The Wilmington morning star., 1946-04-15

MAJORS SEASON
STARTS TUESDAY.
Cardinals And Yankees
Rule AS Pennant Race
Favorites
By LEO H. PETERSEN
United Press Sports Editor

NEW YORK, April 10 - U.D -
Baseball, operating on peace
time basis for the first time ir
four long years, ushers in what
is expected to be its greatest sea
son Tuesday when the 16 major
league clubs begin the long cam
paign which leads to the World
Series in October.
With most of their pre-war stars
back and interesting pennant
races forecast in both the Ameri-
can and National league, the COM
ing season is expected to surpass
last years all-time highs when
each circuit drew more than s.
OO0,0 paid admissions.
It will be a far different kind
of ball which the fans will see this
year, and judging from advance
reservations, they are going to
turn out in record numbers to
greet the returning veterans.
Gone will be the minor 1eaguers
and the others who were called
upon to fill in while Uncle Sam
took most of the games outstand-
ing stars. Gone, too, will be the
transportation and other Difficult
ties which the game had to sur
mount to survive the war.
Once again it will be baseball at
it's best.
The teams have had the benefit
of Southern Spring training for the
first time since Pearl Harbor and
the long exhibition schedule which
finally carried the clubs North this
week has served to put the ex
G.. is and the others in the best
of shape. There have been the
usual number of injuries, but with
only couple of exceptions, most
of the players being counted upon
will be ready to go.
So far as the race is concerned,
the Cardinals in the National and
the Yankees in the American have
been established favorites. The
Cards are going into the race as
one of the shortest odd favorites
in years, at Is to 20. The Yankees
are quoted at 7 to 5.
While Eddie Dyer, in his first
season as manager, is expected to
experience little difficulty in get
ting the Cardinals home in front,
the American league race is ex-
pected to develop in a hot battle
with the World Champion Detroit
Tigers, the Yankees, Red Sox, In
dams, Browns and Senators all
figuring in the running.
All of the teams have been
strengthened by the return of vet
Grams so most fans believe any
thing can happen. Only the White
Sox and Athletics in the Aneri-
can and the Phillies and Reds in
the National appear to be out OF
the pennant running.
President William Harridge OF
the American predicted that lone
of the greatest chapters in base
ball history should be recorded this
coming season. and forecast a
close pennant race down to the
closing day.
Ford Frick, president of the Ma
tional, said there was every in
dication that the 1946 baseball sea-
son was going to usher in "a
sports boom that will eclipse even
that of the 1925" He, too, fore
cast a close race with a record
turnout of fans.
The opening day games Tues
day:
American league:
Cleveland at Chicago.
Boston at Washington.
st. Louis at Detroit.
New York at Philadelphia.
National league:
Brooklyn at Boston.
Pittsburgh at st. Louis.
Philadelphia at New York.
Chicago at Cincinnati.
Nearly 100000 fans are expected
to turn out for the openers. The
biggest crowd. $1,000, is expected
at Detroit with the Giants in New
York anticipating $4,000 at the Polo
Grounds. The Senators expect 3d.
| mn 4l.,xo Drocidopf TrIl.