The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-23
Walker Still Peoples Cherce'
'Two-Bogger
 In 18th Inninq Defects Cubs


 New York, May 2S.-CUP)-The big league show seemed to be mov- ing on without him when he start cd the season as just another heavy-hearted spare hand in the Brooklyn dugout.
 It seemed incredible at the time that the Dodgers could go without the peoples choice, Fred Dixie" Walker he mayor of EbbetS Field" in the lineup.
 But that was the way Prexy Rickey had ordained it. "This was to be the year of destiny for the Brooklyn Dodger youth movement" and there was no place in the script for Walker, who had climaxed his Is year major league career by leading the League in -batted- in with 124 in 1945. That perform ance came on the heels of a .357 batting average which also was tops for the League with seventh place team in 1914.
 Dixie Stays in Right
 All of that was discounted though. because Dixie was 'crowding 36, and Hickey wanted youth to have its fling.
 However, there was a sudden re- vision of opinion on Walkers vlaue to the club when he homered as pinch hitter against the Giants tying up game which the Dodg- CTS eventually won.
 The next day Dixie was back in right field and he hasn't been out of the lineup since. Today he leads the League in batting with a luSty .369 mark and is third in runs batter in with 25.
 He broke up the ball game yes- terday with a 18th inning double which scored Dick Whitman with the winning run in a 2 to decision over the visiting Cubs. Lefty Joe Hatten pitched the best game of his rookie career, but ironically wasn't the winner. He went out for a pinch-hitter after holding Chi eago to four hits in 12 innings and k r0y Higpe pitched the l3Uh to get the decision. Johnny Schmitz was the loser in a spirited duel highlighted by a 10th inning fist fight between Dodger Eddie Stanky and Len Merullo of Chicago. Both were baniShed for the row.
 Cardinals Keep Pace
 The Cardinals kept pace with a z to l night win over the Giants at New York. Enos Slaughter and George KurowSki hit homers in a five-run inning rally in which the first five batters hit safely. The Cards made IS hits for Lefty Howie Pollet who held the Giants to five and beat them for the nlntn time against one defeat in his career. It was his fourth 1946 win.
 The Phils ran their winning streak" to two straight, topping Pittsburgh, to 2 as Lynn (School- boy) Rowe pitched steady eight hit ball and doubled twice. driving in two runs and scoring two.
 The Braves beat Cincinnati, 5N to l as Johnny Sain hurled his fifth win and Boston gained it's first home night victory under its new lights.
 Ted Williams hit a two-run hom- CT in a 18th inning rally that gave the Red SoX to 4 victory at Cleveland. The Indians took a 3 to lead then diSsipated it, sub outfielder Johnny Lazor sending the game into extra innings with a ninth inning homer. Each team scored a run in the 11th and Bos- ton clinched it in the 18th. Bobby Doerr's double ad Lazor's single provided the third run. Dave Fer riSS gained his sixth straight win, despite shaky relief job in which | he retired only two batters in the 11th
 Triple Play Aids BOmbers
 The Yankees won a 5 to 3 battle | at Detroit, protecting their margin | with weird triple play in the 9th | in which three Tiger runners were thrown out on the base paths and the ball was handled by every Yan- kee infielder and the catcher. To climax the burlesque, outf elder Tommy Heinrich, coming in to back up the infield, was spiked by Dick Wakefield on the base path. Relief pitcher Jake Wade was the victor.
 Doubles by Don Holloway and Murren Jones in the ninth gave the White Sox a to 4 victory over the As at Chicago. Sam Chapman scored three Philadelphia runs with
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