Evening star., 1944-10-04
Denny Lone Regular
In Title Drive With
Losing Record
BY JOHN b. KELLER.
star staff CORRESPONDENT.


ST. LOUIS, Mo, Oct. Its SIM
pie enough to second guess" in any
sports affair-and simple" is the
word, too. But the observation that
follows was made as the Cardinals
and the Browns, both Of this town,
were set to meet, despite threatening
rain, in the opening game of base
balls World Series. Here it is:
Luke Sewell, manager Of the
American Leagues Cinderella
Browns, picks Denny 0alehouse, the
only one of his five established
starting pitchers during the torrid
championship campaign to finish
with a winning percentage under
500, to open ire against the Ma
tional Leagues champs-and how
come?
Result of the game could make
Sewell right In his selection, but II
there was anything logical in his
choice, the records certainly didn't
make it so.
On form, especially in his per-
formances against the last place
Washington Mats, Galehouse easily
should have been the last of his
five best starting pitchers Sewell
could have named to take over the
hill for his club at the beginning of
the tiff for baseball's top laurel.
Soft Pickings on Griffs.
Three times during the regular
season of the American League,
Galehouse started against the Mats
and twice he got his ears pinned
back.
He faced the Mats first here In
st. Louis when they were going
through their second swing through
the West. That was when the Mats
won only l game in 16, and then
he won, 7-3, although the Mats got
II hits.
The next time Galehouse pitched
against the Mats was in Washing
ton on August 20, the last time the
Browns came East. Then in seven
innings he gave up dozen hits to
be beaten, 4 to 2.
The third and last time Gale
house pitched against the Mats was
just two weeks ago last night-on
September 10. as the Washington
club opened its last Western inva-
sion Of the year. Then for 10 in
nings he pitched a whale OF game,
allowing but seven safeties.
But with two out in the 11th the
Mats had combed Galehouse for
double, an Intentional pass, a single,
an unintentional pass and another
single to get four runs and leave on
q runner who scored later when the
relieving pitcher. George Caster,
yielded a single.
Yet Sewell named for the World
Series opener against the heavy
hitting Cards pitcher who was
smartly raped in three starts
against a Washington club that was
something of joke in the Amer
ican League race.
Two and two always make four,
but Sewell's choice didn't add up. re-
gardless of what might happen in
the initial encounter of the classic.
And all Sewell had to say as he
announced Galehouse as his OPEN
ing pitcher was '"he's my man"
There was nothing else to substanti-
ate his decision.
Southworth Plays Safe. :.
In sharp contrast was Manager
Bill Southworth's nomination for
the Cards. He looked to the best
In his corps to take the Browns
over the hurdle in the crucial OPEN
er. Southworth felt he couldn't
pass up Morton Cooper, right-hand-
ed ace, and dean Of the st. Louis
National Leaguers' slab staff. Cooper
won ~ games while losing only
7 and last August hung up his
Tooth big league win. His record
made him appear the one pitcher
Southworth could send into action
In the first game.
After all, getting the jump in
short series could mean everything
Sewell took the long chance. South
worth refused to gamble. The dif-
ference in the selections could tell
heavily in st. Louis baseball civil
war.
Dutch Leonard, Nat hurler who
peat the Detroit Tigers Sunday
and thereby assured the Browns
their penant, dropped in to see the
American Leaguers here >. He got
grand reception :. Debs CAIRNS,
utility 1nf1elder, is the lone Gard
VINO ever played with the Browns
Out here they're looking for a five
game series Maybe the Browns
will surprise them.