View Full Version : First playoff game to decide a World Series Appearance?
runningshoes
10-07-2006, 08:37 PM
When was the first playoff game to decide a World Series Appearance?
Was it the game between the Giants and the Cubs on October 8, 1908?
Honus Wagner Rules
10-07-2006, 08:47 PM
When was the first playoff game to decide a World Series Appearance?
Was it the game between the Giants and the Cubs on October 8, 1908?
I don't believe that was a playoff game. It was a replayed game of a previous tie game (Merkle Bonehead play).
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Merkle_Bonehead_Play
runningshoes
10-07-2006, 08:51 PM
I don't believe that was a playoff game. It was a replayed game of a previous tie game (Merkle Bonehead play).
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Merkle_Bonehead_Play
But did that not decide who won the pennant that year and thus play the Tigers in the World Series?
I'm a little confused about it to be honest. The New York Times says the Giants will finish third in the National League if they lose the game.
RuthMayBond
10-07-2006, 09:26 PM
But did that not decide who won the pennant that year and thus play the Tigers in the World Series?
I'm a little confused about it to be honest. The New York Times says the Giants will finish third in the National League if they lose the game.But your question was about a PLAYOFF game, I was wondering if it was 1948
runningshoes
10-07-2006, 09:34 PM
But your question was about a PLAYOFF game, I was wondering if it was 1948
Ok, so lets ignore that and figure out out exactly what this game was.
The headline in the Times describes it as a Play Off Tie.
Other headlines:
National League Championship will Be Decided To-day at Polo Grounds.
Teams Now Tied For Title.
The season was over and the series was to start in two days in Detroit.
runningshoes
10-07-2006, 09:39 PM
Let's put it this way to avoid confusion:
When was the first one game play-off to decide a league tie?
AG2004
10-08-2006, 08:42 AM
But did that not decide who won the pennant that year and thus play the Tigers in the World Series?
I'm a little confused about it to be honest. The New York Times says the Giants will finish third in the National League if they lose the game.
Going into the game, the league standings were:
Chicago 98-55
New York 98-55
Pittsburgh 98-56
After the game, the final standings were:
Chicago 99-55
Pittsburgh 98-56
New York 98-56
Pittsburgh and New York split the season series, 11-11. New York went 11-11 against Chicago, but Pittsburgh went 12-10 against the Cubs. I'm guessing that the record against the Cubs was the tiebreaker for second place, which means that the Giants did finish third by losing the game.
Brian McKenna
10-08-2006, 08:53 AM
PIT and NY finished tied for second in 1908 - neither in third
soberdennis
10-08-2006, 09:38 AM
But your question was about a PLAYOFF game, I was wondering if it was 1948
The Cards and Dodgers had a playoff in 1946 after finishing tied for first. I believe that was the first.
The Cards and Dodgers had a playoff in 1946 after finishing tied for first. I believe that was the first.
Yes. Before divisional play, the two leagues had a different method for breaking ties for the pennant. The N.L. played best two of three; the A.L. a single game. The N.L. had best-of-three series in 1946, 1951, 1959 and 1962 (all involving the Dodgers), and the A.L. had the single tie-breaker game in one season, 1948.
EdTarbusz
07-28-2007, 07:09 AM
The first playoff game to decide a World Series appearnace was in 1969. The extra games in 1946, 1948, 1951, 1959 and 1962 were continuations of the regular season. Just check the standings and you can see that this is the case.
Brian McKenna
07-28-2007, 10:04 AM
The first playoff game to decide a World Series appearnace was in 1969. The extra games in 1946, 1948, 1951, 1959 and 1962 were continuations of the regular season. Just check the standings and you can see that this is the case.
As you suggest, the distinction here is that these were not postseason games so the term "playoff" is misleading despite its use.
If there was no standing's tie, I don't think the final NYG-CHC game would have been played in 1908. As a side note games started to be made up because:
http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=52997&highlight=strike
EdTarbusz
07-28-2007, 02:34 PM
As you suggest, the distinction here is that these were not postseason games so the term "playoff" is misleading despite its use.
If there was no standing's tie, I don't think the final NYG-CHC game would have been played in 1908. As a side note games started to be made up because:
http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=52997&highlight=strike
I don't think that game would have been made up either. It would have been very odd if both 1908 races ended with the second place teams being a hal-game out.
I just got a book from the library about the 1904 race. Fliiping through it, I haven't seen any mention of Boston yet.