Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-08
RECORDS FOR
FIRST WEEKS
MEAN. NOTHING
No Runaway Victory in, the
Pennalnt Race Can Yet ~.
be Predicted. s..

New York, May S.-If the records
OF past seasons can be accepted as a
criterion, the unusual performances
Of the leading clubs in the major
league pennant races to date do not
necessarily indicate a runaway win
ming of the National and American
league championships this year. While
1t is true that the New York Nationals
and the Boston Americans set a most
remarkable pace during the first W
weeks of the season there is nothing
in the history of either league to sub
stantiate the belief that these two
teams will continue their extra
ordinary percentage of victories and
thus clinch the pennants long before
the. schedules are completed. ~
+ Several unusual factors 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 eleven victories and but one de-
feat n Boston lost but two games
out of thirteen played. such a high
winning percentage can hardly be
maintained with succeeding shifts Of
the circuit teams. Opposing combina-
tons r certain to grow stronger
with the approach of increasing prac-
tice and competition. Furthermore
the initial East VS.. West clashtis like
ly to develope closer struggles and a
broader distribution Of victories.
IT sue was not the ase however,
statistics based upon the play Of the
clubs in both leagues would appear
to bear out the opinion Il Rt, re-
markablefand impressive as the spurts
of the Giants and Red Sox have been,
they cannot be maintained. at any
thing like the@speed~ shown during
the first twd weeks. Of the season.
Although the New York Nationals
! winning percentage on May l was
I..917, the highest on record for the
! past ten years and the Boston Ameri-
cans .846,; sthe SECOND highest in he
American league for the same period.
the fact stands Out that very few of
tthe clubs which have led the league
on May l also closed the season in
first place.
But three such. examples have oc-
Cured in the National league since
1903. In hat year h Chicago Cubs
| ended the month. of April with eight
games won and three lost for a per-
centage of 1921. The same team also
won the pennant with SAB. In 1915
Philadelphia led on May 1 with a
percentage of 800 and closed h sea-
son in first place with .592. Last sea-
son the Giants were out in front at
the, close OF April with a percentage
of 1861 and~ finally won the pennant
with .636. In the American league
Detroit. in 1909. led on May / with
.769 and captured the pennant with
.645. The Philadelphia Athletics al
SO, duplicated the feat in 1913 when
they won their way into the world
series with a winning league percent
age Of 1927 after leading on May l
with 1853.
1t will be seen from the foregoing
that in the past ten years but five out
of the sixteen clubs composing the
two major league combinations from
| season TO season. have been out in
front at the close. of the race In April
and still had the stamina and playing
balance to finish the schedule race
showing the way to the rival. clubs.
The following compilations show
the club in each league which led In
the pennant race or Ma | since 1908.