The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-07-15
of TIMES
Jolly Roger
Flying High
BY LOU FABRO
Times Sports Editor

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who failed to live up to
expectations last year, seem to be determined to make
amends this season by capturing their first National
League flag since 1927.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants, oyerwhelm-
ing preseason favoriteS, seem to be equally deter
mined to make the baseball prognosticators look bad.
At the halfway mark, the numbering Giants were
fighting hard to stay out of the second division.
The defending world champions, Los Angeles
Dodgers, haven't been playing the role very well as
they spent most OF the first hall OF the season In the
second division.
MILWAUKEE,, STILL A POPULAR CHOICE with
many experts, wasn't too impressive in the first two
months of the season but lately has been playing like
the champion Braves OF old. In fact, the Braves appear
to be the Pirates No. / threat.
And st. Louis, one of the most improved teams
in the league, has been filling the "dark-horse" role
very well = much to the dismay of their more favored
colleagues.
It's a wellknown fact that the success of the
Pirates is due largely to the comeback of pitcher Bob
Friend. In 1859, he won eight and led the league in
losses with 10. At the half this season, he was 10-5.
AT the same time, Vernon Law had chalked up an
11-3 record.
in RECORDING NEARLY HALF of the Pirates
first 48 victories, the two Pittsburgh hurlers have in
spired the refrain: 'it's Law and Friend-and that's
the end" This recalls the 1948 ditty of "Spahn and
Sain-then pray for rain" Well, the Boston Braves
won the title that year, thanks largely to pitchers
Johnny Sain and Warren SPAIN.
After Law and Friend, the Pirates pitching staff
admittedly has been quite spotty. In fact, jim UNI
BRIGHT and Bonnie Daniels were sent to the Columbus
Jets only two weeks ago because they just couldn't
seem to come up with enough wins.
Harvey Haddix and Wilmer Mizell have been
winning a few, thanks largely to plenty of help from
their hitters.
Actually, hitting has been Pittsburgh's outstand-
weapon. The Pirates .284 average is nearly 20 points
better than second place Milwaukee,. But not only
have the Pirates been hitting we'll, but they seem to do
it when it counts-in the clutch. Ii there is a weak
ness in hitting, it's in the homer department. The
Pirates are last in this speciality. $50 were the Chicago
White Sox last year. In fact, the Sox were last In both
leaguesl
PRISE, but so have the Giants. When the season be-
gan, the Giants were favored to win because they
had what appeared to be the best hitting, best pitch
ing and best fielding in the league.
They lived up to press notices in the first few
weeks, largely on the strength of tight pitching, But
the mighty Giant machine started to cough, rattle and
stall and Manager Bill Rigney got the boot.
There have been several theories advanced for the
Giant failure. One is that the Giants don't have
blood in their eyes. II is said they play for fun
rather than to win.
ANOTHER THEORY is THAT THEIR brand
spanking new stadium is a nightmare rather than a
dream park. The complaint is that the whipping
breezes which swirl through the park have stifled the
zip in the Giant players, thus killing San Francisco's
chances for the flag.
The Giant front office blamed the manager and
out went Rigney.
Whatever the reason for the Giant appointing
play, they've lost favor with the prognosticators while
the stock of the Pirates, and lately, the Braves, has
zoomed upward.
AS this is being written, it appears that the
Braves have the best chance of ~scuttling the Pirate
ship. But their task vii be quite difficult, especially
If pitchers Tom Cheney and Earl Francis, recently
promoted from the Columbus Jets, turn in their share
of victories.
At this time, Pittsburgh must be considered the
~favorite.