Evening star., 1944-10-03
Cooper, Potter Likely
10 Face in Opener
Before $4,000
BY JACK HAND,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated Press Sports Writer.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 3.-Twenty- five
hungry Browns who never cashed q
World Series check and % Cardinals
who've won three successive National
League pennants today split this
bulging old river city wide open on
the eve of the first al-St. Louis
World Series.
Streetcar operators, bell hops and
bartenders chewed your ear with
retakes of Chet Laabs' two pennant-
winning homers and Sig Jakucki
was doomed for mayor" but the
boys who say it with cash made the
National Leaguers l to 2 favorites
for the best four-out-of-seven series
opening tomorrow at Sportsmans
Park
Rainy weather took away some of
the enthusiasm yesterday as Billy
Southworth and his boys came home
for the first time since clinching the
flag to be greeted only by their
wives, children and ticket-hunting
relatives. The town, however, buzzed
with baseball talk and both clubs
reported complete sellout of re-
served seats. Mayor Kaufman
issued proclamation designating
this as baseball week"
$4,000 Expected at Opener.
At least $4,000 fans are expected
to turn out for the opener with the
weatherman promising fair and
cooler"
Luke Sewell had his Brownies out
for a short drill between the rain
drops yesterday and planned a
lengthy dress rehearsal this morn
ing with the National Leaguers TAX
ing the field in the afternoon.
Neither manager has named his
first game starter but Mort Cooper
(22-0 appears to be the natural
for the Cardinals. Nelson Potter
is the likely Brownie opener with
his 1877 record and his highly
trained screw ball.
Consistently good pitching was
the most important factor in the
success of the Sewell crew all sea-
son and could be the turning point
in this series which will be played
on an everyday basis with the only
of day between the sixth and
seventh games.
Southworth can call on Lefty Max
Lanier, Harry Brecheen and Ted
Wilks to back up Cooper, but Lanier
is a doubtful factor because of
recent arm trouble. He is said to
be ready but only an actual start
will give the answer.
Browns Slab Staff Deep.
Sewell can back up Potter with
Jack Kramer, Denny Galehouse,
Bob Muncrief and Jakucki although
Muncrief is also on the sore-arm
list. The Browns staff is deeper
than the Cards and in good physical
condition despite the gruelling
stretch drive.
3 The only ailing Cardinal is Left
Fielder Danny Litwhiler, who is
bothered by right knee injury. He
told Southworth he was ready, but
it is possible the skipper might use
Rookie Augie Bergamo in left to
give the club more left-handed hit
ting power against the American
Leaguers' right handlers. Sewell's
only southpaws are Al Hollings-
worth, who hasn't started since July
~, and Sam Zoldak, who never has
started game.
For the first time since 1922, when
the Yankees and Giants met In the
Polo Grounds, all the series are
scheduled for the same park, elm
mating all conjecture on the ad-
vantage of playing in familiar sur
roundings.
The Red Birds will be the home
team the first two games. the
Brownies the next three and the
Nationals again If it goes into
sixth and seventh tilt.
Spring Series Meaningless.
Although the teams met in a
spring city series, won by South
worth's champs four games to one,
these figures can be tossed into the
ash can because the Browns were
missing many key men and both
clubs were in the experimental
stage.
Despite talk about st. Louis at
tendance (the Browns were last and
the Cards fifth in the regular sea-
son in unofI1cial figures, tickets are
so hard to get that Spectators are
repeatedly asking $50 to SITS for a
three-game strip and $50 for single
on Wednesday,.
For the first time since Commits
sioner Kenesaw Mountain Lands
took charge of baseball in 1920, the
white-haired car will miss the
classic. remaining in Chicago under
doctors orders.
The commissioner, who will be 78
in November, is in a Chicago hos
pital, where his condition is de-
scribed as very satisfactory" He
will be represented at the series by
Ford Frick, president of the Ma
tional League; William Harridge,
president of the American League,
and Leslie M. O'Connor, his secre-
tary.