DEC2010: THE 92nd ARTICLE FOR BASEBALL GURU

ONEMOREINNING

 

the first time ever

may 7, 1903: the red sox & the Yankees meet  for the very  first time in a game

   In 1903 Boston (they were then known as the Somersets or Pilgrims), was the reigning team in baseball.

   The Highlanders  (later to become the Yankees) were the new kids on the block. New York did have WEE WILLIE KEELER, JACK CHESBRO, HERMAN LONG and not much else.

   Boston on the other hand had CY YOUNG, BILL DINEEN, JIMMY COLLINS, LONG TOM HUGHES, CANDY LaCHANCE, and a power packed line-up. And it showed.

   The game was held in Boston’s Huntington Avenue grounds. Snake Wiltse squared off against Bill Dineen, who would win 20 games that year and was one of three hurlers who would end up with 20 or more wins for Boston in 1903. The other two were Long John Hughes, and the great Cy Young. Snake, besides having a wacko name had a brother who ended up with a much better lifetime record in the Majors. Wiltse gave up a total of thirteen hits and was in trouble throughout the whole game. What helped him though was some outstanding fielding by his club, especially by Keeler and Herman Long.

    Throughout the game Dineen was baffling the Highlanders with an assortment of curves, spitter’s, and a lively fast ball. He ended up getting twelve strikeouts, many of them without a batter swinging at the third strike.

    Jimmy Collins had four hits, including two doubles, Candy La Chance hit a long two run homerun to left center. Several other players had two hits as well. The only player who didn’t hit was pitcher Bill Dineen, but he didn’t have to, his pitching made up for it.

   The final score was 6-2. Some Highlander fans ran onto the field after the game was over, roughing up the players and finally had to be forcefully led off the field. Among the rowdies were several woman, one of which gouged a mark into Herman Longs face with the tip of an umbrella.

   Boston went on to win the first World Series that year over Honus Wagner and the Pittsburgh National League Team.