Evening star., 1948-07-06
Fpme Sports Indians Braves to Win Flags History Repeat
Leads. of July 4th PAGERS
Not Conclusive, However
Dy ths Assoeioasd Pfsss


The Cleveland Indians and Bos-
/ ton Braves will meet in the world
series next October, II the old base
ball axiom-"the team In flrst place
on July wins the pennant"-holds
true this year.
The end of the holiday activities
finds the Indians still pacing the
American League by one full game
and the Braves on top In the Ma
tional by two.
In the American Leagues 47-year
history, the team in first place In
dependence Day won the pennant 80
seasons as against II winners who
had not led on July I. That Is q
.638 percentage.
The July 4 first-placers Jared even
better in the National, As 81 went
on to win the nag against the IS
who didn't. That represents a $50
percentage.
Nearly two-thirds of the teams
which led on July 4 became the
eventual pennant winners.
Last Exception In 1910.
The last exception to the rule in
the American League was Cleve-
land of eight years ago. In 1910 the
Indians were in first place on July 4,
but were nosed out for the flag by
the Tigers the next to the last day
of the season. The Brooklyn Dodg-
ers of 1916 were the last National
League Club to defy the percentage,
but 1t took an unprecedented post
season play-off to knock them out
Of the running.
The Indians were held even in
their double -header with the Tigers
in Cleveland yesterday, but lost no
ground to their closest pursuers as
the second-place Philadelphia Ath-
letics also split a twin bill and the
third-place New York Yankees
were handed rousing double dous-
ing by the Red Sox in Boston.
The Indians appeared on their
way to double victory before
So, ,042 hometown fans, who swelled
their home attendance for the year
past the million mark. They had
won the opener, 6-3, for Bobby
Lemons 18th victory, and were lead
ing, AZ, entering the eight inning
of the nightcap.
Then came the Tiger uprising.
Lake Hits Home Run.
Eddie Lake smashed a home run
to send Sam Zoldak to the showers
in favor of Bob Feller. Feller walked
two batters then threw a home run
ball to Pat Mullin which turned the
tide. The Tigers took a rs victory.
A bright spot for Cleveland was
Ken Keltner's two home runs which
put him on top in that department
once again with 19.s Young Art
Houtteman of Detroit suffered his
11th setback against only 2 victories
in the opener
Bobby Doerr clouted three home
runs, two in the second game, as the
Red Sox topped the Yankees twice,
6-5 and 81.
The Yankees appeared en- route to
a split, holding a rs edge in the
eighth inning, but Doerr's third
home run with Ted Williams on base
tied the count. A single by Matt
Bats, q sacrifice and Dom Di Mag
gio's single broke up the game in
the ninth.
The Red Sox veteran, Jack Kramer,
had easy sailing in the opener until
the last two innings. Ahead 60, he
allowed two runs in the eighth.
Then, with two out in the ninth,
the Yankees scored three times on
Johnny Lindell's homer with one on
and three singles.
The Chicago White sox, seaso:>
long occupants of the American
League cellar, climbed within game
and a half of the seventh place
Browns by sweeping both ends Of
double header from st. Louis, 80
and 5-4.
Braves Bounce Back.
After losing a heart-breaking 6-5
decision in 13> innings, the Braves
bounced back to whip the Giants,
Al. However, they lost full game
to the st. Louis Cardinals, who
moved past Pittsburgh into second
place, two games behind the Braves
The Cards swept a double header
from the Chicago Cubs, 6-3 and So.
Ralph Kiner belted three home