A third contributing force, though less continuous, was the brief spurt which was made by the Chicago pitchers in the middle of the season. They were strongest at the moment that the New York team was playing its poorest game, and their temporary success assisted in pushing the Chicagos somewhat rapidly toward the top of the league. They were not resourceful enough nor strong enough to maintain their average of victories and finished the season somewhat as they had begun. The most of Chicago's success began to date from the early part of July, when Lavender, pitching for the Cubs, won from Marquard of the Giants, who, to that time, had nineteen successive victories to his credit. Chicago continued to win, and the New York team made a very poor trip through the west. Lavender's physical strength held up well for a month and then it became quite evident that he had pitched himself out. Then was the time that the Chicagos could have used to good advantage two and certainly one steady and reliable pitcher, who had been through the fire of winning pennants and would not be disturbed by the importance which attached to games in which his club was for the moment the runner-up in the championship race. Chicago managed to hold its own fairly well against the New York team. Indeed, the Cubs beat the New Yorks on the series for the season, but there were other clubs, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Cincinnati, which won from Chicago when victories were most needed by the Cubs, and their hope to capture the pennant deserted them as they were making their last trip through the east. The race was not without its bright side for Chicago. Even if the Cubs did finish third for the first time since Chance had been manager of the organization, it was a welcome sight to see Evers apparently in as good form as ever and Zimmerman so strong with the bat that the leadership of the batters finally returned to Chicago after it had been absent for years. * * * * * Cincinnati, under the management of Henry O'Day, finished fourth in the race. It was by no means a weak showing for the new manager, in view of the team which he was compelled to handle. Until the New York club played its first series in Cincinnati, which began May 18, the Reds were booming along at the top of the league, apparently with no intention that they might ever drop back. It was New York that won three out of the five games played and took the lead in the race, and when that happened Cincinnati never was in front again.