The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-28
CARDS, BROOKS MAY CHALK UP 100 GAMES WON
Headlong Drive Carries Both Clubs Toward
 Coveted Mark
By PAUL sCHEFFELs

(Onlted FreSS Stan COrreSpOndentD
 New York-(UP)-For the first time in 30 years and the second time in the 66-year history of the National league, the century mark in victories will be surpassed this season by two clubs-not only the pennant-winner but the second place contender-judging from the breakneck pace to date of the St. Louis Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers.
 So tightly have the Cards and Brooks been punched in their bats tie for the league lead that the senior circuit flag chase has had the aspect of anything but run- away affair. Yet in all National league history only once has any spring blooming wonder team suc- ceeded in reaching the 50 mark in the win column before July. In 1912, John McGraw's champion Giants of 1911 on their way to their next pennant, registered their 50th victory on June 29.
 The next earliest date in the all- time book is July 3, when the 1907 Chicago Cubs won their 50th. Since 1912, in 29 years, no National league pacemaker has reached the half-century as early in the calen- dar as has been achieved by both the Cardinals and the Dodgers.
 It's Ding Dong Race
 McGraws 1912 team was way out in front by itself. Last year the Cincinnati Reds, en route to 100 wins, marked their 50th on July IA, and were making runaway race of 1t at that point. But the Card inals and Dodgers passed the 5oth milestone so close-bunched that the pennant drive Is the most exciting in years.
 The finish may be 1909 al lover again, the cnly year before this in which two clubs won more than 100 games. That year the Pittsburgh Pirates had 110 and the second place Chicago Cubs, 1o4. The Amer ican leagues only approximation of this record was in 1915, when the Boston Red Sox won the pennant with l01 wins against an even 100 for Detroit.
 The balance of likelihood favoring the chances of both Cards and Dodgers to beat the century this year Is heavy. Their speed is ahead of nearly all previous 100-game winners. Tn 1909, the Pirates did not reach 50 until July g and the Cubs, ventual l04-game winners, got to the halfway mark July IS.
 The 1906 Cubs, whose 116 for the season is the all-time major league mark racked up No. 50 on July 5. Beside the 1906, 1907 and 1909 Cubs, two other Chicago teams passed the century, the 1910 Bruins, which didn't reach 50 until July 20, and Charlie Grimm's 1885 crew, which hecorded No. 50 on July 21.
 Giants of 1912 of Fast
 The 1912 Giants, all-time spring champs whose record is the yard stick by which you must measure all flying start statistics, eventually finished with 103 wins. The 1905 Giants, whose 50th win was a Fourth of July feature, pushed the peg up to 105 at the seasons close. The year before, the Giants had won 106 games but didn't reach the halfway mark until July g., while the 1913 Giants, 101 game winners, clicked 50 on July II.
 Since l9l3-27 long hard dusty seasons-only three National league clubs have managed to make the l00-victory grade in league tradi- tional for its tight-bunched pen- nant races. with the pressure on the pacemaker every inch of the way. The 1881 St. Louis Cardinals reached the 5Oth rung on July II enroute to their l0l total. a date much later in the calendar. as in the caae of the i935 Cubs and last years Reds. than the one on which each of this years flying squads checked in at the haif-way mark.