Evening star., 1953-08-24
Mats Pitchers Hail
Eight-Month Respite
From Williams Bat
By Burton Hawkins

their last of Ted Williams until
next April. at least on a business
basis, but he has left them with
memories.
Williams, who belted a game
tying, seventh-inning home run
yesterday as the Mats bowed to
the Red Sox, 5-4, before a crowd
of 12.215 at Griffith Stadium,
finished activity against the Mats
with a 1858 batting average.
Among his nine blows were three
home runs and double. Playing
portions of only seven games. he
batted in eight runs.
Ted smashed the only two
home runs the Red Sox deliv-
cred this season at Griffith
Stadium. His blast off loser
Sonny Dixon yesterday was the
85th homer socked against the
Mats this year and was Ted's
fifth in Is times at bat since
emerging from the service less
than a month ago
Bob Porterfield will attempt to
get the Mats off to a refreshing
start when they open a 10-game
Western trip tomorrow night at
Cleveland. Bob has a 80 record
against the Indians and will be
bidding for his 18th win.
Vernon Faces ChaIlengers.
Mickey Vernon, checked five
times yesterday by the pitching
of left-handers Mel Parnell and
Bill Henry. plus a spectacular
catch by Jim Piersall, lost his
league lead as his average fell
to 1926. He'll meet his sternest
challengers for the batting crown
on the trip in Al Rosen of the
1ndians-now in front by three
tenths of a point-and Minnie
Minoso of the White Sox.
Despite his failure against
left-handers yesterday, Vernon
has socked southpaws at a 1902
clip this year while mauling
right-handed pitching at a .339
pace. However, he faced Bill
Henry of the Red Sox IL times
this season without getting a hit
and his last effort was costly.
The Mats jammed the bases
with one out in the eighth in
ming against Ben Flowers, but
Henry came in to outlast Pete
Runnels. Pete fouled off eight
pitches before tanning and re-
turning to the dugout to smash
his bat on the steps.
First Blow Out of InfieId.
That left it up to Mickey and
Henry disposed of him on a fly
to leftf1eld. It marked the only
time this year that Vernon got
the ball out of the inf1eld against
Henry.
Against Red Sox left-handers
Vernon batted only .227, but
against Philadelphia left-hand-
ers he's 800 hitter. He's bat
ting 1886 against the Browns
southpaws. .367 against Detroit's
left-handers and .271 against
the Yankees. He has batted only
seven times against Cleveland
and Chicago southpaws.
The Red Sox moved in front
in the first inning when Billy
Goodman doubled, Piersall sac
rif1ced and George Kell singled
of Chico Marrero, but the Mats
tied it against Parnell in
the second when Jim Busby
walked and streaked around on
Wayne Terwilliger's double.
Errors Run Up Score.
Errors by Eddie Yost, Vernon
and Busby, plus hits by Floyd
Baker and Johnny Lipon, staked
the Red Sox to 81 lead in the
sixth, but with the bases loaded
in the same inning Centerfelder
Tom Umphlett overran Yost's
well-tagged liner to center and
three runs scored on the error to
give the Mats a 4-3 edge.
Williams doomed his homer
over the rightfield fence in the
seventh and with one down in
the ninth Piersall singled and
came around on a double by
Karl Olson, who had replaced
Williams in leftfield.
NOTES: Piersall streaked
back near the rightfield fence
for a fancy grab of Vernon's
drive in the first inning
Yost walked three times and has
102 bases on balls It marks
the fourth straight year he has
topped 100 ). A spectator was
Will Harridge, president of the
American League.
The Mats finished with a 1910
margin over Boston Terwil-
Tiger got two of the Mats five
hits, while Parnell and Goodman
each obtained two of Boston's
II The Mats have won IA
games and lost % by one run