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July 1, 1901
As the season nears the halfway mark, the Allentown Fleetwings continue to assert themselves as a favorite for a spot in the Governor's Cup Series. None of the other seven clubs are out of the running for the other postseason berth..which should make the summer a very interesting one for most KL rooters.
Allentown sluggers Earl Conant (.358-9-40) and Jud Ryan (.349-9-37) continue to mash the ball, and are #1 and #2 in the race for the batting title. Conant, a 38-year-old first baseman, reeled off a 22-game hitting streak that was snapped by the Altoona Alleghenies on June 22. Earl stands 6'1" and tips the scales at a healthy 245 pounds, so he's not a good candidate to extend a streak by legging out an infield single.
The Fleetwings' ace, Doc Hawkins, continues to win and win and win. He's 13-2 on the year already, with a fine 2.17 ERA.
The York White Roses are currently in last place, but that can't be blamed on Roberto Cruz. The stocky righthander went 5-0 during June, including a sparkling 2-hit shutout of arch-rival Lancaster before a big crowd at York Grounds on the 22nd. Not for nothing was Cruz named the KL's Pitcher of the Month.
Williamsport OF Fred Ervin's batting average lingers in the .220s, but when he hits them, they go a long way. Ervin launched 10 homers during June and drove in 24 runs, picking up the Batter of Month award. Fred leads the league with 20 home runs, three more than a group of four players that include Bethlehem C Ernie Hatfield (.310-17-43, league-best .418 OBP) and York 1B Pete Rosinsky (.275-17-59), the league's RBI leader.
Don Miller's introduction to pro ball was a rough one. He was hit hard in his first appearance for the Uniontown Paladins (AA), walking four batters and giving up three runs in 2.1 innings. The recent #1 pick in the amateur draft is working from the Paladins bullpen for now.
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