The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-05
Big Bill Wants Warm Weather Ruffing Starts
 for FavOrites
BY HARRY FERGUSON Limited Press Sports EditOr)

SGAA0 VAAV SA@~"bS ~~~ "--SS to victory in the opening game oi the 1888 World Series.
 Tell the home folks down in Plaquemine, La, that William Crutcher Lee, Jr, le5 pounds or bone, muscle and nerve, is going out there on the shore of Lake Michigan this afternoon and throw his heart out for Gabby Hartnett and the Cubs, And all he asks is a good hot day that will sweat the kinks out of his long right arm and a fair share of the breaks.
 He'll need 'em, for out there against him, slamming that ball through for the Yankees, will be Red Ruffing, terror of the Amert- can league, whose fast one can hardly be seen on afternoons when the sun ducks beneath the clouds. And In the batting box against General Lee will be that latest edi- ton of NMurderer's Row., that aw- full gang of assaSsins who 90 by the names of DiMaggio, Gehrig, Dickey and Selkirk.
 The ones who lay the odds don't like the chances of the General and the Cubs. The Yankees are favorites, overwhelming favorites, here in the heart of enemy terri tory. odd are fluctuating between 2 and and 3 and 1 that the Broad- way Busters take this series and win their third consecutive world championship.
 Big Crowd
 But hopes spring eternal in the human heart and 43,600 persons are going to fight and claw their way into Wrigley field to see the Gen. eral march again. He comes to this crucial hour, arm weary and tired. He pitched on four consecu. tive days when the Cubs were road ing down the stretch in a dog-eat- dog fight with the Pittsburgh Pir- ates for the National league pen- nant. He started games and he moved in there and finished games when other Cubs pitchers weak ened and wilted. He carried the burden on his big shoulders and there is no rest for the weary, for come l:30 p. m. tC~T) today the General marches again.
 "Give me a gosa w.,m day and everything will be all right" he said in his lazy Bayou drawl. "If they're taking off their coats out in the bleachers. so much the better because that ball looks mighty small coming out of<a white background"
 They're whispering 1t up and down State street today that it's all or nothing on the General. If the can't lick the Yankees, they say. who can? Clay Bryant throws smoke ball and the Yankees mur- der smoke. Dizzy Dean? We'll, he's got to prove his own case and the only way he can prove 1t is to get in there and toss his nothing ball" up to the plate and see what hap pens.
 Works Hard
 Yes. 1t looks like it's strictly up to the General. If he comes out of today's game alive, he can go in there and pitch two more times provided the series goes six games. He's that kind of a guy - six feet, three inches of endurance and Q work-horse who answers the call willingly when the bugle blows.
 The General isn't complaining, but his chances would be better if he had fewer invalids behind him the Cubs roster. Augie Galan, Q fleet outfielder and a good man to have up there swinging when the chips are down, is out of 1t with a wrenched knee. So Phil Cavarretta, who is hitting an anemic .238, is playing the outfieid, and. believe 1t or not, Is batting in the cleanup spot.
 But the worst blow to the Cubs f the big right hand of Charle (Gabby) Hartnett, their manage and catcher. The first finger swollen like balloon and the thir one has the nail almost ripped of of 1t and was leaking blood durin yesterdays batting practice. B, Hartnett says he will catch with h throwing hand swathed in tape.
 If mental attitude means anythin In a ball game, the Yankees hay the best of 1t. They are relaxe and arrived in Chicago with jaunty, carefree air as though thi' were just another series during tn, regular season. Bill Dickey wa talking about hunting and Lou Gehrig about fishing. Nobody seemed worried about the World Series and Manager Joe Mccarthy said he hadn't even bothered to scout the Cubs.
 On Edge
 On the other hand, the Cub are tense. Everybody who ever haS anything to do with the Natianal league from President Ford Prick on down is giving them advice and they seem to be listening to 1t. Only old Tony Lazzeri, the ex-Yanket who has been through this mil more than he likes to remember, fl going his wise own way, calniE and easily.
 The Yankees plans are fairh definite. It's Ruffing today, Come tomorrow and Monte Pearson in tn, opening game in New York. Hart. nett is playing 1t on a day by day basis. It may be Bryant tomorrow 1t may be Dean or 1t may even be drandpappy Charlie Root, oldesi player in the big leagues. 1t al' depends on General Lee and th kind of battle he fights today wlae. the dust starts flyinn and hA IA n1,