The New York Giants returned to the top this year. After a three-year hiatus, they won the pennant, then lost the World Series to the White Sox. The Giants had gone through a transition period; this was their first championship team that was not led by pitching immortal Christy Mathewson. But they had some new pitchers, and some outstanding hitters. They won the pennant by 10 games, finished ahead of the Philadelpiha Phillies, who were still led by Pete Alexander.

         Pete Alexander was 30 years old this year, he had been in the league for seven years, and had won 190 games in that span. This was his third consecutive 30+ win season; he totalled a remarkable 94 wins over that three-year span, including 36 shutouts. But it was the end of an era; Alexander won only 2 games in 1918, serving most of the year overseas in the army. Like Christy Mathewson, Alexander was struck by tragedy; a shell exploded near his ear, triggering epileptic seizures that drove him into alcoholism, and sent his life into a downward spiral.
        At least, that's the story I grew up on, and it gets most of the facts right. Alexander actually had epilepsy his whole life; he successfully kept it hidden from the baseball world until after the war, when it became worse. I also don't think he was a stranger to alcohol before the war, but certainly his experiences in Europe made the drinking much worse (he was also partly deafened, which didn't help). Anyways, Alexander came back and pitched well for another decade, and had a famous moment in the 1926 World Series. The last years of his life were not happy ones; when inducted to the Hall Of Fame in 1936, he lamented that the honour would not put any food on the table. A movie was made about his life, called The Winning Team, and he was portrayed by Ronald Reagan. I haven't seen the movie, but I should like to someday.
        This was probably the best season of Fred Toney's career. He was a good pitcher, won 139 games in his career. But he is famous for other feats; for one, he was reputed to be the strongest player in baseball while he was active. Also, in May of this year, he threw a no-hitter. That in itself wouldn't make him famous, except that Hippo Vaughn threw a no-hitter in the same game. They went to extra-innings; Vaughn gave up two hits and a run in the 10th, and Toney won one of the most extraordinary ballgames ever played.
        Speaking of Vaughn, I'm including him in my top four, behind Alexander, Toney, and Ferdie Schupp. Vaughn was in the middle of his career at this time; though Toney won the famous game, Vaughn was the greater pitcher, one of the best of the era.