1905 replay update: Season ends in epic game 7 victory

by Scott Fennessy

New York, NY
10/19/1905

The World Series is called the “Fall Classic” by many, and while I don’t often use it, the 1905 series has been one to remember for a long time. Of the six games played only one was lopsided, 1 2 run game and 4 one run games. Great pitching has been the story, and while hitting has been somewhat limited timely for the winning teams. Today’s game ends the season, and one of these teams is going to walk away with the championship, and the other is just going to walk away.

Adding to the drama for today is two great pitchers, Addie Joss of the Indians, and Christy Mathewson of the Giants meeting for the third time this series, each of them looking to win the bumper game in their set, which is tied at one apiece.

Cleveland comes out of the gates on fire, and in a moment right out of the movie “Major League” Harry Bay gets a single to left, then is promptly picked off by Mathewson. Napoleon Lajoie then reaches on an error by Sammy Strang, and with the hit and run on, Elmer Flick rips a single through the vacated hole and runners are on the corners. Mathewson ignores Flick who steals second almost instantly, and now runners are on second and third. Jim Jackson grounds out to end the threat, but it appears the visitors are intent on winning this one early.

The Giants have apparently chosen the same strategy, as Sam Mertes hits a single between Cotton Turner and Bill Bradley on the left side for a single. He then steals second after a couple of throws over by Joss, and is on third with two outs when Dan McGann walks to put runners on the corners. George Browne is hit by the second pitch, a curve ball that got away and the bases are now loaded. Mike Bowerman grounds out and the game is still scoreless after one interesting inning.

Neither team can do much with the starters after this, and almost nothing happens again until the seventh inning. McGann hits a scorcher just over George Stovall’s head at first, and this goes into the corner. Jackson is over to get the ball, but McGann slides in just under Art Devlin’s tag; a leadoff triple that has the visitors on the ropes. Browne then hits a hot smash that clanks off of Bradley’s glove at third, and it rolls far enough away that he cannot get to it in time, and the first run of the day scores and Browne is on first via the error. Joss looks unhappy, but retires the next three hitters with ease and we go to the 8th inning with the Giants on top 1-0.

Cleveland starts an immediate comeback attempt as Jay Clarke reaches on Mike Donlin’s error and Bradley sacrifices him into scoring position. Joss then draws a walk, and Bay tries to sacrifice the runners over, but cannot and strikes out. It has not been a great day for Harry. The inning is over, and it is not looking good right now for the tribe.

The Giants go down quickly and we are now at the top of the ninth, with the Giants just three outs away from their first championship. Lajoie flies to George Browne in center for the first out. Flick fouls a couple of pitches off before grounding out to Bill Dahlen at short, and Jim Jackson grounds out to Sammy Strang at second and the Giants pour out of their dugout to celebrate the victory. The fans are going wild in the stadium as the Indians quietly shuffle off the field.

This was a truly hard fought victory for New York, and while I am still reeling from the Cubs missing their chance I tip my cap to the champions. Mathewson is named series MVP, but really it could have been a couple of players.

Around the horn: At the start of this update the line about someone walking away with the championship is a quote from the movie “A League Of Their Own”. I almost did not recognize the actor, David Lander, better known for his portrayal as “Squiggy” on “Laverne and Shirley”. I don’t know if he is active, but post TV he had become a scout for the Seattle Mariners.

And now it is time to follow me to the time machine, which is fired up and ready to travel back. This time a short hop to 1903.