The American League formed in 1901 to rival the old National League. Two years later, the two leagues agreed to have their respective champions play in a "world's series" for bragging rights. The Pittsburgh Pirates won their third consecutive NL Pennant in 1903 with a 91-49 record. The Boston Americans, aka Pilgrims, topped the AL with a 91-47 record. The Americans eventually became the Red Sox.
Honus Wagner led the Pirates with a .355 average in the regular season while Deacon Phillippe won 24 games and Sam Leever 25. Player manager Fred Clarke hit .351 for the Bucs. On the other side, Cy Young led the Americans with a 28-9 season. Boston had two other 20-game winners with Bill Dinneen and Long Tom Hughes. Patsy Dougherty (.331) and Buck Freeman (104 RBI) led the Boston offense. Their outfield, which included Dougherty, Freeman, and Chick Stahl might have been the best in baseball at the time.
Many prognasticators believed the outcome depended on injured Honus Wagner. The shortstop suffered a major leg injury in September, which he did not recover from until the following year. The money was on Boston if Wagner did not play. In the end, the Americans won the best-of-nine series in eight games. It is considered one of the wildest World Series in history and turned on a triple by Cy Young.
Honus Wagner led the Pirates with a .355 average in the regular season while Deacon Phillippe won 24 games and Sam Leever 25. Player manager Fred Clarke hit .351 for the Bucs. On the other side, Cy Young led the Americans with a 28-9 season. Boston had two other 20-game winners with Bill Dinneen and Long Tom Hughes. Patsy Dougherty (.331) and Buck Freeman (104 RBI) led the Boston offense. Their outfield, which included Dougherty, Freeman, and Chick Stahl might have been the best in baseball at the time.
Many prognasticators believed the outcome depended on injured Honus Wagner. The shortstop suffered a major leg injury in September, which he did not recover from until the following year. The money was on Boston if Wagner did not play. In the end, the Americans won the best-of-nine series in eight games. It is considered one of the wildest World Series in history and turned on a triple by Cy Young.
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