Evening star., 1950-07-03
Rookie Al Sima Gets
Second Try at Yanks,
Opposing Sanford
BY Burton Hawkins

1 ~
Joe Di Maggie. regarded as the
supreme centerfielder OF his gem
Grafton. was prepared to shift to
first base against the Mats at
Griffith Stadium today In d move
designed to bolster the faltering
world champion Yankees.
Indications Of panic engulfing
the Yankees, who have lost nine
of their last Is games to drop
three and one-half games behind
pace setting Detroit, were evident
in Manager Casey Stengel's deci-
sion to switch Di Maggie and drop
him to fifth place In the batting
order.
Stengel explained that first base
has been his teams sore spot all
season, but it's obvious he's weary
of waiting for Di Maggie to as
sumo his customary bellcow role
with the Yankees.
Hitting .262, Di Maggie will be
supplanted in the cleanup spot by
Hank Bauer, batting .342, Cliff
Mapes will be installed as center
fielder, with Bauer in right. Gene
Woodling, a left-handed batter,
and Jackie Jensen, a right-hander,
will alternate In left field accord
ing to the type Of rival pitching.
| Joe Not Enthusiastic.
Stengeps explanation for his
revised batting order is that left
handed pitchers have been pass
ing the right-handed hitting Di-
Maggie to work on the left
handed Yogi Berra. who will bat
third in the new setup.
Stengel was to have an early
opportunity to prove his point.
for slated to pitch against the
Yankees today was AL Sina, a
southpaw who lost an eight-hit-
ter-Two hits by Berra and none
by Di Maggio--to the Yankees in
his major league debut. Fred
Sanford was due to pitch for the
Yankees. who viii play a double
header here tomorrow.
+ Di Maggio's immediate reaction
wasn't regarded as enthusiastic.
He shrugged when reporters asked
him how he thought he would do
at first base, then said. "I'll try
anything If it will help the club
Joe's entire major league career
has been spent in the outfleld
since he moved UP to the Yankees
in 1886. The 35-year-old Di
Maggie recalled, however, that he
played three games at first base
for San Francisco In 1892, the
year he broke into organized base
ball.
"I don't remember how I did
then and I don't know how viii
do now" said Di Maggie. y know
there are two ways Of playing first
base-the old mans way and the
right way. I'll try to play it the
right way" Joe didn't enlarge on |
that subject but apparently was
referring to the manner in which
some first basemen ignore hard
hit drives beyond easy reaching
range.
Di Maggio's switch to first base
presumably will end the career of |
Johnny Mize with the Yankees.
Joe Collins, whose .235 hitting
partially was responsible for the
move, will be retained. according
to Stengel, who said. s'I can't carry
four first baSemen. I've got to|
keep Tommy Heinrich and hope
that he can help us with his pinch
hitting. I'm holding on to Collins,
who can help out as a pinch
hitter and runner and as an out
field spare"
Michaels Due Back Tomorrow.
The Mats entered the three-game
New York series with a 4-3 season
edge over the Yankees. They were
! hopeful that Cass Michaels, who
has been out with q Sprained
ankle since June 20.' viii be able
to play tomorrow. Michaels pinch
hit yesterday. as the Mats lost to-
Philadelphia, s7-4, and Manager
Bucky Harris tentatively plans to
use him at second base in one
game tomorrow.
The Athletics hoped on Bob
Kuzava for five runs in the third
inning. with errors by Kuzava and
Sam Dente figuring prominently
in the splurge.
The Mats bounced back with two
runs in its third when KuzavaI
lashed a liner down the leftfield
line and legged out his first major
league homer, but the AS touched
him up for two runs In the fourth.
The Mats clipped Bob Hooper
for two runs in the sixth but Lou
Brissie took over for the AS In the
seventh and gave up only one hitI
in the last three innings.
MATS NOTES: Joe Haynes
produced his most effective jobl
OF the year in relief. holding the
AS to one hit In four innings.
/. The defeat, coupled with
Chicago's split of a twin bill with
st. Louis, dropped the Mats into
a fifth-place tie with the White
Sox.
Washington has been getting
superb relief pitching lately j
in the last 231s innings that re-
levers have worked the opposi-
ton has obtained only three runs
and nine hits chief credit