New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-14
HISTORY OF BIG SERIES
Athletics Have a Score to Settle
with the Giants.
KEEN NOW FOR REVENGE
Pittsburgh and Detroit the Only
Teams to Play the Full
Seven Games.

. w btu ItFelS viii meet on the HldUl'in
to-day "hen the Giants and Athletics face
each other at the Polo Grounds to begin
the eighth series for the baseball cham
pionshlp OF the world. The same teams
pack In 1876 played the second series "
the fixture which has become one Of tho
greatest. n not the greatest, In the sporting
history Of the country. In that year the
two winners OF the pcnnants IN the Ma
tional and American leagues played for the
first time under the direction and control
Of the National Commission. The Giants
We're pronounced fayorites over Philadei-
phia and were easy winners by four games
TO one SO ;he Athletics, who were then
as now under tho Management OF Connie
MacE. are oGt Tor revenge against the
Giants. whose fortunes are still guided by
McGraw.
Roger Brcsnahan has stated that the
Giants of those days. ard ne played on tho
team. could have three runs as a handicap
and the Giants Of to-day would beat them.
But while the present champions OF the
National League are stronger than their
predecessors. 50 are the Athletics OF to-
day a much stronger team than the one OF
1895. As was the case six years ago.
favoritc although the margin is not 80
great.
The success which attended the first con-
test for the worlds championship was 80
great that the fixture speedily became
established. In 1900 the Chicago cubs ana
the Chicago White Sox We're the con-
| testants The Cubs we're favoyites and the
victory OF the White Sox by four games
TO two was n big surprise. Tho cubs won
! the National League title again IN 1897.
however, and went into the fray with the
Detroit Tigers with much more confidence
and captured four straight games. one
being a tie In 1878 the same teams met
again. with the cubs. as before. big favor
ties. Chicago again defeated Detroit by
! four games to one.
In 1919 the Pittsburgh Pirates were the
! winners Of the National League penrant
| and they FLASHED with the Detroit Tigers.
who established a record by winning three
pennants in succession. In this series there
was no favorlte. but Pittsburgh kept the
title in the National League by winning
| four games out Of seven, Babe" Adams
! proving the savior OF the Pirates and
pitching them 10 victory in three Of the
| four games
After winning the American League title
| in 1905 the Athletics were unable 10 repeat
! until last year, IL taking Connie Mack just
five years to build up a new champion
ship team Pittsburgh failed TO repeat In
| the National League, and the cubs capt
urcd the flag to meet the Athletics in the
worlds series. The result was almost as
great a surprise as the series between the
two Chicago teams I'M 1896, when the White
Sox crushed Frank Chances great ma
chine. BY reason Of their previous victories
over Detroit I'm 1901 and 1905 the cubs were
the favorites. but the collapse Of the Chi
cago pitching stan and the unexpected
strength shown by the Philadelphia t"irl-
ors resulted in an easy victory for the
Athletics by four games to one.
With Davis In the lne-up the Athletics
have five players who were with the nine
when IL met the Giants I'm 1898. one Is
Danny Murphy. who played second base
that year and who row Is a hard hitting
right fielder. Priscoe Lord. who is playing
loft field IN great fashion, and the two
twirlers Bender and Plank. Bender won
the only game from the Giants IN the
series played that year. defeating iron
! Man" McGlnnity tho score Of the game
being to o. McGinnity beat Plank to D
while ua,hcwson won the three other
games. beating Plank TO 0, Coakley 3
to and Bender to 0.
Bender will surely be used I'm the coming
series. as ne is one OF the greatest pitcn-
ors Of the day. Plank has had an eXcep-
tionally good year and also VIII face the
Giants. while Jack Coombs, star OF later
wears. will form the third mainstay in
! the box.
The Giants also arc n new team. only
four players are now with the New York
team who played in the series OF 1870. one
! OF these has joined the ranks OF the sub
stitutes. and the three others are pitchers.
Devlln, who played third base IN that
series. probably will not get into the
present ono unless some OF the inhelders
are injured. Mathewson won the world
| championship for the Giants In 1870 ana
| he is the man 10 be relied on again botn
! Wiltse and Ames were with the team III
! that year. and both are likely to get into
! tho present series IL it runs 10 seven games.