Evening star., 1939-04-16
Ifs, Drama Mark
1899 Openings
lin Majors
Remude Arms Of Ace
Pitchers Present
Biggest Puzzles
BY WHITNEY MARTIN.
Associated Press Sports Writer,

threatened with continued Yankee
dominance and promising dramatic
touches in keeping with baseballs
centennial starts Monday with ona
game scheduled in each circuit.
Cincinnati is host to Pittsburgh
In the National League curtain
raiser, while President Roosevelt viii
provide the traditional touch to the
American loop opener by tossing in
the ball for the Senator Yankee
game at Washington.
The other clubs will start plav
Tuesday. Last years attendance for
the two opening games tota,ed
39,7OO, with the two-day opening at
tendance touching ITS 900. Barring
contrary weather this mark should
at least be equaled this year.
Seldom has season approached
with so many little dramas woven
into the two major plays; with so
many puzzling questions to be
answered with joy or heartbreak In
brolling midsummer heat.
VIII the remade arms of the Hub.
bells and the Schumachers and the
Aliens, and the aihng wings of the
Deans and the Grissoms stand the
pace or droop like a willing lily?
VIII the sturdy iron horse, Lou
Iehrlg, survive the wear and tear
to add another season to his amazing
string OF consecutive games? Will
the Freddy Hutchinsons and the
Ted Williams and other touted
rockies blossom or fade?
These questions and a host Of
others only time can answer as we'll
as the question of whether the
Yankees can make history by WIN
nlng a fourth consecutive pennant.
Managerial Lineup Shufied.
That the Yankees rate as OUT
standing favorites cannot be denied,
nor Is the fact that the National
League race has every indication of
being another free -for-sll, with at
least four teams, perhaps more,
given better than an outside chance
OF crashing through.
AS the veterans try to carry
through and the rockies try to break
through. the managerial picture is
dotted with new faces. Two pilots.
Del Baker of Detroit and Gabby
Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs, are
starting their first full seasons, they
hope, and Leo Durocher of Brooklyn,
Ray Blades of the St. Louis Cardl-
mails, Doc Prothro of the Phillies and
Fred Haney of the St. Louis Browns
are making their debuts.
All teams claim added strength,
either through acquisition of new
men or return to form of 1888 Grip
pies. In nutshell, the clubs stack
up like this:
American League.
New York. Joe Mccarthy. man
ager-World champions, and rated
stronger with three fine rockies
Charley Keller, Joe Gallagher and
Warren Rosar. Power, speed and
pitching.
Boston, Joe Cronin, manager
Power and speed and two fine
rockies in Ted Williams, outfielder.
and Woodrow Rich, pitcher. Mound
strength still question hinging on
Lefty Grove and Elden Auker.
Cleveland. Oscar Witt, manager
Potentially fine pitching staff, with
Johnny Allen the big question mark.
Weak around second base. Great
outfeld.
Detroit, Del Baker. manager
Great infield, but pitching and out
field question marks Counting
heavily on Freddy Hutchinson ex-
pensive mound rookie.
Washington, Bucky Harris, man.
ager-Major additions three Gu
bans and a Venezuelan of doubtful
ability. May feel loss of power team
Of Zeke Bonura and AL Simmons.
Chicago, Jimmy Dykes. manager
Sixth-place club last year and rated
around same.
st. Louis. Fred Haney, manager
Buck Newson. strong hurler. chief
asset Of team Haney believes is COM
ing.
Philadelphia, Connie Mack. man
ager-Still in embryo stage with
youth predominant. May miss Bill
Werber sorely.
National League.
Chicago, Gabby Hartnett, man.
ager-A champion badly crippled.
Dick Bartell, shortstop, and Augie
Galan, outfielder, hospital cases.
Dizzy Deans value problematical
Looks weaker right now.
Pittsburgh, Pie Traynor. manager
About same. only years older.
Base hopes in hurting of Cy Blan.
ton, Mace Brown, Bob Klinger.
New York, Bill Terry, manager
One big puzzle. Zeke Bonura added
power, but weakened defense. Schu-
macher, Hubbell questions. Fine
rookie hurler in Manuel Salvo. Bur-
CESS Whitehead also problem after
years inactivity. Team may crash
through or just crash.
Cincinnati, Bill McKechnie. man.
ager-Outlook fine. If Lee Grissom
delivers. mound staff may be su-
perb. Power aplenty. Addition Of
Werber plugs 1nf1eld gap. May be
team to beat.
Boston, Casey Stengel, manager
Great home team with exceptional
pitching. Added AL Simmons for
power. Classy rookie shortstop in
Eddie Miller. Defense stressed.
st. Louis, Ray Blades, manager
Another puzzle. Mixture Of youth
and age which may cause trouble.
Pitching problem. Johnny Mize and
Joe Medwick provide power. Wob-
bly, at certain infleld spots. Tom
Sunkel, rookie hurler, promising.
Brooklyn, Leo Durocher, man.
ager-Van Lingle Mungo and Gle.
tus Poffenberger mound problems.
Whit Wyatt may win as rookie. A
(see MAJORS, Page E-20