The American pennant race, which during the summer promised such an interesting contest between the Athletic and Brooklyn teams, at the finish had its aspect materially altered by the result of the August campaign, during which the Brooklyn team lost so much ground that they were driven from first place down to fourth. During early September, however, they rallied successfully to recover a portion of their lost ground, and by the 10th of that month they had got back to third place, and were pushing the Athletics for second place.
In the interior, the St. Louis team had almost secured a firm grasp of the pennant, they being ten victories in advance of Brooklyn and nine ahead of the Athletics, which team occupied second place, Cincinnati falling off badly in September. By the 10th of September, too, Cleveland had got ahead of Baltimore, and Louisville was being pushed into the last ditch by Kansas City.
The Eastern teams began their last Western tour in September, and on the result of that tour would depend the championship. Before the middle of September, the St. Louis Club began making arrangements to take part in the World’s Championship series of 1888, so sanguine were they of ultimate success in the race. But “there is many a slip between the cup and the lip” in baseball contests. Here is the full record up to September 10, inclusive.
| CLUBS. | St. Louis. | Athletic. | Brooklyn. | Cincinnati. | Cleveland. | Baltimore. | Louisville. | Kansas City. |
| St. Louis | — | 8 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| Athletic | 6 | — | 7 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 12 |
| Brooklyn | 10 | 8 | — | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 8 |
| Cincinnati | 7 | 6 | 5 | — | 8 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Cleveland | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | — | 7 | 9 | 9 |
| Baltimore | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 7 | — | 8 | 9 |
| Louisville | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 9 | — | 9 |
| Kansas City | 2 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 4 | — |
| Games Lost | 34 | 37 | 45 | 45 | 61 | 64 | 68 | 70 |
|
Games won. |
Per cent. of victories. |
Possible victories. |
Games played. |
Games to play. | |
| St. Louis | 70 | .673 | 106 | 104 | 36 |
| Athletic | 67 | .644 | 103 | 104 | 36 |
| Brooklyn | 66 | .595 | 95 | 111 | 29 |
| Cincinnati | 60 | .571 | 95 | 105 | 35 |
| Cleveland | 43 | .413 | 79 | 104 | 36 |
| Baltimore | 44 | .405 | 76 | 108 | 32 |
| Louisville | 39 | .364 | 72 | 107 | 33 |
| Kansas City | 35 | .333 | 70 | 105 | 35 |
| Games Lost | 424 |
IN the amateur arena, the contests between the four clubs of the New York Amateur League are the only events worthy of special mention. The addition of the Orange Athletic Club, of Rosewell, N. J., to the League has harmonized things since the New Jersey Athletic Association took their team out of the League, and the new member has done some good work in the field this past month. The Staten Island Athletic Club nine is thus far in the van, with the Staten Island Cricket Club team second, and that of the Brooklyn Athletic Club third. Here is the record to August 31.
| CLUBS. |
Staten Island A. C. |
Staten Island C. C. |
Brooklyn A. C. |
Orange A. C. | Victories. |
Games played. |
Per cent. of victories. |
| Staten Island A. C. | — | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 17 | .813 |
| Staten Island C. C. | 2 | — | 4 | 2 | 8 | 14 | .571 |
| Brooklyn A. C. | 0 | 2 | — | 3 | 5 | 16 | .312 |
| Orange A. C. | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 11 | .272 |
| Defeats | 4 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 29 |
NOTE.—For report of the A. C. A. Meet see [Editor’s Open Window].