First series shut-out 102 years ago — Baseball Commemorative Half Dollar Coin

Today, the Baseball Commemorative Half Dollar Coin remembers the first World Series under the National Commission to be won in just four games.

Sports headlined the Lewiston Daily Sun after that first ever World Series sweep in October 1914.

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Braves Again Outplay Connie Mack’s Athletics And Win The Final Game Of Series, 3 to 1

All the Miracle Boys Had a Hand in Task of Capturing the Fourth Game—No One Player Comes in for Any Especial Praise Unless It Is Little Dick Rudolph Who Pitched Masterly Game

Unusual Feat of Braves in Winning Championship of Universe in Straight Games Has Never Before Been Accomplished Since National Commission Took Charge of Series in 1905—Each Boston Player Will Receive, $2800; Philadelphia Players, $2000

Boston, Oct. 13—The Boston National League club completed the most sensational record in modern professional baseball by defeating the Philadelphia Americans in the fourth and final game of the world’s series at Fenway Park today by a score of 3 to 1.

Beginning with their rush from last place in the senior league in the middle of July, the Braves have broken traditions and records in the national sport with speed and abandon during the last three months.

They emerged late this afternoon champions of the universe, leaving a trail of startling surprises and upsets in their wake which it will be hard to duplicate in years to come.

Last and far from the least of their accomplishments was the overthrow in four consecutive games of the world famous baseball machine of Connie Mack with its hundred thousand dollar infield, home run heroes and corps of skillfully blended veteran and youthful pitching stars.

Tonight the new champions gathered under the management of George Stallings are celebrating their ascent to the championship throne while the wreck of the Athletics’ baseball juggernaut is bound for the home of William Penn, stunned and stupefied by the unlooked for calamity which, temporarily at least, racked it to the smallest cog.

To the victors belong the spoils and the credit, and unexpected as was the crushing defeat, the Mackmen took it in sportsmanlike spirit, praising the winners and offering no excuses for their failureto hold their National League rivals in check.

In fact, none are available, for the Boston club outplayed and out-gamed their more experienced opponents in every game and department of play.

The best that could be said of the Athletics by their warmest admirers was that the team neither collectively nor as individuals appeared to get going in the manner shown in previous world’s series.

To crush completely and decisively the great combination with has represented Philadelphia in the American League in recent years is honor enough for any rival baseball club, but the Braves in their youthful ardor and speed did even better, for they established a new world’s series record by winning the four games necessary to clinch the title, in succession.

Not since the National Commission assumed charge of these annual inter-league contests in 1905 has this feat been achieved until today.

Several clubs have won four out of five games and in the early days of the Temple Cup and National League vs. American Association straight victories are chronicled.

In 1884 Providence defeated the Metropolitans three straight.

In 1894 the New York club defeated Baltimore in four straight games for the Temple Cup and two years later the Baltimores won four consecutive victories from Cleveland, and there the simile ends.

The Athletics fought doggedly until the end and even late in the game of today their adherents, who had made them two to one favorites in the wagering before the opening contest, confidently believed that they would start a batting rally that would bring about at least a momentary check in the Braves’ headlong run, but the Mackmen’s famous punch appeared to be gone.

The new champions were first to score and except for half an inning when the score was tied, held the lead until the end.

To Captain Johnny Evers fell the honor of scoring the initial run of the final game of the 1914 series.

He opened the fourth session by working Shawkey for a pass; advanced to second on Connolly’s infield out, moved to third on Whitted’s single, and scored on Schmidt’s infield out.

The Athletics tied the score in fifth inning when Barry singled, took second on Schang’s out and scored on Shawkey’s double.

Nothing daunted, the Braves came right back in their half of the same inning and won the game with two additional runs, both made after two were out.

Rudolph singled to center, took third on Moran’s double to left and both came home when Evers singled over second.

The Athletics appeared to lose heart and never seriously threatened in the remaining sessions at bat.

Due to the shortness of the session, the club owners and National Commission divide a smaller sum of money than in any world’s series since 1910.

The attendance at today’s game was 34,365 and the receipts $62,653.

Of this sum the players received $33,832.52; the club owners $22,555.07 and the National Commission $6265.30.

Total attendance for the series was 111,009; receipts $226,739; players’ share $121,900.94; each club’s share $40,632.58 and the National Commission’s proportion $22,675.

As the winners, the Boston players receive sixty percent of $121,900.94 or $73,140.56, while the Athletics, as losers, profit to the extent of $48,760.38.

Of the Boston club 26 players are eligible to share in the prize money, giving each man $2813.10, should the money be divided evenly.

On the Athletics 24 players are entitled to divide the losers’ end, which would give each Mackman $2031.68 on a share and share alike basis.

The players of neither club have yet notified the National Commission just how the money will be divided.

The players receive less money than has fallen to their lot since the series of 1910.

Each of the four umpires receives $1,000, the money coming from the National Commission’s percentage of the profits.

The world’s series of 1914 was the tenth between the pennant winners of the two major leagues since the National Commission, the highest court of baseball, took charge of the annual autumn championship battle in 1905.

Today’s victory of the Braves brings about a tie for inter-league honors, since the American League and National League clubs have now each won five championship pennants.

The American League victories and the clubs that won them are as follows: 1906, Chicago; 1910, Philadelphia; 1911, Philadelphia; 1912, Boston; 1913, Philadelphia.

The National League triumphs were won: 1905, New York; 1907, Chicago, 1908, Chicago; 1909, Pittsburgh, 1914, Boston.

Connie Mack, the Athletics leader, is the only manager who to date has won three world’s championships and he now appears to have stumbled over the mystic fourth just as Managers McGraw, Jennings, Chance and Mack have all failed to win four league pennants in a row.

The final game was the least exciting of the series.

There were few brilliant fielding features that are not seen in games during the league season.

Maranville made a great stop and throw on a hard hit ball by Collins and Mann brought cheers on a fine running catch in the outfield.

The batting was also of the ordinary kind.

Whitted got two singles, Moran made a double and Evers, Schmidt and Rudolph each got a base hit.

Seven of the ten men it the game for the former world’s champions made a hit.

It was their best offense of the series.

Those failing to connect were Murphy, Schang and Pennock.

The latter was at bat only once.

The hits made by Walsh and Shawkey were two base drives.

Rudolph struck out seven men, his victims being Oldring, Collins, Walsh, Barry, Shawkey and Schang, the latter twice.

There were but three strike outs against Boston—Evers, Schmidt and Gowdy falling victims to Pennock’s fast curves.

Shawkey gave two bases on balls in the five innings he pitched and Pennock also gave two.

Rudolph gave one base on balls and made one wild pitch.

The new champions excelled the Athletics in hitting but not in the field.

Boston made a total of sixteen runs in the four games, 33 hits for a total of 56 bases, and four errors.

The Athletics gathered together only six runs, made 22 hits for a total of 31 bases and three errors.

Boston played one errorless game and the Athletics two.

Today’s contest was the first game in the last four world’s series in which both teams played without error.

Evers made seven singles in the series.

Gowdy had six hits for a total of 14 bases.

Schmidt made five hits.

Baker made four hits in the four games, Murphy three, Collins three, Schang two, McInnis two and Strunk two.

Despite the rather mediocre play of the final game, the enthusiasm of the thousands of spectators furnished a thrilling climax when the last Athletic was put out and championship honors were assured for the Braves.

Cheering throngs piled out of the stands and bleachers and rushed across the field to the Boston bench, but the Mackmen were first to the dugout and were shaking hands and congratulating their late opponents before the first of the fans reached the scene.

Once the crowd gathered in force, the police had difficulty to hold it in check.

Gowdy, Maranville, Captain Evers and other heroes of the series were lifted on the fans’ shoulders while a roar of applause went up that could be heard on Boston Common.

The Royal Rooters’ brigade formed and with the band its Indian-clad leaders at the head, marched around the field cheering the empty bench where but a few minutes before the Mackmen conferred on the last bit of baseball strategy, and then joined the thousands paying homage to the Braves.

Mayor Curley, President Gaffney, and Manager Stallings all made short speeches in response to the cheers of the fans and it was almost dusk before the last celebrator ceased to whoop and snake-dance about the bases.

Weather conditions at the closing game were not as suitable for fast baseball as in the preceding contests.

The temperature had taken a sharp drop overnight and players and fans awoke to find the tang of autumn in the air and conditions more suitable for football than baseball.

Heavy gray-white clouds blocked out huge portions of the blue sky and the sun when it broke through failed to warm up the atmosphere to any extent.

A stiff northwest wind whipped flags and pennants about the poles and stands and made heavy wraps, sweaters and even steamer rugs almost a necessity for the first time since the series began.

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The Baseball Commemorative Half Dollar Coin shows with an image of Fenway Park during the World Series of October 1914.

Baseball Commemorative Half Dollar Coin