Just looking through old standings and found this for the 1910 National League. Thesecond last day of the season had just 3 games on the docket with the standings looking like this:
Code:
TEAM W L GB
Brooklyn 82 71 -
Cincinnati 82 72 0.5
Pittsburgh 82 72 0.5
New York 81 72 1.0
Chicago 79 73 2.5
The Reds and Pirates were done for the year so the three remaining games were:
Boston at Brooklyn
Philadelphia at New York
St Louis at Chicago.
The Cards and Cubs would also play the next day, the only game on the schedule to end the regular season.
The Cubs game was meaningless as they could not win the pennant but if Brooklyn lost there would be a three-way tie for first and if the Superbas lost and the Giants won it would be a four way tie.
New York did it's part as Christy Mathewson came on to pitch the final two innings as the Giants scored the games only run on a 10th inning rbi single off the bat of Jimmy Austin. The 1-0 victory moved the Giants even with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh at 82-72. The Phillies lost meant they ended up 7 games off the pace.
The Superbas were home at Washington Park to face the last place Boston Doves. Brooklyn started 24 year old rookie Larry Cheney (6-4, 2.95) while the Doves countered with a 19 year old rookie named Charlie Schmutz (16-22, 2.49), who in real life played just a few MLB games - but all were with Brooklyn.
The Doves took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but Brooklyn got runs in the second and third to go up 2-1. Boston would tie it in the 5th and it would remain 2-2 heading into the bottom of the 8th inning. It looked like the Superbas had the game wrapped up when Schmutz uncorked a wild pitch with Frank Baker perched on third. Baker trotted home and Brooklyn was 3-outs away from a trip to the World Series.
However, Cheney allowed a lead-off single to John Hummel and then walked Boss Schmidt. With runners on first and second Steve Evans hit a deep fly ball to centerfield. Shano Collins made the catch for the first out but as Hummel tagged and headed for third Collins uncorked a wild throw that was no where near Brooklyn third baseman Baker. As the Superbas tracked down the ball Hummel trotted home and the game was tied at 3. Cheney got out of the inning with no further damage.
So we go to the bottom of th ninth with a very real possibility of a 4-way tie for the National League pennant. It did not happen as Stuffy McIness, the Brooklyn infielder who hit .303 on the season ripped a ball down the left field line that got over the head of Doves outfielder Birdie Cree and bounced around. As Cree was desperately trying to track the ball down McIness was racing around the bases and when the dust settled it was an inside the park homerun for McIness, his 6th homerun of the season, and a 4-3 victory for Brooklyn.
The Superbas finished a game ahead of Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and New York and advanced to the World Series for the first time since 1898 when they were known as the Bridegrooms. The Series did not go well for them as they fell in 5 games to the mighty Philadelphia Athletics.