The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-10-03
APPARENT HOPEI.ESNESS
OF CUBS CAUSE MAY GIVE
STRENGTH IN WORLD SERIES

world series. and sometimes mo-
rale makes up for weakness of the
flesh.
This is all fine until you con-
slider these facts:
The Yanks have hit 173 homers
to the Cubs Ga.
The Yanks scored 967 runs to
the Cubs 693.
The Yanks have made 1859 hits
to the Cubs 1899.
The Yanks have made 172 dou-
bic plays to the Cubs LAG.
The Cubs have only one sou
hitter. -,
The Cubs leading home run hit
ter is Collins, with 10; the Yanks
have FIVE players who have hit 2O
or more homers.
The Cubs have only two pitch
ers. Lee and Bryant, who've won
MOI e than ten games; the Yanks
have five pitchers, Rutfing, Gomez,
Pearson, Chandler and Terrell,
who've won IA or more games.
These comparisons could go on
and on but what's the use? Every
one comedies the superiority of
the Yanks on paper. But IN a
short 4 out of 7 game series sta
tistics and past performances can
der, who on his good days is we'll
be knocked into a cooked hat.
The pitching angle offers inter
esting possibilities. Conceding that
pitching is 70 per cent of a short
series, the Cubs chances look
brighter because of certain fac
tors which cannot be reduced to
statistics. Big Bill Lee, Cubs iron
man, is the key man in the Ma
tional league outlook. Because of
a day off for travel between Chi
cago and New York, Lee, starting
the first game, could pitch in three
games in a long series. Lee, with
his overland delivery, fast ball,
sharp curve and proven skill in
the pinches, might be just the
man to humble the Yanks. If Lee
fails the Cubs cause will just
about be hopeless.
Dizzy Dean is strictly a ques-
ton mark. He is one of the great
est competitors in baseball but
will his arm be strong enough to
pitch nine tough innings against
the murderous Yankee batting Or
der, with a home run threat in
every slot from first to eighth?
If Dean with his nothing ball can
pitch one of his masterpieces and
Lee can come through there may
be trouble ahead for the Yanks.
The rest of the Cub pitching must
come from Clay Bryant, young
ster with a blazing fast ball (and
the Yanks dote on SPEEDY and
Grandpappy Charley Root, who
has been in three world series and
never won a game.
Against Bryant Root,
the Lanks offer Lefty Gomez, who
has won five world series games
and never lost one; Red Rufing,
who has just completed his great
est season in baseball; Monte
Pearson, with record of two vic
tories and no defeats in world Sc
ries competition; Bump Hadley, a
great money pitcher; Spud Chan
nigh unbeatable; and that superb
relief artist, Johnny Murphy.
Another interesting angle con-
Germs Poosh-' Em-Up Tony Lazzerl
and what part he'll play in the
series. Long a star in the Yankee
ranks Lazzeri is now on the other
side as Cub utility player and
coach. He probably knows as
much about the Yanks, their
strength and weaknesses, as any
living man. 1t is not without the
realm of possibility that Lazzeri
will work hand in hand with Hart
nett in calling the pitches on
every Yankee hitter. Pitchers like
Lee and Dean working on the
Yankee weaknesses might reduce
murders row down to
pigmy size.
The Yankees will be striving to
set a world series record by win
ming their third straight cham
pionship. Only two other teams
had a chance to win three worlds
titles in a row, the Giants in 1923
and the Athletics in 1881, and
both failed. With two straight
conquests over the Giants the past
two years, the Yanke can now go
on the supreme achievement in
world series competition by con-
quering the Cubs.
With 20 victories in their last
% world series games in 1927,
1928, 1882, 1886 and 1887, who
is there to doubt that they won't
IL $40