1894 by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Page 27
distanced from the closest competitor’s 4.97. Even the Philadelphia Phillies, with their four .400 hitters and league leading .350 batting average would finish 18 games out.
From July 5th to the finish these three clubs occupied the three leading positions in the race, the others being virtually not in it, as far as winning the pennant was concerned. This fact alone made the pennant race of 1894 a very one sided one, in that nearly three months of the season's games remained to be played.
At the end of the July campaign the record showed Boston in front, with a percentage figure of .659, to Baltimore's .618 and New York's .613, Boston having taken the lead from Baltimore on July 24th. It was fully expected at this time that the best the Baltimore club would be likely to accomplish would be to retain second place, while New Yorkers were optimistic at this time of the contest that the Giants would soon lead Baltimore. The Boston champions retained first position up to July 30th, while New York tried in vain to push Baltimore out of second place.
Not to be outdone with four .400 hitters in their ranks, on August 4, Baker Bowl, the home stadium of the Philadelphia Phillies, burned down in a fire. The Phillies were forced to play their remaining home games at the University of Philadelphia.