Evening star., 1950-05-09
StengeI nBandwagon
In Rating Tigers Real
Threat for Pennant
(Bor Scores on Page ABB
By Joe Reiehler

| by Joe kelchleF
Assoeiafsd Press Sports Writer
Rival big league managers are
beginning to talk about Red Rolfe's
hustling Detroit Tigers with a
I great deal Of respect.
Baseball men who previously
had regarded the Tigers as "just
another firSt-division club" openly
are giving the Bengals a good
chance to win the American
League flag.
Casey Stengel, skipper of the
New York Yankees, is the latest to
climb aboard the Detroit band
wagon. Not that he thinks his
Yankees won't repeat. But he now
rates the Tigers even with Boston's S
powerful Red Sox as the teams he
expects to give him his toughest
fight.
Detroit is the best-looking club
we've faced thus far" he said yes
terday following the Tigers IL
triumph over his world champions.
Except for one inning Sundays
eighth. Rolfe's guys looked like
real top-notch outfit.
They're going to be tough, you
can bet on that. Especially when
(HaD Newhouser comes around. I
don't like to talk about players on
other clubs. but that (Art) Houtte-
man looked to be the best pitcher
in the league out there today"
Fourth Win for Houtteman.
Houtteman, 22-year-old right
handler, BANKED the Yanks for
eight innings. but let up in the
ninth after his mates had given
him TO lead. It was his fourth
triumph against only one loss.
Newhouser. out all season with
a lame left shoulder, is ready to
try out his arm. Rolfe is waiting
for the proper moment to take
the wraps off him. The 28-year-
old southpaw, with four 20-game
seasons behind him, won 18 last
year.
Even without Hal, the Tigers
today were leading the league.
Although tied with Boston in
games won and lost, the Tigers
lead the Red Sox by 81 percentage
points. They've won 10 of IA
starts while the Sox have won 13
of 20.
The two clubs meet in the first
OF an important three-g game series
at Fenway Park today.
Rolfe refused to talk about De-
troit's pennant chances until we
have played Boston"
Boston was the burial ground
for our hopes in 1949," he laughed.
I'VE won two out of II up there.
In fact, last season we beat the
Red Sox only four times in Briggs
Stadium. Well have to hold our
own with Boston if we expect to
stay up on top.
Fears McDermott, Stobbs.
"Right now, don't see how any
team can beat those Red Sox. If
Maurice McDermott and Chuck
Stobbs are as good as reports
make them out to be, Joe Nc
Carthy will have us all on the
run"
Detroit's George Kell, Vic Wertz
and Hoot Evers were the big guns
in yesterdays triumph. Kell hit
a single, double and triple and
scored three times. Wertz slammed
a double and triple and drove in
two runs. Evers belted a single
and home run and knocked in
three runs.
Vic Raschi, Yankee starter,
pitched well for seven innings but
blew in the eighth and ninth.
yielding five runs. It was his
second loss against as many vic
tories. The Highlander. who
committed four balks in his last
previous outing, added another
yesterday.
i Brooklyn retained it's National
League leadership. defeating the
Pirates in Pittsburgh, Us. The
Pirates staged a belated ninth
inning rally. routing Starter Bud
Podbielan with a two-run attack
Wild Throw Decides Game.
Philadelphia's Phillies remained
a half game behind the Brooks
edging out the Reds in a Cincin-
natl night game, 6-5. A wild
throw by Herm Wehmeier in an
attempted pickof play in the sew
enth inning allowed the Phils to
score the tie-breaking run.
Little Tommy Glaviano was the
big man in the Cardinals 1913
victory over the Boston Braves in
st. Louis. The hustling infielder
had perfect night at the plate
with four hits and a walk. He
drove in five runs and scored three.