Evening star., 1942-07-06
Shape Up Better
On Slab, Equal
Foe at Plate
Americans Miss Trio
Of Aces Who Aided
In 1o4l Triumph
BY GAYLE TALBOT.
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW YORK. July 6.-For perhaps
the first time since baseball's annual
all-star classis was inaugurated 10
years ago. the National Leagues
standard bearers will be the logical
favorites when they clash with the
American League at $50 eastern
war time) this evening in the Polo
Grounds.
Trailing three victories to six in
the previous games. the National
Leaguers seriously are determined to
win this one on superior pitching
and to whittle down the advantage
the Junior circuit has built up by
its vastly greater slugging ability.
Loss of three of their principal stars
of last years triumph at Detroit
Bobby Feller, Cecil Travis and Bill
Dickey-has weakened the American
Leaguers.
The Nationals not only boast their
usual fine set of pitchers but they
will go into today's game fortified
by group of hitters who, by the
average at least, stack up right
alongside their rivals star maulers.
Another point: The Nationals ap-
pear to have superior incentive to
win. They have been deadly serious
in their preparations, to such an
extent that President Ford Frick
made special request that five
crack pitchers be given adequate
rest. With Manager Joe Mccarthy
of the American Leaguers i'll all the
last week in Buffalo, the Americans
apparently had little opportunity to
make any such extensive provisions.
Would Like to Rub it in.
For still another reason, the Ma
tional Leaguers would love to win
this one. The team that is in front
when the last out is made under
the lights tonight will hustle for
Cleveland to appear against 1t.
Mickey Cochranes service all-stars
in a second benefit game tomorrow
night. 1t would give the Nationals
particular delight to represent the
big leagues in an American League
city.
A crowd of more than $4,000 Is
expected to assemble under Coogan's
Bluff to see the start of today's game
in the lengthening shadows. Some
where past midway of the contest it
will be necessary to snap on the
floodlights.
This was an important considera-
ton in Manager Leo Durocher's de-
cision to start Claude Passeau of the
Chicago Cubs against the American
Leaguers, rather than Mort Cooper,
the st. Louis Cardinals flreballer.
Leo figures Cooper's speed will make
him well nigh invisible to the batters
during that eerie period after the
lights are burning and the day still
is fading.
Passeau, winner OF IL games al
ready this season, was the unfor-
tunate National Lacquer who hap
pened to be in the box year ago
at Detroit. when Ted Williams OF
the Red Sox smashed his game
winning home run into the right
field stands with two on base.
Passeau has been CALLED by the
memory.
Wyatt Likely to Do Chore.
Between Passeau and Cooper, it is
likely that Durocher will call upon
his own wheelhorse, Whitlow Wyatt,
for a three-inning chore. Since NC
Carthy has included only two left
hand batters, Ted Williams and
Tommy Heinrich, in his tentative
American League starting lineup, 1t
is doubtful that either Cliff Melton
or Johnny Wander Nicer, the Ma
tionals' two southpaws, will see
action. Though it is permissible to
work a pitcher up to five innings IN
this All-Star game, Durocher has
promised the other managers In his
league that he will limit his hurlers
to three frames.
Bill Dickey, veteran Yankee
catcher, definitely was out OF the
game, leaving the American League
with the necessity of starting weak
hitting Birdie Tebbetts of the Detroit
Tigers behind the plate.
Most observers leaned toward
Spurgeon Chandler, Yankees right
handler, as the American Leagues
starting pitcher. Mccarthy said it
would be Chandler or Harold New
houser or AL Benton, the latter two
of Detroit, but in other years 1t has
been noticeable that the Yankee
pilot liked to fall back on one of his
own men when he was in doubt.
If Chandler does start. the Ma
tional Leaguers will lineup with
five left-hand clubbers at the top of
their batting order.