Evening star., 1943-04-18
Interest Is Keen
AS Fans Await
Bell This Week
Mats, As Lifting Lid
Here on Tuesday, All
To Play Wednesday
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer,

Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, April 17.-BasebaD !
opens another war-shrouded sea-
son next week with the National
and American Leagues both con-
fident that fans are as interested
as ever in the national pastime, that !
the pennant races will be as enter
tanning as ever, and that the sched-
ules will be carried through to their
normal conclusion. !
No one is overlooking the difficult
ties ahead, including the fact that
star performers constantly are being
called to military service. But the
reception the major leagues have
received this spring during their
transplanted training program has
convinced all observers that interest
has not been eclipsed by sterner
issues.
The curtain will be raised Tues
day at Washington with the Ma
tionals playing the Philadelphia
Athletics at Griffith Stadium a day
ahead of the getaway for other
clubs. This follows the custom Of
having ceremonial opener in the
Nations Capital on alternate years
when the Washington club ordi-
narily would begin its season on
the road.
President Roosevelt has been in
vited to throw out the first ball,
but there has been no indication
whether he would Last year he
turned the pitching over to Vice
President Wallace.
All Due to Play Wednesday.
On Wednesday all 16 clubs are
carded for action with this sched-
ule:
National League-St Louis at
Cincinnati, New York at Brooklyn,
Pittsburgh at Chicago, Philadel-
phia at Boston.
American League-Washingto at
New York. Boston at Philadelphia.
Chicago at st. Louis, Detroit at
| Cleveland.
The world champion Cardinals in
the National League and the peren-
nially pace-setting Yankees in the
American League have been estab-
lished as favorites to repeat the
pennant conquests they achieved
last year. although the inroads Of
the draft on key players may
scramble the entire situation.
All teams already have seen many
Of their important players enter the
armed forces, but none has been
tapped any more heavily than the
two rivals Of the 1912 World Series.
The Redbirds will be without Out
fielders Terry Moore and Enos
Country Slaughter as we'll a.
Johnny Beazley. the rookie pitcher
who captured 81 victories during the
regular season and two sensational
decisions over the Yanks In the
World Series.
Much Power Gone from Yanks.
The Bronx bombers have been
reduced to cap pistols by the de-
parture of Joe Di Maggie, Tommy
Heinrich, Phil RizZuto, Buddy Has
sett, Red Ruffing and others. Ex-'
cept for batterymen they will open,
the season with only two holdover'
regulars, Joe Gordon in the infieldi
and Charley king Kong Keller
in the outfield.
The Yankees, however. seem a.
reasonably good choice to repeat
because their chief rivals also have
suffered major losses. The Boston
Red Sox, who finished second for,
the fourth time in five years, have
lost their entire outfield, Ted Will
liams, Dom Di Maggie and Lou Fin
ney, and Shortstop Johnny Pesky.
The st. Louis Browns, which,
sprouted into a third place club,
have lost two outfielders and are,
awaiting the call Of Shortstop Yer >
non Stephens.
The Washington Mats appear to-
be the most improved club in this
league, but have too little reserveI
strength and are draft vulnerable inl
the inf1eld.
This writer's own opinion Of thel
finish in the American League Isl
New York, Boston, Cleveland, St.
Louis. Detroit, Washington, Chicago
and Philadelphia.
Experience Favors Dodgers.
| AAiC A>doASAAdA ACde oC 10 dAIAlS1oU CCl
tain to have another of it's character
istic wide-open pennant battles and
my own selection for the eventual
winner Is Brooklyn.
The Dodgers were beaten by only
one game last year, losing out on
the final day of the season, and
they do not appear to have been.
hurt as much by the war as the.
Cardinals. Brooklyn's chief losses
were Pete Reiser and Peewee Reese
and the places of both seem ade-'
quately filled. The team has more
experience, more power and more
protection against the inroads of Sc
lective Service than the Cardinals.
On this basis the order of the fin
ish shapes up as Brooklyn, st. Louis,
Cincinnati, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New
York, Boston and Philadelphia.
The Cubs in the National and tho
Indians in the American are the.
dark horses.
Spring training this year has fur
| (Son nA CNRATI Do0. N0(