The year was not prolific of freak or record-breaking performances in the American League. Walter Johnson of Washington, and Joe Wood of Boston were credited with sixteen straight victories, which raised the American League record in that respect from fourteen straight, formerly held by Jack Chesbro of the Yankees. Mullin of Detroit and Hamilton of St. Louis added their names to the list of hurlers who have held opponents without a safe hit in nine innings. Mullin performed his hitless feat against St. Louis and Hamilton retaliated by holding Detroit without a safety. The number of games in which pitchers escaped with less than four hits against them was smaller than usual, however.
There were only seventy-eight shut-out games recorded last season by comparison with the American League's record of 145.
The longest game of the younger league's season lasted nineteen innings, Washington defeating Philadelphia in that combat 5 to 4, and it was played late in September when the two teams were scrapping for second place. The American League record for overtime is twenty-four innings, held by Philadelphia and Boston. There were a lot of slugging games in 1912, but not as many as during the season of 1911. Philadelphia piled up the highest total, 25, in eight innings, but it was made against the semi-professional team which wore Detroit uniforms on the day the Tigers struck. The highest genuine total of hits was twenty-three, made by the Athletics against New York pitchers. The Athletics also run up the highest score of the league's season when they compounded twenty-four runs against Detroit In May.