By Edwin Cooney
The modern World Series between the newly established National and American Leagues began in 1903 and was played between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans or, as some called them, the Boston Pilgrims. The winner of that first series was to win 5 out of 9 games.
In 1904, New York Giants manager, the irascible John J. McGraw, had sufficient influence to declare that the Giants wouldn't play the American League champions because, to him, the National League (the senior league) was vastly superior to the "upstart" junior league. However, by 1905, the newly established baseball commission forced McGraw's hand to play Connie Mack's Athletics. As things turned out, McGraw's Giants beat the "upstart" Athletics four games to one. This satisfied baseball's traditionalists that perhaps McGraw may have been right, but by then the demand for an annual "World Championship” series was so overwhelming that the fall classic was a national institution.
The first World Series sweep occurred in 1914 when the “Miracle” Boston
Braves shut out Connie Mack's Athletics four games to "zip." (Back in 1907, Frank Chance's Chicago Cubs had not allowed Hughie Jennings's and Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers to win a single game, but it couldn't be a sweep because the Tigers tied one game.) In those early days, local expectations were a huge part of the show. This was especially true in Boston where the Fitzgeralds and Kennedys and a famous colorful bartender named "Nuff said" kept the Irish singing "Sweet Adeline" before and after games.
The 1914 Boston Miracle Braves were exactly that. On July 4th of that year they were in last place, but they went on to win the National League pennant under manager George Stallings. They not only beat the three times champion Athletics under Cornelius McGillicuddy (generally called “Connie Mack” or "The Tall Tactician”) but humiliated him.
By 1921, twelve of the original sixteen major league franchises had played in a World Series at least once. That left the St. Louis Cardinals, the St. Louis Browns, the Washington Senators and the New York Yankees. However, in that year’s World Series (which was played 100 years ago last October 5th, 1921), the Yankees, under the direction of their little manager Miller Huggins and with the help of the mighty George Herman (Babe) Ruth, ignited the team. Founded in 1903, they were originally called the Hilltoppers and later were known as the Highlanders because their original park was atop the highest point in New York City. By 1912, the Highlanders were the New York Yankees and the Boston Pilgrims or Americans had become the Red Sox.
This year, the World Series has the traditional format. The first team to win four games out of seven is the winner. The first two games will be held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas and the three middle games of the possible seven game series will be held at Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves which opened in 2017. Corporations rather than individuals head up both teams. Back in 1921, the Giants were owned by Charles A. Stoneham. His son Horace Stoneham would move the franchise to San Francisco at the close of the 1957 season. The Yankees were jointly owned by Colonel Jacob Ruppert and another colonel with the incredible name of Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston, a former U.S. Army engineer. (The two colonels didn't like each other much and Colonel Ruppert soon bought out Colonel Huston.) Truist Park in Atlanta is owned by a finance company and Minute Maid Field is of orange juice fame.
The year 2021 marks the fifth consecutive year that the Houston Astros have been in post season play. An exceedingly hard and consistent hitting team, they can go a long way with little pitching, but they've also had several of baseball's greatest pitchers on their roster including people like Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, and Garrit Cole. Their hitting power is awesomely consistent and overwhelming, as often as not. The Atlanta Braves are also hard-hitting, but they are a younger team with only limited post season experience compared to the Astros.
The Braves have been a part of the National League almost from the beginning of professional baseball. Previously, I mentioned the “Miracle Braves" of 1914 who literally came from oblivion to win the National League pennant. They went on to sweep that year's World Series against the veteran Athletics. The team played in Boston through the 1952 season and then moved to Milwaukee where they played the Yankees in the 1957 and 1958 series. They won in '57 and lost in '58. However, many of their players are Baseball Hall of Fame legends including Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, and Eddie Mathews.
The Astros came into the National League in 1962 as did the Mets. Until 1964, they were called the Houston Colt .45s. The Astrodome (which was built by their owner Roy Hofheinz) was for a time called "the Eighth Wonder of the World."
Both the Astros and the Braves are led by managers who are highly respected throughout the league. The Astros' Johnnie B (Dusty) Baker played from 1968 through 1986 with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland A’s. As a ballplayer, he was in three World Series with the Dodgers: 1977, 1978, and 1981. His last World Series as a player was his victorious series. As a manager, he's managed the Giants, Cubs, the Nationals, and now the Astros. At age 72, it would be most fitting if he were to win this series. Everyone likes Dusty Baker — players, opposing managers, umpires and fans alike. Dusty Baker is a native of Riverside, California.
Brian Gerald Snitker, a native of Decatur, Illinois, is in his fifth year as the Braves’ manager. Never a major league player, Snitker is an organization man. He began as a player in 1977, catching and playing first base. Apparently, he decided early that his ability to coach or teach would be far more valuable to the Braves' organization than his playing ability. Snitker's son Troy was drafted by the Braves in 2013 and is now an Astros' hitting coach. (As the late, great Mel Allen would say, how about that!)
As mentioned above, the Braves were World Series participants in 1914 (Miracle Braves), 1948 (Boston Braves), 1957-58 (Milwaukee Braves), 1991, 1992, and 1995 (that year they were the champions of baseball), and 1999 as the Atlanta Braves. As for the Houston Astros, the last time they played in a World Series was in 2005 as champions of the National League. That year, the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox, four games to zip. They were transferred to the American League in 2013. Thus, the 2021 World Series is being played by two former National League teams: now, how about that!
As to what it all means, for you and me it may only be of passing interest, but for the Snitker family, the outcome is truly personal!
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY
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