The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-16
By JACK CUDDY

New York, Jan. 16-(UP)-Three men on @ horse made history in the entertainment world. Three men on @ base actually made the Brooklyn Dodgers. Until those three historic athletes piled up on the Ehbets field sack and started going through the Alphonse- and Gaston apologies, the Dodgers had no real claim to fame as the dafflness boys.
 And in the same vein you can eX- pect three or more Dodgers to "co- agulate" on base at the Dodgers new spring training camp, Bear Mountain. We mean that three or more Dodgers will collect on any given base to keep warm, 1t will be so cold during the spring at Bear Mountain, N. Y.
 If the late Uncle Robbie, or Larry MacPhail were guiding the des- tinies of the Dodgers, you might expect a wartime training shift to Q spot that has been famous for its ski jumping and winter sports. But with conservative Branch Rickey at the Brooklyn helm, you would eX- pect a training site as far south as the government allows.
 But Rickey-although he has been exposed for only couple of months to the "nertzogania of the gowanus" apparently has succumbed to Brooklynitis. In seeking @ "south- ern" training camp for Dodger athletes who may survive the vari- ous war avenues, Branch has gone north. He picked @ camp that has been publicized largely as @ winter sports ground.
 Snow Galore
 We don't know when the snow leaves Bear Mountain but we'll wager it's @ lot later than the date on which Branch Hickey figures. He has ordered the Flatbush flock to report on March 15. Maybe he is right, but If we know our Bear Mountain those Dodgers had better show up with skis and snow shoes. And they had better perfect their Gelande-sprungs, herringbone as- cents, kick turns, quersprungs, tele- marks, and Vorlage toddies.
 On the face of President Branch Rickey's announcement, in would seem that this staid Sunday school teacher was launching the Dodgers upon the daffiest/ training program the Beloved Buns" ever knew. And maybe that's just what Hickey wants the public to think, because he barely mentions the fact that the Dodgers-in indictment weather will work out in the huge field house of the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, N. Y, about five miles from the Bear Mountain ski jump
 The field house is one of the most spacious and adequately equipped arenas of its kind in the east. The batting cage measures 400 by 200 feet, and the entire infield is en- closed by a net.
 This muscling in on West Point in wartime with a civilian sport verges on the miraculous, but it can be understood when one appreciates tIlHG tLiC utaAA WAV Rhs Ae OFNA eS Branch Rickey. the David Harum of baseball-the greatest trader in the game.
 Gave Up Yale
 You will recall that Hickey first wanted the mammoth field house at Yale, New Haven. Conn. for his Dodgers. and that he gave up this ideal training facility only after being assured that the Army avia- ton corps insisted upon having 1t.
 so-apparently Hickey made 8 deal with Uncle Sam. The Army could have the Vale field house iG the Dodgers could have the Army field house at West Point.
 In view Of thia trade. which will send the Dodgers with their snow shoes, akls and tonkins to Bear Mountain, We would suggest thai Hickey be appointed . Olie-mal committee to deal with the Japs. We're confident that he e0nnld talk them Into giving us Truk Island, their great South Pacific naval base, for Barren Island in New 1ork har' hoF, destination for much of the aits sesaaea.