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Magic Numbers Haunt Sox. Braves Yankees, Dodgers Should Breeze In Champions Swing West Atop By 8J Games; Brooklyn Out Front by Nine, Now at Home By NORMAN MILLER United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., Aug. 24. Mathematics and "Magic Numbers" are fast reducing the pennant hopes of the White Sox and Braves. On the face of it, the Dodgers, leading by nine games as they open an 11-game home stand tomorrow night, and the Yankees, in front by 8 games as they begin a. 10-game western swing, should breeze home. Time is running out on the contenders. The Braves have only four games remaining against Brooklyn two in each city. The White Sox have only five left against the world champions three in Chicago and two in New York. The biggest question mark about the races right now appears to be whether the Yankees or the Dodgers will be the first to clinch the pennant. Brooklyns pitching never has looked better and the "rest cures" which manager Charley Dressen has prescribed periodically for his regulars have produced a team in top shape for the final weeks of the race. Brooklyn has won 16 of its last 17 games. Won 17 of Last 21 Games The Yankees similarly have been cruising along with good pitching and hitting, despite the absence of slugger Mickey Mantle because of a leg injury. With Casey Stengel performing his customary juggling act With the Yankee roster, the club has won 17 of its last 21 games. Milwaukee has won 16 of its last 18 and still failed to make up ground on the -flying Dodgers. Even though they fail in catching Brooklyn, however, the Braves have done far better than most experts figured and unquestionably figure as the Majors surprise team of 1953. The loss of Ferris Fain has hurt the White Sox considerably. With the star first baseman on the sidelines because of a broken hand, Chicago has lost eight of its last 17 contests. Not even the fine pitching of Virgil "Fire" Trucks, and Billy Pierce has been able to offset Fains loss. The "Magic Number" for the Dodgers today is 23; for the Yankees its 24. That means any combination of Dodger victories and Milwaukee defeats which adds up to 23 clinches Brooklyns second straight pennant. The "same situation, based around the number 24, holds for the Yankees. Thus, if the Yankees only break even in their remaining 32 games, the White Sox must win .24 out of their last 31 to tie for first plade. In the National, if the Dodgers split even in their final 32 games, the Braves must win 24 -of their remaining 30 to tie. The prospects for the pursuers, it seems, are not too hopeful.
