Back in October of 1920, The Yankee baseball club played exhibition games after the regular season. At Connor’s Field in Cressona, a game was played by the famous Yankees against a local nine from Cressona. The Sultan of Swing, Babe Ruth was supposed to play, but bad weather delayed the game and the Babe had to leave. But other than that it was an exciting moment in Schuylkill County Baseball, when the Yankees came to Cressona.
The Headline of the Miners' Journal for September 29, 1920 read:
RUTH AND YANKEES HERE TOMORROW P.M.
According to the article the New York Yankees and "Babe Ruth" will play at Connors Field Thursday. Full line up and the home run king will positively be here Thursday afternoon at 4:15 p.m. and will be the only exhibition game Ruth has taken part in after the close of the season. He will receive $1,000 besides his share of the big guarantee.
George Herman "Babe" Ruth
The Yankees will play the Cressona club, the treasure of the Cressona club, Gordon Nagle was in Philadelphia in Babe Ruth’s company for two hours at the conclusion of which time, the home run king would not consent to come. Not disheartened, the Cressona promoter enlisted the services of Jack Quinn, the friendship between the pitcher and slugger, being the biggest factor in changing his determination.
The Yankees will also take a tour through a coal mine which is likely to be the Pine Knot Colliery. This will be a novel experience for the most of the players and one of the factors that made them come here.
The admission price for the game will be $1.00 plus 10 cents for the grandstand. Reserved seats are on sale at Hause’s cigar store, in Pottsville.
The full New York Yankees outfit will be here and their lineup and batting order is as follows: Ward 3B; Pipp 1B; Ruth CF; Pratt, 2B; Muesel, RF; Lewis, LF; Peckinpaugh SS; Hannah or Ruel C; Quinn, Shawkey, Mogridge, Thormahlen and Collins as pitchers.
YANKEES CONSENTED TO REMAIN HERE AND PLAY ON FRIDAY
September 30, 1920
The New York Yankees, who arrived on the 11:02 Pennsylvania and Reading train this morning, were greeted by a downpour of rain, on their way to the Hotel Allen, where they will make their quarters.
Four players missed connections, but will arrive later in the day. Babe Ruth, Ward, Lewis and Hannah were among the missing. Jack Quinn (Picus) arrived in charge of the party.
The first question asked was whether they would consent to remain over till Friday to play the game off, and all resent consented, although it was their opinion Babe Ruth, who had not arrived yet would not be able to remain over. When the home run king arrives every effort will be made to induce him to remain over and $1000 extra will be offered.
Babe Ruth left by automobile last evening, but owing to numerous detours on the road between here and Philadelphia was delayed. He is expected to arrive sometime this afternoon by way of Lebanon and Pine Grove. Catcher Truck Hannah was with Ruth.
Ward and Lewis missed connections but will arrive this afternoon.
The players seemed to have no objection to remaining over until Friday if the weather conditions permit. The game will be played as originally advertised Friday at 4:00 p.m. except that Bane Ruth may not be in the line up, because of hav9ing to be in New Haven tomorrow, to begin work on a $10,000 a week movie contract.
The players were met at the station by officers of the Knights of Columbus, who will see to it that they are royally entertained.
YANKEES CONSENTED TO REMAIN HERE AND PLAY ON FRIDAY
On Friday October 1, 1920 the Journal’s Headline ran;
BABE RUTH HURT IN WRECK OF AUTO ON MERIDEN CONN. PIKE.
MACHINE CONVEYING HOME RUN KING SIDESWIPES TRUCK AND IS THROWN INTO A FIELD.
Babe Ruth was slightly injured today when his automobile collided with a truck.
Babe Ruth’s injuries consisted of a few slight cuts. A man who was riding with him was also slightly injured.
Babe Ruth left Pottsville at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in a racing car without extra tires saying he intended to make the entire trip to New Haven by automobile, being due there Friday, to keep a moving picture contract.
THE GAME : October 2, 1920
YANKEES POUND OUT 5 HOMERS WITHOUT THE AID OF BABE RUTH
Babe Ruth wasn’t with the Yankees yesterday, but they hammered out 5 home runs just the same. The score was 10-5, with Cressona on the short end, as was to be expected. The local boys played fine ball in the field but were outclassed at bat by the husky leaguers. A large crowd attended the grandstand being filled an hour before the game.
BOB MUESEL
Bob Muesel, the Yankees large and youthful outfielder and infielder, was the leading slugger with two home runs to his credit.. Del Pratt won the $50 gold watch, by knocking the first home run of the game.
DEL PRATT
The gift, which was presented by Ellis Duell, the North Centre St. jeweler, was the first of its kind won by Pratt and he seemed very happy because of it.
JACK QUINN
Jack Quinn, Pottsville’s old Atlantic League standby, pitched seven innings showing a variety of stuff that the Tigers could not hit. He worked a change of pace with telling effect and had the old “Zip” on the fastball. Jack was given an ovation when he walked on the field everyone remembering him. After the third inning he eased up.
Jim McGinley started on the mound for Cressona and got away with the first inning in one-two-three order, thanks to brilliant work by Krause. Jim would have come through the second inning without being scored on had he not uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Muesel to score.
AARON WARD
The third inning was McGinley’s undoing and he was pounded mercifully in this frame. Ward, the first man up walked.
WALLY PIPP
Pipp fanned, Pratt then drove the first homerun of the game, a long drive to left that splashed into the river. Muesel, not to be outdone drove a home run to the same place but only gained a look at the gold watch by doing so. Lewis walked, Vick singled, Shawkey doubled, scoring Lewis and putting Vick on third.
DUFFY LEWIS
SAMMY VICK
QUINN HITS HOMER
Jack Quinn then made the longest hit of the day, a long home run over the score board, scoring Vick and Shawkey, Ward ended the agony, flying to Mauger.
Gallagher went into the box at the beginning of the fourth and got away with it in rather good style, allowing only five hits in six innings. Only two runs were scored on Gallagher, they being successive homeruns by Muesel and Lewis in the seventh.
Cressona got three in the sixth, Kulp was safe on a tap to Ward. McHugh flied to Shawkey. Anderson was safe when Ward again failed to field a grounder. Adams singled to right scoring Kulp and Shawkey made a wild return, allowing Anderson to score. Sattizahn grounded out, but Troy singled scoring Adams.
SATTIZAHN’S HARD HITTING
Sattizahan had two doubles and single out of four times at bat, which gave him the highest batting average for the day. In the ninth “Satty” led off with a hard double to left. Troy was safe on Ward’s error and got down to second while Mauger was fanning. Sterner, who was then sent in to bat for Gallagher, drove a solid single to right scoring Sattizahn and Troy.
KRAUSE LOCAL STAR
“Kid” Krause, Cressona’s youthful and ambitious shortstop did brilliant work for the local team, accepting numerous difficult chances. He seemed to be all over the field, nothing getting passed him. It was his work that saved McGinley in the first inning. In the sixth, he ran from shortstop to left field foul line to take a fly that was just out of Mauger’s reach. It was some catch and was vigorously applauded.
Red McHugh didn’t have much chance to show his class, but did get down to first base like a deer. "Red" was robed of a hit by Shawkey in the sixth. McHugh ran far back in the second to take Quinn’s long fly with two on the bases.
The clean cut Yankee players were much admired by the crowd, who seemed to know all of them by name.
TRUCK HANNAH
BOB SHAWKEYBob Shawkey pitched the eight inning, getting the Tigers out in order, though he worked without effort. Muesel pitched the last inning.
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What is the first name of "Kid" Krause?
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