Evening star., 1949-08-23
Flag Seen in Balance
In Brooklyn Series
I0f Three Games
Rv Rolnh Rndsn
By RoIph Roden
Assoeiatsd Pres, Sports Writer

Asseeiotsd Press Sports Writer
A World Series atmosphere de-
,scended on Ebbets Field today with
the st. Louis Cardinals in Flatbush
to take on the Brooklyn Dodgers In
a series that Branch Hickey claims
will decide the National League
pennant.
Hickey. great white father Of the
flock. put the pressure on this
series by predicting the winner will
represent the senior circuit in the
World Series.
Stan Musial and Company. lead
ing the Dodgers and the league by
two games, will stick around for
two days during which they clash
with the Brooks three times.
The proud Redbirds were to dis
play their talents twice today, once
in the afternoon and again at
night. Brooklyn citizens will be
charged separate admissions for
the privilege Of watching these two
old antagonists lock horns twice on
the same day.
Receipts of the first game will
go to charities in Brooklyn. New
York and st. Louis. The opener
is a playoff Of the July rs game
which ended in a A. tie. That
game, by mutual agreement. was
halted to allow both teams to en-
train West.
Brooks Need All to Lead.
A Cardinal sweep of the three
game set would boost the Redbird
lead to five games. A Dodger
grand slam would enable Brook
lyn to take q one-game margin.
The Cards need to win only one
game in order to leave Ebbets
Field with the lead in their pos
session.
For today's double-header. Al
Brazle and Red Munger or Howie
Pollet were expected to pitch for
the Cards against Joe Hatten and
Preacher Roe or Rex Barney.
Brooklyn will take the field at
tempting to snap a three-game
losing streak. The Dodgers dropped
their third straight in Boston yes
terday, 7-6. in the only game In
either league.
A couple of former Dodgers,
Pete Reiser and Ed Stanky. ruined
their former mates. Reiser drove
home three runs on a triple and
single while Stanky socked his
first homer Of the season for the
Braves.
Stapky unloaded in the ninth
to tie the score at 6-6. A walk
to Elbie Fletcher and JEFF Heath's
two-out double OF the center
field wall followed to break up
the game.
Branca Takes Beating.
The Braves enjoyed a So lead
going into the eighth when the
Dodgers scored twice to close the
gap" to 5-4. The Dodgers shoyed
two runs over in the ninth to
forge ahead, 6-5.
Ralph Branca was entrusted. to
hold the edge. but failed, serving
up the homer to Stanky and walk.
ing Fletcher, then taking q stroll
himself-to the showers. Young
Erv Palica got the next two bat
ters. but Heath. hitless in four
previous trips, cracked his two
bagger to score Alvin Dark from
first. Dark had forced Pinch-run-
ner Sibby Sisti.
The last time the Cards visited
Ebbets Field they trailed the
Dodgers by 21z games. The Cards
showed up in the Brooklyn Or
chard for four games on July %.
They won three and tied one to
take the lead.
Since their last appearance the
Cards have won II games and lost
8 for $50 pace. while the
Dodgers have copied Is and
dropped 10 for a Sis gait.
Musial will be the Bird on whom
the Dodger pitchers will concen-
trate their efforts. Stan is hitting
at q .316 clip against the league
as whole, but In Ebbets Field he
owns blistering $50 mark.
Musial Powerful In Brooklyn.
The Cardinal clouter has banged
out 10 hits In 81 Official times at
bat in the Dodger park. Among
his blows are four homers, three
triples and two doubles. Stan has
scored II times and has driven in
II runs.
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox
renew their bid to overhaul the
New York Yankees in the Amer
ican League pennant struggle. The
Sox. ~ games OF the pace, tackle
the seventh-place Browns In St.
Louis.
The Yanks tangle with the
Tigers in Detroit in the opener Of
a two-game set.