Season 8
League Championship Series Edition
ATHLETICS RALLY TO WIN ALCS, ADVANCE TO WORLD SERIES
Eddie Collins Shines as 1910 Philadelphia Athletics Take Down 1972 Pirates in Six Games
By Grantland West | Excellence Project Daily
October 7, 2025
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The 1910 Philadelphia Athletics have punched their ticket to the Excellence Project World Series, rallying from a 2-1 series deficit to eliminate the 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates in six games. Powered by the sublime brilliance of Eddie Collins and a deep, disciplined roster led by manager Connie Mack, the A’s claimed the American League Championship Series with a statement—this is a team built for October.
After the Pirates stole two of the first three, including a late comeback win in Game 3, it looked as though Pittsburgh’s powerful lineup might wear down the deadball-era club. But Mack's Athletics, displaying a mix of resilience and cunning, won the final three games in succession to storm into the championship round.
The series MVP was a foregone conclusion.
Eddie Collins, the slick-fielding second baseman and spiritual leader of the A’s, was relentless at the plate and on the basepaths. He batted a blistering .455, swiped four bases, and constantly disrupted Pittsburgh’s rhythm.
“Collins was the engine,” Mack said after the clincher. “Every big inning we had started with Eddie. Every time we needed a lift, he delivered.”
While Collins was the sparkplug, catcher Ira Thomas brought the thunder. The often-overlooked backstop drove in eight runs in the series, including a clutch bases-clearing double in Game 5 that broke Pittsburgh’s back.
On the mound, the venerable duo of Eddie Plank and Jack Coombs each notched a key victory, showcasing the poise and command that’s defined Philadelphia’s campaign. Plank’s seven shutout innings in Game 4 helped tie the series, while Coombs outdueled Dock Ellis in Game 6 to clinch it.
For the Pirates, the disappointment was palpable. Though Roberto Clemente turned in a sterling performance—batting .417 with graceful glovework in right field—the rest of the offense faltered under pressure. Most notably, slugger Willie Stargell endured a brutal slump, going just 3-for-25 without a single home run.
“Stargell's a great player,” Pirates manager Bill Virdon said. “But the Athletics pitched him tough and never gave him anything to elevate.”
Pittsburgh’s early series success, built on aggressive baserunning and solid middle relief, couldn’t withstand the Athletics’ wave of late-inning rallies and small-ball mastery. Philadelphia outscored Pittsburgh 21-9 over the final three games.
This marks the first World Series appearance for the 1910 Athletics in the Excellence Project, and it couldn’t come under more fitting leadership. Connie Mack, baseball’s ultimate statesman, now finds himself four wins away from championship glory.
“We’ve got one more hill to climb,” Mack said. “But I’ll take my boys against anybody.”
Awaiting them will be the winner of the NLCS, where the 1920 Cleveland Indians and the 1985 Cardinals are locked in battle. But if this series proved anything, it’s that the 1910 A’s have both the heart and the horsepower to win it all.
ALCS Summary:
1910 Philadelphia Athletics defeat 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates, 4–2
Series MVP: Eddie Collins — .455 AVG, 4 SB
Notables: Ira Thomas (8 RBI), Eddie Plank & Jack Coombs (1 win each), Roberto Clemente (.417 AVG), Willie Stargell (3-for-25, 0 HR)
ROGERS HORNSBY LEADS REDBIRDS TO DOMINANT NLCS WIN
1926 Cardinals Overpower Giants in Five, Set Stage for World Series Clash with 1910 A's
By Red Smith | Excellence Project Daily
October 7, 2025
ST. LOUIS, MO — The 1926 St. Louis Cardinals are headed to the World Series — and their path through the National League could not have been clearer or more convincing. Behind the bat and brain of legendary player-manager Rogers Hornsby, the Redbirds dispatched the 1962 San Francisco Giants in just five games, dominating the NLCS and sending a resounding message to their upcoming opponents: these Cardinals are not to be taken lightly.
At the heart of it all? Hornsby himself. The Hall of Fame second baseman turned skipper didn't just pull the managerial strings — he delivered at the plate too, batting .350 for the series and launching three home runs, including two in a pivotal Game 2 victory. He was named NLCS Most Valuable Player, an honor earned with both wood and wisdom.
“Rogers wasn’t going to be denied,” said St. Louis outfielder Chick Hafey. “You could see it in his eyes. He came here to win, and we all followed his lead.”
That leadership was on full display as the Cardinals took control early. After dropping Game 1 in extra innings, St. Louis bounced back with four straight wins — each more clinical than the last. Their offense was relentless, their bullpen steady, and their approach? All business.
Bobby Bon turned in a spectacular series of his own, batting .458 and setting the tone atop the lineup. Whether it was spraying doubles to the gaps or manufacturing runs with heads-up baserunning, Bon was a nightmare for the Giants’ pitching staff.
And what a nightmare it was.
San Francisco’s twin aces, Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal, were both roughed up, unable to silence the Cardinals' aggressive bats. Perry surrendered five runs in just four innings in Game 3, while Marichal lasted only 3.1 innings in a lopsided Game 4 loss. The Giants' hopes crumbled with their starting pitching.
Offensively, the vaunted San Francisco lineup never found its rhythm. Willie Mays, one of the game’s iconic postseason performers, was held to a quiet .222 average and just one extra-base hit in the series. Orlando Cepeda and Willie McCovey were similarly contained, as Cardinals pitchers executed Hornsby’s gameplan with precision.
Now, the 1926 Cardinals turn their attention to a titanic World Series showdown against the 1910 Philadelphia Athletics, fresh off their own six-game triumph over the 1972 Pirates. It's a matchup of eras and legends — Connie Mack vs. Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins vs. The Rajah.
“This is what baseball is about,” Hornsby said. “You want to win, you’ve got to beat the best. That’s what the World Series is for.”
NLCS Summary:
1926 St. Louis Cardinals defeat 1962 San Francisco Giants, 4–1
Series MVP: Rogers Hornsby — .350 AVG, 3 HR, including 2-HR Game 2
Notables: Bobby Bon (.458 AVG), Gaylord Perry & Juan Marichal (combined 12 ER in 7.1 IP), Willie Mays (.222 AVG)