CHICAGO — With both Chicago baseball teams in first place in their respective divisions, fans are dreaming of a 2016 Cubs vs. Sox World Series.
The last, and only, time that occurred was in 1906. For comparison sake, what place were both teams at the end of the first month of play back then?
Second, according to baseball-reference.com.
The Cubs were 11-6 and 2.5 games behind behind the New York Giants. The Cubs played Cincinnati eight times in April, winning six.
Expectations for the Cubs were high. Referring to offseason acquisitions, a Chicago Daily Journal headline declared on April 5: "Fifty Percent Stronger, the Cubs are Sure Pennant Winners."
The Sox were 7-6, a game a half behind the Philadelphia Athletics. The Sox played Detroit seven times in the first month, winning three.
According to the book "Windy City World Series" by Richard Chabowski, Sox owner Charles A. Comiskey told reporters, "We are likely to have a world's championship series right here in Chicago this year," saying both teams had improved over the winter.
"It would be great food for the face to have a world's championship series right here in Chicago," Comiskey said. "I am not predicting anything but we shall see later on."
At the time, the Cubs played games at West Side Park, also known as West Side Grounds, located at Wolcott Avenue and Polk Street near where Stroger Hospital is now. The Sox played at what became known as South Side Park III at Pershing Road and Princeton Street.
Through May, the Cubs would continue their winning ways while the Sox would struggle below .500.
Other notable news events of April, 1906 included:
• Local officials denied allegations made by Upton Sinclair, author of the Jungle, that government meat inspectors were corrupt.
• The head of Chicago's Civil Service Commission said in a speech that reforms over the previous ten years has resulted in the end of patronage in city hiring.
• Some 600 people displaced by an earthquake in San Francisco arrived in Chicago. Free lunches were distributed at the train stations while housing was arranged.
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