PENNANT RACES DIVERGE AS AUGUST DAWNS
By Charles H. Wentworth, Sporting Times
August 1st, 1915
With July now consigned to the record books, the arrival of August finds the two major leagues traveling along very different roads, one marked by keen uncertainty and the other by the firm grip of a single dominant club.
In the American League, intrigue reigns supreme. The Washington Senators presently hold the upper hand in the pennant chase, carrying a narrow two-game advantage over the St. Louis Browns in second place. Close enough to remain a factor are the Detroit Tigers, who sit in third and trail the leaders by five and a half games, while the Cleveland Indians in fourth are but a game further back. Even at the foot of the table the race is not beyond reach, as the Philadelphia Athletics, though twelve and a half games behind, remain close enough that a sustained run of victories could yet draw them back into contention.
The National League presents a far different picture. There, the Brooklyn Robins have set a commanding pace, opening a formidable nine-game lead over the New York Giants in second place, with the Boston Braves a further two games adrift in third. The Robins have placed themselves in a position of great strength, and while much baseball remains to be played, it is increasingly appearing to be their pennant to lose. At the opposite extreme, the Cincinnati Reds continue to endure a season of deep frustration, now thirty games behind the leaders and a full nine games worse off than any other club in either league.
Individual honors for the month reflected the same contrasts. In the American League, Ben Houser of the Cleveland Indians captured top batting honors with a powerful July, much of his production having come earlier in the season with the New York Yankees. Cleveland also claimed the pitching accolades, as Juan Padron earned recognition as both top pitcher and leading rookie after a fine month on the mound.
The National League’s awards belonged almost entirely to Brooklyn. Eddie Collins paced all hitters with a torrid month at the plate, while teammate John Donaldson dominated opposing bats to take top pitching honors. The rookie distinction went to Pittsburgh’s Babe Ruth, who continues to show promise despite the challenges of his first full campaign.
As August opens, the coming weeks promise tension and drama in one league, and the stern test of maintaining supremacy in the other.
