Evening journal., 1915-12-14
TAIb-END Giants
SET NEW RECORD
Percentage OF Asa is High
est for National League
Cellar Champion
THREE REACHED
THE 400 MARK

The 1910 season IN the National
League will long be remembered rs
the most remarkable campaign ever
waged in the parent major league. It
was recently pointed out that the Phil
lies won the pennant by the lowest
percentage ever hung up by a National
League Champion and in forty years
they were the only club TO win "a pen
nant under the 800 line
II also has been said that Larry
Doyle. the National League shifting
king, won his crown with the lowest
average ever held BY a National
League batting champion.
This week is taking up another
unique record. While the Giants we're
tail-enders last season. if it will bring
their admirers any comfort they have
the highest percentage ever acquired
by a cellar champion in the entire
history of major league ball. and 1t is
doubtful IL there ever has been a tall
ender In any oighi-club league which
finished with as high percentage as
tho 1915 last-place Giants.
The Giants won 90 games and lost
SO, for a percentage of Asa. Strangely
enough they had the same percentage
as the Yankees. which club flushed
fifth in the American League flag
race
Only Three With 400 Record.
In the forty years that the Ma
tional League has been up there have
been only three tail-enders with a per-
centage over 400. II is a strange CO.
Incidence that the 1915 Giants were
able to better the record Of the Giants
of 1900, which formerly held III honor
for the most competent tail-ender in
the National League. The percentage
of the 1900 New York team was 435.
There have been times when a per-
centage OF asa was quite a respec-
able average During the days that
the Cubs. Giants and Pirates domi-
mated the league. and everybody else
was fifteen miles IN the rear, q .45i
rating would almost get YOU the last
ung in the first division. The Phil
lies of 1906 finished fourth with a
percentage OF .464
During the forty years in when the
National League has been in existence
| four tailenders have ranged between
1875 (the low mark) and 200, fifteen
between 300 and 800; eighteen be
tweer 300 and 400, and theree over
400. So Il will bo seen as tail
ender tho Giants are the mOnarchs Of
their division.
Poorest Mark Set in 1899.
The poorest showing ever made by
a National League club was made by
the Cleveland team OF 1899 The
showing was so good" that Cleveland
has been out of the ~ l.. ever since.
In l5f-game schedule Cleveland own
exactly twenty games, losing l34 for
a percentage of 1870.
John McGraw wrote several articles
last summer predicting that the 1915
Reds would lower this record, but
when the Giants tumbled into the
ditch to stick this pun sort Of back
fired Cincinnati enjoyed it immensely
and the best crowd OF the season came
out to Redland Park on the Giants
last visit to Herrmannyille to gloat
over McGraw.
Yet Cincinnati had team which
came pretty close to that 100 per-
centago In 1876. the first year the
National League took the field, the
BOBBY prize went TO the Cincinnati
team. which won nine games and lost
ffty-siX for a percentage OF 1856.
Another tail-ender which deserves
honorary mention is the Pittsburgh
team OF 1890. For downright poor work
this club. perhaps, deserves leading
honors In addition to finishing with a
percentage Of .16S. il set a National
League record by losing twenty-three
straight games.
Braves Hit the .29i Marx.
The poorest tail-ender in the Ma
tonal League in recent years was the
Braves of 1909. which team had tho
noble percentage Of .294 This Is the
club Frank Bowerman attempted tC
manage. but Frank quickly succumb
cd. and Harry Smith had the mis-
fortune 10 pilot the team the rest o
the way.
In the American League the tail
enders behave little more consis
D tently than in the National. Non
ever fell below 200. and no tail en-
club ever arose above 400. Fou
ranged between 200 and 200. an
twelve between 300 and 400.
The best tail-ender the Johnso
league has. developed was the Mime
apolis team of 1900. in the league
maiden year Minneapolis had a pei