The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 16

16 Valiant Is the Word For Our Dodgers BROOKLYN EAGtt SPORTS MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1940 Fighting Spirit Still Gets Results-Carleton Wins Spot By TOMMY HOLMES Staff Correspondent of the Brooklyn Xaglt Owensboro, April 8 Here In the Kentucky" blue grass country your Dodgers and mine enter the final stages of Spring training as they hoolc up with the Yankees. Naturally, the proper caper Is to hope for the best and expect the worst. For on any given afternoon there Isn't a club in the land that figures to step out and beat the Yanks. SPORTOPICS by JIMMY WOOD DEMARETNOW FAVORITE IN NATIONAL OPEN 'Laughing Boy' Adds To Stature With Great Augusta Win Augusta, April 8 Now that Jimmy Demaret is champion of the Golf Masters, you'd better start writing him into your book as a strong favorite quite possibly the favorite for the national open title which wi'l be decided at Cleveland in June. His brother professionals certainly don't un That goes In spite of the fact that a year ago our Dodgers surprised every one, Including themselves, by win against the Yanks.

But one it A 41 AMERICAN LEAGUE PREDICTION Just to be different, if not sensational, we're selecting the Yankees to win the 1940 American League pennant. Yep, we tan't see the rest of the loop even with the Mt. Wilson Observatory opera glasses. 1 PR ESS NELL'S PET PITCH Forrest (Tot) Pressnell figures lorgely in Dodgers' plans as spot and relief pitcher. Pressnell's best delivery is knuckle ball and here is how he holds it.

Dickey Eyes Iron-Man Record for Catchers Yankee Star Will Set New All-Time Standard If He Catches 100 Games in '40 Special io the. Brooklyn Eagle Owensboro, April 8 -The Yankees pulled into town today prepared to hook up with the Dodgers in the first of seven consecutive games that will end in Ebbets Field Sunday, and although he is a bit concerned over the slowness in which his pitching staff is rounding into shape, Manager Joe Sports Editor! I They can't mtastire up to Ruffing, Gomel, Pearson, Chandler, Donald and Russo. Even Murphy, the relief worker, Is capable of starting. Hemember how he won three out of three when Gomez and Ruffing were ailing on the last Western swing of '38? The Yanks won 9 out of 10 to put the flag up the ole on that trip. NO INCENTIVE? We give the Bronx bazoo to gentlemen who argue that McCarthy's club may not feel the urge to win after four straight pennants and World Series.

These same soothsayers chanted this lament after McCarthy had steered the club to two straight flags and series victories. The doleful chorus swelled after three straight parades to pennants and World Series victories and the Yanks answered with Jour straight. Now the mournful dirge is again rumbling over Yankee chances to stretch out the string this season. If their throats hold out, some year the mourners may be right. But remember! The Yankees are a young club.

The average age Is 28 and McCarthy Is always coming up with youngsters of the Keller order. WHEREFORE We pick the Yanks to make It five straight over their loop and, of course, over the National League In the autumnal argument that has been very one-sided these lait four years. And as for the rest of the sparring partners for the Yanks and Red Sox we pick them to finish ic a third, Washington fourth, Cleveland fifth, Detroit sixth, Philadelphia seventh, and St. Louis eighth. Of course, there's always a chance that the Yanks may lose the pennant.

Upsets will happen. Goliath dropped a duke to little Davey. Remember: Anyway, if the Yanks flop this year we can blame the failure on pari-mutuels. The "iron men" will be held responsible for plenty. Tomorrow Prediction on the National League race, or senior loop the dtfdderlng seniors.

'Hayes Finds Right Eye Needing Treatments Chicago, April (U.R) Jack Hays, second baseman of the Chicago White Sox, undergoes the second of series of "fever treatments" today in an attempt to clear up an inflammation in his right eye. Hayes, out most of last season with a leg injury, reported to the White Sox in perfect condition this Spring and appeared ready to assume his regular turn. After two weeks of training he complained of the eve ailment. We fear that the Yanks will win their fifth consecutive pennantand same number of World Series if they don't watch out. Why? Well, they finished with 106 wins and 45 defeats for .702 last season against the Red Sox's 89 victories and 82 losses for .589.

These figures give the Yanks 113 points (17 games) over the Sox and you can tell us how any club can eat up that difference this year we'll devour your derby hat. We realize, of course, that the Red Sox have more power than the Yanks, that they beat them In the inter-club series of 1939 by 12 games to 10, the only club to win five in a row from the Mc-Carthymen sir.ce Marse Joe took hold at the Stadium. They outhlt the Yanks two years running 299 to .274 in 1938 and 31 to .287 in 1939. But the Red Sox were out-pitched last year and the year' before and this about tells the tale of Yankee superiority. The Yankee moundsmen led the A.

L. loop with an earned run average of 3.31 as against the Red Sox 4.38 that got the Bostonians sixth place in club pitching. It was about the same in 1938. Another dge the Yanks seem to on the Red Sox is an ability to annihilate the weak clubs around the circuit. The Yanks played about .800 baseball against second division opposition and the Red Sox only produced about .600.

BOXMEN WANTED Both Tom Yawkey and Joe Cronln know that to beat the Yanks they need better pitching. Yet they couldn't Improve their pitch, ing staffs over the off-season. So what? So they also haven't improved their chances to stop the Yanks and make the American League safe for stockholders In other clubs. On last season records Bob Grove age 40 is still the ace of the Red Sox staff. He won 15 and lost 4 to top the Red Sox pitchers.

At his age Bob is strictly a "spot pitcher," a veteran who needs plenty of rest between starts. Heving, Dickman, OstermuHer and Wilson are just fair flingers. WEST SIDE Y' U. S. MAT CHAMP Ames, Iowa, April (JPj The West Side Y.

M. C. A. of New "York the 1940 National A. A.

V. team wrestling titleholder but five Iowans are individual champions. The Eastern tnatmeo earned nine points in the annual tournament, one more than credited to the Baltimore Y. M. C.

A. Harry Wittenherr of the West Side team took the title. derestimate him. "Laughing Boy" is going to be very busy this Summer. From here he will go back to his club in Houston, but starting In May he'll be hitting the tournament circuit for all he's worth.

To Start in Goodall Fred Corcoran, the P. G. A. tournament bureau manager, said Jimmy will make every tournament on the wheel. That means that he'll start with the Goodall round robin the middle of next month at the Fresh Meadow Country Club, near the New York World's Fair grounds, and keep going, Demaret's victory brought him $1,500.

Lloyd Mangrum took second money of $800 with a 284, while open champion Byron Nelson's 285 Rave him third and $600. Harry Cooper, Ed Dudley and Willie Goggin bracketed at 287, while Craig Wood, Sam Snead and Henry Picard wound up with 288 s. Demaret's secret is the natural ease and grace with which lie hits everything, be It drive, an approach or a putt, or even a recovery out of the weeds. In that respect Demaret Is the day's nearest approach to the "old masters'' Jones, Hagen, Sarazen. He also is amazingly accurate.

King of Winter Circuit The Augusta National is one of the very finest In the world, and as such it puts a premium on accuracy and placing of shots. the type of course I like," said Jimmy. "I can always do better on a course where accuracy plays a big part, and well-placed approach shots pay off." Besides being champion of the Masters, Demaret now also is the undisputed king of the Winter tour which ended with that tournament. He is the leader in the Vardon Trophy race (267 points to 215 for Ben Hogan) and in money winning ($7,652 to Hogan's He started in 12 tournaments, won six of them, and was out of the money In only three. Back of him among the money winners come Hogan and then Open Champion Byron Nelson, third in the Masters Craig Wood, Lloyd Mangrum, Sam Snead, Lawson Little, Clayton Heafner, Harold McSpaden, Ralph Guldahl, $2,400, and Paul Runyan, $2,300.

In the Vardon standing, Demaret with 267 and Hogan with 215 are followed by Wood, 141 Nelson, 133, and Snead, 113. ning six out of nine exhibitions thing you can say about Brooklyn It will be In there trying, and that's how some one occasionally breaks the bank. Fighting Spirit In Eridenco Meanwhile the latest caper of the Dodgers was something that Indicates that Brooklyn has not lost something that It used to marked advantage in its unexpected third-place finish last season. This Is a superb fighting spirit and ability to forget what happened yesterday and to start every fresh game with a clean slate. Your agent refers to the culmination of the long Spring series between the Dodgers and the Tigers.

Line up the two ball clubs and an Innocent bystander would feel sorry for the Dodgers. They looked like such little guys compared to Detroit. Most of the difference can be added up to spell Hank Green-berg and Rudy York, two of the most explosive hitters In the business. It wouldn't be truthful to say that the Dodgers were conspicuously successful in stopping Greenberg and York. They weren't.

In nine games each of the Detroit sluggers drove in 11 runs. York hit five homers and Greenberg three. In their first game the Tigers won, to 2. But the size of the pasting meant nothing to the Dodgers, who plugged along and finished the Florida series with a 3-to-3 score against the Tigers. Carleton Mikes Good The two teams resumed hostilities Friday and the Dodgers were humiliated by the indelicate score of IS to 5.

Yet Brooklyn won the series. Luke Hamlin shut Detroit out on Saturday and yesterday, In Nashville, the Dodgers won the deciding game, 6 to 4, in ten Innings, in spite of two home runs by Mr. York and another by Barney Mc-Cosky. Yesterday's contest proved something more in addition to the fact that the Dodgers can take It and shake it off. Namely, that Tex Carleton can go nine Innings.

Tex did it yesterday. And he was within one strike of winning the game on his own when McCosky hit his homer over the right-field fence on a two-and-two count with two out in the ninth to tie the score. Which undoubtedly means that Carleton will be one of Brooklyn's starting pitchers. A home run by Babe Phelps after a pass t. Vosmlk in the first of the tenth won the game as Tot Pressnell shut Detroit out in the last half of the inning.

Something happened, too, which you're not likely to hear of again this year. The seven Brooklyn hits were all for extra bases They were doubles by Haas, Vosmlk, Cullenbine and Reese, a triple by Vosmik and homers by Camllli and Phelps. Stengel's Father Dies Kansas Ciiy. April 8 (P) -Louis E. Stengel, father of Casey Stengel, manager of the Boston Bees of the National League, died yesterday.

He was 79. it Wond ioto Jaretz, both of the Chicago Vilt Sees Giants Pennant Fight Cleveland Manager Rates Terrymen on Par With Indians Special to Vie Brooklyn Eaglt Anderson, S. April 8 The Giants will be in the thick of the National League pennant fight, according to a baseball expert who ought to know. The gentleman is Oscar Vltt, manager of the Cleveland Indiana. Vltt, whose Indiana play the Giants some IS exhibition games each Spring, is enthusiastic about the Giants' good pitching and tight defense and says the Terrymen as high as his own team.

"The Giants appear to be the same sort cf club as the Indians," says Vilt, "and from what I've seen cf the other National League clubs, they figure to be right up there." CHIOZZA, PAUL DEAN IN GIANT BOW Knoxville, Tenn, April 8 Lou Chlotza, playing his first game since be broke a leg last July, led the New York Glanta team to a 5 victory ever the Knoxville Smokies bere yesterday by pounding out a home run and a double. Faul Dean, making bis Giant debut, pitched two scoreless innings of relief. Vitt'a rating the Giants on a par with the Indians is something of a surprise after all that has been said about the superiority of the American League over the National. The Indians are tabbed for third place in their circuit by the experts and are conceded an outside chance of nosing out the favored Yankees and the Red Sox. Vitt also has some kind words for Johnny Rucker and Nick Witek.

"Rucker is a real speed boy and he can go get 'em In the field. He should hit near .300 and will be greaty aided by his bunting ability," Is Vitt's Judgment. "Witek may not hit more than .285 but he seems to be pretty able to send those runs across the plate and he does a smooth, workman-like job around second base." At present Rucker is leading the Giants in batting while Witek tops the clJb in the all-important runs-bitled-ln. department. Alter yesterday's nifty 32 win ovr the Indians, the Giants once took the lead in their series with the Tribe by a 5 4 margin.

However, the Indians will have another chance to knot the series when they send Bob Feller against the Terrymen here today. The old system of pitching Hubbell against Filler to attract crowds had to be abandoned since King Carl only pitches every fifth day and Bob takes the mound every fourth day. Hy Vandenberg, In hurling the Giants to victory, became the first Giant chucker to go the full nine innings. Cookie, Mancliso Under Weather Owensboro, Ky, April 8 Bert Haas played third base yesterday because Cookie Lavage tto had a touch of indigestion. looked all right, Mancuso also was under the When Pete Coscarart failed to get a hit, it stopped the second baseman's streak which had reached 16 consecutive games.

Joe Vosmik has hit in 11 straight contests and has had 19 hits In 41 trips to the plate over that period. Nashville ball park is in a natural bowl called the Dell, and outfielders play their positions standing on hillsides. where the Dodgers meet the Yanks today, is a Kitty League Hugh Casey will flip against the champs, meaning that Casey prob ably also will be in there Sunday when the two clubs meet at Ebbets Field Carleton, if he does well enough In his next appearance, may be Rrooklvn's ooenlnu dav nitrher Red Luc who lives around Nash- vllle and who free-lanced his way into shape in Florida, may Join Brooklyn's Montreal farm as pitcher-coach. HOLMKS, SCOOPARADE: TELLING ALL IK THREE DOTS Harry Heilmann, the old Detroit star, is broadcasting that Hank Greenberg will make the All-Star squad this year on the basis of his outfielding When you buy a mint julep at the Derby, it will be served you in a 12-ounce metal cup which you can take home as a souvenir Memphis, the home of Bill Terry, gave Joe McCarthy a big dinner That U. of Virginia alumni faction which has been gunning for Coach FTank Murray, is booming Greasy Neale, Yale backfleld coach Gene Sarazen will be a dean at a nation-wide golf clinic at Purdue University next month Dr.

Lou Little at Columbia has balked at plans to shift this year's Georgia-Columbia game to Athens. Recently the papers carried the story of Cyril Walker. and after he beat out Bobby Jones for the 1924 open golf championship ha earned more than $100,000... Now, broken in health and fortune, he csddles on a municipal course at the other day he earned $1.10 He spent cents for lunch, 30 cents for car fare between Miami and Miami Beach, leaving 55 cents for a bed and two more meals. The Bees may pasa up next Spring because of the poor park and Sunday practice ban Jess Neely's first big Job at Rice is to provide a defense for all those aeriali they hurl in the Southwest When KJ1-lian and Vopel began winning all the six-day bike races, the promoters split 'em Then the Peden brothers from Canada got hot and now they're being made to ride on different Umpire Dolly SUrk is working out with tha F.irdham baseball team to get in The Dodgers may have to use Oene Moore and Ernie Koy as bait to get another starting Xllnger.

Without so much as batting an eve, Carl Snavely of Cornell told Cleveland alumni: "Football at Cornell is not of major impor tance, like the course in typewriting, eh? Sammy Hal Through As Regular-Slapnicka Cleveland, April 8 ()-6ammy Hale Is through as a regular major league inflelder, according to C. C. Slapnlcka, vice president of the Cleveland Indians. Hale sparked the Tribe's third-place drive in last year's pennant race, although a lame arm hat handicapped his play the past three years. Treatments and a special training schedule failed to help the Inflelder.

The Indiana are counting on him for utility work. Moxham, Dyer Victors In Manhasset Regatta Port Washington, April Egbert Moxham Jr. of Great Neck and W. J. H.

Dyer of Providence were the winners of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club' Spring invitation dinghy regatta yesterday, but only after ties for first place in their respective classes had been settled on the basis of giving the prize to the boat that finished first in the most races. Dyer took three out ot five races in Class and Moxham three of six in Class B. Diz Dean Himself (in Person) To Make Belated Debut Today I McCarthy giving little attention to the catching department and small wonder. Bill Dickey, one Uie smoothest receivers ever to don a mask, has assured McCarthy that he Is all set to go. From past performances that is equivalent to saying the heavy-hitting veteran is ready to catch every game uiuil the pennant is clinched.

Holds Passed Ball Retord Should Dickey catch in 100 ot more games this coming season he will set a new all-time mark for an iron-man performance behind the bat, He has already caught 100 or more games for the last 11. consecutive years and is tied with Ray Schalk and Mickey Cochrane for the record. Schalk and Gabby Hartnett each is credited with hav ing caught 100 games or more for 12 seasons. but. 1hf 13 vr unl consecutive.

Among Dickey's oliier achievements Is his passed ball record, He Is tied with Al Todd for the major league crown, having no passed balls charged against him in 1931. He is also tied for the recordof having three assists in a single inning. Since becoming a regular catcher under Miller Huggins in 1929. up the Pittsburgh Pirates, 1' much improved after treatment for a cold that settled in his throat. He left a Wichita hospital yesterday.

MEMPHIS, TENN. Earl Brucker is building himself a reputation as a pinch-hitter with the Philadelphia Athletics. Several days ago he came up with a home run with two on against Pittsburgh. Yesterday his pinch triple with the bases loaded beat Dallas. HUTCHINSON, KAN.

The Chicago White Sox are planning to open the season without Jackie Hayes at second base. An eye infection has tailed to respond to treatment thus far. Erie McNair has been shifted to the keystone slot and rookie Bob Kennedy established at third. SHREVEPORT, LA. Young Max Lanier may prove the answer to the St.

Louis Cardinals' need for another starting pitcher. Manager Ray Blades praised the 24-year-old left-hander's work against Houston yesterday when he spread four hits and one run over six Innings. MACON, GA. Trade winds are blowing around the Phillies again, but no one will talk specifically. Manager Doo Prothro deserted the team for a journey to Atlanta, which he admitted was In quest of material.

Some reports say the club still to Inter RUFFING, SELKIRK TO START IN YANKEES' OPENER Owensboro, Ky, April 8 Manager Joe McCarthy the Yankees announced today that Charley Ruffing would burl the opener at Philadelphia April 18 and George Selkirk will be in right field in that game. Selkirk has been given the nod over Tommy Henrich, Charley Keller's shift to left field being permanent. McCarthy said that he btlieved the team to be as strong as it was at the start of last season, lidding that he had high hopes lor Marvin Breuer, young hurler. Dickey has hit .300 or more with the exception of 1927, when he dropped to .279. Starting April 19, 1931, Dickey went to July 2 without making an error.

He started another streak on July 31 the same season and accepted 322 successive chances without an error. The Yankees finished their jaunt against minor league teams yesterday with a bang, trouncing Memphis, 15 2, before 7,500 fans. Every one took a hand in the fireworks and Dickey was no exception, getting a homer and a single and driving in three runs. ested in 7ke first baseman. Bonura, Giants' ROANOKE, VA.

The Spring rivalry of the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox seems to be both an artistic and a financial success. Each club has won five games and the eight games played since leaving Florida drew 32,000 fans, more than paid for ten games last year. The tour has three contests to go. FORT SMITH, ARK. Cheered by their first victory ot the Spring over a major league opponent, the St.

Louis Browns hoped to repeat todaj with John Niggeling on the mound. After losing to the. Chicago Cubs Saturday in the first major league test following a long campaign against minor leaguers the Browns nosed out the Cubs yesterday, 43, behind Bob Harris and Lefty Howard Mills. ROANOKE, VA, "We are definitely the club to beat for the pennant," insisted Manager Bill McKechnie of the Cincinnati Reds today. "I don't see any reason why we shouldn't repeat." GREENVILLE, S.

C. Casey Stengel still says he will use Tony Cucclnello at third base for the Boston Bees this season, but he may have some other thought in mind. At least, he has used Cucclnello at second and Eddie Majeskl at third for the last two days. rut By the Astocialed Press LITTLE ROCK, ARK. The Chicago Cubs called on Dizzy Dean to make his belated pitching debut today against the St.

Louis Browns. Manager Gabby Hartnett didn't say how far he expected The Great One to go, but Dean announced, "I'll go as far as I can." The eccentric hurler was reported irked at his manager because he was refused permission to visit his father yesterday. ANDERSON, S. Southpaw Al MUnar of the Cleveland Indians, who acquired a sore arm in two innings pitching against the Giants yesterday, must rest it for several days. X-ray pictures showed no serious injury.

Lou Boudreau, shortstop out for three weeks with a chipped ankle, expected to return to the Indians' lineup today, with Bob Feller drawing the mound assignment. GREENVILLE, S. C. The Washington Senators pitching array for the opening series with the Boston Red Sox next week la just about settled in Manager Bucky Harris' mind. He'll use Dutch Leonard in the opener, follow with Joe Krakauskas or Ken Chase and pitch Rookie Sid Hudson in the third game.

HUTCHINSON, KAN. Frankie Frlsch, who I lay or may not have yelled himself hoarse in steaming A t' it 4 i i I yj i 'v i I 'M I EXCHANGE CONGRATULATIONS Adolf Kiefer and Otto Towers Club, appear well pleased with themselves after having won National A. A. U. Indoor swimming titles Saturday night at New York A.

C. Kiefer took the 150-yard back-Stroke crown for the fifth straight time, while Jaretz captured 100-yard freestyle honors..