Atlanta Daily World

Favored Players To Be Selected After East-West Tilt; Rate Josh Gibson As Man Who Can't Miss

MANY PERSONS are wondering what the present status of things happens to be in the campaign for entrance into major league baseball of colored stars. Hosts of fans are curious as to what ever came of the reported trials of certain players-Roy Campanella, catcher, and Sam Hughes, second baseman, both of the Baltimore Elite Giants, and Dave (Impo) Barnhill of the New York Cubans-who were said to be due for workouts with the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday.

AUGUST 4 DATE, "BUM STEER"

First of all, let's clear up the records by reminding one and all that no definite date has ever been set for the actual tryout of the colored players. Nat Low, sports editor of the New York DAILY WORKER, jumped the gun in flatly stating that the big showdown would come August 4.

President William E. Benswanger, executive of the Pirates, sticks to his story that he is going to give certain Negro stars a tryout for his club. But he said no one ever asked him a specific date when the colored players would be given their chance. He said Mr. Low only asked him when the Pirates, then on the road, would be back home at Forbes Field. To that question Mr. Benswanger said he told his inquirer the Pirates opened their next home stand August 4.

BENSWANGER IRKED

The Pittsburgh president said the DAILY WORKER writer simply informed wrongly, that he would give the colored players their trial as soon as the club returned home.

Mr. Benswanger then said he was inclined to be fair and had no idea of failing to fulfill his promise, but he insisted that he would not let Mr. Low, or anyone else, try to do his thinking for him.

Severing himself completely from communicative relations with the DAILY WORKER, because of Mr. Low's unethical slip, Mr. Benswanger said he would give a tryout to four outstanding Negro players recommended to him by anybody of organized colored baseball experts.

PICK STARS TODAY

Today, those four players will be recommended. Their names will become public information.

The managers of clubs in the Negro American and National Leagues will make the four recommendations, which, later will be passed on to Mr. Benswanger along with a complete record of the respective men.

Of possibilities, Rupert, (Josh) Gibson, Homestead Grays' catcher, is considered a cinch.

Today's East-West Classic, tenth in the series, will be played at Comiskey Field, Chicago. The series stands at five-to-four in favor of the East, but many are solidly picking the West to even the count this year, largely because Leroy (Satchel) Paige will be on the mound for the westerners.