The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 65

11 PJ il la PART 4 SPORTS IE RAM E0 VOL LXX1 CC WEDNESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 1, 1952 Read The Times for Latest Sports "IJ" I I I 1 9 III I I II II- I I I. II I I I I. le )Xi iJf 1 V. AX '14 i THE RANGE Brooklyn Dodgers draw beads on th enemy for the cameraman ofter drill for today's World Series opener with New York Yankees. From left: Duke Snider, George Shubo, Andy Pafko and Carl Furillo.

Bauer, Mickey Mantle and Gene Woodling. Mantle and Woodling art batting .311. while Bauer is hitting at .293. VP) WinpbMM SPORTSCRIPTS By PAUL ZIMMERMAN Yan (s 8-5 to Pool Succeeds Stydahar as Ram Coach; Joe Paid $11,900 Whip Dodgers "Something probably will hap It's Reynolds vs. Black in Series Opener Today BT AL WOLF, Times Staff Representative Sept 30 Is this baseball-batty lxirough to remain a graveyard for world championship hopes or be BT FRANK FINCH Completely reversing his field, Hampton Pool yesterday became head coach of the Los Angeles Rams after Jumbo Joe Stydahar was paid off and his resignation was accepted.

Pool took Ram Prexy Daniel F. Reeves' offer yesterday morning, less than 12 hours after Pool had assured this writer that under no circumstances would I accept the head coaching job should Stydahar quit." Stydahar, who became head coach in 1950 and bagged two divisional drowns and a world's championship in 1950-51, was paid $4400 on the balance of his annual $15,000 salary, plus $7500 per agreement when he signed a new three-year contract last spring. Foarth to Slip Thus does Jumbo Joe become the fourth Ram mentor to slip on a banana peel since the team opened for business here in 1948. He was preceded by Adam Walsh, 1946; Bob Snyder, 1947, and Clark Shaughnessy, 1948-49. Their tenure averages out at 1 years.

Reeves said that in persuading Pool to succeed Stydahar he painted a "black i or Pool 1 i YANKEE POWER Three Yankee outfield pose during opportunity. too, have 'finan cial responsibilities. "I realize what will happen to me. The wolves will be after me. But at least I'll be giving 33 guys a fighting chance to win some football games.

Someone had to step into the breach and guide them." AdnIt 'Enough "Frankly, I never felt there was any dissension between us. Certainly we're adult enough to sit down and work out any differences." Pool added that "Stydahar probably relieved me of my defensive coaching duties because he felt that conducting both the offense and the defense was too much for one man." After Pool had handled both phases during 1950-51, End Coach Red Hickey was placed in charge of the defense this year. It was, this bone of contention which was largely responsible for Stydahar's decision to to quit. Reeves felt that the technical operation of the team should re vert to the status quo of 1950-51 when Pool was in charge of both offense and defense. the same play er personnel which was so suc- Tbtb to Page 2, Column wm Daniel F.

Reevee, president the Los Angeles Rams, did cot -fire Joe Stydahar yesterday. i The fifing was technical. Joe quit as the head coach. How-1 ever, the Bam boss forced i Stydahar's departure from the scene. He did it by indirection beginning not a few months ago.

He did it by not giving the mentor of the 1951 world's champions the kind of frtent-office support a coach must, have to succeed. CREDIT TO JOE Joe quit because he knew the Rams could not go on to victory this season without the full support of his coaching staff and team. He did the honorable thing and retired for the sake of the owners of the Rams, the 33 players who were caught In the switches by this situation, and for the public that has supported the team. Above all eke, Joe Stydahar an honorable man. He also is.

of course, just as good a coach as the day Reeves hired him to replace Clark Shaughnessy. He probably is better today. He's certainly as capable as he was when winning the western division title two years atro and the world's crown in 1951. TOO HOTTEST? If Stydahar has a failing it probably i3 one of being too honest. There never was a more straightforward, sincere, clean-cut man.

He hates a cheat and a liar. Ha dislikes the type of individual who mouths seemingly sincere words to your face and then- puts a knife in your back. Joe got the double cross from within. Being a man with an abiding faith in humanity he wa3 vulnerable. He didn't realize what was happening to him until it was too late.

That's the Stydahar side of the story. THE OTHER SIDE President Reeves, of course, has another point of view. He says Stydahar forced him Into the decision to make the change. That, of course. Is true so far as -the late phases ef this situation are concerned.

Reeves hardly could keep a man who didn't want to stay. Where the Ram mentor needed front-office support the most was several months ago when Stydahar put the cards on the table. The friction had existed more than a year and the sore spot was not removed by Reeves. Dan contends that his coach told him the matter had been settled. Without trying to aggravate the situation because Joe wants to depart gracefully Stydahar disagrees.

Reeves believes he has properly ironed out the matter with the firing of the head coach and the hiring of Hampton Pool, backfield mentor. WHAT OP POOL? What of Pool? Reeves considers Hamp one of the finest technicians in the game. So was Shaughnessy. Pool is a suave, cautious individual Vho usually has the ability to speak without committing himself. Monday he slipped when he said he wouldn't think of taking the job.

What his ability will be in handling professional players remains to be seen. Holding the respect and getting pro gridsters to play to the hilt is a job to confound a Solomon. It must be true that not all of the Rams are for Pool. Maybe he can win 'em all over or force them into line. He has one advantage in that Bob Waterfield likes him.

HE WAS CRITICAL Pool's head coaches in pro football have had amazingly poor luck. He assisted Jack Meagher with the Miami Sea-hawks. In midseason Jack quit and Hamp took over. After the Seahawks folded he went, not to Baltimore where the Hawks were transferred, but to the Chicago Rockets. In midseason Jim Crowley, who had organized the Chicago club, was bounced.

Hamp got the head coaching shot but It was brief. Now Jie's replacing the man who hired and befriended him. Anyone who spends much time with the Rams knows that Pool has had his player troubles. One big tackle, no longer with the club, promised to poke Hamp in the nose if so and so ever opens his yap at me again." Pool never did. Pool has more than once been critical of the line when his backs failed to function.

He likewise has been known to speak in deprecatory fashion about the Ram pass defense. That hardly was wLse when these things were not his affair. He now has a chance to immediately correct these "flaws." AX: IX 1-1! members of the New York' workout. From left: Hank WEST FLAVOR Managers and Players Have Coastal Ties By a Times Staff Representative BROOKLYN, Sept 30 There's a strong west. Coast flavor, to the 49th World Series opening here' tomorrow afternoon be tween the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

X' Both managers live in the Southland Casey Stengel at Glendale and Chuck Dressen at Bel-Air. And both formerly skippered Oakland's Pacific Coast League entry. Four of the six coaches like wise have coastal ties, Ex-Star Hurler Jim Turner of the Yanks once pitched for Hollywood and subsequently managed Portland. Frankie Crosetti of the Yanks went up from San Francisco's Seals. Cookie Lavagetto and Bil ly Herman of the Dodgers put in playing stints with Oakland.

Fourteen of the Series eligi- bles have past or present connections in the Far West Among the Yankees, Billy Mar tin, Gil McDougald, Gene Wood- ling and Charley Silvera reside In the Bay district; Irv Noren hails from Pasadena: Ewell Blackwell is jointly claimed by Fresno, La Verne and San Dimas, though presently paying taxes in Florida; Jim Brideweser calls Los Angeles home and SC his alma mater. PCL Stars Martin formerly played for Oakland, Woodling and Brideweser for San Francisco, Silvera for Portland and Noren for Hollywood. Woodling was the PCL bat champion in 1948 and Noren the loop's most valuable player in 1949. And Vic Raschl once pitched for Portland. The Dodger contingent consists of Ben Wade, Ken Lehman, Rocky Bridges, Andy Pafko, Duke Snider and Jackie Robinson.

Twink Grade Wade and Lehman are Hollywood Stars grads. Bridges lives in Long Beach and Snider in Lynwood. Pafko formerly cavorted for the Los Angeles Angels. And Jackie Robinson was one of. UCLA's greatest all-around athletes.

Old home week for coasters even extends into the Series umpiring Babe Pinelli played for four different PCL clubs and subsequently officiated in the loop. He's a San Franciscan by birth. Art Passarella lived in Los Angeles for years. LINE-UPS TASKS Rizxuto, .258 ColUn. lb, .289 Mntl.

cf. .311 DODQKKS Cox. 3b .257 Rccm. u. .272 Snider, cf, -303 Roblnaon.

2b, Mtt Cunpanella. .26 Pafko. If. .287 Woodlinff. If.

.311 Bern, .273 Bauer, rf, ,28 McDougald. 3b. lb, 54 Martin. 2b. .247 rurillo.rf.J47 Rynoldi, 20-1 Black, p.

15-4 tTmniren PinelU (NL Mate: Paa- aaralla (AL) first base; Goetx (NT.) o- nnrt hum: MCMnlCT iali tmrfl Dam. Foul Unea BogResa (NL) and Hono- 1 A come, at long last, capital of That's the question as Brook-, lyn's Dodgers and New York's Yankees, along with millions of fans, await the 1952 Series open er, which will be played at Eb-bets Field here tomorrow start ing at 10 a.m. Los Angeles time. The law of averages favors Brooklyn, which has yet to win after five tries. Tradition favors New York, which has triumphed 14 times in 18 quests.

Moreover, it's been Yankees over Dodgers three times and Yankees over the field three years running. Yanks Favored Unsentimental oddsmakers, after surveying the situation on a man-against-man basis, have installed the American League champions as 6-5 favorites to take the first gamer and 8-5 to take it all. Actually, the comparison of players who perform in different leagues is virtually meaningless Moreover, in the short span of four to seven games one bad pitch or one blooper hit or one freakish hopper can become enormously magnified. And then there's always the matter of Series jitters, which have made 200 hitters even of such solid stars as Ty Cobb. Rog ers Hornsby and Honus Wagner.

In short, anything can happen, Tough in Clutch But Yankee teams seem strangely immune to the ups and downs of Series strife. Since 1926 New York has bowed but once to the St. Louis Cardinals pen to you within the next cou ple of years, and your reputation in the sports world will suffer," Reeves said he told the 37-year-old former aide to Stydahar. Yet Pool, who professes a deep regard for his ex-Chicago Bear teammate, despite their personal differences which led to Stydahar departure, took the job that has been a grave yard of coaches in the past. No.

Pool becomes the ninth head coach of the team since it first was organized in Cleveland in 1937. In explaining his sudden change of heart. Pool said: "I weighed this matter very carefully last night. In this in stance I don't feel that I am hurting anybody because Joe wanted to get out. "Joe couldn't afford to quit without being paid and I couldn't afford not to take this TODAY IN SPORTS AMATEUR BOXING South Gate Arena, 8:30 p.m.

WRESTLING Olympic Audi torium, 820 p.m. Ml til the diamond realm? just 10 years ago while win ning 13 times. And it could be that these con stant beatings have broken the National League's back. For the last five Series have all gone American. This is no great Yankeetteam, though pretty obviously a good one.

And the Dodgers are by no means helpless. So they must be conceded a good chance to make Flatbush history. After all. Chuck Dressen'a hirelings weathered he abuse following last year pennant "blow" to win handily and set two-National League records fewest errors and most strikeouts of opponents. Yankees Solid However, the Yanks won impressively, too, and were moving faster at the finish.

Casey Stengel's men, prodded by the old professor's tongue-lashing, captured 20 of their last 24 games to stave off Cleveland's closing rush. The BrooKs won 15, lost 18 and tied one of their final 34. New York is a solid ball club all around. Brooklyn boasts flossy fielding and power to burn, but pitching poses a problem. Dressen, a forthright fellow, is gambling at the outset by picking a rookie reliever 28-year-old Joe Black to work the morrow's opener against Allie Reynolds, 34-year-old veteran of four Series.

Black was sensational this season, winning IS Turn to Page 3, Column Radio Broadcast Mutual (KHJ). Television NBC, KNBH (4), and KHJ-TV (9). Series odds Yankees 8-5. First game odds Yankees, 6-5. First game starting pitchers Joe Black (154) for Brooklyn; Allie Reynolds (20-8) for New York.

Yast year's winners Yankees defeated New York Giants in six World Series standings American 31 champions; National 17. World Series records ef par tidpants Yankees, 14-4; Brooklyn, 0-5. Records against each other-New York 3-0; Brooklyn 0-3. World Series records of start, ing pitchers Black. (0-0); Reynolds (4-1).

Probable attendance ef flret game (inclading standing room) 35,000. An 1, SERIES FACTS, FIGURES JOE GORDON QUITS AS SOLON MANAGER BY TH ASSOCIATED PRESS Schedule First game at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, Wednesday. Second game at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, Thursday. Third game at Yankee Stadium, New York, Friday. Fourth game at Yankee Stadium, New York, Saturday.

Fifth game (If necessary) at Yankee Stadium, New York, Sunday. Sixth game (if necessary) at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, Monday. Seventh game (if necessary) at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, Tuesday; Game Times 10 a.m. (PST) for all except Sunday. Sunday suiting time is 11:05 a.m.

(PST). Beating capacity Ebbets Field. Yankee Stadium, 69,000. season before, they wound up In seventh, place. Gordon, the ex-New York Yankee and Cleveland Indian star, said he had no Immediate plans except to go hunting and do some fishing.

Mulligan said it was agreed by himself, Gordon and Solon General Manager Charles Graham that It was for the best Interests of all concerned that Gordon's contract be terminated. SACRAMENTO, Sept 30 (ft Joe Gordon, once a great major league second baseman, is through after two years as the playing manager of the Sacra' mento Solons. Eddie Mulligan, president of the-Pacific Coast League aaid today Gordon's not-unex-peeted leave-taking was on the friendliest of terms. '-The Solon finished deep in the PCI. eellar this year.

The NO. 5 Hampton Pool, left, successor to Joe Stydahar and the fifth coach to boss the Rams since they came here In 1946, watches his squad work out at Gitmore Field yes- terday in company of Dan Reeves, club president, ond Team Captain Bob Waterfield. Phot.