FEBRUARY 24, 1975
COUGARS MAKE ANOTHER DEAL By the time the Chicago Cougars report to Sarasota next week, the clubhouse introductions may take longer than the first workout. No club in baseball has been busier over the winter, and with three trades already completed and a flurry of free-agent signings added to the mix, the Cougars batting order promises to look very little like the team that closed the 1974 season. And if recent history is any indication, Chicago’s front office may not yet be finished.
The latest move lacks the headline punch of the deals that delivered Whitney Award winner Tom Lorang from Washington or All-Star outfielder Andy Babel from Cleveland, but it may prove just as important. Chicago has acquired 27-year-old first baseman John Baab from Toronto in a trade that has all the markings of a quiet, calculated upgrade in what promises to be a fiercely contested Continental Association West Division.
Toronto sends Baab to Chicago in exchange for veteran lefthander Manny Espinosa and 23-year-old minor league slugger Pedro Maldonado.
Baab’s path to Chicago has been anything but straightforward. A first-round selection of the Los Angeles Suns out of Boston State in the 1969 draft, he made his major league debut in 1972 and was dealt to the Wolves prior to the 1973 season. He showed flashes that year but never settled into an everyday role. That was supposed to change in 1974, and for a time it did. Baab was one of Toronto’s most productive hitters early on, batting .313 with nine home runs through the first half of the season before a late-July concussion abruptly ended his year.
Whether Toronto harbored lingering concerns about Baab’s health or simply felt compelled to address a pressing need for pitching, the Wolves chose not to wait for a full answer. Chicago, on the other hand, is betting that Baab is fully recovered and ready to deliver the kind of steady production that often separates contenders from also-rans.
From Toronto’s perspective, the return addresses immediate needs. Espinosa, now 32, has been one of the league’s more durable arms, and if nothing else should provide innings. Over 13 seasons split almost evenly between Pittsburgh and Chicago, he has compiled a 133-116 record and has rarely been sidelined. For a Wolves club short on dependable pitching, that reliability has value.
The long-term intrigue in the deal rests with Maldonado. The Mexican-born first baseman, a fifth-round pick out of Northern Mississippi University in 1973, put together a jaw-dropping power display last season, blasting 46 home runs across three levels, including 28 in just 62 games at Triple-A Omaha. If even a portion of that power carries over to the major leagues, Toronto may have uncovered a middle-of-the-order fixture.
In the end, this may be one of those rare trades that serves both sides well. The Cougars add a big-league-ready bat to what is rapidly becoming a formidable lineup, assuming Baab’s health holds. The Wolves gain a veteran arm to stabilize their staff and a young slugger who could be knocking on the door of Dominion Stadium as early as April.
And with spring training just days away, Chicago’s winter of motion shows no sign of slowing.
DON’T COUNT THE TOTEMS OUT JUST YETA week ago, the Los Angeles Stingrays looked ready to seize control of the Thomas Division and perhaps disappear over the horizon. Riding a blistering 16-1-1 run, Los Angeles had surged past Vancouver into first place just as the Totems were staggering through one of their roughest patches of the season, losing eight of ten and searching for answers.
One week later, the picture has changed considerably.
Vancouver and Los Angeles are now deadlocked atop the division with 70 points apiece, but the momentum has swung sharply north. The Totems, Challenge Cup finalists a year ago before falling to Philadelphia, have steadied themselves with three wins and a tie in their last four games. The Stingrays, meanwhile, have cooled just as quickly as they heated up, dropping three of their last five after that torrid start to the new year.
The catalyst for Vancouver’s revival has been between the pipes. Scott Bly, the 23-year-old netminder brought over from Boston after spending two seasons as Alex Daoust’s understudy, was expected to push rookie Charlie Laliberté for playing time. Instead, Bly has recently taken firm control of the crease. Last week he found another level altogether, posting back-to-back shutouts against Pittsburgh and Toronto and giving the Totems exactly what they needed while they searched for offense.
Scoring, in fact, remains Vancouver’s obvious weakness. Not a single Totem ranks among the NAHC’s top 30 scorers, a remarkable statistic for a team sitting atop its division. But strong, consistent goaltending has kept them competitive, and at the moment it is proving enough.
Los Angeles presents a contrasting case. The Stingrays have ridden confidence, speed, and a remarkable run of fortune in close games — including a perfect 10-0 record in one-goal contests during their surge — but the numbers suggest trouble ahead. They have surrendered 24 more goals than they have scored this season, an imbalance that rarely supports a long-term stay at the top of the standings. As the bounces even out, it’s fair to wonder how much longer Los Angeles can keep pace.
The Thomas Division race is suddenly wide open again. And after a week that seemed to spell their undoing, the Vancouver Totems have reminded everyone that they are very much still in this fight.
NAHC WEEKLY RESULTS
MONDAY FEBRUARY 17
Atlanta at Philadelphia : Daniel Harris has been on a tear of late as the Atlanta defenseman has collected 4 goals and 10 assists in his last six games including a 3-point night to lead the Blazers to a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia. Randy Kelleher was outstanding in net for the Blazers while veteran forward Ray Dupuis had a goal and two assists.
Vancouver at Cincinnati :Vancouver scored twice in the final three minutes to earn a point in Cincinnati, skating to a 5-5 tie with the Ironclads. Johnny Gruber set up two goals for the Totems and scored the tying marker. Alan Porter earned an assist for the Ironclads - it was his 600th career NAHC point.
Detroit at San Francisco : Andrew Williams had a goal and an assist to help Detroit past San Francisco 5-1.
Los Angeles at St Louis : Brian Eastwood had a hat trick as St Louis slowed the high flying Los Angeles Stingrays with a 7-4 victory.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18
Atlanta at Quebec : Four third period goals gave the Blazers their second win in as many nights, doubling Quebec 4-2.
Cincinnati at Washington : Two first period goals by the Federals did not stand up as Cincinnati tallied three in the third period including Alan Porter's 39th of the season to give the Ironclads a 3-2 victory.
Detroit at San Francisco : The Motors won back to back games in San Francisco, taking the second contest by a 4-1 score and are on a three game winning streak for just the second time this season.
Toronto at Chicago: Ollie Perreault and Sam Schmidt each scored twice to pace Toronto to a 7-5 win over Chicago.
Vancouver at Pittsburgh :Scott Phillips scored twice and Scott Bly stopped 20 shots for his first shutout as a Totem to lead Vancouver to 5-0 win in Pittsburgh.
St Louis at Minneapolis :Two clubs in a spirited battle for second place in the Yeadon Division skated to a 3-3 tie. St Louis outshot the Norsemen badly but Al Ferguson was terrific in the Minneapolis net.
New York at Montreal : Five second period goals by Montreal turned this one into a rout as the Valiants thumped the Shamrocks 11-3. Defenseman Mark Moggy had 5 assists in the game while John Partridge and Charles Thibeault each scored twice.
Philadelphia at Calgary : The Rogues lost for the second game in row, falling 8-5 in Calgary. Brian Murray scored his 32nd goal of the season and added three assists for the winners.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19
Los Angeles at Calgary :Back to back losses and three defeats in four games for the suddenly struggling Stingrays, who fall 3-1 in Calgary despite outshooting the Grizzlies 41-23. Calgary goaltender John Girard was the difference in the game.
Montreal at Boston : The Connelly Division leading Bees have lost just once in their last eight games after doubling Montreal 4-2. The loss leaves he Valiants 12 points behind the Bees.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20
Minneapolis at St Louis : The Norseman pulled ahead of the Sawyers in the fight for second place in the Yeadon Division following a 4-3 victory.
Pittsburgh at Chicago : Players that usually fly under the radar led the way for Chicago in the Packers 7-3 win over the Sentinels. Pat McGibbon had a goal and two assists while Larry Rolfe had 3 helpers for the Packers.
New York at Washington : The Shamrocks bounced back from the beating they absorbed in Montreal two nights earlier by skating to a 3-3 tie with the Washington Federals.
Boston at Cincinnati :The Bees keep winning, improving on the NAHC's best record with a 3-2 win in the Queen City.
Toronto at Vancouver : Scott Bly earned his second shutout in as many games, blanking the Toronto Dukes 3-0 with 27 saves.
Quebec at Detroit : The Motors have earned seven points in their last four games after tying Quebec 4-4. Tim Bernard, who spent much of his career in Montreal before moving to Quebec four years ago, collected his 600th career point in the game.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21
Minneapolis at Philadelphia : Gary Yeadon scored his 43rd goal of the season to lead Philadelphia to a 4-1 win over Minneapolis.
Montreal at Atlanta : Don Roeszler scored twice to help Montreal down Atlanta 3-1. It end a three-game winning streak for the Blazers who had already beaten Montreal twice this month.
New York at Toronto : Daniel McQuaid's third period goal completed the comeback as New York overcame a 3-1 deficit to tie Toronto 3-3.
Chicago at Quebec : Bill Tannen and Pat McGibbon each scored twice and added an assist as Chicago doubled Quebec 6-3.
San Francisco at Calgary : The Grizzlies scored four times in the third period to try and erase a 4-goal deficit after forty minutes but Mike McGee's second of the game and 27th of the season allowed San Francisco to pull out a 5-4 victory. Calgary's Archer Cook scored twice in what was his 1,107th career NAHC game. It moved him past Jimmy Rucks and into 9th all-time.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22
Los Angeles at Pittsburgh : The Stingrays got back on track, snapping a two-game losing streak with a 6-3 road win in Pittsburgh. For the Sentinels, in prolongs a dreadful stretch that has seen them lose 11 consecutive games.
Boston at Washington : Bruce Callahan scored three times and added two assists while Matt Brophey had a four point night as the Boston Bees blasted the Washington Federals 9-3.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23
Vancouver at Toronto : The Totems pulled back into a first place tie with Los Angeles atop the Thomas Division as they completed the sweep of a home and home series with Toronto, downing the Dukes 3-2. Sam DaSilva and Matt Courville each had a goal and an assist for the winners while Ollie Perreault scored his league leading 47th goal of the season for The Dukes.
[size="6] FALCONS MOORE PLAYS THROUGH INJURY[/size]Despite suffering a serious cut on his neck, Winnipeg Falcons scoring star Tim Moore did not miss a game and if anything stepped up his play over the past week. Falcons club officials feared Moore could miss up to a month recovering from the scary injury but he was back on the ice and equipped with a specially designed neck guard. Neither the new equipment nor the injury seemed to slow the 24-year-old down as Moore scored three points in each of his first two games and regained the Continental Hockey League's scoring lead from Ottawa's Hobie Barrell. The Falcons went 1-0-2 in their three games last week and continue to lead Milwaukee by three points atop both the Central Division and the CHL's overall standings.
Barrell had to sit out Ottawa's 3-3 tie with Edmonton on Tuesday as the result of a suspension he incurred last week but was back in the lineup and had a goal and an assist as the Athletics tied Denver 3-3 on Thursday.
LITTLE DECIDED AS FBL SEASON ENTERS HOME STRETCHThis is shaping up to be a thrilling conclusion to the Federal Basketball League campaign as the season enters its final third. Four teams from each conference qualify for the postseason with the two division winners joining two wildcards in each bracket. With two months remaining only the Chicago Panthers have more than a 2.5 game lead on their division.
The Western Conference at the moment has five teams fighting for the four postseason berths with a sixth -the Vancouver Bears- needing a hot streak to join the race and perhaps reach the playoffs for the first time in club history. The St Louis Rockets continue to struggle of late although they did get a road win in Seattle last week. Despite the victory over the Emeralds, the Rockets went just 2-2 on the week and have won just 3 of their last 9 games following losses to Minneapolis and Vancouver last week. The Rockets have not missed the playoffs since 1966-67.
The Eastern Conference looks to be a five team battle in the Atlantic Division where just 3 games separate first from last. Three of the five teams will qualify for the playoffs with the Chicago Panthers- the only team over .500 in the Central- likely set to extend their playoff streak to 11 consecutive seasons.
STEAMERS LOSE TWICE IN WEEKYou know you are doing something right when the big story in the Continental Basketball League last week was the fact that the mighty Cincinnati Steamers won only two of their four games. The Steamers, who despite the rocky -at least by their standards- week, still lead the CBL's East Division by 12.5 games but have fallen slightly off the pace if they wish to equal he 197-71 Dallas Drillers record 62-16 season.
Cincinnati opened the week with a 109-105 road loss to the Denver Bighorns, a club fighting with San Antonio for top spot in the West Division. The Steamers than had little trouble with Philadelphia as four Steamers topped the 20-point mark in a 144-127 win at home over the Mariners. Next up was a quick trip to Louisville and an easy 147-112 victory over the Spirits before the Steamers lost for just the second time in 27 games at the Queen City Arena, falling 125-119 to the Baltimore Chargers.
MAVERICKS TAKE CONTROL OF DEEP SOUTHThe Northern Mississippi Mavericks look well positioned to win the Deep South Conference basketball title for just the second time in over 50 years. The Mavericks improved to 9-1 in conference play and 20-3 overall following wins over Alabama Baptist and Georgia Baptist last week. That gives Northern Mississippi a two game lead on a trio of teams including defending conference champion Noble Jones College and Mississippi A&M, winners of four section titles in the past five years.
This week will go a long ways towards determining if the Mavericks, an original Deep South member that won its first and only conference basketball title in 1967-68, can hang on to the lead. There are three weeks left in the regular season and three of the Mavericks final six games are against ranked teams including this week when they face #2 Baton Rouge State on Thursday at home followed by a road game against in-state rival Mississippi A&M, which is ranked 6th in the nation.
The Mavericks moved up to third as both they and the Red Devils leapfrogged Maryland State, which fell from second to fourth despite halting their three game losing streak Saturday with a 59-51 victory over Eastern State in South Atlantic Conference action.
Detroit City College (9-1, 21-2) remains the top team in the nation after the Knights defeated both 14th ranked Western Iowa and Wisconsin State on the road. DCC now has a 1-game lead on Indiana A&M atop the Great Lakes Alliance standings after the Reapers split their two games last week, beating Lincoln at home before losing on the road in St. Paul, MN., to St. Magnus. The victory for St Magnus improved the Vikings record to 15-8 on the season and was impressive enough to bring them very much into the tournament picture. If they do qualify for the AIAA tournament it will be the Vikings first appearance since the spring of 1964.
Here are a look at the bubble teams for inclusion in the 32 team field as it stands right now.
AIAA TOURNAMENT BUBBLE WATCH
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 02/23/1975
- CIA investigations deepen as Senate prepares intelligence inquiry, following continued revelations of surveillance, assassination plots, and domestic spying.
- Congress moves closer to cutting off military aid to South Vietnam, signaling a decisive shift in U.S. policy as North Vietnamese forces maintain pressure on the Saigon government.
- President Ford’s proposed tax cuts ignite heated debate on Capitol Hill, with Democrats pressing for direct job-creation programs as unemployment continues to climb.
- Inflation and unemployment continue to squeeze consumers, with new figures underscoring the depth of the recession across the U.S. and Canada .
- OPEC oil policy remains unchanged, keeping gasoline prices high and sustaining public frustration over energy costs and economic stagnation.
- Ottawa weighs tougher economic controls, with the Trudeau government signaling it may soon move toward wage and price restraints amid growing labor resistance.
- Oscar anticipation builds as “The Godfather Part II” emerges as frontrunner, with entertainment pages predicting a dominant showing at the Academy Awards ceremony.