1904 World Series Replay - Preview

McGraw & Mathewson of the N.Y. Giants.

For those that may not know, I own all the BBW World Series teams and have done World Series Replays of the 1901-1903 seasons. Of course there was no World Series in 1901 & 1902; The first World Series came into existence in 1903.

The World Series would disappear once again in 1904, when the New York Giants (The N.L. Champions) refused to play the Boston Americans of the American League. John McGraw refused to have his team play a team he felt was inferior, while his owner John T. Brush backed him by saying his team had no obligation to play a post-season series against "a victorious club in a minor league."

Brush & McGraw didn't truly believe the American League to be a minor league, but they had plenty of reasons to not like the team from the Junior Circuit. Brush was not happy with the fact that Ban Johnson placed a rival New York team, only minutes away from the Polo Grounds, feeling it was an attempt to drive business away from the Giants. While McGraw bolted Baltimore of the American League, when promised riches never materialized there.

So even though the real World Series never happened in 1904 -- It doesn't mean in the wonderful world of APBA Baseball that it can't. Just imagine Cy Young against Christy Mathewson? What a showdown that would be, or do I go with Jim McGinnity to start Game 1 against Cy? McGinnity had his best year in 1905, a monster season in which he went 35-8, with a 1.61 ERA, 38 Complete Games & 5 Saves; 144 K's in 408 innings (McGinnity had a WHIP of .963).

What Mathewson did, is certainly nothing to sneeze at -- 33-12, 2.03 ERA & 212 K's in 367.2 innings (33 Complete Games). There was probably never a better 1-2 punch than Mathewson & McGinnity for one single-season than what they accomplished in 1904.