The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-02
Skipper Lauds
Club; Red So1
Open Fourteen
Game Road Trip
BY JOE REIcHLER
AP Sporfswriter

amazing Braves?
The next 10 days may supply a
definite answer. Charlie Grimm's
second placers are at EbbetS Field
tonight starting a three-game
series with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Then comes a four-game series in
Philadelphia followed by another
four-game set in New York.
BY that time, the rest of the
league should know whether the
Braves are to be taken seriously.
Despite their lofty perch, there are
still some rival managers who in
sist the Braves are playing over
their heads and will drop back
among the second-divisioners when
the weather gets hot and the 60
ing gets rougher.
''We're up there to stay" he
says. "0ut pitching has been great,
our infield has been tight and our
hitters have begun to find the
range. From what I've seen thus
far, we're as good as any team
In the league"
Certainly the Braves have been
the surprise of the league. With
six weeks Of the season gone they
are only q half game behind the
league-leading Dodgers. ALI teams
enjoyed an off day yesterday. A
victory tonight would put the
Braves on top.
This is the same club experts
picked to finish sixth and seventh.
A good part of the explanation
lies in the slugging of sophomore
third baseman Eddie Mathews
(.331 batting average, IA homerS
and 81 runs batted I'M, the resur-
gence Of shortstop Johnny Logan,
the fine showing Of rookie pitchers
Don Liddle and Bob Bull and ut
fielder Bill Bruton, and the return
from service of battcrymen Johnny
Antonelli and Del Crandall.
Not to be overlooked is the tre-
mendous reception the transplanted
Braves are getting in their new
home.
Just how important is encourage
nient and fan enthusiasm to a pro-
fessional athlete?
at gives you a lift," says Sid
Gordon, the seeking outfielder Of
the Braves. 1t makes you want to
play that much harder, run that
much faster and hit and field that
much better
Prick, who, like all baseball peo-
pie are delighted with the Braves
showing, thinks the Milwaukee fans
deserve a big assist for their
teams fine play.
maybe II sounds like hooey,"
he says, 'but I'm convinced that
q team reacts to that kind of sup
port. II puts out a little extra"
With the exception Of the Braves,
the National League races are run
ming normally. Brooklyn, Philadel-
phia and st. Louis are up there
with the slow.starting Giants right
behind them. The New York
Yankees, as expected, are setting
the pace in the American with
Cleveland and Chicago striving
nightly to overtake them.
The Boston Red Sox, surprise Of
the American League, face their
annual test. Can they prove sue
cessful on the road? They open a
i4-game Western tour in CIeve.
land tonight. A double loss in
Washington Sunday dropped them
out Of the first division.
II the Yankees arc going TO be
overhauled, 1t win have to be on
the road. The world champions
have won I Of their II home en-.
gagemenss. They open a 14-game
tour Of the West with 4 game in
Chicago tonight. TIE White Sex
and Indians, who win be at home
during the next two weeks, have
q tlA.game deficit TO make up.
In the National, Brooklyn, Phila-
delphia and New York, among the
contenders. viii be Al home during
the next fortnight. The st. Louis
Cardinals and Braves viii be on
the road, not 10 return home until