Show I Speaking Sneaking of 0 Sports Snorts Yanks Happy i I As Di Maggio I Settles Down By ROBERT McSHANE 1 I F THE THE HE Joe Dl DI Maggio who went into i training with the New York Yankees this spring isn't quite the same same lad who was so completely and enthusiastically booed from rom one end of ot the American league circuit to the other last season For one thing Joe is working harder than ever this spring A great grent natural athlete and an outstanding out outstanding standing performer he is just beginning be ginning to realize the gravity of his last years year's mistake A review of the unusual situation highlights Joes Joe's errors of finance and diplomacy In 1938 1933 at which time he bad had been in the league for only two years the late Col Jacob Ruppert Ruppert Rup Rup- pert of the Yankees boosted boasted Di Maggie's Mag gios gio's salary to Joe demand demanded ed cd more and refused to report report report re re- re- re port to training amp until a satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory contract to him had bad been 61 signed ed scaled and delivered That didn't make the colonel hap hap- happy py He felt that he had met Di DiMaggio Maggio more more than halt half way and if it the youngster couldn't see it that I way it was his tough luck Ruppert i jr y aY rte y y 4 Y a ki 43 c JOE DI MAGGIO told Joe very pointedly that he be would take or r stay out of ot baseball All this time the San Francisco fisherman had been listening to the advice of friends They assured him I he was worth to the Yanks Hadn't he be had a great season the year before Wasn't his bis name a great drawing card Joe proceeded to advise the colonel colo role nel on several points which advice was reviewed at length in sports pages poges throughout the nation Some of his utterances were no doubt exaggerated exaggerated exaggerated ex ex- and perhaps some were k garbled deliberately for the sake of ofa a good story Then when he did finally sign the proffered contract he was thoroughly thorough thorough- ly booed every time he ventured on the playing ing field It was a long uphill struggle to get back into the good graces of baseball fans Cans In fact it wasn't until late in the season season season sea sea- son that the loving baseball public began to regard him as anything but bat a menace The change came when he be began to threaten Foxx for Cor batting championship honors This year the Pacific coast idol signed in a hurry He was one of the first to report and one of the hardest workers on the practice field His entire attitude is changed an and and for the better be Undoubtedly fans fans' vociferous disapproval i approval and a few months' months reflection had much to f fir do with this change In altitude attitude He realizes too that the well well meant meant advice advice ad ad- vice of his friends was wrong Fans will be quick to forget last years year's unpleasant incident And this is as it should be Joe would much sooner play b baseball than clip cou cou- pons pans His heart is in the game and he realizes that even the best ballplayers ballplayers ball baU players wage a never ending war to stay slay on m the e top New v Major Sport I O BOWLING as a major high school sport was given a n healthy boost recently when Chicago schools voted to award major sports letters to youths participating in active com com- petition To bowling enthusiasts this was an important step though by no means did Chicago establish a precedent There are already high school leagues from Brooklyn to Beverly Hills Calif and from rom r Minneapolis to Houston Texas Its importance is due to the fact that Chicago prep school boys and girls are now competing in league play As much or more than any other sport bowling is the ideal carryover carryover carryover carry over recreation A student can continue con con- continue to bowl for Cor exercise fun and good fellowship for Cor the rest of or his hisor hisor hisor or her life liCe The majority o of sports arc are either too strenuous or require facilities hard to obtain Bowling docs does not require a tremendous output of energy and alleys are arc located throughout the nation One of the games game's most admirable features is that it allows for maximum maxi mum participation It calls for or no unusual physical attributes and a scientific system of ot handicapping makes all prep bowlers equal i 1 Because it is a logical sport for tor popular participation Interest in high school bowling bowline leagues will grow rapidly Already there is talk of a D national prep tournament a |