The 1903 Boston Americans season was the third season for the professional baseball franchise that later became known as the Boston Red Sox. The Americans finished first in the American League (AL) with a record of 91 wins and 47 losses, games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics. Boston went on to participate in the first World Series held between the AL and National League (NL) champions. The Americans won the 1903 World Series in eight games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team was managed by Jimmy Collins and played its home games at Huntington Avenue Grounds.
Offseason and spring training
Transactions October 6, 1902: It is reported that George Stone will play for the Boston Americans. October 28, 1902: John McGraw, manager of the New York Giants, announces that Jack Warner of the Boston Americans had signed to play for the Giants. This decision came after weeks of speculation as to the future of Jack Warner. In an interview printed on September 25, 1902, Jimmy Collins stated that he had signed Warner to a two-year contract with the Americans the previous month. On October 13, 1902, Jimmy Collins had gone to New York after hearing reports that Warner had jumped to the New York Giants. March 18, 1903: Catcher Charles "Duke" Farrell announces that he has accepted an offer to play for the Boston Americans. Prior to the regular season, the team held spring training in Macon, Georgia. Cy Young was a coach for the Mercer University baseball team, also based in Macon.
The Boston Americans played an exhibition game against Mercer University (with Cy Young pitching for Mercer) on March 23; the outcome being a 13─2 victory for Boston.
Regular season overview May 12: After a slow start to the season, the team has a winning record for the first time, at 10–9, with a 10–5 win over the Cleveland Naps at League Park in Cleveland. June 1: With a 20–15 record, Boston moves into first place in the AL, a half-game ahead of the St. Louis Browns. June 9: The team's longest winning streak of the season, 11 games between May 28 and June 8, comes to an end with a loss to the visiting Detroit Tigers. June 16: With a 28–18 record, Boston falls a game behind Philadelphia in the AL standings. June 21: Buck Freeman is the first player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, in a road win at Cleveland. June 23: With a 33–20 record, Boston regains the AL lead, which they will not relinquish through the end of the season. June 30: Nick Altrock starts and pitches eight innings in a 10–3 road loss to the Chicago White Sox; these are the only innings in the entire season not pitched by members of the five-man rotation, led by Cy Young. July 29: Patsy Dougherty hits for the cycle against the visiting New York Highlanders. It is also Boston's highest scoring game of the year, a 15–14 loss. September 28: The season ends with a home doubleheader against the Browns, with Boston winning both games; 8–7 and 6–0.
The team's longest losing streak was three games, which occurred twice; April 20–23 and September 22–23. The team's longest game was 12 innings, which occurred three times.
Transactions May 1, 1903: The Boston Americans acquire University of Illinois Athlete Jake Stahl, who agrees to join the team after receiving his diploma in June. Henry Killilea had met with Stahl on April 27, 1903, promising him $500 a month to play catcher for the Boston Americans. Stahl would make his debut with the Americans on June 6. July 2: Pitcher Nick Altrock is released by the Boston Americans, and is immediately signed by the Chicago White Sox.
Statistical leaders The offense was led by Buck Freeman, who hit 13 home runs and had 104 RBIs, and Patsy Dougherty with a .331 batting average. It was Freeman's third consecutive season with at least 100 RBIs. The pitching staff was led by Cy Young, who made 40 appearances (35 starts) and pitched 34 complete games with a 28–9 record and 2.08 ERA, while striking out 176 in innings. The team had two other 20-game winners; Bill Dinneen (21–13) and Tom Hughes (20–7).
Season log Boston Win Boston LossTie Game
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 1 || April 20 (1)|| Philadelphia ||4─9 || Winter (1–0) || Waddell (0–1) || 1─0 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 || April 20 (2)|| Philadelphia || 10─7 || Bender (1─0)|| Hughes (0─1)|| 1─1 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 3 || April 22 || @Philadelphia || 1─6 || Waddell (1─1) || Dinneen (0─1)|| 1─2 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 4 || April 23 || @Philadelphia || 4─7 || Henley (1─0) || Winter (1–0) || 1─3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 5 || April 24 || @Philadelphia || 1─2 || Young (1─0) || Plank (0─1)|| 2─3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 25|| @Philadelphia || 0─4 || Hughes (1─1) || Waddell (1–2) || 3─3 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 27 || @Washington || 3─6 || Orth (2─0) || Dinneen (0─2) || 3─4 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 8 || April 28 || @Washington || 11─4 || Young (2─0)|| Lee (0─2) || 4─4 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 9 || April 29 || @Washington || 5─9 || Patten (2─0) || Gibson (0─1) || 4─5 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 10 || April 30 || Philadelphia || 12─2 || Plank (1─1) || Winter (1─2) || 4─6 ||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 11 || May 1 || Philadelphia || 2─4 || Dinneen (1─2) || Bender (2─1) || 5─6 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 12 || May 2 || Philadelphia || 3─0 || Plank (2─1) || Young (2─1) || 5─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 13 || May 4 || Washington || 4─6 || Hughes (2─1) || Patten (2─1) || 6─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || May 6 || Washington || 3─6 || Young (3─1)|| Lee (0─3) || 7─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 15 || May 7 || New York || 2─6 || Dinneen (2─2) || Wiltse (0─1) || 8─7 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 16 || May 8 || New York || 6─1 || Chesbro (4─1) || Winter (1─3) || 8─8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 17 || May 9 || New York || 5─12 || Young (4─1) || Tannehill (2─2) || 9─8 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 18 || May 11 || @Cleveland || 5─6 || Bernhard (3─1) || Dinneen (2─3) || 9─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 19 || May 12 || @Cleveland || 10─5 || Dinneen (3─3) || Wright (0─2) || 10─9 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 20 || May 13 || @Cleveland || 1─2 || Joss (3─2) || Young (4─2) || 10─10 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 21 || May 14 || @Cleveland || 10─4 || Gibson (1─1) || Moore (1─3) || 11─10 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 22 || May 15 || @Detroit || 6─8 || Kitson (1─3) || Hughes (2─2) || 11─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 23 || May 16 || @Detroit || 9─6 || Young (5─2) || Jones (0─1) || 12─11 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 24 || May 18 || @Detroit || 1─12 || Donovan (5─1) || Gibson (1─2) || 12─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 25 || May 19 || @Detroit || 3─2 || Dinneen (4─3) || Mullin (4─3) || 13─12 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 26 || May 20 || @St. Louis || 3─4 || Sudhoff (4─1) || Young (5─3) || 13─13 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 27 || May 22 || @St. Louis || 4─6 || Siever (2─3) || Winter (1─4) || 13─14 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 23 || @Chicago || 4─1 || Dinneen (5─3) || White (3─3) || 14─14 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 29 || May 24 || @Chicago || 7─0 || Young (6─3) || Flaherty (4─5) || 15─14 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 30 || May 26 || @Chicago || 2─3 || Dunkle (2─1) || Hughes (2─3) || 15─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 31 || May 28 || Washington || 4─5 || Winter (2─4) || Wilson (1─5) || 16─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 32 || May 29 || Washington || 2─7 || Dinneen (6─3) || Lee (1─6) || 17─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 30 (1) || Washington || 2─3 || Gibson (2─2) || Orth (3─4) || 18─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 34 || May 30 (2) || Washington || 0─4 || Young (7─3) || Patten (5─4) || 19─15 ||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 35 || June 1 || @New York || 8─2 || Hughes (3─3) || Chesbro (6─5) || 20─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 36 || June 2 || @New York || 9─0 || Dinneen (7─3) || Tannehill (6─4) || 21─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 37 || June 3 || @New York || 9─3 || Young (8─3) || Griffith (1─5) || 22─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 38 || June 4 || Chicago || 3─10 || Winter (3─4) || Dunkle (2─2) || 23─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 39 || June 5 || Chicago || 8─10 || Gibson (3─2) || Patterson (6─3) || 24─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 40 || June 6 || Chicago || 2─10 || Dinneen (8─3) || Flaherty (5─7) || 25─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 41 || June 8 || Detroit || 1─6 || Young (9─3) || Deering (2─2) || 26─15 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 42 || June 9 || Detroit || 7─3 || Mullin (6─5) || Young (9─4) || 26─16 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 43 || June 10 || Detroit || 5─0 || Donovan (7─3) || Dinneen (8─4) || 26─17 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 44 || June 11 || St. Louis || 0─2 || Hughes (4─3) || Sudhoff (7─2) || 27─17 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 45 || June 13 || St. Louis || 0─7 || Young (10─4) || Powell (3─7) || 28─17 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 46 || June 16 || Cleveland || 7─0 || Dorner (2─2) || Dinneen (8─5) || 28─18 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 47 || June 17 (1) || Cleveland || 3─1 || Moore (7─3) || Gibson (3─3) || 28─19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 48 || June 17 (2) || Cleveland || 1─6 || Hughes (5─3) || Joss (6─7) || 29─19 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 49 || June 18 || @Cleveland|| 4─5 || Bernhard (8─3) || Winter (3─5) || 29─20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 50 || June 19 || @Cleveland || 5─3 || Dinneen (9─5) || Wright (3─5) || 30─20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 51 || June 20 || @Cleveland|| 5─4 || Gibson (4─3) || Moore (7─4) || 31─20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 52 || June 21 || @Cleveland || 12─7 || Hughes (6─3) || Dorner (2─3) || 32─20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 53 || June 23 || @Detroit || 1─0 || Young (11─4) || Donovan (7─5) || 33─20 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 54 || June 24 || @Detroit || 1─2 || Deering (3─3) || Dinneen (9─6) || 33─21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 55 || June 25 || @St. Louis || 7─1 || Winter (4─5) || Siever (4─4) || 34─21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 56 || June 27 || @St. Louis || 6─0 || Norwood (5─3) || Sudhoff (8─4) || 35─21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 57 || June 28 (1) || @St. Louis || 1─0 || Young (12─4) || Donahue (8─6) || 36─21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 58 || June 28 (2) || @St. Louis || 3─0 || Hughes (7─3) || Powell (5─8) || 37─21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 59 || June 29 || @Chicago || 7─2 || Dinneen (10─6) || Dunkle (3─3) || 38─21 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 60 || June 30 || @Chicago || 3─10 || White (7─7) || Altrock (0─1) || 38─22 ||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 61 || July 1 || @Chicago || 1─0 || Young (13─4) || Flaherty (8─9) || 39─22 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;"