Show Vets Carry Heavy Diamond Load I GRANTLAND RICE RICE- By major-league major ball clubs S SIXTEEN arc are under way again in two o of the looking closest-looking pennant races the grizzled old game has seen Inmany in inmany inmany many seasons In the absence of important rookies through the last ten years the main burden will fall upon veterans who have been writing most of the story from one campaign to another since 1941 This means Stan Joe DiMaggio DiMaggio DiMaggio Di- Di Maggio Ted Williams Country VV Slaughter Phil Rizzuto Riz- Riz auto P Pee Wee i f e ll Reese Eddie Stankey Stank- Stank V ey Bob Boli Feller Hal N N Ewell Ewell Blackwell Johnny vV JV J jj Mize and many i. i many more Baseball is now in the main an old oldmans oldmans mans man's game with V only a few younger Grantland Rice stars crowding into the picture Wars and drafts have more than cut into its natural growth The scene has changed only slightly from a year ago on this Auril date In 1950 the pennant contenders contend contend- em ers in the American League were New York Boston Detroit Detroit De De- De- De troit and Cleveland The same four are rated In the hunt today with Red Rolfe's RoUe's Tigers rated farther back due largely to the loss of their star young pitcher Art Houtteman Of these four contenders the Boston Boston Bos Bos- ton Red Sox have drawn the strongest strong strong- est help in the persons of Lou LouV V Boudreau a fin fineS fine infielder and an inspirational field leader plus Bill Wight and Ray Scarborough two first-class first pitchers Torn Lom me Kea ea sox box ox owner is a very stubborn person when he heets sets ets out for a goal He also has what it takes to reach that goal if V you OU give him time enough and a afew afew few breaks The race in the AmerIcan American Amer Amer- ican League among the Yankees Red Bed Sox and Indians should carry deep into Septembers September's stretch In the National League a new entry has moved Into the picture picture pic plc- ture as far as the pennant race Is concerned This new challenger challenger challenger chal chal- lenger Is Leo Durochers Durocher's New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Giants V V The Giants now nov move alongside I with the Dodgers and the Phillies possibly the soundest club in their V circuit Chuck Dressen's Dodgers have the best team in baseball outside of the pitchers' pitchers corral Here they are weak or at least uncertain S S S The Two Races The National League has the better chance for a keener pennant race Outside of Giants Dodgers and Phillies rated for a photo V finish the Braves and Cardinals can be quite annoying Both can V V cause deep tr trouble uble and bring much anguish to the leading contenders So can Luke Sewells Sewell's Cincinnati Reds who have havo been moving up steadily with a younger ball ban club that should now be about ready Ten- Ten and year twelve-year veterans cant can't rule this game forever The Phillies and Reds have most of the new material baseball baseball baseball base base- ball has collected recently and this may begin to show v for the Reds this summer It won a pennant for the Phillies a a. year ago With Curt Simmons around I think the Phillies would have won again They may anyway There are many weak spots inthe in inthe inthe the leading teams from both leagues No one knows yet ct how bow many games the brilliant Joe Di- Di Maggio a great ballplayer can handle No one knows how long Ted Williams' Williams shattered elbow will stay in place Stan seems to be better set for another year of stardom than anyone else It is quite possible that Lou Boudreau Boudreau Boudreau Bou Bou- dreau will have more effect upon his mates than any other single player For Foy Boudreau moves into a lethargic squad that needs waking up If It the Red Sox cant can't win the pennant this season Tom Yawkey might as well fire the entire squad and start from scratch again The rejuvenation of the Giants will be one of baseballs baseball's most helpful fea fea- fea- fea tures The game has needed them badly in past years The feats o of magic to be shown again by the remarkable Casey Stengel will be beso so something ething to watch You can be sure that Stengel will get as much out of his up line-up as any manager now in baseball At least he has for the last two years The Case of Johnny Mize In Mantle and Morgan the Stengel Yankees have possibly the two best rookies in either league It might work out that way They have another member of the M club in a f fellow known as Mize who isn't a rookie It has been a matter of 21 years since Big John the demon of Demorest Ga reported to Greensboro Greensboro Greensboro Greens Greens- boro as a first baseman In 1931 Mize was batting and he has been a or not far from hitter ever since He ran into a streak of 15 consecutive years with various teams when he batted an average of Big John has always been a gentie gentle gen gen- tie tle tle going easy-going fellow and practically practical practical- ly everyone who knows him likes him He never had the speed to beat out hits after the manner of Cobb DiMaggio Jackson Speaker Williams and other star hitters His hits had to come the hard way way way- earned with his bat and not his legs |