View source for 1920 World Series

{{Short description|1920 Major League Baseball championship series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox World Series Expanded
| image = 1920 World Series program.jpg
| image_size = 200
| country = World
| year = 1920
| champion = [[1920 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] (5)
| champion_manager = [[Tris Speaker]] (player/manager)
| champion_games = 98–56, {{winpct|98|56}}, GA:&nbsp;2
| runnerup = [[1920 Brooklyn Robins season|Brooklyn Robins]] (2)
| runnerup_manager = [[Wilbert Robinson]]
| runnerup_games = 93–61, {{winpct|93|61}}, GA:&nbsp;7
| date = October 5–12
| venue = [[Ebbets Field]] (Brooklyn)<br />[[League Park]] (Cleveland)
| MVP = <!-- none -->
| television = <!-- none -->
| announcers = <!-- none -->
| radio_network = <!-- none -->
| radio_announcers = <!-- none -->
| umpires =  [[Bill Klem]] (NL), [[Tom Connolly (umpire)|Tommy Connolly]] (AL), [[Hank O'Day]] (NL), [[Bill Dinneen]] (AL)
| HOFers = '''Umpires:''' <br>[[Bill Klem]]<br>[[Tom Connolly (umpire)|Tommy Connolly]]<br>[[Hank O'Day]] <br> '''Indians:''' <br>[[Stan Coveleski]]<br>[[Joe Sewell]]<br>[[Tris Speaker]] <br> '''Robins:''' <br>[[Wilbert Robinson]] (mgr.)<br>[[Rube Marquard]]<br>[[Zack Wheat]]<br>[[Burleigh Grimes]]
| ALCS = <!-- none -->
| NLCS = <!-- none -->
| image2 = <!-- none -->
}}

The '''1920 World Series''' was the [[World Series|championship series]] for [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[1920 Major League Baseball season|1920 season]]. The series was a [[playoff format|best-of-nine]] format played between the [[American League]] (AL) champion [[1920 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] and the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) champion [[1920 Brooklyn Robins season|Brooklyn Robins]], with the Indians defeating the Robins five games to two. The only World Series [[triple play (baseball)|triple play]], the first World Series [[grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]], and the first World Series [[home run]] by a [[pitcher]] all occurred in Game&nbsp;5 of this series. This was also the first World Series and first [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|Big Four]] championship series to feature two brothers on opposing teams, with [[Doc Johnston]] playing for Cleveland and [[Jimmy Johnston]] playing for Brooklyn.<ref>{{cite news |last=McEvoy |first=Colin |title=The Ultimate Sibling Rivalry: 8 Sets of Brothers Who Faced Off in Sports Championships |work=[[Biography (TV program)|Biography]] |date=February 9, 2023 |url=https://www.biography.com/athletes/a42805051/brothers-who-have-faced-off-in-championships |accessdate=February 12, 2023}}</ref>

The Indians won the series in memory of their former shortstop [[Ray Chapman]], who had been killed earlier in the season when struck in the head by a pitched ball.  

In Game&nbsp;5, Cleveland second basemen [[Bill Wambsganss]] turned an unassisted [[triple play (baseball)|triple play]]. He caught a line drive off the bat of [[Clarence Mitchell (baseball)|Clarence Mitchell]], stepped on second base to put out [[Pete Kilduff]], and tagged [[Otto Miller (catcher)|Otto Miller]] coming from first base. It was the second of 15 (as of 2022) [[unassisted triple play]]s in major-league baseball history, and it remains the only one in postseason play. Mitchell made history again in the eighth inning by hitting into a double play, accounting for five outs in two straight at-bats.

The fifth game also saw the first [[grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]] in World Series history (hit by Cleveland's [[Elmer Smith (20th century outfielder)|Elmer Smith]]) and the first Series [[home run]] by a pitcher (Cleveland's [[Jim Bagby, Sr.]]). And in that same game, Brooklyn outhit Cleveland but lost 8–1.

Cleveland had won the [[American League]] pennant in a close race with the [[1920 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] and the [[1920 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]. The Sox's participation in the [[Black Sox Scandal]] the previous year had caught up to them late in the season, and their star players were suspended with three games left in the season, when they were in a virtual tie with the Indians. The Yankees, with their recently acquired star [[Babe Ruth]], were almost ready to start their eventual World Series dynasty. 

This was the second of three consecutive World Series to use a best-of-nine format, instead of the usual best-of-seven. To reduce travel during the Series, the 2-3-2-2 format that was used in 1919 was changed to 3-4-2. Notably, all seven games of the 1920 World Series were won by the team who scored first. In fact, Game&nbsp;4 was the only game in which the losing team scored a run before the winning team had scored ''all'' of its runs. The lead never changed hands in any game.

This would be the last World Series until {{wsy|1980}} to feature two franchises that had not previously won a championship.

==Summary==
{{MLB Playoff Summary
| summary = AL [[1920 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] (5) vs. NL [[Brooklyn Robins]] (2)
| winner =
| score =

| score1 = '''Cleveland Indians''' – 3, Brooklyn Robins – 1
| date1 = October 5
| loc1 = [[Ebbets Field]]
| time1 = 1:41
| att1 = 23,573
| ref1 = <ref name="Game1">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10050BRO1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 1 – Cleveland Indians vs. Brooklyn Robins|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score2 = Cleveland Indians – 0, '''Brooklyn Robins''' – 3
| date2 = October 6
| loc2 = Ebbets Field
| time2 = 1:55
| att2 = 22,559
| ref2 = <ref name="Game2">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10060BRO1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 2 – Cleveland Indians vs. Brooklyn Robins|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score3 = Cleveland Indians – 1, '''Brooklyn Robins''' – 2
| date3 = October 7
| loc3 = Ebbets Field
| time3 = 1:47
| att3 = 25,088
| ref3 = <ref name="Game3">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10070BRO1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 3 – Cleveland Indians vs. Brooklyn Robins|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score4 = Brooklyn Robins – 1, '''Cleveland Indians''' – 5
| date4 = October 9
| loc4 = [[League Park]]
| time4 = 1:54
| att4 = 25,734
| ref4 = <ref name="Game4">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10090CLE1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 4 – Brooklyn Robins vs. Cleveland Indians|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score5 = Brooklyn Robins – 1, '''Cleveland Indians''' – 8
| date5 = October 10
| loc5 = League Park
| time5 = 1:49
| att5 = 26,884
| ref5 = <ref name="Game5">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10100CLE1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 5 – Brooklyn Robins vs. Cleveland Indians|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score6 = Brooklyn Robins – 0, '''Cleveland Indians''' – 1
| date6 = October 11
| loc6 = League Park
| time6 = 1:34
| att6 = 27,194
| ref6 = <ref name="Game6">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10110CLE1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 6 – Brooklyn Robins vs. Cleveland Indians|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score7 = Brooklyn Robins – 0, '''Cleveland Indians''' – 3
| date7 = October 12
| loc7 = League Park
| time7 = 1:55
| att7 = 27,525
| ref7 = <ref name="Game7">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B10120CLE1920.htm|title=1920 World Series Game 7 – Brooklyn Robins vs. Cleveland Indians|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
}}

==Matchups==
===Game 1===
[[File:Crowd at Ebbets Field.jpg|thumb|270px|Game 1 at Ebbets Field]]
{{Linescore|
|Date=Tuesday, October 5, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm ([[Eastern Time Zone|ET]])
|Location=[[Ebbets Field]] in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
|Road='''Cleveland'''|RoadAbr=CLE
|R1=0|R2=2|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=3|RH=5|RE=0
|Home=Brooklyn|HomeAbr=BRO
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=1|H8=0|H9=0|HR=1|HH=5|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Stan Coveleski]] (1–0)|LP=[[Rube Marquard]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

Game 1 took a mere 1 hour, 41 minutes. [[Steve O'Neill]] supplied RBI doubles in the second and fourth innings in support of [[Stan Coveleski]], who won it for the visiting Indians with a five-hitter.

===Game 2===
{{Linescore|
|Date=Wednesday, October 6, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm (ET)
|Location=Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
|Road=Cleveland|RoadAbr=CLE
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=7|RE=1
|Home='''Brooklyn'''|HomeAbr=BRO
|H1=1|H2=0|H3=1|H4=0|H5=1|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=7|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Burleigh Grimes]] (1–0)|LP=[[Jim Bagby, Sr.|Jim Bagby]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}
A first-inning run on a [[Jimmy Johnston]] single and [[Zack Wheat]] double would be all Dodger pitcher [[Burleigh Grimes]] would require in a complete-game shutout.

===Game 3===
{{Linescore|
|Date=Thursday, October 7, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm (ET)
|Location=Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
|Road=Cleveland|RoadAbr=CLE
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=3|RE=1
|Home='''Brooklyn'''|HomeAbr=BRO
|H1=2|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=2|HH=6|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Sherry Smith]] (1–0)|LP=[[Ray Caldwell]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}
Brooklyn scored twice in the first on hits by [[Zack Wheat]] and [[Hy Myers|Hi Myers]] that chased Cleveland starter [[Ray Caldwell]] from the game. The only run winning pitcher [[Sherry Smith]] gave up in a three-hitter came when [[Tris Speaker]] came all the way around on a double that was misplayed in left field.

===Game 4===
{{Linescore|
|Date=Saturday, October 9, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm (ET)
|Location=[[League Park]] in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]]
|Road=Brooklyn|RoadAbr=BRO
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=5|RE=1
|Home='''Cleveland'''|HomeAbr=CLE
|H1=2|H2=0|H3=2|H4=0|H5=0|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=5|HH=12|HE=2
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Stan Coveleski]] (2–0)|LP=[[Leon Cadore]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

Brooklyn starter [[Leon Cadore]] didn't make it past the first inning. His relievers didn't fare much better, [[Al Mamaux]] being removed in the third and [[Rube Marquard]] greeted by a [[George Burns (outfielder)|George Burns]] two-run double. [[Stan Coveleski]] cruised with a five-hitter for his second win of the Series.

===Game 5===
{{Linescore|
|Date=Sunday, October 10, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm (ET)
|Location=League Park in Cleveland, Ohio
|Road=Brooklyn|RoadAbr=BRO
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|RR=1|RH=13|RE=1
|Home='''Cleveland'''|HomeAbr=CLE
|H1=4|H2=0|H3=0|H4=3|H5=1|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=8|HH=12|HE=2
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Jim Bagby, Sr.|Jim Bagby]] (1–1)|LP=[[Burleigh Grimes]] (1–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=[[Elmer Smith (20th century outfielder)|Elmer Smith]] (1), [[Jim Bagby, Sr.|Jim Bagby]] (1)
|}}

The ''Cleveland Times'' ran the following article on Monday, October 11, 1920, recounting Game&nbsp;5 and Wambsganss' triple play:
[[File:Wamby19201010UATP.JPG|thumb|right|250px|[[Bill Wambsganss]] (upper left) completing his unassisted triple play in Game&nbsp;5, about to tag a stunned [[Otto Miller (catcher)|Otto Miller]] after touching second to double up [[Pete Kilduff]] (right foreground, touching third).]]
'''Wamby Makes Unassisted Triple Play'''
*CLEVELAND, Sunday Oct 10, 1920 – [[Bill Wambsganss]]' [[unassisted triple play]] highlighted the most unusual game in [[World Series]] history today and helped the [[Cleveland Indians]] to a wild 8–1 victory over the [[Brooklyn Robins]]. [[Elmer Smith (20th century outfielder)|Elmer Smith]] hit a [[Grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]] and [[Jim Bagby, Sr.|Jim Bagby]] also [[Home run|homered]] as the Indians took the lead in games three to two. The [[triple play]] and grand slam had never happened before in World Series history and Bagby became the first [[pitcher]] to homer in a World Series. "I've been in baseball 40 years", Robins [[manager]] [[Wilbert Robinson]] said, "and I never saw one like this." The first Indian to face [[Burleigh Grimes]] was Charlie Johnson, who [[Single (baseball)|singled]]. He stopped at second on Wambsganss' single. Then Grimes fell fielding [[Tris Speaker]]'s [[Bunt (baseball)|bunt]], loading the bases. Then Smith hit a 1–2 pitch over the right field screen for a 4–0 lead. In the home fourth, [[Doc Johnston]] singled to center and moved up on a [[passed ball]]. After Grimes put [[Steve O'Neill]] on, Bagby homered into the center field stands. [[Pete Kilduff]] began the top of the fifth with a single to left center. When [[Otto Miller]] singled to center, Speaker's quick throw to third drove Kilduff back to second. That brought up reliever [[Clarence Mitchell (baseball)|Clarence Mitchell]], who went six for sixteen as a [[pinch-hitter]] this [[1920 Major League Baseball season|season]] and sometimes fills in at [[First basemen|first base]] and in the outfield. A left-handed hitter, he drove the ball toward right center. Second baseman Wambsganss moved slightly to his right, tipped onto his toes, sprung a little bit and grabbed the ball with his gloved hand. Never hesitating, he continued to second base, easily doubling Kilduff. Then when Wamby turned to throw to first base he saw Miller frozen directly in front of him. Reaching out, Wamby tagged Miller easily. The crowd was silent momentarily, then, realizing what had happened, broke into thunderous applause. In the Brooklyn eighth, [[Ernie Krueger]] singled to center. But Mitchell grounded to first baseman Johnson, who started a double play. Thus, Mitchell accounted for five outs in two at-bats.

===Game 6===
{{Linescore|
|Date=Monday, October 11, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm (ET)
|Location=League Park in Cleveland, Ohio
|Road=Brooklyn|RoadAbr=BRO
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=3|RE=0
|Home='''Cleveland'''|HomeAbr=CLE
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=1|HH=7|HE=3
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Duster Mails]] (1–0)|LP=[[Sherry Smith]] (1–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

Even faster than Game 1, this one was done in just 94 minutes. [[Duster Mails]] twirled a three-hit shutout, and the lone run came in the sixth on a [[Tris Speaker]] two-out single, followed by a [[George Burns (outfielder)|George Burns]] double.

===Game 7===
{{Linescore|
|Date=Tuesday, October 12, 1920
|Time=2:00 pm (ET)
|Location=League Park in Cleveland, Ohio
|Road=Brooklyn|RoadAbr=BRO
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=5|RE=2
|Home='''Cleveland'''|HomeAbr=CLE
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=1|H6=0|H7=1|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=7|HE=3
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Stan Coveleski]] (3–0)|LP=[[Burleigh Grimes]] (1–2)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

The Robins didn't score in the last two games. Their pitcher, [[Burleigh Grimes]], committed an error on a Cleveland double steal that resulted in the game's first run. [[Stan Coveleski]] needed no more, but got one in the fifth from a [[Tris Speaker]] run-scoring triple and another in the seventh on [[Charlie Jamieson]]'s RBI double. [[Spitball]] pitcher Coveleski won for the third time and the Indians celebrated before their home fans.

==Composite line score==
1920 World Series '''(5–2): [[1920 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] (A.L.)''' over [[Brooklyn Robins]] (N.L.)
{{Linescore
|Road='''[[1920 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]]'''
|R1=6|R2=2|R3=2|R4=6|R5=2|R6=2|R7=1|R8=0|R9=0|RR=21|RH=53|RE=12
|Home='''[[Brooklyn Robins]]'''
|H1=3|H2=0|H3=1|H4=1|H5=1|H6=0|H7=1|H8=0|H9=1|HR=8|HH=44|HE=6
|TotalAttendance=178,557 |AveAttendance=25,508
|WinPlayerShare=$4,168 |LosePlayerShare=$2,420<ref name="wsshares">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsshares.shtml|title=World Series Gate Receipts and Player Shares|access-date=June 14, 2009|publisher=Baseball Almanac}}</ref>
}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
{{WSRefs|year=1920|cohenpp=82–86|reichlerp=2128|bradate=December 9, 2007}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{WSExtLinks|year=1920}}

{{WorldSeries}}
{{1920 MLB season by team}}
{{1920 Cleveland Indians}}
{{Cleveland Indians}}
{{Los Angeles Dodgers}}

[[Category:World Series]]
[[Category:1920 Major League Baseball season|World Series]]
[[Category:Cleveland Guardians postseason]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Dodgers postseason]]
[[Category:1920 in sports in New York City|World Series]]
[[Category:1920 in sports in Ohio|World Series]]
[[Category:1920s in Cleveland]]
[[Category:Baseball competitions in New York City]]
[[Category:Baseball competitions in Cleveland]]
[[Category:1920s in Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Flatbush, Brooklyn]]
[[Category:October 1920 sports events in the United States]]