APRIL 26, 1943
BASEBALL IS BACK!
After a lot of uncertainty as to what it might look like, and plenty of worry it might not happen at all FABL is back and the 1943 season is finally underway. Surprisingly it was Paul McNutt, the War Manpower Chief that many felt might be the undoing of the game, that got things started. Subbing for President Roosevelt, who is in Mexico, McNutt tossed out the ceremonial first pitch before a much smaller than anticipated crowd of 9,911 at Washington's Columbia Stadium and the campaign was underway.
Despite the small numbers in the nation's capital, perhaps numbed by and lacking interest in the hometown nine after years of futility, there was a world-wide audience tuning in for what proved to be a 5-1 Washington win over the visiting Pittsburgh Miners in the lid-lifter. Uncle Sam made certain that his fighting nephews, wherever they may be, would be able to follow along as the game broadcast was beamed all across the world, although in condensed form and recited on delay from the messages appearing on a teletype machine. Regardless, the Eagles-Miners opener was the first baseball broadcast this season of what will be many hours of programming handled by the Office of War Information and the Army itself, which plan on beaming nine programs a day discussing baseball and other sports.
As for the contest itself it marked the much anticipated Washington debut Jesse Alvardo, and it was perhaps fitting that on the same day Roosevelt and the President of Mexico were discussing a key plan for maintaining long term world peace after the war, that one of Mexico's favourite sons - the 20 year old Eagles outfielder known as "The Hidalgo Kid"- was the star of the show. Alvardo, who came to Brooklyn from Mexico as a teen, was playing high school ball in New York less than 2 years ago. Yet, here he was on Opening Day digging in against Pittsburgh ace Lefty Allen in the sixth inning of a 1-1 tie with two on and two out. Alvardo delivered, and his first big league hit was one he will never forget - a 3-run homer off Allen that proved the difference in the game. Before the week was over Alvardo hit his second round-tripper, also against Pittsburgh, and while he was batting just .143 after his first week of big league service it is clear the talent is there and perhaps there might just be hope for the few remaining Eagles fans with young talents like Alvardo arriving...just as there is now hope for a complete and somewhat normal baseball season after McNutt was quoted as saying he saw "no reason baseball could not complete the season," as scheduled.
Welcome to a new recurring column in which Jiggs McGee will take a look at a pair of teams in the league that might make ideal trade partners. We begin it with this suggestion for consideration:
Brooklyn Kings send SS Harry Barrell and C Bill Johnson to the Washington Eagles in exchange for C Paul Wilkerson, outfield prospect Roy Carroll and the Eagles first and fourth round draft picks in 1944.
Now because this move involves 1944 draft picks it could not occur until after the draft is completed this June. Well, unless the two clubs got creative and dealt Barrell for Wilkerson now with the move of Carroll and the draft picks for Johnson being added in June.
WHY I LIKE THIS DEAL FOR WASHINGTON: The Eagles might just be on the rise but they will not get very far without at least an average shortstop. John Wood is playing the position now in Washington and while his bat perhaps will be okay there is no way any of the pitchers in the nation's capital want to peak over their shoulder and see Wood playing the most important defensive position on the diamond. They could dip down to AAA and call up Jack Bush from Kansas City. You might remember Bush as he was a player a former Washington GM called a future Hall of Famer. I am still not sure in what sport the old Eagles boss was thinking but it clearly was not baseball. Bush could provide average defense but there is just no way he hits even close to his weight in the big leagues.
So if Washington wants to get better they need a shortstop. Imagine having Harry Barrell out there. Yes, Harry is closing in on his 30th birthday but he can still hit and might just instantly become the best defensive shortstop in the Fed if he was to switch leagues. Barrell has been durable throughout his career, and has been consistent so I could easily see him provided better than average skills for another 5 years. The Washington clubhouse would also be a lot more fun to be around with the noted prankster Barrell there to keep the boys loose. And think how much better, and more confident, the Washington pitching staff, especially groundball guys like Del Burns, Les Bradshaw and Dan Everett will be.
Bill Johnson is just a throw-in. A backup catcher that would no longer be necessary in Brooklyn but would be a safeguard behind Paul Brophy, who takes over as starter in Washington. The Eagles do take a fair drop-off behind the plate for certain with Brophy being older and less skilled than Wilkerson, but it is a downgrade I think the Eagles could absorb as you know you have to sacrifice something to land a player like Barrell. Parting with draft picks, especially a top ten and maybe even a top 4-6 pick is never ideal but the odds of drafting a player of Barrell's caliber at their slot are very low. Carroll is a nice prospect but one the Eagles could stand to lose as they have some outfield depth and another very good young outfielder in Jesse Alvardo. Even if the Kings demand Alvardo instead of Carroll it is something I would still look at, but if I am Washington I maybe try to downgrade the draft picks I am parting with at that point.
WHY DO I LIKE THIS DEAL FOR BROOKLYN: They need to do something to plan for their future. The present is likely going to result in a 6th-8th place finish and almost assuredly not a pennant chase. Barrell is their most marketable asset (ahead of Al Wheeler and Art White) so likely you see if you can get more somewhere else by shopping Barrell but if not this Washington offer looks like a decent one. Wilkerson gives the Kings a solid catcher who is just 26 years old. He is not quite an all-star but still a decent hitting catcher - a commodity there is far too few of in the game and absolutely nothing of the sort in the Kings system. Getting a first round pick that stands a good chance to be top 6 along with a fourth rounder allows the Kings to start restocking a barren farm system and Carroll is a 20-year old outfielder with a pretty high ceiling. I think I would try to work Washington to agree to part with another 20 year old outfielder in Jesse Alvardo instead. Alvardo homered in his big league debut this past week and if the Kings could land him and Wilkerson plus the picks I jump on this deal.
The downside is another link to the Kings glory days departs in the 7-time all-star but the Kings can finish in the bottom half of the CA either with or without Barrell. Call up Tom Landowski, a 24 year old former first round pick out of St Magnus and let him and 26 year old Vince D'Alessandro figure out who is the shortstop and who is the second baseman of the Kings immediate future. Then put John Spears, who is one of the best Scouting Directors in the business, to work using those draft picks with an eye towards drafting college guys and being a contender in '45 or '46 when hopefully the war is over and players like Rats McGonigle, Jim Lightbody and Jack Goff return.
If the Kings move Barrell they likely follow that up with a flurry of moves that results in Al Wheeler, Del Lyons along with likely Art White and Bob Cummings being dealt with the goal of rebuilding the franchise. The choices for Brooklyn appear to be either deal those tradeable assets soon and restock with ready to near-ready talent in order to return to contention in a couple of years or die a slow death and trade them too late, risking the fate a team like Cleveland now finds itself in with likely a very long wait for a return to respectability.
TALES FROM THE WOLVES DEN
The Toronto Wolves come out of the gate fast going 3-1 on the road in Cleveland. Three of the four games were decided by one run including a gem by Bob Walls, a 1-0 CG on only 90 pitches - a performance that earned the 31 year old the nod as Continental Association player of the week for the first time in his career.
The Wolves rotation is being protected early, as at the first of fatigue manager Reed is out to the mound with the hook. One sign of hope in the suspect outfield is that, as a group, they have handled 42 chances without a miscue including one assist. Next up the Wolves return home to face Cincinnati where the the opening game of the set may feature an always anticipated Hancock/Barrell II matchup.
Thanks to the War, Henry Warren is the current second sacker for the Boston Minutemen. Warren was acquired from Detroit in 1941 for SS John Wood. At the time of the deal Warren was languishing in A ball as a 24 year old. After the acquisition Warren spent 16 games in A ball for the Boston organization and hit .417 which earned him a spot in AA where he finished with a .279 average with a below average ops+. In 1942 Warren began at AA and played 71 games where his wRC+ was 44% above league average (144). Warren finished the 1942 season (at age 25) with Columbus where he continued to produce. Henry is a natural second basemen but can also play SS, left and center.
With 2B Buddy Schneider, CF Bill Burkett, LF Dave Henry, RF Red Samuel, LF Eddie Haley and RF Les Rich all off to War there were a number of spots where Warren could slot into. So far in 4 games to start the season Henry is hitting .429 with 5 RBI's. Scouts feel Warren is simply a fringe player as he lacks the extra base hit power to be a long term regular. Still in this crazy season, it is nice to see a guy get a chance and for that player to put his best foot forward and take advantage of the opportunity.
- The 1942 ball is back, in the Continental Association at least. With concerns about defects in the new 1943 sphere, the CA has rounded up a supply of '42 balls and will use them until manufacturing defects can be fixed in the '43 horsehide. The Federal Association will continue with the new ball and as corrected balls arrive will transition to them. FABL President Sam Belton confirmed that the first shipment of 1943 balls was not up to FABL standards and that was acknowledged by the manufacturer, which says a satisfactory ball would be available within two weeks.
- A real shot in the arm for the sport from none other than Paul McNutt. The War Manpower Commissioner said after throwing out the first pitch in Washington that he saw no reason why the sport could not carry on through the war. Now his comment cannot be constructed as an official benediction, but his statement on wartime survival of the game was viewed even in the most conservative quarters as "encouraging." WMC officials were also quoted as saying they believed the ban on drafting pre-Pearl Harbor fathers will not be lifted until late this summer, thereby assuring use of eligible fathers for most of the 154-game slate.
- There is just no stopping Dave Trowbridge. The Stars first baseman will turn 45 this season but is playing like he is 25, going 5-for-10 in his first three games of the season. Trowbridge now has 2,780 career hits and while reaching 3,000 seems a long ways away for a 44 year old it is hard to think he won't get there.
- Percy Sutherland feels that one of the keys for the Chiefs this season is that the pitching needs to be on point. Scoring runs shouldn't be a problem, but preventing the opponent from scoring may be in question. The Chiefs would love to see Al Miller step forward and pitch like a top of the rotation guy for a whole season, something which he hasn't really done before.
- With all of the new players due to the war there will be plenty of big league debuts this season. One highly anticipated one was that of Montreal pitcher Pat Weakley. The 22 year old got the call for his first big league appearance last Thursday in Chicago. He did not factor in the decision - a 12 inning 3-2 win over the Cougars but OSA's #4 ranked prospect looked very good, allowing 2 runs over 9 and a third innings and was the top performer in the game.
- The Gothams Ed Bowman is out to prove there's no sophomore jinx. Opening with a shutout then coming back with a 1 run performance. #4 starter Sandy Giles came out of his first start after a batter. This happened once in the spring also. Once again it was tightness in his back. The Gothams are hoping this isn't a chronic issue.
- Another player tabbed by Selective Service as the Army has claimed Cannons farmhand Lou Millican. The 26 year old was with AAA Indianapolis but did spend some time in the big leagues with Cincinnati a couple of years ago.
GOTHAMS STAR MESSER'S NOT-SO-LITTLE BROTHER A HOOPS PRODIGY
Apparently Walt Messer did not corner the market on athleticism among his family members. The New York Gothams star, who was twice named National High School Baseball Player of the Year while at McKinley Tech in Washington DC as a youth, has a younger brother who is making noise on the hardwood. Ward Messer is just 17 years old - 7 years younger than the Gothams outfielder- but he can hardly be described as Walt's 'little brother.' Ward, you see, is measured at 6'8" tall- 9 inches taller than his big brother- and is considered one of the best college basketball players in the nation. A number of schools are vying for his services but it appears like Philadelphia's Liberty College has the inside track on landing Mr. Messer. Here are the high school players widely considered to be the top 25 in the nation that are preparing for their senior year next season while also being heavily courted by college hoops teams.
Code:
TOP TWENTY-FIVE AIAA RECRUITING CLASS OF 1944
# NAME POS HOMETOWN LEADING SCHOOLS
1 Gerald Cheek G Bakersfield, CA CCLA, Rainier College
2 Darren Fuhrman F Halletsville, TX Texas Gulf Coast, St Patrick's
3 Billy Bob McCright C New Orleans, LA Bayou State, Texas Gulf Coast, Rainier College
4 Kenny Roberts C McComb, MS Bayou State, Mississippi A&M, Great Plains State
5 Ward Messer C Washington, DC Liberty College
6 Ziggy Rickard G Milwaukee, WI Lambert College, Central Ohio, Great Plains State
7 Josh Samuels C New York, NY St Blane, Brunswick, Pierpont, Annapolis Maritime
8 Scott Winner G Pensacola, FL Bayou State
9 Luther Gordon C Brooklyn, NY Commonwealth Catholic, Brooklyn Catholic, Annapolis Maritime
10 Pretzel Whiting F Philadelphia, PA St Patrick's, Ellery, Commonwealth Catholic
11 Mark Mariani F Goshen, OH Central Ohio, Detroit City College
12 Mike Rupp C Louisville, KY Carolina Poly
13 Mack Patrick F Cincinnati, OH Carolina Poly, Liberty College, Annapolis Maritime
14 Lionel Ridgway F Cedar Rapids, IA Lambert College, Great Plains State
15 Paul Marchetti G Chicago, IL Detroit City College
16 Toby Shively G Superior, WI Western Iowa, Great Plains State, Rainier College
17 David Brown F Stillman Valley, IL Western Iowa, Indiana A&M
18 Daniel Fluellen F Richmond, VA Liberty College
19 Fred Hardeman G New York, NY Liberty College
20 Harold Pearson C Atlanta, GA Georgia Baptist, Noble Jones College, Alabama Baptist
21 Curly Traulor G Gadsden, AL Noble Jones College, Miami State
22 David Hawley G Macon, GA North Carolina Tech, Miami State, Rainier College
23 J.C. Correa C Schoolcraft, MI Central Ohio, Indiana A&M, Detroit City College
24 Eli Snyder C Jacksonville, FL North Carolina Tech, Carolina Poly, Noble Jones College
25 Charles Jester G Oakland, CA Golden Gate, Lane State, Maryland State
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 4/25/1943
- 58 German transport planes were downed by Allied forces in engagements off the north Tunisian coast.
- A large force of British-based bombers continued their offensive of Italian naval bases designed to blunt Axis sea power in advance of an Allied invasion of South Europe.
- The US continues to increase both the frequency and intensity of aerial attacks on Japanese plane bases in the Solomons.
- Hitler celebrated his 54th birthday last week with Americans hoping it would be his last. The British provided fireworks for the occasion with a bombing attack on Berlin.
- Downside to the meat rationing: Grocers are having to destroy filler meats like bologna and frankfurters as they begin to spoil on shelves because buyers held off using precious ration points for such meats.
- President Roosevelt and Mexican President Manuel Avila Comacho crossed the border at the Rio Grande into American soil to add more emphasis to the unity of the Americas after their dramatic conference in Monterrey which called for a policy that would eliminate from the world the use of force as the governing rule of of nations.