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amead17 · 11-04-2025, 11:41 AM

PENNANT RACES NEAR THEIR FINAL TURN AS SEASON ENTERS ITS LAST WEEK

Boston and Philadelphia Set for Decisive Showdown; Pirates Coasting to Glory

By Samuel T. Kingsley, Sporting Times
October 1st, 1908

As the calendar turns to October and the 1908 baseball season draws to its close, the National League has already crowned its champion, while the American League remains locked in a thrilling chase that promises drama until the very last inning.

In the senior circuit, the Pittsburgh Pirates have long since secured their place in the World Series, having officially clinched the pennant on September 17th. They now hold an overwhelming 21-game lead over the Chicago Cubs, a margin that underscores their season-long dominance. The Pirates have proven unstoppable both at bat and on the mound, while at the other end of the table, the St. Louis Cardinals continue to languish with the poorest record in either league.

The American League, however, remains very much alive. The Boston Red Sox hold a six-game lead over the surging Philadelphia Athletics, but with seven games remaining, the race is anything but settled. Fate has conspired to give fans a fitting finale — five of those seven games will see the two contenders square off directly. If the Athletics can maintain their recent form, the closing series could very well decide the pennant. The rest of the league has fallen away, with the Detroit Tigers anchored at the bottom.

The month of September produced its share of standout performances across both leagues:

American League Awards

Top Batter: Mike Donlin, New York Highlanders — .367 average, 1 home run, 9 RBI, 15 runs scored

Top Pitcher: Smokey Joe Williams, Washington Senators — 4–3 record, 0.89 ERA

Top Rookie: Biff Schlitzer, Cleveland Naps — 3–2 record, 2.29 ERA

National League Awards

Top Batter: Honus Wagner, Pittsburgh Pirates — .373 average, 3 home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored

Top Pitcher: Mordecai Brown, Pittsburgh Pirates — 6–1 record, 0.85 ERA

Top Rookie: Jack Rowan, Brooklyn Superbas — 5–1 record, 3.24 ERA

As the season nears its conclusion, all eyes turn to Boston and Philadelphia, where the Red Sox and Athletics will battle not only for victories, but for the right to challenge Pittsburgh for the world’s championship. Baseball could ask for no finer finish to the summer of 1908.

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Size: 109.0 KB

11-04-2025, 11:41 AM	#331
amead17 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 8,854	September review PENNANT RACES NEAR THEIR FINAL TURN AS SEASON ENTERS ITS LAST WEEK Boston and Philadelphia Set for Decisive Showdown; Pirates Coasting to Glory By Samuel T. Kingsley, Sporting Times October 1st, 1908 As the calendar turns to October and the 1908 baseball season draws to its close, the National League has already crowned its champion, while the American League remains locked in a thrilling chase that promises drama until the very last inning. In the senior circuit, the Pittsburgh Pirates have long since secured their place in the World Series, having officially clinched the pennant on September 17th. They now hold an overwhelming 21-game lead over the Chicago Cubs, a margin that underscores their season-long dominance. The Pirates have proven unstoppable both at bat and on the mound, while at the other end of the table, the St. Louis Cardinals continue to languish with the poorest record in either league. The American League, however, remains very much alive. The Boston Red Sox hold a six-game lead over the surging Philadelphia Athletics, but with seven games remaining, the race is anything but settled. Fate has conspired to give fans a fitting finale — five of those seven games will see the two contenders square off directly. If the Athletics can maintain their recent form, the closing series could very well decide the pennant. The rest of the league has fallen away, with the Detroit Tigers anchored at the bottom. The month of September produced its share of standout performances across both leagues: American League Awards Top Batter: Mike Donlin, New York Highlanders — .367 average, 1 home run, 9 RBI, 15 runs scored Top Pitcher: Smokey Joe Williams, Washington Senators — 4–3 record, 0.89 ERA Top Rookie: Biff Schlitzer, Cleveland Naps — 3–2 record, 2.29 ERA National League Awards Top Batter: Honus Wagner, Pittsburgh Pirates — .373 average, 3 home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored Top Pitcher: Mordecai Brown, Pittsburgh Pirates — 6–1 record, 0.85 ERA Top Rookie: Jack Rowan, Brooklyn Superbas — 5–1 record, 3.24 ERA As the season nears its conclusion, all eyes turn to Boston and Philadelphia, where the Red Sox and Athletics will battle not only for victories, but for the right to challenge Pittsburgh for the world’s championship. Baseball could ask for no finer finish to the summer of 1908.