PENNANT RACES TAKING SHAPE AS MAY CLOSES
By Charles H. Wentworth, Sporting Times
June 1, 1904
Athletics and Americans set early pace; Cubs and Pirates locked in duel
With the first full month of the baseball season now behind us, the standings begin to tell a clearer story of the summer that lies ahead. While no pennant is ever won in May, the clubs that show early steadiness often find themselves in the thick of the fight come September.
In the American League, the race at the top is proving as spirited as any supporter could hope. The Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Americans stand locked together at 25–16, each determined to prove themselves the class of the junior circuit. The Detroit Tigers, showing fine form under their energetic captaincy, remain but two and a half games back with a 23–19 mark. At the other end of the ladder, it is again a grim spring for the Washington Senators, whose 15–26 record has left them ten games adrift of the lead.
The National League is no less compelling. The Chicago Cubs, with their confident bearing and sharp play, sit atop the table at 26–17, holding a precarious half-game lead over the relentless Pittsburgh Pirates. The New York Giants, at 23–19, remain well within striking distance, while the Philadelphia Phillies languish at the bottom with a disappointing 15–25, already nine and a half games off the pace.
As the calendar turns, the leagues have announced their monthly awards, offering due recognition to those who have excelled in these opening weeks:
American League Honors
Top Batter: Nap Lajoie, Philadelphia Athletics – batting .368 with 2 home runs, 13 runs batted in, and 17 tallies scored.
Top Pitcher: Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown, Detroit Tigers – a remarkable 5–2 record with a stingy 1.02 earned run average.
Top Rookie: Walter Clarkson, Cleveland Naps – steady work on the mound at 3–3 with a 1.79 ERA.
National League Honors
Top Batter: Dan McGann, St. Louis Cardinals – hitting .318 with 2 home runs, 21 RBI, and 13 runs scored.
Top Pitcher: Noodles Hahn, Cincinnati Reds – flawless thus far at 7–0 with a 1.00 ERA.
Top Rookie: Frank Smith, Chicago Cubs – a promising start at 4–3 with a 2.11 ERA.
As May turns to June, the stage is set. Will the Athletics’ steady bats or the Americans’ powerful pitching prevail in the American League? Can the Cubs fend off the hungry Pirates in the National League? The summer promises much in the way of drama, and baseball’s patrons will watch each unfolding chapter with eager anticipation.
