Evening star., 1938-07-13
CLUB HAS ASSETS
TO MATCH GIANTS
Now Showing Spirit Lacking
in Past Years, but Foes
Sure It Will Fade,
BY GRANTLAND RICE,
Correspondent of Tha eta,

BY GkANTLAND RICE,
Special CORRESPONDENT Of Tho Star.
NEW YORK, July 13-The Cubs
and Reds have moved up to challenge
the leadership Of the Giants, only to
fire and fall back-temporarily at least.
The Reds were moving in . hurry
until they ran into six straight set
backs before starting another counter
attack.
Now the Pirates have swung up from
the second division to see just what
the Giants look like in an eye-to-eye
midsummer scramble that still keeps
the National League smoking hot.
The Pirates have been up there be-
fore-many other years-only to
wither and fade under August heat.
There was the time they came to
New York with q seven-game lead
and dropped six games in three days
the record for blowing . heavy
margin In less than half q week.
This time may be different; al
They have been getting able pitching
from . strong staff, and. with Waugh
an, the two Waners and young Rizzo.
they have enough artillery to blast
their way through.
They have enough good ball players
to win . pennant-but they have had
these before. 1t largely has been .
matter Of hustle, condition and pen.
nant spirit, which they rarely have
had In a sufiicient quantities to keep
on travelling.
Must Stand Pressure.
The main test comes when you
move alongside an opponent you have
to beat. 1t now is pretty we'll under
stood that any team winning this N.
L. pennant must beat the Giants.
The only real answer on any team
comes under pressure. This is where
the story is written. I recall talking
to Paul Waner about what happened
when the Pirates faded from the top
some seasons back.
1T was like this" he said. ION the
days we were hitting, our pitching was
terrible. Next day, we'd get flne pitch
ing and couldn't hit the size of q
midget's cap. 1t went on that way for
weeks. We lost something like IA out
Of IS games. Id never seen anything
like 1t before. We got our share Of
good hitting and good pitching. but
they were never Jumped together.
After a while. things like this begin
to get on your nerves"
The Giants can feel the smoking
breath Of the Pirates on the back of
their sun-burned necks. But the
Giants have been accustomed to this
heat 1t remains to be seen what the
Pirates will do about it as they stand
eye-to-eye with team that has won
the last two pennants and has proved
it could 60 the route.
The Giants are not unbeatable by
several kangaroo jumps. They have
no better ball players than the Pirate!
carry on their pay roll. But they hav.
got much more winning baseball out
of their systems than other teams
have got up to Pittsburgh's late
charge. They have stood the gafl
better-and this nearly always Is the
winning reply.
Would End Monopoly.
Both leagues and their army oi
camp followers know that 1t is about
time some ball club was breaking W
the New York monopoly on worls
series cash and fame.
1t isn't any too good for the gam
to have the country's largest city tax
ing over the show year after year.
On the other side of the argumen
no one can expect the Giants ant
Yankees politely to step to one sid
and let some rival win for what the.
call the good Of the game"
I know Jake Rupert and his stat
would like to win the American
League nag by 40 games If possible
year after year. The Yankees haven
been the Yankees Of 1886 and 1887
But they still have q margin in pitch
ing and hitting ready for the stretch
which should be enough from Al
gust on.
The third pennant always IS rougl
going, largely on the mental and psy
Geological side. II you've swamped I
flock of rivals two years running, tn
old incentive begins to develop q fev
leaks. Overconfidence is one Of tn
wrecking factors in any sport. tn
showing that Cleveland and Bostol
have made so far may be just wha
Joe McCarthy's team has needed u
pick up old-time steam.
Dix's Failure Hurts Cubs
The Cubs lost most Of their sparl
when it became evident that Dizz.
Deans arm was full Of kinks. Whel
Wrigley bought the Cardinal star 1
looked as If the race already was In
At least Grimm and the Cubs fel
that way about 1t.
They kept looking in vain for Dean
arrival with 20 or more games. Blu
Die couldn't make it. The shock o
seeing 20 or IS expected victorie
blown through the portfolio was to-
much to stand.
There still Is time left-more thai
two months-but, unless the Cubs cal
apply the brakes promptly they ar
just about washed OUT
The Reds still have their chanc
with the pitching. and hitting the.
(See PIRATES Pare A.1l1