Evening star., 1949-07-09
Eight Games Attract
.198,170 as Baseball
Booms Under Lights
BY jack Hand
Assoeiofed Press Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports Writer
Good old night baseball. How
the customers love 1t.
A full scale program Of eight
night games yesterday brought a
bumper crop of 19S,17o paid ad-
missions into the treasury.
Even at l o'clock in the morn
ing. they love it in Philadelphia
where some 1928 watched the
Boston Braves wrangle q 16- in
ming decision from the Phillies,
4-3, in 4-hour 16-minute
struggle.
It looked as though the Braves
and Phils never would finish be-
fore the deadline but they finally
managed to wind up matters on
Rookie Catcher Del Crandall's fly
ball, scoring Marv Rickert from
third base. No inning can start
after 1880 am. local time.
Boston's shortstop, Alvin Dark,
was carried off the field after he
was hit on the head by ball
thrown by Gran Hammer in the
18th inning. His physician said
his condition was not serious.
The Phils tied the score with
two out in the ninth when Richie
Ashburn singled and raced home
on Hammers double. Both tailed
in the eleventh before the Braves
finally pulled it out for Reliefer
Bob Hogue. Schoolboy Rowe, who
came on in the twelfth, was the
loser.
Largest and most enthusiastic
night crowd was at Pittsburgh,
where 1896 saw Bill Meyers
dark horse" Pirates of last spring
ring up their seventh straight vic
tory, 81. over Chicago.
Pirates Finally Click.
Meyer, manager of the year in
1948. finally has his Pirates mov-
ing toward the first division after
weeks of cropping in seventh and
eighth place. With the pitching
staff Strengthened out, they may
make the grade.
Vic Lombardi. the half-pint
southpaw, earned his fourth
straight important victory with
six-hitter that defeated Dutch
Leonard.
While the Pirates continued
their delayed climb. Brooklyn and
st. Louis carried on their savage
battle for the lead. Both contend
ers won. leaving the Dodgers with
two-game edge.
Brooklyn just escaped with
4-3 edge over the slugging New
York Giants by using three strong
armed pitchers to whip Clint Har-
tung for the first time. The
Giants "phenom" never had lost
to the Dodgers until he bowed to
Reliefer Rex Barney before 4,468,
largest Ebbets Field night crowd
of the year.
Pollet Captures No. IL.
Howie Pollet. enjoying his great
est year since 1916, posted his 18th
triumph. He yielded 10 Cincin-
natl hits, but allowed only one
run in a 81 Cardinal triumph.
Ewell Blackwell yielded nine hits
and four runs before he was lifted
for a pinch hitter in his second
starting Job of the year. Blacky
was the loser.
Back in friendly Fenway Park.
Vern Stephens banged his goth
homer in the Boston Red Sox's
IL romp over the Philadelphia
AS. Joe Dobson pitched the Sox
to their fourth straight before
34,276 fans with the help of three
snappy double plays.
Cleveland, now only half
game back of the second-place
AS, STAYED off two st. Louis
Browns rallies to escape with a
6-5 decision. Larry Doby's two
run homer in the first inning off
Cliff Fannin supplied the victory
margin for the Indians. who have
won seven of their last eight.
Young Walt Pierce of Chicago
turned in a five-hit game against
his old Detroit mates for. 81
win. Bob Swifts homer in the
third was the only Tiger score.