The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-27
BASEBALL IS DEAD
Season of 1902 Has Closed in Ameri-
can Association and Ameri-
E.. can League.
Ban Johnson's Organization Has Had
the Best of It in War With
the National.

Baseball for the season Of 1902 IS prac-
ticfSlly dead. The American association
and Western league have finished their
schedules, the American league closes to-
morrow, and the National has but o week
to run. Victory in the American league
has settled upon the banner Of Connie
Mack; after one of the prettiest finishes
seen in any league for many a day. For
weeks. four clubs travelled so close to-
gether that two or three games might
have thrown the leaders into fourth place.
The team work of the Athletics finally
told, however, and two weeks before the
close of the playing schedule they had the
pennant. practically cinched.
Connie Mack is deservedly popular in
the baseball world. and few will begrudge
him his triumph, the more SO since he
had to fight against tremendous odds. AL
most at the beginning of the season the
injunction suits brought by the Philadel-
phia National league club lost the Athlet-
les the services Of La Joie, Bernhard and
Fraser. Almost any men could better
have been spared. The value Of these
three players to a team is shown by the
wonderful brace taken by Cleveland when
|:that club secured La Joie and Bernhard.
In spite Of this heavy blow, Mack rubbed
his team of mediocre players into very
| strong machine, and when RUDE Waddell
was summoned from the wilds of the Pa
ciftc coast in the middle Of the season. the
Athletics began a steady climb toward the
| top. - s.,S> - r, E}*,'tE'= a:y =" E@>
Boston and st. Louis have played con-
I sistently, never falling very far below the
| top of the heap. Boston did just about
as much as was expected of the team,
but, st. Louis played far below the ordi-
nary gait Of the men,. On paper McAleer
had an aggregation which surpassed any
| in the league, with the possible excep-
ton of Chicago; but continual mishaps to
! the, pitching staff, and the falling off of
| Burkett and Heidrick in hitting, kept the
team down. = K ..-f ...r #a
! go: National Race Tame.
The National league race, on the other
hand, has been decidedly tame. This was
only to be expected, and Pittsburg was
conceded, an easy victory at the start
Making due allowance, for the weakness
| Of the other teams, the pirates must be
given credit for playing a wonderfully
strong game. one which would compare
favorably with that Of any previous pen
nant winner. The team was not as strong
as the great Brooklyn Aggregation of 1895
and 1900, aside from the pitching staff
but, considering the phenomenal bunch
of twirlers which drew salary from Colone
1900 would have had little advantage, II
any, over the pirates of this season!
The pirates finally succeeded in theil
attempt to capture 100 games during the
season, and they are likely to add two OF
three to the even century: This is a fea
which has not been approached in recen
i years. 5, ,.-., =.
i<s American Ahead In Fight. u - y
| Now comes the question of the outlool
for next season. The usual amount o
campaign talk has been sent out from