1904,The most competitive race in American League history ended with Boston becoming the league’s first repeat champion. The up-and-coming New York Highlanders had a chance to win the pennant on the final day, with 41-game-winner Jack Chesbro on the mound, but Boston eked out a 3-2 victory as the winning run scored on a wild pitch. The Americans’ lineup lacked a .300 hitter, but veteran Cy Young chalked up 26 wins and 200 strikeouts to keep Boston on top; he tossed the first perfect game in American League history on May 5 against Philadelphia. Nap Lajoie led the league’s hitters with a .376 average and 102 runs batted in.

The New York Giants ascended to the throne in the National League thanks to “Iron Man” Joe McGinnity and Christy Mathewson, who won 68 games between them. In the first season of the 154-game schedule, the Giants racked up 106 victories to take the title by 13 games over the Chicago Cubs. Honus Wagner led NL hitters with a .349 average, but his Pittsburgh club could do no better than fourth. McGinnity led the league in ERA at 1.61, and Mathewson was the strikeout king with 212. The World Series between league champions was abruptly discontinued when the Giants refused to engage Boston in a battle for the overall title, feeling they had proved their superiority during the season.

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1904

Sherry Magee
Frank Schulte
Miller Huggins
George Stovall
Art Devlin
Gabby Street
Ed Walsh
Hooks Wiltse
Charley O’Leary

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The stories that shaped the year:

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January 4, 1904

The Highlanders announce plans to play their Sunday home games this season at Long Island’s Ridgewood Park.

January 22, 1904

1904 – William H. Yawkey, the 28-year-old heir to a lumber and mining fortune, buys the Detroit Tigers from S.F. Angus for $50,000. New money and Frank Navin’s shrewd management will bring three straight pennants to the franchise within a few years.

March 10, 1904

Mobile, AL local judge issues a warrant for the arrest for New York Giants beating a local umpire unconscious during an exhibition game

April 17, 1904

The Brooklyn Superbas play their first Sunday game at home, beating the Boston Beaneaters, 9 – 0. To circumvent Sunday Blue Laws, no admission is charged, but fans must buy scorecards to enter the grandstand and box seats.

April 20, 1904

Jim Kennedy the youngest manager in baseball passes away

April 25, 1904

Jack Chesbro picks up first of 41 victories an American League Record

April 26, 1904

Ty Cobb, making his pro baseball debut at the age of seventeen, hits a home run and double for the Augusta Tourists in the South Atlantic League.

May 3, 1904

Red Ruffing who will win 273 games is born in Granville, Illinois

May 5, 1904

Boston ace Cy Young hurls a perfect game against the Philadelphia Athletics

May 9, 1904

Chicago’s Jake Weimer allows just two hits in beating the Boston Beaneaters, 6 – 0.

May 9, 1904

New York’s Joe McGinnity wins his second game in three days against the Cardinals, beating St. Louis, 5 – 1. Iron Joe is now 7-0 on the year.

May 10, 1904

The Cards beat up Christy Mathewson, scoring five runs and knocking him out after the first inning. St. Louis continues the shelling to win, 14 – 1. Matty, now 4-2, will not lose to St. Louis in his next 24 decisions.

May 11, 1904

Cy Young’s 23-inning no-hit string ends

May 16, 1904

The Pirates overcome a 5 – 0 deficit against Christy Mathewson by scoring a run in the 5th and five more in the 6th for a 6 – 5 win.

May 21, 1904

Boston Americans SS Bill O’Neill puts himself in the record books by committing six errors in a 13-inning, 5 – 3 loss to the Browns

May 23, 1904

Chicago’s Jake Weimer and Christy Mathewson duel for 11 innings before the game is a called a 1 – 1 tie. Umpire Bob Emslie calls the game at the West Side Grounds so the Giants can catch a train for New York. Matty allows 6 hits‚ one less than Weimer.

May 24, 1904

At Brooklyn‚ the Superbas jump on Joe McGinnity for a 3 – 0 lead after 2 innings‚ but the Giants tie it in the 3rd and go on to a 5 – 3 win. Iron Joe is now 11-0.

May 27, 1904

Dan McGann of the New York Giants collects five stolen bases in one game against the Brooklyn Superbas to set a major league record, a feat not duplicated until August 24, 1974, by Davey Lopes. Otis Nixon eventually will set a new mark with six stolen bases on June 16, 1991.

May 30, 1904

At Cincinnati’s Palace of the Fans, 32 year-old Cubs first baseman Frank Chance is plunked by a pitch five times during a doubleheader. In the first game of the twin bill, the future Hall of Famer loses consciousness briefly when one of the misguided pitches hits the ‘the Peerless Leader’s’ head.

June 4, 1904

At the Polo Grounds‚ the largest baseball crowd ever (37‚223) cheers Iron Joe McGinnity‚ trying for his 14th straight win‚ against Cincinnati’s Jack Harper. The game ends in a 2 – 2 deadlock after 11 innings.

June 4, 1904

In an American Association game against Kansas City‚ Toledo hits into two triple plays. The Blues’ Ed Lewee and Jack Ryan pull off the first and Lewee and Suter Sullivan turn the second.

June 4, 1904

The White Sox fire manager Nixey Callahan‚ replacing him with Fielder Jones.

June 10, 1904

In the opener of the battle for first place at the Polo Grounds‚ Christy Mathewson pitches a brilliant one-hitter to beat Chicago‚ 5 – 0. The lone hit is Johnny Kling’s 4th-inning single. The other action is provided by umpire Charlie Zimmer‚ who ejects Sam Mertes on a strike call. He also thumbs John McGraw‚ coaching at third base‚ to the bench‚ and sends Dummy Taylor‚ the first base coach‚ to the clubhouse. One wag said later that Taylor was making too much noise.

June 10, 1904

It is Ladies Day in Boston‚ and the Pirates start Patsy Flaherty‚ recently re-acquired from the White Sox‚ where he led the American League in losses in 1903 with 25. Patsy wins his first start with the help of Honus Wagner‚ who is 3 for 5 with two doubles‚ three runs‚ and two steals.

June 11, 1904

Bob Wicker of the Chicago Cubs pitches 9 1/3 hitless innings before Sam Mertes of the Giants singles. Wicker will win, 1 – 0, with a 12-inning one-hitter. This is the second time that Mertes has broken up an extra-inning no-hitter. Iron Joe McGinnity pitches 9 innings of scoreless ball for New York. Chicago wins it in the 12th‚ 1 – 0‚ when Johnny Evers’ 2-out single off McGinnity scores Frank Chance. It is Iron Joe’s first loss after 14 straight wins. Wicker is near flawless‚ striking out 10. Light-hitting outfielder Sam Mertes, for the second time in his career, breaks up an extra-inning no-hitter, having also spoiled Indians right-hander Earl Moore’s 1901 bid for a no-no when he started the game-winning rally for the White Sox with a one-out single in the top inning.

June 11, 1904

At Detroit‚ the Tigers beat the Senators‚ 8 – 3‚ behind Wild Bill Donovan. Donovan‚ batting 8th‚ hits a two-run homer‚ while his teammate Ed Gremminger clubs his only homer of the year‚ reportedly the first homer in 7 years to be hit over the fence.

June 20, 1904

New York coasts to a 12 – 4 win over Brooklyn Christy Mathewson picks up his 11th win

June 23, 1904

1904 – The first-place Giants run their win streak to eight games, beating Boston, 6 – 2. Christy Mathewson allows nine hits, strikes out 9, and drives in two runs with a 6th inning single.

June 25, 1904

George Diggins, the New England League Concord (NH) Marines’ nine year-old mascot, participates in their Class B game in Lowell when the team’s second baseman becomes ill and the ump ejects their center fielder. The youngest professional player in the history of the game doesn’t have an opportunity to field any balls playing right field and strikes out in his only at-bat in the contest played at Alumni Field, which was also known as Spalding Park.

June 25, 1904

In Boston, the Highlanders’ Jack Chesbro wins his 12th straight

June 27, 1904

Patsy Dougherty has another three hits as the Highlander beats his old teammate Jesse Tannehill and Boston, 8 – 4.

June 30, 1904

Christy Mathewson blanks Boston, 3 – 0, despite allowing eight hits. The Giants have now won 14 in a row.

July 2, 1904

The Boston Americans send infielder Bill O’Neill and cash to Washington for 11-year veteran Kip Selbach. Selbach almost went to the Highlanders in early May, but the deal was nixed by then-new Washington manager Patsy Donovan.

July 2, 1904

Highly-touted rookie Walter Clarkson, the top college (Harvard) pitcher and brother of two major leaguers, makes his major league debut. He limits the Senators to eight hits, but the Highlanders manage just four hits and lose, 3 – 2, in the first of two.

July 4, 1904

Jack Chesbro, the New York Highlanders spitballer, wins his 14th in a row, an American League record that will stand until Walter Johnson wins 16 straight in 1912. The A’s lose both today, as the Highlanders sweep the three-game series.

July 4, 1904

At the Polo Grounds, the Giants sweep a doubleheader from the Phils to run their win streak to 18 games. New York wins the opener, 4 – 1, behind Dummy Taylor then take the nitecap, 11 – 3, behind Christy Mathewson. Matty leaves after seven innings, leading 11 – 1. The streak of 18 games matches one rung up by the 1885 White Stockings and the 1894 Baltimore Orioles; the record is 20 games, held by the 1884 Providence Grays.

July 4, 1904

In Pittsburgh, the Cubs and Pirates celebrate the holiday by racking up record nine triples in the afternoon end of a doubleheader. Pittsburgh has six of the triples and wins, 11 – 6. Chicago wins the morning game, 7 – 2.

July 5, 1904

John Mcgraw lead New York Giants’ 18-game winning streak ends

July 7, 1904

Jack Chesbro’s winning streak of 14 games comes to an end as Boston beats the Highlanders, 4 – 1. Chesbro will win 41 games this year, to set a 20th-century major league record. Newly-acquired Kip Selbach drives in three runs for New York.

July 8, 1904

In the fight for first place in the American League, Boston continues to roll, beating New York, 12 – 3, as Kip Selbach has a single and triple.

July 9, 1904

The Giants’ Iron Joe McGinnity wins two today, both in relief

July 11, 1904

The Highlanders salvage the last game of the series with the Americans, 10 – 1

July 13, 1904

With Napoleon Lajoie lining a major-league record three triples, Cleveland rolls past the Highlanders, 16 – 3.

July 15, 1904

Sam Mertes drives in four runs on four hits, including a home run, to lead the New York Giants to a 5 – 2 win over the Cincinnati Reds’Bob Ewing. Christy Mathewson, with relief help from Joe McGinnity, is the winner.

July 16, 1904

At New York, Highlanders pitcher Jack Chesbro swipes home in the bottom of the 10th to win his own game, 9 – 8.

July 17, 1904

At New Jersey’s Wiedenmeyer’s Park, which will become better known as Ruppert Stadium, the Highlanders host an American League game, beating Detroit in the Newark ballpark, 3-1. The contest is played away from Hilltop Park, the team’s usual home, to avoid New York City’s blue laws.

July 19, 1904

1904 – The Pirates push across two runs in the 9th against Christy Mathewson to edge the first-place Giants, 2 – 1.

July 20, 1904

The Highlanders trade pitchers Long Tom Hughes and Barney Wolfe  to the Senators for Al Orth 

July 23, 1904

1904 – After losing, 3 – 1, to Boston in the opener, the Reds unload for a 15 – 1 win in the second game. Leading the offense is Cy Seymour, who goes 5 for 5, with two doubles and a triple.

July 25, 1904

Al Orth makes his first start for the Highlanders and matches zeroes with Chicago’s Yip Owen for 8+

July 27, 1904

John McGraw and John Brush say they have no intention of playing a post-season series with the American League champions

July 27, 1904

The Tigers purchase catcher Monte Beville from the Highlanders to replace Bob Wood, who dislocated an elbow the previous day when he slipped trying to field a bunt against the A’s.

July 29, 1904

Brooklyn’s Jack Cronin outpitches Christy Mathewson to beat the Giants, 1 – 0. Brooklyn scores in the 1st inning when Matty walks two with two runners on base.

July 30, 1904

Cardinals pitcher Jack Taylor walks seven and tosses three wild pitches to help the host Pirates beat St. Louis, 5 – 2.

August 1, 1904

Pittsburgh Pirate hurler Charlie Case gives up 11 hits but shuts out Chicago, 4 – 0.

August 2, 1904

Pitcher Frank Owen of the Chicago White Sox steals home against the Nats in the 3rd inning of a 5 – 1 win.

August 3, 1904

Christy Mathewson takes 4 – 0 lead into the 9th against the Cubs, but after an out, he is rattled for four hits, and a error to make the margin, 4 – 3. Shad Barry, on first base with two out, then tries to steal and is gunned down by Frank Bowerman to end the match. The Giants are now 63-24.

August 5, 1904

1904 – The Highlanders beat Cleveland, 5 – 0, to send the American League into a virtual three-way tie. New York is first (.614) with Chicago (.613) and Cleveland (.611) close behind.

August 6, 1904

Lefthander Nick Altrock of the White Sox, en route to the first of three 20-win seasons, handles 13 fielding chances “the modern major-league record for pitchers” in an 8 – 1 victory over the Athletics. He will finish the year with 49 putouts, an American League record for pitchers.

August 6, 1904

At the Polo Grounds, 20,488 watch the Giants roll over St. Louis, 8 – 1. Christy Mathewson, the winner, exits after six innings, and is replaced by Red Ames.

August 7, 1904

The Giants swap outfielders sending rookie OF Moose McCormick (.266) west to the Reds who in turn send him to Pittsburgh for Jimmy Sebring (.269). The Reds ship Mike Donlin (.356) to the Giants. Turkey Mike, sitting out a month’s suspension for drunken behavior in Chicago, will enjoy the New York life style and being reunited with John McGraw, for whom he starred at Baltimore in 1901. He’ll help the Giants win two straight pennants.

August 8, 1904

Christy Mathewson wins his second game in three days‚ beating St. Louis in relief‚ 4 – 3

August 8, 1904

In Cleveland‚ with the Naps ahead of New York‚ 7 – 1 in the 4th‚ Dave Fultz and manager Clark Griffith argue a strike call with umpire Silk O’Loughlin. When they refuse to go the bench‚ Silk orders a policeman to escort them off the field. Tomorrow‚ Silk will throw out pitcher Jack Powell and have the police escort Jimmy Williams off the field. Griffith and Williams will receive suspensions from the American League‚ and Highlander owner Frank Farrell vows O’Loughlin will not be allowed to enter Hilltop Park again. To no avail.

August 10, 1904

1904 – Jack Chesbro is knocked out by the White Sox after pitching 30 complete games in a row. For the year he will win 41 games, pitching 48 complete games out of 51 starts for the Highlanders. All are post-1900 records. His 455 innings pitched will be topped only by Ed Walsh’s 464 in 1908.

August 11, 1904

 Cardinals’ player/manager Kid Nichols strikes out 17 Superbas in a 15-inning, 4 – 3 win.

August 16, 1904

The Bucs jump on Christy Mathewson for five runs in two innings of the opener in game 1 of a double header

August 17, 1904

Christy Mathewson beats bucs as Honus Wagner gets thrown out of the game

August 17, 1904

Boston American hurler Jesse Tannehill no-hits the White Sox, 6-0.

August 20, 1904

In a rain-shortened game in Pittsburgh, the Giants win, 3 – 0, Christy Mathewson allows just three hits.

August 24, 1904

In Chicago, Christy Mathewson blanks the Cubs on three hits and the Giants defeat Buttons Briggs, 3 – 0. The second game is called after 10 innings with the score 2 – 2. Chicago fans show their feelings towards the Giants by tossing bottles onto the field. RF George Browne is hit on the leg and is almost hit in the head while chasing a fly ball. John McGraw tells ump Bob Emslie that he will not allow his team to continue play until all the broken glass is cleared, and by the time that occurs it is too dark to continue play.

August 24, 1904

New York Highlander outfielder “Wee Willie” Keeler hit two inside-the-park home runs in a 9-1 victory over the St. Louis Browns

August 27, 1904

1904 – At Robison Field, the Giants score seven runs in three innings off Jack Taylor and Christy Mathewson eases to a 9 – 3 win over the Cards.

August 30, 1904

Christy Mathewson and the visiting Giants top the Reds, 3 – 1, beating Noodles Hahn. Matty drives in one of the three runs scored in the 8th with a single and improves his record to 28-9.

August 30, 1904

At Boston, the Americans rack up 18 hits to defeat Detroit, 13 – 0.

August 31, 1904

1904 – In a rowdy 3 – 2, 11-inning Giants win in Cincinnati, the high point comes in the 6th when New York catcher Frank Bowerman slugs a fan, a music teacher named Albert Hartzell, who has been heckling him. Police escort the catcher from the field. Bowerman will be released from custody tomorrow when the fan drops the charges. The Giants win the second game as well, 4 – 1, in seven innings, with the game shortened to allow the Giants to catch a train for New York. The Giants leave Cincinnati with a 15-game lead over Chicago in the National League.

September 3, 1904

1904 – Syracuse (New York State League) beats Scranton three times in a triple-header.

September 5, 1904

Giants sweep the Beaneaters Christy Mathewson wins the opener

September 7, 1904

1904 – Rookie George “Hooks” Wiltse records his 10th straight win without a loss, and the Giants’ 12th in a row, as he beats the Phillies, 6 – 3. Wiltse allows eight hits.

September 8, 1904

1904 – The visiting Phillies stop the Giants’ win streak at 12 when the beat up Dummy Taylor to win, 9 – 8. Bill Duggleby is the victor. New York then wins the nitecap, 4 – 1 as Christy Mathewson notches his 30th victory, over Tully Sparks. Darkness ends the game in the 7th inning.

September 9, 1904

Cold weather keeps the crowd to 1,844 in New York as Joe McGinnity wins his 31st

September 10, 1904

A crowd of 15,250 cheer the first-place Giants to a pair of one-run wins over the Phillies. Roger Bresnahan’s 9th-inning triple scores two in the opener, as Hooks Wiltse earns his 11th straight win. Dummy Taylor wins the nitecap, 6 – 5, as the Giants finish four straight doubleheaders with five victories, a loss and a tie. New York leads the 2nd-place Cubsby 17 games.

September 10, 1904

The A’s Eddie Plank and Boston’s Cy Young face each other, with the Athletics prevailing, 1 – 0, in 13 innings.

September 12, 1904

1904 – Boston wins its 2nd of 19 games against the Giants, and beats Christy Mathewson in the process, 3 – 1.

September 14, 1904

1904 – Boston, with a half-game lead over New York, sends Bill Dineen to the mound. Patsy Dougherty leads off with a single and Willie Keelerfollows with a bunt that C Lou Criger fires into the crowd to allow Patsy to score. Keeler scores a play later. Boston’s only tally against Jack Chesbro comes in the 9th on a 2-base error and a wild pitch. New York wins 3 – 1. The nightcap is called after five innings and a 1 – 1 score.

September 15, 1904

Beating the Beaneaters, 3 – 2, Giant hurler Hooks Wiltse runs his career record to 12-0. “Hooks”‘ dozen consecutive victories establishes the record for the most wins at the start of a career for a starter.

September 16, 1904

The Giants sweep two from Brooklyn as Christy Mathewson wins the opener, 2 – 1, allowing just four hits. Two of the hits, a triple and homer, are by rookie Emil Batch. Joe McGinnity wins the nitecap, 5 – 3.

September 17, 1904

More than 23,000, reputedly the largest crowd in Boston history, show up for the showdown twinbill with the New York Highlanders

September 21, 1904

1904 – The Reds sweep the Giants, winning 6 – 4 and 2 – 0, to stall the Giants’ clinching of the flag. The Reds rough up Christy Mathewson in the opener and Jack Harper scatters five hits for the shutout. New York has lost three in a row for the first time this season.

September 22, 1904

9/22/1904 – In the Giants’ 100th victory of the season which clinched the National League pennant, the Reds had trouble with their lineup. Pitcher Win Kellum batted in place of Tommy Corcoran and struck out. When a protest was lodged, Corcoran was called out and Kellum batted again.

September 23, 1904

1904 – The Giants sleepwalk against the Pirates (“Pittsburg Plays All By Itself” is the New York Herald headline) as Red Ames allows three runs in eight innings before John McGraw pulls him. His replacement is Frank Bowerman who gives up four runs in his only big league inning. The Pirates win, 7 – 0.

September 24, 1904

For the second time this season, Chicago’s Patsy Dougherty spoils a no-hit bid with a safety

September 24, 1904

Cubs P Bob Wicker allows just one hit in regulation in beating Brooklyn, 4 – 0

September 24, 1904

Christy Mathewson wins his 32nd

September 27, 1904

In St. Louis, the Browns’ Willie Sudhoff and the A’s Chief Bender face off for 10 innings without either team scoring. The game ends in a tie.

September 27, 1904

Chick Stahl singles with two outs in the ninth to break up Bob Rhoads no hit bid

September 30, 1904

Doc White tosses his fifth shutout in eighteen days when he blanks New York at Chicago’s South Side Park, 4-0

October 3, 1904

Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants strikes out 16 Cardinals setting a new record

October 4, 1904

10/4/1904: In the second game of a doubleheader, Jack Dunn of the Giants homered. However, he was called out by umpire Jim Johnstone for missing first base. This and other protests caused the arbiter to forfeit the game to St. Louis.

October 7, 1904

Jack Chesbro gets his 41st win of the season when the Highlanders beat Boston in New York, 3-2

October 8, 1904

Jimmy Barrett becomes the first major leaguer to play 162 games in a season, 57 years before the schedule expands from 154 contests to 162

October 10, 1904

Bill Dinneen on one day’s rest beats the Highlanders

October 19, 1904

1904 Spalding Baseball Advertisement.

November 24, 1904

1904 – In the Pacific Coast League, San Francisco beats Oakland, 2 – 1, behind Jimmy Whalen (32-23). Whalen ends the game with two shutout innings starting a 47-inning scoreless streak through next season. The Oaks score their lone run in the 7th inning. San Francisco wins the nitecap, 3 – 0.

December 14, 1904

1904 – The Philadelphia Phillies send pitcher Chick Fraser and third baseman Harry Wolverton to the Boston Beaneaters for pitcher Togie Pittinger.

December 20, 1904

1904 – The last-place Phillies send minor-league 1B Del Howard to Pittsburgh for Moose McCormick, Otto Krueger and 1B Kitty Bransfield.