Evening star., 1948-05-09
Negro WaIIop
Presses Ruth 5
Record Hit Here
Hudson Yields CIout;
Beorden Allows Only
3 Hits, z by Coon
By Burton Hawkins

henceforth will be measured by the
majestic blasts OF Babe Ruth and
Larry Dolby, for yesterday when the
Mats became 6-1 victims of Cleve-
land, the Indians Negro right
fielder doomed an eighth-inningl
home run into the loudspeaker atop
the center field wall for the second
longest clout in Washington history.
The soaring smash, which Travelled
$50 feet before ricocheting of the
horns, was the mightiest blow de-
livered here in 26 years. Veteran
stadium attaches agreed the only
home run which surpassed it was
hit by Ruth in 1922. On that occa-
sion Ruth's record drive cleared the
center-f1eld fence, struck limb of
a towering tree and bounded into
the alley beyond.
Despite his magnificent mauling,
Dolby was forced to leg it around
the bases for an inside de-the-park
homer. Dolby enforced enactment
for the first time Of ground rule
which dictates that balls bounding
back on the field from the speakers
are in play. With a dramatic but
unnecessary head-first slide, he
scored easily behind Gene Bearden
and Thurman Tucker to climax a
flve-run eighth-inning uprising
against Sid Hudson.
Dolby Steals Show.
Dolby, the only colored player In
the American League, batted only
.l56 last year and several days ago
was struck out five times in one
game, but with his only hit of the
day he carved niche in local base
ball annals. Aided by strong wind,
his home run left some II 1902 fans
pop-eyed in amazement.
Dolby stole the show from Bear
den, 27-year-old left-hand pitcher
who made his major league debut
an impressive one. Bearden re-
stricted the Mats to three hits, two
by Gil Coan, and didn't issue
walk until the ninth inning. when
he walked four to force across the
Mats only run. Russ Christopher
came to his rescue with the bases
loaded and two out to dispose of
Pinch-hitter Sherry Robertson.
For seven innings Hudson and
Bearden were locked in a 10 duel,
with Cleveland's f1rst-inning run
looming larger every inning. The
Indians scored in the first inning
after Dolby had forced Tucker, whol
had singled. Lou Bourdeau's single {
sent Dolby to third and he scored
when Eddie Robinson forced Bou-
dreau.
Tribe Outfielders Idle.
In those first seven innings Beard
en- was finding the Mats soft
touches. Coan clipped him for a
single in the first inning, but went
out attempting to stretch the hit.
Coan looped double to left with
two out in the fourth, but was
stranded when Mickey Vernon
famed.
Over that seven inning span,
Bearden was giving Cleveland's out
fielders the equivalent of vocation.
With the exception of Coan's hits,
only Johnny Sullivan presented the
Indians outfielders any labor, flying
to tucker in the fifth inning. Tucker
made only three putouts and Dolby
and Dale Mitchell had none.
Hudson braced to scatter four hits
for the next six innings, but with
one out in the eighth the Indians
pounced on him. Joe Gordon tripled
to center and scored on Ken Kelt-
ner's deep drive to Earl Wooten. Jim
Hogan doubled to left and scored on
Bearden's single to center. Tucker
then singled off Hudson's glove to
set the stage for Doby's wallop.
Bearden Loses Control.
With one out in the ninth, Beard
ems control vanished. He walked
Eddie Yost and Al Kozar. Coan
popped out, but Bearden also walked
Vernon and Tom Mcbride, forcing
across Yost. Robertson was dis
patched to the plate to hit against
the right-handed Christopher and
grounded to Gordon on the lean
right-hander's first pitch. Yost,s
run snapped a string of 81 scoreless
innings for the Mats.
The defeat, seventh in nine games,
dropped the Mats to seventh place.
1t was Hudson's second loss and ,
marked the seventh time in 16
games that the Mats have been linn
tied to six hits or less.
Walter Masterson viii pitch for
the Mats today when they battle the
st. Louis Browns, with Bryan J
Stephens on the hill, in q single
game at 3.
Ter Aanle 0u&raen Anx,s .ls