MAY 29, 1944
FED BATTLE AS WILD AS USUAL
Nothing much has changed in the Federal Association. Despite the fact that many star players have left for the war effort the Fed remains as tight as ever with five teams within 5.5 games of top spot as the season reaches the quarter pole and little indication any one club will run away with the loop. The Chicago Chiefs looked to be poised to perhaps break things open after a strong road trip to start the month that included winning 3 of 4 games in Philadelphia. However, the Chiefs stumbled in the final stop of that trip -getting swept by Boston in a 4 game set- and their subpar play in New England followed them home to the Windy City, with Chicago dropping 8 of it's last 10.
The result is the Chiefs, who dropped 3 of 4 at home to Philadelphia, now trail the front-running Keystones by a single game in a jam-packed top half of the Fed. The Pittsburgh Miners are also just a game off the pace after a 4-2 week despite the absence of the injured Mahlon Strong. Detroit, surprisingly, remains very much in the mix at 3 games back, after spending most of the weak beating up a disappointing Washington nine before splitting a Memorial Day doubleheader with the Miners. Boston is also closing in on the pack as the Minutemen, after a 7-12 start to the season, have won 13 of their last 20 and are just a game under the breakeven mark and 5.5 games behind the front-running Keystones.
The story in the Continental Association is a little different but the Chicago Cougars, after losing 6 of their last 11 contests, have opened the door for both Toronto and Philadelphia. The Wolves, red-hot with wins in 13 of their last 15, are 4 games back after taking two of three at Cougars Park last week while the Sailors have had a nice run of their own, taking 8 of their last 10 games and sit 4.5 back of the first place Cougars.
Following a 14 game home stand where the Minutemen finished 9-5 Boshart’s club was ready to hit the old dusty trail for 14 games that would take them into early June. First stop on the trip would be to St. Louis where the Pioneers embarrassed Boston at Minuteman Stadium with a sweep. This time around Boston was able to turn the tables on Hugh Luckey and his boys. Regrettably, the opening game of the road trip did not start as planned. Duke Hendricks and Buddy Long matched each other inning for inning and through eight full the game was tied 2-2. Instead of going into the bullpen, skipper Hugh Luckey decided to stick with Long going into the 9th. At the time it seemed like a pretty safe bet as the bottom of the Boston lineup was due up. Things started well enough for Long as he was able to retire the first two batters of the inning before he surrendered a single to Boston starting pitcher Duke Hendricks. The fact that Hendricks received an at-bat in this situation tells the reader all they need to know about Boshart’s pitching decision for the bottom half of the inning. Bob Donoghue came off the bench and delivered a gap shot single that allowed Hendricks to score and secure the lead. Now that Boston had secured the lead, Ol’ Doc thought that maybe Billy B. would go to the pen and bring in stopper Tom Martin. Facing the identical situation the Long did in the top half of the fram Boshart decided to stay with his starter to face the bottom of the Pioneer lineup to attempt a complete game win. The idea backfired on Boston as St. Louis was able to plate two including a right back at you game winning R.B.I. from St. Louis starter Buddy Long. It was quite the finish to a game and one heck of a start to a road trip. The second game of the series was a pitchers delight as Butch Campbell and Sam Sheppard dazzled the 6,448 in attendance with fantastic performances. Campbell spread seven hits and struck out five in a complete game effort. Sam Sheppard was even better with just a single hit allowed in eight full innings. The only hit off Sheppard that Boston could muster was a sixth inning home run from Bill Moore. Sadly for St. Louis, that run would prove to be the only run of the game as Boston would hold on for the victory. Bill Moore would continue his hot hand with a double and a homer to help give Dean Astle a complete game victory by the score of 5-1. In the final game of the series the Minutemen let the offense loose with a 16 run, 16 hit attack. Chick Donnelly led the way with a 5-6 day and Joe Watson added four R.B.I.’s. Buried in the offensive onslaught was a much needed solid start from Ed Wood as he pitched a complete game giving up two earned. After taking three of four from St. Louis, it was off to Chicago who were looking to return the sweep they suffered a week before at the hands of the Chiefs in Boston.
After the Minutemen swept the Chiefs last week their GM went public about how unacceptable such a performance was and how he couldn’t wait for his club to have the opportunity to return the favor this week at Whitney Park. The first game of the series would be the customary Sunday double dip featuring Walt Wells from Boston and John Douglass for the Chiefs on the mound. Whether it was their GM’s comments resonating in their minds or simply the fact that Chicago is a top flight club the Chiefs took the field inspired and hammered Boston pitching for 14 hits. Walt Wells couldn’t get out of the sixth and Tom Martin would be even worse. Chiefs first sacker Ron Rattigan hit his 5th homer of the year in the 7-3 Chicago victory. Boston though would return the favor in the afternoon portion of the day with an 8 run, 16 hit attack of their own to give Duke Hendricks the win and Boston a split. Lew McClendon led the club with four hits and Bill Moore hit his fifth long ball of the year in the 8-1 win.
The 4-2 week would allow the Minutemen to slowly creep back to the even mark at 20-21 on the season. Boston is 8-2 in their last ten games and is playing .555 ball for the month of May. The club is trending in the right direction as they shaved yet another game off of their deficit this week to sit 5.5 back from division leader Philadelphia. The road does not get any easier for Boston though as they need to finish what they started in Chicago before traveling to Detroit for three games in four days before finishing up the road swing in New York against the Gothams.
BAD LUCK OR BAD PITCHING AND DEFENSE? - A year ago the Chicago press was all up in arms about the bad luck besetting the Cougars in the form of key injuries and 1-run losses. Looks like it has been transferred to Cincinnati with the troubles beginning before most players had thrown their first pitch or swung their first bat in an exhibition game. That was when Deuce Barrell went down for the year and there is no point revisiting that tough break that cost the Cannons ace any chance of a third straight Allen Award like his uncle Tom won with the Kings a while back. Denny Andrews started hitting better than he ever had in a big league uniform but then he too went down with a long-term elbow injury. Sam Brown has had a couple of nagging injuries already as well and for a brief stretch the Cannons had all 3 starting outfielders battling ailments.
So the injury portion is certainly covered but so is the bad luck on the scoresheet. The Cannons have a run differential of +20 on the season, surpassed only by Chicago (an amazing +65) and Toronto (+34). Despite that the Cannons, one of just 3 CA teams that have scored more runs than they have allowed, sit just 19-19 on the season. Meanwhile the Philadelphia Sailors, who's run differential is -3 or 23 runs worse than the Cannons, are 7 games over the .500 mark. We can look at 1-run and extra innings games as the cause for Cincinnati's woes. The Sailors are 8-4 in 1-run contests and 1-1 when free baseball is added to a game. The Cannons, after losing 3 extra inning 1-run games to Brooklyn and the Stars last week, are now just 1-4 in extra innings and 5-7 in 1-run games on the year.
Is it just bad luck or is it the pitching out of the pen that is causing the trouble. Dan Adams lost 3 games in extra innings last week but in his previous 5 relief outings he did not surrender a hit or a run, and issued just 1 walk in those 6 innings of relief work. Last week he hurled the equivilant of 1 full inning in those 3 relief losses and allowed 6 hits while walking 2. Larry Brown, who has saved 54 games for the Cannons since they moved to Cincinnati, has pitched in 16 contests this year and looked pretty good in nearly all of them. However, he was shelled 3 times and it is no surprise the Cannons lost all three of those games. He is 35 years old and his ERA is a mess right now but it is hard to believe Brown has suddenly lost his ability to pitch in key situations since he has looked awfully good in most of his outings this year. Veteran Tom Barrell got beat up pretty badly in his first 3 relief outings with the Cannons but since then Barrell has allowed just 1 run in 13 and a third innings of work.
It just feels like the Cannons are not getting the breaks, rather than having lost the ability to play winning baseball. Perhaps the absence of Adam Mullins to settle things down behind the plate is being felt even more than the loss of his Whitney Award winning bat from the line-up. Perhaps, the team defense, with Mullins gone along with Fred Galloway absent from the outfield and Charlie Rivera and his amazing glove now in the Navy instead of second base is the factor. Whatever it is, the Cannons better hope their luck changes soon or this could be a very long season at Tice Memorial Stadium.
*** Cannons Playing Lil Possum ***
Long-time scout and minor league catcher Rollie 'Possum' Daniels never got a shot at working for a big league club but his son Rufus is making the most of the chance he has been given in Cincinnati. Rufus -named after legendary scout and former Cannons Scouting Director Rufus Barrell- was claimed off waivers from Brooklyn over the winter. The 31 year old made his big league debut last season after a more than a decade riding the buses in the minor leagues. Daniels hit just .222 in 18 at bats for the Kings a year ago, but now with injuries to Denny Andrews and Sam Brown, he got a chance to start in Cincinnati last week. Daniels, a decent defensive outfielder who made the club out of spring camp primarily because he can give Bob Griffith the occasional off-day in center, is hitting .312 and had 3 extra base hits last week.
A note in Denton Fox's column in the Pittsburgh Press a few days ago mentioned a Miners outfielder by the name of Lee Manchester getting his big league shot at age 31 due to opportunities only created by players leaving for the war. You can add Daniels to that list and he is making the most of his opportunity.
The question is where will Daniels play. It is still a crowded Cincinnati outfield even with Denny Andrews sidelined long-term. Daniels and veteran Henry Jones - a waiver pickup from the Stars last month- were given a chance with Andrews and Sam Brown both sidelined. Brown is healthy again and will most assuredly be back in the lineup tomorrow in Montreal so the decision for manager Ad Doria is whether to use Daniels or Jones as the third outfielder. Jones made the choice very difficult with 3 homeruns and a .375 batting average but he is less mobile than a tank in leftfield. Daniels hit .286 with 3 extra-base hits last week and plays solid defense. It is quite likely the big park in Montreal will be the deciding factor as it could be a tough watch seeing Jones trying to navigate that vast terrain.
While the Cannons are likely leaning towards defense in the outfield it seems like that will not be the case at second base. Jack Cleaves was banged up last week so Tony White was given another chance at second base. White, a natural shortstop, is certainly a better defender than Cleaves even with his limited exposure at second base, but he is batting just .146 including a miserable 3-for-19 showing last week. The choice, you would think, should be simple given that the 37 year old Cleaves is a .300 career hitter but it is not just his glove that has struggled this season as Cleaves is batting just .227. One can say it is early but when you add in the 52 games Cleaves played for Cincinnati last season in roughly half a season of baseball with the Cannons, Jack Cleaves is batting .237. One thing is for sure: The Cannons miss sailors Charlie Rivera and before that Charley McCullough at the Keystone base.
- There is no room for another FABL team and naval rules forbid, but many experts and fans are of the opinion that a 17th bigtime squad is operating this season -at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Most of the 22 young sailors at the world's biggest naval station on the Bluejacket roster wouldn't be strangers in major league uniforms -as 17 of them were playing in the Federal or Continental Associations last season and the other five at high level minor league clubs. For the third straight year Lt. T.R. Goins has fielded an entirely new team and it might be hard to argue against this one being the best of the lot. It includes Walt Messer, Adam Mullins, Hank Koblenz, Gus Goulding and Joe Hancock. Never mind compete in FABL - this group might just win a pennant were they eligible. The Bluejackets went 52-11 a year ago and this year's squad is a perfect 6-0.
- Another sign it is not the Cannons year perhaps? A 3-3 week against the Stars and Brooklyn with all 3 losses coming in extra innings. Only Cincinnati and St Louis - two teams underachieving badly- along with Montreal have lost 4 extra innings games already. But veteran free agent pickup Henry Jones had a big week as the 40 year old homered 3 times to give him 4 long balls in just 42 at bats this season.
- The Pioneers are really missing the on base ability of Heinie Zimmer(217 times on base in '43) and Artie D'Alesandro(244).
- Things might be looking up for the Gothams. They had their second straight .500 week and Ed Bowman wins the Federal Association player of the week award with two shutouts, lowering his era to 2.73 on the season. Plus Red Johnson (.316,8,23) has been everything you would expect and more this season after coming over from Detroit last summer.
- Speaking of the Gothams here is an interesting note. They changed third baseman by dealing Billy Dalton to Cincinnati last season and replaced him this year with Bill Dalton at the hot corner. 30 year old Billy is .254,4,21 for the Cannons while 25 year old Bill is .237,2,18 for the Gothams. Could have been real confusing for Ed Ziehl making out the lineup card this season had that deal not been made.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
All-Star voting opens tomorrow in advance of the July 11th game to be held at Washington's Columbia Stadium. Being in the nations capital at a time when the much anticipated invasion of western Europe is quite likely underway promises to make this event a very special one.
Jiggs McGee takes a look around FABL with a quick comment or two on who from each of the 16 clubs deserves serious consideration for All Star selection as the season hits the quarter pole.
BOSTON- Veteran pitcher Walt Wells (6-2, 2.12) looks like a good bet and Dean Astle (3-4, 2.53) might make it as well. A long shot but if he keeps pitching like he has in May, rookie Butch Campbell (3-1, 1.12) will draw some interest as well. Art Spencer (.296,4,22) is the most likely of the position players but Chick Donnelly (.299,3,13) and Bill Moore (.297,5,12) are also possibilities.
BROOKLYN- 23 year old Jim Kenny (6-4, 2.38) is enjoying a very strong sophomore campaign and veteran infielder Jake Shadoan (.305,0,10) might deserve consideration to make his first appearance in the mid-season classic since 1934.
CHIEFS- He had a tough week but if I was picking the starting pitcher for the Federal Association right now it would have to be Rabbit Day (6-2, 3.11), both for what he has done this year but also in recognition of an amazing career. Red Hampton (5-1, 2.96) and Les Zoller (5-2, 3.10) should also get consideration and the top 4 hitters in the Chicago lineup all belong: Bob Martin (.290,0,14), Tom Bird (.303,7,22), Ron Rattigan (.401,5,33) and Al Wheeler (.261,7,30).
COUGARS- It might be easier to list which of the Cougars regulars don't belong at the All-Star Game. Could be 4 or 5 pitchers deserving including Art White (7-0, 2.13), Harry Parker (5-2, 2.43) and Dick Lyons (3-3, 2.41) along with reliever Ben Curtin (4sv 1.03) plus much of their starting lineup including Hank Barnett (362,6,30), Leo Mitchell (.425,3,32), Cliff Moss (.268,6,21) and Harry Mead (.321,1,13)
CINCINNATI- It has not been a great start for the Cannons but outfielders Bob Griffith (.353,3,23) and Sam Brown (.370,2,9) deserve consideration along with pitcher Butch Smith (5-3, 2.35)
CLEVELAND- Johnny Slaney (6-1, 3.05) is off to the best start of his career.
DETROIT- How about the start 26 year old Jimmy Long (8-4, 2.62) has had this season for the Dynamos! Jimmy Mayse (4-1, 1.87) is another possibility. Despite Detroit's success this year I am not sure if there is a position player on their roster who would be considered an all-star at this point.
MONTREAL- It is all about the old guys in the Montreal outfield. Bernie Green (.356,0,11) and Vic Crawford (.346,4,32) are both 36 and enjoying great starts to the season. 31 year old Bill Ross (5-1, 3.88) is another possibility as is shortstop Jake Hughes (.324,0,22)-the baby of the bunch at age 28.
NY STARS- Not a lot to like this season with the Stars but shortstop Steve Summers (.309,0,14) or reliever Rudy Fisher (1sv, 0.60) might get consideration.
NY GOTHAMS- Ed Bowman (5-4, 2.73), Jim Lonardo (5-3, 3.15) and Red Johnson (.316,8,23) see pretty safe bets if they keep things going.
KEYSTONES- Red Ross (5-2, 2.61), Jim Whiteley (5-2, 3.15) and Pepper Tuttle (4-2, 3.03) all stand a chance while Bobby Barrell (.323,9,33), Harry Shumate (.376,4,22) and possibly also Hank McKay (.316,2,18) locks as well. For Barrell it would be his 9th all-star game selection.
SAILORS- Cast aside by both Cincinnati and the Gothams, Frank Covarrubias (.306,0,5) is off to a nice star for the Sailors. Look for Marion Boismenu (.382,2,21) and Joseph Mills (.308,5,21) to draw interest as well while reliever Hannibal Davis (6sv, 1.59) seems a strong bet to make the team.
PITTSBURGH- Moxie Pidgeon (.331,4,22) is having a resurgence in Pittsburgh and there are a lot of Miners to consider. Johnny McDowell (.324,0,19), Luke Berry (.351,4,24), Whit Williams (.291,5,31), George Phillips (6-2, 3.38) and Karl Johnson (5-3, 2.70) are the most likely candidates.
ST LOUIS- Sam Sheppard (2-6, 2.83) actually has a lower ERA than he did last season when he went 21-9 and made the all-star team. Veteran outfielder Al Tucker (.325,4,18) has been heating up of late.
TORONTO- Joe Hancock may be gone but Bernie Johnson (6-2, 1.45), Bob Walls (5-1, 2.40) and even Jim Laurita (4-1, 4.22) are stepping up on the mound. Chink Stickels (.317,4,14) is back to playing like the outfielder the Wolves hoped he would be when they acquired him from the Stars last season. Second baseman Hal Wood (.325,2,12) has been quietly having a great start to his season and shortstop Charlie Artuso (.300,2,15) likely deserves to play in another all-star game. Shortstop depth in the Continental Association limited Artuso to just one appearance - that was back in 1940.
WASHINGTON- Little has gone right in the nation's capital but infielders Mel Carrol (.345,0,8) and Sig Stofer (.235,7,20) stand a chance of representing the host team and so does second year outfielder Jesse Alvardo (.300,2,12). Keep an eye on pitcher Del Burns (3-4, 2.02) as well, but he probably needs his team to score him a few more runs to add sufficiently to his win total.
MONARCHS OUT AS CINCINNATI GRID NAME
They have yet to play their first American Football Association game but the new Cincinnati franchise has already had a name change. The club, set to debut in September as the 10th AFA squad, was to be known as the Cincinnati Monarchs. The problem is the owners neglected to clear that with Queen City University, which also uses the 'Monarchs' as it's nickname. After a bit of back and forth bickering, some of it back and forth in the local paper, the pro grid eleven decided it best just to change it's name and as a result they will be known as the Cincinnati Tigers.
There was likely little the Cincinnati university could do to bar the football club from using that name -as the AFA already has teams named the Brooklyn Kings and New York Stars and the baseball magnates do not seem to object. However, the Tigers ownership group felt it was important to have Queen City University and its alumni on board supporting the new franchise so they agreed to make the change. Word is Cincinnati's Winthrow High School, also known as the Tigers, has no plans to object to the AFA club's new name. Withrow, by the way, is where Cleveland Foresters 1942 5th round pick Gus Wehrman starred.
*** GLA UNVEILS PLANS FOR '44 AND BEYOND ***
It will be business as usual for the Great Lakes Alliance on the gridiron next season. One of the few sections not to face major disruptions due to wartime player shortages, the GLA unveiled it's 1944 and 1945 schedules. Minnesota Tech, with a 5-0 conference record, topped the loop last year before completing a perfect 10-0 slate with a 3-0 win over Travis College in the Desert Classic.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 5/28/1944
- After a counterattack by the Nazi's early in the week, the two Allied Fronts in Italy have been joined by the American 5th Army and they continue to push north towards Rome.
- The U.S. Navy launched a two-day air attack on Marcus Island, situated less than 1,200 miles southeast of Tokio.
- Reports from Stockholm say that Germany is convinced that the Allies will attempt a landing in Denmark and are ready.
- Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri called for a gradual return to civilian production beginning now, as a means of preparing for the peace to come and help return the country to normalcy.
- According to War Production Chairman Donald M. Nelson: since Pearl Harbor the United States has built 160,000 planes, 130,000 tanks and 1,300,000 military trucks.
