Remembering the NY Baseball Giants: Christy Mathewson Tosses Three World Series Shutouts

The 1905 World Series saw two of the games all time best Managers go head to head against each other, the Giants John McGraw & the Philadelphia A's Connie Mack. 

The previous year McGraw refused to have his Giants play the newly upstart American League Champion, Boston club due to what he called inferiority. 1905 was different as McGraw acknowledged his AL opponents & respected Connie Mack, who was known for wearing a suit in the dugout.

Game #1 of the 1905 World Series saw two of the games best pitchers go head to head - the Giants Christy Mathewson (31-9) against the A's Eddie Plank (24-12). The game was played at Philadelphia's Columbia Park. Mathewson held the A's hitless until the 4th inning, as he served up a lead off base hit. He would just allow three more hits, all doubles (two ground rule doubles) while striking out six batters shutting out the A's for his first complete game win of the series.

 The Giants scored in the 5th inning, as Mathewson led off with a base hit & was forced out on Roger Bresnahan's grounder. He then stole second, then with two outs Turkey Mike Donlin singled bringing in Bresnahan with the first run. He would score on Sam Mertes ground rule double. In the 9th Bresnahan singled in the Giants third & final run in the 3-0 win.

The series was tied for Game #3, also played at Philadelphia, Mathewson went up against Andy Coakley. The Giant scored two runs in the 1st inning & never looked back. Mathewson was outstanding once again, he shut out the A's allowing just four hits while striking out eight & walking one in the complete game shut out.

The Giants put it away in the 5th, as they sent 12 men to the plate scoring five runs on three hits, with two walks and benefiting from two Philadelphia errors. In the 9th, Dan McGann doubled in two more runs topping off his three hit four RBI day in the 9-0 Giants win.

On Saturday October 14th, New York hosted the fifth & final game of the Series, as 24,187 came to the Polo Grounds to see Mathewson make history & wrap it up for the Giants.

It probably was not even a thought at the time, but Mathewson was about to complete the greatest World Series performance by a pitcher, as he threw his third complete game of the World Series.

Mathewson tossed a five hit shut out, striking out four & walking no one. He beat his opponent Chief Bender who allowed just two runs on five hits while taking the loss. In the 5th Bender walked two Giants, the first run scored as second basemen Billy Gilbert grounded into a double play ending the inning.

In the 8th, Mathewson drew a one out walk and it was only fitting he would score the final run as George Browne grounded out to second base.

In the 1905 World Series Mathewson was 3-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA. He allowed 13 hits in 27 innings striking out 18 batters while walking just one.