On This Day-May 1st, 1920-Oeschger, Cadore Duel in 26-Inning Marathon

Better late than never...

PLACE: Braves Field; Boston, MA
EVENT: Oeschger, Cadore Set Record For Longest Single Game, Most Innings Pitched

The first day of May marked the one-hundred-year anniversary of what was arguably one of the greatest pitching performances of the 20th century. In a game that would stagger the imagination of the average baseball fan, the Brooklyn Robins faced off against the Boston Braves on May 1st, 1920, in a game that...just...kept...on...going.

Boston RHP Joe Oeschger took the mound against Brooklyn righty Leon Cadore, and each pitcher went the distance in a twenty-six-inning marathon that ended in a 1-1 tie.

Twenty-six. Think about that. One inning less than three standard complete games. And it lasted three hours and fifty minutes.

Around 4,000 fans (the Brooklyn Daily Eagle estimated the crowd at 2,500; Baseball-Reference says 4,500) turned out on a cloudy, damp day to see the match-up, and it was posited by Boston Globe sportswriter James O'Leary that “every one of the 4,000 remained to the end. They saw the most wonderful pitching stunt ever performed, and some classy playing in thrilling situations, such as one sees only once in a lifetime.” Here's the rundown:

-Oeschger allowed only nine hits and four walks, striking out seven, while Cadore gave up fifteen hits and five walks, while striking out seven batters as well.

-A total of 186 batters came to the plate. Neither pitcher hit a batter or committed a balk, and only one wild pitch was thrown (by Oeschger).

-Fifteen batters between the two teams made ten or more plate appearances. Braves 2B Charlie Pick went 0-11 (that has to be a record, right?)

-Oeschger finished the game with nine no-hit innings. So he pitched the equivalent of a standard-length no-hitter at the end of a 26-inning performance.

-Brooklyn scored their only run in the top of the fifth. Oeschger kept them scoreless for the next 21 innings. Cadore put up 20 goose eggs against Boston.

While Oeschger said that “I won't say I wasn't a little tired” at the end of the game, Cadore said he felt this game affected him over the remainder of his career.

With the game closing in on the four-hour mark, as well as lingering cloud cover and fading sunlight, home plate umpire Barry McCormick erred on the side of caution and called an end to this seemingly-endless battle. According to news reports of the time, most of the crowd stayed through the entire game.

From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle; May 2nd, 1920:

The laws of the time in many cities in the US prohibited baseball on Sunday, as it was the Sabbath (for Christians, anyway), and thus was considered a day of rest. This was one of several activities disallowed on Sunday, and it fell under the “blue law” statutes. As a primer on the subject, and a very good one, Bob Warrington wrote a very nice article on the legal battles for and against Sunday baseball in Philadelphia. There would be no continuation of the game the next day, since they played on Saturday. Brooklyn had to hop a train and head straight back home, in any case.

On top of this Herculean labor, the Robins returned home by train to lose to the Phillies 4-3, in a game that went thirteen innings. Then they had to come back to Boston to play the Braves, once more. On May 3rd, Boston beat the Robins, 2-1, in another marathon game that went nineteen innings.

Three days. Fifty-eight innings. No wins for Brooklyn. It sounds insane, but once again, both Brooklyn and Boston starters went the distance on May 3rd. LHP Sherry Smith allowed only two runs on thirteen hits in 18 1/3 innings, walking five and striking out three, while RHP Dana Fillingim gave up one run on twelve hits in 19 innings, walking four and striking out four. Of note: Fillingim went 12-21 with a 3.11 ERA in 1920 (ERA+ 97), then 15-10 with a 3.45 ERA in 1921 (ERA+ 105) in one of his best seasons in the majors, but was only 7-18 with a 5.06 ERA over the rest of the short remainder of his ML career.

Smith put up an 11-9 record in 1920 (33 games, 13 starts, 16 closing appearances) with a sparkling 1.85 ERA (ERA+ 173), and was slightly better than average over the rest of his career (56-67, 3.92 ERA, ERA+ 107).

Still, neither of these pitchers are names which will come to mind, for most fans of the game's history. But the nature of the game being what it is, anything can happen on the field. Had the Smith-Fillingim game happened earlier or perhaps even later in the year, it may not have been overshadowed by the Oeschger-Cadore history-making performance.

Lawrence “Scoop” Beal of The Times-Standard interviewed Oeschger on the 50th anniversary of this game in 1970. Oeschger was, at the time, a retired high-school teacher living in Ferndale, California, near Centerville Beach, on a road that bore his name. Indeed, in 1977, Joseph C. Oeschger Field was dedicated in his honor in Ferndale. He would throw out the first pitch of the Giants-Braves game on May 29th; that game went extra innings, with San Francisco pulling out the 3-2 win.

Many of his five siblings (three brothers, two sisters) lived nearby. At the time of his interview, his mother had only recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

As he tells it, there were around 2,000 fans at the game initially, then as the game progressed:

“...the word got around town on what was happening and more fans began showing up. At the end, the ballpark was two-thirds full.”

From The Times-Standard; May 1st, 1970:



He had a so-so 15-13 record in 1920, with a 3.46 ERA (ERA+ 87) for a Braves team that won only 62 games. He had his only twenty-win season the following year (20-14, 3.52 ERA, ERA+ 103), as Boston finished 79-74, good for fourth place in the NL. He spent the remainder of his career with the Giants, Phillies, and Robins, but faded fast (16-45 in 140 games, 5.14 ERA). All in all, a twelve-year ML career is impressive, in its own right.

Oeschger was still getting the occasional fan letter because of that game. He often sent back mimeographed copies of the box score, autographed at the bottom. (ed. Note: I have one of my own.) He would pass away on July 28th, 1986, in Rohnert Park, California, after a heart attack. He was 94 years old.

Cadore became a salesman and went through tremendous ups and downs, after baseball, but was able to regain stability in his personal and professional life by the 1950's. He passed away on March 16th, 1958, in Spokane, Washington, of stomach cancer. In Fred Lieb's obituary for Cadore in The Sporting News, he mentioned an exchange between Cadore and one of the VA nurses during his hospital stay. She reportedly told him that she didn't care much for baseball. He replied, “I don't care much for hospitals, either.” He was 66 years old.

On This Day-April 26th, 1912-First Homer Hit Over The Green Monster

PLACE: Fenway Park; Boston, MA

EVENT: First Home Run Over The Green Monster 

Fenway Park opened in 1912, and the massive rampart in left field probably seemed insurmountable to most hitters of the time. As it turns out, it didn't take long for someone to break the mystique of the Green Monster. 

The Boston Globe's illustration, accompanying the
A's-Red Sox recap. These old illustrations are just the best. 

With the Philadelphia Athletics visiting Boston at The Fens on April 26^th, bench player Hugh Bradley hit a blast over the wall with two on and two out in the seventh inning in a 7-6 Red Sox win. Bradley was getting a rare start that day, taking the place of first baseman Jake Stahl, who was out of the lineup with an upper respiratory infection. Bradley would only play 40 games that season. 

It was also his only homer of the year, and one of only two for his career (277 games, 913 AB). 

Bradley went 2-4 with a double in the first, as well as the aforementioned homer in the seventh, driving in four runs and scoring two. He also made a notable play when he sprinted between RHP Hugh Bedient and 2B Steve Yerkes to snag a pop-up off the bat of A's LF Amos Strunk in the ninth inning, taking away the last chance for the A's to put the potential tying run on base. 

From The Boston Globe; April 27^th, 1912:

From The Philadelphia Inquirer; April 27^th, 1912: 

On This Day-April 24th, 1917-First No-Hitter in Yankees' History

Place: Fenway Park; Boston, MA

Event: Mogridge Out-duels Leonard for First No-Hitter in Yankees' History

LHP George Mogridge took the mound against fellow lefty Dutch Leonard on a Tuesday afternoon at Fenway Park and pitched what surely had to be the game of his life, shutting down the Yankees in a 2-1 no-hitter. It was the first-ever no-hitter by a Yankees' pitcher, as well as the first pitched at Fenway.

Mogridge allowed only four balls to be hit beyond the infield, the only Boston run coming in the seventh inning on a combination of a walk to Boston second baseman Jack Barry, a bad throw to SS Roger Peckinpaugh from 2B Fritz Maisel in an effort to start the double play, an intentional walk to OF Tillie Walker, and finally a sacrifice fly from the bat of PH Jimmy Walsh.

Indeed, the Yankees themselves went into the sixth inning with only one hit, and scored their first run of the day on a two-out double off the bat of Angel Aragon, who would play only 15 games in 1917. Aragon had two RBI in 45 AB, that year.

Peckinpaugh reached on a miscue in the top of the ninth by Boston third baseman Mike McNally, who entered to play the hot corner after Walsh's pinch-hit appearance. Boston catcher Hick Cady threw the ball past shortstop Everett Scott when Peckinpaugh stole second (advancing to third on the throw), and McNally made a low throw to first off a grounder from Les Nunamaker that Del Gainer had to dig out of the dirt, allowing Peckinpaugh to score.

Boston and New York made seven errors between them, three by the Yankees (two by Maisel).

Mogridge walked three and struck out three in winning his second game of the year.

From The New York Times; April 25^th, 1917: 

On This Day-April 22nd, 1876-First National League Game Played

Place: Jefferson Street Grounds; Philadelphia, PA

Event: First Game in National League History

Approximately 3,000 fans show up for what turned out to be the very first National League game, after the weather led to rain-outs elsewhere. The Boston Red Stockings (later to become the Atlanta Braves) beat the Philadelphia Athletic Base Ball Club (the future Philadelphia Athletics) by a score of 6-5.

Jefferson Street Grounds had been home to differing versions of ball since 1864, but was only established for use by professional teams in 1871, when the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association played there. The Athletics won the NA pennant that same year, and would join the newly-formed NL in '76. Poor performance in the inaugural year, as well as their refusal to make Western road trips (in this case, “West” meant Louisville, Cincinnati, and St Louis), led to their expulsion from the NL at the end of their first year.

Former Cincinnati Red Stockings SS George Wright was the first batter. He and Boston entrepreneur Henry Ditson formed Wright and Ditson Sporting Goods in 1871. Interestingly, the first run was scored not on a hit, but on an errant throw by Philadelphia third baseman Ezra Sutton, though the two teams combined for twenty-six errors. This wasn't all that uncommon in the early days of the game, as field conditions were often less than ideal.

The winning pitcher, righty Joe Josephs, was playing under an alias that day; his real name was Joe Borden, and he had tossed a no-hitter in the National Association for Philadelphia against Chicago on July 28^th, 1875. “Joe Josephs” was one of several aliases that Borden was known to use. He was sometimes referred to in contemporary newspapers as “Josephus the Phenomenal”, though his career, while solid, would be over soon after.

The honor of the first hit in NL history went to CF Jim O'Rourke, the only player on either roster to appear as an active player in the 20^th century. “Orator Jim”, as he was sometimes called, was much more than a baseball player. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1887, and was a practicing lawyer between seasons. At a time when the average ballplayer was seen as unrefined, ignorant, and boorish, O'Rourke stood out as articulate and erudite. Though he certainly didn't need to rely on baseball to earn a living, it seems he had a hard time removing himself from the game, permanently. Even after retiring as a major-league player in 1893, he would remain in the minors for years to come.

From The Times (Philadelphia, PA); April 24^th, 1876:

Game Recap-Canada vs. Australia; 2019 Premier-12; November 7th, 2019

Dalton Pompey began the game with a fly-out to deep right-center after an eight-pitch at-bat vs. Australia starter Tim Atherton. Wes Darvill popped up to third for the second out. Eric Wood knocked a two-out single into left field, but Michael Saunders left him stranded, grounding out to second to end the inning.

Tim Kennelly crushed a long drive to left just inside the foul line off of Canada starter Brock Dykxhoorn for a double to start the bottom half of the first. He then advanced on a ground-out to second by Andrew Campbell. Rob Glendinning followed with a deep fly to the warning track in right field, scoring Kennelly on the sacrifice fly. Logan Wade flied out to center to end the inning, but the Aussies put a run on the board first.

In the top of the second, Tristan Pompey demolished a 1-0 off-speed pitch off the wall in right for a lead-off double, missing the homer by about half a meter. Lennerton followed with a hard-hit grounder to first off a first-pitch curve that caught the heart of the plate, moving Pompey to third on the 3-unassisted putout. Leblanc chased a 2-2 fastball after Atherton dropped a big, slow curve on him, striking out swinging for the second out. Tosoni tied the game on a blistered liner to right that Kennelly dove to stop, losing the ball just under his glove but keeping the short bounce in front of him.

Atherton would give way to LHP Josh Tols after Tosoni's RBI. (Note: A seven-year pro at multiple levels and leagues, Tols made 24 appearances with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley in 2019). Deglan whiffed on a big, sweeping 2-2 curve to end the inning.

Aaron Whitefield led off the bottom half of the inning, popping up to Leblanc on a 0-1 fastball. Mitchell Nilsson followed with another infield pop-up, this time to Wood at third. Darryl George hit a 2-2 fastball to shallow left-center, T. Pompey chasing it down for the third out, ending an exceedingly-quick inning for Dykxhoorn.

D. Pompey led off the third, popping up to Glendinning at second on the first pitch he faced. Darvill went down in the count on back-to-back fastballs, then had to bail out of the box on a curve that got away from Tols. After working the count full, he struck out swinging on an outside fastball that finished just off the outside corner. Wood worked a fantastic nine-pitch at-bat to draw the walk after being down 0-2 and fouling off several slow curves. Saunders made it back-to-back walks, bringing T. Pompey to the plate. Australia manager David Nilsson made the call to the pen, once more, ending the day for Tols.

Fellow lefty Steven Kent entered to face the Canadian left fielder. Kent dealt Pompey three straight balls, but then spotted a fastball over the outer third of the plate for the first strike. Pompey flied out to Whitefield in center on the next pitch to end the threat.

David Sutherland stepped in to start the bottom half, striking out swinging on a fastball high in the zone. Alan De San Miguel, taking over for Ryan Battaglia, fouled off a 3-2 curve that struck HP umpire NAME in the right forearm, who had to be checked out by the Team Canada trainer before the game resumed. On the very next pitch, a fastball in the dirt got past Deglan on a swinging strike three, De San Miguel hustling down to first to reach on the play. Kennelly took a 2-2 fastball on the black for the second out. Campbell grounded out to Leblanc to end the inning.

Lennerton started off the fourth, just topping a sweeping curve to ground out to first. Leblanc hammered a fastball on the outer third into right-center for what looked to be a double, but Kennelly got to it too quickly for Leblanc to advance to second. Tosoni drew a walk to move Leblanc into scoring position. Deglan couldn't check his swing on a short 0-2 curve in the dirt and went down on strikes. D. Pompey grounded out to Kent, who took the ball to first himself to end the scoring threat.

Glendinning struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fourth. Wade was able to reach on an error by Darvill, followed by a swinging strikeout by Whitefield. Nilsson stranded the runner with a 4-3 ground-out.

The fifth saw Darvill fly out to left on a 1-2 fastball to start things off, followed by a swinging strikeout for Wood. (Note: Kent is going to the fastball noticeably more often now, and seems more confident.) Saunders made it back-to-back K for Kent with a swing-and-miss on a high 2-2 fastball out of the zone to end the top half.

George flew out to T. Pompey to begin Australia's half of the fifth. A well-timed dive by Leblanc to his left made it two outs for Australia. De San Miguel finished off a quiet inning for the Aussies by striking out on a 1-2 fastball. (Note: Dykxhoorn has also found his rhythm, at this point. He's in cruise control; De San Miguel is his 6^th strikeout of the game.)

T. Pompey struck out on three straight pitches to start the sixth, with Lennerton following that by striking out looking on a front-door, late-breaking 1-2 curve, middle-in. Leblanc flied out to right to end the inning. (Note: Kent, through 3 1/3 innings, now has only one less strikeout than Dykxhoorn. He's looking awfully dominant.)

Kennelly struck out on a low 3-2 fastball straight down Broadway. Campbell hit a very hard grounder to Lennerton at first, who tossed to Dykxhoorn at the bag for the second out. Glendinning swung hard on a hanging curve and smacked a hard liner between third and short for a two-out single. Now with the go-ahead run at first base, Dykxhoorn induced an inning-ending fly-out to center to strand Glendinning.

Tosoni flied out to center for the first out of the seventh. Dustin Houle, entering as a pinch-hitter for Deglan, struck out swinging. D. Pompey just missed an extra-base hit when a 1-2 fly to right fell just outside the foul line, then struck out swinging to end the inning. Kent pumped his fist and yelled while walking back to the dugout, the first overt sign of emotion from the calm lefty.

Taking over for Dykxhoorn, RHP Brandon Marklund entered for the bottom half of the inning. He retired Whitefield on a grounder to short to start the action. Nilsson hit a hard one-hopper off of Marklund's right thigh, reaching first as the ball caromed away from the pitcher. As he reached the ball, Marklund hopped once or twice on his left leg, but appeared to be alright as Whitt came out to check on him. He then struck out George on three straight sliders, and induced a 4-3 ground-out on the first pitch to Sutherland to strand Nilsson.

LHP Jon Kennedy, the fourth pitcher of the game for Australia and the third-straight lefty, entered the game in relief of Kent in the top of the eighth. Darvill struck out swinging to start things off. Wood cracked his bat while flying out to center on a 2-2 fastball down the heart of the plate. Saunders grounded out to second, making it a short inning for the new Aussie reliever.

Marklund returned for the bottom half of the eighth, struggling a bit to locate his pitches and giving up a walk to Luke Hughes, who was pinch-hitting for De San Miguel. Kennelly worked the count to 3-1 before grounding into what looked to be a double play, but a low throw from Leblanc to Lennerton allowed him to reach first. A review of the play at second, on which Leblanc had to leap just a bit to reach the high throw from Wood at third, was held up as a force-out and fielder's choice. Campbell grounded out on a slow, weak two-hopper to Marklund, who tossed to first for the second out, but Kennelly advanced into scoring position. Glendinning drew the second walk of the inning on a 3-1 low-and-away slider in the dirt, prompting Whitt to make a call to the pen for RHP Scott Mathieson, who got the save vs. Cuba in Canada's first game of the Opening Round.

On a 1-2 knee-high fastball, Wade crushed a triple into the right-center gap, scoring Kennelly and Glendinning and giving Australia the 3-1 lead. Whitefield flied out to right to end the inning, but the damage was done, as Australia entered the ninth inning with a two-run lead on a night in which neither team had been able to break through, offensively.

T. Pompey worked a tough, eight-pitch at-bat against Kennedy into a lead-off walk, taking a 3-2 slider that missed the low-and-outside corner by a very narrow margin. Lennerton grounded into a rare 1-6-3 double play, hanging back on a middle-of-the-zone curve from Kennedy but making weak contact on the grounder back to the pitcher. Nilsson relieved Kennedy for the final out, bringing in the RHP and closer Ryan Searle. Lefty pinch-hitter Connor Panas entered the game for Leblanc, drawing the walk on a very close 3-2 curve just off the outside corner and keeping the game alive for Canada. Tosoni followed up by flying out to center for the third out, an upset win vs. Canada, and Team Australia's first-ever victory in the WBSC Premier-12 Tournament.