Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-05
HISTORY Of BASEBALL
PENNANT WINNING
Greatest Race on Record Was
In National League in 1908
Between Three Teams.
nv Associated Press to Every Evening

Nv Associated fress 10 Every f.Nehhs-
New York. oct. a--The greatest
rennant race in the history OF organ
he'd baseball was made in the Nation-
nj League ia the season OF l9Vs, wheh
In the closing week of the campaign,
Chicago. New York and Pittsburg all
were within an ace of taking the
honor. New York and Chicago finish
"a the season in a tie and in the play
on the Cubs won.
on October 3. 1908. after Pittsburg
had assumed first position, New YORK
PLAYED Philadelphia II was Mathew
ron against Coveleski. and the latter
won. 3 60 ?. Pittsburg and the Cubs
won their games that day, and the
Giants dropped TO third.
Chicago and Pittsburg then met in
what was for them the last game OF
the season One was bound TO lose
and II the game were played TO tie,
there was a chance that New York
would slip past both and win the
championship. Pittsburg erred at
critical moments during the game and
lost, to 2 and was eliminated in the
rhampionahip race. having played
their fun quota OF games. Chicago
held first place. Pittsburg second and
the Giants third. The Giants, how
ever, had three games to play with
Boston. and by winning all of them,
could tie Chicago. They won them.
Now turning back the history pages
few days. 20 September %, there
occurred play which set the baseball
world by its ears. In the last inning
uf the game between the Cubs and
Giants. with Mccormick on third and
Mcrhle on first and two out, Bridwel
the New York shortstop. batted a
clean hit over second base. McCor-
mick scored and Bridwell touched first
base Evers. the Cub second-sackeI
remained at his post. calling for the
l,all 20 be thrown TO him. Chance
the Cub leader. asserted that II was
thrown. demanded that Umpire o'Day
declare Merkle out on the ground thal
ne had not touched second base and
therefore had been forced out. oDaN
left the field. announcing that the play
was suspended After the crowd ha6
left he stated that the run which sup
poscdly was made by Mccormick anS
which would have won the game fol
New York had not scored and tha
the contest. therefore. was tie, L
In other words he had declared
Merkle out az second.
The National League president
pulliarn. sustained Onay IN his repor
and both teams protested. Chicag'
claimed Il should have been awarde'
the game under the rule referring e
the number of games which shall b
played during the season and tha
New York should have played of III
lie on September "a. The Giants pro
tested against the umpire's decision
claiming Il was not in accordanc
with the facts.
rulliam called A meeting Of direct
ors. They upheld the decision of tn
umpire and the calling of the game
tie. refused 10 grant the Cub clair
on the ground that they had tied IN
hands Of the league president by III
films of their protest and that IN
game therefore could not he played III
following day. They then ordered III
game 20 be played of at the POI
Grounds on October S.
So. with the season ending in a &
between the teams. they met on OctS
her = in a memorable contest.
So great was the crowd that tho:
left outside battered down the fence
and tore away parts of the stands
their frenzy.
The Cubs won. Mathegson hurl'
for the Giants and he was batted
hut one inning. but enough runs can
IN then to give Chicago the gam
Chance made a bad blunder TO sta
tho contest by starting Phester in q
iox The Giants threw away the
- - "a s..
inning hy poor base running Brow
WAS sent In 70 relieve Phestsr and
thevafter held the Giants safe.
The pennant races in both leagu
were close in 1916. In the Nation;
brooklyn won. Philadelphia was sc
und. Boston. third and the Gian
fourth Philadelphia was beaten by
points IN the percentage and Ne
York. though IN fourth place. w
seven games behind the leaders. Be
ton was nine percentage points b
hind Philadelphia Boston won 4
American League flag with orly
percentage points advantage over Z
white Sox. while Detroit was a clio
third
In 1915. the American League ia
was close. Boston. Cleveland a
Washington finishing close togethi
Last years American race was Z
eldod Ia the last days. with Clevelar
Chicapo ard New York punched.
The following figures show the
suit of the campaigns in both leagu
for the last 10 years:
Year American League
iaii-Philadelphia ............., 4
n.ft.fF