The winners of the 1st 2 World Series go head to head for the 1st and only time. Hard to imagine these 2 storied franchises have only met just 1 time in the Fall Classic. The Giants are in the midst of a World Series losing streak that would reach 4 straight. They lost to Philadelphia in 1911, this year to the Red Sox, once again to Philadelphia in 1913, and then to the White Sox in 1917. They don’t win a World Series until they beat the Babe Ruth lead 1921 Yankees.
This series is one of the all time greats, going 8 games, and ending in extra innings with the help of Fred Snodgrass’ $30,000 muff of a flyball.
For more about this series and the entire 1912 season I recommend The First Fall Classic by Mike Vaccaro
GAME #1 10/8/1912 @ the Polo Grounds
Smoky Joe Wood vs Jeff Tesreau
Red Sox 4
Giants 3
The Giants took a 2-0 lead in the 3rd when Red Murray drove in 2 with a hard single to center. The Red Sox answered back in the 6th when Tris Speaker lead off with a triple and scored on a fielders choice. The Red Sox took the lead for good in the 7th on a Harry Hooper double and a Steve Yerkes 2 run single.
With a run in and runners on 2nd and 3rd with just 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, Smoky Joe Wood struck out Art Fletcher and Doc Crandall to end the game. Wood finished with 11 strikeouts
GAME #2 10/9/1912 @ Fenway Park
Christy Mathewson vs Ray Collins
Red Sox 6
Giants 6 (11)
This game was called do to darkness after 11 innings. The Red Sox tied the game with a run in the bottom of the 8th and again in the bottom of the 10th. Both runs were unearned thanks to some unfortunate miscues by the Giant defense behind Christy Mathewson.
GAME #3 10/10/1912 @ Fenway Park
Rube Marquard vs Buck O’Brien
Giants 2
Red Sox 1
Buck Herzog drove in Red Murray with a sac fly in the 2nd, and then doubled and scored in the 5th to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. The Red Sox threatened in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings but were unable to score on Marquard.
In the bottom of the 8th Larry Gardner doubled in Duffy Lewis to make the score 2-1. After an error and a stolen base put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs for the Red Sox, Hick Cady hit a bomb that was run down in centerfield for the final out by Fred Snodgrass.
GAME # 4 10/11/12 @ Polo Grounds
Smoky Joe Wood vs Jeff Tesreau
Red Sox 3
Giants 1
Wood struck out 8 to win his 2nd game of the series.
GAME #5 10/12/12 @ Fenway Park
Christy Mathewson vs Hugh Bedient
Red Sox 2
Giants 1
Rookie Hugh Bedient out-dueled Christy Mathewson allowing just 3 hits and 1 unearned run. Back to back triples in the 3rd by Harry Hooper and Steve Yerkes lead to the only runs the Red Sox needed.
GAME #6 10/14/12 @Polo Grounds
Buck O’Brien vs Rube Marquard
Giants 5
Red Sox 2
The Giants scored all 5 runs in the 1st inning after 2 outs. 3 singles, 2 doubles a stolen base and a balk sent Buck O’Brien to the showers after just 1 inning pitched.
GAME #7 10/15/1912 @ Fenway Park
Jeff Tesreau vs Smoky Joe Wood
Giants 11
Red Sox 4
Joe Wood lasted just 1 inning, giving up 6 runs in the 1st. The Giants banged out 16 hits, 3 by Chief Meyers, and 3 by Larry Gardner, which included a home run.
GAME#8 10/16/1912 @ Fenway Park
Christy Mathewson vs Hugh Bedient
Red Sox 3
Giants 2(10)
Much has been written about this game, specifically the 10th inning. With the score tied at 1 in the top of the 10th, Red Murray doubled and scored on a single by Fred Merkle to put the Giants up 2-1. In the bottom of the 10th Clyde Engel lifted a flyball to Fred Snodgrass in centerfield. He dropped the ball for a 2 base error. The soon to be labeled $30,000 muff. The next batter smashed a sure extra base hit to deep centerfield that this time was run down by Snodgrass for the out. By all accounts a tremendous catch by Snodgrass. Inexplicably Mathewson walked the light hitting Steve Yerkes to put runners on the corners. Tris Speaker lifted a foul pop between home and 1st base. Varying accounts have Merkle making no effort to catch a ball that was clearly his. While another account has Mathewson yelling “Chief”, for Chief Meyers to catch a ball that he clearly could not get to. Regardless, Speaker got a 2nd chance and singled in the tying run. Larry Gardner won the game on a sacfly.
The average attendance for this series was 31,505, with the winners share being $4,025. The Red Sox hit just .220 as ateam with a 2.55 ERA. The Giants hit .270 with a tiny 1.71 ERA. Joe Wood went 3-1 while Tris Speaker hit .300, the only Red Sox to hit .300 in the series. In game 7 Tris Speaker became the only outfielder to have an unassisted double play in World Series play, when he fielded a short fly ball in centerfield and beat Art Wilson to the 2nd base bag. Twice in this series Christy Mathewson retired the side on just 3 pitches.
