The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-06
VETERAN HARDLY
 READY FOR ACID TEST OF CAREER
BOnham, Gomez to Try for CIinchef' in Brooklyn
 Today
BY GEORGE KIRKsEY

0x NEOkSNE AkNAOEA United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Oct. 6-(UP)-Whit- low Wyatt, "the Rock of 0hicka- mauga," tries today to do what his ancestors did 7e years ago on e Civil war battlefield - stop the Yankeesl
 The tall, bald righthander, who owns @ farm only n1usket shot from where General Braxton Bragg of the Confederate army checked the Northern invaders in Septem- Der, 1863, Is the Brooklyn Dodgers last hope.
 If he fails, the Dodgers fail.
 Of the four pitchers who start- ed against the Yankees in the le4l World series, "the Rock of Chicka- raauga" is the only one who's come off the field a winner. Standing firm under heavy shelling in the second game, Wyatt threw his fireball and his slider at the Yan- kees and finally beat them. Except for his courageous stand at Yankee Stadium, the Dodgers might have been defeated in four straight games.
 Trailing three games to one, Manager Leo Durocher called on the Rock of Chickalnauga" to turn the tide after yesterdays disas- trous rout. Wyatt goes back into battle with only three days rest, hardly enough for veteran who has been throwing baseball in the majors and minors for l3 years. At one stage of his career he and everybody else thought he was through with baseball. Ills right arm is scared from an operation which put him back on the road that leads to the pitching mound at Ebbets field at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon for the "btg" game of his long and troubled career.
 All season, whenever the Dodgers have been down and needed to win one, they've called on "the Rock of Chickamauga." He turned the yide for them against the St. Louis Cardinals end he pitched the pen- nant-clinching victory in Boston.
 Bonham Ready!
 Hungry for the kill, Manager Joe Mccarthy of the Yankees selected big Ernie Bonham, fast ball artist who has been resting up for this spot ever since he pitched against the Red Sox Sept. 21. If he's right, the Tanks have a good chance to be worlds champions at dusk to- day for the fifth time in the last six years.
 Two strangely contrasting teams take the field for the fifth game. The Yankees, cocky because they have found their batting eyes, ex- pect to be on their way home to- morrow. The Dodgers enter this "do-or-die" game with their morale badly shaken from the strangest sequence of events ever seen in a World series.
 Hell Broke Loose
 They had a game won yester- day, and then lost 1t. They were leading 4-3, in the ninth inning with two out and three-yes, three strikes on the third batter. Then all hell broke loosel
 Tommy Henrich, who should have been the Yankees last hitter, swung at the third strike with the count three and two. He thought the game was over and SO did most of the 33,8l3 fans in Ebbets field. But Catcher Mickey Owen failed to catch the ball. It skidded off his glove and rolled to the Dodger dugout. By the time Owen reached the ball, Henrch, the man who struck out, was On first base.
 In the next 10 minutes the Yan- keeS swarmed over Hugh Casey, the pink checked Georgia boy who lad come in as 6 relief pitcher in the fifth and checked the Bronx Bomb- ers' attack. Joe DiMaggio slashed single to left, putting Henrich on second. Then Charlie Keller (the fellow the Dodgers said be- fore the series they didn't fear) came up and smashed double off the right field screen, for his fourth hit, scoring Henrich and DiMag- gio. Casey had two strikes on Kel- Ter and tried to slip by third one. That was a mistake. Keller murdered the pitch.
 Bill Dickey worked a walk from Casey, who by this time was on the ropes and reeling. Joe Gordon fol- lowed with a screaming double to left over Jimmy Wasdell'S head and Keller and Dickey scored. Phil Rizzuto drew Q pass and Casey finally ended the agony by get ting Johnny Murphy, Yankee re- lief pitcher, to ground out to Pee Wee Reese.
 Johnny Murphy cut down Reese, Walker and Reiser in order in the Dodgers ninth.
 Starters Shelled Before that the Dodgers, playing with Q crippled and revised line up, had come from behind to fight their way to Az lead. The Tanks Shelled Kirby Higbe to cover and got away to 80 lead but lost it when Alley Donald wilted in the spffocating heat. With two out in the fourth Donald walked Mickey Owen and Pete CoScarart, subbing for the injured Billy Herman at second, 3nd pinch-hitter Jimmy Wasdell doubled into the left field corner, driving them home.
 TYo swings in the fifth and the Dodgers were on top. Dixie Walker idol of Flatbush fans. whistled a double into left and Pete Reissr hit 6 homer between the score- board and the clock in riQhk.cen~ ter field. That put the Dodgers on top, 4-3, and they stayed there un- til the roof fell in on them in the fatal ninth.
 Again today the Dodgers are like- ly to play without Herman at ssc- ond base. He injured his left side swinging in batting practice Sat- urday. The injury has spread from the area of his kidney up to his shoulder and diathermy treatments have failed to improve it. Manager F1anWnaAMP hMRahAA Aaaf~A AAmA..@N q.