The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-16
REVIEW OF BASEBALL RACES.
THE NATIONAL AND AMERICAN
LEAGUE CAMPAIGNS.
Showing the Ups and Downs, spurts and
slumps OF the Sixteen Clubs-New
York Fared the Best OF Any Cityin the
Country--Winner and q Hummer Up.

slumps OF the Sixteen Clubs-New
York Fared the Best OF Any Cityin the
Country--Winner and q Hummer Up.
The consistent strength OF the two base
ball teams that represented New York
this year Ia shown by the fact that after
the first two weeks neither team ever fell
lower than fourth place. The New York
Nationals, pennant winners In their league,
never at any time were lower down than
third. The New York Americans, who
finished second In their league, dropped
to fifth place early in April, but after that
always were third or better, except In
the latter part Of May. when they were
fourth. New York was exceptionally for
tunate in having two strong. first class
teams and, In consequence. had more
combined baseball strength than any other
city In the country.
OF the two leagues the American League
race was far and away the more interest
ing. It was far more uncertain and far
more exciting The New York Nationals
clinched the pennant on Sept. %, and had
1t practically won as early as the middle
OF July. What enduring closeness there
was in the National League race was for
second, third and fourth places and for
sixth and seventh places.
The New York Nationals made flying
start and were In the lead continuously
up to May 81. On that day Chicago was
first, Cincinnati second and New York
third. A day later New York was again
in the lead, but the following day found
the Cincinnatis holding the top notch berth,
with Chicago second and New York third.
This was the most uncert ain and interest
ing period OF the National League cam
paign. The New Yorks regained the lead
on May 2s, and alternated with the Chicagos
in first place for the first two weeks in
June. The middle of June they started
on their wonderful string Of eighteen con-
secutive victories, and from the 18th OF
June .on, mover were headed.
The Chicagos made poor beginning.
The end of the first week Of the race found
them In seventh place. But they climbed
up quickly. They had shot up to fourth
place by the 18th of May. and a week later
were third They were second by the end
Of the month, but back to third by the
middle Of June, in which month they also
were first. Then they struck smooth sail
ing, having second place all to themselves
throughout July and August. The Gin
cinnatis &rested second place from them
on the 22d of September, but the Cubs were
back in their position a week later, and
stayed there to the finish.
The Cincinnatis finished third after a
pretty campaign. They were third for the
first two weeks, fourth by the end of April.
second by the middle of May, and third
by the end of May. Their June campaign
was a repetition OF their work in May, but
they put in the month Of July in third place.
In August and September they did not do
30 well, alternating between third and fourth
places in these two months. They began the
final two weeks in third place, making fine
squirt in the last, but by Oct the Pittsburgs
had wrested third place away from them.
Then the Reds jumped back to third place
on the taps.
1t was the middle Of June before the
ex-Champion Pittsburgs showed in the fl rst
division. Their early campaign was a
disastrous one. They ornamented sixth,
fifth and seventh places in turn in April;
the middle Of May found them adjoining
the sixth notch, and by the end of that
month they had managed to squeeze into
fifth place. In June and July they labored
along in fourth place. and in August as
cended to third place for couple Of weeks.
They braced in September, and on the 22d Of
they fell like a plummet to fourth place,
which proved their ultimate destination.
The ST. Louis team was at its best in
April. The Cardinals were second greater
part Of April, but great was the fall thereof
precipitately to fifth place. They stayed
there for week, then climbed to fourth
place. They were in the first division for
couple OF weeks, but fifth again by the
middle of June. That was where they
., h. t,,la ~
season.
The Brooklyns were right in the hunt
In April and Nav. On April 20 they were
fourth and on May 7 second. Then they
took. tremendous drop: Class was be
Bostons and Philadelphias, were not of
major league class. Between the 7th Of
May and the 3lst they shot from second
to seventh place They and the Bostons
seesawed between sixth and seventh
the Brooklyns were sixth, and they stayed
in that position until September, when the
Bostons passed them. Five times in Sep
TENDER and October these two teams passed
each other. the Brooklyns being sixth on
Sept. 10 and staying there.
Fifth place was the Bostons' best attain
ment, this twice in April, with the occu-
pancy OF seventh place sandwiched in be-
tween. BY the 18th OF May they again
were seventh, and the rest Of their season
was uH uipti Vi pObltlOts WIFI LIE
Brooklyns and the seventh hole their final
abiding place The Philadelphia achieve
ments can be dismissed in sentence. They
we, always last, doing their best work in
the last three weeks Of the season.
The American League race is one Of
tangled lines, a criss-cross Of ups and downs.
The champion Bostons were first In April,
May, June and July, but then began their
desperate tussle for supremacy with the
New Yorks. They had to relinquish first
place to the Chicagos on Aug. (, and on
Aug. s they were third-their lowest posi-
tion-with New York first and Chicago
second. Throughout August, September
and October the paths Of the Bostons and
New Yorks crossed and re-crossed with
bewildering frequency. Lines Of chart
showing their movements look like an
eStensi on hat rack. In the last three
months the two teams passed each other
nearly q dozen times. The New Yorks
were in the lead on Oct. 2, the Bostons
from the Sd to the 7th inclusive, the
New Yorks on the Sth, the Bostons again
on the eth.
The New York Americans moved about
a good deal in April and May. They were
fifth on April 20. fourth on April Is, second
on April 80 and May and is, third on May
70, and fourth on May 81. In June they
began to get into the fight in earnest They
were third on the It'll OF that month and
second by the 18th. They hung on to