inancially, while Chicago profited by bearing off the honors of the
League championship for the sixth time during the eleven years'
existence of the National League.

"The clubs of St. Louis, Kansas City and Washington, however, failed to
realize expectations, all three being on the wrong side of the column in
profit and loss, As hitherto, good and bad management of the club teams
had a great deal to do with the results of the season's campaign,
financially and otherwise.

"A feature of the season's championship contest was the telling work
done by the Philadelphia Club. This club closed their first season in
the League as the tail end of the eight clubs which entered the list
that year, the eight including Cleveland, Providence and Buffalo. In
1884 Philadelphia closed the season as sixth. In 1885 they finished
third and in October of 1886 they held third place, but finally had to
close a close fourth, after giving Detroit and Chicago a terrible
shaking up. In fact, the championship games in Philadelphia, the latter
part of September and first week in October, were among the most
noteworthy of the season, for from the 22d of September to the close of
the season in October the club in games with Chicago, Detroit, St.
Louis, Kansas City and Washington won 13, lost 3 and had two draws.

"The struggle for the pennant after the May contest lay entirely between
the Chicago, Detroit, New York and Philadelphia Clubs, the other four
having no show from the very outset.

"A notable incident of the campaign was the fact that in the closing
month it lay entirely in the hands of the Philadelphia Club to decide
whether' the pennant was to go to Detroit or Chicago.

"When Chicago left Philadelphia for Boston the last of September all
Detroit was in a fever of excitement at the prospect of their club's
success. The only question of interest was, 'Would they go through
Philadelphia safely?' It was only when Harry Wright's pony League team
captured the Detroits twice out of four games, one being drawn, that
Chicago felt relief from anxiety as to the ultimate outcome of the
pennant race. It was a gallant struggle by Philadelphia, and it made the
close of the campaign season one of the most exciting on record.

"The League schedule had been raised that season from sixteen to eighteen
games, nine to be played on the grounds of each club, and of these only
twenty-four remained unplayed at the close of the season, fifteen of
which were