Show 0 E The who gathered at Louisville for the Kentucky Derby offered a keen cross section of the sporting viewpoint For they came from practically every state and all allare allare allare are sports minded Outside of the Derby Itself I found that they were talking about the other turf classics th the two pennant races and the Louis Conn fight It was rather amazing to hear the number backing Conn If the odds remain around 3 to 1 or perhaps a a trifle less One well-known well sportsman sportsman sportsman sports sports- man from the Far West told me that thata j R a big rush of Conn r l money had begun z to arrive The main g 4 theory seemed tobe to toa tobe a be that while both men had been away from the ring for tor Billy Conn four years years- Conn was still four years younger and he could afford to lose that much time to better advantage advantage advantage tage than could Louis So far as the two pennant races are concerned most of the sentiment sentiment sentiment senti senti- ment on the American league side belongs to the Boston Red Sox The angle being that Owner Tom Yawkey had spent too much money to keep on missing pennants forever forever forever for for- ever and that both Yawkey and Boston rat rated d a a. flag The early showing of the Red Sox Indicated that they may be even stronger than the pre season dope Indicated because because be be- cause their pitching Is better than It originally looked I found that the majority with I whom I talked still dont don't believe that I Ithe the Yankees can get enough consistent consistent consistent con con- conI I pitching to win They rate I Spud Chandler as one of the best bestin in either cither league but they also say that a n pennant race Is a heavy burden burden burden bur bur- den for the one right arm Chandler is on his way to beat his great 1943 1043 record when he won 20 games and andt t lost st only 4 Spud still figures he might ju just t as well have won 23 and lost only 1 that year He always has been a working hard-working bear down bear down pitcher and he still has his stuff Intact Lots o of 0 Dodger Fans While I found that the National league fans were naturally pulling for tor their home teams such as the Cubs and Cardinals their outside sympathy still remains with the Dodgers It Is surprising what a strong nationwide following the Dodgers have The enthusiasm of Brooklyn Itself on the baseball side has a lot to do with this In picking a World Series contender from the National league the Dodger vote would be overwhelming overwhelm- overwhelm ing ing Their early rush to the front only started louder cheering Few believe that any team is goIng going go go- ing tog to beat out the Cardinals when the season finally swings into a n steady grind They look to have too many good ballplayers ers to be headed off by any team now in sight Almost every other spectator wanted me to pick the winner of the Louis Louis-Conn meeting The only answer Is that thus far neither has come into his real training period perIod- at least far enough along to give any true line The Thc only good line one can get must come in the thc last two weeks when the tip-off tip should be due 1946 Backfield Stars I also ran Into a number of leadIng leadIng leading lead- lead Ing football coaches at the recent Derby among the vast assemblage from the 48 Two states of these were Wallie WalUe Butts of Georgia and Paul Bryant of Kentucky They were talking about the Job selectors are going to have In naming the four best backs of the coming season For example Wallie Butts said who can name a better allaround allaround all all- around back when Charley Chancy of Georgia who as 35 a passer runner tackler tackier or blocker has hu everything a n star back needs And nd he be Is exceptionally exceptionally exceptionally ex ex- ex- ex good at them all Paul Bryant who had a fine record at Maryland last fall began to figure out the leading lending backs TrIpp I Is certainly one of tho the best he said But in addition there still are arc Blanchard and Davis from West Point to be remembered There will be Bud Dud Young at Illinois Bob Fenimore at Oklahoma A A. A and M. M and there also will be beHarry beHarry beHarry Harry Gilmer at Alabama And dont don't think these will complete the list There will be others who cant can't be overlooked There should be at least 10 or 12 great backs and I dont don't mean merely pretty good For example there Is also from St. St Marys Mary's who will have more support than he could call caU on last fall taU The Big Bib n Batting Race The expected batting r race ce among Ted Williams Joe DIMaggio and Dick Wakefield finds the Red Sox slugger showing most of the early foot toot Williams has bas been belting I away way at a clip or better with I down below Wakefield Wake Wake- field has been of little help to the Tigers with a mark under Dom DiMaggIo has bas been outshining them all aU with an average above and Charley Keller KeUer also Is riding high |