Evening star., 1943-06-16
'DodgerChieftain
Virtua||yGives
Away Big Star
Quokertown Thrilled
As Both Clubs Win
DoubIe-Heuders
BY SID FEDER,

hscoCidteu EICoo opOllS WIlSSf
This is a'little baseball laugh that
wanders around the major and
minor leagues like the chocolate
streak in a marble cake and winds
up with very red face for Branch
Hickey, the old smoothie of the
ivory markets, as well as shot in
the arm for the Phillies.
It's about the Phils' new short
stop. Charley Brewster, who speeds
up the infield like high octane gas
And it fits into the diamond picture
today because the good burghers of
Philadelphia still are dancing in the
streets over yesterdays astonishing
antics, which saw the Phillies and
the Athletics win both ends of dou-
ble-headers on the same afternoon.
Some flgger fllbert came up with
the discovery that it's only eight
years since this happened before
But one fan insists he can't recall
the occasion-and he says he even
remembers back to when Roosevelt
was first elected President.
Baseball men tell you Brewster is
the guy who is making the Phillies
run like a l6-cylinder job again,
just when it began to look as if they
were the same old jalopy. Anyway,
they've won five of six starts since
he parked his size 12s in the in
field. And what makes it particu-
larly funny is that less than seven
months ago. the Brooklyn Dodgers
owned Georgia Charley.
Durocher Has to Play.
Hickey practically gave him away
and now the Buns need a short
fielder like hitch -hiker needs his
thumb. II you don't believe they're
desperate, just ask Limping Lippy
Durocher, who's had to creak around
there himself the last few days 1t
was SO bad yesterday. in fact. that
Ernie lombard. baseball's original
gluefoot, even beat out hit to short,
as the New York Giants jolted the
fading Flatbushers, 6-5. This set
back sank the Brooklyns three full
games out of first place in the Ma
tional League, since the st. Louis
Cardinals belted the Cincinnati
Reds 81 on Harry Gumbert's two
hit hurting.
The Phils got Brewster. along
with Coaker Triplett, in the three
way deal that was supposed to make
"Chump" out of Owner Bill Cox.
Up to then Charley had been mov-
ing around so fast his laundry didn't
have chance to catch up with him,
At Nashville last year. the folks
said he really had the makings. so
Hickey brought him up. But brainy
Branch sent him to Milwaukee with
bundle of caSh-estimated at
SIS 000-for Hal Peck, the two-toed
outfielder. The Brewers got him just
10 minutes before the draft meeting
last December. and the Reds drafted
him right then. The Brewers
squawked-but Commissioner Lands
said the deal stuck" and Charley d
been with two clubs in 10 minutes.
Sets Infield Afire.
A few weeks ago, Cox traded
Danny Litwhiler, who was doing the
/ Phils no good, and Earl Naylor to
/ the Cards for Triplett. Buster
/ Adams and Dain Clay. The Reds,
full up with shortstops and always
/ looking for a fly-chaser, sent Brew
ster to the Phils for Clay. He S
made just one error in six games
and has tipped up the infield until
you'd hardly recognize it. And
Triplett has earned his coffee and
cakes with two homers in the same
half dozen games. One of them,
hooked up with triple, gave the
Phils a GA decision over Boston in
their opener yesterday. Ronny
Northey hit for the jackpot once in
each game and the Phils took the
nightcap 2-l which boosted them
into fifth place in the league.
Meantime. making it Phila-
delphia's biggest day since Billy
Penn got together with the Indians,
the AS socked the Red Sox IA and
AZ, with Dick Siebert sending in
four runs in the opener and Jesse
Flores Tipping his eighth win of the
year in the afterpiece
Liz ollhNCo "CliI 4oul O4A
out in front in the American League
by whipping Washington 9-5. In
the other after dark outine-Detroit
and Cleveland were rained out-the
St. Louis Browns belted the Chicago
White SoX So as the American
League batting leader. Vern Steph-
ems. collected a homer and a single
incidentally, the National League
hitting race was taken over by
Harry Walker of the Cards. who
connected safely in his 22d straight
game.
Truett Sewell served up a steady
nine hitter to give the Pittsburgh
Pirates AZ decision over the Chi
cago Cubs.
Naval Reserve Avintion