The Bismarck Tribune

Athletics Pin Hopes on Earnshaw to Pull World Series Out of Fire

Slight Favorites in Betting to Win Sixth Game of Series

GROVE, A POSSIBILITY

Paul Derringer, Rookie Pitcher, Slated to Take Mound for Cards

St. Louis, Oct. 9.-(AP)-The principals in each corner Friday, with the world series drama nearing its grand climax, were John Leonard (Pepper) Martin and George Earnshaw, with baseball's greatest prize at stake.

It loomed as one of the 'naturals' of a sporting decade. Whether Earnshaw went back to the firing line for the Athletics today to check the St. Louis Cardinals or was withheld for possible seventh game, Saturday, on the theory Lefty Grove could be depended upon to beat Paul Derringer tomorrow and square the count at three games each.

The Martin bomber, leader of the Cardinals' flying squadron, twice has gone into action against Earnshaw, the famous righthand ace of the world champions, in as dramatic a baseball show as the national game has known since Walter Johnson pitched the Senators through to victory in 1924.

They have broken even, so far as the results are concerned, although Martin has had much the better of the duel, so far as his personal score against Earnshaw is involved.

Figure Chances

It was not in the least strange, therefore, to the excited local populace and the national baseball public at large, Friday to figure the chance of the high-flying Cardinals and the harassed Athletics in terms of Martin and Earnshaw.

Earnshaw was the hero of the 1930 world series.

Martin is the hero of the 1931 series by so many kilometers, up to date, that even the peerless Paavo Nurmi would hesitate to run them.

There has been nothing in all the history of baseball like this youth's rampage at bat and on the bases.

With the game's highest honors at stake. The truth about Martin, as most everyone knows by now, is stranger than fiction.

He has tied two world series batting records. He has an excellent chance to break six records. Unless Earnshaw or Grove contrived by miracle to check this "wild horse of the Osage" this afternoon.

Neither has done so, thus far.

The Cardinals relied on Martin and their other outstanding "freshman," Derringer, right-handed pitcher, to beat Earnshaw, Al Simmons, the rest of the Athletics and give St. Louis, as well as the National League, its first world championship in five years.

Cards Lead

The Cardinals returned from the east, leading by three games to two, after a succession of thrilling engagements with the club that has been called the greatest Connie Mack ever put together. They needed only one more victory to clinch the winner's share of the spoils, representing a difference of about $1,800 per man. They returned under Gabby Street's fine leadership, supremely confident, with two chances to apply one knockout wallop and end the American League's domination of the baseball throne room.

The Athletics, still somewhat shell-shocked by the exploits of the Martin-led club, returned to St. Louis amid a subdued welcome compared to the tumultuous one the Cardinals had received.

There were jeers this time for the world champions.

Mainly because of Earnshaw, the Athletics were even money favorites in St. Louis betting circles today to prolong the series to the limit for the first time in five years.

The experts figured Earnshaw has just as much psychological advantage over the Cardinals as Martin has gained over the A's.

Derringer Selected

Derringer's selection for a return engagement in the box, despite his defeat in the opener, came as a surprise.

It was believed the Cardinals would send back their big righthander Grimes and Bill Hallahan, confident in that order.

Apparently Derringer was selected with absolute confidence placed on him rather than on Grimes or both, in a final struggle.