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 16 to 10 at Pittsburgh on July 6th, when Coyle pitched for the champions against Ehret and was badly punished.

The highest percentage made by the champions against any opposing team was .833, which figures were scored against the Baltimore, St. Louis and Louisville clubs; whilst the lowest percentage made by the Bostons was against the Pittsburghs, viz., .444.

There is no questioning the fact that the Boston team led all their opponents in 1893 in team work; that is, they excelled all the opposing teams in "playing for the side," and that involves team work alike in the batteries of the club, in their fielding and above all in their batting and base running; and it was in the two latter specialties that they particularly led every other team in the League. The absurd statement that it was this, that or the other single speciality which gave them the championship needs no refuting argument. It was the combination of headwork play in batting, base running and fielding which made them successful; their team, including a quartette of brainy players in strategic skill which no other club equaled. John M. Ward saw their most telling points in this respect, and he candidly acknowledged their superiority in thorough team work. With this great advantage to back them up, the champions of 1893 could easily have defeated the best picked nine of mere home-position players selected from any other of the eleven League clubs, inasmuch as "picked nines" invariably lack the great essential of "playing for the side," the majority of such nines being record players, and record playing teams never win pennant races. Of course, good management and able captaining aided in the success of the team.

The Pittsburgh club opened its championship campaign in 1893 rather inauspiciously, inasmuch as its team failed to win a single game in April, and at the close of the month it occupied the tail end position in the race, and it remained there until May 3d, when the team jumped out of the last ditch and began to mount to the head of the second division clubs, and by the 8th of May left that division for the season; and, moreover, before the May campaign ended, Pittsburgh got to the head of the six leaders, and on May 31st led in the race by a percentage of victories of .667,