Brooklyn Robins - The Roaring Twenties (1920-1929)

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1920

Decade

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Titles: NL Champs 1920 lost to Indians in World Series

Top Robins Players of the Decade

BallPark: Ebbets Field (1920-1929)

Pitchers:

Dazzy Vance (50.11) - 102

Team Name: Robins (1920-1929)

Burleigh Grimes (24.51) - 94

Jesse Petty (14.71) - 39

Owner: Charles Ebbets, Edward McKeever 1920-1925

Dutch Ruether (8.64) - 33

Wilbert Robinson President 1925-1929

Leon Cadore (8.01) - 24

Watty Clark (13.26) - 24

General Manager: None

Doug McWeeny (9.34) - 20

Bill Doak (5.76) - 14

Managers: Wilbert Robinson 1920-1929

Jumbo Elliott (4.32) - 12

Jeff Pfeffer (3.11) - 11

Hall of Famers:

Sherry Smith (4.95) - 9

Wilbert Robinson

Rube Ehrhardt (4.02) - 7

Dazzy Vance

Al Mamaux (5.08) - 6

Burleigh Grimes

Art Decatur (4.11) - 3

Dave Bancroft

Rabbit Maranville

Catchers:

Max Carey

Zach Taylor (0.9) - 26

Hank DeBerry (1.84) - 16

No Hitters:

Moe Berg (1.17) - 0

Dazzy Vance (1925)

First Basemen:

MVP:

Jack Fournier (18.68) - 44

Dazzy Vance (1924)

Del Bissonnette (5.03) - 13

Ed Konetchy (2.67) - 9

Notable Events:

Second Basemen:

1920 - The Robins open the decade by winning the National League

Ivy Olson (0.37) - 13

pennant. Charley Ebbets threw around nickels like they were manhole

Pete Kilduff (4.92) - 12

covers when it came to spending on personnel so this was something

of a surprise. Brooklyn gained seventeen games in the standings

ShortStop:

having finished under .500 in 1919. Uncle Robby was annointed

Dave Bancroft (0.67) - 7

sainthood by Brooklyn fans after winning his second title in five years

with what most considered a fairly ordinary roster. The same core

Third Base:

group of players were around in 1920 that were there in 1919.

Jimmy Johnston (12.73) - 42

First baseman Ed Konetchy, shortstop Ivy Olson, third baseman

Andy High (7.47) - 16

Jimmy Johnston and outfielders Zach Wheat, Tommy Griffith and Hy

Myers among the position players and Jeff Pfeffer, Burleigh Grimes,

Outfield:

Leon Cadore, Al Mamaux, Sherry Smith and Rube Marquard among

Zach Wheat (26.9) - 75

the pitchers. The biggest difference between the two years was the

Babe Herman (12.87) - 35

performance of Burleigh Grimes who went from a 10-11 record in '19

Harvey Hendrick (7.79) - 33

to a 23-11 mark in '20 and established himself as the ace of the staff

Hy Myers (3.83) - 26

at age twenty six.

Tommy Griffith (3.01) - 24

Eddie Brown (3.07) - 16

1920 - Clarence Mitchell lined out to Bill Wambsganss in the World

Rube Bressler (5.61) - 13

Series leading to an unassisted triple play.

Max Carey (1.71) - 11

Pete Kilduff and Otto Miller were also out on the play.

Johnny Frederick (3.82) - 11

1921 - Dutch Ruether, 27 year old lefthander, is picked up from the

Notable Events:

Reds in exchange for older lefthander Rube Marquard in what was

probably a salary dump by the Reds.

1925 - Co-owners Charlie Ebbets and Ed McKeever die within

eleven days of each other in April. McKeever got pneumonia

1922 - Thirty one year old Dazzy Vance is obtained from New Orleans.

while attending the Ebbets funeral. Wilbert Robinson takes

He had been with the Pirates and Yankees previously, but had an

over as President of the club. Never rolling in dough, without

odyssey of failure in the minors until 1921 with New Orleans.

proper ownership, there's absolutely no money for procuring talent.

Uncle Robby had a knack for grabbing pitchers on the cheap off the

Not surprisingly, the Dodgers are battling to stay out of the cellar

scrap heap. Even tho' he was thirty one, Vance would have a

moving forward.

successful lengthy Hall of Fame career with Brooklyn into his Forties.

1926 - Slugger Babe Herman, 23, is obtained from Seattle of the PCL.

1923 - First Baseman Jack Fournier, 33, is picked up from the Cubs

He had been in the Red Sox and Tigers organizations earlier,

in a deal for outfielder Hy Myers who was past his prime.

but his horrific defense put them off.

Fournier was an example of another type of player Uncle Robby

liked (one reason was that they were cheap acquisitions) - the

1927 - Righty Watty Clark, only 25 - a baby in Uncle Robby's eyes,

really good hitter who couldn't field.

is obtained from Terre-Haute. He had played briefly for

The Robins were an entertaining group to watch for sure. They were

Cleveland earlier.

an adventure at the plate because they could hit and they were an

adventure in the field because they couldn't. Some other guys of

1928 - First Baseman Del Bissonette, 28, is picked up from Buffalo.

Fournier's ilk that Uncle Robby employed were outfielders Babe

Good hit, no field.

Herman and Johnny Frederick and first baseman Del Bissonette.

1928 - Catcher Al Lopez, 19, is signed and brought up to the Robins

1924 - Robins come up a game and a half short of the Giants in 1924

pennant race. They led in September, but couldn't hold the lead.

1929 - Outfielder Johnny Frederick, 27, is brought up from Memphis.

Brooklyn had been behind the Giants by twelve games at one point

An excellent hitter, Frederick had lost value due to an erratic

in the season before roller coastering ahead and then behind

throwing arm. He had been stashed for several seasons in the

PCL, ownership hoping his value would rise, but it didn't.

1925 - Lefty Jesse Petty, 30, is another late bloomer that Uncle

Robby snaps up.After floundering in the minors for nine seasons

1929 - Despite being bereft of cash, the team is not putrid under

including a brief stint with Cleveland, Petty found himself at the

Uncle Robby.

age of twenty nine with Indianapolis.