Evening star., 1939-10-07
New wYorkPunch
Strong
Behind Lefty
HurIer Never beoten
BY FRANCIS z. STAN,
Star Stan Correspondent,

dOuUIc Will Cl0 ClNClnn6u AeOSs
up to now, has been ailing pitchers.
The ailing pitchers have belonged
to the New York Yankees.
First, Red R,3ng beat the Reds
In the opening game, 2 to /. Before
the series. Red complained of q
sore arm. He said it hurt him
throughout the game. Yet he gave
only four hits.
Next, Marcellus Monte Pearson
beat them. Monte gave only two
hits. He Is chronic ailer. If 1t
isn't his arm, it's his side, or his toe,
or something But Pearson beat the
Reds, and came close to becoming
the only pitcher ever to pitch a no.
nit. no-run game in World Series.
Today, as the Yankees moved
into their first battle along the
banks of the Rhine, another ailing
pitcher was to be used. Lefty Gomez
asked for shot against the Reds.
Lefty has sprained ligament, or
something, In his right side.
Lefty Never Has Lost.
With the Yanks holding a 20
lead in games over the Reds, the
National Leaguers are on the spot
for at least two reasons. In the
first place, the Yankee pitcher who
ails is almost certainty to win a
series game. Pearson has been that
way for four straight years. Rufing
was this year.
In the second place Gomez never
loses World Series game. At least
he hasn't lost one yet. The guy
they call Goofy, according to the
records, is the greatest World Series
pitcher in history.
He has won six straight games.
Goofy has, and his streak started
way back in 1882, when the Yam
KEGS rolled over the Cubs in four
straight games. That year Junior
thompson, who was to pitch today
for the desperate Reds, was only Is
years old.
Gomez's bad right side Is no
fake. Late in the American League
season Lefty was in pain several
times. The last league game he
pitched was against Washington.
He had ITO quit. His side ached
him so that relief pitcher was
called into action to finish a game
won by the champions.
Yankees Hit Behind Gomez.
Gomez's selection came as some-
thing of a surprise to most series
followers. For the Reds it did-or
should have-come as bad news.
Not only has Gomez been undefeated
is six World Series contests but the
left-handed Castilian has been some-
thing of harbinger of bad luck to
enemy pitchers. The Yankees. you
see, seem to hit harder behind Gomez
than behind any other pitcher.
Consider, if you please, the record
of the skinny-legged osuthpaw from
California. Gomez pitched his first
series game back in 1882 He faced
the Chicago Cubs and defeated
Lonnie Warneke, to 2. In 1896
he pitched twice to help defeat the
Giants. In the first game he de.
feated Hal Schumacher by a score
of 1874. In the second he downed
Freddie Fitzsimmons, 1876.
In 1887 Gomez picked up another
pair OF series decisions. The Giants
again were the enemy In the first
game he defeated Carl Hubbell, 81;
in the second he won over Mickey
Mouse Melton, 40.
Last year Gomez calmly kept his
course. He pitched only one game
as the Yanks routed the Cubs in
four straight games. He pitched the
second game and was credited with
6-3 decision over Dizzy Dean.
The Guy Is Like Midas.
That game was won for Gomez
while he was sitting on the bench
and out of the game. A pinch
hitter had replaced him with the
score tied at 3-3. Then frankie
Crosetti hit home run and Lefty
was sure of his victory, although
Johnny Murphy pitched the last
inning for him.
Gomez seems to have been made
for World Series competition. Like
Midas, everything he touches in
series competition seems to turn to
gold. No pitcher in history-not
even Herb Pennock or other spec
tacular predecessors-can match
Gomez's record of six wins In six
tries.
But Lefty's path has been made
easy for him. Four is the least
number of runs the Yankees have
obtain for him. Eighteen are the
most. The total is 54 runs for Gomez
in six games. It's hard to beat q
guy when he Is given this amount
of runs.
Thompson Last Red Victory Hope.
Gomez's choice came as something
Of a surprise to most people who
have been following the series.
Originally 1t was suspected that
either Oral Hildebrand or Bump
Hadley would work the final game.
But 1t was to be Gomez, and this
was not calculated to raise the stock
Of the Reds, although Gomez has
not been consistently effective this
year. But 1t has been behind Go
mez that the Yankees have broken
out in a hitting rash.
Up to press time, the Yankees had
not been hitting. Against Derringer
they made only two runs in the first
game and they were helped toward
their 2-1 victory by an objectionable
bit Of outfield and infield handling
of q two-base drive by Babe Dahl
gren. In the second game they
| srnred on1v follr rms hehind tha
two-hit pitching Of Pearson.
1t may be that Gomez presence
will inspire the Yankees-partic1-
larly Joe Di Maggie, Red Rolfe,
George Selkirk and others who
haven't been hitting-to cut loose
and unveil that batting attack
which has struck terror in the
American League for the last four
years. II so, it's Katy-bar-the-doW
! (see BAsEBALL. Page A-l7)