Tuesday, March 11, 2014

1903 World Series Game 1

Game 1: Pirates: 7 Americans: 3 (Pittsburgh leads 1-0)
WP: Phillippe (1-0)

LP: Young (0-1)

Boston's Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds hosted the first World Series game on October 1, 1903. Boston started baseball's all-time winningest pitcher Cy Young against Pirates ace Deacon Phillippe. As was the practice at the time, both starters pitched complete games.

The Pirates ambushed Young for four in the first. They added solo runs in the third, fourth, and seventh to make it a laugher. Jimmy Sebring homered in the seventh for the final Pirate run. Boston scored three slop runs in the later innings to make the game appear closer.

Sebring led the offense in Game 1. He went 3-for-5 with a home run, run scored, and four RBI. He knocked in two in the first, one in the third, and a final run in the seventh on the homer. Tommy Leach went 4-for-5 and Fred Clarke added two hits. Phillippe pitched a complete game six hitter, walked none, struck out 10, and gave up 2 earned runs. The strikeout total is amazing for the era. Buck Freeman was the only Boston starter to not strikeout. Second baseman Hobe Ferris punched out twice.

While Phillippe starred for the Pirates, Young was hammered. He allowed 12 hits, seven runs, three earned runs, walked three, and struck out five in nine innings. Freddy Parent and Freeman each had two safeties. Candy LaChance knocked in two American runs.

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