The 1904
New York Highlanders
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one o ...
season, the team's second, finished with the team in second place in the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
with a record of 92–59. The team was managed by
Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith (November 20, 1869 – October 27, 1955), nicknamed "The Old Fox", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, manager and team owner. He began his MLB playing career with the St. Louis Browns (1891), Boston Reds ...
and played home games at
Hilltop Park
Hilltop Park was the nickname of a baseball park that stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. It was the home of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball from 1903 to 1912, when they were known as the "Highlanders". I ...
.
Offseason
* October 6, 1903:
Jack O'Connor was traded by the Highlanders to the
St. Louis Browns
The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...
for
John Anderson.
* January 5, 1904:
Eddie Quick
Edwin S. Quick (December 1881 - June 19, 1913) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1903 with the New York Highlanders. He threw right-handed.
Quick started his professional baseball career in 1902 in the Pacific Northwest League. L ...
and
Jack Zalusky were traded by the Highlanders to the
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...
for
Red Kleinow
John Peter Kleinow (July 20, 1877 – October 9, 1929) was a reserve catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1904 through 1911 for the New York Highlanders (1904–10), Boston Red Sox (1910–11) and Philadelphia Phillies (1911). Listed a ...
.
Regular season
The name
The first verified use of the alternate nickname "Yankees" (a synonym for "Americans", the team being American Leaguers) occurred on April 7, 1904, when a spring training story from
Richmond, Virginia carried the headline "Yankees Will Start Home From South To-Day." The ''New York Evening Journal'' screamed: "YANKEES BEAT BOSTON". The casual use of that nickname suggests it was already in the popular lexicon, although "Highlanders" would continue to be the primary (and equally unofficial) nickname for several more years.
Season summary
The Highlanders were in the thick of the American League
pennant race throughout the season, leading by two games as late as September 20. This led to the
New York Giants announcement that they would not play in the World Series, since they considered the Highlanders to be only a "minor league" team.
On the final day of the season at
Hilltop Park
Hilltop Park was the nickname of a baseball park that stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. It was the home of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball from 1903 to 1912, when they were known as the "Highlanders". I ...
, New York pitcher
Jack Chesbro threw a wild pitch in the ninth inning, giving the
Boston Americans
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
the win, and the 1904 AL pennant. Even though it was Boston who stole the pennant on the final day, the Giants stuck to their word and their refusal prevented the World Series from being played.
It would be a century later, in 2004, the next time Boston directly eliminated the Yankees from title contention, when they did so in the final game of the
2004 ALCS
The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series to decide the American League champion for the 2004 season, and the right to play in the 2004 World Series. A rematch of the 2003 American League Champion ...
, a hundred years later in a repeat of sorts of the events of that year, the beginning of a
long rivalry between the two clubs.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Roster
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''
Other batters
''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''
Pitching
Starting pitchers
''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''
Other pitchers
''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''
Awards and honors
Records
*
Jack Chesbro and
Jack Powell, American League record, combined victories by two teammate pitchers (64)
[''Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures'', 2008 Edition, p.100, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ]
Franchise records
* Jack Chesbro, Yankees single season record, most wins in a season (41)
References
1904 New York Highlanders team page at www.baseball-almanac.com1904 New York Highlanders at Baseball Reference
{{New York Yankees
New York Yankees seasons
New York Highlanders
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one o ...
New York Highlanders
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one o ...
1900s in Manhattan
Washington Heights, Manhattan