Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 April 1943 — Page 22
SPORTS. ..
By Eddie Ash
5
IN a world war I baseball opener, 1918, Grover eveland Alexander and Bill Killefer formed the battery or the Chicago Cubs against the St. Louis Cardinals and were drafted into the army immediately after the
game.
. Cincinnati blanked Pittsburgh, 1 to 0, in its 1918 lid-lifter, - Schneider of the Reds allowing one hit. , . . Bill McKechnie played
third ‘base for the Pirates.". a0
t Secretary of the Navy
Franklin ‘D. Roosevelt raised the flag at the Washington opener. « « The Giants beat the Dodgers at the Polo Grounds before 30,000
fans, .
. Your column conductor sat in on that one. ... Dutch
Otto Miller of Indianapolis caught for the Dodgers and Rube Mar‘quard, Indianapolis’ 1908 . star, pitched for Brooklyn... . Benny ‘Kauff, Indianapolis’ Federal league ace of 1914, was in center field for the Giants, . . . Babe Ruth was & Boston Red Sox pitcher that 5 year and won his opener, beating the Athletics, allowing only four
~ TOLEDO’S Mud Hens are going fo practice under the Swayne field lights on the night of April 28 before meeting the Indianapolis ‘Indians there the following night. ... It also will be a Mud Hen preview for Toledo's fans. . . . New manager Jack Fournier and his ‘players will be introduced and other ceremonies will take place. + » Twenty-four hours later the Hens and Indians will tear off
the A. A. lid.
Urges War Workers to Stay on Job
COLUMBUS will not swing into might ball until after the weather warms up. ... The Red Bird home opener against Louisville on April 29 is to be in the afternoon and Prexy Al Banister is urging fans NOT to attend if it means that they're staying away from a war plant job to watch the game. .. . He wants a big open4ng day crowd, of course, but he says he wants that crowd made up ‘of folks who can be there'in the normal operation of their plans of . At any rate, that’s the way Lew Byrer explains the situation
in the Columbus Citizen. 2 8 =
STEVE O'NEILL, Detroit manager, has 22 players and one coach. . . . He's already three men below the big league limit in ve personnel and his squad includes only eight pitchers. . . . But for the fact that two of the hurlers are in 4-F he would have a tough
time making it.
Umpires’ Uniforms Go to War
* THE blue uniforms of baseball umpires have been placed in the same non-essential class as zoot suits by the war production boatd, reports Shirley Povich of the Washington Post. ~ The company which manufactures the uniforms has been ordered to desist by the WPB as a textile saving measure. . . « That is what e American league umpire was told by the company... . When the umpire carried as appeal to the WPB, he was told, “Umpires can wear their street clothes on the ball field.”
THREE Hoosier-trained major teams won their openers yestergay, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. . . . And three Indiana~ teams lost, Detroit, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. . In two instances, however, Hoosier-trained met Hoosier-irained, and vs. Detroit and Pirates vs. Cubs. The “question mark” big league season got off on a 50-50 permtage, four games were played, four were postponed. :
Dcean Wave Regained Some Lost Prestige in Blue Grass
By JOE WILL Ss Times Special Writer
NEW YORK, April 22.—The Derby took on a faint glow of comstitive life today. This followed Ocean Wave's win in the Blue Grass stakes out in Louisville. Normally the win might well be significant ‘but—vwell, there’s that Count Fleet you know. : "Ocean Wave comes from one of the better stables, the Calumet ned by Warren Wright. He's a well bred colt, too, a Blenheim, and
trained by Ben Jones, the felw who brought the erratic hirlaway round to winning Here’s a solid sombination
by has practically been con-
to Count Fleet, and this pite a recently injured foaf. “Hell, the Count can beat gp other things on three legs,” rail birds scoff. The operaof the winter books seem eel that way, too. They don’t “any more bets on the Count, at the price they've made ‘1 to 2, they aren't going to any more. ust the same no Derby is setuntil it has been run and it d be pointed out the Blue ss stakes is not a 10-cent 8. It generally takes a real d horse to win it. a horse of
in 1911, Donerail in 1913 and ave Yourself in 1921. .
“I CAN'T see anything in my barn that figures to give Count Fleet a hard work.” It must be assumed Ocean Wave
was in the barn at the time and’
he was looking right at him. Some days ago we wrote about our addiction to the holler system as a means of beating the races. A very simple thing. It would
have to be if we can make a goof. - it.
You just stand on your seat and holler and holler and holler and every once in a while your horse hears you and comes in. We made no claim that it was original. We were simply explaining how we lost our voice for three days. One of our admirers whose name is not only legion but, in this instance, Eddie Byers, writes, writes in by way of indicating no such strain on the vocal chords is necessary. It seems, in short, there
"is an easy way to do it.
“As a Saratoga hoss player for at least a third of a century,” writes Mr. Byers, “I wish to state I have used the holler system with considerable profit. You failed to point out, however, that this
is strictly an outdoor system, and |
this is very important. ” o # “THE MOST ardent follower of the holler system I ever knew was 4 friend of mine named Patty Dacey. Paradoxically, Patty was a man of very few words.
He would stand at the finish line and watch the most exciting races |
and never bat an eye or move a lip. But just the same Patty was a firm believer in the holler
" system.”
Yes, yes, Mr. Byers, please go “You see Patty was He had what
his own hollerer. Patty would sit and watch the race and his stand-in or hollerer would furnish
Yesterday's 4 Baseball Tilts ||
Are Shutouts
By PAUL SCHEFFELS United Press Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, April 22—1It’s a long way to the end of the major league baseball season on Oct. 3, but the evidence from opening day games indicates pretty clearly that this is going to be a big year for the pitchers,
program to four games yesterday. ‘But - what the contests lacked in quantity they made up in quality— all four resulting in shutouts.
Johnny Vander Meer, topped the list in a group that included a pair of
three-hitters and a four-hitter. Altogether, the eight teams collected
tonly a total of 11 runs and 42 hits,
Subdued World Champions
Vander M and his teammates put on a mid- n performance as they subdued the invading world champion St. Louis Cardinals, 1-0, in 11 innings before 27,709. The sixfoot left-hander held the Cardinals hitless for the last eight innings. * The Pittsburgh Pirates blanked the Cubs, 6-0, at Chicago before 9044, in the other National league game. The Cleveland Indians stopped Detroit, 1-0, and St. Louis whitewashed the Chicago White Sox, 3-0, in the American. Weather conditions postponed four games—New York-Washington and Boston-Philadelphia in the American league and New York« Brooklyn and Philadelphia-Boston in the National. Rip Sewell handcuffed the Cubs with three hits as three players suffered injuries. Clyde McCullough, Chicago catcher, cracked an
‘Jankle bone, Second Baseman Eddie] Stanky of the Cubs was hit in the|
head by a pitched ball and Pittsburg Shortfielder Huck Geary was shaken up in a collision at second. Four of Pittsburgh’s 10 hits came in a four-run blast in the eighth. Bagby Leads Indians Southpaw Al Hollingsworth held the Chicago White Sox to four hits to lead the Browns to victory at St. Louis before 4421. A fielder’s choice with loaded bases in the fourth let in the first Brownie run, Chet Laab’s triple sent home another in the seventh with Vern Stephen's single counting the final run in the same frame. Jim Bagby, mainstay of : the Cleveland staff, pitched and batted the Indians to a three-hit decision over the Tigers. He drove in the only run in the ninth with a long fly after two walks and Buddy Rosar’s double had filled the bases. The day’s second biggest crowd, 13,847, witnessed the game,
55,021 Watch Opening Games
NEW YORK, April 22 (U. P)— Attendance figures for the major leagues’ opening day games:
NATIONAL LEAGUE St. Louis at Cincinnati....... 27,209 Pittsburgh at Chicago ....... 0,044
Total S00 0sescsncsnsenesens 36,753
~ AMERICAN LEAGUE Detroit at Cleveland ........ 13,847 Chicago at St. Louis......... 4421 $00090084800008 18,268 55,021
Ex-Tribe Hurler Dead in Ohio
Friends of “Red Buck” White, one-time pitcher with the Indianapolis Indians, today received word of his death in Hillsboro, O. Mr. White played with the Indians just prior to world war I. He also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Boston Braves and the Chicago Cubs.
Weather cut down the opening|’
Cincinnati's talented southpaw,|
: They Played fhe Game». Nov — Bresnahan, Former Pitcher,
Was Famous as a Catcher;
Starred in Infield, Outfield
of performances with a fwo-hitter|
By HARRY GRAYSON NEA Sports Editor ROGER P. BRESNAHAN was far and away the most versatile player of the game. No other ball player could dé everything quite as well, Bresnahan was a pitcher who became a catcher and could play
any infield or outfield position
with equal skill. The Duke of Tralee, so called because he was born in the town of that name on the west coast of Ireland, played center field for John J, McGraw and the immortal Baltimore Orioles and New York Giants, which gives you a rough idea of his capabilities as a flychaser. Bresnahan was a fine broth of a lad when he led off, batted .350 and stole 34 bases for the Giants of 1903. 8 ” #
A Choke Hitter
THE HANDSOME Mick stood 5 feet 9%, weighed 180 pounds, had big, powerful .legs, yet was swift enough to have won sprints in most any track meet. Extremely aggressive, Bresnahan, g Jight-hand hitter, crowded the plate with a short, thick bat in his well-developed hands. His bat had the thick handle preferred by many players of his
day. He always was a choke hitter,
and his tremendous strength gave him distance in all directions. Bresnahan was absolutely fear-
less, Pikchers could not drive him |
away from the plate. Andy Coakley nearly killed Roger with a fast ball that struck him behind
the ear in Cincinnati. He was out
30 days. Bresnahan was a highly intelligent man, and McGraw let him go at the end of 1908 to manage
the St. Louis Cardinals, which .
he did successfully for four campaigns
Roger became involved in a famous contractual controversy in St. Louis, later piloted -the Chicago Cubs, but he will always: be remembered as the stylish battery mate of Christy Mathewson, Iron Man McGinnity, Red Ames, Hooks Wiltse and Dummy Taylor of the Giants.
snibintnstsstsion
wr
ready for a big season when he limited the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals to two singles in 11
innings. As the Reds blanked the Cards, 1-0, at Cincinnati, the “Dutch Master” held the champions hitless with his fireball for the game’s last eight innings. Which is mighty fine pitching in any contest, and sen-
| {sational in a season-opener.
Early in the‘ exhibition season, some of the Cincinnati fans began to fear that Big Johnny's prospects for 1943 might have soured. That was after the Indianapolis Indians collected seven hits off him in six innings at Bloomington, Ind., on April 7. Four of the hits were
. | triples.
Led in Strikeouts Yesterday, he convinced everyone that he is groomed to go places this season, and that he would be an important factor in the Reds’ pennant campaign—were it not for his date with Uncle Sam. This might have been the best season of Johnny's topsy-turvy career—a career that saw him register 18 victories against 10 defeats with Cincinnati in ’38, then fade with arm trouble to five and nine in '39; then to six and four with Indianapolis and three and one with Cincinnati dur-
« {ing the 40 season.
: sions than those now : in use. :
Bresnahan caught Matty in his three shutouts of the Athletics in the world series of 1905, topped the Giants’ batting order. Bresnahan is also renowned as the man who devised shin guards. Until he was overcome with the idea while watching a cricket game in 1907, the catcher was protected only by a small mask and a chest pad of much less dimensions than those in use today. Catchers had to be tough men then. : Bleacherites around the National league derided the new protection, called Bresnahan “Sissy,” but catchers quickly got next to themselves and shin guards became as standard as spiked shoes and chewing tobacco. Bresnahan served as a coach of the Detroit club as recently as 1931, saw a couple of world series. games between the Cincine nati Reds and Tigers in 1940,
Had Feet Together
“I ACTUALLY saw infielders in the series who didn’t know how to stand properly while fielding a grounder,” he commented, “They had their feet together, With the feet close together when fielding, you ean’t get any sweep of your ‘glove. With the feet far apart, you can bend and extend your hands on either side. “Those are fundamentals, and I guess they're not teaching them any more.” They aren't. The excuse is that they haven’t time, :
NEXT-—Chief Bender.
DePauw Coeds Win 5th Place
GREENCASTLE, Ind, April 22 (U. P.)—DePauw university's coed swimmers tied with Temple for fifth place in a telegraphic national intercollegiate coed swimming meet, according to an announcement by Coach Catherine Riggs. Skidmore college won the meet, Miss Riggs said. It was the first time in several years of competition that DePauw has finished among the leaders.
He improved with Cincinnati in '41, winning 16 against 13, and last season he registered 18 and 12. He led the lehgue in strikeouts in ’41 and ’42. Draft board officials at Ridgewood, N. J., disclosed Monday that the speedy portsider had been reclassified into 1-A a month ago, and that he already had passed his preliminary physical examination. If and when the big Dutchman starts tossing hand grenades against the Japs, you can bet he won't be trying for no-hitters.
Johnny VanderMeer Won't Be Seeking No-Hitters When He
Tosses Grenades at the Japs.
By JACK CUDDY ¢ United Press Staff Correspondent NEW YORE, April 22.—If Johnny Vander Meer is inducted into the army on May 8, as now tentatively scheduled, there will be considerable cotjecture as to what the Cincinnati southpaw might have achieved on the mound during the full season of 1943. Bt Vander Meer, who gained baseball immortality in 1938 by pitching two consecutive no-hit, no-run games, indicated yesterday that
he was
Expect 50,000 At Jersey OY
By UNITED PRESS Jersey City’s Little Giants begin
their International league campaign at Roosevelt stadium today and
from advance indications, a crowd of | Cinein
about 50,000 will help set a new baseball opening day attendance record. Gabby Hartnett, former major|g league veteran, will make his bow as manager of the Giants who play the Buffalo Bisons. Mayor Frank Hague, who annually makes opening day a Jersey City holiday, will toss out the first ball just before Ken Jungels goes to the pitching
NATIONAL
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RESULTS TS YESTERDAY (Rleven Innings)
i
000 and W. Cooper; Ni and Mu
oh Budo ioe, Dering.
New York Brooklyn, tponed. Phlladoiphia. at Beeion,” postponed.
mound for Jersey City. Floyd|5
Giebell is the tentative Buffalo] worth choice. Bears Meet Wings At Newark, the Bears will against the Rochester Red Wings, piloted by Pepper Martin, former star of the St. Louis Cardinals. Ken Holcombe will pitch. for the Bears and Kemp Wicker for the Wings. ‘The Syracuse Chiefs open against the Montreal Royals at Syracuse Saturday. Toronto and Baltimore opened the season Wednesday, the Orioles shading the invading Leafs, 4-3,
Titles at Stake
The city indoor archery championships will be decided at 7:30 p. m. tomorrow in the Y. M. C. A.
ibm at New New York, Philadelphia,
Boston at rs
oven Ripple Trackmen
Nose New Augusta
Broad ‘Ripple high school’s track
team edged the New Augusta thine
lies, 58% to 655%, yesterday aftere noon in a meet at the Ripple fleld, Bill Miller topped the Rockets’ scoring with 15 points, taking firsé place in the 100-yard dash, the 220 and the low hurdles.
DePauw Wins GREENCASTLE, Ind. April 2% (U, P.).~DePauw university's highe scoring track team overwhelmed Indiana State in a meet here yess
William Ashby and Mrs. F. OC. Coulter will defend their city titles.
terday, taking a 96% to 34% dew cision.
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