| Show rI r- r 4 TT T WILL VILL be interesting to note I 1 IT what will happen when baseball returns to a more normal way of ot life lie We took up this somewhat twisted matter with Bill Dickey the Yankees' Yankees new man man- ager This has been r r rone one of the strangest seasons Ive I've ever run a across cross t the he loose jointed oln ted Arkansas Arkansas Ar Ar r. r kansas Traveler said Suppose for fore example w we e had known back in Florida during our Bill Dickey ey training season that the Yankees were going to get good pitching That was supposed to be our weakest spot because so many manyI I of our men were troubled wi with bad arms We would have been picked as one of the surest things of the year rated well In front But suppose we had known that tha t tafter after six weeks of ot play our team batting would be around 40 with such fine hitters as Joe DiMaggio and most of the others hitting below be be- below low Then we would have been picked far tar down the list Hard hitting hitting hit hit- ting has been the Yankees' Yankees main I factor In winning ball games but butas butas butas been hitting as a team we haven't a half hail lick You dont don't think this hitting weakness will last we asked I certainly dont don't Bill said No pitchers are arc going to keep such hard hitters as DiMaggio Keller Keller- who has been our best best Etten Lindell Gordon an anthe and the others bottled up much longer Those fellows can hit bit The They ar are naturals I happen to know that tha Joe DiMaggio was banking on this season being his best year Iv Ive I've never seen any anyone one work harder or try harder or train harder Ill His Ilis fielding and his run home-run hitting bitting have bave been exceptional I dont don't believe be- be lieve this slump in hitting can last We may have more trouble with our pitching with so many really good pitchers bothered with bad bac arms or backs but we are due t to get much better hitting hitting and and we well we'll have to get It if U we are to win again We cant can't win the pennant pennan the way were we're going now Dickey and the Red Sox We asked Manager Dickey what wha he thought of the Red Sox and th the chance the Yankees and other othe American League clubs had of closing closing closing clos clos- ing the gap Ill tell you exactly what I think of the Red Sox Bill said I never neve like to underestimate an opponent In my opinion they have a first first- class manager In Joe Cronin who failed in the past because the winning win win- ning material wasn't there Cronin isn't going to lose any pennant fo for I his club Joe will do his share The Red Sox have the strongest tea team they ever have shown They have a fine infield and a strong out out- field They have had the hitting and the pitching pitching and and I honestly think that so far they have out out bus hus- hus tied teed the rest of us In Pesky and Doerr the Red Sox have a great mid Infield combination combination tion both on an offense and defense Pesky y today Is a greatly improved ballplayer He Be means a lot to that club Cronin certainly has a much mach stronger pitching staff than anyone looked for last March larch l Harris Darris FerrIss and Dobson are about as good as any manager could costa ask for This doesn't me mean n Dickey said with a grin that I am picking the Red Sox to win the pennant I think we can catch them but I know we cant can't wait walt too long They are too good to be given any big lead and I believe the Yankees are just beginning beginning be be- ginning to realize this They have been strong on both offense and defense de de- and they've fine spirit What about the rest of the league so far we asked You cant can't overlook Washington he be said This is a good steady consistent club all along the line You also will see Detroit get much better pitching than the Tigers have known thus far Their pitching has been like the Yankees' Yankees too hitting-too far below normal to remain that wa way way- When their pitching gets as hot as it U can ca get and they begin to hit lilt nearer their stride you'll see a big change Dickey who has the full support of ot Larry MacPhall MacPhail and who has enjoyed so many years of training under Joe the McCarthy-the manager Bill ranks far above all others In is baseball giving everything he has to the job of making good With a cool head and a stout heart with which to work he doesn't expect to Pick up all the uie nee needed managerial details in m a feW dayS dan or r in ln a n few weeks Bill Bm has the complete affection and respect of his players and It Is my opinion that he will make few mis- mis takes In directing up P t to o the hilt the material ato he has at hand liana Like other great managers catcher Carrigan Carrean and Mickey Cochrane for he example-he has been in the best spot to know what is dally In fn going on e c especially espe- espe s 's pc- pc the direction n or f a pitching stay ff that still n Is uncertain No on one knows better than Larry Yankees MacPhail need and Bill Dickey that the one or two more ball ball- players layers to carry anything like an even chance to overtake Boston |
