| Show 0 JA IT IT WAS easy enough to understand why ewell blackwell was baseballs best pitcher in 1947 and why he might easily be baseballs best pitcher in ater after meeting blackwell again aga in out here in los angeles I 1 began to study his physical makeup make up six feet five and a fraction tor for a s tarter starter he looks looks slimmer than a quill thinner than a drink of water wafer your first guess gues would be that the reds able sniper would weigh in at ir V wa or 01 pounds POU 1 I do better than t h a t blackwell said make it pounds and be right which means there Is a lot of fiber and muscle on those thosa long bones this coming coining national league race should be the best belt in baseball history the red bean pole pate said the american league race will be a two club scramble red sox and yankees in the national league they already are talking about the dodgers braves cardinals and giants these will all be tough but the reds wont be any pushover push over well be stronger than we were last season well get much better pitching well store score more runs rung well bother more teams johnny Is planning a drive ti at that first division and we wont be far ar away y just how bow do you figure the race I 1 asked the human skyscraper se per A very tough race blackwell said too tough lor for me to pick but I 1 can promise you this boston is going to make a big effort to have a boston world series it could happen with the new stars brought in stephens and kramer and other help the red sox have the edge in the american league not a big edge but a margin to work on it would be a killing margin ii if we we kne knew that hughson harris and ferriss w would he be 0 K pick braves to beat the braves will be tough to hen handle in the national they have two star pitchers in spahn and sa sain n they have a star manager and a lock flock of good ballplayers the dodgers should be just as good and the cardinals will be better than a year ago but the braves still have a good chance in a very tough scramble I 1 alter after winning 22 games last season I 1 w was as sorry that I 1 was halted by tin an injured knee and a bad back blackwell said 1 I was no good the last three weeks id like to slip by that 25 mark this year johnny lindell lindeh another 8 6 foot font 4 or 54 5 inch ch athlete came by a few minute Is later t er lindell Is one ona of the most underrated ballplayers ballplayer la in the game johnny was an allaround all around star in california baseball football tennis track and field and golf this covers quite a span in Ha baseball he can pitch play the outfield first base and hit lindell refuses to concede the red hed sox any pennant 1 I know how much those browns will help he said but rm im not sure cover the 12 game margin we piled up last fall heres another angle what w wins ins pennants pitching of course well have hava another strong staff ta iff gain again backed up by joe page but t who knows how good tex hughson mickey harris and boo ferriss will be all ali had bad arms in 1947 none of the three was any too effective an operation could help hughson but it also could hep help I 1 spud chandler one of the best ive ever seen tiger hurling best what about frank shea one of the best young pitchers I 1 ever saw his arm was 0 K again at the end of the season and this sh should ou id mean at least a 22 game winner well have a better pitching staff than the red sox and that will make a big difference 1 I know its tough to beat out a club that has ted williams vern stephens johnny pesky dom dimaggio and so BO many other good ones but we had a pretty fair ball club too we ran up 18 19 in a row with our two best pitchers on the bench or in the hospital we also have a few fellows who can hit when you need hits the tigers may have the he best pitching in either league their infield look any too hot and their outfield li Is a guess fuess cleveland will be a much tougher team to beat bob feller will have or should have a much better year after a much longer rest but the race should he be between the bo yankees and the red ked sox SOL the pennant races you cant blame the west coast in taking a deep interest in the two big league pennant races the west coast gaye gave the two dl DI maggiol Mag gios 03 joe ami dom to the yankees and the red bed sox the west coast tent sent joe gordon and johnny pesky to the indians and the red SO sox x and jack robinson to the dodgers this Is only a beginning ted aril dams left sun san diego to join the red sox and he still stands as the best allaround all around batter baiter to in baseball |
