May 29, 1914: The Empress of Ireland Sinks

May 29, 1914: The RMS Empress of Ireland sinks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between the Canadian Province of New Brunswick and what is then still the British Colony (later a Canadian Province) of Newfoundland.

It sank following a collision in thick fog with the Norwegian collier Storstad in the early hours of the day, en route to Liverpool. Although the ship was equipped with watertight compartments and, in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster 2 years earlier, carried more than enough lifeboats for all aboard, she foundered in only 14 minutes.

Of the 1,477 people on board, there were 1,012 deaths. This was fewer than the Titanic 2 years earlier, and fewer than the Lusitania the next year, but it was more than on the Eastland the following year. It remains the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history.

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May 29, 1914 was a Friday. This was the 1st season of the Federal League, when there were 3 major leagues in baseball. In the American League:

* The New York Yankees were swept by the Philadelphia Athletics, 6-2 and 3-0 at the Polo Grounds. Charles "Chief" Bender pitched a 4-hit shutout in the nightcap.

* A doubleheader was split at Fenway Park in Boston. The Washington Senators won the 1st game, 1-0. Walter Johnson pitched a 2-hit shutout. The Boston Red Sox won the 2nd game, 6-5. Over the 2 games, Tris Speaker went 0-for-5, but with 4 walks. (Babe Ruth made his major league debut with the Red Sox on July 11.)

* The Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Naps were rained out at League Park in Cleveland. The game was made up as a doubleheader the next day. The White Sox won the 1st game, 6-2. The Naps won the 2nd game, 2-1. Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie, the Cleveland manager and 2nd baseman for whom the team was named, went 2-for-7 with an RBI over the 2 games. "Shoeless" Joe Jackson went 1-for-7 with a walk.

* The Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Browns were rained out at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The game was made up as a doubleheader the next day. The Tigers won the 1st game, 2-1. The Browns won the 2nd game, 2-0. Carl Weilman pitched a 3-hit shutout. Ty Cobb was injured, and did not play in either game.

In the National League:

* The New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 1-0 at Ebbets Field. (This was the 1st season in which the Dodgers were managed by Wilbert Robinson, and they would be known as the Brooklyn Robins until his last season there, 1931.) Rube Marquard pitched a 3-hit shutout.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Braves at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia.

* The Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-2 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Honus Wagner went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs.

* The Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals were rained out at the West Side Grounds in Chicago. The game was made up as a doubleheader the next day. The Cubs won the 1st game, 6-4. The Cardinals won the 2nd game, 4-2.

In the Federal League:

* The Brooklyn Tip-Tops lost to the Buffalo Blues, 5-1 at Federal League Park in Buffalo.

* The Pittsburgh Rebels beat the Baltimore Terrapins, 7-5 at Terrapin Park in Baltimore.

* The St. Louis Maroons beat the Kansas City Packers, 5-0 at Handlan's Park in St. Louis. Doc Crandall allowed 8 hits, but kept the shutout.

* And the Chicago Whales and the Indianapolis Hoosiers were rained out at Weeghman Park in Chicago (the ballpark that would eventually become Wrigley Field). The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on July 12. The Whales won the 1st game, 6-5 in 13 innings. The Hoosiers won the 2nd game, 4-2.