1912 World Series: Game 7

We're back in Fenway.  Smoky Joe Wood is starting on three days rest and more than 32,000 fans are jammed into the ballpark anticipating victory and a World Series championship for the Red Sox.

The late edition of the Boston Evening Transcript tells the sad story.  Under the heading "The Slaughter of Wood" readers see:

"Smoky Joe failed to smoke"

Wood gives up six runs in the top of the first and is pulled from the game.  The Giants go on to win 11-4 and the series is tied and going to an unprecedented eighth game.  A coin flip determines the game will be played at Fenway tomorrow.

Like Game 6, the real story is off the field.

Rumors circulate that in order to recoup their gambling losses from the Game 6 and get revenge on their owner, a number of Red Sox players bet against themselves and throw the game.  It is alleged that Joe Wood's brother lost a lot of money betting on the Sox in Game 6 and sees an opportunity to get even.  It is impossible to say whether the Sox really threw the game but it was widely suspected at the time.

Another theory was offered in the October 17 edition of The New York Times:

"It was said that Wood on the train coming from New York on Monday had accused O'Brian of deliberately giving his game to the Giants and that they had engaged in a fight which accounted for the inability of Wood to win his third victory." 

In those days gambling was intertwined with baseball and the link was not severed until the scandal of the 1919 Black Sox became public in 1920.  Both at the time, and in retrospect, questions have been raised about the integrity of several of the Series during the 1910s.

Another school of thought is that Wood just had a bad day and that the incident described below contributed to his poor showing.

Red Sox management made a decision that further soured the atmosphere in Boston.  McAleer now had his opportunity for a big payday and tickets were sold on a first come first served basis.  But he made a big mistake according to Rob Neyer:

"But the club, through stupidity or arrogance, neglected to inform its most passionate fans, the Royal Rooters, of that fact. The Rooters, a contingent of approximately five hundred led by Mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, [grandfather of John F Kennedy] habitually arrived at games in parade formation, marching on to the field and into their reserved seats. But on this day the seats were already occupied, and the Rooters were herded into a standing room area. They took this badly. A riot ensued. Mounted police were eventually summoned to contain the infuriated cranks.

 All this occurred as Wood tried to warm up. He stopped and retreated to the dugout, resuming half an hour later. Fred Lieb would claim that Wood's arm stiffened in the interval. Maybe so, for he was buffeted about like a bush leaguer, aided by a defense that butchered every ball it came in contact with."
 

The repercussions from this incident would reverberate in Game 8.

Game Summary from Baseball-reference.com

  Tuesday, October 15, 1912 at Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)

                                 1  2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9     R  H  E
                                 -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -  -     -  -  -
    New York Giants              6  1  0    0  0  2    1  0  1    11 16  4
    Boston Red Sox               0  1  0    0  0  0    2  1  0     4  9  2

    PITCHERS: NYG - Tesreau
              BOS - Wood, Hall (2)

               WP - Jeff Tesreau
        LP - Smoky Joe Wood
             SAVE - none

   HOME RUNS: NYG - Doyle
              BOS - Gardner

  ATTENDANCE: 32,694