Baseball!

[The Minsky Moment]

The World Series That Never Was - Part I

In 1902, the Pittsburgh Pirates, champions of the National League, agreed to schedule a series of exhibition games with an all star team filled with players from the newly founded (as of 1901) American League.  Although intercourse with the AL upstarts was frowned upon, the experiment proved profitable and in 1903, the Pirates (champions again) staged a more elaborate best of 9 game exhibition series with the AL champions, the Boston Americans.  The Pirates fell short on the field but it was a great financial success  for everyone involved - over 100,000 people attended the 8 game series, yielding profits of over $80,000, a nice chunk of change in 1903. At the time, those games were just an elaborate non-league exhibition series of the kind fairly common in the early years of baseball and indeed long afterwards.  But we now call those games - somewhat anachronistically - the first World Series.

That success raised expectations for a similar exhibition in 1904.  But the Pirates dynasty faded that year in the face of what many believe to be the greatest New York Giants teams and perhaps one the of the greatest teams of all time, the 1904-05 Giants. Owner John Brush was not averse to making a buck, but he had a problem.  A few blocks away from his club's home at the Polo Grounds, his hated AL rivals were plying their trade at Hilltop Park.  Led by staff ace Jack Chesbro and his 41 victories and the nifty bat work of Wee Willie Keeler, the Highlanders looked a good bet to win the AL crown.  No amount of money could tempt Brush to treat the Highlanders as equals, much less risk the ignominy of the kind of defeat suffered by the Pirates the year before.  Brush put the kibosh on a 1904 post-season exhibition, complaining of the lack of a proper set of rules and structures and raising all manner of other excuses.

The following year, his Gotham rivals safely out of contention, Brush relented. Using the aegis of the "National Commission" - the ancient ancestor of "Major League Baseball" - Brush propounded a set of rules for a post-season contest between league champions, the first World Series, properly speaking. Brush's Giants played in that 1905 series, triumphing easily over Philadelphia.

But what if Brush had known for certain that Boston would be AL champs in 1904, not New York?  Would he have changed his mind and then convinced the Americans to abide by his proposed "rules" for a 1904 contest?  Perhaps not, but we can imagine what would have happened if he did . . .

[The Minsky Moment]

Ground rules

I assume the "Brush Rules" apply - best of 7 series, location of first 3 games to be determined by lot, the next 3 games "to be decided" in a way that ensures the each club hosts 3 games, the final game location if needed decided by lot.  I'm not going to research 1904 weather conditions so I will assume each game day has playable conditions.

I will be using Rostercard as the sim engine as it is quick and easy and one of the few systems to have the 1904 season. The system is particularly good for small deadball era rosters where you can use an Excel file version to get both lineups and all pitchers on one sheet. 

Lineups will be based on actual lineups used by the teams late in the 1904 season - that means e.g. "Turkey" Mike Donlin will be playing regularly even though he had fewer than 200 ABs on the season. Catchers of that era could not play every day given the rudimentary equipment and so will alternate days. Giants star Roger Bresnahan, who mostly played outfield that year, did not appear in any games after early September 1904, by which time the Giants were running away with the pennant.  A quick google search did not yield any additional insight - I presume there was some sort of injury although other explanations are possible.  Bresnahan was fully back in action in 1905 so it couldn't have been permanently disabling. One would have to speculate about whether he would have been cleared to play in the Series.  My compromise solution is to keep him out of the starting lineup but make him available to pinch hit.

The other tricky issue is handling stolen bases.  Retrosheet data on players caught stealing is very sporadic in the deadball era and isn't consistent until the late teens.  There is no date for 1904 and thus the Rostercard sheets assume 100% success rates, which is clearly wrong.  The issue matters because the Giants stole many more bases than the Americans - giving them a 100% success rate would give them a huge unfair advantage. given the low run scoring environment.  The data that exists from the surrounding period suggests an overall success rate of 55% was typical. For the sim, I will assume that players rated very fast (F!) steal at 67% rate; fast (F) at 55%; average (A) at 50%; and slow (S) at 40%.

All players have the same (high) bunt rating which probably also reflects a lack of data.  However, that assumption is more reasonable given that bunting was so fundamental to play in that era that every good player would be assumed to have some proficiency; in addition, those ratings do not favor one side over the other.

[katmai]

Statis Pro- had the whole collection, basketball, football and baseball. Ah the 80's prior to getting the Microleague baseball for my Apple IIgs

[The Minsky Moment]

Throngs of men arrived early that day at McGreevy's 3rd Base Saloon on Columbus Avenue.  Chanting, singing, and carrying banners, and with former US Congressman John F. Fitzgerald in the lead, they marched through the streets to the Huntington Avenue Grounds. Once there, they filed into their traditional seats behind third base, under the watchful and appreciative gaze of Jimmy Collins, part time real-estate mogul, star third baseman, and manager of the Boston Americans.

Collins took comfort in the skills of his veteran batsmen – boisterous Chick Stahl, capable of spraying sharp line drives to all fields; former Senators standout Kip Selbach; slick fielding Candy LaChance at first; the dangerous Buck Freeman, who once hit a phenomenal 25 home runs in a season and led the AL in triples in the just completed 1904 season; and his brilliant shortstop Freddy Parent, who led the team in batting average. He took even more comfort in his peerless pitching staff, led by day's starter, the already legendary Denton True "Cyclone" Young.  But most of all, he took comfort in the boisterous support of *his* Royal Rooters, ensconced in their traditional perch along the third base line, well positioned to hurl insults at the visiting Nine. As player-manager of the reigning champions of all Base Ball, Collins knew full well the importance of the Rooters. His Boston Americans had faced a difficult foe that past year, but the mighty Pirates fell 5-3, rattled by the jeers and taunts of the Royal Rooters. Even the great Honus Wagner fond himself flustered as the Rooters changed the lyrics of their anthem "Tessie" – from "Tessie, you make me feel so badly" to "Honus, why do you play so badly." Wagner insisted he was unaffected but Collins knew better: the usually unflappable Dutchman hit a mere .222 in the contest. Collins would need the Rooters in full force again, facing a Giants team even more formidable than those Pirates.

The Rooters were not alone at Grounds today of course.  All of Boston's finest (and perhaps quite a few of their less than finest) had turned out for the contest, among them not a few members of the fairer sex, who – it was rumored – wanted to see for themselves the matinee idol good looks of the young Giant hurler, Christy Mathewson. Matty would be starting for the Gothamites that day, as Giant manager McGraw – himself a third-sacker of Collins' generation – sought to match youthful vigor against Young's veteran wiles. The Beantowners took their breath in as the New York Nine took the field: "Giant" seemed an appropriate word for the muscular 6 foot tall, Dan McGann, accompanied by fellow teammates including the incomparable Bill Dahlen, finest shortstop the game had ever seen not named "Honus," the beefy yet speedy outfielder Sam Mertes; Georgetown graduate Art Devlin, whose intellectual heft was matched only by his peerless play at third base and a deceptively dangerous bat – his first time at bat for the Giants, he hit a grand slam home run.  As if this galaxy of ballplaying talent were not enough, McGraw had engineered a midseason swap that brough "Turkey" Mike Donlin to New York, reinforcing the Senior Circuit's strongest lineup with one of the finest batmen in the game.

It was Donlin who led off to start the game, digging in against Young. A gasp could be heard in the Boston crowd as Donlin sent a deep drive to center field, but Stahl hauled it in for the first out; outfield mate Selbach then caught George Browne's fly to left. Sox rooters were relieved but Collins was concerned: if his ace kept allowing drives, sooner or later they would start falling in. As if on cue, McGann lined a single between Selbach and Stahl and then proceeded to steal second. Mertes followed by lashing a single to center. Stahl had no chance to catch the fleet McGann and right away the visitors had a 1-0 lead. Young, unperturbed, got Dahlen to ground to LaChance at first, limiting the damage to a single run.

In the bottom of the 1st, it look like the Americans would strike back, as Selbach led off his side with a double down the right field line.  But Matty quickly induced popouts from Parent and Stahl. Manager Collins, batting cleanup, sent up a towering fly ball to center that Mertes had no difficulty bringing in for the third out.

In the second, Young yielded a single to Devlin but then mowed through the soft bottom third of the Giants order, dispatching Billy Gilbert and Mathewson on strikes. Matty got his revenge in the bottom of the inning though. After Buck Freeman managed a drop a base hit just in front of Browne in right field, light hitting catcher Lou Criger laced a two out double to right.  But Browne relayed the ball in perfectly, forcing Freeman to halt at third.  There he would stay, as Matty dispatched the opposing pitcher with his unhittable fadeaway.

Neither club mustered a threat in the third and in the fourth, Young stranded Dahlen at second by securing three straight outs. In the bottom of the inning, The Rooters cheered lustily as Freeman smashed a drive that split Mertes and Browne, racing around the bases and sliding into third with a one-out triple. Working carefully to LaChance, Matty tried unleashing another fadeaway, but this one failed to dart, and LaChance deposited the ball in front of Donlin for single, tying the game. The Rooters howled with joy and intensified their riding of Mathewson, but the young moundsman ignored the taunts, inducing Hobe Ferris to pop out to Gilbert at second and then striking out Criger.

Two more scoreless frames followed as the pitchers settled in. Mathewson was not in top form but managed to scatter the Boston hits and bear down in the pinches. In the 7th however, the Americans broke through again. After Criger went down on strikes a second time, Young took matters in his own hands. Working the count full, he sent Matty's pitch into right field, advancing to second when Selbach sent a perfectly placed dribbler down the first base line on the hit and run play. With two out, Parent grounded the ball slowly to second.  Gilbert raced in and gathered up the ball, but too late to make a play on either runner. Stahl, who had singled on a drive to right field his prior at bat, again hit the ball into the air in right, but this time it appeared Browne had time to get to it.  But as the Beantowner spectators screamed, Browne stumbled and the ball scooted past him. Young scored easily and Parent reached third.  The home team took a 2-1 lead, sending the crowd into delirium. Only two frames left and the immortal Cy Young on the hill to close it out.

But the Giants refused to yield. Dahlen lead off the top of the 8th with a base hit and Devlin followed with a long single to right, placing Dahlen at third place with no outs. Gilbert popped out weakly to the catcher, bringing weak-hitting catcher Jack Warner to the plate. McGraw signaled, and Warner dropped a perfect bunt down the first based line, bringing Dahlen in with the tying run. Sensing a chance at victory, McGraw sent in reliable Roger Bresnahan to hit for Mathewson. Bresnahan responded with a deep fly to left field, but Selbach gathered it in for the out.
For the next three innings, both sides struggled to muster any offensive threat. McGraw brought in his fireballing rookie Red Ames. While yielding 3 walks in 3 innings, Ames otherwise shut down the exhausted and punchless Americans. Nor could the Giants make headway against Young, or against righthander Norwood Gibson, who replaced Young after the 10th. Only the Royal Rooters remained unfatigued, keeping up a relentless barrage of insults and repeated refrains of "Tessie".

In the 13th inning, McGann strode to the plate for the Giants, with two hits, a hit by pitch, and two stolen bases already to his credit. Facing off against Gibson, McGann grounded the ball down to Parent at short. McGann raced down the line as the strong-armed Parent fired the ball to LaChance.  "SAFE" cried the ump, to the fury of the Rooters, who immediately shifted their torrents of abuse to the hapless arbiter. But McGann took advantage of the tumult, stealing his third base of the day and reaching scoring position with no one out. Pitching deliberately to Mertes, Gibson threw a fastball low and Criger lost the handle, allowing McGann to advance easily to third. Bearing down, Gibson fired a pitch inside that Mertes let go by. "STRIKE THREE" called the umpire, whose concern for his continued worldly existence now took priority over his punctilious policing of the strike zone. The Rooters cheered joyously. The wily Bill Dahlen took the hint. When Gibson threw a pitch outside, he took no chances, reaching out and getting his bunt down. Gibson had no choice but to get the out at first as McGann sprinted home to give the Giants a 3-2 lead.

The Americans had one more chance. Parent reached base for his second hit of night, restoring the hopes of the Boston faithful.  But the usually reliable Stahl disappointed with a high pop straight up that Warner caught easily. That brought up Collins, who hadn't hit the ball out of the infield the entire day.  But after him was the powerful Freeman, who had 2 hits on the day. With the shadows lengthening on the field, Collins expertly bunted Parent over to second, setting up Freeman to bring him in for the tie. After watching one Ames fastball blaze by to set his timing, Freeman swung mightily at the second pitch, sending the ball into arcing flight into the heart of the outfield.  Mertes, tracking the ball and legs pumping, reached out, and hauled it in for the final out.  The Giants, victorious, quickly hustled off the field, wary of the hostile crowd around them.

But the stunned Rooters were uncharacteristically silent. Temporarily of course. Because Boston had drawn the lot again.  The Giants were winners in the first contest, but they would have to come back to the Huntington Grounds the next day for Game 2.

[The Minsky Moment]

Statis Pro- had the whole collection, basketball, football and baseball. Ah the 80's prior to getting the Microleague baseball for my Apple IIgs

I used to look at the box in the store as a kid but since I had Strat baseball and football, I couldn't justify putting money into another system.

I do think Statis Pro has been influential. Strat-o-matic and APBA are fine games but if someone were making a game from scratch now I doubt they would use those models. The innovations of Statis Pro - having pitcher characteristics impact the card split and the use of Fast Action Cards - are impacting designs today.

[The Minsky Moment]

Game 2

The mood among Boston fans was subdued as the second game of the Series got underway.  The Giants had defeated their ace in taken a 1-0 Series lead in a game which displayed the speed and skill of New York Nine. Having struggled to muster safe knocks against Giant hurler Christy Mathewson, the American batters now faced an even more implacable foe in the thick and powerfully built "Iron Man" Joe McGinnity. While Matty had a splendid '04 season, winning 33 games to only 12 losses, McGinnity was even better, with an astonishing 35-8 record, yielding only 307 hits in over 400 innings of tireless work.

The only Bostonian that seemed truly confident that day was the other tough Irishman scheduled to pitch that day, the American club's Bill Dinneen. Over the past two years, the athletic Dinneen had perfected his repertoire – a sharp curveball complementing one the most feared fastballs in the game, its speed driven by Dinneen's powerful legs and vaulting delivery. Since coming over from the NL rival Boston Braves, Dinneen had reeled off three straight 20 win seasons, placing him in the elite of AL hurlers.  More than that – he was also the hero of the '03 series against Pittsburgh, winning all 3 games he started, including the decisive 8th game.

Still, Boston seemed all jitters in the top of the 1st.  Rock steady Jimmy Collins uncharacteristically bobbled a sharp grounder from Turkey Mike Donlin, before recovering and beating Donlin by a step with a strong throw. Dinneen worked the count 2-2 to George Browne before dispatching him with  looping curve ball. McGann, a Giant hero of Game 1, stepped in, characteristically crowding the plate to deny Dinneen the outside strike. Undeterred, Dinneen fired inside to brush McGann off, but clipped him on the elbow.  McGann, laughing it off, sauntered down to first and then promptly stole second on the next pitch, his fourth stolen bag of the Series. Dinneen walked Mertes, bringing up Bill Dahlen, who went 3 for 6 in game 1.  The Giant shortstop knocked the ball out to center, but right into the hands of American centerfielder Chick Stahl.  The Boston fans let out a sigh – the inning was over without damage done, but Dinneen had not seemed sharp.

They needn't have worried – the failed Giant first inning attack proved the Gothamite high water mark.  In the bottom of the inning, the Boston bats came to life, knocking McGinnity about like a rag doll.  Selbach and Parent started the affair with successive sharp hits down the middle; then Stahl moved them both over with a perfectly executed hit and run play. Collins then rapped out another single , bringing in Selbach.  Parent waited patiently at third to give slugger Buck Freeman a chance to swing. Freeman, his unimpressive 5'9" frame concealing a wickedly powerful swing, did not disappoint, blasting a deep drive to right field. Light-footed George Browne managed to track the ball down for the out, but even his strong arm had no chance to catch Parent tagging up from third. Just like that, the Americans had a 2-0 lead against the great McGinnity.

Boston continued their assault over the next 2 frames. Veteran catcher Duke Farrell, a Giants star a decade earlier, delivered a double for the Americans, advanced to third base on a sacrifice by Dinneen, and came home on a single by Selbach. In the third inning, Boston tacked on another run after Collins collected his second hit of the night, stole a base, and then loped home easily when switch-hitting LaChance ripped a weak McGinnity fastball down the right field line. 4-0.

The Rooters cheered raucously as their side rapped out hit after hit.  "Feeling rusty today, McGinnity?" they jeered, laughing and singing as Boston hitters kept the scoreboard boys in good shape. True to his nickname, though, McGinnity stoically continued on without betraying his frustration, hoping his teammates could make up the gap.

They couldn't. Dinneen was back on his World Series form and shut the Giants down inning after inning. In the third Donlin led off with a base hit to left field. But with 2 strikes on him, Browne muffed the hit and run, missing the pitch entirely and watching helplessly as the still strong-armed Farrell gunned down Donlin at second for the double play.  Dinneen also got help from his teammates, including a brilliant diving catch by Selbach, robbing Dahlen of a potential double, and a tough stop by Candy LaChance of a drive by Browne down the first base line.

In the sixth inning, McGann beat out a grounder for an infield hit and then attempted his to rob his 5th base of the Series.  This time, however, he was caught by Farrell.  A costly miscue for the Giants, as Mertes and Dahlen followed with back-to-back doubles. The Giants had finally mounted an offensive barrage of their own but had only one run to show for it.

It would not be enough – Dinneen settled down and cruised the rest of the way, holding the visitors to just the one run.  On their side, however, the Americans had one more indignity to heap on Iron Man McGinnity. In the bottom of the 7th, Farrell connected for his second double of the game and then scored when Freddy Parent's smash rolled all the way to the wall in deep center field, with Parent reaching third with a stand-up triple. Stahl then joined the festivities with his first base hit of the game, making it a 6-1 game.

That is how the scoreboard read when the Giant hitters fell meekly in order in the ninth.  The Huntington Grounds faithful had their highest hopes rewarded. Now they had one more home game to look forward to before the Series would move to New York for the next three games.

[The Minsky Moment]

1904 World Series Game 3

For the third day in a row, the Royal Rooters took their place along the third base line, their spirts buoyed by their side's decisive drubbing of the New York the prior day. Their heroes of the diamond had exposed the Giants' vulnerabilities, just as the Pittsburgh had been exposed in '03. And on the mound for the Americans today was their third ace, the former Pirate standout Jesse Tannehill, whose pinpoint control was rivalled only by Boston's own Cy Young. His batterymate for the day would be Duke Farrell, fresh off his success the prior day controlling the Giant running game, while contributing two doubles.

For their part, the Giants could not be counted out, they had a third ace of their own, Luther "Dummy" Taylor, armed with an arsenal of pitches delivered from his twisting delivery. Deaf from birth, Taylor compensated with extraordinary keen eyesight, and did almost as much damage on the Giant's bench stealing signs as he did to opposing batters on the mound.

In the first inning, the Boston side continued their dominance the prior day. Farrell cut down Giant outfielder George Browne attempting to steal second, and then Tannehill dispatched the dangerous Dan McGann with a slow looping curveball for strike three.  In the American half of the inning, Freddy Parent and Chick Stahl rapped out two quick hits and then McGann mishandled Jimmy Collins' bunt loading the bases. But Taylor, immune to the taunts of the Rooters, did not buckle and escaped from the inning with only a single run scored.

The next two innings, the pitchers took control, with Tannehill breezily setting the Giants down in order. Taylor allowed two more hits to Parent and Collins, but stranded them both.  Still 1-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Giants struck.  Donlin led up with a sharply hit ball to right field.  Then, as Hobe Ferris moved toward second on the hit and run play, Browne shot a grounder in the vacated space, reaching safely and advancing Donlin to third base with no outs. Tannehill went after McGann with another sharp curve and McGann flied weakly to right forcing Donlin to hold. But then Mertes hit a sharp ground ball at short that Parent bobbled, allowing Donlin to score the tying run. Bill Dahlen then dropped a single in front of Stahl in leftfield.  Browne, hustling around third tried for the plate, and ball, man, glove and base all seemed to come together as one. A normal umpire would have and easy decision – call the out and avoid the wrath of the Boston fanatics. But Hank O'Day, calling behind the plate that day, was no normal man. He called the play as he saw it – safe – and the Giants took the 2-1 lead.

Tannehill struggled again in the 5th inning, allowing hits to Dunny Taylor and Donlin, again putting men on first and third. Facing McGann, Tannehill went to his inshoot one time too many. Timing the slowly arcing curve, McGann line the pitch to left, scoring Donlin. 3-1.

But Tannehill was unshakable as always and silenced the Giant bats from that point on. The question was whether the Americans could get to Taylor again. Boston threatened in the 5th with two more base hits, but again Taylor escaped, inducing LaChance to fly to left. The following 3 innings, Taylor fell back on his drop ball, and the Americans grounded pitch after pitch into the hands of the Giant infielders.

In the bottom on the ninth, their hopes waning, the Rooters were revived by Selbach's knock to left field. Advancing to second on Parent's slow grounder to Taylor, Selbach then raced home when Stahl hammered a single to centerfield. The Americans were within one. Collins then added a single of his own putting his team within one base of a tie. Facing the powerful Buck Freeman, Taylor twisted his body, uncurled and threw. Freeman's hands tightened as the ball approached the plate on a straight land and he took a vicious cut. But at the last second, the ball shot downward and Freeman, the victim of another Taylor drop pitch, drove the ball into the ground and down the first place line, where McGann gathered it in easily for the 3rd out and the game.

[The Minsky Moment]

From the Archives of the Federal Writers Project – Selected Interview Transcripts from the American Baseball Oral History Project (1904 World Series Game 4)

Fred Silver, Forest Hills, NY, 44: My father took me to see the Championship Series game.  We didn't call it the World Series back then.  My father adored Matty [ed. NY Giant pitcher Christy Mathewson] – he used to call him the Galahad of the Diamond.  I'd never seen [Boston pitcher Cy] Young before although my cousin saw him pitch at Hilltop [Park – then home stadium of the American League NY Highlanders]
Q. How did your father react to what Mathewson did that day?
A: Of he couldn't contain himself – I don't think I ever saw him so happy in his life, but at the same time we were so nervous as well because we didn't know who would win the game. Everyone talks about what Matty did and he was magnificent.  But it was Young that captured my attention – nowadays people forget how well he pitched that day.  It was like magic watching him throw so hard and yet place every ball exactly where he wanted it. I was a Giant rooter of course but I couldn't help be impressed. I didn't say anything to Dad about that.

Lawrence Weddell, Yonkers, NY, 67: I got in late, the crowd was so dense, but I was in time to see the Giants score in the second inning. I remember Devlin beating out a bunt for a hit, you cannot imagine how fast that man could run.  And the next play I'll never forget.  The next hitter, I think it was Dahlen [ed.  It was Billy Gilbert; Bill Dahlen was at second] hit a routine grounder down to third.  Jimmy Collins was there – he was the Boston manager you know.  Back then there were lots of player-managers, more than now.  Anyway, I think Collins was thinking about a double play, he must have taken his eye off the ball a split second and muffed it.  Everyone safe.
Q. Do you see how he reacted?
A.  Oh he was furious at himself, you could tell from 100 yards away. I think that might have something to do with what happened later.

Bill Dineen, former pitcher, Boston Americans, currently American League umpire, Syracuse, NY, 61: We just couldn't hit Matty that day.  He struck out 3 of our boys in the 1st inning alone.  But it wasn't the usual Mathewson, always in command.  His fast pitch was really jumping around that day, even Matty didn't seem to know where it would go.  A couple of us got hit and we drew some bases on balls but we couldn't have hit him if we brought an entire truck full of lumber down to Coogan's Bluff.
Q. You must have been concerned already down 2-1 in the Series.
A. Of course but Cy was keeping us in the game.  And Mathewson was so wild we figured if we could just hang in and steal a couple runs, we could still take the game.
Q. Was the pressure too much for Collins?
A. No  it wasn't that.  You have to remember Collins was still seething over [Umpire Hank] O'Days call in Game 3 with Browne [the prior game the Giants had taken a 2-1 lead on a close call at home plate involving outfielder George Browne].  And he was angry with himself over the error in the second inning.  So when O'Day made the strike 3 call in the 4th – well, Jimmy usually kept his head cool, but he did have a temper.

Patrick Byrne, Bridgeport, CT, 73: I was quite close to the field, I saw those events quite clearly.
Q. What happened with Collins in the 4th inning?
A. The umpire called him on strike 2, and he said something.  I couldn't hear exactly what Collins said but it wasn't good morning.  Then he fouled off another pitch and the next Matty put in the dirt for ball 2.  I think the next pitch is when it happened. It was close but maybe a bit outside.  Hard to say, but the umpire called strike 3. Collins went absolutely mad, out of control. Two Boston men came out to hold him back, I think he might have killed the ump otherwise. I'm over 70 and I've heard about every curse a man can say to another, but there are things Collins screamed that day I'd never heard up to then or since. 
Q. He was ejected?
A. Of course.  Then Buck Freeman comes up and Matty's first pitch hits him in the chin.
Q. On purpose?
A. Oh no – I don't think so, Mathewson never went in for that sort of stuff – he seemed genuinely concerned for Freeman. But after the Collins business you couldn't tell it to Freeman and he went charging after Matty with the bat still in hand.
Q What do you remember then?
A. Mayhem. Every player running out, fans tumbling on the field, the Boston men retreating to the dugout swinging bats around for protection. McGraw had to come out on the field and talk the crowd down.

Art Devlin, bank manager and former Giant third baseman, Jersey City, NJ, 57:
Q. When you went out in the field in the 9th inning, did you know that Mathewson was pitching a no-hitter?
A. Oh yes -we all knew and Matty knew most of all.  But no one said anything about it.  Not so much because of the superstition but because we had to focus on winning the game.  We were only up 1-0.
Q. But surely you had confidence that Mathewson would get them out in the 9th?
A. Yes. But you must remember he was a bit wild that day.  We had a real scare in the 7th inning when Matty walked three men in a row. We only escaped that because Bowerman caught Patsy Dougherty trying to steal second.
Q. It was Dougherty who got the hit, right?
A. Yes, he had come in for Freeman when Buck got ejected. Less power than Buck but faster. He laid a perfect bunt down the 3rd base line.  He was a real master at that. It was my play to make and I felt terrible about losing Matty the no hitter. Of course afterwards he said not to worry about it, all that mattered was we won the game. The truth was I never had a chance to get Patsy. McGraw had positioned me perfectly and I hustled to the ball and made a good throw, but the hit was too well placed and Patsy was too fast.
Q. Did you think it was a cheap way to break up a no hitter?
A. No, not with the game still on the line. It would be different it we had been up 10-0 but they still had a chance to win.  We hadn't hit a lick off Cy Young since the 2nd and he would have shut us down all day if needed. Patsy did the right thing for his team.
Q. But they still lost?
A. yes Matty struck out LaChance and then got Hobe Ferris for the final out. We were up 3 games to their 1 and back to the Polo Grounds the next day. We were ready to take it all.

[The Minsky Moment]

Game 5

New York sports fanatics have often been accused of an excess of smugness. The city on the Hudson has experienced its fair share of champions, and quite a few more beyond that. That experience has bred the New York fan to have high expectations, and when those expectations are met, a sense that all is simply proceeding as it should in the proper state of the world.

If ever that attitude of casual superiority - so irritating to partisans of other cities - seemed justifiable, it was on the morning of Game 5 of the 1904 Base Ball Championship Series. The mighty Giants held a 3-1 game lead, needing only one more victory to prevail and with the next two contests guaranteed to take place in the friendly confines of the Polo Grounds. Other than the 6-1 laugher won by Boston in Game 2, the Giants had prevailed in the prior contests, each of them a hard fought battle in which the New York nine's speed, confidence, and willpower allowed them to assert their dominance over their American League rivals. As for the game 2 loss, that could fairly be written off as an anomaly. Surely there was no chance that the Bostonians could hope to achieve such offensive success a second time against the great Iron Man McGinnity, winner of 66 games in the prior two years alone.

Boston did have one hope left - Bill Dinneen would be pitching for their side that day. Although not as celebrated as McGinnity or his teammate Cy Young, Dinneen had started four games in the interleague contests with NL champs over the past 2 seasons - and won all 4.

Dinneen did not seem sharp at game's start however, serving up an easy delivery to Donlin with his first pitch, who rocketed it out to centerfield for a standup double to the delight of the cheering faithful of the Polo Grouds.  After two fly outs from Browne and McGann, the crowd roared again as Mertes delivered another base hit to center.  But this time, Chick Stahl, charging the ball, heaved a perfect strike to catcher Lou Criger, who tagged out a sliding Donlin. New York might prevail today, but Boston would not go down without a fight.

McGinnity, as expected, was back on form, setting down the 9 out of 10 batters through the first three innings, baffling the Americans with his sidearm inshoots and overhand downshoots.  In the fourth inning, however, the reliable Buck Freemen managed to muscle one of McGinnity's sinking pitches over the heads of the infield for a hit.  When McGinnity attempted to dispatch the next hitter, LaChance, with a curve, the pitch hung, and the graceful Boston first sacker ripped it down the right field line for a double, driving in Freeman for a 1-0 lead.

To the satisfaction of the home crowd, however, the Giants quickly stormed back, plating one run each in the 5th and 6th innings. The first run was scored by Mike Donlin, who led off the 5th with a fantastic wallop off Dinneen, allowing him to reach third as the ball rattled off the walls in deep left field. In the 6th, the Giants used their speed to take the 2-1 lead, with McGann executing a perfect hit and run play to advance Donlin, who scored again on a softly rolling grounder off the bat of Mertes.

But in the 7th inning, Boston responded with some flash of their own. Dineen, batting second on the inning, appeared flail weakly at one of McGinnity's submarine strikes, but overeager Giant receiver Jack Warner thrust out his glove too aggressively, flicking against Dinneen's bat. Dinneen, taking first on the interference, advanced to second on a nicely laid bunt by Selbach and then raced home safely on Freddy Parent's single. 2-2.

Now it was the turn of the Giants again.  Billy Gilbert blasted a sharp one out single to right field. Warner seeking to atone for his fielding gaffe in the 7th, attempted the hit and run, but failed to make contact, going down on strikes, as Gilbert was caught easily at second for the double play. Then in the 8th, Donlin, with two hits and two runs scored in the game, hit a sharp grounder scooped up by a diving Freddy Parent, who then whirled and threw for the out at first. Browne, up next, hit an almost identical strike, this time towards the right side, where Hobe Ferris made an equally dazzling play for the third out, quieting the throngs at Coogan's Bluff.

In the ninth inning, Boston's weak hitting catcher Lou Criger, sidelined since game 1 after his failure to control the Giant runners, punched a single out to right field and then advanced on Dinneen's sacrifice. No speedster, Criger still scored easily when Kip Selbach found the gap in right center for a double.  Boston was now up 3-2; could their ace Dineen close it out?

It appeared not.  After inducing McGann to ground out, Dinneen yielded a double to Fred Mertes, perhaps the fastest player on the diamond.  Following Mertes was Bill Dahlen, the finest all-round player on the field and with six hits to his name in the Series. But Dinneen did not betray any sign of nerves. He reached back and threw a hard rising fastball which Dahlen popped straight up for the second out.  Devlin then grounded weakly to short for the game.

The spectators were too stunned to express their displeasure at the outcome and filed in silence out of the Polo Grounds. There could be no doubt - Bill Dineen had provided himself the master of autumnal Base Ball, winning his 5th championship series game in as many starts.

But would it matter?  The Giants still held the series lead, and would return to their home grounds the next day, looking for revenge.

[The Minsky Moment]

1904 Championship Series Game 6

Giant rooters could be excused for their pensive mood at the start of Game 6.  Though their Nine held the Series lead 3 games to 2, and although Game 6 would be played at home Polo Grounds, Fortune seemed to favor their American League rivals.  The fearless Bostonians had descended down the slopes of Coogan's Bluff and with their backs to the wall, had wrested away Game 5 from New York. Knowledgeable fans recalled the similar resilience this same team had exhibited in the prior year's Series, where the Americans had ultimately triumphed against an imposing Pittsburgh team.  Was Boston about to turn the same trick again?

Perhaps the only unworried man in the stadium that day was the always effervescent but poised Giant hurler, Luther "Dummy" Taylor.  He had held the Americans to only a single run in Game 3 and was confident he could do it again on his home ground.  And in the first 4 innings, the Boston batsmen could not gainsay him.  They swung fruitlessly as Taylor unleashed a confusing array of fastballs, curves and drop balls from his corkscrew windup. Buck Freeman reached on an error by the usually surehanded Bill Dahlen in the 2nd, and Stahl barely beat out a infield dribbler for a hit in the 4th.  But on both occasions Taylor quickly snuffed out the rally. The shouts and cheers from the Giant rooters swelled as Taylor augmented his display of pitching mastery with running pantomimes of the umpire, coaches and opposing hitters.

The Giant hitters, on the other hand, fared little better against Boston's Jesse Tannehill.  They did manage to eke out a run in the first on a single, an misplayed flyball to Freeman in right field, and a ground out that scored Mike Donlin.  Other than that, their bats remained quiet as the two sides set down for what appeared to be a pitcher's duel and with the Giants clinging on to a thin 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, veteran Boston catcher Duke Farrell, already a hero in the Series for Boston, clobbered a two out double off the left field wall. But he remained stranded at second when the next batter hit a soft fly to center, ending the inning.  In the bottom half of the inning, however, the Gothamites mounted a more sustained barrage, with Devlin, Gilbert, and Bowerman rapping out three straight singles.  With one run in and 2 men still on, Turkey Mike Donlin cleared the bases with a tremendous drive that ended with the ball rolling about near the centerfield fences. Donlin ended up at third with a triple and the Giants took a seemingly insurmountable 4-0 lead. 

In the top of the 6th, Taylor casually mowed through the top 3 batters in the Boston lineup and the end seemed near for the Americans. In the 7th inning, manager Jimmy Collins opened with a weak grounder to Gilbert for the first out.  Devlin then made a fine scoop of Freeman's sharp grounder towards third, but rushed himself with a poor throw that drew McGann off the bag, allowing Freeman to reach safely. LaChance then gave a fine display of hit-and-run technique, knocking the ball through the hole for a base hit. Taylor, now working carefully to light hitting Hobe Ferris, outsmarted himself and allowed Ferris to take a pitch just outside for ball 4 loading the bases.

That brought up none other than Duke Farrell.  More than a decade earlier, Farrell had a starring turn with another Boston team, the Reds of the now defunct American Association, leading the league in homeruns and runs batted in. But at 37, banged up after 17 brutal years behind the plate, Farrell's starring days were long over, and a hit a mere .212 during the season.  But the Championship Series seemed to have revived Duke, who had performed superlatively both behind and at the plate. With his characteristic faith in veteran players, Collins gave the old warhorse the signal to swing away. Farrell delivered dumping a single into left field and scoring a run. 

Seizing on the moment, Collins sent Patsy Dougherty in to hit for the shattered Tannehill. But Taylor refused to yield and dispatched Dougherty on strikes for the second out of the inning. Up came Kip Selbach, well known to the Giant faithful from his starring turn in the New York outfield in 1900 and 1901.  Ironically, Selbach had been lured away from the Giants by none other than current Giant manager John McGraw, then acting on behalf of the American League Baltimore Orioles. When the Orioles folded after 1902, McGraw took most of the top stars with him to New York, but Selbach slipped through his fingers, and ultimately ended up in Boston.  That oversight would prove costly on this blustery October day.  A Taylor curve hung, and Selbach crushed the pitch deep into the right-center gap, then whirled about the bases in a fury, before sliding under the tag at third base for a triple. The game was tied at 4 apiece.  The stunned Giants struggled to regain their poise as Gilbert misplayed a grounder from Parent allowing Selbach to score.  Finally, Taylor ended the damage, striking out Stahl for the third out.

In a manner of minutes the 4-0 Giant lead was gone.  Boston had surged ahead 5-4 and their domination of the post-season game seemed undeniable.

But the 1904 New York Giants were a team of legend for good reason. They had reserves of resilience of their own and were ready to prove it.  In the bottom on the 7th, now facing the Boston ace of aces Cy Young, brought in for relief as part of Collins' desperate maneuvers, the Giants clawed their back with a walk by Gilbert, a single by Bowerman, a sac bunt from Taylor and a deep sac fly to right by Donlin for his third run batted in of the day.

With the game deadlocked at 5 runs for each team, Taylor and Young set down the respective sides in the 8th inning.  In the 9th inning the game still tied, the Polo Grounds crowd became still as Duke Farrell strode confidently to the plate, a single and double in his last two tries against Taylor.  But this time Taylor reached back for what strength remained to him, and set down the Boston hero on strikes.  Cy Young then grounded to Dahlen for the second out.  That brought up the other American hero of the hour, Kip Selbach.  The Giant crowd gasped as Selbach mashed a high fastball deep into centerfield.  But Fred Mertes, wisely playing back was in the right position to haul the ball in for the third out.

That brought up the Giants, and Georgetown alumnus Art Devlin got matters started with a sharp single to right.  Gilbert followed by reaching safely on the hit and run, bringing Devlin to third base with no one out. Giant fans screamed as Bowerman lofted the ball to left, but Devlin held as the fly was too short to attempt to run on Selbach's arm.  Now it was McGraw's turn to make moves, as he pulled the exhausted Taylor and sent Roger Bresnahan to bat. Bresnahan, perhaps the New York side's best overall hitter, had been nearly absent from the Series, still nursing the leg injury that had sidelined him at the end of the 1904 season.  But with a tie game in the bottom of the 9th, McGraw just needed the Duke of Tralee's bat, not his legs.  The Polo Grounds faithful cheered lustily as Bresnahan limped to the plate. After taking two Young deliveries for a ball and a strike respectively, without moving his bat, Bresnahan now had the measure of the brilliant but tired Boston ace.  He laced the third pitch into right field, good enough to reach first base even with his hobble, and even having to make his way through the surging crowd for the last few feet down the line as the Giant rooters poured onto the grounds. 

The Giants had won their first Championship Series.

[The Minsky Moment]

Players notes - the two 04 teams are pretty well matched, both have excellent and deep (for the times) pitching staffs. The Giants had a clear advantage as the faster team with more "A" rated hit and run batters at a time when that play was very common. They also have better hitters in the bottom of the order.  Despite that, Boston played very competitively - better than I expected - but the Giant advantage did tell.

1904 was the beginning of the deadball era, with the recently adopted foul strike rule suppressing averages. "Power" means doubles and triples - there were no homeruns in the six game series, quite typical for the time.  Rostercard did a pretty good job of replicating the feel of that era even without having any special rules for it.  The games played tight and taut with lots of action and swings of fortune.  I also got within 2 outs of a no hitter, something I've never got that close to in a sim game.

[Syt]

Just caught up, this was very entertaining. Thanks for doing these, Minsky.

[The Minsky Moment]

I've started another series - will post something about it in the week

In the meantime - an epilogue for some of our 1904 stars:

Christy Mathewson won the pitching triple crown the following year and went on to become one of the game's greatest stars and the most loved and revered. After enduring the premature death of his younger brother from tuberculosis, he succumbed himself to the disease at the age of 45.  He was elected in the first Hall of Fame class.

Joe McGinnity had a few more strong years with the Giants and then continued to pitch on and manage in the minor leagues until the age of 54, when he went 6-6 for the champion of the Mississippi Valley League.  He died a few years after that from cancer.

Mike Donlin returned to the Giants in 1905, batting .356 and leading the team in runs. He married a famous vaudeville star and subsequently missed several years of his career as a holdout, pursuing a show business career instead,  eventually including roles in early motion pictures. 

Dan McGann was a close confidant of John McGraw's from the 1890s heyday of the NL Baltimore Orioles and he starred again for the Giants 1905 championship club. However, when he suffered an injury in 1907 and came back badly out of shape, McGraw unceremoniously shipped him off to Boston (NL) along with Bill Dahlen, George Browne, and Frank Bowerman in a blockbuster trade that netted the Giants slick young shortstop Al Bridwell, among others. When McGann returned to the Polo Grounds in a Boston uniform in 1908, McGraw mocked him mercilessly from the bench.  After the game, McGann tracked down McGraw as his favorite saloon and attempted to assault his ex-manager with a pool cue.  Cut by Boston at the end of the year, McGann tried to revive  his career in the AA level minors. When he failed to stick there, he shot himself at his boarding house, dead at age 39.

Sam Mertes also returned to star for the 1905 champions but his speed and power deserted him after that. In 1908, playing in the California league, he was beaten bloody on several occasions after arguing with umpires. It was his last year in baseball. He lived to the age of 72, working various jobs in the San Francisco area.

Bill Dahlen's batting declined after 1904 but he continued to field well enough at shortstop to keep a major league job into his 40s. After a disastrous stint as a manager, he worked various jobs in or around New York City until his death in 1950. Other than ineligible players and those suspected of PED use, Dahlen is considered by some analysts to be the best player not yet in the Hall of Fame.

Although already aged 37 in 1904, Cy Young went on to play 7 more years in the majors including two more 20 game winning seasons, and two more seasons at 18 and 19 wins.  Young finished his career with 511 victories, a record that will never be broken.  Late in life, during the Depression, Young suffered financial troubles and when his wife died, he was taken in by a couple at a neighboring Ohio farm.  The couple's young daughter, who used to drive Young around town after his eyesight failed, died in 2011 on the 144th anniversary of Young's birth.

Bill Dinneen never matched again his 1903-04 success but did stay on pitching until arm trouble finished his playing career in 1909.  He managed far more longevity as one of the American Leagues's most respected umpires, presiding behind the plate at the first All Star Game in 1933.

Jimmy Collins gradually drifted out of baseball, playing his last game in 1908 and letting go of his ambition to acquire ownership of a team.  Moving to Buffalo, NY he continued to expand his real estate holdings before suffering crippling losses in the Depression.  Two years after his death in 1943, the Veterans Committee elected him to the Hall of Fame.

Freddy Parent continued to provide stellar play at shortstop before retiring after the 1911 season.  Returning to his home state of Maine, Parent lived until the ripe old age of 97, and spent some part of his elder years amusing visiting reporters with quotable lines about the lack of grit of modern day players.

Chick Stahl continued to cement his reputation as one of baseball's best centerfielders over the next few years. After a strong campaign in 1906, Stahl got married and agreed to become the manager of the Americans in 1907 after Collins was scheduled to leave the team. In the middle of spring training, Stahl abruptly resigned, citing the discomfort he felt at having to make decisions about releasing fellow players.  Two days later, Stahl collapsed and then died, having swallowed carbolic acid in an apparent suicide attempt.

Duke Farrell played only 7 more games in the major leagues after the 04 season. He remained loved and respected in baseball circles and got various jobs aa a scout and coach before succumbing from cancer in the 1920s.