Evening star., 1949-06-13

&
He wtIl be the third leftlaander
on the Washington pitching star
Others are Mickey Haefner and
Lloyd Hitile. the latter Just has-
ing arrived from Oakland O! the
Pacific Coast League. His real
first name is Maurice,
Starred ~ Rookie.
Mele. 26 years old and weighing
ls3 pounds, created q mild sensa-
ton when he hatted .3o3 as q
rookie with the Red Sox in ls47.
but has been used sparingly during
Manager Joe McCarthy's two-yea
regime in Boston. For some rea-
son Mccarthy soured On Mele and
has used him very little Last year
Mele's batting slumped 10 ass In
66 games as outielder and first
baseman. This year he has been
practically ignored by Mccarthy
and Is hitting less than 300 and
has seen little action.
Manager Joe Kuhel Of the Natx
said he would use Mele agains,
left-handed pitching.
Mele is Of italian extraction and
played with Al Kozar and Sam
Dente Of the Mats on the is4e
Scranton 1Pa.) team. He hit .343
with Scranton and the next sea
son moved up TO big leagues with
the Red Sox.
Sam. incidentally, 10 his nick
name. His real name Ia SABBATH.
and he Is rated As an exceptionally
fine prospect by many baseball
men who have been puzzled by
McCarthy's reluctance to use him
regularly. He is q former New
York University basket ball star.
Masterson. q perennially prom
ising Highlander. came from the
Philadelphia sandlots TO the Mats
in 1899. In seven years and part
Of another at Washington he has
had only one winning year That
was in l94l when he won four and
last three. He is 20 years old and
occasionally displayed flashes Of
brilliance. Last year he won eight
and dropped Is. He made q late
start this season. not pitching un-
til May ! because OF an appendix
operation during the spring train
ing season in Florida. This year
his record is three won and two
lost.
He served in the Army for a
little over two years.
Rated High by Harris.
Washington bosses had hoped
l949 would be Masterson's big
year with the club. Owner Clark
Griffith consistently thought the
bespectacled pitcher eventually
would blossom into q winner.
Two years ago Bucky Harris,
then managing the New York
yankees. called Masterson one of
1.-THE American Leagues top pitch
iers. Ted Williams called him the
most improved hurier In the cir
cult and the record seemed tc
bear them out In l947 Master
son pitched "a consecutive score
less innings, banking the Chicago
White Sox for Is innings before
Early Wynn took over and re-
ceived credit for the Mats ls-
inning victory.
That same year the tall twirler
won IL games and lost Is for q
second-rate team. He pitched .
two-hitter against st. Louis. .
three-hit against Boston. four
hitters against Cleveland. Detroit
and Chicago. and Ave -hitters
against st. Louis and New York.
In l94s he whipped Bob Feller
and the Cleveland Indians on two
hits at a time when Washington
was a strong contender for the
pennant Another OF his more
memorable feats was q 10 VIC
tory over Detroit's Hal Newhouser.
The trade came at time when
the Mats were preparing TO open
a 20-game home stand, after q
disastrous Western trip. They
we're here today TO play the Pitts
burgh Pirates In an exhibition
game that was part Of cere-
monies at baseball's Hall of Fame
| At the ceremonies plaques OF In
fielders Pie Traynor and Charley
Gehringer and Pitchers Kid Mich
OILS, Herb Pennock and Mordecia
fThree Finger Brown were TO
be unveiled. The Mats return
home tomorrow and open a series
with the st. Louis Browns TO-
morrow night.
Kuhel showed six pitchers into
action yesterday at Detroit as the
| Tigers mauled Washington. go
and 6-5.
| The Mats hopes were high
when they headed west. but they
dropped six OF IL games. due TO
pathetic pitching. Washington
has lost i've Of Its last six games.
| plunged TO fifth place and has