Show 1 speaking Speak inK of sports yankees face tall hurdle in pennant race by ROBERT mcshane Ite leased by western newspaper union stion THE HE most frequently asked ques tion in sports today happened to the new york yankees is one of the hardest to answer its difficult to realize that the once proud yanks quoted as favorites by betting authorities when the season opened now are not even money against the field those 3 to 1 I odds the shortest price in all baseball history are now a thing of the past the big change came when the yankees dropped to the american leagues tail end position by losing eight games in a row no experts self styled or real are saying 1 I told you so and for a good reason most of bill W dickey them were on the yankee bandwagon it was only natural the few who picked other clubs to assume command at least placed the yanks in a near top position now comes word that manager joe mccarthy has called on the american league in the best interests of baseball and the circuit to kill the new rule which prevents the yankees from making a trade mccarthy explained that he plans on making his bis fight with the team which won last year but that if last years year f s combination proves ineffective it will be time to do something drastic mccarthy refused to elaborate on his drastic measures but it is held likely that if the club cant get back in 1939 form it win will be shaken up and replacements brought in from the club farm system no yankee alibis admitting that he has never seen any anything thin like the yankee slump in baseball before mccarthy offers n no 0 alibis the yanks had a cold spring on the way north but so did the other clubs then however the worlds championship tea team m went into a slump sad to say a slump feeds on itself it can begin with one man and spread to a greater part of the team but its not in the cards for men like bill dickey joe gordon and charlie keller to fail when the chips are down players like these usually snap out of it in a hurry one or two good days and back in hitting form mccarthy expect to have to take any unusual steps ile he wont be satisfied with a two or three week w winning i nning streak he wants the yankees to climb on top and stay there he knows a team that can do it its about the same club that ran away from both leagues last year with superlative players in every department A three way jinx dickey gordon cordon and keller agree with mccarthy that their troubles N were in trying too hard they agree too that the slump will wear itself out and the yanks will be on their way through the middle of may alay dickey was hitting slightly more than that was a mark to break the heart of one or of baseballs charley chamle keller deadliest crucial bitters joe gordon doing much better and the second year jinx O apparently had visited charley keller yeller keller finished the 1939 season with a batting average of and blasted out three home runs in the world series against cincinnati hitting at a clip in the fall fail classic this year he visited the sidelines benched by mccarthy for weak hitting after chalking up a mark in 21 games II mccarthy cCarthy cant understand why left handed pitching should play a very important part in the yanks slump they beat southpaws 36 times last year and lost only 14 decisions to them but while the yanks were at their worst they dropped their tenth game to left handed banded al smith of the cleveland indians being on the short end of a 10 to 2 count A slump is hard to explain whether it hits one man or the tha a whole team the yanks dont intend to do any explaining out to win ball games knowing a first place ball club they intend to climb into that position sport shorts the national hockey league may find itself without canadian members bers when the season opens next fau fall babe ruth hit homers in league games over 20 years night harness horse racing will be established in the east this season joe jacobs who managed tony galento max and others died broke bill lee of the chicago cubs won six games in 19 days for columbus in 1933 goose goslin mana manager ger of the trenton club wil still plays a game now and then |