Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-07

New York, October 6.-The final act
in the baseball drama of 1913 will open
at the Polo Grounds in this city to-
morrow, when the New York Giants
and Philadelphia Athletics meet in the
the first game of the Worlds Series
AS d climax 10 the seasons play the
struggle for championship honors has
surpassed all previous records for in
terest and enthusiasm. Given the
whole hearted support of the weather
man, the series promises to establish
new figures for both attendance and
box Office receipts. For the past week
the Worlds Series has been the one
subject of conversation and argument
in a ma jority of the homes and offices
of both Philadelphia and New York.
The series has been won and lost scores
of times in the minds of the fans. To-
morrow afternoon the players OF the
two competing clubs will proceed TO
settlement of the momentnus question
and within week the worlds cham
pionship team for another year should
be known around the globe.
The tense interest in the result
which prevails among the followers
of baseball throughout the country is
die 70 an unusual sequence of elrcum-
stances. The Giants and Athletics
have already faced each other iii
Worlds Series tournaments twice be
fore and each has a title won at the
expense of the other. Consequently
The contest which begins tomorrow
is the third and rubber series. In ad- |
dition. the two clubs appear to be es-
emily matched in playing strength TO |
degree not usually found in Worlds |
Series eentenders. Where one club Is |
strong in certain department there
is an offsctting weakness in another |
which balances offensive and defensive
strength in the final analysis. So close
" do the teams compare as whole
that it is generally conceded among
PLAYERS and experts that baseball luck
and breaks will figure to an unusual
degree in the deciding of the cham
pionship this autumn.
Is Luck a Factor?
a comparison of the players, position
by position. would appear to favor the
Athletics, for so far as fielding and
batting figtres for this and previous
seasons are available, a majority CT
Inc MatkIlleH dIt SIlbMl Sl1piSti tiihii |
the Giants. To offset this the luck of
BASEBALL. especially in short series /
such as that for the worlds champion
ship, may be expected to lean toward
the National League pennant winners
this season Not since the present
system of Worlds Series play was
started in 1903 has either league sue
ceeded in winning more than three
series. During the first three |
seasons of play the American and Ma |
fional league representatives alternat-
ed in winning the championship title. |
Beginning in 1907 the National League |
captured the honor three years in sue
cession. The American League, repre-
sented by Philadelphia and Boston,
duplicated this feat by winning IN |
1910. 1911, 1872 To win again this sea-
son the Athletics will have to break
the interleague record.
Where Strength Is Found.
Laying aside the element of luck
and comparing the two clubs, position
by position, the Giants are found to De
in the pitching and catching
considering the STATS as
:. whole. while the Athletics have The
of strength on the infield. Lit
tic If any advantage can be said to ex-
list so far as the outfield is concerned
This leaves the batting and base rum
ming Of the rival clubs as assets that
must figure largely i'm the ultimate re-
suit Here again the comparison APP
pears TO show close to an even break.
The Philadelphia players considered as
a team are better hitters, while on the
bases the New York representatives
are. from collective standpoint, fast-
er and more frequent base stealers.
Much depends, therefore, on the start
or edge gained in the opening game, Tor
in series wherein the first four victories
won in seven games settles the contro-
versy, even one-game lead is factor
of advantage which gives remarkable
leeway in both play and bench general
ship. 1t is this initial victory for which
both MeGraw and Mack have been plan
ATHLETICS