Evening star., 1941-07-29
Shaky Pitchers
Dim Flag Hopes
Of Brooklyn
Botters Also Feeble
In Pinches;; Yonks
Near Cote Mark
BY BILL BONI,
Associated pres. snnrts Writ.r

ASSoSAolcu ricsh opOilS writer.
Wobbling on both their hitting and
their pitching legs, the BROOKLYN
Dodgers moved into St. Louis today
Tor what may be the make or break"
series of their National League pen
nant aspirations.
just two weeks ago these Dodgers
were in first place, enjoying a four
game margin over the Cardinals.
Then the hard-running, hard hit
ting, ever-scrapping Redbirds moved
into Ebbets Field, beat the Brooks
in both contests of a short series,
and started them on a toboggan slide
that has them two lengths back of
the Cards.
The source of this present Dodger
dilemma seems to be a combination
of things, including pitchers who
haven't been able to hold leads,
hitters who haven't given those
pitchers any big leads to hold, and,
apparently, lack of sufficient youth
such as is sparkling the Cardinals
and the oncoming Pittsburgh Pirates.
Much Work for Higbe.
Up to that fateful July Is Whit
Wyatt and Kirby Higbe. with the
help of Hugh Casey, were moving
down the batters in fine style. but
not one of the three has been able
to win since. and the only three vic
tories in the Dodgers II tilts in those
two weeks have been credited to
Curt Davis and Mace Brown, in
relief roles and to Luke Hamlin, who
needed help from Higbe
Hamlin was expected to get the
call for todays encounter with the
Cards, first of two, against Lon
Warneke or Max Lanier. For the
second game it likely will be Higbe
four of the seven contests on Brook
lyn's current Western trip.
Over the same stretch in which
Brooklyn has lost nine and won
three the Cardinals have Won nine
and lost three, even though Ernie
White has been the only St. Louis
pitcher able to 60 the route. A
lot of the games they've won, too,
have been just the reverse of the
ones the Dodgers lost-eames in
which they came from behind un-
der pressure.
Durocher Apt to Play.
So deep is the present Dodeer
despair that Manager Leo Durocher.
at last report. even was Ccnsid-
ering taking the step he'd vowed
he wouldnt-putting himself back
into the lineup in place of Peewee
Reese at shortstop TIE drive which
Durocher always has had might be
just the incentive tie Brooks reed
Yesterdays major league hohdav,
In addition to giving time to study
the Brooklyn plight also gave The
statisticianS chance to collect
some new figures or the New York
Yankees. These latest are attend
ance figures, which show that in Al
home dates the American League
leaders have averaged 1860 paid
admissions. With 80 at home still
TO be played, they may Detter tne
Yankee Stadium record of 1900 900.
The Yanks resumed their home
stand today against the Detroit IT.
gers. with Alley Donald and Hal
Newhouser the likely pitching rivals.
Other Games Scheduled.
For the rest OF the American
League the lineup was Cleveland
at Washington (Smith against Zu-
ber). Chicago at Philadelphia ROSS
against Beckman or Harris) and
st. Louis at Boston tAuker against
Harris.
In the National League 1t was
boston at Pittsburgh tJavery
against Sullivan. New York at Gin
cinnati Schumacher against Rid
dle) and Philadelphia at Chicago
fPearson against Lee).