September 4 Rain
September 5 Boston Red Sox 1, at Chicago Cubs
September 6 at Chicago Cubs 3, Boston Red Sox 1
September 7 Boston Red Sox 2, at Chicago Cubs 1
September 9 at Boston Red Sox 3, Chicago Cubs 2
September 10 Chicago Cubs 3, at Boston Red Sox 0
September 11 at Boston Red Sox 2, Chicago Cubs 1
Chicago Tribune, August 27, 1918
The 1918 world’s series will be played according to the schedule announced by the national commission or not at all, in spite of the “slacker” protest by President Frazee of the Red Sox, unless the latter can obtain permission from the war department for a lot of nonessential transportation of baseball players, and then only by committing the American league to ” welching” on a straight sporting proposition.
That is the gist of a statement by President Johnson of the American league replying to the Boston club owner’s announcement that his team would not abide by the world’s series schedule recently promulgated, but insist on retention of the old arrangement whereby only two consecutive games were played in either of the competing cities.
Conditions Warrant Change.
Replying to Frazee, President Johnson said:
- Responding to Mr. McAdoo’s recent request to the American public to refrain from all unnecesary railroad travel and out of consideration for the administration which, as a special favor, has made it possible to play the world’s series, the national commission decided to depart from precedent and schedule the coming world’s series so as to produce a minimum of railroad travel.
We agreed to play the first three games of the series in one city and the remaining four, if necessary, in the other city, and to toss a coin for the opening. Secretary Bruce of the national commission tossed the coin and Mr. Heydler, acting for the National league, called the turn correctly. The National league elected to open the series in Chicago, provided that team won the pennant, which it has done.
Sends Frazee a Wire.
I do not believe Frazee understood the facts or he would have raised no protest, for I do not think even he is such a poor sportsman as to want to welch on a straight out and out proposition like that. I wired him the facts, together with the suggestion that if he could obtain from the war department permission for unlimited transportation between Chicago and Boston for baseball players and club owners during the first fortnight of September the commission might reconsider its arrangements. But I do not know if I would ask the National league to consider such an unsportsmanlike thing even if it were permitted by the government.
I understand Boston apartments and hotels are to be allowed no artificial heat until Dec. 1 because of scarcity of coal. If that is true, Frazee certainly would not increase his popularity there by protesting against our plan to conserve coal used by the railroads and to use as few as possible of the engines and sleepers needed by the administration to move troops and supplies for winning the war.
Sees Dollar Sign in It.
Some day Frazee will learn that the United States is engaged in a desperate war, the winning of which is the only thing that matters to the American public. His protest against our plans reeks of the dollar sign. The cost of transportation between Boston and Chicago never entered into the discussion in the national commission. Nor did the matter of playing Saturday and Sunday games, so as to increase the receipts of the series.
Our one thought was to reward the administration for its consideration in permitting the series at all, by reducing to the lowest possible point the waste of transportation and man power in staging the contest for the world’s pennant, and in that aim we believe we have the support of the Boston public as well as that of the rest of the United States.
President Johnson also declared the commission would discourage any idea of rooters accompanying either the Red Sox or the Cubs from one city to the other for the games.
Chicago Tribune, August 29, 1918
PLAY AT SOX PARK
Cubs and American League Champions Contest for the Word’s Series Here on South Side.
Business manager Craighead of the Cubs announced yesterday that the Chicago end of the world’s series would be played at Comiskey park instead of on the north side grounds. The demand for reservations already received makes it certain the Cub park could not accommodate all who will want to see the games here, consequently the curtesy extended to the Cub owners by President Comiskey has been accepted. The owner of the White Sox gives the Cubs the use of his park without remuneration of any kind.
The work of tabulating the names of patrons who signed their rain checks has not been finished yet and this work in addition to the recording of applications for reserved seats, demands a large force of girls in the Cub offices.
Some patrons who signed their rainchecks and dropped them in the boxes at the park seem to think that was all they had to do to get world’s series tickets. Those checks were only to discover who are the regular patrons to some extent. Those who signed them must make application by mail and send the money for reserved seats, like everybody else.
On Sept. 1, 1918, the MLB regular season was cut short, and the World Series between the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs began. But the rushed timing of things was due to World War I, and the obligation of players drafted into the military to leave their teams and go to war.
There is speculation that a few Cubs players were paid to throw games, especially based on the play of outfielder Max Flack. The players had incentive. Both the Cubs and the Red Sox were upset that the teams’ owners were not paying their fair share of the World Series receipts. Before one Series game in Boston, the two squads refused to come on the field until the owners paid them what they were promised.
Sept. 5, Game 1 of the World Series, marked the first time that “Star Spangled Banner” was played at a sporting event — it was later named the national anthem in 1931.
Chicago Tribune September 23, 1920
Chicago Tribune September 4, 1918
CUBS FIT FOR OPENING DRIVE TODAY ON RD SOX SALENT
TYLER OR VAUGHN SLATED TO HURL IN FIRST COMBAT
Mitchell’s Men Tale Final Practice at Comiskey Park
BY I. E. SANBORN
Eddie Cicotte deposition, 1920
Chicago Tribune
September 4, 1918
Chicago Tribune September 4, 1918
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