SEPTEMBER 14, 1942
GOTHAMS CLOSING IN ON FED PENNANT
There is still a lot of work to be done but the New York Gothams are now the best positioned of the four Federal Association contenders as the pennant chase winds down. The odds-makers give the New Yorkers a nearly 87% chance of claiming the Fed title and setting up just the second ever all-New York World Championship Series. The Boston Minutemen, Philadelphia Keystones and Pittsburgh Miners all still have a slim chance but it will only happen if the Gothams stumble and that might be tough to do when 6 of their final 11 contests are against Fed bottom feeders Washington and Detroit.
The Gothams all but eliminated the Pittsburgh Miners last week by taking back to back victories from the Pittsburgh nine including driving a dagger through the Miners hearts with a 3-2 walk-off victory courtesy of a back-up infielder delivering a key hit against one of the game's best pitchers. That would be 27 year old Charlie Moore - only in the lineup because veteran Bud Jameson needed a rest- and he slapped a single off of Lefty Allen in the bottom of the ninth inning as New York completed a comeback from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Miners. New York would win again the following afternoon, by a convincing 7-2 score as the much maligned Gus Goulding (14-15, 3.74) came up with his third consecutive solid outing. The back to back wins over the Miners came after wunderkind Ed Bowman (20-8, 2.57) blanked Boston 4-0 to earn a split of the two game set with the Minutemen.
The Miners are in a spiral at the worst possible time, losers in 4 straight and 8 of their 9 contests this month. Pittsburgh is still tied with New York for the wins lead with 83 but through a quirk in the schedule the Miners have just 5 games left and will finish up their slate on Sunday. All they will be able to do after that is simply sit and watch as the other three contenders play out the final week but it certainly appears that the September slump has all but officially ended the Miners chances for a fourth pennant in the past six season.
The Keystones are 3 games back of New York after they stumbled over the weekend with 3 losses - two on the scoreboard and the third perhaps even more costly as Philadelphia ace Lloyd Stevens (17-7, 2.71) was forced out of yesterday's 9-8 loss with Detroit due to arm troubles. It was serious enough that the Keystones immediately pronounced the 26 year old lefthander's season over. There is still a small degree of hope in the City of Brotherly Love as the Keystones do play a pair of games in New York beginning on Wednesday, and then have 5 remaining against second place Boston. However, it does not take an seasoned odds-maker to surmise that Philadelphia's pennant hopes are dangling by a thread.
Which brings us to Boston. Suffering a 2-1 loss in 14 innings in Chicago yesterday certainly hurt but the defending champs have won seven of their last nine games. Many felt Boston's fate was sealed when they dropped a pair at home to the Gothams two weeks ago and then had to settle for a split at Gothams Park this past week. The schedule is tough with 2 in Chicago and 5 vs Philadelphia among their final 9 games so catching New York will be no easy task and will require the Gothams to stumble. Boston had been known for September swoons in the past but they slayed that monster a year ago and the Minutemen proved in last year's World Championship Series when they rallied to beat the Chicago Cougars that one should not count this team out. Chances of a Subway Series are very good, but certainly not set in stone yet. It is perhaps unlikely to happen but if the Gothams hit a bump, Boston might just be the team to capitalize.
BARRETT SET FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE BATTING CROWN
There has been very little suspense in the Continental Association pennant race, and certainly none in the last two months as the New York Stars have dominated the loop. A big reason for that New York success is once again credited to outfielder Bill Barrett (.337,24,78) who is on the verge of winning his second straight Whitney Award and Continental batting crown at the tender age of 22. In happier times we would be speculating just how many more Barrett could reel off but unfortunately everyone knows the streak will end at two as the Vineland, New Jersey native has already confirmed he will be entering the Navy after the WCS is over.
Barrett will certainly not be the only one to go, not even from the Stars as his teammate Joe Angevine has announced that he, too, will enlist when the Series is done. The list of ballplayers turned soldiers is long and already includes a two-time Whitney winner in Fred McCormick and a young Allan Award winner in Pete Papenfus. There will be plenty more gone before next season begins, and while there has been some doubt rest assured there will be a FABL season in 1943, but many of the participants from this year will have long since traded their baseball flannels for military garb. Who knows how long the war will last, and what sort of shape the greats will be in when they return so for the next two weeks - and the start of October - Stars supporters, and baseball fans as a whole, should take a moment and admire what Bill Barrett has already accomplished in his career: 4 all-star game appearances, one and perhaps two batting titles and Whitney Award wins, one and perhaps two WCS titles and WCS MVP awards. He is a special player. Let's hope he is still that whenever the war comes to an end.
- Johnny Bologna of the Philadelphia Inquisitor is one of the many who believe the Keystones pennant chances are over: "Well, that's the end of that. Lloyd Stevens out with a torn rotator cuff, ending his solid season (17-7, 2.71 ERA). He had some mild shoulder inflammation a couple of weeks back and was day-to-day. He was put on IL as a precaution, but came back to take a regular turn through the rotation. The Keystones are tied with the Miners, three back of the Gothams with the Minutemen in between (2 GB), but this is a huge blow to any hopes Philadelphia has over the last couple of weeks. Handicapping the Fed race over the last few games, Boston has the toughest schedule (.521 opposing winning percentage, 7 of 9 away from Cunningham). Pittsburgh has the easiest competition (.451 opposing WPCT), but only five games remaining. It is clearly the Gothams (88% chance of winning the pennant) title to lose.
- A few Continental teams will be asking for overtime pay. On Labor Day the Saints and Stars hooked up in an 18 inning marathon...and that was the second game of a doubleheader. The Cannons and Cougars decided to top that later in the week, going 22 innings in a 2-1 Cincinnati victory. All I can say is good thing starters Deuce Barrell and Jim Lonardo couldn't keep pitching or the game might still be going on. Deuce went 10 scoreless allowing just 4 hits while Lonardo allowed 7 hits in 11 shutout innings. Each scored a run in the 12th and it took 10 more innings before we had another run. Cincinnati's Len Werner scored the winner after he doubled in the 22nd inning. Werner had himself a day, going 5-for-10. Certainly much better than teammate Chuck Adams who was 0-for-9.
- Barrell got hurt in that game. Nothing serious, just a pulled stomach muscle but it has prompted some talk in Cincinnati to shut him down for the final two weeks of the season. Barrell wants to pitch and is bidding to become the first CA pitcher to win the triple crown since Charlie Sis in 1919.
- Not to be outdone in the extra innings games, the Chiefs' Red Hampton had a 14 inning complete game in yesterday's 2-1 win over Boston. He needed only 136 pitches.
- The Stars, with no meaningful games played in a month, continue to truck along. The focus is just to keep everyone healthy and the bats swinging. Andy Gross continues his campaign of terror at the plate with 10 hits, 7 RBIS and a .385 average over 26 AB. He's making a statement he should have been called up months ago.
- While Bill Barrett is close to claiming is second straight CA batting crown, the batting race in the Fed is still neck and neck between Jim Watson (.328), Bob Martin (.328), and George Cleaves (.325). Another FA race I'm watching is for the most total bases: Bobby Barrell now has a 1 base lead over Pablo Reyes, 289 to 288. Reyes has 40 doubles, 20 triples, and 9 home runs.
HOLT IS DOMINANT IN AFA DEBUT
Thanks to one of the greatest performances ever by a player in his AFA debut the St Louis Ramblers equaled their victory total of all of last season with a 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Frigates in their 1942 season opener. The story was Bob Holt, as the All-American selected first overall by the Ramblers out of Eastern State, set a modern day AFA rushing record with 254 yards while scoring three touchdowns. But that was just the beginning as the Lynchburg, Virginia native also completed a pair of passes for 71 yards and made four tackles on defense.
Holt made his presence felt on the opening drive of the game when he scampered for a 50 yard touchdown run to give the Ramblers, who went just 1-9-1 a year ago, an early lead that they would never relinquish. Holt would add another score on a 16 yard run in the closing seconds of the opening quarter to double the Ramblers lead and rub salt in the Frigates would with a 41 yard run in the final minute of the game to complete the St Louis scoring.
Behind Holt's 25 carries the Ramblers completely dominated the game and his 254 yards on the ground were more than double the 125 total yards of offense that Philadelphia managed to accumulate.
In the only other regular season game on the opening weekend of the AFA season Washington easily handed the Cleveland Finches 35-11 at Forester Field with Jeff Proos, who had a very good performance last month in the Army All-Star preseason game, continuing his strong play for the Wasps with a 210 yard, 3 touchdown passing afternoon. Wasps back Mike Sadowski also had a solid afternoon, rushing for 103 yards on 19 carries including a touchdown run.
Code:
AFA STANDINGS
EASTERN W L T PCT
Washington 1 0 0 1.000
Brooklyn 0 0 0 .000
New York 0 0 0 .000
Boston 0 0 0 .000
Philadelphia 0 1 0 .000
WESTERN W L T PCT
St Louis 1 0 0 1.000
Chicago 0 0 0 .000
Detroit 0 0 0 .000
Pittsburgh 0 0 0 .000
Cleveland 0 1 0 .000
AFA SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Sunday September 13
Washington 35 Cleveland 11
St Louis 27 Philadelphia 7
Sunday September 20
Pittsburgh at Cleveland
St Louis at Boston
Philadelphia at Washington
EASTERN ARMY STARS JOLT NEW YORK 16-0, BEFORE 40,000
After five weeks on intensive training on the campus of George Fox University, Coach Bill Ormond's Army All-Stars came down to the Bigsby Oval for their first football game in the dark blue of their Uncle Sam. The New York Football Stars, after leaving the field on the short end of a 16-0 score, don't care if the Army ever plays another.
An estimated crowd of 40,000 paid out their dollars to the Army Emergency Relief fund and were no sooner in their seats before the soldiers went on the attack. Leon Stone, the ex-Chicago Wildcat, returned the opening kick 28 yards and on the next play he ripped through for another 12. Two plays later Bobby Green found ex-Detroit Maroon Dan Larson for 12 yards and then Stone had a couple more big carries. Army didn't stop it's charge until Green threw a 9 yard touchdown strike to Ron Hutchings in the corner of the endzone.
The New York eleven settled down on defense after that but the pro squad could not get their offense going all day. Army added a second quarter field goal from former Philadelphia Frigate Walt Belfiore and then closed things out when Harold Burch intercepted a desperate Tom Jameson pass late in 4th quarter and galloped 57 yards into the endzone.
The Eastern Army All-Stars are back in action Wednesday when they will face the Brooklyn Football Kings in a game to be held in Baltimore. The Kings recently lost another player to military service as Alfie Baldwin, a former Pittsburgh State back who ran for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Brooklyn last season, has joined the army.
The New Yorkers will have a couple of weeks off to regroup and prepare for their AFA season opener in Boston on September 27th.
*** WESTERN ARMY STARS WIN AGAIN ***
The Western Army All-Stars won for the second time in three outings as they blanked the Detroit Maroons 12-0 before more than 21,000 fans at Thompson Field. Fullback Elton Raymond was against the star of the show for the soldiers. It should be noted that Detroit was playing without several regulars including their great end Stan Vaught, who sat out the contest with what was described as a minor shoulder injury. The West Army side lost to Washington in it's opener but since then has beaten both the St Louis Pioneers and Detroit Maroons. The Maroons will not play their AFA season opener until September 27th when they host the rival Chicago Wildcats.
North Carolina Pre-Flight opened the college football schedule with a convincing 34-0 win over Salisbury Christian in the lone game on the docket to start the season. Meanwhile, news came that Great Lakes Naval Academy will be without the services of Phil Colvin when they start their college schedule. Colvin, who was outstanding the past couple of seasons as the Daniel Boone College quarterback, has been transferred elsewhere by the Navy. There is some worry that a number of other players will also be moved from Great Lakes. Had he not been elected to join the Navy, Colvin would have been a candidate for a starting job with an AFA club.
NEXT WEEKEND'S GAMES
FRIDAY SEPTEMENT 18
Western Tennessee vs Opelika State
Miners College vs Mile High State
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19
Blackland Field vs Lubbock State
Charleston (IL) vs Coastal State
Capshaw State (IA) vs Lambert College
Noble Jones College vs Central Kentucky
Abilene Baptist vs Edward Howard
Western Iowa vs Perry State College
Iowa Pre-Flight vs Lawrence State
Western Florida vs Jacksonville Naval Air Station
Eastern Kansas vs Kansas Bible College
Bayou State vs Central Louisiana
Fort Riley vs Daniel Boone College
Kirtland Field vs South Valley State
Las Cruces State vs El Paso Methodist
Charleston Tech vs Central Carolina
Camp Pickett vs Petersburg
Golden Gate University Pre-Flight vs College of San Diego
Corpus Christi NAS vs Travis College
Salisbury Christian vs Chesapeake State
Hampden-Sydney vs Richmond State
Camp Grant vs Wisconsin State
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 9/13/1942
- In a special anti-inflation measure there are drastic plans from President Roosevelt this week, calling for Congress and the men and women of the United States to accept total war sacrifices of bodily comforts and of wage, crop and profit increases.
- Soviet defenses on the southwest approaches of Stalingrad and the Volga River line quaked beneath the pounding of 1,500 German dive bombers as well as tanks assaulting in herds of hundreds. In retreat the Soviets are blowing up every bridge on the approach to Stalingrad in an effort to slow the German attack but by weeks end the Nazis had arrived in the city and fierce combat was reported in the streets of Stalingrad.
- British bombers are reporting strong results following heavy attacks on Axis supply ships bound for north Africa in the Mediterranean.
- British forces swept through Madagascar, mopping up minor French opposition along the way.
- Prime Minister Churchill told the British House of Commons that the Allied raid on Dieppe had been an indispensable preliminary to a full scale operations which are planned on "a much larger scale."
- Churchill also charges recent unrest by Indian nationalists to have been incited by the Japanese.
- Japanese forces, in their biggest land operation of the war in New Guinea are only 44 airtime miles from Port Moresby, the Allied advance base on the south coast of the island nation.
- An unidentified plane off the coast forced air raid sirens to go off after 2 am, waking citizens and prompting a blackout in the New York City area. It was the first early morning air raid alarm for the northeast since the entrance of the united Stats into the war. The all-clear was sounded after the plane was identified as a "friendly plane."
- A lottery on the World Championship Series and the Rome State-Annapolis Maritime football game, designed to raise $6 million a year and pay the winner $1 million, has been proposed by the Senate Finance Committee as an alternative to tax hikes as a method to raise more war dollars for the country.