The feature of the last monthly campaign of the championship season was the fight for second place between Boston and New York. When the campaign began Baltimore led with the percentage figures of .667, and it was an exceedingly close fight between the "Champions" and "Giants," the former leading the latter by the percentage figures of .645 to .643 on September 3d. The "Phillies," Brooklyns and Clevelands were the next three in the first division, all three being in the five hundreds in percentage points.
Here is the month's record:
THE SEPTEMBER RECORD. —————————————————————————————————————- Date. Contesting Clubs. City. Pitchers. Score. —————————————————————————————————————- Sept 1 New York vs. Cincinnati New York German Whitrock 8-6 " 1 Brooklyn vs. Louisville Brooklyn Stein Hemming 6-5 " 1 Brooklyn vs. Louisville Brooklyn Kennedy Wadsworth 20-7 " 1 Baltimore vs. Cleveland Baltimore Gleason Cuppy 5-2 " 1 Philadelphia vs. St. Louis Philadelphia Carsey Hawley 19-9 " 1 Washington vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Mercer Menafee 11-4 " 1 Pittsburgh vs. Washington Pittsburgh Ehret Mercer 15-6 " 1 Chicago vs. Boston Chicago Terry Stivetts 15-6 " 1 Cincinnati vs. New York New York Dwyer Meekin 8-6 " 1 St. Louis vs. Philadelphia Philadelphia Breitenst'n Fanning 8-6 " 2 No games scheduled " 3 New York vs. Cincinnati New York Meekin Fournier 16-2 " 3 New York vs. Cincinnati New York Rusie Dwyer 6-4 " 3 Brooklyn vs. Louisville Brooklyn Lucid Knell 6-4 " 3 Brooklyn vs. Louisville Brooklyn Daub Inks 9-3 " 3 Boston vs. Chicago Boston Staley Griffith 5-4 " 3 Boston vs. Chicago Boston Nichols Hutchinson 11-4 " 3 Baltimore vs. Cleveland Baltimore Esper Sullivan 13-2 " 3 Baltimore vs. Cleveland Baltimore Hawke Young 10-3 " 3 Philadelphia vs. St. Louis Philadelphia Weyhing Breitenst'n 8-1 " 3 Philadelphia vs. St. Louis Philadelphia Jones Hawley 6-4 " 3 Pittsburgh vs. Washington Pittsburgh Gumbert Maul 22-1 " 4 New York vs. Pittsburgh New York Meekin Menafee 14-13 " 4 Cleveland vs. Brooklyn Brooklyn Cuppy Stein 8-0 " 4 Boston vs. Louisville Boston Stivetts Knell 20-11 " 4 Baltimore vs. Chicago Baltimore Hemming Terry 9-3 " 4 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati Philadelphia Taylor Whitrock 6-2 " 4 St. Louis vs. Washington Washington Breitenst'n Haddock 10-7 " 5 New York vs. Pittsburgh New York Rusie Ehret 4-0 " 5 Brooklyn vs. Cleveland Brooklyn Kennedy Young 2-1 " 5 Boston vs. Louisville Boston Nichols Wadsworth 7-6 " 5 Baltimore vs. Chicago Baltimore Gleason Hutchinson 12-3 " 5 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati Philadelphia Carsey Dwyer 15-6 " 5 Washington vs. St. Louis Washington St'kdale A.Cl'kson[1] 7-4 " 6 New York vs. Pittsburgh New York Meekin Gumbert 6-5 " 6 Baltimore vs. Chicago Baltimore Hawke Griffith 14-6 " 6 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati Philadelphia Weyhing Fischer 14-7 " 6 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati Philadelphia Taylor Whitrock 16-2 " 6 Washington vs. St. Louis Washington Mercer Breitenstein 12-2 " 6 Cleveland vs. Brooklyn Brooklyn Sullivan Lucid 13-2 " 6 Louisville vs. Boston Boston Inks Staley 15-10 " 7 No games scheduled " 8 Boston vs. Chicago Chicago Nichols Hutchinson 3-1 " 8 Baltimore vs. Louisville Louisville Gleason Knell 6-3 " 8 Brooklyn vs. St. Louis St. Louis Stein Hawley 6-1 " 8 Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia Pittsburgh Menafee Weyhing 13-7 " 8 Cincinnati vs. Washington Cincinnati Dwyer Haddock 14-9 " 9 St. Louis vs. Brooklyn St. Louis Br'tsenst'n Kennedy 7-5 " 9 Brooklyn vs. St. Louis St. Louis Kennedy Hawley 11-7 " 9 Baltimore vs. Louisville Louisville Hemming Wadsworth 9-4 " 9 Cleveland vs. Chicago Chicago Cuppy McGill 9-5 " 9 Cincinnati vs. Washington Cincinnati Whitrock Mercer 4-1 " 9 Cincinnati vs. Washington Cincinnati Fisher Stockdale 7-6 " 10 New York vs. Cleveland Cleveland Rusie Sullivan 13-4 " 10 Boston vs. Chicago Chicago Stivetts Terry 25-8 " 10 Baltimore vs. Louisville Louisville Esper Inks 15-6 " 11 Cleveland vs. New York Cleveland Young Meekin 13-3 " 11 New York vs. Cleveland Cleveland Meekin Cuppy 9-1 " 11 Chicago vs. Boston Chicago Hutchinson Staley 17-2 " 11 Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia Pittsburgh Colcolough Taylor 9-7 " 11 Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia Pittsburgh Ehret Johnson 9-8 " 12 Brooklyn vs. Chicago Chicago Stein McGill 12-8 " 12 Philadelphia vs. Louisville Louisville Carsey Knell 5-3 " 12 Baltimore vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Gleason Dwyer 16-2 " 12 Cleveland vs. Boston Cleveland Sullivan Stivetts 9-8 " 12 Pittsburgh vs. Washington Pittsburgh Gumbert Haddock 9-6 " 13 New York vs. St. Louis St. Louis Rusie Hawley 7-3 " 13 Brooklyn vs. Chicago Chicago Kennedy Hutchinson 8-3 " 13 Boston vs Cleveland Cleveland Nichols Cuppy 11-4 " 13 Philadelphia vs. Louisville Louisville Weyhing Wadsworth 5-2 " 13 Washington vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Mercer Menafee 11-6 " 14 St. Louis vs. New York St. Louis A.Clarkson Meekin 1-0 " 15 New York vs. St. Louis St. Louis Rusie Breitenstein 7-2 " 15 Boston vs. Cleveland Cleveland Stivetts Wallace 7-2 " 15 Chicago vs. Brooklyn Chicago Hutchinson Lucid 10-3 " 15 Pittsburgh vs. Washington Pittsburgh Gumbert Stockdale 11-6 " 16 Baltimore vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Gleason Dwyer 14-3 " 16 Cincinnati vs. Baltimore Cincinnati Parrott Hawke 4-3 " 16 Washington vs. Louisville Louisville Mercer Inks 7-6 " 16 Chicago vs. Brooklyn Chicago Griffith Stein 13-5 " 17 New York vs. Chicago Chicago Meekin Hutchinson 5-2 " 17 Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Hemming Menafee 10-2 " 17 Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Esper Ehret 4-1 " 17 Cleveland vs. Brooklyn Cleveland Sullivan Kennedy 12-6 " 17 St. Louis vs Boston St. Louis Hawley Nichols 6-5 " 17 Louisville vs. Washington Louisville Knell Haddock 7-6 " 18 New York vs. Chicago Chicago Rusie Terry 4-3 " 18 New York vs Chicago Chicago Meekin Griffith 9-6 " 18 Cleveland vs. Brooklyn Cleveland Young Daub 9-3 " 18 Brooklyn vs. Cleveland Cleveland Lucid Cuppy 7-1 " 18 Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Gleason Colcolough 15-8 " 18 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Taylor Fischer 10-4 " 18 Washington vs. Louisville Louisville Mercer Wadsworth 9-4 " 18 St. Louis vs. Boston St. Louis Br'tenst'n Stivetts 5-1 " 19 New York vs. Chicago Chicago Meekin Hutchinson 4-3 " 19 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Carsey Whitrock 12-11 " 19 Cincinnati vs. Philadelphia Cincinnati Parrott Weyhing 8-3 " 19 St. Louis vs. Boston St. Louis Hawley Stivetts 5-4 " 20 Pittsburgh vs. New York Pittsburgh Menafee Rusie 10-3 " 20 Boston vs. Louisville Louisville Nichols Inks 4-3 " 20 Cleveland vs. Washington Cleveland Wallace Boyd 14-8 " 20 Chicago vs. Philadelphia Chicago Abbey Johnson 20-4 " 21 New York vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Meekin Ehret[2] 4-4 " 21 Boston vs. Louisville Louisville Staley Knell 13-6 " 21 Baltimore vs. St. Louis St. Louis Hemming Breitestein 8-4 " 21 Washington vs. Cleveland Cleveland Mullarky Young 4-3 " 21 Chicago vs. Philadelphia Chicago Hutchinson Taylor 11-5 " 22 New York vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Rusie Colcolough 6-2 " 22 Pittsburgh vs. New York Pittsburgh Ehret German 4-1 " 22 Brooklyn vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Stein Fischer 11-6 " 22 Philadelphia vs. Chicago Chicago Carsey Abbey 9-6 " 22 Baltimore vs. St. Louis St. Louis Esper Hawley 6-4 " 22 Boston vs. Louisville Louisville Stivetts Wadsworth 3-2 " 22 Louisville vs. Boston Louisville Inks 6-4 " 22 Cleveland vs. Washington Cleveland Sullivan Anderson 6-5 " 23 Brooklyn vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Kennedy Whitrock 10-9 " 23 Cincinnati vs. Brooklyn Cincinnati Parrott Daub 3-2 " 23 Washington vs. Chicago Chicago Mullarky Terry 6-5 " 23 Chicago vs. Washington Chicago Griffith Boyd 11-5 " 23 Baltimore vs. St. Louis St. Louis Esper Breitenstein 10-4 " 24 New York vs. Louisville Louisville Meekin Knell 8-7 " 24 Boston vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Stivetts Fischer 7-4 " 24 Cleveland vs. Baltimore Cleveland Cuppy Gleason 12-7 " 24 Pittsburgh vs. Brooklyn Pittsburgh Menafee Stein 10-4 " 24 Chicago vs. Washington Chicago Hutchinson Stockdle 17-5 " 24 Philadelphia vs. St. Louis St. Louis Johnson A.Clarkson 21-1 " 25 New York vs. Louisville Louisville Rusie Wadsworth 15-3 " 25 Baltimore vs. Cleveland Cleveland Esper Young 14-9 " 25 Cincinnati vs. Boston Cincinnati Parrott Nichols 9-7 " 25 Cincinnati vs. Boston Cincinnati Whitrock Hodson 5-1 " 25 St. Louis vs. Philadelphia St. Louis Hawley Figgemeir 14-7 " 25 Pittsburgh vs. Brooklyn Pittsburgh Jordan Kennedy 10-7 " 26 New York vs. Louisville Louisville Meekin Inks 9-5 " 26 Baltimore vs. Cleveland Cleveland Hemming Cuppy 7-6 " 26 Pittsburgh vs. Brooklyn Pittsburgh Colcolo'h Kennedy 9-8 " 26 St. Louis vs. Philadelphia St. Louis Breitestein Johnson 12-6 " 27 New York vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Clark Fischer 11-4 " 27 Boston vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Stivetts Ehret 8-1 " 27 Cleveland vs. Philadelphia Cleveland Young Weyhing 26-4 " 28 New York vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati German Whitrock 9-8 " 28 Pittsburgh vs. Boston Pittsburgh Gumbert Nichols 15-9 " 28 Cleveland vs. Philadelphia Cleveland Wallace Carsey 8-6 " 29 Cincinnati vs. New York Cincinnati Parrott Meekin 7-6 " 29 St. Louis vs. Washington St. Louis Hawley Anderson 6-4 " 29 Chicago vs. Baltimore Chicago Hutchinson Gleason 5-4 " 29 Cleveland vs. Philadelphia Cleveland Sullivan Taylor 11-3 " 29 Boston vs. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Hodson Menafee 6-5 " 29 Brooklyn vs. Louisville Louisville Stein Knell 11-4 " 30 Baltimore vs. Chicago Chicago Esper Terry 20-9 " 30 Louisville vs. Brooklyn Louisville Wadsworth Daub 10-8 " 30 Brooklyn vs. Louisville Louisville Stein Inks 12-4 " 30 St. Louis vs. Washington St. Louis Br'tenst'n Mullarky 14-2 " 30 St. Louis vs. Washington St. Louis Hawley Boyd 10-4 " 30 Cleveland vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Cuppy Dwyer 16-16
[Footnote 1: Protested.] [Footnote 2: Forfeited.] —————————————————————————————————————-
THE PITCHING OF 1894.
The pitching of 1894 in the National League arena was in advance of that of 1893, but it has yet to reach the point of perfect work in the box. Somehow or other, managers of teams cannot get it out of their heads that great speed is the principal factor of success in pitching, when the fact is that speed is but an aid to success, secondary in value to that of strategic skill in delivering the ball to the bat.
The experience of the past season in connection with the limit of speed in pitching presents some valuable suggestions which team managers will do well to bear in mind this year. Some years ago, the swift pitching—which had then about reached the highest point of speed—proved to be so costly in its wear and fear upon the catchers that clubs had to engage a corps of reserve catchers, in order to go through a season's campaign with any degree of success. Afterward, however, the introduction of the protective "mitts" led to some relief being afforded the catchers who had been called upon to face the swift pitching of the "cyclone" pitchers of the period. The seasons of 1893 and 1894 were marked by some exhibitions of swift pitching unequaled in the annals of the game, and yet it was not effective in placing the team which held the cyclone pitchers in the lead. If the speed of the ball is too great for catchers to handle, even with the protection the breast pads, masks and the padded gloves of the period afford, why then it is worse than useless. It was skilful, strategic pitching which helped to win the pennant in 1894, and not "cyclone" pitching. Speed is all very well as an important accessory, but without the best of catching to support it, and thorough command of the ball to give it full effect, it is more costly than otherwise.
The Pitching Percentages for 1894.
THE CHAMPION BALTIMORE CLUB'S RECORD.
The complete record of the pitching percentages of victories pitched in, shows that Baltimore's full season's team of pitchers had a general percentage of victories pitched in of .695 by the eight pitchers who occupied the box during the season's campaign. This record excelled the percentage figures of New York's team of five pitchers by 31 points, and that of Boston's seven pitchers by 66 points, the respective percentage figures being, .695, .664 and .629. These figures show the relative strength of the three battery teams, as far as the record of percentage can show them. A better criterion of pitching skill would be, of course, at command, were the scoring rules giving the data of runs earned off the pitching revised properly; but as they were not in 1894, we have to take the next best data at command, that being the percentage of victories pitched in. Taking the records of the first three pitchers named in the Baltimore "battery" team record, as a whole, we do not hesitate to award to McMahon the position of leading pitcher of the club for 1894. Brown led McMahon in percentage of victories against the five Eastern teams, but the former was last on the list against the six Western teams, McMahon's percentage figures against the Western batsmen being .812 against Brown's .500. Against the Eastern teams Brown's figures were .750 to McMahon's .706. But McMahon pitched in 17 games against the Eastern batsmen, to Brown's 4 games only, and that fact counts to McMahon's advantage. Esper stood second in percentage figures against the Western batsmen with the percentage of .889 in 9 games to McMahon's .812 in 16 games. Gleason stood third against the Eastern teams with .625 to McMahon's .706; but against the West, Gleason was fourth, with the percentage of .769 to McMahon's .812. Hawke did service against the West with .688 to .556 against the East. Inks and Mullane stood even at .667 against the West, but Inks led Mullane by .511 to .500 against the East, Horner only pitched in one game. Here is a full record of the eight pitchers of the Baltimore team of 1894, showing what each pitcher did against the Eastern and Western batsmen separately, in victories and defeats against each club, and in percentage of victories pitched in against the batsmen of each section. It is a valuable record, if only in its showing what each pitcher did in the way of victories, against each club of each division.