Did you know that the MLB World Series was invented by a Jewish immigrant? In January 1903, the American and National Baseball Leagues signed a new National Agreement in which the two agreed to coexist in peace. But at this point, there was still no postseason battle to determine which of the two leagues’ pennant winners was the ultimate champion for a given year. That’s when Barney Dreyfuss, a Jewish immigrant from Germany and the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, proposed the first World Series. That October, over 100,000 people came out to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans (later Boston Red Sox) play a best-of-nine series, and America’s pastime was born.
Photos: (1) Colorized image from the first world series
(2) View of Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston, 1903
Contributor: Jill Goltzer
