The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-10-15
PUNCH
PROVIDES
PROOF
By Bob Thayer

The gamest ball club in his
tory-and that goes for them
ALL
There may have been greater
combinations than those Philadel
phia Athletics who yesterday wounc
up their 1929 world series by making
1t four out of five from the Chicago
Cubs, to 2, but for sheer courage
and fighting spirit their equal has
not yet been discovered.
In some quarters the courage OF
Connie Mack's tribe was questioned
prior to the 1929 series. This senti
ment died down quickly when the
untried Elephants stomped through
to a magnificent triumph in their
opening game a week ago and main
tanned their sensational clip through
out the series.
It required the last two games,
however. to bring out the best
I'm the makeup of the newly
crowned champions who attained
this distinction by winning out
through the medium of q ninth
period rush yesterday.
Saturday the Chicago Cubs, with
Root pitching blue ribbon ball,
marked up an eight run supremacy
during the first seven heats.
Scoreless over this distance the
AS then proceeded to come back
during their portion of the lucky in
stallment. Knocking over a parade
Of Bruin pitchers they slammed
across 10 runs and set record
while passing a supposedly insur-
mountable lead.
This was as nothing compared
to yesterdays showing, however,
when a club is trailing, 2 to 0, with
one man gone in the ninth it can
usually be taken for granted that
q whipping is in store.
Walter French, a left hand hitter,
had batted for Walberg and whitfield
ingloriously on a speed ball that
cut the heart of the plate.
Pat Malone had permitted but two
scattered hits and seemed a cinch
to win. Max, Bishop, a light hitter
ordinarily, then started things going
when he singled to left
1t remained for Mule Haas to fill
the hero's shoes and he did it hand
somely by lining a home run over
the right field fence and tying the
score.
Mickey Cochrane rolled out to
Hornsby but AL Simmons doubled
to the scoreboard in center and Foxx
was Intentionally ticketed to first
base on four pitched balls. Bing Mil
Ter then stopped the show with a
two-bagger to right center and auto
matically delivered the worlds
championship to the 1929 AS.
That, friends, was the man.
ner in which a magnificent
ball club came back for the
down a formidable foe which
wrangled gamely to the bitter
end.
There were many highlights to
that never to be forgotten series
which, among other things, featured
the return of old Connie Mack to
the heights.
Primarily there was the pitching
of two supposedly faint hearted
moundsmen that turned the tide of
battle for the AS, Howard Ehmke
and Rube Walberg.
Ehmke sliced off the opening
game with a record of ID strike
outs while Walberg, after relieving
this same Ehmke in the fourth
bracket yesterday. cut down the
Bruins in sensational fashion.
Probably the leading inspirations
in the never-say-die spirit of the
champions. however. were Mickey
Cochrane and Jimy Dykes, who never
gave up.
More than once Mickey braced
faltering pitcher with words of en-
couragement or condemnation. while
Dykes was the life of the party in
every department-provin an ideal
money player and good allaround
man.
And don't forget Bob Grove, who,
unable to go the distance because Off
two split fingernails, stepped into
the spotlight as a relief man and |
played a huge part in saving two |
games.
The Cubs featured Capt. Charlie
Grimm in a money sense, but to this |
writer the heart of Hack Wilson |
was the outstanding merit Of the
losing stand.
Hack had his tough breaks, far
more than he deserved. But
with it all he kept a stiff upper
lip and batted bis way among
the series leaders as a cOnse.
quence.
AS a parting tribute to the Bears
It might be a wise policy, in a
to detail the fashion in
which their two runs We're regis
tered in the fourth.
Two were out when Cuyler
doubled to right center. Stephen.
son walked and Grimm's single TO
right scored Cuylar while Stephen.
son rambled to third Taylor's safe
shot to center then tailed off
and moved the visitors
INTO the lead until the AS cut
Dose with that all important ninth
inning punch.