Evening star., 1937-04-18
BY ALAN GOULD,
Associated Press Sports Editor.

M familiar sound Of the drum
beats and the base hits, the
4 old war-cry OF the clans and
the crowd, draw closer for 1887 in the
major panorama OF American sports.
Base balls big leagues. hopeful of
q favorable nod from the weather
gods and profitable results from this
Springs extraordinary build-up. start
the championship season Monday and
Tuesday.
Notwithstanding some concession to
modern times, with the American
League this year following the Ma
tional Leagues example in permitting
night games, tradition still holds sway
in Americas national game. The
playing trend Is toward the good old
days" Of pitching battles.
President Roosevelt will throw out
the first ball Monday for the Ameri-
can Leagues solo opener in Washing
ton. Meantime, the Bees and the
Phillies Of the National League will
celebrate Patriots day by playing two
games in Boston. This novelty will
be followed on Tuesday by a seven
game program, rounding out the get
away festivities.
Openers to Draw 25O,0OO.
IF THERE'S fair break in the
weather, close to $50 900 fans may
witness the double-barreled openings.
The world champion Yankees enter
tanning Washington on Tuesday in
their home bailiwick, should draw the
biggest turnout perhaps $4,000. Ca
pacity or near-capacity crowds likely
will witness the openings at Cincin-
natl, Detroit and Brooklyn, where the
National League champion Giants re-
new an ancient base ball feud with
the Dodgers.
Marking OF the customary per-
centage for breaks" or form reversals,
which have become the rule rather
than the exception in base ball In
recent years, our eagle-eyed experts
look forward to five-club races in
each league.
There Is one striking difference to be
noted, however, after exhaustive study
OF reports from the Spring training
fronts as well as views expressed in
the annual Associated Press pennant
poll. The newspaper railbirds believe
the National Leagues dog-fight will,
as formerly, involve the champion.
They figure the super heated struggle
IN the American League will be strictly
confined to second place.
Yanks Can't Miss, Experts Say.
DESPITE the bad breaks that have
hit them prior to the start Of the
season and which actually may be
warning signals OF disaster ahead
including holdout trouble climaxed by
Charley Running, the clubs only 20
game pitching winner Of 1895, and
tonsil trouble for jarring Joe Di Mag
gio-base ball writer's agree with bet
ting men that the world champion
Yankees are In class by themselves,
as odds-on choices.
The Yankees are favored by 81 out
OF LOG experts to repeat their pennant
parade. The Tigers, in the poll, are
rated the best Of five potential chal-
lengers. Yet the most intriguing fac
tor in the forthcoming championship
chase, by all odds, revolves around
the pitching wizardry Of the youth
full Bob Feller an the effect he will
WELD, not alone upon the box ofIice.
but also upon the pennant prospects
Of Cleveland club that has for years
had a habit Of disappointing its sup
porters.
No amount Of preseason specula-
ton can anticipate what will happen
If, for instance, Feller exerts the same
electrifying influence upon the Cleve-
landers that Di Maggie did upon the
Yankees, as = freshman outfield sen
sation, last year.
Tigers Took Hard Tumble.
IT Is well to bear in mind that at
this time, year ago, the Tigers
were heavy choices to repeat and the
Yankees rated nowhere In particular.
Inasmuch Is New York romped OF
with the pennant, by margin OF only
1914 games, 1t can be seen that the