[Nick Soulis]

BASEBALL MONTHLY

July 1895

Colts Need Miracle Finish

A bounce back sort of month for Al Spalding and the Chicago Colts as they went 19-10 in the month and fought their way back within shouting distance of the first place Boson Beaneaters.

Boston had suffered a less then spactacular month themselves going 16-13 as as things stand on August 1st the lead in the National League was 5 games. Star Ed Delahanty missed most of the month and contributed to the inconsistent play when he suffered a thumb injury and his still on the mend. Third baseman Bill Joyce has picked up the slack however in a big way as the new star of the team has drew 109 walks so far this season and has already scored 140 runs. Joyce is only nine runs behind the alltime record held by Denny Lyons with all of August left to play.

Can the Colts pull off anykind of miracle and magicall catch Boston? The odds are against them but they definately are up to trying. The two teams will meet three more times in Boston this month but few teams close as strongly as the defending four time pennant winners do.

"We have to believe we can do it" said Fred Clarke, "We cant worry about what they do, we have to worry about winning our games each and everyday."

Charlie Geggus 19-11

The Colts are bolstered by the emergence of Charlie Geggus who has won a league leading 19 games this season and critics who thought the right hander would never get his strength back has done that and then some; Geggus leads the league in innings pitched with 283. Geggus also leads the league in strikeouts with 143. He isnt the same type of pitcher that he used to be but a good Geggus is still better then most.

Sam Thompson has found his power stroke with 17 home runs to lead the league and the Colts as a team are first in the league in stolen bases with 189, 39 of those by Dummy Hoy.

Chicago needs alot of things to go their way this last month, most everyone outside their club house believes that it is just too much to ask.
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Western League Standings
	W	L	PCT	GB
Cleveland Spiders	69	39	.639	-
Washington Senators	62	46	.574	7.0
Detroit Tigers	58	50	.537	11.0
Louisville Colonels	57	51	.528	12.0
Boston Americans	52	56	.481	17.0
Baltimore Orioles	50	58	.463	19.0
Philadelphia Athletics	44	64	.407	25.0
Chicago White Sox	40	68	.370	29.0

National League 1 Standings
	W	L	PCT	GB
Boston Beaneaters	69	39	.639	-
Chicago Colts	64	44	.593	5.0
Philadelphia Phillies	55	53	.509	14.0
New York Giants	52	56	.481	17.0
Brooklyn Grooms	52	56	.481	17.0
Cincinnati Reds	50	58	.463	19.0
Pittsburgh Pirates	47	61	.435	22.0
St. Louis Browns	43	65	.398	26.0

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League Notes

• The all time wins lead that Tim Keefe earned last month looks like it will be a vert short lived. Bill Sweeney is quickly approaching the mark and is sitting on 342 wins, Sweeney obviously will get a number of more chances as he is 35 and still a mani starter in the Boston team.

Bill Sweeney 342 career wins

• Second pick in the June draft Nap Lajoie is still unsigned as of August 1st. "Nap" isnt finding common ground with the Browns and some rumors are circulating that he isnt all that keen about playing in St. Louis all together.
• The Cleveland Spiders are enjoying another season on top of the Western League. The team did lose their star and leader however this month as Elmer Smith suffered a bad hip injury. Smith will be lost for the remainder of the season (.396, 2, 57), replacing the talented player will not be easy.