The New York herald., 1922-10-05

They trail over the outfield play
ing>golf. and every touch Of their harle-
quinade is saluted with roars of merri-
ment. They are not, you may be sure,
doing this for nothing Nobody, SAYS
Mcclellan. caressing his iron hat, does
anything for nothing in this annual
splurge Of baseball.
From some forgotten portfolio the
band down by the Giants bench has
excavated "The East Side of New
York." AL Smiths national anthem, and
swings into medley of those airs
whose indiscreet Identification betrays
the middle aged. Echoing strains awake
the bleacherites from what one has
feared was hopelesss lethargy. They
murmur with the noise of rushing
waters. Whole sections alternate in
bursts OF unexplainable vehemence-hat
throwing. handkerchief waving, yells
that overcome the sullen complaint of
the elevated road which curves around
the horizon of the grounds.
But these spasms of interest are only
temporary. They endure, a minute or
TWO. Then lethargy again. Why? The
answer, probably. Is lack Of intersec-
tional rivalry. 1t is hard for New York
TO shout against New York New York
against Chicago means assault and bat
Brooklyn might stir UP demonstration.
Inc way the crowd looks at II, New
YORK wins which ever team wins. The
loser simply doesn't count. The same
reflex was pcrceptibIe last year. This
year there is even less hot sand and
ginger.
Scouts from these distant regions re-
port interesting betting news. Real
money is not being wagered In odds as
regards this first game. II is even
stephen between Giants and Yankees
due likely to the fact that Nehf, Giant
star. will pitch against Bush, the
Yankees's best. But there seems to be
little betting. These series combats are
CLANCY things. The chances OF the
Giants may be better than they look.
Giants First on Field.
Ten minutes after noon brings the
Giants from their club house. The
noble athletes of McGraw march with
utmost sedateness from the little door
in the right field fence. across the level
field and TO their dugout. They are
giants. McGraw, like Frederick the
Great, seeks grenadiers of height and
bulk. The slight furry OF cheering falls
dead upon their consciousness. Rather
languidly they scatter for practice, the
regulars of the combat troops lining UP
10 take n whack or two apiece at tho
slants flung up by minor pitchers, the
others retrieving balls In the field. They
arc quite tame--like a bunch of lambs.
From tho invisible coop where McGraw.
great thinker, parks himself comes
noise between a buzz and a whir. The
noise. doubtless. of McGraw thinking.
Sheer Intellectual leadership. ono is told,
may overcome the purely mechanical
gifts of the henclImen OF Huggins. We
will see what Babe Ruth has to say
about that. Cyclones, earthquakes and
such essentially physical forces some-
times set, at naught the sheerest OF In
telectualism. Intellect may win. IL
does sometimes.
1t is half past twelve. and there should
bo more hullabaIoo. One expects IL at
these affairs. Where are the son
boosters who climbed In years OF yore
upon the roofs OF boxes and hurled
their voices into every crcvice of the
helpless atmosphere? There Is little of
clamor, except the steady clack of bat
against ball. the sngsong cries of the
digestion disturbers vending the goods
of Harry Stevens. and the undefinable
under chorus of the murmurlng. wait
ing spectators. Are these games. or
their preliminary activities. beginning
already to he an old story in sophis-
ticated Now York? So far, there are