Evening star., 1960-04-26
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS sTANN
Not Much Like SO

II Is MUCH TOO EARLY, of course, to climb aboard
the Detroit Tigers bandwagon unequvocally, Jimmy
Dykes has the BengalS off nicely which direct
raSt to the horrendouS start of year ago The question
is: How long can Dykes keep 'em hot?
Ever since 1945, when they won their last American
League pennan the Tigers have earned sobrquet
fat cats They always to have players of outstanding
ability but not the pride of the Yankees the go-go
the White Sox. They blow hot and cold.
Cold they blew last April when they lost IS of their
first II games and their manager Bill Norman as we'll
Along Dykes in the twilight of his career perhaps
and they blew hot For longer than month the Tigers
careened along to climb from deep in the cellar to within
. half-game of the lead.
Then Dykes magic wore a bit thin True to long
CUSTOM the Tigers dropped back and almost contenedy
settled for fourth place. .>..s. a..
THERE ARE NO OTHER fans in baseball quite like
Deroits for tolerance to suffering and searching for
the bright side. They proving it again with
attendance of 1oO59 for three games far whereas it
took II to reach the figure last year Ali this in
spite of dire reports from Florida earlier in the month
that Steve Bko at first base and Chico Fernandez at
shorstop question marks, indeed Dykes him.
self, according to one Detroit newspaper.
Landing Rocky Colavito in trade for the AL batting
champion Harvey Kuenn stirred interest not instant
total approval especially after Colavito went for the
collar six times opening day and famed four times.
But since then Rocky has been hitting and making PreS
dent Bill Dewitt and Dykes look very good because they
had predicted the Detroit park made to order for
both Bilko and Colavito, just it for Al Kaline.
Al Lopez while in Florida refused to count the Tigers
the team to beat-he feared Cleveland and New York
in that order-and apparently he still doesn't despite
the three straight lckngs his White sox took in Detroit
, the week end.
REMEMBERING WHAT HAPPENED to his Tigers last
year and to of the other clubs he has managed
the last two decades Dykes also is playing cozy
although before the began the Round Man was
highly optimistic In fact, Dykes caught by surprise
when an interviewer asked if this could be the best of
all the teams he's managed
1T probably is, Jimmy blurted out. mo, wait. The
last time said that every so-and-So died me-"
That in 1851 when Dykes managing the Phila
depha Athletics 1--WE got off to another perfect start
Jimmy explained. 1--WE had 12-game streak-a losses"
Another club away smartly is Pittsburgh and here,
too is about-ace from last year, when the Pirates
lost their first five games. They didn't close to
the top the Tigers but the Bucs finished in the
spot-fourth pace-and actually two more games
than Detroit.
WITH THE AL SEASON week old the Yankees are
off to better start than 1859 when as late as May "a
they were in the cellar This quite trick in view of Bob
Tureys demotion perhaps temporarily starter Casey
Stengers younger pitchers chiefly responsible for
5out-of-6 record to date.
less fortunate start that of the Indians-and
Frank Lane Not only Lane roasted by Cleveland fans
and the press for trading Coavo Kuenn was hurt
in his first game with the Indians who have lost four of
five late bulletin from Cleveland it that the fans
no longer are boiling at Lane, merely Smmering
or the teams most fanced in the MI only the Mil
waukee Braves have been having trouble late the result
OF meeting with the Pirates at their peak Chuck Dres-
who announced that the Braves would hustle or
eSe got off to rousng start But if the Braves blow
any more complete series there's liable to be inter-
estng news out of Milwaukee.
Dresser doesn't like to lose especially after he's prom
ised to win