Evening star., 1939-10-04
Family fuses
May Mar Play
Of Champs
Keller and Rival Feud :
Derringer Can't See
Quick Decision
BY BURTON HAWKINS.
Star Staff CORRESPONDENT.


NEW YORK, Oct. 4.-In a sport
saturated with jealousy, petty irri-
tatlonS and episodes of yelled mud
singing, the Cincinnati Reds offered
refreshing contrast here today as
they awaited their eagerly antici-
pated inaugural against the Yankees
in the World Series. The Reds, it
seems, exemplify the old up-and-at-
EN-, do-or-die college spirit outfit
and that hardly hurts their quest
for an upset.
There were no indications the
gambling gentry would shuttle the
ODDS due to Cincinnati's fraternal
spirit, for the Yankees, too, are
noted for being a rather complacens :
family. But, by the same token,
the Reds ooze the kind of spirit that
can't be dismissed with shrug.
The Yankees, for instance, ex-
perienced at least one major feud in
their ranks this season. It centered
around Charley Keller, the former
University of Maryland star who
was attempting to crash the New
York outfleld after an apprentice
ship OF two spectacular seasons with
the Yankees farm at Newark.
Victor in Feud.
Charles opposition didn't relish
the prospect of decorating the dug
out and so he poured it to Keller,
blasting him verbally and embar-
RAISING him generally and, for
awhile, the strategy worked. Charlie
is the type whose nervousness hits
his tummy. His emotions exploded
there and Charley was sick for a
time.
A rookie, he wasn't in a position
to start swinging on an established
regular, but, in a letter to friend,
Charlie confessed it was getting in
tolerable. He battled back with a
chunk of highly polished wood and
his presence in the Yankees lineup
is mute evidence he etched a pretty
picture on the mind of Manager Joe
Mccarthy.
Then, again, there was the hold
out of Joe Di Maggie last year. The
other Yankees didn't like it and Joe
felt the chill long after he returned
to the fold. They felt his demands
were out of proportion, his opinion
OF himself too exalted and. accord
ing to sources here, they let him
know it.
Whether or not it will help is
conJectural. but the Reds are minus
the cramping fingers of friction.
Perhaps the Yankees have stopped
their daffy disputes by this time,
but it's doubtful if they're like the
Reds in clicking as companions.
Pitcher Praises Pitcher.
The Cincinnati club is something
of mutual admiration society.
Pitcher Paul Derringer, for instance,
was talking today about young
Junior Thompson, the 22-year-old
graduate of the Sally League.
He goes out there and takes
command" says Derringer. Hes
cool under fire and he's not swell
head. I remember one day when
he shut out the Pirates with five
hits and looked great. Back in the
clubhouse after the game he came
over to me and asked whether he
had pitched correctly to Paul Waner.
That's the kind of boys we have on
our club and that's why we'll win
the World Series.
Fellows who have been fashion,
ing paragraphs about the Reds this
season say it's like this throughout
the organization. Unity has suffered
losses before, but in the case of the
Reds it at least may create some
anxiety for the Yankees. It Ger
tainly must be listed on the asset
side.
No -Four Straight" Victory.
Derringer, incidentally, has fair
ly sane slant on the series. THE
Yankees have a great ball club" he
admits, but they still have to play
with the same ball we do and the
bases aren't any farther apart for
us than they are for the Yankees.
Anything can happen in baseball,
but know they're not going to
beat a ball club as good as ours
four straight and we won't beat
a ball club as good as the Yankees
four straight"
With that conviction Derringer
calmly pointed his toes toward the
mound at Yankee Stadium and
walked to the spot where heroes
and "bums" have been chiseled in
wholesale style.