First baseman Jake Stahl was one of the early pioneering players and managers of the newly formed American League (1901). He played one season with the Boston Red Sox before being sold to the Washington Nats in January 1904, and hit .262 in 142 games. The next season Jack Stahl became player/manager and after Washington finished in seventh place in the then 8-team AL two straight seasons he was sold in March of 1907 to the New York Highlanders (later nicknamed the Yankees).

In July of 1908 Jake Stahl was sold back to the Red Sox. In 1910 he led the league with 10 home runs and retired at the end of the season and took a better paying job in banking. However he retired to his baseball career after one year and became player/manage of Boston again in 1912. Under his guidance the Red Sox won 105 games, the highest total since the AL was formed in 1901 and a record that would not be bested until Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and the Yankees won 110 games in 1927.

While managing in the 1912 World Series against the old New York Giants with Boston up 3 games to 1 instead of starting fastball pitcher Smokey Joe Wood he was forced to start Bucky O’Brien by Red Sox president Jimmy McAleer because some people said, ‘McAleer was trying to prolong the Series to extend his big profits.’ The Red Sox and Bucky O’Brien lost 5-2 and the Giants also won Game 6 over Smokey Joe Wood 11-4 to even up the Series. The Red Sox won the final game of the 1912 World Series 3-2. Smokey Joe Wood pitched the final 3 innings and was credited with the win.

After hurting his ankle after playing just 2 games in 1913 and being unable to play first base, Jake Stahl was fired after 81 games and left baseball for good.