I recently came across this commentary from the May 3, 1920. it describes the historic aspect of the performances of Boston Braves starter Joe Oeschger and Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) starter Leon Cadore.
The post Joe Oeschger by John F. Green for SABR: the Society for American Baseball Research describes the milestone:
On May 1, 1920, Oeschger, of the Boston Braves, and Leon Cadore, of the visiting Brooklyn Robins, both pitched all 26 innings in what is still the longest game in major-league history. The contest, played in inclement weather, commenced at 3 in the afternoon and was halted by darkness after 3 hours and 50 minutes with the score tied at 1-1. Boston tallied its run in the fifth inning to match Brooklyn’s marker in the fourth. Cadore surrendered 15 hits and Oeschger nine over the 26 frames, and over the final nine innings, Joe pitched no-hit ball. Oeschger’s 21 consecutive scoreless innings in one game is another big-league record.
This kind of performance today doesn’t even seem like fantasy. It feels like something that is told a tall tale by the same people who back in the day walked to work five miles each way uphill. But as you see from the box score, there’s a whole lot of zeroes on the board.
Simply amazing.
For Further Reading:
BROOKLYN AND BOSTON BREAK BIG LEAGUE RECORD BY BATTLING FOR TWENTY-SIX INNINGS from the New York Times dated May 2, 1920
