The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-10-04
CLOSE CONTEST
BETWEEN THE
.. TEAMS COMING
New York Fans Are Divided
Among Themselves Over
: the Result.

New York, Oct. 3.--(By the Assoct
ated ss)--Baseball. Americas ma.
,ional sport. will arise 10 the dignity
OF an International episode tomorrow
when the local National and Amert-
can league teams open battle for the
1922 worlds series championship.
Keen as Is the interest which will
focus on the historic Polo grounds
from all portions Of North America
when the Giants and Yankees cross
bats. hardly less surprising are the
arrangements made 10 fash the re-
suit Of each game 10 distant lands
where baseball is still a name rather
than sport
Although lacking international CON-
petitive character. the outcome OF the
play holds international interest.
Judging from the preliminary plans
announced, the scores and high lights
OF every contest will be cabled to
South America, European and Asiatic
countries, while ships on the seven
seas will learn the outcome from wire.
less waves. With such worldwide
interest illuminating the series, the
scene Of conflict Is ablaze with base.
ball enthusiasm.
Fair Weather.
New York and its Inhabitants to-
night apparently had dropped, for the
time being. all cares Of the workadar
world. Conversation hinged on
whether Babe" Ruth Of the Yankees
would wreck the Giants machine with
his home run bat, or Arthur Sehf. the
Nationals pitching ace from Terre
Haute. would turn back the heavy
hitting Yankees In the initial clash Of
the series. More attention was paid
the fair weather forecast Of the
weather man than to Cumming letters
from the income tax collector.
Telegraph and cable wires radhte
from the Polo grounds to all points Of
the compass. Score boards and player
boards with their yari-colored lights
glisten from points Of vantage In all
parts OF the city. Thousands Of fans
who will never see the inside OF the
baseball coliseum during the series,
will follow every play from these
boards or radio descriptive to broad
cast miles beyond the Giants stadium.
Fans at Odds.
II Is the old story Of house divld.
&c against itself.
East vs.. west in world series, and
New York roots for the home team
regardless Of the fans league affilia.
tons Tonight, however. the baseball
atmosphere Is surcharged with the
most cracking OF all rivalry, for. In
ternal dissension regarding the ability
ofrn5 yTo local teams and their indi.
TdHa{ stars has divided the fans
against themselves.
Although the American league play.
erS still rule favorites to reverse the
decision Of year ago. the odds are
steadily dropping. In place Of to S
offers from last week. Yankee sup
porters quote s TO tonight. and there
is little heavy wagering even at these
short odds. Visions Of the closeness
OF the play twelve months back when
the same clubs grappled for world
series hoRors, and the extraordinary
and thrilling climax in the final con-
test which gave the Giants q cham
pionship FIVE games to three. leaves
even the most analytic fan shaken In
his conclusions. \ careful study OF
the available records and seasons
averages fails to evolve an outstand.
ing favorite.
MeGraw Factor.
Supporters Of the American league
pennant winners point 10 the greatly
increased strength Of the Yankees
pitching staff. Giant rooters counter
with the claim that the Nationals, too.
have gained strength since 1921, and
ia Manager John J. McGraw, the Ma.
poleon Of baseball, have a diamond
strategist Of Incompatible caliber.
Whatever the result Of the four out
Of seven series, the play will lack
none OF the atmosphere and scenic
surroundings which have made the
world series. wherever played, famous
as an American sport contest. Every
reserved seat in the stands and boxes
has been sold and, given fair weather
such as the local prognosticator her.
aids for the morrow, the $4,000 unre-
served seats should be occupied long
before the first Yankee batter takes
his place at the plate.
Records in either attendance or
gate receipts are unlikely. however,
for with the return to the seven game
series duplication Of the figures es.
tablished in last seasons best Ave out
Of nine games appears impossible
until another year. when the Yankees
new park with its seventy to eighty
thousand seating capacity Is complet,
ed. there may be different tale 10
tell, but this season the 1921 total re-
ceipts for eight games Of 5000. 223 and
the aggregate attendance Of 2S9.977
seems safe.
Names the Empires.
Kenesaw Mountain Lands, high
commissioner OF baseball, assigned
he umpires for the opening game thi,
evening. with the statement that all
he preliminaries had been completed
and that now It was up to players and
the weatherman.
do not ask ME 10 name a winner"
he warned. ~ am neutral, but It's
going to be a great SERIES"
HIS selection OF positions for the
:nnpires placed W. J. KLEIN and Barry
Mccormick OF the National league be
hind home plate and at second. while
George Hildebrand and c. B. Owens
OF the American league will work
close to the first and third base foul
lines.
II goes without saying that both
Managers McGraw and Miller Hug