BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune
CLEVELAND (Saturday, Aug. 3, 1918) — The 1918 baseball season has been pared back from nine more weeks to four after the joint meeting of American and National League owners here today. The decision to halt the season at the close of play on Labor Day, September 2, follows the “work or fight” order handed down from the Department of War in July.
As a result of the trimming, the season will consist of an average of 126 games per club, down from the original 154.
The tables below give the standings in each division at the close of play today, along with the number of games back for each club and the number of games remaining. These figures will be used to determine the clinching and elimination scenarios for the 1918 Playoff of Dreams.
National League East
Club | Record | Percent | Back | Remaining |
New York | 58-39 | .598 | 0 | 27 |
Philadelphia | 43-51 | .457 | 13.5 | 29 |
Brooklyn | 43-51 | .457 | 13.5 | 32 |
Boston | 42-55 | .433 | 16 | 27 |
National League West
Club | Record | Percent | Back | Remaining |
Chicago | 63-33 | .656 | 0 | 33 |
Pittsburgh | 50-44 | .532 | 12 | 31 |
Cincinnati | 42-51 | .452 | 19.5 | 35 |
St. Louis | 42-59 | .416 | 23.5 | 28 |
American League East
Club | Record | Percent | Back | Remaining |
Boston | 60-39 | .606 | 0 | 27 |
Washington | 54-44 | .551 | 5.5 | 30 |
New York | 48-47 | .505 | 10 | 28 |
Philadelphia | 39-57 | .406 | 19.5 | 32 |
American League West
Club | Record | Percent | Back | Remaining |
Cleveland | 57-43 | .570 | 0 | 27 |
Chicago | 45-51 | .469 | 10 | 28 |
St. Louis | 43-53 | .448 | 12 | 26 |
Detroit | 43-55 | .439 | 13 | 28 |
No clubs have been eliminated, though all of them outside the division leaders have moved closer. The New York Giants sport the largest division lead and the Cardinals have the smallest margin of error.
Plans call for the league pennant playoffs to commence on Wednesday, Sept. 4, in the western cities, with Friday reserved for travel. The series would likely proceed on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday in the eastern cities, unless Washington wins the American League eastern loop in which case Sunday would be used.
While the National League team will host four games if the World Series goes the distance, the exact schedule is subject to change depending on the distances between the clubs involved. The slated first game would be Thursday, Sept. 12.