Evening star., 1946-05-20
Mickey Climbs 10 All
On Six Hits as MATS
Top Chisox Twice
By Burton Hawkins
Stor Stoff Correxnondent


ton Mickey Vernon, Washington
first baSeman who today leads with
hitters of both big leagues with a
hetty All average. picked up his
batting punch while on Navy duty
in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan and other
distant Pacific points.
A Villanova star. Vernon failed to
reach the 300 mark in three seasons
with the Mats before he went into
the Navy after the 1943 season. But
during the war, reports trickled back
to the States of an outfielder named
Vernon who was burning up the
| service circuits. Hes ball of fire."
they said. The only way to get him
out is ship him home"
Back with the Washington club
and 20 pounds heavier, Vernon re-
turned to first base assignment.
but couldn't get started in the early
season. Not until little over two
weeks ago did Manager Os Bluege
regard him as his regular choice
Tor the position. Since, Mickey has
slammed the apple through IT.
game consecutive hitting streak.
Vernon Heads Hot Attack.
Vernon really hit his stride here
yesterday while the Mats were cap
turing a double-header from the
White SoX, 4-3 and IL, before a
crowd of 30,912. He smashed out six
hits in nine times at bat, including
two doubles, two homers and a triple
The 28-year-old, 6-foot-2 southpaW
now has collected 81 hits in 78 at
tempts in his 17-game rampage. and
with % runs batted in to his credit
has solved Washingtons ancient
problem of finding a dependable
cleanup hitter.
While Vernon dominated the dou-
ble-header yesterday, there were
others who were king-sized heroes
There was jeff Heath, for in
stance, who singled across the
tying run with two out in the ninth
inning of the first game, and Gerry
PrlGdy, who drove across the VIM
ming run moment later with an
other single.
The Mats had produced a run in
the third inning off Ted Lyons. who
pitched his 28th straight complete
game, and went into 20 lead when
Vernon hammered his first homer
into the lower right-field stands.
Mats Catch Up With Lyons.
Murrell Jones belted a home run
off Roger Wolff in the fourth inning
with none on and the White Sox
grasped 80 lead in the seventh on
three singles and a triple as Wolff
weakened. Sid Hudson came in to
stop the Sox in the last two innings
and the Mats caught up with Lyons
in the ninth.
With one out, Spence singled to
right and George Myatt. who ran
for him, took second as Vernon
grounded out. In that plight, Heath
thumped a single through the box
to score Myatt, and jeff continued
to second as Center Fielder Whitley
Platt fumbled the ball. Cecil Travis
was passed purposely, but Priddy
lashed a single to right, scoring
Heath, before Al Evans flied out.
The second game represented
little trouble for the Mats, who fash
loned II hits and coasted to victory
behind the five-hit pitching of
Johnny Niggeling, who had a shut
out with two out in the ninth. when
Bob Kennedy pumped home run
into the lower leftfeld stands.
Leonard to HurI Today.
Vernon's triple and Heath's single
fetched the Mats a run in the sec
ond inning off Ed Lopat and Heath's
homer after Vernon had singled in
the third presented Washington a
80 lead. -Four singles netted the
Mats another run in the fourth,
while Vernon increased the lead to
SO with home run leading off in
the seventh.
The Mats collected two more runs
in the ninth on Buddy Lewis single.
Vernon's double, Jones error and a
passed ball Meanwhile, Niggeling
was toying with Chicago, retiring 16
White Sox in order and permitting
only one hit in the last six innings.
Dutch Leonard was to seek his
fourth straight triumph here today,
with Edgar Smith slated to pitch
Tor Chicago. The Mats, who have
won seven of nine games on this
trip, will be idle tomorrow prior to
battling the Browns in a pair of
night games in st. Louis.