On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. So, check back often for new editions.
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October 2 Through October 7, 1916
Philadelphia baseball fans 100 years ago this week were saying good bye to the 1916 season. It was one of disappointment for both major league teams. The Athletics had a spectacularly bad season. At one point they were 56 ½ games out of 1st. They would finish last in the American League, winning only 36 games while losing 117 and a mere 54 ½ games back.
The hopes of Phillies fans for post season glory and a return to the World Series were also dashed. An estimated 515, 365 fans turned out for the 1916 season (a record that would stand for 3 decades) to cheer on Manager Pat Moran’s boys. The team fought a season long battle for 1st against the Brooklyn Robins. On September 7 they took the league lead but couldn’t hold on. Late in the season, on October 2nd, after a win in game one of a doubleheader against the giants they moved back into 1st but then lost the 2nd game. That loss was followed by dropping both ends of a doubleheader the next day and their fate was sealed. The Phillies would finish 2nd, 21/2 games behind the Robins. But fans of the club had a lot to be thankful for. They got to see Grover Cleveland Alexander (shown below) at perhaps his finest. In 1916 “Pete” Alexander would appear in 48 games, starting in 45. He would lead both major leagues with 33 wins, he threw 16 shutouts and finished with and an era of 1.55. Read about the sports scene back then in Philadelphia: The World War I Years.
GET YOUR COPY OF PHILADELPHIA: THE WORLD WAR I YEARS BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW.