The daily sentinel., 1912-10-08
Worlds Seri, S
Pitchers Battle

The prediction made before every
world series that the crucial games
will be the pitchers battles usually
proves correct. II was SO last year
with the exception of one game, and
promises to be SO this year.
A championship struggle was new
er approacned with keener interest
in the reliance placed upon the pitch
ers than Is the case this year. In
Boston yesterday they celebrated the
23rd anniversary of the birth of
Joseph Wood, a date which has gem
orally passed unnoticed in previous
years, but on this occasion Il marks
the official conclusion of league
championship race which for a great
part is due to young Woods phe-
pOmenal speed. a fortnight ago he
n run of / 6 straight victo-
ries for the Boston club, thereby
equaling the American League rec
ord set this season by Walter John
son of Washington.
Smokey Wood.
The binding speed with which
wood winds up, was one day de-
scubed as smokey" BY Boston
enthusiast and it seomod so apt that
the word became hfs nickname AL
II the team he has been with Boston
since 1908. He came from HutcA-
msou, Kas., in 1900. which was mis-
4rst year In professional baseball
He had had a record OF Il uU-hii
game there and soun after going
TO Boston his success as big lCG!Eun
pitcher was assured, although Ray
Collins was the Boston star at tuat
dime. II was really no. until this
year that Wood came into his own
as the idol Of the Boston fan.
Notwithstanding hat I'm Rubo Mar
guard New York boasts a pitcher
WuU equallGd the worlds REGARD by
pitching ~ couag utiyo Victories IN
the early half of tho past season.
the local followers appear 10 have
side-tracked both LIN ana Mathew
son. while accIoiming young Jcit
TGsreau as the nero OF 1le hour
Matched against the Boston star, is
TesTcau OF the same age, hut his sue
ccssIul career as n big league pitcher
mas virtually bccl confined To- the
latter half Of thn past season.
TcsrcuI New.
Tusreau Is the only man in the Gi-
ants lineup who was not with the
club in the world series struggle last
year McAleer, now president of the
Boston Americans, when manager of
the St. Louis Browns several years
ago, was the first % give young Tes-
reau his first big league trial when
one of his scouts discovered him in
the Trolley League in Missouri. The
now president OF the Boston club
could see no hope in the lads work
and turned him back. In 1905 he
was tried out by lie Detroit Ameri-
cans, but failed
He shifted around amoug five
different Texas clubs until McGraw
discovered him in Shreveport a year
ago last spring and added him TO his
string OF recruits. Instead OF max
ing use Of him, However, MUGraw
farmed him out to Toronto. 1t was
there that TusrCau showed his first
promise aud by the end of the sea-
son he was halcd as one of the best
pitchers in the Eastern League, hay-
ing mastered the art OF the spit
ball" McGrHw recalled him. only to
he disappointed in his wilduess the
first OF the season, but by midsum-
mer he rcgained confidence in the
young pitcher aud has since been
rewarded with the sensational cap
ture Of mauy crucial games. With II
games won to Eve lost, as the season
closes. Tesroau stands at an average
higher than any uf his colleagues
on the Giants pitching stan MoGraw
considers him the peer of Ed Walsh,
the famous "spitball'' pitcher from
lyOutinusl ul iags C1t