Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-30
THE STENCIL STORY
Clown and Genius
BY FRANK GRAHAM. IR.

stripe uniforms. II did not have
the superior class or the easy
grace of It's predecessors.
1t won the hard way, going
into the dirt and wrestling for
the ball game. II played with
the exuberance Of the old gas
house gang.
Telling how Berra had stolen
a base. Casey said. They don't
think he can steal o base, but
he can. Made this one on his
face. Of course. but he made
1t. He get the rest Of the way
around on a hit, and when he
come into the dugout he looked
like he had q mask on with
the dirt all over his face"
All Of the Yankees were COM
ing into the dugout with dirt
on their faces, and some had
blood on them. The injuries
piled up, but this was O cou-
rageous team. manned chiefly
by players who had proved their
courage on the battlefields Of
World War II - Hank Bauer,
Jerry Coleman, Ralph Houk,
Bob Porterfield. Tommy Byrne.
Dick Kryhoski.
These kids have CUTS" STEM
gel would tell anyone who would
listen to him. Were liable to
hustle ourselves right into the
pennant."
Stengel and the Yankees got
another life when DiMaggio re-
turned to the lineup late In
June. He had missed the flrst
IS games.
Still the Red Sox were NOV
ing up on them, and the YAM
KEGS did not appear TO have
the manpower to hold them on.
The Yankees Travelled to Bos-
ton for, a three-game series
with the Red Sox and they
needed all the help they could
get.
DiMag limped on the bench
to perform one Of basehall's
most memorable featS. He beat
the awesome Red Sox into sub
mission during three wonder
full days Of power hitting.
His two-run homer won the
opening game, 5-4. He came
back the next day to lead the
Yankee attack in Q wild 81
game. slugging two homers and
driving in four runs. And he
completed the rout of the Sox
on the final day by hitting q
mighty home run into the light
tower above the leftfleld wall. |
1t came with two men on and
the Yankees won. 6-S.
Weiss went into the market |
place and came up with q
home-run hitting first base
man named Johnny Mize. Weiss
thought that the Yankees
might need an occasional long
hit as the season drew to a
close, and Mize was the best
man available. He was bought
for SOS, 900 on August %.
I'm me d1ately after Mize
arrived the team was struck by
injuries in epidemic proper
tons. In a double header at St.
Louis August %. the Yankees
were dealt two stunning blows.
Mize threw out his shoulder
and Heinrich crashed into the
rightfield wall and fractured a
small bone in his back. Mize
was lost to the team for the
rest Of the season: Heinrich did |
not return until September %.
What appeared to be the |
crushing blow fell on Septem-
Der 10. DiMaggio was rushed to
the hospital suffering with a
virus. Badly weakened by the |
attack, he seemed finished for
the season.
The Red Sox kept gaining |
and. on September 26, having |
held the lead for 14S games, |
the Yankees dropped into
second place. !
But neither Casey nor his
team was ready to be counted
out. A week Of the schedule |
still remained. Then there were !
only three games left. and
many writer's felt that the
Yankees, one game behind,
must win all Of them to stay
alive. They lost the first Of the
three to Philadelphia, but the
Red Sox lost to Washington,
and the two contenders pre-
pared for their critical series
at New York on the seasons |
final week end.
\ II
Stengel. though still q game |
behind. was confident as he
came to grips with Joe McCar-
thy'S Red Sox In the Stadium |
on Saturday. october /. Dr.
Maggie. pale and weak after
his battle with the flu, was back
in the Yankee lineup.
The Red Sox jumped OF to
a 40 lead in the early innings, |
and Casey put In his relief ace, |
Ia nA@A