Evening star., 1949-07-08
BY the Associated Press

NEW YORK, July 8.-No-
body's hollering "break up the
Yankees" this time-they've
been broken up all year.
If Casey Stengel's athletes
should ride their present sue
cess streak to the American
League pennant it would be
the greatest triumph in base
ball history for the combl-
nation of shin splints, adhesive
tape and arnica.
The team physician, DR.. Sid
ney Gaynor. probably would
deserve a bust in the Hall of
Fame.
Thirty-nine times, by actual
count, the team has had a
regular struck down by injury.
No member has played in every
game. The clubs been held
together by bailing wire in
rolling up its five-game lead
in the junior circuit.
The most eminent of the
casualties, of course, was the
s9o,000-a-year ball hawk, Joe
Di Maggie. Joe missed half
the season with an injured
heel and then came back 10
days ago to start knocking the
ball out of the park again.
Keller Long Unavailable.
Outfielder Charles king
Kong Keller was out just as
long with a wrenched muscle
in his right side. He recently
was recalled from Newark.
where he was sent to readjust
himself while recuperating.
Tommy Heinrich, the old re-
liable who started in the out
field and moved into first base,
is on the hospital shelf now
with a bruised left knee and
injured ribs. He fell into a
dugout going after a foul
July /.
Few on the roster have been
spared the distinction of a
dislocated joint or a transient
muscle.
Catcher Yogi Berra and
Shortstop Phil Rizzuto spend
their idle moments comparing
contusions and abrasions.
They're the most taped up Of a
heavily taped-up lot.
Yogi missed the opening
game because of a cold and
the first week got conked by a
pitched ball. He was hit on
the head again May 10 by a
thrown ball in practice and
cut up June 20 in a collision
with Teammate Dick Kryhoski.
Trouble Preceded Season.
Rizzuto, who played more
games than any Yankee be-
fore going out. suffered arm
tremors and a slight concus-
sion in a collision with Johnny
Pesky June 30.
The Yankees troubles start
ed before the season did, and
they haven't stopped.
Di Maggie and Keller were on
the hospital. list in the spring
and Bob Porterfield, counted on
to be an ace on the staff. suf-
fered a muscle tear in his right
arm in an exhibition April Is.
He's been of little use since and
now is with Newark.
Then injuries followed in a
monotonous parade.
Infielder George Stirnwe.ss
sprained his left hand IN the
opening game and had to go to
the sidelines.
Catcher Charlie Silvera was
hit in the mouth by a foul tip
the first week of the season and
Pitcher Tommy Byrne missed
the first western swing because
of sinus attack.
Early in May Ed Lopat came
down with a lame throwing
arm and missed his pitching
turn. Silvera was spiked on the
heel in a May exhibition at
Amsterdam, N. Y.
Hard Luck in q Batch.
On April "a there was clus-
ter of calamities. Catcher Gus
Niarhos was hit on the head by
a swinging bat. Porterfield was
struck on the arm by line
drive. Stirnweiss was bumped
OH the shin. Pitcher Fred San
ford turned an ankle.
Then Inf1elder Gerry Cole
man was sidelined by sinus
trouble and Pitcher Allie Rey-
nolds came up with a bum back,
aggravated by adhesive tape.
-Outfielder John Lindell tore