Evening star., 1942-09-05
Reiser's Return
Helps Champs
In Big Pinch
CordinoIs Cut Margin
To Four as Beozley
Scores 18th Win
BY AUSTIN BEALMEAR
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Bolstered by the return of Pete
Reiser and the bankroll OF Larry
Macphal, the Brookln Dodgers
faced q showdown in the National
League pennant race today as they
moved into New York's Polo
Grounds to tangle with the gallop-
ing Giants, who have waited 8 years
for this opportunity.
1t was in 1884 that the Dodgers
jumped up from the second divi-
sion and tripped the Giants on the
threshold of the National League
championship, forcing Bill Terry to
eat his widely publicized query con-
corning the whereabouts of the
Brooklyn club.
With the shoe on the other foot,
Manager Leo Durocher of the
Brooks has been careful not to in
clude among his many utterances
a statement which he also might
have to devour, but the Giants
haven't forgotten the humiliation
they suffered in 1884.
Nor did they appreciate the
Brooklyn hospitality on their last
visit to Ebbets Field, when the
Dodgers took in row.
In spite of that quadruple set
back, the Giants are winding up
their best season since 1887, when
they won their last pennant.
All of which makes the 3-game
series opening today the toughest
test for the Dodgers between here
and the end of the line.
Two Games With Cards Left.
Once over this hump, the Dodgers
have only two more games with the
threatening st. Louis Cardinals, one
with the Giants and II with the
Boston Braves and Philadelphia
Phils, all but three of them on their
home grounds.
When they take the field today
the Dodgers will welcome Reiser
back to the fold after an injury lay
of and the Brooklyn fans will well
come Pitcher Bobo Newsom, pur-
chased by President MacPhail on
the road trip just ended to help the
club insure" the pennant.
Taking advantage Of Brooklyn's
idleness yesterday, the Cardinals
jumped to within four games Of the
pace-setters by downing the Gin
cinnati Reds, 5-3, in night contest,
one Of two which comprised the en-.
tire National League program.
John Beazley chalked up his 18th
pitching victory of the year, al
though he wavered In the seventh,
walking in Cincinnati's final run,
and had to be rescued by Howard
Krist t
The Cardinals scored four runs OF
Paul Derringer in the first three
frames, one of them a homer by
George Kurowski, and coasted
through.
The Chicago Cubs collected 10
hits of three Pittsburgh pitchers
and whipped the Pirates, 5-3, be-
hind the seven-hit hurting Of Hiram
Bithorn.
Browns Win Double Header.
| Bithorn handcuffed the Bucs un.
til the ninth. when single, a walk
and doubles by Vince Di Maggie and
Maurice Van Robays produced three
runs. Dom Dallessandro started the
Cubs on their way with a two-run
triple in the initial inning.
Play In the American League was
confined to two teams, the st. Louis
Browns and Cleveland Indians, who
started a double-header with an aft
ernoon game and finished it under
the lights.
The Browns took both games,
boosting their third-place margin
over the Tribe to two-and-a-h half
games.
They won the opener, 6-3, al
though they were out-hit. but john
ny Niggling pitched four-hit ball to
hang up the nightcap, 40. Rookie
Vern Stephens smashed home run
in each game, with a man on base
each time.
The double bill, first of three in as
many days for the two clubs, was In
the nature of an experiment, with
patrons being issued passout checks
between games. Only 2,126 custom
ers showed up for the daylight tilt,
but COLL were on hand in the eve-
ming.