SEPTEMBER 8, 1947
KINGS BIDDING FOR FIRST PENNANT SINCE '38
Sweep Stars To Move Within Three Games
Could there be a more improbable pairing in the 1947 World Championship Series than the St Louis Pioneers and Brooklyn Kings? The last three weeks of the season are really just a formality before the Pioneers complete their climb from last place in the Federal Association a year ago to flag wavers this time around and now there is a chance the Brooklyn Kings could go from 7th in the Continental Association a year ago to winning their first pennant in almost a decade.
The road ahead remains arduous for the Kings, who have surprised both pundits and fans alike. However, following a resounding sweep of a four-game series against the New York Stars over the weekend, the resilient Kings finds themselves a mere three games behind the frontrunning Philadelphia Sailors in the tightly contested Continental battle. The Cincinnati Cannons, eyeing an additional title to complement the three consecutive victories they achieved during the war years, remain within striking distance. Similarly, the defending champions, the New York Stars, despite their recent drubbing at the hands of the Prescotts, are also just three games adrift of the Sailors.
It is hardly surprising that the Sailors, Cannons, and Stars are still in contention as the season hurtles toward its climax. However, the enigmatic Chicago Cougars, perennially perceived as the most formidable team on paper each April, have once again embraced disappointment as their middle name. Their underachievement, yet another in a series of letdowns from a club that many believed should have claimed half a dozen pennants this decade, stands at the heart of the greatest enigma plaguing the FABL these days. With an 8.5-game deficit, it seems almost certain that the Cougars will fall short once more, and this year has been so dismal that they teeter on the brink of finishing below the break-even mark for the first time since 1936.
While fortune has seldom favored the Cougars in recent years, the same cannot be said for the Kings' general manager, DD Martin. He came tantalizing close several times with a surprising turnaround in Detroit a decade ago but fell just short of following up the success he had in bringing Cleveland its first WCS title in 1934. With a number of near misses sprinkled between some trades that much of the Dynamos fandom found hard to swallow, Martin finally bolted the Motor City for Brooklyn a year and a half ago. The Kings, a last place team when Martin took over, were a far cry from their glory days of the mid-thirties. Yet, here they stand, with Martin at the helm for just his second season, defying the odds and vying for the pennant.
It is a peculiar blend of budding talent, represented by names like Ralph Johnson, Frank Reichardt and Leo Hayden, complemented by seasoned veterans such as Buddy Long and Harry Carter as well as cast-offs like former Forester Johnny Slaney and ex-Cougar Hank Barnett that has revitalized the electric atmosphere within Kings County ballpark. This week proves critical for the Kings as they embark on a journey to Philadelphia and Cincinnati, yet the borough of Brooklyn is already consumed by an undeniable case of pennant fever.
LAST WEEK'S TOP PERFORMERS
From Joey Mahoney, Philadelphia Inquisitor --Bobby Barrell swatted two more homers to get to 58 with 17 to play. Barrell leads both leagues in the three Triple Crown categories. Barrell is hitting .358, leading Washington's Mel Carrol by five points in the closer race. Barrell is ahead by a larger margin in home runs and runs batted in. The Georgia Jolter is 16 ahead on homers over teammate Hank Koblenz and leads Chicago's Tiny Hopkins in RBI, 127-116.
THE PROSPECT PIPELINE IS NOT A SURE THING
Last week, New York Daily Mirror baseball guru John Brinker talked about the contribution that the game's elder statesmen -most noticeably Bobby Barrell- have been making on the sport. He also cautioned FABL clubs of the dangers of parting with those thirty-somethings, who still might have plenty left to give- for some shiny young prospects.
TWIFB decided to take a look at the prospect pipeline from 15 years ago and see just how many gems, and how much of what turned out to be fool's gold, was sitting on its list. Why 15 years ago? No reason in particular other than it is far enough back that many of the group are retired and those that are still going strong have a good sample of seasons under their belt. So what did we discover.
*** Top Prospects are Pretty Solid Bet ***
For the most part, as expected, if you are acquiring or presently hold a top ten prospect it is a pretty good bet he will have a nice big league career- barring injury. Drop down to prospects between 11 and 30 on the list and maybe the odds are not so stacked in your favour. Yes, you might have a future Bill May or Sam Brown on your hands but you could also have the next Henry Clayton or Joe Johnson. Who?...exactly!
Now that is not so bad if you are trading that future Jim Mason(#21) or Oscar King (#73) for Rabbit Day as the Gothams did to bring the future Hall of Famer to the Big Apple as a 30-year-old, but if you are on the other side of the transaction such a move stings. It cuts both ways for the Gothams who dealt a 37 year old Max Morris a year before his final Whitney Award winning season for a package that included Pete Thomas (who was #45 on this pipeline) and 3 other players who never amounted to much.
Drop down out of the top 30 or so and it is really hit and miss. Yes that prospect a GM just loves might turn out to be the next Lou Balk and play over 1,000 big leagues games, but it could also be Al Haines or Leo Clark -the two centerfielders ranked directly before and after Balk's #80 position on the 1932 list. Haines and Clark clearly did not come anywhere close to being quality FABL players. Trading for a young pitching prospect always comes with the risk of injury on top of the risk of him just not panning out for pure talent reasons -or a shortage there of. Yes, a young Walt Wells would be a terrific pickup in 1932 but odds are if he is the property of a successful franchise that club's scouting department has already identified Wells as a player they want to hang on to, but they would be glad to divert your attention to someone else rated right in the same vicinity by OSA but perhaps not so high on that team's own list.
*** Buyer Beware ***
I don't want to put words on John Brinker's page, but it seems to me he was saying the top clubs in FABL stay great because they are not afraid to add a veteran piece who might have some mileage on him for a prospect or two that are ranked around the 100 mark. It is just one group, but this list of the top 120 prospects in October of 1932 shows just how many outside the top 10 do not pan out. And giving up a dependable veteran for what amounts to a lottery ticket is perhaps a little too risky unless you have done your homework.
Homework means do not put your full trust in the prospect pipeline ranking. Know the player, consult with your scouting director if he has proven to steer you the right way in the past - and replace him if he hasn't. Also look at the young player's age and his performance. What level is he playing at and how is he performing relative to his peers? The prospect pipeline is a valuable source of information but far from the only one. And remember just because your veteran is struggling that does not mean he won't bounce back and by a major contributor the next season. If you know he is struggling, so does the rest of the league and perhaps you are trying to sell while his stock is at its lowest.
BROOKLYN KINGS' DECISION TO KEEP LONG PROVES CRUCIAL
In the wake of the trade deadline, the Brooklyn Kings orchestrated a series of moves that caught the attention of fans. The acquisition of Harry Carter from the New York Gothams was the most prominent among them. However, the most significant gain for Brooklyn at the deadline might have been their decision to retain Buddy Long. While it remains uncertain whether the Kings ever seriously entertained the idea of parting ways with Long, as reports suggested that the asking price for the seasoned southpaw was exorbitant, the fact that he remained in Brooklyn has undeniably paid dividends.
Since the deadline, Long has posted an impressive 5-1 record, contributing significantly to the Kings' sudden resurgence. With an overall record of 17-10 this season, his presence on the mound has played a pivotal role in Brooklyn's contention. It is difficult to fathom the Kings being in the mix had they parted with the veteran left-hander at the deadline. This situation serves as yet another prime example of the wisdom shared by John Brinker, who recently emphasized the value of retaining experienced talent rather than trading it away for unproven prospects or draft picks. Such wisdom holds particularly true for the Kings, as September suddenly carries profound meaning for a franchise that has endured a decade-long absence from the pennant race picture.
There are some numbers that just the mere mention of them immediately brings in to focus an image of a baseball great. 4144. 711. 60. The first two are marks of longevity. Powell Slocum's 4,144 career hits and Congressman Max Morris' 711 career homeruns. The third one up until this season felt just as untouchable. 60 homeruns in a season. A feat accomplished by Morris a full 24 years ago when the homerun was a novelty in the sport and something no one but Morris was accomplishing with regularity. Mighty Mo belted 59 the previous year and would hit 57 two years after his record 60.
Joe Masters of the Chicago Chiefs had that one season a ballplayer can only dream about when everything went his way and still he could only get to within 4 of Morris' magic mark. Bobby Barrell in his prime, as a 25-year-old, had what everyone expected was the season of his life in 1936 when he hit 53. No other man has ever topped 50 in a season so what Barrell is doing now at the ripe old age of 37, and a little over a decade after a bullet in his forearm left many in the Philadelphia Keystones organization worried Barrell might never regain his power.
Yet here we are witnessing The Georgia Jolter, 48 days past his 37th birthday, rapidly closing in on the most hallowed single season mark the sport can offer. Morris hit 48 homers as a 35 year old and 44 in his age 37 season so what Barrell is doing at his age is not just unprecedented....it borderlines on unbelievable.
Morris and 711 should be safe, although with Barrell less than 200 away who knows, but it sure looks like 60 will be replaced very soon as Bobby Barrell takes over the single season homerun crown.
*** Don't Forget The Wonder Wheel ***
Al Wheeler may have been surpassed by Bobby Barrell for number two on the all-time homerun list but the Wonder Wheel is still adding to his legend despite being reduced to platoon-time status in Cincinnati. Wheeler, 39 accomplished two very special milestones with one swing of the bat last Monday against Cleveland. His solo homerun off to Dick Lamb allowed Wheeler to drive in the 2,000 run of his career - allowing him to join Max Morris as the only players with 2,000 career rbi's. When Wheeler stepped on home plate it was the 1,941st time he scored a run, breaking his tie with John Dibblee for second most behind Morris. Wheeler is also now within 11 games of tying Morris for the third most ever played in FABL. Only Ed Ziejl (3,025), Dibblee (3,009) and Morris (2,946) are ahead of Wheeler's 2,935 career games.
***End of Line for Yeadon? ***
For almost as long as anyone can remember Doug Yeadon has been a fixture on the Detroit Motors roster. The 35-year-old Motors assistant captain has hockey history in his blood. Quite literally in his blood, as his father Frank and uncle Bill Yeadon were the founders of west coast hockey and would later hold at one time or another nearly every role imaginable in the sport. Player. Coach. Even owner as Uncle Frank was in charge of the Eagles franchise when they were called the New York Eagles. Bill was a star player in the early days of the sport and has spent the past decade as the head scout of the Motors -a position he still holds. Meanwhile, Doug's brother Fred ,32, was a teammate on the Motors for a number of seasons and now owns a pair of Challenge Cup rings after being dealt by the Motors to Boston four years ago.
It seems like the end of the line might be near for Doug as the Motors have signed several good young forwards including HAA scoring sensation Adam Vanderbilt, ex-Brooklyn Eagle Hank Walsh and first round draft pick Ben Witt. It is early as camp does not even start for another few weeks, but there is speculation that head coach Mark Moore's preliminary depth chart does not include a spot for Yeadon on the top three lines.
Yeadon scored a career low 30 points last season including just 6 goals, but he is undetered in vowing he will come in to camp with the same mindset he has had every season. "No job is guaranteed. I have to prove to them every fall I am one of the nine best forwards so I can be in the lineup every day."
Consistency has been a key part of Yeadon's game. Yeadon had not been out of the lineup since a back injury cost him two games in February of 1942 until last December when he was forced to miss one contest last year after a scary cut to his face left him with 9 stitches. Here is hoping he gets a chance to spill some more of that royal hockey blood on the Thompson Palladium ice surface again this season.
It was not the week the Portland Green Sox were hoping for. The Green Sox hopes of reaching the Bigsby Cup were dealt a big blow when the club struggled in what might have been the most important week of the season. The Sox faced Dallas and Oakland -the two teams ahead of them in the battle for the two Cup berths- but went just 3-4, dropping two of three in Dallas before settling for a split of the 4 game set with the Grays.
The Green Sox have 19 games left and trail Dallas by 5 and Oakland by 3 games. They are done with the Grays for the season but do have 3 more games at home with the Centurions left to play.
Oakland's Franki Cohen is looking like he may not be the second GWL player in as many seasons to hit .400. Cohen, trying to duplicate what San Francisco's Bob Land accomplished a year ago in becoming the first major leaguer since FABL's Mel Carrol in 1937 to hit .400, did go 14-for-29 (.483) last week to raise his average 2 points but he is still hitting 'only' .394 on the year with three weeks remaining in the coast loop season.
- Congratulations to Al Wheeler for his 2,000 career rbi. Only Max Morris has more. Wheeler also moved into sole possession of second place in runs scored after breaking his tie with John Dibblee. Morris leads in that category as well with 2,257 but Wheeler is alone in second with 1,945. Well, second to Morris at least for a little while until Bobby Barrell passes him in those categories like he recently did in the homerun tally.
- Great week for Lloyd Stevens, earning two of the three victories the Keystones had on the week. Stevens defeated Boston on Tuesday, 9-1, for his 100th FABL victory, followed by another road win, this one in Washington, 7-6, for his 20th win of the season. Keystones management were internally pushing for .500, but a 3-5 week dropped them to 7 games under break-even at 65-72. After an August in which Philadelphia went 17-9, a 12-5 record the rest of the way is not impossible.
- With all of the news around Bobby Barrell's record chasing season and the mound work of the Keystones ace one has to think you would be hard pressed to find a pitcher-hitter combo in FABL than Barrell and Stevens. A shame the supporting cast, particularly on the mound has let them down this year and Stevens -despite winning the Allen Award last season still feels under appreciated.
- Johnny Bologna, the great columnist for the Philadelphia Inquisitor, agees completely noting "AThere was a commitment to youth this year (Waddell, Quade, Power, Cleaves) that has probably hurt the team's pennant hopes. The pitching has disappointed, no question about it. Ross bottomed out early (and has since settled fairly well into the Chiefs bullpen). Tuttle also hit the skids and Brooks is showing his age. Whiteley is now in the bullpen because he could not sustain success in the rotation. Those are usually reliable arms. I thought the Keystones would get another year or two out of Ross, Tuttle, and Whiteley in the rotation. For the latter two, that might not happen now."
- Continued struggles against the Saints do in the Cougars once more, dropping three of four to the Saints in Montreal. At 2 games under .500, the Cougars are at risk for their first sub .500 season since 1936.
- The news was not all good in Brooklyn as the Kings did learn they will be without the services of Juan Pomales (.286,3,47) for the rest of the year after the 32-year-old suffered a devastating knee injury last week. Percy Pringle Sr. of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle acknowledges that "While Bobby Barrell is tearing up the FABL no doubt, the Kings OF combo of the now injured LF Polmales, CF Moss and RF Ralph Johnson has to be one of the top OF’s this season in the FABL. It will be interesting to see how Rutherford will do playing everyday down the stretch of a pennant race." Pringle adds that "the Kings have some decisions to make this off-season as they will try and build on the surprising success of this season."
- Not a lot to like about this season for the New York Gothams but Tom Jeffries is an exception. The 23-year-old rookie third baseman presently is 1 plate appearance shy of qualifying for the batting average leaderboard but he is currently at .324 which would be 5th in the Fed.
- Most common phrase uttered by Gothams fans with news their club has been officially eliminated from the Fed pennant hunt is "When do the Shamrocks start their season?" That story is much the same in Chicago regarding the ice Packers with news the Chiefs are officially eliminated and the Cougars are in danger of ending up in the second division.
ST BLANE TEAM TO BEAT IN COLLEGE GRID
The gridiron landscape of college football is undergoing a transformation. With the departure of the famed backfield duo, Gus Thompson and Chet Donelson, Rome State's reign as the dominant force in collegiate football appears to be waning. Make no mistake, the Centurions will still command respect as a formidable ballclub, but the days of their invincibility, going undefeated for nearly three full seasons, are a thing of the past. The playing field for recruiting is now wide open, as Rome State, Annapolis Maritime, and the multitude of service teams that emerged during the past four years no longer enjoy unrivaled talent acquisition.
And this bodes well for the sport as a whole. In our estimation, there are about a dozen teams capable of vying for the coveted national championship, a title that in previous years was virtually predestined for the Centurions. St. Blane, with their impressive performance last year, showed that Rome State is not impervious to defeat, tying them and then claiming the national crown after the Centurions suffered a resounding blow at the hands of Pierpont, the likes of which had not been witnessed since 1942.
Led by the seasoned senior quarterback Ricky McCallister, the Fighting Saints have earned TWIFB's preseason distinction as the top pick for the National Championship. However, we wouldn't dispute the merits of half a dozen other contenders. Liberty College, despite their modest 5-3 record last year, may emerge as the cream of the crop on the eastern coast this season, though they will face strong competition from North Carolina Tech and Pierpont. Meanwhile, the Deep South Conference appears to be brimming with talent, with Deep South rivals Georgia Baptist and Noble Jones College, poised to challenge Rome State for Peach State supremacy. Nevertheless, their journey just to survive the section will be arduous, as Alabama Baptist seeks to improve upon their impressive 8-3-1 season from last year and several others, notably Central Kentucky and Mississippi A&M look to be on the rise.
In the Great Lakes Alliance, Detroit City College is the clear favorite to rule the roost. Coming off a remarkable 8-1 campaign, the Knights are primed for national honours, relying on the guidance of junior quarterback Paul Erdinger and the formidable talents of senior halfback Johnny Matthews. Out west, while the coast loop may experience a down year, the powerful Coastal California Dolphins squad begs to differ. The greatest challenge in the west will likely emerge from the Lone Star state, where the Southwest Alliance boasts three genuine contenders in Travis College, Texas Gulf Coast, and Red River State, all vying for a chance to shine on New Year's Day.
Here is TWIFB's preseason ranking of the top twenty collegiate football teams
Code:
AIAA PRESEASON GRID POLL
# SCHOOL 1946REC CONFERENCE
1 St Blane 8-0-1 Independent
2 Detroit City College 8-1 Great Lakes Alliance
3 Liberty College 5-3 Independent
4 Travis College 9-1 Southwest Alliance
5 Alabama Baptist 8-3-1 Deep South
6 Pierpont 7-0-1 Academia Alliance
7 Coastal California 6-1-2 West Coast Athletic Assn
8 North Carolina Tech 8-2 South Atlantic
9 Georgia Baptist 7-3 Deep South
10 Rome State 8-1-1 Independent
11 Texas Gulf Coast 5-5 Southwest Alliance
12 Lawrence State 6-4 Plains Athletic Assn
13 Richmond State 9-1 South Atlantic
14 Oklahoma City State 8-2 Plains Athletic Assn
15 Charleston Tech 8-1-1 South Atlantic
16 Red River State 9-0-1 Southwest Alliance
17 Carolina Poly 5-3-1 South Atlantic
18 Henry Hudson 6-1-2 Academia Alliance
19 Minnesota Tech 7-2 Great Lakes Alliance
20 Noble Jones College 8-1 Deep South
UPOMING GAMES
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9
Texas Gulf Coast at Sunnyvale
COWBOYS SURVIVE SHOOTOUT IN THEIR CFC OPENER
If their CFC opener is any indication the defending champion Kansas City Cowboys will be hard pressed to duplicate their 13-1 season from the inaugural year of the new pro gid loop. The Cowboys, idle last week as games kicked-off, barely survived a battle with the Buffalo Bulls in pulling out a 35-34 victory. Reigning CFC most valuable player Pat Chappell had a solid game, completing 11 of 18 throws for 228 yards including 3 touchdown strikes but Chappell won the contest with his defensive skills. The game was a battle throughout with rookie Buffalo quarterback Mark Monday, who threw for 194 yards and two scores, looking very good after he settled down following three early interceptions.
Monday had the Bulls in field goal range, trailing by one with less than a minute left but Chappell baited him into making a bad decision. In what was a calculated risk, Chappell played Bulls receiver Ron Kijowski soft inside his own 10 yard line, focusing on the eyes of Monday. When the rookie telegraphed his intentions to attempt a 15-yard pass to Kijowski, Chappell jumped into action, closing the gap and snatching the ball in front of Kijowski costing the Bulls a chance to win the game. The Cowboys ran out the clock, preserving a hard-fought 35-34 win on homefield. Buffalo, which lost a heartbreaker the previous week when New York scored 10 points in the final two minutes to claim a 41-38 victory, falls to 0-2 on the year.
Elsewhere, the New York Gothams played another heartstopping game but this time instead of pulling out a late victory they lost 45-41 to the visiting Chicago Comets in a wild finish. The lead changed hands three times in the final three minutes with Mike Ramsdell's 10-yard touchdown run with just 3 seconds left on the clock proving the difference.
San Francisco won the battle of the west coast as the Wings downed the Los Angeles Lobos 20-14 despite a 228 yard passing day from Lobos quarterback John Fuchs. The other game saw the Brooklyn Football Kings even their record at 1-1 with a 14-0 road win in New Orleans.
As it did last season, the Continental Football Conference decided to get a head start on the American Football Association. The 28th season of the AFA kicks off this weekend.
Code:
CONTINTENTAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EAST W L T PCT[/b]
NY Gothams 1 1 0 .500
Brooklyn 1 1 0 .500
New Orleans 0 1 0 .000
Buffalo 0 2 0 .000
WEST W L T PCT
San Francisco 2 0 0 1.000
Kansas City 1 0 0 1.000
Los Angeles 1 1 0 .500
Chicago 1 1 0 .500
WEEKEND RESULTS
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5
Kansas City 35 Buffalo 34
Chicago 45 New York 41
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7
Brooklyn 14 New Orleans 0
San Francisco 20 Los Angeles 14
UPCOMING GAMES
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12
Kansas City at Brooklyn
New York at Los Angeles
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14
Chicago at Buffalo
New Orleans at San Francisco
Code:
CFC LEADERS
SCORING PTS
Wade, NYG 22
Higman, Buf 18
Hale, NYG 18
Abbott, SF 18
PASSING COMP-ATT YDS TD INT
McAlister, Buf 34-70 411 4 6
Fuchs, LA 17-39 387 2 2
Hale, NYG 15-35 376 1 3
Metcalf, SF 27-57 298 3 2
RUSHING YDS TD
Hale, NYG 307 2
Stone, SF 177 0
Meyer, Buf 135 0
Yardley, Bkn 123 0
RECEIVING CAT YDS TD
Mula, SF 13 136 2
Swanagan, Buf 8 71 0
Breig, Chi 7 131 1
Arnone, Chi 7 81 1
INERCEPTIONS #
Carroll, SF 2
several tied with 1
MOTORS SIGN EMOND
The Detroit Motors have announced the acquisition of left winger Remy Emond. The 25-year-old, who was originally drafted first overall by the Brooklyn Eagles in 1941, has never quite lived up to the billing of a number one selection but he did score 18 goals and 39 points for the Buffalo Bears of the HAA last season. Emond has never played in the NAHC but does have 7 years of experience in the Hockey Association of America, including the past three years with the Bears. It is there that the Quebec native caught the attention of Motors Head Scout Bill Yeadon, as Detroit has a working agreement with the Bears and Emond's knack for scoring prompted Detroit to sign him to a two-way contract.
"Odds are he will end up back in Buffalo, at least to start the season," explained Detroit coach Mark Moore, noting the newfound depth the Detroit club now has up front. "But he will be just a phone call away and I would not be surprised if you see him at the (Thompson) Palladium at some point this season."
The Motors released veteran forward Bill Woodley after signing Emond. The 30-year old had 8 goals and 20 points for Detroit last season and has 37 goals in 263 career NAHC games. Word is the club let Woodley go in order to keep a contract spot open should they find a depth defenseman.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- Sep 12- Baltimore: middleweights Jack Rainey (23-3) vs Willie Binion (18-4-1)
- Sep 13- San Francisco, Ca: former heavyweight champ Mark Fountain (20-3-1) vs Thurman Davis (13-16-1)
- Sep 16- Scranton, Pa: former welterweight champ Dennis O'Keefe (20-3) vs Derek Clark (6-7)
- Sep 17- Los Angeles,Ca: Heavyweight contender Dan Miller (34-7-1 vs Fraser Witt (13-2-6)
- Sep 21- Holyoke, Ma: rising heavyweight Tommy Cline (10-0) vs Fred Vaughn (11-11-3)
- Sep 29 -Paris, Fr: middleweight Yohan Revel (12-0) vs Kai Wacher (9-7-1)
- Dec 12 - Lakeside Auditorium, Chicago: World Middleweight Champ John Edmonds (23-2) rematch with Frank Melanson (32-1-2)
- Jan 10 - Santa Ana Stadium, Los Angeles: World Heavyweight Champ Hector Sawyer vs Dan Miller
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 9/07/1947
- A long battle is expected in the United Nations General Assembly over a committee plan to divide Palestine into Arab and Jewish states and admit 150,000 Jewish immigrants in the next two years.
- President Truman told the Inter-American Defense Conference in Brazil that while violence is distasteful to the United State this is no "invitation to others to take liberties with the foundations of interenational peace."
- Late in his visit the President had a close in call Rio De Janeiro when the automobile he was riding in skidded off of a steep, muddy mountain road. He was not injured.
- Acting Secretary of State Lovett warns that Europe's economic crisis is developing much faster than expected and that some type of American action to help relieve the situation will be necessary before the end of the year.
- The Democrats opened their 1948 campaign with a coast-to-coast radio blast hammering at the GOP Congress for its record on labor, price, farm and housing legislation.