And the Pennant Race Is... Here?
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National League Standings
Team W L PCT GB Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
New York Giants 86 28 .754 - 33-18 53-10 10-4 23-12 13 W2 9-1
Pittsburgh Pirates 76 42 .644 12.0 40-22 36-20 9-5 20-16 W8 8-2
Cincinnati Reds 61 56 .521 26.5 32-34 29-22 4-5 11-14 L2 5-5
Boston Beaneaters 58 58 .500 29.0 24-26 34-32 9-8 21-17 L1 5-5
Saint Louis Cardinals 55 59 .482 31.0 27-24 28-35 5-5 18-18 W1 4-6
Brooklyn Superbas 51 67 .432 37.0 26-40 25-27 5-4 16-12 W2 4-6
Philadelphia Phillies 39 77 .336 48.0 18-36 21-41 7-12 12-24 L4 2-8
Chicago Colts 38 77 .330 48.5 19-45 19-32 3-9 9-17 L6 4-6
American League Standings
Team W L PCT GB Home Away XInn 1Run M# Streak Last10
Louisville Colonels 80 39 .672 - 45-21 35-18 9-8 20-17 15 W2 7-3
Washington Nationals 72 46 .610 7.5 35-19 37-27 5-4 13-19 W1 6-4
New York Highlanders 66 53 .555 14.0 38-27 28-26 7-6 21-21 L3 4-6
Boston Red Stockings 65 54 .546 15.0 37-29 28-25 6-2 18-15 W1 4-6
Philadelphia Athletics 50 68 .424 29.5 24-25 26-43 8-6 23-24 L1 5-5
Cleveland Blues 49 70 .412 31.0 26-28 23-42 9-14 24-24 L1 4-6
Chicago White Stockings 47 73 .392 33.5 27-39 20-34 4-8 12-11 L1 4-6
Detroit Tigers 46 72 .390 33.5 20-35 26-37 7-7 16-16 W1 6-4
A Tale Of One City
Charles Dickens' magnum opus
A Tale of Two Cities concerns the plight of London and its continental rival Paris. The 1903 baseball season, on the other hand, can be said to have come down to one single town that outshines both of its European counterparts: New York, the Big Apple, the City That Never Sleeps (do I have that last one right? Oh bother. If I am wrong, I'll just edit that part out). In the National, the Giants rode away with the pennant in August by constructing an amazing 24-2 record that included, at one point, 18 consecutive victories. It's hard not to win games when your rotation consists of Snoopy Haddon (30-6, 1.53 ERA), John "Big Six" Pearson (26-8, 1.86), and Nathan "Pretty Bird" Woombill (23-9, 1.94). The major league record of 103 wins is within striking distance: the Jints will need to take 17 of their last 26, which is slightly behind the mark they've achieved so far this year.
In the junior circuit, though, the New York Highlanders performed a swoon nearly as awesome as the Giants' skyward rise. Battling injury and a general breakdown of their own starting pitching, these boys - who captured the hearts of so many with their strong second half last year - dipped to a 9-17 record in August and have overall been under .500 since the first of June. As their losses piled up, the Louisville Colonels jumped back into the #1 slot with pitching and defense, although the Senators have shown that a good offense can take you far as well.
Players of the Month Announced
Although Fred Raber's month and season did not end the way he wanted it to, the National League still saw fit to name the New York Giants first baseman as the Player of the Month. Raber is with the team but is not suiting up due to a back injury that leaves him barely able to walk. "My mama didn't raise no wussy boy," Raber told us. "I expect to be back by the beginning of next year." Sources tell us that July or August is a more realistic target. Before he got hurt, Raber hit .412 with 9 extra-base hits (including 4 home runs!) and 22 RBIs.
Rick Harpham is Fred Raber's counterpart on the league-leading Louisville Colonels and he shares Raber's personal confidence. "Not only did my mama not raise no wuss, she didn't raise any wusses either! Including me!" Our Louisville sources were so confused by the double negatives that they could not ask him another question. Anyway, Raber let his bat do the talking in August, hitting .363. He's currently 2nd on the team and 3rd in the AL in RBIs with 60. He also ranks among the class of the AL in average, hits, doubles, home runs scored, and steals. If you want it, Harpham can do it.
It should be no surprise to anybody that Bill "Snoopy" Haddon was named the best pitcher of the month for the 14th time in his career. The wily veteran is zeroing in on the league record of 34 victories in a season, a title he currently co-holds with Jesse "Rawhide" MacLagan. Haddon was a perfect 8-0 in August. Although his winning streak of 12 games officially ended with a 1-inning stint in relief on the 20th of August, we consider Snoopy to be in the midst of a 15-victory stretch that goes all the way back to July 10th.
And who should be named the American's best pitcher for August but the prime rival for Snoopy Haddon's dominance but Jesse "Rawhide" MacLagan? It could be said that Rawhide's best years are behind him, but make sure you are out of earshot when you say that. The inveterate cowman was 6-1 and became the first major leaguer to win 300 games. "Pretty Bird" Woombill of the Giants will probably join that club soon but that's almost the same as being exclusive.
The Phillies are having a long, rough season, but they have to be happy about one thing: obtaining OF Bryan Goose from the Pirates in midseason as part of the deal that saw them trade away both C/OF Lou Mawhinney and RF Shawn McGilvray. We have to admit, we thought it was a horrible, horrible trade of the sort that owners of struggling ballclubs make to avoid having to pay salaries of good veterans. As it turns out, the 21-year-old center fielder hit a solid .314 while holding down the #3 slot in the order for the Phighting Phils. Now if they can only get 7 more men like him... and 4 pitchers...
Speaking of bright spots on bad teams, Arthur Altichioro hit .338 for the cellar-dwelling Detroit Tigers in August. We have to say that these boys remind us a little bit of the Pittsburgh Pirates of 4 years ago: no, they aren't very good right now, but they have a lot of building blocks in place to be good one day. Henry Hosler is a future MVP in right field, Montrell "Sandman" Liotta seems to have resurrected his career at short stop, Dave Wilson is hitting only .218 but has shown a pretty fair bit of speed and defense for this ballclub, the Gay Slapper deal netted them the man that might have been the Highlanders' best pitcher in Fionn Kempson... we're not saying these folks are first division material yet, but give them a couple years and they'll be right in there.