1920s All-Decade Team
Often referred to as the golden age of baseball. The decade began with the newest Yankee Babe Ruth playing his first season as a full-time outfielder. That year he set the standard for which all great seasons would be measured against. We saw the careers of arguably the greatest hitter, Ty Cobb, and the greatest pitcher of all-time, Walter Johnson. Ultimately, this would mark the beginning of the New York Yankees century long reign over baseball.
Walter Johnson and Pete Alexander would become 10th and 11th players to eclipse 300 career wins and Johnson would join Cy Young as the second player to accumulate 400 career wins. Johnson became the only player to strike out 3,000 batters during his career. Ruth became the first player to hit 500 career homers and Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, and Eddie Collins all joined the 3,000 hit club doubling its size from three to six. Cobb would also become the only player to collect 4,000 career hits.
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Catcher, Bubbles Hargrave
- Age: 28 – 35
- Years: 1921 – 1928
- Teams: Cincinnati Reds
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First Base, Lou Gehrig
- Age: 20 – 26
- Years: 1923 – 1929
- Teams: New York Yankees
- MVP: 1927
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Second Base, Rogers Hornsby
- Age: 24 – 33
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs
- MVP: 1925, 1929
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Third Base, Pie Traynor
- Age: 21 – 30
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates
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Shortstop, Joe Sewell
- Age: 21 – 30
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: Cleveland Indians
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Outfield, Babe Ruth
- Age: 25 – 34
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: New York Yankees
- MVP: 1923
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Outfield, Harry Heilmann
- Age: 25 – 34
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: Detroit Tigers
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Outfield, Goose Goslin
- Age: 20 – 28
- Years: 1921 – 1929
- Teams: Washington Senators
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Starting Pitcher, Pete Alexander
- Age: 33 – 42
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: Chicago Cubs,
St. Louis Cardinals -
Starting Pitcher, Dazzy Vance
- Age: 31 – 38
- Years: 1922 – 1929
- Teams: Brooklyn Dodgers
- MVP: 1924
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Starting Pitcher, Stan Coveleski
- Age: 30 – 38
- Years: 1920 – 1928
- Teams: Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, New York Yankees
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Starting Pitcher, Urban Shocker
- Age: 29 – 37
- Years: 1920 – 1928
- Teams: St. Louis Browns
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Starting Pitcher, Dolf Luque
- Age: 29 – 38
- Years: 1920 – 1929
- Teams: Cincinnati Reds
- Catcher – Gabby Hartnett
- First Base – Jack Fournier
- Second Base – Frankie Frisch
- Third Base – Freddie Lindstrom
- Shortstop – Travis Jackson
- Outfield – Ken Williams
- Outfield – Sam Rice
- Starting Pitcher – Lefty Grove
- Starting Pitcher – Red Faber
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18.5 | 766 | 2,367 | 298 | 744 | 146 | 57 | 29 | 359 | 27 | 16 | 206 | 147 | .314 | .377 | .461 | .838 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
39.3 | 767 | 2,746 | 631 | 919 | 206 | 72 | 146 | 635 | 30 | 30 | 480 | 351 | .335 | .436 | .622 | 1.058 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
93.1 | 1,430 | 5,451 | 1,195 | 2,085 | 405 | 115 | 250 | 1,153 | 74 | 62 | 753 | 431 | .382 | .460 | .637 | 1.096 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23.0 | 1,186 | 4,650 | 764 | 1,496 | 226 | 109 | 42 | 804 | 129 | 46 | 272 | 142 | .322 | .362 | .444 | .806 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
44.1 | 1,404 | 5,268 | 813 | 1,698 | 358 | 57 | 30 | 820 | 70 | 63 | 613 | 96 | .322 | .399 | .429 | .828 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
102.4 | 1,399 | 4,884 | 1,365 | 1,734 | 314 | 82 | 467 | 1338 | 88 | 93 | 1,240 | 795 | .355 | .488 | .740 | 1.228 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
56.8 | 1,417 | 5,285 | 962 | 1,924 | 397 | 101 | 142 | 1,131 | 70 | 56 | 615 | 324 | .364 | .433 | .558 | .991 |
WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
39.7 | 1,144 | 4,346 | 717 | 1,436 | 240 | 110 | 108 | 822 | 109 | 48 | 419 | 281 | .330 | .394 | .511 | .905 |
WAR | G | GS | W | L | ERA | IP | CG | SHO | SV | R | ER | BB | SO | SO/9 | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
48.5 | 325 | 290 | 165 | 105 | 3.04 | 2,415.1 | 194 | 20 | 16 | 982 | 816 | 349 | 653 | 2.4 | 1.191 |
WAR | G | GS | W | L | ERA | IP | CG | SHO | SV | R | ER | BB | SO | SO/9 | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50.0 | 266 | 244 | 147 | 90 | 3.10 | 2,053.2 | 172 | 22 | 4 | 820 | 708 | 583 | 1,464 | 6.4 | 1.205 |
WAR | G | GS | W | L | ERA | IP | CG | SHO | SV | R | ER | BB | SO | SO/9 | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
38.4 | 274 | 253 | 133 | 89 | 3.20 | 1,933.2 | 137 | 21 | 9 | 851 | 688 | 510 | 558 | 2.6 | 1.319 |
WAR | G | GS | W | L | ERA | IP | CG | SHO | SV | R | ER | BB | SO | SO/9 | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
44.9 | 330 | 261 | 156 | 93 | 3.34 | 2,148.2 | 168 | 22 | 22 | 946 | 797 | 484 | 753 | 3.2 | 1.275 |
WAR | G | GS | W | L | ERA | IP | CG | SHO | SV | R | ER | BB | SO | SO/9 | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
37.1 | 353 | 302 | 138 | 146 | 3.09 | 2,479.2 | 168 | 21 | 8 | 1,059 | 851 | 688 | 904 | 3.3 | 1.264 |
Although he played mor games in the 1930s, I’m more in the
C Gabby Hartnett
This was not the ideal decade for 1B. Lou Gehrig played most of his career in the 1930s. When he started, he became the best but, until then, even though he was nearly blinded the last part of career, the best 1B of the 1920s overall:
1B George Sisler
Babe Ruth best season was in 1921 when he played LF in the Polo Grounds. I can see an argument for LF Goose Goslin and an even stronger one for RF/CF Sam Rice. But, I think there is one better honorable mention: The knock is that Al Simmons didn’t start until 1924:
LF Babe Ruth
CF Sam Rice
RF Harry Heilmann
Pete Alexander is one of the elite pitchers all time and is part of the 1910s greatest team. The Coveleski brothers were considered the best when they were active. Stan’s last great season was in 1925. The best pitchers of the 1920 decade are not obvious:
Dazzy Vance
Burleigh Grimes
Urban Shocker
Herb Pennock
Red Faber
Waite Hoyt
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So you want Gabby Hartnett, even though he played mostly in the 30s, yet reject Lou Gehrig for basically the same reason. Inconsistent logic. Also Pete deserves to be on the team of two different decades. It’s not his fault he played well when he was older.
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Great article and all decade team. I’m replaying the 1922 baseball season with Hughie Jennings EE-YAH! game and love it!
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