City Series

Factual Questions
1

In the first half of our rapidly-dwindling century, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox would meet every October to play a best-of-seven City Series. (And my distinguished colleague, SoxFan59, will be along momentarily to inform us all just how thoroughly the White Sox dominated that competition.) The series was not held in years that one team or the other was league champion and playing in the World Series – but, as Chicago sports fans know only too well, such instances were few and far between.

I’m wondering if such series were played in other towns? I seem to recall hearing about an annual Cardinals-Browns series (and no, I’m not referring to the 1944 World Series). Is this true? What about Boston? Was there a Braves-Red Sox series? Or a Phillies-Athletics series in Philly? What about New York? (Of course, the World Series eventually became the New York City Series – the work of Satan, undoubtedly.) And did teams in Cincinnati or Cleveland find other rivals to play, or did they just take the Autumn off?

Any information you can provide will be most greatly appreciated.

2

New York used to have a mayor’s trophy game – the Mets and Yankees would play a single exhibition game. It was originally held during the season, but then began a spring training thing. It ended because George Steinbrenner couldn’t stand losing to the Mets in the 80s.

This sort of series is not likely today; the player’s union doesn’t want to give up days off during the season, and probably wouldn’t wany anything afterwards. The closest thing would be the interleague play and spring training.

3

Postseason exhibition series were fairly common in the first half of the century. Chicago and St. Louis were the most noticeable.
I don’t think the two Ohio teams or Pittsburgh had a regularly scheduled one, but I think I have heard of Cincinnati-Cleveland series in some years.
There usually wasn’t one in New York because in most years, a New York team was in the World Series.