1903 Philadelphia City Series The A's had begun play in 1901 but National League and American League teams did not play each other in 1901 or 1902 as the leagues battled to expand their markets and customers. After the leagues made peace after 1902, the Phillies and Athletics scheduled a preseason
series for the local championship. The Player League’s
Philadelphia Athletics and American Association
Athletics had contested the local championship with the Phillies between 1883 and 1890. Prior to the start of the series, the Athletics players threatened not to play unless they were paid a percentage of the gate receipts. Connie Mack refused his players on the grounds that while their contracts stipulated they receive gate receipts from mid-season exhibition games, the games against the Phillies would occur prior to the start of the official season and would be unpaid exhibition games as much as any preseason contest. The Phillies and Athletics played five of nine scheduled games; the Phillies defeated the Athletics, 4 games to 1. The series was scheduled to begin on April 4, 1903 at the Phillies’ Philadelphia Ball Park but was called off due to rain. Games scheduled for April 7, 1903 at the Phillies’ park and April 8, 1903 at the Athletics’ Columbia Park were also canceled due to rain and wet grounds, along with the final scheduled game of the series on April 14, 1903 at the Phillies’ park. {{Baseball playoff summary == Regular season ==