Phillies top free agency Series/Pennant winners

Phillies win 2 Pennants and 1 World Series

Don Cundy
Baseball editor

We have played 12 replay seasons and so far the Phillies have won the most pennants/series, remember in the 1800's they did not play World Series'. The Phillies, then the Quakers won the first pennant back in 1893 and then won it again in 1899. Their World Series win was in 1915. The Cubs have won two series in 1906 and again in 1910, they also lost in 1919 on their third trip to the series. Three clubs have been to the series twice and have a one loss one win record, the New York Giants, the Cleveland Naps, and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Joe Kelley Joe Kelley two time MVP winner

The Boston Americans and later the Red Sox have been to three series with a record of 1-2. The Athletics of Philadelphia have been there twice only to loose both times in back to back seasons 1910 and 1911 to Chicago and New York. The New York Yankees have only been in the series once but they did defeat the Cubs in our last free agency era series versus the Yankees. The Baltimore Orioles of the old national league did win two pennants in 1895 and again in 1897. No one has won the World Series MVP twice but Joe Kelley of the Baltimore has won two pennant winning MVP awards in 1895 and 1897. Half of our 8 World Series have gone the full seven games, the other half were either determined in 5 or 6 games.


Year Winner Looser MVP # of games
1919 New York Yankees Chicago Cubs Bob Shawkey 6
1915 Philadelphia Phillies Boston Red Sox Fred Luderus 6
1911 New York Giants Philadelphia Athletics Hooks Wiltse 5
1910 Chicago Cubs Philadelphia Athletics Johnny Kling 7
1908 Cleveland Naps New York Giants Addie Joss 5
1906 Chicago Cubs Cleveland Naps Orvall Overall 7
1903 Pittsburgh Pirates Boston Americans Honus Wagner 7
1901 Boston Americans Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young 7
1899 Philadelphia Phillies n/a Chick Fraser -
1897 Baltimore Orioles n/a Joe Kelley -
1895 Baltimore Orioles n/a Joe Kelley -
1893 Philadelphia Phillies n/a Kid Carsey -

free agency Era in Review

Babe Ruth sold to New York marks end of free agency era

Don Cundy
Baseball editor

The free agency era consisted of 12 seasonal replays from 1893-1919. It started with 12 teams in one league, the National league in 1893 and then in 1901 expanded adding an American League making 16 total teams, 8 in each league. Also in 1901 we started the "World Series" matching the pennant winners from each league at the end of the season to determine the best team.

Billy Hamilton Billy Hamilton of the Orioles

In the beginning in the 1890's it was the Quakers of Philadelphia and the Orioles of Baltimore who battled it out for the pennant. The Quakers and Orioles where loaded with star players, Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson, Ed Delahanty, "Wee" Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, and John McGraw. Other stars from the 1890's were Elmer Smith of Pittsburgh, Chick Stahl and John Tenney of Boston, and Jesse Burkett of St. Louis. Most of their batting records set back then still stand at the end of the free agency era. And they may never be broken!

Jesse Burkett Jesse Burkett of Cardinals

The turn of the century brought new teams from the American league and new rivalry, the Boston Americans versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Americans had pitching staff anchored by Cy Young and the Pirates were led by Honus Wagner. They split the first two "World Series" in 1901 and 1903. Other up and coming stars of the new century like Nap Lajoie, and Addie Joss of Cleveland and Frank Chance and the pitching staff of Ed Relubach, Jack Pfiester, and "Three finger" Mordecai Brown of the Chicago Cubs ended the reign of the Pirates and Americans.

Frank Chance Frank Chance player/manager of the Cubs

In the later part of the first decade of the twentieth century the stars came out to play, starter Christy Mathewson and slugger Mike Donlin of the New York Giants, Rube Waddell, Eddie Plank, Chief Bender, Eddie Collins of the Athletics made their marks. In 1910 a young starter in Chicago on the other team in town the "White Sox" Ed Walsh set the bar for the earned run average for pitchers at 1.31. In 1911 the Detroit Tigers had quite the pair of outfielders in Sam Crawford and Ty Cobb who where 1-2 in the batting race. The next year Ty would steal a record 112 bases. Also in 1915 the Phillies of Philadelphia would win their first "World Series" over the Red Sox of Boston.

Babe Ruth Red Sox sold to Yankees Babe Ruth

The Pillies did win two straight pennants back in the late 1890s giving them the most champion- ships if you will for one franchise. Another record would be broken in 1915 the season record for home runs by Gavvy Cravath. Gavvy hit 31 in the season breaking the old mark set by Buck Freeman of the Washington Nationals of 26. Another rookie emerged in 1915, George Herman Ruth starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He did not fare well in the series against the Phillies but he did bounce back in 1919 when he switched to outfield and was named MVP on the season.

Honus Wagner and Ed Plank MVPs of free agency era

Wagner won MVP three times in 1901, 1903 and 1908

Don Cundy
Baseball editor

There have been 10 different batters and 12 different pitchers who have received MVP awards

Honus Wagner

Honus Wagner Batting MVP

in the 12 years replayed in the free agency era. Only Honus Wagner won more than one time in fact he received the award three times, 1901, 1903 and again in 1908. Therefore he should be the leading candidate for the award for the era. Runners up are Ed Delahanty who was the first MVP in 1893. Ed also is tops in batting average at .380 and second in OPS and slugging percentage. Then there is Sam Thompson who was tops in OPS, slugging percentage and second in batting average.

Ed Walsh

Ed Walsh Pitching MVP

On the mound the competition was close. Since no one won the award more than once we looked at the top seven pitching statistical categories, Earned run average, wins, shutouts, complete games, strikeouts, opponent batting average and WHIP. Taking all that into consideration five pitchers ranked above the rest, Ed Walsh, Eddie Plank, Walter Johnson, Cy Young and Christy Mathewson. Ed Walsh came out on top although he did lead any of the categories he was in the top 20 of all of them. Cy Young was in top spot in 3 categories, wins, shutouts, and complete games but he did play in more games than the others.

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