Evening star., 1939-04-15
From the
PRESS Box
All He Does Is Worry,
Smiles Yunk Pilot
By JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent of The Star.


again with his world champions,
who have been taking a certain
amount of CUFF from the lowly but
disrespectful Brooklyn Dodgers down
South, Joe Mccarthy says that all
he does about the Yankees is worry,
worry worry-but Ahe manages to
smile when he says it.
The Yanks open their season in
Washington Monday. President
Roosevelt, known in baseball circles
as Jughandle Frank, because of the
sweeping curve upward and down.
ward which he imparts to his first
ball service, will throw out the pri-
mary onion, the initial apple. the
debutante horsehide, or what have
s. you. The Yanks won't swing at
that one. But every pitch that gets
past them after that will be so much
water in Mr.. McCarthy's morning
stein of milk.
The odds against the New York
team winning the pennant for the
fourth year in a row are an infini-
tesimal 2 to s. Notified of this de-
velopment, Mr.. Mccarthy clicked
his tongue.
Odds Ridiculous, Its q 4-club
Roee, Holds Mccarthy
"Tsk! Tsk!" said the Yankee
mastermind, or words to that effect.
Il don't know a thing about betting,
but those figures sound downright
ridiculous. This is an eight-club
league. and the race is at least a
four-club race, with two or three
other teams likely to be heard
from. Some guys seem to think
that winning pennants is a pipe"
That. of course, is exactly what
great many guys do think, in con-
nection with the Yankees. Other
wise they would not be asking odds
of to S.
well. get the idea out of your
head.t said j. v. Mccarthy. coldly
This club has its troubles the same
as everybody else. The Brooklyn
team has been poking us around
lately. in the course of which
have noted many weakness in my
squad"
Mr.. Mccarthy was asked to name
one weakness.
well, how do I know how my
pitching will stand up?" he said.
'The boys have been giving plenty
of base hits. They'll have to tighten
up If we want to get anywhere in
this race. Red Rolfe is slow coming
around at third base. He got late
start. It's no secret that Gehrig has
slowed up. 1 never tried to make it
a secret, It's bound to happen, and
I'm with Lou 100 per cent, but it
means we won't get his best baseball
In April. and April ball games count
Just as much as any others.
Anybody who tells you it's easy
to beat clubs like Boston, Detroit
and Cleveland-and, for that mat
ter, Chicago and Washington and
the rest-is lying to you. We never
did beat Boston last year. What I
mean is, we broke even on the sea-
son, and hear they're tougher than
ever this year. Well begin to find
out about it next Tuesday, when we
open at home"
Sotiety Of Victory Seen
As Possible DownfoII
In other words, Mr.. Mccarthy"
said the interlocutor, your chances
are pretty desperate"
Don't put words in my mouth"
barked the man from Buffalo. This
Is real good club
It's likely that Mr.. Mccarthy is
closer to the truth in that last state
ment than in the previous patter.
Giving his ball club the last min
ute up-and-doWn, however, it's pos
slble to see where it can lose, and
how the form may fall. There is no
use in picking the team apart by
units, because you can do the same
for any club and find just as many
potential flaws. Gehrig may slip,
but SO may FoXx Dickey is aging,
but Cleveland's catchers are apt to
be A. w. o. L. Ferrell's arm may
not come back. but neither may
Schoolboy Rowes.
The matter of single breaks is
strictly lottery. If you allow the
same number of mishaps to each
team, the Yankees figure to finish on
top again, because they were the
best last year.
For sound criticism of the Yanks,
you have one major point. Is it
humanity possible for them to strive
for their fourth pennant as they
strove for the first three? Can
poise and balance offset the hustle
OF pennant-hungry club like Bos-
ton? Can poise and balance keep
from cracking under the strain of
tough fight and possibly a fight
from behind? If the Yanks are
passed at any point in the stretch
drive. I have my doubts of them
not because they lack gameness, not
because they are strictly front-run-
ners. but because there is limit to
what championship team can give
IN defense of title that is old stuff
to its members.
Cleveland led the league in JULY
last year. The Yankees met this
challenge and broke Clevelands
back in a single series, and never
were headed again. But 1 think
they'll be headed this time, later in
the season and by stronger club
than Cleveland, which even last
year lacked the balance and drive to
hold its fast pace.
At least, it's chance. The favor
tie never lived that couldn't be
knocked down.
(Copyright, 1880