Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-04

Two hours before the time set for the
opening game of the worlds series l5,OOO
people were inside the park, and rivers
OF humanity were running bank deep at
every entrance. Only the lucky holders
of reserved seats were taking their time;
and the ticket Neutrality-suspicious. hawk
faced. dirty-fingered picaroons who sail
the houndess seas OF public tolerance
were taking the money in amounts suf-
ficient to make their crime against their
feliow-ciulens that OF grand larceny.
The entry of baseball team upon the
field is rarely dramatic. The football
players line up behind their captain and
dash out upon the gridiron at brisk
run, every man on the team taking his
part in the spectacular entrance. Foot
ball boys play only or 10 times sea-
son, and pomp and circumstance may be
forgiven them. Baseball folk work at
their trade six and seven days a week
for months at a time. and they dribble
out upon the field as soon as they don
the spangies. A concerted entry they
would regard as a grandstand play; and
in all spring or summer there Is no more
painful sight than the countenances of
30 or 40 baseball players lined up to the
strains Of THE Star-Spangled Banner"
while the pennant creeps slowly to the
top Of the iagpole.
So, even at such an important time, our
friends the Benedicts appeared by ones
and twos and threes. The thousands of
fortunate fans, jammed behind ropes in
the outfeld, recognized each man as he
stepped through the gate, and cheered
long and loud as II trying to drive away
doubt and drown the pessimistic tone of
the press of the country.
The Benedicts were In a, bad way-tho
papers knew II; the fans knew II, but
would not admit 1t; the Benedicts them
selves knew 1t; and. worse than all, the
Shanghais had known 1t for 10 days.
Left-handed pitchers in the other league
knew to the detriment of their winning
percentages that "southpaws" were what
the Shanghai doctor ordered for his line
up: they had won their pennant against
left-handers. The team which hoped to
beat the Shanghais must have right
handed pitchers; and three Of Mace Hen
shaws starboard fingers had gone wrong
-Lowrie, Kilgore and Coons.
Lowrie had been regarded as the hope
Of the Benedicts. with Coons and Kilgore
10 fall back upon. Lowrie had run out on
the club" as the fans phrased 1t. Poor
old Davy Coons had such a sore shoulder
that there was a question whether he
would round into shape inside of six
months; and Kilgore had gone wrong In
September. OF the right-handers, there
remained Barry. Henselman. and Bowen.
Barry was a good man, but wild as a
hawk. Henselman averaged one BRAIN
storm a game; and Bowen was a young
ster who had yet to prove his worth
against first-division teams. The left
handlers were in fine shape-Burchard,
Hawes, and Van Buren,; but the impress
sion prevailed that to send left-handers
against the Shanghais was to court
calamity.
II was not a cheerful crowd OF white
nanneled athletes, who grimly watched
the visitors banging through their bat
ting practice-big. tall fellows in gray
suits. who hit everything squarely on
the nose. and kept the crowd In the out
field lodging line drives.
Mace Henshaw was a game man; but
he dreaded the bell which would bring
the clubs together. Man for man. he
knew he had the better team. The
shanghais were not particularly danger
Gus against right-hander's fast break
ball He had counted on three heavy
guns TO train upon that weakness; but
coons was out Of II. Kilgore was Grip
pied. and Lowrie-weli. no matter what
Mace thought about him. could not
even hint at II.
The Benedict pitchers scattered out be-
fore the grandstand and went 10 work.
Even kilgore Joined the line. Mace
looked them over, trying 20 decide
whether II would be better 10 send In a
high-grade left-hander or a second-rate
nsht-hander. II was choice OF two
evils. For three days the neWspaper
men had demanded 20 know the prob
able order In which the pitchers would
work. Mace had not given them any
answer. Yet the decision must soon be
made.a
The Benediots began their batting
practice. Reporters and photographers