MAY 26, 1941
MINUTEMEN TAKE THEIR TURN AT THE TOP OF FED
String together a few wins and you can be riding high in the tightly contested Federal Association. Just ask the Boston Minutemen who jumped from fourth place to first this week after winning 4 straight and 11 of their past 14. Their lead is slim, just a game up on both Pittsburgh and Detroit as all 8 Fed clubs are within 5.5 games of top spot.
While the Continental Association still has two clear early powerhouses in the New York Stars and the Chicago Cougars the rest of the CA did gain some ground last week. That was because the Stars stumbled, finishing the week with four straight road losses - two each in Cincinnati and Chicago - and their lead on the second place Cougars is down to just one game with the two teams squaring off 3 more times this week.
AIAA ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS SELECTED
Miami State and Huntington State led the way as each school placed two players on the 1941 AIAA First Team All-American squad. Outfielder Hank Eason, who was selected 10th overall by the Montreal Saints in the January portion of the draft, and Huntington State teammate Gordon Klein each made the club after the duo tied for the AIAA homerun lead with 14 each this season. Klein is a freshman who was drafted by the Philadelphia Keystones in the 18th round last year but elected to go the college route instead. He is one three freshman who made the first team. Of the 18 players in total chosen to the two squads only 6 of them were draft eligible juniors.
Eason, who's father Hal enjoyed a long big league career with Montreal and the Philadelphia Keystones, is also one of three finalist for the Frank Christian Trophy, awarded annually to the top collage ballplayer. The other two finalists are Bluegrass State sophomore pitcher Bob Arman (11-1, 1.75) and sophomore catcher Mark Smith out of tiny Davidson University in Oregon. Smith led the nation in batting with a .385 average, a number only surpassed by current Detroit Dynamos star Sal Pestilli's .409 at Narragansett in 1934.
Code:
1941 FIRST TEAM
POS NAME YR SCHOOL FABL DRAFT STATUS
C Mark Smith SO Davidson University Eligible in 1942
1B Bucky Sheffer FR Miami State Eligible in 1943
2B Jack Wilson SO North Carolina Tech Eligible in 1942
SS Homer Mills FR Weston College Eligible in 1943
3B Gordon Klein FR Huntington State Eligible in 1943
OF Hank Eason JR Huntington State 10th overall Montreal
OF Orie Martinez JR Miami State available 1941
OF Elijah Bourdeau JR Ohio Poly Round 2 New York Stars
P Bob Arman SO Bluegrass State Eligible in 1942
1940 SECOND TEAM
POS NAME YR SCHOOL FABL DRAFT STATUS
C Chick MacKnight SO Eastern Oklahoma Eligible in 1942
1B Billy Cox SO Columbia Military Eligible in 1942
2B Ed Montague JR St Blane Round 3 Montreal
SS Jim Adams FR St Ignatius Eligible in 1943
3B Mule Richmond JR St Patrick's Round 3 Sailors
OF Eddie Heaton JR Amarillo Methodist available 1941
OF Ernie McCoy SO Bluegrass State Eligible in 1942
OF Dick Chamberlain SO Opelika State Eligible in 1942
P Jim Carter FR Ellery College Eligible in 1943
STEINBERG HEADLINES SENIOR DOMINATED HIGH SHOOL ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
Unlike the college awards, which were dominated by underclassmen, seniors ruled the day in the High School All-American selections. Hiram Steinberg, the dominant pitcher out of Washington High School in New York was named to the team for a 4th consecutive season as was slugging third baseman Otto Christian from Walla Walla, Washington. Steinberg finished the season 12-0 to complete an undefeated high school career that saw the pitcher win a National High School record 47 games and also set career high school marks for strikeouts and ERA. He and Christian, who led the nation with 13 homeruns, were named as two of the five finalists for the Adwell Award, presented to the top High School player in the country.
Steinberg was the first overall draft pick in January, selected by the Cleveland Foresters while Christian also went in the first round - with pick 13 to the Chicago Cougars. The other three Adwell Award nominees are Hal Renard, who was chosen by Detroit in the first round, Cleveland third round pick Lorenzo Samuels and pitcher Bert Cupid, who was drafted 4th overall by Montreal.
The '41 team also has some famous names in it as the sons of a pair of FABL greats were named to the team. They are junior outfielder Art Goins, son of former Washington and Cleveland catching great T.R. Goins, and pitcher Joe Hampton, who's father Jim still patrols the outfield for the Chicago Chiefs.
Code:
1941 HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
POS NAME/CLASS(# Selections) SCHOOL DRAFT STATUS
C Eddie Howard SR (3) St Joseph (LA) HS Round 2 Chicago Cougars
C Bob Crowley- JR Framingham (MA) HS -
1b-3b Otto Christian -SR (4) Walla Walla (WA) HS 13th overall Cougars
1b-3b Lorenzo Samuels- SR (2) West HS (Cleveland, OH) Round 3 Cleveland
1b-3b Glenn White SR Kenwood HS (Baltimore, MD) Round 2 Cleveland
2b-SS Bob Montgomery- SR (2) Snyder (TX) HS Round 2 Detroit
2b-SS Jackie Miller SO Beaver Falls (PA) HS -
2b-SS Gus Cox FR Coon Rapids (IA) HS -
OF Hal Renard SR (2) Pittsfield (ME) HS 14th overall Detroit
OF Jack Welch SR Middlesex (NJ) HS eligible 1941
OF Rudy Ellison SR Evanston (IL) HS eligible 1941
OF Harry Ricker FR Belleville (IL) HS -
OF Art Goins JR Arlington (TX) HS -
P Hiram Steinberg- SR (4) Washington HS (New York City) 1st overall Cleveland
P Tom Buchanan SR (2) Waterloo (IA) 2nd overall St Louis
P Bert Cupid SR Wilson HS (Youngstown OH) 4th overall Montreal
P Joe Hampton SR St Francis de Sales (Chicago) eligible 1941
P Art Bowlin FR North Plainfield (NJ) -
HONOURABLE MENTION
P Leo Hayden SR Benicia (CA) Round 2 Cougars
P Lazero DeLeon SR Midwood HS (Brooklyn, NY) Round 4 St Louis
P John Jackson JR Salem (NJ) -
C Ed Haynes Jr. - SO Austin (TX)) HS -
INF John Fast SR Mechanicsburg (PA) HS eligible 1941
INF Fred McCoy SR Denmark (WI) HS eligible 1941
INF Maurice Carter- SR Meridian (MS) HS Round 4 Cincinnati
OF Ducky Cole JR Long Beach (CA) HS -
OF Jesse Alvardo SR Canarsie HS (Brooklyn, NY) 6th overall Washington
QUICK HITS
- 60-DAY MILITARY EXTENSION -There is a possibility Lloyd Stevens may linger with the Philadelphia Keystones longer than his 1-A draft classifications seemed to indicate. It was believed Stevens would be in an army uniform by June 1st, but club owner Edward Meachum, says Stevens will apply for a 60-day extension after he was notified this week to report for induction.
Meachum cites a brand new amendment to the Selective Services Act that would allow Stevens to plead for 60 days in order to "straighten out business affairs." The decision on such applications, or course, would reside with Stevens' local draft board in Virginia.
While prospects of being deferred or reclassified are felt to be slim, there is a good chance of obtaining an extension, the idea being that the money he makes in that period of grace would enable his family to better weather financial storms when he is eventually called into the Army. If approved, that extension is expected to be modified from 60 days until the end of September to allow Stevens to finish the season with the Keystones.
- Cannons infielder Charley McCullough is still waiting for a response on his request for deferment or extension and word comes that Les Hendrix of St Louis has been notified by his draft board of a call to service.
- With the phase two of draft approaching (the baseball one this time) one has to wonder if big league clubs are going to risk big dough in hefty signing bonus for college players. Brooklyn Kings Scouting Director John Spears says "the high school kids will still command top dollar but with the army draft it might be foolish for big league clubs to risk the dough on the college boys."
- We are already seeing it in some crazy college baseball results but if next October's college football is slightly wacky and unpredictable, blame Uncle Sam's local draft boards, says former Lincoln College gridiron great Urban Dane. Dane thinks it will be a great season for pre-draft college sophomores but the games are going to be "wild as a turkey" with so many inexperienced players. Expect some major upsets in the AIAA this season.
- A tough week for the St Louis Pioneers, who go 2-5 with their 5 losses by a combined total of 6 runs.
- Pitcher Frank Crawfords return from the DL is not going according to plan in Detroit. 3 starts with an 0-3 record and and ERA north of 11. And to make matters worse, Red Johnson joins the walking wounded in Detroit. It's a day to day injury which is uncertain in recovery time. Thankfully Ed Whetzel has been solid in his call up with a 3-1 record and a 2.72 ERA. Mike Murphy returns in a week and the Dynamos really need the rotation to get back to where it was to be able to hang around all season. Detroits been fortunate that no one in the Fed has gotten off to a hot start.
- Light at the end of the tunnel for the Cannons? The club will get catcher Adam Mullins back this weekend after their prize acquisition missed all but the first two games of the season with a knee injury. Cincinnati also looked good in taking four of five from the Cougars and Stars, but then they dropped two of three at home to Cleveland. Rookie Bill Sohl, the second overall pick last year, made his debut in one of the Cleveland losses. No decision for Sohl, who clearly had some first game jitters and allowed 7 runs (5 earned) in 7 innings of work.
- Pitching duels were plentiful last week as FABL had several low scoring affairs including a pair of 1-0 games. It started on Tuesday when Cincinnati's Glenn Payne fired a 2-hit shutout to nip Jim Lonardo and the Cougars 1-0. Then yesterday Washington, behind Eddie Bloom's 3-hitter, blanked Lefty Allen and Pittsburgh 1-0. Of course for that one there is always the possibility the hitters on both sides were exhausted from running around the bases the previous two days in which both games ended in a 9-8 score.
- Gothams fans have to be excited about 20 year old pitching prospect Marcus Mangum. The 1939 fifth overall pick threw a shutout the other day to improve his record at Class B Fresno to 6-3 with a 2.17 era.
- While talking minor league pitchers we should mention Tuscaloosa Tomcats teen Sam Jordan. The 19 year old righthander tossed a no-hitter against Pensacola last week in Gulf States League (C) action. It was the first no-hitter in nearly two years in that loop.
- Looking at the high school ranks and it was another perfect season for Hiram Steinberg. The 1st overall pick in January by the Cleveland Foresters went 12-0 with 0.55 ERA. 4 year career at New York's Washington High School: 47-0, 0.55, 855 strikeouts and 74 walks. New HS career leader (including feeders) in Wins, ERA and K's.
- Slugging third baseman Otto Christian, taken 13th overall by the Cougars out of Walla Walla, Washington hit 13 more homers giving him 53 for his high school career. Only feeder league star Roger Landry with 62 hit more. Only 4 players hit at least 45 as high schoolers - Landry, Christian, Pete Peters (1918-21 then played 3 FABL games for Keystones in his career) and Joey Binette (another feeder guy 1929-31 who was a Brooklyn second rounder in 1931 but still in the Kings farm system a decade later without ever playing a FABL game)
- One of the January draft picks, pitcher Dallas Griffith out of Monroe, Wisconsin, says he is going to pass on whatever the Philadelphia Sailors might offer him and get his degree at Central Kentucky. The 18 year old went 5-1 this season for his high school club and was taken in the second round by the Sailors. Last year, one second round pick - catcher Johnny Thacker selected by Washington - failed to sign as he chose to enroll at Columbia Military Academy.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 5/25/1941
- 323 feared dead including 142 Americans after Axis forces sank the Egyptian passenger liner Zamzam in the South Atlantic. However, a day later it is learned that the Nazi raider that sank the cruise ship rescued it's crew and passengers.
- German parachutists, air-transported troops and -for the first time in the history of warfare -glider-borne soldiers landed in Crete as the Nazis launched a furious attack upon Greek and British defenders.
- Jubilant Nazis celebrated the sinking of Hood, one of Britain's mightiest battleships in heavy fighting off Greenland. A brand new German ship, the Bismarck, was credited with the sinking which renews German confidence in their ability to destroy ships carrying supplies from America to Britain.
- President Roosevelt named New York City Mayor LaGuardia the head of the newly created Office of Civilian Defense.
- Charles Lindbergh continues to create trouble for FDR. In two speeches he and a Montana Senator blasted the Roosevelt administration's foreign policy and claimed that four-fifths of Americans oppose the US entering the war.