Top 5 Players of the 1909 World Series

Originally published December 2018

By Zane Miller

On Saturday, October 16^th, 1909, the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers at Bennett Park in Detroit to clinch the sixth World Series four games to three. It was the first World Series championship for the Pirates franchise and the third that was won in Michigan. It was also the first series to go the maximum number of games. These are the top five players that I felt most stood out during the series.

5. Ty Cobb (Tigers)- RF

Cobb was the partial player of the game in game four as the Tigers took it 5-0, with Cobb providing a pair of RBIs along with a hit. Overall, Cobb earned five RBIs, three runs, six hits and a pair of walks in the series.

4. George Gibson (Pirates)- C

Gibson grabbed partial player of the game honors in game one, with an RBI, a run and a hit as he caught in the Pirates’ 4-1 win. Gibson earned two RBIs, two runs, six hits and one walk on the series.

3. Boss Schmidt (Tigers)- C

Schmidt was the catcher and player of the game in game two to take the 7-2 win and even up the series. Schmidt drove in four RBIs with two hits in the game, for a total of four RBIs, four hits and a pair of walks.

2. Fred Clarke (Pirates)- LF

Clarke earned partial player of the game honors in game one, with an RBI, a run and a hit, before taking full player of the game in game five, which they won 8-4, as he had three RBIs with a pair of runs, a pair of hits and a walk.

1. Honus Wagner (Pirates)- SS

Wagner came through as player of the game in games three and seven, as he earned two RBIs, a run and three hits in the Pirates’ 8-6 win in game three, along with a pair of RBIs, a run, a hit and a pair of walks in game seven to lead the Pirates to an 8-0 victory to win the series.

Players of the Game Breakdown:

Link to stats database: https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1909_WS.shtml