The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-07-30
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Sports Parade
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By NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

By HENRYMcLEMOR
Omitted Press STAFF Correspondent
New York, July 30.-(UP)-The
Cubs of Chicago, who through the
years have packed as much fire,
brains, and ability as any team in
baseball, are on the loose again and
in the midst of a midsummer
drive which has lifted them from
nowhere to a menacing position in
the National league.
Nine and one-half games out of
first place on the Fourth of July,
the Cubs, with % wins out of rs
games, rocketed out of third place
like pheasant from the brush to
overhaul the st. Louis Cardinals
and establish themselves, tempo
rarity, at least, as the club the New
York Giants must beat in the dusty
run down toward October and the
world series.
Today the Cubs stood but I 1-2
games from the pace-setting
Giants, and the eastern customers
were asking why and how. Mr..
Charlie Grimm, the sweet-tenored,
njo-strumming boss Of the Cubs.
has advanced no reason for his
teams resurrection, but the rea-
sons are fairly obvious.
For one thing, 1t is now Mr..
Grimm's ball club. He's not only
the manager, but a vice-president
as well, and what he says goes. It
hasn't always been thus. Before
Mr.. Grimm was a vice-president,
and when Mr.. William Walker was
president, things often happened
to the club that Mr.. Grimm knew
nothing about. There was that
trade of Camili for Don Hurst, for
example. Mr.. Grimm learned of
that transaction when reporters
queried him while he was enjoy
ing the World Fair one fine night.
There was the question Of Chuck
Klein's sore leg, for another. It
was Mr.. Grimm's opinion that
Chuck, even though he could not
play. should report to the ball yard
each afternoon and sit on the
bench in uniform. Chuck, acting
on orders from higher up, often
did not come to the park, but
rested his weary member at Airing
ton Park and Lincoln fields.
The Cubs this year are a young
team, and young team hustles.
Gone are most Of the old veterans
who sold their names, and little
more to the Cubs for fancy prices.
For years the Chicago team was a
sanctuary for players who demand
ed-and GOETHE fanciest salaries
in baseball, and gave little in re-
turn. And they stayed on and on,
getting much and doing little. Last
winter the axe, under the direction
OF energetic young Phil Wrigley,
who decided to run his baseball
club on the same sound business
lines as his chewing gum business,
began to fall. or went Bush and
Malone and Babe Herman. And
Stephenson and Hurst and Phelps.
And, more recently, Cuyler.
They were replaced by young
sters who worked: Youngsters
who. going into the ninth trailing,
kept fighting rather than sitting
back and waiting for another day.
The Cubs must be the youngest
S~e~A-A 4A sAAC AA0JOk 4CdB ucSs OnIy
Gabby Hartnett, behind the plate.
and the rejuvenated Charley Root,
who have been working together
for decade. are genuine veterans.
When young Jimmy O'Dea (whom
Hartnett calls the best catching
prospect he has seen since he's
been up with the Cubs) Is behind
the plate. the Cubs, lineup lists
four rockies. There's Phil CAVIAR
retta, IS, at first; Augie Galan, "a,
In left field; Frank Demaree, rs, in
center. and O'Dea catching. And
the rest Of the reguiars-BiIiy
Herman. Stanley Hack, Billy Jur-
ges, Lon Warneke, Bill Lee, Tex
Carleton. Roy Henshaw, Tuck
stainback and Larry French. are
not aged veterans.
The Cubs are the only team In
the majors who operate on the
fortnight bonus basis. Given q
free hand. Grimm rewards the
players who please him with cash
awards each pay day. Sometimes
It's q player who hit In the clutch
couple Of times: sometimes it's a
Sell your car through . cInssl.