It’s sort of hard to recognize, because in 1900 the American League was not viewed as a “major league” and there was no World Series yet, but the Chicago White Sox hold a unique distinction: The first AL pennant winners. (To their credit, the White Sox themselves recognize it, with a pennant flying at Sox Park, alongside the 1906 World Series champions.) And that pennant was earned 119 years ago today.
It wasn’t exactly fair that the AL was considered a bush league; the AL’s precursor, the Western League, was said to boast some stronger teams than those found in the mighty National League.