With the 2005 White Sox steaming towards their first World Series’ Championship in 88 years, the media has been writing quite a bit lately about the 1917 ChiSox (the last time they won the World Series). We have also been treated to a lot of fanfare about the 1959 White Sox (the last time they made it to the Series). Then there is the 1919 White Sox coined the Black Sox after infamously  throwing the World Series that year. They made a movie about that team and many Southsiders believe that their team has been cursed ever since. So, what else is there to write about when it comes to the White Sox and their World Series’ history. Well, I haven’t read much lately about the ChiSox of 1906, the team known as the "Hitless Wonders". In the third World Series ever and in what might have been the greatest upset in World Series’ history, the White Sox of ’06 beat their crosstown nemesis, the fabled "Tinker to Evers to Chance" Chicago Cubs in six games. This was the first and other than 1917, the only White Sox team to ever win a World Series.

In 1906 the Cubs won 116 games, a Major League record that stands to this day (The Mariners tied this record in 2001, but played in ten extra games). They were considered such overwhelming favorites that many Chicago bookies refused to take money from bettors tapping the Cubs to win the Series. Hall of Famer, Mordecai "Three Fingered" Brown led a fierce Cubbies staff with a 26-6 record and a 1.04 ERA. The entire staff had a 1.75 ERA for the season, an outstanding mark even in the "Deadball" era.  Franklin Pierce Adams hadn’t yet penned his famous poem, but shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance joined third baseman Harry Steinfeldt to form a slick fielding infield and lead a lineup that led the Majors in Hitting. In contrast, the Southsiders hit a paltry .230 as a team and did not have a regular hit above .279 for the regular season. The ChiSox’s World Series fate would rest upon a pitching staff almost as dominant as the Cubbies’ staff. Led by Hall of Famer, Ed Walsh, 1906 AL ERA champ Doc White (1.52), and 20 game winners Nick Altrock and Frank Owens, the "Hitless Wonders" reeled off a 19 game winning streak in August—eight of them by Shutout— and won their second AL pennant by three games.

The format for the first Series between teams from the same town was best of seven with each game alternating between the Cubs’ West Side Grounds and the White Sox’s Southside Park. Game 1 was played at the West Side Grounds. The "Hitless Wonders" lived up to their nickname in the first four games- scoring a total of six runs, but thanks to a complete game four-hitter (one run allowed) by Nick Altrock in Game 1 and a complete game two-hit shutout by Ed Walsh (twelve K’s) in Game 3, the Chisox were tied 2-2 going into Game 5. Led by second baseman Frank Isbell’s World Series’ record four doubles, the ChiSox defied their nickname and pounded out eight runs and Walsh, pitching on one days rest, hung tough as the Sox defeated the Cubbies 8-6. Up to this point neither team had won a home game and with Mordecai Brown coming back on one days rest after pitching a two-hit shutout of his own in Game 4, the Cubbies looked destined to take this Series to a seventh game. But, Doc White, who had Saved Game 5 with three shutout innings the day before, one-upped Brown and came back on no rest to pitch a complete game, while the suddenly hot-hitting White Sox ripped Brown for seven runs in an inning and two-thirds and coasted to an 8-3 victory at home. The "Hitless Wonders" were World Series’ Champs. Despite hitting only .198 for the Series, the vaunted ChiSox staff had held the Cubbies to a .196 average and became the first baseball darlings of Chicago.

• The White Sox won the first ever AL pennant in 1901 before there was a World Series.

                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                      Carl The Cabbie

Many baseball fans are aware of the fabled New York Yankees’ history. When you mention the New York Highlanders most are able to identify them as the predecessor and original franchise name of the Yankees. But, if one looks more closely at the beginnings of the Major Leagues (when the American League and the National League finally recognized each other and gave birth to the World Series) then you will find some very interesting activity that led to the Highlanders’ origins. In it’s inaugural season (1901), the American League, founded by Ban Johnson (President) resuscitated three teams that had been axed from the National League following the 1899 season. One of those teams was the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles were a dominant National League club in the 1890′s. Led by hall of famers Wee Willie Keeler, Hugh Jennings and Jon McGraw, they won three National League pennants in a row (1894-96). Much of their personality came from scrappy hall of fame manager, Ned Hanlon, who is often credited with creating "inside baseball"- a strategy based on hustle, speed and fundamentals. This Orioles team was one of the dirtiest teams ever. A player sharpening his steel cleats before the game was very common. They defined their manager’s style with constant stealing, hidden ball tricks and hit and run plays. They coined the term "Baltimore Chop" after their manager’s strategy to have his players deliberately hit the ball hard into the ground so as to create a high bounce. After a year playing as a minor league club, The Orioles joined the upstart American League in 1901 with player/manager Jon McGraw at the helm. Ban Johnson encouraged his new eight team league to lure players from National League rosters. Over 70 National League players defected.

In 1903, after the Junior Circuit completed its second season, Ban Johnson came to an agreement with the Senior Circuit to merge into one league, but only after Johnson received assurances that he could move a team to New York to compete in a big market. The team Johnson chose to move was the Orioles. In the same year that the first World Series was played, the Highlanders were born. The core players of the old Orioles left with Jon McGraw after Ban Johnson fired him at the end of the 1902 season. Hanlon’s scrappy and winning style left with them. As a result, the Highlanders were never very good until they officially became the Yankees in 1911. As for the first World Series – Cy Young (33-10) won twice and the Boston club, who in 1903 didn’t have an official nickname, beat the National League champion Pittsburgh Pirates in a nine game series (5-3).

Cabbie tip-bits 

In 1903 the "Americans" & "Pilgrims" were the most popular nicknames for the Boston club. The team became known as the Red Sox in 1907.

Legendary Yankee Manager Miller Huggins played for
Ned Hanlon’s Cincinnati Reds in 1906.            

                                                                                                                                        Carl The Cabbie