New-York tribune., 1918-09-06
Chicago Cubs Haze Many Chances to Win From Boston,
But Hits That Would Hazp Turned Tide Are Luckiu
Base on Balls to Shean in
Fourth Inning Decides
Battle
By w. !. Macbeth

49,
Sox won the opening game Of the
series for the worlds baseball cham
pionship of. 1918 from the Chicago
Cubs at Comiskey Park this afternoon
Much Of the customary hurrah Of this
annual classic was lacking, but the
game was such a one as to live long in
the annals of the diamond sport.
In wonderful pitching duel. in
which each manager staked his most for
midable southpaw, the mighty "Babe"
Ruth vanquished tho giant Vaughn by
score of l to 0. Though beaten,
neither Vaughn nor the supporting
Cub cast was in any way disgraced
1t was such game as one seldom
sees in the Anal title battles. some
thing which approached the acme of
perfection in every line. AS had been
predicted, this one game at least made
good the prophecy that sterling box
work would predominant. Perhaps
because of the excellence Of the rival
!. pitchers the hard fought engagement
did not develop the customary thrills
one looks for in the blue ribbon of
sports.
A Perfect Game
The game was just bit too perfect
to be as interesting as it might There
were no errors, either of commission
or omission. There we're wonderful
fielding plays, it is true, but these
were the exception rather than the
rule, and they were turned with a
daring that made them appear scarce
ly part of mechanical machine-like
precision.
To such excellent advantage did the
rival boxmen appear that from the
start it seemed but question of
which side would first score. The fur
ther they went the stronger and bet
ter both Ruth and Vaughn appeared
to grow. Big jim was unfortunate
enough to have the big break against
him. This was in the fourth inning,
when was seen the only vital action
of the afternoon.
Vaughn. whose game on the whole
was quite the equal of Ruths wlzadrry,
was unfortunate enough to hand out
the first pass Of the game to Dave
| Shean. first up in the fourth, and from
that gift resulted the only run of the
! day, There followed two clean singles,
from the bats Of Whtcman and Nc
Inns, the punch required to earn
| Shcan's passage home.
If Vaughn is to be criticized at all
for his slight lapse he should not be
criticized tor handing over the free
ticket TO Shean, but for apparent care
| lessness in his tossing to Whlteman
and McInnis later when he was IN
| tight quarters Every ball player and
student of the game knows that jim
Vaughn has nothing to brag about in
the way of curve ball. His fast one
is his chief stock in trade. Yet Vaughn,
in the hole, fed curve balls both to
Whteman and McInnis, and it was these
offerings against which lhe Red Sox
batters leaned to assure the visitors
first blood of the tilt.
Cold Wave Mars Attendance
Ry and by we will get down to the
vitals OF the game in question. A
word or two now on the general color
scheme, or rather lack OF color. The
| crowd seemed smaller than the re
kept away by the cold wave which hit
| the Windy City over night, following
, 8 deluge. There was not the customary
interest one expects in Chicago.
The series attracted less attention
from the start than the pageant in
Grant Park. If any betting developed
over the result Of this particular series
/ those who made the Wa9crs took good
care to conceal their identity. In
short, it was sort of bust, this open
ing game of the 1913 baseball classic.
Even the players involved seemed to
show less dash and spirit than in years
gone by. Perhaps the knowledge that
the game has given away to war is too
great an obsession and oppression for
a profession which has been pampered
and petted after the fashion of tenn
peramental operate stars.
A genuine brand of world series
weather prevailed. The wind swept in
off the lake with penetrating force so
that most everybody was frozen to the
marrow before play was called. The