1905 World Series Game 5

New York: 2 Philadelphia: 0 (Giants win World Series 4-1)

WP: Mathewson (3-0)

LP: Bender (1-1)
Christy Mathewson returned for the third time in five games to shutout the A's. This time, Mathewson defeated Game 2 shutout victor Chief Bender by a score of 2-0. New York scored the only run needed in the fifth on a fly ball double play. In the eighth, Mathewson scored on a ground out. In the top of the ninth, the A's hit three weak grounders, two right back to the mound, to end the first Best-of-Seven World Series. It was the only series to feature a shutout in every game.

Christy Mathewson would have been a unanimous MVP. He threw three complete game shutouts in five games. Overall, he tossed 27 innings, surrendered 13 hits, walked 1 and struckout 18. Joe McGinnity won the other game for New York. The entire staff posted a 0.00 ERA. Red Ames made the only relief appearance for either side.

The A's posted a cumulative 1.67 ERA in defeat. They batted .155 as a team with just 2 RBI and a miniscule .373 OPS. Topsey Hatsel led the A's with a .235 average and .610 OPS. The team struck out 25 times in the five games.

New York batted marginally better than Philadelphia. They hit .216 with a .556 OPS. Roger Bresnahan hit .313 with a .938 OPS. Billy Gilbert hit .294, but not one else topped .263. Neither team hit a home run.

1905 World Series Game 3

New York: 9 Philadelphia: 0 (Giants lead 2-1)

WP: Mathewson (2-0)

LP: Coakley (0-1)
Game 3 of the 1905 World Series was basically over with the contest's first pitch. The A's started Andy Coakley, who was the first starting pitcher to appear in that series that did not make the Hall of Fame. Coakley hit Giants lead off man Roger Bresnahan with the first pitch and the rout was on. New York scored two in the first, but that was all Christy Mathewson needed. The Giant started hurled a complete game 4-hit shutout and New York added five in the fifth and two in the ninth for the 9-0 blowout victory. Coakley also went 9 innings and surrendered only 3 earned runs. Dan McGann had three hits and four RBI in the win. It would be 40 years before the World Series had another 9-0 game. In 1945, the Cubs downed Detroit 9-0, but would lose that series.

1905 World Series Game 2

Philadelphia: 3 New York: 0 (Series tied 1-1)

WP: Bender (1-0)

LP: McGinnity (0-1)
The Giants drew first blood, so the A's turned to 18 game winner and future Hall of Famer Chief Bender to stem the tide. New York started another Hall of Famer, Joe McGinnity, who won 21 games in 1905. Neither team scored in the first two innings. When the dust settled, no earned runs crossed the plate.

Philadelphia scored their first run in the third inning. Giant first baseman committed an error allowing Ossee Schrecongost to reach. Bender sacrified the runner to second and he advanced to third on a ground out. Bris Lord singled in Schrecongost to plate the game's first run.

McGinnity and Bender cruised into the eighth. In the top half, Schrecongost singled with one out and scored on a two-out double by Topsy Hartsel. The run was unearned as Hall of Fame catcher Roger Bresnahan committed an error to allow the runner to score. Hartsel then scored on Lord's second two-out RBI hit of the game. Harry Davis grounded to short to end the inning. A's led 3-0.

The Giants threatened in the eighth with a single and a runner reaching on an error. However, Bender compelled George Browne to ground out to end the threat. The Giants pinch hit for McGinnity in the eighth. Red Ames pitched the bottom half of the frame and escaped a one-out and two runners on jam.

New York rallied again in the ninth, but failed to score. Mike Donlin and McGann reached base with no one out. Bender clamped down and retired the next three batters in order to finish the shutout. In the end, Bender threw a 4-hit shutout, walked 3,and struck out 9. McGinnity allowed 8 hits in 8 innings, walked none, struck out 2, and allowed no earned runs. It was the second consecutive shutout in the 1905 Series and the A's evened the Fall Classic at 1 game each. It was the first time a team lost a World Series game without giving up an earned run.

1905 World Series Game 1

New York: 3 Philadelphia: 0 (Giants lead series 1-0)

W: Mathewson (1-0)

L: Plank (0-1)
Game One of the 1905 World Series featured a Hall of Fame pitching matchup. New York started Christie Mathewson while the A's Eddie Plank shared the mound. Both men pitched complete games with the Giants coming out on top. Mathewson tossed a four-hit shutout while Plank surrendered 10 hits and 3 runs.

The game was scoreless into the fifth. Plank experienced some difficulties early, but pitched out a bases loaded jam in the second. Mathewson led off with a hit, but returned to the dugout on a force play. Roger Bresnahan took first and then stole second. Centerfielder Mike Donlin singled in Bresnahan with two out. The A's walked the next batter and then Sam Mertes doubled in Donlin. Giants led 2-0.

The game remained 2-0 until the ninth. The Giants tacked on an insurance run on a Bresnahan single to center. Plank retired the next two batters to send the game to the bottom of the ninth. The A's trailed 3-0 with two out in the ninth when Harry Davis doubled. Mathewson forced Lave Cross to ground to third to end the game. The Giants took a 1-0 series lead with a 3-0 victory. In the Deadball Era, this was a blowout.

The 1905 World Series overview

The 1903 World Champion Boston Americans repeated as AL Champs in 1904. However, the National League champion Giants refused to play in a World Series. New York manager John McGraw refused to recognize the upstart American League. The Giants should have been forced to forfeit the world title in 1904. However, public pressure forced McGraw to play in the soon-to-be Fall Classic in 1905.

The 1905 Series featured Hall of Fame skippers John McGraw and Connie Mack. The Philadelphia A's unseated the Bostoners for the AL crown. The Giants won the NL by 9 games after a 105 win campaign. Then, McGraw's Giants won the championship in five games over the A's. Each game featured a shutout. The two teams boasted eight total Hall of Fame players including the series hero Christie Mathewson.

Roger Bresnahan: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1945

Born: June 11, 1879

Debut: August 27, 1897 (NL’s Washington Senators)

1900: Played for the Cubs

1901: Moved to the Orioles (Yankees)

1902: Released by the O’s; signed by the Giants. Later pioneers the use of Catcher’s gear.

1904: Giants win the Pennant, but John McGraw refused to play in the World Series

1905: Giants win the World Series

1909: Traded to the Cardinals before the season.

1909-1912: Managed Cardinals (255-352 record)

1911: Cardinals involved in train wreck. Fourteen people, but no Cardinals, died in the crash.

1913: Purchased by the Cubs

1915: Managed Cubs (73-80 record)

Died: December 4, 1944

1945: Elected to Hall of Fame (7^th ballot)

Accomplishments:
.279 career hitter

26 HR

530 RBI

1905 World Champion

Revolutionized catcher's equipment and position

714 walks and 406 strikeouts

.386 career OBP

30 doubles (1903)

20+ steals: 2x

34 steals (1903)

Led league in walks in 1908 (83)

Hit .300: 2x

.350 (1903)

.400+ OBP: 4x

Led league HBP in 1906 (15)

4-1 Pitching record with 3.93 ERA

As a manager:
328-432 record (no pennants)