Evening star., 1938-06-27
BY GRANTLAND RICE.

NEW YORK. June 27.-"Is it vest
ward the star OF empire takes its
way?" writes a correspondent. "or
is it westward the course Of empire
takes its way?'"
1t makes very little difference At
least 1t Is westward If you don't
think so. you might recall what hap
pened in the recent intercollegiate
track and field meet, where Southern
CALIFORNIA; Trojans put on a parade.
Or you might drop in at Poughkeep-
sic today for the big annual boat race.
where it is largely question OF
whether Washington or California
will put on another parade
Whether it's land or water. the
West seems to have the situation well
in hand. Washington's fine crew seems
to have Just about length or a half
length on California. but 1t will be
something in the way of an upset if
any Eastern crew can trim these two
invaders from the other side Of the
country.
The Way 1t Went.
Some six weeks ago We began ro-
mancing and figured there were fve
unusual naturals ahead. all loaded
with thrills. They were:
l. Stagehand for the Kentucky
Derby-Stagehand against the field.
2 War Admiral and Seabiscuit in
the race Of several centuries.
3, Armstrong and Ross in titanic
scramble for the welterweight crown.
4. The open gold championship at
Denver in a headlong finish among
five or six stars.
5. Joe Louis and Max Schmeling
in battle calculated to provide 10, 900
customers with at least seven or
eight rounds of savage cannonading.
What happeneda Stagehand got
tonsilitis and didn't run. Seabiscuit
got housemaids knee and didn't run.
Neither did War Admiral that day.
Armstrong turned the welterweight
matter into a one-sided shambles.
Guldahl ran away from the field by
six strokes. throttling all thrills And
the Louis-Schmeling fight was practi-
So1y oNCA H tAIC 1lSG ullIuLC, Will
Schmeling's head and vertebrae both
knocked lop-sided.
The Romping Reds.
Cincinnati's romping Reds looked to
be the kings Of the citrus circuit last
spring. They were the best-looking
club saw in March. Moving into
July, they still look to be the best
club in their league, with Just as good
a chance to win as Giants or Cubs
maybe a shade better.
II any one can show me a better
manager than Bill McKechnie, he
would be something to look at. Bill
has been moving around from spot to
spot in recent years. picking up PEN
nants along the road.
No one figured he could take a club
from last place in 1887 to first or sec
ond place in 1898. but that seems to
be his general idea.
II any one is to crowd Babe Ruth's
home-run record this summer, more
than likely it Is to be Rudy York. the
Tiger cannoneer. Rudy will have hot
competition from Jimmy Foxx and at
least one or two others. but the Tiger
star is just about as stout q slugger
as the big Bambino was at his peak.
York has terrific power in hands,
wrists and forearms He hasn't Ruth's
full body form, but he has q punch
that gets amazing range. York's 2
year record. both years brief in the
number Of games played. is the best in
baseball when you check up the gen.
eral average.
Louis and Jeffries.
Joe Louis may find himself In the
same position Jim Jeffries was in some
IS years ago-too good for the field
and no worlds left to conquer.
After Big JEFF had z.aauled out both
Corbett and Fitzsimmons twice and
had cleaned up Munroe In two or three
rounds, there was no one left who
could draw cigarette money.
50 Jeffries stepped out Of the pic
ture until his return against Jack
johnson six years later in 1910. when
the Californian was turning into q
portly. partially bald. middle-aged
citizen-a long way from his prime.
! Louis u q far ahead Of the chal-