Minneapolis Millers - Compiled by Stew Thornley
1917 - American Association, 68-86-2,  6th place - Standings, statistics, and notes follow game-by-game results
Manager: Joe Cantillon
Date Opponent Outcome Record Notes
Sa 4/7 Chicago White Sox (ex.) L 1-9 Ex-Miller Urban "Red" Faber shuts down the Millers on 6 hits.  Swede Risberg, Eddie Collins, Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Buck Weaver, and Ray Schalk are among the White Sox playing in the game.  The day before, President Woodrow Wilson had signed a state-of-war resolution passed by Congress, putting the United States into the World War.
S 4/8 Chicago Cubs (ex.) L 0-1 Each team has three hits.
W 4/11 at Kansas City Blues L 0-3 0-1
Th 4/12 at Kansas City L 5-11 0-2 Beals Becker and pitcher Art Smith homer for Kansas City.
F 4/13 at Kansas City W 5-4 1-2 9-hitter for Charles "Lefty" Humphrey.  Carl Sawyer homers for the Millers.
Sa 4/14 at Milwaukee Brewers, snow and cold
Su 4/15 at Milwaukee W 6-3 (11) 2-2
M 4/16 at Milwaukee, cold
W 4/18 Kansas City W 2-1 3-2 9-hitter by Mutt Williams.  Carl "Huck" Sawyer, the second batter of the game, homers for the first Millers run.  In the 9th Jack Knight doubles and scores the winning run on a single by Morley Jennings.
The Millers unveil their new patriotic uniforms: khaki color with red, white, and blue bands on the caps, belts, and hosiery and a large American flag on the left breast.
Th 4/19 Kansas City, rain Newspaper says no game because of the "damp tendency of the atmosphere."
F 4/20 Kansas City, cold
Sa 4/21 Milwaukee L 3-4 3-3
Su 4/22 St. Paul Saints L 1-2 3-4
M 4/23 at St. Paul L 0-4 3-5
Tu 4/24 St. Paul, rain
W 4/25 at Indianapolis Indians L 1-7 3-6
Th 4/26 at Indianapolis W 5-3 4-6 9-hitter by Claude Thomas.
F 4/27 at Indianapolis, rain
Sa 4/28 at Louisville Colonels, rain
Su 4/29 at Louisville L 2-7 4-7
M 4/30 at Louisville, rain
Tu 5/1 at Columbus Senators, rain
W 5/2 at Columbus W 3-1 (11) 5-7 Knight's 2-run double in the 10th wins for the Millers.
Th 5/3 at Columbus L 1-3 5-8
F 5/4 at Toledo Iron Men, rain
Milwaukee manager Dan Shay pleads self defense in the fatal shooting of "colored waiter Clarence Euell" at an Indianapolis hotel on Thursday, May 3.  The newspaper reports that Shay claimed that Euell, after the two exchanged words, came toward him with clenched fists.  Shay was held without bail.  A blog at Historical Miami (Ohio) Society (http://mchistorical.blogspot.com/2011/10/sad-days-of-danny-shay.html) , Shea remained in an Indianapolis jail until his trial that November, when he was acquitted.  He never managed again but did scout for the Brewers in the 1920s.  He had a stroke in 1926 and, in November 1927, committed suicide.
Sa 5/5 at Toledo, rain
Su 5/6 at Toledo, rain
Tu 5/8 Indianapolis L 1-5 5-9
W 5/7 Indianapolis L 3-7 5-10
Th 5/10 Indianapolis L 0-3 5-11 After a meeting with some American Association owners in Minneapolis, Association president Thomas J. Hickey says the Association will not close its gates because of the World War.
F 5/11 Toledo W 7-3 6-11
Sa 5/12 Toledo L 2-4 6-12 Millers have been drilling under a non-commissioned officer from 9:00-10:30 a.m. every day.
Su 5/13 Toledo W 8-5 7-12 13-hitter by Sandy Burk.  Millers put on military drill for the fans before the game.
M 5/14 St. Paul L 2-3 7-13
Tu 5/15 Louisville L 1-2 7-14 Catcher Bill Veach leaves the club--may enlist in the Navy--leaving the Millers with only one catcher.
W 5/16 Louisville W 7-3 8-14 Dave Altizer homers.
Th 5/17 Louisville W 4-3 9-14 Yip Owens and Jack Knight homer.  The American Association and International League call off their proposed interleague series of 48 games, which was to start in August.
F 5/18 Columbus L 1-5 9-15
Sa 5/19 Columbus W 2-0 10-15 5-hitter by Williams, who strikes out Columbus player-manager Joe Tinker 3 times.
Su 5/20 Columbus W 4-0 11-15 5-hitter by Claude Thomas.  Knight homers.
M 5/21 at St. Paul, rain
Tu 5/22 St. Paul L 4-9 11-16 Carl Cashion homers.
W 5/23 at St. Paul L 5-7 11-17 Saints pull off triple play.  Millers use all 15 of their players in the game.
Th 5/24 Milwaukee W 10-5 12-17 In retrenchment play, the American Association cuts its umpire staff to 5, meaning teams will have only 1 umpire per game.
F 5/25-1 Milwaukee W 6-5 13-17 7-hitter by Burk.  Owens hurt so Henri Rondeau fills in behind the plate.
F 5/25-2 Milwaukee W 4-1 14-17 9-hitter by Thomas.
Sa 5/26 Milwaukee W 4-3 15-17 8-hitter by Bill Rose.
Su 5/27-1 Kansas City W 1-0 16-17 3-hitter by Humphrey.
Su 5/27-2 Kansas City W 7-5 17-17 7-hitter by Williams.
M 5/28 Kansas City L 0-3 17-18
Tu 5/29 Kansas City T 1-1 (9, darkness) 17-18-1 Sawyer homers.
W 5/30 a.m. at St. Paul, rain Humphrey jumps Millers to play for an independent team in Virginia, Minnesota.  Cantillon goes to Virginia to get Humphrey back.   Rose is sold to Sioux City of the Western League.
W 5/30 p.m. St. Paul, rain
F 6/1 at Indianapolis L 2-9 17-19
Sa 6/2 at Indianapolis L 2-3 17-20 Humphrey back in lineup.
Su 6/3-1 at Indianapolis W 7-2 18-20 7-hitter by Burk.  Owens hurt so Henri Rondeau fills in behind the plate.
Su 6/3-2 at Indianapolis W 5-3 (8, 6:00 law) 19-20 7-hitter by Williams.
M 6/4 at Louisville L 1-4 19-21
Tu 6/5-1 at Louisville L 3-4 19-22
Tu 6/5-2 at Louisville W 2-0 20-22 4-hitter by Thomas.
W 6/6 at Louisville W 2-0 21-22 3-hitter by Burk.
Th 6/7 at Toledo L 5-6 21-23 Millers leave 19 runners on base.
F 6/8 at Toledo W 8-1 22-23 7-hitter by Humphrey.
Sa 6/9-1 at Toledo L 3-4 22-24
Sa 6/9-2 at Toledo, rain
Su 6/10-1 at Columbus L 7-9 22-25 Altizer gets 5 straight hits in the doubleheader.
Su 6/10-2 at Columbus L 0-4 22-26
M 6/11 at Columbus L 4-5 22-27
Tu 6/12 at Columbus L 3-6 22-28
W 6/13 at Milwaukee W 5-1 23-28
Th 6/14-1 at Milwaukee L 3-4 23-29
Th 6/14-2 at Milwaukee L 1-2 23-30
F 6/15 at Milwaukee L 4-11 23-31
Sa 6/16 at Kansas City W 9-3 24-31 Rondeau homers.  Owens gets 4 hits.
Su 6/17-1 at Kansas City W 5-1 25-31 6-hitter by Humphrey.  Owens gets 7 straight hits in the series.  
Su 6/17-2 at Kansas City L 4-12 25-32 Humphrey gives up 19 hits.  Because of injuries, the Millers are down to 13 players, including only 3 pitchers: Humphrey, Williams, and Burk.
M 6/18 at Kansas City L 1-6 25-33 Roy "Red" Massey homers.
W 6/20 Toledo L 0-4 25-34 Burk hurt, will be out for a week.
Th 6/21 Toledo L 7-9 25-35 Altizer and Sawyer homer.  Millers get infielder Sam Crane from Washington.
F 6/22 Toledo W 8-7 26-35 12-hitter by Williams.
Sa 6/23 Indianapolis L 2-3 26-36 6-hitter by Burk.  Altizer homers.
Su 6/24 Indianapolis L 3-11 26-37 Burk, Humphrey, and Williams all pitch.
Tu 6/26 Columbus W 7-2 27-37 8-hitter by Humphrey.
W 6/27 Columbus W 3-2 28-37 4-hitter by Williams.  Millers score 3 in the last of the 9th.
Th 6/28 Columbus L 0-2 28-38
F 6/29 Louisville L 0-1 28-39 Roy Patterson makes comeback with the Millers and pitches a 5-hitter but loses to Fred Beebe's 1-hitter.
Sa 6/30 Louisville L 3-4 28-40
Su 7/1-1 Louisville L 2-8 28-41
Su 7/1-2 Louisville L 4-6 28-42
Tu 7/3 at St. Paul L 0-2 28-43
W 7/4 a.m. St. Paul W 4-3 (12) 29-43 11-hitter by Patterson.
W 7/4 p.m. at St. Paul L 5-7 29-44
Th 7/5 at St. Paul, rain Mutt Williams contracts pneumonia.
F 7/6 Kansas City L 2-6 29-45 Becker homers for Kansas City, which wins its 12th straight game.
Sa 7/7-1 Kansas City L 1-2 29-46 Lou Bachant and Charley Boardman from the Northern League and Bill Hille, a prominent amateur player, try out with the Millers.
Sa 7/7-2 Kansas City L 5-10 29-47 14th straight win for Blues.
Su 7/8-1 Milwaukee W 15-2 30-47 10-hitter by Patterson.  Millers score in every inning and get 20 hits, including 5 by Crane.
Su 7/8-2 Milwaukee W 4-3 31-47 Millers score 2 in the last of the 9th.  Sawyer steals home for the winning run.
M 7/9 Milwaukee W 2-1 32-47 9-hitter by Boardman.
Th 7/12 at Louisville L 2-3 (11) 32-48
F 7/13-1 at Louisville W 2-1 33-48 7-hitter by Boardman.
F 7/13-2 at Louisville L 5-8 33-49
Sa 7/14 at Indianapolis L 3-5 33-50
Su 7/15-1 at Indianapolis W 2-1 (10) 34-50 2-hitter by Patterson.
Su 7/15-2 at Indianapolis L 3-4 34-51 Indians score 4 in the last of the 9th to beat new pitcher Les Stevenson from Winnipeg.
M 7/16 at Columbus W 4-2 35-51 6-hitter by Thomas.
Tu 7/17 at Columbus, rain Pitchers Sandy Burk and Claude Thomas offer selves for military service.
W 7/18 at Toledo L 4-5 (5, rain) 35-52
Th 7/19-1 at Toledo L 4-5 35-53
Th 7/19-2 at Toledo L 2-8 35-54
Sa 7/21 Indianapolis L 1-6 35-55
Su 7/22-1 Indianapolis W 2-1 36-55
Su 7/22-2 Indianapolis, rain
M 7/23 Toledo W 13-3 37-55 Boardman pitches 2-hitter and gets 3 hits, including a home run.
Tu 7/24 Toledo L 1-7 37-56
W 7/25 St. Paul (ex.) L 6-9 Exhibition game in Aberdeen, South Dakota, for the benefit of local militia.
Th 7/26 Louisville W 3-2 38-56 7-hitter by Boardman.
F 7/27 Louisville W 7-5 39-56 Knight homers.
Sa 7/28 Columbus W 9-3 40-56 9-hitter by Patterson beats Mordecai Brown.  Rondeau homers.
Su 7/29-1 Columbus L 6-7 40-57
Su 7/29-2 Columbus L 4-12 (7, 6:00 law) 40-58
Tu 7/31 at Milwaukee L 7-11 40-59
W 8/1-1 at Milwaukee W 11-10 (14) 41-59 13-hitter by Thomas.  Rondeau homers.  
W 8/1-2 at Milwaukee W 7-0 (7, darkness) 42-59 6-hitter by Thomas, who pitches 21 innings in the doubleheader.
Th 8/2 at Milwaukee L 2-3 42-60
Sa 8/4-1 St. Paul L 4-6 42-61 Knight homers.
Sa 8/4-2 St. Paul L 4-9 42-62 Knight homers.
Su 8/5-1 at St. Paul W 8-3 43-62 Patterson wins but hurts shoulder.
Su 8/5-2 at St. Paul W 11-7 (7) 44-62 Millers get 18 hits.
M 8/6 at St. Paul W 3-1 45-62 7-hitter by Stevenson.
W 8/8-1 Milwaukee L 2-4 45-63
W 8/8-2 Milwaukee W 7-6 46-63
Th 8/9 Milwaukee W 10-0 47-63 5-hitter by Boardman.  Owens and Altizer homer.
F 8/10 Kansas City W 8-3 48-63
Sa 8/11 Kansas City W 3-1 49-63
Su 8/12 Kansas City W 1-0 50-63 3-hitter by Thomas.
M 8/13 St. Paul W 7-6 51-63 Owens homers.
Tu 8/14 at St. Paul L 1-8 51-64 Jeff Thieman, from Minot of the Northern League, makes first appearance on the mound for the Millers.
W 8/15-1 St. Paul W 6-2 52-64
W 8/15-2 St. Paul L 5-7 52-65 Altizer homers.
Th 8/16 Indianapolis L 2-5 52-66
F 8/17-1 Indianapolis L 1-3 52-67
F 8/17-2 Indianapolis W 6-1 53-67
Sa 8/18 Indianapolis L 1-3 53-68 American Association back to 2 umpires on each crew.
Su 8/19-1 Louisville L 1-5 53-69 Bunny Brief homers for Louisville.
Su 8/19-2 Louisville W 6-2 54-69
W 8/22-1 at St. Paul L 2-3 54-70
W 8/22-2 at St. Paul L 2-4 54-71
Th 8/23 Toledo, rain
F 8/24 Toledo W 1-0 55-71 5-hitter by Boardman, who strikes out 10.
Sa 8/25-1 Toledo L 7-8 55-72
Sa 8/25-2 Toledo W 2-1 56-72
Su 8/26-1 Columbus L 6-9 56-73 Benefit for Clark Griffith ball and bat fund to buy baseball equipment for servicemen in Europe.
Su 8/26-2 Columbus L 3-8 56-74
W 8/29-1 St. Paul L 4-7 56-75
W 8/29-2 St. Paul L 4-7 56-76 Owens and Sawyer homer.
Th 8/30 at St. Paul W 5-2 57-76
Sa 9/1 at Kansas City W 7-1 58-76
Sa 9/2-1 at Kansas City W 8-3 59-76 Massey homers.
Sa 9/2-2 at Kansas City T 4-4 (11) 59-76-2
M 9/3-1 at Kansas City L 5-9 60-76
M 9/3-2 at Kansas City W 7-2 60-77
Tu 9/4 at Kansas City W 9-2 (7) 61-77 7 innings by agreement.
W 9/5 at Milwaukee, rain
Th 9/6-1 at Milwaukee L 2-3 61-78
Th 9/6-2 at Milwaukee L 1-2 61-79
Sa 9/8 at Louisville W 3-1 62-79
Su 9/9-1 at Louisville L 1-3 62-80 Thomas pitches entire doubleheader.
Su 9/9-2 at Louisville L 1-4 62-81
Tu 9/11 at Indianapolis W 6-1 63-81
W 9/12 at Indianapolis W 6-1 64-81
F 9/14 at Columbus L 3-4 64-82
Sa 9/15 at Columbus W 12-10 65-82
Su 9/16-1 at Columbus W 8-6 66-82
Su 9/16-2 at Columbus L 3-10 66-83
M 9/17 at Toledo W 5-4 67-83 10-hitter by Thieman.
Tu 9/18-1 at Toledo L 4-5 67-84
Tu 9/18-2 at Toledo L 3-4 (10) 67-85
W 9/19-1 at Toledo W 10-7 68-85
W 9/19-2 at Toledo L 4-6 68-86-2
W L Manager
Indianapolis 90 63 Jack Hendricks
St. Paul 88 66 Mike Kelley
Louisville 88 66 Bill Clymer
Columbus 84 69 Joe Tinker
Milwaukee 71 81 Dan Shay-Bill Friel-Pat Livingston
Minneapolis 68 86 Joe Cantillon
Kansas City 66 86 John Ganzel
Toledo 57 95 Roger Bresnahan
Statistics
Player Games Batting Average Home Runs Position
Sam Crane 53 .332 0 3b-ss
Dave Altizer 149 .322 7 3b-rf
Roy “Red” Massey 150 .286 3 cf
Henri Rondeau 145 .277 5 lf
Jack Knight 151 .274 6 1b-3b
Frank “Yip” Owens 117 .274 4 c
Tiffany 50 .250 0 1b
Morley Jennings 145 .249 1 ss
Carl “Huck” Sawyer 155 .244 5 2b
Charley Boardman 32 .240 1 p-1b
Carl Cashion 30 .239 1 of
Horace Milan 52 .237 0 of
Lou Bachant 44 .210 0 c
Les Stevenson 43 .206 0 p-1b
Harry Holland 53 .170 0 3b
Pitcher G IP W L ERA
Roy Patterson 8 72 5 3 1.5
Claude Thomas 62 374 20 24 2.69
Sandy Burk 27 175 6 16 3.49
Charley Boardman 24 168 7 10 3.54
Mutt Williams 41 227 9 13 3.55
Les Stevenson 21 121 8 7 3.55
Charles “Lefty” Humphrey 30 161 8 11 3.64
Bill Rose 8 3 1
Jeff Thieman 5 2 1
Other players: Bill Hille, 3b, Bill Veach, c; Charles “Bugs” Bennett, p.
Roy Massey led the American Association with 91 walks; Claude Thomas led the Association with 24 losses and 374 innings pitched.