Evening star., 1947-05-12
Waller sArm, Bat Gain
Split With A Sid
Hurt, Out 1ODays
By Burton Howkins

The crushing impact OF losing
Sid Hudson's services for 10 days
has been cushioned for the Mats
by the second sparkling perform
ance this season by Walter Mas
terson, the elongated, bespectacled
pitcher who at times last year SEEM
ingly could float out of Griffith
Stadium on a wave of lusty bOos.
Masterson suddenly has been trans
formed from an insignificant,
struggling specimen to one OF the
Mats glamour boys
Hudson sustained torn muscle
tissues on the left side of his back
as the Mats split a double header
with the Philadelphia Athletics
yesterday at Grifith Stadium,
dropping the opener. 40. before
taking the second tiff, 2-1. Pend
ing a physicians report today,
Trainer George Lentz indicated
Sid may be lost to the club for 10
days, which would deprive the big
blond of two starts at a time when
the Mats need polished pitching
desperately.
Masterson, who previously had
defeated Boston, 81, on three hits,
has failed to impress only once
this season. and Manager ,Ossie
Bluege is inclined to overlook that
incident. On wind-blown, rainy
day in st. Louis when pop flies
we're falling safe consistently, Mas
terson was mauled by the Browns,
but otherwise he has been effective.
Masterson Misses Sign, Hits.
Walters control wasn't brilliant
against the Athletics. but he had 1t
when necessary. He walked five
and famed seven and the only run
fashioned off him was the home run
clout by Eddie Joost into the left
field bleachers with one out in the
third. Joost previously had slammed
a third Inning homer off Hudson in
the first game.
More amazing than Masterson's
pitching was his hitting, which came
as a surprise to Masterson and 22,811
customers and as a shock to Bluege,
who had ordered Walter to take"
the pitch he ratified off the right
field fence for triple in the fourth
inning.
Masterson, whose reputation as
the leagues worst hitter is well
founded, missed Bluege's signal
when the count reached three balls
and one strike. Instead of permit
ting the pitch to pass, he belted it
against the wall with two out and
Joe Grace fetched him across with
single to right.
That, it developed, was the win
ming run, for Masterson had tied
the score in the third inning when
he walked, scooted to third on
Grace's single and scored on Stan
Spence's double to right. Masterson
was the whole scoring show for the
Mats, whose 10 blows off Dick Fowler
were scattered.
Grace Forgets to Stop.
Grace ran the Mats out Of con-
tention in the first game, when they
failed to score despite clipping Bob
Savage for 10 hits. Hudson was
forced to leave the game in the
third inning with two out after he
Welded a home run to Joost and
singles to Barney McCosky and
Ferris Fain. He tipped one ball to
Sam Chapman, then made his exit
with an ailing side.
Lum Harris arrived on the scene
and walked Chapman, then pitch
ed single to George Binks that
scored McCosky and Fain. Cecil
Travis tumble of Pete Suders
grounder in the sixth, plus Mike
Guerras triple, staked the AS to
a 40 lead.
The Mats were making threaten
ing motions in the eighth. With
one out Grace slammed double
to right, but when Buddy Lewis
singled to left Grace lowered his
head and streaked around third
base, failing to note Coach Sam
Vests stop sign. Joe checked him
self late and was out when Hank
Ma jeski cut off the throw from the
outfield and whipped it to Joost at
third. Spence followed with single,
but Mickey Vernon then fouled out,
Bobo Newsom, twice trounced IN
previous starts, will try for his initial
victory tonight when he takes the
for Washington against Phil
adelphias Phil Marchildon in the
first night game of the season. Game
time will be $50.
Pieretti Will be Starter.
Buddy Lewis batting average
tumbled 81 points in yesterdays
double header. He fashioned only
one hit in eight attempts and to-
(See MATS, Page A-13J