1903 DMB World Series-Game #5

NOTE: The Americans defeated the Pirates 5 games to 3 in the actual 1903 World Series

Please take a second to vote for the winner in the DMB Worst of the Worst Series

 

Cy Young vs Brickyard Kennedy 10/7/1903 @ Exposition Park

Brickyard Kennedy would pitch today’s game on his 35th birthday. It would be his last game pitched in the majors. Happy Birthday William Park Kennedy.

KENNEDY OUT PITCHES YOUNG FOR PIRATE VICTORY

On paper this was a mismatch, Cy Young against the seldom used Brickyard Kennedy, a certain victory for the Americans. Cy Young did not make it to the 7th inning, giving up 15 hits and 7 runs while laboring through 140 pitches.

Fred Clarke, Honus Wagner, and Jimmy Sebring each singled in runs in a 3 run Pirate 1st inning. In the 5th, Sebring singled in another run, and Ginger Beaumont banged a 2 run double off the base of the left field wall to put the Pirates up for good. Brickyard Kennedy  pitched just well enough to win. Despite giving up 9 hits and 4 walks he was able to stay away from the big inning, while also shutting the Americans out for the final 4 innings.

The Pirates lead the series 3 games to 2.

 

10/7/1903, BoA03-Pit03, Exposition Park
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1903 Americans         1  1  0  0  2  0  0  0  0     4  9  3     8  0
1903 Pirates           3  0  0  0  3  1  0  0  x     7 17  1    12  2

Americans            AB  R  H BI   AVG    Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Dougherty         lf  5  0  1  1  .435    Beaumont          cf  5  1  1  2  .217
Collins           3b  3  1  1  0  .400    F.Clarke          lf  4  1  3  1  .381
C.Stahl           cf  4  2  2  1  .182    Leach             3b  5  0  1  0  .190
Freeman           rf  4  0  1  1  .158    Wagner            ss  4  2  2  0  .421
Parent            ss  4  0  1  1  .056    Bransfield        1b  5  1  3  1  .300
LaChance          1b  3  0  1  0  .222    Ritchey           2b  4  0  1  0  .158
Ferris            2b  4  1  0  0  .167    Sebring           rf  4  0  3  3  .500
Criger            c   3  0  0  0  .000    Phelps            c   4  1  2  0  .313
D.Farrell        ph  1  0  1  0  .667    Kennedy           p   4  1  1  0  .250
Young             p   3  0  1  0  .286                         39  7 17  7
Winter           p   0  0  0  0  .000
J.Stahl          ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Gibson           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     35  4  9  4
Americans                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Young            L 1-1           6.0 15  7  5  3  5 140  90  3.94
Winter                           1.0  1  0  0  0  0  10   8  0.00
Gibson                           1.0  1  0  0  0  0   8   6  3.00
                                 8.0 17  7  5  3  5 158 104
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Kennedy          W 1-0           9.0  9  4  3  4  3 132  78  3.00
                                 9.0  9  4  3  4  3 132  78
BoA: D.Farrell batted for Criger in the 8th
     J.Stahl batted for Winter in the 8th
     D.Farrell moved to c in the 8th

E-C.Stahl, Parent, Ferris, Sebring. 2B-LaChance, Beaumont, Bransfield.
3B-C.Stahl. SB-Beaumont(1), Sebring(3). K-Dougherty, Collins, C.Stahl,
Beaumont 2, F.Clarke, Leach, Phelps. BB-Collins 2, C.Stahl, LaChance,
F.Clarke, Wagner, Sebring. SH-Ritchey.
GWRBI: Beaumont
Temperature: 64, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 12 MPH.

1903 DMB World Series-Game #4

Bill Dinneen vs Deacon Phillippe 10/6/1903, @, Exposition Park

NOTE: The Boston Americans beat the Pirates in the 1903 World Series 5 games to 3.

Please take a second to vote for the winner in the DMB Worst of the Worst Series.

Action from game 4 of the 1903 World Series

PHILLIPPE SHUTS DOWN AMERICANS TO EVEN THE SERIES.

Pitching in his 2nd straight game, Deacon Phillippe tossed a 4 hit shutout while not walking a batter to easily beat the Americans.

In typical Deadball Era fashion, Honus Wagner singled, stole 2nd, and then scored the 1st run of the game on a Candy LaChance error at 1st in the 2nd inning. In the 6th a 2 out bases loaded single off the bat of Kitty Bransfield drove in the only other runs to score in this game. Triples by Buck Freeman and Jimmy Collins were wasted when the Americans failed to capitalize with a big hit.

This series is now tied at 2 games apiece.

10/6/1903, BoA03-Pit03, Exposition Park
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1903 Americans         0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  4  2     5  1
1903 Pirates           0  1  0  0  0  2  0  0  x     3  6  2     2  1

Americans            AB  R  H BI   AVG    Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Dougherty         lf  4  0  1  0  .500    Beaumont          cf  4  1  1  0  .222
Collins           3b  4  0  1  0  .412    F.Clarke          lf  4  0  1  0  .294
C.Stahl           cf  4  0  0  0  .111    Leach             3b  3  0  0  0  .188
Freeman           rf  4  0  1  0  .133    Wagner            ss  2  1  2  0  .400
Parent            ss  3  0  0  0  .000    Bransfield        1b  3  0  1  2  .200
LaChance          1b  3  0  1  0  .200    Ritchey           2b  3  0  0  0  .133
Ferris            2b  3  0  0  0  .214    Sebring           rf  3  0  0  0  .429
Criger            c   3  0  0  0  .000    Phelps            c   3  0  0  0  .250
Dinneen           p   3  0  0  0  .200    Phillippe         p   3  1  1  0  .100
                     31  0  4  0                               28  3  6  2
Americans                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Dinneen          L 1-1           8.0  6  3  2  1  5 111  72  1.06
                                 8.0  6  3  2  1  5 111  72
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Phillippe        W 2-1           9.0  4  0  0  0  4  85  57  1.59
                                 9.0  4  0  0  0  4  85  57

E-LaChance, Criger, Leach, Wagner. 3B-Collins, Freeman. SB-F.Clarke(2),
Wagner(3). CS-Parent. K-Collins, C.Stahl, Criger 2, F.Clarke, Leach,
Bransfield 2, Phillippe. BB-Wagner. HBP-Parent. HB-Phillippe.
Temperature: 58, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: in from left at 9 MPH.

1903 DMB World Series-Game #3

Deacon Phillippe vs Long Tom Hughes 10/3/1903, @ Huntington Avenue Grounds

NOTE: The 1903 World Series was won by the Americans 5 games to 3. This replay is best of 7 using as played line ups.

Also please take a second to vote for the winner of the DMB Worst of the Worst Series.

Tommy Leach hit 49 inside the park home runs, a National League record.

TOMMY LEACH GOES FROM GOAT TO HERO WITH GAME WINNING HOME RUN

Pirate 3rd baseman Tommy Leach combined with 1st baseman Kitty Bransfield to commit 4 errors in the 8th inning to allow the Americans to tie the score at 5. In the 10th inning Leach made up for his infield gaffs by hitting a game winning home run off Norwood Gibson. Leach drove in 3 runs and added a run scoring triple in the 8th.

Deacon Phillipe pitched the complete game victory, allowing just 2 earned runs.

This series moves to Pittsburgh with the Americans leading 2 games to 1.

10/3/1903, Pit03-BoA03, Huntington Avenue Grounds
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10     R  H  E   LOB DP
1903 Pirates           1  0  2  0  0  0  0  2  0  1     6 12  4     5  2
1903 Americans         0  0  0  2  0  0  0  3  0  0     5  8  0     5  2

Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Americans            AB  R  H BI   AVG
Beaumont          cf  5  1  1  0  .214    Dougherty         lf  5  0  1  0  .571
F.Clarke          lf  4  2  2  0  .308    Collins           3b  5  2  3  0  .462
Leach             3b  5  3  3  3  .231    C.Stahl           cf  5  1  1  2  .143
Wagner            ss  4  0  1  1  .308    Freeman           rf  4  0  0  2  .091
Bransfield        1b  5  0  1  1  .167    Parent            ss  4  0  0  1  .000
Ritchey           2b  4  0  1  0  .167    LaChance          1b  4  0  1  0  .167
Sebring           rf  3  0  1  0  .545    Ferris            2b  4  0  1  0  .273
Phelps            c   4  0  2  0  .333    Criger            c   2  0  0  0  .000
Phillippe         p   4  0  0  0  .000     J.Stahl          ph  1  1  0  0  .000
                     38  6 12  5           Gibson           p   1  0  0  0  .000
                                          Hughes            p   2  0  0  0  .000
                                           D.Farrell        ph  2  1  1  0  .500
                                                               39  5  8  5
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Phillippe        W 1-1          10.0  8  5  2  0  5 123  90  2.33
                                10.0  8  5  2  0  5 123  90
Americans                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Hughes                           8.0 10  5  5  2  2 112  65  5.63
Gibson           L 0-1           2.0  2  1  1  1  1  21  12  4.50
                                10.0 12  6  6  3  3 133  77
BoA: J.Stahl batted for Criger in the 8th
     D.Farrell batted for Hughes in the 8th
     D.Farrell moved to c in the 9th

E-Leach 2, Bransfield 2. 2B-Sebring, Collins. 3B-F.Clarke, Leach, Collins,
C.Stahl. HR-Leach(1). SB-F.Clarke(1), Leach(1). CS-Wagner, Phelps.
K-F.Clarke, Bransfield, Phillippe, Dougherty 2, Collins, C.Stahl, Freeman.
BB-F.Clarke, Wagner, Sebring. SF-Freeman. BALK-Hughes.
GWRBI: Leach
Temperature: 53, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 22 MPH.

The Worst of the Worst-Coming Soon

After the completion of the 1903 DMB World Series I’m going to do something a little different. A best of 7 series between the 2 worst teams in the history of the game. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders vs the 1962 New York Mets. The 20-134 Spiders against the 40-120 NY Mets.

I’ve profiled the Spiders before, and I’ll do a post on the 62 Mets before I play the series. My question to you is: Who will win this pseudo-classic match-up of  bad baseball at its best, or worst?

Please take a second to vote in this poll.

A couple of things to remember: I’ll be using only 20 players for each team. The players that played in the most games will be used. So no Chief Zimmer for the Spiders, and no Ed Kranepool from the Mets.

The Diamond Mind software allows for a neutral playing field. So even though the Spiders committed a ton of errors in 1899, they shouldn’t commit an equal proportion in this series. They should field on par with any other terrible fielding team of the modern era, such as the 62 Mets. The Spiders may also hit home runs at a higher percentage than in 1899…..but that’s not saying much.

Richie Asburn vs Harry Coliflower, Roger Craig vs Frank Knepper, Marv Throneberry vs Tommy Tucker. The Amazing Mets vs the Cleveland Misfits. Who will come out on top?

1903 DMB World Series-Game #2

Sam Leever vs Bill Dineen 10/2/1903, @, Huntington Avenue Grounds

 

DINNEEN SHUTS DOWN PIRATES FOR AN EASY AMERICANS VICTORY

As a Major League umpire Bill Dinneen umpired 5 no hitters, thus being the only umpire to also pitch a no hitter.

This game played out eerily like the Game #2 played back in 1903. Sam Leever started for the Pirates despite suffering from a shoulder injury that he incurred during a trapshooting contest. Fred Clarke yanked him after 1 inning when he gave up 2 runs on 2 hard hits and a walk. In this replay Leever gave up 4 runs on 6 hits in 2 innings pitched. Like Clarke in 1903, I replaced Leever with Bucky Veil. As in 1903 Bill Dinneen tossed a shut out giving up 6 hits instead of 3.

10/2/1903, Pit03-BoA03, Huntington Avenue Grounds
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1903 Pirates           0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  6  0     8  1
1903 Americans         3  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  x     5  8  3     5  1

Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Americans            AB  R  H BI   AVG
Beaumont          cf  4  0  1  0  .222    Dougherty         lf  4  1  2  1  .778
F.Clarke          lf  4  0  1  0  .222    Collins           3b  4  1  2  1  .375
Leach             3b  4  0  0  0  .000    C.Stahl           cf  4  1  1  1  .111
Wagner            ss  4  0  0  0  .333    Freeman           rf  3  0  0  1  .143
Bransfield        1b  4  0  1  0  .143    Parent            ss  3  0  0  1  .000
Ritchey           2b  4  0  1  0  .125    LaChance          1b  4  0  0  0  .125
Sebring           rf  4  0  2  0  .625    Ferris            2b  4  1  2  0  .286
Ha.Smith          c   3  0  0  0  .000    Criger            c   2  0  0  0  .000
Wilhelm          p   1  0  0  0  .000    Dinneen           p   2  1  1  0  .500
Leever            p   0  0  0  0  .000                         30  5  8  5
Krueger          ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Veil             p   0  0  0  0  .000
Phelps           ph  1  0  0  0  .200
                     34  0  6  0
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Leever           L 0-1           2.0  6  4  4  0  0  31  20 18.00
Veil                             4.0  2  1  1  3  2  57  32  2.25
Wilhelm                          2.0  0  0  0  0  0  19  16  0.00
                                 8.0  8  5  5  3  2 107  68
Americans                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Dinneen          W 1-0           9.0  6  0  0  0  2 109  72  0.00
                                 9.0  6  0  0  0  2 109  72
Pit: Krueger batted for Leever in the 3rd
     Phelps batted for Veil in the 7th
     Phelps moved to c in the 7th

E-Freeman 2, LaChance. 2B-Collins, Ferris. 3B-Sebring. SB-Collins(1),
C.Stahl(1). K-Leach, Bransfield, Parent, Dinneen. BB-Freeman, Criger,
Dinneen. SH-Veil. SF-Parent.
GWRBI: C.Stahl
Temperature: 56, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 21 MPH.

1903 DMB World Series-Game #1

NOTE: The Americans won the 1903 World Series 5 games to 3.

Deacon Phillippe vs Cy Young 10/1/1903, @, Huntington Avenue Grounds

Cy Young lost 316 games in his career, a record that will never be approached

AMERICANS WIN IN 10TH ON SEBRING’S MUFF

In the bottom of the 10th with the score tied at 2 the Americans loaded the bases when Cy Young and Patsy Dougherty singled with 1 out to put runners on the corners. It was Dougherty’s 5th hit of the game.  Jimmy Collins was intentionally walked to load the bases. Chick Stahl popped a lazy fly ball to short right field that Jimmy Sebring settled under, and then dropped allowing the slow-footed Cy Young to score the winning run.

Cy Young struck out 10 for the win and in the process set a new DMB World Series record for strikeouts.

10/1/1903, Pit03-BoA03, Huntington Avenue Grounds
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10     R  H  E   LOB DP
1903 Pirates           0  0  0  0  0  1  1  0  0  0     2  9  1     8  0
1903 Americans         0  0  0  2  0  0  0  0  0  1     3  9  2     8  1

Pirates              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Americans            AB  R  H BI   AVG
Beaumont          cf  5  1  1  0  .200    Dougherty         lf  5  0  5  0 1.000
F.Clarke          lf  5  0  1  0  .200    Collins           3b  4  1  1  0  .250
Leach             3b  4  0  0  1  .000    C.Stahl           cf  5  1  0  0  .000
Wagner            ss  5  0  3  0  .600    Freeman           rf  4  0  1  1  .250
Bransfield        1b  3  0  0  0  .000    Parent            ss  4  0  0  1  .000
Ritchey           2b  4  0  0  0  .000    LaChance          1b  4  0  1  0  .250
Sebring           rf  4  1  3  0  .750    Ferris            2b  3  0  0  0  .000
Phelps            c   4  0  1  1  .250    Criger            c   4  0  0  0  .000
Phillippe         p   3  0  0  0  .000    Young             p   4  1  1  0  .250
                     37  2  9  2                               37  3  9  2
Pirates                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Phillippe        L 0-1           9.1  9  3  3  2  5 122  84  2.89
                                 9.1  9  3  3  2  5 122  84
Americans                        INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Young            W 1-0          10.0  9  2  2  1 10 152  99  1.80
                                10.0  9  2  2  1 10 152  99

E-Sebring, LaChance, Criger. 2B-Sebring, Phelps. 3B-Sebring. SB-Wagner 2(2),
Sebring 2(2), LaChance(1). CS-Wagner, Dougherty. K-F.Clarke, Leach, Wagner 2,
Bransfield 2, Ritchey, Phelps 2, Phillippe, C.Stahl, Freeman 2, Ferris,
Criger. BB-Phillippe, Collins, Ferris. SF-Leach. HBP-Bransfield. HB-Young.
Temperature: 51, Sky: clear, Wind: left to right at 13 MPH.

Book Review-Misfits! Baseball’s Worst Ever Team

 

Back in December I did a blog post on the 1899 Cleveland Spiders and afterwards I wondered why there were no books written about this team. After a little research(2 minutes on Amazon) I found this book. Misfits! Baseball’s Worst Ever Team by J. Thomas Hetrick.

The paperback edition came out in 1999 and covers the 20-134 Cleveland Spiders 1899 season from beginning to glorious end.(At least for the players) The book is a day to day chronicle of their ignominious season, beginning with an explanation of how they reached such a lowly state, followed by player introductions. As detailed in the book the Cleveland owners, the Robison brothers, bought controlling interest of the St Louis Browns and proceeded to dismantle a decent Spider team to build up what they felt was a more profitable Browns team. Syndicate baseball at its ugliest. This left the Spiders with a collection of has-beens, never-was, washed up, sub par ball players. The author introduces each player with a brief bio and we get to know the likes of Crazy Schmit, Osee Schreckengost, player/manager Joe Quinn, Tommy Tucker, Harry Coliflower and many more interesting characters.

What follows is a description of each and every Spider game of the season, all 134 losses and 20 wins. You would think that 154 game descriptions would become a grind to read through, but the author adds a lot of his own humorous interjections as well as a lot of contemporary newspaper accounts of the games. For me, the accounts of the games as told by The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Press, and many other periodicals of the time were extremely funny and added to the enjoyment of this book. The writers of the day pulled no punches attacking the players, owners and umpires with a sarcastic, biting wit that is sorely missing from today’s sports reporting.

Comments like: “A riot would have broken out but for lack of a crowd”

“A timely error and wildness saved them from the catastrophe of winning.”

“The players would like to assure the fans that they are doing the best they can and only ask the spectators use no fire arms.” 

“Will someone please tell the Clevelands that flyballs knocked up in the air are intended, according to the rules of the game, to be caught.”

“Comedian Schmit, philosopher, connoisseur of the festive weiner wurst, and manipulator of the roundhouse scroll that wafts up to the plate with the nonchalance of a dapper youth flaunting through the Burlington Arcade, was the dispenser of an inviting, appetizing toss off which the Senators fattened their batting averages at National Park yesterday.” Harsh words indeed.

Each game, each heart breaking loss is just fodder for the baseball scribes of the day. Each trying to top the other with a different team nickname such as the Misfits, Wanderers, Forsakens, Exiles, and my personal favorite, The Caudal Appendages.

Along the way we get to see the players in all their glory. Crazy Scmitt was really crazy, Tommy Tucker was also crazy, and manager Joe Quinn had to be crazy.

The book ends by letting us know what happened after each player left the 1899 Spiders, and after reading the book I really did want to know how well they survived the 1899 season.

If you want to know about the 1899 Spiders, this is the book for you.

Please take a second to vote in the 1903 DMB World Series Poll. Who will win this classic rematch?

1903 World Series-Boston Americans vs Pittsburg Pirates

A best of 9 Series won by the Americans 5 games to 3.

Deacon Phillippe pitched 5 complete games(A World Series record that will never be matched) winning 3 of them, but it wasn’t enough as the Americans came back from a 3 games to 1 deficit to win the 1st modern World Series. Cy Young and Bill Dineen would start 7 of the 8 games for the Americans, and would pitch all but 2 of the 71 innings. If there was an MVP selected it would have been Dineen, who went 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA.

GAME #1: Pirates 7 Americans 3

The Pirates scored 4 in the 1st with the big blast being Tommy Leach’s triple. This would be the 1st of 25 triples hit in this series, another World Series record that will never be challenged, 16 by the Americans and 9 by the Pirates. The ground rule for this series made any ball hit into the overflow crowds that lined the outfield a triple, thus the exorbitant amount of triples.

Jimmy Sebring would hit the 1st World Series home run, and Phillippe would strike out 10 Americans.

GAME #2: Americans 3 Pirates 0

A masterful 3 hit shutout for Bill Dineen. Patsy Dougherty led off the game with an inside the park home run for the Americans, and an injured Sam Leever would last just 1 inning for the Pirates. Dougherty would knock another home run, this one deep into the left field stands in the 6th. It would be until 1915 before another player would hit 2 home runs in World Series game.(Harry Hooper)

GAME #3: Pirates 4 Americans 2

Deacon Phillippe picked up his 2nd win, tossing a 4 hitter.

Some eager Boston fans trying to gain admission for Game 3 over the fence at Huntington Grounds 

GAME #4: Pirates 5 Americans 4

With 2 days rest Phillippe would pitch another complete game victory. Tommy Leach drove in 3 runs for the Pirates. Phillippe tired in the 9th as the Americans scored 3 runs to make it interesting, a fine running catch by Fred Clarke preserved the win. Phillippe would not win again in this series.

GAME #5: Americans 11 Pirates 2

Brickyard Kennedy started for the Pirates and pitched shutout ball into the 6th inning. The Americans would score 10 times over the next 2 innings for the blowout victory. Honus Wagner would commit 2 big errors, and collide with Fred Clarke allowing a pop fly to drop in all in the 6th inning. Cy Young would allow just 6 hits and no earned runs for the win.

GAME #6: Americans 6 Pirates 3

With 2 outs and nobody on in the 3rd, the Americans put together an infield single by Bill Dineen, a walk, and 2 more singles to score 3 runs. Trailing 6-0 the Pirates would score 3 meaningless runs in the 7th to make the game close.

The Royal Rooters making their presence heard at Exposition Park

GAME #7: Americans 7 Pirates 3

Deacon Phillippe took his 1st loss in the series giving up 11 hits. Lou Criger drove in 3 runs for the Americans as Cy Young won his 2nd game of the series.

GAME #8 Americans 3 Pirates 0

Bill Dineen tosses a 4 hit shutout, and Hobe Ferriss drove in all 3 runs for the Americans. Phillippe pitched on just 2 days rest once again and took the loss.

 

Some of the 100,000 fans to witness this World Series.

Over 100,000 fans attended the 8 game series with the gate receipts at around $75,000. The Americans received $1,182 per player for their World Series win. Despite losing, Pirate owner Barney Dreyfuss would toss in his share of the money, giving each Pirate player $1,316, slightly larger than the winning Americans.

Honus Wagner had a terrible series, hitting just .222 with 1 extra base hit while committing several key errors. The Pirates committed 17 errors and hit just .237.

I can’t write about the 1903 World Series without talking about the Royal Rooters. A boisterous group of Boston fans led by Mike “Nuf Ced” McGreevey, the owner of the Third Base Saloon, named because it was the last place you stopped before heading home. These loyal rooters of about 125 not only rocked the Huntington Grounds, but travelled to Pittsburg as well to cheer on their team. They would sing many of the popular songs of the day regaling the home crowds with “Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey”, and aggravating Pirate fans, and Honus Wagner in particular, with a slightly altered rendition of “Tessie”.

Honus why do you hit so badly

Take a seat and sit down.

Honus, at bat you look so sadly

Hey, why don’t you get out of town.

They would serenade Honus with this over and over. No wonder he hit just .222.

One of their favorite cheers was:

Five games, Five games,

We want five,

We are here and all alive,

Biff ! Bang ! Bang, Bang, Bang !

Zim ! Zam ! Zam, Zam, Zam !

Wow, the Pirates never had a chance.

For more information on this World Series I recommend Autumn Glory by Louis P. Masur

Please take a second to participate in my DMB World Series Poll. Who will win this classic rematch?

DMB World Series Biography- Buck Freeman

John Frank “Buck” Freeman

Born: 10/30/1871- Catasaqua, PA

Died: 6/25/1949- Wilkes-Barre, PA

Another product of the coal mines of Northeast PA, Buck Freeman stood just 5’9” and weighed 169 lbs during his playing days, but he certainly looks bigger than that in this photo. Buck entered the mines at the tender age of 12, and like most mine workers of the day, he worked long hours, and spent his free time playing baseball. He was a good enough left handed pitcher that he was signed by the American Association Washington Statesmen in 1891, and pitched in his 1st major league game at the age of 19. His 3-2 record and 3.89 ERA in 5 games wasn’t too shabby, but his 33 walks in just 44 IP earned him his release at season’s end.

Buck would return home, and play the next 7 seasons in the Minor Leagues. No longer a pitcher, Buck’s heavy bat would leave a swath of destruction in several minor leagues. In 1894 he would lead the New England League with a record 34 home runs, while also leading the league with a .386 average and 167 rbi. In 1898 he would hit 23 home runs while playing for the Toronto Canucks, another league record.

Luckily for Buck his Toronto manager was Arthur Irwin, and when Irwin got the manager’s job for the NL Washington Senators he took Buck with him. Buck was back in the Majors after a 7 year hiatus. He would hit .364 while playing in 29 games. In just his 2nd at bat Buck would hit his 1st ML home run, he would finish the season with 3.

In 1899, his 1st full season in the bigs, Buck would hit .318 with 122 rbi. He would lead the league with an unheard of 25 home runs, while also banging out 25 triples. Ned Williamson held the NL home run record with 27 in 1884, but that was done in Chicago’s Lake Front Park. The park was no bigger than a little league field and balls hit over the fence were considered ground rule doubles for every year of it’s existence except 1884 when the ground rule was changed to a home run. Thus the record was slightly tainted, while Buck’s home runs were all legitimate big league blasts. When Babe Ruth hit 29 in 1919 Buck Freeman’s 25 home runs got more ink than Williamson’s, and deservedly so.

Buck’s power came not only from the time he spent in the mines, but he was one of the few early ball players to work on his conditioning year round. He would work out in the gym lifting weights as well as boxing to build muscle and keep in shape.

He is credited with hitting home runs completely out of several parks including Brooklyn’s Washington Park, Chicago’s Southside Park, and Philadelphia’s Columbia Park.

When the league contracted in 1900, Buck went to play for the Boston Beaneaters. The mutual dislike between him and manager Frank Selee made for an unpleasant season. Never a slick fielder, or base runner, Buck was constantly being berated by Selee, who might have been taking the frustrations of his 1st losing season in over a dozen years out on Buck.  Selee was quoted as saying that, ‘”his style of play was not a winner, and “I thought of playing Freeman at 1st base, but brains are needed in the infield.”

With the formation of the American League, Buck didn’t hesitate to jump to the new league in 1901. Playing for the Boston Americans he had another strong season hitting .331 with 12 home runs, and 114 rbi, all among the league leaders. In 1902 he lead the league with 121 rbi, while being among the league leaders with 19 triples and 11 home runs.

In 1903 he helped lead the Americans to the 1st World Series, hitting a league leading 13 homeruns and driving in 104. His 72 extra base hits would also pace the league. He would become the 1st player to lead both the NL and AL in home runs. This would only be done 3 more times, with Mark McGwire being the last to accomplish this feat.

1904 would be his last strong season, he would hit 7 home runs, while leading the league with 19 triples. Buck would hit just 5 more home runs over the next 3 seasons. His last season would be in 1907, when he would play in just 4 games and hit his last major league home run.

During his career he was something of an iron man, playing in 541 consecutive games, and 5,431 consecutive innings, a record that would stand until Cal Ripken broke it.

He would finish his career hitting .293 with 82 home runs and 133 triples. John McGraw was quoted as saying that Freeman, “was the best developer of heart disease among pitchers.”

From 1899- 1905 Buck hit 77 home runs, the next closest player was Nap Lajoie with 28.

Buck would play several more seasons in the minor leagues, and would even lead the American Association with a record 18 home runs in 1907 while playing for the Minneapolis Millers. He would become a player/manager in the Susquehanna League from 1910-1912.

In 1913 he would become a minor league umpire, a position he would hold for 13 seasons. He would scout for the St Louis Browns from 1926-1933 before retiring from baseball altogether.

Buck would die of a stroke at the age of 77 in 1949. He was survived by his wife of 54 years Annie, and 6 sons. He is buried  in Evergreen Cemetery, Shavertown PA, just 25 miles from this blogger.

It is not known how he got the nickname of Buck, but I imagine it would have had something to do with his compact muscular build. He would sign his name as John “Bucky” Freeman, so maybe it was a dental issue!!!!

Batting Record
Year Team            G    AB    R    H  2B  3B  HR  RBI   BB   SO HBP  SH   SB   AVG   OBP   SLG   BFW Year Team
1891 WAS a           5    18    1    4   1   0   0    1    2    2   0        0  .222  .300  .278   0.0 1891 WAS a
1898 WAS N          29   107   19   39   2   3   3   21    7        4   1    2  .364  .424  .523   0.9 1898 WAS N
1899 WAS N         155   588  107  187  19  25  25  122   23       18   5   21  .318  .362  .563   1.7 1899 WAS N
1900 BOS N         117   418   58  126  19  13   6   65   25       10   8   10  .301  .355  .452  -0.7 1900 BOS N
1901 BOS A         129   490   88  166  23  15  12  114   44        6   8   17  .339  .400  .520   2.7 1901 BOS A
1902 BOS A         138   564   75  174  38  19  11  121   32        6   6   17  .309  .352  .502   1.2 1902 BOS A
1903 BOS A         141   567   74  163  39  20  13  104   30        4  10    5  .287  .328  .496   1.0 1903 BOS A
1904 BOS A         157   597   64  167  20  19   7   84   32       12  11    7  .280  .329  .412   0.2 1904 BOS A
1905 BOS A         130   455   59  109  20   8   3   49   46        5   9    8  .240  .316  .338  -1.1 1905 BOS A
1906 BOS A         121   392   42   98  18   9   1   30   28        1  15    5  .250  .302  .349   0.2 1906 BOS A
1907 BOS A           4    12    1    2   0   0   1    2    3        0   0    0  .167  .333  .417   0.0 1907 BOS A
Total NL ( 3 Years 301  1113  184  352  40  41  34  208   55       32  14   33  .316  .366  .518   1.9 Total NL
Total AA ( 1 Year )  5    18    1    4   1   0   0    1    2    2   0        0  .222  .300  .278   0.0 Total AA
Total AL ( 7 Years)820  3077  403  879 158  90  48  504  215       34  59   59  .286  .339  .442   4.2 Total AL
Total  (11 Years) 1126  4208  588 1235 199 131  82  713  272    2i 66  73i  92  .293  .346  .462   6.1 Total
Year Team            G    AB    R    H  2B  3B  HR  RBI   BB   SO HBP  SH   SB   AVG   OBP   SLG   BFW Year Team

1903 Boston Americans

The 1903 Boston Americans won the American League pennant rather easily. Led by Hall of Fame player/manager Jimmy Collins, the Americans took over 1st place on June 23rd, and stayed there for the remainder of the season. They would eventually beat the defending  AL champion A’s by 14.5 games. This would be Collins’ 1st of 2 consecutive AL pennants. The 1904 pennant would obviously not lead to another World Series appearance for Collins.

Collins would play 3rd and hit .296 with 33 doubles. Outfielder Buck Freeman would provide the power, hitting a league leading 13 home runs, and driving in a league leading 104 runs. His 39 doubles and 20 triples would lead the team as well.

Patsy Dougherty would pace the team with a .331 average and his 195 hits and 107 runs scored would lead the league.

The Americans would hit .272 as a team, leading the league, and they would also lead the AL with 48 home runs, 113 triples and 708 runs scored.

Their pitching would be lead by some guy named Cy Young, his 28 wins would join Bill Dineen’s 21 wins, and Long Tom Hughes’ 20 wins to give the Americans 3 20 game winners.  Rookie Norwood Gibson would win 13 games.

As a team their 2.57 ERA was best in the league, as were their 20 shutouts.

In the 1903 World Series only Young, Dineen and Hughes would pitch in the 8 game series.

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