Evening star., 1942-04-21
Pitchers Delight
In Driving Game
Cuban 10 Dirt
Bobby Offsets 3-Run
Gift to Bosox With
Telling Sofeties
By BURTON HAWKINS,
Star STAR corrsspondent

BOSTON, April 2l.-Unpredicta-
able Bobby Estalella, whose major
league existence to this point has
resembled the route OF a roller
coaster, suddenly has become the
Mats most astonishing article.
There's a suspicion the chunky
Cuban finally has learned to hit q
curve ball.
There is no guarantee the chatter
ing Washington third baseman will
continue his lusty walloping. Of
course, because he's been inclined
to be cratic His fielding has been
spotty and his base running has
been zany but Of his hitting Man
ager Bucky Harris Is making no
complaint.
Estalella has cracked a comfort
able .407 with ii hits in ~ trips
to the plate but. more important,
he is getting distance with his clouts.
Included among those hits have
been seven doubles and home run.
1t could be that Bobbys exercise
OF restraint has made q hitter OF
him. He is making pitchers get the
ball over the plate. as evidenced by
the nine walks he has lured. He
is nibbling at fewer bad balls de-
spite leading the Mats in strike
outs, with six.
Bobby's chief crime consists OF
being Cuban. Rival pitchers,
imbued with a minimum OF the
good neighbor spirit, can't resist
the temptation to fire an OCCASIONAL
fast one at Esty's noggin. 1t ap-
parently is a baseball axiom that
Estslella must be busted on" at
least once day.
Wilson Stops Red sox.
Such treatment is supposed to
inject a measure of fear into Bobby
batting. 1t is an ungentle hint that
his presence In the majors isn't
desired, but Estalells seems to be
surviving and, by the same token,
gaining revenge.
1t is a tribute to Bobby's courage
that he has come as far as he has
in baseball. His main exercise In
the minor leagues consisted Of pick
ing himself out of the dirt. and
ma aior league pitchers are seeing 10
it that he dosn't neglect his Calls
themes.
The road will become rocker for
the good -natured Estalella. AS long
as he continues to maui the leagues
pitching he will continue to duck
bean balls. Only when he has sub
sided as a threat win pitchers be
inclined to cease target practice.
Bobby may not be persuaded 90
easily. however, for he keeps coming
back for more and apparently rel
ishes 1t. The season Is too young
to determine If he has cured his
habit of whiting under continuous
curying but thus far he has been
hammering slow stuff. fast balls
and curves Unfortunately and
convincingly.
He contributed two doubles and
single, walked twice and scored
three times Yesterday as the Mats
walloped the Red Sox, 1914. behind
the Shit pitching of burly Jack
Wilson. In scoring those three runs,
though. Estalella merely was off,
setting 3-run gift to Boston.
Case, Repass Slam HomerA
In the third inning, Bobby scooped
I'D Jimmy Foxx's grounder and
threw wild past First Baseman
Mickey Vernon into right field. He
inserted his errstic heave at a
time when the bases were loaded,
with two out. Joe Dobson, Johnny
Pesky and Ted Williams circled the
bases as Vernon pursued the ball
The only other Boston run was
homer delivered by Catcher Bill
Conroy, with two out and none on,
In the fourth. Thereafter Wilson,
making his first start against his
former mates. permitted only two
hits.
Washington was in hitting mood.
The Mats pounded Dobson and Mike
Ryba for Is hits, including homers
by George Case and Bob Repass.
The Mats owned a Al deficit
entering the fifth inning but Cases
home run spanked a 2-rlm fifth in
ming and the Mats grasped a ga
lead in the sixth on doubles by
Estalella and Repsss, a walk TO
Jose Gomez and Stan Spence's
single.
Washington increased its sdvant-
age TO a-4 in the seventh when
Wilson singled TO score Bruce Camp
bell and Estalells. Repass produced
the final two runs. slamming a
home run over the left field fence
after Estallela had walked to open
the ninth.
The game was played in a steady
rain as the first half of a double
header before 14134 fans. The
second was called after one inning,