AUGUST 7, 1950
WOLVES BEAT DEADLINE WITH PAIR OF DEALS
Cougars Hope Jim Morrison Will Open the Door to a Flag
The Toronto Wolves are fully into rebuilding mode after the struggling Continental Association basement dwellers completed a pair of deadline deals with two rivals each hoping to finish at the other end of the CA standings. The big move came just before time ran out on the July 31 deadline when the Wolves shipped veterans Hal Wood and Jim Morrison to the Chicago Cougars in exchange for outfielder Ducky Cole and three minor league pitchers. The other move, completed earlier in the day, dispatched 39-year-old outfielder Chink Stickels to the Montreal Saints for a minor league pitcher.
The move of Wood, a 36-year-old third baseman who is hitting .332 this season and has spent his entire career in Toronto, paves the way for the Wolves to allow teenage shortstop John Wells to play every day as second sacker Joe DeMott will replace Wood at the hot corner and Harry Finney will shift from shortstop to second base to make room for Wells.
The Cougars hope that Wood, who can play either second or third base, will continue to hit the way he has with the Wolves and if they can coax a few decent outings on the mound from the 35-year-old lefthander Morrison, perhaps that will be enough to finally get the Cougars back to the WCS, and put an end to decade of failing to meet the lofty expectations laid out for the perennial CA favourites year after year.
The Saints are hoping a change of scenery may just coax a few more decent games out of the fading 39-year-old centerfielder Stickels, who has had an awful season punctuated by a 1-for-16 showing in the month of July. The cost was certainly reasonable for the Montreal side to feel comfortable taking a gamble on Stickels. The Saints part with Charlie Zimmerman, a 23-year-old lefthander they selected in the third round of the 1948 draft who has gone 7-6 with a 3.36 era in his first taste of AA ball. OSA feels Zimmerman, who it ranks 159th in a recent prospect pipeline, is likely on pace to be a spot starter and may be ready for the big leagues next season.
Zimmerman is another arm the Wolves can add in to help rebuild a pitching staff with aging starters and a struggling bullpen. Toronto also lands righthander Zane Kelley, courtesy of the deal with the Cougars. Originally a Brooklyn 7th round selection back in 1947, Kelley had a pair of brief stints in Chicago earlier this season and last but despite a 3-2, 2.68 showing in 5 big league starts there was never room for him on the Cougars roster, so he spent the bulk of his time at AAA Milwaukee. Like Kelley, Cole is a former 7th round pick who has never really been able to find a place with the Cougars. He is just 26 years old, and the corner outfielder hit .306 this season but despite being on the big league roster all year, Cole had just 41 plate appearances with Chicago. Also moving to the Wolves organization from Chicago are George Carter, a 24-year-old 1947 9th round choice out of Bluegrass State who is 10-4 at AA Little Rock this season and Mike Emerson, a 21-year-old southpaw who was a 4th round pick in 1947 and is currently in his fourth season of action at the Class C level.
TWIFS BREAKDOWN: While we are not sure either move does enough to fully tip the balance in the Continental Association race one can easily argue the Cougars once more made the biggest gains and were clear winners at the trade deadline, at least in the short term. Jim Morrison should more than improve upon the struggling George Oddo (5-11, 5.05) the rest of the way this season and Hal Wood's bat is certainly something that can perhaps prop up a Chicago offense that has underperformed. Both players are entering the homestretch of their careers, but each may just have enough left to finally be the difference makers that help the Cougars slay the dragon that has long breathed flames of missed opportunity down on the Cougars.
It is almost inconceivable that the Cougars have been unable to win a pennant in a decade despite consistently year in and year out possessing the most talent in the CA. The Cougars also consistently add elite veteran talent - almost to the point where some of their CA foes feel like mere farm teams of the Chicago nine- but the final payoff is never realized. Perhaps it will be different this time around.
The Montreal Saints, for one, certainly hope not. There was not a lot that Montreal could do this trade deadline, likely both due to a lack of impact talent available and their own unwillingness, and rightly so, to tear apart a nice group they are building at Parc Cartier. We have our doubts as to whether Stickels has anything left to give but the cost was low enough it warranted taking a chance.
The Wolves have obviously dove headfirst into their rebuild and stocked up with some lottery ticket arms that perhaps one or two will pay off. We are anxious to see if Zane Kelley will take advantage of his opportunity to start regularly in the big leagues, as the expectation is for him to take Morrison's slot in the Toronto rotation. Kelley is the Wolves best hopes of winning this deal long-term as the ages of Hancock, at 39, and Wood, at 36, limited their potential return. That being said with the season Wood is enjoying (.332/.408/.448) and his long-term consistency we would like to have seen the Wolves have come away with one of the Cougars deep stash of top 100 prospects in the deal.
TALES FROM THE LAIR
Dawn of A New Era In Toronto -- The Toronto Wolves decided to turn the page at the trade deadline, moving out three veterans. Chink Stickles went to Montreal in return for lefty Charlie Zimmerman, 23, who will report to Chattanooga. In the biggest deal at a muted deadline the Wolves dealt All-Star 3B Hal Wood and P Jim Morrison to the Cougars in exchange for 4 players including right hander Zane Kelley, 24, who will immediately take Morrison's spot in the rotation. Toronto also aquired OF/1B Ducky Cole, 24, who will take Stickels' spot on the FABL roster, plus two minor league pitchers in George Carter, 24, a righty who will start in Chattanooga and lefty Mike Emerson, 21, who join the Tomcats in Tuscaloosa.
The fans reaction was not at all positive as the loss of these 3 fan favourites left many with a sour taste, especially those who vividly remember the championship of 1940 along with pennant races of 1943-45. One of Brett's sources in the front office told him "We knew it was time to move on, to start moving our lineup to what it will look like in the future rather than trying to hang onto the past. We did not like dealing any of the veterans with such a rich history in Wolves uniform. The fans should notice that we dealt them all to two teams chasing the CA pennant. Montreal is leading with Chicago chasing only 5 games out with two months to play. We did the same for Charlie Artuso last season. Eventually we hope to prove to the fans these trade will benefit the Wolves in the long run."
An immediate beneficiary of the trade was John Wells, who was immediately recalled from Buffalo after only one week in AAA. Manager Fred Barrell is said to be penciling in a daily infield of 1B Fred McCormick/Frank Brunch, 2B Harry Finney, 3B Joe DeMott and SS Wells for the vast majority of the 50 remaining games.
The Wolves had another tough week week on the road running their losing streak to 10, being swept in 3 against the Kings, before finally winning 9-7 on Friday at Dyckman Stadium. They managed one more victory in the 4 game set against the Stars when they split Sunday's double header, winning the nightcap when Jimmy Gibbs pitched 8 strong innings before Jayson came in for the save in a 4-2 win. Gibbs will now take Ray Hatch's spot in the rotation. Hatch has been getting shelled early as of late, and it has been decided that he needs some time in the 'pen to regain his form.
Manager Barrell: "I am excited to our welcome our new players. I have seen along with heard good things about both Kelley and Cole. Kelley will get a start in Philly. I will slot Cole into right by moving Copeland over to left against righties. The team all knew that with the way were losing the changes had to be made for us to move forward. We all regret that the 3 guys will no longer be part of the Wolves but they are all going to contenders. The veterans McCormick, Hancock, Garrison will make sure the new guys are comfortable with their new team. It is time to look forward not dwell on the past. I have set a goal for the team of a minimum of 28 wins in our last 50 to give everyone something to shoot for in this disappointing season. I hope the fans see the logic in why the deals were made along with continuing to support us during these difficult times. Better times are ahead for the Wolves."
The Montreal Saints continue to set the pace in the race for the Continental Association pennant. It was a tough weekend with a pair of one-run losses at home to the Philadelphia Sailors before the bats came alive with a 10-2 victory yesterday. Entering the Sailors series, the Saints had been red-hot with six straight victories including a pair of big wins over the Cincinnati Cannons.
Now it is time to head to the Big Apple for a week long trip to face both the Brooklyn Kings and New York Stars before the Saints return to Parc Cartier a week from tomorrow for a big three-game set with the Chicago Cougars. The Cougars added a pair of veterans at the deadline but so did the Saints, and the acquisition of 39-year-old outfielder Chink Stickels was well received by the fans. Saints manager Jim Cator tells us that Stickels is coming as a backup outfielder and to play defense in right field late in close game.
The core group atmosphere is great in locker room from what we are hearing. The Saints have not been in lead of the pennant race for almost two decades. Still pinned in the locker room corner are the OSA predictions with the Saints in 7th place with a red circle around the newspaper edition of last April with a handwritten notes saying.. "Let's prove them we are not that bad!"
*** Valiants Look Local For NAHC Draft Needs ***
The Montreal Valiants did not need to look far to find their first two picks in the recent North American Hockey Confederation draft. A pair of Montreal lads were taken by the Vals including defenseman Mike Driscoll with their first round pick. The 18-year-old, who is equally adept at playing either the right or left side, averaged more than a point a game for the Verdun Argonauts junior club last season. Second round selection Yan Tremblay also calls Montreal home and was a teammate of Driscoll's with Verdun last season. The left winger was among the top scorers in the Canadian Junior loop last season with 39 goals and 93 points in 64 games.
With their final selection the Valiants went back to the blueline in choosing Manitoba native Andrew Davies in round three. The 18-year-old suffered through an injury plagued season with the St. Thomas Pachyderms, limiting him to 38 games and likely a big reason why he was still available in the third round. It is expected that all three players will remain in junior for the upcoming season.
- Tip Harrison of the Chicago Daily News says "a major reason for the Cougars acquisition of Jim Morrison has been George Oddo's struggle with the longball. After just four in his first eleven starts, Oddo has allowed two homers in seven of his last eight -- yes, fourteen total home runs."
- Percy Pringle Jr. of the Brooklyn Eagle notes that the "Kings swept last place Toronto to have some hope but then get crushed at home 4 straight by Cincinnati. 3 games below .500 now for Daniel Prescott's club and it looks like another lost season."
- The New York Gothams ended a bad run of 6 losses in 7 games at just the right time, with 5 straight victories including a 3-game weekend sweep of second place Washington. The New Yorkers sweep dropped the Eagles behind Detroit and into third place while also putting a real damper on any Washington hopes of making it a pennant race in the Fed.
- Walt Pack, who won the 1945 Continental Association Whitney Award and was dealt away a year and a half later, has had his ups and downs but the 35-year-old reached a milestone with his 1,500th big league hit last week. Pack is one of just 30 players in FABL history to collect at least 1,500 hits and 200 homeruns.
- Roger Cleaves of the Keystones, Detroit's Tommy Griffin and Gothams young star Cecil LaBonte each reached the 500 hit plateau last week.
- Pitching was a big issue early this season for the Detroit Dynamos but it is finally coming around. Bill Sohl went 5-0 with a 1.46 ERA in July to win the Federal Association pitcher of the month award while teammate Roy Schaub, who was 3-1, 1.85 in July and 5-3 with a 4.39 ERA since his promotion from AAA was named the rookie of the month.
- Tim Hopkins of the Chicago Chiefs became the first player in either association to top the 100 rbi mark. Tiny Tim has certainly enjoyed hitting in the Federal Association where he has 157 homers in 616 games. He hit just 72 homers in 596 games while with Brooklyn.
- It seems likely that Hopkins' teammate Pete Casstevens will set the single season record for home runs by a catcher. Casstevens currently has 31 and is on pace for 44. Below are the single season leaders for homers by catcher.
MELANSON RETURNS TO THE RING: SET TO FACE OLD RIVAL EDMONDS FOR WORLD TITLE
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the boxing world, former world middleweight champion, Frank 'The Tank' Melanson, has officially declared his return to the squared circle. The stage is set for September 29th, where Melanson will renew his storied rivalry with current world champion John Edmonds at the hallowed grounds of New York's Bigsby Garden.
This impending clash will mark the third encounter between the venerable Tank and Edmonds, each bout serving as a testament to their pugilistic prowess. Melanson, hailing from the industrial heartland of Pittsburgh, carved his path to prominence with a stunning upset victory over the reigning middleweight king, Archie Rees, in Philadelphia back in the spring of 1945. His subsequent title defenses, including grueling battles against Todd Gill and the late Edouard Desmarais, have etched his name in boxing folklore.
However, it was his unforgettable encounter with Edmonds on Independence Day of 1947 that still reverberates in the annals of boxing history. A 14th-round TKO defeat on home soil was avenged six months later in Chicago when Melanson turned the tables with a 12th-round TKO victory of his own. The upcoming bout promises to be a fitting chapter in their storied rivalry.
Yet, the Melanson who will step into the ring in late September may be but a shadow of his former self. Absent from the ring since his second consecutive loss against Desmarais in January of 1949, the 33-year-old Tank has only recently resumed training after a year and a half hiatus. While Melanson's career has been defined by defying the odds, the toll of time away from the ring cannot be underestimated.
In contrast, Edmonds, aged 31, remains in the prime of his career, coming off victories against formidable young opponents like Bill Boggs and Hugo Canio. With youth on his side and a recent track record of success, Edmonds undoubtedly enters the bout as the overwhelming favorite. However, in the storied world of boxing, where legends are made and records are shattered, counting out a seasoned warrior like Melanson would be a grave mistake.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- Aug 9- Thompson Palladium, Detroit: Welterweight John Gregory (20-8-3) vs Nate MacGilvray (24-12-3)
- Aug 18- Lakeside Arena, Chicago: heavyweight Chris May (38-9) vs Corey Jones (26-15-3)
- Aug 20- Vancouver, BC: Canadian heavyweight Harry Sweetland (28-8-1) vs Mark Moors (18-5-2)
- Aug 30 - San Francisco, CA: MW Davis Owens (22-1) vs Brooks O'Connor (31-10-2)
- Aug 31- Bigsby Garden, New York: Former World Welterweight champ Mac Erickson (22-2) vs Alonso Salazar (13-8-3)
- Aug 31- Galveston, TX: middleweight Nick Harris (29-7-1) vs Andrew Hammon (23-4-2)
- Sep 2 - Bigsby Garden, New York: middleweight contenders Ira Mitchell (25-5) vs Danny Julian (29-1-1)
- Sep 8 - Thompson Palladium, Detroit: a pair of rising Motor City heavyweights clash with Joey Tierney (19-0) facing Bill Sloan (19-2)
- Sep 29, 1950- Bigsby Garden, New York - World Middleweight title John Edmonds (32-3) faces formerly retired former champ Frank 'The Tank' Melanson (33-3-2)
- President Truman told Congress he has no objection to passage of standby rationing, price and wage control powers if it becomes necessary.
- More American troops continue to be deployed in Korea daily, including the arrival of marines, as fighting continued along a shrinking front after American and South Korean forces pulled back to fortify their lines.
- Making their third major strike in five days, B-29 Bombers from Tokyo destroyed a North Korea chemical and munitions manufacturing plant in the city of Hungnam, on the east coast 118 miles above the 38th parallel.
- Britain is days away from an expected announcement of plans to launch a vast new rearmament program with American aid.
- American jets have roared into Formosa, the first American air units assigned to the invasion=threatened Nationalist capital island.
- The House reversed itself by killing the mandatory price wage control plan it approved a day earlier over President Truman's objections. This left the chamber right back where it started, looking for alternative remedies.
- Western Europe's foreign ministers officially endorsed the United Nations stand against aggression in Korea, and stamped the North Korean regime by name as a violator of international law.