Evening star., 1942-04-12
Big Loops Keyed
For Inaugural
On tuesday
EnthroIIing Season
Looms, Though Clubs
Are Much Changed
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer.


NEW YORK, April. lls-Sounding
a familiar American note above the
din of worldwide war, basebalrs two
major leagues VII swing into action
Tuesday in a new pennant serial
they hope will be as enthralling as
any of their previous peacetime
adventures.
The opening day program calls for:
American League-New York at
Washington, Philadelphia at Boston.
Cleveland at Detroit, st. Louis at
Chicago.
National League - Brooklyn at
New York, Boston at Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Chicago
at st. Louis.
Many Evidences Of War.
There will be plenty Of evidences
Of the war. Familiar players like
Hank Greenberg, Bob Feller, Hugh
Mulcahy and Cecil Travis ara among
the 81 who entered the Army and
Navy. Uniforms will carry Hale
America" insignia. War stamps will
be sold by vendors in some parks
and the New York Giants will re-
quire holders of passes also to buy
war stamps for admission. Parks on
the East Coast will have signs and
sand and extirguishers in readiness
for air raids. There will be more
than twice as many night games as
last year, a total of 158.
During the First World War most
minor leagues collapsed and the
majors curtailed their 1918 season
under the press of governmental
work or fight" demand on all
citizens.
But there is no present reason
to believe that the current cam
paign will not be carried through
in full. In January President Roose-
welt wrote Commissioner Kenesaw
M. Lands that it was his personal
view that at would be best for
the country to keep baseball going
because people Ought to have a
chance for recreation and for tax
ing their minds off their work even
more than before"
Draft May Cross Forecasts.
Under this impetus baseball is
proceeding as nearly normal as pos
sible and public interest seems to
be almost as intense as in other
years.
The world champion New York
Yankees are overwhelming favorites
to capture their sixth American
League pennant in seven years and
another tingling struggle Is in pros
pect in the National League, with
the ST. Louis Cardinals generally
favored to oust the Brooklyn Dodg-
ers fron1 the championship they
bagged last year.
Some observers (including this
one, for the record believe Brook
lyn is capable of repeating and still
others are counting on the Gin
cinnati Reds coming through.
All estimates, Of course, are OF
less value this year than usual be-
cause key men of several clubs may
be drafted druing the season and
the uncertainties of attendance in
wartime may influence the trad
ing and selling of players.
Yanks as Good as Last Year.
AS they line up at the post, how
ever, here is the outlook for each
club in thumbnail:
American League.
New York-The Yankees are as
strong as last year and should slide
along to the pennant at their usual
calm. but confident gait. There
will be two changes in the lineup
at the start, Gerry Priddy at third
and either rookie Ed Levy or
Buddy Hassett, the veteran National
Lacquer, at first, a position made
vacant by Johnny Sturm's enlist
ment in the Army. The Yanks still
have Joe Di Maggie, Joe Gordon,
Charley Keller and company. with
the veteran pitchers reinforced by
some capable freshmen.
Boston-The Red Sox looked q
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