The Phoenix index., 1941-04-19
SPORTS
SLANTS
By
Melancholy
JONES
Winning Baseball Team One OF Most
Effective Devices For Moulding Civic
Pride: Eliminates Racial Hazards

NOTHING MOUI4DS pride like winning proIeS-
sional baseball club That has been proved many times in
the past Regardless to color cities with at least one crack
winning baseball team have welded he citizens closer to
get through subconscous but nevertheless effective proc
In years when the Atlanta Crackers have been below
par but the Atlanta Black Crackers hummng white
Negro fans rallied sharply behind the winning out
fit Racial sympathy and understanding took de1ine
climb.
On the other hand Negro fans have forgotten racial
lines and put themselves firmly behind the Atlanta Crack
when they have had exemplary edition of their At
lanta Black Crackers.
In fact even when the Atlanta Black Crackers have
been hot winner coored fans, while supporting their own
boys, have turned out Loyalty to the white Crackers
perform Naturally contrast in the two clubs produces the
noticeable fuctuatOn in fan support The big win
ner will always carry the larger galleries.
This campaign, grand revival of the Atlanta Black
Crackers is underway and winning team is produced
if good hustling club is assembedcolored fans will
line up squarely behind their boys.
Otherwise the white team will get the majority sup
port There's world of truth in the old saying-every'
body loves winner
to bring another Southern League pennan to the Gate City
They to have the pitching, the Defense and the
punch Besides they have natural hustle and afeconate
team spirit These are the essential qualities pennant
winner must have.
So firm colored fans in the belief that the Earl
NannPau Richards combination has cOncOcted another
championship outfit thatn proportion their ratio of the
total city pOpuationNegroes have actually Ourawn the
white fans the two bg' days at Ponce de Leon Park
to date s&@%
Both Opening Day and the past Easter Sunday, Ne
groes represented fully third of the total attendance play
ing big part in the fact that to date, the club is than
10000 patrons ahead of it's 1910 turous in the first three
home games. All told, more than 23,500 fans the
Knoxville series.
The fine response of Negroes the Atlanta Crackers
demonstrates one thing ndeb The southern coored man
aint mad at nobody This interesting observation has
won new respect and admiration from the southern white
This the column has noticed already in several tricks
TO Ponce de Leon park The races closer together
result of the present situation. Make mistake about
that
You may also wager there' be plenty of radio dials
tuned to station WAGA GAS your set this afternoon
at four o'clock eastern Standard me when the Atlanta
Crackers enter into with the Nashville Volunteers
that will be hot enough to form fitting stretch battle for
the l941 pennant itself.
George Jefcoat, the perennial Crax ink will be on the
mound for Nashville and Atlanta is still trying him
generally more effective against the Vols than other
man on Paul Richards staff will pitch for the hOmengs
Nashville will be observing OPENING DAY and an attend
ance of 10000 is forecast.
Nashville appeared doomed in her Opening Dav ges-
ure two days but the Vols held in contempt after
ing two straight to ow Chattanooga won back the good
graces OF their hometown folk Sunday afternoon when they
won both ends of doubeheader from the Looous 2 and
25-1 >, : ana "a
The Vols determined to get their REVENGE that
they scored those 25 in inning nghcap making
ID OF them in the final sanza what is NOIESTION
ABLY record of some sort
Pete Ihomasse ground-coverng midget centerfielder
or the Cra hurt ankle in the workout Yesterday and al
though Jeffcoat is rghthanded Hubert (Buddy Bates will
be in the lineup in his stead ~
Inc Crax are away 10 days The series in Nashville
iasts three days. then four days will PLAYED at Knoxville
WIN the CraX rounding out the trp in three
game series against Chattanooga the Lookout cv after
that ~ wy .a % ~
April a. the Nashville Volunteers come to Atlanta for
four game series. The next evening will mark the frs
191 Night and will also be the first tilt of the year
gl llooulghCS mere The series will close with double
Day. ' ''O- 110-'O''" '"'