The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-18
ENTHUSIASTS AT THE METROPOLIS
BELIEVE NOW THAT 1T WILL.
SENTIMENT WOULD FORCE
GIANTS TO PLAY AMERICANS
McGRAW HAS STATED THAT HE
WOULD NOT PLAY.

in Both the Major Organizations
VIII BE Expected to Play "a
worlds Championship Series
General Opinion is That the Amer
fcans Would BE the VictOrs.
VIII New York have two champion
baseball teams, and will they meet in
a series to decide the question of SUI
premacy at the end of the present cam
paign?
These questions have been agitating
baseball fans for weeks and they are
as yet unanswerable except that it is
now a foregone conclusion that the
New Yorks under the leadership of
John McGraw will win the pennant of
the National League.
But the probable success OF the New
Yorks under the management of Clark
Griffith in the very evenly balanced
American League is a problem decided
ly difficult of solution at present. If
they win the pennant, it can be safely
said that they will issue a formal chal-
lenge to McGraws men to meet them
in a series that will arouse the interest
Some time ago McGraw made the
bold statement that his players would,
under no circumstances, play the win
ners of the American League pennant
for the championship of the world. Nc
Graw baseo hts objection to such a Sc
ries on his personal dislike for B. B.
johnson. president of the new organ
liza ton.
But public opinion is in favor of a
worlds championship series! The peo-
pie who have supported the game deem
it their right to see them do battle on
the ball field. If McGraw and his
champions refuse to pick up the gaunt-
let thrown down by Griffith, what will
be the opinion of the baseball public?
What will be the worth of the National
League pennant? 1t is stated on the
best of authority that the men who
own and control the New York Amer
leans will agree to devote half the gross
receipts of a worlds series to any pub
lie charity that Mayor Mcclellan may
designate, the other half to go to the
players of both teams. equally divided.
Giants Surprised Experts.
The New York Nationals have won
their pennant much more easily than
the experts looked for. They have
met with comparatively little opposi-
ton. Pittsburg has never been dan
gerous. From the outset of the race
they have been crippled, captain and
manager. Fred Clarke, being out of
ehe game for nearly half the season.
Then, too. their star pitchers, Lever
and Philippe, have been incapacitated,
while injuries to other great players
have made it impossible for them to
put up anything like the game that
won pennants for them three years in
succession.
With Pittsburg out of it, the Chi
Cages. under Frank Selee, have been
almost the only team in the circuit
capable of making it interesting for
the Giants. The Chicagos have been
strengthened from year to year. but
they cannot be said to contain first
class major league material, although
they can play fast. clean ball at times
Kelly Kicked Too Much.
The Cincinnatis have been disap-
pointment, though they have played
much more consistently than last sea-
son. Their manager, Joe Kelley, has
been in constant trouble with the UNI
pires, and has been repeatedly sus-
pended for rowdyism, which has been
8 severe handicap to the Reds,
The St. Louis team. under Kid
Nichols, the old Boston pitcher, has
been an agreeable surprise, but 1t is
yet far below the former National
League standard.
The Western end of the circuit,
therefore. has been the best OPPOSE
ton that the Giants have encountered.
and it has been outclassed at every
point by the new champions. But
In the East McGraw's men have ex-
perienced a baseball picnic of unusual
flavor. With acknowledged poor
teams before the season was under
way, the officials of the Boston, Phil
adelphia and Brooklyn teams have
spent no money to speak of in an ef-
fort to strengthen.
Relied on His Pitchers.
The Giants have relied chiefly on
their pitchers to help them out. They
have fine crop of twirlers, Mathew
son and McGinnity being stars in the
class with Rusie and Meekin, who
helped to win the Temple Cup for the
New Workers in 1894 from the cham
pion Baltimores headed by this same
clever leader McGraw.
With fine pitchers and two good
catchers in Warner and Bowerman
McCraw has moulded the rest of the
team into form to meet his ideas. He
has a king pin second baseman i'm Gill
bert. a wonderful fielder, but a weak
batsman.
Mccain at first base has been a
good old reliable" while Dahlen al
shortstop never played better ball in
his life Devln. the new third base
man, who had New York by the ears
earlier in the season, has fallen off In
his work. Mertes has been an in and
outer with the stick all the year, and
the same may be said of Browne. the
feet-footed right fielder. but Bresna-
han. the man in center garden, is one
of the best ball players in the business
to-day
Taken altogether. the New York Ma.
tionals have a good fast team, the
equal of last years Pttsburg cham
pions, who succumbed TO the Boston
Americans in the worlds series. If they
meet the New Yorks or Bostons OF
the American League at the end Of
the season, however, II will be safe tc
bet that they will have TO play Their
best to win and that they will not
have anything approaching a walk.
over.
Americans Have the Glass.
When the American League begar
its fight for prestige and patronage
the leaders Of It realized that the bal
players drew the crowds. With this
idea in view they went after the stai
players Of the National League and
got the cream Of them az greatly in.
creased salaries. II is tho opinion Of
every fair-minded. competent baseball
Judge to-day that the American
League. taken 40 q whole IS vastly su
perior 20 the National League IN poin