FEBRUARY 17, 1947
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTS FIVE NEW MEMBERS
The ranks of the baseball Hall of Fame have swelled to 33 with news that the Boone County, Il., museum will welcome five new members to the fold. The induction ceremony, set to take place later this summer, will be the first for the baseball hall since six former players were inducted as part of the 1944 class.
The newest members are T.R.Goins, John Lawson and Pete Layton along with early era players George Melvin and Charlie Firestone. Here is the full list of Hall of Famers
A brief release from Boone County summed up the balloting: "Five players are inducted: T.R. Goins, John Lawson and Pete Layton from the human era and George Melvin and Charlie Firestone from the pre-play era. Goins was named on all ballots but one and Lawson was next, edging Layton by one vote. Every player on the ballot received at least one vote except for Charlie Barry. Amongst those failing to be elected, Dave Trowbridge, Charlie Stedman, John Cook and Aaron Wright all received at least two votes."
Goins becomes the first catcher to be elected to the Hall although George Theobald was also a big league catcher but was elected primarily based on his accomplishments as a manager. Lawson joins the great Joe Ward as third baseman in the Hall along with Ossie Julious but, like Theobald, Julious went in for his work as a skipper. Pete Layton adds the Hall of Fame to a list of accomplishments that includes what is believed to be a record 6 World Championship Series rings.
The biggest omission from this year's class has to be Dave Trowbridge although some also felt that Doug Lightbody and Charlie Stedman also deserved enshrinement. Trowbridge will likely make it next year while Lightbody and Stedman may also one day get the call.
Firestone was perhaps the most polarizing selection due to his short career. He joined the Montreal Saints in 1912 at the age of 24 and for the next half dozen years he was arguably the best pitcher to ever play the game - maybe even better than the great Double Al, Al Allen. Firestone won 199 games between 1912 and 1918 and 3 more in the World Championship Series. However, he would win just 11 more in his career as he was a victim of the influenza epidemic over the winter of 1918-19. He survived, but never fully recovered and went from a 20-15, 2.02 era in 1918 to just 11 wins and an era of 4.29 the following season, which would end up being his last as a big leaguer.
KNIGHTS SIGN FORMER CHIEFS INFIELDER
The Los Angeles Knights have confirmed that 35-year-old infielder Elmer Hutchins will play for the club next season after signing a one year deal worth a reported $31,200 that makes him the highest paid player on the team and is the second richest contract in the brief history of the Great Western League. Only Ken Mayhugh of Dallas -another former Chicago Chief- will be paid more than Hutchins in 1947 -barring another high priced-free agent signing by the western loop.
Hutchins was released by the Chiefs despite starting 97 games in their middle infield last season. He hit .247 a year ago but is a career .293 hitter in 300 FABL games. Hutchins is the second FABL cast-off signed by the Knights this winter, joining outfielder Joseph Mills who appeared in 11 games for the Philadelphia Sailors last year.
- Charlie Firestone contracting the flu virus in 1918-19 may well have been the key reason for the Philadelphia Keystones revival and win in the 1927 WCS. The sad-sack Philadelphia Keystones had acquired Firestone in a major deal with the Saints in July of 1918 and his collapse helped prolong the suffering for Keystones fans who almost exclusively resided in the second division from 1900 until their resurgence began in 1924.
The Keystones had been awful for most of the previous18 years, taking up near permanent residence in the bottom depths of the second division, when the 1918 trade to acquire Firestone from Montreal was made. Had Firestone not been stricken, he probably would have continued to pitch quite well in Philadelphia. He alone likely would not have been the difference maker to win a pennant but instead of 5 straight last place finishes from 1920-24 it is not hard to imagine with Firestone's help the Keystones at least challenging for the middle of the pack. And if that happened it is a near certainty that Rankin Kellogg (and a couple of other first/2nd overall picks like Lee Smith) would not have been Keystones. No Kellogg and quite likely no 1927 WCS win for the Keystones, and maybe none of their other 4 pennants either.
- Staying with Firestone, the now 58 year old recently signed on with the Chicago Chiefs as their first base coach where he will work with fellow Hall of Famers Joe Ward, who is the Chiefs long-time manager, and Jim Golden, who was also recently hired to be the Assistant General Manager.
- 25 year old pitcher Tom Richardson, who made 8 relief appearances with the Gothams last season, has been signed to a minor league contract by the Philadelphia Sailors. The righthander was a 22nd round pick of the Gothams in 1939.
- Another former Gotham was recently released by the Detroit Dynamos. Harry Frenette made just 1 appearance in New York last season but is 6-7 with a 4.32 era over 24 games the past five seasons. The 30 year old Canadian was originally a 5th round pick of Detroit in 1935 but was dealt to the Gothams in 1940. New York had released him and Detroit claimed Frenette on waivers but cut him after selecting Cincinnati righthander Jesse Bowen in the rule 5 draft.
- Speaking of the Dynamos, owner Powell Thompson is opening the purse strings a bit. He is happy with the direction we are going in Detroit and added another $70k to my budget for the season, putting us at $850k and tied for 9th in total budget.
- Expect some changes in New York where things will be tight for the Stars. Their total budget is $700k and current payroll alone $696,925, and that is players salary only so they need to fit staff and player development in to the budget somehow as well.
EAGLES FRANCHISE FACES FINANCIAL PERIL
While all associated with the Brooklyn Eagles are denying it, rumours out of New York continue to circulate that team owner Edward Faberge is seriously considering folding the franchise at seasons end as the financial losses continue to mount. It would not be the first time the club was nearly shuttered as it took a last minute move by Faberge, with assistance from Brooklyn Kings and Prescott Arena owner Daniel Prescott just to keep the club alive when it was on the verge of bankruptcy seven years ago with Bill Yeadon in charge and the club played out of Bigsby Garden.
On the ice this season has been the most successful campaign in years for the Eagles who are challenging for a playoff spot after winning just 2 games a year ago. Brooklyn has not made the playoffs since the final season of the old two division formet in 1937-38. The Eagles were not always bad -it just seems that way- as they did win the Challenge Cup in 1929 and reached the Cup finals on two other occasions, falling to the rival Shamrocks both of those times.
Faberge tried to make some changes to the team this year by signing their first round pick, defenseman Robert Sharpley, to a big contract and make some smart acquisitions at a reasonable cost from the coast loop in forwards Quinton Pollack, Sam Coates and Ian Doyle. The moves have led to success on the ice but not at the box office as the club remains dead last in attendance, averaging just over 7,500 fans per game. In contrast, Montreal and Chicago both average more than double that amount while Boston and Toronto are also drawing substantialy more paying customers than the Eagles, who are playing regularly before a Prescott Arena crowd that is nearly half comprised of empty seats.
There is always the chance that boosted by the added gate receipts a playoff appearance will bring -should the Eagles qualify- that Faberge decides to keep the team going. Another option is a relocation of the club, perhaps to Philadelphia where the minor league Rascals lead the Hockey Association of America in attendance and the Keystone Arena is large enough to house a big league club.
The NAHC has held steady at seven teams since the Montreal Nationals were shut down when New York Shamrocks owner Sam Bigsby purchased the struggling club, moved its top players to the Shamrocks and then folded the team. Could a repeat of that situation happen again with the Eagles?
DUKES SET TO MAKE CHANGE BEHIND THE BENCH
It seems assured that Norb Hickey's days as head coach of the Toronto Dukes are very close to coming to an end. The 46 year old led the Dukes to back-to-back Challenge Cup wins in 1944 and 1945 but being swept by the fourth place Montreal Valiants in the semi-finals last spring certainly did not go over well with Dukes owner David Welcombe. Hickey's job was still quite safe at the time but Welcombe brought in a new General Manager.
This season has been a nightmare for all involved with the Dukes as the club, after posting the best regular season mark in the NAHC a year ago, is all but assured of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1938 and could finish last for the first time since 1927-28 when they were at the bottom of the old Canadian Division.
Whether Hickey is allowed to finish out the season or will be fired in the coming days remains to be seen. It is clear that nothing short of a miracle run to reach the playoffs will save the coach's job and Tornto reportedly already has his replacement in mind.
*** Barrell Returning to Toronto? ***
Jack Barrell will almost assuredly be the next coach of the Toronto Dukes as the former long-time Dukes star player has been told the job is his. After an illustrious playing career, Barrell coached the Detroit Motors until a falling out with Motors owner John Connelly Jr. following the 1944-45 season led to his dismissal. Barrell resurfaced with Tacoma of the coast league but recently left that club to take a job with the Cleveland Eries of the Hockey Association of America. Cleveland just happens to have a working agreement with the Dukes and it is believed Toronto wanted Barrell nearby for when they pull the trigger to jettison Hickey. Barrell had led the Tacoma Lions to the top of GWHL with a 33-3-4 record when he abruptly left a week ago to accept the position in Cleveland.
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NAHC STANINGS
TEAM GP W L T PTS
Boston Bees 37 23 9 5 51
Chicago Packers 38 21 11 6 48
Detroit Motors 37 17 14 6 40
New York Shamrocks 39 17 20 2 36
Brooklyn Eagles 36 13 17 6 32
Montreal Valiants 39 13 23 3 29
Toronto Dukes 36 11 21 4 26
SCORING LEADERS
NAME TEAM GP G A PTS
Tommy Burns CHI 38 27 29 56
Quinton Pollack BKN 36 25 16 41
Tommy Hart BOS 36 24 17 41
Marty Mahoney CHI 38 12 28 40
Orval Cabbell NY 36 19 19 38
Laurel Albers NY 40 9 28 37
Wes Burns CHI 34 19 17 36
Bobbie Sauer TOR 36 16 19 35
Wilbur Chandler BOS 35 15 20 35
Ed Delarue CHI 35 15 20 35
Graham Comeau DET 37 14 20 34
Tom Brescia NY 33 13 19 32
Sam Coates BKN 35 10 22 32
GOALIE LEADERS
NAME TEAM W L T ShO GAA
Pierre Melancon BOS 17-7-5 4 2.47
Norm Hanson CHI 20-11-3 3 2.51
Tom Brockers BKN 13-15-6 3 2.62
Henri Chasse DET 17-14-5 4 2.71
Etienne Tremblay NY 14-18-2 3 2.98
Millard Touhey MON 9-19-3 0 3.59
Gordie Broadway TOR 9-19-2 0 3.70
LAST WEEK'S RECAPS
Tuesday February 11
Tommy Hart scored with 1:08 remaining in the third period to allow first place Boston to escape Detroit with a single point and a 3-3 tie. In New York, the Shamrocks handed Montreal its 7th straight loss, blasting the Valiants 5-1 in a game they outshot Montreal 32-10. Laurel Alberts had 3 points for the Greenshirts while Tom Brescia added two goals.
Thursday February 13
The Valiants losing skid came to an end with a 4-3 win over Chicago at the Montreal Arena. Tony Narand scored the game winner and assisted on another goal while Marty Mahoney had 2 points and Tommy Burns scored for the Packers, who were playing without the third member of their big line, Wes Burns -out indefinitely with a broken jaw. In the other game this evening, George Anderson and Waldemar Rupp each had 3 points to pace Boston to a 4-1 win on home ice over the visiting New York Shamrocks.
Friday February 14
The lone Valentine's Day contest saw Norm Hanson make 30 saves to lead Chicago to a 2-1 win over Detroit. Jarrett McGlynn's 13th goal of the season, early in the third period, stood up as the winner.
Saturday February 15
Another win for the Boston Bees, who improved to 6-0-2 in their last 8 games and are 12-3-2 since the beginning of January after beating Montreal 3-0. Pierre Melancon had an easy time in the Boston net, facing just 16 shots for his 4th shutout of the season while Boston peppered the Valiants Millard Touhey with 41 shots on goal. In other action the Toronto Dukes snapped a 5-game losing streak and won for the first time in February, dumping New York 5-2 behind a goal and two assists from Trevor Parker.
Sunday February 16
Plenty of scoring on two fronts in a busy Sunday. New York blasted Toronto 8-0 in the back half of their weekend home-and-home series. Adam Greenham had 2 goals and 2 assists for New York with Gilbert Chandler picking up 4 helpers as Shamrocks backup goaltender Ronnie Flanagan earned his second shutout of the season. Chicago also lit the lamp 8 times as the Packers blasted Brooklyn 8-3 behind 3-point nights from Marsh Mansfield and Norm Fraser while in Montreal the visiting Detroit Motors doubled the Valiants 4-2 with defenseman Joe Todd scoring once and adding an assist for the winners.
UPCOMING GAMES
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18
Boston at Toronto
Brooklyn at New York
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20
Brooklyn at Chicago
Toronto at Montreal
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22
Montreal at Chicago
Toronto at Detroit
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23
Boston at Brooklyn
Detroit at Toronto
New York at Chicago
WERTH TOPS PRO PROSPECTS
With a major professional basketball league thriving, here is a look at the top college seniors who may be candidates for the pro draft this summer. It comes as no surprise that Miami State center Long Werth is leading the way. Werth, the local product for the Gulls out of a Miami high school, was the winner of the Barrette Award as the national player of the year last season as a junior and has been just as impressive this time around, averaging 14.2 points per game and 7.2 rebounds. His points total is second in the nation behind only Central Kentucky junior Charles Cleary, who is scoring at a 15.6 ppg clip.
Werth seems a likely lock to be the first name called in the pro basketball draft next June but there are other very talented players in the class. Marlin Patterson of Alabama Baptist will be a nice consolation prize for a team looking for a center. The Charleston, S.C., native was named the Deep South Conference player of the year as a sophomore but missed most of last season with an injury. He is back on track this time around, averaging 10.5 ppg and 7.6 rpg for the 13-8 Panthers.
If Werth does not go number one the other likely candidate is Jumbo Hinman of CC Los Angeles. A key force at both ends of the court for last year's national championship winning Coyotes squad, Hinman is one of the best defenders in the game while still scoring in double-digits.
Here are the top twenty college seniors in the eyes of pro scouts.
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[b] AIAA COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL TOP TWENTY-FIVE
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference
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1. Liberty College (71) 24-3 1799 1 Indy
2. Lane State (1) 19-3 1729 2 West Coast Athletic Association
3. Rainier College 18-4 1628 3 West Coast Athletic Association
4. Carolina Poly 18-3 1594 5 South Atlantic Conference
5. St. Blane 22-4 1510 6 Indy
6. Central Ohio 17-4 1444 4 Great Lakes Alliance
7. Noble Jones College 17-4 1365 7 Deep South Conference
8. North Carolina Tech 18-5 1264 11 South Atlantic Conference
9. Bayou State 17-4 1211 10 Deep South Conference
10. Miami State 22-5 1115 14 Indy
11. Western Iowa 18-4 1090 12 Great Lakes Alliance
12. CC Los Angeles 17-6 1072 8 West Coast Athletic Association
13. Coastal California 17-5 959 9 West Coast Athletic Association
14. Great Plains State 20-6 787 13 Indy
15. Mobile Maritime 16-5 748 20 South Atlantic Conference
16. Chesapeake State 16-6 695 15 South Atlantic Conference
17. Huntington State 20-4 674 17 Indy
18. Indiana A&M 16-5 557 18 Great Lakes Alliance
19. Redwood 16-6 498 16 West Coast Athletic Association
20. Detroit City College 14-8 485 19 Great Lakes Alliance
21. Lubbock State 16-6 374 NR Southwestern Alliance
22. Northern California 16-6 203 24 West Coast Athletic Association
23. Lambert College 15-6 200 NR Midwestern Association
24. Whitney College 16-6 187 23 Great Lakes Alliance
25. Piedmont University 19-5 86 NR Indy
RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 25 SCHOOLS LAST WEEK
MONDAY FEBRUARY 10
at #5 St. Blane 58, Eastern State 44
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11
#17 Huntington State 62, at Orrville 47
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12
#9 Bayou State 41, at Mississippi A&M 39
at #1 Liberty College 50, Michigan Lutheran 36
at #14 Great Plains State 65, Oklahoma Bible College 37
at #23 Lambert College 43, Topeka State 39
#10 Miami State 52, at Johnston Tech 29
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13
at #11 Western Iowa 45, #6 Central Ohio 44
at #18 Indiana A&M 49, St. Magnus 41
at #20 Detroit City College 43, Lincoln 30
St. Ignatius 49, at #24 Whitney College 41
at #8 North Carolina Tech 58, Bulein 30
at #15 Mobile Maritime 48, Maryland State 39
at #16 Chesapeake State 58, Lexington State 41
#4 Carolina Poly 46, at Petersburg 30
at #25 Piedmont University 50, Eastern Virginia 46
#5 St. Blane 51, at Pittsburgh State 46
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14
#13 Coastal California 51, at Spokane State 40
#3 Rainier College 35, at #19 Redwood 30
at #2 Lane State 41, Idaho A&M 34
Custer College 49, at #12 CC Los Angeles 38
#22 Northern California 49, at Portland Tech 27
#21 Lubbock State 47, at Arkansas A&T 32
at #10 Miami State 51, Valley State 45
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15
at #9 Bayou State 36, Opelika State 35
at #7 Noble Jones College 59, Bluegrass State 37
at #6 Central Ohio 57, #18 Indiana A&M 49
#24 Whitney College 49, at #20 Detroit City College 40
#21 Lubbock State 50, at Red River State 47
#4 Carolina Poly 55, at Lexington State 37
#8 North Carolina Tech 50, at Petersburg 43
at Cowpens State 45, #16 Chesapeake State 36
#15 Mobile Maritime 44, at Bulein 38
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 16
Idaho A&M 52, at #13 Coastal California 42
at #19 Redwood 31, Custer College 23
#12 CC Los Angeles 42, at #22 Northern California 33
#2 Lane State 50, at #3 Rainier College 38
DRAFT DODGER RAINEY FALLS IN RING RETURN
After spending a year in jail for draft evasion Jack Rainey returned to the ring but found very few supporters in the Bigsby Garden crowd who heckled him all evening and roared with excitement when John Edmonds knocked him out in the 9th round of their middleweight bout slated for 10.
As much as the focus should have been on a showcase for the 28 year old Edmonds, the Indiana born fighter who is considered one of the top challengers to Frank Melanson's crown, it was instead squarely on the head of Rainey, and fans spent most of the evening calling for Edmonds to knock Rainey's block off.
Rainey, the 28-year-old New Yorker who used to be a hometown favourite and a little over 2 years ago was 21-2 and being talked about as a possible title contender, got into hot water with the Feds after falsifying deferment documents claiming he worked for a non-existent welding company. He spent a year in jail, before being released in December.
Edmonds improves to 22-2 and may well be next in line for a title shot following the Frank Melanson-Nick Harris bout which is slated for Bigsby Garden March 15.
FOUNTAIN WILL NOT FACE DISCIPLINE
The New York Boxing Commission has announced it is satisfied with its investigation into Mark Fountain's failure to report a bribe offer he received last fall to throw a fight that did not take place. Fountain will not receive a suspension nor any other discipline from the New York board after he termed 'ridiculous' and ignored an offer of $100,000 to throw a fight with Roy Crawford last September. Fountain, citing a hand injury, did not participate in the bout.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- Feb 22- St Louis, Mo: World Welterweight Champ Mark Westlake (20-2-1) vs Harold Stephens (18-3-2)
- Feb 24- Waterbury,Ct: Rising welterweight Ira Mitchell (15-1) vs Mitchell McFadden (23-6)
- Feb 25- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: Welterweight Carl Taylor (21-3-2) vs George Gibbs (16-2)
- March 15- Bigsby Garden, New York City - Middleweight champion Frank Melanson (31-0-2) vs Nick Harris (19-2-1)
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 02/16/1947
- A British General was shot to death and the US Embassy is under heavy guard after riots in Pola, an international Adriatic port and naval base awarded to Yugoslavia in the Italian peace treaty that was signed last week. Italian police and troops stand guard at both the American and British Embassies as thousands of Italians, angered by the treaty, demonstrated and demanded the Yugoslav flag, just raised, be pulled down.
- The greatest fuel famine in British history closes down more than half of the kingdom's industries while throwing more than 4 million workers into idleness. Prime Minister Attlee says he cannot forecast when the crisis will end.
- In his first meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Secretary of State, General Marshall reported that "the world is in a very critical condition" but refused to elaborate any further to newspapermen as he left the closed committee session.
- House Democrats warned Congress a pemature cut in funds for the armed forces might handicap American diplomats at the Moscow Peace Conference.
- A 21st century "Federal City" equal in size to the District of Columbia and adjoining it on the east, where 221,000 people would be living by the year 2000, is being quietly planned by the Government.
- The National Association of Manufacturers told Congress it opposes the Federal Government taking a role in labour disputes.