Evening star., 1941-07-06
By the Associated Press.

tacle for the ninth time Tuesday at
Briggs Stadium, and the bristling
American Leaguers seem sure to be
heavy favorites over the National
League rivals from whom they have
taken five victories.
Since the contest was conceived
in 1888 at Chicago, the stars OF the
junior circuit never have been
beaten on their home grounds. This
fact alone might be sufficient to sway
the odds in their favor.
But there are better reasons-the
records of the rivals in their respec-
tive leagues this summer and the
haunting desire of the American
League to get revenge for last year S
triple defeat in the spring training
charity game. the all-Star show at
st. Louis and the World Series.
Must Win, Harridge Says.
President William Harridge, COM
mander in chief of the American
League forces, revealed the battle
attitude of his league recently when
he declared:
I'VE always have considered the
all-star game as a contest and not
an exhibition, and we Will be out
to win it this year. We've got to, to
make up for last year
The game, scheduled for | 80 pm.
washington time), is expected to
attract a capacity crowd of $4,000,
third largest turnout in the short
history of the spectacle.
The two major leagues have NOM
mated their brightest stars for the
event. On the basis of their current
performances. however. the Amer
lean League aggregation looks much
more formidable than its rival.
The dream game always has been
regarded as a test Of American
League batting against National
League pitching. but this year S
match promises to have both hitting
and hurting on the side of the Amer
lean Leaguers.
Feller Likely to Start.
It is hazardous to predict the
starting line-ups because the various
pilots in previous tilts always have
found a way of producing surprises.
Yet Del Baker, manager of the
winning Detroit Tigers ana
leader of the American League stars.
may be expected to open with TED
Williams of Boston, Joe Di Maggie
of New York and jeff Heath of
Cleveland in the outfield; Rudy York
of Detroit. Joe Gordon of New York,
Lou Bourdreau of Cleveland or Luke
.Appling of Chicago and Ken Kelt-
ner of Cleveland in the infield; Bill
Dickey of New York behind the bat,
and Bob Feller on the mound.
The best array for Manager Bill
McKechnie of the world champion
Cincinnati Reds, serving his second
term at the helm of the National
League stars, would seem to be Terry
Moore of st. Louis, Mel OFT of New
York and Joe Medwick or Pete Rel
ser of Brooklyn in the outfleld;
Johnny Mize of st. Louis. Bill Her
man of Brooklyn or Linus Frey of
Cincinnati, Arky Vaughan of Pitts
burgh and Stan Hack of Chicago in
the inf1eld; Harry Danning of New
York catching, and Whitlow Wyatt
of Brooklyn or Bucky Walters of
Cincinnati pitching.
American Team Stronger.
There is no question of the SUPERB
ority in power which the American
League would have if these two
line-ups faced each other.
williams has been hitting above
400 for many weeks, Heath has been
only little below it and Di Maggie,
batting about $50, has been leading
his league in home runs and this
week surpassed a 44-year old ajor
league record for hitting in consecu-
tive games.
Except for Reiser, whose batting
siumped sharply a few days ago, but
still is around $50, the National
League outfelders all are hitting
just over the 300 level.
Because Mize, the big slugger of
the Cardinals, has been on hitting
spree that has carried him into the
league lead with 360 figure, there
will be little or no disparity in
power between the two infields. Nc
Kechnie might field a quartet en-
.tirely of 300 hitters if Herman gets
up few notches this week end.
Dickey is head and shoulders
Above all the catches with a bat
ting average of about 800 and is a
better field general.
Wyatt, Walters to Work.
This brings any comparison of
the teams down to the pitching de-
partment-andt the American League
can claim an advantage here also.
Feller net only is the best pitcher
Of the year. but probably one of the
best of all time. He has appeared
in the past two all-star games as the
third American League hurler be-
cause the managers were afraid OF
his wildness and his inexperience
But 1t was his skillful relief effort
that saved victory for his team in
1889 in New York and this year
there is little doubt that he will be
called upon to start.
He can work only three innings
under the rules, but Red Ruffing oi
the Yankees and Lefty Thornton
Lee of the White Sox, both with
fine records, are available for service
Wyatt, winner of a dozen games
has the best showing of the pitchers
available to McKechnie, but the
Deacon has great faith in his own
ece, Bucky Walters. who has been
victimized this season by the poor
hitting of his teammates.
Each is sure of getting into the
game, but McKechnie may not
name his starter until the day OF
the contest.
Passeau New to Game.
If he is influenced toward Wyatt
1t may be because an American
j.. League umpire will be behind the
plate for the first four and one-hali
: innings. Wyatt is a former Amer
lean Lacquer and throws a high
fast ball that has a better chance
of being called an American League
: strike than the sinker speciality OF
Walters.
Behind this pair are Carl Hub