The Sporting Life, Philadelphia, PA, August 1, 1885:
NO DOMINANCE IN LEAGUE COMPETITION
Though the New York Giants continue to lead the pennant race in the National League, a close look at the standing table shows that the League is full of competitive teams and no one is clearly dominant. The Giants possess 37 victories, but four other clubs also have 30 or more wins and the Boston Beaneaters have 29. Only the Chicago and Philadelphia clubs have struggled to win. That Chicago has dropped so far is the season's biggest surprise - a former power in the League, the White Stockings are 20-38 for the season. Their hitting has been average, but their pitching has not been up to snuff for Walker Rhoades' club, and the former standout hurler turned team owner is again hearing calls for him to return to the field. "That's not going to happen," Rhoades admits. "The fellows will have to reverse this team's fortunes themselves." The St. Louis Maroons, who dominated the Union Association a year ago, are in the second spot, but have been up and down all season long and it's unclear whether they are as good as their record would indicate - though they do have William Hill, one of the League's best hitters. Buffalo, Detroit and Providence are all bunched together with St. Louis just behind New York.
WILLIAM HILL
Code:
NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Last10
New York Giants 37 20 .649 - 33-24 4 23-7 14-13 5-4 12-6 L1 4-6
St. Louis Maroons 33 23 .589 3.5 34-22 -1 15-12 18-11 4-4 11-8 W4 8-2
Buffalo Bisons 32 24 .571 4.5 29-27 3 16-14 16-10 2-5 11-9 W1 7-3
Detroit Wolverines 31 25 .554 5.5 32-24 -1 17-10 14-15 5-4 13-12 W1 6-4
Providence Grays 30 25 .545 6.0 32-23 -2 13-14 17-11 5-4 6-11 L1 7-3
Boston Beaneaters 29 26 .527 7.0 26-29 3 18-8 11-18 7-2 12-9 W1 2-8
Chicago White Stockings 20 38 .345 17.5 23-35 -3 8-20 12-18 4-5 7-9 L1 4-6
Philadelphia Quakers 13 44 .228 24.0 17-40 -4 8-22 5-22 4-8 6-14 L3 3-7
LEGENDARY PITMAN UNHAPPY WITH REDS' PLAY THUS FAR
Rube Pitman, the English-born star of the Cincinnati Reds, is unhappy with his team's play. Now 42 years of age, Pitman has shown no real signs of slowing down, as his .304 average this season would indicate. But the Reds - expected by many to be among the Association's best clubs this year - are mired in last place with just 20 victories. This is a club that is not bereft of talent: in addition to Pitman they have Otto Evans and Mahan O'Faolan two accomplished hitters, but the pitching tandem of Jeff Hall and Alton Welch has been mediocre. The lackluster play of the hurlers has some in the Queen City clamoring for the return of O'Faolan to pitching, something the Irishman has done as recently as last season when he was 9-13 with a 1.86 earned run mark.
RUBE PITMAN
Code:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Streak Last10
New York Metropolitans 44 18 .710 - 43-19 1 15-7 29-11 4-5 12-10 L1 5-5
Pittsburgh Alleghenies 41 24 .631 4.5 40-25 1 27-16 14-8 7-2 13-5 W4 7-3
Louisville Colonels 36 29 .554 9.5 36-29 0 20-17 16-12 3-2 12-11 W2 8-2
St. Louis Browns 34 31 .523 11.5 42-23 -8 20-14 14-17 5-4 7-9 W2 6-4
Brooklyn Grays 31 31 .500 13.0 30-32 1 15-12 16-19 2-4 11-9 L2 6-4
Philadelphia Athletics 30 34 .469 15.0 30-34 0 10-14 20-20 0-2 7-10 L2 5-5
Baltimore Orioles 20 43 .317 24.5 17-46 3 10-17 10-26 3-6 13-13 L8 1-9
Cincinnati Reds 20 46 .303 26.0 22-44 -2 15-27 5-19 3-2 5-13 W1 3-7
UTICA USURPS TOP SPOT IN EMPIRE LOOP
After a swift start to the 1885 season, the Syracuse Stars raced to an early lead in the New York State League, but now find themselves looking up at the Utica Pent-Ups. Utica has been led by superb second baseman Dan Heywood, who would undoubtedly be in the National League were that organization more progressive in its view on race. As it is, Heywood is hitting well over .400, and it is undoubtedly a shame that he will likely not receive a shot at the National League - or possibly even the American Association. In other NY State news, it was a rough month of July as the Albany club disbanded on July 28 and a club from Elmira entered the loop on July 6 only to disband a mere ten days (and eight games) later.
DAN HEYWOOD
Code:
NEW YORK STATE LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Streak Last10
Utica Pent-Ups 31 17 .646 - 28-20 3 18-7 13-10 0-2 8-7 W6 8-2
Syracuse Stars 29 21 .580 3.0 28-22 1 17-8 12-13 0-3 7-8 L1 5-5
Rochester Flour Citys 27 22 .551 4.5 25-24 2 12-11 15-11 2-1 6-5 W2 7-3
Binghamton Bingos 26 24 .520 6.0 23-27 3 16-9 10-15 3-0 12-5 W1 5-5
Elmira Colonels 4 4 .500 7.0 5-3 -1 2-3 2-1 0-0 0-0 W2 4-4
Oswego Sweegs 24 25 .490 7.5 25-24 -1 13-12 11-13 4-2 8-10 L2 4-6
Albany Senators 10 38 .208 21.0 18-30 -8 5-18 5-20 0-1 0-6 L4 1-9
TROUBLED EASTERN LEAGUE SOLDIERS ON
The Eastern League, like the New York State League (and the Western League as well - more on that later), is having a difficult season. The Wilmington Club moved to Atlantic City on June 19, but dissolved a mere five days later after playing three games in New Jersey. Jersey City disbanded on June 23, leaving a 10-17 record behind them (as well as talented hurler Bill Betts). With other clubs - specifically Lancaster and Norfolk - also in financial peril, the future of this circuit is very much in doubt. On the field the Richmond club continues to dominate play, with 33 wins in 39 games, though Newark is right there. Newark is also pursuing Betts, the former Jersey City hurler, to bolster their chances of surpassing Richmond. Should that happen, the Newark Club would most likely become the favorite.
BILL BETTS
Code:
EASTERN LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Streak Last10
Richmond Virginias 33 6 .846 - 34-5 -1 15-3 18-3 1-0 1-1 W2 6-4
Newark Domestics 30 9 .769 3.0 29-10 1 15-6 15-3 1-1 2-3 W4 9-1
Norfolk Club 26 13 .667 7.0 24-15 2 13-8 13-5 2-1 4-3 W4 7-3
Atlantic City Club 1 2 .333 14.0 0-3 1 1-2 0-0 1-1 1-1 L1 1-2
Wilmington Blue Hens 11 14 .440 15.0 9-16 2 5-10 6-4 2-1 2-1 L2 4-6
Jersey City Skeeters 10 17 .370 17.0 11-16 -1 5-7 5-10 2-1 4-1 W1 4-6
Lancaster Ironsides 12 26 .316 20.5 10-28 2 3-12 9-14 2-1 4-3 L5 2-8
Trenton Trentonians 10 26 .278 21.5 8-28 2 4-14 6-12 3-1 3-5 L2 2-8
Washington Nationals 8 28 .222 23.5 8-28 0 3-15 5-13 0-7 3-6 L2 2-8
SOUHTERN LOOP INTACT - FOR NOW
The aftershocks of the Union Association are still being felt - even in the Deep South, where the Southern League has thus far managed to avoid losing any clubs, which the other so-called 'minor' loops have not been able to do. The Southern possesses a good pennant chase with the Columbus Stars currently atop the table with both Memphis and Augusta close behind. Troy Juniper has been raising eyebrows with his play for Columbus. The 24-year-old outfielder is the loop's top hitter and rumors are already strong that League and AA clubs have begun asking for a purchase price for the youngster. For now - he's in Columbus, and that's the main reason the Stars are atop the Southern League.
TROY JUNIPER
Code:
SOUTHERN LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Streak Last10
Columbus Stars 49 28 .636 - 45-32 4 27-12 22-16 2-3 11-9 W4 6-4
Memphis Browns 46 31 .597 3.0 46-31 0 24-13 22-18 2-4 6-10 L2 5-5
Augusta Browns 42 33 .560 6.0 40-35 2 19-18 23-15 5-4 9-7 W1 7-3
Nashville Americans 36 40 .474 12.5 36-40 0 19-19 17-21 1-4 9-6 L2 4-6
Atlanta Atlantas 34 43 .442 15.0 39-38 -5 15-25 19-18 2-4 6-9 L1 6-4
Birmingham Club 34 43 .442 15.0 33-44 1 17-21 17-22 3-1 8-12 W1 5-5
Chattanooga Lookouts 34 44 .436 15.5 36-42 -2 19-20 15-24 4-1 9-8 W2 3-7
Macon Club 32 45 .416 17.0 32-45 0 16-23 16-22 3-1 10-7 L2 4-6
WESTERN LOOP FOLDS
The Western League gave it a game effort, but the member clubs struggled to pay their players and the loop gave up the ghost in late June. The Kansas City Cowboys were able to claim the championship in the truncated season, with a 29-9 record when the league shut its doors. Toledo and Omaha were competitive, Keokuk and Cleveland were mediocre and Milwaukee was the bottom feeder. Former Cowboy Sean Childress is already rumored to be heading to a National League club for the remainder of the season
after leading the Western Loop in hitting.
SEAN CHILDRESS
Code:
WESTERN LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team W L PCT GB Pyt.Rec Diff Home Away XInn 1Run Streak Last10
Kansas City Cowboys 29 9 .763 - 27-11 2 14-5 15-4 0-0 4-2 W6 9-1
Toledo Avengers 23 16 .590 6.5 24-15 -1 9-11 14-5 1-1 3-6 W2 6-4
Omaha Omahogs 22 16 .579 7.0 23-15 -1 11-8 11-8 0-1 3-4 L3 4-6
Keokuk Hawkeyes 19 19 .500 10.0 19-19 0 8-11 11-8 0-1 1-4 L1 6-4
Cleveland Forest Citys 18 19 .486 10.5 19-18 -1 6-13 12-6 1-0 2-2 L1 5-5
Milwaukee Brewers 12 26 .316 17.0 13-25 -1 5-14 7-12 0-0 5-1 W3 5-5
Indianapolis Hoosiers 10 28 .263 19.0 10-28 0 3-15 7-13 1-0 3-2 L8 1-9