OCTOBER 25, 1943
The Cincinnati Cannons and Boston Minutemen each added some hardware to go along with the Association flags the duo claimed earlier this month as the winners of both the Allen and Whitney Awards each hail from the World Championship Series combatants. The Cannons Deuce Barrell won his second straight Allen Award while his batterymate Adam Mullins was named the winner of the Whitney Award for the Continental Association. On the Fed side, the top pitcher was Boston's Ed Wood with his teammate, outfielder Pete Day, laying claim to the Whitney Award. All except for Barrell are first time winners.
Barrell, who went 18-11 with a FABL low 2.08 era, joins his uncle Tom Barrell as the only pitchers in Continental Association history to win consecutive Allen Awards. Tom won 3 in a row from 1934-36 while pitching for Brooklyn. Barrell was named at the top of 14 of the 16 ballots with Toronto's Joe Hancock, who finished second in the voting, claiming the other two first place votes.
The 35 year old Wood, who finished with a career best 23 wins against only 8 losses to go with a 2.51 era, won his first Federal Association Allen Award to go along with the WCS MVP trophy he claimed for the second time in his career earlier this month. The vote for the Fed Allen was much tighter than the Continental race with Wood earning 9 of the 16 first place votes.
While most expected Barrell and Wood to claim the pitching awards, the race for the top hitter in each association was considered to be wide open and the voting proved that theory to be accurate. Day claimed 7 first place votes in the Federal Association Whitney race, only one more than Fed batting champion Al Tucker of St Louis with Bobby Barrell -another one of Deuce's uncles- earning the final three. In the end the 32 year old Day, who led the Fed in doubles, runs scored and plate appearances, came out on top after a season in which he hit .304 with 2 homers and 64 rbis. Day's win makes him the first Boston player ever to win the Whitney Award. It also marks the first time a Federal Association team has claimed both the top hitter and top pitcher award in the same season.
The Continental Whitney balloting was even more spread out, with 5 players earning first place votes but half of the 16 ballots listed Mullins first. A trio of Chicago Cougars in Clark Car (with 5), along with Hank Barnett and Skipper Schneider (1 each) notched first place votes with the final one being assigned to Toronto first baseman Walt Pack. Mullins (.307,4,56), who challenged for the batting crown before an August slide took him out of contention, is a 7-time all-star catcher and considered to be the best at his position in the Continental loop.
BOSTON DOMINATES CHICAGO IN TITLE GAME REMATCH
Just as they did last December in the AFA Championship Game, the Boston Americans went into Whitney Park and left with a victory over the Chicago Wildcats. Unlike the hard fought title game this one was a lob-sided affair with the visitors doubling the Chicago eleven by a 42-21 score. Boston signal caller Del Thomas had a big day, tossing 4 touchdown passes including 3 of them to end Johnny Littlejohn as the Americans built a 28-7 lead and then coasted to victory. The win improves Boston's record to a league best 4-1 on the season and puts them in a solid position to claim the Eastern Division title.
The Wildcats loss drops them to 3-2 on the season and leaves them tied with Detroit for top spot in the West with a crucial showdown between the two division rivals coming next Sunday in the Windy City. Detroit also tasted defeat for the second time this season, being upset 14-6 by the Pittsburgh Paladins. A strong Pittsburgh defense, which held the Detroit offense to just a pair of field goals, combined with two long second half touchdown runs by Barry Albert proved the difference in the game.
In other action the combined Philadelphia-St Louis club improved to 2-1 as the Friglers overcame a 14-0 deficit to rally past Cleveland 21-14. It was a rough second half for Finches quarterback Bruce Sevier, who was intercepted on each of his final four possessions of the game leading to a pair of late touchdowns for the Friglers. Finally in Brooklyn, New York Football Stars back Jerry McElheny ran for 83 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the visiting Stars past the Kings 28-7.
Code:
AFA STANDINGS
EASTERN W L T PCT
Boston 4 1 0 .800
Phil-StL 2 1 0 .667
Brooklyn 1 2 0 .333
New York 1 3 0 .250
WESTERN W L T PCT
Detroit 3 2 1 .600
Chicago 3 2 0 .600
Pittsburgh 2 3 0 .400
Cleveland 1 3 1 .250
AFA SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Sunday October 24
New York 28 Brooklyn 7
Boston 42 Chicago 21
Phil-StL 21 Cleveland 14
Pittsburgh 14 Detroit 6
Sunday October 31
Pittsburgh at Brooklyn
Cleveland at New York
Detroit at Chicago
Phil-StL at Boston
Code:
AFA LEADERS
SCORING PTS
Vaught, Det 64
Littlejohn, Bos 31
Gilmore, Chi 24
McElheny, NY 24
PASSING COMP-ATT YDS TD INT
G Brown, Chi 54-106 820 13 9
D Thomas, Bos 76-146 816 9 9
Orlosky, Det 45-102 635 5 10
Sevier, Cle 39-92 530 2 23
RUSHING YDS TD
Orlosky, Det 567 2
D Davis, PhSL 308 2
Schroeder, Chi 291 0
B Clark, Bos 284 1
Milatz, NY 281 0
RECEIVING CAT TD
Vaught, Det 33 6
Martins, Bos 22 2
Sutcliffe, Cle 20 0
Littlejohn, Bos 17 5
INERCEPTIONS #
Vaught, Det 5
Coleman, Det 5
D Thomas, Bos 5
G Brown, Chi 5
The biggest surprise of the week was just how easily Wisconsin Catholic handled the Great Lakes Naval Training team. It was not even close as the Cavaliers sank the sailors by a count of 58-0. Now, Great Lakes Navy is not the team it was a year ago when it went 10-2, but the Navy Training team does count Central Ohio and Whitney College among it's victims this season. Wisconsin Catholic is usually overshadowed in it's own state, but after opening the season with a 37-7 romp over Wisconsin State, the Milwaukee school has continued to roll and is now -as one of just 11 unbeaten, untied schools remaining- starting to dream of a national title.
The Cavaliers have just three games remaining in this most unusual of college football seasons including a rematch with Great Lakes Navy. The other two are with Mile High State -which has yet to win a game this season- and the boys at Iowa Pre-Flight -who are 1-3-1 but their lineup appears to change almost weekly with aviators coming and going from the school.
It is unlikely Wisconsin Catholic will get a ticket to a New Year's Classic Game, and those contests may yet be out the window depending upon the train availability at that time, but it appears that Northern California Miners will represent the Pacific half of the East-West Classic. The Miners are 5-0 on the year while the two Los Angeles schools -CCLA and Coastal California- are a combined 1-8 after the Dolphins were beaten by College of San Diego on Saturday. One good news for the west is Rainier College, which had said it would not be able to play this season, did participate in it's first game of the season Saturday -beating March Field.
WEEKEND RESULTS
Wisconsin Catholic 58 Great Lakes Navy 0
Coastal State 27 Columbia Military Academy 10
George Fox 45 Rome State 0
Ellery 10 Camp Kilmer 6
Frankford State 21 Conwell College 12
Camp Grant 20 Fort Riley 6
Brunswick 14 Empire State 6
Mountainview State 27 Boulder State 14
North Carolina Pre-Flight 31 Georgia Pre-Flight 21
Wisconsin State 27 Indiana A&M 14
Noble Jones College 17 Bayou State 3
College of Waco 14 Lubbock Field 0
Minnesota Tech 10 Detroit City College 0
Annapolis Maritime 26 Georgia Baptist 19
College of Omaha 17 Lawrence State 6
Eastern State 30 Newport News College 0
Greenville Field 21 Charleston Tech 3
St. Magnus 30 Central Ohio 0
St. Blane 27 Lincoln 0
Eastern Kansas 10 Oklahoma City State 7
Ottumwa Pre-Flight 21 Iowa A&M 7
Maryland State 58 Liberty College 0
Pierpont 28 Henry Hudson 14
Pittsburgh State 51 Pollock 0
Western Iowa 27 Whitney College 20
Northern California 23 Golden Gate University Pre-Flight 7
College of San Diego 10 Coastal California 7
Travis College 20 Red River State 10
Amarillo Methodist 27 Eastern Oklahoma 6
Baton Rouge State 9 Texas Gulf Coast 7
Provo Tech 13 Payne State 3
Penn Catholic 19 Lakehurst NAS 7
Alexandria 17 Cowpens State 10
Rainier College 21 March Field 10
Huntington State 36 Edgerton-Phillips 16
San Francisco Tech 43 Del Monte Pre-Flight 14
Petersburg 20 Charleston Coast Guard 6
THE "T" IS PROVING NOT FOR EVERYONE
All across the nation, college teams are putting the "T" formation under the microscope and there have been a lot of pros and cons as to whether it can be stopped, should be stopped, will be stopped, is stopping -or really hasn't hit it's peak. In the hullabaloo a few little odds and ends have been skipped. So let's add'em before every one becomes bored with the subject.
Without a skilled passer, the "T" simply doesn't work. It is highly susceptible to a 7-2-2 defense. The man-in-motion is only part of the "T" threat. The other part is the need for a quarterback with sufficient talke to pass to that man, as the Chicago Wildcats and Detroit Maroons of the AFA have employed it so successfully.
Something tells me that the struggles of Rome State with the "T" and possible future embarrassment, had this in mind. The Centurions haven't shown a really hot passer. St. Blane, on the other hand had some issues early but now that Mike O'Rourke has taken over the passing duties full-time, the Fighting Saints have won back to back games over Georgia Baptist and Lincoln, and seem to have figured things out. The Chicago Wildcats have Gus Brown. There is always a good passer on a good "T" team. If you haven't got one, don't try the "T".
*** ATTENDANCE IS STEADY ***
Fans are still coming out to college games just as they did before the war. In spite of makeshift schedules, travel restrictions and other wartime handicaps, football attendance at colleges still playing the game has been down a comparatively small decline from last year's turnouts.
FIELDS ARE SET FOR THE MAJOR PRE-SEASON COLLEGE HOOPS TOURNAMENTS
There is quite a field set to participate in the biggest college basketball preseason tournament this season. That would be the Tournament of Champions, which is held every November at the Bigsby Garden in New York City. There had been some concern travel restrictions might play a factor but Rainier College, winners of the National Championship Tournament a year ago, have confirmed they will attend.
The Majestics beat St Magnus 54-44 last March to claim their second national crown in 4 years. They will be joined by a stellar field that includes the Garden State Redbirds, Miami State Gulls and Indiana A&M Reapers. The Redbirds were 19-11 a year ago and earned a spot in the post-season tournament. Miami State finished 18-11 while the Reapers were just 13-16 but are expected to be stronger this time around.
Here are the participants in each of the other 3 major early tournaments.
JACK EASTON TIP-OFF CLASSIC : Boston
Carolina Poly Cardinals
Texas Gulf Coast Hurricanes
Annapolis Maritime Navigators
Payne State Mavericks
Bluegrass State Mustangs
Plover College Beavers
South Valley State Roadrunners
Hamman Mountaineers
PRESEASON AIAA CHICAGO SHOWCASE: Chicago
St Patrick's Shamrocks
Great Plains State Buffaloes
Detroit City College Knights
Central Kentucky Tigers
WEST COAST CLASSIC: San Francisco
Alexandria Gwnerals
Chicago Poly Panthers
Middlesex Millers
Capital (MS) University Catamounts
California Catholic Crusaders
Brandywine Patriots
College of Waco Cowboys
Flint University Foxes
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 10/24/1943
- A long awaited conference between the foreign ministers of the United States, Great Britain and Russia opened at the Kremlin amid increasing indications talk centered on an Anglo-American second front would take precedence over all other problems of mutual collaboration in war and peace.
- The conference was successful enough that it is believed the FDR, Churchill and Stalin will meet before the yearend.
- The Red Army continues to advance along the Eastern Front while allied forces press to towards the Nazis hold on Rome.
- A list of 13 categories of atrocities which the Germans inflicted on Naples before they withdraw under Allied attack has been prepared by Allied Military officials. Among the items: the Germans threw open the doors of 13 prisons for dangerous criminals and released them. Before retreating Nazi soldiers robbed shops, homes and even people in the streets and murdered scores of civilians, particularly women.
- Australian troops hurled back repeated Japanese attacks in the jungles of New Guinea as fierce fighting continues there and at Tarawa Island, Japan's main base in the Gilbert Islands.
- Vice Admiral Adolphus Andrews, commander of the Eastern Sea Frontier, who retires on Nov. 1, says he opposes lifting the dimout rules along the coast as it "might silhouette a ship for an enemy submarine." He feels U-boats are still a menace and the dimout must remain.