The White Falcon - 10.07.1943, Blaðsíða 10

10
Haegg Wins;
AAU Wails
By Gene Graff
(junder Haegg, the Flying Swede, isn’t much
of an orator. He concentrates on running his
opponents into the ground on the cinder path
and lets them do the spouting off. But the
Swede’s publicity staff must be composed of
wizards because the few words Haegg has
spoken since he began barnstorming in the Stat-
es have created more noise than his blazing
string of conquests over the best runners the
AAU has to offer.
Greg Rice never has been accused of evading
a showdown, of course, but the Merchant Mar-
ine came to his rescue. Shortly after he ate
Haegg’s dust in the Swede’s U. S. debut, he was
ordered to the comperative solitude of active
sea duty. Now Uncle Sam ought to find a haven
for Gil Dodds.
Haegg’s actions during his first American race
—when he turned his head backward frequent-
ly as though exhorling Greg Rice & Co. to make
a contest of it—were interpreted as cocky and
condescending. The fans and AAU officials
touched off a howl that makes the average
('■[ top-kick sound like a Boy Scout patrol lead-
er. They moaned that the Swede was their guest
and should have at least permitted the Yanks
to suffer behind him in solitude.
That lament backfired and left the AAU hang-
ing on the ropes, a position the AAU has as-
sumed more often than not in the past few
years. “I came here to study American running
styles,” the Swede explained. “If the runners
don’t get in front of me, how am I supposed
to watch them unless I look over my shoulder?”
Of course, there is a logical reply to Haegg’s
bewildering question, but the AAU has a repu-
tation for loyalty to native sons, so a firm
policy of silence was wisely adopted. It wouldn’t
have looked good to tell a foreigner that he
was outspeedirg his foes by such a wide margin
he could complete his race without turning
backward, then study the others as they chug-
ged toward the finish line.
Regardless of that, Round One in the verbal
battle definitely went to the Swede, and it
wasn’t long before he chalked up another point
on his side. A report came from Sweden this
week that Haegg’s world record for the mile
had been eclipsed by a Swedish runner. HaCgg
didn’t know immediately who had turned in
the sizzling race, but suggested it might have
been Spaanjert or Alsen, both unknown in
Ihc States.
When later reports disclosed Arne Ander-
son, a 27-year-old school teacher, had been
the fellow who navigated the mile in 4:2.6,
two full seconds faster than Haegg’s best mark,
the AAU W'as disturbed. And when it was learn-
ed that Rine Gustaffson, who ran second, had
lied Gundef’s record, American trackmen were
ready to toss in the towel.
If. no Yank runner can approach Haegg’s
speed, they moan, who’s supposed to beat the
quartet which the Swede considers his equal?
According to late dispatches, that is still the
week’s $64 question.
Yankee Leaguers Shoot
For 8th All-Star Victory
A big subject of arguments — not to forget wagers — among^service men all over the world this
week has been the annual All-Star battle between the American League and National League clubs.
The big game will be play-
ed Tuesday at Philadelphia,
and in spite of the fact that
a lot of old familiar faces will
be missing because owners of
said faces are in uniform, the
game should pack a wallop and
draw a near sellout crowd.
The champion St. Louis Card-
inals look top honors on the
National League All-Star outfit
which was named this week,
placing no less than eight men
on the 24-inan squad. The New
York Yankees and Cleveland Ind-
ians share honors on the rival
squad. Each team will be repres-
ented by six men.
Managing the American League
lads will be the veteran leader
of the Yankees, Joe McCarthy,
while Billy Southworth, Cardin-
al mentor, will handle the Na-
tional League reins.
As usual and probably as it
ever shall be, there has been
plenty of squawking about some
of the choices,
In Brooklyn the Flatbushers
are beefing because burly Buck
Newsom, one of their favorite
(Continued on Page 11)
Wallace Ulrich
(right), surprise
sensation from
Carleton College,
receives congrat-
ulations from his
finalist opponent,
Bill Roden of Tex-
as, whom he de-
feated 4 and 2 to
win the NCAA
golf title. The
o h am plonships
were held at
Olympia Fields
course in suburb-
an Chicago. Roden
had been a top-
heavy favorite to
get past Ulrich in
the finals.
Fitch Joins
No-Hit Club
Pencil-pushers from Head-
quarters, hiding under the
pseudonym of “Jacks,” un-
veiled a no-hit pitcher this
week when Pvt. Ray Fitch
blanked the Danes, 10-0, for
his fifth straight win. Fitch
struck out nine and walked
six. He was in trouble only
once, in the third inning when
he filled the bases on three
passes. But a fast double play
and an outfield fly wiped out
‘he threat.
Major League
Standings
AMERICAN LEAGUE
W. L. Pet. G.B.
New York> . 37 29 .561
Washington 36 33 .522 2/z
Detroit .... 34 32 .515 3
Chicago ... 33 32 .508 3/2
Boston 34 34 .500 4
St. Louis ... 31 33 .484 5
Cleveland .. 32 35 .478 5/2
Philadelphia 32 40 .444 8
NATIONAL LEAGUE
W. L. Pet. G.B.
St. Louis ... 42 25 .627
Brooklyn .. 44 31 .589 2
Pittsburgh . 36 32 .529 6/2
Cincinnati . 33 34 .492 9
Philadelphia 33 36 .478 10
Boston . 30 35 .462 11
Chicago . . . 29 41 .414 14 i-2
New York . 29 42 .408 15
Rounders, Market Wise
Win Holiday Features
Favorites were hopelessly lost in the shuffle as Vald-
ina Farm’s Rounders won the $50,000 Stars and Stripes
handicap at Arlington Park and Market Wise slipped
under the wire ahead of the rest in the $50,000 Massa-
chusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs last Saturday.
Rounders, an Irish-bred horse
which beat Whirlaway a year
ago, thrilled a gay holiday throng
by crossing the finish line three-
quarters of a length ahead of
L. B. Mayer’s Thumbs Up, while
Marriage salvaged third money.
The favorite, Devil Diver, finish-
ed far back.
Backers of Rounders received
dividends of $13 for every $2
win ticket.
Market Wise broke loose with
a fine burst of speed in the
stretch to nip Salto by a stride
in the ’Chusetts event, with Bing
Crosby’s Don Bingo finishing
third. Woodford Lad, the popul-
ar betting choice, was a badly
beaten last. Market Wise paid
$4.40.
Indians’ Heving
Injured In Crash
The Cleveland Indians suffered
a setback this week when Joe
Heving, dependable pitcher, was
hospitalized by a brain concuss-
ion resulting from an auto acci-
dent. Hank Edwards, Indian out-
fielder, escaped with slight
bruises.
War relief benefited handsomely last week
when proceeds from Wednesday’s major league
games were donated to the cause, and fans had
a veritable picnic .... There was a track meet
at the Polo Grounds .... Entries were few in
the 60-yard sprint because everybody feared
speedy Johnny Rucker of the Giants .... But
35-year-old Deb Garms of the Cards whipped
Rucker by five feet in the excellent time of
6.2 seconds .... At Ebetts Field, Brooklyn, Dixie
Walker delighted some and shocked others by
singing “My Buddy” through a mike.
•
The Palestra sports arena at the U. of Penn
is now a messhall .... Zev, winner of the Ken-
tucky Derby in 1923, died at the age of 23 at
Leesburg, Va., on the estate of Brig. Gen. Hur-
ley .... Zev was winner of a match race against
Papyrus, victor in the English Derby, for a
$100,000 purse .... Another champion thorough-
bred bowed out this week, although he’s still
alive .... Owner Warren Wright announced
that Whirlaway, greatest money winner in track
history, has been retired from the turf because
of injuries .... He’ll be shipped to Calumet
Farms, Lexington, Ky., probably for a stud.
Featherweight champion Willie Pep, who
punched his way to 62 straight triumphs, has
begun his basic training at a New York naval
station .... Francisco (Pancho) Segura of Ecu-
ador and the U. of Miami won the NCAA singles
tennis title by beating Tom Brown Jr. of the
U. of California in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1 and 6-3.
•
Fifty-one candidates reported for football
practice at Pitt when Clark Shaughnessy, late
of Chicago, Stanford and Maryland, issued a
call for players .... Shaughnessy will be assist-
ed by Sid Luckman, “Mr. Brains” of the Chi-
cago Bears .... Luckman will supervise the
backfield .... Joe Louis, teaching boxing to
GI’s at Fort Riley, Kan., has requested a trans-
for from the Cavalry into the Military Police
at Fort Custer, Mich..... The heavyweight
champ says that he feels his boxing ability
would be more useful to the MP’s than the
Cavalry.