The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-03

George klrkSey UnnVou ELesS
baseball expert, writes In the fol-
lowing dispatch. The only hope
for the Cubs, In Klrksey's opinion
Is Gabby Hartnett's inspirati0nal
leadership and the chance that
the Cub pitchers, including Dizzy
Dean, rise TO the heights. Follow
ing Il the FIRST Of two dispatches
analyzing the Cubs and Yankees.
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY
United Press Stan Correspondent
Chicago, Oct. 8 - (U.P)-Every-
bodys building q CONN for the Chi
cago Cubs. Their demise is set for
approximately october 10. They are
playing the New York Yankees In
the world series, beginning In Chi
cago Wednesday afternoon. Five
games should be enough for the
Yanks, the soothsayers say.
In the last IL years the. Yankees
have engaged in Ave world series,
played 23 games and won 20 Of them
In capturing Ave worlds champion
ships. That's why everybody con-
siders 1t suicide to challenge the
supremacy Of the Yankees.
Odds On
The gamblers are betting 2 l-2
TO that the Yanks become the
first baseball team In history TO win
three worlds championships In sue
cession. The best odds you can get
from Jack Doyle, Broadway price
v,aaLaw thaA kHl ..,l,a
four straight are 81.
Yet every so often q hated UNDER
dog, team without O Conceivable
chance on the cold dope, comes
along to prove the adage that no.
thing can be taken for granted In
baseball. Remember the White Sox
Of 1905, those hitless wonders, who
upset Frank Chances great Chicago
Cubs, considered invincible after
they had won ii6 games TO set an
all.time record9 Remember the
Boston Braves OF 1914, i-3 short.
erders, who humbled the mighty
Philadelphia Athletics In four
straight9
The chances Of the Cubs ending
the Yankee dynasty are about the
same rs were those OF the 1905
White 4ox and 1914 Braves. They
can do II but II would be an unset
which would rock the baseball world.
From almost every standpoint the
Yankees have the Cubs outmanned
and outclassed. The more you look
at the records the more II looks like
no contest. In rebuttai the Cubs
partisans cite the flaming spirit Of
0abby Hartnett's team as the factor
which will Offset the apparent sup
remacy OF the Yankees In virtually
every other department.
Most Yankees supporters will take
exception to any tendency 10 give
the Cubs the edge In spirit and they
have facts to back them Up. No team
has ever bene harder 10 beat than
the Yanks with the blue chips on the
line. Over the past three seasons
the Yanks have gone from city 10
city IN the American league and
broken the heart Of every team
which challenged them.
Tired Out
As is usual with the National
league entry, the Cubs arrive at the
World Series tired, weary and
crippled. The dog.eat-dog fight TO
overcome the Pirates In the National
league frazzled them. Their swash-
buckling leader, dabby Hartnett,
has two fingers OF his meat hand
split by foul tips. He will play In
the World Series, but how long he'll
last Is In the hands Of the Gods.
Left Fielder Augie oalan, the Cubs
best outfielder Is out with an In
jured knee. Captain and Second
1aseman Billy Herman has O spiked
toe. Pitcher Vance Page Is fay.
oring o twisted ankle. Winning the
National league flag took lot out
OF the Cubs.
The Yanks move into the series
fresh, rested, relaxed. They've Just
been kidding for the past two weeks.
The team that lost three In O row
TO the Browns In mid-Steptember
won't be the team the Cubs will face.
offensively, there Is no compare
son between the two rivals. The
Cubs have only one 800 hitter-lead.
off man Stanley Hack. They have no
ie-wrecking home run hitters. Rip
Collins leads the club with Is. The
Yanks have five men (DiMaggio,
0ehrtg, Dickey, Heinrich and Cor
dom whove hit 40 or more. AL
together the Yanks have blasted i73
homers; the Cubs o mere 81. From
top TO bottom every Yankee 10 O po-
tentiai home run clouter and when
Ruffing Is on the mound they have q
whole nine Of sluggers.
Close on Defense
Defensiveiy, the Xanks must be
given the edge but not by 20 wide
o margin as on the stack. Crosetti
and Gordon form one Of basebalps
finest keystone combinations, and
shade urges and Herman o trifle.
In double plays the Xanks lead BY
172 TO i40.
In the outfield the Yanks have II
ell over the Cubs. DiMaggio u one
OF the greatest ball hawks In the
business. Heinrich Is capable and
has probably the sharpest throwing
arm In the majors. Either Gelkirk
or Hoag In left have the edge over
anything the Cubs have 10 offer. All
things considered the Cubs outer pa
troll Is no bargain. The loss Of oaian
hurts plenty. Demaree Is no ball Of
fire, Reynolds, an American league
castofk, has made Q grand comeback
butts on his last legs. Cavarretta .
@ reformed first baseman. Marty q
the Cubs best defensive man but will
play only when Gomez pitches.
individually, only three Cubs Tout
side the box) can be given as much
as On even break o. better with the