Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-22
Gdhs Backs About Broken by Yanks Sagger on to Phly
Mats Display No Fight
After Boosting They
Would Clean Up
BY JOHN b. KELLER,
Star Staff Correspondent.


PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22.-Clark
Griffith always has maintained that
to win a pennant club must beat
the Yankees. Well, the Mats couldn't
do it.
That So beating yesterday, their
second straight in the brief New
York series, was the ninth for the
Mats in their last IL engagements
with the Yankees and 1t just about
broke their tension bound backs.
Even though the Mats win their
last three games in the series with
Philadelphia Athletics, to get I'M
der way here this afternoon, the
Detroit Tigers could carry on to
the American League championship
with four wins in their remaining
six tilts.
But Griffith, although no little
depressed by what his club failed to
do in the Yankee series, has not
given up. Before returning to Wash
ington last night, the Mats president
said:
IF we win and Detroit loses on
Saturday. I'll be up to root the
Washington club in during the
doubleheader Sunday.
Griff a Die-Hard.
Anything can happen to the Tig-
ers in their six tough games, espe-
cially in the four they have to play
with the Browns" he reminded a
group of Washington fans upset by
what they had seen in New York.
Washington still can get that
flag" was his parting shot.
But it does not appear possible
that the Mats can finish any better
off than they now are. Indeed, they
could be jolted out Of second place
should the Browns get hot and finish
their season without dropping one
of their eight games.
In that event, the Browns might
even repeat as champions, but for
them to do so the Mats and the
Tigers would have to lose right
down to the end of their schedule.
Two Washington wins or one St.
Louis defeat would assure the Mats
OF a league runner-up's cut of the
World Series dough.
That beating yesterday was the
14th for the Mats in their % tussles
with the Yankees this year. After
edelng the Yanks. six games to five,
in the first half of their series, the
Mats never did have much against
Joe McCarthy's club. So the Yankees
became the only club in the league
to Guido the Mats in a season
rivalry
It's a Changed Club.
Maybe there is something to what
Griffith says about having to beat
the Yanks to get a pennant
Washington fans who saw the
Mats drive through the September
stretch to the big series with the
Tigers and then drop nothing more
than the odd game to the league
leaders hardly would have recog-
nlzed the Mats in New York as the
same ball club. When they took
their licking Thursday, they looked
as though walking in their sleep.
Every move to them was an effort.
And there was no great improve
ment in their performance yester-
day. Odd, too. that emotional lapse.
On the train to New York Wednes-
day, the Mats talked a great game
They were ready to knock off the
Yankees and overhaul a saggine
band of Tigers. They openly de-
clared themselves good enough to
do 1t. But once they stepped foot
on Yankee Stadium soil, all their
confidence was gone.
Never once In the series In New
York did they show the fire one
would expect club with last-ditch
chance for a pennant to display.
Not even after they pulled up to a
tie In the third inning yesterday
They were that docile.
Three Straight Walks FruitIess.
AS in Thursdays game, the Mats
were put on a spot right at the
start. They could do no good with
three successive passes given them
by Bill zuber in the opening inning,
but the Yanks benefited greatly
from two walks Johnny Niggeling
gave them. Two were out when.
with two strikes against him, Nick
Etten sent Niggeling pitch into
the rightf1eld stand for his 18th
homer Of the season.
Walter Masterson took over the
hill after that disastrous inning and
the Mats got him tie quickly. Binks'
double and singles by Terrell and
Kreevich had made two runs in the
second inning and in the third sue
cessive singles by Binks, Terrell and
Torres made everything even.
But that was the Mats last gasp,
The Yanks were ahead again when
Snuffy Stirnweiss poled his 10th
homer of the year at the outset of
their third turn 1t was a lazy f1y
into the right field stands. They
picked up another run off Masterson
in the seventh, then Marine Pieretti
came on to pitch the eighth.
The Mats outhit the Yankees, u
to 8, but they also left dozen
runners stranded 1t certainly was