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Did a story on Deacon for a sports monthly, last year, I think...he's from around where I live. Pretty long...

Deacon Phillippe put on a show in the first World Series.

For the hardcore baseball fan (of which I am undeniably one) there’s no event that stirs mixed emotions like the World Series. You got to love the mano-a-mano nature of the representative of the National league squaring off against their counterpart from the American League. Often it is a recipe for inspired baseball. But on the flip side, there will be no more baseball until spring…and another good year is dying.

Several players who have hailed from Southwest Virginia have played pivotal roles in a number of Fall Classic matchup, but none so much as the very first World Series which matched the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Boston Red Sox.

Hailing from just down the road in Rural Retreat, Charles Louis Phillippe was a true star of the deadball era. He was better known as Deacon, a nickname earned because of his devout Lutheran faith and the fact that he originally refused to pitch on Sunday. He also eschewed drink, gambling and the rowdy lifestyle that many early ballplayers practiced.

Deacon broke into the big leagues at age 26 in 1899 with the Louisville Colonels and made his mark by tossing a no-hitter in his rookie season and winning 21 games. In 1900, Barney Dreyfuss, owner of the defunct Louisville club, acquired controlling interest of the Pirates and took 14 players with him to Pittsburgh. Phillippe would win 20 games for four straight seasons as the Pirates won three straight National League titles between 1901 and 1903.

In 1903, amid pressure from the upstart American League, the first modern World Series was played, a best-of-nine series.

The Pirates seemed to be the favorite, led by one of the greatest players ever to step on the diamond, shortstop Honus Wagner. In contrast to the practices of the day when teams worked their pitchers long and hard, the Pirates had a deep staff, led by Phillppe and Sam Leever, both of whom won 25 games in the regular season and supported by 16-game winner Ed Dohney and Brickyard Kennedy (I love the nickname Brickyard).

But as the series approached, bad luck hit the Pirates. Wagner, who had battled a sore thumb all season long, injured his right leg in September and was never 100 percent in championship, batting poorly and committing six errors in the field. Leever injured his shoulder in a trapshooting accident and would be limited to two ineffective starts in the series. Otto Krueger, the team's only substitute of any experience, was beaned on September 19 and didn’t play much the rest of the year. Number three starter Doheny left the team in September, exhibiting signs of paranoia and was later committed to an insane asylum.

With an overflow Boston crowd singing their theme song “Tessie” to rile the visiting Pirates, Deacon Phillippe took the ball in the very first World Series game ever, facing the legendary Cy Young. Both threw complete games, but the son of Southwest Virginia got the better of the ordeal with the Pirates winning by a score of 7–3 in the first ever World Series game. Phillippe fanned ten while allowing just six hits.

Arguably, Deacon would work harder in the 1903 series than any hurler has done since. He would start five games in the series.

After Boston evened the series by winning Game 2, the Pirates turned to Deacon to start the third game on only one day of rest. He rose to the challenge, scattering four hits in a 4-2 win.

After two days off, Deacon Phillippe took the ball to start Game 4 of the Series. He threw his third complete game victory of the series, with the Pirates winning 5-4 to give the Pirates a commanding 3–1 series lead.

Boston would win the next two games to even the series. The Pirates, looking to recapture the magic, brought Phillippe back for Game 7, but the Sox finally broke though besting the Pirates 7-3 and taking their first lead (4 games to 3) of the series.

Game 8 looked to be a pitchers duel as Boston’s Bill Dinneen, who had struck out 11 in Game Two, faced off Phillippe. The two locked up in a scoreless tie through the first three innings. Boston managed to get on the board twice in the fourth and again in the sixth. Phillippe battled on and would end up pitching his fifth complete game in the Series. In an eight game series that lasted just 13 days, Phillippe would pitch five complete games with an ERA of 2.86.

Phillippe, who died in 1952, would go on to have a successful career notching 189 wins and posting a 2.59 ERA over the course of his career. He even garnered some consideration for the Hall of Fame. Actor Ryan Phillippe, is a distant relative and named a son after Deacon.

From Southwest Virginia to the Series

Many players who have their roots in our area have appeared in the Fall Classic. Here are a few of my favorites:

Tony Womack – The Danville native played in all seven games for Arizona Diamondbacks versus the Yankees. He would also play in the 2004 World Series as a member of the Cardinals.

J. C. Martin – In the 4th game of the 1969 World Series, the Axton native pinch hit for Tom Seamer. Martin laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Orioles reliever Pete Richert hit Martin in the wrist with his attempted throw to first. The ball got away, allowing the Mets to win the game. Replays showed Martin was inside the first-base line, which prevented Richert from making a good throw. As a result of this play, the running lane that extends from halfway down the first-base line to the bag was added to all major league fields. A runner can be running in this lane and be hit by a thrown ball and not be called for interference.

A number of former Salem Avalanche players took part in the 2007 World Series including Brad Hawpe, Matt Holiday, and Garrett Adkins.

The 1986 World Champion Mets were led by former Lynchburg players Dwight Gooden and Lenny Dykstra.

Rocky Mount’s Ron Hodge walked in his only World Series plate appearance.

Dave Parker, who played minor league baseball in Salem, hit .345 in the 1979 World Series. Edd Ott, who is a member of the Roanoke-Salem Baseball Hall of Fame, hit .333.