The time leading up to the 1908 World Series was a thrilling experience for baseball fans. The defending champion Chicago Cubs would be taking on the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 series, which had been won by the Cubs. This was the first time in World Series history that two teams would have a rematch.
The 1908 series is remarkable for another reason: it was the last time the Cubs would win a World Series for 108 years, until they finally bested the Cleveland Indians in 2016.
As for the series itself, it ended up being a pretty subdued experience, the Tigers only won a single game (the third game of the series) while the Cubs took the other four, and won it in five games.
Perhaps the best thing to come out of this series is the newspaper coverage, which relied heavily on some amazing cartoons. This one, from 110 years ago today, showed the battered Tigers fumbling the first game to the Cubs.
Coverage of Game 1 of the 1908 World Series in cartoon form
— Michigan's Past (@MichiganHist) October 11, 2018
[Detroit Free press 10/11/1908]
The Cubs beat the Tigers 10-6 pic.twitter.com/fgzKAg0nGF
The second loss was commemorated as a brawl between the two namesake animals.
Oct. 11, 1908: Cubs score 6 runs in the 8th inning to break a scoreless tie. Orval Overall holds the #Tigers to 4 hits. Cubs win 6-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series pic.twitter.com/bhgJodXY7c
— Tigers History (@TigersHistory) October 11, 2018
And this one was from just prior to game one, as fans readied themselves for the excitement of the coming series.
I love this cartoon celebrating the coming of the 1908 World Series to Bennett Park in Detroit.
— Michigan's Past (@MichiganHist) October 10, 2018
Tigers games could use a giant tiger rolled in
[Detroit Free Press 10/10/1908] pic.twitter.com/L9x3x6gOb3
Even the Tigers clinching the pennant against the White Sox earned an amazing bit of cartoon spectacle:
Oct. 6, 1908: Tigers beat the White Sox 7-0 on the final day of the season to clinch the pennant by a half game and head to their second straight World Series pic.twitter.com/M5eHsl0r43
— Tigers History (@TigersHistory) October 6, 2018
And if those aren’t awesome enough for you, here’s the Detroit Free Press suggesting that Tigers fans shouldn’t destroy property while celebrating the World Series at home. “...everyone is entitled to do to show that his heart is light, but burning property and destroying it by other means have less to commend them.”
A message warning Tigers fans to not burn or destroy property during the 1908 World Series was published on the front page of the 10/10/1908 Detroit Free Press pic.twitter.com/PSgybNEBom
— Michigan's Past (@MichiganHist) October 10, 2018
Special thanks to Tigers History and Michigan’s Past for unearthing these gems.