The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-18
Tigers Might
be Champions
tBy the Associated Press

IL paseOall history repeats, the
Detroit Tigers. who surged into FIRST
place Sunday should win tho
American League pennant this
year.
The present scramble Is follow
ing the Identical pattern OF the
closing days OF the furious races OF
1908 and 1870 On each occasion
three teams came roaring down the
stretch sneck and neck with only
two games separating them On
each occasion the Tigers finished
first.
The 1908 Tigers took over nrst
place on Sept. q and did not clinch
the pennant until the last day,
Oct 6, when they defeated the Chi
cago White SOY. who dropped to
third, one and a Salf games behind.
The Cleveland lHlians were sec.
ond, a half-game Away. In 1910.
Detroit moved to III top on Sept.
90 and clinched the bonnsnt on the
third from the last Jay OF tho sea
son Again the Indians wound up
second. game behind, while the
New York Yankees finished third,
two games In the rear
Not TO be overlooked Is the I'm
portant fact that Detroit Jumped 10
the top on Sunday by beating Cleve-
land twice without having TO use
their pair OF aces. Dizzy Trout and
Hal Newhouser. who have notched
20 OF the Tigers rs victories. II
was Stubby Overmire and Rufe
Gentry. e couple OF IN and cutters,
who turned In a pair OF brilliant
pitching performances as the Tig.
ers copied 72 and 80 Overmire
hurled eight scoreless innings In
the opener, giving up only three
hits until the ninth. Gentry had
\ no-hlttcr for eight innings In the
nightcap. yielding a pair OF safe
blows In the final frame.
The Tigers two big guns. Rudy
York and Dick Wakefield. took care
Of the hitting. York hammered out
four hits and drove in three runs
in the opener, and Wakefield laced
out thr'e hits and batted In a tally
lin the finale.
After momentarily staving of the
onrushing Tigers by winning the
opener from the Chicago White
SoX 81 with the help OF Vern
stephens 18th homer. the Browns
lost their hold on first place by
dropping the second game So Joe
Haynes was the stopper for the
sox, while Nelson Potter gained his
10th triumph in the opener
Connie Mack's Philadelphia Ath-
letics dealt the Yankees. a severe
jolt by winning n double header
from the MacCarthymen, 81 and
81. The double defeat dropped the
Yankees into third place, two
games behind the Tigers. a former
Yankee. Larry Rosenthal. gained
sweet revenge when he hit n pinch
hit homer with one on in the ninth
TO win the opener for tho As.
The Red Sox dropped a costly de
cision, in losing 10 Washington 7-6.
with Joe Kuhcl driving in four Of
Mats runs, three With a base clear.
Ing double In big si1-run second
inning
The Chicago Cubs delayed the
81. Louis Cardinals pennant clinch
Ing by taking both games by 2-l
scores. Andy Rafko's two-run HON
err In the sixth won the nightcap
for Claude Passeau after Hank
Wyse won the opener from Max
Lanler.
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati divid-
ed their twin-bill, Rip Sewell win
ming his 18th for the Pirates II in
the opener, and the Reds taking the
nightcap 81 in 10 innings.
Philadelphia made II four straight
over the New York Giants winning
20 and 81, as Bill Lee hurled
two-hit shutout In the opener.
brooklyn and Boston split. Jim To