Show GP Q CE T THIS HIS seems to be as good a spot as any other to give you the various champions of 1946 Of course there may be a slight element element ele ele- ment meat of ol chance involved in these various nominations but if U you combine the past perform performance nce operations operations op op- orations and the future chart you cant can't go far wrong Also we reserve the right to make a few changes la later ter on when some of the mists and fogs have lifted and there ismore is ismore ismore more light ahead These selections belong to the snows of winter not the flowers of April and May nor northe northe northe the red and gold n tints of next au au- Here is our r prediction p diction for big'S big S 'S S league baseball baseball a 4 American Americ n league Joe McCarthys McCarthy's Yankees with the j z Red Sox and Tigers as leading chal chal- LJ lengers loggers National league league- Grantland The St. St Louis Cardinals Cardinals Cardinals Cardi Cardi- nals with Cubs Dodgers and Giants close up At the moment Joe McCarthy seems to be more worried about the Red Sox with Ted Williams Bobby Doerr and Tex Hughson back than the Tigers with Wakefield and Greenberg hitting plus the pitching of Trout Trucks and Benton I Outside of the Cardinals the scramble to finish In the first f four ur teams will be terrific depending largely on the clubs that get the pick of ot Sam Breadon's or maybe worth of pitchers infielders infielders in- in fielders Gelders and outfielders I dont don't mean collectively but Individual Individual- ly Sam Breadon has already sold over O worth of oC talent and he has something like In the way of talent left lert Owner Sam Breadon Bread- Bread on will have a big influence on the next National league race Joe McCarthy one of the top managers of all time is too conservative conservative conservative con con- to make any predictions Why I haven't even seen such men menas menas menas as Dickey Gordon DiMaggio Rizzuto Rizzuto Rizzuto Riz Riz- Johnson and others in several years How could I know what they have All I know is what they were not not what they are Remember that old song of George orge Cohan's I It isn't what you used to be its it's its it's what you are today Anyway our first prediction stands Yankees and Cardinals which is no wild dash into the un un- known It is no long shot selection Army Arm on Top in Football As far as football goes our top nomination is Red Blaik's Army team This Army team has been the high spot of college football for forthe forthe forthe the last two years Fo For 1946 it will wil still have most of its stars on hand including Blanchard Davis Tucker McWilliams Coulter Foldberg Poole Fuson and several new addi addi- Army's 1946 team may be even better than her 1944 1 and 1945 squads that outclassed the country I know Oklahoma A. A and M 1 In- In Indiana Indian Indiana In In- diana dian and Alabama believe they could have have given Army an even scrap Notre Dame and Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsyl Pennsyl- vania felt the same way this last fall Result against both Army Notre Dame and Pennsylvania 0 O. O And dont don't forget Army was under wraps Id I'd pick Alabama in the south next to Army Frank Thomas had bad haia hada a fine squad last fall Call and he will have a much better team next fall He lie has more than a few Cew outstanding ing lug stars coming back plus the squad he already has Oklahoma A. A and M M. wont won't be far faraway faraway faraway away with another big fast rugged and experienced bunch Bo McMillin lin believes his Indiana team could give Army an even game but I doubt Indiana could beat Alabama or Oklahoma A. A and M. M Michigan if the draft doesn't mow down Fritz Crisler's freshmen can be one of ot the best So can St. St Marys Mary's with new and bigger men coming in Navy may rank close to Army but Army but not too close Navy will wil certainly be the second best team in the east Pennsylvania wont won't be befar befar betar far tar away the top of the Ivy league in a much closer run What about Notre Dame with Frank Leahy back Good but not nol great The South and Midwest will both be strong The East outside of Army and Navy wont won't be much different The Far West still has a aI wide gap to close The best pick I along the Pacific will be St. St Marys Mary's where Jimmy Phelan gave out one of ot the best coaching Jobs Ive I've ever seen and where Herman er cr will again be a vital factor What about the thc two pro leagues Well We'll turn that over to the Delphic Oracle What about boxing The two tops in the country should be Joe Louis LouisIn In the heavyweight division and Sugar Robinson among the welter welter- wei weights They should remain the two best of the year Beau neau Jack will remain the best club fight fighter er and the most popular entertainer Graziano wont won't be far Car away A ABeau ABeau ABeau Beau Jack Graziano roundup can be one of the main features where neither can box a lick But where both like Uke to throw punches and let the clips fall rail where thc they may They always put on a n rood good I scrappy show |