It's The Nationals' Pastime

American Leaguers aren't about to admit it, of course, but it has become obvious that the National League is vastly superior. For the first time, the senior circuit has won four consecutive World Series, with four different champions: the Pirates in 1979, the Phillies in '80, the Dodgers in '81, the Cardinals in '82. And last July the National League beat the American for the 19th time in the last 22 All-Star Games.

Despite this overwhelming evidence of inferiority, American Leaguers stand firm. "The only thing the National League winning the World Series proves is that the best team in the NL is better than the best team in the AL four games out of seven in October," says Texas Vice-President and General Manager Joe Klein. The once-a-year All-Star Game is even less meaningful, American Leaguers declare. "National League superiority my foot," says Met Manager George Bamberger, who was in the American League for years as a pitcher, coach and manager. "There's really no difference between the leagues."

Get serious, George. Fact is, there are innumerable differences—in ball parks, rules, traditions, personnel—and most of them give the Nationals a distinct advantage. Want proof? Give us nine innings:

1) BUM LUCK

Had Cardinal Reliever Bruce Sutter, and not his Brewer rival, Rollie Fingers, missed the '82 Series, we might be discussing another matter of import, say ball-park hot dogs, American Leaguers assert. But in truth, there was more to St. Louis' win than the missing Fingers.

"Look what happens when players come over to our league," says American League President Lee MacPhail. "Ryan, Gossage and Fingers get clobbered in the All-Star Game. Is there any reason to expect Don Sutton would do so badly in the Series last year after winning 254 games for the Dodgers and Astros?" National League President Chub Feeney is sympathetic—and diplomatic. "To me, 19 of 20 wins in the All-Star Game is the most remarkable record in sports," he says. "You're talking about two relatively even teams." No you're not, Chub. If they were relatively even, the Nationals wouldn't be sporting a .950 record to the American League's .050. The odds against that kind of domination between equals, according to the M.I.T math department, is about one in 23,800. So bad luck doesn't get the Americans off the hook. As Branch Rickey—a National Leaguer, of course—used to say, luck is the residue of design.

2) BLACKS AND HISPANICS

Jackie Robinson's first game in New York in a Brooklyn uniform was an exhibition on April 11, 1947 against the Yankees. In retrospect, it was a most symbolic game in that it matched the trend-setting Bums, who were integrating the National League that year, against the Yanks, who would discourage integration in the American League by remaining all-white until 1955.

Consequently, the American League fell behind not only in black players but in scouting contacts and good will—and still trails. The Nationals also got the jump on the rich Hispanic lode in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean.

"Guys like Buck O'Neil [Kansas City Monarchs], Howie Haak [Pittsburgh] and the late Pete Zorilla spotted such players as Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda," says Commissioner Bowie Kuhn's assistant, Monte Irvin, the Hall of Fame Giant and former Negro League star. "When kids come along today, the old National League scouts still get in ahead of others because they've got the history and contacts." And expertise. The Yankees lost Fernando Valenzuela to the Dodgers, primarily because L.A. saw him first.