A Century of World Series
Selected high and low drama from fall classics played throughout the past 100 years
Bygone baseball by C. Philip Francis – October 15, 2004
Part 1
Prologue: The Cincinnati Red Stockings club was originated in 1870 as the first professional baseball team. In spite of the bribing of players along with plenty of open gambling, drinking in the stands and constant general rowdiness, two professional leagues teams were created - the National League in 1871 and the American Association in 1882, with such teams as Rockford Forest Citys, Philadelphia Athletics, and the Fort Wayne Kekiongas. In spite of their many differences the team officials were able to arrange a best-of-five post-season series in 1884 between the Providence Grays, champions of the National League, and the highly regarded New York Metropolitans, pennant winners of the American Association League.
Hall of Famer Providence star pitcher, 5’9” and 165 pound Charlie “Old Hoss” Gardner, pitched every inning for the Grays as they won three straight games upsetting the New York team in what could be called the first ever World Series.
During the next 19 years various post-season competitions were used including a 15-game with Detroit and St. Louis as the teams toured around the country, and the Temple Cup best-of-seven series with the first and second place teams after the American Association League was dissolved in 1891.
The history of the World Series is loaded with heroes and goats, misplays and great plays, disappointment and excitement, errors and unbelievable catches, strikeouts and shutouts, home runs and stolen bases. The World Series is not only the highlight of the season, but when the unexpected becomes the expected. Here is a look at selected high and low drama from fall classics played throughout the past century.
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Two years after the birth of the American League in 1901 the first World Series as we know it today was played with the Boson Pilgrims (Red Sox) of the AL and the NL Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pilgrims’ owner, Henry Kililea, had agreed to a best-of-nine series after challenged by Barney Dreyfuss, president and owner of the Pirates. Boston took the Championship by winning five games to three behind pitchers Bill Dinneen and Hall of Famer Cy Young while fans paid 50 cents for general admission and one dollar for reserved seats.
With the exception of 1903 and 1919-1921, the format of best-of-seven has been used. Two world wars could not stop post-season activities, but John McGraw’s New York Giants refusal to meet the Boston Pilgrims in 1904 did. The highly regarded, The Sporting News, printed this front page story: “The Boston Pilgrims are the World Championships by default.” With baseball fans and the press loudly demanding post-series play, championship games have been played every year since with the one exception of 1994 due to the strike between owners and players.
No pitching has since equaled the 1905 World Series when the New York Giants downed the Philadelphia Athletics 4 games to 1. All games were shutouts, three by Chisty Mathewson and one by Joe “Iron Man” McGinnity for the Giants, and also by Chief Bender.
It’s been over 50 years since the Chicago Cubs have appeared in a championship game, yet they won two out of the four consecutive series from 1906-1910. The first ever intercity series occurred in 1906 with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox. The Cubs were called the Wonder Team after winning an amazing 116 games while losing only 36. With the Cubs playing behind Tinker, Evers, Chance, and maybe the best player of them all, Harry Steinfeldt, the unheralded fourth infielder, they took the pennant by 20 games over the Giants. The White Sox were called the Hitless Wonders because of their anemic batting averages, and cinched the pennant by a mere 4 1/2 games over the New York Highlanders (Yankees). The Hitless Wonders surprised everyone by winning the championship flag 4 games to 2.
The first player to win WS goat horns happened in 1912 when Fred Snodgrass, the Giant centerfielder, dropped a routine fly ball in the tenth inning of the seventh and deciding game that led to a Boston Red Sox victory and World Championship 4 games to 3. It was forever called the “$30,000 muff” that cost Snodgrass’ teammates the difference between the winner’s and loser’s shares.
When the Boston Braves finished last in each of the four years between 1909 through 1912, the Braves brought in George Stallings as the new manager. George had given up medicine for baseball, and played in only seven major league games. He went on to pilot the Phillies, was the Tigers’ first manager, and the Highlanders (Yankees) in his 13-year managing career. Stallings was a polished and refined gentleman on his Georgia plantation, but often abusive and profane to his players.
Boston finished fifth out of the eight teams in 1913, and then won only 4 of the first 18 games the following season. When July came and the Braves still mired in last place Stallings turned to psychology convincing his team that if they believed they could win, they would win. And win they did. Soon the Braves were in second place, and then sailed past the stunned New York Giants winning the pennant by 10 ˝ games.
The powerful Philadelphia A’s had coasted to the American League pennant behind their $100,000 infield, and the pitching of Ed Plank, Chief Bender, and Herb Pennock. With Connie Mack’s A’s considered unbeatable the manager of the solid underdog Braves began a war of nerves predicting his team would win in four straight.
After the Braves won the first two games in Philadelphia, Stallings ordered his traveling secretary to cancel the train reservations back to Philly saying they would not be needed. They were not as Boston swept the Series 4 games to 0 sending the conservative Boston into a joyous celebration of parties and parades. The 1914 Boston Braves proved that nothing is impossible, and George Tweedy Stallings has always been called The Miracle Man. Although Stallings managed the Braves for the next six years, he never won another pennant.
Next week: Part 2 of A Century of World Series