All seven scheduled games in the majors saw action on July 12, 1920. The White Sox win an extremely close game against the Athletics, the one run scored in the top of the ninth inning on an Eddie Collins home run. At the high end of scoring, the Dodgers trounce the Cubs 13-4 in game one of a doubleheader on the north side. The Dodgers won game two easily as well, 10-2, for a 23 run day.

Ed Konetchy of the Dodgers posts the best offensive game of the day. In game two of the doubleheader he goes three for four with a triple and a walk for a Baseball Musings game score of 71. He also has the best overall day in the majors, going five for eight in the double header with the triple and walk.

Dickey Kerr of the White Sox posts a game score of 82 and takes home the best pitched game of the day. He records the shutout against the Athletics, allowing three hits and one walk, all singles.

Kerr’s experienced a short but eventful major league career. In his rookie year of 1919, he went 13-7 for the White Sox, and more importantly, 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in the World Series. He proved to be one of the clean players, as events later in this 1920 season will show.

He consistently held out in contract negotiations, however. As one of the few good players left on the White Sox after the Black Sox scandal, Kerr took full advantage of his position. When the White Sox could not reach an agreement with him for the 1922 season, he jumped to Chicago’s semi-pro club, and earned an indefinite suspension from commissioner Landis. He did not pitch again in the majors until 1925. He proved ineffective at that point, and his MLB career was over.

Stay tuned for Kerr’s start one week from today, as he will be part of a momentous event.

With the Yankees and Indians idle, the White Sox gain 1/2 game in the AL pennant race on the two leaders, and now sit 3 1/2 games behind both clubs.

The Dodgers doubleheader sweep nets them a half game in the standings, as the Reds beat the Phillies 4-3 in ten innings. Brooklyn now leads the NL by 1 1/2 games over the Reds, with St. Louis 6 1/2 games back in third place. Pittsburgh wins 3-2 over the Braves in eleven innings to move into fourth place, seven games back, and the Cubs drop under .500, 7 1/2 games out. This was a tight, five-team race a few days ago, but now it seems down to the Dodgers and Reds.

Here are the league leaders for the day.