Yankee Doodle

Rude cheers resounded in bars and beer joints across the country as the mighty New York Yankees, winners of nine American League pennants in the past ten years, last week thudded into last place for the first time since 1940. The Yanks' team batting average was a puny .243 v. .266 at the same time last year, when they led the league by 6 1/2 games. The Bronx Bombers had been shut out five times in the first six weeks of 1959. The pitching was poor too. Last week Yankee Aces Whitey Ford and Bob Turley were both knocked out of the box in the first inning. Muttered Manager Casey Stengel: "Those pitchers of ours will have to do a little better or we won't get to see them around here much longer."

The major-league leaders after six weeks of play:

AMERICAN. LEAGUE

Team: Cleveland (by 1/2 game) Pitcher: Wilhelm, Baltimore (6-0) Batter: Kuenn, Detroit (.378) RBI: Killebrew, Washington (32) HRs: Killebrew, Washington (15)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Team: Milwaukee (by 3 1/2 games) Pitcher: Face, Pittsburgh (6-0) Batter: Aaron, Milwaukee (.462) RBI: Banks, Chicago, Aaron (40) HRs: Mathews, Milwaukee (14)

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