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Show toff rpOR the last six years, if you feel 1 strong enough to turn back the calendar to 1911, the Cardinals and the Dodgers have taken over most Of the pennant interest in the National Na-tional league. By some odd turn, the Cubs slipped safely into port in 19-15. but even then the Cardinals were breathing not flro on their necks. It must be admitted, that in most of the Cardinal - Dodger pursuit races, the Red Birds from St. Louis have shown more wing power in the stretch. They had the extra flutter flut-ter needed. A year ago, around this time, the Dodgers were seven-and-a-half games in front of their Cardinal nnrsiiprQ hut tbi " T j lead wasn't enough, Grantland Rice as they finished in a dead heat with the Cardinals winning win-ning the play-off. Whatever happens In the foggy future,' and all futures are foggy, the Dodgers have stolen the National Na-tional league show up to this spot. Just before the season opened, their manager, Leo Durocher, was ordered to Elba, or St. Helena, the Napoleonic hide - out, by Happy Chaudler, who, right or wrong, also was wrapped up In a fog. This forced Branch Rickey to reach out ind drag In Burt Shotton, the most underrated manager in baseball, who knew nothing about his team. Shotton stepped into the middle of i strange squad. He soon lost his star, Pete Reiser, who still believes lis head is harder than a hydrant )r a concrete wall. Then Shotton jegan looking around for a pitcher vho could travel four innings al-nost al-nost anyone who could locate the jeneral direction of the plate. 4 Mild Old-Timer Shotton, a mild, country looking )ld-timer, the exact opposite of Durocher, like Ole Man River, just :cpt rolling along. The Dodgers vere shot. The day of the Bums A'as over. The Brooklyn attendance vould take a dizzy dip. But what lappens? The Dodgers move out In ront, and the attendance fills the jail park, despite a wet, cold spring ind a wetter, colder June. The Dodgers, so far, under Shot-:on, Shot-:on, have outplayed the Bums. And hey have even keener fan support. For Brooklyn knows Its baseball ind Brooklyn understands and ap-reciates ap-reciates the handicaps Shotton has faced, with Chuck Dressen and Red Corriden over In the Yankee camp. An old-timer by the name of Burt Shotton deserves much more credit than he has received. He has turned In one of the big Jobs of the year. The Cardinals, looking back to March and April, appeared to have class. The Giants have had power. The Braves have had balance, pitching and hitting. But the Dodgers Dodg-ers remain the major threat, the team to beat. A few days ago, I ran across my old friend Arky Vaughan, one of the best all-around ballplayers you'll see in many a year. Arky can play either the Infield or the eutfleld and he is one of the best natural hitters baseball has known. "What holds the Dodgers up?" I asked. "A good all-around ball club," Vaughan answered. "There's always al-ways somebody around to handle the Job when we get In trouble. This means pitchers, outfielders or Ui-flclders. Ui-flclders. We've had more hard luck with Reiser, Edwards and others, than any other team. But wo keep bustling. We'll outhustle the Cardinals, Cardi-nals, too. We have a bunch of young pitchers, who will be stars next year. After all, Branca Is only 21. Watch flatten and Barney. Robin-ion Robin-ion has turned In a swell Job. Show me a stronger second basc-short-itop combination than Reese and Stanley. They are winning ballplayers. ballplay-ers. The Dodgers are niado up of winning ballplayers. The Yen to Win "Every team and every ballplayer ball-player likes to win. But the Dodgers like the winning side better than anyone else. I can't understand why lo ninny people are surprised at the Dodgers' showing. We might easily, wllh belter luck, have been much farther In front." It might be mentioned hero that Vaughan litis been rain of the stars ill this Dodger drive. Vnughan's hitting hit-ting and his iill-nrnund play has filled n wide - open gap. And Vaiighau Is no longer u kid. Hut, now the Cardinals arc coin-'ng coin-'ng along and the Cardinals havo Blways been the team to heal. They wero 3-lo-5 Kliots Inst April. Ihey were the Mire lliluc of nil liu-niire liu-niire jinine. They Mill look lo luivo Hie eliiNfi, tile experience, Ilie pitching pitch-ing mill llielr nIihio of power. Ilul, It Ik Mill u (iiii nIIoii in In wliellier !liey mill outrun the lloilgelN und III ri llruven. Anyone who leaven or heiiven out llio llritvm Is a irlllo piofy. Tlio Yankees nlieiidv luive wrrek-id wrrek-id the Aniei'leiiii lengiin nuo. This melius bigger world sn-les pny-nrf. pny-nrf. This nlno iiieiini a keener flnuu-11 flnuu-11 Interest for any Nulloonl league |