1909 World Series | ||||||||||
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Dates | October 8–16 | |||||||||
Venue | Forbes Field (Pittsburgh) Bennett Park (Detroit) | |||||||||
Umpires | Jim Johnstone (NL), Billy Evans (AL), Bill Klem (NL), Silk O'Loughlin (AL) | |||||||||
Hall of Famers | Umpires: Billy Evans Bill Klem Pirates: Fred Clarke Honus Wagner Vic Willis Tigers: Sam Crawford Ty Cobb Hughie Jennings (manager) | |||||||||
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The 1909 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1909 season. The sixth edition of the World Series, it featured the National League champion Pittsburgh Pirates [lower-alpha 1] against the American League champion Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Baseball era and the second championship in the club's history. This Series is best remembered for featuring two of the very best players of the time, Pittsburgh shortstop Honus Wagner, and Detroit outfielder Ty Cobb.
Sites: games 1, 2 in Pittsburgh; games 3, 4 in Detroit; game 5 in Pittsburgh; games 6, 7 in Detroit.
The Pirates had won the National League pennant in 1909 behind the brilliant play of Honus Wagner, who led the league with a .339 batting average and 100 runs batted in.
Detroit returned for their third consecutive Fall Classic, determined to erase the memories of their previous efforts. The Tigers were also backed up by the heavy bat of Ty Cobb (who had just won his third consecutive American League batting title) and a formidable pitching staff. They might have finally won the Series in their third try, had it not been for Pirates rookie Babe Adams. Manager Fred Clarke started him, on a hunch, in Game 1. Adams won that game and two more, setting a World Series record for rookies. The Tigers thus became the first AL team to win three consecutive pennants and the first team to lose three straight World Series (the New York Giants would lose three straight Series from 1911 to 1913).
The Pirates ran at will against the weak Detroit catching corps, stealing 18 bases in seven games.
For the first time, four umpires were used at the same time, with the standard plate umpire and base umpire along with two outfield umpires.
On June 14, 2009, the series' 100th anniversary was celebrated, when the Tigers and Pirates played each other in Pittsburgh. Both teams wore throwback uniforms similar to those worn in 1909. The stadium's public address and sound systems were also turned off, simulating the game conditions in 1909. The Pirates won the game, 6–3. [1]
Ty Cobb had a fairly quiet Series, going 6-for-26 with two stolen bases and one caught stealing. There is a long-standing legend that Cobb, standing on first base, called the German-ancestored Honus Wagner a "krauthead", told him he was going to steal second, and was not only thrown out but that Wagner tagged him in the mouth, ball in hand, drawing blood from Cobb's lip. However, an examination of the play-by-play does not indicate that such a play occurred. In the one "caught stealing" charged to Cobb, during the first inning of Game 4, he was actually safe at second due to a throwing error by first baseman Bill Abstein. This story is largely attributed to the creative press at the time, and Wagner and Cobb were actually on good terms.
NL Pittsburgh Pirates (4) vs. AL Detroit Tigers (3)
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
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1 | October 8 | Detroit Tigers – 1, Pittsburgh Pirates – 4 | Forbes Field | 1:55 | 29,264 [2] |
2 | October 9 | Detroit Tigers – 7, Pittsburgh Pirates – 2 | Forbes Field | 1:45 | 30,915 [3] |
3 | October 11 | Pittsburgh Pirates – 8, Detroit Tigers – 6 | Bennett Park | 1:56 | 18,277 [4] |
4 | October 12 | Pittsburgh Pirates – 0, Detroit Tigers – 5 | Bennett Park | 1:57 | 17,036 [5] |
5 | October 13 | Detroit Tigers – 4, Pittsburgh Pirates – 8 | Forbes Field | 1:46 | 21,706 [6] |
6 | October 14 | Pittsburgh Pirates – 4, Detroit Tigers – 5 | Bennett Park | 2:00 | 10,535 [7] |
7 | October 16 | Pittsburgh Pirates – 8, Detroit Tigers – 0 | Bennett Park | 2:10 | 17,562 [8] |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Pittsburgh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Babe Adams (1–0) LP: George Mullin (0–1) Home runs: DET: None PIT: Fred Clarke (1) |
I'll never forget the look on Adams' face when I told him I wanted him to pitch the opener.
— Pirates manager Fred Clarke
Rookie Babe Adams, who had compiled a 12–3 record during the regular season, unexpectedly drew the start for Game 1. He responded with a six-hit, 4–1 victory sparked by Clarke's game-tying home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Detroit | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Pittsburgh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Wild Bill Donovan (1–0) LP: Howie Camnitz (0–1) |
The Tigers began their 7–2 comeback win (after a two-run Pirate bottom of the first) with three runs in the top of the third, tying the Series at one game apiece. Ty Cobb stole home to start the rally.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Detroit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Nick Maddox (1–0) LP: Ed Summers (0–1) |
Honus Wagner had three hits, three RBI and three stolen bases as the Pirates regained the lead in the Series, two games to one.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Detroit | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 8 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: George Mullin (1–1) LP: Lefty Leifield (0–1) |
The win-swapping continued with Detroit taking Game 4. Tiger ace George Mullin threw a five-hit shutout while striking out 10 Pirates, again evening the Series at two games apiece.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Pittsburgh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | X | 8 | 10 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Babe Adams (2–0) LP: Ed Summers (0–2) Home runs: DET: Davy Jones (1), Sam Crawford (1) PIT: Fred Clarke (2) |
Babe Adams threw another six-hitter, for an 8–4 triumph and a 3–2 Series lead for his Pirates.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Detroit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 10 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: George Mullin (2–1) LP: Vic Willis (0–1) |
Mullin, after being roughed up for three first-inning runs, surrendered only one more and wound up with the win, knotting the Series at three games apiece.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Detroit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Babe Adams (3–0) LP: Wild Bill Donovan (1–1) |
With the Series coming down to a climactic seventh game (the first to go the distance), Pittsburgh's Fred Clarke went with two-game winner Babe Adams as his pitcher, while Detroit Manager Hugh Jennings decided on Bill Donovan, a complete-game winner in Game 2.
Donovan got off to a miserable start. He hit the first Pirate batter and went on to walk six in the first two innings. He was pulled after three with Adams confidently holding a 2–0 lead. Pittsburgh never looked back, as Babe nailed his third six-hitter and third win of the Series for an 8–0 championship victory.
Honus Wagner continued to prove his Cooperstown worthiness by hitting .333, with seven RBI and six stolen bases (the latter total standing as a Series record until Lou Brock surpassed it in 1967). On the other side, Ty Cobb did not fare as well. Appearing in what would be his last Series (although he would remain active through 1928), Cobb batted only .231 although he did lead the Tigers, losers of their third Series in three years, with six RBI.
No two professional sports teams from Detroit and Pittsburgh would meet in a postseason game again until Game 1 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.
This would be the last World Series appearance for the Pirates until 1925 while the Tigers would not play in another Fall Classic for 25 years.
It was the first time that one team won the odd-numbered games; the other, the even; it did not happen again until 1962.
1909 World Series (4–3): Pittsburgh Pirates (N.L.) beat Detroit Tigers (A.L.)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh Pirates | 11 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 50 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Detroit Tigers | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 56 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Total attendance: 145,295 Average attendance: 20,756 Winning player's share: $1,825 Losing player's share: $1,275 [9] |
The championship was recorded by Essanay Co., and sold double the expected number of copies. Studio manager A. M. Kennedy speculated that the film would set a world record for sales. [10]
The 1903 World Series was the first modern World Series to be played in major-league baseball. It matched the American League (AL) champion Boston Americans against the National League (NL) champion Pittsburgh Pirates in a best-of-nine series, with Boston prevailing five games to three, winning the last four. The first three games were played in Boston, the next four in Allegheny, and the eighth (last) game in Boston.
Tyrus Raymond Cobb, nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American professional baseball center fielder. A native of rural Narrows, Georgia, Cobb played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent 22 years with the Detroit Tigers and served as the team's player-manager for the last six, and he finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics. In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes (98.2%); no other player received a higher percentage of votes until Tom Seaver in 1992. In 1999, the Sporting News ranked Cobb third on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players."
Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner, was an American baseball shortstop who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1897 to 1917, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nicknamed "the Flying Dutchman" due to his superb speed and German heritage, Wagner was a prototypical five-tool player, known for being a versatile defender who could combine a strong throwing arm with the ability to play almost any defensive position as well as being capable of hitting for average and for power. He is widely regarded as the greatest shortstop of all time. In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Wagner as one of the first five members.
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Fred Clifford Clarke was an American Major League Baseball player from 1894 to 1915 and manager from 1897 to 1915. A Hall of Famer, Clarke played for and managed both the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a left fielder and left-handed batter.
Charles Benjamin "Babe" Adams was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1906 to 1926 who spent nearly his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Noted for his outstanding control, his career average of 1.29 walks per 9 innings pitched was the second lowest of the 20th century; his 1920 mark of 1 walk per 14.6 innings was a modern record until 2005. He shares the Pirates' franchise record for career victories by a right-hander (194), and holds the team mark for career shutouts (47); from 1926 to 1962, he held the team record for career games pitched (481).
The 1908 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1908 season. The fifth edition of the World Series, it matched the defending National League champion Chicago Cubs against the American League champion Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second straight World Series title.
The 1907 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1907 season. The fourth edition of the World Series, it featured the defending National League champion Chicago Cubs and the American League champion Detroit Tigers. The Cubs won the Series four games to none for their first championship.
David Jefferson Jones, nicknamed "Kangaroo", was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played fifteen seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers / St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Rebels. Jones played with some of the early legends of the game, including Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, Frank Chance, Mordecai Brown, Hugh Duffy and Jesse Burkett. Also, he played part of one year with the Chicago White Sox, where several of his teammates would later be implicated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Jones was immortalized in the classic 1966 baseball book The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence Ritter.
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The 1909 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 98–54, but lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1909 World Series, 4 games to 3. The season was their ninth since they were charter members of the American League in 1901. It was the third consecutive season in which they won the pennant but lost the World Series. Center fielder Ty Cobb won the Triple Crown and pitcher George Mullin led the league in wins (29) and winning percentage (.784).
The 1921 Detroit Tigers finished in sixth place in the American League, 27 games behind the Yankees, with a record of 71–82. Despite their sixth-place finish, the 1921 Tigers amassed 1,724 hits and a team batting average of .316—the highest team hit total and batting average in American League history. Detroit outfielders Harry Heilmann and Ty Cobb finished No. 1 and No. 2 in the American League batting race with batting averages of .394 and .389, and all three Detroit outfielders ranked among the league leaders in batting average and RBIs. As early proof of the baseball adage that "Good Pitching Beats Good Hitting", the downfall of the 1921 Tigers was the absence of good pitching. The team ERA was 4.40, they allowed nine or more runs 28 times, and only one pitcher had an ERA below 4.24.
The 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 28th season for the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise, during which they won the National League pennant with a record of 110–42 and their first World Series over the Detroit Tigers. Led by shortstop Honus Wagner and outfielder-manager Fred Clarke, the Pirates scored the most runs in the majors. Wagner led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and runs batted in. Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss opened the Pirates' new ballpark, named Forbes Field, on June 30, 1909.
The 1907 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 92–58, but lost to the Chicago Cubs in the 1907 World Series, four games to none. The season was their seventh since they entered the American League in 1901.
Ban Johnson Park was a baseball stadium located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was also known as Whittington Park and McKee Park. The ballpark was located within today's Whittington Park Historic District and directly across from the still active Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo.
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