Evening star., 1958-05-08
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW >, FRANCE, ,7A~u
Two That Might Not

IF THIS is NOT the appropriate time to get excited
the pennant chances Of the Cubs Pirates and Sena
tors is high time perhaps that thought be given
to the twin possibilities that the White sox and Card
mails might not win ~
These the two clubs that were to take off after
the Yankees and Braves The Sox prded themselves
pitching and the Cards balance and Stan Musal But,
while Musal is hitting 529 the Cards are in last place
today.
Equally in the cellar in the American League are
the White Sox whose AL Lopez felt he had all the equip
ment needed to beat the Yankees. "If beat them
in head-to-head games this year." Lopez promised
in the spring, well win. All last year had the
better club. mean we matched the Yankees record
against the other clubs at least Now we've got Early
Wynn and Ray Moore to pitch"
Name-wise, Lopez has the pitching. But throw as
they might they not overcoming the lack of hitting
by the White Sox And the Cardinals WELL both the
Sox and Cards haven't many games as the
downrated Senators, let alone the Cubs and Pirates
TWO NICE AND COMPETENT guys happen to man
age the Sox and Cards meaning Lopez and Fred Hutchin
son. And matter what Leo Durocher said about
nice guys, Lopez and Fred shouldn't finish last They've
got too much know-how and too much in the way Of
ball clubs
But they going to finish on top? That's doubtful
Chicago can't score and the Cards can't do much of
anything
Hutchinson doesn't have Frank Lane as general
manager to give him fits this season. but he does
the same bosses who conferred with him critical
last July PRESIDENT August Busch and Vice President
Dick Meyer in mood to learn why the Cards weren't
doing better.
Leave alone" Hutchinson told his bosses II don't
mind criticism, Second-guess all you want-but do it
In private and not in every newspaper in the country"
The Cards won something like II of their next 13
games. AS late August they were in first place
game ahead of the Braves
THE CARDINALS APPARENTLY are streaky team
They those l1-of-3 and then lost 10 of the next H.
pungng 8la games back of Milwaukee Then they rallied
nobly, only to lose out
Hutch wound up with the beer barons beating out
congratulations on his broad back He'd done fine Job
and, after all, everybody could wait until So
But this is SO and the Cardinals are in last place!
True nobody takes the Cubs and Pirates and Senators
seriously but ahead of the White and the Cards are
the bona-fde threats-the Yankees and the Braves
These are the old pro teams rich in first-ne quality
and rich in depth Those earyseason wonders may be lust
that and class will tell. Or so they say.
THE SEASON, HOWEVER is getting along and one
does not find only the White Sox and the Cardinals
the So-called disappointmens The Tigers who talked
up storm during spring training haven't been taking
the American League apart The Red Sox have been lust
$3.50 club
To be brutally frank about the matter. the Cubs
can't last Nor can the Senator's although privilege
ana a pleasure to watch the local heroes make like
champions Dscredted and denounced as they were the
senators have been wondrouS to date and you have to
love 'em for their brashneSs
But In the American League, and the National too
you've got to go to the big teams And the big teams still
are the Yankees and Braves