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PRESIDENT’S CUP III: A BATTLE OF TWO OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUTS
BOTH KNICKS & MPLS LED THEIR LEAGUES IN NUMEROUS OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES

The third edition of the President’s Cup was a battle between repeat APBL champions the Manhattan Knickerbockers and MWBA champions the Minneapolis Lakers. Unlike the previous two series, the matchup in this one wouldn’t involve a contrast in styles since both teams made it to the PC through historically dominant offense and pitching that was good enough to make them untouchable.

Manhattan was led by APBL Batsman of the Year Alan Gelmetti (.371, 2 HR, 91 RBI, 7.6 WAR) and buttressed by several other offensive stars: 1B Shaun Scott (.370, 3 HR, 100 RBI, 6.8 WAR), CF Thomas Ervin (.278, 5 HR, 56 RBI, 7.6 WAR), LF Leonard Cochran (.255, 2 HR, 87 RBI, 3.3 WAR), and 3B Brogan Williams (.281, 1 HR, 57 RBI, 3.2 WAR, 8x champ w/ Providence). They led the APBL in Runs (668), Doubles (264), Triples (104), Walks (573), Stolen Bases (274), On-Base % (.362), Slugging % (.398), OPS (.760), WPA (15.78), and WAR (31.1).

Minneapolis’ attack was led by MWBA Batsman of the Year James Keller (.408, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 5.3 WAR), and like Gelmetti he was supported by a number of offensive stalwarts: 2B Smithwick Fisher (.364, 0 HR, 75 RBI, 6.1 WAR), RF Elton Crosby (.356, 2 HR, 85 RBI, 5.0 WAR), LF Franklin Etheridge (.317, 11 HR, 60 RBI, 3.6 WAR), 3B Harold O’Mara (.339, 5 HR, 63 RBI, 2.4 WAR), UT Cleveland DeVoe (.325, 4 HR, 67 RBI, 3.2 WAR), and C Charles Swan (.284, 8 HR, 83 RBI, 2.4 WAR). They led the MWBA in Runs (796), Average (.318), Home Runs (52), Strikeouts (441), On-Base % (.378), Slugging % (.420), OPS (.798), WPA (26.81), and WAR (35.7).

While it was true that Manhattan could boast of the APBL’s Hurler of the Year in Homer Wyatt (28-9, 2.73 ERA, 141 K, 8.3 WAR) and Minneapolis’ Jordan Brunet (25-6, 2.99 ERA, 114 K, 4.3 WAR) finished 3rd for MWBA HotY, both teams were driven by attacks that bordered on unstoppable.

So, how did the series turn out?

It wasn’t the seven-game slugfest everyone was hoping for, but it was an entertaining series that Minneapolis took in six to gave the MWBA its first President’s Cup victors.

Game One in Minneapolis was over shortly after it started. Manhattan’s Thomas Ervin started the game with a triple, and from there the Knicks hammered Abraham Stringer for five runs before the top of the first was over. Those five runs were more than enough for the Knicks, who got a complete game from Homer Wyatt and 3/5 with two RBI from both Leonard Cochran & Shaun Scott.

Game Two was an easy Minneapolis home win, as Hoyt Yarborough held the Knicks to three hits and went 3/4 from the plate with a pair of RBI and two runs to help his own cause.

Game Three in Manhattan was controlled by the Knicks in the early innings – they were up 3-1 after three. However, the Lakers were ahead 6-4 by the end of the sixth and only lengthened the lead from there. They were led by Smithwick Fisher’s 4/5 with three steals and two runs, while Harold Robinson hit 2/4 with three RBI.

Game Four saw Manhattan even the series thanks to another solid performance from Homer Wyatt (CG, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K). There wasn’t much offense in this one but the Knicks’ batting hero was SS Essie Alblas, who was 3/4 with three doubles.

The all-important Game Five in Manhattan was in the Lakers' control from the second inning onward. In the top of the second CF George Dulia hit an RBI double to put the Lakers up 1-0, and Minneapolis was ahead the rest of the way thanks to Hoyt Yarborough keeping the Knicks attack in check once again. Smithwick Fisher, who was brilliant over the entire series, was 3/5 with a pair of doubles, two runs, and an RBI.

Game Six was back in Minneapolis, and it ended up being a surprising pitcher’s duel between Manhattan’s George Bullock and Minneapolis’ Jordan Brunet. Aside from two Laker runs in the bottom of the sixth that came via singles by Harold O’Mara and George Dulia there was no other scoring. Brunet pitched a three-hit shutout, and the Lakers lifted the cup in front of well over 15,000 raucous fans.

The Lakers had two pitchers finish 2-0 in the series. One was ace Jordan Brunet, who threw two Complete Games with a 1.50 ERA, five walks, and seven strikeouts along with that Game Six masterpiece. The other was Hoyt Yarborough, who threw two Complete Games of his own with a 1.00 ERA, nine walks, and ten Ks. However, the Most Valuable Player award went to Laker second baseman Smithwick Fisher, and it was easy to see why:

• 6 G – 11/28 (.407), .963 OPS, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 7 R, 6 SB, 15 TB

Fisher was far and away the best hitter in the President’s Cup, and he walked away with a most deserved MVP trophy.