Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-04-16
SIuggersHo|d
Fate Of Club
By LEO MACDoNELL

With a War-riddled team threat
ened with more losses in key men,
tho Tigers open the 1914 American
League season at Briggs Stadium,
this Tuesday, with the st. Louis
Browns furnishing the opposition.
What is in store for the Tigers
this year Is, OF course, a puzzle,
as IT, IS 20 all other big league
clubs. While Steve O'Neill will be
able 20 present a comparative
veteran lineup despite the absence
OF regulars from last year, the
fortunes of the club depend largely
on two players--Rudy York and
Pinky Higgins.
York and Higgins represent the
Tiger power at bat, Rudy, the
American League home run cham
pion and Hig gins celebrated
through the circuit as clutch
hitter. With their army status
indefinite, the two veterans Will
start the season Tuesday. How
long they VIII be with the club il
a matter for conjecture only.
AIM AT FIRST DIVISION
Should York and Higgins remain
through, or for A substantial part
of the season, NELL figures the
Tigers will have a good chance to
rise out Of the second division.
Paul DIZZY Trout. the clubs
ace finger who found himself last
season and won 20 games. match
ing the win record of Spud Chan
der of the Yankees, will pitch the
opener wit Bob Swift, a new
Tiger behind the bat.
Besides Swift. new in the lineup,
will be Don Heffner at second
base and Eddie Mayo at shoFtstop.
( Heffner replaces Jimmy Blood
worth, who is in the army, and
Mayo supplants Hoover, who ex-
poets 10 be in service.
Jimmy Outlaw Will be in left
field, where Dick Wakefield held
sway last season, with Don Ross.
the regular right fielder. Should
York be called. Ross will take
over at the initial sack.
Bob Gillespie, pitcher with
Beaumont last year, who has been
placed in limited service, is join
lng the club, coming up from his
home in Columbus. Joe Hoover
also is on his way 10 Detroit to
play until he is called.
HAVE AZ INFIELD
The Browns invade Detroit with
a good AZ infield, featuring the
sensational Vernon Stephens at
short and Don Gutteridge at sec
ond, an outstanding keystone
combination. St. Louis also is
fairly we'll stocked in the outfield
but on paper the clubs pitching
appears weak. The Browns. like
the Tigers. will be satisfied with a
first division berth.
The Tigers finished fifth and
! the Browns sixth last season. The
| Tigers have never finished last, a
lowly berth the Browns have oc-
cupied on a number of occasions.
O'Neill starts his second year
as manager of the Tigers with
Luke Sewell serving his third full
season at st. Louis. Sewell re-
placed Fred Haney in 1871.
Here is the box score on the
T Tiger squad, it's personnel and
military status:
AZ ClasSification-Paul Rich
ards, Bob Swift, Hack Miller. Paul
Trout. Harold Newhouser, Frank
Overmire. Rufus Gentry, Joe
Hare. Jimmy Outlaw.
Honorable discharge from serv-
iceA-Zeb Eaton, Ed Red Boron,
Limited serYiCe-Don- Ross.
OVer-age-Elon Chief Hog
sett, Chuck Hostetler.
Under-age - + m cry (JimD
/ Hresko, II years old.
Status indefinite-Johnny Corr
Sica. Walter Beck, Rudy York,
Eddie Mayo, Don Heffner, Charley
Metro. Joe Orrell, Roger (Doc)
Cramer. Pinky Higgins. AL Unser.
The probable opening day lineup.
TIGERS BROWNS
Heffner 20 Gutteridge. 20
MaNO KFeevtch 60