Evening journal., 1913-09-06
FANS NOW
DISCUSS The
BIG SERIES
Giants and Athletics Again
Lnnk fnnd 70 Win in Re-
::.s :: SpeCtive Leagues
WHAT RECORDS SHOW
OF FORMER STRUGGLES

Although the concluding games Of
ne major league baseball season are
rtiil nearly two months away, interest
fh the pennant races is already over
shadowed by the possibilities Of play
n the worlds series. This unusual sit
nation IN the camp Of the national
1port is due entirely 10 the runaway
race made by the leading teams In the
National and American leagues. There
have been several examples Of the So
rallied runaway race in one or the
pther of the two hig leagues, but ST.
multaneous and sustained spurts like
4hese uncovered by both the Giants
and Athletics are unusual.
A glance back over the records OF
tho clubs In both leagues during the
past few years shows that as rule
where one league had a leader. we'll
out In front the struggle for the other
pcnnant was close and the outcome
uncertain at this period of the sea-
son. In 1912 in the National League
New York had won 70 and lost n
games for a percentage of .727 on
August 9. The Chicago Cubs were
.frailing second 81 points In the rear,
with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia hold
Ing third and fourth places. The
american League standing showed
Boston TO have won n and lost 35
games. with Washington second with
65 and 40. giving Jake Stahls Red
Sox lead of 90 points. The Athletics
were still in the race and the Chicago
White Sox had an outside chance from
fourth place
The 1911 races we're far closer, for
the Athletics had but 22 points over
The American League, and Chicago
was leading Pittsburgh just nine
points in the National. But so points
separated the first four clubs in the
senior association, while the New
York team holding fourth place In the
american League was 1876 points in
the rear OF the Athletics with Detroit
ana Boston between it and the leaders
The races of 1910 as viewed at this
date showed conditions more closely
resembling the present situation. The
Athletics were travelling at top speed
with a clear lead of so points over
Boston. The Detroit Tigers were third,
30 points In the rear Of Boston, ana
New York was fourth but nine points
below the Tigers. In the National
League OnlcdBO was ~ pOlnlh duthu
OF Pittsburgh. with the New York
Giants third, 10 points separating
p them from the Pirates. Philadelphia
was a poor fourth.
Pittsburgh and Detroit we're the
pacemakers in 1909, but neither team
had anything like the margin of safe
~ that the present leaders possess.
The Pirates had won 6s and lost 27
games for a percentage of 715. The
Chicago Cubs were right at their heels
less than 80 points separating leader
and runner-up. The New York and
Cincinnati clubs we're third and fourth
respectively. but far below the per-
centage standing Of the first and sec
ond clubs. The American League
race was even closer. Detroit with GO
games won and 3S lost had just 90
points over Philadelphia, which club
had won so and lost 40 games for a
percentage Of 500. Boston and Cleve-
land were both within striking dis
tance Of the leaders, for there were
bat rs points between the Tigers in
FIRST place and the Cleveland club in
fourth.