| Show a al l 1 IZAN P CE Second Time Around TilE MOST Important spot pot In Inan an any baseball players player's career creer 1 Is the second time Ume around It Is the sophomore year not the freshman I span pan that counts I Naturally a ballplayer likes to look took good that first season to get hi his chance but too many of them have suddenly hit v the soapy soap chute after alter a One fine Initial campaign much to tos s the sorrow of some lome optimistic m man a n a a a- ger Iter Among those who will be ba c closely 1 0 If 1 Grantland Rice Woe watched next season sea sea- son Ion will be Al Dark the Braves Braves' shortstop Richie Ashburn the footed fleet footed Phillip outfielder Billy Goodman the Red lied Sox first baseman Larry Doby the Indian outfielder and Hank Sauer and nd Virgil Stallcup of the Reds Some of the pitchers pitcher under scrutiny will be bet Gene Bearden of 01 the Cleveland club dub Robin Roberts and Curt Simmons of 01 the Phillies Bob Dob Porterfield of 01 the tho Yankees Pittsburgh Pittsburgh's Bob Dob Chesney Ralph Hamner of the Cubs Cub and Erv Pallca Palica and a few lew other Dodger DodIer entries The Tho three prize rookies who can play leading roles next season are Dark Ashburn and Bearden Ashburn Ashburn Ash Ash- burn bum will have no winning pennant-winning act to unroll but Dark and Bearden might Both Doth are fine One young y ung ballplayers ball baU- players on teams that won pennants pennants pen pen- pennants nants last lut fall largely or partly because these two rookies were around The Braves couldn't have won without Dark and the Indians Indian couldn't have won without Bearden I can almost hear Billy Dilly Southworth Southworth South South- worth singing Honey lIoney dear listen here here Im Im I'm afraid to go home without without with with- out Dark Dark a great football player player- almost another Van Duren Buren a fine golfer golfer golfer-a a star around all athlete can be the top entry of 1049 1949 So can Gene Bearden of th the Indians If II Dark Is as good a aa as ashe he was wa last year and Bearden Is just a as al effective we might ace see a replay of 01 1048 1948 this next season and Porterfield can mean mear meana meara a lot to the Yankees You may recall recall re reo call caU the able Job ob Frank Shea did for the Yankees In 1047 1947 He lie was a different Shea In 1948 1048 where he had exchanged his streamlined form fonn for tor a bUmp blimp If U Shea reports at or pounds be he has a chance He has plenty In the way of ot stuff and heart ad t Dob Doby like Bosch Is hardly a sophomore He lie was wu around In 1047 But Dut not too much in evidence Ill His IUs first lint big year was wu 1948 and he has ha the equipment needed to have a bigger year ear In 1949 1049 S e e Looking to 1949 We are now looking through winters wins winter win ter ter's snowstorms snowstorm mists and fogs fOil Into the campaign of 1949 1049 from late April to October Who will be the star tar rookie of ot 1940 1049 to make mako good on his hla second trip around You already alread have the leader leaders leaders- Dark Dearden Bearden Ashburn and Good man Dob Doby can be rated If U you figure ligure him a 1948 1943 freshman or a 1949 1049 sophomore Dob Doby Is I. a as a. good lood an aD around all-around outfielder as a. as' as Ive I've seen besides beside Williams and aDd lar glo gio And Bearden Is I. the best belt young oun pitcher Ive I've seen In some lome time lie He was wal the pennant and the world worlds series aeries savior of 01 19 1048 1948 8 But nut there are always alway pitfall pitfalls pit pit- fall falls ahead Who can tell where they ate aret In 1947 1047 Ewell Blackwell looked to be one of ot the star pitchers of ot many years yearl The foot 6 Inch 8 star tar from California won 22 games game and lost tot eight with the drooping Reds With other teams he would have hav passed the 30 mark Here was one of the great young oun pitchers from Irom baseball history to reach the game But It was a different story In 1948 The taU tall and w willowy Blackwell Black Black- well wen came along with a sore arm He lie wa was never right through the 1948 1048 season ealon where the year before he had pitched 17 consecutive no no- hit innings Inning You cant can't pitch with a sore loro arm Krin Blackwell You cant can't pitch with too loo much tat rat Shea You can UD only pitch when you are aro In to shape You can cn only play baseball when you are In shape hape and yet last spring pring Id I'd d say y that about 70 10 per percent percent percent cent of ot the players player who reported were not In nearly at as good condition bond condi lion tion as Ducky Medwick was WIS and nd ha hu has been around for more moro years year than most molt of ot u US u. can tan remember Medwick has hat always alway reported in shape hape And then gotten in better shape hape Most ballplayer report Tepa in hi soggy shape and spend pend most of ot their time Ume trying to work pa oil tat lat At lea least It too many do I t dont don't believe this will wilt happen to Dark A Ashburn Bearden Dearden Doby Roby Goodman Chesney and one or two others other who can ean be vital vita cog cogs in various pennant machine of 01 1949 1049 J I I look to 9 see tee both P i r dr r. r of the Yankee Yankees really to 19 go goj o. o |
