The New York herald., 1921-10-04
Force of Momentum Seems to
Be in Favor of the
Giants.
BY DANIEL.

Never before was there series about
which there was so much hemming AID
having. fence straddllng and talk about
odds which did not exist as there Is
preliminary TO the classic which Is to
be opened at the Polo Grounds to-mor-
baseball figures to go on record for one
club or the other.
Odds on the Giants are reported from
one place, odds on the Yankees are re-
ported from another-and investigation
proves that in reality nothing but even
money prevails. and mighty little of
that. So far the betting has been very
light--down in Wall Street and up at
Forty-second street and Broadway II
has been almost negligible.
Jack Doyle, stake holder for wagers
on all important sporting events, said
yesterday that several bets had been
made. but that no stability in price had
been attained, and that no real sums
had been put up. All the bets are small,
most of them of the friendly kind. Fred
Schumm over in Brooklyn reported that
few wagers had been deposited with
him, all small except one of $1,000
against $1,000, with the Yankees favor
ties. But no more 13 to 10 money was
in evidence.
The usual number of freak wagers no
doubt will be made before starting time.
Some are ready to bet that Ruth makes
Ave home runs in the series. Others are
willing to wager that he will get ten
bases ON balls. Some want to bet that
Nehf will win his game. others are just
as anxious to wager that Mays will
take his. One enthusiast was willing TO
Law 1 to that the Yankees would take
four straight.
without n Pavnllel.
There may be an eleventh hour veer-
ing of serious proportions. but the
chances are that the betting will be as
light as 1t was last year. when the
Indians were favored over the Dodgers.
The indecision as to which club Is the
stronger for a set of nine games Is with
out a parallel In the long history of the
classic. In 1906 Chicago was asked to
take sides just as New York is asked
now. It was Cubs against White Sox.
and the betting was overwhelmingly In
favor of the National Leaguers. Still
The White Sox scored their great tr1-
umph because they had behind them that
great force OF momentum. And it may
be momentum rather than the individual
feats OF any batsmen which will settle
the impending struggle. In 1906 the
Cubs were first at the start. and they
stayed first all through the season. They
set new record of v-'-~'-g 116 games
out Of 154, comr =, remarkable
total Of 2S3 stolen and as team
hit for .262-a fine average in the days
before cork centres and lively balls.
The White Sox, however, had to fght
straight on their second Eastern trip.
but not until August IL did they show
in front, and then they fell back. They
came to the fore again in September and
fought of the Yankees. The Hitless
Wonders developed terrific momentum.
and 1t carried them not only to the pen
nant, but to the world championship
over a club which was rated far superior
in every department. So much Tor
mathematical dope in world series.
Giants Momentum Greater.
The Giants it appears to US. are inn
PEELED by a greater force OF momentum
than are the Yankees. They developed
Pirates, in which they took five straight,
cut down lead Of seven and half
games to only two and half and then
kept right on to triumph.
The McGraw outfit still Is very much
on edge. In the last days of the sea-
son the players INDUCED In the luxury OF
little letdown. but the momentum is
there. The Yankees. too, developed con-
siderable momentum in that great series
with the Clevelands. Which force will
be the greater IN the big test?
A good deal has been written about
the comparative strength of the Giants
and Yankees pitchers. TO tell the truth.
there is no edge either way. Carl Mays
stands out on his record of twenty seven
victories and nine defeats. But the un-
derhand right handler is very tired
pitcher. He worked In fifty-two games
in the pennant fight and he is ready for
rest. He showed that last Saturday
when he was maced by the Athletics.
He admitted II that day.
So Mays really does not stand out any
more than does Nehf-and there are
some, Wilbert Robinson included. who
pass up Nehf and look for Toney to do
the stellar work. And do not be sur
prised II 1t is Toney who opens for the
ROD AND GUN.