OCR Text |
Show . SPORTUGHT . Large Plans for Pete Reiser I By GRANTLAND RICE lj A YEAR AGO hustling lecond baseman by the name ot Eddie Stanky asked the Brooklyn management manage-ment for an Increased stipend or paycheck. Brother Rickey promptly traded him to the Braves and thereby there-by helped move the same Braves Into first place. Stanky did more than his share in whipping Al Dark, a fast, intelligent, natural ballplayer If- Y 'I before Eddie was Lfc-j- hurt. The Braves rU left the Stankyless ml " C!.; Dodgers far In the I Vf I chance that Branch I i L repeater. He is on Gr.ntland Rice W3cy ) bT.8 Billy South worths "cousin." Some time back, Rickey sold another Dodger star, Pete Reiser, to the same Braves. Reiser Is jubilant. So is Southworth. "I don't think I ever felt better." Reiser told me the other day. "My legs are fine again and so is my arm. I'm running Into no more walls. I'm up to full weight 180 pounds." It might be noted that Reiser was only 30 years of age on St. Patrick's day, sharing this date with Bobby Jones. Reiser Is In hit prime. I saw him play third In a recent spring training game and make four beeline throws to first, even rocking the stalwart first baseman, base-man, Earl Torgeaon. Pete waa burning the ball across. "1 have big plans for Reiser." Southworth told me. "I mean if his arm is O.K. I'm not worried about his legs or health. He is not only a fine ballplayer, but a great hitter and a natural competitor. He can help us more than you might think. Pete has known more than his share of raw luck. The tide is about due to turn the other way. It it does, the Braves will look even better than I think they are and I'm not selling them short. jj "Watch that Torgeson at first. He might be the best first baseman In either league this season. Sain and Spahn are my stand-bys, but Vern Bickford has improved sharply and Bill Voiselle will be quite a help. Stanky Is again in top condition. His cracked ankle Is O.K. I have a fine-looking young catcher in Paul Burrls. "My club la much better than It was last year. II has t be. Every team In our league la stronger. At least most of them re. For example, the Cardinals nd Pirates will be better, and the Dodgers, with all their fast kids, la no club yoo can ever loaf against. "But I still honestly believe we have enough to win for Boston again. If I didn't think so, I certainly cer-tainly wouldn't say so. But this It going to be a scramble." The Most Improved Team The most Improved team In eithet league, probably is part ot the Philadelphia Story. The Philadelphia Philadel-phia Story in baseball has been rather sad one for some time. But Connie Mack revived old dreams last season, and not only the veteran Connie but many so-called so-called fairly-smart people believe his Athletics have a pennant chance this new season. Not secorld nol third not fourth but first Just as big a atory la the chance the Phillies have. They re too young to win any pennant. pen-nant. But smart baseball people peo-ple tell me they can finish second sec-ond or third. Tbey probably won't But they look like big league ball club on rampage. They have a better outfield than either the Braves, Dodgers or th Cardinals In Del Ennls, Richie Ash-burn Ash-burn and Bill Nicholson. They bavi one of the best Infields In eithei league with Eddie Waitkus at first, plus Puddinhead Jones at third. Their catching ia only fair. The Phillies represent the story of the new Nations,' league. They can finish aecond or seventh. Tbey ean finish seventh sev-enth and still be almost as good a the 1949 pennant winner. They deserve support from their fans, for here ia not only a good ball club, but an Interesting one. I had a long talk today with mj favorite pitcher. His name Is EweL Blackwell ct the Reds. In 1047 Blackwell was far anc away the best pitcher in the game-not game-not barring Feller, Newhouser oi anyone else. Working for the lowly Reds, he won 18 straight games He pitched a no-hitter and cam close to another in his next start Working with the Yankees or Dodg ers that same year, Blackwel would have won 30 games and losi three or four. He might have woe 35 games. |