The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-09-26
COLLAPSE OF CUBS IS ONLY
 HOPE OF CARDS
BY WALTER BYERs United Press Sports Write


 Chicago, Sept. 26-(UP)-The st. Louis Cardinals three-year reign over the National League was ell but ended today.
 Beaten at their own game, the ability to rally when the chips are down, the Cardinals now can only hang on and hope the league-lead- ing Cubs collapse during the final Ave days of the season.
 The Cubs came from behind to nose out the world champions, 6 to 5, yesterday on 0 slippery. rain- soaked field before i,i3e fans at Wrigley field, dropping the Cardin- als two Q half games behind.
 But the league leaders did more than beat the Cardinals by one run,
 The way they snatched the game out of the fire took something out of the cocky, swashbuckling Missouri ianS who have been sure all season they would win their fourth consec. utive National League pennant this year.
 Nothing To Say
 We never thought we'd lost that one," manager Billy Southworth said There's nothing to say, There can't be any comment from Q loser"
 That wasn't the same Southworth whose fighting spirit has made the Cards the most persistent "cone- back" team In baseball.
 The fading champions only chance now would Do for the Cubs to lose ct least three of their remaining six games. Even then the Missourians would have to sweep their remain- ing five games merely to tie.
 That herculean task was squareiy before them today as Southworth sent Charley (Red) Barrett. 2S-game winner, against the Cubs Claude PaAseau in the final game of tho regular season ct Wrigley field. It is the last time the two teams meet this year,
 Southworth was almost as glum today es he was yesterday, Sitting on Q locker room bench after the game, almost talking to himself, he mumbled
 "Pafkos hit with the bases load- cd. he broke his bat. he broke his bat"
 And broken or not, the crack of Andy Pafko's bat in lining that double down the left field line yes. terday in the seventh inning sound. cd the death knell to the Cardinals. It climaxed Q four.run Cub rally that gave the league leaders the vic- tory, -
 The Cards made Q last-ditch stand to score two runs in the eighth, and send Henry (Hank) BoroWy, who was credited with the victory, to the showers. But graying Ray (Pappy) prIm, came in to throttle the Cardinal uprising.
 Rallied Twice
 The Cubs actually fought back twice to overcome Cardinal leads Tn the first inning, the RedbirdS opened with two runs. But the Cubs came right back to tic 1t up in their half on walk, singles by Don Johnson and Phil Cavarretta and Breeheen's error.
 Again the defending champions
 
 went ahead of the challengers, Bus- ter Adams' single in the fifth plus c sacrifice by cleanup hitter George Kurowski and Q rifle single by Ray Sanders gave the Cards Q 3 to ? lead.
 But came the seventh and the Cubs tore Q page out of the Cardin. als' manual of attack and rallied with four big runs.
 While this climactic action was taking place here, the Brooklyn Dodgers frightened their hold on third place by whipping the New York Giants, ! to 1. doody Rosen'S three-run homer in the ninth in- ming snapped a 4 to { tie and gave Vic Lombardi his 10th triumph of the season. The only other game scheduled, Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, was postponed because of rain.