Evening star., 1939-09-27
Yankees Rated
Far Superior
In Pitchers
Champs Boost Twice
RedIees' Strength
In Real Boxmen
BY SID FEEDER.

BY SID FEDER.
Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, Sept. 27.-No mat
ter where you 60 these days-in the
pubs, the parks or the better
homes-the boys and girls don't ask,
Can the Yankees win the series?"
Instead, they wonder, Can the
Reds take a game?"
The big question is: Can Bucky
Walters and Paul Derringer, in
dividually or collectively, stop one
of the greatest ball clubs of all
time for just one afternoon?
They know Mr.. Joseph McCarthy's S
Bronx boys have it all over the
Rhineland rascals in every depart
ment, and that the Reds one and
only chance rests on the good right
arms Of Big Bucky and Plucky Paul.
Against this pitching the Yanks
haven't thing except Red Ruffing,
Monte Pearson, maybe Lefty Gomez,
Steve Sundra, Alley Donald, Bump
Hadley, Marius Russo, ad infinitum.
CAd," of course, isn't one of the
boys, but just an idea of how Marse
Joes lads are loaded.
Pennant All but Clinched,
It's still possible for the Reds to
"blow'' the pennant to the St. Louis
Cardinals, you know, but since
they're only half game away from
clinching, that possibility is about
as strong as that of seeing an ele-
phant strolling down Broadway eat
ing an ice cream cone.
Now, Bucky and Paul have been
as valuable to Cincinnati this year
as T-bone steak to a starving man,
but the way the Reds have had to
fight right down 70 the wire has
done neither any good. They've
won more than so games between
them so far, which is pretty fair
country twirling and no mistake,
but they've been so overworked these
last couple of weeks that they got
the idea they were back on the
farm pushing a plow again.
Against that secup, Rufhng,
Gomez, Pearson & Co. have been
having the life of Riley. The Yanks
clinched the American League nag
way back there in mid September:
since then there hasn't been any
more pressure on them than that
caused by their vest buttons.
Ruffing There in Clutches.
True, Running has lost his last
three starts, but the chips weren't
down in those outings. Put the
money on the line, and old Rufus
the Red still is about the No. l
clutch" man in the business. He
produces. Gomez is the same way,
too, in the money games" Ell
Goofo strained his side muscles a
couple of days ago, but the doctors
say he'll be ready for the series. If
he is, he has a fair chance of going
right along with his exclusive solid
gold record of never having lost a
series game. He has won six in four
of the classics.
No. on the list is that stylish
California curve-ball specialist,
Monte Marcellus Pearson, who needs
only his control to give them all
lessons in the art of how to win ball
games and influence batters. He,
too. has yet to taste defeat In a
series, winning three games in three
years.
Eack of his is Bump Hadley, a
good spot" pitcher, wise in the ways
Of the game after 13 years up
there.
Red Reserves, Just Reserves.
On the other hand, when you
get past Bucky and Derringer, for
the Reds, you find a lot of nice
bright youngsters, who may develop,
but who figure to wind up all cut
and bruised, if they try .angling
with the Bombers now. Notable
among these fellows too young for
such a fate are Gene Thompson,
pleasant surprise among the years
rockies, and Lefty Lee Grossom, who
always has things happen to him.
The Yankees, too, have some
promising youngsters, particularly
Alley Donald, who won IL in a row,
and Steve Sundra, undefeated with
II victories, but If they unwrap
their soup bones at all, it will be
only for relief chores.
So, it's up to Bucky and Paul
against Red and Lefty or Monte.
Pretty nearly everybody figures the
Yanks can't miss cashing in for their
fourth straight world champion
ship, but it's going to be interesting
to see whether Cincinnati's twirl-
ing twins are good enough to bring
home just one slab of bacon. Big
Bill Lee couldn't even get the rind
for the Cubs last fall.