Then they won another single game and immediately after that victory lost to Brooklyn. But that was the last defeat for a long time. Well into the race, with their condition excellent, and playing better ball than they had played since their wonderful spurt of the month of September in 1911, they won sixteen games in succession.
The morning of the Fourth of July dawned hot and sultry. The air was thick and muggy and without life. The Giants were scheduled to play two games that day with Brooklyn, the first in the morning and the second in the afternoon. If they won both of them they would tie a former record, which had been made by the New York team, for consecutive victories.
Perhaps it may have been reaction after the long strain of winning or it may have been an uncommonly good streak of batting on the part of Brooklyn. Surely Brooklyn batted well enough, as the morning game went to the latter team by the score of 10 to 4. In the afternoon Brooklyn again beat the Giants by the score of 5 to 2. Wiltse pitched for New York and Stack for Brooklyn.
The New York team went to Chicago and won twice. Then it lost. The fourth game was won from Chicago and then the Giants lost two in succession.
They won one game and immediately after that lost four in succession. Chicago began to have visions of winning the pennant.
From Chicago the Giants went to Pittsburgh, stood firm in a series of three games, winning two and losing one. Their next call was at Cincinnati and beginning with that series they got back to form a trifle and won five games in succession.
Returning home they were beaten on the Polo Grounds three games in succession by Chicago. After that New York settled into a winning stride again and won six games in succession. Pittsburgh came to the Polo Grounds and stopped the winning streak of the champions by defeating them three times in succession. That was a hard jolt for any team to stand. Yet the Giants rallied and won the test game of the Pittsburgh series.
It was but a momentary pause, for after another victory St. Louis beat New York. The Giants won another game and the next day lost to St. Louis. That finished the home games for New York and the team started west, facing a desperate fight. They lost the first game to Chicago, won the next and lost the third. Going from Chicago to St. Louis they won three games in succession, returning to Chicago, lost a postponed game with the Cubs.
From Chicago their path led them to Pittsburgh where they lost the first contest. Then they made the stand of the season when they beat the Pittsburghs four games in succession.
Cincinnati turned the tables on the Giants to the consternation of the New York fans and won twice, when it seemed as if the Giants were about to start on a career which would safely land the championship. The Giants returned home and beat Brooklyn in the first game and lost the second. They won the next two and then lost again. The championship was still in abeyance. Again they won and then lost to Philadelphia.