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Show Around the League by Al Ablett The game last Sunday between Gemmell and Magna took us back to the days when we used to read Horatio Alger and Frank Merriweather always won the game in tne last or the ninth with a home run. Magna was coasting along with a five-run lead; lightning struck the last of the ninth. Mel Marlowe on the hill had been as stingy with his hits as an old maid with her kisses. But in the ninth he came loose at the seams. Velcheck, first man up in the ninth for Gemmell, worked the count up to three and two and then drew a walk. LaComb singl-1 ed and Velcheck went to third. Sluga flied out and Velcheck scored after the catch. Then Bab-cock Bab-cock bounced a single off Facer's leg. Marlowe was upset and he walked Savage, filling the bases. Big Darrell Robertson, the Gemmell Gem-mell catcher, marched up to that plate with a look in his eye that spelled no good for Marlowe. The left hander went to work and Robbie carried him all the way. The count stood 3 and 2 when Marlowe plprteH tn trv a nnrvo Boy, that ball looked like a United Unit-ed States P38 taking off. Robbie wound up on third with three more runs in. At this stage Swinehart, the Gemmell manager, elected to hit for Griffin, the pitcher. Here was a spot to put yourself your-self in, but Ossie never faltered falter-ed for a minute. He left the dugout swinging and he rifled the second pitched ball into left field for a double scoring Robbie with the tying run and himself on second for a possible score to win the game and undisputed un-disputed first place in the league. lea-gue. Tommy Pazell hit one in the bleachers that was foul by inches, inch-es, then flied out for the second man. Up came Frank Zaccaria. Shades of Frank Merriweather! Zac didn't wait, the first pitch was to his liking. When Evans, Magna's centerfielder, retrieved the ball the game was over. Zac got credit for a double but had the winning run not been on second sec-ond that blow would have been good for the round trip. Just to show it wasn't a fluke, the same two teams met in Magna Mag-na the next day in a Navy relief re-lief game and Gemmell won this encounter 10 to 6. Robertson Robert-son and LaComb were the big guns. Robbie hit two home runs and a single. LaComb got four hits, a home run, a double and two singles, Swinehart and Oliver were the Gemmell pitchers pitch-ers against Crowton and Johnson. John-son. Wednesday night Gemmell traveled to Brigham City to meet the Peaches for the first time this season. With Bob Detmers turning in another gilt edge pitching pitch-ing job, they came home with their fifth straight win. Bob struck out 12 men and only allowed al-lowed five hits, three of them by Serpa, the Peaches' catcher. Gemmell goes to American Fork Decoration day and meets Brigham City at home Sunday. Meandering .around the league: Robertson, Gemmell's catcher, has driven in nine runs in the last three games. Robbie has always al-ways been tough with men on. Swinehart, the Gemmell manager, mana-ger, showed as much nerve as a bugler in that ninth inning Sunday Sun-day in his first appearance before be-fore the home fans. Ossie came through in fine shape. Joe Curia of Helper used to catch, but of late has been showing show-ing great promise as a pitcher. Masula, the Brigham City second sec-ond baseman, is the best looking ball player to come up this year. He isn't hitting too good yet, but he can sure hound that ground ball. Bliss Hoover is back in the league lea-gue at Provo. Bliss can hit that pumpkin. Tommy Pazell of Gemmell would be a cinch to go up if it weren't for the war. Tommy can do everything. Pop Griffin, Gemmell's new left hander, showed plenty a-gainst a-gainst Magna. They got 12 hits but most of them were the kind that it takes two lo score a man from third base. Mel Marlowe, the Magna left hander ,has good stuff and will be a tough customer to take anytime. any-time. He was with the Bees and San Francisco. Ken Price of Pinney is still (Continued on page eight) Fred Tedesco, the Pinney pilot and Salt Lake commissioner, is still going strong. He hit one over ov-er the screen in Community prjrk last Sunday. Wonder who has the best arm among the league'! third basemen? Velcheck of Gem-melL Gem-melL Cowley of Magna or Tedesco Te-desco of Pinney? In place of arms these boys have 30-30's hung on them. Everyone around the ' league has asked about Mandel "Ug" Wilson, Gemmell's second baseman. base-man. Wilson is at Scotts Field, 111., going out for the team. Unless Un-less they have big leaguers there, Wilson will ba in the box score. Boy, if Gemmell had him this year, it would be "Katie, bar the gate!" Gemmell had one of the best crowds in a long time for their opener. The league is drawing better this year in every town. See you at the game next Sun- day- Al AROUND THE LEAGUE By Al Ablett (Continued from page one) one of the best in the league. But Ken's health hasn't been too good lately. |