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■ si**;**; Wf* fl ► 1 Opposing Teams and Umpires Watch for Sox Base Thefts Richards Says Other Clubs j Attempt Pickoffs to Keep Pale Hose Close to Sack By ED SAINSBURY United Press Sports Writer Those "swift" White Sox were slowed down today by a combination of pitchers and umpires, but manager Paul Richards said his American League leaders would continue to run at every opportunity. "Theyre watching us now," Richards said, "and they werent watching us as closely at the start of the season. Theyre trying pickoff plays and the umpires arent helping us any." "The umpires wont call any balks on them and it hurts," he said. The Sox, who have stolen 53 bases in 63 games, have been caught in attempted steals 32 times. But their pattern of attack has changed due to the alertness of enemy pitchers, now expecting a base-stealing attack. . In the last 10 games the Sox have tried to steal nine times in seven of the contests and in three they didnt attempt a theft. Of the trials, four were successful and five failed. Mighty Comedown But this was a mighty comedown from the opening games of the campaign, when the league neither expected a running attack nor was prepared to defend against such a pasttime. In those days the Sox would turn in two or three thefts per contest. Detroit, Boston and the New York Yankees, the last three foes on the Sox schedule, forced a stalemate on the running. Against the Tigers, who won one of two Sox games, both Jim Busby, the league leader in base thefts, and Eddie Robinson, the "slow" first baseman, were caught stealing, and none of the Sox made it to second base free. Boston, in third place in the league, took three out of four from the Pale Hose and the Sox running was most successful against the Red Sox hurlers. In one game both Busby and Orestes Minoso, runner-up in the league in thefts, stole successfully while in another Minioso stole one and in the third Bob Dillinger stole once. In the fourth Boston game only one theft was attempted and it failed. The Yankee hurlers proved capable of slowing down the Sox speedsters. Two thefts were attempted, by Chico Carrasquel and by Minoso, and both failed. TED WILLIAMS— Outfielder for Boston Red Sox who takes on the New York Yankees today, is leading both leagues in runs battered in with 69 to his credit.
