Evening star., 1954-09-30

with has-beens and castofs?"
- "Who, for instance?" Richards asked.
M "wen" the other replied, IT think
ing OF Vic Wertz In the spring with Balti-
Tr.ne st.nn the worst looking hitter in the
American League and Vic could
play the outed very WELL think he struck out the first
times at bat"
"Thats right" Richards agreed, "but you that in
the clutch there isn't tougher hitter in the business?
the chips the table and it's easy to get Wertz OUT
WELL, THEY PUT THE CHIPS on the table yesterday
at the Polo Grounds Wertz bald slowfooted
plays the Indians instead of the outheld
put of the finest batting shows in Series history His
opening game record:
First inning-Trpe driving home both of clevelands
Fourth inning-single.
Sixth inning-single.
Eighth innng-A 465-foot drive to dead center which
Willie Mays miracuously caught.
Tenth inning-Double to lead off,
All afternoon Wertz murdered the ball, even when he
oung off pitches and yet in the end he was defeated
by the Giants, 52 when Dusty Rhodes seemed to be
using wedge hit hreerun, pnchhit Chinese home
on the first pitch that Bob Lemon served him.
Lemon flung his glove in the air when Rhodes hit the
conectural to which went furtherLemons
glove Dusys hit only the fourth time in World
annals that pnchher homered Dustys predeces-
having been Yogi Berra CAD, Johnny Mze C52) and
George shuba 53 and it undoubtedly the weakest Of
the four blows in physical sense But 1t won the ball game
f4~e y
THAT HOME RUN" man in the press said recalls
time years ago when the Indians and Giants
coming home from training and stopped at Richmond
play exhibition in the old park there The Indians
when Seerey hit short fly that struck light wire that
was strung pole left field to center field The left
fielder who under the ball. missed it when it hit the
wire and Cleveland won.
"van Lnge Mungo who was making a last stab as a big
league pitcher with the Giants had been released that day
and going the park had retired to the hotel to
test certain distilled grain liquids associated with Old Vrgnny
the Giants returned to their hotel they still
gripping Seereys uke hit but they found
sympathy in Mungo.
what the hell" he mumbled wasn't the light wire up
there all the time for you guys to hit, too?"
That something like it yesterday The short left
and right field foul lines presented targets for both
clubs and it simply in the cards that Rhodes, who had
made As pinch-hting appearances during the
regular season. should be the who hit the buseye
SOMEHOW OR OTHER, a few kind words seem in order
for instance when he hit prodigous double to
left center Cleveland 10th his slowness and
Mays expert retrieving kept 1t from being at least triple
.. Manager AL Lopez sent in pinch runner.
AS werz the dugou he got rousing ovation
the record Polo Grounds turnout including Giants
could be forgiven for having feared that Vcs
eado double might have put the winning run IN scoring
position.
Vic tipped his cap although not enough to his
missing hair but then his Indians messed it up and failed
The rest of the cast not Wertz blew it.
Blew it "bg," they say Broadway.
Later one of the Cleveland baseball writer's talking
"Wertz outdid himself he said "Ths his big day.
feel good for him. but anybody stop to figure that
this World Series opened in Cleveland Stadium instead
Grounds Werz probably would have hit three
home runs?"
COULD BE, TOO The Polo Grounds, geographically is
monstrosty premium the center fielder who has
couple to Wertz' triple would have been
Cleveland probably and of that drive Mays
caught feet away in center would have sent devled
eggs a-yn in the pcnickers section in the Ohio park His
10th inning double almost well hit as his putou by
Mays and probable Cleveland homer, too
And mind this Clevelands is generally spacious playing
field far Polo Grounds. Depends where
and when you hit the ball.
opener indicative of what might be expected
which from the viewpoint of who is not perfectonis
Neither these clubs outstanding Leo Durocer
Mays It's possible Mays could
the difference. The recalled another thing
saying his oysters with the strawberry
parfait coming up:
zone of the most interesting World Series in years
happened between the Tigers and Cubs Wasn't OF
much good but interesting Series or so thought
seipro who after begging Manager Steve oNei
to break into elite lineup fell fiat on his
between third base and home plate and was tagged
THIS "a WORLD SERIES is to roofing footing start
games and still its best pitcher Lemon has beer
beaten. It could well go all the way.
The evidence is that the Giants have more good bal
players the depth in pitching. instance, Ceve
inning lineup wouldn't have scared club from
Glass A up.
the contest completed. Lopez had Bill Glynr
at first base Sam Dente at Short legged Al Rosen q
third Mickey behind the plate Dave Pope
right field This Is World Series club?