The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-05-17
CRACK-UP OF CARDINALS IS
 BIG SURPRISE
By CARL LUNDQUIST United Press Staff CorrespOndent)

(Unlt3d Press stan COrreSpOnuent)
 New York, May 17-(UP)-The second month of major league play begins today after surprising start marked by CD Failure of the St. Louis teams to bid for repeat one-city world series as expected and CD The threat of New York or Chicago teams to do it if the Missourians can't.
 J. Monroe Johnson, the Office of Defense Transportation boss, says the world series will be "out of the question" unless both competing teams are from the same city.
 At the start, the general expecta- ton was that the Browns and Car dinals would be capable of repeat ing, but unless both do an abrupt about-face there isn't much chance of either winning out.
 However, Johnson's warning is be- ing taken seriously by the three New York teams, with the Giants and the Dodgers running one-two in the National and the Yankees in second place in the American. And the Chicago teams are coop erating nicely too, with the whizzing White Sox leading the American and the Cubs in third in the Ma tional
 But the Cards are in the second division with 10 wins and 12 losses and the Browns are in fourth with an even 500 record of nine and nine.
 Trouble Galore
 The first month produced plenty of surprises but nothing ranked above the crack-up of the Cardin- als Admittedly they were playing under handicaps with pitcher Nor ton Cooper peeved over his 1945 sal- ary, his brother Walker Cooper leav- ing to go to the Navy, shortstops Marty Marion and Al Schoendienst going out with injuries, left ace Max Lanier leaving for induction and pitchers Ted Wilks and George Dockins suffering arm trouble.
 Even so, it was beyond belief that they would win only two games out of eight to date in their first road trip against the supposedly NNhnASA II lSdlllS. l1lCJ IllU rock-bottom yesterday, losing two to the Braves at Boston, to 4, in IA innings and, to 1. The first defeat was caused by a school boyish huff by Elvin (Buster) Adams in the ninth for relief pitcher Charley Barrett on a double by Phil Masi and single by Dick Cutler in the 14th
 Lefty Bob Logan, 35-year-old vet eran back from Indianapolis, won his first start in the nightcap, talk ing it easy after Garden Gillenwa- ter gave him a lead with three run homer in the first.
 On the positive side, the biggest upset by far has been the showing of the Giants and Dodgers, since neither even had been considered first division timber.
 Yet the Dodgers, playing as if they were in the World Series al ready, won their 11th straight game yesterday for the longest consecu- tive streak under the regime of | Manager Leo Durocher. They beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates for the third straight time, to l, be- hind Hal Gregg's almost perfect control pitching. Gregg, in notch ing his fifth victory against one de- feat, struck out five, walked only one.
 Three Homers
 The Giants version of murderer's $ row. Manager Mel Ott, Phil Vein traub and Ernie Lombardi hit sixth inning homers to give Pitcher Bill Voiselle support for his seventh vic tory without a defeat, a to 0 shutout over the visiting Cubs in a night game. The homers kept Ott and Weintraub tied for the league lead with seven each. Vol selle, in winning his third game since last Saturday, yielded six hits
 Dick (Kewpie) Barrett provided the Phils with good pitching in a to seven-hit victory over Gin cinnati at Philadelphia. Ed Heus- ser lost his first game after three triumphs. Jim Wasdell led the 10- hit Philly attack with a triple and two singles.
 For the third straight day, all American League games were rain ed out.
 YESTERDAYS STAR - Garden