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#1 It Was The First World Series.
May as well start with the most obvious, but the 1903 World Series was the first official World Series between the National League and the American League.
The National League was the older and more established league. However, the American League, under the leadership of Ban Johnson, was aggressively competing against the National League and rivaling its popularity.
One of the reasons this was occurring was due to Ban Johnson actively recruiting or "stealing" players away from National League teams. Many players switched leagues and decimated National League rosters.
This plundering caused the National League to acknowledge the American League, and soon, the two leagues agreed that each other's championship team would play each other at the end of the season.
The result was phenomenal.
#2 The First Home Run Was An Inside-the-park Home Run
An inside-the-park Home Run is a homerun that is hit and does not go over the fence, but the hitter is able to make it home before he can be tagged.
This homerun occurred when, in the 7th inning of Game 1, Jimmy Sebring stepped up to the plate for the Pirates, crushed a ball into the deep outfield, and used his speed to score. This resulted in the Pirates extending their lead to 7-0.
They would keep the lead and win the first game with a final score of 7 - 2.
#3 Deacon Phillippe Pitched 5 of the 8 Games
In modern Baseball, it is rare for a pitcher to pitch a complete game in a World Series, and it is unheard of for them to pitch more than 3 games in a 7 game series or pitch back-to-back games.
Deacon Phillippe gave the Pirates their first three wins. He pitched and won Games 1, 3, and 4. However, he would lose his last 2 starts, which included the Game 8 loss that ended the series.
Relief pitchers were not used, and nobody cared about pitch counts. The same ball was often used throughout the entire game, which resulted in more ground balls due to the ball being lopsided.
#4 Patsy Dougherty Had Three Firsts Game 2
Patsy was the leadoff hitter for the Boston Americans, and on his first at-bat, he hit an inside-the-park home run.
Patsy would be the only player to lead off a World Series game with an inside-the-park-homerun until 2015, when Alcides Escobar duplicated the feat.
In the 6th inning, Dougherty would again crank out another homerun, but this time, it would be the first homerun in World Series history to sail over the fence.
Over-the-fence home runs were rare during this time.
He would also be the first player to hit two home runs in a World Series game.
#5 The Boston Americans Had Superior Pitching
The primary reason for Boston's victory over Pittsburgh in the 1903 World Series was because of their pitching. They had a much deeper rotation, which allowed them to not overwork their pitchers.
At the end of the series, it was clear that Deacon Phillippe's arm was worn out. He was the only pitcher that won for Pittsburgh through the entire series.
Cy Young and Bill Dinneen anchored the Boston Americans rotation. Cy Young was 36 years old and still considered one of the best pitchers in baseball at the time.
Bill Dinneen would pitch the final game and would shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were considered to have one of the best offenses in the league.
#6 Honus Wagner Did Not Play Well
In 1903, the best player in baseball was considered to be Honus Wagner. He came into the series a little dinged up and would go on to have a terrible series.
He batted .222 for the series, which was incredibly low for him. During the series, he was heckled and criticized for his play. This would lead to others believing he was not good in the clutch.
The hecklers were nicknamed the "Royal Rooters" and were Boston fans who would travel to games and heckle the players. These hecklers targeted Wagner.
Wagner was angry about his performance. The following spring, he refused to send his portrait to a "Hall of Fame" for batting champions, citing his play in the World Series.
"I was to bum last year", he wrote. "I was a joke in that Boston-Pittsburgh Series. What does it profit a man to hammer along and make a few hits when they are not needed, only to fall down when it comes to a pinch? I would be ashamed to have my picture up now."
#7 The World Series Was A Best Of Nine Games
The first World Series did not have the same format as all other World Series matchups. In 1905, the format would go to a best of 7 format. However, in 1903, it was a best of 9 matchup.
After Game 4, the Boston Americans were down 3-1 and would storm back to win 4 straight to take the series. If the series would have been a best of 7, then perhaps the players would have been managed differently.
The teams would travel back and forth to their respective stadiums during the series.
The Boston Americans would win the 1903 World Series and become the first Baseball champion. The club would eventually change their name to become the Boston Red Sox.