The Washington times., 1931-09-02
AS SWEAKENED
BY MANY
INJURIES
By BABE RUTH

know that September is here.
I have only to look at the daily
mail which always grows heavier
as a world series nearS. This year,
when it has been certainty so
long as to the pennant winners,
the mail is heavier than usual.
The fans do not have to wait url-
til late in the month to see If this
or that team wins. So they are
sending in their ideas, or asking
for mine.
To those who look for predic-
tions at this time must say that
] believe it is too early to make q
guess as to the winner. will say
one thing, however, at this time.
/ am convinced that the st. Louis
Cardinals of 1881 are better ball
club than the Cardinals of 1880.
They have enjoyed steadier pitch
ing through the season and have
played, l believe, a better brand
of bail. This is proved by the fact
that they have the pennant
clinched so early.
When / say clinched I do not
mean in a mathematical way, but
on general principles, as their
lead at this time is q guarantee
that they will be first when the
season is ended in about four
weeks.
Whether the Athletics will 60
into the series as good q ball
club as they were last year is
. question that can be an
swered better during the late
days of September. That is
one big reason why 1t would
be unwise to figure world Sc
rieS chances now.
Connie Mack has had an un.
usual run of accidents this year,
though they have not prevented
the AS from running away with
the pennant. Simmons and Haas
have been out of many recent
games as a result Of injuries, and
Mickey Cochrane's health has not
been Of the best. Just suppose
that such players were not able
" OdAC Pd1G Ill q "O1AO oSAACS
and it isn't difficult to figure
what a difference they would
make. Bo1ey and Dykes also
have been held back a lot by
injuries this year.
But perhaps the injuries only
emphasize the strength which
Mack has in that squad of his.
Todt and Heving, last year with
the Red Sox, have done much
more playing than anybody
thought they possibly could do
at the time the deal for them
was made. Cramer has filled in
well for Haas, and both Williams
and McNair have performed very
creditably on the infield. But
no manager would care to go into
a world series with his second
string players filling the positions
Of regulars.
Too Early
But. as I said before, it is a
bit early to discuss the chances
of the AS and the Cardinals.
About all we know now is that
two good ball clubs will have
plenty of time to get themselves
ready for the big series. Both
teams appear likely to go into
the series with plenty of pitch
ing, and the long railroad jumps
between St. Louis and Phila-
delphia, and back again-would
provide whatever rest the pitchers
may need.
You know it might be an
altogether differen: series If
these two clubs were represent.
ing cities so close together that
games might be played every
day, instead of having these
enforced off adyS after the Sec
Ond and fifth games.
I feel that can make one pre-
diction even at this early date,
with every confidenc. that it will
be proved by the box scores. We
will see more of Jess HaineS in
this series than we saw a year
ago. You will remember that
the Cardinals veteran did not
make an appearance until the
fourth game last october, and
he scored a 81 victory over Lefty
Grove. He did not take part in
either of the last two games. Be-
cause Haines needs a certain
amount of rest between appear.
ances I expect to see him in one
Of the early games this year so
he will be available for use later.
Haines seems to have recovered
fully from the injury which kept
him out Of the lineup so long
this year, and he figures to close
the season as a bigger figure in
the Cardinals series plans than
he was last year
I think, too, we will see some
thing of Leroy Mahaffey, of the
AS. He did not pitch a ball in
the 1880 series though he was
with the AS during the season
But this year. Mahaffey has de-
veloped into one Of the best
pitchers in the American League
and he is quite sure to have his
time.
This is about as far as it seems
safe to go at this time in making
predictions about the series. But
there will be plenty later.
VIENNA FIREMEN HOT
The Vienna Fire Department
nine, with a record of 20 wins
and M 1nSccS this SooGoy1 IY,oYo+