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Pittsburgh went 17-9 in September to firmly take the National League’s top record at 99-63. The Pirates repeated atop the NL East Division with their third division title, having also done it in 1888. They led Major League Baseball in run differential (+205) and fewest runs allowed (619). Pittsburgh’s 1241 hits allowed were the third-fewest in NL history and their 7.62 H/9w was second-best.

Boston and New York were both back above .500 with an 89-73 finish for the Braves and 84-78 for the Giants. Brooklyn was fourth (81-81) with Philadelphia fifth (80-82), ending a seven-year run of winning seasons for the Phillies. Buffalo’s eight-year stretch of winning campaigns ended with a franchise worst 66-96.

New Orleans kept their distance to win the NL West at 95-67, a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround from going 62-100 the prior year. The only other team to do it from the league’s worst record was the 1896 Yankees, who made up a 36-game difference. The Pelicans led the majors with 885 runs scored. It was their second division title, joining 1889.

Two-time defending World Series champ Indianapolis was second at 87-75. Both Cincinnati (80-82) and Chicago (79-83) struggled down the stretch to finish with losing records. That ended a five-year streak of winning campaigns for the Reds. Louisville at 61-101 had MLB’s worst record.



Buffalo RF Jimmy Ryan was NL Batter of the Month for September with a .393 average, 6 home runs, 26 RBI, and 22 runs. The two-time MVP played only 59 games all season due to injury, most notably a broken hand at the end of spring training. Boston’s Jack Taylor was Pitcher of the Month with a 5-1 record, 1.70 ERA, and 21 Ks over 53 innings. Pelicans 1B Frank Chance was Rookie of the Month with a .364 average, 6 homers, 22 RBI, and 15 runs.

New Orleans 3B Jimmy Williams posted the third Triple Crown season in MLB history, joining Mike Tiernan (1889) and Kip Selbach (1895). Williams’ effort wasn’t as overwhelmingly dominant and those two, but still makes him the likely MVP with a .342 average, 39 homers, and 128 RBI. He also had the best OPS at 1.059 and had 9.4 WAR, just behind Indianapolis CF Bill Lange’s 9.5.

Pittsburgh’s Jerry Nops won his second ERA title in three years at 2.24. Braves lefty Rube Waddell notably broke the single-season record for pitching WAR at 10.6 and led with 279 strikeouts. Waddell also had a 2.98 ERA and 19-8 record, so he may fare better against Nops’ 16-8 record, 8.2 WAR, and 192 Ks in the Pitcher of the Year race.

In September milestones, Buffalo’s Chicken Wolf and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tiernan both reached 2500 hits. Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton got to 900 stolen bases while Louisville’s Bud Fowler earned his 600th swipe. Brooklyn LF Ed Crane reached the 300 home run club. New Orleans RF Jocko Halligan, Phillies 2B Ed Herr, and Clowns 2B Spider Clark made it to 1000 runs scored.