The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-04-07
GIANTS TO CROWD
CARDS FROM The
GO NEXT TUESDAY
Cubs and Dodgers Also
Have Their Problems
Mooney Must Help New
York
BY STUART CAMERON
UNITED Press Sports EditOr)

New York, April 7-(UP)-The
National league pennant race is
studded with question marks and
"If's'' and most of them are fast
ened to the four teams that will
make the most serious bids for the
championship. These are the same
clubs which finished in the first
division last season, the st Louis
Cardinals, New York Giants, Chi
cago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers.
Hard to Figure
While the Cardinals may be re-
garded as the likeliest of the four,
Manager Gabby Street, grizzled
veteran of warfare of trench and
diamond, has many perplexing
problem. This year he is faced
with one of the hardest fights of
his career.
The season starts next Tuesday
and Chick Hafey, kingpin of the
Cardinal outfield and batting pill
lar of strength is a holdout. Hafey
held out last season, too, but
Joined the club early enough to
help win the pennant and to be-
come world series batting bust
after winning the National league
hitting chown.
The Cards pitching problem
centers around Tex Carleton and
Dizzy Dean. Street wonders if
these youngsters can make up for
the veteran Burleigh Grimes who
now wears a Cub uniform.
Then there's the matter of John
Leanord Martin, the Pepper of
world series fame. This outfielder
played excellently all season, field
ing properly and batting around
800. In the series he went
crazy" There's no reason why
Pepper should not play as well or
better than he did last year. How
ever, Cardinal fans should not ex-
pect him to duplicate his series
performance week in and out all
season.
The Cards, on paper, should re-
peat. But their chances depend as
much on the other clubs as on
course, are the New York Giants.
Not Bad
The Giants have added several
promising players. Chief of these
is Leonard Koenecke, outfielder
bought from Indianapolis. Another
is Sam Gibson, right-handed pitch
er, bought from San Francisco.
The chief Giant question mark is
Jim Mooney, ace southpaw of late
last season. Giant chances of sue
cess will be mighty slim if he
slumps.
New York, without question, is
the crown prince club. Other
things being equal, the Giants are
the logical boys to step up if st
Louis falters.
Chicago will base its pennant
fight on what possibly is the best
pitching staff in the National
league. With Grimes, Root, Ma
lone, Bush and Smith, the Cubs
have an outstanding collection.
Manager Rogers Hornsby, how
ever, has both infield and outfield
problems. First base is cared for
by the aging Charley Grimm. Sec
ond is all right with Bill Herman.
Hornsby will play third unless
young Stanley Hack comes through.
The veteran Woody English will
play short. Cuyler and Stephen
son are outfield regulars. Right
field, however, is a problem.
Hornsby must choose among Dan
Taylor, a veteran, and Richbourg
and Moore.
Come On, Hack!
Brooklyn is the biggest gamble
of all. The Dodgers have Hack
Wilson as a replacement for that
strange outfielder, Babe Herman.
Wilson was home runu star in
1880, and batting flop in 1881.
If Wilson, who asserts he has re-
formed( he has freely admitted
breaking training, to put it mild
ly), comes through, the Dodgers
may become an inspirational and
winning club. But first Manager
Max Carey must find a first base
man to alternate with the injured
Del Bissonette. Then there's the
matter of Dazzy Vance, Dodger
ace pitcher. If he has one more
big year,. fine-if not, it's the Sec
ond division for Brooklyn.