Evening star., 1941-12-23
zaniest Events
OF 1941 Occur
In Baseball
Football, Boxing Also
Supply Numerous
Odd Incidents
BY HAROLD CLAASSEN,
Associated Press Sports Editor.

Associated PreSs sports Edltor.
NEW YORK, Dec 23-As evident
as a Christmas necktie is the opin-
ion Of the Nations sports editors
that Mickey Owens mufi Of a
third strike in the 1e41 World Sc
ries was the sports freak OF the
year.
Almost without exception the
critics designated the Brooklyn
catcher's failure to hold the ball as
the years zaniest-and perhaps
most costly-sports bobble.
Had Owen captured Hugh Casey's
low pitch the New Workers would
have been retired and the Dodgers
would have won, 4 to 8, as the Incl
dent happened in the ninth frame
with two out. That would have
leveled the series at two games
each
AS it was, however Tommy Hen.
rich scampered safely to first base
after swinging at the third strike
and opened the door through which
runs and 7-to-4 triumph. That
sent them ahead. three games to
one, in the World Series, which
they won the next day.
Baseball Umpire Is Banished.
The series also produced other
happenings which drew attention
from the 86 voting writer's. Fat
Freddie FtZsimmons. Dodger pitch.
er, getting knocked out by blow on
the knee gained mention, as did
the Brooklyn reporter who was late
to the fourth game Of the World
Series because his wife needed hos
pitalization after being injured in a
corner-lot football game.
Virtually every baseball fan In the
country would have paid to see
the incident Roland Hughes Of the
Roanoke (Va) World-News voted as
the best.
Umpire Guy Rhein of the Virginia
League bsnished Lynchburg Man.
ager Guy Lacy from a game. Then
the Lynchburg players refused to
continue and League President Ray
Ryan stepped from the stands.
banished the umpire and reinstated
the manager. Judge w. G. Bram-
ham still is investigating.
Crossed by Teammate.
Bobby Yandells tackle by mistake
OF Teammate Ray Poole, who was
in the clear for a probable touch.
down. won most votes among the
football freaks. A Poole touchdown
would have given Mississippi six,
possibly seven, points. AS 1t was,
| Mississippi State triunphed. 6 to o,
and won the Southeastern Confer
ence title.
Other freak gridiron items were
the Ohio State-Northwestern fifth
down controversy; Minnesota's quick
lineup while Bill Sweiger argued
with Northwestern players and a
teammate raced for the game
winning touchdown and Syracuses
coy center who turned his back on
his opponents all season.
The bout Billy Soose. ex-middle-
weight king, lost but didn't lose was
the boxing novelty. Soose, in his
California brawl with Ceferino
Garcia. suffered a severe cut over
his right eye. The referee. instead
Of naming Garcia the victor bv a
technical knockout, stopped the bout
and declared it a draw, a power
granted him by the California COM
mission.
Grid Players Are Gassed.
Other novelties we're: the referee
IN the South Carolina-Wake Forest
football game losing his whistle and
before a play could be stopped the
Gamecock ball carrier was thrown
for an additional 9-yard loss: 28
portsmouth 'tOhio): Catholic High
players overcome by gas between
halves of their game with Ironton
st. Joseph, and Bud Ward winning
the q. S. Amateur Golf crown de-
spite the Omaha gallery.
Perhaps most typicallv American
OF the years supply of freak sports
incidents was the one reported from.
Indianola, Miss, where DR.. Paul
Woodward. a dentist, began prepar-
Ing for his next patient, only to dis
cover it was his son.
Young Woodward, a sandlot foot
ball player, lost three teeth making
a high" tackle on William Pitts,
Pitts was put to bed-after a doctor
PRED two OF the molars from his
scalp.