The New York herald., 1922-10-04
BY SAMUEL J. BRooKMAN.

BY SAMUEL j. BROOKMAN.
Even the anne incement that there
would be 1900 unreserved seats for sale
daily did not deter the usual two score
or so OF baseball fanatics from keep
ing an all night vigil outside the portals
of the world series arena. These fans
were not taking any chances, announce
ment or no announcement, and besides
they were after the choicest seats In
the bleachers, and did not hesitate over
the paltry matter of giving UP a nights
rest for the privilege Of getting the
best their money could buy.
Inspector John F. Sweeney. learning
at an early hour that there was prom
ise Of an all night line, arranged to
have one lieutenant, two sergeants and
twenty-five patrolmen stationed outside
the grounds to preserve order from
midnight until o'clock in tho morn
ing. at which hour the squad would be
Increased until there were $50 officers
of the law on the scene.
Any interest In the series? Perhaps
not. but why did every occupant of
last night have his newspaper open
at the sporting page, poring over col
umns of baseball dope, which tended
to prove that the series was walk
over for tho Yankees" or that the
Giants looked like winners? Why
did the mere testing OF The New YORK
HERALD'5 electric player scoreboard
attract so great a throng that traffic
was almost swamped for a few minutes
in the neighborhood of Chambers street
and Broadway. the police having been
unprepared for the gathering
Signs of the Times.
Why all the photographs of ball
players in the shop windows? Why had
the Bankers Convention decided to hold
its sessions the rest of the week In tho
morning hours only? Why all this talk
of pitching staffs. the breaks" of the
game. Wall Street betting odds.
McGraw. Higgins Ruth? Why such lit
tie attention to business? Echo answers
why?
Well, the answer is that of all world
series, the one most likely to upset the
regular routine of a towns citizenry
is the series in which home team meets
home team, In which partisan feeling is
not solidly arrayed against an out OF
town invader, but Is divided between one
faction and another of the same metrop-
oils For IL the Browns instead of the
Yankees were playing the Giants. the
handful of st. Louis rooters who would
come on for the fracas would be lost in
the vast assemblage of Gotham fans !;
there would be no sort of wordy battle.
The only battle would be the one fought
out on the diamond and outfeld, or
mayhap one between the home fans and
some unfortunate umpire.
But with 10000 Yankee rooters mock
! ing and shouting defiance at 10000 who
have sworn allegiance to the Giants-ah,
that's different story. Then may one
4 look forward to as much action In the
stands as in the feld; then will tho
yelp OF glee mingle discordantly with the
shout OF scorn: then will the din grow
\ in volume with each succeeding inning
! and wordy combat threaten to become
physical: then will the contests be
fought out a thousand times over for
hours, aye for days, after the last pu.
out has been made. the last hope OF
Yankee or Giant fandom dashed to
earth.
! Bright Chance for Revenge.
There is little doubt that the Polo
/ Grounds will be taxed TO its capacity
TO hold the thousands who will want 20
attend the opening game OF the series
to-day. 1t will not surprise In the least
il thousands arc turned away, for if
anything. interest seems TO be keener
than IL was a year ago. The Yankee
/ rooters disappointed by tho defeat Of
their favorites in 1921. are jubllant Ia
the knowledge that the American League
champions have been installed fayorites,
only TO > favorltes. but favorites new
erthelees; happy over tho thought that
the chances for revenge are bright what
with the admittedly superior pitching
staff of the Hugglns team and the star
array OF slugging hitsmiths.
Having perused all the figures which
indicate mathematical advantage for
the rival clan. tho Giant supporters are
not wasting any time comparing pat
ting averages or pitching averages, but
are counting on the ability Of McGraw's
men TO rise to tho occasion, on the
mental astutcness and Incompatible ex-
perience of the Giant manager on the
fact that not an entire pitching stan,
but just two good pitchers trveling at
their best, can decide a series as snort
as the tussle for the championship OF
the baseball universe.
Whether events will he decided IN -FOUR
straight games or go the limit OF seven
! Il Is bound to be one Of the most m
teresting In the world series history
but every bit as interesting as the play
will be the throng with it's divided alie-
glance and it's rabid partisanship' Wetcn
| the crowd.