Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-21
WORLDSSERIES
Of 1878 SHOULD
Be 4 H j MN { R
McGraw's Clan and Mack's Tribe
Balance Quite Evenly in the
Early Dope Scales.
By w. J. MBeth,

only are the Polo Grounders and the
shibe Park lads of about kindred
playing strength, but both have been
so erratic the latter part Of the sea-
son that almost anything may be ex-
pected in the great clash.
There never was such a worlds Sc
ries as that between the Red Sox and
Giants last fall-at leeSt. from the
standpoint Of the spectacular. There
were a few pitchin duels, but the
great majority of the contests were
smuggling juhilees. IN which one side
or the other was put to utter route.
AS a rule there were no half meas
ures. Either a team was very, very
good or it was very, very bad. And
cropping out with the most inexcusa-
bic bush" league stuff on every hand
came a series of plays of such ex-
ceptional brilliancy as fairly knocked
the spectators off their chairs.
Went Eight Games.
This series went ght full games,
including one extra inning tie, which
is the very best proof of the balance
of the rivals. Boston outplayed New
York in the first half and outlucked
1t in the second. But for an error in
one Of the early games Ro-ton would
probably have won in four straight
games Finally when the gamest sort
Of a fight put New York on even
terms with the Red Sox and in
VII, IN
game, an error blew the title. New
York had the game bagged before
Snodgrass' mum got the Hub in a
winning mood. Fred Mer.Jle com
pleted the Job by his failure to 20
after little pop foul from Speakers
bat.
Now, during the series both Snod-
grass and Merkle showed several
wonderful plays that helped to save
games at critical stages, but all this
was forgotten when their .Dults lost
the championship.
Luck Cut In.
Luck played very important part
in the worlds series of 1912. Math-
ewson, the very best pitcher on either
cerned, didn't win a game, while
Marquard breezed through to two
easy victories The Giants couldn't
get a run for big Six" while they
simply slaughtered the SOx every time
the "Rube" took a hand. The most
wonderful catch ever shown on a ball
field was produced by Harry Hooper
at the psychological moment. Ii cut
a homer off Larry Doyle and saved a
- 3, H., ~
never be able to make such another
catch That was the Ill fortune Of the
Giants.
II IS the element OF uncertainty
which lends such a charm TO organ
ICED baseball and the uncertain GER
tainly enhanced the last worlds Sc
ries about tenfold. There never were
two such uncertain and erratic OPP
ponents in the autumn classic as the
Gotham and Hub aggregatlons the
day they lined up for the first Skin
mish. Had either side played all sea-
son after the fashion of the worlds
series II would not have finished in
the first division of its company.
Bc,h Are Of Color.
Both the Giants and Athletics have
been going in rather slip-shod IA ashton
for a month. Were they to start the
big doings tomorrow It would be a
luck would win. But before the end
OF another two weeks the prospective
rivals are likely to settle down to real
business NCGraw and Mack will
doubtless bring their forces to the
wire in the very best shape for a bit
ter fight With both teams travelling
at their hest PAGES the series should
be a hummer just as it would be
hummer if both were at their worst.
ar-f1r tc.
form while the other maintained the
erratic behavior that characterized
the stretch run Of the pennant races
the competition in the annual classic
would very likely develop into mucn
of farce.
The Giants have the greatest OPP
portunity imaginable to go round the
world this winter a 9 champions of the
universe l do not see how the Ath-
letics can beat McGraWs bunch if II
is able to get back to the form II
showed the first three months. With
out a 800 hitter MCGraw went
through disastrous slump that last
ed nearly two months. That speaks
volumes for the pitching at his com
mand.
Depends on Pitching.
Pitching is a great deal of a worlds
series argument. In this line Nc.
The crafty leader of the Athletics has
only two very much overwCrked vet
Grams at his Command-SOuthpa paw
Eddie Plank and Indian Bender. Both
have been worked to death. Mack
has a bunch of young talent which
has been very erratic all season. They
may stand up under the strain of
worlds series and again they may not
Outside Of the slab McGraw can
Just about hold his own. Meyers and
Mclean are better all-arOund men
than Schang and Lapp. The Phila-
delphia infeld has shade on the
Giant inner works, but the Giants
have the better garden trio. When
the Giants We're hitting to form they
could hold up their end in this de-
partmeut with the smuggling NaCkmeu.
And what MCGraw lacks in hitting
power he more than makes up for in
sheer speed.