The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-13

Except for the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox, who are billed for exhibitions with Army and Toledo. the big 1eaguers have completed conditioning workouts. and only light loosening-up drills are on tap. today.
 Nationals Had Edge
 Final inter-league competition, staged over the week end, resulted in a National league triumph, with Brooklyn's Robins taking two straight from the New York Yam kees, the New York Giants winning a pair from the Chicago White Sox. and Cincinnati scoring two victories with the Browns and Cards dividing their two city series contests, and made clean sweep in the Detroit Pittsburg and Boston Red Sox- Braves two-game series.
 These competitions showed all clubs in good physical condition for the start of the season and the managers proved unanimously op- timistic in their predictions. All are agreed in the opinion that base ball will have a banner year, with both the National and American loop races hotly contested.
 Philadelphia's Athletics and the St Louis Cardinals are the popular favorites to retain the honors won in 1880. with Washington receiving the league and Chicago and Brooklyn finding considerable support in the National
 Hot Contest Ahead
 The National league race is re- garded as fivc-team struggle with St Louis, Chicago, Brooklyn, New nI h .InI better than fighting chance. Phil adelphia and Washington are ex- pected to battle it aut in the Ameri- can league, with the New York Yam kees conceded chance to batter their way to the top in event the favorites enconter misfortunes.
 Four clubs will start the season with out their full strength. The Brooklyn Robins will not be able to use Pitcher Adolfo Luque for two weeks because of his disloeated thumb, and were further crippled yesterday when Second Baseman Fresco Thompson suffered a spike wound on his throwing hard. On Sick List George Pipgras, New York Yan- kee pitcher, is recovering from an appendicitis operation and prob2 bly will not be ready for work until May 15, while arthritis is expected to keep Harry Helman, veteran Cincinnati outfelder, out of action the entire season.
 The St Louis Cardinals are ham dicapped by the absence of Chick Hafey--sole survivor of the 1881 'holdout" forces. Hafey and owner Sam Breadon of tho Cards have been unable to agree on salary terms and unless the dispute is adjusted within the next "A hours start the season without the services of their leading slugger. Three clubs are starting the sea- son with new managers, with Rogers Hornsby replacing Joe Mccarthy in charge of the Chicago Cubs and Me- Carthy shifting to the New York Yankees, while John (Shano) Col ,, lins makes his major league man. agerial debut as leader of the Boston Red Sox.
 Where They Start
 The openig day schedules are: National league-Brooklyn at Boston; Pittsburg at Chicago; St Louis at Cincinnati; New York at Philadelphia.
 American league-Detroit at St Louis; Chicago at Cleveland; Phila- delphia at Washington, Boston at New York.
 Teams opening the season away from home will make their home debuts on April 22, with the excep- tion of Brooklyn, which will profit by Philadelphia's Sunday baseball law. and appear at Ebbets field for single game with the Phillies on April 19.