--- In SABR_Records@yahoogroups.com, Paul Wendt <pgw@...> wrote:
>
> 21 Feb 2006, hatchersj quoted JPC and replied. I have abbreviated
both.
>
> > --- In SABR_Records@yahoogroups.com, "Jean-Pierre CAILLAULT"
> >> The Reach Guide from 1883 (and 1884 and probably many other
years,
> > too) says
> >> "The club which shall have won the greatest percentage of games
> > played in
> >> the championship series, shall be declared the Champion Club of
> > America, for
> >> the season in which such games were played.
>
> > I don't think tie games counted for anything before 1885 JP.
They
> > weren't even sent to the Secretary as were the box scores of
decided
> > games. The determining factor for the pennant in those days was
> > victories.
>
> "those days" is a broad brush

My point here is that tie games wouldn't have counted for anything
before 1885. But I may be painting with a broad brush here too.
>
> > In the NL meeting on December 6, 1882 printed in the 1883
Spalding
> > Guide it states as follows: "Resolved, That the Chicago Ball
Club of
> > Chicago, Ill., having won the greatest number of games in the
> > championship series, is hereby awarded the LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
of the
> > United States for the year 1882." Later "revisionists" count
drawn
> > games which changed at least one batting championship.
>
> First, that is the NL. Reach was the official Guide of the AA and
its
> rule governed their "Champion Club of America" declaration.

Wait a second. My whole point was in response to whether tie games
would've figured into the percentage. Are you saying that the AA did?
>
> Second, in citing the Guides to 1883 and 1884 seasons, J-P has
> adequately, maybe precisely, zeroed in on the first percentage
rule
> (let's call it that, for short). I recall reading that a
percentage
> rule was first adopted by the AA in 1882, not to say for the 1882
> season. Frank Vaccaro recalls reading that one was adopted by the
NL
> for the 1883 season, not to say in that calendar year, and he
presumes
> that the AA followed. Unless the AA changed its rule governing
1882
> mid-season, this AA rule and the NL rule governing 1883 were the
> percentage rules first in effect in pro baseball, as far as we
know.
>
> Paul Wendt
>
> P.S. "Revisionists" have added a lot more than tie games to the
> official record. The leading revision by magnitude increases the
1877
> season by 50% measured in games and by 20% measured in teams.

I know that Cincinnati's games have been added by revisionists. I
only accept five clubs for 1877. The NL clearly did not want them
counted.
Also, in your opinion, in what order would the 1884 AA standings
look like? I don't have any Reach Guides so my knowledge of their
rules is shakey.

Thanks Paul
Steve Hatcher
>