Evening star., 1938-07-20
ONCE MILD OUTFIT
NOW W|SFEROC|0US
Club Suddenly Realized 1t
Could Capture Pennant.
Rizzo Aids Greatly.
By the Associated Press.


PITTSBURGH, July 2O-Skipper
Pie Traynor believes an infection of
fever-pennant fever-changed his re-
Gently listless crew of Pirates on the
Pittsburgh brig into the present
hustling, ferocious gang of Bucca-
neers.
1T broke out about the middle Of
our recent 13.game wining streak"
explained the always courteous man.
ager. You know for three or four
years we've had a good team, al
though not quite as good as this one.
But somehow we never could get
infected with the fever. Well, during
our streak we began pulling game
after game out of the fire. I think
you'll find we've won % by one run
while dropping less than a dozen by
that score. Suddenly the boys began
to believe they could win the pen
nant.
L notice the difference on the
bench when we need two or three
runs with only couple of innings
to 60 Some of those who used to
hope we would catch up are cock
sure of it now"
Pitcher Notes Determination.
Traynor recalled the incident of the
wild pitch Freddy Fitzsimmons of the
Brooklyn Dodgers made last week. let
ting in two Pirate runs in the ninth
to tie the score. The Pirates won in
extra innings.
Fitz later said he had frightened
up" on the ball because of the look
OF determination he noticed on the
face of the batter, Rookie John Costa
Rizzo.
Il felt sure he would have knocked
any ordinary pitch out of the lot and
l tried to put so much on the ball
it got away" the one-time Giant
pitcher explained.
Rizzo is big part of the answer
to the rejuvenated Pirates, who now
are riding at the top Of the National
League by half game. He has driven
in SIS runs and jumped up his batting
average during the last month frdm
.254 to .3l8. 1t leaped 10 points yes
terday with his four Safeties in four
trips to bat. delivered after his three
run homer Thursday paced his mates
to their second triumph in three games
from the Giants
During the months squirt Paul
Waner. former National League bat
ting champion. increased his batting
average from ITO to 270: Gus Suhr.
veteran frstsacker, leaped from $50
to 1926 and Arky Vaughan. playing
the greatest defensive game of his
career at short. has boosted his from
270 to $40.
Lead in Double Plays.
The infield, spark-plugged by sensa-
tional work of Lee Jeep) Handley at
third base, is leading the league in
double plays with 81.
The pitching has been keeping pace
with the general improvement. Johnny
Gooch, the coach who helped develop
Johnny Wander Nicer and Frank Nc
Cormick while managing Durham in
1886. is getting a lot of credit for the
improved mound work
Mace Stanley Brown and Robert
Harold (Bob) Klinger, 29-year-
Missourian who escaped from the
Cardinals minor league chain, have
been the sensations of the hurting
staff.
Brown has won II games, all in
relief roles, and lost three. Last year,
working as a relief man in some SO
games. he won seven and lost two.
Klinger has won eight and lost one,
hurling six complete games.
Darrell Elijah (Cy) Blanton sud-
denly regained the form which made
ago and has won five straight, bring
ing his record to six victories against
a. lone defeat