The White Falcon - 02.10.1943, Blaðsíða 6

6
Yanks In Five,
This Corner Says
By Gene Graff
Logic dictates that the St. Louis Cardinals
should be established as odds-on-favorites to
annex their second consecutive World Series
success, which means that for the first time
in several semesters Joe McCarthy’s Gotham
Bombers are facing an uphill fight in the
autumn classic. The Cards have power, youth,
experience, pitching, speed and everything else
that smacks of a formidable club. The Yanks,
on the other hand, are operating without their
“money players,” with freshman youngsters
holding the team together.
When Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Henrich, Red
Rolfe, Red Ruffing and the rest departed from
the Yankee roster, experts predicted the Bom-
bers would split at the seams. Fortunately, or
unfortunately if you’re a supporter of another
team in the American League, the Yanks didn’t
collapse. In fact, they turned on the steam
and uncorked a balanced attack that left little
question of their supremacy. There’s been little
doubt since July 4 that the Yanks would waltz
in with ease.
Last year was the first time this writer climb-
ed aboard the American League bandwagon,
deserting the much-abused National League
just in time to permit a Cardinal victory. The
Yanks must have realized the burden of carry-
ing this corner, was too imposing because they
looked like sandlotters in the series instead
of like the fearless Bonrbers of old. Apparently
we’ve discovered the formula to insure a Na-
tional League triumph, so there’s no reason
to change this time.
The Cards have the League’s leading bats-
man in Stan Musial, currently clubbing in the
neighborhood of .350, and another potent hit-
ter in Catcher Walker Cooper. Whitey Kur-
owski, the batting hero of last year’s series,
also is around again, and the talented newcom-
ers are led by Lou Klein and Ray Sanders.
Mort Cooper, of course, headlines (he pitching
staff, but he has plenty of capable pitching,
cohorts.
What have the Yanks to offer in rebuttal?
Well, on paper it isn’t much. The club’s lead-
ing batter, Bill Johnson, is swatting only .295,
while the others are far down the list. But
don’t let that fool you. King Kong Charlie
Keller has cracked 28 home runs; Nick El-
ten, much-travelled first baseman, has driven
home more than 100 runs, and Johnson is near-
ing the 100 mark in the RBI sweepstakes. And
to match Mort Cooper, McCarthy can call upon
Spud chandler, whose season record is 20 vic-
tories and only three defeats.
So apparently the teams are evenly match-
ed — which means the Cards'will win if we
ride with the Yanks. Cardinal rooters may
send their contributions to this department be-
cause we’re putting the “kiss of death” on
the Bronx Bombers. Remember, it’ll be the
Yanks in five games.
Yankees, Cardinals
Open Series Tuesday
The New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals will take up where they left off last fall when
they meet at Yankee Stadium next Tuesday, October 5, in the first game of the 1943 world series.
Jqg McCarthy’s Yankees, losers
to the Cards in a slam-bang ser-
ies last year, earned their chance
for a repeat performance last
Saturday when they defeated the
Detroit Tigers 2 to 1 in 14 in-
nings to clinch the American
Deague pennant for the eighth
time in the last eleven years.
Three Yankee aces figured pro-
minently in the pennant-clinch-
ing win. Spud Chandler got cre-
dit for his 20th victory, and a
single by veteran Bill Dickey
scored hard-hitting Bill Johnson
with the winning run.
The first three games of this
year’s series will be played in
New York, and then, after a two-
day interval for travelling, the
clubs will finish the series in
St. Louis, playing as many more
games as are necessary.
Manager Billy Southworth of
the Cards has already announced
that he will start his ace, Mort
Cooper, on the mound in the first
game. He also has Max Lanier,
Howie Ivrist, Harry Gunbert,
George Munger, A1 Brazle, Harry
Brecheen and Ernie White avail-
able, although White and Gum-
bert have both been bothered by
sore arms lately and are doubt-
ful starters.
Joe McCarthy is expected to
oppose Cooper with husky Spud
Chandler, who in addition to
boasting 20 wins against only
three losses, claims the lowest
earned-run average in the league.
Backing Chandler up, McCarthy
has a powerful staff including
Tiny Bonham, Marius Russo, Mar-
vin Breuer and Hank Borowy,
not to forget old fireman John-
ny Murphy, who has twelve wins
to his credit this year.
Both teams can boast classy
fielding, with the Cards probably
holding a little the edge defens-
ively. Each team has a “Big-Six”
hitter, pride of the Yankees at
(Continued on Page 7)
Major League
Standings
Judge Kene-
saw Mountain
Landis i(center),
baseball’s high
commissioner,
was discussing
plans to send
Major League
stars overseas to
entertain soldi-
ers and sailors
when this pic-
ture was snap-
ped. With him
are William Har-
ridge and Ford
Frick, American
and National
League presi-
dents.
League Leaders
AMERICAN LEAGUE
G AB R H Pet.
Appling, Chgo. 143 539 54 175 .325
Wakefield, Det. 144 589 86 182 .309
Curtright, Chgo 126 437 62 131.300
Cramer, Det. .. 132 569 76 170 .299
Johnson, N.Y. 143 544 66 158.291
NATIONAL LEAGUE
G AB R H Pet.
Musial, S. L. .. 145582101208.357
Herman, Bkn. . 142 542 70 181.334
Witek, N.Y. ..140 566 62182.322
Elliott, Pitts. .. 148 554 76 174 .314
Cooper, St.L. .. 115 422 49 132 .313
Home Runs.
American League — York, Det.,
32; Keller, N.Y., 29; Stephens,
St. L., 20.
National League — Nicholson,
Chgo., 26; Ott, N.Y., 18; Northey,
Phil., 16.
•
RUNS BATTED IN.
American League — York, Det.,
108; Etten, N.Y., 101; Johnson,
N.Y., 92.
National League — Nicholson,
Chgo., 116; Elliott, Pitts., 97; Her-
man, Bkn., 92.
IBC Football
AMERICAN LEAGUE Football scores released this
W. L. Pet. G.B. week by the Base Special Ser-
New York . . . 90 52 .634 vice are as follows:
Washington 81 64 .559 10'/2
Cleveland . . 77 65 .542 13 Field Artillery
Chicago .... 73 70 .510 17»/2 Yardbirds 8, Hurons 0; Cate
Detroit ...... 72 71 .503 18'/2 7. Larks 6; Herrings 6, Gulls 0;
St. Louis .... 67 75 .476 22*4 Hawks 0, Sharks 0; Hurons 7,
Boston 64 79 .448 26«/2 Whales 0; Wolves 6, Owls 0;
Philadelphia 46 95 .326 43*4 Whales 12, Larks 0; Sharks 13,
NATIONAL LEAGUE Gulls 6; Hawks 0, Yardbirds 0;
W. L. Pet. G.B. Hurons 6, Cats 6; Owls 7, Her-
St. Louis .... 95 47 .669 rings 0; Wolves 15, Gulls 0;
Brooklyn 77 65 .542 18 Larks 6, Herrings 0; Wolves 19,
Cincinnati 76 65 .539 18*4 Larks 0; Owls 19, Sharks 0; Gulls
Pittsburg . .. 76 70 .521 21 6, Yardbirds 0; Hurons 0, Her-
Boston 65 75 .465 29 rings 0; Hawks 6, Whales 6;
Chicago ... 65 76 .461 29 </2 Sharks 14, Larks 0; Wolves 18,
Philadelphia 61 83 .424 35 Hurons 0; Owls 0, Y’ardbirds 0;
New York .. 54 88 .380 v 41 Hawks 0, Herrings 0.
Age must be catching up with old Satchell
Paige, the great Negro hurler. In his last start
for the Monarchs he was touched for a home
run and lost his game, 2 to 0. That never
happened to “Satch” in his younger days ....
Montreal waited until the last day of the seas-
on to clinch a playoff berth in the Interna-
tional League, splitting two with the pennant-
winning Toronto club. Newark and Syracuse
finished second and third .... Tommy Reed
is down for a ten round return fight with
Danny Cox, Harlem heavy. Tommy is the Fath-
er Divine Angel who was banished from the
flock for “sinful practices” after he drew with
Cox in their previous match. “As an ordinary
mortal,” Reed says, “I’ll knock the hell out
of that Cox this time.”
Chuck Fenebock, up from UCLA with the
Detroit Lions, got himself off to a great start
in an exhibition game with the New York
Giants. His first scoring jaunt covered exactly
100 yards .... Lynn Patrick says that the
National Hockey League is going to operate
this year, but he neglects to mention how they
are going to make travel arrangements or
where they are going to get the chemicals
to operate their big ice plants .... Wayne
Johnson, last year’s Harvard star now at Yale
in the Marine Corps Reserve, suffered a broken
neck in the first play as Yale opened with
a 13-6 win over Muhlenburg. He is reported
to be resting well.
Esquire Magazine, polling scribes and ath-
letes, names these six as the outstanding sports
spectacles of the 20th Century: 1. The Dempsey-
Tunney “long-count” fight in Chicago, ’27; 2.
Bobby Jones’ grand slam of the four major
golf titles, ’30; 3. Jesse Owens’ three firsts in
the ’36 Olympics; 4. Grover Cleveland Alex-
ander leaving the bullpen to fan Tony Lazzeri
with the bases loaded to help the Cards take
the deciding game of ’26 world series from
the Yanks; 5. Babe Ruth’s “called” homer
against the Cubs in the ’32 series, and 6. Red
Grange’s five long runs for Illinois touchdowns
against Michigan, ’24.

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