The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-02


Just the same the AS did not lot
before President Hoover and the mic
game that could have gone either VI
AS won.
The boys will tell you that win
ming team makes its own breaks.
Generally this is true. A few Of the
breaks the AS got Wednesday came
in the superficial guise Of spectacu-
lar plays. mean to say. they looked
very good from the stands. But
they could just as easily have gone
the other way.
Much of the story of the ball
game hangs around the pitchers,
and this is a BIT strange because
neither Grove of the AS nor Grimes
of the Cardinals distinguished him
self throughout the game. They
we're good in spurts, but not great
from start to finish.
Grove Bears Down
Possibly the turning point of the
game came in the third inning, and
with it came tribute to Groves
skill and courage.
At the time the score was 10 in
favor of the AS. Mancuso, the Mis-
souri, catcher, led off with a single
to right. Colbert followed with a
short single down the same lane.
With two down Grimes came up.
Grimes is a stout hitter for
pitcher, but the circumstances at
the moment demanded that the old
formula of trying to bunt be fol-
lowed. Grimes hunted and Grove
fell In trying to field the ball. Foxx
made a running pickup and under
hand throw, but the ball arrived too
late and Grimes was safe. This
filled the bases, with none out.
Here was a testing situation. Grove
hadn't started single game in the
series against the Cubs last fall.
There were conflicting theories as
to why he hadn't. Some said Con-
ME Mack held him in the back
ground for emergency purposes, an
ace in the hole, to be played only
if and when the teams morale
showed a tendency to slip.
Others less flattering to the an
gular left-hander said he hadn't
started because he wasn't depend
able under-the-gun pitcher. In
short, in a big game he was liable
to come apart and explode all over
the lawn.
Serves Turning Point
There was even doubt he would
start Wednesday. Indeed, 1t was
more of a surprise that he started
than if he hadn't. Well, anyway,
here was a spot to try anybody'S
nerves. The opening game of the
series. Three on and none down.
The top of the batting order coming
up. And only one run in front.
Grove buckled down. The next
two batterS flied out.
The third beat out scratchy slow
bounder TO short. The next fouled
out and the threatening inning was
over. Aside from the immediate
and material effects of this piece
of pinch pitching the thing carried
greater Importance.
Had Grove, the spear head Of the
AS pitch''-~ staff been blasted off
the hill in that inning, it Is easily
conceivable that the National
LeaguerS might have ridden on not
only to an easy win in the first
game. but that they might have
taken over full control of the re-
mailaiag games.
Had it been demonstrated that
Grove, best of the staff, was unable
to stop the Cardinals, called the best
team that has represented the old
league in ten years. there would have
been ANYTHING but Joy in the
Mackian camp today.
Remember March
When Mack started Grove he
may have been playing bunch,
though it is true that common sense
made him the logical choice, since
he is the standout pitcher OF the
staff.
But last March in Florida, Grove
pitched three innings against these
same Cardinals and they didn't get
a hit off him. Not only that but he
tanned the side in the second and
third innings.
The baseball mind, when it exists
at all, is most impressionable. You
can bet that a number of those
Cardinals were thinking back to
that March afternoon under the
palms in Miami Wednesday when
the dour-faced left-hander ambled
out Of the dugout annd began to
warm up in front of the grand
stand.
Today Gabby Street insiStes Grove
showed his ball players nothing.
THE next time he starts we will
knock him loose from his ears"
This will be no simple task. Grove
runs largely to ears. No minor
performance by the st. Louis artil-
lery is going to accomplish the feat.