Evening star., 1939-06-26
From the
Press Box
Speedy, Suove Service
On Sports Problems
BY JOHN LARDNER,
Special Correspondent of The Star.

NEW YORK, June 26 (N.ANA).
Answering the mail, or, bury your
own dead:
Dear Mr.. Lardner-Having read
your stuff for some time, I feel
pretty sure that you know every
thing. ed. note-This sounds like
a bright, alert, intelligent letter.
You undoubtedly are an expert in
your field. ed note-This fellow
seems to be careful observer0
A sports writer like you is hard to
fool. ed note-Very true)
Therefore, I am amazed that your
smart-aleck predictions on the Ma
tional League pennant race are run
ming so far astray. Didn't you say
that Cincinnati would be lucky to
finish third? Didn't you say that
st. Louis and Pittsburgh would
dominate the race? You are screwy.
cd. note-I am gravely disap-
pointed in this correspondent. He
is just another vulgar knocker.0
Before the season goes any farther,
let me ask you three questions. Have
you changed your mind, if any,
about Cincinnati? Do you still like
st. Louis? Who ever told you you
were baseball expert? Best wishes.
Il. T. S.
AnSWer-In answer to your ques-
tions, L. T. S., Bill McKechnie was
born at Williamsburg, Pa, in 1887,
OF Scotch descent. He is 5 feet 10
inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.
McKechnie is married. cd. note
Remember to burn this buys letters
without openingD
AIexonder's Middle Name
Is West Of Cleveland
Dear Mr.. Lardner-What are the
middle names of the following ath-
letes: Jack Dempsey. Man O. War,
Zev, Grover Cleveland Alexander?-
Angry Taxpayer.
Answer. Harrison. 2. O.. 3.
Zev was christened Cyril Dunstable
Zev. 4. Who are you trying to kid?
Grover AleXander's middle name is
Toledo, 100 miles west of Cleveland.
Dear Mr.. Larned-A is on first
base, B is on second, and the batter
Co lifts fly to the left-fielder CD.
There only is one out (E). D throws
to the plate as B starts from third
after the catch (FD. The throw, G,
is perfect, but H, the pitcher, jumps
up and intercepts it, and the umpire
Cd calls the runner safe. What in
HI was J doing?-K.
Answer-This same problem came
up in the case of the people VS..
Graham, in 1907. They took
Graham out and shot him.
Mccarthy Is Poor Doncer,
Alice Q. Is Told
Dear Sir-The class of AZ at Vassar
has voted Hank Greenberg the best
looking first baseman on the Detroit
Tigers. Is Hank married? Is he
hard to get acquainted with? Does
he dance we'll? What does he do for
a living? We think he is perfectly
thrilling to watch, and we would
like to know something more about
him. Please help us out-ALICE @.
Answer-You girls seem to be in
complete agreement with Joe Nc
Carthy of the New York Yankees,
who says that Greenberg might as
well use net as that big mitt of
his. Greenberg's mitt is full of
webbing, which Mccarthy says is
illegal. What you girls at Vassar
have got to remember, however, is
that the rule is not very specific on
what constitutes a legal glove. If
you stick chewing gum in your mitt,
Alice, or doctor it up with tape, you
probably are breaking the rule, but
you might get away with it. But
Mccarthy would bawl the HI out
Of you.
Joe Mccarthy does not dance very
well. Perhaps he will send you his
autographed picture.
Poor Crew Given Stroke
Hondieop by Referee
DR.. Mr.. Lardner-What is the
purpose of stroke in boat race?
Idle Curiosity.
Answer-When a crew is not very
good the referee usually gives it a
a handicap of one stroke This
fellow sits in the rear, ore rsstern, of
the shell, opposite the cOXsWain. and