Sport: Here Come the Cards

For most of the season the big question in the National League pennant race had been: what holds the Dodgers up? They had led the parade ever since May 24, at one time were 7 ½ games out front. Last week, a disastrous road trip—on which Brooklyn’s Dodgers won 6, lost 10 (including four straight losses to the Cardinals)—seemed to have reduced the question to old rhetoric. The long overdue St. Louis Cards, for the moment at least were right there with them.

Before the season opened, the 1946 Card trick looked like no trick at all. New Manager Eddie Dyer, up from the Cardinal farm chain, was two or three deep in talent at most positions, and had a grade-A pitching staff of 26. Somebody had to go to get the roster down to the June 15 30-player maximum. Boss Sam Breadon could not resist the $175,000 that the Giants offered for Catcher Walker Cooper. Infielder Emil Verban and Outfielder Johnny Hopp were sold to the Phillies and the Braves. Ace Pitchers Max Lanier (who had won his first six starts for the Cards) and Fred Martin went of their own accord to Mexico.

The club that Eddie Dyer now has is no worldbeater. It has four .300 hitters Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Red Schoendienst and Whitey Kurowski—but like Brooklyn, it is weak in catching and has no pitcher, except perhaps Howie Pollet, likely to win 20 games. The Cards got back in the running largely by Dodger default, but in their recent home-stand they had won 16, lost 6. Still, the aged Cubs, last year’s winners and now in third place, might yet give both the Cards and Dodgers a run.