When Chicago Ruled Baseball : The Cubs-White Sox World Series of 1906

A fascinating look at the storied World Series of 1906—a thrilling contest between the Chicago Cubs and their upstart crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox. The local press nicknamed the Sox the "Hitless Wonders"—a team that emerged as American League champs without a productive offense. But player/manager Patsy Dougherty led a team that knew when and where the hits were needed, and the hits were never needed more than in their first World Series appearance. The Sox took off with a stunning Game One victory, and never looked back. A Chicago that had rebuilt itself from the Great Fire that had left it in ashes only 35 years earlier was now the focal point of an entire baseball-loving nation. The city, the fans, and the players were on display, and for six thrilling nights in fall, baseball fans everywhere were on the edge of their seats, and the Second City was, most certainly, the First City of Baseball.

In 1906, the baseball world saw something that had never been done. Two teams from the same city squared off against each other in an intracity World Series, pitting the heavily favored Cubs of the National League against the hardscrabble American League champion White Sox. Now, for its centennial anniversary, noted historian Bernard A. Weisberger tells the tale of a unique time in baseball, a unique time in America, and a time when Chicago was at the center of it all.

At the turn of the century, American baseball and America itself were, to a modern observer, both completely alien and yet timelessly similar to what we know today. In 1906 the sport of baseball was still mired in the dead ball era, when defense won championships, and players didn't need bodybuilder physiques in order to be competitive. The league was racially segregated. A six–day workweek was threatened by early game times, as the first night game wouldn't be played for another three decades. There was no radio to broadcast the contest. Only one ball was used throughout the game. And yet it was still ninety feet between bases. The home team still batted in the bottom of the ninth inning. And the final score could still capture the attention of a nation.

It was a time when the accomplishments on the field mirrored those beyond the diamond. America was the land of the self–made man, the land where hard work and determination could make a person's fortune. A.G. Spalding proved instrumental in making baseball what it is today–a thriving business and national pastime. Charles Comiskey worked his way from scoring runs as a player to becoming one of the most influential owners in baseball history. Mordecai Three–Finger Brown overcame a horribly disfiguring injury to become a Hall of Fame pitcher for the Cubs. And Tinkers–to–Evers–to–Chance proved that you could use teamwork to stand out as stars.

Acity that had rebuilt itself from the ashes of the Great Fire thirty–five years earlier was now the focal point of an entire baseball–loving country. The contest that could be called the Great Streetcar Series would electrify the city of Chicago, and prove to be one of the most unique and exciting World Series ever to be played.

Library Journal

Rubenstein's offering is both a chronology, full of statistics and play-by-play information, and a narrative of every Chicago World Series that included either team, as seen through the eyes of the city's radio broadcasters and sportswriters. The latest triumph of the White Sox is included. Weisberger, through his book's focus on the all-Chicago series of 100 years ago, brings alive a foregone era laden with a mixture of oddities and similarities that resonate for us today. Both are for all baseball history collections. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

In 1906, the baseball world saw something that had never been done. Two teams from the same city squared off against each other in an intracity World Series, pitting the heavily favored Cubs of the National League against the hardscrabble American League champion White Sox. Now, for its centennial anniversary, noted historian Bernard A. Weisberger tells the tale of a unique time in baseball, a unique time in America, and a time when Chicago was at the center of it all. At the turn of the century, American baseball and America itself were, to a modern observer, both completely alien and yet timelessly similar to what we know today. In 1906 the sport of baseball was still mired in the "dead ball" era, when defense won championships, and players didn't need bodybuilder physiques in order to be competitive. The league was racially segregated. A six-day workweek was threatened by early game times, as the first night game wouldn't be played for another three decades. There was no radio to broadcast the contest. Only one ball was used throughout the game. And yet it was still ninety feet between bases. The home team still batted in the bottom of the ninth inning. And the final score could still capture the attention of a nation. It was a time when the accomplishments on the field mirrored those beyond the diamond. America was the land of the self-made man, the land where hard work and determination could make a person's fortune. A. G. Spalding proved instrumental in making baseball what it is today -- a thriving business and a national pastime. Charles Comiskey worked his way from scoring runs as a player to becoming one of the most influential owners in baseball history. Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown overcame a horribly disfiguring injury to become a Hall of Fame pitcher for the Cubs. And Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance proved that you could use teamwork to stand out as stars. A city that had rebuilt itself from the ashes of the Great Fire thirty-five years earlier was now the focal point of an entire baseball-loving country. The contest that could be called the Great Streetcar Series would electrify the city of Chicago, and prove to be one of the most unique and exciting World Series ever to be played. In 1906 the baseball world saw something that had never been done. Two teams from the same city squared off against each other in a World Series that pitted the heavily favored Cubs of the National League against the hardscrabble American League champion White Sox. Now, more than a century later, noted historian Bernard A. Weisberger tells the tale of a unique time in baseball, a unique time in America, and a time when Chicago was at the center of it all. When Chicago Ruled Baseball brings to life a dazzling epoch in a land of the self-made man—where A. G. Spalding helped establish baseball as both a national pastime and a thriving business, where Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown overcame a horribly disfiguring injury and pitched his way into the Hall of Fame . . . and Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance proved that you could use teamwork to stand out as stars. Weisberger brings to life an unforgettable story of how a city that had rebuilt itself from the ashes of the Great Fire thirty-five years earlier became the focal point of an entire baseball-loving country, and one grand sporting contest staked its claim as one of the most remarkable and electrifying World Series ever to be played. Some images that appeared in the print edition of this book are unavailable in the electronic edition due to rights reasons. In 1906, The Baseball World Saw Something That Had Never Been Done. Two Teams From The Same City Squared Off Against Each Other In An Intracity World Series, Pitting The Heavily Favored Cubs Of The National League Against The Hardscrabble American League Champion White Sox. Now, For Its Centennial Anniversary, Historian Bernard A. Weisberger Tells The Tale Of A Unique Time In Baseball, A Unique Time In America, And A Time When Chicago Was At The Center Of It All.--jacket. 1 Opening Day 1 -- 2 The Cubs And The Foundations Of Baseball 34 -- 3 Game Two And The Tools Of Baseball 61 -- 4 The White Sox And The Business Of Baseball 82 -- 5 The Swing Games 115 -- 6 The Finale 134 -- 7 After The Lights Go Down 160. Bernard A. Weisberger. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [203]-209) And Index. Provides an in-depth account of an important era in American sports history, the 1906 World Series confrontation between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs, a confrontation that led to an action-packed six-game series upset by the White Sox. Reprint. Published to coincide with its centennial anniversary, here is an enthralling look at one of the most exciting moments in American sports Chicago, Tuesday, October 9, 1906. From the standpoint of baseball weather, the outlook was rotten.