Show By try Grantland Rice Yanks Conceded Fifth Firth Straight Pennant Win D Despite pite American Amer Amerlean lean ican League Leagues a Recent No Trading Legislation INANA NANA Sn lc LOS ANGELES No No major league club ever hat has won five pennants In a row row but but If U the Yankees do not hang hanl up their fifth filth In a I row this year the American Amerlean league race re re- suit salt will be an upset That at least Is la the way It looks look as 1940 gets geta under way The fact that the percentage will wID willbe be running against them again holds bolds nt nl terrors terror for the Yanks Tanks One Oae of these da days day of course coarse the he percentage percent percent- age are Is ls going U Is catch op up with the Yankees and flatten them because that la Is one foe toe nobody can outlast No club In the American league league- and only one major league learue club in inthe inthe the modern modem history of the game ram ever had won four pennants In a arow row The Yankees ran their string to that number In 1839 No club ever had won four world series erles Ina In Ina a row The Yankees did that too Having won the 1938 series from the Cubs In four straight games rame and I w i is k I s 1 y raa A l eels dea DICKEY AND GORDON CORDON They'll help the Yanks Mn hang up their fifth In m a row rote being faced by a supposedly a-supposedly strong trong er r opponent In 1939 It didn't seem eem likely the Yankees Yankees granted granted that they hey would be victorious would victorious would win again gain In four straight But they did With Red Bed Ru fluffing pitching Dill Dickey catching Joe In ID center enter field and fellows like Ule Joe Jae Gordon Coron Goo Cor- Goodon don on Frankle Frankie Red George Selkirk and Charlie Keller spotted potted through the lineup It 1 looks as though the Yankees Yankee can continue for or a while longer In an effort to hobble the Yanks the rest of the league leacue made a arule arule arule rule preventing them from trading with the other clubs The Yanks didn't mind that either Just by byway byway byway way of operating co Ed Barrow voted for the rule With Newark Kansas City and other clubs In the chain sending up players faster than the Yankees can absorb them Barrow Bar Bar- row and Joe McCarthy arent aren't interested inter ested eted In the other A. A L L. talent No Threat in Sight The Red Sox who have made the best belt showing In the attempt to overhaul overhaul over haul the Yankees these thee last two v years came up with some fine young oung players I last year ear notably Williams and Tabor I but they still lack a I rate first-rate catcher and end they are wearing wear Ins ing out in fn some oth p er positions petitions Cleveland Cleveland Cleve Cleve- land should be stronger with Bob r. r Feller still moving I Bob Dob Feller toward the peak and destined to be one of the great creat pitchers of all time Below those three clubs the Tigers Ti Tigers gers White Sox and Senators are bunched pretty closely Below them the Browns and Athletics still are stumbling along As usual the race in the National lea league rue should hould be close The Reds new to the sweat and fire and tumult of a close tussle In 1938 failed tailed where with a little more experience they might have won Last year hardened by the 1938 campaign they broke through through but but they broke through just ahead of the Cardinals Cardinala whose lot was similar to that which the Reds had bad drawn In 38 This year Jear the Cardinals may be ready With better pitching than baa they had In 1939 and better luck they can caa win It took them hem quite quit a while to realize that they had bad a chance last tast year and aad then hen just about as the he came to them they were ruined by Injuries Swinging along behind these tw two clubs club are the Dodgers They needmore need needmore needmore more power and thought they were going to get it from Joe Medwick but with pennant chances gleaming bright again in St St. Louis it doesn't doesn look now as though Branch Rickey is of a mind to sell Medwick I If Larry McPhail can come up with a power hitter from somewhere else watch out for the Dodgers From these three teams the winner will be b decided Giants in Bad Dad Shape Behind the Reds the Cardinals Cardinal and the Dodgers there lies no pennant pen pennant nant possibility as the teams loo look at this stage tage Gabby Hartnett ha hato has haa hasto to start star all over again with a team that all through 1939 failed tailed to recover er en from the demoralizing beating It took from the Yankees In fn the 1938 World Series Frank Frisch having hav lag InC taken over oyer the Pittsburgh as u. from Pie Traynor has haa the same lime squad of ball players whom Traynor couldn't shake out of 01 the then n r mt t. t |