Introducing the Footnote League

[luckymann]

COULD HARDLY BE CLOSER IN BOTH LEAGUES WITH PLENTY OF CHANCES – A’S AND TIGERS ALL SQUARE IN AL – PIRATES’ 21-7 JULY SEES THEM ATOP THE NL

Notable Performances

• 4th: A huge game from 1B Pete Runnells in which he goes 5-for-6 with two doubles, a triple and 5 ribbies, powers the Phillies 13-4 past Pittsburgh.
• 8th: Beaneaters hurler Orlando Hernandez two-hits the Reds in a 2-0 win, while Brooklyn OF Delino DeShields manages three more than that on his own to help the Superbas down the Pirates 9-3.
• 9th: The Giants post 4-spots in each of the 8th and 9th innings to rally past the faltering Cardinals 11-6.
• 14th: CF Rudy Law powers the Senators to a 12-4 drubbing of the Browns with a 5-hit barrage.
• 15th: A wild one in New York, with the Tigers scoring 7 in the top 9th to take the unlikely lead, only to concede 5 in the home half and lose 13-12 and fall 4 ½ games out of first.
• 18th: The Cardinals overcome a whopping 7 errors to nip the Superbas 9-8, with Harry Gumbert notching his FL-leading 15th win of the campaign.
• 22nd: The Sens score 3 in the 9th to send their game against the A’s into extras, then walk it off in the 10th for a crucial win.
• 24th: Pittsburgh scores 2 in the 9th to squeak past the Redbirds, putting them in the outright lead in the NL for the first time in franchise history.
• 26th: George Stone goes 3-for-4 with 2 dingers and 4 ribbies to power the White Sox offence in an 11-4 cruise over the Tigers.

Feats and Streaks

• 26th: Browns 1B Mike Lum’s 23-game hit streak is snapped with an 0-for-5 showing against the Naps.

Transactions

• 15th: The Americans address a concern by sending SS Andy Fox and P Pol Perritt to the Cubs in exchange for C Ed Phelps.
• 18th: A blockbuster trade sees the Cards send 1B Ryan Shealy to the Giants for CF Chuck Diering.
• 23rd: The Beaneaters and Browns do a spot of horse trading with CF Alan Bannister being shipped to St Louis in exchange for 2B Tito Fuentes and promising SP Charlie Smith.
• 25th: The Reds tighten up their roster by trading outfielder Jim Fairey and reliever Dave Patterson to the Browns for outfielder Duncan Mohr.
• 30th: A bit of a blockbuster between Cleveland and Philadelphia, with pitchers Eric Plunk and John Maine now Naps and Charles Thomas a Phillie.
• 31st: One final trade before the deadline passes with the Cubs sending 1B Richie Hebner to the Superbas for 2B Bill Rodgers and minor league pitcher Joe Price.

Injuries

• 3rd: A fractured elbow knocks Boston SP Joe Johnson out of action for the remainder of the season.
• 18th: The Cubs lose last season’s MVP Todd Dunwoody for a month with a fractured thumb.
• 24th: A diagnosis of shoulder inflammation sees Browns SP George Chalmers’ season brought to a premature end.
• 25th: A great FL debut for Giants cornerman Pete Ward, in which he goes 4-for-4 with two doubles and two driven in, ends on a sour note when he pulls a hamstring and will be forced to sit out for about a month.

Monthly Awards
American League

• Batter: Solly Hemus CWS (.400 / 3 HR / 25 RBI)
• Pitcher: Jake Weimer WAS (6-1 / 1.69 / 38 K)
• Rookie: Marty Pattin NYY (6-2 / 2.34 / 38 K)

National League

• Batter: Leon Durham BSN (.394 / 1 HR / 15 RBI)
• Pitcher: Don Robinson PIT (6-1 / 2.91 / 37 K)
• Rookie: Warren Cromartie BSN (.413 / 17 RBI / 20 R)

Leaders
American League

• BA: Austin Jackson CWS .388
• HR: George Stone CWS 7
• RBI: Austin Jackson CWS 64
• BWAR: Solly Hemus CWS 6.2
• SB: Rudy Law WAS 65

• W: Jake Weimer WAS 15
• ERA: Melido Perez DET 2.26
• K: Jake Weimer WAS 119
• SV: 2 tied on 6
• PWAR: Melido Perez DET 4.3

National League

• BA: Pete Runnels PHI .359
• HR: Bill DeLancey NYG 7
• RBI: Mike Shannon BRO 78
• BWAR: Pete Runnels PHI 4.8
• SB: Jake Stahl PIT 49

• W: 2 tied on 17
• ERA: Orlando Hernandez BSN 2.09
• K: Andy Coakley BSN 113
• SV: Stew Cliburn CIN 7
• PWAR: Harry Gumbert STL 3.8

Standings

[luckymann]

Team batting and pitching stats for the month of July 1903.

[luckymann]

The annual update on which of the top 16 Draft picks have been signed and which are now on the open market.

1. C Patsy Gharrity, CIN: signed an MiLB contract on June 16th with a $1386 bonus. Now playing for Cedar Rapids in the PSL and rated the #1 FL prospect.
2. 2B John Lowenstein, SLA: signed an MiLB contract on June 20th with a $1203 bonus. Now playing for the Browns and has gone .232 / .300 / .317 with 4 RBI in 82 AB.
3. RF Turkey Steanres, CLE: signed an MiLB contract on June 20th with a $941 bonus. Now playing for the Naps and has gone .240 / .263 / .403 with 1 HR and 19 RBI in 129 AB.
4. C Art Wilson, NYY: signed an MiLB contract on July 17th with a $889 bonus. Now playing for Newark in the PSL.
5. 3B Kevin Young, STL: signed an MiLB contract on June 10th with a $846 bonus. Now playing for Houston in the PSL.
6. RF Lloyd Moseby, BRO: signed an MiLB contract on July 21th with a $1493 bonus. Now playing for Jersey City in the PSL.
7. LF Norm Siebern, PHI: signed an MiLB contract on July 22nd with a $788 bonus. Now playing for the Phillies and has gone 1-for-4 with a double and 2 ribbies.
8. 2B Glenn Hubbard, PHA: signed an MiLB contract on July 24th with a $1135 bonus. Now playing for the A’s and has gone .409 / .458 / .455 with 1 RBI in 22 AB.
9. CF Juan Beniquez, BOS: signed an MiLB contract on July 24th with a $1980 bonus. Now playing for Wilmington in the PSL.
10. 2B Tom Herr, BSN: signed an MiLB contract on July 28th with a $715 bonus. Now playing for Harrisburg in the PSL.
11. LF Pete Ward, NYG: signed an MiLB contract on July 24th with a $659 bonus. Now playing for the Giants, but on the IL (see Injuries, July update).
12. P Bob Wicker, PIT: signed an MiLB contract on June 2nd with a $605 bonus. Now playing for the Pirates and has gone 6-5 with a 4.05 ERA and 57 K in 13 starts.
13. C Wes Westrum, DET: signed an MiLB contract on July 15th with a $550 bonus. Now playing for the Tigers and was hitting .235 before going on the IL with a bruised wrist.
14. RF Wayne Nordhagen, CWS: signed an MiLB contract on June 21st with a $495 bonus. Now playing for the White Sox and has gone .362 / .370 / .510 with 4 HR and 26 RBI in 149 AB, winning the AL Player of the Week Award on July 27th.
15. 15. 3B Charlie Neal, WAS: signed an MiLB contract on July 30th with a $440 bonus. Now playing for the Senators and has gone 0-for-1.
16. 16. C Brian Harper, CHC: signed an MiLB contract on July 28th with a $564 bonus. Now playing for Reading in the PSL.

This is a very pleasing result indeed.

[luckymann]

On April 8, 1969, Marty Pattin became the first and only Opening Day starting pitcher for the Seattle Pilots.

Marty’s doing OK for himself in the FL, too. After being taken by the Highlanders in the 4th round (52nd overall) of this year’s Rookie Draft, he has so far gone 10-3 in his 13 starts with an ERA of 2.48, walking 33 and striking out 57 in 116 innings.

BASEBALL REFERENCE PAGE

[Brad K]

Speaking of the Pilots, has Jim Bouton showed up? Lifetime WAR of 7.5 should qualify him.

Ray Oyler had his best year ever for home runs with the Pilots with seven and is the Pilots all time leader for career home runs by a SS.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Speaking of the Pilots, has Jim Bouton showed up? Lifetime WAR of 7.5 should qualify him.

Ray Oyler had his best year ever for home runs with the Pilots with seven and is the Pilots all time leader for career home runs by a SS.

No Jim Bouton as yet, but Ray is playing in the PSL for Newark. He got some time in the FL in '01 but didn't do much.

[Brad K]

How is his fan club doing?

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

How is his fan club doing?

Fantastic!

Sadly those dingers are a bit harder to come by in the early 1900s, as well I presume as would be the commensurate fandom...

[Brad K]

Oyler needs to be called up. He was a -0.6 WAR in 1901 but he will be better than that in this league since he was 0.0 WAR RL including competition against stars. Although even with era adjustments I still think I'd be thrilled to trade him for Mario Mendoza.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Oyler needs to be called up. He was a -0.6 WAR in 1901 but he will be better than that in this league since he was 0.0 WAR RL including competition against stars. Although even with era adjustments I still think I'd be thrilled to trade him for Mario Mendoza.

I'll have a word. Fortunately it's pre-Steinbrenner, thereby improving his chances (and mine - of not getting chucked out on my ear by Security...). On the other hand, he's barely seen a pitch at Newark this year. Tough crowd.

[luckymann]

A RIGHT PROPER GRANDSTAND FINISH TO THE 1903 SEASON AS BOTH RACES GO DOWN TO THE WIRE - DETROIT, CHICAGO, THE A'S AND SENATORS STILL IN THE MIX IN THE AL - PITTSBURGH, THE CARDS, BROOKLYN AND THE PHILLIES ALL WITH A CHANCE IN THE NL.

Notable Performances

• 3rd: Right fielder Mike Shannon’s 5-for 6 / 2 triples / 4 RBI game powers the Superbas to an 8-6 win over the Phillies.
• 4th: Chris Jones of the Giants becomes one of a handful of players in FL history to get 6 hits in a game, going 6-for-6 with 3 ribbies and 2 runs scored in an 11-9 win over the Beaneaters. Meanwhile in the nation’s capital, Sens pitcher Tyler Anderson two-hits the Americans in a 3-1 triumph.
• 6th: Another two-hitter, this time by the Cardinals’ Ken Forsch, who shuts out Cincinnati 5-0 with one walk and 10 Ks.
• 8th: A marathon in Cleveland sees the Tigers score 4 in the 18th to see off the Naps 8-4, with Cleveland’s 7 errors – including an astounding 6 by SS Kid Elberfeld – very much a deciding factor in their demise.
• 10th: Chicago’s Wayne Nordhagen has quite the day out against the Naps, going 6-for-6 with a double and two driven in, helping his side win 9-7.
• 17th: Rookie first baseman Norm Larker goes 5-for-5 with a double, a triple, and 3 ribbies to help the Cubs ease past the Phillies 5-2.
• 18th: Brooklyn hurler Rube Manning becomes the first 20-game winner of the season when the charging Superbas sneak past the Cardinals 8-7 to win their 7th on the trot.
• 20th: Brooklyn concede 2 in the 12th at home to the Cubs, but then rally to walk it off 8-7 in a veritable classic in which both sides combine for 36 hits. An even wilder game takes place the following day, with Pittsburgh scoring 4 in the top 12th then somehow managing to give up 5 to lose a heartbreaker to the Giants 10-9 with a total of 40 hits between the two.
• 24th: Catcher Ed Phelps’ 5-for-5 / double / triple / 2 RBI game can’t stop his Americans going down 9-5 to the Browns.
• 25th: An absolute ripper of a game sees Detroit score 4 in the home 9th to nick one off the White Sox 13-12, with third baseman Ollie Bejma the walkoff hero.
• 26th: Dustan Mohr and Jim Lowenstein both get 5 hits including a tater each as the Browns crush the Naps 16-6.
• 31st: RF Doc Gessler goes 5-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 knocked in as the Pirates ease past the Cards 6-5 in 11.

Feats and Streaks

• 13th: Cleveland CF Willie Wilson goes 0-for-5 in a 9-3 loss to the Highlanders, ending hit consecutive hit streak at 28 games.
• 26th: Jake Wiemer records his 146th strikeout of the season, eclipsing the FL record set by Chappie McFarland the year before.

Transactions
None of note

Injuries

• 1st: White Sox SP Bill Monbouquette strains an oblique running the bases and will miss about a month.
• 5th: Back spasms will keep Brooklyn CF Nook Logan out of the lineup for 5 weeks.
• 6th: A torn triceps knocks Beaneaters reliever Darren Holmes out for the season.
• 11th: Senators 3B Alex Gonzalez goes down with shoulder inflammation that is expected to keep him out of action until the end of September.
• 13th: Luis Melendez, the Phillies’ CF, suffers an oblique strain that will sideline him for what’s left of the regular season.
• 16th: Detroit loses talented pitcher Elden Auker for the season to biceps tendonitis.
• 24th: A torn UCL brings Browns pitcher Ralph Birkofer’s career to a premature end. Meanwhile, White Sox SP William VanLandingham’s stellar season comes to a sudden end when he suffers a torn meniscus.

Monthly Awards
American League

• Batter: Willie Wilson CLE (.392 / 1 HR / 11 RBI / 34 R)
• Pitcher: Mike McCormick NYY (6-1 / 2.10 / 23 K)
• Rookie: Turkey Stearnes CLE (.330 / 2 HR / 23 RBI / 38 R)

National League

• Batter: Mike Shannon BRO (.354 / 28 RBI / 19 R)
• Pitcher: Jack Pfiester BRO (4-2 / 2.10 / 30 K)
• Rookie: Jack Pfiester BRO

NB Spotlight player Arnold Hauser nabbed the PSLN Batter of the Month Award for his .325 / 2 HR / 13 RBI / 23 R August at Wichita Falls.

Leaders
American League

• BA: Austin Jackson CWS .371
• HR: George Stone CWS 9
• RBI: Austin Jackson CWS 77
• BWAR: Solly Hemus CWS 8.3
• SB: Rudy Law WAS 87

• W: William VanLandingham CWS 17
• ERA: Melido Perez DET 2.29
• K: Jake Weimer WAS 153
• SV: 2 tied on 6
• PWAR: Melido Perez DET 5.5

National League

• BA: Greg Gross CHC .352
• HR: Bill DeLancey NYG 7
• RBI: Mike Shannon BRO 106
• BWAR: Pete Runnels PHI 5.4
• SB: Delino DeShields BRO 60

• W: Barney Wolfe NYG 19
• ERA: Dave Dravecky STL 2.29
• K: Andy Coakley BSN 143
• SV: Stew Cliburn CIN 8
• PWAR: Harry Gumbert STL 4.8

Standings / Pennant Race

[luckymann]

Walks plus hits per innings pitched (season to date)

[luckymann]

Cribbed from THIS article on SABR Bio by Adrian Marcewicz.

Richard Henry Kerr is far better-known than one might expect for a guy who played in just 140 major league games and fashioned a modest 53-34 record. This, of course, is almost entirely due to his supporting role in one of baseball’s darkest episodes: the Black Sox scandal.

It’s been a while since I have watched the classic 1988 baseball movie Eight Men Out, but if memory serves, Dickey Kerr was portrayed (by Jace Alexander--who, somewhat regrettably, is not the same Jason Alexander who played onetime Yankees employee George Costanza), as a wide-eyed naïf caught in the headlights of history like a soon-to-be-roadkill rabbit on a busy highway. If so, we must put this down to artistic license. Because it is far from the truth.

Dickey Kerr was actually a 26-year-old rookie hardened by many years in the minors (he made his professional debut a full decade earlier for the Paragould Scouts in the Northeast Arkansas League) when circumstance embroiled him in its nefarious tentacles as a member of the rotation for Chicago in 1919. He, unlike the two pitchers who had played and lost Games 1 and 2 of the World Series against the Reds, was not in the pocket of gamblers and gangsters. His Game 3 three-hit shutout was one of the most dominant performances in the Fall Classic to that point and he backed that up with a dogged 10-inning complete game 5-4 win in Game 6.

The tightfistedness of White Sox owner Charlie Comiskey that may have been the root cause of the scandal that unfolded the following season also played a central role in Dickey’s somewhat abbreviated career in the bigs. After winning 40 games in 1920-21 (the sixth most in the AL over that period), Kerr held out for a raise. When it wasn’t forthcoming, he signed with and played for the semipro Chicago City Hall side, thereby earning an indefinite suspension from playing in the MLB. He eventually returned to the Sox in 1925, but he wasn’t the hurler he once was and they released him at the end of that season. He would never play in the majors again.

After a few years back in the minors, Dickey became a manager and by 1940 was the skipper for the Daytona Islanders of the Florida State League, where his story takes a most interesting turn indeed.

The Islanders’ star prospect was a wild southpaw pitcher by the name of Stan Musial. Under Dickey’s tutelage, the control issues that had plagued the youngster became a thing of the past and he prospered on the mound (18-5 / 2.62 in 1940) until he injured his pitching arm fielding a ball in the outfield, where he had also shown great promise. After the injury it was Dickey who suggested Musial concentrate on hitting if he wanted to make it to the majors.

During this time, Stan and his pregnant girlfriend Lillian had moved in with Dickey and his wife Cora to save money, and it was Dickey who drove Lillian to the hospital to give birth to a son, whom they named Richard in Dickey’s honour. Years later, when Stan had become “The Man” and the Kerrs had fallen on tough times, Stan bought Dickey the house he and Cora would live in until Dickey’s death from cancer in 1963. So highly thought of was Dickey that, despite his modest output on the field, he actually received 25 Hall of Fame Votes in 1955, his final year of eligibility.

In the FL, Dickey has fashioned a 40-40 record with a 4.05 ERA in his three seasons for the Cleveland organisation, winning the AL Pitcher of the Month award in June 1902. This season has seen him shuttled between the parent club and Wilmington of the PSL, where he recently won the Pitcher of the Month award in the PSLA before being recalled to the bigs. At just 26, here’s hoping he has many more years ahead and can taste the championship success so cruelly taken from him IRL. Shine bright Dickey, your time has come!

BASEBALL REFERENCE PAGE

[luckymann]

Two weeks to go and this one is going right down to the wire.

[ALB123]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Two weeks to go and this one is going right down to the wire.

Wow. Both Leagues legitimately have 4 teams fighting it out. It looks like my Highlanders went on a good run winning 7 of their last 10. Unfortunately, it's too late. This is how baseball was meant to be. Down to the wire, ulcer-inducing, fingernail biting and sleeplessness until the final game of the season.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by ALB123

Wow. Both Leagues legitimately have 4 teams fighting it out. It looks like my Highlanders went on a good run winning 7 of their last 10. Unfortunately, it's too late. This is how baseball was meant to be. Down to the wire, ulcer-inducing, fingernail biting and sleeplessness until the final game of the season.

You heard it here first - 1904 is the year of the Highlanders.

I think both Philly teams are probably going to drop off in '03, and it'll be the White Sox v the Superbas in the Series. But what a finish - two from three seasons so far like this, fantastic stuff!

[luckymann]

Entering the final week the picture is no clearer apart from both Philly clubs having been dropped.

[luckymann]

Americans 7, White Sox 6 (12 innings)
Jim Delsing goes 4-for-4 missing just a longball for the cycle and a Buck Rodgers single off Bert Humphries walks it off for the Bostonians in a slugfest where the teams combined for 33 hits.

Senators 9, Browns 8 (11 innings)
Another extra-innings thriller sees Wally Backman go 4-for-4 with a solo shot and a gaffe by St Louis RF Jim Greengrass gift the Sens a crucial win.

Tigers 6, Athletics 2
The A's are all but officially eliminated from contention as they drop one to the Tigers, with Eddie Kasko driving in 3.

Superbas 14, Pirates 7
A great game by Richie Hebner helps Brooklyn overcome an early injury to starter Mike Lynch to cruise past Pittsburgh and pull further away from their rivals.

[luckymann]

Americans 10, White Sox 9
In a 9th inning they seem set to remember for a long time in ChiTown, the Sox give up 6 to lose 10-9 to Boston. A Jose Ramirez single finishes them off, wasting a monumental 5-for-5 game by Chicago RF Hector Lopez.

Athletics 5, Tigers 3
A dogged win by the A's cannot stop them from seeing the dreaded x posted next to their name in the standings.

Senators 6, Browns 3
The Sens go a game up on Detroit with a good win behind starter Ernie Broglio.

Superbas 8, Pirates 5
Brooklyn falls behind early but finishes strong to continue on their winning ways against the faltering Bucs. A two-run double by George Stovall in the top 8th is the killer blow.

Cardinals 6, Beaneaters 5
The Redbirds withstand a late surge by Boston for a key win that was anything but pretty.

[luckymann]

Tigers 3, Americans 1
The Tigers do just enough to get the win, with starter Weldon Henley going the distance. Boston's Homer Smoot has an ohfer, ending his hit streak at 28 games.

White Sox 3, Athletics 0
A Danny Cox one-hit gem earns the Sox another vital win to keep them in contention. But the clock is a-ticking for them.

Naps 8, Senators 5
Washington drops this one and drops back into a tie with Detroit despite Alex Gonzalez' 3-ribbie effort.

Giants 9, Pirates 6
Pittsburgh's third loss in a row puts them on the cusp of elimination.