Ralph Miller was the first player born on February 29th to play in the Fall Classic.
Called up from the minors in July, he only got into 9 games for the Washington Senators in 1924. But this was one year the Sens were not last in the Amercian League. But they were still first in war and first in peace. The right time for Miller time was 1924! The New York Giants could not have cared that they were up against a team that had a player born on a leap year
But he didn't do much in the 9 games as he batted .133 with 0 RBIs. He would do only a little better in that year's Fall Classic.
Miller's first game was game 3. Roger Peckinpaugh was out of the game game in the bottom of the third. But the Senators were behind 2-0. Miller took over at shortstop.
With one out, Hack Wilson hit into a double play that Miller helped turn. Alas, a run scored and it was now 3-0 for the Giants at home. What could Ralph do about it?
Well, he got Washington on the board. In the top of the 4th with the bases loaded and just one out, Miller sent a fly to left that scored Sam Rice. The Sens scored another run on a walk with the bases loaded again that inning. It was still 3-2, New York, but Washington was back in the game.
Miller added a single in the 6th, and then walked in the 8th. Washington trailed 5-2 by the time Miller walked. They did manage to score a run to cut it to 5-3. With two down, Miller was on third and Mule Shirley was on first. But Nemo Leibold grounded out to end the inning.
The Senators got the run back in the bottom of the frame. But Washington scored another run and had the bases loaded with just one out in the top of the 9th. And guess who was up?
Miller popped out to third. And when Muddy Ruel grounded into a force at third, Washington had lost the game.
Game four saw Miller play the whole game at third base. But he was about to embark on an 0-4 afternoon.
Batting in the 8th spot, Miller came up to the plate in the top of the second. Miller grounded out to leave two runners on in the second. With one out in the fourth, he flied out with a man on second. He was the last out in a 1-2-3 6th. In the bottom of the 7th, Ralph made an error. His final plate appearance was a pop out. But Washington won the game, 7-4. The Fall Classic was a classic alright. It was tied two games apiece.
In game five, it was Miller time at third and again batting in the eight spot. The Senators needed this game, or they would have to win games six and seven at home. It was also Walter Johnson on the hill here, so he would likely not get another start. Again, that's why this game was so important.
In the top of the second with the game scoreless, Miller was the last out as he grounded to second. This left two men on. But in the top of the fourth with two outs, Ralph came through. His single tied the game. However, he got too aggressive on the base paths. When he tried for second on the hit, Miller ended up being the dead duck!
New York took the lead again with two runs off The Big Train in the bottom of the fifth. Amazingly enough, Walter Johnson gave up the two on a home run by opposing pitcher Jack Bentley. It just wasn't his day!
In the top of the 7th, it was Muddy Ruel who walked. Ralph was up representing the tying run. All he could do was ground out, but it did move Ruel to second. Johnson batted for himself and flied out. Another walk, this time to Earl McNeely, got the tying run to first. But the Senators could do nothing more that inning.
Washington got one run back in the top of the 8th as Goose Goslin hit a home run of his own. The next batter, Joe Judge singled. A ground out moved him to second. An single and this thing would be tied. But Washington failed to do so.
In the bottom of the frame, New York lit up Johnson for three more runs to put this game out of reach. Nemo Leibold batted for Miller and flew out to center in the 9th. Washington was shutout in that inning. The Giants were one win away from the 1924 World Series Championship. But that win never came!
Miller did not play in game six, which Washington won 2-1. In game six, the score was tied at three after eight. Ralph came in to the game a defensive replacement in the top of the 9th. Amazingly enough, there was also a new pitcher for this inning: Walter Johnson!
Miller made the innings first putout on a pop fly to third. He also threw out Irish Meusel at first to end the inning. But the Giants had runners on second and third before out number three!
It was then Washington's turn to try and win it. Washington had runners on first and third with just one out. A single, or a deep fly would win the game and the first championship for the Senators. Miller was the batter. Art Nehf was replaced on the mound by Hugh McQuillan. Amazingly enough, he did exactly what was needed. Miller hit into a double play. Clutch pitching!
Miller batted in the bottom of the 12th and was retired. But this proved to be the only out the Giants got. Washington won in dramatic fashion, although, it was New York that somehow made two errors in the inning. It was Earl McNeely with the walk-off single!
So Miller did little.He hit just .182, 2 RBIs, 2 hits and 1 walk. Game seven of the 1924 World Series would prove to be Miller's last at the MLB level. But he got a ring. Tthe Washington Senators finally get it done, as well.
And yes, 1924 was also a leap year. That's all the Sens needed to win it all. Leap year player, leap year Fall Classic!
References
Called up from the minors in July, he only got into 9 games for the Washington Senators in 1924. But this was one year the Sens were not last in the Amercian League. But they were still first in war and first in peace. The right time for Miller time was 1924! The New York Giants could not have cared that they were up against a team that had a player born on a leap year
But he didn't do much in the 9 games as he batted .133 with 0 RBIs. He would do only a little better in that year's Fall Classic.
Miller's first game was game 3. Roger Peckinpaugh was out of the game game in the bottom of the third. But the Senators were behind 2-0. Miller took over at shortstop.
With one out, Hack Wilson hit into a double play that Miller helped turn. Alas, a run scored and it was now 3-0 for the Giants at home. What could Ralph do about it?
Well, he got Washington on the board. In the top of the 4th with the bases loaded and just one out, Miller sent a fly to left that scored Sam Rice. The Sens scored another run on a walk with the bases loaded again that inning. It was still 3-2, New York, but Washington was back in the game.
Miller added a single in the 6th, and then walked in the 8th. Washington trailed 5-2 by the time Miller walked. They did manage to score a run to cut it to 5-3. With two down, Miller was on third and Mule Shirley was on first. But Nemo Leibold grounded out to end the inning.
The Senators got the run back in the bottom of the frame. But Washington scored another run and had the bases loaded with just one out in the top of the 9th. And guess who was up?
Miller popped out to third. And when Muddy Ruel grounded into a force at third, Washington had lost the game.
Game four saw Miller play the whole game at third base. But he was about to embark on an 0-4 afternoon.
Batting in the 8th spot, Miller came up to the plate in the top of the second. Miller grounded out to leave two runners on in the second. With one out in the fourth, he flied out with a man on second. He was the last out in a 1-2-3 6th. In the bottom of the 7th, Ralph made an error. His final plate appearance was a pop out. But Washington won the game, 7-4. The Fall Classic was a classic alright. It was tied two games apiece.
In game five, it was Miller time at third and again batting in the eight spot. The Senators needed this game, or they would have to win games six and seven at home. It was also Walter Johnson on the hill here, so he would likely not get another start. Again, that's why this game was so important.
In the top of the second with the game scoreless, Miller was the last out as he grounded to second. This left two men on. But in the top of the fourth with two outs, Ralph came through. His single tied the game. However, he got too aggressive on the base paths. When he tried for second on the hit, Miller ended up being the dead duck!
New York took the lead again with two runs off The Big Train in the bottom of the fifth. Amazingly enough, Walter Johnson gave up the two on a home run by opposing pitcher Jack Bentley. It just wasn't his day!
In the top of the 7th, it was Muddy Ruel who walked. Ralph was up representing the tying run. All he could do was ground out, but it did move Ruel to second. Johnson batted for himself and flied out. Another walk, this time to Earl McNeely, got the tying run to first. But the Senators could do nothing more that inning.
Washington got one run back in the top of the 8th as Goose Goslin hit a home run of his own. The next batter, Joe Judge singled. A ground out moved him to second. An single and this thing would be tied. But Washington failed to do so.
In the bottom of the frame, New York lit up Johnson for three more runs to put this game out of reach. Nemo Leibold batted for Miller and flew out to center in the 9th. Washington was shutout in that inning. The Giants were one win away from the 1924 World Series Championship. But that win never came!
Miller did not play in game six, which Washington won 2-1. In game six, the score was tied at three after eight. Ralph came in to the game a defensive replacement in the top of the 9th. Amazingly enough, there was also a new pitcher for this inning: Walter Johnson!
Miller made the innings first putout on a pop fly to third. He also threw out Irish Meusel at first to end the inning. But the Giants had runners on second and third before out number three!
It was then Washington's turn to try and win it. Washington had runners on first and third with just one out. A single, or a deep fly would win the game and the first championship for the Senators. Miller was the batter. Art Nehf was replaced on the mound by Hugh McQuillan. Amazingly enough, he did exactly what was needed. Miller hit into a double play. Clutch pitching!
Miller batted in the bottom of the 12th and was retired. But this proved to be the only out the Giants got. Washington won in dramatic fashion, although, it was New York that somehow made two errors in the inning. It was Earl McNeely with the walk-off single!
So Miller did little.He hit just .182, 2 RBIs, 2 hits and 1 walk. Game seven of the 1924 World Series would prove to be Miller's last at the MLB level. But he got a ring. Tthe Washington Senators finally get it done, as well.
And yes, 1924 was also a leap year. That's all the Sens needed to win it all. Leap year player, leap year Fall Classic!
References
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major
League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/.
Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
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