Evening star., 1943-05-31
Weeks S BATTLING
Puts New York
On Top Again
Indians Are Dropped
To Fourth; Dodgers
Maintain N. L. Edqe
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Spor IS Writer.

The New York Yankees have
Strengthened out the dispute over
leadership of the American League
and the Brooklyn Dodgers will have
a chance today to accomplish the
same end in the National League.
The Dodgers open four-game
series at st. Louis and all they have
to do to keep the Redbirds on their
roost in second place is get a split
The senior circuit rivals divided
their first four-game series at
Brooklyn.
1t took the Yankees a week to
get the traffic tie-up at the top of
the American League untangled
The champions were bumped out of
the lead at Cleveland on May % and
up until yesterday had been pushed
into the background, while the In
dians and Washington scrambled
for first-place honors.
Largest Crowd of Season.
But yesterday, before the largest
crowd of the season. 50,671 paid
the Yankees swept double header
from Cleveland, 4-3 and 80, to re-
gain the lead as Washington lost
twice to the Chicago White Sox,
So and 81.
Spud Chandler scored his fifth
victory in the opener at Yankee
Stadium, making three hits besides
pitching tight ball. although he had
to have help from Grandma Johnny
Murphy in the ninth. Roy Wealth
erly, a former Cleveland fixture
hit ninth-inning homer to decide
the second game against his one
time teammates. The double defeat
dropped Cleveland to fourth place.
The turnover at the top of the
American League was only one of
many interesting items as the major
leagues put on the first half of their
double barreled Memorial Day cele-
bration before total paid attend
ance of 1894 All clubs were to
play double le-headers again today.
AS Attain Third Place.
The Philadelphia Athletics swept
two games from the St. Louis
Browns. 80 and Al, and moved
into third place in the Junior circuit.
Don Black. rookie, just missed a
no-hitter in blanking the Browns
in the first game. The only blow
was fourth-inning single by Yer
non Stephens, the leagues leading
batter, who was to leave for Cali
fornia today to take his induction
exam.
Jesse Flores, the leagues out
standing freshman hurler. pitched
seven-hit ball in the second game
for his seventh straight triumph.
He was beaten, 10, in his first start
of the season. Stephens made three
of these hits. too, but famed with
the bases loaded on his last turn
at bat.
The Boston Red Sox downed De-
troit, 80 and ST., with Dick New
some pitching the shutout on six
hits, and Lou Lucier being almost
equally effective in the nightcap on
seven safeties.
In the National League Brooklyn
battered the Cincinnati Reds twice.
60 and 1916 Whit Wyatts soft
stuff baff1ed the Reds in the first
game and they made only three hits.
They were outslugged in the second
game. The Reds used eight pitchers
in the two games while the Dodgers
introduced Boyd BARLEY, their newly
signed collegian from the University
of Illinois. at shortstop. He went
hitless in both games.
Bucs in First Division.
Pittsburgh rocketed from seventh
to fourth in the standings by pum-
melting the Phillies twice, 4-3 and
81. The latter game went 10 in
nings and extended Philadelphia S
losing streak to six.
The only double header that was
divided was at ST. Louis. where the
New York Giants won the first
game, 7-6. and then lost the second
80, as Murry Dickson and George
| Sanders, who hit a two-run ninth
inning homer in the first game, won
the second for the Cards with two
run double in the eighth.
Bill Nicholson hit two home runs
each with a man on base, to help
| Paul Derringer and the Chicago
| Cubs beat the Boston Braves, 81
They were the first homers of the
season for Chicago. The second
game was postponed because of
weather after being halted in the
third inning.