When Chicago Ruled Baseball

A fascinating look at the storied World Series of 1906—a thrilling contest between the Chicago Cubs and their upstart crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox.

The local press nicknamed the Sox the “Hitless Wonders”—a team that emerged as American League champs without a productive offense. But player/manager Patsy Dougherty led a team that knew when and where the hits were needed, and the hits were never needed more than in their first World Series appearance. The Sox took off with a stunning Game One victory, and never looked back.

A Chicago that had rebuilt itself from the Great Fire that had left it in ashes only 35 years earlier was now the focal point of an entire baseball-loving nation. The city, the fans, and the players were on display, and for six thrilling nights in fall, baseball fans everywhere were on the edge of their seats, and the Second City was, most certainly, the First City of Baseball.

This meticulously researched work of baseball history explores:
Crosstown Classic: The full story of the 1906 World Series, the first and only time the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox met for the championship, pitting a 116-win powerhouse against an improbable underdog.The Hitless Wonders: Go inside the White Sox locker room to see how player/manager Patsy Dougherty led a team with the league’s worst offense on an unforgettable championship run.Turn of the Century Chicago: A vivid portrait of a city reborn from the ashes of the Great Fire, a booming metropolis that became the undisputed center of the baseball world for six thrilling days.Early Baseball Legends: Meet the Hall of Fame figures who defined the era, from the Cubs’ famous Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance infield to the men like Albert Spalding and Charles Comiskey who built the business of baseball.