The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-19
DODGERS DREW FIRST BLOOD IN
 5 GAME SERIES
Medwick Starts Melee; Larry French Hero of
 First Battle
BY GEORGE K1RKsHT


 United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, June 19-(UP)-The Brooklyn Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, between whom there is no love lost, went back at it ham, mer and tongs again today at Eb- be-; Field. It was Whit Wyatt, Dodger ace, against Ernie White, Card lefty, on the mount.
 With free-for-all fight tossed in for good measure, the Dodgers drew first blood in the five-game series by coming from behind to conquer the Cards, 5-2, before 21 ,229 paving patriots in last nights twilight" game. The victory increased Brook lyn's lead to five and a half games, and snapped the Cards seven-game winning streak.
 Joe Medwick, former Cardinal, touched of the fireworks when he came charging into second with spikes high in the sixth with the Dodgers behind, 2-1. Medwick, try- ing to move to second on a short passed ball, was caught by Walker Cooper's quick throw and he tried to bowl over SlatS Marion, the lanky Gard shortStop. Tn flash they were tossing punches and then Creepy Crespi, St. Louis second baseman, charged at Medwick.
 In flash ball players converged at second and there were scattered fights all over the diamond. Once four players were mauling the ground with Medwick on the bot tom, and Crespi and Johnny Hopp on top of him and Dolf Camilli on top of them. Dixie Walker, Dodger outhelder, who charged into the fray, hurt his left leg, throwing 8 football block, and had to retire. The umpires banished Medwick and Crespi and peace was restored. Welt Done
 With the count knotted, 2-2, in the eighth, Billy Herman bunted down the first base line for a perfect squeeze play, scoring Camilli from third with what proved to be the winning tally. Larry French's double of the right field wall brought in two more runs. Max Lanier, who had the Dodgers beaten 2-1, until the free-for-all, lost con- trol and was taken out in the sixth. Johnny Beazley finished up and took the loss. French went the route for the Dodgers, winning his fifth straight and second from the Cards.
 The Yankees are in a major slump. They lost their first series since May 1-2 when the Tigers beat them again, 3-1, winning the stand three games to one. In the past two days the Yanks made only one run off Detroit pitching. Virgil (Fire) Trucks, Tiger rookie, made. his first start against the Tanks and held them to four hits. Two spectacular catches by Doc Cramer in centerfleld helped Trucks over the hump.
 Up A Bit
 The Chicago White Sox moved into sixth place by humping the Athletics, 7-2, behind the five hit pitching of Buck Ross and Joe Haynes. Ross had 8 two-hit shut out until the eighth when he tired. Don Holloway and Bob Kennedy led the White Sox attack with three hits each.
 Early Wynn handcuffed the Cleveland Indians and Washington scored an easy 7-1 victory. Catcher Jake Early hit two singles and double, driving in four runs.
 No other games were played.
 YESTERDAYS STAR - Larry French, Dodgers veteran southpaw, who held the Cards to eight hits and made two himself, one a double that drove in two runs, as Brooklyn triumphed over St. Louis' 5-2,