Saturday, May 10, 1952
STOCKDALE ON TOP IN TIGHT NI 2ND RACE
There's a tight race going on at midseason in the North Island Second Division... it's beginning to look like a four-team race... Stockdale (7-3) is in the top spot, with a game lead over runner-up Wafford (6-4) and two games up on the third place Theodore Bobcats (5-5) and Union Heights Hackers (5-5)... fifth place Kinston (4-6) could be in the mix, while sixth place West Chester (3-7) appears to be headed nowhere but the cellar this year... regardless of where they are in the standings, the teams in the NISD can put runs on the scoreboard... most clubs have pitching problems.
1st Place: Stockdale Mustangs (7-3)
Stockdale has prospered in its first year in the NI Second Division... the Mustangs were relegated downward this season after little success in the North Island premier division... Stockdale was 14-16 and fourth in 1950, the league's first season... and worse last year, falling to fifth place with a 7-13 mark... the Mustangs bats are hitting much better this year and its hurlers are doing better as well... the drop in class has certainly helped... Stockdale has a well-rounded attack, solid pitching and good defense (.969 FA)... heading up their batting order are Ben Wasko (.368), Patrick King (.300), Sarge York (.300), Kasey Clark (.286), Charley Blackburn (.279), Andy Kessler (.278) and Mike Holston (.273)... top to bottom the Mustangs can handle a bat... on the hill, Sarge York had done quite well, too, with a 6-3 mark and a very good 2.76 ERA... Stockdale could use a right fielder who can hit, but they will likely stay with Jeff Woods, a fine defender, for the meantime... the Mustangs have played consistently well this year and have yet to have a losing streak... expect more of the same in the second half of the season... Stockdale is at home in the North Island Second Division, but it looks like they are headed back to the First Division.
2nd Place: Wafford Eagles (6-4)
Wafford was having a tough time in the NI First Division... they finished fifth in 1950 and got demoted to the Second Division with a 12-18 mark... the Eagles had trouble here, too, with a very poor 5-15 record in 1951, winding up in the league basement... however, they are much improved this season with the addition of several fine rookies, third baseman Alex Fielding (.400) and center fielder Dave Strickland (.283)... coupled with several other reliable hitters like Manny Velasco (.391), Chase Hibbard (.381), Eddie Dixon and Mark Byers (.294)... Wafford can hit the ball and since Ron Myles (5-1, 2.67) took over the mound chores, they have prospered... with recent changes, the Eagles now have a very good defensive team (.973 FA)… Fielding took over third base, weak-hitting Dan Reilly was moved to second base... along with quality first sacker Frankie Lentini (.158) and slick-fielding shortstop Mark Byers, the defense is solid... Myles has turned the club around on the hill... his only loss came in relief early in the season... Myles is 5-0 in his 6 starts, all of them quality starts... the Eagles have won their last 6 games in a row... Wafford will do well as long as Myles stays healthy... the Eagles will certainly be a challenge to the first place Stockdale Mustangs the rest of the season.
3rd Place (tied): Union Heights Hackers (5-5)
Historically in the NIRL, Union Heights did well in year one, 1950, with a 16-14 record, good for third place in the First Division, but they slumped badly in 1951, falling to 5-15 and that got them bumped down to the NI Second Division... with less competition the Hackers have fared better this year and should be in the running for the pennant... they don't hit well for average, but they can go deep (9 homers)... plus they have good pitching and good defense (.965 FA)... rookie hurler Eddie Beal is doing it all... 5-4 on the mound with a superb 2.15 ERA and he is sporting a .429 BA... vets Adrian Bryant (.333) and Robby Neill (.300) are the backbone of the attack... rookie center fielder Greg Banning (.268) has also helped out... Joey Madera (.122) is not hitting his weight, but he has a team high 8 runs batted in... the Hackers are inconsistent this year, but should play well enough to end up in the third spot in the standings.
3rd Place (tied): Theodore Bobcats (5-5)
Theodore has been in the North Island Second Division all three years and due to a lack of pitching will likely remain here... the Bobcats are not likely to catch Stockdale and Wafford... or even Union Heights... it looks like fourth place is the best they can do this year... Theodore was last the first year with a 10-20 record, but they improved greatly last year to 12-8, good for third place... and that's where they are running so far this season... the Bobcats have the bats with the likes of the league-leading hitter Sidney Kimball (.500), Ivan Orsak (.381), Justin Hines (.333), Matt Johnson (.318) and Bobby Brunow (.256)... but they don't have any pitching... in addition, they play poor defense with a .945 FA... Theodore has tried three different starters thus far... Charley Pride (2-2, 4.96) and Cameron Keltz (1-0, 5.40) did not do well... hopefully, the latest one, rookie Walter Johnson, will live up to his great namesake... so far Johnson is 0-2 in 3 starts with a 2.33 ERA... the Bobcats lost a fine, home-run hitting shortstop after 5 games due to a knee injury... rookie Carlo Vezina (.235) hit 3 out of the park in just 5 games... Vezina could return next month.
5th Place: Kinston Firebirds (4-6)
Kinston has always been in the North Island Second Division... they started the new year off well with a 3-1 record in March, but they have fizzled and flopped since... the Firebirds' best season was in 1950 when they broke even at 15-15, good for third place... but they slipped to fourth in 1951 with a bad 7-13 mark... and Kinston could be headed that direction again... the Firebirds have a few quality hitters like vets Fernando De Leon (.333), Doyle Goodrich (.325) and Johnny Andolino (.304)... and they have added some good rookies like first baseman Frank Gullo (.282) and catcher Dan Dusenberry (.400)... but they just don't have it on the hill... rookies Derek James (2-3, 4.46) and Ryan Ray (0-1, 5.40) didn't do the job... now it's been given back to 3-year veteran Mick Morrison (2-1, 1.88)... maybe he can turn it around... where Kinston really needs help is on defense... they are dead last with a very poor .929 FA... it will be tough for the Firebirds to finish any higher than fifth this year.
6th Place: West Chester Comets (3-7)
West Chester has been in the North Island Second Division all three years, too, with little success... fifth in '50 with a 13-17 mark... fifth again in '51 at 7-13... and last so far this season... the crux of the Comets' lack of success is pitching, especially this year with an atrocious 5.65 ERA... in a few words the Comets don't hit well or pitch well, but they do handle the gloves well (.969 FA)... the most productive bats are rookie Joe Musgrove (.268) and 3-year veteran Deloy Chapman (.243)... rookie catcher Tim Marko (.313) is hitting well and doing a fine job defensively... 3-year vet Lynn Burgess (.283) is always reliable at the plate and in the field... veteran lefty Cloyd Benton (1-2, 3.65) has been the only effective pitching on the staff... all in all, it's not going to be a good year for the West Chester Comets.
