1957 BARRELL BROTHERS UPDATE
ROLLIE BARRELL
Now divested of his club in pro basketball, Rollie turns his full attention to the Detroit Maroons. Unfortunately, the grid squad continues to frustrate their owner, going 5-7 despite QB Sam Burson winning the MVP award. Rollie has come to view Burson as an extremely mixed blessing - the QB is a phenomenally-talented player, but he has a drinking problem and is a disruptive and unreliable influence on the team. He also has a bad attitude and is frustrated that the team is not contending for championships. Rollie can agree with him there, but Maroons coach Sam Wiggins has grown tired of dealing with Burson and there is offseason talk in the front office of trading him.
JACK BARRELL
Jack's Toronto Dukes squad battles with their nemeses from Detroit for the top spot in the NAHC regular season standings. Coach Barrell exhorts his players to give their all - and they do - but still finish one single point behind the Motors after the 70-game season is completed. Jack's son-in-law Quinton Pollack continues to be phenomenal, scoring 46 goals and adding 47 assists to win the scoring title by nine points over Tommy Burns of Chicago. The Dukes' first round matchup is with the Boston Bees and goes the distance. Unfortunately for Toronto, they drop the series in seven games. It is little consolation that top-seeded Detroit is also knocked-off in seven games against their first round opponent (Chicago). The Bees win the Cup in six over the Packers. Jack is vacationing in Georgia with his wife in June when he gets a phone call - the Dukes have acquired Tommy Burns from Chicago. Burns is 37 years old, but still one of the best players in the sport. Jack briefly wonders if he could move either Pollack or Burns to wing and play them together, but then thinks of how productive his second line can be with Burns centering it. The acquisition gives Jack high hopes for 1957-58.
DAN BARRELL
The Poly basketball team continues to play reasonably well, going 17-14 with Dan's son Steve leading the way. The football squad remains a frustration - posting a 4-6 mark. Coach Ed Webber reassures Dan that the plan is working. Certainly it's working for Steve who has another strong year, but this being Steve's senior year, the team will need a new QB for 1958.
FRED BARRELL
Fred manages to finagle his way into a two-week mission assessing Soviet intelligence capabilities in Alaska, permitting him to visit with his son Mike, who is stationed in Alaska with the 2nd Infantry Division.
TOM BARRELL
Tom continues to work for NARF, which has another successful season.
BOBBY BARRELL
Bobby remains the lead color commentator on NBC baseball telecasts.
HARRY BARRELL
Harry completes his sixth season as skipper of the Boston Minutemen. The team's record improves by one game over the '56 season, posting an 83-71 mark, but that's only good for 4th-place, and 21 games behind the juggernaut Detroit Dynamos. The pitching has improved and the offense continues to hum with a record 206 home runs as every member of the regular lineup hits 10 or more home runs for the first time in FABL history. Rick Masters (.300-49-116) and Jack Denis (.339-36-112) lead the way. Don Griffin (12-6, 2.73) emerges as a potential ace and Harry feels the club could really complete if not for the "800-pount gorilla in the league" - Detroit. On the domestic front, Harry and Ruth celebrate a year of marriage. Harry has some moments of despondence as Sarah also remarries. Barbara grows more distant from her father following his marriage to Ruth. Like her mother, she blames Ruth for the divorce. Reid, thankfully, remains close to Harry and is blossoming as a legitimate prospect in baseball and basketball.
TOM BOWENS
Tom is hired to coach CCLA. He is enthusiastic to coach college football after spending so much time in pro football. The Coyotes are a team in transition, playing in a conference currently led by powerhouse Northern California and archrival Coastal California, both top 10 - potentially top 5 - national programs. Tom's pledge is to return CCLA to national prominence and a berth in the East-West Classic. His first season is a moderate success, posting a 6-4 record. That mark includes a 41-27 loss to Northern Cal in week 9, and a tough 26-23 loss to Coastal Cal in the season's final game. There is no classic invite, but Tom is fired up for the upcoming 1958 season.
DEUCE BARRELL
What a year for Deuce Barrell. He wins his fourth Allen Award as the Continental Association's top pitcher, going 22-11 with a 2.55 ERA and for one season, staking a claim as his club's best pitcher (Adrian Czerwinski goes 19-11, 3.58). Even better, the Foresters win the pennant, edging Cincinnati by seven games with a 94-60 mark. The Foresters face the mighty Detroit Dynamos (104-50) in the WCS and Deuce has a great series. He drops game one despite allowing just two runs as the Dynamos win 2-1 behind Jim Norris (who wins the Fed's Allen Award for 1957). Deuce comes back in game four and tosses a four-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and when the series goes to a game seven, Deuce takes the ball for that one as well. He throws another gem, this one a 3-1 victory where he allows six hits and one run while striking out nine to give the Foresters the World Championship.
ROGER CLEAVES
As good a year as 1957 was for Deuce, his brother Roger's was simply poor. He hit just .212, was replaced as the starting catcher in Philadelphia, managing just 62 starts and 75 total games, 208 at-bats resulting in four home runs. To make things worse - or possibly better - Roger is traded to the Chicago Cougars in early December, along with minor leaguer Charlie Pierre with outfielder Sparky Williams heading to the Keystones. This is a shock for Roger who assumed he, like his uncle Bob, would play his entire career with Philly. Evelyn is hopeful and tries to buoy Roger's spirits - telling him a fresh start with a new team may be just what the doctor ordered. Roger continues to work on playing first base in Georgia, where he and his family spend the winter.
QUINTON POLLACK
Quinton again leads the NAHC in scoring with 93 points on 46 goals and 47 assists. He privately has set himself a goal of scoring 50 goals, telling no one, not even his wife Agnes. He is thrilled to hear that the Dukes pulled off a summer trade with Chicago, bringing veteran Tommy Burns on board to anchor the second line.
CHARLIE BARRELL
Charlie joins the Chicago Panthers for the 1956-57 campaign, again working under a contract that releases him to baseball in time for spring training. He achieves a career-high scoring average of 14.8 points-per-game in 50 contests played while adding 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game as well. He's named to his fourth All-Star Game and is a 2nd Team All-Defensive Team selection as well. With Charlie having moved on to baseball, the Panthers capture the title, knocking off the Rockets & Phantoms behind Luther Gordon's stellar play. In baseball, Charlie suffers a hamstring injury for the second straight year and misses seven weeks, again rehabbing in Salt Lake City. In 89 games and 344 at-bats with the Stars, he hits a career-worst .299 with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs. He does post an .840 OPS but is frustrated with his balky hamstring. Anna Czerwinska shows up in LA in July while Charlie is out of action. She informs him in no uncertain terms that he should give up either basketball or baseball, saying, "It's obvious your legs can't handle this year-round workload." Charlie scoffs and tells her to leave him alone, asking her why she's there. She tells him she is working on her doctoral thesis and can do that wherever she wishes. And she wishes to do it in Los Angeles. Charlie tells her to leave him be and go bother someone else with her unwanted advice; she simply smiles back, tells him she'll visit him later that summer to see how he's doing. After she's gone, Charlie's mother tell him with a sly smile that he'd "better watch out for that one, she has her cap set for you." Charlie throws a pillow at her.
MIKE BARRELL
Mike spends 1957 in Alaska with the 2nd Infantry Division.
STEVE BARRELL
On the hardwood, Steve has another solid year, again starting every game and scoring 13.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. The team posts a 17-14 record and though they don't make the tournament, Steve feels the season was a success. On the gridiron, Steve has a great senior year - though perhaps not quite as solid as his junior season. He runs for 974 yards on 200 carries and completes 48-of-78 passes for 415 yards. He scores seven touchdowns on the ground and throws for two more. His mother tells him that she's heard from Rollie that Steve is now considered a possible 1958 AFA draft selection.
FREDDY BARRELL
Freddy continues to work for James Slocum at NARF headquarters. He also plays in three pro golf tournaments, missing the cut in all three. His uncle Rollie encourages him to "stick it out, improvement will come."
BENNY BARRELL
Though too young (and green) to play in the NAHC, Benny's first season as the property of the Detroit Motors sees him still playing for the Hull Hawks in CAHA. His season gets off to a rocky start as he suffers a broken wrist on November 16, 1956, and misses 51 days. He has a great season despite it being shortened - playing in 39 games, he scores 37 goals and adds 54 assists for an 80-points season, just three off his career-high set in 64 games the previous season.
RALPH BARRELL
Ralph emerges as a top-flight baseball prospect, thrilling his father Bobby. His junior year stats at Bartram HS in Philadelphia include a .476 average with 5 home runs and 55 RBIs. His OPS is 1.223 for the year and scouts rave about his power potential. He is also athletic enough to play the infield, spending time at both third and first base along with the corner outfield spots.
REID BARRELL
Like his cousin Ralph, Harry's son Reid draws attention as a ballplayer as well. He is also a junior, albeit at Boston's Latin High School. He slashes .430/.475/.570 for a more modest 1.070 OPS but as would be expected from Harry's progeny, he is a slick fielder as well, playing shortstop and some third base. He's also a switch-hitter, something Harry worked on with him as a youngster.
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Ralph Barrell, 1957
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