Evening star., 1912-10-07
BUT BOSTON CONTINUES
A FAVORITE IN BETTING
Opener, With Mathewson Against
Wood, May Decide Title.
NATIONALS PLAY IN HARTFORD
Lineup Against Team Made Up
OF Some of the Highlanders.
Chick Gandil Called Home (
by Illness of Wife.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

BY j. ED GRILLO.
NEW YORK. October THAT the
worlds series which opens here tomor-
row will. from standpoint of attendance
and financial results. be the greatest in
the history of base ball. Is generally con-
ceded. Interest In a base ball contest
has never been as great as il is at the
present time.
1t is the topic OF every discussion and
| We're it possible to accommodate those
anxious to the opening struggle "A
| crowd of more than = million would be on
| hand.
| While supporters of the Giants still in
| sist on being given odds. there is not a
disposition on the part of the Boston men
to be very liberal in this respect. Every
one seems to have come to the realization
that New York has an even chance with
Boston and that the predicted walkover
| for the Red Sox will not take place.
Giants in Perfect Form.
| In considering the Giants chances II
will be wei to throw out the performance
of this team during the past two weeks.
The club has not been playing any
where near its form for the simple rea-
| son that McGraw has not been on the
| bench or in uniform since the pennant
| was cinched. But he has his team in
| splendid condition. it is said. Every man
| is fit and ready to go the route and
| there will be no excuses to offer II the
Sox should duplicate the performance OF
| the Athletics last year.
While 1t has been reported from time
| to time that McGraw would depend on
Tesreau. Mathewson and Marquard for
| his pitching in the SERIES 1t is not at all
unlikely that Marquard will not appear
| against the Red SoX. Only in the event
of emergency. 1t Is said, will the big
left-hander be brought out. McGraw fig-
| ures that Tesreau and Mathewson can
| turn the trick If the breaks are such that
| both can get day or so additional rest
| by virtue Of pOstponements.
Mathewson Thoroughly Rested.
Mathewson has had long rest, and ID
said to be in better form than he has
| been at any time this year. McGraw
no doubt intends to again rely upon
Matty to win the series.
This series is apt to be free from any
| ticket scandal. John Heydler, under
whose direction the tickets have been
distributed, has done splendid piece of
work in this respect. and where year
ago it was possible to find tickets on
most any street corner for days before
the series, this year not a single ticket
seems to have fallen into the hands OF
| the Scalpers
Billy Murray scout for the Pittsburgh
club and one of the best posted base ball
! men in the country. makes the assertion
| that the Giants are a 20 per cent strong
er ball team this fall than they Were
md hn 10
that the Red SoX are a stronger team
than the Athletics He argues, however.
that strength does not necessarily mean
victory in world series
Luck Factor in Short Series.
Luck cuts a lot of figure in a seven
game series, and there is no way out OF
it, said he. Il know that the Giants
are a much better team than they were
a year ago. and l don't believe that Bos-
ton has a better team than the Athletics
were last season. Mack's club last fall
was the greatest ball team that L have
seen i'm recent years. and. while L appre-
ciate that the Red Sox are some pump
kins, 1 don't believe that they are to be
classed with the worlds champions OF
year ago.
made up of some of the Highlanders at
Hartford this afternoon, after which the
team will be disbanded Chick Gandii
already has left for his home i'm Shreve-
port because Of the illness of his wife.
Gandil will winter there. He was To
have stopped off at Washington long
enough to have his tonsils removed. but
the illness of his wife prevented this, 50
that he is expected to have the operation
performed at his home.
"Matty" to Oppose Wood.
AS yet there has been no announce
ment as to which of McGraws pitchers
will be sent TO the slab tomorrow. but 1t
is understood that Boston has decided
uton Joe Wood. The Importance of this
first game is causing McGraw to hesi-
tate in his selection. He wants to beat
Wood in the opener because Of the moral
effect such victory would have. and he
realizes that he must have his very
best pitcher in the game TO bring this
about Tesreau might do IT. but IL is
asking a lot for a youngster to open SO
important a series, and it is believed that
McGraw will put IL up to his old stand
by, Mathewson. to stop the Boston star.
Mathewson is expected to be easy pick
ing for the Red Sox. few years ago
they pounded him in a post-season series
and they expect to repeat. McGraw.
however, appears to have every conf
dence in Big Six. Should the Giants beat
Wood tomorrow it would come pretty
near deciding the series in their favor.
To have Wood beaten would be blow at
the Red Sox that probably would lay
them low Wood Is their best bet and
the team would come pretty near to Civ.
ing up hope should he lose the opening
game
Speculation as to Series Hero.
There is much speculation as to who
u.;II he the hero OF the coming series
There is. of course. no way to figure this
because 1t is not always the player with
the best record who stands out In these
struggles. Ty Cobb. for instance. has
never distinguished himself in any OF the
worlds series games, while several play
ers of much less ability have broken into
the hall of fame as q result OF their great
work in a worlds series Boston fans
figure that Wagner and Gardner viii be