Evening star., 1949-09-30
Mats, Hectic
Over Pitchers
Horridee Orders Play
To Continue Into
Night If Necessary
By Burton Howkins

BY Burton howkins
The mounting excitement en-
veloping the knotted American
League pennant race reached the
point of hysteria today.
Out Of the hands of club presi-
dents. William Harridge, Ameri-
can League boss, has grabbed the
right to postpone games due to
rain. In precedent-breaking rul-
ing, Harridge invested the final
decision with the umpire in chief
here-where Boston's Red Sox
battle the Mats today at 2
o'clock-and at New York, where
the Yankees were slated to tangle
with the Philadelphia Athletics
at the same time
Fair weather was promised for
this afternoon at Griffith Stadium,
but in the event of heavy rain the
game would be rescheduled for
$50 this evening. Harridge also
ordered that in such an event,
lights would be turned on if nec-
essary for the completion of the
game. The same arrangement was
ordered by Harridge to apply to
the New York-Philadelphia con-
test.
Club presidents normally are
privileged to postpone games, but
with Boston and New York tied
Tor first place and only three
games remaining for each team
Harridge wrested that right from
them and bestowed it upon the
umpireS.
Hurlers Subject to Change.
Starting pitchers in the Wash
ington- Boston game were subject
to last-minute change. with Man.
ager Joe Mccarthy of the Red
Sox saying, MY pitcher as of
this moment will be. Jack Kramer,
but there is a possibility of
shift"
Manager Joe Kuhel of the Mats
planned to employ Mickey Harris,
cast adrift by Boston in mid-June
and eager to show Mccarthy that
was a mistake. But Clark Grif-
fifth, the Mats prexy, was leaning
toward Rookie Dick Weik as
Washington's starter and hoping
he could persuade Kuhel to use
the towering right-hander.
Griffith gives his manager a
free rein. however. and Kuhel was
likely to string along with the
veteran left-hander. Harris. If
Mickey gets in trouble, Weik and
Sid NaadsoQx will be available and
rested dec1dfed Kuhel. Weik's
ilast tvs galnea against st. Louis
land Philadeiplia. were shutouts.
The Yankees were to fire left
handed Ed Lopat against the Ath-
letics, who were expected to coun-
ter with Dick Fowler. Phil Mar
childon, who has been troubled by
a sore arm, was, Manager Connie
Mack's original choice. But Con-
ME. going home to Philadelphia,
turned the club over to Earle. his
son. Earle, stung by fans sug-
gestions that the AS weren't play
ing fair with all parties involved,
made the pitching switch.
New York Set to Decide Flag.
Regardless of the outcome of to-
days American League games, the
pennant can't be decided at least
until tomorrow when the Yankees
and Red Sox open a two-game
series at New York. If the clubs
are tied at the end of the season
on Sunday they will meet in a
playoff game for the pennant on
Monday.
Harridge did not establish a
precedent by permitting day games
to be played at night if necessary.
In 1914. when the st. Louis Browns
and Detroit Tigers were tied in
the last week Of the season, ST..
Louis was rained out of an after
noon game and. with Harridge's
approval, reslated the game that
night and lost to Boston. The
Browns later moved down the
Yankees and won the pennant
when Washington's Dutch Leon
ard defeated the Tigers in Detroit
on the final day of the season.
Both Boston and New York were
stopped by rain yesterday, but it
was likely that only a deluge in
Washington or New York would
prevent play today. Should
downpour in either city keep either
contender idle that game would be.
Cancelled.
BRIEFLY: Ray Scarborough,
the talk of the village yesterday
after his spectacular 81 conquest
of the. Red Sox on Wednesday
night. paid high tribute to Bos-
tons Dom Di Maggie. II had
two strikes on him when he hit
that single to score Boston's rum
said Ray. land the pitch he clipped
was one I intended to waste. It
was a high. inside fast ball which
I thought he might go for. but not
with that much success. It wasn't
in the strike zone, but he hit it
anyway. He can hit that sort of
pitch and that's why he's q fine
hitter" i.
Wild Matthews. Brooklyn scout
who is attempting to diagnose Red
Sox weaknesses in event the Dodg-
ers and Boston play in the World
Series, charted every Scarborough
| pitch and particularly was i'm
pressed by the effectiveness Of
Rays knucklers against Ted Will
liams. In the three times they
faced, Ted struck out twice and
popped up. :. Il threw him q
variety" said Ray. ''but I think
surprised him most with knuckle