Marathon man

Joe Oeschger with the Phillies

Phillies pitcher Joe Oeschger has a fairly long afternoon 105 years ago today as he works, oh let’s see, 20 innings in a complete game, 9-9 tie against Brooklyn at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl.

Brooklyn starter and future Hall of Famer Burleigh Grimes matches Oeschger with 20 innings of his own as each right-hander gives up three runs in the 19th inning before plate umpire Bill Klem stops the game after the 20th and declares a tie.

The Wednesday afternoon crowd is listed at 1,300 with no official time posted for the game.

Burleigh Grimes

Exactly a year and a day later – on May 1, 1920 – Oeschger, now pitching for the Boston Braves, matches Brooklyn’s Leon Cadore pitch for pitch as both go 26 innings in a 1-1 tie before 4,500 fans on a Saturday afternoon a at Braves Field.

That game is the longest in baseball history and sets a record for most hitless at-bats with the teams combining for only 24 hits in 185 plate appearances.

Remarkably, the official game time is only three hours and 50 minutes.

The complete game is one of 20 for Oeschger in 1920.

Oeschger lasts 12 seasons in the majors, finishing up in 1925 with an 82-116 career record.

He is only 33 when he throws his last pitch in the majors, although he spends a couple of more seasons in the minors before finally retiring.