Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-09

the price of admission and a little
extra to buy some lunch. There
were few more in this line than in
the two dollar section but when the
rain came in the early hours of the
morning most of those who had
stood for hours lost heart, sought
shelter or went to their homes. The
old man and the young boy, how
ever, stuck to their places and COW
cred themselves with newspapers to
protect themselves from the rain.
Fans Awake Early
With the first streaks of dawn and
Whlle the rain was still falling light
ly the lines began to grow. Fans
began to tumble from l. trains and
soon all arteries of travel led to the
Polo Grounds. When the gates to
the lower grandstand and bleachers
were opened at o'clock the lines
stretched up and down the streets
and around the grounds.
The shivering fans who stood in
the cold all night were rewarded by
first choice of seats in the unreSerVed
sections. All seats in the upper
pavilion had been reserved and were
sold several days ago. This left
about $4,000 seats to be sold on tho
basis of first come first served, when
the gates opened to-day. The man.
chaser of an unreserved seat go di-
rectly into the grounds. This ar
rangement was strictly adhered to
and gave every patron of the club an
equal chance.
Spectators on Job
Despite every precaution taken by
President Hampstead, reserved seat
tickets were to be had from specula-
tors at the grounds and at the
-. sN,rN 1, IL cor
was asked for one set of tickets to
the three games but prices fell to
day due to the damp weather. The
total attendance was expected to be
more than $4,000, the capacity of the
stands.
While the betting odds favored
the American League champions all
the way from to l to to l, sup
porters of the Giants still were out
wardly optimistic. The local root
ers, while admitting the superiority
of the White SoX in the first two
games, insisted that McGraw's men
have not yet displayed their real
nbility.
The opinion seemed to be general
that either Cicotte or Russell would
start for the visitors, while McGraw
would pin his faith in Sallee' or
| Benton.
New York rooters admitted to-day
that the Giants must win the third
game to have a look-in at the cham
pionship. To lose this game they
agreed, would mean that the world's s
series title would probably go west
for the first time since 1909 when
Pittsburgh captured the series from
| Detroit
Delving into the records of past
games does not hold out any en-
couragement to the followers Of the
National Leaguers. These records
show that since the worlds series
have been played under the rules
sion no team that lost the first two
games ever came through the win
ner of basebalrs classic.
Again, should New York win the
third game, the records would still
be against the Giants, for in the last
twelve years no team that has cap
tured only one of the first three
games decided, ever won the cham
pionship. The New York fans,
however. pin their faith to the un-
certainty of the game and feel this
is just as good a year to upset the
law of averages as any other.
First Two Games
Chicago's attack against New York
up to date is above the average so
far as records go. Tt is pointed out
that prior to Sundays contest which
Chicago won, to 2, seven or more
runs have been made in only seven
of the siXty-seVen games played un-
der National Commission regula-
tions. In five of the last twelve
worlds series the winner of the blue
ribbon event captured the first two
games
Aside from the games won. Chi
cago has q decided advantage in the
pitching Manager Rowland's men
have now batted against McGraw's
best bets. pitchers who the New York
manager expected would at the very
least break even with the American
Leaguers on their own grounds. The
White Sox tapped Sallee sufficiently
to win and hammered Schupp, the
New York star, out of the box. Both
are left-handers. McGraw still has
Rube Benton, another southpaw but
he may decide to try Perritt, his best
right hand finger to stop Comiskey' s
men.
Chicago's pitching has been up to
Manager Rowland's expectations.
Cicotte and Faber the White Sox's
only two offerings so far came
through with victories. Neither was
hit very hard and both now have
the confidence born of victory.
Rowland may decide to pitch these
two men again before taking n
| chance on Russell or on one of his
other twirlers.
New York fans. however, do not
believe that Cicotte and Faber can
duplicate their performance before
n larger crowd at the Polo Grounds.
Heinie Zimmerman land Benny
Kauff always dangerous men Mt the
hat have not yet broken into the hit
column and the ardent supporters nf
the Giants. expect these two burly
batsmen to come through In fine
style before the series Is over.
Fletcher is another good hitter who
has not showed his real form.