JUNE ENDS WITH ORIOLES AND AMERICANS STILL SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
By Charles H. Wentworth, Sporting Times, July 1, 1901
With the month of June concluded, the base ball season has taken on its mid-summer complexion, and the standings in both circuits give much to ponder as the campaign enters its heat.
In the American League, the tale remains largely unchanged at the summit. The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Americans continue to march stride for stride, each boasting a splendid mark of 39–20. Both clubs sit a full five games clear of the Philadelphia Athletics, who, despite the herculean efforts of Nap Lajoie, have thus far been unable to close the gap. At the opposite end of the ladder, the fortunes of the Cleveland Blues, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Senators grow dimmer with each passing day. Those three clubs now find themselves eleven games adrift of the middle of the pack, their seasons threatening to become footnotes rather than contests.
The National League sees a somewhat firmer hand upon the tiller, as the Pittsburgh Pirates continue their strong hold on first place. With a record of 42–22, they command a lead of three and a half games, now over the surging Philadelphia Phillies, who have pushed themselves into the runner-up’s spot. The remainder of the league has faltered, with the Chicago Orphans and New York Giants mired in the depths, though not yet so far behind as to be abandoned entirely.
The month also brought recognition to the finest individual performers of June. In the American League, Nap Lajoie of Philadelphia once again stamped his authority upon the game, striking at a remarkable .423 pace, with 3 home runs, 22 runs driven in, and 20 tallies of his own. On the pitching side, it was Joe McGinnity, the “Iron Man” of Baltimore, who commanded the ball with an iron grip, fashioning a record of 6–1, though his 3.92 earned run average hints at frequent battles hard-fought.
In the National League, Ed Delahanty of the Phillies provided the month’s thunder. He hit a sterling .398, lofted 4 home runs, and accounted for 20 RBI’s and 23 runs scored, a production that has carried Philadelphia into the thick of the chase. The mound honors fell to Deacon Phillippe of Pittsburgh, whose command and coolness brought him a record of 6–1 and an eye-catching 1.60 ERA, marking him the most dependable arm of the circuit.
As July dawns, the races are tightening into clear patterns. Baltimore and Boston remain locked in a struggle for supremacy in the fledgling American League, while Pittsburgh and Philadelphia carry the flag for the senior circuit. The long summer still lies ahead, but the clubs at the bottom must find new vigor quickly, lest their seasons drift irretrievably beyond reach.
