Evening star., 1939-03-24
From the
Press Box
Cronin Visions Chance
To Beat Yankees
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent Of The Star


BRADENTON, Fla, March "a
Once you pick the Yankees to lose
IN the American League, as I have,
you are confronted by a very en-
barrassing question-namely, who
is going to beat them?
The best thing to do is pretend
you don't hear it.
Or you can say you are wanted
on the telephone.
Or you can slur your answer and
cough over it until it becomes a
combination of Detroit, Cleveland,
Boston, st. Louis. Washington, Chi
cago and Philadelphia, which re-
suits in the following word: Del
stashagophia."
But if your opponent is a good
lawyer, he, no doubt, will advise you
to clear your throat and let the
jury have that answer just once
again, little more clearly. because
he doesn't think the jury or the
court quite heard it, and let's have
1t fast, because their time is valuable.
Would Be Foolish to Predict
Red Sox FIoe, Soys Joe
Your correspondent was talking
just now with Joe Cronin, manager
OF the Boston Red Sox, and Joseph
mentioned that the Yankees looked
as strong as ever on paper.
well, yes," said your correspond
ent, but I don't think they'll win
this year"
who's gonna beat 'em," said Mr..
Cronin, automatically.
Your correspondent began to
stammer and stall, until suddenly
he realized the bitter injustice and
irony of the situation. Why should
a reporter have to answer questions
like that? Here was a manager
with a strong, expensive ball club
at his disposal, plenty of ambition,
and no excuse in the world for
drawing his pay unless he expected
to win the American League pen
nant sooner or later.
What about the Red SoX?" said
your correspondent, and Mr.. Cronin
had the floor. In fact, he was stuck
with it.
WELL" said MIR. Cronin cautiously,
that's very good question, and
I'm glad you thought of it. I
didn't know there was anybody in
the country, outside of Boston and
Detroit and Cleveland, who gave
the Yankees a chance of losing. 1t
surprises me that one with so rudi-
mentary an intelligence as yourself,
naming no names and meaning
nothing personal, should hit upon
the alternative solution"
Mr.. Cronin proceeded to explain
Is follows:
Il would be foolish to say that our
club will win the pennant this year,
and say it definitely, because the
Yanks are high-class club, and
everybody knows it. They've won
Tor three straight years, they have
smart manager and a great Or
ganzation, they have hitting, pitch
ing and a good, fast defense-in
TACT, they are the champions, until
somebody knocks them down, and
that will take some doing.
Red Sox See Chonce for Them
To Beat Out Champions
But I won't give you any of that
wait till next year. stuff about the
Boston club. We have a good
chance of winning this year. if
things break right. These boys are
not intimidated by the Yankees.
II we miss, it will be because a better
ball club beat us. No jitters. No
encouragement. Nothing like that.
We have a real good spirit, and we
think We can win.
Its no secret that our weakness
last year was pitching. We were
the best hitting club in the league
SOCK at every position. This year
we've strengthened the pitching.
Auker and Galehouse are two good
men. Bagby won Is for US in his
nrst year. Watch that kid. He has
more heart than a lion, and he's
learning fast. Wilson should 60 bet
ter. He has all the stuff to be
2O-game winner. Jake Wade, who
came from Detroit, along with
Auker, could be one of the best
southpaws in the business.
Looking ahead, I'm not even
counting on Lefty Grove for win.
Anything he wins for us will be
velvet. He's been going easy on
that arm that went dead last sum-
mer. There's no telling how he'll