Speed, power, spitballs, and the greatness of 1920s baseball (Part I)
1920s baseball games moved faster than they do today. They had more hits, more stolen bases, fewer walks, fewer pitching changes, and games lasted, on average, 1 hour and 50 minutes. But it was also a game in transition. On the one hand, you had sluggers like Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby who might hit 40 or 50 home runs in a single season. On the other hand, you had pitchers like Burleigh Grimes throwing spitballs and player/manager Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers who embodied a nineteenth century style of play. In this video, I argue that 1920s baseball was a faster, more exciting version of the game while the the ballpark itself provided a more intimate fan experience.
And yes! I mispronounced Jacoby Ellsbury's name. It happens.
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#BaseballStats #HistoricBaseball #BaseballCulture #MLBAnalysis