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EDITED W. S FARNSWORTH
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Giants Have Edge in Battery
Men; But It’s Not a Big One
([T TOW yuh bettln’ on the
t| seerez?”
This bromldiom calls
the debating club to order on the
street corner, in the office of any
place where men can pause for a
moment. The affirmative grabs off
a generous allotment of time for
the opening argument and leads off
with, for instance, this harangue:
' They’re all taking Sox. just like
they all talked Jeffries. And the
Giants are going to surprise them,
just like Johnson did. And I’ll tell
you why. Joe Wood is Boston's
one best bet. If he’s off color it's
good-night. Sox! Now, listen. You
know what winning nineteen
straight did to Marquard. And
Joe Wood has Just finished the
American league's record • run.
Well, the nervous strain has got
him so wabbly that—
"So wabbly that the Yankees
hammered him for a total of two
hits in the first game he pitched
after his run was broken. He’s so
wabbly that his jump ball wabbles
out of the way when a batter wings
at it. Yes, he's gone so far back
that they would begin making hits
off him if they could only see the
ball when he shoots it over."
"That's all right. The Yankees
are a bunch of dubs. I tell you
that record of Wood’s has put him
on the blink for the series. As I
was going to say, in a short series
it’s all in the pitching, and you’ve
got to have men you can depend
upon. The Giants can depend on
Mathewson and Tesreau. Tesreau
is the sensation of this season. He
has got better every day since
spring, and the way he's going now
they can never stop him. And
Mathewson is the greatest pitcher
in the world."
“Maybe he is, considering what
he has done in the past. But what
a man used to be able to do won't
count in deciding the baseball
championship of the world."
"All right. You say Matty used
to be the greatest Well, he's as
good today as he used to be and
the figures show it. What do you
think of that? Last year he won
24 games and lost 12. This year
he has won 26 and lost 13- just the
same percentage—and this year he
has had the greatest control in the
world, averaging less than one base
on balls to a game, and, moreover,
he has had more games kicked
away by bad support this year than
ever before."
It's Up to the Pitchers.
The debaters are certainly right
about the importance of pitching
in a short series like the great
classic. The death-dealing war club
of John Franklin Baker relegated
box work to the shadows last
year, but most world's series are
like those which were featured by
the twirling of Bill Deneen, Mor
decal Brown. Jack Coombs, Ed
Walsh, Christy Mathewson and
Babe Adams. Mathewson is the
greatest of all w. s. heroes. He
set a mark for them all to shoot
at when he won three straight
shutout triumphs over the Athlet
ics in 1905. He had the White El
ephants eating out of his great
right paw. He beat Eddie Plank
3-0 in the first game, trimmed Andy
Coakley 9-0 in the third game and
blanked the great redskin. Chief
Bender, -2-0 in the fifth and decid
ing game of the series.
Bedient, who will likely be
Stahl’s third choice in the box. with
Joe Wood and Ray Collins, makes
a mighty strong looking triple alli
ance. but "mighty strong" describes
New York's slab squad, too
There is no gainsaying the fact
that Mathewson is still the steady,
reliable boxman he was of old, and
that he is pretty certain to pitch
at least one brilliant game against
the Sox. The best ]4tcher in the
world would havi his hands full
opposing Jeff Tesreau, and then
there is Rube Marquard. It is far
from impossibh that the holder of
the world's record for consecutive
victories will prove the hero of the
series.
Pitchers Are Even.
Everything considered, it is non
sense to say that either one of
these pitching staffs outclasses the
other. They are just about equal.
This would be by no means true
if Joe Wood were to suffer a reac
tion on account of his record run,
but. judging from the way he
pitched against the Highlanders,
his slump lasted about as long as
the flight of a shooting star across
the sky.
Ray Collins, the second best
pitcher In the Stahl crew’, while
not generally figured as formidable
as either Mathewson or Tesreau,
is a consistent winner and his
portside delivery may prove even
more effective against the Giants
than Wood's right-handed smoke
balls; for the Giants do not hit
up to form against fork-hand fing
ers. In the post-season series
played by the Giants and Red Sox
in 1909 Mathewson defeated Wood,
but was conquered by Collins. The
sturdy Vermont youth won undying
fame in Boston in that victory
over Matty. He held the Gotham
ites to five scattered hits, two of
which were decidedly lucky ones.
While Collins has not had world’s
series experience, this previous ap
pearance against the Gothamites
will tend to make him feel at home,
and, anyway, his record shows him
in the light of a fine riser to big
occasions. He has done his best
work in crucial games.
Bedient's excellent record for the
season places him on a par as a
rescue man with old Doctor Otis
Crandall, New York's most illus
trious savior of losing games.
HESS WINS EIGHTH IN
ROW FOR PILGRIM CLUB
You can talk about your Marquards,
your Johnsons and your Woods, but
the most marvelous Os all the pitching
performances of the year has been pull
ed by two-headed Otto Hess, former
Pelican pitcher, who arose from the
grave this year and who has just fin
ished eight straight wins for the Bos
ton Nationals team.
If Hess had been a man of reasonable
age. It might have been different. But
he’s old He did grand work for New
< irleans last year, but not one man in a
million supposed that he could get back
in fast company and win any games.
He did, however, ami he won them for
the worst team in modern baseball, the
Pilgrims of Boston.
Verily, this Otto Hess is a wonder.
YALE PLAYS SYRACUSE.
NEW HAVEN, CONN.. Oct. 5.—A
hard struggle was in store for Yale this
afternoon in the game with Syracusi
football eleven. Captain Spalding be
lieves that the Blue is able to win.
THE BASEBALL CARD.
natiSnal league.
Games Today.
Philadelphia in Boston
New York in Brooklyn.
Pittsburg In Cincinnati.
St. Louis in Chicago.
Standing of the Clubs.
W L p c W 1.. P C
N York 102 4S TSO Phila . 73 78 .483
P'burg 02 58 .613 St 1. .S 388 .417
Chicago :>0 59 604 Br’kl’n 58 ?4 .382
C’nati 74 77 190 Boston 51 101 .336
Yesterday's Results.
Boston 14. Philadelphia 2
Brooklyn 8. New York 3.
Other* not scheduled
AMERICAN LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Chicago in Detroit.
Cleveland in St. Louis.
Washington in New York.
Boston in Philadelphia,
Standing of the Clubs.
W L P C W L PC
Boston 1"4 4, 689 I p’land. 74 77 .490
Wash. 91 fill 603 1 Detroit. 69 82 457
Phila . .90 61 596 I St. L. .52 100 .342
Chicago 76 76 500 1 N York 40 102 .325
Yesterday's Results.
W ashington 4. N> w York 2
Philadelphia 4. Boston 3.
Chicago 7. Detroit 2.
Cleveland-St. Louis, not scheduled
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 5, 1912.
World’s Best Teams Almost Ready for Final Test—the World’s Series
FIRST CUN IN BIG BOMBARDMENT FIRED TUESDAY
By Monty.
NEW YORK, Oct. 5. —Only three
more days before the Red
Sox come whirling down
from the Hub, sweep out upon the
Polo grounds and close into dead
ly grapple with the Giants for the
highest honors in the baseball
world. While 40,000 fans emit a
mighty roar, there will begin what
promises to be the best old world's
series in the history of the annual
classic.
Are the Bostonians a stronger
team that were the Athletics of a
year ago?
How much stronger are the
Giants than t • :3 months back?
A man who could answer these
questions would be able to pick the
winner, just like that. But it re
mains for Fate alone to decide
what shall be the truthful reply,
the reply that fits the conditions,
that tells correctly the relative
strength of the rivals under high
pressure in a battit of prime im
portance squeezed into the space
of a few short days.
From the standpoint of person
nel alone, leaving out of consider
ation such things as temperament
and tactics, the problem divides It
self into four factors —pitchers,
catchers, infield and outfield. Fig
uring from any angle, the pitch
ing staffs compare practically
even if neither cracks and ascends
as the gas out of a broken balloon.
That much is conceded by all
hands. Tesreau, Mathewson and
Marquard loom up almost on the
same rung with Wood. Collins,
Bedient and O'Brien, so they can
be passed over and the trail of the
dope be followed through the other
de pa rtments.
Giants Have the Catchers.
The edge so far as catchers and
infielders are concerned belongs to
the Giants. The Red Sox have the
better of the outfield argument.
Rut there is no outclassing seen in
any of the wings, except where it
is balanced by the superiority of
the rival in other departments.
Tris Speaker, George Hooper and
Duffy Lewis frame up into the
greatest trio of gardeners in the
game today. As a corps of fly
chasers, abridgers of base hits and
throwers, they are without supe
riors. At attack they are fiends
from the fiery furnace, this apply
ing to Speaker tn particular.
Murray, w ith his proneness to be
spectacular upon occasions, may be
a big factor In the series if he
finds himself not in such a slump
as he suffered in the last world s
series, when he failed to hit any of
the Athletics’ pitchers with effect.
He may offset some of the advan
tage of the Red Sox in the garden
end of the affair. Snodgrass is a
good plugger, consistent but not
sensational, while Devore and
Becker, who will alternate in the
Experts Cover Series for The Georgian
The Georgian will have the greatest array
of baseball talent representing it at the
world's series that has ever covered such an
affair for any Southern paper.
William A. Smith, manager of the Atlanta
baseball club, has been exclusively engaged
and will report the games, play by play, for
The Georgian extras. His reports will appear
in no other papers. This is the first time that
a man of real basebail prominence has ever
covered a series and reported it. play by play,
for any paper. Watch for this big exclusive
feature in The Georgian's baseball extras.
Three big league players will look out for
The Georgian at the games-Marquard, Mey
ers and Carrigan. So well are these men known
remaining job, depending upon
whether the opposing pitcher is a
right-hander or a southpaw, are
just barely above the average.
Giant Infield Strong.
In the Infield the all-around mer
its of the rival components bear
about the same relation to each
other in inverse ratio. The Giant
quartet is more efficient both in
run building and run killing. Odd
ly enough, this fact seems to hold
true throughout the entire array.
Where one man is superior to the
player of corresponding position on
the opposition in defense he also
bears the advantage in offense.
There is one spot in the* inner
bulwarks that is better taken care
of for the Red Sox than for the
McGraw clan. This is shortstop,
where Heinie Wagner, Stahl's field
lieutenant, holds forth. Wagner is
a cat in speed. He gets going in
the direction of a ball batted to
ward his territory, which is no
small area, like a lightning flash.
Wagner can cover more ground
even than the brilliant Arthur
Fletcher, his rival, and Is quicker
to get rid of the ball and make it
whiz accurately toward the intend
ed target. He also is a more valu
able man when his team has the
“ins," his noisy and peppery man
nerisms counting heavily in his fa
vor.
At the other three stations New
York looks to be all to the merry,
although Larry Gardner can give
Charley Buck flerzog a hot scram
ble for third base supremacy. Both
these fellows are good, game men,
with plenty of real baseball brains
as well as mechanical ability. Her
zog. if anything, is a trifle faster
and, therefore, gets the greater es
teem by a hair line.
Larry Doyle is Yerkes' superior
in every task that confronts a sec
ond baseman. Ginger, hard hit
ting, rapidity of movement, alert
ness, throwing and anything else
you can name—in all these Lar
ruping Larry is a better man than
"I Gotcha" Steve.
Merkle Has It on Stahl.
Jake Stahl, at first, though the
gallant leader of the victorious
FODDER FOR FANS
Terre Haute wants Mordecai Brown as
manager. It was with this team that
Brown had his first professional engage
ment.
• ♦ •
Rudy Hulswitt has had enough of base
ball. and if he can find a regular job will
quit for good.
♦ * ♦
Ona Dodd, sent by Waco to Pittsburg,
lias been turned over to Columbus.
• ♦ »
Three men are left on the Giant team
who took part in the world’s series of
1905 and all three are pitchers, Mathew
son, Ames and Wiltse.
» ♦ *
Duffv Lew is, of the Red Sox, has stolen
only seven bases this year a marvelous
record.
* • •
When brothers have played ball, the
oldest has usually been the best. It
worked out that way with the Delehantys.
Clarksons. Clarkes, Walshs, Cobbs, Ew
ings and Evers.
♦ * •
t'p around Cincinnati a gent canvassed
s that it would be a waste of space to dwell on
: their baseball reputations. Marquard will see
5 a majority of the games from the bench and
< can tell of the contest from that angle. Mey
ers and Carrigan will be in almost all games
; and will tell how the battles are waged, from
< the viewpoint of the warriors.
; Also, as there are a few’ million old-fashioned
s folks left who believe that the best stories of
; any game come from men who have made it
; their profession to write them. The Georgian
’ has sent its sporting editor. W. S. Farnsworth.
; to the series. He will furnish daily stories in
s his breezy, inimitable style. No writer in the
} country today is better calculated to handle
; the games in authoritative and entertaining
s fashion than Mr. Farnsworth.
Boston clan, has to bow to Fred
Merkle when it comes to a matter
of individual play. Jake is a great,
old, grizzled veteran, but Merkle
can take his measure at first bas
ing. Both tan the hide off the ball,
but Stahl will get thrown out many
times on drives that for the fester
Merkle would be safe hits. Stahl
also is somewhat of an impediment
on the bases and likewise fails to
cover the ground around his posi
tion quite as well as the Giant. He
may be somewhat surer on thrown
balls, but if so, that Is about the
only thing mentionable in his favor
aside possibly from experience and
headwork, and Merkle is not built
of solid Ivory in the dome by any
means, despite the frequent knocks
hurled in his direction because of
the one most historic wooden-top
play ever turned. ,
The Giants' catching department
is much more dependable as well
as more brilliant than that of the
Hub horde. In our own humble
opinion, Arthur Wilson is at least
the equal of Chief Meyers, if not
more, and the New Yorkers will not
suffer if the Indian is incapacitated
and "Olaf" has to get behind the
swinging bludgeon. Both are eter
nally hard hitters and average base
runners, despite their bulk, and
they also can execute the rough
and fine points of the catching art
In top o' th’ mornin' style. Bill
Carrigan receives much credit from
Stahl for the Red Sox success, but
many find it hard to figure that
Carrigan is anything approaching a
star catcher. The same goes for
Forrest Cady. However, who knows
but what they may upset the dope
just as did Ira Thomas two years
ago, when he was figured the one
weak spot of the Athletics against
the Cubs and then came to the fore
with eclat?
The utility men are certain to
figure largely in the series, and in
case of injuries or other troubles,
both sides are well supplied with
capable reinforcements. Marty
Krug and Henricksen in the out
field and Neal Ball and Clyde En
gel for the infield are the Red Sox
substitutes, while Arthur Shafer
and Hank Groh for the first line of
defense and Burns Tor the garden,
together with Grover Hartley be
hind the bat. form the Giant corps.
They compare about even.
a train, so Bill Pbelon says, for "an ex
pression of your opinions on the great bat
tle before the nation.” When he counted
up the slips, he found them just like this:
Taft 3. Wilson 1, Roosevelt 1, Giants 97
Red Sox 115.
« • •
Which pitcher will McGraw start in the
world’s series? Well, if you were Mc-
Graw, who would YOU start? There isn’t
but one answer.
• • »
Jeff Tesreau receives but S.IBOO in reg
ular salary for his season’s work with
the Giants. However, he gets a bonus of
$1,200. which pulls it up a bit, but not
enough to make a respectable salary for
the man who made the pennant a possi
bility for the Giants.
• • «
A riot is looked for at New York when
the "Sold Out” sign is hoisted at the
Polo grounds. It is estirqated that there
will be 100,000 unsatisfied fans on the out
side. looking at the fences, when it hap
pens. After that—?
Sox Must Win First With Wood
Or Giants Will Cop—Doc White
Bv G. Harris (Doc) White.
White Sox Pitcher.
JOE WOOD and the first game of
the series are the two big “ifs”
that stand in the way of pro
claiming the Red Sox the world's
champions in advance of the game.
The advance wagering makes the
Red Sox the favorites. Not being
in the wagering business and hav
ing no desire to make a wager, I
am not impressed by that. Wager
ing means nothing, except that the
majority of the people who want to
wager favor a certain ball club.
Since the majority of the people
are not going to play in the world’s
championship games I refuse to be
awed or refuse to believe that the
Red Sox are overwhelming favor
ites in the big series.
If Joe Wood wins the first game
I think the Red Sox should be the
favorites. If Wood pitches and
Red Sox are defeated in that first
game, then I would not want to
have much of my money strung on
them.
The first game of a world's series
is always a big factor in determin
ing the winner. It did not hold
good last yoar, but it has been the
general rule that the team that took
the first grabbed the bunting em
blematic of the highest honors that
can be won on the diamond. The
first game this year is going to be
of more importance than ever be
fore, in my opinion.
Opener in Big Battle Means Much.
If Wood can get the first game
the Red Sox will have the edge.
Wood is a strong fellow, a man
who can come back and t if he can
start with a win he should be able
to duplicate and probably make it
three during the series. In my
opinion he is the twirler that will
have to bear the brunt of the work.
If he gets away with a lose the
Red Sox will suffer a tremendous
handicap.
In fact, it is difficult to over
estimate the damage that would be
done the chances of the Red Sox
should Wood be beaten in the ini
tial contest. Not only would the
Indian Summer Concert
The following program will be ren
dered by Prof. Fred Wedemeyer’s band
of twenty-five pieces at the second of
the series of Indian Summer concerts at
Piedmont Park, Sunday afternoon, Oc
tober 6th. 3:30 to 5:30.
1. March. “Caesar’s Triumphal,” Mitchell.
2. Overture, “William Tell,” Rossini.
3. Paraphrase, “Nearer, My God, to Thee,”
Langey.
4. Selection from “Carmen,” Bizet.
5. American Sketch, “Down South,” Myd
dleton.
INTERMISSION.
6. Waltzes, “Beautiful Blue Danube,”
Strauss.
7. Selections from “Pink Lady,” Caryll.
8. “Oh. You Little Bear,” (new), Billy Van.
9. Selection, “Lucia di Lammermoor,” Doni
zetti.
10. Rag Sketch, (a) “Gaby Glide,” Hirsch;
(b) “Oh. You Beautiful Doll.” Moret.
IL Finale, “Star Spangled Banner.”
Red Sox be put under a heavy
handicap so far as the remainder
of the games are concerned, but
their playing would be affected.
It is all right to alk of “game”
ball clubs. I think that the Red
Sox are one all rigit. I'm quite
certain that every -nan on that
team is a courageous ball player,
otherwise the Boston 'ellows would
not have won so eisily in our
league.
Here is what I am getting at.
The Red Sox have unbounded faith
in Wood. He has been almost un
beatable this season. They are
convinced that he will hive all the
better of the Giants. N>w, if the
New Yorkers succeed in orerthrow
ing Wood, then the contdence of
the Red Sox will be shattered and
they will find it difficult to play
with the same dash that thiy would
have shown had their idol won his
game.
Will Be No Runaway Face.
On the other hand, if Wood
should get away to a gooc start
and win not only will the Rtd Sox
have the advantage so far as ictual
games are concerned, but the tonfi
dence which the fellows hat in
Wood at the start will be increged
and heightened until they will be
unable to see how they can be
licked. They will play with greaer
dash and confidence than ever be
fore, and a team possessing t.e
playing strength of the Red So,
reinforced by confidence, forms .
mighty tough combination to beat
That is my reason for saying that
it all depends upon Wood. If he
can win, fine for the Red Sox. If he
loses the opening battle, then it’s
fine for the Giants, because, in my
opinion, the New Yorkers will be
well on their way toward the
world’s championship.
From which it may be gathered
that I am not among those who
think that the Red Sox are going
to run away with that world’s
championship flag. I wouldn't want
to predict the number of games
that it will go, but I don’t mind
saying that I think the Boston lads
will have their hands full, with
their big chance coming right at
the first day.