Show These Hitters Hillers Will Bear Watching By GRANTLAND RICE RICE AS 18 16 MAJOR league clubs dUDI move off oU under full Ite steam m there will willoe oe more than one or two high spots o watch as al the campaign rolls roUs Hong It is II only natural that most of these elevated notches notchel will take Inthe In Inthe inthe the stars of 1948 kr such sueh as Stan Lou Boudreau Boudreau Bou Bou- dreau Ted Williams Williams Wil Wil- liams slams Joe DiMaggio i gio glo Harry Tire Bre- Brecheen 2 t S cheen Gene Bearden Dearden Dearden Dear Dear- den the run home o oduel duel between Ralph KIner and end Johnny Mize plus such od ode Grantland Rice as L La Larry a r r y Yogi Berra's Berra catching Improve Improve- ment nent With Joe DiMaggio's DIMaggio wounded heel in such lIuch a precarious state the three ree holdover leaders from 1948 1943 will be Williams and Bou Bou- Boudreau Is the mystery man Ws Ills batting average for 10 seasons Is 18 now It was well wen below this mark at this date last season Yet the Cleveland pilot lifted his batting count aunt to a phenomenal upward up up- ward leap Lou l Is now 32 years old rhe question is Will the Cleveland itar keep in the general neighbor neighbor- lood of this season or drop back to his lifetime average around 2997 Boudreaus Boudreau's 1949 1049 career will write an important chapter In the American league race What about the duel between Williams and Last year struck for lor Williams for lor hit bit 39 home runs Williams William 25 5 drove home runs Williams Wiliams 17 The Cardinal slugger had a fair edge idge In every department of ot hitting hit hit- ting tang but it will be interesting to tolee tolee tolee lee whether he can repeat this trl trl- mph against one of the greatest litters sitters of all time On the other side of the question t might be noted that Stan Ian an also handle the old ash rather His IUs lifetime big league average av- av rage is Williams' Williams being Chese are the two top men today no one else close What about the bl big league leape pitching duel between Harry Brecheen and Gene Last year each won 20 0 and dropped 7 for tor a mal mark of ot allowed earned runs per game Bearden Dearden This is about as a. close close- as the count can be Johnny Sam Sain the Braves Brave's able star won 2 24 games game to lead both I leagues league Hal possibly the best bet pitcher in baseball today today- at least he is one of the best three Is Is another contender who hopes to lead both leagues league In hi games won even ven with only an average outfit would roll roU home working work ing with the Red Sox or or Indians Sain Salo and Vic Vie should lead the pitchers with Brecheen Brecheen Bre- Bre cheen Bearden Dearden and Lemon close The Run Home Picture The section or sector allotted to run home-run hitters will be a high highly highly- interesting compartment this se sea lok son Ion First of all it is high time the Johnny Ralph Mize-Ralph Kiner deadlock was broken The two tied in 1947 and they remained tied In hi 48 They each struck oft off 51 homers in 1947 and 40 last year making a total of 91 This cant can't go on forever It is due to be snapped this new season Last season both Joe DIMaggio and Stan hit 39 home runs each Heres lIere the odd part about this count Stan told me this spring I actually hit 41 n homers Two were credited only as a. two base Yet certain certain certain tain umpires stated they were home runs They really were Theres There no question of ot a doubt about this fact mana manager er Eddie Dyer cut In Stan actually ao ac wally bad had 41 n homers last year which would have given riven him the triple crown Umpires make few mistakes But apparently two blew a pair of four lour in the case rarely complains The fact fad that he was supported by Eddie Dyer and a number of umpires is 11 proof enough that he was right No one can say lay yet whether Ted Williams will go out for right field swinging into the home run home run zones or fight for lor the batting leadership of his league Williams and are two star all-star hitters The condition of ot Joe glo's glos os o's heel may eliminate one of 01 the strong strone contenders Kiner and Williams William should provide most mod of the four base four base artillery But u there Is I. Isone one more entry SId entry Sid Gordon of the Giants Glans Gordon blasted 30 home runs rune last season lie He is far in fn front Iron of the pack this thi spring with a March and early April record that takes you back to the big years ears of ot Babe Dabe Ruth This Thi run home-run scramble should hould be one of the most interesting features fea tea features tures of the new season eRlon |