1904 World Series
Encyclopedia
In 1904
, there was no World Series
between the champions of the two Major League Baseball
leagues, the American League
and the National League
. These two champions were the Boston Americans (now Boston Red Sox
), who had repeated their 1903 American League championship, and the National League's New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants
).
, the Giants declined to meet the champions of the "junior" or "minor" league. McGraw even said his Giants were already the World Champions since they were the champions of the "only real major league."
As early as July 5, 1904, as reported in Sporting Life, the Giants owner, John T. Brush, had stated publicly, and in defiance of a pre-season agreement for a World's Championship Series between the leagues, that his National League club would not play the winner of the American League "if each wins the pennant in its respective league".(The Scrapbook History of Baseball,Bobbs-Merrill,1975,p.57). At that point in the season, the Giants were comfortably on top of the NL standings, and the New York Yankees/Highlanders were just 1 1/2 games behind the Boston Americans.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1904/07041904.htm The American League race went down to the wire, and the Highlanders temporarily took over first place on October 7 when they defeated Boston.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1904/10071904.htm However, Boston won three of their four remaining contests and clinched the AL pennant. The Giants, who had won the NL by a wide margin, stuck to and broadened their plan, refusing to play any AL club, neither the champion Boston nor the cross-town New York team in a proposed exhibition series.(The Scrapbook History of Baseball,p.58).
, the rules for a given season's "World's Championship Series" had been whatever the two participating clubs had agreed upon. The World Series was not a compulsory event and was not governed by an authoritative body, thus the Giants were free to refuse to participate in such an event.
Stung by criticism from fans and writers, Brush in January 1905 drafted rules that both leagues adopted that winter. The rules compelled the two winning clubs to participate and governed the annual determination of sites, dates, ticket prices, and division of receipts. The rules essentially made the World Series the premier annual event of Major League Baseball.
. The Series has been played every year since except , when the 232-day players' strike ended the season in mid-August.
1904 Major League Baseball season
-Final standings:-League leaders:-References:*...
, there was no World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
between the champions of the two Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
leagues, the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
and the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. These two champions were the Boston Americans (now Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
), who had repeated their 1903 American League championship, and the National League's New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
).
Background
Owing to business rivalry between the two leagues, especially in New York, and to personal animosity between Giants manager John McGraw and American League President Ban JohnsonBan Johnson
Byron Bancroft "Ban" Johnson , was an American executive in professional baseball who served as the founder and first president of the American League ....
, the Giants declined to meet the champions of the "junior" or "minor" league. McGraw even said his Giants were already the World Champions since they were the champions of the "only real major league."
As early as July 5, 1904, as reported in Sporting Life, the Giants owner, John T. Brush, had stated publicly, and in defiance of a pre-season agreement for a World's Championship Series between the leagues, that his National League club would not play the winner of the American League "if each wins the pennant in its respective league".(The Scrapbook History of Baseball,Bobbs-Merrill,1975,p.57). At that point in the season, the Giants were comfortably on top of the NL standings, and the New York Yankees/Highlanders were just 1 1/2 games behind the Boston Americans.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1904/07041904.htm The American League race went down to the wire, and the Highlanders temporarily took over first place on October 7 when they defeated Boston.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1904/10071904.htm However, Boston won three of their four remaining contests and clinched the AL pennant. The Giants, who had won the NL by a wide margin, stuck to and broadened their plan, refusing to play any AL club, neither the champion Boston nor the cross-town New York team in a proposed exhibition series.(The Scrapbook History of Baseball,p.58).
Boston Americans
Boston had defeated National League champion Pittsburgh in the 1903 World series, a Series arranged by the two league champions, not by the leagues themselves.New York Giants
The Giants maintained that the rules for the World Series were haphazardly defined. In the 1903 Series, as well as the 1880s Series' between the National League and the American AssociationAmerican Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
, the rules for a given season's "World's Championship Series" had been whatever the two participating clubs had agreed upon. The World Series was not a compulsory event and was not governed by an authoritative body, thus the Giants were free to refuse to participate in such an event.
Stung by criticism from fans and writers, Brush in January 1905 drafted rules that both leagues adopted that winter. The rules compelled the two winning clubs to participate and governed the annual determination of sites, dates, ticket prices, and division of receipts. The rules essentially made the World Series the premier annual event of Major League Baseball.
Aftermath
Boston slumped in 1905, while New York repeated its NL championship and won the 1905 World Series against the Philadelphia AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. The Series has been played every year since except , when the 232-day players' strike ended the season in mid-August.