Show R EIN 0 or C F PORT ORT WORTH TEXAS watch those cardinals Cardinal sl 1 this is still the war cry from the southwest where they have turned out more good ball players than any other single sector in recen recent years As asa a rule brooklyn is is the publics and the peoples choice around the big map but along the cottonwood highway the cardinals have again uain moved back into the picture with a pennant Gr grantland autland rice chance sure those dodgers are OK tell you but they cant hit pitch or field with that st louis bunch they are just as good as the old gas house gang outside ot of dizzy dean but dizzy is a lot to leave out a pitcher good enough to win 58 games in two successive seasons the cardinals have too man many Y good hitters an old time scout told me they have too much power and they are getting good pitching just as good as brooklyn or anyone else st louis has always been the southwestern stronghold texas oklahoma and arkansas have been responsible for a flock of stars including the deans pepper martin lon warneke and several others the gas house gang has passed to other pastures but the cardinals still have their share ol of color and fire the rougher road the rougher road in these two pennant races is still on ahead july and august are the test months in which class and reserves count these are the months when consistency tells its story so far there has been a woeful lack ack of consistency in both leagues the dodgers lose six straight and then win eight straight Clev elands down with a seesaw effect just as you pick the tribe to win the pennant by eight or ten games they suddenly turn into a second division touch until feller pitches bob feller would have had yankees white sox or red sox well in front at this stage he is still the most important single factor in baseball the southwest is still won wondering derin about bill mckech nies cincinnati reds there is a feeling among cardinal rooters around the texas range that deacon bill will still have something bob feller to say about the pennant in the next two months from now on another scout told me 1 I figure biu bill will get a lot of good pitching from walters derringer vander meer and thompson two pennants in a row plus the world series softened the reds up all this success turned them from champs into chumps but the dust they have taken from st louis and brooklyn should get them going again they are too good a ball club to be where t they are I 1 was talking with president ford frick of the national league about baseball attendance weekdays have been off ford said because so many now are working on defense saturdays and sundays have taken a big jump so have night games I 1 am sure there is greater interest in both pennant races than ever before we should have at least three clubs in the running before august and that will also help the loss of lou gehrig I 1 doubt that the passing of any ball player in the history of the game not even christy mathewson brought along as much genuine sorrow as the recent death of lou gehrig texas is far away from the side walk new york but they are still talking about the yankee star alio who had such an abundance of courage skill stamina and sportsmanship here was baseballs greatest tragedy lou was a great ball player one of the greatest but he was something more with his great physique his amazing physical power he also had the gentleness of a child no one like lou will come our way again cheering for dickey the southwest is also cheering tor for arkansas bill dickey who was supposed to be all through but in his sixteenth season the famous quail hunter came bounding back with the rush ol of a coyote so far this has been dickeys best season the lanky son of louisiana and arkansas told me back in early march that he would pass this season at bat and so far the drum beat of his bat has made his p promise rom seem too conservative |