Introducing the Footnote League

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A recap of all the action in the Footnote League during the month of June, 1904.

THE SENATORS FINALLY GET GOING BUT STILL HAVE A WAY TO CATCH THE HIGHLANDERS AND WHITE SOX IN THE AL

CUBS AND PIRATES MAKE A MOVE IN THE NL AS THE BEANEATERS AND PHILLIES COOL OFF A BIT

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT CONTINUES TO IMPROVE


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Hitting stats for the 1904 FL season to date by team.

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A recap of all the action in the Footnote League during the month of July, 1904.

THE HIGHLANDERS HANG ON FOR DEAR LIFE AS THEY SUFFER A HORROR RUN OF INJURIES

THE WHITE SOX STILL LOOMING AS THEIR MAIN RIVAL IN THE AL

THE NL LOOKS A TWO-HORSE RACE BETWEEN THE BEANEATERS AND CUBS AS THE PHILLIES FALL BACK, BUT THE SUPERBAS ARE MAKING A BIT OF A RUN FOR IT AND CAN’T BE RULED OUT JUST YET

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Weighted runs created plus for the 1904 season thru 31 July.

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We often overlook just how many different elements have to coalesce for a player to become more than just a footnote to the history of this great game.

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A recap of all the action in the Footnote League during the month of August, 1904.

BOTH RACES SEEM ALMOST CERTAINLY DOWN TO TWO AS WE ENTER THE STRETCH

THE HIGHLANDERS ARE STILL HANGING ON BRAVELY IN THE AL BUT THE WHITE SOX ARE NEAR ENOUGH IF THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH

THE NL SEES THE BEANEATERS AND CUBS LEFT TO FIGHT IT OUT

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Win Probability Added for the month of August, 1904.

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FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE

As I do each season, I have analysed the progress of teams signing the players they selected in this year’s Rookie Draft.

Here is a rundown with regard to the Round 1 picks:

1 Boston Americans: CF Johnny Bates, 21: signed on 06/25 with a bonus of $1,185. Currently hitting .304 with 2 HR and 31 RBI for the parent club. Rated the FL’s #1 prospect.

2 St Louis Browns: C Babe Phelps, 21: signed on 07/29 with a bonus of $1,029. Currently hitting .154 with 4 doubles at PSL Joplin.

3 Cleveland Naps: SS Billy Shindle, 23: signed on 07/11 with a bonus of $965. Currently hitting .273 with 14 RBI and 25 runs scored at PSL Williamsport. Rated the FL’s #2 prospect.

4 New York Giants: 1B Ed Cartwright, 28: signed on 07/28 with a bonus of $1,094. Has just been added to the big league roster and has so far gone 0-for-2.

5 Cincinnati Reds: LF Ray Blades, 23: signed on 07/21 with a bonus of $1,562. Currently hitting .184 with 3 RBI for the parent club.

6 Chicago Cubs: SS Tom Tresh, 20: signed on 07/25 with a bonus of $1,709. Currently hitting .248 with 18 RBI for the parent club. Suffered a sprained ankle in late August that will see him miss 2 weeks.

7 Boston Beaneaters: SP Jim O’Toole, 19: signed on 07/20 with a bonus of $1,795. HAs so far gone 6-2 with an ERA of 2.52 and 35 K in 72 IP for the parent club, with 5-hit and 8-hit shutouts to his name.

8 Philadelphia Phillies: LF Mike Easler, 20: signed on 07/12 with a bonus of $795. Currently 2-for-9 with 1 RBI at PSL Hazleton.

9 New York Highlanders: 2B Johnny Ray, 22: signed on 07/24 with a bonus of $790. Currently hitting .357 with 3 RBI for the parent club.

10 Philadelphia Athletics: C Stan Lopata, 20: signed on 07/25 with a bonus of $734. Just been called up to the parent club after hitting .264 with 3 HR and 16 RBI at PSL Shreveport.

11 Pittsburgh Pirates: 2B Jim Lefebvre, 21: signed on 07/03 with a bonus of $1,331. Currently hitting .252 with 2 HR and 31 RBI for the parent club. Rated the FL’s #7 prospect.

12 Brooklyn Superbas: 2B Jeff Frye, 23: signed on 06/20 with a bonus of $1,065. Currently hitting .370 with 9 RBI for the parent club. Rated the FL’s #11 prospect.

13 St Louis Cardinals: 3B Bobby Estalella, 22: signed on 07/04 with a bonus of $564. Currently hitting .200 with 1 HR and 17 RBI at PSL Houston. Rated the FL’s #17 prospect.

14 Chicago White Sox: C Mike Ivie, 21: signed on 07/15 with a bonus of $677. Currently hitting .154 at PSL Waterloo.

15 Detroit Tigers: CF Don Demeter, 18: signed on 07/26 with a bonus of $542. Currently hitting .184 with 3 RBI for the parent club.

16 Washington Senators, CF Terry Moore, 21: signed on 07/05 with a bonus of $395. Has gone 1-for-5 since recently being called up to the parent club after hitting .262 with 4 HR and 23 RBI at PSL Chattanooga.

Once again this is a very pleasing result. Nothing worse than having these bright lights not given their chance to shine!

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A recap of all the action in the Footnote League during the month of September, 1904.

A FASCINATING SEPTEMBER SEES LEAD CHANGES AND JOCKEYING FOR POSITIONS THROUGHOUT WITH NEITHER RACE DONE JUST YET

SENATORS SURGE INTO FIRST PLACE IN THE AL

19-6 MONTH SEES CUBS OVERTAKE BOSTON IN THE NL

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With these races just so tight I think it best I take it on a day-by-day basis and see how it all unfolds. Here’s a reminder of how the full standings look at 30 September:

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AL
As the Senators go down meekly to lowly Cleveland, the Highlanders and White Sox put on a show for the ages. A night after what is being hailed as one of the best regular season games in the FL so far, with New York prevailing 5-4 in a 15-inning prizefight that saw them use 25 players, the Sox get their revenge by walking it off on a Hall Lee single in the 10th for a 7-6 win.

NL
A makeup game for a rainout sees the Beaneaters trounce the Cubs 10-2 behind catcher Rick Dempsey, who goes 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI.

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AL
The Senators lose again to the Indians, kept quiet by Dickey Kerr in a 4-1 result. Meanwhile the Sox overcome the early loss of starter Elmer Stricklett, chasing rookie Kirk McCaskill with 8 runs in the first three innings and cruising to an 8-4 win.

NL
Both Boston and Chicago have a day off ahead of a head-to-head three-game series that will undoubtedly decide the pennant.

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AL
All three of the contenders lose: Washington 2-1 to Detroit in 11, Chicago 6-4 at home to Boston, and New York 5-0 in St. Louis.

NL
Now it’s the NL rivals’ turn to serve it up, as the Beaneaters squeeze past the Cubs 7-6 in 11, with a Rick Dempsey sac fly giving the home team the walkoff win.

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AL
It can’t get much tighter as the Sens drop yet another game to Detroit 3-1 while both the Sox (4-2 over Boston) and Highlanders (6-3 against the Browns) take hard-fought wins.

NL
Beaneaters starter Jim O’Toole pitches a seven-hit shutout to ease Boston past the Cubs 2-0.

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AL
Washington barely escapes with a 10-inning 4-3 win over Detroit, with Tommy Hughes going the distance despite conceding the tying run in the 9th. It keeps them in front as both New York and Chicago also win.

NL
The final Chicago-Boston game of the season is another absolute ripper, as Chicago get 2 in the top 10th on a Norm Larker home run and hang on for a 5-3 away win.

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AL
No games scheduled.

NL
The Beaneaters almost throw it away against this Phillies, who score 3 in the home 9th but come up one shy as the visitors take a 6-5 thriller.

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AL
Lou Brissie gives one of the performances of his career, shutting out the A’s in a 2-hit 3-0 CG win to keep the Senators on top, with both New York and Chicago also winning.

NL
The Cubs keep their destiny in their own hands with a clinical 8-2 defeat of the Bucs. Despite beating the Phillies 9-3 with similar aplomb, the Beaneaters have no such agency and must rely on their rivals to falter.

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AL
It’s the Sox and Highlanders who blink first, losing respectively to St. Louis and Boston, both by three runs. When Washington gets past the A’s 2-1 their magic number is suddenly 1.

NL
This one is going right down to the wire as the Cubs lose a 10-inning 5-4 heartbreaker after leading 3-0 and Boston cruises past Philly 10-3 in their final game. Chicago has to win its remaining game to clinch, or else it'll need a tiebreaker to separate them.

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AL
With neither New York nor Washington in action, a 5-4 home loss to the Brown sees the White Sox eliminated. The other two teams both have doubleheaders scheduled tomorrow.

NL
The Cubs sneak past Pittsburgh 3-2 to get them over the line by the barest of margins.

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AL
Washington don’t take any chances, winning the first game of their twin-bill against the A’s 7-1 thanks mainly to starter Ernie Broglio, who goes the distance. New York’s amazingly brave campaign ends in fine style with a pair of 7-4 wins over Boston, but it can’t stop the despair of coming so close only to fall short. A Philadelphia win in the second game makes the official margin just one game, just as it was in the NL.

Boy oh boy, what a season! And we haven’t even got to the pointy end yet!