Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10


series beginning last Friday will once
more demonstrate the popularity OF the
national game for in every city and town
throughout the United States an army of
fans will eagerly await the result of each
contest, says the New York Sun. 1t was
good business policy the part Of the
two major leagues when they decided
upon this annual test of skill, for they
established not only an incentive for the
players of the pennant winning teams to
show the fighting spirit right up to the
end of the campaign, but also provided
climax which has caused widespread in
terest wherever base ball is discussed.
The idea of the so-called worlds series
did not originate with the present major
league magnates. however. The first
series was the result Of rivalry between
the National League and the old Ameri-
can Association, organized in 1852 Up to
that year the National League had
monopoly OF base ball patronage in the
large cities, but with the advent of the
American Association there sharp
struggle for first honors, which culminat-
ed in battle on the diamond between the
champion teams.
1t was in 1884 that the first worlds
series was played between the champion
Providence team of the National League
.
pennant winners in the American Asso-
citation. After that there was annual
struggle up to the end of the season OF
1890. Then came the war between the
worlds series was abolished. and as the
twelve club National League was formed
in 1892 there was no further test, except
g. meeting of the winners of the first and
second seasons in 1893.
Temple Cup.
The Temple cup was offered for COM
petition in 1894 and the Baltimores,
champions, met the New Yorks, who fin
ished second. This trophy was played
for every year after that until the end Of
1897. when the magnates decided to cut
out the series because of the squabbles
over the players share of the prize money.
For six years after that there was no
series of any kind after the regular sea-
son, except interleague contests in differ
ent cities, which were simply gate money
affairs of no particular import.
When the American League expanded
in 1901. which brought on bitter fight
entailing heavy financial loss. there was
no chance for worlds championship,
but when the peace agreement between
the big circuits was signed the following
year it was decided to have a. meeting
between the two pennant winners, SO III
the fall of 1908 the Pittsburg Nationals
and the Boston Americans locked horns
to settle the question of supremacy. Bos-
ton won the American League pennan.
IN 1904, and issued the usual challenge
to the Giants, who had been successful
in the National League, but John T.
Brush for some unknown reason declined
to play the SERIES and the Hub team
claimed the worlds title by default Later
Mr.. Brush explained his action by saying
that no formal rules governing such a
series had been adopted, and proceeded
to draw up code himself. Excepting a
few amendments. the code was adopted
by the rival leagues and the worlds series
has been governed by 1t ever since.
The series is under the absolute control
of the national base ball commission,
with the conteSttng clubs forced to give
bonds in the sum of $4,000 each to guar
antee good faith and a strict obedience
Of the rules. The number of games Is
fixed at not more than seven, three to
be played in each city, with the deciding
battle-ground. If necessary, to be selected
by the commission. Two umpires repre-
seuting each league must officiate The
winning team receives a pennant and
each member OF it gets an emblem pro-
Hided by the commission. The players of
the rival teams receive D per cent of
the gross receipts of the first four games,
with 30 per cent of this money to the
winners and 10 per cent to the losers.
The commission gets 10 per cent of the
gross receipts from all of the games
played, while the balance of the money
minus the players end, is divided equally
between the rival club owners.
Providence First Winner.
The series in 1884 between the Provi-
dence Nationals and the Metropolitans
consisted of only three games, all played
at the Polo Grounds in New York. Provi-
dence made a clean sweep, winning by
to o. 3 to 1 and IL to .. Frank Ban
croft was the manager of the Providence
team, which included Pitchers Rad
bourne and Sweeney. Catchers Gilligan
and Nava, Infielders Start, Farrell. Denny
and IRWIN, and Outfielders Carroll Hines
and Radford. The Nets had Tim Keefe
and Jack Lynch. pitchers with Holbert
ana BelpschlaSer behind the bat. Dave
Orr, Dasher Troy and Dude F,sterbrook
or the bases: Jack Nelson shortstop.
Eddie Kennedy, Chief Roseman and Steve
BRADY in the outield. while the famous
jim Mutrie, with his We are the people
war cry, was the manager.
Anson'S ChicagoS and Comiskey's ST
Louis Browns were the competitors in
1855. Each team won three games, while
one contest was draw, these being the
results: At chieago-st Louis. 5: Chi
Chicago: D; ST Louis. (eight innings:
forfeited). At st. IouiS-St Louis, Z:
Chicago. 4. At st. Louis-St. Louis, 3:
Chicago. .. At Pttsburg-Chicago. 8:
St Louis. (seven innings) At Gin.
cmnatIChicago, .; st. Louis. =. At
Chicago-St. Louis. Is; Chicago, L. Arson
played first base for Chicago that year
dIlu udO TltcieTS NldrkSOn and MCCOF-
nffrk. Catcher Flint, Second Baseman
Pfefer. Third Baseman Williamson.
Sllortstop Burns and Outfelders Dalrym-
pf9s Gore. Mike Kelly and Billy Sunday.
ClPiskey had some famous PLAYERS
Pitchers Carruthers and Dave Foutz
.Sfcher Bushong, Second Baseman Rob
insbn. Third Baseman Arlie Latham.
Sbortstop Gleason and Outfe!ders Curt
WEIGH, Tip O'Neil and Hugh Nichol.
tommy played first base, and was a
star there, too. Chicago and ST. Louis
booked up again In 1886, the Browns
N4nning the worlds championship by
f9Yf games to two. the scores being
chicago. e. ST. Louis, o: st. Louis. II:
Chicago, .: Chicago, IL; st. Louis, 4:
81. Louis. S: Chicago, ); ST. Louis, 10;
CitfGSgos 3: St Louis. 4; Chicago, 5. The
,ennsnNere practically the same as in
$50 except that Comiskey had Hudson
as an extra pitcher, while Arson had
Kelly behind the bat. with Flint and jim,
RYAN in the outfeid.
The st. Louis Browns won the Ameri-
Fan Association pennant in 1887 for the
third consecutive time They met the
heavy hitting Detroits, champions or the
and We're crushed by ten victories to four.
They played games not only in their own
.ities, but also in Pittsburg. Brooklyn, New
York. Philadelphia. Boston, Washington
Baltimore and Chicago The gross receipts
amounted TO $4,000, and the expenses to
$4,000, so that the clubs divided $4,000.
st. Louis won the first game 6 to !. Then
Detroit took three off the reel. 5 to g. &