The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-09-27
CARD INFIELDERS
0UTSHlNE OTHERS
BY JACK HAND

NEW YORK, Sept. 70 -RE IN
less somebody slips a Mickey into
the Cardinals vitamin pill cabinet,
those St. Louis Red Birds have an
infield that should outshine any op-
position in tn World Series,
Brown, Tigers or even the Yank-
ees.
Built around Mr.. Shortstop in
person, Martin (Slats) Marion
(.269) and with a slugging first
baseman like Ray Sanders (.296)
who has driven in over 100 runs,
Billy Southworth can afford to turn
his attention to such matters as
pitching turns and strategy.
Add Whitley Kurowski C26O at
the hot corner with his II homers
and 81 RIBS and Southworth can
afford the luxury of slick-field-
ing second sacker like Emil Ber-
ban, the only rookie of the bunch,
despite his 259 batting average. At
that Verban, who occasionally sits
one out to let George Fallon take
a turn, is hitting nine points better
than rival Eddie Mayo of Detroit
and II higher than Don Gutteridge
of the Browns.
All in all, the St. Louis nationals
infield packs a better composite
batting mark than the Tigers or
Browns, with .274 to. 1863 for their
st. Louis rivals and 1858 for Detroit
and boasts a fancy fielding record
of .977. Its double play total is tops
in the national but takes second
place to Detroit'd mark in the
American.
AS a further advantage, South
worth has juggled his infielders
during the late summer so that
they are almost interchangeable.
In case of trouble. Kurowski and
Fallon can play short, outfielder
Debs Grams can com Elm to play
third and Johnny Hopp can go to
first where ne played in the 1912
classic.
Thanks to Shortstop Vern Steph-
ems (.299) the Browns quartet leads
in total runs batted in by slender
four-run edge on the Cards. Mark
Christman C275) backs up Steph-
ems 1O1 total with a lusty SO and
George McQuinn (.254) has betled
home 68.
Stephens can give Marion good
argument for shortstop honors with
a wide bulge on the hitting side
and extra base production but
Marion is the class in the field.
The Brownies second base COM
bination of Don Gutteridge (.246)
and Stephens sparkles on occa-
sion but has been guilty Of costly
letdowns in the late season slump.
The perrery Gutteridge. has been
known to pull the fans out of their
seats with a sensational catch over
his shoulder along the right field
foul line and then boot an easy
bouncer.
McQuinn is the class Of both
leagues as a fielding first sacker
and holds the record for starting
those difficult first-to-secone-'
first double plays. But the lean
Virginian has been troubled by a
bad back that affected his hitting
and has given way to Mike Char
tax on occasions.
Christman at third is SewelPs
pride and joy. Never singing GU
any one m for praise, the
Browns pilot all season ha
answered I'm S t valuable" ques
tons with shrug and a don't
know but don't overlook Christman
VINO is driving in all those runs"
Detroit's infield is spanked by a
holler" guy named Mayo C25W
who has been ikened to Dick Bar
tell of 1910 for his influence on Tie
TIGERS drive. Mayo was waived
out of the majors by all clubs. in
Guiding the Tigers, last year, bu
was drafted from Louisville last
winter for insurance. He started
short but moved to second replsc
ing Don Heffner, when Joe Hoove
decided to report early in the sea-
son. -.
Pinky Higgins (.3o4) at third is
having one of his best seasons and
fielding an acceptable $40, al
though more valuable at IS as an
extra base hitter who has driven
home rs tallies.
Rudy York (.270) has come into
his own since the return OF DICK
Wakefield lifted some of the hitting
pressuA, and has socked in vs.
runs, With 1853 hits including II
homers.
Hoover (.24N is generally over
looked in the Detroit picture by
the fans and sometimes is yanked
for hitter by Manager Steve
O'Nein. On those occasions tie
shortstop job is filled by Joe Oren2-
CO..
YANKEES BLAST OUT
WIN OVER CHICAGO