1903 City Series: Boston
The Pilgrims of Boston, the Americans, made a push late in the campaign to drive past Philadelphia to save the city from hosting the two worst teams among the country’s major base ball teams. A three-game sweep of the New York squad, and 2 wins each against St. Louis and the eventual World’s Champions Detroit gave the momentum the team needed heading into the lowly series against their brothers the Beaneaters. The momentum did not come until the fourth game of seven versus the National Leaguers, at which time the Americans found themselves down 3 games to none. In those games, the Pilgrims were hounded by errors and strong pitching, losing the three games by a combined four runs. But the offense exploded in Game 4 with a 12-1 win against Bob Gessler and
Al Mattern, each player on the starting roster collecting a hit or driving in a run. Buck Freeman, who struggled all year, went 3 for 5, all doubles, with 3 runs driven in.
Long Tom Hughes pitched a 5 hitter and knocked in two himself. The Americans never looked back and won straight games to take the series. Cy Young bounced back after his first game loss and out-dueled Vic Willis 2 to 0. Chick Stahl stroked the winning run in a nail-biting seventh game in the bottom of the 11th to seal the series win for the Boston Pilgrims.
1903 City Series: Philadelphia
After a 19-inning opening game loss, the Athletics of the American League fell rather effortlessly to their brethren the Phillies, 4 games to 1. In that initial contest, Eddie Plank outlasted Alex Pearson in 16 innings but McGeehan faltered in relief when Billy Clingman’s wormburner found the hole between first and second base, scoring Cross from second. Standout Bob Wicker had an easy time with the tired Athletics, shutting them out on 3 hits in a 7-0 win to go up 2 games to none. In the third game the Athletics held off a late rally to win 3-2 but lost the remaining two games behind the strong pitching of
Dusty Rhodes and Pearson. The Phillies victory gave the Nationals its first interleague series in three tries, including the World’s Series.
1903 City Series: St. Louis
It was in St. Louis that the Nationals evened up the league city series’ matchups with a 4 games to win victory over the crosstown Brown Stockings. The Cardinals took an early 2 game lead when otherwise accurate hurler Win Kellum survived 4 walks and an error in 11 innings. In Game 3 the Browns took advantage of six Cardinal mishaps to win 5-1 but committed four of their own in Game 4 to go down 3 games to 1. The Brown’s McFarland staved off a 3 run ninth inning with a strikeout to veteran Charlie Irwin to win 5-4 but the Cardinals took their required fouth game on the back of Kellum’s 4-0 shutout.