The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-25
BIG LEAGUERS
 OF PAST BOSS
 PACIFIC CLUBS
New Additions to Loop Are Witt, Skiff, and
 Martin
By JAMES 8. sHEEHY

NUmAseu Press tSam OCrresp0ndent)
 San Francisco, March 26. CUP)-- Every team in the Pacific Coast baseball league will be managed by former major league player when the seth annual season opens in four Clifornla cities, April s.
 Heading the list are three r1ew- conners-Ascar Vitt of Portland, oJhnnie (pepper) Martin of sacra- lnento and Bill Skin of Seattle, last years champions.
 Witt has one of the most for midable task in the league. The late manager of the Cleveland rn- dians, who piloted the "Wailers" within one game of the American League peflnant, inherited last place, slow-footed club. Attendance fell of n1iserably in Portland last year.
 Witt has e good-flelding keystone combination in Lindsya Brown and Al Wright; average catching and outflelding. Ad Liska, former sub- mariner cf Washington, and Ray Harrell, fast-baller fro mPittsburg, are his best hurlers. Witt hopes to get aid from big league connections soon.
 Martin Full of Pepper
 Pepper Martin brought & load of seriousness with him from the St. Louis Cardinals. He's determined to show at Sacramento that he's 8 big league manager. He also brought his brimrning personality that he contends will assert itself when he moves around right field for Sacra- mento.
 wen get our uniforms dirty and do a lot of sliding" Martin assured fans. He appears to have a ball club of talented veterans and youths. Tony Frietas, ex-big league southpaw, will head the pitching corps. Don Gutteridge is down from the Cardinals to play third. Frank Scala and Bob Blatt- ner, former national table tennis champion, are brilliant young in- fielders.
 skif. former Yankee catcher, succeeds the late Jack Lelivelt of Seattle. He has an experienced team, including outhelder Jo-Jo White, first basenan Les Scarcella, pitchers Hal Turpin, Dick Barrett, Sylvester Johnson and Paul Gregory and infields Dick Gyselmar1 and Joe Coscarart. All have had big league experience.
 Arnold tJigger) 5tatz will start his 22nd year in baseball by aain managing the Los Angeles Angels. Statz still Is one of the hossiest center felders in minor league base ball. He liloted his club to second place last year. He has four ex.big league pitchers in Lee Stine, Fay Thomas, Bob Weiland and Ray Prim. The Angelfs should be pen- nant contenders.
 Seals to Be strong
 Manager Lefty ODoul, formerly National League batting champion, will lead the San Francisco Seals for the seventh straight year. The Seals are banking on two former New York Yankees--second baseman Tony Lazzeri and outfelder Jake Powell-to make them pennant contenders. Sam Gibson and Wyn Ballou are pitching inainstays. The Seals hope to get southpaw Tom eSats from Detroit. The catching is strong with Joe Spring and Bruce Grodowski available.
 Oakland will be directed by Johnnie vergez, former New York Giant inAelder. The club might hit the first division, but probably needs additional hitting power. Veteran pitchers are Ben Cantwell, Jack salveson, Joe Mulligan and Henry Pippen. The Hollywood Stars, who strength ened last years in-and-out club. Sweeney hopes to play 100 games at first base. He's been consistent 300 hitter in coast league baseball during the past few years.
 Loss of pitcher Dick Newsome, 20-game winner and the leagues hardest working pitcher, will be felt by San Diego under Manager Cedric Durst. The team has young infield and outfield replacements and vet eran catchers but lacks hitting power.
 Opening day assignments, April 5. call for Seattle ct San Francisco; Portland at Los Angeles; Oakland at San Diego and Hollywood at Sacramento. The season closes on Sept. 2l, followed by the O'Shaugh- messy playoff series between the first four clubs.