The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-07


Pittsburg finally won out in 1908.
Immediately arrangements were
made for a post-season series of
games between the Pirates and the
Boston Red Sox, champions of the
American league. This was the first
time the National league had recog-
nized the other major organization.
Brusch Held Out
John T. Brush. owner of the Giants,
would not recognize them even then.
He had held out to the last.
There was great excitement over
this series, it being the first big az
fair since the days of the Temple cup.
1t also would give the fans a chance
to observe the relative strength of
the National and American leagues.
The rivalry was intense in those days
really bitter. Fans came to blows
over discussions of the two leagues.
In the cities where there were two
one going to one league and the
other supporting the opposition.
The affair started in Pittsburg, and
the Pirates won the first three
games. The American leaguers were
down hearted. The National leaguers
were growing. Then the series
switched, and Boston won the next
four games straight.
Often you have noticed, it is likely.
that the 1903 series is not listoed in
the records of the worlds series
games as now played. That is due to
there having been no official rules or
regulations for games between the
rival leagues-no supervision by an
organized body.
Discovered Great Player
That is how the situation stood
when we went into the season OF
1904. That is the year that our team
really began to develop. That spring
We discovered a great third base
man in Arthur Devlin. With Dah-
len, Gilbert and Dan McGann making
up the rest of the infield, we were in
fine shape. Also Bresnahan had been
changed from a pitcher to an in
fielder and then catcher. The con-
version of Bresnahan into a catcher
Is what really gave us our needed
punch. He was to prove one Of the
greatest catchers in the world, 1t
developed, matter that I will dis
cuss at length a little later on.
George Wiltse also developed as q
pitcher that year, as did Leon Ames.
They had been with us for some time,
but then is when they really began to
show form. We also had Dummy
Taylor. Taylor, by the way, was an
other great pitcher. The new group.
added to the strength of Matty and
McGipnity, gave us quite pi.eAing
staff
In the Outfield
With Bowerman an1 Bresnahan as
leading catchers we were also strong
there. In the outfield we had George
Browne, Mike Donlin and Sam
Mertes. True to prediction, we
stepped right out and waded throue h
the league. Our team more than
lived up to expectations. FOR tn,
first time in many years New York
had a pennant winner. The attend
ance was increasing marvelously.
A thing that added to the ba. :
ball interest in New York was the
newly formed American league team,
made up of many stars, including n
old friend. Willie Keller and Jack
Chesbrough, the pitcher. Clark Grit
fith was manager.
This competition for patronage
rkally turned out a good thing for
4 iseball rather than detriment.
Y5u can imagine how intense was the
Interest when 1t is recalled that the
Yanks lost the pennant to Boston on
the last day of the season, when
Chesbrough made wild pitch. Bill
Dineen. the present umpire IN tie
American league. was pitching for
Boston that day.
Fans Wanted Series
will not go into the details of
how We won the pennant But we
cid.
Immediately there arose a c1amor