United Leagues of Braeland

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Hall of Fame Inducts Four Players in Inaugural Class
Okura Ito, Brady Murdy, Paul Hooks and Neil Guerin Get the Nod

BALMORAL, August 9, 1947 (BP) – Their time in the United Leagues may have been brief, but their impact on the young, fledgling enterprise will be felt for a long, long time. That is the consensus reached by the 48 members comprising the newly formed Baseball Reporters Association of Braeland (BRAB) as well as the six-member Braeland Hall of Fame panel. The resulting class of four is comprised of two outstanding starting pitchers in Kingston’s Brady Murdy and Cambria’s Neil Guerin; as well as two of the finest position players in the ULB’s early years: Kingston’s Okura Ito and Embro’s Paul Hooks.

The official ceremony inducting the first members into the Braeland Hall of Fame was held on the grounds of Gilbert Hall, at the King Hugh University in Balmoral. Gilbert Hall will serve as the home of the Hall of Fame and Museum until a permanent facility is constructed, which is expected to be built within the next few years.

One Hall of Fame Member Remains Unaccounted For

The weather cooperated for the outdoor ceremony. The storm clouds of the previous day gave way to bright sunshine, albeit with cool temperatures. But the overall festive atmosphere of the proceedings was dampened somewhat by the knowledge that one of the inductees was not on hand to accept his honour. Okura Ito, who played for the Kingston Pelicans for their first four seasons, was notably absent. In fact, his current whereabouts and fate are unknown. Ito returned to his native Japan back in July 1941, when Braeland severed diplomatic relations with the Empire of Japan. It is believed he resettled in his hometown of Kasakake and was ultimately compelled to join the Imperial Japanese Army during the height of the Second World War. But little is known of his life after that. Efforts by the Commissioner’s Office as well as those of the Kingston Pelicans to determine his current status have so far borne little fruit.

United Leagues Commissioner Sir David Westfall stated that the League has made a “feverish attempt” over the past number of months to ascertain his whereabouts or at least determine his current fate.

“We have been assisted tremendously by the Department of External Affairs in making enquiries to the military government occupying Japan, but such efforts have yet to yield results,” stated the Commissioner, speaking to reporters prior to the ceremony. “We have also been unable to contact any of Okura’s known relatives who might know of his fate. Obviously, we would have loved to have welcomed him back in person, or even see him return as an active player in the United Leagues, but simply knowing his current status at this time would have been much more preferable over not knowing what be-came of him. But we will continue our efforts in ascertaining his fate. We would love to communicate to him how much we appreciate his contributions to the United Leagues. Or should our worst fears be realized, honour him in an appropriate manner.”

Highlights of the Player Inductions

Commissioner Westfall began the Induction ceremony by noting how the uncertainty of the United Leagues’ future back in 1937 paralleled the Nation’s continued search for stability.

“10 years ago, in the face of a great depression and the collective struggle we as citizens were involved in to reaffirm democracy in this country, the United Leagues were born. That struggle and determination to finally put behind us the troubled past of our Nation, well reflects the determination the United Leagues has had in facing and overcoming formidable odds.

Besides the economic challenges, we as a League and as a Nation, have faced a world war head on and prevailed. As a result, we face the future stronger and more hopeful than ever. How fitting then that we take the time to mark this achievement and celebrate those players who thrilled us with their excellence and grace, both on and off the field.”

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Notable Achievements:

Player of the Week: 12
Batter of the Month: 4
United Cup MVP: 1
All-Star Selections: 4
All-Braeland Teams: 3
Highest career batting AVG: .348
Most total bases in a season: 361 total bases in 1938-39
Most hits in a post-season: 23 in 1938
Led Western League in Hits 4 straight years (Led ULB in hits 3 times)
Led Western League in Total Bases 3 straight years (Led ULB in total base twice)

The first player honoured was Okura Ito, whose current welfare was a concern for all in attendance. Former teammate Fergus Chitty, who currently plays with the Stratford Barons, accepted the honour on Ito’s behalf and spoke to the crowd of about 9,000 regarding his former colleague:

“You see this likeness of Okura on his plaque and it captures well the demeanour he had when he was on the field. There was no fiercer competitor. That drive is what made him one of the very best. But what it doesn’t capture is the playful side of ‘Okee’; the practical jokester that terrorized the clubhouse; the sheer joy he got from spiking jelly donuts with hot mustard and watching the results. Yeah, he thought that was hilarious. But it kept us loose in the clubhouse. That, as much as anything, is why those Pelican teams were so successful. So ‘Okee’, wherever you are, we miss you, man. You will always have a special place in our hearts. And now, you will have a special place in the Hall of Fame as well.”

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Notable Achievements:

Player of the Week: 1
Pitcher of the Month: 7
Satchel Paige Awards: 3
All-Star Selections: 5
All-Braeland Teams: 2
First Triple Crown Winner: 1938-39 (23-8, 2.17 ERA, 159 K)
Lowest WHIP in a season: 1.01 in 1938-39
Lowest OPP OBP in a season: .254 in 1938-39
Led Western League in Wins 3 straight years (Led ULB in W twice)
Led Western League in Strikeouts 3 straight years (Led ULB in K twice)
Led Western League in Complete games 4 straight years (Led ULB in CG 3 times)

The next honouree was another of Ito’s teammates – Brady Murdy, who brought along a full entourage to witness this special day. His seven children, along with his wife Gloria, were on hand to cheer on their dad. But the man who was said to have pitched with ice water in his veins and tear the confidence of batters to shreds was himself the picture of timorousness on this day, his voice quivering at times with emotion.

“Looking back on my youth playing baseball with my school chums on the sandlots in our neighborhood, I never dreamt for a moment that I would actually get to play this beautiful game for a living. Then, to not only play for my hometown Pelicans but to make it to the Hall of Fame as well – it’s unbelievable. I will never forget this day for the rest of my life. Thank you so much!”

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Notable Achievements:

Player of the Week: 3
Batter of the Month: 4
Babe Ruth Award: 1
All-Star Selections: 4
All-Braeland Teams: 2
Holds career records for SLG (.555) and OPS (.973)
Led Eastern League in SLG 3 times (Led ULB in SLG once)
Led Eastern League in OPS 3 times (Led ULB in OPS once)

The Eastern League was represented by Paul Hooks on this day, the “Awesome Aussie” who powered the Embro Suns’ almost single-handedly in the early years, until joined by Terence Durney and a young Jim Friend in the lineup. Hooks returned from his native Australia to attend the ceremony and reflected on how his baseball career in Braeland began on a dare from friends.

“Those who know me can tell you what a stubborn streak I have. Just tell me I can’t do something, and I’ll go and do it, just to prove you wrong. So, when we learned that Braeland was starting up a new baseball league and offering tryouts to anyone who would come here, my friends scoffed at me, telling me I wouldn’t make it. That’s all I needed. I thought making the team was the greatest achievement of my life, but to have gotten the call telling me I was being inducted into the Hall of Fame – there are no words to describe my emotions. I am so grateful to the Embro Suns and the United Leagues for giving this kid a chance to play the game he loves. Thank you.”

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Notable Achievements:

Pitcher of the Month: 3
Satchel Paige Awards: 1
All-Star Selections: 5
All-Braeland Teams: 1
Led Western League in WHIP twice (Led ULB in WHIP once)

The final inductee of the day was Neil Guerin, the ace of the Cambria Cannons’ early teams, and the current field manager of the Pulberry Trolleys. The good-natured Guerin was a popular pitcher who made friends with practically everyone he met in the League – until they had to face him upon stepping into the batter’s box. That good nature was on display after Paul Hooks jokingly placed a step in front of the podium for the 5’-7” Guerin just as he was making his way to the stage. Guerin did not miss a beat and used the step throughout his induction speech.

“Being short does have its advantages. That’s how I was able to sneak into the Hall of Fame unnoticed,” he quipped. “When I got the call telling me I had been inducted, I nearly fell out of my chair. Fortunately, it wasn’t far to the ground.
“But all kidding aside, what a remarkable, remarkable day. I never expected this day to come quite frankly, having spent just a relatively short time in the League as a player. You look around the United Leagues right now, and you see so many young, talented players who will easily eclipse what I, Paul, Brady and Okura were only able to do in the short time we had. But I am truly humbled by this honour and to be considered a pioneer in the early days of the Leagues. I thank the Cambria Cannons, my family and all of you, for giving me this opportunity to pursue my dream.”

[Archelirion]

Been reading this over the past few days, and (as I'm sure you're bored of hearing by now) I'm amazed at what a wonderful dynasty you've created - the graphics are amazing, but the pacing is what gets me the most - it's perfect. Over the last month or so I've been slowly developing a fictional world for OOTP, and this has given me so much impetus to get going with it.

I'm gutted that Okura Ito wasn't about to collect his award - the Japan embargo added an interesting element to the story, and I love the way you tied war in with the story generally. At least Katsunan Chikafuji was Braeland-born, as he's one of my favourites ^ ^

Very happy about the 1946-7 winners. Let's go Eagles!

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September 1, 1947

1947 Off-Season

The United Leagues entered Spring Training coming off perhaps the quietest offseason in its young history. No internal crisis, no external threats imposed themselves onto the Leagues or the individual clubs. Thus, the Leagues could focus on the Hall of Fame festivities and gear up for their 11th campaign without distractions. But that doesn’t mean there were no surprises. A couple of clubs saw some shakeups in management and a few interesting trades were consummated heading into the September Coconut Leagues.

A few of the noteworthy developments are noted below:

April 21 – New Owner in Brunswick

In an unanticipated move, majority owner Brendan Kelloway sold his shares in the Brunswick Legends to local entrepreneur and Legends’ minority shareholder Glen Crowe. The 57-year old Crowe now owns 62% of the team and becomes the President and Chief Executive Officer. He is considered demanding, but is expected to take a charitable approach to payroll matters. Despite the change in ownership, it is not expected to affect the jobs of General Manager Reomel Buesa or Field Manager Finlay Fay, at least not in the immediate future. Buesa has been the only GM in the Legends’ 10-year existence and has two years remaining on his contract. Fay is embarking on his second year as the Brunswick skipper and is signed for a further three years.

Shortly after the sale was completed, it was announced that the 59-year old Mr. Kelloway joined the Commissioner’s Office to serve in a new post, as the Commissioner’s Chief Communications Officer.



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April 30 – Stratford Cleans House

In a move that shocked many within the ULB, the Stratford Barons gave long-time manager Bill Quinn his walking papers, just one season after leading the Barons to their second United Cup Championship. Quinn had managed the Barons since their inaugural season, and leads all ULB managers in victories (847). He guided Stratford to three playoff appearances and two United Cups. He also won three Manager of the Year Awards. However, the Barons fell to 5th place last season, with a 74-80 record and obviously Stratford felt it was time for a change. But Quinn, who has an excellent reputation and favors the smallball, should find himself employed once again in the not-to-distant future. I’m quite surprised he remains unemployed heading into Spring Training. The move occurred on the same day as GM Gabriel Cockburn’s decision to retire. Cockburn had the Barons GM since Day 1 as well.

The next day, Stratford hired 46-year old Robin Ash to be their new GM. It’s his first time as a GM at any level. A few days later, on May 5, the Barons hired 50-year old Zachary Smith to be their new field manager. Smith previously managed the Pullbery Trolleys for two undistinguished seasons.



Also, two-time Manger of the Year Award winner Bradley Balmforth opted to retire as the Sherburn Tigers’ manager at the end of last season. 58-year old Lewis Trueman, who had been the Tigers’ bench coach the last four seasons, was promoted to the Manager’s role. It’s his first manager’s job in the ULB. He had previously served as a bench coach for the Downie Chiefs and Embro Suns before joining the Tigers.



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April 26:

The Queensland Eagles acquired 28-year old 3B Ramiro Urbina (65/68) from the Downie Chiefs.

In return, the Chiefs received 24-year old minor leaguer CF Brian Wearmouth (22/22).

Knee-jerk reaction: Not sure what either team is thinking here. Urbina is an above-average hitter albeit with low plate discipline and decent defense. He just won a Top Fielder Award at 1B, but the Eagles have opted to play him at 3B, in place of 22-year old Alexander Crutcher, who didn’t set the world on fire in his rookie campaign. But Crutcher, taken 11th overall back in 1945-46, is the more promising player going forward in my view. Urbina would be a better fit remaining at 1B.

As for Downie, they essentially give away a decent player for free, as Wearmouth is NOT a future major league player. And Downie does not have a top-ranked 1B to take over from Urbina. Sigh.



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May 1:

The Brunswick Legends traded for 30-year old RF Ron Westmacott (46/46) along with $1,700 from the Fort Richmond Generals. The Generals in return receive 24-year old minor leaguer 3B Kevin Wigley (23/23).

Knee-jerk reaction: Westmacott’s best days are clearly behind him, so it’s not really known why Brunswick felt the need to acquire him. But with the decline of 38-year old RF Mark Elston well underway, it appears Brunswick viewed Westmacott as his replacement. That is, until their June 4 trade for Marcus Peyto. As a result, Westmacott will once again be an afterthought.

Westmacott was clearly not in the Generals’ future, and Fort Richmond essentially gave him away. In fact, Wigley was flipped to the Hespeler Stars in a minor deal just two days later.



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May 9:

The Wolseley Unions sent 26-year old 2B Neil Boyle (37/48) and $10,400 in cash to the Cambria Cannons.

In return, the Unions received 31-year old LHP Gavin Hewat (34/34) and 23-year old minor league C Nathan Montgomerie (23/42).

Knee-jerk reaction: Hewat is an inconsistent pitcher whose best days were back in the early 40’s with the Hespeler Stars. Nevertheless, he had a nice bounce-back season as Cambria’s No. 2 starter last year (12-15, 3.28 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 102 ERA+). He becomes Wolseley’s No. 5 starter, replacing Ross New, and gives the Unions a LHP in the rotation. Montgomerie is a defense-first catcher whose needs to sharpen his offensive skills if he wants to stick at the major league level.

Boyle was a back-up with Wolseley and will remain as such with the Cannons. He is a versatile, solid defender, with two Top Fielder Awards at 2B. Offensively, he is not the player he once was when he toiled for the Fort Richmond Generals a few years ago. So, I don’t see this trade as doing anything for the Cannons, other than watering down their rotation even more.



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June 1:

The Braeland City Monarchs received 26-year old SS Simon Flatt (57/60) from the Cobourg Red Stockings.

In return, the Red Stockings acquired 37-year old RHP Lenny Freke (68/68).

Knee-jerk reaction: The first of two trades that Cobourg made for a pitcher. Lenny Freke is not the pitcher he once was; his stuff has diminished. But despite a rough season (13-13, 4.21 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 81 ERA+) where he was eventually relegated to Braeland City’s No. 5 starter, he enters Spring Training pegged as Cobourg’s Opening Day starter. He has been an absolute workhorse for the Monarchs since Season 1 and is a very intelligent pitcher. It will be interesting to see if Cobourg’s faith in Freke is rewarded.

Flatt meanwhile, was a 4th overall pick for the Red Stockings back in 1940-41. He has some contact skills, good hands and excellent speed. But his ratings are not that much better than the man he will be replacing in the lineup, 24-year old Luwen Rodenburg, who won a Top Fielder Award last season. So, it will be interesting to see how Flatt makes out in the Nation’s capital.



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June 4:

26-year old RF Marcus Peyto (78/78) is heading to the Brunswick Legends in a trade with the Hespeler Stars.

In return, the Stars received 4 minor leaguers:

19-year old 1B John Fennell (21/42)
20-year old RHP Dominic Whitmore (20/76)
18-year old SS Kai Ensor (21/74)
19-year old C Harley Creswell (20/23)

Knee-jerk reaction: Now here’s a trade you can sink your teeth into. The Legends acquire their present and future rightfielder, as Peyto is rated No. 1 among rightfielders and No. 10 among position players overall. The 2nd overall pick from 1941-42 is coming off his best season and was a strong candidate for the All-Braeland Team this past season. He is penciled in as Brunswick’s clean-up hitter.

But Hespeler received some intriguing prospects in return, but still a little light for a player like Peyto, methinks. The most promising is Whitmore, an 11th overall pick from last season. The young pitcher is no longer considered a prospect, but if he gets a couple of developmental boosts in stuff (35/45) and control (30/45), Hespeler could have a very good pitcher on their hands. Fennell and Ensor were both selected in the later rounds of last year’s draft (3rd & 5th rounds respectively), but like Whitmore, a couple of developmental boosts could be make them very useful offensive players for the Stars. We’ll shall have to wait and see.



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July 18:

The Balmoral Giants shipped 26-year old RHP Ramón Ortíz (73/77) and $5,500 to the Cobourg Red Stockings.

In return, the Giants received 3 minor leaguers:

22-year old SS Joshua Huxtable (22/25)
23-year old SS Félix Coloa (23/28)
23-year old C José Valdés (22/24)

Knee-jerk reaction: Cobourg’s GM Denzel Seamon continues his novel method of attempting to upgrade the Red Stockings’ starting rotation. After acquiring 37-year old Lenny Freke, Seamon went after Balmoral’s top relief pitcher in Ortíz. He is considered a borderline starter with a good fastball (50) and sinker (55), but a lousy changeup (25). His stuff is pedestrian (40), but he has excellent movement (70) and control (60). Also, his stamina will be a concern (35). Nevertheless, he is pegged as Cobourg’s No. 2 starter, behind Freke.

None of the minor league players the Giants received in return are expected to make much noise, but Huxtable and Coloa have shown flashes of offensive ability in the minors and possess decent defense.



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The War Gained chart below reflects the moves Brunswick and Wolseley made in acquiring Marcus Peyto and Gavin Hewat respectively. Two teams, the Kingston Pelicans and Pulberry Trolleys, have not made any player movements whatsoever heading into Spring Training.

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Originally Posted by Archelirion

Been reading this over the past few days, and (as I'm sure you're bored of hearing by now) I'm amazed at what a wonderful dynasty you've created - the graphics are amazing, but the pacing is what gets me the most - it's perfect. Over the last month or so I've been slowly developing a fictional world for OOTP, and this has given me so much impetus to get going with it.

I'm gutted that Okura Ito wasn't about to collect his award - the Japan embargo added an interesting element to the story, and I love the way you tied war in with the story generally. At least Katsunan Chikafuji was Braeland-born, as he's one of my favourites ^ ^

Very happy about the 1946-7 winners. Let's go Eagles!

Thank you so much for the kind words, Archelirion! I'm looking forward to see how your fictional world unfolds. I love fictional leagues and dynasties where you can let your imagination take over and create something unique.

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The United Leagues embark on their second decade of organized baseball in the South Pacific, as the Leagues have just completed Spring Training and finalized their regular season rosters.

This overview will be spread over two posts. The first will provide a review of the Coconut League results and projections for the up-coming season, along with player and farm team rankings.

The second will offer some history accumulated over the past 10 seasons and upcoming milestones.

Here’s a look at the Eastern League:





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What stood out to me was the fact that only 6 games separated the top club from the bottom. The Braeland City Monarchs started off the pre-season strong, but cooled off considerably in the second half.

As far as the projections go, one thing I’ve learned is to take these things with more than one grain of salt. But the Monarchs, who finished in last place last season, are projected to be a player this year, along with the Downie Chiefs. Conversely, the defending United Cup Champions Queensland Eagles are not given much respect. No Eagles player appears in the Top 10 in this simulation either. Whether the conversion to OOTP18 played a role in this, I’m not sure. But it appears OOTP18 does not like young pitchers, as we will see later in the Prospects listing. But I do hope the projections are right about the increase in overall offense this season. Last season saw an all-time low in league averages, especially in the West. I would love to see someone reach 40 HRs, 150 RBIs milestones for the first time.

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Just like last season, the Balmoral Giants dominated the Coconut Leagues (12-3 in the first half). They cooled off just a little in the second half, but still finished with the best overall record. But the projections show that it won’t account for much in the regular season, as they are predicted to finish in the second division. Wolseley and Fort Richmond are both up-and-coming clubs, and the projections bear that out. The Unions won the Western League Pennant last season, while the Generals are still searching for their first post-season appearance. One name to keep an eye on will be Shinzo Okamoto, Fort Richmond’s 23-year old RHP who was the 16th overall pick back in 1942-43, originally by Embro. He is entering his third season in the ULB and if the projections hold true, the Wellington-born Okamoto may find himself in the Satchel Paige discussion by year’s end. But that’s still a long way off. However, he will be Fort Richmond’s Opening Day starter.

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One trade was made during Spring Training:

September 4:

The Kingston Pelicans trade for 26-year old 2B Salvador Bañuelos (63/80) from the Downie Chiefs. In return, the Chiefs receive 27-year old RHP Bernie Knowles (59/60).

Knee-jerk reaction: It might seem counter-productive for a club that has had trouble escaping the basement to give up highly-rated player such as Bañuelos. But Bañuelos appears to have faced a roadblock to getting regular playing time in Downie. At every position Bañuelos can play, the Chiefs already have a 1st round pick establishing themselves. In fact, Downie has six 1st round draft picks and a 2nd round pick in their lineup. So, springing for Knowles, a capable but overlooked starter for the Kingston Pelicans over the past two seasons is not a bad move. Knowles’ stuff isn’t all that impressive, but his movement and command are very good. He becomes Downie’s No. 3 starter, the same as he was with the Pelicans.

Bañuelos takes over 2B from 37-year old Mo Symes (23/23). Mo is a 7-time all-star but is not the player he once was. This move also allows Kingston to return 23-year old IF/OF Ryoma Hakui (26/78), a 2nd round pick from last season, back to AA for further seasoning. Bañuelos is not the most disciplined hitter and has no power, but is an Award Winning defender at 2B with a ton of speed. He will bat 2nd in the lineup.



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Two teams updated their uniforms for this season: the Cobourg Red Stockings and Wellington Athletics.



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To round out this first snapshot of the United Leagues, here are the top players and pitchers, top prospects and farm systems, as well as the current injuries as of Opening Day.

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Rounding out Opening Day, here are some snapshots looking back over the last 10 seasons, including records and upcoming milestones. Also included are the history indices of the AAA Amethyst Leagues and the AA Heritage Leagues.

[Izz]

Love the anniversary logo!

[Bottom Of The Sixth]

After all of these years, and as time goes by, it is still hard to believe that this league gets better and more interesting, thanks to all of the time and top-notch effort you pour into it. It is truly a labor of love and it shows!

That is why I still feel that this league is the ultimate dynasty league and should be the poster child and bench mark for all future leagues.

Long Live Braeland!

Keep up the great work Daren!

[reds1]

December 1, 1947

Eastern League: Roberto, Ryan and No-Hitters





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The changes made in management over the off-season seem to have done the Stratford Barons some good, as the club has responded with the best record in the ULB over the first two months of the season. A major reason is the tremendous start that two Barons are having: 24-year CF Roberto Ríos (.283/.411/.611, 14 HR, 47 RBI, 43 BB, 4 SB) and 39-year old LHP Ryan Borden (8-1, 1.81 ERA, 1.08 WHIP). Ríos, who signed a minor league contract with the Barons out of Aruba back in 1940, was once rated as the No. 1 prospect in the ULB. He was an all-star last season, but this is the first time he has won a Batter of the Month honour. He quickly made it two.

Ryan Borden is embarking on his 11th season in the ULB and he has been one of its most consistent, reliable pitchers. He is a 5-time all-star and won a Satchel Paige Award back in 1943. But he has missed time in the past due to serious injuries: last season, he was out 6 months due to a torn shoulder muscle and in 1944-45 he missed 4 months due to shoulder inflammation. But Borden has come back with a vengeance. Not only did he win back-to-back Pitcher of the Month honours, he is currently rated as the top pitcher in the ULB.

But outside of 28-year old C Aaron Skidmore (.308/.420/.500, 8 HR, 29 RBI, 33 BB), the Barons are still looking for offensive consistency. They may have found it, as a number of starters came alive in November.

On the other hand, Borden has been ably supported in the rotation by 30-year old RHP Kelvin Hutchinson (6-4, 2.90 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) and 29-year old RHP Bill Blair (5-2, 2.87 ERA, 1.06 WHIP). Stratford has also found a spot for their No. 1 rated pitching prospect: 21-year old RHP Magtanggol Jaojoco (0-0, 2.30 ERA, 0.96 WHIP), who was promoted October 23 to provide middle relief.

Offense: .255/.347/.388 (6th/3rd/4th)
Pitching: 3.55/3.41/4.45 (2nd/2nd/7th)
Defense: .714 (Tied for 3rd)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 27 – SS Jake Walker (.355, 11 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI)

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The Braeland City Monarchs are trying to put a forgettable 1946-47 season behind them and they are off to a good start in accomplishing that. The Monarchs were road warriors, having played 38 of their first 51 game away from home. But they went 21-17 in those games, which included some tough matches against Western League teams.

Braeland City has a plethora of outfielders, particularly rigthfielders, so getting playing time is a challenge. That has been the case with 24-year old RF Carlos Ruíz (.326/.404/.652, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 2 SB), a former 4th round pick back in 1941-42, who has seen very little action in the ULB. But he earned a berth to the AAA all-star game last season and now, thanks to injuries, he finds himself in the starting lineup against RHP. He is making the most of it.

Offense: .261/.327/.364 (4th/6th/6th)
Pitching: 3.70/3.66/3.95 (3rd/3rd/5th)
Defense: .713 (4th)

Noteworthy:

October 20 – 34-year old 3B Adam Ashley (.287/.355/.369, 14-2B, 13 RBI, 21 BB, 6 SB) went 5-for-6 against the Stratford Barons, with 1-2B and 2 R. It wasn’t enough though, as the Barons prevailed 12-11.

Key Injuries:

RF Gavin Bansfield – October 19 – fractured fibula. Out for: 2-3 months.
RF Jesús Ortega – November 2 – sprained elbow. Out for: 1 more day.

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The offense is still a mild concern for the Brunswick Legends, but a healthy RF Marcus Peyto (.301/.403/.545, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 28 BB, 3 SB) will go a long way in helping that. The 27-year old Peyto missed the first half of October after fracturing his wrist in spring training.

The pitching is the story though, as the 5-man rotation – all lefties – continues its steady ways. It also made history, as two pitchers – Wilson Villas and Hirotada Fukushima – pitched NO-HITTERS just four days apart in November. They are the 4th and 5th no-hitters in ULB history and the first since the 1944-45 season, when Kingston’s Charlie Gilbert accomplished it.

Offense: .244/.333/.386 (7th/5th/5th)
Pitching: 3.31/3.15/4.07 (1st/1st/6th)
Defense: .698 (6th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 10 – SS Jorge Arredondo (.545, 12 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI)

Noteworthy:

November 9 – 33-year old SP Wilson Villas pitched the game of his life when he NO-HIT the Cambria Cannons at Alexander Field in Cambria. He finished with 4 BB and 4 K, facing only 31 batters in a 3-0 victory.
“I knew for a while it was a no-hitter,” Villas admitted later. “But I really didn’t worry about it until the last out. I thought I just wanted the win the game, and then I realized I wanted the no-hitter, too.”



November 13 – Lightning strikes for the second time. 32-year old SP Hirotada Fukushima pitches a NO-HITTER; just four days after teammate Wilson Villas did it. This time it was against the Balmoral Giants. Fukushima faced 30 batters, had 2 K and gave up 3 BB in a 4-0 victory at Balmoral’s Foster Field. Giants’ manager Morrigan O’Lonergan could only marvel at what he saw. “He was on from the get-go. He was hitting his spots and keeping us off balance. It was a great game by him.”



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It’s the same story for the Embro Suns as the first two months see the offense thriving but the pitching struggling. That had been their glaring weakness last season and it has only gotten worse (their ERA was 4.06 last year). The back end of the rotation is simply a train wreck right now, with 31-year old Matt Miller (4-4, 5.23 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) and 33-year old Oscar Burress (2-6, 9.22 ERA, 2.23 WHIP) struggling. Only 32-year old ace RHP Myung-gu Son (4-5, 3.29 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) is offering any kind of consistency.
But they do have 21-year old LHP Carl McBroom, a former 6th overall pick from 1944-45 toiling in AAA, and the scouts say that he is possibly ready for the ULB.

There appears to be an interesting battle shaping up at the SS position. It seems age has finally have caught up to future Hall of Famer 40-year old Gary Watkinson (.250/.324/.250, 8-H, 7 RBI, 4 BB, -0.3 WAR) and he missed most of October and early November with a fractured finger. That has allowed 24-year old Rafael De La Cruz (.284/.315/.343, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 7 BB) and 23-year old rookie Connor Reddick (.348/.375/.424, 3-2B, 9 RBI, 3 BB) to get some playing time at the position. For now, Watkinson is still in the lineup facing RHP, while De La Cruz is starting against LHP. Reddick is also playing back-up to 2B José Sánchez (.305/.459/.368, 4-2B, 9 RBI, 27 BB, 8 SB).

Offense: .277/.353/.390 (2nd/2nd/3rd)
Pitching: 4.60/5.20/2.77 (7th/8th/2nd)
Defense: .690 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 3 – 2B José Sánchez (.565, 13 H, 2 RBI)

Noteworthy:

November 8 – IF Connor Reddick went 5 for 5 against the Stratford Barons, with 1-3B, 1 RBI and 2 R. Stratford prevailed however, 9-5. Reddick is a former 5th overall pick from 1944-45.

Key Injuries:

LHP Edward Hill – October 27 – bone chips (elbow). Out for: 2-3 months.
RF José Maldonado – November 2 – sore elbow. Out for: DtD, unknown.

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The Cobourg Red Stockings are the top offensive team in the entire ULB after the first two months, but an unimpressive pitching staff has largely undermined those efforts. As a result, the Red Stockings find themselves 8 games under .500 and well back of the playoff chase. Certainly the loss of newly acquired RHP Ramón Ortíz (0-1, 6.75 ERA. 1.75 WHIP) doesn’t help. Ortíz suffered a torn rotator cuff in his first start and is gone for the season.

But the rest of the starters have not distinguished themselves. 38-year old Lenny Freke (6-4, 4.62 ERA, 1.48 WHIP), who was also acquired in the off-season, is as good as it gets.

25-year old RHP Trent Beaton, who went 20-10, 2.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP last year, is just 2-5, 5.35 ERA, 1.71 WHIP so far this year. His performance nicely sums up the down-turn in Cobourg’s pitching fortunes. And they have no pitching prospects waiting in the wings either.

Offense: .307/.353/.443 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 4.64/4.88/3.63 (8th/7th/3rd)
Defense: .695 (7th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 13 – RF Salvador Hernández (.458, 11 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI)
October 20 – 2B George Simpson (.478, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
November 17 – SS John Medley (.462, 12 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
November 24 – 3B Alexander Tolmie (.500, 12 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 5 R)
December 1 – CF Raymond Williams (.462, 12 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI)

Noteworthy:

October 28 – 26-year old 2B George Simpson (.370/.389/.491, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 6 BB) pounded out 5 hits in 6 chances against the Embro Suns, with 1-3B, 4 RBI and 2 R. Not surprisingly, the Red Stockings triumphed 14-6.

Just a few days later, on October 31, 26-year old LF Evan Houk (.303/.346/.373, 4-3B, 16 RBI, 10 BB) went 5 for 6 as well, helping Cobourg defeat the Queensland Eagles, 11-2 in Queensland. Houk collected 2 RBI and 1 R.

Key Injuries:

CF Dwaine Whit – September 4 – broken knee cap. Out for: 3-4 weeks.
RHP Ramón Ortíz – October 7 – torn rotator cuff. Out for: 4 months.

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By the looks of it, the 1946-47 season, where the Wellington Athletics finished with an unexpected 78-76 record, was merely a mirage, as the Athletics are headed to their worst record in team history unless they can right the ship in the remaining months. For Wellington, ‘righting the ship’ would mean at least an improved offense. They have the talent in the lineup to be better, but a few of the players are struggling.

Repeating his Triple Crown performance from last season was highly unlikely in the first place, but 28-year old LHP Arthur Bence (4-6, 3.90 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) is definitely struggling as well. His current FIP is 4.91; last year it was 2.89. Wellington’s best pitcher so far has been 34-year old RHP Darren Whiteley (3-2, 3.52 ERA, 1.37 WHIP), but he will miss up to a month to injury.

Wellington does have some fresh blood in the rotation that could provide some spark: 23-year old RHP Matt Price (0-6, 2.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP). He has been impressive in his 7 starts, with only one rough outing, where he surrendered 5 ER in 7.0 IP against Brunswick. He gave up no ER and only 3 H in 8.0 IP against the Hespeler Stars back on November 24. Alas, the Athletics lost 2-1. But last season in AAA, he earned a trip to the all-star game and won the Walter Johnson Award in the ALB for best pitcher (13-7, 2.17 ERA, 0.94 WHIP). So Wellington seems to have a promising ace in the fold.

Offense: .255/.312/.358 (5th/8th/7th)
Pitching: 3.96/4.00/3.73 (5th/4th/4th)
Defense: .736 (1st)

Key Injury:

RHP Darren Whiteley – November 18 – sprained ulnar collateral ligament. Out for: 2 weeks.

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The Downie Chiefs are a bad team albeit with a lot of promise. If it can come together, then the Chiefs will (finally) be a player in the East. Their offense is comprised of premium but still raw talent. Hopefully they can blossom together.

Two of the Chiefs’ starters are off to fine starts: 32-year old Harley Bracher (4-5, 2.47 ERA, 1.39 WHIP) is enjoying his best start in the ULB. He was claimed off of waivers from the Kingston Pelicans back in 1945-46. The other is 27-year old Bernie Knowles (2-5, 2.80 ERA, 1.32 WHIP), who was just acquired from Kingston in a trade during spring training.
On the other hand, 25-year old RHP Keli Pelanekelina (3-6, 4.97 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) has struggled mightily in his last six starts. He has given up 37 ER in 44.1 IP in that span.

Offense: .241/.315/.352 (8th/7th/8th)
Pitching: 4.34/4.18/5.29 (6th/6th/8th)
Defense: .715 (2nd)

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The eagle has crash-landed apparently with no obvious reason why. The Queensland Eagles may not be the most dominant team on offense or pitching right now, but their stats suggest that they should be better than their record indicates. They are 4-13 in one-run games and their Pyt. Record stands at 22-29. But November was a disaster and pushed the defending United Cup champions all the way down to last place. They need to put it behind them and start playing like they’re capable of.

But it also could be that Queensland is doing a bit of rebuilding on the fly. 40-year old RHP Stewart Colcott (0-2, 4.30 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) is showing his age. So far this season, he has missed 12 weeks due to a partially torn labrum suffered early in spring training. He just got back on November 11. SS Dermott Akers also suffered a long term injury during spring training. But there are couple of young players that could work their way into the everyday lineup and rotation soon. 23-year old SS Bob Sobel (.238/.319/.274, 3-2B, 4 RBI, 10 BB) is now getting a chance to start regularly against RHP. He was a 12th overall pick from 1944-45.

And 20-year old Stiofan Micklethwait (7-2, 2.69 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) is blossoming in his first season at AAA. He was a 9th overall pick last season and is currently rated 33rd overall among prospects.

Offense: .263/.334/.396 (3rd/4th/2nd)
Pitching: 3.88/4.10/2.74 (4th/5th/1st)
Defense: .699 (5th)

Key Injuries:

SS Dermott Akers – September 9 – post-concussion syndrome. Out for: 3-4 months.
RHP Joong Ling – October 30 – radial nerve (elbow). Out for: 5 months.
SS Feleti Monti – November 29 – mild shoulder strain. Out for: Dtd, 4 days.

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[reds1]

Originally Posted by Bottom Of The Sixth

After all of these years, and as time goes by, it is still hard to believe that this league gets better and more interesting, thanks to all of the time and top-notch effort you pour into it. It is truly a labor of love and it shows!

That is why I still feel that this league is the ultimate dynasty league and should be the poster child and bench mark for all future leagues.

Long Live Braeland!

Keep up the great work Daren!

Thank you so much, Chad!

[reds1]

December 1, 1947

Western League: Marching in Lockstep





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The Wolseley Unions have essentially picked up where they left off last season, when they qualified for the playoffs for this first time. The Unions lead the Western League after the first two months, but not by much, as six teams all remain within two games of striking distance. So it appears the West will not be a runaway this season.

The Unions are seeing a change at 1B. 28-year old Craig Aiton (.227/.261/.273, 2-2B, 5 RBI, 1 BB) had been their nominal 1B since 1942-43, but lost his starting job this season. 22-year old rookie Bob Goodyear, a 2nd round pick from 1943-44, was tabbed to take over. But when he suffered a serious injury in spring training, long-time utility player 26-year old Steve Laurence (.339/.449/.583, 7 HR, 28 RBI, 25 BB) took over. This is Laurence’s 6th year with the Unions since being drafted in the 2nd round back in 1941-42. Thus far, he leads the team in WAR (2.1) and is rated 5th overall among 1B in the ULB.

Offense: .280/.353/.411 (2nd/2nd/2nd)
Pitching: 3.77/3.55/5.09 (4th/3rd/8th)
Defense: .723 (3rd)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 3 – LF Carlton Hawking (.500, 12 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI)

Key Injuries:

LHP Bruce Whitten – October 16 – partially torn UCL. Out for: 4-5 months.
LHP Shane Gledhill – November 4 – elbow strain. Out for: 1 more week.

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The Kingston Pelicans continue to be one of the top clubs in the ULB, but after the first two months, they are finding the top of the standings getting crowded. The offense remains top-notch, but the pitching has not been the dominant force it has been in the past. Only 27-year old ace LHP Patrick Denman (5-5, 2.87 ERA, 1.37 WHIP) has been his usual reliable self. The Pelicans are easing 23-year old LHP Dana Listman (3-1, 4.01 ERA, 1.62 WHIP) into the rotation in the No. 5 slot. Listman, a former 3rd overall pick from 1943-44 was inexplicably given his outright release by the Sherburn Tigers back in 1945, even though he was rated as the 13th overall prospect at the time. He signed a minor league deal (with a bonus!) with Kingston a couple of weeks later and has been groomed by them ever since.

Offense: .281/.358/.425 (1st/1st/1st)
Pitching: 3.89/4.01/3.33 (5th/5th/3rd)
Defense: .707 (4th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 20 – LF Lance Haworth (.700, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)

Key Injury:

SS Katsunan Chikafuji – October 20 – broken hand. Out for: 8 weeks.

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The Hespeler Stars came alive in November, feasting on Eastern League teams, to the tune of a 15-6 stretch. The Stars have not enjoyed a winning season since their inaugural year when they went 79-75. This season they’re on pace to win 87 games. But whether that’s sustainable or not is another matter. The offense has been quite impressive, which is all the more remarkable since they traded their best player, RF Markus Peyto, to the Brunswick Legends in the off-season. Their pitching staff is not the most dominant either.

That said, 29-year old veteran LHP Jake Osmotherley (6-5, 3.22 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) is off to the best start of his 8-year career. Pitching right behind him in the rotation is 22-year old rookie RHP Paul Woodruff (4-1, 1 SV, 1.98 ERA, 1.12 WHIP). Woodruff is Hespeler’s top pitching prospect, having drafted him in the 2nd round back in 1945-46. They have another talented pitcher in the rotation in the form of 23-year old RHP Stephen Tindall (4-6, 4.08 ERA, 1.59 WHIP), a 7th overall pick back in 1943-44. If he can find his groove, then the Stars should be in a great position to challenge the top clubs in the West the rest of the way.

Offense: .277/.340/.403 (3rd/3rd/3rd)
Pitching: 4.02/4.02/3.97 (6th/6th/5th)
Defense: .700 (6th)

Player of the Week Awards:

December 1 – LF Bart Warwick (.500, 9 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)

Noteworthy:

November 9 – 28-year old RF Wayne Savory (.295/.363/.446, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 15 BB) went 5-5 against the Cobourg Red Stockings, helping the Stars prevail 9-3. He started things off with a solo shot in the 1st and then produced 4 separate RBI singles in the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th innings.

Key Injury:

2B Henry Yarnold – October 19 – broken hand. Out for: 8 weeks.


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The Pulberry Trolleys are also a team that came alive in late October and November, after starting the first half of October 3-10. For the Trolleys, it’s all about the pitching, as they currently boast the top pitching staff in the United Leagues after 2 months. Their best pitcher so far has been 29-year old RHP Lenny Tennison (5-5, 2.80 ERA, 1.18 WHIP), who is actually slotted in as their No. 4 starter. Tennison toiled in the minors for 8 seasons until finally given the chance by Pulberry to start two seasons ago.

If the offense can get rolling, then the Trolleys too can be a serious player in the West down the stretch.

Offense: .256/.328/.377 (6th/6th/7th)
Pitching: 3.22/3.27/2.91 (1st/1st/1st)
Defense: .729 (1st)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 10 – LF Bruno Lapthorne (.550, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)

Key Injuries:

RHP Bradley Paris – September 17 – torn UCL. Out for: 3 months.
LF Bruno Lapthorne – November 14 – Sprained knee. Out for: DtD; setback – another 4 days.

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The Fort Richmond Generals have the youngest pitching staff with only one hurler over the age of 28; the rest are 26 years old or younger. But all that youth has not hampered the Generals; indeed their pitching has been their strength thus far. 23-year old rookie RHP Shinzo Okamoto (5-6, 3.71 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) is holding his own, despite being appointed Fort Richmond’s No. 1 starter at the start of the season. The unheralded RHP Ch’ang-chieh Li (5-3, 3.35 ERA, 1.07 WHIP), who is coming off an impressive rookie season (7-5, 2.82 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) is proving to be a stalwart as well. The 25-year old from China signed a minor league deal with Fort Richmond way back in 1939. 24-year old Nicky Sherlock (6-4, 3.12 ERA, 1.35 WHIP) has been impressive as well, with only one rough start so far this season – a 9-3 loss to the Stratford Barons where he surrendered 7 ER.

But on offense, it’s just 27-year old 1B Juan Sánchez (.327/.407/.556, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 21 BB) and 25-year old CF Dylan Moyne (.326/.382/.489, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 18 BB, 6 SB) providing the spark. They are both off to their best seasons in the ULB. 26-year old C Louis Wearne (.278/.383/.500, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 22 BB) has not been bad either. But the Generals will need the rest of the lineup to step it up if it wants to compete for the playoffs this season.

Offense: .252/.319/.388 (8th/8th/4th)
Pitching: 3.48/3.41/3.99 (2nd/2nd/6th)
Defense: .724 (2nd)

Key Injuries:

RHP Reece Leevers – October 1 – partially torn labrum. Out for: 4-5 weeks
LF Jake Stunt – November 21 – sprained ankle. Out for: Dtd; 2 weeks.

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The Sherburn Tigers are the 6th team in the West that is within 2 games of first place. But whether they have the horses on offense to keep up with the rest remains to be seen. Without question, they still have the best 1-2 combination in the ULB at the top of the rotation in 23-year old RHP Jesús Chapa (7-3, 2.90 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) and 28-year old RHP Roberto Taváres (6-4, 2.59 ERA, 1.44 WHIP).

There are also a few bright spots in the lineup. 27-year old SS Otton Overbeek (.311/.350/.526, 6 HR, 35 RBI, 12 BB) is enjoying the best start of his 7-year career. 27-year old RF Javier Serrano (.333/.373/.465, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 8 BB), who was acquired from the Balmoral Giants last season, is also off to his best start. Even the much-maligned LF Gary Therien (.302/.415/.406, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 21 BB) is producing. Although a nightmare defensively, the Tigers appear set on using the 26-year old regularly at LF. His bat is just too good to ignore, so it will be interesting to see how he fares the rest of the way. Finally, if Sherburn can get 29-year old C Neil Voigt (.315/.364/.477, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 10 BB) back from injury soon, the offense may just have enough firepower to make a post-season push.

Offense: .262/.332/.375 (4th/5th/8th)
Pitching: 3.74/3.69/3.96 (3rd/4th/4th)
Defense: .688 (7th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 13 – SS Otton Overbeek (.481, 13 H, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 8 R)

Key Injuries:

LHP Phi Wiebe – September 21 – torn flexor tendon. Out for: 3-4 months.
C Neil Voight – November 16 – hamstring strain. Out for: 1 week.

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The Balmoral Giants’ horrible start in October left them well behind in the standings, but they enjoyed a nice rebound in November. Their biggest flaw is the pitching: right now, only 34-year old RHP Bailey Keedwell ((7-3, 3.02 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) is pitching with some consistency. He is off to his best start in years.

On offense, the Giants’ perennial leaders are still doing the leading: 29-year old SS Francisco Rodríguez (.296/.359/.402, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 20 BB) and 29-year old RF Carlton Broadbent (.281/.368/.444, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 25 BB). But Balmoral has a couple of rookies working their way into the lineup. 22-year old C Dominic Pipard (.361/.400/.463, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 7 BB) is now the club’s starting catcher, taking over regular duties from 36-year old Gavin Hurley (.308/.384/.646, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 8 BB). Finally, 24-year old CF Yo ‘Yo-yo’ Yoshida (.195/.238/.283, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 9 BB, 2 SB) is still finding his way at the plate, but his defense has simply been outstanding (+10.2 ZR, 1.103 EFF in 46 GS). Yoshida is one of the first free agents to emanate out of Japan again.

Even if the youngsters establish themselves quickly, the pitching is going to have to step it up big time if Balmoral is going to be a player in this season’s playoff hunt.

Offense: .262/.325/.378 (5th/7th/6th)
Pitching: 4.39/4.42/4.22 (7th/7th/7th)
Defense: .703 (5th)

Player of the Week Awards:

November 17 – 3B Allen Cattanach (.500, 11 H, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
November 24 – SS Francisco Rodríguez (.435, 10 H, 4 RBI)

Key Injury:

RHP Connor Ainsley – November 8 – ulnar nerve entrapment. Out for: 4 months.

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The Cambria Cannons appear to be the only team in the West without a realistic chance at competing for a playoff spot. Only 32-year old ace Leon Hankey (3-4, 3.60 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) can be said to be offering decent pitching, and the offense is being carried by three players: 31-year old SS Wenceslas Jasmin (.311/.390/.357, 7-2B, 18 RBI, 25 BB), 30-year old C Heung-su Park (.269/.340/.461, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 18 BB) and 28-year old 1B Brad Mitchinson (.284/.346/.544, 12 HR, 37 RBI, 17 BB). Mitchinson, who was acquired in the off-season from the Stratford Barons, is proving to be a nice pickup for the Cannons. But with a weak pitching core and just too many players having down years, such as RF Nicky Willis (.200/.344/.353, -0.6 WAR), 3B Shelby Cain (.221/.319/.301, 0.8 WAR) and 2B Neil Boyle (.230/.360/.270, 0.1 WAR), it’s a pretty safe bet that Cambria will remain near the bottom of the Western League standings the rest of the way.

Offense: .255/.340/.383 (7th/4th/5th)
Pitching: 4.55/4.91/3.28 (8th/8th/2nd)
Defense: .681 (8th)

Player of the Week Awards:

October 27 – RF Nicky Willis (.407, 11 H, 2 HR, 6 RBI)

Key Injuries:

RF Clint Jones – November 8 –strained wrist. Out for: 4 days.
CF Brian Cosey – November 14 – sprained thumb. Out for: Dtd, 5 days.
LF Hao Wang – November 23 – torn quadriceps. Out for 4 weeks.

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[reds1]

Originally Posted by Izz

Love the anniversary logo!

Thanks Izz!

I've had that one waiting in the wings for a number of years now. I finally got to use it!

[reds1]

October 29, 1947

Okura Ito Found
Baseball Legend Identified Among Returning POWs from India

BRAELAND CITY, October 29, 1947 (BP) – You can finally exhale baseball fans. Okura Ito, the former United Leagues legend who was forced to leave the country back in July 1941 when Braeland severed diplomatic relations with the Empire of Japan, has finally been found. Okura Ito’s whereabouts has been a topic followed with the utmost interest in this country, ever since it was announced that he was to be inducted into the new Braeland Baseball Hall of Fame. However, despite the efforts of the Department of External Affairs, the United Leagues Commissioners Office, as well as the Kingston Pelicans who Okura Ito played for, tracking him down proved to be elusive.

But late yesterday afternoon, the Department of External Affairs announced that military personnel attached to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan relayed to them the news that they had just processed a certain Okura Ito, who was being repatriated following four years of internment at the Allied prisoner of war camp in Delhi, India.

This morning in Braeland City, Secretary for External Affairs Clifford Miles, held a news conference that was packed with reporters to provide further details on Mr. Ito’s welfare and the circumstances of his life since leaving Braeland.

“Yesterday at 5:30 pm, we received a communiqué from Colonel Max McCormick of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers that they had received a contingent of Japanese soldiers returning from the British prisoner of war camp in Delhi, India. During the debriefing process, a military officer recognized the name of one of the soldiers when he was asked to identify himself, having been aware of the ‘Braeland bulletin’ – our request for information on this particular individual. After asking the returning soldier questions regarding his assignment in the Japanese Burma Area Army, the circumstances surrounding his capture by the British and various personal details, the officer then asked him if he had previously played professional baseball in Braeland.

“The soldier, who was lying on a cot due to his weak condition, suddenly opened his eyes for the first time during the interview, looked at his interrogator and asked through an interpreter, “How did you know that?” Our officer then informed Mr. Ito that in addition to his immediate family, he had an entire nation waiting in expectation for news of his safe return. It was then he noticed that the soldier’s eyes began to well up. He closed them and turned his head away. With that, the officer concluded the initial debriefing, confident that he had identified the individual we had been seeking.”

In response to the barrage of questions from reporters, Mr. Miles provided a brief sketch of Okura Ito’s experiences following his induction into the Imperial Japanese Army.

“According to Colonel McCormick, Okura was sent to serve in the Burma garrison as part of the Japanese Burma Area Army in November 1943. He miraculously survived not only the disastrous Battle of Kohima, but the horrendous Battle of Imphal as well. He was among the surviving members of the Japanese Army who surrendered to the Allied forces at Moulmein on 15 August 1945.”

However, Mr. Miles noted that Colonel McCormick was reticent to provide any further information on Okura’s activities following his surrender and internment at Delhi.

“It is entirely possible that instead of spending much time at the Delhi prisoner of war camp, Okura was pressed into duty by the British to serve in the Japanese Surrendered Personnel. Whether he was merely required to do road and airfield repair or in fact saw further military action in either the British or French colonial territories, we, of course, have no idea. But we do know that he experienced wretched conditions both before and after his surrender. We rejoice that Okura has finally made it home safely and it is our prayer that he and his fellow prisoners of war make a speedy and full recovery.”

United Leagues Rejoice Over Okura’s Safe Return

Foremost among those in Braeland overjoyed at Okura Ito’s safe return to Japan is the United Leagues family. Mr. Brendan Kelloway, Chief Communications Officer for the United Leagues, was on hand at the press conference and spoke to reporters following its conclusion.

“As Mr. Miles so eloquently expressed it, we rejoice with the rest of Braeland that Okura has been found and has returned home to recuperate from his ordeal. Certainly, we would love to see Okura return to Braeland and be honoured in person. But until such time both his personal circumstances as well as the political circumstances allow him to, we simply hope for a full recovery and lots of rest. We can only imagine what he has been through.”

[Bottom Of The Sixth]

Super great news!

Hip Hip hooray!

[reds1]

December 6, 1947

Stratford, Perth (BP) – General Managers and scouts convened today as the United Leagues took time to conduct their 11th Annual Amateur Draft, held at the Agincourt Hotel in downtown Stratford. Eight rounds were scheduled for the day-long event.

Braeland City made the first selection, followed by the Sherburn Tigers and Balmoral Giants. Here is a brief overview of the 16 players taken in the first round:

1st Pick – Braeland City Monarchs:



IF/OF Patrick Lidgate (23/80) – 22-years old; 5’-11”, 180 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Monarchs went with the 22-year old Lidgate from Brunswick for the first overall pick. Lidgate possesses well-above average contact and plate discipline, to go along with solid defense in both the infield and outfield as well as above average speed. He is praised by scouts for his focus and concentration. If he delivers on his promise, he should become a top-tier player in the ULB. He will get his feet wet with Braeland City’s AA Kingsville Royals.

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2nd Pick – Sherburn Tigers:



2B Jack Burt (23/80) – 21-years old; 5’-10”, 175 lbs.; Bats LH/Throws RH.

The Tigers go with Jack Burt, a plus-contact hitter with average fielding at 2B and decent speed on the basepaths. While he will not be a home run threat, he is an intelligent ballplayer. He heads to Sherburn’s Hannon Greyhounds in AA.

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3rd Pick – Balmoral Giants:



IF/OF Orlando Morales (23/80) – 21-years old; 5’-11”, 175 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Balmoral Giants go with the Dominican Morales, who has the talent to be a perennial all-star. He is an above-average contact hitter with very good overall defensive skills and awesome speed. He is considered a student of the game who will bust his tail to become better. He will get his start with the Georgetown Goldbugs.

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4th Pick – Downie Chiefs:



IF/OF Louie Revill (22/80) – 19-years old; 5’-11”, 185 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

Stratford’s Revill should earn the reputation of being a tough ‘out’; great contact with solid power and patience at the plate. Speed is not in his repertoire. But while he won’t win any defensive awards, he shouldn’t embarrass himself at the hot corner either. The scouts admire his ability to shut out any stress he may face. He heads to Downie’s AA team, the Minto Tribe.

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5th Pick – Embro Suns:



3B Moromao Nakagawa (22/80) – 19-years old; 5’-8”, 160 lbs.; Bats Switch/Throws RH.

The Braeland City native is blessed with great plate discipline and a quick bat. With a little more work mastering off-speed stuff, he should become a fearsome hitter. If that weren’t enough, Nakagawa should be a solid third baseman with decent speed. He is off to the AA Lythmore Atoms.

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6th Pick – Pulberry Trolleys:



IF/CF Bryan Goetz (23/79) – 21-years old; 5’-10”, 175 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Trolleys go with the talented Goetz from Embro. Goetz has a compact, clean swing that will help him spray the ball around the field. He has already shown he can work the count and will be a nightmare for pitchers and catchers once he is on the basepaths. Thus, he is projected become an outstanding lead-off hitter and defender. The AA Hopetown Islanders will be his first port of call.

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7th Pick – Hespeler Stars:



OF Tim Beattie (21/80) – 18-years old; 5’-8”, 165 lbs.; Bats LH/Throws LH.

The young Beattie will earn respect from pitchers, as he is a tremendous contact hitter with some extra base power and decent patience. He will not be a threat on the base paths however, and his defense is currently a concern. He will start with the AA Muir Electrics.

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8th Pick – Fort Richmond Generals:



OF Tom Lind (20/64) – 18-years old; 6’-0”, 170 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The Generals select the young Lind from Ottawa, Canada. Lind should be a solid hitter with good contact, power and plate discipline. Base-stealing will be a big part of his repertoire. Defensively he will need to work on his footwork, but his throws are accurate. He will make his way to the AA Marburg Mustangs.

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Here is the rest of the first round, selections 9-16:

9th Pick – Stratford Barons:

OF Sherwin Carasig (20/77) – contact (40/65), gap power (40/60) and eye (25/50). 18-years old; 6’-0”, 165 lbs.; spray hitter; line drive hitter; Bats LH/Throws LH.

Carasig from the Philippines is projected to be another all-around solid player, with above average contact, some power and a good eye. While he will be an average defender at best, his speed and acceleration on the base paths will cause headaches for pitchers and catchers. He will report to the AA Brockville Bears.

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10th Pick – Cambria Cannons:

RHP Keith Roche (21/71) – stuff (35/55), movement (60/65) and control (40/55); stamina (35). 22-years old; 5’-9”, 170 lbs.; extreme groundball pitcher; 89-92 Mph velocity; Bats RH.

The second Canadian and first pitcher selected in the first round, the Cannons go with an excellent reliever who may serve as an emergency starter on occasion. With a little more work in the minors, his stuff, movement and control should be top-notch. His two signature pitches will be the sinker (55/60) and changeup (25/60). The Cannons have assigned him to their AA club, the Vandecar Spurs.

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11th Pick – Wellington Athletics:

RHP Zachary Collingham (20/79) – stuff (35/50), movement (55/65) and control (40/60); stamina (60). 21-years old; 6’-2”, 195 lbs.; gb/fb neutral; 89-91 Mph velocity; Bats RH.

Wellington selects the second pitcher of the round, Balmoral’s Collingham, who is projected to become a sturdy starting pitcher. With respectable stuff and exceptional movement and control, Collingham’s best pitches are his fastball (45/50), curveball (40/50) and changeup (20/55). Scouts do express concern over his ability to remain focused while on the mound, however. He will report to the AA Evansville Clowns.

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12th Pick – Cobourg Red Stockings:

IF/OF Bill Sharkey (23/71) – contact (40/55), gap power (45/55) and eye (40/50). 22-years old; 6’-2”, 190 lbs.; normal, line drive hitter; Bats LH/Throws RH.

Speed and defense will be Sharkey’s calling card, as his defense in centerfield is outstanding and his speed is off the charts (80/80/65). A line drive hitter, he should be an above average contact hitter albeit with little power or discipline. He is off to the AA Cardiff Crushers.

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13th Pick – Brunswick Legends:

1B Jack Barham (21/74) – contact (35/55), gap power (35/55) and eye (30/55). 18-years old; 6’-1”, 200 lbs.; pull, flyball hitter; Bats LH/Throws LH.

Barham looks to be a bit of a project, but if his batting skills develop fully then he should become a well-rounded hitter. That would be a very good thing, as he possesses no speed whatsoever and his defense is limited (30 at 1B). He will start things off with the AA Jarvis Smokers.

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14th Pick – Queensland Eagles:

IF/OF Ryan Conisford (22/75) – contact (40/55), gap power (45/55) and eye (40/60). 21-years old; 5’-10”, 180 lbs.; normal, flyball hitter; Bats RH/Throws RH.

The second player selected from Stratford in the first round, Conisford shapes up to be a very nice offensive player with excellent contact, some home-run ability (30/40) and really great patience. His strongest position defensively is 3B; he has a terrific arm and range, but stealing bases will not be part of his game. He heads to the AA Innerkip Oysters.

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15th Pick – Wolseley Unions:

LHP Bill Southon (20/72) – stuff (35/50), movement (45/60) and control (20/50); stamina (60). 17-years old; 6’-3”, 180 lbs.; gb/fb neutral; 88-90 Mph velocity; Bats LH.

The Unions select a hometown kid, a left-handed starter and the youngest player selected in the first round. Southon won’t blow anyone away with his stuff or control, but should become a decent pitcher with a good slider (35/50) and changeup (25/50), to go along with a fastball (40/45) and curveball (35/45). He begins his career with the AA Waterloo Whips.

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16th Pick – Kingston Pelicans:

RHP Kieran Bunce (20/72) – stuff (35/40), movement (60/65) and control (35/55); stamina (50). 22-years old; 6’-4”, 215 lbs.; groundball pitcher; 89-901 Mph velocity; Bats LH.

Kingston completes the first round, selecting pitcher Bunce from Downie. Bunce has passable stuff with very good movement and decent control. His repertoire includes a fastball (40/45), curveball (35/45) and slider (30/45). Scouts love his focus and he will get his start with the AA Elgin Angels.

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Here are the standings as of December 31:

[Eugene Church]

Wonderful story about Ito and his war years.

These excerpts make your dynasty really special.

Keep up the excellent work!

[reds1]

January 13, 1948

Seeing Stars: West Outlasts East in Wild All-Star Affair

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Hespeler, Norfolk (BP) – Pitching and defense went out the window as the Eastern and Western League All-stars lit up the scoreboard at The Fabulous Avalon Park in Hespeler, to the tune of 21 runs, 35 hits and 4 errors between the two squads. In spite of that, only two home runs were hit – both by the Eastern League – and the game remained remarkably close right up to the end. The Eastern League All-Stars held the lead for the first half of the game, but the Westerners eventually took the upper hand in the sixth inning, before the East tied things up in the top of the ninth. With all the offensive fireworks that preceded it, it was only fitting that the winner was ultimately decided by the last at-bat in the bottom of the ninth, sending 30,750 fans home happy.

Below is a summary of the highest scoring all-star game, the 11th in United Leagues history:

Top of the 1st:
After getting two quick outs to start the game, Sherburn’s Jesús Chapa runs into trouble. He gives up back-to-back singles to Jake Walker and Stuart Bentham, followed by a walk to Jilenko Vergara, loading the bases. Roberto Ríos then singles and Adam Ashley doubles, scoring three runs before Chapa can escape the inning.
Eastern League 3 – Western League 0

Bottom of the 1st:
With Brunswick’s Anastasio Rodríguez pitching, Francisco Rodríguez leads off with a first-pitch triple. Dylan Moyne then singles in Francisco for the West’s first run. Danny Trowbridge also singles, moving Moyne to second. Carlton Hawking immediately follows Trowbridge with a double, scoring Moyne. Trowbridge, however, is cut down at home plate on the play. Carlton Broadbent then singles his fellow Carlton over to 3B, but a throwing error (E7) allows Hawking to score, tying up the game.
Eastern League 3 – Western League 3

Top of the 2nd:
With Pulberry’s Lenny Tennison taking over with one out, Edgardo Barrón triples. Ryley McLarnon follows with a single, giving the lead back to the Easterners.
After Jake Walker singles McLarnon to 2B, Stuart Bentham then steps in and smashes a 3-run home run 347 ft. to leftfield, giving the Eastern All-stars a 4-run lead.
Eastern League 7 – Western League 3

Bottom of the 2nd:
With Downie’s Bernie Knowles pitching, Allen Cattanach singles with one out. A 4-3 ground out by Francisco Rodríguez advances Cattanach to 2B. A double by Dylan Moyne and a single by Danny Trowbridge cashes in two runs for the West.
Eastern League 7 – Western League 5

Top of the 4th:
Ryley McLarnon leads off with a first-pitch single, but is thrown out at 2B on a fielder’s choice during Jake Walker’s at-bat. Stuart Bentham then doubles home Walker, but Bentham is cut down at 3B while trying to stretch his double.
Eastern League 8 – Western League 5

Bottom of the 5th:
Juan Sánchez leads off with a walk and then advances to 2B when Otton Overbeek reaches safely on an error (E4). Wen-huan Liu follows with a single, bringing home Sánchez. Back-to-back sac flies by Roland Binns and George Kimpton then score Overbeek, getting the West to within one.
Eastern League 8 – Western League 7

Top of the 6th:
Brunswick’s Marcus Peyto slams a one-out solo home run 373 ft. to leftfield off of Kingston’s Kia Tosh, giving the East a two-run cushion.
Eastern League 9 – Western League 7

Bottom of the 6th:
That cushion doesn’t last long, as the Western All-stars quickly load the bases against Embro’s John Palm. Heung-su Park leads off with a single, Bart Warwick reaches safely on an error (E4) and Javier Serrano draws a full-count walk with nobody out.
Juan Sánchez is then hit by a pitch and Otton Overbeek draws a second full-count walk to force in the tying runs.
After Ryan Borden replaces John Palm on the mound, Wen-huan Liu flies out to deep centerfield, scoring Serrano and giving the Western League the lead for the first time.
Eastern League 9 – Western League 10

Top of the 9th:
With one out against Wolseley’s Ian Peter, Tzu-yu Song, Jorge Arredondo and Aaron Skidmore punch out back-to-back-to-back singles, driving in a run to knot up the game at 10-apiece.
Eastern League 10 – Western League 10

Bottom of the 9th:
Facing Brunswick’s Matthew Monroe, rookie John Peterkin leads off and beats out the throw at 1B to eke out a first-pitch infield single. Heung-su Park follows with a single as well, putting runners on the corners. That sets up Hespeler’s Bart Warwick as the hometown hero, as Warwick pushes a 2-2 single through the hole into shallow left field, scoring Peterkin for the winning run.
FINAL: Eastern League 10 – Western League 11

In the end, 22 of the 24 pitchers selected to the All-Star Game see game action and Brunswick’s Stuart Bentham is voted as the Game’s MVP despite the Eastern All-Stars coming up just short.

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Here are the complete All-Star rosters:

[reds1]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Wonderful story about Ito and his war years.

These excerpts make your dynasty really special.

Keep up the excellent work!

Thank you so much, Eugene!

[Bottom Of The Sixth]

So what is the January 13, 1948 Sports Headlines?

"Pitching Duel at All-Star Game"; "Reports of "Juiced Balls" being used in All-Star Game; All-Star Pitchers "Tipping Pitches"?

[reds1]

Originally Posted by Bottom Of The Sixth

So what is the January 13, 1948 Sports Headlines?

"Pitching Duel at All-Star Game"; "Reports of "Juiced Balls" being used in All-Star Game; All-Star Pitchers "Tipping Pitches"?

Heh, I like the 'tipping pitches' theory, myself. I remember thinking before I played out the game, "maybe it will be a low-scoring affair and just need a quick write-up." After the first two innings I knew that was out the window!