Evening star., 1946-05-28
'0nce-a-Week HurIer
Stars al 40; Yanks
Turning on Lights
By Burton Howkins
Sior SioH Correspondent

NEW YORK, May 2s.-Johnny
Niggeling, who denies he caught an
opening day pitch thrown by Abe
Lincoln, currently qualities as the
Mats best pitcher despite his 40
years and slim frame which re-
sembles that Of the weakling being
pushed around by a sturdy specimen
IN the muscle-building ads.
Niggeling isn't being showed
around, however, and he's showing
some OF the more burly boys how to
win games and bolster the Mats
standing, which his club hopes to
improve IN two-game tussle with
the second-p1ace Yankees here,
starting tonight.
For the first time in his baseball
career, Niggeling is not plagued by
stomach ulcers. No longer is he re-
stricted to q milk-and-cracker diet,
but it's ironical that his vastly i'm
proved health comes in the twilight
OF his baseball life.
Johnny pitches only once a week
for the Mats. He's too old and too
thin to hurl more frequently. "rd
like to pitch more often," says
Johnny, "but I just can't because I
haven't the stamina. I weigh 100
pounds and can't gain any weight.
I'm really worn to a frazzle pitching
only once week"
Yields Only Two Earned Runs,
Manager Ossie Bluege was tempt
ed to employ Niggeling exclusively
as a relief pitcher earlier in the
year, but abandoned that plan and
gave Johnny a starting assignment
1t was a happy thought, for Nigel
ing has gone the distance in each
OF his three starts, beating the Ath-
ietics, 80 and 81, and Chicago, I'll
In the three starts, Niggeling has
permitted only two earned runs and
only four runs Of any description
He's the Mats most deliberate
pitcher and his mates say it's a
pleasure to play behind him. His
three victories-he absorbed his only
defeat In relief role in his first ap-
pearance of the season-have been
four, five and seven hitters.
Johnny allowed 18 hits in 301, in
inings and only four of the blows
were for extra bases. He doesn't
strike out many-only seven this
season-but he has the opposition
beating the ball into the ground
and their heads against dugouts.
He's inclined to be a bit wild
which probably stems from his in
frequent labor, but this far it hasn't
created trouble for him. The
leagues hitters will testify he's q
tough hombre with men on base.
Operation Helps HurIer.
A knuckle-ball specialist, Mig.
geling has fair sort of fast ball ano
good curve to blend with his but.
terfly ball. He's mixing 'em nicely
this year, which is quite a contrast
to last season, when he won only
four games. An operation performed
last winter made healthier man OF
Niggeling and he's figuring prom
inently In the rise of the Mats.
The Mats hope to narrow the
game-and-a-half gap separating
them from second place when they
send Dutch Leonard after his fifth
straight triumph tonight. The first
night game at Yankee Stadium, the
attraction is expected to lure crowc
OF $1,000, many Of whom will be sail
ors of the 9th Fleet, 20 ships o1
which are here.
Rained out last night, the Mats
must capture both remaining games
with the Yankees to inherit second
place. Washington then will tangle
with the Red Sox in double header
at Boston on Thursday before re-
turning to the Capital to face an in
vasion of Western teams, starting
Saturday.