MLB: Top Ten Unbreakable Records in Baseball History
By Keaton Moore
1905 New York Giants’ 0.00 World Series ERA
Winning their first franchise championship, the New York Giants showed their dominance over the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1905 World Series in a historic way. By the end, the Giants’ pitching staff posted an unbreakable 0.00 World Series ERA.
Ironically, manager John McGraw’s reasoning for not participating in the 1904 World Series was affirmed the following year. Due to pride and hostility with Ban Johnson, the American League president, McGraw refused to compete against the Boston Americans. He believed his team were world champions by winning the National League and facing the champions of the “junior” American League was unnecessary .
However, after repeating their National League championship, McGraw agreed to participate in the 1905 World Series. Turned out, the superiority he claimed in 1904 was evident in the championship against the Athletics. Although Philadelphia won Game 2 off of three unearned runs, the Giants shut them out in the other four games.
New York’s historic success came thanks to the dominant pitching of Christy Mathewson and Joe McGinnity. Mathewson went 3-0 in the postseason with three complete game shutouts, allowing only 13 hits and striking out 18. McGinnity fell victim to the sloppy defense in Game 2, but was supported to a shutout victory in Game 4. He held Philadelphia to five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. He shared Game 2 with Red Ames and the three pitchers delivered the Giants the championship without giving up an earned run.
It is safe to say, the 1905 World Series and record-setting ERA are unlike anything baseball has ever seen. Although a team could potentially sweep the World Series without giving up any runs, the 1905 Giants’ record can only be tied and never broken.