view raw text
" 0t Yank, Brave Defeats Change Pattern Grimm Optimistic; Stengel Opposite Tribe Only Six Games Back; Milwaukee Trails by Single j Game as Play Resumes Today By JOHN GRIFFIN United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., June 29. How serious are the twin Collapses of the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Braves? As most of the major-league teams took a day off today for scene-shifting and exhibition games, both the Yankees of the American League and Braves of the National were caught in the toils of seven-game losing streaks that have changed the pattern of the pennant races. Three games ahead and starting to look like a real pennant contender a week ago, the Braves suddenly folded and were one game behind Brooklyn today as they hit the road for Cincinnati. Manager Charley Grimm insisted he wasnt overly worried by the sudden crisis. In his opinion, the recent losses are merely the result of "not getting fhe breaks," and he thinks everything will come around if "we ride out the storm." "Those fly balls that were dropping for hits a few days ago are being caught now," said not-too-jolly Cholly. "But everything averages out and our luck is going to change." Younger Players Not Panicky Grimm admitted that some of the younger players on his team "may be tightening up a little bit," but he firmly declared that "theyre not panicky." "This would be a lot more serious if this happened to us in August than it is right now," said Graimm, "because weve got a lot of time to snap out of it." Yankee manager Casey Stengel, plainly angry with some of his players, admitted on the other hand that his boys "aint pitching good, aint hitting good, and aint fielding good." In the wake of three straight losses to the Indians, capped by a 4-1 loss at the hands of Early Wynn Sunday, Stengel was particularly displeased with the work of "wonder boy" Mickey Mantle, who has gone into a sudden hitting slump. "Hes up there trying to hit everything 3,000 rmTes," croaked Stengel. "The boys with the tape measure have got him all off." Indians, manager Al Lopez, who finds his club now only six games behind the Yankees instead of the HVz games of a week ago, left town in a chipper mood. He could afford it, after getting fine pitching from Bob Lemon, Mike Garcia and Wynn and timely slugging from Luke Easter, Larry Doby and Al Rosen. "Ive all along, even when the Yankees were at their hottest, that it was much too early to start conceding them the pennant," said Lopez. "Now, I dont think the Yankees are cracking, and I mnot counting them out yet by a long shot, but I know we have a good chance to catch them." j The Indians open a series in Detroit tomorrow night, the Yankees in Boston.
