Evening star., 1950-05-17
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Ted Has Blasted II,
Averaging More Than
One Every Two Comes
Boz Scores on Page ca
By Joe ReiehIer
Assoeiafsd Press Sports Writer

Shifts or no shifts, I'll always
be shooting for those fences"
The speaker? Who else but Ted
Williams, the storm center Of the
American League, in more ways
than one.
Williams never has said so pub
licly, but what baseball's top slug
ger wants most-next to seeing
his Red Sox win a pennant-is to
break Babe Ruth's record of so
home runs in one season.
Williams already has reached
the magic 400 batting figure.
He's already won the batting title,
not once but four times. He's
already gained the most valuable
player award.
This year he's setting his sights
on 81 home runs. With IL four
baggers in Boston's first % games,
who is there to say Williams
won't break the Bambino's most
coveted record? Remember also
that Ted missed seven games be-
cause of illness. Breaking it down,
Williams has averaged better than
one homer every two games.
Ted Hits Two Homers.
I'm being paid to hit homers,"
Williams once said when he was
chided for not trying to break up
the shift by batting more to left.
-Four little singles in a game Is
great, but home runs and winning
ball games are greater"
Ted and his slugging mate,
Vern Stephens, each slammed two
homers yesterday to account for
all Boston's runs as the Red Sox
defeated Detroit. 6-1. The loss
dropped the Tigers out of first
place with the New York Yankees
taking over the top rung for the
first time this season.
The Yankees buried the Browns,
11-0. behind Allie Reynolds five
hit pitching. Billy johnson led
the attack on four ST.. Louis
hurlers with a home run and two
singles. His homer came with the
bases loaded to high light an
eight-run eighth inning.
The Yankees, actually a half
game in front of the Tigers but
a half length behind the Red Sox
In games won and lost, lead in
percentage points. Boston, in
third place on the percentage side,
is seven points behind the Tigers.
Art Houtteman was the victim
Of all but the second Of Williams
homers. Ted drove. in four runs
and Stephens two. Joe Dobson,
the curve ball specialist. scattered
six hits for his fourth triumph.
It was Houtteman's second loss
against four victories.
Indians Smother AS.
Washington retained it's half
game fourth place margin over
Cleveland's Indians by nosing out
the White Sox in Chicago, 6-5,
while the Indians were smothering
the Athletics. 1874.
Robin Roberts protected Phil
adelphia's first-place hold in the
National League by besting Ewell
Blackwell of Cincinnati in a bril-
liant hurting duel. Roberts allowed
only two hits as the Phils eked out
a 10 triumph over the Reds. The
Phils got only three hits off
Cincy's tall Highlander. Two of
them, however, came in the first
inning and led to the lone run of
the game.
Scratch hits by Richie Ashburn
and Gran Hammer and a walk to
Eddie Waitkus loaded the bases
Ashburn scored when Del Ennis
hit into double play. Both Gin
cinnati hits were made by Ron
Northey. 1t was Roberts fifth
I triumph against one defeat.
Roe HurIs Four Hitter.
Preacher Roe pitched the
Dodgers into second place with a
81 triumph over the Cardinals
The slender lefthander allowed
only four hits, no more than one
in an inning. in registering his
third triumph. 1t marked the
fifth complete game hurled by a
Dodger pitcher and Roe has
pitched three of them. He holds
both Brooklyn victories over St
Louis. Duke Snider. Billy Cox
and George Shuba batted in runs
for Brooklyn.
; Johnny Sain turned in his sec.
ond consecutive shutout for the
Braves. blanking the Pirates, 80
with six hits. He shutout Chicago
by the same score in his last out.
ing. Walker Cooper drove in tht
first run off Murry Dickson ane
Bob Elliott clinched it in tn,
eighth with a two-run homer.
Homers by Wayne Terwilligel
and Andy Pafko, each with a mar
: on in the third inning, gave tn,
Cubs q 4-3 triumph over tn,
] Giants. Bob Rush allowed fiv'
hits to gain his fourth victor,
: without q setback. Dave Kosl,
was the loser.
: Larry Dolby drove in six run
with a grand slam homer, a triple
and single to lead the Indians I.
!. their one-sided victory over th'
: AS. The Tribe collected 20 hit
against four Philadelphia hurlers
: Luke Easter. Dale Mitchell, Ra,
Murray and Dolby had thre,
apiece. Early Wynn coasted t,
his third triumph without a de-
feat.