Days 41-50: 1909 team showing that Deadball teams can hang with anyone!

I was really curious how the Deadball era teams could compete with the big boppers of the 2000's or the fireballing hurlers of the 1960's.  PJ's 1909 team is showing that lack of power can be offset by high batting averages and stellar pitching.  I never knew of "Kickipoo Ed" Summers until this replay started, but he and George Mullin  have formed a lights-out duo of starters that have helped the 1909 team to the the lowest team ERA (2.90) in the league and first place in the Briggs Division.   Ty Cobb (.388, 28 steals), SS Donie Bush (.320, 23 steals), and OF Wahoo Sam Crawford (.317) have led a potent offense.  The Deadballers will have to fend off the 2006 World Series team and the suddenly resurgent 1993 team to take the division title, and it will be fascinating to see how these very different teams compete.  Wikipedia is a great source for learning more about your older teams, here is the story of the 1909 Tigers here

The 1909 team lost the Word Series to Pittsburgh in real-life

but seem determined to win some titles in this league!

The 1984 team continues to sport the best record in the league, at 31-18, to lead the Navin Division.  The 1924 team was one of the lower winning percentages in real-life, but they continue to own the Fetzer.  1950 is ahead of 1935 in the Ilitch.  The hottest team in the league right now is the 1993 squad, going 8-2 lately!

1911 Ty Cobb continues to chase the .400 mark, leading all in batting average at .403.  1934 Hank Greenberg and 2012 Miguel Cabrera are tied for the HR lead with 16 each.  1909 George Mullin, 1984 Juan Berenguer, and 1924 Earl Whitehill are each tied for the Wins lead with 9.  2006 Todd Jones continues to be the top closer, with 15 saves.

I have decided on Co-Players of the Block.  Congrats to 2012 Miguel Cabrera, who hit. 400 with 5 HRs and 17 RBIs over the 10 game set.  Also, 1934 Schoolboy Rowe dominated, going 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA and 15 K's.

Hungry Miggy puts up big numbers this block

Lanky Schoolboy Rowe dominated this set

Poor 1987 Tommy Brookens struggled though, going 1-26 for a .077 average.  1987 teammate Dan Petry was roughed up for 16 hits and 15 earned runs in just 9 innings (racking up two losses).

Day 41 1934 Schoolboy Rowe blanked the 1944 team on just 4 hits.  1911 beat 1961 8-7 in a game featuring 27 combined hit, and a walk-off hit by Jim Delahanty.  1984 Juan Berenguer moved his record to an impressive 7-1 win a win over 1924.  Tom Brookens homered and had 5 RBIs (he would not get another base hit over the next nine days).

Day 42 1968 Jim Northrup has an extra-innings walk-off homer to cap a huge come-from-behind win over 2013.   Hard-luck pitcher 1945 Dizzy Trout finally got his first win of the year, and is now 1-10!  2006 Kenny Rogers, The Gambler, knew hold to hold 'em, pitching 2006 over the 1984 team in a 7-5 ballgame.

Day 43   1945 Hank Greenberg rolled up  6 RBIs in a 9-5 win over 1911.  Steady SP Fred Hutchinson is now 6-1 after outdueling 1915 Hooks Dauss.  1961 gets a walk-off hit from Mickey Stanley.  1908 rolled up three runs in the top of the 10th to get past 1987.  1924 Heinie Manush hit a grand slam to aid starting pitcher Lil Stoner and put them over the 1944 team.

Day 44  Great battle between 2013 and 1968.  This was tied at 7 up until the 11th inning when 2013 put up 4 runs to take a seemingly insurmountable lead.  However, the 1968 Tigers matched the four run output in the bottom of the 11th.  2013 won the slugfest on a V-Mart sac fly in the 12th.  1973 Mickey Lolich whiffed 10 1961 batters.  Big day for 1984 Chet "Chester" Lemon - single, double, and three-run homer!  1915 starter Jean Dubuc blanked 1950.  Surprise hero for 1984 as catcher Marty Castillo hits 2 homers in a 2-1 win over 2006.

Day 45   1984 Juan Berenguer tossed a two-hit shutout of 1944.  The 1993 team won their sixth in a row.  2011 Jhonny Peralta's two run walkoff HR beat 1907.  1924 Harry Heilmann hit s a grand slam off of 2006 Joel Zumaya.   Crazy game between 1861 and 1915 ended with a Sam Crawford walk-off hit and win for pitcher Pug Cavet!

Day 46  Bless you boys!  The 1984 Tigers entered the bottom of the ninth, down 4-0 to 1944 Dizzy Trout when they suddenly rallied for 5 runs to win 5-4!  2014 Ian Kinsler had a home-run and a walk-off groundout to defeat 1973 John Hiller.  More ink for 2013 Donnie Kelly Baby!  He gets two extra-base hits off of 1940 Tommy Bridges in a 9-7 win.  Somewhere, Jim Leyland is crying (and smoking).  

Day 47  The 1945 Team (World Champs in their day) have caught fire, winning their sixth in a row.  1945 Eddie Mayo ended a game with 1987 on a walk-off bomb.  Huge night for 1944 Jimmy Outlaw, who collected 2 HRs and 7 RBIs.  1961 Jim Bunning is now 8-1 with a nice win over 1915. 1950 Big Schaller with a walk-off hit!  Unquestionably the game of the night, and maybe the season, was an epic battle of the 1908 team and the 1993 team.  These two battled for 19 innings before Travis Fryman's walk-off single!   Fryman set a new league record with TEN at bats in a single game.  The two teams combined for 23 runs and 36 hits.

Day 48 1993 David Wells blanked the 1944 team on just two hits.  2006 got a combined shut out from Nate Robertson and Todd Jones.  1944 starter Rufe Gentry (the namesake of  a drug) is now 0-10  for the year.  2012 Jose Valverde, Papa Grande himself, saved the game against the 2011 team.  1934 Ray Hayworth had 4 hits.

Day 49 2012 Justin Verlander shut out the 2011 team, defeating 2011 Justin Verlander.  1909 got three hits from infielder Germany Schaefer as they beat 1924 8-3.  Big come-from-behind win as 1908 got three runs in the bottom of the 9th to defeat 1940.  1950 Dizzy Trout tossed a shutout of 2014.

Day 50 1915 Harry Coveleski edged 1935 Tommy Bridges 4-3.  2006 got 4 shutout innings from Joel Zumaya in a 13 inning win over 1911.  1924 put up 4 runs in the top of the first and coasted to a 4-3 win over 1909.