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Toy Cannon
05-28-2004, 03:50 PM
What is the latest in a season (how many games played) a team has been in 1st place with a sub .500 record?
Chisox73
05-28-2004, 10:53 PM
The 1994 Rangers were 10 games under .500 with a 52-62 record leading the AL West when the '94 season was cancelled.

I also know that the NL East in 1973 had 5 of the 6 teams around .500 going into the final weekend,but I don't know if there was a sub-.500 team in 1st place late in the season.
AveUguy
05-28-2004, 11:14 PM
On September 20, 1973 the Mets were 76-77.

Who was in first place in the NL East at the time, I don't know, but they were pretty damn close.
Toy Cannon
05-28-2004, 11:16 PM
The 1994 Rangers were 10 games under .500 with a 52-62 record leading the AL West when the '94 season was cancelled.

I also know that the NL East in 1973 had 5 of the 6 teams around .500 going into the final weekend,but I don't know if there was a sub-.500 team in 1st place late in the season.

That's the answer I was looking for. I don't think the Mets led the NL East with a losing record in '73. After a 3-15 start that year, the Cards came on strong to make it a 4 team race between the NYM, MTL, PITT and themselves. The Pirates totally fell apart and the Mets finished 9-3 to win it all. A most improbable NL champ that year, they somehow managed to beat the Reds 3 out of 5 to go to the WS. Seaver, Matlack and an incredible last half of the season by George Stone made it all possible.
Chisox73
05-28-2004, 11:36 PM
On September 20, 1973 the Mets were 76-77.

Who was in first place in the NL East at the time, I don't know, but they were pretty damn close.

On September 20,1973,Pittsburgh was in 1st place.The next day,the Mets moved into fist place at 77-77.
Yellow Dog
05-29-2004, 01:43 PM
Another thing that was amazing about the '73 Mets was that at the close of play on August 30th they were in LAST place in the NL East. They were only 6.5 games out of first, but with only 30 games left there were FIVE teams they would have to jump in the standings. I doubt if, on that date, many people thought they'd come within a a game of winning the World Series.