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By DANA LEIBENGOOD Kansan Sports Editor
With the major league season rapidly approaching we have decided to go out on the limb and predict the outcome of the pennant races.
In the American league we think that New York will finish first, Chicago second, Cleveland third, Boston fourth, Washington fifth, Detroit sixth, Baltimore seventh, and Philadelphia eighth.
We can't see any team that has improved enough to beat the Yankees. New York has some old, key pitchers. However, it has the young pitchers to take the regular starts and save Allie Reynolds, Ed Lopat, and Johnny Sain for spot performances. Cleveland and Chicago can't do that. Cleveland must find replacements for Bob Feller and Early Wynn, and young Dave Hoskins can fill such a large assignment. The White Sox can't expect such a spectacular performance from Virgil Trucks this year, for he is at the age where he might not win anymore than 10 games.
The Yankees could have been strongly pushed by Boston had Ted Williams not broken his shoulder. When Williams, baseball's greatest hitter, was injured, the Red Sox chances were hurt terrifically. Boston will have to get some fine pitching from some of the young members of the staff in order to be a contender.
Washington could easily finish in the first division this year. It has fine pitching but will be hard pressed to score runs. It probably has fewer power hitters than any team in the majors. As far as the rest of the league is concerned, Baltimore needs more than spirit to be a contender; Detroit is rebuilding, and Philadelphia has no pitching.
In the National league its the Dodgers first, Cardinals second. Giants third, Milwaukee fourth, Phillies fifth, Cincinnati sixth, Cubs seventh, and Pittsburgh eighth.
Brooklyn should win the National league, but it will be hard pressed to beat the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have excellent pitching and could easily win the pennant should the Dodgers falter. With Don Newcombe and Carl Erskine leading the pitching staff and with the tremendous power and bench strength the club has it is hard to see how the Dodgers can lose.
For third place we are picking Leo Durocher's Giants. Last year the team fell apart and finished fifth, but this year it has much better pitching and, with Willie Mays back from service, should give a good account of itself.
Last year Milwaukee took everyone by surprise, and with great support from the fans, finished second. However, we expect them to slip considerably this year. The trades which Milwaukee made could hurt the club. Danny O'Connell is a fine infielder, and Bob Thomson is a good outfielder, but to get these men the team had to give up three pitchers. Although Max Surkont won only 11 games, practically all of them were at the first part of the season giving the club a fast start. To get Thomson, Milwaukee had to give up Don Liddle and John Antonelli, two young pitcheres of great promise. Warren Spahn also can't be expected to win 23 and lose only seven again this year.
Cincinnati could be a big surprise under Manager Birdie Tebbets. However, it has pitching trouble just as we expect Milwaukee to have.
As far as the Cubs and Pirates are concerned they can be forgotten as far as being pennant contenders. Chicago needs some new fielders, and Pittsburgh needs more experience.
The Phillies have Robin Roberts and Curt Simmons, but the rest of the staff isn't too impressive. The infield and the outfield both could use some improvement.
Baseball Team Starts Season At Arkansas
Jayhawker baseball Coach Floyd Temple will start two new infielders as the KU baseball team opens the season with a southern swing to the University of Arkansas Monday and Tuesday and Tulsa University Wednesday and Thursday.
Two outfielders Boll Allison and Bob Conn, a new pitcher B Shirley pitcher. Don Augst will round out their first-year starters for the squad.
John Perry, who collected six home runs early last season, will start in left field.
Shortstop Heitholt was the regular centerfielder on last year's club as a sophomore. Coach Temple said, "He has a long way to go before he becomes a shortstop, but he is a pretty good hitter and is working hard to learn the position. Our first four games will tell the tale on his fielding."
The Arkansas Razorbacks will have two games under their belts when the Jayhawkers meet them for they open against Bradley today and tomorrow in Favetteville.
Temple will start Bill Heitholt at shortstop and Forrest Hoglund at third base. Returning veterans John Trombold, first base, and Bill Pulliam, second base, will play their regular positions.
Bob Shirley, Grantville sophomore, and John Brose, veteran lefty, will start on the mound against Arkansas Monday and Tuesday. Wayne Tiemeyer, senior right hander, and Fuzzy Martin, sophomore righthander, are scheduled to pitch the Tulsa series.
Shirley and Brose each pitched six impressive innings in Saturday's intra-squad game, but Martin is still having trouble with control.
The Jayhawks will leave Sunday noon on their southern trip.
Yanks Send Eight To Minor Leagues
St. Petersburg, Fla., (U.P.)—Eight rookies were lopped off the Yankee roster today and co-owner Dan Topping hinted that some veterans may follow them unless they get those complacement notions "out of the back of their heads."
Topping made his remarks after an announcement that eight players, including Negro catcher Elston Howard and pitcher Steve Kraly, had been farmed to minor league clubs.
"We never like to get licked, even in exhibition games," said Topping.
University Daily Kansan
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First KU Football Clinic To Be Friday, Saturday
Phone 3162
The first football clinic for high school football coaches presented by the University of Kansas coaching staff will be held in the Jayhawk room of the Student Union next Friday and Saturday.
The clinic begins at 8:15 a.m. on Friday with registration in the hawk room of the Student Union Friday and Saturday.
The KU coaching staff plan holding three clinics a year. Since the new KU staff has only been here six weeks, and they didn't get the invitations sent out until about three weeks ago, it will be hard to estimate the number of coaches who will attend the clinic
Women's Softball To Start April 12
In addition to the lectures on each phase of football by the Kansas coaches, Don Pierce, KU sports publicity director, will speak on public relations, and Dean Nesmith, KU trainer, will talk on the treatment of football injuries.
The Tri Delt's, Alpha Phi's, Sigma Kappa's, and A O Pi's will start women's softball competition on Monday, April 12 at 4 p.m. on the intramural field.
The elimination tennis doubles tournament will also get underway Monday, April 12. The schedule will be posted Monday morning in the physical education office.
Two games will be played each day with Chi Omega and Alpha Delta Pi, Pi Beta Phi and Gamma Pi, Beta playing Tuesday; Kappa Alpha Theta and Corbin, Miller-Watkins and North College on Wednesday; Alpha Chi Omega and Locksley-Monchonsia, Jayettes and Delta Gamma on Thursday.
For Extra Cash, sell those items with a Kansas Classified.
Sooners Defeated In Tennis Meet
The KU tennis team won its opening match of the season by defeating the highly regarded Oklahoma Sooners 5-2 in an upset yesterday afternoon on the KU courts.
Coach Dick Mechem's team won four of the five singles matches and one of the two doubles matches. Al Hedstrom lost the No. 1 singles matches to Ken Taylor, Big Seven singles champion last year, 6-2, 6-2. Other results:
Dick Hadley, def. John Martin,
0, 6-3, 8-6.
Don Franklin, def. Russ Fuller,
0, 6-3, 7-5.
Merl Sellers, def. Tom Mahaffey,
0, 6-0, 8-6.
Roger Youmans, def. Bob Shwartz,
0, 7-5, 6-4.
Sellers and Franklin, def. Martin and Mahaffey, 0, 6-0, 6-4.
Taylor and Fuller, O, def. Hedstrom and Hadlev. 6-2, 4-6, 6-0.
Bill Sweeney today was signed to a 1-year contract to manage the Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast league.
The Syracuse Nationals and the Minneapolis Lakers open their 7-game series tonight in Minneapolis for the National Basketball association championship.
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