The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-19
FIVE CLUB FIGHT IN NATIONAL IS. VERY PROMISING ].
Many Surprises Ahead; {; Gehrig, DiMaggiO Among
 Several Casualties s
By GEORGE KIRKsEY

New York, April 19-(UP)-The 1897 baseball season opens today, though only four clubs will play. It will be official because President Roosevelt will toss out the first ball in Washington, starting the game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics, while in Boston the Bees and the Phtllies will start the National league race on it's way with a double header in celebration of Patriots day..
 The grand opening takes place to- morrow, with seven games, only the Phillies and Bees remaining idle. As the l6 clubs make ready the outlook may be summed up as follows: a4
 1. A big upswing in attendarce.
 2. A year filled with surprises.
 j. : new name in baseball, Bob Feller, 18-year-old Iowa form boy who promises to make pitching his-, tory.
 4) A keen struggle to rethrone New York's two champions, the Yankees a nd Giants.
 All indications point to Q boom year at the box-office. The Giants played to their largest exhibition crowd in history yesterday when Bob Teller and Carl Hubbell en- gagged in a mound duel before 31, 486 persons at the Polo Grounds. The Yankees and Dodgers played to 17O00 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Nearly 21O,00O we've expected for tomorrow's opener with the Yanks- Senators game at Yankee Stadium likely to draw 50,000, the days big geSt throng. s2@ Y
 Tanks and Cards?
 Betting odds have established the Yankees and Cardinals favorites.. The world champion Tanks are even money to repeat in the Anneri- can league and the odds are 8-5 on the Cards to edethrone the Giants.
 There may be trouble ahead for both favorites. Already lady luck has turned her back on the Tanks Red Ruffing, led the club last year with 20 victories, is 8 bitter holdout. He VOWS he will not sign for a cent less than $16,000, one grand more than Col. Ruppert offers. Joe Di Maggie, sparkplug of last years champions, is abed following to,i- sil and arenoid operation. He may not play for three weeks. ,r'
 Lou Gehrig has mysterious ailment on hhis left hand, and hasn't played for three days. He'll probably play tomorrow to protect his consecutive game record not at 1908 games,. but his hand needs more rest. @
 The Cardinals may be highly over-rated, Their infield isi pro- blem, Paul Dean's' comeback is a. big question mark, the catching staff is uncertain and the team lacks power. 9
 The Yanks' leading rival seem to be Detroit, with Hank Greenberg and Mickey Cochrane back in the 2 lineup: Cleveland, with its wagon hitched to Feller's star. and Wash- S ington, the team Vice-president Garner says to watch. .ssefc, '
 The National League looks likega 5-club race, with Cards, Giants, j Cubs, Pirates and Reds in a knock down-and-drag-out battle. The Clans, considered lucky to win last year, apparently have better club, The Cubs have a fine balance be- tween pitching and power. The Pirates have power plus. The Reds have youth and hustle. ss,..
 In all baseball history there never has been meteoric rise to match Bob Feller's Skyrocket to fame. This 18-year- high school boy has stepped right into the national spotlight in . few months. He pitched his first game for the Indians in mid-sease l last year. His blinding speed marked him as a second Walter Johnson. Back for his first full season in organized base ball, Teller has proved the years biggest box-office attraction.
 $SO,0OO Rookie
 Several teams have made last minute attempts to strengthen. The Tanks signed outfielder Tom Hen hich, declared free agent by Com missioner Landis last week, for a reported $30,000. The Athletics bought outfielder Jack Rothrock from the Reds. The Indians pur- chased infielder John Kroner from the Red Sox. Pittsburgh traded first basemen Earl Browne to the Phillies for pitcher Joe Bowman.
 Many players will miss the open- ing game because of illness or in- juries. Besires DiMaggio and Geh- rig, the casualty list includes: Cecil Travis, Washington spiked leg; Tex Carleton, Cubs, clipped elbow bone; Joe Stripp, Brooklyn, teeth extract ed; Johnny Hudson, Brooklyn, in- fluenza: Curt Davis, Cubs, sore arm: Melo Armada, Red Sox. recovering from concussion resulting from bean ball'': Jimmy Foxx, sinus trouble.
 Only three holdouts remain. Be- sides Ruffing, thew are Dolf Cam illi, Phils' first baseman who may be, traded, and outfielder Babe Herman who threathens to quit because oy 8 slash from $12,000 to $5,O0O. s.' !. FUL TON A. C. COACHED
 RV HAI HADI EV