MLB: The Last Time the Chicago Cubs Won the World's Pennant

The headline in the New York Times on Oct. 15, 1908, declared "Chicago Club Wins World's Pennant."  Of course, the "World's Pennant" meant the Cubs were the World Champions.

The Cubs and Detroit Tigers had met in the 1907 World Series, and the Cubs won. Now the Cubs became the first team to win consecutive World Championships.

Doesn't it seem strange to think about the Cubs in those terms?

The description of how the Cubs won wasn't close to how it would be described in the digital age.

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"Detroit was done in by Schmidt's inability to cut runners down at second and by the failure of her heavy-hitting outfield to bat at critical moments when hits meant runs.

"None of the pitchers seemed able to consistently puzzle the Chicago batsmen, for even Mullin, who pitched Detroit's only victory, was hit safely seven times."

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Led by their peerless leader, playing-manager Frank Chance, the Cubs stole 15 bases in the five-game series. Tigers catcher Boss Schmidt managed to nab them eight times.

In 2011, Schmidt would be praised as a catcher who prevented teams from attempting to steal.

The Tigers "heavy-hitting" outfield consisted of Wahoo Sam Crawford (.311/.355/.457), Ty Cobb (.324/.367/.475) and Matty McIntyre (.295/.392/.383).

Against the Cubs, Cobb hit .368, but Crawford batted only .238 while McIntyre hit  .222. They batted in a total of five runs, four of them by Cobb.

Ed Summers had led the Tigers with 24 wins and a 1.64 ERA, followed by Wild Bill Donvan's 18-7 with a 2.08 ERA, but the Cubs beat each of them twice. Only George Mullin, who had won 17 games, managed a World Series win.

The attendance figures are almost unbelievable.

The paid admissions equalled 62,232 for the five games. Total receipts were $94,976. According to Retrosheet, a "crowd" of 6,210 paid to see the final game at Bennett Park in Detroit.

The entire Cubs team received $27,660 to be divided among the players. The Tigers divided $18,446.

The description of how losing affected Detroit was magnificent, especially since so few fans paid to see the game.

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"There is gloom in Detroit tonight. The Detroit Tiger has no smile on its face. There is one bold spirit which does not know the meaning of the word 'defeat.'" The dauntless heart beats in the breast of Manager Hugh Jennings of Detroit. He believes in his team and ... looks forward to another year and struggle which may have a different result."

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The score of the final game was 2-0, as Orval Overall allowed only three hits. He and Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown each won two games.

Hughie Jennings led the Tigers to their third consecutive pennant in 1909. The Pittsburgh Pirates were the National League champions, breaking the Cubs' streak of three consecutive pennants.

This time, the Tigers made it close, forcing a seventh game. Jennings sent Wild Bill Donovan to the mound to face the Pirates Babe Adams, who had pitched complete game victories in each of his first two starts.

Adams pitched a six-hit complete game as the Pirates easily won, 8-0.

The Tigers became the first but not the last franchise to lose three consecutive World Series. The New York Giants matched that dubious distinction by losing the World Series from 1911-13.

Reference:

"Chicago Club Wins World's Pennant." New York Times. 15 Oct. 1908. p.7.