The Washington herald., 1917-10-06
RAIN BEST Bet TO
| WIN OPENING GAME
Weather Conditions May Cause
Postponement of First Game.
px ARTHuR sTREuwE.


Chicago, Oct. 5.-The betting tonight
is not on the result of the nrst game
Of the worlds series but on the
weather. It's one to one shot that
there won't be a game. 1t rained this
morning. 1t threatened this after
noon and 1t Is drizzling heavily again
tonight. There has not been enough
moisture yet to spoil the playing
field but It will not take much more
to render q game tomorrow impos-
sible.
The weather man Is still Inclined to
be cheerful. He says he thinks 1t
may clear up and dry up by tomorrow
! morning but 1t Is not easy to impart
his optimism to the throngs of out
of-towners who crowd the loop dis
trict tonight intent on seeing the first
ball game between the best In the
baseball world tomorrow. They're
distinctly chilled by the drizzle and
gloom.
But here's hoping.
Outside of the weather about the
only topic of interest today has been
the varied attempts of the hordes of
fans to guess the slab artists for the
opening game. Last night 1t appeared
certainty that Cicotte for the Sox
and Schupp for the Giants would
carry the box burden. But the dis
cussions and rumors of today have
weakened that belief. OF course
neither McGraw or Rowland will re-
veal this part of their plans Of battle.
But In place OF Cicotte. the White
Sox rumor Is that Faber will be
called on to hurI the first pitched ball
of the contest and that Sallee will
perform similar honors for the Giants.
Faber, usually a careless and unam-
bilious twirler. but withal one show
ing flashes of real pitching greatness.
has recently been spurred to cast of
his nonchalance and to put steam
and spirit and gray matter behind
every ball he has thrown to the plate.
The result has been that he has shown
an efficiency, cunning and an ac-
curacy that has marked him as an
even likelier pick for initial work
than old reliable Eddie Cicotte.
In the Giant camp there Is also the
belief that Schupp will not be the
final selection for the opening game.
The hint Is out that the veteran
manager of the New York bunch has
his doubts about entrusting the pitch
ing responsibilities of the first game
to so young a man as Schupp. 1t is
thought the Giants would feel safer
and play with more confidence IL they
had a veteran like Sallee or Perritt
in the box. OF these latter two, the
elongated Sallee appears to be the
likelier choice.
Betting has been q little more active
today but there has been no charge
In the figures. It's even money still
with quite a few bets of to that
the White Sox will take the first
game. This is due to the fact that the
bettors look to Cicotte to twirl the
opening contest.
There was a touch OF confidence to-
night in the statement of Comiskey,
the veteran owner OF the White Sox.
This series Is the crowning event
OF my career but it also has a touch
OF sadness for me-" he said. "I never
dreamed there were SO many people
eager to see worlds series. II we
had 10000 seats we probably would
sell out for the entire series and. .many
fans would go away disappointed.
My boys were there with the bunch
In the closing days of the American
League season and believe they will
carry that wallop into the world
series. Jackson and Eddie Collins
started to hit safely and kept right
on going.
ut is my belief that the Giants will
see some clever pitching in this series.
Cicotte for three years has been the
greatest pitcher in the world.
"McGraw has a great ball club
which insures a wonderful world
series. probably the greatest in the
history Of the game. And I believe
my boys will win."
Ban johnson. head OF the American
League was sure that the champions
OF his league would triumph.
81 do not think there will be an in
vestigation of this ball." he said:
"Of course We may have a little dis
cussion over the matter but 1 hardly
figure on any real trouble. The shine
ball Is a myth"
The scalping evil appears to have
been largely throttled. The legitimate
and early demand for tickets was so
great that few have leaked into the
clutches OF the spectators. The latter
were turning down practically all re-
quests today with the word that
they were just out of tickets"