Imperial Valley press., 1935-10-02
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BY HENRY McLEMORE
nited Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
DETROIT, Oct. 2. - Hats of,
ladies and gentlemen, to the most
honest baseball player in the world.
In fact, the only honest baseball
player in the world, SO far as l
know
I mean Hank Greenberg, the first
baseman of the Detroit Tigers, who
plav the Chicago Cubs in the first
game of the. world series here to-
day.
I must have talked to 25 players
Yesterday as the rival teams worked
out on Navin field, and Hank, the
head slugger of the American
League. the home-run king, was
the only one who talked any sense.
The others spouted the usual blath-
er-you know, the blather about
how the series is just another
bunch of ball games with the Reds,
how they couldn't help but win in
four straight, and how, with any
luck, they'd field thousand and
bat damn near that much.
Not Mr.. Greenberg. AS the best
hitter on the Detroit club, and as
a man who was Just voted the most
valuable player in the American
League, he has the right to spout
blather if anyone has. But he
didn't. Leaning against the dug
out and with three fine rivulets
of tobacco juice coursing his chin,
he admitted the series had him
nervous as a cat, twice as jittery,
and all turned round inside"
Whats the use Of trying to be
SO damn sophisticated about the
serieS?" asked Mr.. Greenberg. THE
thought of playing before all those
people, and for all that money, gets
me excited as hell I'm shaky right
now. and I'll be worse by tomorrow
when ! go up there to bat for the
first time.
Listen. Last year I was SO ner-
yous before the series started that
I couldn't eat. And you know what
happened. That Dizzy Dean made
me look like a monkey. SO did all
the other st. Louis pitchers. l was
so anxious to hit a ball that I'd
strike at anything. They tell me 1
swung at balls two feet over my
head. I don't doubt it. Speaking
of that Dizzy, amt ne a hell of a
pitcher? 1t amt so much his stuff
that bothers me as his attitude. He
walks out there and looks at YOU
with an attitude that says:
You amt got a chance to hit
thing I throw up there. I guess
I'll strike you out on three straight
ones down the middle"
Did Mr.. Greenberg plan to be as
futile this year as he was last year?
NO. l don't think 1 will No sir,
l don't. Maybe I'll be too jumpy
TO be any good the first time or
two I'm at bat, but I believe I'll
settle down faster this year. I was
pretty good after two games had
been played last year. Got over
my jitters. This year I sorta be-
lieve III be all right after I've
swung one time. Lawd knows,
hope SO. After all, when you play
in the world series you're supposed
to be the best in the world, and
wanta prove I'm pretty good,
anyway"
Unless you've interviewed world
series players, you'll never know
how refreshing Mr.. Greenberg was.
He admitted he was human, and
had human reactions. After all,
if you were playing in the world
series you'd be scared, and so would
l. But to listen to all the players
except Mr.. Greenberg, you'd think
they played for all the chips every
day. Mr.. Grimm thinks the Cubs
are a cinch Mr.. Cochrane can't
see how the Tigers will take less
than four games. And the Messrs
Goslin, Fox, Rowe, Cayaretta, Hack
Gehringer, etc, are the same, ac-
cording to their connections.
But Mr.. Greenberg will be sat-
isfied if the Tigers win in seven
games, and he manages TO get one
hit out Of three, For as he says, "a