The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-06-16
Vandermeer, 2 Year Old Rookie, Becomes Immortal
BY CHRIS CUNNINGHAM United Pres Staff Correspondent)

(Unlted PreS StaH correspondent
 New York, June 16-Ten million baseball fans worshipped new hero today-Johnny Wander Nicer, 22- year-old rookie, who pitched his second no-hit, no-run game in suc- cession last night for the Cincin- nati Reds.
 There never has been feat like it since organized baseball became the national pastime. no-hit, mo- run game in baseball parlance, puts a pitcher in the hall of fame. Sev- eral nave one such feat to their credit but two in row was, until last night, almost inconceivable.
 A privileged crowd of 33,747 at Ebbets field in Brooklyn saw Wander Meer's achievement end shortly be- fore midnight. Among them were Pa" and Ma" Wander Nicer, seat ed behind the Reds dugout, and in a box was Babe Ruth, whose name is synonymous with baseball heroism. Ruth seemed almost unable to be- lieve what he saw. Before the game, Johnny was nervous.
 Shaky
 T wish Ma hadn't come," he was heard to say.
 He referred to baseball's supersti- tions-that pitchers crack up after their great games-and that since he had pitched no-hit game three days earlier, he hoped to spare his mother the sight of a dismal per- formance.
 The ninth inning provided Van- der Meers test and the way he survived it made baseball history.
 He was standing tensely in the pitchers box with string of 615 lighting units flooding down 92,000 candle power on him when the final inning came. His Cincinnati team was leading, 60, and the Brooklyn Dodgers had their last chance to spoil his record.
 Leo Durocher of the Dodgers was at bat; the bases were loaded" two batters had been called out.
 Ball one!" cried Umpire Bill Stewart. Then, strike one!" Duro- cher swung and missed the next one. Another ball. The count was two strikes, two balls. Wander Nicer poised his left arm and let another fly. The crowd let loose a frenzied shout with the crack of the bat. Durocher lifted a high fly to short center field and Harry Craft, 23- year-old grocer from Throckmorton Tex, camped under it for the final out.
 Cincinnati Reds swarmed about Wander Nicer. swung him to their shoulders. Fans stormed onto the field. Finally. police guards, huskier Cincinnati Reds and ushers opened path for him to reach the dress ing room.
 He had little to say, was chiefly interested in resting and appeared eager to get away for thout fishing today with his family and sweet heart.
 Fans with" Him
 The siX-foot one-inch left-hander had pitched his first no-hit, no-run game against the Boston Bees last Saturday. At first the fans of Brook lyn, noted for their. noisy and bois- terous demonstrations against oppos- ing pitchers, were for and against him. During the first four or five innings there were mixed cheers and boos for the young immortal" But after the sixth inning they kept up a steady roar of encouragement as Wander Nicer came down the stretch.
 The odds were overwhelmingly against him. "One in a million, someone said. During his two base ball world-shaking performances he had faced 55 batters and not one of them, all veteran batsmen, had hit ball safely. Only II of them got on base, all on walks, and none past third. In the game last night eight men got on base, three in the ninth inning.