PTWSW #10: The 1913 Philadelphia Athletics

Manager: Connie Mack
Record: 96-57
Ballpark: Shibe Park
Owners: Connie Mack and The Shibe Family
Coaches: Harry Davis

Future Hall of Famers: Frank Baker, Chief Bender, Eddie Collins, Herb Pennock, Eddie Plank

Team Leaders, Batting

BA: Eddie Collins, .345
OBP: Eddie Collins, .441
SLG: Frank Baker, .493
OPS: Frank Baker, .906
2B: Frank Baker, 34
3B: Eddie Collins, 13
HR: Frank Baker, 12 (AL leader)
RBI: Frank Baker, 117 (AL leader)
BB: Eddie Collins, 85
SB: Eddie Collins, 55

Team Leaders, Pitching

W: Chief Bender, 21
SO: Eddie Plank, 151
ERA: Chief Bender, 2.21
IP: Eddie Plank, 211
CG: Eddie Plank, 18
SHO: Eddie Plank, 7
K/BB: Eddie Plank, 2.65
SV: Chief Bender, 13 (AL leader)

Tidbits

Oldest Player: Harry Davis (b. July 19, 1873)

Youngest Player: Wickey McAvoy (b. October 20, 1894)

First to Leave Us: Jack Lapp (d. February 6, 1920)

Last Survivor: Dave Morey (d. January 4, 1986)

First in Majors: Harry Davis (debut September 21, 1895)

Last in Majors: Herb Pennock (final game August 27, 1934)

First to Play For the Franchise: Eddie Plank (May 3, 1901)

Last to Play For the Franchise: Wally Schang (September 27, 1930)

Pre-union Team: Finally we find a World Series champion without one. No team ever had more than one future 1913 Athletic.

Reunion Team: The 1919 Boston Red Sox (Joe Bush, Jack Barry, Stuffy McInnis, Herb Pennock, Wally Schang, Amos Strunk). When Connie Mack dismantled this team the Red Sox were only too happy to take it off his hands.

Season Summary

The Athletics proved that a team with below-average pitching and a dominant offense could win the World Series. Their team ERA+ was 86, believe it or not, and they allowed the most walks in the AL. Thanks to a defense that led the league in efficiency and fielding percentage, their run prevention was right in the middle of the pack. If you consider that a weakness, it was offset by the fact that their offense averaged a full run per game more than the closest competitor.

The A's nearly led wire-to-wire. While they didn't win the pennant by a double-digit margin like the 1910 and 1911 teams, they probably would've if Mack hadn't rested his regulars after they clinched. They sent the New York Giants to their third straight World Series defeat, beating them in five games played in just five days. Youth was served in the Series, as 20-year-old pitcher "Bullet Joe" Bush tossed a complete game victory in Game 3 and rookie catcher Wally Schang hit .357 with a triple, a homer and seven RBI.

The Athletics now had three championships in four seasons, but the celebration was short-lived, as player-coach Harry Davis' son died unexpectedly just days after their World Series victory.

Acknowledgements:

Baseball Reference
Baseball Almanac
Google News Archives