Evening star., 1941-04-13
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Snnrts Writer

NEW YORK, April 12-Baseball,
which hardly seems to have taken
time out since the Cincinnati Reds
and the Detroit Tigers tangled in
their dramatic all-out world series,
comes prancing back into the Ma
tion'S sports arena this week
President Roosevelt will throw out
the first ball at Washington tomor-
row when the Nationals and the
New York Yankees collide in a cere-
monial curtain-raiser, and the next
day all Is clubs in the two big
leagues will begin drumming away
at each other
If the weather man turns a
friendly beam on these contests they
probably will attract more than
100000 fans. Both the American
and National Leagues are expecting
the season to produce bumper at
tendance as well as great competi-
tive thrills-like Bob Feller's no.
hit. no-run game on opening day
last year and the fight to the finish
by which Detroit snatched its sur
prising pennant.
The world-champion Reds natu-
rally rank as favoriteS in the Ma
tional League again, although with
an admittedly awesome assignment
in trying to stand off a much i'm
proved Brooklyn team and st.
Louis collection of young, fearsome
Cardinals.
Tribe Better Than Last Year.
In the American League the
Cleveland Indians, their hot tenn
pers cooled, and the Yankees with a
new infleld and their old determine
ton, have established preseason
edge over the Tigers, Vino are in
danger of losing Hank Greenberg to
the Army.
Over the long road to the world
series next October a lot of things
can Representatives,, slumps, rebel
lions. trades. purchaseS-but with
all these in mind, here is the way
the major league clubs shape up for
the season:
American League.
CleVeland-The Indians are bet
ter than last year when they missed
the pennant by one game. The
revolution is over and Roger Peck
lnpaugh, one of the big shows two
new managers, has everything un-
der control.
The club has Feller, currently the
greatest pitcher in baseball. and it
has other virtues, chief of which is
the best infeld in the league.
Shrewd trading during the winter
added seasoned relief pitching, Clint
Brown and Joe Heving, where the
Indians were weakest last year, and
obtained additional punch at the
plate in Outielder Gerald Walker.
Yankees Dynamite Again.
1t is a club very much like the
Reds in the other league-great
pitching, good defensively, well bal
anced, but little short on power.
If First Baseman Hal Trosky and
Third Baseman Ken Keltner re-
gain the form they showed before
last years slump, Cleveland will be
the Soundest club in the circuit.
New York-The Yankees are dy-
Mantle again. They finished third
last year, one game behind the In
dians and two out of first place, in
spite of an assortment of troubles
and the handicap of the American
Leagues rule against a champion
making trades.
1t is a club that is rebuilding,
however, and consequently unpre-
dictable. Joe Gordon, a great Sec
ond baseman, is on first now. Two
rockies guard the keystone area.
Youngsters will have to carry the
pitching burden. Bill Dickey is far
off his old form as catcher and
Buddy Rosar may do more and
more of the backstopping.
The Yanks can still break up a
ball game in one inning. But the
pitching and the defense remain
to be proved.
Tigers Are Doubtful.
Detroit-The Tigers, because they
are champions, can't trade except
through waivers and this means for
all practical purposes, not at all.
Greenberg, one of the great ball
players of all time, is listed as Al
on the Detroit draft list, although
a doctor said he has fiat feet. He
will get another examination, but
no one knows what the final dis
position will be.
If Greenberg stays with the club,
the Tigers are as strong as last
year. They have come up with
some young pitchers who will help