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Jiggs McGee · 05-25-2022, 09:32 AM

JULY 20, 1942

BOWMAN TO ENLIST IN AIR CORPS NEXT WEEK

Ed Bowman, the rookie New York Gothams pitcher, is to report for induction into the army on July 27th, it was learned today from officials of his draft board. Bowman, a 22 year old from Wharton, Texas, is 11-6 with a 3.23 era in his debut season with the Gothams. He is in Class 1-A according to Marlin Campbell, chairman of the draft board, and Mrs. Lottie Sibley, chief clerk, and is ordered for induction.

Bowman is attempting to enlist in the army air corps but Mrs. Sibley declares the draft board has not yet received the necessary release from the air service. If the paperwork sorts itself out, Bowman and the Gothams have agreed that he will take part in a ceremonial induction service on the mound at Gothams Stadium just prior to the team's contest against the Philadelphia Keystones on Sunday. It is not known yet if Bowman will pitch one last time for the Gothams this season on that day.

Following that his official induction, pending passing a final physical, will take place the following day. Bowman did pass a preliminary physical when he was first classified as 1-A but there are some rumours circulating that the Gothams team physicians had found an issue that might prevent Bowman from joining the service.

*** GOTHAMS IN PENNANT RACE ***

The loss of Bowman would certainly be a big blow to the Gothams pennant hopes. He has emerged as the club's most dependable starter and is a big reason the Gothams are just 3.5 games back of front-running Philadelphia in the Federal Association. The Gothams have struggled since the break and are 2-7 in recent games against the 3 clubs directly in front of them in the standings. It won't get any easier for New York as 11 of their next 14 contests are against those same three clubs: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston.

The New York Stars are showing no signs of slowing down, after a 6-2 week allowed them to extend their lead on second place Chicago atop the Continental Association back to double digits. Pitching was the name of the game in a dramatic midweek 3 game set with Toronto as the two clubs combined to score just 7 runs in the series. Toronto took the opener 1-0 on a 4-hitter from George Garrison (14-6, 2.12) but the Stars replied with a pair of 2-1 victories including an 11 inning battle in the series finale. The Stars also cooled off the CA's hottest club, taking two of three from Cincinnati to end the week. The Cannons entered the series with 10 wins in their previous 11 games.

3,000 FOR LAWSON

John Lawson became just the 11th player in FABL history to record at least 3,000 hits. On Wednesday Lawson hit a full count pitch from Roger Perry over the left field wall in Cincinnati for his milestone marker. He would add two more in the game but the Cougars fell 12-11. It has been a tough season for the 39 year old but he has gone on a tear of late, notching 19 hits over his last 44 at bats and raised his season average to .267. That figure is still well below his career mark of .341 but perhaps a sign that he is out of his season long slump.

'NO MORE BASEBALL' SAYS MCCORMICK

Fred McCormick says his game with the Service All-Stars last week in Cleveland was quite likely the final one of his military career. McCormick says he will fully focus on his air training work in Miami and will not interrupt it for any more baseball. He also hinted his career may well be over even after the war concludes.

"They don't come back in baseball if they're out for more than a year," says McCormick, "And if they're out for even a year they never regain their form when they come back. They may look just as good mechanically as they did before, but they lack the competitive instinct. They're just never able to regain that."

Fred's decision to retire came after many months of serious thinking. Last Spring he told friends his career was drawing to an end and with the increasing probability of a protracted war he has recently given up even simple batting and fielding practice. His mates find it impossible to persuade McCormick to join in the lineup for games on days off.

The Toronto Wolves, for whom McCormick won a pair of Whitney Awards and led the club to the 1940 World Championship, say they have not been informed by McCormick of any such decision to retire, adding they will not discuss baseball with their star until his war duties have come to a completion.

We are less than two weeks away from the FABL trade deadline and just as in the winter it feels like very little is going to happen because clubs remained paralyzed with the fear of losing players to the war effort. You have to think with the Fed race as tight as it is that at least one of those teams will make a move, especially when you consider how being active a year ago paid such huge dividends for the World Champion Minutemen. Boston I can see standing pat with what they have since they still have the veteran talent they stocked up on last year and plenty of depth but one can't help but think a key move by Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago or even New York might make the difference in who wins the Fed pennant this year.

Philadelphia's pitching has been outstanding but perhaps they would benefit from a veteran arm to join the rotation and bump Harry Shaffer (1-7, 4.37) out of the fifth starter role. The should get Chuck Hood back in a couple of weeks which might help a bit but with Hank McKay (.245,1,12) and Davey Robicheaux (.241,7,33) an outfield bat, ideally one with speed that could slot near the top of the order and be a table setter for the big bat of Bobby Barrell, would be a key pickup. Maybe a Sam Brown from Washington or perhaps even bringing former Keystone Rip Curry back from Detroit might be an option for the Keystones to explore.

Pittsburgh looks pretty much set but like anyone in the Fed they would not turn down another veteran arm for the back of the rotation. The Dynamos are going nowhere this season so perhaps they would part with either Joe Shaffner or Mike Murphy, but with the two veterans unlikely to be taken by Selective Service they might command a heftier price than the otherwise would. The Miners might also consider doing something at shortstop but that depends upon just how confident they are with 23 year old Rafael Mendoza as the starter with vet Johnny Guzzo backing him up.

I don't see the Boston Minutemen making any move of substance. Losing Duke Hendricks might have then consider getting involved in the sweepstakes for one of the Detroit veteran arms but that might be more of a move designed to stop an opponent from landing the player rather than it being thought of as a necessity by the Boston brass.

The New York Gothams are in an interesting situation. As a young team on the way up I would expect them to stand pat especially now that it sounds like Ed Bowman is off to join the army air corps next week. Note, I say sounds like because there are rumblings that club doctors discovered something on Bowman's recent physical and he still needs to pass a second exam which will likely be conducted at the end of the week. If this had been a week ago I would say the Gothams might just consider adding a veteran arm but now with the news of Bowman I am not sure if the Gothams management team feels it more necessary to get another pitcher or decides to stand pat and see what the future holds. The recent injury to Bud Jameson perhaps also indicates a need for another bat but with the Bowman situation clouding the picture odds are the Gothams do nothing.

The Chicago Chiefs have a tough decision as well. At 6 games back and with 4 teams ahead of them are they in the race or out? The offense is solid but if they are in the race they have to decide if they can survive another month of Dode Foster in centerfield until Bill May is healthy. I also expect them to be one of the teams calling Detroit about Murphy or Shaffner if the Chiefs feel they can win this thing.

The Detroit Dynamos are already mentioned as the most likely seller but there are certainly other veterans that perhaps might be available for the right price. Would Washington part with 31 year old Jack Elder or perhaps even selling Jim Birdwell while his stock is at an all-time high? Would St Louis move Buddy Long or perhaps a strong outfield bat like Al Tucker if they could get a nice infusion of young talent in return?

The Continental seem much more set. No one is conceding the title to the New York Stars but by the same token I don't see the Chicago Cougars making a big splash by selling off some of their impressive collection of young talent - not unless the gap gets greatly reduced over the next week.

The Sailors, Cannons and Wolves are stuck in the middle. None will be buyers and perhaps the right offer might get a Doc Newell, Chuck Wirtz or Roger Perry out of one of them but it is highly unlikely because those are the types of players that will most likely still be around next year, or the year after, when plenty of guys under age 30 are in the service. Cincinnati has shopped Moxie Pidgeon and received some interest but nothing that would be enough to entice the Cannons to part with the 35 year old who, despite his struggles, might be an important piece next year.

The Montreal Saints are a talented young team on the rise and they could possibly be persuaded to deal Ed Baker or Vic Crawford but the more likely scenario is the Saints stand pat and let the team continue to develop. They are too far back to be buyers and just might be thinking if things break the right way with Selective Service the Saints may be one of the team's to beat next year.

That leaves Brooklyn and Cleveland. The Kings had a nice start to the season but were awful for a long stretch. Perhaps they move a veteran like Al Wheeler, Fred Barrell or Jim Crawford but I am not sure there is interest in the latter two and perhaps not a willingness to pay the price Brooklyn would likely demand for Wheeler. Cleveland is in a full scale rebuild and dealt some pieces last year. Maybe a team desperate for pitching depth takes a chance on Dave Rankin or Ben Turner but the reality is the Foresters do not have much in the way of veteran big league talent to offer and have little choice but to stand pat and wait for Hiram Steinberg to arrive.

*** SUMMARY ****

There are certainly a number of moves that would make sense in normal times, but these are anything but normal times. I would not be surprised if the trade deadline passes without a single move but there is also the very slight chance that one move by a Fed contender triggers an avalanche of response. If I had to pick one team that would be most likely to do something I would suggest it was the Philadelphia Keystones. They are very close and one or two additions might just do the same thing for the Keystones as it did for Boston a year ago.

Moving day in the Gothams organization. With the injuries to Bud Jameson and Alex Juris, the mediocre performances of several in the lineup, and the team's recent lethargic offense, several moves have been made. 1B Frank Bunch Jr, 3B Lee Miller, SS Spencer Smail, and #44 prospect CF Bobby Boone have been called to the major league squad.
Bunch will share time at 1B while Jameson is out. Smail and Miller will fill bench roles.
Boone, who has moved quickly through the organization this season, hitting over .300 at A, AA, and AAA is expected to get a long look as the starting CF.
Gothams' management is waiting on a final determination on the status of young ace Ed Bowman. Bowman, who pitched his 2nd shutout of the season this week, will make two
appearances, the 2nd on Sunday the 26th where he will then sign his military papers, if his physicals check out.
Down on the Farm : The promotion of 4 players to New York caused a ripple effect through the organization as players at each level were rewarded for their play this season. Notable advancements were given to - 1B Bill Murnane (.334/.374/.427 at AA) to AAA Toledo, Murnane was a 2nd round pick in 1937. OF Cliff Perry (.355/.420/.514 at AA).
Moving from A to AA - 1B Ernie Hoffman, a 3rd round selection in 1939, and CF Simon McFadden (.387 at A)
Moving from B to A - 2B Billy Clark (.327/.374/.486 at B)
Several players were moved up from the C level team to B.

Potentially the craziest first inning ever:

Harry Parker took on Roger Perry on July 15th, and after the Cougars went 1-2-3 in the first. Then, everything fell apart. Parker needed just one pitch to retire Terry Cox. John Lawson then made a pair of errors before Chuck Adams singled. Cliff Moss tried to throw him out at home, but the throw was wide, a third error in just four plays. Denny Andrews then drew a walk on four pitches to load the bases and bring up Bill Lewis. Parker rolled up a double play ball to Lawson, who actually fielded it cleanly and threw to Freddie Jones, who dropped it, allowing all runners to reach safe. To add injury to insult, Harry Parker left after that pitch with an injury (it was minor, he started later that week), and Hooks Camp was forced into a bases loaded jam where we already should have four outs instead of one. Jim Hensley singled in a run then Bob Griffith walked, before Roger Perry bunted and the Cougars got out #5 at home. Terry Cox was back up, and yet again, John Lawson made an error. His third of the inning and fifth for the Cougars. Fred Galloway singled home two more to make it 7-0 before Adam Mullins grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

3 hits. 7 runs. 5 errors.

The Cougars then managed 8 runs in the 2nd to take the lead, but the Cannons finally prevailed 12-11 for their 10th consecutive victory. It was a massive gut punch for the Cougars, who cannot seem to catch a break this season. Perhaps the best (or worst I suppose) part is the Cougars are actually a very good defensive team, ranked #1 in the CA for both defensive efficiency and zone rating.

The biggest difference in the CA pennant race? One run games:
New York Stars: 17-11 (.607)
Chicago Cougars: 8-14 (.347)

I had just noticed yesterday that the Chiefs pitching had not thrown a shutout this season. And then they threw 2 this week
Bob Martin has a bruised collarbone after a collision running the bases last week and so he'll sit this week. Which gives Ducky Jordan a week's worth of starts at second base for the Chicago Chiefs. Jordan was the return on the trade of Lonardo to the Cougars and has been an utter disappointment: hitting .203/.278/.284 in 590 plate appearances with the Chiefs. The only thing keeping him on the roster is his glove. He's good defensively at second, which allows him to be a late inning replacement for Martin.
One of the batting stats Percy Sutherland watches closely is wOBA. Interesting situation at the moment. Of 89 qualified batters, 7 of them have a wOBA greater than .400 and 6 of those batters are in the FA. Bill Barrett leads all of the FABL with a wOBA of .464, but he is the only CA batter over .400. And it's not particularly close: the 2nd place batter in the CA is Montreal's Jake Hughes at .390. The 6 FA batters: Tom Bird (.448), Bobby Barrell (.422), Red Johnson (.410), George Cleaves (.408), Pablo Reyes (.402). And no matter how many times I see this, it always surprises me: of those 7 batters above, 2 of them are catchers (Bird and Cleaves). To have this many catchers who are great hitters (it wouldn't have surprised me if Zimmer and Mullins were on this list too) active at the same time I think is a pretty special case.

DRAFT UPDATE: WHERE ARE THE TOP PICKS SLOTTING IN

Now that the vast majority of 1942 draft selections have signed contracts and reported to the various minor league stops let's take a look and see how OSA ranks them. Below is an update on the players selected in the first two rounds of the draft:
BOSTON- The Minutemen were a little disappointed that the player the chose first overall, Bluegrass State pitcher Bob Arman, did not slot in higher than #23 on the OSA mid-season rankings. The Minutemen did not own a second round pick.

BROOKLYN- The Kings just signed their first round pick, former Cleveland University outfielder Pete Woodward who was selected with the 12th overall pick. Woodward lands at #87 on the OSA list. However, Brooklyn has yet to sign Media (PA) High School pitcher Paul Baker, taken in the second round. Baker has an offer to attend College of Waco.

CHIEFS- Chiefs first round selection Nelson Flinn is 112th on the OSA list. The 21 year old outfielder out of Darnell State won the Christian Trophy but has struggled in the early going as a pro, although the Chiefs decided to test him at Class A. Their second round pick was hometown boy Sam Clarke, a high school catcher out of Chicago and he had a nice debut week at Class C.

COUGARS- Without a first rounder the Cougars first selection was not until 32nd overall when they selected outfielder Henry DeVeaux. The Mississippi A&M product will begin his pro career at Class A. He is ranked 278th by OSA.

CINCINNATI- The Cannons selected high school pitcher Howie Harris, a homegrown kid from nearby Hamilton, Ohio. OSA feels he might have been a real stretch as a first round selection, ranking him 237th on their list but Harris looked very good in his first two starts at Class C. In the second round the Cannons traded up to draft infielder Jack Wilson and the 19th year old debuted at #95 on the OSA list and had a great start at Class C with 3 homers and a .429 batting average in his first six game.

CLEVELAND- The Foresters did not have a second round selection but they did have a pair of first rounders including fourth overall which they used on pitcher John Jackson. Jackson just signed with the club and loooks like a good one as OSA ranks the 17 year old #31 on it's top prospect list. Later in the first round the Foresters selected Sam Lanting, an 18 year old outfielder from Sulphur Springs, Texas. OSA does not feel Lanting has much of a future and does not list him in their top 500 prospect list.

DETROIT- The Dynamos went with youth in the early rounds, selecting a pair of 17 year old's. In the first round it was infielder Bob Schmelz while they went with catcher Crab Crowley in round two. Both just recently signed. OSA has Schmelz at 159th on it's prospect list but does not include Crowley in it's top 500.

MONTREAL- Picking second the Saints added outfielder Ernie McCoy from AIAA champion Bluegrass State. McCoy, who OSA sees as the 13th best prospect in the sport, was assigned to AA immediately after signing and did not look out of place in his first 3 games. In round two the Saints selected Jack Spahr, a high school catcher out of West Virginia. He started at Class C with a bang, getting 10 hits in his first five games as a pro. OSA puts him at #255 on it's prospect watch.

NY STARS- The Stars had 3 selections including a pair late in the first round. Those were used on 3B Clyde Fleenor and catcher Chick MacKnight while their second round selection was Art Goins, an outfielder and the son of former FABL star catcher T.R. Goins. OSA feels MacKnight, who played his college ball at Eastern Oklahoma -the same school that produced Adam Mullins- is the best of the three. MacKnight is #71 on the OSA list. Fleener, a high school player out of Kansas City, holds down the 161st spot on the list while the 18 year old Goins is ranked 203rd.

NY GOTHAMS- With the fifth overall pick the Gothams selected Jake Roberts, an 18 year old righthander from West Fork, Arkansas. He has already made a couple of starts in Class C and looked pretty solid but OSA places him 188th on the prospect list. OSA really likes the Gothams second round pick and places outfielder Billy Moody solidly in the top 100 prospects at #75. Moody is a local kid who played his high school ball in Brooklyn.

KEYSTONES- The Keystones used both of their picks on high school players, taking outfielder Billy Black in the first round and pitcher Frank Pershing in round two. Black, a Tennessee native, made his debut last week at Class B and is a solid prospect according to OSA, which ranks him 38th on their list. Pershing, a lefthander from New Mexico, claims the 234th spot on the OSA list.

SAILORS- The Sailors landed catcher Mark Smith, a two-time AIAA batting champ and back to back first team All-American selection, with the 6th pick. Many, including OSA believe Smith is the class of the draft, ranking the 21 year old 8th overall on their prospect list. The Sailors had two second round picks and used them on outfielder Ike Kyzar and infielder Jim Hunton. Neither crack the top 500 but landing Smith certainly makes up for the second rounders if OSA is to be believed on all three of them.

PITTSBURGH- The veteran laden Miners are thrilled with how the top of their draft turned out. OSA has first round pick, former CC Los Angeles shortstop Bob Lopez ranked 11th overall while second rounder Dick Chamberlain, a 22 year old outfielder who played his college ball at Opelika State, holds down the 191st spot on the list.

ST LOUIS- High school pitcher Joe Lute was selected 3rd overall by the Pioneers and OSA likes what they see from the Algona, Iowa native. Lute is 42nd on the OSA list and fits right in with a solid group of young arms in the St Louis organization. Ralph Parker, an 18 year old outfielder from Boston, was their second round and he is ranked 348th by OSA.

TORONTO- The Wolves have a lot of pitching and they added more with the selection of Jerry York and Bobby Mills. First rounder York, a 21 year old out of Noble Jones College, debuts at the top of Toronto's prospect list and 9th overall according to ISA. The scouting service is not so kind to the 18 year old Mills as OSA does not feel Mills deserves to be ranked in the top 500 prospects.

WASHINGTON- The Eagles old management dealt the first overall pick but Washington did have a pair of second rounders which they used on Harry Perryman and Bob Kirby. OSA puts the 21 year old Perryman, a second baseman out of Bayou State, 117th on it's list while Kirby, a 21 year old outfielder from AIAA powerhouse Maryland State, makes the scouting service list at #388.

The Army Air Force has no particular post in the land where athletes seem to flock like homing pigeons - such as the Navy's Great Lakes Naval Station- but Mitchel Field in long Island can fill in very satisfactory for the time being. A number of prominent football players now call the base home as do several professional golfers and a half dozen boxers. No FABL players yet but a few minor leaguers are stationed at Mitchel Field including Joe Pestilli, brother of big leaguers Sal, Alf and Tony.
The war has hurt sports generally, but the United States Army and Navy have helped them. The Army team, plus the Great Lakes eleven and Pre-Flight School teams are going to play major roles this fall in football. When the war is over it may be of the greatest benefit to football. There is no question that when the war is over there will be more good swimmers, boxers and all-around athletes then ever before. Some sports like golf, which simply takes too much time, or tennis, which calls for rubber, will suffer and even training servicemen baseball players has little value. But football is the sport they Army and Navy can focus on to strengthen it's soldiers, both physically and mentally, and that should improve the talent level of the sport when the war finally ends.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 7/19/1942

The battle of Midway will go down as one of the greatest sea victories of all time, according to report details outlining the coordinated army, navy and marine corps effort. At least 20 Japanese ships were sunk or badly damaged, an estimated 275 enemy aircraft destroyed and approximately 4,800 Japanese soldiers, sailors and aviators were killed. The victory at Midway, followed closely by an another American victory in the Coral Sea will cripple the Japanese Navy "for months."
The Germans launched a fierce new thrust against the northwest Moscow front, throwing hundreds of tanks and two fresh divisions against the weary Russian army.
British forces in north Africa have beaten off a new Axis attack on their coastal lines. Meanwhile the House of Commons was told that the new style tanks, built both in Britain and the United States, would give the Allies real assurance for victory over the Axis.
The anniversary of France's Bastille Day was a signal for demonstrations throughout European and in Yugoslavia the chief of the German Gestapo, Major Helm, was reported shot and killed as he walked along Zegreb's main street.
Britons were warned they face the gravest days of the war because of the Axis offensive in Russia but usually reliable information said a second front was unlikely in Western Europe within the next few months unless "considerable" reinforcements of American troops arrived.

05-25-2022, 09:32 AM	#435
Jiggs McGee All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 677	July 20, 1942 Trade deadline approaches JULY 20, 1942 BOWMAN TO ENLIST IN AIR CORPS NEXT WEEK Ed Bowman, the rookie New York Gothams pitcher, is to report for induction into the army on July 27th, it was learned today from officials of his draft board. Bowman, a 22 year old from Wharton, Texas, is 11-6 with a 3.23 era in his debut season with the Gothams. He is in Class 1-A according to Marlin Campbell, chairman of the draft board, and Mrs. Lottie Sibley, chief clerk, and is ordered for induction. Bowman is attempting to enlist in the army air corps but Mrs. Sibley declares the draft board has not yet received the necessary release from the air service. If the paperwork sorts itself out, Bowman and the Gothams have agreed that he will take part in a ceremonial induction service on the mound at Gothams Stadium just prior to the team's contest against the Philadelphia Keystones on Sunday. It is not known yet if Bowman will pitch one last time for the Gothams this season on that day. Following that his official induction, pending passing a final physical, will take place the following day. Bowman did pass a preliminary physical when he was first classified as 1-A but there are some rumours circulating that the Gothams team physicians had found an issue that might prevent Bowman from joining the service. * GOTHAMS IN PENNANT RACE * The loss of Bowman would certainly be a big blow to the Gothams pennant hopes. He has emerged as the club's most dependable starter and is a big reason the Gothams are just 3.5 games back of front-running Philadelphia in the Federal Association. The Gothams have struggled since the break and are 2-7 in recent games against the 3 clubs directly in front of them in the standings. It won't get any easier for New York as 11 of their next 14 contests are against those same three clubs: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston. The New York Stars are showing no signs of slowing down, after a 6-2 week allowed them to extend their lead on second place Chicago atop the Continental Association back to double digits. Pitching was the name of the game in a dramatic midweek 3 game set with Toronto as the two clubs combined to score just 7 runs in the series. Toronto took the opener 1-0 on a 4-hitter from George Garrison (14-6, 2.12) but the Stars replied with a pair of 2-1 victories including an 11 inning battle in the series finale. The Stars also cooled off the CA's hottest club, taking two of three from Cincinnati to end the week. The Cannons entered the series with 10 wins in their previous 11 games. 3,000 FOR LAWSON John Lawson became just the 11th player in FABL history to record at least 3,000 hits. On Wednesday Lawson hit a full count pitch from Roger Perry over the left field wall in Cincinnati for his milestone marker. He would add two more in the game but the Cougars fell 12-11. It has been a tough season for the 39 year old but he has gone on a tear of late, notching 19 hits over his last 44 at bats and raised his season average to .267. That figure is still well below his career mark of .341 but perhaps a sign that he is out of his season long slump. 'NO MORE BASEBALL' SAYS MCCORMICK Fred McCormick says his game with the Service All-Stars last week in Cleveland was quite likely the final one of his military career. McCormick says he will fully focus on his air training work in Miami and will not interrupt it for any more baseball. He also hinted his career may well be over even after the war concludes. "They don't come back in baseball if they're out for more than a year," says McCormick, "And if they're out for even a year they never regain their form when they come back. They may look just as good mechanically as they did before, but they lack the competitive instinct. They're just never able to regain that." Fred's decision to retire came after many months of serious thinking. Last Spring he told friends his career was drawing to an end and with the increasing probability of a protracted war he has recently given up even simple batting and fielding practice. His mates find it impossible to persuade McCormick to join in the lineup for games on days off. The Toronto Wolves, for whom McCormick won a pair of Whitney Awards and led the club to the 1940 World Championship, say they have not been informed by McCormick of any such decision to retire, adding they will not discuss baseball with their star until his war duties have come to a completion. We are less than two weeks away from the FABL trade deadline and just as in the winter it feels like very little is going to happen because clubs remained paralyzed with the fear of losing players to the war effort. You have to think with the Fed race as tight as it is that at least one of those teams will make a move, especially when you consider how being active a year ago paid such huge dividends for the World Champion Minutemen. Boston I can see standing pat with what they have since they still have the veteran talent they stocked up on last year and plenty of depth but one can't help but think a key move by Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago or even New York might make the difference in who wins the Fed pennant this year. Philadelphia's pitching has been outstanding but perhaps they would benefit from a veteran arm to join the rotation and bump Harry Shaffer (1-7, 4.37) out of the fifth starter role. The should get Chuck Hood back in a couple of weeks which might help a bit but with Hank McKay (.245,1,12) and Davey Robicheaux (.241,7,33) an outfield bat, ideally one with speed that could slot near the top of the order and be a table setter for the big bat of Bobby Barrell, would be a key pickup. Maybe a Sam Brown from Washington or perhaps even bringing former Keystone Rip Curry back from Detroit might be an option for the Keystones to explore. Pittsburgh looks pretty much set but like anyone in the Fed they would not turn down another veteran arm for the back of the rotation. The Dynamos are going nowhere this season so perhaps they would part with either Joe Shaffner or Mike Murphy, but with the two veterans unlikely to be taken by Selective Service they might command a heftier price than the otherwise would. The Miners might also consider doing something at shortstop but that depends upon just how confident they are with 23 year old Rafael Mendoza as the starter with vet Johnny Guzzo backing him up. I don't see the Boston Minutemen making any move of substance. Losing Duke Hendricks might have then consider getting involved in the sweepstakes for one of the Detroit veteran arms but that might be more of a move designed to stop an opponent from landing the player rather than it being thought of as a necessity by the Boston brass. The New York Gothams are in an interesting situation. As a young team on the way up I would expect them to stand pat especially now that it sounds like Ed Bowman is off to join the army air corps next week. Note, I say sounds like because there are rumblings that club doctors discovered something on Bowman's recent physical and he still needs to pass a second exam which will likely be conducted at the end of the week. If this had been a week ago I would say the Gothams might just consider adding a veteran arm but now with the news of Bowman I am not sure if the Gothams management team feels it more necessary to get another pitcher or decides to stand pat and see what the future holds. The recent injury to Bud Jameson perhaps also indicates a need for another bat but with the Bowman situation clouding the picture odds are the Gothams do nothing. The Chicago Chiefs have a tough decision as well. At 6 games back and with 4 teams ahead of them are they in the race or out? The offense is solid but if they are in the race they have to decide if they can survive another month of Dode Foster in centerfield until Bill May is healthy. I also expect them to be one of the teams calling Detroit about Murphy or Shaffner if the Chiefs feel they can win this thing. The Detroit Dynamos are already mentioned as the most likely seller but there are certainly other veterans that perhaps might be available for the right price. Would Washington part with 31 year old Jack Elder or perhaps even selling Jim Birdwell while his stock is at an all-time high? Would St Louis move Buddy Long or perhaps a strong outfield bat like Al Tucker if they could get a nice infusion of young talent in return? The Continental seem much more set. No one is conceding the title to the New York Stars but by the same token I don't see the Chicago Cougars making a big splash by selling off some of their impressive collection of young talent - not unless the gap gets greatly reduced over the next week. The Sailors, Cannons and Wolves are stuck in the middle. None will be buyers and perhaps the right offer might get a Doc Newell, Chuck Wirtz or Roger Perry out of one of them but it is highly unlikely because those are the types of players that will most likely still be around next year, or the year after, when plenty of guys under age 30 are in the service. Cincinnati has shopped Moxie Pidgeon and received some interest but nothing that would be enough to entice the Cannons to part with the 35 year old who, despite his struggles, might be an important piece next year. The Montreal Saints are a talented young team on the rise and they could possibly be persuaded to deal Ed Baker or Vic Crawford but the more likely scenario is the Saints stand pat and let the team continue to develop. They are too far back to be buyers and just might be thinking if things break the right way with Selective Service the Saints may be one of the team's to beat next year. That leaves Brooklyn and Cleveland. The Kings had a nice start to the season but were awful for a long stretch. Perhaps they move a veteran like Al Wheeler, Fred Barrell or Jim Crawford but I am not sure there is interest in the latter two and perhaps not a willingness to pay the price Brooklyn would likely demand for Wheeler. Cleveland is in a full scale rebuild and dealt some pieces last year. Maybe a team desperate for pitching depth takes a chance on Dave Rankin or Ben Turner but the reality is the Foresters do not have much in the way of veteran big league talent to offer and have little choice but to stand pat and wait for Hiram Steinberg to arrive. * SUMMARY There are certainly a number of moves that would make sense in normal times, but these are anything but normal times. I would not be surprised if the trade deadline passes without a single move but there is also the very slight chance that one move by a Fed contender triggers an avalanche of response. If I had to pick one team that would be most likely to do something I would suggest it was the Philadelphia Keystones. They are very close and one or two additions might just do the same thing for the Keystones as it did for Boston a year ago. Moving day in the Gothams organization. With the injuries to Bud Jameson and Alex Juris, the mediocre performances of several in the lineup, and the team's recent lethargic offense, several moves have been made. 1B Frank Bunch Jr, 3B Lee Miller, SS Spencer Smail, and #44 prospect CF Bobby Boone have been called to the major league squad. Bunch will share time at 1B while Jameson is out. Smail and Miller will fill bench roles. Boone, who has moved quickly through the organization this season, hitting over .300 at A, AA, and AAA is expected to get a long look as the starting CF. Gothams' management is waiting on a final determination on the status of young ace Ed Bowman. Bowman, who pitched his 2nd shutout of the season this week, will make two appearances, the 2nd on Sunday the 26th where he will then sign his military papers, if his physicals check out. Down on the Farm : The promotion of 4 players to New York caused a ripple effect through the organization as players at each level were rewarded for their play this season. Notable advancements were given to - 1B Bill Murnane (.334/.374/.427 at AA) to AAA Toledo, Murnane was a 2nd round pick in 1937. OF Cliff Perry (.355/.420/.514 at AA). Moving from A to AA - 1B Ernie Hoffman, a 3rd round selection in 1939, and CF Simon McFadden (.387 at A) Moving from B to A - 2B Billy Clark (.327/.374/.486 at B) Several players were moved up from the C level team to B. Potentially the craziest first inning ever: Harry Parker took on Roger Perry on July 15th, and after the Cougars went 1-2-3 in the first. Then, everything fell apart. Parker needed just one pitch to retire Terry Cox. John Lawson then made a pair of errors before Chuck Adams singled. Cliff Moss tried to throw him out at home, but the throw was wide, a third error in just four plays. Denny Andrews then drew a walk on four pitches to load the bases and bring up Bill Lewis. Parker rolled up a double play ball to Lawson, who actually fielded it cleanly and threw to Freddie Jones, who dropped it, allowing all runners to reach safe. To add injury to insult, Harry Parker left after that pitch with an injury (it was minor, he started later that week), and Hooks Camp was forced into a bases loaded jam where we already should have four outs instead of one. Jim Hensley singled in a run then Bob Griffith walked, before Roger Perry bunted and the Cougars got out #5 at home. Terry Cox was back up, and yet again, John Lawson made an error. His third of the inning and fifth for the Cougars. Fred Galloway singled home two more to make it 7-0 before Adam Mullins grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning. 3 hits. 7 runs. 5 errors. The Cougars then managed 8 runs in the 2nd to take the lead, but the Cannons finally prevailed 12-11 for their 10th consecutive victory. It was a massive gut punch for the Cougars, who cannot seem to catch a break this season. Perhaps the best (or worst I suppose) part is the Cougars are actually a very good defensive team, ranked #1 in the CA for both defensive efficiency and zone rating. The biggest difference in the CA pennant race? One run games: New York Stars: 17-11 (.607) Chicago Cougars: 8-14 (.347) I had just noticed yesterday that the Chiefs pitching had not thrown a shutout this season. And then they threw 2 this week Bob Martin has a bruised collarbone after a collision running the bases last week and so he'll sit this week. Which gives Ducky Jordan a week's worth of starts at second base for the Chicago Chiefs. Jordan was the return on the trade of Lonardo to the Cougars and has been an utter disappointment: hitting .203/.278/.284 in 590 plate appearances with the Chiefs. The only thing keeping him on the roster is his glove. He's good defensively at second, which allows him to be a late inning replacement for Martin. One of the batting stats Percy Sutherland watches closely is wOBA. Interesting situation at the moment. Of 89 qualified batters, 7 of them have a wOBA greater than .400 and 6 of those batters are in the FA. Bill Barrett leads all of the FABL with a wOBA of .464, but he is the only CA batter over .400. And it's not particularly close: the 2nd place batter in the CA is Montreal's Jake Hughes at .390. The 6 FA batters: Tom Bird (.448), Bobby Barrell (.422), Red Johnson (.410), George Cleaves (.408), Pablo Reyes (.402). And no matter how many times I see this, it always surprises me: of those 7 batters above, 2 of them are catchers (Bird and Cleaves). To have this many catchers who are great hitters (it wouldn't have surprised me if Zimmer and Mullins were on this list too) active at the same time I think is a pretty special case. DRAFT UPDATE: WHERE ARE THE TOP PICKS SLOTTING IN Now that the vast majority of 1942 draft selections have signed contracts and reported to the various minor league stops let's take a look and see how OSA ranks them. Below is an update on the players selected in the first two rounds of the draft: BOSTON- The Minutemen were a little disappointed that the player the chose first overall, Bluegrass State pitcher Bob Arman, did not slot in higher than #23 on the OSA mid-season rankings. The Minutemen did not own a second round pick. BROOKLYN- The Kings just signed their first round pick, former Cleveland University outfielder Pete Woodward who was selected with the 12th overall pick. Woodward lands at #87 on the OSA list. However, Brooklyn has yet to sign Media (PA) High School pitcher Paul Baker, taken in the second round. Baker has an offer to attend College of Waco. CHIEFS- Chiefs first round selection Nelson Flinn is 112th on the OSA list. The 21 year old outfielder out of Darnell State won the Christian Trophy but has struggled in the early going as a pro, although the Chiefs decided to test him at Class A. Their second round pick was hometown boy Sam Clarke, a high school catcher out of Chicago and he had a nice debut week at Class C. COUGARS- Without a first rounder the Cougars first selection was not until 32nd overall when they selected outfielder Henry DeVeaux. The Mississippi A&M product will begin his pro career at Class A. He is ranked 278th by OSA. CINCINNATI- The Cannons selected high school pitcher Howie Harris, a homegrown kid from nearby Hamilton, Ohio. OSA feels he might have been a real stretch as a first round selection, ranking him 237th on their list but Harris looked very good in his first two starts at Class C. In the second round the Cannons traded up to draft infielder Jack Wilson and the 19th year old debuted at #95 on the OSA list and had a great start at Class C with 3 homers and a .429 batting average in his first six game. CLEVELAND- The Foresters did not have a second round selection but they did have a pair of first rounders including fourth overall which they used on pitcher John Jackson. Jackson just signed with the club and loooks like a good one as OSA ranks the 17 year old #31 on it's top prospect list. Later in the first round the Foresters selected Sam Lanting, an 18 year old outfielder from Sulphur Springs, Texas. OSA does not feel Lanting has much of a future and does not list him in their top 500 prospect list. DETROIT- The Dynamos went with youth in the early rounds, selecting a pair of 17 year old's. In the first round it was infielder Bob Schmelz while they went with catcher Crab Crowley in round two. Both just recently signed. OSA has Schmelz at 159th on it's prospect list but does not include Crowley in it's top 500. MONTREAL- Picking second the Saints added outfielder Ernie McCoy from AIAA champion Bluegrass State. McCoy, who OSA sees as the 13th best prospect in the sport, was assigned to AA immediately after signing and did not look out of place in his first 3 games. In round two the Saints selected Jack Spahr, a high school catcher out of West Virginia. He started at Class C with a bang, getting 10 hits in his first five games as a pro. OSA puts him at #255 on it's prospect watch. NY STARS- The Stars had 3 selections including a pair late in the first round. Those were used on 3B Clyde Fleenor and catcher Chick MacKnight while their second round selection was Art Goins, an outfielder and the son of former FABL star catcher T.R. Goins. OSA feels MacKnight, who played his college ball at Eastern Oklahoma -the same school that produced Adam Mullins- is the best of the three. MacKnight is #71 on the OSA list. Fleener, a high school player out of Kansas City, holds down the 161st spot on the list while the 18 year old Goins is ranked 203rd. NY GOTHAMS- With the fifth overall pick the Gothams selected Jake Roberts, an 18 year old righthander from West Fork, Arkansas. He has already made a couple of starts in Class C and looked pretty solid but OSA places him 188th on the prospect list. OSA really likes the Gothams second round pick and places outfielder Billy Moody solidly in the top 100 prospects at #75. Moody is a local kid who played his high school ball in Brooklyn. KEYSTONES- The Keystones used both of their picks on high school players, taking outfielder Billy Black in the first round and pitcher Frank Pershing in round two. Black, a Tennessee native, made his debut last week at Class B and is a solid prospect according to OSA, which ranks him 38th on their list. Pershing, a lefthander from New Mexico, claims the 234th spot on the OSA list. SAILORS- The Sailors landed catcher Mark Smith, a two-time AIAA batting champ and back to back first team All-American selection, with the 6th pick. Many, including OSA believe Smith is the class of the draft, ranking the 21 year old 8th overall on their prospect list. The Sailors had two second round picks and used them on outfielder Ike Kyzar and infielder Jim Hunton. Neither crack the top 500 but landing Smith certainly makes up for the second rounders if OSA is to be believed on all three of them. PITTSBURGH- The veteran laden Miners are thrilled with how the top of their draft turned out. OSA has first round pick, former CC Los Angeles shortstop Bob Lopez ranked 11th overall while second rounder Dick Chamberlain, a 22 year old outfielder who played his college ball at Opelika State, holds down the 191st spot on the list. ST LOUIS- High school pitcher Joe Lute was selected 3rd overall by the Pioneers and OSA likes what they see from the Algona, Iowa native. Lute is 42nd on the OSA list and fits right in with a solid group of young arms in the St Louis organization. Ralph Parker, an 18 year old outfielder from Boston, was their second round and he is ranked 348th by OSA. TORONTO- The Wolves have a lot of pitching and they added more with the selection of Jerry York and Bobby Mills. First rounder York, a 21 year old out of Noble Jones College, debuts at the top of Toronto's prospect list and 9th overall according to ISA. The scouting service is not so kind to the 18 year old Mills as OSA does not feel Mills deserves to be ranked in the top 500 prospects. WASHINGTON- The Eagles old management dealt the first overall pick but Washington did have a pair of second rounders which they used on Harry Perryman and Bob Kirby. OSA puts the 21 year old Perryman, a second baseman out of Bayou State, 117th on it's list while Kirby, a 21 year old outfielder from AIAA powerhouse Maryland State, makes the scouting service list at #388. The Army Air Force has no particular post in the land where athletes seem to flock like homing pigeons - such as the Navy's Great Lakes Naval Station- but Mitchel Field in long Island can fill in very satisfactory for the time being. A number of prominent football players now call the base home as do several professional golfers and a half dozen boxers. No FABL players yet but a few minor leaguers are stationed at Mitchel Field including Joe Pestilli, brother of big leaguers Sal, Alf and Tony. The war has hurt sports generally, but the United States Army and Navy have helped them. The Army team, plus the Great Lakes eleven and Pre-Flight School teams are going to play major roles this fall in football. When the war is over it may be of the greatest benefit to football. There is no question that when the war is over there will be more good swimmers, boxers and all-around athletes then ever before. Some sports like golf, which simply takes too much time, or tennis, which calls for rubber, will suffer and even training servicemen baseball players has little value. But football is the sport they Army and Navy can focus on to strengthen it's soldiers, both physically and mentally, and that should improve the talent level of the sport when the war finally ends. The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 7/19/1942 The battle of Midway will go down as one of the greatest sea victories of all time, according to report details outlining the coordinated army, navy and marine corps effort. At least 20 Japanese ships were sunk or badly damaged, an estimated 275 enemy aircraft destroyed and approximately 4,800 Japanese soldiers, sailors and aviators were killed. The victory at Midway, followed closely by an another American victory in the Coral Sea will cripple the Japanese Navy "for months." The Germans launched a fierce new thrust against the northwest Moscow front, throwing hundreds of tanks and two fresh divisions against the weary Russian army. British forces in north Africa have beaten off a new Axis attack on their coastal lines. Meanwhile the House of Commons was told that the new style tanks, built both in Britain and the United States, would give the Allies real assurance for victory over the Axis. The anniversary of France's Bastille Day was a signal for demonstrations throughout European and in Yugoslavia the chief of the German Gestapo, Major Helm, was reported shot and killed as he walked along Zegreb's main street. Britons were warned they face the gravest days of the war because of the Axis offensive in Russia but usually reliable information said a second front was unlikely in Western Europe within the next few months unless "considerable" reinforcements of American troops arrived. __________________ Lead Columnist of The Figment Sporting Journal** The Scripture of Sports Last edited by Jiggs McGee; 05-25-2022 at 01:25 PM.