The Washington herald., 1912-10-27

the American League chompionSnlp rec'
this season, the third pennant which ha,
come to tho home Of culture and coo
during the twelve years that the American
League has been in existence. brings for
chilly to mind the Quickness with which
former champions pass from view. II Il
only eight years since Boston had its las
championship club In tho johnson circuit
L yet every member Of the 1904 champions
has passed from the major leagues. many
of them from baseball. In their place:
younger men have had the call, and tht
new team Of champions IL made up ol
players every one Of whom was unknown
to baseball when the great aggregation
that Jimmy Collins piloted In lSa wa
making baseball history.
Bostons 1904 champions did not enjoy
the fortune Of sharing in worlds sertei
receipts such as falls 10 the lot OF the
pennant winners Of to-day. In 1903 mos
Of the players who made up the cham
pions Of the following year engaged In 9
series with Pittsburg after winning the
American League pennants. and they fur
nished the most remarkable squirt that q
worlds series has yet produced by winning
four successive games. and taking the
series after dropping three Of the hrs'
four games. the series being best i've
games in nine. This was before the Ma
tional Commission assumed charge OF
these post-season games. and hxed seven
games as the length OF the series In
1904 the New York Giants won their frs'
pennant under the management Of John
]. McGraw, but for some reason the club
owners refused TO allow the players TO en-
gage in . series with Boston for the
worlds championship. held at the time by
the latter team by virtue Of its victory
in the preceding year.
Not Known as Red SoX.
The Boston team was not known In
the Speed Boys, an appellation that came
later and has since been discarded for
Red Sox. They were generally known as
Boston Americans. The club was under
the management Of Jimmy Collins. gener-
ally rated as the greatest third baseman
that baseball has produced The year
1904 marked the beginning Of the John /.
Taylor regime. the latter succeeding
Henry W. Killilea, who was the president
OF the club during the championship year
Of 1903 Taylor remained in control until
the present year, when James McAleer
and Robert McRoy took charge. Taylor
retaining one-half Of the stock, but put
ting the active control of the team into
the hands Of McAleer and McRoy.
The Boston team of 1901 was not a
wonderful hitting club, nor did 1t possess
unusual speed on the bases. But 1t was
made up Of seasoned players, most Of
them great fielders. and the club went
through the season notably free from
accidents. In the respect Of having the
same players In the game practically every
day during the season. the Boston team
Of 1904 tablished q record that has not
been approached in modern-day baseball.
The club went through the season with
fourteen players. yet to-day at least
twenty are considered . necessity, with
most Of the clubs carrying twenty-five.
ed. the record showing ninety-five VIC
tories and ffty-one defeats The tie
games added q few extra contests. One
of the infielders player in 157 games. two
in 156, and the fourth In 155. Two out
felders worked in 157 games. and the third
in 1H. Two catchers did all the work be-
hind the bat, and four Of the five pitchers
took part in over thirty games. the other
working in twenty games. This record has
baseball, and with the present tendency
of the club owners to get as many play
efs as possible, It is in no danger.
Not . 1904 Player ON the Team.
Not one player Of this 1901 championship
remains in major league base
ball to-day. Cy Young was the last sur.
vivor. and last year ended his active serv-
ices on the diamond, although he made
an effort to come back this season. A big
Of the players had faded from
major league circles long before the great
Cy turned in his uniform.
Young and Bill Dineen were the pitching
mainstays Of the 1904 team, but they were
not overworked as compared with the
other pitchers. Jesse Tannehill and Glib
son worked in almost rs many games
~ the first-named pair. and George Win.
ters about half as many as Young. This
quintet Of boxmen made up the pitching
stan. Behind the bat were Lou Criger
and Charley Farrell, the former catching
about two-thirds Of the games played The
infeld was made up Of George Lachance
At first, Hobe Ferris at second. Freddy
Parent at short. and Manager Jimmy Col
lins at third. In the outfield were Al Sell
bach in left. Chick Stahl in center. and
Buck Freeman in right.
The disintegration Of the championship
team began the following spring. In fact
before the club had played . home game
In 1906. and 1t had been completed entirely
before the close Of the 1909 season. The
team that took the field At the opening of
vivor Of the pennant winners Of 1904. This
d the most remarkable case on record Of
the passing Of champions. No champions
In the history Of baseball have passed
lway a. quickly a., did these players from
he city to which they added fame with Q
pennant. Some Of them remained in tho
major leagues after leaving Boston, but
III Were gone In less than six years from
The city where they gained their greatest
lame.
Lachancs was the Arst to 90. being