We're Number Two! 1900s Edition (and earlier) Quiz

Answer: New York Metropolitan Club

Between 1885 and 1890, different end-of-season variations took place between the National League and American Association pennant-winners, ranging in length from six to fifteen games.

The American Association folded unexpectedly after the 1891 season forcing a suspension of the series. In 1892, the National League absorbed four of the American Association's former franchises and expanded to twelve teams in an effort to promote the growth of baseball and maintain the public's interest. They played a split season in which the first-half winner played the second-half winner for the league championship. Many fans did not support the new system and the split season was promptly dropped in 1893.

Answer: Baltimore Orioles

Temple also stated that the winning franchise would receive 65% of all ticket sales and the losing team would pocket 35%. Temple's idea would catch on and and helped to build the foundation for baseball's post-season popularity.

Answer: Pittsburgh Pirates

In 1901, The National League shrank from 12 teams to 8. To take advantage, the American League was formed. The new league's owners raided the National League and signed away many star players, including Cy Young and Jimmy Collins. The constant raiding, however, nixed the idea of a championship between the two leagues. Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss, whose team ran away with the 1902 National League pennant, was open to a postseason contest and even said he would allow the American League champion to stock its roster with all-stars. However, American League president Ban Johnson had spoken of putting a team in Pittsburgh and even attempted to raid the Pirates' roster in August 1902, which soured Dreyfuss. At the end of the season, however, the Pirates played a group of American League All-Stars in a four-game exhibition series, winning two games to one, with one tie.

On January 9, 1903, the 2 leagues met and called a truce. They formed the National Commission to preside over organized baseball. In 1903, the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates had secured their respective championship pennants by September. That August, Dreyfuss challenged the American League to an 11-game championship series. Encouraged by Johnson and National League President Harry Pulliam, Americans owner Henry J. Killilea met with Dreyfuss in Pittsburgh in September and instead agreed to a best-of-nine championship.

Answer: Pittsburgh Pirates

Baseball found itself engaged in a civil war of sorts. Both leagues competed separately for fan loyalty and attention. A truce was eventually called, and in 1903 an agreement was drawn up. Known as the "National Agreement", it redefined outlining baseball's employment, salary and travel requirements.

The 1903 compromise produced the business blueprint for major-league baseball and resulted in a merger that has lasted to this day.

Answer: The New York Giants refused to play the series

Some owners still disagreed with the contract drawn up the previous year and in 1904, it was prematurely cancelled. John T. Brush, president of the National League champion New York Giants, refused to play the returning American League champion Boston Americans, stating that he refused to compete with a "representative of the inferior American League". Brush would later regret his decision and proposed to continue with the series as originally conceived.

His about-face spawned the "Brush Rules," a set of guidelines relating to the on-field play and off-field finances of the World Series which exists to this day.

Answer: Philadelphia Athletics

It was decided that the championship would be a best-of-7 series, which holds to this day. Each of the 5 games ended in a shutout victory. The Giants' winning share was $1,142.00 per player while the Athletics received $832.00 per player. Total attendance for the 5 games was 91,723.

Answer: Chicago Cubs

The "Hitless Wonders" played up to expectations in the series, hitting just .198 as a team. The pitching, however, limited the cross-town Cubs to a .196 team batting average, Jim Johnstone was the umpire for Game 1 (there were only 2 umpires in those days), but the noise from the huge crowd (12,693) made it impossible to hear his calls, and it not occurred to him to use any.

When "Silk" O'Loughlin worked home plate, he decided to use the hand signals developed by deaf ballplayer Billy Hoy a few years earlier, but were only sparsely used until then.

This proved to be a huge success, and within two years, use of hand signals for all umpires was a mandatory rule.

Answer: Detroit Tigers

This series actually went 5 games; Game 1 was called after 12 innings due to darkness with the score tied 3-3. It was the first tie in World Series history. Ty Cobb was only 20 years old coming into the series, but during the regular season had hit .350 and led the American League in hits, runs batted in, batting average, slugging average and stolen bases. Cobb hit only .200 in the series. Chicago, after winning the1906 National League pennant by 20 games, found the league more competitive in 1907 and only won the pennant by 17 games.

Answer: Detroit Tigers

This was the first rematch in World Series history, but alas, with the same result. While Chicago again got to the Fall Classic, getting there was much more difficult. After winning the 1906 and 1907 pennants by 20 and 17 games, respectively, 1908 would prove to be a much different story. Chicago won the pennant by only 1 game over both the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs had to win a one-game playoff with the Giants due to a tie created by "Merkle's Boner." Fred Merkle had a long and distinguished career but was just 19 in 1908.

On September 23, 1908, the Cubs and the Giants were tied 1-1 with two out in the last of the ninth inning at the Polo Grounds. Runners were on first and third base when Al Bridwell singled to center. As the runner on third crossed the plate with the apparent winning run, Fred Merkle jogged towards second base then started for the clubhouse in right field, leaving the basepath and never touching second. The Cubs retrieved the ball (or a ball), tossed it to Johnny Evers who tagged second, and a force out was called ending the game in a tie, forcing the playoff, which the Cubs won. Although he was called "bonehead" in the press for the remainder of his career, his teammates consistently described Merkle as one of the smartest players they knew, and the only player who New York Giants manager John McGraw would consult on matters of strategy.

While the Cubs won their third straight Series, it would be 108 years before they won again, during which time they would make 7 appearances in a losing effort.

Answer: Detroit Tigers

The Pirates took advantage of a weak Detroit catching staff, stealing 16 bases in the 7 games. This was the first World Series played in which 4 umpires were used, but instead of placing an umpire on each base as seen in today's game, the 1909 Series had a home plate umpire, 1 umpire for the remaining bases, and an umpire for each foul line.

The Pirates were playing their home games at newly built Forbes Field. The stadium was a steel and concrete stadium that took only 4 months to build. It had a seating capacity of 25,000 (later expanded) and would serve as home for the Pirates over 60 years.