Scott Fennessy’s 1906 World Series Recap

1906 World Series Recap

Cleveland Indians vs. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs and Indians matchup is officially complete. This world series turned out to be a lot like the actual 2016 World series between these teams, and I was constantly in a state of frustration as I was hoping for my Cubs to win the championship they should have 100 plus years ago. The two teams met in Chicago as the Cubs had the better record, and thus home field advantage.

Game one

Cleveland had a very typical first inning in the series opener. Harry Bay walked, stole second, moved to third on an Elmer Flick fly out and scored on Napoleon Lajoie’s sac fly. Addie Joss and Mordecai Brown both struggled to hold runners off the bases, but Joss was better at keeping the runs off the board.

The Indians finally put the Cubs away with 2 runs in the fifth and another in the sixth inning and eventually plated a few more for a 6-2 victory in game one. Cleveland leads series 1-0.

Player of the game Napoleon Lajoie 1 for 2 with a double and 4 RBI for the day.

Game two

The second game of the series was similar to the first, with both teams putting multiple runners on base nearly every inning. Otto Hess, making his first start since no hitting the White Sox in Chicago 5 days ago was nowhere near as sharp, but managed to prevent any scoring after the third inning.

Chicago was actually leading 2-1 after 3 innings, but couldn’t take stay the course and the Indians scored two in the seventh inning after Joe Tinker’s error on Cotton Turner’s ground ball to start the inning, and the winning run scored on William Congalton’s double two pitches later.

Cleveland survives Chicago’s rally as Jimmy Sheckard hits a line drive right at Lajoie for a game ending double play with runners on the corners in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-2 Cleveland victory.

Cleveland now leads 2-0 heading home for game three.

Player of the game Otto Hess 2 runs on 9 hits in a complete game victory.

Game three

As the series shifted to Cleveland the Indians continued to strike early. This time for three runs on a series of hits to put John Pfiester in a 3-0 hole before anyone knew what was happening. The Cubs finally showed some heart this game as they struck right back in the second on Joe Tinker’s two out, two run single.

Trailing 4-2 in the eighth inning Robert Rhoads was unable to stem the tide as Chicago scored three in the eighth inning and held on for a 5-4 victory. Cleveland leads series 2-1.

Player of the game Joe Tinker 1 for 3, 2 RBI and stolen base

Game four

Yet again Cleveland strikes first on three hits in their first four at bats, but Bill Bradley got picked off first and the rally was stopped cold. Addie Joss and Mordecai Brown were much sharper than in game one and the score was still 2-1 heading into the ninth inning.

Frank Schulte, who had been quietly getting on base all series led off with a double and was off with the pitch to Chance. Chance hit a grounder deep into the hole at short. While Cotton Turner makes a great stop at the edge of the grass and gets Chance on a throw that nearly pulled Claude Rossman off the bag Schulte hustles around third and scores.

Johnny Kling then gets another double off a tiring Joss and Harry Steinfeldt is walked to get to Art Hofman and the inning is over, but now the game is tied heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Elmer Flick hits a leadoff triple, but is nailed trying to score on a ground ball by Steinfeldt. Lajoie moved to second in the rundown, which was important as Rossman slips a two out single to right and Cleveland wins a heartbreaker 3-2. Cleveland now leads the series 3-1.

Player of the game Bill Bradley 2-4, RBI and a stolen base.

Game five

Cleveland was looking to get the win today so as not to risk Chicago gaining momentum and the final two at home. For the first time this series though, the Cubs scored first on Art Hoffman’s two run homer in the second.

Otto Hess and Ed Reulbach were very strong in this matchup and neither team did much. Chicago got a scare in the ninth with a 2-1 lead as Claude Rossman led off with a single and was moved to second, but the tribe couldn’t get him across and in another nail biter the Cubs win 2-1, and head home trailing 3-2.

Player of the game Ed Reulbach 1 run on 5 hits in a complete game victory.

Game six

And with the Cubs heading home on a high note the momentum did in fact shift as feared by Cleveland. Although they scored first when William Congalton led off the second with a triple and scored on Cotton Turner’s sac fly, they were completely shut down by Jeff Pfiester.

Chicago took the lead on a couple of hits, an error and a sac fly to take a 2-1 lead. Frank Schulte’s two run homer in the eighth inning sealed the deal for the Cubs, who won this game 4-1. Series is now tied 3-3.

Player of the game. Jeff Pfiester 1 run on 2 hits in a complete game victory.

Game seven

Tensions on both teams were extremely high, and the pitching was strong to start this one. There was no score until the sixth inning when Napoleon Lajoie got a lead off double and scored on Bill Bradley’s single. Bradley then stole second and scored on Claude Rossman’s single and the Indians take a 2-0 lead.

The Indians expanded the lead on an RBI double by Elmer Flick in the seventh, and the Cleveland hopeful were beginning to rejoice. Those dreams were quickly smashed as the toll of a long season finally caught up with Cleveland in the bottom of the inning. A one out walk to Frank Chance opened the door.

Johnny Kling singled with Chance taking third. I am not sure what Addie Joss regrets more at this point. Not respecting Kling’s ability to steal a base, which he did to put runners on second and third, or giving Harry Steinfeldt a very hittable pitch for a two run double to put Chicago back in the game.

Steinfeldt was on third with two outs when Joss’ 1-1 pitch gets past Harry Bemis and the game was tied. And the game was still tied as the ninth inning of game seven arrived.

Cleveland lived and died by their pitching all year, and Chicago drove the final nail in the coffin when Steinfeldt led off with a walk and moved to third on Hofman’s double. With the winning run on third with nobody out Napoleon Lajoie had no choice but to pull the infield in, and Johnny Evers took advantage and hit one past Turner at short and Steinfeldt scores the winning run and Chicago wins the game 4-3.

The Chicago Cubs win the World Series 4 games to 3. For the second straight season Cleveland loses the championship in seven games. It was difficult to name a series MVP but I chose Jeff Pfiester, who won both of his games, and kept his team in the running. I almost named Napoleon Lajoie of Cleveland anyway as he went 10 for 22 and drove in six runs.

And just like that my fourteen month journey is complete. I took a couple of days to update the lifetime stats, and draft my regular season recap, but as a sign that my work with replays is never complete, less than an hour after the Cubs won the championship my 1907 cards arrived. With any luck in about a year I will be back with another season update.