The May Campaign
The saying goes if you win your home games and win half your games played on the road, you’ll be a contender. Those teams that have followed the adage have certainly won more than their share on the road. In the National League, Pittsburgh sports only an 8-6 record at home but has won 18 of 27 on the road and leads New York by one-and-a-half games. New York hasn’t taken advantage of its generous home schedule, going only 18-14. Over in the American League, the surprise Washington Senators and upstart New York Highlanders have not yet played 8 games at home, but have dominated on the road, going an amazing 20-8 and 18-10, respectively. These early records may indicate that these teams will stay strong throughout the summer once they start playing in front of the friendlier hometown crowds.
National Club Standing, May 30, 1903
Code:
Club Won Lost Pct G.B. Avg. ERA
Pittsburgh 26 15 .634 - .278 1.76
New York 24 16 .600 1.5 .271 2.92
Chicago 24 17 .685 2 .251 2.45
Brooklyn 21 19 .525 4.5 .269 3.51
St. Louis 20 20 .500 5.5 .257 2.84
Cincinnati 18 22 .450 7.5 .260 3.34
Philadelphia 17 23 .425 8.5 .250 2.58
Boston 11 29 .275 14.5 .234 3.52
American Club Standing, May 30, 1903
Code:
Club Won Lost Pct G.B. Avg. ERA
Detroit 27 12 .692 - .281 2.36
Washington 23 12 .657 2 .247 2.32
New York 20 14 .588 4.5 .254 2.56
Philadelphia 18 18 .500 7.5 .269 3.28
Chicago 17 20 .459 9 .283 2.55
St. Louis 16 22 .421 10.5 .239 3.06
Cleveland 14 23 .378 12 .253 3.15
Boston 11 25 .306 14.5 .237 3.66
Slippery Elm Boys Watch:
Among those that currently toe the mound in the big leagues, the Old Fox
Clark Griffith has found ways to carry his Highlander team, leading them with a 5-1 record. He’s held opponents to an anemic .207 average and is an owner of 2 shutouts already. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Cleveland’s
Earl Moore already has 9 losses. Although he’s given up nearly 6 runs a game, his defense has allowed 24 runs to score. Modern-day spitballer
Frank Corridon is pitching extremely well in Toronto, but a glutton of pitching prospects in the Philadelphia system (a result of the new management) has stalled a return call to the bigs.