The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-04
SCANDAL CLOUD
| STILL HOVERS
ON EVE OF FRAY
Giants And Senator's In
Final Workout Before
Series
CAPITALS HOPES
LIE IN JOHNSON
New York, With Morale
| Shaken, Handicapped
By Groh's Absence
i
(Rv Associated Press

WASHINGTON, Oct. B.
The 1924 world series between
the Washington Senators, PEN
|nant winners for the first time
lin the American league, and
the New York Giants, National
league champions for the past
four years, will start tomor-
row under circumstances
which have no parallel on the
eve of the games greatest
classic.
Tonight the playing issues
of the struggle came back to
the limelight, being obscured
for two days by the sensation
al charges of bribery involving
the Giants and causing the
Fbanishment of two members of
the club, Jimmy O'Connell and
Cozy Dolan.
The eleventh hour cloud of scandal
has thrown the baseball world INTO
turmoil and threatened to set match
to the whole framework of the game
had not entirely vanished. Tonight,
however, in the absence OF any fresh
sensation. talk that was heard on every
corner, the topic Of conversation was
chiefly Of the game. ~
Coolidgs To Open Game s.' \
The nationals capital was preparing
to come into its own in baseball for
the first time in its history and from
President Coolidge, who viii throw out
the first ball, down to the youngest
hero worshipper of "Bucky" Harris
and Walter johnson, Washington's
most gallant diamond figures, the city's
population will pay its tribute to their
champions.
Only the physical limitations Of the
Washington park, which accommodates
81 900 with all extra space utilized,
will prevent the majority of the city's
population from viewing its heroes in
their opening bid for triumph. High
government officials and members of the
diplomatic corps will join baseball men
from all parts Of the country and the
lucky minority of fans holding paste
boards in what promises to, be one of
baseball's most dramatic spectacles.
Bank On johnson
The hope apparently uppermost in
the minds of Washington's fans to-
night, was that Walter johnson, their
pitching idol, would reach the summit
of his remarkable career of Is years
in major league baseball by twirling
the Senators to victory. johnson, the
hero of every street urchin and the
dmiration of the whole city, will carry
their hopes and fears in his powerful
right arm.
Behind this high tide of enthusiasm.
however, the excitement that always
proceeds baseball's title struggle, there
remained an unmistakable undercurrent
Of tension, growing out of the OCOn-
nel-Dolan disclosures. The possible re-
action of this feeling when the two
teams take the field tomorrow was
source Of keen speculation.
1t was conceivable to observers to-
night that the whole outcome OF the
championship fight might turn on the
popular attitude taken tomorrow, for
the Giants, though they seemed to
have regaihed their confidence and pOise
as they went through their final drill
today, 60 into the fray keyed to a
high nervous pitch.
Giant Morale Shaken
The Giant morale, it is believed, has
been shaken, although the players after
their brisk work out in the Senators
park declared they would take the field
ready to cast aside all thought of the
scandal and fight, unhampered, for the
games major crown. The Senator's
under their 27-year-old pilot, Stanley
Harris, who led the club to its first
pennant in his inaugural year as man
ager, also put the finishing touches to
their practice with an hours drill this
morning.
The American league champions will
go into the opening game with the full
strength of the forces that carried
them to the pennant, but the Giants
will be handicapped by the absence OF
their veteran third baseman, Heinie
Groh.
Groh, who twisted a knee several
weeks ago, still was hObbling about
on a cane today and Capt. Frank
Frisch, who has just returned to the
lineup after an absence forced by a
finger injury, announced ~that the reg
nlar third sacker would be out of the
entire series. ~. sl,
School Boy Substitute
In Groh-s place will be Freddy Lind
strOm, 1S-year-old Chicago sch u boy,
playing his first year in the majors,
who convinced Manager John McGraw
Of his ability by playing sensationally
in the closing pennant drive of the
New Workers.. If Lindstrom comes up
to expectations, the Giants will lose
little if any, Of the infield strength
which, with--the return of Frisch, is
expected to be one of their chief bull
warks.
TheDe is little to choose between the
two teams. Washington, credited with
a more powerful pitching staff, speedy
and versatile attack, will be an ag-
gressiAe foe, under the brilliant lead
ership of Harris, while the Giants,
possessing probably stronger attack
and pitching that may be Unexpectedly
strong, " III rely on the veteran strategy
Of their trader, McGraw.