Evening star., 1945-05-31
Six Of 8 Double Bills
Divided; Both Major
Races Scrambled
BY JACK HAND
Associated Press Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports Writer
Wide open pennant scrambles inI
both major leagues appeared likely
today as the majors passed the first
quarter pole with fan interest and
turnstile totals soaring toward new
wartime highs.
A total of 220,194y paid customers,
the largest single day crowd in years,
yesterday saw six of the eight dou-
ble-headers end up in splits, with
the league-leading New York Giants
retaining their 5h-game advantage
over the second-place Pittsburgh
Pirates in the National League and
the first-place New York Yankees
keeping their two-game margin over
the runner-up Detroit Tigers.
The Giants, who threatened to run
away with the National League race
a week ago when they enjoyed an
8-game lead over their nearest
rivals, have dropped four OF their
last five and now are within hailing
distance by the rest of the loop.
Only one game separates the fifth
place world champion st. Louis
Cardinals from the second-place
Pirates, while the seventh-place
Boston Red Sox are only five games
behind the second place Tigers in
the junior circuit
67,816 in Yankee Stadium.
The largest crowd of the season
and the largest in the Yankee Sta
dium since the third game of the
1943 World Series, 67,8l6 paid, saw
the Yankees and Tigers divide a
twin-bill by identical scores of 80.
Skeeter Webb's squeeze bunt scored
the winning run in the ninth in
ming of the opener to give Detroit
and Stubby Overmire a victory over
the Bronxites and Walter Dubiel
Jim Turner turned in a superlative
relief job to save the game for the
Yankees in the nightcap. He re-
lieved Allen Gettel in the ninth
with men on second and third and
none out and retired the side score
less.
Chicago and Philadelphia divid-
ed their two games. The White Sox
behind Thornton Lee took the open
er So and the Athletics won the
nightcap AZ, giving Russ Christie
pher his seventh victory.
Despite the split, the White Sox
held third place because Washing
ton twice dumped the Browns.
Pittsburgh's nine-game victory
streak went down the drain when
the Brooklyn Dodgers bounced back
from 1875 pasting engineered by
Rip Sewell, to outslug the Buccos
14-l0, in a wild nightcap.
Voiselle Again Is Whacked.
Bill Voiselle got his bumps for
the third time in a row after the
New York Giants had trimmed Chi
cago, 8-6, in the opener. The Giants
righthanded ace was belted out
early by the Bruins who then
breezed home, l1-2, on Bob Chip
mans three-hit effort. The largest
Wrigley Field turnout since 1899, a
crowd of 42,565, saw Mel OFT bang
out a double and single for a life
time total Of 1890 bases, two more
than the former National League
mark held by Honus Wagner of
Pittsburgh.
Ray Sanders two-run homer in
the 18th gave the Cardinals a AZ
shade over the Boston Braves in
the first game, but Jim Tobin
pushed the world champs back into
the second division by scattering II
blows for a 80 score in the second
game.
Cincinnati was the only National
League entry to take both ends as
Ed Heusser blanked the Phillies,
30, on four blows and the Reds
blasted four Phil throwers for 1;
safeties and a 9-s margin in the
finale, despite homers by Vince Di
Maggie, Jimmy Foxx. Coaker Trip
lett and Jimmy Wasdell.
Cleveland and the Boston Red
Sox divided in the other American
League contests, with Rookie jim
Steiner playing both villain. and
hero roles. The Sox's second-sacke<
muffed an easy pop fly to set up
the Tribes winning run, 4-3, but his
double started Boston on a siX-rur
spree that pulled the second out Of
the fire, rs. frankie Hayes, tradec
yesterday by the AS, socked two
homers for the Indians.