The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-27
DIMACGIO AND WILLIAMS BOTH
 IN BAT SLUMP
DOerr and Gordon, Brilliant Fielders, Now Hitting
 Hard
By PAUL sCHEFFEH.s


 United Press Staff COrrespOndent)
 New York, May 27-CUP)-This is the time of year when the base ball experts usually bide their time by discussing the relative merits of a pair of outflelders-Joe DiMagglo of the Yankees and Ted Williams of the Red Sox-in connection with the American league batting title. But today DiMag is in the throes of a protracted batting slump and long, lean Ted is far down on the list of the lea9ues leading hitters. Thus the experts are talking now about the surprise rivalry between Bobby Doerr of the Red Sox and Joe Cor don of the Yankees.
 To-day Second Baseman Doerr leads the American league with a batting average of .39l. His per- centage is just one point better than than of Second Baseman Gordon. It is only natural therefore that the fiery pace set by the keystone seekers has showed the DiMaggio- Williams duel into the background.
 Good FieRders, Too
 What makes this two-mar1 battle so unusual this year is the fact that in the past both have been noted for their brilliance afield rather than for their ability with the wagon tongue, and the unexpected eXten- sion of their rivalry into the top- flight hitting department has caused a decided division of opinion among the experts. Both have performed so ably about the second base spot that 1t is almost impossible to select t-h-e best keystone guardian in the major leagues.
 Both are seasoned men now but in previous season they had never entered the competition for the bat ting crown. In five summers with the Sox, Doerr rose above the 300 mark once-when he wound up the '30 compaigne with .319. Gordon, in four seasons, never got above .2s4.
 Each of the youngsters collected Q single in four trips to the plate as the Yankees beat the Red Sox, 9-2 at the stadium yesterday and each figured in a double play. Tommy Heinrich, Charley Keller and Frankie Crosetti hit homers for the Yankees as Alley Donald limited the Red Sox to six scattered blows for his third victory. Williams hit his 18th homer for the Sox.
 Washington Climbing Washington climbed Into sixth place by defeating the Philadelphia Athletics, 8-3, the Senators triumph moving them .002 percentage points in front of the Mackmen. Four members of the winning team hit safely twice but Catcher Jake Homer was the days big blow
 Al Benton snapped the Browns win skein at four straight and broke into the win column for the second time as he pitched Detroit to a foyr-llit, 3-l victory in a night game at St. Louis before 4,l26 fans. Ben- ton scored Detroit's first run on Doc Kramer's single and Eric McNatrs first homer added another in the fifth. Harlond Gifts error let in their final run in the 7th.
 Rookie Les Fleming singled home the two runs that gave the Indians a 2-1 triumph over the Chicago White Sox in another night game at Cleveland before 7,601 fans. The game was scoreless pitching duel between Ed Smith and Mel Harder until the ninth, when Don Holloway scored for Chicago from second on an infield hit by Bob Kennedy. A walk, Buster Mills double and Flenl- ing's single won the game for Cleve- land, Harder allowed seven hits and Smith, six.
 Tn the only two National league games scheduled, the amazing Bos- ton Braves held on to second place by tripping the New York Giants, AZ, and the St. Louis Cardinals shaded the Chicago Cubs, Bel, in 10 innings.
 Nice Work
 Al Javery limited the Giants to six hits as the Braves climbed on Cliff Melton for three runs in the first two innings and then held on to move within five games of the league Leading Brooklyn Dodgers. It was Boston's 18th triumph in their last 28 starts.
 The Cardinals jumped on Vern olsen, making his first start since spring training when he broke two fingers, for two runs in the 10th to win, Jimmy Browns single, Terry Moore's double and 8 pair of walks sent home the first run and Caoker Triplett's. long fly scored the other.
 YESTERDAYS STAR = Rookie First Baseman Les Fleming of the