Evening star., 1948-09-28

the last day of the 1908 season has
the junior loop seen such a struggle.
Two afternoon games between the
Red Sox and Washington Mats at
Boston and the Yankees and Ath-
letics at Philadelphia will set the
stage for tonight's encounter be-
tween the Indians and Chicago
White Sox in Cleveland.
Since the Boston Braves are al
ready "in," having wrapped up the
National League bunting Sunday,
baseball fans have little interest left
for anything but the scrap among
the three American League con-
tenders.
Everything Favors Indians.
The World Series is slated to start
next Wednesday in Braves Field at
Boston, but they can't do anything
about that until the Indians, Yanks
and Red Sox do something about
the immediate situation.
Everything favors the Indians
so much so that Manager Lou Bou-
dreau has settled the fears of Cleve-
land fans by stating without reser-
vation that the Tribe has it in the
bag.
The Yankees hopes were given
severe jolt when an examination
showed Catcher Gus Niarhos frac-
tured his right hand in the game
with Boston Sunday. Charles Sill
vera of the Portland (Oreg) club
in the Pacific Coast League is flying
to join the New Yorkers at Phila-
delphia.
THE injury is not too serious
except that it comes at bad time" !"
said DR.. Sidney Gaynor, club ply
sician. "It would be nothing short
of miracle if Niarhos could play
in a week; it would be unusual If
he could play in 10 days, and 1t is
more likely he can't play for two
weeks"
This means the f1rst-string catch
er Will miss the five games remain
ing on the schedule.
Cleveland could lose twice and
New York or Boston still would
have to cop five in a. row to win
the pennar1t.
The fly in the ointment is the
fact New York has a pair of games
Saturday and Sunday with the
Seekers in Boston, and they proved
in New York the other day that
only one team can win at time.
Cleveland has two games with the
White Sox, then winds up against
the Detroit Tigers Friday, Saturday
and Sunday. New York plays three
against the AS before moving into
Boston for the final pair. The Red
Sox have three engagements with
the Mats.
Torrid Finish in 1908.
Getting back to that 1908 Amer
ican League finish, and just to show
what always could happen when the
races are as tight as this one:
Detroit defeated the White Sox in
the final game and the Tigers beat
out the Indians by slim one-half
game margin, with Chicago finish
ing third. However, had the White
Sox won that last game from De-
troit they would have taken the
flag, Just two percentage points bet
ter than Cleveland, and Detroit
would have finished third.
Boudreau said Gene Bearden
17-D would be his mound choice
in the White Sox opener, while
Frank Papish (2-8 will toss for
Chicago. Papish, whose main fault
is wildness, knitted the Yankees last
week in Chicago and prevented
them from taking over first place.
The Cleveland pilot said Bob
Feller, again the fire-baller of old
after a midseason lapse, would be
sent against Chicago tomorrow
night. That would leave Bob Lemon
to oppose Detroit Friday, with
Bearden Saturday and Feller Sun
day If needed to clinch matters.
Joe Mccarthy, Boston manager,
will send Joe Dobson against Wash
ington today, opposed by Ray Scar
borough.
Vic Faschi, with 10 victories for
the season, will toll for the Yankees,
Manager Bucky Harris said. Either
Carl Scheib or Lou Brissie is ex-
pected to get the call for the AS.