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runscottThe pitchers of their day were more likely to "save themselves", knowing they had to go nine. So if their team was ahead by several runs, they relaxed, not all caught up in stats like era (some of the current glamour stats weren't even calculated back then).
It's amazing that today's pitchers give "everything they have", knowing they only have to go 5-6 innings, sit down, and still get paid millions for a 5.50 era! (and probably earn an era incentive bonus for it).