The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-11
LEADERS HAVE
fine MARGINS
Not in Years Have Pennant Races
Been Such Runaway Affairs

Kew York, Nug.. lt.-Althouch the
concluding game of the major league
baseball season are still two months
away, interest in the pennant races
is already oyershadowed 10y the pos
sibilities Of play i'm the worlds series.
This unusual situation i'm the camp
Of the national sport is due entirely
TO the runa Way race being made by
the leading teams i'm the National and
American leaGues Not i'm some years
have such wide margins separated the
first and second clubs i'm both major
associations at this stage of the pen
nant races, There have been several
examples of the so-callcd runaway
race I'm ono ur the other of the two big
leagues. hut simultaneous and sustain
ed spurts like these uncovered 10y both
the Giants and Athletics are unusual.
4 glance back over the records of
the clubs ian both leagues during the
past few years shows that AS a rule
where one league had a leader wei
out i'm front the struggle for the other
pennant was close ANA the outcome
uncertain at this period of the season.
While the Athletics and Giants are
leading their respective leagues by APP
lproXimdtely hundred point margin
over the rtnner-up, the 1872 records
show the Boston Red SoX had but
half that advantage and the Giants
about three quarters of their present
L., ,l,
York had won sovcnty-two and lost
twenty seven games for a percentage
Of .727 on August . The Chicago
cubs were trailing second eightN-sey-
en- points in the rear with Pittsburgh
aud Philadelphia holding third and
fourth places. The American league
standing showed Boston to have won
seventy -onc aud lost thirty-Givc games
with Washington second with sixty
five and forty giving lake Stahl'S Rcd
SoX a lead of fifty points. The Attn
lctics We're still i'm the race and the
Chicago White SoX had an outside
chance from fourth place.
The 1911 races were far closer, for
the Athletics had but twenty-five"
points over the Detroit club in the
American league, and Chicago wds
leading Pittsburgh 10y inst nine points
in the National Eut fifty points sep
aratcd the first four clubs in the sen
Tor association. while the New York
team holding fourth place i'm the
American league was l&5 points i'm the
. rear of the Athletics. with Dcuui'
and Boston between it ana the leaders.
The races of 1910 as viewed at this
date showed conditions more closely
resembling the present situation. Tn"
Athletics were travelling at top speed
with a clear lead of eighty points over
Boston. The Detroit Tigers were third,
thirty points i'm the rear of Boston, and
New York was fourth but nine points
below the Tigers. ~ the National
league Chicago was seventy points
ahead of Pittsburgh. with the New
York Giants third, ten points scpa-
rating them from the Pirates. Phila-
dclphia was "A poor fourth.
PITTSBURGH and Detroit were the
pacomakcrs in 1909 but neither team
had anything like the margin of safe
ty that the present leaders possess.
The Pirates had won siXty-eight and
lost twenty seven games for per
ccntagc of .115. The Chicago Cubs were
right at their heels. less than thirty
points separating leader and runner
| M. The New York aud Cincinnati
clubs were third aud fourth rcsptc-
| lively, but far below the percentage
standiuR of the first and second clubs
The American league race was even
closer Detroit with siNty-two games
won and thirty-eight lost had just
| twenty points over Philadelphia, which
club had won sixty and lost forty
games for a percentage of 800. Bos-
ten and Cleveland were both within
striking distance Of the leaders, Tor
there were hut scvcnty-five points be-
tween the Tigers In first place and the
| Cleveland club In fourth.
| Captain Patrick Grace, who had n
| record or having saved eightynine
II