s ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁League ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Metropol it ans ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Association ▁at ▁the ▁Pol o ▁Gr ounds ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁post - season ▁championship ▁series ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁such ▁to ▁be ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁" World ' s ▁Series ," ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁cons iders ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁World ▁Series ▁the ▁first . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁Metropol it ans ▁manager ▁Jim ▁Mut rie ▁issued ▁a ▁challenge ▁to ▁his ▁N L ▁counter part , ▁Frank ▁B anc ro ft ▁of ▁the ▁Gray s . ▁Mut rie ' s ▁challenge ▁was ▁for ▁a ▁best - of - three ▁series . ▁Each ▁team ▁would ▁put ▁up ▁a ▁thousand ▁dollars ▁with ▁the ▁winner ▁taking ▁the ▁boot y . ▁ ▁This ▁pre - mod ern - era ▁World ▁Series ▁would ▁feature ▁a ▁pitch ing ▁match - up ▁of ▁future ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fam ers ▁and ▁ 3 0 0 - game ▁w inners ▁Charles ▁" Old ▁H oss " ▁Rad b ourn ▁and ▁Tim ▁Ke efe . ▁That ▁was ▁the ▁year ▁Rad b ourn ▁won ▁his ▁season - record ▁ 5 9 ▁games ▁( some ▁sources ▁say ▁ 6 0 ) ▁for ▁the ▁Gray s . ▁Ke efe ▁was ▁a ▁" m ere " ▁ 3 7 – 1 7 . ▁Play ing ▁under ▁American ▁Association ▁rules , ▁Rad b ourn ▁and ▁the ▁Gray s ▁defeated ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁first