Babe Ruth's 26th Homer Lifts Yankees While Bill Marriott Powers Robins in 1926

Babe Ruth launched his 26th home run, Bill Marriott hit two for Brooklyn, the Giants unraveled with costly errors, and Rogers Hornsby underwent surgery in another eventful day across major league baseball.

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June 30, 1926 New York Daily News baseball front page featuring Babe Ruth, Bill Marriott, Rogers Hornsby and National League game coverage.
The June 30, 1926 New York Daily News sports front page highlighted Babe Ruth's 26th home run, Bill Marriott's two-homer game for Brooklyn, the Giants' defensive collapse against Boston, and news of Rogers Hornsby's surgery.

Content from the NY Daily News - Wednesday June 30, 1926

In This Edition


BIFF! RUTH GETS 26TH AS YANKS DEFEAT A’S, 7–5

By MARSHALL HUNT.

Philadelphia, June 29. — Those Athletics of the thin Connie Mack have been more or less of a scourge to the Yankees this summer and they threatened an insurrection in the ninth inning today which was designed to do Herb Pennock and his colleagues no great good. But Babe Ruth, the versatile rascal, did a few gymnastics under a tricky fly from the bat of Al Simmons in the final inning and the day was won.

Newspaper portrait of Babe Ruth after hitting his 26th home run during the Yankees' 7–5 win over the Athletics on June 29, 1926.
Babe Ruth after belting his 26th home run of the 1926 season in the Yankees' 7–5 victory over the Athletics.

The Yanks deprived the A's of the second game of the series by the score of 7 to 5 and ere we proceed further let us proclaim to the clients of this bureau that Babe not only played a fashionable game at first base today but that in the third inning he urged a ball to find haven in the upper tier of the left field bleachers and thus created his twenty-sixth home run of the season.

1926 newspaper graphic showing Babe Ruth's home run total at 26 and illustrating how many more he needed to break his single-season record.
A running chart tracking Babe Ruth's home run pace after his 26th homer of the 1926 season, noting he needed just 33 more to surpass his own single-season record.

Mr. Ruth was drafted from the outfield today because of the consuming indignation of Master Lou Gehrig in the fourth inning. Wrath and fury were writ all over the features of Master Lou—wrath directed at one George Hildebrand, an official of the game who allowed as how a certain ball was a third strike. But Lou had a different idea about the course of the ball and said so plainly and forcefully. The honest official then made a gesture with his thumb and Master Gehrig no longer was a part of the entertainment.

Cousin Lou had been of aid, too, for in the first inning a very hearty home run had been clicked from his club and that accounted for two runs off Sam Gray.

The Yanks and Senators play a double-header at the stadium Thursday. Walter Johnson and Dutch Ruether will hurl for the Washington forces.

Newspaper box score for the Yankees' 7–5 victory over the Athletics on June 29, 1926.
Box score from the Yankees' 7–5 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics on June 29, 1926, highlighted by home runs from Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

MARRIOTT GETS TWO HOMERS AS ROBINS WIN, 4–3

By CHARLES HOERTER.

A line single past third base by Charlie Hargreaves that scored Dick Cox from third in the eleventh inning checked the Phillies winning streak of five straight games at Ebbets Field yesterday afternoon and gave the Robins a 4 to 3 decision over the Fletchermen.

Newspaper portrait of Brooklyn third baseman Bill Marriott after his two-home-run game against the Phillies in June 1926.
Brooklyn third baseman Bill Marriott, whose two home runs powered the Robins to a dramatic extra-inning victory over Philadelphia.

Before Hargreaves made his game-wrecking hit, third-baseman Bill Marriott had the unusual and honorable distinction of making things uneasy for the lowly Phillies. It was Bill's potent bat which saved the day.

Marriott's contributions were two home runs, one coming with a man on the base, and the other with the bags empty. With the Dodgers trailing 2 to 0 in the fourth inning, Bill drove a ball to center field which eluded Leach, the Phillies center fielder. Before the ball was retrieved Dick Cox, who was on base through the medium of a single, and Marriott scored.

Then, in the ninth inning, Bill lined a homer over the right field wall with one out and tied the score.

The good right arm of Burleigh Grimes also played a large part in the victory. The spitballer permitted the Phillies only nine hits and would have won in regulation innings had not Zack Wheat and Whitey Witt made errors.

The score:

Newspaper box score for Brooklyn's 4–3 extra-inning victory over the Phillies on June 29, 1926.
Box score from Brooklyn's 4–3, 11-inning victory over the Phillies, featuring Bill Marriott's two-home-run performance.

GUMMY FIELDING, FUZZY THINKING, RUIN M’GRAWMEN

By WILL MURPHY.

Faced with an opportunity to better their condition in life by winning a double-header from the Braves yesterday afternoon, the Giants craked woefully and lost both contests. The scores were 5 to 0 and 7 to 3.

Just when they might have set themselves for a leap into the first division, the tottering McGraws developed a thick coating of butter on their fingers and a thicker coating of wooly fuzz on their brains.

Seven scorable miscues did our Giants commit, and six of them led to Boston runs.

Early and Often.

The New York crimes and misdemeanors in the first game centered mostly in the third inning, although Mr. Frank Frisch threw wildly in the first inning in such manner as to let a run across.

Newspaper portraits of Frank Frisch and Travis Jackson accompanying coverage of the Giants' defensive struggles against Boston.
Giants infielders Frank Frisch and Travis Jackson, whose defensive miscues contributed to New York's doubleheader sweep by the Braves.

The third inning was not one of the world's happiest moments for Hugh McMullen, who was catching for our side. Mr. McMullen in that round had scored against him a passed ball and two errors on missed throws to the plate. These items, combined with three hits and a crazed throw by Travis Jackson gave Boston four runs and that particular ball game.

The first contest, as one may have guessed, was a shut-out victory for Johnny Cooney, the Boston pitcher, even though he did grant ten hits. But how helpless were our Giants when a hit might have meant a run!

Knows His Onions.

Our lads hit to such good advantage in the first two innings of the second game that they scored three runs and blasted Kyle Graham right out of the party. But they did nothing whatsoever with Hal Goldsmith, his successor on the rubber. Harold Eugene is wholly unknown to major league fame, but he seems to have a certain knowledge of his onions.

The prize play of the day came in the seventh. Doc Gautreau doubled and Hack Wilson laid down a sacrifice bunt. While Florence was throwing out Wilson, little Doc noticed that the plate was uncovered and decided to stroll home, making the Giants look even more foolish than usual.

Heinie Mueller slid into second in the seventh inning of the second game so roughly as to prevent Doc Gautreau from completing a double play. Harsh words followed, and Umpire Wilson had to prevent Heinie from taking a sock at little Doc, who appeared willing enough to battle.

Newspaper box scores from the Braves' 5–0 and 7–3 doubleheader victories over the Giants.
Box scores from Boston's doubleheader sweep of the New York Giants, 5–0 and 7–3, on June 29, 1926.

Cut Rogers Hornsby For Carbuncle.

Newspaper portrait of Cardinals player-manager Rogers Hornsby during June 1926 following treatment for a carbuncle on his thigh.
St. Louis Cardinals player-manager Rogers Hornsby, who underwent surgery to remove a painful carbuncle after playing through the injury.

St. Louis, June 29.—When the St. Louis Cardinals left last night on an invasion of Chicago and Pittsburgh, Rogers Hornsby, their manager, remained behind. A carbuncle on his thigh was removed today. Hornsby has been playing in much pain in the last week. He expects to be in the game against Cincinnati here July 4.


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1926 newspaper advertisement for Indian Motorcycles featuring Goodyear Balloon Tires and easy payment plans.
Indian Motorcycle advertisement promoting Goodyear Balloon Tires and installment payment plans, published in 1926.
1926 newspaper advertisement for the Rialto Theatre featuring the film Variety starring Emil Jannings and Lya De Putti.
Rialto Theatre advertisement promoting Variety starring Emil Jannings and Lya De Putti, as published in a 1926 newspaper.