MARCH 8, 1948
A GLIMMER OF HOPE: SPRING TRAINING UNVEILS FABL'S PROMISE
In the hallowed world of baseball, the dawn of spring training brings with it an unparalleled aura of anticipation. As the sun-soaked fields of Florida are ready to host the diamond warriors once again, the air is thick with dreams and aspirations. Every team stands at the precipice of a new season, unburdened by losses or injuries, their records unmarred by defeat. The scoreboard may show zeroes, but within the hearts of players and fans alike, a score of infinite possibilities is written.
Today, dear readers, marks the commencement of spring training games, the birthplace of hope, the arena where champions are forged. It is a moment when even the most beleaguered franchises dare to believe that this could be their year, that their stars align, and the tides of destiny will finally turn in their favor. Regardless of the varying shades of hope each team clings to, the common thread binding all 16 squads together is the fervent belief that, for now, their dreams are untarnished.
But as the games unfurl, so do the questions that have lingered since the last out of the previous season. Are the St. Louis Pioneers, riding the wave of last year's triumph, for real? Will the trio of H's – Hern, Hackney, and Hiram – continue to orchestrate wins, or will the limelight prove fleeting? Is Danny Hern more than a one act play? And can their offense shield their lead, or will rivals dash their hopes? In Gotham City, grand deals have been made, but will the big names ignite a glorious ascent, or implode, yielding chaos? The Washington Eagles' arms were their weapon in a pennant winning season two years ago – but are they sharp enough for contention this time around? Can Detroit Dynamos' youth thrive, or is their season's promise yet a season or two away? The Chiefs' mantle of success is burdened with the question: Can Mel Haynes fill the boots of the retired Gus Goulding?
What say you of the Keystones? Can lightning strike twice for Bobby Barrell, and can they unearth some pitching beyond Lloyd Stevens to match their potent offense? The veteran Boston Minutemen, can they rally for another pennant run, or is their star fading? And the Miners of Pittsburgh, post-Cleaves and Allen, shall they stumble or surge at Fitzpatrick Park?
Amidst the Continental Association, the Chicago Cougars, perennial on-paper champions, sit again at a crossroads: will they finally rise to the challenge they set for themselves? Can the Philadelphia Sailors replicate their triumph, no longer hidden in the shadows? Over in Brooklyn, the Kings, despite Buddy Long's departure, aspire to greatness with Bob Arman at the helm. And the Cannons? Can they sustain their valiant efforts, despite Arman's absence and Red Hampton's retirement?
Quiet echoes from the New York Stars stir curiosity: does silence belie a contender lurking? Toronto's Wolves, after two seasons adrift, yearn for relevance anew. Montreal and Cleveland face years of struggle – with the Saints not reaching .500 since 1930 and the Foresters stuck in the second division for this entire decade- will their fortunes turn?
Dear readers, as this season's curtain rises, myriad questions await answers. The dreams of all 16 fanbases, no matter how diverse, converge on this sacred ground, woven together by hope's intangible thread. Spring training, like a master artist's brushstroke, paints a portrait of promise. While the games will unveil realities, for now, all 16 clubs can bask in the glow of optimism – until the bitter taste of reality dampens some of these fervent hopes.
CHIEFS HOPE THEY HAVE REPLACEMENT FOR GOULDING
The Chicago Chiefs made a move shortly before teams reported to spring training this week. The deal saw them reacquire 26-year-old righthander Mel Haynes from the Chicago Cougars with the hopes that Haynes can fill the void left after Gus Goulding surprised the organization by announcing his retirement two weeks agao.
It will be Haynes second stint in the Chiefs organization as he was acquired from the Cougars in 1942 when, as a minor league pitcher he was included in the deal that sent Hank Barnett from the Chiefs to the Cougars. He never made it to Whitney Field as Haynes was dealt a year later to Brooklyn as part of a package for Al Wheeler and Bob Cummings. He went 3-6 with a 4.62 era over parts of two season with the Kings but was suprisingly placed on waivers last spring. The Cougars claimed him and he spent the entire season with the big club but saw very little action.
It is expected that Haynes will be given every opportunity to earn a slot in the Chiefs rotation. Going the other way is Henry Norman, a 19-year-old outfielder that OSA ranked as the top prospect in the Chiefs system prior to the deal. A 1947 third round pick out a New York City high school, Norman split last season between Class B and A.
OSA EARLY PREDICTIONS CALL FOR COUGARS-DYNAMOS WCS
Few put much stock in the OSA's traditional forecast released on the opening of spring training each season but if the scouting service is to be believed the Chicago Cougars will finally return to the World Championship Series. The Cougars been predicted to finish first is nothing new - they are regularly the media darlings- but they have not won the Continental Association pennant since 1941. OSA forecasts a typically tight battle for Federal Association supremacy, and it comes as no surprise that the defending champion St Louis Pioneers and loaded-up New York Gothams are very much in the mix, but the scouting service feels the Detroit Dynamos youthful club is ready to take the next step and win its first pennant since 1929.
SAINTS LOOK TO END 26 YEAR PENNANT DROUGHT
Seeing the St Louis Pioneers win the World Championship Series last October perhaps gave the Montreal Saints hope that they too could make a rise from the basement to the top of baseball. Prior to October the last time the Pioneers played in the WCS was 1921 -the same year the Saints last were the class of the Continental Association.
There have been a number of management changes and a number of lean years over that stretch but
TWIFB : Who do you see as the team to beat in the Continental Association this season and where do you think the Saints fit in?
HOMER MOORE : The top 2 teams that should battle to the end is Chicago and Philadelphia. Both teams have a good starting 8 positions players, but Chicago have a little edge on the pitching rotation. Then come the second group of Cincinnati and New York Stars. Both have good pitching, but have holes to fill at few positions. Then come the third group with Toronto, Montreal and Brooklyn. Hard to tell what would be the position between those three teams, injury could play a big factor here at the depth is not as good as the top 4 teams. Then comes Cleveland but they were better than us last season. Montreal was underachieving last season and the owner made clear that need to change in a near future.
TWIFB : What do you see as strengths or weaknesses for the Saints organization this year?
HOMER MOORE : Our new pitching coach is working double shift to solve the “Wally Doyle Mystery” performance from last season. With that in mind, we felt our starting rotation will be better than average. The bullpen is probably average when you compare to the rest of the league, the bullpen key guy is Bud Robbins ranked 2nd among reliever.
We need to get better on offense, our batting average is good, but we need to put more runs on the board. The acquisition of Pinky Pierce (from Pittsburgh) was a move in that direction. We have never been great with Red Bond, Vic Crawford, Bert Lass or Charlie Woodbury, so why not try something else different this coming season. The coaching staff have been working very hard to improve defense which have incurred a couple of additional losses in the last few years.
TWIFB : Parc Cartier has unique dimensions and ballpark factors that makes it really unlike any other stadium in the league. It is well set up for gap hitters and requires outfielders who can cover a lot of ground, but makes life very difficult for powerhitters. How do you factor that into your strategy when building a team as it appears to create some unique challenges?
HOMER MOORE : Baseball wise, I always liked more gap and line drive hitters with speed than the power hitter with a bad strikeout rate. But what makes a team win is the good mix between both types. With that in mind, because of Parc Cartier we need a bit more players of the first type with elite defense skills.
Power hitters is always defined how you measure it, playing in Parc Cartier half of your games during the season, I don’t think you will ever see an player form Montreal challenging the homerun title of the league. However, there is no reason to look for the batting average champion as there is plenty of space for a ball to land of a hitter use the full field to place the ball.
As you asked the question, maybe this is the time to start the discussion about a potential new ballpark in Montreal? Maybe this is the time for the Saints to play on a more modern ballpark, don’t you think?
TWIFB : What new player or players should we be watching, guys you think might be ready to make a big contribution to the team this year?
HOMER MOORE : 1B Hank Smith is probably the most ready among prospect. He is ranked OSA #39 at the moment, and maintained .347 batting average with 13 HRs and 79 RBI in 110 games in Minneapolis last season. It will be up to him to show us if he stays in Montreal or not during spring training. 2B Eddie Loganis also a young player who can make an impact this coming season. Last year, Logan had a .356 10 HR 87 RBI with 140 OPS+ in 136 games in AAA. In the trio of outfielders between Bill Elkins, Gig Taylor and Otis Parker, one of them needs to start making noise soon wearing the Montreal Saints jersey.
TWIFB : The Saints have had some highly ranked minor league systems the past few years but so far it has not translated to success in the standings. Do you feel the club is on the verge of a .500 season? That is something which has not happened in Montreal since well before you took over as the last one was 1930.
HOMER MOORE : On the first few years after my move to Montreal, we had really good pitchers drafted and part of the team squad already (Cupid, Reif, Irwin) to combine with Weakley and Doyle, this is giving Montreal a very decent pitching squad. This being said, I do not think the pitching rotation is the problem for the Saints, the surprise last season was “Wally Doyle mystery”throwing way below the expectations. Our bullpen is a mix of solid veterans who can fill in at anytime: Robbins, DeYoung, Ross, Finch.
The catcher position is under control with 2nd year Spahr and veteran Henry. Spahr had a good rookie season and was selected for the All-star game in 1947. The Right side of the infield is where the fans will see new faces this season. Long time veteran 1B Crawford retires after 17 season wearing Montreal jersey and 2B Woodbury been traded.
One of the spring battle will be for the 1B position between Luke Weaver, Maurice Carter and prospect Hank Smith. Maurice Carter who was brought in a trade at deadline last season surprised many people with 6 HRs in 39 games. The lefty power batter may have found a niche in strange Parc Cartier shape. Luke Weaver is not producing as expected when ho got drafted in 1943, could also play 3B but this position is already locked down by Hughes, maybe this is the time to shine for Weaver, but he surely need to improve his batting average to stay in the lineup. Then come Hank Smith, 1st round draft in 1945, he is ready to jump at the major level.
Second base is also an unknown before spring training start. Battling for the position will be prospect Eddie Logan, Rule 5 draft pick Howard Rivers and elite defense player Bob Jennings. Jennings should be in as backup as he can play great defense at any other positions in the infield, but can he find a bit of batting strength to be an everyday player? Other surprise could come from AAA Ed Fiore who will have a chance at 2B or 1B or Rule 5 pick Howard Rivers who may finally get a chance to play.
The left side of the infield is set withSS Gordie Perkins and 3B Jake Hughes.
The outfield positions are where high draft picks or trade prospects did not fill the expectations in the last few years. Talking of deception in prospects: 2nd overall in 1942 Ernie McCoy and Otis Parker (key player in the Mullins trade) have both played below expectations since they join the Saints team. McCoy was hit by multiple injuries last season and got the sophomore virus last season. Bill Green has been a good player since he joined the Saints after being a first round pick in 1939, he can patrol RF or CF everyday, good bat and stole bases. Bert Lass been patrolling LF for few seasons now, but maybe this is time for swapping and this is why we trade with Pittsburgh for OF Pinky Pierce. Pierce has a more powerful bat than Lass for similar defensive skills,limiting them to play the smaller left side of the filed at Parc Cartier. CF/RFwill have to be decided between Elkins, Clay, McCoy, Taylor or Parker.Even Weaver can also be the one patrolling RF to get more playtime if he find batting skills. From that list, Elkins and Parker are having the leading edge for now.
After all this long answer, why we did not play over .500 in the last decade, even with all those highly ranked draft picks and prospects? My personal excuse is none of them been able to shine at the same time. We are probably closer then where the team was few years ago, leadership has joined the club this coming season, and we are just hoping the throwing arms can keep the pace and bats find their groove. We also made a manager and pitching coach changes late last season hoping for a better atmosphere in the locker room.
TWIFB : And there is some pretty sold talent in the minors right now
HOMER MOORE : Absolutely. Here are a few we will be following their progress in the minors very closely this year:
SP Ted Coffin (OSA #22) should be playing in A or AA, Watch this kid next season.
2B/OF Bert Mayes (OSA #46) will be playing A this coming season, interesting fact about Mayes is even if he been drafted as a second baseman, he could also play in the outfield.
C Jesse Garman(OSA #68) made a lot of progress last season finishing the last in AA. He will probably started at this level the season again but may be promoted. He already got the invite for the major level camp for tryout with the guys in few weeks.
1B Bill Duckworth(OSA #35), our first round draft pick in 1947, is another one to watch closely. We were expeting more power from him, but maybe this is adapting to pro baseball. He is still just 19 year old, next season will be important in his development
OF Otis O’keefe(OSA#25) was the best surprise from last year draft. He finished strong the season in AA last year. Don’ t be surprised to see him as a September call up if his progression continues. He got the invite also for spring ball.
COUGARS LOOK FOR LUCK TO CHANGE
No club enters the 1948 season with more pressure on it than the Chicago Cougars. It has beome a yearly tradition it seems where every April the class of the Continental Association -on paper at least- is the Chicago Cougars who are routinely picked by most forecasters as the likely flag winner in the CA. But time and again something goes wrong as the dominant Cougars club comes up short. There have been near misses like the tie-breaker loss to the New York Stars in 1946, awful late season collapses like in 1944 when they squandered a record-setting 50-13 start and finished 5 games back as well as seasons like last year when they finished a dismal 7th -their worst finish since 1929.
Through it all they have added talent and continued to be among the favourites every April and this year is no different. A dominant pitching staff anchored by 3 pitchers in the OSA list of the top twenty in baseball plus a lineup full of high end offensive talent. Can they finally put it all together and win their first pennant since 1941?
That is the first question we posed to Bill Bordwell, the new Assistant General Manager of the Chicago Cougars, who we caught up with recently.
TWIFB : You are new to your role with the Cougars and there was some controversy over the winter when you left Cincinnati for a key rival. You must feel pretty good having that deep Chicago pitching staff working for you and not against you. And the organization must be thrilled to see Pete Papenfus ranked among the top pitchers in baseball according to OSA. Not just Papenfus but also Donnie Jones and Duke Bybee all cracking the top twenty. It was a tough year for Papenfus? What do you see out of him and the rest of the staff in '48?
BILL BORDWELL : Yes, many were surprised with the move, but I'm not getting any younger. Traversing the nation year in and year out was getting tired. Having a comfy office in beautiful Chicago beats living out of crappy motel rooms from Cheviot to Wharton. And many might not know this, but the Cougars for the first FABL team to give me a shot when I was catching. It felt right to finish my career out with them as I get closer to retirement.
And as a former catcher, the pitching staff is definitely a huge appeal. It's hard to say there's a team with as quality of a staff as the one pitching at Cougars Park. We feature the past two Allen Winners in Pap and Donnie, while Johnnie Jones is a two-time All-Star. And if that's not enough, rookie sensation Duke Bybee already looks like one of the best pitchers in terms of command. There's a few teams where any of these four would lead the staff, and I don't see anywhere they wouldn't be at least #3. I expect big things from this group, especially from Pap. The league knows this year was a fluke. His K% dropped 4.2% from last year's dominance, the same as his increase in BB%, and that was already a career low. Pap gives us innings, keeps us in each game, and you have to imagine his luck will change. He'll be out for revenge, and I fully anticipate a sizzling start to his spring
TWIFB :On paper the Cougars just look so dominant, but call it bad luck, things just have not worked out as expected for a number of years now? What has gone wrong in the past and is there anything the organization can do differently this year to ensure a positive outcome?
BILL BORDWELL : It was sort of a running joke back in Cincinnati where all the guys would laugh at the experts for their backhanded compliments. It's like, "oh sure, the Cannons are good... But on paper?" -- and that's where it would always get the laughs. It was always expected that Chicago would run away with the association, but we just kept winning and proving them wrong. Even this year, same story. "Those Cougars are unstoppable, the regular season is just a formality for the best team on paper," but sure enough we finished just a game out and they were closer to last then first. I'm hoping this season we end that mentality. Burn that paper. Throw all that fluff out the window and just focus on winning baseball games. The guys need to do a better job of tuning out the noise. I talked to a few of our players this winter and tried to reiterate that point. It's hard, but you can't let that stuff get to you.
TWIFB : Would one of those happen to be Sal Pestilli?
BILL BORDWELL : [Chuckles] Yes, Sal would be one of them. As an outside observer, the only thing more surprising then the Pioneers title run was the brutal season from the former Whitney Winner. He was angry most of the year, and he really let it effect his play. The media in New York is tough -- not much easier in Chicago -- and when you find success at such a young age the pundits expect it year in and year out. Players are allowed a bad season, even those as talented as Pestilli, and the front office expects a return to form from the superstar. We just have to get him out of his own head.
TWIFB : Has the organization's approach changed in response to all of the near misses and does Cougars management feel added pressure because of all of them?
BILL BORDWELL : I'm still getting used to how things are run around here, but I think the overall goal is clear: build a roster that can sustain long-term success. And it may not be apparent from the of flags in the rafters, but that's one thing the organization does well. They tend to finish top five in terms of both record and farm system ranking. Winning aside, the organization is the envy of the league due to all the talent they seem to churn out. Not only do you have a superstar center fielder and superstar ace in Pestilli and Papenfus, but budding superstar prospects at the same positions in Jerry Smith and Bob Allen. And it's not just top heavy, with nearly 50 of the top 500 ranked prospects by OSA. What will be interesting is how the banning of draft pick trading will hinder their asset accumulation strategy. Us in the front office may have to get a little more creative.
TWIFB : Near misses aside it feels like a really good time to be a Chicago sports fan, even with the heartache in the Continental Association. The Cougars have been one of the best teams in baseball the past decade. The Federal Association Chiefs look strong. The grid Wildcats are always competitive and now the two winter sports teams -hockey's Packers and the Federal Basketball League's Panthers- are winning. Does all of that add to the pressure on the Cougars to win a pennant?
BILL BORDWELL : While I agree it's a great time to be a Chicago sports fan, I don't think there's any added pressure on the ballclub. Plain and simple, the only thing considered a success for the Cougars is a title. That hasn't changed recently and won't change. This is a team with a rich history of championships in their longest ever title drought. No organization has a higher win percentage and only the Stars have been to the postseason more frequently. I don't think it's possible to raise the pressure level any higher then it already is.
TWIFB : The Cougars have consistently had great teams while also having one of the top farm systems year in and year out. What is the secret to balancing both big league success and keeping the farm stocked with high end talent?
BILL BORDWELL : I touched a bit on this earlier, but I think what really helped the Cougars sustain a strong farm was their ability to recycle talent. They were able to sell accumulate extra draft picks by dealing from a surplus to help address future needs. There are plenty of instances back in Cincinnati when we saw them trade quality players for mid-to-late round picks, just to use those picks to nab the next. Clyde Parker was acquired with a 7th Round Pick of the Stars we picked up for Bill Graham. He appeared in 81 games before retirement, Parker is a top 100 prospect. Same for Ron Berry, a 7th Rounder acquired the year before with a pick they got from my Cannons for Dan Rogers, who can't even crack the GWL Grays roster. Last year they picked up a 9th Rounder and cash for Mike Thorpe, with that 5th becoming top 200 prospect Harley Dollar. The list goes on and on, although 10th Rounder Johnnie Cloud will forever be known as the last Cougar draftee selected with an acquired pick
It's going to be a challenge for us to continue to maintain deep farm systems without the use of draft pick trading, but one thing that won't go away is the organizations emphasis on scouting. Just like we did in Cincinnati, the Cougars invest heavily in scouting, with some of the most active area scouts I've ever seen. Even head scout Dixie Marsh is always out and about. In the four months I've worked here, I don't think I've ever seen him sit down. He was going town to town making final preparations for the Winter draft when I started, and not even a week after it ended he was already looking at future year's players. Heck, he was watching a high school freshman in New York take BP over the winter! Hard work is instilled at all levels of the organization, both for players and the staff, and it really shows with the amount of talent they have acquired over the years. The organization is littered with quality coaches that is able to get the most out of their players, and they front office is excellent at identifying hidden gems. I've learned quickly how dedicated the club is to making the most of what they have, and I think my experience in the game should help keep the pipeline ripe with talent.
TWIFB : Chicago has also gained a reputation of not being afraid to make a big trade? But looking at the talent all over the diamond it is hard to see a hole in the roster anywhere right now. Does that mean we are less likely to see a big deal -barring a major injury creating a need- out of the Cougars this summer?
BILL BORDWELL : If there was going to be a big deal, it would have happened already. As many expected, we were in heavily on George Cleaves, but the allure of draft picks ended up being too enticing. Considering the Miner's lottery luck, perhaps they should have stuck with the handshake agreement they worked out with the Cougars, but our GM decided it was best for the league if Cleaves was officially on the block instead of moved. Although the agreement was in place, there was plenty of hesitation on our end to part with the highly touted Jerry Smith. As good as Cleaves is, internally we are extremely fond of Smith. If the Miners would have been willing to replace him with Johnny Peters and a few additional prospects, I think Fed teams would be very happy to never see King George again
Touching on your second point, I don't even think a major injury would trigger a trade. We would need a lot of guys to go down. The feel is that we are more then comfortable with our depth to absorb nearly any injury. Sure, the 5th spot in the rotation is influx, but we're confident in any one of Mel Haynes, Ken Matson, George Oddo, and Harry Parker to pick up starts. Even waiver claim Frank Sartori could be counted on to spot start a few times in a dire situation. To add an arm, we'd need to see Pap and the Jones Brothers all go down, but at that point, would we even have a chance?
The lineup is very deep too, with more starting caliber players then available spots. In the outfield, we're comfortable starting any of Pestilli, Mitchell, Sharp, Montes, or Don Lee, and the previously mentioned Peters is ready to go in AAA. The infield has Clark Car ready for an inevitable Billy Hunter injury, as well as George Sutterfield, who can man short if Skipper misses time. Add in the platoon at first of Red Bond and Ray Ford, the one at third with Walt Pack and Otto Christian, and the timeshare behind the plate with Harry Mead and Eddie Howard, there is a legit second option at all roster spots. I don't want to jinx it, but add in the Cougars propensity to stay healthy, and I think it's safe to count us out of any blockbusters until next offseason
TWIFB : In the minds of most, if not all observers, the Cougars have the deepest roster probably in either association. Is this the year the Cougars finally get the monkey off their back and win a pennant? I am sure the answer you will give has to be yes so let me follow up that question with one asking which team do you feel will be your biggest obstacle to overcome this season?
BILL BORDWELL : I like to think I'm a bit of a lucky charm. My first year scouting with the Cannons was the first of three consecutive pennants. I'm hoping to bring my new team similar success. We have the talent to run the association, it's just all about the desire. It's almost a cop out to say the team that poses the biggest obstacle is ourselves, but that's how it feels. The only team to stop the Cougars is, well, the Cougars. Year after year they underperform their expected record, as the team almost refuses to win close games.
Looking at the rest of the league though, I'm worried most about the Stars. The Cannons and Kings could have been very tough to handle, but with Al Wheeler retiring and the Cannons open to moving big league talent, my former club may have their eyes set on the future. A team known for their veteran talent, it feels like a transition period is going underway. They have a lot of really good prospects that could help the big league club soon, but the 1948 roster has holes that need to be filled. The Kings are further along, with a lot of young talent in the majors, but they also feel their window is not this year. I expect them to give us a lot of trouble in the 50s, but barring a big move, I think they're a step below.
That leaves the Stars, who tend to be a thorn in the Cougars side. Bill Barrett helped edge them two seasons ago and John Lawson willed the Stars to a 1932 pennant, both times putting up insane win totals to top an equally insane Chicago team. That offense is scary with Barrett, Mack Sutton, Jack Welch, and Bill Barnett all providing plenty of power. The pitching is improved and I think the addition of Richie Hughes was an excellent one for a team that needed more arms behind Eli Panneton. But don't count out the Sailors. They're always competitive and took advantage of the Cougars down year. No real star in the lineup, but they are deep with Ed Reyes, Les Cunha, Rip Lee, Billy Forbes, Harvey Brown, and Cotton Dillon. Add in two really good young pitchers in Win Lewis and Charlie Gordon and you have a really good club. It won't be easy for us to get through the season
TWIFB : Anything to add that readers should know about the organization.
BILL BORDWELL : The team is really ready to compete. There has been so much disappointment and even as a newcomer, its easy to see how this ways on the players, staff, and the fans. But that hasn't stopped them from working. There are plenty of guys with a lot to prove, and it should fuel them to start, continue, and finish strong. Expect big bounce backs from the starts: Leo Mitchell, Sal Pestilli, and Pete Papenfus are far too gifted to continue to be below average. If everything clicks, and some of the luck goes our way, this '48 squad could be the first Cougar team to win 100 games
OSA LIKES DYNAMOS TO WIN FLAG
As it does every spring, the league scouting service makes a very early prediction on the pennant races for the upcoming campaign. It is really just an early guess and often quite different from what the OSA releases in its official opening day predictions next month, but Dynamos fans have to be thrilled to see the local nine is labeled as the team to beat. It is far from a resounding endorsement as the scouting service sees the Dynamos as the team to beat but just barely.
OSA forecasts an 85-69 record for Dick York's club, which would be a 6-game improvement on their 1947 showing. However, the service figures the Dynamos to finish just a game up on the New York Gothams and 2 ahead of the defending champion St Louis Pioneers. Detroit spent much of the second half a year ago in second place before a dismal season-ending 11 game losing streak dropped the Thompsons into a third place tie with the Chicago Chiefs.
*** Motors Need To Step on the Gas ***
The Detroit Motors have been an impressive club of late, sporting a 10-6-3 record in their last 19 games after a dreadful start. However, a pair of weekend losses to Montreal and New York severely hampered the Motors drive for a second straight playoff appearance. Those two losses leave the Motors 3 games back of the Shamrocks for the 4th and final playoff berth with Montreal sandwiched in between.
The schedule makers did the Motors no favours with four of their final six games against Chicago and Boston -the top two teams in the league. The final two games will be a home and home series against Toronto and that might prove crucial if the Motors can enjoy some success against the Packers and Bees. Toronto is in third place but only 4 points ahead of Detroit.
*** Cage Results Mixed ***
The basketball situation is both good and bad. Rollie Barrell's pro outfit has struggled to string wins together and now at 15-19 is tied with Cincinnati for second place in the Federal loop's West Division. The Cleveland Crushers are not far behind either and if the Mustangs want to reach the playoffs after missing out a year ago they will need to hold at least one of the Ohio entris off. Four of the Mustangs next 5 games are with Cincinnati including tonight and tomorrow with both contests at the Palladium. There are still 14 games remaining in the season so it is hard to call them crucial but a sweep at home with two to come next week in the Queen City feels like a pretty important task to accomplish.
The Detroit City College Knights split their two Great Lakes Alliance games this week with a 50-25 drubbing of Wisconsin State at DCC Arena on Thuyrsday followed by a heart-breaking 56-53 loss to Western Iowa Saturday afternoon. The Knights are 7-7 in secton play and 18-9 overall with 2 games remaining before the tournament field is announced. Odds look very good on the 16th ranked Knights qualifying for the field. If successful it will be DCC's third appearance in a row and 15th in the last 16 years. The Knights have never won the AIAA tournament but they did play in the title game in 1932-33 and have reached the National Semi-Finals twice since then -most recently the 41-42 season when they were ranked #4.
STONE OPENS WITH A THUD IN COAST LOOP
The Great Western League began its third preseason as a "Major" league last week and all eyes were focused squarely on Woody Stone of the San Francisco Hawks. Signed to a record-breaking contract that will pay him $96,000 this season, Stone clearly felt the pressure in his opening week in the GWL as the catcher went 0-for-9 in spring play. Spring games really mean nothing but you can get that more than one FABL magnate was rubbing his hands with glee to see Stone's lackluster debut and the Hawks 1-4 start. The coast league regular season gets underway April 14.
- Interesting note on the recent Chiefs-Cougars deal. Mel Haynes has now been traded between the two clubs twice. He went from the Cougars to the Chiefs in the deal for Hank Barnett. The Chiefs then included him in the deal for Al Wheeler with the Kings. And now, he is headed back to the Chiefs.
- Doc Shaw of the Boston Globe has an interesting take on the OSA early predications. Most agree they are not something to be taken that seriously but Shaw observers maybe not "for where teams finish but I have found the predictions do a pretty good job of letting you know overall offense of the league will look like. It looks like power will be down in both leagues.
- 65 wins from the 3-H club and only 18 from the rest of the Pioneers organization according to OSA's predictions which calls for Danny Hern to win 25, Hal Hackney 23 and Hiram Steinberg 17.
TWO PLAYOFF BERTHS VERY MUCH UP FOR GRABS WITH TWO WEEKS REMAINING
The final two weeks of the season should provide plenty of playoff excitement as there are four teams separated by just 4 points in the race for the final two playoff berths. If the season was to end today the Toronto Dukes would claim third place and face the Boston Bees in the opening round of the playoffs. The Dukes are a single point ahead of the New York Shamrocks, who would meet first place Chicago.
However there are two weeks remaining in the season and the Montreal Valiants are just a point back of New York while the Detroit Motors are not out of the race either with the Motors 3 behind the fourth place Shamrocks. Detroit and New York each have six games remaining while the two Canadian entries have 5 games apiece.
Among the key upcoming contests are two between Montreal and New York next weekend while Toronto visits Montreal this week and finishes off the season with a home and home series against the Motors. The Shamrocks might have the toughest road to travel as four of their final six games are with either Boston or Chicago.
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NAHC Standings
TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA
Chicago 54 30 18 6 66 198 141
Boston 54 25 20 9 59 172 149
Toronto 55 24 27 4 52 155 177
New York 54 23 26 5 51 175 171
Montreal 55 22 27 6 50 160 181
Detroit 54 21 27 6 48 146 187
SCORING LEADERS
NAME GP G A PTS
T Burns, Chi 48 45 24 69
Cabbell, NY 53 40 19 59
Albers, NY 54 20 35 55
W Burns, Chi 52 12 41 53
Chandler, Bos 49 25 25 50
Mahoney, Chi 40 16 34 50
Hart, Bos 53 24 24 48
Pollack, Tor 51 25 22 47
Skinner, Mon 55 24 22 46
Sauer, Tor 49 18 26 44
Gregg, NY 48 19 24 43
Lanceleve, Mon 52 13 30 43
GOALIE LEADERS
NAME GP W L T ShO GAA
Hanson, Chi 47 23 18 6 3 2.65
Brockers, Bos 34 15 12 7 2 2.71
James, Bos 20 10 8 2 1 2.80
Tremblay, NY 42 19 17 4 4 2.87
Broadway, Tor 47 20 22 3 1 3.04
Touhey, Mon 46 20 23 2 2 3.27
Chasse, Det 44 19 19 5 2 3.46
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
TUESDAY MARCH 2
Toronto 0 at 3 New York : The surging Shamrocks stretch their unbeaten streak to 7 games as Etienne Tremblay notches his league leading 4th shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over Toronto. Laurel Albers scored twice while Tommy Brescia had a pair of assists as New York moved to within a point of the Dukes for third place.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 3
Chicago 2 at 5 Boston : The Bees moved to within 9 points of the first place Packers with a 5-2 victory. It was Boston's third straight victory, including back to back wins over the slumping Packers who have lost 5 in a row. Joe Morey scored twice to lead the Boston attack while Tommy Burns had his league leading 45th goal for the Packers.
New York 3 at 5 Detroit : The Motors slowed down the Shamrocks, handing New York's its first loss in 8 games while Detroit has lost just once in its last eight outings. The victory moves the Motors back to within 1 point of New York for the final playoff spot. Rookie Ben Witt had a goal and two assists while Arnold Singleton scored twice to lead the Motors attack in a game Detroit won despite being outshot 53-34.
Montreal 6 at 2 Toronto : A big win for the Valiants as it keeps them tied with Detroit and more importantly just one poing behind New York for the fourth and final playoff spot. Adam Sandford had 3 assists to lead the Montreal offense while Clarence Skinner scored a pair of goals.
THURSDAY MARCH 4
Boston 2 at 1 Montreal : All the scoring came in the opening twenty minutes as goals by Garrett Kuaffeldt and Waldemar Rupp lifted Boston to victory. Glen Whitley had the long Montreal marker.
SATURDAY MARCH 6
Montreal 6 at 2 Detroit : The Motors have only lost twice in their last 9 games, but both were to Montreal after absorbing a 6-2 defeat at the Thompson Palladium. The win allows the Valiants to move a point ahead of the New York Shamrocks for fourth place. Clarence Skinner paced the Montreal attack with 2 goals and an assist in a game that the Valiants outshot Detroit 45-23.
New York 1 at 3 Toronto : A big win for Toronto to keep the Dukes in third place while the Shamrocks loss drops them behind Montreal in the battle for fourth. A pair of third period goals by Herb Burdette -the second one into an empty net- proved the difference in the contest.
SUNDAY MARCH 7
Toronto 3 at 5 Boston : The Bees stretched their winning streak to 5 games and seem to be peaking at the right time with the playoffs fast approaching. The game was tied at 1 after two periods but the teams combined for 6 goals in the final 14 minutes of a wild third period.
Montreal 2 at 3 Chicago : The Packers snapped a 6-game losing streak by beating Montreal 3-2 and knocking the Valiants out of the final playoff spot. Ed Delarue's unassisted third period goal proved the difference in a game in which the Packers big line of the Burns brothers and Marty Mahoney was held off the scoresheet.
Detroit 3 at 5 New York : The Shamrocks ended their two game losing skid with a 5-3 win on home ice over Detroit. The win, coupled with Montreal's loss in Chicago, moves New York back into fourth place a point ahead of the Valiants and 3 up on the Motors in the battle for the final playoff spot. Laurel Albers led the way for the Shamrocks with a goal and two assists while Joe Martin chipped in with 3 helpers.
UPCOMING REGULAR SEASON GAMES
TUESDAY MARCH 9
Detroit at Chicago
WEDNESDAY MARCH 10
New York at Boston
Chicago at Detroit
THURSDAY MARCH 11
Toronto at Montreal
SATURDAY MARCH 13
New York at Montreal
Boston at Toronto
SUNDAY MARCH 14
Toronto at Chicago
Boston at Detroit
Montreal at New York
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- Brett Bing of the Toronto Mail & Empire notes that the Dukes are hanging on to a playoff spot by the skin of their teeth. Five games left Shamrocks are a point behind with a game in hand, Valiants. Motors just behind NY. Last two weeks will be full of drama. Dukes season may come down to a home and home with Detroit the last weekend of the regular schedule.
- Chicago's 3-2 win over Montreal yesterday ended Tommy Burns 12 game point scoring streak. Both Burns brothers and Marty Mahoney were held off the scoresheet. Might just be the first time the Packers won this season without any of the big three contributing a point.
- Montreal will be without Nick Haines the rest of this season and perhaps even some of next season after the 26-year-old suffered a serious back injury against Boston this week. Haines had 11 goals and 33 points in 49 games for the Valiants this season, his 5th in the NAHC.
- Sam Fincher of the New York World-Telegram: "Shamrocks hanging on to that last playoff spot, but a tough closing schedule, with 4 of last 6 against the top 2 teams. Hopefully we can get our Captain back soon."
- New York captain Bert McCalley has not patrolled the Shamrocks blueline since Febrary 25 as he is battling a wrist injury. The 30 year old has 24 points and 102 penalty minutes in 49 games this season.
The hottest team in the American Basketball Conference right now is the New York Knights. The Knights are riding a 4-game winning streak that includes wins over the two first place teams in Brooklyn and Washington after downing the Statesmen 88-72 Friday evening. It really has been a tale of two different clubs in New York as the Knights have gone 12-4 since January 19 but they are still 5 games below .500 thanks to a dreadful 10-game losing skid from mid-December until mid-January.
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AMERICAN BASKETBALL CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EAST W L PCT GB
Brooklyn 24 16 .600 -
Boston 21 19 .525 3.0
Hartford 20 22 .476 5.0
New York 17 22 .436 6.5
WEST W L PCT GB
Washington 28 9 .757 -
Richmond 22 21 .512 9.0
Pittsburgh 14 24 .368 14.5
Rochester 13 26 .333 16.0
SCORING LEADERS PPG
James Phillips, HAR 20.1
Morgan Melcher, BOS 19.5
Stewart Hurlburt, RIC 19.0
Charles Hooper, WAS 18.6
John Rodrigez, HAR 18.5
Ivory Mitchell, BKN 18.2
Norm Yates, RIC 18.0
Terry Flowers, ROC 17.3
Gerald Carter, BOS 17.1
Ivan Sicsco, WAS 17.0
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FEDERAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS
EAST W L PCT GB
Philadelphia 24 10 .706 -
Baltimore 21 13 .618 3.0
Buffalo 16 18 .471 8.0
Toronto 7 27 .206 17.0
WEST W L PCT GB
Chicago 25 10 .714 -
Detroit 15 19 .441 9.5
Cincinnati 15 19 .441 9.5
Cleveland 14 21 .400 11.0
SCORING LEADERS PPG
Larry Yim, BUF 20.8
Irvin Mudd, PHI 20.6
Richard Campbell, CHI 20.4
Jamel Porter, TOR 19.1
David Reed, DET 18.7
Jack Kurtz, DET 18.0
Danny Hendon, PHI 16.9
Jack Hirst, BAL 16.8
George Kelley, CLE 16.1
Nestor Patterson, BAL 15.9
AVAITORS CRASH IN KEY GLA CONTESTS
The Great Lakes Alliance conference is well known for destroying many powerful collegiate cage teams just before tournament time and the Central Ohio Aviators were the victim this time around. The Aviators, riding a 7-game section winning streak entering Thursday's action lost both the number one ranking and their stranglehold on the section lead with a dismal road trip that included loses in Lansing, Mi. and Springfield, Il.
The troubles began Thursday evening when the St. Ignatius Lancers suffocating defense held Ziggy Rickard to 8 points in a 45-36 Lancer victory over Central Ohio. Saturday afternoon was even worse when the Linclon Presidents downed the Aviators 61-44. Those two losses dropped Central Ohio from 1st to fifth in the rankings and may well have cost the Aviators a number one seed in the tournament, which gets underway 12 days from now. It also allowed Western Iowa, with weekend wins over Minnesota Tech and Detroit City College, to move within a game of Central Ohio for the conference title.
It will be an interesting final day Friday when the West Coast Athletic Association wraps up its section slate. Redwood only needs a win on the road over Northern California to claim their first ever section title. The Mammoths are a game up on both Coastal California and Rainier College, who each sit at 10-3 after the Dolphins beat the Mammoths last Friday while the Majestics fell 46-38 in Stanford yesterday.
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AIAA COLLEGIATE CAGE RANKINS
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference
1. Rainier College (57) 24-4 1781 2 West Coast Athletic Association
2. Western Iowa (15) 22-5 1734 3 Great Lakes Alliance
3. Coastal California 23-5 1633 5 West Coast Athletic Association
4. Central Ohio 22-5 1614 1 Great Lakes Alliance
5. Redwood 23-5 1482 6 West Coast Athletic Association
6. Carolina Poly 22-5 1427 4 South Atlantic Conference
7. Brunswick 24-5 1362 7 Academia Alliance
8. Liberty College 23-7 1251 9 Indy
9. Lambert College 24-4 1247 8 Midwestern Association
10. Whitney College 20-7 1130 10 Great Lakes Alliance
11. Mississippi A&M 23-5 1111 11 Deep South Conference
12. CC Los Angeles 21-7 1010 12 West Coast Athletic Association
13. Central Kentucky 22-5 951 14 Deep South Conference
14. Noble Jones College 21-7 836 13 Deep South Conference
15. Frankford State 24-6 784 17 Indy
16. Detroit City College 18-9 686 18 Great Lakes Alliance
17. Lane State 22-9 652 21 West Coast Athletic Association
18. Great Plains State 23-6 621 16 Indy
19. University of New Jersey 22-5 489 20 Eastern Six
20. Bayou State 19-8 414 15 Deep South Conference
21. Needham 23-6 281 25 Indy
22. Alabama Baptist 20-7 271 NR Deep South Conference
23. North Carolina Tech 19-9 255 19 South Atlantic Conference
24. Holland 21-6 171 NR Central Athletic Alliance
25. St. Blane 18-11 83 NR Indy
Others Receiving Votes:
Elyria 22-8 69 Indy
Pittsburgh State 21-8 24 Indy
Perry State College 21-8 20 Indy
Dickson 19-10 5 Academia Alliance
Utah A&M 20-7 3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Alliance
Oklahoma Bible College 21-8 2 Indy
Brooklyn Catholic 20-8 1 Liberty Conference
TOURNAMENT BREAKDOWN
With the AIAA tournament field announcement just a week away here is the latest look at where teams fit. Fourteen of the 32 berths will go to the regular season champion in 14 of the 15 sections. The 15th, the Academia Allaince, is the only conference that runs a postseason tournament and will send it's tournament winner, rather than season champ to the tournament. The remaining 17 berths are handed out to schools that do now win a section title but are deserving of inclusion.
At this point the following schools appear a lock to qualify:
Academia Alliance : Brunswick Knights
Deep South: Mississippi A&M Generals, Noble Jones College Colonels and Central Kentucky Tigers
Great Lakes Alliance: Western Iowa Canaries, Whitney College Engineers, Central Ohio Aviators, Detroit City College Knights
Midwester Association: Lambert College Stags
South Atlantic Conference: Carolina Poly Cardinals
West Coast Athletic Association: Rainier College Majestics, Coastal California Dolphins, Redwood Mammoths and CC Los Angeles Coyotes.
Independents: Liberty College Bells and Elyria Pioneers
MONDAY MARCH 1
no games with ranked teams
TUESDAY MARCH 2
no games with ranked teams
WEDNESDAY MARCH 3
at #7 Brunswick 60, Pierpont 47
#11 Mississippi A&M 52, at Western Florida 43
at #13 Central Kentucky 52, Opelika State 37
#14 Noble Jones College 62, at #20 Bayou State 58
#22 Alabama Baptist 64, at Baton Rouge State 48
THURSDAY MARCH 4
at #2 Western Iowa 51, Minnesota Tech 38
at St. Ignatius 45, #4 Central Ohio 36
at Maryland State 54, #6 Carolina Poly 47
#9 Lambert College 59, at Eastern Oklahoma 34
#10 Whitney College 50, at Lincoln 42
at #16 Detroit City College 50, Wisconsin State 25
#19 University of New Jersey 57, at St. Gordius 45
#21 Needham 60, at Iowa A&M 44
Alexandria 48, at #23 North Carolina Tech 39
#24 Holland 55, at Flint 38
FRIDAY MARCH 5
at #1 Rainier College 54, Northern California 40
at #3 Coastal California 65, #5 Redwood 56
at Idaho A&M 33, #12 CC Los Angeles 30
#17 Lane State 65, at Custer College 61
SATURDAY MARCH 6
#2 Western Iowa 56, at #16 Detroit City College 53
at Lincoln 61, #4 Central Ohio 44
at #7 Brunswick 53, Grafton 45
Payne State 66, at #9 Lambert College 64
St. Ignatius 55, at #10 Whitney College 40
at #11 Mississippi A&M 44, #20 Bayou State 42
#13 Central Kentucky 48, at Georgia Baptist 36
at Cumberland 61, #14 Noble Jones College 53
#19 University of New Jersey 48, at Tinker 40
at #21 Needham 50, Glover (GA) 41
at #22 Alabama Baptist 45, Opelika State 32
at #23 North Carolina Tech 63, Coastal State 48
#24 Holland 61, at Cleveland 44
SUNDAY MARCH 7
at #5 Redwood 46, #1 Rainier College 38
at #3 Coastal California 72, Custer College 48
at #12 CC Los Angeles 52, Spokane State 39
at #17 Lane State 53, Idaho A&M 48
DATE SET FOR SAWYER TITLE DEFENSE
Hector Sawyer will face State Case on June 12 at Gothams Stadium in New York City in what will likely be his final fight on North American soil for quite some time. Sawyer has plans to head to Europe later in the summer and may spent up to a year overseas fighting several exhibitions and likely make two, perhaps three defenses of his World Heavyweight Title.
The champ, who has been the dominant force in the heavyweight division for 8 years and owns a 57-3-1 career record, will have his American send-off against Steve Case, a New York native with an 18-1-2 record, in what is expected to be simply an easy tune-up match for the champ.
Case is set to fight this Friday in Hartford where he will face journeyman Ron Ramsey (19-10-5) in what will be his final tune-up before the biggest fight of his career.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- Mar 12- Hartford, Ct: rising HW Steve Case (18-1-2) vs Ron Ramsey (19-10-5)
- Mar 12- New York City: WW Ben Bishop (27-4-1) vs Martin Woodland (12-3-1)
- Mar 15- Philadelphia: HW Harvey Winter (16-1) vs Clifford Baker (29-11-3)
- Mar 19- Cincinnati: MW Nick Harris (22-3-1) vs Joe Moore (18-3)
- Mar 21- Bologna, Italy: Euro MW champ Edouard Desmarais (40-1) vs Poto Tauretto (14-8)
- Mar 30- San Francisco: HW Dan Miller (36-8-1) vs Candian HW Daniel Huot (13-1-2)
- Mar 31- San Diego, Ca: WW Willis May (18-3-2) vs Carl Taylor (22-5-2)
- Apr 5 -Waterbury Ct: former WW champ John Edmonds (23-3) vs John Moore (13-13-1)
- Apr 24- Denny Arena, Boston: World WW champ Harold Stephens (21-3-2) defends his title against Mac Erickson (16-0)
- June 12 - Gothams Stateium: World HW champ Hector Sawyer (57-3-1) defends his title against Steve Case (18-1-2)
- Jul 4 - Sailors Memorial: World MW champ Frank Melanson (33-1-2) defends his title against Edouard Desmarais (40-1)
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 3/07/1948
- Chairman Vandenberg of the Senate Foreign Relations committee opened Senate debate on the European Recovery Program with a call to stop World War III before it can start and protect the United States, noting that "Aggressive communism threatens all freedom and security in the Old World or the New when it puts free people anywhere in chains." The Senate ignored standard protocols against demonstrations and rose to give Vanderberg a standing ovation at the completion of his speech.
- The Budget Director urged Congress to look at the "hard facts of international life" when deciding about cutting income taxes.
- Secretary of State Marshall told Congress there is "grave danger" Greece and Turkey cannot remain free unless they get more military aid from the United States.
- Lt. General Albert Wedemyer warned that China is also in need of military aid, stating "We are going to pay in blood" if proper steps are not taken by America to stop the spread of Communism.
- Five nations -Gret Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg- are meeting in Brussels to discuss plans for a Western European union to stem Communist expansion.
- Finland's Communists began organizing factory and trade union meetings to support that country entering into a military pact with Russia.
- British troops near Jerusalem battled beside Jews against Arab snipers dug in on hillsides a day after the British vowed to use their weapons henceforth "impartially against whichever side is firing."
- 21 Southern Senators have demanded equal radio time to answer a broadcast dramatizing President Truman's civil rights program. The group, representing 11 southern states, say they are opposed to the measures recommneded by the President's Committee on Civl Rights "as are millions of American people whom we represent."