The Washington times., 1921-10-05

a-straddle the middle see-sawing 'em
Can McGraws pitchers stop BAN
bino" and Long Bob Meusel?
Can Carl Mays hold frankie Frisch,
the Fordham Flash. and High
pockets" George Kelly?
Well, anyway, it ought to be great
series!
For the first time In the history Of
baseball the Big Towns rival clubs
meet for the championship of the base
ball world-Huggins Yanks, pennant
winners in the American League, and
McGraw's Giants who took the flag
in the National League.
Old time baseball fans have dreamed
of such a meeting for years, and last
might they wandered through Elysian
Fields of anticipation.
This is Unique.
Every world series is a tremendous
event in sport, to be sure, but in the
mind of the Manhattan fan this goes
beyond a mere world series.
1t is the Yanks against the Giants!
Only a resident of the big town,
familiar with the way baseball takes
hold Of the islander, and only
veteran follower of the game here can
really appreciate what that means.
A baseball Cinderella-the Yanks-
has finally come riding home wear
ing that crystal slipper of success,
after nineteen years Of squatting in
the chimney corner of baseball OBJ
scure and unfortunate, a luckless lit
tie sister to the naughty Giants.
And the Yankee fan mutters: Now
We'll show EN-" while the Giant fan,
thinking of old-time triumphs, says:
"Oh, you will. will YOU"
Yes, it ought to be great series!
The cops on the Eighth avenue beat
up yonder in Harlem were last night
holding back the twitterng early
birds, the arm of authority barring
them from the gates of the Polo
Grounds like Davy Crockett keeping
out the wolves.
McGraw. now holder of the all.time
,pennant record with his seven flags,
takes the field today against a
younger manager who has never be- !
fore figured in world series.
But the younger man has with him |
half dozen men who have gone |
through the stirring events of such |
battle as players. For all his seven |
banners. McGraw has taken only one !
world series, and that sixteen years |
ago.
Contrast OF Leaders.
higgins plays an entirely different
style of baseball from McGraw, the |
latter being the gambler Of the two on
the field. Higgins is more conse"va- !
tive. He is always playing 1t safe. |
Yet this style has won most Of the
world series of the past.
The players of the rival clubs yrac- |
ticed bit on Fabian's field yesterday, |
'limbering up" for today. They w-
cupy neighboring clubhouses in the
yard, so close together that they can
hear one another's voices.
, Miller Higgins. the diminutive man |
ager of the Yanks, worn to whisper |
by the bitter campaign of the closing |
days of the American League season,
held Skull practice with his men. |
This is the baseball name for what q |
business man would call a conference. |
Nehf May Open.
McGraw, who has been spending The |
last couple of days of leisure at the |
race track, also "skulled" with his |
men. Both meetings. doubtless. went
over the players on the oppoing club |
one by one, discussing their strength |
and weakness, as reported by the OBJ |
servations of their scouts.
Arthur Nehf, the left-handed
pitcher, who may work in the OPEN
ing game, was one of the Giants who
watched the Y8nks. The Yanks have |
to rely on tho reports of men out
side their club, as they were so busy |
during the final days Of the season
that none of the regulars had a
chance to look at the Giants.
McGraw, as a rule, pays little at.
tention to getting advance informa-
ton on a club he Is to play in a
world series. He Is generally content |
10 take snap Judgment on his
opponents when he sees them on the
field.
Douglas Looks Best.
Most ball players seem to think
Nehf Is the Giant pitcher apt to
bother the Yankees most. He has a
great curve, and some Of the Yanks
are helpless against a left.hander with
a good curve.
This writer, watching both clubs
most of the season. inclines to the
belief that "Shufflin' Phil" Douglas,
~ he has good day will he tho