[legendsport]

The Giants' reign over the National League is officially at an end (at least for this season). The Pittsburgh Pirates captured the pennant with an 87-67 record, four games ahead of Boston and New York, who tied for second with identical 83-71 marks. The name of the game in the National is parity - the fact that the Pirates' 87 victories was enough to win the league speaks of the tough competition between the clubs in 1906. Six of the eight clubs were .500 or better, with only the Phillies (73-81) and Reds (57-97) posting losing records this season.

The Washington Senators did hold on for their fourth straight pennant, finishing with a record of 97-57, seven games better than the 90-64 record of Cleveland. This sets up a World Series between Washington, which won the 1905 edition, and the newly minted National League champion Pittsburgh Pirates.

[legendsport]

The 1906 matchup for the World Championship was a good one. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators hooked up for what became arguably the best series in the short three-year history of the World's Championship Series.

In game one, Pittsburgh traveled to Washington and immediately established their bona fides by jumping off to an immediate lead. The Pirates plated three in the first, one in the second and two more in the third en route to a commanding 8-1 victory. This was all the more impressive in that the Pirates did this against Wes Luttier, Washington's stellar pitcher, who entered the game coming off a season in which he posted a 25-12 record and 1.61 ERA. Pittsburgh's Harry Francis (23-16, 2,34 ERA) allowed 1 run on 5 hits and even drove in a pair of runs with the bat.

In game two, the teams hooked up for an extra-innings nail-biter. Pittsburgh again took an early lead, scoring a run in the top of the second against Washington's Harry Shelley (20-10, 1.76). But Pittsburgh starter Tom Hiatt (19-18, 2.43) could not hold the lead as the home team tied it up with a run of their own in the fourth. After that, things settled into a good ol' fashioned pitcher's duel as neither lineup could push across a run until the 11th inning. Pittsburgh's Cy Kennett's one-out double started a two-run rally with RBI singles by John Albers and Johnny Mack against Shelley. In the home half, Washington pushed across a run of their own, but the game ended when third baseman Bob Mears grounded out to his opposite number to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 win and 2-0 series lead with the series shifting to Pittsburgh.

Game three saw the visiting team win for the third straight time. Washington bounced back and gave themselves new life with a 6-3 victory on Pittsburgh's home field. Pat Krieger (20-18, 2.53) went the distance, allowing 14 hits, but just three runs for the victory while his opposite number Nat Davis also went the distance, allowing six runs (four earned) on 13 hits in a game in which his fielders committed four errors - with three of them by third baseman Dennis Stewart.

Washington sent Harlan Holladay (14-4, 2.00) to the mound for game four and he delivered an outstanding performance, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs in a game which his squad earned a 3-2 victory to knot the series at two games apiece. Pittsburgh's Lewis Volk (20-8, 2.04) took the loss, although he also pitched well. Emory Howard was the hitting hero for Washington, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

The pivotal game five was novel - it was the first time in the series that the home team earned the victory. Pittsburgh's 5-3 win put them one victory away from the World's Championship in a rematch of the game one starting pitchers. Harry Francis improved to 2-0 on the World's Series by allowing three runs on seven hits in a complete game. Wes Luttier was better than he was in his game one loss, allowing just two earned runs on five hits, but four critical errors by his fielders proved costly for Luttier and the Nats.

The series returned to the Nation's capital for game six - a must-win for the defending World's Champions. Facing a win-or-go-home scenario, Washington pulled out a 4-2 victory to tie the series at three wins apiece and set up a game-seven showdown. Harry Shelley, who had taken the game two loss, bounced back with a vengeance allowing just 1 earned run on six hits.

In game seven, the Washington lineup vented its frustration on Pittsburgh's Nat Davis, handing him his second loss of the series in an 8-2 victory behind solid pitching from Pat Krieger, who allowed no earned runs in a game which was a defensive travesty for both teams. Pittsburgh's fielders committed six errors, but Washington's defenders had seven of their own. Of the eight runs plated by Washington, only two were earned.

The victory gave Washington its second straight World's Series victory, validating the American League's claim of equality with the National League. The big question for 1907 will be whether any of the other AL clubs can find a way to stop Washington's dominance of the loop. The team has won four straight pennants and has to be considered the favorites to win a fifth in 1907.


PAT KRIEGER, WASHINGTON

[legendsport]

The 1906 season may have signaled the beginning of a changing of the guard in the top level of the base ball world. For years the New York Giants and Washington Senators were the twin titans of the game, winning pennant after pennant and sparking arguments not only about which of the two was the best in that particular season but also which of the two was the best of all-time. Well, in '06, the first chinks in the armor of the juggernauts may have been exposed.

The National League pennant, long the singular possession of the Giants, went to the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose 87-67 record was four games better than that of New York. And the Pirates weren't even the most talented nine to take on the champions - that particular accolade would likely belong to the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis posted the league's top pitching and top hitting, but faulty fielding relegated them to a 77-77 record and fifth-place standing.

In the American League, the Washington club again rolled home with the pennant. But this time they did not put away their competition early, as first the Boston and then the Cleveland clubs hung on the Senators' heels all season long. And it was Cleveland, not Washington, who was the circuit's best club after the season's opening month. A dismal performance in April doomed Cleveland, who finished stronger than Washington, but had dug themselves too deep a hole to climb out of in that poor start. In 1907, things may be different.

Individual accolades for the 1906 campaign went to Pittsburgh's Jeremiah Thiel as the top batsman in the National League. Thiel hit .314 for the league champions, with 29 doubles, 19 triples and 133 bases on balls. The American League's top hitter was Cleveland's Nat Caudle. Caudle scored 105 runs in a season where he hit .303 and recorded 21 doubles, 15 triples and 9 home runs while also stealing 67 bases. Top rookie honors went to Cleveland's Henry Lazarus who recorded a .317 average in his freshman campaign. His National League counterpart as top rookies was Pittsburgh pitcher Nat Davis who recorded a 19-19 record with a 2.70 ERA for the league champions. Pitching honors went to Cardinal pitcher Tommy Powell (26-11, 1.51 ERA) in the National League and Cleveland's Larry Singer (28-14, 1.58 ERA) in the American League.


JEREMIAH THIEL, PITTSBURGH

[legendsport]

As is the case almost every season, the first month of play has again yielded some interesting storylines. The biggest: how in the world are the twice-defending World Series champion Washington Senators sitting in last place in the American League? And not just in last place, but legitimately in last with a 5-14 mark, eight games behind the league leaders (the Detroit Tigers)? Another might be the Jekyll & Hyde-like performance of the Cincinnati Reds. This is a team which competed in 1905, was fairly lackluster (to be polite) in 1906 and is now in second-place in the National League, 2.5 games behind Boston.

What's the common thread? It's early. Really early. In fact, far too early to read much into these standings. The Cleveland club was dismal in April last season, then came back to post the best record in the sport from May-September (unfortunately for them, it wasn't good enough to capture the AL pennant). Will Washington be atrocious in 1907? I expect not. The pitching has been adequate and though the lineup has struggled - and will be without keystone Emory Howard for three months - there is too much talent in the field for the Senators to struggle this badly. A fifth-straight pennant may be a Herculean task, but it is not out of the realm of possibility.

In the National League, everything's jumbled, as you would expect from a group of clubs who have shown over the past three seasons that there isn't much difference between the top clubs and the middling clubs. There is a balance of power among the clubs in the National League, so the fact that Boston currently sits atop the standings doesn't mean a ton - other than that the Beaneaters have enjoyed the best start. New York is third and they have shown that they will be in the chase, and probably leading it at some point this season. Likewise, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. All three of those clubs - which are the trio from which pundits would have you believe the champion club will emerge - have identical 9-8 records, three games behind Boston.

Another exciting season is underway. Which storylines will play out? Which team - if any - will shake off the early season doldrums and charge to the front? And which players will separate themselves from the crowd this time around? All of these questions, and more, will be answered over the next six months of base ball action.

[legendsport]

The season is now a little over a month old, so perhaps some trends may begin to develop. In the National League, another tough fight for the pennant may be developing. The Boston Beaneaters remain in the top slot with an 18-11 record, one game ahead of New York and Pittsburgh with Brooklyn a mere 1.5 games back, St. Louis two back and Cincinnati 2.5 back. Chicago is six back and only the Phillies, with an abysmal 4-25 record, and 14 games back are not in the mix.

Over in the American League, for years the exclusive playground of Washington, things have a decidedly different look in 1907. The Washington powerhouse has been slow out of the gate and with a 10-20 mark thus far, are ten games behind the league leaders in Boston. Chicago and Detroit and two back, Cleveland is 3.5 back and St. Louis (4.5) and Philadelphia (5.0) are also in the mix. The New York Highlanders have fallen into the cellar with a 7-23 record, 13 games off the pace.

Philadelphia Athletic shortstop Newt Madewell seems to have recaptured the form which made him one of the game's best young players in 1903 and 1904 when he hit .348 and .352, respectively. After having his average fall to .278 in '05 and .297 in '06, Madewell is on fire to start '07, leading all of base ball with a .404 average. Jeremiah Thiel of Pittsburgh is pacing the Senior Circuit with a .346 mark.

Three hurlers lead the way in victories with eight apiece. Tommy Powell of St. Louis and Lewis Volk of Pittsburgh lead the National while Chicago's Jesse Raines has eight to lead the American. New York's Fred McDonnell has played a big part in the Giants' surge, leading the way with a 0.88 ERA, best in the National. Raines is also the top ERA man in the American League, with a 0.96 mark thus far.

In the Eastern League, Newark is back in its accustomed spot atop the standings, and is off to a red-hot start with a 16-4 record. Buffalo looks to be a contender this year, and is just two games back with a 14-6 mark. The American Association is currently paced by the St. Paul with a 20-7 record. Both Columbus and Milwaukee are are four back with identical 16-11 records. Out west, the Pacific Coast League, having trimmed down to four clubs and starting later than they had in their first four seasons, sees the 19-9 Portland Giants leading the way, four games better than the Los Angeles Angels.


NATE MADEWELL, PHILA. (A)

[legendsport]

1907 is shaping up to be a very interesting season, as both the National and American League races look to be both close and crowded. In the Senior Circuit, the Boston Beaneaters remain at the top of the heap as May comes to a close, sporting a 28-15 record and three-game lead on the Cardinals. But with six NL clubs all playing over .500 this season, the race is also crowded. Behind St. Louis (25-18) are defending-champion Pittsburgh (25-19), perennial-power New York (24-19), Cincinnati (22-20) and Brooklyn (23-22). Only Philadelphia (18-23) and the Phillies, at 7-36 going through the most dismal season in league history, are below the .500 mark.

In the American League, the Washington Senators have apparently still not recovered from the retirement of star infielder Harvey Cart and are currently sitting in seventh-place with a 16-28 record. The Senators have endured a string of injuries and if they get back to full strength, will likely have some say in who wins the pennant in the AL, even if that club is not them. Boston is in the catbird's seat with a 28-16 mark. Chicago is a game back at 27-17, with Detroit at 26-18. Also very much in the chase are Cleveland (24-19) and Philadelphia (22-22).

Speaking of the Athletics, Newt Madewell is having himself a season - his .428 average places him far ahead of any other batsman in any league. The 2nd place hitter in the AL is Boston's Sean McGonigle and even though he's hitting .376, he's still 52 percentage points behind Madewell's torrid pace. National League leader Floyd Dill of the Cincinnati Reds is far behind with a very respectable .343 average. Enjoying similar success is Cardinal pitcher Tommy Powell. "Terrible Tommy" has a 13-4 record and a 1.39 ERA for St. Louis and is one of the main reasons the Cardinals are in the thick of the race in the National League. The AL's top pitcher is probably Chicago's Jesse Raines. Though Larry Singer of Cleveland has 10 victories, Raines has 9 of his own and an otherworldly 0.88 ERA so far in 1907.

[legendsport]

Halfway thru June and the races remain incredibly tight, but we have no leaders in both leagues as the St. Louis Cardinals have clawed their way to first place, with a slim two-game edge on both the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Giants. The previous leaders from Boston are 2.5 games back and Cincinnati sits 3.5 off the pace. In the AL, the Cleveland Blues have surged past the Boston Pilgrims and grabbed the top spot, one game up on Boston, with both Chicago and Detroit 1.5 games back in an incredibly tight race (Philadelphia is 3.5 back).

Newt Madewell has cooled off - some - as his average has fallen below .400 to .397, but he continues to lead both leagues. Tommy Powell has 15 wins and a 1.38 ERA for the Cardinals, while Larry Singer's 13 wins and 1.17 ERA top the American League.

[legendsport]

The standings tell the tale - both leagues are enjoying tight pennant races with more than half of all the competing teams still having an excellent chance to take home the flag and earn a berth in the World's Series this October.

The American League race, of late a runaway for the Washington club, has now become a wide open chase for the pennant. Boston (39-29) and Cleveland (41-31) are tied at the top, with the Pilgrims enjoying a slight edge in percentage. Detroit is 40-32, one game off the pace, while Philadelphia (38-33), St. Louis (37-35) and Chicago (35-35) are all very much alive. And the other AL clubs need to be wary. The Washington nine has turned things around, and are rapidly approaching a winning record: their 17-9 mark in June has raised their record to 34-37 and there is a lot of base ball left to play.

The National League, which has featured exciting races for the past several years, continues to provide fans with an exciting pennant chase in 1907. St. Louis remains atop the standings, with Boston a pair of games behind. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and New York are all right there in the mix as well.

Injuries may well play a large role in determining which clubs take the flags. Cincinnati is doing admirably without ace pitcher Jasper Ellis. The Baxter Bullet injured his shoulder in April and isn't due back until September, yet the Reds remain on the fringes of the chase even without Ellis. His return could provide a great boost. Likewise, New York (N) is missing defensive star Mark Chesson. The shortstop is out with a knee injury and like Ellis probably won't be back until the final month of the season. One injured player who may soon be back and impacting the race is Washington's Emory Howard. The aged second baseman, out since the third game of the season, should be back in the Senators lineup soon and his defensive prowess and leadership have been sorely missed in the nation's capital.

2B EMORY HOWARD

The Newark Sailors continue to be the class of the Eastern League. Newark has opened up a seven-game lead over the Buffalo Bisons. The Sailors' boast the top pitching in the league with Jim Hackney (13-3, 1.83 ERA), Roger Stewart (13-3, 1.68) and Ron Johnson (6-2, 1.52) leading the way. The hitting isn't half-bad either with Vernon Beveridge (.313) and Charlie Worley (.312) setting the pace.

SP ROGER STEWART

The Columbus Senators are about to hit a snag in their chase of the Milwaukee Brewers for the American Association pennant. Columbus is six games back, but star pitcher Chuck Flinn (9-4, 0.80 ERA) has been acquired by the New York Giants where he expects to start impacting the National League pennant race instead. Without Flinn, Columbus may not have a shot at the Brewers (46-24) who feature the league's top hitter, Steve Lund (.318) and top pitcher, Daniel Sessions (12-7, 1.96 ERA).

SP CHUCK FLINN

"Nervous" Ned Jones is packing his things and heading east - and with his speed, it shouldn't take him long to get there. Jones, a career .298 hitter in the Pacific Coast League (and the undisputed king of the stolen base), was acquired by St. Louis of the American League. His Portland Giants will certainly miss his services, though they have established a six-game cushion over Los Angeles in the pennant race. The larcenous Jones has swiped 49 bases in 60 games for Portland so far in 1907. How he'll handle the bigger arms of American League catchers is a question that will undoubtedly soon be answered.


CF NED JONES

[legendsport]

Washington continues to climb back into the fight, and with the addition of third baseman Dan O'Bannon, plucked from Indianapolis of the American Association, the Senators are only going to get stronger. After a strong performance in June, Washington has posted a 9-4 mark, and now are back on the winning side of .500 with a 43-41 record. The Senators are now 5.5 games behind Boston, who remain in first place. It's a crowded race in the American League - Washington is sixth, and even seventh-place St. Louis is just 6.5 games back.

The National League race is also close, though not quite to the same degree as the Junior Circuit's. St. Louis remains in first place, with three other clubs all within two games of the Cardinals. Those three clubs are Boston, Pittsburgh and New York. With the season a bit over halfway completed, it's far too early to handicap the winner.

[legendsport]

With Maurice Foley enjoying a banner month, the Boston Pilgrims ended July with a slim two-game lead over Philadelphia in the American League pennant race. Foley, Boston's third sacker, hit .417 in the month and helped the Pilgrims post a 16-10 record to keep their lead. The Athletics posted an identical 16-10 mark for July to maintain pace with the leaders. Shortstop Newt Madewell continues to lead the way for Philadelphia and maintains his lead in the batting race, although his average dipped to .350 in July and stands at .366 for the season. Third-place Cleveland finished 12-12 for the month, and is now 3.5 games off the pace. Catcher Tavis Petticrew batted .327 this month for the Blues, but the pitching was uneven at best, with Justin Tapp struggling to a 1-6 mark in July despite an ERA of 3.00.

MAURICE FOLEY

The Cardinals posted a 16-12 mark for the month and maintain a slim lead in the National League pennant race. St. Louis currently is 58-39, one game ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh, seeking to bolster their club for the stretch run, added pitcher "Fat Freddie" Voyles, formerly of the Pacific Coast League's Portland club. Voyles is expected to start taking a regular mound turn in August after an exhausting cross-country train ride. Despite being mired in last-place, the Philadelphia club did get a boost in July thanks to the play of second baseman Sean Collins. Collins hit .377 in July and was the best hitter in the loop for the month. Now if only the Phillies could get healthy, as injuries have decimated what looked to be a competitive club at the start of the season.

SEAN COLLINS

Rochester's John Fletcher may be 34 years old, but he can still swing the hickory. Fletcher hit .448 in July for the Bronchos, who remain a distant fifth behind the Newark club in the Eastern League pennant chase. Baltimore pitcher Donald Hendershot opened some eyes in July, going 6-0 with an ERA of just 0.83 for the Orioles. Hendershot is just 24 and is likely to draw some attention from the big league clubs, much as his teammate George Hearn has. Hearn was purchased by Boston of the American League, but will remain with the Orioles through the end of the 1907 season.

JOHN FLETCHER

A nice pennant race is shaping up in the midwest where Milwaukee has a one-game edge on St. Paul in the American Association race. Roger Bradford continues to be the mainstay for the Milwaukee nine. Bradford was 6-0 in July, running his league-best win total to 17 and also posted a 0.83 ERA in 54 innings of work. For the year, he's 17-6 with a 1.44 mark. For their part, St. Paul countered with the loop's top batsman this month in catcher Duane Reed. Reed hit .341 and for the year is hitting .303 for the Apostles.

ROGER BRADFORD

With Portland losing the services of Freddie Voyles, will Los Angeles be able to catch the Giants in the Pacific Coast League race? At the close of July, the Angels are twelve games back, but LA does feature the top pitcher in the loop in Nigel Butler. The 30-year-old Butler, a veteran of both the New York Giants and New York Highlander clubs, is 17-3 with a 1.31 ERA - both tops in the PCL, as he hopes to draw the eye of the clubs back east and a return to the big time.

NIGEL BUTLER

[legendsport]

St. Louis Cardinal star Milton Cumberledge has heated up in August, hitting .358 thus far to help his team remain on top of the heap in the National League. The Cardinals are 10-2 in August and have put a bit of breathing room between themselves and the second-place Pittsburgh Pirates. With Pittsburgh four games back and the Giants (7.5) and Beaneaters (9.5) beginning to fade, St. Louis looks like a good bet to represent the Senior Circuit in the World's Series. If Pittsburgh is to defend its pennant, they'll need Jeremiah Thiel to start hitting again. The right fielder hit .314 last season and has a .292 mark this year, but he has been awful in August, with a .178 average. Also making the Pirates' task difficult is an injury to third baseman Fred Brown who will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder ailment.

They call him the 'California Cannon' and Bob Batts has been firing the Philadelphia Athletics into first-place this season, with a 26-17 record and 2.20 ERA. With Rutherford Arwood sidelined with a bum arm, Batts has been huge so far. Obviously Newt Madewell has been making headlines on the batting side, but the Athletics have allowed the second-fewest runs in the American League, and that has them currently enjoying a slim half-game lead over Boston and Cleveland in the very tight pennant race.

[legendsport]

The Cardinals continue to hold the edge in the National League pennant chase, with a 75-47 record and 5.5 game lead over the second-place Pirates. With Milton Cumberledge's .320 average (3rd best in the NL) and Tommy Powell's league-best 24 wins and 1.24 earned run average, St. Louis is superb in all facets of the sport. Pittsburgh, Boston, and New York (the latter pair are 6.5 back) have their work cut out for them in chasing down the Cardinals this September.

MILT CUMBERLEDGE

Cleveland is sitting in the catbird's seat in the American League, completing a torrid month of August that saw them post an 18-7 record and scratch out a four-game advantage over Philadelphia. The Athletics are closely followed by Detroit (5.5 back), Boston (6 back) and Washington - which was 15-10 in August and is now just 6.5 behind Cleveland in its quest to win a fifth straight flag. Cleveland's Larry Singer has been a huge factor for the Blues this season, raising his seasonal numbers to 25 wins (against 9 losses) and a 1.27 ERA after posting outstanding 7-0 record this month with a 1.06 earned run mark. Tavis Petticrew (.386 in August) and Jeff Swihart (.385 in August) have also been red-hot and the Blues look strong in their quest for the club's - and city's - first pennant.

JEFF SWIHART

Newark continues to lead the Eastern League race with Jim Hackney (21-6, 2.11 ERA), Charlie Worley (.305 average) and Jerry Alger (70 RBI) setting the pace. St. Paul's Apostles have the American Association pennant just about sewn up with a ten-game edge on their nearest competition. Apostle star Dusty Magoon has a 15-9 record and 1.48 ERA and was the subject of rampant competition for his services by several big league clubs, leading to a possible date in a pennant race despite his current club's large lead. The Portland Giants have all but sewn up the Pacific Coast League pennant, with a 15-game edge on Los Angeles.

JERRY ALGER

[legendsport]

Standings As of 9/1/07:

National League Standings
 			W	L	PCT	GB
St. Louis Cardinals	75	47	.615	-
Pittsburgh Pirates	70	53	.569	5.5
Boston Beaneaters	69	54	.561	6.5
New York Giants		69	54	.561	6.5
Brooklyn Superbas	59	66	.472	17.5
Chicago Cubs		51	70	.421	23.5
Cincinnati Reds		51	72	.415	24.5
Philadelphia Phillies	47	75	.385	28.0
	
American League Standings
 			W	L	PCT	GB
Cleveland Blues		71	52	.577	-
Philadelphia Athletics	67	56	.545	4.0
Detroit Tigers		66	58	.532	5.5
Boston Americans	65	58	.528	6.0
Washington Senators	64	58	.525	6.5
St. Louis Browns	62	60	.508	8.5
Chicago White Sox	60	63	.488	11.0
New York Highlanders	37	87	.298	34.5

[legendsport]

The Cardinals have increased their lead in the National League pennant race. St. Louis, which has an 84-51 record, is 8.5 games ahead of New York, with Boston (9.5 back) third and defending champion Pittsburgh have dropped to fourth, 11 games off the pace. In other NL news, Floyd Dill and Charlie Venables of Cincinnati are locked in a tight race for the batting crown. 1B Dill, known as "Pickles" to his teammates, is hitting .325 while RF Venables is right behind him at .322. Aidan O'Day of New York has matched St. Louis' Tommy Powell at 24 wins to top the loop, but Powell's 1.24 ERA is still the best in the National League.

Cleveland (78-59) is 2.5 games ahead of Boston, with both Detroit and Philadelphia three games behind the Blues. Newt Madewell's .354 average has him leading the batting race, though Boston's Sean McGonigle is closing in on Philadelphia's star hitter. McGonigle's .348 is second and he has a proven track record of outstanding hitting. Bob Batts has racked up 32 victories for Philadelphia, by far the best in base ball, but Detroit's 'Cyclone' Filigree has a 1.17 ERA to hold the lead in that category.

[legendsport]

The regular season for 1907 is in the books and it was another good one. The National League race, which had been on a streak of exciting and close finishes, was this time a rather ho-hum walk to the flag for the St. Louis Cardinals, who built a strong lead in August and then cruised home with a 93-61 record and seven-game cushion over the second-place New York Giants. The Cardinals were tough all season long, making up for a disappointing 1906 campaign that saw them lead the league in both hitting and pitching and yet finish a disappointing 77-77, good for fifth-place in the highly competitive Senior Circuit. The Cardinals were led by the hitting of first baseman Ezekial Curl who had a .333 average to lead the club with perennial hitting star Milt Cumberledge chipping in a .316 average and 80 runs batted in. Terrible Tommy Powell and Glenn Skelton each notched 24 victories for the Red Birds and will provide a tough one-two punch for the AL champions to deal with in the upcoming World's Series.

EZEKIAL CURL - ST. LOUIS (N)

For their part, the Giants had an up-and-down campaign, but their experience and talent were enough to carry them to the second-place finish. Aidan O'Day was stellar with a 27-16 record and 1.99 ERA, as was teammate Fred McDonnell who was 23-12 with a 1.59 ERA. But hitting did the Giants in as their leading hitter was 1B Ham Vail, who posted a relatively modest .275 average. Boston, which finished third, eight games behind the Cardinals, had another good season out of the California Kid, Claude Martin (.322 average, 78 RBI) and Big John Kemp (.305, 8 HR, 51 RBI), but their pitching - while good - was not outstanding enough to carry them to the pennant. The fourth-place Pirates, the champions of the league in 1906, struggled with an average offense (.245 team average, .242 was the NL average), which when coupled with pitching which was above average but not stellar, had them finish as the last team in the first division. The second division finishers were Brooklyn (which was in the mix for the flag until late in the summer), Chicago, Cincinnati and Philadelphia. The latter was able to overcome an absolutely dreadful start to finish with 96 losses when they were seemingly headed for 100-plus.

CLAUDE MARTIN - BOSTON (N)

In the so-called Junior Circuit, the race was the best the loop has seen since its beginning in 1901. Five clubs had realistic chances at the flag entering the final month of play. The defending champions from Washington, whose dynasty had dominated the league since 1903, had a horrid start due to injuries and the retirement of Harvey Cart, but straightened out enough to finish with a respectable 81-73 record, good for fifth place. The pennant winners came from Detroit, which was able to post an 88-66 record - two games better than Cleveland. Boston (3 back) and Philadelphia (4 back) were also in the chase right to the end. The Tigers won the pennant on the strenghth of the league's best pitching, with a 1.88 team ERA, nearly a half-run better than the league average of 2.34. Reginald Filligree, earning his nickname of 'Cyclone', blew away the competition with a 32-10 mark and 1.17 earned run average. With Clyde Reese (22-15, 1.76) the Tigers have their own 1-2 punch to counter that of National League titlist St. Louis. The question you may have is: how good is the Tigers' lineup? Detroit had a collective batting average of .236 in a league with a .237 average, so they are, in a word: average. But their pitching was good enough to carry the lackluster lineup whose only real hitting star is third sacker Enoch Leeds (.312 average).

REGINALD FILLIGREE - DETROIT

Cleveland, with a bona fide ace pitcher of its own in Larry Singer, was probably the favorite to take home the '07 flag when Washington faltered out of the gate. But despite a stellar season from Singer (30-15, 1.29 ERA, 265 Ks), the Blues just didn't have enough of a supporting cast to stay ahead of Detroit. Despite the late season addition of outfielder Dick Paper, who contributed a .268 average in 26 games after coming to the Blues from Milwaukee of the American Association, Cleveland's offense was subpar in September and October when it counted most and though their season mark was a solid .252, they didn't come through down the stretch and it likely cost the Blues the pennant. Boston and Philadelphia each rode a superb star throughout the season, but their lack of supporting players cost them in the final reckoning. With Sean McGonigle reasserting his position as the game's top hitter (.348 average to lead all hitters), Boston was right there in the fight all season long. An ironman performance by Bob Batts in Philadelphia, decimated by injuries to its pitching staff, saw him win 38 games (in 64 starts), which when coupled with the .344 average of Newt Madewell, kept the Athletics a factor throughout the campaign. Washington was joined in the second division by Chicago and St. Louis (both 72-82 for the year) and the absolutely horrid New York Highlanders, whose 48-106 record set a new league mark for futility.

SEAN MCGONIGLE - BOSTON (A)

[legendsport]

The 1907 World Series was a novelty: for the first time in the history of the post-season championship series between the champion clubs of the American and National Leagues, neither the New York Giants nor Washington Senators was present. The brand-new titlists of the National League - the St. Louis Cardinals - would face the equally-new champions of the American League - the Detroit Tigers.

In game one, played in St. Louis, the Tigers came out with a roar and walked away with a lopsided 8-1 victory. Clyde Reese, winner of 22 games in the American League campaign, spread eight hits and three walks over his nine innings, with the only run scored on him being unearned. His counterpart, the 38-year-old 'Old Fox,' Keith Crowell (16-4, 1.45 ERA), was ineffective, allowing 10 hits and six runs (five earned) over seven innings to take the loss. Three Tiger hitters recorded a pair of safeties and all but third sacker Bob Haffenden and the pitcher rapped out a hit for Detroit.

Game two, also in St. Louis, saw the Tigers again emerge victorious on enemy soil, this time by a 5-2 margin. Reginald Filligree (32-10, 1.17 ERA) outdueled St. Louis' Glenn Skelton (24-18, 2.27 ERA) as both hurlers went the distance. Filligree allowed seven hits and one walk, with one of the two Cardinal runs being unearned. Skelton was reached for 12 hits and five runs, but only two of those were earned as the St. Louis defense let their mound man down. Lou Masters was a perfect 3-for-3 for Detroit while Enoch Leeds also had 3 hits and drove in a pair of runs.

For game three, with the Cardinals in desperate need of a victory, the teams took a train ride to Detroit. St. Louis shook off the road dust and their doldrums and pounded out 15 hits and 12 runs in getting back into the series with a tidy 12-3 victory over the home-standing Tigers. The victory kept the Cardinals' hopes alive in the best-of-seven matchup. Al 'Hangman' Jones (17-17, 2.15 ERA) danced around nine hits, with no walks, allowing two earned runs (and one unearned) to pick up the victory. Losing pitcher Chris Olsen (15-20, 2.12) was battered for 14 hits and 12 runs - only five earned - in 8 and two-thirds. CF Paddy Murphy was 4-for-6 with a pair of runs and RBI, while RF Milton Cumberledge contributed just one hit, but 4 RBI for the Cardinals.

Game four saw the Tigers become the first home team to win a game in the Series, as Clyde Reese picked up his second victory of the series with a 3-0 shutout win. Reese's three-hit gem placed the Tigers just one victory away from a third-straight World's Series victory for the American League. Keith Crowell picked up his second loss, despite allowing just five hits, for the Cardinals.

In game five, the Cardinals remained alive with a hard-fought 4-2 victory that saw them plate three runs in the eighth off the toughest pitcher in base ball in 1907: Reg Filligree. Glenn Skelton was brilliant in evening up his record against Filligree at 1-1 in the series.

After another train ride, this time south to St. Louis, and an off-day to recuperate from travel, the teams met again in game six, with the Tigers still needing just one victory to claim the championship. The Hangman had other plans for Detroit: Al Jones tossed a masterful 3 hit shutout for the Cardinals, who won 4-0 over Chris Olsen and the Tigers to even the series at three victories apiece.

The Cardinals' had grabbed all the momentum in the series and evened things up to set up a decisive seventh game before their fans at Robison Field. With Clyde Reese and Keith Crowell set up for their third matchup in the series - both of which were won by Reese and the Tigers - the home field looked to be St. Louis' only advantage. Detroit grabbed an early 1-0 lead on Crowell when a couple of singles set up runners at first and third before a passed ball allowed Nathan Parks to score. It didn't take long for the Cardinals to answer though, as they strung together a pair of hits in the home half of the second and tied the game on an error by pitcher Reese. The mistake was compounded when the next batter grounded out - what would have been the third out without the error was only the second out - and Joe Townsley scored what would prove to be the last run of the game in a 2-1 Cardinals victory. Crowell and Reese both pitched beautifully the rest of the game, but in the end the Cardinals won their third straight game to take home the championship trophy for 1907.

Stars of the series included Milt Cumberledge of the Cardinals who led the team in average (.310) and runs batted in (5). Pitcher Al Jones finished the series with a 2-0 record and flat 1.00 ERA for St. Louis. On the Tigers' side, Clyde Reese was 2-1 and had a perfect 0.00 ERA though those unearned runs in game seven proved decisive.



AL 'THE HANGMAN' JONES - ST. LOUIS (N)

[legendsport]

The 1908 season is off and running. It's very early, and the biggest news might just be that George Hearn, the object of many teams' desires over the past couple of seasons, has finally made it to the Major Leagues as a member of the Boston Pilgrims. Hearn got his feet wet in the first fortnight of the season, playing 15 games and recording 18 hits in 67 chances for a .269 average. He's also driven in five runs and stolen 11 bases, flashing the all-around skill that had teams drooling over him.

The Cardinals are off to a fast start, with an 11-4 record to sit two games up on the surprising Chicago Cubs and the ever-present New York Giants. In the American League, defending champion Detroit sits third, 1.5 games behind the current leader (Chicago) with Boston a game back of the White Sox in second place.

The minor leagues' seasons have also gotten underway. The PCL is an interesting case: all four teams have identical 13-13 records as no club has been able to distance itself from the others. The American Association standings show the Toledo Mud Hens in first place with an 11-4 mark while Louisville is second at 10-4. And in the Eastern League, the Buffalo club has gotten off to a red-hot start, winning seven of their first eight games, with a two-game edge on the trio of Newark, Rochester and Toronto.

[legendsport]

The Cardinals posted a 17-10 record in May, cooling off a bit after their torrid April, but still performing well enough to maintain their grip on first place in the National League. Their record for the season stands at 28-14 and they have a 3.5 game lead over Pittsburgh. Outfielder Milt Cumberledge is leading the league in hitting with a .367 average and is no doubt one of the prime reasons St. Louis holds the lead. Pittsburgh has been paced by the stellar pitching of win-leader Harry Francis (11-4, 1.58 ERA).


MILT CUMBERLEDGE, ST. LOUIS (N)


Boston currently leads the American League with a 28-14 record of its own. The club, just recently dubbed the 'Red Sox' for fashionably obvious reasons, recorded a 19-8 record in May to build a two-game edge on their nearest competition. That competition comes from the St. Louis Browns (28-18), with Chicago (25-17), Washington (26-20) and Detroit (23-22) rounding out the AL clubs with winning ledgers thus far. Boston shortstop Frank Dorsey is hitting .325 to lead the club - and the American League - in average. Dorsey has been outstanding, but the real story in Beantown has been the pitching of Don Glass. Glass entered this season with a career mark of 45-62, but is perfect so far in '08, with a 6-0 mark and a league-best 0.98 earned run average.


DON GLASS, BOSTON (A)


The Eastern League has a tight pennant race of its own shaping up. Buffalo and Newark (the defending champions) are knotted at the top with identical 24-14 records and Toronto (21-16) and Montreal (21-18) are also playing well. Newark centerfielder Burl Ruppert has been the toast of the town in New Jersey's largest city, with an EL-best .365 average that will likely have the 29-year-old drawing some attention from the pennant-chasers in the American and National circuits. Buffalo counters with a hits-machine of its own in third baseman Andy Askins. Askins is second to Ruppert in EL average with a .350 mark and the ability to play all four infield spots. While neither is a spring chicken (Ruppert is 29, Askins 30), both would almost certainly help certain Major League clubs with holes at their positions.


BURL RUPPERT, NEWARK


The American Association has been a playground for Toledo pitcher Larry Sheppard. The 29-year-old right hander wasn't great shakes in his big league stints with Baltimore and New York of the American League, but he is setting the AA on fire and could be ready to return to the big time. Sheppard is 6-4, but his ERA is an outstanding 0.70 and he has allowed just 58 hits in 90 and a third innings this season. His pitching is a big reason why Toledo (28-16) is tied for first place in the AA with the St. Paul Apostles. Catcher Dan Oates leads the loop in batting with a solid .350 mark for the Milwaukee club. At 23 years of age, Oates looks as if he may develop into a top notch hitter and a premier backstop as well.


LARRY SHEPPARD, TOLEDO


Out west, the Pacific Coast League is abuzz with talk about San Francisco's prized rookie Charles Bowersox. The Kentucky-born "Bluegrass Charlie" hit .339 in May and is hitting .298 for the season, which places him third on the leaderboard behind Portland's established hitting star "Big Irish" Dan Boyle (.330) and fellow San Francisco Seal - and rookie - RF Aeolus Giddings (.305). While Bowersox, at 22, is considered the PCL player most likely to be a star, the 23-year-old Boyle is ranked third (which is also the number of seasons he has been in the PCL). Portland has the 2nd-best "prospect" in pitcher Ned Wayman. Wayman has been good, but not spectacular, thus far, with a 5-4 record and 2.23 earned run average.


DAN "BIG IRISH" BOYLE, PORTLAND

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The pennant races in both the National and American Leagues remain very tight. In the Senior Circuit, the St. Louis Cardinals have reclaimed the top spot, finishing June strong and ending the month with a 43-24 record, good for a two-game edge on the New York Giants (42-27) and three-game lead over Boston (41-28). With Milt Cumberledge continuing to lead the loop in batting with a .360 average and strong pitching from ERA-leader Tommy Powell (1.00 ERA), the Cardinals are strong in both offense and pitching. The Giants have been quietly retooling after their dynasty lapsed over the past couple of seasons. They still feature RF Paul Samples (.312) and strong pitching with Ginger Robertson (9-1, 1.19 ERA), Clive Hines (13-4, 1.77) and Fred McDonnell (5-6, 1.65) and can be expected to remain in the chase for the rest of the season.

In the American League, a four-way battle is shaping up as the season enters the heat of summer. The Chicago White Sox (43-25) currently hold the top spot, with the Boston Red Sox (42-27) and Washington Senators (43-28) just 1.5 games back and St. Louis (43-31) three off the pace. Chicago features strong pitching with Dan Muir (15-5, 1.93 ERA) and Jesse Raines (11-8, 1.60) leading the way. The hitting is fairly average, with no one topping .280 for the Pale Hose thus far in '08. This is where Boston has the advantage with a league best .248 team mark, led by league-leader Frank Dorsey's .321 average. The Red Sox have some good pitching as well, with Gus Merritt (12-6, 1.83), Nate Allen (11-6, 1.96) and Don Glass (8-5, 1.78) a top-shelf trio of hurlers. The Washington Senators have served notice that they are back in the thick of things as well after a difficult 1907 season. Like Chicago, their offense is relatively pedestrian, but they have proven pitchers in Wes Luttier (13-8, 1.53) and Harlan Holladay (11-8, 1.89).

In the Eastern League, the Newark Sailors have seized control again, with a 42-24 record and four-game lead over Baltimore. Burl Ruppert continues to hit at a torrid pace, with a league-best .343 mark while fellow Newark Sailor Roger Stewart leads in earned run average with a 1.11 thus far.

The American Association leading Toledo Mud Hens are still riding the coattails of Larry Sheppard, whose 1.12 ERA tops the circuit and his 11 victories are third-best.Toledo (46-26) holds a one-game edge on St. Paul who have a sensational pitcher of their own in Harry Packer. Packer leads the league in victories with 15 and is third in ERA with a 1.39 mark, right behind teammate John Fontes' 1.30 ERA.

Out in the distant west, Portland holds sway over the Pacific Coast League. The Beavers (47-36) have chewed their way to a six-game lead over Los Angeles and San Francisco while Oakland has dropped into the cellar of the four-team circuit. San Francisco's Aeolus Giddings continues to be the top batsman with a .330 average, but Portland boasts the next two names on the batting chart with the .315 of Tim Armstrong and the .307 of "Big Irish" Dan Boyle. The Angels' Lonnie Tauber is a long way from Long Island - and his former employers, the New York Giants - but he is finding the California weather to his liking. Tauber leads the PCL in ERA with a 1.87 mark, but wishes his Angel mates would score more runs - his record is just 7-7.