WHITE SOX AND GIANTS CLINCH PENNANTS AS 1906 SEASON WINDS DOWN
Chicago and New York Rule the Majors; Seymour and Hess Shine in Final Month
By Samuel T. Kingsley, Sporting Times
October 1, 1906
As the final days of the 1906 campaign draw to a close, the great pennant races that had thrilled the summer crowds have at last been decided. What fans had hoped might be a nail-biting finish turned instead into a steady march toward triumph for two dominant clubs — the Chicago White Sox in the American League and the New York Giants in the National.
In the American League, Chicago used the month of September to transform what had been a close-run contest into a comfortable lead, widening the margin to seven and a half games and officially clinching their first American League pennant. The Philadelphia Athletics held firm in second place but were unable to match Chicago’s relentless consistency. At the other end of the standings, the Cleveland Naps remain rooted to the bottom, though a late burst of victories could yet see them overtake the faltering Detroit Tigers, whose own September form has been little short of disastrous.
Across the way in the National League, the mighty New York Giants confirmed their superiority with a sparkling run of victories, turning back the challenge of the Chicago Cubs and securing the flag with a six and a half game cushion. The Giants’ September surge was powered by brilliant pitching and timely hitting, hallmarks of their dominant campaign. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Superbas’ season ended in disappointment, as they finish last by a wide margin, well adrift of the rest of the league.
Monthly Honors
American League
Top Batter: Cy Seymour, New York Highlanders — .462 average, 1 home run, 23 RBIs, 11 runs scored
Top Pitcher: Charles Bender, Chicago White Sox — 6–1 record, 1.36 ERA
Top Rookie: Joe Harris, Boston Americans — 6–1 record, 2.85 ERA
National League
Top Batter: Kid Elberfeld, Philadelphia Phillies — .392 average, 21 RBIs, 12 runs scored
Top Pitcher: Otto Hess, New York Giants — 5–0 record, 2.04 ERA
Top Rookie: Ed Karger, New York Giants — 4–2 record, 2.29 ERA
As autumn settles in and the curtain begins to fall on another season, the baseball world tips its cap to the White Sox and Giants — two deserving champions whose steadiness and skill carried them to the pinnacle of their respective leagues.
