BASEBALL MONTHLY
September 1898
Third Straight Pennant For Chicago
The Chicago Orphans completed their wire to wire run in the national league to win their 9th pennant and their third in a row. Chicago did this wiht the best offense in the league and overcoming the loss of their most famous player, Cap Anson.
The Orphans are the rare team that is on top of the league both with the bats and with the gloves. Chicago had the best average in the league at .304 and scored 846 runs. The pitching however also had the best ERA in the league at 2.48 as well as holding their opposition to a .265 average. The Orphans however were not interested so much in numbers, but were on a mission to get back what had and complete the job they lost to Cleveland the past two seasons.
"We are a little dispaointed that Cleveland wont be there to face us in the Series," said Hughie Jennings, "but no one in Chicago likes Boston very much either." The Oprpans will face off against the Boston Americans for the utlimate prize in the game.
Chicago will do so however with some major players being absent, in fact the Orpahans may be without their best two players overall. The team already knew that starter Charlie Geggus was out for the season, and the right hander ended season tops in ERA anyway at 1.52. The bigger shock however came on the last weekend of the season in New York when Chicago lost their leader and best batter, Fred Clarke.
Clarke lead the league in RBI with 122 and was batting .373 in the heart of the Chicago lineup. Still as Clarke went for a ball in the gap his knee gave out and he tore a tendon causing him to miss the remainder of the post season. Its a loss that will be hard to overcome but at this point Chicago has no choice. So many are saying that Chicago isnt as strong as they seem, and a third straight post season loss may be here.
"It just makes things more interesting" says Frank Chance, "now things will be more competitive."
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Final Standings
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Heart Break All Around In Washington
The Washington Senators came one game away from earning their first ever pennant and World Series birth, but a dog fight with rivals Boston came down to the last Sunday and things fell apart.
Boston fought back in the month of September and the two teams went neck and neck until they met the Amercians in Washington for the last three games of the season. Going in the teams were tied an the Senators won the first game of the series on a 5-0 shutout by Walter Thornton. That game would be specially significant because it was the game that Willie Keeler's great batting streak came to an end, Keeler ended his magical hitting streak at 42 games. Wee Willie didnt really worry too much though because his team needed one more to win the pennant.
In the second game Washington was winning 5-3 in the 7th inning but let the game get away. The Amercians scored 8 runs in the last three innings to win the game and force a one game decider on the season finale.
On a fateful Sunday, twenty two game winnning pitcher Toad Ramsey showed his veteran guile and pitched a gem for Boston to beat Washignton and bring them the pennant by a score of 4-1.
Willie Keeler
Willie Keeler had one of the best season's in baseball history beyond his record setting hitting streak. Keeler batted .419 with 230 hits, a record 195 of them singles. Keeler also stole 56 bases.
Truly Keeler woud give it all back for one more win and a trip to the World Series.