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Show V1ME TIME T M TO T 'PLAY PLAY SLAY 'PLI1 PLI1 ' Y BALL ' . Great Ball Season Seen : Returned VehAdd Vets VetsAdd VetsAdd Add Color to toNat'l toNat'l toNat Nat'l Natl ' l Game GameBy By AL JEDLICKA JEDLICKAWNU WNU Fe Feat l Tel"Play Tes"Play TH Tel Tes TH"Play "Play Play " ball ballt " ' ' And the crack crackof cracisof of the bat again agam thrills thnlls Amer Amer- AmerIcans Americans Americans - icans the nation over as the the1946 1946 season gets under wayWhlle wayWhile way wayWhile While Whlle softbaU softball football footbal ! basketball basket basketball basketball ball and golf go have challenged baseball base baseball baseball ball for youth s attentions in recentyears recent recentyears recentyears years the game st 11 ll ranks as the theNo theNo theNo No 1 sports spectacle an enjoy enjoyable enjoyable enjoyable able outdoor relaxation for the fans fansLast fansLast fansLast Last year approximately 15 mIl m 11 il on onpersons onpersons onpersons persons paid to watch major and andmmor andminor andminor mmor minor league ball bal ! and with mostof most mostof mostof of the big stars returning returmng from thewar the thewar war this season attendance shouldbe should shouldbe shouldbe be equally equaly ! great or greater greaterIs greaterl lneteen Is l\ l } , \ nctcen ncteen neteen hundred and forty six sixmay sixmay sixmay may be a memorable year for an another another another other reason too for it marks the themtroduction theintroduction theintroduction mtroduction introduction of baseball on a big bigtime bigtime bigtime time professional basis in MeXIco MeXIcoFollowmg MexicoFollowing MexicoFollowing Followmg Following an old American Amencan customPresident custom customPresident customPresident President Av la Camacho tossed outthe out outthe outthe the first ball at the Mexican league sfirst s sfirst sfirst first game in which the Vera Cruz CruzBlues CruzBlues CruzBlues Blues walloped the Mexico CIty CItyReds CityReds CityReds Reds 12 to 5 before an overflow overflowcrowd overflowcrowd overflowcrowd crowd of 33 000 in Mexico CItyIn CityIn City CityIn In the U S chief interest mterest again againwill againwill againwill will center on the major leagueraces league leagueraces leagueraces races though the return of topnotchperformers topnotch topnotchperformers topnotchperformers performers from the services andcontinued and andcontmued andcontinued contmued continued postwar prosperity should shouldherald shouldherald shouldherald herald a banner minor mmor league sea season season season seasonItU son sonIt It ItU 11 il be like ilkI ' old times again gam in inthe inthe inthe the Amencan American league with the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Y-mkee Y mkee Y1.nkee Y1nkee Yankee - . sluggers back in m there theredentmg theredenting theredenting dentmg denting the fences But because otan of ofan ofan an average pitching pltchmg staff stafr JoeMcCarthy Joe JoeMcCarthy JoeMcCarthy McCarthy s aggregation aggregahon will be beW be.1 ber ' " . , % " -.1 .1 - . ; 1 & : k \ : . ; 'b b ' ' 'l l ' , \ : g\J-D g J D { \ - f { 0 ' . : ' \ \ : / IV * t\ t tIV .i i . , + ' " dt't dtt W $ ' > \ , X \ , t'i ti t'ii ? ' i . J f kfI kfIjclj jclj J . fJJi fJJi1h "VM VM " } r e3 * _ l * , \1h 1h \ } $ t8 P . a , win wina a 9"a 9a " , EAS1 EASI . WAY Jimmy Junmy Dykeswith Dykes DykesIth Dykesoath \\Ith Ith oath \ Rudy Laski Joe Smaza andDO and andDo andDoyle Do Doyle } ) Ie Lade of the Chicago TO WI Wt Ite IteSO iteSo'c iteSox iteSoxstrongly SO So'c Soc So'cstrongly " ' strongly pressed tor for pennant hon honors honors honors ors by the champ on Detro t TIgers TIgersBoston TigersBoston TigersBoston Boston Red Sox and Washmgton Washington WashmgtonSena WashingtonSenators WashingtonSenators WashingtonSenatorsYanks Sena Senators tors SenatorsYanks torsYanks Yanks Cave Dave Have Sluggers SluggersIndicative SluggersIndIcatIve SluggersIndicative Indicative of the dynamite in m the theYankee theYankee theYankee Yankee bats D Maggio hit 305 in to inhIS tohas Inhis hIS has last season out Keller 301 301StIrnwelss 301Stirnweiss 301Stimweiss StIrnwelss Stirnweiss 309 and Dickey 351 351Though 351Though 351Though Though falling below the 300 mark markthe markthe markthe the other regulars have that explo explo- explosive explosIve explosive - sive Yankee touch in m the pinch pmch pinchWhile pmchWh pinchWhile While Wh e the New Yorkers are longon long longon longon on power and short on pitching pltchmg the theDetroit theDetroit theDetroit Detroit Tigers have strength m in both bothdepartments bothdepartments bothdepartments departments and may well repeat repeattheIr repeattheir repeattheir theIr 1945 league triumph tnumph A 311 311slugger 311slugger 311slugger slugger m III in 78 games last year after afterbls afterhis afterhis bls his discharge from the army Hank HankGreenberg HankGreenberg HankGreenberg Greenberg will wlll be at first this season sea season season son with hard hitt rott bitt ng P nky n1.y n1y . Higgmsback HIggms Higgins HIggmsback Higginsback back at third and Barney McCosky McCos McCosky McCosky ky D ck Wakefield and Pat Mullm Mullin Mullinin Mullmm m in a youthful brilliant outfieldBut outfieldBut outfield outfieldBut But the Tigers real strength hes lies heson lieson lieson on the mound , with Ylth lanky Hal New Newhouser Newhouser Newhouser houser who won 25 games m In 1945 1945wrole 1945while 1945while wrole while dropping droppmg only 9 heading thestaff the thestafl thestaff stafl staff : In add lion tlOn two Manager Steve0 Steve Steveo SteveO o Neill has Dizzy Duzy Trout an 18 gamewinner game gamewmner gamewinner wmner winner last year Virgil Trucks TrucksStuffy TrucksStuffy TrucksStuffy Stuffy Overmire Al Benton and Ruff RufI RuffGentry RufIGentry RuffGentry RuffGentryBecause Gentry GentryBecause Because of all alI around balance balancemany balancemany balancemany many of tre tte the major league scr bes besIlke beslike beslike Ilke like the Boston Red Sox chances m1946 m1946Williams m in 1946 1946Wllhams 1946Williams Williams Wllhams Sparks Red Soi Soe SoiBack SO SoeBack " Back from the v . wars cars ars after three threeyears threeyears threeyears years in naval aviat aVlat on spindly spmdly Ted TedWilliams TedWilliams TedWilliams Williams Williamsvho \ who \vho vho h t 356 for Joe Cro Cronm Cronin Cronm nm nin s outfit in m 1942 promises to pu puplenty puplenty puplenty plenty of punch back into the scarlet scarlethose scarlethose scarlethose hose along with Rudy York obtalned ob obtained obtamed tained tamed from the T gers in m an overwinter over overwinter overwinter winter trade Johnny Pesky who hit rot t = 7r ny \ 0 s 7e * r e I , 1 9 9y y S Nmk ; ; / sn q q4i 4i x " E CARDINALS Manager Eddie Dyer ( center ) talks it over with withJohnny Johnny Beazley and Enos Slaughter I 331 before joining tl e I a ' navy lu 111 in 1943 1943I 1943and 1943and I and Bobby Doerr who rung up a325 a 325 average prior to his inductionin Induction in the army in 1944 1944In 1944In 1944In In pitchers Tex Hughson and Big BigBoo BigBoo BigBoo Boo Ferns FerrIs Manager Cronm Cronin ap appears appears appears pears to have two sure fire 15 to 20 20game 20game 20game game winners wmners while whlle Mickey Harns Harris HarnsJIm HarrisJim HarrisJim JIm Bagby and Jim JIID Wilson are e ex expected expected " pected to develop into mto grade A Amoundsmen Amoundsmen Amoundsmen AmoundsmenNosed moundsmen moundsmenNosed Nosed out of the American leaguepennant league leaguepennant leaguepennant pennant by a single smgle game in 1945 1945the 1945the 1945the the Washington Senators Scnators will be beback beback beback back knocking knockmg at the door agam again agamthiS againthis againthis thiS year if their knuckle ballmg balling ballmgpltchmg ballingpitching ballingpitching pltchmg pitching staff stands up under the thesix thesix thesix six month strain stram and the boys can canst canSt canstr st r up enough punch to help outhard out outhard outhard hard hitting hIttmg Jeff Heath Stan SpenceBuddy Spence SpenceBuddy SpenceBuddy Buddy Lew sand s and Cecil CecU Travis TravisHead TravIsHead TravisHead Head of the Senators knuckle knucklebalIers knuckleballers knucklebailers balIers ballers is 36 year old Emil Emll ( Dutch ) Leonard vet of 13 long longseasons longseasons seasons of play who chalked up 17 17victories 17victories victories in 1945 against agamst 7 losses lossesand lossesand lossesand and possessed an earned run average aver average average age of o1 2 13 per game The other socalled so socalled socalled called flutter fiutter bailers ballers are RogerWolff Roger RogerWolff RogerWolff Wolff who turned in 20 wins wms last lastyear lastyear lastyear year Marino Marmo Pieretti Plerettl with 14 and andJohnny andJohnny andJohnny Johnny Niggehng Nlggellng Niggeling much strongerthan strongerthan strongerthan than in m 1945 folio follo vmg ving the removal removalof of ulcers ulcersOthers Others Have Dave a Chance ChanceWhile ChanceWhile ChanceWhile While Cleveland St Louis Chlcago Chi Chicago Chicago cago and Philadelphia Philadelpbla have beencounted been beencounted beencounted counted out of the American Amencan League Leaguepennant Leaguepennant Leaguepennant pennant race they may with lots lotsof lotsof lotsof of luck crowd into mto the first d VISIon VISIonBecause visionBecause visionBecause Because of a strong pitching pItchmg staff staffheaded staffheaded headed by the sensational Bobby BobbyFeller BobbyFeller BobbyFeller Feller fresh from the navy Cleveland Cleve Cleveland Cleveland land stands the best chance ofbreaking of ofbreakmg ofbreaking breakmg breaking into mto the select tour four wh Ie83 Ie le 83 year old Connie Mack s Phlladel Philadel Phlladelphla Philadelphia Philadelphia phla phia Athletics Atl1letIcs appear headed tor for the thecellar thecellar thecellar cellar despite the presence of Russ RussChr RussChr Chr stopher and D ck ( No H t ) Fo ler on the pitch ng staffProfitmg staffProfiting staff staffProfiting Profiting Profitmg again from the r extensive e"ten eten eaten e"tenslve eatensive " slve sive farm club system the St LouisCardinals LoUIS LoUISCardmals LouisCardinals Cardmals Cardinals are the rul ng favorites favontes totake to totake totake take National league honors away awayfrom awayfrom awayfrom from the Chicago Cubs The Brook Brooklyn Brooklyn Brooklyn lyn Dodgers New York Giants and andBoston andBoston andBoston Boston Braves also are highly tout toutI'd touted touted I'd Id ed ' wh wit Ie le the Pittsburgh Pirates may maywelI maywell maywell welI well develop into mto the dark horses ofthe of ofthe ofthe the race raceFew raceFew raceFew Few new major league managershave managers managersave managershave -ave ave have ! - stepped into mto the gold m ne Ed rd Edwe ) Eddie rddie we die Dyer has in h s first year as the theSt theSt theSt St Louis Card nals manager He Hesucceeds Hesucceeds Hesucceeds succeeds Billy BlIly Southworth who has hastaken hastaken hastaken taken up the reins rems of the Boston BostonBraves BostonBraves BostonBraves BostonBravesIn Braves BravesIn In his ros regular outfield the luckyMr lucky luckyMr luckyMr Mr Dyer intends mtends to start Stan Musial Mu MusIal Museal sIal seal who hit 347 before entering entermg the thenavy thenavy thenavy navy in m 1144 1Q44 1 q44 Terry Moore the thefield thefield thefield field ng genius genlus who hit 288 prior pnor to toh toh toh h s induction into service in m 1942 1942and 1942and 1942and and Enos Slaughter who batted 318 318before 318before 318before before jo rung nlng ning the air force the same sameyear sameyear sameyear sameyearStar year yearStar Star performers in the infield mfield inelude In Inelude inelude elude the great Marty Marion Manon wideranging wIde wIderangmg wideranging rangmg ranging shortstop and Whitey WhiteyKuro WhiteyKuro WhiteyKuro Kuro vski vskl vsks slugg ng th rd baseman basemanwho basemanwho basemanwho who hit 323 and batted in m 102 runs runslast runslast runslast last year yearMighty Mighty Mound Staff Stafr StafrAmong StaffAmong StaffAmong Among Dyer s ranking rankmg pitchersare pitchers pitchersare pitchersare are Red Barrett who won 23 gameshis games gameshis gameshis his last t me out Johnny Beazley21 Beazley 21 Max Lamer 17 and Harry HarryBrecheen HarryBrecheen HarryBrecheen Brecheen 15I 15Wh 15Wh 15 15Wh I Wh Ie le Charley Grimm has none noneof noneof : of this k I . nd of talent in m Chicago he heI hedoes hedoes I does have a hustling husHmg ball baU club to towork towork towork toI I work behind behmd a winning wmnmg mound staffheaded stall staff stallheaded staffheaded headed by big Hank Boro Bora vy whohelped who whohelped whohelped helped pitch the Cubs into a pennant pen pennant pennant nant after be ng secured from the theYankees theYankees theYankees Yankees last year ycar Claude Passeau Passeau"ho Passeauvho Passeauvho "ho ho vho " won 17 games m 1945 desp te to tean toan WyseI an ail all ng right nght arm Hank Wyse Wysewho who .ho ho . turned m In 22 v clones ctones ctories in spite spiteof spiteof spiteof of a sore back and HI B thorn whochalked who whochalked whochalked chalked up 18 wins wms in m 1943 beforeentering before beforeentermg beforeentering entermg entering U tI c e navy The National League s champ on onbatsman onbatsman onbatsman batsman in 1945 with a 355 markPhil mark markPhil markPhil Phil Cavarretta will be back at firstto first firstto . to pace the Cubs attack with helpforthcoming help helpforthcommg helpforthcoming forthcommg forthcoming from the veteran Stan Stanby StanIcy : ley by Hack at third thud who hit 323 In Ini inMs inhia i bla Ms 12th season as a Bruin last year yearhttle yearlittle yearlittle httle little Peanuts Lowrey Andy Paf Pafko Pafko Patko ko and - Grimm Gnmm hopes - Big BllI Bill BllIN BillN BillN N cholson who flopped to 243 last lastyear lastyear lastyear year yearLed Led by the irrepressible Leo ( The Lip ) Durocher who won wonfame wonfame wonfame fame as one of the toughest of the theGas theGas theGas Gas House Gang at St Louis in the thirties the Dodgers Dodgersare are figured to be right nght up in M the theJh thejh theJA Jh ck of the National league raceThe raceThe race raceThe The Lip enters the pennant runwith run runwith runwith with a fair country outfield in PeteReiser Pete PeteReIser PeteReiser ReIser who hit 310 before joiningthe jommg joining jommgthe joiningthe the army in m 1142 lq42 1Q42 Goody Rosen who whobatted whobatted whobatted batted 325 last year the veteran veteranDIXIe veteranDixie veteranDixie DIXIe Walker Walb.er Walber . and roolle rool ie se Gene Her HerI Hermanskl Hermanski Hermanski I manskl manski In the infield mfield Billy Her Herman Herman Herman man and Pee wee Reese make a aw aw aw w nmng nnmg ning combinat combmat on around secondWhile second secondWhIle secondWhile WhIle none too strong the pitchingstaff pItchmg pitching pItchmgstaff pitchingstaff staff Is built bwlt around fire balling ballmg Kirby I\.lr I.lr I .lr lr Mir I.lrby Mirby \ . by Higbe Hlgbe Hugh Casey Ed Head Headand Headand Headand and Vie Vic Lombardi Lombarw Lombards LombardiGiants LombarwGiants LombardsGiants Giants Still PowerfulThe PowerfulThe Powerful PowerfulThe The New York Giants while whsle not notthe notthe notthe the hated and feared aggregation aggregabon of ofthe ofthe ofthe the John McGraw or Bill Terrydays Terry Terrydays Terrydays days nonetheless is expected to cuta cut cuta cuta a figure in m this year s race No detensive de defenslve defensive fenslve fensive geniuses gemuses the Giants do pos possess possess sess 5055 power with Manager Mel Ott Ottwho Ottwho Ottwho who hit 308 last year m III in nght right nghtJohnny rightJohnny rightJohnny Johnny \ . Mize J\.hze J.hze J .hze hze 305 at first MIckey MIckeyWitek MickeyWitek MickeyWitek Witek 314 at th rd and Walker WalkerCooper WalkerCooper WalkerCooper Cooper 317 behind behmd the plate plateAb plateAb plateAb Ab hty IIty lsty of brainy |