[Tiger Fan]

JULY 28, 1947

500 FOR THE GEORGIA JOLTER

Barrell Joins Morris, Wheeler in Most Exclusive Club

The most prestigious club in baseball just welcomed a third member as Bobby Barrell hit his 500th career homerun last week. The Georgia Jolter did it in style by blasting 3 homeruns -numbers 499, 500 and 501 of his career -all in the same game. It marked the third time this season -a record- that Barrell enjoyed a 3-home run game.

The milestone blast -the second of the three Barrell hit that day- came just 3 days after he celebrated his 37th birthday. Barrell would add another homerun on Friday to raise his career total to 502, trailing only Hall of Famer Max Morris (711) and current Cincinnati Cannon Al Wheeler (510). Wheeler was also 37, but nearly 9 months older than Barrell, when he hit his 500th. The legendary Morris hit his 500th as a 35-year-old.

What is almost as amazing is that Barrell has hit 3-homers in a game on three different occasions this season. No other player in FABL history has ever done it more than twice in his career. Barrell, who now has 44 homers on the season and has Max Morris' single-season mark of 60 within his grasp, has had four 3-homer games in his career and at this rate may just have another one or two in store for us this season.

On his big day Barrell hit his first two off of St Louis starter Denny Hern including the milestone marker and then added an 8th inning blast off a Ben Fiskers offering last Tuesday. It was not enough as his struggling Keystones ended up on the short-end of a 10-9 score at Broad Street Park against the visiting Pioneers.

Hern has now been victimized 8 times by Barrell in his career. Only Pittsburgh's Karl Johnson (10) and Chicago Chiefs righthander Al Miller (11) have surrendered more of Barrell's now 502 career homeruns.

A lifelong Keystones, Barrell was drafted 6th overall by the Philadelphia club and made his big league debut at the age of 20 in 1931. Barrell would struggle in his initial exposure to big league pitching, going 0-for-4 against Boston's Al Carroll in his debut, but under the guidance of his mentor and fellow Keystones homerun hitting legend Rankin Kellogg, Barrell would adapt quickly. He would start the next day 0-for-2 before smacking a 6th inning single off Boston's Bill Jenkins for his first big league hit. That was on April 15, 1931 and 8 days later, also against Boston, Barrell would hit his first career homerun -a solo shot off of Joe Dorsainvil in the top of the first inning of a game the Keystones would lose 6-5 in Boston. Barrell would hit 18 more that rookie season and has never looked back.

STARS ADD HURLER HUGHES IN BID TO REPEAT

A year ago, the New York Stars made a blockbuster trade near the deadline to acquire Mack Sutton, a move that ultimately helped them hold off the Chicago Cougars and win the Continental Association pennant. The Stars have pulled off another big move as this season's deadline approaches, acquiring 24-year-old lefthander Richie Hughes from the Cleveland Foresters. The cost was high as the Stars will part with four highly touted prospects and may face a financial crisis next season trying to add Hughes' $30,000 salary to their books.

The salary won't be an issue this year as one of the conditions of the deal was that Cleveland pick up the vast majority of what is left on the promising lefthander's deal for the rest of this season. It marks the second major deal in less than a month for the long-struggling Foresters, who sent their other young potential ace pitcher Hiram Steinberg to the St Louis Pioneers for a top rated outfield prospect by the name of Sherry Doyal.

The move does not bring a top ten prospect, like Doyal, to Cleveland but does add four players with plenty of potential. The key piece of the deal for Cleveland is likely 24-year-old third baseman Bill Grove, a 1940 second round pick who has 12 homers in 80 games at AAA Syrcause this season. Grove spent a little time with the Stars last season so he is no longer on the prospect pipeline but he grades out as an above-average third baseman.

Also leaving the Stars system for Ohio are Joe Wood, Larry McClure and Hank Berkowitz. Wood is a 19-year-old corner outfielder who was selected 18th overall by the Stars in the 1946 draft. OSA gives him a ceiling of an above-average power hitter and ranks Wood, known as "The Sioux Falls Sensation" due to his South Dakota roots, #33 on the most recent prospect pipeline. McClure, a 20-year-old catcher who slots in at #51 on the pipeline, was a Stars second round draft pick in 1945 and is currently playing alongside Wood in Class C. OSA projects McClure to be an above-average big league catcher. The final piece is also currently in Class C. That would be pitcher Hank Berkowitz, who just turned 20 years of age last week. An 8th round selection in 1945, the righthander is just outside the top 100 on the OSA list but is not expected by OSA to be an effective starting pitcher.

JIGGS McGEE'S TAKE: A big move for the Stars and accomplished without having to part with anything from their big league roster or either of their top two prospects in Ralph Hanson and Paul Watson. There is some risk, and well beyond how they plan to afford Hughes salary next season when Cleveland stops paying it. Hughes' potential remains high and he should be a dominant top half of the rotation starter for years to come but there is some short-term concern as he has looked just ordinary with an 8-10 record and a 4.18 era this season in Cleveland. What likely sold the Stars was the fact that Hughes has been on fire of late, going 4-0 in five July starts with a 1.05 era, giving a good indication of what he might do with a pennant contender supporting him. The Stars are in for a battle to claim the CA flag to allow them a chance to defend the World Championship Series title they won last October and adding Hughes certainly gives them a rotation that is more than capable of getting them there.

It worries me a little that the Foresters have given up on both Steinberg and now Hughes. Those two were expected to lead the club out of the wilderness of losing it has been lost in for a decade. Management likely realized they have other top pitching prospects like Davey Morris and Ollie White who are already with the big club as well as John Jackson and Larry Beebe working their way up the system. What the Foresters lacked was impact hitting prospects and the three batters they acquired from the Stars along with Doyal, who came from the Steinberg deal, give them that. I had said after the Steinberg move the Foresters reminded me very much of the 1938-39 Baltimore Cannons and the Clevelanders seem to be using the same approach the Cannons did when they moved Rusty Petrick, Gus Goulding and John Edwards for bats that ultimately helped them win three Continental Association pennants once they relocated to Cincinnati. Clearly the group in northern Ohio was paying close attention to what their Buckeye State neighbours did and are attempting to follow the same recipe.

COUGARS ACQUIRE BOND, RED BOND

There was little else the Chicago Cougars could add in their bid to end the dismal stretch of disappointment that has seen the club time and again fall just short of pennant expectations over the past half a dozen seasons. The one area where there was a hole in the Cougars lineup was at first base,where 40-year-old Dick Walker is finally showing signs of slowing down. To replace the struggling Walker, who is slashing just .210/.339/.282 this season, the Cougars turned to Montreal where they plucked Red Bond from the Saints at a very low cost of a pair of outfield prospect ranked outside the top 250 by OSA in 22-year-old Joe Austin and 19-year-old Zeke Johnson.

Bond (.289,16,64) is a reliable hitter who was doing exactly what he always seems to do ever since he joined the Saints in 1935. Montreal is having an awful season this campaign but none of the blame for that should fall on Bond, yet he was deemed a spare part by the Quebec club likely for the sole reason of making room for 23-year-old former first round pick Hank Smtih, who had been turning heads in AAA Minneapolis.

JIGGS McGEE'S TAKE -Whether Bond is enough of an addition to finally get the Cougars over the hump remains to be seen but he is clearly young enough and still productive enough that this is a deal not just for this season but one that should help the Cougars for the next two or three years at least. It was yet another case where the Chicago nine clearly won the deal as, while I get the Saints wanting to make room for Smith, it feels like they basically gave Bond away.

Austin is a Montreal native, which adds some local flavour to the deal, but the 22-year-old was a former 8th round pick, ranked outside the top 250 prospects and an outfielder -a position that is clearly very plentiful. OSA does feel he can be a regular starter but the former Chesapeake State star is hardly overwhelming opposing pitching as a 22-year-old playing Class A. He may well play in Montreal someday but likely not in centerfield where the Saints already have an elite prospect in Bill Elkins, although Elkins did struggle in a brief trial with the big club earlier this season. Austin ranks just 5th among outfielders in the Montreal system and 16th overall according to OSA, one spot ahead of the other player they received from the Cougars. That would be Zeke Johnson, who was selected in the 9th round of last year's draft but was putting up some very good numbers in a small sample at Class C.

I expect there was very little interest in Bond at the trade deadline as the Cougars were likely the only team with pennant-hopes with a need to upgrade the position but this move feels only slightly better than outright cutting Bond to make room for Hank Smith. And it is hard to justify cutting a player who has been so steady for so long with the Saints.

SAILORS ALSO JOIN CONTINENTAL TRADE-FEST

The Philadelphia Sailors, sitting atop the Continental Association and in pursuit of their first pennant since the last of their three straight titles in 1930, made a move to try and offset what has been a down season for Woody Stone. The Sailors added catcher Solly Skidmore (.278,2,43) who, like Stone, was a member of the CA all-star team earlier this month. The 31-year-old Stone has been an all-star 5 times but his hitting just .240 -the lowest total of his career- and may be the weak link right now in the Sailors lineup.

Skidmore is a former first round draft choice of the Chicago Cougars and was highly touted throughout his rise to the big leagues by OSA, but this marks the third time the 27-year-old has been traded. The cost to the Sailors was an expensive one, as Philadelphia parts with 1947 second round draft Bill Cady, a second baseman who was off to a great start to his pro career with a .325 batting average in 19 games at Class C Gulfport.

Sailors assistant general manager Steve Basile addressed the move, stating that the "Sailors (are) just looking to increase productivity at the catcher slot for the stretch run. Stone is in a bit of a slump, and backup Mark Smith (.183) and AAA backup Ryan (.081) are just not getting things done. Skidmore should hopefully provide a spark and good Catching defense - good RTO %. In the long run Cady may prove to be elite, but we decided to take the chance now while we've got it. We're still high on 2B prospects Al Farmer and Jerry Keith."

Brooklyn also announced they have sent a 5th round draft pick to the New York Gothams in exchange for veteran pitcher Harry Carter, a 36-year-old who has been dependably average in New York for close to a decade, but for some reason is no longer wanted by the Gothams. Carter was 8-8 with a 3.79 era this year and will be counted on to keep the Kings hovering around the .500 mark.

JIGGS McGEE'S TAKE: I have to admit this caught me by surprise. I had wondered why Stone was not starting for a spell a couple of weeks ago and his numbers are down this year, but he is an all-star catcher and still one of the better ones in the league in my opinion. Perhaps the Sailors feel age is catching up on him and maybe they don't like former first rounder selection Mark Smith as his potential replacement but the thinking is this move was made with a much shorter time-frame in mind and the Sailors are hoping Skidmore can continue his solid play and help them hold off the Stars. It feels like a reactionary move to try and do something to counter the Stars addition of Richie Hughes but I am not sure this move will have a big impact in that regard.

The Sailors, as Basile pointed out, have system depth at second base so could afford to make the move but I would have preferred to see the Sailors focus on a trade for a big bat - perhaps Red Bond who just left Montreal for the Cougars would have been an option- as Harvey Brown seems to have been pulled from the starting leftfield job and Bond's bat would have looked very good in the Sailors lineup.

The move makes perfect sense from the Kings point of view. Dan Smith is close and will be their catcher of the future. They add what looks like someone who has the potential to be a pretty good second baseman down the road in Bill Cady. As for the Carter deal -another nice pick up at really no cost. Carter is not a star, but he has been a solid dependable back of the rotation starter. No idea why the Gothams have been trying so hard to give him away but they finally succeeded.

BEST PERFORMERS IN FABL LAST WEEK

If they don't win the pennant the St Louis Pioneers seem all but assured of being one of the two teams to have the best shot at landing the first overall selection in the 1948 FABL draft. Unfortunately the Pioneers dealt their pick away to the Cleveland Foresters in a deal that brought Hiram Steinberg to St Louis and may just be enough to propel the Pioneers to their first pennant since 1921. If that happens the Pioneers will pick 15th in the January draft as the pennant winners automatically are given the final two slots in both the first and second round.

The other 14 teams go into a random draft with 3 chances awarded to the two non-pennant winners in each loop to show the biggest improvement over last season, two chances for the clubs with the third and fourth biggest improvement (or lowest decline) and the final 3 clubs are given one shot each. The Federal Association will get the odd selections this year so a Fed team will own the first overall selection.

As it looks right now, if the Pioneers win the pennant, it will be the Chicago Chiefs and Detroit Dynamos with 3 shots each at the number one slot although the Chiefs moved their pick to the New York Gothams in the trade that brought Pete Casstevens to the Windy City. The Brooklyn Kings seem all but assured of being one of the two teams in the Continental Association with the best chance at selecting second.

• Lost in all the excitement of Bobby Barrell's 500th homerun was news that Pittsburgh outfielder Joe Owens scored the 1,000th run of his career. Owens missed 4 seasons due to the war or he could perhaps be closing in on 1,500 runs - a feat accomplished by only 16 players including four who are currently active in Al Wheeler, Dick Walker, Bobby Barrell and Bob Martin.
• Washington's week just destroyed the article that Brooklyn Eagle columnist Percy Pringle Sr. was preparing. Pringle points out that "St. Louis has been 1.) very good and 2.) very lucky as indicated by their record pyt record of +6. They are riding an incredible season from a pitcher (Denny Hern) who has never before seen this type of success and is showing signs of maybe coming back to earth with a 4.53 ERA in July. Until this week Washington was 10 games out but in pyt record was only 4 back. So while the 10 games looked huge (and it was big but 13 1/2 is even worse), I felt there was still an opportunity. Can St. Louis hold on? No one expected the Chiefs and especially the Dynamos to be within striking distance. I don't think it is over in the FA."
• Pringle goes on to add that "in the CA obviously it is a closer race. I still feel the Cougs could make a move on the field but it needs to start NOW. Its a 4 team race but it could quick become a 3 team race if the Cougars don't wake up."
• Many in Chicago think it's already a three team race in the Continental Association. "There's just nothing in our bats this year," notes one Cougars insider. "Leo Mitchell picked the worst season to not be Leo Mitchell and as much as I want to, I don't think there's any trades left. All that's left is to hope."
• Since the trade to St Louis from Cleveland, Hiram Steinberg has gone 3-1 with a 1.57 era including a 5-0 shutout win over Philadelphia in his Federal Association debut.
• The Washington Eagles made a pair of minor league deals last week. They brought in veteran pitcher Dan Adams from Cincinnati for a fifth round pick and sent AAA first baseman Maurice Carter to Montreal for righthander Jose Waggoner. Both pitchers may get a shot with the big club. Waggoner was 8-2, 3.17 for Minneapolis while Adams -a 14 game winner with the Cannons in 1945- was 5-2, 2.06 at Indianapolis this season.
• The Detroit Dynamos made a bid earlier in the season to bring Sal Pestilli back to the Motor City but he eventually ended up with the Chicago Cougars. Now comes word the Dynamos asked Cincinnati about Al Wheeler in hopes of letting the Wonder Wheel get a chance to play every day as his career winds down. Wheeler is now platooning with the Cannons so will not be moved but it will be a shame if The Wonder Wheel -who has started just 27 games this season- does not get a chance to finish his career with 2,000 runs and 2,000 rbis.
• Speaking of the Cougars, odds are now looking very long for them breaking that pennant-less drought this season. Yes, Chicago continues to stock up and has quite a collection of stars, but for whatever reason as a team the Cougars seem to always fall short of expectations -lofty though they may be. A game under .500 with losses in 10 of their last 15 games has time close to running out and another disappointing result seems in the cards for the Windy City Kitties.
• Arthur Irwin of the Chicago Daily News notes "not only are the Cougars really bad, but so is Sal Pestilli: Last Week: 3-for-32 (.094/.147/.156), 3B, 2 BB, 4 K, -20 WRC+. As a Cougar: 9-for-76 (.118/.163/.158), 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, SB, 4 BB, 8 K, -17 WRC+
• After a brilliant performance against the Philadelphia Sailors, Cougar rookie Duke Bybee took broke a four way tie in FABL for shutouts, recording his 4th on the season, overtaking teammates Pete Papenfus and Donnie Jones, as well as Forester rookie Owen White. Bybee allowed 9 hits, a walk, and got a strikeout in a 6-0 Cougars victory, as the now 25-year-old improved to 9-8 in 18 starts. Bybee also leads the CA in WHIP (1.08), and is just a point below Minutemen starter Ray Dalpman for the overall lead. His 3.13 ERA (122 ERA+) and 3.39 FIP (88 FIP-) have been one of the few bright spots for the Cougars this season, and he's struck out (66) almost twice as many hitters (34) as he's walked. Pitching hasn't been an issue in Chicago this season, but Bybee's dominance has made up for an un-Allen like season from Pete Papenfus (8-11, 3.33, 103), who followed up Bybee's shutout with his first win since June 22nd.
• The Great Western League is bidding for its second .400 hitter in as many seasons. A year ago Bob Land of San Francisco hit .401. Land is number two in the GWL batting race this season with a .356 average. Frankie Cohen of Oakland leads the way this time around and has been around .400 all season. Cohen prensently sits at .401.
• The power outburst in FABL has not made it to the coast. Only two players in the entire GWL have double-digit homerun totals and the pair - Johnny Guzzo of Portland and Dallas Centurions outfielder Heinie Billings- have only hit 10 each. In contrast, 33 players in the eastern league -led by Bobby Barrell's 44, have hit at least 10 homeruns.
• 13th round pick, catcher Clyde Scott is 48 at bats into his professional career at B Class Spokane and is slashing, .097/.417/.097. He has a 33.3 BB rate and has been hit by one pitch. Can’t be too many guys who have been able to get their average below .100 and their OBP above .400.

SAWYER PRIMED FOR UPCOMING DEFENSE

The boxing world is abuzz with anticipation as the reigning heavyweight champion, Hector Sawyer, prepares to step into the ring once again for his latest title defense. This momentous occasion marks Sawyer's eighth appearance as the belt holder, a distinction he achieved way back in 1940 when he delivered a thunderous knockout blow to Jochen Schrotter in Detroit. As the date draws near, the champion finds himself venturing into uncharted territory at Cougars Park, the battleground for Saturday's grand spectacle. Ticket sales have soared to unprecedented heights, leaving promoter Chester Conley grinning ear to ear as every seat in the 45,000-capacity stadium has long been spoken for. Such is the fervor surrounding the champion's upcoming bout, despite the fact that his adversary remains a relative unknown.

Allow me to introduce Pat Harder, a 32-year-old Irishman hailing from the County of Cork, who boasts a commendable record of 31 victories, 7 losses, and 1 draw across the pond. However, Harder's opponents thus far have failed to make a significant impact in the boxing world, and this will be his first time crossing the Atlantic to compete. With no prior encounters against American fighters, the intrigue surrounding Harder's capabilities has left pundits and fans alike in suspense. Nonetheless, bookmakers have overwhelmingly favored the legendary Cajun Crusher, Hector Sawyer, predicting another resounding victory for the seasoned champion.

The decision to seek a challenger from overseas comes as no surprise, as local contenders are few and far between at present. Sawyer has already dispatched the formidable Mark Fountain, the one man thought by many to possess the potential to expose any perceived weaknesses that age may have inflicted upon the champion. The current state of the division fails to offer compelling matchups that capture the imagination of boxing enthusiasts.

While Californian Dan Miller remains a potential candidate, his track record of 7 defeats in 43 fights has somewhat tarnished his prospects. Roy Crawford, Cannon Cooper, Scott Baker, and others who once vied for a title opportunity have faded from prominence. In the wings, emerging talents such as Harvey Winter and George Green, both undefeated in their combined 31 professional outings, may warrant attention, but it appears their managers are still hesitant to pit them against Sawyer. The most promising contender, 22-year-old Tommy Cline, boasting an impressive record of 11 wins without a blemish, 9 of which were knockouts, showed his mettle when he disposed of Pete Sanderson, another victim of Sawyer's, in April. However, many believe the young Tennessean still requires further seasoning before truly challenging the champion's reign.

Until the day arrives when Cline is deemed ready for the spotlight, we may have to content ourselves with witnessing a procession of opponents who stand little chance against the seemingly indomitable Sawyer. Despite recently turning 33 years old and possibly displaying signs of a slight decline from his pre-war glory, Sawyer reigns supreme as the undisputed heavyweight champion, towering above the rest of the division with unrivaled class.

LATEST TWIFB BOXING RANKINGS

Here is the latest snapshot of the top fighters in each of the three major weight classes sanctioned by the American Boxing Federation. Heavyweight champion Hector Sawyer is back in action Saturday as he makes his latest title defense. It is a time of transition in the heavyweight division with few challengers looking capable of knocking off Sawyer, even amidst concerns the champ is starting to slow down and approaching the tail end of a long and successful career.

A couple of weeks ago there was a big shock in the middleweight division when Frank 'The Tank' Melanson suffered a technical knockout defeat due to a badly cut right eyebrow, costing him his crown in a bout that was supposed to be a triumphant return to his hometown of Pittsburgh. No details have been confirmed but John Edmonds -the man who stopped the Tank- is said to be very open to a rematch once Melanson cut heals. A rising middleweight to watch out for is Tommy Campbell, a youngster out of Atlanta who is close to being ready for a shot at the title.

The welterweight division has been in a state of flux with no one able to hang on to the title. After going without a champion for over five years due to the 1940 retirement of Kid Simpson and then the war, the division has had 3 title holders in just over a year as Dennis O'Keefe and Mark Westlake each won the crown but could not hang on to it. Harold Stephens, a 28-year-old from Rhode Island, is the latest champ but he will be put to the test by Carl Taylor in Boston two weeks from now. At the moment at least, Stephens is the king of the division but there are plenty of others eyeing the title.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• Jul 31 - New York: heavyweight Scott 'The Chef' Baker (15-2-2) vs Dick Martin (14-5-1)
• Jul 31- Cougars Park, Chicago: former welterweight champ Mark Westlake (21-3-1) vs Willis May (17-2-2)
• Aug 2 - Cougars Park, Chicago: Hector Sawyer (55-3-1) defends his world heavyweight title against Irish Pat Harber (31-7-1)
• Aug 12- Columbus, Oh: rising welterweight Mac Erickson (14-0) vs Jimmy O'Day (6-5)
• Aug 16- Denny Arena, Boston: Harold Stephens (19-3-2) defends his world welterweight title against Carl Taylor (22-3-2).
• Aug 19- New Haven, Ct: Middleweight Todd Gill (22-3-6) vs Adrian Frank (5-7)
• Aug 19 -New Haven, Ct: Middlweight contender Brooks O'Connor (24-4-2) vs P.J. Whitaker (17-14-1)
• Aug 21 -Buffalo, NY: rising welterweight Danny Rutledge (10-0) vs Glen Peterson (9-3-1)
• Aug 26- Camden, NJ: Heavyweight contender Roy Crawford (24-3) vs Don Alston (18-9-4)
• Aug 28- Miami, Fl: Heavyweight contender Cannon Cooper (22-2-1) vs Mac Johnson (15-17-5)
• Aug 28- Miami, Fl: Middleweight contender Tommy Campbell (17-0-1) vs Matt Austin (7-6)
• Aug 31- Lewiston, Me: Middleweight contender Nick Harris (21-3-1) vs Will Bowen (4-9)

IMPRESSIVE SCORER GALBRAITH TOPS NAHC DRAFT

The North American Hockey Conferderation conducted its annual draft over the weekend and the Toronto Dukes took another step towards restoring the club to the level it was at prior to their terrible collapse last season. The Dukes, armed with a new head coach in former star player Jack Barrell, were gifted with a huge upgrade just a couple of weeks ago when they landed 30-goal scorer Quinton Pollack in the dispersal draft of players from the now defunct Brooklyn Eagles.

The Eagles demise left the loop with six teams and the Dukes, due to their last place finish in the recently completed campaign, were entitled to the first selection in the rookie draft. Toronto opted for more offense in adding Lou Galbraith, a 19-year-old offensive whiz who tallied 19 goals and 34 points while playing for Buffalo in the second best hockey league in the world. That would be the Hockey Association of America, a loop littered with many top prospects and former NAHC regulars -one in which Galbraith looked right at home as a mere teen. That has to sit well with Barrell and give the new coach a lot of hope that his talented rookie may just earn a spot on one of Toronto's three lines next season.

The Dukes could have a pretty impressive offense with the 24-year-old Pollack (30-17-47), veteran Bobbie Sauer (24-22-46) and impressive youngster Trevor Parker (14-15-29) holding down the three pivot spots. It is not hard to image Galbraith earning a spot on the left winf with either Pollack or Sauer next season with veteran Herm Burdette, who missed most of last season with an injury, along with Syl Beam (5-12-17) and 22-year-old Maurice Charette (8-16-24) as his chief competition. 31-year-old Mahlon Klein (8-19-27) is likely the top man on the right side but youngsters Les Carlson (10-11-21) and Mike Navarro (1-3-4) along with rookie Dick Zimmerman, a 21-year-old who had 31 points in the coast league last season may challenge him.

With the second selection in the draft the Montreal Valiants elected to select a hometown kid, drafting Montreal native Francis McKenzie. The centericeman spent this past season with the Vancover Bears of the Great Western Hockey League and had 10 points in a 14 game trial. There is no doubting McKenzie has talent, but there were some concerns about his ability to fit in on a hockey team, a big factor in the mock draft slotting the 19-year-old as far down as 9th on its pre-draft list.

The New York Shamrocks selected third, opting for Jim Macek, a hard-working left winger who hails from Toronto and may endear Bigsby Garden face with his grinding, battling style. Detroit followed up with another forward, selecting British Columbia born centerman Ben Witt. The youngster has an high-offensive ceiling but there may be some concerns about his willingness to go into the dirty areas in order to make plays. Witt spent all of last season with Springfield of the HAA and notched 37 points in 47 games.

The Chicago Packers finally ended the streak of forwards by grabbing the top rated defenseman in the draft. That would be Mike Van Tol, a Windsor, Ontario native who looked very impressive on the back end for Springfield last season. Regarded as more of a skill defender than for his physical play, Van Tol may find himself right at home with some talented forwards in the Windy City to move the puck to. Boston rounded out the first round with the selection of centerman James Smart, a Halifax native who had a tryout with the Portland Ports last season but did not see any HAA action.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 7/27/1947

• The House Un-American Activities Committee was told that Communists have infiltrated Army reserve rolls and will prove "dangerous disloyalists" in case of war with Russia.
• The House approved and sent to President Truman the Army-Navy 'unification' bill creating a single Department of Defense with three seperate branches for Army, Navy and Air.
• The chairman of the Senate War Investigating Committee declared that neither "political pressure" nor exaggereated "sex angles" would prevent an inquiry into Howard Hughes' $40 million worth of wartime plane contracts. The message was in response to claims that Hughes provided nightclub dinners and $100-a-night party girls for Interior Secretar J.A. Krug and other government bigwings. A Hughes spokesman called the charges ridiculous.
• The Dutch Army announced it has opened warfare against the Indonesian Republic after prolonged negotiations for peaceful settlement of their differences failed.
• The State Department expressed dismay at the outbreak of hosilities in Indonesia but indicated the United States would follow a hands-off policy for the present.
• The United States has warned the Soviet-orbit governments of the Balkans that they would lay themselves open to UN action if they refused to cooperate with the proposed UN machinery for quiting the tension in the Balkans.