Evening star., 1943-09-24
Leaders Otherwise,
Cards Are Tagging
In Scoring Power
BY SID FEEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer

NEW YORK, Sept. 24.-The st.
Louis Cardinals go into this years
World Series in the same position as
the guy who leaves his umbrella and
rubbers home because his bunions
aren't aching and that's a "sure
sign" therell be no rain.
On the basis of the official mum
bers" in the book for this fast fading
season, Billy Southworth's SYM
| phony from st. Loo has an edge on
| paper over the Yankees in practi-
cally every department of the indus
try-hitting, fielding, pitching, and
probably the consumption of hot
dogs and soda pop.
The setup looks almost too perfect
for the st. Louis sWifties to hold
onto their world championship, what
with the awful apple of
Steamin' Stan Musial leading the
hit parade and the left-handed ell
bowling of Max Lanier. Alpha (Bet)
Brazle and Harry Brecheen to throw
against the predominantly left
handed hitting of the uptown
thumpers.
What's more, the Bombers' bat
ting averages, generally, are in need
OF a batch of blood plasma and the
middle of their infield has slowed up
from past years until any resem-
blance is purely coincidental.
Yanks Shine as n-makers.
Yet, the charitable gambling guys,
who always are willing to give you
the right time-for free-if you ask
twice, have installed the Yanks the
betting favorites in the first call
over of the series morning line. And
they're doing it because, while the
Cards cut the pie their way in most
OF the season records, the eight
Yankee regulars slated to start the
fall fuss make up a greater run
producing engine than the National
League champions eight-cylinder
job.
And in addition to the fact that
MarSe Joe McCarthy's men are spe-
clalists in knocking those runs home,
they're backed up by pitching that
at times is the hottest in either
league. AS evidence of that, there's
Heavin' Hank Borowy, who chalked
up his sixth in row on Wednesday
after spending the early part of the
season riding the merry y-go-round.
and Lefty Marius Russo, who served
up two-hitter yesterday Just about
the time every one was writing him
OF the series menu.
Joe Di Maggie is gone this year
but the Bombers still aim for those
paying customers in the stands. and
the varsity eight-excluding pitchers
have walloped 83 four -baggers out
OF the lot, compared to So for the
Cards. Yet, half of these eight have
only played about half the season.
Cards Trail in Records.
In TACT, the total for the eight
Yanks is 1884 games this summer,
compared to lob for the Cards first
stringers. In these games the Ameri-
can League block-busters have
brought 40 ducks home off the pond
and the Cards have driven 46S
across. Thus, the Yanks have batted
IN only % fewer runs in 1874 fewer
bali games.
Ihat'S enough to indicate that
Marse McCarthys acrobats still are
able to bust loose and knock the
roof in any time they pull the trig-
ger, particularly with a guy like King
Kong Keller lighting the fuse. And
since it's an old baseball custom that
they always pay off on the club scor-
ing the most runs, you have to admit
the Yanks are around for something
more than just laughs.
This corner thinks they'll get
hunk" for all the Jumps the Cards
raised on them last year, and that
they'll do it in five or six games,
with Spud Chandler and Borowy the
big men of the pitching line and
Keller NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Flash
Gordon, the bum of the 40 set and
weak sister of this campaign, steal
ing the socking show THAT creak-
ing and groaning you hear off in the
distance is merely the limb getting
ready to leave the tree).