Everybody had a good laugh at this, even Martin, for by this time they knew who it was by his sheepish expression, but they didn’t see how he could get even with Everson. So they played many of the games over again and got very well acquainted with each other and the rivalry between the two schools was laid aside for the time being. They left for New York on Wednesday afternoon on the same train and acted like good friends together until the next afternoon in New York when they entered the Polo Grounds with its row after row of seats entirely surrounding the big park, when the big crowd that had come to see the final game stirred up all the bitter rivalry and they prepared for the big battle. When they awoke in New York in the morning, the players, many of whom had never been there, were somewhat surprised to find that the town was apparently not excited about what was going to happen. People seemed to be going about their business just the same as though the baseball championship was not to be decided there that day. They didn’t realize, of course, what a big city New York is nor the habits of its people. By noon, however, the crowds on the trolley cars and elevated traveling northward were enormous, and it soon developed that the town was headed for the Polo Grounds. New York had simply hustled in the morning to get its business out of the way, so it could do as it pleased in the afternoon and it pleased New York to try to see the game. When the teams got up to One hundred and Fifty-fifth Street they were as much surprised as they had been in the morning. The whole town seemed to be there. Enough to make a good-sized city inside and about twice as many outside trying to get in. The gates were locked at noon, three hours before the game. There was room for no more. The players got through the crowd as best as they could. With the help of the policemen, they managed to clear sufficient space in front of the stands to engage in a little practice and to warm up the pitchers. But there was little real practice done that day outside of enough to limber up their muscles. Their biggest effort was to keep their nerve in front of that immense crowd. The familiar scenes of the other games were presented, but now green mixed with maroon throughout the stands. One section of seats all green, the next maroon, etc. The same noise clubs led the cheers and songs. Most of the people in the stands knew the songs and cheers of the rival schools. They gave them with a wealth of music. A yell and then a chorus. The singing coaches started “Fair Lowell.” The stands took it up. The wave of sound mounted and mounted as the crowd joined in and rose on its feet until all the stands presented the thrilling spectacle of a singing multitude, with a kaleidoscopic background of color that changed from green and white to maroon and white and back again, a grand glorious tumult of voices. They sang the “Alma Mater,” too.