This day in 1918: MLB season ends due to World War I
Boston Red Sox fans remember the 1918 baseball season for triumphant reasons -- taking home a title before a long period of curses and unfortunate evens. But the sport's year as a whole was tremendously unique, and affected by circumstances that we will never see again.
On Sept. 1, 1918, the MLB regular season was cut short, and the World Series between the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs began. But the rushed timing of things was due to World War I, and the obligation of players drafted into the military to leave their teams and go to war.
What's more: Sept. 5, Game 1 of the World Series, marked the first time that "Star Spangled Banner" was played at a sporting event -- it was later named the national anthem in 1931. The winning pitcher of the game was Babe Ruth, who threw a shutout for the Red Sox.
Watch the video above for a truly unique tale regarding those early MLB years, and for some mind-blowing shots of baseball's television evolution, click through the gallery below.
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