Monumental return

NEW YORK – Phil Cavarretta vividly remembers running up the dugout steps at Yankee Stadium so many years ago, eager to get a look the monuments.

Back then, the monuments were alive.

“Man, there was Lou Gehrig at first base and Joe D in center field. I don’t know how many Hall of Famers they had, but there were a lot of them,” the former Chicago Cubs star said.

This weekend, the Cubs are making their first visit to Yankee Stadium since getting swept in the 1938 World Series. Cavarretta, 89 next month and the only Cubs player still around from that team, planned to watch from his home in suburban Atlanta.

“I’ll be in front of the TV for every game,” the 1945 National League Most Valuable Player said in a telephone interview. “I wish I could be there, rooting for the Cubbies. It would bring back so many good memories from the good days.”

Cavarretta also wanted to see an old friend. He was the hitting coach for the New York Mets in 1978 when their manager was Joe Torre, now guiding the Yankees.

“He called me Chi-Chi. He was a good guy,” Cavarretta said. “I miss seeing him.”

The Cubs and Yankees met in a memorable series at Wrigley Field two years ago. Sammy Sosa had appealed his suspension for using a corked bat, and helped Chicago take two of three from New York. In a great matchup, Kerry Wood and the Cubs rallied to deny Roger Clemens his 300th career victory.

Torre was looking forward to the Cubs’ return trip to town.

“We went to Wrigley a couple of years ago and it was exciting there. And I’m sure with the same type of history in this ballpark, one of the originals coming in here, it’s going to be exciting,” he said. “Chicago, they have a great following.”

The first time the Cubs and Yankees played, it certainly was historic. That was in the 1932 World Series when Babe Ruth’s “called shot” highlighted New York’s sweep.

The teams met six years later, and though Ruth had retired, the result was the same. The Yankees had a half-dozen Hall of Famers, including pitchers Red Ruffing and Lefty Gomez, catcher Bill Dickey and manager Joe McCarthy. They also had Ol’ Reliable, Tommy Henrich – at 92 and in poor health, he’s the only other player left from that Series.

The Yankees won the first two games at Wrigley, pulling off a late comeback to beat a determined Dizzy Dean.

The Series shifted to the Bronx.

“I went out early, before batting practice, because I wanted to see the field,” Cavarretta said. “I’d heard so much about it, and it already had a lot of history because of the Babe.”

Only 22, Cavarretta hit .462 for the Series and played right field, the same spot where Ruth once stood.