Evening star., 1947-05-27
Mats Count on Mcbride
10 Aid in Club sRise;
Yanks Here Tonight
By Burton Howkins

II Tom Mcbride can remain tn
one piece long enough. the Mats
hope to capitalize on his lusty swing
ing and pull themselves to q
more prominent perch In American
League standings. Mcbride, the
outfielder recently purchased from
the Boston Red Sox, currently Is
handicapped with pulled hip
muscle, but frequently damaged
Tom is inclined to attach no more
important to 1t than hangnail.
Baseball injuries have plagued
Mcbride since he broke into organ
lied ranks with Long View in the
East Texas League as property OF
the Chicago White Sox In 1896. As
an introduction he had his 'front.'
teeth Dashed out by q stray blast
during batting practice.
Beaned In Dallas.
In 1887 he moved UP to Dallas and
was beaned, missing 40 games. When
he recovered from that he was
shipped to jackson, Miss, and It
was there he suffered broken left
leg. In 1898 he shifted TO Shreve-
port, and all that happened TO him
there was malaria, which forced him
to abandon baseball for the year.
1t was In 1899 that Mcbride
started his climb to the majors.
Released to Jackson. Miss, he re-
manned there In 1910. but midway in
1941 he was promoted to Little Rock
and batted .412 for the remainder
of the season. He swatted 1871 with
Little Rock in 1912, which was pro-
ficient enough to land him berth
with the Red Sox the following year.
A student at Southern Methodist
for two years, Mcbride played
freshman football with the Mus.
tangs and once performed against
the Chicago Bears Bulldog Turner
when he was playing with Hardin-
Simmons. Another fellow and my.
self were assigned to take care Of
Bulldog" explains Mcbride. we
didn't do too well. In the entire
game we knocked him of his feet
only once"
Wants to Play Regularly.
Mcbride is happy about shifting
to the Mats. "Sure, 1t was nice sit
ting around with the Red Fox last
year and collecting that W6'ld Se-
ries money, but from a strictly per-
sonal standpoint I'm happy to be
where I have a chance to play
regularly. I can't make a name for
myself sitting on the bench"
Tom was a World Series hero for
one game last year when he singled
across the tying run in the ninth
inning of the first game, enabling
Boston to win in the tenth. He
also shares the modern major league
record for batting in runs in one
inning. In game in Washington
he pumped six runs across the plate
in one inning with the Red Sox In
1945.
He's a willing worker who doesn't
shy from the normally abhorred
pinch-hitting duties. When he re-
ported to the Mats his first words
to Manager Ossie Bluege were, I'D
like to put in a bid for the No. l
pinch-hitting job. I'll get some hits
for you. Play me anywhere at any
time" Bluege, naturally, likes HI.
spirit.
Yanks Invade Tonight.
Mcbride is slated to play for the
Mats any time left-handed pitcher
operates for the opposition. He
murders those southpaws," says
President Clark Griffith, and Toms
1902 and .305 averages with the Red
Sox in 1945 and 1916 are proof Of it.
The revived New York Yankees
invade Grifith Stadium tonight for
the opener of a three-game series
and against them the Mats will risk
a two-game winning streak. The
Yankees will appear here tomorrow
night and Thursday afternoon with
the Boston Red Sox slated to show
here in a double-header on Friday.
Walter Masterson will take the
mound for the Mats tonight, with
Bobo Newsom nominated to pitch
tomorrow night. Don johnson will
pitch for New York tonight.