Mediterranean Algiers Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1943, Algiers, Algiers                                Sunday Jane 6, 1943 the stars and stripes Pace 7 with the flying fortresses somewhere in Africa a almost any afternoon you can see 50 to too fortresses Roar Home from a Mission and shortly after a soft Ball game will be in Progress. Of course you might comment a Well what of it a you might make such a crack because you had t been in the air eight hours with me 109 s and 190�?Ts throwing Lead in your direction to say nothing of belligerent attentions from the ground. But did you Stop to realize the physical and mental Strain of a fortress raid you d wonder Why All concerned did no to head for the a a sheets the moment they set foot in Terra Firma. As it happens these fortress Crews Are a Tough Breed of men perhaps As rugged As those fabulous huskies who ride in tanks. They play Ball just As hard As they blast the enemy. Group Squadron rivalry on the Diamond is red hot and rank does no to mean a whoop once the Umpire shouts a a play Ball a for instance we might mention it. Col. Joseph a. Thomas of Roanoke a. Col. Thomas has been in the air service nine years. He accompanied the first heavy bombardment group to England and became commanding officer of the first fortress outfit to operate in this theater. He has been awarded the dec air medal and Oak Leaf with Cluster which naturally makes him quite a Guy to his wife and three children in Pomona Calif. When a new fortress group recently arrived Here from the states col. Thomas took Over to whip it into shape. Soon the new boys were hearing him say a a of lets go out and give Mem hell  he always ends up a briefing that Way. He a been on 41 missions and has led a Good Many of them. After hours the colonel likes nothing better than a Snappy game of soft Ball. In fact he catches for the team that is Champion of his group. He a not a babe Ruth but he almost always connects. Right now he a averaging Over .400 at the plate. And done to forget the colonel is in his Early forties. A Tough game in the air the other Day col. Thomas set Forth on a routine flight. It was unescorted and the colonel took the Lead. More than 50 enemy fighters jumped on the formation of flying fortresses while the planes still were one and one half hours away from the target and never let up until Long after the bomb Bay doors had loosed their loads of destruction. For More than three hours the fortress Crews had to Wear oxygen masks. It was eight and one half hours before they returned to base. For once the colonel did t Call for his catchers mask. Two fortresses were missing. Twenty minutes later it was reported one fortress had landed near Bizerte. Soon after that the other called in from a Friendly Airport. Both had motors burned or knocked out. When word of the second plane came through the colonel heaved a great sigh of Relief and shouted a a of time for five innings before  they say he played a whale of a game that Day. Another soft bail fiend is John Carpino former guard on the Fordham football team. A second Looey and fortress Bombardier from Wilkes Barre pa., he had just returned from a Tough raid when somebody asked him if it was a a Tough work a he replied a a yeah but you got to play rough if you want to stay in the top  Carpino had been on a seven and one half hour Mission that Day but after four doughnuts and a cup of Coffee he organized a soft Ball game. Quot and i Promise to get three for four with one a double he promised. A that raid was just a  he had his game and he got his hits. Many an athlete on deck walking around these advanced Aird Romes or in the near Vicinity you re Likely to meet Many an athlete. For instance you might bump into it. Anne Murray Mcilhenney now working at Public relations for the Waack a. She was if you can think Back that far a backstroke on the olympic swimming team in 1924. From there she went to Hollywood publicity and reporting in Buffalo. Now she a the first Public relations officer feminine style in the army. Another figure from the sports pages hereabouts is 1st it. Dwight Pete Davis jr., the Tennis player. Generally at this time of year Pete is tuning up his racquets at the Meadow club Southampton. N y. Now he san intelligence officer with the air Force. Peters old Man you May recall put the famous Davis cup into play Back in a Good a trophy that now reposes in Australia. Pete has been in Africa since mid november and in a few Days will put on an exhibition against the Best French Newman in the Vicinity. He says he a pretty Rusty but his right Arm certainly is Limber. He tosses the cubes just to keep in shape and for a time was so Lucky the boys nicknamed him  that nickname As Pete mournfully explains no longer  collegiate track season opens Yankees Lead Washington by 8 percentage Points wins pole vault Cornelius Warmerdam representing Del Monte naval preflight knocked off the bar at 15 feet 9 inches three times in attempting to better his own worlds pole vault record after he had won the event at 15 feet i Inch. The Olympio club won the annual Pacific association track meet with 51 Points. Warmerdam is an instructor in the naval aviation physical fitness program. Baseball Superman the flying dutchman reigns at shortstop by Grantland Rice Milwaukee a the University of Illinois won the eighteenth annual Central collegiate track and Field championship with 52 and three fourths Points. Marquette was second with 43 and one fourth Points and Minnesota finished third with 34 and one half Points in a 21 school Field. Jimmy Fie Weger of Lawrence College Wisconsin took individual honors with 13 and one half Points. At Berkeley California the University of Missouri a relay team came within one second of equalling the intercollegiate record for the 880 Yard relay. Joe shy the Missouri Captain took the too Yard dash in 09.7 and team mate Maurice Alexander won the 120 Yard High hurdle and the 220 Low hurdle events. At West Point the Navy nosed out the army. 64 and one third Points to 61 and two third Points in the annual track and Field meet. Tile middies also took the baseball game 8-2. Tho athletic events were part of the colourful graduation weekend at West Point. Army a Johnny Morris set two new meet records winning the 440 in 48.3 thereby breaking his own Mark of 49.7, and making the 220 clipping a tenth of a second off the 09.7 Mark set by Dalton of the Navy in �?T38. Army a Bill Gieger tied Pater in the 220 Yard Low hurdles set in �?T3g. Earl Audet sex Georgetown University Star established a new National aau shot put record by heaving the 16-Pounder 54�?T 9 and five eighths inches at the Southern California invitation track meet. Chance for count count Fleet who gallops in the Belmont stakes june 5, will have As his chief rivals slide Rule the Fox Catcher farms fairy manhunt and the Greentree stables four freedoms. If the Winner of the Derby Preakness and the Withers is triumphant he will do what no other horse has done since the Canadian owned sir Barton took All four 25 years ago. Bowling champs Chicago Frank Mataya and Nelson Burton both from St. Louis became the National match game Bowling champions defeating Ned Day and Rudy puget of Milwaukee by two Points. Thirty six teams competed in the three Day tournament. The winning team collected 600 dollars and medals. In bids for air Cadet Enos Slaughter so that they could have him on their Ball club but the army i shipped him to Shepard Field Texas Winch Hasni to a Ball team at. All 1 when you Are talking about standouts the few who Rule the Uplands there is a somewhat venerable party from Pittsburgh who must be considered. The name is Hans Wagner. Wagner celebrated his 69th birthday recently. In his own spot he happens to be the nonpareil of the entire lot. This Means there has been no challenger even close when you mention shortstops. A Man by the name of John j. Mcgraw rated him the greatest ballplayer of All time. Another pretty fair judge of ballplayers by tile name of de Barrow of the Yankees backs up Mcgraw. You May not care to put the flying dutchman Over Cobb and Ruth but at least you can say in his playing position at shortstop old Honus is the be striding colossus of All time. A the reason i put Wagner Over Cobb and Ruth is this a Mcgraw once told me. A a great infielder is far More valuable than a great outfielder. He has to handle far More chances and Many More difficult chances. Wagner is the greatest infielder that Ever lived. A a he is also one of the greatest hitters that Ever lived. He is also one of the Best base runners of  More about Wagner at this pointed Barrow of the Yankees Cut in. Barrow is the smart fellow who really started Honus on his Way up. A a Hans Wagner a Uncle Egbert said a a has starred in eight positions in big league baseball. I mean All three Outfield positions All four infield positions and Back of the Bat. He May have pitched for he had a great Arm. If Wagner had been a Pitcher he would have been Good enough to win at least 20 games a year. He had baseball instinct. Look Over his  the record shows that Wagner led the National league in Hilting for eight seasons. It shows that he batted .300 or better through 17 consecutive years. This record shows that Wagner born feb. 24, 1874, was still a Star at the age of 43. It also shows that in spite of his Bow legged bulk he stole around 800 bases. And this does t take in his Miracle play at Short where his 1 two vast grappling Hook hands took care of everything hit his was. This explains Why Honus Wagner is the one to lion standout. To it a t r Var Dickey Mickey Cochrane Gabby Hartnett Johnny Kling and others who Are neck to neck. Among the pitchers we have Walter Johnson Christy Mathew son Grover Alexander by Young de Walsh lefty Grove Rube Waddell and others who have been rated around the top. At first we have George Sisler Lou Gehrig Hal Chase Bill Terry and Chance among Many others. At second we have Eddie Collins Larry Lajoie Frank Frisch Rogers Hornsby a All under a Blanket. At third we have Jimmy Collins pie Traynor Buck Weaver Art Del Vin and Bill Bradley to mention Only a few in the Outfield we have Tycobb babe Ruth Tris speaker Joe Jackson Joe Dimaggio and a few More. Ther is keen Competition in every other baseball spot. But there has been no Competition at shortstop. Here Hans Wagner stands alone Herman Long Joe tinker tuck Turner Travis Jackson Beauty Bancroft Dick bar Tell these and Many others who were Fine shortstops. Does anyone believe that any of these the pick of the lot was even close to hails Wagner As a hitter an infielder or a base runner does anyone believe there was any other shortstop who was even close to Wagner either offensively or defensively a six year Semi pro at Mansfield Dennison Warren Adrian. Steubenville and Paterson he crashed Louisville in the National league in 1897 with an opening blast of .344. In his first year with Pittsburgh he batted .380. Shortstop has known Only one outstanding Start one ballplayer who stands alone unchallenged in All arguments Happy birthday a John p. Hans  by tic Holyoke mass Tommy Jessup. A recent to victim of Henry Armstrong returned to the ring wars by scoring a to Over Bob Winters 144, of Philadelphia in the third round of a scheduled ten round bout. It was a furious fight with Jessup taking a nine count in the second round but pulling off the floor to drop Winters for a similar count. As soon As Winters got to his feet Jessup knocked him cold but the Bell saved the Philly boy. In the first few seconds of the third Jessup or of Oil Ain and the referee a dodgers still head National race As cards lose 3-2 new York Only eight percentage Points separate the Washington senators from the league leading new York Yankees. The senators slammed four Cleveland pitchers As they she lacked the indians 13-1. This was the third win i n for starts against the tribe. Milo Candini debuting As a senator held Cleveland to eight hits. The Yankees fired a round of duds in defense surrendering to the White sox in the ninth 2-1. Southpaw Jake Wade served the hungry bombers five scattered hits. The yanks gained a one run Lead in the fifth when Johnny Linden tripled and then scored on hem Sleys single. With the bases full in the eighth Hank Borowy uncorked a wild pitch scoring Wade with the tying run. The clincher came in the ninth when with two away. Mike Tresh lofted a Texas leaguer Over Stirnweiss head scoring Luke Appling. The Browns and botox struggled into their third and fourth consecutive overtime periods with the brownies taking the first 7-4, and the sox coming Back to snatch the Nightcap 3-2. Stubby Overmire fired a five hitter at Philadelphia As the tigers won 7-2, for their third Victory Over the a a in four games. The tigers hammered 14 blows off Harris Clyde and Kuczynski. In the National league the reds compiled an impressive hit total Downing the giants 13-6, with a barrage of 18 blows. The revived Phillies registered their seventh win in eight starts Over the cubs by taking a 6 to 5 decision. Schoolboy Rowe held the cubs to one Homer by Caverretta for seven innings but was replaced by Kimball in the eighth. Frank Coleman a Pinch hit Bingle in the ninth gave the pirates a 3-2 Triumph Over the braves. Curt Davis quelled a St. Louis ninth inning rally As the dodgers squeezed out a 3 to 2 win. Mickey Owens single drove in Dolph candid in the eighth for what proved to be the winning  National league w. L pct. Brooklyn 26 14 .650 St. Louis 23 14 .622 Cincinnati 19 18 .514 Pittsburgh 18 17 .514 Philadelphia 18 19 .486 Boston 16 17 .485 new York 15 23 .395 Chicago 12 25 .324 minor leagues International league w. L. Pct. Toronto 25 15 .625 Montreal 20 16 .556 Newark 18 15 .545 Syracuse 14 12 .538 Baltimore 16 16 .500 Rochester 13 18 .449 Buffalo 12 17 .414 Jersey City 14 23 .378 american association w. L. Pct. Indianapolis 16 6 .727 Toledo 15 to .600 Columbus 15 la .577 Milwaukee 14 14 .500 Minneapolis 13 15 .464 St. Paul 13 18 .419 Louisville la 17 .393 Kansas City to 16 .385 Southern association w. L. Pct. Nashville 25 15 .625 Birmingham 25 16 .610 Chattanooga 20 13 .606 Little Rock 19 15 .559 Atlanta 19 18 .514 new Orleans 19 22 .463 Knoxville 13 23 .361 Memphis 9 27 .250 class in Carolina buddy Hassett Dusty Cooke Johnny Pesky and Pete Appleton Are All play no b til for the North i 21.1 breaking the record set in it by Pate n of the Navy at la 4 Navy a John Pettit set a new sj0 Rcv a than six flying Fields had Icet record for the too Yards by this is the army