Show Speaking of 0 Sports I 1 Tri Tn Cornered Fight Seen in Senior Circuit Cirelli t ty By fly y ROBERT RODERT McSHANE by Western Newspaper Union I pr THINK back just for a minute to the start of this years year's major league baseball campaign and see If you can remember the teams you thought would be the chief contenders contend contend- ers for first place in the National league standings Odds OeMs are 10 to 1 I that you didn't consider the Giants a very serious threat Early In April It looked like a a two club race a race a bitter fight lIght between between between be be- tween the Reds and the Cardinals The Reds were looking good In spite of last years ears fiasco and the Cards were expected to maintain the stride that almost carried them past the Reds to the pennant In the final stretch of 1939 Now after about 10 weeks of active ac ac- ac tive live campaigning its it's a three- three cornered race race and and it looks as though it might continue to be Just that But the Cardinals arent aren't in it and the Dodgers and Giants are making life miserable for the Cincinnati Cincinnati Cin Cm- delegation Unpredictable Giants According to season pre t pe the Giants have no reason for their rapid turnabout Thousands of amateur amateur amateur am am- and professional crystal gazers gazers gazers gaz gaz- ers ire ne casting baleful glances at their present standing And why hy not The Giants sagged badly last year ar and were scheduled to look even en worse this year Only a few die hards probably relatives who ho hoped for a future touch picked them to finish In the first division The Giants were a team of ifs Ils If Carl Hubbell could come back the wasn't hone- hone time the past three years in St. St Louis but Is figured fig to become as solid as ever with Brooklyn With Davis to help hep out with pitching chores and Medwick to supply the badly needed daily dally punch the Dodgers I ers are loaded for big game The lessly lost If Joe Moore and Mel Ott could charge in and really play baseball why then things wouldn't be so bad I There were plenty of other ifs on which success would depend uncertain spots that might crack when the I Carl hubbell P pressure was on Look em em over to to- day Hubbell Moore and Ott came rushing back practically as good as ever Hubbell wont won't win any pennants pennants pennants pen pen- nants single handed but hes he's still the meal ticket the fellow they can rely on when the chips are down Ott has been doing better than allright all allright allright right since he started wearing glasses and critics of Moore refuse to believe the evidence which is allIn all allin allin in his favor Burgess Whitehead was another question mark last year He had developed a bad case of the quick jitters Now the unbelievers unbelievers unbelievers un un- un- un believers suspect that his present- present day success is the result of strange herbs and a witch's cauldron Terry Knows His Players I Manager Bill Dill Terry is far from the I most popular figure in baseball but buthe buthe he is a canny pilot pilot one one of the smartest smartest smart smart- est eat in the business today He lie would be one of the least east surprised if the Giants captured the pennant The Dodgers a strong team with plenty of aggressiveness became stronger with the recent acquisition tion of Joe Medwick and Curt Davis Lippy Leo Durocher finally has the hitter he wanted wanted wanted-a a hitter he can count on when runs are needed From 1935 through 1937 Medwick hit and He lIe had a bad Leo Durocher deal whereby Brooklyn acquired those two men also may help nail the pennant to the Ebbets Field flagpole Residents of Brooklyn already see seethe seethe seethe the pennant in the clutches of the Dodgers And they wont won't stand for anything that might interfere with the reaching of that goal Witness the riot near-riot when the Cardinals Cardinals' Joe Bowman Dowman Medwick re re- re- re Even the police took part In that fiasco Civil war was averted but narrowly Everybody's Happy The passing of Medwick led wick from St. St Louis Is not expected to have much effect upon the fortunes fortune of the Car Car- lie He was unhappy there wanting to play with the Dodgers Joe loe one of the last of the Gas House Gang didn't hold bold his popularity with teammates and with fans faDs Of Or course the race Is far from over St. St Louis cant can't be counted out yet jet et The passing passin of Medwick l merely merely merely mere mere- ly completed a shakeup begun with the release of Manager lanager Ray Blades Diaries C Whether or not the shakeup will alter lter the Cardinals Cardinal final league standing remain o 0 be seen Right now it looks as though the change was too long delayed However a anew anew anew new manager plus sweetness and light in the rank and file may do wonders toward reviving the Cards Card And they do need reviving I But time alone will tell if the shakeup Is sue |