Evening star., 1933-03-20
CHAMPS IN MOOD :
TO BURN UP LOOP
Babe Herman Only New
conner in Regular Job-Bucs,
Cards Chief Foes.
BY Stan Correspondent Of The Star.

~ March 20.-One could al
1 \ most sit down right now
and write their ticket on
the way Charlie Grimm's cham
pion Chicago Cubs are going to
line up as they bounce away from
the barrier in April in quest Of
their second straight National
League title-and possibly an
other crack at those ferocious
Yankees.
With the sole-and very important
exception of the valuable Babe Her
man in right field, they'll be not
whole lot unlike the team that carried
through to the pennant last year. The
chief alteration, If any, will be in the
pitching staff, and just now 1t seems
that the same veteran squad that did
such a good job last season will be
there to carry on this year.
The Cubs seem to be in the mood
already to do drastic things in their
league this season. They went to work
with such vengeance upon hitting
their camp here that they really were
in very good playing condition at the
stay that way until April arrives they're
bound to push themselves of to good
start in the race.
THE great catastrophe that hit the
i team in the world series last Fall
appears to have aided rather than
injured the spirit of the players. At
least they show no i'll effects Of the
Yankee drubbing. They figure their
stiffest competition is coming from the
Pirates and Cards during the season.
and they believe they've got the stuff
in them to nose out those two. And IL
they do. it may mean another crack at
the Yanks-and that's Just what they
want.
The Cubs reason the beating they
took from Ruth, ct al, last Fall, was
just one Of those things. and they have
extreme confidence now that II they
meet the Yanks again next Fall, they're
going to collect lot of revenge. The
Cub inf1eld and outfeld seem to be
more or less set already.
Manager Grimm has been having
some bother from lumbago and sore
legs this Spring, but the chances are
that when the season opens the rub
berry fellow will be out there carving
on as usual. He has ''Gink" Hendrick
and Harry Taylor. a young understudy
from Albany. to help him II he needs
help. But it's hardly likely he will.
DILLY HERMAN, one of the best kid
- infielders to pop into the majors
in years, will be on second again,
and one couldn't wish for much more
than that. There were lot of persons
who picked him as the best second
sacker in the game last year. his first
f,,lI 10 hi
and made more than 200 base hits.
Bill Jurges and Mark Koenig will do
a great deal of alternating at the short
stop post. as they did last season. with
Koenig probably getting first call be-
cause of his superior batting ability.
And. of course. Woody English will be
at third. He's good enough at that
spot for anybody's ball club.
The outfield is one you'll have to 60
long way to surpass. There will be
Babe Herman in right. Kiki Cuyler in
center. and the old reliable Riggs Ste
phenson in left. The world knows Her
man isn't q Cuyler in the outfield, but
he is a mean and powerful hitter. and
that's something the Cubs have needed
since they lost Hack Wilson and
Hornsby folded up on them. The Babe
is likely to do a lot Of important tattoo
ing on those right field bleachers at
Chicago, and the chances are he'll turn
out to be quite a hero there, where
they love their heroes.
THERE IS some question whether
i Stevie's legs will hold up dur
ing the season, but they have
appeared to be quite sound this Spring
and show no particular signs Of going
back on him. The Old Hoss plans on
playing regularly-and that bat of his
means lot to the Cubs. He's probably
the most valuable man at the plate Ia
a pinch. in the entire league. Cuylef
Is in great shape, and apparently Just
as feet as he ever was.
There are four young outnelders 10
argue the issue with Herman. Cuyler
and Stevie. but it is hardly likely they'll
be able to oust the veterans. They are
Vince Barton, Frank Demaree. Marvin
Gudat and Mike Kreevich. On . lot
of big league teams they probably would
be good enough for regular jobs. But
on this one they can't hope for any.
thing better than substitute work. Prob
ably couple Of them will have to b
sent out somewhere soon. but It's m.
decided yet which ones will go.
THE pitching staff has the same vet-
i Grams of last season-with the ex-
CeptlOI Ol Jdkle Mdy-duu also IiNO
youngsters who are trying to win places.
The holdovers from last year are Guy
Bush. Burleigh Grimes. Charley Root.
Pat Malone, Lon Warneke, Bud Tin
ming and Leroy Hermann. They'll all
probably be there during the season.
Among the five youngsters are three
southpaws-and a southpaw is what
the Cubs need badly. Grimm hopes at
least one of them will prove good
enough to retain. The left-handers are
Carroll Yerkes from Albany, BeryI
Richmond from Baltimore, and Roy
Henshaw, wee fellow from Chicago
University. It's hard to tell yet
whether any one of the three has big
league stuff in him.
The other two youngsters are Lynn
Nelson from Seattle and Buck" New
som from Albany. OF the five new
corners, Newsom probably has looked
the best. He has a fast ball, that al :
most exudes steam.
Copyright 1933)