Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-06

baseball for 1918 came to a close, To-
day. so far as the regular schedules
are concerned. with the playing OF the
seasons final games in the West Inc
pennant races in both leagues were
settled. nearly two weeks ago, and,
this week, sees the start-and posa-
bly the finish-of the worlds cham
pionship series between the respective
flag winners-the New Iorks OF the
National and the Philadelphias of the
American league. Preparations Tor the
Big series practically has monopo-
lized baseball attention, for the last
10 DAYS. Several interesting contests
for place have been going on among
clubs in each organization. In the Ma
tional League Philadelphia's title to
second place was not seriously ques-
toned Chicago threatened at one time,
but the Philles. despite a bad week
at the end of the series. continued to
hold themselves safely.
Chicago finished in third place with
q coed margin over Pittsburg, IN
fourth position. The Cubs under Evers
made better showing than many
critics expected and their aggressive
player manager has good material for
a start at better things, next year.
The Pirates were a disappointment.
Generally picked to be up among the
dangerous contenders for the pennant
they got off to a bad start and were
at no time potent factor in the race.
Fred Clark is not likely to rest salts
fed with the team as 1t is and some
changes may be expected by the time
der George Stallings, finished fifth,
heading the second division. To take "A
tail-end club and bring it up to this
notch in one year was NO small
achievement and the Braves give
promise of making further progress. in
1914 Brooklyn finishes sixth, a notch
above last year. losing final weak
chance to beat out the Boston by drop
ping three games in FIVE, while the
Braves were winning four in five.
The Superbas failed to make good
their early season promise of landing
high in the race. Cincinnati. under Joe
Tinker, had to be satisfied with
seventh position. The Reds start. like
Pittsburg's. was poor one, al
though they played far better ball,
later. never were able to move up to-
a position of real responsibility in the
standing. st. Louis. last by nearly 100
points, never got going well at all,
and played worse instead of better as
the season progressed. Miller Higgins.
it would seem is likely to have a hard
time making it factor. next year, un
less az has been rumored. wholesale
changes are made in the personnel.
The Athletics. this year got an earlier
lead in the American League race than
they have for some seasons when they
have been pennant winners and the finish
was an easy instead of driving one
for them. Cleveland. the runners-up for
the greater part of the year. were beaten
out even for second place, losing tner
grip in the seasons latter weeks while
Clarke Griffith's Washingtons We're brac-
ing and making strong showing.
Grffiths ambitions to land flag were
never near realization, but there will he
few to criticize the showing he had made
with his team. There seemed to be
something lacking at critical times with
the Clevelands, the third place occupants
as the final standing is computed, the
club almost invariably slumping when
the Athletics did and thus losing many
chances to forge ahead of the Mackmen.
1t took the last week Of play to decide
the fourth place contest, but the Red
Sox rinaliy won by slight margin. Mis-
fortune hit last years champions hard
in early months and their fall from their
high estate of 1872 was of the sea
sons remarkable developments. The
White sox, although they acquired Rus
sell were without the services of Ed
Walsh, their former pitching mainstay,
for the greater part of the season and
finished in fifth place. although with a
percentage well above the half way
mark.
Detroit ending in sixth place is there
largely by virtue of weakness in the box,
which handicapped the club during much
of the season. Its staff seems to have
been materially strengthened recently
The seventh place fight was not de-
cided until the last moments of the sea-
son in Cleveland. today. when Cleveland,
by taking the last half of double
header, kept the Browns in the cellar.
The New Yorks occupy the seventh po-
sition by a four-point margin.
Frank Chance early saw he could do
little with the material left and started
to build up new team in the metropo-
lis His club, lucky to win a game
week on the average at the start was
playing considerably better than 800 bali
in the last month of the season.
The St Louis Browns, although last.
have played well. recently. and with the
fine pitching staff they have, bid fair to
do better. next year
The final standing in each league is as
follows.
NATIONAL ruAcr-r