Evening star., 1940-06-01
New York Clubs
Clicking After
Slow Starts
Reds, Indians Still
Appear Most Solid
Major Outfits
BY SID FEEDER,
Press Sports Writer.


They still pay of on the first
"horse" under the wire. So 1t
might be good idea, as the teams
turn from the first quarter and
head into the July drive, to keep
an eye on the major league clubs
which are laying off" the pace but
running close just the same.
In this respect, you hear a lot
of talk in New York about the
prospect of nickel series" this
fall, provided the subways don't
raise their fares.
The Giants, pooh-poohed at the
start of the season as cinch for
fifth or sixth place in the National
League, what with only half an
lnfleld and a lot of old gaffers, are
third, four games out of the top.
After experimenting for weeks,
Marse Joe Mccarthy discovered"
his world championship Yankees
lineup of 80. With pitching and
hitting clicking, the bombers
bounced up from the cellar into
the first division of the American
League and are breathing down the
necks of the Boston Red Sox and
Cleveland Indians.
Reds, Indians Appear Solid.
In line with the Giants prospects,
one of Broadway's biggest book
makers is laying all he can beg, bor-
row and-well. that's enough-on
the Polo Grounders. He's telling
his pals to do the same as an easy
means of picking up next winters
coal. He also lacked the price of
the Yanks from odds-on to even
money in line with their slump Of
a couple of weeks back, but he's
taking as little Yankee money as ne
possibly can.
With no games played in either
league yesterday and the Western
half of the American loop and the
Eastern half of the National travel
ing to start their second swings
around the circuit today. the only
solid teams seem to be the Cincin-
natl Reds and the Cleveland In
dians
The Brooklyn boom seems to be
all over The way the Giants out
thunk," outpitched and outwalloped
Lippy Durocher's darlings in the
Memorial Day double-header made
it appear Brooklyn's starting i'm
petus is running out.
Cincinnati Team to Beat.
r1oo C;o,+e With C,rI r1,,bLa1l,r
hitter proving he's still the
backbone. not only had folks asking
again, rs Brooklyn still in the
league?" but left the Flatbush Fol-
lies two games back of the Reds.
Headed by Bucky Walters un-
broken run of eight wins and with
Paul Derringer showing signs Of
getting under way again, the Reds
are the team to whip. In front now
and starting home stay, they're
the choice to repeat.
Over in the American League, the
Red Sox have managed to hang onto
the top by one game over the
Indians. Lou Finney, a graduate
pinch-hitter, is leading the league
in batting and Jimmy Foxx and Ted
Williams have been chopping down
the enemy like couple of dive
bombers, but grand old Lefty Grove
is slipping fast. And as the pitchers
lose their early season edge over the
batters, Tom Yawkey's young men
are going to find out dynamite goes
only so far and a dipsy- doodle
curve also has its advantages.
Tigers Hopes Up to Newsom.
Cleveland has some fair hitting,
and, with Lefties Al Smith and AL
Milnar coming up unexpectedly to
support Bobby Feller. the Tribe has
the classiest pitching, too. These
three elbowers have tossed a total
of 16 victories against three defeats
so far.
The Detroit Tigers, in third place,
must pray Buck Newsom's strength
keeps up. He's the hurting spark
plug, despite Schoolboy Rowe's bet
ter than fair comeback, and If he
goes, it's going to be bye bye Benpals