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Nats Sell Baker to Boston as Squad Cuts Promise Flurry of Deals ffoeniitg J&laf Washington, D. C., Tuesday, May 12, 1953—- W in, Lose or Draw By FRANCIS STANN THAT’S A NICE, TIDY OPERATION William E. Miller has going for him at Rosecroft Raceway. Five years ago, when the Washington furniture man decided to build himself a harness track, there were skeptics galore. The “trots” were strictly for the bushes, they felt. Miller felt differently. True, he was biased, having bred, owned and driven harness horses most of his life. But he w reasoned that the public would bet on - almost anything and, besides, look how con- /BPs§ * venient it is, what with running at night. The public frankly was wary of the sport in 1949 and 1950. It was new to most folks ■ in this area. They couldn’t understand why H so many horses “broke.” Never happened jfl at Pimlico, Laurel or Bowie. They viewed * J; drivers whose horses fell out of a trot or HHHyI pace with black suspicion. 1* r „ ncl , SUnB . Maybe they still do, but the suspicion isn’t so deep as to overcome the dubious joys of backing an opinion at the pari-mutuel windows. Now Mr. Miller has a gold mine of a sort on his farm, one that’s going to see something like $7 million poured into the tote machines with any kind of break in the weather during the 20-night meeting opening next Monday. ** * * THERE HAD BEEN SOME BAD RACES at Rosecroft in its pioneering days. Some of the horses wouldn’t have been allowed on a bigger, older track. Not enough schooling. But In those days, Rosecroft was unproven and owners shipped their good ones to other tracks and the culls and beetles often went to the Maryland oval. No more, according to the Rosecroft people. “We’ve got more horses than we can use in the barns,” Racing Secretary Jim Lynch says. “I’d say there are 800 or more. From now on, a horse that can’t trot or pace a mile in 2:15 or less isn’t going to appear on the track.” ’ Honest Dave Herman, who is charged with seeing to it that nice things are said for Rosecroft, swears this is no publicity stunt, which a cynic might suspect inasmuch as the meeting is just around the corner. “We simply followed the lead of Roosevelt and Yonkers Raceways,” Honest Dave says. “Their horses have got to do a mile in 2:13 or better. We’re allowing two more seconds this year, anyway.” An important by-product of time trials is the weeding out of chronic “breakers.” The theory is that if a horse is good enough to do a mile in 2:15 or less, he knows how to trot or pace without breaking. ** * * TIME WILL TELL ON this score, but the evidence is that people are accepting the harness horses. Americans are going to bet something approaching S4OO million on the trots this year and the guess is that Maryland’s four tracks—Rose croft, Laurel, Baltimore and Ocean Downs—will exceed the $20,737,520 wagered at them last year. If the horses at Rosecroft aren’t better this year, they’ll at least be better paid. The SSOO race has gone by the boards. Now the minimum is S9OO for an overnight race, with some at $2,000. There’s a $7,500 trot on June 6 and a SIO,OOO Memorial Day stakes with some 23 pacers nominated. “Including,” Herman points out, “the first, four horses in last year’s Little Brown Jug.” This, too, is in .line with Yonkers. Drivers and owners couldn’t ignore the growing mutuel play, which reached an all-time national high of $1,671,348 last Saturday night. They held out their hands and asked for a 30 per cent increase in purses. ' ** * * THEY FINALLY GOT IT last night as the Grand Circuit meeting began at Yonkers and more near-fantastic betting is almost certain. Regardless of what some people say, the entertainment dollar isn’t so shy—as long as the entertain ment is racing, at least. Warren Giles probably was the last authority to remark on the shortage of the entertainment buck. “That and bad weather have hurt baseball attendance,” the president of the National League said, “but I think both conditions' will Improve.” Meanwhile, attendance at the running horse tracks is up something like 24 per cent and the five-year climb to popu larity of the harness horses is slightly incredible. There’s no shrugging off those two crowds of better than 32,000 at Yonkers Raceway a week apart. Churchill Downs in Louis ville is an old and revered race course, but on only one day a year does the Downs draw more people. Derby Day, naturally! Major League Leaders AMERICAN LEAGUE. Batting Kell. Boston. .395; Rosen, Cleveland. .357: Lollar. Chicago. .352; Philley. Philadelphia. .351; Mantle. New York. .325. Runs—Mantle. New York. 23; Minoso. Chicago. 21: Pox and Pain. Chicago; Joost. Philadelphia and Yost. Wash ington. 17. Runs batted In—Dropo. Detroit. 21; El liott. St. Louis. 18; Wertz. St. Louis. 17: Nieman. Detroit and Mantle. New York. 16. Hits —Kuenn, Detroit. 35: Philley. Phila delphia. 33; Nieman. Detroit. 32; Busbv. Washington. 31; Kell, Boston. 30 Doubles—Kell. Boston. 12: Nieman, De troit. 10; Fox Chicago: Dropo. De troit and Terwilliger. Jensen and Bus bv. Washington. 7. Triples—Jensen. Washington. 4: Good man. Boston: Pox. Chicago; Boone: Cleveland: Philley. Philadelphia: Wertz, St. Louis, and Runnels. Washington. Home runs—Gernert. Boston: Mantle. New York and Wertz. St. Louis. 5; six players tied with 4 each. Stolen bases—Rivera. Chicago. 7: Mi noso, Chicago. 5; Philley. Philadel phia. 4: Mantle. New York: Michaels. Philadelphia and Groth. Bt. Louis. 3. Pitching—Parnell. Boston. 4-0. 1.000; Wvnn. Cleveland and Stuart, St. Louis. 3-0. 1.000: Pierce. Chicago. 5-1. .833: Reynolds. New York. 3-1. .750. Strikeouts Trucks. St. Louis and Pierce. Chicago. 31; Shantz. Philadel phia. 25: Dobson. Chicago. 24; Mas terson, Washington. 23. Major League Standings TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1953. rS I I #1 | AMERICAN. Standings j 2 j J j■ | IfL ! „ j Beeeits Yesterday. of Clubs S t! »• | m Chicago. 2: Cleve., 1.- ZU U ws o .3 £ J Only umi scheduled. New York —| 1| 1| 5! 4| 12| 1| 15| 7 .682| G . me . Today. Clev.lond | ORTO f2[T~IT 5| 131 7 150 sis |set at-Mtash , 8:30. ChiCOgc | 21 2|—| j| lj 4 0[ 5| 15| 10 .0001 iVI lleve' at iTyNb).’’ I 2| 1| —[ 2[ 12| 2| llj 10 ,S24| 3V4 Chicago at Boa. (n). Wu h'n | 1| 0| 1| I{—| 2| 5| 1| 11| 13| .458) 5 Gamas Tomorrow. St. Lou.S |o|Qj2j 1| lj—| 2j 4| lOT Dot. at Wash.. 8:30. Philo'phio }2|l\2| 2| 2| 0-| 1| IQ[ 13| .435f5K cieve*’ It New*Yo?k. Detroit Il|lj2|o| 1] 0 1| —| 6| 19 .240 10^ Chicago at Boston. |7| 7110,1 Qj 13j 12j 13j 19j Standings 1 NATIONAL Naub.il if- t|l| S .11 Besett. Yesterday. 1. f S 2a 5 O » J jj (j Mo games scheduled. Brooklyn |—[ 2( 1[ 1| 3[ 3| 1| 3[ 14| ,667| Game. Taday. Philo'phio I 4—| 0| Qj 2| 4| 3] 0| 13, 1 7 .650 j K Bklyn. at Chicago. M '* ouk «« I*l 1 H H2|oj4| 2| 11| 7| .6111 1H 5 1U Y. :‘t S\f‘(n < > B> - St. Louis 101 2! 3| —| 1| 1| 1| 3| 10| 8| .5561 2V* Phiia. at st. l. (n). New Yor k| 2 | 1| i| O|H 4| 1| 1| f lOj 12| .455! 4*i G.» M Tamarrow. Pittsborgh |QjII 0 U 3j—| 2| 2| 9| 13[ .4091 SK Mew York at MUw. Chtcogo |o|Qj2j 2| 0[ I|-| 1| 6| 12[ ,333| 6K BkiVn. *at C Chicag o . Cincinnati! 0! 0l lj 31 II Qj OH 5| 12| .2941 7 Phiia. at st. l. <n>. 17;7|7j812 13 12 12, j j j A-16 ** NATIONAL LEAGUE. Batting—Wyrostek, Philadelphia. .408; Campanella, Brooklyn, .309: Abrams. Pittsburgh. .373: Repulski, St. Louis, .362: Ryan. Philadelphia. .351. Runs—Robinson. Brooklyn, 21: Snider. Brooklyn. 20: Rvan. Philadelphia. 19: Gilliam and Campanella. Brooklyn, 17. Runs batted In—Campanella. Brooklyn. 38: Ennis. Philadelphia. 21; Hamner. Philadelphia. 18: Snider. Brooklyn. 17: Matnews. Milwaukee. 18. / Hits—Campanella. Brooklyn. 32: Snider. Brooklyn, and Thomson. New York. 28: Ryan. Philadelphia, and Schoen dienst Bt. Louis. 27. Doubles—Snider. Brooklyn: Dark, New York and Sehoendienst. St. Louis. 7: Torgeson and Hamner. Philadelphia. 8. Triples—Bernier. Pittsburgh. 4: Bruton. Milwaukee. 3: nine players tied with 2 each. Home runs—Campanella. Brooklyn. 10; Mathews, Milwaukee. 6: Bnider. Brook lyn: Kluszewski and Bell. Cincinnati and Ennis. Philadelnhla. 5. Stolen bases—Gilliam. Brooklyn and Bruton. Milwaukee. 8: Snider. Brook lyn. 4: Rvan. Philadelphia, 3: six players tied with 2 each. Pitching Surkont. Milwaukee. 4-0. 1.000: Erskine. Brooklyn, *3-0. 1.000: Simmons. Philadelphia. 6-1, 833: Loes. Brooklyn. 4-1. .800: Maglie. New York, and Staley. St. Louis. 3-1. .750. Strikeouts—Simmons. Philadelphia. 33: Erskine. Brooklyn and Maglie. New York. 28: Roberts. Philadelphia. 27; Haddix. St. Louis. 24. Hollywood Boycott Keeps Track Closed; No Break in Sight By the Associated Prat* INGLEWOOD. Calif., May 12. —Hollywood Park’s gala 14th in augural racing program has been postponed for a day—or longer— in the face of an all-out boycott by the horsemen. Refusing to bow to demands of members of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Asso ciation for an increase in purse money based on a flat 40 per cent of the track’s share of the pari-mutuel handle, the track called off the opening-day card. The boycott was so strong that the track was unable to find enough horses to fill an eight race program. The entry box was open this morning for to morrow’s racing, but there was no indication that either side would budge from its position. Board Keeps Hands Off. The track maintains that its $2.6 million purse distribution is the richest in racing history. A spokesman implied the track would remain dark until the horsemen surrender. Robert O. Read, national president of the HBPA, said he had received no word from track officials yes terday and, obviously pleased with the success of the boycott by his members when entries were opened, declared: “The men are standing 100 per cent for 40 per cent.” Apparently, the California Horse Racing Board will keep hands off. at least for a few days. “We will give a reasonable length of time to see if they can settle it. among themselves,” said Dwight Murphy, board chairman. “If they cannot. I will call a Racing Board meeting and the members will decide what is to be done.” Murphy said he didn’t expect to call a meeting before Thurs day or Friday, and not then if negotiations were in progress and looked favorable. Jockeys Back Boycott. California jockeys also con tributed their part to a sym pathy boycott. None was listed as available. The track claimed it has 20 or more riders here, mostly from the East, ready to ride when called on. It imported the jockeys, guaranteeing them S2OO a week. The track felt it could open on the basis of its claim that 86 owners or trainers had agreed, orally or in writing, that they were accepting stable space with the understanding that they would race regardless of any controversy with the HBPA. “This goes down as a new play —the double-cross reverse,” a track spokesman said when it became evident the horsemen were not going to enter their horses. Charles Held 5-2 Favorite To Beat Gilliam Tonight By the Associated Press TOLEDO, Ohio, May 12— With television and radio barred, Promoter Sid Goldberg predicts a crowd of 5,000 for tonight’s bout between former Heavy weight Champion Ezzard Charles and Bill Gilliam. Charles, after his eighth straight victory on a promising comeback trail, is a 5-to-2 fa vorite to whip the Orange (N. J.) boxer. The 31-year-old Cin cinnati battler wants a title fight against the victor of Friday night’s Rocky Marciano-Jersey Joe Walcott championship bout. At 188 pounds, he enters to night’s scheduled 10-rounder 20 pounds lighter than Gilliam. Redskins Line Up Buksar Much Earlier This Year George Buksar, last Redskins veteran to sign up a year ago, is the first of the old hands in line for 1953, General Manager Dick McCann announced today. Buksar’s signed contract was re ceived yesterday. This will be the 26-year-old linebacker’s fourth season in the league. A Purdue graduate. Buk sar played with the Chicago Hornets and Baltimore Colts in the All-America Conference be fore coming into the National Football League. DeSpirito Back in Saddle BOSTON, May 12. (4 s )—Jockey Tony DeSpirito. who set a record with 390 winners In 1952, is slat ed to return to action at Suffolk Downs today after being set down for careless riding. Tony drew a 10-day suspension for a care less ride April 23. and missed a few more days because of a gum infection. Minor Leagues By the Associated Pratt PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE. Seattle. 5; Portland. 3. INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE. No tames scheduled. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. St. Paul. 10: Charleston. 7. Columbus. 3: Minneapolis. 0 (10 Innings). Louisville. S; Toledo. 1. Kansas City. 0; Indianapolis. 4. _ A „ TEXAS LEAGUE. Port Worth. 8: Houston, 1. San Antonio at Dallas, postponed. Beaumont at Oklahoma City, post poned. Shreveport at Tulsa, postponed. SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION. New Orleans, 6: Atlanta. 2. Mobile. 8: Birmingham, 5. Chattanooga at Little Rock, postponed. Nashville at Memphis, postponed. EASTERN LEAGUE. Albany. 10: Reading. 1. Elmira. 3: Scranton. 0. Williamsport. 11; Binghamton. 8. Wilkes-Barre. 3: Schenectadv. 1. SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE. Jacksonville. 4; Augusta. 3. Columbia. 9: Columbus. 7. Macon .15; Savannah, 2. Charleston. 6; Montgomery. 0. WESTERN LEAGUE. Colorado Springs. 18: Lincoln. 6. Denver, 4; Sioux City. 3 (5 Innings, rain). Omaha. 9; Wichita. 8. Pueblo. 10; Daa Moines. 0. aPF* 4 . ; .. ; ,5 •*> .v . Mjß AN OFF DAY AT WORK—Stan Musial, the Cardinals’ great outfielder, whose “heavy” hit ting has been rather light recently, spends an off day working on a cure for his slump. Here Stan, who has made only one hit in his last 25 times at bat, shows Coach Dixie Walker a changed stance. He raised his bat higher and held his arms farther away from his body during the self-imposed drill. Musial thinks he may have been striding too far, throwing his timing off. AP Wlrephoto. 'Cinderella Kids' of Rutgers Face Long Odds on Potomac By Rod Thomas All eyes will be on Navy’s row ing champions when the Eastern sprint championships are held Saturday off Hains Point, but in the Rutgers varsity boat will be a pair of young men who won honors at Helsinki more distinc tive than the Midshipmen’s. When the Naval Academy crew prevailed it duplicated a world triumph by the Midshipmen in 1920. When Chuck Logg and Tom Price captured the doubles without-coxswain title they be came the first Americans ever to win this event in the Olym pics. They were, in fact, the first Americans ever to reach the finals. Logg. son of the Rutgers coach, Charles, sr„ captains the Scarlet eight. Price is the stroke. Until three months before they set out for the Olympics they never had rowed together. Logg was a sophomore and Price a fresh man. They arrived at Helsinki un heralded. They left with a pair of gold medals and world fame as the “Cinderella Kids” of row ing. It might have been “Thick and Thin.” Logg’s 170 pounds are spread over a 6-foot-5 frame. Price stands 6 feet, weighs nearly 200. Faces Tough Heat. In spite of the prowess of Logg and Price, Rutgers doesn’t figure to get far in the varsity event Saturday. The Scarlet was drawn in the second heat with Cornell, seeded second: Princeton, seeded third; Wiscon sin, sixth, and unseeded Massa chusetts Institute of Technology and Columbia. Navy, seeded No. 1, landed in tne other six-crew preliminary with Yale, seeded fourth; Har Ward Says His Game Is Ready To Defend British Golf Title 8y the Associated Press RICHMOND, Va.. May 12— Harvie Ward, a fellow who looks more like a movie star than a golf player, says he has his game all set for defense of the British Amateur championship he won last summer. “But of course,” the 28-year old North Carolinian said, “I’m pretty certain I’ll have a tough er time or it this year than last.” Ward’s 1952 triumph came as a surprise, doubly so considering he was ignored when the United States named its Walker Cup team. However, Harvie won easy vic tories over three Scottish play ers, beat Walker Cupper Jim Mc- Hale of Philadelphia in the quar terfinals. then cut down Joe Carr, veteran Irish golfer, in the semifinals. In the final match, he swamped Frank Stranahan of Toledo, Ohio, 6- and s—the most decisive victory in the British Amateur In 18 years. This year’s British Amateur gets under way May 25 and will be played over the course at Liverpool. Ward plans to leave by plane for England nwet Tues day. He was cornered by news men on a visit to Richmond. “My game’s been real good lately,” he said. “My tee shots have been fine and so has my putting.” Harvie confessed he doesn’t know a thing about the Liver pool course but what he’s heard. “Charley Yates says it’s long and I’ll like it,” he said. Yates Bloodworms, Fresh Daily, Doz., 59c FISHING ROD & REEL REPAIRS Dependable Service Replacement Parts ATLAS SPORT STORE Free Parking Lot Next Door 927 D Street N.W.—ME. 8-8878 vard, fifth, and unseeded Boston U., Pennsylvania and Syracuse. The preliminaries will be run off at 20-minute intervals, start ing at 9 a.m., with freshmen, junior varsity and varsity com peting in that order. The first freshman heat will pit Cornell, Navy, Boston U., MIT and Yale and the second heat, Columbia, Syracuse, Penn, Princeton, Dartmouth and Har vard. Seeded are Cornell, Prince ton, Harvard, Yale, Navy and Syracuse in that order. In the junior varsity opening preliminary will be' Princeton, Syracuse, Navy and Harvard and in the second, Cornell, MIT, Yale, Columbia and Penn. Seeded are, in order. Navy, Cor nell. Yale, Harvard, Princeton and Columbia. First Final at 3:45. Three crews in each heat will qualify for the finals, to be held in the afternoon. The freshmen race at 3:45, the Junior varsity at 4:15 and the varsity at 4:45. At 3 o’clock, a special race will pit George Washington High of Alexandria and Washington-Lee of Arlington for the schoolboy championship of Northern Vir ginia. The 2.000-meter course was examined yesterday by Tom Bolles, Harvard athletic director and president of the Eastern As sociation of Rowing Colleges; Clifford T. Goes of Syracuse, regatta referee, and Admiral W. L. Ainsworth, U. S. N. (ret.), honorary referee, who was a row ing and football star at the Naval Academy. "This.” Bolles said, “is a beau tiful layout.” “You’re not exaggerating,” Goes said. Barrett Crandall, directing the .regatta arrangements, beamed. is a former Georgia Tech golf star who won the British Ama teur in 1938. Despite his success in Eng land, the handsome ex-collegi ate star at North Carolina Uni versity has never won the United States Amateur. The closest he ever came to winning was in 1948 when he reached the quarterfinals. His victory over Stranahan in the British Amateur last year was a continuation of a rivalry that blossomed in 1948 when Harvie nipped Stranahan, 1 up. in the North and South Amateur. Stranahan came back to lick Ward in the 1949 North and South, and in last summer’s Western Amateur. Then. Harvie knotted the count at 2-2 in the British Amateur. In the recent Masters tournament at Augusta, Ga., the pair deadlocked in the amateur bracket. PHERMASAII THE MIRACLE PLASTIC |W ■■ THATVf ■ff U i ilfftfmTrmft mtfUmEgmggaM m I Wilhelm Still to Yield First Earned Run; Ford Tops American By the Associated Press NEW YORK. May 12—Hoyt Wilhelm, the Giants’ ace relief pitcher, is bucking baseball’s sec ond-year jinx, but he’s having even better success than he did in his rookie season. Earned-run averages compiled by the Associated Press revealed today that Wilhelm, who topped the National League in that de partment in 1952 with 2.43, has yet to yield an earned run in the 27 innings he’s worked. The 29-year-old knuckleball ace has won two games and lost one. In the American League, Whitey Ford of the Yankees shows the lowest earned-run mark. The young southpaw, dis charged from the Army last win ter, has permitted only four 4n 30 innings for a 1.20 average. His record is 2-0. Wilhelm, in 14 games, actually has given up three runs, but all were unearned. He suffered his only defeat April 29 when errors by Shortstop Alvin Dark and Catcher Sam Calderone ac counted for Milwaukee’s 3-2 vic tory over the Giants. Curt Simmons of the Phillies is runnerup to Wilhelm. The brilliant left-hander, who has posted five victories against a lone setback, has a 1.67 mark. Gene Bearden of the White Sox is second in the American League at 2.16. AMERICAN LEAGUE. _ . „ „ O. IP. R. E.R. Av. Ford New York 4 30 4 4 1.20 Bearden, Chicago 8 26 11 8 2.18 Trucks. St. Louis 8 48 14 12 2.25 Kellner. Phils. « 61 15 1.3 2.29 Wynn, Cleveland 6 35 1.3 9 2.31 Martin Phlla. 3 21 8 6 2.67 Dobson. Chicago 6 38 12 11 2.81 Littlefield. St. Louis. 6 24 10 7 2.83 Stobbs. Washington-. 5 30 15 11 2.75 Sain New York « 38 13 12 2.84 Lopat. New York 3 24 8 8 3.00' Masterson. Washington 5 35 15 12 3.09 Brown, Boston 4 29 10 10 .3 10 Garcia Cleveland 5 40 18 14 3.16 Dixon. Washington .. 8 20 9 7 3.15 Feller Cleveland 4 .31 1.3 11 3.19 Parnell Boston 5 38 14 14 .3.32 Pierce, Chicago 5 37 17 14 3.41 McDermott, Boston 8 29 16 11 3.41 Reynolds. New York.. 0 .35 14 14 3.60 Fornleles. Chicago .. 6 25 12 10 3.60 NATIONAL LEAGUE. O. I P. R. E.R. Av. Wilhelm. New York -.14 27 3 0 0.00 81mmons. Phlla. 6 64 13 10 1.67 Mizell. St Louis ___ 4 29 77 2.17 Surkont. Milwaukee-. 6 40 12 10 2.25 Hacker. Chicago _L 5 .38 12 10 2.37 Spahn Milwaukee 3 23 8 7 2.74 Roberts, Phlla. 7 59 20 19 2.90 Staley. St. Louis 6 37 13 12 2.02 Rush. Chicago 5 .36 17 12 3.00 Konstanty. Phlla. .3 23 11 8 3.1.3 Loes. Brooklyn 5 40 16 14 3.16 Haddix. St. Louis 5 36 14 13 .3.25 Jansen. New York 6 35 1.3 13 3.34 Maglie. New York 8 40 17 15 3.38 Presko. St. Louis . 3 23 9 0 3.52 Lindell Pittsburgh 4 33 1.3 13 3.55 Drews, Philadelphia _ 6 .30 19 12 3.60 Antonelli. Milwaukee _4 25 11 10 3.60 LaPalme. Pittsburgh 5 24 10 10 3 75 Raffensberger. Cin 4 28 14 12 3.86 Young Lightweight Dies After Australian Bout .By the Associated Pres* SYDNEY. Australia, Maj> 12— Johnny Slockie, a 22-year-old lightweight, died today of in juries received in a fight at Syd ney Stadium last night. Slockie was knocked out by Dick Lowe with a right to the jaw in the 12th round. He never regained consciousness. A brain operation failed to save his life. Determined Indians Get Chance to Turn Tables on Yankees By the Associated Press The chips are down tonight for the Cleveland Indians, who are opening a two-game series in New York, determined to prove that they are not suffering from an incurable case of “Yankee phobia.” After dropping a 2-1 decision to Chicago last night, the Indians need to take both games at Yankee Stadium to regain the league lead. Early Wynn, who has three victories and no de feats, will start against Whitey Ford, who is 2-0. A week ago Ford pitched an 11-1 win over Cleveland, giving the Yanks their usual jump in the season’s series between the clubs. It has been eight years since Cleveland won more games than It lost with New York. Last year the Yankees had a 12-10 edge—a margin exactly equal to its two-game lead over the In dians in the final standings. Holloman Faces A’s Again. All American League teams 1 are in the East and all National League clubs are playing in the West for the first time today. ; In addition to Cleveland's sec ond crack at Ford, there's an- j other opportunity for revenge J tonight. The Browns plan to start Alva (Bobo) Holloman at Philadelphia tonight, and the Athletics will be out to prove that last week’s no-hitter by the rookie was all a mistake. Detroit is at Washington and Chicago plays Boston. In the National League, Brook lyn. leader over Philadelphia by half a game, invades Chicago. The Phillies are in St. Louis. Pittsburgh in Cincinnati and New York in Milwaukee. Pierce Wins Fifth. In yesterday’s only game. Billy Pierce of tne White Sox turned in a seven-hitter against the In dians to post his fifth victory against one defeat. Bob Lemon, who had held Chicago to one hit on opening day, gave up the winning run in the eighth inning when Minnie Minoso and Sher man Lollar singled and Chico Carrasquel doubled home Minoso. Cleveland’s only run was a homer by Bobby Avila. Three exhibition games were played. The Giants, aided by two homers by Jim Rhodes, whipped the Red Sox at the Polo Grounds, 7-3; Pittsburgh scored twice in the ninth inning to beat the Browns. 3-2, and Milwaukee bowed to Toronto, 3-2. Effort to Buy Tigers Reported Under Way By the Associated Press KANKAKEE. 111., May 12- Radio station WKAN said today that a Jackson, Mich., industrial ist who formerly operated a manufacturing company here, had stated that he and a group of others are negotiating to buy the Detroit Tigers. Orren Allain, radio station sports director, said J. W. (Billy) Mortel jr., did not reveal the name of the others attempting to buy the club. Mortell is chairman of the Vibradamp Corp. of Jackson, manufacturers of asphalt products. Allain quoted Mirtell as saying he and other men met with Walter O. Briggs, jr., Tigers pres ident, last August, and offered to buy the club. “The club was not for sale then, but now negotiations are under way again,” Mortell was quoted as saying. Mortell said the club is valued as $6 million. DETROIT, May 12 (£*). —W. O. (Spike) Briggs, jr., stepped down yesterday as executive vice presi dent and assistant general man ager of the Briggs Manufactur ing Co., but accepted re-election as a director at the company’s annual meeting of stockholders. Briggs said he would devote full time to the Briggs Commer cial and Development Co., fam ily trusts in the name of his late father, and the Detroit Baseball Co., of which he has been a “week-end” president. LITTLE BOY BIG BUY BRAND-NEW FISK FIRST-QUALITY RAYON CORD BODY—COLD RUBBER TREAD FULLY GUARARTEED 6.00x16 "j *13 9 I Iffl 7.10x15 IQ ”, 3 DAYS OBLY BUY ON BUD6EY SIMILAR SAVINGS I OPEN EVENINGS ON OTHER SIZES | TILL 0 P.M. MARKET TIRE COMPANY 2315 Bladensburg Road N.E. LI. 3-3885 NEXT TO HOT SHOPPE Harris Hopes to Get Stronger Reserves; A's Sell Allie Clark % By Burton Hawkins The Nats today sold Infielder Floyd Baker to the Boston Red Sox for an undisclosed suqi and kept their eyes on the waiver lists as a flurry of sales, trades and releases was expected before the deadline at midnight tomor row for major league clubs to meet the 25-man player limit. Two other clubs got in on the act immediately as the Athletics sold Allie Clark, 30-year-old outfielder, to the White Sox. Buoyed by four straight vic tories at Philadelphia, the Nats were hoping to strengthen their bench as they prepared to open a two-game series with the De troit Tigers at Griffith Stadium tonight. The sale of Baker fitted in with Vice President Calvin Grif fith’s statement that there would be no tampering with the regu lar lineup but an effort would be made to acquire stronger reserves. Stone Sent Down. Baker. 34-year-old veteran from Luray, Va., has been in the majors for 11 years. The Nats j obtained him from the White ! Sox as the end of the 1951 season in a trade for Inflelder Willie Miranda. Baker batted .262 last season while .splitting second-base duties with Mel Hoderlein, but had gone hitless in' seven times at bat this year. Washington is not worried about cutting its roster. Left hander Dean Stone was assigned to Chattanooga earlier today, and the club is only one over the limit. Stone had a 17-10 record with Charlotte last year, but had seen no action since the Nats opened the season. Likely to be demoted are Pitch ers Jim Pearce and Lou Sleater. Pearce has pitched only two in nings and Sleater none. Waivers would be required on Sleater be cause of his previous major league experience. Meanwhile the Nats are put ting in claims for various play ers. Manager Bucky Harris is anxious to land more dangerous pinch-hitters and his anxiety is understandable. Pinch-hitters Bat .190. Bucky has called on pinch hitters frequently in early games and what he has received is .190 hitting in tight situations. Harris desires two or three long-ball hitters. The next ex tra-base hit he receives from a pinch-hitter will be the first. Meanwhile, the Nats will focus their attention on the luckless Tigers, who have lost 19 of their first 25 games. Washington could climb to the .500 level at their expense with victories to night and tomorrow night. Garver Against Marrero. Ned Garver, who has ac counted for two of Detroit's wins —one of them an 8-4 conquest Os the Nats—will take the mound against Chico Marrero, whose lone triumph was over the Yankees. The Nats aren’t expecting early help from Gil Coan, who suffered a broken bone in his right ankle April 5. Gil has been out five weeks and estimates are he won’t be available for another two or three weeks. Gil is working out dally at Griffith Stadium, but isn’t any where near playing condition. Probable Pitchers By the Associated Press AMERICAN LEAGUE. Detroit at Washington (night)—Gar ver (2-3) vs. Marrero (1-2). St. Louis at Philadelphia (night)— Holloman (1-1) vs. Shantz (3-3). Cleveland at New York (night)—Wynn (3-0) vs. Ford (2-0). Chicago at Boston (night)—Dobson (3-2) vs. Parnell (4-0). NATIONAL LEAGUE. Brooklyn at Chicago—Meyer (2-1) or Wade (2-0) vs. Lown (0-0). Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (night)— Lapalme (1-2) vs. Erautt (0-0) or Jud son (0-0). New York at Milwaukee (night)—Con nelly (O-O) vs. Bickford (0-2). Philadelphia at St. Louis (night)— Konstant; (2-1) vs. Presko (1-1). BASEBALL TONIGHT—B:3O P.M. Washington vs. Detroit AMERICAN LEAGUE PARK Tomorrow, Detroit, 8:30 P.M.