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June 20, 1949
JUNE 20, 1949 FORESTERS CONTINUE SURPRISING START The mighty winds sweeping off Lake Erie seem to carry an enchanting secret this season, for the Cleveland Foresters, long-time dwellers in the cellar of the Continental Association, have conjured a baseball renaissance as awe-inspiring as any legend. At a commanding 40-21, the Foresters now stand seven games ahead of the New York Stars, a lofty position for a team that has long bore the ignominy of last place, snubbed and scoffed at by their rivals. A feat so extraordinary that one might suspect a mystical brew from the depths of Lake Erie, or perhaps a wizard's touch, is responsible for this astonishing turnaround. To witness the Foresters, a team synonymous with disappointment for the better part of a decade, rise to the zenith of baseball supremacy is a tale that defies the conventional narratives of the diamond. In the annals of baseball history, Cleveland's fortunes have been the stuff of derision and pity. Six times in the last decade, the Foresters concluded their campaigns at the league's bottom, with two additional seasons spent languishing in seventh place. Averaging a staggering 93 losses per season between 1940 and 1948, the team garnered a meager .395 winning percentage. A yawning chasm of 28 games, on average, separated them from the pinnacle of their league. Only once did they draw within 20 games of the coveted top spot. Yet, against all expectations, they now stand tall as the Continental Association's frontrunners. The revelation stems not only from the Foresters' heralded cadre of young pitching talents but also from the unanticipated blossoming of Adrian Czerwinski (11-2, 2.98) and John "Stonewall" Jackson (7-2, 2.60) in their sophomore seasons. The offensive charge, though not overpowering, surpasses initial projections, spearheaded by the remarkable Jim Adams Jr. At 27, the former first overall pick in 1943 is finally delivering on the promises of his youth, boasting a .352 batting average with 5 home runs and 34 RBIs. Alongside Adams, key contributors to this impressive resurgence include the local talent Lorenzo Samuels (.294, 7, 39) and Orie Martinez (.296, 8, 28), a product of the prolific Brooklyn Kings outfielder assembly line. The unexpected star, however, is catcher Mark Smith (.278, 0, 20), plucked from the bench of the Philadelphia Sailors through waivers, now making a resounding impact. As the Foresters bask in their newfound glory, embarking on a seven-game winning streak and a resounding 15-3 record in June, skeptics may question their ability to sustain this meteoric rise. Nevertheless, there's an undeniable vigor in the winds off Lake Erie, propelling Cleveland's ballclub with an unstoppable force, leaving us all to wonder whether their enchanted journey is fated to continue. BERRY WINS CHRISTIAN TROPHY The 1949 Christian Trophy, presented to the top player in collegiate baseball, was awarded to Grange College outfielder Don Berry. The 21-year-old native of Wellsville, Mo., easily outpointed American Atlantic third baseman Ed Bloom for top spot, being named at the top of nine of the ten ballots cast. Berry was a 3-time collegiate first team All-American selection and helped the Grange College Mustangs win the College World Championship Series his freshman season. Berry led all major college players with a .341 batting average (.341/.497/.538) and was one of three Mustangs to belt 12 homers this season, a number matched by fellow nominees Charlie Barrell and Berry's Grange College teammate Bill Morrison. That homerun total is also the highest this season recorded by a player at a major school and he completed the major college triple crown with 61 rbi's. He was selected fourth overall by the Philadelphia Keystones in January and his younger brother Dallas, also an outfielder, went three picks later to the Cincinnati Cannons. It was not the first time Berry was drafted as the Cleveland Foresters selected him in the 6th round out of high school in 1946 but Berry, who was a high school All-American selection his sophomore seasons, opted not to sign and instead joined Grange College. Berry becomes the second player from Grange College to win the Christian Trophy, following on the heels of Bob Riggins, who was a two-time winner in 1944 and 1945. Riggins is now an outfielder with the New York Stars. MASTERS CLAIMS ADWELL AWARD AS TOP PREP STAR Rick Masters may have had to settle for second in the FABL draft as the Brooklyn high school outfielder watched shortstop John Wells go number one overall to Toronto before the Boston Minutemen called his name, but Masters was the top choice for the 1949 Adwell Award. The award is presented to the player judged to be the best high school star in the nation and Masters, who led the nation in homers (15) and rbi's (52) while finishing fourth in the batting race with a slash line .573/.615/1.019, was the winner by a narrow margin over Wells. Described by OSA as a player with tape measure power potential who profiles as someone who can make an impact on a top-tier team, Masters was a three time All-American selection from Prospect Heights High School in Brooklyn. He was named first on 7 of the ten ballots but only narrowly finished ahead of Wells, a shortstop from Philadelphia who was also a three time All-American. Wells drew the other three first place votes and was named second on six of the remaining seven ballots cast. Masters selection is just the fourth time in the 16 year history of the award that it has gone to an outfielder. New York Stars all-star Bill Barrett, Ben Thompson and Buddy Miller, who won last year, were the others. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Woes Worry Fans -- Home cooking did not prove to be the cure for the suddenly sinking in the standings nine from Toronto. The Wolves sandwiched two wins by starting and then ending the week with victories. In between there were four losses, two in extra innings, including an epic bullpen melt down in a 7-6 defeat at the hands of the New York Stars on Friday before 18,397 in Dominion Stadium. The week began with a wild 12-7 win over the Chicago Cougars when the home squad chased starter Johnnie Jones in the third after a grand slam by Fred McCormick made the score 8-1 Wolves. Some of the more cynical fans muttered that should have saved a few of the those run as they only scored 1 in the next two games against Chicago. Peter Papenfus worked around 6 hits, 5 walks in a 9-0 whitewash followed by complete game 8-1 win by Donnie Jones, to avenge his brothers struggles on Monday. With the Stars in town Friday, it was a game that causes sleepless nights for managers and likely left Fred Barrell reaching for the bromo-seltzer until the wee hours of the morning. The Wolves led the game 6-3 going into the ninth when Barrell decided to replaced Jimmy Gibbs, who appeared to have lots left in the tank, with George Waller. The meltdown happened before anyone had time to react: walk, single, and then a home run by Mack Sutton and the game was tied before an out was registered by Waller. Waller managed to get out the inning before George Scruggs retired the heart of the Toronto order to send the game to extra innings. Harry Phillips came in for the 10th inning and managed to get 2 outs before Bill Barnett's ringing double scored Bob Riggins, who reached on a walk, from first. That run held for the 7-6 final. On Saturday a good outing from George Garrison was wasted even after tying the game at 1 in the 8th. Harry Phillips came on in the 10th inning and took his second loss in as many days after he was touched up for 2 runs in a 3-1 Stars win. Toronto got some revenge on Sunday with a rally of their own in the 8th scoring 4 times on 3 hits, a walk and an error plus a wild pitch in a 5-3 Toronto victory. Brett has learned that Harry Phillips is going to replace Harry Stewart in the starting rotation for Tuesday's game against their Canadian rival Saints. This may only be a temporary move as reports from Buffalo are that if Jerry York has a good start in Louisville next week he would be heading back to Toronto. GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS ON INJURY FRONT FOR CANNONS The Cannons lose centerfielder Fred Galloway for a month to an oblique strain, but the good news is they are about to get catcher Adam Mullins back from the injured list. 2B Charlie Rivera has been slumping, as is third sacker Denny Andrews. Rule 5 pick Dolph Krapf has been doing ok, and has been inserted into their spots on varying days to shake things up. Rookie hurler Tony Britten seems to be settling down now that the weather has warmed up. In his last 7 games Britten has gone 4-1, 1.97 ERA, 25k in 59.1 innings. The Cannons just need the bullpen and the offense to help out with getting some more wins in those non-decisions. How quickly a season can turn. One week you're on a roll, the lead widening and everyone hitting on all cylinders. 7 days later, a 6 game losing streak, and you wonder what hit you. Anyone get the number of that truck? It had DC plates. Now we wait for the reaction to the storm. It's becoming clear that the pitching is shaky and there will be times when the offense can't cover 4-5 runs a night. It's easy to look past Red Johnson's first slump of the season. You know he'll turn it around, and likely very soon. But the staff, and the lack of ready depth in Toledo, is an issue. I imagine the front office is on the phones now looking for help. The organization seems to have a glut of outfielders with no place to go. Or at least until Mahlon Strong's next injury. But is that enough? The draft is later today. Immediate help will not appear, but perhaps trade chips to bring in some better pitching. What seemed like a potential runaway, as we have over in the CA, has become a battle. And Washington clearly won the first round. How will the Gothams respond? https://i.imgur.com/vdYLsmC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/7AchJ1X.jpg https://i.imgur.com/rMY0zhC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/O4dytfw.jpg AWYER SET FOR AMERICAN RETURN It has been more than a year since Hector Sawyer stepped into the ring on home soil for a title defense but after his European vacation the legendary heavyweight will be back in action at Gothams Stadium Saturday evening when he makes his 13th title defense. Sawyer last fought in North America on June 12 of last year, scoring a TKO win over Steve Case in the same venue he returns to Saturday. The Cajun Crusher ran his career mark to 60-3-1 with wins over Grant Knowles in England last October and Alain Noel in France in February. Neither were much of a challenge for Sawyer but his manager Chester Conley is promising plenty of excitement Saturday evening when Roy Crawford finally gets his shot at the champ. "Crawford is an impressive fighter," notes Conley of the 30 year old Boston born battler, "and has certainly paid his dues waiting for his turn. We are excited to grant him the opportunity but Hector will be more than ready." Crawford, known as the Boston Bomber, enters the bout with a 29-3 record, and has been chomping at the bit for more than three years for a title opportunity. He should pose Sawyer's stiffest test since the champ fought Mark Fountain more than two years ago. *** Boggs Knocks Out Baker *** Bill Boggs had little trouble with veteran Philadelphia fighter John Baker, scoring a 7th round knockout last Monday night to run his record to 19-2. The 24-year-old Brooklyn native has looked impressive in winning each of his last six outings. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
ST LOUIS SAID TO BE JOINING FEDERAL CAGE LOOP Professional basketball is rumoured to be set to extend its reach westward with news that a group intends to enter a team from St Louis in the loop for the upcoming season. There is no confirmation whether that team will be an existing one, transplanted from another centre, or a new expansion club. What is know is the new quintet is set to be known as the St. Louis Steamers. In other news, it appears the Syracuse Titans may indeed continue. The Titans, despite the Syracuse Arena being one of the smallest venues in the league and the club posting a league worst .132 winning percentage in its inaugural year, were rumoured to be folding but a large public rally resulted in the committment of enough season ticket purchases that it may have convinced club owner Garland Hall to try one more season. The Titans did fill more than 40% of the seats in the Syracuse Arena last season, which was the fifth highest percentage in the league. FBL founder Rollie Barrell is confident of the Titans return and also it appears Barrell believes the rift with Brooklyn Red Caps magnate Daniel Prescott has been settled. Prescott had threatened to fold his team but Barrell, while refusing to comment on any individual team, told reporters that the Federal League "will not shrink in size for the upcoming season." The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 6/19/1949
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June 27, 1949
JUNE 27, 1949 SAWYER BOMBS CRAWFORD TO MARK U.S. RETURN Gothams Stadium, New York, N.Y. – Hector Sawyer was a sight for sore eyes among American heavyweight fight fans. The Cajun Crusher was back stateside after a European vacation. He came, he saw, he conquered. London, then Paris, dominating two of the best heavyweight challengers they could muster, and Sawyer handled them both with aplomb. Yes, the bout with France’s Alain Noel went the full 15 rounds, but the outcome was never really in doubt, even to discerning French boxing fans. Looking for a new challenge, Sawyer and his promoter, Chester Conley, turned their attention to the Boston Bomber, Ray Crawford. Crawford is not young, but he was the most deserving challenger to get a shot at the title. Crawford earned that chance a year or two ago, but his camp never complained while Conley set up a few paydays and international interest for the greatest boxer off his generation. Sawyer was ready to press on in search of victory number 61 with the public wondering: how does he continue to get up for these bouts? For every detractor that The Cajun Crusher has lost a step or might be ripe for a fall, there are several who shout them down. For a man who has had as many fights as Bobby Barrell had home runs a couple of years ago, I am sure the same is true for both men: the thrill of the action never gets old. The referee in this fight was Bill Clancy, who was in Paris to work Sawyer’s last bout. A capacity crowd of over 50,000 was on hand in New York on a warm early summer evening in the open air. It has become somewhat of a June tradition in New York with Sawyer defeating Pete Sanderson four years ago and Steve Case last year in his most recent American bout. The turf might be closer to Crawford’s hometown, but New York is Cajun Country. Sawyer started with a barrage of punches to start the opening round that put Crawford in a compromising position, landing a cross, an uppercut and a three-punch right-left-right combination to stun the challenger. Crawford collected himself and fired a dangerous cross that stopped Sawyer in his tracks, but that was the only scoring punch that Crawford could deliver in the first round. The champion switched to a defensive posture to start the second round, warding off Crawford’s attempt at a combination early in the round. Sawyer was opportunistic in seeing a slight drop in Crawford’s arms and used that as his cue to jump into action. Sawyer drilled Crawford with a straight right to send the challenger bob him backwards and forwards, followed by a big hook to move him sideways. While he listed to right to left, Crawford walked into a cross that sent him to the canvas. After a four-count, Crawford was back up, but Sawyer was still in attack mode as he fired away with lefts and rights. Sawyer was likely prepared to feel Crawford out in the second round and could not resist when the door was left open. Late in the third round, Sawyer sent a right to Crawford’s head that hurt the challenger, portending what was to come in the fourth round. Sawyer stalked Crawford as he slowly walked back to his corner at the end of the stanza, gritting his teeth and trying to intimidate his opponent. Crawford is not faint of heart. He is a boxing veteran of 32 fights entering this one. He learned his moves on the tough Boston streets where he ruled. But Hector Sawyer is no playground toughie and not a guy you fight in an alley. Sawyer emerged in the fourth round ready to go on the offensive. The challenger got the first punch, a harmless jab, but that was his last connection of the night. Sawyer took it from there. It started slowly with a jab and a cross. His punches became more violent as the round wore on. A cross, then an uppercut fed to Crawford in rhythm stunted any attempt to throw a punch in retaliation. Crawford was bobbing backward and forward again. Sawyer moved in for the kill, landing a combo to the head before downing him with a cross to the jaw. Technically, Crawford did stand up at a nine-count from referee Clancy, but Clancy wanted to stop the fight before Sawyer did any lasting damage, calling the fight at 2:43 of the fourth round. It was surprising and a bit deflating for some in attendance that the fight ended so soon. Most expected Crawford (29-4-0) to perform better, though most did not expect him to win. The sheer dominance Sawyer (61-3-1) showed was more impressive up close and it is what most paid to see, but not this early. Sawyer is on to the next challenger, which has become a tougher and tougher assignment for Conley. Most of the challengers have already been vanquished. It may be time to pluck a promising youngster from the lower ranks in the division to keep things interesting. BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPERS Round 1: Sawyer, 2-1 (S: 0:56 combo, 1:10 uppercut/face; C: 1:30 cross) Round 2: Sawyer, 2-1 (S: 1:56 hook, 2:14 cross/knockdown; C: 1:39 right) Round 3: Sawyer, 1-0 (2:24 right/head) Round 4: Sawyer, 4-0 (0:37 right/ribs, 1:12 hook, 1:43 uppercut, 2:27 cross/knockout) TOTAL: Sawyer 9, Crawford 2 https://i.imgur.com/tLrukxK.jpg RECENT RESULTS Heavyweight Cannon Cooper (27-4-1) scored an unanimous decision in a 10-rounder with California fighter Dan Miller (38-11) at Boston's Denny Arena Friday evening. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
FABL DRAFT COMPLETE, NEGOTIATIONS BEGIN The 38th annual FABL amateur player draft was completed last week as the 16 FABL clubs each made their final 15 selections, concluding a process that began in January when clubs completed the opening 10 rounds. Next comes the task of attempting to sign the 25 players selected by each team to minor league contracts so they may begin their journey to the big leagues. Most clubs will sign far less than the full complement of 25 as some will decline to sign and others will not be offered contracts, instead heading for the college ranks or, if already in college, returning for their senior season. The very first draft pick ever made was a shortstop out of Berkely High School in California by the name of Mark Robinson, who was drafted first overall in 1911 by the Philadelphia Sailors. He hardly enjoyed a stellar career, but Robinson did appear in 686 games over 8 season for the Sailors. Two years later the Cleveland Foresters would select another high school player, this one a young man from Youngstown, Ohio, with the first pick. His name was Max Morris and he would go on to win 8 Whitney Awards and become the greatest homerun hitter the sport has ever seen. While every first round pick with the exception of 1944 top choice Roy Schaub, by Detroit, and Toronto's 1947 selection Les Ledbetter has played at least one big league game -there have been some selections that clearly did not live up to the billing worthy of a first overall selection. Most notably is another Cleveland choice, an outfielder named Karl Stevens taken number one in the 1926 draft. Stevens would play just 14 big league games in his career. Where John Wells ends up on the spectrum when we look back at his career remains to be seen but the Philadelphia high school shortstop is the most recent player to join the list of FABL first overall selections after Toronto, picking first for the second time in three years selected him number one. It was a very strong draft class this year, with many talented players going off the board early, as teams with positive lottery luck were able to secure better players then they may have originally selected. And while most stars come out of the first two rounds, now the lottery rounds, there are plenty of later round picks that have great career. Future Hall-of-Famer Fred McCormick was an 11th Round Pick. Eagles ace Billy Riley was a 9th Round Pick. There will be plenty of players taken after the past two rounds that will end up making a difference. Here are a few guys keeping an eye on in the Federal Association. We will look at the Continental clubs next week: Boston Minutemen 7th Round, 104th Overall: SS Ned Adams School: Grange College 1949: 63 G, .280/.361/.362, 10 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 47 RBI, 35 SB One of the fastest players available, Ned Adams hit leadoff on the #1 ranked Grange College Mustangs, swiping a tied for league high 40 steals. Adams hit .280 with 10 doubles, 3 homers, and 47 RBIs, and finished his college career with 202 hits, 159 runs, 125 RBIs, and 106 steals. This isn't the first time Adams was selected, as he was taken in the 14th Round by the Saints back in 1946. Since his high school days he's been stealing bases at a better rate, and he's been hitting for a higher average. The real pull from Adams, however, is the glove, as he is a skilled shortstop and should be able to stick there. Boston already has a great defensive shortstop in Harry Barrell (.314, 2, 29), but he's 35 and they have no obvious replacement when he inevitably calls it quits. Honorable Mention: RHP Dick Houston: This was a really good draft, so there were a lot of really good 3rd Rounders and it wouldn't make sense headlining all of them. Houston is no exception, and OSA believes he could anchor a big league rotation. His 0.66 ERA was fourth among draft eligible players and and he went 8-0 in 12 starts. A four year starer at Florence, the Darnell State commit went 33-4 with a 1.10 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 575 strikeouts. 14 of the Minutemen's top 15 prospects are hitters, and there's no doubt that Houston joins Eddie Whitney (6th, 80th) in their top 10. Chicago Chiefs 5th Round, 66th Overall: RHP Bill Kline School: Opelika State 1949: 19 GS, 9-5, 3.05 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 47 BB, 122 K Somewhat surprisingly, this isn't the first time a Chicago baseball team drafted a pitcher named Bill Kline, but this time it's the Chiefs that add a Bill Kline to their organization. Originally a 5th Round Pick by the Wolves, he was selected eight picks earlier this go around. A big strikeout pitcher in high school (34.8%) and college (23.5%), he ranked second among draft eligible pitchers in their careers as amateurs, and ranked six among college pitchers this season with 122 strikeouts. He was a reliable member of the Wildcats rotation, going 25-12 with a 2.97 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 350 strikeouts. The Chiefs made a concerted effort to bolster their pitching depth, as Kline was one of six pitchers selected in the first ten rounds, and in a thin system he has a chance to break into their long-term rotation plans. Honorable Mention: RF Hank Lane (15th Round): Despite serious power shown at Petersburg, no team picked up Hank Lane, who continued his slip until the 15th Round. Whitney Park is great for sluggers like Lane, who hit 30 homers in 147 college games. He could hit 20 or more homers at the big league level and has a great eye to boot. There are a lot of bat only prospects so Lane has some work to separate himself from the rest, but his power is certainly exciting. Detroit Dynamos 8th Round, 118th Overall: RHP Pug Williams School: Milligan College 1949: 14 GS, 8-1, 1.10 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 26 BB, 172 K Lasting all the way until the 8th Round, Pug Williams ranked top 15 among draft eligible pitchers in FIP- (20) and his 1.10 ERA as a senior was almost a full point below the 2.01 he pitched in a career low 98.2 innings as a freshman. Pug, who turned 18 on June 7th, made 59 starts for his high school, and earned himself an offer to pitch at Bayside University. He finished his prep career 33-7 with a 1.63 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, striking out 628 hitters in 414.2 innings pitched. A three pitch starter, Pug has an impressive mid 80s fastball that is tough to hit despite the low velocity. A potential high upside pick, the Dynamos organization has done a great job lately developing pitchers and Williams could be among them. Honorable Mention: RHP Johnny Young (6th Round): Among pitchers at the toughest level (Great) of college baseball, none among the draft eligible had a lower ERA then Johnny Young. His 2.75 ERA was actually lower then the 2.45 he posted as a freshman when he went 11-4. The 21-year-old hits 92 with his cutter, and could be a quick riser if his run prevention abilities translate into affiliated baseball. New York Gothams 5th Round, 78th Overall: RF Ed Smith School: Lincoln College 1949: 41 G, .280/.345/.489, 9 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 35 RBI, 33 SB A three-year starter at Lincoln College, Ed Smith featured a nice power/speed mix, hitting 21 homers with 14 steals in 147 games. He won't turn 21 until August, so he's on the younger side for college draftees, but that doesn't show up in his offensive potential. He's a smart, gifted hitter who can take his walk, and he's working on improving his pitch selection and understanding game situations better. The Gothams are deep in the outfield, especially in center, but Smith may have more upside then the rest of the group. OSA expects him to be an above average right fielder, and while the Gothams don't need any more offense right now, he could be a quick addition to a deep Gothams lineup. Honorable Mention: CF Bert Preble (3rd Round): A top two round talent, Bert Preble lasted most of the 3rd Round before the Gothams took him 46th Overall. Like Smith, he'll be 21 in August, and could be a quick riser up the Gothams system. He's an above average hitter and defender who runs really well, and hit .300+ with 9 homers in each of his past two seasons. He has all the tools to be an effective big leaguer, and he may be the most talented player selected by the Gothams this season. Philadelphia Keystones 4th Round, 58th Overall: SS John Cochran School: Rainier College 1949: 41 G, .272/.348/.353, 7 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 22 SB It wasn't a great junior season for John Cochran, who saw his power drop significantly since last season. He went from 5 homers to just 2, and 14 extra base htis to 10, but OSA and scouts around the league are fond of the young shortstop. Projected to be an elite defender with a keen eye, Cochran fields a need for a team who has one of the least productive FABL shortstops, Frank Davis (.241, 3, 23), and it may not take too long before Cochran overtakes him. The Keystones have another excellent glove men, Red Ellis, their 2nd Rounder from last season, who is hitting .264/.356/.374 (90 OPS+) in AA. Cochran and Ellis may have to compete against each other for the eventual shortstop, but they can make up an impressive middle infield duo. Honorable Mention: RHP Lew Potter (11th Round): Despite having no pitchers in their top 10 prospects, the Philadelphia Keystones took just two pitchers in the human portion of the draft. 2nd Rounder Sam Ivey (8-2, 2.70, 98), has mid-rotation talent and deserves a spot in the top 100. In the AI portion, they quickly grabbed Lew Potter, a high school arm from Nebraska. He had a great prep career, 41-3 with a 1.25 ERA and 629 strikeouts. He has a deep six pitch mix, and was throwing a tick faster as a senior. He's a project pick, but he has excellent stuff and could pitch his way into a rotation role Pittsburgh Miners 12th Round, 180th Overall: CF Mark Hataway School: Renovo 1949: 27 G, .440/.504/.714, 15 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 33 RBI, 11 SB The Miners may be flush with young outfield talent, boasting a major league outfield of Charlie Williams (.333, 8, 48), Ernie Campbell (.328, 24, 4), and Joe Read (.319, 1, 17), with last year's breakout star Jeep Erickson (.246, 8) in AAA and two other AAA outfielders ranked in the league's top 20 prospect list, but they're getting another good option late in the draft. Surviving the human portion, Hataway improved off a rough junior year where he hit just .418 with a homer and 23 RBIs. He hit three as a senior, and hit a much more impressive .462/.530/.718 with 15 doubles, 3 triples, and 33 RBIs. He's quick on the bases, has a great eye at the plate, and could hit around .300 in the majors. He's got a lot of good outfielders ahead of him, but by adding some of his quality, it could allow the Miners to tap into their outfield depth to enter the rotation. He doesn't have the ceiling of Williams or Campbell, but he projects to be a solid big league starter. Honorable Mention: RHP Jack F. Davis (6th Round): Very few pitchers can boast a season with an ERA below 1, and Miners 6th Rounder Jack F. Davis was one of them. As a junior, he went 9-0 with a beautiful 0.86 ERA and 0.80 WHIP while striking out 150 hitters in just 94 innings. He didn't quite match that as a senior, but finished his prep career 25-5 with a 1.43 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He may be tough to sign, as he's committed to Liberty College, but at 6'5'' it's easy to dream about him blowing hitters away with his fastball. St. Louis Pioneers 3rd Round, 48th Overall: SS Herbert Crawford Jr. School: San Francisco Tech 1949: 57 G, .304/.390/.482, 12 2B, 3B, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 22 SB Power among shortstops is rare, so the St. Louis Pioneers can look forward to switch hitting shortstop Herbert Crawford Jr. He hit 11 homers last year and 10 more this season, finishing his two seasons at San Francisco Tech with a .302/.390/.491 batting line. He walked (12.6%) more frequently then he struck out (8.5%) and was responsible for 202 runs in his two seasons. Shortstop is a weak spot in Pioneers organization, with 26-year-old rookie Al Monroe (.279, 2, 16) not doing well offensively or defensively. Crawford may not be ready yet, but if he gets off to a quick start to his minor league career he could be fast-tracked to the majors. He's a solid defender who should hit for a high average, and while the upside doesn't match John Wells (.591, 8, 47, 15) and Tom Perkins (.331, 1, 58, 32) he's a very fine shortstop prospect in his own right. His coaches rave about his leadership in the clubhouse, and he has the exact makeup of a guy you want captaining your infield. Honorable Mention: 2B Jack DiPasquale (10th Round): A guy who has already been given props by his new organization's front office, Jack DiPasquale finish his junior with six homers -- the exact same total in each of the past three seasons. Being a 10th Round selection was a step up from when he was a 21st Round pick of the Saints out of high school, and he should be one of the first players to sign. Dan Barrell's OSA believes he can hit around .330 and scouts note his plus eye, speed, and defense. Washington Eagles 5th Round, 76th Overall: LHP Joe Brannon School: Tallmadge State 1949: 17 GS, 9-3, 2.72 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 30 BB, 121 K Just Keystones 2nd Rounder Sam Ivey had a lower ERA among draft eligible college players, as Joe Brannon finished off his three year career at Tallmadge State with an excellent 2.72 ERA. In his three seasons, he went 27-10 with a 2.92 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 357 strikeouts, and was one of the top pitchers in the nation all three seasons. A six pitch pitcher, he features a really nice change, and when he's on he can be unhittable. His knuckle-curve is a good out pitch, his cutter hits 87, and he does a good job using all of his offerings. Washington's system is on the thinner side, with most of their exciting prospects spending their time on the outfield grass, so Brannon should emerge in their top 20 overall and top 10 for pitchers. If he can solve his command problems, he will fit comftorably in a big league rotation. Honorable Mention: SS Cliff Page (14th Round): The Eagles do not have much middle infield depth in the minors, but when your starters are 20-year-old Bill Wise (.348, 22) and 23-year-old Tom Miller (.245, 15), middle infield depth isn't a problem. Still, you can never have too many good shortstops, and despite lasting until the 14th Round, Cliff Page could be a nice bench piece to keep their two big league stars fresh. Originally a 16th Rounder of the Pioneers, Page went to President's College instead, and hit .300/.361/.389, surpassing the .300 mark as a sophomore and junior. He even hit 5 homers in just 40 games this year, after 5 in his first 110. If he can keep up that increase in power, Page could make for an intriguing big league infielder, either at third, a utility role, or even trade bait for an Eagles team that is positioned to compete. TALKING TRADE DEADLINE Right now, we have one race that looks to be hotly contested in the FABL and that is the Federal Association race. At the top of the standings is a virtual 3-way tie between the New York Gothams, Washington Eagles and the upstart Chicago Chiefs. The Detroit Dynamos are 3 ½ back and Boston is 6 games out. Over in the CA Cleveland has opened up a double-digit lead and it is not even Independence Day. While I do not believe the Foresters are good enough to run away and hide, I doubt that any significant upgrades will be made, although one team should start thinking about dealing from their strength to improve their club. So why will there be a lack of activity at the trade deadline? All 3 of the teams at the top of the FA have spots they could improve and, in some cases, glaring spots. But the question is with the trading rules implemented after the 1947 draft, trades are down significantly in the FABL. There has been no real “blockbuster” trade activity since that rule change came into place. Yes a few minor deals here and there, but nothing like the deals we saw in the past when C Adam Mullins was dealt, or CF Sal Pestilli or 1B Red Johnson. So will we see any deals this year? The answer is likely very little and nothing that would qualify as a major deal. The 3 teams at the top of the FA standings simply put do not have ammo in the prospects on hand to really drive a deal. The Gothams have the #25 prospect in the FABL in 22-year-old Hank Estill on hand, but 3B has been a blackhole for the New Yorkers for years. While Tom Jeffries is manning the position at current, he is not one of the top 3rd sackers in the FABL (OSA rates him #11). Would they like an upgrade there, perhaps but they have bigger areas of need and Estill is likely the 3B of the future. The future is just not now. Washington has the #32 prospect in the FABL in 22-year-old backup C Ike Perry (who should likely be starting most days) but nothing else in the top 100. The Chiefs have zero players in the top 100 and their prospect is 1B Don Smith. The Chiefs do have 3 pitching prospects in the 130-200 range, but probably not anything that will help them shore up their various needs. Now Detroit and Boston both have much more robust prospects in their systems. Detroit has 6 prospects in the top 60 with half of them being pitchers. And while the Dynamos are in contention, they have been reluctant to part with any prospects during this rebuild that started under the prior regime. Boston has 9 top 100 prospects, but will they make a move to part with any of that talent to improve the club and give it a better chance to win? While we might see some minor moves, it is rumored the Gothams are looking for some pitchers to take a flyer on but there has not been much coming out of Washington or Chicago. Odds are that we will continue to see a limited number of trades and no real big deals while GM’s horde what prospect capital they do have and the league rule where recent draftees cannot be traded for 1 year after the draft, they were taken in. As for the CA team that I mentioned might have some room to improve themselves, that is the Chicago Cougars. They have a lot of young pitching talent coupled with a very loaded starting rotation in the big leagues. They also have a middling offense from a run scoring standpoint. If they could acquire a big bat or two for either one of those established starters or cobbled together several of those prospect pitchers, they might be able to acquire something that could help them score runs. https://i.imgur.com/WBdlAZ6.jpg https://i.imgur.com/8ygg3Cj.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vdYLsmC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/7WVqfyG.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KTv0oT9.jpg
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 6/26/1949
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July 4, 1949
JULY 4, 1949 FABL's 17th annual All-Star Game is a just over a week away and time for my annual tradition of revealing who I am listing on my ballot as my choices for the 18 starters. Let's begin our position-by-position look with the Federal Association. FEDERAL ASSOCIATION CATCHER- Pete Casstevens batting average may be down, but the Chicago Chiefs veteran catcher is still having a fine season. Unfortunately, the former New York Gotham has not down quite enough to earn my vote and instead it goes to current Gotham George Cleaves (.314,10,33). A certain pick, it will be Cleaves 11th appearance in the midseason classic. George's half-brother Roger Cleaves of the Philadelphia Keystones and Homer Gutherie of Pittsburgh also deserve mention. FIRST BASE- No competition at all here as another Gotham is the easy choice. Red Johnson (.333,25,72) is in the middle of what may turn out to be the best season of the 31-year-old's career, and that is saying something considering Big Timber already owns 3 Whitney Awards. SECOND BASE- There are some solid candidates including the Keystones Billy Woytek, Artie D'Alessandro of the Chiefs and St Louis Pioneer Homer Mills but our choice is Washington's 20-year-old sensation Bill Wise (.344,0,24). SHORTSTOP- Cecil LaBonte is having a very good second full season with the Gothams and young Irv Clifford certainly looks promising in Pittsburgh but veteran Harry Barrell (.333,2,33) of the Boston Minutemen is our choice. THIRD BASE- Some great options at the hot corner. Hank Koblenz of the Keystones has 24 homers. Billy Dalton is doing well in Boston and Tommy Griffin is having a breakout year for Detroit. Our choice is a tough one but we will go with Washington veteran Mel Carrol (.346,7,33). LEFT FIELD- Plenty of competition but our pick is Jesse Alvardo (.319,15,61) of the Washington Eagles but not without heavy consideration for Boston's Ben McCarty, Walt Messer of the Gothams and the Keystones Davey Robicheaux. CENTER FIELD- If the Chiefs Bill May did not miss a month with an ankle injury it might have been a tougher choice but as it stands the clear selection is Edwin Hackberry (.283,10,41), Detroit's 22-year-old rising star who should end up making his third all-star appearance if selected. RIGHT FIELD- Al Tucker of St Louis was leading the Fed in batting at press time and there are other solid choices like Washington's Rats McGonigle and Dave Krieger of the Chicago Chiefs, but our clear pick is, as usual, Bobby Barrell (.307,21,50) of the Philadelphia Keystones. It will be Barrell's 13th all-star appearance, extending his own record for most games selected to appear in. PITCHER- Detroit's Carl Potter (11-3, 2.42) leads the Fed in wins and era while having the second highest strikeout total at press time and the 22-year-old is our choice to start the game. There are plenty of solid candidates including John Stallings and Al Miller of the surprising Chiefs, vets Lefty Allen and Ed Bowman of the Gothams and Washington's Billy Riley but Potter is our pick. CONTINENTAL ASSOCIATION CATCHER- Adam Mullins missed a large chunk of games and with the Cannons star sidelined it opened the door for another Ohio catcher. We do not feel any of the catchers have really stood out at the plate but Cleveland's Mark Smith (.301,0,26) has been the most productive offensively and it is hard to argue with the job he has done with the Foresters pitching staff this season, so he is our choice. FIRST BASE- The Sailors Ed Reyes and Toronto's Fred McCormick are well established veterans, but we love the job Maurice Carter (.308,15,53) has done in Montreal and feel the 26-year-old deserves to be rewarded with his first trip to the All-Star Game. SECOND BASE- It is a weak spot in the CA this season. Charlie Rivera (.215,5,23) is struggling at the plate for the Cincinnati Cannons but he is by a large margin the best defensive second baseman in the sport and gets our vote, although Montreal's Joe Austin and Chuck Lewis of Brooklyn received heavy consideration. SHORTSTOP- Montreal's Gordie Perkins is pushing him but we once more have to go with Skipper Schneider (.307,3,30) of the Chicago Cougars as our choice at shortstop. Skipper has been selected to 7 all-star games prior to this one. THIRD BASE- Current Toronto Wolves third baseman Hal Wood and former Wolves infielder Walt Pack, now with the Cougars, deserve some recognition but one of the key reasons the Cleveland Foresters are suddenly so good has been the play of Jim Adams Jr. (.355,5,39), who may just draw some consideration for the Whitney Award should he and the Foresters play the second half of the season they way the did the first. LEFT FIELD- Rookie Otis O'Keefe of Montreal is off to a great start to his pro career, and we certainly expect him to earn a spot on the Continental Association roster for the All-Star Game, but we have him as a reserve and give the starting nod to Cincinnati's Mike T. Taylor (.332,8,35) by a narrow margin. It is quite a revival for the 31-year-old Taylor, who has not been an everyday player since before the war, but our advice to Taylor if he earns the starting job next Tuesday evening is to enjoy it. The way O'Keefe looks his might be a name you pencil in as the starter for the next decade. CENTER FIELD- Speaking of revival's, how about the year that Sal Pestilli (.339,12,53) is having for the Chicago Cougars. Sal is a lock to be selected for his 8th all-star game and is in the midst of a year that might just rival his Whitney Award winning 1938 campaign for the Detroit Dynamos. John Moss of Brooklyn and Cincinnati's Fred Galloway (now injured) also had very good first half results. RIGHT FIELD- It is normally just an automatic choice in ticking off New York Stars 4-time Whitney Award winner Bill Barrett (.327,23,63) as your Continental Association right fielder. We are still going with Barrett but not before some very heavy consideration for Brooklyn's Ralph Johnson. Johnson won both the Whitney and Kellogg Awards as a rookie in 1947 and is a lock to make his third all-star game in as many years, but we still like Barrett as our starter. PITCHER- It is no contest. Adrian Czerwinski (13-3, 2.90) is having a season only a few could ever dream of and is the biggest reason for the Cleveland Foresters turnaround. We also like Eli Panneton of the Stars and Toronto's Jim Morrison to be named to the team but Czerwinski is the only choice to start the game on the mound for the CA. SUNDAY WAS MILESTONE DAY IN FABL July 3 was a memorable day for FABL as three players delivered some pretty impressive milestone reaching hits on the same day. It starts with Harry Barrell of the Boston Minutemen collecting his 2,500 career hit in a win over Pittsburgh. That same game saw veteran Miners first baseman Joe Owens smack the 2,000th hit of his long career while in New York former Miner George Cleaves also collected his 2,000th hit in a loss by his current club, the New York Gothams, to the Chicago Chiefs. And earlier in the week two other Boston veterans joined the 2,000 hit club as Rip Curry collected his milestone marker on Friday in Pittsburgh, a day after Bill Moore notched his against the Philadelphia Keystones. The 35-year-old Barrell, who spent the bulk of his career in Brooklyn but tomorrow will mark the fifth anniversary of his trade to Boston, becomes the 39th player in FABL history to notch at least 2,500 career hits. Barrell had 3 hits on the game -marking the second time in the past three days he accomplished that- with his first one being the milestone marker. It came off Adam Grayson in the second inning of what would be a 7-2 Boston win over the hometown Pittsburgh Miners. Despite the score at Fitzpatrick Park, it proved worth sticking around for the Miners fans who remained for the duration as Joe Owens, after singling earlier in the game, delivered a base hit in the bottom of the ninth. It would be the 2,000 of the 37-year-old's career, making him just the second player to record 2,000 hits in a Pittsburgh uniform, joining turn of the century star Chick Hamm. A short distance away in New York Cleaves also notched his 2,000th. His first 1,796 hits came while wearing Miners colours, but it was as a Gotham that the 35-year-old catcher and likely future Hall of Famer recorded his 2,000th hit. It was a 2-out single in the 7th inning of what would prove to be a 3-2 loss to Chicago and came off of Chiefs starter Ernie Espanoza in a key showdown between two of the clubs battling for the Federal Association lead. The hit, Cleaves second of the after, allowed him to become the 93rd player in FABL history to reach the 2,000 plateau. Arriving at 2,000 just ahead of Owens and Cleaves was Boston outfielder Rip Curry, who joined the club on Friday in with a 5th inning single off Pittsburgh's Billy Ligons. This, after yet another Boston veteran had collected his 2,000 hit the previous day. That would Bill Moore, who's milestone came on June 30 in a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Keystones. Moore collected two hits on his big day with the second one, a lead-off single against Jim Whiteley to start the home half of the fifth inning, being the 2,000th of the 37-year-old's career. https://i.imgur.com/FIfSLDj.jpg Here is part two of my look at some of the many talented draft picks taken outside of the first couple of rounds in the recent FABL draft. We looked at the Federal Association last time. Now we move on to the Continental Association:https://i.imgur.com/EAO2tcs.jpg https://i.imgur.com/WpaEWR0.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ukCXBOt.jpg Brooklyn Kings 8th Round, 117th Overall: RHP Red Cooper School: East 1949: 16 GS, 8-3, 2.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 48 BB, 141 K He didn't have the greatest senior season, going 8-3 with a 2.20 ERA and 141 strikeouts, but there's more then meets the eye regarding South Euclid's Red Cooper. A three-pitch pitcher, Cooper has played a game at every position except catcher in his high school career. I'm not sure which of those positions he'll end up playing, or even if the Kings let him play the field when he's not pitching, but the soon-to-be 18-year-old has a nice bat and a solid approach at the plate. Despite the potential upside in the field, he's likely viewed as a pitcher, and the slender right hander has a decent three pitch arsenal. He could be the ultimate utility player, a reliever who can play all seven on field positions, and I know at least one other organization was hoping they'd end up with the intriguing Cooper, who while not the most talented, may be the most interesting player in the class. Honorable Mention: 1B Ham Martin (7th Round): There have been whisperings that Chuck Collins (.257, 7, 29) is available in trades, and some of that may be about how the Kings feel about there new first basemen. The 21-year-old hit .303 with 25 homers and 142 RBIs in 172 games for the Miami State Redbirds. He projects to be a quick riser and could be ready for the upper levels of the minors. Chicago Cougars 4th Round, 61st Overall: LHP Buster Clark School: Santa Cruz 1949: 15 G, 8 GS, 5-0, 0.78 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 9 BB, 104 K No draft eligible pitcher had a lower walk percentage (3.2) then Cougar 4th Rounder Buster Clark, who walked just 9 hitters in 69.1 innings pitched. Command like this is generally unseen in the amateur levels, and most high school pitchers don't show nearly the same command that Clark has. He's on the older side for a high schooler, and will be 19 in November, which could allow him to skip the lowest level of the minors. Along with the stellar command, his 0.78 ERA and 0.75 WHIP were both top ten among draft eligible pitchers. He found his success by mixing five pitches, with a slider that gets a lot of whiffs and a sinker that generates plenty of groundballs. The Cougars organization has had plenty of success drafting and developing top-level starting pitching, and Clark may be the next to join those ranks. Few pitchers have as excellent command of the strike zone as Clark, who could be among the league leaders in BB%, K/BB, and WHIP if he reaches his lofty potential. Honorable Mention: RHP Pat Burnett (12th Round): The Chicago Panthers boast an impressive lineup in the FBL of Joe Hampton, Larry Serrano, Eliseo Worth, Richard Campbell, and Cory Myers. Pat Burnett is taller then all of them. Standing a whopping six feet and ten inches, the Chesapeake State alum was originally selected in the 20th Round by the Cougars three seasons ago, but will this time join the organization. He didn't have the greatest college career, but despite command issues, he struck out 289 hitters in 384.2 innings due to his excellent slider. Nothing special now, but if he can throw his fastball in the 90s, he could be a very useful FABL pitcher. Cincinnati Cannons 3rd Round, 35th Overall: C Andy Joiner School: Brownsville 1949: 22 G, .489/.573/.848, 32 2B, 3B, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 4 SB One of the more interesting draftees to watch in the coming months is switch hitting catcher Andy Joiner, who has announced that he plans on fulfilling his commitment to Ada College in the fall. That would be a big loss for the Cannons, who were enticed by his ten home run junior season last year. A three year starter at Brownsville, Joiner hit an impressive .479/.560/.830 with 29 doubles, 22 homers, and 105 RBIs. He hit a personal high 13 doubles and 20 extra base hits as a senior, and since good offensive catchers can be hard to come by, he was a highly sought after prospect this winter. A third round selection generally comes with a high slot, so it's a tough beat if Joiner returns to the draft in three years. The Cannons brass has announced all intentions to lock him up, as Adam Mullins (.370, 2, 19) is 36 and they don't have a catcher in their top 30 prospects. He would be the #1 catching prospect in the system and he was the second catcher taken this year. Honorable Mention: LHP Paul Repp (7th Round): A talented young lefty from New Jersey, Paul Repp finished his four year career at West Chester with a perfect 10-0 season. His 0.93 ERA as a senior was over a point lower then the 2.08 mark he had as a freshman, and he struck out a career high 179 hitters. Aside from Tony Britten (5-7, 4.23, 43), the Cannons have a veteran rotation, and Repp will join a deep system with many talented arms. Cleveland Foresters 11th Round, 161st Overall: RHP Frank Young School: Central Manual 1949: 16 GS, 11-0, 0.55 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, 16 BB, 191 K As if the Foresters needed more to go right this season, they also secured a very good young pitcher in Frank Young with the first pick of the AI portion of the draft. No pitcher had a bigger improvement year-to-year, as after going 8-3 with a 1.67 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 15 starts last season, he was a perfect 11-0 in 16. He held a microscopic 0.55 ERA and 0.67 WHIP, which both ranked third among eligible pitchers. He struck out an impressive 191 hitters in 113.2 innings (42.1 K%), while walking just 16 (3.5%). His 11.9 K/BB was tops among selected pitchers, and I wouldn't be surprised if the 18-year-old is one of the top ranked prospects after signing. His improved season followed a two mile increase on his fastball and sinker, and if there's more from where that came from he could be even more effective. With great command and movement, he's now a very well rounded prospect, and the Foresters may have uncovered the next Duke Bybee of Young's development goes as planned. Honorable Mention: SS Nick Schott (9th Round): The Foresters system is deep, but they only have one shortstop, John Low (10th, 71ST), in their top 40 prospects. Nick Schott was the first of two shortstops the Foresters selected to end the human portion of the draft, and the hard worker has a decent bat. He has a plus hit tool and could bat over .300, a decent compliment to the slick fielding Low. Schott has experience at second, third, center, and first as well, so even if Low secures short, if Schott hits he can earn a lineup spot. Montreal Saints 6th Round, 87th Overall: 3B Joe Meltz School: Albany 1949: 20 G, .444/.515/.756, 14 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 7 SB The Saints have done a good job building depth recently, but one spot they do have a weakness at is third base. So there's no surprise that when they struck gold in the lottery with the 3rd pick, that they went with Jim Bob Daniels (.306, 8, 38, 32), a consensus top-five player, who could be among the best in the game. But he's not the only exciting third basemen the Saints will add this summer. A switch hitter from Missouri, Joe Meltz hit 17 homers in 67 high school games, and has the potential to have enough pop to even clear the fences at the Parc Cartier. He's also shown great plate discipline, striking out just five times as a senior and Meltz produced a 44-to-19 walk-to-strikeout ratio in his three seasons at Albany. He does have a strong commitment to Quincy College, but my guess is he'll reach an agreement with Montreal. As good as Jim Bob is, no prospect is a sure thing, and there's a chance the you Meltz could develop into an equally exciting player. Honorable Mention: CF Maury Davis (8th Round): The Saints have a few center field options on the big league team, but the farm is somewhat barren. Maury Davis was one of four center fielders they selected, and his batting profile plays well for his potential future home park. Davis won't hit many homers, but he hit .508 as a junior and he excels at putting the ball in play. He'll have plenty of competition, but don't count him out on emerging from the group. New York Stars 5th Round, 75th Overall: CF Harry Young School: Irwin 1949: 24 G, .505/.541/.784, 15 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 29 SB The gold standard for high school contact hitters is a .500 season. For Harry Young, he managed that all four seasons at Irwin. It started in his freshman season, where he hit .519/.562/.821 with 17 double, 3 homers, 31 RBIs, and 21 steals. He finished his prep career with 13 homers, 63 doubles, and 127 RBIs with nearly twice as many walks (41) as strikeouts (23). An athletic center fielder, he has a quick repeatable swing that allows him to hit hard line drives to all fields. As a lefty, he generally has the platoon advantage, and with his excellent speed he's a threat on the bases and can play exceptional outfield defense. Unfortunately for Young, the Stars selected a talented center fielder Eddie Dickey 5th, and after signing he ranked as the 10th best prospect in all of baseball. Young actually outhit Dickey this year (.505 to .482) and for their careers (.510 to .494), and the two young outfielders will give Stars fans an intriguing prospect battle for the coming years. Honorable Mention: RHP Don Rogers (3rd Round): Not many reliever get drafted, let alone early, but the Stars took Don "Slim" Rogers with the 43rd Overall Pick. A three pitch pitcher, Slim split the past two seasons in his high school's rotation and pen, going 9-0 with a 0.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts. The Stars may want to try him in the rotation, but he profiles as a top stopper that could rival former Star Boyd Harper. Philadelphia Sailors 4th Round, 63rd Overall: C Jake Moorman School: Sidney 1949: 20 G, .448/.495/.644, 9 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 26 RBI, 7 SB A team known for drafting and developing well, the Philadelphia Sailors are enduring a rough season, and one of the reasons is they haven't gotten much production from their backstops. That's been the case since Woody Stone went out west, and none of the Sailors top 30 prospects are catchers. That should change once Jake Moorman is ranked, as their 4th Round Pick has the tools to be a well above average big league catcher. He has a solid hit tool that OSA believes could allow him to hit around .330, and he pairs it with a great eye and keen strike zone recognition. Despite his small frame, some scouts are predicting he'll be able to produce around average power, and he did hit 14 homers in 88 high school games. 18 in July, he's far from impacting the big league club, but they can rely on bridge catchers until Moorman is ready to handle things behind the plate. Honorable Mention: RHP Ed Patterson (5th Round): The Sailors have quickly snapped up most of their draftees, and 5th Rounder Ed Patterson now rounds out their top 20 as the 299th ranked prospect in FABL. This will adjust as new draftees enter, but the soon-to-be 18-year-old is an intriguing arm that sits in the low 90s and excels at keeping the ball in the park. A four year starter at Bushwick, he was 10-2 with a 1.03 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 113.1 innings pitched. Toronto Wolves 3rd Round, 41st Overall: LHP Joe Sigler School: Williamstown 1949: 13 GS, 9-1, 1.01 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 31 BB, 172 K For the second time in three years, the Toronto Wolves have been lucky lottery winners, and were gifted new #1 prospect John Wells (.591, 8, 47, 15). The luck was countered a bit with 2nd Rounder Ike Brannon (9-0, 0.81, 132) likely headed to Burleson College, but this class looks like a win for Toronto regardless. With Brannon potentially rebuffing the organization like Pioneer farmhand Ralphie Spires (0-1, 5.19, 2) once did as well, a lot of pressure is on 3rd Rounder Joe Sigler. A four year starter at Williamstown, Sigler burst onto the scene with a dominant freshman campaign where he went 12-0 with a 0.84 ERA and 0.78 WHIP, striking out 185 with just 22 walks. He never quite matched that lofty production, but the southpaw finished his prep career 38-3 with a 0.97 ERA while striking out just over 40% (40.1) of the hitters he faced. Standing 6'5'', the downward action he gets on his pitches keeps the ball on the ground, and his splitter is really tough in the bottom of the zone. Scouts aren't sold on his change up, but if he can get it working, Sigler could be a mid-rotation arm, and he currently checks in as the Wolves 20th best prospect. Honorable Mention: SS Slim Hopkins (6th Round): A three year starter at Tallmadge State, 22-year-old Slim Hopkins hit a solid .277/.361/.382 with 8 homers, 103 steals, and 122 RBIs. He played all around the diamond, from his natural short to both corners of the outfield, appearing everywhere but center, first, catcher, and of course, pitcher. Coming into the draft, the Wolves had no shortstops in their top 30 prospects, and with Charlie Artuso (.237, 5, 33) coming off his worst season yet, it seemed time for a change. Wells is still the guy, and should man short for over a decade in Toronto, but Hopkins is the new fallback, and as a lefty crusher has the chance to be a decent short-side platoon option. WELLS SIGNS WITH TORONTO, NAMED TOP PROSPECT It took just a few days for the Toronto Wolves and first overall draft choice John Wells to agree on a contract. The deal that will pay the 18-year-old Philadelphia born shortstop a $32,000 signing bonus was signed last week and OSA immediately vaulted Wells' name to the top of its prospect rankings. Wells takes over from another former high school All-American shortstop in Ralph Hanson, who was recently promoted to FABL by the New York Stars, as the top prospect in the eyes of the league's scouting service. Second overall selection Rick Masters, a Brooklyn born outfielder, has yet to sign with the Boston Minutemen and some expect him to take over the top spot in the OSA rankings once he is under contract, but for now at least the spotlight shines on Wells. Wells was not the only early signing to be recognized as part of the OSA's top twenty-five prospects. The others are: Ed Bloom, a third baseman from American Atlantic selected eighth by the Chicago Chiefs who debuts at #3 on the OSA list and is expected to go straight to Chicago and make his big league debut before the All-Star Game; fifth overall selection Eddie Dickey of the New York Stars, an outfielder from a Baltimore high school who slots in at #10; Alabama Gulf Coast two-sport star Jim Bob Daniels, a third baseman/basketball player who was the third overall selection by the Montreal Saints and is listed at #17 on the OSA rankings; and coming in at 22nd on the scouting service list is 18 year old Buddy Byrd, a New York born infielder drafted 9th by the Brooklyn Kings. NUMBER OF MINOR DEALS MADE TO START JULY If the first few days of the month are any indication, FABL may be in for a busy trade deadline, which is July 31. Nothing of the blockbuster variety to report, although there are rumours some bigger deals are in the works, but three trades were consummated last week. The Chicago Cougars were involved in two of them as they sent struggling veteran outfielder Hal Sharp to Detroit in exchange for a low-end minor league pitching prospect by the name of Floyd Van Hoven before following that up with a deal to move AAA first baseman Bob Schmelz to the Brooklyn Kings in exchange for disgruntled veteran middle infielder Charlie Woodbury. The final deal also involved the Kings who sent AAA hurler Pinch Lenhart across town to the New York Gothams in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers in pitcher Tommy Wilde and outfielder Carl Clark. The 27-year-old Lenhart was off to a strong start at Jersey City, posting a 7-2 record with a 2.17 era and will likely be given an opportunity to join the Gothams struggling mound staff right away. Originally a 9th round pick of the Chicago Cougars in 1941, Lehnart spent one season in the big leagues, going 4-6 out of the Kings bullpen in 1945. The 19-year-old Wilde was 5-9 with a 5.92 era at Class B Fresno while Clark, 21 and also originally a Cougars draft pick, was at Class A Albany where he was batting .236. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Finish Homestand at 10-10 -- Toronto's pride of baseball just finished an extended stay at home with a .500 record. They now head out for 20 games away from Dominion Stadium wrapped around the All-Star Game including 9 games in 7 days before the 3 day mid-summer break. As Brett sees the team after 73 games the problem is the a lack of consistency in the pitching staff along with too many balls getting through especially in the outfield where many singles are turning in extra bases when they are not cutoff before getting to the fence. As a staff the Wolves have a FABL worst ERA 4.48 including a combined 5.83 ERA in the bullpen. This has led to run differential of -61, second worst in the league. This where the inconsistency comes in: this week the Wolves went 5-2 to finish a 20 game stand at home. With 5 wins 2 losses everything is fine, right? This where Brett sees the problem as the run differential in the losses was -21 while the run differential in the 5 wins was +9 so the net for the week was a -12 skewing the staff ERA in a negative fashion. Manager Fred Barrell is often caught between wanting to let a starter find, hopefully, his rhythm when getting hit hard early or going to get to the ball to a reliever where there is no middle ground. The bullpen will either be very good or very bad. This is not being helped by leaky defense, there have been a total of 36 unearned runs surrender this season. That number has improved as of late but there are still far too many balls getting by fielders that look as though they should be either turned into outs on the infield or limit the bases the hitter get on balls that find the outfield grass. Toronto's hopes lie in shoring up these two areas along with hoping that the surging Cleveland Foresters come back to the pack. Cleveland running into a slump is the wish of at least 6 other teams in the CA as the gap between second and seventh is only 2 1/2 games, but the margin between the first place Foresters and everyone else is double-digits. One would think that the Foresters cannot continue at a .649 pace overall including 26-7 (.787) at home but even if the Clevelanders struggle, the Wolves need to be much more consistent to have a chance to challenge for the flag. In other news, Jerry York returned to Toronto with, as is typical for many of the starters this year, one bad start giving up 7 BB, 5 ER in 5 and a third then picking up his first win of the season in his second start of the week. First overall pick John Wells inked his contract, he will immediately report to Davenport joining their last first overall pick Les Ledbetter in A ball. The only other pick to put name to paper was LHP Joe Sigler who is on his way to Tuscaloosa to begin his professional journey. Negotiations continue with other draft picks. BARRELL WORKING MAGIC AS CAGE LOOP CHIEF In the intricate dance of professional sports leagues, our local luminary, Rollie Barrell, stands as a maestro orchestrating the Federal Basketball League's moves with an enviable finesse. Barrell, the influential owner of both local football and basketball teams, not to mention the founder of the Federal Basketball League, has spun his magic yet again as the league gears up for its fourth season this fall. The summer whispers painted a gloomy picture, suggesting that various teams might bow out of the Federal loop. Syracuse faced eviction due to their small arena and a paltry 9-win record. Financial struggles loomed over other franchises, threatening their return. The most shocking blow was the news of Daniel Prescott contemplating folding the defending champions and former American Basketball Conference powerhouse, the Brooklyn Red Caps. Financial strains played a role, but a deeper fracture emerged from a fallout with Barrell over the absorption of the Prescott-founded ABC a year ago. It seemed the Federal loop might lose four, perhaps six, of its 16 clubs. Yet, the resilient and smooth-talking Barrell had more tricks up his sleeve than anyone anticipated. The latest word not only assures the return of all 16 FBL clubs next year but unveils Barrell's astonishing feat: expanding the league to 17, with St. Louis set to make its debut. The turnaround unfolded after Barrell extended an olive branch to Prescott. Despite their recent rift, the two shared a history as old friends who had even co-founded a short-lived pro cage loop in the twenties. Last summer's events strained their camaraderie, with half of the ABC teams leaping leagues and leaving the rest with no option but to follow, exploiting a gap in the ABC constitution. Barrell, employing his persuasive charm, engaged in a lengthy conversation with Prescott. Though shrouded in secrecy, the outcome was a change of heart for Prescott. Not only did he commit to keeping the Red Caps in the league, but he also rallied other wavering clubs to give it another shot for the upcoming season. As a result, the 1949-50 basketball season is poised to witness the largest assembly of professional clubs in a single league since the early days of the American Football Association. Barrell's ability to navigate the complex dynamics of sports politics and broker such a remarkable return and expansion is a testament to his acumen as the chief architect of the Federal Basketball League. *** St Blane Star Inks Deal With Dynamos *** The Dynamos had a successful week both on and off the field. The club returned home from a lengthy road swing and promptly took two of three games away from Red Johnson and the mighty New York Gothams before following that up with 3 victories in four meetings with the two-time defending World Champion St Louis Pioneers. Admittedly the Pioneers have not been playing at a flag waving level but the give the local nine credit for staying in the mix for top spot in the Fed. It is back on the road this week with two more games against the Gothams and then a pair in Chicago against the surprising Chiefs. A week away from the All-Star Game and the Dynamos sit in fourth place, but they are just 2.5 games behind the front-running Chicagoans. The Dynamos also announced they had agreed on a contract with their top draft pick as St Blane two-sport star Joe Fulgham. The All-American halfback is also a centerfielder and will be assigned to AA Akron to begin his pro career after the Dynamos selected the 21-year-old with the 12th pick of the FABL draft. Fulgham may only spend July and August in Akron as there is some talk he will be permitted to leave the club in early September to return to the Fighting Saints Tyrone, PA. campus so that he may play his senior season of football. https://i.imgur.com/vdYLsmC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/tLEnCKC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/O4dytfw.jpg https://i.imgur.com/LSZ4rOX.jpg UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 7/03/1949
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July 11, 1949
JULY 11, 1949 EAGLES, FORESTERS LEAD AT MIDPOINT OF SEASON The two associations could not be shaking out much differently, as the Federals Association has four teams within three games of each other atop the standings while the Continental Association sees all seven trailers nine or more games behind the first place Cleveland Foresters (52-30). The lead was even bigger not that long ago, as the upstart Foresters slumped into the break, following a 22-6 June with a 5-6 start to July. The first place Foresters bring five representatives to the All-Star game, including the game's starter Adrian Czerwisnki (14-3, 2.78, 34) and starting third basemen Jim Adams Jr. (.346,5, 39,4). By leading in runs against and finishing the first half second in runs scored, the Foresters have found a reliable formula for winning, and barring a second half collapse, should return to the postseason for the first time since 1935. An all-out battle in the Fed sees the Washington Eagles (47-35) come out on top by a half game over the Chicago Chiefs (46-35), but at many times this season two or more teams have shared the lead in a tightly contested pennant race. The leaders got a huge blow to their title plans, as 20-year-old and first time All-Star Bill Wise (.345,0,24) will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament. It's a huge setback for a talented young player, and fans of the nation's capital squad will hope former 1st Rounder Jim Sibert (.314, 1, 6) can fill the next back up mantra baseball teams have to deal with each season. Along with the Chiefs, the New York Gothams (46-36) and Detroit Dynamos (42-36) are all in striking distance of the top spot. Chicago is scoring a lot of runs with help from leadoff man Dave Krieger (.353,4,40) and sluggers Tim Hopkins (.264,16,61) and Pete Casstevenes (.252,19,56), the Gothams boast a star studded roster of George Cleaves (.326,12,37), Red Johnson (.336,28,75), and Walt Messer (.296, 19, 61), and the Dynamos are a young team led by Allen candidate Carl Potter (12-4,2.15, 85) and former Kellogg winner Edwin Hackberry (.290,12,44,8). These teams all do it differently, but they're built to win, and all eyes will be on them after we return from break. What will make things most interesting is how the teams in the race act in July, as each contender has holes that need to be filled. Despite the huge lead, the streaky Foresters could use a veteran presence in the lineup and at the back of the pen, the Eagles need a mid-rotation arm and now potentially a middle infielder, Chicago could use a middle infielder and pitcher of their own, the Gothams need to support the #1 offense with some pitching, and the Dynamos could use a spark to their lineup. These teams, and any other team that thinks they still have a shot at a postseason bid, will be looking squarely at the defending pennant winners, who have both slumped to the bottom of their respective associations. There has been no indication of a firesale, but one has to wonder if both the Pioneers and Sailors may ship out a few of their veterans in a lost season. Both teams have been awful on the mound, 7th in runs against in their respective associations, but the pitching needy teams can recognize a lot of these guys are underperforming. Does St. Louis break up the 3-H trio by potentially making 1947 Allen Winner Danny Hern (5-12, 4.73, 62) available? Could veteran Al Duster (5-7, 4.60, 40) be pried out of Philly? Neither are old, just 32 and 30, but even with down seasons could command decent returns. The Pioneers have a pretty young lineup that hasn't produced much in terms of runs, so could long-time veterans Al Tucker (.373, 5,48) and Heinie Zimmer (.232,2,44) leave town? Maybe together just like they did nearly fifteen years ago when they left the Saints for St. Louis on the 1934 deadline. The Sailors could do the same with Ed Reyes (.376,5,37), Marion Boismenu (.326,1,21,7), or Rip Lee (.223,2,22,3). But the odds of a major shakeup seem unlikely, and we may see plenty more depth pieces change places. Hal Sharp (.250,1,15), Pinch Lenhart, and Charlie Woodbury (.241,4,10) have all already joined new organizations, and many more players have demanded trades. Rumors out of the Cougars organization report veterans Ray Ford (.252,1,7) and Clark Car (.199,5,2) could be looking for a new home while many more disgruntled veterans may soon ask for a ticket out of town. Moves will be made, but one question is on everyone's mind: who's going to make the splash that helps them win a title? ROSTERS NAMED FOR TOMORROW'S ALL-STAR GAME Bobby Barrell of the Philadelphia Keystones will be making his record 13th appearance in the All-Star Game as the greats of baseball gather at Tice Memorial Stadium in Cincinnati tomorrow for the 17th annual midseason classic. It will be the first time that Cincinnati, which joined the league in 1940 when the Baltimore Cannons relocated to the Queen City, will host the game. The Continental Association has never led in the series, but the CA stars did win each of the last three games and are now tied with the Federal squad at 8 victories apiece. The Washington Eagles lead the way with six members of their club making the Federal Association, including three who were voted to start the game. They would be second baseman Bill Wise, third baseman Mel Carrol and leftfielder Jesse Alvardo. Perhaps a sign of a changing of the guard atop the Continental Association, that loop will be paced by the Cleveland Foresters and Montreal Saints as each club places five members on the CA squad with eight of those ten making their All-Star debuts. https://i.imgur.com/m19SRfp.jpg ALL-STAR GAME REPRESENTATIVES BY TEAM WASHINGTON- 6 Mel Carrol (8), Ike Keller (6), Jesse Alvardo (4), Rats McGonigle (4), Billy Riley (3), Bill Wise (1)* CLEVELAND- 5 Walt Hill (2), Adrian Czerwinski (1), John Jackson (1), Mark Smith (1), Jim Adams Jr (1) MONTREAL- 5 Gordie Perkins (3), Ace Adams (1), Andy Lyon (1), Maurice Carter (1), Otis O'Keefe (1) NY GOTHAMS- 5 George Cleaves (11), Red Johnson (7), Ed Bowman (7), Steve Groves (1), Cecil LaBonte (1) CHIEFS- 4 Al Miller (7), Charlie Bingham (3), Pete Casstevens (2), Dave Krieger (2) DETROIT- 4 Carl Potter (3), Edwin Hackberry (3), Bill Sohl (1), Del Johnson (1) BOSTON- 3 Harry Barrell (10), Johnny Harry (2), Alf Keeter (1) COUGARS- 3 Skipper Schneider (8), Sal Pestilli (8), Donnie Jones (3) CINCINNATI- 3 Adam Mullins (11),Deuce Barrell (7), Mike T Taylor (1) NY STARS- 3 Bill Barrett (8), Eli Panneton (3), Jack Wood (1) BROOKLYN- 2 Ralph Johnson (3), Chuck Lewis (1) KEYSTONES- 2 Bobby Barrell (13), Davey Robicheaux (1) SAILORS- 2 Ed Reyes (2), Joe Scott (1) TORONTO- 2 Hal Wood (3), Jim Morrison (1) PITTSBURGH- 1 Reid McLaughlin (2) ST LOUIS- 1 Homer Mills (1) * injured, will not play in All-Star Game https://i.imgur.com/aJhJ0pq.jpg Code:
PAST ALL STAR GAME RESULTS1933 WHITNEY PARK IN CHICAGO: Federal Association 8 Continental Association 5 It was on July 6, 1933 that the first all-star game was played. Whitney Park, named after the founder of both big league baseball and the Chicago Chiefs franchise, was an ideal venue as a capacity crowd of 32,250 witnessed Bob Worley of Montreal swing at the first pitch thrown by the Keystones Ed Baker, and fly out to the Chiefs Jim Hampton in left field to officially begin the legacy of the all-star game. The Continental side struck first as, with two-out in the opening frame, Hall of Famer Max Morris singled off Baker and then Moxie Pidgeon ripped a 2-run homer. The lead was short-lived as the Feds rallied to tie with a run in each of the first and second innings before taking the lead for good in the third when Pete Asher hit a 2-run double as part of a 3-run outburst. When the dust settled the final tally was 8-5 for the Feds with Ben Curtin of the St Louis Pioneers getting credit for the victory while the Stars Les Zoller was tagged with the loss. Asher, the Pittsburgh shortstop at the time, ended up as the MVP of the game with 2 singles and a third rbi to go with that third inning double as he upstaged Freddie Jones of St Louis, who also had 3 hits in the game. 1934 RIVERSIDE STADIUM IN NEW YORK: Federal Association 11 Continental Association 7 The Feds won for the second year in a row despite being outhit 16-10 and committing 3 errors while the Continental side did not make any miscues. The game created what remains to this day as the biggest controversy in all-star history when Dick Pozza, who was managing the Continental side despite being recently fired by the 1933 champion Chicago Cougars, forced Brooklyn relief ace Del Lyons to pitch 3 innings in the all-star game. Lyons was lit up for 9 runs but the Kings were incensed, claiming Pozza had been paid off by Cleveland owner Elmer Marshall to overuse Lyons and Brooklyn catcher Fred Barrell, who played the entire game. The Foresters and Kings were in a spirited race for top spot in the Continental Association at the time and it just so happened that a key series between the two clubs took place immediately after the all-star game, one for which as it turned out Lyons would be unavailable to pitch. The game did make history as when Bobby Barrell of the Keystones led off the contest he was facing three of his brothers with Tom on the mound, Fred behind the plate and Harry at shortstop marking a record 4 siblings competing on the all-star field at the same time. The record would last just 2 years as for the 1936 game all four were there again but joined by the fifth baseball playing Barrell brother as Dan was also in the Continental lineup, although in this case while all five did play, they did not all appear on the field at the same time. 1935 BROAD STREET PARK IN PHILADELPHIA: Federal Association 5 Continental Association 2 Little is remembered of the 1935 contest as it's boxscore did not survive. The Federal Association did win, for the third year in a row, with Art Myers of the Keystones earning the W while Brooklyn's Bert Henggeler took the loss. Don Attaway, another Keystones pitcher, picked up a save and Freddie Jones, thanks to a 3-run homer, was the MVP.1936 PIONEER FILED IN ST LOUIS: Continental Association 6 Federal Association 4 The game made history for two reasons. First the CA finally got a win and second this game marked the first time 5 brothers had ever participated in a single big league contest as Brooklyn's Tom, Fred, Harry and Dan Barrell were joined in the game by the Keystones Bobby. Each of the position playing Barrell's had at least one hit in the game with Harry and Bobby getting 2 apiece. One of Bobby's knocks was a double off his brother Tom. The Continental side took the lead in the top of the first when they scored 3 runs thanks to a pair of doubles from Al Wheeler and Dick Walker. Moxie Pidgeon, now in the Federal Association with the New York Gothams, drove in Bobby Barrell in the bottom of the first to cut the CA lead to 3-1 but a Lou Williams RBI triple in the second restored the 3-run lead for the Continental nine. Bobby's double off of Tom scored Freddie Jones and cut the lead back to 2 runs but Harry put it away for the CA with a 2-run double of his own in the sixth inning. Tom Barrell got the win despite losing bragging rights to his brother Bobby with Rabbit Day taking the loss. Dick Walker of the Sailors was named the MVP. 1937 DOMINION FIELD IN TORONTO: Federal Association 4 Continental Association 2 (19 innings) Another milestone game as not only was it the first FABL All-Star game played outside of the United States but it also lasted a record 19 innings and took over 5 hours to complete. A capacity crowd of 37,592 - believed to be the most ever to attend a baseball game at Toronto's Dominion Stadium - witnessed an All-Star game that was truly worthy of the moniker classic. The visiting Feds took a quick lead on a rbi single from Pete Day to score Mel Carrol (who would go on to hit .407 that year) in the top of the first. It stayed 1-0 until the fifth inning when the Chiefs Al Miller walked George Dawson with one out. A sacrifice bunt and a Mike Taylor single later and the game was tied at 1. It would stay that way until the 19th inning. There were chances to end it before the 19th inning, certainly, such as when the Continental stars had a runner on third with one out in the bottom of the 18th but failed to bring a run in. In the top of the 19th Ken Mayhugh doubled off Walt Wells and moved to third on a Moxie Pidgeon ground out. The next man up, Jack Flint, singled in Mayhugh to break the tie and then Ed Stewart added insurance with a 2-run homer to put the Fed stars up 4-1. The insurance would prove necessary as the Continental side did not go quietly. They loaded the bases with one out and George Dawson singled in a run to cut the deficit to 2 and keep the rally going. However, the Feds went to their final pitcher - George M Brooks- and he saved the day by getting Jack Cleaves of the Sailors to hit into a game ending double play allowing everyone to finally go home. 1938 BIGSBY OVAL IN NEW YORK: Continental Association 5 Federal Association 4 (13 innings) For a while there was worry this game might last as long as the previous year's contest but in the end the Continental Association stars ended it in 13 innings, claiming a 5-4 victory thanks to Bob Smith's rbi double off Don Attaway in the top of the 13th to plate Adam Mullins and give the CA it's second win in the series. For Attaway, who was the winning pitcher and MVP of last year's marathon, the Keystones reliever became the first pitcher to be credited with both a win and a loss in all-star play. The story this year was Fred McCormick's CA debut. Traded from St Louis to Toronto just prior to the start of the season, McCormick had an incredible 1938 that included his first Whitney Award but before that he was the star of the all-star game. The 29 year old had 3 hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in 2 runs while scoring one himself to lead the way. McCormick also became the first player in all-star history to be on the winning side 5 times. He was with the Feds for four seasons, all wins, missing only the 1936 game in which the Fed lost before being traded to a CA club. 1939 FORESTER STADIUM IN CLEVELAND: Continental Association 6 Federal Association 3 Once more it was Fred McCormick leading the way as he became the first two-time All-Star Game MVP and helped propel the Continental nine to it's second straight victory. McCormick had 3 hits, a double and a pair of triples, for the second year in a row and once more drove in two runs and scored one himself. Another exile from the Federal Association, new Cleveland third sacker Mel Carrol, also had a big game at the plate for the winning side. The Feds actually opened the scoring when Gus Goulding surrendered a homerun to Sal Pestilli to lead off the third inning but McCormick evened things up with a triple in the home half to plate Sailor Bob Smith. A Joe Watson groundout would allow McCormick to score and the CA took the lead but it was short-lived. The Feds got to Goulding again in the fourth, scoring two more runs to go up 3-2 and it stayed that way until the bottom of the 7th when John Lawson's sacrifice fly plated Carrol to tie the ballgame. Could we have a third straight extra innings contest? The answer turned out to be no as veteran Dave Trowbridge scored Freddie Jones with a 2-out double off of Art Myers in the bottom of the eighth to put the CA in front. Mel Carrol would single in Trowbridge and McCormick would follow with a double off Charlie Stedman, who had relieved Myers, to plate Carrol and the lead was suddenly 6-3. Joe Hancock took care of the Federal hitters in the 9th to secure the victory for the Continental side. 1940 THOMPSON FIELD IN DETROIT: Federal Association 7 Continental Association 4 A late rally allowed the Federal stars to get back on the winning side of the ledger after losing each of the previous two games and three of the last four. It looked like the Continental boys might make it three in a row when they erupted for 4 runs in the top of the third inning off of Charlie Wheeler from the hometown Dynamos. It was many tiny cuts rather than one big blow as the CA strung together 4 singles and was aided by a free pass and a Lew McClendon error. The Feds were getting some hits but first Joe Hancock and then Cincinnati's Butch Smith escaped without surrendering a run over the first five innings. That changed in the bottom of the sixth when Deuce Barrell, making his all-star debut, surrendered a 3-run homer to Billy Woytek of the Keystones. It wasn't a bad outing for Deuce, just one bad pitch as an error by Fred McCormick prolonged the inning and allowed Woytek to come to the plate. Still leading 4-3, Dick Lyons took over for the 7th inning but after getting Red Johnson to ground out, the veteran surrendered back to back singles to Ron Rattigan and Hank Koblenz. That brought the Chiefs Bill May to the plate and the speedy centerfielder cleared the bases with a triple to put the Feds ahead 5-4. Red Johnson, the young Detroit slugger, would add a 2-run homer in the 8th inning to secure the Fed victory. 1941 KINGS COUNTY PARK IN BROOKLYN: Continental Association 8 Federal Association 4 Fred Galloway of the Cincinnati Cannons had three hits and drove in two runs to pace the Continental stars to an 8-4 victory. The CA took a quick lead on first inning rbi singles from John Lawson and Bert Lass and while the Feds did tie it in the second, the Continental stars never trailed in the contest, which would prove to be the last true All-Star for several years as many big names left to join the war effort before the 1942 season began. Chicago Cougars outfielder Leo Mitchell hit a two-run double in the bottom of the 8th to provide insurance for the Continental side with hometown hero Brooklyn relief specialist Del Lyons taking care of business in the top of the ninth to preserve the 8-4 win for the Continental stars and cut the Fed lead in the series to one at 5 wins to four. 1942 FITZPATRICK PARK IN PITTSBURGH: Federal Association 7 Continental Association 4 Hank Barnett homered twice to help the stars of the Federal Association top their Continental counterparts 7-4 in the 10th annual All-Star Game, held in Pittsburgh. The Continental Association never trailed in the game until the Fed stars broke the contest open with a 5-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth inning. The victory gives the Federal Association a 6-4 lead in the series. 1943 Parc Cartier in Montreal: Continental Association 7 Federal Association 3 The Continental Association once more pulled to within a win of tying the Feds in the overall All-Star Game standings thanks to a 7-3 victory. The big winner was baseball's Wartime Fund, as all of the proceeds were earmarked for sporting equipment that is to be delivered to soldiers around the globe and a packed house of 33,400 took in the nighttime spectacle at Montreal's Parc Cartier. A 4-run outburst by the Continental side in the 8th inning proved the difference as the CA stars roughed up first Luis Sandoval and later Ed Bowman for 5 hits including a Jim Hensley triple and Skipper Schneider double in the big frame. Top player recognition went to Gail Gifford of the St Louis Pioneers, who had 4 hits in 5 trips to the plate while playing in his first all-star contest since 1937. 1944 COLUMBIA STADIUM IN WASHINGTON DC: Federal Association 1 Continental Association 0 The only run of the game was scored on a bases-loaded walk as the Federal Association squeezed out a 1-0 victory over their Continental counterparts in the 12th annual FABL All-Star Game before a capacity crowd of well over 41,000 at Washington's Columbia Stadium. The victory puts the Feds up 7 wins to 5 in the ongoing series between the two teams and denied the Continental stars a chance to pull even in the series for the first time. Each team managed just 4 hits in the contest and the only run came in the bottom of the third inning when Toronto lefthander Bernie Johnson -making his all-star debut at the age of 34 loaded the bases on singles by Lew McClendon and Johnny McDowell sandwiched around a walk to Don Miller. Johnson induced a fly out from Gail Gifford that was not deep enough for McClendon to tag but with two out and a full count on Luke Berry, Johnson missed with his offering to the Pittsburgh outfielder and the resulting free pass brought in what would prove to be the game's only run. 1945 COUGARS PARK IN CHICAGO: Federal Association 6 Continental Association 4 (10 innings) Chick Donnelly became an All-Star Game hero with one swing of the bat. The 33 year old Boston Minutemen outfielder hit a grand slam with two-out and two-strikes on him in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Federal Association stars to an 8-4 win in the 13th annual all-star game, played before a sold out crowd of 44,450 at Chicago's Cougars Park. The victory gives the Federal Association an 8 games to 5 lead in the series. It marked the third time the contest has needed extra innings with the Fed stars winning 4-2 in a 19 inning marathon in 1937 and the Continental side gaining revenge with a 5-4 13 inning victory the following season. It also marked the second time the game was played in Chicago, with the Federal Association winning the first one as well. That was in 1933 in the inaugural Mid-Summer Classic, played at Whitney Park and won 8-5 by the Federal stars. 1946 MINUTEMEN STADIUM IN BOSTON: Conetinental Association 2 Federal Association 1 The stars of the Continental Association ended the Federal Association's two years of bragging rights with a 2-1 victory in a tightly contested pitching duel Tuesday evening in Boston. The victory, cuts the Fed lead to 8 wins to 6 in the now 14 year old tradition of a mid-season baseball All-Star game. The game was scoreless until the 6th inning after Ed Wood and Ed Bowman combined to toss five hitless innings for the Fed but rookie Adam Grayson of the Pittsburgh Miners -who took the hill in the 6th for the Feds- ran into trouble immediately by issuing 3 straight walks to load the bases. He was quickly replaced by Harry Carter ofthe Gothams, who allowed two runs on a ground out by Denny Andrews and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Adam Mullins. The only Federal Association run came on a solo homer from Washington first baseman Sig Stofer, who was named the game's MVP, as some solid relief work from George Hampton, Art Edwards and George Scruggs closed out the victory for the Continental nine. 1947 SAILORS MEMORIAL STADIUM IN PHILADELPHIA: Continental Association 5 Federal Association 4 (10 innings) Hal Sharp of the Chicago Cougars hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Continental Association to a thrilling 5-4 victory in the 15th annual All-Star Game. It marked a dramatic end to a contest that saw each team score a run in the ninth inning to send the contest into extra innings. The victory cuts the Federal Association's lead in the series to a slim 8-7 margin. The game's most valuable player was Sharp's Cougars teammate Walt Pack, who drove in 4 runs for the Continental stars with a 2-run double in the fourth, a solo homerun in the seventh frame to tie the contest at three and then delivered a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to plate another Cougar, Skipper Schneider, and send the game into extra innings. Pack's sacrifice evened the score at 4 after Bobby Barrell of the Philadelphia Keystones belted his second homerun of the game in the top of the ninth to give the Fed side the lead. 1948 WHITNEY PARK IN CHICAGO : Continental Association 11 Federal Association 3 For the first time in the 16-year history of FABL's All-Star Game the Continental Association pulled even with the stars of the Federal loop. The Continental side blasted the Fed 11-3, marking the third straight victory for the CA and allowing them to even the series -something they have never done before- at 8 wins each. Bill Barrett was named the player of the game, adding another bauble to the impressive collection of accolades the outfielder has accumulated through the years. Barrett got the Continental nine off to a quick start with a 3-run homer in the top of the first inning to give his side an early lead, one which they would never relinquish. Sal Pestilli of the Cougars increased the lead with a solo shot in the third frame and it was up to 7-0 following a fifth inning in which Pestilli doubled in a run and the Sailors Ed Reyes had a 2-rbi single. Four more runs in the sixth inning made the score 11-0 before the Federal Association finally got on the scoreboard with 3 late runs. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Toronto Wolves Still Trying to Find Consistency -- Fred Barrell's charges knew this was going to be a challenging week with 9 games 8 days before the All-Star Game in Cincinnati. Going 4-5 on the road is not enough to sink the season although it is also not enough to gain ground on the surprising pennant leaders in the CA -the Cleveland Foresters. The biggest question in the loop is "Can Cleveland fend off a charge, which is sure to come, in the second half?" Insiders believe that the most likely challengers to chase down the leader would either be the Cougars or Stars. Brett thinks there could be other teams in the mix if the Foresters falter, namely Montreal or Cincinnati, who both have the potential to go on an extended winning streak. The Saints are one of the youngest teams in the FABL so it is unknown whether the pressure of contending will be something they can overcome if close in September. Brett feels for the Wolves to even enter the flag conversation they will have to come out of the break white hot. There longest winning streak of the season is 5, they will have to match or surpass that at least a couple of times during July or August to keep pennant hopes alive. In the first half the team's longest losing streak is 4 but too often a sequence of a win followed by 2 losses has played out for the team. Areas of much needed improvement have been oft mentioned in the Mail & Empire. Fans are irate that Fred McCormick was not named to participate in Cincinnati on Wednesday with the sentiment being that the snub was uncalled for. The Wolves switchboard was flooded with calls wanting to know where to write to make their opinions known to the powers that be in the league offices. Toronto had two players selected for the game in pitcher Jim Morrison, a first-time invitee at the age of 34, and third sacker Hal Wood. Brett's sources have also told him that the team is considering offers from an FA team on long time SS Charlie Artuso. Is this the start of the team's transition to youth to begin the Fifties? Brett also learned that Manager Barrell, the GM, along with Scouting Director Art Willis, did not join the team on the flight home. The three are headed for Davenport to watch John Wells and Les Ledbetter in workouts prior to Wednesday's game against Terre Haute. Barrell will rejoin the team in New York before the Stars game on Thursday. In other news the Tuscaloosa Tomcats, under rookie manager Clarence Howerton, have begun their season 5-1. They have just added a number of the players to the roster which is now at 27 including highly regarded multi position player Ben Wood. The club was not able to sign pitcher Ike Brennan who opted to go to Burleson College on scholarship. As the Kings head into the All-Star break at a disappointing 38-43, they sit in 7th place and 13 1/2 games behind 1st place Cleveland. While not in the running for 1st they are only 4 1/2 games out of 2nd place in the jumble behind the Foresters. With just 2 All-stars in 2B/SS Chuck Lewis who was voted onto the team, and RF Ralph Johnson who was added on by the coaching staff, its still very clear what the weakness is with the Kings. Since it is almost impossible to make a deal for a quality starting pitcher, the Kings GM looks at what else he can do besides wait patiently for the younger pitchers to fully develop. *** Kings Fire Pitching Coach Earl Scott *** As contract extension were being handed out, there was one that was notably missing. Today, the King's fired pitching coach Earl Scott. Most likely being the scapegoat for a staff that is struggling, even with Bob Arman not having a good season, Scott is the fall guy. When asked about the decision GM Martin simply stated, "This is a results oriented business. The staff has not developed or performed the way we had hoped. In talking it over, we came to the decision that a change was needed. We do wish Earl the best. He is a good baseball man and I am sure he will get an opportunity elsewhere soon." The Kings will begin the search immediately for a successor to Scott. They will be interviewing minor league pitching coaches Charlie Head (AAA), Al Conover (AA), Mickey Williams (B) and also recently retired and now Class C Pitching Coach Karl Johnson. Outside candidates include Willie Couillard who was the Montreal Saints former pitching coach. All the other coaches and front office personal were given 2 year contract extensions including Manager Tom Barrell and Hitting Coach Milo Kimble. The Kings have also extended most of the minor league coaching staffs as well. *** Pitcher Byler Sent Down *** SP Paul Byler (24) was sent down to AAA Jersey City after posting a 6-7 record with a 5.24 ERA. Byler's biggest issue has been his control, or lack there of it. Currently averaging a walk every inning, the Kings decided he would spend some time at Jersey City to see if he could iron out his problems. Byler had given up more walks (103) than hits (90) this season in 101.1 IP. He was on pace to break 200 walks for the season. In Byler's place the Kings claimed veteran RP Jim Walker who will slide into a middle reliever role for the Kings. Replacing Byler for now in the rotation is veteran Rusty Petrick, who has been lights out in the bullpen pitching to an ERA 0.52 but has struggled in the rotation. There was some thought to bringing up either Davey Chamberlain or Hal Friedlander to take Byler's spot, but the Kings maybe trying to show that Petrick can still go in the rotation either for a trade at the deadline or to enhance their chances of finishing above 500. *** Kings Make Two Deals *** First the Kings made a deal with the New York Gothams and traded AAA SP Pinch Lenhart to the Gothams for 2 prospects in and around the 200 level. With pitching being a struggle some would wonder why the Kings would ship Lenhart who was 7-2 with a 2.17 ERA with AAA Jersey City. GM Martin stated that while Pinch has done well this season at AAA, the organization felt that he deserved a fresh start with a new organization. Lenhart hadn't pitched in the major leagues since the 1945 (age 23) season prior to Manager Tom Barrell and GM Martin came to town. During that 45 season Lenhart was 4-6 with 8 saves and 2.88 ERA in 59 appearances. The Kings pick up two prospects in CF Carl Clark and P Tommy Wilde. In the 2nd deal, the Kings shipped away former starting 2B Charlie Woodbury to the Chicago Cougars for 2B/1B prospect Bob Schmelz. Woodbury who had a fine season with the bat in 1948 (307/359/779 11-68) was unhappy losing his starting spot to the younger, more athletic Chuck Lewis who made the All-Star game. In Schmelz the Kings pick up a player who could play on the right side of the infield and perhaps will get some game time in the crowd AAA Jersey City OF to learn some more positions. Neither player is especially adapt playing defense at the keystone position. *** Kings Sign 15 of their Draft Picks *** The Kings have signed 15 of their 25 draft picks with the top of the class being 1st round 2B Buddy Byrd the latest in the King's pursuit of a future 2B. Since that choice in early January, 2B Chuck Lewis seems to have handled the move from SS to 2B pretty well and is having a fine season. Byrd debuts on the top 100 prospect list as the Kings #3 player and at #24 overall behind King's prospect OF's Fred Miller (#21) and Charlie Rogers (#23). Other Kings draft players debuting on the list are CF Miles Watson (#164) and 1B Ham Martin (#229). With those results the Kings are somewhat disappointed in their draft but it is still early. *** Scouting Director John Spears Extended.....for now *** Despite the lackluster draft results for the Kings, Scouting Director John Spears has signed a new deal. But you can believe that there are some expectations of better results in next year's draft are expected. Spears has been with the Kings since 1931 and next year will mark his 20th season with the Kings for the 60 year old talent evaluator. *** Kings Promote 2 Minor League Prospects up a Level *** The Kings promote CF Charlie Rogers from AA Knoxville to take over the reins in CF at AAA as a leadup to what many feel with be his debut next year with the Kings. Rogers (20 B-L) hit 337/365/859 with 13 doubles and 11 triples. Also joining AAA Jersey City is 2B Bob Balster, who doesn't have the prospect ranking by OSA (but what do they know) but hit a very solid 321/396/828 with 16 doubles and 5 home runs. You could see Balster (22 B-S) in a backup role with the Kings sometime in the future.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 7/10/1949
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I am sure everyone is on the edge of their seat waiting to see who won the All-Star Game and eagerly anticipating the upcoming NAHC and FBL drafts but FABL and the rest of our leagues are on an extended Christmas break which is the reason for no updates.
The plan is to resume our sim schedule on January 2 but in the meantime, here is a quick note on a few of my favourite athletes in the Figment Universe and a bio of one I despise. Let's start with the guy I despise and really the only player in any sport that I can't stand. That would be Jack Beach. The pitcher might have had a decent career and achieved success with both Detroit and the Chiefs, but his very brief time with me when I was the GM in Brooklyn was the stuff of nightmares. As background the Kings had won 97 games in 1934 but 4 losses in a 5 game span in the final week left us 1 game shy of the Cleveland Foresters for the pennant and revived talk of "The Curse of Fernando Hawkins." In May of '35 we made a major deal - one of the biggest of the era- to add future Hall of Famer Al Wheeler and current Hall of Famer Frank Vance from the struggling Dynamos. A third player also was acquired in that deal - Jack Beach, who had won 15 games for Detroit the previous season and was just 3 years removed from an Allen Award winning season. Beach, like the rest of the Dynamos, got out of the get slow in 1935, but while Wheeler and Vance prospered in their new surroundings, Beach would become the scapegoat for another lost season in Brooklyn. The Kings once more finished with the second most wins in baseball, but their 95-59 record was once again a game shy of Cleveland. Beach was in the minors when the final weeks played out so he did not have a direct impact on the final week but he made three awful starts in late August and was exiled to AAA Rochester with an 8.78 era in 5 Brooklyn appearances. His awful stretch with the big club, which came with the club struggling to hold off a hard-charging Foresters nine, made him the easy target for yet another year of failure for a Brooklyn club that had never won a WCS and seemed to be cursed. (read more about The Curse of Ferdinand Hawkins here ) The curse would be lifted the following year when the Kings won 98 games and finally got their pennant, but they faltered in the WCS, losing to the Chiefs who counted one Jack Beach among their pitchers. Beach went 14-10 for Chicago after being cast out of Brooklyn for a 7th round pick immediately after the conclusion of the 1935 campaign. Brooklyn would beat Pittsburgh to win the '37 series and finally claim their first World title, but there was Beach once more staring them in the face in 1938 when he went 21-8 to help the Chiefs win a second Fed flag in three years. Not called on by Chicago in the '36 series, Beach would pitch in just one game in the '38 fall classic, one in which the Chiefs would prevail in 7 games, and it would just so happen to be that deciding 7th game. Beach pitched like he did any other time he took the field at Kings County Ballpark, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits and 3 walks over 2 and a third innings but somehow, he earned the win in relief of Rabbit Day as the Chiefs held on for an 11-10 victory giving Kings management one more reason to hate Jack Beach. It would be the only postseason appearance of Beach's career leaving him with a 1-0 record but a 15.43 WCS era. He would go just 6-17 over his final two seasons in the Windy City and retire following the 1940 season with a sold 137-106 record and a 4.31 era (1-1, 8.78 as a King and 1-0, 15.43 against Brooklyn). Beach was a three-time all-star and as mentioned earlier the winner of the 1932 Fed Allen Award after a 20-10 season for Detroit. In Brooklyn he is just known, perhaps unfairly, as the man who cost us the 1935 CA flag and the 1938 WCS. JACK BEACH'S GAME LOG FROM BROOKLYN 1935 AND CAREER STATS Now for a far better topic. My favourite players. I am not referring to the obvious choices of the superstars like Al Wheeler, the Barrell's, Rabbit Day or Max Morris. Rather the relative unknowns who earned a special place in my memory when I look back at the Figment Universe. Here are 3 players who maybe flew under the radar but you felt a real connection with. Two are former pitchers of mine with Brooklyn in Topsy Moran and Bill Dengler. Moran was part of the first deal I ever made when I sent my first round pick (2nd overall) to Toronto and traded down to draft Doug Lightbody. The 26 years old Topsy was coming off a very impressive 19-6 season at AAA Buffalo and in my first foray into a stats only online league seemed like a good pickup. He went 12-10 for me as a rookie in '26 but won just 17 games the rest of his career. He does hold the distinction of being the first pitcher in the modern era to throw a no-hitter, which he did against Cleveland in June of 1926. A shoulder injury that cost him nearly all of the 1927 season might have ruined the high hopes I had for him, or perhaps he was just not that good to begin with. Injuries definitely were responsible for the demise of Bill Dengler. I drafted him out of Maryland State in the 2nd round of the 1925 draft (our first as GMs). He was a top 100 prospect but developed slowly. 1929 was his breakout year and he started 7-3 with a respectable 3.59 era but then blew out his arm and missed 13 months. He was never the same, but the Rochester native suffered several more injuries including a career ender in 1933 at the age of 28. He went just 20-21 over parts of 6 seasons with the Kings. I immediately hired him as a pitching coach and he spent 7 seasons in the Kings organization before I hired him away to join me with the Cannons organization in 1941. He is still with them as the pitching coach at AA Erie. In football the guy I really follow is Bob Holt. He was the first overall selection from Eastern State by the St Louis Ramblers in the 1942 AFA draft and had possibly the greatest pro debut ever when he ran for 254 yards against the Philadelphia Frigates in the season opener. He then lost the next two and a half seasons to the war before returning and winning his second AFA rushing title in 1946. Holt moved on to Pittsburgh in 1947 and has not been the same player but he is still fairly young (28 I think) and maybe there is still hope for another big season out of him. I am not sure I have a hockey under-the-radar personal favourite that really stands out yet and the same for pro basketball but I have maybe a dozen for the 40-odd years of the college basketball sim. I won't list them in this writeup but perhaps I will look at some of them over the next week if I have time. In the meantime, here are Bob Holt's career numbers. |
Monday July 11, 1949 - From the pages of The Detroit Times
DETROIT TIMES July 11, 1949 TIME RUNNING OUT TO END DECADE OF PRO SPORTS FRUSTRATION It has been a rough decade for sports in the Motor City. Our failures at landing the Olympic Games despite multiple bids have been much publicized and I will not rehash them again here. Instead lets focus on our pro clubs and the hopes towards ending a decade long title drought. There is a little bit of pressure on the Dynamos and/or Maroons. Of the four cities with at least one pro team in each of the 4 major sports (Boston, Chicago, Detroit and New York) Detroit is the only one who may go the entire decade without a professional championship. Boston has 5 Challenge Cups and a pair of AFA titles in the forties as well as WCS crown in 1941. Chicago has struggled in hockey and in the Federal Association with the Chiefs this decade while the Continental Association Cougars have missed some big opportunities on the diamond, but the Wildcats won 3 AFA championship games this decade and the cage Panthers claimed the inaugural Federal Basketball League title in 1946-47. Winter sports may not be doing well in the Big Apple but New York has a WCS win for both the Stars and Gothams in the forties and an AFA crown for the grid Stars in 1946. That leaves Detroit, which last celebrated a pro sports title in the spring of 1939 when the Detroit Motors who their only Challenge Cup. Rollie Barrell's football club, the Maroons, have played in 3 AFA title games this decade but came out on the short end of the score on all 3 occasions. The most recent of the Maroons four AFA titles came in 1936. The old Detroit Electrics won a pro basketball title back in the 1920s and Rollie's other club, the Detroit Mustangs reached the championship series of the Federal Basketball League this past spring but were swept by the mighty Brooklyn Red Caps. That leaves the Dynamos, who have not won a World Championship Series or a Federal Association pennant since 1929. With less than 6 months remaining in the decade the Dynamos and Maroons each have one last chance. The news is not all bad as Detroit City College was crowned the AIAA collegiate football champions last January but we are focusing on pro sports here. Among the 3 sport cities with recent wins include Toronto, which started the decade off with a WCS win for the Wolves over Pittsburgh in 1940 and the Dukes have won the last two Challenge Cups and a total 5 this decade. Others are
The Steel City has 3 major sports teams, but the Miners have not won a WCS title since 1901, although they do have some Federal Association pennants to show for their efforts. The football Paladins have 3 AFA titles but none since 1935 and their basketball team, which is now the Falcons, has never won a title. Montreal is represented by the Continental Association's Saints but they have not won a WCS title since 1921 and have gone the same amount of time without a Continental Association pennant. Then we have the hockey Valiants, who's last NAHC Challenge Cup win came in the spring of 1928. The now-defunct Montreal Nationals did win a pair of Challenge Cups in 1936 and 1937 to mark the most recent championship parade in that city. As for the Motor City's chances this year. Well, the Dynamos are doing their best to hang around in the Federal Association pennant race and perhaps the big trade to acquire veteran all-star catcher Adam Mullins from Cincinnati will help the offense, which is the least productive in the 8-team loop. The pitching, led by Carl Potter (12-4, 2.15), has been terrific but one still has to consider the Dynamos longshots to claim the flag. They presently sit fourth but just 3 games off the pace set by the front-running Washington Eagles with the New York Gothams and surprising Chicago Chiefs also ahead of the Motor City nine. The Maroons will begin training camp in the next couple of weeks but after a dismal 2-10 campaign a year ago and plenty of holes on both sides of the ball, very little is expected from the upcoming season. It has been a rough decade for Detroit pro sports fans although that terrific run by the Mustangs led by sensational rookie Ward Messer has certainly given us cause for hope for the future. But the Mustangs next opportunity to end the city's championship drought will not come until the spring of 1950. Here are the titles by city for major sports teams. |
Monday July 11, 1949- From the pages of The Montreal Star
MONTREAL STAR July 11, 1949 While the July weather has us focusing on the Saints and their annual battle to finish above the breakeven point in Continental Association play - and that is something they finally did a year ago for the first time since 1932- I would like to turn your attention to the sport that Montrealer's most cherish - hockey and the Valiants. Well, not just the Valiants but rather the entire NAHC as I thought I would relieve some of the summer heat with an ice bath, diving deep into the history of the NAHC and naming an all-decade team for the league. That is not as easy as it might sound as there are clearly some very difficult choices and many worthy candidates. Let's look at them position by position before I reveal my selections for the NAHC's best of the past decade. GOALTENDER With all due respect to Millard Touhey, who certainly wore out his welcome with the Vals but before that nearly led the team to its first Challenge Cup win in two decades, but there are really just two candidates for the role of netminder on our all-decade team. They would be Gordie Broadway and Tom Brockers. Let's compare the two:Broadway has spent his entire career with Toronto, helping the Dukes win 5 Challenge Cups. His 225-138-56 record makes the 34-year-old Timmins native this decades winningest goalie and his 2.26 goals against average is only surpassed by former Detroit and Brooklyn netminder George Dinsmore for the lowest this decade among goalies who appeared in at least 100 games. Broadway also won the Juneau Trophy as the NAHC's top goaltender twice: in 1941 and again five years later. Brockers leads Broadway in Juneau wins as the 33-year-old has 4 of them including 3 this decade, but he trails Broadway in all other categories. Brockers did win three Challenge Cups with Boston before being dealt to the Brooklyn Eagles in 1944. The Calgary born goaltender returned to the Bees after the Eagles franchise folded but was dealt to Montreal last winter. His 175-140-46 record with a 2.39 GAA this decade are impressive but the nod has to go to the Toronto netminder as the decade's top goaltender. DEFENCE The candidates include bruising Bert McCalley, who was recently dealt from the New York Shamrocks to the Chicago Packers. Others worthy of consideration are Willis Beane and Len Bentley of Boston, New York's Jerry Finch -who went the other way in the McCalley trade- Shel Herron of Montreal and his former teammate with both Detroit and the Valiants in Bryant Williams. Some might make a case for Toronto defenseman JC Martel despite the fact the 27 year old did not make his NAHC debut until 1944-45.It is hard to wrong with any of those choices but for my money, I will lean towards McCalley and Herron. No defenseman this decade threw more hits than the 31-year-old McCalley, who plays much bigger than his 5'9", 185 lbs stature might suggest. A defensive specialist he was dominant early in the decade and while his performance has suffered slightly in recent years, the Winnipeg native was named to the first All-Star team two years ago and a second team selection this past season. He played 410 games this decade, all with New York, tallying 43 goals and 192 points. McCalley will make his Chicago debut in October after being dealt to the Packers shortly after the Challenge Cup was awarded this spring. There must be something in the water in Manitoba as joining McCalley on my All-Decade team is fellow Winnipeg native and current Montreal Valiants stalwart Shel Herron. No defenseman scored more than the 253 points Herron accumulated for Detroit and Montreal this decade. Graham Ferrar is listed as a rearguard now but spent most of his career as a forward. The 6'2" Herron is an intimidating force on the blueline but has some offensive skills as well. He spent a decade in Detroit before the Valiants acquired him, along with fellow defender Bryant Williams, from Detroit just before Christmas 1947. CENTER So many great choices for the man in the middle including local legend Clarence Skinner. You also have Wilbur Chandler, Orval Cabbell, Tommy Burns and Bobbie Sauer. The choice comes down to Burns and Sauer but I am going to have to give the age to the Chicago Packers legend. Tommy Burns won three straight McDaniels Trophy's and led the NAHC in scoring twice this decade. His 223 goals over the past 10 years are tops in the loop but Sauer actually has accumulated more points than Burns. Surprisingly Sauer has never led the NAHC in scoring in a season but did win a pair of McDaniels Trophy's as league MVP and was a key contributor to 5 Toronto Challenge Cup victories. He did benefit from a much better supporting cast that Burns over the years. Veteran Boston star Wilbur Chandler, with 2 scoring titles and 3 McDaniels wins, is also in the mix but Tommy Burns is my pick.RIGHT WING There are more options to consider on the port side for some reason but that does not mean there are not some viable candidates for the right wing slot. They include Marty Mahoney, the long-time wingman of Tommy Burns in Chicago, as well as Waldemar Rupp of Boston and veteran Valiants winger Doug Lynch.It might be a bit of hometown bias but the pick here is veteran Valiants captain Doug Lynch. He is now 36 years old and St Catharines, Ontario area native is just a spare part with the Vals but in his prime Lynch had 3 straight twenty-goal seasons and amassed 122 goals and 293 points over the decade. His numbers are a little lower than Marty Mahoney's (126-194-320) but Lynch made his mark without a center like Tommy Burns helping to pad his stats. LEFT WING The left side has a lot of depth but one clear standout. Tommy Hart of Boston. Others maybe drawing attention for the second team could be Joe Morey, Miles Barfield, Wes Burns and Glen Whitely but the top left winger over the past decade is without a doubt Boston standout Hart.Tommy Hart scored more points in the 1940's (212-266-478) than any other player and only Tommy Burns had more goals. It is hard to imagine a more feared line in its prime than the Boston trio of Hart, Wilbur Chandler and Waldemar Rupp. Hart, a 32-year-old native of Kitchener, led the NAHC in scoring in 1942-43 and won a McDaniels Trophy in 1941. He helped led Boston to 5 Challenge Cup wins and his 67 playoff points are more than any other player accumulated in the 1940s. Here is my All-Decade Team and the NAHC scoring and goaltending leaders for the past decade. Brett Bing of the Toronto Mail & Empire also created a list of his All-Decade club and he went one step further, naming both a first and second team. Here is his list: Code:
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July 18, 1949
Our extended holiday break is over and the printing press at TWIFB headquarters has been fired up once more.
JULY 18, 1949 CONTINENTAL SIDE TAKES ALL-STAR GAME LEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME CA Circuit Prevails for Record Fourth Year in a Row Cincinnati Cannons outfielder Mike T. Taylor delighted a sold-out crowd of 50,000 at Tice Memorial Stadium as the hometown star homered twice to lead the best of the Continental Association to a 4-3 victory over the Federal loop in the 17th annual FABL All-Star Game. The victory marks a record fourth consecutive win for the Continental stars who, for the first-time ever, now lead the series as the CA was won 9 games, one more than the Federal loop can claim. The contest looked like it had the makings of a slugfest early as the clubs combined for 5 runs in the opening inning and a half before the pitching eventually took over. Bobby Barrell of the Philadelphia Keystones, playing in his record 13th all-star contest, got things started early when he belted his 5th career homerun in Cincinnati -although the 4 came down the street at the original Tice Memorial Stadium during the 1944 and 1945 World Championship Series- to stake the Fed stars to a quick 1-0 lead. That homer came with one out and was off rookie Adiran Czerwinski, the surprising rookie who has helped lead the Cleveland Foresters from the depths of the Continental Association to the penthouse that is first place at mid-season. The Continental side, facing New York Gothams ace Ed Bowman, answered quickly with a pair of runs of their own in the home half of the opening game. There was no big blow but rather a series of singles -off the bats of Skipper Schneider, Mike T Taylor and Maurice Carter along with a free pass issued to Jim Adams Jr. that culminated in Carter's hit that plated two for the young Montreal Saints star who was originally drafted by the Cannons back in 1941. The Federal side equalized the game very quickly as the Gothams veteran catcher George Cleaves led off the second with a solo shot off of Czerwinski and before the inning was over the Feds had a 3-2 lead when Harry Barrell of the Boston Minutemen, who had delivered a 1-out single, scored on a Cecil LaBonte fielders choice after Reid McLaughlin had also delivered a base knock. The score remained 3-2 in favour of the Federal stars until Taylor took over. The Cannons outfielder tied the game with a solo homerun off of Charlie Bingham of the Chicago Chiefs in the fifth inning and delivered what would prove to be the game winner with a blast off of Art Keeter to lead off the bottom of the 7th. The mound trio of Cannons ace Deuce Barrell, Donnie Jones of the Chicago Cougars and the New York Stars Eli Panneton proved too much for the Federal bats as the trio each threw 2 shutout innings while allowing just a single hit apiece in order to preserve the victory for the Continental Association. Jones, who fanned 3 in his 2 innings of work, was named the winning pitcher while Boston's Keeter was tagged with the loss. Taylor was a very popular choice as the game's Most Valuable Player, drawing a standing ovation from the Cannons supporters. Code:
PAST ALL STAR GAME RESULTSPAIR OF FED CONTENDERS MAKE MOVES DYNAMOS BANKNG ON BIG SECOND HALF FROM THEIR NEWEST ADDITION In one of the more unexpected moves this season, the Detroit Dynamos made a huge splash, acquiring recently named "All-Star" (who in this reporter thinks is an atrocity, but that's a story for another time) catcher Adam Mullins from the Cincinnati Cannons in an effort to bolster an offense that has not supported the Federal Association's best pitching staff. The price will be a trio of minor leaguers, led by former 3rd Overall selection Tommy Allenby. Mullins, now 36, is no stranger to big trades, as he was once acquired by the current Dynamos General Manager in an offseason blockbuster with the Montreal Saints back in 1940. Then 28, Mullins was already a 4-Time All-Star and one of the best catchers in the game, owning a career .319/.408/.439 (132 OPS+) batting line with 186 doubles, 27 homers, and 363 RBIs in 699 games. Since then, he's been just as good, being selected to seven more All-Star games while capturing the 1943 Whitney in the Cannons championship year. That was the best year of his career, where he hit .307/.418/.411 (149 OPS+) with 25 doubles, 5 triples, 4 and 56 RBIs with an elite 89-to-21 walk-to-strikeout ratio. That's always been a strength for Mullins, who then spent the next three seasons in the Navy, and will finish his Cannons career with 757 games split between seven seasons and ten years. His .301/.392/.418 (132 OPS+) line with the Cannons is almost identical to his Saints line, with an overall .309/.400/.428 (132 OPS+) line in 1,456 games played. Mullins has walked (818) nearly four times as often as he's struck out (209), and while not known for power (just 67 homers), he's tallied 351 doubles, 775 runs, and 701 RBIs while being worth an impressive 57 wins above replacement. This season has been another good offensive season for Mullins, who's hitting .330/.404/.440 (118 OPS+), but a shoulder injury has limited him to just 26 games. The Dynamos will be betting on him staying healthy the rest of the way, but any level of Mullins will be an offensive upgrade over incumbent starter and son of Dynamo Manager Dick York, Rick York (.195, 6, 26), who at 29 has hit just .239/.298/.358 (83 OPS+) in 387 career games. For a Dynamos team that ranks 8th in runs scored and bottom three in average, slugging, OPS, wOBA, hits, extra base hits, strikeouts, and steals. This signals a potential rebuild for the Cannons, who were the class of the CA in the 1940s. After winning 82 or more games in each of the first eight seasons, they fell to 71-83, and are 40-42 and 12 game out of first. An aging team, the Cannons have a lot of potential trade pieces, with veterans Jim Anderson (8-5, 4.95, 56), Charlie Griffith (8-7, 4.36, 35), Chuck Adams (.278, 14, 55), Charlie Rivera (.227, 5, 26, 5), Denny Andrews (.224, 2, 28), Jim Hensley (.241, 4, 36), Mike T. Taylor (.326, 8, 37, 6), and Sam Brown (.241, 12) all wondering if they could be next. It's already been announced superstar Rufus Barrell (9-6, 3.01, 64) and Fred Galloway (.303, 2, 19, 3) won't be going anywhere, but I imagine the Cannons will be fielding plenty of calls from contenders in the coming weeks. Looking at the return, Allenby is the most notable of the prospects coming to Cincinnati, who was the player selected with one of the picks acquired from the Chiefs for the rights to select John Stallings in 1946. Allenby hasn't lived up to the hype, but the young slugger ranks 8th in the Dynamos system and 132nd overall. A bat first prospect, Allenby has quick hands and a silky smooth swing, and scouts expect him to hit for average to above average power when he fills out. Just 21, he's already made 82 appearances in AA, and is still not yet eligible for the Rule-5 Draft. Joining him in Cincinnati is 20-year-old righty Jack Halbur and 23-year-old backstop Red Rodgers. Halbur is ranked similarly to Allenby, as the former 2nd Rounder is 9th in the system and 134th overall. He's just 2-6 with a 5.79 ERA (82 ERA+) in 10 starts in Class B Chattanooga, but the 5'6'' hurler is a finesse pitcher who expects to fill the back of a rotation. His fastball and cutter lives comfortably in the low 90s, while his changeup has impressive downward movement. Rodgers isn't rated highly as a prospect, but he's a young switch hitter who could take Mullins' spot on the active roster if they'd like. The former 2nd Rounder has hit an above average .287/.366/.368 (122 OPS+) in 101 PAs for the AAA Newark Aces. It will be interesting to see how other team's react to the trade, as the Dynamos have added multiple bats during the season as they look to come atop a crowded association. When the trade was announced, they were in fourth, just three games behind the first place Eagles. The second place Chiefs, just half a game back, picked up Wolves shortstop Charlie Artuso and the third place Gothams have made their desire for a starting pitcher heard. With few sellers, there may not be enough pieces for all those set on a title, which could allow a team like the Cannons to capture plenty of prospect capital. Archie Irwin's Take: This trade can be a win-win for both teams, but it will all depend on the end of the season. Simply put, the Dynamos need Mullins to hit well this year as they look to return to the postseason for the first time since 1929. No available catcher can give you the offense Mullins provides, and catcher was easily the Dynamos biggest weakness. At 36, it's hard to know how much value he can continue to provide behind the plate, but Mullins' bat solidifies the middle of the lineup and gives needed support to young star Edwin Hackberry (.290, 12, 44, 8). I don't think the Dynamos are done, but if Mullins is the only major addition for anyone this July, it could end up being the difference between first and the field. For the Cannons, it's a clear signal of a rebuild, and they add a pair of prospect with strong prospect pedigree and a potential replacement for Mullins either this year or next. Halbur and Allenby won't come anywhere close to Mullins, but his value is likely to decline each week, and it may not be worth the risk holding out for a blue chip prospect. Instead, they get three potential FABL quality players, and they're able to begin a youth movement that could quickly put the Cannons back in the pennant race. CHIEFS MAKE MOVE TO SHORE UP SHORTCOMINGS FOR PENNANT PUSH Our loyal readers of This Week in Figment Sports wouldn't have been surprised with the trade of longtime Wolf shortstop Charlie Artuso, as highly reputable beat writer Brett Bing recently reported that his Toronto Wolves were nearing an agreement with a Federal Association team. That team proved to be the Chicago Chiefs, who entered the All-Star break just half a game out of first despite coming off their first last place finish since 1914. Shortstop has long been a weak point for the Fed's representative in the Windy City, currently employing a draftee from their crosstown counterpart Tommy Wilson (.202,4,23,3), who has been worth almost a full win below average (-0.8) with a -8.4 zone rating and 60 WRC+. Even if the 1949 version of Artuso is the true version, it's a major upgrade for the Chiefs, but the 33-year-old and 4-Time All-Star was once part of a very deep and talented crop of shortstops in the Continental Association. He's no Harry Barrell or Skipper Schneider, but Artuso has a decade long track record of excellence in FABL. Taken 4th in 1934, Artuso debuted in 1937, became a full-time starter in 1938, and then appeared in 139 or more games in each of the next ten seasons. He's on pace to fall a little short of that this season, as he's on pace for just 130 games, and he's followed up a .217/.299/.312 (69 OPS+) season with a slightly better .235/.328/.368 (79 OPS+) triple slash. This is really the first stretch of struggle for Artuso, who could really benefit from a change of scenery. Artuso has been worth 5 or more WAR on five separate occasions, including a league leading 7.8 in 1940 and an absurd 10.0 in 1945 where he somehow fell short to the previously mentioned Skipper Schneider who put up an absurd 10.8 for the Chicago Cougars. Known for an impressive combination of offense and defense, Artuso owns a career .256/.324/.363 (94 OPS+) batting line -- slightly below average overall but above average for a shortstop -- with 331 doubles, 90 triples, 62 homers, and 691 RBIs. He's got a great eye, walking 12% of the time compared to being struck out just 6.5% of the time, and he's been an above average defensive shortstop in each season of his career. He's managed to tally an impressive 235 zone rating at the toughest defensive position, leading to a 1.088 efficiency that rates him 88% better then the league average shortstop. Even with his limited offensive production, his 2.2 zone rating (1.040) provides Chicago with a major defensive upgrade, and with the added durability they can rely on him taking the field nearly every day. In fact, Artuso has been one of the league's best iron men, only missing six days due to illness in his fifteen year professional career. With Artuso you know exactly what you're going to get: solid defense, solid at bats, and a hardworking veteran who brings it every day. The Wolves are comfortable parting with Artuso, as the lucky lottery winners snagged All-World shortstop prospect (ranked #2 overall) John Wells with the first pick, and he has been dubbed the shortstop of the future. 19 in October, he hit a whopping .591/.657/.1.073 as a high school senior, and it was only a matter of time before he would have pushed Artuso off his regular position sooner then later. The sky is really the limit for Wells, who the Wolves may pivot towards building around. They have not signaled a full rebuild, with star Fred McCormick (.309,5,41) expected to finish his career out in Toronto, but there could be more moves on the horizon. Chink Stickels (.248,2,20) just turned 38 and is in the middle of his worst offensive season yet, but he's played solid defense in both center and left. Pitching needy teams could target George Garrison (7-6,3.22,70), Joe Hancock (6-5,3.80,35), and Jim Morrison (9-3,3.30,44), but the longtime Wolves don't appear to be on the market. More likely is a trade of third basemen Hal Wood (.340,3,47), who's in the midst of his seventh consecutive above average offensive season. He could fetch a nice return, as the Wolves look to rebuild a system headlined by a pair of former #1 picks. The return, however, was focused more on the short-term, as they picked up a pair of AAA position players on the Chiefs 40-man roster. While not as talented as Artuso, the Wolves could replace him with another hard working middle infielder in 22-year-old Joe DeMott. A former 5th Rounder, he's appeared in contests in each of the last two seasons for the Chiefs, but he hasn't quite looked ready for every day time. He hit just .232/.333/.280 (67 OPS+) in 147 trips to the plate, but his .318/.415/.406 (116 OPS+) line in 51 AAA games looks a lot like what Artuso was able to produce. The lefty swinger seems more likely to fit at second, hitting around .300 with a good eye and limited power. Coming with him is 24-year-old catcher Harry Pomeroy, a 6th Rounder who's hitting .287/.341/.452 (107 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 8 homers, and 52 RBIs in 60 games. Catcher is a major liability for Toronto this season, as they've gotten nothing from Randy Hendrix (.185,1,9) and Walter Loera (.212,16). They haven't announced where he would report, but there's a good chance he'll get every opportunity to secure the everyday job. Archie Irwin's Take: This is an interesting trade, as while at first glance it doesn't look like a great return for an All-Star shortstop, it may have been the best they could do. Let's look at the teams chasing a pennant: the Eagles? They have Tom Miller (.236,15), a former #1 overall pick who is just 23. The Gothams? They have a 23-year-old of their own Cecil LaBonte (.330,3,38,15) who has handled the big leagues since being selected 8th in 1947. The Dynamos? How about a 22-year-old Stan Kleminski (.285,3,32) who was a 7th overall pick and has looked good at the plate while his shortstop defense is improving. The Foresters? They have 26-year-old Glenn White (.297,25) and a talented top 100 prospect in John Low who is just 20 and should be ready for the big leagues as early as 1951. And if you consider the Cougars and Stars contenders, which many thought they would be, there's the historically great Skipper Schneider (.293,3,31,3) in the Windy City and the #3 prospect Ralph Hanson (.225,3,4) in the Big Apple. That just leaves the Chiefs, who don't really have any prospects aside from #4 prospect Ralph Bloom, who can't be traded since he was selected 8th Overall this season. With a limited market and a desire to look towards the future, the Wolves made the most of what they got, and acquired two young players who can replace some of the aging veterans as soon as they report to their new club. Neither were top 100 prospects at any point, but DeMott projects to be an average big leaguer and Pomeroy will arguably be the best and highest upside catcher in the organization. The value seems to side with the Chiefs, but if Artuso's best days are truly behind him, the Wolves did a good job recouping some value for a franchise great. It's a tough pill to swallow for the Wolves faithful, but they will always have fond memories of their talented shortstop and you can never take away the ring he helped win them in 1940. The overall value may skew in the Chiefs favor, but this deal provides a great opportunity to all three players involved, as all Artuso may need is a change of scenery, and DeMott and Pomeroy were blocked and have a chance to establish themselves as everyday players. https://i.imgur.com/vVnlF0u.jpg https://i.imgur.com/kFNaCcW.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vdYLsmC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/jJMl3ir.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KTv0oT9.jpg
ST BLANE FORWARD WORLEY TABBED TOP DRAFT PROSPECT The OSA has released its final rankings in advance of the upcoming Federal Basketball League collegiate player draft and the service calls Cyril Worley, a forward from St Blane who was a first team All-American selection, the best player available but there is likely one other player the St Louis Steamers may consider selecting when the freshman franchise opens the draft with the number one pick. Worley helped St Blane end a 17-year tournament drought, leading the Fighting Saints to three straight tournament appearances including the school's first-ever trip to Bigsby Garden for the National Semi-finals his senior season. Despite missing half of his junior season with an injury, Worley finished his time at St Blane tied with Ollie Mapes (1935-38) for the school all-time scoring lead. He should be a solid offensive player as a pro but despite being undersized for a forward at 6'3" his biggest strengths may end up being his rebounding and shot blocking ability. The other option for the Steamers with the top pick is guard Major Belk. A four-year starter at Carolina Poly, Belk was a second team All-American as a senior after making the first team his junior season and third team selection as a sophomore. He is dual threat with a decent scoring touch and the potential to be one of the best playmakers in the league. He is quick and projects to be an outstanding defender. A sleeper to watch may be Josh Samuels. A teammate of Worley at St Blane, Samuels looks to have tremendous offensive upside and should be a force on the boards. He is ranked 9th by OSA on its final list with concerns about his defensive focus being the major reason. Samuels was a preseason favourite in 1947-48 to be a top draft pick and expected to combine with Worley to lead St Blane on a tremendous run but in the second game of the season he blew out his knee and ended up getting a medical redshirt to return last season. Samuels made the most of it, averaging 9.1 ppg and 6.3 rpg and combining with Worley to lead the Saints to the finals of the AIAA tournament. It is highly unlikely the Steamers call Samuels name but he may go much higher than #9, especially considering he is the top center on the scouting service list. As for the top choice, we at TWIFB are leaning towards the Steamers looking to build around Belk, leaving Worley as a very good second choice for the Toronto Falcons. COULD BE LONG SEASON FOR FEDERAL CAGE LOOP NEWCOMER The Federal Basketball League is expanding for the upcoming season with the St. Louis Steamers joining the loop as its 17th franchise. The Steamers head into the upcoming FBL college player draft with a lot of holes on their roster as only 4 members of the new team have ever started an FBL or American Basketball Conference game. The sad-sack Syracuse Titans finished with an abysmal 9-59 (.132) a year ago but there is already speculation that the Steamers might end up being even worse off that the Titans were last season. The Steamers will have two selections in the upcoming draft led by the first overall pick so they should land a player with a bright future, although that may not translate into early success for whoever they end up with. The big question is will they opt to Cy Worley, the first team All-American forward out of St Blane who averaged 12.2 points per game as a senior, or Major Belk, a flashy guard out of Carolina Poly who averaged 10.2 points and 7.3 assists per game last season. Looking at the Steamers roster right now there are only a couple of names familiar to pro cage fans. 30-year-old forward Kip O'Brien has plenty of experience playing for a losing club as he spent two years as a starter for the Titans while they were based in Toronto but played just 1 game for them last year before being waived. In all, the former Central Ohio Aviator has 105 games of FBL experience and averaged 11.7 points per game. Guard Don Raynor is also 30 years old and after playing his college ball at Carolina Poly he spent parts of five seasons in the pro game, spending 3 years prior to the war with New York and the past two seasons in Philadelphia although he saw very little playing time. Joining Raynor in the backcourt will likely be Tim Curran, a 28-year-old out of Lane State who spent most of the 1946-47 season with Buffalo and followed that up with some brief action in Philadelphia a year ago. The other forward spot is expected to belong to Francis Schulman, a name well known to college fans. The 30-year-old was the AIAA player of the year as a senior with CC Los Angeles in 1940-41 and led the Coyotes to the AIAA championship game that year before coming up just short against Liberty College. Schulman's pro career has been far less illustrious although he did win the American Conference playoff MVP in 1942 after helping the Brooklyn Red Caps to the league title. He was on the Red Caps repeat winner a year later but played sparingly and then left the sport to join in the war effort. Schulman saw brief action with Pittsburgh in 1945-46 and played in 5 games for Cincinnati last season. That leaves the center position, and it is expected to be a training camp battle between Morris Crocker and Douglas Davis -barring the Steamers unlikely decision to use their first-round pick on a big man. Davis, a 28-year-old out of Lambert College who saw some limited action with Pittsburgh, is perhaps a slightly better scoring threat but Crocker, a 26-year-old from Carolina Poly who played sparingly for Cincinnati, is stronger on the boards. The bottom line is the Steamers roster will not strike fear into many teams and it is expected to be a very difficult season for the newcomers. RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 7/17/1949
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July 25, 1949
JULY 25, 1949 ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR BOBBY BARRELL Philadelphia Keystones legendary slugger Bobby Barrell has joined another exclusive club after the 39-year-old notched his 3,500th career hit in a game against the New York Gothams yesterday. Barrell becomes just the fourth player in FABL history to reach that milestone, joining Hall of Famers Powell Slocum, John Dibblee and Max Morris. Hit number 3,500 was a 4th inning double off of veteran hurler Lefty Allen and Barrell would add one more hit off New York reliever Steve Groves later in the game. Allen, despite his great success on the mound first with Pittsburgh and now as a Gotham, has been a frequent victim of Barrell bat. The Keystones slugger has 57 career hits off of Allen, including 10 homers, and is batting .308 against him. Only six pitchers have surrendered more hits to Barrell led by the now retired Jim Lonardo, who Barrell went 69 for 206 (.335) against. PENNANT RACES: FORESTERS HEARING FOOTSTEPS While Eagles Grounded With Injuries The Cleveland Foresters survived an excursion to New York in splitting a hard-fought 4-game series with the New York Stars after dropping two of three the previous week to the other club chasing them for Continental Association supremacy - the Chicago Cougars. The Foresters, in first place this late for the first time in a decade, may be starting to feel the pressure as the club has gone just 11-13 in July after a torrid June that saw them win 22 of 28 ballgames. With a 6-7 record since the all-star break, the Foresters have seen both the Cougars and Stars shave 2.5 games off their lead in the past 11 days and suddenly the Continental Association is looking like it just might give us a pennant race. The Cougars stumbled a bit in Toronto over the weekend by dropping two of three games at Dominion Stadium, are 8-4 since the midseason classic and now 6.5 games back of the Foresters while the Stars are 9-4 and are also within 6.5 games of first place. In the Federal Association the Chicago Chiefs completed a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh with a 5-4 victories in both ends of a twin bill yesterday and they are now a game and a half up on second place New York and 2.5 ahead of Washington in what is looking like another tight flag race in that loop. The newest Chief, shortstop Charlie Artuso, arrived from Toronto with his bat firmly in hand. Artuso swatted 6-for-20 for the week in his new duds and scored 4 runs in the series sweep of Pittsburgh. Fourth place Detroit had a different story to tell with their new addition from the Continental Association. The Dynamos struggled through a 3-5 week including dropping 3 of 4 over the weekend to third place Washington and have suddenly fallen 6 games off the pace. Veteran catcher Adam Mullins, acquired from Cincinnati at a hefty cost to try and bring some offense to a sputtering Detroit attack, started the Detroit phase of his career 0-for-13 but did manage 3 hits in his last 8 at bats. The key series in the Fed this week is a 3-game showdown in the nation's capital between the second place New York Gothams and third place Washington Eagles beginning tomorrow. *** Another Arm Injury Strikes Eagles *** With the trade deadline one week away the Gothams are desperately trying to add another pitcher and have been linked to talks with Toronto for one of the Wolves three veteran arms but so far at least the New Yorkers have not been able to make the deal for an elite arm - a move that many feel would put the Gothams over the top in the pennant race. The Gothams do not have a lot of prospects available to trade but are hoping top-fifty third baseman Hank Estrill may help get a deal done. The Washington Eagles feel they also have a need for a pitching upgrade and events over the past two weeks have likely escalated that concern. First Buckeye Smith (6-5, 4.01) went down last week with an injury that will sideline him until possibly the start of September and now devastating news after Billy Riley left yesterday's game with Detroit with back troubles. Reports are Riley, who was 12-4 with a 3.91 era, could miss the rest of the season. Like the Gothams, the Eagles do not have a deep collection of prospects they could move which makes the task of finding a replacement for Riley a near impossibility. CHIEFS SET TO MAKE HISTORY WITH MARTIN'S RETURN It has been over a year since Bob Martin played a baseball game, but the 42-year-old third baseman was given a clean bill of health and is set to return to the Chicago Chiefs lineup this week. Martin suffered a devastating knee injury in July of last year and many expected that would be the end of the line for the man who has spent his entire big league career with the Chiefs and leads the franchise in career games played while also sitting eighth overall on the FABL all-time hits parade with 3,255 hits. Martin is a three-time all-star, owns a pair of WCS rings and won a batting title in 1932 but if you ask what he is most proud of it likely will be the next accomplishment, expected to come sometime in the very near future, that will top the list. Martin's son Bill is a rookie catcher with the Chiefs, having joined the club as a rule five draft pick from the Chicago Cougars last winter. Bill does not play a lot -he is behind all-star Pete Casstevens, son of another former big leaguer, on the depth chart- but at some point this season you can be sure the Chiefs will strive to have both Bob and Bill on the field at the same time. It won't be the first time a father and son have appeared in a FABL game as the Lynwood and Woody Trease did that twice for Boston in 1904 but the Trease move was more a publicity stunt as Lynwood, Boston's manager at the time, had been retired for over a decade before appearing in those two games with his son Woody on the mound. The Martin's, when it happens, will be the first time it has happened since then. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Deal Artuso -- The Wolves announce that they have traded one of their icons from Toronto's strong teams in the early to mid 40s. Veteran shortstop Charlie Artuso was dealt to the Federal Associacion leading Chicago Chiefs for a pair of youngsters in catcher Harry Pomeroy and second sacker Joe DeMott -both of whom were with the Fort Wayne Warriors in AAA. Artuso, at 18, was the 4th overall selection in 1934 behind 3 pitchers Bobo White, Gus Goulding, Del Burns. The Lebanon, TN native spent 1935 at Tuscaloosa tearing up the Gulf States League with a line of .346/.427/.482 while spending time at 2B, SS, 3B to seeing where his obvious fielding talents fit best. The next year at Vancouver he again spent time at all 3 positions where it became clear SS was was where he would provide the most value to the Wolves. The bat did not slow down on the West Coast in 137 games he posted a .353/.418/.495 124 RBI 63 BB versus only 29 K against many pitchers older than his 20 years. In 1937, Charlie's age 21 season, he would bid farewell to the minors. He started the season at Davenport, in A ball, by mid-June he was promoted to Chattanooga where his bat cooled a little but the team decided to move him up to the FABL in August where he proved the value of his glove at short. So much so that he has been the regular at short from that point until the day of his trade. After the Wolves made the trade for Fred McCormick during the spring of '38 fortunes turned for the Wolves franchise which became a contender for the next 8 years led by Artuso, McCormick, Larry Vestal, Joe Hancock and George Garrison. Only a down season in 1942 interrupted a string where the Wolves were in the CA mix for a pennant even with the 4 years Fred McCormick missed in the service. The team only won one pennant along with the World Series in 1940 being constantly thwarted by Cincinnati. Many veteran observers say "It was a good team, just not quite good enough." Of the 1697 games for the Wolves Charlie appeared in he started 1603 at shortstop cementing the infield defense behind the pitching staff. There was a constant debate in CA over who was the best at the position with the arguments being between Artuso and the Cougars wizard at short Skipper Schneider. Although his bat has started to show signs of age he compiled a career line of .256/.324/.687 usually from the leadoff spot only not starting at least 140 games in a season once from 1939 to 1948. Remarkably durable Charlie spent not any time at all on the Disabled List while a member of the Wolves. He was a 4 time All-Star in a CA filled with quality short stops. In a team statement the Wolves said "In his 15 years as a pro ball player Charlie has been the definition of a professional, always ready to play to help his team. We were not looking to trade him but the package from the Chiefs makes us younger with two guys, we believe, have huge potential in the near future. We wish Charlie well in the FA and hope to meet him again in the 1949 World Series." As the season heads towards the dog days there are some positives at Parc Cartier. For starters the Montreal Saints are back over 500. The club finished on level ground with a 77-77 record a year ago - the first time that has happened since 1930. They reached .500 or better in consecutive seasons in 1929-30 but those two seasons and last year are the only times since 1926 the Saints have won at least as many games as they have lost. There is a young core, so the future is brighter than it has been in years but there still are some worries. Headlining those positives is the showing or rookie outfielder Otis O'Keefe (.293,10,48). The 23-year-old is still leading the herd with 7 RBIs week and the combination of O'Keefe and 26-year-old all-star first baseman Maurice Carter (.305,18,67) makes for an imposing middle of the batting order. On the hill, Lee Richardson is adding the saves and Bert Cupid getting another shutout are the high points of the weekly summary. The main question that everybody is wondering in Montreal is what is wrong with the Wallys? After last season dealing with the Doyle mystery, this year appears to be Wally Reif who is plunging deep. Reif is now showing a 3-12 record and 7.75 ERA. The team was certainly expecting a much better performance from him this season and had Reif performed anywhere close to the 16-10 season he had a year ago the Saints would be far more than just one win over 500 record. Everybody hopes the second half will be a turn around for him. At least veteran pitcher Wally Doyle has been doing a bit better with a 4-8 record and 4.44 ERA, still below the expectations. Looking on the positive side, Saints are very happy with the performance of Pete Ford shwoing a 9-3 record and 3.61 ERA, something tht was certainly not anticipated. The 28 years old pitcher, a 1942 4th rounder, made the team as a bullpen piece last year, and got the 5th starter job after a spring battle. He has certainly made the most of his opportunity and looked solid in notching victories in both of his post all-star game starts. Side note... Reliever Bud Robbins is also struggling and been demoted from the closer spot in the last month in favor of Richardson.
STEAMERS, FALCONS HIRE NEW HEAD COACHES The expansion St Louis Steamers and the Toronto Falcons each made a move to hire head coaches last week. The Steamers, who join the league as its 17th team, tabbed former Detroit assistant Andrew Brown as their first head coach. The 48 year old Brown spent just the one season with the Mustangs and was credited with being a big a reason for their turnaround as the Detroit club went from missing the playoffs the previous season to reaching the FBL championship series this past year. Brown was instrumental in the quick transition of FBL rookie of the year Ward Messer from the college game to the pros. Prior to taking the Detroit job he had spent two seasons as head coach of the Toronto (now Syracuse) Titans. Meanwhile the Toronto Falcons have made a somewhat surprising move as Frenchy Deleceullerie, after spending three seasons as the head coach with the club, has been demoted by cantankerous owner Bernie Millard to an assistant position and replaced as the head man by Gene Smith, a little known native of Philadelphia will be taking his first pro job as the Falcons new head coach. Deleceullerie, a New Orleans native and Bayou State grad led the Falcons to two consecutive playoff berths while the club was based in Pittsburgh and in the American Basketball Conference but the club finished last in the West Division last season after the switch to the Federal League. SAWYER WILL RETURN TO RING IN OCTOBER Hector Sawyer, the longest reigning heavyweight champ the world has ever known, will return to the ring in October for his record setting 14th consecutive title defense since he first claimed the belt in 1940. The Cajun Crusher will face Lewis Jones, a 24-year-old Kentucky born fighter who sports a 20-1-1 record. The bout is slated to take place at Chicago's Lakeside Auditorium on Saturday October 8 and will be Sawyer's 66th as a professional. The New Orleans native owns a 61-3-1 record and it will mark his second title defense in the Windy City. Two years ago he scored an unanimous decision over Pat Harber at Cougars Park. Jones, a southpaw who hails from Lexington, KY., suffered the only loss of his career in May of 1947 when he was on the wrong end of a decision against Dan Miller -another former victim of Sawyer- in a 10-rounder at Bigsby Garden. Since then Jones has reeled off 8 victories in his last 9 outings with the lone blemish being a draw against veteran Philadelphia heavyweight Scott Baker. Jones scored a 6th round TKO win over Chis Gilbert in his most recent outing last week in Detroit. WELTER CHAMP ERICKSON, RUTLEDGE BOTH READY FOR REMATCH Baltimore's Chesapeake Arena is set to ignite this Saturday evening with the intensity of a long-anticipated collision. A World Welterweight title bout is about to unfold, featuring the seasoned champion, Mac Erickson, facing off against the formidable Danny Rutledge. This encounter has been brewing for years, gestating since their clash during the days of World War II. The buzz surrounding this matchup harks back to the autumn of 1944, a time when Erickson, then a 24-year-old representative of the Navy, locked horns with the 20-year-old Army private, Rutledge. England bore witness to a historic showdown, deemed the Allied Forces Amateur Welterweight Title. Rutledge emerged victorious after 12 thrilling rounds, but both etched their names in the echelons of wartime boxing lore. On a famous fight card that also include a world middleweight fight and an appearance by Hector Sawyer, it was the two young welterweights that left everyone talking after the thrilling battle. Many on that date forecast the two would clash again with the ABF world title on the line. Now, five years hence, the two undefeated warriors reconvene as professionals in the squared circle. For Erickson, this is an opportunity for redemption, a chance to reverse the outcome of that fateful night in England. The St. Paul native, now 28 and standing with an unblemished 19-0 professional record, boasts two successful title defenses. The champ hopes to be buoyed by a legion of sailors and students journeying from the nearby Annapolis Maritime University as he will try to do what he failed to accomplish in 1944, stop Danny Rutledge. The 24-year-old Louisville, Ky. native has yet to taste defeat in the ring as Rutledge remains an unconquered force, carrying an impeccable 17-0 professional record and insisting that defeat has never tasted his fists, even as an amateur in the many military exhibitions he honed his skills in the sweet science in during the war. Experts are hesitating to predict an outright victor, labeling this bout a genuine toss-up. The ripples of anticipation are reaching a crescendo, elevating this welterweight collision to the echelons of public interest usually reserved for the heavyweight titans. Saturday night promises not just a contest of fists but a chapter in the ongoing saga of these two pugilistic titans. RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 7/24/1949
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August 1, 1949
AUGUST 1, 1949 ERICKSON GOES THE DISTANCE TO STAY UNDEFEATED AND KEEP WELTER CROWN Chesapeake Arena, Baltimore, Md. July 30, 1949 -- The Welterweight Division has provided the most even matchups this decade and this fight might have been the biggest toss-up, the most even “pick ‘em” of them all. The weight class has not had a dominant figure like Hector Sawyer or a David-slays-Goliath story like Frank Melanson. The belt was vacant during the War years, after all. But, ever since the division was cranked up again, it has been a free-for-all of title shots, belts changing hands repeatedly, and no clear front-runner emerging. Mac Erickson has a chance to be that dominant figure with a face that looks like it was chiseled from granite. Erickson has earned his reputation as a devastating puncher. “Thor” is on his way to rewriting the welterweight title story of the past few years. But, despite his sterling professional record, he has one blemish on his overall record, and it was at the hands of tonight’s challenger, Danny Rutledge. Rutledge is 24 years old, four years Erickson’s junior, but vanquished the current champion in a tilt for the Allied Forces Amateur Welterweight Championship. Rutledge won in a 12-round bout that was the talk of mess halls from Birmingham to Belgium. No sooner had referee John Coyle completed his final instructions and the opening bell sounded when the champion went straight to work as Erickson landed a swift one-two combo culminating in a jaw-crushing shot that sent Rutledge sprawling. The challenger, showing resilience, regained his feet, weathering a relentless assault. Erickson dominated, but Rutledge, though wobbly, endured. Erickson continued his assault in round two, connecting with a crisp uppercut, but Rutledge, seemingly unfazed, retaliated with jabs. Despite Rutledge's attempts to tie up, Erickson's onslaught persisted, securing another decisive round. Rutledge finally found his footing in round three when Erickson, perhaps overconfidant looking for the finishing blow, got caught with a crippling right hand that briefly tested the champion's resolve. That punch certainly slowed Erickson's charge but he continued to come at the challenger - and was warned by Coyle for leaning on his opponent's neck and then scolded for a blatant hit after the break- but Rutledge gave as good as he got until seconds before the bell was to send when Erickson once more penetrated Danny's defenses with a hard hook to the head. Down went Rutledge for a second time but once more he quickly popped back up to his feet. Round four saw both fighter adopt a cautious stance, waging a tactical dance instead of dropping the bombs they were attempting to land in the opening 9 minutes. Erickson went to work on the body and a pair of strong hooks had Rutledge gasping for air but the challenger caught the champ with a combination of his own that put Erickson back on his heels in what was the Rutledge'ss best round to date but could have been scored either way by the judges. Rounds 5, 6 and 7 all were clearly won by Erickson and he must have opened a commanding lead on the scorecards by this point. There were numerous moments when it looked like just one more well-placed punch would end the proceeding but Rutledge, to his credit, stayed upright amidst the onslaught. Rutledge held his own in the eighth round, one which started with him jarring the champ with a quick hook, evoking a semblance of parity. Both fighters, winded, clinched, with Erickson exercising caution after an early jolt. The ninth round went much like the 8th but with a little more action and less hugging. Rutledge snuck an uppercut in late after Erickson left himself exposed by missing on a wild overhand right and the champ ended up with a huge mouse under his right eye as punishment for the muscue. As the round came to an end, the respect each fighter had for his opponent was on full display as they nodded at each other before heading to their respective corners. The tenth round once more had Rutledge on the ground as just over two minutes in the challenger walked into a hard hook from Erickson. Coyle's count seemed to go on forever but finally as the referee reached nine, Rutledge managed to pull himself off the canvas. Once more Erickson was looking for the finishing blow but once more it did not come as Rutledge managed to bob and weave his way around any killer blow planned by champ. Round eleven saw Erickson stagger Rutledge early but was again unable to finish the challenger off. Somehow, Rutledge summoned up the resources to catch Erickson with a pair of hooks that forced the champ to take a step back, and he looked hurt. Sensing what might be his only chance to win the fight, Rutledge went hunting for a knockout punch and he came close...with a hook to the jaw that had the champ stumbling and more blows that had Erickson's right eye becoming dangerously swollen. Rutledge came at the champ for nearly a full two-minutes, using up seemingly every bit of energy he had left, but Erickson withstood the onslaught and scored a few points of his own in the final seconds. The round clearly went to the challenger, but only a knockout would help Rutledge now as despite winning this round handily, he was well behind overall. Both fighters looked exhausted at the end of the eleventh round and each did very little in the twelfth as each appeared to be trying to conserve what little reserves remained in the tank for a final push. Thst push came in the thirteenth but once more it was from the champ as Erickson, despite the mess that his right eye has become, had recovered from the beating he took in round 11 and again - for the fourth time on the evening- he knocked Rutledge down. This one was just a minute in to the round and the result of a three punch combo followed by a solid combination that had Rutledge on his back. As he had done each of the previous times, Rutledge beat the count and was back on his feet but looking dazed. Erickson again went looking for the kill shot, but remembering what happened two rounds again, seemed just a little less aggressive this time. The knockout blow did not come but it was another dominant round for the champ who had the fight well under control and just need to ride out the final six minutes to claim victory. Erickson would do just that, handily winning both the 14th and 15th rounds despite playing it safe as Rutledge looked like a man who had given it all, taken a bad beating, and had used up whatever resources he had left in that last ditched attempt to get the knockout in round 11. The results, as expected, where about as one-sided as a fight that goes the distance can be with the two judges and referee Coyle each giving Erickson a huge win that averaged 146-136. Thor carried the state of play throughout the entire bout, only relinquishing three or four rounds to Rutledge on the judges’ cards. Erickson built a lead and Rutledge was playing from behind all night, unable to offer much because of Erickson’s cannonade of pugilistic fire. Erickson (20-0-0) furthered his reputation, as he connected on 26 Big Boppers, four of which knocked the challenger down in Rounds 1, 3, 10 and 13. This was in comparison to only 12 Big Boppers and no knockdowns for Rutledge (17-1-0). The punches were flowing incessantly from Erickson and while he landed punches with half the accuracy as Rutledge, he still managed to land more punches over the entire bout (383-239). Erickson is undefeated and vanquished the one conqueror from his past. Thor is ready to embark on his next battle, bolstered for the next fight. OTHER RECENT KEY RING RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
BASEBALL TRADE DEADLINE ARRIVES WITH NO FINAL WEEK MOVES FABL's trade deadline came and went with no moves being made over the past week as the contenders were either unable to find a suitable trade partner or unwilling to pay the price demanded. There had been plenty of talk the New York Gothams were close to acquiring a veteran starting pitcher and a club spokesman had put the odds of success in reaching that goal at "50/50" but talks broke off with the Toronto Wolves, who were said to be considering moving 34-year-old lefty Jim Morrison (11-4, 3.08). Morrison threw a 2-hit complete game gem yesterday in blanking the Chicago Cougars 4-0 and that may well have caused the Wolves to reconsider moving Morrison, who has been with the Toronto ballclub since 1938 although he did miss four full seasons due to the war. The only trades of note that took place occured just after the all-star break with Toronto shipping veteran shortstop Charlie Artuso to the Chicago Chiefs while the Detroit Dynamos acquired all-star catcher Adam Mullins from Cincinnati. The Chiefs dropped four of their last five games, including three in extra innings, and have lost their grasp on first place in the Federal Association. The Gothams have taken over top spot despite coming up short in both ends of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh yesterday. A five-game winning streak to start the week helped the New Yorkers settle in to first place, but a mere half game up on the Chiefs. Washington, reeling with injuries to pitchers Billy Riley and Buckeye Smith, saw youngster Dick Greenhalgh make his major league debut. The 23-year-old went five and a third innings against the Gothams, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits but was tagged with the loss in a 5-0 defeat which was part of a rough series for the Eagles who were swept by New York and are now 3.5 games out of first place. Detroit is fourth and now 4 games back after the Dynamos swept fifth place Boston and dealing a big blow to any hopes the Minutemen have of joining the race. The Chicago Cougars gained another half game on the Cleveland Foresters in the battle for Continental Associaiton bragging rights. The Cougars won five of six games last week but Cleveland, which had struggled since the all-star break, swept a 3-game series from Brooklyn before splitting 4 with Montreal over the weekend. The third place New York Stars had to settle for a 3-3 week and are now 8 games back. COUGARS CLAW BACK INTO FLAG CHASE Entering July with a pedestrian 34-35 record, 1949 seemed like another lost season for a chronically disappointing Chicago Cougars squad. But as the calendar turned, something changed. This team was not ready to be beat. The Windy City Kitties entered the All-Star break hot, winning five of their last six, with the only loss a 14-inning defeat in Brooklyn. There was some worry about the All-Star break stopping momentum, especially with the first place Foresters coming town to start the second half. The Cougars played with a fire that wasn't seen previously, piling 13 runs in the opener which propelled them to a series victory. They rode the momentum through the rest of the month, winning 11 of the next 15 games. Entering the month, they were twelve games behind the leaders, and that lead is now down to just six. In the month of July, the Cougars won eight of their ten series, splitting one and dropping just a three game series (1-2) to the Wolves in Toronto to end an 11-4 homestand. So what changed? The luck started to turn. No Cougar had worse luck then George Oddo, who despite holding a respectable 3.84 ERA, was 0-4 in 10 starts. Now most young pitchers would let that get to their head, but you know what Oddo did? Won all five of his July starts! The 26-year-old beat the Stars, Saints, Cannons, and Wolves (twice!), throwing 41.2 innings with a 2.81 ERA (146 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 16 walks, and 25 strikeouts. This dropped his ERA down to 3.49 (117 ERA+), and the former 8th Rounder now owns a 1.30 WHIP with 67 strikeouts in his 15 starts. Oddo now ranks second in the Continental Association with a 1.6 K/BB, just a few hundredths shy of the association leader Rufus Barrell, while ranking 3rd in K/9 (5.0). His ace and CA ERA leader Pete Papenfus was arguably better, despite the 4-2 record, as the 2-Time Allen Winner worked to a 2.02 ERA (202 ERA+) and 0.92 WHIP, adding 26 strikeouts to his season total of 86, which ranks third among Continental pitchers. These two were almost automatic when called upon during the Cougars excellent month, and with All-Stars Donnie Jones (10-9, 3.37, 85), Duke Bybee (11-7, 4.11, 64), and Johnnie Jones (11-7, 3.79, 63), it's become really tough to score against this talented rotation. The offense has started to pick things up as well, and veteran slugger Red Bond has been a huge reason why. Bond entered the month with an uncharacteristically low .237/.290/.444 batting line, with 11 homers and 32 RBIs. Age looked like it caught up to the 36-year-old, but he found a second wind in July. Bond smashed 7 homers and drove in 20 runs, hitting .308/.429/.590 (169 OPS+) with a much improved 18-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He's now walked (31) one more time then he's struck out (30), something the former Saint has never come close to in a full season. He's brought his season line up to a far more respectable .257/.333/.486 (118 OPS+) in 75 games, and he now ranks fourth in the association with his 18 home runs. Sal Pestilli (.331, 16, 67, 15), who had a bit of a "down" July (.300, 4, 14, 5) has been begging for support in a barren lineup, and the improved play of Bond, Leo Mitchell (.286, 9, 36), and Skipper Schneider (.311, 3, 40, 3) has brought the Cougars lineup back to life. This leaves just two questions: is it too little, too late? And can the Cougars finally finish off a season? A team known for both blowing and erasing leads, just to finish from the outside looking in, Cougar fans know better then to get excited over a hot stretch of play. Still, six games is far from insurmountable, especially considering eight more contests with Cleveland before the season ends. There's already a big test coming this week, as the Cougars finish their thirteen game road trip with four games in three days out in Cleveland. A big series win, and the Cougars will be breathing down the Foresters neck, but a sweep at the hand of the association leaders and they'll be right back where they started. The true test of a contender is how they can perform on the road, especially against other contenders, and it's a huge test for both teams as they begin the dog days of August. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Head into August Still Trying to Gain Traction -- To say the least the 1949 season has been a struggle for both the team and the Wolves faithful as the ballclub heads into the home stretch. It does not seem, short of a minor miracle, that Toronto will be seeing World Series baseball in October. The team has been inconsistent all season, prone to extended losing streaks not countered with long winning streaks. The teams longest undefeated streak of the year is 5 games in late June, which excited the fans who also were forced contend with a large number of 3 or 4 game losing streaks. Last week is a good summary of the season for the local nine: win one, lose 4, then win in a shutout on Sunday giving them a 2-4 record to start a three week stay at Dominion Field. Brett expects rookie manager Fred Barrell to use the last eight weeks of the season to experiment with lineups in an attempt to find the magic combination. With the trade deadline in the rear view mirror fans should expect see many different lineup sets. The team is in desperate need of a reliable fielding shortstop to replace recently traded wizard Charlie Artuso. John Fast may get an extended trial, although his bat may not be enough to offset his less than stellar fielding ability at short. Recent draft pick John Wells is expected to be the shortstop of the future but he is only 18, and he is likely to require a few years in the minors. The team is trying to accelerate Wells' development by starting him at Davenport in A-ball where he has a line of .267/.358/.378 in 20 games along with adequate defensive play at SS. Chink Stickels at 38 is beginning to show his age in center in his twelfth FABL season he may become the 4th outfielder for the balance of '49 with Wally Boyer taking over in CF. The catching tandem of Walt Loera, Randy Hendrix has not worked at the plate with Loera hitting .215, and Hendrix batting below his weight at .189. Hendrix will remain but Loera has been just optioned to Buffalo. Recently acquired Harry Pomeroy has been summoned to the bigs to see if he is the future behind the plate. For a team that prides itself on pitching and defense the Wolves have done neither in '49. Toronto is the worst fielding team in CA, a situation that has to change, and they have committed an FABL leading 104 errors this season. On the mound the starters have been, at best, adequate. The real problem comes when the ball is handed to the bullpen. A combined ERA of 5.05 from the relievers is not going to secure many games in the late innings. Looking to the future, top prospect Les Ledbetter had a disastrous start to the season in Davenport, he has started to recover but sits at 7-7 with a 5.29 ERA. Rumour is that he will soon head to Chattanooga to finish the season at AA. Overall the team has lots of work to do in the final two months at both the big league level and in the minors. If Barrell can coax a .500 season from his charges it will give the faithful some hope as the decade changes at year end. The team has to transition away from some of the older players to start the Fifties. The question is "Do they have at least a handful of players in the system who can start the transition?"
STEAMERS EXPECTED TO TAKE BELK AT TOP OF DRAFT The Federal Basketball League's annual selection of collegiate players will be held this week, and the expansion St Louis Steamers are expected to try and build their team around Carolina Poly guard Major Belk. That is the word from Gladys Barrell, Director of OSA Basketball Scouting, who followed up on the scouting services final rankings from last week with a mock first round released this morning. There had been some debate over whether the Steamers would tab Belk, the three-time All-American point guard from Nashville who led Carolina Poly to the South Atlantic Conference title last season, or forward Cyril Worley, who averaged 12.2 points per game and was a first team All-American selection in helping St Blane reach the national semi-finals of the year end AIAA championship tournament. St Blane and Carolina Poly squared off in the quarterfinals back in March and Worley put on a show, scoring a game high 20 points while Belk had 8 along with 6 assists as the Fighting Saints downed the Cardinals 66-55. St Louis head coach James Brown, who helped Detroit reach the league finals last spring as an assistant coach, remained tight-lipped on the decision, noting only there was plenty to like about both players but adding he and the Steamers would keep everyone in suspense on their selection until the draft commences. Here is Gloria Barrell's mock first-round. The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 7/31/1949
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August 8, 1949
AUGUST 8, 1949 FORESTERS GAIN SOME MUCH-NEEDED BREATHING ROOM Another test passed for the Cleveland Foresters. The club, which has made an incredible run after a decade as the weak sister of the Continental Association to the top of the heap, saw their lead threatened when a mini slump struck them after the all-star break. Last week was a crucial one for the Cleveland nine to prove it could survive the pressure of a pennant race and they handled it like seasoned champions, taking two of three from the third place New York Stars as a warmup for a big weekend at Foresters Park that saw the Ohio crew claim 3 of 4 contests from the Chicago Cougars and extend their lead to 8 over the Windy City Kitties and 9 over the Celestials. The big week on the banks of Lake Erie also slows down a Cougars club that was on a 15-6 tear since the break and gives the Foresters a 10-8 lead in the season series with Chicago and a 13-6 advantage over the Stars. Lorenzo Samuels homered in back-to-back games as the Foresters began the week with 5-2 and 8-5 victories that sent the suddenly falling Stars to their 3rd and 4th losses in the past five games. Ex-Forester Richie Hughes stopped the bleeding Thursday in a game that saw Bill Barnett go deep twice to help New York get back on track with a 7-5 victory on getaway day. The first task accomplished -win the series with the Stars- the Foresters then turned their attention to the other big series they needed a strong showing from. The Chicago Cougars arrived fresh off a 5-0 sinking of the Philadelphia Sailors for their 7th win in the last nine outings and were 6 games back of the front-runners. Earning at least a split of the series seemed crucial for Cleveland, which had been watching in the rear-view mirror as the Cougars - 9 and a half back at the break- kept getting bigger. The Foresters had the right man on the job for the opener as Adam Czerwinski, the former Whitney College standout who suddenly seems to be convinced he is the second coming of Rabbit Day, improved his record to 17-5 with a 4-0 shutout of Pete Papenfus and the Cougars. Lorenzo Samuels was at it again as the Cleveland first baseman belted his third homerun of the week and 20th of the season, a 2-run shot that opened the scoring in the fourth frame, to give "Rabbit" Czerwinski all the offense he would require. A day later came the kind of game that seemed to define the Cougars struggles for much of the decade as Chicago entered the bottom of the eighth with what felt like a comfortable 4-1 lead but when the dust settled the Foresters were up 5-4 and the game was lost, dropping Chicago 8 games back. Donnie Jones salvaged one win for the Cougars with a complete game victory in the opener of yesterday's twin bill, but Ducky Davis was terrific and outdueled Donnie's brother Johnnie Jones 4-1 in the nightcap to send the Cougars on their way trailing by 8 games. *** Eagles Slow Chiefs in Fed Race *** The Detroit Dynamos finished the week with a 5-game winning streak but ended it right where they started, 4 games out of first place and stuck with the fourth seat at the tight Federal Association table. The leaders are the New York Gothams, who went 4-2 on a trip through Pennsylvania and are a game and a half up on the second place Chicago Chiefs. The Chiefs began the week in fine fashion, claiming 3 of their first four games but ended up with a hard-luck weekend that saw them blanked twice by third place Washington including a 15-inning 1-0 marathon yesterday that Tom Miller mercifully ended with a rbi triple to plate the only run of the very long afternoon. The Eagles sit in third place, 3 games back of the New Yorkers. The Gothams and Chiefs highlight the week with a brief 2-game set at Gothams Stadium beginning tomorrow and they will repeat that short-series the following week with Whitney Park serving as the venue. It is a big week for Chicago as the Chiefs follow up their pair in New York with 4 games in Detroit against the fourth place Dynamos. With their season record sitting on 47-53 and 15 games out of 1st which is held by the formerly hapless Cleveland Foresters, the axe fell in Brooklyn last Monday. But not the manager and anymore of the coaches. This time the axe fell on players, mostly veteran players....... Gone from the club and available on waivers are the following now former Kings. 3B Dan Herrick who was claimed on waivers from Montreal at the end April was the first to receive the bad news. Herrick hit 246/324/668 with 1 home run, 6 RBI's and 4 runs scored in 44 (13 starts) and just 70 plate appearances. With rookie 3B Ken Newman adapting pretty well and the future of the club at that position, Herrick is expandable and not a huge name. Also gone from the club and a much bigger name is LF and occasional mop-up pitcher Juan Pomales. (34). Pomales was acquired at the start of the 47 season with the thoughts he would be the everyday left fielder and a solid starting pitcher. He was a part of arguably the best OF in the FABL during the 1947 along with John Moss and Ralph Johnson, hitting 286/364/753 with 20 doubles, 11 triples, 3 home runs while driving in 47 and scoring 82 runs. A late season injury cut short his season from which he didn't return until midway through the 1948 season. By then he had lost his regular spot to rookie of the year Pat Petty. Pomales wasn't effected save for 1 great start in the 1948 season and only started 5 games over the parts of his 3 seasons with the Kings (appearing in 24 overall). He had taken the mound 10 times this season in low leverage mopup situations and had a 6.17 ERA. The next casualty is soon to be 31 year old RP Jim Walker. Walker was a free agent signing after he was released from Pittsburgh at the end of June this year. He had appeared in just 2 games and over that 1.1 innings had given up no runs. The club just felt he wasn't a long term solution and granted Walker his quiet walking papers. It is figured Walker will end up in the GWL. Now there were a few more names that were expected to be on the list. 3B Hank Barnett (39) was rumored to be heading out the door and is reported not happy with his role backing up rookie 3B Ken Newman. But the Kings are committed to Newman to use this season to get him the reps he needs to be a future star (the club hopes) that will team with RF Ralph Johnson for years to come. Barnett while unhappy is hitting solidly enough with a 267/345/721 and has added 2 home runs and 16 RBI's to his season totals. There is a chance he could see more action besides the occasional starts at 1B against lefty hand SP's, but they would be at the cost of 1B Chuck Collins and not Newman. Barnett is just 3 doubles away from 400 in his career and has hit 308 home runs during his 18 year career. Also not getting his walking papers as previously thought was P Rusty Petrick (33). True the Kings put him out there and figured some team would give him a look for the small price they were asking, but no one did. Petrick who was forced out of his starters role early in the season has settled down of late. On the season he is 1-3 with a 2.62 ERA in 19 games with 7 starts. It has been his last 3 starts that likely saved him as he has gone 18.2 IP giving up just 13 hits (but has walked 17 :scream:). In a 6-3 loss to the Sailors he did surrender 6 runs but all were unearned as the Kings imploded on 3 errors that day, but his 9 walks didn't help matters. Still he has been lights out in the bullpen surrendering just 1 run in 20 IP. So Petrick will stay with the club for now. The players coming up for the Kings right now will be P George Fitzgerald who will slot into the bullpen. Some might wonder why he is coming up after having an awful season with AAA Jersey with his 10.69 ERA. The Kings still feel that the 26 year old has some value and he is in his last option season. So this call up is likely his audition to be a part of the 1950 Kings pitching staff. If he does well, he likely will be kept in Brooklyn, but if he pitches like he has he might not last until the end of the season. For now P Paul Byler (24) will remain at AAA as he continues to work on his control. Taking over one of the spots on the 24 man roster will be 23 son of former big league manager Joe Ward. His son Kid "Little Joe" Ward (23) has risen fairly steadily since being drafted in the 6th round in 1947 and has hit 294/371/769 with 21 doubles at AAA Jersey City. Ward can play anywhere in the infield and also spot players in the corner OF. He will likely be a future utility option for the Kings for many seasons. Ward's promotion is likely because there was some thought that Rule 5 2B Harry Patterson might have been returned from the Chiefs after they activated Bob Martin. When that move didn't happen the Kings decided to pull the trigger on a similar type player in Ward. Finally there was some talk in the Kings front office about bringing up OF Fred Miller (21) who has done very well at AAA Jersey City hitting 315/371/786. Miller who might still get a call soon will stay in AAA for everyday appearances for at least the next 3 weeks. While some are also pushing for 20 year CF Charlie Rogers to be brought up, GM Martin says he definitely wants the youngster playing everyday and that currently there is not a place for him to get those at-bats this season. While he might get a call up in September, the Kings are under no time commitments to do so. CF Bob Schleusner (24) has been recalled to be Moss's backup. How did the revamped Kings do in week one? 2-5 to fall to 49-58. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Show Signs of Life -- Home fans were treated to a 5-2 week as the team seemed to play a more stable brand of ball. The week started with a series between the Barrell brothers managing in opposing dugouts. It began on a down note with a 9-5 loss in the Monday opener, a game in which Jimmy Gibbs got lit up for 5 in the second on 3 two-baggers, all with two down, and a single by Kings pitcher Lou Hayden. The Wolves recovered quickly by taking the final 3 of the 4 game set, including a wild 11-5 Tuesday game where the home side erased a 5-4 deficit with 7 in their turn at bat in the 8th frame. The final two games were both pitching gems on a complete game by Garrison in a 2-1 win and eight strong innings by Hancock in 5-2 victory. Dukes coach Jack Barrell was present with his family for all four games as he prepares to take the hockey club up north to begin training in early September. Head-to-Head Fred now leads the season series against the Kings with his brother Tom Barrell at the helm but a 10-7 margin. Brett is sure that will lead to discussions during family gatherings over the winter. A weekend series against the Montreal Saints started with the Wolves winning the opener 8-5 with Morrison picking up his 12th victory of the season. In a rare display of power, Toronto put three in the seats off Saints starter Wally Doyle with Chink Stickels, Hank Giordano and John Fast all going yard. Saturday featured another bullpen collapse a 10 inning 4-2 loss. After the Wolves had rallied to tie the game at 2 in the ninth, Maurice Carter deposited Sam Jordan's first offering after a Gordie Perkins double in the rightfield seats. Jerry York continued his trip back to respectability bring his record to 4-8 for the season after starting 0-6 with a 6-4 win on Sunday in front of 22,482 bring the weekly attendance total to 91,997. Harry Pomeroy was impressive in his Toronto debut going 6 for 18 with 1 HR 5 RBI in 5 games. The Wolves now sit at 52-55 in 5th place with Cleveland, Philadelphia visiting next week. BIG HOMESTAND AHEAD FOR DYNAMOS The Detroit Dynamos return to the friendly confines of Thompson Field on a high note as the club won its last five games including a doubleheader sweep in Pittsburgh yesterday. That completes a very successful swing that saw the club win 10 of 14 games. That is the good news. The bad news is despite the solid showing and a 16-11 mark since the all-star game, the electrics remain in fourth place, four games back of the front-running New York Gothams. While Detroit was going 16-11 and Gothams won 17 of 25 since the midseason classic. Second place Chicago also had great success with the Chiefs claiming victory in 15 of their 25 post-break outings. The Dynamos are hanging around and certainly very much in the mix but face a stiff test in the coming nine days. They homestand begins with 2 games at home against the St Louis Pioneers - a club that has endured a lot of struggles this season but is still the two-time defending world champions. Hopefully the Pioneers struggles continue, and the Dynamos can stretch their streak to 7 wins before the real test begins. That would consist of 4 games against the second place Chiefs followed immediately by a pair with Red Johnson and the Gothams. The Dynamos are still waiting for Adam Mullins' bat to wake up. The costly deadline acquisition from Cincinnati is batting just .190 in 19 games with Detroit but fortunately others have stepped up recently to aid what has been one of the least productive offenses in baseball. Edwin Hackberry (.305,20,67) has been a leader all season and he had a strong week as did Tommy Griffin (.322,3,45), who is perhaps having his breakout year at the age of 24. The big issue has been finding some consistency from the corner outfield bats and those troubles continued last week with Tony Mullis, who had a terrific first half of the season, struggling mightily and Pinky Pierce, who has been platooning in left with Hal Sharp, not doing much better. Manager Dick York plans on shaking things up slightly by giving Mullis a few days on the bench and moving Dick Estes back to the outfield so Zip Sullivan can be given a chance to deliver some offense. Pitching, as it has all season, remains a strength with Carl Potter the clear favourite for the Allen Award after another complete game victory yesterday to run his record to 17-4 with a sparkling 2.00 era. There have been some worries about Dixie Lee but the 36-year-old has looked very good in his last two outings including a 6-3 win over the Miners Saturday in which Lee allowed just 4 hits in going the distance. *** Mustangs Complete Draft *** The Detroit Motors are fast at work preparing for the NAHC draft while the local cage quintet took care of its selection of new additions last week. Unlike a year ago when the Mustangs were picking second and drafted a superstar in Ward Messer, there will be no big additions to the fold this time around. The Mustangs had to wait for 14 other teams to make a selection before they were able to call a name. A guard was the priority in the draft, and the Mustangs had their hopes that Lambert College's Glenn Main would drop to them. As expected, he did not as Main was tabbed with the 8th pick by the Hartford Patriots. Plan B for the Mustangs in draft that was lacking depth at guard, was to add a big defender and the choice was Joey Rose. The 6'8" Maryland State grad fits that bill perfectly and will be a big strong body in the key. Rose might have some offensive upside and will be brought along slowly but his defense was what made him a first round selection. Second rounder Orval Crain, also a center, out of Canyon A&M is likely considered a longshot to make the roster but he does look to possess a nice scoring touch down low. Detroit's other big pro team, the grid Maroons, are set to begin training camp this week and are looking to rebound from a dismal 2-10 season.
STEAMERS SURPRISE PICK IS ST BLANE FORWARD WORLEY The Federal Basketball League's newest club tipped off the 1949 league draft with the announcement that former St Blane Fighting Saints forward Cyril Worley was their choice with the number one overall pick. It came as a moderate surprise after most experts, including Gloria Barrell - the head of the OSA's basketball department- had expected the Steamers to go with Carolina Poly point guard Major Belk. It is not a bad selection by any stretch as Worley and Belk had been one-two in recent assessments although there was some surprise the Steamers did not choose Belk so they could build around the three-time All-American point guard. Worley was a first team All-American selection his senior season at St Blane and is coming off a campaign in which he led the Fighting Saints to the semi-finals of the AIAA tournament -the best showing in school history. The 6'3" Philadelphia native is still a bit of a work in progress and when he fully matures should be a tremendous rebounder with a decent scoring touch as well. This year might be a challenge for Worley and his new mates as the St Louis club has plenty of holes and perhaps the most glaring is the lack of a playmaking guard to run their offense. That is where Belk excels and the Toronto Falcons, who unveiled a new logo at the draft, must have been thrilled to land the Carolina Poly star who was a second team All-American selection as a senior. Belk, who grew up in Nashville, Tn., will be counted on heavily to turn things around in Toronto for a Falcons team that stumbled through a 20-48 season a year ago. His quickness, prowess on defense and passing ability may make him one of the better guards in the league the moment the season begins in October. With Worley and Belk considered the two elite players available in the draft the sad-sack Syracuse Titans had the tough luck of selecting third. Willy Ludwick, who enjoyed an outstanding career at Western Iowa, was their choice and at 6'9" with above average rebounding skills and a hard-nosed defender Ludwick should complement center Jamel Porter very nicely. The New York Knights opted to select Maryland State forward Alexander Koontz with the fourth pick. Koontz averaged 9.4 ppg as a senior with the Bengals but was drafted primarily because of his quickness and ability to play defense. Rounding out the top five was Pierpont University's Ron Clemons, a 6'4" forward selected by the Pittsburgh Pilots. Clemons is the highest selection of a player from an Academia Alliance school ever made, including the old American Basketball Conference. On the college side, several schools saw two players drafted led by St Blane which had center Joshua Samuels selected 9th by Baltimore after St Louis nabbed Cyril Worley with the first overall pick. Maryland State had Alex Koontz taken fourth by New York and center Joey Rose drafted 15th by the Detroit Mustangs while Texas Gulf Coast, which produced last year's first overall selection in Darren Fuhrman, saw Vincent Passingham go 11th to Rochester and Jess Aitken 14th to the Chicago Panthers this time around. Finally, Redwood of the West Coast Athletic Association had a first round selection in Timmy Adams, taken 13th by the Cleveland Crushers and a second rounder in the Philadelphia Phantoms pick at #29, guard Punch Perez. Picking towards the end of the draft, it was expected the Panthers wouldn't land any of their top targets, but the team was still happy adding some depth between talented starters Richard Campbell (20.8, 13.9, 1.2) and Cory Myers (9.6, 14.2, 1.1). Neither addition may get much playing time during their rookie season, but Chicago is one of the smallest teams in the FBL, so adding size was an area of focus for the runner ups. Taken 14th Overall was Jess Aitken, a power forward from Texas Gulf Coast who is known best for his interior abilities. One of the strongest players in the pool, Aitken is a quality inside shooter who has room for growth, and both an excellent rebounder and post defender. Texas Gulf Coast is one of the premier college basketball programs, despite their first round exit to 7th seeded Utah A&M, this spring, and Aitken played with 11th Overall pick Vincent Passingham (who was linked to the Panthers as well), and last year's #1 overall pick Darren Furham (9.3, 11.8, 1.7). Aitken himself started two seasons for the Hurricanes, and in 63 career games averaged 5.4 points and 5.4 rebounds with 1.8 blocks per game. More of a bruiser then a scorer, most of his value will come on defense, and with plenty of talent scorers around him he won't have to worry too much about putting the ball in the bucket. With the 31st pick, the Panthers may have gotten a steal, as they added center Joshua Brand. A four year player at Eastern State, he made a few starts as a freshman, before starting 29 or more games in each of the next three seasons. The initial mock draft had Brand listed as the 18th best prospect available, but most teams passed on the 6'8'' center twice. A similar player to Aitken, both are strong kids with quality inside shooting and a propensity for blocks, but where Aitken is a poor free throw shooter, Brand hits on a majority of his shots. Each season he improved his free throw percentage, topping out at an impressive 70.5% as a senior. Brand averaged 11.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game as a senior, finishing his career with 9.4, 5.2, and 1.1 respectively. Brand is also able to play longer stretches on the court, but aside from the blocks, his post defense leaves a lot to be desired. He should be better in the fast-break game then Aitken, but late in games Aitken could be crucial for shutting down a team's top inside threat. Aitken was the better prospect out of high school, ranked 38th in the nation, while Brand was ranked outside the top 100 (112th) despite being a High School All-State center in Virginia. He was named a Freshman-All Conference in 1945 and was 1st Team All-Conference in 1947 when he averaged 10.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 29 games. Still, Aitken is expected to get a little more playing time in year one, as he appears to be closer to reaching his peak. His defensive abilities are arguably better then every Panther excluding defensive star Cory Myers, who has both a First Team All-Defensive nomination and Defensive Player of the Year. MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP RETURNS TO FRANCE EDOUARD DESMARAIS: A MYSTERIOUS JOURNEY BACK TO HIS ROOTS In the quiet departure of Edouard Desmarais, the reigning middleweight boxing champion, a veil of uncertainty now shrouds the fate of his illustrious career. Last week, the 33-year-old boarded a lavish ship bound for the shores of his native France, carrying with him the symbol of pugilistic supremacy — his championship belt. The question echoing through the boxing world: Is Desmarais bidding adieu to the ring, or is this merely a brief hiatus? Desmarais etched his name into boxing history with a technical knockout triumph over Frank Melanson in July of the preceding year, a sweet redemption after an earlier knockout by Melanson thwarted his initial bid for the title. A hiccup in a remarkable career of 36 consecutive victories before World War II disrupted the narrative. Rumors circulated during the war that Desmarais had succumbed, but he defied the speculation, emerging as a resilient force in the French Resistance against the Nazi scourge. The charismatic pugilist swiftly clinched the European Title with a decisive victory over former World Champion Archie Rees. However, glory was ephemeral as he stumbled in the world title bout against Melanson in Boston. The tables turned in their second encounter, with Desmarais securing the coveted world crown in Philadelphia last July with a resounding 5th-round technical knockout. Anticipation hung thick for a third showdown with Melanson, but fate played a different hand. Desmarais faced an unexpected defeat in Montreal, surrendering the title to the relatively unknown Adrian Petrie in a decision filled with controversy. Yet, he rebounded in a masterful performance against Petrie in the rematch, reclaiming the title with a convincing knockout victory on American soil. Post-June, Desmarais lingered in Philadelphia, occasionally paying his dues at Battling Billy Baker's gym but more frequently blending into the nightlife of both Philadelphia and New York City. When questioned about his future, the champion remained enigmatic, offering only vague promises of an impending announcement. Surprisingly, no formal proclamation echoed through the boxing circuits. Instead, Desmarais opted for a discreet departure, leaving the country without a trace of his intentions regarding the defense of his title. As the champion's ship sails across the Atlantic, the boxing world holds its breath, waiting for the return of Desmarais or a proclamation signaling the end of his career. RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 8/07/1949
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August 15, 1949
AUGUST 15, 1949 CHIEFS WIN SHOWDOWN IN NEW YORK, REGAIN FED LEAD The Chicago Chiefs are back at the top of a very crowded Federal Association pennant race after a pair of big victories in New York to start the week. Chicago entered the series opener last Tuesday trailing the first place Gothams by a game and a half but two days later they were back ahead of New York after sweeping the brief series at Gothams Park. The Chiefs half-game lead held despite having to settle for a split of 4 games in Detroit against the fourth place Dynamos over the weekend as the Gothams also could only manage a split of their 4 games entertaining seventh place St Louis. The third place Washington Eagles, now 3 games off the pace, had a short but difficult week in dropping 3 of five games to Pittsburgh and Boston. The front-running Chiefs have another big week ahead as the once again face both New York and Detroit but this time the games will be at Whitney Park beginning Wednesday after Chicago finishes off a long road trip with 2 games in St Louis. The Chiefs are 10-9 on their swing so far. The Cleveland Foresters dropped 3 of five games last week, splitting a short series in Toronto before losing two of three to their in-state rivals in the Queen City. Despite the poor showing, the Foresters lead on second place Chicago remains at 8 games after the Cougars went 3-4 last week including being swept in a 3-game weekend set at Cougars Park by the visiting Brooklyn Kings. It is time once again for TWIFB's annual look at the upcoming crop of draft picks. A year ago when we did our "Way Too Early" first mock draft for this class we had three college players crack the first round including Empire State lefthander Tom Drill, who was at the time considered to be the best pitching prospect according to OSA. Here is the TWIFB first ranking of the 1950 class, completed in August of 1948. Code:
TOP TEN COLLEGE PLAYERS ELIGIBLE FOR 1950 FABL DRAFT 1- TOM DRILL LHP, Empire State (10-1, 1.71). Drill remains the top collegiate player on our list but OSA has downgraded their assessment of the 20-year-old southpaw, noting the Philadelphia native has a ceiling of a #3 starter after calling him a "potential top of the rotation" arm a year ago. OSA raves about his raw stuff and praises the best of his three pitches, an elite knuckle curve. Originally a 14th round pick of the St Louis Pioneers in 1947, Drill opted for college ball and has gone 19-3 with a 1.60 era over his two seasons at Empire State, but it should be noted that the competition level is just average. The 1949 second team All-American selection is really the only high potential college arm in the draft, which will certainly add to his value and seemingly assure Drill a spot in the first round. 2- BOB LONGSTRETH C, Opelika State (.277,6,38). There is a shortage of elite catching at the FABL level and that should help boost Longstretch's stock although it may not need much boosting as OSA says "with his talents the light of the 20-year-old Louisiana native's star could be blinding." Like Drill, Longstreth was drafted out of high school, going in the 13th round to Brooklyn but had his mind set on becoming a Wildcat. 3- ADAM RAMSEY 2B, Fremont State (.316,9,41). The trend of players selected by FABL clubs out of high school but unsigned continues with Ramsey as the Canadian born second baseman failed to sign with Toronto after the Wolves selected him in the 19th of the 1947 draft. Fremont State is a lower level school out of Wyoming but Ramsey had a couple of strong seasons at the plate and OSA feels he can develop into an "above average second baseman someday." A Fremont State player has never been drafted in the first round but Cleveland did select former Explorers pitcher Ollie White in round two of the 1943 draft. 4- SKINNY BENNETT C,Eastern Oklahoma (.263,5,22). Bennett will be hard pressed to become the top catcher drafted out of Eastern Oklahoma as that honour clearly belongs to Adam Mullins, the 11 time all-star who was drafted 6th overall by Montreal in 1932. The Pioneers have produced 4 drafted catchers with 1942 New York Stars selection Chick MacKnight joining Mullins as being first round choices. Like Ramsey, the Iowa native Bennett was a 1947 Wolves draft pick but the 10th round selection elected to play college ball. OSA feels he can be an above-average contact hitter for a catcher and may have a little power as well. The scouting service has been high on a number of catchers in recent years, likely due to the shortage of talent at the FABL level and feels if all breaks right, Bennett has the "potential to be a cornerstone player." 5- ELMER WALTERS SS, Bayou State (.269,2,40). The Cleveland native was a 1947 selection of the St Louis Pioneers but failed to see and instead joined Bayou State. OSA is very high on the 20-year-old, praising his outstanding range in the field while also noting he has impressive speed and runs the bases well. A smooth swing with good pitch recognition skills help OSA in its decision to say Walters could be an "above average shortstop someday." 6- CARL MATTHEWS 3B, Santa Ana College (.275,8,38). We are a little worried about the relatively low offensive numbers Matthews put up against merely good competition at the California school but OSA believes the San Diego native can develop into an above average, everyday big leaguer. It will take some time but the scouting service notes Matthews has abov average power potential and could one day be a .310 hitter. He was originally a 24th round selection of the Cleveland Foresters out of high school two years ago. 7- BILL HARBIN CF, Brunswick College (.311,10,8). Overlooked after his high school career at McKinley Tech in Washington D.C., a school that produced the Messer brothers, Harbin enrolled at Brunswick College and has put together two solid seasons for the Knights, even earning second team All-American status this past season as a sophomore. OSA praises his feel for the strike zone and feels he could hit .290 in the big leagues while providing above average defensive value in centerfield for a contending team. 8- JOE TRAYLOR SS, Henry Hudson University (.285,2,40). A solid defender, OSA feels he could be the best prospect to come out of the Explorers program since Walt Pack was selected by Toronto in the fourth round of the 1935 draft. He was originaly a 16th round pick of the Boston Minutemen out of his North Carolina High School but opted for an Academia Alliance education. 9- DUTCH MILLER C, Georgia Baptist (.283,8,42). There has been a rich history of catchers coming out of Georgia Baptist with 5 of them, headlined by current Pittsburgh Miner Dino Robinson being drafted during the post-feeder era. The most famous Gators catcher comes from the feeder era and is of course current Toronto Wolves manager Fred Barrell. Miller does not possess the upside of Barrell but the native of Gretna, Louisiana could be a solid second division starter according to OSA. Defense is the strong suit for the 1947 13th round selection of the St Louis Pioneers. 10- GOLDIE SMITH CF, Western Florida (.286,6,41). No Western Florida player has ever been selected higher than the 6th round of the FABL draft and out of the 14 drafted only Bob Grabowski has appeared in a big league game and for Grabowski that was only in the Great Western League with Seattle. Smith, a Marietta, Geogia native who was an 18th round selection of the Chicago Cougars two years ago, projects to become a solid contact hitter with above average foot speed. OSA sees him as a second division starter. One additional player to watch is Grange College catcher Cliff Seiler. OSA is not high on the Cincinnati native, noting he will need plenty of seasoning against quality pitching before he is ready for a shot at the big leagues, but Seiler has two years of experience with an elite program and was twice named a first team All-American. He played his high school ball in Louisville and was an 11th round pick of the Chicago Chiefs but failed to sign, opting to remain in that Kentucky city and join the Mustangs where he helped led them to back-to-back berths in the 16-team Collegiate World Championship Series. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Hold Front Office Meetings -Brett has learned that owner Bernie Millard is in Toronto for the long August homestand. He has been holding long meetings with the front office staff both in individually along with in larger groups. Brett's sources say the group meetings were lively with varying opinions being stated and defended, which led to much heated discussion. Millard sat in on most of the group debates, chaired by GM when he was not involved, in addition to the owner hold individual meetings with key members of the front office. Brett has been told that the scouting/player development staff was a front and center of Millard's ire. He was particularly scathing in commendation of their AAA and AA clubs, both of which have records of 35-65. One quote from Millard was "That's a joke. Those two teams should be the last or next to last stepping stone for player before the FABL. I want a whole different approach as to how stock those two clubs to give fans value for their entertainment dollar. Right now we are cheating the fans in those two cities." The owner went on to add that he wants "a full assessment of the entire system on my desk by Labour Day along with proposed changes to the system. We are in a results based business, currently the results are terrible. In my coal mining businesses this suggests change, probably deep change, is required in the near term." It was not all fire and brimstone as Millard expressed confidence in the on-field Wolves staff -all of whom are under contract for 1950. "The front office must give them the right players to work with in the Fifties. Barrell's know their sports," Millard continued, noting "Fred is learning at the highest level of the game and I have no doubt given the resources he will achieve what his brother did with the hockey club in short order." In addition to the system evaluation by Labour Day, Millard wants two other plans put in place in short order. The first is for moves over the winter and the second being a general plan for reaching the World Series before 1954. There was also said to be much discussion over the future of the "Rebel" league. If it ceases to exist in the near term what would the Wolves do? Millard has never been silent on his thoughts about the Great Western League so how will he react if there is suddenly a glut of players available to Toronto should that loop fold? Millard has long been known as a hard nosed negotiator who harbours grudges for a long, long time. Brett has learned in one of Millard's discussions with the GM he wanted a change in the philosophy toward player movement. The Wolves are known as a conservative, risk adverse club in the trade market. Millard told the GM to become more aggressive in the off-season due to an aging FABL team. Brett learned that the GM can make everyone available, save two players that require Millard's approval before moved, to strengthen the team over the winter. He also wants a firm plan about the transition from the older players. He told the GM that he was not to let money be an object in any move until Millard stepped in to halt spending. Millard also wants regular full updates on their 3 top prospects SS John Wells, 18 .258/.333/.379 2 HR 6 RBI in Davenport, recently promoted Les Ledbetter, 20 1-1 6.55 ERA in Chattanooga, and Bill Irvin, 19 recently demoted to C in Tuscaloosa after going .150/.197/.251 1 HR 8 RBI in 178 PA at Vancouver. Millard was adamant these players have to be the future as the team has committed huge bonus money to all three. Brett's take is that the fans will see an entirely different organization going forward with the GM making far more deals than they are used to seeing over the winter.
RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 8/14/1949
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August 22, 1949
AUGUST 22, 1949 SAINTS MARCH INTO SECOND PLACE IN CA The hottest team in baseball is suddenly the Montreal Saints. The Saints have won 12 of their last 14 games and, at 27-14, boast the best record in either league since the all-star break. A normally meandering club that has not finished above the breakeven mark since 1930 is suddenly on a red-hot pace that has propelled them ahead of both the Chicago Cougars and New York Stars and into second place in the Continental Association. Pennant fever is likely not a symptom in Montreal yet, and at 8.5 games behind the steady Cleveland Foresters, does not appear likely to strike although if the Saints continue to play as they have been maybe nothing is impossible. No Saints club has finished as high as second place since they won their most recent pennant 28 years ago. Catching Cleveland is looking more and more difficult for anyone in the Continental loop. The Foresters are 75-46 on the season, and with well over a month remaining in the campaign, have already won more games than the franchise did in any season in the past decade. The club that went 60-94 a year ago is on pace to claim 95 victories this season. The big story on the shores of Lake Erie continues to be the amazing pitching performance of 24-year-old Adrian Czerwinski (20-5, 2.73), a second year big leaguer who went just 4-11 with a 6.04 era as a rookie. The 1946 second round pick out of Whitney College appears to be a lock for the Continental Allen Award but he is far from the only Cleveland hurler posting career best numbers as John Jackson (14-5, 3.19), Ducky Davis (12-6, 3.25) and even late addition to the rotation Goldie Irwin (5-2, 3.91) have all been very good. Third baseman Jim Adams Jr. (.332,8,66) is finally starting to show at age 28 just what the Foresters saw in the former St. Ignatius star when they selected him first overall in the 1943 draft and local product Lorenzo Samuels (.328,23,79) - an acquisition in the old regional draft round- is having a breakthrough year at age 26. Czerwinski might be the face of the turnaround in Cleveland, but there are plenty of supporting charactors striving to make this a very special season for long suffering Foresters fans, who are one of 3 FABL clubs to win just a single World Championship Series in their history. The big turnarounds are not restricted to the Continental loop as the Chicago Chiefs are closing in on their own run from worst to first in the Federal Association. Accomplished just two years ago by the St Louis Pioneers, going from the outhouse to the penthouse really feels look old hat with both the Foresters and Chiefs on the same trajectory this year. The Chiefs stumbled slightly over the weekend in dropping 2 of three to the fourth place Detroit Dynamos but thanks to a 2-game sweep of New York for the second time in as many weeks, the Chicago nine have stretched their lead to 3 games over the second place Gothams with Washington and Detroit struggling to keep pace at 3.5 and 5.5 back respectively. In a season in which nearly everything has gone right for the Chiefs they did get a bit of bad news over the weekend with news that lead-off man Dave Krieger (.304,5,59) suffered a sprained elbow. The outfielder says he can continue playing through the injury, expected to take about 4 weeks to fully recover, but the Chiefs are expected to decide if they need to place him on the injured list sometime today. MAD PROFESSOR HAS THE WINNING FORMULA IN CLEVELAND After completing nine impressive innings and holding the Cincinnati Cannons to just 8 hits, 2 runs, and 2 walks, young Chicagoan Adrian Czerwinski left the game in unfamiliar territory: his team was not winning the game. That's not something any Forester pitcher is used to this season, as they've comfortably held first place in the Continental Association this season, but for Czerwinski he was in line for potentially his first no decision of the year. Of course, like all else for Cleveland this season, they got the break they needed, as team "veteran" Jim Admas Jr. snapped his o'fer with a walk-off single, securing the Foresters FABL high 73rd win of the season. Same goes for Czerwinski, who is now an impressive 20-5 in his 25 starts. Czerwinski has thrown four consecutive complete game victories, and the likely runaway Allen Winner has now won six more games then any other pitcher in his association. His 2.73 ERA (155 ERA+) trails only Cougar fireballer Pete Papenfus (11-9, 2.71, 113), and with how close they are there's plenty of time for the young Forester to claim the ERA crown for himself. Known colloquially as "The Mad Professor", the first-time All-Star is becoming a household name, even if most in the household have no idea how to pronounce it. The 24-year-old has completely turned around his fortunes, as after an abysmal 19 start stint last season where he was 4-11 with a 6.04 ERA (65 ERA+) and 1.70 WHIP with far more walks (54) then strikeouts (32). Czerwinski is still walking a lot of guys, with three more walks (57) then strikeouts (54) this season, but he dropped his BB% from 8.8 to 6.4 while increasing his strikeout rate by a bit more then a percent (+1.1). The biggest improvement has been the sidearmer's ability to limit hard contact, dropping his HR/9 from 0.8 to 0.3 while his WHIP has plummeted from 1.70 to 1.22. Everything has gone right for Czerwinski this season, but to those in tune with the game's top prospects his emergence should be no surprise. An impressive two year starter at the prestigious Whitney College, there were rumors on draft day that if the Chicago Cougars were able to snag current 8th ranked prospect Yank Taylor with their first round pick (they ended up with 7th ranked Bob Allen), the Windy City native would have been the 20th pick, but instead Chicago settled on high school outfielder Frank Reece. Czerwinski lasted six more picks, before the Foresters grabbed him in the back half of the second round. He didn't initially rank in the league's top 100 prospect list, but by 1948 he was up to 67th and he made his debut later that season. Part of this was due to his pitching profile, as there aren't many guys topping out at 86 that find success against the toughest competition. Especially when they throw three fastballs! Without being able to dominate opposition hitters with the hard stuff, he instead uses his pinpoint command to locate his hard stuff on the corners, with his sinker getting work low, his cutter inside, and his fastball up and away. All three pitches come out looking the same, which makes it tough for hitters to guess which way his offering is going to break. Add in a really slow changeup with funky armside movement, and if you guess wrong, you'll swing out of your shoes. As you'd expect he's a smart kid, always working with coaches on ways to improve his mechanics, and studying gameplans to help beat tough lineups. There's many reasons for the Foresters breakout season, but you can't look past their young ace. With over a month to go, he's already the first Forester 20-game winner since Sergio Gonzales (20-6) 1937, and he's gone out for each start with one thing in mind: winning the game. If Czerwinski can build off this breakout campaign, Cleveland may have found their new ace, but one thing is clear: this Foresters team is not what you got used to in the 40s. They're in position to capture their second FABL title, and with all the young talent on hand, they could become a real force in the Continental Association for the early 50s. This looks to be a very thin draft crop of pitchers according to OSA, which does not see a top of the rotation starter out of anyone at either the high school or college level. At the collegiate level service sees Tom Drill as a middle of the rotation arm and at the high school level the only pitcher OSA feels confident may one day be a front half of the rotation pitcher is Ernie Webb. Not only is there a lack of elite talent but this also looks like a very lean year for pitching depth. Drill was the only pitcher to crack our top ten collegiate draft eligible players while at the high school level we really struggled to fill our list of the top ten. #1 EDDIE WEBB RHP, Reidsville(GA) HS (7-2, 1.34): A year ago, after his second straight 11-0 season at Reidsville High, OSA felt Eddie Webb could develop into a top of the rotation arm. He struggled a little with his control as a junior and while the scouting service still feels he is the best pitcher available in the draft, OSA has lowered Webb's ceiling to that of a "future number two starter." Webb was honourable mention as a freshman and an All-American his sophomore season but missed the list last year. #2 OSCAR EDWARDS RHP, Crestview HS, Ashland, Ohio (10-1, 1.13): Born in Texas but he grew up in Ohio, Edwards did not make the scouting service list of top prospects a year ago but the groundball specialist is now considered a "fourth starter, and possibly more" by OSA. His fastball tops out at 92 mph, highest among all high school pitchers last year. #3 BUGSY SPIEGEL RHP, Lowell (NC) HS (8-2, 1.15): A late bloomer, Spiegel -whose given name is Benny- did not make his high school debut until his junior season. It is a weak class of pitchers so he is ranked much higher than someone that OSA says "should deserve a spot in the rotation, but likely closer to the bottom than to the top" would normally appear. Despite playing high school ball in North Carolina, Spiegel was born in a small town just north of Chicago. #4 BILL PARKHURST LHP, Morton (IL) HS (11-0, 0.99): Probably deserved consideration for High School All-American honours after a terrific third season of school ball, but Parkhurst was left off the list. One of the younger players in the draft as he won't turn 17 until late October, the Clinton, Iowa native is 32-2 with a 1.22 era and 472 strikeouts in 362 innings of high school ball. He has five pitches, and his stuff plays well above average according to the scouting service, but they peg Parkhurst with a ceiling of a 4th or 5th starter. #5 HANK WALKER RHP, Victoria (TX) HS (7-2, 1.33): His best of 4 pitches right now is a legit fastball according to OSA, which feels Walker could develop into a back-end rotation option. The fastball peaks at 90 mph and his pitches have plenty of movement. Walker plays for the same school as current St Louis Pioneers infielder Ray Bates, who was a 5th round pick in 1946 before going on to win the WCS MVP award last October. #6 DOC ROBERTSON LHP, Ellwood City (PA) HS (7-1, 1.54): Born in Chicago but plays his high school ball in Pennsylvania, the 16-year-old lefthander has gone 24-3 with a 1.54 era over 3 seasons for the Ellwood City high school team. OSA feels his hopes are for a spot at the back end of a big league rotation but does rave about his change-up and knuckle curve. #7 ELMER SULLIVAN RHP, Perrysburg (OH) HS (11-0, 0.57): The Ohio born youngster was named a High School All-American each of his two seasons and is a perfect 23-0 with a 0.66 era and 404 strikeouts in 230 career high school innings. Despite those outstanding numbers, OSA does not see a great future for the righthander, suggesting he will be relatively ineffective should he reach the big leagues. He follows in the footsteps on Denny Cecil, a 1946 8th round selection of the Cincinnati Cannons, who also excelled a Perrysburgh High. #8 JOHN SLEDGE RHP, Clinton (IL) HS (9-3, 1.59): Sledge is looking to become the second player born in Lincoln, IL to be drafted in to FABL following in the footsteps of a pitcher by the name of Rodger Smith, who was a 15th round selection of the New York Stars in 1937 but peaked at AA before retiring in 1946. As for Sledge, the scouting service worries about his inconsistent control but if he can harness it he projects as a back end rotation piece. #9 ETHAN BARROWS RHP, Newport (KY) HS (8-1, 1.05): The 17-year-old is 26-3 with a 1.34 era over three seasons of high school ball. OSA worries control issues may hold him back, suggesting his ceiling may be that of a spot starter. Barrows was born in Covington, the same Kentucky city that produced 1947 second overall selection and current Pittsburgh Miners shortstop Irv Clifford. Covington also is home to a pair of former pitchers who had solid big league careers in Ike Campbell (193-217 from 1904-17 for 3 teams) and Will Brumfield (91-90 for 7 teams between 1890-1900). #10 DICK CRECELIUS RHP, Newman (CA) HS (8-1, 1.05): Hailing from the same California high school that has recently produced three FABL draft picks in Leo Ross (1948 Brooklyn), Al Simpson (1948 Cleveland) and Hack Elliott (1944 Chiefs), Crecelius is looking to be the first selected in the January portion of the draft. The Oakland born youngster has a five pitch arsenal with plenty of movement on his throws. OSA sees his peak as that of someone earning only an "occasional start" at the top level. Next week we will look at the top ten high school position players eligible for the 1950 draft.
CONTINENTAL CONNFERENCE KICKS OFF THIS WEEK The Continental Football Conference, despite much speculation over the winter to the otherwise, is alive and ready to kick-off its fourth professional season later this week. The loop did lose one of its ballclubs and is down to seven after the two New York area terms merged with the Brooklyn Kings roster being absorbed by the New York Gothams. The change means the end of the East and West Division as all teams will play in a single division and play each other twice. The top four clubs will qualify for the playoffs at the conclusion of the 12-game regular season. The fact that the CFC is around at all is considered a surprise as the loop had appeared set to be absorbed by the American Football Association after meetings last winter in Philadelphia. The plan had the AFA likely set to add two Continental Association clubs and buy-out the remainder of the owners. All seemed in agreement except for William Beauregard, owner of the New Orleans Crescent, who demanded his team be included in the new look AFA or he would take legal action against both leagues. The result was talks stalled and the AFA elected to continue as a 10-team circuit leaving the Continental Conference to pick up the pieces and venture on its own for a fourth season. The San Francisco Wings are the defending champions after they dumped Kansas City, winners of each of the first two CFC titles, 26-10 in last December's championship game. The Cowboys, with a star-studded offense led by quarterback Pat Chappell and powerful fullback Mason Matthews, remain the team to beat but there should be plenty of competition and not just from the Wings. The New Orleans Crescents were much improved last season with Vince Gallegos, the rookie from Bayou State, under center and the Gothams, with the addition to depth from the new defunct Brooklyn franchise may also be ready for a return to the championship game - an event they qualified for each of their first two seasons. OPENING WEEK CFC GAMES Buffalo at Chicago New Orleans at San Francisco RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 8/21/1949
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August 29, 1949
AUGUST 29, 1949 WINGS OPEN NEW STADIUM IN STYLE WITH GRID WIN OVER CRESCENTS Continental Football Conference Commences Fourth Campaign It took them a little time to get used to their new surroundings but once the San Francisco Wings settled into their shiny new stadium there was no stopping the defending Continental Football Conference champions as they powered their way past the visiting New Orleans Crescents by a score of 49 to 21. It marked the official opening of Golden Gate Stadium, although the park did host some Oakland Grays baseball games recently that was merely a dress rehearsal as a crowd of 51,700 -well above the announced 50,000 seat capacity- was on hand to see the Wings raise the CFC championship banner they won last December before taking on the Crescents. New Orleans, perhaps catching the Wings still in celebration mode, struck for scores twice in the opening 15 minutes including a John Walker 4-yard run up the middle for the opening touchdown just over 2 minutes into the game. John Brom, who would run for a pair of Wings touchdowns on the day, answered quickly to even the game but second year quarterback Vince Gallegos put the Crescents back in front 14-7 before the opening quarter was complete. That second New Orleans touchdown seemed to sound the alarm that awakened the slumbering Wings defense, which forced three turnovers in the second period, two of which led to San Francisco scores and before the half the Wings had taken a 21-14 lead. By the time the final whistle sounded the defending champs had scored 49 points and rang up 428 yards of total offense including 347 on the ground equally distributed between more than half a dozen ball carriers. Quarterback Sam Metcalf led the parade with 66 yards on 5 carries while also completing 6 of 9 aerial attempts for 81 yards. The script was very much like the two meetings between the clubs a year ago when San Francisco rolled to a pair of lobsided wins over a New Orleans club that looked very good against the rest of the league but seemingly has no solution on how to slow down the Wings high octane offense. Things do not get any easier for the Crescents next week as they have another big gala to attend with the club heading to Los Angeles Friday evening for the opening of Bigsby Stadium, the second of the big west coast buildings that rival any of the eastern sporting shrines. The Wings remain at home and welcome Chicago to Golden Gate Stadium on Sunday. MONDAY BLUES FOR SAD SACK COMETS Little seems to have changed for the Chicago Comets, a club that went 1-13 a year ago and is now 9-34 all-time after being stampeded 38-7 by the Buffalo Bulls at Whitney Park on Friday. Mark Monday led the Bulls attack as the Buffalo quarterback had a field day against the porous Comets secondary, completing 20 of 27 pass attempts for 287 yards including a pair of touchdown throws to Henry Mills, who in one game reached nearly half of his entire season total for receptions and yardage from a year ago with 10 grabs for 172 yards. When Buffalo was not exploiting the Comets aerial weakness, the Bulls were rushing right through the Chicago line as Denny McDunn ran for 114 yards and 2 scores while 1948 CFC most valuable player Dave Karaszewski had 13 carries for 70 yards. In all, the Buffalo offense rang up 532 net yards while limiting the Comets to just 128 on the evening. The Bulls will likely finding things much tougher next weekend when they return home but will be forced to square off with Pat Chappell and the Kansas City Cowboys. CHIEFS EXTEND FEDERAL ASSOCIATION LEAD It is looking more and more like the two worst teams in baseball a year ago will be the two best this time around as the Cleveland Foresters continue to dominate the Continental Association while the Chicago Chiefs have extended their lead atop the Federal Association to 3.5 games on the second place New York Gothams. The Chiefs probably do not want to see August come to an end as a 5-game winning streak has pushed their mark this month to 18-8 and all but eliminated two of the four clubs that considered themselves contenders when the calendar first reached August. The Washington Eagles and Detroit Dynamos -the former crippled by pitching injuries and the latter by a meager offense that has hit nothing but hard times the past month- are each suddenly 8.5 games off the pace and seemingly now only able to cry "wait until next year." The Chiefs have one more foe yet to shake as the New York Gothams, with their mighty offense full of big name stars being outperformed only by that of the Chicago nine, did manage to win 5 of 6 games last week to remain in the hunt. The Chiefs lead may be tested this week as they head to Gothams Stadium for a key 3-game showdown with their main rivals. A showdown that will be sandwiched between 4 games with Washington and 2 with Detroit as the Eagles and Dynamos perhaps have one last gasp each but will most assuredly require a sweep should either have visions of getting back in the flag fight. In the Continental Association the Foresters had a rough week, winning just 2 of 5 games but one of those was a 3-2 triumph in Montreal yesterday afternoon to open a 3-game set at Parc Cartier and keep the Foresters gap on second place Montreal at 8 games. The Chicago Cougars, perennial flag favourites who always seem to find a way to come up short, lost 5 in a row and have once more waived the white flag as they, along with the New York Stars, each sit 11.5 games back and are once more left to wonder what went wrong? JUST WHAT IS HAPPENING IN BASEBALL? It has been a crazy year and appears to be on the verge of a historic one. We may have had an inkling of what could happen two years ago when the St Louis Pioneers rose from last place the previous season to win not one, but two consecutive World Championship Series titles and now we may see two teams that were dead last a year ago celebrate pennants just 12 months later. That has never happened in baseball. In fact, the last time a Continental Association team went from last the previous season to first place there was no Continental Association. The Brooklyn Kings won the pennant in the old Border Association in 1889 - a year after finishing in last place in the same loop. Since then, the closest the Continental Association, which debuted in 1892, has come happened in 1920 when the Cleveland Foresters, who finished 7th the previous season won the pennant despite dealing away Max Morris to St Louis that winter. In the first 55 years of FABL only one team - the 1930 New York Gothams- won a pennant a year after finishing dead last. Now in the span of 3 years we may witness it happening three times including a possibility of both association champs in the same year. Is this a start of a trend? Will it be a race to last place for teams in the middle of the pack in hopes that lightning will strike for them the following campaign? Of course, that will not happen, but one has to wonder just what is going on in baseball. TEAMS THAT FINISHED LAST THE YEAR BEFORE WINNING A PENNANT 1947 *St Louis Pioneers - Federal Association 1930 New York Gothams - Federal Association 1890 Brooklyn Kings - Border Association 1886 Pittsburgh Quarries - Border Assocation 1878 Brooklyn Unions - Century League * Also won World Championship Series that year How shocking would a Chiefs-Foresters World Championship Series be? The so-called media experts have certainly all had their struggles at times when they make their annual April predictions but never as far off as the entire group could be with the forecast for the 1949 season. No one selected either Cleveland or the Chicago Chiefs to finish higher than 7th in their respective leagues this season. https://i.imgur.com/U4puL21.jpg The annual TWIFB preview of the upcoming FABL draft continues with our look at the top ten high school position players eligible for the 1950 draft. As always, this list is compiled based on the current scouting assessments provided by Dan Barrell's office at the OSA.https://i.imgur.com/NDvtkPw.jpg https://i.imgur.com/67TVdsf.jpg https://i.imgur.com/NFvddhX.jpg 1- Fred Lainhart CF - Pandora (OH) HS, (.593,1,34): Likely the favourite to go first overall in the draft, the Michigan born youngster hit .593 both last season and as a freshman. He was an All-American selection his debut season but only earned honourable mention status last year despite that batting average being the 8th and 9th highest all-time in the post-feeder era. Here are the players who have had a higher single season high school batting average: Buddy Miller, Ralph Hanson, Walt Messer, Chuck Adams and John Samuel. The last one on that list was a high school freshman last season. That is all of them and a pretty impressive group for Lainhart to be a part of. OSA feels Lainhart has the "highest ceiling imaginable as an elite centerfielder." Lainhart was number one on our "Way Too Early" mock draft a year ago and we do not see any reason to change that ranking. 2-Andy Robinson 2B - Fredericksburg (VA) HS, (.517,3,28): Robinson's batting average and on-base percentage dipped slightly from his sophomore season, but his slugging percentage had a decent increase. OSA sees multiple all-star games in Robinson's future. 3- Les Sasson 2B - Conshohocken (PA) HS, (.500,4,33): It might be a tough choice come draft day for a club with a second base need at the top of its list. OSA sees both Sasson and Andy Robinson as future all-stars and does not differentiate much between them, nothing both have outstanding work ethic, will draw walks and each has above average speed. Conshohocken High has already seen two of its students drafted by FABL in pitcher Tom Smith (1944-12th rd) and infielder Karl Wuertz (1941- 15th round). 4- Paul Bailey CF - Wixom (MI) HS (.457,5,31): OSA is very high on the Detroit born youngster, tabbing him as a future all-star centerfielder. The scouting service raves about his swing and feels he can become one of the best pure hitters of his generation. So, why is he fourth on our list? He hit just .457 and his batting average has declined each of his three seasons of high school ball. He was fourth overall on our list a year ago and after his freshman season might have been higher than that, but while some others have stepped up and improved year to year, Bailey has not. Do not get us wrong, Bailey is still a terrific prospect, but he has not shown the growth some others have displayed. We see Bailey as perhaps developing into a player similar to another Detroit born centerfielder - New York Stars former first overall selection Bob Riggins. 5-Bob Gray 3B Northeast HS, Philadelphia, PA (.547,9,39): There have been some great infielders come out of Philadelphia the past few years including names like Jim Adams Jr., Tom Miller and John Wells -all of whom were first overall selections. It would likely be a stretch for Gray to go that high but he certainly is expected to become the 12th Philadelphia-born player ever to be selected in the first round. Looking for a good comparison to Gray? Perhaps consider Denny Andrews of the Cincinnati Cannons but Gray may become a slightly better hitter. Scouts are in awe of Gray's compact swing and his hit tool rates at the very top. Gray hit 9 homers in 25 games last season and has above average power along with a strong arm that seems perfectly suited for the hot corner. OSA feels Gray will develop into an elite starting third baseman as he matures. 6-Red Milton RF: Southview HS, Lorain (OH), (.462,5,34): The Cleveland area youngster is expected to develop into an above average power hitter as he adds strength. His stats make him look more like a project right now, but the scouting service feels Milton "has the talent to develop into a franchise cornerstone" as he matures. 7- Parson Allen 3B: Chase City (VA) HS (.532,4,39): A three year starter at his high school, Allen has never hit below .500 in a season and OSA feels "his plus contact should translate into a solid big league batting average." It has not really been displayed yet, but the scouting service feels he has "tremendous power potential" and projects to be an "elite big league third baseman." 8-Earl Howe CF Cardinal Hayes HS, Brooklyn, NY (.504,14,49): We at TWIFB are surprised that OSA does not think more of Howe. Not that they dislike him at all, with the scouting service noting "Howe profiles as an everyday center fielder who can make an impact on a top-tier team," but based on what he has accomplished playing 3 years of high school ball in the New York city area, we would put him much higher on our list. Howe is a two-time high school All-American selection who was a finalist for the Adwell Award last spring. His 14 homers as a junior are one shy of the post-feeder era high school record shared by Walt Messer, Rick Masters and Otto Christian. By the time his senior season is over Howe may well be second only to Otto Christian's 53 career post-feeder homeruns while still possessing a batting average that may end up well above .500. 9- Roy Nash 3B- Medway (MA) HS (.459,11,31) : There are certainly some very highly touted high school third baseman in this draft and that might cause the New Hampshire native to drop outside of the first round despite being called a "franchise cornerstone" player by the scouting service. A high school All-American last season as a junior, he has shown some nice power already despite not turning 17 until next month. 10- Ralph Capriotti LF - Muncie (IN) HS (.505,9,38): A high school All-American selection as both a freshman and a sophomore, Capriotti missed earning that designation as a junior. His numbers have not matched the tremendous freshman season (.509,14,44) that the Troy, OH native put up but OSA feels Capriotti "has a high ceiling and projects well on the field and at the plate." Next week we present the TWIFB mock first round for the 1950 FABL draft. https://i.imgur.com/n5vXRfm.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vdYLsmC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/yX6VLLu.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KTv0oT9.jpg
RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 8/28/1949
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September 5, 1949
SEPTEMBER 5, 1949 BIGSBY BUYS TIGERS, MOVES GRID CLUB TO L.A. American Football Association Extends West There had been some speculation in Cincinnati newspapers recently wondering why the city's American Football Association club had spent their entire training camp working out in San Diego instead of closer to home as they had in past years. Well, the reason became painfully clear to Cincinnati sports fans today when news broke that the Tigers will stay on the west coast for the upcoming AFA season and beyond with news that the club is moving to Los Angeles. Thomas Bigsby, founder of the Great West Baseball League, has purchased the team from now former owner Edward K. Chiles and they will be known going forward as the Los Angeles Tigers. Bigsby, with some serious financial assistance from the city of Los Angeles, recently finished construction on a 50,000 seat stadium in the California city with the long-term goal likely to ensure that Los Angeles receives a FABL franchise should his west coast baseball league fail or be absorbed by FABL. It was also to serve as the site for the Los Angeles Lobos of the Continental Football Conference and did just that yesterday as the Lobos staged their home opener before a crowd of 50,730. Now the AFA, which had previously never ventured west of St Louis, gets a foothold in the west with the sale of the Tigers. Bigsby will own the new club and the CFC Lobos will also play out of the same stadium, at least for this season. The Lobos long-term status is in doubt as the CFC still has not found a new owner to take over for Dee Rose, who was convicted of several tax evasion charges earlier this year and is now in prison. It had been speculated that Bigsby would be the logical choice to purchase the Lobos so the decision to bring an AFA club to Los Angeles likely caught many in the CFC by surprise. The AFA is rumoured to have given its blessing to the sale after an agreement was reached where Bigsby would help broker a merger with the CFC. It is believed that the AFA would like to add three of the Continental clubs to its fold with San Francisco, New Orleans and Kansas City being the three identified by a source. The remaining 4 CFC team owners would be bought out in exchange for agreements to fold their clubs. A similar deal was nearly reached last December but it fell through when New Orleans owner William "Bill" Beauregard, his club on the outside at the time passed over because of an AFA preference for Los Angeles, refused to fold his club. As for Cincinnati, that city is now without professional football. The Tigers were established in 1944 but never had a winning season and struggled both on the field and at the gate, posting a 1-11 record a season ago and 18-37 over their existence. The AFA's 30th anniversary season will get underway September 22. GOTHAMS, SAINTS STAY ALIVE WITH WINS OVER LEADERS The New York Gothams and Montreal Saints each delivered key victories last week over the clubs ahead of them in their respective pennant races. New York was blasted 9-2 in the opener of its 3-game weekend series at Gothams Stadium against the Federal Association leading Chicago Chiefs but regrouped with a pair of weekend wins to move back to within 2 games of the Chiefs. Montreal started the week with a pair of victories of the Cleveland Foresters and after a strong 5-2 week the Saints sit 5.5 games behind Cleveland for the Continental Association lead. The Gothams, lifted by Red Johnson's grand slam -his big league best 43rd homer of the season- won 6-1 Saturday afternoon and followed that up with a 9-5 victory yesterday with Johnson going deep again with a 3-run shot this time. It marked the third straight game that Big Timber has homered against the Chiefs as his two-run shot accounted for all of the New York offense in the 9-2 beatdown they suffered in the series opener. There seems little doubt that the 31-year-old, who leads FABL in rbi's with 120 as well as homeruns, will be the runaway winner of his 4th Whitney Award. The question remains, however, as to whether Johnson will finally get a chance to participate in his first World Championship Game. Trailing the Chiefs by two games but 3 in the loss column, the Gothams do have two more games remaining with the first place Chicago club among the 20 contests still to be played on their docket. Thirteen of those final twenty will be on the road, where the Gothams presently sit 2 games below .500, including the meetings with the Chiefs at Whitney Park this Saturday and Sunday. Chicago has 22 left to play with 10 at home and 12 on the road. Montreal's task is much tougher, and odds are very much against the Saints ending a 28-year stretch without a pennant. The Foresters have stumbled a bit lately but still enjoy a 5.5 game lead on Montreal despite the Saints 35-19 record since the all-star break, which is the best in baseball over that time. Montreal has just a single game remaining head-to-head with the leaders - a September 21 contest in Cleveland. The Saints have 19 games left to play and face the difficult task of playing 15 of those on the road while the Foresters will be home for 15 of their 22 remaining contests. Even if Montreal wins 15 of its final 19 games the Foresters will simply have to play .500 ball the rest of the way to each finish the season with 90 victories. The odds are stacked against them ending a nearly 3 decade long pennant drought but the Montreal Saints did everything right this week to keep the race for the Continental Association flag alive. A 5-2 week record including winning the two games against Cleveland to start the week to reduce the Foresters lead to 5.5 games. The Saints have 19 remaining to play but 15 of them will be on the road so it will be no easy task but regardless of the final outcome, the sport is front and center in the minds of local sportsfans thanks to a terrific stretch that has seen the local nine post the best record in baseball since the all-star break. And their is plenty of excitement for the future even if the unbelievable comeback we are all dreaming of fails to materialize. While everybody likely thought it was Maurice Carter fiesta with 2 more HRs and 14 RBIs in the week, it action became the Joe Austin show. The versatile rookie who splits time between second base and centerfield had himself a run as during the last week Austin receives Batter of month, rookie of the month and player of the week nominations. Austin was only able to sneak onto the Saints roster in training camp because he can play multiple positions. Being a somewhat local product, born in Montreal as the son of former Saints trainger Alex Austin, certainly did not hurt either. Once here, the 24-year-old surprised everyone with his speed (he is the stolen base leader with 46 at the moment in FABL) and his hitting. To date Austin is batting .317 and has scored 104 runs while producing a 4.15 WAR. Not bad for a 7th rounder who landed in Montréal in the Red Bond trade with Zeke Johnson. The accolades kept coming last week for the high flying Saints as pitcher Pete Ford got the pitcher of the month award with 5-0 record and 2.33 ERA. But with all these good news, came the the hurdle as the Saints All star shortstop Gordie Perkins was injured and will miss the rest of the season. Fans went hiking the long stairs, on their knees, at the Oratoire St. Joseph to ask a miracle to Frere Andre without success. Question is now who will fiill that spot for Montréal for the reminder of the season as they are the only team who can fake a race with Cleveland for the title in CA. One thing is certain, by getting their 75th win of the season, Saints will play over .500 for real again this season! It may have slipped under the radar, but manager Homer Moore contract been extended recently... looks like he found the recipe of winning in Parc Cartier... one day somebody will call this recipe the "Poutine"! A year ago, when we did the "Way Too Early" mock draft for this class the name Fred Lainhart was right at the top of the board. A year later much has changed on the mock draft but not the name at the top as Lainhart remains in the number one slot based on TWIFB's consolations with OSA staffers. Here is our mock first round and at the bottom we take a look back by listing the order we had for this class a year ago. 1- FRED LAINHART CF - Pandora (OH) HS, (.593,1,34): Number one in the "Way too Early Mock" a year ago, the Michigan born youngster hit .593 both last season and as a freshman. He was an All-American selection his debut season but only earned honourable mention status last year despite that batting average being the 8th highest all-time single season total in the post-feeder era. OSA feels Lainhart has the "highest ceiling imaginable as an elite centerfielder." 2- BOB LONGSTRETH C, Opelika State (.277,6,38). There is a shortage of elite catching at the FABL level and that should help boost Longstreth's stock although it may not need much boosting as OSA says "with his talents the light of the 20-year-old Louisiana native's star could be blinding." 3- TOM DRILL LHP, Empire State (10-1, 1.71). Drill remains the top pitcher on our list but OSA has downgraded their assessment of the 20-year-old southpaw, noting the Philadelphia native has a ceiling of a #3 starter after calling him a "potential top of the rotation" arm a year ago. 4-ANDY ROBINSON 2B - Fredericksburg (VA) HS, (.517,3,28). OSA sees multiple all-star games in Robinson's future. 5- LES SASSON 2B - Conshohocken (PA) HS, (.500,4,33). It might be a tough choice come draft day for a club with a second base need at the top of its list. OSA sees both Sasson and Andy Robinson as future all-stars and does not differentiate much between them, nothing both have outstanding work ethic, will draw walks and each has above average speed. 6- EDDIE WEBB RHP, Reidsville(GA) HS (7-2, 1.34): A year ago, after his second straight 11-0 season at Reidsville High, OSA felt Eddie Webb could develop into a top of the rotation arm. He struggled a little with his control as a junior and while the scouting service still feels he is the best pitcher available in the draft, OSA has lowered Webb's ceiling to that of a "future number two starter." We are going to make him the second pitcher on our mock list behind Empire State's Tom Drill simply because high school arms are a bigger risk that college pitchers. 7- PAUL BAILEY CF - Wixom (MI) HS (.457,5,31): OSA is very high on the Detroit born youngster, tabbing him as a future all-star centerfielder. 8- ADAM RAMSEY 2B, Fremont State (.316,9,41). Fremont State is a lower level college out of Wyoming but Ramsey had a couple of strong seasons at the plate and OSA feels he can develop into an "above average second baseman someday." 9- SKINNY BENNETT C,Eastern Oklahoma (.263,5,22). Bennett will be hard pressed to become the highest drafted catcher to ever come out of Eastern Oklahoma as that honour currently belongs to Adam Mullins, the 11 time all-star who was selected 6th overall by Montreal in 1932. There is a real shortage of elite catchers in FABL right now and we feel that will help boost Bennett into top ten talk. 10- ELMER WALTERS SS, Bayou State (.269,2,40). The Cleveland native was a 1947 selection of the St Louis Pioneers but failed to sign and instead joined Bayou State. OSA is very high on the 20-year-old, praising his outstanding range and a smooth swing, prompting the scouting service to suggest Walters could be an "above average shortstop someday." 11-BOB GRAY 3B : Northeast HS, Philadelphia, PA (.547,9,39). There have been some great infielders come out of Philadelphia the past few years including names like Jim Adams Jr., Tom Miller and John Wells -all of whom were first overall selections. It would likely be a huge reach for Gray to go number one in this class but he certainly seems a lock to be called at some point in the first round. OSA feels Gray will develop into an elite starting third baseman as he matures. 12-RED MILTON RF: Southview HS, Lorain (OH), (.462,5,34): The Cleveland area youngster is expected to develop into an above average power hitter as he adds strength. His stats make him look more like a project right now but the scouting service feels Milton "has the talent to develop into a franchise cornerstone" as he matures. 13- PARSON ALLEN 3B: Chase City (VA) HS (.532,4,39): A three year starter at his high school, Allen has never hit below .500 in a season and OSA feels "his plus contact should translate into a solid big league batting average." It has not really been displayed yet, but the scouting service feels he has "tremendous power potential" and projects to be an "elite big league third baseman." 14-EARL HOWE CF Cardinal Hayes HS, Brooklyn, NY (.504,14,49): If it was up to TWIFB, Howe would be much higher on the list. He is a two-time All-American and was a finalist for the Adwell Award as a junior. OSA calls Howe an "everyday center fielder who can make an impact on a top-tier team." 15- OSCAR EDWARDS RHP, Crestview HS, Ashland, Ohio (10-1, 1.13): Born in Texas but he grew up in Ohio, Edwards did not make the scouting service list of top prospects a year ago but the groundball specialist is now considered a "fourth starter, and possibly more" by OSA. 16- ROY NASH 3B- Medway (MA) HS (.459,11,31) : There are certainly some very highly touted high school third baseman in this draft class and that might cause the New Hampshire native to drop outside of the first-round despite being called a "franchise cornerstone" player by the scouting service. WHERE WE HAD THEM RANKED A YEAR AGO Code:
TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Present Plans To Owner --As the team stumbles toward the end of season, the Toronto Wolves front office has presented Mr. Millard with the system evaluation along with a tentative approach to the upcoming off-season. They also sent a very general plan for reaching the World Series before 1954. Brett has learned that the system summary has opened wide many eyes. Brett has has heard the system will probably go through a major shakeup over the winter. One person speaking off the record said "Many were shocked at how bad the system was, too many old players with no or at best limited futures. Some of these players are currently on the 40-man. With the minor league seasons coming to an end next week there are a number of players in for a shock." It appears the system will under go a seismic shift in before the end of October. Staff is currently reviewing all 53 players that are eligible for the Rule 5 draft with early returns suggesting that almost all will be available to other teams. Brett has learned that will also be a number of casualties on the 40-man roster. That process has already started with veteran minor league outfielder Sam Allen being placed on waivers. The system shakeup, coupled with a few pending retirements, guarantees that Wolves fans will see a different team in the new decade.
COWBOYS RALLY TO CORRALL BULLS The Kansas City Cowboys, knocked off their perch as Continental Conference champions by San Francisco last December, have something to prove this season but they nearly got off to a very shaky start. Only a fourth quarter comeback saved head coach Pete Walsh and his charges from a season opening loss as the Cowboys rallied for a 17-14 victory over an inspired Buffalo Bulls squad. The Bulls, who opened their season a week ago with an easy time of things in Chicago, shook off an early Pat Chappell to Tom Manning 43-yard scoring pass with a pair of touchdowns of their own and carried a 14-10 lead into the final quarter. Star running back Dave Karaszewski ran for one of the Buffalo scores, and 77 yards in total on the day, while quarterback Mark Monday was his usual effective self, completing 13 of his 26 tosses for 150 yards and aside from the early Chappell scoring toss, the Bulls defense held the powerful Cowboys offense in check, at least for a while. The fourth quarter was a slightly different story. First Chappell hooked up with his favourite target Bill Tammaro for a 57 yard pass that set up a 31-yard Reuben Walston kick that cut the Bulls lead from 7 to 4 points at 14-10. Making it tougher to swallow for Buffalo fans was that fact that just minutes before the Bulls Mike Biladeau missed on an 18-yard field goal attempt of his own. The score remained 14-10 for less than four minutes as, after a quick Buffalo three and out, Chappell went back to work with his most effective series of the day. It was a quick series, taking just 5 plays to charge 75 yards for what would prove to be the winning score. Mason Matthews, who had a slow day with just 36 yards rushing in total, started the drive off with a 6-yard run. After Tommy Cohan carried for 9 yards and a fresh set of downs, Chappell and Tammaro connected again. This time it was a 19-yard pass but that was merely the appetizer for Chappell's next toss - a 39-yard catch and run with Collie Lovas that saw the end reach the Buffalo 2-yard line before finally being corralled. A play later the Cowboys had the lead for good when Chappell found Ernie Orr in the back of the endzone for a 2-yard scoring pass to make the final 17-14 for the Cowboys. WINGS FLY PAST COMETS Crushing the Chicago Comets with a terrific ground attack coupled with a deceptive aerial game, the San Francisco Wings won their second straight Continental Football Conference game 42-7. A second straight crowd of more than 50,000 crowded into the brand new Golden Gate Stadium to see the local eleven jump out to a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter and never take their foot off the gas. John Brom, who scored twice in the season opening win over New Orleans, was at the top of his game, rushing for two touchdowns including a 48-yard scamper that opened the scoring as he gained 193 yards on just 14 carries. The Wings offensive line cut huge holes in the porous Chicago defense all game allowing the hosts to rack up 395 yards on the ground and average well over 8 yards a carry. When Brom wasn't dancing through the Comets defense, San Francisco quarterback Sam Metcalf was throwing over it as he completed a dozen tosses, highlighted by 4 to Wes Mula, for 193 yards. The hapless Comets struggled to a 1-13 season a year ago and things might even be worse this time around as they have been outscored 80-14 in their two losses to start the current campaign. CRESCENTS SPOIL LOBOS PARTY The New Orleans Crescents played the gracious visitor a week ago in losing to San Francisco in the debut of the Wings new monstrous Golden Gate Stadium but they refused to extend the same courtesy to the Los Angeles Lobos. The Lobos, making their debut in the 50,000 seat Bigsby Stadium came up short in dropping a 42-31 decision to the Crescents in their season debut. It was a back and forth contest with plenty of offense - the two clubs combined for 888 net yards- but two late fumbles and a fortuitous bounce proved the difference. First came the good bounce for the Crescents as John Walker, after catching a 16-yard pass from Vince Gallegos, had the ball jarred loose. Fortunately, it bounced right into the arms of Walker's New Orleans teammate Ollie Peters, who scooped it up on the run and raced 34 yards for a score to put the Crescents in front 35-31. Two plays later, now trailing with just over 8 minutes remaining, Los Angeles quarterback Jackie Wendt looked for a big play. Wendt dropped back to pass but heavy pursuit caught up with him and he fumbled as he was hit. New Orleans once more recovered as Philip Phelps fell on the loose ball at Lobos 17 yard line. Three plays later Dale Wolf scored on a 6-yard run to add some insurance and the Crescents would go on to a 42-31 victory. COLLEGIATE GRID FANS GET SMALL APPETIZER THIS WEEK Another season of collegiate grid action will get underway Saturday with just a single contest before the action begins in earnest the following weekend. Detroit City College is the defending National Champion after the Knights had their second straight perfect season a year ago, but few are expecting a repeat for the Great Lakes Alliance power. Even the section crown may be in doubt for Knights, who have been the kings of the GLA for each of the past four seasons and have posted a 25-0 section record during that time frame. Central Ohio, which paced the GLA in 1944, along with Wisconsin State and Minnesota Tech are all expected to field strong programs capable of qualifying for a New Year's Day trip to Santa Ana. There will also be plenty of competition to claim the number one overall ranking for Detroit City College, which opens its season September 24 against in-state rival St. Ignatius, throughout the nation. St Blane, winners of the 1947 National Title, is always strong and this year will be no exception for the Fighting Saints who boast a star-studded lineup led by All-American end Bobby Leonard and quarterback Bill Thomas. Rome State, with senior quarterback Paul Domenico leading the charge, will also be a team to fear. Joining Rome State as powers to watch from the south are several schools including North Carolina Tech, where All-American halfback Jackie Charles is returning for his senior season. In the southwest there are a trio of teams with national championship hopes including Southwest Alliance foes Travis College and Texas Guld Coast with Oklahoma City State - a team to fear out of the Plains Athletic Association. The strength of the West Coast Athletic Association lies not in Los Angeles, where CCLA is coming off a dismal 2-8 and Coastal California, which had some struggles of its own a year ago. Instead it is to the north of the state with Redwood University and Northern California, which capped an impressive 9-1-1 showing a year ago with an East-West Classic shutout victory over St Magnus, that look to be the teams to beat in the WCAA. The action begins next Saturday with College of Waco getting an early start against tiny Abilene Methodist before many of the schools in the south and west kick things off the following weekend. The eastern powers, including St Blane, will get things underway the weekend of September 24. Much has changed for 1949 in terms of the rules. Francis Stann from the Washington Times elaborates on that in his column below: RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 9/04/1949
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September 12, 1949
SEPTEMBER 12, 1949 600 FOR BOBBY! Philadelphia, Sept 8, 1949 -- Bobby Barrell hit his 600th home run this evening in the Keystones 8-5 victory against Boston at Broad Street Park. He homered in the 7th as a key part of the four-run inning that put Philadelphia up for good in the game, snapping a six-game losing streak. Barrell blasted his two-run homer off starter Alf Keeter to the opposite field on a 1-0 count with two out that extended the lead to the game's final margin. Only 14,585 were in the park on a perfect early September day to witness history. Barrell, a 6-time winner of the coveted Whitney Award as the top player in the Federal Association, made his debut with the Keystones in 1931. It took nine big league games before he hit his first career homerun. That one also came against Boston but on the road in the old Cunningham Field when, on April 23rd, Barrell led off the first inning of what would prove to be a 6-5 loss with a solo shot off Boston starter Joe Dorsainvil. Barrell would not belt his second round-tripper until the final day of April but thanks to a strong second half in which he smacked 12 homers after the all-star break, Barrell would finish his rookie season with 19 homeruns. He topped 50 in a season for the first time in his career in 1936 and would do so again in his record-setting 1947 campaign in which Barrell smashed Max Morris' single season record of 60 by smacking 64 homers. Only Morris, with 711, stands ahead of Barrell on the all-time homerun leaderboard. FORESTERS MOVE CLOSER TO FIRST PENNANT SINCE '35 WHILE GOTHAMS KEEP HEAT ON CHIEFS IN FED The Cleveland Foresters are now just 13 games away from ending a decade of despair and winning their first pennant since their only World Championship season in 1935. The Foresters have not finished higher than sixth in the Continental Association this decade and were dead last six of the last nine years, have a magic number of 7 as they lead the second place Montreal Saints by 7.5 games. The Foresters went 4-3 last week while the Saints stumbled to a 2-4 week -their worst weekly showing since the all-star break. While the race in the CA is all but over, the flag chase in the Federal loop looks like it may not be decided until the final weekend of the season. The Chicago Chiefs and New York Gothams split a two-game set last week in what was the final meetings of the season between the two clubs. The Chiefs, at 80-58, have 16 games remaining with only 6 of them at home while the Gothams, a game back at 80-60, will play just 3 of their final 14 contests at Gothams Stadium. The odds-makers give Chicago a 56.6% chance of hanging on and winning their first pennant since 1938 and completing a startling comeback from being the worst team in the Federal Association a year ago. UNLIKELY SERES LOSS IN CHICAGO STALLS SAINTS PENNANT HOPES Just six games out of first, the Saints had two days off to prepare for what should have been an easy series win for a surging Saints squad. The test was the lowly Cougars, losers of 15 of their last 21, as they went from a pennant contender to pretender in the blink of an eye. But of course, as it seems there prerogative all season long was to keep the Foresters firmly atop the standings, they thrashed the Saints by a combined score of 27-10, shutting the #1 offense out twice while taking three of four. There was one bright spot for the Saints, however, as Pete Ford continued his breakout campaign, earning his 16th win of the season after allowing just 7 hits and a run with 3 strikeouts in his complete game victory. Ford has now won nine straight decisions, with his last loss coming on July 8th to the same Cougars he beat in Chicago. Adrian Czerwinski (23-6, 2.72, 67) may end up as the runaway Allen Award Winner, but it's impossible to overlook the contributions Montreal has received from their #4 starer. A former 4th Round Pick, Ford spent just half a season in the Saints organization before joining the war effort after the 1942 campaign. He missed three seasons of development time, so it wasn't shocking that the California native spent the entirety of the next two seasons in AAA trying to get himself sorted. The overall numbers didn't look great, a 4-16 with a 4.34 ERA (89 ERA+) in 1946, followed by a better 14-7 record despite a higher 4.73 ERA (97 ERA+). Still, the underlying numbers thought he was an above average pitcher, as his 3.44 (88 FIP-) and 4.00 FIP (87 FIP-) felt Ford had been short changed for what he provides for his team. Last year can be considered the start of his breakout, as in 10 AAA starts he went 6-1 with a sparkling 2.05 ERA (218 ERA+) and 1.24 WHIP. This earned him his first shot at becoming a FABL pitcher, as the Saints used him for 6 starts and 12 relief outings. The overall work again wasn't great, as he produced a 4.39 ERA (89 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP, while walking (34) twelve more batters then he struck out (22). But again, the underlying numbers expected more, as his 3.46 FIP (88 FIP-) was about as above average as his ERA was below. That could be one of the reasons the Saints brass showed faith in the 28-year-old this season, as he was given a rotation spot after Opening Day and has held it throughout the entire season. In his 28 starts, he's an impressive 16-3, good for an FABL leading 84.2% win percentage. The extreme groundballer has done a tremendous job keeping the ball in the park, surrendering just 5 homers in 204 innings (0.2 HR/9), which has led to an outstanding 3.04 ERA (137 ERA+). He has a strong 1.35 WHIP with 81 strikeouts, above average marks in both categories. If there is one knock on Ford, its the walks, as he has 79. His 9.1 BB% is middle-of-the-pack among qualified pitchers, but if it holds it will be the lowest of his professional career. If the walks rise, it may be tough to keep up this level of production. Still, if Ford's emergence as a reliable starter is no fluke, it lengthens an already strong Saints rotation. They already have one of the best young aces in Bert Cupid (14-13, 3.39, 75), while veterans Pat Weakly (11-9, 4.17, 65) and Wally Doyle (11-10, 3.86, 90) have long been capable innings eater. Support them with the #1 scoring offense, led by young stars Otis O'Keefe (.294, 15, 88), Maurice Carter (.306, 27, 113), and Montreal's own Joe Austin (.316, 5, 57, 46), and its no surprise the Saints are coming off one of the best August's in recent memory. They may have started a bit too late to catch the surprisingly consistent Foresters, but just like for Cleveland baseball fans, things are looking up for those in Montreal, as the years of mediocrity may now be a thing of the past. Their 77 wins this season tie last year's mark, which was the most since the 1930 team won 86 games, and with 13 games left they seem like a lock for their 11th 80-win season as a FABL organization. The dice have been cast in the CA race and the final rolls have come up snake eyes for the Saints. The Gordie Perkins injury made more trouble than expected and Montreal getting a 2-4 week at the wrong time. Results is Cleveland is 7.5 games ahead with just 3 weeks remaining in the season. It was a season to remember and a year that finally re-instilled pennant fever at Parc Cartier, something that has been absent for far too long. The best record since the all-star break is statement that perhaps the dark days are over, and the club can once again be a contender in the Continental Association. And that feels good. Unfortunately, that feeling is tinged with the stark realization that the 1949 season was a missed opportunity for the Saints. We look longingly at Cleveland, a club that has suffered nearly as much as the Saints have this decade and think with just a couple of breaks "that could have been us." The "what if" scenarios were flying about the Montreal headquarters last week? Montreal is showing a very good offense this season but ran out of fuel to battle for the title until the end. Injuries down the stretch played a role, that is for certain but looking at the performances this year there are plenty that stand out as positives but also one glaring weakness staring Saints brass right in the face. Heading the what if scenarios is "What if Wally Reif merely just had a decent season and finished 10-10 vs the 5-15 he has actually accumulated this season? Reif was 16-10 a year ago with a 3.73 era, about half of the 7.31 mark he has been saddled with this season. Five more wins for Reif to be simply an average arm and a break here and there and who knows, we could be talking about quite a pennant race the final three weeks of the season. For sure this awful season was not expected from a pitcher who never suffered as troubling a season in his career as this one. Making it even harder to digest is that at the age of 28 and coming off his best year this showing was not something the Saints could have anticipated. Reif was healthy and should have been at the peak of his game. I am sure there are many other things that one could point at but merely an average Wally Reif season would have kept the Saints closer to Cleveland and in the thick of the flag chase. Depth was an issue on the mound this year, but next season, Ted Coffin, the Saints first round pick in 1944, maybe ready to jump in the rotation to cover up a bad pitcher streak. Every year the staff at TWIFB sit down with staff from Dan Barell's office at the OSA and try to come up with a mock draft for the class that still has two seasons of high school or college ball before it graduates and a full 15-16 months before they are eligible to be drafted. This year is no different so here is our early ranking of the top 16 players, along with a few honourable mentions, you should be following for 1951. Most feel it is a lock that Charlie Barrell, a member of baseball's royal family and currently a 3-sport star at Noble Jones College, will be the first name called. Barrell might well have gone #1 in the 1948 draft had he not told all 16 FABL clubs that there were no circumstances in which he would sign a contract as his focus was Noble Jones College where he could hone not only his skills as a second baseman, but also as a grid quarterback and cage guard. There is much speculation that Barrell may just pass on baseball altogether, especially if his next couple of seasons on the football field go as expected. We will list Charlie Barrell #1 on our mock draft, but the question remains that when his collegiate career as a Colonels multi-sport star is over: Will Barrell play pro baseball or football. Basketball is also a possibility, but that sport is considered a longshot for Charlie's choice at the moment. Whether Barrell is included or not, at this stage it looks like a bumper crop of high-end talent with OSA suggesting six players could become all-star game regulars and one pitcher has the makings of a future #1 starter. The pool is deep enough we decided to supersize this list and instead of just doing a one round mock, our list will include the top 25 candidates as of right now for the 1951 draft. We do know from past experiences there will be a lot of changes to our list a year from now, but for the moment this is a pretty good collection of future big leaguers. COWBOYS TOO MUCH FOR CRESCENTS After winning in Kansas City last year, the New Orleans Crescents had plenty of confidence heading into tiny Packer Park on the weekend, but they failed to contain Pat Chappell as the Kansas City Cowboys quarterback threw a pair of touchdown passes and guided the Cowboys to 24-3 victory. It was not an overwhelming showing by the Cowboys star signal caller but a very effective one as he played mistake-free football and completed 12 of 17 attempts for 158 yards. While Chappell gets much of the credit for the success of the Cowboys, it was the Kansas City defense that stood very tall on this day, limiting the Crescents to just 114 yards on the ground and only 69 through the air. They did a particularly strong job on Vince Gallegos, the sophomore Crescents quarterback who burst on to the pro scene last year straight out of Bayou State. Gallegos completed just 7 of his 16 attempts and was intercepted twice with Joe Walker also throwing an interception for the Crescents. The contest was scoreless until midway through the second period when the Cowboys capped an impressive 71-yard drive with a 3-yard scoring run from Pat Hill. Ruben Walston would add a 12-yard field goal just before the break to give the Cowboys a 10-0 lead at the half. Early in the third quarter and deep in his own territory, Gallegos was intercepted by Ken Edwards giving the Cowboys the ball at the Crescents 15-yard line. It took just 3 plays for Chappell to find Pat Hill in the endzone on a 7-yard pass to make the score 17-0. The Crescents replied with a quick field goal, but Chappell ended the suspense with a 13-yard scoring strike to Ernie Orr early in the final frame to round out the scoring. In other weekend action the new look New York Gothams, bolstered by players from the now defunct Brooklyn Kings squad, held off the Buffalo Bulls 27-21 in their season opener. Finally in Los Angeles, the Lobos picked up their first win at Bigsby Stadium as they hammered the sad-sack Chicago Comets by a score of 55-0. Rookie Lou Grossman, splitting time with vet Jackie Wendt, threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for 73 yards while Ham Yates carried the ball for a game high 109 yards as the Lobos built a 27-0 lead at the break and refused to slow down. Chicago, 0-3, has been outscored 135-14 this season. COLLEGIATE GRID SEASON UNDERWAY There was one game on the weekend to kick off the latest season of AIAA football. It was in Texas where College of Waco hammered Abilene Methodist by a 38-0 score. The Cowboys, who finished 6-3-1 overall a year ago and finished second behind Texas Panhandle in the Southern Border Association, will face a much tougher challenge next weekend when they visit San Antonio to face Southwestern Alliance power Travis College. The Bucks are coming off a 7-4 season that culminated with a New Year's Day loss to Noble Jones College in the Sunshine Classic. Speaking of the Colonels, sophomore quarterback Charlie Barrell and his mates will host Bulein in a busy Saturday of action. Other highlights for the upcoming weekend including a West Coast Athletic Association showdown in Los Angeles between CCLA and Lane State as well as meetings between Penn Catholic and Darnell State while Lawrence State entertains Amarillo Methodist. FIGHTING SAINTS FAVOURED AS TOP AIAA GRID SQUAD The St Blane Fighting Saints are favoured to win their third collegiate football national title in the past four years according to the 1949 TWIFB AIAA preseason top ten. The Fighting Saints, after unbeaten seasons and back to back titles in 1946 and 1947, dipped to number two in the polls behind Detroit City College after suffering their first defeat in 3 years and finishing with an 8-1 record. The Fighting Saints have a deep roster led by senior end Bobby Leonard, who was an All-American a year ago, but will need to replace their star running back Joe Fulgham, who was also an All-American but elected to bypass his senior season and signed a contract with the Detroit Dynamos after being selected in the first round of the FABL draft last January. There is plenty of talent to fill the void with senior backs Carl Thurston and Glenn Jones both expected to play key roles. Detroit City College, which won its first national football title last year, holds down the number two spot in the preseason rankings but the Knights have plenty of holes to fill due to graduation losses. Third in the preseason rankings are the Rome State Centurions as the military academy -winners of back to back titles in 1944 and 1945, have a potential All-American candidate in senior quarterback Paul Domenico. Oklahoma City State, with a terrific passer of their own in Paul Schultz, along with North Carolina Tech, led by All-American halfback Jackie Charles, round out the top five. GOALTENDER BANNISTER MAY BE TOP NAHC DRAFT PICK The North American Hockey Confederation completes its annual draft of the top 19-year-old amateur hockey players this week and for the first time ever a goaltender may be the top selection. The NAHC draft, which has been in place since 1941, will be a four round affair this season and while there are several candidates for the first overall selection, OSA is suggesting that Nate Bannister, a Sudbury, Ont. born 19-year-old goaltender, may be the first name called. It is rare, but goaltenders have been selected in the first round before although none higher than the fourth pick. That pick was Charlie Dell, who the Toronto Dukes selected 4th overall last season and Dell became just the third goalie to be chosen in the opening round. Prior to Dell, Henri Chasse was selected 6th by Detroit in 1942 and Oren James 7th by Boston the following season. Both Chasse and James have proven to be top flight NAHC netminders and each has won a Juneau Award as the league's top goaltender. Dell, 20, spent last season with the Toledo Tigers of the Hockey Association of America. The New York Shamrocks own the first pick based on their last place finish in the NAHC a year ago. The Shamrocks actually have two first rounders as they dealt rugged defenseman Bert McCalley to the Chicago Packers in a May deal that saw them receive players and a pair of draft picks in return. If the Shamrocks do not select Bannister, they may look to try and find a replacement for McCalley and there are a pair of promising rearguards available in Quebec native Griffin Dufresne or Emmett Hargreaves, who hails from the northern Ontario town of Kenora. Ken Jamieson, a center from Regina and Noranda, Quebec winger Bill Lachance are considered the top forward. None of the players selected are expected to play in the NAHC this season with all likely being assigned to one of the 12 teams in the new Canadian Junior League. The NAHC draft order for round one is listed below along with the history of first overall draft selections. RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 9/11/1949
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September 19, 1949
SEPTEMBER 19, 1949 WORST TO FIRST! FORESTERS CLINCH CONTINENTAL FLAG A most improbable turnaround is complete as the Cleveland Foresters, the laughingstock of baseball for most of the past decade and the worst team in the sport a year ago when they suffered through a 60-94 season, are suddenly the champions of the Continental Association. At 88-58, and 9.5 games up on the second place Montreal Saints with just 8 games remaining, the Foresters have a chance to win as many games this season as they lost a year ago. It marks the first pennant win for Cleveland since their back-to-back titles in 1934-35 and their first season with a winning record this decade. The Foresters finished 8th six times in the 1940s and never higher than sixth until this year. Years of struggle are being washed away by an exciting cast of young stars led by the amazing season of Adrian Czerwinski on the mound. The 24-year-old righthander, a 1946 second round pick, suffered through a 4-11 season as a big league rookie a year ago but is the clear Allen Award winner in the CA this time around with a 23-7 record and a sparkling 2.74 era. Czerwinski is not the only breakthrough on the mound. There is John Jackson, a 25-year-old first rounder from the 1942 draft who went 9-9 with a 5.00 era as a rookie last season but is 17-7, 3.23 this time around. Ducky Davis, 28, is in his 6th season with the Foresters but never approaches the 15-7, 2.89 season he is enjoying and then there is Goldie Irwin, a 27-year-old waiver pickup after being casted aside by the Montreal Saints, who is 7-4 with a 3.51 era. There are breakthroughs at the plate as well with Jim Adams Jr. and Lorenzo Samuels leading the charge. Adams Jr. is finally showing why he was the consensus first overall choice in the 1943 FABL draft with the former St. Ignatius collegiate star batting a career best .321 in his 6th full season with the Foresters although he did miss most of the 1947 campaign with a fractured knee. Samuels, a local Cleveland product selected in the old regional round of the 1941 draft, has caught fire as well. A year ago, he hit just .220 with 5 homers but the first baseman, who received a nice birthday present as the Foresters clinched at least a tie for the pennant on his 27th birthday, is batting .303 with a team leading 24 homers this season. The Foresters may end up being just one half of a rags to riches story this season as the Chicago Chiefs, a club that finished last in the Federal Association a year ago and won just one more game than the Foresters did last season, is standing tall in the Fed flag race. The Chiefs have a 2-game lead on the second place New York Gothams entering the final two weeks of the season. Assuming the Chiefs hold on it will be the first time in FABL history to last place clubs have met in the World Championship Series the following season. It will not be their first meeting as the Chiefs and Foresters hooked up in the 1917 WCS with the Whitney's prevailing in six games to win their first World Title. Interesting to note that the two games who by the Foresters were both started by a young pitcher by the name of Max Morris, a player who would go on to have more success as an outfielder. Wolves Look Toward the Fifties -- As the Wolves have 16 games remaining with a record of 64-74 under rookie Manager Fred Barrell, Brett has plans for a series of articles that look forward to what fans can expect as we move into a new decade. The articles will assess the 1949 starter at each position along with a look at who is in the system as next in line. With the succession plan Brett will offer some thoughts about the direction for the Wolves. The staff has just presented the owner, Bernie Millard, with plans for the future of the franchise. The report is said to be less than flattering, and Brett has learned that the consensus was that the system needs a general overhaul as there are too many players who are too old with no viable future for Toronto at the FABL level. Although the Toronto farm system is ranked sixth of sixteen in the FABL, there is going to be a major change in minor league philosophy going forward: specfically players will be pushed to higher levels in a "make it or break it" attitude. Long suffering fans of the AAA Buffalo Nickels will probably see the most difference in the new system. Instead of a team stocked with players that have had at least a cup of coffee in the FABL, the team will now feature players hopefully on their way up rather than on their way down. This should also filter down to the AA and A levels. Brett has learned that one the conclusions in the report was that there will still room for a very limited number of aging veterans to act, in theory, as additional staff in the top three levels but not a roster full of aging players. Brett will now start his series of articles with a look at the Toronto infield: CATCHER- The season started with Randy Hendrix and Walter Loera behind the dish to battle it out for the starting position. Unfortunately neither hit, fielded, or managed the pitching staff well this season. Brett thought that given Barrell's background the position would sort itself out but it didn't until the Wolves acquired Harry Pomeroy in the Artuso deal at the trade deadline. At 24 Pomeroy could, under Barrell's guidance, give the Wolves a solid starter far into the middle of the fifties while Cal Yeager develops further at AAA. The pair could partner to give the Wolves a solid catching tandem in the future. Brett expects that at least one of Hendrix and Loera will follow Sam Jordan, John Marsh to the DFA list to free up space on the 40-man allowing the Wolves space before the Rule 5 draft in December. FIRST BASE - Fred McCormick is a fixture but for how much longer? He will turn 40 the day after the regular season ends, but a season thus far of .296/.381/.445 (113 OPS+) suggests he may have at least one trip around the sun at 1B for the Wolves. Frank Brunch provides a LHB who can spell McCormick although his bat has been cold all season. Tony Ballinger, just 21 and a right handed batter, is one the first whom the Wolves have moved up to AAA with the new ways. In 70 PA for Buffalo he has a line of .355/.429/.435 after tearing up AA in Chattanooga. The scouting department feels that he needs more seasoning in Buffalo but could be ready next summer. SECOND BASE - Tom Fredrick has been a steady performer all season as .277/.355/.404 suggests at the plate along with rock solid defense at second. He has been the one fielding bright spot in an otherwise dreadful year for the Wolves infield defense. At 33 Fredrick may start to slow and if so then look to Joe DeMott -the other piece in the Artuso trade- perhaps to take over at second. Fans have suggested that Frederick's versatility will be a big benefit going forward playing both the outfield and second base. In the pipeline there is Roy Demonbreun, 21, and showing promise at Davenport. He is slotted to start next season at AA. THIRD BASE - Hal Wood, 35, is a steady bat with just an acceptable glove at the hot corner. He to is starting to age, and many in the front office think that Joe DeMott may eventually find a home at third. Pat Todd, 22, has the potential to take the position over as early as 1951 after spending a year in Buffalo. SHORTSTOP - After over a decade of Charlie Artuso manning short, Brett and fans took the position for granted only to find out how important a glove is at short after he moved on to the Chiefs. John Fast was given the first opportunity before his season ending injury. Fast's bat will play at the FABL level but his shoddy work in the field at this time will not allow Barrell to pencil his name in the everyday at short. Part of the reason for the Artuso trade was the selection of John Wells, 18, at first overall in the draft. Wells may be the future at short and he is being fast tracked through the system with a recent promotion to AA after starting in A ball. General feeling is that he is, at minimum, a year away from his FABL debut. Fans at Dominion Stadium may see him in 1951, leaving the question of 1950 in front of Barrell. DeMott is currently manning the position with the same difficulties as Fast. Harry Finney and Frank Frady are also options. Brett thinks neither has the bat to be a viable option also expects at least one, if not both, to be dropped from the 40-man roster at the end of the season. Will the Wolves pursue a short option for SS during the winter? Brett's next article will look at the outfield in the same manner.
WINGS FLY PAST LOBOS Exploding for two touchdowns in each the second and third periods, the San Francisco Wings racked up a 35-0 victory over the Los Angeles Lobos in the Continental Football Conference's California Classic over the weekend. A crowd of 52,800 saw the Wings win their third consecutive game to start the season while the Lobos dipped to 1-2. While the visitors from Southern California had the edge in time of possession, it was the hosts from the north who outgained their counterparts 379-287 on the afternoon and dominated on the scoresheet. While he did not find the endzone, Wings halfback Ernest Key was the difference in the game, carrying the ball 19 times for 142 yards. Sam Metcalf completed 11 tosses including 3 for scores while passing for 145 yards. Wes Mula once again was Metcalf's favourite target as the duo connected 7 times for 117 yards and a pair of scores. San Francisco struck early with a 54 yard, 10-play drive on their opening series that culminated in a 1-yard toss from Metcalf to John DeLucia. The Lobos had a chance to get on the board late in the opening frame but Stan Spearin's 22-yard field goal attempted missed its mark. A pair of Lobos interceptions in the second quarter each gave the Wings outstanding field position and both led to scores giving the Wings a commanding 21-0 lead at the break. The victory leaves San Francisco and Kansas City tied for top spot in the seven team loop with identical 3-0 records. The Cowboys rode the right arm of Pat Chappell to victory at Packer Park yesterday as the Kansas City quarterback threw for 312 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead his charges to a 33-14 triumph over the New York Football Gothams. It was a typical day at the office for the man many consider to be the top passer in the sport as Chappell completed 20 of 36 tosses to move the Cowboys down the field effortlessly. Powerful fullback Mason Matthews also had a strong day for the winners, bulling his way for 79 yards on 17 carries. Take away a late 70 yard touchdown run by Gothams back Nate Tyson and the New Yorkers managed just 96 yards from scrimmage on the day with Randy Thomas completing just 3 of 12 pass attempts for 27 yards. The Gothams are now 1-1 on the season. The other game on the CFC docket last week took place on Thursday as the New Orleans Crescents went into Whitney Park and handed the hapless Chicago Comets their fourth straight loss. The final was 28-7 making it the closest the Comets have come to victory this season but in reality Chicago was never in the game. Crescents back Lee Sutherland ran for the first of his three touchdowns on just the second play the visitors had from scrimmage and they never looked back. New Orleans evens its record at 2-2 with the victory as the Crescents prepare for their home opener next weekend - a rematch with a San Francisco club that outscored them 49-21 in the season opener. AMERICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION SET FOR THURSDAY KICK-OFF While the upstart Continental Conference has had a 3-week head start in getting its fourth campaign up and running, the American Football Association finally gets in on the act this weekend as all 10 teams will see action as the loop commences its 30th season of action. The league, which began in 1920 with 14 teams although many where in smaller midwest centers like Akron, Dayton and Syracuse, saw the Youngstown Reapers go a perfect 7-0 to win the first league title. Two of those 14 clubs were the Cleveland Finches and Chicago Wildcats, who remain active in the same cities today. A year later the Rochester franchise was transferred to Detroit and the Maroons were born and other teams would come and go until the league settled at 10-teams following the conclusion of World War II. One of the original franchises, the Chicago Wildcats, are the defending champions after the Wildcats nipped Cleveland to win the West Division title before shutting out the New York Stars 31-0 to win their 6th AFA championship. Coming off an 11-1 season and led by one of the best linemen to ever play the game in Bus McLean, not to mention a legendary head coach in former Navy Lt. Commander Carl Boon, the Wildcats may once again be the team to beat. The Chicago eleven should draw a stiff challenge in the West Division once more from the Finches while in the East Division the Philadelphia Frigates, who won their first and only AFA championship in 1944, may be the team to beat. The Frigates have a powerful offense led by Greg LePage, who topped 1,000 yards rushing last season, and quarterback Jim Taylor. Code:
AMERICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HISTORYPRESSURE ON YURIK AND MAROONS AS AFA SEASON SET TO BEGIN It is hard to believe as the American Football Association prepares to lift the lid on its 30th anniversary campaign next weekend that the Detroit Maroons are going on 13 years without a league title. Once of of the most feared outfits in the sport -winners of 3 titles in a 5 year span as the roaring twenties became the turbulent thities- the Maroons were still a force in the early forties. They may not have won it all since 1936 but with an aerial attack featuring Dewey Burnett throwing the ball to legendary end Stan Vaught, Maroons coach Frank Yurick guided the club to West Division titles in 1940, 1944 and 1945. The knock on Yurick back then was he did not use his gifted quarterback and talented receivers enough, preferring to grind it out on the ground and it cost the Maroons in the big games. Still, you have to give credit to Yurik for leading Detroit to the championship game more times than any other club in the first half of the decade. That changed in 1946 when Vaught, who never did see eye to eye with the penny-conscious and pass averse coach, finally had seen enough and retired for the final time. Burnett had also left, departing a couple of years earlier and the Maroons suddenly no longer had a high-flying offense and were forced to play Yurik's preferred style of grinding it out on the ground. The problem was that the Maroons lacked a dominant backfield. The first indications of trouble came at the tail end of the 1946 season when the Maroons lost four of their final five games to finish with just their second losing season since 1927. They rebounded with a 7-5 record the following season but, like 1946, excitement about the '47 campaign was greatly tempered after a dreadful stretch run that saw the Maroons fall out of the race by dropping three of their final four games. A year ago there was no late season collapse to contend with. Yurick's charges were consistent, but that was not a good thing as they were consistently bad and finished with the worst record in team history, going 2-10. Only the AFA's inaugural 1920 campaign -their only season in Rochester, New York before Rollie Barrell purchased the Maroons and shifted them to the Motor City- did the club ever win less games in a season. (The 1920 Rochester Maroons went 1-5-1 in the first season of the AFA). *** Plenty of Holes on '49 Roster *** There is much that needs fixing for the club this season. Let's start with the defense where the Maroons surrendered 23.9 points per game last season. Only the Cincinnati (now Los Angeles) Tigers and Pittsburgh Paladins allowed more against and Detroit's run defense was a major weakness for opponents to exploit. Add in a popgun offense which managed to score just 14.1 points per game, more than only the sad-sack Cincinnati Tigers, and you have a recipe for disaster. Mike Beard is a terrific person, but simply not a big-time pro quarterback. Same goes for Rich Coleman, who has been a decent defensive back over the years and gallantly attempted to handle the passing duties on offense but was clearly out of his element. The "Marks" in Marc Orlosky and Mark Belles are accptable ballcarriers but each lacks explosiveness which contributes greatly to the fact that the Maroons 3.5 yards per carry a year ago was the lowest in the league. There are holes everywhere that need plugged but judging by the performance at camp the past month, the answers did not arrive in time to warrant much optimism about the coming season. Coach Yurik claims he is optimistic about the campaign ahead and praises the arrival of ex-Wisconin State back Dutch Van Houten, noting the newcomer had a great connection with end Danny Maynard in camp while adding that Orlosky looked quicker this season and predicted big things from the veteran halfback. The pessimist, or perhaps it is the realist in me, says "I just don't see it" but for now I will give Yurik a much deserved benefit of the doubt. I can't help but wonder as I scan the Los Angeles roster how the Tigers were able to pry away talented Texas-born quarterback Dusty Sinclair and back Dennis Rea from Chicago, where both were blocked on the depth chart, yet the Maroons failed to make a pitch for either of them. Many would have felt much better about the Maroons chances this season with those two in the Motor City. Instead they are both part of what may just be a strong Tigers club on the west coast. And the Tigers were the only team the Maroons were better than last season. We will find out quickly just what Frank Yurik and the Maroons have in store for the upcoming campaign as they open the season Friday night as part of the AFA's Los Angeles in debut. A win over the Tigers won't prove this season is going to be as successful as Yurik predicts, but it will certainly be a small step in the right direction. CC LOS ANGELES OFF TO SOLID START The CC Los Angeles Coyotes are looking to make amends for a dreadful 1948 season that saw the school finish with just one section victory and a 2-7 overall record. The 1949 Westwood model, a revamped machine with a single wing, powered to convincing 45-7 victory over Lane State in Santa Ana to mark the season opener for both schools. After winning the West Coast Athletic Association title two years ago with a perfect section record and an 8-1-1 mark overall in which their only loss came to Detroit City College in the East-West Classic, the Coyotes imploded last season when they were shut out 3 times and held to 7 points or less in two other games during their worst season in well over a decade. The 45 points against the Emeralds Saturday, a team that beat CCLA 21-14 last season for its first win over the Coyotes since 1941, perhaps signals a return to contention for the Coyotes, who scored just 55 points total in their 7 losses last season. The Coyotes charged out of the gate with vicious blocking and tackling that led to a parade of injured Emeralds leaving the field most of the time. Senior halfback Gary Styles paced the offensive assault, scooting 64 yards for a second quarter score on a run from scrimmage and running a punt back 62 yards, nine short of a touchdown, in the first period. The Emeralds entered the game with high hopes after upsetting the Coyotes last year and talked all week of repeating the task, but the Lane State squad looked like a golfer who had left his best game on the practice time. Overworked halfback Pete Roberts turned in a solid effort for the visitors from the state of Oregon but he had far too little support. Notable results elsewhere included Penn Catholic travelling well as the Crusaders ventured down to Dallas and returned with a 14-10 victory over the host Darnell State Legislators. Noble Jones College scored twice in the opening half and then their defense shutdown Bulein in a 14-3 triumph for the Colonels over the Hornets. The Mississippi A&M Generals scored a commanding 51-27 victory over Knoxville while Lawrence State used a powerful ground attack to run all over Amarillo Methodist in a 45-30 victory for the Chippewa. Nick Maves and Mason Murphy led the Lawrence State attacking, each running for a pair of scores while Murphy also threw a 17-yard touchdown pass. WEEKEND RESULTS EAST Penn Catholic 14 Darnell State 10 Petersburg 31 Northern Pennsylvania 17 Cowpens State 38 Strub College 6 Huntington State 50 Baron College (PA) 21 SOUTH Noble Jones College 14 Bulein 3 Mississippi A&M 51 Knoxville 27 Central Kentucky 37 Mississippi Tech 0 Coastal State 44 Charleston (IL) 10 Richmond State 42 Ferguson 27 Quantico Marines 21 Chesapeake State 17 MIDDLEWEST Iowa A&M 34 Dubuque 6 Lambert College 55 Brookings State 7 Central Illinois 34 Fond du Lac 0 Wisconsin Catholic 51 Great Plains State 10 Queen City 34 Kit Carson University 34 SOUTHWEST Travis College 24 College of Waco 7 Abilene Baptist 79 McKinney State 3 White Sands 31 El Paso Methodist 20 Canyon A&M 27 Commerce State 14 Lawrence State 45 Amarillo Methodist 30 Texas Panhandle 41 Utah A&M 0 Payne State 65 Everman State (TX) 7 FAR WEST CC Los Angeles 45 Lane State 7 Redwood 33 Minns College 3 Rainier College 27 Provo Tech 10 Spokane State 14 Cache Valley 3 Golden Gate University 30 Portland Tech 24 Northern California 26 Sunnyvale 13 Colorado Poly 13 Mountainview State 2 Mile High State 17 Miners College 10 Idaho A&M 52 Willamette Valley State 34 Custer College 24 South Dakota Tech 7 College of San Diego 21 San Francisco Tech 20 Gates University 27 Flagstaff State 17 Wyoming A&I 27 Snake River State 7 https://i.imgur.com/8IPr7fo.jpg SHAMROCKS GRAB QUEBEC BORN DEFENDER FIRST OVERALL IN NAHC DRAFT The New York Shamrocks have big skates to fill on defense after the spring trade that saw their captain, veteran rearguard Bert McColley dealt to the Chicago Packers. The hope among the Shamrocks crew is that eventually Griffin Dufrense will be the one to fill that hole on the blueline. The 19-year-old native of Bagotville, Quebec was selected first overall by the Shamrocks in the NAHC rookie draft. Dufrense will almost assuredly play this season in the Canadian Junior League and is probably a couple of years away from being ready to join the Greenshirts. Until then New York will have to count on Jerry Finch, one of the pieces they added in the McColley trade, to fill the void on the blueline. New York also received Chicago's first and third round draft choices in the deal. The first rounder, fifth overall, was used to select another Quebec born youngster in right winger Bill Lachance. After the Shamrocks elected to take Dufrense, the second overall selection belong to Montreal and the Valiants were likely thrilled to land goaltender Nathan Bannister. The 19-year-old Sudbury, On. native was tabbed by many as the best player available in the draft and will likely be the eventually replacement for veteran Tom Brockers with the Vals. By going second overall, Bannister becomes the highest drafted goaltender since the NAHC began its rookie draft in 1941. The Detroit Motors followed with the third selection and looked to upgrade their blueline with the addition of Emmett Hargreaves, a left shooting defenseman who hails from Kenora, Ont. The two-time defending Challenge Cup champions followed with the announcement that Ken Jamieson, a center from Regina, would be their choice. Following the Shamrocks second pick of the opening round in Bill Lachance, the Boston Bees rounded out the first round with the decision to go with right winger Vince Banks, who was a teammate of goaltender Nathan Bannister in Sudbury last season. Most teams had four picks this year, but the Chicago Packers were the lone team with two, sending their 1st and 3rd Round picks to the New York Shamrocks in the blockbuster acquisition of bruising defensemen Bert McColley. Unfortunately the Packers were saddled with two left wingers, as the defensemen they were hoping would fall was taken one pick before their final selection, leaving them with a choice of two left wingers. The Packers organization was still quite happy with their second rounder, as while they wouldn't have taken Hugh Lambert in the first round, he was near the top of the board for second round picks. A 19-year-old from Vancouver, Lambert profiles as a top second liner on the left side. He's not the worst choice to lead a team, but cup chasers would want a more talented player leading their offense. 4th Rounder Gene Dalton isn't nearly as exciting, and there is a chance he remains unsigned for a while. A strong showing in the junior leagues could change that, but with him an open contract slot may be more appealing. RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 9/18/1949
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September 26, 1949
SEPTEMBER 25, 1949 DOWN TO THE WIRE Chiefs drop 2 of 3 in St Louis, Lead Just 1 Game It was quite an eventful week full of ups and downs for both the Chicago Chiefs and the New York Gothams but when the dust settled the difference between the two clubs fighting for the Federal Association flag was the exact same as it was 8 days ago. One Game. That is the lead the Chiefs hold on the Gothams as they try to navigate the final week of the season. Each of the contenders had last Monday off and entering play Tuesday the Chiefs lead was at two games but after New York was upset in back to back losses to last place Pittsburgh, the Chiefs lead was up to three games entering the weekend after Chicago split a pair in Philadelphia. The Gothams trimmed it two on Friday evening in Detroit when Red Johnson hit his milestone 50th homerun in a 6-2 New York victory in the Motor City while the Chiefs were surrendering a 3-run lead over the final two innings in an 8-7 loss at home to St Louis. Chicago did rebound with a 2-1 victory Saturday as Ernie Espanoza (11-9, 5.16) had one of his best starts of the season in going the distance to outduel Hiram Steinberg and the Pioneers 2-1. The Gothams did not lose ground as they rallied with 3-runs in the top of the 8th inning in Detroit, all courtesy of Walt Messer's 34th homerun of the season, to trim the Dynamos 4-3 and remain within 2 of Chicago. Ernie Bowman and likely Allen Award winner Carl Potter hooked up in a pitcher's duel yesterday at Thompson Field. The only run of the day came early as Cecil LaBonte led off the opening inning with a triple and scored on a Tom Jeffries single. Potter allowed just 4 hits the rest of the way, but Bowman was equally impressive, tossing a 4-hit shutout to give the Gothams the series sweep in Detroit with a 1-0 victory. The Chiefs seemed to be cruising along at home against St Louis as, with Joe Stallings on the mound, Chicago was up 4-2 after 8 innings. Chiefs Manager Joe Ward made the decision to give the ball to Ralph Kendall in the 9th inning and if the Chiefs fail to win the pennant the move may be second guessed for the entire winter. Kendall did not complete the inning as the Pioneers scored 5 times to take a 7-4 lead and after the Chiefs failed to get anything going in the bottom of the ninth, they suddenly found themselves just 1 game ahead of the Gothams. *** The Week Ahead *** Chicago, with a 86-62 record, has 6 games left this week. The Chiefs host third place Detroit in a 3-game series beginning tomorrow before heading to St Louis for their final 3-games of the season. The Gothams, at 86-64, have just 4 left on their docket. They are in St Louis for a single game on Tuesday before making the long trek back to New York for three weekend games at Gothams Stadium against the Dynamos. A tiebreaker, if necessary, will be played on Monday. CHIEFS ENTER FINAL WEEK UP BY ONE GAME While the Cleveland Foresters have wrapped up their worst-to-first campaign and are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak, the Chicago Chiefs have one final hurdle before doing the same themselves. Entering the final week with a one-game lead over the New York Gothams, the Chiefs will host the Detroit Dynamos for three at Whitney Park before facing the back-to-back champion Pioneers in St. Louis. At 86-62, they have two fewer losses then the Gothams, which could prove the difference in what's been a competitive pennant race all season long. In an all-in effort, the Chiefs will be leaning heavily on their top three starters, with each of John Stallings (19-5, 3.38, 161), Al Miller (15-9, 4.24, 87), and Charlie Bingham (13-11, 3.88, 61) getting two starts each over the final six games. Stallings has been the class of the rotation this year, winning each of his last nine decisions, and he has a chance to be the first Chief's starter to win 20 games since their Hall-of-Fame duo of Rabbit Day (26-7, 3, 3.06, 120) and Jim Lonardo (25-7, 1, 2.68, 81) both accomplished the feat in 1938. Stallings, 24, hasn't came close until this season, going 10-10 and 12-12 in his first two full seasons as a starting pitcher. Since being selected 1st Overall in 1946, he's been a fixture in the Chiefs' rotation, 48-32 with a 3.36 ERA (117 ERA+) and 430 strikeouts in 109 starts (4 relief appearances). As good as Stallings has been, the Chiefs have reversed their fortunes by scoring runs, as the offense ranks 2nd in the Fed and is powered by a slugging 3-4-5 in the lineup. Tim Hopkins is in the middle, and the former King has slashed .286/.376/.522 (135 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 37 homers, and 124 RBIs. He's drawn 86 walks to just 68 strikeouts, and his next homer would give him the second most in a single season for a Chief, breaking a tie with his own 1947 season. Another former King, Joe Rutherford (.276, 22, 93, 12) is having a breakout year at 26, and former Gotham Pete Casstevens (.240, 29, 96) has shaken off a slow start and now owns an adjusted league average 100 WRC+ in 136 games behind the plate. There's depth all through the lineup, and they'll get the welcomed return of Bill May (.346, 4, 36, 5) out in center. He's having one of his best offensive seasons, a 148 WRC+ in 317 PAs. Him, Rutherford, and Dave Krieger (.301, 7, 74) make up a potent outfield, one that could prove the difference as the season winds down. The Gothams are a team constructed completely different, as their rotation is led by star Ed Bowman (17-11, 2.75, 137), and the lineup anchored by Whitney frontrunner Red Johnson. The 31-year-old already has three of those awards, and with an 8 WAR (8.2) season the fourth seems like all but a formality. Johnson's slugged 50 home runs, the most in his career, and has hit an absurd .307/.425/.618 (172 OPS+) with 109 walks, 118 runs, and 134 RBIs. He's now the the fifth player to hit 50 homers in a season, and Johnson's is the tenth such season. He scored plenty, with protection behind him in Walt Messer (.292, 34, 119) and George Cleaves (.322, 17, 72), and plenty of times Johnson has driven in talented young infielders Cecil LaBonte (.333, 8, 70, 37) and Tom Jeffries (.315, 5, 52). With the season on the line, the Gothams will lean heavily on "Big Timber", as they'll play one in St. Louis before three hosting the Dynamos. Its the same two teams as the Chiefs, but the extra rest could be what tips the scales slightly in New York's favor. Waiting for what could be a tired Federal Association pennant winner is the still hot Cleveland Foresters, who have won seven straight capture just the fourth 90 win season in team history. If they win the next four, they'll tie their 1935 mark for the second most in team history, but they'll care much more about staying health and staying fresh. Led by likely Allen Winner Adrian Czerwinski (25-7, 2.91, 75), they've allowed the fewest runs in Continental Association, and a lineup of Lorenzo Samuels (.304, 25, 86), Jim Adams Jr. (.326, 12, 86, 7), and Orie Martinez (.289, 14, 62) has scored the second most runs. Despite the decade of futility, the Foresters picked the right season for everything to click, and they now have a chance to win their second title in franchise history. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves Going Forward Part Two -- After looking at thte future of the Toronto infield last week, Brett now takes a look at the Wolves OF. The once feared arms in the Wolves outfield of bygone years are no longer present as now opposing baserunners take the extra base without fear or second thought at all times. Not only are runners taking liberties fans say that balls that were once routine outs are know dropping in front of, or worse behind, the current group manning the green grass. Brett has been told that a major focus through the off-season and into spring training will be shoring up the leaky defense in all areas. Being the worst fielding team, by far, in the CA seems like an obvious place to start the improving on the climb back to respectability for the Wolves. LEFT FIELD - Dom Tripp has done adequate job as part of the platoon against RHP posting a .296/.379/.452 line. The LHP part of the platoon was scheduled to be Wally Boyer who has since taken over in center for Curt Brooks, who has yet to proved he can hit or field at the FABL level. Brett thinks if Chink Stickels comes back in 1950 he may start in left despite being 38 if a suitable candidate does not emerge from the system. CENTER FIELD - While Stickles can still field the position his bat is not what it once was, with a .245/.339/.362 line in 1949. Wally Boyer will be the incumbent although he needs to improve his fielding a step or two. Brett wonders if manager Fred Barrell is considering Stickles in CF with Boyer in a corner position. RIGHT FIELD - Hank Giordano will be entering the new decade after a down season in which the 28-year-old slashed .240/.301/.3337. He has never been an elite or even an average fielder but his bat has kept him the lineup. If the bat does not return to form the Wolves may be faced with a number of difficult decisions next spring. They can tolerate one ofense-only style player in the outfield but that bat has to be strong enough to make the club willing to overlook the defensive deficiencies. In the minors Kirby Copeland will probably be seen in spring training. The fifth round pick in 1947 has shown steady progression through the system finishing this season at AAA. He does not provide the power expected from a right fielder but has proven bat to ball skills. The team's first round pick in '48 Bill Irvin, is just 19, and had to be sent back to C after struggling mightily in Vancouver in almost 200 PA. He will start the 1950 campaign in Vancouver hopefully with better results allowing upward movement during 1950. The staff is scrounging the system for players to invite to camp in the spring - it is a good time to be a young outfielder in the Toronto system. This could be an area where the Wolves take a chance in the Rule 5 lottery during December.
LA TIGERS WIN AFA COAST DEBUT A change of address seems to have done wonders for the Los Angeles Tigers. The former Cincinnati grid club, purchased recently by Thomas Bigsby and relocated to the large new Los Angeles Stadium that bears his name, proved they are a much different squad from the toothless bunch that stumbled and bumbled their way through a 1-11 campaign while based in the Queen City a year ago. The Tigers, making their AFA debut by lifting the lid on the league's 30th season Friday evening, scored a convincing 21-0 victory over the Detroit Maroons in the first-ever AFA game contested west of the Mississippi. The addition of Dusty Sinclair certainly had a lot to do with the Tigers newfound success. The second year quarterback, who spent last season fighting Gus Brown and Ricky McCallister for playing time in Chicago, was made the headliner in Hollywood and responded with a strong game. The youngster, who led Travis College to a perfect season two years ago as a college senior, passed for 1 touchdown and ran for another to lead the Tigers offense. Sinclair completed 11 of 19 passes for 147 yards and when he wasn't throwing the ball over the Maroons defenders another former Chicago Wildcat in Dennis Rea was running through them. Rea carried the ball 20 times for a game high 92 yards -5 more than the entire Detroit offense gained on the ground- and just for good measure added a pair of catches for 54 more yards. The Maroons, coming off an awful 2-10 season of their own, had plenty of new faces in the lineup to start the season but it is clear coach Frank Yurik has his work cut out for him if the Maroons want to even approach respectability this season. RAMLBERS SURPRISE DEFENDING CHAMPS St Louis Upends Chicago Wildcats 21-7 The Chicago Wildcats lost just once last season enroute to winning the AFA championship, but it took just one week for them to equal that loss total from a year ago after the St Louis Ramblers pulled off the most surprising result of the weekend as the AFA's 30th anniversary season got underway. The Ramblers, who went 6-6 a year ago, built a 14-0 first half lead and held on to beat the visiting Wildcats 21-7 at Pioneers Field. A fumble by veteran Chicago quarterback Gus Brown set up the first St Louis touchdown as Ramblers quarterback Tom Berryman ran for a 7 yard score late in the opening quarter to complete a short drive that began on the Chicago 24 yard line. Early in the second period the Ramblers doubled their lead as John Sweat galloped 53 yards on a punt return to make the score 14-0. Chicago, which had more total offense and outplayed St Louis, did cut the gap early in the third quarter when the Wildcats second quarterback, Ricky McCallister, threw a 29-yard scoring pass to Herman Glass making the score 14-7. A missed field goal attempt by Fred Wilhelm prevented Chicago from creeping closer and the Ramblers put the game away with an impressive 58 yard drive early in the fourth quarter that culminated in Nick Klausen running a draw for a 7-yard touchdown to complete the afternoon's scoring. Elsewhere, quarterback's Bob Krohn of the visiting Washington Wasps and Phil Colvin of the Cleveland Finches put on a show at Forester Field. Krohn threw for 346 yards while Colvan passed for 289 in a game that the Wasps prevailed by a 29-21 margin. In Boston, the visiting Philadelphia Frigates managed to do very little with the ball for three quarters but rode a 17-point fourth quarter outburst keyed by an 80 yard fumble return for a score by Mike Shutes to a 24-10 victory over the Boston Americans at Minuteman Stadium. Finally in Pittsurgh, the hometown Paladins did all of their scoring in the second half to rally to a 35-21 victory over the New York Stars. Stars quarterback Archie Rawlings passed for 234 yards but was also intercepted 8 times including 4 picks from Jay Lebo. Those 4 interceptions tie a single-game AFA record established by Boston's Del Thomas in 1943. CHAPPELL LEADS COWBOYS TO 4TH STRAIGHT WIN Wings Forced to Settle for Tie in Buffalo The New Orleans Crescents gave them quite a battle but ultimately Pat Chappell and the Kansas City Cowboys prevailed with a 28-21 victory in a far better effort from the Crescents than what they displayed in losing in Kansas City two weeks ago. As so often is the case, Chappell was the difference in the Cowboys victory that ran their record to 4-0. The Cowboys quarterback threw for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns including the game winner 5 minutes into the fourth period when he found Ernie Orr for a 12-yard scoring strike. The victory leaves the Cowboys all alone at 4-0 and atop the Continental Football Conference after the San Francisco Wings were forced to settle for a 21-21 draw in Buffalo. It was a thrilling second half for the 24,250 on hand at Memorial Stadium as the Bulls, after allowing the Wings to take a 21-0 lead at the break, responded with 3 touchdowns of their own to claim the tie. The first half in Buffalo belonged to Sam Metcalf as the Wings signal caller threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third but the Bulls Mark Monday had the hot hand in the second half, throwing a pair of fourth quarter scores to salvage the tie. After a terrible first half that saw Buffalo go five straight possessions without a first down the Bulls started the second half with their longest drive of the day to get on the scoreboard. The 8 play, 80-yard march culminated in a 3-yard touchdown run up the gut for Denny McDunn that cut the San Francisco lead to 21-7. Each of Monday's two fourth-quarter touchdown throws came after the Wings had fumbled the ball away. Dave Karaszewski hauled in a 3-yard scoring pass with just over 8 minutes remaining in the game and 4 minutes later a quick 1-yard pass to Henry Mills tied the contest. The Wings had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but Russ Gilliam failed to connect on a 34-yard field goal attempt and both clubs had to settle for a draw. The opening game on the CFC docket last week was Thursday at Dyckman Stadium where the visiting Los Angeles Lobos scored 17 first quarter points and rolled to a 31-14 victory over the host New York Gothams. Six turnovers proved the Gothams undoing, and their offense sputtered all evening. The victory evens the Lobos record at 2-2 while New York dips to 1-2 on the season. ST BLANE, ROME STATE DOMINANT IN GRID OPENERS Nearly all of the major colleges have played at least once after a busy weekend of grid play that featured a number of one-sided contests. The biggest rout of them all occurred on the Tyrone, Pa. campus of St Blane University as the preseason favourites laid a whooping on Indiana A&M, clouting the Reapers by a score of 80-0. The Saints lead was just 14-0 at the end of the opening quarter but after adding 37 points in the second period to run the lead to 51-0, the second teamers took over for the remainder of the game. Before the subs came on St Blane quarterback Bill Thomas had thrown for a pair of scores and galloped 21-yards for a third major while burly back Carl Thurston and fleet footed Glenn Jones had each ran for two touchdowns. Even guard Larry Schadrin was involved in the scoring parade after he blocked a punt for a safety. Things look to get only slightly tougher next week for the Fighting Saints, who travel to the west coast to face Rainer College. The Majestics are 1-1 after they were routed 52-13 by Minnesota Tech on Saturday. Rome State also had an easy time of things on the weekend as the Centurions opened the season at their campus stadium against the visiting Lions from Central Carolina. The Lions had no roar on this afternoon as the Cadets ran over the visitors by a 42-3 count, to the complete satisfaction of a crowd of 17,561 spectators. Both clubs used fully separate offensive and defensive platoons, but the Central Carolina outfit proved quickly to be no match for the smooth-working Centurions units, who moved skillfully in their appointed grooves, and gave evidence very early in the proceedings that they were too much for the visitors. With no need of bringing all their strategy out in the open, Rome State depended mainly on a straight running game, trying only 15 forward passes, eight of which were complete. Leading the attack for the Centurions were Curt Hackney and Paul Domenico, each of whom scored two touchdowns. Other one-sided results involving some of the big schools included Noble Jones College with a 29-0 triumph over Western Tennessse, Coastal California sank Annapolis Maritime 41-17, CC Los Angeles continues to impress early with a 49-9 hammering of Western Iowa while Northern California, paced by four Tommy Schormer touchdown runs, pounded Golden Gate University 65-0. The games were not all blowouts as reigning national champion Detroit City College found themselves in quite a battle with in-state rival St Ignatius. The Lancers led 7-6 entering the final 10 minutes before the Knights rallied with a pair of late touchdowns to pull out a 20-7 victory. First-game jitters may have got the best of DCC early, as the Knights turned the ball over 4 times in the first half alone and 6 times in total. Weather was not a factor for the Knights struggles as the largest college football stadium in the country, filled with a capacity throng of just over 97,000 enjoyed a cool and clear afternoon, except for the fact they were on the edges of their seats much of the contest because of the Knights erratic play. Fortunately, the Lancers had some equally inept moments. Fittingly, what would prove to be the winning score came on a fumble recovery and 4 yard scoring return by Detroit City College senior tackle Joe Shukis, extending the Knights winning streak to 26 straight games dating back to the middle of the 1946 season. WEEKEND RESULTS EAST St. Matthew's College 24 St. Patrick's 6 Central Massachusetts 26 Henry Hudson 17 Brunswick 30 Western State 7 Garden State 20 New York Maritime 7 Penn Catholic 31 Liberty College 20 Eastern State 27 Potomac College 17 Constitution State 20 George Fox 17 Huntington State 31 Erie 23 Pittsburgh State 14 Richmond State 7 Sadler 34 Eastern Virginia 7 Quantico Marines 34 Alexandria 27 Boston State 31 St. Pancras 17 Empire State 31 NW New York State 24 SOUTH Rome State 42 Central Carolina 3 Noble Jones College 29 Western Tennessee 0 Georgia Baptist 23 Bluegrass State 7 Mississippi A&M 28 Opelika State 17 Bayou State 13 Central Kentucky 7 Cumberland 32 Northern Mississippi 0 Baton Rouge State 17 Alabama Baptist 3 Maryland State 24 Chesapeake State 0 North Carolina Tech 23 Charleston Tech 6 Carolina Poly 36 Petersburg 0 Western Florida 27 Mobile Maritime 3 Bulein 14 Lexington State 10 MIDDLEWEST St. Blane 80 Indiana A&M 0 Central Ohio 28 Daniel Boone College 14 Detroit City College 20 St. Ignatius 7 Minnesota Tech 52 Rainier College 13 Whitney College 21 St. Magnus 17 Lincoln 7 Iowa A&M 7 Wisconsin State 45 Wisconsin Catholic 17 College of Omaha 47 South Dakota Tech 6 Lawrence State 20 Boulder State 6 Colorado Poly 30 Mile High State 3 Lambert College 10 Lawrence State-Larned 0 Topeka State 37 Ohio Poly 14 Northern Minnesota 17 Payne State 7 Central Illinois 24 Ruston Tech 14 Kincaid 35 Eastern Kansas 33 SOUTHWEST Lubbock State 33 Columbia Military Academy 7 Texas Gulf Coast 21 Cowpens State 0 Travis College 33 Conwell College 3 Darnell State 21 College of Waco 20 Texas Panhandle 27 St. Erasmus 0 Red River State 34 Coastal State 6 Oklahoma City State 45 Commonwealth Catholic 3 Valley State 24 El Paso Methodist 21 Amarillo Methodist 34 Eastern Oklahoma 15 Abilene Baptist 57 Queen City 7 Tempe College 26 Gates University 14 Arkansas A&T 38 McKinney State 0 Canyon A&M 33 Everman State (TX) 21 FAR WEST Coastal California 41 Annapolis Maritime 17 CC Los Angeles 45 Western Iowa 9 Northern California 65 Golden Gate University 0 Redwood 51 Dickson 0 Portland Tech 41 Idaho A&M 16 Lane State 42 Provo Tech 7 Spokane State 37 Custer College 3 Sunnyvale 38 Minns College 0 California Catholic 23 College of San Diego 14 Pacific Fleet 28 Utah A&M 23 Oakland Tech 37 Flagstaff State 31 Stratton 27 Kit Carson University 21 San Francisco Tech 41 Salamanca State 3 Cache Valley 27 Pacific Submarines 27 South Valley State 6 Wyoming A&I 6 https://i.imgur.com/8IPr7fo.jpg AROUND THE LEAGUE https://i.imgur.com/HhKbU5d.jpg MOTORS SIGN BARBER The Detroit Motors have added to an already talented young core of forwards by agreeing to a contract with Lou Barber, the first overall selection in the 1948 NAHC draft. Barber is a 21-year-old right winger who spent the past two seasons with the Toledo Tigers of the minor league Hockey Association of America. He had just 4 goals and 15 points in 33 games as a rookie with the Tigers but followed that up with a 15 goal, 33-point season a year ago while appearing in 42 games with Toledo. Motors Coach Badger Rigney was impressed with Barber's development last season and feels the youngster can compete to earn a spot among the Motors top six forwards. "Barber reminds me a lot of Louie" explained the Motors second year bench boss in comparing the newcomer to 22-year-old Louis Rocheleau, who was the McLeod Trophy winner as top NAHC rookie a year ago after making a similar jump from the HAA. The native of Tillsonburg, a small community in Ontario near London, will have his work cut out for him if Barber is going to crack the top two lines in Detroit. The Motors first line appears set with 24-year-old Adam Vanderbilt, who led the team with 28 goals and 53 points last season, between Rocheleau (6-39-45) and 1947-48 McLeod Trophy winner Nick Tardif (17-21-38). A pair of 21-year-old third year players in Francis McKenzie (14-25-39) and Ben Witt (18-34-52) will battle for the pivot position on the second line with Barber joining a pack that includes 22-year-old Vince Arsenault (14-14-28), Graham Comeau (10-33-43) and Marsh Spencer (13-19-32), who was a 29-year-old rookie last season, looking for spots on the wing. The Motors, who slipped into 4th place a year ago after missing the playoffs three of the previous four seasons, feel the future looks bright but there could be some stumbles with such a young core to lead the offense. RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 9/25/1949
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October 3, 1949: FABL regular season concludes
OCTOBER 3, 1949 CHIEFS HOLD OFF GOTHAMS TO SET UP IMPROBABLE WCS A World Championship Series that absolutely no one could have predicted when the season opened in April has become a reality as the Chicago Chiefs held off the New York Gothams to claim the Federal Association pennant. The Chiefs, who return to the WCS for the first since 1938, will face the Cleveland Foresters, who last played postseason baseball in 1935, in the Fall Classic. The surprising matchup will feature the two teams that finished in last place in their respective associations a year ago. Never before have two 8th place clubs squared off in the WCS the following year - in fact only two teams in total have ever gone from worst to first. That would be the 1947 St Louis Pioneers and the 1930 Gothams. The Gothams were the favourite of many to claim the Fed flag this time around but the Chiefs, led by the breakout season of 20-game winner Joe Stallings (20-5, 3.26), a resurgent performance from Al Miller (16-9, 4.12), who was the rookie star of the '36 title team, and an offense cobbled together in trades that was highlighted by ex-Brooklyn Kings Tim Hopkins (.284,38,128) and Joe Rutherford (.280,23,98) as well as former Gothams catcher Pete Casstevens (.238,29,99), simply proved too much for the powerful New York offense. The Chiefs began the final week a game up on the Gothams and finished it the exact same way after taking two of three games from both third place Detroit and two-time defending champion St Louis. The Gothams won 3 of their final four games but fell just short despite dominant seasons from Red Johnson (.304,52,137), Walt Messer (.297,35,122) and veteran righthander Ed Bowman (18-11, 2.69). The amazing thing about the Chiefs turnaround from 61-93 a year ago to a 90-64 finish this time around is they used the same five pitchers in their rotation as well as the exact same 8 positional starters in both seasons. Stallings and Rutherford had breakout seasons of course, but the rest of the regulars were primarily veterans who turned things around in grand fashion. Some might point to a front office shakeup as the cause of the Gothams shortfall, but the team went 15-9 after September 1 while the Chiefs went 14-12 over the same period. Fingers may also point to the Gothams unsuccessful attempts to land a quality starting pitcher at the trade deadline, but those concerns also are likely unfounded as the Gothams finished with the second lowest starting pitcher era in the Fed, trailing only third place Detroit. The Gothams may well have the most talent in the Federal Association, but the Chicago Chiefs were the best team -at least over the past 154 games. Next up for Chicago, which has won 3 of the 4 previous World Championships they have appeared in, is the Cleveland Foresters. While Chicago's flip from last to first was a surprise, the Foresters rise after a decade of awful baseball is positively shocking. The Foresters won a FABL best 95 games a year after they went 60-94 and had not won more than 74 games any year this decade. It has been a long wait for Cleveland fans, who last celebrated in 1935 when the Foresters won their second consecutive pennant and then vanquished the Gothams in the World Championship Series. That Cleveland club was a star-studded collection of veterans acquired in trade and featured names like Hall of Famers Max Morris and T.R. Goins. This club is primarily built around young homegrown talent that has suffered through some trying seasons but has suddenly found its way with 24-year-old righthander Adrian Czerwinski (26-7, 2.88), who should be a unanimous choice as the Continental Association Allen Award winner, leading the way. Former number one overall draft pick Jim Adams Jr. (.326,12,88) and third rounder Lorenzo Samuels (.309,26,88) have led a surprising offense. With the way the season has gone for both the Chiefs and Foresters it will be hard to bet against either of them in the World Championship Series. No one expected either of them to be there but now that they are this has the potential to be a very exciting championship. The only disappointment is it is unlikely we will see Czerwinski and Stallings meet in game one. Czerwinski is the certain starter for Cleveland, but Stalling will likely not go until game two at the earliest after pitching yesterday and last Thursday. FROM CELLAR TO SUMMIT: 1949 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES UNVEILED As the golden autumn leaves begin their descent, a tale of astonishing resurgence unfolds on the baseball diamonds of Cleveland and Chicago. For the Continental Association champions, the youthful Cleveland Foresters, and their Federal Association counterparts, the seasoned Chicago Chiefs, this year marks a remarkable transformation from the shadows of despair to the pinnacle of success. A mere twelve moons ago, the Foresters languished once more in the all too familiar gloom of last place, grappling with a disheartening 60-94 record. Now, under the stewardship of burgeoning talent and a breakout sensation in the form of second-year pitcher Adrian Czerwinski, they've propelled themselves to an awe-inspiring 95-59 season. Czerwinski's masterful performance, clinching 25 victories, makes him a shoo-in for the coveted Continental Association Allen Award. This tale of homegrown heroes and an ardent decade of resilience sets the stage for an unprecedented chapter in Continental Association history as for the first time this decade the Foresters own a winning record. Meanwhile, in the Federal Association, the Chiefs march into the World Championship Series with seasoned determination. Just a season past, the shadows of mediocrity cloaked Chicago, as they notched a mere 61 victories. Yet, this year paints a starkly contrasting picture, a testament to the veteran tenacity that courses through the veins of the Chiefs. At the forefront of their resurgence is the young ace, John Stallings, securing 20 victories to help orchestrate a formidable 90-64 record. In a narrative of down years metamorphosing into career highs, the Chiefs now stand as formidable contenders. It's worth noting that such a swift ascent from the cellar to the zenith of baseball has been a rarity in the annals of the national pastime. Only twice before in FABL history has a team accomplished this feat, with the New York Gothams in 1930 and the St. Louis Pioneers in 1946. Now, both the Foresters and the Chiefs seek to etch their names into the grand tapestry of baseball lore by authoring a new chapter in World Championship Series history. The stage is set, the anticipation palpable, as these once-beleaguered teams take center stage in a duel for supremacy, proving that in baseball, as in life, the most extraordinary tales often arise from the most unexpected beginnings. ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR COUGARS For the 10th time in 11 years, the Chicago Cougars have finished in 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the Continental Association with 82 or more wins. All they have to show for it is a pennant ended with four one-run postseason losses in 1941 and a dropped association tiebreaker in 1946 Last year there was discussion on whether the Pioneers or Cougars had a better pitching staff. The overall season performance may have favored St. Louis slightly, but it appears the overall talent in the Windy City is far superior. All five Cougars who made 20 or more starts this season had an ERA below 4. All four Pioneers who made 20 or more starts this season had an ERA above 4 The biggest culprit, who I certainly didn't buy into, was Dick Long. After a nice 1948 season for the Pioneers where he went 15-9 with a 3.77 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts, he went 9-14 with a 5.56 ERA (75 ERA+), 1.51 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts. The only consistency was 75 walks both seasons, but he threw 227 innings last year and 196 this year. TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN Wolves in the 1950s: Part Three -In the third part of this series Brett looks at the pitching staff. Pitching has been one of the hallmarks of successful Toronto teams. This year overall the staff did not perform anywhere close to where manager Fred Barrell had hoped knowing the team would be challenged at the plate. Brett asks if the pitching was hurt in a large part due to the often discussed lack of defense behind them? The starters performed about middle of the pack in the CA while the bullpen was in one word, disastrous, in 1949. Opponents hit .271 against the Wolves, but some of those hits were due to fielders not getting to balls that should have been converted into outs. STARTING PITCHING- Next season the staff should once again be led by George Garrison, who will turn 32 in October and continues rank among the top hurlers in the CA. His losing record (12-13, 2.87) is more a reflection of his lack of run support, 3.6 runs/game, than of lack of ability to sit down opposing hitters. Garrison was a name often mentioned in trade talks which were quickly rejected by management. Can both 36-year-old Joe Hancock (16-10, 3.47) and 34-year-old Jim Morrison (16-8, 3.38), who tied for the club lead tin wins, give the Wolves a solid #2 and #3 starter next season? Both experienced struggles during the season, Hancock during the early portion while Morrison had fallen off his torrid winning pace the last 6 weeks of the campaign. The Wolves seemed to have settled on Ray Hatch, 24, a September callup after posting a sub 2 ERA at Buffalo, as a member of the 1950 rotation. Hatch's first start against Cleveland was a gem although he has be roughed up in his last two outings hurt by too many free passes. A fifth starter will probably come from a group currently in the 'pen consisting of Jimmy Gibbs who made 26 starts this season, Jerry York, who has been inconsistent all year, Harry Phillips or Harry Stewart. Both of the Harry's spent this season almost exclusively in the bullpen where they failed to distinguish themselves. The Wolves have lots of options, but all of questionable quality, while they wait on Les Ledbetter - the former overall #1 overall pick. Ledbetter is currently at Chattanooga where he continues to struggle with control issues, but at the tender age of 20 he has time to fix this problem to eventually become a staff anchor in Toronto. For Wolves fans hopefully this will be sooner rather than later. BULLPEN - A CA worst combined ERA of 5.26 says all that needs to said about the 1949 relief corps. The injury to Lou Jayson in spring training was supposed to open opportunities for someone to step into a shutdown role. That did not happen, and Barrell actually seemed to fear taking out a starter to turn the ball over to the mine field coming out of the 'pen. One example is George Waller, who in 40 appearances allowed 52.6% of runners on base when he came in to cross the plate. Clearly an extreme case but one that sums up the season for relievers. Hopefully Jayson can return to solidify the bullpen next season, but behind him Brett says it will be wide open for jobs. Expect to see some names to be cut loose in October following Sam Jordan who was just claimed off waivers by the Brooklyn Kings. GRAYS LOOKING FOR THIRD STRAIGHT BIGSBY CUP WIN A 6-game winning streak during the final week of the Great Western Baseball League season pushed the Oakland Grays ahead of the Houston Bulls and allowed the Grays to finish with the best regular season record in the league for the third consecutive season. Oakland now will try to win its third straight Bigsby Cup as the Grays, with the regular season crown, claimed home field advantage for the opening two games of their best-of-seven Coast League title series with the second place Bulls. It marks the second straight season the Bulls and Grays will meet with the Bigsby Cup on the line. Oakland prevailed in six games last season. For the second year in a row the Grays will be missing their top hitter as outfielder Don Miller, who batted .365 in 103 games this season before going down with an elbow injury in early August, will miss the entire series. A year ago he was hurt in the opening game of the series and did not return. The Grays will be down to 22 players for at least the start of the series as another outfielder, Bob Griffith, is nursing a hamstring strain. Head-to-head, Houston won the season series between the two rivals, winning 12 of their 22 meetings.
MIXED RESULTS FOR SAINTS, KNIGHTS ON WEST COAST The defending National Champion Detroit City College Knights will not have a perfect season this time around as the Knights were upset 24-13 by the Redwood Mammoths in Stanford, CA. Saturday afternoon. It was a game by all accounts the Great Lakes Alliance eleven should have triumphed in as they dominated the line of scrimmage, rushing for 264 yards compared to just 95 accumulated by the Mammoths. Redwood, however, capitalized on turnovers, returning a pair of errant throws by DCC quarterbacks for first half touchdowns and then letting their bend but don't break defense do just enough to preserve victory for Redwood, which improves to 3-0. Detroit City College drops to 1-1 on the season. The West Coast was far more forgiving for the St Blane Fighting Saints as, while the preseason number one had its challenges on the day, in the end the Saints outscored a pesky Rainier College eleven by a count of 30-21. It was the grinding power of the St Blane football machine driven by the piston-like legs of Roger Stanton that secured the victory. Stanton bulled his way to 94 yards on the afternoon and scored a pair of touchdowns while quarterback Bill Thomas mixed things up with some timely and accurate tosses. Led by a pair of first half scores by Lew Campbell, one on 21-yard reception and another on a punt return, the Majestics kept the game close until St Blane pulled away in the fourth quarter. Rome State won for the second week in a row as the Centurions downed Liberty College 27-12 but each of their Georgia rivals came up short with Noble Jones College falling to Jackie Charles and North Carolina Tech by a 14-3 count while Georgia Baptist was thumped 38-10 by the Bayou State Cougars. CC Los Angeles continues its surprising turnaround on the west coast as the Coyotes improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in section play with convincing 40-20 doubling of favoured Portland Tech, putting a major dent in the Magpies East-West Classic dreams. CCLA halfback Gary Styles was the hero of the game, shredding the Magpies defense for several big gains and was especially effective in the opening half when CCLA powered to a 27-10 lead. https://i.imgur.com/ZbgEZ6y.jpg https://i.imgur.com/o6lFfss.jpg WEEKEND RESULTS EAST St. Blane 30 Rainier College 21 Rome State 27 Liberty College 12 Annapolis Maritime 27 Sadler 20 Penn Catholic 35 Northern Minnesota 3 Henry Hudson 30 Dickson 20 Brunswick 45 Empire State 14 Ellery 44 St. Patrick's 10 Pierpont 33 Grafton 17 St. Pancras 33 Eastern Virginia 21 Conwell College 36 Garden State 30 Strub College 30 Trescott College 13 Frankford State 21 Bigsby College 14 Eastern State 41 Ohio Poly 3 Potomac College 31 Alexandria 17 Lexington State 33 Huntington State 14 SOUTH North Carolina Tech 16 Noble Jones College 3 Cumberland 26 Carolina Poly 3 Central Kentucky 38 Mississippi A&M 10 Baton Rouge State 38 Georgia Baptist 10 Bluegrass State 28 Alabama Baptist 16 Cowpens State 35 Commonwealth Catholic 20 Columbia Military Academy 14 Bulein 0 Richmond State 24 Chesapeake State 3 Maryland State 30 St. Matthew's College 0 Miami State 17 Chase 3 Edgemoor 21 Mobile Maritime 7 Coastal State 23 Charleston Tech 7 Caesar Rodney 24 Petersburg 17 MIDDLEWEST Central Ohio 41 Indiana A&M 3 Whitney College 17 Western Iowa 17 Lincoln 10 Wisconsin State 10 St. Ignatius 61 Wisconsin Catholic 7 Minnesota Tech 31 College of Omaha 7 St. Magnus 24 Pittsburgh State 6 Lambert College 26 Central Illinois 10 Laclede 54 Humphrey State 24 Ferguson 24 Topeka State 10 Lawrence State 30 Iowa A&M 7 Eastern Kansas 41 Boulder State 28 Charleston (IL) 24 Central Carolina 10 SOUTHWEST Texas Gulf Coast 20 Daniel Boone College 17 Amarillo Methodist 17 Arkansas A&T 13 Payne State 37 Western Florida 10 Lubbock State 23 Northern Mississippi 0 Travis College 38 Idaho A&M 7 College of Waco 31 Canyon A&M 7 Texas Panhandle 23 Kamehameha College 3 Red River State 24 Bayou State 7 Oklahoma City State 62 Darnell State 3 Eastern Oklahoma 20 Mile High State 7 El Paso Methodist 40 South Valley State 34 Tempe College 38 Abilene Baptist 24 FAR WEST Redwood 24 Detroit City College 13 CC Los Angeles 40 Portland Tech 20 Coastal California 27 Spokane State 17 Northern California 22 Lane State 7 Custer College 21 Cache Valley 17 San Francisco Tech 34 California Catholic 10 Utah A&M 40 Minns College 31 Sunnyvale 59 San Clemente 6 Provo Tech 27 Valley State 22 Flagstaff State 45 Gunnison State 27 Wyoming A&I 24 Colorado Poly 10 Kit Carson University 23 Golden Gate University 17 https://i.imgur.com/uxl3PSG.jpg WASPS STING PITTSBURGH 45-10 BEHIND KROHN'S AERIAL DISPLAY The Washington Wasps won on the road for the second consecutive week with a dominating 45-10 performance in Pittsburgh. Veteran quarterback Bob Krohn paced the Wasps attack by passing for 247 yards including a pair of touchdown throws to beat Pittsburgh and even the Paladins record at 1-1. Krohn's favourite target on the day was Monte Harriman, who made 10 catches for 177 yards. Philadelphia is also 2-0 after the Frigates ran all over Detroit in a 34-7 victory at Thompson Field. Greg LePage, the league's rushing leader a year ago, paced the Frigates with 74 yards on the ground including a pair of touchdown carries. The struggling Maroons fell to 0-2 with the loss in a game that saw them amass just 81 net yards compared to 289 for the Frigates. Three Detroit passers combined to complete just 3 of 19 attempts through the air. The only unbeaten team in the West Division after two weeks is the St Louis Ramblers who followed up an upset victory over defending champion Chicago last weekend with a 35-7 pasting of Los Angeles at Pioneer Field yesterday. The Ramblers' passing game was non-existent, but they dominated on the ground with Nick Klausen rushing for 130 yards and John Sweat gaining 97 on just 4 carries. Defensively, the story for St Louis was back Stu Hubbard, who intercepted 3 passes. The Tigers, with Charlie Thomas filling in at quarterback after Dusty Sinclair, who looked so good last week but missed the game with injury, were picked off 6 times in total in the contest. The Chicago Wildcats evened their record at 1-1 with a hard fought 21-14 victory at Forester Field in Cleveland. Much of the talk around the stadium was focused on another upcoming Chicago-Cleveland matchup as the World Championship Series between the Chiefs and Foresters is set to start Wednesday, but the city of Chicago earned some early bragging rights with the grid win. Finally in Boston the quarterbacks put on an aerial display as the Americans outscored the visiting New York Stars 42-31. Archie Rawlings led the New York attack with 340 yards through the air while Del Thomas and Willie Hubbard combined to throw for 337 yards to lead Boston to victory. LOBOS UPSET COWBOYS IN CFC WEEKEND ACTION The Los Angeles Lobos exploded out of the gate with three touchdowns in the opening period and then held on to hand the Kansas City Cowboys their first loss of the season, winning 38-20. It was a day that normally dominant Cowboys quarterback Pat Chappell will want to quickly forget. Chappell had an awful start, turning the ball over on each of the Cowboys first four possessions when he fumbled twice and was intercepted twice. That would prove to be the difference in the game as three of the turnovers led to Lobos scores, including a pair of touchdown runs from Lou Grossman. Chappell and the Cowboys eventually settled down but playing without injured fullback Mason Matthews they were forced to rely almost exclusively on the passing game. Chappell did throw for 343 yards and a pair of second half scores but it was not enough to overcome his shaky start. San Francisco is now in first place at 4-0-1 heading into their showdown at Golden Gate Stadium next Sunday with the Cowboys. The Wings survived a surprisingly tough test in the Windy City, nosing out the winless Chicago Comets 14-9 only because of a late 60-yard scoring drive that culminated in a game winning Sam Metcalf to Wes Mula 3-yard touchdown with 55 seconds left on the clock. In the other CFC game this weekend, Vince Gallegos threw for 125 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the New Orleans Crescents to a 24-21 road victory in Buffalo. The Bulls came up short despite a 110-yard rushing day from halfback Dave Karaszewski. https://i.imgur.com/7B3oqmg.jpg https://i.imgur.com/O4dytfw.jpg TWIFB has released its latest edition of the Boxing quarterly rankings. They are as follows: https://i.imgur.com/TPXaJ5T.jpg RECENT KEY RESULTS
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 10/02/1949
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October 7, 1949 WCS Games 1 and 2
OCTOBER 7, 1949: Special World Championship Series Edition FORESTERS WIN PAIR ON ROAD TO TAKE COMMAND OF SERIES Missed Opportunities Cost Chiefs Dearly The Cleveland Foresters dream season is now two victories away from a most improbable ending after the Foresters went into Chicago and swept each of the opening two games of the World Championship Series from the Chicago Chiefs. Game one saw Adrian Czerwinski, who won 26 games during the season, earn his first career WCS victory in a 5-1 Cleveland win while the second game saw the Foresters come back from a 2-0 deficit against Chiefs ace John Stallings to win 4-2. The common theme in both games from a Chicago perspective was missed opportunity. The Chiefs had countless chances in both games but failed to get the timely hit when needed and now they must head to Cleveland hoping they can win at least two of three games on the shores of Lake Erie for the opportunity to play one more game at Whitney Park this season. GAME ONE - CLEVELAND 5 CHICAGO 1 In the opener Cleveland starting pitcher Adrian Czerwinski did just what he has done all season - surrendered a few hits and dealt with baserunners but always seemed to get out of trouble with little to no damage done. In this case Czerwinski, who won a FABL best 26 games during the season, allowed 6 hits and walked 3 over 7 innings but Chicago managed to score just one run off of him before Ollie White took over and, despite allowing 4 hits, closed out the victory with 2 scoreless innings. With veteran Chicago starter Al Miller cruising along and Czerwinski in and out of trouble but escaping unscathed despite allowing at least one Chiefs baserunner each frame, the game was scoreless after three innings. In the top of the fourth inning, it was the Foresters leaders who delivered with Jim Adams Jr. and Lorenzo Samuels each hitting back-to-back singles off of Miller. With two away Cleveland manager Pinky Howard went to his bench early, calling on Chuck McHenry to pinch-hit and the 25-year-old delivered with a single to plate Adams Jr. with the game's opening run. Chiefs slugger Tiny Tim Hopkins got that back with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fifth inning, launching a Czerwinski offering deep into the Whitney Park sky for his first career post-season homerun in his first-ever WCS game. The Chiefs threatened to score more but, with runners on first and second, Czerwinski again wiggled out of trouble by inducing a ground ball from his opposite number Al Miller. Cleveland would score what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning when Sherry Doyal ripped a 2-out triple and waltzed home on an Orie Martinez single off of Miller. Joe Rutherford drew a two-out walk in the home half but was stranded and the Chiefs left Bob Martin on base in the sixth frame. Czerwinski would add to his lore with his bat as the pitching sensation picked a very large stage for his first career big league homerun. It came off Miller with one out in the 7th and seemed to unnerve the Chiefs veteran who then proceeded to walk both Doyal and Martinez. It would cost Miller a fourth run as Samuels hit a 2-out single to plate Doyal and make the Foresters lead 4-1. Despite a walk and a hit batsman, Czerwinski got through the 7th inning with the 3-run lead intact before turning the ball over to Ollie White for the 8th inning. White retired the first two batters but then made things interesting by allowing back-to-back singles from Bob Martin and Charlie Artuso. Wally Fuller represented the tying run as he was called on to pinch-hit for Miller, but he flied out to rightfield to end the threat. Adams Jr. would punctuate the Foresters victory with a solo shot in the top of the ninth inning but once more the Chiefs, despite trailing by 4 runs, had an opportunity to tie the game in the 9th. Artie D'Alessandro hit a one-out double and moved to third on a Joe Rutherford base hit. Pete Casstevens drew a walk to load the bases with two away before Ollie White finally retired Billy Brown on a fly ball to centerfield to end the game. GAME TWO: CLEVELAND 4 CHICAGO 2 While Adrian Czerwinski was receiving all the attention this season, John Jackson was quietly having a great year on the mound for the Cleveland Foresters as well. The 25-year-old second year starter went 19-7 with a 3.40 era and made the Continental Association all-star team. Like Czerwinski a day earlier, Jackson would deal with a lot of traffic on the bases -much of it by his on doing with 6 walks- but in the end he went 8 solid innings to put the Foresters in command of the series with a 4-2 victory and 2 games to none lead returning home. Chicago did get to the young Cleveland hurler early when Tim Hopkins delivered a two-out double to plate Artie D'Alessandro, who had walked, with a run in the bottom of the first. Chicago would double its lead in the fourth inning when the ageless Bob Martin hit a bases-loaded single with one out to score Joe Rutherford. The Chiefs still had the bases loaded in the fourth and a chance to put the game away, but Charlie Artuso grounded one back to Jackson, who threw home for the force and then Chiefs pitcher John Stallings grounded into a fielder's choice to end the threat. It was another missed opportunity for the Chiefs, something that was a trend in the opening two games of the series, and it would come back to bite them. Spot Joe Stallings a 2-0 lead and the breakout Chiefs star southpaw usually would get the job done, but not on this day. In the top of the fifth the lead vanished quickly. Stallings began the frame by fanning Mark Smith but then, on a 1-2 count, Glenn White lined a double and a pitch later the Foresters were on the board after Cleveland pitcher John Jackson surprised Stallings by lacing the first offering for a base hit to plate White. The Foresters were just getting started as Paul Porter singled to move Jackson to third and then Sherry Doyal delivered a seeing eye ground ball to plate Jackson with the tying run. A Jim Adams Jr. sacrifice fly scored Porter and put the Foresters ahead, for good it would turn out, by a 3-2 count. The score remained 3-2 until the bottom of the 8th when the Foresters went single-walk-single culminating in Frank Kirchner's base hit to plate Adams Jr. with what would be the final run of the contest. There was more drama before the game ended but in what is certainly becoming a disturbing trend for Chicago in this series, the Chiefs failed to get the key hit when they needed it the most. Down 4-2 in the bottom of the 8th Chicago loaded the bases on walks to Hopkins and Pete Casstevens followed by a Dave Kreiger single - all coming with just one out. However, Jackson again found magic, getting Bob Martin to hit a sharp grounder to second that was easily turned into a force out at the plate and then Charlie Artuso flew out to right field to end the threat. Ollie White took over on the mound for the second day in a row and had himself another adventure of a 9th inning. Billy Brown led off by reaching on an error from Foresters third baseman Adams Jr., but White remained calm and fanned Wally Fuller before getting Harry Patterson to hit an infield fly. Down to their final out the Chiefs were not quitting as Len Stewart singled to bring the game-winning run in the form of the imposing Tim Hopkins to the plate. Hopkins hit 38 homers in the regular season and one in yesterday's series-opener but not this time as he hit a lazy fly ball to right field to end the game and put the Chiefs in a big hole heading to Cleveland. DRAFT LOTTERY CHANCES REVEALED BY LEAGUE OFFICE The office of FABL president Sam Belton has released information on the 1950 draft lottery. Teams will given lottery balls for the drawing of the draft order which takes place just prior to the January draft. The pennant winners will automatically select 15th and 16th but the other 7 league in each association are entered in the draw for spots 1-14. The league's alternate selections and since the CA selected first overall last year this time it will be a Federal Association club that will be picking at the top of the draft. The Fed teams will go in a lottery for the odd-number selections including first overall while the 7 Continental Association clubs (excluding the flag winning Cleveland Foresters) will draw for even slots. [size ="5"]LOTTERY CHANCES[/size] Federal Association (odd number picks) 0 Chances: Chicago +29 (Pennant) 3 Chances: Detroit +11, New York +4 2 Chances: Pittsburgh 0, Washington -2 1 Chance: Boston -5, Philadelphia -13, St. Louis -24 Continental Association (even number picks) 0 Chances: Cleveland +35 (Pennant Winner) 3 Chances: Montreal +5 2 Chances: Brooklyn 0, Cincinnati 0, New York -2 1 Chance: Chicago -3, Toronto -10, Philadelphia -25 Belton also released this statement regarding the Continental Association: "In the CA there is only 1 team (the Saints) with three chances because there was a tie at zero (no change) between Brooklyn & Cincinnati which was actually second-best as only the Saints & Foresters posted improvements. Since neither of the tied teams improved, I'm giving them both two chances and having the Saints be our lone three chance team. I do not think it's fair to assign the third chance to either Brooklyn or Cincinnati based on either a random drawing or a tiebreaker based on wins, run differential or pythag difference or something like that. The sole metric is improvement in victories and a tie to me, means both teams get the same number of chances." The Brooklyn Kings finished with the exact same record 72-82 as the previous year and underachieved their "expected" win total by 5 games. A 19-29 record in 1-run games will do that to you. Still there are some bright spots: 3B Ken Newman (age 20) caught fire late in the season and ran his batting totals up to 293/352/752. He hit 8th most of the season but seemed to thrive in the #2 spot during the last month plus of the season. OF Charlie Rogers (also age 20) hit 356 in a small sample size end of year promotion. He is likely going to force a decision to be made as the Kings covet his leadoff bat skills. The likely scenario is that he will start in LF next year and the move of Pat Petty to 1B will become official. SP Joe Potts (24) had a fine rookie season going 15-10 but tired from a lot of use in September to end with a 3.56 ERA. Still he looks like he will fit in well with a resurgent Leo Hayden 15-12 3.50 behind Bob Arman. The Kings have to hope that Arman's disappointing 49 season 11-15 4.06 ERA is just one of those things. It will be the #4 and #5 spots in the rotation that will have a battle during the spring. Paul Byler, Jackson Scott, Davey Chamberlain, Jake Roberts and still with the club veteran Rusty Petrick will be the likely competitors for that spot. 2B/SS Chuck Lewis (23) had a very good season hitting 298/342/822 driving in 87 RBI's and scoring 75 runs. With a couple of players stepping up next season, you never know the Kings might have something to build on. The pressure will be on Manager Tom Barrell to bring the club up to the first division in the CA next season. Below is the Kings projected starting lineup for the 1950 season. I would love to see the club improve the shortstop position defensively. While Bryant isn't terrible, he isn't a star. Lewis appears better suited to second base but could also slide over. Bryant's propensity for hitting into double plays (25) for a light hitting, average-field shortstop leaves a lot to be desired. Despite my desire for a better fielding SS, the Kings were 2nd in the CA in Defensive Efficiency and 1st in zone rating this season. BULLS EARN SPLIT IN OAKLAND TO START BIGSBY CUP The Bigsby Cup is knotted at one win apiece after a pair of high scoring games to open the Great Western League championship Series. The opener of the best-of-seven affair was a one-sided win for the two-time defending Cup champions as Oakland exploded for 5 runs in the third inning and cruised to a 10-1 victory over the visiting Houston Bulls. Jim Mayfield led the Oakland hit parade with a 3-for-3 game while Harry Frenette went 8 and 2/3 innings for the victory. Houston turned the tables in the second game with a 5-run inning of their own in what would end up as an 8-4 victory to level the series. Veteran catcher Dave Doolittle was the star of the show for Houston, with 3 hits and 3-rbis including a 2-run homer to key a 5-run Houston outburst in the 7th inning. Ed Greenwood was the big bat for Oakland with 5 hits in a losing effort. The Series shifts to Texas for the next three games began today.
BEES DEFENSE, PACKERS OFFENSIVE DEPTH SEEN AS STRENGTH OF NAHC On paper at least, looking at the top players in the North American Hockey Confederation as graded by the OSA scouting service, you have to wonder how the Toronto Dukes could possibly win a third straight Challenge Cup title. The Dukes do have one of the best goaltenders in the league in veteran Gordie Broadway along with perhaps the top player in the game in 27-year-old center Quinton Pollack but a look at the chart below indicates the Dukes lack the depth of some of their rivals. Despite that, armed with virtually the same cast each of the past two seasons, Jack Barrell's Toronto Dukes won back-to-back playoff titles. The Boston Bees had the best regular season record a year ago but stumbled in the playoffs. However, with an unmatched depth on the blueline, a strong goaltender in Oscar James and talented but often injured center Wilbur Chandler, you have to think the Bees are once more favoured for the top spot. If not Boston, then it is possibly the Chicago Packers, who are loaded up front and make a big move over the summer to upgrade the backend with the addition of combative defender Bert McColley from the New York Shamrocks. Montreal missed the playoffs a year ago but the Valiants will benefit from a full season of Tom Brockers this time around, depth at center ice and a talented top line in the trio of Clarence Skinner, Bert Lancelove and Adam Sandford. Detroit is young and improving but the Motors, even if goaltender Millard Touhey lives up to his reputation, will likely be battling the New York Shamrocks to stay out of last place. The way we see the 1949-50 regular season shaping up is like this: 1- Boston Bees 2- Chicago Packers 3- Toronto Dukes 4- Montreal Valiants 5- Detroit Motors 6- New York Shamrocks https://i.imgur.com/gbsqHG8.jpg PRESEASON UNDERWAY IN NAHC Here are the preseason standings and scoring leaders. Code:
NAHC PRESEASON STANDINGSCode:
PRESEASON SCORING LEADERShttps://i.imgur.com/O4dytfw.jpg SAWYER SET FOR LATEST TITLE DEFENSE Hector Sawyer continues to make his case to be considered the greatest fighter of all-time as the World Heavyweight Champ prepares to step into the ring at Chicago's Lakeside Auditorium Saturday for what will be his 14th defense of the title he first claimed in 1940. No other heavyweight has ever held the title for as long or made as many successful title defenses as The Cajun Crusher. At 35 years of age one might think the end of the line is near for the great New Orleans heavyweight, but his long-timer promoter Chester Conley says that is simply not the case. "Hector wants to be remembered as the greatest fighter of all time," explained the rotund manager. "He is clearly number one in his division already but some might try to make a case for Ray Pizzuto or Kid Simpson simply because each fought a few more title fights. Hector is going to pass them before he thinks about retiring." Conley is referring to middleweight Ray Pizzuto, who made 15 successful defenses while owning that division's crown from 1920 until 1929 as well as English welterweight Jimmy 'Kid' Simpson, who made 14 title defenses in the 1930s. The leader in fights as champion is neither of those two but instead "The Pride of Peoria" - 1920's welterweight champion George Grainger who made 16 title defenses. Sawyer is just two shy of that total but will need to get past Lewis Jones, an up and coming 24-year-old from Lexington, KY. who owns a sparkling 20-1-1 record. Despite his strong record and and youthful exuberance, Sawyer remains a clear favourite to retain his title. It will be Sawyer's second time fighting in the Windy City as world champion: he won a clear unanimous decision over Pat Harber at Cougars Park in the summer of 1947. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
The Week That Was Current events from October 3-7, 1949
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