The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-09-29
M'KECHNIE And
MATES HELD OFF
CARDS CHARGE
Gained Lead on May 70,
Never to Lose It; YAM
KEGS Ahead
ny GEORGE KTRKsEY

Omitted Press STAN Correspondent
New York, Sept. 20 - W.P0
The Cincinnati Reds are champions
Of the National League, and they
got there the hard way--by defend
ing their lead against one Of the
greatest August-September drives
ever put on by q challenger.
On August the Cardinals were 10
games fro mthe top and only six
games out Of seventh place. In .
whirlwind finish the Cards. won 4s
while losing Z. That's the kind Of
challenge the Reds had to beat
back.
Foldups have been so frequent in
recent years in the National League
that the Reds gallant stand to
thwart the Cards pennant bid de-
finitely marks the men of Bill Me-
Kechnie as q stouter-hearted club
than they were credited with being.
When q National League leader
starts to slip slightly In August and
September, that usually means cur
tains as 1t did for the Pirates last
season, the Cubs in 1897, the Card
inals In 1885 and the Giants in 1894.
But the Re0s saw the Cards COM
ing for two long months and they
hung on. The Reds 12-game lead Of
July 80 melted to 1-2 games by
September / and the Cards had
plenty of time to overhaul them,
But through the dangerous days OF
September Cincinnati doggedly held
on to its lead until the Reds put
over the pennant-clincher yesterday
by throttling the Cards, SIS.
The lnainliners Of the Reds club
to the National League heights for
the second time in 40 years were the
two strong arm boys, Pitchers Bucky
Walters and Paul Derringer; First
Baseman frank Mccormick, leading
hitter Of the Reds regulars; Out
fielder Wal Goodman; and the
muchfy-maligned second base COM
bination Of Lonnie Frey and Billy
Myers.
Two sAces"
There were other valuable contri-
buttons but these six did the heavy
work. Walters, with a victories, and
Derringer, with rs, did the greatest
two-man pitching Job In the majors
since Grove and Earnshaw COPIED
So for the Athletics In 1891. During
their fiercest battle to defend first
place in September, Derringer and
Walters paced the Reds with IA VIC
tories and only two losses.
Bill McKechnie, who led the Reds
from last to first place In two years,
achieved another personal triumph
for himself when he became the
first major league manager to win
three pennants with separate clubs.
He piloted the Pirates to the title in
1925 and the Cardinals IN 1913. His
Pittsburgh Club won the worlds
title but he suffered the ignomtny Of
losing in four straight to the Yanks
in 1928.
A chart Of the Reds pennant pro-
gress shows them getting away slow
ly but finally taking the lead May
rs from the Cardinals never to lose
1t again. Their ability to smack over
the three bottom clubs playing an
important role. They beat the Phils,
Bees, and Pirates 40 times while los
ing only IA times. But their record
Is similar to the Yanks In this re-
Spect as the Bronx Bombers won So
and lost IA against the three low
American League teams.
The Reds now 60 into their second
world series In history. just 20 years
ago they were innocent victims Of
THE Black Sox" scandal which al
most wrecked baseball. Eight men,
beers Of the White Sox sold out TO
gamblers and the Reds upset the
favored American League cham
pions five games to thre.