The White Falcon - 14.11.1942, Side 10

10
Scribes ‘Punish*
Williams
By Gene Graff
Baseball writers always have been envied for
their soft living and short working hours. They
spend the winter months leisurely at training
camps in Florida, Texas or California. When
the teams migrate northward for their 154-game
season, the scribes begin a whirl that takes
them to the finest hotels, the tastiest restaur-
ants and aboard the most comfortable trains.
Of course, they spend two or three hours daily
watching a game from the pressbox, but there’s
never been a case of a baseball writer collaps-
ing from fatigue.
The baseball-covering gentry frequently has
been accused of getting soft in various parts
of the anatomy, but never in the head. That is,
never before last week when they cast their
ballots for the American League’s Most-Valuable-
Player of 1942. Now, however, fans are begin-
ning to wonder if perhaps the men haven’t been
working too hard lately. Otherwise, Joe Fan
declares, they couldn’t possibly have forgotten
a fellow named Ted Williams of Boston’s gold-
plated Bed Sox.
Granted that Joe Gordon, Yankee second base-
man and the writer’s selection, is a great play-
er and likeable companion. He, no doubt, was
chiefly responsible for holding the Yankees to-
gether during early stages of the season when
sluggers like DiMaggio, Dickey and Keller were-
n't slugging. Joe probably is the greatest second
baseman on active duty today, and perhaps even
warrants a niche among the all-time greats. El-
iminating Williams, Gordon is a logical candi-
date for the prize. %
But why was Williams ignored? Sure, he’s
temperamental, cocky, a fresh youngster, and
isn’t he the same Williams who was fined and
publicly reprimanded by Mgr. Joe Cronin for
“loafing” during the season? Retreating farther,
he’s the same foolish lad who wanted to dis-
card a fabulous salary for a job as fireman
in his home town a couple of years ago. That
episode exploded national amazement, and left
the great outfielder hanging on the ropes.
If Williams sulked or pouted or refused to
put forth his best efforts during the 1942 camp-
aign, opposing pitchers weren’t aware of the
letdown. Had they known Fireman Ted was
laying down on the job they might not have
worried so much about facing baseball’s most
feared batter. But sandwiched in between his
flares of temperament and lack of interest was
enough earnest endeavor to bring him American
League leadership in batting, homeruns, runs
scored and runs batted in.
That glaring oversight might very well have
been Williams’ last encounter with the noble
gents who write for a living. He has departed
from baseball for the duration to join Uncle
Sam’s fighting men. Last year, when' he pound-
ed A.L. pitching for a .406 average, he was un-
fortunate enough to bump into Joe DiMaggio’s
56-game consecutive hitting streak. But there’s
absolutely no excuse for giving the nod to Gor-
don this time. The writers should have made
their choice on comparative merits, instead of
ganging up to "get even” for imaginary wrongs,
’Bama Seeks Revenge
Against Georgia Tech
Like Bob Pastor, who chastises aspirants to Joe Louis’ crown although never a champion himself,
Alabama’s Crimson Tide stands between the State of Georgia and a “dream game” two weeks hence
between Georgia Tech and Georgia U., two-thirds of the nation’s unbeaten collegiate football gentry.
Alabama’s bid for an un-
defeated campaign went up
in smoke during the final
period of its clash with Georgia
two weeks ago when the Bull-
dogs overcame a 10-0 deficit to
spank the Crimson Tide, 21 to
10. That defeat was unfortunate
for Alabama, but by the. same
token, it was unfortunate for
Georgia Tech because the Tide
is keyed for an all-out effort to
salvage a piece of glory this
afternoon.
And Alabama might very easily
turn the trick. With Russ and
Monk Mosley, triple-threat broth-
ers, setting the pace, the Tide
flashed signs of versatile power
in smashing South Carolina, 29
to 0, last week, and the Techmen
will have to be at their best
to cope with Coach Frank Tho-
mas’ eleven today.
Georgia enjoys a “breather” to-
day in preparation for next
week’s test against Auburn, tack-
ling hapless Chattanooga. Fran-
kie Sinkwich and his rugged
mates nren’t expected to en-
counter much opposition today,
and apparently it’s just a ques-
tion of whether they can sur-
pass last week’s performance
when Florida was a 75 to 0 vic-
tim.
Boston College, the remaining
unbeaten team, is virtually cer-
tain of a perfect season if it hurls
back Fordham today. Future
obligations include Boston U.
and Holy Cross, neither consid-
ered worthy of scoring an up-
set. Fordham has been enjoying
only mild success thus far, but
the Eagles will have a busy ses-
sion because season records
mean' nothing when Fordham
and Boston College get together.
The Big 10, completely mudd-
led after last week’s brace of
reversals, no longer boasts an
undefeated color-bearer. Wis-
consin, last of the leaders, slip-
ped from its pedestal against
Two fighters get together as Billy Southworth (left), peppery manager of
the world champion St. Louis Cardinals, visits his son, Capt. Billy Southworth
Jr., at an Eastern Army Air Corps base. Billy Jr. was an outstanding minor
league player before he enlisted.
Iowa and bowed to the Hawk-
eyes, 6 to 0. Minnesota, too, “was
victimized by a second division
team, falling before Indiana, 7
to 0.
Four squads—Wisconsin, Mi-
chigan, Illinois and Ohio State
—now share the Big 10 lead, but
only three will remain by night-
fall because the Illini tackle Ohio
State. The Wolves venture out
of the conference to face for-
midable Notre Dame, while Wis-
consin is confronted by North-
western.
Two important contests shaye
the spotlight in the Southwest.
Texas Christian, stunned by un-
heralded Texas Tech last Satur-
day, meets Texas, 20-0 victor
over Baylor, while Rice encoun-
ters improved Texas Aggies. The
Aggies shaded Southern Metho-
dist, 27 to 20, last week in a
slam-bang affair.
SHORT SHOTS
Johnny Beazley, World Series hero who con-
tributed two pitching victories to the St. Louis
Cardinals’ rousing defeat of the New York Yank-
ees, has turned GI in a big way. Beazley, now a
buck private at Camp Forrest, Tenn., told a
reporter of the camp newspaper that he had
retired from baseball forever. “I’ll never go
back to pitching. Baseball’s a thing of the past
for me. I’m going to make a career of the
Army,” the 22-year-old mound ace declared.
•
Major League baseball lost another of its stars
this week when Dolph Camilli, Brooklyn’s slug-
ging first baseman, announced his definite re-
tirement from the game after 17 years of active
duty with Philadelphia, Chicago and Brooklyn
of the National circuit. ”1 think it’s time I settl-
ed down with my ranch and family,” Camilli
asserted. However, team officials refused to take
Camilli’s statement seriously and said it was
merely the opening gun of Dolph’s annual hold-
out campaign.

N.B.A, ‘Freezes* Championships
To Protect Boxers
Boxing champions who have
hung up their gloves for the
duration will continue to hold
their crowns. The National Box-
ing Assn, announced that titles
have been “frozen” to protect
champions who are now in the
armed services or, for some other
reasons due to the war, will not
defend their titles.
That leaves the championship
lineup as follows: Joe Louis
(Heavyweight), Gus Lesnevicb
In Service
(Light Heavyweight), Tony Zale
(Middleweight), Freddy Coch-
rane (Welterweight), Sammy An-
gott (Lightweight), Jackie Wil-
son (Featherweight), Manuel.Or-
tiz (Bantamweight), “Little”
Dado (Flyweight).
Meanwhile, Tami Mauriello,
who registered an impressive 10-
round victory over Lee Savold
recently, appears headed for the
“Civilian Heavyweight Cham-
pionship,”
Golfing ranks today also are thinned by one.
Ben Hogan, leading money winner of profes-
sional golfers for the past three years, disclos-
ed that he is abandoning golf for the duration
and will enroll in a civilian student flying
school. Too old for combat duty, Hogan said
he hoped to find some place in the war ef-
fort after gaining his pilot’s license.
•
The PGA announced that although tire and
gasoline rationing will sharply curtail the wint-
er golf schedule, the 85,000 Miami Open and
the North-South Open at Pinehurst will still
be conducted. PGA President Ed Dudley re-
vealed that members raised 8250,000 for the Red
Cross, in addition to selling millions of dol-
lars worth of war bonds,