1903 World Series
BOX SCORES
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The Athletics returned to the World Series as the American League's first ever repeat champion. They boasted great pitching and an improved offense. Many long time baseball analysts believed that last season's defeat of the Phillies in the World Series was a result of the NL champ's underestimation of the A's pitchers. This season, many believed that the Pirates, long expected to be the dominant team in the NL, were just too good to be beaten.
In Game 1, both teams scored in the 1st. The A's scored a run in the 2nd, but the Pirates scored twice in that inning to take a 3-2 lead. Philly's Eddie Plank, who went 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in two World Series starts last season, settled in and did not allow another run on this day. His counterpart, Jack Chesbro, gave up two runs in the 7th and two more in the 8th as the defending world champion Athletics took a 1-0 series lead.
In Game 2, the A's scored in the 1st off the great Rube Waddell and then added a run in the 5th. A's rookie Chief Bender surrendered his first World Series run in the 7th, but the A's scored off Waddell in the 8th and won 3-1.
Now in Philadelphia, the Pirates seemed at home after scoring three runs in the first inning of Game 3 off AL Top Rookie Weldon Henley. With two outs, an error by A's 3rd baseman Charlie Reilly kept the inning alive and all three runs were unearned. The A's scored a run in the 4th off Deacon Phillippe. In the 6th, the A's put together two triples, a single and a fielder's choice to score three runs and take a 4-3 lead. Henley held the vaunted Pirates offense down the rest of the way, allowing just 3 hits over the final 8 innings and the A's took a commanding 3-0 series lead.
In Game 4, the Pirates seemed to right their ship. Jack Chesbro allowed just 1 run over 9 innings while the offense scored 7 runs off previously untouchable Eddie Plank. In Game 5, the A's took a 3-0 lead off Rube Waddell in the 1st. Then the Pirates scored a run in the 2nd and two more in the 4th to tie the game 3-3. Socks Seybold hit a 2-run homerun in the 5th to give Philly a 5-3 lead. In the 6th, pitcher Chief Bender hit an RBI single.
Then in the top of the 8th, Pirates catcher Ed Phelps hit an RBI single. With two outs and two runners on base, pitcher Rube Waddell was allowed to hit and he grounded out to end the threat. In the 9th, Bender got three straight outs and the A's won their 2nd straight World Series. Their convincing victory put to rest most claims that the National League was easily the more dominant league with better talent.
Winner, 4-1: Philadelphia Athletics, 2nd Championship