Evening star., 1946-06-28
Nat Looks Synthetic
Comparison With
Red Sox CIouter
By Burton Hawkins
Stor StoH Correspondent

BOSTON, June 28.-The show
down stage of the American League
batting championship has arrived
for the Mats Mickey Vernon, who
finds himself sitting across the table
from an experienced dealer who
has stacked the cards. At the
moment Mickey is in command, but
the game of poke 'er" isn't over and
Vernon doesn't relish the pistol car
ried by the opposition.
Ted Williams, big gun of Boston's
Red Sox, is glowering in Mickey's
direction. Vernon has 1863 bat
ting average. Williams is pressing
him for the lead with 1856. Mickey
is on the spot and it's becoming
increasingly uncomfortable for him
All the aces are held by Will
liams, if for no other reason than
he has proved himself one of the
top hitters of all time, while Ver-
non never before has thumped 300
in major circles. Ted broke in
with a 1927 average in 1899, boosted
1t to .344 the following season
lifted 1t to an astounding .4O6 in
l941, then blasted 1856 in 1912 before
entering the service.
Williams Hot Under Pressure.
Twice Williams has captured the
American League championship and
he has demonstrated he thrives on
pressure. Mickey soon may find
himself in much the same position
as the Cecil Travis of l94l. That
year Travis belted .359, which would
have been enough to win the crown
In II other seasons, but he received
what amounted to no recognition
because Williams was hitting .4O6.
Vernon and Williams are alike
physically. Both have lean, angular
frames, bat left-handed and are
limp and loose at the plate. There
the similarity ends, for their per-
sonalities are widely different Will
ilams oozes color, while Vernon
could dive into vat of red paint
and emerge with little of its tint.
To his credit, Vernon hasn't con-
Quoted feud with the customers or
sports writer's. In his quiet way, he
always gives his best, while Williams
once was fined $3.50 for loahng.
Mickeys lone claim to color flows
from an exchange of blows with
Gerry Priddy in 1943. Ted's tenn
pestuous nature continually has
kept him in the public eye.
Vernon seems slightly apologetic
for leading the league, while Will
liams feels that Williams is the
best hitter in baseball and is a gilt
edged cinch to cop the crown. Ted
has confidence in his hitting ability
and it doesn't hurt him.
Ted Feels He's Greatest Ever.
Back in 1941, when Williams was
hovering around the 400 mark in
July, We asked him if he thought
he'd hit 400 for the season. Sure"
answered Williams. After all, when
I hit 400 I'm doing only four things
right out of 10 that amt good.
I'm the best doggoned hitter in
baseball and as long as I'm in the
game I'll feel that way"
Mickey is up against that sort of
competition in his quest to bring
Washington its first batting cham
plonship since Buddy Myer grabbed
the title with 349 mark in 1885.
His 007 margin isn't comfortable
with Williams as his opposition.
Mickey and Ted will be in direct
competition during seven of Wash
lngton's next II games, when the
Mats must display a sharp form re-
versal if they hope to retain a
flickering interest in the pennant
race. The Mats and Red Sox were
to open a 4-game series here today,
with Roger Wolff slated to face
Mickey Harris on the mound.
Wolff is credited with Washing
tons only victory over the Red Sox
in seven games, achieving that tri-
umph in relief role. Mickey Haef-
ner will be Manager Ossie Bluege's
choice to battle Boston tomorrow.
with Walter Masterson and Bobo
Newsom tabled to pitch in Sundays
double-header