Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-05-05

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hundreds of automobile races through
the year, but there is only one In
dianapolis 500-mile race.
There is something about these two
events that catches the national fancy
| Millions of citizens who never think
of placing bet on the horses at an
! other time feel it is traditional duty
to have something at stake on the
| Derby.
The Derby is not the best race of
the year, nor does it involve the larg-
est purse. There are many races in
volving horses beyond the three-year-
old class in which there is harder
competition and faster running and
there are several races offering purses
twice as large.
But the Derby grips the entire
country and the bigger and better
races grip only the habitual horse
player. It shows what tradition can do.
Although there is only one auto
mobile race that commands national
attention, that one annually draws
more spectators than any other sport
ing event It outdraws the most i'm
portant football game, prize fight or
baseball game.
This is hard to understand because
the riders involved get virtually no
publicity between Indianapolis races
and it is usually the hero worship
of sports idols that makes a COM
petitive event popular.
But, one way or another, the In
dianapolis race has the whole nation
in high state of excitement May
be it is the danger involved. We
all wait tensely for news that some
one has been killed. It thrills us to
know that those drivers go onto the
track knowing that death may be
lurking at the next turn.
A Colorful Team.
Minneapolis baseball fans needed
but one look at their 1888 team to
realize they had a colorful outfit
They will need several more looks
to be convinced they have pennant
winner, but there is no doubt the
boys have crowd appeal.
Although he has not been hitting
to high average so far, Ted Williams,
the right fielder, has won instant
popularity because, when he does
meet the ball, he drives it into the
next township.
Mike Kelley says of Williams, "He
is going to be one of the really great
ball players of all time. He has
limitless possibilities" and he GER
tainly has that pleasant personality
which catches the crowd. Everybody
is pulling for Ted where, in the case
of another player in similar hitting
slump, the crowd would be openly
scornful, That dash of personality
helps lot.
Ross is FavOrite.
They have made Barney Ross a
10 to 7 favorite over Henry Armstrong
for their fight in New York late this
month. This is going to be one of
The greatest fights of the decade. No
welterweight championship fight can
catch the public fancy as firmly as
heavyweight championship fight, but
that does not mean the quality of the
fighting cannot be better.
Measure the RosS-Armstrong fight
by any gauge save public interest and
it will stand as better fight than any
heavyweight fight we have had since
Dempsey fought Tunney. 1 mean
there will be more true skill, more
close, tense competition, more smart
ness and strategy than in any recent
heavyweight fight.
The two lads are truly great fight
ers. My guess is that Ross will win
but, before he wins, he will know
he has been in fight that will need
big chapter in boxing history.