Damon Runyon
The Hutchinson Gazette/October 22, 1911
Continued Rainy Season Causes Squabbles
Umpires Under Instructions from the Commission Decide That the Grounds Are Too Heavy for Swimming Now
After having again postponed the fourth game of the world’s series until next Monday, on account of the condition of the grounds, making the fourth postponement of the one game, all hands resumed the occupation of digging up new rumors calculated to while over a dreary Sabbath.
The latest thought along rainy day lines is that there will be no more world’s series. Of course when come ides of next November, two clubs, one the pennant winner of the American league and the other the pennant winner of the National league, will be out scrapping for the world’s title and all that dough—especially all that dough—things will be just as usual, but right now it is almost a cinch that everything is off.
Why? Because everybody is mad at everybody else.
They certainly peace, when there is no peace.
Also there is a lot of rain and nothing to do but squabble. They say the national commission is in a stew among itself—that “in a stew” being a mere figure of speech of differences of opinions only—over the various happenings of the past few days. The ball players are talking about the sale of the moving picture privilege by the commission and wondering where they—the ball players—get off.
It is said that Tom Lynch, president of the National league, didn’t care for that reproving of McGraw and the fining of Merkle.
Ban Johnson is getting himself talked about for pernicious activity, but it strikes the innocent observer that any talk about the honorable Ban is merely water on his wheel.
There is also talk that Ban wants to drive Hughey Jennings and Ty Cobb out of the American league for defending Snodgrass in the spiking incident, and some National leaguers around here are so bold as to say that the picturesque Hughey and Ty too, will be welcomed on their side of the fence with open arms if they get they get the raus from Ban.
A lot of people want to know what the national commission does with the money it gets out of the world’s series, also the moving pictures, but more than likely they will not be enlightened.
The delay is bringing the Giants’ cause back into favor. The fans believe the Gotham club has all the best of the postponement. They argue that the New Yorkers were on the run following the beating of Matthewson, but they have now had time to rally and settle down and with Matty again pitching Monday they ought to even up the series.
The Athletics were right on edge and ready to go through with the fight, but the long layoff may now prove their undoing. It is hard to see how it has worked as much disadvantage to the Giants as to the home club.
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