Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-20
BASE BALLS READY NUMBER
1t is Two and Prevails in Both the
Big Leagues. n
FIGURE COMBINATIONS IN GAME
Striking Similarity I'm the Scoring
Totals In Major Organizations
Last SeasOn-Tied on Five
Tally Contests.

The favorite number Of runs scored by
one or both sides in a base ball game is
two. AT least this is true if the games in
the two major leagues last season are a
criterion. In the National league and In
the American league in 1908 two was the
prevailing figure in scoring runs. Either
by one or the other of the competing teams
two runs were made oftener than no runs,
one run, three runs, four runs and so on
up to the highest total for a single game,
which was twenty-one.
Just what coordination of batting, field
ing, pitching and base running 1t is that
produces two runs in a game more fire.
quently than any other number is some
thing for the savant, the expert In the laws
of base ball mathematics. to figure out If
he can. There is a reason for this ratio of
two runs to the batting, pitching, fielding
and base running. the four cardinal prin-
ciples OF base ball. That is shown by the
preponderance of that number and by the
fact that two runs occur oftenest and al
most the same number of times in both
leagues. Last year two runs were scored
213 times in the American league and 24
times in the National.
One Run Scores.
Furthermore, there is a striking similarity
in other figures giving the number of runs
scored by one or the other of the two
leagues. In the National league last season
one run was a teams total in a game 1856
times, and in the American league 200
times. The number of times in which a
team failed to score at all was 15 in the
National league and 1872 in the American.
incidentally. the National league therefore
piled up more shutouts than its sister
league.
There was the greatest similarity OF all
when 1t came to scoring three runs. Three
circuits of the bases to a game were made
by the National league club 173 times and
by the American leaguers liz times. -Four
runs were made 1873 times in the American
league and 1874 times in the National. If
this correlation of figures can be construed
into evidence of the two leagues being
evenly matched in strength, the number
five shows them to be exactly even. for
In each league five runs were scored 100
times. So on down, or up, the list:
Six Unconstitutional league, so times; Amer
lean. 50 times,
Seven Runs-National, SO; American, Sc.
Eight Unconstitutional, 40; American, 30.
Nine Unconstitutional, %; American, %.
Ten unconstitutional, ~; American, 10;
Eleven runs-National II; American II.
Twelve Unconstitutional, 8; American, s.
Thirteen Unconstitutional, 3; American, 2.
Fourteen s-NatiOna 8; American, o.
Fifteen Unconstitutional, o; American, 2.
Sixteen Unconstitutional, 1; American, 4.
Eighteen Unconstitutional. o; American, /
Twenty-One Unconstitutional. 0; Ameri-
can, 1.
The numbers seventeen. nineteen and
twenty do not occur at all. Sixteen occurs
oftener than fifteen and fourteen ofteneT
than thirteen. but when scoring attains
that heavy stage It simply jumps up OF
down without implying that there is any
profound underlying reasons therefor.
There are many peculiar jumbles OF
figures in base ball games. even though
the more there are the less queer would
be the fact that they exist. They areh't
so common that they cease to be uncom-
mon. In any event every season produces
/ games and spells which are attended with
cases out OF the ordinary, Some are mere
freak developments. others are based or
some point OF superior skill. Just as a
matter of coincidence the two National
league games of April 10 are striking. Chi.
cage beat st. Louis 4 to 3 and Cincinnati
disposed of Pittsburg 4 TO 8. and three OF
the teams. Chicago. st. Louis and Cincin-
natl. each made nine hits.
On May 2 the three games played found