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1903 Boston Americans season

The 1903 Boston Americans season was the third season for the professional baseball franchise that later became known as the Boston Red Sox. The Americans finished first in the American League (AL) with a record of 91 wins and 47 losses, 14+12 games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics. Boston went on to participate in the first World Series held between the AL and National League (NL) champions. The Americans won the 1903 World Series in eight games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team was managed by Jimmy Collins and played its home games at Huntington Avenue Grounds.

1903 Boston Americans

91–47 (.659)

1st

October 6, 1902: It is reported that will play for the Boston Americans.[1]

George Stone

October 28, 1902: , manager of the New York Giants, announces that Jack Warner of the Boston Americans had signed to play for the Giants.[2] This decision came after weeks of speculation as to the future of Jack Warner. In an interview printed on September 25, 1902, Jimmy Collins stated that he had signed Warner to a two-year contract with the Americans the previous month.[3] On October 13, 1902, Jimmy Collins had gone to New York after hearing reports that Warner had jumped to the New York Giants.[4]

John McGraw

March 18, 1903: Catcher announces that that he has accepted an offer to play for the Boston Americans.[5]

Charles "Duke" Farrell

Regular Season Overview[edit]

April 20 ─ Boston Vs. Philadelphia[edit]

April 20 (Game 1): Philadelphia 4 ─ Boston 9[11] The Boston Americans began the season with a 9─4 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. Philadelphia pitcher Rube Waddell struck out the first four batters he faced. The Athletics scored first in the third inning; Ossee Schreckengost batted into what seemed to be a double play, but the throw to first base went into the bleachers allowing Schreckengost to score. The Athletics scored again in the fourth inning, but the Boston Americans responded by scoring five in their half of the inning, giving them the lead that would not be relinquished.


WP: George Winter


LP: Rube Waddell


April 20 (Game 2): Philadelphia 10 ─ Boston 7[11] Cy Young began the game effectively, allowing only one opposing batter to reach first base for the first six innings. The Boston offense was also strong for the first six innings, scoring a total of six runs. Yet Philadelphia was able to tie the game in the seventh inning, scoring six runs off of Young. Philadelphia then took the lead in the eighth inning with a run scored, and scored three more in the ninth to give them ten runs. Boston could only score one more in the ninth; a single by Chick Stahl led to him being driven home by a double hit by Buck Freeman, giving Boston a total of seven runs.


WP: Charles Bender


LP: Cy Young


April 22: Boston 1 ─ Philadelphia 6[12]


The Boston Americans lost their first game away from home at Philadelphia. Rube Waddell's pitching stopped Boston from making gains; the only run scored by Boston came in the eighth inning, Farrell scoring off of a single hit by Collins, which tied the game with one run each. Philadelphia replied by scoring five in their half of the inning, giving the final score of 6─1.


WP: Rube Waddell (10K; )


LP: Bill Dinneen


April 23: Boston 4 ─ Philadelphia 7[13]


Philadelphia took the lead in the second inning; Seybold hit a double and was driven in by a single hit by Murphy, Murphy then scored on a single to left field hit by Cross, and Cross came home after Henley hit to center field, giving Philadelphia three runs. Boston managed to load the bases in the third inning, allowing Winter to score after three consecutive walks. Pickering scored for the Athletics in the fourth, Davis for the Athletics in the fifth, with Murphy and Pickering scoring in the sixth to give the Athletics a total of seven runs.


More runs came for Boston in the seventh and eighth innings. Collins hit a triple in the seventh to score Farrell and Dougherty; Parent scored in the eighth off of a single hit by Ferris. This gave the total of runs scored by Boston at four.


WP: Weldon Henley


LP: George Winter


April 24: Boston 2 ─ Philadelphia 1[14]


A pitcher's duel between Cy Young and Eddie Plank led to a 2─1 victory for Boston. The only run scored by Philadelphia was by Seybold, who scored a run on a wild pitch thrown by Young in the first inning. Boston scored in the third inning on a double hit by Ferris, who advanced to third on a sacrifice fly hit by Farrell, then came home on a wild pitch thrown by Plank. Boston then took the lead in the fourth inning after Freeman doubled to left and was then driven home on a double to right center hit by Parent.


WP: Cy Young


LP: Eddie Plank


April 25: Boston 4 ─ Philadelphia 0[15]


The Boston Americans, led by the pitching of Tom Hughes, shutout Philadelphia.


Freeman and LaChance scored for Boston in the second inning; Parent scored the third run in the fourth inning, and the fourth run in the eighth.


WP: Tom Hughes


LP: Rube Waddell


April 27: Boston 3 ─ Washington 6[16]


The game between Boston and Washington was a close one throughout until the final inning of the game won it for Washington.


Boston's runs came in the first and third innings. In the first inning Dougherty was driven home on a hit by Collins; this was repeated in the third inning, with Dougherty scoring on a double hit by Collins, whilst Collins himself was driven home on a hit by Freeman. Washington's runs came in the first, fifth, and eighth innings. Washington scored once in the first inning and once in the fifth inning but scored four runs in the eighth to give them the victory over Boston.


WP: Al Orth


LP: Bill Dineen


April 28: Boston 11 ─ Washington 4[17]


Boston's offense exploded to take a convincing win over Washington. After scoring a run each in the first and second innings, Boston scored four runs in the fourth: Ferris hit a single to drive in Parent, but was tagged in between first and second base; Criger walked to first and Young had a hit to left, Dougherty then hit a home run to drive in three runs. Boston then scored three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh to give them their final run tally of eleven.


Washington scored three runs off of a hit by Holmes in the sixth inning and one more in the ninth to bring their total to four.


WP: Cy Young


LP: Wyatt Lee


April 29: Boston 5 ─ Washington 9[18]


Boston ended its series in Washington with a defeat. Washington scored a run in the first inning but Boston equalled the score in the second inning; Washington took the lead in the second inning, scoring two runs to take the lead.


WP: Casey Patton


LP: Norwood Gibson


April 30: Philadelphia 12 ─ Boston 2[19]

Player stats[edit]

Batting[edit]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games Played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In; AVG = Batting Average; OPB = On Base Percentage; SLG = Slugging Percentage.

List of Boston Red Sox team records

1903 Boston Americans team page at Baseball Reference

1903 Boston Americans season at baseball-almanac.com