MAY 3, 1943
EAGLES, KINGS SURPRISE LEADERS
It has been half a dozen years since the Brooklyn Kings led the Continental Association, even this early in the season, but there they are, at 8-3, with the best record in the loop. That is perhaps even less surprising than the news that the Washington Eagles are 10-3 and lead both the Federal Association and all of baseball. The last time the Eagles and first place were mentioned in the same breath Calvin Coolidge was President and FABL had not yet entered it's so-called modern era. But there they are -the Kings and the Eagles - sitting atop their respective associations.
Can it last? The Kings, one has to think, are merely the beneficiaries of an early schedule that has given them a steady diet of the Saints and Stars -two clubs that have struggled in the early going. Brooklyn boosters might prefer to think the glass is half-full and the Saints and Stars are a combined 8-14 only because they have had to face the Kings in the early going.
Brooklyn is not doing anything especially well, they are middle of the pack in runs scored and near the bottom in runs allowed but veteran pitcher Jim Crawford is 3-0 with a 0.89 era while Bob Cummings and veteran relievers Del Lyons and Curly Jones have also pitched well. At the plate Harry Barrell (.312,0,9) is off to a fine start as the lead-off man and Al Wheeler (.289,1,5) has played well. However, aside from Crawford and Cummings the rotation -including their top starter Art White (0-1, 5.40) has not been impressive and there are holes at third base and in the outfield. The Kings have 4 more with Montreal beginning today but then face a tougher test with a weekend series at Kings County against Chicago followed by a visit from the Toronto Wolves. If Brooklyn still leads the way in the Continental Association a week and a half from now perhaps teams should take notice.
As for Washington, the Eagles have feasted on a steady diet of Pennsylvania teams and have dominated both the Keystones and Miners in the early going. The Miners have lost some key pieces and the Keystones are without ace Lloyd Stevens but were each thought of for the most part as potential first-division ballclubs in this season of great uncertainty. OSA head Dan Barrell went as far as tabbing the Keystones as his pick to win the Federal Association so to see the Eagles have such a hot start against those two clubs certainly warrants taking them seriously.
It is only two weeks in but the Eagles pitching staff, considered by many to be their achilles heel, has impressed. Jack Elder (3-1, 2.02) is off to a great start and Lou Ellertson (3-0, 2.57), considered strictly a bullpen piece or a swing-man at best for most of his career, is suddenly looking like a top of the rotation starter. The offense, led by a big start from Sig Stofer (.341,4,11) is also rolling and even with the soft baseball the Eagles lead the big leagues in homeruns. It is early and the Chicago Chiefs, tabbed by TWIFB to win the Fed, are right on their heels, but at least for now Eagles fans can celebrate being in first place - and that has been a long time coming, even so early in the season.
GEORGE DAWSON FROM DETROIT TO THE NEW YORK GOTHAMS FOR MONK ADAMS
This time around in Talking Trade we look at a deal that the Gothams need to make if they are going to have hopes of a repeat trip to the WCS. They desperately need a shortstop and while I am not sure New York would be willing to part with the type of young assets needed to land a Harry Barrell, and really they don't need to spend for Barrell. What the Gothams need is a solid veteran shortstop who can play defense and provide a little offense for the next 3 years until Mule Monier and the rest of his war buddies return. So how about George Dawson? Dawson is 32 and not the player he was in his early days at Cleveland but he still plays plus-defense and showed last season after the move to Detroit that given the chance he can still hit a bit.
Now if Detroit still fancies themselves contenders this is a deal that won't happen but if the Dynamos brass feels this will be another rough season, and the Gothams can stay in the race while attempting to fool themselves that Lee Miller can play short in the majors this might be a deal both could like in the next month or two.
I thought about Ray Miller, the Gothams #2 prospect and 5th best catching prospect in the league according to OSA, simply because it is very much a position of need for Detroit but I don't think the Dynamos would move Dawson for Miller. However, I expect the Dynamos would be much more interested in a pitcher like Monk Adams, and that might be what it takes for Detroit to be willing to make this deal.
WHY I LIKE THIS DEAL FOR NEW YORK: The Gothams need to improve at shortstop if they want to repeat. Dawson is likely the best available aside from Harry Barrell. Adams has some promise as a pitcher but the Gothams would have to surrender something of value to land Dawson. The other possible alternative is Montreal's Jack Hughes as the Saints will need to make room soon for Gordie Perkins. However, Hughes is just 27 and will be expensive. Plus I don't think Montreal is anywhere near the point where they believe Perkins is ready and Hughes is expendable. Dawson is simply the best option among teams that might move a shortstop.
WHY I LIKE THIS DEAL FOR DETROIT: I only like it if the Dynamos fade out of contention early and a 4-8 start is showing that might happen quickly. There is so much unpredictability this season in the Fed that perhaps, if they get hot at the right time, Detroit could contend but in order to do so they will certainly need Dawson. If things fall apart like they did last season the Dynamos should start to look towards the next couple of years and adding a young arm like Adams would help. Plus Adams is ready now and could fit in nicely alongside Jimmy Long in a revamped rotation meaning vets like Mike Murphy and Joe Shaffner could be peddled for more up and coming assets.
Baseball waits for no man. As construction crews rapidly put the finishing touches on Boston's new spacious stadium the legal team must have dropped the ball. The naming rights for the new stadium were caught up in the courts forcing the Minutemen to play their first games in a nameless new ballpark. The new park will favor the left handed slugger but unless the ball is pulled down the line many a long drive will be swallowed up by swift footed outfielders. Pitchers should not worry too much about giving up the longball and can really challenge hitters with their offerings.
While Boston would lose their inaugural game at the new stadium 3-2 to Philadelphia they would win their next 6 giving them a fine opening homestand in their new home. This will be a big week for the Minutemen as they hit the road for 4 games in Philadelphia followed by 4 more in Washington. While Philadelphia has struggled out of the gate (thanks in large part to Boston) Washington has enjoyed great success and currently own the FA's best record at 10-3.
TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN
Wolves Look At Their System -With the 1943 season underway much of the attention of the front office is now being applied the players that should be in Toronto in the future. Toronto, like most other big league teams, had their system destroyed by the global conflict. In addition to the Major League players who went off to war the Wolves lost all 6 players ranked in the top 150 of the BNN.
The list is #3 John Fast- a 19 year old 2B/SS who was slated for AA Davenport,
#9 Jerry York- Wolves first pick in the 1942, a crafty RHP, who made a brief stop in Vancouver last summer before moving up to Davenport. There were hopes that York would see AAA action in Buffalo this summer after starting in Chattanooga,
#55 Harry Phillips- another RHP, at 20 there was hope that Vancouver would be a short stop on the upward ladder this summer after a mixed start in Tuscaloosa in 1942,
#79 John Graves- there was hope that Graves would be patrolling in CF in Canada this summer and that over the summer his bat would catchup to his glove for the Wolves first pick in the 1940 draft,
#114 Adam Grayson- a RHP who has been something of a mystery in his 3 seasons in the organization, flashes of brilliance followed by weeks of lack luster performance,
#146 Red More- thought to be FABL ready in 1943, would have battled for a rotation spot on Opening Day.
Enough said about the players that will not be available to Toronto. The top 5 according to Scouting Director Art Willis are:
1- Jess Alexander- 25 year old RHP- Alexander has been in the organization since 1938 never above Class B. Control issues have plagued him, he has always had issues with walks. Is this year that he hones his control? Upper management in Toronto is not sold on Willis' evaluation but will watch his early season performance because Alexander along with all others have a chance to move through the system at an accelerated pace.
2- Sam Allen- 22 year old OF- Allen will start on Canada's west coast but could move fast because of the concerns in Toronto with outfield defense. Allen will have to improve his bat to ball skills.
3- Tommy Anderson- 23 year old RHP- Tommy will begin across Lake Ontario in Buffalo, another P with control issues in whom Willis sees a high ceiling, he will given a test to see if the scout's assessment is true.
4- Billy Ayers- 26 year old RHP- it is now or never for this 26 year old.
5- Dan Baker- 24 year old OF- another player who will start the season in AA with a chance to progress but if he fails Baker will be one of many who bounce around the minors leagues with the "not quite good enough" tag.
Other players to watch this summer include 3B Joe Beckwith- 24- Davenport, RHP Ray Bell- 23- Chattanooga, RHP Max Boswell- 18- Tuscaloosa, 1B Phil Bowen- 22- Davenport.
- Congratulations to Jim Lonardo as the 38 year old Chicago Cougars righthander notched his 250th career victory. Only 25 others have won 250 FABL games. Lonardo, who also pitched for the Gothams and Chiefs in his 16 year career - one which included 4 Allan Awards- picked up the milestone win with a complete game 7-2 win over the New York Stars last Thursday.
- Rabbit Day won his start in Chicago's home opener for his 298th career victory. With 8 games on the schedule this week, he'll pick up two more starts. Potential #300 would come in game two of next Sunday's doubleheader with the Gothams.
- The war has given former lottery pick Wayne Newcomb a chance to play centerfield for the Chicago Chiefs, and so far, he is making the most of the opportunity: .409/.490/455. But Bob Martin has sprained his ankle and will miss the next two weeks so not all the news out of the Windy City is good. Ducky Jordan will play third in his stead, and we will see if Jordan has figured things out at 29-years-old. So far, so good: .355/.412/.484 with no strikeouts in 34 plate appearances.
- The Cannons worst fears flared up last week when ace Deuce Barrell and promising but often-injured youngster Vic Carroll each left a start early with injury. Neither appears to be serious but both will be bumped back a little this week to give them each time to heal.
- Terrible start for the Stars outfield making them miss Bill Barrett even more. To say Chubby Hall (.146/.217/.171), Chink Stickels (.204/2.64/.327) and Howie Smith (.171/.237/.229) have struggled the first two weeks is a gross understatement.
- Don't tell Washington's Sig Stofer this is a dead ball. He has 4 homeruns already this season. Only 5 teams, including the Eagles, have hit more than Stofer.
- All members of the Federal Association except the New York Gothams, permit broadcasting of their games this season. Detroit, the Chicago Chiefs and Philadelphia Keystones allow play-by-play descriptions of all contests, while the others have restrictions on Sunday broadcasting. The Chiefs have three stations relaying their games, all sponsored by General Foods Corp. and Walgreen Drug Company. The Pioneers carry all of their games on KXOK with the exception of Sundays and holidays with Hyde Park Breweries Association presenting the coverage. The Goebel Brewing Company is the chief sponsor in Detroit where WXYZ has all of the Dynamos games. The United Broadcasting Company carries Pittsburgh contests under the sponsorship of the Spang Baking Company. WOL in Washington carries all the Eagles games with the exception of Sunday and holiday contests. In Philadelphia WIBG is the broadcasters with the Atlantic Refining Company sponsoring the Keystones contests. Atlantic Refining also sponsors the Boston Minutemen broadcasts along with General Foods.
- Another minor leaguer has been tabbed by Selective Service. Red Martin, a 21 year old outfielder who was at Class C Moline in the St Louis Pioneers system is the latest to join the war effort.
- Baseball is going strong with service teams. A new league has been set up in the Chicago area with seven camps and stations planning on playing from May 9 until August 8. Another loop -this one with 5 teams- is underway involving camps in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Henry Bush from the Washington Eagles and Montreal pitcher Wally Doyle are among the big leaguers participating in that loop.
- War industry workers in Los Angeles want noon starts to give swing-shift workers a chance to attend games before going to work at 3:30 each afternoon. So the Los Angeles War Industries Recreation Association, which represents nearly one million plant workers, has petitioned both the Los Angeles Stars and Hollywood Heroes to adjust their Great Western League start times.
WAR PLANT JOBS MAY TUNE PRO GRID SQUADS
If you want to be a fullback on the Brooklyn Kings football team this fall you may have to learn how to back up a rivet as well as you can back up a line. Training on a turret or engine lathe in a war plant or with a riveting gang at the nearby Brooklyn shipyard may take the place of routine calisthenics for the Kings gridders this fall according to Kurt Hauptstag, coach of the Brooklyn team of the American Football Association.
If the War Manpower Commission believes pro football players should work on war jobs, we see no reason why they can't do so and play football, too," Hauptstag said. "They could start work on an early shift and be through in time to get in daily drills. If need be they could practice at night. In the old days of pro football most of the players worked at other jobs and played football on Sunday. There's no reason why the present crop of players can't do the same thing to keep the game alive."
Coach Hauptstag said Jack Kristich, President of the AFA, had expressed approval of such a program. Other AFA club owners are considering it, he added, and all are ready to do what the Government wants them to do. The grid Kings coach has contacted officials of several Brooklyn area war plants and shipyards and all are willing to put players on shifts that quit work about 4 p.m., he said.
PITTSBURGH STATE, PENN CATHOLIC EACH DROP KEYSTONE CONFERENCE
Amid concerns they may drop intercollegiate sports entirely next year, Pittsburgh State University has withdrawn from the Keystone Conference. The Finches, who joined the loop primarily comprised of Pennsylvania-based schools in 1921, have not had a winning season since their last conference title and tournament appearance in 1937-38. Last season Pittsburgh State was 11-18, a showing that cost long-time coach Lin Gustafson his job.
Ed Claus, who has spent the last decade running the basketball program at Columbia Military Academy, was recently announced as Gustafson's replacement, but freely admits he may not have a team to run once November hits. "We lost 4 senior starters to graduation and I understand that 3 of our junior players are close to enlisting. If that happens we may not have the bodies to compete next year."
Rather than keep the Keystone Conference on hold waiting to see what Pittsburgh State will do, the Finches felt it made sense to withdraw and if they do manage the numbers needed to have a team they will compete as an independent. The Finches football program, which has always competed as an independent because the Keystone Conference does not include football in it's list of sports, is also facing a major player crunch, but the grid Finches, who went 4-5 a year ago, vow they will be on the field in September.
*** PENN CATHOLIC ALSO TO PLAY AS INDEPENDENT ***
Pittsburgh State was not the only school to withdraw this week from the Keystone Conference as Penn Catholic came to a similar conclusion regarding player shortages. The Crusaders, like the Finches, are not in a conference for football and plan to compete as an independent on the hardwood as well this season, assuming they can find enough bodies to compete. The Philadelphia school was 11-18 in basketball last season and has never played in the post-season tournament while the grid-Crusaders went 5-2-1.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 5/02/1943
- American troops forced the Nazis to withdraw on the north Tunisia front as British tanks engage Rommel's main tank force in the southwestern sector.
- British forces bombed the northwestern Germany naval base of Wilhelmshaven while also engaging in "very large scale" mine-laying operations in the Baltic Sea.
- John L. Lewis, head of the coal miners union remained silent on his strike threat that could see 521,000 coal workers walk off the job despite an ultimatum issued by President Roosevelt.
- The week ended with the Federal Government taking over operation of the strike-bound coal industry as Roosevelt pleaded that they go back to work for a nation "in grave peril," after Union head Lewis defied the ultimatum that they return to work by 10 am Sunday.
- Among other items being weighed by the President is the possibility of having every young American contribute a year of service to the military in peace, as well as war.