Evening star., 1951-07-24
BY the A.soeioisd Press

BOSTON, July 24.-Back in
chummy Fenway Park, where
they win three out Of four with
monotonous regularity. the Red
Sox figure they have a big edge
in the American League pennant
race as they open a l9-game
home stand against Chicago's sag
ging White Sox.
But just being home again is
not the basis for the iond hopes
of Manager Steve O'Neill's highly
paid performers. They are effer-
vescing because they compiled a
7-6 record during their latest
Western swing, the most success
full one in three years.
That has enabled them to settle
down to the business they know
best-belting their own left-field
fence for victories. The Boston
club is in q second-place tie with
the Cleveland Indians, but only
two percentage points behind the
New York Yankees.
Either Maurice McDermott or
Lee Kiely, 21-year-old southpaw,
is to pitch tonight for the Red Sox.
Howie Judson is to start for the
White Sox. Whereas the Boston
club has won 80 and lost 10 at
home. as compared with a "a
% mark on the road, the White
Sox have a 1913 record away
and a poor showing Of 27-26 at
Comiskey Park
Vollmer Gets Credit.
ALI the Red Sox, from Owner
Tom Yawkey down. agree that
Clyde Vollmer. hailed hereabouts
as "the poor mans Ted Williams, u
lis the sole reason the club did
not stagger home with a 2-11 rec
ord for its third trip through the
Western badlands.
Vollmer's clutch hitting enabled
O'NeilPs forces to continue in the
running. despite the feeble offen-
sive efforts of Williams and most
OF the other high-salaried hands.
A National League castoff, Voll-
mer is one Of the very few Of the
Red Sox drawing down less than
$4,000. On the recent trip he
drove in Is runs. only four less
than all the rest of his team
mates put together.
I'm all my baseball experience
I never have seen anybody who
came through with so many game
winning hits over such short pc
riod," was the awed Ted Williams
tribute to Vollmer.
Actually most of the Red Sos
have yet to recover from their
history making four-gt.me inva-
sion of Chicago that started IL
days ago. While battling through
l54 nerve-racking innings, they
took three Of the games to put
Paul Richards supposed magi-
clans into a skid that dropped
them from first to fourth place.
O'Neill's Sister Dead.
O'Neill will miss the next foul
games because of his sisters
death. And most of his players
with Vollmer the outstanding ex.
Iception. admit they are tagged out
Almost all of the pitchers ar,
complaining about being over.
worked.
| But Fenway always has been q
salubrious spot for road-weary
Yawkeymen. They limp home
hitting much less than theil
weights and regain the sluggine
strides that won them their high
salaries just as soon as they dor
their white uniforms.
And when they do that, their
pitchers respond nobly and their
Thousands Of diehard supporters
Iagain are seized with an acute at
tack of pennant fever.
Even the teams severest critics
are impressed by the immediate
future that calls for Fenway visits
by every American League rival
except the Yankees. Despite the
clubs past homestretch failures
baseballs most astute students
agree that the Red Sox could
have the 1851 pennant all wrapped
up by August - If they play any,
where near their Fenway form.