THE SPORTING TIMES — July 1, 1909
“PENNANT RACES TIGHTEN AS SUMMER BEGINS — PIRATES BACK ON TOP; HIGHLANDERS HOLD SLIM LEAD IN AMERICAN”
By Samuel T. Kingsley, Sporting Times
As the season turns to July and the summer heat begins to take hold, so too have the pennant races in both leagues begun to simmer. Fans from coast to coast are finding plenty to cheer — unless, of course, they make their home in St. Louis, where both clubs find themselves anchored to the bottom of their respective standings.
In the American League, the battle for supremacy remains wide open. The New York Highlanders cling to a half-game lead over the Boston Red Sox, though the gap is far from comfortable. The Cleveland Naps, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago White Sox are all within striking distance — a mere three games separating first from fifth — setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling second half of the season.
Only the St. Louis Browns seem adrift from the fray, their faithful fans growing restless as the club languishes twelve and a half games behind. The Browns, it seems, have little more to play for than pride as summer deepens.
Across the way in the National League, order has been restored — at least for the moment — as the Pittsburgh Pirates reclaimed the top perch with a strong showing through June. Their three-and-a-half game cushion over the Cincinnati Reds gives them breathing room, and their steady form has once again marked them as the team to beat. Still, challengers abound, and the season’s midway mark rarely tells the full story.
At the bottom, however, the St. Louis Cardinals continue to struggle mightily, owning the worst record in all of baseball — a disheartening distinction for the city’s fans who have endured more heartbreak than joy thus far in 1909.
Monthly Awards – June 1909
American League
Top Batter: Mike Donlin, New York Highlanders — .374 average, 1 home run, 18 RBI, 17 runs scored
Top Pitcher: Nap Rucker, Philadelphia Athletics — 7–3, 1.81 ERA
Top Rookie: Jim Scott, New York Highlanders — 4–2, 2.05 ERA
National League
Top Batter: Honus Wagner, Pittsburgh Pirates — .323 average, 15 RBI, 15 runs scored
Top Pitcher: Mordecai Brown, Pittsburgh Pirates — 7–0, 0.79 ERA
Top Rookie: Rip Hagerman, Cincinnati Reds — 3–1, 2.20 ERA
With July now upon us and the true grind of the summer months ahead, the races in both leagues promise drama aplenty — and perhaps a few surprises before autumn settles the final accounts.
