last championship team was Jack Quinn, the oldest player to hit a home run in an American League game. Kid Gleason and Eddie Collins were among the coaches on the 1930 A's.

Kiki Cuyler Totals 134 RBI

Kiki Cuyler and Hack Wilson set a National League record for teammates in 1930 when they totaled 324 RBI between them. Although Gabby Hartnett chipped in another 122 ribbies, the Cubs still were outscored by the Cardinals, largely because Rogers Hornsby missed most of the season with a foot injury.

1930 Cards Win National League Pennant

Victory parades for winning teams seemed to grow in significance during the Great Depression. In St. Louis, denizens feted the Cardinals on September 27, 1930, the day after the Birds clinched the National League flag they ultimately won by a 2-game margin over the Cubs. During the season, the Cardinals scored a whopping 1,004 runs and batted .314. This was clearly a team effort: All eight Cardinals starters batted over .300. Moreover, reserve Showboat Fisher hit .374 in 254 at-bats, Gus Mancuso hit .366 in 227 at-bats, and Ray Blades hit .396 in 101 at-bats.

Jimmie Foxx Excels in 1930 World Series

In the six-game 1930 World Series, the A's hit only .197 as a team. Jimmie Foxx and Al Simmons, however, both registered healthy postseason stats (Foxx hit .333, Simmons hit .364). In game one, the A's garnered only five hits, one a home run by Simmons, but made every hit count for a run. Foxx homered in the game-five shutout, while Simmons again homered in game six. In the sixth game, the A's scored seven runs on just seven hits.

Find highlights from the 1930 baseball season on the next page.

To learn more about baseball, see: