Wake the kids and release the dogs - there's a pennant race in the National League after all! The Giants, who had been showing signs of becoming a juggernaut (being after all, mostly the same bunch who had been a juggernaut in Louisville), have struggled mightily of late, dropping nine of thirteen games in the latter half of September. Meanwhile the Boston nine has been red-hot, going 10-4 over the same span to close to within three-and-a-half games. With 11 games (Boston) and 12 (New York) to go, this thing is very much anybody's ballgame.
With the struggles of the Giants' club, it's not surprising that some of their powerful players would be struggling as well. Bruno Barbella, who has earned a reputation as the best batsman in the loop, hit .383 and .421 in May and June respectively, but since has been more "human" with monthly averages of .301, .321 and .303 for July, August and September respectively. His overall average of .354 has him tied with Pittsburgh youngster Michael Calice for fourth in the league batting race. Ahead of Barbella are Boston's Heinie Staudenmaier (.372), St. Louis' Danny Murphy (.359) and Pittsburgh's Fritz Behrens (.357).
The pitching side is dominated by two chuckers of the ol' horsehide: Boston's Stanley Sweetwater and Cincinnati's Jasper Ellis. Sweets and Ellis are tied for the league lead in victories with 25. Sweetwater's 2.31 earned run average is the circuit's best, while Ellis' fireball has sent 209 batters back to the bench without putting the ball in play.
The Western League has finished its 1899 campaign - and controversy reigns. Both Milwaukee and Minneapolis have lain claim to the pennant. Milwaukee finished the season 74-50, for a .597 winning percentage while Minneapolis won more games (78) but also lost more (54) with a .591 winning percentage. For now, league czar Byron Standish has awarded the pennant to Milwaukee.
Milwaukee's Charlie Cole won the West's batting title by being the loop's only hitter to club better than .400 (.403). Minneapolis' Charlie Mitchell won 27 games to lead that category.
In the Eastern League, the season wrapped up with Montreal edging Worcester by a scant half-game to claim the pennant. Worcester boasted the league's two top hitters in Sean McGonigle (.417) and Mike Washington (.389), while Montreal had the top pitcher in Gaston DeValois who won 25 games and finished second to Rochester's Hi Reed with a 2.49 earned run average (Reed posted a 2.30 ERA).
The eyes of the base ball nation now turn exclusively to the looming stretch battle between New York and Boston. Who will lay claim to the 1899 pennant? The answer will be found in the next fortnight's contests.
Stanley Sweetwater, Boston