The 1907 World Series was a novelty: for the first time in the history of the post-season championship series between the champion clubs of the American and National Leagues, neither the New York Giants nor Washington Senators was present. The brand-new titlists of the National League - the St. Louis Cardinals - would face the equally-new champions of the American League - the Detroit Tigers.
In game one, played in St. Louis, the Tigers came out with a roar and walked away with a lopsided 8-1 victory. Clyde Reese, winner of 22 games in the American League campaign, spread eight hits and three walks over his nine innings, with the only run scored on him being unearned. His counterpart, the 38-year-old 'Old Fox,' Keith Crowell (16-4, 1.45 ERA), was ineffective, allowing 10 hits and six runs (five earned) over seven innings to take the loss. Three Tiger hitters recorded a pair of safeties and all but third sacker Bob Haffenden and the pitcher rapped out a hit for Detroit.
Game two, also in St. Louis, saw the Tigers again emerge victorious on enemy soil, this time by a 5-2 margin. Reginald Filligree (32-10, 1.17 ERA) outdueled St. Louis' Glenn Skelton (24-18, 2.27 ERA) as both hurlers went the distance. Filligree allowed seven hits and one walk, with one of the two Cardinal runs being unearned. Skelton was reached for 12 hits and five runs, but only two of those were earned as the St. Louis defense let their mound man down. Lou Masters was a perfect 3-for-3 for Detroit while Enoch Leeds also had 3 hits and drove in a pair of runs.
For game three, with the Cardinals in desperate need of a victory, the teams took a train ride to Detroit. St. Louis shook off the road dust and their doldrums and pounded out 15 hits and 12 runs in getting back into the series with a tidy 12-3 victory over the home-standing Tigers. The victory kept the Cardinals' hopes alive in the best-of-seven matchup. Al 'Hangman' Jones (17-17, 2.15 ERA) danced around nine hits, with no walks, allowing two earned runs (and one unearned) to pick up the victory. Losing pitcher Chris Olsen (15-20, 2.12) was battered for 14 hits and 12 runs - only five earned - in 8 and two-thirds. CF Paddy Murphy was 4-for-6 with a pair of runs and RBI, while RF Milton Cumberledge contributed just one hit, but 4 RBI for the Cardinals.
Game four saw the Tigers become the first home team to win a game in the Series, as Clyde Reese picked up his second victory of the series with a 3-0 shutout win. Reese's three-hit gem placed the Tigers just one victory away from a third-straight World's Series victory for the American League. Keith Crowell picked up his second loss, despite allowing just five hits, for the Cardinals.
In game five, the Cardinals remained alive with a hard-fought 4-2 victory that saw them plate three runs in the eighth off the toughest pitcher in base ball in 1907: Reg Filligree. Glenn Skelton was brilliant in evening up his record against Filligree at 1-1 in the series.
After another train ride, this time south to St. Louis, and an off-day to recuperate from travel, the teams met again in game six, with the Tigers still needing just one victory to claim the championship. The Hangman had other plans for Detroit: Al Jones tossed a masterful 3 hit shutout for the Cardinals, who won 4-0 over Chris Olsen and the Tigers to even the series at three victories apiece.
The Cardinals' had grabbed all the momentum in the series and evened things up to set up a decisive seventh game before their fans at Robison Field. With Clyde Reese and Keith Crowell set up for their third matchup in the series - both of which were won by Reese and the Tigers - the home field looked to be St. Louis' only advantage. Detroit grabbed an early 1-0 lead on Crowell when a couple of singles set up runners at first and third before a passed ball allowed Nathan Parks to score. It didn't take long for the Cardinals to answer though, as they strung together a pair of hits in the home half of the second and tied the game on an error by pitcher Reese. The mistake was compounded when the next batter grounded out - what would have been the third out without the error was only the second out - and Joe Townsley scored what would prove to be the last run of the game in a 2-1 Cardinals victory. Crowell and Reese both pitched beautifully the rest of the game, but in the end the Cardinals won their third straight game to take home the championship trophy for 1907.
Stars of the series included Milt Cumberledge of the Cardinals who led the team in average (.310) and runs batted in (5). Pitcher Al Jones finished the series with a 2-0 record and flat 1.00 ERA for St. Louis. On the Tigers' side, Clyde Reese was 2-1 and had a perfect 0.00 ERA though those unearned runs in game seven proved decisive.
AL 'THE HANGMAN' JONES - ST. LOUIS (N)