When it is taken into consideration that there was strife between the two foremost baseball organizations of the country last year, the National and American Leagues, the success attending the game throughout the country during the season of 1902 was little short of phenomenal. In the face of warfare that was a constant battle from start to finish of the season, the attendance at the games was fully up to the standard established in times of peace. In fact, the war in certain sections of the country appeared to popularize the sport rather than to have a depressing effect. There was no effort made by the warring factions to arrange the schedules so as to have non-conflicting dates, and there were times when confileting games were arranged purposely and with the avowed object of fighting it out on parallel lines. Under these unfortunate circumstances it was impossible for every club to make money. Many of them did, however. In the cities of Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and St. Louis, where there were rival clubs, the American League teams proved to be the most popular, and drew the biggest crowds. Especially was this so in Philadelphia and Boston. In Chicago and St. Louis, however, things were more equal, and there is still a question as to which League had the "call" in the two big Western cities. In Philadelphia there were many circumstances that worked favorably for the American League. Sentiment for the name "Athletic" was one thing, and the unpopularity of the management of the Philadel phia National League club was another. But the prime factor in the Athletics' success was the closeness of the American League race, and the self-winning fact that the team won the championship after a battle during which the interest in the contest was kept up to almost the last day of the race. The Philadelphia club, on the other hand, never had a "look-in" for the National League pennant all the season, and the supineness of that club's management in failing to secure the services of that great player, Napoleon Lajoie, when it had the chance, completely "soured" Quaker City "fans" toward the National League club. Consequently, the Athletics simply walked away with everything, including money and popularity. In Boston things were somewhat similar to the Philadelphia situation. The Boston American League team was nearly always up near the top. had better grounds and more popular management than the conservative old triumvirs who controlled the destinies of National League baseball in the Hub on lines of a decade ago. In cities, however, where there were no rival clubs, the National League did far better than the American League. In New York, where the local team trailed along near the bottom all the season and finished disgracefully in last place, the game was never more popular. Whenever the "Giants" took a brace, which they did occasionally, crowds would turn out at the Polo Grounds in the best average attendance in the history of the game in Manhattan. In Pittsburg, too, the "Pirates" met with phenomenal financial success, notwithstanding the fact that they had a walkover for the pennant and had the "cinch" from the very start. The Cincinnati and Brooklyn clubs also had a balance on the right side of the ledger. while Chicago and St. Louis surely held their own. Of the American League clubs, those of Detroit, Cleveland, Washington and Baltimore did not do over well, Baltimore being a dragnet. Owing to the inroads made in the ranks of National League players by the American League, as a direct result of the warfare between the two organizations, the parent body was left in a sad state. At the start of the season there was but a single team that could, by thhe widest stretch of imagination, be named as up to National League class. The Pittsburg team had been left intact by the American League raiders, but every other team had been drained almost to the dregs. The Philadelphia and St. Louis clubs were especially hard hit. The shrewd American Leaguers accomplished exactly the object they intended, for the National League race was a runaway from start to finish, the "Pirates" being the only team in sight. The winners not only beat out their nearest rivals, the Brooklyns, by 28 games, but also made a record in games won of 103, beating Boston's previous best record of 102 games in 1898 by one victory. The Pittsburgs' percentage over Brooklyn was .198, which is the highest any winner of a pennant ever got over the second team. Beaumont. holds heretofore left untouched. But there was one good result gained by the American League raid-in that it was the means of developing many young players who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to get into major league clubs. Numbers of the ambitious youngsters showed themselves as being fully capable of holding their own with the old-timers, and, in fact, several developed into stars of the first magnitude. This infusion of young blood was needed, and will result in the dropping by the wayside of many blase old leaguers who have been in the business so long that the semi-monthly walk of their club's "ghost" is more of a pleasure to them than the winning of games. And so the players possibly have builded better than they thought by their bullfrog tactics. Never in the history of baseball was there such high salaries paid to players as during the season of 1902. The competition for players' services, as a result of the war afforded the players the opportunity to accumulate yearly stipends that make a bank president's salary look like stage money. As an instance of the princely sums necessary to be offered to tempt the "downtrodden" ballplayers, a certain star was offered by the New York club in the Fall of 1902, $10,000 in cash and a contract for $25,000 additional for two years' service, making the player's salary $35,000 for two years' "pleasurable excitement," for that is all professional baseball is with a winning club, as was once remarked by one of the crack players to the writer. Contract jumping has been one of the worst features developed by the war, and unless some means are adopted to stop it, the game will suffer untold disaster from it. There was a time when a ballplayer's word was as good as his bond, but now the repudiating of written contracts is of almost daily occurrence. Such dishonest actions cannot help but prejudice the baseball public against the offenders, and, as a consequence, react upon the game as an honest sport. This war cannot last always, and when the reckoning comes there will be a sad awakening for certain grasping players who have forfeited their manhood for a few paltry dollars. Ballplayers are entitled to all they can get, and no one can blame them for taking advantage of the present opportunity, but they should be upright and honest in their negotiations and subsequent actions. Any ballplayer who "jumps" his contract should be forever barred from the game. It is just as dishonest a transaction as selling a game. The National League played under the foul strike rule, while the American League batters were not handicapped by it. Consequently there were 32 players in the latter organizations who finished in the select .300 class, while but 21 of the National League sluggers were inside the .300 fold. This is considered a fit argument for the abolishment of the rule. For the first time in the history of the National League, the season of 1902 saw it without a president. The duties of that office were performed by an Executive Committee of three, of which Mr. John T. Brush was chairman, and upon whom the entire management of the League devolved. The change proved a success, as the good fight put up against the American League demonstrates. The season closed with the war still being waged with vigor by both sides, and the outlook for peace at the close of the playing season was decidedly gloomy and uncertain. The warlike situation was intensified by the raiding of players by both warring factions. Both leagues made claims during the Fall and Winter to every one of the crack players in the country, and so clouded was the situation at the close of the year that the actual make-up of any team in either league was a matter of speculation or guesswork. The prospects for 1903 are that the fight will be carried to the bitter end, especially so as the American League is carrying out its theory of expansion by the invasion of New York City and other National League strong A noticeable feature of the season of 1902 was the success that attended the first year's existence of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leaguers, under the leadership of President P. T. Powers. The organization is composed of all of the most prominent minor leagues in the country, and was formed for mutual protection against possible inroads in the ranks of its players by the major leagues. The National League saw fit to abolish the national agreement, under which the minor leagues were afforded player protection, and the success attained as a result of the new organization has been such that the association will be continued indefinitely. The following table shows not only the records of the first and second clubs, but also the tail-enders in every National League race from 1876 to 1902. It is valuable from the fact that it shows the immensely stronger team the Pittsburg team of this year was over its nearest rival, the Brooklyns, and also the leading team's percentage each year over the last team. It shows conclusively the detrimental effects resulting from war. In 1890, the year of the Players' League, when the so-called "Brotherhood" was in existence, the Brooklyns finished 499 points ahead of Pittsburgs, winning 63 more games than the "J. Palmer O'Neill's misfits," the tail-enders of that most disastrous season. During that year an even more disastrous war was on than distinguished the season of 1902. This year was little better, for the difference between the leading Pittsburgs and the tail-end New Yorks was 388 points, a sad commentary on the evil results of friction. Harry O'Hagan, manager of the Rochester Club, of the Eastern League, made an unassisted triple play during a game with Jersey City last Summer. O'Hagan was playing first base, Mack was on first and Shoch on second. A short infield fly was knocked, and O'Hagan ran for it, making what seemed to be an impossible catch, retiring the batter. He ran to first, Mack having started for second, and touched the bag, retiring his second man. Shoch had run to third, but started back to second. O'Hagan, after touching first, made his way to second and reached it in time to retire Shoch. The only other unassisted triple play on record was made by Paul Hines during a National League game at Providence, R. I., in 1878. One man was on first and one on second base. A high fly was knocked to short centre field. Hines, by a hard run, got under the ball. Without stopping, he ran to second base and stood upon it. The man who ran over the base was out. Hines touched Manager McGraw. the other man as he came to second base, making the third out. This record has been contested, but Charles E. Lincoln, of the Boston Herald, then official scorer for the National League, asserts that it is HOW PENNANTS WERE WON. correct. Since 1876 the Boston club has cago, 6; Baltimore, 3; Brooklyn, 3; dence, 2, and Detroit, 1. It was in 1876 that the first year "Al" Spalding, "Ross" Barnes, original "big four," were induced $2,800 to desert the Boston club and infusion of "stars." won the cham the biggest deal ever made in base sensation. In 1880 Chicago won those famous pitchers, "Larry" Cor gether with a team that included Burns, Gore and others. This great seasons and won the pennant almost came disintegrated, and Boston be superseded by Providence the Charley Radbourn were the Provi under the able leadership of Anson, ond "big four" deal was consum Manager Watkins, of the Detroit this purchase Detroit secured the die" Richardson, "Jack" Rowe and ured in the first "big four" trans second deal was also a success, as in 1886 and won the championship to the front with "Jim" Mutrie as "Buck" Ewing, John Ward, "Tim" nor, Jim O'Rourke, and others, held This brought the situation up to most of the best players in the League. Brooklyn won the National League pennant that season. won the championship 8 times; ChiPittsburg, 2; New York, 2; Provi"big four" deal was made. In that 'Jim" White and "Cal" McVey, tho by salaries ranging from $3,500 to join Chicago. The Chicagos, by this pionship "hands down." That was ball up to that time, and caused a again by securing the services of coran and "Fred" Goldsmith, tosuch cracks as Anson, Williamson, team was kept intact for two more as it pleased. Then the team beagain jumped to the front, only to following year. John M. Ward and dence team pitchers. Then Chicago, again went to the fore. The secmated in the Fall of 1885, when club, bought out the Buffalos. By services of "Dan" Brouthers, "Har"Jim" White, the latter having figaction ten years previously. This the Detroits finished a close second in 1887. Then New York jumped manager, and with such players as Keefe, "Micky" Welch, Roger Conthe championship for two years. the Brotherhood fiasco in 1890, when country deserted to the Players' Then Boston took another hold, and won three years in succession, under the leadership of Frank Selee. For three years after that series of victories, "Ned" Hanlon, with his "Orioles," of Baltimore, held the centre of the baseball stage and completely revolutionized the style of playing the game. Team work became a distinguishing feature and has been so ever since. The following table gives the pennant winners from 1876 to 1902, inclusive: The following table shows the clubs occupying second place and those that were the tail-enders from 1876 to 1902: INDIVIDUAL BATTING RECORDS OF NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYERS OF 1902. BATTING AVERAGES. BATTING AVERAGES. Players and Clubs. Beaumont, Pittsburg. Dobbs, Cincinnati Chicago Ahearn, Brooklyn. Barclay, St. Louis. Chance, Chicago. Thomas, Philadelphia Leach, Pittsburg. 140 557 Players and Clubs. 130 541 101 192 14 31.355 Hallman, Philadelphia. 40 157 22 49 1 3.312 Philippi, Pittsburg. Chesbro, Pittsbug. 137 503 51 129 36.256 Eason, Chicago-Boston. The following table gives the records of the heaviest batters of the National League, and the extra long hits made by them: |