Evening journal., 1910-10-20
HOPE TO PLAY
BIG GAME TO-DAY
Play Will Be Started in
Chicago Unless Another Rain
Storm InterfereS
TICKETS SCARCE;
FANS SET UP HOWL

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
CHICAGO, Oct. 2O-The weather
man put it on the poor Cubs to-day.
With perfect balmy weather on the
cards here all during the late un-
pleasantness in Philadelphia, the
weather man (who is rumored TO be
Cob rooter) punctured the mercury
bulb last night and the Thermometer
took a header from the high seven
ties to the low ffties Along with the
drop came a cold drizzly rain which
lasted throughout the early morning
hours and sent thousands of fans,
who arose for a peep at the weather,
back to the -whiskers.
1t took more than climatic catastro-
phies to kill off all the baseball bugs
and at 1890 this morning, three close
ly muffied and heavily bottled candi-
dates for first row honors took po-
sition before the box Office at the
West Side Park. Before an hour had
passed they had been joined by 9TH
er rail-birds and by the time the sun
was up, but not out, the snaky, shiv-
ering line had grown to several nun
dred.
Nine-thirty was the hour set for
opening the gates, but long before
that hour an insistent throng was
pushing and showing about the gates,
apparently unmindful of the fact tnat
weather conditions might have TO be
considered.
A bright sunshiny day might have
served to lift the load off the hearts
of Chicago fandom, at least until the
game was underway, but to-day
classified in the weather catalogue as
Suicides delight"-was too much even
for a Chicagoan and festoonS of gloom
hung from the atmosphere itself.
Every Chicago sporting editors Of
fering this morning was an aid Tor
"Optimism" Each scribe had appar-
emily labored diligently to convince
himself and his readers that the Cubs
were to start i'm to-day and walk
away with four straights, but at the
same time. each. mindful of the fact
that he had a reputation as a prognos-
ticator to maintain. had carefully cop
pered every prediction of an ultimate
landing by the National Leaguers All
the worlds championship
The Philadelphia contingent pa
raded about town last night, wearing
little white elephant badges and g
cock-sure air They had money to bel
and were out to give the lie to til
theory that Philadelphians have nc
high speed.
Their wad of currency caused the
odds to tilt and the Athletics became
a / to 2 favOrite
There was little Chicago money al
this price and most of the betting cen.
tered on individual stunts such as
the Cubs success in to-day's game
Bender's ability to repeat his success
and similar propositions.
A number of bets we're registered
at 6 to 5, that the Cubs win the frs
game here.
The manner In which the seats hav
! been disposed Of here and the showin
of the Cubs have put a few hundred 0
the fans in a sad frame of mind an
when President Murphy arrived at hi
Office to-day, he found a beautii~
piece of crepe adorning the doer .
his sanctum. The crepe was nailed Of
securely and the services Of the iani
tor and elevator man we're require
to remove II.
At 8 o'clock the rain had stoppe
and stiff wind was blowing to dr.
things up. though there was a heav
mist in the air. 1t seemed too cold {
make likely any hard rain and tn
management announced that despit
the disagreeable conditions, the gam
would positively be played unless
further fall of rain prevented. Durin
last night and this morning the INTEL
and base lines had been carefully GOV
cred with straw and up to this tim
were in good condition.
In event of postponement to-da
there will be three games played /
succession I'm Chicago. II has bee
agreed that the Sunday game will
played here regardless of postpone
ments, provided the game is needed
Should to-day's be carried over unit
tomorrow, IL will throw the Frida
game on Saturday.
Despite the pessimism of the Chi
cago fans and the adverse winds ther
, was sufficient demand for tickets tC
day to cause howl of indignatiO
against the Chicago management fo
allowing the ticket spectators
dominate the situation. Il was impos
sible to get a reserved seat from any
one to-day but a scalper and SO ticl
cts were bringing from SIS to 81
each.
The big interest early to-day centei
ed in the choice of pitchers and ther
was much speculation as to whethG
= the weather conditions would cause
/ change In the first plans which Gale
for a duel between Reulbach an
, Coombs. Both Mack and Chance d.
clined to state positively this morl
. ing whom they would select and It b.
came evident that the warming U
would determine the final choice.
WET MAN CHTD