Evening star., 1946-07-08
Tribe S FeIer Deemet
Top Star Picked for
.TussIe Since Ruth
BY Bob Covoonoro
Assoe;o,ed Press Sports Editor


BOSTON, July 8.-Not since Babe
Ruth has there been one individual
who stood out so overwhelmingly in
all baseball pregame specula-
tion as Cleveland's Bob Feller.
This, Notwithstanding the fact
that Hal Newhouser, who pitched
Detroit to the world championship
last year, and Ted Williams, the
Boston Red Sox's mighty hitter
who clouted a three-run homer to
win the 1941 interleague game, will
be among Feller's teammates in the
18th meeting between stars of the
American and National Leagues in
FenWay Park tomorrow.
The American League leads the
series with eight victories, to four
for the National
The upward of $4,000 fans expect
ed to turn out for the game will be
watching to see if Feller-Steve
O'Neill's choice to start--can main
tain his astonishing strikeout pace
in the current American League
campaign against National League
batsmen, and perchance, if COM
parable situation arises. match the
classic pitching performance Of Carl
Hubbell in the 1884 contest.
Hubbell Famed Five in Row.
In 20 league games to date, Feller
has averaged s5 strikeouts per game,
while winning IS games and losing S.
Included among his victories is the
no-hit. no-run triumph over the
New York Yankees in Yankee Sta
dium, April 30
Hubbell subjected the American
League to its most humiliating ex-
perience II years ago, when, with
Charley Gehringer and Heinie
Manush on base in the first inning,
Jimmy Foxx and then whitfield Al
Simmons and Joe Cronin in the sec
ond inning for five consecutive
strikeouts before Bill Dickey broke
Carl's spell with single in the sec
ond inning. But the Americans won
the game, 81
That stands as the greatest hurl-
ing feat in all-star game competi-
ton, although Feller turned in a
neat pitching chore in the 1899
game, which the Americans won.
3 to /. Entering the game with
the bases loaded and one out in
the sixth, he pitched one ball to
Arky Vaughan and the National
Leaguers were retired when Vaughan
hit into a double play. Bob finished
the game, giving only one hit in
the last three innings
Great Spot for Williams.
ONeill gave the starting nod to
Feller in spite of pride in his own
great pitcher. Hal Newhouser. the
Tigers only playing representative
in the game. Dopesters had it fig
ured that the Yankees Spurgeon
tSpud) Chandler would combine
! with Feller and Newhouser to carry
the Americans pitching load.
I Playing in his native Fenway
Park. Williams was calculated to
lead the Americans anticipated hit
ting barrage against Manager
Charley Grimms pitchers. who
were expected to be led by the Cubs
Claude Passeau. the Cardinals
HOWE Pollet and Brooklyns Kirby
Higbe
/ Currently the leading home run
hitter in both leagues and runner
/ up TO Washington's Mickey Vernon
for batting honors in the American
| League, Williams delivered the most
effective single blow in all-star rec
ords. With two on and two out
IN the ninth inning of the Al game.
Williams poled a homer to give the
Americans 7-to-5 victory.
! The National League will have
nine players. including stout swat
ters like Dixie Walker, Johnny
Hopp and Stan Musial, in the game
just like the Junior circuit, but the
Americans superior pitching and
the explosive batting power made
them pregame choices with the fans
and the bettors. They ruled l-to-3
betting favorites.
n. l.. First Won in Boston.
Sentiment rarely won an argu-
ment, but the National Leaguers
looked upon Boston with favor and
hope. 1t was here, 10 years ago
in Braves Field. they ended the
Americans string of three consecu-
tive all-star triumphs and won their
first game in the series launched
in 1888
Furthermore. the Ma iona
Leaguers had added encouragement
in the fact they will carry into the
game a 7-to-l victory in the last
interleague game played in 1914
The 1945 game was called off al
the request of the Office of De-
Tense Transportation.