APRIL 8, 1946
GOTHAMS OFFENSE COULD BE THE TALK OF THE FED
The New York Gothams offense might just be the most feared collection of sluggers seen in the Federal Association in quite some time. The Gothams are expected to feature a hear of the lineup that includes Walt Messer, Red Johnson, Sal Pestilli and Mahlon Strong and that powerful quartet stand to be supported by Roosevelt Brewer, Mule Monier and Pete Cassteves. They likely will not approach the Philadelphia Keystones 20th century Fed standard of 999 runs but may well surpass 800, something no Federal Association club has done this decade.
Those lofty offensive totals from the Gothams hinge on everyone staying healthy -and with Mahlon Strong back in New York that will be a tough ask. However, even if that powerful lineup does remain intact all season, no one seems willing to concede the Fed flag to the New Yorkers just yet.
That is not necessarily a knock on the Gothams pitching staff, although there are certainly a lot of question marks once you get past Ed Bowman and Harry Carter, but rather a nod to just how balanced the entire Federal Association just might be this season. Picking a winner is never much more than an educated guess but this season even the most scholarly of FABL prognosticators have little idea what might transpire in the Federal Association this season.
John Brinker of the New York Daily Mirror summed up the thoughts of many with his comments last week on what he expects from the Fed. "It's wide open. I would almost be willing to say that there is no one I would absolutely rule out as a potential pennant winner in the Fed. All eight teams should be competitive."
"I worry about their pitching depth," explained TWIFB editor Jiggs McGee. "I also have my doubts about that offense staying healthy all season. New York will certainly be in the mix and I am not saying they won't win it all, as really any of 6 or 7 teams could end up on top in this most unpredictable of seasons. But when my preseason predictions come out in our next issue, the Gothams -while close- will not be at the top of the Federal Association table. However, I would sure hate to be a pitcher on a Federal Association rival this season when you draw the Gothams as your opponent."
GREEN SOX SIGN WOODRUFF
The defending Great Western League champion Portland Green Sox have signed veteran shortstop Harry Woodruff to a contract. The 35 year old spent last season with the Cincinnati Cannons, hitting .260 in limited action, and is a veteran of 420 career FABL games with 5 teams. A solid defensive middle infielder, Woodruff is expected to push long-time Green Sox Phil Barber and John Hite for playing time at either second base or shortstop.
DYNAMOS YOUTH MOVEMENT PICKING UP SPEED
A year ago the Dynamos had 18 year old Carl Potter as a big league regular. This year another teen has been told he is coming north with the club as the Dynamos have informed Stan Kleminski -who will not turn 20 until November- that he will be their starting shortstop. Kleminski was added to the secondary roster today and was given the news just after the Dynamos released Johnny Guzzo. The 7th overall selection of the 1944 draft -one in which Detroit had 4 first round picks including Potter- has hit .387 so far in spring action. The Dynamos are hoping Opening Day will be the first of many with a keystone combo of Kleminski and 21 year old second sacker Del Johnson, a 1945 6th overall selection who made his big league debut last season.
With a week remaining in spring camp there remains a good possibility that three other players will join Kleminski in making their big league debuts this month. Those three are rule five selection Steve Donovan,a 23 year old first baseman, as well as 1B-OF Dick Estes and middle infielders Joe York and Win Hamby. Add in pitchers Charlie Ashmore, Wally Hunter and Danny Goff Jr. -none of whom have pitched more than 32 innings of big league ball in their careers and this will be one of the least experienced Dynamos clubs in recent memory. And that is not accounting for 19 year old centerfielder Edwin Hackberry who was farmed out to Newark but may be back in Detroit before the season is over.
All of those youngsters may not start the season in Detroit as the Dynamos still have 3 more cuts to make but indications are the club is fully focused on the future. That means there is a good chance that the Dynamos may cut either Leon Drake or Rip Curry when the final roster is announced next week. They already let one vet go with the decision to release the 35 year old Guzzo and there is talk the team is shopping 34 year old Art White -a twenty game winner a year ago- because they are so excited about the prospect of seeing Wally Hunter and Charlie Ashmore in the starting rotation.
MID PRESEASON CHECK
With two weeks to go in camp and about halfway through the exhibition games I thought I'd catch up with Gothams Manager Bud Jameson.
Red: Bud, how are you feeling about camp so far? How is the team looking?
Bud: Good Red. I'm not concerned about the record (6-7), we're looking at a lot of players, so ou can expect ups and downs.
Red: What has been most encouraging so far?
Bud: The pitching. Definitely pitching. The top five starters have all looked good in their games. I've been especially encouraged by Lou Eaker. He'll be a 28 year old rookie and hasn't thrown in a professional game since 1941, but so far 8 innings and a couple of hits. He's had some control issues, but that should come around as he gets more innings. Also the relievers. There are going to be some tough choices to make. It'll be nice to have Steve Groves to rely upon late in games.
Red: That sounds encouraging, but are their concerns about the offense?
Bud: Yes and no. I'd expect the hitters to be behind at this point, especially those who haven't played regularly. Still, when the games count I don't expect (Walt) Messer and (Mule) Monier to be hanging around under .200 for long.
Red: How is the experiment with Monier at third going?
Bud: Not bad. I think he's getting comfortable over there. He has the reflexes for the position.
Red: Any highlights on the offensive side?
Bud: That Bill Payne can sure hit. Bat to ball, everything sounds good. He may be pushing himself into a pinch hitter role. Also, it's been good to see Sal (Pestilli) hitting right away.
The fans are going to love watching roam center for us.
Red: Early predictions are calling for your club to challenge for the FA crown. Can the faithful look forward to a push for the top.
Bud: I'm not one to read too much into these early predictions and I don't want us getting ahead of ourselves, but I look around at the talent here and I'd have to be disappointed if we don't have some say in how it turns out this year.
Red: Thanks Bud. Let's catch up again when you break camp.
Bud: Sure thing Red.
- Pittsburgh added some pitching depth with the acquisition of pitcher Paul Richardson from Boston for a 9th round draft pick. The 31 year old has spent most of his time pitching out of the bullpen, compiling a 21-26 record with a 3.88 era in 111 big league appearances with the Cannons, Sailors and Minutemen.
- The New York Stars are down to the 24-man lineup with a week remaining in spring play. Chuck Cole is one of those who won't be starting the season with the Stars after the 36 year old fractured his shoulder. Cole won 18 games in 1942 but has been in the Navy since then.
- The Chicago Chiefs parted ways with infielder Ducky Jordan as they inch closer to the 24-man limit. Jordan, 32, hit .242 in 81 games during the 1942 season before joining the air corps. Another infielder in 35 year old Al Haynes was also let go. Haynes hit .339 coming off the nech for the Chiefs a year ago but there is no room for him with all of the players back from the war.
- Toronto is down to 26 players in their big league camp and hinting that former bluechip prospect Ockie Holiday may be one of the final cuts.
- Big week ahead for Dick Blaszak and Dick Estes and Dynamos camp. One of them is likely off to Newark so each will get 4 final games to impress and earn a spot on the opening day roster. There is also a chance if both convince Dynamos skipper Joe York that they belong the club parts ways with either Leon Drake or Rip Curry instead.
- The Pioneers and Gothams also report they are set for opening day.
- There have not been a lot of former FABL players signed in recent weeks by GWL teams despite the fact that a large number are looking for work. Expect that to change as a rash of final cuts are coming from FABL teams and the western clubs are likely looking at those as the best options to chase to fill out their rosters.
- Life is slowly returning to normal in Japan as well with word that the Japanese Baseball Association will start its season in May. The decision comes at the urging of occupying leader General MacArthur. The league has expanded to 8 teams this season including the defending champion Osaka Sailors. The Tokyo Cannons have folded but a pair of new teams based in the island nations capital have joined for the upcoming season.
LIBERTY COLLGE TO FACE CCLA IN CAGE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH
Sophomore Messer Leads Bells To Title Tilt
It will be a rematch of the 1941-42 championship game as Liberty College and City College of Los Angeles will meet at Bigsby Garden with the AIAA cage title on the line. The two schools met just 5 years ago on the same Garden court with the same title at stake and the Bells prevailed with a 49-43 victory. The Philadelphia school will be looking for it's 4th national cage crown and a chance to join North Carolina Tech as the only schools with that many. CCLA is in the same boat as the Coyotes also will be looking for their 4th tournament victory.
Sophomore center Ward Messer was the hero of Saturday's semi-final game for the Bells. The younger brother of New York Gothams outfielder Walt Messer scored a game high 13 points while adding 15 rebounds to key the Liberty College 48-36 victory over west coast outfit Rainier College. Win Dupre added 9 points for the winners, who led by 6 at the break before a dominating showing in a second half during which they outscored the Majestics 31-13.
In the earlier semi-final, CCLA had it's hands full with a suprising Noble Jones College as the Colonels, despite being a 6th seed in the South Region, actually led the game with 48 seconds remaining before the Coyotes scored a pair of late buckets to pull out a 47-45 victory. Jumbo Hinman scored the tying basket and then found an open John Leary with 23 seconds for what would be the winning score. Hinman, with 14 points, and Leary with 9 led the way for the Coyotes, who have not won the National Title since 1932-33.
O'CONNOR SURVIVES CHALLENGE FROM STEVENS
Brooks O'Connor moved one step closer to a shot at the middleweight title with narrow victory over Dan Stevens in Chicago on the weekend. The bout went to the scorecards and was a split decision but afterwards the soon to be 29 year old Detroit native felt he had done enough to be next in line for a title shot. O'Connor is 21-3-2 with his last defeat coming way back in 1940 and was to Frank Melanson - the current title holder. O'Connor lost to Melanson by a majority decision six months after he suffered the same fate against Todd Gill.
Melanson and Gill are set to have a rematch in May in Philadelphia after the two battled to a draw last fall with Melanson ABF world championship belt on the line. O'Connor feels he has learned a lot over the years and picked up some more tidbits that he feels could come in handy from watching the last Melanson-Gill October tussle.
O'Connor did have his hands full with Stevens, a scrappy Seattle born 32 year old who now sports a 20-6-1 career record, and will need to be much more active if his title shot does come. He had control of the fight early but seemed to fall asleep in the middle rounds, allowing Stevens to quietly steal them with great efficiency. At his corners urging O'Connor picked it up in the closing stages of the 10-rounder and escaped with the slimmest of victories.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- MAY 11 Frank Melanson (29-0-2) defends his World Middleweight Title in a rematch with Todd Gill (20-1-5, #2 contender) at Sailors Memorial Philadelphia. The two battled to a majority draw last October.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 4/07/1946
- Speaking to the United Nations 11-member Council, Secretary of State Byrnes delivered a message from President Truman that the American people pledged to co-operate wholeheartedly "to give to the United Nations the strength and will to maintain peace and freedom in this independent world."
- Russia and Iran signed an oil treaty, establishing a jointly owned oil company and providing for the evacuation of Red Army troops by May 5.
- FBI agents near Portland, Oregon snared a Russian naval officer suspected of spying as he was attempting to flee the country by ship.
- American and British troops in Frankfurt rounded up 1,000 one-time followers of Hitler in a gun battle aimed at breaking the back of an underground movement seeking to establish a vestige of the National Socialist regime in Germany.