The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward

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Game seven of the 1901 National League Championship Series was a clear, 48 degree Tuesday afternoon at Chicago’s West Side Grounds. New York had success early with a 4-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning. The Giants added two more in the sixth. The Cubs got solo runs in the fifth and sixth and two in the eighth, putting them down 6-4 entering the final frame.

Chicago was down to their last out, but got a double and single to bring the potential winning run to the plate. New York was able to coax a 6-3 groundout to escape the jam and secure the 6-4 road win and a 4-3 series win. The Giants avenged their loss the prior year to the Cubs and earned their second pennant in three years.



In his tenth year with the club, perennial Gold Glove 3B Charlie Irwin was NLCS MVP. He was also the NLCS MVP two years prior in their win over Indianapolis. This time, Irwin went 8-20 with nine RBI and four runs.

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The 18th World Series was the second trip in three years for the New York Giants, who defeated Washington 4-2 back in 1899. The 1901 Fall Classic was the first appearance for Kansas City, setting up a battle between a huge market and a tiny one. The Royals finished with three more wins and thus had home field advantage.

Kansas City’s offense unloaded in a 12-3 win to open the World Series. C Doggie Miller was 1-3 with a homer, walk, four RBI, and two runs. Both Otto Schomberg and Frank Connaughton had three hits while Billy Hamilton scored thrice. Jake Weimer pitched a complete game victory.



New York bounced back from a rough first game by winning the next match 6-4 on the road. Both teams combined for 24 hits, but the Giants made theirs count most notably with a four-run fifth inning.



In game three, Kansas City took a 6-2 lead into the fifth inning. New York raced ahead with a five-run eighth inning, capped off by Curt Welch’s three-run homer. However, Otto Schomberg got a RBI single in the ninth to tie the game at 7-7 and force extras. The deadlock broke in the 13th as the Giants got three singles; the last being Charlie Irwin’s walkoff grounder that scored Jim Jackson for the 8-7 NY win. KC’s Jimmy Collins had four hits in defeat.



Game four had multiple swings in fortune. Kansas City was up 5-0 after the top of the fifth inning, but by the end of the seventh it was an 8-6 Giants advantage. The Royals had two triples in the eighth to score three runs, including a two RBI shot by pinch hitter Art Nichols. Kansas City held onto the 9-8 road win to tie the series up. Jimmy Collins was a homer away from the cycle with three RBI.



New York took a 4-2 lead into the eighth inning at home in game five. Kansas City rallied with a three-run eighth, including a two RBI single by Mike Donlin. The Royals held on 5-4, giving them the 3-2 series lead headed back west. Donlin was 3-4 on the day.



New York had a 3-0 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning. There, Kansas City tied the game on four singles and two walks with bases loaded. This was it for scoring for a long while, as game six set a playoff record at 19 innings and more than six hours. Both teams had one inning where they got two men on base, but neither was able to break the deadlock for more than a full game’s worth of play. NYG rookie Watty Lee notably had 6.2 scoreless innings of relief, while KC’s Bert Cunningham tossed six and Bill Carrick had four.

Finally in the bottom of the 19th inning, Kansas City broke through. The Giants had turned to ace Joe Corbett, who had pitched back in game four and ended up with 4.2 innings of relief. He walked the leadoff man Otto Schomberg, followed by a Mike Donlin single and a sacrifice bunt. Jimmy Collins flew out to center, but it was deep enough for Schomberg to score for a walkoff sacrifice fly.



With the 4-3 win after 19 arduous innings, the Royals prevailed at home to win the series in six games. KC was the 13th of MLB’s 24 franchises to win it all, giving the American League 11 of the 18 titles so far. They were also the fifth different team to win it all in as many years. The likely league MVP Donlin was World Series MVP, going 11-29 with three homers and seven RBI.

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As expected, Kansas City LF Mike Donlin earned American League Most Valuable Player honors unanimously with his Triple Crown season. He won his third straight Silver Slugger in as many seasons, this time leading in runs (141), hits (214), home runs (55), RBI (172), triple slash (.359/.417/.698), OPS (1.115), wRC+ (207), and WAR (11.0). “Turkey Mike” has a career 1.126 OPS, 202 wRC+, and 29.9 WAR thus far for the Royals since getting picked #2 in the 1898 draft.

Cleveland’s Addie Joss was both unanimous as Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He joined Frank Knauss and Ed Doheny as the only players to win both in the same campaign. The #2 pick in the last draft by the Spiders, Joss led in ERA (2.52), innings (296), complete games (24), WHIP (0.96), BB/9 (1.6), FIP- (71), and WAR (7.5). Joss had a 16-15 record, 222 strikeouts, and 169 ERA+; as voters didn’t get hung up on the win-loss record.

Twins star Hugh Duffy joined Mike Tiernan as the only 11-time Silver Slugger winners in baseball history. Duffy was the first to do it in the AL and won his first at first base in 1901. His prior ten wins were all in center field. Nationals 2B Ed Delahanty won his ninth Slugger, which is the position record. Only six in MLB history have won the award 9+ times. White Sox C Heinie Peitz and Twins DH Fred Tenney both became five-time winners. It was Tenney’s first as a DH after four wins playing 1B.

44-year old Roger Connor won his tenth Gold Glove in his lone season with Washington. His previous wins came in the NL and he’s the only player at any position to win the award ten times. Nationals CF Jim Fogarty won his sixth Gold Glove, Royals C Doggie Miller got his fourth, and Yankees LF Danny Green snagged his fourth.

World Series winning manager Cal McVey with Kansas City unsurprisingly won Manager of the Year for his efforts. He had won previously with KC’s second place finish in 1896. The 52-year old McVey took the gig in 1893 and has a 731-727 record. He has another four years left on his contract after getting an extension.

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New Orleans SS Jimmy Williams earned National League Most Valuable Player honors for 1901; his second MVP as he also won in 1898. The 24-year old righty got 20 first place votes, while St. Louis’ Charlie Hickman had three and Chicago’s Ginger Beaumont had one. Many favored the Cubs outfielder as he led in runs (128), hits (222), RBI (123), and batting average (.373); winning his third Silver Slugger in right field. Hickman meanwhile was a two-way man who offensively led in doubles (57), OPS (1.054), and wRC+ (193) with 8.0 WAR batting for the Cardinals, plus 1.3 WAR and 226.2 innings on the mound. Hickman earned a rare dual Silver Slugger win, getting the honor as a pitcher and left fielder.

Williams was still the guy as he led in home runs (31), total bases (363), and WAR (12.9). The WAR mark was the second-best in MLB history for a pure position player, aided by his excellent defense as he won his second Gold Glove. Williams had 216 hits, 123 runs, 46 doubles, 115 RBI, .358/.405/.602 slash, and 182 wRC+. The Pelicans picked him #6 in the 1896 draft and in April 1900, Williams signed an eight-year, $286,000 extension to stay in the New Orleans.

In his second season with Louisville, Christy Mathewson was the unanimous Pitcher of the Year as he set the single-season strikeout record with 314 Ks. He also led in ERA (2.25), innings (288.1), complete games (18), K/9 (9.8), ERA+ (177), FIP- (62), and WAR (10.1). Voters didn’t let his lack of run support deny the honor with a 12-12 record. It is only the second time a player won POTY without a winning record (Jerry Nops was 11-12 in 1896 for Pittsburgh).

New Orleans LF Davy Jones won Rookie of the Year with 17 first place votes. The #30 pick, Jones won a Gold Glove and posted 160 hits, 100 runs, 27 doubles, 24 home runs, 76 RBI, .298/.380/.493 slash, 146 wRC+, and 4.8 WAR. The runner-up was Pirates RHP Weldon Henley with 283.2 innings , a 2.70 ERA, 192 Ks, and 17-10 record.

Indianapolis CF Bill Lange won his tenth consecutive Silver Slugger. Only Mike Tiernan and Hugh Duffy have won 10+ and only Tiernan had also done ten consecutively. MVP Jimmy Williams won his fourth Slugger at SS, while Pelicans 1B Frank Chance won his third. Lange also got his third Gold Glove in CF while Cubs 3B George Davis got his third.

Cubs skipper Jim Field repeated as Manager of the Year with back-to-back division titles. The 38-year old has been their manager three seasons with a 273-213 record thus far. Field’s coaching career began as a Triple A hitting coach from 1895-98 with Yonkers.

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Below are the notable retirements following the 1901 season. SP Guy Hecker notably had a 16-year career with a 238-137 record, 3.23 ERA, 3270.2 innings, 1744 strikeouts, 129 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 65.2 WAR. He was also a two-way player earlier in his career with a career .769 OPS, 114 wRC+, and 26.1 WAR; giving him a solid shot at a Hall of Fame nod. Both SS Jack Glasscock and C Jack Rowe were 10+ time all-stars with 2000+ career hits.



John Clarkson’s #68 was retired by the Chicago White Sox, joining C Jocko Milligan’s #71. Clarkson only pitched eight seasons there, but won both of his Pitcher of the Year awards and led them to the inaugural World Series title. Indianapolis retired C Jack Rowe’s #26, as he played nine seasons for the Clowns with 1225 games and 42.9 WAR.

In manager firings, Al Pratt was canned after five mid-tier seasons with the Phillies. He had previously been with the Cubs from 1889-94 with two division titles, but never made the playoffs in Philadelphia. Brooklyn’s Bill Conway and New Orleans’ Ike Benners both got booted as well. Benners made the playoffs in his 1898 debut leading the Pelicans, but they had been stuck in the middle-tier since. Conway had a ten-year run with the Dodgers and they were never awful, but they never made the playoffs with a .497 win percentage.

The 1901 First-Year Player Draft was a large one justifying 20 rounds. Detroit used the #1 pick on SP Ed Walsh, who experts rate already as a 65 overall pitcher with 75-grade potential. Buffalo took CF George Stone #2 with a 30/65 grade, followed by SP Frank Smith (70/70) to the Red Sox. Notably refusing to sign was #10 pick SP Andy Coakley with the Phillies. Below are the top 50 picks.



A big reason for Detroit’s terrible 1901 was injuries to top hitters Elmer Flick and Honus Wagner. Many were shocked in November as the Tigers traded Wagner to Cincinnati for four prospects. The 28-year old Wagner is entering his last year under team control, so perhaps Detroit felt they wouldn’t be able to keep him, especially with Flick also having only two years left of team control. None of the prospects they acquired were particularly highly rated.

Another major trade saw three-time Pitcher of the Year Ed Doheny on the move. He had pitched seven seasons with Washington with a 2.82 ERA over 2079.2 innings, 1702 Ks, and 47.8 WAR. Doheny also had one year left on his deal and the Nationals perhaps felt they wouldn’t be able to match a likely record asking price. Perhaps most surprising was sending him to the divisional rival Yankees for only two mid-ranked prospects.



The biggest free agent deal went to 2B Gene DeMontreville, a five-time all-star previously with Minnesota. Fresh off their World Series win, Kansas City gave the soon-to-be 29-year old a seven-year, $386,800 deal. The Royals also re-signed long-time star Otto Schomberg for his 19th season with the squad.

Jimmy Sheckard was a notable one as the three-time Silver Slugger winner had already earned free agency at age 23 after six seasons for the Browns. With recent injury issues, he only managed a one-year deal with Cleveland. The Red Sox were big spenders by adding arguably the top two pitchers on the market in Frank Knauss and Herb Goodall. Boston also picked up veteran OF Dick Johnston. Below are the top free agent signings.

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In stadium changes, the St. Louis Browns built a new “Sportsman’s Park” to become their long-term home. Anticipating the growth of the game, this stadium has a 34,000 total capacity. The stadium is 351 feet down the left field line, 379 in left-center, and 420 in dead center with a 12 foot-wall. Right field is only 310 down the line and 354 to right-center, but with a 35 foot-wall. It is anticipated to play relatively neutrally for batting average and left-handed home runs, but below average for right-handed homers and above average for doubles/triples. For now, the Cardinals remain at the separate Robison Field; although they will later share this field.



Cincinnati meanwhile replaced League Park with Palace of the Fans (aka League Park III) at the same location. The old park was known for high averages, doubles/triples, and few homers. Palace of the Fans would only accentuate those factors. The deepest point is down the right field line at 450 feet, with 375 to right-center, 400 to dead center, 418 to left-center, and 360 down the left field line. Only Pittsburgh’s Exposition Park and Boston’s Huntington Avenue Grounds have more cavernous outfields. This would be the last ballpark changes until a wave of new stadiums in from 1909-1916, when 14 different franchises will find new homes.



1902 still wasn’t particularly close to electing the first Hall of Fame players. CL Billy O’Brien and SP Pud Galvin were the top vote getters but both were shy of 20%.



Above are the top-rated hitters in pro baseball entering the 1902 season.



Above are the top-rated pitchers entering 1902.

Below are the all-time leaderboards and milestones that may be reached this season.





In spring training injury news, veteran Indianapolis 2B Frank Grant is out for the entire season with a torn ACL. Veteran pitcher Jim Handiboe, signed by Kansas City for 1902, is out 14-15 months with a damaged elbow ligament.

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Defending World Series champ Kansas City had an all-time start to April 1902 at 22-6, already putting the Royals eight games up in the American League West Division. KC was 13-1 to start the month. Boston leads the AL East through one month at 19-9, followed by New York (18-10), Baltimore (16-12), and Cleveland (15-13). The Boston Braves have the National League’s best record at 19-9 atop the East Division, followed by Pittsburgh at 17-11. Chicago and New Orleans are tied in the NL West at 18-10.

Orioles LF Sam Crawford won AL Batter of the Month with a .330 average, 10 home runs, 19 RBI, and 23 runs. Cardinals RF Charlie Hickman was the NL’s best on a .404 average, 9 homers, 33 RBI, and 24 runs. Frank Smith was AL Pitcher and Rookie of the Month for the Red Sox with a 5-1 record, 1.88 ERA, and 48 strikeouts over 52.2 innings to start his career. Across town, Braves lefty Ed Killian was also the top arm and rookie in the NL on a 5-1 record, 3.21 ERA, and 30 Ks in 47.2 innings.

In milestones, Red Sox RF Dick Johnston became the third member of the 3000 hit club, joining Pete Browning and Dan Brouthers as the only guys to achieve the feat. Royals 1B Otto Schomberg became the first with 2000 career walks drawn. To this point, only two other guys have even breached 1500 walks.



Phillies 1B Skyrocket Smith reached 1500 runs scored. Getting to 1000 runs was Athletics LF Jesse Burkett and Tigers C Buck Ewing. Reaching 1000 RBI was Gants RF Pat Luby and Clowns RF Tom Gettinger. Royals 1B Billy Hamilton and Phillies LF Joe Kelley both snagged 2000 hits. Yankees P George Davies struck out batter #2500 while Dodgers righty Sadie McMahon reached 2000 Ks.

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Kansas City’s dominance continued through May 1902 with MLB’s best record at 40-15. Everyone else in the American League West is below .500, giving the defending champion Royals a 13.5 game lead. The AL East is a tough fight with Cleveland moving into first at 33-22 with an 8-2 end to the month. New York is a half-game back (33-23) while Boston (31-24), Washington (29-27), and Baltimore (28-28) are all right in the mix.

Pittsburgh’s 20-8 May pushed them to the National League’s best record at 37-19, just passing the 36-20 Braves in the East Division. Everyone else in the division are several games below .500. New Orleans and Chicago remain even in the West at 33-23. St. Louis is next at 29-27, but only nine games separate first from last in the West.

The defending MVPs led their leagues in May. Royals LF Mike Donlin secured AL Batter of the Month with a .412 average, 5 home runs, 28 RBI, and 28 runs. Pelicans SS Jimmy Williams won for the NL with a .422 average, 43 hits, 10 homers, 28 RBI, and 30 runs.

AL Pitcher of the Month went to Chicago’s Amos Rusie with a 6-0 record, 1.38 ERA, and 41 strikeouts over 52.1 innings. Cardinals righty Carl Lundgren was NL POTY and the Rookie of the Month as the #12 pick posted a 2.29 ERA, 5-1 record, and 35 Ks in 51 innings. Red Sox LF Moose McCormick was the AL’s top rookie with the #9 pick posting a .304 average, 5 homers, 23 RBI, and 23 runs.

In bad news for struggling Cincinnati, SS Honus Wagner is out 2-3 months with a strained hamstring. The Reds acquired him in an offseason trade with Detroit. Wagner has been great when healthy, but has notably missed chunks of the last few seasons. Phillies star LF Joe Kelley is out for the year on a torn ACL. The Royals lost long-time 1B and all-time walks leader 1B Otto Schomberg for the season with a ruptured disc.

44-year old Spiders 1B Dan Brouthers announced that 1902 will be his final season. Through May 1902, Big Dan is MLB’s all-time leader in games (2793), runs (1835), doubles (748), and triples (115). Brouthers is second in hits at 3314, chasing Pete Browning (3405) for the top spot. He’s also #2 in RBI (1815) and WAR for position players (114.49); behind only Mike Tiernan for both (1963, 126.59).



Tiernan became the first player to 600 career home runs on May 24 for the Pirates. His once prolific power has been less pronounced since signing with Pittsburgh due to their cavernous outfield at Exposition Park. Buffalo’s Jimmy Ryan meanwhile on the same day became only the third to 500 homers, a feat also met by Hugh Duffy. A few days earlier, Ryan also reached 800 career stolen bases.

In other May milestones, Braves 2B Reddy Mack and Brewers 1B Duke Farrell both reached 2500 hits. Nationals CF Jim Fogarty snagged RBI #1000. White Sox ace Amos Rusie earned win #200 and Red Sox LHP Frank Knauss crossed 2500 strikeouts.

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Entering the 1902 All-Star Break, Kansas City maintains the top record in the American League at 54-27. They’ve completely dominated the West Division with a 12.5 game lead on second place Minnesota (42-40). However, the hold on the #1 seed has loosened somewhat with strong June runs for both New York and Cleveland.

The Yankees went 17-9 in June to move into first place in the AL East, while the Spiders are 1.5 back at 48-33. Boston is third at 45-36 while both Washington and Baltimore are nine back at 41-41. Philadelphia meanwhile has the worst record in the majors by a healthy margin at 24-58.

Pittsburgh took the National League’s best record into the break at 54-28 and gained slight ground on Boston. The Braves are still only three back in the NL East at 51-31. The Pirates notably took three of four at home from Boston as they met in late June. Defending NL champ New York remains a non-factor at 39-43. Chicago went 18-8 in June to pull away in the NL West at 51-35, although New Orleans is still only four back at 47-35. Interestingly enough, only four of the NL’s 12 teams have a winning record at the break.

AL Batter of the Month for June was veteran Nationals 2B Ed Delahanty with a .404 average, 8 home runs, 28 RBI, and 23 runs. Pelicans SS Jimmy Williams won again in the NL with a .418 average, 9 homers, 28 RBI, and 23 runs. Williams is on an insane pace and currently has an NL triple crown with a .401 average, 26 home runs, and 82 RBI. He also has a staggering 8.8 WAR as he’s simultaneously been the best defensive shortstop in the game with 19.8 zone rating.

AL Pitcher of the Month was Cleveland’s Addie Joss on a 2.25 ERA, 4-2 record, and 39 strikeouts in 52 innings. Louisville’s Christy Mathewson won the NL’s honor with a 1.20 ERA, 5-1 record, and 61 Ks in 52.2 innings. Mathewson currently has an MLB-wide Triple Crown with a 1.70 ERA, 12-4 record, and 178 strikeouts along with 7.1 WAR. If he keeps the pace, he could break his Ks record and break the ERA and WAR marks.

Although Detroit is struggling, #1 pick Ed Walsh was the AL’s Rookie of the Month with a 4-1 record, 2.81 ERA, and 47 strikeouts over 51.1 innings. Cincinnati’s Bobby White won the NL’s award with a 1.91 ERA, 3-2 record, and 20 Ks over 42.1 innings.



In pitching milestones, Toad Ramsey became the third pitcher to 3000 career strikeouts. He had been sitting at 2995 since the end of the 1900 season, but had been stuck in the minors until finally getting called up by the White Sox in June for some relief work. Browns veteran Bob Black became the first pitcher with 100+ career WAR.

Washington CF Jim Fogarty became the first to 1101 career stolen bases. Royals SS Pat Dealy got to 800 swipes and Braves CF Eddie Burke snagged his 700th. Reaching the 2000 hit club in June was Brewers RF Willie Keeler, White Sox 1B Tommy Tucker, Cubs SS George Davis, and Giants LF Scott Stratton. Keeler and Baltimore 2B Frank Shugart both scored their 1000th run. Getting to 1000 RBI was Nationals RF Jimmy Bannon and Spiders 3B John McGraw.

1B Pete Browning narrowly passed Dan Brouthers to become the new career runs leader. Browning goes into the break with 1850 while Brouthers is at 1845. Brouthers had been the leader for most of his career.

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Below are the rosters for the 1902 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 1 at Bennett Park in Detroit. It was the third straight season a Nationals slugger won the Home Run Challenge, impressively with three different guys. Ed Delahanty took the honor by defeating his teammate and defending champ Jimmy Bannon 11-10 in the final round.



The National League ended the American League’s four-year win streak with a 6-2 final score. The AL still leads the all-time series 14-5. The game was tied 2-2 entering the eighth, but the NL scored twice in both of the final innings. Brooklyn RF Ducky Holmes was named MVP thanks to his two-run ninth inning pinch hit home run. It was his first all-star game appearance over a 10-year career between the Dodgers and Browns.

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The Royals had the American League’s best record in July at 18-9, growing the best record in the majors to 72-36. It is basically a given that Kansas City will win the AL West, as they’re now 18 games up on 54-54 Minnesota and St. Louis. The big month allowed them to gain ground for the top seed despite the top AL East contenders each getting winning records in July. New York maintains the lead at 65-43, 1.5 up on Cleveland (63-44) and four ahead of Boston (61-47). In bad news for the Yankees, star OF Danny Green is out for the year with a broken bone in his elbow.

The best record in all of the majors for July was the Boston Braves at 19-7, which vaulted them into the National League’s top spot at 70-38. Pittsburgh went 14-12, dropping them two back in the NL East at 68-40. Chicago went 16-10 after the break to New Orleans’ 12-14, widening the NL West gap to eight games. The Cubs are 67-41 with the Pelicans at 59-49.

AL Batter of the Month in July was Baltimore LF Sam Crawford with a .495 average, 8 homers, 28 RBI, and 29 runs. It was Cardinals RF Charlie Hickman in the NL on a .458 average, 4 homers, 23 RBI, and 12 runs. Red Sox righty Bob Wicker took AL Pitcher of the Month on a 2.76 ERA, 5-1 record, and 41 strikeouts in 49 innings. Cardinals closer Tom Hughes won in the NL going 8-8 in save opportunities with a 3-0 record and zero ERA over 12 innings. Boston LF Moose McCormick took AL Rookie of the Month with a .312 average, 10 homers, 20 runs, and 30 RBI. Pelicans 3B Art Devlin was the best NL newcomer on a .353 average, 1 homer, and 13 RBI.

On July 23 against the Cubs, Cincinnati rookie CF Frank Schulte became the first player in 1902 to hit for the cycle. The trade deadline came and went without any big name moves. In milestones, White Sox SP Amos Rusie became the fourth to 3000 strikeouts. Cleveland 1B Dan Brouthers became the first player to 750 career doubles. Athletics LF Jesse Burkett reached 2000 hits. Braves CF Eddie Burke scored his 1000th run while both Louisville RF Larry Twitchell and Red Sox 1B Ollie Smith got to 1000 RBI. Royals C Doggie Miller reached 800 stolen bases and Brewers 1B Duke Farrell got #700.

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Both Kansas City and New York moved closer to repeat division titles in August. The Royals went on a 19-9 tear to move to 91-45, ten games ahead of the Yankees for the American League’s top seed. KC is 20.5 games up on 70-65 St. Louis in the AL West. NY had a 16-12 August, but more importantly Cleveland struggled to 11-18 and Boston went 12-15. The Yankees lead the AL East at 81-55, seven up on the Spiders and 7.5 on the Red Sox.

The National League had a huge swing in fortunes in the East Division. Pittsburgh went 20-8 in August, while Boston was a lousy 11-17. The Pirates raced back into first place at 88-48 with a seven-game lead on the 81-55 Braves. Pittsburgh is also now six ahead of Chicago for the top seed. The Cubs are 82-54 and remain in firm control of the West as New Orleans continued to fade. The Pelicans are now 12 back at 70-66 with both St. Louis and Louisville at 69-67.

AL Batter of the Month was Royals LF Mike Donlin with a .414 average, 10 home runs, 26 RBI, and 26 runs. The reigning MVP has a shot at another Triple Crown, as he leads the AL in average (.377) and RBI (141) entering September. Donlin has 39 homers, one back on Orioles OF Sam Crawford.

In the NL, New Orleans SS Jimmy Williams leads the Triple Crown stats with a .400 average, 35 homers, and 118 RBI. The Gold Glover also has 12.7 WAR, putting him in striking distance of the position player single-season record of 13.53 by Mike Tiernan in 1889. NL Batter of the Month was Colonels 1B Jim Delahanty with a .374 average, 6 homers, 27 RBI, and 20 runs.

Louisville’s Christy Mathewson was NL Pitcher of the Month continuing his all-time great season, posting a 1.21 ERA and 6-0 record in August with 63 strikeouts over 52 innings. He leads the entire majors in ERA (1.72), wins (22), strikeouts (294), and WAR (11.3). If Mathewson keeps his pace, he’ll break the single-season record for all but the wins. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Addie Joss has a legit shot at a Triple Crown in the AL as he leads in ERA (1.96) and Ks (200) while one win back of first at 17.

Baltimore’s Barney Wolfe was AL Pitcher of the Month and the Rookie of the Month. The #15 pick had a 4-2 record over 52 innings with a 1.04 ERA and 27 strikeouts. Reds CF Frank Schulte was NL Rookie of the Month hitting .343 with 8 homers and 23 RBI. Red Sox 2B Frank LaPorte became the second player this season to hit for the cycle, going it on August 24 against Milwaukee.



In milestones, Pittsburgh OF Mike Tiernan became the fourth member of the 3000 hit club. Entering September, the top four are Pete Browning (3490), Dan Brouthers (3408), Dick Johnston (3110), and Tiernan (3002). Silent Mike has been reduced to a part-time starting role with down numbers at age 35, but he remains the all-time leader for homers (601), RBI (1975), and WAR for position players (127.02). Tiernan and Browning are now tied for the all-time lead in total bases (5453) while Brouthers is close behind at 5427.

Dodgers 1B Roger Connor became the second to 750 career doubles. Kansas City’s Billy Hamilton was only the second to 1100 career stolen bases. He’s nine behind Jim Fogarty for the all-time lead. Red Sox RF Dick Johnston reached 900 steals. Cubs 1B Fred Carroll and Nationals 2B Ed Delahanty both got to 2500 career hits. Brewers RF Willie Keeler and Nationals 3B Jud Smith both got to 1000 RBI and Red Sox 1B Ollie Smith picked up his 1000th run scored.

Clowns veteran Mickey Welch was the fifth pitcher to 3000 strikeouts. He’s the all-time leader in wins (316), games (703), complete games (353), innings (4991), and walks (1524). Bisons pitcher Jack Sharrott earned his 200th win, the 25th pitcher to get there.

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Defending World Series champion Kansas City finished with the third-best record in American League history at 104-58 to earn their second-ever division title. They cruised to the AL West title and led the majors with 949 runs scored. The only other AL West team with a winning record was Minnesota at 82-80, extending their streak of winning seasons to eight years. That is now the longest such active streak in the bigs.

New York entered September with a seven-game East Division lead over Cleveland and finished with the same margin, but there was drama in-between. The Spiders earned a four-game home sweep of the Yankees as part of an eight-game winning streak. NY was also 3-8 to start the month while Cleveland was 10-1, which tied them after their series ended on September 12.

From there, Cleveland went 5-9 to end the season while New York was a dominant 14-2. The Yankees won their third straight division title at 97-65 and fifth overall. Cleveland’s 90-72 finish was their first winning record since 1894 and the second-best in franchise history. New York allowed the AL’s fewest runs at 664 and their +182 run differential was one better than the Royals.

Boston (86-76) and Baltimore (84-78) both had respectable seasons. The Red Sox ran into trouble in close games, going 19-27 in one-run games and 6-11 in extra innings. Washington at 79-83 had their first losing campaign in five years. Philadelphia at 52-110 posted the worst record in AL history and the second-worst in MLB history behind only Buffalo’s 48-114 in 1900.



The final AL Batter of the Month was Baltimore LF Sam Crawford with a .386 average, 7 home runs, 24 RBI, and 20 runs. It is a two-man battle for MVP with Crawford and reigning MVP Mike Donlin of Kansas City. Crawford narrowly won the batting title over Donlin (.372 to .371) and both hit a league-best 47 homers. Crawford had the best OPS (1.165) and most runs (135); while Donlin had far more RBI (166) and more hits (221). The 166 RBI was the fourth-best single-season in MLB history. Crawford’s OPS was the eighth-best qualifying season to date. Most favor Donlin to edge him out for the award with the team success as a clincher for the Royals.

Pitcher of the Year is a lock for Cleveland’s Addie Joss, who was also September’s best on a 0.99 ERA, 6-0 record, and 41 strikeouts in 54.1 innings. He won the AL’s Triple Crown with a 1.79 ERA, 23-8 record, and 241 strikeouts while also leading in WAR (9.1) and innings (307). His ERA would’ve been a single-season MLB record for qualifiers (162+ innings) if not for Christy Mathewson’s own National League Triple Crown and record-breaking 1.70 mark.

In only his second season, Joss also set a new record for opponent’s on-base percentage at .224 and WHIP at 0.81. His .511 OPS was the third-best qualifying season. Joss was the fourth pitcher in MLB history with a sub-two ERA and earned back-to-back ERA titles. He did tie for the AL’s strikeout lead with Boston’s Doc White. There have been four pitching Triple Crowns in MLB history, as Ed Doheny and Rube Waddell both did it in their respective leagues in 1899.

The final AL Rookie of the Month was #1 pick Ed Walsh with Detroit, who posted a 1.73 ERA over 52 innings with a 3-1 record and 40 strikeouts. In bad news for the Royals entering the playoffs, starting 3B Jimmy Collins suffered a strained MCL and is likely out for the entire postseason.

The only no-hitters of the entire 1902 season came in the same series between St. Louis and Chicago. On September 14, the Browns’ Frank Griffith did it in a 5-0 win over the White Sox. He struck out four with one walk and one hit batsmen over 108 pitches. Two days later, Chicago’s Amos Rusie countered in a 7-0 win. Rusie would’ve been perfect if not for two errors, although he personally made one of them. He only tossed 93 pitches and struck out six. 1902 was notable for not having a six-hit game or a 15+ strikeout game at any point.



In milestones, Baltimore’s Lee Viau became the seventh pitcher to 250 wins while Kansas City’s Bill Stemmyer got to 200. Detroit’s Joe Neale struck out his 2000th batter. White Sox RF Charlie Duffee and Orioles 1B Germany Smith both got to 1500 RBI. Tigers LF Cliff Carroll reached 1000 RBI. Cleveland’s John McGraw got hit #2000.

In team stats, the Yankees’ 981,238 season attendance was the second-best in MLB history; down from their record-setting 1,051,002 the prior year. Kansas City’s offense only struck out 675 times all season, a new MLB best. The Royals .352 team OBP was the third-best in AL history. The Athletics offense had only 14 triples, a new MLB low.

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Pittsburgh and Chicago both firmly held onto their division leads in September to punch their playoff tickets. The Pirates at 104-58 had the National League’s best record and won their fourth NL East title (1888, 97, 98, 1902). Pittsburgh’s record was the third-best in NL history. They led the NL in scoring with 891 runs and the majors with 613 runs allowed for a stellar +278 run differential. The differential ranked as the fourth-best in MLB history.

Boston gave them a good fight but finished ten back at 94-68; the fifth-straight winning season for the Braves. That was the second-best record for a team that missed the playoffs in NL history. The rest of the NL East finished with losing records. Last year’s NL champ New York notably struggled to 76-86 to end a three-year playoff streak. Buffalo at 61-101 had the NL’s worst record for the third consecutive season.

The Cubs claimed their third straight NL West with their 95-67 finish. They also won the division in 1884, 91, and 92; making Chicago the only team in the majors with six division titles. The Cubs had a 967,407 season attendance, second-best in NL history behind their 973,095 the prior year. Chicago also ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak.

New Orleans and St. Louis finished tied for second at 85-77 with Louisville 84-78. It was the Cardinals’ first winning campaign since 1896 and the Colonels’ first since 1895. Indianapolis at 72-90 saw their streak of winning seasons snapped at eight years. Cincinnati ended up last at 70-92 as they ended the year on a 12-game losing streak.



The last NL Batter of the Month was Pelicans LF Jocko Halligan with a .455 average, 7 homers, 27 RBI, and 15 runs. His teammate SS Jimmy Williams ended up missing the Triple Crown by six average points and four RBI, but he set the new MLB single-season WAR record at 14.3. Williams had a .380 average, 41 homers, 135 RBI, 126 runs, and Gold Glove defense with a MLB-best 32.4 zone rating.

Many expect Williams to win his third MVP and he was the first National Leaguer with 40+ homers since Kip Selbach in 1895. Cardinals RF Charlie Hickman notably won the batting title (.386) and led in OPS (1.116) and wRC+ (209) with 36 homers. Hickman had 9.2 WAR in the outfield and also posted 2.9 WAR, 222.2 innings, and 2.18 ERA on the mound for a combined 12.1 WAR.

Many awards voters won’t consider a pitcher for MVP, but Louisville’s Christy Mathewson deserves a strong look despite Williams’ and Hickman’s seasons. In his third year, Mathewson posted arguably the best-ever season by a pitcher in MLB’s 19-year history. He set single-season records among qualifiers (162 innings minimum) for ERA (1.70), pitching WAR (12.97), strikeouts (332), opponent’s slugging (.252) and opponent’s OPS (.493). Mathewson also tied the shutouts record with nine.

He shattered his own league-record 314 Ks from the prior year. Mathewson earned an MLB-wide Triple Crown and also led in wins (24-8), quality starts (29), innings (296.2), complete games (25), WHIP (0.87), K/9 (10.1), FIP (2.09), ERA+ (239), and FIP- (50). Cleveland’s Addie Joss won the AL’s Triple Crown, making four pitching TCs in MLB history. The scary thing for batters is both guys are still only 22-years old. Largely thanks to Mathewson, the Colonels also had the second-most team strikeouts (1071) and second-best K/9 (6.75) in MLB history.



On September 12 against Pittsburgh, Giants 1B Pete Browning became the first player with 3500 career hits. He turned 41 in June and was still solid with .811 OPS, 126 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR on the season. Browning ended the season as the all-time leader in hits (3515), runs (1888), total bases (5498), and singles (2325). Dan Brouthers had been chasing him for several of those marks, but he notably announced 1902 as his final season and was just behind Browning with 1875 runs, 3427 hits, and 5457 total bags.

New Orleans also had September’s Pitcher of the Month Jack Pfeister with a 4-0 record, 1.10 ERA, and 29 strikeouts over 41 innings. Philadelphia’s Jack Dunleavy was Rookie of the Month on a 3.18 ERA, 4-0 record, and 36 Ks over 45.1 innings. In other milestones, Phillies 1B Skyrocket Smith reached 2500 hits. Braves 2B Reddy Mack stole his 800th base. Clowns LF Tom Gettinger made it to 1000 runs and Pelicans 2B Ed McKean to 1000 RBI.

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The 1902 American League Championship Series was a rematch from the prior year’s seven-game classic, which saw Kansas City prevail over New York in the Royals’ first-ever appearance. The Yankees were making a third straight trip and fifth overall. Unlike the prior year, KC had home field advantage for 1902 having won seven more games. However, New York narrowly won the regular season series 5-4.

Game one had an explosive start with the Yankees scoring seven runs in the top of the first inning, followed by another three in the fourth. Kansas City chipped away, but New York held on for the 10-6 road win. 3B Otto Krueger had four RBI off of two doubles and a single.



The Royals bounced back in game two with a 5-3 win, going up 5-1 by the end of the third inning. KC pitcher Jake Weimer allowed 14 hits over seven innings, but only three runs in the win with two strikeouts. RF Johnny Kling was 3-4 with two runs and 2B Gene DeMontreville tripled and singled for three RBI and a run.



New York reclaimed the series lead on a 4-3 home win in game three. The Yankees went ahead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nap Lajoie was 2-4 with the game-tying double and two runs.



In the bottom of the first inning in game four, the Yankees scored via a hit batsmen and two singles. That was the only run in a pitcher’s duel victory to give New York the 3-1 series lead. Rookie Len Swormstedt threw a four-hitter over 103 pitches with six strikeouts and a walk. George Merritt for the Royals gave up one run, five hits, and three walks with two Ks over his complete game loss.



Kansas City claimed game five by a 6-2 margin to force the series back west. After getting wrecked in game one, Con Lucid pitched a complete game win with seven hits allowed and eight Ks. Charlie Hemphill scored twice and had a solo homer.



Game six was a rollercoaster ride with New York opening with three runs in the top of the first inning. Kansas City countered with four in the bottom half and two more in the second. The Royals lead held and it was 7-5 entering the ninth inning. There, the Yankees had a five-run rally, capped off by Larry Schlafly’s three-run homer. New York took the game 10-7 and the series in six games to dethrone the reigning World Series champs.



It was the second pennant for the Yankees, who won it all back in 1892. 2B Nap Lajoie was series MVP, going 10-25 with six runs and three RBI.

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The 1902 National League Championship Series was the fourth for top-seed Pittsburgh, who last made it and won their lone pennant in 1898. Chicago was making a sixth trip overall and third consecutive. The Cubs won it all in 1900 and lost in 1901, facing the New York Giants both years in the NLCS. Despite the Pirates winning nine more games than Chicago, the Cubs dominated the regular season series 7-2.

A back-and-forth game one was tied at 5-5 through regulation. In the 12th, Pirates SS Yale Murphy drew a leadoff walk and was grounded over to second. With two outs, 2B William Spratt brought him in with an RBI walkoff single for a 6-5 Pittsburgh win. LF Jesse Tannehill had three RBI on two hits with a run.



Chicago led game two 2-1 after the fourth inning and that score held until the eighth inning. There, Pittsburgh put together a four-run rally punctuated by Dan McGann’s three-run homer. The Pirates prevailed 5-2 to take the 2-0 series lead. McGann had three hits and two runs on the day. Pittsburgh SP Weldon Henley gave up two runs (one earned) in seven innings.



The Cubs won game three at home 6-5 as they traded runs in the final three innings. The final one in the bottom of the ninth was Heinie Wagner’s RBI single to score Charlie Hamburg. CF Tommy Leach was 3-4 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs. In defeat, Pittsburgh 3B Denny Lyons was 4-5 with a double, triple, and two runs.



Pittsburgh went up 4-1 after the first inning in game four and never surrendered the lead despite multiple Chicago rally bids. The Pirates survived 10-8 for the first road win to the NLCS, putting them up 3-1. A three-run Jesse Tannehill home run in the eighth proved critical cushion for Pittsburgh. Chicago’s Tommy Leach had three hits and four RBI in the loss.



Three singles in the first four batters of game five put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0. The score held until the bottom of the ninth where Chicago loaded the bases up with two walks and a single to start the inning. The Pirates conceded a run to get a 6-4-3 double play, then coaxed a pop-up to escape with the 2-1 road win and the series in five games.



Arlie Pond pitched eight innings in the win with one run, four hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. 3B Denny Lyons was series MVP going 10-18 with seven runs and two RBI. Lyons is the first in MLB history to win both NLCS and ALCS MVP in a career, having accomplished the latter with Milwaukee in 1888.

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The 19th World Series was the second appearance for both competitors. The Pittsburgh Pirates previously lost in 1898 to Washington 4-1, while the New York Yankees defeated Buffalo 4-2 in 1892. Both teams allowed their league’s fewest runs in 1902. Pittsburgh was also the National League’s top offense, while the Yankees were second in American League scoring.

Game one was competitive at 3-1 through six innings, then the Pirates absolutely unloaded en route to a 13-1 whooping. Pittsburgh picked up 20 hits with RF Homer Smoot going 4-5 with two doubles, four RBI, and two runs. Dan McGann, George Yeager, and Yale Murphy each had three hits with McGann doubling twice. Weldon Henley gave up three hits and an unearned run over his seven inning start.



New York rebounded with a 4-2 road win in game two to tie the series. The Yankees went ahead with two runs in the eighth. 2B Nap Lajoie went 3-4 with two runs, one RBI, and one walk.



Pittsburgh seemed on their way to a game three road win, leading 5-0 entering the bottom of the eighth. New York woke up and got six in the eighth to rally for the 6-5 win. The decisive inning had six singles, two passed balls, and a walk.



Game four was tied 3-3 after the seventh inning and stayed there into extra innings. Pirates RF Homer Smoot hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the 11th inning. The Yankees put runners at the corners in the bottom half but couldn’t convert, giving Pittsburgh the 4-3 road win to even the series. New York’s Len Swormstedt pitched all 11 innings but gave up four runs (three earned) seven hits, two walks, and six Ks. Bill Phyle pitched the first 7.2 for the Pirates, then Otis Stockdale went scoreless the rest of the way.



New York grabbed a 4-0 lead after the second inning in game five. Pittsburgh was back within one after the sixth, but the Yankees added three more for cushion in the seventh and won 7-3. DH Jake Beckley was 2-4 with four RBI. Peek-A-Boo Veach pitched 8.2 innings allowing seven hits, three runs, and three walks with five strikeouts over 146 pitches.



Game six had several swings with New York up 3-1 after the third. The lead was 6-3 after the top of the sixth, but Pittsburgh scored four in the bottom half for their first lead. The Pirates got another in the seventh, but the Yankees plated two in the eighth to tie the game at 8-8. In the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Charlie Frisbee got a one-out single and stole second. After an intentional walk, Jesse Tannehill delivered the RBI walkoff single for a 9-8 Pittsburgh win. With that, the World Series will go all seven games for the seventh time and the first time since 1897.

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Game seven of the 19th World Series was Friday, October 17, 1902 in front of 10,383 fans on a clear 54 degree afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Exposition Park. The Pirates struck in the first inning with a Roy Thomas two-out triple, followed by Homer Smoot’s RBI double. New York tied it in the fourth with a Nap Lajoie double, followed by a single and error to score him. In the fifth, Frank Belt smacked a leadoff double and later scored on a sacrifice fly to put the Yankees ahead 2-1. Pittsburgh countered in the bottom half on a two-out walk for Dan McGann, which set up a steal and RBI single by George Yeager.

In the sixth, Pittsburgh loaded the bases up with two outs and got a two RBI line drive single to short by Smoot for the 4-2 Pirates lead. They added three more in the eighth on four hits and one error. Pittsburgh held onto the 7-2 home win to secure their first-ever MLB title. The Pirates were the sixth different franchise to win it all in as many years. 14 of 24 Major League franchises have won it all through 19 seasons. The National League still trails the all-time series 12-7 to the American League.



Homer Smoot was 3-5 in the finale with four RBI and a run, helping him earn World Series MVP. Overall, he was 12-32 with two homers and 11 RBI in the series. It was Smoot’s first year as a starter but third season overall. The #10 pick in 1899, he led the NL in hits (222), doubles (55), and RBI (139) in 1902. Jerry Nops pitched six innings in the game seven win, allowing five hits, two runs, and four walks with one strikeout.



In playoff records, New York’s George Davies set the high for saves (5) and Pittsburgh’s Otis Stocksdale set the high for games pitched (9). Smoot had 22 hits, the third-most in playoff history. Kansas City’s Matty McIntyre set playoff records for batting average (.556) and OBP (.600); minimum 20 plate appearances.

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“Turkey Mike” Donlin repeated as American League Most Valuable Player in 1902, getting 22 first place votes while Washington 2B Ed Delahanty had the other two. In his fourth season for Kansas City, Donlin led in hits (221), home runs (47), and RBI (166). He added 130 runs, 36 doubles, .371/.424/.681 slash, 201 wRC+, and 9.6 WAR. Donlin will be a Royal for the long-haul as the 24-year old left fielder signed an eight-year, $335,000 extension in May.

The runner-up Delahanty impressively led with 10.6 WAR in his age 34 season with 37 homers, 1.020 OPS, and 185 wRC+. He’s been a star 16 seasons for Washington at second base and won his tenth Silver Slugger, joining Hugh Duffy and Mike Tiernan (11) as the only 10+ winners. Delahanty is at 116.76 career WAR, behind only Tiernan (126.86) for position players. Baltimore LF Sam Crawford was third in MVP voting despite leading in runs (135), triples (13), homers (47), total bases (426), triple slash (.372/.438/.727), OPS (1.165), and wRC+ (215). He’ll also be an Oriole for the long haul as they signed Crawford to an eight-year, $334,600 extension shortly after the season ended.

Cleveland’s Addie Joss now has back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards after only two seasons in the big leagues. He won unanimously as he earned the AL Triple Crown with a 23-8 record, 1.79 ERA, and 241 strikeouts. Joss would’ve had the MLB Triple Crown if not for Christy Mathewson’s incredible season for Louisville. Joss’ ERA would’ve also been a single-season record if not for Mathewson.

Joss was also the AL leader for innings (307), strikeouts (241), shutouts (6), WHIP (0.81), BB/9 (1.4), ERA+ (243), FIP- (65), and WAR (9.1). The WHIP was a new single-season record among qualifiers (162+ innings), as was his .224 opponents’ OPS. Joss’s .511 opponents’ OPS is the third-best qualifying season of all-time.

Rookie of the Year went to Boston’s Moose McCormick, who also won a Silver Slugger as a designated hitter. The #9 pick was the leader in doubles (61) and had 30 homers, 137 RBI, .943 OPS, 156 wRC+, and 5.5 WAR. McCormick’s season was only the sixth in MLB history of 60+ doubles. He had 21 first place votes for ROTY while Baltimore’s Barney Wolfe had three. Wolfe was the AL leader for complete games (22) and had a 19-12 record, 2.44 ERA, 291.1 innings, 138 Ks, and 6.7 WAR.

White Sox C Heinie Peitz won his sixth Silver Slugger, Yankees 1B Tuck Turner got his fourth, and Tigers RF Elmer Flick grabbed his third. Chicago 2B Tommy Corcoran won his seventh Gold Glove. Royals C Doggie Miller became a five-time winner and his teammate 2B Gene DeMontreville snagged his third.

Kansas City’s Cal McVey won repeated as Manager of the Year and became the fourth skipper to win the award thrice. The Royals had a franchise-best 104-58 record in 1902, although they failed to return to the World Series. In a decade for KC, the 53-year old McVey has an 835-785 record. He has turned one of the smallest market franchises into a contender to start the 20th Century.

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The National League Most Valuable Player award battle was less competitive than many expected, as St. Louis RF/P Charlie Hickman got it with all but one first place vote. New Orleans’ SS Jimmy Williams was second and Pitcher of the Year winner Christy Mathewson was third with Louisville. The latter two both set single-season records, yet it was “Piano Legs” Hickman taking the top prize with his two-way effort.

At the plate, Hickman led in average (.386), slugging (.693), OPS (1.116), and wRC+ (209). He had 36 homers, 117 RBI, 214 hits, 98 runs, and 9.2 WAR. On the mound, Hickman posted a 14-10 record, 2.18 ERA, 222.2 innings, 114 strikeouts, and 2.9 WAR. Sabermetrics were underwhelmed by his pitching with 100 FIP- and 4.01 FIP despite his 185 ERA+. Still, his bat plus the innings and low ERA got him the top honor. Hickman also won Silver Sluggers both in RF and P, giving him five for his career. The Cardinals gave him an eight-year, $314,600 extension in September.

Sabermetrics loved the runner-up Williams, who set the single-season WAR record of 14.23. He led in runs (126), home runs (41), total bases (387), and OBP (.433). Williams also led all defenders with 32.4 zone rating en route to his third Gold Glove. He also won his fifth Silver Slugger.

Mathewson repeated as Pitcher of the Year in his third season and posted arguably the best pitching season in MLB history. He took the Triple Crown with new single-season records for ERA (1.70) and strikeouts (332) along with a 24-8 record. Mathewson also led in quality starts (29), innings (296.2), complete games (25), shutouts (9), WHIP (0.87), K/9 (10.1), FIP- (50), ERA+ (239), and WAR (12.97).

At only age 21, Mathewson’s pitching WAR was a new single-season record and he tied the shutouts record. He also set new bests for opponents’ slugging (.252) and OPS (.493). Louisville was able to lock Mathewson up early with a seven-year, $259,600 extension signed in October.

New Orleans 3B Art Devlin won Rookie of the Year with 18 first place votes, while Cincinnati’s Frank Schulte had five and teammate Bobby White had one. Devlin also won a Gold Glove and posted 169 hits, 107 runs, 36 doubles, .735 OPS, 109 wRC+, and 4.9 WAR. The runner-up Schulte also was a Gold Glove winner in CF and had .795 OPS, 120 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR. In other notables, Braves 2B Reddy Mack won his third Silver Slugger and his third Gold Glove.

With the World Series win, Pittsburgh’s Frank “Heck” Heifer won Manager of the Year. He previously won it in 1898 with the Pirates. The 48-year old took over the job in 1894 and thus far has a 752-706 record with three playoff berths and two pennants.