Show BIG B 1 C LEAGUER UE R orB Major Believes Baseball I lm Should rf Carry nn Carryon on for Soldiers f Arc Over OI Over There There By Staff AI Al Rothenberg Major Billy B. B Southworth 3 Jr son of oC the plucky pilot of ot the National league champion champion champlon cham cham- pion plon St. St Lo Louis ls Cardinals to today today today to- to day gave organized baseball an added Impetus to continue operating operating op op- crating this year after returnIng returning returning return return- ing from 15 months of combat flying with the Eighth air force in the thc European theater of op orations Baseball l Is the universal la language guage of our troops overseas overseas overseas over over- over over- seas and should be carried on in face of ot all obstacles said Southworth Our fighting men want major league ball to con con- They are arc not concerned with the player p personnel but still follow their favorite team as fervently as ev ever r. r Baseball is something they all have in 5 common and the national pastime pastime pastime pas pas- time is doing a tremendous job jobs as s a a morale factor in deviating their minds from the problems of ot warfare The year old son of the Redbird manager saw his dad dadin dadin dadin in Columbus Ohio about three weeks ago and admitted that Billy Sr is concerned over the coming campaign with several stars going into the service The Cards have lost Harry Walker Walker Cooper Lou LouI I Klein lein and Marty Marion Marlon from the 1943 championship team and Major Southworth believes c that the St St. Louis entry is one of ot the hardest hit teams in the circuit I II wouldn't pick anyone but the Cards to win the 1944 pennant pennant pen pen- nant Southworth smiled but Cincinnati hasn't lost too much and Ill I'll have to admit that the Reds look like a pretty good bet to cop the bunting but my heart is with St. St Louis Stationed at Army Air base basc Salt Lake Major Southworth doubted that he would return to organized baseball after the war Billy Jr was a pretty a fair outfielder before entering the service in December of ot 1940 He He last played with the Toronto Maple Lea Leafs of the al loop where his manager was Tony Lazzeri former New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Yankee second baseman and on once e a star performer with the Salt Lake Bees when the latter club was in the Pacific Coast league Appearing in only 25 games Southworth hit and was headed for a abright abright bright future when he joined the air forces Billy was named 4 T 4 g-f g 4 4 4 tj 4 4 y 4 c 4 Y 1 4 Ai 4 4 1 Major Malor Billy B. B Southworth Jr son on of the St. St Louis Louk Cardinal Cardinal Cardi Card nal manager takes a little time lime at of army air base to give Sergeant Russ Gresenz Wings' Wings southpaw lw pitching ac ace ace a c word of encouragement the most valuable player in the C Can a n a d i a n American league when he roamed the outer gardens gardens gardens gar gar- dens for Rome N. N Y and batted batted batted bat bat- ted In 1939 It will be motion pictures or aviation for Ifor me after fter the conflict has ended declared Major Southworth He recently recent recent- ly signed a con contract with Holywood Hollywood Hollywood Hol Hol- lywood Producer Hunt Stromberg Stromberg Stromberg Strom- Strom berg to work under the lights Stromberg sent Robert Taylor Clark Gable and Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jim Jim- my Stewart on the road to screen stardom and arid believes that he can do as well with the handsome young major who has been awarded the distinguished distinguished distin distin- flying cross and air medal with three oak leaf clus clus- S Major Southworth believes that four years away from the diamond and more to come will give him little opportunity to earn s. s living in in his favorite 5 sport He declared that the 5 service would harm most ballplayers ball ballplayers players and probably write finis to their careers Fellows who were yere just coming up to the big show or those who are past 5 their prime will have a tough 1 time coming back but those thos 1 players who were in their prime while playing In th the thc majors rate the best chance hance to make 1 the grade again said Major Southworth He added that athletes in any sport must be active and keep In peak peal physical physical physical cal condition If it they ent entertain any hopes of ot returning to their 5 former livelihood Referring to the possible anImosity animosity ani ant of soldiers toward civilian civil civil- 1 ian fan sports this y year ar Major Southworth declared that players play players ers era would do more good staying staying stay stay- ing in their respective sporting Continued on Following Page Pale |