The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-09-03
CHANGES NEARLY EVEN IN WORLDS
 CHAMP PIONSHIP
No Tangible Advantage Held By Either Cubs or
 Red Sox for Classic.

world mas yet KnOWHy IHe 4U1o l worlds championship baseball series which opens in Chicago tomorrow be- tween the Chicago Cubs and the Bos- ton Red Sox hardly can expect to get the attention that in former years has been showered on the baseball clas- sic. Nevertheless the indorsement given to the series by Secretary of War Ba- ker and his declaration that the boys lover there" are intensely interested in the outcome, has raised it to far higher plane than lovers of baseball had expected a few weeks ago. Interest in Chicago especrariy mas reached a high pitch as the opening of the series approaches, and as big turnouts are expected at Comiskey Park as attended the games between the White Sox and Giants last fall. Boston has had so much worlds se- ries glory in recent years that no great interest has been noted in the Hub. However the same state of affairs existed in 1916, when the Red Sox overwhelmed the Brooklyn Dodg- CTS.
 Notwithstanding the apparent leth- argy of the Boston fans before the
 
 Field was filled in each game at Bos- ton, including two crowds in excess of 42.0O0. By the time the series swings to Boston, especially should the Sox be in the front, 1t likely will be discovered that Hub fans have warmed to the series as they have in the past when a Boston team was a participant.
 to fo ot hot was in doubt until the last two weeks and that the season will terminate so much sooner than in former years, the usual player by player compari- son largely has been eliminated this year.
 On their form this year the Cubs and the Red Sox seem to be pretty evenly matched despite the fact that Chicago looms up stronger in the fig ures In comparing values. however, one cannot afford to overlook the inn pressive manner in which American League teams have whipped National League entries during the last eight years, in which the National League has managed to win only one series, that of 1914. That year the Boston Braves dazzled the sporting world by  Athletics in 1our straight games.
 During this eight. year period the American League has won 2S worlds series games, against only 15 for the National League, giving the Ameri- cans an eight year percentage of .651. The war has hit both leagues alike, but on the whole. due to the greater number of star players the American League seems to have retained it's ascendancy over the National. This further was proved last spring, when the American League teams rode roughshod over those from the Ma tional.
 Another thing which must be con- sidered in favor of the Boston team is the uncanny success that always has followed Boston hines in worlds series competition. In the five world S series in which a Boston team has participated the Beantown fan all ways has been able to root for a win ner.
 The Red Sox have a remarkable worlds series record to defend. They have a clean slate of victories. Tn 1903, Jimmy Collinss team defeated the Pirates, five games to three. In 1904. the Red Sox claimed the series by de- fault, as the Giants deemed it wiser not to tackle Collins's bunch.
 In 1912, the Red Sox, led by Jake Stahl defeated the Giants on Snod- grass's huff and Merkle's failure to catch foul in the tenth inning of the eighth game ,one game having been tied. In 1915 and 1916, Bill Car rigan's teams simply walked ovel their National League rivals, defeat ing the Phillies in five games in 1915 and disposing of the Dodgers as quickly the following fall.
 In 1914, the Braves defeated tht Athletics in four straight games. Int last nine worlds series games played on Boston soil have resulted in Bean town victories.
 It might be argued that Boston il due to lose, and it must be admitted that the law of averages is agains the Red Sox. But in the last fev years it often has been written by ex perts that under the law of average the American League was due for reverse, whereupon the American League has kicked the law of aver ages into snlithereens.
 The Cubs may be said to hay about the same chance for winnin the 1918 worlds series as the Giantt National League entries of 1917, ha a year ago. The Giants could hay won-they should have won but a lc of "ifs' intervened. Unfortunatel for the National League these 'Ifs always seem to cause its standar bearers no end of trouble.
 Judging from the manner in whic the Cubs hit against National Leagu pitching they have marked supt riority in batting over the Red So. Especially is Chicago likely to mai1 tain this advantage as Ruth, Hoope and Strunk, the leading Red Sox hi ters, will be obliged to bat during considerable part of the series again two crack ft-handers-Vaughn an Tyler.
 Hooper probably will hit as we against the "lefties' as he will again righthanders. Harry won the fift and deciding game of the 1915 S -ies with a home run off Eppa Rixe the lefthanded pitcher of the Phillie and in 1916 he batted .33S against tf Brooklyn pitchers, in which three
 the five games were pitched by soutl paws Marquard and Smith.
 Lefthanders, however, give Ruth great deal of trouble and he is on about so per cent, as dangeror against a southpaw as when he fac a right handler The shifting of u Chicago games to Comiskey Park al will hurt Ruth's effectiveness. Pla ing in the Cub bandbox on the Nor Side, 1t would have been an eesy ma ter for Ruth to knock a few hon runs over the right field fence.
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