New York, Oct. 8 — Chicago won the National league pennant this afternoon, defeating New York in a hard-fought battle.
Forty thousand roaring fans — the greatest crowd that ever attended a sporting event in this country — surged around the playing field this afternoon over an hour before the hour set for the beginning of the great battle of the Giants and the Cubs that will decide the pennant race in the National league, the final struggle in the greatest of all baseball races.
Outside the grounds fully 15,000 more fans fought and wrestled and pleaded and threatened, struggling with the dozens of policemen and with each other, to get to the little windows where the precious bits of pasteboard could be had before they were snapped down and the gates closed.
KILLED TRYING TO SEE GAME.
Henry T. McBride, supposed to be a New York fireman, was killed by falling from an electric light pole, from which he was trying to get a view of the game.
It was a chance that comes hardly once in a generation. The peerless Mathewson against the might Pfeister for less than two breath-quickening hours and the stake — the championship of the league. It was no longer a question of how many baseball fans are in New York. New York has become a city of baseball fans. The machinery of the city’s daily business life limped and halted, while the men who ought to have been running it rushed policemen and fought attendants at the entrance to the Polo grounds.
Chance made his preparations quietly. he announced that Pfeister would pitch, and Pfeister reported himself in excellent condition. Hofman was in center. The Cubs’ chief anxiety was about the umpires, and when it was announced unofficially that Klem and Johnstone were to umpire the game, they groaned.
CUBS DISLIKE UMPIRES
They had hoped that Pullam would give them O’Day and Johnstone, or O’Day and Owens.
The Chicago team went out on the field at 2:00 p.m. for practice. There was some booing from the stands, but the visiting players did not seem to mind it.
The practice of the visitors was interrupted by the ringing of the bell, and although they were supposed to have fifteen minutes for this work, Pitcher McGinnity of the local team went to the plate and started to bat a ball which was pitched by Overall. Manager Chance asked McGinnity to desist, but the New York player replied by shoving his elbow into Chance’s chest.
POLICE PREVENT RIOT
The police then interfered and avoided any trouble.
Game called at 2:50 p.m.
Ground rules agreed on: A hit into the crowd goes for two bases and one base allowed for overthrow.
First, Cubs — Matty failed to put the ball over in his first trial, but he did the next three and fanned Sheckard. The crowd gave a yell of delight. Evers hit down to Herzog and was out in a fast play, Herzog to Tenney. Schulte fanned and the crowd went wild. No runs.
Giants — Tenney was hit by a pitched ball, the first Pfeister pitched. Herzog walked. Bresnahan struck out and Herzog blundered off first and was doubled, Kling to Chance. Donlin hit a ball four inches foul to right and Johnstone called it fair, letting Tenney score. Chance and Kling kicked wildly but it did no good. The hit was a double. Seymour walked and Chance signalled for Brown to go in. Time was taken until Brown could get to the plate from the rear of the crowd, where he had been warming up in the case of need. Brown now in the box. Devlin called out on strike and thought he should have been passed. One run.
Second: Cubs — Chance chopped a single to right. Chance was caught napping at first by Matty’s quick throw to Tenney, and then there was another kick from the Cubs’ captain. Chance kicked so vigorously that it appeared for a few minutes as if Klem would put him out of the game, but the noise was so great that nothing was sure. Hofman went up to Klem and had some argument and then he went to center, picked up his glove and kept on his way to the clubhouse. He was banished. Steinfeldt fanned. Howard batted in place of Hofman. Howard also struck out while the crowd yelled. No runs.
Giants — Chance went to first all right ut still kept up his growling at Klem. Howard went to center. McCormick flew out to Schulte. Bridwell lined a good-looker to right but Schulte was on the job. Tinker got Matty’s deep skim and got it to Chance in time for the bonned a great play. No runs.
Third — Cubs: Tinker hit far over Seymour’s head for three tacks, the ball not going into the crowd. Kling shot a single to left, scoring Tinker. Brown had the ball down for the suicide route and was tagged out by Tenney. Kling going to second on the play. Sheckard …. to Seymour. Evers drew a pass. Schulte stabbed to left close to the foul line for a double and Kling tallied. Evets going to third. Chance cracked out a double to the right field fence, scoring Evers and Schulte. Steinfeldt … Gloom for New York thick enough to slice. Four runs.
Giants — Tenney singled to short left. Bresnahan drove a hot single to left, sending Tenney to second. Tinker slid into second with Donlin’s slow bounder, forcing out Bresnahan. Herzog fouled to Kling. Seymour’s high fly was easy for Sheckard. No runs.
Fourth: Cubs — Howard rolled a slow one to Herzog and was out, Herzog to Tenney. Tinker out, Mathewson to Tenney. Kling lined to McCormick. No runs.
Giants — Steinfeldt grabbed Devlin’s hot one and whipped to Chance. Howard got McCormick’s fly in short center. Bridwell was dead easy for Evers and Chance. No runs.
Fifth: Cubs — Brown out, Bridwell to Tenney, on a fine stop by Bridwell. Sheckard flied to Seymour. Evers out. Matty to Tenney. No runs.
Giants — Matty’s drive was splendidly stopped by teinfeldt and shot to Chance. Evers got Tenney’s tap over second and shoved it to Chance. Herzog fouled to Chance. No runs.
Sixth: Cubs — Schulte’s high foul was … by Devlin. Chance tore off a … to left for a single, his third straight safe wallop. Bresnahan’s line throw to Herzog got Chance stealing and he got the laugh from the crowd, but he minded it not. Steinfeldt soaked a stinger past Devlin for a base. Howard hammered the wind hard, fanning for the second time. No runs.
New York — Tinker got Bresnahan’s weakling and snappted to Chance. Sheckard had no trouble with Doulin’s pop fly. Seymour hit a long fly to Schulte. No runs.
Seventh, Cubs — Tinker flied to McCormick. Kling struck out. Brown out. Matthewson to Telaney. No runs.
Giants — Devlin started with a long single to left center, Howard’s fast fielding holding it to a one-bagger. McCormick aroused new hope by tearing off a hot one-bagger to right. Bridwell drew a pass, filling the bases. Larry Doyle was put up to bat for Mathewson. Larry popped an easy foul to Kling. Devlin scored on Tenney’s long drive to Schulte. Tinker dug up Herzog’s puzzling stab and got it to Chance in the nick of time. One run.
Eighth, Cubs — Waltse now pitching for New York. Sheckard called out on strikes. Evers shot a clean two-bagger to left. Tenney made a horrible fumble of Schulte’s easy roller, giving the batter a life and putting Evers on third. McCormick got Chance’s fly and by a splendid throw to Bresnahan caught Evers at the plate. No runs.
New York — Bresnahan splashed weakly up the box and died. Brown to Chance. … drifted an easy out to Sheckard. Seymour rolled an easy one to Evers and died at first. No runs.
Ninth, Cubs — Steinfeldt again struck out for the third time. Howard put a weak fly to Devlin. Tinker fouled out to Tenney. No runs.
Giants — Final half delayed on account of the crowd getting upon the field. Devlin out, Steinfeldt to Chance, McCormick lifted to Sheckard. Bridwell out. Tinker to Chance. No runs.
