Evening star., 1946-08-26
|Robby' 'sPineh-Hitting
Tells for Mats When
Hitchcock Fades

Clark Griffith's advice to Short
stop Billy Hitchcock is to alter his
batting stance. HE couldn't hit
a high, hard one with a paddle"
says Griffith. Hes good fielder
and needs only to hit a little to be-
come a fine ball player, but he'll
never hit as long as he clings to his
present stance. He's falling away
from the ball"
Hitchcock's only hit In his last 10
efforts has consisted of a bunt. His
batting average has fallen off to a
meager .215 and Griffith is hoping
he soon will experiment with his
stance. what can he lose2" asks
Grifith, answering with Nothing"
Hitchcock could take tip from
Lou Boudreau," continued Griffith.
"Boudreau was poor hitter when
he first came up, but he experiment
ed and finally came up with that
crouch of his Now Lou is one OF
the better hitters in the game.
Must Ignore High Pitches.
"One of the first things ball
player must do to become a good
hitter Is to analyze his weaknesses
and do something about them.
Hitchcock can't hit a high, out
side pitch, but he keeps nibbling
at them He has to learn to lay
off those pitches--to make those
pitchers bring that ball down some
but as long as he keeps swinging
at bad balls that's all he's gonna
get. If Billy could hit .280 he'd be
a whale of a ball player-he's a
fine fielder--but he isn't gonna do
it batting like he is now
Because Hitchcock isn't hitting,
Sherry Robertson broke into the
Mats lineup as a pinch-hitter yes
terday and as a result the Mats
came up with 5-4 victory over
the st. Louis Browns in 12-inning
tussle. Robertson, who hasn't been
noted for his hitting, emerged as
the games hero. 49,
Trailing, Az, entering the last half
OF the ninth, the Mats got a tre-
mendous break after Mickey Vernon
and Cecil Travis singled successfully.
When Walt Judnich's throw, after
the Travis hit to Third Baseman
Bob Dillinger trickled into the
Browns dugout, Vernon was per-
mitted to score from second and
Travis was waved from first base
to third.
Robertson Gets Big Run.
Mike Guerra, running for Travis,
was forced to remain at third as
Gerry Priddy grounded out, and
after Gil Coan walked Robertson
batted for Hitchcock. Sherry lofted
a long fly to right, enabling Guerra
to score after the catch. Coan, who
had rounded second on the blow,
neglected the formality of retouch-
ing second en- route to first and was
tagged out.
Came the 18th inning and Rob-
ertson blasted triple off the right
field fence, scoring when Pinch
hitter Early Wynn hoisted long
drive to left field, at which JEFF
Heath took one glance and headed
for the clubhouse Wynn was cred
tied with single.
Milo Candini, making his first
appearance since being discharged
from the Army, pitched scoreless
ball for four innings in relief, de-
spite staggering in the final three
innings, when the Browns clipped
him for six hits.
The Browns, who had been linn
tied to three hits in the first five
innings, unloaded five hits against
Mickey Haefner in the sixth to
gather all their runs before crowd
of 10.225, which lifted the Mats
home attendance to 850,275-a new
record.
Wynn will be dispatched to the
mound tonight for the Mats when
Washington and st. Louis battle at
$50 o'clock, with Bob Muncrief
slated to hurl for the Browns.