Evening star., 1928-10-07
CARDS HAVE BACKS
AGAINST THE WALL
Must Take Four of Next Five
Games to Win World Sc
rieS From YankS.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

base ball favorites were given rousins
welcome when they arrived from the
Atlantic seaboard late this afternoon,
for the folk out this way are spirited
lot and aren't quitting after the two
lickings the Cardinals took from the
Yankees in New York.
However, they are not the cocksure
folk they were just week ago when
their favorites clinched the National
League championship. There was,
great to do in st. Louis last Saturday
night with the fans telling the word
that the American League flag winners
were in for a sound drubbing. But now
they realize that If the Cards cop the
world title they must take four of five
games. And that has unpoiSed them
40 little.
And, considering the series in an un-
biased manner, it is difficult to con-
clude that the Cards will win four out
Of five games to be played if this 1925
set goes the limit. Judging by their
performances in Yankee Stadium, the
National League champions are not
playing their natural game. They
couldn't have won the flag playing sc
frightened up'-as they say in base
ball of a club that is overcSutious in
every move-over the greater part OF
the campaign.
Cards Weak at Bat.
So far the Cards have been particu-
larly weak extensively. The only one oil
them stepping to the plate and swing
ing loosely has been frankie Frisch, and
he has gotten results with his free
ing every time up, and Chick Hafey has
made miserable showing at the plate
Nor have Taylor Douthit and George
Harper been impressive.
On defense, the Cards have been good
outside the pitchers box, but more than
good defensive play is needed to over
come the battering Yankees. The NJ
Workers are playing how as they diG b
the last week of the American League
season when they emerged from bat
ting and fielding slump that had har-
assed them for more than month and
easily outdistanced the aspiring Ath-
letics to get the pennant.
These Yanks are handicapped, oi
course, by Babe Ruth's lameness, Tony
Lazzeri'S weak arm and the genera
unsteadiness of the pitchers other than
Waite Hoyt, but, remember, they were
SO handicapped through the stretch Of
the season IN their league. Yet despite
their heavy casualty list, they hobbied
to victory over the Athletics, who were
able to put their full strength into the
fight to the finish. Miller Higgins may
have a gang of cripples in this series
but the gang Is playing the same kind
of ball it played in September, the kind
of ball that was good enough to get a
third successive league championship.
Cards Pitchers Overrated.
Comparing the rivals before the
series, the superiority of the st. Louis
pitching corps was greatly emphasized
| What had the Yankees to pit against
Haines, Alexander and Sherdel-and
perhaps Mitchell? Nothing more than
Hoyt, was the contention. Pipgras
was through. many declared, and any
other hurler Higgins might choose could
be nothing more than a gamble:
Now see what has happened, Sherdel
pitched q pretty good game against the
Yankees in the series opener, but It
wasn't anything extraordinary In
fact. it was not nearly so good as the
series opener Sherdel pitched against
the Yankees in 1925. Alexander, who
was SO effective against the New York
ers in the series two years ago, may De
counted out now. He had nothing to
show in a pitching way before he was
yanked from the slab in New York on
FRIDAY and it is doubtful If he will be
started again. Mitchell appeared TO
advantage in a relief role In the sec
ond engagement, but Clarence Is no
youngster-he's about 81 years Old
and he isn't capable Of doing mucn
work in a series.
AS to the Yankee hurlers, Hoyt per-
formed lust as it was expected he would
perform. Pipgras started his game as
though he would pitch as he had In
the last month of the American League
campaign, then crossed the base ball
dopesters by pitching as he had during
the early part of the season, and the
victory he scored may prove just the
tonic Pipgras needed to restore him TO
his former effective state. He'll be
seen again in the series, of course, and
he ought to prove troublesome to the
Cardinals once more.
Haines Hope Of Cardinals.
About all the Cards have left to hurl
against the Yanks is Haines. He'll 60
here in the Sunday game marking the
opener of the three-day stand Of the
National League champions on thell
home grounds. Haines has good fast
ball and a good screw ball, too, and
was the only one of the ST. Louis hurl-
ers to stand the gaff during the drive
through the stretch to the pennant.
The Yanks know Haines. He licked
them twice in the 1926 series, and he
NAV be somewhat better now. His
record leads one to think so.
Against Haines, Higgins will make
his gamble, IN all likelihood. He may
pick either the veteran southpaw Tom
Zachary or the youthful, but fairly
clever, Henry johnson. Maybe both VIII
get into the Sunday tilt. Zachary
wasn't any too good while with the
Nationals this year. but he did right
well after his transfer to the Yanks.
And he's a cagey pitcher. Deliberate,
too. as WashingtonianS know. and this
very deliberation may have its effect on
the Cards. They were as nervous as
kittens in New York and the realization
that they must win four of the five re-
naming games to cop the series isn't
apt to help them any.
Johnson Is somewhat uncertain. He
didn't do much more than beat the
Athletics in the American League,
which was just what the Yankees
wanted at the time.
Any way one looks at this series
today. he must figure the Yankees all
but in. They are in better batting
stride, are fielding well enough to carry
on and their pitching staff has proved
somewhat better than that of the
Cardinals. They can drop a game or
two, yet win, and that alone is enough
to give them plenty of confidence. The
Cards have their backs to the wall and
really can't afford to drop a game here.
And should they fail to score a victory
behind their last pitching hope, Haines,
itu be gloomy Winter for st. Louis.