[Jiggs McGee]

AUGUST 10, 1942

STARS WALKING AWAY WITH CA CROWN

The New York Stars are 7-2 in August and with 19 wins in their last 24 games they now lead the second place Chicago Cougars by 15.5 games atop the Continental Association. If the Cougars have any hopes left of making a race out of the season they need to sweep a two game set when New York invades Cougars Park today. Even with a sweep it is hard to envision a scenario where the Cougars come back. New York has 43 games remaining including the two in Chicago and has played at a .676 clip so far this season. Let's assume the Stars, owners of the best pitching staff in the league and most productive offense, suddenly struggle on the mound and the bats go cold and they only win 20 of their final 43 contests. That gives them 95 wins on the year. For the Cougars to tie them for top spot they would need to go 35-7 down the stretch - and that is just to tie New York. It seems pretty safe to say it now: The New York Stars will be playing in their 10th World Championship Series a little under two months from. 10 by the way will tie the record for most WCS appearances by franchise, currently held alone by the Chicago Cougars.

The New York Mirror published an article (see below) worried about the Stars blowing their big league with a cold spell. The numbers above show it would take nothing short on an ice age for Stars to fade. Now a slump once they reach the WCS is another story altogether but, barring some unforeseen events in the war, there does not seem to be any way imaginable that the Stars do not play in October this year.

The Federal Association is another story altogether. Four teams still separated by just a single game with a fifth, the Chicago Chiefs, riding a 4-game winning streak as they desperately try to claw their way back into the race. After taking two of three on the road from both Boston and Philadelphia, the Pittsburgh Miners are the hottest team in the group of four but the Miners suffered a big loss last week. Veteran first baseman Mahlon Strong (.309,16,82), injured so often in his career but surprisingly healthy the past two and a half seasons, is back on the shelf. Back troubles will sideline the 33 year old until mid-September and leave a glaring hole in the middle of the Pittsburgh lineup.

The defending champs from Boston went 3-3 as they struggled through their first full week without Art Spencer (.312,2,56). Bud Gustafson (.158,1,4) struggled in his attempt to fill in for Spencer at the hot corner but there is some good news in that the other injured infielder- Lew McClendon (.266,3,32) should be back in a week. The Philadelphia Keystones also went 3-3 last week. Philadelphia does not have any key injuries to worry about but they need to hope their pitching continues to hold up as the Keystones offense, aside from the Whitney Award type season Bobby Barrell (.206,23,78) is delivering, has not been up to par. Finally we have the underdog New York Gothams still hanging around in their first pennant race in seven years, although it feels like much longer. The Gothams perhaps missed an opportunity over the weekend, splitting a 4-game series with lowly St Louis but they have a steady diet of second division clubs over the next two weeks before things get tough at the end of the month.

LICTENEGGER BACK IN DETROIT, TEMPORARILY

The craziness in Detroit continued last week as the disappointing Dynamos can't even seem to fire a manager correctly. A week ago, news broke that the Detroit skipper Patrick Lictenegger was fired after Detroit, picked by some to be the class of the Federal Association this season, was dead last at 43-65. Lictenegger was not officially told he was fired but heard it through the media after the Dynamos offered his job to Detroit catching legend and current manager at AA Akron Dick York.

The plan was simple. York, who has won a pair of minor league pennants in the Detroit system and won a pair of WCS titles in a 19 year career with the club, would take over from Lictenegger and hopefully get the Dynamos back on track next season. The only problem is York was not sure he wanted the job and apparently no one in the Dynamos organization thought to ask him before news leaked to the media that Lictenegger was out.

York asked for a week to think about it and talk things over with his wife. So that left Lictenegger as the manager for one more week since no one told him officially he was fired. He finally got the news today, after a dreadful 1-5 week as lame duck manager, when York accepted the offer.

*** DICK YORK ERA BEGINS IN DETROIT, BUT A WEEK LATE ****

After taking a week to think about it Dick York will debut as the new manager of the Detroit Dynamos on Tuesday when they host the New York Gothams. It will be a homecoming for the former star catcher as he returns to the dugout he spent nearly two decades in as a player.

York will have his work cut out for him as this season has been awful in Detroit, thanks primarily to a complete collapse of the pitching staff. That collapse cost pitching coach Jack Johncox his job as well, as he was fired in his sixth season in that role with Detroit. He will be replaced by Charlie Head, who was the pitching coach at AAA Newark. York and Head do have a lot of talent to work with and perhaps they can coax a strong finish out of the Dynamos, but it would take a miracle to salvage a fifth straight season of finishing in the first division. A realistic goal for York in Detroit would be simply to get the club out of last place. They presently trail 7th place Washington by 4 games.

The white hot Stars are the hottest thing in the solar system right now. They continued their tear across the Continental Association last week with a 5-1 showing. The New York front office is optimistic about the season so far, but can't help but think they might just be due for a cold spell at just the wrong time to sink our impressive run with a sad finish.

Lou Robertson (11-8, 2.11) wins the CA player of the week. He really stepped up his game with Bill Riley (17-4, 1.80) out. Robertson was 2-0, 18 IP, 2 BB, 9 K, 0.00 ERA. In fact, the pitching staff really saved the Stars week. The bats weren't hitting all that well and they didn't score too many runs but the pitching shut down opposing bats to save their bacon. Chris Clark (7-1, 1.45) was slotted back into the rotation and picked up a 1-0 win. Jack Wood (6-6, 2.43_ had a shutout win. Chuck Cole (14-10, 2.43) only won because New York managed to score 5 runs in his start, a 5-3 win over Montreal. And poor Andy Boyer (0-2, 2.38) was tagged with a loss in relief in a 3-2 loss to the Saints. So lots of close games. Worrying too much perhaps but the near misses shows just how close we are to the precipice of defeat.

In minor league news, top prospect Wally Hunter gets hit with the AA curse again. This time a torn Labrum will knock him out for 9-10 months. The front office can't help but think they caused this because they figured the last injury a few weeks ago "wasn't that bad for the curse". Hopefully this doesn't sideline his pitching prowess and he can continue to develop as a two way player. If not, hopefully he can still hit.

TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN

The Wolves have a winning week, show signs of life in hitting department after firing hitting coach Charlie Armine. His replacement Jim Sigsworth seems to removed the pressure from the hitters in his week on the job with his new approach "See the ball, hit it." Frank Huddleston had a 5 RBI game against the Sailors. This performance came at a good time as Mike Rollinson will be out of the lineup for most of the upcoming week with a bruised knee. Also on the injury front Reginald Westfall is not recovering as fast as expected from a back injury suffered three weeks ago, he will remain on the DL for the foreseeable future. One positive is that Bernie Johnson will go to Buffalo to get himself ready to pitch in Toronto, Johnson has been out since ST with a ruptured finger tendon.

Hank Giordano continues to press for and will be given more playing time after slashing .467/.529/.733 last week. Others who seemed to benefit from Sigsworth's appointment are Holliday (.364/.364/.364) who is least hitting the ball and Charlie Artuso (.462/.481/.538). This is a small sample size but at least it is a move in the right direction, hopefully not a flash in the pan. Wolves who are 9 games under .500 hope to struggle back to at least respectability before the end of the season. Chances of contending are gone unless the Stars completely fall off a cliff for two months.

• Al Gross has left the Washington Eagles and reported for duty with the Marines. The 23 year old was hitting .248 this season for Washington after the club acquired him from Boston at the deadline last year.
• Speaking of military service. The draft board might be the only thing that can stop the streaking New York Stars. Lew Seals of the Stars has been ordered by his draft board to report for his physical and if all goes well he may be called to military service by the end of the month. Good timing I suppose as the 28 year old Illinois native will report to his draft board in Hinsdale, about 50 miles west of Chicago tomorrow and will not miss a game as that is an off-day while the Stars are in Chicago for a series with the Cougars. Seals (.251,15,67) struggled early in the season but has been outstanding since the All-Star break.
• Moxie Pidgeon has told the Cannons he wants out of Cincinnati. The club tried to accommodate him at the trade deadline and received a couple of offers, but neither were acceptable to the team. The 35 year old 6-time all-star has seen his numbers fall off a cliff this year, batting just .216 with 3 homers and 17 rbi's and has been benched, although Cannons manager Ad Doria did tell Pidgeon he will give him a few starts this week to prove his worth.
• Dick Long made his FABL debut for St Louis just over two months after his 19th birthday. The young lefthander, taken in the third round of the 1941 draft, was very impressive in his debut. No decision but he went 9 innings against Detroit, allowing 2 runs on 10 hits before giving way to the pen in a game the Pioneers won 3-2 in 10 innings.
• Al Miller hasn't made a start in two weeks for the Chicago Chiefs. 6 relief outings, 5 saves, but no starts.
• Chiefs top prospect Joe Rutherford finally hit his first homerun of 1942 and he made it a memorable one, delivering a grand slam in a 9-3 win for Memphis in the AA Dixie League. The 19-year-old has been hitting well, just no long balls. He had a wRC+ of 138 in class A and a wRC+ of 137 since his promotion to class AA. He's also lowered his strikeout % and raised his walk %. Makes you wonder about those 16 other outfielders that OSA has ranked above him.

1943 DRAFT PREVIEW - PART 3: HIGH SCHOOL BATTERS

TWIFB takes a look at the final grouping before issuing our Mock First Round for the 1943 draft class. Unlike high school pitching, which appears to be very weak this time around, there are some quality position players available in the draft. Since the pitching class was so poor we will increase our list of position players we spotlight to 15 from the normal 10.

Here are the top 15 high school hitters:

1- BILL GIFFORD 3B: San Diego (CA) HS- Gifford hit .481 with 2 homers and 30 rbi's in his lone season of high school ball to date. OSA calls him an above average contact hitter who projects to be a solid hitter and has the potential to be an impact big leaguer as a third baseman.

2- SID KLING OF: McKinley HS Buffalo, NY- Kling was number one on our initial mock draft for this draft class two years ago but slipped to 7th in our mock draft last August. His 6 homers tied for the high school lead this past season and he has 16 in 72 career games at that level. OSA feels he has the talent to flourish as a big league outfielder and likes his raw power, but questions why he hasn't hit more round-trippers with the power he does possess. A towering presence at the plate, the 17 year old stands 6'5" but OSA does not seem to be as high on him as they were in past years.

3- ED HAYNES JR. C: Austin (TX) HS- While college catchers Bob Newcomer and Johnny Thacker are perhaps going to be selected ahead of him, Haynes has been on the scouts radar for the past two years and was featured in the annual mock draft for this class on both occasions. There have only been two Texas-born catchers to be first round FABL draft picks but Haynes has a chance to join T.R. Goins and Mickey Dowell with that distinction. OSA sees Haynes as an above average, everyday big league player. An honourable mention All-American as both a freshman and a sophomore, Haynes numbers dipped as a junior, hitting a 3-year low .434 while also seeing a drop in his slugging percentage as well. Haynes father did not play pro ball although he did spend 3 seasons at Austin High back in the feeder days but was not drafted.

4- WALLY BOYER OF: Hokendauqua (PA) HS- Born in New York City, Boyer made his high school debut this past season as a junior, slashing .452/.527/.796. He has all the tools to become a solid lead-off man with a patient approach at the plate, above average contact skills and is a strong runner. OSA feels Boyer can become an above-average big league center fielder.

5- AL HILL 3B: Allderdice HS, Pittsburgh Pa.- One of the top high school hitters in the nation, Hill has hit over .500 in each of his three seasons at Allderdice High but has been overlooked for All-American status each year. Solid hitter and above average with the glove means there is a good chance two Pittsburgh born players (pitcher Ted Davis is the other one) go in the first round. Up until now only one Pittsburgh born player has ever been selected in the first round. That would be current Washington prospect and former Strub College star Bill Willman.

6- FRANK WOOD C: Bell (CA) HS- The Los Angeles born youngster has not put up overwhelming numbers (.423/.533/.694) but OSA sees something in the 17 year old Wood, noting he has the talent to flourish as a catcher.

7- RUDY MINTON 3B: Pana (IL) HS- There are several third baseman in this group of high school seniors that OSA feels could become regulars in FABL including Minton. A three year starter, the 17 year old hit a career best .489 last season and no third baseman topped his .570 on base percentage. Minton was 14th overall on last year's mock for this class after being ranked 5th after his freshman season.

8- JIM CLARKE OF: Beaumont (TX) HS- Clarke made the mock draft last season but while the three year started did improve his slugging percentage he posted a career low in batting average and on-base percentage his junior year. (Slash of .429/.504/.735) OSA feels he will be a solid starter but does not stand out in any particular area.

9- AL CLEMENT SS: De Pere (WI) HS- His .487 batting average last season placed him in the upper echelon of high school shortstops but his stock has dropped somewhat after being ranked 4th in the mock a year ago. There are certainly better college age shortstops available and some might prefer Dixie White over Clement among the high school group. OSA says Clement has a quick bat, a patient approach and runs the bases well, calling him an average big leaguer.

10- JOE DAVIS 1B: Copley HS, Boston Ma.- A High School All-American last season when Davis (.533,2,26) led all first baseman in batting average. He appeared on each of the two previous mock drafts done for this class and OSA perhaps sees him as a Fred McCormick-type at first base, although likely a solid step down from the former Wolves star. Davis has the potential to hit .350 but likely won't have a lot of power and scouts fell he can be a solid contributor as he matures.

11- TOMMY SIMMONS CF: Annville (PA) HS- Speed is the name of the game for Simmons, who swiped 32 bases while batting .430 in his only season of high school ball. OSA loves his plate coverage and feels he will have an excellent knowledge of the strike zone, calling Simmons a second division starter at center field.

12- MARIO SCHILCHEGGER SS: Millville (NJ) HS- Was a High School All-American in his debut season as a junior after slashing .523/.575/.725. Vince Wilson, a 12th round pick of the Gothams in June, was the only high school shortstop to post a higher batting average than Schilchegger. Despite the performance, OSA is not as sold on Schilchegger than perhaps they should be, feeling he should be an average big leaguer.

13- EDGAR MILLER 3B: Big Bend (WI) HS- Another in the large group that OSA sees as having the potential to be average FABL players, Miller is a 2 year starter with an unimpressive career slash line of .446/.498/.627. His defense is adequate, says the scouting service, and he has an above average eye plus the ability to consistently put the barrel of the bat on the ball.

14- BILLY MILLS 2B: Portsmouth (VA) HS- hit just .440 as a junior in his high school debut, OSA must be projecting growth in calling Mills a reliable hitter in the organization's grand scheme. Decent defense and draws a lot of walks (17 in 24 games) are attributes OSA makes note of.

15- DIXIE WHITE SS: Mooresville (NC) HS- White has been a player OSA has long been fond of. He was 10th overall on a mock done two years ago and moved to up 9th place in last August's rankings for this class. Since then OSA has soured on him as White (.435,3,33) did not show a lot of advancement as a hitter through 3 years of high school ball. OSA still believes he has plenty of potential, but need to translate it into reality to become a big league starter. With the number of shortstops ahead of him, White feels like the type of player who could drop to the fourth round.

• 35 former college and professional football stars began practice this week as members of the Army's All-Star football team. They are the advance guard of a squad that is expected to number more than 80 players and will play numerous exhibition games against pro and college teams over the the course of the fall.
• Most of the pro teams are also starting their camps this week as well, with the pro season just over a month away from it's start. Among them are the Washington Wasps, who left for San Diego, where they will train before meeting the Army team in Los Angeles later this month. The Wasps, who joined the league in 1937, are hoping to break the .500 mark for the first time in franchise history. The high water mark was 1940 when they went 5-5-1 and finished third behind Brooklyn and New York in the Eastern Division. A year ago the Wasps went 4-7, and tied with Brooklyn for third spot.
• The Southwestern Alliance, home to national champion Darnell State and powerhouse Travis College, is one of the few college divisions that has not made a statement one way or another on the decision of whether to allow frosh on varsity teams, so it sounds like they won't be using them which likely means the SWA schools have plenty of talent still on hand.
• Discount those rumours that hockey is all washed up and ready for the cleaners. The show will go on as usual, with youngsters averaging 18 and 19 years old pairing up with married veterans to comprise the bulk of the teams.
• So many high school coaches have left Oklahoma for the armed services that the State High School Athletic Association has put out a manual, intended for women, on how to coach. One big prep league lost all of it's basketball coaches in two months. And in Texas they made special arrangements at the annual football clinic for school superintendents looking for coaches instead of the normal meeting which in the past had been trying to find places for jobless coaches.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 8/09/1942

• Strong Russian reinforcements, including Cossack marines, has checked the Germans on almost all sectors of the southern front and is repeatedly counter-attacking.
• Hitler has launched a 'master plan' to break the resistance of Occupied Europe by deporting hundreds of thousands of enslaved people from their homelands. Pierre Laval has agreed to turn over to Germany all 'foreign' Jews in occupied France, along with 10,000 others in the unoccupied zone.
• U.S. made combat planes, fresh from the assembly lines, are crossing the Atlantic in sensationally growing numbers to play their part in the offensive against Germany from the west.
• US forces have taken the offensive in the Southwest Pacific and are carrying out smashing attacks against Japanese bases in the Solomon Islands.
• Gandhi denies he is pro-Japanese, despite a statement that Britain should withdraw from India and India should negotiate independently with the Japanese. Gandhi says he recognizes how important it is for China and India to win the war but for India to enter the conflict they must be granted their freedom from British rule.
• Japan is making an all-out effort to drive the United States air forces in central China from their bases, but US fliers are enjoying success with repeated surprise attacks on Japanese positions.
• A lone Nazi plane attacked military installations in Iceland but there were no casualties and no serious damage reported.
• The Nazis claimed to have destroyed a US war ship in the North Atlantic while also sinking the seven merchant ships it was escorting.
• The Office of War Information warned Americans "We could lose this war," noting that the country, as a whole, is not yet "ankle deep" in the fight against the "fanatical men" of the Axis.
• Six Nazi spies were executed following a trial as the first executions carried out against "enemies of the nation" since the United States went to war. Two others were let off with prison sentences.