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1914 “Miracle Braves” Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to view entire gallery:
1914 “Miracle Braves”
After recently finishing the great new book on Johnny Evers by Dennis Snelling, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the 1914 “Miracle Braves,” on which Evers played a very significant role. This team experienced one of the greatest reversals of all time, actually going from last place to first place in only two months. They are the only team in baseball history to be in last place on the Fourth of July and then win the pennant.
In 1913, they finished last with a record of 69-82. Who would have expected them to be contenders the following year? They started 1914 poorly, posting a record of 26-40 by early July, and it looked like another last place finish was in the offing. But with their strong starting three pitchers: Dick Rudolph, Bill James, and Lefty Tyler, they started to turn the season around, ffinally reaching the top of the standings on September 8th and then held on to win the National League pennant, going an unbelievable 70-19 over the last 89 games. Hall-of-Famers Johnny Evers and Rabbit Maranville were a formidable double play combination, and led the league in twin killings. The Braves went on to sweep Connie Mack’s heavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series in four games, in which Hank Gowdy was the star, hitting an unbelievable .546. They became known in baseball lore as the “Miracle Braves.” It may be the most storied comeback in baseball history.
Here are the player identifications in the great photo above:
Top, L-R: Bill James, Ted Cathers, Charlie Deal, George Davis, Ensign Cottrell, Gene Cochran, Otto Hess, Les Man, Hank Gowdy, Butch Schmidt, Bert Whaling. Middle Row, L-R: Possum Whitted, Oscar Dugey, Lefty Tyler, Paul Strand, Josh Devore, Larry Gilbert, Red Smith, Herbie Moran. Front Row: Joe Connolly, Fred Mitchell, Johnny Connolly (mascot), Dick Rudolph, Rabbit Maranville, Dick Crutcher, Jack Martin, Johnny Evers. Inserts: Johnny Evers, George Stallings (Mgr.), James Gaffney (Owner).
-Gary Livacari
All photos from pubkic domain.
Information edited from the 1914 Miracle Braves Wikipedia page.
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