Show SPEAKING ING OF SPORTS af B ROBERT B I 1 R C S released by N M estern NOW newspaper per unto lion the world series of 19 1940 40 WITH already written into the record books american league fans still are wondering how it all happened deacon bill mckechnie pilot of the world champion cincinnati reds knows most of the answers he knows for instance that the red pitching staff was superior to anything the tigers faced during the current season derringer with his smartness and control with that famed sidearm side arm curve was a man to be depended on despite a weak start the kentucky sharpshooter handed out very ary few gifts the old master alaster twice with hank greenberg on base derringer blanked rudy york in the final and decisive game in three innings with the tiger leadoff man on base oom paul took a notch in his belt and held the damage to one unearned run when it was over paul had allowed exactly as many hits as did buck newsom seven seve n but he held the winning ticket in the matter of runs it was the third time in 10 years that a world series went seven games a and nd the fourth national league victory in the last decade when when the cards last won six years ago two pitchers like derringer and walters each won two games those two pitchers were dizzy and paul dean As one baseball writer put it the series was a matter of pitch and punch it was a duel between the salary whip of cincinnatus Cincin natis pitchers and the war clubs handled by the r 1 T Y 7 el I 1 I 1 V 7 4 1 BILL tiger sluggers cincinnati called calle d the turn by hitting at a better clip than the tigers that plus superb pitching in the clinches put the national league on top after a long span of desolation and sadness the reds were ripe for a series victory this year the team paid no attention to the fact that it was beaten tour four straight by the yankees in 1939 that fact alone was supposed to spell defeat instead of being dis heartened the reds proved to be a better ball club than they were last year much of the credit goes to bill Alc Kechnie one of the in most ost popular managers oi of the present baseball era no forgotten for otten man del baker however been forgotten in the rush early season do pesters had the tigers resting in fourth place at the seasons end many of the baseball wise gentry had them fichti fighting ng for top billing in the second division how the tigers managed to win a pennant still baffles most old time baseball players the infield was slated to fold when the going got tough york gehringer bartell and higgins names to conjure with but they did have the courage to carry on through days that meant real physical suffering on the ball field it was a spot where experience made up for the lack of youth that came very close to carrying the tigers through to victory dozens of reasons have been advanced for the reds victory some of them undoubtedly were contributing factors but the principal reason for cincinnatus Cincin natis grip on the world championship rests in the pitching arms of paul derringer and bucky walters they helped prove that a cagy capable pitching staff is more to be desired than an array of sluggers deacon bill mckechnie is the authority for that statement three other men who should not be overlooked for their share in the reds success are joe beggs lombard and bill werber while they outstanding in the series their consistent work throughout the season m made ade it possible for cincinnati cincinnat to compete for the crown and that s just as important |