The White Falcon - 17.04.1943, Síða 10

10
Cards, Browns grsL.: -y- , -
Loom In Race im
By Gene Graff
lent is evident, so the Yanks might again do-
minate the race.
Enos Slaughter and Johnny, Beazley were
chiefly responsible for the torrid September
streak which carried the St. Louis Cardinals
to the National League pennant, and victory
over the Yanks in the World Series. They are
gone as this campaign begins, and other youth-
ful sophomores anticipate an early call. The
chagrined Brooklyn Dodgers also were stricken
by the war’s demand on manpower, although
not as severely as St. Louis. But the tip-off is
Mgr. Leo Durocher’s return to the lineup, after
retiring because his legs and throwing arm no
longer could function properly throughout the
154-game season.
Other Senior Circuit clubs are confronted
with the same situation, enlisting the aid of
men whose playing careers would best have
been embalmed last year or previously. The
Giiants were in a comparatively comfortable
position until recently when Johnny Mize was
snatched off by Uncle Sam’s Navy and Billy
Jurges suffered a recurrence of a painful knee
injury. Perhaps before long Bill Terry will
step from behind his executive position in the
front-office to return to active duty.
At any rate, here’s the way the pennant races
look to this writer:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1- St. Louis
2- Cleveland
3- Chicago
4rNew York
5- Boston
6- Detroit
7- Philadelphia
8- Washington
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1- St. Louis
2- Brooklyn
3- Chicago
4- New York
5- Cincinnati
6- Pittsburgh
7- Boston
8- Philadelphia
The way veteran stars are forsaking baseball
for the Armed Forces these days, handicap-
ping the Major Leagues field for the current
grind is like choosing a winner in a horse
race among refugees from the milk-wagon bri-
gade. But since we established somewhat of
a reputation for consistent misguidance by
stringing with Brooklyn, the Yankees, the Chi-
cago Bears and a few other favorites who
couldn’t make the grade, it’s comparatively
safe to take a reading at this time.
Approaching this season with a knowledge
of past performances is foolhardy since most
of the sluggers and perennial pitchers are far
removed from the scene. With Ted Williams
and Johnny Pesky among the missing, the Bos-
ton Red Sox no doubt will wish they could
transfer to the National League. And when Red
Ruffing, Joe DiMaggio & Co. bade farewell to
Joe McCarthy, the N.Y. Yanks suddenly look
like just another baseball team.
By a process of elimination, the St. Louis
Browns, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White
Sox loom as likely contenders for the Ame-
rican League flag, with the Yanks and Gilt
Edged Sox just a stride behind. Of course,
McCarthy’s scouts and farm clubs have a fa-
bulous ability to produce talent where no ta-
Navy Squares Series
With 41-37 Triumph
Basketball bowed out of the local scene last night when the peppery Anti-Tank shooters, carrying the
Army burden on their sturdy shoulders, matched baskets with an All-Star assemblage of Navy talent
on the Gobs’ court in the “rubber” affair of a three-game series to produce a Command champion.
The Navy
squared ac-
counts Wednesday by stop-
ping Anti-Tank, 41-37, after
the GI’s had lurned in a 33-32
triumph in the opener last Fri-
day. Although the score of the
first game belies a lethargic ex-
hibition, the second tilt was a
thriller from start to finish.
With Johnny Griffen, forward,
and guard Dean Cash leading
the way, the Navy matched the
Cage All-Stars
To Be Named
THE WHITE FALCON’S
All-Star basketball team, chos-
en after careful study of play-
ers participating in the many
tourna'ments held in the local
Command, will appear in next
week’s edition.
performance of Anti-Tank’s bril-
liant offensive leader, forward
Harold Fritz, in the first half
of the inaugural contest to as-
sume a 15-14 margin at the in-
termission. But a field goal by
Fritz and free throws by Nick
Roknick and Led Karr early in
the second half provided the
Army with a lead they protected
the rest of the way.
The Tank Busters held a slim
one-point edge with two minutes
to go, hut steady defensive work
checked the Navy and their des-
perate shower of wild pitches
failed to come close. Fritz led
individual scorers with six bas-
kets and five conversions for a
(Continued on Page Hi)
Old buddies hold
a reunion as Mgr.
Jimmy Wilson
(left) Cub pilot,
welcomes his new
pitcher, Paul Der-
ringer. The veter-
an right-hander
was a favorite in
Cincinnati and St.
Louis for several
years, working
with Wilson be-
hind the plate, and
when he asked the
Reds to trade or
sell him, Wilson
grabbed him for
$15,000 of Wrig-
ley’s chewing gum
fortune.
Oregon Club Wins
Gal Swim Title
The Oregon Multnomah Club
won the women’s team title in
the National AAU swimming meet
at Chicago, although 14-year-old
Joan Fogle of the runner-up Rivi-
era Club of Indianapolis turned
in the best individual perform-
ance.
Youthful Joan captured first
prize in the 300-yard individual
medley and 440-yard free style,
and finished second in the 220-
yard breast stroke.
FDR To Hurl First Pitch
As Baseball Season Opens
With players being claimed by Uncle Sam’s Forces'
almost as rapidly as the Red Army mows down Nazis, the
1943 baseball season—or a reasonable wartime facsimile
thereof—makes its entrance Tuesday at the nation’s Ca-
pitol when the Washington Senators play host to Connie
Mack and his Philadelphia Athletics. y
Unless war business keeps him
busy, President Roosevelt will be
present to throw out the first
ball. This will be the President’s
11th inaugural-day pitch, plac-
ing him among baseball perenni-
als like Mack and Comm. K. M.
Landis.
Other clubs will remain idle
until Wednesday when the first
full complement of games actu-
ally open the 154-game campaign.
The season will function as usu-
al, although the clubs will he
limited to three ventures ’round
the circuit instead of the cust-
omary four, unless the manpow-'
er shortage cancels FDR’s “green
light” edict.
The St. Louis Cards, who start-
ed their spring grind with the
same infield which upset the
Yankees in the World Series, suf-
fered another casualty during the
week. Jimmy Brown, regular sec-
ond baseman, was ordered to re-
port for his Army physical last
week and another veteran was
sidelined when Shortstop Martin
Marion was hospitalized for an
appendectomy. Rookie Lou Klein
will sub for Marion until he, re-
covers. 1 —
Bill Terry’s lo§$ was the Navy’s,
gain as lumbering Johnny Mize,
slugging first baseman of the New
(Continued on Page 11)
Uncle Sam had a higher priority number,
but just in case the -war ends before the 1943
football season, Georgia’s Fireball, Frankie
Sinkwich, will be a member of the Detroit
Lions....The No. 1 All-American of ’42 was
the choice gridder disposed of during the re-
cent National Football League draft, but he’s
a Fighting Marine now....Glen Dodds, the
Tulsa passing wizard, was procured by the Chi-
cago Cardinals, wrhile Minnesota’s Bill Daly was
drawn by Pittsburgh.... Boston College’s nig-
ged fullback, Mike Holovak, is Cleveland’s pro-
perty, and Brooklyn grabbed Paul Governali,
Columbia’s brilliant passer.
Negro Beau Jack, world lightweight cham-
pion, has signed to meet Bob Montgomery in
a 15-round title bout at Madison Square Gar-
den May 21....And Henry Armstrong, hot on
the comeback trail, will fight either the win-
ner or Sammy Angott June 11 in an outdoor
show at the Polo Grounds. .. .HO! HUM! NOTE:
Tony “Two-Ton” Galento, weighing 245 pounds,
has begun training for an early return to the
ring. .. .Meanwhile, Arturo Godoy, Chilean
heavyweight whose crouch once baffled Cham-
pion Joe Louis for 15 rounds, will meet Jimmy
Bivins in Cleveland and Lee Savold in Chicago
this summer. .. .Who said there is a shortage
of ham?
SERVICE NOTES: Lt. John (Singin’ Johnny)
McKee, former Villanova College football star,
made his way back to England after the ene-
my shot down his U.S. bomber over France....
Sgt. Jack Knott, ex-moundsman for the Phila-
delphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox, has
been named manager of the Camp Adair (Ore.)
Timber Wolf nine....Jack already has “signed
up” two other former big-leaguers also station-
ed' at the Post: Beau Bell, outfielder for the
St. Louis Browns, and Joe Quinn,- Washington
Senator hurler... .Charley. Paddock, once
known as “the world’s fastest human,” has been
commissioned captain in the Marines.