Major League Baseball Season Recap 1903

In 1903, the two feuding major leagues buried most of their hatchets before the 1903 season started. When it was over. The Boston Americans laid claim to the first World Series title by derailing the Pittsburgh Pirates in a best-of-nine series. The ageless Cy Young posted a 28-9 record at the age of 36, and he and Bill Dinneen propelled Boston past Pittsburgh by winning four games straight after the Pirates had taken a 3-1 lead in the Series. Boston’s hitters were paced by Patsy Dougherty (.331), who also hit the first home run in World Series history (an inside-the-park job in Game 2).

Nap Lajoie of third-place Cleveland led AL hitters with a .344 average. Eddie Plank and Rube Waddell started on the mound for Philadelphia, but the Athletics came in a distant second to Boston. The New York Highlanders, in their first season as the replacement for the Baltimore franchise, finished a respectable fourth.

The Pirates continued their domination of the National League, as Honus Wagner, Ginger Beaumont, and Fred Clarke all hit .340 or better to back the pitching of Sam Leever and Deacon Phillippe. In the Series, Phillippe won three of the five games he started, but Boston’s hurlers held Pittsburgh’s hitters to a .237 average. Pittsburgh’s main competition in the regular season was John McGraw’s New York Giants, who had a pair of 30-game winners in Joe McGinnity and Christy Mathewson and a .350 hitter in Roger Bresnahan.

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1903

John Titus
Hans Lobert
Solly Hofman
Lee Tannehill
George Moriarty
Jake Stahl
Three-Finger Brown
Chief Bender
Red Ames

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

World Series – Boston Red Sox AL over Pittsburgh Pirates NL 5 games to 3

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

October 1, 1903

First World Series Game Played Boston vs Pittsburgh

October 3, 1903

Deacon Phillippe wins his second start in two days Pirates take lead in series

October 6, 1903

Pirates take a 3-1 lead in first World Series

October 13, 1903

Boston Pilgrims win the first modern day World Series

December 3, 1903

History of the World Series – 1903

November 2, 1972

Freddy Parent last living member from 1903 World Series passes away

The stories that shaped the year:

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

January 9, 1903

Baltimore’s defunct American League franchise is sold to Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $18,000 and will be relocated to New York to begin the season. The Manhattan team, who will play at Hilltop Park located in the northern part of the island borough, will be first known as the Highlanders before being officially renamed the Yankees in 1913.

January 10, 1903

Frank Farrell and Bill Devery pay $18,000 for the Baltimore franchise The team, logically, will be called the New York Highlanders.

January 10, 1903

Sam Crawford is awarded to the Tigers

January 12, 1903

Detroit Tigers player-manager Win Mercer commits suicide by inhaling gas

February 5, 1903

Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox announce they will play a series of 15 pre-season games

February 12, 1903

Charles “Chick” Hafey is born in Berkeley, California

February 20, 1903

1903 – Nicholas Young remains National League president when Albert Spalding bows out of the battle.

February 21, 1903

Tom Yawkey is born in Detroit, Michigan. Born under the name Thomas Austin

February 28, 1903

1903 – A syndicate headed by Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss and James Potter buys the Philadelphia Phillies from John Rogers and A. J. Reach for $170,000. It will be another seven years before ownership interest in more than one team is prohibited.

March 1, 1903

Baseball Rules Committee chairman Tom Loftus of the Washington Senators proclaims that the pitcher’s mound must not be more than 15 inches

March 7, 1903

In the first trade under the peace treaty, the New York Giants send their 1902 part-time manager Heinie Smith to the Detroit Tigers for second baseman Kid Gleason

March 21, 1903

Sporting Life, the U.S.’s oldest baseball publication, begins its 21st year. It will close during World War I.

April 6, 1903

Mickey Cochrane is born in Bridgewater MA

April 14, 1903

Ed Delahanty, one of five major league brothers, and the greatest natural hitter of his time, rejoins the Washington Nationals in accordance with the baseball peace terms

April 20, 1903

On Opening Day, before 8,376 fans at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, the Boston Americans defeat the Philadelphia Athletics in the morning game of a Patriots’ Day twin bill

April 22, 1903

Rube Waddell bests Bill Dineen as AL President Ban Johnson presents the 1902 AL Championship pennant to the Athletics.

April 22, 1903

At American League Park, the New York Highlanders lose their first game to the Washington Senators, 3 – 1, before 11,950 fans. Washington elects to bat first, but the New Yorkers score in the bottom of the opening inning to take a 1 – 0 lead. Each starter gives up six hits with Jack Chesbro, the National League’s top winner last year (28-6) taking the loss. Al Orth, in his second season with Washington, is the winner.

April 30, 1903

1903 – The New York Highlanders win their home opener at Hilltop Park, 6 – 2, over the Washington Senators.

May 7, 1903

In the first game of what will become one of baseball’s fiercest rivalries, the Pilgrims beat the Highlanders at Boston’s Huntington Avenue Grounds, 6-2. The teams will change their names, but the intense competition between the Red Sox and Yankees will become legendary.

May 8, 1903

Chicago White Sox pitcher Nixey Callahan gets five hits for the third time in his career (also June 29, 1897 and May 18, 1902), but the 11-inning loss to the St. Louis Brownsis the final game he will pitch in the major leagues. He will play other positions until 1913. Nixey is the only pitcher ever to garner five hits three times.

May 9, 1903

The Boston Americans top the visiting New York Highlanders, 12 – 5, with a little help from umpire Bob Caruthers, who tosses out New York P Jesse Tannehill and 2B Jimmy Williams for a ball call at home.

May 13, 1903

Paris Parasites left fielder Clyde Bateman becomes the second player in Texas League history to hit four home runs in a game

May 15, 1903

At Detroit, the Tigers pick on Boston outfielder Patsy Dougherty and collect five triples and two homers in winning, 8 – 6. Dougherty misjudges a number of fly balls.

May 16, 1903

A record 31,500 at the Polo Grounds see the Giants beat Pittsburgh, 7 – 3, behind Christy Mathewson. Matty allows eight hits in beating Brickyard Kennedy, who is bricked for 13 safeties. The first-place New Yorkers will soon fade, and the Pirates, now in third place, will win their third straight pennant.

May 17, 1903

Cool Papa Bell is born in Starkville, Mississippi

May 19, 1903

Due to Sunday restrictions in Cleveland, a major league game is played in Columbus, Ohio with the “hometown” Cleveland Naps defeating the New York Highlanders, 9 – 2.

May 24, 1903

The Tigers avoid Detroit’s Sunday ban on baseball by playing Washington at Grand Rapids‚ in a game that draws 6‚000. Detroit wins‚ 5 – 4‚ behind George Mullin‚ with John Deering in relief.

May 30, 1903

5/30/1903: In the top of the first, the Phillies had a runner on 1b and two out. Bill Keister hit a ball off Henry Schmidt that got past the Brooklyn fielders into lcf and he ran all the way around for an IPHR. However, umpire Johnson ruled that he cut 2b (not touching it) and Keister ended up with an RBI single.

June 4, 1903

Against Boston‚ Pittsburgh’s Kaiser Wilhelm throws a 5 – 0 shutout‚ allowing five hits and walking none. Manager Fred Clarke goes 2 for 4 in his return to the lineup and Honus Wagner scores a run after going from first to third on a sacrifice bunt.

June 4, 1903

At West Side Grounds‚ the Giants shell Carl Lundgren for 11 hits in beating Chicago‚ 9 – 1. Christy Mathewson allows 4 hits in winning easily. The Giants will win the next three with Chicago to move into first place.

June 10, 1903

 Detroit SS Kid Elberfeld‚ suspended for abusing an umpire‚ is traded to the New York Highlanders for veteran infielders Herman Long‚ 37‚ and Ernie Courtney. The Highlanders’ first trade is a good one as “The Tabasco Kid”‚ currently hitting .341‚ will be a key ingredient in New York’s rise as contenders in 1904. Elberfeld had also been accused by Tiger manager Ed Barrow of deliberately throwing games recently as a ploy to get himself traded.

June 11, 1903

Following a win by Ed Doheny‚ Pittsburgh gets back on the shutout track when Deacon Phillippe throws his 3rd straight whitewash‚ defeating Brooklyn‚ 9 – 0. His batterymate Ed Phelps is 3 for 3 with a stolen base. Phils manager Chief Zimmer calls Phelps‚ “the best catcher in the game” and “a coming star.”

June 19, 1903

Lou Gehrig is born in New York City

June 21, 1903

In a Sunday match in Canton, Ohio, Boston outslugs Cleveland to win, 12 – 7. Buck Freeman is 5 for 6, including the cycle, with six RBIs, while Nap Lajoie is 3 for 5 for Cleveland.

June 22, 1903

Hall of Famers Iron Joe McGinnity and Christy Mathewson spilt a double header vs the Cubs

June 22, 1903

Carl Hubbell was born in Carthage, Missouri

June 23, 1903

1903 – The Boston Americans take – and hold – the American League lead. They will finish 14 1/2 games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics.

June 25, 1903

At Boston’s Southend Grounds, Boston Beaneater Wiley Piatt the 28 year-old southpaw, known as Ironman to his teammates becomes the only 20th century pitcher to lose two complete games in one day, falling to Pittsburgh, 1 – 0 and 5 – 3. Piatt allows 14 hits in the two games while striking out 12. Pirate player-manager Fred Clarke takes a pitch in the stomach, and will take a couple more hits tomorrow. Pittsburgh now leads the National League by 2 1/2 games.

June 25, 1903

At Chicago, the White Sox bat first against the Highlanders and the two teams battle to an 18-inning tie at six apiece. The two teams total 30 hits, but neither score in the overtime.

June 26, 1903

George Davis gets the approval of National League president Harry Pulliam to play for the Giants

June 26, 1903

Before the start of the Giants-Pirates showdown, Giants catcher Frank Bowerman starts a fight with Pirates player-manager Fred Clarke in the Giants office. While the cause of the brawl is unclear, Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss reports it to the National League offices and Bowerman is fined $100. Clarke gets no fine, but does take home a black eye. Christy Mathewson then pitches his 5th victory over Pittsburgh, defeating them, 8 – 2, and beating Sam Leever. Sam Mertes, who will lead the National League in doubles and RBIs, doubles home three runs in the 5th.

June 27, 1903

The Pirates crush 15 hits off Iron Joe McGinnity, including four hits by Honus Wagner, but it takes the Bucs 11 innings to cut down the Giants

June 28, 1903

At St. Louis, Cy Young shuts out the Browns in the opener, 1 – 0, pinning a tough loss on Red Donahue. Boston righty Long Tom Hughes follows with a 3 – 0 win in the nitecap. Jack Powell takes the loss.

June 28, 1903

Detroit travels out of state for a home game – a Sunday match in Toledo, Ohio against the A’s. Chief Bender tops the Tigers’ Joe Yeager, 7 – 3, before a crowd of 4,500.

June 30, 1903

Boston starter Nick Altrock for eight runs in the 1st inning, Chicago must like what they see: they purchase Altrock on July 2nd.

June 30, 1903

The Cards bunch three hits and a George Davis error in the 6th for three runs and beat Christy Mathewson, 4 – 2. Davis will appear in just four games this year, all for the Giants, before White Sox owner Charles Comiskey secures an injunction to keep him off the field. He’ll be back with the Sox next season.

July 1, 1903

Cy Young drives in the contest’s lone run when he blanks the White Sox 1- 0 for his 4th consecutive shutout in 9 days

July 2, 1903

Pitcher Jack Doscher, making his debut with the Chicago Cubs, is the first son of a former major league player to also play in the majors. Father Herm was a third baseman before the turn of the century. Jack loses today at Philadelphia, 7 – 2, and will end the season with the Brooklyn Superbas.

July 2, 1903

Ed Delahanty, dies after mysteriously falling off a railroad bridge in Niagara Falls

July 2, 1903

The Mysterious Death of Ed Delahanty

July 7, 1903

In a game with the New York Highlanders, White Sox OF Danny Green is called out at first base by Jack Sheridan, and after returning to the bench continues to yell at the umpire. Sheridan finally rushes the bench and hits Green with his mask. Green then belts the umpire, who is taken from the grounds and locked up on charges of disorderly conduct. An hour later, he is released after bail is posted by Highlander president Joseph Gordon.

July 11, 1903

At Boston, Jimmy Collins collects five hits, including a triple and homer, to pace the Americans to a 8 – 5 win over Chicago. It is Boston’s 45th win of the year.

July 11, 1903

Clyde Bateman of the Waco Steers throws a no-hitter against the Fort Worth Panthers

July 15, 1903

In a showdown game at Pittsburgh, the New York Giants score three runs in the top of the 9th to take a 3 – 2 lead, but the Bucs tie it up against Christy Mathewson. No runs are scored again till the 14th when New York scores three off Ed Doheny to give Matty his 6th win of the year over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Matty strikes out 11 and scatters 10 hits.

July 15, 1903

With ground rules limiting hits into the crowds to three bases, Cy Young drives home Lou Criger in the 10th inning for a 4 – 3 win over the visiting Cleveland Naps. Addie Joss takes the loss.

July 16, 1903

New York Giants name future Hall of Famer John McGraw their manager

July 16, 1903

The Americans score seven runs in the 1st inning, four coming after a third out is disallowed because the umpire had turned to the bench to ask for new baseballs. Boston rolls to an 11 – 4 win over Cleveland.

July 16, 1903

Roger Bresnahan, playing center field for the Giants, starts a triple play against the Pirates 

July 17, 1903

Waddell Necks ticket Scalper

July 17, 1903

Dan McClellan of the Cuban X-Giants spins the first perfect game in black baseball history

July 23, 1903

1903 – In a doubleheader with New York, Cy Young wins the opener, 6 – 1, in a match that takes one hour, 35 minutes. New York wins the nitecap, 4 – 2.

July 25, 1903

Americans bang seven doubles and beat the Highlanders, 7 – 5.

July 28, 1903

Boston’s Vic Willis outpitches Christy Mathewson to beat the Giants, 5 – 3

July 29, 1903

Pittsburgh’s Ed Doheny (12-6) jumps the team to return home because he is convinced he is being followed by detectives

July 29, 1903

Cy Young goes all the way as Boston loses to the Highlanders, 15 – 14

July 31, 1903

A tired Christy Mathewson loses his 4th in a row as Boston clips him for six hits and four walks to win, 4 – 1. Pop Williams, recently acquired, allows just three Giant hits.

August 1, 1903

The Giants, losers of 11 of 13 games, get a big boost today as Iron Joe McGinnity asks to pitch both ends of a doubleheader. He lives up to his name, winning both from Boston, 4 – 1 and 5 – 2, giving up just six hits in each game. Five Giants (some sources say eight) are nicked by pitches in the two games, while the two teams combine to plunk six (or 11).

August 1, 1903

Rube Waddell no-hits the Highlanders, except for Kid Elberfeld, who has four singles.

August 3, 1903

The Giants edge Boston, 4 – 1, in 11 innings with Christy Mathewson outpitching Vic Willis

August 6, 1903

At Philadelphia, the A’s top the Americans, 4 – 3, in a game called after eight innings because of dark clouds. Boston manager Jimmy Collins protests to no avail.

August 7, 1903

The Giants sweep the Phillies at the Polo Grounds, taking the opener, 7 – 5, behind Christy Mathewson. Matty surrenders five hits, but fans 10. Dummy Taylor wins the nitecap, 6 – 2, to put the Giants back into 2nd place.

August 7, 1903

Reds SS Tommy Corcoran sets a major league mark when he records 14 assists in Cincinnati’s 4 – 2 regulation win over the Cardinals. Lave Cross, in 1897, racked up 15 assists in a 12-inning game.

August 8, 1903

McGinnity won both ends of a doubleheader sweep of Brooklyn

August 8, 1903

Furious when an old black ball is put into play when Cleveland is at bat in the last of the 11th and his objections are ignored by umpire Tom Connolly‚ Naps manager Nap Lajoiehurls the ball over the grandstand‚ suffering the loss of the game to Detroit by forfeit. Detroit was leading 6 – 5.

August 8, 1903

A walkway collapses at the Baker bowl and 12 fans are killed

August 10, 1903

At Boston’s Huntington Avenue Grounds, Cy Young tosses no-hit ball for seven innings, and beats the A’s, 7 – 2.

August 10, 1903

Brooklyn’s Henry Schmidt drops his second game in three days to the Giants, this time losing 3 – 1 to Christy Mathewson. Matty wins his 20th and loses his shutout in the 9th on a passed ball by John Warner. Schmidt, 29, will win 21 games in this, his only season in the majors. A westerner, he will return his 1904 contract unsigned with the note, “I do not like living in the East and will not report.”

August 11, 1903

A crowd of 10‚600 cheer as the Boston Americans’ Tom Hughes defeats the A’s ace Rube Waddell‚ 5 – 1.

August 12, 1903

Giant outfielder Sam Mertes walks five times and New York eases to a 14 – 4 win over St. Louis.

August 12, 1903

In the second game at Boston‚ Boston Nationals Joe Stanley clouts his first major league homer‚ a grand slam off Chicago’s Jock Menefee. Stanley will hit his second career homer in 1905‚ again a grand slam. Pat Moran also hits a grand slam as Boston wins‚ 11 – 10‚ with Pop Williams beating Menefee. Chicago wins the opener‚ 7 – 4‚ with slow Bob Wicker outpitching Togie Pittinger.

August 13, 1903

1903 – New York wins its third doubleheader in a week, clipping St. Louis, 6 – 2 and 9 – 7. Christy Mathewson strikes out 10 in the opener as he outpitches Three-Finger Brown.

August 14, 1903

1903 – In Detroit, Cy Young picks up his 20th win as Boston wins, 6 – 3.

August 16, 1903

Toledo native George Mullin, pitching for the Tigers, helps the attendance today (6,000) as the Tigers take on New York in a Sunday game in Toledo

August 17, 1903

Ban Johnson orders betting suppressed at all American League parks, a noble but futile gesture.

August 20, 1903

The National League-leading Pirates set an NL mark for inept fielding, making six errors in the 1st inning, giving the Giants seven runs toward a 13 – 7 win in the first of two games. Christy Mathewson, with relief in the 6th inning, coasts to his 23rd win. Deacon Phillippe wins the nightcap, 4 – 1, for the Pirates to keep the Giants five games back.

August 20, 1903

At Chicago, Boston’s Buck Freeman is the first to hit a ball over the RF scoreboard, but the Americans lose to the White Sox, 9 – 5.

August 21, 1903

In their second straight doubleheader, the Pirates and Giants again split, with the Bucs taking the opener, 5 – 0, behind Sam Leever. Christy Mathewson wins the nitecap for New York, 9 – 5, the 8th time he’s whipped Pittsburgh this year. Matty scatters 10 singles and Ginger Beaumont’s double.

August 21, 1903

Ducky Holmes, White Stockings OF, has four assists in a game, tying the major league record. But his team still loses 11 – 3 to Cy Young and the Boston Americans.

August 23, 1903

1903 – Before 21,400 in St. Louis the Americans sweep St. Louis, 5 – 3 and 4 – 2. Boston executes a triple play in the nitecap.

August 24, 1903

The Cubs split with the Giants at the Polo Grounds vs Ironman Joe McGinnity & Christy Mathewson

August 26, 1903

The Boston Beaneaters drive Christy Mathewson from the mound with five runs in the 6th to take a 6 – 5 lead over the Giants and hold on to win by that score. When Roger Bresnahan is called out at home in the 9th, New York and John McGraw and Billy Gilbert lead the argument against August Moran. Moran tosses them for their troubles. New York wins the nitecap, 3 – 2, in 10 innings.

August 27, 1903

1903 – In Philadelphia, Boston pitcher “Long” Tom Hughes goes long over the LF fence to win his own game against the A’s, 4 – 2.

August 28, 1903

At South End Grounds, New York outhits the Beaneaters to win, 12 – 6. Christy Mathewson wins his 26th, allowing three runs in the first and 9th innings. John Malarkey is the losing pitcher for Boston.

August 28, 1903

Cleveland and St. Louis players escape serious injury when their train derails near Napoleon, OH.

August 31, 1903

1903 – Joe McGinnity wins his 3rd doubleheader this month, stopping the Phils twice, 4 – 1 and 9 – 2 and handing losses to Chick Fraser and Bill Duggleby. Iron Joe strikes out nine batters in the opener to win. The two games total three hours and three minutes,

September 2, 1903

Christy Mathewson walks three Superbas in the 1st inning and all score as Brooklyn beats their cross-town rivals, 4 – 1. Bill Reidy allows no Giants to score until the 9th.

September 3, 1903

On the heels of a string of rainouts, Hudson sweeps Poughkeepsie (Hudson River League) in the 20th century’s only quadruple-header, winning by scores of 2 – 1, 6 – 4, 3 – 1 and 4 – 2. Future Hall of Fame member Dan Brouthers is a member of the Poughkeepsie team.

September 3, 1903

Cleveland P Jesse Stovall hurls an 11-inning shutout in his first major league start, defeating Detroit, 1 – 0. It is the longest shutout ever in a pitching debut.

September 3, 1903

Boston beats the A’s, 6 – 5, in 12 innings as Cy Young earns his 25th win of the year.

September 5, 1903

Christy Mathewson beats Brooklyn’s Bill Reidy, 3 – 1, allowing just one hit and striking out 5

September 5, 1903

At Boston, the Americans trounce the Athletics, 12 – 1, in eight innings. Patsy Dougherty leads the way with three triples and two singles.

September 7, 1903

1903 – A year before the first subway is completed, the Brooklyn Superbas, later to be known as the Dodgers, play their cross-town rivals in a two-stadium, same day doubleheader. The first game played in Washington Park begins at 10:30 am with 9,300 fans watching the visiting Giants win the opener, 6 – 4 and later that afternoon in front of 23,623 fans at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan, Brooklyn wins the second game, 3 – 0.

September 8, 1903

1903 – New York’s Christy Mathewson and Brooklyn’s Bill Reidy hook up for the third time in a week, and the rubber game ends in a tie, 4 – 4. The match is called by ump Tim Hurstafter eight innings because of darkness.

September 11, 1903

A new National Agreement signed by the National Association of minor league clubs officially organizes professional baseball under one comprehensive set of rules.

September 11, 1903

The Cardinals’ manager Kid Nichols pitches both games of double header splitting them

September 12, 1903

Boston’s Tom Hughes defeats the Highlanders, 10 – 1, for his 20th win of the year.

September 12, 1903

In St. Louis, Roger Bresnahan’s 10th-inning sacrifice fly scores Jack Warner with the game winner, as New York wins, 4 – 3. Despite giving up 12 hits, Christy Mathewson is the winner over Jim Hackett.

September 14, 1903

In an afternoon game called because of unusual darkness, Giants’ pitcher Red Ames, making his major league debut, tosses a five-inning no-hitter against the Cardinals. The New York right-hander, who will also no-hit the Superbas on Opening Day in 1909 before yielding a single with one out in the tenth, will have both of his no-hit bids discounted after the 1991 change of rules no longer give credit for no-hit performances in games played for less than nine innings or for contests where the first hit is given up in extra innings.

September 15, 1903

1903 – In Cincinnati, the Reds knock out Christy Mathewson after five innings and beat the Giants, 8 – 0.

September 16, 1903

Boston Americans score in every inning, making it 11 consecutive frames that at least one player has crossed the plate

September 17, 1903

Boston Americans clinch their first AL pennant

September 18, 1903

Bill Dinneen wins his 20th as Boston defeats Cleveland, 7 – 6.

September 18, 1903

Christy Mathewson relieves Dummy Taylor with the score knotted at 5 – 5 in the 7th. The Giants then push across two runs off Jack Sutthoff and Matty wins his 29th of the year.

September 18, 1903

In the absence of official sanction, the presidents of the pennant-winning clubs in the National and American Leagues sign an agreement to meet in a best-of-nine series for the championship. The Pirates will clinch the pennant tomorrow.

September 18, 1903

The Cubs beat the Phils, 6 – 5, in the first game of a twinbill. In the second game, Chick Fraser no-hits Chicago, 10 – 0, for the Phils. Peaches Graham, normally a catcher, is the loser in his only major league decision, while Fraser K’s 5 and walks 4.

September 18, 1903

The Pirates, with their doubleheader sweep from the Beaneaters at Exposition Park, go nine games ahead of New York with eight games to play to clinch the National League pennant. In a decision made today, Pittsburgh will represent the National League in the first World Series against the upstart American League, playing Boston, who captured their circuit’s flag yesterday.

September 19, 1903

1903 – Cleveland’s Ed Killian loses to the Americans when he gives up a home run to Fred Parent. Killian will pitch 1,001 innings before serving up another round-tripper, to Socks Seybold, on August 7, 1907.

September 21, 1903

1903 – Christy Mathewson, pitching for the third time in four games, keeps the Giants in 2nd place by beating Chicago’s Clarence Currie, 8 – 3. For Matty, it is 30th win of the year.

September 24, 1903

Bill Bradley hits for the cycle, accumulating 12 total bases in the Naps’ 12-2 rout of Washington

September 24, 1903

9/24/1903: The first game of the day lasted 11 innings and 2:25. In the top of the sixth of game two, the White Sox scored two runs on a Ducky Holmes homer to tie the game at 7 each. Four batters later, umpire Harry Adams called the game because of darkness with two out and two strikes on Lee Tannehill. The game reverted to the end of the fifth, giving the Athletics a win, 7-5.

September 30, 1903

1903 – The seasonal contracts for Boston players expire and owner Henry Killilea offers a two-week extension to cover the upcoming World Series. This offer is later increased to head off a players’ strike.

October 1, 1903

First World Series Game Played Boston vs Pittsburgh

October 3, 1903

Deacon Phillippe wins his second start in two days Pirates take lead in series

October 6, 1903

Pirates take a 3-1 lead in first World Series

October 13, 1903

Boston Pilgrims win the first modern day World Series

November 11, 1903

Jimmy Collins signs a contract to manage the Boston Americans for three years

November 17, 1903

Joe Tinker tells an interviewer that it is “impossible to fix” a game

December 6, 1903

Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri is born in San Francisco, California

December 12, 1903

Jack Taylor is traded with two others for Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown.

December 12, 1903

John McGraw trades for Bill Dahen

December 17, 1903

American League owners meet in Chicago, where they decide to institute a 154-game regular season schedule

December 18, 1903

At the league meeting, Ban Johnson is reelected American League president and given a raise to $10,000. Also, the AL votes to allow coaches at third base and first base at all times: till now, only one coach was permitted except if there were two or more baserunners. The AL also institutes the “foul strike” rule, used by the National League since 1901: a foul will be counted as a strike unless there are already two strikes.

December 20, 1903

In an unpopular trade in Boston, the Americans send Long Tom Hughes to the Highlanders for lefty Jesse Tannehill. Hughes, 20-7 for the champs, had jumped to the American League from the National League Chicago team in 1902. Hughes will come up short in New York and be shipped to Washington in July, while Tannehill will win 20 for the Hubmen.

December 20, 1903

After a two-year absence from the majors, pitcher Kid Nichols signs as player-manager of the Cardinals. He will win 21 himself, but the team will finish 4th.

February 3, 1909

Sox and Cubs to Face off in 15 game series