The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-07
Red Sox Had ough Break During 1944

New YOrK, Aug. 7-(UP)-V1tally involved today in Boston's runaway dash in its first American League pennant in 28 years are its three famed middle men of 1914, the guys who probably would have brought that flag to Fenway Park two years earlier if they hadn't kept dates with Uncle Sam.
 The Red Sox quickly became the forgotten team of the pennant race that year, but only after the heart and soul of their ball club, pitcher Cecil (TeD Hughson, catcher Hal Wagner, and second baseman Bob- by Doerr, departed for military service in a nine-day stretch be- tween Aug. 24 and Sept. 4.
 No team all through the war years lost three men, practically at once during pernant drive, who were more vital to their chances. Hughson, the first to go was the American Leagues top pitcher with Is victories and five defeats. Wag- ner was the teams leading batter with a mark of .330 while Doerr, with 1925 average, was leading the league in runs batted in with 8l and had hit Is homers.
 Finished Fourth
 The Red SoX, who were in sec ond place through most of August, were 2 122 games behind the lead ing St. Louis Browns on Sept. 3, yet faded so fast thereafter that they finished in fourth, II 1-2 games off the pace.
 It was no coincidence that with out them, the Red Sox floundered to a seventh place finish last sea- son. All were back to bolster the middle of the diamond this year, and joined by other returning mil itary ser e stars, the Red Sox have done about everything but lap the field
 All figured prrminently in yester- days 5 to 0 homecoming victory over Philadelphia which boosted Bostons lead over the idle Yankees to 12 1-2 games. Doerr, whose total of 9l runs batted in puts him only six behind team mate Ted Williams, the major league leader, came through with his third homer in two days, while Hughson won his 12th game and his fourth Shutout. He struck out four batters and gave no walks, holding the As to five hits. Wagner got a timely single and handled Hughson flawlesSIy.
 Brooklyn's lead over the second place Cardinals was reduced to two games when the Giants, who act ually have become giant killers topped the Dodgers, to 2, as Lefty Koslo retired the last 19 men in or der and pitched seven hitlesS innings to gain his 12th victory The Giants, who also have manhandled the Cardinals consistently from their loWly sixth place berth, scored four runs in the seventh in rally touched off by ex-Dodger Goodwin Rosen's single. Two runs came home when losing hurler Hal Gregg threw wildly past first on a bunt play
 Passeau Beats Reds
 Claude Pascal, pitching four hitter, defeated Cincinnati for the
 12th time in his last 13 attempts as Chicago won, 3 to 0. The Cubs made five hits in the third before SCOT ing a run, Don Johnson finally sin gling home two runners after two others were out trying to advance after making hits.
 The Braves on the other hand, made only five hits in all off four Philadelphia pitchers and got three of them in the 12th inning to win 3 to l as Johnny Sain registered his 12th decision. Sam started the win ming rally with a single. Billy Her man and Johnny Hoop drove in the two runs with singles. =...
 The Tigers also made efficient use of their hits, beating Brownie ace Jack Kramer, to at St. Louis on four hits and three errors Alton Benton, pitching his second straight top-flight game after a bad slump, missed a shutout when Henry Helf homered. He doled out six hits.
 The White SoX made nine runs in the fifth inning to coast to an II to 1 triumph over the Indians at Chi oago. Taft Wright with two triples and Luke Appling with a triple and two singles paced Chicago's l6-hit attack. Ed Lopat breezed to six hit victory, missing shutout on an unearned run in the ninth.
 New York at Washington in the American and St, Louis at Pitts burgh in the National were rained out.