The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-09-28
SPORTS of TINES
World series
speed as. pOwer
nv Ion FahrO
by Lou FabrO

To the average National League fan, the pennant chase
in the American League is more boring than televisions
summer reruns. Like Perry Mason, the fans argue, the
New York Yankees a~lways-or almost always-win.
American League fans (the non-Yankee variety look
upon each new baseball season as a great challenge. Hope,
as the saying goes, springs eternal as each diamond season
begins. And when the Yankee express occasionally Dogs
down during a campaign, there are visions that perhaps
New York won't win this pennant.
Such was the case this season when the amazing Los
Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins put terrific pressure
on a troubled Yankee team.
BUT THE PICTURE OF A LOS ANGELES or Min
nesota pennant proved to be nothing more than a mirage.
Once again, the New York Yankees reign supreme in their
little playground.
1921. To illustrate how much the Yanks dominate their
league, they've won the pennant 13 times in the last Is
seasons. And their World Series record looks great too.
They've won 10 world titles in their 26 outings.
Next week, the 1862 World Series begins. It's arrival
gives baseball, which has grown a bit stale during the
past few weeks, new interest, glamour and excitement.
While the average non Yankee fan is bored with New
Yorks latest league championship, his ho-hum feeling
doesn't carry into the World series.
INSTEAD, THIS FEELING MUSHROOMS into a
strong, even agonizng, desire to see the Yankees knocked
off their naughty perch. Yes, this is the time of the year
that membership in the "Yankee-Haters Club" grows by
the millions.
At the same time, however, Yankee fans register
great pride because their team has earned the prestigious
right to represent the American League in basebalIs most
exciting spectacle. Yankee fans also eXude naughty con-
fdence in their teams quest for another World Series
championship.
Although the Yankees did win the league flag as ex-
pected, they weren't their formidable selves this past sea-
son. They had their troubles, which at times, appeared
disastrous. But, living up to their unique tradition, they won
key games with timely hitting, crucial fielding plays and
clutch pitching performances.
While San Francisco hasn't been eliminated from the
picture as this is being written, it's likely that the Yam
KEGS will be opposed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the
big series.
IN SIZING UP THE TWO ADVERSARIES, it's OBJ
~. ~ IL G4 lin H. --A4 LA-
tired and iniury-weakened teams. The Dodgers, particularly,
have been hurt badly by injuries.
Biggest loss TO the Dodgers, of course, is pitcher Sandy
KoufaX. If the aiIing Koufax, still a major question mark,
had not been sidelined midway in the season, the Dodgers
would have won the National League crown in a breeze
and would be strong faVorites to topple the Yankees in
the World Series.
With Koufax on the shelf, pitching appears almost
balanced with the Yankees holding an edge in starters and
the Dodgers showing an advantage in believers.
THE SERIES, THEN. SHAPES UP as a battle between
the Dodgers speed and the Yankees power. The last time
this occurred was in 1859 when the Coco White Sox
matched their speed against the Dodgers power. The Dodg-
ers won that one in six games.
Checking statistics a moment, the Dodgers have scored
more runs than the Yankees, stroked IS more triples, stolen
40 more bases and show an edge in team batting average.
The two teams are about even on hits. The Yankees have
hit 40 more doubles and so more home runs than the
Dodgers.
In comparing doubles, however, you might as well for
get about the Yanks' advantage in this department be-
cause those Dodger basethefts are just as good as doubles.
The intriguing question then is: will power win over
speed-or vice versa?
Despite the Yankee tradition of winning especially
in the cutch-well take a flyer on the Dodgers. 1t could
be, however, that we're motivated by Wishful thinking.