This time there was no stopping them. After two years of torment and heartbreaking losses, Chicago won the pennnant in a quiet reserved manner, as if they had been expecting to since opening day.
Always waiting for the challange the Whites never really got it in the division and ended the season with a 5 game winning streak cliching the pennant with a four game sweep in the Polo Grounds against the New York Gothams. Chicago finished the season 5 games better then the upstart Pittsburgh Alleghenys.
Chicago had an impressive 71-41 record, 30 games over .500 and leading the division for the majority of the season. Chicago was especially devastating on the road going 38-18 away from home. The stars with the bats were Cap Anson (.318, 0, 70) and Ned Williamson (.26, 13, 72). On the mound no one was better then George Derby who won 24 games and young Adonis Terry who has become a star, Terry had the second best ERA in the league at 0.79, allowing only 22 earned runs in his 29 starts and only three home runs.
Now the focus comes to the World Series where the Whites once again have to deal with being the overwhelming favorties. The team knows that the job isnt yet done.
"No one will be satisfied with anything less then bringing home a championship" says ace George Derby, "we are fully focused on this goal, let the fans celebrate the pennant, we want more."
American Association comes down to last day
In the American Association things were far from cut and sry going into the final days of this season. For most of the year the Boston Amercicans were hanging on to the pennant lead. But the defending champion Baltimore Orioles were determined to make a run, and that they did.
The Orioles made a strong run and the two teams met in a short two game series a week before the end of the season. The teams split in Baltimore and the Americans held to a one game lead. The teams came into the final weekend with all to play for. On the second to last day of the season Boston lost to Cleveland 2-1 and opened the door for the red hot Orioles. The Orioles in the meantime had their way with the last place Eclipse and beat them to tie the leaders. Both teams won their final game setting up a single one game playoff for the second time is league history.
The one game playoff was played in Baltimore. Dupee Shaw was hurt in the 5th inning but didnt have his best stuff to begin with. Ed Rowen went deep for the home team and the Orioles showed their experiance behind Larry McKeon on the mound who won his 36th game of the year.
A great finish as Baltimore moves on to the World Series where Chicago awaits, a repeat of the 1877 World Series classic won by the Birds.
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Anson Wins Second Straight Batting Title
Cap Anson
Old reliable Cap Anson made yet another strong case for his first MVP award as the veteran Chicago first baseman won his second stgraight batting title with a .318 average. Anson also led the league in hits with 157. Cap beat out Deacon White who had a .315 average followed by Ross Barnes at .304
Black Simply Dominant
Bob Black
Bob Black of the Boston Americans was every hitters worse nightmare in 1884 and then some. In his rookie year Black mastered the over the head pitch and had hitters losing sight of anything he threw. Black won the three major catagories of pitching for the season and almost carried the pennant to his team as they lost out on the last game of he season. Black won 38 games, allowed 31 earned runs for a 0.75 ERA and struck out an amazing 579 batters.
"He revolutionized the way pitching is done," said old veteran Hugh Campbell "and remember he is only 21 years of age." Black of cours is only of the growing crop of dominant pithcers from this generation like Adonis Terry, Charlie Geggus, and Dupee Shaw.