SEPTEMBER 15, 1947
SAILING ALONG
Sailors Closing In On Pennant
The work is far from complete but the Philadelphia Sailors are closing in on their first Continental Association pennant since they won three straight from 1928-30. The Sailors swept a doubleheader from the New York Stars yesterday and with 7 wins in their last 9 games now lead the Cincinnati Cannons by 2 games for top spot in the CA. The Cannons went 4-2 last week but still lost a half game to the leaders.
At 82-64, Philadelphia has just 8 games left to play. They have very light week ahead of them with two days off before they host the slumping Chicago Cougars Wednesday and Thursday. Then it is another two days off before a Sunday twin bill in Cleveland against the Foresters, who are surprisinly just a half game back of the Cougars in the fight for 6th place. The Sailors finish out their schedule the following week with 3 at home against Toronto and one final game hosting the Foresters. That makes six of the Sailors final 8 games at home.
Cincinnati will be much busier as the 78-64 Cannons have 12 remaining, split equally between at home and on the road. They play every day this week starting with two against Brooklyn, which beat the Cannons in Cincinnati 2-1 yesterday. Then it will be 2 against Montreal before the Cannons head out on the road for stops in Toronto and Cleveland before finishing the season against the Wolves at Tice Memorial.
The Brooklyn Kings 2-1 comeback win over Cincinnati yesterday keeps their faint hopes alive at 4.5 games out. John Brinker of the New York Daily Mirror breaks it down this way: "The Kings would need to sweep Cincy and hope the Cougs bounce back against the Sailors, which given their play of late is a tall order. If that did happen, Brooklyn could be just two out heading into their series with the resurgent Wolves. Meanwhile, after the Cougars, the Sailors get the Foresters (who've been playing well of late) and then the Wolves. Not an easy road for Philly there."
The New York Stars are 6 games back and their hopes of defending the title they won last season are all but gone. Losing 4 of 5 to Cincinnati and Philadelphia this week sealed their fate. The Stars have just 3 wins in their last 11 games and would be the team with the worst finish in the CA were it not for the fact that the Chicago Cougars have lost 7 straight and are on a 1-14 stretch that may see them finish in 7th place - a spot they are just a half game clear of at the moment.
FABL TOP PLAYERS LAST WEEK
Bobby Barrell creeps closer with one homer this week, now one back of Mighty Mo's single-season mark of 60. With 11 games remaining, if Barrell can average a hit in each of those games, he can reach the 200-hit plateau for the 7th time. Barrell also earned his 3,200th hit - an RBI single in a 6-run 6th - in the Keystones 10-4 win against New York on Saturday.
BARRELL vs. THIS WEEK'S PROBABLES
vs. Danny Hern STL - 35-for-97 (.361), 8 HR
vs. Jasper Moore STL - 20-for-65 (.308), 4 HR
vs. John Stallings CHI - 10-for-22 (.455) 1 HR
vs. Charlie Bingham CHI - 28-for-97 (.289), 4 HR
at Bill Traylor PIT - 8-for-18 (.444), 2 HR
at Billy Ligons PIT - 24-for-67 (.358), 8 HR
Meanwhile, Keystones manager Jack Everhart is in the last year of his contract and has not been extended. Unless the Keystones basically run the table, they will finish below .500 with all of that hitting. If Everhart is not retained, could Keystones bench coach -- and former Barrell teammate -- Carl Ames get the job? Ames has been the bench coach for 6 years and at the age of 44, he would be the third-youngest manager in the FABL, ahead of only Brooklyn's Tom Barrell (39) and the Gothams Bud Jameson (43).
Is pitching coach Elmer Pettus, who took over for long-time pitching coach Ike Bell this year and who is signed for next season, on the hot seat? The Keystones look for candidates, they can turn to another former Keystone and another 1927 WCS Champion, Red Adwell, who has coached in New Orleans for the last six seasons and who has been coached in the organization consecutively for 10 years. Adwell was Ames's batterymate for five seasons (1925-29), so he would likely get Ames's vote. This is all conjecture, as there are other candidates, both within the organization and likely outside the organization, but the Keystones have promoted a familial atmosphere over the years, so this would perfectly line up with their franchise identity.
LOTTERY BALLS ALL BUT DECIDED
The Federal Association pennant race is long over, so there is little suspense in the loop. Not even in the draft lottery where it seems assured that the Detroit Dynamos and Chicago Chiefs will each get three balls in the lottery to determine who picks first in January. The lottery structure for the first two rounds ranks the 7 teams that do not win the pennant based upon their improvement compared to last season. The two teams with the biggest improvement will each get 3 entries in the draft lottery, the next two teams get two entries and the three remaining clubs will each have one chance at drawing the top pick.
The Associations alternate picks so this year the Federal Association clubs will get the odd selections, including first overall. The lottery will give the Dynamos and Chiefs the best odds at winning the top pick. There is a seperate draw conducted with the same number of entries for the second round.
St Louis, once it officially clinches the Fed crown, will select 15th and the Continental Association pennant winner will have the 16th and final selection in rounds one and two. As it stands right now the Keystones and Washington will each receive two entries on the Fed side with the Gothams, Pittsburgh and Boston earning one. The Continental Association is a little more complicated with the pennant outcome in doubt but as it looks at the moment there is a race between Toronto and Cleveland for that third ball in the draft -assuming Brooklyn does not claim the pennant as if the Kings do win the crown, both the Foresters and Wolves, who picked first last year, will get three entries.
WILL THE WINDS OF CHANGE SWEEP THROUGH THE WINDY CITY?
The future of Clyde Meyer, the long-time manager of the Chicago Cougars, appears to be hanging by a thread. As the Cougars struggle to stay afloat in a sea of mediocrity, sources within the organization reveal that Meyer will not be retained for the 1948 season. With the team languishing at the .500 mark, it is evident that the once again underachieving Cougars are in desperate need of a fresh start.
Meyer, who joined the Cougars in 1940 and guided them to a Continental Association crown the following year, has endured countless disappointments since then. One particularly egregious setback occurred in a series against the Minutemen, during which the Cougars outscored their opponents by double-digit runs but inexplicably dropped four one-run games. The agony of defeat and an unsettling number of narrow losses year after year have become synonymous with the Cougars under Meyer's leadership.
Although no immediate changes are expected until the offseason, rumors abound that the new owner, Mack Dalmer, is contemplating a comprehensive overhaul of the front office. Dalmer remains tight-lipped on the matter, refusing to provide any comments.
The pivotal question at hand is whether Meyer's departure is merely the first of many moves for a Cougars team that has consistently fallen short despite being hailed as the most formidable squad in the Continental Association for much of the past decade. With just one pennant to their name since 1933, the Cougars' inability to seal the deal has left management pondering the need for substantial change.
If a significant overhaul is deemed necessary, the subsequent question becomes: who among the Cougars will be sacrificed? The organization has displayed adeptness in navigating the delicate balance of replenishing talent by shrewdly trading aging players for younger veterans, often emerging on the favorable end of deals. They possess an enviable depth of pitching talent and an array of all-stars dotting the diamond. Their infield, featuring the likes of Red Bond, Billy Hunter, Skipper Schneider, and Walt Pack, appears solidified for years to come. The outfield, with Leo Mitchell, Hal Sharp, and Sal Pestilli, rivals an all-star lineup in its own right.
Thus, the spotlight turns to the catching position, where 33-year-old Harry Mead, a two-time all-star, has struggled to find his form this season. The emergence of top prospect Garland Phelps, although likely three years away from making an impact, raises the possibility of addressing the immediate need behind the plate. Additionally, Otto Christian, a highly regarded third base prospect, may be considered for a trade, given the logjam at the corner infield positions.
However, acquiring an elite catcher capable of propelling the Cougars to victory poses a considerable challenge. The missed opportunity to secure Pete Casstevens, who ultimately found his way to the cross-town Chiefs while the Cougars pursued Sal Pestilli from the Gothams, further complicates matters. The next question that arises: do the Cougars look to upgrade at second base, given Billy Hunter's injury-prone nature?
Should the Cougars opt for a major shake-up, the question of timing becomes paramount. Traditionally, the organization prefers to trade veterans when their stock is high, just before the decline. Yet, might Chicago finally decide that a substantial move is necessary, resulting in the departure of a stalwart such as Pete Papenfus following the worst season of the 29-year-old's career? Or do they consider parting with someone like Duke Bybee, or Donnie Jones -both at the pinnacle of their days? The return in such a trade would need to yield a significant upgrade to fulfill the team's long-unmet expectations.
Alternatively, will the Cougars opt for a more conservative approach, focusing solely on replacing Clyde Meyer with a new manager? Could a change in the managerial seat be the key that unlocks the Cougars' potential? The talent is undoubtedly present, and truth be told, there is little that the Cougars could acquire to immediately improve their roster. The upcoming winter in the Windy City promises to be an intriguing one, with the hot stove expected to generate substantial activity as the Cougars search for the formula that will finally transform them into champions.
After a brutal 1-12 September, numerous Cougar regulars will be shut down for the remainder of the season. That includes reigning Allen Winner Pete Papenfus (9-18, 3.95, 146), All-Stars Johnnie Jones (12-11, 3.96, 91), Billy Hunter (.282, 8, 32), and Harry Mead (.228, 6, 49). Allen hopefuls Donnie Jones (15-9, 2.92, 134) and Duke Bybee (13-11, 2.95, 101) will get one last start, but with the Cougars struggles capturing the award seems unlikely. With nine games left starts will still needed to be filled, as George Oddo will come up from AAA after a rough minor league season. The 24-year-old hasn't been a prospect since the 1945 season where he went 7-7 with a 3.02 ERA (120 ERA+), but both OSA and team scout Dixie Marsh view the former 8th Rounder as a future #2. Mel Haynes also earned a start after stellar relief performances, throwing 6.2 innings across two days with just 6 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and an unearned run. The former 1st Rounder has been brilliant in limited action, working to a 1.29 ERA (300 ERA+) and 1.00 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched. Some regression is expected, and a start will be far more difficult then his usual mop up role, but Haynes boasts a stellar 2.29 FIP (59 FIP-) with a near 2 K/BB (1.9) in his return to Chicago.
The lineup will look somewhat different as well, with Red Bond (.285, 22, 90), Walt Pack (.271, 22, 76), and Hal Sharp (.325, 15, 63) getting extra days off while Sal Pestilli (.238, 8, 44, 4) and Skipper Schneider (.285, 3, 49, 6) will get a few rare days off. More regular time will be given to youngsters Don Lee (.208, 4, 20, 11), George Sutterfield (.221, 9, 3), and Eddie Howard (.304, 5) while former 1st Rounder Otto Christian will get an early birthday present with a promotion. The only Cougar who's playing time will not be affected is Leo Mitchell (.270, 13, 72), who has appeared in all 145 of the Cougars contests this season. He was the lone bright spot in the winless week, as the struggling slugger went 12-for-27 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBIs. The rest of the season hasn't gone anywhere near that, as Mitchell is uncharted waters this season. Since the 1938 season, Mitchell has never hit below .315, produced a WRC+ below 135, or been worth less then 3.5 WAR in a season. This year he's been slightly worse (-0.0) then a replacement player while hitting .270/.314/.390 (92 OPS+) with a 97 WRC+. Plenty has gone wrong for the Cougs, but nothing quite stings like the offensive cratering that has afflicted the beloved captain and star.
Chicago's next loss will be their 78th on the season, which would secure a losing record for the first time since the 1936 Cougars went 63-91, where they also finished in 6th. The Cougars are in real danger of finishing 7th, something they have not done since the 1929 Cougars finished last at 62-92, which was the fifth consecutive season the Windy City Kitties finished in one of the last two spots in the association. With little left to play for, the focus is strictly on the future, and it can be expected the Cougars will be active in the offseason in an effort to fix the mess they are stuck with.
DYNAMOS FINISHING STRONG
It is nice to see that the young Detroit Dynamos are not letting up, posting an 8-4 record in September despite having little to play for. Manager Dick York has to be pleased with a lot of what he has seen this season and if the club can hold off Washington and finish second it will be a very successful year. With that objective in mind there are a couple of big games coming up this week as the Dynamos will play a pair in the nation's capital. The club is on the road all week and that trip will include a stop in New York to face the Gothams on the weekend with a special moment being Saturday's retirement ceremony for Jim Lonardo.
The 43-year-old righthander is calling it quits and the Gothams say he will pitch Saturdaym following what is expected to be an emotional pre-game ceremony. Many of the young Dynamos, notably pitcher Carl Potter, spent a lot of time following Lonardo and learning everything they could from the veteran in his brief time with Detroit so the chance to be there and witness the ceremony will be extra special for them. At the youngster's request, the Dynamos have also juggled their rotation to allow Potter the opportunity to start against Lonardo, a pitcher he idolized growing up.
*** Future Looks Bright ***
Stan Kleminski will never be mistaken for Harry Barrell in the field, but the Dynamos are quite happy with his progress at shortstop this season. The bat was not a concern, and the 20-year-old is hitting a respectable .271. Now that the glove is coming along the club has to be thrilled with it's infield of first baseman Dick Estes (.269,19,76), second sacker Del Johnson (.284,4,37), Kleminski (.271,1,40) and third baseman Tommy Griffin (.268,0,31). At 24, Johnson is the oldest of the group and unless Estes eventually gets shifted back to the outfield, you are looking at the Dynamos infield quartet for the next decade.
Odds are good Estes, who had a breakout season in his second year in the big leagues, will end up in the outfield some day as John Morrison, the 18-year-old Pennsylvania born high schooler the Dynamos selected 4th overall in January, has a high ceiling and is coming off a nice start to his pro career. Morrison smacked 9 homers and hit .265 in 56 games at Class C Biloxi.
The outfield is getting there as well with 21-year-old centerfielder Edwin Hackberry (.299,17,86) leading the way, Hack has to be a front-runner for the Kellogg Award as top rookie. The jury is still out on Dick Blaszak as the Polish Hammer -now 25- has not developed as hoped. The former first overall pick hit .239 with 9 homers this season and worries continue that the bullet he took in the shoulder while serving in the Pacific has forever zapped his power. There are also worries about Tommy Allenby -another first rounder the Dynamos drafted two years ago following the deal that brought the pick they used on him as well as Blaszak from the Chiefs in exchange for the first overall pick -which ended up being John Stallings. Allenby played at three levels this season including 57 games at AA Akron but struggled at each of them and, while the scouting staff is still high on the 19-year-old, their expectations have tempered somewhat.
Pitching prospects have also struggled this summer but the Dynamos have a lot of mound depth so they are hopeful that, armed with 4 pitchers in the top 65 OSA prospects, at least two will pan out and become solid big-league starters, eventually joining a rotation that already includes the 21-year-old Potter and 25-year-old Wally Hunter. Hunter was hampered by injuries this season but there are high hopes he will be healthy and return to the form that won him the Kellogg Award last season.
While it is not a pennant winning year, and the Dynamos have still not tasted October baseball since 1929, the future does look very bright, and the current season did nothing to diminish the hopes for a long stretch of pennant contending seasons coming in the near future.
DALLAS AND OAKLAND CLOSE IN ON BIGSBY CUP BERTHS
It has been clear for quite some time that the Bigsby Cup will have two new participants this season. Last year, in the inaugural big league campaign for the coast loop it was the two biggest markets in the San Francisco Hawks and Los Angeles Knights that squared off in the championship playoff series. Both of those teams have long been eliminated from contention this time around and with just two weeks remaining in the season it appears a safe bet it will be the Dallas Centurions and Oakland Grays playing for Thomas Bigsby's fancy trophy.
The Centurions and Grays are tied for top spot so home field advantage for the best of seven title series and the bragging rights that come with a pennant victory are still on the line, but each can feel pretty comfortable after the third place Portland Green Sox dropped 6 games back of the co-leaders. The Green Sox can count 3 games at home to Dallas among their 13 remaining contests but there is practically no room at all for error and a Dallas-Oakland series seems all but assured.
- Bobby Barrell has 4 games at home to start the week--hoping to set the new record in Philadelphia. I can imagine Morris arriving at Broad Street Park over the weekend, bursting into the locker room, "Barrell!".
- Lost in all of the Barrell anticipation is the three homers this week for Hank Koblenz, who is now up to 45. A hot finish could push the two teammates into the record books as the first 50-homer tandem. Roger Cleaves hit his 27th, three shy of making it a trio of 30-homer Keystones. Nate Power is also three homers shy of a sextet of Keystones in double figures (Robicheaux 12, Woytek 11).
- The Keystones as a club have already set the FABL team homerun record and are also on pace for 200 home runs this season.
- Back to Barrell. New York Daily Mirror baseball guru John Brinker thinks back to when the three youngest Barrells came into the league (that would be Tom, Bobby & Harry) "I felt like all three were potential HOF players. Tom's injuries derailed that and Harry has been a spectacular defensive player and a good, but not exceptional, hitter so he could maybe get in based on his all-around game, but Bobby is as much a lock now as guys like Morris, Day & Kellogg. And Harry does have a shot at 3000 hits (762 hits away at age 33), which would certainly help his candidacy too."
- Strange times, observes Brinker. "latest power rankings have the Cleveland Foresters at #9. Yes, you read that right: the FORESTERS are at #9. Probably haven't been this high since FDR's first term. (EDIT: actually 2nd term, it just feels like it's been since that other Roosevelt was President)."
- Clyde Meyer will certainly not be back with the Cougars next season and the club seems to have given up after word trickled out that Meyer was done at the end of the year. A 7-game losing streak and as improbable as it sounds the Cougars star-studded line-up will likely finish below .500 and are just a half game out of 7th place.
- The New York Gothams are adjusting the rotation so that Jim Lonardo will start Monday and be on regular rest for Saturday's start on Jim Lonardo Day at Gothams stadium. A host of former Gothams teammates will be on hand to celebrate the 43 years old's upcoming retirement and possibly his final major league appearance. The 311 game winner and likely future hall of famer will face Detroit, one of his former stops in between stints with New York.
- Now it's Red Johnson with a 3 homer game. That allows Johnson to tie his own Gothams team record with 39 homers for the season.
- Johnson was 5-for-6 with 4 runs scored and 6 RBI in an 18-5 win. In a 9-run 9th, Johnson belted a pair of two two-run homers in the same inning!
- We all know about Danny Hern's incredible turnaround in St Louis this season. Here is the anit-Hern. Pittsburgh's Adam Grayson was an all-star last season and finished with a record of 10-14 in 33 games, 24 starts and 2 saves last year. He had a 3.60 ERA. His walk rate nearly doubled and now he's got an 0-12, 6.75 monstrosity tacked on his record. If you take away George Philip’s 4-16, Pat Wolter’s 1-9 and Adam Grayson’s 0-12. The Miners are 51-53.
- A small bit of good news from Pittsburgh as veteran outfielder Leon Drake delivered the 2,000th hit of his career last week.
- Hiram Steinberg's 3-0 shutout of Philadelphia yesterday officialy eliminated the defending Federal Association champion Washington Eagles from pennant contention. Steinberg is 9-4 with a 2.45 era since coming over to St Louis from Cleveland just prior to the trade deadline.
PLENTY OF OFFENSE IN HIGH SCORING CONTINETAL LOOP
Scoring was the name of the game over the weekend in Continental Football Conference action. Three of the four games saw its participants combine for at least 48 points while the fourth contest gave us vintage Pat Chappell as the Kansas City Cowboys quarterback and reigning league MVP threw for 222 yards and a pair of scores leading his club to a 29-7 victory in Brooklyn over the grid Kings. Chappell's favourite target continues to be end Bill Tammaro, who caught 5 passes for 125 yards as the Cowboys wrassled up more than 400 yards of total offense, more than doubling the 1-2 Kings production on the afternoon.
The other Friday evening game took place in Los Angeles and the New York Gothams showed no ill effects of the long trek across the country, rallying for 3 second-half rushing touchdowns including two from Jim Rose, to down the host Lobos 35-19.
Both of Sunday's contests were lobsided as the San Francisco Wings improved to 3-0 with a 56-0 pasting of New Orleans. The Wings scored less than a minute into the game when Barry Abbott romped 45 yards into the Crescents endzone after picking off an errant Sam Boettcher pass and it only got worse from there for the visitors. San Francisco dominated on the ground where Rich Garner ran for 153 yards and Leon Stone carried the ball for 125 as well as through the air where Wings quarterback Sam Metcalf tossed three touchdown strikes.
In Sunday's other game Mark Monday threw 3 touchdown passes to pace the Buffalo Bulls to their first win of the season, a 41-7 pounding of the Chicago Comets. Buffalo backs George Meyer and Don Parmenter combined for 181 yards on the ground as the Bulls finally win after suffering last minute defeats in each of their previous two games.
Code:
CONTINTENTAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EAST W L T PCT[/b]
NY Gothams 2 1 0 .667
Brooklyn 1 2 0 .333
Buffalo 1 2 0 .333
New Orleans 0 2 0 .000
WEST W L T PCT
San Francisco 3 0 0 1.000
Kansas City 2 0 0 1.000
Los Angeles 1 2 0 .333
Chicago 1 2 0 .333
WEEKEND RESULTS
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12
Kansas City 29 Brooklyn 7
New York 35 Los Angeles 19
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14
Buffalo 41 Chicago 7
San Francisco 56 New Orleans 0
UPCOMING GAMES
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19
Buffalo at Chicago
Brooklyn at Los Angeles
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21
New Orleans at Kansas City
New York at San Francisco
Code:
CFC LEADERS
SCORING PTS
Abbott, SF 30
Higman, Buf 29
Wade, NYG 27
Hale, NYG 24
Mula, SF 24
PASSING COMP-ATT YDS TD INT
Fuchs, LA 29-61 580 2 2
Hale, NYG 21-45 535 3 4
Monday, Buf 42-86 482 7 6
Chappell, KC 24-44 450 5 2
Metcalf, SF 38-67 406 6 2
RUSHING YDS TD
Hale, NYG 359 3
Stone, SF 302 1
Garner, SF 272 0
Meyer, Buf 223 1
Rose, NYG 203 3
RECEIVING CAT YDS TD
Mula, SF 17 146 4
Arnone, Chi 10 110 1
Swanagan, Buf 9 77 0
Tammaro, KC 9 237 1
INERCEPTIONS #
Carroll, SF 2
Layton, Buf 2
Yardley, Bkn 2
Chappell, KC 2
Reid, KC 2
MAJOR GAMES MARK COLLEGE FOOTBALL START THIS WEEKEND
College football sneaks in the back door Saturday in its usual early-season attempt to push baseball off the sports pages. The schedule-makers have cast aside tradition in some cases, and not all of several score openers are of the September "warm-up" variety. In fact, some of these games, come late November, may have a bearing on sectional or national rankings.
Many a coach this year, boasting the best material since the war shattered promising 1942 squads, has the thought of a post-season classic bid somewhere in the back of his head. This is the first real postwar season in many respects and preseason ticket sales indicate record attendances, with severl of the major contests already sold out.
While a certain number of big colleges open against comparatively easy opposition, the results of at least half a dozen games are going to be watched for what the politicians call "significant trends."
*** Majestics Play Liberty College ***
One of these is Saturday's Liberty College-Rainier College tussle at Philadelphia. The schools are big time basketball rivals and seldom meet on the grid, but the power-packed Bells may just end up being one of the East's stronger teams this season, while the experienced Majestics may be the surprise squad in the West Coast Athletic Association race.
Down in Jackson, Ms., Central Kentucky and Mississippi A&M get the Deep South Conference proceedings off to an early start with the visiting Tigers slightly favoured over the aerial minded Generals if the going is sloppy. A year ago Central Kentucky prevailed 27-15 on its Lexington homefield and went on to post a 6-4 record while the Generals struffled through a 2-6-1 campaign.
Lawrence State, one of the favourites in the Plains Athletic Association, has a tough assignment in Amarillo Methodist, although the Grizzlies don't figure to cause much trouble in the Southwest Alliance race. A capacity crowd is expected at Kansas City's Packer Park for the night contest.
Those would be the big three contests on the first major weekend of college grid, with a lot more get underway the following weekend in what seems to have all the makings of a very competitive collegiate football campaign.
Texas Gulf Coast, one of the three big teams in the Southwestern Alliance along with Travis College and Red River State, kicked off the collegiate grid season on Tuesday in fine fashion as the Hurricanes thumped Sunnyvale University in Santa Clara, Ca. 45-3 in the lone early September game on the slate.
FOUNTAIN HALTS LOSING STREAK, SHOWS GLIMMER OF HOPE
In a redemptive display of pugilistic prowess, Mark Fountain resurfaces on the path to heavyweight contention with an emphatic unanimous decision over Thurman Davis in the vibrant city of San Francisco on Saturday night. Though Davis may not be a name to set the boxing world ablaze - a pugilist burdened by more losses than victories - this victory holds immense significance for Fountain, who seeks to restore the shaken foundations of his once-promising career.
It wasn't too long ago that Fountain boldly faced off against the formidable Hector Sawyer, the reigning heavyweight champion. The Sawyer showdown had been a long-awaited culmination for the New York native, with the summer of 1945 originaly earmarked for their climactic clash. Alas, fate twisted the narrative, as Fountain stumbled in a bout against Leo Carmichael, the seasoned Brit who extinguished Fountain's hopes with a resounding knockout, marking the latter's return to professional boxing after four years of military exhibition matches. Fountain had been widely expected to dispatch Carmichael with ease, paving his way to the much-coveted payday against Sawyer. Yet, destiny had other plans, as Carmichael seized the golden opportunity and Fountain stewed in the bitter juices of a year and a half of longing before finally earning his chance this past January.
As anticipated, Sawyer valiantly defended his crown, delivering a resolute 12th round TKO against Fountain. However, some voices resonated with the notion that Fountain's spirited performance warranted a potential rematch. Those aspirations were abruptly dashed in May when Fountain found himself outmatched, succumbing to a decision loss at the hands of Sylvester Vaughn. This defeat ignited the ire of Sawyer's manager, Chester Conley, who dismissively labeled Fountain as a "has-been," declaring that he belonged neither in the same ring nor even the same city as Sawyer. While Fountain's victory over Davis represents a step in the right direction, it is evident that his journey to another shot at the title demands a Herculean effort and a multitude of triumphs in the squared circle.
*** Rainey Reigns in Baltimore ***
Jack Rainey has paid his dues. Both in the ring where the gritty middleweight contender has spent a lot of years trying to force his way in to conversation among the top middleweights around. Rainey's struggles also extended beyond the ropes, as he endured a year behind bars subsequent to a conviction for draft evasion, stemming from a regrettable endeavor to falsify indispensable employment documents. In his first fight in Bigsby Garden after his incarcaration the crowd let him have it all evening, cheering current middleweight champ John Edmonds every move as he pounded Rainey into submission.
However, May witnessed Rainey's swift retaliation at the Newark Arena, as he dispatched John McDaniel with a thunderous first-round knockout, leaving the audience little time to express their discontent. Friday night in Baltimore presented a far sterner challenge, with the 29-year-old warrior enduring an extended evening of toil. The echoes of derision were somewhat muted this time, as Rainey's tenacious assault against Willie Binion endeared him to many, including the discerning judges who resoundingly awarded Rainey a unanimous decision, thus bolstering his record to an impressive 24-4.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- 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)
- Oct 31 -London, Eng: former world middleweight champ Archie Rees (38-7-1) vs Glenn Root (13-19)
- 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 9/14/1947
- The US Department of Justice, moving swiftly on a drive to crack down on foreign born Communist leaders in the labor movement, made two arrests in New York, rounding up the president of the Hotel and Club Employees Union and an international director of the organization of the Transport Workers Union. Both were charged with "being affiliated with an organization that teaches the overthrow by force and violence of the government" and each face deportation.
- The US Attorney General will complete within a few days an initial master list of Communist organizations for use in ferreting out disloyal government employees.
- The Senate Appropritions Committee was called back to Washington for an emergency meeting on an urgent British plea for the United States to take over the bulk of their occupation costs in Germany and perhaps replace some of their troops with GIs.
- Secretary of State Marshall said that Europe urgently needs stop-gap aid and plainly hinted Congress will have to be called into a special session to provide such relief.
- The Secretary of Commerce warned the threat of expanded government controls on food needed to carry out the Marshall Plan for European recovery will likely result in higher food prices and potential shortages at home.