Baseball – 1903

Baseball in 1903

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January

January 10During peace talks in Cincinnati‚ the American League rejects the National League’s proposal for a consolidated 12-team league. Instead, the two teams agree to amicably co-exist as separate entities after the AL promises to stay out of Pittsburgh. While awarding disputed contracts‚ the most hotly contested case belongs to Sam Crawford‚ Reds outfielder who batted .333 and led the NL with 23 triples in 1902. The future Hall of Famer had signed contracts to play the 1903 season with both Detroit and the Reds. When it is determined that his contract with the Tigers‚ preceded his signing with the Reds, Detroit wins his rights.. Crawford will lead the AL in triples this season with 25.

Despite attempts by John Brush and Andrew Freedman to use their political influence to prevent the AL from finding suitable grounds in New York‚ Ban Johnson‚ aided by baseball writer Joe Vila‚ finds backers. He also finds a ballpark site at 165th Street and Broadway. Frank Farrell and Bill Devery pay $18‚000 for the Baltimore franchise and will build a wooden grandstand seating 15‚000 on the highest point of Manhattan. The team‚ logically‚ will be called the Highlanders. Eighteen players are assigned to the New York team‚ including players who had moved with the team from Baltimore‚ and former NLers.
January 12Detroit pitcher Win Mercer‚ winner of 15 games in 1902‚ commits suicide by inhaling gas in San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel. Mercer had recently been named the Tigers manager. On the recommendation of Ban Johnson‚ Tiger owner Sam Angus will hire Toronto manager Ed Barrow as the new skipper.

February

February 5The Cubs and White Stockings‚ the first to play an inter-league series‚ announce a 15-game preseason City Series.
February 6Former ML P and umpire Hardie Henderson is run over and killed by a trolley in Philadelphia.
February 24At a meeting of the joint rules committee in Chicago‚ the NL’s foul strike rule is adopted for use throughout the country.
February 28A syndicate headed by Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss and James Potter buys the Philadelphia Phillies from John Rogers and A. J. Reach for $170‚000. It will be another 7 years before ownership interest in more than one team is prohibited.

A columnist in The Sporting News suggests that a number be pinned to each player so that spectators will know immediately who is playing and “will not be obliged to yell out to reporters.” Sometimes players are substituted for and “this change is not known for several innings.” The writer also thinks it “is a good plan to prohibit building up the pitcher’s box. The pitcher should deliver the ball from a level with the position taken by the batsman‚ but if the box is built up he has a big advantage‚ for he is pitching down. This was only a little fault at first but it has grown tremendously‚ so that on some grounds the box is several inches higher than the rest of the diamond.”

March

March 1Baseball rules committee chairman Tom Loftus of Washington proclaims that the pitcher’s box must not be more than 15 inches higher than the baselines or home plate.
March 7In the first trade under the peace treaty‚ the Giants send their 1902 part-time manager Heinie Smith to Detroit for 2B Kid Gleason‚ who is immediately moved to the Phils where he will end a 20-year playing career.
March 12The New York Highlanders are officially approved as members of the AL.
March 20The 2 MLs agree to blacklist future contract jumpers.
March 21Sporting Life‚ the nation’s oldest baseball publication‚ begins its 21st year. It will close during W W I.

April

April 4The Philadelphia Athletics threaten to strike unless they share in the receipts of last fall’s City Series. They don’t get the money‚ but they don’t strike.
April 14Ed Delahanty‚ one of 5 ML brothers‚ and the greatest natural hitter of his time‚ rejoins the Washington Nationals in accordance with the peace terms. A 3-year contract with the Giants at $8‚000 a year‚ signed during the winter‚ is canceled. The Nationals reimburse the Giants for the $3‚000 advanced to Big Ed.
April 15San Francisco’s Jimmy Whalen blanks Los Angeles‚ 6-0‚ on 3 hits‚ ending the Angels’ 15-game winning streak since the start of the season.
April 16The Reds open the season before 12‚000 fans and lose to the Pirates‚ 7-1‚ the first of four straight losses to the Bucs. Deacon Phillippe allows just 2 Cincy hits for the win.
April 17At the Opener at the Polo Grounds‚ Brooklyn scores 4 in the first against Christy Mathewson‚ but New York counters to take a 5-4 lead. Matty allows another 5 runs as his teammates contribute six errors. Brooklyn wins‚ 9-7‚ behind rookie Henry Schmidt.
April 19Joe McGinnity wins his first game as a Giant‚ beating Brooklyn‚ 6-1‚ and allowing just one hit‚ by Doyle.
April 20Since yesterday was Sunday‚ today is both Opening Day and Patriot’s Day in Boston‚ resulting in an unusual Opening Day doubleheader. The Boston Americans play an a.m. game before 8‚376 fans beating the A’s Rube Waddell‚ 9-4. The Athletics take the afternoon contest‚ 10-7‚ watched by 27‚658‚ behind Eddie Plank and rookie Chief Bender. Cy Young and Long Tom Hughes pitch for Boston. Duke Farrell‚ 16-year veteran‚ is given a diamond ring by his Boston teammates in the 2nd inning of the opener. He collects 3 hits for the afternoon.

The NL doubleheader at Boston’s South End Grounds draws just 6‚700. Boston takes the morning game‚ 4-3 behind Togie Pittinger‚ then lose the p.m. game to Philadelphia‚ 10-7.
April 21At Brooklyn’s home opener at Washington Park‚ Mrs. Charles Ebbets throws out the first ball and then Henry Schmidt and the Giants’ Christy Mathewson keep the ball low as an NL-record 43 total chances are taken by two clubs. The Superbas have 23 assists‚ including 8 by Schmidt; the Giants have 21. Catcher Jack Warner drives home the winning run for a 2-1 New York victory. The total chance record will be tied by the Giants and Reds‚ May 15‚ 1909.
April 22At Washington‚ before 11‚950‚ the New York Highlanders play their first game‚ losing 3-1. Washington elects to bat first‚ but the New Yorkers score in the bottom of the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. Each starter gives up six hits with Jack Chesbro‚ the NL’s top winner last year (28-6) taking the loss. Al Orth‚ in his second season with Washington‚ is the winner.

For the second time in 4 days‚ New York’s Iron Joe McGinnity tops Brooklyn‚ this time winning‚ 7-2.

In the AL’s formal Opening at Philadelphia‚ the Athletics top Boston‚ 6-1‚ before 13‚578. Rube Waddell bests Bill Dinneen. AL President Ban Johnson presents the 1902 championship pennant to the A’s.
April 23Behind the pitching of Harry Howell‚ the New York Highlanders (1-1) win their first game‚ 7-2‚ over Washington.

Butte (Pacific Coast League) makes 2 triple plays in one game against Los Angeles.
April 24Against the Pirates‚ the Cardinals go into the 9th with a 7-6 lead‚ in part due to three errors by SS Honus Wagner. Honus atones for the miscues by tripling in the 9th and scoring on a Kitty Bransfield single. With 2 outs in the 11th‚ Wagner walks‚ steals 2B and scores the winner on another Kitty bingle‚ and the Bucs win‚ 7-6. Wagner finishes with 2 triples among his 4 hits‚ 4 RBIs‚ and 3 stolen bases.
April 27Christy Mathewson keeps New York in 1st place with a 10-7 win over Boston. Matty gives up two homers‚ including a grand slam by 2B Frank Bonner.

Three days after Boston OF Chick Stahl injures his leg sliding‚ teammate C Duke Farrell fractures his leg while stealing 2B in a 6-3 loss against Washington. This leaves Boston with Lou Criger as its only catcher.
April 29The Americans Norwood Gibson is the main cause of Boston’s 9-5 loss to Washington as the pitcher issues nine walks and Washington collects 8 stolen bases.
April 30The new AL park opens in New York with an estimated crowd of 16‚000 watching the home team beat Washington 6-2. Jack Chesbro‚ who lost to the Nats on Opening Day‚ is today’s winner.

May

May 2At Pittsburgh‚ Jack Taylor matches up with the Buccaneers’ rookie Cy Falkenberg for the second time in a week and again Chicago wins. This time‚ 10-5: on the 26th of April‚ it was 9-6.
May 6The White Stockings commit 12 errors‚ and the Tigers commit 6‚ for a modern ML record by 2 teams in one game. Thirteen of the E’s are by the infields‚ another AL mark. Sox shortstop Lee Tannehill leads the way with 4 errors‚ while 3rd sacker Frank Isbell and Patsy Flaherty check in with 3 apiece. Trailing 9-7 in the 9th inning‚ Chicago salvages a 10-9 victory for Patsy Flaherty over Mal Eason.

The Pirates Deacon Phillippe‚ en route to 25 wins‚ lets one get away when the Cubs score 9 runs on 9 hits in the top of the 9th for an 11-4 triumph at Exposition Park. Dick Harley leads off the 9th with a single‚ the first hit off Phillippe since the 2nd inning. Doc Casey drills a bases-loaded single to make the score 6-4‚ and Evers follows with a two-run triple. The scoring ends when Chance is forced at 2B. Jack Taylor is the winner‚ the 3rd time in 11 days he’s beaten the Bucs.
May 7At the Polo Grounds‚ Giants 1B Dan McGann steals four bases to lead New York to an 8-4 win over the Phillies. Mathewson beats the Phils for the 2nd time in a week‚ scattering 9 hits. Teammate Iron Joe McGinnity‚ a bench spectator‚ is tossed in the 8th inning by umpire August Moran for mouthing off too much.

For the 2nd time in his career‚ Fred Clarke hits for the cycle and adds a walk‚ sacrifice and stolen base‚ but the effort comes up short as the Reds beat the Pirates‚ 10-8. The Pirates also lose Honus Wagner after a play at 2B with Reds infielder Jack Morrissey. When Wagner threatens to punch Morrissey‚ umpire Bug Holliday restrains him and the two clinch. Wagner is suspended for 3 games.
May 8White Stockings pitcher Nixey Callahan gets 5 hits for the 3rd time in his career (also June 29‚ 1897 and May 18‚ 1902)‚ but the 11-inning loss to the St. Louis Browns is the final game he will pitch in the major leagues. He will play other positions until 1913. Nixey is the only pitcher ever to garner five hits three times.
May 9The Boston Americans top the visiting Highlanders‚ 12-5‚ with a little help from umpire Caruthers‚ who tosses out New York pitcher Tannehill and 2B Williams for a ball call at home.
May 10Chicago take two from the Cards‚ winning 6-3 and 13-8.
May 12Mathewson is a stingy host to the Reds‚ holding them hitless through 7 innings and scoreless through 8 innings. But the Reds score 4 in the 9th off Matty to beat the Giants‚ 4-1.
May 15At Detroit‚ the Tigers pick on Boston American outfielder Pat Dougherty and collect 5 triples and two homers in winning‚ 8-6. Dougherty misjudges a number of fly balls.
May 16A record 31‚500 at the Polo Grounds see the Giants beat Pittsburgh‚ 7-3‚ behind Christy Mathewson. Matty allows 8 hits in beating William Kennedy‚ who is bricked for 13 safeties. The first-place New Yorkers will soon fade‚ and the Pirates‚ now in 3rd place‚ will win their 3rd straight pennant.
May 17Ed Doheny outpitches Joe McGinnity‚ allowing just 6 Giants hits to give the Pirates a 3-2 win. Doheny also earns a 3-day suspension when‚ after hitting a popup in front of the plate‚ tosses his bat at Frank Bowerman while the big catcher is attempting to catch the fly.

With Sunday baseball banned in Cleveland‚ the Blues and Highlanders play at Columbus‚ Ohio. with Cleveland’s Addie Joss defeating Clark Grif?th‚ 9-2. Dave Fultz is not in New York’s lineup today because he opposes Sunday baseball.
May 19Mathewson‚ in relief of Dummy Taylor in the 8th inning‚ earns a 3-2 over Pittsburgh. New York comes back to score solo runs in the 7th and 8th for the victory.

Nineteen strikeouts are registered by both teams in Boston’s 3-2 win over Detroit.
May 20After beating the Pirates in a relief effort yesterday‚ Mathewson allows 6 hits in shutting out the defending NL champs‚ 2-0. Sam Leever takes the loss. New York takes three games in the series and Mathewson wins them all.

Willie Sudhoff beats the Boston Americans‚ 4-3‚ but Boston stops the St. Louis pitcher’s three-game shut out skein.
May 24The Tigers avoid Detroit’s Sunday ban on baseball by playing Washington at Grand Rapids‚ in a game that draws 6‚000. Detroit wins‚ 5-4‚ behind George Mullin‚ with John Deering in relief.
May 26The first place Giants (22-9) top Chicago‚ 4-3‚ at the Polo Grounds‚ scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. Mathewson is the winner over Jack Taylor.
May 28At Boston‚ the Pirates edge the Nationals‚ 7-6. Debuting for Pittsburgh is outfielder Reddy Grey‚ brother of writer Zane Grey. He goes 1-for-3 in his only ML appearance (Macmillan Encyclopedia has him 1-for-3 in another game).
May 29At the Polo Grounds‚ Mathewson tosses his 2nd shut out of the year‚ blanking Boston‚ 3-0‚ to keep New York in first place. A split with Boston tomorrow will drop them a half game off the pace.
May 30in game 2 of a doubleheader in St. Louis‚ Bill Donovan of the Tigers loses‚ 5-0 to the Browns Bill Reidy. The Tigers had scored 62 runs in Wild Bill’s first 7 starts‚ but he better get used to the goose eggs. He’ll start 5 games in which the Tigers lose‚ 1-0‚ lose another by a 2-0 score‚ and win a 1-0 game. Not until September 3 will the Tigers be shut out in a non-Donovan game.
May 31At Chicago’s West Side Grounds‚ the Cubs collect 17 hits-all singles-to beat the Cardinals‚ 17-4. St. Louis helps winning pitcher Jake Weimer with six errors.

June

June 1At Pittsburgh‚ Christy Mathewson wins his 10th of the season‚ and his 4th over Pittsburgh‚ as the Giants prevail‚ 10-2. Ed Doheny is the loser.
June 2With Honus Wagner filling in for ailing manager Fred Clarke‚ reportedly recuperating from a nervous breakdown‚ the Pirates beat the Giants‚ 7-0. Deacon Phillippe goes all the way‚ striking out 8 batters‚ including the side in the 5th. Wagner is 3-for-5 for the Buccaneers. Frank Bowerman is tossed out for protesting calls.
June 3Pirate pitching shuts out the Giants for the 2nd day in a row with Sam Leever applying the whitewash‚ 5-0. Pittsburgh scores their first run on a double steal‚ with Claude Richey on the front end. Richey tallies 4 hits off Joe McGinnity to pace the offense. Ginger Beaumont adds a HR to deep CF in the 5th inning‚ the same inning in which 3B coach Christy Mathewson is tossed for kicking dirt on umpire James Johnstone.
June 4Against Boston‚ Pittsburgh’s Kaiser Wilhelm throws a 5-0 shut out‚ allowing five hits and walking none. Manager Fred Clarke goes 2-for-4 in his return to the lineup and Wagner scores a run after going from 1B to 3B on a sacrifice bunt.

At West Side Grounds‚ the Giants shell Carl Lundgren for 11 hits in beating Chicago‚ 9-1. Mathewson allows 4 hits in winning easily. The Giants will win the next three with Chicago to move into first place.
June 5The Pirates rack up 17 hits against Boston’s Togie Pittinger and pitcher Ed Doheny coasts to a 9-0 victory‚ Pittsburgh’s 4th shutout in a row‚ setting a new major-league record. Clarke is 5-for-5 and Ginger Beaumont goes 4-for-5‚ connecting for his 2nd homer in a week. It is an off day for Claude Richey‚ who strikes out 3 times‚ makes two errors‚ and is picked off base. For Pittinger‚ the 17 hits will help him set a NL record for hits allowed in a season (396). Togie will also lead in losses (22)‚ runs allowed (196)‚ earned runs allowed (136)‚ home runs allowed (12) and walks (143). No pitcher this century will lead in as many negative categories.

The Boston Americans‚ led by Hobe Ferriss’ grand slam‚ defeat Chicago‚ 10-8‚ at the Huntington Avenue Grounds.
June 6In a rain-shortened 6-inning game‚ the Pirates keep their whitewash streak alive at 5 games as Deacon Phillippe shuts out the 6th-place Beaneaters‚ 4-0. The game ends after Honus Wagner leads off with a triple in the 7th inning‚ a hit that stays in the record books according to the rules.

In Boston‚ the Americans score ten runs for the 3rd day in a row‚ beating Chicago‚ 10-2. The scoring is helped by special ground rules instituted because of the overflow crowd of 10‚000.
June 8Boston beats visiting Detroit‚ 6-1‚ in a game called after 5 1/2 innings. Detroit scores its only run when Long Tom Hughes issues four straight walks. The win is Boston’s 11th in a row.

Pittsburgh’s Sam Leever shuts out the Phils‚ 2-0‚ beating Tully Sparks to keep the scoreless streak alive. It is Leever 2nd shut out during the Bucs’ skein of 56 straight innings‚ and he will lead the NL with 7 shutouts. Wagner is 2-for-3 and saves the shutout with a game-ending snag in left center of a line drive by pinch hitter Klondike Douglass.
June 9At St. Louis‚ the Giants win easily‚ 11-2‚ over the Cards. With the game in hand‚ Mathewson (12-2) is lifted in the 7th for Roscoe Miller.

Kaiser Wilhelm‚ the 29-year-old rookie for Pittsburgh‚ holds the Phils scoreless for 3 innings before they score a run in the 4th breaking the Pirates’ record run of 6 straight shutouts and 56 scoreless innings. The Pirates score 6 runs in the 1st three innings off Bill Duggleby and win‚ 7-3.
June 10Detroit SS Kid Elberfeld‚ suspended for abusing an umpire‚ is traded to the New York Highlanders for veteran infielders Herman Long‚ 37‚ and Ernie Courtney. The Highlanders’ first trade is a good one as “The Tabasco Kid”‚ currently hitting .341‚ will be a key ingredient in New York’s rise as contenders in 1904. Elberfeld had also been accused by Tiger manager Ed Barrow of deliberately throwing games recently as a ploy to get himself traded.
June 11Following a win by Ed Doheny‚ Pittsburgh gets back on the shut out track when Deacon Phillippe throws his 3rd straight whitewash‚ defeating Brooklyn‚ 9-0. His batterymate Ed Phelps is 3-for-3 with a stolen base: as noted by Joe Elinich‚ Phils’ manager Chief Zimmer calls Phelps‚ “the best catcher in the game” and “a coming star.
June 13At League Park‚ Joe Kelley‘s first-inning triple is the lone hit off Mathewson‚ who whitewashes the Reds‚ 4-0. Noodles Hahn takes the loss. It is the 3rd shutout in a row for the Giants’ staff.
June 15Following two rainouts‚ the Pirates notch another shut out when Sam Leever beats Chicago‚ 3-0‚ on his 3rd straight shutout. Leever allows just one hit‚ garnered by Chicago hurler Jack Menefee.
June 16Against the White Sox‚ player-manager Clark Griffith tosses a 1-0 shut out to give the New York Highlanders their first shutout ever.

Phillies pitcher Chick Fraser hits a game ending home run in the 12th inning to give the Phils a 2-1 win over the Giants.
June 18Opening a home stand at the Polo Grounds‚ Christy Mathewson and Chicago’s Jake Weimer battle with Matty taking the loss‚ 1-0. A walk to Jimmy Slagle with the bases loaded in the 6th provides Chicago with the needed margin. It is Matty’s first loss in his last 10 decisions and it knocks the Giants out of first place. They won’t be in first the rest of the year.
June 21In a Sunday match in Canton‚ Ohio‚ Boston outslugs Cleveland to win 12-7. Buck Freeman is 5-for-6‚ including the cycle‚ with 6 RBIs‚ while Nap Lajoie is 3-for-5 for Cleveland.
June 22At the Polo Grounds‚ a crowd of 19‚000 is on hand for the twinbill with Chicago; Iron Joe McGinnity wins the opener‚ 5-4‚ in 10 innings‚ over Jack Taylor. But Chicago takes the nitecap‚ scoring 6 runs against Mathewson in the 9th inning to enable Jock Menefee to pick up a win‚ 10-6. Matty gives up 13 hits and 10 runs in losing his 4th game of the year.

In St. Louis‚ Highlander manager Griffith suspends catch Jack O’Connor for insubordination. O’Connor‚ a St. Louis native‚ missed the first game of yesterday’s doubleheader and was on hand for the 2nd game but refused to catch saying he wasn’t in shape.
June 23The Boston Americans take-and hold-the AL lead‚ as Cy Young beats Detroit and Bill Donovan‚ 1-0. They will ?nish 14 1?2 games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics. Donovan will complete all 34 of his starts to tie for the lead with Young and Waddell.
June 25Boston Beaneater Wiley Piatt becomes the only 20th-century pitcher to lose two complete games in one day‚ falling to Pittsburgh 1-0 and 5-3. Piatt allows 14 hits in the 2 games while striking out 12. Pirate player-manager Fred Clarke takes a pitch in the stomach‚ and will take a couple more hits tomorrow. Pittsburgh now leads the NL by 2 1/2 games.

At Chicago‚ the White Sox bat first against the Highlanders and the two teams battle to an 18-inning tie at 6 apiece. The two teams total 30 hits‚ but neither score in the overtime.
June 26Before the start of the Giants-Pirates showdown Giants catcher Frank Bowerman starts a fight with Pirates player-manager Fred Clarke in the Giants office. While the cause of the brawl is unclear‚ Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss reports it to the NL offices and Bowerman is fined $100. Clarke gets no fine‚ but does take home a black eye. Mathewson then pitches his 5th victory over Pittsburgh‚ defeating them 8-2‚ and beating Sam Leever. Sam Mertes‚ who jumped from the AL and will lead the NL in doubles and RBIs‚ doubles home 3 runs in the 5th.

Veteran SS George Davis‚ 1900-1901 Giants manager who played for the White Stockings in 1902 and was awarded to them as part of the peace treaty‚ gets the approval of NL president Harry Pulliam to play for the Giants. After Davis plays in 4 games‚ including today‚ for the Giants‚ Chicago’s owner Charles Comiskey gets an injunction preventing Davis from playing. On July 20th the NL directors vote that Davis cannot play for any team except the White Stockings. Davis sits out the rest of the season but rejoins Chicago in 1904 and finishes a 20-year career with them in 1909.
June 27The Pirates crush 15 hits off Iron Joe McGinnity‚ including 4 hits by Honus Wagner‚ but it takes the Bucs 11 innings to cut down the Giants. In the Pirates’ next game‚ on the 30th against Brooklyn‚ Wagner will collect another 4 hits.
June 28Detroit travels out of state for a home game-a Sunday match in Toledo‚ Ohio against the A’s. Chief Bender tops the Tigers Joe Yeager‚ 7-3‚ before a crowd of 4‚500.

At St. Louis‚ Cy Young shuts out the Browns in the opener‚ 1-0‚ pinning a tough loss on Red Donohue. Pilgrim righty Long Tom Hughes follows with a 3-0 win over in the nitecap. Jack Powell takes the loss.
June 30The Cards bunch 3 hits and a George Davis error in the 6th for 3 runs and beat Christy Mathewson‚ 4-2. Davis will appear in just 4 games in 1903‚ all for the Giants‚ before White Sox owner Charles Comiskey secures an injunction to keep him off the field. He’ll be back with the Sox next season.

At Chicago‚ the White Sox jump on Boston starter Nick Altrock for 8 runs in the 1st inning. Chicago has 7 hits and 3 walks. Altrock finishes the game‚ a 10-3 Chicago win‚ for his only complete game in a Boston uniform. Chicago must like what they see: they purchase Altrock on July 2nd.

July

July 1Pitcher Cy Young drives home the only run in the 10th inning as the Boston Americans beat Chicago‚ 1-0.
July 2Seeing that George Davis is playing for the Giants‚ Ed Delahanty decides to jump to New York too. Leaving the Nationals in Detroit‚ he boards an eastbound train. He is put off the train for rowdy‚ and possibly drunken‚ behavior at Niagara Falls. When he tries to walk across the railroad bridge over the Niagara River‚ he falls to his death. He had a 16-year‚ .346 batting average.

Pitcher Jack Doscher‚ making his debut with the Chicago Cubs‚ is the first son of a former ML player to also play in the ML. Father Herm was a third baseman with Troy‚ Chicago‚ and Cleveland before the turn of the century. Jack loses today at Philadelphia‚ 7-2‚ and will end the season with the Brooklyn Superbas.
July 4The first place Boston Americans sweep two from the visiting St. Louis Americans‚ winning 4-1 and 2-0.

The Pirates win a pair from the Phillies‚ 7-4 and 7-1‚ but lose player-manager Fred Clarke when he tumbles after fly ball and separates his shoulder. He will be out 4 1/2 weeks.
July 6At West Side Grounds‚ Mathewson gives the Giants their 2nd win in three games with Chicago‚ beating the Cubs‚ 5-1. Jock Menefee takes the loss.
July 7In a game with the New York Highlanders‚ White Sox OF Danny Green is called out at 1B by John Sheridan‚ and after returning to the bench continues to yell at the ump. Sheridan finally rushes the bench and hits Green with his mask‚ who then belts the umpire. The umpire is taken from the grounds and locked up on charges of disorderly conduct. An hour later he is released after bail is posted by Highlander president Joseph Gordon.
July 8Chicago’s Nick Altrock‚ pitching against the Boston Americans‚ loses to his former team‚ 6-1.
July 9In St. Louis‚ the Giants score 3 in the 9th to beat the Cardinals‚ 4-2. Mathewson gets the win with relief help in the 9th from Joe McGinnity. Three Fingered Brown is the loser.

In Chicago‚ the Nationals use an error‚ sac‚ 2 stolen bases‚ and 5 singles to score all their runs in the 7th and beat the Phillies‚ 6-1. Frank Chance is named team captain of Chicago.
July 11In Cincinnati‚ the 2nd place Giants edge the Reds‚ 8-6‚ although the Reds pile on McGinnity for five runs in the 7th. Mathewson then relieves and a pickoff by C Jack Warner of a napping Harry Steinfeldt at 3B prevents further scoring.

At Boston‚ Jimmy Collins collects 5 hits‚ including a triple and homer‚ to pace the Americans to a 8-5 win over Chicago. It is Boston’s 45th win of the year.
July 15In a showdown game at Pittsburgh‚ the Giants score 3 runs in the top of the 9th to take a 3-2 lead‚ but the Bucs tie it up against Mathewson. No runs are scored again till the 14th when New York scores 3 off Ed Doheny to give Matty his 6th win of the year over Pittsburgh. Matty strikes out 11 and scatters 10 hits.

With ground rules limiting hits into the crowds to three bases‚ Cy Young drives home Lou Criger in the 10th inning for a 4-3 win over visiting Cleveland. Addie Joss takes the loss.
July 16Roger Bresnahan‚ playing center field for the Giants‚ starts a triple play against the Pirates with the bases loaded. The future Hall of Fame catcher snags a line drive and his throw to home holds the runner at 3B. Catcher John Warner throws to 2B to get the runner advancing and the return home nabs the runner from 3rd. But Pittsburgh gets two inside-the park-homers from Ginger Beaumont‚ who scores five runs‚ and wins easily‚ 16-4.

The Boston Americans score 7 runs in the first inning‚ four coming after a 3rd out is disallowed because the umpire had turned to the bench to ask for new baseballs. Boston rolls to an 11-4 win over Cleveland.
July 17Rube Waddell is arrested for assaulting a fan who had criticized his pitching. Connie Mack bails him out of jail. The A’s win today‚ 4-1‚ over the visiting Browns.

Dan McClelland of the Cuban X-Giants spins the first perfect game in black baseball history‚ blanking the Penn Park Athletic Club of York‚ 5-0.

Boston pushes across a run in the 9th to beat the Tigers‚ 1-0. Norwood Gibson is the victor over Bill Donovan.

Clevealnd knocks Jack Chesbro out of the box in the 6th to easily beat the host New Yorkers‚ 11-4. Lajoie‚ Flick and Conroy have triples‚ with Bill Bradely connecting for a home run‚ over the LF fence‚ “the longest hit made at the new grounds.” (New York Herald). Howell pitches the last three innings for the “Invaders”‚ holding Cleveland without a run.
July 21At Washington Park‚ Brooklyn tips the Giants and Mathewson‚ 4-1. Ned Garvin picks up the win‚ blanking New York for the first 8 innings.
July 23In a doubleheader with New York‚ Cy Young wins the opener‚ 6-1‚ in a match that takes one hour: 35 minutes. New York wins the nitecap‚ 4-2.
July 24At Baker Bowl‚ Bill Duggleby holds the Giants to 5 hits and the Phils hand Mathewson his 2nd loss in 4 days‚ winning 3-0.
July 25At New York‚ the Boston Americans bang seven doubles and beat the Highlanders‚ 7-5. Freeman and Parent each have two doubles.
July 26Sue for non-support. In game 1 against the White Sox‚ Detroit’s Bill Donovan emerges with a 1-0 win. He’ll lose an AL record five 1-0 games this year‚ a mark only tied in the loop by Jack Warhop in 1914‚ and no ML pitcher will lose six 1-0 decisions. Frank Owen takes the loss for Chicago‚ giving up a run in the first. Detroit loses the nitecap‚ 4-2.
July 28Boston’s Vic Willis outpitches Mathewson to beat the Giants‚ 5-3. Third sacker Ed Gremminger solves Matty‚ banging out a single‚ double‚ homer and sacrifice to lead Boston.

In Cleveland’s 10-2 win over St. Louis‚ Bill Bradley laces three triples to tie the AL mark set by teammate Elmer Flick last year‚ a record that will be tied many times‚ but never broken.
July 29Pittsburgh’s Ed Doheny (12-6) jumps the team to return home because he is convinced he is being followed by detectives. The Pittsburg Post headlines Doheny going AWOL with a headline: ‘His Mind is Thought To Be Deranged.’ He will return on the 15th of August.

Cy Young goes all the way as Boston loses to the Highlanders‚ 15-14. The New Yorkers had been shut out in their two previous matches in the series. Patsy Dougherty leads the Boston offense by hitting for the cycle‚ but Cy gets little defense as Boston makes 8 errors behind him. New York starter Jack Chesbro is lifted in the 6th for Harry Howell‚ while Willie Keeler has 4 hits to lead the Highlander offense. The game lasts 2 hours: 10 minutes.
July 30In what the New York Herald describes as “the greatest pitchers’ battle of the year” St. Louis Browns pitcher Willie Sudhoff beats Detroit’s Bill Donovan‚ 1-0 at Detroit. Both teams play “sensational ball.”

At Cincinnati‚ the Reds easily defeat Chicago‚ 15-0‚ before 1‚300 fans. Ed Poole records his first shutout of the year‚ while rookie Jake Weimer stays till the end for Chicago. Despite this pounding‚ Weimer will end the year with a 2.30 ERA and a 21-9 record.

The Athletics win a doubleheader from the Washington Senators‚ 12-1 and 6-5. Rube Waddell is knocked out of the box in the 6th of game 2‚ but Connie McGeehan takes his place and shuts out the visitors without a hit as the A’s score one in the 7th and 2 in the 8th. For Connie‚ brother of Dan‚ it is his lone win in 3 career appearances.
July 31A tired Christy Mathewson loses his 4th in a row as Boston clips him for 6 hits and 4 walks to win‚ 4-1. Pop Williams‚ recently acquired‚ allows just 3 Giant hits.

August

August 1Rube Waddell no-hits the Highlanders‚ except for Kid Elberfeld‚ who has 4 singles. These‚ plus a lavish 6 walks‚ down the A’s 3-2‚ with the win going to Jack Chesbro. Waddell observes afterward‚ “If I would have walked him 4 times‚ I would have pitched a no-hitter.

The Giants‚ losers of 11 of 13 games‚ get a big boost today as Iron Joe McGinnity asks to pitch both ends of a doubleheader. He lives up to his name‚ winning both from Boston‚ 4-1 and 5-2‚ giving up just 6 hits in each game. Five Giants (TSN says 8: SABR says 5) were nicked by pitches in the two games‚ while the two teams combined to plunk six (TSN lists 11).
August 3The Giants edge Boston‚ 4-1‚ in 11 innings with Mathewson outpitching Vic Willis. Each pitchers allows 9 hits‚ but Matty fans 11‚ including three in the 11th.
August 6At Philadelphia‚ the A’s top the Boston Americans‚ 4-3‚ in a game called after 8 innings because of dark clouds. Boston manager Jimmy Collins protests to no avail.
August 7The Giants sweep the Phillies at the Polo Grounds‚ taking the opener 7-5 behind Christy Mathewson. Matty surrenders 5 hits‚ but fans 10. Dummy Taylor wins the nitecap‚ 6-2‚ to put the Giants back into 2nd place.

Reds SS Tommy Corcoran sets an ML mark when he records 14 assists in Cincinnati’s 4-2 regulation win over the Cardinals. Lave Cross‚ in 1897‚ racked up 15 assists in a 12 inning game.
August 8An overhanging gallery atop the LF bleachers at Philadelphia’s NL park collapses at 5:40 p.m. during a doubleheader with Boston‚ killing 12 and injuring 282 (one source puts the injured at 232). The second game is canceled and Philadelphia’s remaining home games are played at the AL’s Columbia Park.

Before a crowd of 31‚647‚ “Iron Man” Joe McGinnity pitches the 2nd of 3 doubleheaders he will win this month‚ beating Brooklyn 6-1 and 4-3; he also is credited with a steal of home in the 2nd game while Brooklyn was arguing a disputed call of Iron Joe at 3B. Brooklyn P Henry Schmidt is so upset about the steal that he throws the ball out of the park‚ a toss that gets him tossed from the game. On August 31‚ Iron Joe will beat the Phillies twice. He has now done double work 5 times‚ including 2 losses on each of the 2 occasions at Baltimore in 1901. The combination of his 434 innings pitched and 31 wins‚ with Mathewson’s 366 IP and 30 wins‚ will make them the century’s most productive one-season duo.

Furious when an old black ball is put into play when Cleveland is at bat in the last of the 11th and his objections are ignored by umpire Tommy Connolly‚ Blues manager Nap Lajoie hurls the ball over the grandstand‚ suffering the loss of the game to Detroit by forfeit. Detroit was leading 6-5.
August 10Brooklyn’s Henry Schmidt drops his 2nd game in 3 days to the Giants‚ this time losing 3-1 to Christy Mathewson. Matty wins his 20th and loses his shutout in the 9th on a passed ball by Jack Warner. Schmidt‚ 29‚ will win 21 games in this his only season in the Majors. A westerner‚ he will return his 1904 contract unsigned with the note‚ “I do not like living in the East and will not report.”

At Boston’s Huntington Grounds‚ Cy Young tosses no-hit ball for 7 innings‚ and beats the A’s‚ 7-2.
August 11A crowd of 10‚600 cheer as the Boston Americans Tom Hughes defeats the A’s ace Rube Waddell‚ 5-1.
August 12Giant outfielder Sam Mertes walks five times and New York eases to a 14-4 win over St. Louis.

In the 2nd game at Boston‚ Boston Nationals Joe Stanley clouts his first major league homer‚ a grand slam off Chicago’s Jock Menefee. Stanley will hit his second career homer in 1905‚ again a grand slam. Pat Moran also hits a grand slam as Boston wins‚ 11-10‚ with Pop Williams beating Menefee. Chicago wins the opener‚ 7-4‚ with slow Bob Wicker outpitching Togie Pittinger.
August 13New York wins its 3rd doubleheader in a week‚ clipping St. Louis 6-2 and 9-7. Mathewson strikes out 10 in the opener as he outpitches Three Fingered Brown.
August 14In Detroit‚ Cy Young picks up his 20th win as Boston wins‚ 6-3.
August 15In a doubleheader win over the Cards‚ Brooklyn pitcher Henry Schmidt steals home in game 2. Brooklyn wins 7-0 and 4-3.
August 16Toledo native George Mullin‚ pitching for the Tigers‚ helps the attendance today (6‚000) as the Tigers take on New York in a Sunday game in Toledo. Mullin is racked for 8 runs‚ but Detroit scores 12‚ led by the hitting of Sam Crawford‚ who is 5-for-6.

The Boston Americans roll over visiting Cleveland‚ 14-7‚ scoring in all 8 innings.
August 17The Boston Americans continue their scoring spree‚ beating Cleveland again‚ 14-3. Boston sets an ML record by scoring in 17 consecutive innings: 8 yesterday‚ the last 3 on September 15 in a 12-3 win over New York‚ and in the first 3 innings today.

Ban Johnson orders betting suppressed at all AL parks‚ a noble but futile gesture.
August 18Behind Jack Chesbnro’s pitching the Highlands defeat Detroit‚ 1-0. Bill Donovan takes the loss.
August 20The NL-leading Pirates set an NL mark for an inning of inept fielding‚ making 6 errors in the first inning‚ giving the Giants 7 runs toward a 13-7 win in the first of two games. Mathewson‚ with relief in the 6th inning‚ coasts to his 23rd win. Deacon Phillippe wins the nitecap‚ 4-1‚ for the Pirates to keep the Giants 5 games in back.

At Chicago‚ Boston’s Buck Freeman is the first to hit a ball over the RF score board‚ but the Boston Americans lose to the White Sox‚ 9-5.
August 21Ducky Holmes‚ White Stockings OF‚ has 4 assists in a game‚ tying the ML record. But his team still loses 11-3 to Cy Young and the Boston Americans.

In a singular effort‚ Philadelphia’s Rube Waddell allows 3 hits in edging the Tigers 1-0 in the opener of a doubleheader. Wild Bill Donovan‚ who sets the AL record this year by losing five 1-0 game is the opposing starter. Donovan has one of the three hits. Waddell then pitches the nitecap as well‚ giving up 8 hits before losing 2-1. With 13 K’s in the DH Rube boosts his strikeout total to a record 302 for the season in these two games‚ the last he’ll pitch this year. Donovan will be 2nd in the AL with 187. With his two complete games today‚ the overworked Rube finishes the year with 34‚ which will tie him with Cy Young and Donovan.

In their 2nd straight doubleheader‚ the Pirates and Giants again split‚ with the Bucs taking the opener‚ 5-0‚ behind Sam Leever. Mathewson wins the nitecap for New York‚ 9-5‚ the 8th time he’s whipped Pittsburgh this year. Matty scatters 10 singles and Ginger Beaumont‘s double.
August 22In Boston‚ the Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals‚ 6-1. St. Louis manager Patsy Donovan is taken to his home in Lawrence to rest up from malaria.
August 23Before 21‚400 in St. Louis the Americans sweep St. Louis 5-3 and 4-2. Boston executes a triple play in the nitecap. Hughes and Young are the winners for 1st place Boston.
August 24The Cubs split with the Giants at the Polo Grounds‚ beating Joe McGinnity 7-3 in the opener. Iron Joe is not helped by 8 Giant errors‚ including 5 by SS Charlie Babb. The nitecap is called after Chicago’s at-bats in the 7th with the score 8-1. Mathewson picks up the victory for New York over Jock Menefee.

Behind the pitching of Addie Joss‚ the Cleveland Americans win over the visiting Athletics‚ 3-0. Eddie Plank takes the loss. In the 2nd inning‚ Joss needs just 3 pitches to retire the side (as noted by Bill Deane)‚ and allows just one hit in the game-a triple by Hartsel-in winning. Hickman hits a HR into the RF bleachers.
August 25The White Sox beat Detroit‚ 2-0‚ as Bill Donovan absorbs his 7th loss in which his Tigers are shutout. Five are by an AL record 1-0 scores.
August 26The Boston Beaneaters drive Mathewson from the mound with 5 runs in the 6th to take a 6-5 lead over the Giants and hold on to win by that score. When Roger Bresnahan is called out at home in the 9th New York and John McGraw and Gilbert lead the argument against August Moran. Moran tosses them for their troubles. New York wins the nitecap‚ 3-2‚ in 10 innings.
August 27In Philadelphia‚ Boston pitcher Tom Hughes goes long over the LF fence to win his own game against the A’s‚ 4-2.

Phillies pitchers manage to walk 17 Brooklyn batters but lose by only one run‚ 11-10.
August 28Cleveland and St. Louis (AL) players escape serious injury when their train derails near Napoleon‚ OH.

At South End Grounds‚ New York outhits the Beaneaters to win‚ 12-6. Mathewson wins his 26th‚ allowing 3 runs in the first and 9th innings. John Malarky is the losing pitcher for Boston.
August 31Joe McGinnity wins his 3rd doubleheader this month‚ stopping the Phils twice‚ 4-1 and 9-2 and handing losses to Chick Fraser and Bill Duggleby. Iron Joe strikes out 9 batters in the opener to win. The two games total 3 hours: 3 minutes.

September

September 2Mathewson walks 3 Superbas in the first inning and all score as Brooklyn beats their cross-town rivals‚ 4-1. Bill Reidy allows no Giants to score until the 9th.
September 3Cleveland P Jesse Stovall hurls an 11-inning shutout in his first ML start‚ defeating Detroit 1-0. It is the longest shutout ever in a pitching debut. For the first time this year‚ Detroit is shutout without Bill Donovan on the mound. George Mullin is the hard luck loser and will lose his next start by the same score.

Boston (AL) beats the A’s‚ 6-5‚ in 12 innings as Cy Young earns his 25th win of the year.

On the heels of a string of rain-outs‚ Hudson sweeps Poughkeepsie (Class-C Hudson River League) in the 20th century’s only quadruple header‚ winning by scores of 2-1‚ 6-4‚ 3-1 and 4-2. [As pointed out by several historians including Bill Deane‚ there was one in 1889] Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers is a member of the Poughkeepsie team from 1903 through 1905.
September 5In a game stopped by rain after 5 innings‚ Christy Mathewson beats Brooklyn’s Bill Reidy‚ 3-1‚ allowing just one hit and striking out 5. The only Superbas score comes in the 4th when RF George Browne makes two errors.

At Boston‚ the Americans trounce the Athletics‚ 12-1 in 8 innings. Patsy Dougherty leads the way with 3 triples and two singles.
September 6In Chicago‚ Doc White spins a 10-inning one-hitter to give the White Stockings a 1-0 victory over Cleveland. Bill Bradley breaks up the no-hitter with a one-out double in the 9th. Billy Sullivan‚ with 2 of the 3 hits against Martin Glendon‚ reaches on an error in the 10th and comes around to score the winning run.

In Chicago‚ the Pirates beats the Colts‚ 5-1‚ then catch a 5:30 train for Pittsburgh. Menefee and Smith serve as umpires. President Pulliam sends 2 umps: O’Day and Moran, to officiate the Boston -Phillies game in Providence‚ but leaves the Chicago game to the players.
September 7The Giants and Superbas split an odd A.M. – P.M. doubleheader‚ with Brooklyn losing the first game at home‚ 6-4‚ then dropping the afternoon game at the Polo Grounds‚ 3-0. The morning contest almost degenerates into a brawl when batter Jimmy Sheckard interferes with a throw to 2B by Giants catcher Frank Bowerman by sticking his bat in front of it. The ball deflects off the bat but umpire Tim Hurst refuses to call interference. While the runner circles the bases‚ the Giants ignore the ball and heatedly berate the ump’s call. While no interference is called‚ Sheckard is tossed out of the game.
September 8New York’s Christy Mathewson and Brooklyn’s Bill Reidy hook up for the 3rd time in a week‚ and the rubber game ends in a tie‚ 4-4. The match is called by ump Tim Hurst after 8 innings because of darkness.
September 11The Cardinals Kid Nichols beats the Reds 4-2 in the first of two games. Encouraged‚ Nichols pitches the nitecap as well‚ but the Reds reach him for 14 hits to win 8-5. As manager‚ Nichols keeps himself in the game rather than waste another pitcher.

A new National Agreement signed by the National Association of minor league clubs officially organizes professional baseball under one comprehensive set of rules.
September 12In St. Louis‚ Roger Bresnahan‘s 10th inning sacrifice fly scores Jack Warner with the game winner‚ as New York wins 4-3. Despite giving up 12 hits‚ Mathewson is the winner over Jim Hackett.

Boston Tom Hughes defeats the Highlanders‚ 10-1‚ for his 20th win of the year.
September 14The Giants take the opener‚ 8-2‚ of a doubleheader in St. Louis. In the nitecap‚ Giants rookie Red Ames begins his 17-year career with a 5-inning 5-0 no-hitter‚ striking out 7 Cards. The game is called in mid afternoon due to darkness caused by an impending storm.
September 15In Cincinnati‚ the Reds knock out Mathewson after 5 innings and beat the Giants‚ 8-0.
September 16The Boston Americans whip Cleveland‚ scoring in each of the 8 innings they bat to win 14-7. Boston collects 23 hits to Cleveland’s 12.
September 17The Boston Americans clinch the AL pennant‚ beating Cleveland 14-3‚ but their record of scoring in 17 consecutive innings is stopped in the 7th inning. George Winter coasts to a win today‚ helped by homers from Hobe Ferriss and Jimmy Collins.
September 18In the absence of official sanction‚ the presidents of the pennant-winning clubs sign an agreement to meet in a best-of-9 series for the championship. The Pirates clinch the pennant tomorrow.

The Cubs beat the Phils‚ 6-5‚ in the first game of a twinbill. In the second game‚ Chick Fraser no-hits Chicago 10-0 for the Phils. Peaches Graham‚ normally a catcher‚ is the loser in his only major league decision‚ while Fraser K’s 5 and walks 4.

Mathewson relieves Dummy Taylor with the score knotted at 5-5 in the 7th. The Giants then push across 2 runs off Jack Sutthoff and Matty wins his 29th of the year.

Bill Dinneen wins his 20th as Boston defeats Cleveland‚ 7-6.
September 19Jake Weimer picks up his 21st victory‚ allowing just 4 New York hits in beating the Giants‚ 3-0. Mathewson allows just 4 hits as well‚ but 4 walks and 2 errors helped him to lose his 13th. The Cubs are a game behind the Giants.

It’s a long time between wins-13 years. After losing game 1 to Cincinnati‚ 17-7‚ the Phillies come back to win game 2‚ 10-4‚ behind John McFetridge (1-10). The win breaks his 10-game losing streak and is his first since he won his only appearance for the Phils in 1890. McFetridge has one more loss to go in this his final year.

Cleveland’s Ed Killian loses to the Red Sox when he gives up a homerun to Fred Parent. Killian will pitch 1001 innings before serving up another roundtripper‚ to Socks Seybold‚ on August 7‚ 1907.

In Pittsburgh’s split with Brooklyn‚ the Pirates Krueger is hit in head by Bill Reidy pitch and hospitalized for a week. Pittsburgh wins game 1 by 12-10‚ then loses 8-2.
September 20In front of a packed house of 25‚000+‚ the Cubs miss taking over second place from the Giants by losing to New York‚ 6-2. Jack Taylor loses to Joe McGinnity‚ with umpire Emslie getting blamed for “frequent and inexcusable blunders” (The Chicago Inter Ocean). Pittsburgh leads by 9 games.

A bad day for the Poughkeepsie Giants (Class D Hudson River League) as they drop a quadruple header to Hudson by the scores of 2-1‚ 6-4‚ 3-1‚ and 4-2. This is the only quadruple header of the 20th century.
September 21Christy Mathewson‚ pitching for the 3rd time in 4 games‚ keeps the Giants in 2nd place by beating Chicago’s Clarence Currie‚ 8-3. For Matty‚ it is 30th win of the year.

In Cincinnati‚ the Reds make 14 errors in a twinbill with the Phils‚ losing 11-2 and 14-13. The second game is called after 6 innings.

Brooklyn sweeps a pair from Pittsburgh‚ winning 9-4 and 7-3. Pitt pitcher Lave Winham helps with 4 errors in game 1. This ties the NL record set in 1900‚ and no pitcher in the NL has done it since.
September 22The last-place Cardinals start local college pitcher Harry Betts against Boston‚ but he gives up 11 hits and walks 5‚ while losing 10-1. Betts’ next and last appearance in the majors will be in 1913 with the Reds.

In Cincinnati‚ Reds OF Mike Donlin hits 4 consecutive triples in a doubleheader split with the Phillies. Donlin’s 1st triple comes in his last at bat in the opener‚ a 12-7 loss‚ and three more triples in the nitecap 8-1 win. Donlin is 6-for-7 on the afternoon.

Pittsburgh’s 16-game winner Ed Doheny‚ still suffering from bouts of paranoia‚ leaves the team and is escorted home to Massachusetts by his brother. During the World Series‚ Doheny will be committed to the Danvers Insane Asylum after knocking his male nurse unconscious. At the age of 26‚ his major league career is over.
September 24In a 12-2 win over Washington‚ Bill Bradley of Cleveland hits for the cycle and adds an extra double for 12 total bases.

At New York‚ the Highlanders take a pair from the St. Louis Browns‚ winning 6-2 and 8-6. Jack Chesbro is the victor in the opener with a bit of help from the Browns John Anderson (as noted by Peter Morris). The Browns make 4 straight hits in the 8th‚ and an error by Kid Elberfeld on Anderson’s grounder loads the bases. With Bobby Wallace hitting‚ Anderson inexplicably takes off for 2nd base and is thrown out trying to scramble back to 1B‚ a play that will be referred to in the early part of the century as a “John Anderson play.” Wallace strikes out on the play. Anderson explains that “I got too far off first base and couldn’t get back.” To which his manager McAleer responds‚ “Tell me‚ you big bum‚ where did you think you were going?” After the game Clark Griffith brings up the possibility of a trade again and finds that the price had gone down. “Give me an old bat bag or anything‚” says McAleer‚”and take the big stiff.” Anderson will be swapped to New York next month.

In a doubleheader split with the Highlanders‚ Detroit’s Bill Lush lashes 3 triples in the game 1 victory‚ 13-8. New York takes game 2‚ 5-1.
September 28Boston (AL) tops St. Louis 6-0 for their 20th shutout of the year.

Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss announces that‚ despite rumors to the contrary‚ the Pittsburgh- Boston world’s championship will be played as scheduled. A party of Pittsburgh fans will leave for Boston on the 28th.
September 30The seasonal contracts for Boston players expire and owner Killilea offers a two week extension to cover the World Series. This offer is later increased to head off a players’ strike.

October

October 1The first modern World Series game‚ also called “Championship of the United States‚” is played at Boston’s Huntington Street park before an overflow crowd of 16‚242. Deacon Phillippe pitches Pittsburgh to a 7-3 win over Cy Young. Pittsburgh RF Jimmy Sebring hits the first HR and adds three other hits. 3B Tommy Leach has 4 hits‚ including 2 triples for the Pirates and winds up with four three-baggers‚ a Series record. The first of his triples goes into the RF crowd and he is allowed 3B by the ump.

In the first City Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Nationals‚ Jack Taylor shuts out the Sox‚ 11-0‚ on 3 hits at the West Side Grounds. The Colts win the next 2 games‚ but Taylor will lose his next three starts and the series will end tied at 7 apiece on October 15. Sox owner Charles Comiskey is willing to play it out but the Colts Jim Hart is not (according to historian Benton Stark). Hart is convinced that Taylor lost his games deliberately for money and will trade the star in 2 months.
October 2The Boston Americans Bill Dinneen blanks Pittsburgh 3-0 on 3 hits and 11 strikeouts to even the Series. His 4 starts will give him 3 victories‚ making this the only WS to produce two 3-game winners. Boston LF Patsy Dougherty hits 2 HRs; in 14 WS games they are the only HRs he will hit. With Boston electing to bat first‚ Patsy’s first homer is a leadoff blast against Sam Leever.
October 3Deacon Phillippe comes back on one day’s rest to beat Boston 4-2 before 18‚801‚ the biggest crowd of the Series. Jimmy Collins has half the Boston hits with a single and double. There are 7 ground-rule doubles in the game‚ 4 of which go into the crowd.
October 6A travel day and rainout enable Phillippe to pitch and win again 5-4‚ before 7‚600 at Pittsburgh. Boston rallies for three runs in the 9th but it is not enough. Ginger Beaumont and Honus Wagner have 3 hits‚ but Honus will manage just .222 for the WS.

The Highlanders trade vet C Jack O’Connor to his hometown St. Louis Browns for another veteran‚ Norwegian born John Anderson.
October 7Cy Young‚ who will also pitch in 4 games‚ stops the Pirates 11-2 on 6 hits. The 36-year-old righthander drives in 3 runs. Pittsburgh’s Brickyard Kennedy‚ pitching on his 35th birthday‚ is ahead 4-2 in the 6th when Wagner makes 2 errors‚ and Boston scores 6 runs. After giving up another 4 runs in the 7th‚ Kennedy is gone‚ and will not pitch in the majors again. Patsy Dougherty has a single a two triples‚ while Chick Stahl and Jimmy Collins add three baggers. There are 6 triples in the game.
October 8Bill Dinneen evens the Series with a 6-3 win over Pittsburgh’s Sam Leever‚ who was 25-7 during the season. Ginger Beaumont leads the offense with 4 hits and two steals. The attendance in Pittsburgh is 11556.
October 9The World Series is postponed because of cold weather.
October 10Three days rest are apparently too much for Phillippe‚ who gives up first-inning triples to Boston’s Jimmy Collins and Chick Stahl for a 2-0 lead. Five of the first 11 hits are triples‚ as the ground rules call for any balls hit into the crowds to be three baggers. Cy Young wins‚ 7-3.
October 13An overworked Deacon Phillippe pitches his 5th complete game of the Series‚ losing to Bill Dinneen 3-0 in game 8. Only 7‚455‚ the smallest crowd of the Series‚ see Boston win the championship. Deacon’s 5 decisions and 44 IP are still WS records‚ as are his starting 2 straight WS games‚ twice. Hobe Ferriss’ 4th inning single drives in the first of two runs in the inning.
October 14Pittsburgh P Ed Doheny is committed to an insane asylum in Massachusetts after assaulting his nurse with a poker. Doheny had compiled a 16-8 mark.
October 15With Pirates owner Dreyfuss putting his club’s $6‚699.56 gate receipts into the players’ pool‚ the 16 Pirates receive $1‚316 each‚ more than the victorious Boston players’ $1‚182. Deacon Phillippe receives a bonus and 10 shares of stock in the Pirates for his heroic efforts.

November

November 11Jimmy Collins signs a contract to manage the Boston Americans for 3 years. They will be called the Red Sox during his tenure.
November 17Chicago Cubs SS Joe Tinker tells an interviewer that it is “impossible to fix” a ML baseball game.

December

December 12During the post-season City Series in Chicago‚ the Cubs veteran Jack Taylor is chided for losing 3 games to the White Sox and Cubs president John Hart is convinced that gambling was involved. Taylor is traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with rookie C Larry McLean for pitcher Mike O’Neill and a righthander who was 9-13 in his first season‚ Mordecai “Three Fingered” Brown.

Continuing efforts to build a winner in New York‚ John McGraw acquires 34-year-old SS Bill Dahlen from Brooklyn in exchange for pitcher John Cronin and iron-fingered SS Charlie Babb. McGraw says this is the trade that makes the Giants into winners. In 1904‚ Dahlen will top the NL with 80 RBI. When he retires in 1911‚ he will have fielded more chances than any other SS.
December 18At the league meeting‚ Ban Johnson is reelected AL president and given a raise to $10‚000. Also‚ the AL votes to allow coaches at 3B and 1B at all times: till now‚ only one coach was permitted except if there were 2 or more base runners. The AL also institutes the “foul strike” rule‚ used by the NL since 1901: a foul will be counted as a strike unless there are already 2 strikes.
December 20After a two-year absence from the majors‚ pitcher Kid Nichols signs as player/ manager of the Cardinals. He will win 21 himself‚ but the team will finish 4th.

In an unpopular trade in Boston‚ the Americans send Long Tom Hughes to the Highlanders for lefty Jesse Tannehill. Hughes‚ 20-7 for the champs‚ had jumped to the AL from the NL Chicago team in 1902. Hughes will come up short in New York and be shipped to Washington in July‚ while Tannehill will win 20 for the Hubmen.