Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-10-03
Tigers Showing ANC Strain Pin Faith Bridges Overcome Ro
SPoR7ScopE
Cray.Bearded Hartnett
handspring of Cubs
Kid Machine.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN

about a gray-haired ola
Bruin, who somehow found his way
into the lineup Of Cubs who don't
even shave yet, might be in order.
The old gents name is Gabby Hart
nett. The elderly set of diamond
fans probably remember him well.
The youngsters surely remember him
from his picture on the base ball
cards that used to come with GER
tain brand of cigarette.
Remember the old argument:
ell swap va two Hartnett's for
Iris Speaker"
Well if the Cubs emerge from this
series as the Winnahs and new cham
pionS of the world, as your CORE
spondent firmly believes they will, Mr.,
Gabby Hartnett ought to be in line
for a bunch of posies. Sing a song
of Warneke or Cavaretta, Galan or
sixpence, but Gabb ystill is the back
bone of the Cubs.
THIS is Hartnett's fourteenth year
in big league ball. He served all
of his stretch with the Cubs and
among the mans distinctions are that
when he caught 116 of the Chicago
games this season he ran his total OF
National League tits in which he has
appeared to 1853.
This is record for the senior
circuit, as is his feat of CATCH
ing 100 or more games for 10
seasons.
But the more remarkable part about
Gabby is that he was washed up"
six years ago He didn't catch at all
in 1929 because of lame arm. He was
supposed to have been through and
he never was considered when the
dopesters figured out the 1885 PEN
nant race.
Now here he is, the youngest, pep
piest member of kid team. Life be-
gins at nearly So for Gabby. appar-
entity, for he represents the chief cog
in the Cub attack, and the handspring
of the defense.
Batting Confounds Critics.
ONLY once in his previous Is sea-
sons with the Cubs has Gabby
batted over .3c0. That was in 1880.
Hence it is no wonder that critics
were COMPOUNDED when the old boy
wound up this season with a 344 bat
ting average.
When the Cubs arrived here Gabby
was everywhere. On the field he gave
the impression that it was all big
lark. In the hotel lobby he guffawed
and gibed newspaper men. In the club
house he made the rounds of the kids,
ickingly rubbing their legs and accus-
ing them of having the filters.
Yet under his picnic air one
suspects that Hartnett realizes
more than any one else what an
artery he represents in the Cub
body.
Periodically he fits and he doesn't
fit in the Chicago lineup. Gabby is
old as ball players go; his mates are
young. He could almost be a daddy to
Phil Cavarretta, the 19-year-old first
baseman.
VET one wonders what chance the
Cubs would stand against the
Tigers if they lost Hartnett-the only
oldster on the club, the gray haired
man who kids away the youngsters
nervousness. the heavy veteran who
bats across their runs.
Hartnett's appearance in this series
assures catching duel, the likes OF
which diamond fans may not see for
years to come. Gabby is worthy op-
ponent for Manager Mickey Cochrane
and this reminds of an angle on CATCH
ing dug up by Harry Salsinger of the
Detroit News from the yellowed files.
The Cubs may whip the Tigers
and thereby history will be re.
peated, but as far as catching
is concerned, there is no danger
of any repetition of history.
The two clubs met in 1907 and 1908.
The Cubs winning both times, and at
the close Tiger fans mourned the
catching they received. In the 1907
series the Tigers were charged with
the following:
IA missed third strike that en-
abled Chicago to tie Detroit in the
first game of the series. The Cubs
then won the next four games.
2-Two passed balls.
3-Three wild throws.
4-Eighteen stolen bases.
Up to Cochrane Now.
THE following year the Tiger catch
ers amazed the teams followers
with a great improvement. The Cubs,
not noted for their speed on the
bases, only stole Is sacks.
In 1909 the Tigers again won the
American League pennant and lost to
Pittsburgh in the series. Charlie
Schmidt caught for the Bengals and
was charged with the following:
Five errors.
2-One passed ball.
3-Eighteen stolen bases.
In view of this one can I'M
derstand part Of the reason for
Mickey Cochrane's tremendous
popularity.
Last year. when the Bengals ended
25-year pennant famine, Cochrane
permitted two stolen bases and moth
ing else.
But he must look to his laurels in
this world series.