Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-24
BASE BALL GOSSIP OF WEEK.
Omaha Still Leads, but BY Very Earrsw
Margin.
PtNSAu1 RACE WILL MAKE CLOSE FINISH
Dope Says Denver or Omaha for First
Place, with Kansas city and
Milwaukee Bidding strong
for Position.


fied Tor hrst.
Only a little stupid work. Just a moment
or two Of fat-head playing at the right time,
ana Milwaukee came up alongside. Just
now the Western league pennent chase has
assumed an aspect that promises a bruis-
Ing finish. With Omaha, Milwaukee and
Kansas City all but punched. and Denver
only waiting to get home to start a merry
slaughter once more, IL is only too APP
parent that there must be no more OF the
foolishness Of Friday and Saturday If
Omaha is to win the rag. II will be a
glorious finish, however. and we'll worth
the watching. Dope made on the seasons
performance Isn't worth much, but still a
man with a pencil can't help figuring a
little. With the schedule for the rest of
the season after Thursdays game, 1t ap.
peared that II Omaha should win two out
Of three OF Its games. the team would
nnish with q percentage, OF .612. Al the
same time II Denver should win two Of the
six games scheduled at Omaha and Des
Moines, and the entire twenty-one
scheduled for Its home grounds, the Griz-
lilies would wind up with SOC, just outside
the money. Denver has several postponed
games at home and some abroad which
have been. transferred and a strong effort
will be made to play out the entire.
schedule. 1t is. expecting too much to ask
the Grizzlies to win twenty-five OF six
straight games, but that's what they'll
have to do to win the pennant. In the
meantime, Omaha has the same state Of
auairs as regards schedule, and only has
TO win two out Of three. Kansas City
Spd Milwaukee are dangerous. now. be-
otuse they are finishing up their home
series, but each team has twenty-one
games away from home, beginning today,
milwaukee, winding up the season at
Omaha and Kansas City at Denver. So It
Is not at all likely they will keep up the
TREMENDOUS gait they have lately been
going. On this showing. the fight is
Hlainly between Denver and Omaha, with
the advantage Of position in favor Of
Omaha. -
omaha's schedule for the rest Of the sea-
son is: At home with Colorado Springs.
August "a, rs and rs; at Des Moines, August
rs, 20 and 30; at home with Des Moines.
August 81 and two games on September 1;
at Denver, September 3, 4 and 5; at Colo
'rado Springs. September 6. 7 and s.; at home
with Kansas City, September 10. II and 12:
with St. Joseph. September 10, IA and is:
with Peoria, September II, IS and 10; with
Milwaukee, September 81, % and 20. How
many Of the postponed games will be worked
In along with the regular schedule will de-
pend on conditions, nut Manager Kourke
wants to play the full schedule If possible.
In the American league the race Is also
mighty close. with the surface prospects de-
cidedly In. favor OF Philadelphia. Chicago,
st. Louis and Boston are also bidders for
the place. Charlie Comiskey is still very
sanguint, as his team finishes the season
with a long series at home. and he hopes
that both Griffith and Callahan, who have
been OF In their work for weeks, will be in
condition to aid in winning the pennant for
another year. Connie Mack isn't saying
much, but he is cording up a lot Of we'll
sawed wood in his Philadelphia back yard.
Incidentally. he is drawing such crowds as
have not attended ball games In Philadelphia
in many, many seasons. II the American
has done nothing else. It has captured the
popular heart in Philadelphia this year.
In the work, OF the Omaha team the lover
Of base ball must surely find delight. From
the start Of the season until today it has
kept up a marvellous gait in the field, and
now shows no sign Of weakening. This con-
sistent work affords Arm basis for the local
hopes Of landing the p%ennant, for 1t will
require a woeful slump to bring about the
change necessary to lose. Study the figures
here given, and you will understand why
omaha's chances are the brightest:
BATTING AVERAGES.