The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-07-20
of TIMES
Dodgers as.
AngeIs??
BY LOU FABRo
Times Sports Editor

There probably weren't any takers-if any-when
Las Vegas oddsmakers installed the Los Angeles An
gels as 1901 shots for the American League pennant
at the start of the 1862 baseball season. At the same
time. there probably were some smokers when Angels
manager Bill Rigney said, we're in the American
League pennant race"
Since then, smokers have vanished into astonish-
ment and betting odds on the Angels have zoomed
down to 101.
Not only are the amazing Angels in the thick of
the pennant race, but on July 4, they occupied first
place. Moreover, two of their players-Second base
man Billy Moran and left fielder Leon Wagner-Were
elected starting members of the AL All7Star team.
THINGS r BIT MORE NORMAL in the Ma
tional League. There, the Los Angeles Dodgers, des-
pite tremendous pressure from West Coast nelghbor
San Francisco, have been living up to their advance
billing. The Dodgers, rated 95 preseason favorltes by
Las Vegas oddsmakers, led the pack on July a.
We cite the July 4 date because, as most fans
know, tradition holds that league leaders on that date
are likely to win their respective loop pennants.
In the past 81 seasons, 80 MI teams pacing the
loop after the July holiday have won the championships;
for the same period, Al independence Day leaders In
the AL emerged as eventual champions.
ooKINc AT 1T R ANOTHER ANGLE, how
ever, % MI teams and 20 AL teams didn't uphold ira
dition. The most recent AL instance of his failure was
last year when Detroit led the AL after the July Holt
day. Although they did make a strong bid for the 1861
crown the Tigers eventually bowed to the New York
Yankees who not only annexed the crown but won the
World Series in five games.
Tradition is likely to suffer again this year-may-
be in both leagues. AS we noted before, San Francisco
has been waging a terrific dogight with the Dodgers
all season long. And the Giants have what it takes to
win for they lead both leagues in team hitting and
in the field. Los Angeles, however, holds the edge on
the mound.
Sneaking up on both teams, meanwhile, is Pitts
burgh, the 1860 league champion which flopped so
badly last year and was picked for the second division
this season. The Pirates, who got off to a whirlwind
start and then suffered a monthlong depression, have
been winning games with pennant-type regularity in
the last six weeks. And the Buccos show no sign of Slow
ALSO STILL IN THE REMNANT PIcTuRE-buE
fading from view-are Cincinnati and st. Louis. The
gap, however, between first place and where they
stand now probably is just too much for the Reds and
Cards to overcome.
For the first time in many years, there's a merry
chase for the championship in the AL. And it's a real
humdinger. At the end of last week, only eight games
separated the ninth place team from the league leader.
Not only are the surprising Angels, and as usual,
the Yankees, IN the immediate pennant picture, but
Cleveland, Minnesota and Detroit are in the mad
scramble for the crown. And you can't really overlook
Baltimore and Chicago who were only six games be-
hind last weekend.
1t probably would have been a different story in
the junior circuit if the Yankees had not lost the SER
vices of key players through injury. Biggest casual
tles-and they rank in the giant class-have been out
fielder Mickey Mantle and pitcher Whitley Ford. Man
ties return to the team, after a months absence, gave
the Yankees a badly needed boost a couple of weeks
ago.
but even forgetting injuries lot d moment, the
Yankees really haven't dominated the league as they
had In previous years. Their pitching isn't the best in
the league and their team batting average isn't any
thing to brag about either. But they still have power.
AS ridiculous as il may seem, Los Angeles apparently
can't be overlooked as a possible champion. Our re-
action, at this point, is that Cleveland is New Yorks
biggest threat. The Indians have a well-balanced team
but they will have to avoid the Second-half lapse they
suffered last season.
THE TIGERS, MEANWHILE COULD GIVE the
Yankees real serious trouble once the injured AL Ka-
line returns to the lineup. Detroit has an excellent
pitching staff and a good ~long-ball hitting team. The
Tigers, even without Kaline, are leading the league in
h0merunS.
Who will win the pennants? Well, it's hazardous
to make a prediction at the start of the season and
very little has happened to eliminate the pitfalls.
Therefore, we'll stick with our choices made in April:
the Yankees and the Dodgers.