Evening star., 1958-07-01
THE BASEBALL
BEAT
Checking the Records
BY BURTON HAWKINS

BOSTON, JULY Biased averages against them
at the moment, this would be the al-star team the
Senator's would most dread meeting Mickey Vernon first
baSe 4Oe Gil McDougald second base ass Luis Aparicio
shortstop, al; Brooks Robinson third base 5OO Jim
Landis $685. Harvey Kuenn, 1885, and Harry Simpson, S67
in the outfeld and Red wilson, $685. behind the plate
Preston Ward would be suitable substitute for Robin
at third base since he's hitting 422 against the
Senator'S Others who would be nghtmarish pinch hers
against Washington are Hector Lopez .S9l; Sherman
Lolar, 1886. and Gus Triandos .S64
Clint Courtney has hit 80 homers in the American
League but none at Comiskey Park On their recently
completed journey through the West the Yankees averaged
$4,000 customers per date while the Senators averaged
10000.
When SportScaster Chuck Thompson asked Pitcher
Russ Kemmerer he had any message for the folks back
home just before the took the mound against
Billy Pierce in Chicago Friday night Kemmerer yelped
"Hep!" Russ was prophetic, for that the night
Pierce retired the first 26 Senators in order
Pedro Ramos sometimes vague comprehension of the
English language cost him boong Sunday at Chicago.
He was enjoying big lead and Manager Cookie Lavagetto
didn't want the pitcher to waste his energy dasng down
the firsbase line in the appearance at the plate
Don't run hard" Cookie said Ramos grounded out,
didn't run at all and the customers let him have it.
FORTY-SEVEN BASES HAVE been stolen against the
Senator's, with the White sox accounting for IA.
Aparicio has tried six steals against Washington and has
made good every time The Senators have stolen only
II bases, short of last seasons total thefts
Lavagettos wife and two sons met him here yester-
day and Cookie promptly took them $2 taxi tour Of
historical spots The Senators never took more than
three plane trips in any previous season. but this
they'll have IA flights
The Senator's home run record is misleading :. On
the they've blasted SO homers the opposons 28
but foreign fields they've only IL games lost 2S
At Griffith Stadium the opposition holds 1921 margin
the Senators in homer but there Washington has
played at 500 pace
Truman Clevenger is trying to snap personal losing
streak of four The Throneberry brothers console
each other when they get together. Marv Of the
Yankees is batting 20 and Faye of the Senators at 7S
level although Fayes two homers against the White sox
Sunday have Lavagetto hoping.
JIM lands BATTED 1863 in June to raise his aver
age respectaby after Manager Lopez wisely suffered
with him during the early going. Asked If 1t wasn't
tough stick with Lands when the outfelder hitting
nothing Lopez said mo because he could do three
other things well-run, field and throw-and l could
always lift him for pnchhter in the late innings We
changed his stance and fddled with his grip until got
the right combination He got hot and got confidence
And confidence all he needed"
The Senators trouble is that they're night
They have split SO day games but they're 11-22 under
the lights. White Sox teammates estimated it cost
Pierce at least $4,000 in endorsements televson ap-
pearanceS etc. when Ed FtzGerald doubled with
In the ninth to spoil his bid for perfect game.
FITZGERALD correctly reasoned: Lets reverse things
Suppose had gone hitleSS 40 straight times Could
expect pitcher to give break? No. Every pitcher
way it should be-" Pierce, incidentally, accepted the
huge disappointment in stride praised his teammates for
their support and groaned that Fitzs hit landed
in fair territory By inches.