Show College lIege Mind Boon to fo Baseball By GRANTLAND RICE RICE- The College Influence THE HE ADDITION of Red Rolfe the 4 distinguished Dartmouth alumnus alumnus alumnus alum alum- nus to the list of big league managers managers managers man man- agers increases considerably the influence of the college mind on our national game The list of trained college-trained managers managers managers man man- agers now includes Lou Boudreau of Illinois Eddie Dyer of Rice Red f Rolfe of Dartmouth and Eddie Sawyer of Ithaca This is only four out of the 16 but its it's at least leasta f a lift from the old r days when Jake Stahl of Illinois and the Red Sox was Grantland Rice about the only collegian in charge of a squad Stahl's Red Sox beat the Giants inthe in inthe inthe the 1912 World Series It isn't beyond reason to see Boudreaus Boudreau's Indians and Dyers Dyer's Cardinals hook up in another world series This however is no even even- money bet In the American league the Indians still have the Red Sox Yankees and Athletics to sub sub- due In the National league the Cardinals s still t have the Dodgers Braves Pirates and Giants to lasso and handle The four trained college-trained managers managers man man- agers must also overpower such non-college non entries as Joe McCarthy McCarthy McCarthy Mc Mc- Carthy Casey Stengel Burt Shotton Shotton Shotton Shot- Shot ton Leo Durocher Billy Southworth Southworth South South- worth Billy Meyer and Connie Mack Mack Mack-a a rather formidable troop What teams are going to win the two pennants anyway With nothing nothing noth noth- ing better to do under a hot steamy sun we began interviewing ballplayers ball ball- players players not not the rookies rookies to to get their angles After all they had bad played against these teams and ought to have some slant on the subject Their opinions were quite Interesting In In- F Fro From r o m American league camps we found that about 65 per cent gave Cleveland Cleveland Cleveland Cleve Cleve- land the edge through stronger balance in pitching hitting outfield Infield and catching Theres There's no doubt that Boudreaus Boudreau's Indians are the best balanced lout outfit outfit out out- fit in either league They have what should be the best pitching staff a fine outfield a strong infield and competent catching iThe i a Th The other 35 per er cent went 25 for the Red Sox and 10 for the Yankees I rate rat th the l' l Yankees much higher than this They have th the best belt out outfield field in Jb the league if i Joe DiMaggio DiMaggio gio is OK They have th the weakest infield of 0 th the three co contenders lIt enders but powerful Ill pitching possibilities The Tb Red Sox are only uncertain in n the bo box where pennants are won ana and lost Anyway most of the American leaguers thought the Indians would win again They thought so rather violently They are probably right as Boudreau is a smart keen hustling hustling hustling hust hust- ling manager who is going to stand for tor no loafing Joe McCarthy must get better pitching and Casey Stengel Stengel Stengel Sten Sten- gel must get better infield play improved improved improved im im- proved pitching and improved catching Could happen 4 I The National League Vote The National league vote was even more interesting We only had the Cardinals Reds Phillies and Braves to talk to The Giants and Pirates are too far away So are the Dodgers in their madhouse at Vero Vera Beach All the Cardinals we talked to picked the Cardinals to win by some strange quirk The Phillies and the Reds were split among the Braves Cardinals and Dodgers with the Braves slightly in the lead because of ot Sam Saint Sain Spahn Dark and Pete Reiser's potential potential potential po po- po- po gifts Also a fellow by the name of Billy Southworth at least one of of the great managers of all time In a series of ot rive ve games the Cardinals would probably win four tour But games was a different story Here is a 1941 1940 squad facing a 1948 1947 squad younger squad younger sounder with stronger legs and stronger arms There is no such creaking and clashing of worn-out worn bones among the Dodgers that you hear from the Cardinal camp The Redbird team must be re rebuilt rebuilt rebuilt built quickly It is almost through through although although still powerful and dangerous They are t I much be better ter ball team than the Dodgers or Giants But Im I'm not sure they can go the long route as well as the Dodgers can travel tra tra- travel vel the pennant road Oddly enough few of or the National National National Na Na- leaguers I talked to gave the Pirates or the Giants a chance They liked the Pirates over the Giants In a short series the they ther liked the Braves over the Cardinals on account of Sain and Spahn |