The 1902 Boston Americans season was the second season for the professional baseball franchise that later became known as the Boston Red Sox. The Americans finished third in the American League (AL) with a record of 77 wins and 60 losses, games behind the Philadelphia Athletics. The team was managed by Jimmy Collins and played its home games at Huntington Avenue Grounds.
Offseason and Spring Training The Americans bolstered their pitching by recruiting Bill Dinneen, who jumped from the Boston Beaneaters. Dinneen and Cy Young would become the "one-two" pitching combination for the Boston Americans.
Prior to the regular season, the team held spring training in Augusta, Georgia.
Transactions
November 21, 1901: The Americans make a trade with the Cleveland Blues, with catcher Osee Schrecongost sent to Cleveland in return for George LaChance. December 16, 1901: It is reported that Jack Warner, catcher with the New York Giants, met with Jimmy Collins and signed a contract with the Boston Americans. December 17, 1901: Charlie Hickman signs with the Boston Americans. February 24, 1902: Outfielder Patsy Dougherty announces that he has signed to play for the Boston Americans. March 15, 1902: Pitcher Bert Husting, who played for the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1901 season, signs a $2700 contract to play for the Boston Americans.
Regular season Season Log Boston Win Boston LossTie
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 1 || April 19 || Vs. Baltimore || 6─7 || Cy Young (1─0) || Tom Hughes (0─1) || ─ || 1─0 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 || April 23 || @ Washington || 3─7 || Al Orth (1─0) || Bill Dinneen (0─1) || ─ || 1─1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 3 || April 24 || @ Washington || 11─3 || Cy Young (2─0) || Bill Carrick (0─1) || ─ || 2─1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 4 || April 25 || @ Washington || 4─15 || Happy Townsend (1─0) || Bert Husting (0─1) || ─ || 2─2 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 26 || @ Washington || 7─15 || Wyatt Lee (1─0) || Bill Dinneen (0─2) || ─ || 2─3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 28 || @ Baltimore || 7─3 || Cy Young (3─0) || Joe McGinnity (0─2) || ─ || 3─3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 30 || @ Baltimore || 4─5 || Tom Hughes (2─1) || George Winter (0─1) || ─ || 3─4 ||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 8 || May 1 || @ Baltimore || 6─4 || Bill Dinneen (1─2) || Harry Howell (1─1) || ─ || 4─4 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 9 || May 2 || Vs. Baltimore || 14─6 || Joe McGinnity (1─2) || Cy Young (3─1) || ─ || 4─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 10 || May 3 || Vs. Baltimore || 1─10 || Cy Young (4─1) || Charlie Shields (0─1) || ─ || 5─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 11 || May 5 || Vs. Baltimore || 2─5 || George Winter (1─1) || Tom Hughes (2─2) || ─ || 6─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 12 || May 6 || Vs. Baltimore || 4─5 || Bill Dinneen (2─2) || Frank Foreman (0─1) || ─ || 7─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 13 || May 7 || Vs. Washington || 8─12 || Cy Young (5─1) || Happy Townsend (1─2) || ─ || 8─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 14 || May 8 || Vs. Washington || 5─1 || Casey Patten (3─0) || George Winter (1─2) || ─ || 8─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 || May 9 || Vs. Washington || 5─4 || Wyatt Lee (2─1) || Bill Dinneen (2─3) || ─ || 8─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 16 || May 10 || Vs. Washington || 1─3 || Cy Young (6─1) || Al Orth (1─3) || ─ || 9─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 17 || May 12 || @ Philadelphia || 8─2 || George Winter (2─2) || Eddie Plank (1─4) || ─ || 10─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 18 || May 14 || @ Philadelphia || 1─5 || Bert Husting (4─1) || Bill Dinneen (2─4) || ─ || 10─8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 19 || May 15 || @ Philadelphia || 6─3 || Cy Young (7─1) || Eddie Plank (1─5) || ─ || 11─8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 20 || May 16 || Vs. Philadelphia || 2─4 || George Winter (3─2) || Snake Wiltse (3─1) || ─ || 12─8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 21 || May 17 || Vs. Philadelphia || 7─5 || Bert Husting (5─1) || Bill Dinneen (2─5) || ─ || 12─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 22 || May 20 || Vs. Philadelphia || 1─2 || Cy Young (8─1) || Eddie Plank (1─6) || ─ || 13─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 23 || May 21 || Vs. Chicago || 2─1 || Wiley Piatt (3─1) || George Winter (3─3) || ─ || 13─10 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 24 || May 22 || Vs Chicago || 4─3 || Ned Garvin (3─2) || Bill Dinneen (2─6) || ─ || 13─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 25 || May 23 || Vs Chicago || 3─6 || Cy Young (9─1) || Clark Griffith (3─2) || ─ || 14─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 26 || May 24 || Vs Chicago || 3─5 || George Winter (4─3) || Wiley Piatt (3─2) || ─ || 15─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 27 || May 26 || Vs St. Louis || 3─0 || Jack Powell (3─4) || Bill Dinneen (2─7) || ─ || 15─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 27 || Vs St. Louis || 2─6 || Cy Young (10─1) || Bill Reidy (1─2) || ─ || 16─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 29 || May 28 || Vs St. Louis || 2─6 || George Winter (5─3) || Jack Harper (5─2) || ─ || 17─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 29 || Vs. St. Louis || 2─6 || Bill Dinneen (3─7) || Red Donahue (3─3) || ─ || 18─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 31 || May 30 (1) || Vs. Detroit || 10─5 || Roscoe Miller (5─4) || Fred Mitchell (0─1) || ─ || 18─13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 32 || May 30 (2) || Vs. Detroit || 0─12 || Cy Young (11─1) || Win Mercer (4─4) || ─ || 19─13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 33 || May 31 || Vs. Detroit || 13─7 || Joe Yeager (3─1) || George Winter (5─4) || ─ || 19─14 ||
Season Highlights April 19: The season opens with a 7–6 home win over the Baltimore Orioles. June 28: A forfeit is declared in Boston's favor during a road game against the Orioles. With Boston leading, 9–4 in the eighth inning, umpire Tom Connolly called a Baltimore runner out for missing second base. The call was argued by Baltimore manager John McGraw, resulting in his ejection. After McGraw refused to leave the field, Connolly forfeited the game to Boston. July 8: In their highest-scoring game of the year, Boston loses at home to the Philadelphia Athletics, 22–9. July 9: The team's longest game of the season ends as a 4–2 loss in 15 innings to the visiting Athletics. July 19: The team's longest losing streak of the season, six games between July 12 and 18, comes to an end with a victory over the visiting Chicago White Stockings. July 29: The team's longest winning streak of the season, eight games between July 19 and 28, comes to an end with a loss to the visiting Detroit Tigers. September 29: The season ends with a 9–5 road win over the Orioles. This was the last game the Orioles played at Oriole Park in Baltimore; in 1903, they relocated to New York City as the Highlanders, then in 1913 became known as the New York Yankees.
Transactions
June 2: Fred Mitchell loaned to the Philadelphia Athletics. June 3: Charlie Hickman sold to the Cleveland Indians. July 11: Pitcher Tom Hughes joins Boston from the Baltimore Orioles. July 23: Manager Jimmy Collins signs pitcher Tully Sparks.
Statistical leaders The offense was led by Buck Freeman, who hit 11 home runs and had 121 RBIs, and Patsy Dougherty with a .342 batting average. The pitching staff was led by Cy Young, who made 45 appearances (43 starts) and pitched 41 complete games with a 32–11 record and 2.15 ERA, while striking out 160 in innings.
Season standings
The team had one game end in a tie; August 18 vs. Detroit Tigers. Tie games are not counted in league standings, but player statistics during tie games are counted.
Record vs. opponents
Opening Day lineup Freddy Parent SSChick Stahl CFJimmy Collins 3BBuck Freeman RFCharlie Hickman LFCandy LaChance 1BHobe Ferris 2BLou Criger C Cy Young P Source:
Roster 1902 Boston Americans Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders Manager
Player stats Batting Note: Pos=Position; GP=Games played; AB=At bats; R=Runs; H=Hits; 2B=Doubles; 3B=Triples; HR=Home runs; RBI=Runs batted in; BB=Walks; AVG=Batting average; OBP=On base percentage; SLG=Slugging percentage Starters By Position Pos Player GP ABR H2B3BHRRBIBB AVG OBPSLG Reference C 83 266 32 68 16602826 .256 .322 .361 1B 138 541 60 151 13465618 .279 .310 .351 2B 133 496 56 121 161486322 .244 .277 .381 SS 138 565 91 156 31836224 .276 .311 .375 3B 108 429 71 138 211066126 .322 .363 .459 OF 108 437 77 150 12603439 .343 .405 .398 OF 138 563 75 174 38191112132 .309 .353 .503 OF 128 510 92 164 221125839 .322 .375 .420
Other Batters Note: Pos=Position; GP=Games played; AB=At bats; R=Runs; H=Hits; 2B=Doubles; 3B=Triples; HR=Home runs; RBI=Runs batted in; BB=Walks; AVG=Batting average; OBP=On base percentage; SLG=Slugging percentage Pos Player GP AB R H 2B3BHRRBIBBAVGOBPSLGReferenceIF/OF Harry Gleason 71 240 30 54 552259.225.262.313C Jack Warner 65 222 19 52 5701212.234.283.320LF Charlie Hickman 28 108 13 32 523163.296.339.4632B Gary Wilson 3 11 1 2 00011.182.250.182
Pitchers Note: GP=Games played; AB=At bats; R=Runs; H=Hits; 2B=Doubles; 3B=Triples; HR=Home runs; RBI=Runs batted in; BB=Walks; AVG=Batting average; OBP=On base percentage; SLG=Slugging percentage Player GP AB R H 2B3BHRRBIBBAVGOBPSLGReference Cy Young 45 148 17 34411125.230.255.291 Bill Dinneen 44 141 13 18 300911.128.201.149 George Winter 20 61 5 10 00013.164.203.164 Tully Sparks 17 52 2 8 20055.154.228.192Tom Hughes123171110032.355.394.387George Prentiss7161500020.313.313.313Doc Adkins491200000.222.222.222Dave Williams390300021.333.400.333Nick Altrock380000000.000.000.000Pep Deininger260211000.333.333.833Bert Husting141101010.250.250.750Fred Mitchell110000000.000.000.000
Pitching Note: G=Games Played; GS=Games Started; IP=Innings Pitched; H=Hits; BB=Walks; R=Runs; ER=Earned Runs; SO=Strikeouts; W=Wins; L=Losses; SV=Saves; ERA=Earned Run Average
Starting Pitchers Player GGS IPHBBRERSO W LSV ERAReference 45 43 3505313692165 32 11 0 2.15 42 42 34899155121142 21 21 0 2.93 20 20 14953775648 11 9 0 2.99 17 15 15140835537 7 9 0 3.47 Tom Hughes 9 8 5125311816 3 3 0 3.35 George Prentiss74415510312492205.27Doc Adkins422030720931104.05Nick Altrock321819713450212.00Pep Deininger2112199161320009.75 Bert Husting 1 1 8 1581584 0 1 0 9.00
Relief Pitchers Note: G=Games Played; GS=Games Started; IP=Innings Pitched; H=Hits; BB=Walks; R=Runs; ER=Earned Runs; SO=Strikeouts; W=Wins; L=Losses; SV=Saves; ERA=Earned Run Average Player GGSIPHBBRERSO W L SV ERA Reference Dave Williams 3 0221118117 0 0 0 5.30 Fred Mitchell 1 0485552 0 1 0 11.25
References
External links 1902 Boston Americans team page at Baseball Reference 1902 Boston Americans season at baseball-almanac.com