Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 April 1943 — Page 16

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

‘SPORTS...

By Eddie Ash

THE Americas association is fortunate that it set back 1943 opening day two weeks. . . . The late spring would have been disastrous to the teams at the box office under an early opening.

It is said the Kansas City Blues are in the best

physical condition at this writing . . . with the Indianapolis Indians runner-up sii thanks to the Indiana university field house. . Henry Oana, Hawalian, is a member of the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff. .i. . He is a righthander and is looking good in train-: ing camp ‘way down south in Waukesha, Wis. . . . Oodles of loose meney in that area. , . . The Brewers played the Heil Products team ‘of Milwaukee in Waukesha Sunday ang more than 2100 cask: cus‘tomers watched the game. St. Paul is well protected in the outfield. . , . Jake Powell and Pete Chapman bat righthanded and Allen Hunt and George Stumpf swing lefthanded. . . . Powell and Chapman figure to, park a few over St. Pdul's short left field barrier. , . . For additional outfield pro‘tection there are Bobby Reis and Chuck Barron, right and lefthand hitters, respectively... . . Reis and Barron play other positions as well. The Rochester Red Wings open the International league season at Newark on Thursday. . . . And the Wings have had only two exhibition games at their Portsmouth, O., camp, where the Columbus Red Birds also are laboring under adverse weather conditions.

In and Out of Armed Service

ART REBEL, Louisville outfielder, formerly with Montgomery in tern league, already has been in and out of the armed He drew a medical deferment. . . . Jim Wilson, young bn the Colonels’ staff, throws a corking fast ball. . , .

oo ‘Columbus is safe for the season at first base. . . . Because of an

old injury, Jack Sturdy is classified 4-F in the draft.

MeKechnie in Sixth Season at Cincy

- BILL, McKECHNIE tomorrow starts his sixth season as manager ®f the Cincinnati Reds. , . . No man ever managed the Reds more than six years in a row. . .. Ival Goodman, former Cincinnati right elder, who was sold to the Cubs, which club later sent him to Mineapolis, is in defense work in the Queen city. . . . He will be a ember. of a new independent team composed of former major and minor players being organized there. . . . The team will be managed by Falph (Buzz) Boyle, former big leaguer.

2 8 8 8 tJ . RECENTLY announced figures that 25 per cent of 18 and 19-year-old draftees are rejected for physical deficiencies reflected on America’s schoolboy physical fitness training, particularly in high schools, , , . It should be remembered, however, that those being examined do not include thousands who have enlisted voluntarily. ~ Just how much that would change the percentage figures is difteult to judge, but certainly it would change them. . .. The rugged

Jungsters are in there pitching.

Southpaws Tear Into Tenpins ’ _ BOWLING news letter shorts from the American Bowling eonMilwaukee headquarters: The No. 8 team of the McKee league « Cleveland is composed of five southpaws. , , . They are in first. and wear the loudest shirts in Cleveland, The first 300 game by a soldier was rolled recently by Cpl. Vine gent C. Staats, Spence field, Moultrie, Ga. A Chicago alley operator has started an imitation “farm system” ‘similar to the one used in baseball. , . . He has formed an eightteam league of beginners and expects to move them into better as they progress in skill. ~Therman Gibson, former Grand Rapids youth, now living in t, defeated the great Andy Varipapa in a 20-game match by

ks Are Strong Enough fo pread-Eagle A. L, This Year

of ; By PAUL SCHEFFELS United Press Staff Correspondent

iew YORK, April 20—The quantity and quality of the New York

nkees is not as good as in farmer years but Manager Joe McCarthy day na enough to spread-eagle the American league pennant race

“The I brilliant infield and potent outfield of the Bronx Bombers has n shattered: by draft calls but their pitching staff remains virtually

i he dovers Ckey, Joe raon . : Three Bouts on Armory Bill

| Charlie Keller, the Yankees make the junior loop race look All Pasha, the bearded grappler from Calcutta, India, engages Maurice Chappelle of Newark to feature tonight's three-hout. wrestling show at the armory. The two performers will meet for two falls out of three and are expected to come through with a fast tussle, They drew in a 30-minute encounter several weeks ago. Ali, crack exponent of the “cobra” hold, is of the aggressive type. His pet grip has given him victories over some of the best in this territory. Semi-windup action is between Nick Billins, a rough and tumble matman out of Birmingham, and Rene La Belle of Toronto. THe latter is one of the favorites among armory patrons. Ralph Vansky of Buffalo, replaces Buddy Knox on the card and meets Joe Ferona .of Boston in the 8:30 opener.

Tigers Say Butler, 14-1.

JDePativ knivensiti's baseihil team y.| literally ran wild on Butler yesterday, stealing 11 bases as the Tigers

spt for the absence of Red Ming and Lefty Gomez, the ses have a superb mound headed by Ernie Bonham, Borowy, Spud Chandler, Atley d, Marius Russo and rookies Zuber, Charlie Wensloff and ny Byrne. St. Louis Browns and CleveIndians have the only chance beat ‘McCarthy's outfit. The s especially were hot early tes but service gs hurt prospects. Luke Swell's sstionably was weakened by

ably damaged if Shortstop Stephens enters the army, staff is too old os bo year’s sterling trium te weakness at first base ffs the Indians. Les Flem- , fo remain on his defense ut. otherwise the infield is ate. The outfield is Bceepbut the “pitching, headed by Jim ‘Bagby, will not come the Yankees’ level. » Boston Red Sox have been : contenders but were rid-

Pesky, Dom DiMaggio and inney. They will be for- , indeed, if they land a spot

t di vision teams. Both will to Yor out

No Reason Why Ga

Shot in Am

Opening Day

league's opening gam Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics today. And the man who by virtue of his office held the game's destiny in the palm of his hand prefaced that task with the most inspiring statement since President Roosevelt's “green light” pronouncement last year. McNutt’'s viewpoint cannot be. construed as an official benediction, but his statement on wartime survival of the game was viewed in the most conservative quarters as “encouraging.” Non-Essential Activity Although he said the approaching induction of able-bodied men between 18 and 38 should not halt baséball, McNutt emphasized that the WMC will continue baseball as a non-essential activity, thus ruling out any possible occupational deferment for players. Yet he qualified this with the revelation that it will not be listed as non-deferable, which would have meant blanket 1-A classification for players between 18 and 38, regardless of dependents. Additional cheer was lent the picture when other WMC officials said they believed the han on drafting pre-Pearl Harbor fathers will be held off untii late this summer, thereby assuring use of eligible fathers for most of the 154-game schedule. Clubs Should Manage Clubs should be able to manage, McNutt added, with the use of men over 38 and youths up to their 18th birthday, when they become subject

1to induction,

“To that extent,” he said, “the

burden of proof whether baseball

can continue will be up to the clubs themselves.” He said they were fully cognizant of their position, have not asked for preferential treatment and would not receive it if they did. His general views also apply to other spectator sports, + McNutt’'s role as, opening-day pitcher will mark the first time since 1911 that the president, vice president or a cabinet member has not presided. ' President Roosevelt is too busy and Vice President Wal-~

[lace is out of town.

Prelude to a full-fledged opening day program for both leagues tomorrow, the Washington-Philadel-phia game is expected to draw 27,000 to Griffith stadium.

Ossie Bluege, will star Veteran Dutch Leonard while Philadelphia will call on Luman Harris, Both are righthanders. . The weather remained a closelyguarded secret.

VanderMeer Classed 1-A

OR OR + aa J A Go Johnny Vander Meer

RIDGEWOOD, N. J., April 20 (U. P.) ~The Ridgewood draft board today struck a body blow at the pennant hopes of the Cincinnati Reds with - the statement that) Southpaw Pitcher Johnny VanderMeer probably would be inducted into the army May 8. VanderMeer, who speedballed his way to baseball immortality by fashioning successive -no=hitterss

CINCINNATI, April 20 (U.P). ~The Cincinnati Reds, stunned by niews of Johnny Vander Meer’s - imminent induction, braced today for a similar ruling on Outfielder' Mike McCormick. ° Vice President Warren C. Giles of the Reds said McCormick had undergone his “screen” test, but the results have not been revealed, McCormick, 25, is married but childless. He now is in 3-A.

sim

physical examination, The Cincinnati star is the father of a daughter born last Christmas. He sold his home in nearby Midland

| Park several weeks dgo after being|

reclassified and friends said his

'| wife and daughter were now living | With hi Scranton, |

Given Baseball|

— ~

Wanted

Six-foot Frank Hiller, Lafayette college pitcher rejected by army, has tentative offers from the Yankees, Giants, Dodgers, Reds, Cards, Tigers, Athletics and Phillies baseball clubs.

. tives in those

Washington, under new Manager|’

- discriminatory and would take a

No One Should Apologize for Being in Baseball, Joe Says

By JOE WILLIAMS Times Special Writer NEW YORK, April 20.—The president is understandably occupied with matters: of relatively. greater importance, so Paul (Manpower) McNutt will crank up his legislative soup bone and heave out the first ball down in Washington today. The magnates would feel more secure if, in so doing, he said in an aside to the players: “Now keep that and play with it all season.”

Because it's more or less up to - Mr. McNutt whether baseball will | left to carry on, Mr. McNutt, we survive the scheduled season. | think, owes it to the public and the traditions of America's most

Baseball went through the first by cherished sport, to keep hands & off,

year of world . iw war 1 and was WE DO NOT presume to try on its way to to tell him how to run his office, completing the this in itself making us somesecond year thing of a curiosity, but we sugwhen a govern- gest he approach the subject with mental directive, this question in mind: Will a only they didn't comparatively handful of ball call 'em direc- players assigned to farms or face tories. be more important to the over-all conduct of the war than their presence in the ball parks? The principle is all on the side of the players who have faced up to qr are facing up to all draft regulations. The number of players involved is insignificant. The possible tonic effect on a Jarge part of stay at homes is substantial. :

[ a » WE HAVE been checking through the records and we find that none of the managers who were in the National league during world war I is still identified with baseball. You may be interested in a rundown: They were John McGraw, Giants; Pat Moran, Phillies; Jack Hendricks, Cardinals; Hugo Bezdek, Pirates; Fred Mitchell, Cubs; Christy Mathewson, Reds; George Stallings, Braves, and Uncle Wilbert Robin« son, Dodgers. Most of these old timers are dead.

days, ended the season prema- Joe Wiliams turely. This was the historic work-or-fight order. Apparently it is within Mr. Me--Nutt’s power to impose a similar order should he decide cunditions so warrané, We feel baseball should be permitted to complete its season if there are enough players to go around. These players would, of course, all be deferred or rejected for authenticated reasons. To force them to get into some other work simply because they happen to be baseball players would be

lot of explaining. Baseball has long been considered an honorable profession. There is no reason why a fellow should have to apologize for being it it.

‘8 o 2 A BLANKET work-or-fight order would have to touch everybody in the entertainment field. Mother and the girls may get a heart throb out of Gary Cooper on the screen; by the same reasoning, dad and the boys are entitled to their fun in the bleach ers. We are naive enough to believe morale can be important influ. ence on the home front where certain hardships and sacrifices are not entirely unknown, either. If there are enough ball players

Apparently the American league is made of sturdier stuff, At least there are more world war I survivors. Ed Barrow managed the Red Sox in those days; Clark Griffith, the Senators; Clarence Rowland, the White Sox; Lee Fohl, the Indians; Hugh Jennings, the Tigers; Miller Huggins, the Yankees; Jimmy Burke, the Browns, and, of course, Connie Mack, the A’s. . Qur recollection is that of this group only Jennings, Huggins and Burke have taken their final out.

woa retlassified $-Ais month ago) “land has passed his preliminary

Fistic Rivalry of Years Ago Will Be Renewed Tomorrow

‘By DENNIS DALTON United Press Staff Correspondent CLEVELAND, April 20.—An “Abie’s Irish Rose” fistic rivalry of more than a quarter century ago will be renewed by Johnny Kilbane and Matt Brock tomorrow night when they step out of the past into the Cleveland arena for a one-night “comeback.” "Kilbane, who ruled the featherweight division from 1912 to 1923 jurough sh era in which fighters wors modest sitire consisting ef

long drawers, ruled -the favorite. for the three-round exhibition heeause he still. sports. a tll srop of ‘hair. Brock, who fought ( a no-decision bout with Johnny 26 years ago, ignored the odds and: asserted that Kilbane’s 16-ounce gloves would rattle harmlessly off the self-described Brock “hay wine

as a guard in a Cleveland war plant and pronounces himself in “fine fighting form.” Both “boys” will be watched by a critical audience of 50 oldtime fighters, many of whom saw the last Kilbane-Brock bout at Gray's armory here on April 19, 1917, And the man in the middle will be Abe Attell, from whom Kilbane won the featherweight crown in a -20-round scrap at Vernon, Cal, Feb. 22, 1012, The principals, who scaled 125

“The fans might take us for a couple of these Soule vaciing heavyweights” =

Plan ‘Swing -Shift’

Games for Workers nen

Indians Plan

{To Break Camp

At L U. Today

BLOOMINGTON, Ind, April 20. —Barring unfavorable weather conditions in Terre Haute, the Indianapolis Indians were to break training camp this morning and move to the Vigo county seat for two days, playing the Minneapolis Millers this afternoon and morrow at Memorial stadium. Reports from Terre Haute last night indicated conditions there were none too bright for playing the exhibitions. The Millers have been hampered by weather far more than the Indians. They do not have fieldhouse facilities for indoor workouts and their “indoor” practice has consisted of tossing the ball around under their ball park grandstand. But if Miller President Mike Kelley said to come ahead, the Redskins were packed and ready to travel by regular bus to Terre Haute. Both teams would welcome team competition if it's possible to get outdoors.

Eddie Morgan Reports

The Indians were outdoors long enough for batting practice yesterday and then continued practice indoors. Eddie Morgan, veteran first sacker obtained from Montreal in exchange for Carl Fairly, infielder, went through his first workout as a Tribester yesterday. He put in some good training licks with Montreal and is in fair shape. However, Morgan did no first basing for Montreal last year and only played part time in the outfield. The 1943 Baseball Guide does not list his 1942 batting average. Evidently the Guide dropped names of International league players who hit no better than .226. Therefore, Morgan may be the answer to the Tribe’s infleld problem and agdin he may not fill the bill. Only time alone will tell.

All in Same Boat

Since nothing can be done about the weather, Manager Ownie Bush is satisfled with the condition of his team. “We're in the same hoat with the rest of 'em and in far better shape than some clubs in the American association,” sald the skipper. “The pitchers probably don’t have as keen an edge as they should, but other departments are all right. “The Indianapolis club is lucky it was invited to train here and we

townspeople for their co-operation and hospitality.”

In Braves’ Fold

By UNITED PRESS BOSTON, April 20.—~The Boston Braves’ chances in the 1943 National ledgue race were improved immeasurably today when holdout Catcher Ernie Lombardi agreed to terms. The league's leading hitter last year with an average of .330, Lombardi has been in Oakland, Cal. and did not participate in the Braves’ spring training at Willing ford, Conn. He intends to report immediately. The Braves scored five runs in the 10th to defeat the Red Sox, 6 to 1, yesterday in the first game, of a Patriot’s day double-header. The second game was canceled because of weather, Righthander Norman Brown of the Red Sox, after being informed he was going fo Louisville on option, was sent to the mound in the 10th. He promptly walked four men, threw wild to third and gave up a single for the five runs.

Watch Reds, Cubs, Rickey Warns NEW YORK, April 320. — The Brooklyn Dodgers today optioned Pirst Baseman Jack Graham and Outfielder Roberto Ortiz to Montreal, their International league farm club. President Branch Rickey said the Dodgers’ pennant chances depended on pitching and experience. “Brooklyn has experienced pitching and the ability to stand up under pressure,” he said. “Wa have a whale of a chance to win the pennant, but any thing can happen this season, so don't overlook the Cubs and Reds. Chicago has power and pitching and Cin-

cinnati has pitching and a good defense.”

ants } airs : ld ons Club . Red Wicke, Auto Trans

are grateful to the university and|:

Ernie Lombardi;

i —— TT umes ”) I 2, 198° Can't Continue-M'Nutt

Derby Favorite

One of the outstanding faverites to win the Kentucky Derby is Count Fleet, shown with Jockey Johnny Longden up. This pice ture was taken after the horse won the St. James Purse at Jamaica,

New York.

Baseball Is Facing Its Most

Prosperous Season in Years

By JACK CUDDY United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, April 20.—~Major of American democracy, gets under

league baseball, traditional symbol way at Washington today and ale

though 1943 will find the sport involved in its most uncertain campaign,

there is little doubt that it will have

its most prosperous season in years,

A general air of confidence pervades the personnel of the majors

from bat boy to club owner—since

Bonham Draws Starting Job

the government's favorable attitude toward the sport was reflected in a statement by War Manpower Come missioner Paul V. McNutt, While McNutt emphasized there will be no occupational deferment for players, he did reveal that the game will not be listed as a hone deferrable industry. This, plus a selective service ruling that makes the call of fathers unlikely before fall, virtually assures a full, 154« game schedule. Fat box-office figures became ale

| most a certainty following the oute

Ernie Bonham NEW YORK, April 20 (U, P.)— Righthander Ernie Bonham will be the New York Yankees’ opening day pitcher tomorrow against the Washington Senators at the stadium, it was announced today. Bonham won 21 and lost 5 last year in his third season, The Yankees also antiounced the signing of their last holdout—Inflelder Frankie Crosetti—who wired acceptance of terms) his Callfornia home. The veteran infielder is under 30 days’ suspension for a world series infraction and will- iot be eligible to play until May 21. However, he will leave sometime this week to work out with the club. Mayor F. H. La Guardia, President William Harridge of the American league and possibly Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis will attend tomorrow’s opener.

No Coupons Needed For Spiked Shoes

WASHINGTON, April 20 (U. P)). —Baseball players will not need ration coupons to obtain spiked shoes if the shoes remain the propYerty of the club, the office of price administration said today. . OPA said the same rules apply to other professional athletes, colleges and other non-profit educational institutions. Shoes worn by professionals are considered “work shoes” when the club purchases them. Providing all No. 17 stamps in his family have been used and he owns less than two pairs of wearable or repairable spiked shoes, a player wishing to purchase his own equipment may get a certificate

T Karo Sr dn

standing success handed boxing, racing and hockey by a monied sports-hungry public. The ring proe gram, although notable for an abe sence of name fighters like Joe Louis, Billy Conn, Gus Lesnevich

big-time fashion. Enjoyed Capacity Crowds Jamaica's race track has enjoyed capacity crowds since opening day while Madison Square Garden's recent hockey season had the best box-office record in years despite the fact that the rink is the home of the last-place Rangers, Although former fanfare will be lacking, the combination of a new ball plus a lower grade of competition make for a wide-open race in both circuits.

Senators, Steve O'Neill with the Detroit Tigers and Bucky Harris’ with the Philadelphia Phillies. Speaking of the Phillies, there is another change for.the better, New Owner William Cox has instituted a vigorous housecleaning and the Phillies have a good chance of fine ishing better than last as has been their annual custom, y All in ‘all, the coming picture is unpredictable and, after wallowing through a unique training season, the players and fans are ready for to

More Than 100

With an entry of more than 100: p firsts

$250. The event, which {is scheduled. Saturday and Sunday, is attracts

ing some of the city’s wp gutntety

ciation has posted a special prize for the highest individual game the two days of competition. =

GARDEN HOSE

26 ft. "2.69 60 ff. *4.98

hod ae Ni ork, ew cr outpoinied Joey LongS

.| Three new managers will make their debut—Ossie Bluege with the

$ ’

and Tony Zale, has gone over in bi

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