▁the ▁stand ings ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁For ▁four ▁seasons , ▁ 1 8 9 4 – 1 8 9 7 , ▁the ▁league ▁champions ▁played ▁the ▁run ners - up ▁in ▁the ▁post ▁season ▁championship ▁series ▁called ▁the ▁Temple ▁Cup . ▁A ▁second ▁attempt ▁at ▁this ▁format ▁was ▁the ▁Chron icle - Te legraph ▁Cup ▁series , ▁which ▁was ▁played ▁only ▁once , ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁the ▁American ▁League ▁was ▁formed ▁as ▁a ▁second ▁major ▁league . ▁No ▁championship ▁series ▁were ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁or ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁as ▁the ▁National ▁and ▁American ▁Le agues ▁fought ▁each ▁other ▁for ▁business ▁supre m acy ▁( in ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁the ▁top ▁teams ▁instead ▁opt ed ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁a ▁football ▁championship ). ▁ ▁Modern ▁World ▁Series ▁( 1 9 0 3 – present ) ▁ ▁First ▁attempt ▁ ▁After ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁bitter ▁competition ▁and ▁player ▁ra iding , ▁the ▁National ▁and ▁American ▁Le agues ▁made ▁peace ▁and , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁accord , ▁several ▁pairs ▁of ▁teams ▁squ ared ▁off ▁for ▁inter le ague ▁exhibition ▁games ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁season . ▁These ▁series ▁were ▁arranged ▁by ▁the ▁particip ating ▁clubs , ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁World ' s ▁Series ▁matches ▁had ▁been . ▁One ▁of ▁them ▁matched ▁the ▁two ▁p enn ant ▁w inners , ▁Pitts burgh ▁Pir