The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-08
NO RUNAWAY RACE
IN BIG LEAGUES
New York Giants and Boston Red Sex
Have Set Fast Pace, but II Is Not
Believed They Will Continue
at Such Wide Margin.

New York, May SIT the records OF
past seasons can be accepted as a critic
rion, the unusual performances of the
leading clubs in the major league pen
nant races to date do not necessarily
indicate a runaway winning of the Ma
tional aud American league champion
ships this year. While IL is true that
| the New York Nationals and the Boston
Americans set most remarkable pace
during the first two weeks of the season,
there is nothing in the history of either
league to substantiate the belief that
these two teams will continue their eX.
traordinary percentage OF victories and
thus clinch the pennants long before the
schedules are completed.
Several unusual features enter into
the situation this season. one of which
Is the fact that the major league play
opened later than has been customary in
past years. While the New York Giants
completed the month of April with II
victories and but one defeat and Boston
lost but two games out of l3 played,
such a high winning percentage can
hardly be maintained with succeeding
shifts OF the circuit teams. Opposing
combinations are certain to grow strong.
err with the approach of increasing prac-
tice and competition, Furthermore the
initial East VS., West clash is likely to
develop closer struggles and q broader
distribution of victories.
II such was not the case, however, sta.
tistcs based upon the play of the clubs
in both leagues would appear to bear
out the opinion that, remarkable and
impressive as the spurts of the Giants
and Red SoX have been, they cannot be
maintained at anything like the speed
shown during the first two weeks OF the
season Although the New York Ma
tionals' winning percentage of May ]
was OH, the highest on record for the
past ten years, and the Boston Ameri
cans ,S46, the second highest in the
American league for the same period, the
fact stands out that very few of the
clubs which have led the league on May
] also closed the season in first place,
But three such examples have occurred
in the National league since 1905. In
that year the Chicago Cubs ended the
month of April with eight games won
and three lost for a percentage of 1927
The same team also won the pennant
with .643. In 1915 Philadelphia led on
May with a percentage of 500 and
closed the season in first place with .592
Last season the Giants were out in front
at the close of April with a percentage
Of ,867 and finally won the pennant with
$3.50 In the American league, Detroit in
1905 led on May with 100 and cap
tured the pennant with Gas. The Phila
1elphia Athletics also duplicated the feat
in 1913. when they won their way into
the world series with a winning league |
percentage of 1927, after leading ON May |
with .769.
1t will be seen from the foregoing that |
IN the past ten years but five out of the |
10 clubs composing the two ma jor league
from season to sea son have
been out in front at the close of the race
n April and still had the stamina and
playing balance to finish the schedule
ace showing the way to the rival clubs