The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-29
BALL SEASON CLOSES.
Pittsburg and Boston Are Easy PEN
nant Winners.

New York, Sept 29.-The National
league season of 1903. which came to u
close Sunday. was the most successful
since 1900. the year in which the Amer1-
can league began grabbing the cream of
the worlds baseball talent. The Ameri-
can league closed today and then will
end the baseball of 1908. With the
American league this has been a most
profitable season. New York is perhaps
the only club which failed to finish with
surplus. In the National league four
of the clubs have made bushels Of
money.
Beginning the season under peaceful
conditions after two years of warfare
with the American league, and with
Harry Pulliam, a young and ambitious
man IN the presidents chair, the owners
set about reimbursing themselves for
the money dropped during 1901 and 1902
In good measure have they been sue
cessful, largely through the great sue
cess OF the New York team. which has
drawn good crowds nearly all year, their
total attendance being q of a million.
In at least four of the cities the clubs
have made money. These are New
York, PittSburg, Chicago and Cincin-
natl. The other four have been losers
and the Philadelphia owners suffered
additional losses through the accident
to their grandstand-
Pfttsburg and Boston are the winners
respectively of the National and Amer
lean league remnants. In the case of
the former they have not won it so
easily as their rivals. Boston has held
the lead practically all season, but
Pittsburg ran almost through the first
half of the season before they took
front place. Since then, however, they
have held it. In both leagues attention
has been drawn from the pennant race
to the second place fights. In the Ma
tiOnal New York and Chicago fought it
out hammer and tongs and the Giants
won out by a narrow margin. In the
American, Cleveland, Philadelphia and
New York have been the possible WIN
ners of the place money, and up to a
week ago it looked like an easy thing
for the Lajoie Blues. Philadelphia.
however, has played remarkable ball
and by their win yesterday practically
cinched the place.
+ Batting records for the National
league season of 1903, complete, indicate
that Hans Wagner, the mighty slugger
of the Pittsburg team, gets all the hon
ors in sight. Hans swatted them out
for a percentage of $50, and, though
Bill Kennedy also of Pittsburg, is a
few pegs above him in the figures, there
is no comparison between their work,
for Hans played 120 games, and Ken
nedy but eighteen. some of those only
portions of games.
Fred Clarke likewise of Pittsburg,
ranks next to Wagner and then comes
Mike Donlin, who batted furiously dur
ing the last. few games, and shot up
like a weed in the percentage column.
Chance, Seymour and sBreSnahan come
next in order, During the season twen-
ty-six men batted 300 or better. one of
the mum ber-McCreedie released,
thus leaving twenty-five sluggers who
were able to hold their own through the
campaign. =.
Pitfsb1rg leads in team batting and IN
long distance hitting, while the Reds fin
ished second and Chicago third The
chief baserunner of the year was FRANK
Chance of the Chicago club.
Warner leads the catchers in helding
and Kennedy the pitchers. McGann tops
the first basemen. while Ritchey gets the
honors among the fall-season second base
men Greminger leads at third. pahieh
AT short and Dunleavy in the field, the
real honors on all-season play IN the outer
gardens going to Jones of Chicago
New York leads in team heldlng 81.
Louis though last in the field work, Elk
ecuted more double plays than any otner
The men who went to the National
league from Kansas City have shown up
in great shape, both in hitting ana nelo-
ing Of the pitchers, Welmer, perhaps,
made the best showing. He flnlsned tne
season with a percentage OF ;sU9, Wnlle
Kennedy of Pittsburg, who leads the Ist,
had a perfect percentage. Johnny KING
is in fifth place among the catchers- he
has a percentage of $50, one point behin1
thinner of Philadelphia. Joe I1nker the
wonderful shortstop who played with tne
Chicago Colts finished in fifth place, with
a nercentaee of .906. As points behlnd Dan
= xxrnn heads the list.