Evening star., 1953-07-02

they Then Musa caught fire. bated something in the
neghborhood Of 750 for and suddenly Manager
Eddie stanky's club is to be reckoned with.
THE CARDS GOT few good breaks during those long
when Musial wasn't hitting The favored Dodgers got
neck deep in platoonng that they couldn't win
the road And the Milwaukee Braves. Who figured the
Braves to be up in the running?
There's evidence the finding their level, which
possibly is the top of the second division but the Braves
frightened the which Stanky himself predicted would be
affair among the Dodgers Phies Giants and
Cards He neglected to mention the ranspanted Braves
but that forgvabe After ALL they finished seventh in
Boston last year. 80 games of the pace
Sanky and his Cards got another break when the Giants
failed to play up to expectations At time when Leo
Durocher is having pitching problems, stanky to be
getting squared He's got such staley Mze Miller,
Haddx and Preko to start and standou reever in Alpha
Brazle.
THE CARDINALS ARE by no great ball club.
They don't compare with the Cards of 1942 of the
other ST. Louis teams. But Stanky aren't playing in
too tough league There feet Of clay the Dodgers
1t develops The weaknesses of the Braves beginning to
and the Giants aren't solid supporters first felt
The Philies there the club that many thought
would the pennant They had Robin Roberts and Curt
Simmons nucleus but Simmons had the poor taste to run
power important toe and that did the Phes
good.
The Cards. on paper unimpressve. They Musal
and Schoendenst fading Slaughter but nobody else
the club is exciting unless it's that slightly super pinch
hitter Peanuts Lowrey.
strange case, Lowreys. The little guy has been knock
ing around in pro ball since 1887 In the majors he never
was quite good enough hang onto regular ob although
tried with the Cubs and Reds before the Cards obtained
him on waivers late in 1949.
THE CARDS COULDN'T USE Peanuts Lowrey every day,
either play left and Slaughter to play right
fellow strikes against him. But Lowrey apparently
is better after hour two the bench than he is start
ing scratch Never be compared with Rogers Hoby
nevertheless set record for consecutive hits as pinch
hitter Cd year. beating Hornsbys old mark of five in
q row.
On paper St. Louis doesn't like much Of ball club.
The popular supposon to repeat is that Musial the
Cardinals yet there day last March in ST. Peters,
burg Fla Stanky holding court in his little club
house and he talking not about Musal but his
pitchers
forget he told reporters Ive got some youngsters
who throw. When they qualify staff we'll be tough
"You have no first baseman," Stanky was reminded.
The smiled crookedly. "Just in things get too
tough fellows said there's in my outeld who
play first And he happens to be the best in the
business"
Musal he meant ...
A REPORTER ASKED STANKY How many clubs win
pennants without sickout catcher? He when
he uttered the Sanky stared hard at him and ad
I'm my book three sickout catchers I've got
one of Rice. He won't hit well as Yogi Berra
or Roy Campanela admit but he'll catch as well as Cam
PAMELA and better than Berra"
belgerently Stanky concluded Gentlemen, I've
got what you might call oldyoung ball club. Musal
Slaughter Schoendens Brae and few others aren't kids
But I've got kids too. like the old folks and like
the kids This going to be four-team race-Brookyn
New York Philadelphia and us.
II like U.s."