Mordecai Brown by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Mordecai Brown
Page 108
The 1906-10 Cubs also had an impressive offense to go along with great pitching and terrific defense. They led the league in runs scored only once-in their incredible 1906 season; but finished second each of the next four years. Arch rivals Pittsburgh and New York both led the league in scoring twice. Of no small significance, however, was the offensive efficiency of these Chicago Cubs in taking advantage of scoring opportunities. The Cubs had the best ratio of runs to hits, as well as runs to total base runners of any NL team from 1906 through 1910, besting the league average by 12.6 and 12.8 percent, respectively. This team not only won blowouts; a record of 147-49 in games decided by five or more runs, a five year percentage of .750-but also the close ones. They were 146-82 in one run games for an excellent .640 percentage.
THE PLAYERS: CUBS STRONG AT THE CORE
A great team's players go a long way toward establishing its legacy. The 1906-10 Cubs, for example, are perhaps even better known for their double play combination of Tinker, Evers, and Chance than for their accomplishments; except, of course, for that historical trivia about 1908 being the last time the Cubs won a World Series. The great teams are often identified by their Hall of Fame players, but what really matters is who the