No ingenuity of stage preparation, no prearranged plot of man, no cunningly devised theory of a world's series could have originated a finale equal to that of the eighth and decisive contest. Apparently on the verge of losing the series after the Saturday game in Boston the Giants had gamely fought their way to a tie with Boston, and it was one of the pluckiest and gamest fights ever seen in a similar series, and just as the golden apple seemed about to drop into the hands of the New York players they missed it because Dame Fortune rudely jostled them aside.
As a matter of fact the New York players were champions of the world for nine and one half innings, for they led Boston when the first half of the extra inning of the final game was played. Within the next six minutes they had lost all the advantage which they had gained.
It was a combination of bad fielding and lack of fielding which cost the New York team its title. And if only Mathewson had not given Yerkes a base on balls in the tenth inning the game might not 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 this inning the Giants scored twice. Tesreau, first at bat, struck out. Devore was given a base on balls and Doyle batted wickedly to left field for two bases. Snodgrass was fooled into striking out, but Murray smashed the ball to center field for a single, and sent two men over the rubber, Murray was caught at second trying to get around the bases while Doyle was going home.
With one out Herzog hit safely in the fourth inning, but did not score. In the fifth, with two out, Doyle batted safely, but failed to score. In the sixth the Bostons made their first runs on Speaker's triple to left field and Lewis' out. If Snodgrass, in making a desperate effort to catch the fly, had permitted the ball to go to Devore the chances are that Speaker's hit would have resulted in an out, so that New York lost on the play.