Evening star., 1941-09-28
BY JUDSON BAILEY,

bush the powerful New York
Yankees.
Nevertheless, the American League
champions were rated 2-to-l favor
ties today. and most observers con-
ceded that they should be able to
capture the world championship in
five or six games.
The series will open Wednesday
at 1:30 pm in the big, concrete
confines of Yankee Stadium, which
is expected to be sold out for the
first time in series history. This
would mean an attendance of about
10000 or 1000 more than saw the
Yanks battle the New York Giants
in the fourth game of the 1886
classic.
All reserved and box seats for the
games at Yankee Stadium have been
sold out for weeks, but $4,000 un-
reserved and bleacher seats will be
on sale on the day of each game.
Wyatt Dodgers Starter.
Whitlow Wyatt. ace of all the
National Leagues pitchers and 22-
game winner for the Dodgers, is
fairly certain to pitch the important
opening game for Brooklyn, with
the veteran Charley (Red) Ruflng,
a 15-game winner, on the mound for
the Yankees.
Both Manager Leo Durocher of
the Dodgers and Marse Joe Nc
Carthy, bland, paunchy pilot of the
Yankees, said they would not an
nounce their selections until Tues
cay.
But there was no doubt about
their choices, or for that matter, no
question about their line-ups as a
whole. The big question that had
confronted the series guesserS was
whether Charley king Kong Kel-
Ter, the Yanks' leading home run
slUgger, would be able to take his
place in left field and this was
settled by his return to the lineup
today against Washington.
Keller Clipped a bone in his right
ankle sliding into second base with
in few days after the Yanks had
clinched the pennant and the injury
took a long time to heal His big
bat which has produced 80 home
runs and batted in 122 tallies, would
have been missed sorely.
Yanks to Show Best Front.
Third Baseman Red Role, who
had been out Of action for couple
of weeks, recovering from an in
testinal disorder, also returned to the
Yankee lineup yesterday and
showed that he was ready.
Thus, the Yankees were sure of
having their strongest front for the
enemy.
After Ruffing, they probably will
pick their starting pitchers from
Lefty Marius Russo, Spud Chandler,
Ernie Bonham, Alley Donald and
Vernon Gefty) Gomez.
Gomez, who has won six World
Series games without being beaten,
probably will not be used until far
along in this years classic, due to
the fact that he was chosen to pitch
today against Washington. Since
the Mats knocked him out Of the
box in the first inning, ne might not
start at all
Unless the series goes the limit,
giving the S6-year-old Ruffing ample
rest. no Yankee pitcher is likely to
hurl more than one game. The Yam
KEGS have rotated eight starters dur
ing most Of the season.
Fanks Lead in Field.
The Dodgers. after leading off with
Wyatt, will give starting assignments
to slender, silent Curt Davis, fast
balling Kirby Higbe, a 22-game VIM
ner, and Fred Fitzsimmons, the fat
old knuckle-ball Wyatt is almost
certain to pitch twice.
The teams size up with the
Dodgers having a slight edge in the
pitching, about equal in hitting, and
with the YankS acknowledged as far
and away the better defensively.
1t is this advantage in the field
on which the experts expect the Nc
Carthymen to climb to their fifth
world championship in six years.
They are strong through the mid
ole" where all great baseball clubs
must be strong
Catcher Bill Dickey, Second Base
man Joe Gordon and Center Fielder
Joe Di Maggie have no equals in the
major leagues Shortstop Phil Riz-
zuto easily is one of the rockies of
the year and a major factor in boost
ing the bombers back to the Amer
lean League pennant which they
missed last year by just two games
Set New Doubleday Mark.
The Yanks have made 1913 dou-
ble- plays this season for the rec
ord in the junior circuit. Seven OF
these were started by the outf1eld
while 10 we're originated by the
catcherS.
These mop-ups have offset lot
of base hits made off the Yankee
pitchers and contrast with the ~
double-plays which the Dodgers
have been able to make.
Brooklyn is strong enough at first
and second bases, with sluggine
Dolph Cemilli and Bill Herman
rated as the top men at their po-
sitions in the National League. But
the left side of their inf1eld is por-
Gus and has cost the Dodgers many
ball games during the season.
Yet other teams have overcome
more painful Affections and the
Dodgers definitely have chance
in this series.
This is the first time in many
wears that the Yankees have hao
to face a National League club thai
could hit. Camillis "a home runs
top the total of Keller, who is high
man of the Yanks. Every one o.
the Dodger outf1elders is hitting
we'll over 300 and Rookie Pete Rel
ser is the new batting champion o1
the league with an average OF .343'
Six-Game Series Forecast.
Because of this batting strength
some baseball men contend the pres
ent Dodgers are a better ball clut
than the Cincinnati Reds were wher
they came up against the Yankee
in 1889.
This offensive power may not b.
enough to beat the Yankees, bu
il likely will be sufficient to StOl