The short April campaign of 1894 began on April 19th, on which date eight of the twelve clubs opened the season; New York losing at Baltimore, Brooklyn at Boston, Philadelphia at Washington, and Pittsburgh at St. Louis, rain preventing the games scheduled for Louisville and Cincinnati. On the 20th Chicago opened at Cincinnati with a defeat, as did Cleveland at Louisville. By the end of the month's campaign, on April 30th, the games played left the Boston, Cleveland and St. Louis clubs tied for first place in the month's record, with Philadelphia fourth, Baltimore fifth, and Pittsburgh sixth the second division clubs being headed by Cincinnati—tied with Pittsburgh for sixth place—and followed by Louisville, New York and Brooklyn tied for ninth position, Washington and Chicago, the latter club being a bad tail-ender with a record of eight defeats out of nine games played.
Here is the complete record of the thirteen days' campaign of the opening month of the season, fifty victories and as many defeats having been recorded:
THE APRIL RECORD. ————————————————————————— P P P e P e l r l r L a c L a c W o y e W o y e o s e n o s e n Clubs. n t d t Clubs. n t d t ————————————————————————— Boston 6 2 8 .750 Cincinnati 4 4 8 .500 Cleveland 6 2 8 .750 Louisville 4 5 9 .444 St. Louis 6 2 8 .750 New York 3 5 8 .375 Philadelphia 6 3 9 .667 Brooklyn 3 5 8 .375 Baltimore 5 3 8 .625 Washington 2 7 9 .174 Pittsburgh 4 4 8 .500 Chicago 1 8 9 .111 —————————————————————————
It had been confidently expected that Boston would be in the lead and Cleveland not far off; but that St. Louis should be tied with both for the lead was a surprise. Philadelphia was in its anticipated place, but Baltimore was lower than the club officials had looked for, as also New York, while the fact that the tail-ender of 1893 led the Chicago "Colts" of 1894 was a disagreeable ending of the month's play for the Chicago cranks.
THE MAY CAMPAIGN.
The May campaign changed the relative positions of the twelve clubs materially. By May 31st, Pittsburgh had pulled up to the leading position, having won 18 out of 23 games; and while Cleveland had held its position fairly well, Baltimore had done better than Boston, and New York had won more games than Brooklyn. Chicago, too, had rallied, while St. Louis had fallen off badly, as also Cincinnati and Louisville; the Washingtons winning but 4 games out of 23, that club ending the second month's campaign a bad tail-ender in the figures of May. Here is the record for May:
THE MAY RECORD. ———————————————————————————— P P P e P e l r l r L a c L a c W o y e W o y e o s e n o s e n Clubs. n t d t Clubs. n t d t ———————————————————————————— Pittsburgh 18 5 28 .783 Brooklyn 12 11 23 .522 Cleveland 13 7 20 .684 Chicago 9 12 21 .429 Baltimore 12 6 18 .667 St. Louis 9 16 25 .360 Boston 14 8 22 .636 Cincinnati 7 13 20 .350 Philadelphia 12 7 19 .632 Louisville 6 14 20 .300 New York 13 11 24 .542 Washington 4 19 23 .174 ————————————————————————————
The monthly record differs in its percentage figures from the pennant race record, as the latter gives the totals of the games played from April 19th, while the former gives the totals of each month's games only. A hundred and twenty-nine games, resulting in victories, were played in May, with, of course, the same number of defeats. Seven of the twelve clubs won more games than they lost.
THE JUNE CAMPAIGN.
The June campaign opened with Cleveland in the van in pennant race percentages, the other clubs in the first division being the Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston and Brooklyn clubs in order; New York leading the second division, followed by St. Louis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Chicago and Washington; the leader in the race having a percentage of .690, and the tail-ender .212, a difference in percentage figures of 478 points, showing a poorly contested race thus far. Only two Western clubs by this time remained in the first division, viz., Cleveland and Pittsburgh; New York and Washington being the two Eastern clubs in the second division. Baltimore overtook and passed Cleveland in the first week of the June campaign, and closed the month in the lead. Boston, too, rallied and pulled up in the race from fifth place on June 4th to second position by June 11th, and remained there to the end of the month. Brooklyn also took a jump from sixth place on June 18th to third position on June 29th; New York not getting out of the second division until the last of the month. In the meantime the two Western teams of Cleveland and Pittsburgh began to lose ground, and by the 21st of June they occupied fifth and sixth positions in the race, Cleveland leading their rivals of Pittsburgh by 13 points. On the same date Philadelphia was in third place, but the "Phillies" fell off to fifth position by the end of the month. In victories won during June Brooklyn led with 18 games won out of 23 played, Baltimore being second with 20 victories and 6 defeats, and Boston third with 18 games won to 8 lost. On June 8th Washington had pushed Louisville into the last ditch, and also led Chicago; but the "Colts" got ahead of the "Senators" by the end of the month. On June 30th Baltimore held the lead in the pennant race with the percentage figures of .712 to Louisville's .255, a difference of 457 points, only one Western club being in the first division at the end of the month.