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We are the Marathon Seekers Group, eleven SABR members who are constantly looking to discover Baseball Marathons lasting 20 or more innings. So far, we have 648. But we know that we are touching only the tip of the iceberg.
These games are very difficult to discover. Through much experience, we have learned that the three best places to find such games are (1) during the 1900 through 1929 era, at the height of Town Ball games; (2) Latino Baseball in the Caribbean and in Latin America; and (3) current games as they occur.
We hope that Pirates fans will review this list, and contact me, Phil Lowry, via e-mail at [email protected], if you know of a game not on the list, or if you can provide missing details for a game already on the List.
We offer an Official Certificate to all who find a new game not yet on the List. Thank you very much for your help.
Philip J. Lowry
Author, Baseball's Longest Games
WEST VIRGINIA (3)
24 – Union Park, Clarksburg – 7/3/1910 – West Virginia League - Mannington Drillers 1 Clarksburg Bees 1 in 3:00 – 500 fans.
20 – Wehrle Park, Charleston - 6/27/1915 – Ohio State League – Lexington Colts 5 Charleston Senators 2 in 3:25.
20 – Watt Powell Park, Charleston - 7/21/1957 – American Association – Wichita Braves 8 Charleston Senators 6 in 4:10 in 2nd game, Charleston 6 Wichita 5 in 1:47 and 7 innings in 1st game – 1943 fans – finished at 12:27 AM in the early morning of 7/22.
PENNSYLVANIA (43)
21 – Girard Field, Philadelphia - 6/29/1878 – Amateur at High School – Yeager 10 Girard College High School Orphans (later Cavaliers) 7 in 4:00.
20 – Huntingdon Street Grounds (later National League Park (III), then Baker Bowl), Philadelphia – 8/24/1905 – National League - Cubs 2 Phillies 1 in 4:00 – 5457 fans.
20 – Philadelphia – 5/31/1906 – Pennsylvania High School League – Haddonfield (later Haddonfield Memorial) High School (New Jersey) vs. Roman Catholic High School for Boys Cahillites, not a tie game.
20 – Chester - 7/4/1906 – Amateur – Fifth Ward Travelers 3 Shinnecock 2.
20 – Athletic Park, Monessen - 8/11/1906 – Amateur - Glassport Athletic Club 5 Monessen East End Athletic Club 4.
20 – Clerks’ Field, Bethlehem – 6/11/1907 – Amateur – Never Works 13 Never Sweats 12.
21 – Washington - 7/3/1907 – Amateur – Juniors 7 Imperials 6.
21 – Point Grounds, Johnstown - 8/8/1907 – Delaware/New Jersey/Pennsylvania (Tri-State) League – Johnstown Johnnies 4 Reading Pretzels 3 in 2:45.
23 – North Corry Fairgrounds, Corry – 7/25/1908 – Semi-Pro – Falconer (NY) 3 Corry (PA) 1 in 3:50 – 1000 fans.
21 – Shoyerstown – sometime in the Summer before 8/25/1908 – Amateur – Lebanon at Shoyerstown; final score 1-0.
24 – Tumbling Run Park, Pottsville – 6/18/1911 – Amateur – Reading Ruth Athletic Club 1 Pottsville Alerts 0 in 4:00.
20 – East Berlin – 8/5/1911 – Amateur - New Oxford 5 East Berlin 4.
20 – Seldom Seen Park, Monessen - 5/4/1913 – Amateur – Seldom Seen 55 Dutchtown Juniors 16.
21 - Forbes Field, Pittsburg (later Pittsburgh) – 7/17/1914 – National League – Giants 3 Pirates 1 in 3:42 – mythical account of game ending with Giant outfielder Red Murray being knocked unconscious by lightning as he caught a fly ball barehanded for the final out is untrue, Murray actually did make “the Catch” here barehanded, illuminated by lightning, five years earlier on 8/16/1909 in the bottom of the 8th with two on and two out, thus preserving a 2-2 8-inning tie game, since rain washed out the game after his catch, but he was not struck by the lightning bolt nor was he knocked unconscious.
20 – Ellsworth Park, Ellsworth – 8/15/1914 – Amateur – Vandergrift 4 Scottdale Independents 3.
20 – Sans Souci Park, Wilkes-Barre – 9/13/1914 – Amateur – Heights Spauldings 3 Young Lions 2.
24 – Glendon – 7/3/1916 – Professional at Amateur – Reading Kolbs’ Professionals 3 Glendon 3.
20 – Exeter – 9/9/1917 – Amateur – Nanticoke W.S. 2 Exeter Stars 2 in 3:20.
24 – Pittsburg (later Pittsburgh) – 8/2 or 8/3/1918 – Amateur 16-18 Year-Old League – winning team with Eckert pitching whole game 1 unknown opponent using three pitchers 0.
20 – National League Park (III) (later Baker Bowl), Philadelphia – 4/30/1919 – National League – Robins (later Dodgers) 9 Phillies 9 in 4:00.
20 – Baker Bowl, Philadelphia – 1/30/1921 – National League Philadelphia Phillies intrasquad spring training exhibition – Mutts 0 Jeffs 0.
20 – Media – 7/3/1921 – Professional at Amateur – Media Athletic Association (A.A.) 13 Northwest Professionals 12.
20 – Parkesburg - 7/30/1921 – Amateur – Cressona Tigers 2 Parkesburg Iron Company Ironmen 1 in 3:45.
22 – Bolton’s Pasture at Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club, Clearfield – 6/30/1923 – Amateur – Democrats 67 Republicans 67 – called on account of darkness.
20 – Knauertown High School Diamond, Knauertown - 6/2/1928 – Tri-County League – Boyertown 9 Warwick Athletic Association 8 in 3:30.
21 – Centennial Field, New Castle – 7/7/1928 – Semi-Pro Ohio and Pennsylvania League – Akron General Tires 5 New Castle Centennials (team name used for games played in Pennsylvania) / Massillon Central Steel Agathons (team name used for games played in Ohio) 4 – 1000 fans.
22 – Wilkes-Barre – 6/23/1929 – Amateur – Georgetown 5 Plymouth 5.
20 ½ – Daisytown – 9/20/1931 – Monongahela Valley League playoffs – California Eagles 3 Daisytown Moose 1 in 4:00 – after a long fly ball hit by a California Eagle batter down the left field foul line was ruled by the umpire to be a 2-run homer in the top of the 21st, the Daisytown Moose team vehemently protested the call and then walked off the field - the umpire awarded the game (and the league championship with it) to California 3-1.
21 – Standard Field, Connellsville – 6/18/1932 – Amateur – Firestones 7 Standard Cardinals 6 in 3:30.
21 – Charleroi – 8/6/1933 – Amateur – Book Shoe 8 Monongahela Speedway Mushers 7 in 2:00.
25 – Connellsville – 7/25/1934 – Amateur – Vanorsdale AC 13 Shalala AC 11.
20 – Albemarle Field, York – 7/25/1936 – York-Adams League – Albemarle Black Cats 3 New Oxford 2 in 3:35 – finished at 6:15 PM.
20 – Swarthmore Grounds, Swarthmore – 9/7/1936 – Amateur – Lenni 2 Swarthmore Hornets 2 in p.m. game; Swarthmore Hornets 9 Linwood F.C. 8 in a.m. game.
21 – Brownsville – 8/23/1938 – Amateur – Melrose 3 West Bend 2 in 5:00.
21 – Ellsworth - 7/4/late 1930’s – Amateur All-Star Game – pitched by Joe (Foggy) Petro.
24 – Shibe Park (later Connie Mack Stadium), Philadelphia – 7/21/1945 – American League - Tigers 1 Athletics 1 in 4:48 – 4526 fans.
21 – Artillery Park, Wilkes-Barre - 5/9/1946 – Eastern League – Binghamton Triplets 5 Wilkes-Barre Barons 4 in 4:35 – finished at 12:20 AM in the early morning of 5/11.
21 – McKeta Field, Van Voorhis - 6/22/1947 – Pigeon Creek League – Bentleyville 4 Van Voorhis 4 in 5:00 – finished at 7:00 PM.
20 – Ohiopyle - 7/16/1967 – Fay-West (Fayette County-Westmoreland County) League – Ohiopyle 11 Breakneck 10 in 6:10 – finished at 8:10 PM.
20 – Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia – 5/4/1973 – National League – Phillies 5 Braves 4 in 5:16 – 10,158 fans - finished at 12:51 AM in the early morning of 5/5.
23 – Newtown - 6/3/1973 – Pennsbury/Bucks County Senior Babe Ruth League – Newtown Lions 2 South Bristol Hawks 1 in 5:30 - finished at 7:30 PM.
20 – Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh – 7/6/1980 – National League – Pirates 5 Cubs 4 in 5:31 – 25,994 fans – finished at 6:36 PM.
20 – Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia – 7/7/1993 – National League – Phillies 7 Dodgers 6 in 6:10 – 41,730 fans – finished at 1:47 AM in the early morning of 7/8.
These games are very difficult to discover. Through much experience, we have learned that the three best places to find such games are (1) during the 1900 through 1929 era, at the height of Town Ball games; (2) Latino Baseball in the Caribbean and in Latin America; and (3) current games as they occur.
We hope that Pirates fans will review this list, and contact me, Phil Lowry, via e-mail at [email protected], if you know of a game not on the list, or if you can provide missing details for a game already on the List.
We offer an Official Certificate to all who find a new game not yet on the List. Thank you very much for your help.
Philip J. Lowry
Author, Baseball's Longest Games
WEST VIRGINIA (3)
24 – Union Park, Clarksburg – 7/3/1910 – West Virginia League - Mannington Drillers 1 Clarksburg Bees 1 in 3:00 – 500 fans.
20 – Wehrle Park, Charleston - 6/27/1915 – Ohio State League – Lexington Colts 5 Charleston Senators 2 in 3:25.
20 – Watt Powell Park, Charleston - 7/21/1957 – American Association – Wichita Braves 8 Charleston Senators 6 in 4:10 in 2nd game, Charleston 6 Wichita 5 in 1:47 and 7 innings in 1st game – 1943 fans – finished at 12:27 AM in the early morning of 7/22.
PENNSYLVANIA (43)
21 – Girard Field, Philadelphia - 6/29/1878 – Amateur at High School – Yeager 10 Girard College High School Orphans (later Cavaliers) 7 in 4:00.
20 – Huntingdon Street Grounds (later National League Park (III), then Baker Bowl), Philadelphia – 8/24/1905 – National League - Cubs 2 Phillies 1 in 4:00 – 5457 fans.
20 – Philadelphia – 5/31/1906 – Pennsylvania High School League – Haddonfield (later Haddonfield Memorial) High School (New Jersey) vs. Roman Catholic High School for Boys Cahillites, not a tie game.
20 – Chester - 7/4/1906 – Amateur – Fifth Ward Travelers 3 Shinnecock 2.
20 – Athletic Park, Monessen - 8/11/1906 – Amateur - Glassport Athletic Club 5 Monessen East End Athletic Club 4.
20 – Clerks’ Field, Bethlehem – 6/11/1907 – Amateur – Never Works 13 Never Sweats 12.
21 – Washington - 7/3/1907 – Amateur – Juniors 7 Imperials 6.
21 – Point Grounds, Johnstown - 8/8/1907 – Delaware/New Jersey/Pennsylvania (Tri-State) League – Johnstown Johnnies 4 Reading Pretzels 3 in 2:45.
23 – North Corry Fairgrounds, Corry – 7/25/1908 – Semi-Pro – Falconer (NY) 3 Corry (PA) 1 in 3:50 – 1000 fans.
21 – Shoyerstown – sometime in the Summer before 8/25/1908 – Amateur – Lebanon at Shoyerstown; final score 1-0.
24 – Tumbling Run Park, Pottsville – 6/18/1911 – Amateur – Reading Ruth Athletic Club 1 Pottsville Alerts 0 in 4:00.
20 – East Berlin – 8/5/1911 – Amateur - New Oxford 5 East Berlin 4.
20 – Seldom Seen Park, Monessen - 5/4/1913 – Amateur – Seldom Seen 55 Dutchtown Juniors 16.
21 - Forbes Field, Pittsburg (later Pittsburgh) – 7/17/1914 – National League – Giants 3 Pirates 1 in 3:42 – mythical account of game ending with Giant outfielder Red Murray being knocked unconscious by lightning as he caught a fly ball barehanded for the final out is untrue, Murray actually did make “the Catch” here barehanded, illuminated by lightning, five years earlier on 8/16/1909 in the bottom of the 8th with two on and two out, thus preserving a 2-2 8-inning tie game, since rain washed out the game after his catch, but he was not struck by the lightning bolt nor was he knocked unconscious.
20 – Ellsworth Park, Ellsworth – 8/15/1914 – Amateur – Vandergrift 4 Scottdale Independents 3.
20 – Sans Souci Park, Wilkes-Barre – 9/13/1914 – Amateur – Heights Spauldings 3 Young Lions 2.
24 – Glendon – 7/3/1916 – Professional at Amateur – Reading Kolbs’ Professionals 3 Glendon 3.
20 – Exeter – 9/9/1917 – Amateur – Nanticoke W.S. 2 Exeter Stars 2 in 3:20.
24 – Pittsburg (later Pittsburgh) – 8/2 or 8/3/1918 – Amateur 16-18 Year-Old League – winning team with Eckert pitching whole game 1 unknown opponent using three pitchers 0.
20 – National League Park (III) (later Baker Bowl), Philadelphia – 4/30/1919 – National League – Robins (later Dodgers) 9 Phillies 9 in 4:00.
20 – Baker Bowl, Philadelphia – 1/30/1921 – National League Philadelphia Phillies intrasquad spring training exhibition – Mutts 0 Jeffs 0.
20 – Media – 7/3/1921 – Professional at Amateur – Media Athletic Association (A.A.) 13 Northwest Professionals 12.
20 – Parkesburg - 7/30/1921 – Amateur – Cressona Tigers 2 Parkesburg Iron Company Ironmen 1 in 3:45.
22 – Bolton’s Pasture at Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club, Clearfield – 6/30/1923 – Amateur – Democrats 67 Republicans 67 – called on account of darkness.
20 – Knauertown High School Diamond, Knauertown - 6/2/1928 – Tri-County League – Boyertown 9 Warwick Athletic Association 8 in 3:30.
21 – Centennial Field, New Castle – 7/7/1928 – Semi-Pro Ohio and Pennsylvania League – Akron General Tires 5 New Castle Centennials (team name used for games played in Pennsylvania) / Massillon Central Steel Agathons (team name used for games played in Ohio) 4 – 1000 fans.
22 – Wilkes-Barre – 6/23/1929 – Amateur – Georgetown 5 Plymouth 5.
20 ½ – Daisytown – 9/20/1931 – Monongahela Valley League playoffs – California Eagles 3 Daisytown Moose 1 in 4:00 – after a long fly ball hit by a California Eagle batter down the left field foul line was ruled by the umpire to be a 2-run homer in the top of the 21st, the Daisytown Moose team vehemently protested the call and then walked off the field - the umpire awarded the game (and the league championship with it) to California 3-1.
21 – Standard Field, Connellsville – 6/18/1932 – Amateur – Firestones 7 Standard Cardinals 6 in 3:30.
21 – Charleroi – 8/6/1933 – Amateur – Book Shoe 8 Monongahela Speedway Mushers 7 in 2:00.
25 – Connellsville – 7/25/1934 – Amateur – Vanorsdale AC 13 Shalala AC 11.
20 – Albemarle Field, York – 7/25/1936 – York-Adams League – Albemarle Black Cats 3 New Oxford 2 in 3:35 – finished at 6:15 PM.
20 – Swarthmore Grounds, Swarthmore – 9/7/1936 – Amateur – Lenni 2 Swarthmore Hornets 2 in p.m. game; Swarthmore Hornets 9 Linwood F.C. 8 in a.m. game.
21 – Brownsville – 8/23/1938 – Amateur – Melrose 3 West Bend 2 in 5:00.
21 – Ellsworth - 7/4/late 1930’s – Amateur All-Star Game – pitched by Joe (Foggy) Petro.
24 – Shibe Park (later Connie Mack Stadium), Philadelphia – 7/21/1945 – American League - Tigers 1 Athletics 1 in 4:48 – 4526 fans.
21 – Artillery Park, Wilkes-Barre - 5/9/1946 – Eastern League – Binghamton Triplets 5 Wilkes-Barre Barons 4 in 4:35 – finished at 12:20 AM in the early morning of 5/11.
21 – McKeta Field, Van Voorhis - 6/22/1947 – Pigeon Creek League – Bentleyville 4 Van Voorhis 4 in 5:00 – finished at 7:00 PM.
20 – Ohiopyle - 7/16/1967 – Fay-West (Fayette County-Westmoreland County) League – Ohiopyle 11 Breakneck 10 in 6:10 – finished at 8:10 PM.
20 – Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia – 5/4/1973 – National League – Phillies 5 Braves 4 in 5:16 – 10,158 fans - finished at 12:51 AM in the early morning of 5/5.
23 – Newtown - 6/3/1973 – Pennsbury/Bucks County Senior Babe Ruth League – Newtown Lions 2 South Bristol Hawks 1 in 5:30 - finished at 7:30 PM.
20 – Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh – 7/6/1980 – National League – Pirates 5 Cubs 4 in 5:31 – 25,994 fans – finished at 6:36 PM.
20 – Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia – 7/7/1993 – National League – Phillies 7 Dodgers 6 in 6:10 – 41,730 fans – finished at 1:47 AM in the early morning of 7/8.