Baseball – 1904

Baseball in 1904

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January

January 4The Highlanders announce plans to play on Sundays at Ridgewood Park on Long Island‚ but the Brooklyn club objects. Sunday games are legal in Detroit‚ St. Louis‚ Chicago‚ and Cincinnati.
January 22William H. Yawkey‚ the 28-year-old heir to a lumber and mining fortune‚ buys the Detroit Tigers from S. F. Angus for $50‚000. New money and Frank Navin‘s shrewd management will bring 3 straight pennants to the franchise within a few years.

February

February 1The Cards purchase veteran first baseman Jake Beckley from the Cincinnati Reds. The future Hall of Famer will have 4 decreasingly productive years in St. Louis before retiring.
February 21The Yankees purchase 40-year-old Deacon McGuire from the Detroit Tigers.

April

April 14At Brooklyn’s Washington Park‚ a record 15‚000 fans are on hand for the Opener‚ delayed until 4:00. John McGraw‘s Giants then take the field and bang out 10 hits to beat Oscar Jones‚ 7-1. Mathewson allows 3 hits to win.

At chilly Hilltop Park‚ each spectator is given a small American flag as he enters the park for the Highlanders-Boston game. Ex-Judge Olcott tosses out the first ball and then Jack Chesbro pitches and bats New York to an 8-2 victory. He scatters six hits and scores two runs on two hits‚ including a homer. Both Boston runs come on inside the park homers‚ by Buck Freeman in the 7th‚ and in the 9th by Freddie Parent. New York scores 5 in the first inning off Cy Young to put the game away.
April 15After 5 straight opening day losses‚ the Reds finally win‚ beating the visiting Chicagoans‚ 3-2. Jack Sutthoff is victorious over Jake Weimer.
April 16St. Louis Nationals player-manager Kid Nichols‚ out of the major leagues for 2 years‚ celebrates his return by pitching his team to a 7-5 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. The Kid will win 21 games this year as the Cards finish 5th.
April 17The Brooklyn Superbas play their first Sunday game at home‚ beating the Boston Beaneaters‚ 9-1‚ behind Oscar Jones. To circumvent Sunday Blue Laws‚ no admission is charged‚ but fans must buy scorecards to enter the grandstand and box seats.
April 18At Baker Bowl‚ the Giants win their 4th in a row‚ with Joe McGinnity picking up the win in relief. Mathewson is ineffective‚ but he escapes without a loss as the Giants rally to win‚ 7-6.
April 21In the Giants home opener‚ more than 32‚000 fans crowd the Polo Grounds for the match against the Phillies. The visitors fail to cooperate‚ hammering Mathewson for 6 hits and 7 runs in the 5th inning. Rookie Hooks Wiltse relieves‚ but Philadelphia coasts to a 12-1 win.
April 22The Highlanders’ Jack Chesbro allows one hit‚ by Kip Selbach‚ in beating the Washington Senators‚ 2-0.

At New York‚ the Giants‚ scoring in every inning but the 2nd‚ and pummel the Phillies‚ 18-3 behind Dummy Taylor and one reliever. Art Devlin has 4 hits‚ including a grand slam in the 4th‚ to pace New York. He also has 2 of New York’s 8 stolen bases; Bill Dahlen has 3. John Lush‚ 18‚ takes over in relief for Breckenridge‚ but is no more effective. He’ll go 0-6 this year but hit .276 while playing 1B.
April 25In Philadelphia‚ Boston’s Cy Young pitches 8 innings and allows 6 hits in losing to the A’s Rube Waddell‚ 2-0. Young allows no hits in making the last 6 outs‚ the start of a record 25 1/3 hitless inning skein.

The Giants run their record to 7-1 with a 9-2 win against Brooklyn. New York makes 16 hits to back Mathewson’s 6-hitter through 7 innings‚ when he is relieved by Billy Milligan.
April 26Ty Cobb makes his professional debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League)‚ hitting a double and HR in an 8-7 loss to Columbus.
April 30With the score 3-1 in favor of Boston over Washington‚ Cy Young relieves starter George Winter with no outs in the 3rd after Winters gives up 3 hits in the frame. Young then tosses 7 full innings of hitless ball as Boston wins‚ 4-1. Young has now thrown 9 straight innings without a hit. For Washington‚ they finish the month with an 0-10 record.

Mathewson wins his 3rd‚ as the Giants dump Boston‚ 10-1. Matty is again relieved after 6 innings‚ with the score 8-0‚ as McGraw saves his ace.

May

May 2At Huntington Grounds‚ the A’s Rube Waddell stops Boston on one hit‚ a spoiler by Patsy Dougherty‚ in beating Jesse Tannehill‚ 3-0. Rube taunts Cy Young to face him and suffer the same fate‚ and the two aces will square off on the 5th.
May 3The Chicago Nationals beat the Pirates‚ 15-3‚ as Davy Jones scores 5 runs.
May 4At Detroit‚ Cleveland starter John Hickey loads the bases in the 5th and is lifted for Addie Joss‚ who gives up a bases-clearing triple. Addie holds the Tigers scoreless after that‚ but the 3-2 loss-according to the ruling at the time-goes to Joss [this loss will bounce back and forth between the two pitchers].

Justice Gaynor rules in favor of Brooklyn players arrested for playing baseball on Sunday at Washington Park. In an appeal‚ Sunday baseball will again be ruled illegal on June 18th.
May 5Boston Pilgrim Cy Young pitches the 2nd of 3 no-hitters‚ a 3-0 perfect game against the Philadelphia Athletics and Rube Waddell. After Waddell flied out for the final out‚ Young yells at him‚ “How do you like that‚ you hayseed!” Waddell had earlier in the season challenged Young to pitch against him. For Waddell it is one of his 18 losses this year‚ the most of his career‚ against 25 wins. He will strike out 349‚ a record until Sandy Koufax fans 382 in 1965. Today‚ he strikes out 6 while allowing 10 hits. Young stretches his hitless inning skein to 18.

The Giants break a 5-5 tie with Boston by scoring 5 runs in the 9th to pin the loss on Togie Pittinger. Mathewson is the recipient of the offense‚ winning his 4th.

At New York‚ the Washington Nationals notch their first win of the year beating the Highlanders‚ 9-4‚ to snap their 13-game losing streak. This is an AL record to start the season.
May 7In St‚ Louis‚ the first-place Giants provoke a protest in winning 2-1‚ with a pair in the 9th off starter Jack Taylor. John McGraw‚ pinch running after a single by Jack Warner‚ scores on a single by Roger Bresnahan. As McGraw rounded 3B‚ with 1B coach Gilbert following him‚ the entire Giant team collects along the 3B line yelling‚ St. Louis 1B Jake Beckley complains to the ump about it and‚ when one of the Giants dashes to home from the coach’s box‚ Beckley fires to an uncovered home plate‚ thinking it is Bresnahan trying to score. Which he then does for the win. St. Louis manager Kid Nichols protests the game‚ claiming‚ correctly‚ that the players left the bench in violation of rule 56‚ section 17. The rule states: “if one or more members of the team at bat stand or collect around a base for which a base runner is trying‚ thereby confusing the fielding side and adding to the difficult of making such play‚ the base runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate or teammates.” NL president Pulliam rejects the complaint and many fans and writers agree‚ saying the protest is unmanly‚ as noted by historian Benton Stark (The Year They Called off the World Series).
May 9New York’s Joe McGinnity wins his 2nd game in 3 days against the Cardinals‚ beating St. Louis 5-1. Iron Joe is now 7-0 on the year.

Chicago’s Jake Weimer allows just 2 hits in beating the Boston Nationals‚ 6-0.

Following a 6-3 loss to the host Athletics‚ the 1-16 Washington Nationals replace manager Mal Kittridge with Patsy Donovan. No Patsy‚ Donovan’s team will win his first game‚ 7-3‚ against the Browns on April 11. The New York Times (May 10) reports that Kittridge and Kip Selbach are traded to the Highlanders for Beville and Anderson‚ but no such trade transpires. Both go to Boston. Kittridge is sold in June‚ and Selbach is traded July 4 for Bill O’Neill.
May 10The Cards beat up Christy Mathewson‚ scoring 5 runs and knocking him out after the first inning. St. Louis continues the shelling to win 14-1. Matty‚ now 4-2‚ will not lose to St. Louis in his next 24 decisions.
May 11Against Detroit‚ Cy Young pitches no-hit ball until the 7th inning‚ when Sam Crawford hits a one-out single to break his consecutive streak of no hit innings at 24 1/3 (76 batters without a hit) still the record (for years‚ the record book had Young at 23 1/3 innings arguing his relief of Winters occurred with men on base). Young and Tiger starter Ed Killian battle for 15 innings before Boston finally scores a run to win 1-0. Young will throw 45 shutout innings in a row‚ a record broken by Don Drysdale‘s 58 in 1968.

In the opener of a 4-game series with the visiting Cleveland Blues‚ the New York Highlanders prevail‚ 4-2‚ on a 2-run HR by Kid Elberfeld and a pair of run-scoring singles by Deacon McGuire. The New Yorkers will take 3 of the 4 games to move into a tie 2nd place.
May 12For his second game in three days‚ Mathewson is shelled in the first inning‚ as the Reds tally 4 runs. Umpire Bob Emslie adds some fireworks of his own‚ tossing McGraw for too much lip. The Giants tie it in the 3rd‚ but the Reds make 13 hits off Matty while the Giants contribute 6 errors. The Reds win‚ 13-7.
May 14In Chicago’s 12-4 win over visiting Philadelphia‚ Chicago uses two bases-loaded triples to win. This ties the NL record and is the first time this century that it has happened. Chicago OF Jack McCarthy sprains an ankle by stepping on the umpire’s long-handle broom at home plate. NL President Pulliam orders arbiters henceforward to use pocket-sized whisk brooms for housekeeping at home. The AL will comply next year.
May 16The Pirates overcome a 5-0 deficit against Mathewson by scoring a run in the 5th and 5 more in the 6th for a 6-5 win.
May 20Chicago score two in the 9th to beat Mathewson‚ 3-2‚ and knock the Giants out of first place. For Matty‚ it is his 4th straight loss.
May 21Boston (AL) SS Bill O’Neill puts himself in the record books by committing 6 errors in a 13 inning game 5-3 loss to the Browns. O’Neill makes errors in the first inning on the first three balls hit to him‚ and a 4th straight error with a misplay in the 2nd frame. His final error is on an easy grounder in the 13th inning and allows two runs to score. O’Neill is the only 20th century player to record 6 errors.
May 23Chicago’s Jake Weimer and Christy Mathewson duel for 11 innings before the game is called a 1-1 tie. Ump Bob Emslie calls the game at the West Side Grounds so the Giants can catch a train for New York. Matty allows 6 hits‚ one less than Weimer.
May 24The Tigers play a Tuesday game against the Washington Nationals in Grand Rapids‚ Michigan‚ winning 5-4.

At Brooklyn‚ the Superbas jump on Joe McGinnity for a 3-0 lead after 2 innings‚ but the Giants tie it in the 3rd and go on to a 5-3 win. Iron Joe is now 11-0.
May 27At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants Dan McGann steals 5 bases in a 3-1 victory over Brooklyn‚ a feat not duplicated in the NL until August 24‚ 1974‚ by Davey Lopes. Otis Nixon will steal 6 for the record. Mathewson (5-5) is victorious over Ned Garvin. The win gives the Giants (21-10) a tie with Chicago for first place‚ with the Reds in 3rd place by .001.
May 28The Superbas score a run in the 10th against the Giants to take a 3-2 lead at the Polo Grounds‚ but the Giants answer with a pair for a 4-3 win. After a walk by Billy Gilbert‚ Jack Warner lines a pitch down the RF line into the stands‚ 258 feet away for the dramatic win‚ Joe McGinnity’s 12th straight.
May 29In a Sunday game in Brooklyn‚ Hooks Wiltse makes his first ML start a good one‚ beating the Superbas‚ 5-3. Hooks adds 2 hits as the Giants sweep all 5 games from Brooklyn to remain in a tie for 1st with Chicago.
May 30In an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader in Cincinnati‚ the first-place Cubs take on the 3rd place Reds‚ with just a few percentage points separating the team. The two split the holiday twin bill‚ the Reds taking the opener 7-4‚ despite a 9th-inning grand slam by Davey Jones. The Reds then lose‚ 5-2. Frank Chance of the Cubs is the real loser as he is hit 3 times by P Jack Harper of the Reds in the morning game.‚ once reportedly losing consciousness when hit in the head. He continues to play and in the 2nd game‚ he is hit once by Win Kellum‚ giving him a record 4 hit by pitched balls for the day. Carl Lundgren loses the opener‚ while the deliberate Bob Wicker takes the night cap. Historian Joe Dittmar notes that beginning in the 7th inning the Reds fans begin counting aloud “1‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4. . . ” when Wicker receives the ball. The Enquirer reports that the count would sometimes reach 15 before he would pitch.

June

June 2The Giants score 2 unearned runs in the 7th against the Reds to win‚ 2-1. Mathewson wins his 7th.
June 4At the Polo Grounds‚ the largest baseball crowd ever (37‚223) cheers Iron Joe McGinnity‚ trying for his 14th straight win‚ against Cincinnati’s Joe Harper. The game ends in a 2-2 deadlock after 11 innings.

The White Sox fire manager Nixey Callahan‚ replacing him Fielder Jones.

Against Kansas City (AA)‚ Toledo hits into two triple plays. The Blues’ Loewe and Ryan pull off the 1st and Loewe and Sullivan turn the 2nd.
June 6New York scores 6 runs in 3 innings against Pirates’ P Roscoe Miller and coasts to an 11-0 win. The Giants are led by Browne‚ with 4 hits‚ Gilbert‚ with a homer and 3 hits‚ and Roger Bresnahan‚ with two homers‚ both inside-the-park. With the game safely in hand‚ Mathewson departs after 5 innings. Miller will be 7-8 with the Pirates before incurring a severe injury in a carriage accident on the way to the ball park in Philadelphia. The injury ends his career.
June 8Iron Joe McGinnity nails his 14th straight win‚ beating the Pirates‚ 2-0. With the win‚ the Giants move into 1st place over Chicago.
June 10In the opener of the battle for first place at the Polo Grounds‚ Christy Mathewson pitches a brilliant one-hitter to beat Chicago‚ 5-0. The lone hit is Johnny Kling‘s 4th-inning single. The other action is provided by ump Charlie Zimmer‚ who ejects Mertes on a strike call. He also thumbs John McGraw‚ coaching at 3B‚ to the bench‚ and sends Dummy Taylor‚ the 1B coach‚ to the clubhouse. One wag said later that Taylor was making too much noise.

It is Ladies Day in Boston‚ and the Pirates start Patsy Flaherty‚ recently re-acquired from the White Sox‚ where he led the AL in losses in 1903 (25). Patsy wins his first start with the help of Honus Wagner‚ who is 3-for-5 with two doubles‚ three runs‚ and two steals.
June 11Before a record-breaking crowd of 38‚805 at New York’s Polo Grounds‚ Iron Joe McGinnity pitches 9 innings of scoreless ball against Chicago. The Colts Bob Wicker goes one better‚ tossing 9 innings without allowing a hit before former Cub Sam Mertes singles with one out in the 10th to break the no hitter. Chicago win it in the 12th‚ 1-0‚ when Johnny Evers‘ 2-out single off McGinnity scores Chance. It is Iron Joe’s first loss after 14 straight wins. Wicker is near flawless‚ allowing one other hit and striking out 10.

At Detroit‚ the Tigers beat the Senators‚ 8-3‚ behind Wil Bill Donovan. Donovan‚ batting 8th‚ hits a 2-run homer‚ while his teammate Ed Gremminger clubs his only homer of the year‚ reportedly (Chicago Tribune) the first homer in 7th years to be hit over the fence.
June 13At the Polo Grounds‚ Chicago tops the Giants‚ 3-2‚ as Three Fingered Brown outduels Christy Mathewson for the win. Frank Chance leads the Chicago offense by hitting for the cycle. The loss drops New York back into 2nd place‚ one-half game behind Chicago.
June 15Fred Glade of the St. Louis Browns strikes out 15 batters to set a new AL and ML record. Glade’s effort results in a 6-1 win over the Highlanders‚ but he’ll only hold the ML record until October 3 when it’ll be broken by Christy Mathewson. There is some contention‚ most notably by rowns secretary Sidney Mercer‚ that Glade’s number is 16‚ but the box score says otherwise.
June 16The Giants score the winning run against the Cards in the bottom of the 9th when St. Louis 2B Dave Brain drops a toss for the inning-ending force. New York wins‚ 4-3. With the win‚ Christy Mathewson starts a 24-game winning streak against the Cardinals that will not end until 1908. His 33 victories and McGinnity’s 35 will be the most victories by 2 teammates since 1900. For the Giants‚ it is the start of an 18-game win streak.
June 17In a swap greatly criticized in Boston‚ the Boston Americans send OF Patsy Dougherty to the Highlanders for weak-hitting rookie Bob Unglaub‚ who will play in just 6 games before being hospitalized with blood poisoning (one report says alcohol poisoning). Dougherty is not the only Patsy changing uniforms this month; For $750‚ the White Sox release Patsy Flaherty (1-2) to Pittsburgh where he will win 19 more games. This will be his only winning season‚ but his feat of winning 20 games while pitching for two teams in a season will be matched only by Joe McGinnity‚ Hank Borowy and Rick Sutcliffe.

The Giants Ed Poole allows 3 Brooklyn hits in beating the Superbas‚ 2-0‚ in the opener of a 4-game series.
June 18Joe McGinnity breaks his 2-game losing streak and beats Brooklyn‚ 5-1. The Giants are 11-1 against Brooklyn.
June 19Despite yesterday’s ruling by William Gaynor of the Brooklyn Supreme Court prohibiting Sunday baseball‚ there are no arrests today at Washington Park. Brooklyn should’ve arrested Giants pitcher Hooks Wiltse‚ who allows just 3 hits in collaring the Superbas‚ 11-0. Next Sunday‚ however‚ Brooklyn’s battery of Oscar Jones and Frank Jackitsh‚ along with a program seller‚ will be arrested on misdemeanor charges and taken to the police station.

Patsy Dougherty makes his first appearance for the Highlanders‚ collecting 2 hits in a 4-3 win over St. Louis. New York loses the 2nd game‚ 1-0.
June 20New York coasts to a 12-4 win over Brooklyn‚ pounding out 13 hits to beat Bill Reidy. Mathewson picks up his 11th win. Reidy’s cause is not helped by 9 Brooklyn errors‚ including 5 by ex-Giant SS Charlie Babb.

In a doubleheader split with Philadelphia Phillies‚ Boston’s Duff Cooley hits for the cycle. Boston wins‚ 9-0‚ after losing 6-3.
June 23The 1st-place Giants run their win streak to 8 games‚ beating Boston‚ 6-2. Mathewson allows 9 hits‚ strikes out 9‚ and drives in 2 runs with a 6th inning single.
June 25In Boston‚ the Highlanders Jack Chesbro wins his 12th straight‚ besting Cy Young‚ 5-3. Patsy Dougherty has 3 hits against his former teammates.

In a New England League‚ Lowell edges visiting Concord‚ 5-4. When Concord 2B Clark is ejected in the sixth inning‚ Concord is left with 8 players. The club then puts 9-year-old mascot George Diggins in the game.
June 27Dougherty has another 3 hits as the Highlander beat their old teammate Jesse Tannehill and Boston‚ 8-4. Boston leads the AL by just a half game. Long Tom Hughes will win tomorrow to stretch the lead to 1 1/2 games.

The White Sox roll by the Tigers‚ winning 18-6. Jiggs Donahue scores 5 runs.
June 30Mathewson blanks Boston‚ 3-0‚ despite allowing 8 hits. The Giants have now won 14 in a row.

July

July 2Highly touted rookie Walter Clarkson‚ the top college (Harvard) pitcher and brother of 2 major leaguers‚ makes his ML debut. He limits the Senators to 8 hits‚ but the Highlanders manage just 4 hits and lose‚ 3-2‚ in the 1st of 2.

The Boston Americans send infielder Bill O’Neill and cash to Washington for 11-year vet Kip Selbach. Selbach almost went to the Highlanders in early May‚ but the deal was nixed by then-new Washington manager Patsy Donovan.
July 4Jack Chesbro‚ the New York Highlanders spitballer‚ wins his 14th in a row‚ an AL record until Walter Johnson wins 16 straight in 1912. The A’s lose both today‚ as the Highlanders sweep the 3 games series.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants sweep a doubleheader from the Phils to run their win streak to 18 games. This ties the record of the 1894 Orioles. New York wins the opener‚ 4-1‚ behind Dummy Taylor then take the nitecap 11-3 behind Christy Mathewson. Matty leaves after 7 innings‚ leading 11-1. The streak of 18 games matches one rung up by the 1885 White Stockings and the 1894 Baltimore Orioles: the record is 20 games‚ held by the 1884 Providence Grays.

In Pittsburgh‚ the Colts and Pirates celebrate the holiday by racking up record 9 triples in the afternoon end of a doubleheader. Pittsburgh has 6 of the triples and wins‚ 11-6. Chicago wins the morning game‚ 7-2. Chicago infielder Davy Jones breaks his leg in a collision with Pirate catcher Harry Smith.
July 5At Philadelphia’s Huntington Park‚ the Giants 18-game winning streak ends when the Phillies prevail 6-5 in 10 innings. Rookie Bob Hall’s bloop single off reliever Dummy Taylor scores Red Dooin. The Giants record is now 53-18‚ effectively ending the NL race. By September 1‚ they will lead the Cubs by 15 games.
July 6The Giants pound the Phillies‚ 12-3‚ as Mathewson wins his 15th. Again‚ Matty is lifted after 6 innings‚ having given up no runs‚ and Red Ames finishes. Chick Fraser takes the loss for Philadelphia.
July 7Jack Chesbro’s winning streak of 14 games comes to an end as Boston beats the Highlanders‚ 4-1. Chesbro will win 41 games this year‚ to set a ML record. Newly acquired Kip Selbach drives in 3 runs for New York.
July 8In the fight for first place in the AL‚ Boston continues to roll‚ beating New York‚ 12-3‚ Kip Selbach has a single and triple.
July 9The Giants Iron Joe McGinnity wins two today‚ both in relief. In the opener Joe takes over for Mathewson in the 8th with the Giants ahead‚ 2-1. The Cards tie it in the 8th‚ but New York scores 3 in the 9th to win‚ 5-3. It’s deja vu all over again in the nitecap‚ as McGinnity relieves Hooks Wiltse and the Giants score 2 in the 9th to win‚ 5-2. McGinnity’s record is now 22-2.

Boston wins their 3rd in a row over New York‚ beating Jack Chesbro again‚ 2-1.
July 11The Highlanders salvage the last game of the series with the Americans‚ 10-1‚ but Boston leaves New York with a 2 1/2 game lead in the AL. Patsy Dougherty has 4 of New York’s 17 hits.
July 12Mathewson wins his 16th‚ beating the Reds at League Park‚ 7-4 in 10 innings. Matty triples home a run in the 7th and scores‚ but the Reds tie it in the 9th. Noodles Hahn is the loser.
July 13With Napoleon Lajoie lining an ML record-tying three triples‚ Cleveland rolls past the Highlanders‚ 16-3. For the second time in his career‚ Bill Bradley scores 5 runs.
July 14The St. Louis Browns trade Frank Huelsman and Hunter Hill to the Senators for Charles Moran. The Senators will be Huelsman’s 4th team this year; the White sox him to the Tigers on May 30th and Detroit sold him to St. Louis on June 16th.
July 15Sam Mertes drives in 4 runs on 4 hits‚ including an HR‚ to lead the Giants to a 5-2 win over the Reds’ Bob Ewing. Mathewson‚ with relief help from McGinnity‚ is the winner.
July 16At New York‚ Highlander’s P Jack Chesbro swipes home in the bottom of the 10th to win his own game‚ 9-8.
July 19The Pirates push across two runs in the 9th against Christy Mathewson to edge the first-place Giants‚ 2-1.
July 20The Yankees trade pitchers Long Tom Hughes (7-11) and Barney Wolfe (0-3) to the Senators for Al “the Curveless Wonder” Orth (3-4). Orth will regain his form in New York‚ going 11-6 this year and will win 27 games in 1906.
July 21Mathewson picks up his 1st relief win of the season‚ as the Giants clip the Cubs‚ 4-3. Matty relieves McGinnity in the 6th as the Cubs score twice. In the 7th‚ Frank Chance belts a game-tying inside-the-park homer‚ but Roger Bresnahan retaliates with a 9th inning drive that gets by Jim Slagle for a homer. Jake Weimer takes the loss.
July 23At Chicago‚ more than 25‚000 see Christy Mathewson and the Giants beat the Cubs Three Fingered Brown‚ 5-1. Matty allows 6 hits while whiffing 6.

Following a doubleheader split with Washington‚ Detroit manager, Ed Barrow resigns. The Tigers are 32-46.

After losing 3-1 to Boston in the opener‚ the Reds unload for a 15-1 win in game 2. Leading the offense in Cy Seymour‚ who goes 5-for-5‚ with 2 doubles and a triple‚ and 5 runs scored.
July 25Before 1‚522 in New York‚ veteran Al Orth makes his first start for the Highlanders and matches zeroes with Chicago’s Yip Owen. In the bottom of the 9th Patsy Dougherty leads off with a triple and scores on Willie Keeler‘s bouncer through the infield.
July 27John McGraw and John T. Brush say they have no intention of playing a post-season series with the AL champions. “The Giants will not play a post season series with the American League champions. Ban Johnson has not been on the level with me personally‚ and the American League management has been crooked more than once.” says McGraw. “When we clinch the NL pennant‚ we’ll be champions of the only real major league‚” Ban Johnson fires back‚ “No thoughtful patron of baseball can weigh seriously the wild vaporings of this discredited player who was canned from the American League.” As the New York Highlanders battle for the AL pennant‚ local pressure mounts‚ but Brush‚ still angry over the inter-league peace treaty‚ and McGraw‚ who despises Ban Johnson‚ are adamant.

The Tigers purchase C Monte Beville from the Highlanders to replace Bob Wood‚ who dislocated an elbow yesterday when he slipped trying to field a bunt against the A’s (as noted by Lyle Spatz).
July 29Brooklyn’s John Cronin outpitches Mathewson to beat the Giants‚ 1-0. Brooklyn scores in the first inning when Matty walks two with two runners on base.
July 30Cardinal pitcher Jack Taylor walks 7 and tosses 3 wild pitches to help the host Pirates beat St. Louis‚ 5-2. The outcome will be viewed suspiciously because several local gamblers bet heavily on Pittsburgh before the game‚ but the real reason is Taylor and Jake Beckley‘s late night public drinking.

August

August 1Pittsburgh Pirate hurler Charlie Case gives up 11 hits but shuts out Chicago‚ 4-0.
August 2Pitcher Frank Owen of the Chicago White Sox‚ steals home against the Nats in the 3rd inning of a 5-1 win.

Prompt action by Boston Americans players Bill Dinneen‚ Norwood Gibson‚ Freddy Parent‚ and Hobe Ferris prevent a tragedy in a Cleveland hotel. Returning to their rooms following the game‚ the 4 are confronted by a fire sweeping through the 5th floor. They extinguish the blaze and are toasted as heroes.
August 3Mathewson takes 4-0 lead into the 9th against the Cubs‚ but after an out‚ he is rattled for 4 hits‚ and an error to make the margin‚ 4-3. Shad Berry‚ on 1B with 2 out‚ then tries to steal and is gunned down by Frank Bowerman to end the match. The Giants are now 63-24.
August 5The Highlanders beat Cleveland‚ 5-0‚ to send the AL into a virtual three-way tie. New York is first (.614) with Chicago (.613) and Cleveland (.611) close behind.
August 6Lefthander Nick Altrock of the White Sox (their new nickname)‚ en route to the first of three 20-win seasons‚ handles 13 fielding chances-the modern ML record for pitchers-in an 8-1 victory over the Athletics. He will finish the year with 49 putouts‚ an AL record for pitchers.

At the Polo Grounds‚ 20‚488 watch the Giants roll over St. Louis‚ 8-1. Mathewson‚ the winner‚ exits after 6 innings‚ and is replaced by Red Ames.
August 7The Giants swap outfielders sending rookie OF Moose McCormick (.266) west to the Reds who in turn send him to Pittsburgh for Harry Sebring (269). The Reds ship Mike Donlin (.356) to the Giants. Turkey Mike‚ sitting out a month’s suspension for drunken behavior in Chicago‚ will enjoy the New York life style and being reunited with John McGraw‚ for whom he starred at Baltimore‚ in 1901. He’ll help the Giants win two straight pennants.
August 8Mathewson wins his 2nd in 3 days‚ beating St. Louis in relief‚ 4-3. Matty enters in the 9th‚ fans two of the three outs‚ and New York then tallies a run off Charles McFarland to win.

In Cleveland‚ with the Blues ahead of New York‚ 7-1 in the 4th‚ Dave Fultz and manager Griffith argue a strike call with umpire Silk O’Loughlin. When the refuse to go the bench‚ Silk orders a policeman to escort them off the field. Tomorrow‚ Silk will throw out pitcher Jack Powell and have the police escort Jimmy Williams off the field. Griffith and Williams will receive suspensions from the AL‚ and (according to The Year They Called Off the WS) Highlander owner Frank Farrell vows O’Loughlin will not be allowed to enter Hilltop Park. He will‚ however.
August 9AL president Ban Johnson suspends Washington manager Griffith for 3 days for ‘umpire baiting.’
August 10Jack Chesbro is knocked out by the White Sox after pitching 30 complete games in a row. For the year he will win 41 games‚ pitching 48 complete games out of 51 starts for the Highlanders. All are post-1900 records. His 455 innings pitched will be topped only by Ed Walsh’s 464 in 1908.
August 11At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants paint the Reds‚ 5-2‚ with Mathewson striking out 11. Bob Ewing is the loser.

The Cardinals player-manager Kid Nichols strikes out 15 Brooklyn hitters in a 17-inning‚ 4-3‚ victory.
August 16The Pirates disappoint 23‚000 at the Polo Grounds by sweeping two from the Giants‚ 7-2 and 4-1. The Bucs jump on Mathewson for 5 runs in two innings of the opener. It’s the first doubleheader loss for New York this year.
August 17Jesse Tannehill‚ a lefthander who will win 20 games or more 6 times‚ pitches a no-hitter for Boston against the White Sox‚ 6-0‚ Jesse’s brother Lee‚ playing 3B for Chicago‚ swings no better than his teammates. Ed Walsh is the losing pitcher.

Mathewson starts his 2nd in a row against the Pittsburgh and again the host Bucs rough him up‚ collecting 13 hits and 6 runs. But New York counters with 13 hits and 9 runs against Charlie Case‚ to win‚ 9-6. Honus Wagner gets thrown out of the game after objecting to John McGraw‘s interference with a throw from the Bucs 3B Bobby Leach.
August 20In a rain-shortened game in Pittsburgh‚ the Giants win 3-0‚ as Christy Mathewson allows just 3 hits.
August 24The Highlanders Willie Keeler collects 2 roundtrippers against the St. Louis Browns in a 9-1 win at New York. Both drives are inside the park homers.

In Chicago‚ Mathewson blanks the Cubs on 3 hits and the Giants defeat Herb Briggs‚ 3-0. The 2nd game is called after 10 innings with the score 2-2. Chicago fans show their feelings towards McGraw’s Giants by tossing bottles onto the field. RF George Browne is hit on the leg and is almost hit in the head while chasing a fly ball. McGraw tells ump Bob Emslie that he will not allow his team to continue to play until all the broken glass is cleared‚ and by the time that occurs it is too dark to continue play.
August 27At Robison Field‚ the Giants score 7 runs in three innings off Jack Taylor and Mathewson eases to a 9-3 win over the Cards.
August 30Mathewson and the visiting Giants top the Reds‚ 3-1 beating Noodles Hahn. Matty drives in one of the 3 runs scored in the 8th with a single and improves his record to 28-9.

At Boston‚ the Americans rack up 18 hits to defeat Detroit‚ 13-0.
August 31In a rowdy 3-2‚ 11-inning Giants win in Cincinnati‚ ump Charley Zimmer tosses McGann and Dahlen for arguing a safe call for the Reds. The high point comes in the 6th when New York catcher Frank Bowerman slugs a fan‚ a music teacher named Albert Hartzell‚ who has been heckling him. Police escort the catcher from the field. Bowerman will be released from custody tomorrow when the fan drops the charges. The Giants win the 2nd game as well‚ 4-1‚ in 7 innings‚ with the game shortened to allow the Giants to catch a train for New York. The Giants leave Cincinnati with a 15-game lead over Chicago in the NL.

September

September 3Syracuse (Eastern League) beats Scranton 3 times in a triple header.
September 5In Front of 37‚000 fans the Giants sweep the Beaneaters‚ beating Boston 6-1 and 4-3. Mathewson wins the opener‚ beating Irv Wilhelm‚ and is not scored upon until the 9th when Jim Delahanty and Tom Needham triple. Red Ames wins the nitecap. Following the Giant sweep‚ excited fans hoist John McGraw up to carry him to the Polo Grounds field house. But McGraw gets dropped during the excitement‚ sustaining a sprained ankle.
September 6In the first of two‚ Boston beats the lowly Washington Nationals‚ 4-1‚ the 16th straight victory the year for the Americans over the Nats. They have now beaten Washington in 22 straight games (6 in 1903: 16 in 1904) over 2 seasons. The Nats take the nitecap‚ 6-3‚ to snap the streak. The Sox have won an ML-record 20 straight home games at Boston against Washington-10 in 1903 and 10 in 1904.
September 7Rookie George “Hooks” Wiltse records his 10th straight win without a loss‚ and the Giants 12th in a row‚ as he beats the Phillies‚ 6-3. Wiltse allows 8 hits.
September 8The visiting Phillies stop the Giants win streak at 12 when they beat up Dummy Taylor to win‚ 9-8. Bill Duggleby is the victor. New York then wins the nitecap‚ 4-1 as Mathewson notches his 30th victory‚ over Tom “Tully” Sparks. Darkness ends the game in the 7th inning.
September 9Cold weather keeps the crowd to 1‚844 in New York as the Giants Joe McGinnity allows 12 Philley hits but wins his 31st‚ 6-4. The nitecap is called after 5 innings and no score.
September 10The A’s Eddie Plank and Boston’s Cy Young face each other‚ with the Athletics ace prevailing‚ 1-0‚ in 13 innings. It is his 3rd 1-0 win this season‚ a mark he will match next year.

A crowd of 15‚250 cheer the first-place Giants to a pair of one-run wins over the Phillies. Bresnahan’s 9th inning triple scores 2 in the opener‚ as Hooks Wiltse earns his 11th straight win. Dummy Taylor wins the nitecap‚ 6-5‚ as the Giants finish 4 straight doubleheaders with 5 victories‚ a loss and a tie. New York leads the 2nd-place Colts by 17 games.
September 12Boston wins its 2nd of 19 games against the Giants‚ and top Christy Mathewson in the process‚ 3-1.
September 14The Boston Americans‚ with a half-game lead over New York‚ send Bill Dinneen to the mound. Patsy Dougherty leads off with a single off Jack Chesbro and Willie Keeler follows with a bunt that C Lou Criger fires into the crowd to allow Patsy to score. Keeler scores a play later. Boston’s only tally comes in the 9th on a 2-base error and a wild pitch. New York wins 3-1. The nitecap is called after 5 innings and a 1-1 score.
September 15Giants rookie Hooks Wiltse wins his 12th straight game‚ beating Boston‚ 3-2 at the Polo Grounds. Hooks sets an ML mark for consecutive games won at the start of a career‚ a record that will be tied by relief hurler Butch Metzger‚ in 1976. He’ll end up at 13-3.

Boston edges New York‚ 3-2‚ to move back into first place in the AL. Jesse Tannehill allows 9 hits in besting Al Orth. The nitecap is called after 9 innings with the score 1-1.
September 16The Giants sweep two from Brooklyn as Mathewson wins the opener‚ 2-1‚ allowing just 4 hits. Two of the hits‚ a triple and homer‚ are by rookie Emil Batch. McGinnity wins the nitecap‚ 5-3.
September 17More than 23‚000‚ reputedly the largest crowd in Boston history‚ show up for the showdown twinbill with the New York Highlanders. New York scores 3 runs in each of the first 2 innings against Bill Dinneen. Jack Chesbro (35-8) holds on for a 6-4 win‚ his 7th win in a row. But Cy Young tops New York‚ 4-2‚ in the nitecap‚ beating Ned Garvin‚ recently acquired from Brooklyn. The 2 teams split their three doubleheaders and at the end of the day New York (80-50) has a half game lead over Boston (81-52).
September 19Danny Murphy hits a grand slam in the Athletics five-run 8th against Boston‚ as the A’s win‚ 6-1. The loss‚ coupled with the Highlanders win over Washington‚ leaves Boston a game and a half behind New York.
September 21The Reds sweep the Giants‚ winning 6-4 and 2-0 to stall the Giants clinching of the flag. The Reds rough up Mathewson in the opener and Jack Harper scatters 5 hits for the shutout. New York has lost 3 in a row for the first time this season.

The Boston Americans sweep a pair from Philadelphia‚ winning 5-1 and 4-3 to move a half game behind the leading Highlanders‚ losers to Washington‚ 4-2.
September 22In the opener of a twinbill with the Reds‚ the Giants win‚ 7-5‚ behind Joe McGinnity. Their 100th win‚ it clinches the NL pennant for New York. In the final game of his 19-year career as an OF/C‚ future Hall of Famer Jim O’Rourke‚ 54 years ten months old (according to research by historian Bill Carle)‚ catches for McGinnity. It is O’Rourke’s first ML game since 1893 (Benton Stark writes that O’Rourke hit .358 in 1900‚ but it was not in OB) and he is 1-for-4 and scores a run. He is the oldest to hit safely‚ with Minnie Minoso‚ at 53 years 10 months‚ in second place when he hits safely in 1976. He’ll be elected to Cooperstown in 1945. The Reds come back in the nitecap to win‚ 7-3‚ in 7 innings‚ beating Hooks Wiltse.

The Giants .262 will lead the NL in team batting‚ 31 points below the 1900 leaders. Team batting averages have dropped since then‚ mainly due to: the change from a diamond-shaped‚ 10-inch home plate to the 5-sided‚ 17-inch plate after 1901; the foul-strike rule adopted in 1901; and the introduction of the spitball and other doctored pitches in 1903.
September 23The Giants sleepwalk against the Pirates (“Pittsburg Plays All By Itself” is the NY Herald headline) as Red Ames allows 3 runs in 8 innings before John McGraw pulls him. His replacement is Frank Bowerman who gives up 4 runs in his only ML inning. The Pirates win‚ 7-0.
September 24Cubs P Bob Wicker‚ who pitched a 12-inning one-hitter in June‚ allows just one hit in regulation in beating Brooklyn‚ 4-0. Lumley hits a grounder to Chance who throws high to Wicker covering 1B for a scratch hit. Chicago also takes the nitecap‚ 7-4‚ in 7 innings.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Mathewson wins his 32nd‚ defeating the Pirates‚ 3-1. Matty allows just 4 hits-two each to Ginger Beaumont and Tommy Leach-in beating Joe Robataille.
September 26In Philadelphia‚ Connie Mack correctly predicts the AL finish saying‚ “It certainly looks like the Plymouth Rocks will take the bunting‚” because of all the postponed games the crippled Highlanders have to make up. The New York Highlanders then lose a pair to Cleveland‚ 4-3 and 6-2. Jack Chesbro loses the opener‚ his first defeat in 10 games‚ when Stovall hits a bases loaded triple in the 8th. Powell struggles to the loss in game 2 after Turner hits a double off his knee. Meanwhile, Boston sweeps Detroit‚ 2-0 and 5-3‚ and now leads the AL race by 2 games. Bill Dinneen applies the calcimine in the opener and Cy Young in relief of Winter (one inning) takes game 2.
September 27Bob Rhoads‚ Cleveland righthander‚ holds Boston hitless for 8 2-3 innings before Chick Stahl singles. Cleveland wins‚ 3-1.

In St. Louis‚ the Browns Willie Sudhoff and the A’s Chief Bender face off for 10 innings without either team scoring. The game ends in a tie.
September 29Chicago scores 5 unearned runs in the 2nd inning and rattles Mathewson for 13 hits to beat New York‚ 7-3. The series-bound Giants will lose 6 in a row as they stroll towards the end of the season.
September 30Doc White‚ White Sox lefthander‚ pitches his 5th shutout in 18 days‚ defeating New York‚ 4-0. Of his 7 shutouts for the year‚ 6 come in September.

October

October 2Doc White’s scoreless streak ends at 45 innings‚ when the New York Highlanders score in the first; White then pitches another 8 shutout innings to win‚ 7-1.
October 3Christy Mathewson of the Giants strikes out 16 Cards in a 3-1 Giants victory. Big 6’s sixteen strikeouts establishes a new ML record as he ?nishes the game in one hour and 15 minutes. A crowd of just 300 is on hand in New York. Matty’s 16 K’s is one better than St. Louis Brownie Fred Glade‘s 15‚ recorded on June 15.

The second place Chicago Cubs make 5 errors‚ but coast to a 16-5 win over the Beaneaters as Boston fumbles 10 times. The 15 errors ties the NL mark for 2 teams and will not be matched this century.
October 4In the first of two at New York‚ the Giants loses to the Cardinals 7-3 despite Sam Mertes contribution of 4 hits for the cycle. New York drops the 2nd game in a forfeit in the 4th inning. With New York losing 2-1‚ three Giants are tossed out by umpire James Johnstone‚ a Giants nemesis. John McGraw is slow in replacing them on the field‚ and the ump declares a forfeit to St. Louis. One paper states tomorrow that McGraw didn’t have enough players left on the bench to field a team.
October 6In the Cardinals 10-1 loss to Pittsburgh‚ St. Louis P Jack Taylor hurls his 39th consecutive complete game of the season-a modern ML record. His streak started on April 15th and totals 352 innings pitched.
October 7Jack Chesbro pitches the Highlanders to a 3-2 win over Boston for his 41st victory. His 41-12 record will top the AL in wins and percentage; in 1902 with Pittsburgh‚ his 28-6 topped that league‚ making him the only pitcher to lead both leagues in winning percentage. The win gives New York a half-game lead over Boston.

In Cleveland’s sweep of a pair‚ 8-1 and 9-0‚ from host Detroit‚ George Stovall of Cleveland hits his first HR‚ and it comes off his older brother Jesse‚ pitching for Detroit in his last game. It marks the first time one brother gives up a HR to another‚ a feat which will be duplicated by the Ferrells in 1933‚ and the Niekros in 1976.

Pirates 3B Tommy Leach‘s 3 putouts and 2 assists help the Pirates beat the Cubs‚ 6-1‚ in 8 innings. He will ?nish with 643 total chances‚ the highest of any 3rd sacker in the 20th Century. Only Pirates third sacker Jimmy Williams‚ whom Leach replaced‚ had a higher total (671 in 1889).
October 8Despite a 154-game schedule‚ Detroit OF Jimmy Barrett becomes the first to play in 162 games‚ as the 7th-place Tigers close their home season‚ splitting with the Cleveland Blues before 400 spectators. The Tigers set a season record with 10 tie games‚ 8 of which are replayed.

In a 7-inning nitecap‚ called on account of darkness‚ the Reds Miller Huggins lashes three triples against the Cardinals. The Reds win‚ 8-1. They also win the opener‚ 6-0.
October 9Cincinnati pitchers Tom Walker and Noodles Hahn each throw a shutout against St. Louis. Walker allows 6 hits in winning‚ 3-0‚ while Hahn allows one hit in winning‚ 1-0‚ in 7 innings. The nitecap was called because of darkness.
October 10On the final day of the season‚ a doubleheader split will give the leading Boston Americans the AL pennant over the Highlanders. 30‚000 are on hand in New York for the contests. With the score 2-2 in the top of the 9th and a man on 3B‚ Jack Chesbro has a spitball get away from him for a wild pitch‚ and Lou Criger scores Boston’s winning run. Bill Dinneen then stops New York in the 9th‚ hurling his 37th consecutive complete game of the season for an AL mark. New York wins the 2nd game‚ chilling George Winter who goes the route in a 1-0 loss to the Highlanders‚ but Boston triumphs by 1 1-2 games. The Boston pitchers achieve 148 complete games-an AL record-Both leagues set marks for total complete games: AL 1‚098‚ NL 1‚089.

John McGraw issues a statement saying that he‚ not president John Brush‚ was responsible for refusing to play the AL winner in a post season series. The Sporting News will declare the Boston Americans champions by default.
October 28After a 4th-place ?nish‚ the Cleveland Blues release Bill Armour and name Nap Lajoie manager. Armour takes over the Tigers‚ where Ed Barrow and Bobby Lowe split the season‚ as Detroit falls to 7th.

November

November 8Umpire Silk O’Loughlin runs for a state assembly seat as a Democrat and loses.
November 24San Francisco beats Oakland‚ 2-1 behind James Whalen (32-23). Whalen ends the game with two shutout innings starting a 47 consecutive shutout inning streak through next season. The Oaks scored their lone run in the seventh inning. San Francisco wins the nitecap‚ 3-0.
November 25Blame it on the long season. In a 6-4 loss to Los Angeles‚ Seattle SS Russ Hall commits 2 errors‚ his 118th and 119th of the year‚ a PCL record for most errors at any position.

December

December 14The Phillies send RHP Chick Fraser and 3B Harry Wolverton to Boston (NL) for RHP Togie Pittinger.
December 20The last-place Phillies send minor-league 1B Del Howard to Pittsburgh for Moose McCormick‚ Otto Krueger and 1B Kitty Bransfield.