Boston Americans

The Americans won the first modern World Series in 1903, beating Pittsburgh five games to three in a best-of-nine that the two clubs arranged between themselves rather than under any rule. They took the pennant again in 1904 and did not get to defend the title: the New York Giants refused to play a team from the American League, which they regarded as illegitimate.

Across seven seasons it went 528-492. The best is 1903, at 91-47; the worst is 1906, at 49-105, two years after the second pennant. Cy Young pitched here for all seven seasons and won 171 games in them, and threw the first pitch of the first World Series.

Four Hall of Famers played here: Young, Jimmy Collins, who managed the 1903 champions while playing third base, Jesse Burkett and Tris Speaker, who arrived at the end. It played at the Huntington Avenue Grounds. The club took the Red Sox name in 1908.