Subtle changes to the game in the offseason when the Western League was created at first went unnoticed. Now however as the 1894 season moves towards its conclusion, it is apparent that hitting and offense is dominating the game maybe like never before.
As of the first of July the numbers were staggering, the league average was .308, the highest that number has been since 1873 and up from .278 last season. A total of seven players were batting over .400, a mark that only two to three years ago was deemed close to impossible. Willie Keeler leads the entire league with a unthinkable .447 batting average.
League ERA's have soared to 4.24 runs, this is up from 3.41 last season.
The factors that have contributed to this are many. The pitchers mound was moved farther out in the offseason to allow batters to see the ball better at the plate. Willie Keeler has mastered the ability to "choke up" on the bat which a number of hitters have copied. This way the batter has a better chance of making contact and putting the ball in play. Better ballparks and new style bats, especially some models from Louisville Kentucky, have made hitting more standarized.
Of course the league isnt complaining about the upswing in offense. More runs mean more excitement and more fans at the ball yards. Others say that Chicago manager Al Spalding is behind the puss with more equipment from his sporting company, some feel Spalding is trying to spur offense to offset the dominating pitching from the rival Boston Beaneaters.
Regardless, surely records will fall as the "national game" continues to evolve.
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Cleveland Tries to Hang On
Tense times in Cleveland as a history of weak baseball performances is finally being challanged. The Cleveland Spiders have led the Western League all season and now are on the brink of only their second pennant.
The city is starving for a winner and with a month left the Spiders hold a four game lead over the Washington Senators. The teams face off six times against one another leaving the final result stil very much open.
In the National League of course things once again have long been decided at Boston just seems to get better and better. Boston has a winning percentage of almost .75 percent and believe it or not attendance is down from last season. The Boston faithful might have actually grown bored of winning!