Evening star., 1939-07-10
Americans So Weary,
AII-Star Sentiment
Shifts 10 n. |.
Senior Loopers to Enter
Dream Tilt Tomorrow
Fresher Than RivoIs
By STAFF Correspondent of The Star.


NEW YORK, July 10-There was
sudden shift of sentiment toward
the National Leagues collection of
diamond talent here today as the eve
Of the seventh annual all-star en-
gagement found the bulk of Amer
ican League representatives limp,
weary and even incapacitated as the
direct result of tension -crammed
grueling week end.
II there was any psychological edge
today. it belonged to the National
Leaguers, for the Americans have
taken terrific mental and physical
f1ailings in the past two days. The
junior leaguers, for instance, will
enter the much publicized tiff
equipped only with two pitchers
Red Ruffing and Bob Feller-who will
have had the benefit of 3-day rest
Others on the American League
mound staff labored either Saturday
or yesterday and their collective
work reaped a tremendous toll.
League Request Ignored.
American League headquarters
issued bulletin last week imploring
managers to arrange pitching as
slgnments so as to give all-star
pitchers sufficient rest. To say it was
regarded lightly is putting it mildly.
1t simply was ignored in most quar-
ters.
Ted Lyons of the White Sox also
is OF ancient vintage. His aged arm
is employed only once a week during
the season. but he pitched eight
innings against Detroit yesterday
Flinging for Detroit was Buck New
som, also an All-Star selection.
Tommy Bridges, l60-pound De-
troit Highlander. isn't constructed
for physical punishment. but Tommy
worked against the White Sox on
Saturday and thus dealt the Amer
ican League another blow.
Johnny Murphy. the Yankees
crack relief pitcher. was rushed to
the rescue of faltering mates in both
games of a Saturday double header
During the flve-game series here
with Boston he constantly was in the
bullpen and probably pitched full
game in warming up.
Yankees, Red SOx FrazzIed.
Hardly calculated to enhance the
American Leagues chances is the
fact that 13 members of that squad
have emerged from bitterly battled
5-game series. Boston whitfield the
Yankees lead to 61a games by
sweeping those five games, but the
strain sapped something from men,
bers of both clubs.
Both the Yankees and Red Sox
figure to be more concerned over
their pennant prospects than the ALL
Star game. Boston's quartet doubt
less would relish a holiday, after
converting a runaway race into an
interesting pennant scrap. New
York's nine representatives probably
would like to pause and lick their
wounds.
Then, too, the National League
outfit is less likely to be awed by the
presence of nine New Yorkers on
the premises, for the Yankees have
revealed very human quality in
dropping five straight games. 1t
will, in fact, give the senior circuit
group fodder for plain and fancy
verbal maneuvering. It's bench
jockeys are eager to capitalize on
the sudden turn of events.
With all this damning evidence
against them, the American Leag-
uers probably will proceed to wallop
the Nationals by the fat figure OF
something like 1912, but at least
Manager Doe Mccarthy Is forced to
rearrange the blue-prints of his
battle plan.
Pitchers All Right Handed.
Eliminate Grove and Gomez and
the American League is stripped of
southpaw pitchers for emergency
service. That they are eliminated
is foregone conclusion. McCar-
thy isn't likely to risk prolonging re-
covery OF Gomez's damaged digit.
Nor is 1t conceivable he will incur
the wrath OF Boston fans by using
the graying Grove, now that Boston
is making an issue Of the American
League pennant race.
Mccarthy therefore Is left with
six pitchers, all right-handers, and
only ito of which are rested. He has
elected to start Rufdng and follow
with Bridges and Feller.
The National League, on the other
hand, has four fingers who didn't
work over the week end. Paul Der
ringer and Johnny Wander Nicer OF
the Reds, Bill Lee of the Cubs and
Lon Warneke Of the Cards are rested
and ready for service.
Boston's surprising showing
against the Yankees has revived in
terest in the American League race
but 1t also has served to take the
edge OF the all-star game.