The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 8

PACT EIGHT BLYTHEVILLE (ARK.) COURIER NEWS TUESDAY, APRIL 19M Major League Races Are Different So Far Big Teams' Domination By BEX FHLEGAR AP Sports Writer to case you haven't noticed, the major league pennant races are away to one of the closest starts in recent season. No team has jumped off to a long winning No team has fallen far behind. Today, after one week, only a game and a half separates first and last in the American League; just two games divide top from bottom in the National. This early in the year the standings aren't too important. But a game won or lost in the first week counts just as much toward wincing the pennant as one in the heat of the September flag fever.

Look At American Compared with the first week of the 1953 season the standings have undergone considerable juggling, particularly in the American League. Detroit is leading the American by half a game over Washington. A year ago the Tigers were last, four games behind the old St. Louis Browns, and Washington was in seventh place. Cincinnati, co-leader with Philadelphia in the National League, languished in seventh last year at the end of the first week while the Phils were tied for third.

Champs Fall Back Neither Brooklyn nor New York, top-heavy choices to repeat their 1953 triumphs, have been able to match their first-week pace of last season. The Dodgers already were an first with a 4-1 are third this time with the Yankees were second at 4-2. They're 3-3 this year." The leaders all lost yesterday. Detroit was toppled by Chicago 5-1. Cincinnati bowed to St.

Louis 6-3, and the Phillies were clubbed by Brooklyn 9-7. In other action the Yankees split a Patriot's Day pair in Boston, losing 2-1 in the morning and' winning 5-0 in the afternoon with a brilliant one-hitter by Jim Me- Long Ball Aids Card Cause in Victory ST. LOUIS (AP) The St. Louis Cardinals broke int the win column at home last night. Paced by a pair of successive home runs by Stan Musia and Ray Jablonski in the sixth inning, the Cards beat the Cin BIG LEAGUE ROOKIES HARSHMAN fOUtiD-THS A PATH TO TUB cinnati Redlegs, The Cardinals lost their home opener to the Chicago Cubs.

13-4. Southpaw Harvey Haddix. who had suffered two straight defeats, received credit for his first victory of the year, but it took Stu Miller and Al Brazle to get the Donald. Washington shaded the Philadelphia Athletics 4-3 on Eddie Yost's ninth-inning home run. Pittsburgh beat the New York Giants 7-5.

Baltimore and Cleveland in the American League and Milwaukee and Chicago in the National -weren't scheduled. Best of Career McDonald's performance against the Red Sox was the best of his career. He walked five but struck out four and the only safety he allowed was a second-inning single by rookie Harry Agganis. Mickey Mantle struck out four times in the morning contest, bat-, ting left-handed, but he hit a home run right-handed, his first of the season, in the after-lunch encounter. Yost got his home run, 415- foot blast, as the leadoff batter in the last of the ninth at Washington.

Rookie Art Ditmar was the victim. Morrie Martin joined Bobby Shantz on the A's sore arm list. He started but had to give up after five innings. Harshman Fails Jack Harshman, the former first baseman who was the pitching sensation of the Southern Assn. last season, failed in his second start with the White Sox.

But Harry Dorish slammed the door on the Tigers after taking over with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning. Chicago collected 11 hits off loser Billy Hoeft and his successors, Dick Weik Bob Miller. Jackie Robinson was the hitting star in Brooklyn's triumph over the Phillies. He broke a 5-5 tie with a home run in the seventh inning and finished the night with a 4-for-4 performance. The Phils drove Don Newcombe to cover in the third inning when they took a 4-1 lead but the Dodgers' 18 hit attack was too much for the ineffective Philadelphia pitching.

Successive homers by Stan Musial and Ray Jablonski in the sixth nning 'helped Harvey Haddix win his first game for St. Louis. Haddix already has lost twice and he was lifted in the ninth inning last night when Cincinnati threatened. Redlegs out, in the ninth. Greengrass Slowed Haddix stopped Cincinnati's slug ging outfielder, Jim Greengrass with one hit in four times at bat Greengrass went into the gam with.a .611 batting average.

Rookie Cardinal shortstop Alex Grammas got his first major league single and double being held hitless in his first 15 times at bat. Wally Post belted a two-run horn er off Haddix in the second inning to put the Redlegs into the lead after St. Louis had scored one in the first. The- cards came back to tie the game in their half of the inning. Musial and Jablonski belted their successive homers in the sixth to ice the game.

But Stu Miller and Al Brazle subdued the Reds. Second Win Pittsburgh scored five runs with only one hit in the third inning against the Giants. Four walks, interference by catcher Ebba St. Claire, and a hit batter aided it the spree. Johnny Hetki, in relief, was the winner as the Pirates triumphed for the first time since they beat the Phils on opening day.

Finnish Runner Has Memories He Had Run Second To London Optician BOSTON marathoner Veikko fellow with long happily today after squaring accounts with Britain's Jimmy Peters. The 27-year-old mail clerk defeated of the unofficial world record for a 26 mile 385 yard 800 yards yesterday while winning the 58th Boston A. A. Marathon. Only last October Karvonen finished second to the 35-year-old London optician's assistant as Peters set his world mark of 2:18:34.5 right in the Finn's home town of Turku.

Humiliating- Loss Karvonen suffered a humiliating loss as he trailed Peters in that test by more than a mile. That was the second major disappointment for Karvonen. Only last April he pushed Japan's tiny Keizo Yamada to a Boston A. A. record of 2:18:51.

This time Karvonen wouldn't settle for the runnerup spot. He raced stride for stride with Peters through most of the race, then moved in front for good on the tortuous stretch of "heartbreak eight miles from home. His winning time of 2:20:39 was not as swift as his 2:19:10 effort here in 1953, when the runners had a brisk tail wind. This year a lively Sports Yank Infield Said to be Shaky By GAYLE TALBOT NEW YORK (AP) It will not take long for the news to get around the American League that Phil Rizzuto, the veteran shortstop of the Yankees, does not appear to be getting the jump on the ball that he did in other years. It's early yet, but Manager Casey Stengel is said to be doing a spot of worrying.

All Casey's rivals have been waiting to hear for several years now is a report that little Phil has begun to feel his 35 summers and has slowed up a step. In their opinion, Rizzuto has been the key man in the Yankees' string of world championships, and they are convinced he is the one player the club cannot hope to replace from its farm system. Now They Wonder Although he was free of the stomach ulcers which plagued him last season and appeared caused shakings of the head in exhibition games in Florida this spring. He was supposed to be working himself into shape gradually, as is a veteran's privilege, but now the boys are beginning to wonder. Coleman, Too Neither is Gerry Coleman making Stengel happy by his play at second base.

The feeling is that the Korean veteran put in far too much time in preliminary baseball camps all through February and was tired before he even reported to Stengel at St. Petersburg. He is of the slight, nervous type and needs to conserve his energy. Looks as though the champs might be in for a long cummer. The Cincinnati Redlegs.

on the other hand, out to do exactly what their new manager, Birdie Tebbetts, said they wear out a lot of National League pitchers. If Jim Greengrass, Ted Kluszewski and Gus Bell continue to terrify opposing throwers as they did in the opening week, they're not going to be welcome anywhere. Its' too early to say that Tebbetts has put together a pitching staff that will stand up through his first Eastern trip, where the big test will come. If he has. there could be some sensational developments in the older league.

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FRIEND Officials of Blytheville's Little League can now appreciate more fully the plight of traditional and fictional Old Mother Hubbard. They, too, have so many children boys who want to play baseball here this summer that it is going to develop into a real problem finding a place for them. Albert, Taylor, player representa- in the 11-year age bracket have ap- ive, reports that a grand total of li8d There are 19 nine-year olds; 22 youngsters ranging from the 13 who are eight; 11 12-year olds ages of 6-13 have registered through and a dozen who are 13, in addi- he form printed in the Courier tion to four who are seven and two six-year olds. Counting the 65 players who are on the 1953 reserve lists, the Little League will have the not-too-easy task of finding spots in their program for almost 200 ambitious youngsters. The P-O-N-Y League (ages 13-15 inclusive) has its own registration, and the players who are unable to make the grade with the Little League will be "farmed out" to the Pee Wee League, normally for youths under age of nine.

Registrations to Close Mr. Taylor said that registrations for the Little League would close Monday, April 26. A meeting is scheduled for the following Tuesday night when the coaches, and other officials would complete the try-out plans, preparatory to the "purchasing" of players to complete their ranks made vacant by graduates to the P-O-N-Y loop. Harman Taylor, one of the de- One was an 11-year-old- Wilson ad who expressed a desire to par- icipate in the local baseball pro- ram. The application was returned viih a note expressing the league's hanks for his interest but regret- ing that out-of-town players are not eligible.

Breakdown on Ages Ten and 11-year olds dominate he list of newcomers desiring to play baseball this summer. A total of 30 who are 10 years old and 25 head wind bothered them the last six miles. Peters' time was 2:22:40. The chief hope for an American victory, 23-year-old Johnny Kelley of New London, and Boston University, was seventh in 2:28:51. For the second-straight year he was the first U.

S. entry to finish. Last year he ran fifth. Mize Wants to Know Why Slaughter Cried over Trade By JOE REICHLEE NEW- YORK (AP) Johnny Mize would like to know why Enos Slaughter cried when he was traded to the New York Yankees earlier this month. Big Jawn, who didn't start collecting World Series money until the Giants sold mm to the Yankees in his 14th season in the majors, couldn't understand why anybody should feel badly about joining the world champions.

"I just can't figure it," Mize said today. "A fellow should thank his lucky stars for an opportunity tQ join the Yankees. And here is this guy Slaughter crying like a baby. What do you know about that? No Flap Mize, who is doing a pre-game sports show from the Polo Grounds this year, retired from baseball at the end of the 1953 season after collecting five straight World Series checks with the Yankees. Prior to that he spent 13 years (including three service years) in the National League with the Cardinals and Giants but never was on a pennant winner.

"The best thing that ever happened to me was when the Yankees purchased my contract from the Giants," he said. "You can be sure there were no tears in my eyes when I heard the news. "Can't Bank On Promises" "Maybe there's more to the Slaughter story than appears on the surface," continued the round faced slugger who did not put away his big bat until he had poled 359 home runs, at least one in every park in both majors. "Maybe he was told he would never leave the Cardinals. Maybe he had been promised a coaching or managerial job in their organization.

"I learned last year you can't depend on promises. Dan Topping (Yankee co-owner) assured me I'd stay with the Yankee organization after my playing days were over. No Job "He approached me during the Yankees' World Series celebration last October and told me that as soon as he got a few things out of the way, he'd discuss my future with me. I never heard from him again. "The Yankees knew I was going to quit but they never handed me my official release until it was too late to get a good manager's job in the minors.

I could have had several good offers during the minor league baseball meetings in Atlanta last December but few would talk to me because I was still the property of the Yankees." The largest opening day crowd in American League history was the 73,163 who saw the Browns play the Indians at Cleveland Stadium April 20, 1948. fending champion Lions Club coaches, plans to submit a training plan for the teams calling for a round- robin series of exhibition games before the regular season which begins the first week in June. The coaches are expected to act on the proposal at the first meeting. The coaching staffs of both the Little League and the P-O-N-Y League have been completed but there is a need for additional helpers with the Pee Wee's. Commissioner Fred S.

Saliba has issued a call for men, preferably adults with baseball experience, to assist in the coaching of the younger ages. He can be reached by calling POplar 3-4437 or POplar 2-2226. Those interested in the program are especially invited to the meeting next week, time and place to be announced later. Bevo May Hook Up With Globetrotters CHICAGO (AP) If Bevo Francis and Newt Oliver ever get together on just what they're fishing for, high-scoring star Bevo may be professional basketball's next big attraction. The Harlem Globetrotters' pressario, Abe Saperstein, has been approached by Oliver, the headline-conscious little guy who coached Bevo and Eio Grande College into national prominence.

"Interested" Saperstein isn't sure just what Oliver has in mind about working Bevo into the razzle-dazzle professional basketball picture Saperstein created more than 20 years ago. But he's 1 "interested" in Bevo's potential as a "big draw" at the gate. Bevo, 6 foot, 9 inch 20-year-old sophomore whose shooting ability put Rio Grande on the national basketball map, was expelled from college last week. According to the School's committee on instruction, Bevo had been ignoring class roll calls and missing, examinations. With Bevo's student days behind him, Oliver has been trying to make connections for the young man who averages almost 50 points every time he appears on the court.

Saperstein says Oliver has sounded him out "several timys" and that he is interested in seeing if something can be worked out. The Globetrotter maestro planned to see Bevo this week but something of a snag developed, according to Bill Margdlis, Saperstein's assistant. "We wanted to see Bevo Thursday," said Margolis. "But he had a fishing trip planned." Meantime, Oliver officially joined Bevo on college basketball's sidelines. He resigned last night at Rio Grande's coach and athletic director, saying "I can't take it any more down here." As far as the Globetrotters are concerned, Bevo presumably would head up an all-star organization opposing Saperstein's touring Negros pros.

Or perhaps appear between halves of these barnstorming games with an. exhibition of shooting. Fights Last Night By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BROOKLYN Floyd Patterson 167, Brooklyn, outpointed Alvin Williams, Oklahoma City, 8. DETROIT Gene Parker 149, outpointed Chuck Price, 150, Detroit, 8. ST.

PAUL Ramon Fuentes, Monster Loses in Mat Show The Monster attempted a wrestling "iron man" role last night and very nearly got away with it as he whipped Jack Welch in one bout and had big Jack Moody sprawling outside the ring before the second bout was stopped. The Monster had to go six falls on the Legion's wrestling program at Memorial Auditorium because one of the wrestlers, Karl Kowalski, failed to show up for his bout with Moody. The masked grappler won over Welch in the first half of the double main event program. Then, after Kowalski called Promoter MikeCMe- roney from Milan, telling him that he had been The Monster agreed to take on Moody in the second match. Moody himself was a substitute, brought in by Promoter Meroney to take, the place of Chuck Molner.

Big Jack, after taking a bad beating by the masked man, was awarded the decision in the final bout by Referee Jack Parker who disquali- zed The Monster after both he and Moody had been knocked from the ring. Both bouts were pier six brawls from the very beginning. The Monster beat Welch into submission in the first and third falls of their bout. He won the clincher round by side-stepping a flying block thrown by Welch and applying a knee to Welch's stomach. Then he pinned him.

Moody had things going pretty much his way in the second bout until the Monster cut loose with a taped wrist across Moody's eyes, The bout was halted by Parker after 12 minutes of the with both Moody and Parker sprawled amortg the ringside customers. 153, Los Angeles, outpointed Jimmy Martinez, 15414, Ellendale, 10. PROVIDENCE, R. GI- ovanelli, 149, Brooklyn, stopped Billy ndy, 156, Providence. A treat worth repeating! 488 707 ft 6 YEAR OLD KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON STWGH! MWmK WHISKEY ft PMOF EON SPMW MSIUM IWBVIUI fl ONLY For You to Receive TRADE-IN ALLOWANCE For Your Old Living Room Suit KROEHLER On a New HUBBARD and SON PH.

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