The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-05
ST. LOUIS CARDS NEAR PERFECT IN TO DATE
Cleveland Indians Have Won 10 Straight; Rookie
 Hughes Blanks Reds
BY GEORGE KTRKsEY


 United Press Stan Correspondent New York, May 5-(UP)-Sam Breadon, owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, had the jitters at the All-Star game in St. Louis last July and a friend told him about Vita min B-1 pills. He took some and they calmed his nerves. So he had his entire ball club taking them this spring at St. Petersburg. The idea was to build up excess energy. If there's an inside story about the sensational success of the Car. dinals this spring, it's the tale of the little white pills in the little brown bottles in the Cardinals dressing room. They all take them. The Cards have the highest per- centage in the majors, they've won nine straight and II out of 12 and they're sweeping through the East at such 8 terrific clip that they soon may displace the World Cham pion Cincinnati Reds as betting favorites in the National League pennant race.
 There never was 8 perfect club and what's more there never will be one but as of May 5 the Car dinals are the nearest thing you can find to perfection. Everything they touch turns to gold. They can do no wrong.
 Great Pitching
 The Cards are leading the Ma. tional League in percentage, In hit. ting, in fielding and their pitching Is the leagues best, both in quality and quantity. In running of nine straight they've had seven winning pitchers, with only Lon Warneke and Morton Cooper repeating. The other single game winners were Max Lanier, Sam Nahem, and three rockies, Howard Krist, John Grod- zicki, and Henry Gornicki.
 Six men are batting over 300, topped by ancient Gus Mancuso with .478 (pass the Bones fast, boys), followed by Slaughter, Walker, Creepy Crispi, Terry Moore and John Mize.
 Manuel Salvo held the Cards B-1 power in check for seven innings yesterday at Boston and then the foodgates broke down. The Cards rapped out five hits to score three runs and beat the Braves, 3-l Brown, Moore, Padgett, Slaughte, and w. Cooper all singled in this rally Mort Cooper was credited with his third victory. helped b, Clyde Shoun's relief pitching.
 The Reds continued their miser able play by losing to the Phillies 80. Rookie Tommy Hughes helt the champs to three singles and al lowed only one man to reach third The Redse have made only II run In their last six games.
 Pittsburgh beat Brooklyn, 6-4, aile moved into sixth place. Elbit Tletcher's homer with two on fol. lowing Peewee Reese's error witl; two out in the third started Luke Hamlin to his first defeat. Ker Heintzelman went the route, giving the Dodgers nine htsi.
 Babe Young hit q homer and two singles to lead the Giants to 9-4 victory over the Cubs and snap New York's six-game losing streak. Cliff Melton gave Chicago eight hits. Ten for Indians
 Cleveland scored It's tenth straight the years longest winning streak by defeating Washington, 1924 and increased Its American League lead to 3 i-2 games. The winning streak is the longest any Cleve. land team has enjoyed since 1922 Cecil Travis hit homer No. 4.
 Bobo Newsom went the route fol the first time this season aae pitched the Tigers to a l0-l victory over the Tanks, allowing only Ave hits. Rudy York hit his sixth witf two on. :.
 The Athletics scared into higt figures at Chicago by walloping the White Sox, 17.ll. Benny Mccoy and Bob Johnson hit homers, tho latter with one on.
 Lefty Grove pitched the Red Sos to a ii-4 triumph over the Browns scattering eight hits. It was Groves 294th major league victory. Luca. dello and Cullenbine homered foi the Browns.
 YESTERDAYS HERO - Tommy Hughes, Phillies' 2l-year-old rookie up from Baltimore, who held the world Champion Reds to three l A1 thANNN