| Show of 01 Sports Are Question Mark MarkIn In 1940 Race By RO ROBERT McSHANE Released b by Western Newspaper Union A AS S MEMPHIS BILL TERRY leads his New York Giants Into the 1940 baseball wars he is faced with wilh his biggest task since taking over the managerial reins back inJune In InJune inJune June 1932 The Giants who once dominated dominated baseball In New York have sagged badly The Yanks worlds world's champions champions champions cham cham- are stronger than ever and the Brooklyn Dodgers once rated as a congregation of crackpots rank above the Giants both In league standings and popular ap ap- ap- ap peal All of ot which makes the Giants the city's third club a position which causes Terry no end of ot grief and sorrow To make things worse the team does not look much better today today to to- day than it did at the close of ot last season Since Terry became manager the Giants have won one worlds world's championship championship cham cham- in 1933 and three National league pennants in 1933 1936 1930 and 1937 The club that limped home in fifth place last year was the fourth second division Giant ball club since 1902 Under the Terry regime the club has been in first place three times second place once and third place three times Critics of Terry Terry and and they are plentiful point plentiful point out a good share of his success has hu been due to the very capable work of holdovers q a a F Y f a t e 3 l BILL TERRY from rom the McGraw dynasty notably Carl Hubbell Mel Iel Ott Olt Hal lIal Schumacher Schumacher Schumacher macher and Joe Moore Ott On Hubbell Key Men l Hubbell and Ott are the two key men Hubbell came up under the late ate McGraw in 1928 and Ott in 1925 Year after year they have been icen performing needed much miracles mir mir- ides aches for the Giants Ott driving in runs uns and even doubling as a third baseman laseman and right fielder and hubbell Hub Hub- bell jell pitching his heart out in winning win win- ning five years in succession more than han 20 games a season The past two seasons have been oft off years for Hub In 1939 he won only 11 and lost 9 games The year before he be won only 13 and dropped 10 JO The Giants were whipped both years A year and a half haU ago Carl was forced to submit to an arm operation and last year he be wasn't ready to pitch until July This year he figures he will be all right So Sodo Sodo Sodo do the Giants Mel Otts Ott's powerful bat has been beena a determining factor in Giant pennant pennant pen pen- nant battles ever since he Joined the club A dependable hitter he was responsible for tor many a game chalked up in the win side of ot the column The most optimistic note emanatIng emanating emanating ing from the Giants is that Hubbell is already as good as ever He lie has been under fire In early season games and had demonstrated his old skill So has Ott Otto At least that gives Manager Terry some cause for jubilation In a recent statement Terry remarked remarked remarked re re- re- re marked that If III I could win 77 11 games with the humpty team I 1 had last year I 1 dont don't see any reason In predicting less than 90 victories this I year year and and that will put me high up in the pennant race Why shouldn't we be a better team Were We're better beller at sec second nd third have a chance of improving In the outfield and have havea a better first baseman It may be that Terry is whistling for the sake of ot courage At least he appears to be overrating his team lIe He has a better infield than last year at least defensively The outfield outfield out field is good providing Joe Moore does not collapse Moore is no stripling and it may maybe maybe maybe be that young John Rucker will see plenty of ot action this year Rucker has stood up well He lIe is a good hitter hitter hit hit- ter and a good fielder and is very fast Wise All-Wise Manager Nevertheless the Giants are treadIng treading tread- tread ing on dangerous ground They haven't got the youngsters who can take up where Hubbell and Ott are likely to leave off oft And those two gentlemen cant can't go on forever The club has one ono advantage Its overlord over over- lord makes very few tew mistakes on the field Once in a while Terry does docs make an error off the field lIe He may have erred when he remarked t that at the team that beats us will win wIT the pen pen- nant |
