Evening star., 1949-05-31
Gate Mark This Year
Is Indicated; 33,@1
See Split With Yanks
by Burton Howkins

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The marvels of May might be-
come the jokes of June and July,
but the Mats head west today es-
tablished as tough hombres in an
American League that isn't flexing
its customary muscles. Washing
tons baseball club requires forti-
fication in several spots, but as
constituted the Mats have demon
strated they can be rugged.
| On their last excursion into the
West. the Mats owned a 3-l1 rec
ord. were deep in the American
League dungeon and generally
conducting themselves as the cellar
specimens they were rated.
/ 1t will be different sort OF
setting tomorrow night when
Washington opens a three game
series with the Browns at st.
Louis. Now the Mats are involved
in tie for third place and, while
ley aren't painting feverishly on
necks OF the leading New York
ankees, they're within hailing
distance.
! The Mats have captured 10 of
their last 26 games and their fol-
lowers were heartened with week.
end activities which saw Washing
ton stand up to a pair of pennant
threats-New York and Boston
and get a draw.
Season Gate Mark Menaced.
Continuation of that behavior
could mean an all-time attendance
record for the Mats, who already
have lured 288.647 customers
through Griffith Stadium turn
stiles in 20 games. BY maintain
ing that average of nearly 14,500,
the Mats would surpass their sea-
son mark of 1927 ,22l set in 1916.
In their last three dates at home,
the Mats have attracted 1858 and
yesterday as they split a double
header with the Yankees an over
flow throng of 33.081 bulged the
park. 1t was the largest crowd to
witness baseball here since 1941.
1t was hilarious crowd, too,
that saw the Mats whack the
Yankees, So, behind Walter Mas
terson's Shit pitching in the
opener. The comments were less
laudable when New York battered
four Washington pitchers for 20
hits and 1873 decision in the sec
ond game.
The Yankees spurted into a 20
lead in the first game when Cliff
Mapes singled across two runs in
the second inning. but the Mats re-
taliated against Tommy Byrne in
the fourth. Clyde Vollmer walked.
Eddie Robinson rammed a double
high off the rightfield wall. and
Sam Dente singled both across.
Mats Take Command.
Washington moved into SO
command in the fifth with three
run outburst. With two out. Byrne
walked AL Kozar and Vollmer.
Eddie Yost pumped one of numer-
GUS ground rule doubles into the
crowd fringing the bleachers and
Robinson followed with q single.
Ed Stewart walked. advanced
on a passed ball and scored on
Vollmer's single to give the Mats
their final run off Cuddles Mar
shall in the seventh.
Meanwhile Masterson, who
posted his third win. blanked the
Yankees on three hits in the final
seven innings. Yogi Berra, with
two doubles and a single, ac-
counted for half the New York
attack, while Robinson led WASH
ington's 9-hit assault with a
double and two singles.
Sid Hudson was splattered foi
six runs in the first four innings
of the second game. The Mas
made timid gesture of getting
back in the game in the fourth
when they scored twice on Kozar's
double, Buddy Lewis single and
Yost's double. but the Yankees
continued their cannonading
against Ray Scarborough. Mickey
Haefner and Dick Welteroth.
Gene Woodling, with three
doubles and a single. and Bobby
Brown. who inserted three singles
and a double. sparked New York's
blasting.
The Mats will be shooting for
their sixth successive victory
over the Browns tomorrow night.
st. Louis has lost six straight
games and 10 of it's last IL.