View source for 1916 in baseball

{{See also|1916 Major League Baseball season}}
{{Year in baseball top |
  this year = 1916 |
}}
{{Year nav sports topic5|1916|baseball|sports}}

==Champions==
* [[1916 World Series|World Series]]: [[Boston Red Sox]] over [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Robins]] (4–1)

==Statistical leaders==
Any team shown in {{small|small text}} indicates a previous team a player was on during the season.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! 
! colspan=2 | [[American League]]
! colspan=2 | [[National League (baseball)|National League]]
|-
! Stat
! Player
! Total
! Player
! Total
|-
| [[Batting average (baseball)|AVG]]
| [[Tris Speaker]] ([[Cleveland Guardians|CLE]])
| .386
| [[Hal Chase]] ([[Cincinnati Reds|CIN]])
| .339
|-
| [[Home run|HR]]
| [[Wally Pipp]] ([[New York Yankees|NYY]])
| 12
| [[Dave Robertson (baseball)|Dave Robertson]] ([[New York Giants (baseball)|NYG]])<br>[[Cy Williams]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]])
| 12
|-
| [[Run batted in|RBI]]
| [[Del Pratt]] ([[St. Louis Browns|SLB]])
| 103
| [[Heinie Zimmerman]] ([[New York Giants (baseball)|NYG]]/{{small|[[Chicago Cubs|CHC]]}})
| 128
|-
| [[Win–loss record (pitching)#Winning pitcher|W]]
| [[Walter Johnson]] ([[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|WSH]])
| 25
| [[Grover Alexander]]<sup>1</sup> ([[Philadelphia Phillies|PHP]])
| 33
|-
| [[Earned run average|ERA]]
| [[Babe Ruth]] ([[Boston Red Sox|BRS]])
| 1.75
| [[Grover Alexander]]<sup>1</sup> ([[Philadelphia Phillies|PHP]])
| 1.55
|-
| [[Strikeout|K]]
| [[Walter Johnson]] ([[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|WSH]])
| 228
| [[Grover Alexander]]<sup>1</sup> ([[Philadelphia Phillies|PHP]])
| 167
|}
<sup>1</sup> National League [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] pitching winner

==Major league baseball final standings==
===American League final standings===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{{1916 American League standings|highlight=Boston Red Sox}}
{{col-2}}
{{AL Team Maps (1915–1922)}}
{{col-end}}

===National League final standings===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{{1916 National League standings|highlight=Brooklyn Robins}}
{{col-2}}
{{NL Team Maps (1916–1919)}}
{{col-end}}

==Events==
[[File:Wilson opening day 1916.jpg|right|thumb|300px|President [[Woodrow Wilson]] throws out the ball on opening day.]]
*January 5 – [[Charles Weeghman|Charles H. Weeghman]], former president of the [[Federal League]] [[Chicago Whales]] club, agreed to pay $500,000 in cash to [[Charles Phelps Taft|Charles P. Taft]] for the stock the [[Chicago Cubs]] of the [[National League (baseball)|National League]]. Weegman, owner of a popular restaurant chain, headed a syndicate including the chewing gum manufacturer [[William Wrigley Jr.]], who became a minority stock holder by putting up $50,000. Whales manager [[Joe Tinker]] succeeds [[Roger Bresnahan]], and the Cubs will play in the Federal League's newly built ballpark on the North Side, soon to become known as [[Wrigley Field]]. Weeghman would become the first to officially allow fans to keep any and all balls hit into the stands.
*January 17 – The [[New York Giants (baseball)|New York Giants]] acquire pitcher [[Fred Anderson (baseball)|Fred Anderson]], outfielder [[Benny Kauff]] and catcher [[Bill Rariden]], three stars from the defunct [[Federal League]].
*January 24 – At the [[International League]] owner's meeting, President [[Ed Barrow]] announced that the Richmond Climbers	would return to [[Baltimore]], where the team had played until 1914. The [[Harrisburg Senators (1893–1952)|Harrisburg Senators]] in turn relocated to Richmond.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sports: Lannin Sells Grays to Draper |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=January 25, 1916}}</ref>
*February 7 – The [[Federal League]]'s year-old suit charging antitrust violations by organized baseball is dismissed by mutual consent in U.S. District Court in [[Chicago]] by Judge [[Kenesaw Mountain Landis]]. No appellate decision is written and it will not be until 1922 when the courts rule on [[Competition law|antitrust law]].
*February 18 – [[James R. Price]] and [[Fred Tenney]] purchased the [[Jersey City Skeeters]] from the International League, which had controlled the club since 1915. Price and Tenney moved the team to [[Newark, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Jersey City Club Sold |work=The New York Times |date=February 19, 1916}}</ref>
*April 12 – Taking the ball on Opening Day, [[Babe Ruth]] won over the [[1916 Philadelphia Athletics season|Philadelphia Athletics]], 2–1, to start the [[1916 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] off to a streak of six victories in their first eight games.
*May 9 – The [[Philadelphia Athletics]] and the [[Detroit Tigers]] combined to set a Major League record with thirty [[base on balls|walks]] during a 16–2, Tigers win. Eighteen walks were issued by the Athletics, who went on to finish the season with 715. Detroit added eleven more the following day for a two-game Major League record of twenty-nine.
*June 16 – [[Tom Hughes (pitcher, born 1884)|Tom Hughes]] tosses a [[no-hitter]] for the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] in a 2–0 victory over the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]].
*June 21 – [[Rube Foster (AL pitcher)|Rube Foster]] pitches a [[no-hitter]] as the [[Boston Red Sox]] defeat the [[New York Yankees]], 2–0.
*June 22 – The [[1916 Boston Braves season|Boston Braves]] pulled off a [[stolen base|triple steal]] in the eleventh inning, to defeat the [[1916 New York Giants season|New York Giants]], 3–1. It is the only extra-inning triple steal in National League history. In 1941, the American League would match the feat with their only recorded extra-inning triple swipe.
*June 28 – [[William Fischer (baseball)|William Fischer]] of the [[Chicago Cubs]] set a Major League record by catching all twenty-seven innings of a doubleheader against the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]. The Pirates won the first game, which went 9 innings, by a score of 3 – 2, and the second game, which went 18 innings, by the same score.
*August 15 – [[Babe Ruth]] of the [[1916 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] outdueled [[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]] ace [[Walter Johnson]], 1–0, in a contest played at [[Fenway Park]]. From the 7th inning on, Ruth surrendered just an infield single by [[Clyde Milan]] in the 11th frame. Milan also prived Ruth of a home run in the 12th by grabbing a ball heading into the right field stands. Ruth is now 3–0 in his pitching meetings with Johnson.
*August 26 – Despite his team suffering through perhaps the worst season in baseball history, [[Philadelphia Athletics]] hurler [[Bullet Joe Bush]] tosses a [[no-hitter]] against the [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]]. Philadelphia wins, 5–0.
*August 29 – [[Boston Red Sox]] pitcher [[Dutch Leonard (left-handed pitcher)|Dutch Leonard]] allowed two runs on two hits, one walk, one hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch, before being relieved during the first inning of a game against the [[St. Louis Browns]]. One day later, Leonard pitched a 4–0 no-hitter versus the Browns.
*September 8 – [[Philadelphia Athletics]] switch-hitter [[Wally Schang]] belted two home runs against the [[New York Yankees]], to become the first player in Major League history to hit home runs from both sides of the plate during a single game.
*September 17 – [[St. Louis Browns]] pitcher [[George Sisler]] out-duels the [[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]]' legend [[Walter Johnson]], 1–0. It will be the last Major League pitching victory for Sisler, who will become a member of the Hall of Fame as a first baseman in 1939.
*October 12 – The [[Boston Red Sox]] defeat the [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Robins]], 4–1, in Game 5 of the [[1916 World Series|World Series]] to win their second consecutive World Championship and fourth overall. Boston's [[Babe Ruth]] pitched 13 shutout innings in Game 2, starting a consecutive scoreless innings streak that would reach 29 in the [[1918 World Series|1918]] Series.
*November 29 – In Kansas City, Missouri, pitchers [[Walter Johnson]] and [[Grover Cleveland Alexander]] face each other for the first time. The exhibition game between the two stars features [[Zach Wheat]], [[Casey Stengel]], [[Max Carey]] and [[Hal Chase]], between others. Johnson's team prevail over Alexander's, 3–2.
*December 2 – 1916 – Under pressure from the [[Players' League]], the [[National Baseball Commission|National Commission]] orders that injured players shall get full pay for the duration of their contracts. The injury clause previously let clubs suspend players after 15 days pay.
*Unknown date – [[Pat Pieper]] begins 59-year career as public address announcer for the [[Chicago Cubs]]

==Births==
===January===
*January 3 – [[Chico Hernández]]
*January 6 – [[Phil Masi]]
*January 7 – [[Ed Butka]]
*January 8 – [[Joe Just]]
*January 9 – [[Charley Stanceu]]
*January 13 – [[Bama Rowell]]
*January 22 – [[Alphonso Gerard]]
*January 23 – [[Johnny Sturm]]
*January 24 – [[Jack Brickhouse]]
*January 24 – [[Clem Dreisewerd]]
*January 24 – [[Wally Judnich]]
*January 25 – [[Glenn Gardner]]
*January 28 – [[Bob Muncrief]]
*January 28 – [[Pat Tobin (baseball)|Pat Tobin]]

===February===
*February 2 – [[Mike Garbark]]
*February 3 – [[Daniel Canónico]]
*February 5 – [[Dewey Williams]]
*February 6 – [[Don Fisher]]
*February 9 – [[Tex Hughson]]
*February 9 – [[Freddy Schmidt]]
*February 11 – [[George Hausmann]]
*February 11 – [[Sam Page (baseball)|Sam Page]]
*February 14 – [[Grover Froese]]
*February 23 – [[Eddie Kearse]]
*February 26 – [[Preacher Roe]]
*February 27 – [[Don Hanski]]
*February 28 – [[Howie Krist]]

===March===
*March 1 – [[Bing Devine]]
*March 2 – [[Mickey Rocco]]
*March 3 – [[Bill Kalfass]]
*March 9 – [[Woody Rich]]
*March 12 – [[René Monteagudo]]
*March 18 – [[Hi Bithorn|Hiram Bithorn]]
*March 18 – [[Elbie Fletcher]]
*March 18 – [[Eddie Lake]]
*March 20 – [[Gordon Houston]]

===April===
*April 1 – [[George Staller]]
*April 4 – [[Mickey Owen]]
*April 4 – [[Willie Ramsdell]]
*April 11 – [[Joe Antolick]]
*April 11 – [[Sam Chapman]]
*April 14 – [[Johnny Hutchings]]
*April 14 – [[Jerry Lynn (baseball)|Jerry Lynn]]
*April 16 – [[Pete Suder]]
*April 23 – [[Jack Creel]]
*April 27 – [[Enos Slaughter]]
*April 28 – [[Mike Chartak]]
*April 29 – [[Art Kenney]]

===May===
*May 1 – [[Victor Starffin]]
*May 3 – [[Ken Silvestri]]
*May 12 – [[Hank Borowy]]
*May 12 – [[Dixie Parsons]]
*May 14 – [[Red Hayworth]]
*May 20 – [[Joe Wood (1944 pitcher)|Joe Wood]]
*May 25 – [[Frank Drews]]
*May 27 – [[John Dudra]]

===June===
*June 3 – [[Max Wilson (baseball)|Max Wilson]]
*June 5 – [[Eddie Joost]]
*June 6 – [[Dario Lodigiani]]
*June 15 – [[Bud Stewart]]
*June 16 – [[Joe Rullo]]
*June 17 – [[Joe Burns (infielder)|Joe Burns]]
*June 23 – [[Ken Jungels]]
*June 27 – [[Cecil Kaiser]]
*June 27 – [[Fuzz White]]
*June 28 – [[Shosei Go]]

===July===
*July 1 – [[Bob Prince]]
*July 6 – [[Bill Donovan (Boston Braves pitcher)|Bill Donovan]]
*July 9 – [[Ned Harris]]
*July 15 – [[Doyt Morris]]
*July 17 – [[Fred Chapman (shortstop)|Fred Chapman]]
*July 18 – [[Johnny Hopp]]
*July 19 – [[Phil Cavarretta]]
*July 20 – [[Don Black (baseball)|Don Black]]
*July 24 – [[Al Flair]]
*July 24 – [[Dick Hahn]]
*July 31 – [[Billy Hitchcock]]

===August===
*August 1 – [[Pep Rambert]]
*August 1 – [[Floyd Stromme]]
*August 8 – [[Ed Steele]]
*August 10 – [[Buddy Lewis]]
*August 10 – [[Jim Mertz]]
*August 14 – [[Fumio Fujimura]]
*August 14 – [[Irene Hickson]]
*August 15 – [[Cecil Garriott]]
*August 21 – [[Murry Dickson]]
*August 22 – [[Frankie Kelleher]]
*August 24 – [[Luis Suárez (baseball)|Luis Suárez]]
*August 26 – [[Adrián Zabala]]
*August 30 – [[Johnny Lindell]]
*August 31 – [[Danny Litwhiler]]
*August 31 – [[Ray Mack]]

===September===
*September 5 – [[Ernie White]]
*September 7 – [[Lefty Sullivan]]
*September 8 – [[Jim Bagby, Jr.|Jim Bagby]]
*September 8 – [[Tom Turner (catcher)|Tom Turner]]
*September 11 – [[Ellis Clary]]
*September 12 – [[Ralph Hamner]]
*September 12 – [[Charlie Keller]]
*September 13 – [[Roy Zimmerman (baseball)|Roy Zimmerman]]
*September 19 – [[Rube Fischer]]
*September 19 – [[Bob McNamara (baseball)|Bob McNamara]]
*September 20 – [[Red Juelich]]
*September 25 – [[Norm Schlueter]]
*September 28 – [[Al Evans]]

===October===
*October 7 – [[Russ Derry]]
*October 8 – [[Joe Callahan (baseball)|Joe Callahan]]
*October 8 – [[Rex Cecil]]
*October 10 – [[Floyd Baker]]
*October 12 – [[Sam Gentile]]
*October 13 – [[Ray Hathaway]]
*October 19 – [[Ralph McLeod]]
*October 21 – [[Bill Bevens]]
*October 21 – [[Eddie Carnett]]
*October 22 – [[Harry Walker]]
*October 28 – [[Ed Levy]]
*October 30 – [[Leon Day]]
*October 31 – [[Ken Keltner]]

===November===
*November 2 – [[Al Campanis]]
*November 2 – [[Fran Matthews]]
*November 4 – [[Emil Kush]]
*November 5 – [[Jim Tabor]]
*November 7 – [[Joe Hatten]]
*November 8 – [[Andrés Fleitas]]
*November 9 – [[Walt Lanfranconi]]
*November 13 – [[Nick Goulish]]
*November 15 – [[Milt Byrnes]]
*November 15 – [[Joe Ostrowski]]
*November 18 – [[Ken Burkhart]]
*November 18 – [[James Moore (baseball)|James Moore]]
*November 23 – [[Eddie Collins, Jr.|Eddie Collins]]
*November 25 – [[Oscar Georgy]]
*November 26 – [[Bob Elliott (baseball)|Bob Elliott]]
*November 26 – [[Eddie Miller (infielder)|Eddie Miller]]
*November 26 – [[Walt Ripley]]
*November 28 – [[Max West]]

===December===
*December 4 – [[Ray Sanders (baseball)|Ray Sanders]]
*December 5 – [[Steve Rachunok]]
*December 5 – [[Len Schulte]]
*December 7 – [[Jorge Comellas]]
*December 13 – [[Hank Majeski]]
*December 13 – [[Lou Thuman]]
*December 14 – [[Gene Stack]]
*December 24 – [[Jack Graham (baseball)|Jack Graham]]
*December 27 – [[Charlie Brewster]]

==Deaths==
===January–February===
*January 1 – [[Jake Drauby]], 52, third baseman who hit .206 in ten games for the Washington Senators of the National League in 1892.
*January 6 – [[King Cole (baseball)|King Cole]], 29, pitcher who was 20–4 and led National League in ERA for the 1910 Chicago Cubs; gave up [[Babe Ruth]]'s first hit in 1914, and inspired [[Ring Lardner]]'s "Alibi Ike" stories.
*January 20 – [[Emmet Heidrick]], 39, centerfielder for four teams in the National and American leagues between 1898 and 1908, who collected a .300 average and 186 stolen bases in 757 career games.
*February 5 – [[Ed Irwin]], 34, third baseman who played one game for the 1912 Detroit Tigers of the American League.
*February 14 – [[Pat Carroll (baseball)|Pat Carroll]], 62, Union Association catcher and right fielder for the Altoona Mountain City and the Philadelphia Keystones in the 1884 season.
*February 25 – [[Art Allison]], 67, outfielder-first baseman who hit .254 for five teams between 1871 and 1876.

===March–April===
*March 4 – [[Abe Wolstenholme]], 55, catcher for the 1883 Philadelphia Quakers of the National League.
*March 7 – [[Fred Donovan]], 51, catcher for the Cleveland Spiders of the National League in 1895.
*March 23 – [[Frank Graves (baseball)|Frank Graves]], 55, catcher for the 1886 St. Louis Maroons of the National League.
*March 28 – [[Eddie Hohnhorst]], 51, first baseman for the Cleveland Naps of the American League in the 1910 and 1912 seasons.
*April 6 – [[Fred Mann (baseball)|Fred Mann]], 58, centerfielder who hit .262 and scored 388 runs in 577 games for five clubs from 1882 to 1887.
*April 8 – [[Bill Moran (catcher)|Bill Moran]], 46, National League catcher who hit a .147 average in 39 games with the St. Louis Browns (1892) and the Chicago Colts (1895).
*April 16 – [[Jim McTamany]], 52, center fielder for four teams from 1885 to 1891, who led the American Association in runs (140) and walks (112) in 1890, while collecting 255 stolen bases and a .371 on-base percentage in 813 career-games.
*April 26 – [[Skyrocket Smith]], first baseman who hit a .238 average with a .349 on-base percentage for the Louisville Colonels of the American Association in 1888.
*April 27 – [[Jul Kustus]], 33, outfielder who hit .145 in x games for the 1909 Brooklyn Superbas of the National League.

===May–June===
*May 31 – [[Bud Sharpe]], 34, National League who hit .222 in parts of two seasons for the Boston Beaneaters (1905) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1910).
*June 10 – [[Jack Chapman]], 73, one of the foremost players of the early 1860s, who became famous for his many long running catches at right field, receiving the colorful nickname ″Death to Flying Things″; later a highly respected manager from 1876 to 1892, winning one championship in 1890 with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association.
*June 19 – [[John Dodge (baseball)|John Dodge]], 27, National League third baseman for the 1912 Philadelphia Phillies and the 1913 Cincinnati Reds, who died after being hit in the head by a pitch during a minor league game.

===July–August===
*July 15 – [[Ira Belden]], 42, American Association outfielder for the Cleveland Spiders in 1897.
*July 22 – [[George Ziegler (baseball)|George Ziegler]], 44[?], who pitched one game for the 1890 Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the National League.
*August 15 – [[John Dyler]], 64, left fielder for the Louisville Eclipse American Association team in 1882.
*August 23 – [[Bill George (baseball)|Bill George]], 51, pitcher/outfielder who played from 1887 through 1889 for the New York Giants (National League) and Columbus Solons (American Association).

===September–October===
*September 2 – [[Chick Evans (baseball)|Chick Evans]], 26, National League pitcher who posted a 1–4 record and a 4.96 ERA in 17 games for the Boston Doves in the 1909 and 1910 seasons, who also hurled a perfect game in the minors in which not a single batter hit a ball out of the infield.
*September 23 – [[Monk Cline]], 58, American Association outfielder who hit .261 in 232 games with the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Cowboys and the Louisville Eclipse/Colonels between 1882 and 1891.
*October 10 – [[Dick McBride (baseball)|Dick McBride]], 71, pitcher-manager for the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association from 1871 to 1875, who also played for the 1876 Boston Red Caps of the National League.
*October 11 – [[Harry Luff]], 64, infielder/outfielder/pitcher who played between 1875 and 1884 for six clubs in four different leagues.
*October 13 – [[Cyclone Miller]], 57, pitcher who posted a 14–11 record and a 3.04 ERA in 27 games with four teams in the 1884 and 1886 seasons.
*October 16 – [[Henry Killeen]], 44, pitcher for the 1891 Cleveland Spiders of the National League.
*October 24 – [[Hi Ebright]], 57, catcher who hit .254 for the Washington Senators of the National League in 1889.
*October 31 – [[Nicholas Young (executive)|Nicholas Young]], 76, president of the National League (1885–1902) and league secretary (1876–1902), who also managed the Washington team in the National Association and umpired in that league.

===November–December===
*November 2 – [[Richard Johns (umpire)|Richard Johns]], 67, National Association umpire
*November 12 – [[Mike Roach]], 46, catcher for the 1899 Washington Senators of the National League.
*November 12 – [[Will Foley]], 60, third baseman who played between 1875 and 1884 for five clubs in three different leagues.
*November 15 – [[Jack Farrell (outfielder)|Jack Farrell]] 60, center fielder who hit .385 in three games with the 1874 Hartford Dark Blues of the National Association.
*November 29 – [[Bob Unglaub]], 35, American League infielder for the New York Highlanders, Boston Americans and Washington Senators between 1904 and 1910, who also managed the Americans in the 1907 season.
*December 3 – [[Reddy Mack]], 50, Irish second baseman who played in the American Association for the Louisville Colonels (1886–1888) and Baltimore Orioles (1889–1890).
*December 5 – [[John Cuff (baseball)|John Cuff]], 52, catcher for the 1884 Baltimore Monumentals of the Union Association.
*December 17 – [[Scoops Carey (baseball)|Scoops Carey]], 46, a .271 career-hitter with four clubs, who led first basemen in fielding average in both the National League (1895) and American League (1902).
*December 17 – [[Elias Peak]], 57, second baseman who hit a combined .202 average with the Boston Reds and Philadelphia Keystones in the 1884 season.
*December 19 – [[Doug Allison]], 70, catcher who played from 1868 through 1883 for ten different teams, including for the undefeated 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, who is the earliest known player to use a glove, when he donned buckskin mittens to protect his hands in 1870.
*December 19 – [[John McGuinness (baseball)|John McGuinness]], 60[?], Irish first baseman and a .244 career hitter in 162 games with the New York Mutuals (1876), Syracuse Stars (1879), and Philadelphia Keystones (1884).
*December 23 – [[Erve Beck]], 38, second baseman for four different teams in the American and National Leagues between 1899 and 1902; his 71 doubles in 1900 for minor-league Toledo stood as an Organized Baseball record for 23 years.
*December 23 – [[Howard Earl]], 47, outfielder who hit .248 with eight homers and 68 RBI for the 1890 Chicago Colts and the 1890 Milwaukee Brewers.
*December 25 – [[Bill Moriarty (baseball)|Bill Moriarty]], 33, backup shortstop for the 1909 Cincinnati Reds.
*December 29 – [[Ed Doheny]], 43, pitcher who played from 1895 through 1903 for the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates, compiling a 75–83 and a 3.73 ERA in 75 games, while allowing only 13 home runs in 1405 innings for a .083 HR/9 average, 16th on all-time list.
==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Year in baseball|this year=1916}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1916 In Baseball}}