January 13, 1947
 

JANUARY 13, 1947

CENTURIONS MAKING CASH SPLASH IN COAST LOOP

The Dallas Centurions continue to spend money in hopes of improving from a league low (tied with San Diego) 68 wins in the inaugural season of the Great Western League as a major league. The Centurions latest signing is former New York Stars first baseman Jim Honeywood. Honeywood -who also counts stints with Montreal, the Chicago Chiefs and Brooklyn as part of his 627 big league ballgames- inked a 2 year deal with the Dallas nine that will pay him $15,000 per season.

That is a bargain in comparison to the other two big signings made by the Texas club. Veteran third baseman Ken Mayhugh was inked to a coast league record $35,000 deal in November and middle infielder Al Gross, formerly of the Washington Ealges, signed for $28,000 on New Years Day. Those are the two highest contracts ever given to players in the Great Western League and there are some thoughts that the Centurions might not be done yet.

Dallas is not the only GWL team waiving some money around this winter. The Oakland Oaks, who narrowly missed out on a berth in the Bigsby Cup Series a year ago, made a step to upgrade their pitching with a move to sign veteran pitcher Doc 'No-No' Newell to a one year deal that will pay the 38 year old $20,000 for the 1947 campaign. Newell, with a lifetime FABL mark of 199-186 and 3 big league no-hitters under his belt, immediately becomes the highest profile pitcher to jump to the new league. The Los Angeles Knights also recently signed 32 year old outfielder Joseph Mills to a $16,000 contract. Mills played just 11 games with the Philadelphia Sailors last season but was a three starter in the Sailors outfield during the war and boasts a .266 career FABL batting average.


The Great Western Baseball League has, at least so far, been nothing more than a minor inconvenience for the baseball establishment that is FABL. Sure, they have given some players an inflated sense of self-worth when seeing big money deals inked by FABL cast-offs like Ken Mayhugh and Al Gross but really, aside from perhaps raising the FABL magnates cost of doing business slightly with a few increased contracts, the coast league has had no impact on the loop that William Whitney created.

This winter, with the GWL clubs offering bigger and bigger contracts to FABL cast-offs, has proven one thing to the FABL magnates. It is now painfully obvious that there are plenty of owners with deep pockets in the Great Western League and the minor headache they pose to baseball's eastern establishment seems destined to become a full head-pounding migraine one day soon.

The question is just how much longer will Thoms Bigsby's brigade be content to play nice with FABL and follow their rules? Sure, signing Doc Newell or Ken Mayhugh is a pair of feathers in the cap of the western loop, and adding former FABL heroes like Ed Ziehl and Tom Bird as league executives or managers is good PR but you have to think at some point, and possibly quite soon, the west will want more.

Anyone who thinks the western league will remain content with signing players deemed no longer needed by FABL forever is just fooling themselves. There is money in the western clubs. Heck, Dallas was a last place team and they just shelled out nearly $70,000 for three players no one in FABL wanted. Imagine what Dallas or Houston might be willing to pay for a Texas boy like Ed Bowman or Joe Angevine? Or one of the California nine for Chick Donnelly or Leo Hayden?

Would Thomas Bigsby back up the Brinks Truck for a chance to bring local boy Al Miller back to Los Angeles? Miller is set to make $34,000 in Chicago this year. What would he be worth to the Knights and the rest of the GWL? Now, before Chicago Chiefs fans start to panic be aware that most FABL players have no interest in joining the outlaw league but that wouldn't stop them from using the threat of bolting to aid their cause in contract talks. And that is why it is essential for the FABL moguls to keep the coast loop content to only ink cast-offs.

The GWL bosses would certainly want their financial houses in order before ever going after any player under contract to a FABL club. After all, that would be an all-out declaration of war by the coast magnates and one that would likely end up as a costly contest in the courts. Odds are the GWL starts smaller. Maybe it goes after some veteran players still under contract to FABL clubs but not on the secondary roster and just riding out their time in the minors. Players that the FABL team that owns their rights might kick up a fuss about but the league as a whole will not deem valuable enough to risk their Sherman antitrust exemptions in a court of law.

Or a possible move may be for the coast clubs to continue to respect all FABL contracts but turn their attention to highly skilled players not yet FABL property. College juniors or those finishing up high school, especially those from the west might be the perfect target and ones that FABL would have a tough time challenging.

It might be difficult to find an elite prospect willing to be the first to sign with a coast club before he is selected in the FABL draft but it also might be hard for a young high school player -with no guarantee of making the big leagues no matter how talented he may appear to be- to turn down a deal that might pay him $50,000, or even double that, to sign and play in Los Angeles or Dallas.

Looking ahead to the 1948 draft what an accomplishment it would be for Thomas Bigsby if he could somehow convince Charlie Barrell - who is playing high school ball in Washington DC but is Los Angeles born with ties to Hollywood and the first family of baseball- to make the groundbreaking decision to sign with a coast club and become the first $100,000 player in baseball history. Signing him on name alone would be a huge coup for the western loop. Not going to happen you say? Perhaps not, but it is clear the Great Western League possesses both the financial wherewithal and much bigger aspirations than just being content to sign FABL cast-offs.

FOUNTAIN READY FOR HIS SHOT AT SAWYER

It has been a long time coming -more than two years- but Mark Fountain will finally get his chance at the world heavyweight title when he steps into the ring Saturday in Detroit against Hector Sawyer. It has been a wild ride full of ups and downs for the 28 year old New York City native who had expected a shot at the title much earlier than it finally has come.

Part of that was his own doing, as Fountain was a surprise loser to veteran British fighter Leo Carmichael in his return to the ring in March of 1945 after a four year absence due to the war. Fountain was knocked out by Carmichael in a bout that acted as springboard for the Brit to claim a title shot. Even worse than the loss, just the 3rd of Fountain's career and first since 1938, was the fact he suffered a concussion in the bout and spent six months away from the ring. Once cleared by physicians, Fountain returned with a vengeance, scoring a unanimous decision over Emmett Seals and then beat another top contender in Matt Price twice - once just over a year ago and then a second time in June.

He took the second Price fight after his camp and Chester Conley -the outspoken handler of Hector Sawyer- failed to reach an agreement prompting accusations from Fountain's group that Sawyer was afraid to face Fountain and intentionally ducking the top challenger.

All of that may had fuel to the fire as it is clear the two are not fond of each other and it promises to be an entertaining night at the Thompson Paladium in Detroit Saturday. Fountain is 21-3-2 entering the bout -his first shot at the ABF world title. Sawyer, who turns 33 in July, is 55-3-1 and will be making his seventh defense since winning the title at the same Detroit venue back in 1940 with a 15th round knockout of German Jochen Schrotter. Sawyer has enjoyed great success in the Motor City - he also beat Carmichael last February at the Thompson Paladium with a 9th round knockout.

Sawyer's most recent bout was the highly publicized rematch with Schrotter last summer and some detractors feel he may be rusty as his last two fights -against Carmichael and Schrotter- have been fighters at the tail end of their careers. Many wonder if the champ still has what it takes to face a top quality opponent who is in his prime such as Fountain is.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Jan 18- Detroit, Mi: World Heavyweight Champ Hector Sawyer (54-3-1) faces top contender Mark Fountain (21-2-1)
• Jan 30- Union City, NJ: Rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (7-0) vs John Bolton (0-0)
• Feb 13 - New York City: Middleweight contender John Edmonds (21-2) vs Jack Rainey (22-3)
• Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
• Feb 24- Waterbury,Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March TBA - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)

4 GAME WIN STREAK EXTENDS BEES LEAD

After finishing off the final three weeks of 1946 with just 1 win in seven games the Boston Bees flipped a switch when the calendar flipped to 1947. The Bees, winners of 4 of the last 6 Challenge Cups, started Janaury off with 4 straight wins and have extended their lead atop the NAHC to 4 points over second place Chicago. Boston's success has come despite the fact that a key piece of their powerful first line - right winger Jacob Grun- saw his season come to an end in late December with a back injury. Veteran Waldemar Rupp stepped up and filled the spot alongside Tommy Hart and Wilbur Chandler and contributed 6 points over the winning streak.

Hart had been in a slump during the losing skid but broke out of it with a hat trick in a 5-4 win over Chicago last Sunday to get the Bees back on track. The 29 year old winger would earn 9 points in 3 games before being held off the scoresheet yesterday in Montreal but that did not prevent the Bees from winning 3-2.

Meanwhile, the suddenly struggling Detroit Motors are longing for the good old days of 1946. The Motors were perched at the top of the NAHC standings on New Year's Day, a point ahead of the Boston squad, but it has been all downhill for Detroit since then. The Motors suffered 5 losses in their last six games and now find themseleves in third place, just 2 points up on Montreal for the final playoff berth.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

• Chicago's Tommy Burns, the league MVP a year ago, was named both the best and fastest skater according to a recent poll of NAHC players. The also claim that New York Shamrocks defender Bert McCalley is the toughest player in the league, Toronto's classy center Bobbie Sauer the cleanest and the hardest shot belongs to Dukes defenseman Al Cote.
• Tommy Burns also had a hot start to 1947 and was a big reason the Packers won 4 of 5 games to start the new year. Burns scored in each of the 5 games to give him 17 goals on the season after going without a goal for 5 straight games to end 1946. Chicago was just 1-3-1 during Burns goalless drought.
• Boston's Max Dewar is the players choice for the coach they would most like to play for. The 61 year old former player is the winningest coach in the modern era and has won 4 Challenge Cups since 1940.
• The Montreal Valiants have been hot and cold with the latest streak being a 4-game losing skid including back-to-back losses to the Boston Bees. Prior to that the Valiants had gone 6-3-1 in the previous 10 games.
• A 4-2-1 stretch has the New York Shamrocks thinking playoffs for the first time since 1942. The Greenshirts have 22 points, just 3 back of Montreal for the fourth and final playoff berth.
• The Brooklyn Eagles playoff hopes took a hit with news that rookie center Ian Doyle is likely done for the season after being injured in a 1-1 tie with Toronto on Saturday. Doyle, who prior to the season joined the new-look Eagles from the coast league along with fellow forwards Quinton Pollack, Sam Coates and Hank Walsh, was a key piece in Brooklyn's return to respectability this season after winning just 2 games a year ago. The 22 year old center had 11 goals and 19 points in 23 games this season.

STANDARD COLLEGE CODE URGENT, WARNS GLA

The time has come in the avowed belief of the Commissioner of the Great Lakes Alliance conference for the nation's colleges to take stock and adopt a standard code of ethics in dealing with athletes. Terming the forthcoming meeting in New York of the American Intercollegiate Athletic Association "the most important in the history of the AIAA," the GLA boss declared:

"We have reached the crossroads. The colleges either can level off and operate as they should, or they may get into trouble. We must set up a policy whereby a kid will choose a school for its educational value, rather than the school choosing a kid for his athletic ability."

Colleges, he said, have prospered under the true amateur operation and must continue to follow that pattern. "If we don't we invade the professional field, where we don't belong," he declared.

All of the major collegiate conferences will be represented in New York at the meeting, and many of the big independent schools -including Rome State, have indicated they will co-operate with the AIAA. St Blane has been invited but they have not yet advised if they will participate in the meeting.

TWO UNBEATEN TEAMS REMAIN AS SECTION PLAY APPROACHES

The top ranked Rainier College Majestics and #5 Indiana A&M are the only two remaining unbeaten clubs as section play is about to commence. The AIAA has never had a team go through the entire season and all the way to the tournament championship without a loss and the odds of it occuring this year are very unlikely despite how well the Majestics and Reapers have been playing. The reason is the section slate for the two will simply be too difficult to run the table.

Rainier College is 12-0 including a convincing 47-35 victory over St Patrick's last week behind a 19 point effort from sophomore center Tom Abbott, but the Majestics will face a stretch of games in the near future that includ four straight games against top twenty opponents from the West Coast Athletic Association. It will not be much easier for Indiana A&M as they tip-off their Great Lakes Alliance slate January 23rd with 13th ranked Detroit City College providing the opposition.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY JANUARY 6
#4 CC Los Angeles 49, at Brunswick 39
at #5 Indiana A&M 36, Bliss College 34
at #21 Bayou State 55, College of Waco 24
#9 Lane State 42, at George Fox 23
TUESDAY JANUARY 7
#18 Bronx Tech 39, at Brookland 37
at #24 Huntington State 53, Conwell College 44
at #1 Rainier College 63, Michigan Lutheran 28
at #10 Redwood 38, Charleston Tech 36
at #8 Central Ohio 55, Elyria 49
#19 Coastal California 64, at El Paso Methodist 46
#3 Liberty College 47, at Smithfield College 31
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8
St. Patrick's 53, at #22 North Carolina Tech 42
at #11 Miami State 55, Lambert College 53
at #15 Chesapeake State 50, Eastern Virginia 41
Iowa A&M 34, at #25 Mobile Maritime 25
#7 St. Blane 59, at St. Gordius 47
at #6 Noble Jones College 63, Pierpont 53
THURSDAY JANUARY 9
at #2 Carolina Poly 60, Brooklyn State 49
at #13 Detroit City College 45, Michigan Lutheran 24
at #5 Indiana A&M 52, Poweshiek 34
at #21 Bayou State 53, Sunnyvale 47
FRIDAY JANUARY 10
at #16 St. Ignatius 42, Needham 32
at #23 Great Plains State 59, Payne State 40
at #17 Western Iowa 42, Eastern Kansas 36
at #25 Mobile Maritime 49, Baton Rouge State 36
#6 Noble Jones College 55, at Columbia Military Academy 26
SATURDAY JANUARY 11
at #3 Liberty College 49, Opelika State 24
at #22 North Carolina Tech 52, Michigan Lutheran 32
at #10 Redwood 37, Maldin 25
at #9 Lane State 44, Kansas Agricultural 34
at #19 Coastal California 62, Kit Carson University 30
at #21 Bayou State 42, Capital (MS) University 38
at #7 St. Blane 43, #13 Detroit City College 39
at Quaker College (CA) 44, #14 Northern California 36
SUNDAY JANUARY 12
at #11 Miami State 46, Ferguson 30
at #15 Chesapeake State 50, Ogdensburg 44
at #1 Rainier College 47, St. Patrick's 35
at #23 Great Plains State 63, Northern Mississippi 46

• For the first time in 18 years, Congress is being sent a balanced budget, recommending expenditures of $37,500,000,000 to be offset by receipts of $37,700,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1948.
• President Truman has called on Congress for legislation to outlaw jurisdictional strikes and provide for a comprehensive study of labor-management relationsm as he outlined a program to promote industrial peace.
• Senator Bilbo gave up his fight for his Senate seat for the time being, announcing he is stepping aside for a period of time to undergo an immediate operation for cancer.
• British military authorities are said to be preparing the biggest offensive in modern Palestine's history to crush what they called "the open rebellion against law and order" by Jewish extremists.
• Frigid blasts spread a wide belt of cold over Europe this week, causing death and suffering and a heavy drain on short fuel stocks. Rome saw snow for the first time since 1942. Berlin was subjected to intense cold
  
  https://i.imgur.com/25c75cK.jpg

January 20, 1947 FABL draft and HW title fight
 

JANUARY 20, 1947

WOLVES SELECT LEDBETTER

To no one's surprise the Toronto Wolves selected Michigan high school pitcher Les Ledbetter with the first choice of the 1947 FABL draft. The 18-year-old lefthander from Fowlerville High is a perfect 34-0 with a 0.62 era and 643 strikeouts in 346 innings of high school ball over the last three years. As a junior last summer he was named the winner of the Adwell Award as the top high school player in the nation.

OSA loves Ledbetter's 4 pitch arsenal that includes an exceptional fastball and cutter, adding he will rarely surrender a long-ball. With his excellent repertoire OSA feels he can become a great big league pitcher.

Ledbetter becomes the 12 pitcher selected first overall in the 23 drafts since the human GM era began with the 1925 rookie selection. The results delivered by those previous 11 hurlers have been mixed. Some of the positives include 3-time Allan Award winner Tom Barrell in 1929 by the Chicago Cougars or his nephew Deuce Barrell by the then Baltimore Cannons in 1935. Others have clearly been busts such s Bobo White by Washington in 1934 or Curly Jones by the New York Gothams in 1932. The verdict is still out on others such as Bob Arman, taken by Boston in 1942 or Roy Schaub, selected by the Detroit Dynamos in 1944. So yes, you can win big taking a pitcher with the top pick but it is also a very risky endeavor when compared to selecting a position player first overall.
In comparison there is really just the one bust in Karl Stevens when you like at position players selected first overall although Dick Blaszak is looking like he may join that group soon. Note that Charlie Ross and Frank Bunch Jr. cannot be counted as official number one picks because they were selected during a special draft phase with a lottery assignment of top ranked players instead of an actual draft.
Comparing those two lists above. Among the pitchers the two Barrell's and Joe Hancock had outstanding careers and the verdict is still out on Arman, Stallings, Steinberg, Schaub and of course Ledbetter. Injury ruined what could have been a great career for Tommy Wilcox and it is clear that Jones, White and Carroll are not going to deliver much. On the hitters side there is a better success rate. Wheeler will be a Hall of Famer. Pestilli potentially could be a Hall of Famer but if not he still joins a very good group with Moss and Harry Barell as multiple all-star game players. Even Flint is not a bad choice, at least compared to some of the arms selected #1 overall like White and Jones. Adams Jr and Riggins appear to have very bright futures. Ignoring Ross and Bunch and you are left with a complete bust in Karl Stevens and a likely bust in Dick Blaszak. Being selected first overall is never a guarantee of FABL stardom but we would suggest selecting a hitter with the top pick is a slightly less risky proposition.

***First Round Continues ****

The rest of the first round selections made at press time surprisingly did not include any pitchers in the top 10. The two highly touted college shortstops both went in the top 8 selections led by second team All-American Irv Clifford of Charleston Tech going second overall to Pittsburgh. A pair of power-hitting corner infielders in St Louis high school third baseman Ken Newman and Bronx, NY high school 1B John Morrison were chosen third and fourth by Brooklyn and Detroit with the Chicago Cougars rounding out the top five with another New York high school ballplayer in centerfielder Jerry Smith.

THE NEXT AL WHEELER

Comparing anyone to legendary slugger Al Wheeler is a tough ask but that was the first name that popped into this columnist's head upon hearing the Detroit Dynamos had selected New York high school slugger John Morrison with the fourth overall pick in the draft. Morrison is an 18 year old, born in Pennsylvania but grew up in the Bronx, and has perhaps the most power potential of anyone in the draft. Being a righthanded version of Al Wheeler at the plate would be quite a sight to see at Thompson Field with its short 298-foot wall along the leftfield line.

The league scouting service says the light of Morrison's star could be blinding with his combination of plus power and plus contact potential. Dynamos scouting director Fred Barrell won't go as far to compare him to his old teammate in Brooklyn, noting "no one is Al Wheeler except for the Wonder Wheel himself" but does believe Morrison, at his peak, could develop into a Tim Hopkins, Chuck Adams type player. "If all breaks right, John could be a franchise conrnerstone at first base for us, noted Barrell.

Hmm. A comment like that certainly makes us remember the Dynamos had one of those just a few years ago, but he is now displaying his talents at Gothams Stadium.

*** Cajun Crusher Proves Critics Wrong****

So much for any thoughts that Hector Sawyer was washed up. The 32 year old world heavyweight champion was in complete control of his bout against top ranked challenger Mark Fountain Saturday night at the Thompson Palladium and claimed a knock out victory to retain the title he has held since winning it the same building in 1940. The fight lasted 12 of its scheduled 15 rounds but was over well before that as the Cajun Crusher was the clear scorecard winner of ten of the first 11 rounds, with Fountain being credited with claiming just the fourth round -and only by one judge as the other two declared that round a draw.

Sawyer, was surprisingly subdued in the ring immediately after the bout, perhaps simply taking a moment to feel vindicated after there had been so much talk that he had lost a step and his career was on the downswing. His long-time manager Chester Conley, on the other hand, was yelling, back slapping anyone in reach and smiling like the cat that ate the canary upon seeing that his meal ticket was still very much the best fighter in the world.

Afterwards the champ was quite reflective, talking like a fighter who felt the end was near rather than the dominating force that he once more proved he was in the ring. He was far more interested in taking a trip down memory lane than he was breaking down that evenings fisticufs.

"I just love the Palladium," mused Sawyer in a quiet moment. "I will never forget the noise of the crowd when I beat (Jochen) Schrotter in 1940 to win the belt. I mean, they were great tonight, but nothing will ever compare to that experience. It was not just me against him. It was our way of live against the Nazis. That is a fight I will never forget."

*** Motors Stalled ***

At least someone was having success at the Palladium. The primary tennant -the Detroit Motors hockey club- has fallen apart the past three weeks. It took them 8 games this month to get their first win and that was only because the Montreal Valiants have been just as bad and somebody had to win Saturday. Detroit went right back to its losing ways yesterday with a 4-3 loss in New York.

The Motors are still in a playoff spot -at least for now- holding a 1-point lead on 4th place New York and 4 up on the slumping Valiants but local ice fans know all too well the disappointment each of the last two campaigns have brought. Detroit missed the playoffs by a single point a year ago and were actually tied for fourth two years ago but lost out on a tie-breaker. Amazing what a terrible change of fortunes John Connelly's boys have had in the past month. Everyone was celebrating when the Motors beat Toronto on Christmas Day and moved to first place in the league. Less than a month later, making the playoffs is becoming a big concern and road games against the bottom two teams in the league -Brooklyn and Toronto- are as close to must-win as you can get at this time of the year.

• Between Adwell Award winner Les Ledbetter going first to Toronto and Cincinnati selecting Tony Britten out of Kit Carson University 11th, the FABL draft did not have a pitcher selected. If it seems like it has been a long time since only 1 pitcher went in the first 10 selections that is because it is. The last time that happened was in 1923 when Baltimore selected Rabbit Day 5th overall and the next pitcher to be chosen was Jim Wilson by Cleveland with the 12th pick. The only other two times just one pitcher went in the top ten was in 1917 (Eddie Baker 10th to Brooklyn) and 1913 (Red Adwell 8th to Pittsburgh).
• Last season five of the top 10 picks were pitchers including 3 of the first four selections in John Stallings (Chiefs), George Reynolds (Sailors) and Larry Beebe (Cleveland)
• Nice to see the Sailors grab a hometown kid in Philadelphia native Al Farmer, who was a 2-time first team All-American as a second baseman at Amarillo Methodist.

SAWYER SHUTS DOWN FOUNTAIN AS HEAVYWEIGHT KING REIGNS SUPREME

Mark Fountain was ready, or at least he said he was. The heavyweight challenger had said the champion, Hector Sawyer, was ducking him. As Sawyer enters another year at the top of the heap and cements his legacy as one of the best knockout artists of all time, it seems like Sawyer just wanted to feather his nest and take the money. Sawyer is the puncher he always was.

Fountain wanted Sawyer and after tonight’s bout at the Thompson Palladium in Detroit, he definitely got him. Sawyer dominated throughout the night, culminating in a technical knockout in the 12th round.

Sawyer took control from the start and never let up. Fountain only took one round – the fourth – according to one judge and the other two judges scored that round a draw. It was not even that Fountain won that round, the round was close because the big punch that Sawyer displayed all night long did not connect. But, that was only one round. In the other eleven rounds, the hits came early and often.

At the opening bell of the fight, Sawyer charged at Fountain, as if it was a direct response to Fountain’s pointed accusations in the press. About two minutes into the first round, Sawyer delivered a wake-up call with a big combination that stunned the challenger and put him back on his heels.

Sawyer was imposing and cornered Fountain time and time again. By my count, there were 11 occurrences of one fighter “trapping” or “cornering” the other fighter into a corner and Sawyer was the aggressor nine times.

The partisan crowd that witnessed a successful Sawyer title defense against Leo Carmichael knew what they were watching. The crowd rocked with every major blow and it was an easy night if you were a Sawyer supporter. The intensity heightened in the final minute the penultimate 11th round, as Fountain tried to get aggressive. Fountain tried to unleash a flurry of punches, but Sawyer answered a body shot that surely made Fountain ponder his future as a fighter. At the tail end of the round, a hard combination to Fountain’s head knocked the fighter off-balance and he dropped to the canvas for a quick one-count.

Sawyer’s performance in the final round was a continuation of the end of the previous round, with the volume of the crowd hitting a crescendo in the middle of the round. Sawyer opened a cut on a combination upstairs thanks to a wayward right that connected on Fountain’s left eyebrow. Still stunned from that combo came another one, causing Fountain to wobble at the knees and also causing first-time title match referee Jimmy Duncan to threaten to stop the bout.

About a minute later, Sawyer hit Fountain right on the button at the end of yet another combination and down went Fountain. Although he reached his feet after a four-count, he was unsteady. The physician inspected the challenger and allowed the fight to continue, but Fountain’s corner, surely looking after the well-being of the man, threw in the towel to stop the fight.

To sum up the evening statistically, Sawyer missed more punches (23.08 per round on average) than Fountain attempted (22.50 per round on average). Fountain was accurate with his shots, but they were infrequent and did very little damage, only connecting on an average of 16 shots per round, compared to almost 30 per round for Sawyer.

Sawyer moved to 55-3-1 with an unbelievable 50 by knockout or technical knockout. Fountain’s record dropped to 21-3-1 with his tail tucked firmly between his legs.
I am unveiling the brand-new Bologna Big Bopper statistic and it helps tell the story of just how dominating the Cajun Crusher was throughout the bout. Fountain did not score one “big bopper”, which I define as a major punch that did damage, while Sawyer had at least one in 11 of 12 rounds and totaled 21 “big boppers”.

Round 1: Sawyer 2-0 (1:59 combo, 2:29 right/jaw)
Round 2: Sawyer 2-0 (1:06 combo, 1:48 uppercut)
Round 3: Sawyer 1-0 (2:08 uppercut/head)
Round 4: Sawyer 1-0 (0:41 uppercut)
Round 5: Sawyer 2-0 (0:40 cross, 1:45 hook/midsection)
Round 6: Sawyer 2-0 (0:28 hook/head, 0:52 cross)
Round 7: Sawyer 2-0 (0:52 hook/head, 2:49 hook/midsection)
Round 8: Sawyer 1-0 (2:40 right)
Round 9: None
Round 10: Sawyer 2-0 (1:41 hook/body, 2:56 cross)
Round 11: Sawyer 3-0 (0:33 combo, 2:27 jab/body, 3:00 combo/knockdown)
Round 12: Sawyer 3-0 (1:05 cross/head, 1:20 combo, 2:12 combo/chin/TKO)
TOTAL: Sawyer 21, Fountain 0

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Jan 30- Union City, NJ: Rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (7-0) vs John Bolton (0-0)
• Feb 13 - New York City: Middleweight contender John Edmonds (21-2) vs Jack Rainey (22-3)
• Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
• Feb 24- Waterbury,Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March TBA - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)

SHAMROCKS MOVE INTO FOURTH PLACE

The New York Shamrocks are suddenly the hottest team in the NAHC and in the running for their first playoff appearance in 4 years. With 19 games remaining in the season the Shamrocks find themselves in the fourth and final playoff spot thanks to recent stretch that saw them take 13 out of a possible 16 points with a 6-1-1 record. The Greenshirts have picked up the pace ever since the trade that brought veteran center Laurel Albers to the Big Apple from Toronto. The 30 year old has 19 points in 15 games since joining the Shamrocks.

Albers acquisition gives New York secondary scoring which may have taken some of the opponents focus off the big line of Orval Cabbell between Gil Corbiel and Tom Brescia. Cabbell has moved up to second in the NAHC scoring parade with 33 points and is tied with Chicago's Tommy Burns for the goal lead at 18.

Speaking of Burns, if there is a team that is on a hotter streak than the Shamrocks it would be the Chicago Packers. Since the calendar has turned to 1947, almost everything has gone the Packers way. They've won six of their seven January games, including a stretch of five straight that ended with a 3-2 win over the first place Boston Bees. This brought the Packers within two points of first with two months left in the regular season. The offense continues to be a strength, as the Packers became the first team to top the 100 goal mark this season. Tommy Burns ranks first in points (38) and is tied for top spot in goals (18) while third in assists (20), but he's not the only Packer in the top 5. Marty Mahoney ranks 4th in points (30) and second in assists (23) while Wes Burns (14) is fifth in goals. With four teams making the playoffs, the Packers and Bees seem to have spots secured, but it should be an exciting race between these two teams to capture homefield in the playoffs.

Going the other way you have the Detroit Motors and Montreal Valiants. The Motors were briefly in first place as December came to a close but have been awful in January, struggling to a 1-7-1 record on the month. Montreal has not been much better, going 2-7-0 since December 31st.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
TUESDAY JANUARY 14
New York 4 Detroit 1
Laurel Albers (NY) 1 goal/3 assists

THURSDAY JANUARY 16
Chicago 7 Montreal 1
Ed Delarue, Marty Mahoney and Pete Moreau 3 points each for Chicago
New York 2 Boston 1
Shamrocks are 5-1-1 in last 7 games

SATURDAY JANUARY 18
Detroit 7 Montral 4
Motors snap 8-game winless streak with highest goal total of season. Graham Comeau has 5 point night
Boston 6 Toronto 5
Bobbie Sauer 2 goals in final 3 minutes (and 3 in total) but not enough for his Dukes

SUNDAY JANUARY 19
Chicago 3 Boston 2
5 straight wins for Packers
New York 4 Detroit 3
Four wins and a tie in last 5 games for Shamrocks, who move into 4th place.
Toronto 4 Brooklyn 0
Backup goalie Terry Russell with 27 save shutout

GAMBLERS, CLASSIC TILTS IMPERIL COLLEGE GRID, AIAA IS WARNED

The President of Minnesota Tech told delegates at the American Intercollegiate Athletic Association convention that he regretted the "Great Lakes Alliance had succumbed to the football classic craze." The GLA last Fall signed a 5-year agreement with the West Coast Athletic Association to send its champion to Santa Ana, Calif, for the East-West Classic.

In his speech the head of Minnesota Tech also declared that "intercollegiate football is ready for a killing by the gamblers and when that killing takes place it will rock our big stadiums to their very foundations." He added that Classic games "are not a help to protect football from evil influences."

The AIAA delegates will receive a five-point program that was drawn up at the convention in which the colleges that make up the organization are asked to apply sanctions against the schools which do not live up to code.

*** Pure Amateurism Urged ***

The threat of a schedule boycott would be the means of enforcing the basic code of amateurism in athletics, according to the recommendations drawn up by the AIAA's "conference of conferences" at the meeting. The principle of amateurism not only reaffirms the standard Amateur Athletic Union and Olympic definition of an amateur, but also adds that "any college athlete who takes pay for participation in athletics does not meet this definition of an amateur." Under this principle, room and board, usually supplied to scholarship athletes is outlawed unless an athlete actually works for it.

The Deep South Conference, which permits athletic scholarships including room and board, books and other necessities, is held up as the principal nonconformist group. However, the Deep South schools had previously indicated they would consider a change to their rules to conform with any adopted by the AIAA.

Other principles focused on institutional control and responsibility, sound academic standards for athletes, preventing undercover subsidies to players and finally a decree that no member of an athletic staff may engage in off-campus solicitation of students or offer financial aid to prospective students.

*** FBI Plan To Combat Gambling Also Tabled ***

The AIAA also heard a recommendation that all sports, amateur and professional co-operate in the formation of an FBI agency to police athletics in an effort to curb gambling. It also called for the AIAA to seek more stringent State and Federal statutes on gambling and specifically recommends that Congress be asked to enact a law making attempted bribery of a player a Federal offnce. This after there were charges a prominent New York gambler was involved in an alleged attempt to 'fix' last months American Football Association championship playoff.

ST BLANE CAGERS FOLLOWING IN FOOTSTEPS OF GRID SAINTS

The St Blane Fighting Saints won the school's first national championship in collegiate football this season and now there is plenty of excitement around the Latrobe, Pa., campus that the cage Saints may have a chance to also challenge for a national crown. While the football squad has been among the best in the AIAA for many years, the basketball team has taken a back seat and has never even won a single game in the year end cage championship tournament.

The Fighting Saints reached the tournament a year ago -for just the third time in school history and the first since 1928- but made a hasty exit with an opening round loss to Detroit City College. Just over a week ago the Saints got a small measure of revenge by beating the Knights 43-39 and they followed that up with wins over Strub College and College of Omaha this week to run their season record to 16-3 and break into the top five in the AIAA basketball poll for what is believed to be the first time in history after January 1st.

The scary thing for the rest of the AIAA is this St Blane club is full of underclassmen and likely to be even better next year. Their top three scorers in center Josh Samuels (10.0 ppg), forward Cy Worley (9.2) and guard Jim Canaday (7.3) all will be back next season and freshman forward Brian Threadgill (4.5 ppg) is rapidly improving.

Being an independent the Saints actually have a fairly easy slate of games remaining with only Huntington State presently ranked in the top 25 among St Blane's remaining opponents. The school record for wins in a season is 23 set in 1927-28 and with a 16-3 mark presently the Saints might just establish a new school standard.


RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY JANUARY 13
at #22 Central Kentucky 43, Maryland State 30
#24 Huntington State 52, at NW New York State 46
#21 Mobile Maritime 36, at Western Florida 29
at #4 St. Blane 33, Strub College 25
at #9 CC Los Angeles 54, Kansas Agricultural 27
at #16 North Carolina Tech 41, Opelika State 33
at Georgia Baptist 47, #17 Lexington State 41
#2 Liberty College 44, at St. Gordius 28
#6 Indiana A&M 39, at Fond du Lac 22
TUESDAY JANUARY 14
at #15 Bronx Tech 25, Central Carolina 24
at #8 Chesapeake State 48, Brookland 30
at #12 Central Ohio 53, Granville 44
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15
#7 Lane State 49, at Mississippi A&M 33
at #1 Rainier College 49, Opelika State 31
at #9 CC Los Angeles 51, El Paso Methodist 38
at #3 Carolina Poly 60, St. Patrick's 58
at #14 Western Iowa 38, College of Omaha 29
at #2 Liberty College 58, St. Matthew's College 31
#19 Great Plains State 45, at Smithfield College 40
THURSDAY JANUARY 16
Golden Gate 52, at #23 Redwood 44
at #6 Indiana A&M 54, North Shore 47
at #8 Chesapeake State 56, University of New Jersey 37
at #17 Lexington State 45, Armstrong 31
#22 Central Kentucky 48, at Chicago Poly 30
FRIDAY JANUARY 17
at Ohio Poly 42, #20 Detroit City College 35
#5 Noble Jones College 48, at St. Patrick's 45
at #4 St. Blane 42, College of Omaha 36
at #19 Great Plains State 55, Wyoming A&I 46
at #21 Mobile Maritime 40, Potomac College 27
#2 Liberty College 46, at Flint 26
at #13 Coastal California 43, St. Martin's College 32
SATURDAY JANUARY 18
#18 Bayou State 51, at Brooklyn State 42
#25 Whitney College 52, at Chicago Poly 41
at #15 Bronx Tech 46, Harper College 45
at #16 North Carolina Tech 52, El Paso Methodist 37
at Richmond State 51, #12 Central Ohio 48
SUNDAY JANUARY 19
at #13 Coastal California 45, #23 Redwood 43
at Idaho A&M 35, #9 CC Los Angeles 24
at #11 Northern California 48, Portland Tech 21
at #1 Rainier College 47, Spokane State 38
at #7 Lane State 46, Custer College 35
at #21 Mobile Maritime 60, American Atlantic 45
at #22 Central Kentucky 40, Needham 38
#24 Huntington State 46, at Penobscot State 38

• In a predawn coup backed by National Guard officers and State highway patrolmen, Herman Talmadge, son of the deceased Governor-elect, seized Georgia's executive department and denied Ellis Arnall admission to the Governor's office or the official residence. Georgia's governor has been undecided since Eugene Talmadge, who ran unopposed, died last month before taking office. Arnall, the outgoing governor had stated he would remain in office until a successor was sworn in.
• The Senate Republican Policy Commttee voted unanimously to support continuance of the War Investigating Committee for a year.
• The Senate Labor Committee will hold hearings, starting January 23, on all bills intended to reduce industrial strife.
• Like America, England has been hit with a wave of strikes. The latest forced government troops and sailors to move strikebound for to hungry Londoners after truckmen and dock workers walked off the job.
• Legislation has been introduced to Congress calling for maximum penalties of $10,000 fine and 10 years in prison for any person attempting to bribe athletes or officials in interstate athletic contests.
  
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January 27, 1947
 

JANUARY 27, 1947

CANNONS DRAFTEE BRITTEN LIVING OUT FATHER'S DREAMS

The first round of the 1947 FABL draft concluded with a higher than usual number of collegiate players being selected but less pitcher than normal. The draft saw six college players go in the first round when only four were taken in the first 16 picks a year ago. A year ago, there were 5 pitchers drafted including 3 in the first four selections. This time around only three hurlers were tabbed in the opening round. Excluding 1938, which had a special players lottery format, the last time as few as three pitchers went in the opening round was 1923.

One player who qualified on both counts for the above notes was Tony Britten, a 20-year-old righthanded college pitcher from Kit Carson University. The New York City native realized a dream is father had hoped to achieve - being drafted by a FABL club. Oscar Britten spent 3 seasons at Washington DC High School and a fourth with Boston High during the old feeder league era. Exclusively a reliever over his 4 seasons of school ball, the elder Britten was not drafted out of high school and moved on to Brooklyn State to continue his education and pursue his dreams of a baseball career. Unfortunately, the ball career came to a premature end when he suffered an arm injury in camp before his first college season but twenty-three years later his son Tony, following a dominant sophomore season for the Mountaineers that saw him post a 12-3 record and earn second team All-American status, realized his father's dream when he was selected 11th overall by the Cincinnati Cannons.

CHANGES COMING FOR CANADIAN CLUBS?

It has not been a year to be proud of for fans of the two Canadian NAHC teams. The Toronto Dukes have gone from first to worst after posting the league's best mark a year ago, and the Montreal Valiants -picked to be a Challege Cup contender this season- have struggled of late.

The Dukes troubles actually began in the playoffs a year ago when they made a hasty exit in the semi-finals courtesy of the fourth place Valiants. Since then, things have gone from bad to worse for head coach Norb Hickey and his Toronto club. There is still time to turn it around and make the playoffs this season, but a 10-2 blowout loss at home to Detroit yesterday brought the problems to the forefront.

There are questions all over the organization with the biggest one perhaps be regarding Hickey himself. It is hard to believe that Toronto would can a coach who won them a pair of Challenge Cups in the past three years but Dukes management has made no secret that big changes may be coming. Another prime scapegoat for the lost season has to be goaltender Gordie Broadway as just a few months removed from a Juneau Trophy the 32 year old is having the worst season of his career and the Dukes have allowed more goals than any other club this season after allowing the fewest -and by a wide margin- a year ago when they went 31-9-8.

While much of the blame lies with Broadway, you have to also consider the fact that the Dukes erred in their decision to allow arguably their two best defensemen in Bryant Williams and Joe Todd, to leave for Detroit over the summer. Frank Featherstone -when healthy- and JC Martel have done a decent job as the top pairing, but Toronto has very little blueline depth beyond those two.

The situation is nowhere near as bad in Montreal with Valiants slumping, but still with a point of the New York Shamrocks and the final playoff spot. We all know what Montreal did a year ago when the finished fourth by just a single point and then went to the finals where they gave Boston a scare before falling in six games. The issue in Montreal is firmly placed on the goaltending of Millard Touhey. The 30-year-old was in Coach Danny McLachlan's doghouse right from the start of camp when he showed up out of shape. He has been terribly inconsistent at times, and downright awful for much of January and there have been rumours out of Montreal saying change is coming.

The trade deadline has come and gone so the Valiants will not be able to add another goaltender to their roster -although there is some speculation an off-season swap of tenders sending Gordie Broadway to the Valiants might be a wise move for both clubs if they each continue to struggle. For now, McLachlan's only choice for a change between the pipes is to give backup Andy Backlund more playing time. The 24-year-old has certainly outplayed Touhey in limited starts this season and has a winning record. Perhaps we will see more of Backlund going forward.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
Tuesday January 21
The only game on the schedule saw the Boston Bees snap the New York Shamrocks 5-game unbeaten streak with a 4-2 road win at Bigsby Gardens. Tom Brescia lead the Bees attack with a goal and an assist. The Shamrocks also lost their leading scorer Orval Cabbell with an ankle injury. Fortunately the New Yorkers have a light schedule ahead and he will likely just miss one game.

Thursday January 23
The other team, besides the Shamrocks, that was on a hot streak saw it cooled off as well as the Chicago Packers saw their 5 game winning streak come to an end with a 5-3 road loss in Brooklyn. Quinton Pollack scored twice for the winners while NAHC scoring leader Tommy Burns had a pair for the Packers. In the other Thursday evening game the Montreal Valiants won a rare road game with Clarence Skinner's second goal of the game coming with just 3:21 left to provide the margin of victory in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Dukes. The Valiants are just 4-10-1 on the road, worst in the loop.

Friday January 24
A big road win for the Detroit Motors who may have turned things around after a terrible start to the month. Detroit went 8 games without a victory before beating Montreal last Saturday. The Motors have won two out of their last three after a 2-1 win in Brooklyn. Dave Bradley assisted on both Detroit goals while Henri Chasse outdueled Tom Brockers in the nets.

Saturday January 25
The last place Toronto Dukes have won two of their last three after holding off the Valiants 3-2 in Montreal. Bobbie Sauer's 15th goal of the season helped the Dukes to a 3-0 lead with Rosie McInnis assisting on all three Toronto goals. Gordie Broadway has struggled at times this season but the veteran Dukes netminder was solid on this night, turning aside 30 Montreal shots.

Sunday January 26
Six teams were in action on a busy Sunday night. The Chicago Packers dumped the New York Shamrocks 5-1 behind two goals from Wes Burns. The victory moves the Packers to within two points of first place Boston after the Bees were trimmed 3-2 by the visiting Brooklyn Eagles. Quinton Pollack notched his league high 21st goal of the season for the Eagles. The final game of the night was a rout as the Detroit Motors drove into Dominion Gardens and hammered the Toronto Dukes 10-2. Bill Woodley, who had just three goals all of last season, scored 3 times in this game and rookie Bobo Davis scored the first two NAHC goals of his career while also adding 2 assists. After the loss the Dukes General Manager was livid, stating emphatically "Out shot 49-17 in a 4-3 loss to Montreal then humiliated by the Motors, winds of change are blowing across Lake Ontario. Too late this season but no one is safe on the staff or roster of the Dukes."

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
TUESDAY JANUARY 28
Boston at Chicago

THURSDAY JANUARY 30
Brooklyn at Chicago
Toronto at Detroit

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 1
Toronto at Chicago

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 2
Boston at Brooklyn
Chicago at Toronto
New York at Montreal

LIBERTY COLLEGE RETURNS TO TOP OF CAGE CHART

Rainier College's 15 game winning streak came to an end with a 54-47 loss in Los Angeles against Coastal California yesterday. The loss not only ended the Majestics hopes for an unbeaten season but also knocked them out of the top spot in the collegiate cage rankings as Liberty College overtook Rainier for number one. Indiana A&M also fell in section play last week, leaving college basketball once again with no unbeaten teams. The Reapers stumbled badly in the Great Lakes Alliance opener, ending a 13-0 run to start the season with a 36-24 loss at home to the Knights. Things got even worse for the Reapers two days later when they lost again Saturday, falling 45-41 on the roa at Linclon College.

Liberty College improved to 20-3 on the year and moved back to the top of the polls with another independent in St Blane also cracking the top three. The Bells only game last week was a 57-19 romp over Tinker College keyed by Waylon Orick's 16 points with Ward Messer and Mort Knighten also scoring in double figures in the game. St Blane improved to 18-3 with wins over Middlesex and East Missouri Seminary last week.


RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY JANUARY 20
Baton Rouge State 50, at #13 Miami State 42
TUESDAY JANUARY 21
at #20 Great Plains State 61, Dudley 36
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22
at #1 Liberty College 57, Tinker 19
THURSDAY JANUARY 23
#22 Wisconsin State 44, at #18 Western Iowa 40
#17 Detroit City College 36, at #14 Indiana A&M 24
at #6 Central Ohio 67, Whitney College 58
at #15 Mobile Maritime 40, #4 Carolina Poly 32
#10 North Carolina Tech 53, at #9 Chesapeake State 48
at #24 Columbia Military Academy 43, Central Carolina 35
#16 Lexington State 38, at Bulein 26
at #12 Bayou State 45, Bliss College 35
at #21 Central Kentucky 47, #20 Great Plains State 38
FRIDAY JANUARY 24
at Spokane State 48, #8 Lane State 47
Custer College 45, at #23 Northern California 35
at #2 Rainier College 39, Redwood 29
at #5 CC Los Angeles 40, #11 Coastal California 36
#19 Texas Gulf Coast 41, at Arkansas A&T 35
#3 St. Blane 49, at Middlesex 31
SATURDAY JANUARY 25
#6 Central Ohio 36, at St. Magnus 34
#22 Wisconsin State 45, at St. Ignatius 28
#18 Western Iowa 44, at #17 Detroit City College 41
at Lincoln 45, #14 Indiana A&M 41
#19 Texas Gulf Coast 57, at Red River State 37
Brooklyn Catholic 44, at #25 Bronx Tech 21
Maryland State 52, at #7 Noble Jones College 49
at #9 Chesapeake State 61, Bluegrass State 53
at #24 Columbia Military Academy 50, American Atlantic 40
SUNDAY JANUARY 26
at #11 Coastal California 54, #2 Rainier College 47
#8 Lane State 49, at Redwood 46
at #5 CC Los Angeles 41, #23 Northern California 29
at #12 Bayou State 52, Queen City 33
at #3 St. Blane 45, East Missouri Seminary 34
#20 Great Plains State 49, at Springfield State 40

MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP MELANSON SETS DEFENSE DATE

ABF world middleweight champion Frank Melanson has confirmed he will face Nick Harris on Saturday March 15 at New York's Bigsby Garden. The champ, at 31-0-2 last fought in October when he knocked out previously unbeaten European champion Edouard Desmarais in the 3rd round of a fight scheduled for 15 rounds. This fight will also be a 15-rounder for the Pittsburgh native and will mark his fourth title defenses since his surprise upset of Archie Rees to claim the middleweight crown in June, 1945.

Melanson's opponent this time will be Harris, a 32 year old Rhode Island native with a 19-2-1 mark, who has not lost since 1939. The latest of Harris 14 consecutive wins was an 8th round knockout of Don Phillips last October.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Jan 30- Union City, NJ: Rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (7-0) vs John Bolton (0-0)
• Feb 13 - New York City: Middleweight contender John Edmonds (21-2) vs Jack Rainey (22-3)
• Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
• Feb 24- Waterbury,Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middlweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)

• Herman Talmadge and the Lt. Gov of Georgia M.E.Thompson have both agreed they will abide by whatever the courts decide in the controversy to fill the state's Governor role after Talmadge's father died between being elected Governor and taking over the position.
• General George C. Marshall arrived in Washington to assume the role of President Truman's Secretary of State.
• Communist-dominated government bloc parties appear to have won 80% of the seats in the Polish parliamentary elections. However, US election observers say they found many violations of Polish law in the vote.
• The death toll has reached 437 after a Greek steamer sank 20 miles east of Athens after striking a war mine.

February 3, 1947
 

FEBRUARY 3, 1947

CUBAN DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE COMES TO CLOSE

Havana to Face Manzanillo in Today's Title Game

FABL's first venture to the Caribbean proved to be quite a success as the inaugural season of the Cuban Winter League comes to a close with the loop's championship game set for today. The league gave a number of top prospects from each organization the opportunity to test their skills against a little higher level of competition than they likely saw in the minors last year. The purpose was to allow some of the young talent an opportunity to get a head start in proving to their organization's that they deserve a good, long look in spring camp. In that regard, a number of players stepped up and others perhaps revealed that they are not quite as ready as had been hoped.

Among those who clearly stepped up is Chicago Cougars third base prospect Otto Christian. The 24-year old is a top 50 prospect and coming off a solid year in AA so he is certainly no secret, but the 'Walla Walla Walloper' manhandled Cuban loop pitching to the tune of 14 homers and a .554 slugging percentage. He led the CWL in long balls and rbi's with 39 -numbers that will make it tough for Cougars brass not to heavily consider having Christian replace Hank Barnett at the hot corner for the club this season.

The Cuban batting crown went to Billy Forbes of the Philadelphia Sailors. Forbes hit .362 in 42 games with Holguin, cementing his role in the Sailors outfield although he already has 51 games of big league ball under his belt from last season despite being just 21 years of age.

The champion of the Cuban League will be determined today as the Havana Sharks and Manzanillo Palms hook up in a winner-take-all one game title contest today in Manzanillo. The visiting Sharks are represented by players from the Cincinnati Cannons and Detroit Dynamos while the Palms are comprised of New York Stars and Philadelphia Keystones prospects

FABL DRAFT CONTINUES

Here are the 16 players selected in round two of the draft. Each of these players, just as the rest of the players in the 8 rounds decided upon in January, will remain in school for this season before negotiating deals with the team that drafted them at the conclusion of the college and high school ball seasons in June.

PACKERS TAKE OVER NAHC LEAD

A busy week which saw the Chicago Packers win 3 games and tie a fourth giving them a 9-1-1 record in their last 11 games has boosted the Packers to the top of the NAHC standings. The Packers have 42 points on the season, two more than Boston although the Bees do have a pair of games in hand. The Chicago franchise has been around since the start of the 1925-26 season but has never finished in first place, even during the days of the two division format. The are also the only active NAHC club to have never lifted the Challenge Cup.

Chicago star Tommy Burns is riding a 13 game point scoring streak and threatening to rewrite the league's record book. His 24 goals and 50 points -both league highs- put him on a pace to threaten the modern day single season records in each of those categories. Toronto's Gil Nagle is the loop's only 30 goal scorer since 1940 while Sam Koger's 66 points for Toronto in 1943-44 is considered the modern standard.

Tommy Burns has a 14 point lead on the next highest total, which happens to belong to his brother and left winger Wes Burns (19-17-36). The right winger on the most prolific line in the league is Marty Mahoney (8-25-33) and he presently sits in a tie for 6th place in the NAHC scoring parade.

LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday January 28
The top two teams in the league met at Lakeside Auditorium and did not disappoint, as the Boston Bees and Chicago Packers skated to a hard fought 3-3 tie. The big guns for each team -Tommy Burns of the Packers and the Bees Tommy Hart- each had a goal and an assist in the game. Pierre Melancon made 31 saves in the Boston net while Norm Hanson turned aside 25 of the 28 shots he faced for Chicago.

Thursday January 30
The Packers were back at it as they continued a busy week that would see them play four times in a six day span. This one was also at Lakeside Auditorium and Tommy Burns was the hero, netting the game winner with less than 5 minutes remaining to lift Chicago past the Brooklyn Eagles 4-3. Ed Delarue scored twice for the winners while Eagles rookie sensation Quinton Pollack had 3 assists in a losing cause. In Detroit, the Motors concluded a terrible January with a strong 3-game winning streak that culminated in a 5-1 drubbing of Toronto just 5 days after the Motors scored 10 goals in game in Toronto. Dave Bradley scored twice and added an assist to pace the Motors.

Saturday February 1
A quiet Saturday evening with just one game as the Toronto Dukes, licking their wounds after leaving Detroit, headed to Chicago and were beaten for the fourth time in the last five games. falling 3-1 to the Packers thanks to third period goals from Chicago's Tommy Burns and Ian Groening. The Packers outshot the Dukes 50-21 and only an outstanding effort by Gordie Broadway in goal for the Dukes prevented a rout. The Chicago win lifted the Packers into sole possession of first place, two points up on idle Boston.

Sunday February 2
The Chicago Packers have gone 10-2-1 since New Years Eve with the latest victory being a 5-2 triumph over Toronto to complete the home-and-home sweep of the Dukes. Wes Burns had 2 goals and an assist to move into second in the league point race and his brother Tommy scored his NAHC leading 24th goal of the season moving the star center to within 4 goals of his career best mark established last season when he won the McDaniels Trophy as the league's top player. Tommy Burns is also within 8 of Gil Nagle's modern day record for goals in a season with 42 for Toronto in the 1941-42 campaign.

In other Sunday action the Boston Bees kept pace with the Packers by doubling the Brooklyn Eagles 4-2 at Prescott Arena. Benton Walston led the way for the Bees with 2 goals and an assist. Finally in Montreal, the Valiants and the visiting New York Shamrocks each played their only game of the week. The New Yorkers, led by assists on both goals from Tom Brescia, trimmed the Valiants 2-1 to move 3 points ahead of Montreal in the race for the fourth and final playoff berth.

THE WEEK AHEAD
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4
Boston at Montreal
Brooklyn at New York

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6
Montreal at Detroit
New York at Chicago

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
Montreal at Brooklyn
Toronto at Boston

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9
Chicago at New York
Detroit at Boston
Brooklyn at Montreal

AROUND THE LEAGUE

• Burns 13-Game Point Streak Propels Packers to First - While part of the reason the Chicago Packers have overtaken the Boston Bees for first in the NAHC is because they've played two extra games, but a lot can be credited to Tommy Burns. The star center has recorded a point in 13 consecutive games, including a goal and an assist in a 4-3 Packers win over the Eagles on his 27th birthday. In that 13 game stretch, he's recorded 23 points and the Packers have gone 12-2-1 in that stretch. More recently, Wes Burns has been even hotter, with three goals and assists in his last three games. The brothers ranks #1 and #2 in points, with Tommy's 50 14 points higher then Wes'. The brother duo has been crucial for the Packers, leading them to a +42 goal differential, the only differential in the league above 15. - Archie Irwin/Chicago Daily News.
• Motors Garage is a Mess -Despite success on the ice, rumours out of Detroit are the dressing room is a mess with plenty of in-fighting. A number of different cliques have sprung up and the room is very fractured with talk that the biggest cause for concern is in what one source termed an "intense dislike" for each other between first line center Garrett Ferrar and brash rookie Bobo Davis. Davis -the club's first round selection in July- has loads of talent but seems determined to make sure everyone else knows just how good he is. So far the team has been winning -except for a terrible first half of January- so coach Mark Moore has not seemed overly concerned. However, a bad stretch to finish the season resulting in another narrow playoff miss may see some major off-season moves for the club. - Dan Urbanski/Detroit Times.
• Speaking of locker room harmony. The Toronto Dukes are now getting along just fine after the trade of Laurel Albers to the New York Shamrocks. Albers is not said to be overly popular in the New York room either but the Shamrocks are winning games and he is producing. Toronto had a lot of in-fighting but that cleared up as soon as Albers left for the Big Apple. The problem is the Dukes may be getting along with each other, but they are still awful this season and on a course to finish last after owning the league's best record a year ago.
• The Greenshirts are glad they have Albers offense, but the club is just hanging on now with number one center Orval Cabbell dealing with a series of nagging injuries. New York is trying to end a playoff drought that has reached 4 years and is 3 points up on Montreal for the final post-season berth but the health of the veteran Cabbell may be the difference whether the Shamrocks make the playoffs or not. The 29 year old leads the team with 35 points - a total that already matches his output from the entire season a year ago- but he has been hobbled by two different leg injuries over the past 10 days.
• The Montreal Star has been calling this a 'lost season' for the Valiants. They are close to where they finished last season when they ended up fourth by only a single point and then knocked off Toronto in the semi-finals before succumbing to Boston in six games for the Challenge Cup. With that post-season success came enhanced expectations for this year and in that regard the campaign has certainly been a disappointment.
• Rumours are coming out of Brooklyn that the Eagles may fold at the end of the season. The club has significantly improved its product on the ice and is only 4 points out of a playoff spot after winning just 2 games all of last season. However the club is averaging just 7,551 fans per game -far and away the lowest in the league- and owner Edward Faberge claims he is operating at a substantial loss again this year.

LIGHTBODY CHOOSES ALABAMA BAPTIST

Highly touted Louisiana high school basketball star Les Lightbody has committed to play for Alabama Baptist next season. The 18 year old center, who is a cousin of the famous baseball playing Lightbody's announced his decision last week after debating over a number of schools including Mississippi A&M where his cousin's Doug and Frank excelled on the diamond before going on to long FABL careers. A third cousin, Jim Lightbody, is still active with the Brooklyn Kings.

Les is ranked the 3rd best high school senior in the nation, trailing only New Yorker Mel Turcotte -who will attend Carolina Poly next year - and Darryl Baugher, a Chicago native committed to Western Iowa. That leaves just Ned Jeske, a guard from Philadelphia, yet to declare his college plans for next season among the top 30 collegiate cage prospects.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY JANUARY 27
#11 Miami State 56, at North Carolina Atlantic 33
#1 Liberty College 51, at Narragansett 37
TUESDAY JANUARY 28
at #2 St. Blane 63, Grant (IN) 38
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 29
at #16 Great Plains State 40, North Central (NE) 28
#1 Liberty College 51, at Meade 32
#25 Alabama Baptist 42, at Orrville 40
THURSDAY JANUARY 30
at #13 Western Iowa 41, St. Ignatius 35
#6 Central Ohio 42, at Wisconsin State 31
at #12 Detroit City College 52, Minnesota Tech 42
#17 Indiana A&M 49, at #22 Whitney College 44
#21 Lambert College 50, at Laclede 39
#10 North Carolina Tech 41, at Alexandria 26
#19 Lexington State 33, at #24 Columbia Military Academy 31
#15 Chesapeake State 40, at Central Carolina 37
Coastal State 48, at #5 Carolina Poly 35
#18 Mobile Maritime 38, at Charleston Tech 35
at #2 St. Blane 46, Brookland 30
at #11 Miami State 45, Commonwealth Catholic 34
FRIDAY JANUARY 31
at #9 Coastal California 30, #20 Northern California 28
at #8 Lane State 46, #4 Rainier College 36
at #3 CC Los Angeles 52, Spokane State 33
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 1
#25 Alabama Baptist 46, at Mississippi A&M 39
at #7 Noble Jones College 64, #14 Bayou State 54
at #13 Western Iowa 40, Minnesota Tech 38
#17 Indiana A&M 35, at Wisconsin State 32
at #6 Central Ohio 57, St. Ignatius 34
at #12 Detroit City College 51, St. Magnus 24
#22 Whitney College 59, at Lincoln 45
#21 Lambert College 37, at Perry State College 36
#18 Mobile Maritime 37, at Coastal State 32
at #10 North Carolina Tech 44, Cowpens State 39
Central Carolina 51, at #19 Lexington State 41
at #5 Carolina Poly 44, #15 Chesapeake State 35
#24 Columbia Military Academy 35, at Richmond State 12
at #23 Huntington State 41, St. Pancras 35
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 2
#9 Coastal California 41, at Idaho A&M 33
#20 Northern California 53, at #4 Rainier College 45
at #8 Lane State 47, Portland Tech 36
#3 CC Los Angeles 50, at Custer College 27
at #11 Miami State 44, Strub College 20
#16 Great Plains State 64, at Needham 47

RUTLEDGE WINS AGAIN

Louisville Lightning Danny Rutledge improved to 8-0 as a professional by notching the seventh knockout of his career. the 22 year old Kentucky native's latest victim was Memphis John Bolton, a noted amateur pugilist from the south who clearly bit off more than he could chew in his pro debut. The fight, slated for 6 rounds at the Union City Gardens ended in four with Bolton, like most of Rutledge's other opponents, flat on his back.

Rutledge has long been ticketed for greatness and billed by many to be one of a young duo threatening to make the welterweight division relevant. The often overlooked weight class received a jolt in September, 1944 when Rutledge and fellow promising youngster Mac Erickson staged a thrilling bout in England on a card that featured an exhibition from Hector Sawyer and a world middleweight title fight for Archie Rees. The young welters, with Pvt. Rutledge representing the Army and Seaman Erickson the Navy, stole the show with a bloody 12 round slugfest that ended when Rutledge knocked out Erickson in the 12th round.

Erickson recently improved to 12-0 as a professional and there is talk of a rematch of that 1944 bout but at this stage both have their eyes focused squarely on current ABF world welterweight champ Mark Westlake.

MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDER GILL BACK ON TRACK

Todd Gill was back in the ring last week and scored a majority decision over Nathan Sears in a battle of fighters who each had a chance at the middleweight title. Sears had his shot back in 1941 when he was knocked out by Archie Rees in a fight for the title that was vacant at the time. The 32 year old native of Gary, Ind., did not fight again until after the war and has not fared well -losing to Bob Hinkle and Nick Harris before battling Ron Norton to a majority draw in October. The hard-luck continued for Sears in losing a close decision to Gill, dropping his record to 19-5-1.

Todd Gill famously had two title fights with Frank Melanson in October 1945 and then last May. The first was declared a draw with Melanson retaining his title in the rematch with a 15th round TKO. Gill resurfaced in Hawaii in October but had another draw, this time with Junior Shaw, before getting back in the win column with the decision in Columbus, Oh. over Sears. Gill is now 21-2-6.


UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Feb 13 - New York City: Middleweight contender John Edmonds (21-2) vs Jack Rainey (22-3)
• Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
• Feb 24- Waterbury, Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)

• The United States broke off efforts for establishing peace in China with the news that most of the American forces and Marines in that country will be withdrawn. They had been there to help enforce ceasefires between the Chinese government and rebel Communist forces.
• Connecticut Senator McMahon, says he suspects Russia is developing "an atomic fission plant" in the Ural Mountains as American and Soviet officials are debating plans for world-wide atomic control and disarmament.
• Meanwhile a New Hampshire Senator charges that Russia is attempting to turn Germany into a "satellite and ally" and urged new Secretary of State Marshall to stand firm at the forthcoming Foreign Ministers' Conference in Moscow.
• Republicans aim at a minimum 10 per cent slice in President Truman's $37,500,000,000 budget.
• Improved US relations with Argentina appear to be on the horizon after word that the Argentine government soon will 'clean up satisfactorily' the question of ridding the country of Axis agents.
• The United States has formally accused Poland of breaking its pledge of free elections.
  
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February 10, 1947
 

FEBRUARY 10, 1947

BALL HALL PLANS TO ADD MEMBERS

Baseball's Hall of Fame plans to expand for the first time in three years as up to 5 players will be added to the sport's shrine in Boone County, Illinois. That is the word from FABL officials, who revealed a list of 14 candidates for Hall of Fame voters to consider.

The group is split equally between players from the so-called modern era (post 1925) and the early stars of the game. The Hall presently numbers 28 -26 former players, league founder William Whitney and executive Jefferson Edgerton.

HALL OF FAME CLASSES BY YEAR
1937: Allan Allen, Max Morris, Charlie Sis, Powell Slocum, John Waggoner
1938: John Dibblee, Mike Marner, Woody Trease, Ed Ziehl, George Theobald (as a manager) and William Whitney (executive)
1939: Zebulon Banks, Rankin Kellogg, Calvin Kidd, Joe Ward and Ossie Julious (as a manager)
1940: George Johnson and Edward Wakeham
1941: Jack Arabian and Charlie Wilson
1942: Thomas Watkins and Jefferson Edgerton (executive)
1944: Bill Craigen, Jim Golden, Jim Jones, Jimmy Massey, Fred Roby and Bill Temple.

Here are the candidates for consideration this year.

MODERN-ERA

CHARLIE BARRY -3B- 1924-40. Barry started and finished his career with the Boston Minutemen but enjoyed his best seasons during a 5 year stint with Cleveland in which he helped lead the Foresters to back to back pennants and the franchise's only World Championship Series win. That came in 1934 when Barry was dealt to Cleveland at the trade deadline. He would win his only batting title two years later and was an all-star selection the first three years of the mid-summer classic. A sound defensive third baseman, Barry could also hit, batting .335 for his career with 2,323 hits in 1,820 career FABL games.

T.R. GOINS - C 1923-38. Goins is considered by many to be the best catcher of the modern era. He began his career with the Washington Eagles and would spend a decade in the nation's capital, helping the Eagles win the WCS in 1923 as a rookie and claiming a Whitney Award in 1926 when he hit .395 -the highest average prosted by a catcher since 1903. In 1933 he was dealt to the Cleveland Foresters where he teamed with Hall of Famer Max Morris to lead the Foresters to back to back pennants and the 1934 WCS title. Goins won his second Whitney Award in 1934 and made the all-star team 4 times. He is the career leader among catchers in most major offensive categories including hits (2,622), homeruns (270), batting average (.336) and games played (2,025)

JOHN LAWSON- 3B 1927-42. 'Jack the Ripper' was an 8-time all-star who also won the Whitney Award three times. He spent his first 9 years with the New York Stars before finishing up with 7 seasons as a Chicago Cougar. Lawson won 4 Continental Association batting titles, led the loop in hits 5 times and is one of just 14 players to record at least 3,000 career hits (3,060). He is also tied for 11th all-time with 269 career homeruns and 6th in doubles with 558.

PETE LAYTON -2B- 1923-38. Layton's bio could be summed up in one word. "Winner". The Oregon native played on six World Championship winning teams and was named Series MVP twice. He is the career WCS leader in hits and runs scored and won all 6 WCS he played in. A .333 career hitter, Layton twice led his league in batting average including as a 38 year old in 1938 which would end up being his final season. A long-time New York Star, he was delt to the Chicago Chiefs at the deadline in 1936 and hit .370 down the stretch to help lead the Chiefs to a WCS win over Brooklyn, something they would duplicate 2 years later. He ended up playing 1993 career FABL games, notching 2,506 hits and was a 4-time all-star. He recently returned to the game as General Manager of the Portland Green Sox of the Great Western League.

DOUG LIGHTBODY- OF- 1926-42. 'The Mississippi Mouth' made history at the dawn of the modern era when he went right from the campus of Mississippi A&M to the big leagues. He had perhaps the greatest half-season of any modern era rookie when he hit .356 and seemed like the favourite to win the Whitney Award in 1926 as he lead Brooklyn to the top of the Continental Association. Unfortunately, in what would become an all too common occurrence in his career, Lightbody missed the second half of his rookie campaign with an injury. He returned in 1927 and won the first of his two CA batting crowns while also being named Whitney winner following a .384 campaign. He would lead the league in triples twice and runs three times but it seemed every time he was just starting to hit his stride another injury would pop up. Lightbody played just 1,766 career games and managed to collect 2,055 hits to go with a .335 career batting average but his final few seasons he was just a spare part and cut loose by Brooklyn, Lightbody finished up with stops with the Cannons and Keystones.

CHARLIE STEDMAN -P- 1926-42. Stedman won 250 games in a career that took him from Montreal, to the New York Stars, to Boston and finally Pittsburgh. He only won as many as 20 games in a season just twice in his career and had a losing record four times but a lack of run support throughout his career earned him the nickname 'Hard-Luck Chuck'. A three-time all-star, Stedman won the CA Allen Award in 1929 and finished second in voting for Fed honours a decade later.

DAVE TROWBRIDGE - 1B- 1923-1943. Just imagine what numbers 'Father Time' could have put up in his career had he been a regular in his twenties. Trowbridge did not play more than 68 games in a year until his age 29 season when the Pittsburgh Miners dealt him to the New York Stars. Once he got in the starting line-up, Trowbridge rarely left, playing an amazing 151 games as a 44 year old in 1943 and finishing with 2,923 career hits in 2,405 games. A four-time all-star who won a pair of WCS titles with the Stars, Trowbridge won a batting title in 1940 at the age of 41. He is also the career FABL leader in doubles with 601.

OLD-TIMERS

JOHN COOK -2B- 1902-19. Much of what you need to know about Cook can be gathered by simply noticing his nickname was 'Scoops". Arguably the best defensive second baseman of all-time, Cook was a key figure on the Boston Minutemen dynasty that won 5 straight pennants and 2 WCS from 1902-06. He would win a third WCS title in 1912 before leaving Boston to finish out his career in Brooklyn. Cook had 2,505 hits, 454 steals, 806 RBIs, 1,180 runs, and 421 extra base hits with a .953 fielding percentage.

CHARLIE FIRESTONE -P- 1912-19. Much like Hall of Famer Jim Golden, Charlie Firestone was a dominant pitcher in his twenties but never pitched in the big leagues after age 31. Looking at his numbers for 1915-16 it is hard to imagine anyone ever pitching better than Firestone, who had back to back 35-7 seasons for the Montreal Saints with a sub 2.00 era. He threw a no-hitter, was the MVP of the 1915 WCS, fanned at least 300 batters in three different seasons, won at least 28 games five years in a row and finished his career with a 210-103 record and 1881 strikeouts in 2898 innings. He was never injured but was washed up by age 31. The question for Hall of Famer voters on Firestone is was his half a dozen seasons as the best in the game enough to earn him an invite to Boone County?

JOHN "DOLLY" JONES -OF- 1893-1904. Jones hit .420 in 1895 and was a key piece of FABL's first power team - the New York Gothams of the 1890s. He helped the Gothams win 3 WCS titles including the very first one in 1893. He broke in as a 21 year old with New York but was moved to Boston 4 years later and, except for a brief 26 game stint with Pittsburgh in 1904, was out of the big leagues before turning 30. In all, Jones would play just 1,224 games but collected 1,752 hits.

JACK LONG -P- 1902-19. Long is one of just two pitchers (Aaron Wright is the other) with at least 325 career wins but not in the Hall of Fame. He pitched in an era when pitchers would get 50 starts a season and he lost more games than he won 7 seasons of his career so that might diminish Long's 339 wins when you consider he also lot 322 games. His career which began with 11 seasons with the Chicago Cougars before spending his final 7 years in Toronto is a testament to durability: only the legendary Allan Allen started more games as a pitcher than Long's 700.

GEORGE MELVIN -SS- 1891-1909. Only two shortstops, Hall of Famers John Waggoner and Calvin Kidd, had more hits in their FABL careers than the 2,716 Melvin amassed with Cincinnati, Washington and Cleveland over his nearly two decade long career. He led his league in rbi's once and stolen bases once and is 7th all-time with 686 career thefts but it was his work in the field that Melvin is best remembered for. He had more double plays turned (864) then errors (803). His .932 fielding percentage isn't great, but this was in the 1890s and 1900s when they didn't really have gloves.

FREEMAN ROGERS -OF- 1886-1906. Rogers won 4 league titles in the early days before FABL was formed. 'Big Free' began his career in Providence and finished it with Detroit but spent the bulk of it with the Washington Eagles. Despite playing in just 1,679 games, Freeman still record 2,293 career hits and a lifetime .332 batting average.

AARON WRIGHT -P- 1899-1915. Wright and Long are very similar. Wright went 341-300 over nearly two decades with Pittsburgh, Toronto and the Chicago Chiefs and like Long, he had 7 seasons in which he lost more games than he won. He had seven 20+ win seasons including a career best 29-11 for the Miners in 1906 but he never led his association in any of the pitching triple crown categories. Wright is third all-time in pitching victories and has been the starting pitcher for the fourth most games in FABL history.


JIGGS MCGEE'S BALLOT
It has been too long since the Hall recognized some more greats so I will put the maximum five names on my ballot. Two of them will be old-timers in George Melvin and Charlie Firestone. Melvin was an incredible defender, maybe the best shortstop of the pre-play era. As for Firestone, yes it was a very short career but it is hard to imagine anyone ever being better on the mound than Firestone was from 1914-1918 in Montreal.

The modern day list was tough to get down to three players. The time will come for Dave Trowbridge but it won't be this season. I am going with John Lawson and his 3,060 hits, the best catcher ever to play the game in T.R. Goins and a proven winner in Pete Layton. I suppose one could argue Layton just happened to be on the right teams at the right time but perhaps he was the main reason they were the right teams with 6 WCS wins, 2 WCS MVP plus 2500 hits.

HAVANA WINS CUBAN SERIES

The Havana Sharks have been crowned the first champion of the Cuban Winter League after Gordie Stevens smacked a dramatic 11th inning homerun to lift the Sharks to a 6-4 win over the Manzanillo Palms in the league championship game. Stevens, a 23 year old Cincinnati Cannons prospect who split last season between Class B and A, took Joe Quade deep in the top of the 11th after the Sharks had rallied for 4 runs in the ninth inning to tie the game.

The Sharks, supplied by players from the Cannons and Detroit Dynamos, had finished the regular season with 22 wins -the same as Cienfuegos- but were awarded top spot on a tie-breaker. Manzanillo, with prospects supplied by the New York Stars and Philadelphia Keystones, led the East and finished with the best overall record in the 8-team loop at 25-17.

VALIANTS SLUMP CONTINUES

Stuck in a losing skid that has reached six games, the Montreal Valiants are seeing their playoff hopes quickly fade away. The Valiants, who just slipped into the fourth and final playoff spot a year ago, ousting Detroit by a single point before going on to sweep Toronto -the team with the best regular season record in the loop a year ago- in the semi-finals and then make a spirited push against Boston before falling in six games, had very high hopes entering this season. However, a toothless offense and terrible defensive play has seen this season turn into a terrible disappointment for the Valiants. Only Toronto, which has fallen from the league's best record to the worst this time around, has overshadowed the Valiants in failing to live up to expectations.

Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Eagles continue to be the surprising story of the campaign. The Eagles, winners of just 2 games a year ago and only 17 over the previous 4 seasons, are on pace to surpass the 17 victory mark this year alone. Brooklyn has won 3 straight games and moved into a tie for the fourth and final playoff spot with their cross-town rivals from New York. If successful in their playoff push, it will be the Eagles first trip to the postseason since the spring of 1938.

Brooklyn always had strong goaltending in the incomparable Tom Brockers but they have finally surrounded him with some talent after the club raided the Great Western League for some of the coast loop's top performers. The arrival of Quinton Pollack (25-15-40) and Sam Coates (10-22-32) has given the Eagles a much needed scoring touch while newcomer Alexandre Veins, acquired from Detroit, has teamed with Ryan Kennedy to give Brooklyn a solid top defensive pair. Add in Brockers, the 4-time Juneau winner who backstopped Boston to 3 Challenge Cups, and is coming off back-to-back shutouts of Montreal over the weekend, and the Eagles are soaring high.

LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday February 4
Wilbur Chandler had a goal and an assist while Pierre Melancon stopped all 19 shots he faced as Boston blanked Montreal 3-0, pulling the Bees back even with Chicago for first place in the NAHC. In New York, Quinton Pollack scored his 24th goal of the season to pull into a tie with the Packers Tommy Burns for tops in that category as the visiting Brooklyn Eagles downed New York 3-1.

Thursday February 6
Two teams heading in the opposite direction met in Detroit as the Motors won their fourth in a row by nipping Montreal 5-4 and handing the Valiants their fourth straight loss. Garrett Ferrar paced the Motors attack with 3 goals. The Chicago Packers missed a chance to regain sole possession of first place after Etienne Tremblay and the New York Shamrocks shut them out 4-0. Joe Martin and Adam Greenham each had a goal and an assist for the Greenshirts, who outshot the Packers 36-17 and brought an end to the Packers Tommy Burns' -the league points leader- scoring streak at 13 games.

Saturday February 8
A fifth straight loss for the Montreal Valiants who are shut out 3-0 by Brooklyn with Tommy Brockers making 26 saves in net for the Eagles. Quinton Pollack took over the league lead with his 25 goal of the season while also adding an assist in the win. Boston built a 4-1 lead on Toronto after 40 minutes and hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Dukes despite a pair of Trevor Parker goals for Toronto. Wilbur Chandler and Tommy Hart each had two points for the Bees, who move two points ahead of Chicago into sole possession of top spot in the NAHC.

Sunday February 9
Boston and Chicago each win so the Bees lead on the Packers remains at 2 points. In New England, Wilbur Chandler scored twice and added an assist as the Bees beat visiting Deroit 5-2 while in New York Marty Mahoney scored three times and Tommy Burns added a goal and an assist in the Packers 5-1 win over the Shamrocks. The third game on the schedule saw Brooklyn's Tom Brockers blanked Montreal for the second night in a row as the Eagles beat the Valiants 3-0 to move into a fourth place tie with the New York Shamrocks.

UPCOMING GAMES
Tuesday February 11
Boston at Detroit
Montreal at New York

Thursday February 13
Chicago at Montreal
New York at Boston

Friday February 14
Detroit at Chicgo

Saturday February 15
Montreal at Boston
Toronto at New York

Sunday February 16
Chicago at Brooklyn
Detroit at Montreal
New York at Toronto

SECTION RACES HEATING UP

As the collegiate basketball schedule enters its final four weeks of the regular season the battle for section champions is picking up the pace with a number of surprising showings, both good and bad, coming from the major conferences. Before we take a look at the races in each of the big four conferences let's take a stop in the northeast where the storied schools of the Academia Alliance, while no longer relevant in the national pciture, always wage a ferocious battle.

The big surprise at the midway point of the Academia eight comes from New Hampshire where Grafton is a surprising 6-1 in section play after recent wins over Henry Hudson, defending champion Brunswick and on the road ovr Sadler. The only blemish on the Scholars record is a 51-31 blowout loss to the Ellery Bruins, who are favoured to claim the conferences tournament berth.

In the Great Lakes Alliance Indiana A&M has fallen on hard times after the Reapers entered section play with a perfect 13-0 mark. Four losses in six games, including a 1-3 mark at home, has derailed A&M's tournament hopes but they can get back on track with a win at home against Central Ohio next week. The Aviators have reeled off six straight section wins including a 59-49 defeat of arch rival Detroit City College yesterday and are looking to win the GLA title for just the second time in school history.

The West Coast Athletic Association is stacked with talent this season and four of its teams are ranked in the top ten. Rainier College has won each of the last three section titles after bringing to an end a long stretch of dominance by the two Los Angeles schools. Lane State presently leads the way at 6-1 in section action including wins last week over both CCLA (40-38) and Coastal California (54-46). To illustrate the unpredictability of the coast loop, the Emeralds lone conference loss came to lowly Spokane State.

The other two power conferences are in the south where last week brought us another chapter in the decades old feud between North Carolina Tech and Carolina Poly. The Techsters have had the better success rate in the early going of section play this time around but the Cardinals grabbed the local bragging rights with a 63-34 blowout win when the two met on Thursday in Durham. Mobile Maritime, which won the section last year and in 1941-42, is the only school to break the Poly/Tech hold on the conference crown over the past decade and the Alabama school is looking for its third straight invite to the national tournament. However, back to back losses to Alexandria and Central Carolina last week will not help the Middies.

The Deep South Conference gets a little later start on section play than the other big groups and play has been quite balanced in that section of late with 3 different champions in each of the last three years inclduing Bayou State last season. The Cougars reached the national tournament last season for the first time in nearly two decades but a 64-54 loss to Noble Jones College in their section opener had the Cougars starting conference play on the wrong foot. The Colonels won the section two years ago and with non-conference wins over Central Ohio and North Carolina Tech already on their resume, Noble Jones College might be the Deep South's best hope to win a national crown for the first time since Opelika State cut down the netting in March of 1927.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY FEBRUARY 3
no games scheduled involving top 25 teams
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4
at #13 Great Plains State 47, College of Cairo 46
Eastern State 51, at #14 Miami State 43
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5
#10 Bayou State 37, at St Andrews College 35
at Northern Mississippi 46, #7 Noble Jones College 38
#17 Huntington State 37, at #6 St. Blane 36
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6
#12 Western Iowa 43, at #18 Indiana A&M 29
at #4 Central Ohio 60, Lincoln 46
at #23 Whitney College 56, #19 Detroit City College 44
Alexandria 42, at #20 Mobile Maritime 39
#21 Maryland State 51, at Columbia Military Academy 38
at #5 Carolina Poly 63, #11 North Carolina Tech 34
#22 Lexington State 55, at Charleston Tech 49
#15 Chesapeake State 50, at Richmond State 42
at #25 Bronx Tech 49, Manhattan Tech 41
at #14 Miami State 47, Golden Gate 36
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7
#3 Rainier College 55, at Idaho A&M 35
at #24 Northern California 52, Spokane State 34
at #2 Lane State 40, #8 CC Los Angeles 38
#16 Redwood 46, at Custer College 33
#9 Coastal California 43, at Portland Tech 40
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
at #10 Bayou State 54, Georgia Baptist 51
at #7 Noble Jones College 43, Western Florida 35
St. Ignatius 37, at #18 Indiana A&M 29
at #4 Central Ohio 59, #19 Detroit City College 49
at #23 Whitney College 45, Wisconsin State 38
#12 Western Iowa 41, at Lincoln 35
at #11 North Carolina Tech 43, Charleston Tech 35
Coastal State 49, at #22 Lexington State 47
Columbia Military Academy 32, at #15 Chesapeake State 31
#21 Maryland State 46, at Alexandria 36
at Central Carolina 60, #20 Mobile Maritime 59
at #25 Bronx Tech 29, Garden State 24
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9
#2 Lane State 54, at #9 Coastal California 46
at #16 Redwood 52, #24 Northern California 40
Portland Tech 48, at #8 CC Los Angeles 47
#3 Rainier College 59, at Custer College 36
#17 Huntington State 50, at Elyria 37

FOUNTAIN TALKS IN RING BOARD PROBE OF ATTEMPTED BRIBE

Heavyweight Mark Fountain goes before the New York State Athletic Commission this week to explain why he failed to report a $100,000 bribe offer to throw a fight that was never held.

Fountain, who recently failed in his bid to take the World Heavyweight Title from Hector Sawyer in Detroit, was reportedly close to finalizing a bout with Roy Crawford for last September but pulled out because he said
he was still feeling some health issues after suffering a hand injury in his win over Matt Price last June. Crawford then pivoted and arranged a fight with Scott Baker.
The bribe attempt, according to Fountain, was said to have the East Side slugger 'lay down' in his fight with Crawford. Fountain said he considered the offer, made while plans for the bout were still in the 'talking stage', so ridiculous that he did not deem it worthy of reporting to officers.

"We were working hard on getting the shot at Sawyer at the time," explained Fountain. "No way I was going to take a loss and put that into jeopardy."

Fountain says he did inform the New York district attorney but their investigation went 'nowhere.' so he quickly forgot about the offer. He added he likely could have fought Crawford in September but 'embellished' his hand injury 'just in case' out of fear someone might suffer financial loss by betting on Crawford in belief the bout was fixed.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Feb 13 - New York City: Middleweight contender John Edmonds (21-2) vs Jack Rainey (22-3)
• Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
• Feb 24- Waterbury,Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)

• President Truman has called on Congress to grant limited extension of the Second War Powers Act in a move to retain authtority to ration sugar and allocate grain and other foods in short supply and a handful of materials. The act is set to expire on March 31.
• Truman also urged bipartisan support in Congress for the United Nations, warning that world hopes for lasting peace built up by "great progress" of the UN during the past year can still be "betrayed and lost."
• Russia is still using 95 ships turned over to the Soviets during the war under a lend-lease agreement. The United States has repeatedly requested the ships be returned but the Soviets have not responded. Russia had 126 ships in total under the agreement, of which 26 were returned and 4 were lost during the war.
• Admiral Marc Mitscher, commander of the Atlantic Fleet, died in hospital at age 60 following a heart attack. He was the wartime boss of famed Task Force 58 which played havoc with the Japanese.
  
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February 17, 1947: Hall of Fame Class Revealed
 

FEBRUARY 17, 1947

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTS FIVE NEW MEMBERS

The ranks of the baseball Hall of Fame have swelled to 33 with news that the Boone County, Il., museum will welcome five new members to the fold. The induction ceremony, set to take place later this summer, will be the first for the baseball hall since six former players were inducted as part of the 1944 class.

The newest members are T.R.Goins, John Lawson and Pete Layton along with early era players George Melvin and Charlie Firestone. Here is the full list of Hall of Famers
A brief release from Boone County summed up the balloting: "Five players are inducted: T.R. Goins, John Lawson and Pete Layton from the human era and George Melvin and Charlie Firestone from the pre-play era. Goins was named on all ballots but one and Lawson was next, edging Layton by one vote. Every player on the ballot received at least one vote except for Charlie Barry. Amongst those failing to be elected, Dave Trowbridge, Charlie Stedman, John Cook and Aaron Wright all received at least two votes."

Goins becomes the first catcher to be elected to the Hall although George Theobald was also a big league catcher but was elected primarily based on his accomplishments as a manager. Lawson joins the great Joe Ward as third baseman in the Hall along with Ossie Julious but, like Theobald, Julious went in for his work as a skipper. Pete Layton adds the Hall of Fame to a list of accomplishments that includes what is believed to be a record 6 World Championship Series rings.

The biggest omission from this year's class has to be Dave Trowbridge although some also felt that Doug Lightbody and Charlie Stedman also deserved enshrinement. Trowbridge will likely make it next year while Lightbody and Stedman may also one day get the call.

Firestone was perhaps the most polarizing selection due to his short career. He joined the Montreal Saints in 1912 at the age of 24 and for the next half dozen years he was arguably the best pitcher to ever play the game - maybe even better than the great Double Al, Al Allen. Firestone won 199 games between 1912 and 1918 and 3 more in the World Championship Series. However, he would win just 11 more in his career as he was a victim of the influenza epidemic over the winter of 1918-19. He survived, but never fully recovered and went from a 20-15, 2.02 era in 1918 to just 11 wins and an era of 4.29 the following season, which would end up being his last as a big leaguer.

KNIGHTS SIGN FORMER CHIEFS INFIELDER

The Los Angeles Knights have confirmed that 35-year-old infielder Elmer Hutchins will play for the club next season after signing a one year deal worth a reported $31,200 that makes him the highest paid player on the team and is the second richest contract in the brief history of the Great Western League. Only Ken Mayhugh of Dallas -another former Chicago Chief- will be paid more than Hutchins in 1947 -barring another high priced-free agent signing by the western loop.

Hutchins was released by the Chiefs despite starting 97 games in their middle infield last season. He hit .247 a year ago but is a career .293 hitter in 300 FABL games. Hutchins is the second FABL cast-off signed by the Knights this winter, joining outfielder Joseph Mills who appeared in 11 games for the Philadelphia Sailors last year.

• Charlie Firestone contracting the flu virus in 1918-19 may well have been the key reason for the Philadelphia Keystones revival and win in the 1927 WCS. The sad-sack Philadelphia Keystones had acquired Firestone in a major deal with the Saints in July of 1918 and his collapse helped prolong the suffering for Keystones fans who almost exclusively resided in the second division from 1900 until their resurgence began in 1924.
  
  The Keystones had been awful for most of the previous18 years, taking up near permanent residence in the bottom depths of the second division, when the 1918 trade to acquire Firestone from Montreal was made. Had Firestone not been stricken, he probably would have continued to pitch quite well in Philadelphia. He alone likely would not have been the difference maker to win a pennant but instead of 5 straight last place finishes from 1920-24 it is not hard to imagine with Firestone's help the Keystones at least challenging for the middle of the pack. And if that happened it is a near certainty that Rankin Kellogg (and a couple of other first/2nd overall picks like Lee Smith) would not have been Keystones. No Kellogg and quite likely no 1927 WCS win for the Keystones, and maybe none of their other 4 pennants either.
• Staying with Firestone, the now 58 year old recently signed on with the Chicago Chiefs as their first base coach where he will work with fellow Hall of Famers Joe Ward, who is the Chiefs long-time manager, and Jim Golden, who was also recently hired to be the Assistant General Manager.
• 25 year old pitcher Tom Richardson, who made 8 relief appearances with the Gothams last season, has been signed to a minor league contract by the Philadelphia Sailors. The righthander was a 22nd round pick of the Gothams in 1939.
• Another former Gotham was recently released by the Detroit Dynamos. Harry Frenette made just 1 appearance in New York last season but is 6-7 with a 4.32 era over 24 games the past five seasons. The 30 year old Canadian was originally a 5th round pick of Detroit in 1935 but was dealt to the Gothams in 1940. New York had released him and Detroit claimed Frenette on waivers but cut him after selecting Cincinnati righthander Jesse Bowen in the rule 5 draft.
• Speaking of the Dynamos, owner Powell Thompson is opening the purse strings a bit. He is happy with the direction we are going in Detroit and added another $70k to my budget for the season, putting us at $850k and tied for 9th in total budget.
• Expect some changes in New York where things will be tight for the Stars. Their total budget is $700k and current payroll alone $696,925, and that is players salary only so they need to fit staff and player development in to the budget somehow as well.

EAGLES FRANCHISE FACES FINANCIAL PERIL

While all associated with the Brooklyn Eagles are denying it, rumours out of New York continue to circulate that team owner Edward Faberge is seriously considering folding the franchise at seasons end as the financial losses continue to mount. It would not be the first time the club was nearly shuttered as it took a last minute move by Faberge, with assistance from Brooklyn Kings and Prescott Arena owner Daniel Prescott just to keep the club alive when it was on the verge of bankruptcy seven years ago with Bill Yeadon in charge and the club played out of Bigsby Garden.

On the ice this season has been the most successful campaign in years for the Eagles who are challenging for a playoff spot after winning just 2 games a year ago. Brooklyn has not made the playoffs since the final season of the old two division formet in 1937-38. The Eagles were not always bad -it just seems that way- as they did win the Challenge Cup in 1929 and reached the Cup finals on two other occasions, falling to the rival Shamrocks both of those times.

Faberge tried to make some changes to the team this year by signing their first round pick, defenseman Robert Sharpley, to a big contract and make some smart acquisitions at a reasonable cost from the coast loop in forwards Quinton Pollack, Sam Coates and Ian Doyle. The moves have led to success on the ice but not at the box office as the club remains dead last in attendance, averaging just over 7,500 fans per game. In contrast, Montreal and Chicago both average more than double that amount while Boston and Toronto are also drawing substantialy more paying customers than the Eagles, who are playing regularly before a Prescott Arena crowd that is nearly half comprised of empty seats.

There is always the chance that boosted by the added gate receipts a playoff appearance will bring -should the Eagles qualify- that Faberge decides to keep the team going. Another option is a relocation of the club, perhaps to Philadelphia where the minor league Rascals lead the Hockey Association of America in attendance and the Keystone Arena is large enough to house a big league club.

The NAHC has held steady at seven teams since the Montreal Nationals were shut down when New York Shamrocks owner Sam Bigsby purchased the struggling club, moved its top players to the Shamrocks and then folded the team. Could a repeat of that situation happen again with the Eagles?

DUKES SET TO MAKE CHANGE BEHIND THE BENCH

It seems assured that Norb Hickey's days as head coach of the Toronto Dukes are very close to coming to an end. The 46 year old led the Dukes to back-to-back Challenge Cup wins in 1944 and 1945 but being swept by the fourth place Montreal Valiants in the semi-finals last spring certainly did not go over well with Dukes owner David Welcombe. Hickey's job was still quite safe at the time but Welcombe brought in a new General Manager.

This season has been a nightmare for all involved with the Dukes as the club, after posting the best regular season mark in the NAHC a year ago, is all but assured of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1938 and could finish last for the first time since 1927-28 when they were at the bottom of the old Canadian Division.

Whether Hickey is allowed to finish out the season or will be fired in the coming days remains to be seen. It is clear that nothing short of a miracle run to reach the playoffs will save the coach's job and Tornto reportedly already has his replacement in mind.

*** Barrell Returning to Toronto? ***

Jack Barrell will almost assuredly be the next coach of the Toronto Dukes as the former long-time Dukes star player has been told the job is his. After an illustrious playing career, Barrell coached the Detroit Motors until a falling out with Motors owner John Connelly Jr. following the 1944-45 season led to his dismissal. Barrell resurfaced with Tacoma of the coast league but recently left that club to take a job with the Cleveland Eries of the Hockey Association of America. Cleveland just happens to have a working agreement with the Dukes and it is believed Toronto wanted Barrell nearby for when they pull the trigger to jettison Hickey. Barrell had led the Tacoma Lions to the top of GWHL with a 33-3-4 record when he abruptly left a week ago to accept the position in Cleveland.


LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday February 11
Tommy Hart scored with 1:08 remaining in the third period to allow first place Boston to escape Detroit with a single point and a 3-3 tie. In New York, the Shamrocks handed Montreal its 7th straight loss, blasting the Valiants 5-1 in a game they outshot Montreal 32-10. Laurel Alberts had 3 points for the Greenshirts while Tom Brescia added two goals.

Thursday February 13
The Valiants losing skid came to an end with a 4-3 win over Chicago at the Montreal Arena. Tony Narand scored the game winner and assisted on another goal while Marty Mahoney had 2 points and Tommy Burns scored for the Packers, who were playing without the third member of their big line, Wes Burns -out indefinitely with a broken jaw. In the other game this evening, George Anderson and Waldemar Rupp each had 3 points to pace Boston to a 4-1 win on home ice over the visiting New York Shamrocks.

Friday February 14
The lone Valentine's Day contest saw Norm Hanson make 30 saves to lead Chicago to a 2-1 win over Detroit. Jarrett McGlynn's 13th goal of the season, early in the third period, stood up as the winner.

Saturday February 15
Another win for the Boston Bees, who improved to 6-0-2 in their last 8 games and are 12-3-2 since the beginning of January after beating Montreal 3-0. Pierre Melancon had an easy time in the Boston net, facing just 16 shots for his 4th shutout of the season while Boston peppered the Valiants Millard Touhey with 41 shots on goal. In other action the Toronto Dukes snapped a 5-game losing streak and won for the first time in February, dumping New York 5-2 behind a goal and two assists from Trevor Parker.

Sunday February 16
Plenty of scoring on two fronts in a busy Sunday. New York blasted Toronto 8-0 in the back half of their weekend home-and-home series. Adam Greenham had 2 goals and 2 assists for New York with Gilbert Chandler picking up 4 helpers as Shamrocks backup goaltender Ronnie Flanagan earned his second shutout of the season. Chicago also lit the lamp 8 times as the Packers blasted Brooklyn 8-3 behind 3-point nights from Marsh Mansfield and Norm Fraser while in Montreal the visiting Detroit Motors doubled the Valiants 4-2 with defenseman Joe Todd scoring once and adding an assist for the winners.

UPCOMING GAMES
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18
Boston at Toronto
Brooklyn at New York

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20
Brooklyn at Chicago
Toronto at Montreal

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22
Montreal at Chicago
Toronto at Detroit

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23
Boston at Brooklyn
Detroit at Toronto
New York at Chicago

WERTH TOPS PRO PROSPECTS

With a major professional basketball league thriving, here is a look at the top college seniors who may be candidates for the pro draft this summer. It comes as no surprise that Miami State center Long Werth is leading the way. Werth, the local product for the Gulls out of a Miami high school, was the winner of the Barrette Award as the national player of the year last season as a junior and has been just as impressive this time around, averaging 14.2 points per game and 7.2 rebounds. His points total is second in the nation behind only Central Kentucky junior Charles Cleary, who is scoring at a 15.6 ppg clip.

Werth seems a likely lock to be the first name called in the pro basketball draft next June but there are other very talented players in the class. Marlin Patterson of Alabama Baptist will be a nice consolation prize for a team looking for a center. The Charleston, S.C., native was named the Deep South Conference player of the year as a sophomore but missed most of last season with an injury. He is back on track this time around, averaging 10.5 ppg and 7.6 rpg for the 13-8 Panthers.

If Werth does not go number one the other likely candidate is Jumbo Hinman of CC Los Angeles. A key force at both ends of the court for last year's national championship winning Coyotes squad, Hinman is one of the best defenders in the game while still scoring in double-digits.

Here are the top twenty college seniors in the eyes of pro scouts.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY FEBRUARY 10
at #5 St. Blane 58, Eastern State 44
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11
#17 Huntington State 62, at Orrville 47
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12
#9 Bayou State 41, at Mississippi A&M 39
at #1 Liberty College 50, Michigan Lutheran 36
at #14 Great Plains State 65, Oklahoma Bible College 37
at #23 Lambert College 43, Topeka State 39
#10 Miami State 52, at Johnston Tech 29
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13
at #11 Western Iowa 45, #6 Central Ohio 44
at #18 Indiana A&M 49, St. Magnus 41
at #20 Detroit City College 43, Lincoln 30
St. Ignatius 49, at #24 Whitney College 41
at #8 North Carolina Tech 58, Bulein 30
at #15 Mobile Maritime 48, Maryland State 39
at #16 Chesapeake State 58, Lexington State 41
#4 Carolina Poly 46, at Petersburg 30
at #25 Piedmont University 50, Eastern Virginia 46
#5 St. Blane 51, at Pittsburgh State 46
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14
#13 Coastal California 51, at Spokane State 40
#3 Rainier College 35, at #19 Redwood 30
at #2 Lane State 41, Idaho A&M 34
Custer College 49, at #12 CC Los Angeles 38
#22 Northern California 49, at Portland Tech 27
#21 Lubbock State 47, at Arkansas A&T 32
at #10 Miami State 51, Valley State 45
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15
at #9 Bayou State 36, Opelika State 35
at #7 Noble Jones College 59, Bluegrass State 37
at #6 Central Ohio 57, #18 Indiana A&M 49
#24 Whitney College 49, at #20 Detroit City College 40
#21 Lubbock State 50, at Red River State 47
#4 Carolina Poly 55, at Lexington State 37
#8 North Carolina Tech 50, at Petersburg 43
at Cowpens State 45, #16 Chesapeake State 36
#15 Mobile Maritime 44, at Bulein 38
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 16
Idaho A&M 52, at #13 Coastal California 42
at #19 Redwood 31, Custer College 23
#12 CC Los Angeles 42, at #22 Northern California 33
#2 Lane State 50, at #3 Rainier College 38

DRAFT DODGER RAINEY FALLS IN RING RETURN

After spending a year in jail for draft evasion Jack Rainey returned to the ring but found very few supporters in the Bigsby Garden crowd who heckled him all evening and roared with excitement when John Edmonds knocked him out in the 9th round of their middleweight bout slated for 10.

As much as the focus should have been on a showcase for the 28 year old Edmonds, the Indiana born fighter who is considered one of the top challengers to Frank Melanson's crown, it was instead squarely on the head of Rainey, and fans spent most of the evening calling for Edmonds to knock Rainey's block off.

Rainey, the 28-year-old New Yorker who used to be a hometown favourite and a little over 2 years ago was 21-2 and being talked about as a possible title contender, got into hot water with the Feds after falsifying deferment documents claiming he worked for a non-existent welding company. He spent a year in jail, before being released in December.

Edmonds improves to 22-2 and may well be next in line for a title shot following the Frank Melanson-Nick Harris bout which is slated for Bigsby Garden March 15.

FOUNTAIN WILL NOT FACE DISCIPLINE

The New York Boxing Commission has announced it is satisfied with its investigation into Mark Fountain's failure to report a bribe offer he received last fall to throw a fight that did not take place. Fountain will not receive a suspension nor any other discipline from the New York board after he termed 'ridiculous' and ignored an offer of $100,000 to throw a fight with Roy Crawford last September. Fountain, citing a hand injury, did not participate in the bout.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
• Feb 24- Waterbury,Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)

• A British General was shot to death and the US Embassy is under heavy guard after riots in Pola, an international Adriatic port and naval base awarded to Yugoslavia in the Italian peace treaty that was signed last week. Italian police and troops stand guard at both the American and British Embassies as thousands of Italians, angered by the treaty, demonstrated and demanded the Yugoslav flag, just raised, be pulled down.
• The greatest fuel famine in British history closes down more than half of the kingdom's industries while throwing more than 4 million workers into idleness. Prime Minister Attlee says he cannot forecast when the crisis will end.
• In his first meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Secretary of State, General Marshall reported that "the world is in a very critical condition" but refused to elaborate any further to newspapermen as he left the closed committee session.
• House Democrats warned Congress a pemature cut in funds for the armed forces might handicap American diplomats at the Moscow Peace Conference.
• A 21st century "Federal City" equal in size to the District of Columbia and adjoining it on the east, where 221,000 people would be living by the year 2000, is being quietly planned by the Government.
• The National Association of Manufacturers told Congress it opposes the Federal Government taking a role in labour disputes.
  
  https://i.imgur.com/wA5RJTh.jpg

February 24, 1947
 

FEBRUARY 24, 1947

KINGS ADD A PAIR OF VETERANS IN TWO DEALS

The Brooklyn Kings made a pair of moves to add veteran talent to what was the youngest roster in the league. Heading to Brooklyn will be 37-year-old third baseman Hank Barnett and 31-year-old righthander Johnny Slaney. The moves address two areas that Kings management had targeted as in need of an upgrade: starting pitching depth and a front-line third baseman.

Barnett is a 7-time all-star who won a Whitney Award with the Chicago Chiefs in 1942. He began his 16 year big league career as a 20 year old with Montreal in 1930 and most recently spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Cougars. The Cougars, with young phenom Otto Christian knocking on the door and a steady option in recently acquired Jim Jenkins to mind the hot corner if Christian needs a little more seasoning, were more than willing to part with Barnett after the veteran endured the worst offensive season of his career a year ago.

Brooklyn surrendered a pair of marginal pitching prospects in 21-year-old righthander Zane Kelly and 19-year-old southpaw Andy Felton to acquire Barnett. Kelly is a 1944 7th round pick while Felton was selected in the 15th round of the 1945 draft. Neither is considered a sure bet to make the big leagues one day.

The other move saw the Kings dip into their deep pool of outfielders and move 27-year-old Orie Martinez to the Cleveland Foresters in a 1-for-1 deal to acquire Slaney. Martinez, chosen 5th overall in the 1941 draft, was an everyday player in Brooklyn the final two years of the war but split last season between the Kings and AAA Jersey City, batting just .225 in 57 games with the big club. In 346 career FABL games, Martinez is a .279 hitter with 29 homeruns. He will likely be a starter in the Cleveland outfield for the upcoming season.

The one thing the Foresters did have was a surplus of pitching and with plenty of young arms looking to gain experience the club had a fairly easy decision in parting with the 31-year-old Slaney. Slaney had spent parts of 7 seasons with the Foresters but last pitched for them in 1944 when he went 14-12 with a 3.76 in a career high 31 starts. He missed the 1945 season while serving in the Navy and with the youth movement on the mound in full swing he spent last season in AAA, posting a 10-11 record with a 2.75 era in 32 starts for Rochester.

Aside from youngsters Leo Hayden, who won the Kellogg Award as the Continental Association's top rookie last season, and 24-year-old Clarence Barton there is plenty of room in the Kings rotation. Slaney is expected to be in the mix for one of the openings but will face competition in fellow 31-year-olds Rusty Petrick and Bunny Edwards as well as some other young prospects.

STAR-STUCK

Defending Champions Face Financial Quandary

In a stunning turn of events, the New York Stars, renowned for their triumphant prowess, find themselves entangled in a web of fiscal conundrums. The esteemed owner, Al Mielke, steadfast in his frugal disposition, seems resolute in subjecting the Stars to an arduous struggle to meet his exacting financial demands. This endeavor, if pursued, threatens to dismantle a team that secured its ninth glorious World Championship Series title a mere four months ago. A shadow of uncertainty looms over the Stars' future, as sources intimate that this season witnesses the owner plumbing new depths of austerity.

Reports have surfaced, revealing that the Stars' management has been bestowed a modest operational budget of $700,000 for the forthcoming 1947 campaign. Although an $80,000 increment from the initial projection, this allocation positions the Stars in the penultimate rung of the 16 revered FABL clubs, surpassed in frugality only by the hapless Cleveland Foresters. While this $700,000 figure would be straining for most FABL teams, for the Stars, who acquired a constellation of costly talent en route to their glorious triumph the previous year, it resounds as a somber death knell.

As it stands, the Stars' player payroll for 1947 hovers around $696,925, leaving them teetering on the precipice of their owner's imposed financial ceiling. Yet, this does not encompass the approximately $100,000 required to sustain the organization's staff throughout the season. Additionally, funds must be allocated for scouting endeavors, player development, and signing bonuses for their draft picks, although the absence of a first-round selection this year will slightly ameliorate this final predicament.

What, then, are the Stars to do? How shall they navigate the treacherous waters of cost reduction, slashing a staggering $150,000, and possibly even $200,000, from their expenditure?

Initially, it appears inevitable that a multitude of minor league prospects shall be cast aside, their dreams of ascending to greatness severed prematurely. Discarding individuals currently honing their skills in A or AA ball, such as the promising Vance Delisle, the illustrious George Hoyt, and the dexterous Russ Robinson, would result in a commendable saving of $25,500. In AAA, a staggering $124,425 is invested in 14 players presently assigned to Syracuse. Although parting ways with these seasoned minor league veterans would be a disheartening decision, it would, without impairing the cherished 25 players occupying the active roster, rectify a substantial portion of the financial shortfall.

Regrettably, if Al Mielke remains unwavering in his financial disposition, eschewing a miraculous change of heart and an infusion of much-needed capital, the only other recourse lies in dismantling fragments of their championship-winning ensemble. Within this cherished cadre of skilled athletes, certain redundancies persist, ripe for excision. For instance, infielder Freddie Jones, valued at $20,000, may be deemed expendable, alongside outfielders Chubby Hall, commanding a salary of $21,000, and Elijah Bourdeau, drawing $15,000. Alternatively, the Stars might contemplate retaining only one of the valiant backstopping duo comprising Joe Rainbow, commanding a salary of $37,000, and Chick MacKnight, whose remuneration stands at $19,000, relying instead on an economical young protégé to serve as backup catcher. Perhaps the Stars can no longer justify the luxury of investing $26,250 in George Scruggs, employing his exceptional pitching prowess for a mere 75-80 innings out of the bullpen.

Undoubtedly, avenues for recourse.

POLICE TO ENFORCE PARK BLACKLISTS

FABL Adopts New Rules in Gambling War

New York, NY -Club owners and officials of the Federal and Continental Associations have left this city after the most important and lengthy conferences baseball yet has held at any time other than that of prescribed annual sessions in December. For nearly a week there were formal meetings and informal talks galore, and the chief topic was gambling.

The club owners are very much alive to the menace which was pointed out to them in conference by FABL President Sam Belton. The sure thing "gambler," the fixer, the dangerous hanger-on, the borer and termite all came in for analysis. The majors approved regulations to fight what may be a real danger or could turn out to be mere scare founded on nothing more tangible that unsuccessful attempts to bribe a pair of American Football Association players with the New York Stars or professional boxer Mark Fountain.

Talk of the 'fix' has been rampant around here for weeks and weeks, and it was inevitable that, coming into this atmosphere, the club owners would become imbued with a fresh sense of high responsibility for the game and its protective machinerty, and the urge to pass aggressive measures against the enemy.

The result was approval of a motion that all gamblers, bookies, touts and other undesirable characters be barred from ball parks. It called on all its clubs to adopt a system of listing these undesirables, and employing a staff of park detectives to see that they are kept out, and to see that the game is kept clean insofar as they are able to do so.

The Federal Association also voted to bar visitors from the clubhouses. Baseball writers, radiomen and cameramen are excepted. But from now on, no Fed dressing room will be open to any other visitors. FABL also inserted into its constitution a regulation that any player offered a bribe must report it at once to his manager, and his club. The penalty for failure to do so is banishment for life.

• With the nomination of Charlie Firestone to the HOF, Montreal Saints have decided to retire #10 in his honor. The ceremony wil happen on September 5th when Saints will be facing the Chicago Cougars in Parc Cartier. On that day, the Chicago Chiefs will be on the 3 days break that would allow Firestone to travel from New York before returning to the Chiefs on coaching duties. The Saints announced the plans in a news release that also conveyed their congratulations to Firestone for his accomplishment.
• Howie Snyder is actually wearing jersey #10 in Montreal and he will be the last player to wear this number following his departure from the Saints organization. Snyder is 39 years old, so maybe one or two more seasons with the #10 on the field at Parc Cartier.

WELTERWEIGHT BELT CHANGES HANDS AGAIN IN STEPHENS UPSET OVER WESTLAKE

While Hector Sawyer has held the belt for almost seven years in the Heavyweight Division and Frank Melanson has stood atop the Middleweight Division since the War ended, the Welterweight Division has been one fine mess. The title was vacant until last March when Dennis O’Keefe defeated Carl Taylor, but O’Keefe dropped his first title defense to Mark Westlake six months later. Westlake did not even hold his title as long as the Jacksonville Jackhammer did. Just five months after Westlake earned the belt, he gave it up. Champ, we hardly knew ye.

Westlake (20-2-1), the Biloxi, Miss. native, won the title in Atlanta and this fight was held in St. Louis, which some say is the northernmost city in the South, but some also say it is the southernmost city in the North. Westlake’s opponent, Harold Stephens (18-3-2), hails from Providence, R.I. The crowd would agree with the former, as the partisan crowd leaned heavy for Westlake leading up to the battle, but Stephens supporters quickly gained control of the room.

But, as loud as the crowd may have cheered for Westlake during the introductions, it did not influence the judges one bit once the fight started. Stephens won by unanimous decision over Westlake to become the third welterweight in as many bouts to claim the title.

Stephens did not waste time and put an immediate stamp on the proceedings in the first round. He went to work on the champion Westlake with an uppercut, a cross, and a couple of jabs to keep Westlake at bay. Westlake countered with a couple of body shots but left himself wide open to a Stephens combination that caught Westlake and dropped him for a first-round knockdown. It was a standing-eight count, but Westlake returned to his feet just in time to avoid a very short evening.

Westlake was not heard from until the third round, when he connected on his first big punch of the bout. Westlake threw a hard right to Stephens’s side that caused him to wince. The rest of that round belonged to Stephens, as did just about all of the action in the early rounds. The momentum carried Stephens through the entire fight, thought Westlake had his moments.

The sixth round was Westlake’s best, leaving his corner with a snarl on his face and he started the round with a combination that had Stephens on the run. Westlake continued his offensive, but Stephens managed to cover his ribs by tucking his elbows in and countering with a combo of his own. As what happened so often throughout the fight, Westlake tried to continue his offensive and just plain missed the mark. The last minute of the round was full of failed connections.

For the night, Westlake was extremely inefficient, landing fewer than a quarter of the punches he offered (23.8%). Westlake missed more punches per round on average (55.7) than Stephens threw per round (51.9). Meanwhile, Stephens connected on about half of the shots he attempted.

Stephens fought defensively all night long and that seemed to be the plan, as Westlake did not connect frequently enough and did not have enough success to force the Stephens camp to change course. Westlake tried to push the pace and get offensive, but with all the missed punches, it lent itself to a brawling style that a nimble fighter like Stephens could easily side-step.

Other than a hook in the closing seconds of the ninth round that rattled Stephens and a final round where Westlake was able to score some points, Westlake disappeared in the final third of the bout. In the 15th stanza, Stephens seemed content to scurry around the ring and hold on for the final bell, assuming a big lead on the judges’ cards. Stephens would be right and prescient. One judge had Stephens up 147-137, awarding 12 rounds to the challenger and only three to the outgoing champion.

There is no telling if Harold Stephens’s stay at the top will be a short one. It is a transient weight class to be sure, but Stephens has a chance to stay a while. He showed his athleticism in his quickness and maneuverability. He showed his precision in how often he landed blows. However, Stephens did not pack much power in his punches and against a better pugilist, I am still not convinced Stephens will more than a one-hit wonder.

BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPER COUNT
Round 1: Stephens 1-0 (2:19 combos/knockdown)
Round 2: None
Round 3: Tied 1-1 (W: 0:42 jab/side; S: 1:27 jab/head)
Round 4: None
Round 5: None
Round 6: Westlake 1-0 (0:36 combo)
Round 7: Westlake 1-0 (0:11 combo)
Round 8: Westlake 1-0 (0:32 cross/face)
Round 9: Westlake 3-0 (0:12 combo, 1:29 cross/midsection, 2:59 hook)
Round 10: Stephens 1-0 (1:06 uppercut)
Round 11: Stephens 2-0 (1:06 combo, 2:22 hook/jaw)
Round 12: Westlake 2-0 (1:03 cross, 1:39 hook/body)
Round 13: Westlake 2-1 (W: 1:20 hook/head, 2:58 uppercut; S: 2:13 hook/head)
Round 14: Stephens 1-0 (2:40 uppercut)
Round 15: Westlake 1-0 (2:08 combo)
TOTAL: Westlake 12, Stephens 7

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Tonight- Waterbury, CT: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
• Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)
• March 18- Denny Arena, Boston - Roy Crawford (22-3) Heavyweight contender vs Lewis Jones (11-0)
• March 18- Waterbury, Ct - rising middleweight Bill Boggs (9-0) vs Vic Woodley (21-10)
• March 20 -Louisville, Ky - heavyweight Cannon Cooper (20-2-1) vs Matt Headley (19-7-2)
• March 21 -Brooklyn, NY- welterweight Wayne Dunn (28-7) vs Stuart White (26-8-2)
• March 25- Hartford, Ct- rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (8-0) vs Mel Gardner (5-5)

HOTLY CONTESTED RACE FOR FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT REACHES FEVER PITCH

In the waning weeks of the 1946-47 North American Hockey Confederation season, the battle for playoff supremacy has reached a fevered pitch. The race for seeding is as open as a spring flower, with teams vying for the coveted postseason berths. At the forefront of the standings stand the mighty Boston Bees, seemingly poised for glory with a three-point lead over the second-place Chicago Packers. The Bees, with two games in hand, exude confidence as they march toward postseason glory and the quest to hoist the Challenge Cup for the 5th time in the past 7 years.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Motors, positioned a distant seven points adrift from the Packers, find themselves comfortably perched six points above the New York Shamrocks. These Motor City stalwarts appear primed to put an end to their two-year playoff absence, but their aspirations for home ice advantage in the semifinals are but a fleeting dream.

The true spectacle unfolds in the struggle for the fourth and final playoff spot, reserved for the boldest of contenders vying for the illustrious Challenge Cup. The New York Shamrocks, gallant warriors of the ice, currently hold this coveted position with an impressive 37 points. However, looming just three points behind them are the Brooklyn Eagles, a team who, a mere year ago, celebrated victory in a paltry two encounters. These underdogs, absent from the playoffs for nearly a decade, have risen from the ashes, their hearts aflame with determination. With nine games remaining, two more than the fourth-placed Greenshirts, the Eagles have the opportunity to pen a remarkable tale of triumph.

But let us not forget the Montreal Valiants, whose valiant efforts have not gone unnoticed. These heroes of the ice where seemingly lost in their ways much of the season, but reminiscent of their astonishing upset against the top-seeded Toronto squad last year, have suddenly forged a path strewn with back to back triumphs. A recent two-game winning streak, the first in nearly two months, has rekindled their spirits. A mere four points behind the Shamrocks, the Valiants are set to clash with them in back-to-back battles next week, accompanied by their first of two remaining encounters with the Eagles. Should the Valiants maintain their fiery form, a tumultuous battle for that elusive final playoff berth shall ensue.

Oh, the excitement! The North American Hockey Confederation playoffs await, promising a spectacle of grand proportions. The race for glory, akin to a blooming garden, captivates the hearts and souls of all hockey aficionados. So, dear readers, brace yourselves for the climactic conclusion to this riveting tale of skill, passion, and unyielding determination.

LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
by Oliver Chatterton
Tuesday February 18
In a dazzling display of third-period heroics, it was Trevor Parker who emerged as the shining star, gracing the ice at Dominion Gardens with his exquisite skill. With unmatched finesse, he unleashed a pair of awe-inspiring goals, elevating the Toronto Dukes to a hard-earned 4-4 tie against the formidable visiting Boston Bees. Meanwhile, in the grand metropolis of New York, the air crackled with anticipation as the Brooklyn Eagles soared into town, their wings fluttering with playoff purpose. It was Eddie Dallas and Norm Kessell who led the charge, their brilliance casting an ethereal glow upon the ice. Together, these titans of the game orchestrated a symphony of victory, each claiming three points on their noble quest. With unyielding determination, they guided the Brooklyn Eagles to a resounding 6-3 triumph over the valiant Shamrocks,

Thursday February 20
Millard Touhey, the guardian of the Montreal Valiants' net, stood as an immovable force against the relentless onslaught from the Toronto Dukes. Like a gallant knight, he turned aside all 20 shots, securing his first shutout of the season and etching his name in the annals of glory. The Valiants, inspired by their indomitable netminder, marched forth to a resounding 4-0 victory. Glen Whitley, a maestro on the ice, adorned the scoresheet with a goal and a pair of timely assists, weaving a tapestry of triumph for the Valiants. In Chicago, it was defenseman Pete Moreau who dazzled the audience, his performance a testament to the greatness of the sport. With a goal and two assists, he orchestrated a symphony of success, propelling the Packers to a commanding 4-1 triumph over the valiant Brooklyn squad.

Saturday February 22
On this remarkable Saturday, the heavens themselves smiled upon the city of Montreal as the unthinkable unfolded on the icy stage -the previously flailing Montreal Valiants strung together a two-game winning streak for the first time in nearly two months, with a stunning 4-2 upset against the formidable Chicago squad. Like a fortress impenetrable, Millard Touhey, the guardian of the Valiants' net, stood tall against a barrage of shots, making an astounding 36 saves. Three ethereal first-period goals became the pillars of victory, holding firm amidst the tempestuous storm. The Valiants' triumph, their second in a row, broke the shackles of destiny, for they had claimed victory in just four of their previous 19 battles. In another grand clash, the Detroit Motors, fueled by an unstoppable resolve, blanked the Toronto Dukes with a resounding 4-0 victory. Dave Bradley, a shining star of the evening, showcased his prowess with two glorious goals and an additional assist. Miles Barfield, the master of playmaking, added to the symphony of triumph with three brilliant assists. Henri Chasse, the sentinel between the pipes, scarcely broke a sweat, securing his league-leading fifth shutout of the season as the Dukes managed a mere 14 shots against the mighty Motors' net.

Sunday February 23
As the sun graced the sky on this blessed Sunday, the Boston Bees, with hearts aflame, extended their unbeaten streak to a remarkable 10 games. In a thrilling battle, they clipped the wings of the valiant Brooklyn squad, emerging triumphant with a slender 2-1 victory. Daniel Fortin, a virtuoso of the ice, crafted a masterpiece with a goal and a sublime assist, while Benton Watson, the harbinger of success, lent his hand in both Bees' tallies. Oh, the drama that unfolded at Dominion Gardens! The Toronto Dukes and the Detroit Motors, locked in a fierce defensive contest, showcased their might on the grand stage. Bobbie Sauer, with his unparalleled timing, struck with just one second remaining in the first period, infusing the atmosphere with electricity. Phil Denman, an artist of the game, answered the call of destiny, igniting the hopes of the Dukes early in the third. The battle reached its zenith, and yet, the warriors could not be separated. In a testament to their valiance, the clash ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw, leaving the spectators awestruck. Finally in Chicago, Lakeside Auditorium bore witness to a riveting showdown in which the hometown Packers skated to a 2-2 draw with the New York Shamrocks. In this grand spectacle, it was Bernie Ferrar, playing the surprising role of hometown hero, who etched his name upon the scoresheet not once, but twice. Like a maestro of destiny, he orchestrated the Packers' offense with finesse, delivering both goals that ignited the passions of the fervent crowd.

UPCOMING GAMES
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25
Boston at New York
Brooklyn at Toronto

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27
Chicago at Detroit
New York at Montreal

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28
Detroit at Brooklyn

SATURDAY MARCH 1
Montreal at New York
Toronto at Boston

SUNDAY MARCH 2
Chicago at Boston
Detroit at New York
Brooklyn at Montreal

AROUND THE LEAGUE

BEST DUKES CAN HOPE FOR IS TO RUIN SOMEONE ELSE'S DAY

Toronto Dukes fans only hope is that the team shows some signs of life over the final three weeks to spoil other team's playoff chances. The season started poorly then got worse, with Toronto displaying by far the most porous defense in the NAHC. A dressing room in chaos, injuries, and losing -lots of losing- were the features of the once feared Dukes.

Former management also put the team in a hole by dealing draft picks. The fans are screaming that heads should roll after the conclusion of the season. Dukes front office seems willing to oblige, offering hints that change is coming but also cautions the fans that there may be a few more lean years until they can restock the system.

Toronto may also dabble in the free agent market but only in a minor way, the line from management is "There are no quick fixes out there, we need to build from within unfortunately that cupboard is empty at the present time." Dukes fans may not have seen the bottom, yet.

BANNER YEAR FOR BAY AREA CAGERS

The deepest crop of young basketball players hailing from the Bay Area in recent memory is set to make a lot of noise in college cage play over the next few years. No less than six San Francisco area players are ranked among the top 100 recruits in the nation with two others just outside that group. The six are headlined by Wayne Wyrick, a forward from Balboa High School who is considered the top recruit in the state and will head to Pennsylvania to play his college ball at St Blane University.

Three other high San Francisco high school players rank in the top 100. They include forward Jordan Mattson of Sacred Heart High School who is heading to Eugene, Oregon to play for Lane State and a pair of guards in Washington High's Brian Jones, who will go east to an Academia Alliance school and attend Brunswick along with Cornelius Porter from Mission High. The 18-year-old Porter has decided to attend CC Los Angeles next year.

In addition, there are two 20-year-old players from San Francisco Community College that are ranked in the top 100 in forward Dave Mertens and guard Sherman Porter, who is the older brother of Cornelius. Surprisingly the brothers went separate ways although both will stay in the WCAA, with Sherman off to Lane State where he is sure to be a rival of his brother's CCLA squad. Mertens will be joining Cornelius Porter with the Coyotes.

There are no records, but this is believed to be the most top 100 prospects ever produced by any city with the exclusion of New York.
The surrounding area also has some talent this year including Gus Hurst, a center from Oakland Tech High School, who is ranked #59 and will also be headed to Lane State. Then there is the pride of Sacramento, Donnie Wise. The 18-year-old forward will play for nearby Sunnyvale University next season and is ranked #21 in the nation. Finally, just south of us at Fresno High there is forward Tripp Ruby who is ranked 45th and will also join a strong class heading to CCLA next season.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY FEBRUARY 17
at #20 Huntington State 51, Brooklyn Catholic 37
at #18 Great Plains State 48, Amarillo Methodist 47
#23 Piedmont University 43, at Alexandria 42
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18
at #1 Liberty College 52, Frankford State 28
at #6 St. Blane 55, St. Matthew's College 29
#8 Miami State 35, at Northern Minnesota 32
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19
#7 Noble Jones College 36, at Alabama Baptist 35
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20
at #10 Western Iowa 43, #24 Indiana A&M 37
#16 Whitney College 37, at Wisconsin State 26
#15 Detroit City College 44, at Minnesota Tech 43
#4 Central Ohio 57, at St. Ignatius 31
at #19 Lambert College 37, Payne State 35
at Maryland State 54, #14 North Carolina Tech 47
#13 Mobile Maritime 48, at Lexington State 35
at #17 Chesapeake State 54, Petersburg 36
at #3 Carolina Poly 54, Richmond State 37
#23 Piedmont University 46, at Miners College 42
at Grange College 38, #6 St. Blane 37
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21
at #9 Coastal California 45, #11 CC Los Angeles 44
#22 Redwood 42, at Idaho A&M 35
at #5 Rainier College 37, Portland Tech 36
Spokane State 45, at #2 Lane State 34
at #21 Lubbock State 38, Darnell State 29
at #25 Texas Gulf Coast 44, Red River State 35
at #1 Liberty College 56, St. Patrick's 24
at #8 Miami State 40, Kansas Agricultural 27
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22
at #12 Bayou State 43, Cumberland 41
at #7 Noble Jones College 44, Opelika State 34
#15 Detroit City College 52, at #10 Western Iowa 48
Wisconsin State 40, at #24 Indiana A&M 39
at #4 Central Ohio 60, St. Magnus 49
at #16 Whitney College 53, Minnesota Tech 21
at #25 Texas Gulf Coast 45, Arkansas A&T 39
at #19 Lambert College 33, Eastern Oklahoma 31
Lexington State 49, at #14 North Carolina Tech 35
at #13 Mobile Maritime 38, Columbia Military Academy 35
at #17 Chesapeake State 56, Maryland State 47
at #3 Carolina Poly 54, Cowpens State 43
at Pittsburgh State 64, #20 Huntington State 42
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23
at Spokane State 51, #5 Rainier College 43
#11 CC Los Angeles 40, at #22 Redwood 34
#9 Coastal California 50, at Northern California 28
#2 Lane State 53, at Custer College 41
Mississippi Tech 59, at #18 Great Plains State 49

• The Senate Judiciary Committee voted, 9 to 1, for a proposed constitutional amendment to limit presidential tenure to two full terms of four years each.
• Representatives of one of the nation's largest coal operators and lawyers for several industrial firms joined in urging Congress to smash "union monopoly" by breaking up big unions into little ones. Their main target was John L Lewis' United Mine Workers.
• Prime Minister Attlee told the House of Commons that Britain intends to turn India over to responsible Indian rule by June 1948.
• One of the most spectacular snowstorms in years blanketed the northeast late in the week, with a foot of snow dumped in New York City and 8 inches bringing Washington DC and much of Virginia to a standstill.
  
  https://i.imgur.com/QyMHoVE.jpg

March 3, 1947 - Spring Training set to start
 

MARCH 3, 1947

SPRING TRAINING PREVIEW: TOP PROSPECTS TO WATCH

With the onset of spring training, teams in the FABL are eagerly anticipating the chance to assess their top prospects. The esteemed Omni Scouting Agency has compiled a list of talented youngsters who may be poised to make their mark in the big leagues this year. Leading the OSA's rankings are two promising centerfielders who gained a taste of major league action last summer: 20-year-old Edwin Hackberry of the Detroit Dynamos and 22-year-old Ralph Johnson of the Brooklyn Kings.

BOSTON- According to the OSA, most of Boston's top prospects are still a couple of years away from making an impact. However, two 23-year-olds might have a shot at joining the club this season. Ben McCarty, a corner outfielder, was selected in the third round of the 1945 draft from New Castle State. He displayed his prowess at AAA Columbus last year, hitting .270 with 12 home runs. The OSA ranks McCarty 134th on their prospect pipeline and believes he has the potential to become a solid starter. Hal Renard, originally drafted by Detroit in 1941 and dealt to the Minutemen in a 1945 deal that sent Mack Sutton to the Motor City, has caught the attention of the Minutemen's management in recent seasons. Renard, a 23-year-old outfielder, had an impressive showing in the Cuban Winter League and is regarded as an above-average hitter.

BROOKLYN- While much of the attention will be on Ralph Johnson, the Brooklyn Kings also boast 23-year-old shortstop Billy Bryant, who might turn heads. OSA has him 83rd in a recent prospect list and calls him an elite defensive shortstop that perhaps will be the stellar glove the Kings have missed at that position since trading away Harry Barrell. Bryant had a nice showing in the Cuban Winter League after hitting .268 with 11 homers at AAA Jersey City last year.

CHIEFS- The Chiefs may not have many high-end prospects ready for the majors this year, but one player worth noting is Charles Yates. The 23-year-old, selected in the 17th round of the 1941 draft, has garnered attention from Chiefs' management over the past few seasons. Yates posted a .268 batting average in AAA last year, displaying an impressive .419 on-base percentage thanks to his 124 walks. He also exhibited power in Cuba, hitting 7 home runs in 42 winter league contests. Another player to watch is Lou Hooker, a 23-year-old shortstop who made his big league debut last season with the Chiefs, hitting .227 in 32 games. Hooker was a 5th round pick in the 1942 draft and missed two seasons while serving in the army. He was acquired by the Chiefs in a trade that sent Freddie Jones to the New York Stars last year.

COUGARS-The Cougars boast a wealth of prospects at various stages of development, including three who rank in the OSA's top 100 and are projected to be ready this season: pitcher Duke Bybee, catcher Eddie Howard, and third baseman Otto Christian. Bybee and Christian both had paths cleared for them recently with the decision to move veteran hurler Billy Riley and third sacker Hank Barnett. It is hard to imagine the 23-year-old Howard, who hit .325 at AAA Milwaukee last season, not seeing a lot of action behind the plate at Cougars Park but he will have to battle two-time all-star Harry Mead for the starting job.

CINCINNATI- He may have a problem finding a spot to play with all-star Jim Hensley ahead of him, but 24-year-old shortstop Ted Stacy is a local product drafted by the Cannons out of Cincinnati's Hillcrest High in 1941 who in 1945 became the first Cincinnati born player to suit for his hometown club. Stacy spent last year in AA and struggled at the plate and offensive production may always be a challenge for the glove-first infielder, although he did put up solid numbers in Cuba over the winter.

CLEVELAND- The Foresters have a wealth of young talent, both on the big club and in their farm system. One standout prospect who may be ready for the majors is 22-year-old first baseman Ivey Henley. He was a 5th round draft pick in 1945 and had a promising 22-game trial in the previous season, batting .273. Lorenzo Samuels, a 24-year-old first base prospect out of Cleveland's West High School, is also worth mentioning. Selected 33rd overall in 1941, Samuels showed some power in his bat and hit his first career home run during his brief 25 at-bat trial in September.

DETROIT- The focus in Lakeland will be squarely on the two 20-year olds in Edwin Hackberry and Stan Kleminski. Each made their debut last season as teenagers and Hackberry seems all but assured to be handed the starting centerfield job on Opening Day. Kleminski was named the everyday shortstop last opening day but lasted 3 weeks before he was banished to AAA Newark. The bat was fine, Kleminski hit .302 in 15 games in the big leagues but he made 13 errors in those games and the club had not choice to let him work on his defense in the minors. He will get another chance to impress this spring, but it will take a strong camp for him to not at least spend a month back in New Jersey before getting the call to Thompson Field.

MONTREAL- Montreal's system has been praised for years and OSA feels that five top-100 prospects are ready to make the jump from AAA Minneapolis to the Saints. Whether there is room for all five on the active roster remains to be seen but the scouting service is high on pitchers Andy Lyon, Gordie Irwin and Pete Ford, third baseman Luke Weaver and centerfielder Bill Elkins. Elkins tops the group at #13 on the OSA top 100 list and the 23-year-old hit .333 in a late season trial at Parc Cartier after hitting .300 in AAA -his first season playing above A level. Elkins was originally a 9th round pick by Brooklyn that was acquired a year ago in a preseason deal that sent Spud Bent to the Kings. Weaver, a 24-year-old third baseman selected 9th overall in 1943, also made a brief appearance in Montreal last season and according to OSA has all the skills scouts look for in a third baseman.

Irwin is the only one of the three pitchers to have already made his big league debut as the 25-year-old 1939 5th round pick went 2-3 with a 3.31 era in 5 starts last season. Lyon, 24, was a 7th round choice in 1941 who pitched a no-hitter in the minors three years ago and made a very successful AAA debut last season, going 3-0 with a 1.85 era in 4 starts for the Lumberjacks. Ford,25, was a 4th round selection out of Gates University in 1942 but missed 3 seasons serving in the Navy during the war. He struggled somewhat last season, posting a 4.34 era and a 4-16 record for AAA Minneapolis but OSA feels he can be a solid back of the rotation big league option.

NY STARS- 23-year-old lefthander Bill Chapman is the Stars prospect OSA feels is ready for the big leagues. Acquired in the 1944 deal that sent Billy Riley to the Windy City, the 23-year-old went 13-6 with a 3.65 era in 31 starts for AAA Syracuse last season and followed that up with a solid showing in the Cuban Winter League, helping his team reach the championship game.

NY GOTHAMS- The scouting service feels the Gothams have a pair of youngsters ready for the big leagues. Neither is a top 100 prospect although Jerry Decker, a 24-year-old lefthander, falls outside that range at #104 on a recent OSA list. Selected out of a New York City area high school by the New York Stars in the third round of the 1939 draft, Decker quickly established a presence in the bottom half of the top-100 prospect list. The Stars sent him and fellow young pitcher Wally Hunter -who was the Fed rookie of the year with Detroit last season- to the Gothams in exchange for the first pick of the 1945 amateur draft which turned out to be Bob Riggins. After missing 4 years due to the war, Decker went 10-10 with a 4.65 era in his return to pro ball with AAA Toledo last season. He had a decent showing in the Cuban Winter League and may be ready to step into the Gothams rotation, although the competition might be a fair bit tougher than it has been in some recent years. The other Gothams youngster to watch is 22 year old Tom Jeffries. OSA feels he is ready for an audition at shortstop and he might push Jim Dickinson for the starting job but there are some concerns about his ability to cover the shortstop position in the big leagues. He struggled in the field in a brief trial last season but had no such issues at the plate, hitting .359 in a brief trial with the Gothams.

KEYSTONES- There are two highly anticipated debuts expected this season for Keystones prospects. The first is 23-year-old Nate Power, a late first round pick out of Daniel Boone College in the 1945 draft who has the swing to match his last name. The first baseman socked 15 homers in just 64 games at AAA Louisville last season and added 6 more in the Cuban Winter League. OSA sees him as a potential big league regular the rest of his career, but it might not be in Philadelphia unless the Keystones are willing to shift Hank Koblenz back to the hot corner. The other one to watch for is 24-year-old righthander Joe Quade. The local high school boy was drafted 3rd overall in 1940 but spent 4 years in the Marines. He returned last season and looked very good in posting a 14-9, 3.21 campaign at Louisville. Quade used to be a top ten prospect, but OSA feels the war tarnished his development, although the scouting service still believes Quade can become a #3 or 4 starter, perhaps as early as this season.

SAILORS- There are a trio of young Sailors that OSA feels could contribute this season. All three spent last season in AAA although one of them -shortstop Herb Dorsey- has seem limited action with the big club the past two seasons. Dorsey is 26 years old now, so hard to still be considered a young prospect and was a 14th round selection in the 1939 draft. He likely will end up as a utility infielder with solid glove skills at either second base or shortstop. 24-year-old third baseman Frankie Gonnella was a first round pick in 1943 by Boston but was dealt to the Sailors in the trade that brought Paul Richardson to Beantown that year. He missed 1945 due to the war but returned to hit .285 with 19 homers at AAA Richmond last season. OSA feels he has big league power and is projected to be an above-average everyday big leaguer. The highest ranked of the three Sailors OSA says to look for in 1947 is Herb Bell, a 23 year old righthanded pitcher who sits at #79 on the scouting service prospect list. His change-up is the best of his three pitches but OSA is not sold on his ability to hold a spot in a big league rotation. Bell was selected in the 12th round of the 1941 draft and missed some time while serving in the Navy.

PITTSBURGH- The Miners have a promising group of prospects with a target date of 1949 but really just 24-year-old pitcher Jake Helm for this year, at least according to OSA. The lefthander clocks in at #110 on the scouting service prospect list and made his big league debut last season, going 0-3 with a 6.35 era in 3 Pittsburgh starts. He had a little better success in St Paul last season but struggled in the Cuban League, which might have hurt his chances of making the trip north to Pittsburgh in April. OSA likes the confidence he has in his repertoire and feels he could be a solid back of the rotation arm. Another player to watch is 25-year-old second baseman Gary Ely, a second sacker who debuted last season with the Miners. OSA is not a huge fan of the 1939 4th round draft pick, placing him outside the top 300 prospects but perhaps contradicts itself by projecting Ely as an above-average, everyday big league player.

ST LOUIS- The Pioneers have not had a lot of draft luck late both in terms of poor draws in the draft lottery and first rounders such as Tom Buchanan, Mal Bianco and Dave McCraw failing to live up to expectations. One thing the Pioneers have been very successful at is developing catchers and they have another potentially very good one in Artie Smith. OSA feels the 22-year-old taken 12th overall out of South Valley State in 1945 is ready after a couple of brief spins with the Pioneers each of the past two seasons. The problem is Smith is likely trapped behind Tucker Ness and Heinie Zimmer.

TORONTO- The Wolves have a reputation for being cautious in bringing prospects to the big leagues but at age 25 the time appears to be now for Jerry York. The righthander, selected 8th overall out of Noble Jones College in 1942, missed two seasons due to the war but made his big league debut last year, going 2-1 with a sparkling 1.99 era in four starts for the Wolves. OSA feels he is easily a mid-rotation starter and a fine addition to a veteran rotation that includes Allen Award winners Joe Hancock and George Garrison. OSA also believes the Wolves need to make room in the rotation for Harry Phillips. The 24 year old righthander was a second round pick in 1941 but immediately left for the Navy and missed 4 seasons. He returned last season and progressed quickly from A to AA with great success before struggling a little in AAA Buffalo. OSA feels he is a solid #3 starter or better but the bet is Toronto gives Phillips most, if not all, of the season to fine tune his game in Buffalo. There is also a 22 year old shortstop by the name of Harry Finney developing nicely in Buffalo last season. The 1945 second rounder out of Bluegrass State is the likely heir to Charlie Artuso at shortstop but if that is the case it might be a long wait before the 4-time all-star is ready to vacate the position.

WASHINGTON- The Eagles do not have any big league ready pitching prospects but there are 3 players to keep an eye on. The first is Jim Sibert, a 23-year-old shortstop with a high ceiling who saw some time in Washington for the stretch run and played a bit in the WCS. Scouts rave about his work with the glove and if he can hit enough, he may just force veteran George Dawson to the bench. The Eagles have another 23-year-old natural shortstop on the way up in George Penza. OSA says he is ready but with Sibert as the probable future at shortstop, Penza may end up as a second baseman -a position he displayed well at in the field in AAA. Washington has some good outfield depth but expect even more when Rudy Ellison officially arrives. The 23-year-old centerfielder hit .307 in AAA Kansas City last season and OSA feels he is ready, calling him an above average big league centerfielder.

SPRING'S SWEET SYMPHONY: BASEBALL RETURNS IN SPLENDOR

The impending dawn of spring casts its golden hues upon the landscape, as nature awakens from its slumber and the sweet fragrance of hope fills the air. In the realm of sports, a symphony of anticipation rises to a crescendo as the echoes of cheering fans and the crack of the bat intertwine harmoniously. Yes, dear readers, the time has come once again to revel in the glorious return of baseball, a spectacle that captures the hearts and imaginations of millions.

As the hallowed fields are meticulously prepared, their emerald blades standing tall and proud, the heroes of the diamond emerge from winter's embrace, eager to breathe life into their beloved sport. Among them, the New York Stars stand tall as the reigning World Championship Series victors and proud owners of the Continental Association pennant. Their valiant triumph over the Washington Eagles in a fiercely contested seven-game battle etched their names into the annals of baseball history. For the Eagles, it was a long-awaited moment, as their first flag in twenty-two years brought unbridled joy to a loyal and devoted fan base.

Now, the Stars and Eagles, along with the 14 other FABL clubs and 8 rebel teams in the Great Western League, that grace this grand stage, converge upon their respective spring training camps. From the gentle rolling hills of Florida to the sun-kissed fields of Arizona, players begin their rituals of renewal and preparation. In these sacred grounds, rookies with dreams in their eyes rub shoulders with seasoned veterans, forming a tapestry of camaraderie and ambition.

So, let us raise our voices in joyful anticipation, as baseball, our beloved national pastime, returns to grace our lives with its splendor. Let us join hands and hearts, united in our shared love for this timeless game. As the players take the field, let us remember the immortal words of the poet Walt Whitman, who so eloquently said, "I see great things in baseball. It's our game, the American game." Indeed, dear readers, let us embrace the enchantment and immerse ourselves in the magnificence of this grand spectacle, for the return of baseball is a springtime symphony that resonates with the very soul of our nation.

BEES, PACKERS SECURE PLAYOFF SPOTS

Motors Near Locking Up Third Place

The Boston Bees and Chicago Packers have become the first two NAHC clubs this season to secure their spots in the playoffs. The Bees, champions of the coveted Challenge Cup a year ago and owners of four of the silver chalices over the past four years are set to take another stab at adding to their trophy case. The Packers, on the other hand, will embark on yet another quest to bring the Windy City its first-ever NAHC crown.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Motors find themselves on the brink of playoff qualification. With just two points needed from their remaining six games, they stand poised to secure their spot among the top four teams competing for the coveted Cup. The Motors have shown great resilience and now seek to seal their fate with a final push towards glory after failing by just a single point to qualify for the Cup chase each of the past two seasons.

As the season nears its conclusion, the race for the final playoff spot remains a captivating tale. The New York Shamrocks, currently holding 41 points, appear to have a strong chance of clinching it. Though they have only three games left to play, their position seems secure, and their hopes remain high. The Montreal Valiants, on the other hand, faced a setback as they earned just a single point in their recent home and home series against the Greenshirts. While they still have a game in hand, they trail the Shamrocks by five points, making their path to the playoffs a challenging one. Time is running out, and the Valiants must summon all their strength to keep their dreams alive.

The Brooklyn Eagles, in sixth place, continue to fight against the odds. Although they haven't made the playoffs in over a decade, they refuse to give up hope. With six games remaining, they aim to close the six-point gap that separates them from the Shamrocks. Their journey is arduous, but their determination fuels their quest for a place among the contenders.

Regrettably, the Toronto Dukes find themselves all but assured of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1938. Despite their efforts, the gap of 11 points from fourth place proves insurmountable. The Dukes must confront the disappointment of an unfulfilled season and ponder over the changes expected to come as they look ahead to future campaigns.

With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season, the stage is set for a thrilling climax to this captivating campaign. As the playoffs draw near, anticipation rises, and fans eagerly await the unfolding of the final chapters of this enthralling journey.


LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday February 25
The New York Shamrocks held the visiting Boston Bees to just 15 shots will firing 27 of their own on Bees netminder Pierre Melancon as the two clubs skated to a 1-1 draw. In Toronto, Gordie Broadway picked up his first shutout of the season with 27 saves in a 4-0 Toronto victory over a short-staffed Brooklyn Eagles. Maurice Charette scored once and added 3 assists for Dukes, who won despite being outshot 27-19. With Quinton Pollack, Sam Coates and Ian Doyle all injured much of Brooklyn's offense spent the evening in the Dominion Garden Press Box.

Thursday February 27
Four third-period goals lifted the Chicago Packers to a 4-2 win in Detroit. It was the first time since Christmas that Packers star Tommy Burns was held off the scoresheet in back-to-back games. Elsewhere, the New York Shamrocks took a big step towards eliminating the Montreal Valiants from playoff contention with a 2-1 win in Montreal. Orval Cabbell and Joe Martin each scored in the first period to pace the Greenshirts, who outshot Montreal 41-26 as Millard Touhey was outstanding in net for the Valiants.

Friday February 28
The lone game on the docket saw Hank Walsh score late in the third period to allow the Brooklyn Eagles to claim a 2-2 tie with visiting Detroit at Prescott Arena. Tom Brockers made 34 saves in the Brooklyn net while defenseman Miles Norman assisted on both of the Eagles markers.

Saturday March 1
Jocko Gregg scored twice to give the New York Shamrocks a 2-2 tie with Montreal and increase the New Yorkers six-point lead on idle Brooklyn and maintain the seven-point bulge on the Valiants for the final playoff berth. In Boston, the Bees Benton Watson scored once and added two helpers in a 5-4 victory over the visiting Toronto Dukes. Trevor Parker scored twice in a losing cause for the Dukes.

Sunday March 2
The highlight was a showdown between the league's top two teams in Boston as the visiting Chicago Packers overcame a 3-1 first period deficit to rally and beat the Bees 4-3. Ed Delarue's 16th tally of the season, with less than 4 minutes remaining in the contest, proved the difference. Marsh Mansfield, Kent Drayton and Bernie Ferrar also scored for the Packers who saw their scoring leader Tommy Burns go pointless for the third straight game -just the second time this season that has happened. The news wasn't all bad for Burns as he learned he was named the NAHC's top player for the month February. Chicago is now 2 points behind Boston in the race for first place and home ice advantage throughout the playoffs, but the Bees do have a game in hand.

Montreal's faint postseason hopes remained alive after the Valiants leapfrogged Brooklyn into fifth place with a 5-2 win on home ice over the Eagles. The backend contributed some offense for Montreal with Isaac Finnson scoring twice and adding an assist while Michael Baddock chipped in with a goal and an assist. Detroit took a huge step towards securing a return to the playoffs after narrowly missing the post-season each of the past two years. The Motors powered past the New York Shamrocks 7-1 with seven different Detroiters lighting the lamp.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

BEES TRYING TO HOLD ON TO FIRST PLACE

By Finn LeBec -Boston Globe

The Boston Bees are fighting to keep the top seed heading into the NAHC playoffs. This past week, there was a win, a loss, and a draw. An uninspiring draw started the week, as the Bees tied the Shamrocks, 1-1. After rookie George Anderson scored his 9th goal, it was very quiet. Boston only managed 15 shots in the game and had possession for only about 6-1/2 minutes in the New York zone all game, including just 1:07 in the third period. Things got better as the calendar transitioned to March and the Bees returned home to face Toronto and Chicago in livelier games.

The Bees survived a scare from the Dukes, holding on to win, 5-4, after both teams combined for five goals in the second period and fans were treated to a one-goal game for most of the third. Leroy Hester scored with 3:06 left to give a momentary two-goal bulge, but the Dukes' Les Carlson potted a goal just 18 seconds later to cut the deficit to one. To the relief of the 14,058 fans packed into Denny Arena that was as close as the Toronto club would get and the Bees picked up a valuable two points.

Boston had a tough back-to-back assignment as just 24 hours later the Chicago Packers invaded the Denny ice palace. Boston led through two periods, 3-2, but Chicago had the understandably fresher legs in the third and scored two goals to win. Marsh Mansfield tied the game with just under nine minutes to go and Ed Delarue capitalized on a costly Len Bentley holding penalty, scoring for the league's second-ranked power play (23.2%) with 3:57 left for the winning marker.

Though Chicago crept two points closer, Boston's lead over Chicago is still two points with a game in hand. Boston has a chance to create a little breathing room on Tuesday night at Lakeside Auditorium in Chicago. The Bees will then travel to Canada for games against Montreal and Toronto before facing Brooklyn and engaging in a season-ending home-and-home against Detroit. In addition to Tuesday night's tilt in Chicago, the Packers have four other games remaining in Brooklyn, against Detroit, and a home-and-home with last place Toronto.

BURNS RETURNS FOR END OF SEASON

Chicago Daily News

While most hockey fans may say the Packers' most valuable player is Tommy Burns, the star center knows otherwise. "It's got to be Wes." Tommy explained to reporters after a 4-3 win over the Bees. "I'm only at my best when big bro is on the ice. Our chemistry takes us to the highest level."

Tommy may be onto something, as since his brother hit the injured list with a fractured jaw after a February 6th loss to the Shamrocks, Tommy has just 4 goals and 5 assists in his past 9 games, while not recording a point in each of Chicago's last three games. Burns still leads the league in goals (28) and points (59), but his 31 assists are now tied with linemate Marty Mahoney. With the season coming to a close, Packers coach Ed Hempenstall has decided it's time to bring the captain back on the ice. "If we want to win our first cup, we need #12 back on the ice. He knows the risks of playing, but he's the type of guy that leaves it all on the ice. He wants to perform for his teammates."

When asked about how he feels, Wes cracked a smile. "See! I'm smiling! It doesn't hurt as much anymore!" That got plenty of laughs from the media room, but the 30-year-old was all business after that. "I've watched all our games while I've been out, and it's motivated me to get better as quickly as possible. I didn't want to miss any time, but the doctors are now more comfortable bringing me back out. I'm ready to go out and put on a show."

"It's good to have the gang back together!" right wing Marty Mahoney told reporters in advance of a crucial game in Chicago against the first place Bees. "It's not the same without Wes on the ice to start the game. Dave [Rankin] has filled in well, but he was one of the happiest guys when he heard Wes was coming back. He credits him for a lot of his success in year one." When asked if Tommy Burns was upset that he tied him for assists, Mahoney chuckled. "He shouldn't be! Half those are because of him! If he wants the assist lead, maybe he should score less."

The Packers have secured a playoff spot, but it will be tough for them to top the Bees. A win Tuesday night is a must, as Boston holds a two point lead with a game in hand. The Packers have five matchups left, three at home and two on the road, including a home-and-home with the Toronto Dukes to finish the season. This is a perfect way to finish, as the Dukes are just 12-24-6 (30 PTS) and five points behind the Brooklyn Eagles for 6th, who the Packers face next Sunday in New York.

DUKES DEBACLE OF A SEASON MERCIFULLY NEARS FINISH LINE

From The Toronto Mail & Empire

The Toronto Dukes have begun their review of players as this lost season winds down. As telling a stat as there is, would be the fact that only one player is on the right side of the +/-. That would be winger Dick Klein, who is +1 and the veteran is fifth on the team in scoring with 21 points. Some of the big minuses belong to the likes of Sam Koger is -24 (in 27 games), while rearguards Frank Featherston at -16 and Francis McGraw, with a -18 rating, having clearly struggled. Center Rosie McInnis, whose days are probably ending in Toronto, is also -18. There were some concerns about the Dukes defense when the campaign opened in November and those have proven to be well founded as the Dukes are giving a league high average of shots against per game of 33.14. while only taking a league low of 25.62 shot on target per game. Definitely not a winning formula, and goaltender Gordie Broadway has been abandoned -although he is not helping himself with a .889 save percentage.

Rumours abounded that head coach Norb Hickey is gone soon after the final game is played to be replaced by Jack Barrell who will be task with straightening out the Dukes both on the ice and in the room. Hickey may not be the only staff member that have limited time left at Dominion Gardens. Dukes have the highest league payroll, something that has owner David Welcombe likely joining with the fans in demanding change before training camp next October.

VALIANTS NOTES

Montreal Star

• We knew coming into the season that the blue line would be Montreal's weakness, but yikes--it was worse than anticipated. Using Corsi-Relative, only 3 players were positive. That's why the Valiants have a minus 37 goal differential, only 1 better than the Toronto Dukes who are last in goal differential at -38.
• If we go by plus-minus, Clarence Skinner is the Valiants worst forward and Leo Bernard was a pretty bad defenseman. Well, no. They also both led the team in ice time and as a club Montreal has an awful goal differential. So of course, they are going to have a bad plus-minus. It doesn't change the fact that Skinner is Valiants top forward and club scoring leader with 32 points in 37 games, although the 29-year-old is clearly going to fall short of his career best 50 season a year ago.
• 20-year-old winger Claude LeClerc has really grown his game and impressed the scouts during his season at Syracuse. He has been added to the Valiants roster for the final four regular season games. And not just as a favor to his grandfather and Valiants club owner Charles LeClerc--Claude earned the promotion with 13 goals and 30 points in 36 games with the minor league Lancers.

MOTORS ON VERGE OF POST-SEASON

Dan Urbanski, Detroit Times

They are not quite there yet but it certainly looks like the Detroit Motors will return to the playoffs after missing the post-season by the narrowest of margins each of the past two years. A year ago, the Motors were nosed out despite finishing with 50 points in the 48-game campaign. Chicago took third place with 52 points while the Montreal Valiants -who would go on to beat league leader Toronto in the semi-finals and push Boston to six games before falling in the Challenge Cup Finals- finished 1 point ahead of the Motors to claim the fourth and final playoff spot. This after the Valiants nosed out the Motors the previous season when each was tied for fourth place with 51 points only to see Montreal advance due to the fact it had one more victory than the Detroiters.

That first playoff near-miss was a factor in the decision by Motors magnate John Connelly Jr. to part ways with Jack Barrell and replace the long-time Motors bench boss with Mark Moore. After the near miss in his debut last season, it is essential Moore leads the team to the playoffs and gives Connelly some much desired playoff revenue. With what has happened the past two years it is unwise to crack the champagne bottles yet, but with 6 games remaining and the Motors only require a total of two points from those contests the celebration has to be coming.

*** Moore's Defense First Philosphy Working ***

The Motors engine is clearly in the trunk of the vehicle as the team defense -led be a stellar campaign from goaltender Henri Chasse and a solid job from the big three of Shel Herron, Joe Todd and Bryant Williams on the blueline- is clearly why the club is sitting in third place. It is also no coincidence that Toronto is reeling this season after Williams and Todd bolted the Dominion Gardens to take up residence at Thompson Palladium.

A first round playoff date with either Chicago or Boston will be tough and the Motors have struggled this season against both of them. Detroit still has one game remaining with the Packers but their record against Chicago sits at 1-4-2, while entering their season ending home and home with the Bees the Motors sport just a 1-4-1 record in games with Boston.

BIG NAMES IN DANGER OF MISSING COLLEGE TOURNY

North Carolina Tech and Detroit City College are a pair of schools with a proven track record of success in the AIAA tournament but each will need a strong showing over the final two weeks of the collegiate cage season in order to ensure they qualify as part of the 32 team field in the annual AIAA basketball championship tournament.

The Techsters, with 4 AIAA titles under their belt and back to back trips to Bigsby Garden for the semi-finals in 1944 and 1945, find themselves in danger of missing the March showcase in consecutive years for the first time in school history. North Carolina Tech stumbled through an awful 14-15 campaign last year ending a five season stretch with at least 22 victories each year. They are 19-8 this season after a 48-42 loss to 11th ranked Mobile Maritime on Saturday. They close out the season with a fairly easy slate -hosting 10-15 Richmond State and 13-14 Coastal State this weekend before closing out the season on the road against 16-9 Central Carolina. At the moment, the Techsters project to make the 32-team field but it will likely take at least two more victories to do so.

The other big name school with a reach tournament history that needs a strong finish is Detroit City College. The Knights have never won the national tournament but they have only missed qualifying for the field once since 1931-32. It may well come down to a choice between DCC and their Michigan rivals St Ignatius. Each has four games remaining in Great Lakes Alliance play including a showdown in Detroit on Saturday. The Knights are 17-9, including a 7-5 record in section play that ties them with the Lancers for fourth in the GLA at the moment. St Ignatius is 17-8 overall.

BUBBLE WATCH

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY FEBRUARY 24
#24 Alabama Baptist 50, at Eastern Virginia 42
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25
#8 Bayou State 47, at Commonwealth Catholic 39
#19 Huntington State 54, at Ferguson 33
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26
at #24 Alabama Baptist 49, Western Florida 32
#6 Noble Jones College 59, at Cumberland 42
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27
at Wisconsin State 38, #18 Detroit City College 33
#12 Western Iowa 41, at Minnesota Tech 40
#3 Central Ohio 53, at #17 Whitney College 51
#15 Chesapeake State 48, at Coastal State 44
at #14 North Carolina Tech 47, Columbia Military Academy 38
#2 Carolina Poly 45, at Maryland State 44
at #11 Mobile Maritime 44, Cowpens State 43
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28
at #5 Rainier College 51, #13 Coastal California 43
#16 Redwood 39, at #4 Lane State 37
#10 CC Los Angeles 46, at Portland Tech 37
at #22 Lubbock State 42, Travis College 38
at Darnell State 49, #25 Texas Gulf Coast 47
SATURDAY MARCH 1
#8 Bayou State 57, at Western Florida 38
#6 Noble Jones College 56, at Baton Rouge State 25
#17 Whitney College 41, at Indiana A&M 25
at St. Ignatius 41, #12 Western Iowa 39
at #3 Central Ohio 46, Wisconsin State 35
#18 Detroit City College 37, at Lincoln 18
#25 Texas Gulf Coast 49, at #22 Lubbock State 32
at #11 Mobile Maritime 48, #14 North Carolina Tech 42
#2 Carolina Poly 59, at Alexandria 36
at #7 St. Blane 49, #23 Lambert College 45
at #21 Piedmont University 58, Texas Panhandle 52
SUNDAY MARCH 2
at #16 Redwood 45, #13 Coastal California 40
#5 Rainier College 37, at Northern California 29
at #10 CC Los Angeles 59, Idaho A&M 24
#4 Lane State 46, at Portland Tech 38



UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)
• March 18- Denny Arena, Boston - Roy Crawford (22-3) Heavyweight contender vs Lewis Jones (11-0)
• March 18- Waterbury, Ct - rising middleweight Bill Boggs (9-0) vs Vic Woodley (21-10)
• March 20 -Louisville, Ky - heavyweight Cannon Cooper (20-2-1) vs Matt Headley (19-7-2)
• March 21 -Brooklyn, NY- welterweight Wayne Dunn (28-7) vs Stuart White (26-8-2)
• March 25- Hartford, Ct- rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (8-0) vs Mel Gardner (5-5)

• President Truman directed Federal departments and agencies to fire or demote all incompetent employees as he issued an executive order placing the Federal civil service system back on a peacetime basis.
• 2,500 Buffalo teachers walked out in the largest teachers' strike in United States history.
• Lt. Gen. John Hodge sad there appears to be "something to" reports that the Russians are organizing and training Korean troops.
• Britain, her domestic economy near the breaking point, has reportedly proposed that the United States take over her commitments to Greece on a large scale, something the Americans are considering.
  
  https://i.imgur.com/2eJJ5px.jpg

March 10, 1947 Spring Training Games are Underway. Hockey playoff participants set
 

MARCH 10, 1947

A PAIN IN THE ASTLE FOR MINUTEMEN

Injuries Play Havoc With Citrus Start

In which should have been a day full of excitement as the Boston Minutemen were welcomed back to Winter Haven, Florida for the spring opener turned into a brutal reminder of how last season's pennant dreams were crushed as Minutemen ace Dean Astle's 1947 campaign came to an end just 13 pitches after it started.

The 37 year old Astle was a dominant 11-6 with 1.57 era and played a major role as the Minutemen spent much of August in first place last season. Then at the start of September it all came crashing down as Astle ruptured a tendon in his finger, ending an Allen Award worthy season and as it would turn out, Boston's playoff hopes with it. The Minutemen would stumble through a 9-14 September without their ace and finish second in the Federal Association - 4 games back of the Washington Eagles.

Fast-forward to last week when Astle made his mound return in the Minutemen spring home opener, a day after losing to Detroit in Lakeland to get the Citrus campaign started. Despite the outcome the day before, hopes were high for the coming season and Astle was looking forward to picking up where he left off last September. There was clearly a little rust as St Louis lead-off man Heinie Zimmer greeted Astle with a double on a full-count pitch but that was to be expected after the injury and the layoff. What was not expected was that just three batters later Astle had doubled over in pain clutching his left elbow following a delivery to Bob Johnston Jr. Boston manager Bill Boshart knew it was bad, but had no idea how bad until a few days later when word came that Astle had blown out his elbow and would miss the entire season. At his age -37- and with a series of injuries already in his past, there is some worry that Astle may have thrown the final pitch of his 14-year career.

As if the news could not have been any worse for Boston, the Minutemen also lost infielder Billy Dalton to an injury in the same game. The 32-year-old injured a stomach muscle, and the expectation is it will take 2 months to heal meaning he will miss the first two or three weeks of the season.

*** Injuries Rampant in Opening Week ***

Boston was not the only team bitten by the injury bug as a number of players went down. Obviously many had the usual minor aches and pains as they get back into the grind of playing baseball every day but there were a number of more serious issues as well. Fortunately for many, the extended spring training format will have them healthy again before the start of the season but among the lengthy injuries are included:

• Montreal shortstop Gordie Perkins will miss a month
• Second baseman Charlie Ross, the ex-Cincinnati Cannon trying to crack the Philadelphia Sailors roster, has a leg injury that will sideline him for 6 months.
• Stars backup outfielder Elijah Bourdeau suffered a sprained elbow expected to hamper him for a month
• Promising young Chicago Chiefs catcher Dino Robinson sprained his ankle in a collision at the plate and will be out for 5 weeks.
• Pittsburgh pitcher Bill Traylor, who made 4 starts for the club last season, will miss the first half of the season with shoulder troubles

GRAYS EARLY FAVOURITE OF OSA

Not sure we can put much stock in predictions made at the beginning of March, and they are even more suspect when the consensus is the GWL champion San Francisco Hawks and finalist Los Angeles Knights will finish 6th and 7th in the 8-team loop but the Omni Scouting Agency likes the Oakland Grays as the team to beat in their early prediction.

The services tabs the Grays, led by the powerful infield bats of Hank Grant, Larry Colaianni and Frankie Cohen to dominate the coast loop, finishing with 99 wins. Portland is pegged for second place but a full 10-games back of Tom Bird's flock with Houston and Seattle rounding out the top four.

The GWL clubs did take to the field's this week as they hastily bumped up the start of their spring contests to keep pace with a similar decision made by the established FABL loop. The Knights and the new-look Dallas Centurions, with a number of high-priced winter acquisitions, each got off to a 5-2 start while the Grays and Green Sox both struggled, perhaps feeling the weight of the lofty ambitions the OSA has for the two organizations.

FORMER TOP PROSPECT FRANKS MAKING HIS MARK ON THE HARDWOOD

While fans of the sport may not remember the name, FABL scouts smile and nod when they are reminded of the name Leo Franks. As a 15 year old sophomore at Sandusky (OH) High School, Franks was a three-sport star with his ability to throw a baseball being his top skill. He went 8-2 for the Pirates high school club as a sophomore while fanning 124 batters in 96 innings. Scouts felt he had a great future with OSA stating that he has "flashed the potential to be a top of the rotation starter."

TWIFB named Franks to its Way To Early 1945 Mock Draft in August of 1943, slotting him in at the 6th spot as the top pitcher in that list. Franks was just two spots behind a centerfielder from Detroit by the name of Bob Riggins who had just completed his freshman season at Grange College and now is a big leaguer with the New York Stars. The future seemed bright for the young righthander until he blew out his arm that winter while working out and never pitched again.

It also ended his career as quarterback of Sandusky High's football team but after missing nearly a full year he returned to play basketball for the school. Pittsburgh State noticed Franks and ended up recruiting him to play for the Finches cage team. The results have been outstanding as Franks started every game as a freshman guard last season and averaged 6.4 points per game and 3.0 assists per contest. This year as a sophomore he has improved to scoring at an 8.4 ppg clip while also leading the nation in helpers, averaging 4.9 assists per game despite playing for a team that went 5-23 this year.

A pro sports career in basketball seems like a long shot, unlike the baseball career he appeared destined to have, but at this stage it may be hard to count Leo Franks out, considering where he was just two years ago.

• The Stars are off to a hot start at 5-2 after the first week of spring action. New York brass is hoping Freddie Jones can stay healthy for at least a good majority of the season as Rabbit Mudd may get the boot to cut down on salary space a bit.
• Its very early but Stan Kleminski went 0-for-11 last week. The good news is he only committed 1 error at SS, of course Dick York pulled him or shifted him to 2B pretty quickly in any game he started. And Edwin Hackberry went 1-for-15 so a slow start for the future of the franchise although in Kleminski's case at least, the spring focus is solely on improving his defense.
• From Doc Shaw of the Boston Globe: "Baseball is back! Time to populate the Minutemn injured list again. First up....probably a career ender for Dean Astle. Out 14 months with a ruptured UCL. Wait there is more!!! Billy Dalton gone for 2 months with a torn abdominal muscle. Somebody FIRE a trainer or something around here!!!

PLAYOFF FIELD SET, BUT TOP SPOT UP FOR GRABS

The four NAHC teams that will continue their quest for the Challenge Cup with playoff berths have been decided but the semi-final matchups are yet to be determined. The Detroit Motors and New York Shamrocks clinched third and fourth place respectively last week and they know they will each face either the Boston Bees or the Chicago Packers in the opening playoff round. What is not know is whether it will be the Bees or the Packers standing at the top of the heap when the regular season comes to a conclusion a week from Tuesday in Detroit.

That final game may well determine the semi-final matchups as it will pit long-time rivals Boston and Detroit against each other. The way it stands now the Bees and Packers are dead even with 59 points each after Chicago beat Boston twice in just over a week. The Packers have 3 games remaining on their schedule while the Bees have four left to play.


LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday March 4
The highly anticipated final meeting of the season between the league's top two teams took place in Chicago with the host Packers beat the visiting Boston Bees for the second straight game. The season series between the two was a dead heat with each club winning 3 times and the other two games ending in a tie score. As for this evening it was a 4-2 final with Ed Delarue scoring twice to pace the Packers. Wes Burns did not factor in the scoring at all, but he was back in the Chicago lineup after missing a month with a broken jaw. The other game saw the New York Shamrocks thump the Detroit Motos 6-1 to move closer to clinching the fourth and final playoff berth.

Thursday March 6
Detroit secured a playoff spot and helped end Brooklyn's hopes for their first post-season appearance in over decade after the two clubs skated to a 1-1 draw in the Motor City. Quinton Pollack, back after missing three weeks with an injury, scored his 26th goal of the season while Dave Bradley's 11th accounted for the Detroit offense. Montreal kept its faint playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 win in Toronto. Ray Sclisizzi led the Valiants with a pair of goals while Bobbie Sauer had one for Toronto, allowing him to reach the 20-goal plateau for the third consecutive season.

Saturday March 8
The New York Shamrocks clinched the fourth and final playoff spot without stepping on the ice. The Shamrocks were off but the Montreal Valiants playoff dreams were crushed in a 6-1 loss to the Detroit Motors. Detroit was led by two goals and an assist from Graham Comeau, giving the second-year player a team high 44 points on the season. Third period goals from Rosie McInnis and Leo Carlson lifted the Toronto Dukes to a 5-3 win over the Brooklyn Eagles in a game that saw the Dukes pepper beleaguered Brooklyn goaltender Tom Brockers with 52 shots.

Sunday March 9
Boston and Chicago remain tied for first place after both won on Sunday. The Bees trimmed Montreal 4-3 despite a 3-point night for Valiants winger Nicholas Haines while the Packers had a much easier time of things in Brooklyn as Moose Vezina had a hat trick in a 6-2 Chicago victory over the Eagles. The final game of the night saw Bobbie Sauer score twice as Toronto and New York skated to a 3-3 tie. The game had a violent incident in the closing minutes when New York forward Adam Greenham was given a 5-minute boarding major and subsequently suspended four games by the league meaning he will miss the Shamrocks regular season finale next week and the first three games of the playoffs.

NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE
TUESDAY MARCH 11
Boston at Toronto

THURSDAY MARCH 13
Detroit at Chicago
Brooklyn at Boston

SATURDAY MARCH 15
Montreal at Brooklyn
Toronto at Chicago

SUNDAY MARCH 16
Chicago at Toronto
Detroit at Boston
New York at Brooklyn

AROUND THE LEAGUE

NAHC PLAYOFF PICTURE

The 4-team playoff field is set but the matchups are still murky as Boston and Chicago are tied for top spot with 9 days left in the season. Motors end a 2 year post-season drought in clinching third place while the Shamrocks take fourth and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 1941-42. Montreal's 4 year string of playoff appearances ends while Toronto misses for the first time since 1937-38. Brooklyn, which has not seen the postseason since 1935, had a tremendous improvement over last season's 2-win campaign, but still falls short.

With home ice advantage throughout the playoffs the prize for finishing first the Packers have home games against Detroit and the Dukes this week before ending their season in Toronto on Sunday. Boston travels to Toronto Tuesday, and then hosts Brooklyn and Detroit before finishing up the season in the Motor City a week from Tuesday.

CIRCUS-LIKE ATMOSPHERE IN NEW YORK

Courtesy of the New York World Telegram

With one week, but only one game, remaining in the season the Shamrock's can finally have a small celebration. The Greenshirts are going bback to the playoffs for the first time since 1941-42. The only negative is the 4 game suspension given to Adam Greenham for a high hit and swing of his stick in Sunday's Toronto Dukes game. Greenham will miss the finale in Brooklyn, then the first three games of the semi-finals against either Boston or Chicago.

When asked if he had a preference in opponent Shamrocks head coach Kurt Stone replied, "I wouldn't tell you if I did. Either will be an extreme challenge. The important thing is we're in. This will be a valuable experience for the boys."

Bigsby Gardens, now home to the circus, will soon be hosting playoff hockey.

MELANSON SET FOR NEXT CHALLENGE

Title fights almost seem like old hat for Frank Melanson, and perhaps that is the best indication of just how far he has come. It is an often told tale, but one that never seems to get old as talk around any middleweight title bout these days inevitably drifts towards the unlikely career path for Melanson - how he rose from the steel factories of Pittsburgh to the top of the boxing world. How Melanson had to beg his employer for an additional week off just so he could head to Philadelphia in the summer of 1945 and face Archie Rees for the world middleweight crown.

"Yes, that is true," laughed Melanson as he was in the final stages of preparation for what will be his fourth title defense on Saturday at Bigsby Garden against Nick Harris. "I did have to ask the boss for a few extra days, but you have to remember this was in the heart of the push to end the war and everyone had a job to do."

Melanson's job as it would turn out was to score a unanimous decision over a shocked Rees and send the British champ home to jolly old England. Melanson was certainly much more than just a factory worker at that time - he had faced 28 opponents as a professional fighter and had never lost, although he did count one draw from early in his ring career. Most of the fighters he had beaten were little more than trial horses at best and tomato cans at worst but Melanson did count an impressive decision over Brooks O'Connor from early in his career and wins over Doug Smith and Vic Woodley in the months leading up to the opportunity against Rees.

That June evening in Philadelphia was expected to be any easy evening for Rees, as the champ would line his pockets with a few dollars as part of an American tour that began with a quick first round knockout of Thomas Erwin. The problem was, Melanson had no plans of simply collecting a pay check and having a great story to share one day about how he fought for the ABF world title. He won the fight the fight and then fought two incredible battles with Todd Gill -the first ending in a majority draw before Melanson rallied for a TKO in the 15th round of the rematch. Next up was another European champ to dismiss when Melanson had a surprisingly easy time with Edouard Desmarias, a Frenchman who had beaten Rees to run his record to 36-0 entering the match.

Now it is Nick Harris who becomes the next challenge for the 29 year old now-former factory worker with a 31-0-2 record and an championship belt. The 32 year old Harris -the pride of Cranston, Rhode Island- is no easy mark with a 19-2-1 record that includes recent wins over Marshall McBride and Nathan Sears but something tells us only a fool would bet against Frank the Tank.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)
• March 18- Denny Arena, Boston - Roy Crawford (22-3) Heavyweight contender vs Lewis Jones (11-0)
• March 18- Waterbury, Ct - rising middleweight Bill Boggs (9-0) vs Vic Woodley (21-10)
• March 20 -Louisville, Ky - heavyweight Cannon Cooper (20-2-1) vs Matt Headley (19-7-2)
• March 21 -Brooklyn, NY- welterweight Wayne Dunn (28-7) vs Stuart White (26-8-2)
• March 25- Hartford, Ct- rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (8-0) vs Mel Gardner (5-5)

FIVE WCAA TEAMS LIKELY TOURNAMENT BOUND

As the collegiate basketball season heads into its final week before the AIAA tournament begins it is looking like the West Coast Athletic Association will send 5 teams to compete in the 32-team championship field. Sixth ranked Rainier College, #7 Lane State, #9 CC Los Angeles and 13th ranked Coastal California are all locks to qualify and it looks like Redwood University, after improving to 20-8 on the year with a 41-26 win over Portland Tech yesterday, will also get an invitation. The Mammoths are ranked #20th in the latest TWIFB poll.

The WCAA conference title remains on the line and with it likely comes a #1 or at the very worst a #2 seed in the West Region of the tournament. The Lane State Emeralds and CCLA Coyotes are tied for top spot in the section at 10-5 with the pair slated to meet in Los Angeles to close out the season on Thursday. The Emeralds won the first meeting of the two schools, trimming the Coyotes 40-38 February 7 in Eugene.

North Carolina Tech seems certain to miss the tournament for the second year in a row after the Techsters were upset 43-40 by Coastal State on Saturday, dropping their season record to 20-9. Detroit City College - the other school that was on the bubble a week ago- appears to have done enough to qualify by improving to 19-9 on the year with 3 straight wins with Saturday's 53-31 thumping of St Ingatius knocking the Knights Lansing rivals out of tournament consideration.

The hottest team in the Great Lakes Alliance has been the Central Ohio Aviators, who are flying high with 7 straight wins and a 13-1 section record that clinched just the second GLA cage title for the Columbus school since 1911. It is expected Central Ohio will get the top seed in the Midwest Region with top ranked Liberty College and #2 Carolina Poly claiming the top spot in the East and South. That leaves the West which will likely go to the winner of the Lane State-CCLA game although St Blane or Noble Jones College may also be possibilities.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY MARCH 3
#21 Piedmont University 50, at Gates University 28
TUESDAY MARCH 4
at #16 Huntington State 61, Eastern Virginia 50
WEDNESDAY MARCH 5
#8 Bayou State 57, at Bluegrass State 44
at #22 Alabama Baptist 59, Cumberland 56
at #4 Noble Jones College 52, St Andrews College 37
#21 Piedmont University 58, at Ogdensburg 37
THURSDAY MARCH 6
#12 Western Iowa 42, at Wisconsin State 35
at #15 Detroit City College 51, Indiana A&M 42
at #18 Whitney College 48, St. Magnus 42
#3 Central Ohio 45, at Lincoln 40
at #14 North Carolina Tech 49, Richmond State 41
Bulein 48, at #17 Chesapeake State 33
#11 Mobile Maritime 42, at Petersburg 29
at #2 Carolina Poly 53, Charleston Tech 35
#10 Miami State 45, at Dakota College 34
FRIDAY MARCH 7
at Idaho A&M 46, #25 Northern California 35
Spokane State 38, at #20 Redwood 30
#13 Coastal California 50, at #7 Lane State 34
at #9 CC Los Angeles 37, #6 Rainier College 29
at #23 Texas Gulf Coast 47, Travis College 39
#24 Lubbock State 45, at Amarillo Methodist 35
SATURDAY MARCH 8
at #8 Bayou State 50, Northern Mississippi 39
#4 Noble Jones College 47, at Georgia Baptist 29
#22 Alabama Baptist 40, at Central Kentucky 34
at #3 Central Ohio 43, #12 Western Iowa 33
at #15 Detroit City College 53, St. Ignatius 31
Lincoln 52, at #18 Whitney College 47
at Canyon A&M 49, #24 Lubbock State 46
Coastal State 43, at #14 North Carolina Tech 40
at #17 Chesapeake State 43, Alexandria 37
at #2 Carolina Poly 47, Central Carolina 29
at #16 Huntington State 44, University of New Jersey 36
at #11 Mobile Maritime 46, Strub College 32
at #19 Great Plains State 59, Bliss College 34
SUNDAY MARCH 9
Custer College 49, at #13 Coastal California 47
#9 CC Los Angeles 45, at Spokane State 42
at #25 Northern California 50, #7 Lane State 42
at #6 Rainier College 54, Idaho A&M 26
#20 Redwood 41, at Portland Tech 26

• The draft is over and the War Department announced the release of all its non-volunteers by June 30.
• Secretary of State Marshall stated that aid to Greece is "a matter of primary importance to the United States."
• Marshall also urged the Senate to give prompt ratification of peace treaties with Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary as a start on the road to peace.
• Violent deaths reached 22 in three days in Palestine with the shooting of a Jewish curfew violator in Tel Aviv as the British Army maintained marshall law over a third of the Holy Land's 700,000 Jews.

March 17, 1947: Melanson title fight and NAHC playoff pairings set
 

It was an interesting winter as the Great Western League prepares for its sophomore campaign as a big league. Three of the GWL teams -each with something to prove- spent a lot of money on whatever serviceable FABL cast-offs they could find. The were the Los Angeles Knights, hoping to win it all in '47 after losing in the Bigsby Cup a year ago, the Oakland Grays who narrowly missed an invite to the Cup and the Dallas Centurions with a goal of getting out of the second division.

The other five clubs, including the defending Cup champion San Francisco Hawks, made little in the way of roster moves. Whether that was due to financial constraints, a lack of interest in the few free agents that were available or a desire to play the long game and stockpile money until such time as when -or if- the league decides to become more aggressive in pursuing minor league or perhaps even FABL talent remains to be seen.

It is still mid-March so much could change over the next month prior to Opening Day, but this is how we see the coast campaign playing out for 1947.

1- LOS ANGELES KNIGHTS: The Knights finished second a year ago on the strength of their pitching. Little has changed in that regard as Karl Wallace, Bob Cummings, Steve Noel and Chick Pappalardo all return and if they can all remain healthy the Knights look well positioned for a return to the Bigsby Cup title series. The offense is solid led by first baseman Jim Hadfield and former St Louis Pioneers outfielder Les Hendrix. Thomas Bigsby's crew threw some money around over the winter and brought in a pair of solid bats in FABL castoffs Elmer Hutchins and Joseph Mills.

2- OAKLAND GRAYS: If 39-year-old Doc Newell still has something left in his right arm the Grays pitching staff should be sound with a front-three of Newell, Cy Sullivan and Bud Hastings. Missing Johnny Cook for most, if not all of the season, will hurt but a wild card might be recent free agent signing Harry Frenette, who never really found his stride with the New York Gothams. Second baseman Hank Grant is one of the best players in the league and the Grays should not want for offensive production, although an upgrade in the outfield beyond pitcher/OF Danny Goff Jr. would have helped.

3- SAN FRANCISCO HAWKS: Bob Land dominated GWL pitching with a .401 batting average and a league high 94 rbi's. We are not sure he will hit over .400 again this season but Land remains one of the best players in the league and the key piece behind a high-flying Hawks offense that also includes a double-play duo of ex-Eagle John Wood and former-New York Star Steve Summers. The two-Jacks in Snyder and Henderson combine with Zeke King to led the pitching staff but the champs stood pat over the winter instead of adding more arm depth and that might cost them a playoff spot to their Bay Area rivals.

4- DALLAS CENTURIONS :The Centurions should be the most improved team in the 8-team loop with the addition of high priced FABL cast-offs 3B Ken Mayhugh, 2B Al Gross and 1B Jim Honeywood. Add in smooth fielding but light hitting shortstop Lou Hofmeister and the Cents infield will match that of Oakland for the league's best. The consensus is the Dallas soft spot will be a lack of pitching depth. Ira Hawker and George Rotondi give them a solid duo at the top of the rotation but finding quality back end starters may be a challenge.

5- PORTLAND GREEN SOX :The Green Sox have the lowest payroll in the league but possibly the most explosive lineup with plenty of well-known names like Lew Seals, Aart MacDonald, Frank LeMieux and Johnny Guzzo. Like their Pacific Northwest counterparts in Portland, there is worry about the Green Sox pitching and while there were limited options out there over the winter, spending some of that money the club is hoarding on a quality arm or two over the winter might have been enough to propel the Green Sox into the playoffs.

6- SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS :Seattle has some offensive talent, but the mound seems to be the big question mark for the Thunderbirds. Age may be a factor but if 38 year Jake Shadoan and 36 year old Al Haynes can hold it together for another season the Thunderbirds offense should be fine, especially with a supporting cast that includes Howard Brown Jr. and if 40-year-old Jim Aban can stay healthy -yes, that is a big ask- the Thunderbirds may just sneak into the first division.

7- HOUSTON BULLS :The Bulls made a playoff push in August of last year before eventually settling into the second division. Former FABL stars Lou Balk and Wally Flowers are aging but should still be effective in the coast loop and long-time GWL second baseman Phil Barber is solid but there are some holes in the lineup. Big seasons from Bill McGraw and Pug Bryan on the mound might push the Bulls closer to the first division but the playoffs seem out of reach.

8- SAN DIEGO CONQUISTADORS :Last a year ago, the Conquistadors have nowhere to go but up but the cash-strapped club did not make any additions over the winter and appears to have too many holes to be competitive. There is some talent including former first overall FABL draft pick Curly Jones and veteran Conquistador Bob Sheehy on the mound along with longtime San Diego outfielder Al Haines.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

Spring Training Begins in the FABL -If Wolves fans listen closely they might be able to hear the crack of bat meeting ball or the ball hitting leather from the south as the last vestiges of winter hang onto Toronto. In a move that has been already be lauded across baseball, major league camps opened two weeks earlier than usual extending spring training to six weeks. The general consensus is that the extra time will give some youngsters an opportunity to at least leave an impression on the minds of the big club's coaching staff.

Brett is in agreement with most of the Wolves faithful believing that 1947 is a defining year for the team. Was 1946 a true measure of the club or just an aberration where nothing went right for the team? If the former is the true, the Wolves were a good team in a war ravaged league but not a perennial contender then strong arguments can be made that it is time to move on, start moving assets that still have gas left in the tank for younger players with huge potential upside. Rather than a rebuild of the Toronto squad, it would be more of a retool in which older players, with value, are moved for players a year or two away to be replaced in 1947 with players knocking on the FABL door from the Wolves system.

Pitching is one area in which the team is deep. Would moving any of George Garrison, Joe Hancock, Jimmy Gibbs or Lou Jayson bring back enough in return to allow the Wolves to begin a long run in 1948? Jerry York will almost certainly be a member of the starting rotation in '47, but can he be the anchor that of a new CA most feared pitching staff? For any fans who have not heard Toronto won the draft lottery allowing them to select P Les Ledbetter with the first overall pick. If Ledbetter is anything close to what the scouts predict he could be part of a feared 1, 2 punch with York before the end of the decade.

In the field the most persistent rumour of the winter is that the team has been passively shopping Walt Pack to make room for John Fast, Frank Frady. Could the team also look to move on from Hal Wood, Tom Frederick, Juan Pomales, Chink Stickels for younger bats? A major move, which probably would not sit well with the fans, would be a package involving Charlie Artuso that could bring huge return along with enormous risk.

First in the firing line is probably manaer Bob Call, who is in the final year of a $15K per annum contract which was thought by many to be exorbitant when he signed during the war. Call, who is known for protecting pitchers by limiting their workload early in the season, should benefit from the extension of spring training which will allow the starters to build their stamina. Next to Call on the hot seat would be pitching coach Johnny Franklin, who was questioned often during 1946 about his handling of the staff, both the rotation and the relief corps, which was a disaster waiting to happen last season. Can the Call, Franklin pair right the long standing foundation of the team in 1947? Make no mistake, if the team falters early both could be out of a job before the mid-summer classic.

Owner Bernie Millard, who has been strangely silent during the winter, not even taking the time to bash the "rebels" in the GWL, has been seen at spring workouts holding meetings with the brain trust. One thing accredited to him is that he will not the Wolves follow the path he has seen with the Toronto Dukes hockey team. He has told his top level subordinates with words to the effect of "We will not become an old club with nothing in reserve to replace the aging veterans as happened with the Dukes. I hope 1946 was not a sign of that, your main job is prepare for ongoing success of the Wolves by having ready replacements for everyone at the FABL level. Do not let what has happened to the hockey club, happen here. We cannot be a second division club going forward!" Millard is still said to be interested in acquiring a stake in the hockey team even a majority position if possible to expand his sports empire.

During the tune up games Brett will be watching all the players but in particular Clarence Howerton and Fred McCormick, along with Rule 5 selections Frank Bunch Jr. and Ray Hagan. Can Howerton and McCormick coax another top level season out of their 37 year old bodies? Will Bunch and Hagan show enough to go north with the team or be returned to their former teams?

One thing is certain for the upcoming season, Brett will keep the fans up to date on the workings of the Wolves system during 1947 both the positive and negatives.
As rain began falling on the Wolves spring training facility halting workouts for the team Brett sought cover in the roofed section of the stands only to waved over by the owner Bernie Millard. He agreed to an impromptu interview in the rain. Following are the main points of the interview which should give fans an insight to the immediate future of the team along with some other interesting commentary.

Brett: Thank you for granting this unscheduled interview. My first question will probably be the one foremost in all Wolves fans minds in two parts. What happened in 1946? What is the outlook for the upcoming season?

Millard: That is the thing I like about your reporting for the Mail & Empire. Get to the point, gather the facts present the facts to your readers in a clear, concise manner.

There is no doubt last season began with high hopes then became a disappointing, dismal 154 games for a team that most thought would be at or near the top the CA. No one thought the Wolves would spend most of the season trying not to finish last. The fall from contender to also ran is probably not due to only one factor but a number of things going wrong at the same time, if it was one thing my front office should be able to fix that in short order, if they cannot then they do not deserve to be in their jobs. I know that meetings were held throughout the season in an attempt correct the situation but nothing seemed to work, in my mind it came down to two things that carried the team to their success during the war years, pitching, defense. If someone has predicted that Garrison and Hancock would lose a combined 33 games they would have been laughed out of town. Winning a combined 40 games would have been more likely than losing 30. Pitchers do not lose games by themselves a combination of shoddy defense behind them along with anemic bats will usually be a lethal combination. When you looks at the stats for those two they received right around 3 runs of support per game, it is hard to only allow 2 runs to win a game with the quality of hitting in the CA. I will not single out individual players, they know who they are, but the team has to perform much better in all phases of the game in 1947. Let us leave the past in the past. I expect 1947 to much better in all three areas, pitching, hitting, defense.

Brett: Last off-season you were on the front of the sports page often with you criticism of the GWL. Nothing lately, why?

Millard: My personal thoughts on the rebels has not changed but the other owners have convinced me to keep my thoughts out of the public domain. They have the fear that my views were giving the GWL some legitimacy. I still believe that the league is a sham, a money grab from baseball fans in the west. By declaring yourself a major league does not make it a fact, I would like to see the balance sheets of most teams. The FABL is the only true top level of baseball in North America. We, the owners, continue to plan for teams in the west but there are a number of logistical issues that must be resolved such as do we expand or relocate teams? One benefit of the war is the advances in air travel which would make travel not the limiting factor. Most fans are not aware or have forgotten that just before Pearl Harbour plans were in place to have an FABL in Los Angeles. Those plans were obviously put on hold then then the Bixsby group of charlatans went into that market with a substandard product. My message to the west coast fans is that the FABL is on its way sooner rather than later be patient you will see top level baseball. As for travel the Wolves have a group looking at the purchase of a DC3 to allow the team to be the first in the FABL to travel by plane rather than train if it makes sense in the overall picture.

Brett: Last question which will be outside baseball. Many fans have heard of your interest in hockey, specifically the Toronto Dukes, any comment?

Millard: Yes, it is no secret that I have become a hockey fan along with meeting with the Dukes owners in an attempt to purchase at least an ownership stake in the team. I see a great future in the NAHC, Dukes should be a cornerstone franchise in the league. Many Wolves season tickets holder also are staunch Dukes supporters although the average hockey fan is slightly more passionate than the Wolves probably due to the condensed hockey schedule. I see many synergies that could be combined by having one management group in charge of both Toronto teams. An interesting fact that I have alerted my baseball people to is the way the Dukes fell off this year because, in my opinion, they allowed the team to get too old, too fast with an empty system of young players. My front office team at Dominion Stadium should learn lessons from that experience of the hockey team.

Probably the worst kept secret in Toronto is that it appears that Jack Barrell will soon become the head coach of the Dukes. My experience with the Barrell's is all baseball related but I have no doubt that Jack will bring the same level of competence to the hockey team. This will be a big day for the Dukes, my advice would be to give Jack what he requests, stay out of his way for on-ice decisions.

• A bit of a scare for the World Champion New York Stars after pitching ace Eli Panneton had to leave yesterday's game with Cleveland early due to elbow pain. The good news for the 25 year old is it is deemed to be nothing more than a strain and Panneton should be as good as new with a week or two rest.
• The news was not so good for Jack Hale as the Chicago Cougars farmhand is done for the year after blowing out his shoulder in a game last week. The 31 year old known as the "El Dorado Kid" was a free agent signing last season after being cast aside by the Cleveland Foresters. Hale was 8-16 over parts of 5 years with Cleveland during the war but the former secound round pick spent last season in the minors.
• Another high-priced coast league signing as the Portland Green Sox inked former Sailor and Dynamo catcher Bill Watson to a deal that will pay the 30 year old $21,000 this season. Watson was a two-time CA all-star while with Philadelphia.

MELANSON NARROWLY DEFENDS MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE OVER HARRIS

Frank “The Tank” Melanson has become familiar with the term “Champion”. After all, it has been nearly two years since he became the Middleweight Champion and he has been somewhat of a “People’s Champion”. His backstory has become legend. The factory worker who made good on his title shot will inspire many everyday Joes to put down the tools of their trades and pick up boxing gloves. But, Melanson has never been comfortable with the life of a champion. Melanson is not flashy, he is not one prone to its trappings. Melanson goes about his business in a very straightforward manner. He is approachable, a gentleman in this brutish sport.

Melanson faced Nick Harris, three years his senior but with 11 fewer fights on his résumé. Harris was a heavy underdog, but the Cranston, R.I. native was ready for the fight. Harris gave Melanson all he could handle, mixing his punches and landing some big ones. By my count, Harris landed nine “big boppers” compared to only one by Melanson.

However, Melanson was more consistent throughout the match, defended himself better than Harris did, and won a unanimous decision to retain the Middleweight title. Melanson fought smart and used his experience to box defensively. Melanson withstood some heavy hits, but Harris only landed about 16-1/2 punches on average compared to 23.6 per round for The Tank.

Harris announced his intentions early in the fourth round with a big uppercut that surprised the crowd. Melanson was shaken up but did enough to recover, although through five rounds Harris had a slight edge in the fight. Melanson came out in the sixth and simply took control. Just six seconds into the sixth round, Melanson hit Harris with a combination that opened a cut inside his mouth and Harris was in full retreat for the rest of the three minutes.

While Melanson’s best round was the sixth, Harris was strongest in the 12th round. Harris connected to no less than four big punches, using his hook to score to the head and the body and punctuated the round with an uppercut, as Melanson staggered and stumbled during the round. Also, Harris’s shots caused Melanson’s right eye to swell, though it did not seem to hamper him in the final rounds outside of a flurry of punches by Harris early in the 13th round.

The fight went to the judges and all three called the fight for Melanson, but each judge only had Melanson ahead by four points. Two of the three judges had the fight dead even through eight rounds. But Melanson carried the fight in the second half outside of the 12th round and felt comfortable enough to manage the later rounds without having to go for a knockout and leave himself open for counterattacks. Harris had to take those chances very late in the bout, as his corner was well aware of the situation. Melanson did not exactly take advantage of Harris’s aggressiveness late in the fight, but he was able to parry those shots.
Neither boxer was knocked down tonight. Melanson favored the use of combinations and hooks while Harris had success with his uppercuts. Referee Jimmy Hooper cautioned Melanson three times and Harris once, as both fighters tried to take advantage of hitting illegally while in close. Hooper called a good fight and it was a fair result.

Melanson remained undefeated at 32-0-2, while Harris fell to 19-3-1 with the loss. Since Melanson won the belt against Archie Rees in 1945, no one has given him as much to handle, which led the assembled throng at Bigsby Garden to call for a rematch almost immediately. Harris is 32 years old and might get passed over, so his camp will likely angle for one more bite at the apple.

Melanson has the luxury of waiting out the decision, but he will not stall nor will he line his pockets. That is not his way. After all, he is the People’s Champion for good reason.

BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPER COUNT
Round 1: None
Round 2: None
Round 3: None
Round 4: Harris 1-0 (0:11 uppercut)
Round 5: None
Round 6: None
Round 7: None
Round 8: None
Round 9: None
Round 10: Harris 3-0 (0:29 jab/head, 0:58 hook/jaw, 1:35 cross)
Round 11: None
Round 12: Harris 4-0 (0:33 hook, 1:29 hook/head, 1:51 uppercut, 2:27 left hook/body)
Round 13: Tied 1-1 (M: 2:44 right hand; H: 0:44 cross)
Round 14: Harris 1-0 (0:43 uppercut)
Round 15: None
TOTAL: Harris 9, Melanson 1

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• March 18- Denny Arena, Boston - Roy Crawford (22-3) Heavyweight contender vs Lewis Jones (11-0)
• March 18- Waterbury, Ct - rising middleweight Bill Boggs (9-0) vs Vic Woodley (21-10)
• March 20 -Louisville, Ky - heavyweight Cannon Cooper (20-2-1) vs Matt Headley (19-7-2)
• March 21 -Brooklyn, NY- welterweight Wayne Dunn (28-7) vs Stuart White (26-8-2)
• March 25- Hartford, Ct- rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (8-0) vs Mel Gardner (5-5)

BEES CLAIM TOP SPOT AS NAHC SET FOR PLAYOFFS

The Boston Bees finished with the best regular season record in the NAHC and that will give them home ice advantage in their quest for a fifth Challenge Cup in the past seven seasons. The Bees won the title last year, eliminating Montreal in six games in the finals, ending Toronto's two-year hold on the most famous trophy in sports. Boston had previously won three Cups in a row from 1941 to 1943.

The Bees will have some injuries to contend with on their back line as defenseman Willis Beane, who led the club's blueliners with 19 points this season, is expected to miss at least the opener of the best-of-5 semi-final series with a foot injury. Elmer Jernigan is also out and there is some question about a third defenseman -veteran Fred Yeadon- being healthy enough to play. First line center Wilbur Chandler is also nursing an injury but is expected to suit up. Boston's opponent will be the fourth place New York Shamrocks, who are healthy but will be without rookie forward Adam Greenham for the first 3 games of the series as the 24-year-old who tallied 32 points this season, remains suspended.

Boston won the regular season series between the two rivals, winning 4 and tying 2 of the 8 games they duo competed in. For New York to win the series they will need a big effort out of goaltender Etienne Tremblay, who will have his work cut out for himself against Tommy Hart and the Bees.

BOSTON VS NEW YORK

The other semi-final will be a contrast in styles as the league's most dominant offensive club in the Chicago Packers takes on the Detroit Motors, who allowed the fewest goals against this season. The big line of the Burns brothers along with Marty Mahoney leads Chicago but the Packers also have plenty of secondary scoring. Detroit has a balanced offense led by 24 year old Graham Comeau but the real strength of the Motors success lies in goaltender Henri Chasse and solid group of defenseman with ex-Toronto Duke Bryant Williams being the key. Both clubs may be missing key contributors for at least the series opener as Detroit defensemen Joe Todd and Bernie Dunton are both listed as day-to-day as is Chicago's 33 point man Jarrett McGlynn and steady defender Jerry Finch. Wes Burns will play for the Packers but he has not been overly effective in his 4 games back after missing a month with a broken jaw.

CHICAGO VS DETROIT

BURNS SETS MODERN-ERA POINTS RECORD

Chicago Packers center Tommy Burns picked up two points in each of his club's final two games of the season allowing the 27-year-old to establish a new modern day record for points in a season. The Port Arthur, On., native finished the campaign with 67 points, one more than Sam Koger accumulated for the Toronto Dukes in the 1943-44 season. Burns seems a likely candidate to win his second straight McDaniels Award, presented to the NAHC's most valuable player.

The all-time record for points in a season is 80 established by Bert Gordier of Boston back in the 1929-30 season. Gordier and teammate George Tremaine, who tallied 78 points for the 29-30 Bees, are the only players in NAHC history to notch more points than Burns total this year.

Burns was also one of three players to tie for the league lead in goals this season with 30. Joined by Boston's Tommy Hart and Brooklyn Eagles rookie Quinton Pollack, the trio join a select group to score at least 30 in a single season. The modern era leader is Gil Nagle with 32 for the 1941-42 Toronto Dukes while in all of NAHC history, going back to the 1926 merger with the USHA the top mark is 47 belonging to Gordier in his outstanding 1929-30 season.

DUKES JUST HAPPY NIGHTMARE SEASON IS OVER

Toronto Mail & Empire

The Season mercifully comes to a close for the Dukes. A year after winning 31 games and posting a 70 point season the club only accumulates half as many points in suffering through its first non-playoff campaign in over a decade. The final tally is a record of 13-26-9, while surrendering the most goals against in NAHC at 175 -15 more than any other team in the league. Imagine how bad it could have been without career leader in GAA, goaltender wins and shutouts Gordie Broadway between the pipes! Dukes had never finished with less than 23 wins in a season or 52 points in the modern era before this season's debacle. Head coach Norb Hickey was not at the season ending press conference furthering talks that he is out as coach.

LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
TUESDAY MARCH 11
The Boston Bees moved two points ahead of the Chicago Packers and into sole possession of first place with a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Dukes. Daniel Fortin's 8th goal of the season, unassisted and the only marker of the third period proved the difference.

THURSDAY MARCH 13
Boston clinched at least a tie for first place with a 6-3 win at home over Brooklyn while the Chicago Packers were losing 3-2 on home ice to Detroit. Wilbur Chandler had a goal and 2 assists to pace the Bees to while Quinton Pollack scored twice for the Eagles in a losing effort. In the Windy City, three different Motors scored while goaltender Henri Chasse made 34 saves to pace Detroit.

SATURDAY MARCH 15
Chicago had to settle for a 4-4 tie with Toronto and in the process gave the Boston Bees home ice advantage throughout the playoffs as the Bees, despite having the day off, clinched the best regular season record. The Packers led 4-2 after 40 minutes thanks to a pair of Marty Mahoney goals but third period markers from Bobbie Sauer and Mahlon Klein earned the last place Dukes a point. In the other game a contest between a pair of non-playoff participants just finishing out the string ended with the Montreal Valiants downing Brooklyn 4-1 behind 34 saves from Millard Touhey.

SUNDAY MARCH 16
Tommy Burns had two assists to set a modern day single season points record with 67 as the Chicago Packers finished up their regular season with a 3-3 draw in Toronto. In Boston, Craig Simpson of the Bees and Detroit's Dave Bradley each scored twice and added an assist as their club's skated to a 4-4 tie while in Brooklyn rookie Quinton Pollack scored twice to give him 30 goals on the season as the Eagles downed the New York Shamrocks 4-1.

TUESDAY MARCH 18
One final game on the schedule to complete the regular season saw the Detroit Motors top Boston 4-1 behind a 35 save effort from goaltender Henri Chasse. The only Boston player to beat Chasse was Tommy Hart, who notched his 30th goal of the season and finished in a 3-way tie for the lead in that category with Chicago's Tommy Burns and Brooklyn rookie Quinton Pollack.

FIELD SET FOR COLLEGIATE CAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS

WCAA Gets Six But Shut Out of Top Seed

The 32-team field has been announced for the AIAA's annual championship collegiate basketball tournament. The West Coast Athletic Association leads the way with six of its 10 shools earning bids with Lane State qualifying automatically as the conference champ while CC Los Angeles, Coastal California, Rainier College, Redwood University and Northern Cal all earned at-large invitations. Despite placing six schools the coast clubs did not claim a number one seed in the event.

The top seed in the West Region went to Mobile Maritime while the Middies South Atlantic Conference rival Carolina Poly Cardinals claimed the top seed in the East. Central Ohio and Noble Jones College, ranked #3 and #4 in the final collegiate poll of the season, earned the other two top seeds while left top ranked Liberty College disappointed as the Bells were not only forced to head to the west coast but also claimed just a #4 seed in that region.

Here is the 32-team field which will play the opening round this weekend.

RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
WEDNESDAY MARCH 12
at #16 Alabama Baptist 47, #11 Bayou State 40
#4 Noble Jones College 47, at Central Kentucky 21
THURSDAY MARCH 13
#17 Whitney College 43, at #13 Western Iowa 24
#14 Detroit City College 49, at St. Magnus 31
#3 Central Ohio 48, at Minnesota Tech 43
#2 Carolina Poly 50, at Columbia Military Academy 24
at Central Carolina 57, #19 North Carolina Tech 46
at Charleston Tech 43, #23 Chesapeake State 27
#9 Mobile Maritime 44, at Richmond State 35
ACADEMIA ALLIANCE TOURNAMENT
(8) Dickson 50, (1) Sadler 45
(2) Ellery 47, (7) Pierpont 38
(6) Henry Hudson 43, (3) Grafton 35
(5) Brunswick 39, (4) George Fox 25
FRIDAY MARCH 14
at #10 Coastal California 41, Portland Tech 29
at #24 Northern California 30, #21 Redwood 29
at #5 Rainier College 57, Custer College 51
#6 Lane State 48, at #12 CC Los Angeles 45
at #22 Texas Gulf Coast 47, Amarillo Methodist 46
ACADMEMIA ALLIANCE SEMI-FINALS
(8) Dickson 40, (5) Brunswick 36
(6) Henry Hudson 42, (2) Ellery 31
SATURDAY MARCH 15
Baton Rouge State 67, at #11 Bayou State 44
#16 Alabama Baptist 61, at Georgia Baptist 41
at #4 Noble Jones College 42, Mississippi A&M 26
at #13 Western Iowa 62, Lincoln 50
#17 Whitney College 43, at St. Ignatius 37
#3 Central Ohio 50, at #14 Detroit City College 41
at #22 Texas Gulf Coast 43, Canyon A&M 41
at #9 Mobile Maritime 39, #23 Chesapeake State 34
#2 Carolina Poly 51, at Bulein 28
ACADMEMIA ALLIANCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP
(6) Henry Hudson 50, (8) Dickson 47

CENTRAL KENTUCKY JUNIOR LEADS NATION SCORING PARADE

Charles Cleary, a junior forward at Central Kentucky, was the top point-getter in the nation as the Alabama native averaged 15.6 points per game this season. That gave him a nearly 2 points per game lead on Miami State senior Long Werth, who was Barette Trophy winner a year ago as the National Player of the Year. Werth is one of 4 players who made the top ten in scoring average that will have a chance to improve their totals with tournament action. Joining Werth, who's Miami State Gulls are the #2 seed in the South are Ruben Gilbert of Whitney College, Noble Jones College's Darrell Hanson and Ward Messer of the Liberty College Bells.

YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT BAD, TRY BEING A ST LOUIS SPORTS FAN

Hard Luck Has Been the Way For Gateway City

It is hard to imagine that there has been a city that has had to suffer through its struggling sports teams more than St Louis. Doesn't matter the sport, pro or college, the city of St Louis has had a rough couple of decades to say the least.

The diamond Pioneers woes are well documented with their last Federal Association pennant coming way back in 1921 -tied with Montreal for the longest drought in the sport- and they have only finished as high as third three times since 1927. Perhaps fans can just look at as they are lucky they still have a team. Had it not been for the war, the the club might well be the Los Angeles Pioneers by now as Dee Rose -who purchased the club in 1940- was all set to move it to the coast until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

In football, the situation is even worse. The AFA St Louis Ramblers were last in 1946, tied for last in 1945 and could not even field a team the two seasons prior to that due to wartime player shortages. They have been around since 1933 but have never had a season where they even finished with a .500 record. All-time the grid Ramblers are 36-95-2.

It is not much better in the college ranks. Laclede is the main St Louis school and it did win 18 games this season in basketball -a high water mark for the cage Trappers going back to 1929- but they have never won an AIAA tournament game and last made the 32-team field in '29. On the grid, the Trappers suffered through a 3-6-1 season last fall and they have never played in a Classic Game. The Laclede baseball team has never cracked the top twenty in the national rankings and the only player they have ever had drafted higher than the 10th round was outfielder Eddie Mansfield, who was a third round selection of Toronto in 1946.

Even Daniel Boone College, which is actually a couple hours away in Columbia, Mo., has not won an AIAA cage tournament game since 1928 and only appeared in the tournament once since then. They did go 6-4 in football last season but have never played in a Classic Game. The Frontiersmen did make the top 10 in collegiate baseball once, but that was way back in 1937 when they finished 6th and were led by current Washington Eagles infielder Henry Bush.

• President Truman asked Congress to authorize a loan of $400 million and the assignment of military advisors to Greece and Turkey to prevent the imposition in those strategic nations of "totalitarian regimes." The President never mentioned the Soviet Union by name and only once used the term "Communists" in his 2,500 word speech but there was no mistaking what he meant as he told of this country's protest against "coercion and intimidation" in Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, where Russia has moved in.
• The Soviets accused the US of interfering in internal affairs of Greece and Turkey and of behaving in a manner that could not have been expected from a member of the United Nations, and compared Truman's new foreign policy approach to that with Hitlerite Germany during its days of expansion.
• In response Senator Taft has called for an official size-up on whether Russia may declare war if the United States gives financial and miliaty aid to Greece and Turkey.
• At the Foreign Ministers Meeting in Moscow, Soviet Minister Molotov unexpectedly injected the political situation in China into the opening session, spinning focus away from the goal of discussing Germany. The US pulled out of China as that country's civil war reignites.
• General Douglas MacArthur has proposed that the Allied powers quickly write a Japanese peace treaty, withdraw all their troops immediately after its signature and turn over control of Japan to the UN.
• Congressional hearings on new labour legislation ended, completing six weeks of testimony before the House Labour Committee, which appears prepared to write a bill aimed at restricting at least a score of union activities.
  https://i.imgur.com/Y4fnPGZ.jpg WorldinTurmoil

March 24, 1947
 

MARCH 24, 1947

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This writer has been burned far too many times believing the Chicago Cougars were the best team in baseball. Only once since 1940 have I failed to call the Cougars the team to beat in my annual attempt at forecasting the Continental Association flag race. That was in 1944 when I finally stopped drinking the Chicago Kool-Aid and correctly called the Cincinnati Cannons as pennant winners -for what was their third straight Continental crown. I had the Cougars third that season and that was exactly where they finished.

I am far from the only one who liked the Cougars to win far more than the 1 pennant -in 1941- that they have claimed this decade. And they really were the smart choice if you gauge the season's outcome on talent alone. But somehow, the Cougars have been snake bit, doomed to coming up just short time and time again. At some point you figure that the forecasters such as myself have to wise up and go in a different direction. If the Cougars drive you nuts as an impartial observers imagine how the diehard fans of the Windy City must feel about this team.

Yet, despite everything that has gone wrong over the past few years. All of the near misses brought on by hard luck or perhaps simply missed opportunity, here I am once wore writing out my list of the projected standings and lo and behold, who tops that list...yup, its the Cougars. Maybe I will never learn but maybe, just maybe, things will go right for a full year in Chicago for a change.

1- CHICAGO COUGARS: The pitching staff is just too good, too deep, to not be considered the best in the CA if not all of baseball. So good they could deal away Billy Riley -a 17 game winner last year- and no one bats an eye. Pete Papenfus, the Jones brothers, young Duke Bybee. The list goes on and on. Then you have an all-star shortstop in Skipper Schneider, star players like Leo Mitchell and maybe a breakout season ahead for rookie Otto Christian. It will be a battle for top spot, and the Cougars have not fared well in the clutch over recent years but something tells me this time will be different. Of course, I think I said the same thing last year.

2- NEW YORK STARS: The defending champs are loaded with talent led by pitchers Eli Panneton and Vern Hubbard and bats like 3-time Whitney Award winner Bill Barrett, Mack Sutton, Bill Barnett and second year outfielder Jack Welch. I like their offense better than the Cougars but Chicago gets the edge in pitching. The difference may be the penny-pinching ways of Stars magnate Al Mielke and his apparent refusal to give Stars management the money they likely would need to make a key upgrade at the deadline. And it was deadline deals a year ago, when the Stars had a little extra coin, that made the difference.

3- CINCINNATI CANNONS: The Cannons are getting old, at least Al Wheeler is, but they still have some solid pitching led by Deuce Barrell and perhaps a breakout season from Bob Arman this year. Even if Wheeler shows his age, Cincinnati still has loads of offense in Adam Mullins, Chuck Adams and Denny Andrews and tremendous defense up the middle with centerfielder Fred Galloway and shortstop Jim Hensley. There will be a gap between the top two and the rest of the CA but the Cannons will be the best of the rest.

4- PHILADELPHIA SAILORS: It is going on a decade now that the Sailors have been a middle of the pack team and this year will likely be no different. I could see Philadelphia potentially ending up in third place but Chicago and New York are just too good for the Sailors, or anyone else in the CA.

5- MONTREAL SAINTS: It was a real debate whether to slot Montreal or Toronto 5th but in the end the opinion is the rising Saints will slightly outperforming the sliding Wolves. Wally Doyle, Bert Cupid, Wally Reif and Pat Weakley are a good collection of arms and the likes of Gordie Irwin and Andy Lyon might be ready to contribute as well. The offense does not have the pop of some of their rivals but the effects of playing half their games in cavernous Parc Cartier are a factor in that regard. Gordie Perkins is just 24 and may be the most underrated shortstop in the game, overshadowed by such a huge collection of top quality glovemen in the CA. The Saints are still quite a ways away from pennant contention and haven't finished as high as third since 1930. Third is likely too lofty an ambition for 1947 but the Saints could sneak into fourth place and be a .500 ballclub for the first time since that same 1930 season.

6- TORONTO WOLVES: This is a crucial year for the Wolves and another first half of the season like a year ago may see a fire sale in Toronto. The Wolves have some talent but virtually all of their key players are on the north side of age 30 and most enjoyed a down season a year ago. Sure, a bounce back is possible but we can't help but feel the window for this group has closed firmly shut and a retooling, if not a full on rebuild, is needed. Toronto skipper Bob Call may also be the manager with the shortest leash after the awful collapse of 1946.

7:CLEVELAND FORESTERS: The Foresters have finished last in the CA five of the last seven years but I see a lot of the pre-move to Cincinnati Baltimore Cannons in this club. There are a lot of highly touted pitchers just waiting to breakout. Names like Richie Hughes, Ducky Davis, Hiram Steinberg, Augie Hayes Jr with some big league experience already and more such as John Jackson and Davey Morris on the way. Jim Adams Jr. looks far better suited at second than shortstop and could be a breakout player this year. I like the addition of Orie Martinez from Brooklyn but the offense has an awful lot of holes. Perhaps it is time for the Foresters to take a page out of the Cannons book and look to move a few of the high potential arms for some established hitters.

8- BROOKLYN KINGS: The Kings have never finished last in the CA during the modern era -1925 was the last year they ended up in 8th. They narrowly avoided the basement a year ago and they have some building blocks but it feels like this will be a season of 'one-step back' in order to take a couple steps forward. It is essential for 37 year old Hank Barnett to contribute if the Kings are going to have any success this year. They will likely introduce a lot of young talent including highly talented outfielder Ralph Johnson and quite likely shortstop Billy Bryant and first baseman Pat Petty. There is no downside to letting the kids learn on the job and if they can adjust as quickly as Leo Hayden did a year ago in winning the very first CA Kellogg Award as top rookie, the Kings might just keep that streak of avoiding last place alive.


The Montreal Saints are now three weeks into their spring adventure in Florida. This week was the first week that all 4 expected starters were actually in the starting rotation. That would be the quartet of Bert Cupid, Wally Doyle, Wally Reif and Pat Weakley which leaves a battle for the 5th starter between Gordie Irwin and Jackie James.

In the pen Robbins and DeYoung are doing as expected. Rookie Andy Lyon trying to make a name for himself but the impression management is giving is they believe the 24 year old righthander should be more starting on a regular basis -and to do that likely means a ticket to AAA Minneapolis, although that won't be decided until the end of trianing camp.

That means the situation is not looking good for righty Karl Weiss, who won 17 games two years ago but was exiled to the pen last season. Count veteran reliever Howie Snyder as another one on the bubble. To return for a 14th campaign with the Saints, the 38 year old Snyder will need to retrieve his groove soon.

For the offense side, rookie catcher Jack Spahr been the best behind the plate so far compared to Joe Henry and Dixie Galloway. The backup catcher position is perhaps due for a change and Henry will need to shake his bat to not loose starting position. There is also a battle for the second base job between Bob Jennings, Charlie Woodbury and Ted Brown. At this stage of campe Brown and Jennings have moved ahead of Woodbury, who is trailing with a sluggish .208 batting average. Brown and Jennings have been RBI machines combining for 3 homers and 18 RBIs. Does this mean Woodbury days in Montreal may be numbered?

On the left side of the infield, 4-time all-star third sacker Jack Hughes is struggling at bat and 24-year-old prospect Luke Weaver is getting more chances than planned due to the SS Gordie Perkins injury. Weaver tryingto make his case for a spot on the roster already hitting 3 dingers, but need to jack up his BA. Perkins is coming back from injury this week, leaving him two and half weeks of training camp to get in shape before season starts.

In the outfield, Bert Lass, Bill Greene and Ernie McCoy are in good position. Following behind is Otis Parker, who at age 27 is finally showing the batting skills necessary to get a spot in the roster. It has been a while for Parker as, if you recall, he was one of the top prospects the Saints received in the famous deal that sent Adam Mullins to Cincinnati. Much of the delay on Parker can be attributed to the 4 years he spent in the army during the war. With Parker likely secure as the fourth outfielder, if the Saints decide to keep five, the battle seems to happen between Sam Clay and Bill Elkins. Elkins sounds in the lead for now... but the heat is on and Clay is keeping the pace. Veteran minor leaguer Milt Bennett will be returned to Minneapolis as he has struggled with 12 strikeouts in 34 spring at bats.

The big news to look for in Saints camp is that the rumour machine has started about SP Karl Weiss and 2B Charlie Woodbury.

KLEMINSKI COMING AROUND

Stan Kleminski has so much more confidence this season than he did a year ago. Of course, committing 15 errors in your first 3 weeks of big league ball as Kleminski did as a 19-year-old last April will destroy anyone's confidence. This year may be different as Kleminski, after spending nearly the entire season a year ago in Newark working on his defensive skills at shortstop, looks very comfortable in the position this spring. Now, no one will ever mistake the 1944 first rounder for Harry Barrell in the field, but Kleminski has done a solid job, committing just 3 spring miscues and looking like his footwork is much better around second base turning double-plays.

Kleminski's bat has not been an issue, even with the slow start this spring that sees him batting just .152, although he did hit .354 in 6 games last week. It will almost assuredly be his defense that determines if he can last the season in Detroit. Assuming he keeps up his work in the field there seems little doubt that Detroit skipper Dick York will once more pencil in Kleminski as his Opening Day shortstop. The question is 'Will he be able to hold on to the position?'

With the start of the season three weeks away the Dynamos took steps to trim their roster as the work to reach the final 24-man group that will be in the dugout at Thompson Field when they open the season against the Chicago Chifs on April 15. The most notable move was the decision to send highly touted 22-year-old third baseman Tommy Griffin to Newark. Management felt Griffin the 1946 first round pick out of Mississippi A&M who was acquired from the New York Stars in the deal that sent Mack Sutton to the Big Apple, could use at least half a season to work on a few things in AAA but he is expected to be up with the big club at some point during the season.

***Injuries Stall Motors ***

The Detroit Motors battled so hard all season to get back into the playoffs after a 2-year absence. It is a shame that Coach Mark Moore's club is missing most of its defense in their series against the Chicago Packers. First it was the impressive newcomer from Toronto Joe Todd and veteran Bernie Dunton who each suffered late season injuries that forced them to the sidelines for the first two playoff games, both 3-0 losses, in Chicago. Then in game one the blueline leader Bryant Williams and steady Phil Denman both went down forcing the Maroons to take one of the few offensive weapons they possess in 20-goal scorer Graham Ferrar and move him back to the blueline. Todd is not fully healed but expects to be pressed into action for tomorrow's third game just to ensure the Motors have 17 bodies they can dress for the game.

Had the Motors been healthy it could have been a very competitive series with the high-flying Packers but now it seems very unlikely Detroit has the horses to even win one game. They do have the friendly Thompson Palladium crowd behind them for the next game but the Motors were actually bettter on the road then they were at the Palladium this season and the Packers were a better road team than they were playing at Lakeside Auditorium.

*** Jack Is Back ***

It is looking more and more like the move to bring Jack Barrell back to the NAHC is a done deal. The long-time Motors coach was exiled to the west coast league nearly two years ago after a falling out with club owner Jack Connolly Jr. It was a messy divorce and one the Motors magnate has admitted he could have handled better and has learned from but now Barrell is likely to be named coach of the Toronto Dukes -the club he starred for before his days behind the Motors bench. Barrell did an outstanding job with Tacoma this season, leading them to a 33-3-4 record before moving to Cleveland of the American loop late in the season in what clearing was a staging position with Toronto's farm club until the logistics could be worked out on a big league deal for Barrell.

It will be strange to see Barrell behind the visitors bench when the Dukes come to the Palladium next season. The Barrell name has deep ties to the Motor City with one brother Rollie, owning the Maroons grid squad and another, Fred, heading the Dynamos scouting department but Jack certainly belongs in the NAHC.

• Caught in the numbers game in Boston is veteran 1B/OF Bob Donoghue. The 33-year-old has had some hard times of late, much of it due to injuries, but not all that long ago was one of the most feared power hitters in the game. He led the Federal Association with 34 homers in 1939 and drove in 121 that season. The Minutemen are shopping Donoghue as well as fellow veterans Joe Watson and Jim Mason.
• Brooklyn is still said to be fielding offers for lefthander Jim Kenny. The 26-year-old won 18 games in 1944 but split last season between the bullpen and AAA Jersey City.

NO SURPRISES AS SEMI-FINAL SERIES GET UNDERWAY

The Boston Bees and Chicago Packers were the class of the NAHC throughout the regular season so it comes as little surprise that the duo each hold a 2-0 lead in their respective semi-final playoff series. That puts the Bees and Packers each just a victory away from meeting to determine who will lift the Challenge Cup.

In Boston, the first-place Bees opened the playoffs with a convincing 6-1 win over the New York Shamrocks. The opener was the Wilbur Chandler show as the veteran Boston centre scored 4 goals and added an assist. His long-time linemates Waldemar Rupp -with 4 assists- and Tommy Hart -with a goal and 2 helpers- also enjoyed a big night. The Bees won despite being outshot by the Greenshirts 33-25 as Boston netminder Pierre Melancon had an outstanding game while Etienne Tremblay clearly stuggled between the pipes for the Shamrocks.

It was a much closer contest two nights later in New England but once again the Bees prevailed but they needed nearly 11 minutes of overtime before Joe Morey scored to give Boston a 5-4 victory and a 2 games to none lead in the best-of-five series. New York scored the only goal of the opening stanza when mid-season pickup Laurel Albers beat Melancon less than 7 minutes into the coatest. The ice seemed tilted in New York's favour in the second period as the Shamrocks peppered Melancon with 21 shots but only managed to beat him once. The was a Garry Calof marker with 16 seconds remaining in the frame after Wilbur Chandler -with his series high 5 goal- had tied the game.

Orval Cabbell scored twice for the Shamrocks in the third period but the Bees lit the lamp three times in the stanza -on goals by Morey, Craig Simpson and veteran Fred Yeadon- to force the overtime and eventually Morey's second of the game to end the contest. New York badly outshot the Bees once more, firing 50 shots including 7 in overtime on Melancon while the Bees managed 37 shots, including 5 in the extra period on Tremblay.

*** Hanson Blanks Detroit Twice ***

In Chicago the hero was Packers netminder Norm Hanson, who posted back to back shutouts as the Packers won each of the first two games on home ice by identical 3-0 scores over the Detroit Motors. Tommy Burns, Ed Delarue and Marsh Mansfield -with one scoring in each period- were the marksmen in the series opener while game two was scoreless until David Rankin broke the goose egg with a goal just over a minute into the third period. Mansfield and Pete Moreau would seal the Motors fate when they each scored just over a minute apart. Mansfield notched a short-handed tally at 6:09 of the period to deflate the Motors and then Moreau contributed an insurance marker on a nifty feed from Tommy Burns while on the powerplay at 7:18.

The Shamrocks and Motors each return home for at least one game, with both needing wins to remain alive in the playoff hunt.

CHALLENGE CUP NOTES

• It is looking like a Boston-Chicago matchup for the Challenge Cup, something that has never happened before. The Packers have never won the Cup and only reached the finals once. That was in 1930-31 when they lost to the New York Shamrocks.
• The Detroit Motors are a badly beat-up bunch. Not just because they have been blanked twice by the Chicago Packers and are on the verge of elimination but the Motors defense is extemely short-staffed with 4 regulars nursing injuries. Bernie Dutton and Joe Todd have missed each of the first two games but Todd will be pressed into action for game three despite a tender elbow due to the fact that number one defenseman Bryant Williams and Phil Denman each missed game two and are out for the third game after being injured in the opener. Detroit was forced to use its second leading scorer, 20-goal man Graham Ferrar, on the blueline in the second game and that will be the case again for game three.
• A big reason why the New York Shamrocks are trailing Boston has been Etienne Tremblay's struggles in net. The playoff debut for the 24-year-old has not gone well as Tremblay has a goals against average of 5.05 and a save percentage of just .823 after the first two games with Boston.
• Wilbur Chandler's 4 goals and Waldemar Rupp's 4 assists in the Bees opener against New York are both single game playoff records since those were tracked beginning in 1940. Chandler had 5 points in the opener, equaling a mark for points in a game first set by Rupert Mohr while with Detroit in 1942.
• Playoff point leaders have only been tracked since 1940 but the list is dominated by Bees with Chandler -on the strength of 7 points already this year- leading the way with 50 points in 47 post-season games. His linemates Waldermar Rupp (49 points) and Tommy Hart (48 points) are second and third on the list. Fourth place belongs, at least for the moment to Toronto's Bobbie Sauer with 38 points.

CRAWFORD UPSET ON HOME TURF

Roy Crawford, idol of the Gallery Gods at Denny Arena, ran into a jittery-fisted Kentuckian by the name of Lewis Jones last Monday and it did not go well for the Boston Bomber as Crawford fell to the unbeaten 21-year-old in a tight but fairly adjudicated split decision.

It looked like it would be another easy night for Crawford, who entered the bout 22-2 and perhaps next in line for a shot at World Champion Hector Sawyer. The Beantown born battler caught the youngster by surprise with a barrage of blows just 2 minutes into the opening round that had Jones on the canvas for the first time in his 12 fights as a professional. Jones would be caught with another crippling blow in the seventh, causing him to go keister to canvas for the second time in the evening, but aside from those two flurries, the youngster dominated the 10 round battle.

The Denny Arena throng, clearly behind the local star, pelted the with ring with whatever they could get their hands on when the decision was read - two judges calling it in Jones favour at 95-93 and 95-92 while the third felt Crawford had done just enough to win by the narrowest of margins, 94-93. The decision, as unpopular as it was in the Boston barn, was a just one according to observers unencumbered with ose-coloured glasses tinted with bias. Jones landed more than twice as many scoring blows as the ring vet Crawford, and gave notice that his may be a name to follow in the future.

In other fight action last week Cannon Cooper seems to be back on track. The Rockford, Il. heavyweight has won 4 straight bouts after taking a unanimous decision over Matt Headley to run his record to 21-2-1. The heavyweight, who turned 26 last week, started his career going 16-0-1 before suffering back to back knockout losses to Clancy Little and Glenn Hairston in the fall of 1945.

Brooklyn born middleweight Bill Boggs improved to 10-0 with a 4th round knockout of Vic Woodley in the toughest test yet for the highly touted 21-year-old. Finally in a battle of veteran welterweights Wayne Dunn (29-7) scored an 8th round TKO win over Stuart White (26-8-2).

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• March 25- Hartford, Ct- rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (8-0) vs Mel Gardner (5-5)
• April 12- Miami, Fl- Former welterweight champ Dennis O'Keefe (20-2) vs Willis May (15-2-2)
• April 12 - Bigsby Garden (small room)- Middlweight contender Joe Moore (15-3) vs Mike Ward (4-5-3)
• April 15- Philadelphia: Middlweight contender Brooks O'Connor (22-4-2) vs Greg Roy (5-8)
• April 19- Syracuse, NY: Former welterweight contender Ben Bishop (24-4-1) vs John Gregory (16-2-1)
• April 21- Atlantic City, NJ: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (12-0) vs Floyd Davis (6-6)
• April 26- Bigsby Garden: Rising heavyweight Tommy Cline (10-0) vs veteran contender Pete Sanderson (32-7-2)
• April 28 - London, Eng: Former world middleweight champ Jorge Cuellar (42-2-2) first fight in nearly 7 years against British middleweight Glen Root (13-16).
• April 29- Bigsby Garden: a month and a half after losing to Frank Melanson in the middleweight title fight, Nick Harris (19-3-1) returns to the ring in New York to face Steve Adams (5-6-1)
• April 29 - Paris France: Edouard Desmarais (36-1) vs Jean Raymond (11-8-1)

RAINIER COLLEGE UPSET IN OPENING ROUND OF AIAA TOURNEY

The opening round of the 1946-47 AIAA basketball tournament went pretty much according to script with one notable exception. That happened out west where #2 seed Rainier College -ranked 5th in the nation- was shocked 51-50 by Tempe College. Three different starters -Joe Byrdm Alan Hepburn and Garden Knox- scored in double-figures for the Titans, who last won a tournament game in 1920. Rainier College had a chance to win the game but Buford Garrison's 10-footer as time expired failed to drop, knocking the Majestics out of the tournament in the opening round for the first time since 1942. They won two titles and reached the National Semi-finals one other occasion in the past four years.

Rainier College was the only number two seed to fall while there was also just a single #3 seed that failed to advance. That would be Huntington State which dropped a 37-35 game to Lambert College.

REGION RESULTS

EAST

Darrell Hanson had a game high 14 points and Blondy Wilburn added 12 to lead Noble Jones College to an easy 44-28 win over Academia Alliance champion Henry Hudson. The top seeded Colonols will next face #5 Lexington State after the Colonials rode a 22-point effort from Beryl Matheson to a 46-42 triumph over Coastal California. The other side in the East Bracket will be St Blane against Whitney College after the #2 and #3 seeds advanced. The Fighting Saints had a fairly easy time beating Garden State 42-31 with Cy Worley and John McAuley each scoring ten for the winners. Whitney College needed overtime and a dominant performance from Ruben Gilbert to beat Northern Cal 59-56. The senior forward had 23 points in the game.

SOUTH

Each of the top four seeds advanced with only 3rd seed Lane State -the West Coast Athletic Association champions- facing a challenge. The Emeralds withstood a late rally from Chesapeake State to claim a 45-42 victory behind an 18 point effort from Carl Casswell. Long Werth had 21 points and 9 rebounds to lead Miami State past the University of New Jersey 45-35. Paul Cowans scored 16 points and Major Belk added 12 as top seeded Carolina Poly pounded Keystone Conference champ Erie 51-33 while Detroit City College held off Texas Gulf Coast 59-51.

MIDWEST

Central Ohio will face Bayou State in one semi-final while upset minded Lambert College turns its attentions to defending national champion CC Los Angeles in the other semi. There were plenty of tight games in the opening round with only the top seeded Aviators having an easy time in 53-38 win over Kit Carson University. Ziggy Rickard scored 18 points for Central Ohio.

The other 3 opening round games in the Midwest were each decided by just two points. Scott Winner hit two free-throws with 21 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Bayou State to a 54-52 win over Lubbock State. Central Athletic Association champion Holland College nearly pulled off the upset of the tournament but the Dutchman came up just short in a 34-32 loss to the CCLA Coyotes. Lambert College did pull off the upset, sneaking past Huntington State 37-35.

WEST

The big upset of the weekend was the previously mentioned Tempe College Titans surprising Rainier College 51-50. The Titans next face Western Iowa after the Canaries won state bragging rights with a 39-28 victory over Iowa A&M. The other side of the bracket sees a pair of eastern clubs advance as expected, with top seed Mobile Maritime dumping Utah A&M 44-29 while Liberty College, paced by 12 points from Waylon Orlick and 9 rebounds from Ward Messer, outscored Redwood University 45-32.

• The United States Chamber of Commerce told Congress that a flat reduction of individual income taxes by "20 per cent or even more" is of "urgent importance."
• John L Lewis bowed to the Supreme Court and withdraw his contract "terminating" notice which brought on last fall's soft coal strike and had threatened a new stoppage April 1. In a 20-word letter, Lewis informed the Secretary of the Interior that the notice he sent the Federal coal mines boss last November 15 "is hereby unconditionally withdrawn."
• Financial aid to Greece and Turkey is more likely to avert war than to cause it, Acting Secretary of State Dean Acheson told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He expressed conviction that American help to block the spread of communism will not "lead to war."
• At the Foreign Ministers Conference in Moscow, the Soviet minister demanded a 20-year war reparation payment plan by which Germany would pay the Soviet Union $10 billion.
• President Truman ordered a "loyalty" check by the FBI on every civilian worker in the Government's executive agencies as he set up sweeping new standards designed to remove, or ban from future employment, any persons held to be disloyal. White House sources said that no "witch hunt" was contemplated and predicted relatively few dismissals would come from applying the program to the 2.2 million men and women now in service to the government at home or abroad.
  
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March 31, 1947 Federal Association Predictions, Challenge Cup finals and AIAA cage semi's set
 

MARCH 31, 1947

Predicting the order of finish in the Federal Association is really nothing more than a fool's game. The Fed has been so balanced over the past decade that it has seen 6 of its eight teams win at least one pennant over the past nine years. Only the St Louis Pioneers -pennantless since 1921- and the Detroit Dynamos, who have not hoisted the flag since 1929, failed in that regard. However, they have both come close, particularly Detroit with 4 second place finishes over that time frame while the Pioneers also were the bridesmaids just 4 years ago. Here is a best guess at how things will play out in the coming season.

1- NEW YORK GOTHAMS :With the collection of offensive talent the New York Gothams have, it is hard to imagine them not winning the pennant. Red Johnson, Walt Messer and Sal Pestilli with a supporting cast that includes Pete Casstevens, Rosie Brewer and an occasionally healthy Mahlon Strong should only require average pitching to challenge for the pennant. They probably should have won last year and have to be the favourites again this time around, but they need more than Ed Bowman on the mound. Perhaps Jim Lonardo has one more strong season in him or maybe Hal Friedlander is ready to contribute. The only bigger surprise than the fact the Gothams did not win the pennant last season may be the fact thar neither Red Johnson nor Sal Pestilli - with 4 Whitney Awards and 11 all-star game selections between them- have ever played in the WCS.

2- WASHINGTON EAGLES :The miracle Eagles were the feel-good story of the league last season but there is no hiding the fact that this is not just a Cinderella moment- Washington has a very good team. The addition of Rats McGonigle to a core group that includes Jesse Alvardo, Sig Stofer and Mel Carrol gives them an offense that, while certainly different in approach, compares favourably to that of the Gothams. If newcomer Billy Riley has another great season or two in him we might be looking at repeat date with October baseball for the Eagles.

3- PHILADELPHIA KEYSTONES :A terrible stretch in July and August last year ended the Keystones two-year pennant run but they certainly have the talent to win it all this season. Bobby Barrell was merely great last season after two years dominating the sport. If he gets hot again and maybe a young arm like Sid Moulton or Joe Quade steps up to join the big guns Lloyd Stevens, George M Brooks and Pepper Tuttle in the rotation it is not hard to imagine the Keystones claiming a third pennant in a four yeat stretch.

4- BOSTON MINUTEMEN :Prior to the early spring injury that will sideline ace Dean Astle for the season the Minutemen would be right there with the Gothams, Eagles and Keystones as pennant contenders. Losing Astle might have dropped them down a rung and they may have trouble keeping up with the big three but still possess the makings of a first division ballclub.

5- CHICAGO CHIEFS :The Chiefs are not contenders yet but they are certainly moving back in that neighborhood. All eyes will be on John Stallings first full year on the mound and if he can be as good as everyone expects as soon as this year the Chiefs might stay in the race for a while. A full season of Tim Hopkins, acquired from Brooklyn at the deadline, will help the offense and Artie D'Alessandro looks like a nice acquisition from St Louis. There is some young talent on the rise as well, and the Chiefs look to be the best of the second division clubs in '47.

6- DETROIT DYNAMOS :The Dynamos are in the midst of what they hope is a quick rebuild and loaded with young talent but most of it is very raw. Edwin Hackberrry, Dick Estes, Stan Kleminski and Tommy Griffin have plenty of promise but just like last year there will probably be some real growing pains this season. The mound situation will be solid with youngsters Carl Potter and Wally Hunter and if 33-year-old Dixie Lee is fully recovered from his arm injury that cost him half of the 1946 campaign the club should compete with the Chiefs for fifth place.

7- PITTSBUGH MINERS :The Miners still have one of the best catchers in the game in 32-year-old George Cleaves along with veteran outfielder Joe Owens and pitcher Lefty Allen but it feels like age has caught up with the club and they don't seem to have the replacements quite ready yet. There is a lot to like about their farm system with 9 prospects ranked in the OSA top 100 but this might be a transition year in the Steel City.

8- ST LOUIS PIONEERS :Every so often the Pioneers surprise you with a decent season in which they make a pennant run but it always seems to fall short and then they follow that up by quickly fading back to the second division. Since 1924 the Pioneers have only finished third or better four times: 1926, 1934, 1935 and 1943. This year will not be the fifth time that happens as the Pioneers will likely be hard pressed to avoid a second straight last place finish. They have a dominant pitcher in Hal Hackney and -as usual- a great collection of catchers led by Heinie Zimmer but there is little else to be excited about. Perhaps 25-year-old shortstop Homer Mills is ready to break out and there always is the terrific defending of Tommy Wilson at the hot corner to get excited about. Beyond that, well at least St Louis fans can point to the Grid Ramblers and say "at least we are not the only last place team that plays out of Pioneer Field.

• Some notes from Gothams camp courtesy of the New York World Telegram's Red Wedge: "Harl Haines is looking strong on the mound and ready to follow up on a solid rookie season. Tom Jeffries showing the CWL stats mean nothing as he takes a stranglehold on the starting SS job. Gilbert Brennan pushing out Fred Pecora to win a share of the 3B duties with Mule Monier. And finally Flipper Robinson showing his 70 games in NY last season was no mirage. He'll be the main backup across the outfield.
• Detroit is 3 cuts away from finalizing its 24-man roster for the April 15 opener against the Chicago Chiefs. The final position player battle is between stuggling outfielder Dick Blaszak and rule five pickup Ernie Hanks while Frank Gordon, Jimmy Mayse and impressive youngster Al Ahearn are competing for one spot in the bullpen.
• Brett Bing of the Toronto Mail & Empire checks in with an update from Wolves camp. "Toronto is down to 26 and in-camp competition will be fierce for the remaining two roster spots. Sam C Allen remains in camp still making making a strong effort for the fourth OF position. We are seeing more activity than normal with closed door meeting both in the manager's office along with the temporary front office space setup at the spring facility. This is usually signs a trade talks. Six players were optioned to AAA Buffalo: four pitchers Sam Jordan, Pete Thompson, Red More, Jim Carter along with catcher Randy Hendrix and infielder Mike Rollinson. Hendrix was knocking the cover of the ball this spring. It looks as though Howerton will move to a backup role at the start of the season with Walter Loera taking most the duty behind the plate so the move of Hendrix makes sense to give him regular starts.
• Archie Irwin of the Chicago Daily News points out it was a rough week for the Cougars, noting that four Cougars this week had "3" injuries: Duke Bybee - 3 days, Carlos Montes - 3 days, Clark Car - 3 weeks and Harry Parker - 3 months

PACKERS JOIN BEES IN CHALLENGE CUP SHOWDOWN

Moose Vezina scored twice and Tommy Burns added a pair of assists to lead the Chicago Packers to a 4-1 win over Detroit yesterday to win their semi-final series 3 games to one. The victory lifts the Packers to their first trip to the Challenge Cup finals since 1931 where they will take on the defending Cup champion Boston Bees, who swept the New York Shamrocks three straight in the other semi-final.

After winning games one and two in the Windy City by identical 3-0 scores it looked like the Packers were going to sweep the series with Detroit as Chicago built up a 3-0 lead on the Motors when Tommy Burns scored his second goal of the series just over 5 minutes into the third period. The spirited but short-staffed Motors then came to life before the home crowd at Thompson Palladium, ending a more than 168-minute scoring drought when rookie Bobo Davis finally beat Packers netminder Norm Hanson. Less than 4 minutes later goals from Mike Narand and Arnold Singleton had tied the contest and just over 2 minutes into overtime Morris Wright -who had been pressed into action because of multiple injuries on the Detroit defense- scored the overtime winner to equal his regular season output of 1 goal this season.

Any hopes Detroit had of a comeback ended two nights later when Vezina and Burns led the Packers to a series clinching 4-1 victory. David Rankin and Marsh Mansfield also scored for Chicago giving the Packers their first playoff series victory of the modern era.

The other semi-final had ended two nights early when Boston completed a 3-game sweep of the New York Shamrocks with a 2-0 victory at Bigsby Garden. The game was scoreless through two periods until Craig Simpson broke the gooese eggs with his second of the series from Harry Neighbor and Viv Napier just under 4 minutes into the third. Daniel Fortin would add an insurance marker with help from George Anderson 7 minutes later and Boston netminder Pierre Melancon took care of the rest, stopping all 27 shots the Shamrocks fired at him in the game.

The Bees are no stranger to Challenge Cup finals, having played in 8 of the last ten of them and were victorious in five. In all, the Boston squad has won the Challenge Cup a total of six times including last year's six game triumph over the Montreal Valiants. The Packers, on the other hand, have only played in the finals once befre and that was back in 1930-31 when they lost to the Shamrocks.

The regular season series between the Bees and Packers was dead even with each club winning 3 imes and the other two games ending in ties. Boston won three of the first four meetings between the pair while the Packers won three of the final four including back to back wins in early March.

TOUGH TEST FOR SHORT-STAFFED PACKERS

Courtesy of the Chicago Daily News

A huge loss for the Packers as Marty Mahoney (15, 33) will miss the Challenge Cup against the Boston Bees. Mahoney finished the season 2nd in assists with 33 and recorded 48 points in 48 games as a member of the Packers star-studded first line. All-world center Tommy Burns (30, 37) is the only one that remains, as brother Wes (19, 19) is dealing with a fractured jaw, and has been moved down to the third line to limit his minutes. Tommy will now play between rookie Dave Rankin (11, 16) and veteran Bernie Ferrar (9, 20) as the Packers try to capture their first ever title.

RUTLEDGE STAYS PERFECT

Danny Rutledge, one of a large crop of young fighters growing strong in the welterweight division, improved to 9-0 with what will likely be the final six round bout of the 22-year-old's career. Seven of his first 8 wins as a pro were by knockout but give Mel Gardner credit as the the 23 year old managed to stick it out for the distance against Rutledge, despite the fact that he was completely outclassed in the bout.

Rutledge is no stranger to long bouts -he fought a 15-round slugfest with Mac Erickson while both were in the service during the war- but his handlers felt it made sense to ease the youngster in to the pro game, as most young fighters are handled. The stakes will get much higher for Rutledge going forward as he will look for some bouts with established professionals designed to further progress him to his goal of a title opportunity.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• April 12- Miami, Fl- Former welterweight champ Dennis O'Keefe (20-2) vs Willis May (15-2-2)
• April 12 - Bigsby Garden (small room)- Middlweight contender Joe Moore (15-3) vs Mike Ward (4-5-3)
• April 15- Philadelphia: Middlweight contender Brooks O'Connor (22-4-2) vs Greg Roy (5-8)
• April 19- Syracuse, NY: Former welterweight contender Ben Bishop (24-4-1) vs John Gregory (16-2-1)
• April 21- Atlantic City, NJ: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (12-0) vs Floyd Davis (6-6)
• April 26- Bigsby Garden: Rising heavyweight Tommy Cline (10-0) vs veteran contender Pete Sanderson (32-7-2)
• April 28 - London, Eng: Former world middleweight champ Jorge Cuellar (42-2-2) first fight in nearly 7 years against British middleweight Glen Root (13-16).
• April 29- Bigsby Garden: a month and a half after losing to Frank Melanson in the middleweight title fight, Nick Harris (19-3-1) returns to the ring in New York to face Steve Adams (5-6-1)
• April 29 - Paris France: Edouard Desmarais (36-1) vs Jean Raymond (11-8-1)

BIGSBY GARDEN FIELD SET AS CAGE TOURNEY REACHES SEMIS

The four semi-finalists are set to gather in New York City at the famed Bigsby Garden next weekend to declare for the 38th time the champion of AIAA collegiate basketball. Two of the four finalists have won the championship before, led by Liberty College, which claimed titles in the spring of 1936, 1937 and 1942. Whitney College won its lone AIAA cage crown in the 1924-25 season. Miami State and Central Ohio are each in the semi-finals for the first time in school history.

Liberty College -the Philadelphia school that reached the title game a year ago only to fall short against CC Los Angeles- has reached at least the quarterfinals each of the past 7 years and is making its 7th semi-final appearance since 1932. The Bells, just a 4 seed despite being number one in the national polls, reached the semis with wins over Redwood, Mobile Maritime and a 39-36 victory over Western Iowa yesterday. Ward Messer, younger brother of New York Gothams slugger Walt Messer, had a dominant performance against the Canaries, scoring 16 points and adding 9 rebounds.

Liberty College will face Miami State in a battle of two independent schools. The Gulls won the South region with victories over the University of New Jersey, Lane State and Detroit City College. Reigning national player of the year Long Werth is averaging 14.7 ppg in the tournament for the Gulls, who edged Detroit City College 50-47 yesterday to make the late March trek to New York for the first time in school history.

On Saturday, Central Ohio clinched it's first semi-final appearance with a thrilling 42-40 overtime victory over defending champion CCLA. The Aviators pulled out the win despite a 20-point showing from Coyotes junior guard Gerry Cheek in the game. Ziggy Rickard, who was a third team All-American a year ago, lead the way for the fliers with 12 points.

Next up for Central Ohio will be their Great Lakes Alliance rival Whitney College Engineers. Whitney College, winners of the 1921 title game, are the only GLA school ever time win the national tournament and it guarantees the GLA a representative in the title game for fourth time in the past 11 years. Whitney College advanced to New York this season with an overtime win over Northern California in the opening round, followed by a 9-point victory over St Blane -ending the Fighting Saints hopes for titles in both grid and cage play- before beating Noble Jones College 44-41 on Saturday.

Central Ohio is the only team of the four battling injuries and the Aviators will be without a pair of key starters in Art Pugh and Blaine Decastro. Pugh, who was second in scoring for Central Ohio, averaging 8.8 ppg, suffered a season ending knee injury in the second round win over Bayou State while Decastro -also with knee troubles- has been out of action since mid-March.

• US Secretary of State George Marshall has proposed to the big 4 Foreign Ministers in the Moscow conference that each should reduce its occupation forces in Germany to the minimum necessary to carry out Allied policies and protect security.
• At home Acting Secretary of State Acheson told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the administration believes that the Greek and Turkey aid programs will have to be followed by some financial assistance to the American-occupied section of Korea.
• A German atom scientist, who said he recently escaped from a Russian government laboratory, asserts that the Soviet Union is "very near" to developing an atom bomb.
• The death toll is at 111 after an explosion at an Illinois mine. Labor boss John J. Lewis claimed the lost miners "have been murdered because of the criminal negligence of J.A. Krug," Secretary of the Interior. Lewis also had his 400,000 soft coal miners stop work for six days as a period of mourning and doubled down on blaming Krug, citing the failure to enforce the new Federal Mine Safety Code.
  
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April 7, 1947
 

APRIL 7, 1947

WOLVES 'PACK' IT IN ON '47 CAMPAIGN?

Deal '45 Whitney Winner and Pomales for Prospects

The tranquil winter slumber of the baseball off-season was abruptly shattered by the resounding echoes emanating from the northern border, as the Toronto Wolves boldly signaled the dawn of a new era with a pair of trades that hinted at a rebuilding phase. First, the Wolves relinquished the services of their 32-year-old third baseman, Walt Pack, a mere 18 months removed from capturing the illustrious Whitney Award. In exchange, the Chicago Cougars sent two mid-level prospects across the border. Shortly thereafter, Toronto bid farewell to the versatile pitcher/outfielder Juan Pomales, dispatching him to the Brooklyn Kings in return for two additional promising prospects.

The Kings, brimming with ambition to fortify their pitching arsenal, were not content with just one acquisition. They further bolstered their ranks by procuring the services of Buddy Long, a 32-year-old southpaw, from the St. Louis Pioneers in exchange for two minor league talents.

In the Toronto-Cougars trade that saw Pack don the Cougars' colors, the Wolves organization welcomed 20-year-old third baseman Pat Todd and 19-year-old pitcher Kid Moore into their fold. Todd, an impressive .318 hitter during the previous campaign, showcasing his prowess across Class B and C, was a third-round pick of the Cougars in 1945. The OSA, who regard Todd as possessing a ceiling of a bench role, placed him at the 80th spot on their esteemed prospect list. Moore, a right-handed hurler selected in the fourth round of the 1946 draft, displayed promise with a 7-4 record and a 3.75 ERA while plying his trade for Class C La Crosse in his maiden voyage in professional baseball. OSA, however, casts doubts on his long-term prospects, ranking him a modest 227th on their latest prospect list and expressing uncertainty about his ability to develop enough to secure a spot in a major league rotation.

In exchange for Pomales, a seasoned player who once brimmed with potential as a pitching prodigy before transitioning primarily to the outfield, the Wolves acquired 18-year-old third baseman Roy Demonbreun and 24-year-old right-hander Harry Stewart. Demonbreun, a third-round pick in 1946, possesses a marginal prospect status according to OSA, who ranks him at the 126th position. Demonstrating his abilities with a respectable .273 batting average across 73 games in Class C, Demonbreun hails from Los Angeles, where he honed his skills in high school. Stewart, initially drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago Cougars, made his major league debut with the Kings last season, showcasing a record of 3-5 and a 4.78 ERA over nine starts. Although the majority of his time was spent in AAA, OSA believes that with further experience, Stewart may develop into a dependable option for the back end of a pitching rotation.

The final transaction witnessed the Kings acquiring veteran southpaw Buddy Long from St Louis. Long, 32, is a 3-time all-star who won 21 games for the Pioneers two years ago and was 16-16 with a solid 2.89 era last season. He will likely challenge sophomore Leo Hayden for the top spot in the Kings rotation. In exchange the rebuilding Pioneers add 24 year old pitcher Charlie Leist and 19 year old second baseman Otis Ballard. Leist, a Chicago native who just sneaks inside the OSA top 100 prospect list, had a brief stint with the Kings in 1945 but spent all of last season at AAA Jersey City, going 4-9 with a 4.56 era primarily out of the pen. OSA feels he can slot in as a fifth starter in the big leagues. Ballard was the Kings second round choice in the 1946 draft and split last season between Class B and A. OSA feels his bat and hustle should eventually make him a frontrunner for a FABL audition as a second baseman.

JIGGS McGEE's TAKE:This collection of moves have left many fans with raised eyebrows and minds buzzing with curiosity. Toronto and Brooklyn, in particular, have made moves that in many ways defy expectations. But before delving into those, let's focus on the Chicago Cougars, a team renowned for snatching players at their lowest value, often leaving observers in disbelief. This time is no exception.

Yes, there is an element of risk in acquiring Walt Pack, who had a dismal season just a year ago. However, the Cougars' front office has a knack for striking when a player's stock is at its nadir. If Pack can return to his 1945 form, this move will be nothing short of monumental. With Hank Barnett deemed too old and shipped off to Brooklyn, Pack has the potential to fill that void and ignite the Cougars' pursuit of a pennant this season. A Pack reminiscent of his 1945 self undoubtedly bolsters Chicago's chances, transforming them into even more formidable contenders overnight. Even if Pack fails to deliver, the Cougars remain in the thick of the pennant race, no worse off than before.

Brooklyn was a team many figured would continue to stockpile youth as it attempts to return to the glory days that have eluded the franchise for close to a decade. They gave up some of that youth to add two dependable veteran arms in Long and Pomales, but it would be hard to say they greatly overpaid for the pair. With the two newcomers Brooklyn is still no where near contention, but perhaps they may have leapfrogged Cleveland and now-rebuilding Toronto and could challenge for the top of the second division.

The deals from the Wolves perspective worries me. Not so much Pomales although I do not feel the return for him overly generous. It is the decision to move Pack to a CA rival, while his stock is low and arguably at the worst possible time that concerns me. There just seems to be no upside to this move for the Wolves. Todd may eventually be a decent big league third baseman but the Wolves are substantially worse in the short-term with these two deals and I am not sure they are much better off in the long term either. As I mentioned, it is the timing that is especially confounding. Dealing Pack at some point may well have made sense if he does not bounce back but surely the market might be much stronger for Pack closer to the trade deadline.

Had they waited a couple of months, Toronto could have potentially landed a bounty akin to what the Detroit Dynamos received last season for a very similar power-hitting third baseman to Pack in Mack Sutton. Detroit netted a pair of prospects in the top 50 -both recent first round picks- in Tommy Griffin and Roy Schaub- from the New York Stars. In contrast, Toronto settled for a former third-round and fourth-round pick, neither of whom rank among the top 75 prospects according to the OSA. The best-case scenario for the Wolves is that Pack's struggles last year were an indication of his decline, rather than a one-year anomaly. The worst-case is Pack puts up All-Star numbers again and the Cougars pull further away from the Wolves and the rest of the CA without surrendering anything of real value.

Lastly, the Pioneers bid farewell to Long in exchange for two promising prospects. St Louis is not going anywhere in the near future and by the time they are likely ready to challenge Long will be approaching his expiration date. The addition of two young players with potential upside serves as a prudent investment for the Pioneers, who are in dire need of talent to fuel their future ambitions.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

Wolves Make Two Trades, Shock Fans :In the space of less than twenty-four hours the Toronto Wolves dealt away two players that were cornerstones of the team that made three serious pennant runs during the dark days of WWII. First the Wolves traded 1945 Whitney Award winner Walt Pack to the Chicago Cougars for 3B Pat Todd, 20, along with a 19 year-old pitcher Kid Moore. Then, just hours later, it was announced that Juan Pomales had been traded to to Brooklyn for 3B Roy Demonbreun along with another pitcher Harry Stewart, 24. The first words out of most Wolves followers were "What! Who are these guys the Wolves acquired for two stars of the CA?" Followed by words that cannot be printed in the Mail & Empire about the abilities, acumen of the front office in Toronto. Many fans are voicing the opinion that the team has already conceded that they will not be a contender in '47 before Opening Day -a statement disputed by the front office.

Brett had been sensing that there were moves coming from the club, but he was a little surprised that two starters were traded away especially to CA teams which is a step away from the usually ultra-conservative trading approach of the Wolves front office. It was commonly known that the team was trying to deal Pack over the winter but many will say the return for him was far too low. The acquisition of Todd is said to be key for the Wolves: he may be the 3B of the future but at the cost of a two-time All-Star? Brett does see one thing the deal does for Toronto, it allows the move of Hal Wood to 3B where his work in the field will be less critical in the grand scheme than at 2B. It also opens the door for Frank Frady, 26, and John Fast, 23, both switch hitters, to battle for the everyday starter position to form the second half of a keystone combination with Charlie Artuso. Both are natural SS, therefore blocked by Artuso by the foreseeable future, Frady is a little more polished fielder which may give him the inside track although both have shown good bat to ball skills. Brett's assessment is that the trade may work out overall in the long run if Todd lives up his promise, along with either or both of Fast, Frady living up to press billings.

Brett was a little more surprised at the move of Pomales, a solid OF with an above league average bat, who could fill in on the mound. Again at first glance the return from this trade may seem to be too low. Brett's contacts in the scouting department told him that the wild card could be pitcher Harry Stewart if he can learn to control his big league fastball. Stewart was immediately assigned to Buffalo with instructions to the staff to work on his ability to find the strike zone. After missing four seasons in the service it is hoped this diamond in the rough will show enough to be a rotation member before too much time has elapsed possibly this season. Demonbreun is a bit more of a longer shot after being selected in the third round of last year's draft, he ranked as the #124 prospect by OSA. The emergence of Sam C Allen, .288/.368/.868 this spring, has possibly shown the Wolves that they depth in the OF. Brett sees a regular starting OF of Fredrick, Stickels, Giordano, now the question becomes is Allen better suited starting the season at AAA for regular at-bats with a fourth outfielder coming from Buffalo? Pomales is rumoured to be moved back to mound in Brooklyn.

Brett can see the reasons for trading the two 32 year-olds to try to boost the system, allow youngsters a chance at the top level. The Wolves also shed almost $45K in salaries, which given the Wolves current financial outlook could not have been the driving factor in the trades. Hopefully fans are given reason to doubt the management by having either Pack or Pomales coming back to haunt them as members of the opposition, Fast or Frady proves they are ready for starting roles in the FABL.

• Count John Brinker of the New York Daily Mirror as one who is not a big fan of the timing of the Walt Pack deal to the Chicago Cougars from Toronto. Brinker points out his belief that teams should never be a seller at the start of the season now that FABL has the draft lottery. "What's the point? Try to win at all times to get more balls in the lottery. If you're going for a rebuild, you need to be competitive and keep your best players, then deal in July when the contenders are hunting for help."
• Overlooked in the focus on Pack, Brinker notes that Pat Todd is a solid young third baseman. Brinker feels he can be a .300 hitter, noting he won't have the power of Pack at his peak but is also more than a decade younger.
• Long-time Brooklyn scouting director John Spears is happy his club finally landed Buddy Long, noting he has long -pardon the pun- been after the veteran lefthander. Brooklyn management felt that improving the staff was a huge key while the youngsters continue to develop.
• Spears also weighed in with some thoughts on the Toronto-Chicago trade noting the two Canadian parks in Toronto and Montreal both are much more condusive for building a team around speed and defense. "The ballpark change will help Pack park some just as Barnett might struggle more in Kings County Park which is not a homer haven either."
• A big factor in Toronto's decision to distance itself from Pack is the fact he was hitting just .179 in spring at the time of the deal, further adding to the Wolves belief he is on the downswing. It was also about opening a spot at second base for either John Fast or Frank Frady and that could only be done by shifting Hal Wood from second to the hot corner, leaving Pack with no place in the Toronto infield.
• Red Johnson (.367,6,11) and Mahlon Strong (.362,8,17) are enjoying strong springs but is there any tinges of worry out of Gothams camp with New York's 11-22 record being the worst spring mark in either FABL or the GWL?
• Speaking of the GWL. There appears to be no slowing Bob Land down as the San Francisco Treat is leading all spring hitters in the coast loop with a .453 average, after hitting .401 a year ago.

BEES, PACKERS SPLIT FIRST TWO GAMES OF CUP FINALS

The Chicago Packers accomplished exactly what they needed to in Boston, securing a split of the opening two games of the best-of-seven Challenge Cup Finals. Despite playing with a patchwork first line due to injuries that sidelined Marty Mahoney and greatly reduced the effectiveness of Wes Burns, the Packers now return to Lakeside Arena for their first home Cup final game in 15 years, buoyed by resolute spirits.

The opening game witnessed the Boston Bees seize the early advantage, triumphing with a narrow 2-1 victory, courtesy of the scorching stick of Wilbur Chandler. The seasoned forward, who had already netted an astounding 5 goals, including 4 in one game, in the swift 3-game annihilation of the New York Shamrocks during the semi-finals, continued his torrid scoring streak by single-handedly spearheading the Bees' offensive charge. Midway through the second period, the 28-year-old Chandler, leading the league in playoff scoring, initiated the goal parade by slamming home a rebound from a Tommy Hart shot. Determined to leave no room for doubt, he solidified his team's position by notching another marker in the third period. Although the Packers managed to solve the vigilant netminder Pierre Melancon in the dying minutes, courtesy of Ed Delarue's late strike, it proved insufficient to bridge the gap as the Bees' relentless forecheck stymied their valiant attempts to pull goaltender Norm Hanson for an additional attacker.

Nevertheless, the second encounter showcased a remarkable resurgence from Hanson, the 26-year-old guardian of the Packers' net. Demonstrating immense resilience, Hanson orchestrated an awe-inspiring shutout, blunting the Bees' offensive thrust and leading his team to a convincing 2-0 triumph. Hanson's heroics were not unduly tested, as the Packers once again outshot their adversaries. However, his timely saves proved instrumental in preserving the shutout, denying the Bees' onslaught with 20 impressive stops, including 10 in the final period. The Packers, undeterred by adversity, unleashed a barrage of 31 shots on Melancon, falling just two short of their earlier attempt in the series opener.

Surprisingly it was Chicago defenseman Rocky Messer, who has just 14 career goals in 296 regular season games, who opened the scoring just over 7 minutes into the game when his seeing-eye wrist shot from the point found the back of the net behind a screened Melancon. David Rankin, inserted on the top line due to Wes Burns' broken jaw, completed the scoring with his third of the playoffs midway through the second period.

With the series now shifting to the Windy City, the third and fourth encounters promise to be electrifying showdowns. The Bees, yearning for their second consecutive Cup and fifth within the last seven years, find themselves in the enviable position of experience and dominance. Conversely, the Packers, seeking their inaugural franchise championship, stand resolute, determined to etch their names in hockey lore.

LIBERTY COLLEGE TO FACE WHITNEY COLLEGE IN CAGE TITLE MATCH

Messer Outduels Werth In Semi Clash

It will be the Liberty College Bells against the Whitney College Engineers in the AIAA cage championship game at Bigsby Garden this evening. The Bells will be looking to join last year's champs, CC Los Angeles, as the only four-time winners of the collegiate basketball national championship while the Engineers will be hoping to win the tournament for the second time in school history. The championship game will see Liberty College and Whitney College square off for first t time since 1919.

Liberty College - an independent since the demise of the Northeast Conference in 1944- finished the regular season ranked number one in the nation but was only given a #4 seed in the tournament and forced to travel out west to play their opening round games. The Bells advanced to the title game with a convincing 41-30 victory over Miami State in a game in which junior star Ward Messer went toe to toe with the reigning national player of the year, Long Werth, and keyed the win for the Philadelphia school. Messer, younger brother of New York Gothams baseball star Walt Messer, led all players with 13 points while matching Werth's game high 7 boards. Mort Knighten added 12 for the Bells, who built a 10 point lead at the half and never allowed the Gulls to get back in the game.

Whitney College, which finished second in the Great Lakes Alliance this season, knocked off GLA champion Central Ohio 50-47 in the other semi-final, getting revenge for a pair of regular season losses to the Aviators. Central Ohio, despite missing two starters due to injury, stayed close all game and was within a point in the final minute but Ziggy Rickard missed a jumper from the top of the key and freshman Paul Sapp, one of the two replacement starters, was called for travelling with 17 seconds left. Rickard topped the scoring pared with 14 points while Ruben Gilbert led the Engineers with 12.

QUARTERLY FIGMENT BOXING RANKINGS

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION : CHAMP - Hector 'The Cajun Crusher' Sawyer (54-3-1)

The Cajun Crusher remains at the top of a division he has dominated since first gaining the title in 1940 with a win over German strongman Jochen Schrotter. In recent years there has been plenty of talk that Sawyer's career is on the downswing but the 32-year-old continues to win and after his impressive TKO of Mark Fountain in January there really is no top level challenger around anymore. Roy Crawford might have assumed the role of top contender had the Boston Bomber not crashed and burned on his home turf with a split decision loss to Lewis Jones a couple of weeks ago.

The lack of a top flight threat to Sawyer is reflected in the fact that a pair of 37 year old's in Chris May and Pete Sanderson now appear in the latest rankings as fighters like Scott Baker, who once held so much promise but has fallen out of contention with back to back losses. There is hope for the future of the marquee weight class with a powerfully built 22 year old by the name of Tommy Cline destroying all opponents with a 10-0 record but he is likely still a couple of years away from a title shot.

Until Cline is deemed ready for a title shot, Sawyer might well have very little trouble disposing of the likes of May, Sanderson or Dan Miller, a 30 year old making noise on the coast.

MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION : CHAMP - Frank 'The Tank' Melanson (32-0-2)

Melanson made his 4th title defense just two weeks ago and scored a unanimous decision over Nick Harris at Bigbsy Garden, knocking the 33-year-old Rhode Island native down a spot on the contender list. European champion Edouard Desmarais -who has not fought since losing to Melanson last October- slides due to the rise in stock of John Edmonds, who counts recent wins over Jack Rainey and Brooks O'Connor among his triumphs, and a shining star from the south in the form of Tommy Campbell. A protégée of Hector Sawyer while the two were in the Army, Campbell has yet to lose and with 16 professional bouts under his belt, the 23-year-old may be close to getting a title shot. The fact that Campbell is managed by Chester Conley -Sawyer's long-time handler- will certainly aide his cause in getting a title shot sooner rather than later.

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION: CHAMP - Harold Stephens (19-3-2)

The welterweight division has been wide open with no one being able to successfully defend the title. After it went without a champion for six years due to the war, it has had three in the past six months as Dennis O'Keefe lost his first title defense last October to Mark Westlake only to see Westlake be stopped by Harold Stephens in February. Stephens, a 28 year old Providence, RI, native is now the champ and it seems likely that his first defense should be against either O'Keefe or Baltimore battler Carl Taylor. However, it is likely just a matter of time before a trio of fighters who honed their craft in the military during the war in Ira Mitchell, Danny Rutledge and Mac Erickson establish themselves as the class of the welterweight division.

Mitchell, a 27 year old hardened by a tour of the Pacific as a Marine, has cracked the rankings while Rutledge, a 22 year old from Louisville with a 9-0 mark and Erickson, a 26 year old Navy veteran from Minnesota with a 12-0 record should arrive in the next year. Rutledge and Erickson are best known for staging a spirited 15-round Army vs Navy battle as amateurs on the undercard of a world title fight in England in June of 1945.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• April 12- Miami, Fl- Former welterweight champ Dennis O'Keefe (20-2) vs Willis May (15-2-2)
• April 12 - Bigsby Garden (small room)- Middlweight contender Joe Moore (15-3) vs Mike Ward (4-5-3)
• April 15- Philadelphia: Middlweight contender Brooks O'Connor (22-4-2) vs Greg Roy (5-8)
• April 19- Syracuse, NY: Former welterweight contender Ben Bishop (24-4-1) vs John Gregory (16-2-1)
• April 21- Atlantic City, NJ: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (12-0) vs Floyd Davis (6-6)
• April 26- Bigsby Garden: Rising heavyweight Tommy Cline (10-0) vs veteran contender Pete Sanderson (32-7-2)
• April 28 - London, Eng: Former world middleweight champ Jorge Cuellar (42-2-2) first fight in nearly 7 years against British middleweight Glen Root (13-16).
• April 29- Bigsby Garden: a month and a half after losing to Frank Melanson in the middleweight title fight, Nick Harris (19-3-1) returns to the ring in New York to face Steve Adams (5-6-1)
• April 29 - Paris France: Edouard Desmarais (36-1) vs Jean Raymond (11-8-1)

• US Secretary of State George Marshall and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov engaged in the sharpest debate of the Moscow conference with Marshall accusing the Russians of wanting to starve Germany based upon their proposal.
• Senator Arthur Vandenberg (R.,Mich) proposed that the program of American aid to Greece and Turkey be made subject to cancellation at the request of the United Nations. Vandeberg offered the proposal after Rep. Fred Crawford (R., Mich) urged before the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the United States use the atomic bomb to force Russia to disarm, saying it should be done even if it "means war."
• King George II of Greece died unexpectedly of a heart ailment at a critical period in his nation's history. His brother will take the throne.
• As coal workers returned to work following a period of mourning the 111 that died in the recent mine explosion, Secretary of Interior Krug has directed 518 Government-operated soft coal mines to remain closed indefinitely because they are believed dangerous. Labor leader John L. Lewis has called on Congress to "remove Krug from office for cause."
• A bill designed to avert a national telephone strike scheduled to begin today was introduced by the Chairman of the House Labor Committee. Under its provisions the Attorney General could obtain an injunction to block any strike involving public health, safety or interest.
  
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April 14, 1947 - Spring training ends
 

APRIL 14, 1947

PLAY BALL! SPRING CAMP ENDS AS CLUB'S HEAD NORTH

Spring training has come to an end and the game's start for real tomorrow (Tuesday's sim) with the annual FABL lid-lifter in the nation's capital involving the Washington Eagles. Something much different from past seasons is we can now refer to them as the defending Federal Association champion Washington Eagles, a flag they had not previously waived since the conclusion of the 1925 campaign. The Eagles opponent in the opener will be the club that claimed each of the two previous Fed pennants -the Philadelphia Keystones.

The remaining 14 clubs in FABL will start their season the following day including the New York Stars, who will raise their 9th World Championship Series banner at Dyckman Stadium prior to their 2:05pm opening pitch against Montreal Tuesday.

The Great Western League -or as many of the magnates back east still refer to it as "The Rebel Loop" will see all 8 of its clubs open their sophomore campaign as a major league tomorrow. The San Francisco Hawks, winners of the first Bigsby Cup last October, will open at home against their bay rivals from Oakland. Each of the big leagues will play 154 game schedules.

MEEKS RETURNS HOME TO MANAGE CENTURIONS

After being surprisingly cut loose by the Cleveland Foresters a couple of weeks ago and then going through FABL waivers unclaimed, long-time big league second baseman has decided to return to his roots. The 37-year-old, who left Texas as a teen to play high school ball in Mississippi before settling on the banks of Lake Erie during a decade and a half stint with the Foresters, is back in the Lone Star State after agreeing to become a player-manager with the Great Western League's Dallas Centurions.

Meeks, who says he plans on playing regularly in addition to handling the managing duties in Dallas, made his big league debut with the Foresters in 1931 at the age of 22. He helped the club win 2 pennants and hit .400 in the 1934 World Championship Series as the Foresters beat the New York Gothams in seven games for what remains the franchises only WCS victory. Meeks played 1,902 games in a Cleveland uniform and amassed 1,842 hits -placing him 4th all-time in franchise history in each of those categories.

In Dallas he will join Ed Ziehl of Los Angeles, San Diego's Rip Golden and Pedro Valenzuela of Portland as Great Western League manager who accumulated significant playing time in FABL.

• Former 1st round pick, 26-year-old 3B Jock Stone has been given his walking papers by the New York Stars after the organization decided A ball was just too much for him. He hasn't played well the previous 2 seasons so management has sucked it up and acknowledged he was a huge miss as a draft choice. "We needed the roster space and moving him down just didn't make sense with our new rookie 3B Moe Holt moving up the ranks rather quickly," explained Stars Scouting Director Al Swain.
• More moves may be coming from Brooklyn. Percy Pringle Sr. of the Brooklyn Eagle reports that the Kings are still on the fence about keeping Jim Lightbody. A Kings management source is quoted as saying "(Lightbody) has done everything we asked including playing 2B, OF and at 1B. He is hitting .342 this spring and if we keep him will likely lead off. But we really like Chuck Collins at 1B and while he is being optioned down for now, I think he is the near-term future for the King's at first." Pringle adds that if the Kings don't get an offer that is solid Lightbody will start and remain with the team until at least the trade deadline.
• Wayne Newcomb and Bob Ginger were not necessarily in the LA Knights plans, but they both look to have made the team with great Springs. Newcomb is .377/.441/.541 in 61 Spring AB. Ginger has pitched to a 1.48 ERA in 20 appearances spanning 24-1/3 innings, allowing 31 baserunners. - Dan Fann, Los Angeles Times
• In former Keystones news, Gene White (DAL) is leading the Desert League in ERA (0.33) while Bob Land (SF) is pacing all hitters with a .453 average. Marshall Strickland is hitting .321 for Portland. - Joey Mahoney, Philadelphia Inquisitor

CHALLENGE CUP NOW A BEST OF THREE

Bees, Packers Split in Windy City, Tied at 2

Two completely different games as the Challenge Cup finals continued in Chicago but when the dust settled the series was deadlocked at 2 wins each as the Boston Bees and Chicago Packers did that same thing they did in Boston to start the series - split games three and four. The best-of-seven Cup final is now even at 2 victories apiece.

Game Three was all Boston as the Bees put a quick end to any worries that their offense was in a slump after scoring just twice in the first two games by exploding for four goals in the first period alone in game three and ended up crushing Chicago 10-2. Jim Morey led the way with 3 goals and an assist while Tommy Hart had a five point night and both Viv Napier and Waldemar Rupp contributed 3 points. The 10 Boston goals came on just 21 shots as the Bees chased Packers starting goaltender Norm Hanson less than a dozen minutes into the game after Hanson -who had shutout the Bees in game three- surrendered 4 goals on 7 shots.

Unlike game three in which the outcome seemed decided very early, the fourth game went late into the night before it determined a winner. The Packers blew a two-goal lead entering the third period but Moose Vezina would be the hero for the hometown club when he scored the game winner 47 seconds into the second overtime period to lift Chicago to a 5-4 victory and even the series once more.

Tommy Burns, who has been unusually quiet in the final, scored twice for Chicago with Ed Delarue and Matt Jewitt also solving Boston goaltender Pierre Melancon, who faced 53 shots in the game. Waldemar Rupp, Tommy Hart, Fred Yeadon and Willis Beane were the Boston marksmen.

The series now shifts to Boston for game five with the Bees looking for their second straight Cup win and 5th in the past 7 years while the Packers continue their quest for the first title in franchise history.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

CHANDLER TO MISS GAME FIVE

by Finn LeBec, Boston Globe

Wilbur Chandler looks like he will miss Game 5, so 22-year-old Craig Simpson will jump into the cockpit as first-line center. Chandler has a bruised toe and is expected to be back for Game 6 in this air-tight series that is tied at two games apiece.

Boston's offense exploded for ten goals in a Game 3 offensive performance that came out of nowhere. Joe Morey had a hat trick and Tommy Hart anchored the first line with a goal and four assists in the 10-2 win. Chicago goalie Norm Hanson was pulled after allowing four first-period goals in the first 12 minutes of the game.

The win gave Boston back home ice, but Chicago held the fort in Game 4 with a thrilling double-overtime victory. Moose Vézina scored 47 seconds into the fifth period of play. Boston forced free hockey with two goals in the third, as two defensemen - Fred Yeadon and Willis Beane - scored to tie the contest.

ROVERS CLAIM HAA CROWN

The Pittsburgh Rovers were crowned champions of the minor league Hockey Association of America after the Steel City club swept Syracuse three-straight in their best of five championship series. The Rovers, who have a working agreement and are supplied some of their players from the Chicago Packers, finsihed with the best regular season record in the 7-team loop at 27-15-6, good for 60 points and a 2-point cushion on the second place Syracuse Lancers.

Pittsburgh won the series opener on home ice by a 5-3 score as Chris Rissling and Alfie Dennis each scored twice for the Rovers. In game two it was Ollie Beauregard with a 2-goal effort to pace the Rovers to a 3-1 win over the Lancers. The final game was held in Syracuse and the Lancers made it a battle, with Ernest Shaefer scoring with just 1:34 remaining in regulation to tie the game at two but 8 minutes into overtime the Rovers Larry Prance scored the series winner to complete the sweep for Pittsburgh with a 3-2 victory. Prance is a 22-year-old center drafted by the Chicago Packers in the 6th round in 1943, who finally was signed by the club last July and assigned to Pittsburgh, for whom he scored 11 goals and added 21 assists in his first year of HAA action after 3 seasons with Portland of the coast loop.

WHITNEY COLLEGE WINS AIAA TOURNAMENT

The Whitney College Engineers are the AIAA basketball champions after holding off Liberty College 49-47 at Bigsby Garden in New York last Monday. The Engineers win the title for the second time in school history and remain the only Great Lakes Alliance member to ever win the national cage crown. For Liberty College, it marks a second straight year that the Bells reached the title game, only to come up just short. Liberty College, which has won the title three times, lost by a single point to CCLA at the Garden a year ago.

The Engineers led by 2 points at half time and matched the Bells second half output, surviving by the narrowest of margins when Liberty College guard Fred Hardeman's only shot attempt of the game -a desperation heave from the left corner to try and tie the game with 3 seconds remaining in regulation- hit the rim but bounced out giving the Engineers the two point victory.

Whitney College had opened a 40-32 lead -largest of the game- with 7:25 remaining in the second half but battled back to tie it at 46 on a Morton Knighten basket with 2:06 remaining. The Engineers would score to make it 48-46 when Dan Rosenfield hit a shot from the left wing with 50 seconds left. The Bells Ward Messer was fouled while shooting with 39 seconds left but he was only successful on the second of his two free throw attempts. Rosenfield answered that with a free throw of his own setting up a frantic final 10 seconds when Messer and Waylon Orlick each had shot attempts that missed but Liberty managed to snare the rebound each time setting up the desperation attempt by Hardeman.

Whitney College is certainly a surprise winner as few expected the Engineers to challenge for the national crown. Ruben Gilbert had a terrific senior season and graduates as the third highest scorer in school history. The Rock Island, IL., native was held to just 9 points in the title game as the Bells double-teamed him. Junior guard Hugo Taylor picked up the scoring slack with 12 points while center Lou Nissen was a force on the boards with 13 rebounds.

O'KEEFE LOSES TO MAY

Likely Costs Former Champ Summer Title Shot

The topsy-turvy welterweight division just was dealt another surprise as former champion Dennis O'Keefe was beaten for the second fight in a row, dropping a unanimous decision in Miami last week to Willis May. O'Keefe, who won the vacant welterweight title 13 months ago in New York City with a hard-fought knock out of Carl Taylor only to be outpointed by Mark Westlake in his first attempt to defend the belt, lost on the scorecards once more as May, a 28-year-old navy veteran from Alabama, did more than enough to control the fight in the minds of all three judges.

It is a crushing blow for O'Keefe, as the Jacksonville Jackhammer was believed to have an agreement in place to meet Harold Stephens -who beat Westlake in February- for the title this summer. It is not known how the loss to May for O'Keefe will affect those plans. O'Keefe now sports a 20-3-1 record and back to back losses certainly tarnish the reputation the 30-year old Floridian had built with 3 straight knock out victories leading up to his crowning as the first welterweight champion since Kid Simpson retired in 1940.

One other bout of note last week say middleweight contender Joe Moore run his record to 16-3 with a first round knockout of Mike Ward (4-6-3) at the small room in Bigsby Garden.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• April 15- Philadelphia: Middlweight contender Brooks O'Connor (22-4-2) vs Greg Roy (5-8)
• April 19- Syracuse, NY: Former welterweight contender Ben Bishop (24-4-1) vs John Gregory (16-2-1)
• April 21- Atlantic City, NJ: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (12-0) vs Floyd Davis (6-6)
• April 26- Bigsby Garden: Rising heavyweight Tommy Cline (10-0) vs veteran contender Pete Sanderson (32-7-2)
• April 28 - London, Eng: Former world middleweight champ Jorge Cuellar (42-2-2) first fight in nearly 7 years against British middleweight Glen Root (13-16).
• April 29- Bigsby Garden: a month and a half after losing to Frank Melanson in the middleweight title fight, Nick Harris (19-3-1) returns to the ring in New York to face Steve Adams (5-6-1)
• April 29 - Paris France: Edouard Desmarais (36-1) vs Jean Raymond (11-8-1)

• The world's first billionaire, and richest man, Henry Ford died this week at age of 83.
• President Truman declared the United States must "take a positive stand: against aggression in all its forms and act "ahead of time" to prevent another world war.
• Britain and the U.S. proposed at the Foreign Ministers Conference a change to the present German-Polish frontier, returning agricultural land to Germany, but Russia opposed any changes.
• The nationwide telephone strike is underway but the Federal Conciliation Director says that "good progress has been made" in negotiations toward a settlement. The walkout disrupted normal long distance and local non-dial telephone service across nearly the entire country.
• In an effort to slow rising prices, the White House is studying the possibility of relaxing antitrust law enforcement. The President declared that unless prices do come down wage increases will be justified.
  
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April 15, 1947 - Opening Day preview edition
 

APRIL 15, 1947

PRESEASON PREDICTION ISSUE

OSA SEES WCS REMATCH BETWEEN STARS AND EAGLES

The league scouting service, under the guidance of former World Championship Series winner and Olympic decathlete Dan Barrell, has released its annual forecast for the upcoming FABL season, which begins later today in Washington with the Eagles hosting the Philadelphia Keystones.

Barrell's group sees another successful season for the Eagles, calling on the Washington nine to repeat as Federal Association champs. That in itself is not a reach as the consensus is the Eagles will battle the New York Gothams and Philadelphia Keystones for the Fed flag, but the scouting service sees things much differently. OSA, to the shock of many, is tabbing the St Louis Pioneers and Detroit Dynamos to finish second and third between the Eagles despite the fact that Detroit was 6th a year ago and the Pioneers were dead last.

The scouting service's take on the Continental Association is considered far more in line with popular thinking. OSA believes the New York Stars will repeat with the Chicago Cougars and Cincinnati Cannons round out the top three.

On a game style note, OSA is calling for a big boost in power, at least from the big boppers and goes as far as to suggest that the Keystones Bobby Barrell could challenge Max Morris' record 60 homers in a season. Barrell and Kellogg were the most imposing 3-4 hitters in their prime but that will be challenged by Barrell and his latest longball partner Hank Koblenz. On the mound, the scouting service is calling for 24 wins from Cougars ace Pete Papenfus and a surprising 25 victories from young Detroit southpaw Carl Potter.

AROUND THE LEAGUE - PRESEASON PREDICTIONS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

It should be noted before one peruses the list of newspaper darlings this season that a year ago not one of the 8 so-called experts correctly called either of the two WCS participants as pennant winners when they unveiled their selections last April. Only Archie Irwin of the Chicago Daily News tabbed the Washington Eagles -eventual Fed champion- as high as second place while both Brett Bing and Jiggs McGee had the Eagles slotted in for dead last in the Fed. No one put the New York Stars last but none of the scribes had the Stars higher than third a year ago.

This time around, just as a year ago, it is nearly unanimous that the Chicago Cougars are the team to beat in the Continental Association with only Dan Barrell and the OSA failing to give the pennant to the Windy City Kitties. Barrell likes a repeat for the Stars. In the Fed the eight writers to fill predictions are split between 4 different teams as the top dog. Three like the Gothams, a pair favour the Eagles and the Philadelphia Keystones while one likes -most surprisingly- the cellar club a year ago in the St Louis Pioneers as the team to beat.

Here is how each of the seven so-called experts brave enough to go on record see the season playing out:

BRINKER'S ANNUAL FABL PREDICTIONS

FEDERAL ASSOCIATION

The Fed is deep and no one stands out as clearly the favorite and just as clearly no one stands out as being the worst. Reading the tea leaves here is tough... that tea is at the bottom of a very muddy pool. But we'll give it a try...

1- St. Louis Pioneers: Worst to first? It's possible. There's some talent on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. The pitching is good: Hal Hackney is a bonafide ace, Danny Hern is a solid #2 and youngsters Lazaro DeLeon and Dick Long are promising. Veterans Al Tucker (RF) and Heinie Zimmer (C) anchor a capable, but unspectacular lineup. In a very even Fed, the Pioneers have as good a chance as anyone.

2- Washington Eagles: Can you catch lightning in a bottle twice? The Eagles are hoping you can. They bring back the core that won the pennant a year ago, and added reliable arm Billy Riley to an already good rotation. The Eagles main strength is their lineup: Mel Carrol is still one of the best pure hitters in the business and Jesse Alvardo, Rats McGonigle and Sig Stofer provide plenty of additional pop.

3- Philadelphia Keystones: If you have Bobby Barrell in the middle of your lineup, you're a step ahead of the competition right away. Add in Hank Koblenz, Billy Woytek, Davey Robicheaux and promising youngsters Charlie Enslow, Nate Power and ex-Marine Roger Cleaves and you've got a lineup that should score a lot of runs. The pitching's not bad either - this is largely the same crew that ran the Fed in the war years.

4- New York Gothams: You're not going to find a better lineup anywhere. Brewer, Messer, Red, Strong, Pestilli... this is a group that is going to light up the scoreboard. The questions are two-fold: first, the pitching. Yes, Ed Bowman has moments of true transcendence. But there are some questions marks behind him. Harl Haines looked ok in '46, if he can do the same, that'll be a big help. Ditto for Lou Eaker. Then we come to Methusaleh himself: Jim Lonardo. How much is left in the tank for the future Hall-of-Famer? The answer to that will be a part big of the answer to the first question. The other question is health - when Mahlon Strong's in the lineup this offense is explosive. Without him it's still great, but he is a big, important piece of the puzzle. History says he'll miss time - if it's significant, the Gothams chances take a big hit.

5- Detroit Dynamos: The Motor City nine is a work in progress that is difficult to handicap. Talent-wise they're as good as anyone in the Fed. But a lot of that talent is very young. If the youth produces, this is a team that can win the pennant. If they don't... well, you get the picture. Bet here is that some of 'em will, and some of 'em won't and that equals a mid-table finish. But the future here is very, very bright.

6- Chicago Chiefs: The Chiefs lead the way for the teams that probably - but not definitely - don't have enough to win a pennant this season. They definitely have some pieces however. Let's start with the pitching: Al Miller is the ace and John Stallings is the soon-to-be ace of aces. Gus Goulding is a maddening mix of talent and inconsistency. Charlie Bingham is an old war horse and will do his bit. The lineup has a big bopper in the ironically-monikered Tiny Tim Hopkins and Dave Krieger is an intriguing prospect. There's Bob Martin, at 40, punching out base hits like a metronome and Bill May still patrolling the center pasture like a master. But the supporting cast is thin and that's what sinks the Chiefs' chances this season.

7- Boston Minutemen: This is a tough group to handicap. The pitching is the team's strength. Ed Wood is, even at 38, an ace. John Edwards is a potential dark horse Allen candidate. Losing Dean Astle is a big blow; he's done for the year and at 37 it's no better than even money that Astle comes back at all. The weakness is the lineup. It's not terrible by any conventional measure, but this is a league that has some serious firepower on the other rosters and Boston can't quite match Washington, New York, Philadelphia, etc.

8- Pittsburgh Miners: Ah, the Miners. Had to pick someone for last and they're as likely as anyone else. Some of the guys from the gravy days are still around: Lefty Allen even looked like his old self in 1946 and if that's repeated, the Miners probably can avoid the basement. George Cleaves looked a little less potent than his pre-war self, but he might have been working himself back into shape. Pablo Reyes also had a down year. That was the true issue last year - everyone but Allen seemed to have a down year - and if that happens again, things will be bleak in the Steel City.

CONTINENTAL ASSOCIATION

The Continental is a bit clearer than the Fed. There's a clear favorite in my eyes and that's the Chicago Cougars. The New York Stars are the only real competition for the Windy City Cats with the old warhorses in Cincinnati a dark-horse entry. Here's how I see it shaking out:

1- Chicago Cougars: The rich get richer. If there was an award for best trader, it'd go to the Cougars GM every. single. year. This offseason the Cougars snatched corner man Walt Pack from the Wolves. Pack had a down '46 and the rumor is that Toronto wasn't sure that was an aberration. The feeling here is Pack bounces back to something like his Whitney form of 1945. If that happens, ain't no one catching Chicago this time. The pitching is insanely talented starting with Pete Papenfus and running down through the Jones brothers, Joe Brown and Duke Bybee. Not a bum to be found. The lineup is also rock solid and Pack is now sitting right in the middle of it. I think the Cougars run away with it this year.

2- New York Stars: Someone has to be runner-up and at least the Stars have the 1946 World Championship trophy they can shine whenever they get glum looking up at the Cougars. This is a very talented bunch and would likely win the Federal Association - unfortunately for them & their fans, they're in the Continental. The pitching is good, the lineup is great. Bill Barrett is unlikely to hit .247 again but he is very much likely to top 30 homers again. Jack Welch, Mack Sutton, Bill Barnett... these are all stone-cold killers at the plate. They'll score a lot of runs and win a lot of games, but the Cougars will win more of them.

3- Cincinnati Cannons: The Cannons are getting long in the tooth. Like an old tiger they are still dangerous, but perhaps not on every day. The outfield is so strong that all-time-great Al Wheeler might not start (which I think is a mistake, but hey, I'm just a sportswriter). Sam Brown, Fred Galloway & Gail Gifford are all very fine players, but none of them is Al Wheeler. Allow me to step down from my soap box... thanks. Deuce Barrell is arguably the most talented pitcher in FABL, but he's a bit of a flake (trust me, I've spoken with him). The rest of the staff is fine too. Did I mention 1B Chuck Adams? No? Well, he's a star too. The only problem in Cincy is that the Stars & Cougars are just deeper.

4- Philadelphia Sailors: Every year the pundits (me too, sometimes) write off the Sailors. No bonafide stars, they say. But the Sailors are consistently in the mix. They never quite get there (or at least haven't in a while) but they're no pushovers. And that'll continue this season. Sure, some will pick the Saints or Kings for fourth and that's certainly possible, but the Sailors will be fourth, or maybe fifth, and if they're lucky maybe even third. Ed Reyes has won two batting titles, and came out of nowhere to do it. He's a good bet to get a third this season. Charlie Gordon might be the pride of Logan, Ohio, but most of FABL doesn't know who the hell he is. Won't matter - he might win 20 games. Mark my words, the Sailors will leave an imprint on the race this season.

5- Brooklyn Kings: Baseball is fun again in Brooklyn. That's what happens when you get an active, some might say overly so (trading-wise), GM in house. The fans won't recognize some of the new guys, but there'll be a bunch of them around. One third of the lineup is imported: LF Juan Pomales (TOR), 3B Hank Barnett (CHC) and 2B Leon Blackridge (CLE) and most of the others were either minor leaguers or part-timers last season. There's that old standby Jim Lightbody. Brooklyn without a Lightbody would be like a Bigsby without a federal indictment. Oops... did I say that out loud? The pitching got a changeup too (pun fully intended). Buddy Long (STL), Vic Carroll (CIN) and even Pomales will be in the rotation. Whether Pomales can still pitch is an open question (he looked ok in spring training, but that's spring training). Brooklyn's not there yet, but the makeover is in full swing and it'll be interesting to see what happens and what other moves are made.

6- Montreal Saints: Ask a Quebecois about the Saints and you're likely to hear "Mon Dieu!" That's because this long-suffering franchise has been a middling team for a bit now and with the big dogs in Chicago and New York, climbing to the top of the mountain has never been more difficult. The lineup hinges on 1B Red Bond, who would be a household name in the aforementioned cities of NY or Chicago and should be one regardless. The pitching is headed up by youngster Bert Cupid who is going to be something great very soon, and very soon just may be this year. Still some holes to fill in Montreal, but the team has upside and won't be boring.

7- Toronto Wolves: The Wolves had a bit of a firesale this offseason. Gone are Walt Pack and Juan Pomales and they'll be missed. Fred McCormick's still around. He's also 37 and hasn't hit over .300 since 1940, but he's within shouting distance of 200 career home runs and he should get there (I think he'll hit .300 too). The pitching is still largely intact and George Garrison, Joe Hancock & co. are still good pitchers. The offense is the sticky wicket here: no one had a great year last season (including the departed Walt Pack) and there's no one in the lineup aside from possibly McCormick to strike fear in opposing hurlers. It's going to be a long season in Ontario, though the addition of former 1st rounder Jerry York to the rotation could provide some excitement in the near term and if Ray Hatch or Harry Phillips make hay in the minors that Wolves rotation might look a lot better at the end of the season.

8- Cleveland Foresters: Sigh. Again we must put the Foresters in the basement. They're like that ugly tea service you got from the in-laws. You dragged it out in 1937 or so when they last visited but since then it's been hidden in the basement. The team's under new management and there's some light at the end of the very long, very dark tunnel they've been in for, oh, a decade or so. Adding Orie Martinez to the lineup helps a lot. Jim Adams is a pro's pro. But the infield aside from Adams is a series of question marks, catching is a mess and there's not much depth anywhere. The pitching though... I mean they drafted pitchers just about every year with those top picks back in the pre-lottery days. That has to have paid dividends right? Well... yes and no. Richie Hughes (14th overall in '40) is a keeper. Hiram Steinberg (1st overall, 1941) is probably a keeper. But it's way too early for Larry Beebe (4th overall, 1946) and getting late for John Jackson (4th overall, '42). So the jury's out. Cleveland is trending in the right direction: now. But the years where that wasn't the case weigh heavily on the banks of the Cuyahoga. It'll take a while to dig their way out of the very deep hole they created for themselves.

FEDERAL ASSOCIATION

1. Washington Eagles - Repeating time in the capital! The addition of Billy Riley strengthens a rotation that needed some help and a full year of Rats McGonigle behind Jessie Alvarado and Mel Carrol should result in a dangerous lineup. Expect big things from young righty Buckeye Smith, but an injury to him or Riley could keep the Eagles out of the top spot.

2. New York Gothams - Don't let the Spring fool you, the lineup is great and should score plenty of runs. If someone behind Ed Bowman steps up, the Gothams could end the season on top, but Harry Carter is 36, Jim Lonardo 42, and 29-year-old sophomores Lou Eaker and Harl Haines fell off towards the end of last season.

3. Philadelphia Keystones - The rotation may be the best in the Fed, and with Bobby Barrell on the roster, you always have a chance. The Keystones have the Stars with Bobby, Hank Koblenz, Billy Woytek, and Lloyd Stevens, but their lineup has some holes they may not be able to patch. The wild card is slugging first basemen Nate Power, who could open the season as the starting first basemen, and produce 20+ home runs.

4. Boston Minutemen - An aging team still ripe with talent, a healthy Dean Astle would have Boston in a fight for the top spot. That can still happen, but veteran Ed Wood will need a co-ace and the lineup doesn't instill much fear. Their defense is top notch, with outstanding defenders at nearly every position, and that will keep them in the thick of things all season long.

5. Chicago Chiefs - There seems to be a dropoff after the top four, but the Chiefs are on the rise. Tiny Tim Hopkins was a huge addition and well worth the first they parted with, and a full season at Whitney Park could end up in 30+ homers. Al Miller, Gus Goulding, and John Stallings make up an impressive 1-2-3, but the lineup may not score much for them. They will have to get great production from veteran Bob Martin and rising star Dave Krieger, and perhaps a breakout rookie season from Johnny Anderson could help the Chiefs surpass the 80 win mark for the first time since 1940.

6. Pittsburgh Miners - George Cleaves is still the best catcher in the game, but outfielders Joe Owens and Pablo Reyes are starting show their age. Same goes for ace Lefty Allen. This could be the start of a rebuild in Pittsburgh, and potentially the first season since 1931 where they don't win at least 70 games. Last year's 3rd Rounder Reid McLaughlin is still in camp, and the 22-year-old shortstop could be a surprise add to the Opening Day roster, but besides him and sophomore pitcher Adam Grayson, most of the young talent is still a few ways from contributing.

7. Detroit Dynamos - The Dynamos are a team on the upswing, but in a competitive Fed, they may be fighting to stay out of last. The rotation is deep, with veteran Dixie Lee sandwiched between talented young hurlers in Carl Potter and Wally Hunter. The lineup has plenty of young talent, including 24-year-old Del Johnson, who's already a top-5 second basemen. Stan Kleminski and Edwin Hackberry may need more seasoning, but both have star level potential. Bob Montgomery may not be a star, but the 24-year-old shortstop is an exciting up-in-comer, and perhaps the Dynamos can finally get something out of former first pick Dick Blaszak.

8. St. Louis Pioneers - It may be a tough few seasons for Pioneers fans, as everything seemed to go wrong last season. A youth movement has been started, with longtime third basemen Tommy Wilson being replaced by former 6th Rounder Jackie Washington, and Buddy Long shipped out to the Kings for a pair of prospects. Al Tucker endured a career worst season, but he's still a top hitter and could see himself on the move this season. Same goes for catcher Heinie Zimmer, as they have a younger and potentially better version in Tucker Ness. The shining bright spot is all-world righty Hal Hackney, who may lead the league in strikeouts for the next decade. It's a rebuilding year for St. Louis, but along with Ness and Hackney, there are some interesting building blocks in Larry Gregory, Homer Mills, Dick Long, Lazaro DeLeon, and Charlie Leist, who was part of the previously mentioned Buddy Long trade.

Continental Association

1. Chicago Cougars - It seems like every season we pick the Cougars to finish first. And every year, they find a creative way to come short. But this year? This year will be different! All eyes are on Walt Pack, as pundits pick sides on which Pack will show up at Cougars stadium. They Cougars rotation, led by Pete Papenfus adn the Jones Brothers, is leaps and bounds better then what the rest of the league has to offer, and with an above average lineup, they should find themselves playing postseason baseball once again.

2. Philadelphia Sailors - There are a lot of good teams in the CA this season, but the Sailors seem poised to make a return to the top of the standings. The middle infield duo of Les Cunha and Rip Lee is the best in the game, and an outfield of Harvey Brown, Billy Forbes, and Cotton Dillon is outstanding. The rotation lacks a clear #1, but Charlie Gordon, Win Lewis, and Slick Wesolowski are all guys you can count on.

3. New York Stars - If it wasn't for financial woes, the Stars would have a much easier path to repeat. But with no financial wiggle room and a system that has taken a few hits, adding to the squad may be tough. The rotation could use an upgrade, as behind Eli Panneton there are plenty of question marks. Will Vern Hubbard return to form? Does Chuck Cole have anything left? And is Jack Wood for real? Their are no questions in the lineup, as Mack Sutton and Bill Barrett may combine for over 60 homers, and the roster is filled with talented youngsters in Bill Barnett, Jack Welch, and Bob Riggins. Don't count the Stars out, but it may be tough for them to defend their crown.

4. Cincinnati Cannons - A team filled with veterans, the Cannons have a really strong squad, but with not much in the farm and a weak rotation, a pennant may be out of reach. Rufus Barrell is one of the game's best pitchers, but Bob Arman and Red Hampton are more back-end then #2 and #3, and with just two top 125 prospects it may be tough to add a better arm. The lineup is strong, as a 1 through 5 of Gail Gifford, Fred Galloway, Sam Brown, Chuck Adams, and Denny Andrews is as good as it gets. Add in Adam Mullins, Jim Hensley, Al Wheeler, and Charley McCullough, there is plenty of runs to support the potentially bottom half staff.

5. Montreal Saints - There's a significant drop-off heading to the second division, but the Saints could surprise with their improving pitching staff. Gordie Irwin seems to have a rotation spot locked down, and Bert Cupid had one of the better rookie seasons last year. Add in holdovers Wally Doyle, Pat Weakly, and Wally Doyle, and Montreal may end up with the second best staff in the CA. The lineup is thin, but Bill Greene, Bert Lass, and Gordie Perkins are all well above average hitters. If Red Bond and Jake Hughes can put together good seasons, Montreal could finally crack .500.

6. Brooklyn Kings - In a few seasons, the Brooklyn Kings may be a perennial contender. But for now, they'll have to settle for a significant improvement over the following season. The rotation added Buddy Long, Johnny Slaney, and two-way player Juan Pomales, while the lineup added Hank Barnett, Leon Blackridge, and the previously mentioned Pomales. There is plenty of youth, with Leo Hayden anchoring the rotation and John Moss, Ralph Johnson, and Billy Bryant all options for the Opening Day roster. They are a few seasons out, but the days of finishing in the cellar may be over.

7. Toronto Wolves - With the trades of Pomales and Pack, the rebuilding signal has been sent out. Young infielders John Fast and Frank Frady are in line to take Pack's at bats, while utility man Tom Frederick will join Chink Stickels and Hank Gioradano in the outfield. Stickels, Hal Wood, Joe Hancock, Jimmy Gibbs, and Bob Walls may be on the way out, with Fred McCormick, Charlie Artuso, George Garrison, and Gioradano may be the only guys to stay put. Jerry York is a pitcher to keep an eye on, as the 25-year-old may emerge as the #3 by time the season ends, or the two if Hancock is moved. There's plenty of pieces that could refill their system, but for now Wolves fans will have to look to the future.

8. Cleveland Foresters - The Foresters have cut a lot of veterans, moving on from Leon Blackridge, Si Crocker, Wes Parks, Brooks Meeks, Cal Howe, Frank Hill, and Hal Burres. Hank Stratton may be next as they continue their youth movement, with young players like Paul Porter, Ivey Henley, Bob Miller, Glenn White, and Jim Adams Jr. filling the lineup. Vets Orie Martinez or Reginald Westfall could be dangled at the deadline, but don't expect them to move anything from their rotation. Richie Hughes is one of the best young pitchers in the game, and Ducky Davis, Augie Hayes Jr., and Hiram Steniberg pitching behind him. It will be another long season in Cleveland, but they are at the point in their rebuild when the young players are getting a chance to prove they belong in the big leagues.

WHAT TO MAKE ABOUT THIS YEARS GOTHAMS?

These are unchartered waters. We've seen the Gothams preparing to defend a title. We've seen the long rebuilds where nothing is expected. We've seen the squads that are suddenly ready to battle for a crown. But this, this is something new. How does the team react to falling just short and gearing up to try again? The 1946 Gothams finished 3rd, 5 games behind Washington. If you want to find the last Gothams team to finish that close to first and not take the title you need to go back to 1924 when they finished 2nd, 1 game off the pace. The is completely foreign territory for the current management team. So what will they do? Shuffle the deck, throw out the baby with the bath water? Or stand pat. Apparently when something new and different happens a new and different approach is required.

So the Gothams did the most unlikely thing of all. They are basically returning the same team. Sure there will be some changes around the fringes of the staff. Mainly dues to Harry Carter's injury. Carter is expected back in early June. The other change is at shortstop where Tom Jeffries shook off a dreadful Cuban Winter League campaign to earn the starting spot at short. Otherwise the power packed lineup of veterans is unchanged. There will be younger player on the bench, but Manager Bud Jameson is confident that this group of players can take the crowded FA and go for another title.

What do others think? There are predictions of everything from first place to a last place finish based on a shaky spring. Jameson cautions us not to be concerned with the spring record as he spent the extra early weeks experimenting and getting look at younger pitchers. "Bowman and Lonardo don't need to be wasting bullets in March games. A couple of tune-ups and they're ready. Haines and Eaker looked good and the rest will hold the fort until Carter returns."

From my vantage point I see another close FA race, but no reason this Gothams team can't finish at the top.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

Interview with Bob Call -As the Wolves are preparing to head north to Dominion Stadium begin the 1947 campaign Toronto's manager Bob Call sat with Brett Bing for an interview to discuss the outlook, give some insights to the fans.

Bing: Before we start to discuss the upcoming season can you answer one question in most fans minds, What happen to the team that was thought to be a pennant contender in 1946?
Call: As you can probably understand, I would like forget that season although I did spent a great time reflecting on the year, almost game by game during the winter. I went back on most of my decisions to see if I was making the right one given the game situation, it is funny how moves that did not work stand out in your mind, it obvious that losing 23 more games year to year I did not make the right call the majority of times. We got off to a bad start that seemed to get continually worse as the summer wore on, I believe the players and coaches began to press in an attempt to turn around the season. That is the worst thing a ballplayer can do, pressing in a situation generally just leads to more mistakes, and mistakes lead to losses. With everyone trying too hard in a way it led to more poor performance in all three areas: hitting, pitching and fielding. Then the season is over with a 68-86 record. The first team meeting we had early this spring was about how we all pick each other up, no one individual can carry the team to wins or shoulder all the blame for losses. Baseball is the ultimate team game. I told the players that they all have special talents or they would not be in the FABL. In 1947 do not press to carry the team, let the game come them. We will win or lose games as a group not individuals.

Bing: Now lets move forward to the upcoming season, what can the fans look forward to in '47, did the extra two weeks of spring training change things for early in the season?
Call: The fans obviously will see a little different everyday lineup with the recent trade of Walt Pack and Juan Pomales. Even with moving two starters I feel the Wolves can be a contender perhaps even pennant winner although the Cougars and Stars present a big challenge in the CA. The first thing the fans will notice is that Walter Loera will start many more games behind the dish, Clarence Howerton, at 37, is going to get more time off. I believe he has a real future a manager or coach when his playing days are over. With that goal in mind I have ask to to stick close to bench coach Dick Dennis on his days not in the starting lineup to observe the in-game workings, to ask questions and provide suggestions. I am hoping he will be like having an extra coach on the team. Fred McCormick will take the vast majority of starts at 1B, at 37 he will get at least one day a week off to give Rule 5 pick Frank Brunch Jr. some work. Brunch is one of only two left hand hitting bats we have available, along with Tom Frederick. Brunch will start the season as the first PH off the bench against righties. The trade of Walter Pack has juggled the infield. Hal Wood will generally starting at the hot corner -his bat needs to be the lineup. Charlie Artuso will again play short, possibly all 154 as he did in 1945. At second the fans will see either Frank Frady or John Fast with early in the season more of Frady as Fast gets use to the FABL routine. Both are switch hitters which gives me options, Frank is a little more advance in the hitting and fielding departments. Fast is making strides with his glove everyday as he works with John Coburn. I have told both not worry too much about hitting for average early in the season, both should concentrate on fielding to help their pitchers. Both will hit eventually.

With Juan gone to Brooklyn I see an everyday outfield, left to right, of Frederick, Stickels, Giordano taking away what seem to be sure hits off the bat. Curt Brooks will start the season as the fourth outfielder. The biggest decision I had to make coming out of Florida was sending Sam C Allen to AAA Buffalo. I told him that getting regular at bats in the Union will help him more than one or starts a week for the Wolves, make it hard for us to leave him in AAA but tearing the cover off the ball.

I expect, as usual, the pitching staff to be the foundation of the team. The addition of Jerry York full time to George Garrison, Joe Hancock, Jimmy Gibbs, Bob Walls should make this possible, the extra two weeks of spring training may allow me to take starters deeper, earlier although the plan is to go to the bullpen to finish game during at least the first two times through the rotation. Johnny Franklin, now in his second year, has a much better idea of how the staff should be utilized. He and I are on the same page. With the reduced number of twin bills this year, the load management on arms will be easier to handle over the year. We will start the year with five arms in the 'pen, that could be reduced as the starter's stamina improves in May. Garrison and Hancock should give us an opportunity to stave off any extended losing streaks if, unlike 1946, they get at least average run support from the hitters.

Overall I think the fans will treated to an exciting brand of baseball at Dominion Stadium as we have been working on taking the extra base whenever possible to put pressure on our opponents defense.

Bing: Thanks Bob, the last question will be about the trade of both Pomales and Pack.
Call: Over the winter we often talked about the age of the team. We are currently have the second oldest team based on average age, trailing only Boston by only tenths of years. We have what we think are major league ready players in our system as York, Frady, Fast show, so it was time time to make room for some new blood. Dealing Walter meant the loss of big bat, his showing last season and into spring training was disturbing, his batting eye seemed to have left him. If he returns to form he will be missed, I wish him luck in Chicago except against the Wolves. Juan was a little more surprising to me but not unexpected, I hear the Kings are going to put him back in the rotation. His bat and glove were highly valued here along with almost being a free addition to the pitching staff. Again I wish him well against 6 other CA teams.

BRETT BING'S LOOK AT THE 1947 TORONTO WOLVES

Hardcore fans have probably already read Brett's interview with manager Bob Call on his view on the upcoming season. Now it is time for Brett's outlook for the year ahead along with questions facing the organization. Brett continues to think this team is not the perennial contender that Toronto are accustom to, they are more of middle of the pack team that will need breaks to go their way to force themselves into the CA title talk. Fans should take heart, why should not the team have a season of good fortune after one where everything seemed to go against the team?

Looking at the team heading north Brett sees a team starting to look towards the future, although no team official will admit to starting a transition phase. The trades of Pomales and Pack show a longer in the tooth team trying to get younger. It starts behind the plate where Walter Loera is tabbed for the majority of the starts. After being the understudy of one the best, Clarence Howerton, for 3 years can Loera at least double his workload to start 110-120 games? Call let slip the plans for Howerton from management, he will have a job with the team if he wants it after his playing days are over, will 1947 be the swan song for him? Fred McCormick at 37 is not only being ask to start the majority of the games but provide most of the power since Pack's departure. Can he cheat father time to turn back the clock to his form of lets say 1940? Rule 5 acquisition Frank Brunch Jr has never shown to be a power bat but may be help off the bench with his batting from the left side. Wolves are betting this first overall pick can find, improve his game in 1947.

The biggest change the fans will see is at 2B, which Brett believes is the team's biggest gamble, with both Frank Frady and John Fast on the Opening Day roster. They are being counted to form a smooth double play combination with Charlie Artuso at short. Frady seems to be more advanced than Fast who missed time in the service began to hit during his winter sojourn to the the Cuban Winter League where the Wolves had hoped he would regain his batting eye after missing 8 weeks last summer at AAA with a severe hip strain. The CWL was a pitcher dominated league so Fast's .289/.428/.577 11 HR. 38 RBI was a sign that also may have convince management to move Pack to allow Wood to move to 3B where playing beside Artuso may help hide his lees than spectacular glove. Fast's bat improved although field conditions in Cuba may has cause his glove to regress in the winter. If one or both can field their position at the high level needed to support the pitchers the Wolves could become a CA factor given they hit at least a little over the summer. The left side of the infield will see Artuso, Wood almost exclusively barring injury, Call has hinted that he may as well have preprinted lineup cards made with Artuso -SS at the top of all 154 to save him time filling out the game cards.

An outfield of Frederick, Stickels, Giordano should rank near the top of the CA defensively although Brett thinks it could be even stronger with Frederick in RF, Giordano in LF. One thing for fans to look for would be if Giordano can up his doubles, triples power to deposit more ball into the seats to give the team at least a second power source. Curt Brooks will suffice as the fourth OF while the team waits to see if Sam C Allen, the last spring training cut, can force his way into the FABL by destroying AAA pitching this spring. Brett supports the move of Allen to the minors to further develop his skill set.

Bing is firmly on the same page Call in regards to the pitching staff. This will be the key to any hopes of contending, staying with the upper echelon of the CA. While the staff bemoaned the lack of run support in '46 Brett has words for them "Get used to it!"

The Wolves fortunes in '47 will rest on Garrison, Hancock return to their former mow 'em down selves, York impacting the CA while the balance of the staff performing to their capabilities in roles Call chooses use them. One thing thing that will help is if the defensive changes cut the number of unearned runs in half from the 89 allowed in '46. If this happens the fans can expect the Wolves to be involved in many close, one-run games.

If mental errors are minimized along with the team taking advantage of run scoring opportunities presented them the team will surprise many of the pundit predictions. If the Wolves come out the gate fast to avoid the "here we go again!" mentality, the fans should see an exciting brand of baseball all summer at Dominion Stadium allowing last season to written off as an anomaly. It is on the player's and staff's backs.


The Brooklyn Kings have decided to roll with rookie SS Billy Bryant to start the season with the big league club. While his spring bat cooled off he appears to be the club's top option at SS so he will get the nod. Elsewhere on the diamond at Kings County Park, Leon Blackridge is going to give it a go to start the season at 2B and see how he does. Jim Lightbody will start the year at 1B because of the Kings crowded OF. Newcomer Juan Polmales will be in LF (and is the #3 SP), John Moss is in CF and rookie Ralph Johnson will slide over to RF to start the year. Recently acquired Vic Carroll who suffered a serious arm injury in 1944 and then was shipped off to the war, will get some starts at the beginning of the season but will also see some time in the pen. Manager Tom Barrell feels with Carroll's stuff he might be a dynamic stopper if he isn't able to handle the workload of a full time starter. Rule 5 1B/OF Ralph Bailey made the club as well as recently signed FA super-sub Constantine Peters.

While no one expects the club to contend, the King's are hoping for a much better season as they continue to tweak the club for the future.

LOW EXPECTATIONS FOR '47 CAMPAIGN AT THOMPSON FIELD

The Detroit Dynamos are set to throw out the opening pitch on another season, but like the 17 before it, there is little chance the Dynamos season will stretch in to October. The Dynamos have not won a pennant since 1929 -and a failure to do so this time will equal the organization's longest stretch without a title which was established from the birth of the club in the old Peerless League of 1890 and did not end until the local nine won its first Federal Association flag in 1908. The likely outcome is a second division finish for the second straight year and the fourth time in the past six seasons.

That is not to say there is no great hope for the future, nor important lessons to be learned in the months ahead. This Dynamos club -just as it was a year ago when they finished in 6th place, 19 games back of the Washington Eagles- is loaded with promise of much better days to come. The Detroit farm system is the envy of the Federal Association with plenty of big name prospects set to make their mark on the majors this season. Outfielder Edwin Hackberry and infielder Stan Kleminski are the two big names to keep an eye on this summer and manager Dick York hopes the duo are ready for the rigors of a full season despite each being just 20 years of age. Both had trials a year ago but the journey from the low minors to Detroit proved to be too daunting a task but now, armed with a season of AAA ball at Newark, they each will be counted on heavily to develop this season. Perhaps even to the point where one or both compete for the coveted Kellogg Award -the new trophy awarded to the top newcomer for the first time a year ago and claimed by another Dynamos youngster in 17-game winner Wally Hunter.

There is talented youth all over the diamond in Detroit. Carl Potter is the club's ace on the mound and entering his third season in the bigs despite stil being a 20-year-old when he trots onto the Thompson Field mound Wednesday for the opener against the Chicago Chiefs. Counting Potter, seven of the nine Detroit starters on opening day will have not yet celebrated their 25 birthday and they include 24-year-old's Del Johnson, Bob Montgomery and Steve Donovan as well as 22-year-old Dick Estes to go along with Hackberry and Kleminski.

There will be mistakes made along the way, and a .500 record is quite likely too much to ask for in the always competitive Federal Association, but the Dynamos are hoping the hard lessons learned this season will pay off in a decade of pennant runs in the very near future.

*** Maroons Legend To Throw Out First Ball ***

The Dynamos will call on a sporting legend to get their season off to a good start as Stan Vaught will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to launch the campaign. Vaught has seen plenty of success on Thompson Field himself, where he starred for a decade as the best receiver in the history of pro football and helped lead the Maroons to four American Footabll Association championship games including a victory in the 1936 contest. That 1936 club was the only Maroons team to win the AFA championship in the era of the two division format but was the fourth in franchise history, joining wins in the pre-title game era in 1927, 1929 and 1931.

1929 remains the only year two Detroit professional teams have won major sports championships with the Dynamos claiming the World Championship Series with a win in game seven over the Philadelphia Sailors a couple of months before the Maroons finished 12-1-1 and were declared co-champs of the AFA along with the long-defunct Rhode Island Reds. All was not well in Detroit pro sports that year as the 1930-31 Detroit Bulldogs won just 1 of 44 games in the NAHC and would immediately fold. It would be 5 long years without a pro ice team until John Connolly Jr. would move the Quebec Champlains to the Motor City and call them the Motors for the 1935-36 season. The Motors only Challenge Cup to date would arrive just 3 years later when Detroit upended the Toronto Dukes to win the 1939 NAHC title. Despite multiple trips to the finals in both the NAHC and AFA that would be the last championship parade our city has seen.

BEES WIN ANOTHER CHALLENGE CUP

The Challenge Cup is looking like it may well apply for permanent residence at Denny Arena in Boston as the Bees once more prevailed as North American Hockey Confederation champions. Boston eliminated the Chicago Packers in 6 games in the best-of-seven final to win their second consecutive cup and 5th in the past seven years. Only twice in the past eleven years has the Challenge Cup final not included the Boston Bees and their 7 cup wins all-time is tops in the NAHC, one more than the Toronto Dukes have won.

The Chicago Packers remain the only active NAHC franchise never to hoist the cup. The Packers, who's only previous trip to the finals was in 1931, made a strong run against the Bees despite nursing a number of key injuries, but fell just short.

The clubs had split the first four games of the series inlcuding the Packers dramatic 5-4 win on home ice in game four thanks to Moose Vezina's goal in double overtime. The crucial fifth game was staged at Boston's Denny Arena and was tied at one through two periods before the Bees broke it open with three unswered markers in the third period including a pair from Joe Morey, who would end up with 8 goals in 9 playoff goes, tying him for the lead in that department with teammate Wilbur Chandler.

The series would end two nights later in Chicago as the Bees claimed the cup with a 4-3 victory. Chicago had taken a 2-0 first period lead on goals from Pete Moreau and Rocky Messer but Morey got one back for Boston late in the stanza. Tommy Hart scored early in the second period to tie the game and then assisted on Benton Watson's go-ahead goal to put the visitors up 3-2. Watson would add another goal just over 7 minutes into the third period but a little over 4 minutes later Matt Jewitt got that one back for Chicago but that was a close as the Packers would get and Boston, behind 35 saves from netminder Pierre Melancon, would hang on for a cup-clinching 4-3 victory.

ROOKIE HELPS BEES CLAIM CUP

By Finn LeBec, Boston Globe

Rookie David Scarpone was called up to make his NAHC debut in Game 5 after Fred Yeadon was day-to-day with a sore knee and was not available for Game 5. He scored the first goal in Game 5 and stuck in the lineup to chip in an assist in Game 6. Wilbur Chandler was also banged up and out for Game 5 and he missed Game 6 as well.
Game 5 finally saw Boston shoot the lights out, as the Bees put 42 shots on Norm Hanson and came away with a 4-1 win to break the 2-2 deadlock in the series. Joe Morey had two more goals to give him seven in eight playoff games.

In Game 6, it was two big second-period goals to tie the game at 2-2 and go ahead for good. Tommy Hart figured in both goals, his scored the goal to knot the game, his fifth of the playoffs, and earned the secondary assist, his 10th helper. Depth forward Benton Walston scored the game winner in the second and cashed in an insurance marker the Bees would need in a 4-3 triumph.

The Bees capture the first Challenge Cup of the Human GM Era, their second straight Cup, and fifth in the seven-year "Modern Era".

Below is a list of the top boxers in each weight category (along with some rising stars) as listed in game. It is not the actual ranking chart I use as the game rankings are slightly different, but a nice snapshot of the big names in each of the three weight classes. #1 on each list is the current world champion.

April 21, 1947
 

APRIL 21, 1947

PIONEERS OFF TO HOT START

Win 4 Straight to Open Season

Many observers were shocked when esteemed New York Mirror sportswriter John Brinker tabbed the St Louis Pioneers as his pick for the Federal Association pennant winner in 1947. After all, the Pioneers were dead last in the Fed a year ago and have not won a pennant since 1921. It is only one week, but Brinker is looking like he might just have been channeling Nostradamus when filling out his predictions after Pioneers opened the season with 4 straight victories including a 3-game sweep of the might New York Gothams. It is a mere granule of sand in the hourglass that is a long baseball season but St Louis finished the week at 5-2, good enough at the moment to give the Pioneers the best record in baseball.

The Gothams, on the other hand, had a rough opening week, dropping their first 4 games before finally winning a pair over Detroit over the weekend. Saturday's victory over the Dynamos came at a cost as the Gothams 23 year old rookie shortstop, who was off to a fine start with 7 hits in his first 23 at bats, was injured in a collision at second base and will be sidelined for a month and a half. It was actually a terrible week for both New York shortstops as the Stars Joe Angevine was also injured during a week that his club struggled to a 2-5 start.

The Brooklyn Kings managed to escape the rash of shortstop injures as their 23 year old rookie Billy Bryant made his big league debut and survived the week with a .231 batting average. However, the Kings will be without their young pitching prodigy Leo Hayden for a couple of weeks as the 1946 Kellogg Award winner was hurt in an opening day loss to the Chicago Cougars.

The news was not all bad in the Big Apple as Gothams catcher Pete Casstevens had a great start to his season but it was nothing compared to what Tim Hopkins did for the Chicago Chiefs. The first baseman, acquired from the Kings last summer, put on a power display by socking 4 homeruns in the first 6 games of the season. Here are the top performers this week:

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Inauspicious. If there is a fancy word to describe the Gothams opening week, that's it. Losing your first 4 games, three of them of the extra innings variety, does not give immediate thoughts to positive results. The pitching, in a word, was dreadful. One of the few bright spots ended in concern as young shortstop Tom Jeffries continued his spring success by hitting .304 and fielding his position flawlessly before injuring his shoulder in a collision at 2nd on a takeout slide by the Dynamos Jimmy Mayse. Fortunately for Jeffries it is his non-throwing shoulder and he may be back by the end of May. A tough break for a youngster looking to take his place in the majors.

And there some positives. Pete Casstevens got off to a rare hot start at the plate, hitting .458 with a couple of homers, earning himself FA Player of the Week. Sal Pestilli his a grand slam, and Red Johnson seems in mid season form. Still if the pitching continues in this way, even the powerful Gothams bats won't be enough.

When asked of Mayse's slide was dirty, Manager Jameson replied, "It looked to be within the rules. It's tough out there around second. Some of the boys think it may have crossed the line. I don't know. I'm sure they noted Mayse's number."

• A rough spring had many questioning whether Chick Donnelly was no longer capable of starting in the Boston Minutemen outfield but the 35-year-old 5-time all-star showed he has a little something left, rebounding from a rough showing in the Citrus tune-up league with 11 hits in the first 6 games of the season and a .423 batting average.
• Congratulations to former Marine Roger Cleaves as the 23-year old catcher had a strong debut week with the Philadelphia Keystones. The half brother of Rufus Barrell as well as George and Jack Cleaves, hit his first big league homer yesterday in Pittsburgh to cap a week that saw him hit .300 (6-for-20) as the Keystones starting catcher. By the way, behind the plate at Fitzpatrick Park when Roger took Paul Richardson deep was none other than George Cleaves. George also homered in the same game.
• John Brinker of the New York Mirror points out that both of Joe Barrell's baseball-playing sons got to play with one of their uncles - Deuce had Tom as a team mate and now Roger has Bobby as a team mate.
• Percy Pringle Sr. of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle with thoughts on the Kings start. "Kings go to Chicago to open the season and get blown out of town in a 3 game sweep, losing SP Leo Hayden for 2+ weeks in the process. Then come home and sweep the Stars in a 3 game set. On Sunday welcome the Cougs in and Buddy Long picks up the victory. 4-0 at home, 0-3 on the road for a 4-3 week against the predicted top 2 clubs in the CA."
• Pringle also notes that just one week in and Chiefs 1B Tiny Hopkins is 10% of the way to 40 home runs. The former King sure likes the Chiefs home field and the Fed pitching. Hopkins has 19 homers in 52 career games with the Chiefs. That is a pace that would give him 56 homers over a full season. The 29 year old never hit more than 20 in a season with Brooklyn.
• Percy Sutherland of the Chicago Herald-Examiner: "If the first 6 games demonstrated anything, it reinforced the point that the Chiefs will only rise as high as the offense will lift them. In the first week, Tim Hopkins was the offense. He will need some help."
• Brett Bing reports from Toronto that the Wolves are satisfied with their opening 3-3 start. Joe Hancock is hoping for a bounce back in his second start after getting shelled in his first. Allowing 31 runs in the first 6 games is not what was expected, neither was scoring 32. Toronto cannot continue surrendering over 5 runs per game. Three outfield assists is nice to see although the double-play combination of Frady and Artuso seems to be a work-in-progress. To soon to tell but expect tighter defensive play, pitching during the second week of the season.
• Philadelphia Inquisitor beat writer Joey Mahoney talks about the new faces on the Keystones. "For the three Keystones rookies who made their FABL debuts this week, Roger Cleaves had the best week of the trio (.300/.300/.450, 6-for-20, HR, 2 RBI). Nate Power had a tough first week with the big club, going 2-for-15, but walking five times against a single strikeout. Joe Quade lasted eight innings in a complete game loss, but his pitching line was rough (8 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 4 K) in a 6-1 defeat against the defending Fed champion Eagles."

WERTH WINS SECOND STRAIGHT BARRETTE AWARD

For the second year in a row Miami State center Long Werth has been named the top player in collegiate basketball. Werth, who led Miami State to a berth in the National semi-finals this season, joins George Winter (1924, 1925) of St Patrick's and Leon Reed (1935,1938) as the only players to be named the collegiate basketball MVP twice. Werth was also named a first team All-American for the second straight season. He is expected to be a high draft pick should he decide to play pro basketball next season.

CONLEY SAYS SAWYER TO FIGHT IN AUGUST

There had been some speculation that world heavyweight champion Hector Sawyer was considering retirement after his latest successful title defense -a 12th round TKO of Mark Fountain in January to run his record to 55-3-1. That will not be the case, at least not yet, according to Sawyer's long-time manager Chester Conley.

Conley has confirmed the 32-year-old champ has plenty of fight left in him and plans to make two more title defenses before the year is over including an August 2 date at Cougars Park in Chicago. His opponent will be Pat Harber, a hard-punch Irishman with a 31-7-1 career record. Harber, who like Sawyer is 32, has never fought in North America before but has been quite busy in Europe since the end of the war, fighting 6 times and winning all 6 with only one needing to go the distance.

BISHOP BACK ON TRACK

Ben 'Baby Face' Bishop, once a serious contender for the welterweight title, aided his cause with a unanimous decision win at the Syracuse Arena Saturday night over John Gregory. The victory improves the 29-year-old Georgia born fighters record to 25-4-1 and may one day help him secure a title shot, something that seemed destined to be heading Bishop's way until he lost to current world champion Harold Stephens a year and a half go. That outcome sent Stephens on his title path while Baby Face would slide further down the charts with a subsequent loss to Carl Taylor. With loss Gregory, the California war hero who did not return to the ring until last May due to injuries suffered while serving in the Pacific in April, 1945, has dropped two of his last three outings and falls to 16-3-1.

One other fight of note last week saw veteran middleweight Brooks O'Connor (23-4-2) knockout Greg Roy in the 10th round of their bout in Philadelphia.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• April 21- Atlantic City, NJ: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (12-0) vs Floyd Davis (6-6)
• April 26- Bigsby Garden: Rising heavyweight Tommy Cline (10-0) vs veteran contender Pete Sanderson (32-7-2)
• April 28 - London, Eng: Former world middleweight champ Jorge Cuellar (42-2-2) first fight in nearly 7 years against British middleweight Glen Root (13-16).
• April 29- Bigsby Garden: a month and a half after losing to Frank Melanson in the middleweight title fight, Nick Harris (19-3-1) returns to the ring in New York to face Steve Adams (5-6-1)
• April 29 - Paris France: Edouard Desmarais (36-1) vs Jean Raymond (11-8-1)
• May 16- Philadelphia: welterweight contender Rudy Perry (23-3-1) vs Keith Bowman (7-6-1)
• May 23 - Portland, Or: welterweight contender Mark Westlake (20-3-1) vs Stuart White (26-9-2)
• May 23 - San Fransciso: welterweight contender Ira Mitchell (16-1) vs George Gibbs (16-3)
• May 24- Jacksonville, FL: heavyweight contender Mark Fountain (21-3-1) vs Sylvester Vaughn (20-6-2)
• Aug 2 - Cougars Park, Chicago: Hector Sawyer (55-3-1) defends his world heavyweight title against Irish Pat Harber (31-7-1)

NAHC TEAM RECAPS: BOSTON BEES

We begin our weekly recap of the season for each of the 7 NAHC clubs with the Boston Bees.

It would be hard to ask for a season to go better than the 1946-47 campaign went for the Boston Bees. The defending Challenge Cup champions got off to a strong start, winning six straight in November after dropping the season opener to Montreal. The continued along at a decent pace until a 3-3 tie with Chicago on January 28 started a 12-game unbeaten streak that propelled Boston to another level - one in which the Bees managed to pull ahead of a pesky Chicago Packers club to take control of first place.

The showing marked the 5th time in the past 7 years the Bees finished with the best regular seaon record in the NAHC but their 64 points was the lowest total of any first place finisher over that stretch.

Bees captain Wilbur Chandler finished second to long-time linemate Tommy Hart in team scoring but Chandler, healthy after missing much of last year with an injury, was named as one of three finalists along with Tommy Burns of Chicago and Toronto's Bobbie Sauer for the McDaniels Trophy, presented to the league's Most Valuable Player. Chandler already owns a pair of them, having won in 1942-43 and 1944-45. The third member of the big Boston line -Waldemar Rupp- finished third in the team scoring parade.

PLAYOFFS

The first place Bees drew the New York Shamrocks in the opening round of the playoffs. The Shamrocks return to post-season play after a 4-year absence to face a battle-tessted Bees club that had won 4 Challenge Cups in the previous six years.

Boston made a statement with a 6-1 pasting of the Shamrocks in the series opener behind a 4-goal, 1 assist effort from Wilbur Chandler and a 32 save performance by Bees netminder Pierre Melancon. The New Yorkers would put up a fight in game two, taking the Bees to overtime before Joe Morey's second goal of the game secured a 5-4 Bees victory. Two nights later the sweep of the best-of-five series would be complete as Melancon stopped all 27 shots he faced in a 2-0 Boston win.

Next up for the Bees was a meeting with the high scoring Chicago Packers, who had disposed of Detroit in 4 games. Like the Bees trio of Chandler, Hart and Rupp the Packers had a dominant first line as well. The problem for Chicago was that top line was beat up as Wes Burns was playing but with a broken jaw while right winger Marty Mahoney was hurt in the Detroit series and would miss the finals. That left just Tommy Burns, Wes's younger brother and the league's top scorer, at full effectiveness.

The series opened in Boston with the Packers in the finals for the first time since 1931. The clubs split a pair of low scoring games to start the season with the Bees taking the opener 2-1 behind a pair of goals from Chandler while Norm Hanson's 20 save shutout evened the series with a 2-0 Chicago victory in game two. The third game was the only blowout of the series as Joe Morey socred 3 times while Tommy Hart had a 5-point night as Boston thumped the Packers 10-2 at Chicago's Lakeside Arena. The Packers rebounded once more, but needed a second overtime period before Moose Vezina beat Melancon with the game winning goal in a 5-4 Packers win.

Tied 2-2 the series returned to Denny Arena for the fifth game and Boston once more received a strong showing from Morey, as the 30 year old scored two more goals in a 4-1 Boston win that saw the Bees outshoot Chicago 42-19. The Packers would put up a fight in game six, not wanting to see Boston parade around the Lakeside Arena with the Cup, but the Bees were just too much for the Packers. Despite Chicago taking a quick 2-0 lead just over 3 minutes into the game, the Bees would win 4-3 behind a pair of Benton Walston goals and claim their second straight Cup. It was also the 7th Cup win in franchise history for the Bees, more than any other team.

• An estimated 650 are dead and well over 3,000 injured after a chain of explosions virtually razed the Texas City, Tx., situated 10 miles across the bay from Galveston.
• The Senate Labor Committee approved provisions of a general labor bill authorizing the issue of court injunctions to block "national paralysis" strikes.
• "News censorship is essential in Russia." That is what former Minnesota Governor and apsirant for the Republican Presidential nomination next year Harold E. Stassen says he was told by Soviet Prime Minister Stalin in a recent meeting between the two.
• The State Department announced that Russia, after six requests, has agreed to begin negotiations towards settlement of its $11 billion lend-lease account with the United States.
• The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the administration's $400 million Greek-Turkey aid package.
• Milton Reynolds, a Chicago manufacturer attempting a record-breaking round-the-world left Alaska and is speeding towards Edmonton averaging a speed of 308 miles an hour for his journey of well over 15,000 miles.
  
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April 28, 1947
 

APRIL 28, 1947

PIONEERS FEAST ON GOTHAMS PITCHING

The St Louis Pioneers have benefited from the New York Gothams early struggles on the mound, scoring 37 runs in winning 5 in a row from the New Yorkers over the first two weeks of the season. The result has the Pioneers surprisingly becoming the first FABL club to hit the 10-win plateau this season. There have been a number of pleasant surprises for the Pioneers in the early gone with perhaps none more so than the resurgence of Denny Hern. The 30-year-old lefthander was exiled to AAA Charleston after early struggles a year ago in St. Louis, but he has been dominant this time around, winning all four of his starts to lead all FABL pitchers in victories. Young outfielder Larry Gregory (.251,3,13) and Brooklyn cast-off Gary Carmichael (.378,0,7) are providing much of the Pioneers offense with 19-year-old outfielder Ray Bates (.387,0,5) -who at this time last year was playing high school ball in Texas- is off to a strong start in his big league debut.

*** Gothams Lose Monier For Month ***

The news at Gothams Stadium has been anything but good. The 5-8 Gothams suffered their second major loss of an infielder in as many weeks with news that veteran third baseman Mule Monier will miss six weeks with a neck issue. Monier joins rookie shortstop Tom Jeffries, who is not expected back until June, on a Gothams injured list that also includes 36 year old righthander Harry Carter. There is some good news in that Carter, a two-time all-star who went 10-14 a year ago before suffering a long-term arm injury in August, should be ready to return next week.

Beyond the impending return of Carter there is little good news on the pitching front for the Gothams. It is only two weeks into the season and the big bats on the offense have been doing the job but the starting pitching is a mess right now and the Gothams bullpen has not been much better. That is sure to turn up the heat on their always combustible front office and one has to wonder how long the club -favoured by many to be the class of the Federal Association- will wait before changes begin. The season is just two weeks old but the Gothams have already suffered through two losing streaks of 4-games including a currently active skid that saw them drop a pair at home to St Louis before losing two on the weekend in Detroit.

***Pomales Struggling On Mound ***

The Brooklyn Kings may well be rethinking the experiment of putting Juan Pomales back on the mound. The 32-year-old pitcher/outfield was used almost exclusively in the outfield by the Toronto Wolves but the Kings -who acquired Pomales during spring camp- envisioned him helping to solve their lack of mound depth. At the plate he has been terrifc, hitting .370 with a .443 on-base percentage in the lead-off role but his mound work seems to reinforce why the Wolves had Pomales focus strictly on the outfield. Pomales has been battered pretty good in each of his 3 starts -losing all three with a 7.50 era. Despite those numbers, Kings skipper Tom Barrell says he still has confidence in Pomales' arm. But John Brinker of the New York Daily Mirror sums it up with his take that "As a pitcher, Pomales looks like a great outfielder."

*** Here We Go Again ***

Fans in Chicago have little to be excited about. It is a mild surprise that the Chicago Chiefs are the first 10-game loser in FABL but it is a much bigger worry for Cougars fans, who have plenty of bad memories from terrible starts, loads of bad luck and a sprinkling of unbelievable collapses from years gone by. Now, after adding even more to what has to be the deepest collection of talent in the Continental Association the Cougars find themselves last in the CA after a 5-8 start. It is a small sample and very, very early but being swept at home by their main rivals the New York Stars in a 3-game set has to set off the alarm bells with much of the Cougars Park faithful. This team is just too good to not get going soon, but the collar of underachievement over much of the past decade is a heavy albatross around the Cougars necks.

THE BEST OF THE WEEK

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

Wolves Struggle in Week Two -The Toronto Wolves had a lackluster second week of the campaign going 2-4. Four of the 6 games were of the kind that expectations are Wolves fans should get used to, low scoring. Bad new is the team was on the wrong side of 3 of 4, only win was a 3-2 victory over Philly before getting crushed 13-6 by the Sailors the next day. The Wolves bat awakened on Thursday with a shutout of the Foresters 10-0 then start losing the close ones 3-2 to Cleveland closing a 7-game home stand, followed by 4-2 and 2-1 losses in their first visit to the new Tice Stadium.

On the bright side the team was only charged with 3 errors in 6 games. Unfortunately one was by Frank Frady, his third already in '47 in 59 chances, worrisome for someone who has been told to concentrate on defense first early in the season. Frady will continue to work with John Coburn to tighten up his fielding. It also seems be affecting his bat as evidenced by .216/.293/.270 in 41 PA. Call is saying it is too early to jump to any conclusions but slow starts from Hank Giordano and Tom Fredericks have fans longing for Juan Pomales, who is lighting it up at the plate in Brooklyn.

As was forecast the Wolves are not going to win games with homeruns, having hit only 4 in 12 games. The team will be station to station trying to take, when possible, the extra base. Chick Stickles has already been gunned down thrice on steal attempts Call has now removed his carte blanche on steals. Stickles will be given the sign from the dugout instead of being on his own going forward as the team cannot afford to run themselves into outs.

Joe Hancock responded well in his two starts after a rough season opener for him. Bob Walls has given the team fine efforts in his two outings but Jerry York is having some trouble with trying to be too fine resulting in free passes. Again Call is cautioning not read anything into these early numbers, give everyone time to settle in to the season. With the minor league season starting the focus for the scouting department will turn to top prospects in the system particularly Sam C Allen with Giordano and Frederick early season woes at the plate.

CANNONS OPEN NEW BALLPARK

The Cincinnati Cannons opened the brand-new ballpark along the banks of the Ohio River, just in time for the start of the 1947 Federally Aligned Baseball Leagues season.

"I hope the cabbies don't get confused," quipped second baseman Charley McCullough, referring to the fact that the new ballpark shares its name - Tice Memorial Stadium - with its predecessor. Speaking of the old ballyard on Reading Road, it is slated for demolition with team owner John Tice himself pushing the plunger.

"We look forward to redeveloping that property into a warehouse for Tice & Chiles," said the club owner.

The new ballpark is designed for multi-sport use and will also be the home of the American Football Association's Cincinnati Tigers. The playing area is nearly circular and the dimensions of the baseball diamond itself read as 330 down the lines, 358 to straightaway left and right, 390 to the gaps and 410 to dead centerfield.

"It's got nice curves, I guess," said centerfielder Fred Galloway, another light quip from a very loose Cannons ballclub.

"Hey, it's Opening Day: everyone's in first place today," noted pitcher Deuce Barrell.

COHEN OFF TO HOT START IN OAKLAND

Frankie Cohen of the Oakland Grays is hitting .556. No that is not a typo. The 36 year old first baseman has already enjoyed a pair of 4-hit games and has had at least one hit in each of his club's 13 games giving the former Chicago Chief 30 hits in 54 at bats to start the season. There is certainly no way that Cohen, who hit a robust .348 for the Grays last season, will keep up this frantic pace but he and the Grays, who sit second in the Great Western League with an 8-5 record, will enjoy it while they can.

The Indianapolis native has certainly found a home in California, joining the Oaks prior to the coast's loop making its debut as a big league prior to last season after being uncerimoniously released by the Chiefs on Christmas Eve 1945. Cohen last played in Chicago in 1939 and, although he never played in the post-season, does own a pair of World Championship Series rings from his days in the Windy City. He spent 1940 and 1941 in AAA playing for Fort Wayne and might have been content to stay close to home and toil in the Century League after his four year stint in the Army came to a conclusion, but the Chiefs had different ideas and the Cohen has certainly made the most of his west coast opportunity.

• Archie Irwin of the Chicago Daily News summed up the Cougars slow start perfectly, nothing the "Cougars are already in midseason form, dropping their first four one-run games before finally beating the Saints 2-1 to end the second week of the season. A 5-8 start to the season was not expected for the Windy City Kitties, who are sitting in last place and three games behind the first place Cannons. They will also be without team RBI leader Carlos Montes who will miss approximately three weeks with a rotator cuff strain."
• If they only could just play Brooklyn. The Cougars are 4-1 against the Kings and 1-7 against everyone else.
• Cougars hurler Johnnie Jones allowed 3 homers in 7 innings during a no-decision against the Stars. He allowed all of 5 homers in 225.1 innings last season
• Mack Sutton is off to a quick start and a big reason why the New York Stars are tied with Cincinnati for top spot in the Continental Association. The 30 year old third baseman leads the CA with 6 homers and 22 rbi's.
• A Keystones update from Joey Mahoney of the Philadelphia Inquisitor: "A near-perfect 6-0 week for the Keystones. Roger Cleaves had a second solid week with another homer and 8 RBI to tie Bobby Barrell for the team lead at 10. Barrell only appeared in three games this week due to an abdominal strain, but homered in each of the three games to form a homer streak of four straight games. Lloyd Stevens strained his hamstring running the bases in his start this week and will need a couple of weeks to recover. An IL stint is likely, but there are pitchers at AAA Louisville waiting for the opportunity. Sid Moulton will likely get the ball in Stevens's spot in the rotation for the next turn."
• Harry Barrell is off to a sizzling start in Boston and was named the top performer in the Fed last week. Barrell is batting .444 after two weeks and providing his usual outstanding defense at shortstop. Boston is just 5-9 with the biggest problem spot being the mound, especially Ed Wood (0-2, 9.77) and Duke Hendricks (0-2, 6.65).
• Gothams slugger Red Johnson became the 16th player in FABL history to reach the 250 homerun milestone. Johnson took the Chiefs Gus Goulding deep for the milestone moon shot in the first inning of Monday's 6-5 win at Gothams Stadium. Johnson would add two more longballs the following day giving him 4 on the young season.
• Veteran Cannons veteran Red Hampton earned his 150th career victory with a 2-1 complete game victory over the Toronto Wolves last week. The 40-year-old spent his first decade and a half in the big leagues with the Chicago Chiefs before joining the Cannons in 1945.
• Bobby Boone is making the most of his chance to play every day. Stuck behind a lot of talent in the Gothams outfield, the 27-year-old was selected by the Philadelphia Sailors in the rule five draft and all he has done in two weeks of everyday play is get more hits than he had all of last year with the Gothams. Boone has 20 hits in 14 games and is among the CA leaders with his .370 batting average.

HICKEY CONTINUES TO TWIST IN WIND

The worst kept secret in hockey is the plans the Toronto Dukes have of naming former Dukes star and ex-Detroit coach Jack Barrell as their new head coach. It seemed a done deal late in the season when Barrell left a championship quality team out west in the Tacoma Lions to take over a struggling Cleveland Eries club in the Hockey Assocation of America. It made sense only when it was quickly realized the Eries are the farm club of the Toronto Dukes and the feeling was that Barrell would replace Norb Hickey behind the Dukes bench after Hickey guided the Toronto side to a historically bad season.

That was in mid-February and here we are well over a month and a half since the Dukes dismal season ended and Norb Hickey remains the Dukes coach, on paper at least. His contract, due to expire June 30th has not been exteneded and there is absolutely no indication from Toronto owner David Welcombe that an extension will happen. Quite the opposite in fact as Welcombe and his management team have promised big changes after the club slid from the best record in the regular season a year ago to one of its worst campaign's ever recorded.

This season aside, Hickey has a pretty impressive track record in his seven seasons behind the bench at Dominion Arena. His coaching record with the Dukes sits at 183-97-56 and he guided the club to back to back Challenge Cup titles. However, being swept by fourth place Montreal in the semi-finals last season after posting a league best 70 points created some issues for Hickey and the terrible 13-26-9 season this year appears to have sealed his fate. The only question remains is not "if" Hickey will be let go, but rather "when" he will be replaced by Barrell.

NAHC TEAM RECAPS: BROOKLYN EAGLES

Despite the fact that the Brooklyn Eagles missed the playoffs for the 9th consecutive season there was plenty of optimism around Prescott Arena as the Eagles 15 wins this season is nearly double what the won the three previous years combined. Following a dreadful 2-41-5 campaign a year ago, very little was expected of the Eagles when the puck dropped last November. In fact, rumours of the club folding at the end of this season were more common than Brooklyn wins over the past decade. Six months later, attendance remains a concern and there is still the fear that owner Edward Faberge may yet decide he has lost enough money on the club and fold up shop, but on the ice there was plenty to cheer about, even if there were not a lot of fans in the building to make noise.

The Eagles improved by 29 points -by far the biggest growth shhown by any team in the league- and threatened to sneak into the final playoff spot until a March swoon left them six points short of the New York Shamrocks. The turnaround can be attributed directly to the role played by 4 newcomers, including three from the west coast. 24 year old center Quinton Pollack was the top scorer in the Great Western Hockey League a year ago and he followed that up with an outstanding freshman campaign in the NAHL, tying for the league lead with 30 goals and has to be considered the favourite to win the McLeod Trophy, presented annually to the loop's top rookie.

Pollack, who starred for Tacoma a year ago, was joined by a pair of players from the Vancouver franchise in 26 year old Sam Coates and 22 year old Hank Walsh. Add in 23 year old Ian Doyle, who was unfortunately injured halfway through the season, and the Eagles finally had some offense. The blueline was also bolstered with addition of first round draft pick Robert Sharpley, who did not look out of place despite his tender age of 20, and third year rearguard Alexandre Viens, who spent the previous two seasons with Detroit. With some support finally in front of him, 31 year old Tom Brockers looked like he did in his prime with Boston when he was winning Cups and Juneau Awards for the Bees. Brockers earned a nomination for the Juneau -awarded to the top netminder- as he looks to add to the four he claimed while with the Bees.

There is still a lot of work needed to add depth, in particular secondary scoring, but the Eagles are finally flying in the right direction.

YOUNG PHENOM CLINE TRIUMPHS IN A BATTLE OF GENERATIONS

The fistic world witnessed a momentous occasion at the illustrious Bigsby Garden in New York City on Saturday evening as 22-year-old heavyweight sensation, Tommy "The Clarksville Comet" Cline, conquered his toughest opponent to date: the seasoned ring warrior Pete Sanderson. The Garden, a revered temple of pugilism, played host to this clash of generations, and the crowd was treated to a scintillating display that showcased the immense talent possessed by the young Tennessee native.

With an unblemished record of 10-0, with 9 wins coming by way of thunderous knockouts, Cline's journey had been impressive thus far. However, his encounter with Sanderson, a man boasting 32 victories and having once vied for the heavyweight championship against the renowned Hector Sawyer, posed a significant challenge. This bout not only represented the sternest test of Cline's burgeoning career but also marked only his second venture beyond the confines of a 6-round contest.

Cline's performance, though not flawless, exuded the poise and maturity of a seasoned fighter. The young prodigy adopted an aggressive approach, swinging wildly with the hope of connecting, and while his accuracy often faltered, it proved effective against his wily adversary. A whirlwind of energy, Cline unleashed an astonishing barrage, averaging well over 100 punches per round, yet landed a mere 13% of them. Nonetheless, Sanderson, recognizing the power emanating from Cline's right hand, wisely kept his distance, frustrating the raucous crowd that yearned for an all-out slugfest.

Savvy and experienced, Sanderson weathered the storm, hoping to exhaust his youthful counterpart with his relentless flurries. However, to his dismay, Cline's stamina seemed boundless, only intensifying as the bout progressed into the later rounds. Commanding victories in the 9th and 10th rounds, Cline left the judges with an easy decision. Two of the arbiters scored the contest 96-94 in favor of Cline, while the third saw a slightly wider margin of victory at 97-93.

While Cline's ascent to championship caliber is not yet complete, it is undeniably swift, leaving little doubt that he will soon be contending for the world title. Sanderson, now marked with a welt under his right eye as a testament to his encounter with the young dynamo, echoed the sentiments of those in attendance. "That kid is destined for greatness. He must simply learn to harness his energy and seize the right moments to unleash it," Sanderson remarked, encapsulating the shared sentiment of the mesmerized spectators.

The future looks bright for Tommy Cline, and his meteoric rise through the ranks serves as a testament to his exceptional talent. As he continues to refine his skills and mature as a fighter, the boxing world eagerly awaits the moment when this prodigious young star graces the world stage, ready to etch his name in the annals of pugilistic lore.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Tonight - London, Eng: Former world middleweight champ Jorge Cuellar (42-2-2) first fight in nearly 7 years against British middleweight Glen Root (13-16).
• April 29- Bigsby Garden: a month and a half after losing to Frank Melanson in the middleweight title fight, Nick Harris (19-3-1) returns to the ring in New York to face Steve Adams (5-6-1)
• April 29 - Paris France: Edouard Desmarais (36-1) vs Jean Raymond (11-8-1)
• May 16- Philadelphia: welterweight contender Rudy Perry (23-3-1) vs Keith Bowman (7-6-1)
• May 23 - Portland, Or: welterweight contender Mark Westlake (20-3-1) vs Stuart White (26-9-2)
• May 23 - San Fransciso: welterweight contender Ira Mitchell (16-1) vs George Gibbs (16-3)
• May 24- Jacksonville, FL: heavyweight contender Mark Fountain (21-3-1) vs Sylvester Vaughn (20-6-2)
• Aug 2 - Cougars Park, Chicago: Hector Sawyer (55-3-1) defends his world heavyweight title against Irish Pat Harber (31-7-1)

• President Truman warned today that "excessive wholesale prices" are undermining the prosperity of the nation and warned that prices must be brought down if a recession is to be averted.
• Leaders of the 340,000 telephone strikers cut their wage demands in half in a compromise bid for a settlement in the 19-day national strike. In San Francisco, fists flew and dozens of arrests were made as striking phone workers massed near one of the main downtown exchanges.
• The Foreign Ministers Conference concluded in Moscow with little progress being made on the key issues in Germany and Austria after 45 days of talks. Truman met with Secretary of State Marshall for an update immediately upon his return.
• Princess Elizabeth, on her 21st birthday this week, solemnly dedicated her life to the service of the British commonwealth and called on its youth to lift the heavy burden of empire from the shoulders of its elders.
  
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May 5, 1947
 

MAY 5, 1947

CHIEFS ON A ROLL

Chicago Feds Win 7 in a Row

After being the first team to suffer at least 10 losses this season the Chicago Chiefs made certain they would not be the first to lose 11 as the club reeled off seven straight victories last week and climbed from the bottom of the Federal Association all the way up to third place. After a 2-8 start, the Chicago club has won 9 of its last 11 games. Veteran centerfielder Bill May caught fire last week, as the Chicago lead-off man batted .438 during the 7-game streak to raise his season average to .379. Tiny Tim Hopkins was also hot, blasting 3 homeruns to move him into a tie with Pittsburgh's Pinky Pierce for the FABL lead with 8.

Everyone in the Fed is still chasing the surprising St. Louis Pioneers, who improved to 16-5 on the season with 6 wins in 7 games last week. The Pioneers -owners of the loop's worst record a year ago- have already built a 3.5 game lead on their nearest rival, which is the equally surprising Detroit Dynamos. Meanwhile pennant contenders New York, Washington and Boston sit at the bottom of the table and each is well below the .500 mark.

Meanwhile the standings in the Continental Association are a little close to what most expected with the Cincinnati Cannons and New York Stars holding down the top two spots. The one surprise -or perhaps it is not a surprise at all given their history of unpredictability- is the continuing struggles of the Chicago Cougars. The Cougars started the week off by losing two to Cincinnati before rebounding with 3 wins in their final four contests but Chicago, at 8-11, sits in 7th place in the CA -ahead of only the long-time cellar dwelling Cleveland Foresters. This is a big week, at least by May standards, for the Chicago nine as the Cougars host Toronto for 3 games before heading to the Big Apple for a 4-game showdown with the Stars.

TOP PERFORMERS LAST WEEK

A DECADE LATER: LOOKING BACK ON A BIG MINUTEMEN TRADE

The Backstory:Ol’ Doc has been hearing a lot of chatter from the press about clubs looking to upgrade from a pitching standpoint. It makes Ol’ Doc think back to a time when his beloved Minutemen attempted the same thing with an arm that many a club in the FABL made a run at in John Edwards. Big John Edwards was drafted 3rd overall in 1933 out of Hartford High school based more on scouts' glowing potential rather than his actual on field production as an amateur. If memory serves, 1933 was the year of the pitcher as 11 of the first 16 picks in the first round were pitchers. Ol’ Doc doesn’t want to get too off track here but here is a quick list.
1-1 Joe Hancock TOR
1-2 Dick Higgins BOS
1-3 John Edwards BAL
1-4 Al Miller CHI
1-5 Earle Robinson BRK
1-7 Bob Cummings BRK
1-8 Nate Spear PIT
1-10 Rusty Petrick NYG
1-11 Chris Clarke NYS
1-12 Don Miller STL
1-13 Tommy Trott WAS
1-16 Jim Whitley PHI

Big John peaked as the #6 prospect in the FABL and never fell out of the top 20. Edwards was the first in a string of first round pitchers the Cannons (Baltimore back then) would take over the next three years. If clubs were looking for a pitching prospect, Baltimore was on the short list.

The Minutemen if you remember started the 30’s off as a middle of the pack team but bottomed out big time in 1933 finishing dead last in the FA which allowed them to take Dick Pistol Higgins with the second overall pick. 1933 was also the year the Minutemen traded Dan Mudcat Fowler to Cleveland in a deal that brought Ed Wood, Pete Day and Art Spencer to Boston. These three members would play a major factor in Boston’s success in the years to come. Over the next three drafts the Minutemen would select draft Bob Donoghue, Mack Sutton and Denny Andrews in the first round respectively. By 1937 the Minutemen were fielding a team of contributors that included:
RF Pete Day 26 years
1B Carl Carr 32 years
LF Dave Henry 26 years
1B/3B Ken Mayhugh 25 years
1B Bob Donoghue 24 years
C Joe Wicklund 27 years

With the following players according to the scouting department were ready to break out:
CF Chick Donnelly 25 years
2B/3B Art Spencer 25 years
2B/SS Lew McClendon 20 years
C Bill Van Ness 20 years

Even though the team would finish 5th place in 1937 Boston brass felt they had a core that could do some damage if they could find another arm for the 1938 season.

THE DEAL: November 8th 1937: Baltimore would send John Edwards to Boston for 25 year old Ken Mayhugh, 26 Ray White, and 21 year old prospect Denny Andrews.

Boston thought they had found their man but the thinking behind it was what was interesting. OL’ Doc, thanks to his private access to club brass, was able to piece together what he thinks went down leading up to the deal. First the Minutemen knew for certain they were going to have to give to get. Clubs had been trying to get Baltimore to deal a pitching prospect for some time. The press was even involved and the constant badgering may have had something to do with the Cannon’s GM eventually resigning his position.

The easy part of the deal was Ray White. Ray had talent as an outfielder but his negative attitude was legendary throughout the Boston organization. Wherever Ray went, teams couldn’t wait to see him leave. Boston was more than happy to include him in the deal.

The next two pieces were a bit more challenging. Baltimore wanted a first basemen and Ken Mayhugh was the suggestion. Mayhugh was a very good hitter for Boston but he lacked one thing that Boston really needed and that was power. Bob Donoghue solved that problem (at the time) which made Mayhugh the guy to ship out. The last piece of the deal was the coin flip. Boston had to make a choice between Mack Sutton and Denny Andrews. They were not going to be able to keep both and the scouting department was so high on Mack’s power potential that Andrews became the final piece of the deal.

The Verdict: How does one really evaluate a trade? On its face it was made in a different era of baseball. The German tanks had yet to invade Poland which upended the world taking baseball along with it. Deals cannot be simply viewed in a vacuum as other deals are made because of your’s and others deals. Yet that is not what the public wants; they want clear winners and losers. So by using the vacuum criteria the winner of this deal in OL’ Doc’s eyes was Baltimore. Here is how the careers have shaped up since the deal.

Ray White: Played two seasons in Baltimore and has since retired. OL’ Doc wouldn’t be surprised if his wife left him as well. Then again, OL’ Doc wouldn’t be surprised if he never found anyone willing to walk down the aisle with him either.

Ken Mayhugh: Playing outlaw baseball in Dallas at the age of 35. Ken played three seasons for the Baltimore/Cincinnati franchise. He had a really good 1938 season but it would be his last productive season until he was 34 playing for the Chiefs. Ken also had stops in Detroit, Pittsburgh, and with the Sailors and Cougars.

Denny Andrews: Denny spent 2.5 years baking in the minors before he finally made the Cincinnati roster as a 24 year old. While Denny doesn’t hit for a high average, he has a tremendous eye and has never played a season for the Cannons where he hasn’t walked more than he has struck out. Andrews was named to both the 1945 and 1946 All-Star teams and the switch hitter has two championship rings from 1943 and 1944. Andrews has been a bit of a late bloomer but since his age 29 season in 1945 has been quite an offensive force in the CA.

John Edwards: 67-66 with 13 saves in a Boston uniform. John never developed into the elite arm everyone in the organization was hoping for. John does own one championship ring from 1941 but it is safe to say that championship came in spite of Edwards who posted his worst performance of his career that season. The worst part of it for Boston fans is they cannot blame anything on injuries with Big John as he has never suffered anything that kept him out for more than a week.

So in the end is this a cautionary tale to FABL GM’s? More than likely it is not. Those guys are a different breed. They have short memories when they need it. There is a lot of scrutiny in trading in the FABL. Some of these guys are masters of spotting talent and fleecing their fellow GM’s while others are simply bored of their rosters and want to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic. Mix that in with some fellas that forget how to use a phone and never pull a deal. It makes for a great mix that allows the balance of power to slowly ebb and flow through various FABL cities. So strap yourselves in baseball fans, because if there truly is an arms race about to begin during the 1947 season, its effects will be felt for years to come.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

Wolves Streak as the Calendar Turns -After losing the last two games in April, including a heart breaking 1-0 loss at Parc Cartier on the 30th, Toronto lays waste to the Big Apple at the start of May by winning 5 straight. April ends in Montreal with two losses, 5-1 when Pat Weakley scatters 7 hits keeping the hitters off-balance all game but the Saints Bert Cupid is in total control on the mound in the 1-0 Montreal win. Toronto takes the series finale against the Saints 8-6 even after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning as the top four in the lineup go 10 for 18 with 2 BB, 5 RBI after taking a 5-4 lead on Loera's sac fly RBI in the fifth. This was Bob Walls worst start of the season but the bats allowed him to pickup his second win of the year.

Heading into Dyckman Stadium to face the high powered Stars George Garrison shuts out the New Yorkers into the 8th before giving way to Lou Jayson who surrenders a 2-run shot to Bob Riggins to cut into a 6 run deficit at the time. The game ended 7-2 with Toronto knocking out 16 hits including 2 triples by Stickels, along with Giordano's first homerun of the year. In a wild Saturday afternoon game before 32,167 the Wolves again come from behind. Trailing 3-1 the Wolves plate 3 in the 5th and 4 more in the 6th to win 9-5 in a sloppy defensive game where Fast kicks 2 at 2B and Giordano misplays another in left leading to 4 unearned runs.

Moving over to Kings County Park II for their first doubleheader of the year Toronto sweeps both ends 6-2, 5-4. Stickles hits his third triple in 2 days to lead the offense in the first game, a win for Gibbs, his first of 1947. In the second game Giordano's base clearing triple in the 4th is big blow for the team that barely hangs on to the win after leading 5-1 as the Kings claw back into the game. Myers' makes his first start of the year, picking up the win with help from Jim Morrison. Myers could see more time in the rotation if Gibb's early season struggles continue, 1-3, 5.24 ERA with 11 BB, 7 K.

Toronto continue their 14 day, 14 game road trip with one more in Brooklyn today before heading to Chicago for 3, a day off then 3 games in 2 days against the Sailors. The rest of May is spent at Dominion Stadium. Interest is picking up in Toronto which will be at a peak if the team can deliver another 3 or 4 wins to close out this trip.

MONTGOMERY MAKING MOST OF SECOND CHANCE

Willie Montgomery seems intent on showing the Detroit Dynamos they made a big mistake when the club placed him on waivers when final cuts were made to establish the 24-man roster last month. Montgomery led the Federal Association in relief appearances in 1944 but spent most of last season in AAA Newark and was caught in the numbers game at the end of camp because he was out of minor league options. Fortunately for the Dynamos, none of the other 15 FABL clubs wanted to use a roster spot on the 34-year-old lefthander and when the waiver period expired, coupled with Ed Whetzel struggling in the early going, the Dynamos decided to demote Whetzel and bring Montgomery back rather than grant him a release.

It was only one week but Montgomery seems like he has reserved a spot in the Detroit bullpen for the duration after winning 3 games out of the pen last week and allowing just 1 run over 7 innings of pitching in clutch situations.

Montgomery's spot on the roster is even more secure with the news that Wally Hunter -last year's Kellogg Award winner- will miss the next two months after straining a hamstring while pitching in yesterday's 4-3 loss to Washington. The Dynamos toyed with the idea of bringing Whetzel back up, before deciding to promote 24-year-old Pete Brown instead. Brown went 8-8 as a rookie in 1945 but spent most of last season either in Newark or on the injured list.

*** Need Some Offense ***

The Dynamos have surrendered the fewest runs in the Federal Assocation so far this season but there is cause for concern as the club has also scored the fewest. Veteran outfielder Sid Williams (.328,5,17), young Dick Estes (.391,5,10) and catcher Rick York (.329,3,9) have been exceeding expectations at the plate while second baseman Del Johnson (.301,1,7) and 20-year-old rookie outfielder Edwin Hackberry (.250,2,10) have been acceptable. The rest of the offense is a concern, especially the lack of production from first baseman Steve Donovan which has prompted speculation that Estes will shift from left field back to first base and underachieving outfielder Dick Blaszak will get another chance as an everyday player.

*** Motors Confirm Pair of Veteran Defenders Leaving ***

Defense was the strength of the Detroit Motors hockey club this past season, propelling the Motors into the playoffs after a two-year absence. However, the club will likely be looking for some depth on the back end after word has leaked out that veterans Bernie Dunton and Phil Denman want out. The duo were unhappy about being forced to take on a reduced role following the aquisition of Bryant Williams and Joe Todd from Toronto last summer. The club had extensive talks with the disgrunted duo, and does not completely rule out a change of heart from either of them, but a team spokesman has confirmed the Motors will not stand in their way if they decide not to resign and instead look to find jobs elsewhere in the league.

The 36 year old Dunton had 10 points in 36 games, well off from the roughly 25 points he had been averaging over the past half dozen seasons. His performance in his own end suffered as well. Denman, 33, was in his first full season with the Motors after winning a pair of Challenge Cups with Toronto. A healthy scratch at times, Denman appeared in just 36 games, picking up 4 goals and 8 assists but ,like Dunton, had some adventures in his own end.
While the Brooklyn Kings are playing about where we expected them to, how long is GM Martin going to leave Jim Lightbody at 1B? 1B Chuck Collins continues to tear up AAA (just like last season) as he is hitting .386/.440/1.031 with 3 home runs in just 44 at bats. Lightbody continues to show why he has never gotten more than 268 at bats in his now 5+ seasons in a Kings uniform. Some say Lightbody should be in the OF, but with the youth the Kings have coming up in the OF, who is going to sit? It’s time to bring Collins up and move Lightbody. If not out of town then to the bench!

Young outfielder Ralph Johnson seems to be doing just fine at the big league level. Hitting near .300 with 6 home runs, 19 RBI’s and 14 runs scored. He will be a longtime fixture and the face of the franchise for a long time.

The Gothams are 1-5 in extra innings and 3-6 in 1 run games yet are a plus 6 in run differential. Bullpen is doing ok so the record so far is sending mixed signals or is it just tough luck. Brooklyn on the other hand is -20 in run differential and has the worst ERA in the CA but is 10-12 on the young season. Kings have a few blowout losses contributing to their poor run differential.

PLANS TO UNIONIZE BASEBALL TARGETS THREE NY CLUBS

The New York Gothams, New York Stars and Brooklyn Kings became the newest targets Boston attorney Robert Murphy's campaign to unionize FABL baseball players. Rev. William Kelly of the New York State Labor Relations Board said last week that Murphy, who failed in his attempt to organize the Pittsburgh Miners last year, has obtained a complaint of unfair labor practices against the three metropolitan teams.

Murphy charges that club officials supervised formation of a players' committee and coerced the men in the exercise of their rights to self-organization. Most observers expect Murphy's attempts to fail just as they did with the Pittsburgh ballclub a year ago.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE HAWKS?

The defending Bigsby Cup champion San Francisco Hawks returned virtually all the key players from their championship club of last season but the results, at least in the early going, have been much different this time around. The Hawks are dead last in the Great Western League standings with just 6 wins in 18 outings following a 3-game sweep but the much improved Centurions in Dallas over the weekend.

Perhaps electing to stand-pat is the reason for the Hawks struggles. The Centurions, on the other hand, loaded up with FABL cast-offs like new player-manager Brooks Meeks, Ken Mayhugh, Heinie Billings and Al Gross and it seems to have paid off. The Dallas offense is the most productive in the 8-team loop so far and a big reason why the Centurions are off to a 13-6 start after tying for last place with a 68-86 record a year ago.

• Roger Cleaves continues to impress. The 23 year old rookie Keystones catcher hit 4 homers last week and now has 6 on the season to go along with a .367 batting average and 18 rbis.
• The Gothams may be having some issues on the mound but veteran Jim Lonardo is doing his part. The 42-year-old who joined the 300-win club last September improved to 2-0 on the year with a complete game 3-hit shutout of Pittsburgh last week. It was the 38th goose-egg of Lonardo's career, moving him up to 20th all-time in that category. Lonardo is the active leader in career shutots with spots two, three and four all belonging to Boston Minitemen in the injured Dean Astle and Art White (each with 28) and Ed Wood (27).
• It was also Lonardo's 303rd career win, moving him ahead of Prie Adams and into sole possession the 12th spot among all time wins leaders. Next up is Hall of Famer Big George Johnson at 311.
• Red Wedge of the New York World Telegram notes that the Gothams pitching woes and the success of most of the rest of their lineup have distracted everyone from just how awful a start Walt Messer is having, batting just .197 but he does have 4 homers and 12 rbi's.
• The Brooklyn Kings made a minor deal to try and add to their pitching depth. The Kings acquired 32 year old righthandr Karl Weiss and 27 year old minor league pitcher Dick McCormick in exchange for minor league hurler Gene Madison. Weiss, a 17-game winner in 1945, had spent the past six seasons with the Saints but was in danger of being released at the time of the deal.
• Sam C Allen is again gaining attention in Toronto putting up a line of .353/.439/.441 in the first two weeks of AAA. How long can the Wolves keep him down the farm? Do not expect changes while the Wolves are hot, seems a trip into NYC was just what the doctor ordered for the Wolves.
• May 6th was supposed to be Walt Pack's first game against the Wolves, who we spent 1939 to 1946 with. Instead, Pack was hit by a Jim Walker pitch in a 9-1 win over the Sailors, and a scan after the game revealed a hand contusion which will keep him out of action for at least a week. Just when things were looking up, back luck strikes the former Whitney Winner, who hit just .239/.297/.358 (89 OPS+) last season. This injury is the first in his nine year career to cause him to miss games, as his only previous ailments was back stiffness last year and a stomach virus in his Whitney year, but they were mild enough he was able to hit through them. The 32-year-old put up the best week of his year, slashing .294/.455/.765 (219 OPS+) with 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs, inflating his season line to .275/.373/.133 (OPS+). The Cougars will not take Pack off the roster for the week, as Billy Hunter, Jim Jenkins, and George Sutterfield can cover third until Pack is healthy again.

NAHC TEAM RECAPS: CHICAGO PACKERS

The Packers have a long history dating back to their entry in the USHA in 1925-26 but in all of that time they have never finished in first place during the regular season. In fact, most of the Packers 22 years of existance have been spent on the outside watching the action when they playoffs begin. They are also the only active NAHC franchise never to win the Challenge Cup.

The came very close to changing all of that this past season. Perhaps only a broken jaw suffered by Wes Burns in early February -costing the Packers captain a month of the season and greatly reducing his effectiveness in the playoffs- stopped the Packers from a first place finsh and a Cup win this time around. The Boston Bees one-upped the Packers in both the regular season and in the Challenge Cup finals but there is plenty to like about the future of the Windy City club.

Let's start with Tommy Burns, who ran away with the NAHC scoring race in finishing with 67 points- a high water mark not reached in 17 years- while also tying for the league goal scoring lead with 30. Had his linemate and big brother West stayed healthy it is no doubt Tommy's numbers would have been evern more impressive. Regardless, Burns seems almost assured of winning his second straight McDaniels Trophy as the league MVP when the award is announced in the summer. Wes missed 10 games but still managed to finish with 38 points while the third member of the Packers big line, 25-year old Marty Mahoney netted a personal best 48 points in 48 games to finish fourth overall in the league scoring parade.

The scary thing for Packers foes is the club has plenty of secondary scoring as well from the likes of Ed Delarue, Marsh Mansfield, Moose Vezina and a 25 year old newcomer from the coast league named Jarrett McGlynn who had 15 goals and 33 points in 43 contests as a rookie.

Offense was not the concern entering the season, with the worry focused squarely on performance in their own zone. Norm Hanson, in his first full season in Chicago after being tossed aside in Brooklyn following the acquisition of Tom Brockers, had a strong season in net and was very impressive, although occasionally inconsistent in the playoffs as well. The defense was much better than expected thanks in no small part to a strong season from Pete Moreau and steady play from the dependable Jerry Finch.

A streak from mid-January to early February that saw the Packers go 9-1-1 over an 11 game stretch had the club in first place but they stumbled just enough down the stretch to let the Boston Bees overtake them for first place, despite the fact the Packers beat the Bees in a home and home set to start the season's final month.

PLAYOFFS

The Packers made the playoffs for the third straight season, finishing in second place and getting home ice advantage in the opening round for the first time since the league went to a single division in 1938. Two years ago Toronto disposed of Chicago in the opening round before going on to win the Cup. A year ago it was the Boston Bees who swept the Packers in the semi-finals before they also won the Cup. This time Detroit was the opponent for the opening round and with the friendly backdrop of Lakeside Arena for the first two games of the series the Packers took full advantage of home ice. Norm Hanson was outstanding, stopping all 56 shots he saw in the two games as the Packers won each by an identical 3-0 score. Tommy Burns was in on 3 of the 6 goals while Marsh Mansfield scored once in each game.

Detroit would finally solve Hanson in the third game with the Motors staying alive thanks to a 4-3 overtime win at the Thompson Palladium. The loss proved extra costly for the Packers as Marty Mahoney suffered an injury that would end his season. Despite Mahoney's absence and the reduced effectiveness of Wes Burns due to his broken jaw the Packers rallied for a 4-1 victory in game four to secure a trip to the finals. Faced with new linemates because of Mahoney's absence and Wes Burns limited playing time, Tommy Burns once more came up big with assists on the first two Chicago goals.

Playoff test Boston, bidding for its fifth Cup in the past seven years, would be tough under the best of circumstances but the Packers were beat up and felt like they were playing with one hand tied behind their backs. Boston had some injuries as well, but nothing like the Packers with Mahoney out of the lineup and Wes Burns in and out depending upon how he felt on any particular day. Despite that the Packers had the series deadlocked at 2 wins each after Moose Vezina scored a dramatic goal in the second overtime to make the final now a best of three.

Heading back to Boston the Packers likely felt they had momentum on their side but the Bees had a completely different idea. Boston bombarded the Chicago net with 42 shots while allowing the Packers just 19 in a 4-1 victory at Denny Arena to put the Packers on the brink of elimination. The dream of the franchises' first Cup ended two nights later on home ice when the Packers, despite taking a quick 2-0 lead, ended up falling 4-3 to Boston and lost the series in six games.

Despite the obvious disappointment, many positives can be taken from the series, although Packers fans can't help but wonder if the outcome would have been different with a healthy Mahoney and Wes Burns in the lineup.

MELANSON TO FIGHT AT FITZ JULY 4

World middleweight champion Frank Melanson has confirmed his next defense will be in his hometown of Pittsburgh and take place on Independance Day, July 4. Melanson, who has not fought in the city he grew up in since knocking out Andrew Hammon more than two years ago, will defend his title at Fitzpatrick Park against John Edmonds.

Melanson, the former Pittsburgh factory worker who's rags to riches career has been well documented, will be making his fifth defense since scoring a unanimous decision over Archie Rees in June 1945 in Philadelphia. with a 32-0-2 record, Melanson has never lost as a professional.

John Edmonds, a 28 year old from Muncie, In., is 22-2 with 17 knockouts to his credit. He scored an impressive unanimous decision over Brooks O'Connor last September and followed it up with a 9th round knockout of Jack Rainey in February.

EURO CHAMP RETURNS TO RING

French middleweight Edouard Desmarais made his first foray back into the ring since being knocked out by world champion Frank Melanson last October in Boston. It was the first loss of Desmarais career after 36 straight victories. He did get back to his winning ways with fight in Paris last week, knocking out fellow Frenchman Jean Raymond in the 7th round of their fight for the European Middleweight crown.

Another well know European middleweight also made his return to the ring as former world champ Jorge Cuellar fought for the first time in nearly seven years. The now 38 year old Spaniard, who held the title from 1933 until his retirement in 1940, returned to fight Englishman Glen Root in London. Cuellar won the fight slated for 10 rounds with a 9th round knockout to improve his record to 43-2-2. Afterwards he had expressed a desire to meet Desmarais for the European title.

The other fight of note last week also involved a middleweight as Nick Harris, in a quick turnaround after losing to Frank Melanson for the world title just a month and a half ago, returned to the ring to score a knockout over lightly regarded journeyman Steve Adams. Both are natives of Cranston, RI.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• May 16- Philadelphia: welterweight contender Rudy Perry (23-3-1) vs Keith Bowman (7-6-1)
• May 23 - Portland, Or: welterweight contender Mark Westlake (20-3-1) vs Stuart White (26-9-2)
• May 23 - San Fransciso: welterweight contender Ira Mitchell (16-1) vs George Gibbs (16-3)
• May 24- Jacksonville, FL: heavyweight contender Mark Fountain (21-3-1) vs Sylvester Vaughn (20-6-2)
• JUL 4 -Fitzpatrick Park, Pittsburgh: Frank Melanson (32-0-2) defends his world middleweight title against John Edmonds (22-2).
• Aug 2 - Cougars Park, Chicago: Hector Sawyer (55-3-1) defends his world heavyweight title against Irish Pat Harber (31-7-1)

• Mexcio's President Miguel Aleman arrived in Washington on a private plane provided by President Truman, making him the first Mexican president to visit Washington.
• Truman again appealed for a price rollback, calling directly to businessman at the 35th annual convention of the US Chamber of Commerce to "reduce prices wherever possible at all levels." in order to aid in "dispelling the inflationary cloud now hanging over us."
• The House overwhelmingly rejected three ammendements to the rent-control bill which would have killed all rent controls on June 30. Rent control will remain at present levels for the year, although changes will be allowed at the state or city level at any time they find a housing emergency no longer exists.
• The national telephone strike has reached three and a half weeks in length, but some progress was made as two independent Bell System companies in New York and Pennsylvania have reached a settlement. Those agreements were made with unions not affiliated with the National Federation of Telephone Workers.
• A former US army Colonel, Jack Durant, was convicted for his role in the theft of $1.5 million dollars worth of jewels from Kronberg Castle near Frankfurt in 1945.
  
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May 12, 1947
 

MAY 12, 1947

A MONTH OF SURPRISES IN FABL

As big league baseball celebrates the end of its fourth week of the season there are plenty of unexpected happenings going on. New York Daily Mirror writer John Brinker sums things up very nicely in stating "this has been a strange season so far."

The Pioneers and Cannons outperforming expectations, the Cougars & Gothams underperforming their expectations, and a lot of balls landing in the seats. Or at least it seems that way. Bobby Barrell has 12 HR and both Tim Hopkins and Mack Sutton have 10. Even Pinky Pierce has 9 and he's not really a household name, even if he did hit 22 HRs in 1942. On the pitching side Lefty Allen looks like he's turned back the clock to 1940, Danny Hern looks like an Allen candidate while Pete Papenfus is somehow 2-4 with a 4.84 ERA, Ed Bowman has been up & down and Hal Hackney was 0-1 with a 5.90 ERA in his first four starts before putting together a pair of decent outings.

The question is 'will it last?' Are the Pioneers for real and do the aging Cannons still have enough pep in their step to remain in the race for the duration? Surely the Chicago Cougars will not have another disastrous season, when the best collection of individual talent in the Continental Association disappoints once again? Same for the Gothams in the Fed. They are 0-10 on the road. That has to change, doesn't it? New York is just 9-9 at Gothams Stadium, a shockingly bad 1-5 already in extra innings and 4-8 in one run games. Yes the pitching is not doing them many favours, but the Gothams offense is just too good, too deep. It has to get going right? Rosie Brewer is not going to hit under .200 for long and the struggles of Sal Pestilli and Walt Messer have to end soon. If not, how long will it be until major fireworks are emitted from the Gothams front office and the trigger is pulled on some big deals?

TOP FABL PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Who would have thought that veteran SP Johnny Slaney would not only win the CA pitcher of the month award in April but would start the season 5-1 with a 2.81 ERA?

Or that Leo Hayden, last years rookie of the year would be searching for his first win of the season on May 12th? Granted he’s only had 2 starts thanks to a nagging injury and is ready to return for 2 games this week.
Or that SS Billy Bryant who hits 8th in the Kings order would be 2nd on the team with 17 RBI’s? Bryant is hitting 286 with 13 RBI’s with runners in scoring position.

Finally the King’s starting outfield of LF Juan Polmales, CF John Moss and RF Ralph Johnson would all have OBP’s of over 400 with 11 home runs, 43 RBI’s and 58 runs scored. To start the year they might be the best starting OF in the FABL.

The Kings are 15-15 in 4th place in the CA 4 1/2 games out of first (alo 4 out of last). Considering the last 2 seasons of 93 and 91 losses, management likes what they have seen so far. If you would have said SP Leo Hayden would be 0-1 with a 10+ ERA so far and out 3 weeks, there’s no way the club should be where it is at.

But with OF Ralph Johnson hoping to bring the Kings their 2nd straight rookie of the year award and the rise of CF John Moss as a legitimate everyday starting CF, the Kings are doing well. The question is can they keep it up? Getting a healthy Hayden certainly helps but can DP Johnny Slaney continue to pitch as well as he has? If Slaney can be a quality #3 behind Hayden and Buddy Long, then maybe, just maybe the Kings can stick around the fringes of the upper division. The key will be the pitching staff and the youngsters continuing to play well.

*** What To Do With Rutherford? ***

The Kings management is trying to figure out a way to get outfielder Joe Rutherford some playing time. Starting next week Rutherford will get 3-4 starts a week in the OF and trying out 1B. Brooklyn GM Martin feels that Rutherford needs some playing time instead of sitting on the bench to continue to develop. There was talk of sending him down to AAA but the club wants to try this and it will keep everyone hopefully fresh.

One solution to the problem later this summer is to trade OF Juan Polmales. The hope was that Polmales would be a mid to back end rotation piece but that hasn’t panned out. He’s hitting and playing well in the OF and leading off, so he could have some value later in the summer to a contending team.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

After stretching their winning streak to 6 Wolves drop 5 of last 6 to finish the two week road trip at 7-7. Not bad, but fans are thinking of what could have been with a few good breaks in the 5 losses. Time to make hay at home with a 19 game homestand to end May.

Two older players are leading the club offensively. Fred McCormick at 37 is slashing .338/.427/.562 5 HR 15 RBI, Wood, 32, has a line of .302/.343/.448 3 HR 20 RBI. Pitching and defense, the two things stressed in spring training, seem to be hold the Wolves down in the standings. The combination of 68 Ks (FABL low) with 91 BB is a major area of concern for manager Bob Call. The bullpen is again a study in futility walking twice as many, 30, as sat down on strikes, 15. Lou Jayson has been removed from his high leverage role after posting a 6.39 ERA for the first month of the season. Although not terrible defensively, 22 errors are far too many in 26 games.

• The slumping Gothams went 1-7 last week and are now the owners of the worst record in baseball. One of the few bright spots for the Gothams was Harry Carter had two solid starts on the mound in his return from the injured list. He absorbed the loss in each of them but allowed just 4 earned runs in 15 innings, losing 3-2 to Philadelphia and 2-1 in Chicago.
• The Stars are doing quite fine with an 18-12 record thanks in no small part to Mack Sutton. The veteran third baseman had 4 homers last week to give him a CA leading 10 on the year. Sutton also tops FABL with 33 rbi's while batting .328 on the year.
• The visiting Cougars were subjected to a very un-Papenfus like start in New York as the reigning Allen Winner allowed 10 runs on 6 hits (3 homers!!) and 8 walks while striking out one, which rose his ERA from 3.15 to 4.84. Papenfus had a single digit game score (5) for just the second time in his career. The first was a game score of 1 on May 14, 1939 -his second season- when he allowed 9 earned runs in 3 innings in a loss to Montreal. That was the only single digit game-score he ever had before last week. Next lowest was a 12 against Boston in the 10-9 loss in Game 6 of the 1941 WCS.
• Archie Irwin of the Chicago Daily News notes teammates have taken to calling Cougars outfielder Leo Mitchell "Mitch the Metronome." He is steady and reliable and just keeps ticking along.
• Irwin also notes that the Cougars usually hit plenty of homers, but currently have just one more homer (13) then Bobby Barrell (12). Barrell has the same amount of homers as the Minutemen, and more then the Wolves (11), Foresters (10), Sailors (9), and first place Pioneers (9)
• The Detroit Dynamos are 14-10 and second in the Fed despite the fact they have scored the fewest runs in the circuit. However, pitching in Detroit has been solid as the Dynamos have surrendered the least amout of runs and are the beneficiaries of some luck -or a surprisingly solid bullpen- with a 3-0 extra inning record and a 6-3 mark in one run games.
• The Chiefs just completed a 4-game sweep of the Gothams. The old man's bat was looking a little slow this season, but Bob Martin perked up for Chicago and won a Player of the Week award last week. And Artie D'Alexandro is looking like a pretty good pickup for Chicago Feds.
• It had been a slow start to the season for the defending Federal Association champs but the Washington Eagles seem to be back on track, winning 7 of their last 8 to push their record to .500 at 13-13.
• It was a tough week for second basemen. The Keystones Billy Woytek to miss 6 weeks while Cleveland loses Jim Adams Jr for the rest of the season after fracturing his knee cap moving furniture. Being a Forester I am sure it was moving something to the basement since that is where he and his teammates spend all their time.

DUKES MAKE IT OFFICIAL. JACK BARRELL IS NEW COACH

Jack Barrell is officially back with the Toronto Dukes. The long-awaited news and worst kept secret in the NAHC was finally confirmed when the Dukes formally introduced the 49-year-old as their head coach, replacing Norb Hickey after the latter guided the Dukes to their lowest point total since 1925026 and first losing season in 15 years.

Barrell is stranger to Toronto or the NAHC. The hockey star of the famous sporting family from Georgia, Jack grew up with his grandmother in Montreal and quickly took to the sport of hockey. He debuted with the Dukes in 1917-18 and would spend 8 years with the Toronto club before moving on to Chicago, Quebec and the New York Eagles before finishing his career as a player-coach in Toronto.

New York sportswriter John Brinker tells the story of Barrell's often tumultous relationships this way. " Jack Barrell was brought "home" by David Welcombe when the Toronto-based distiller bought the Dukes from Bert Thomas in 1930. He installed him as a coach, told him he could play too if he wished (Jack, with knees beat up by having played both QB in the AFA and winger in the NAHC, mostly declined to play only suiting up when necessary due to injury). Welcombe hired another former player named Charles Tattler as the club's GM in 1931. Tattler & Jack didn't get along all that well, but Tattler made some good moves and this, coupled with Jack's coaching, led to back-to-back Cup wins in 1934 & 35.

But the friction with Tattler, who wanted to get behind the bench himself was getting to Jack. When his good friend John Connally Jr. purchased the Detroit club (then called the Olympians) and offered Jack a job as GM and coach, Jack couldn't pass it up. He had a good relationship with Welcombe, but told the owner that he couldn't co-exist with Tattler any longer and they parted on decent terms.

Barrell's time in Detroit went pretty well by most standards, though Junior Connally began channeling his father - a man who was largely despised by the owners and executives of the NAHC - and interfering in Jack's duties as General Manager, while blaming any shortcomings by the renamed Motors on Jack's coaching skills. This ultimately led to his firing as detailed in the Barrell Brothers story. After stops in Tacoma and Cleveland, Jack is going back to where it really started: Toronto.

After leaving Detroit, Barrell was signed by the Tacoma Lions of the Great Western Hockey League and immediately led the club to a league championship. Among his players on the Lions club a year ago was a young center by the name of Quinton Pollack who had scored an impressive 49 points the season before Jack arrived. Under Barrell's guidance, Pollack exploded for a league-leading 71 points last season and was signed by the NAHC's Brooklyn Eagles. Now 24 years old and coming off a rookie NAHC season that saw him tie for the league lead with 30 goals, Pollack credits the year with Barrell as instrumental in his development as a player. Barrell had the Lions on a record-setting pace this past season with 33 wins and 4 ties in their first 40 games before he left in late February when the Dukes asked him to finish out the year in Cleveland before returning to the big club. The Lions club Barrell left behind once again won the GWHL title.

Barrell lifted the Challenge Cup just once as a player -with the Dukes in 1920-21- but he has won it three more times as a coach. Twice in Toronto and most recently in 1939 when he guided the Detroit Motors to their only Challenge Cup title in club history. Dukes fans are hoping for a quick turnaround under Barrell next season.

NAHC TEAM RECAPS: DETROIT MOTORS

22-16-20, 54 pts: 3rd place - Lost in Semi-Finals to Chicago

The Motors certainly had high hopes for a long run as a cup contender after winning the title in 1939 and reaching the finals two of the next three years. Unfortunately, they have not been to the finals since and suffered the heartache of missing the playoffs by a single point in back-to-back seasons heading into the start of the 46-47 campaign.

Second year coach Mark Moore preaches defense first and the Motors brass appeased him with the addition of blueliners Bryant Williams and Joe Todd from Toronto last off-season. Those two combined with dependable veteran Shel Herron and a rising young goaltender by the name of Henri Chasse to end the two year post-season drought with a solid third place finish.

There is still much work to be done for Detroit to contend for a title, and their disappointing showing against Chicago in a 3 games to one semi-final loss certainly illustrates the Motors shortcomings. Injuries depleted the blueline in the playoffs but it is clear the club needs more scoring with veteran Garrett Ferrar and second year man Graham Comeau -each with 20 goals- the only Detroit marksmen to score more than 13 goals on the year.

There is hope that last season's first round draft pick Bobo Davis (4-14-18) can develop into the high scoring forward the club desperately needs but Davis looked overwhelmed at times and also had an issue fitting in with the team. The answer might be 22 year old Moe Treadwell, a 1944 first rounder who scored 42 points for Rochester of the HAA this season, or Adam Vanderbilt -the Motors third round selection in '44 who led the HAA in scoring this season with 63 points for Syracuse- but the club will need to convince the pair to report to Detroit when their minor league contracts expire on June 30.

DETROIT MOTORS PLAYOFFS

It had to be disappointing to finally reach the playoffs after two near misses only to see four of Detroit's top six defensemen missing between two and 4 games each in the semi-final loss to Chicago. It is hard to use the injuries as an excuse however, as the Packers will also missing some key players. Detroit's lack of offensive finish was exposed right away as the Packers Norm Hanson shut out the Motors in each of the first two games - both resulting in 3-0 Chicago victories. The Motors do deserve credit for at least winning one game on home ice -a thrilling rally from a 3-0 deficit midway through the third period to eventually get the winner in overtime from Morris Wright to claim a 4-3 victory. The excitement was short-lived as the Packers completed the series victory with a convincing 4-1 win in game four. If there is a positive to take from the series it is the fact that rookie Bobo Davis led the club in playoff scoring, although he did only manage 3 points.

WELTER CHAMP STEPHENS SET TO FIGHT TAYLOR

Harold Stephens will make his first defense of the world welterweight title he won in February when he faces Carl Taylor at Boston's Denny Arena on August 16. The 29-year-old Providence, RI, native scored a unanimous decision over Mark Westlake to claim the title, after Westlake had snatched it from Dennis O'Keefe just 5 months prior. Stephens is 19-3-2 all-time and will face Baltimore battler Carl Taylor (22-3-2) for the first time.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• May 16- Philadelphia: welterweight contender Rudy Perry (23-3-1) vs Keith Bowman (7-6-1)
• May 23 - Portland, Or: welterweight contender Mark Westlake (20-3-1) vs Stuart White (26-9-2)
• May 23 - San Franscisco: welterweight contender Ira Mitchell (16-1) vs George Gibbs (16-3)
• May 24- Jacksonville, FL: heavyweight contender Mark Fountain (21-3-1) vs Sylvester Vaughn (20-6-2)
• Jun 4 - Brooklyn, NY: heavyweight Roy Crawford (23-3) vs Nick Brooks (13-4-1)
• Jun 15- Atlantic City, NJ: middleweight contender Brooks O'Connor (23-4-2) vs Darwin Thomas (9-1-3)
• Jun 28 - Los Angeles: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (13-0) vs Nate MacGilvray (17-7-3)
• Jun 29- Brooklyn, NY: rising middleweight Jim Ward (14-1) vs Marvin Harris (20-7-2)
• Jun 30 - Baltimore, MD: middleweight contender Todd Gill (21-3-6) vs Owen Sheppard (14-4)
• JUL 4 -Fitzpatrick Park, Pittsburgh: Frank Melanson (32-0-2) defends his world middleweight title against John Edmonds (22-2).
• Aug 2 - Cougars Park, Chicago: Hector Sawyer (55-3-1) defends his world heavyweight title against Irish Pat Harber (31-7-1)
• Aug 16- Denny Arena, Boston: Harold Stephens (19-3-2) defends his world welterweight title against Carl Taylor (22-3-2).

• Izvestia, the Soviet government newspaper, accused US Secretary of State George Marshall of deliberately distorting the facts in an attempt to blame Russia for the failure of the Moscow Big Four foreign ministers conference.
• The State Department reports that Russia is demanding 400 freight carloads of white flour from Romania, where the United States had been sending emergency food shipments to help cope with famine conditions.
• The $400 million Greek-Turkish aid bill is expected to go to President Truman for signature early this week, after the House passed Friday evening.
• Thousands of British troops are combing the hills of northern Palestine on a manhunt for 250 Jewish and Arab prisoners freed from ancient Acre Prison by the Jewish underground.
• President Truman observed his 63rd birthday last week by forecasting the world would get lasting peace.

May 19, 1947
 

MAY 19, 1947

NO SLOWING DOWN THE PIONEERS

The St Louis Pioneers continue to be the class of the Federal Association as they attempt to rise from depths of the league's cellar a year ago to the pennant. There is still a long ways to go for that to happen but everything seems to be clicking for the Pioneers, who swept a 3-game series in Boston as part of a 5-2 week that starts a 16-game road trip for the St Louis nine.

So why is everything that went so wrong a year ago suddenly going right for the Pioneers - a team that has not won a pennant since 1921? To start with Denny Hern -who couldn't win even a single game a year ago- has been amazing. The 30-year lefthander pitched his third straight complete game in a 5-4 win over Ed Wood and the Minutemen to run his record to 7-1 with a 2.31 era. The Pioneers have also been getting plenty of offense, much of it from unlikely sources such as Gothams cast-off Bill Freeman, who is leading the Fed with a .362 batting average. 24-year-old outfielder Larry Gregory (.339,7,26) is enjoying a break out year in his third full FABL season while fellow youngsters Homer Mills (.278,2,17) and Cal Page (.285,1,12) are putting things together as well. Then there is 19-year old Roy Bates -a 5th round pick in the '46 draft out of high school- that tore up AAA in a two-month trial a year ago and is fitting in nicely with the big club despite his youthfulness. Add in dependable veterans Al Tucker (.279,2,19) and Heinie Zimmer (.328,0,16) and the Pioneers offense is something to fear with only Pittsburgh scoring more runs in the Fed so far this season.

Meanwhile the Washington Eagles, Philadelphia Keystones, Boston Minutemen and New York Gothams -the four teams expected to comprise the first division of the Fed- all continue to struggle. Only the Eagles, thanks to a 3-game winning streak over the weekend, have reached a level record and the Gothams -with 4 straight losses to end the week- now own the worst record in baseball.

The Continental Association leading Cincinnati Cannons started the week off with a four-game winning streak before losing to Montreal on Saturday and to Chicago yesterday in the start of a big few days for the front-runners. The Cannons have one more with the Cougars -who have climbed ahead of Philadelphia and into 4th place but are still a game below the break-even mark- before hosting the second place New York Stars for a pair at the new Tice Memorial Stadium.

IS JAMESON'S SEAT GETTING HOT?

This season has gotten off to the worst imaginable start for the New York Gothams. You can't write it off to injuries or some other out of control reason. Matter of fact they've added a solid starting pitcher in Harry Carter as the weeks moved along. Rookie Tom Jeffries will return in another week, but he can hardly be seen as a savior. No, this season and the current last place position is entirely on the ball club. It's the old adage, "You can't fire all the players". So naturally the next thought is the manager. Would the Gothams release team legend Bud Jameson early in his 3rd campaign? Management has show extreme loyalty in the past to Ed Ziehl will going through various rebuilds. Why is this year different?

For one, they are coming off a year where they fell just short. Something the Gothams never do. When they have had the horses, Ziehl managed to bring them home. Management knew it was on them to provide a team and Ed would ride them. Now with one shortfall behind him Jameson has his squad mired in last place. But unlike Ziehl's rebuilding teams this is supposed to be a contender. Is Jameson the man to rally the team and drive them to somewhere better?

Word around the hallways of the big ballpark in Queens is that unhappy people, those who make hiring and firing decisions, are making lists and discussing options.

Fire Jameson? That's one option, but who replaces him? A caretaker for the remainder of this season? Then maybe try to entice Ed Ziehl to move east? Someone else from the organization? Something completely new, going outside the organization?

Make moves with the roster? A tear down of a team that has not ever really jelled. Trade off the vets, some very desirable, and add youth? The team feels it had a solid draft, but those players are years away. Big trades will mean many lean years. Again.

One blockbuster? Weaken a position to strengthen the staff? Pestilli, Johnson? Messer?

Something is bound to happen. Certainly by the end of the month, if the team doesn't begin winning more than losing. Intriguing times in Queens.


In an effort to reverse a 3-9 skid to start the month of May, the Montreal Saints have made a couple of changes to their roster. The big one is news that rookie righthander Gordie Irwin is being returned to AAA after the 25 year old had struggled in his first three starts and was pushed to the pen. In his place the Saints have elected to promote 24 year old Andy Lyon, who was throwing like a bully for Minneapolis in the Century League. Lyon, a Los Angeles native selected in the 7th round of the 1944 draft, was 4-0 with a 0.63 era for the Lumberjacks -numbers impressive enough to earn him his first ticket to the big leagues.

Joining Lyon on the trek east will be veteran Bob Jennings. The second baseman, who spent much of the past five years in Montreal before being farmed out at the end of training camp, is a much more reliable defender than Ted Brown. It was hoped that Brown would help the club with his bat, but with an average below the .200 wheel a decision to send him to Minneapolis was an easy one. Both Lyon and Jennings joined the club on the road in Toronto last Tuesday.

Shortstop Gordie Perkins is back after missing two weeks with a wonky back. His return triggers a few position switches including Luke Weaver -who is showing a bit of power with 3 homers- moving from the hot corner to the outfield which will allow Jake Hughes to shift from shortstop to third base and make room for Perkins. The change of Weaver to the outfield also is hoped will address the lack of production from youngsters Bill Elkins and Ernie McCoy -as each has struggled to hit their weight in the early going.

*** Time To Bring Hickey Home ***

One has to wonder if Montreal Valiants owner Charles LeClerc was paying much attention to what went down in Toronto recently. The Dukes had an awful season in Hogtown -no denying that- and this after our beloved Vals showed them up in the playoffs last June. The problem is that is about all we can gloat about as we seldom get the better of our Ontario rivals. I do find it interesting that Dukes mogul David Welcombe parted ways with one of the league's most successful coaches because of one awful season.

Makes you question if LeClerc is asleep at the switch. Denny McLachlan has never won a title in his 7 seasons at the helm of the Valiants. He has never guided the club to a regular season finish higher than third and now our 4 year streak of playoff appearances has come to an end. In the same number of games behind the bench (336), Norb Hickey won nearly 50 more contests in Toronto than McLachlan won here in Montreal. Hickey - a Montreal native by the way- also has 2 Challenge Cups, a bauble this city has not greeted since 1937 -and that was for the old Nationals. The Vals have not had a Cup parade since 1928 and are 0-4 in the finals over that stretch, including losses under McLachlan in the the '44 Cup -to Hickey's Dukes- and to Boston a year ago. Yet Hickey -with his hand adorned with a pair of Cup rings- is now looking for work and sure to find it with his impressive resume. Meanwhile, McLachlan appears to be secure in his post and ready to guide to Vals to another year of mediocrity. Perhaps it is time for that to change. Wouldn't it be something if one of Montreal's most successful sons were to return home and lead the Vals out of the wilderness of mediocrity that they have been lost in for two decades?

FUTURE IS HERE FOR DYNAMOS INFIELD

The long-anticipated debut as a unit of what Detroit Dynamos brass hopes will be a fixture on the Thompson Field infield for the next decade will make its debut today in Philadelphia. The last piece has arrived with the news that 22-year-old third baseman Tommy Griffin has been promoted from AAA and will join fellow 22-year-old Dick Estes, 20-year-old Stan Kleminski and 24-year-old Del Johnson in the Detroit infield.

Griffin was acquired from the New York Stars at the deadline last year in the deal that sent veteran third baseman Mack Sutton to the Big Apple. Just three months prior to the trade, Griffin was starring for Mississippi A&M before the Stars selected him 12th overall in the 1946 draft. He was hitting .262 with 2 homers in 25 games at AAA Newark prior to the promotion and is ranked the #27 prospect in the game by OSA.

Griffin's arrival means Kleminski will shift from the hot corner back to shortstop. There are some concerns that the 7th overall selection of the 1944 draft may not have the skills necessary to play the key position, as he was awful in a brief trial there as a teenager last season. Kleminski is a natural shortstop and Detroit scouting director Fred Barrell feels he will develop into an above average gloveman at the position and the hope is extra work over the spring has prepared Kleminski for the task. He was playing third and batting .258 with a .349 on-base percentage for the Dynamos this season.

Johnson, taken 6th overall in the 1944 draft out of West Goshen State, proved ready for the big leagues last year with a strong rookie campaign that saw him hit .282 while providing outstanding defense at the keystone bag. Johnson finished second to teammate Wally Hunter in balloting for the Kellogg Award, a new trophy presented to the top rookie in each association. This year, Johnson's offensive numbers are down slightly in the early going but the 24-year-old is still hitting a respectable .264.

Estes was a second round selection out of Rutherford College in the 1945 draft. It is quite possible he will eventually shift to the outfield as Detroit used its first round selection on high ceiling slugging 17-year-old first baseman John Morrison and Estes had started this season in left field but was moved recently to make room for Dick Blaszak in left field. A week away from his 23rd birthday, Estes has taken the Federal Association by storm in his sophomore campaign - batting .344 with 7 homers and 23 rbi's in 28 games.

*** Mercer, Allenby Next In Line ***

There is still plenty of young talent in the Dynamos system although the four best are likely at least two or three years away from their arrival in the Motor City. They include highly touted pitching prospects Fred Washington and Roy Schaub as well as a pair of 19 year olds in outfielder Tommy Allenby and catcher Lew Mercer.

Allenby has a lot of pressure on him as he was selected with the pick that joined Dick Blaszak in the infamous deal to move the top choice of the 1946 draft and the right to draft pitcher Joe Stallings to the Chicago Chiefs. Allenby has looked overmatched in Class A but did hit his first homer of the season last week and the organization feels he is coming around. OSA feels Allenby can be a future all-star. Mercer is a 1946 second round pick who was recently moved up to join Allenby at Terre Haute. He is one of two young catchers the Dynamos are high on, with 21 year old Red Rodgers -a 1944 second rounder- being the other one. Rodgers is hitting .221 as he gets used to AAA pitching.

*** Growing Pains ***

While they will not admit it publicly, Dynamos management is shocked they are sitting in second place five weeks into the season. They expected some growing pains with the predominately young lineup and while their have been some struggles scoring runs the pitching staff has for the most part impressed. Do not expect the team to try and stock up for a pennant run this season, however. Patience is what is being preached at Thompson Field headquarters and the club is committed to sticking with the youth movement, something many felt was abandoned just a little too early nearly a decade ago when the club had a similar collection of young talent but succumbed to the temptation of making moves just a little too early in an ill-fated attempt to claim a pennant.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

A Look at Your Wolves After the First Month of '47 -With the season through its first month of the season Brett will give the readers his analysis of team. With a record of 12-14 the Wolves are currently sitting in 5th place in the CA trailing the surprising Cannons by 5 1/2 games even after dropping 3 straight to close out a 14 game road trip that showed early promise. Toronto has only had seven home dates in the first month, the least in the CA, that will soon change with a 19 game home stand which may well define the season for Call's crew in 1947. Brett figures 12-7 is the worst the Wolves can fare before heading out on the road again in early June. Anything less will leave the team in a chasing, not contending position over the summer.

Brett will now give a short synopsis on the team's performance in the three major areas of the game pitching, defense, hitting along with some opinions of possible changes that could be considered going forward by the Wolves staff.

Pitching: Long a key to any success for the team this year's staff has been far from the dominance needed to propel the team to a pennant. The starters have been adequate not stellar led by Garrison, Hancock with York showing signs that he will become a force in the rotation. Walls, after a strong start, is beginning to show cracks in his armour, Gibbs has yet to get untracked, he has struggled with control issues along with pretty much everyone on the staff, Call decided to keep 11 pitchers on the roster to avoid tired arms early in the season but only one, Garrison, has sat down more batters on strikes than batters put on base by walking the hitter. The staff has only registered 68 strikeouts, by far the worst in the FABL, while issuing 91 free passes, This cannot continue past the current date. The bullpen is an absolute disaster, one the best relievers before the war, Lou Jayson, seems to be lost, batters are hitting an even .400 against him. He has recently been relegated a lesser role in the hopes he can work out his issues. Jim Laurita's stats look good but only because he has pitched himself out of self-inflicted jams, so far, this season. How long can this continue for Laurita? It seems every time Call makes the call to the 'pen disaster is right around the corner. Franklin, Call have to get the bullpen in order, quickly, there does not seem to be a magic solution in the system ready to make an impact in the CA. Best hope is most likely a Jayson turnaround, sooner the better.

Defense: Call's other key to a successful season has been average in FABL terms. Unfortunately average is not good enough for this team. The Wolves have to be CA leaders in run limiting by fielding to have any chance in 1947. How much longer can Call afford to wait for the Frady/Fast plus Artuso to gel into a smooth DP combination? Four errors by Giordano in LF begs to reverse Call's decision of move him to left with Frederick going to right. Overall defense has to move forward quickly for the Wolves.

Hitting: This is the one facet of the game that Wolves have probably exceeded expectations so far in 1947. Led by seemingly ageless McCormick, Wood, Stickels the team has been giving the pitchers more run support than could have been reasonably expected heading into the season. If Giordano can solve both his problems both in the field, at the plate the team should score enough runs win games if the pitching can hold up their end of the bargain.

Brett sees this time at Dominion Stadium as critical for the team, fans for the balance of 1947. Pitching and defensive improvement are imperative for the balance of the season for the Wolves to have any chance in CA.


The King's schedule is giving the club a lot of days off over the next week and a half. With 3 days off this week, the King's will just use a 3-man rotation of Hayden, Long and Slaney and giving the bullpen the extra arms and reshuffled order. The King's will play just 6 games over the next 11 days before a Memorial Day double-header on Friday May 30th and then another twinbill on Sunday June 1st.

Going to the DL is IF Leon Blackridge who was diagnosed with knee tendonitis that will keep him d-t-d for 4 weeks. Coming back up from AAA is veteran SS/2B Tom Landowski.

Cleveland decided to pluck 3B/U Constantine Peters off of waivers. Rumors are the Kings were hoping Peters would slide through waivers and maybe accept an assignment to Jersey City (AAA). For all his talent unfortunately Peters has just never been able to put it together at the big league level. Maybe he will get everyday at bats with the Foresters and show what he can really do (or prove he can't do it).

GM DD Martin shot down reports that the club would be interested in trading minor league P Larry Smith (25). The King's are eyeing Smith (2-1 2 saves 1.88 ERA) as a potential key arm in their future bullpen and likely would have been called up by now if the club hadn't signed veteran Robert Curry and acquired P Karl Weiss.

NEW-LOOK DALLAS SHARES GWL LEAD

Much like the St Louis Pioneers in the Federal Association, the Dallas Centurions are bidding to go from worst to first in the Great Western League. The Centurions are off to a 20-13 start, tied with Seattle for top spot in the coast loop, and are a much different club from the one that San Diego for the worst record in the league a year ago. The Centurions were big spenders over the winter, bringing in a number of former FABL players including making former Chicago Chief third baseman Ken Mayhugh the highest paid player in the west.

Three quarters of Dallas' infield played in the east last year including Mayhugh (.278,2,8), Al Gross (.278,0,13) and new player-manager Brooks Meeks (.266,5,17) who is tied for the GWL lead in longballs. Outfielder Heinie Billings (.327,2,16) and catcher Tommy Morris (.250,1,14) are also recently released by eastern clubs and together the group has the Centurions leading the coast loop in runs scored.

• Bobby Barrell of the Keystones had a 22 game hitting streak come to an end yesterday against Detroit. The 35-year-old 4-time Whitney Award winner leads the Fed in homers with 16 while batting .350 with 25 rbi's on the season. It was the 10th time in Barrell's career he has had a hit streak of at least twenty games. Barrell also had a 3-homer game last week against St Louis, doing that for the second time in his career. The Keystones hit 6 longballs in the game with Hank Koblenz adding two and the final one coming off the bat of Davey Robicheaux.
• Barrell is just the fourth player to have more than 1 FABL game in which he homered 3 times. Surprisingly Max Morris bever had a 3 homer game. Who are the other 3 to do it twice? Answer at the bottom of Caught on the Fly.
• There has never been a player hit 4 homeruns in a FABL game but there have been 28 3-homer games. Barrell's is the first this year. Last season Red Johnson of the Gothams and Cleveland's Si Crocker each had 3-homer game.
• Last week was feast or famine for the Keystones: 11 home runs in the first three games of the week and the Keystones won two of those three games. 0 home runs in the last four games of the week and they lost all of them. Another troubling stat: those 11 home runs came in three games where the Keystones only put up 15 runs. Those 11 home runs accounted for 14 of those 15 runs.
• The Chicago Chiefs may be close to recalling 24-year-old outfielder Billy Brown, who started 148 games with the big club over the past two years. Brown is crushing it in AAA: .343/.440/.636 with 7 home runs and the Chiefs offense could use a jolt.
• The Chiefs have to be thrilled with Al Miller's month of May so far: 3-0 with a 0.35 ERA (1 earned run in 26 IP).
• After the second worst start of his career, Peter the Heater was quickly back to his old self with the Chicago Cougars, tossing a complete game win over the Sailors with 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 8 strikeouts. It was the most strikeouts he's had in a start so far this season, as the fireballer hasn't been missing as many bats as he does. The annual CA leader in strikeouts has just 31, good for third in the circuit, and his 5.2 K/9 in 53.2 innings would be the first time in his career he failed to strike out more then 6 per 9.
• Reid McLaughlin, a 22 year old SS was a 3rd round pick of Pittsburgh's last season and has jumped up to #29 on the prospect list and now he’s in AAA, after terrorizing the Dixie League to the tune of .337/.417/.640 with 4 steals and excellent defense. Miners fans are dreaming about a Irv Clifford/McLaughlin middle infield carrying them into the 1950’s.
• Blowout of the week: On Saturday Brooklyn blasted Toronto by an 18-2 score. All 9 Kings in the lineup including pitcher Rusty Petrick drove in at least 1 run with young first baseman Chuck Collins leading the way with 3 hits and 4 rbi's.
• Trivia Answer - Bobby Barrell joins Cliff Moss, Lou Kelly and Tom Taylor as the only players to hit 3 homers in a FABL game twice.

NAHC TEAM RECAPS: MONTREAL VALIANTS

18-26-4 40 pts: 5th place - Missed Playoffs

Big things were expected from the Montreal Valiants this past season. Perhaps unfairly as the Valiants had barely snuck into the playoffs a year ago, qualifying for the fourth year in a row but second straight season that they barely nosed out the Detroit Motors for the fourth and final playoff berth. However, they parlayed that into a 3 game sweep of first place Toronto -a team that finished 19 points ahead of them during the regular season- and then took Boston to six games before ultimately falling short in a bid for their first Challenge Cup title since 1928.

Nevertheless, expectations were high for the Vals 46-47 season but things went wrong almost from the start. First goaltender Millard Touhey, who had an outstanding playoff run a year ago with a .950 save percentage, showed up to camp out of shape. Touhey was very inconsistent early and there were some calls to replace him with backup Andy Backlund but Touhey did just enough to keep his job despite some terrible struggles on the road all season.

All the blame does not fall on Touhey as the Valiants struggled to score all season with only Claude Skinner (18-17-35) and Glen Whitley (17-15-32) topping the 30 point plateau. The season was clearly lost by a dismal stretch that began in mid-January and had the Vals playoff hopes disappear when they lost 13 out of 15 games -dropping them from comfortably in a playoff spot nestled in third place to outside of the playoffs with old a late charge in March lifting them ahead of the Brooklyn Eagles and into fifth place.

There is some talent for the Valiants to build around, most notably pivots Skinner and Whitley as well as 23-year-old second year winger Brett Lanceleve and rookie defenseman John McDonald but the club seems to lack an identity. It does not have the offense to match with the high-flying Chicago Packers, the defensive depth of a team like Detroit or the gritty determination of the championship Boston Bees.

Valiants head coach Danny McLachlan has had 7 years to bring Montreal a Cup, and he has guided the club to the finals twice in that span, but the heat is on him to get more from the club next season. It just feels like Montreal -while not quite at the level of Boston or Chicago- did not perform as well as the pieces would indicate the club could. Finding a combination that can carry the club as a number one line -likely with Skinner and Lanceleve as two of the pieces- is one priority. The other one will be for McLachlan, and club management, to decide if they are willing to pin their playoff hopes on Millard Touhey being 100% committed to the sport.
Four defensemen recently agreed to contract extensions that will keep them with their respective NAHC clubs for the next couple of years. The Chicago Packers were the busiest club of late, extending one contract while also parting ways with a pair of veteran forwards.

The Packers extended the contract of defenseman Mo Masters, who was a 26-year-old rookie with the Packers this past season after spending the previous six years in the minors with Cleveland. With Chicago Masters had 4 goals and 13 points in 34 games this season but did not appear in the playoffs due to a knee strain. Meanwhile the Packers have released forwards Red Briggs and Joe Samuels. Briggs, 32, played just 1 game for Chicago this season, spending the rest of the year in Pittsburgh. The 36-year old Samuels was Brooklyn's captain for half a decade before joining the Packers prior to the 45-46 campaign. He spent last season with the Pittsburgh Rovers of the HAA, notching 26 points in 46 games to help the Rovers win the HAA championships.

The New York Shamrocks will have the services of defenseman Anthony Lehman for two more years after agreeing to a deal with the 23 year old third year player. Lehman had a career best 16 points in 34 games on the Shamrocks blueline this season. Elsewhere, yhe Boston Bees recently signed 23-year-old defenseman Connor Mikaelsen to a 3-year extension. The Toronto native recently completed his second season with the Bees, notching 2 goals and 14 points in 39 games during the regular season before adding 4 more points in the Bees run to a second consecutive Challenge Cup. Finally, the Detroit Motors re-upped 27 year old rearguard Curt Gaston inking a 2-year deal. Gaston had 6 points in 5 games with the Motors this season but spent most of his time with Buffalo.

BEES NAPIER, DETROIT D PAIR MAY BE ON MOVE

Number of NAHC Veterans With Expiring Contracts

32-year-old right winger Viv Napier, who won 4 Challenge Cups with the Boston Bees, highlights the list of players who may be free to sign with other NAHC clubs when their contracts expire on June 30. Napier missed over half the season due to an injury and scored just 2 goals along with 11 assists in 20 games -numbers that appear to have the Boston Bees convinced his usefulness to the club has been outlived. Napier had a career best 17 goals in 1943-44 and has 30 points in 57 playoff games this decade including a goal and 4 assists in the Bees Cup run last month. He was paid a reported $12,000 by the Boston club this past season and it appears the team feels that money is better spent elsewhere.

A pair of veteran Detroit defenseman have refused to resign with the Motors and are also expected to be available to the highest bidder on July 1. 36 year old Bernie Dunton had a career low 10 points this past season while 32 year old Phil Denman scored 4 times and added 8 assists but often voiced his displeasure with a lack of ice-time in his first full season in the Motor City after beginning his career in Toronto.

Others who are presently unsigned and may be availbale July 1 include 22 year old New York Shamrocks defenseman Derek Hansen and a large group of Brooklyn Eagles including defensemen Ryan Kennedy, Chad Roy and Pat Green as well as Montreal forwards Reed Hathaway and Tony Narand and veteran Toronto Dukes forwards Dick Klein, Rosie McInnis and Sam Koger.
The Toronto Mail & Empire has secured an interview with newly appointed head coach Jack Barrell. Although it is May with the Wolves taking up the majority of print the chance to give the Dukes fans something to debate over the summer was a opportunity that could not be missed by the paper.

Mail & Empire: Welcome back to Toronto in probably what was the worst kept secret in the NAHC.
Barrell: Thank you. I am glad to be back in Toronto where hockey is king although the Wolves are trying to usurp that position especially after the last hockey season. I am looking forward to the challenge of returning the Dukes to their rightful position as the most feared team in the NAHC.

Mail & Empire: What is the first thing you would like to tell the Dukes fans.
Barrell: The first thing I would ask of the fans is patience. Last year was a disaster brought about by some questionable player moves made by the previous management team. The nucleus of good team is here although it may take a few seasons to put all the pieces in place along with a new system. One thing I will guarantee is that the faithful will be seeing a team that will play hard as a unit. Seventh place with only 35 points is not what these fans deserve, it is my job to give them a better team.

Mail & Empire: What were the questionable moves of the last regime?
Barrell: That is history that cannot be changed, no sense looking back, it is time to move forward with the Dukes. My meetings with the new GM have been fruitful, we are the same page on how this team has to play to move ahead in the NAHC. I am still trying to get my feet on the ground here, my initial review of what is here, what is in the system has given me, along with the GM, the basis of a plan for 1947-48 season.

Mail & Empire: Would you care to share any of that plan?
Barrell: The plan is still in its infancy. it needs to be fleshed out over the summer. It will be built around Gordie Broadway, arguably the best goaltender in the league, last season was not normal, Gordie did not forget how to tend goal, having his goals against average jump by almost 2 per game goes to the entire team: forwards, defensemen, goaltending. The Dukes hung the goaltender out to dry many games, Broadway faced 10 more shots per game last season. The first order of business is install a new defensive system. The current Dukes do not have the personnel to play a firewagon brand of hockey, so expect to see a lot of 2-1, 3-2 games this year. The first priority will be keeping the puck out of our net. We will be a tight checking and hard nosed, but not dirty, unit smothering and frustrating other teams forcing them to give up the puck. One thing I will demand is that all players finish their checks. It is surprising that even at the NAHC level the number of players that will cough up the puck, rather than take a hit to make a play. The Dukes will be known as team that finishes every single check, also a team that will take a hit to make a play. It will be a hard-hitting entertaining brand of hockey although not high scoring.

Mail & Empire: Sounds interesting, any other nuggets to share?
Barrell: Funny you use the word nuggets. The GM and I are putting together a plan I have been discussing with the players as I contact them to discuss the future. I have told them all to be prepared to gather in Toronto before the middle of September then head north on the train for an extended training camp in the Porcupine area, a gold-mining hotbed. The McIntyre Arena, which is a scale model of Dominion Gardens, has year round ice. I plan to start camp there along with playing a few exhibition games against teams in the Porcupine Mines League - a Northern Ontario Sr. A loop. I have been told that the league plays a style I want to instill in the Dukes, fast paced, tight checking, hard hitting. Who knows we may find a few players that deserve a chance in the Dukes system? We should come out of camp in shape with our system in place for exhibition games with NAHC opponents.

Mail & Empire: Sounds like the plan is already coming together, can we contact you over the summer?
Barrell: Please do, I will keep you update with the plans, your paper should send a reporter north with the team.

BOULDER STATE LANDS IN PLAINS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

The Boulder State Grizzles will join the Plains Athletic Association next season after being a charter member of the AIAA's Rocky Mountain Conference. The cage Grizzlies finished 16-13 a year ago including 6-6 in RMC action. The Grizzlies won 5 Rocky Mountian Conference championships with their most recent one coming in 1943-44. On the grid, the Grizzlies won a conference title in 1942 after going 6-0 in section play. They also posted the top record in a war depleted conference that fielded only 3 teams in 1944.

The move to the Plains Athletic Association by the Colorado school boosts that section to a seven-team loop as they will join College of Omaha, Daniel Boone College, Eastern Kansas, Iowa A&M, Lawrence State and Oklahoma City State.

Several other moves were announced this week including the Perry State College Commodores and St Andrews College Barons both leaving conferences to play as independents. The Commodores have exited the Midwestern Association while the Barons removal from the Deep South drops that section down to 12 schools.

The Southern Border Conference will grow by two members next season with Canyon A&M moving over from the Southwestern Alliance and Abilene Baptist joining the conference for basketball as a new participant. The addition of Chapparals raises the total number of schools playing the top level of collegiate basketball to 213.

PERRY KO's OPPONENT IN UNDER TWO MINUTES

Rudy Perry, one of the myriad of welterweights believing he has a shot at a world title that no one can seem to hold on to in the division, made short work of a tune-up fight in his hometown of Philadelphia Friday evening. The 30-year-old need just one minute and 42 seconds to knockout Keith Bowman in a bout that was as one-sided as they come. Bowman did not lay a glove on Perry, who came out swinging and floored his opponent with a flurry of blows that ended with a smashing cross that had his opponent out cold before he landed on the canvas. It took close to 30 seconds for Bowman to come to and, although very groggy, he was able to walk into his dressing room and gropingly climb into his clothing. The loss is the fourth in a row for the 26-year-old New Yorker Bowman, dropping his record to 7-8-1 and hopefully convincing him to embark on a new line of work.

As for Perry, the win is his third straight, and all by knockout, since he lost a tight decision to Harold Stephens -who is now the world champ- in Pittsburgh nearly a year ago. Perry's record improves to 24-3-1 and he may not be far from a title shot, something that narrowly eluded him when he was knocked out by Dennis O'Keefe in October of 1945 in a bout that would see the winner go on to fight for the then vacant welter crown. O'Keege would win the title with a knockout of Carl Taylor but would be outpointed by Mark Westlake in his first defense. Westlake in turn would drop a unanimous decision to Stephens in February. Stephens plans to face Carl Taylor in his first defense in August with Perry angling for a shot at the winner.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• May 23 - Portland, Or: welterweight contender Mark Westlake (20-3-1) vs Stuart White (26-9-2)
• May 23 - San Fransciso: welterweight contender Ira Mitchell (16-1) vs George Gibbs (16-3)
• May 24- Jacksonville, FL: heavyweight contender Mark Fountain (21-3-1) vs Sylvester Vaughn (20-6-2)
• Jun 4 - Brooklyn, NY: heavyweight Roy Crawford (23-3) vs Nick Brooks (13-4-1)
• Jun 15- Atlantic City, NJ: middleweight contender Brooks O'Connor (23-4-2) vs Darwin Thomas (9-1-3)
• Jun 28 - Los Angeles: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (13-0) vs Nate MacGilvray (17-7-3)
• Jun 29- Brooklyn, NY: rising middleweight Jim Ward (14-1) vs Marvin Harris (20-7-2)
• Jun 30 - Baltimore, MD: middleweight contender Todd Gill (21-3-6) vs Owen Sheppard (14-4)
• JUL 4 -Fitzpatrick Park, Pittsburgh: Frank Melanson (32-0-2) defends his world middleweight title against John Edmonds (22-2).
• Aug 2 - Cougars Park, Chicago: Hector Sawyer (55-3-1) defends his world heavyweight title against Irish Pat Harber (31-7-1)
• Aug 16- Denny Arena, Boston: Harold Stephens (19-3-2) defends his world welterweight title against Carl Taylor (22-3-2).

• Turkey has announced that it will use all of its $100 million loan from the United States to strengthen its army and will seek a loan from the International Bank for economic development.
• The US Senate gave overwhelming approval to a labor contol bill, less drastic than the House passed, but still making far-reaching changes in existing laws.
• The United States and Russia are clashing in the United Nations over a dispute on how to handle the troubled Balkan frontier areas.
• Former Secretary of State Byrnes believes that in both Russia and the United States "there is too much talk about war and too little talk about peace."
  
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