The First World Series and the Baseball Fanatics of 1903Recapturing the drama and color of this historic sporting event, Roger I. Abrams shows how the first world series (Boston Americans vs. Pittsburgh Pirates) provided a unique lens to view American life and culture at the dawn of the twentieth century. It is a fascinating story brimming with colorful, larger-than-life characters: legendary players Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Jimmy Collins, Fred Clarke, Big Bill Dineen, and Deacon Phillippe on the field; and Mike "Nuf Ced" McGreevey, "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, and the boisterous Boston Royal Rooters, cheering, chanting, and singing in the grandstands. This is also the story of how the post-season play gave disparate classes in society--Brahmins, industrialists, Irish politicians, Jewish immigrants--the rare opportunity to join in common support of their local teams and heroes. |
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1903 World Series Ameri American League arrived Athletics attended ball ballpark ballplayers Ban Johnson Barney Dreyfuss base baseball baseball fanatics baseball's batters Beaneaters Bill Dineen Boston Americans Boston club Boston Globe Boston Herald Boston players Bostonians Brahmins British Honourable burgh called career catcher Charles circuit contest Criger crowd Cy Young Deacon Phillippe decades Doheny Exposition Park fans field Fitzgerald franchise Fred Clarke grandstand Harvard hometown Honus Wagner Huntington Avenue Grounds infield Jews Jimmy Collins John Killilea land later League club League's Louisville major league manager Massachusetts McGraw national game National League neighborhoods newspapers nineteenth century North End outfield owner pennant Pirates pitcher pitching Pitts Pittsburgh club Pittsburgh Gazette Pittsburgh Press played postseason president Pulliam Red Sox Royal Rooters runs saloons scored season Smoky City social spectators star Street Taylor Tessie town turn twentieth century umpire victory wrote Yankees York