May 22, 1939
MINERS, FORESTERS CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WAY
The Pittsburgh Miners managed to avoid getting a third key injury in as many weeks but that was about the only streak they put an end to as the Miners continued their strong play with a 4-2 week. Meanwhile the Cleveland Foresters remain the leader in the Continental Association, something that comes as a surprise to many observers who expected Cleveland to be on the downswing especially after the controversy surrounding a General Manager change and the retirement of legendary catcher T.R. Goins just hours before Opening Day.
Thought to be in need of a rebuild the Foresters instead are 17-9 on the season including victories in 10 of their last 13 games. Cleveland is 4-1 in extra innings games and at +23 their run differential is tops in the CA thanks to a balanced offense and for the most part some pretty consistent pitching. As Cleveland sails along the four teams expected to comprise the first division of the CA - Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Toronto and Chicago - all have struggled to one degree or another. The Wolves have been hit especially hard, stumbling to a 9-16 start but Brooklyn has also been a disappointment as the Kings had eyes on a CA record 4th straight pennant but since below .500 as the first month of the season heads to a close.
Unlike Cleveland, the Pittsburgh Miners were certainly expected to be one of the team's to beat in the Federal Association and they have lived up to their billing. Pittsburgh has been even more dominant then their FABL best 17-8 record might indicate as they have already amassed a run differential of +59 thru their first 25 games. Detroit, at +15 is second in that category but the Dynamos, who along with struggling Chicago, were expected to challenge Pittsburgh for the Fed title. Instead it is the surprising St Louis Pioneers who hold down second place in the Fed.
MINUTEMEN ADD VETERAN ARMWhile much of the talk surrounding arms races is focused on Europe there has been a battle of one-upmanship going on in the Federal Association for the past couple of years as the contenders all target veteran pitching. The Boston Minutemen are the latest Fed contender making a splash with the addition of a veteran pitcher as they announced the acquisition of southpaw Art Myers from the struggling Philadelphia Keystones. The Boston move comes on the heels of off-season trades by Pittsburgh (to add Karl Johnson), Detroit (Sergio Gonzales) and the Chicago Chiefs (George Thomas) to upgrade their pitching over the winter.
Boston is off to a strong start and the club hopes the addition of the 32 year old Myers might solidify a rotation that relies heavily on Dick Higgins (3-3, 2.72) and Mike Lee (4-1, 2.27) especially with 23 year old John Edwards (2-4, 5.73) still struggling to live up to his vast potential. Myers, ranked by OSA as one of the top ten pitchers in the game, is off to a 3-1 start with a 2.35 era despite pitching in front of a very weak Keystones squad. A first round pick in 1925 the two-time all-star was in his 11th season with the Keystones and owns a 101-77 career record.
In return the rebuilding Keystones add a promising young shortstop prospect in 21 year old Tim Humphrey. The switch-hitting Humphrey is off to a great start in AAA, batting .388 for the Columbus Titans. He was originally a second round pick out of a Virginia High School in 1935 and OSA feels he could develop into an above average shortstop. Philadelphia also will receive Boston's fourth round pick in next month's draft.
JIGGS MCGEE'S TAKE: A statement from the Minutemen that they plan on being part of the Fed race this season. Myers is a durable steady veteran arm who can slot in behind Higgins as Boston's #2 starter very easily. They gave up a nice prospect in Humphrey but with Lew McClendon set as the long-term answer at shortstop Humphrey was a player they could afford to part with. The question now is just how serious is Boston about making a real charge this year? Their pitching is much better now but in my books they still lack a big bat to truly make a run at their first pennant since 1915. Maybe that bat will come from within if one or more of youngsters Mack Sutton, McClendon and Bill Van Ness can get on a roll or if outfielder Dave Henry can recapture the form he should a couple of years ago but Boston fans would feel better about their chances if they club makes one more statement move before the deadline. The infield of the very near future for the Keystones could look pretty strong with Billy Woytek at second and former Detroit draft pick Hank Koblenz manning third with Humphrey standing in between them.
QUICK HITS
With the final draft pool released and round 4 underway the focus in Quick Hits this week is on some of the draft prospects.
- A big question in Brooklyn is does Rats McGonigle see the big leagues before this season ends? The 4th overall draft pick put up some very good numbers at Bronx Tech (.350/.418/.613) was second in the AIAA in batting average - trailing only Lou Millican, who had the benefit of playing against Poor competition. McGonigle was also tied for 3rd in HRs with 12 while also stealing 33 bases. The awards and All-American teams won't be announced until next week but at quick glance the Christian Trophy looks to be a battle between McGonigle and pitcher Harry Sharp of Red River State.
- I am going to say the Pioneers got a steal with the selection of hometown boy Harry Sharp in the third round. My scout loves Sharp and he put up some great numbers in his lone season at Red River State, posting an AIAA best 10-1 record with a 1.92 era - also tops in the college ranks.
- Quite a high school career for Marcus Mangum. The teen who was selected 5th overall by the Detroit Dynamos in January just finished his prep career at Louisa (KY) High School. His career mark of 37-4 puts in 5th all time in career HS wins and his 576 career K's is also fifth most all-time. Of course the high school kid to watch is New York City sophomore Hiram Steinberg. The 16 year just posted his second consecutive 12-0 season and had 207 strikeouts. He also had 203 k's as a freshman which is more than Deuce Barrell (199) had in his draft year and ranks second and third all-time for single season K's behind only Donnie Jones 215 in 1936.
- Danny Goff Jr might not have got a lot of love in the mock draft but the Cougars draft pick finishes as the all-time hit leader in college play with 289 in his career at Hempstead. That smashes a feeder era record of 281 established by Walt Mullen with Sadler from 1930-33. Goff Jr is also 6th all-time in career batting average at .346, trailing Sal Pestilli, Alex LaComb, Don Felice, fellow 1939 draftee Bob Jennings and Ed Lang.
The son of Brooklyn bench coach Danny Goff, Junior's big season at Hempstead was his freshman year when he had 103 hits, tying him for second most in a season by a college player with Clint Casstevens. The leader is Jake Shadoan, now of the Dynamos, who set a record with 105 hits in the 1929 feeder AIAA season. By the way, Ben Brazel - who is draft eligible this season but not selected yet - is the only player besides those 3 to have a 100 hit college season. Brazel had 101 hits for Red River State this year. He was originally a 17th round pick of Toronto's in 1936 but failed to sign and went to college instead.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 05/21/1939
- Russia has backed out of attending a League of Nations Council meeting. It is regarded as a plain, if indirect, warning to Great Britain not to delay negotiations to bring Russia into the British-French security front. London thought it had previously secured Russian support but Moscow required some late changes to the agreement.
- Prime Minister Chamberlain offered again to lay down a definite long-range policy for European peace if Germany would renounce in a convincing way the "intention of aggression or the further use of force" in her relations with other countries.
- As the Reich continues to fortify along it's Polish border all indications point to Germany taking action against Poland over the disputed Danzig territory in the very near future.
- Japan decides to offer moral and other support to the 'axis' but after weeks of debate refused to commit to an official alliance with Germany and Italy.
- A British sovereign trod Canadian soil for the first time since the dominion of the Maple Leaf came under the sway of the Union Jack almost two centuries ago as King George VI spoke at a luncheon in Quebec City.
- National Guardsmen patrolling coal mines in Kentucky have "shoot to kill" orders because of an implied union threat to remove the militia's "intimidation" as miners return to work.