Evening star., 1939-05-11
Indians Are Boosted
To Top Group as
Bob Beats As
Idle Bosox Retoin Lead
Over Yonks;; Pirates
Get Out Of Cellar
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Robert William Andrew Feller is a
seasoned young man now and the
first pitcher in either major league
to win five games.
These two facts belong together
because the Van Meter, Iowa, speed
ster is working wonders for the
Cleveland Indians on the kind OF
twirling which for two years kept
everybody going in circles-mostly
on passes around the bases.
In beating the Philadelphia Ath-
letics yesterday. to 4, in a contest
which boosted the Indians into the
first division for the first time since
the early days of the season, Feller
gave up a dozen hits, four bases on
balls and made a couple of Wild
pitches.
Such looseness would have licked
a lot of hurlers. but it didn't bother
Bob because the Indians galloped In
front with six runs in the first two
innings. Too, the 20-year-old right
handed star had way of becoming
very miserly when such measures
were necessary. He struck out eight
of the AS.
Only Loss to Yanks in 10th.
His five victories represent all but
three of the games the Indians have
won this spring, which shows the
extent of Cleveland's dependence on
him. He has fulfilled this faith by
going the route three times, once
giving three hits and once four. He
earned one victory In relief and the
only game he has dropped was to the
New York Yankees. when he lost his
grip in the 10th inning-as many
another pitcher has.
The program yesterday was packed
with wen-pitched games. Tommy
Bridges held Washington to five hits
in stopping a seven-game Detroit
losing streak and lifting the Tigers
out OF the American League cellar.
The only Washington run was un-
earned as he scored his fourth VIC
tory against no defeats by 5-l score.
With Bill Dickey and George Sell
kirk accounting for four runs on
homers in the first inning, the
Yankees and Bump Hadley coasted
to a IL triumph over st. Louis.
The game advanced New York half
game ahead of Boston in games
won and lost. but left the Red Sox,
who were rained out at Chicago,
still leading, TIA to .7O6, in per-
centages.
Giants in Last Place Tie.
Lou Fette pitched the Boston Bees
to 90 margin over the Chicago
Cubs on three hits. Lon Warneke
held the Phillies to seven safeties
as the st. Louis Cardinals won, 4-3,
and moved into a tie for first place
In the National League. The pace
setting Cincinnati Reds were held
to seven by Whitlow Wyatt and Ira
Hutchinson of the Dodgers as
Brooklyn won, 1915, on the slugging
Of Babe Phelps and partners.
The days only shutout, however,
was fashioned by Truett Sewell of
the Pittsburgh Pirates by SO over
the New York Giants. This de-
velopment lifted Pittsburgh out of
the cellar for the first time since the
first week Of the season and dropped
the Giants into a tie with the
Phillies for last place.
1t was the first time the Giants
have been last since Bill Terry Sue
ceeded John McGraw as manager
in the middle of 1882. Likewise, it
was the first whitewashing of the
season for New York and the fourth
achieved by the Pirates in the Polo
Grounds in 10 years. This accom-
plishment on six hits was sort of
birthday offering by Sewel, who
was 80 years old today.