THE TANKS OF THE YANKS

Frankly, the National League has very little sense. They would do well to quit staging photographic finishes every year that leave the pennant winners capable of enjoying nothing but a good letdown in the World Series. Of course, the Yankees would win anyway but it might take six or seven games instead of four.

Not only the Cincinnati Reds but also the game of baseball seems to be taking a terrific shellacking at this point. Attendance records have fallen off during the summer and threaten to drop more in 1940. And all because of the Yankees. The Reds lined up against New York with a strong team and a fine manager. it looked like the Yanks were really in trouble. DiMag was wallowing in a huge batting slum; two of the pitches complained of sore arms and a third pulled a muscle in his side. "There is hope," thought the baseball world. But after the first two games that same world has thought better of itself and ceased to think. The two pitching stars of the Cincy Club, boasting a combined record of fifty-two victories, have merely added two defeats to their list. The Reds thus far possess a team batting average of .088 and they are sleeping off a two-hit whitewashing inflicted upon them by a man who has only pitched one complete game in the last two months.

Too bad the Yankees were not quite their normal selves; but just wait till next year. All this, however, it is not a good thing. Cincinnati must come through; it must win four out of five games. A rookie pitcher must start the ball rolling today and his team must score a run sooner or later. Drastic measures may have to be taken if things start breaking badly. If all fails, Kenesaw Mountain Landis should set up the Western Hemisphere Series and conform to the feeling of the times. Let the damn Yankees keep their title and send the Red Sox against Cincinnati in a snow series.