Pirates and Tigers Also Make History

There was more history made on Friday October 4, 2013. After the first two of the four divisional games produced The Pirates and Red Sox winning post season games on the same day for the first time, the Detroit Tigers’ victory in the day’s final game also produced an historic first.

Yesterday was the first time in history that the two franchises (the Pirates and Tigers) which met in the 1909 World Series, won post season games on the same day.

In the last of the four divisional series games played yesterday, the Detroit Tigers scored three runs in the first, (Miguel Cabrera getting the key hit) and held off the Oakland A’s (3-2) in their division series opener.

In 1909, the Pirates, (who lost that first World Series to the Red Sox franchise 5 games to three in a best of nine event in 1903), beat the Tigers in the first seventh and deciding game of a World Series (the Pirates are (5-2) in World Series play, (5-0) in decisive game sevens).

Each team featured an all time baseball great. The Pirates had shortstop Honus Wagner while Ty Cobb played in the outfield for the Tigers.

Only once since their 1909 World Series clash have the Pirates and Tigers made the baseball post season in the same year.

That year was 1972 and as is the case this year the Tigers’ post season opponent is Oakland(A’s). Additionally the Pirates’ lone 1972 opponent, the Cincinnati Reds, were also a post season opponent for Pittsburgh this year.

Similarly and of course coincidentally, the two previous times the Pirates and Red Sox were in post season play together, in opposite “brackets” if you will, their opponents were the Reds and A’s.

In 1972, four times the Tigers and Pirates played on the same day, the Tigers in the ALCS and the Pirates in the NLCS. On Saturday October 7th, the Pirates won but the Tigers lost in series openers. The next day, both teams lost. Only the Pirates played on Monday October 9th, winning to take a (2-1) series lead.

However it was the Pirates’ last win and on Tuesday October 10th and Wednesday the 11th while the Tigers won each day to force a decisive 5th game, the Reds beat the Pirates both days to take the series in five games.

Hence yesterday October 4, 2013 was the first time that the Tigers and Pirates, World Series opponents 104 years ago, won post season games on the same day.

The A’s won that decisive 5th game in 1972 and went on to win their first World Series in 42 years and after having moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City (remember innovative A’s owner Charles O–for owner–Finley and his “pennant porch” in K.C.) and again to Oakland.

Since that 1972 ALCS, the Tigers are (8-2) vs the A’s in the playoffs, winning series in 2006 and last year.

Already pre series 8 to 5 favorites, and having won a road opening game in a best of five series, Detroit will be considered huge favorites in the current series vs the A’s.

Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner