After scanning the latest spring training camp reports from America's southern "Baseball Belt" to-day, Jack Doyle, noted New York quoter of sports betting odds, named the New York Yankees a I to 2 favourite to annex the world championship again this year.
The 1 to 2 odds on the Yankees were labelled "semi-final" odds, indicating that Doyle might alter them before the season opens, but he said he believed the Yankees were "the nearest to being the sure thing of any club in history."
Doyle minimized the effect the loss of Tony Lazerri from the Yankee infield would have on the champions. He said the Yankees had sufficient reserves who were capable of replacing Lazerri.
The Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox were all named 5 to 1 contenders for the runner-up position, The New York Giants and Chicago Cubs drew 3 to 2 odds as pennant favourites in the National League. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates rated 4 to 1 odds in the National loop pennant race, but the Cards were labelled the "dark horse" team of the year with their fate apparently depending on the performance of Jerome "Dizzy" Dean's pitching arm.
"I think Dean is O.K," Doyle said, T think last year's poor season was just what he needed."—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.