New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-10-02
Championship
Hinges on Work
OF the Pitchers
Long Drawn-Out Series Is
Looked For by Macbeth;
Teams of Equal Strength
By W. ]. Macbeth

~ W. 1VAoCOCtlk
At last New York's dream of the
sporting millennium has come true.
The Giants and Yankees will stage an
exclusive worlds series at the Polo
Grounds, beginning next Wednesday
afternoon, October 5, at z o'clock.
Once before. away back in 1905, there
was an-exclusive series out in Chicago
which settled a city championship as
we'll as a. worlds series title Before
that fervid entertainment had been
concluded Chicago was divided against
itself worse than the North and South
were split after the Civil War. The
partisan fans. organized into roofing
clubs for White Sox and Cubs, respec-
lively, engaged in ten thousand fist
tights and ten million braws. But it
made baseball, and made of Chicago
for years the wonder city of the game.
This year New York is going to
nrssage it's own pet show. and sport
lovers with weak hearts are advised to
remain at home and avoid the jam. It
Is our humble office, however, to leave
the word pictures to another and at
tempt tosestabish some definite line of
calculation as to how the impending
series should terminate.
Let IT be stated here, and most en-
pnatlcallysthat | have no axes to grind.
Sufhce 1T, as q matter of civic pride
that SOME New York team must win
Let 1T be the better one.
Hard to Pick Winner
/ have seen the two local entries in
action many times this year. and for
the life of me dare not attempt to
PICK the winner. | believe they will
clash head-on evenly balanced as to
potential skill as any two teams that
ever faced the starters pistol in this
blue ribbon event of baseball.
To me it looks like a long series,
such q series as that of 1912 between
the Giants and, Red Sox, when it WAS
necessary to play an extra game be-
cause of tie. Either New York team
has the punch to win in hurry.
Neither has that store of dependable
pitchers to assure a quick verdict. The
strength may be there on paper, but
only on paper.
Pitching is going to decide this i'm
pending struggle for the richest
guerdon, contested by the profession.
An analysis Of the respective team
strengths, outside the box--offensiyeIv
as we'll as defensively--leaves one in
vague doubt as to which way the bal
ance should swing when the Two are
weighed.
Frisch Speediest on Bases
Frank Frsch is one of the reallv
great stars of the Giants. He PLAYS at
third base. There is no man on the
Yankees who can approach the Ford
ham Flash for speed. The youngster
y one OF the headiest base runners in
The game to-day, and is also ;, good
hitter, not to mention a handy man
with the bat who can deliver almost
any assignment his manager may ask.
MN has ~.
third base since Home Run Baker
sprung "charley horse" is one of the
fashiest felders Of the Yankee inner
line. Defensively, he may have slight
shade on Frisch. Extensively, ne does
not begin to compare. He loses out
mile IN base running, and McNaliy is
one. Of the speed merchants OF the
Yankees; Frsch undoubtedly has dis
tinct advantage here, but it must be
remembered that old Home Run Baker
is still around and tolerably clipper,
and that as a regular or pinch hitter
he is still able TO hold his own against
the best of the kids.
At short it is a toss-up, as we'll as
at first. Peckinpaugh and Bancroft
are as close as it is possible to hgure
mechanically. Peck just now shows
he ia no longer kid. He seems 10 me
to be just a bit stale, condition
which a few days rest will remedy. At
his best, defensiveiy, not even Ban
croft Is more valuable than peckin-
paugh. Davy is the better man on the
bases, but the Yankee captain when
travelling at his best pace, should off
set this slight disadvantage in hitting.
George Kelly, first baseman of the
Ciantz, Is the Babe Ruth" of Nc
Graw's organization. Here is q slug
ger who would be shining as one Of
oug greatest luminaries were it not
for the presence of the human Man o
War. Kelly, az hitter and driyer-in
Of runs. stands out over Wally Pipp,
Of the Yankees. OF the two, however.
the Higgins first baseman Is by far
the greater defensive player; as base
runners they are on par.
Ward Outc1asses Rawlings
This comparison, AZ it stands, would
give the Giants q distinct advantage
on the inner line But we are over
looking the pivot position, second base.
In this point Higgins commands such a
DISTINCT advantage az to completely
wipe cut McGraw's 1ceway at third.
Aaron Ward lays it all over Johnny
Rawlings at second. Ward is one Of