MLB Showdown Obsession

 Before there was the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup, NBA Finals or even the World Cup, there was the World Series. Heck, the World Series predates even the creation of any of the other major sports leagues in America. The National League was long established by the turn of the century as an alternative league was starting up in 1901. There were some finalizing to happen in the next couple season, but by 1903 the "modern era" of baseball had begun. In this inaugural of baseball as we know it, the Boston Americans were the perfect representatives of the American League. Their name was literally to distinguish themselves from the NL Boston team (the Beaneaters, who would go on to eventually be known as the Atlanta Braves). Player-Manager Jimmy Collins and the Americans coasted to the AL pennant with a 91-47 record, with the 2nd place Philadelphia Athletics 14.5 games back and the last place Washington Senators 47.5 games out. From the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates emerge...

 Denton True Young. Better known as Cy. You might've heard of him. There's only an award named after him for being the best pitcher in your league every year. Young built himself quite the Hall of Fame resume over his career, so it's natural to assume a perfect game would land among his qualifications. On May 5, 1904, Young hurled the 3rd ever perfect game. On that day, Young shut down the Philadelphia Athletics, and his Boston Americans took a 3-0 victory at the Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston. The stadium not only holds the distinction of hosting the first ever American League and modern era perfect game, bit it was also host to the first ever World Series game a season prior between the Americans and the Pittsburg Pirates. The game had already drawn quite a crowd to witness the pitching rivalry of Young and Rube Waddell, the latter of which had been goading Young in the press before the game. 1904 was just another year for the 511 career game winner. a 26-16 record w...