Evening journal., 1912-10-17

by GRANTLAND RICE.

. u
BY GRANTLAND RICE.
BOSTON, Mass, Oct 17.-There IS
but one answer to the most dramatic,
heart-tearing world series ever play
ed. Mathewson, the central figure
of the swirling scene, could beat the
Red SoX unaided but he was power
less before the combined assault OF
the Red Sox and the Giants. Briefly,
pitching with all the wonder of his
combined brain, heart and arm he
was unequal to the task of beating
both clubs. He was never greater in
his career, but there is no man that
ever lived who is great enough to
beat H.
Three times he stood and fought
back the Red SoX rush. He carried
them into two extra session rounds in
spite of his support, not through It..
In these three contests he held his
rivals to two earned runs while eight
earned runs were scored behind him
But the answer comes herein the
three games II runs were piled
against him and of these, nine were
presented Boston through the blear-
eyed support of his own henchmen.
Backed up as he should have been,
and counting only the earned runs
made by both contestants, his three
games should have resulted SO; IL
and 2-l with two victories and a
drawn fight in place of two defeats
and a draw.
The Last Stand.
Take that last stand by Mathewson
where, working the deciding battle
after the frenzy of those first seven
games, he came back with the great
est pitching he has shown this year
pitching he has never surpassed
when in his prime He had a one run
lead to the seventh when Stahl pop
ped short fly between Snodgrass
and Murray which should have beer
eaten alive, but which was allowed
to drop safely for a hit A double
followed on from Henricksen's timel,
bat. and the score was tied. But h'
still had an even fight and when thu
redOubtable Murray tore double
from Wood in the tenth and Merkl'
drove him home it semed as if Fat'
at last had turned his way, won ovel
by his valiant battle against such un
beatable odds
Engle batting for Wood lifted a fl,
/ to center aud one man looked gone
The ball scared up an out, looped il
a curving arch to Snodgrass, set TO
the play-thudded into his glove ant
popped out again as If striking tn
/ heart of the rubber trust. Hooper
! however. died on a line smash AM
there was a chance again.
a IannlW aln0nr
Gus hitter. swung weakly and LITE
a short easy foul fly within six fee
of first. Merkle apparently still IL
a trance from the fatal muff in cen
! ter, failed to rush for the ball, whicl
should have been one of the easies
outs of the game, and II fiuttered q
earth.
Between these two plays, the eXtr
$4,000 which had almost disappeare
into Giant pockets, futtered ont an
over to Boston, For Speaker, give
life, slashed a hit and before the rail-
ended Mathewson had lost anothe
/ fight
Beyond sympathy for Mathewsor
we have no alibis to present. Whe
"a series goes to the tenth round Q
the eighth game and swings in tn
balance upon an easy fly ball and
short pop foul Wen leave it to keen
er visions than we possess TO cut int
the dope and award the edge on pla,
ing form.
The Giants outbatted, outpitche
and outplayed Boston on the base
by a margin of to /. But when
team, excelling in these department
with 26 earned runs against II. is III
able to maintain and protect this az
vantage in defensive play, there
certainly no roar coming over Il
break Of the battle. When a tea
can't protect a margin Of fourte'
, earned runs in eight games suficien
~ to win. at least four of the game
there is no opening left to charge u
-, final result to luck. despite the gre
J part luck played all through th
frenzied drama.
, Team For Team.
! Team for team. the Giants batt
! 275 against .223: scored 81 ru
against 25: made IS hits for i
, bases against 81 hits for S5 base
Z, stole 13 bases to Boston's 6 and ear
! ed 26 runs to Bostons II. But again
4 this McGraw's team had 1S errors
BOston's 10, and of the l6, fourte
! came at tight spots of the battle a.
Z brought in runs. Through this wretc
ed defense the Giants first kick
, themselves into the hole and we
q trailing three to one. They IN
r steadied. fought their way back sa
= agcly to even terms and with t
: championship Won, turned again
the last round Of the 75 innings pla
r cd and proceeded to kick it away I
J. yond recall And with all their ra
fielding through the series-lighten
g as il was by any number of brillia
/. plays-they reserved the last
F.: rounds to offer their greatest flare
). and their most miserable work.
J.: Man For Man.
2. Summed up in closer detail Meys
? outbatted and outcaught Ca
4, Mathewson. Marquard and Tesre
+: combined. outpitched Wood, 0'Bri
!: Collins and Bedient
l. Stahl outplayed Merkle by yaI
:: and Nerkes outplayed Doyle as
I. asset to his club AT short Wagr