Brave New Season

Big-league baseball last week got ready to open its 1943 season in the mood of tempered optimism of a batter running out a three-bagger with two out and a cross eyed player next at bat. Columnist Damon Runyon quoted odds of 9-to-5 that the major leagues would not be able to play out their 1943 schedules. Already some 225 of last year's 400 major leaguers had gone into the services. Nobody, not even Manpower Boss Paul V. McNutt, knew how soon local draft boards would call the elderly and ailing ballplayers still left.

To replace box-office stars gone to war, every club had to load up with run-of-the-mill players brought up from the minors or oldsters rescued from oblivion. Cleveland Indians Manager Lou Boudreau had to put a sportswriter at third base to muster two teams for a practice game. The Giants desperately and futilely combed the field for a proper first baseman. The Brooklyn Dodgers congratulated themselves on having acquired one player (Bobby Bragan) who could double as catcher and shortstop, an other (42-year-old John Cooney) who provided triple insurance as pitcher, outfielder and first baseman. Said Chicago White Sox Manager Jimmie Dykes: "Any team that can keep nine men on the field will be dangerous."

Hits Wanted. Sportswriters, to whom spring training is always a pleasant vacation, grumbled and groaned because the clubs trained in New Jersey, Indiana and other cold, rainy places instead of in Florida and California. But managers, with one eye on the business offices, found that northern training had many advantages: owners saved money, players got more exercise and avoided long, wearying barnstorming trips.

By last week the prospects were that for at least the first few months of the season baseball fans would see baseball much as usual. To compensate for an inevitable slump in the quality of play, the major leagues decided to restore the lively ball (and home runs) of 1939. To cut travel, each team will make three trips around the league instead of four. To suit swing-shift workers, the clubs will consider playing some morning games.

Help Wanted. There was still plenty of good copy for the sportswriters. Items:

> In the Sporting News the St. Louis Cardinals, last year's World Series winners, advertised for help: CARDINAL ORGANIZATION NEEDS PLAYERS!

> In Kansas City, Brooklyn Dodger Outfielder Frenchy Bordagaray, weakening on his decision to retire to tavern-keeping, advertised: "The Bums is calling me. For Sale -- $12,000-a-year business -- cheap ! "

> In Lakewood, N. J. Giants Manager Mel Ott perked up when he heard that Selective Service doctors were hesitating about inducting First Baseman Johnny Mize. Observing that Mize had always bruised easily, Otto told newsmen: "He has a form of hemophilia--you know, excessive bleeding." But Mize passed, was sent to the Navy.

> In San Francisco, Umpire Hap O'Connor, who had umpired many baseball games in Japan, urged that baseball be continued to confound the Japs. Said he: "The Japs so envy us for our baseball prowess . . . that to call it off during wartime would be like a tonic to them. I think they would construe it to mean we were becoming panicky."

> U.S. baseball fans, polled by the Sporting News, voted 6,211-to-172 that ball players with dependents should be deferred from the draft to help the fans' morale.

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