Evening star., 1938-09-30
YANKEE PITCHERS
ACE COMBINATION
Gomez and Ruffing May Be
All Champs Need to Win
Third Series in Row.
(Thb Is the last OF a series COM
pairing the potential riudls In the
approaching uorld sertes.J
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Aports Writer


NEW YORK, Sept. 3o.-The New
York Yankees, seeking to break all
precedent by winning their third
straight World Series, will 70 into
action against either the Chicago Cubs
or Pittsburgh Pirates next Wednesday
firing the same double-barreled shot
gun that has moved down the Giants
In the last two Autumn arguments.
First. Manager Joe Mccarthy will
explode Vernon Lefty Gomez at the
National League batters, and then he
will pull the other trigger, Rufus (Red)
Ruffing. II the enemy survives the
twin blast and the mopping up opera
tlons OF assorted other Yankee pitchers
and still is acting belligerent, then
Gomez and Rufiing will be fired again.
That about sums up the Yanks'
pitching strategy. In Rufhng, who
has won II and lost 7 this season, and
Gomez, with an 1912 count, the
champs own . pair of the greatest
fingers in the game today. Together,
they form an incompatible short.
series combination. Gomez has won
all five World Series games he has
started. Rufdng has won two and
lost one.
Two Yank Stars Ailinx.
With Monte Pearson, the clubs third
nne pitcher, sick and unlikely to start
In the series, and Spud Chandler, SEN
satlonal young star. out with a bad
elbow, 1t looks as If the Yanks will
have only their two aces to depend
upon But that is something like
saying that q man has only $4,000 900
left in the bank.
Neither the Cubs nor the Pirates
boast such a brace of hotshots, though
Doth have good pitching and the Cubs
ngure to do lot Of damage with Bill
Lee and Clay Bryant if they qualify for
the Dig doings. Lee, with ~ wins and
nine losses. and Bryant with 10 and
II, nave been pitching phenomenal
ball during the Cubs stretch drive
Only thing, they are bound to be get
ting tired, and if the National League
race is not decided before Sunday they
Will 60 into the series vobbline around
like sleepwalkers. They are the ONLY
sure bets the Cubs have, notvith-
standing Dizzy Deans good showing
against the Pirates three days ago.
The Pirates own three top pitchers
In Bob Klinger, Jim Tobin and Russ
BaureS. very useful game-saver in
Mace Brown and valuable supporting
strength IN Cy Blanton, Red Lucas
and Ed Brandt. Probably it is the best
balanced staf1 Of the lot, yet 1t lacks 4
really great pitcher, or one with World
Series experience. This last Is i'm.
portant.
Give Cubs Best Chance,
Baseball men figure that the Cubs
STAN would stand the best chance of
stopping the Yankee sluggers, provid-
ing Lee and Bryant get q little rest
before the series begins. Harry Dam
ming, who has been behind the plate
for the Giants in the last two series.
thinks that Bauers of the Pirates
could stifle the champions.
On the whole. though. the vote must
go to Gomez and Rufing It Is be-
lieved that Johnny Murphy. demon
relief pitcher, will start the third game
for the Yankees If Pearson still is
ailing.
A comparison Of the rival catchers
is elementary. The Yankees have Bill
Dickey, the best catcher in baseball
today and perhaps the greatest ever.
He is hitting at 315 clip, has smack-
ed 27 home runs and has knocked in
lis runs in 129 games.
Gabby Hartnett, who has caught
and managed the Cubs from fourth
place to the brink of glory within two
months, is a .274 batter who has hit
nine homers and driven in 81 runs in
86 games. AL Todd, the Pirate back
stop. has poled seven homers and
pushed "a runs across while compiling
.264 mark in 1913 games.