New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-06
TIMELY BITS OF SPORT
Major League Baseball Season
on Its Last Legs.
CURTAIN IN WEST TODAY
John Heydler Thinks Ticket
Scalpers Have Been
Fooled This Year.

The curtain will be rung down on the
baseball season OF 1912 In the West to-
day as It was In the East yesterday
that Is, so far as the National and Ameri-
can League pennant races are concerned
The closing days provided something
more than passing interest in view OF the
night for second place between the Sem
ators and the Athletics in the American
League and between the Pirates and the
CUBS In the cider organization. The decks
are now cleared. however, for the worlds
series between the Giants and the Red
Sox, the FIRST game of which will be
fought 'out at the Polo Grounds on Tues
day. The Giants will enjoy dress re-
hearsal so to speak, on their own dia-
mond tomorrow afternoon while enter
tanning the officers and sailors OF the
North Atlantic fleet in a game with the
Yankees. The regulars will do just
enough work to keep In condition, without :
taking any unnecessary chances Of acct
dent and then rest for the call to arms.
The Red Sox will practise in Boston to-
morrow morning. and leave in the after
noon for this city so as to get good
nights sleep before the struggle begins.
Joe Wood pitcher extraordinary OF tho
Boston Red Sox, celebrated the twenty
third anniversary of his birth yesterday,
day that heretofore has passed unno-
ticed by the clamorins fans" 1t is DIFF
ferent now. for lol Joe Wood is considered
the mainstay of Boston In the box for
the worlds series and one Of the greatest
pitchers Of all time
Wood has won thirty-four games this
year and lost only Ave, for q percentage
Of S72, the highest mark in baseball for
1875 by a. c. Spalding with .S99, but un-
der vastly different conditions. Followers :
Of the sport in Boston have reason to be
confident.
The binding speed with which Wood
delivers the ball was one day described
as smoky" by a Boston enthusiast. and
IL seemed so apt that the word became
his nickname. Although one of the
younger members of the team. he has
been with Boston since 1908. He came
from Hutchinson. Kan. in 1907, which was
his first year in professional baseball. He
had had a record Of a no-hit game there.
and soon after going to Boston his sue
cess as a big league pitcher was assured.
1t was not until this year. however. that
Wood came into his own as the idol Of
the Boston fan"
John Heydler. secretary of the Ma
tional League and personal representa-
tive Of the National Commission in the
handling OF the worlds series tickets,
was back at his desk yesterday after a
day in Boston. He said that the plans
made to circumvent the ticket scalpers
were working well to date, and that so
far as he could see few tickets would
fall into the hands of the spectators.
The public sale Of reserved seats will be-
gin tomorrow morning at the Polo
Grounds. Three windows Will be used.
one for each game. and precautions will
be taken to prevent men hired by the
scaipers from getting in line second
time
Ty Cobb once more shows the way TO
all baseball players In batting. heading
the list with a percentage Of .A4. He is
the first man to complete two seasons in
succession over the 400 mark since 1885,
when Ross Barnes was In his prime.
Joe Jackson. OF Cleveland. is second. and
iris Speaker third. Zimmerman, Of the
Cubs, who heads the National League
list comes fourth. neck and neck with
Larry Lajoie.
John j. McGraw has developed four
pennant-winning teams. Including one
world championship club In 1906. In Ill
OF the nine years since he came from the
Baltimore Orioles to take charge Of the
Giants, In 1905, his men have never nm
ished below third place. With this rec
ord, at thirty-nine years. McGraw is a
veteran in comparison with the Boston
manager at thirty-two, who is enjoying
his first success as the head OF cham
pion team.
No member Of the team which will
strive to capture the worlds champion
ship for Boston calls that city his home.
| Only three of the players, in fact, live In
| Massachusetts,. The homes OF the others
are scattered through a dozen states,
Garland Jake Stahl. the playing man
ager. is the oldest member of the team.
but he is only thirty-one. Heine Wagner,
captain and shortstop. has been the long
est in baseball, rounding out eleven years
this season.
Fred Merkle's power with the bat is
we'll illustrated by the fact that he has
made li5 hits count for a total OF IA
bases this year.
| George StovaN signed a contract yester-
day to manage the ST. Louis Browns
| again next year. Stovall has asked the
! Cincinnati club to set a price on Larry
! Mclean, the catcher.
| and st. Peter. second: Dosoris Park stables
| Zephyr. Strawberry and Annsbelle. third; w:
r. Grace's Takecsre, Alan-a-Dale and Apsii
! Fool fourth.
| Class 33A Especial hunt team)--won By Gyp-
sic Queen Miss Ida L. Fleitman riding; MI
Jsrrocks, Henry Patten Russell ridins; Leo
minister. Jay Coogan, Jr.. riding; seconG. Coro-
net. Miss celestine Hitchcock riding: CsvaheI'