A fairy-tale ending to what can only be called a dream season for the St. Louis Pioneers. From the depths of the Federal Association cellar a year ago to World Champions, a whirlwind 12 months for the usually hard luck Pioneers has come to an end with a thrilling six game victory over the Philadelphia Sailors in the World Championship Series.
As has been the case all season it was the pitching that lifted the Pioneers to the pinnacle of the sport, a summit they had only scaled once in the 54 year history of the World Championship Series and that was two and a half decades ago when a young Max Morris arrived on the scene from Cleveland to carry the club to glory. The saviour this year was no Hall of Famer destined to become the greatest in the game -well, not unless he keeps doing what he did this season for another decade.
Instead it was a 30-year-old pitcher, not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but certainly not the second coming of Double Al. The problem is no one told Danny Hern he simply isn't this good. Yet Hern, who was banished to the minors for part of last season and failed to win a big league game in all of 1946, won 25 of them this year and just for good measure added two more victories with a pair of stellar World Championship Series outings. No one knows what the future holds for Danny Hern. Will he use this season -one that will most assuredly include an Allen Award in his very near future- as a springboard to continued greatness, or will he drift back into the sea of mediocrity as dependable mid to bottom of the rotation starter that he has been for much of his career? Today, it matters not as Danny Hern and the St Louis Pioneers are the best in baseball.
Hern certainly had plenty of help in putting an end to the more than two decades of middle of the pack finishes with occasional tumbles to the bottom of the Federal Association for the Pioneers - a team that up until this year was best known for trading away star players at the peak of the prowess. Names like Fred McCormick and Freddie Jones and, yes, even Morris himself, were tossed aside when they still had good years to give, and each won a title or two elsewhere.
Finally new heroes have emerged in St. Louis. The 3-H club of Hern, Hal Hackney and Hiram Steinberg is certainly front and center. Hackney, like Hern, pitched two complete game victories in the series. Steinberg had some rough luck in the WCS but without his acquisition from Cleveland at the deadline and 10-5, 2.48 showing in St Louis the pennant race might have actually been a race in the Fed. There are heroes at the plate as well such as young outfielders Ray Bates and Larry Gregory, the latter of whom was named the Most Valuable Player of the Series although a very strong case could have been made for Hern as well.
The St. Louis Pioneers have talent, much of it assembled by the now departed general manager, but brought to life by an interim boss in Tom Johnson who made little in the way of major deals except for the deadline move to add Steinberg, but rather just handed the team to manager Hugh Luckey and said "go win some ballgames." And win some ballgames they did, improving by 30 victories over last season's dreadful 64-90 campaign. Well, 34 if you count the four most important wins of all. The ones that make the St. Louis Pioneers matter again.
HERN DOMINATES GAME FIVE
Denny Hern tossed his second complete game victory of the series as he outdueled a very solid effort from Al Duster to lead his St. Louis Pioneers to a 3-2 victory over the hometown Philadelphia Sailors and a 3 games to two lead in the WCS to bring back home to St. Louis.
Hern and Duster, a 28-year-old Nebraska native who was making his WCS debut, were each pitching a shutout through three innings but that changed for both in the fourth frame. The Pioneers lead-off man Larry Gregory, who may have flown under the radar before the Series but now everyone knows just how good he is, singled and would move to third on a double by veteran catcher Heinie Zimmer. The next batter, another rising star in 20-year-old outfielder Ray Bates, lifted a deep fly ball to plate Gregory with the opening run. The Sailors got to Hern in the bottom half and once more it was Cotton Dillon, who had himself a terrific series and likely deserved MVP consideration, that got things started with a lead-off double. The Sailors would plate two runs in the inning to take the lead but could have had more if Rip Lee did not ground into an inning ending double-play.
Both pitchers settled down in the fifth and the score remained 2-1 Sailors until the top of the 8th inning. Once more it was the youngsters Gregory and Bates who made the difference. Gregory drew a lead-off walk and scored on Bates' one-out triple to tie the game. Like Michaels, who was only in the starting lineup because Bill Freeman suffered an injury in game two, was the hero with an rbi double to score Bates and put the Pioneers in front for good, 3-2.
Hern would allow a base runner in both the eigth and ninth innings but each was erased by a double-play ball and the Pioneers would return to St. Louis for game six with a chance to end a WCS drought that stretches back to 1920.
KEY HITS, HACKNEY & SAILORS MISCUES ARE THE STORY OF GAME SIX
Not since the days of Max Morris setting single season home run records (broken by Bobby Barrell this year) has Pioneer Field in St. Louis been as crowded as it has been in the past week. More than 32,000 screaming Pioneers fans -and some years you wondered if they would draw that in a week's worth of home games- were on hand hoping the afternoon would end in celebration. It did thanks to some key St. Louis hits, some terrific pitching from Hal Hackney and some miscues by the Philadelphia Sailors. Three Philadelphia errors led to 4 unearned runs and that was more than enough of a cushion for Hackney, who went the distance for the second time in the series, pitching the Pioneers to a world championship with a 6-2 victory.
The Pioneers threatened with a couple of hits in the first inning but Win Lewis, the game two winner for the Sailors, worked his way out of trouble. The same could not be said for the second stanza when three singles and an error allowed St. Louis to score twice. Another Philadelphia miscue in the bottom of the fourth led to a sacrifice fly by Buck Pusey and a 3-0 Pioneers lead.
Philadelphia did get that run back in the top of the fifth when Sailors hurler Win Lewis helped his own cause with a one-out single, moved to third on a double off the bat of Harvey Brown and scored on a sacrifice fly from Cotton Dillon. It did not take the Pioneers long to answer and once more a Sailors error was to blame. Sailors shortstop Rip Lee couldn't handle a Heinie Zimmer grounder that put runners on first and second for 24-year-old Jackie Washington. The rookie stroked the biggest hit of his career, a 2-run double that put St. Louis up 5-1. Buck Pusey made it 6-1 with a solo homer in the sixth inning and the best the Sailors could do was get one-run back when Brown -for the second time in the game- and Billy Forbes each doubled in the 8th. Hackney closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth, punctuating the moment with a 3-pitch strikeout of Rip Lee to end the Series and set off a wave of celebration all around Pioneer Field.
GOFF SHUTOUT FORCES GAME SEVEN IN BIGSBY CUP
Jack Goff may not have had much success following in the footsteps of his famous father Danny, a 252-game winner in a two-decade long FABL career, but he has certainly found a home in the Great Western League. Signed by the Oakland Grays, where his teammates included his younger brother Danny Jr. "Black Jack", who went 13-6 and led the coast league in era this season, pitched the greatest game of his career yesterday on the biggest stage possible- at least the biggest west of the Mississippi.
The 31-year-old tossed a complete game 2-hit shutout to lead the Oakland nine to a 1-0 victory over the Dallas Centurions in game six to even the best of seven Bigsby Cup Series at 3 wins apiece. The game was a thriller as Ed Brown also allowed just two hits while going the distance for the Centurions. The lone run came in the bottom of the first inning when Oakland's Don Miller drew a lead-off walk and Tom Gibson followed with a double. It would be the only extra-base hit of the game and the only run came moments later when Frankie Cohen grounded out allowing Miller to score from third. The only other Oakland hit would be a second inning single from Jack Bush. Goff would only allow a Don Fitzgerald single to lead off the third inning, but he was quickly erased by a double-play ball, a walk to Heinie Billings in the fourth followed by a second double play ball and a sixth inning single off the bat of Don Fitzgerald who -you guessed it- was doubled up. Goff closed out the game by retiring the last 11 Centurions in succession.
*** Centurions Won Game Five in Extras ***
The Goff-Brown duel came after a thrilling fifth game that saw Dallas pull within a game of the Cup after a 12th inning rbi double from Johnny Pearson lifted the Centurions to a 5-4 victory and a 3 games to two series lead. The game was full of drama with each club plating a run in the 8th inning, the Centurions getting the potential game winning run thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the 10th and the Grays stranding a runner on third base in the top of the 11th inning.
Regardless of who wins, the Bigsby Cup will come to an end today in Oakland.
After coming off an surprisingly strong 1947 season with a 3rd place finish and a 82-72, I have the pleasure of sitting down with King's manager Tom Barrell.
Pringle - Tom thank you for joining me today and congratulations on a truly good season.
Tom Barrell - Thank you.
Pringle - At the start of the season did you have any idea that your club would improve by so many games. I mean in your rookie season the club improved modestly from 61 wins to 63. But this season a +19 in the wins improvement mark. Did you see that coming?
Barrell - I felt we were a much improved club coming out of spring training. The acquisition of Buddy Long from St. Louis was a huge boost for us in stabilizing our starting rotation. Buddy put up numbers that are top 2-3 contenders for this year's CA Allen award. I think he earned it but we will see how you guys vote (laughs).
Pringle - Well Long certainly has my vote. He led the CA in wins with 20. Was 2nd in that new fangled WAR stat just 0.1 behind Stars P Eli Panneton. Pitched the most innings in the CA with 288 and led the circuit with just a 1.7 BB/9. He was 4th in WHIP at 1.23 and 2nd in Win% at .645.
Barrell - I think it will be a very close vote between multiple guys. The kid down in Cleveland led the league in ERA with a 2.40 but unfortunately only started 18 games out of 45 appearances. His ERA as a starter was even better than the 2.40 overall, but I don't think he will get enough support because of his lack of starts and overall wins and innings pitched.
Pringle - Another SP that was new to the club was from Cleveland last year and that was Johnny Slaney. He really did surprise a lot of folks with his fine season (16-12 3.13).
Barrell - Johnny was really solid all season. He was brought in to be the #4 SP and had to step up because Pomales is just a better OF than he was a pitcher. Its really too bad Juan didn't get more innings under his belt as a younger player. But Johnny really stepped up for us and was a real force. With the slow start that last year's rookie of the year Leo Hayden got after suffering a spring injury, it was really key for us to have Johnny pitch so well.
Pringle - Hayden never seemed to really get untracked this year. Why do you think he struggled this year?
Barrell - Baseball is a tough game. Last year he came out of nowhere and players didn't really have a feel for him. This year, with the slow start do to injury and the league maybe making adjustments against him, he got off to a really rough start. But in July and August he really settled down. Maybe not as strong as last year but he appeared to be regaining some confidence that perhaps he lost. It is easy to lose confidence sometimes when you had it so "easy" in your rookie year and then it just doesn't come together the next completely. Leo Hayden is a good pitcher and he will come back next season in a King's uniform and he will do well. I can guarantee that.
Pringle - Last season the Kings averaged 3.8 runs per game and were 7th just ahead of Cleveland in that department. This year the Kings led the CA with 4.7 rpg. Almost a full run a game more. How do you explain that?
Barrell - Last year we had some very good players who quite honestly I think were tired of losing. Take a look at what Mcgonigle and Hopkins did this year for Washington and Chicago. Those guys are very good hitters and to lose them and put up the numbers we did is quite an accomplishment. I think Ralph Johnson is the real deal. He clearly is a solid run producing hitter in the middle of our lineup. Factor in his OF running mates Juan Pomales and John Moss and I think you see the best outfield in baseball. Add in a player who should have played more in 1B Chuck Collins and the veteran presence of 3B Hank Barnett and that isn't a bad lineup. With Pomales injury next season, I think you will see Pat Perry or Rutherford in one corner with Moss and Johnson. Tie in Collins at 1B and Reinhardt at catcher and we are set at those positions. We will have Billy Bryant back and he will be more comfortable I believe. We may give him some time at 2B as well. I feel that we are truly set at 6 or 7 of our starting positions and I don't think our offensive output this year was a fluke.
Pringle - Any thoughts on next year?
Barrell - I think we will be better, but I also think the league will improve. Our off-season that we have coming up will be a huge determining factor in if we can take another step. I am comfortable with this team but you always like any new additions that can help you out. We have some kids that will be coming up soon enough and if you look at some of them there is a lot of things to be excited about in the future of this club.
Pringle - One last question. Early in the season when the club was playing sub-500 ball, there was some chatter about maybe your job security. Some pointed out that you were not hired by the current GM, and some felt that maybe he wanted to hire his own guy. Any comments on that?
Barrell - To be honest I let you guys in the press do the commenting on that. At no point did DD or I have words discussing my job. We have been on the same page about what we need to do from day 1. We knew last year was going to be a tough situation as we didn't have much time to get things together before spring. This year, I think we were hoping to be around the 500 mark. I know most of you guys felt we were a 2nd division team. I think we proved that we are better than that and that we are bringing in players through the draft, developing what we had and some key trades here and there that will continue to help us achieve our goals. While we are pleased to have shown so much improvement this season, the goal is to win the pennant and then the World Series. No one is ever happy with anything but that. But that said we took a huge step in the building process to get to those goals. Some might say we are a year ahead of schedule. I don't know about all that stuff. I am going to let our GM DD put together the players and I will manage them to the best of my and our coaching staffs ability. The goal is to bring home a 2nd World title to the fans of Brooklyn. We in the King's organization are committed to that from our owner Mr. Prescott, to our GM and all our scouts and front office personnel and field staff. We are in this to win. That has always been my goal as a player and it hasn't changed now. Never will.
Pringle - Thank you Tom. I appreciate the time today. Next fans we will hope to discuss things with the King's GM DD Martin. When that happens will likely be after the World Series but he has promised to sit down and talk with me soon.
(editor's note- from yesterday's Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
As the World Championship Series continues on, the Brooklyn King's management continues meetings at the club offices. While there are continued rumors about GM Martin and his lack of a contract beyond the end of the World Series, the GM retorted "I'm not concerned, it will all work.". He is certainly working like he is returning to the Kings.
Martin, along with Kings owner Daniel Prescott, Asst GM Bert Manning (who was given an extension by Martin) and manager Tom Barrell continue to meet daily. The discussion is centered around the Kings surprisingly good 82-72 season and what the club needs are heading into the off-season and the draft. There are also considerations on who to protect before the upcoming Rule 5 draft as well. Several prospects pitchers are sure to be included on the 40-man roster including Paul Byler, Joe Potts and Jackson Scott. Just those moves alone would bring the Kings 40-man roster up to the limit. So likely there will need to be more space created either through trades or DFA several current players. One candidate is popular RP Robert Curry (40) who had a fine season with a 3-1 record, 2 saves and a 1.98 ERA. There is some speculation that Curry will retire but he hasn't made that official yet. The club is also only carrying 2 catchers on its 40-man roster and most clubs carry 3, but the King's might just be waiting for recent draft choice "Yankee" Dan Smith to make his way to the big leagues before carrying 3.
The way it is being seen in the Kings eyes is that 2B is a position that they need to upgrade or in combination with the SS position. While rookie SS Billy Bryant had a decent debut season there was some concern that his glove and range didn't play where they had hoped it would. He could be moved to 2B and will likely see a lot of reps there this spring but he could also be back for another year at SS as the club hope he continues to grow in that position. Along that front the club could be looking for a new member of the coaching staff that will be a good fit in teaching infield work. While Dave Hall hasn't announced his intentions, the club also hasn't made a commitment to bring him back as he is the only member of the current staff that isn't contracted for the 48 season.
Speaking of coaches, the Kings have begun discussing possible candidates to fill their upcoming low minor league vacancies. Don't be surprised to see the King's fill those spots quickly after the World Series ends.
Other needs are clearly in the pitching area. There is no doubt that the club would like to see another P or two signed as they await for several youngsters to show what they can do. A couple of prospect pitchers will likely get a very long look this spring. One will be LHSP Dave Low (9-12 4.34 ERA AAA) who many feel could be that #5 SP the club wants and would be a good 6th man at a minimum. Another lefty is P Bob Cowley who many feel would be a very good fit in the bullpen but could also fill in as a spot starter.
This could be a very big off-season for the Kings as they look to improve this club in several key areas and truly attempt to be a contender in the 1948 season. Some say look they were only 4 games out this year, but no one really considered them contenders this year.
MOTOR CITY MUSINGS
- Do you think Tom Bowens is having second thoughts about coming out of retirement and joining the Maroons to catch passes for his brother-in-law Rollie Barrell's team? Bowens is really slumming it, going from Del Thomas hurling the pigskin to him to Mike Beard. Bowens is the only Detroit receiver with a catch in both of the Maroons games -but just one in each as he only has 2 receptions this season. Beard had more punts than passing yards last week and has a quarterback rating of 4.5. How bad is that? Well consider Del Thomas has a 92.1 rating right now. With Bowens at end I bet my Aunt Mabel could get at least a 5.0 as her QB rating.
- Of course Maroons coach Frank Yurick seems to have little problem relying almost exclusively on the ground game. Yurick is as old school as the come, but the trouble is everyone knows he will not beat you through the air so they are ready for the Detroit ground game. Being ready for, and handling it, are two different things indeed and in that regard the bruising Bowens -with his blocking skills comes in handy, but where the veteran still shows his value the most is on the defensive side of the ball as he is a punishing hitter with solid speed.
- Dick Blaszak has a lot more in common with Bobby Barrell than you might think. Both have great nicknames with The Polish Hammer and The Georgia Jolter. Each is an outfielder and they are believed to be the only two current Federal Association players to have suffered gunshot wounds. Oh and they combined for 75 homeruns last season. And yes, I know, only 11 came off off Blaszak's bat but Barrell's rebound from the gunshot wound can give us hope.
- This is shaping up to be a big season for the Great Lakes Alliance in cage action. Whitney College was a surprise AIAA champion a year ago and the Engineers should be very good once again when the new season tips off next month but the top team in the section might just be the Western Iowa Canaries. The yellow birds have three terrific underclassmen in junior Willy Ludwick and sophomore Slim Barner but they also have added one of the best freshmen around in big center Darryl Baugher.
- Detroit City College should be a solid team this year and a tournament invitation should easily be attainable, but the Knights will have their work cut out for them if they are vying for a section crown, something they have not claimed since 1941-42. Coach Sammy Watson led the Knights to the national quarterfinals last March and returns four starters including sophomores Charlie Orland and Jackie Bratton. Expect freshman Chris Corbett, a big-bodied import from California, to also crack Watson's starting five so the Knights will be young and may just be the team to beat in a year or two as they continue to chase that elusive first AIAA National Title in any of the big three team sports.
- Of course the DCC grid eleven may beat the court clan to a national title. They came close a year ago, making the East-West Classic and winning it handily, with the only blemish on their record a loss to Rome State. The Centurions are no longer the dominant powerhouse they were during the war, so expect them to perhaps take a step back. DCC is off to a strong start with a rout over Redwood last weekend to follow-up the rivalry win over St. Ignatius to start the slate. There is plenty of tough competition and they may need some help in the form of a St Blane loss along the way, but the Knights chances to return to Santa Ana for New Year's Day look strong, and who knows, perhaps they can accomplish even more this year. The talent is certainly there as the single-wing offense seems perfectly suited to the exceptional backfield of Bill Howlin and local Detroit boy Johnny Matthews.
1947 is in the books. The FA's St. Louis Pioneers have taken the championship. How does the team from Queens move back up into contention? The lineup seems to be set, with maybe a competition at catcher. Otherwise it's a matter of who will be on the bench. Even the rotation, with the loss of Lonardo, is fairly well set behind ace Ed Bowman. Lou Eaker, Jerry Decker and Jake Roberts will be getting the first shots. And while the rotation is the place to add a solid pitcher, how do they acquire someone dependable who will put up at least league average numbers?
There are of course the first round picks. The Gothams have their own, as well as the Chiefs and Cougars. 5 ping pong balls in total. Odds are they should be selecting early. Would the team look to move Roosevelt Brewer? Surely they would listen on Mahlon Strong. The team also has a number of top 100 prospects. Does any of this bring back the kind of pitching they'd need to move back up the standings? Let the Hot Stove league begin.
TWIFB SCOUTING INSIDER: LOOKING AT POTENTIAL 1948 DEBUTS
PART TWO: THE CONTINENTAL ASSOCIATION
With the 1947 season over for all but two of the FABL clubs, let's see what the future might hold by examining the players OSA feels are top 100 prospects and ready to step up to the big league level next season. Last time we looked at the Federal Association. Here is a team by team look at the close to big league ready talent for the eight Continental Association clubs.
(editor's note-This article was created in late September and a couple of players referenced were promoted to the big leagues that final week.)
BROOKLYN KINGS - The Kings system is loaded with a number of top young players already on the big league club including Pat Petty, a 22-year-old first baseman ranked #29 by OSA who made his big league debut in September. Petty is one of ten prospects the Kings have that made the top 100 list. While most are still a little ways away, there are two that OSA feels are ready to join Petty at Kings County next season. They would be Dan Smith (OSA #44) and Paul Byler (OSA #47). Smith is a 21-year-old catcher out of Garden State selected with the final of three first round selections that Brooklyn owned in the 1947 draft. OSA feels he has the potential to be an all-star and a solid showing in two months of AA ball after the college season came to an end did nothing to disuade that notion. The Kings already have an impressive young catcher in Frank Reichardt in Brooklyn and with him and Smith it certainly made the trade of Solly Skidmore to the Sailors at the deadline much easier to accept.
Leo Hayden was a top 50 prospect when the Kings acquired him from the Cougars 4 years ago and he won the Kellogg Award as the CA's top rookie in 1946. If Paul Byler, who came over from the other Chicago team a little over a year ago in the Tim Hopkins trade can be anything close to Hayden it will make the loss of Hopkins much easier for Kings supporters to stomach. Byler was a 1943 second rounder who split this past season between A and AA. OSA says he is ready for the big leagues and believes Byler can be a solid mid-rotation starter.
CHICAGO COUGARS- The Cougars always seem loaded with prospects, especially pitchers and this fall is nothing different. A total of nine Cougars crack the OSA top 100 including three that OSA feels are ready for the big leagues next season. One of the three is third baseman Otto Christian, a 24-year-old selected in the first round of the 1941 draft but for some reason has been overlooked for veteran acquisitions and has played just 3 games with the Cougars despite being more than ready according to OSA. There have been some concerns about his lack of ambition and perhaps that has held him back as much as the Cougars decision to acquire Walt Pack a year ago. Whatever the reason, Christian had a decent season in AAA in 1947 and with the depth in Chicago looks like a probable trade chip as the Cougars try to do whatever they can to solve the terrible string of disappointing finishes that has hit the franchise. OSA does not feel Christian can be a star anymore, calling him "a second division starter" so perhaps that lack of ambition has taken its toll. Or maybe he is just frustrated at being stuck in the minors.
Joining Christian in being 'ready' for the bigs according to OSA are two other players who's path may be blocked. One is Johnny Peters, a 23-year-old centerfielder selected third overall out of Liberty College in 1945. Peters had a solid year in AAA Milwaukee but had to be discouraged when he heard the Cougars had acquired Sal Pestilli from the New York Gothams. The other one is 22-year-old Harry Beardsley, a 10th round pick who split this past season between A and AA. OSA says he is ready but also notes that "Beardsley is on the bubble for holding down a role in the majors" so we just don't see any way he gets a shot in Chicago with the pitching the Cougars organization has.
Everyone in Chicago will be watching Bob Allen, a 19-year-old pitcher the scouting service says will be ready in 1949, which just futher compounds the logjam on the Cougars Park mound.
CINCINNATI CANNONS- The Cannons dealt a lot of draft picks and young talent away in order to win their three straight pennants during the war. It set their system back a little but they do have 4 players in the OSA top 100 prospects including 21-year-old pitcher Tony Britten. A first round pick in this year's draft out of Kit Carson University, Britten got his first taste of pro ball with 34 bullpen appearances at AA Erie. OSA feels he is ready to step into a big league rotation next season and could eventually peak as a quality #2 starter. One has to think Britten's development might have been better supported had he pitched every day as a starter in the minors the last couple of months. Regardless, OSA says he is ready and perhaps Britten is Red Hampton's replacement in the rotation next year if the 41-year-old does not return.
CLEVELAND FORESTERS- Things are looking up in Cleveland as the years of finishing near the bottom of the standings may be close to coming to an end. The Foresters have a lot of young talent already with the big club and 10 more prospects ranked in the OSA top 100. Included in those ten are the Foresters top two - centerfielder Sherry Doyal and righthander John Jackson- who OSA feels are both ready to contribute in the big leagues. Doyal came over from St Louis in the blockbuster deal that sent Hiram Steinberg to the Pioneers. OSA has him ranked #8 and feels the 19-year-old New Orleans native will be an impact big league centerfielder. The fifth selection of the 1946 draft, Doyal spent most of the season in AA before a late promotion to AAA Rochester. He will likely get a long look in camp before the Foresters decide if he starts the season in Cleveland or needs a month or two in Rochester to prepare him for the big leagues.
The other player ready is Jackson, a 23-year-old righthander selected 4th overall in 1942 and one of several outstanding young arms in the Foresters system that helped make the decision to move Steinberg much easier. He spent the full season in Rochester and aquainted himself well. OSA does not give Jackson a huge ceiling, feeling he is a back half of the rotation piece, but does think he is ready to contribute next year.
MONTREAL SAINTS- The Saints are a team that seems to have had a lot of top 100 prospects over the past decade but have not been able to translate that in to big league success. OSA counts 7 current Montreal prospects as members of the top 100 list including three that the scouting service feel are ready for the big leagues next season. The three are the bottom group of the Saints top 100 contingent and include catcher Jess Garman (#68), outfielder Otis O'Keefe (#91) and first baseman Hank Smith (#93).
Garman is just 21 but may have the highest ceiling of the three. He was a second round pick out of Arkansas A&T this year and spent most of the summer playing Class B, which he proved was far beneath his skill set. The good news is he looked just as much at home in AA after a late promotion. Considering there is no dominant catcher ahead of him in the Saints organization it seems to only make sense the starting job should be his to lose next spring. O'Keefe is also a 21-year-old from this year's draft. He played at wildly successful Bluegrass State in college and much like Garman, was too good for the level (B and A) he spent the final couple of months of the 1947 season at. OSA does not feel he will be a star but should be a solid middle of the road outfielder. Perhaps he challenges rookie Sam Clay, who hit .312 in half a season at Montreal this year, for a starting spot in camp.
Finally we have Hank 'Popeye' Smith, a power-hitting 23-year-old first baseman who dominated AA and AAA pitching this season. We are a little surprised Smith did not get a shot in Montreal after Red Bond was dealt, but that went to Maurice Carter, a 24-year-old who came over from the Eagles at the deadline. It might be another interesting spring battle to look for if the two of them are dueling for the first base job.
NEW YORK STARS- The most anticipated prospect in the Stars organization is Ralph Hanson, the 20-year-old shortstop ranked #1 by OSA. Hanson spent a third straight year in Class C and actually regressed slightly from his modest 1946 totals -perhaps he needs to be challenged. OSA feels he won't be ready until 1950 so the focus at the big league level is on a number of the Stars other prospects that cracked the top 100. Including Hanson that total is six and considering two of them should have had their shot this season one might get the feeling the Stars are perhaps just a little too cautious in moving their prospects up. Start with catcher Dan Atwood and shortstop Ed Holmes, both 21-year-olds who were in AAA to end the season despite OSA feeling both belong in the big leagues this year, and add in 21-year-old Paul Watson, another shortstop, along with pitchers Foster Smith, 23, and Bill Chapman, 24 years old but just outside the top 100 prospects, and there are five Stars prospects the scouting service feels should be making their big league debuts next year.
PHILADELPHIA SAILORS- There are seven Sailors in the top 100 and OSA feels that three of them should have been in the big leagues this past season with a fourth, 22-year-old outfielder Billy Black (OSA #99) ready sometime during the 1948 campaign. Al Farmer was the second overall selection in the '47 draft out of Amarillo Methodist and OSA feels he could have been with the Sailors before the season ended. Farmer started in AA but spent most of his time at AAA Richmond. 23-year-old outfielder Joe Scott (OSA #61) was selected in the third round of the 1945 draft and dominated at Richmond this past season, easily showing he belong in the big leagues. Then thre is 22-year-old powerhitting first baseman Cliff Dilley (OSA#71) who rivaled Scott's production and certainly looks ready to have an impact in the majors. The problem is finding room for all of them. Les Cunha's time at second base is clearly limited despite the fact he is such a talented player, and you have to expect Scott to push Cotton Dillon for a starting job as well. Can Dilley replace steady veteran Ed Reyes at first? All good challenges to have if you are running the Sailors.
The Wolves system is a little thin in the minds of Dan Barrell's crew at the OSA. Five Toronto players did crack the top 100 but the only one OSA feels should be in the big leagues next season is 24-year-old pitcher Harry Phillips, who actually made his big league debut in September. OSA felt Phillips, a 1941 second round selection, deserved a big league shot in 1947 and it did come, although he did not look as good at AAA Buffalo as perhaps Toronto's brass had hoped. The big piece in the Toronto system is 1947 first overall selection Les Ledbetter. The scouting service feels he will be ready for Toronto in 1950.
PACKERS, BEES LEAD PRESEASON PARADE IN A LOOK AROUND THE TRAINING CAMPS
The Chicago Packers and Boston Bees were the class of the NAHC last year as they dueled all season for top spot and then met in the Challenge Cup finals with the Beantown brigade prevailing in both cases. Little has changed this season, at least in exhibition contests as both the Packers and Bees have won 4 of 5 tune-up games and share top spot on the table of meaningless tune-up games. Well, the teams that lose them will call them meaningless anyway.
The New York Shamrocks are right there with the big boys of the NAHC, and enjoying a terrific preseason. New York even handed Chicago it's only training camp loss to date, edging the Packers 3-2 Sunday thanks to a 2-goal effort from second year forward Adam Greenham. The good news of a strong start turned dour quickly as Greenham fractured his hip in a game two days later and may miss a good chunk of the season. Winger Jocko Gregg, a 23-point player a year ago, will also likely miss the start of the season with a shoulder injury and a number of other Shamrocks, including captain Bert McCalley are dealing with some nagging injuries.
After losing their first two preseason games to Chicago, the Toronto Dukes came up big with 2 wins and a tie. Following a 3-3 tie with the Shamrocks on home ice Saturday night the Dukes took the overnight train trip to Boston then surprisingly crushed the Bees 10-2 led by a 4 goal game by defenseman Al Cote which matched his goal total of last season. After a day off with more work on coach Barrell's system the team took down the Motors at Dominion Gardens 4-1 led by Gordie Broadway's 30 save performance.
Barrell is cautiously optimistic about what he is seeing on the ice in the first 5 exhibition games "We still need to tighten up in our own zone, Broadway bailed us out against Detroit. Clyde Lumsen (-6) along with Quinton Pollock (-5) still need work on their assignments in the defensive system."
The Montreal Valiants have been competitive, but their only win came Sunday evening when they doubled Detroit 4-2. All eyes in Montreal are squarely focused on the Vals crease where a bounce back season from veteran Millard Touhey is very much needed. Touhey has not been overly impressive in three training camp outings, dropping all 3 and posting a 4.02 goals against average.
Meanwhile in Detroit the struggling Motors are 0-5 and being badly outplayed. Goaltending has been suspect in camp but coach Mark Moore is confident that starter Henri Chasse, who played all but 1 game last season, will be ready when the games start to count next week. The Motors, in an effort to generate some positive momentum, cut their roster down to the regular season limit of twenty despite having two tune-up games remaining. Those departing for Buffalo include 22-year-old winger Hank Walsh, who scored 25 points as a rookie with the Brooklyn Eagles last season, and 25-year-old rearguard Alex Leveille, who suited up for 31 games on the Detroit blueline last year. That means four rookies will debut with the club this season including first round pick Ben Witt and HAA scoring sensation Adam Vanderbilt.
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NAHC Preseason Standings
TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA
Chicago 5 4 1 0 8 21 12
Boston 5 4 1 0 8 20 17
New York 5 3 1 1 7 13 11
Toronto 5 2 2 1 5 20 16
Montreal 5 1 4 0 2 3 10
Detroit 5 0 5 0 0 9 23
PRESEASON SCORING LEADERS
NAME GP G A PTS
Burdette, Tor 4 2 8 10
Chandler, Bos 5 5 3 8
T Burns, Chi 5 5 2 7
Sauer, Tor 5 4 3 7
Hart, Bos 5 2 5 7
Mahoney, Chi 4 3 3 6
Bedard, Bos 5 1 5 6
EXHIBITION RESULTS
SATURDAY OCTOBER 4
Chicago 5 Montreal 3
Boston 4 Detroit 3
New York 3 Toronto 3
SUNDAY OCTOBER 5
New York 3 Chicago 2
Montreal 4 Detroit 2
Toronto 10 Boston 2
TUESDAY OCTOBER 7
Chicago 4 Montreal 3
Boston 3 New York 0
Toronto 4 Detroit 1
UPCOMING GAMES
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9
Toronto at Chicago
Montreal vs Detroit at Port Huron, MI
Boston at New York
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10
Boston at Montreal
Chicago at Detroit
New York at Toronto
end of preseason schedule
THREE OF GREATEST SCORERS IN COLLEGE CAGE HISTORY ARE ABC TEAMMATES
Morgan Melcher receives a constant reminder of it every day. The "It" we're talking about is the fact that Melcher stands as the second highest scorer in college basketball history. He takes good-natured jabs from Valerio Cortes, the only player to Melcher failed to surpass will accumulating his impressive tally of 1,944 points during his time at Coastal California. Now, fate has brought Melcher and Cortes together as teammates on the Boston Centurions, a professional basketball squad in the American Basketball Conference (ABC) on the east coast.
While many sports enthusiasts may not be aware, the ABC has been in existence since 1937, primarily operating on a regional level. The Centurions represent one of the eight franchises in the league. It's important to note that the ABC should not be mistaken for the Federal Basketball League, a nascent organization that recently concluded its inaugural season. The FBL is primarily based in the Midwest, but it does feature teams from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and even a Canadian contingent hailing from Toronto.
Within the ranks of the two professional leagues, you'll find a plethora of top-notch college talent. However, few teams can match the offensive prowess displayed by the Centurions during their collegiate days. Among their latest recruits is Long Werth, the freshly graduated star from Miami State, who secured the prestigious Art Barrette Trophy as College Player of the Year for two consecutive years.
Nevertheless, it is the inclusion of Melcher and Cortes' names that truly captures the attention of any knowledgeable fan of collegiate basketball. Cortes garnered nearly every accolade imaginable as he rewrote the college cage record book during his tenure at Brooklyn State from 1936 to 1939. He was named Freshman of the Year, achieved the status of a first team All-American on three occasions, and shattered Stewart Hulbert's career points record by an astonishing margin of nearly 500. Although others have since surpassed Hulbert's record, none have reached the remarkable milestone set by Cortes, who amassed an impressive 2,036 points with the Bears. However, Cortes holds his AIAA championship ring from his sophomore year in 1937-38 as his most cherished accomplishment. That season, Cortes led the nation in scoring, just as he did throughout his other three years, and showcased his skills by contributing 21 points in the championship game, propelling the Bears to victory over Ohio Poly.
Melcher, on the other hand, may not have attained All-American status, but he was undoubtedly a formidable scorer. He also fell short of clinching an AIAA title during his time at Coastal California. However, in April of 1943, Melcher led the Dolphins to the semifinals, where they were eventually defeated by Annapolis Maritime, despite his impressive performance of 20 points, the highest in the game. Melcher does have one edge over Cortes: he holds the record for the most points scored in a single AIAA season. His remarkable tally of 586 points during his junior year surpassed Cortes' previous record of 571.
As if the offensive firepower on the Boston Centurions roster couldn't get any more formidable, they also boast Gerald Carter, the former star guard from Western Iowa. Carter currently sits in fourth place on the all-time career collegiate scoring list and holds the AIAA single-game scoring record with 39 points in a 1944 contest against the College of Cairo. Like Cortes, Carter was recognized as the National Freshman of the Year, but he, like Melcher, failed to guide his college team beyond the national semifinals.
Both Melcher, aged 25, and Carter, aged 26, are expected to assume key starting roles for the Centurions in the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Cortes, a 29-year-old 6'6" forward, never lived up in the pros to the incredible promise he should during his AIAA days and spends much of his time riding the bench for the Boston squad.
RENEWAL OF LINCOLN-ROME STATE SERIES REAL HEADACHE FOR DOPESTERS
The best game in the East, and quite possibly the nation, on October 11 -Lincoln College against Rome State in New York City- will knock a lot of the dopesters for a loop. There are many who call the Presidents, on the heels of a strong 7-2 season a year ago and a 2-0 start this time around, overrated. Others say the Centurion eleven is far below the caliber that dominated the competition the last three years. It will mark the fifth meeting between these two teams but the first since 1934 and only happened as a plan B for each of the schools. The Rome State game is acting as a substitute for St Blane on Lincoln's dance card, while the Presidents fill in for Detroit City College on the Rome State schedule. Bigsby Garden will be the venue for the showdown between the two unbeaten squads and a capacity crowd is assured.
Some big games are on the docket in the Midwest this weekend including St Blane looking to go 2-0 as the Fighting Saints head to Chicago to face 1-1 Whitney College while Detroit City College aims for a third straight victory when they host Pittsburgh State at Thompson Field. The Finches are 0-2 as they had a tough slate in the early going, facing Lincoln College and St Blane the past two weekends. Coastal California hopes to keep its winning ways going when the 3-0 Dolphins invade Columbus to face winless Central Ohio. Turning to the south the key match sees Annapolis Maritime, still looking for its first victory as the Navigators, with a loss and tie, set their sights on Carolina Poly, which opened last week with a win over Charleston Tech.
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AMERICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION STANDINGS
East Division W L T PCT
Philadelphia 2 0 0 1.000
Pittsburgh 2 1 0 .667
Washington 1 1 0 .500
Boston 0 2 0 .000
NY Stars 0 2 0 .000
West Division W L T PCT
Detroit 2 0 0 1.000
Cleveland 1 1 0 .500
St Louis 1 1 0 .500
Chicago 1 1 0 .500
Cincinnati 1 2 0 .333
UPCOMING GAMES
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12
Philadelphia at Chicago
Cleveland at Detroit
Pittsburgh at Washington
New York at Boston
St Louis at Cincinnati
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CONTINTENTAL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EAST W L T PCT[/b]
NY Gothams 4 2 0 .667
Buffalo 3 3 0 .500
Brooklyn 1 4 0 .200
New Orleans 1 4 0 .200
WEST W L T PCT
Kansas City 4 1 0 .800
San Francisco 4 2 0 .667
Chicago 3 3 0 .500
Los Angeles 2 3 0 .400
UPCOMING GAMES
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12
New Orleans at Buffalo
Chicago at San Francisco
Brooklyn at New York
Los Angeles at Kansas City
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS
- Oct 30: New Britain, Ct: welterweight contender Ira Mitchell (19-1) vs Kevin Jackson (20-7)
- Oct 31: New York, NY: rising heavyweight Jack Tierney (8-0) vs Larry Duncan (2-1)
- Oct 31 -London, Eng: former world middleweight champ Archie Rees (38-7-1) vs Glenn Root (13-19)
- Nov 15: Paris, France: Edouard Desmarais (38-1) defends his European Middleweight Title against Yohan Revel (13-0)
- 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 10/06/1947 thru 10/09/1947
- The Central Communist Party of the Soviet Union and its counterparts in 8 other European nations unvieled a Manifesto aimed at combating the Marshall Plan and what it described as United States "imperialsim." Many are calling it a declaration of an ideological war.
- President Truman called on all Americans to make food sacrifices as a contribution to peace. In order to combat hunger in Western Europe the President called on all citizens to go without meat on Tuesdays, without eggs and poultry on Thursdays, and to save a slice of bread a day.
- Truman responded to Soviet anti-Marshall Plan talk by reassuring the world that the United States seeks no new territory or economic domination in Europe, saying the full purpose of the Marshall Plan is for European recovery.
- Getting an early start on the campaign trail, Senator Taft of Ohio, declared that heavy Federal taxation was one basic reason for high prices and that the first tast before Congress when it reassembled was to cut income tax, an effort twice vetoed by President Truman.