The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-18
'HOLDOUT LOSES
 $162.35 A DAY.; FAVORED
Two Games TOday-ROwe Looks Good; Cards Now
 N. L. Mystery Club
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff CorreSOndent)

United Press Staff Corresondentl
 New York, April 18.-(UP).-The major leeague baseball season opens today. President Roosevelt will toss in the first ball at one game, and the mighty New York Yankees, rep- resenting a $10,000,00 investment, launc'l their campaign for third worlds championship, in another.
 Tomorrow all 16 teams will go into action on eight fronts, but today the Philadelphia Athletics play the ton and the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox at Boston. Showers were forecast for both cities. Barring b ad weather approx imately 250,000 fans will see the II games today and tomorrow (the Yankee and Red SoX play holiday double-header tomorroW).
 In addition to the usual first day enthusiasm, todays opening has the historical significance of marking 100 years of baseball. Back in 1888 at Cooperstown, N. Y, General Ab- ner Doubleday laid out the first baseball diamond. Today the game is Americas national pastime and billion dollar industry.
 Cubs Now Favored
 Fan interest scared to almost un- precedented heights on last min- ute St. Louis Cardinals Chicago Cubs deal which may upset the ball. ance of power in the National League. Acquisition of Dizzy Dean, one of the greatest pitches in dia- mond annals, has projected the Cubs into the favorite's role and set tongues Wagging all over the base- ball world.
 With Dean, 8 potential 2O-game winner, heading Chicago's pitching staff, Jack Doyle, Broadway betting commissioner, quoted the Cubs 3-2 favorite to win the flag. The Giants, who had held the favorite's spot at 8-5, dropped to second choice at the same price. The Cardinals odds changed from 3-1 to Al; Pitts- burgh's price was trimmed from 6-1 to 5-1.
 Even before the spectacular Dean deal fan interest was running a higher fever because of realign- ments of power, the most disap- pointing spring showing in years for the world champion Tanks, Com- missioner Landis' blow against chain store baseball" Joe Di- Maggio's stubborn holdout cam- paign for baseball's top salary of $40,O00, and "civil war" between the American and National Leagues, in- cited by magazine articles.
 Although fans and experts are wondering if the Yankees are be- ginning to crack up, the Ruppert rifles remained prohibitive favorites to retain their American League laurels. Jack Doyle quotes them at 7-lO, shortest priced favorite since the 1914 Athletics. Detroit and Cleveland were quoted second choices at 3-1.
 Joe DOcked Daily
 Missing from the Tanks opening day cast for the third straight year was DiMaggio, vital cog in two world championship arrays. He missed last years opening because of a tonsil operation, and the year before he was out with burned foot. Thls year he was holdout, refusing $2o,- GOO asking $40,000. While he re- mains in San Francisco, Col. Jake Ruppert VOWS in New York that he won't pay him "a button of my vest more than he's been offered For each day DiMaggio misses he'h be docked $162.35.
 The pennant races in both leagues shape up as considerably closer at- fairs than 8 year ago because o1 the general improvement of the Sec' ond division clubs in both leagues. The Tanks, in particular. are likely to find stronger opposition in the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians.
 Detroit's stock scared because oS the impressive comeback e School" boy Rowe. Yesterday he held Cln- cinnati to one run, three hits, one walk in six innings. The Tigers power trio of Gehringer, Greenbers and York promises to give the Tanks mighty triumvirate Of Dl- Maggie eff and when he signs), Gehrig and Dickey run for it's laurels. Cleveland, with a well-bal- anced pitching staff, and driving leader in Oscar Witt, looks better than in years.
 Strong Enough
 In the National League, when only twice in IS years has there been any semblance of a runaway, may put on another of it's thrillers though the Cubs have Dean. Inc Giants have defensive steadiness and Bill Terry's stable leadership. The Cardinals, even without Dean, may be a more closely knit club. and certainly have power in Med- wick, Mize, the two Martins, Pad- gett and Enos Slaughter, prize rookie. Pittsburgh has new pitch ing strength and is 8 formidable club on paper.
 Another interesting factor cons cerns the split of the two leagues over types of baseballs. The Amer1- can League sticks to the "lively ball" it has used for several years, while the National League will use a slightly less lively one.
 Four shifts in managers have moved Bill McKechnie from tha Boston Bees to the Cincinnati Reds, where he has put new life in last years cellarites; sent Casey Stengel, after drawing years salary for not managing Brooklyn, to the Beess promoted Oscar Witt from his New- ark title world" championship team IA NanI