Evening star., 1941-09-24
RedbirdsCrack
AfieId as Slab
Star Fades
Split of Twin IIAbout
Fatal to Flag Hopes
With a Games Left
Bv JUDSON BAILEY,

The Brooklyn Dodgers are almost
at the place where they can pull the
trigger on the ST Louis Cardinals.
and YOU practically can hear them
painting at the prospect
All along the Dodgers have been
insisting that the Cards could not
sweep through the Pittsburgh Pi-
rates and the Chicago Cubs. and
Brooklyn had it figured exactly. The
Cardinals came cropper at Pitts
burgh Yesterday, 40. in the first
game of a double-header and even
though they won the second game.
90, the damage was done. This
made the standings:
Games To
w L. Pet Behind. Play
Brooklyn - 81 SO SAT
St. Louis - 95 81 .638 Ia 4
ANY combination of three games
IN the days remaining will clinch
Brooklyn's first pennant in 81 years
If the Dodgers win three out of
four. they are in, no matter if the
Cards win all of theirs. If ST. Louis
loses game Brooklyn needs win
only two contests.
Appears Easy for Dodgers.
Since the Dodgers are billeted at
Boston today and tomorrow
against the seventh-place Braves
and then tackle the tail-end Phillies
Saturday and Sunday they should
have no trouble winning three out of
four.
On the other hand. the Cardinals.
tackling the Pirates again today and
tomorrow, and then moving into
Chicago to face the Cubs in final
pair. have no assurance that they
can win all four.
The Cards whipped themselves
Yesterday, They made five errors.
two by Shortstop Martin Marion,
and Mort Cooper. their most reliable
Highlander. got knocked out of the
box in the first inning.
Marion made one of his errors
on the first Pittsburgh player to
come to bat. then Elbie Fletcher
doubled and both scored on a single
by Vince Di Maggie. Another single
by Deb Garms scored Di Maggie
and chased Cooper to the showers.
After that the Pirates made only
two other hits. but the game was
gone out of the window as far as
the Cards were concerned
Lefty Ken Heintzelman. a Mis-
souri, boy himself. pitched six-hit
ball for the shutout.
Cards Fierce in Nightcap.
In the nightcap. the Cards came
back with the fierceness of avengers.
Max Lanier. Southpaw. pitched
fine eight-hit ball: the Pirates made
four errors, and the Cards made two
home runs-one by Stan Musial with
one on and the other by Estel
Crabtree with two aboard. But It
was like blowing a whistle after
the train had passed the station.
The Dodgers had an open date
and just sat around in their hotel
lobby at Boston and gloated
The Chicago Cubs clipped the Gin
cinnati Reds. ST.. with Big Bill Lee
keeping eight hits scattered and the
Reds making four errors. The New
York Giants and Phillies divided
double header. Cliff Melton gave
six successive singles in the first
inning OF the first game and the
Phils paraded to victory, 3D. Then
New York turned the tables and
won the nightcap. s-6.
The Philadelphia Athletics spoiled
Red Rulings World Series tuneup
by batting him out Of the box in the
ninth inning and winning, 9-8. Ruff
flng hit home run in the third
and Joe Di Maggie connected for
his 28th of the season in the fourth
to help set up 6-2 lead for Ruffing
But stormy seventh. in which
the AS scored five runs. and the
ninth-inning rally. spanked by Eddie
Collins triple. turned the tide.
Detroit rallied for three in the 10th
to stop the ST. Louis Browns. Al &.
lifting the Tigers into tie for third
place.