have been won, even
with the fielding blunders, but Mathewson was pitching with all the
desperation and the cunning which he could muster to fool the batter and
failed to do so.
Such sudden and complete reversal on the part of the mental demeanor of
spectators was never before seen on a ball field in a world's series.
The Boston enthusiasts had given up and were willing to concede the
championship to New York. In the twinkling of an eye there was a muffed
fly, a wonderful catch by the same player who muffed the
ball--Snodgrass--a base on balls to Yerkes, a missed chance to retire
Speaker easily on a foul fly, then a base hit by Speaker to right field,
on which Engel scored, another base on balls to Lewis and then the long
sacrifice fly to right field by Gardner, which sent Yerkes over the
plate with the winning run.
Before entering upon a description of the games it is appropriate to say
that the umpiring in this series was as near perfection as it could be.
It was by far the best of any since the series had been inaugurated. The
umpires were William Klem and Charles Rigler of the National League and
Frank O'Loughlin and William Evans of the American League.
FIRST GAME
New York, Oct. 8, 1912.
Boston 4, New York 3.
Hits--Off Wood 8; off Tesreau 5; Crandall 1.
Struck out--Wood 11; Tesreau 4; Crandall 2.
Bases on balls--Wood 2; Tesreau 4.
Attendance 35,722.
In the description of the games of the world's series only those innings
will be touched upon in which there were men on bases. Tesreau pitched
the opening game for New York and the first man to bat for Boston was
Hooper. Tesreau gave him a base on balls. The next three batters were
retired in succession. Devore and Doyle, the first two batters for New
York, were retired and Snodgrass hit cleanly to center field, the first
base hit in the series. Murray was given a base on balls, but Merkle
flied to short. In the second inning the Bostons started as bravely as
they had in the first, as Gardner, the first batter, was safe on
Fletcher's fumble. Stahl batted to Tesreau and Gardner was forced out.
Wagner was given a base on balls, after Stahl had been thrown out trying
to steal second, and Cady flied to Murray.
The Bostons started with a man on base in the third. Wood was given a
base on balls by Tesreau and Hooper sacrificed. Doyle threw Yerkes out
and Speaker was given a base on balls, but Lewis died easily on a weak
fly to short.
In New York's half of th
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