The Bismarck tribune., 1931-11-04
SPORT SLANTS
BY ALAN GOULD

Albie Booth broke into the football
spotlight at Yale as running and
kicking quarterback two years ago.
This year '.little boy blue" has
blossomed forth as passing and
blocking halfback under the expert
tutelage of Benny Friedman, former
ly Of Michigan, and Bucky O'Connor
formerly Of Notre Dame.
It Is one Of the most unusual alter
ations in the somewhat general re-
adjustment at Yale this year.
Booths all-around aptitude on the
gridiron has never been questioned
but 1t Is tribute to the ELI captains
skill that he has readily adjusted
himself into new scheme Of attack.
When 1t came to replacing Albie at
quarterback, Friedman's first choice
was Dud Parker. This youngster
showed signs of developing into first
rate field general last year and he
quickly caught the eye Of the ex-All
America quarterback.
Friedman was given free hand by
Head Coach Nal Stevens in making
this selection as well as In organizing
the Eli aerial attack.
Booth has improved at least so per
cent as paSser under Friedman's
coaching. His tOSses didn't have much
snap last season and the year before,
but he can hit the target now almost
as consistently as Harvards Barry
Wood.
Maybe Booths revenge, II any,
against Harvard and Wood this NO
vember will be gained through the
air. It will be good trick II Albie
can do 1t.
All Potential Champions
So long as the gate receipts are
essential to big league hockey-and
this, my dear Watson. is elementary
there is no chance Of change In the
playoH system.
The National league Is down to an
eight club circuit for the 1882 sea-
son, following the withdrawal Of Ot-
tawa and Philadelphia, but six teams
still will have q chance to get into the
Stanley Cup series via the playoffs TO,
first. second and third place clubs IL
each division.
The regular season. therefore
doesn't mean q great deal 50 far a
settling the worlds championship Il
concerned. Only the tailenders in each
four CLUB division viii be out Of the
playoff money.
The best argument In favor Of the
system is that it keeps the rest Of thu
teams scrapping In the event there /.
runaway In either or both divisions
Of the circuit.
Otherwise there Is no good reason
why q series between the division
winners is not adequate to the pur.
pose Of deciding the best professional
team In Canadian-American hockey.
Baseball gets around the problem
satisfactorily by cutting in" the sec.
ond, third and fourth place club.
when the worlds series player pool i
split.
Al Versus Lefty
The old argument has come VI
again as to whether AL Simmons, tht
batting champion, or Lefty Grove, ths
prince Of pitchers, was more valuable
to the Athletics during the 1881 sea-
son..
It's q delicate choice. There car
be no dissent from the all-aroune
value Of an outfielder such as Sim.
mons, who hit 800 in 128 games
Neither can anyone refute the i'm.
portance to any team Of twirler abls
to turn in 81 victories against only
four defeats.
When American league manager
were polled on the subject during thS
playing campaign. the majority Sc.
lected Simmons. also Cochrane. II
preference to Grove as Mr.. Mack's
most valuable athlete. The 68-year.
old pilot himself put Harry Aloysius
No. l.
The only manager who named
Grove the most valuable was Walter
Johnson, who had the honor twice
himself-in 1913 and 1924. Perhaps
this was just the natural partially
Of one great pitcher for another.