Major League Baseball Season Recap 1908

1908,The two most hotly contested races in Major League history came in the 1908 season. In the National League, the Cubs outdueled the Giants on the last day of the season. Detroit and Chicago both had a chance to be champs when they met in the regular season finale; the Tigers won the game, and the White Sox finished third, a mere 1 1/2 games back. After the excitement of those races, the World Series was anticlimactic with the Cubs disposing of the Tigers in five games.

The NL season finale on October 8, Cubs star Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown relieved starter Jack Pfeister in the first inning and faced off against Giants sensation Christy Mathewson, the most dominant pitcher in the league (37-11, 1.43 ERA, 259 strikeouts). Chicago rallied for a 4-2 win, the Cubs’ fifth in a row. Brown (29-9) and Ed Reulbach (24-7) ranked just behind Mathewson in pitching during the season. Pittsburgh’s Honus Wagner topped NL hitters with a .354 average and 109 RBI, just ahead of the Giants’ Mike Donlin in both categories. The Pirates also finished just 1 game back, tied with the Giants, after losing to the Cubs in their last game of the season on October 4.

Detroit took the AL crown by 1/2 game over Cleveland, on the strength of a rained-out game that was not made up. The Tigers’ Ty Cobb led AL batters with a .324 average. The league’s best pitchers were Cleveland’s Addie Joss (24-11, 1.16), who threw a perfect game on October 2, and Chicago’s Ed Walsh, who started 49 games and ended with a 40-15 record in 464 innings pitched.

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1908

Donie Bush
Larry Gardner
Frank Baker
Amos Strunk
Buck Herzog
Rube Marquard
Slim Sallee
Hippo Vaughn
Joe Jackson

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World Series – Chicago Cubs NL over Detriot Tigers AL 4 games to 1

The stories that shaped the year:

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January 4, 1908

All-Star outfielder George “Twinkletoes” Selkirk, is born in Huntsville, Canada

January 9, 1908

1908 – The Detroit Tigers name Frank Navin president of the team. The Tigers’ home ballpark, Bennett Park, will be re-named “Navin Field”, which will later become Tiger Stadium.

February 23, 1908

Hall of Fame pitcher Ray Brown is born in Alger, Ohio.

February 27, 1908

In Fullerton, California, Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson is operated on for an infection of the mastoid area behind the right ear. The doctors remove a section of the bone, and the recuperation will keep Johnson sidelined until late May.

February 27, 1908

The sacrifice fly rule is adopted. No time at bat is charged if a run scores after the catch of a fly ball. The rule will be repealed in 1931, then reinstated (or changed) several times before gaining permanent acceptance in 1954.

March 7, 1908

Near Lexington, Kentucky, the train carrying the Cleveland Naps is struck by two bricks, shattering windows.

March 16, 1908

 Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner, at age 34, announces his retirement. An annual rite of spring, it will not keep him from playing in 151 games, more than in any of the past 10 years, and leading the National League in batting average (for the sixth time), hits, total bases, doubles, triples, slugging, runs batted in, and stolen bases. He will miss the Triple Crown by hitting two fewer home runs than Tim Jordan’s 12.

March 21, 1908

 Ty Cobb signs with the Detroit Tigers for $4,000 plus an $800 bonus if he hits over .300. He will collect the bonus with a league-leading .324 average, becoming one of only three American League regulars to top .300 this year – the National League will have five.

April 2, 1908

Doubleday did create baseball

April 20, 1908

Henry Chadwick dies at age 83 in Brooklyn, New York

April 22, 1908

Mike Donlin hits a walk-off home run to give the Giants a 3 – 2 win in opener

April 22, 1908

19th Century Chicago Cubs superstar Cap Anson is on the mound, delivering the traditional ceremonial “first ball” of the season

May 9, 1908

Art Devlin cracks a 1st-inning double with the bases loaded and the New York Giants score seven runs off Irv Young in the first two innings. Christy Mathewson scatters 10 Doves hits in coasting to a 7 – 3 win.

May 21, 1908

Pitching for Kansas City of the American Association, Smokey Joe Wood hurls a 1 – 0 no-hitter against Milwaukee.

May 23, 1908

Giants 3B Art Devlin ties a record by handling 13 total chances as the Cards beat New York, 6 – 2. Two errors cost him a new record.

May 23, 1908

Chicago Cubs pitcher Carl Lundgren beats the Boston Nationals‚ 6 – 4‚ his 10th straight win over them in 4 years. Lundgren will post an 18-7 record this year‚ allowing no homers.

May 25, 1908

5/25/1908 – The Cubs hit out of turn in the first inning against the Giants in Chicago. Pat Moran was listed seventh and Joe Tinker eighth in the lineup. However, when the seventh spot came up with two out in the bottom of the first, Tinker strode to the plate and made the third out. Moran then led off the bottom of the second with a single to center and eventually scored. In the third inning, the batters hit in the correct order and the Giants objected. However, umpire Bob Emslie showed John McGraw the lineup sheet and that was the end of that. The Cubs won the contest in 10 innings, 8-7.

June 1, 1908

6/1/1908 – In the top of the eigth of the second game of a double header, the Cardinals Ed Konetchy was picked off the third to end the inning with Billy Gilbert at the plate. Gilbert should have started the top of the ninth, but Irv Higgenbothman came up instead and singled. The Reds objected, and Gilbert was correctly called out and Higgenbotham batted again, grounding out this time.

June 7, 1908

The Detroit Tigers turn a triple play against the Boston Red Sox for the second day in a row

June 11, 1908

In his first start since his February operation‚ Walter Johnson is hammered by the St. Louis Browns in leaves in the 4th inning. He won’t pitch again until the 23rd.

June 11, 1908

Vic Willis pitches Pittsburgh to a 5 – 2 win over the Giants. Christy Mathewson loses his 4th of the year.

June 22, 1908

Honus Wagner gets hit No. 2,000 in the 8th against Jake Weimer of the Reds

June 23, 1908

1908 – The Doves and Giants split a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, with the Giants taking the opener, 6 – 3, and Boston winning the nitecap, 9 – 7. Christy Mathewson preserves Joe McGinnity’s win in the first game, pitching a perfect 9th inning; in the nitecap, he relieves Dummy Taylor in the 9th with the score 7 – 7, but the Braves score twice for the win. Fred Merkle cracks his first major league homer, against Patsy Flaherty, in the nitecap.

June 24, 1908

Honus Wagner does it all today, smacking a home run and double, then breaking a 3 – 3 tie with an 8th-inning single

June 24, 1908

The Giants sweep two games from Boston to move into 3rd place. Hooks Wiltse tosses a two-hit shutout to win, 4 – 0, and Christy Mathewson follows with a 7 – 1 victory over Irv Young in the second match. Matty leaves after seven innings.

June 24, 1908

Charging the Highlander owners with refusing to spend money to build the team, manager Clark Griffith resigns; Kid Elberfeld replaces him following today’s 6 – 6 tie with the A’s. New York fades fast and finishes last with 103 losses.

June 25, 1908

The Cincinnati Reds debut two college twirlers, Jean Dubuc of Notre Dame and Bert Sincock from Michigan. Dubuc starts and Sincock relieves him. Unimpressed by the degrees, the Cubs trounce the pair by the score of 7 – 0.

June 30, 1908

Boston Red Sox ace Cy Young pitches the third no-hitter of his career when he shuts down the New York Highlanders, 8-0.

July 2, 1908

7/2/1908 – The Phillies were at the Polo Grounds to play the Giants. Mickey Doolan (listed as Doolin in contemporary sources) batted seventh and Red Dooin batted eighth. Doolan made the last out in the seventh inning but then came to the plate to start the eighth. Doolan grounded out and then umpire Cy Rigler was notified that he had batted out of turn. Rigler called Dooin out. Since Doolan had already made an out the Giants should have ignored the confusion.

July 4, 1908

Lefthander Hooks Wiltse pitches a 10-inning no-hitter for the Giants over the Phillies, 1 – 0. He loses his bid for a perfect nine innings when, with two outs, he hits Phils P George McQuillan with a pitch on a 1 and 2 count. Umpire Charles Rigler calls the earlier pitch a ball, to the dismay of Hooks and the fans, who thought it a strike. Art Devlin scores the winner in the 10th after singling off McQuillan and coming around on two errors. New York wins the nitecap more easily, 9 – 3.

July 4, 1908

In Pittsburgh, an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader with the Cubs draws 50,000 fans. Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown wins the morning game, 2 – 0, for his 4th straight shutout. Ed Reulbach takes the afternoon affair, 9 – 3. The Cubs and Bucs play five games in three days with the Cubs winning three: Brown cops 2, tossing two shutouts – a six-hitter and a two-hitter.

July 10, 1908

The Red Sox purchase 1B Jake Stahl from the Highlanders.

July 10, 1908

At Pittsburgh, the Giants (43-30) take a 4 – 0 lead, but the Pirates claw back on back-to-back triples by Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke. Tommy Leach wins it for the Bucs with a 9th-inning home run to deep center.

July 11, 1908

The White Sox play their second 16-inning game in two days, beating Philadelphia, 5 – 4.

July 11, 1908

Vic Willis gives the Pirates their second win in a row over the Giants, winning, 6 – 2

July 13, 1908

New York sweeps the Pirates, beating Lefty Leifield, 7 – 0, on a three-hitter by Christy Mathewson & Joe McGinnity

July 14, 1908

7/14/1908: Josh Clarke of the Indians hit a homer in the first inning in New York but before the top half of the frame was completed, the game was washed out by heavy rain.

July 15, 1908

The Pittsburgh Pirates tie the Boston Doves in the 9th and win in the 10th, 3 – 2, when Fred Clarke is hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Bucs take the National League lead by a half-game.

July 15, 1908

In Chicago, the New York Giants pound Three-Finger Brown and two relievers to win, 11 – 0, and move into 2nd place. The Chicago Cubsdrop two places to 3rd.

July 16, 1908

At Chicago, manager Frank Chance figures to rattle Giants rookie Otis “Doc” Crandall and elects to bat the Cubs first (this option for the home team will only be stricken from the rules in 1951). But Crandall is a rock and nurses a 4 – 1 lead into the last of the 9th. After one out, Christy Mathewson, warming in the bullpen, decides the game is well in hand and goes into the clubhouse to shower. Crandall promptly walks three straight, wherein John McGraw looks in vain for Matty. The Giants’ ace quickly dries off, throws on a uniform, and puts his street shoes on. By the time he arrives on the mound, reliever Joe McGinnity has walked in a run. Matty gets a ground out, then a strikeout, and the Giants win, 4 – 3. Ed Reulbach takes the loss for Chicago.

July 17, 1908

Three-Finger Brown and Christy Mathewson pair off with Brown winning, 1 – 0

July 17, 1908

WAGNER DAY brings Honus many gifts

July 18, 1908

1908 – The Cubs win by a run, beating the Giants, 5 – 4, behind Orval Overall. Hooks Wiltse takes the loss as Joe Tinker once again wins the game, this time with a two-run double in the 9th inning. Tinker also has a 6th-inning triple off Hooks.

July 21, 1908

According to a Chicago newspaper contest, the Giants’ Mike Donlin, the National League’s leading hitter, is baseball’s most popular player. Turkey Mike tops Honus Wagner by a wide margin and will be awarded a trophy cup. Donlin was involved in a car accident on the 18th when the car he was riding in on Michigan Avenue collided with another vehicle driven by Chicago Mayor Fred A. Busse.

July 21, 1908

In St. Louis, the Cards split with the Giants, with Harry Sallee losing the opener, 4 – 2. Christy Mathewson wins his 21st straight over St. Louis, though he gives up 11 hits in the victory. The Cards beat Dummy Taylor in the nitecap, 3 – 1, in 12 innings.

July 22, 1908

1908 – In Pittsburgh, Brooklyn first sacker Tim Jordan hits an over-the-fence home run, the first in nine years, but it’s all the scoring his team can muster. The Pirates prevail, 2 – 1.

July 25, 1908

Future Red Sox pitcher Hugh Bedient, pitching for a semi-pro Falconer, NY team, strikes out 42 batters in what is heralded as a world’s record. He does it in 23 innings against Corry, PA, finally winning, 3 – 1. He is matched all the way by Charles Bickford. When the wire services pick up the story, Bedient will receive 19 pro offers.

July 25, 1908

Before an overflow crowd of 30,000 in New York, the Pirates’ Lefty Leifield tops the Giants and Christy Mathewson, 7 – 2. The loss drops New York to 3rd place. Two errors by Larry Doyle in the 7th open the gates for five Pirate runs. Pittsburgh is led by Honus Wagner who goes 5 for 5 to take over the batting lead from a hitless Mike Donlin. After each hit, Wagner holds up a finger to show the number of safeties to the RF Donlin.

July 25, 1908

Hal Chase comes in to pitch to Ty Cobb and gets him to fly out

July 27, 1908

Following the Sunday off, Honus Wagner hits doubles in his first two at bats to again lead the Pirates to a 4 – 3 win over New York

July 28, 1908

Walter Johnson’s recuperation from his operation from an infection behind the right ear seems complete as he pitches 15 innings against the Browns with neither team scoring

July 28, 1908

Hooks Wiltse and Vic Willis lock horns for 16 innings  

July 29, 1908

Rube Waddell continues to haunt Connie Mack, again fanning 16 A’s in a 5 – 4 win for the Browns.

July 29, 1908

John McFarlan of Helena (Arkansas State League) loses his perfect game when the 27th batter refuses to bat, resulting in a 9 – 0 forfeit.

July 29, 1908

Christy Mathewson defeats the Cardinals again, beating Harry Sallee, 1 – 0. Sallee allows four hits, but the one run scores on an error and passed ball.

July 29, 1908

Rube Waddell fans sixteen of his former teammates when the Browns defeat the A’s at Sportsman’s Park, 5-4. During the off-season, a frustrated Connie Mack, Philadelphia’s owner and manager, traded his talented but free-spirit hurler to St. Louis.

July 31, 1908

After successfully swiping second, Fred Tenney decides to return to first base on the next pitch, because Dummy Taylor had remained at third during their attempted double steal. Hoping this time to coax a throw from the Cardinal catcher to give the runner on third an opportunity to score, Tenney steals second base for the second time in the inning, but his teammate still stays put in the Giants’ 9-2 victory over St. Louis at the Polo Grounds.

August 4, 1908

The Giants take two from Cincinnati, winning 4 – 3 in 12 innings, and 4 – 1. Christy Mathewson wins both, relieving Joe McGinnity in the 9th inning of the opener and tossing nine innings in the nitecap; Andy Coakley loses both. New York moves into 2nd place, five percentage points behind the Pirates. Despite the two losses, it is a relief for the Reds to score runs. Cincy had endured four straight shutout losses: 5 – 0 on July 30; 3 – 0 on the 31st; 6 – 0 on the 1st and 3rd.

August 4, 1908

In Brooklyn, the last-place Cardinals blank the Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers), 3-0. The entire Washington Park contest is played with just one ball.

August 5, 1908

The Nationals’ Otis Clymer and Jim Delahanty draw indefinite suspensions for abusing umpire Silk O’Loughlin in Cleveland. Delahanty, a Cleveland native, is later fined $50 and barred from the Cleveland ballpark for one year for his unbecoming conduct.

August 6, 1908

A scheduled doubleheader in Brooklyn with St. Louis is washed out after five innings of the first game, but lefty Johnny Lush, with a one no-hitter over Brooklyn under his belt, allows no Brooklyn hits in his outing. The Cards win 2 – 0, on two unearned runs, as 1B Tim Jordan drops a fly ball with the bases loaded.

August 6, 1908

Detroit outfielder Ty Cobb gets married, having departed the Tigers three days ago to attend the ceremony without the team’s permission. The 21 year-old Georgia Peach’s six-day defection during a pennant race will be described by club co-owner Frank Navin as the most arrogant act he had ever heard of in baseball.

August 10, 1908

1908 – Twenty thousand fans, the largest ever to watch a Monday game, crowd the Polo Grounds to see the matchup of Christy Mathewson and the Cubs’ Orval Overall. Matty doesn’t disappoint, winning, 3 – 2.

August 13, 1908

1908 – Cy Young Day is celebrated by 20,000 in Boston. He pitches briefly against an All-Star team that includes Jack Chesbro, Hal Chase, Willie Keeler, Harry Davis and George Mullin. The game is interrupted several times for presentations to the great hurler, including a great loving cup from the American League for all his accomplishments.

August 14, 1908

1908 – The Nationals’ Walter Johnson hurls a 1 – 0 victory over the White Sox, allowing just two hits, the first a 9th-inning single by Sox P Doc White.

August 16, 1908

1908 – The Cardinals deal a blow to the Giants’ pennant hopes by defeating them twice in St. Louis. With Christy Mathewson refusing to pitch on Sundays, Red Ames and Joe McGinnity take the losses.

August 17, 1908

In a rain-shortened game, Christy Mathewson defeats the Cards, 3 – 0

August 19, 1908

1908 – The Highlanders’ Jack Chesbro allows 11 hits, but shuts out Detroit, 7 – 0.

August 20, 1908

New York tops the Reds, 2 – 0, as Christy Mathewson hurls an eight-hit shutout.

August 20, 1908

Brooklyn collects 15 safeties off three Pirates pitchers and Harry McIntire allows just four Buc hits for the win.

August 21, 1908

Pittsburgh regains first place as Nick Maddox (15-5) beats Brooklyn, 2 – 1 for his 8th win in a row. Maddox drives in both runs as well. Maddox, who won his last five games of 1907, has now won 20 games in 30 appearances, the quickest twenty-game winner ever (This mark will be tied by Russ Ford, in 1910, Boo Ferriss in 1945, and Cal Eldred in 1993).

August 21, 1908

After more than a dozen attempts, Senator backstop Gabby Street catches a baseball dropped by journalist Preston Gibson from atop of the 555-foot Washington Monument. Scientists estimate the ball traveled with a force of between 200-to-300 pounds.

August 22, 1908

Joe McGinnity stops the Reds, 5 – 1 after being nearly traded to them sarlier in the day.

August 24, 1908

1908 – The Giants gain the National League lead by winning two at Pittsburgh, after first refusing to play a doubleheader. John McGraw protests that only one game was scheduled and he was not given 24 hours notice about the second match. But after polling the players, he relents. Hooks Wiltse then tops Vic Willis, 4 – 1 and Christy Mathewson beats Lefty Leifield, 5 – 1. Willis tires in the 8th, giving up a 2-run triple to Roger Bresnahan, followed by a Mike Donlin homer. In the nitecap, Donlin and Larry Doyle each drive home a pair. The doubleheader is watched in New York on electric diamonds known as “Compton’s Baseball Bulletin” at Madison Square Garden and the Gotham Theatre. Bulletins will display all remaining games.

August 25, 1908

1908 – The Giants win their 3rd in a row from Pittsburgh, stopping Nick Maddox, 5 – 3. Maddox had won eight in a row. Doc Crandall is the winner. Larry Doyle triples in the 3rd inning, then steps off the bag while chatting with Buc third sacker Tommy Leach. George Gibson’s throw from home nails Doyle.

August 26, 1908

1908 – The Giants sweep, scoring a run in the 8th and two in the 9th to trip Irv Young and the host Pirates, 4 – 3. Christy Mathewson, in relief, is given the win, though by today’s scoring he would receive a save. New York’s 8-game win streak puts them ahead of Pittsburgh and Chicago by 3 1/2 games.

August 27, 1908

1908 – With electric bulletin boards also showing the action in Chicago, the Cubs arrive back home for a three-game sweep to move within one-half game of the lead. Chicago wins today, 5 – 1, then takes the day off tomorrow.

August 28, 1908

The Senators give some support to Walter Johnson, scoring eight runs against Cleveland to win 8 – 0. Johnson’s last outing was a 1 – 0 loss to the Tigers on the 24th.

August 28, 1908

The Red Sox replace manager Deacon McGuire with Fred Lake.

August 29, 1908

In Chicago, the Cubs beat the Giants again, 3 – 2, to record their 8th straight win. It is Three Finger Brown besting Christy Mathewson again, allowing five Giants hits and giving up six walks.

August 30, 1908

1908 – Chicago beats the Giants for their 9th straight win to tighten the National League race; Chicago finishes August a half-game out, with the Pirates a game out of first.

September 1, 1908

1908 – The month starts with the Giants in first place in the National League with a 69-45 record‚ followed by Chicago (70-47) and the Pirates (69-47). New York shakes off its 3 losses to Chicago by beating up on Boston‚ winning two at South End Grounds. Hooks Wiltse takes the opener‚ 4 – 1‚ and Christy Mathewson coasts home in the second game‚ 8 – 0‚ allowing 3 hits. Dummy Taylor pitches the 9th against the Doves.

September 2, 1908

1908 – In Philadelphia, Frank Corridon goes all the way to defeat Brooklyn, 2 – 1, in 17 innings. Corridon does not walk a batter.

September 4, 1908

In New York, Walter Johnson opens a series against New York by besting Jack Chesbro, 3 – 0, allowing six hits in the Washington win.

September 4, 1908

The Giants sweep two more from the Doves, beating Boston, 3 – 0 and 8 – 5. Joe McGinnity wins the first game, while three pitchers combine for the second win. Red Ames is the victor.

September 4, 1908

In a game, the significance of which will not be recognized for another three weeks, the Pirates and Cubs are tied 0 – 0 in the last of the 10th at Pittsburgh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Pittsburgh’s Owen Wilson singles to CF, scoring Fred Clarke with the winning run. Warren Gill, on first base, does not get to second but stops short, turns, and heads for the dugout, a common practice. The Cubs’ Johnny Evers calls for the ball from Jimmy Slagle, touches second, and claims the run does not count as Gill has been forced. The lone umpire, Hank O’Day, has left the field. When queried, he rules that Clarke had already scored, so the run counts. The Cubs protest to league president Harry Pulliam, but are denied. This is the first time the Cubs try this tactic, but not the last, as the Fred Merkle game will demonstrate.

September 4, 1908

In the nitecap of a twinbill in Boston, Frank Arellanes tosses a one-hitter and the Red Sox collect 13 hits to defeat the A’s, 10 – 1. Light-hitting Simon Nicholls clubs his 4th homer of the year for the only A’s hit.

September 5, 1908

The Giants roll over the Phils, 5 – 1, for their 7th straight win. Christy Mathewson is the winner over George McQuillan.

September 5, 1908

Washington and Walter Johnson top the Highlanders, 6 – 0, as the New Yorkers manage just four hits.

September 5, 1908

Ed Reulbach allows just four Pittsburgh hits as Chicago romps, 11 – 0.

September 5, 1908

Superbas southpaw Nap Rucker strikes out 14 Doves en route to tossing a no-hitter in the team’s 6-0 victory over Boston at Washington Park

September 7, 1908

Walter Johnson hurls his 3rd shutout in 4 days

September 7, 1908

Honus Wagner helps the Pirates sweep the Cardinals going 6-7 in a double header

September 8, 1908

Boston’s Cy Young defeats Washington, 3 – 1, for his 20th win.

September 8, 1908

The Pirates set a major league fielding record against the Cardinals by making only two assists, both by 2B Charlie Starr. The Bucs win, 2 – 0, with Honus Wagner driving in both runs.

September 8, 1908

Christy Mathewson’s 30th win is a gem – an 11-inning 1 – 0 win over the Superbas’ Nap Rucker. A single by Al Bridwell drives home Cy Seymour with the winning tally. New Yorkstays a half-game ahead of Pittsburgh.

September 9, 1908

1908 – In a 7 – 3 New York win, the Giants steal nine bases off Brooklyn’s Billy Maloney, an OF pressed into service as a catcher. That’s enough to make him quit the game. Following the game John McGraw makes his stage debut in a show at the Hippodrome. He has a small part in the show “Sporting Days”.

September 10, 1908

Bull Durham of the Indianapolis Indians pitches and wins both ends of a doubleheader against the Toledo Mud Hens. This is the 5th doubleheader this season in which Durham has accomplished this feat. Previously he beat the Milwaukee Brewers (June 14), Columbus Senators (July 18), St. Paul Apostles (July 25), and the Louisville Colonels (August 8).

September 10, 1908

Detroit takes its 2nd straight extra-inning game from the White Sox, 6 – 5, in 11 innings, and the Naps beat the Browns, 5 – 2. The American League race leaves Detroit 75-52, Chicago 72-57, St. Louis 71-57.

September 12, 1908

A day after beating the A’s Eddie Plank, 2 – 1, Washington’s Walter Johnson is forced to start again, this time replacing sore-armed Charlie Smith. Remarkably, Johnson records his 5th complete game victory in nine days.

September 12, 1908

In the dogfight for the American League pennant, the White Sox play their 4th straight extra-inning game at Detroit, a total of 43 innings. The White Sox win their second straight, while the Browns lose their second in a row to Cleveland.

September 12, 1908

New York tops the Superbas, 6 – 3, for a sweep of the five-game series with Brooklyn. The Giants score four in the 8th, including a long triple by Christy Mathewson, to put the game away.

September 13, 1908

An error by Pittsburgh’s Charlie Starr accounts for all three Reds runs as the Pirates lose, 3 – 2. The loss drops the Pirates to 3rd place.

September 13, 1908

Lancaster (Ohio State League) P Walt “Smoke” Justis hurls his 4th no-hitter of the season, defeating Marion, 3 – 0. His other gems came on July 19th, August 2nd and September 8th. Justis had no record in two major league appearances with Detroit in 1905.

September 13, 1908

Browns pitcher Rube Waddell gives up a Detroit run in the first when Ty Cobb triples home Matty McIntyre, but ties the game when he singles a run home in the 2nd. Waddell allows nothing after that and the Browns win, 2 – 1, when Syd Smith singles in the winner in the bottom of the 11th.

September 14, 1908

Ike Van Zandt, age 31, commits suicide by shooting himself.

September 15, 1908

The Highlanders’ Pete Wilson makes his major league debut by shutting out Boston, 1 – 0.

September 15, 1908

The Cardinals rattle Red Ames for five hits in the 8th inning to tie the Giants at 4 – 4. Cardinal killer Christy Mathewson relieves and when Al Bridwell scores the go-ahead run, Matty stops the Birds for his major-league record 24th consecutive win over St. Louis.

September 18, 1908

The largest crowd in the history of the National League – 35,000 – cheer as the Giants shove the Pirates to five games off the pace by sweeping a doubleheader. Christy Mathewson shuts out the Bucs in the first game, 7 – 0, for his 11th shutout and his 33rd win. Then the Giants collect 18 hits to take the nitecap, 12 – 7, as Hooks Wiltse and Joe McGinnity combine for the win. The other hitting occurs in the first game when Mike Donlin tires of a heckler and punches him in the eye. Police quickly move in.

September 18, 1908

The White Sox stay close to the top when Ed Walsh tops Walter Johnson to win, 1 – 0. The Sox manage just three hits off the Senators’ ace.

September 18, 1908

Bob Rhoads, outdueling Frank Arellanes, the only Mexican-American playing in the majors, tosses a no-hitter, beating the Red Sox at Cleveland’s League Park, 2-1. Four years ago, the Indians right-hander held Boston hitless until Chick Stahl singled with two outs in the ninth inning.

September 19, 1908

Ed Reulbach pitches 10 innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the Phils before the scoreless game is called on account of darkness.

September 19, 1908

More than 30,000 fans in New York watch the Pirates snap a 2 – 2 tie in the 10th by scoring four runs. Lefty Leifield picks up the win for Pittsburgh.

September 20, 1908

Frank Smith of the Chicago White Sox throws his second career no-hitter for a 1 – 0 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.

September 20, 1908

In the bottom of the ninth inning at South Side Park, Freddy Parent, while being walked intentionally by Eddie Plank, reaches out and pokes a shallow sac fly to right field. The unexpected sacrifice scores the winning run in the White Sox’ 1-0 walk-off victory over the A’s and gives Frank Smith, who held the A’s hitless, his second career no-hitter.

September 21, 1908

Cleveland takes the American League lead, beating New York, while Detroit takes two at St. Louis. With two weeks to go, 3 1/2 games separate four teams.

September 21, 1908

In New York, Christy Mathewson allows just three hits – all in the 3rd inning – and no walks, but the Pirates win, 2 – 1. Vic Willis goes one better, allowing just two New York hits for the victory.

September 23, 1908

Merkle Bonner – Fails to touch second base as winning run scores

September 23, 1908

Cleveland wins its 10th straight game, defeating the Highlanders and Jack Chesbro, 9 – 3. The Naps score five runs in the 7th, while Bob Rhoads pitches strong ball until the 9th, when he allows two runs. Nap Lajoie has no official at bats, getting hit by pitched balls three times, tying an American League record, and walking his other time up.

September 23, 1908

Giants P Christy Mathewson and Cubs P Three Finger Brown battle in the most controversial game ever played. The score is 1 – 1, with two outs in the last of the 9th when Fred Merkle’s failure to touch second after an apparent game-winning hit by Al Bridwell scoring Moose McCormick from third costs the Giants a 2 – 1 win; the ump calls Merkle out and rules the game a tie. Merkle’s ‘boner’ will eventually cost the Giants the flag.

September 23, 1908

The Pirates win their 7th victory in 10 games by topping Brooklyn, 2 – 1, behind Lefty Leifield. Kaiser Wilhelm takes the loss. Pittsburgh is now a game in back of first place.

September 24, 1908

Washington’s Walter Johnson stops Cleveland’s win streak at 10

September 24, 1908

Harry Pulliam upholds Hank O’Day’s delayed decision and declares the previous day’s controversial game between the Giants and Cubs a tie

September 25, 1908

At the Polo Grounds, Rube Marquard makes his major league debut and the Reds rough up the Giants’ $18,000 rookie for seven hits and five runs in five innings.

September 25, 1908

Detroit’s Ed Summers pitches two complete-game wins over the A’s, winning the opener, 7 – 2. The second game is a 10-inning battle with another rookie, Biff Schlitzer, that ends 1 – 0 on a Claude Rossman drive for an inside-the-park home run. Summers allows just two hits. With the White Sox idle, the Tigers move to a half-game out of first.

September 25, 1908

The Senators score five runs in the 9th inning off Cleveland righthander Charlie Chech and beat the Naps, 6 – 1. Former Cleveland owner Frank DeHaas Robison, listening on the telephone to a friend’s play-by-play account of the Washington rally, collapses with a heart attack. He dies several hours later.

September 26, 1908

Ed Reulbach of the Chicago Cubs becomes the only pitcher to throw two shutouts on the same day

September 26, 1908

The Giants sweep the Reds, 6 – 2 and 3 – 1, behind victories by Christy Mathewson and Red Ames. For Matty, it is his 35th win.

September 26, 1908

Vic Willis tosses a 6-hit shutout over Boston for a Pittsburgh win.

September 26, 1908

Washington’s Walter Johnson loses, 5 – 4, to Cleveland when he makes a throwing error.

September 27, 1908

Ed Walsh blanks the Red Sox, 3 – 0, for a Chicago win. Only four percentage points separate the top three American League teams.

September 27, 1908

The Reds’ Hans Lobert steals second base, third, and home against St. Louis.

September 27, 1908

The Tigers take over first place with a Sunday 5 – 2 win over the A’s behind righty George Mullin.

September 29, 1908

At Exposition Park, Pittsburgh blanks the Cardinals, 7-0. The last-place Redbirds are shut out for a record 33rd time, averaging more than one whitewash every five games.

September 29, 1908

1908 – Ed Walsh of the Chicago White Sox beats the Boston Red Sox twice in Boston by scores of 5 – 1 and 2 – 0. Walsh allows only seven hits and one walk against fifteen strikeouts in the two games.

September 30, 1908

1908 – The Pirates top the Cards at home, 7 – 5 as Sam Leever wins in relief of Vic Willis. The win puts the Pirates all alone in 2nd place, .004 points behind the Giants.

October 2, 1908

On the last day of the season, future Hall of Famer Addie Joss hurls a perfect game, beating Ed Walsh and the White Sox, 1-0

October 2, 1908

Ty Cobb steals third base and scores winning run

October 5, 1908

Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh tops the Detroit Tigers, 6 – 1, for his 40th victory and forces the American League pennant race to the final day. Detroit’s 24-game winner Ed Summers takes the loss. Walsh leads the league in games pitched (66), innings (464), strikeouts (269), complete games (42), saves (six), shutouts (11) and winning percentage (.727). His ERA is 1.42.

October 5, 1908

The St. Louis Browns end the pennant hopes of the Cleveland Naps with a 3 – 1 win in the opener of two. Cleveland takes the second game, 5 – 3, to end the season with a 90 – 64 record. If the Tigers win tomorrow, their 90 – 63 will top Cleveland, whereas if the Chicago White Sox win, their 89-63 record will be four points ahead of the Naps.

October 5, 1908

Boston Red Sox pitcher King Brady makes his only American League appearance a good one, shutting out the New York Highlanders, 4 – 0. King had fashioned 1-1 records for both the Phillies and Pirates in the National League, and will go back to the NL with the Boston Doves over the winter.

October 6, 1908

In front nearly 30,000 very enthusiastic fans at South Side Park in the season finale, the White Sox start Doc White, coming off a complete game, on only two days rest in an attempt to thwart the Tigers’ from clinching the pennant. Chicago’s efforts will fail with a 7-0 defeat to Detroit, who capture the AL flag by a half of a game ahead of the Cleveland Naps thanks to a rule that doesn’t require a team to make up a rainout game from earlier in the season.

October 8, 1908

Chicago Cubs and New York Giants replay their disputed game

October 14, 1908

As the result of a formative gathering of sports scribes from New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, and Cincinnati that occurred at the National League offices in New York in August, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America holds its first meeting with forty-three founding members in attendance in Detroit. The mission of the BBWAA will be to improve working conditions for writers, promote uniformity of scoring methods, and to limit the press box to working reporters, telegraphers, and other professional personnel with a need to be there.

October 14, 1908

The Chicago Cubs win back to back World Series Titles

October 16, 1908

Pittsburgh Pirates, behind the complete-game shutout thrown by Rookie Babe Adams, beat the Tigers, 8-0 to capture the Title

October 24, 1908

Baseball’s anthem, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, is introduced by Bill Murray. The songwriting team of Albert Von Tilzer (music) and Jack Norworth (words), who created the immortal tune, has never seen a game.

November 3, 1908

A major league All-Star team leaves San Francisco for a tour of Japan, China, Hawaii, and the Philippines. It will play 40 games before returning on February 15, 1909.

November 15, 1908

Cuban pitcher Jose Mendez throws a no-hitter for 8 2/3 innings in an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds

November 16, 1908

Julia Stahl, widow of Chick Stahl, is found dead in the doorway of a Boston tenement house

November 22, 1908

1908 – In the first game between a Japanese and an American professional team, the Reach All-Americans defeat Waseda University in Tokyo, 5 – 0.

December 12, 1908

Cardinals trade for Roger Bresnahan will be the player-manager of the Cardinals for the next four years

March 21, 2022

Jimmy Sheckard nearly losses the use of his left eye as a result of a fistfight with teammate Heinie Zimmerman