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Tiger Fan · 06-28-2023, 01:26 PM

AUGUST 11, 1947

4 GAME SKID DOES NOT SINK SAILORS

In the world of major league baseball, the week has unfolded with a sense of familiarity as the contenders in both the Continental Association and the Federal Association have clung to their positions without significant change. Let's delve into the thrilling developments that transpired in the past week.

First, we set our sights on the Continental Association, where the Philadelphia Sailors found themselves on shaky ground with a disheartening four-game losing streak. However, their resilience shone through as they regained their composure, triumphing in a pair of weekend clashes against the Toronto Wolves. Remarkably, their most prominent adversaries failed to seize the opportunity, leaving the Sailors comfortable four-game lead over the second-place New York Stars still very much intact. The Stars, burdened by their own four consecutive losses suffered in Montreal and Chicago, were unable to close the gap. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Cannons, also trailing by four games, squandered a chance to make a substantial gain. After claiming victory in two matches against the Sailors, they faltered over the weekend, succumbing to a devastating sweep by the Cleveland Foresters at Tice Memorial Stadium. As for the Toronto Wolves and the Chicago Cougars, they find themselves lingering on the periphery of contention, trailing by a considerable 8.5 games after each experienced mixed fortunes last week. It remains the Brooklyn Kings that currently occupy fourth place, barely holding a one-game advantage over the struggling Toronto and Chicago squads. However, their own aspirations were dealt a severe blow as they suffered a doubleheader sweep in Montreal just yesterday.

Shifting our attention to the Federal Association, we witness the St. Louis Pioneers firmly asserting their dominance, preserving their 8.5-game lead over the second-place Detroit Dynamos. The Pioneers initiated the week by extinguishing any lingering hopes the Chicago Chiefs may have harbored, decimating them in a three-game series sweep. This extended the Chiefs' woeful losing streak to an agonizing 11 games while simultaneously propelling the Pioneers to an impressive eight-game winning streak. Although the Pioneers encountered a minor setback over the weekend, dropping two of three games to the Dynamos in Detroit, they remain resolute. The upcoming three-game series between the two teams, scheduled to take place in St. Louis next weekend, holds immense significance. The Pioneers possess the opportunity to further shatter the dreams of the youthful Detroiters, replicating the dominant display they exhibited against the floundering Chiefs. As for the defending champions, the Washington Eagles, they valiantly strive to remain relevant, securing victory in nine of their last eleven encounters. Despite their commendable efforts, the Eagles find themselves trailing by a considerable twelve games, a testament to the Pioneers' formidable lead.

FABL BEST OF LAST WEEK

WCS TELEVISIONS RIGHTS OFFERED AT $100,000

New York- The 1947 World Championship Series will be televised, FABL President Sam Belton has decided, but the sponsor will have to pay $100,000 for the privilege. Belton, it was learned here, wired NBC, CBS and Mutual from California, offering the television rights for that amount. The Gillette Safety Rzazor Company, which will broadcast the WCS games to the listening audience, declined the television privilege at the price fixed. The proposal now is being considered by several other prospective sponsors.

The FABL boss also has stipulated that the telecasts of the WCS must be made to all television outlets in the New York area even if the Stars win the Continental Association pennant. It is estimated the telecasts would reach an estimated half million spectators each afternoon. It is believed that price of $100,000 would be the largest ever paid for television sponsorship of any event, exceeding the Sawyer-Fountain fight of last January. In addition, the sponsor would have to buy air time from the system over which the telecasts are carried.

Some FABL magnates, most notably Al Mielke of the New York Stars, have opposed the sale of television rights, believing that if the fans knew they could see the WCS games on television screens, many would hold off buying tickets because of the weather factor in early October. The Stars owner is aiming for an emphatic sellout of the 1947 classic should his club return to defend its crown, and wants nothing to interfere with that objective. Mielke hinted the financial success of his franchise depends upon a large WCS gate.

1948 DRAFT PREVIEW - PART TWO : HIGH SCHOOL PITCHERS

A year ago when we did our mock draft for the 1948 draft class there were 5 high school pitchers in the top 16. All five make our new list of top 10 high school arms but in a slightly different order and with a newcomer at the top of the list.

#1: JIMMY ISGRO - RHP Austin (MN) High School -Isgro burst on to the scene this year, debuting as a junior with a 10-0 record and a 0.91 era. OSA feels that "if all goes according to schedule, Isgro will be at the top of the rotation someday."

#2: JIMMY MORRIS - RHP Monroeville (OH) High School -Morris was an honourable mention in our mock draft a year ago and moved up the list with a perfect 12-0 season that featured a 0.88 era and a career best 185 strikeouts while walking just 19 in 122 innings of work. A groundball pitcher, he possess a three-pitch mix highlighted by an off the charts sinker. OSA pegs him as a future top of the rotation arm.

#3: GENE CURTIS - RHP Furness High School Philadelphia (PA) - A future ace is how the scouting service sums up Curtis. The Philadelphia native has two great pitches in his slider and sinker to go along with an average fastball. A two-year starter he took a nice step forward as a junior and perhaps will have the same sort of jump his senior season.

#4: KEN CROSSLEY - RHP Gainesville (GA) High School -Crossley was on the scouting services radar since his impressive freshman season and followed that up with a dominant sophomore campaign. He took a small step backwards, production wise, this past year but still had a solid campaign. He has four pitches highlighted by his cutter, and OSA says he is projected to have "the stuff and talent needed to be a number 1."

#9: WALT COOPER - RHP Grand Rapids (MN) High School - A Flint native who has gone a perfect 22-0 over two seasons of pitching in Minnesota high school ball. He looks like a big time strikeout pitcher, perhaps along the lines of Minnesota high school legends the Jones brothers. OSA sees him as a potential number one starter.

#6: ANSEL ROHLING - RHP Creston (IA) High School - The Missouri native is another high school arm that OSA feels could be "a future number one starter." He has a 6-pitch repertoire led by a plus slider and curveball as well as a quality sinker. He is tall but wiry and likely needs to grow into his frame but still can peak at 87 mph now. Rohling has never lost a high school game, sporting a 17-0 record after two seasons.

#7: CHARLIE CRAIGHEAD - LHP Kensett (AR) High School -The top southpaw on the high school pitcher list, Craighead has had three very good seasons as a starter at Kensett High. OSA praises his pose and command, noting he will not beat himself with walks. Craighead projects to "occupy a spot in the middle of the rotation" according to OSA.

#8: JERRY HUTCHINSON - RHP Red Bluff (CA) High School - OSA pegs the 17-year-old from California as a middle of the rotation arm. A three-year starter for his high school, the scouting service feels he is a real worm killer, who will generate a high number of ground balls. Like several pitchers in this group, the scouting service praises his work ethic.

#9: FRANKIE RAYMOND - RHP Waite High School, Toledo (OH) - Another hard-working groundball pitcher, Raymond is a three year starter but might have scared some FABL teams off with a drop-off in his junior season. OSA still feels he has the tools to "propel him into a mid-rotation spot" but after his very impressive freshman season the scouting service was looking at him as an ace in the making.

#10: DAVE SMITH - RHP Bellmore (NY) High School - A year ago Dave Smith was the top pitcher on our list - a future rotation anchor according to OSA. He only had a slight drop-off in his stats as a junior but he is no longer a lock to be a top of the rotation arm. OSA still feels he "possesses great talents and seems destined to eventually break out in a starter's role" but the star that the Brooklyn native appeared destined to be a year ago has tarnished somewhat.

Next week in part three of our 1948 draft preview we will look at the top high school position players.

A Player of the Week Hank Koblenz is blazing hot in August (.405/.488/1.000, 7 HR, 17 RBI in 37 AB) and he has hit 12 HR and driven in 24 over the last two weeks. Hard Boiled Hank is up to 35 dingers on the season. More good pitches to hit for Bobby!
It is about 120 miles from the Hartford campus of Constitution State to Gothams Stadium in Queens but New York fans are thrilled it took Cecil LaBonte less than a month to make the journey, and that was with a layover in Toledo. LaBonte, a 21-year-old shortstop selected 8th overall by the Gothams this year became the first player from the Hartford school to make it to FABL and did so in style. hitting .368 with a homerun in his first week of big league action.
What could have been a spectacular week turns into just a good week for the Brooklyn Kings. They won 4 of 5 heading into a Sunday doubleheader against the Saints but then proceeded to drop both. The Kings did manage to pick up a game on the front-runnning Sailors over the course of the week and are 7.5 back. Crazy to think this group has a chance, slim as it might be, but the Kings are keeping it interesting for fans in Brooklyn, who have not seen a pennant race in nearly a decade.
The Toronto Wolves scored 53 runs during the week while surrendering 40 runs -so much for a pitching and defense strategy in Toronto. Hal Wood drives in 7 to tie a club record in 14-6 victory in Cleveland. Hank Giordano was 3-for-6 with a 5 RBI game spoiled in an 11-9 Sunday loss to the Sailors in which the Wolves give up 5 unearned on 3 errors. For the week the Wolves bumbling in the field leads to 14 unearned on 15 misplayed balls. The Tums consumption by Manager Call is reaching all-time highs.
On the year Toronto has allowed a total of 77 unearned of 471 runs allowed (16.3%) in 1947 prompting Toronto sportswriter Brett Bing to note "It's almost as though they have reverted to the 1880s before fielders wore gloves."
The heartache continues for the Chicago Cougars and their fans. Despite allowing just five runs in his two starts, Pete Papenfus has tied Ducky Davis for the most losses in the CA, dropping his 13th and 14th games of the year. Sure, walking 11 won't help your cause, as Peter the Heater now leads in walks (118) and strikeouts (116) as well.
Sticking with the Cougars, things are much better for Duke Bybee, who stretched his scoreless streak to 33, and while he couldn't shut out the Stars for a third time, he allowed just 1 run, 5 hits, and 4 walks while striking out 6 in a complete game victory. Bybee is now 11-8 with a 2.84 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.07 WHIP through 20 starts
Lastly, Sal Pestilli hit his first home run in game #29 as a Cougar, and he was instrumental in the 6-2 win over New York. Pestilli went 1-for-2 with 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 RBIs. The bat is slowly heating up, but his .184/.237/.280 (41 OPS+) batting line still resembles someone who takes the mound every five days

STEPHENS AIMS TO DEFY WELTERWEIGHT TROUBLES

The welterweight division, often overshadowed by the giants of the ring, finds itself in a peculiar state of flux. With the spotlight fixated on heavyweight ruler Hector Sawyer and the recently derailed middleweight saga of Frank Melanson, who catapulted from the steel mills to the pinnacle of boxing in a blink, the welterweights have slipped through the cracks of public attention. Their struggles to establish a sustained reign atop the division have only compounded matters. It is astonishing to note that the last time a welterweight champion successfully defended his crown was nearly eight years ago, when Jimmy 'Kid' Simpson made his final of 14 successful title defenses before gracefully retiring.

The dark cloud of war cast its shadow upon the sport, leaving the welterweight title vacant for a staggering six years following Simpson's departure. Since then, both Dennis O'Keefe and Mark Westlake faltered in their attempts to retain the championship after seizing it. Now, our attention turns to Harold Stephens, a 29-year-old warrior hailing from Providence, Rhode Island, who has emerged with a string of impressive victories after a four-year hiatus from the squared circle during the war. Over the past two years, Stephens has bested notable opponents such as Ben "Baby Face" Bishop, Rudy Perry, and, most recently, Westlake, whom he outpointed with a unanimous decision to claim the title in February. Sporting a professional record of 20 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, Stephens finds himself on the precipice of a defining moment—retaining the coveted welterweight crown. However, standing firmly in his path is the resolute Carl Taylor.

Taylor, the gritty battler from Baltimore, will be given his second opportunity at the title, having been halted by O'Keefe in the 13th round of their encounter a year and a half ago for the then-vacant welterweight championship. At 30 years of age and armed with a commendable record of 22 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, Taylor shares many of the same vanquished foes as Stephens, boasting victories over Westlake, Bishop, and the impressive George Gibbs. Experts within the ring believe that Stephens holds a slight advantage in his bid to retain the crown when the two combatants collide this Saturday night at Boston's illustrious Denny Arena. Could this be the moment when a welterweight champion finally departs the ring, still adorned with his regal treasure? The answer eagerly awaits us.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

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)

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 8/10/1947

A first big victory for the United Nations in peace efforts as both Dutch and Indonesian troops joined in calling a cease fire following UN Security Council demands for an end to the 15-day war.
The leader of the Jewish underground in Palestine warned that more British soldiers will be executed if found to be "guilty of anti-espionage in civilian dress."
A British official blamed rising American prices and "the rapidly increasing surplus of United States exports over United States imports" for the sudden worsening of Britain's economic crisis.
Britain's Socialist-dominated House of Commons approved the government's sweeping "crisis powers" bill, described by Winston Churchill as "a blank check for totalitarian government." The government says the bill is necessary for effective dealing with the British economic crisis.
The head of the United Auto Workers is hopeful their new proposal would avert a strike of 107,000 Ford Motor Company employees.
Howard Hughes, millionaire plane and film producer, told the Senate War Investigating Sub-committee that he was prevented from getting contracts to build planes that would be faster than any the armed forces had because high-ranking Army officers disliked him.

06-28-2023, 01:26 PM	#734
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,805	August 11, 1947 AUGUST 11, 1947 4 GAME SKID DOES NOT SINK SAILORS In the world of major league baseball, the week has unfolded with a sense of familiarity as the contenders in both the Continental Association and the Federal Association have clung to their positions without significant change. Let's delve into the thrilling developments that transpired in the past week. First, we set our sights on the Continental Association, where the Philadelphia Sailors found themselves on shaky ground with a disheartening four-game losing streak. However, their resilience shone through as they regained their composure, triumphing in a pair of weekend clashes against the Toronto Wolves. Remarkably, their most prominent adversaries failed to seize the opportunity, leaving the Sailors comfortable four-game lead over the second-place New York Stars still very much intact. The Stars, burdened by their own four consecutive losses suffered in Montreal and Chicago, were unable to close the gap. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Cannons, also trailing by four games, squandered a chance to make a substantial gain. After claiming victory in two matches against the Sailors, they faltered over the weekend, succumbing to a devastating sweep by the Cleveland Foresters at Tice Memorial Stadium. As for the Toronto Wolves and the Chicago Cougars, they find themselves lingering on the periphery of contention, trailing by a considerable 8.5 games after each experienced mixed fortunes last week. It remains the Brooklyn Kings that currently occupy fourth place, barely holding a one-game advantage over the struggling Toronto and Chicago squads. However, their own aspirations were dealt a severe blow as they suffered a doubleheader sweep in Montreal just yesterday. Shifting our attention to the Federal Association, we witness the St. Louis Pioneers firmly asserting their dominance, preserving their 8.5-game lead over the second-place Detroit Dynamos. The Pioneers initiated the week by extinguishing any lingering hopes the Chicago Chiefs may have harbored, decimating them in a three-game series sweep. This extended the Chiefs' woeful losing streak to an agonizing 11 games while simultaneously propelling the Pioneers to an impressive eight-game winning streak. Although the Pioneers encountered a minor setback over the weekend, dropping two of three games to the Dynamos in Detroit, they remain resolute. The upcoming three-game series between the two teams, scheduled to take place in St. Louis next weekend, holds immense significance. The Pioneers possess the opportunity to further shatter the dreams of the youthful Detroiters, replicating the dominant display they exhibited against the floundering Chiefs. As for the defending champions, the Washington Eagles, they valiantly strive to remain relevant, securing victory in nine of their last eleven encounters. Despite their commendable efforts, the Eagles find themselves trailing by a considerable twelve games, a testament to the Pioneers' formidable lead. FABL BEST OF LAST WEEK WCS TELEVISIONS RIGHTS OFFERED AT $100,000 New York- The 1947 World Championship Series will be televised, FABL President Sam Belton has decided, but the sponsor will have to pay $100,000 for the privilege. Belton, it was learned here, wired NBC, CBS and Mutual from California, offering the television rights for that amount. The Gillette Safety Rzazor Company, which will broadcast the WCS games to the listening audience, declined the television privilege at the price fixed. The proposal now is being considered by several other prospective sponsors. The FABL boss also has stipulated that the telecasts of the WCS must be made to all television outlets in the New York area even if the Stars win the Continental Association pennant. It is estimated the telecasts would reach an estimated half million spectators each afternoon. It is believed that price of $100,000 would be the largest ever paid for television sponsorship of any event, exceeding the Sawyer-Fountain fight of last January. In addition, the sponsor would have to buy air time from the system over which the telecasts are carried. Some FABL magnates, most notably Al Mielke of the New York Stars, have opposed the sale of television rights, believing that if the fans knew they could see the WCS games on television screens, many would hold off buying tickets because of the weather factor in early October. The Stars owner is aiming for an emphatic sellout of the 1947 classic should his club return to defend its crown, and wants nothing to interfere with that objective. Mielke hinted the financial success of his franchise depends upon a large WCS gate. 1948 DRAFT PREVIEW - PART TWO : HIGH SCHOOL PITCHERS A year ago when we did our mock draft for the 1948 draft class there were 5 high school pitchers in the top 16. All five make our new list of top 10 high school arms but in a slightly different order and with a newcomer at the top of the list. #1: JIMMY ISGRO - RHP Austin (MN) High School -Isgro burst on to the scene this year, debuting as a junior with a 10-0 record and a 0.91 era. OSA feels that "if all goes according to schedule, Isgro will be at the top of the rotation someday." #2: JIMMY MORRIS - RHP Monroeville (OH) High School -Morris was an honourable mention in our mock draft a year ago and moved up the list with a perfect 12-0 season that featured a 0.88 era and a career best 185 strikeouts while walking just 19 in 122 innings of work. A groundball pitcher, he possess a three-pitch mix highlighted by an off the charts sinker. OSA pegs him as a future top of the rotation arm. #3: GENE CURTIS - RHP Furness High School Philadelphia (PA) - A future ace is how the scouting service sums up Curtis. The Philadelphia native has two great pitches in his slider and sinker to go along with an average fastball. A two-year starter he took a nice step forward as a junior and perhaps will have the same sort of jump his senior season. #4: KEN CROSSLEY - RHP Gainesville (GA) High School -Crossley was on the scouting services radar since his impressive freshman season and followed that up with a dominant sophomore campaign. He took a small step backwards, production wise, this past year but still had a solid campaign. He has four pitches highlighted by his cutter, and OSA says he is projected to have "the stuff and talent needed to be a number 1." #9: WALT COOPER - RHP Grand Rapids (MN) High School - A Flint native who has gone a perfect 22-0 over two seasons of pitching in Minnesota high school ball. He looks like a big time strikeout pitcher, perhaps along the lines of Minnesota high school legends the Jones brothers. OSA sees him as a potential number one starter. #6: ANSEL ROHLING - RHP Creston (IA) High School - The Missouri native is another high school arm that OSA feels could be "a future number one starter." He has a 6-pitch repertoire led by a plus slider and curveball as well as a quality sinker. He is tall but wiry and likely needs to grow into his frame but still can peak at 87 mph now. Rohling has never lost a high school game, sporting a 17-0 record after two seasons. #7: CHARLIE CRAIGHEAD - LHP Kensett (AR) High School -The top southpaw on the high school pitcher list, Craighead has had three very good seasons as a starter at Kensett High. OSA praises his pose and command, noting he will not beat himself with walks. Craighead projects to "occupy a spot in the middle of the rotation" according to OSA. #8: JERRY HUTCHINSON - RHP Red Bluff (CA) High School - OSA pegs the 17-year-old from California as a middle of the rotation arm. A three-year starter for his high school, the scouting service feels he is a real worm killer, who will generate a high number of ground balls. Like several pitchers in this group, the scouting service praises his work ethic. #9: FRANKIE RAYMOND - RHP Waite High School, Toledo (OH) - Another hard-working groundball pitcher, Raymond is a three year starter but might have scared some FABL teams off with a drop-off in his junior season. OSA still feels he has the tools to "propel him into a mid-rotation spot" but after his very impressive freshman season the scouting service was looking at him as an ace in the making. #10: DAVE SMITH - RHP Bellmore (NY) High School - A year ago Dave Smith was the top pitcher on our list - a future rotation anchor according to OSA. He only had a slight drop-off in his stats as a junior but he is no longer a lock to be a top of the rotation arm. OSA still feels he "possesses great talents and seems destined to eventually break out in a starter's role" but the star that the Brooklyn native appeared destined to be a year ago has tarnished somewhat. Next week in part three of our 1948 draft preview we will look at the top high school position players. A Player of the Week Hank Koblenz is blazing hot in August (.405/.488/1.000, 7 HR, 17 RBI in 37 AB) and he has hit 12 HR and driven in 24 over the last two weeks. Hard Boiled Hank is up to 35 dingers on the season. More good pitches to hit for Bobby! It is about 120 miles from the Hartford campus of Constitution State to Gothams Stadium in Queens but New York fans are thrilled it took Cecil LaBonte less than a month to make the journey, and that was with a layover in Toledo. LaBonte, a 21-year-old shortstop selected 8th overall by the Gothams this year became the first player from the Hartford school to make it to FABL and did so in style. hitting .368 with a homerun in his first week of big league action. What could have been a spectacular week turns into just a good week for the Brooklyn Kings. They won 4 of 5 heading into a Sunday doubleheader against the Saints but then proceeded to drop both. The Kings did manage to pick up a game on the front-runnning Sailors over the course of the week and are 7.5 back. Crazy to think this group has a chance, slim as it might be, but the Kings are keeping it interesting for fans in Brooklyn, who have not seen a pennant race in nearly a decade. The Toronto Wolves scored 53 runs during the week while surrendering 40 runs -so much for a pitching and defense strategy in Toronto. Hal Wood drives in 7 to tie a club record in 14-6 victory in Cleveland. Hank Giordano was 3-for-6 with a 5 RBI game spoiled in an 11-9 Sunday loss to the Sailors in which the Wolves give up 5 unearned on 3 errors. For the week the Wolves bumbling in the field leads to 14 unearned on 15 misplayed balls. The Tums consumption by Manager Call is reaching all-time highs. On the year Toronto has allowed a total of 77 unearned of 471 runs allowed (16.3%) in 1947 prompting Toronto sportswriter Brett Bing to note "It's almost as though they have reverted to the 1880s before fielders wore gloves." The heartache continues for the Chicago Cougars and their fans. Despite allowing just five runs in his two starts, Pete Papenfus has tied Ducky Davis for the most losses in the CA, dropping his 13th and 14th games of the year. Sure, walking 11 won't help your cause, as Peter the Heater now leads in walks (118) and strikeouts (116) as well. Sticking with the Cougars, things are much better for Duke Bybee, who stretched his scoreless streak to 33, and while he couldn't shut out the Stars for a third time, he allowed just 1 run, 5 hits, and 4 walks while striking out 6 in a complete game victory. Bybee is now 11-8 with a 2.84 ERA (134 ERA+) and 1.07 WHIP through 20 starts Lastly, Sal Pestilli hit his first home run in game #29 as a Cougar, and he was instrumental in the 6-2 win over New York. Pestilli went 1-for-2 with 2 runs, 2 walks, and 3 RBIs. The bat is slowly heating up, but his .184/.237/.280 (41 OPS+) batting line still resembles someone who takes the mound every five days STEPHENS AIMS TO DEFY WELTERWEIGHT TROUBLES The welterweight division, often overshadowed by the giants of the ring, finds itself in a peculiar state of flux. With the spotlight fixated on heavyweight ruler Hector Sawyer and the recently derailed middleweight saga of Frank Melanson, who catapulted from the steel mills to the pinnacle of boxing in a blink, the welterweights have slipped through the cracks of public attention. Their struggles to establish a sustained reign atop the division have only compounded matters. It is astonishing to note that the last time a welterweight champion successfully defended his crown was nearly eight years ago, when Jimmy 'Kid' Simpson made his final of 14 successful title defenses before gracefully retiring. The dark cloud of war cast its shadow upon the sport, leaving the welterweight title vacant for a staggering six years following Simpson's departure. Since then, both Dennis O'Keefe and Mark Westlake faltered in their attempts to retain the championship after seizing it. Now, our attention turns to Harold Stephens, a 29-year-old warrior hailing from Providence, Rhode Island, who has emerged with a string of impressive victories after a four-year hiatus from the squared circle during the war. Over the past two years, Stephens has bested notable opponents such as Ben "Baby Face" Bishop, Rudy Perry, and, most recently, Westlake, whom he outpointed with a unanimous decision to claim the title in February. Sporting a professional record of 20 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, Stephens finds himself on the precipice of a defining moment—retaining the coveted welterweight crown. However, standing firmly in his path is the resolute Carl Taylor. Taylor, the gritty battler from Baltimore, will be given his second opportunity at the title, having been halted by O'Keefe in the 13th round of their encounter a year and a half ago for the then-vacant welterweight championship. At 30 years of age and armed with a commendable record of 22 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, Taylor shares many of the same vanquished foes as Stephens, boasting victories over Westlake, Bishop, and the impressive George Gibbs. Experts within the ring believe that Stephens holds a slight advantage in his bid to retain the crown when the two combatants collide this Saturday night at Boston's illustrious Denny Arena. Could this be the moment when a welterweight champion finally departs the ring, still adorned with his regal treasure? The answer eagerly awaits us. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS 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) The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 8/10/1947 A first big victory for the United Nations in peace efforts as both Dutch and Indonesian troops joined in calling a cease fire following UN Security Council demands for an end to the 15-day war. The leader of the Jewish underground in Palestine warned that more British soldiers will be executed if found to be "guilty of anti-espionage in civilian dress." A British official blamed rising American prices and "the rapidly increasing surplus of United States exports over United States imports" for the sudden worsening of Britain's economic crisis. Britain's Socialist-dominated House of Commons approved the government's sweeping "crisis powers" bill, described by Winston Churchill as "a blank check for totalitarian government." The government says the bill is necessary for effective dealing with the British economic crisis. The head of the United Auto Workers is hopeful their new proposal would avert a strike of 107,000 Ford Motor Company employees. Howard Hughes, millionaire plane and film producer, told the Senate War Investigating Sub-committee that he was prevented from getting contracts to build planes that would be faster than any the armed forces had because high-ranking Army officers disliked him. __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles