[Kavalkade]

June 1st, 1901

After the first full month of play, no team in either league has established themselves as early season favorites. The Brooklyn Superbas were the most consistent team in the National League (22-16) thanks in part to great hitting from RF Christopher Erasmus (.374, 4 HR, 27 RBI) and solid pitching from Rube Bewley (7-3 2.43 ERA), but Chicago (N), Boston (N), and the injury-riddled preseason favorite New York Giants are looming only 1 and 2 games back. The Detroit Tigers rode a 4 game winning streak to lead the American League, but only 1 game ahead of Washington and Cleveland.

Giants first baseman and team captain Henry Bernard suffered the first of two serious injuries that have crippled the Giants championship hopes. On May 10th, Bernard belted a ball down the rightfield line at Cincinnati's Old League Park. Bernard fell to one knee and tried to stand back up, but collapsed face first into the grass, grasping at his lower back. Bernard had to be carried off the field and it was later revealed that he had torn a muscle in his back and would not return for quite some time. Starting pitcher John Edwards was also lost for the season when he ruptured a tendon in his pitching elbow on the last pitch of a complete game victory at Pittsburgh Exposition Park.

Despite the injuries suffered by Bernard and Edwards, the most serious injury of the young season came in a game between the Chicago (A) White Stockings and (oddly enough) the New York Giants. Starting pitcher Jeffrey Catoe of the White Stockings, pitching in only his second major league game wound up to throw and fell to the ground writhing in pain. It was a painful diagnosis for the young man from Michigan, a ruptured disk in his back. The injury should not cripple Catoe, but his baseball playing days have ended, with a record of 0-1.

The longest game in recorded history was played on April 27th at the West Side Grounds in Chicago between the Orphans and Phillies. The game came in at a whopping 7 hours and 16 minutes, with the Phillies winning 2-1 in the 21st inning.

Pitcher Vernon Sims of the Chicago (N) Orphans threw the first ever PERFECT GAME on May 3rd, 1901 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Batter of the Month

AL - Aaron Dahms, C, Milwaukee Brewers - Aaron currently leads the AL in hitting, with a .441 clip, including a .474 average in Many. Not much of a power threat, but a singles machine.

NL - Christopher Erasmus, RF, Brooklyn Superbas - Chris hit 3 homeruns in the month of May and is currently tied for the NL lead with 4 HR. He is also 2nd in RBI and sports an batting avg. of .368.

Pitcher of the Month

AL - Stephen Chapman, Chicago (A) White Stockings - Chapman was a tough luck loser in May, going 4-3 with an ERA of only 1.83 including 6 complete games.

NL - Vernon Sims, Chicago (N) Orphans - Sims was undefeated in May, going 4-0, including the PERFECT GAME he threw vs the Cardinals.

Scouting Report:
Darin Person, C, Philadelphia (N) Phillies

This 27-year-old from Lexington, KY is one of many talented young catchers in the National League. Not the most talented player, but being a switch hitter, can spray the ball to all fields. He gets most of his power from the left side of the plate, but is more of a line drive hitter than a slugger. His fielding is average behind the plate, but his throwing arm, while quite accurate, is not very strong.