Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-14
SPORTS IN DOG DAY MONTH
Changes In the Standing Of the Base
Ball Clubs,
EVEN STRUGGLE wAGEO ON THE DIAMOND
bits of Fresh. Bright News Caught IN
Along che Circuit Around
First Base to the
Home Plate.

The past week has resulted in a decided
diminution in the lead Of the Reds. The
Beaneaters' visit at Redville was a disastrous
one for the pennant chasers, for their loss OF
three out Of the four games played cut their
lead down Just one-half and left but a diff
ference Of fifteen points between the two
leaders. This puts them in worse shape
than at any time this season and 1t Will be
Interesting to watch their progress around
the eastern circuit, for with Boston play
ing on the home grounds for nearly two
weeks 1t Is not at all improbable that the
Reds will be boosted out Of first place In
the column for the first time this season.
The first tour that the Reds made in the
east commenced on May % and at that time
rhey were seyenty-seven points ahead of any
thing to the rear OF them. At
that time Cleveland was next. After
touring the east and a section
luf the west they returned to the
thomc grounds on June 10 with their lead
'cut down to hfty-seven points. On July 3
when the Reds commenced their second trip
Through the east they were exactly the
same number of points to the good and
twhcn they got back home again on July q
this lead had been cut down to thirty-four
points. Point by point the Reds have been
losing steadily in their position since they
NllNe ItluIlfu Olll Until NhNS tN "''S ''
the third whirl through the east with less
than half the lead they had when they ar
rived.
1t is interesting to note the great improve
ment in the standing of the champions in
the same time. When they played their
first game with the west on May 80 they
were in third place-19S points behind
Cincy and 12l points behind Cleveland
When they had finished playing teams like
Chicago, Pittsburg, which was then play
ing its strongest game of the city, ana
Cleveland, it had cut Cincy's lead down TO
forty-three points and Cleveland's to ten.
When they got back home on July IL they
were in second place, forty-two points be
hind Cincy. When they started on their
second trip west on July 90 they were
twenty three points behind Cincinnati ana
in the west they succeeded in cutting thls
lead Town to fifteen points.
The rest of the aggregations are jogging
nlong as they were a week ago. The only
fight with the exception Of the scrap at the
head of the column is between Chicago and
New York. A week ago the Orphans were
in the lead of the Giants, but for four dur
ing the last seven days the latter jumped
ahead. Once more Chicago forged upward
and again the Giants are ahead OF the
Windy City aggregation.
Never in the history Of Yankee Doodlc's
game has such a fight been seen-so evenly
is the struggle being waged. Three east
orn teams are in the first division WITH
three western aggregations. The east ana
the west seem certain to divide the hrst
two moneys. II Cincinnati wins the pen
nant, Cleveland will never be able to take
second place ava from the Beaneaters'
Should Boston win, second place will almos:
xar4aip1v on tn oithpr Cincinnati or ClCye-
land. OF course Baltimore must still be
isncluded in the reckoning, for the season
IS but two-thirds finished. The Orioles are
lbound to end in the first division any way,
land so are the Giants from the present out
look. Chicago may have a fight with the
Pirates for the last place in the division
,shat is within the range OF possibility II
1Tannehill continues the pace and Hoffer
shows up as he has done-but If the latter
do win out it will still leave the first divi-
sion composed of three eastern and three
western clubs.
One week ago Cincinapolis was in the
lead of the Western league; yesterday the
blues were at the head of the race. At
present It's a tossup between the two aggre-
cations on paper, but under the surface the
Cowboys look to have all the best of it.
The strength of both aggregations lies in
their twirling force. There is a vast differ
once back of the slab, however. While the
Blues are not the finest fielding team that
might be picked up by any means, yet they
have played more consistently in this regard
than the Hoosiers by far. The latter have
at times given fielding exhibitions that
would have shamed the rankest amateurs.
The fight for the tailend honors, too, has
reached an interesting stage. In the last
ten days the Millers have shown a great
revival of form and have brought the st.
Joseph aggregation almost down to their
level.
According to the latest compiled tables
Pitcher Maui is generally conceded to be the
leagues winning pitcher in the percentage
OF games won and lost, as up to date he has
eight wins to his credit, as against two de-
icats. For a clean record, Carrick, who re.
Gently Joined the New York team, easily
beads the list with three straight victories
Snd no reyerses. Young of Cleveland has
done well, winning eighteen and losing six
while Dammann of Cincinnati has won nine
and lost three. Breitenstein has won thirteer
and lost five; Hawlcy, won seventeen and
lost seven; Tar-ehill, won sixteen and los,
seven; Nichols, won eighteen and lost eight;
Callahan. won eleven and lost five; Willis
" tA' ibok bAan WI
twelve and lost six; Lewis, won thirteen ant
lost seven; Rusie, won eleven and lost six,
Grlnith, won fourteen and lost eight; Dwyer
won twelve and lost seven; Nops, won ter
and lost seven; Hughes, won thirteen anC
lost eight; McJames, won fifteen and los
ten; Fifeld. won three and lost two. NJ
these twirlers have a percentage of 600 o.
over of games won. or the old-timers
Young. Nichols and Breitenstein have beer
doing the most consistent work.
AS far as long range hitting goes in tn
big league, New York stands at the tol
with 526 extra bases. Cincinnati is mex
with $40. Philadelphia is third with 497 AM
Boston fourth with 46l. The remaining
teams come in the following order: Wash
ington, Chicago. Louisville, Pittsburg, Bal
timore, st. Louis, Brooklyn and Cleveland.
Boston has the most home runs to 1t
credit, with thirty-one, New York is mex
with twenty-seYen and Washington mex
with twenty-one. Collins OF the Beaneater
captured seven OF these homers and Stab
has five 10 his credit. Joyce assisted tn
Giants with seven home runs and Tiernal
has five. The champion home-run hitter o
the Senators is Anderson, who has seven I
his credit. Gettman has four, The team
that has secured the least number OF thes
four baggers is Cleveland, whose player