The New York Highlanders season, their second in New York and fourth overall, finished with the team in second place in the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

 with a record of 92-59. The team was managed by Clark Griffith

Clark Griffith

Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...

 and played home games at Hilltop Park

Hilltop Park

Hilltop Park was the nickname of a baseball park that formerly stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. It was the home of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club during 1903-1912 when they were known more often as the "Highlanders"...

.

Offseason

• October 6, 1903: Jack O'Connor
  Jack O'Connor (catcher)
  John Joseph O'Connor , also known as Peach Pie, was a utilityman in Major League Baseball in the American Association, the National League, and the American League, primarily used as an outfielder. He began his career as a left fielder and catcher for the Cincinnati Red Stockings, and he soon moved...
  
   was traded by the Highlanders to the St. Louis Browns
  Baltimore Orioles
  The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
  
   for John Anderson.
• January 5, 1904: Eddie Quick
  Eddie Quick
  Edwin S. Quick was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1903 with the New York Highlanders. He threw right-handed....
  
   and Jack Zalusky
  Jack Zalusky
  John Francis Zalusky was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played with the New York Highlanders, now known as the New York Yankees during the 1903 New York Highlanders season, playing in seven games. He died in the Spanish Flu outbreak.-External links:...
  
   were traded by the Highlanders to the Toledo Mud Hens
  Toledo Mud Hens
  The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
  
   for Red Kleinow
  Red Kleinow
  John Peter Kleinow was a reserve catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1904 through 1911 for the New York Highlanders , Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies . Listed at 5' 10", 165 lb., Kleinow batted and threw right-handed...
  
  .

The name

The first verified use of the alternate nickname "Yankees" (a synonym for "Americans", the team being American Leaguers) occurred on April 7, 1904, when a spring training story from Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

 carried the headline "Yankees Will Start Home From South To-Day." The New York Evening Journal screamed: "YANKEES BEAT BOSTON". The casual use of that nickname suggests it was already in the popular lexicon, although "Highlanders" would continue to be the primary (and equally unofficial) nickname for several more years.

Season summary

The Highlanders were in the thick of the American League pennant

Pennant (sports)

A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...

 race throughout the season, leading by two games as late as September 20. This led to the New York Giants

1904 New York Giants season

The New York Giants season was the 22nd season in franchise history. They led the National League in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed, on their way to 106 wins and the pennant....

 announcement that they would not play in the World Series, since they considered the Highlanders to be only a "minor league" team.

On the final day of the season at Hilltop Park

Hilltop Park

Hilltop Park was the nickname of a baseball park that formerly stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. It was the home of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club during 1903-1912 when they were known more often as the "Highlanders"...

. New York pitcher Jack Chesbro

Jack Chesbro

John Dwight Chesbro was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates , New York Highlanders , and Boston Red Sox . His 41 wins during the 1904 season remains an MLB record for the modern era...

 threw a wild pitch in the ninth inning, giving the Boston Americans

1904 Boston Americans season

The Boston Americans season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Americans finishing 1st in the American League with a record of 95 wins and 59 losses...

 the win, and the 1904 AL pennant. Even though it was Boston who stole the pennant on the final day, the Giants stuck to their word and their refusal prevented the World Series from being played.

It would be a century later, in , the next time Boston directly eliminated the Yankees from title contention, when they did so in the final game of the 2004 ALCS

2004 American League Championship Series

The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series to decide the American League champion for the 2004 season. It was played between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, at Fenway Park and the original Yankee Stadium, from October 12 to October 20, 2004...

.

Roster

1904 New York Highlanders
Roster
valign="top" | Pitchers		valign="top" | Catchers Infielders		valign="top" | Outfielders		valign="top" | Manager

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C		101	322	67	.208	0	20
1B		130	465	121	.260	6	48
2B		146	559	147	.263	2	74
3B		140	489	119	.243	1	52
SS		122	445	117	.263	2	46
OF		143	543	186	.343	2	40
OF		143	558	155	.278	3	82
OF		106	452	128	.283	6	22

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	97	339	93	.274	2	32
	58	209	43	.206	0	16
	36	128	24	.188	0	12
	28	107	21	.196	2	9
	9	22	6	.273	0	2
	6	19	4	.211	0	2
	5	17	6	.353	0	1
	4	7	0	.000	0	0
	1	1	0	.000	0	0

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	55	454.2	41	12	1.82	239
	47	390.1	23	19	2.44	202
	19	136.1	7	11	3.70	75
	20	137.2	11	6	2.68	37
	16	100.1	7	5	2.87	36
	2	12	0	1	2.25	8

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	13	66.1	1	2	5.02	43
	9	49.1	2	0	2.74	26
	7	33.2	0	3	3.21	8

Records

• Jack Chesbro
  Jack Chesbro
  John Dwight Chesbro was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates , New York Highlanders , and Boston Red Sox . His 41 wins during the 1904 season remains an MLB record for the modern era...
  
   and Jack Powell, American League record, combined victories by two teammate pitchers (64)