The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-19
REDS CAN REST UP FOR WORLD
 SERIES ACTION
Cincinnatti Club Repeats for Pennant- Won 38
 Games By 1 Run
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY Limited Press Ctaff CorrespOndent)

| Series games by the New York Yankees.
 While the Reds were mailing down their title, the American League race with 6 ding-dong fin- ish was blazing more fiercely than ever. Cleveland's team of mutiny'' battled its way back into the lead by half a game with double tri- umph over Washington 3-1 and 2-1, The Detroit Tigers, by splitting with the Athletics, dropped back to sec- ond place.
 The Reds mid-September tri- umph gives the National League partisans what they've been praying for these many years-a champion who can rest up for the World Series while a bigger dog-f1ght goes on for American League suprem- acy. The way the American League race has been see-sawing back and forth, it's unlikely that the pen nant will be decided until the last couple of days, maybe even the very last day of the season.
 Tanks Fell Apart
 In repeating after being humil- lated by the Tanks in four straight games last October, the Reds did what no other team has ever ac- complished. The Pirates of 1927, the Cardinals of 1928 and the Cubs of 1882 and 1888 fell apart the follow ing season after taking four suc- cessive trouncings from the Tanks. But as it turned out, last falls tri- umph was the last gasp of the once great Yankee machine. The Tanks, not the Reds, collapsed this season.
 Few ball clubs in history have been able to win more one run games than the Reds. They've been in S3 one-run decisions in 140 games, winning 38 of them and 1os- ing IS. If those figures had been re- versed and the Reds lost 38 and won only IS, their percentage today would be only 300 and they'd be in fifth place.
 Pitching is the backbone of this Cincinnati team, the third in his- tory to win a pennant. Bill Mo- Kechnie, a dour Scotsman who took over the last place Reds in 1888, has proved himself 8 superb handler of pitching assignments and talent. The Cincinnati moundsmen wrap up their sentiments about McKech- nie when they echo. if you can't pitch for McKechnie, you can't pitch for anybody" Bucky Walters, with 20 wins, and Paul Derringer, with 19, again have been the strong arm men. But Gene Thompson with IS triumphs despite a month on the sidelines with a spike wound, Jim Turner, the Bees pickup with 12 wins. and Joe Beggs, the ex-Yankee and relief star, with 12 victories. have rounded out the majors best balanced staff.
 With only Frank Mccormick and Ernie Lombardi hitting in the 300 class, the Reds have had shortage of runs all season. They had to win those 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 games. To do this they couldn't afford to toss many games away by ragged defen- sive work. Their infield of P. Mo- Cormick at first, Frey at second, Myers and JooSt at short and Verb CT at third is perhaps the majors most solid defensive unit. The out field has given Bill McKechnie headaches but the present com bination of Ripple, Mike Mccormick and Goodman apparently is the best trio the Reds have had in two years.
 The Reds took the lead on July 2 and in a big July drive won IA out of IT games. They were never headed after that. Darkest hour for the Reds was after Willard Hersh- berger's suicide at Boston Aug. 3, the second string catcher's death cast a pail of gloom over the Reds for days afterwards but McKechnie finally brought his boys around and they kept their equilibrium right down to the day the pennant was clinched.
 Great Finish
 Oddly enough, Johnny Wander Nicer, the double no-hit no-run hero of 1888 who went into decline last season and only recently came back from Indianapolis, pitched the pennant-clinching game. He beat the Phillies, 4-3, in l3 innings, with a final inning of erlief help from Joe Beggs.
 The Cardinals 14-7 victory over the Dodgers made it possible for the Reds to nail down the nag yes- terday. Babe Phelps homer with the bases loaded in the first inning was rendered useless by a 1T-hit Cardinal attack which featured six runs hatted in by Johnny Mize.
 Bullet Bob Teller pitched the In- dians into the American League lead by pitching 5-hit game to beat Washington, 2-i, with only two days rest. After the Indians had won the opener. 3-l, with Ken Chase forcing in all the Cleveland runs on walks, Manager Witt de. cided to use his trump. Teller, in the niehtcap. Teller famed seven and raised his total to 2Si, c new record for him.
 The Tigers beat the Athletlcs, l4s0. and then had them beat, 0-4, going into the ninth inning of the nlghtcap when hell broke loose. The Afhletics scored nine runs and knocked the Tigers out Of the lead with i3.0 defeat. Hank oFeenbere his three homers, Talsing hs total e sD,
 The Yanks and White eox divided e pair, with New York coming from behind io win the o-lnnina niahts eap, go, ellof Cropping ths liFui fAnae, e.s, The Browns Dumped the lled @eN, iiss.
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