The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 9

THURSDAY APRIL 8,1954 BLYTHEVILLE (ARK.) COURIER NEWS FAGENINK After a Weird Spring, Yanks, Bums Look Best EH 1 WHITi By HARRY GRAYSON NBA Sports Editor NEW YORK (NEA) The Yankees have worn out this and other handicappers with the fans around the American League. No one else is doing anything about the World Champions, so your agent, as a last desperate resort, contributes his share by picking them to win their sixth straight pennant. This is done at the urgent request of Hank Greenberg and Al Lopez of the Indians, Frank Lane and Paul Richards of the White Sox and Joe Cronin and Lou Boudreau of the Red Sox. "If this doesn't put the Evil-Eye Finkle on the Yankees, nothing win," they shout, in unison, greatly relieved. If the Dodgers don't make it three in a row in the National League, Commissioner Frick ought to call in Roy Cohn.

So without further warming up, let's stick out the red neck. After sitting up all night, I've come to only one conclusion. My kid in Japan could have done a better job. Anyway, here's our prediction as to how the major league clubs will finish next Sept. 26: AMERICAN NATIONAL Brooklyn Milwaukee I'LL TAKE CARE New York Boston Chicago Cleveland Washington Philadelphia Detroit Baltimore New York St.

Louis Philadelphia Cincinnati Pittsburgh Chicago A 1 TJ6ER5 THE YANKEES COULD be beaten, but the question is by whom. You'd like to pick against and this trip not just to be different you inspect the Red Sox, White Sox and Indians. The so- called Bombers now do it from memory. A half-dozen of them have grown richer than anybody but Casey 'Stengel, Prank Crosetti and Bill Dickey by helping to win five successive World Series. The Red Sox are interesting, but, as Manager Richards of the Pale Hose stresses, they're still not going to beat the Yankees with boys.

The White Sox defy analysis as contenders, but there they are. Here is baseball's greatest example of what a clever pilot" can do with half a chance. THE INDIANS HAVE been together too long, are in a rut. They have become creatures of habit. They're like the horse in stall two.

Turn him loose and he'll dash for stall two, except this time he is quite likely to be lassoed by the Bosox and Chisox and locked in stall four. The Senators are sorely handicapped because they can't steal first base. The Athletics are the Yankees' junior varsity. The Tigers are waiting for some more kids like Harvey Kuenn to grow up. Baltimore inherits the Browns, last place and all.

IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE, if the Brooks were a running horse, they'de be odds-on. The Superbas have altogether too much solid strength. Howell Sees Canadian Loop As Pastureland Says Brand of Ball Isn't Much Fasttr Than Prep Football NEW YORK UP) Jim Lee Howell. new head coach of New York's professional football Giants, is slow-moving, long-legged Arkansas cattle farmer who ain't got no grudges against the Canadian League. "Why.

the Canadian League is not causing us any concern, not near as much as most folks think," the leading citizens of Lonoke, said today. "The boys who are jumping to the Canadian League are those who don't have confidence in themselves, disgruntled players and players who are over the hill so far as the National Football League is concerned. Good Place "It's a wonderful place for a fellow, like, say, Ray Poole, who played with us so many years. "First Ray played on offense. Then he slowed up and we put him on defense.

Then when he got to a point where he couldn't quite keep up the speed he decided he might try Canada. He was voted the second best player in the Canadian League last year." Pastureland Howell. who succeeds Steve Owen at the Giants' helm, said Canada could serve as a proving ground for the NFL and could be a sort of pastureland for players in the twilight of their carrer. "I've just come back from a tour of the south and I talked to some of the boys who played in Canada." he added, "they told me it was not much faster than high school ball." Still Going The exodus of U. S.

talent across the border is continuing without letup. Eddie LeBaron, former College of the Pacific star, scrapped his Washington contract last month to go to Canada. He followed such players as Arnie Weinmeister, Ray Poole. Travis Tidwell and Billy Vessels. The Canadians also grabbed a chunk of last fall's college crop, including as Larry Grigg of Oklahoma.

p-sya b.4 tern BKJHMOND, Va. arm may keep Ed Lopat from being the New York opening day pitcher in Washington. veiewui lefthander has not eonfiwned hk arm is bothering him but he hit hard his last time out against Savannah and he omitted from the pitching rotation lor the weekend series agdnrt Brooklyn. Lopat normally would pitch at part of one of the three gamw with the Instead Casey Stengel has chosen Allie Reynolds and Johnny Sain for tomorrow, Tom Morgan and Bob Kuzava for Satuday and Jim McDonald and Harry Byrd for Sunday. Boudreau Happy With Bosox Bats LOUISVILLE, Ky.

(ff) Manager Lou Boudreau was gloating over the Boston Red Sox' startling hitting improvement today as they tried for their fifth consecutive exhibition victory over their Milwaukee Braves traveling mates. The Red Sox totaled 25 hits in their last two games with the Tribesmen. During yesterday's 7-2 triumph at Bluefield, W. George Kell homered twice and Charley Maxwell once. Williams Is On the Mend BOSTON A medical report to General Manager Joe Cronin indicates that Ted Williams' fractured collarbone is knitting so well that the Boston Red Sox clugger is ready for light workouts.

Cronin said the injured star wo v.ld come to Boston from Miami early next week. The Red Sox their home season against April 15. are banking too heavily on promises and hope. You get into minor league hig too quickly when discussing the The" others have too many ifs and i Braves and Warren Spahn is relat- ed to the Dodgers. The baseball writers with the Giants should be given something with their food.

They scribble as though the World Series were starting tomorrow with the Giants in it. A club might wm with a butcher who can hit on first base, but isn't likely to finish higher than fourth with butchers who can hit on first and third, which is the plight of the Cardinals. THE PHILLIES HAVE only the two big pitchers and but one accomplished Hamner. Birdie Tebbetts wishes the Cincinnati pitchers could throw as hard as Ted Kluszewski hits. If the Cubs couldn't win in the spring, what makes anybody believe they'll do any better afterward, so the Pirates may get out of the cellar without the aid of miners' hats.

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