Evening star., 1940-04-23
Reds Give Proof
Of Their Right
To Throne
FIuwIess in Beutinq
Cards; Tribe Ties
Bosox for Lead
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated Press Sports Writer.
The Cincinnati Reds are making
all the so-called experts who backed
them to repeat for the National
League pennant look good
At the end of the first water
logged week of the schedule they
are at the top of their circuit with
three games won and none lost, but
that isn't the whole story.
They never have been behind In
any OF the games. Their three prize
pitchers have gone the full nine
inning route in every case. No more
than l run has been scored against
them in any contest. The team
hasn't committed single error.
The 6-1 depth bomb they set off
under the st. Louis Cardinals yester-
day was the most emphatic indica-
ton the champions could have given
that they are travelling the same
trail they took year ago.
They made mockery of the chal-
lenge the Cards were supposed to
be readying this season. They pad
died three pitchers for nine hits and
punched 3 runs in both the third
and eighth innings. But more than
this they presented smooth, ma
chine-like ball club behind the ef-
fective seven-hit hurting of Bucky
Walters, who kept the Cards shut
| out on five hits until the ninth in
ming.
Cards Hurt by Errors.
ST. Louis made two embarrassing
errors, both of which figured in Gin
cinnati's scoring. Another time
three players all ran after fly and
left second base uncovered, giving
Harry Craft a two-base hit.
In five games since the season
opened, the Cards have lost four
and used is pitchers, including
Clyde Shoun for fractions of four
games and three days in a row.
! One week doesn't make a season.
but a champion has to win approxi-
mately 95 games and victory now
counts just as much as one in
August or September.
Right now the club the Reds
probably are watching closest Is
Brooklyn, undefeated, united and
unscored upon in two games. But
the Reds are sure to stay at the top
a day or two longer because the
f1oodwaters of the Ohio Rover have
engulfed Crosley Field at Cincin-
matt and apparently will keep them
idle until the schedule moves the
club to Chicago Thursday.
Rain and snow prevented any
Eastern games in either league yes
terday.
Buc Bag Wild Game.
In the other Western game of the
National League, the Pittsburgh Pi-
rates continued undefeated with a
9-5 verdict over the Chicago Cubs.
1t was a wild home opener for the
Buccaneers, with 19 hits, II bases
on balls and six errors making
everything uncertain. Nevertheless
the Pirates took the lead in the first
inning and never relinquished it.
Willis Hudlin added another good
pitching performance to the Cleve-
land Indians totem with a seven
hit job that stopped the st. Louis
Browns So and lifted the Tribe into
tie with the idle Boston Red Sox
for first place in the American
League. All of Cleveland's runs
were crowded into the first inning,
when Howard Mills couldn't get even
one batter out.
The Detroit Tigers put across two
runs in the ninth on Earl Averill's
pinch single to beat the Chicago
White Sox 6-5 and give Rookie Dick
Conger credit for his first major
league victory on one innings effort.
The Sox relied on another fresh
man, Vallie Eaves, who did an amaz-
ing job of holding the enemy to
three runs in 72s innings, during
which he gave seven hits, IL bases
on balls and made two wild pitches.
Yet Clint Brown was charged with
the loss.
Lynn Nelson Of Detroit was struck
on the head by a line drive and
Luke Appling of Chicago was
spiked on the knee during the game,
but neither was hurt seriously.