1931 Philadelphia Athletics

From BR Bullpen

1931 Philadelphia Athletics / Franchise: Oakland Athletics / BR Team Page[edit]

Record: 107-45-1, Finished 1st in American League (1931 AL)

Clinched Pennant: September 15, 1931, vs. Cleveland Indians

Managed by Connie Mack

Coaches: Eddie Collins, Kid Gleason and Earle Mack

Ballpark: Shibe Park

History, Comments, Contributions[edit]

The 1931 Philadelphia Athletics were one of the greatest teams in American League history, although they have been relatively forgotten because they were upset by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1931 World Series. They were only the second team in the history of the league to post a winning percentage above .700. They were also outshined by the 1927 New York Yankees, considered by many the greatest team in baseball history, who had come along only a few years earlier. However, their 107 wins were the most by any major league teams between that Yankees team, which win 110 games, and the 1954 Cleveland Indians, who won 111.

Awards and Honors[edit]

Standings[edit]

American League W L Pct. GB
Philadelphia Athletics 107 45 .704 --
New York Yankees 94 59 .614 13½
Washington Senators 92 62 .597 16
Cleveland Indians 78 76 .506 30
St. Louis Browns 63 91 .409 45
Boston Red Sox 62 90 .408 45
Detroit Tigers 61 93 .396 47
Chicago White Sox 56 97 .366 51½

World Series[edit]

Main article: 1931 World Series
Game Score Date Location Attendance
1 Athletics – 6, Cardinals – 2 October 1 Sportsman’s Park 38,529
2 Athletics – 0, Cardinals – 2 October 2 Sportsman’s Park 35,947
3 Cardinals – 5, Athletics – 2 October 5 Shibe Park 32,295
4 Cardinals – 0, Athletics – 3 October 6 Shibe Park 32,295
5 Cardinals – 5, Athletics – 1 October 7 Shibe Park 32,295
6 Athletics – 8, Cardinals – 1 October 9 Sportsman’s Park 39,401
7 Athletics – 2, Cardinals – 4 October 10 Sportsman’s Park 20,805

Further Reading[edit]

  • Associated Press: "ATHLETICS CLINCH THIRD TITLE IN ROW", New York Times, September 16, 1931
  • Robert P. Broadwater: Lefty Grove and the 1931 Philadelphia Athletics, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2014. ISBN 978-0-7864-7566-7
  • Douglas Jordan: "The .700 Club: Blessedly Good Baseball", The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 45, Number 2 (Fall 2016), pp. 26-33.
  • Bryan Soderholm-Difatte: "Connie Mack's Second Great Athletics Team: Eclipsed by the Ruth-Gehrig Yankees, But Even Better", in Morris Levin, ed.: From Swampoodle to South Philly: Baseball in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, The National Pastime, SABR, 2013, pp. 178-184.


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