June 19, 1939
STARSTRUCK!
The New York Stars, after four straight losing seasons including a 71-83 campaign a year ago, find themselves in a tie for first place in the Continental Association with Cleveland at 30-24 thanks to a recent seven game winning streak. That streak came to an end yesterday after they dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Toronto - a team who's run to within a game of a pennant a year ago is exactly what the Stars appear to be trying to duplicate or even improve upon...and just as improbable as the Wolves run was last season.
When you look at most of the stats the Stars seem to have no business being in first place. They have surrendered 315 runs this season, more than any other club in either association except for the Montreal Saints. 50 of those runs have been unearned thanks to a FABL worst 80 errors. At this pace the Stars will commit 228 errors on the season. No team committed even 200 errors a year ago and the most miscues in 1937 was 200 muffed by the Cleveland Foresters. The starting pitching has been ordinary with George Phillips (7-3, 4.25) leading the way while the bullpen, aside from Robert Curry (3.55, 7 saves) and Boyd Harper (5-0, 3.54) has struggled, ranking 6th in the CA in bullpen ERA. There offense is solid but it is not setting the world on fire: the Stars 304 runs scored is second in the CA but only 8 runs ahead of being fourth in the loop. One would not expect a team with a -11 run differential to be leading the league but despite being the only CA club aside from perennial cellar-dweller Baltimore to have given up more runs than it has scored the Stars remain entrenched at the top of the CA.
With major changes over the off-season including several trades plus the addition of a new General Manager who has completely revamped the philosophy of the entire organization it was expected the Stars would be a much improved team this season, but few forecast them battling for first place as we close in on the All-Star break. But that is where the Stars find themselves with much of the credit going to a pair of off-season veteran acquisitions in outfielder Moxie Pidgeon (.335,12,43) and third baseman Ray Cochran (.313,2,16). The continued development of youngsters Joe Angevine (.323,0,15) and superstar in waiting Bill Barrett (.260,8,32) has also played a factor but the biggest surprise might just be coming from the longest tenured Star. First baseman Dave Trowbridge (.354,5,36) is 40 years old and many were writing him off after hitting .291 - his lowest season average since being a part-time player in Pittsburgh way back in 1925 - last season and missing over a month with back troubles. If there was a comeback player of the year award it is clear Trowbridge would be at the top of the list of candidates and he seems to be a solid bet to make his first all-star game appearances since 1934. When we ask 'Can it continue all season?' one could be enquiring about Trowbridge's early season success or the Stars themselves. While the numbers - pitching and defense in the Stars case and age in Trowbridge's - might say it is unlikely fans at Riverside Park certainly disagree and are showing up at the ballpark at a pace that is just ahead of the team attendance record setting year of 1932, which incidentally was the Stars last World Championship Series winning season.
SUCCESSFUL ROAD TRIP HAS BOSTON TO WITHIN 2 GAMES OF FA LEAD
Courtesy of TWIFB contributor William 'Doc' Shaw of The Boston Globe
Last week, the big question was how the Minutemen would fare on the road against top competition. Although, it is getting tougher to ignore the happenings in Chicago as the Gothams are the latest team to overtake the Chiefs in the FA standings. Even still, Chicago is loaded with talent and I, “Doc” Shaw, will not undersell the former FA giant. It would appear that Boston skipper Billy Boshart stuck to the script this week (by my estimation) and was rewarded with a 5-2 week. The mighty Minutemen are now tied with Detroit in second position a mere two games behind first place Pittsburgh.
Two players were key to Boston’s success over the course of the week. Art Myers pitched 18 innings, won two games, struck out eight and logged an ERA of 0.50 for the week. The offense was paced by Bob Donoghue who went 10-21 (.476) with two homers and six RBI’s. For his efforts, Donoghue was recognized as the player of the week in the FA for the second time this season.
For those that remember, the Minutemen came into the week losers of three straight games. In the first game of the week, and second of the series against Detroit, Myers picked up one of his two wins of the week with a complete game victory, outdueling Sergio Gonzales. Mack Sutton and Pete Day each contributed two hits and an RBI in the 4-2 Boston victory. Bob Donoghue got the series finale off to a fine start with a first inning homer (8) and Pete Day had another nice performance collecting three hits and an RBI giving Higgins (6-4) all the support he needed for a 7-2 win. After the game the boys had to immediately race and catch the 5:30pm train to St. Louis for a late afternoon game the next day. If the boys were at all tired from travelling they certainly did not show it as they scored 16 runs on 18 hits in the first game of the series against the Pioneers. Bob Donoghue went 4-4 with a homer (9) and two RBI’s. Mack Sutton also had a huge day hitting his ninth homer of the season to go along with his four RBI’s. It was a great start to the series for the Minutemen who now suddenly found themselves winners of three straight.
Like what often happens in baseball though, things can and will take a turn at the strangest of times. Coming off a fantastic opening game performance against the Pioneers, the Minutemen would get beat up pretty badly in the second game of the series 9-2. Boston righty Mike Lee, who had jumped out to a 5-1 start to begin the ‘39 season has now found the loss in three of his last four starts (His other start was a ND with Boston losing). Although Lee took the loss the offense still produced nine hits and it was really reliever Johnny Harry that let the game get out of hand by allowing 4 earned (6 total) runs in 2.2 innings worth of work. Thankfully for Boston, the red hot Art Myers was ready to take the ball in the final game of the series as he pitched a complete game, six hit shutout, giving Boston the series win.
The final stop on the road trip would take the Minutemen to Whitney Park to take on the Chiefs. Dick Higgins (7-4) delivered a season high ten strikeout performance and Bob Donoghue added his tenth homer of the season in the 5-2 win giving Boston the early series advantage. Chicago would even the series the very next day with Day (pun intended) by an identical 5-2 score. Rabbit was a bit of his old self in this one, going all nine innings and striking out seven on the way to his fifth win of the season.
The week ahead will be yet another test for the Minutemen. After the final game in Chicago the boys from Boston will get a travel day to return to the friendly confines of Cunningham Field to play the Gothams and the Dynamos for three each. The Saturday game on the 24th against the Dynamos is a double header which will be especially interesting for those concerned about Billy Boshart’s manipulation of the pitching staff. It seems in weeks with a double dip he can get a bit muddled about how to properly deploy his units. Hopefully, the 55 year old skipper has learned his lesson from two weeks ago and handles the rotation accordingly. If not, I don’t think he will be welcome in McGreevy’s for quite some time.
Speaking of people that probably would probably not receive a warm welcome in McGreevy’s or Boston proper at all right now is the FABL Commissioner himself. He has gone on the record numerous times leaving comments about both Chicago and Brooklyn having superior talent and that he fully expects those clubs to rise up in the standings. He makes these comments knowing full well that a number of teams have done much more during the first third of the season than what the Chiefs and Kings have. A little piece of advice to the commish from ‘ol “Doc” here. It isn’t that we don’t in the darkest part of our collective hearts believe you. It is just that we are a prickly bunch here in Boston and a little sensitive to the fact that we haven’t won the FA since the 1915 season. We Bostonians take high offense at the slightest disrespect served up against our local boys. Furthermore, where is the love for Pittsburgh, Detroit, the Stars and Cleveland to name a few? Yes, Mr. Commissioner, Cunningham is mostly empty every single time the Minutemen take the field but do not confuse that for apathy towards our local boys. The depression has hit this glorious city hard and it has brought many to their knees, but we still love our Minutemen. So the next time you are in our proud city enjoying a refreshment in one of our local establishments, you may want to tip your hat a bit lower to cover your eyes and flip up your jacket collar to hide your face. The anonymity will not only protect you from the vitriol that would surely fly your way but also allow you to covertly listen to the unbridled passion this town has for their ballclub.
Although this weekly column is dedicated to the Minutemen and the happenings of the FABL, it would be a mighty disservice on my part to not celebrate the announcement of Boston, as the host city of the 1944 Olympic Games. For the world to have the opportunity to descend upon our fine city fills Bostonians with an unmeasurable sense of civic pride. Of course, with the whole world dropping by for an extended stay, infrastructure will need to be improved or built from the ground up. Boston Minutemen owner Jesse Barton, as well as many other prominent city businessmen, are part of the infrastructure planning committee. While there has been no official word out of Barton’s office, various sources have whispered to ‘Ol “Doc” that part of Barton’s agenda is to convince the committee to approve the construction of a new stadium to replace Cunningham. During this current economic climate getting the city and its taxpaying base to cover the construction of a new stadium would be a near impossibility. However, if Barton can convince the committee that a new stadium is needed for the Olympic games then he just may be able to accomplish his goal. Of course, the fat cat could just finance his own stadium but that is just not how big business works in this country.
There is renewed optimism around the clubhouse at Kings County Park after the Brooklyn Kings finally climbed back over the breakeven mark with a 5-2 week to bump their record on the year to 27-26. A doubleheader win over the Cleveland Foresters will always lift spirits in Brooklyn and the Kings did just that yesterday. First it was the Bob Cummings (6-2, 2.42) show as the 26 year old continued his strong season with a complete game 7-1 victory in the opener that also saw Al Wheeler post his second straight two-hit game to raise his season average to .259. Joe Shaffner (5-6, 3.69) was equally impressive on the mound in the nightcap which ended up as a 4-1 victory for the good guys behind a 3-hit game from Frank Vance (.281,4,31), who seems to be shaking off the frost that had covered his twig much of the month after a scorching start to his season.
Part of the excitement can also be credited to the arrival of Jim Lightbody. Doug's little cousin has taken the city by storm with a .371 batting average and 4 extra base hits in his first 12 games as a big leaguer. He also has long-time Brooklyn observers swearing he looks just like Doug did as a rookie when he steps into the batters box. Lightbody's arrival has created quite a dilemma for Kings manager Powell Slocum.
Second base has long been the domain of John Langille, who without grumbling shifted over from his natural spot at the hot corner when Frank Vance joined the club in 1935. Since then Langille has turned himself into one of the best defensive second baseman in the game and is normally a pretty solid hitter as well but this season he is batting just .225 and shouldering much of the blame (along with Wheeler) for the Kings offensive woes. The young Lightbody boy is no where near as proficient as Langille in the field but with the Kings offense as it has been it appears Slocum has no choice but to bench Langille as long as Lightbody continues to hit.
That is just one of three challenges Brooklyn faces with the Lightbody clan. Doug is also a bit of a problem, but a very good one as he is having a fine season at the plate, hitting .298 and quickly closing in on his 1900th career base knock. He is defense is certainly subpar but if the Kings could survive Dan Barrell's glove at first base they can certainly do the same with Lightbody's. Lightbody has done so much for this franchise over the years and, had he stayed healthy could have accomplished so much more, so it is very difficult to send him to the bench or, heaven forbid, even part ways with him entirely. Unfortunately it may have to come to that at some point soon as the Kings have not one, but two incredibly talented first base prospects in Rochester knocking on the door. They tried unsuccessfully to move one of them, Chuck Adams who is ranked 8th by OSA, to the outfield but it was a dismal failure. The defensive struggles did not impact Adams at the plate where the 22 year old is batting .308 with 10 homers and 37 rbi's on the season. Tim Hopkins, all 6'5" of him, will now take his turn in the outfield to see if he could perhaps handle the position shift. "Tiny Tim" is a year and a half younger than Adams and ranked in the top 100 by OSA. He is batting .303 with 9 homers and 37 rbi's in his first taste of AAA action.
Even if one of them could shift to a corner outfield spot it does not really relieve the pressure the Kings management faces. The third Lightbody, Frank, has quietly informed the club he would like a trade if he cannot start for the team. The Kings much prefer Frank to remain with the club as he is an outstanding pinch-hitter (batting .471 in 17 pinch-hit ABs this season) and the Kings can't really sit down Alf Pestilli (.206,13,39) with the breakout season he is having. Then there is Joe Perret, another veteran that the Kings can't find a spot for now that his stint on the Disabled List is over. Good problems, but problems nonetheless for the Kings to deal with. Of course the focus so far this season has been entirely on trying to figure out why the team is struggling so badly and then to turn it around. But perhaps that issue is behind them for now. At least one can hope as we wait to see what next week will bring to the Brooklyn Kings, a club that never seems to do anything the easy way.
QUICK HITS
- Somehow with all of the firepower they have (Sal, Red Johnson, Nolde, Drake, LeMieux) the Dynamos are 15th out of 16 in runs scored so far this season. Only the Keystones have produced less than the Detroit offense's 229 runs. Yet they are still in second place because of their pitching, even with William Jones at 1-8 due to some hard luck. Frank Crawford's huge season last year is looking like no fluke at all and Sergio Gonzales is happy to be out of Washington and reunited with his former GM. Detroit has only surrendered 191 runs through their first 53 games. Somehow Washington, where pitchers go to die lately, has the second fewest runs against in the Fed with 232. In the CA the Stars are in first place despite allowing 315 runs against - more than anyone even the Keystones in the Fed and second most in the Ca behind only Montreal (319). And the Chiefs pitching is 7th in the Fed??? A lot of things feel upside down this season.
- The Dynamos offensive frustration is starting to boil over in the front office. There is plenty of blame to go around but a lot of it is being focused on 2B Ed Stewart. Detroit is beginning a search for a starting 2B and might be willing to part with some pitching prospects for the right player. Could there be a match with Brooklyn's John Langille, assuming Jim Lightbody looks like he can handle second base for the Kings?
- Eddie Quinn(8-3, 2.25) is one big reason Washington pitching is better this year. He won 18-games in 1935 with Cleveland and 1937 with the Eagles so success is not foreign to the man they call "Caveman" but he was awful last season. Don't know what it is about Washington but Eagles pitchers just can't string two good seasons together. Bill Anderson won 22 in 1936 for the Eagles but has been awful ever since and in 1937 it was Karl Johnson, now with Pittsburgh, who was a 20 game winner for Washington but had a much poor season a year ago.
- Don't count the Chiefs out. Yes they are still giving up too many runs but they took two of three from Pittsburgh recently and have gained 4 games on the front-running Miners to move to within 8 of the lead. Still a lot of work ahead to get back into the hunt but perhaps the tide is turning in Chicago. Rabbit Day (5-6, 4.14) is coming off two very strong outings against Boston and Washington even though they were sandwiched around a fairly rough start vs the Miners, but his offense helped him out and although Day did not factor in that decision Chicago won for him by a 10-7 score. Jim Lonardo has won 2 of 3 decisions since Chicago made it known he was available and he might have made it 3 straight if the defense didn't let him down against Philadelphia this week. If Day and Lonardo are back in peak form I like the Chiefs chances to rejoin the race.
- Al Wheeler (.259,10,37) continues to perform a little better as well since he was put on the block by the Kings. Certainly not back to his Whitney Award winning form but he is starting to heat up. So are the Kings, perhaps as they went 5-2 this week and are now over .500 and within 2.5 games of first in the Continental Association. The question is can Brooklyn string 2 strong weeks together, which is something they have not been able to do yet this season. It might be tough this week as the Kings head out on the road and they are just 8-13 playing away from Kings County Park this year.
- The Sailors almost no hit the Kings again but it wasn’t No-Hit Newell this time. Instead Herb Flynn tossed a 1-hit shutout in a 6-0 Sailors win. The only Brooklyn hit was a triple with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th and it surprisingly came off the bat of Brooklyn reliever Bert Henggeler. The Sailors no hit the Kings last year and also in 1935 with Newell being the author of both. This time around the Kings must have used up all their hits the previous night when they blasted the Sailors - and Newell- by a 9-3 count.
- On the farm Earl Kimmel has a 39 game and counting hit streak going for AA Dayton of the Eastern Association. The 21 year old Pioneers prospect was a 5th round pick in 1935 and is hitting .427 on the season. He just passed George Carnegie's 1897 38 gamer for the second longest streak in EA history. The record is 53 set by Bill Smith, while also with Dayton, in 1919.
- A breakout year at age 31 for long-time Brooklyn farmhand Bill Tucker. The first baseman leads all of professional baseball with 30 homers thru 49 games at Class A Springfield this season. This is his fourth season in Springfield and his career high for homers at that level was 36 hit two seasons ago. Tucker has never played above the AA level.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 06/18/1939
- Japanese authorities in Tientsin risk a showdown with Britain and France after they establish a blockade at the northern Chinese port city. Reports indicate there were also threats on the life of the British ambassador to China as tension heats up following London's refusal to hand over Chinese terrorists in the area who are accused of attacks on occupying Japanese forces.
- The United States is watching the situation in Tientsin with great concern. The US does not have a direct interest in the area but does do business through the British and French groups.
- The nearly 1000 Jewish refugees turned away by Cuba have avoided being sent back to Germany after four nations including Belgium and the Netherlands, agreed to grant temporary refuge and the United States agreed to pay for the costs of their maintenance.
- Reports out of Warsaw indicate the brother of the former Czechoslovak President has slipped into Poland and has formed an army of 18,000 Czechs who are preparing to aid Poland in case of a German-Polish war.
- Discovery of a widespread plot to assassinate King Carol led to Rumanian police arresting several Nazis.
- Fighting between rival union groups at an auto plant in Flint, Michigan left dozens injured as labor strife continues in several different US industries.