Show R CE A A S IS usual in an army camp an L A argument over sports was unde under under un un- de der way This one on baseball came in the wake of the recent star all-star game in Pittsburgh The general idea was this this this-if if you picked two star all-star teams from both leagues dating back to 1900 and they a. a played a series of seven games which league would win Naturally the first move in such a situation situation situ situ- is the selection selection tion of the two teams Which Mich incidentally incidentally inci inci- dentally will only drag in another ar ar- Im I'm sticking sticking sticking stick stick- ing my neck out Grantland Rice but here we go go- go LEAGUE AMER LEAGUE Catchers Bresnahan Dickey Hartnett Cochrane Pitchers Alexander Matty latty Johnson Grove Hubbell Dean Walsh Waddell First Base Terry Chance Gehrig Second Base Frisch Eddie Collins Hornsby Lajoie Third Base Traynor Bradley Jimmy Collins Baker Shortstop Wagner Joe Cronin Outfield F F. F Clarke Moore loore Cobb Speaker Ott Ruth Cy Young isn't included in the list of pitchers since the Gilmore Ohio pitched for both leagues His winning record of games leaves the others far behind Having taken the first hurdle in naming the two teams the next barrier barrier barrier bar bar- rier is picking the winner You would find on both sides brilliant brilliant brilliant bril bril- pitching skill thrown against terrific hitting When Then this combination tion collides the star pitcher usually usual usual- ly has the call Only great pitching could suppress these hitters but the great pitching is there Rating the Two Squads 1 The catchers Here catchers Here the American Ameri Amen can league has at least a shade As Asgood Asgood Asgood good as Bresnahan and Hartnett were vere Dickey and Cochrane are at least close to being the two time all-time tops especially on the power side 2 The pitching pitching Anyone Anyone who can cansay cansay cansay say that either league league s has the winning winning win- win ning ung margin here is a better guesser than ban I am taking all eight in their best est years Walter Johnson would be the hardest to beat but the two sets average arm and arm Well We'll give the pitching a draw 3 The infields infields With With and Gehrig the American league has a decided advantage around first base Bill Terry was about the best allaround allaround allaround all- all around first baseman the National league had to show but there may be a stronger choice in Frank Chance The consistent batting power pow pow- er of and Gehrig is well above the N. N L L. L pair Id I'd say the A A. A L L. L also has the edge at second base with Eddie Collins and Nap Lajoie on the job These two were among the harder and better better better bet bet- ter hitters although neither outranked outranked outranked out out- ranked Hornsby in this respect They were also among the greatest defensive defensive de de- infielders in baseball history Ct Ti JL ne summing up The A. A L L. L takes a healthy lead in inthe inthe inthe the outfield Cobb Speaker and Ruth form an incomparable trio Just back of these would come Jackson Jackson Jackson Jack Jack- son DiMaggio and Ted Williams Fred Clarke of Pittsburgh Terry Moore of St. St Louis Mel Ott of the Giants Jimmy of Chicago's Chicago's Chicago's Chica Chica- gos go's Cubs also Brooklyn might form a stronger defensive tion I think they would But they would be outclassed on the attacking attacking attacking attack attack- ing side in hi the run-making run depart depart- ment For that matter Cobb Speaker and Ruth were never listed with the lame and blind defensively They could also roam quite a bit To help out the camp army-camp argument argument argument ment it would be my guess that the American league outfield would supply supply supply sup sup- ply the winning balance on the side of power They wouldn't be murdering murdering murdering mur mur- dering such pitchers as Hubbell Alexander Alexander Alexander Al Al- Matty tatty and Dean but when you add up the combined assaulting ingredients the A. A L. L can offer you get a trifle too much for the N. N L. L to match The National leagues league's best chance would be in the box with four of or the smartest pitchers and four of the greatest competitors that ever baffled baffled baffled fled a batting eye In this ledger the A. A L L. L wins in a n driving finish |