The Washington times., 1937-08-10
ROOT REWRITING
CHICUB CAREER
ASSTARVETERAN

In Catalina's Island paradise
back in March. Cub camp-follow-
ers viewed the presence of Charley
Root in the picture with a great
degree of calm. He was not for
gotten man. Just slightly ignored.
Now it's August, the Cubs are
prancing along in front Of the
National League pennant race. and
right in the middle of their front
row, his presence arousing onlook-
ers to wild acclaim, Is this same
man, Root.
Rookie right-hander 16 years
ago, great pitcher in 1887, when
he won 26, world series pitcher in
1929, 1882, and 1885, the Root
career could very gracefully have
slid into gentle decline this sum-
mer. reclining on past laureIs and
well content to let the younger
generation mop up all the spot
light. But If Root had done any
such reclining, the August pace
making in baSeball's senior cir.
cult wouldn't be a Chicago job.
Strong AS Gibraltar
Once they were rallied out Of
their spring epidemic of injuries
and illness, the Cubs took shape
and pace as a great baseball power.
They're built strong as Gibraltar
down that traditional mid.line,
catcher, pitcher, keystone combi-
nation and centerfield. August's
dawn found two-handed Gabby
Hartnett hitting a cool $50. The
Herman-Jurges firm of double-play
manufacturers was not only wall.
ing off practically the whole in.
field on defense but they both car.
ried bats with better than $50
voltage in their appearances at
home plate.
Cub pitching armament ex.
pressed itself in that eight-straight
winning streak through the Mem
orial Day season, when seven diff
ferent starting pitchers won the
first seven games of the streak
and the first six Of them pitched
complete games. Root, Carleton,
Parmelee, French, Lee and Bryant.
Root Comes Through
When number seven, Clyde
Shoun, faltered with two out in
the ninth inning against the Gi.
ants it was old number one, Root,
who replaced Shoun and struck
out the pinchhitter with the tieing
run on second base to consolidate
the 2-1 decision
Once out of the epidemic, the
Cubs class began sparkling in all
directions, but during their bad
times, it was Root who held them
together. Now that it's good times
at Wrigley Field, the 38-year-old
dean of Grimmie'S mound corps
not only holds the pace but steps
out in front Of it.
Root has pitched more innings
than any of the younger Cub men.
alarms except Bill Lee. Instead
Of spending the season in a gentle
decline, the sturdy Ohioan has al
ready gone far toward making
his twelfth year with the Cubs
the most remarkable of all.
10O-Inning Pitcher
Root is the only 100-inning
pitcher in the National League
with less than 20 bases on balls
charged against him. In 100 in.
ningS pitched up to August 4. he
had given II passes. which figures
to 1.27 bases on balls per nine-in-
ming game.
That angle on his work makes
him a greater pitcher than he was
in 1927, when he led the league in
victories as a 26-game winner.
That year his bases on balls, lit
in 300 innings, figured to $40 per
nine-inning game.
Root grew up in Middletown,
Ohio. some 30 miles upstate from
Cincinnati, and he is the widest
travelled man in baseball-two
visits to Australia topping his
globe -girdling ventures. He has
gone far in baseball, too, but this
year, here, now, and today, he's
apparently just arriving at full
strength, power and Importance.