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Tiger Fan · 11-01-2023, 12:19 PM

JAUNARY 24, 1949

WOLVES SIGN FRED BARRELL AS SKIPPER

In perhaps the worst kept secret in baseball, the Toronto Wolves officially welcomed Fred Barrell to town as their new manager, filling the final FABL field general vacancy. Rumours have swirled in both Toronto and Detroit since the Wolves cut ties with Bob Call immediately after the conclusion of the season, but the deal was kept quiet until after the FABL draft was completed, allowing Barrell to complete the task of running the Dynamos draft room in his now former role as Scouting Director of the Federal Association club.

Barrell, who is expected to meet with the media in Toronto in the next couple of weeks, is presently enjoying some vacation time with his family. He had deep family connections to the Motor City with his brother Rollie owning both the basketball Mustangs and the grid Detroit Maroons but there will also be ties in Toronto as Fred will join his brother Jack, head coach of the defending Challenge Cup Champion Toronto Dukes, as bench bosses in the Canadian city.

Fred Barrell joined the Dynamos as Scouting Director prior to the 1946 season after spending time during the war working for the State Department, which included some dangerous missions in France and Germany. Prior to that the Georgia Baptist graduate spent 15 seasons as a big league catcher, starting with the Chicago Cougars before enjoying his best days in Brooklyn alongside several of his brothers as teammates. One of those brothers, 3-time Allen Award winning pitcher Tom Barrell, is now the Brooklyn skipper and will be in the opposite dugout against Fred at some point this season in what may be the first time brothers have squared off against each other as FABL managers.

Fred was a three all-star as a player and won two world championship series including in 1931 with the Cougars when he was named WCS Most Valuable Player. He retired following the 1942 season and is tied for fifth all-time in big league games played by a catcher. Scouting is in his blood as his father, the late Rufus Barrell was co-founder of the OSA and another brother, Dan -who was a former teammate in Brooklyn, currently heads up the OSA but Fred felt his true passion now is being on the field as a manager so the Dynamos, despite signing the 43-year-old to a hefty contract extension that included the 1949 season, agreed to allow him to leave for Toronto when the Wolves opportunity arrived.

Detroit is expected to make an announcement on who will replace Barrell as the chief of their scouting department in the coming weeks.

1949 FABL DRAFT RECAP

Over the next few weeks, we will check in with each of the 16 FABL organizations to get their take on how the opening 10 rounds of the draft went for them. Each FABL club made 10 selections and the remaining 15 rounds will be completed at the conclusion of the high school year and collegiate World Championship Series in June. Players selected in the January phase are not eligible to be signed by FABL organizations until the remainder of the draft has been completed.

First up let's stop in and see what Boston Minutemen scouting director Johnny Robards and Willie Kirby, who olds the same role with the Philadelphia Sailors, have to say about their newest additions.

BOSTON MINUTEMEN: Scouting Director Johnny Robards (19th year with club)

Having the second overall pick really made our first round list extremely short. It was between SS John Wells or RF Rick Masters, we have the #5 rated prospect in all of baseball and he plays SS but we would have not hesitated to select Wells anyway if Masters was first off the board. As it turned out Wells went first overall to Toronto and we happily ended up with Masters who is already drawing power comparisons to Bobby Barrell. While that is a very lofty comparison it is easy to dream on the power potential Masters has shown thus far as an amateur. We fully expect Masters to be a top 10 prospect if not higher when the new rankings are released. The organization will have some long discussions about which level to start the 18 year old at. We of course want to put Masters at a level where he gets challenged but still has the opportunity to develop the power aspect of his game.

Organizationally, we have not been as successful at landing the right second round player. This year we may have reached on a player in C Joe Clark but for our organization it was a position of desperate need in a draft that did not yield many high end catchers. Clark is another player that has the potential to muscle his fair share of balls out of the yard. You definitely saw a theme with our early picks and it has become more of an organizational focus over the years. For quite a long time we took power pitchers with the hope of striking gold while excellent hitters were taken around our selections. We have shifted in the last five seasons to really focus on the best hitters available while still putting a premium on power. Boston clubs have never been known for their deep threats and it is something we are actively looking to change through our draft and development process.

NEW YORK GOTHAMS: Scouting Director Stan Bayes (8th year)

We came into the draft knowing we would be picking higher in the first two rounds than our record deserved. Still I figured that the elite offensive talent would be gone, so we looked to grab the top of the pitching prospects. We had both Vern Osborne and Jorge Arellano as top ten prospects on our board, so we were excited to be able to land both of them in the first two rounds. Osborne features a full complement of quality pitches with sinker/splitter being plus pitches. Arellano is a bit more of a project but has a legit fastball and good command. Both are just out of high school so I would expect them to start no higher than B. They're a few years away but I expect Osborne to be a top 50 prospect.

Obviously we would loved one of those power OF bats to land on our doorstep. Still we're happy to get Bert Preble in the 3rd round. We had him as a late first rounder. He's coming out of college and we hope to see him move quickly through the system.

As far as who feel might have been a steal for us, well you can take your pick. 2B Harry Murray was early 2nd round on our board and RF Ed Smith was early 3rd. We got them in the 4th and 5th. Both are college kids which was something we focused on hoping to get a few players who are more advanced. These young men will be given every chance to move quickly.

All in all, we had a plan and I'm happy that we were able to accomplish most of what we wanted to do.

PHILADELPHIA SAILORS: Scouting Director Willie Kirby (20 years with club)

Sailors drafting at #15 so we thought the key was to draft best available player where possible in the first few rounds, as we were picking low. As such, we saw good value in CF Ray Hughes at #15 overall. It was between him and 1B Ike Shafer. However, the depth at 1B seemed pretty good in this draft to get that position later, and sure enough, even though Shafer was taken (Cleveland pick 27), we were able to get two good 1B's in round 2 and 3 in Wayne Cottrill and John Williams - both highly rated by our scouts. Another 1B project was obtained in Round 8 in Ned Nelson.

The rest of the draft was to fill out our farm system in some positions of need - C and SS, and also hope to pick up a decent pitcher, but not reach for one. We managed to get a couple of catchers who may turn out ok in Jake Moorman and Milt Jenks; and a couple of SS's Bob Helsinger and Herb Ferreiras as well. On the pitcher front, we got an OK pitcher in Ed Patterson; and a wildcard in Rabbit Coffin - who has an awesome name that we just couldn't pass up.

It is business as usual in St Louis as far as the baseball operations staff is concerned, but rumours are circulating that FABL President Sam Belton is quietly searching for a new owner that would keep the club in Missouri if current owner Dee Rose were convicted on the multiple state and federal charges he is facing.
You have to think that the Cincinnati Cannons, who are reportedly set to name a new General Manager in the near future, are going to give Tony Britten a chance to start the season with the big club. The 22-year-old former Kit Carson University Star is considered the top pitching prospect in baseball by OSA and is pitching very well for a very bad Havana team in the Cuban League. Britten made his big league debut last season, pitching in one game in August for the Cannons, but it did not go well. He got the start against Pete Papenfus and the Chicago Cougars but lasted less than 3 inning and allowed 7 earned runs in an 11-5 loss.
Long-time Toronto Wolves pitcher Bob Walls has headed west with news the 37-year-old inked a one year deal with the two-time Bigsby Cup champion Oakland Grays. Walls spent 10 of his 13 FABL seasons with the Wolves but was released after one season with the Brooklyn Kings. He compiled a 116-101 record while also spending time with the Chicago Chiefs early in his career winning a WCS with the Chiefs in 1936 and another with Toronto 4 years later.

ROSE LEGAL WOES MAY BE KEY TO SOLVING GRID COLD WAR

The rumblings out of St. Louis last week sent shockwaves through the sporting world. Dee Rose, the owner of both the mighty Pioneers and the somewhat embattled Los Angeles Lobos, now finds himself mired in a labyrinth of legal woes that could alter the course of professional football as we know it. These charges, which include tax evasion and fraud, carry with them the ominous shadow of incarceration, and FABL's head honcho, Sam Belton, has made his stance clear: should Rose be found guilty, his stewardship of the Pioneers faces an abrupt and ignominious conclusion.

Such developments might appear as dark clouds hanging over the football horizon, but could there be a silver lining to this storm? We find ourselves wondering if this unfortunate situation might just hold the key to finally bringing an end to the prolonged gridiron cold war between the Continental Football Conference and Jack Kristich's venerable American Football Association.

As recent history has shown, merger discussions took center stage in Philadelphia at the beginning of this month, coming tantalizingly close to fruition. The crux of the impasse was the CFC's insistence on securing spots for four of their teams, while the AFA, at best, was willing to accommodate three of them, conditional on the Cincinnati Tigers agreeing to a merger with a CFC counterpart.

Now, with the Lobos' owner facing the imminent loss of his team, the stars may align to pave the way for unity. The San Francisco Wings, poised to grace us with the grandeur of the new 50,000-seat Golden Gate Stadium come spring, would remain a key piece of the puzzle. In the City of Angels, their forthcoming stadium could potentially house a new AFA franchise, with the Lobos facing the specter of dissolution if Rose's clutches are pried away. In their stead, the electrifying Kansas City Cowboys, boasting the tantalizing talents of Pat Chappell and Mason Matthews, could make a splash in sunny Southern California, becoming the second team.

In the bayou, the New Orleans Crescents, once viewed as the stumbling block to a merger, might now have a path forward. Their wealthy shipping magnate owner, William Beauregard, had adamantly refused to entertain the notion of folding his club. However, the prospect of a merger with Cincinnati could rekindle hope. Playing temporarily in the Queen City until Beauregard assembles a stadium in New Orleans that meets AFA specifications would present a pragmatic solution.

In a stroke of serendipity, it seems the boiling cauldron that Dee Rose currently finds himself immersed in may well be the needed catalyst to dissolve the icy tensions that have gripped the professional football world for the past three years. A thaw in the gridiron cold war might finally be within our grasp.

BEES TAKE OVER TOP SPOT

The defending Challenge Cup champion Toronto Dukes had been in first place since Halloween but that came to an end yesterday when the Dukes lost for the second time in as many nights to Detroit while the surging Boston Bees pulled even Saturday evening with a shutout win at home over Montreal and claimed sole possession of first place with a 2-1 victory over the Valiants yesterday.

The Dukes had also been swept in a home and home set with the New York Shamrocks the previous weekend making only their midweek 5-2 win over Montreal a point generating outcome from their last five outings. The losses Saturday and Sunday to the Motors were especially perplexing as the Detroit club entered the weekend reeling, losers of their last 10 games and winlees in 31 days.

The Bees have lurked over the Dukes shoulders for most of the campaign before finally buzzing to the league lead after a stretch that has seen the Boston six go 7-2-2 since the Christmas break. First place will be on the line Wednesday evening as the next game for the two most successful clubs -in terms of Challenge Cup wins with 7 apiece- tangle in the Hub on Wednesday evening.

Code:

  NAHC STANDINGS
          GP  W  L  T  GF  GA  PTS
Boston    38 21 13  4 116 101  46
Toronto   38 19 13  6 124 102  44
New York  37 15 16  6  96 102  36
Chicago   38 16 19  3 108 123  35
Montreal  38 15 18  5  99 116  35
Detroit   39 14 21  4 122 121  32

SCORING LEADERS GP  G  A  PTS
Pollack, Tor    38 19 27  46
Galbraith, Tor  38 20 20  40
Cabbell, NY     37 23 15  38
Vanderbilt, Det 37 22 16  38
Sauer, Tor      38 16 20  36
Chandler, Bos   33 15 21  36
Hart, Bos       37 16 19  35
Tardif, Det     36 15 19  34
Carlson, Tor    35  7 26  33
T Burns, Chi    27 20 12  32
Skinner, Mon    38 14 16  30
Walker, Bos     37 10 19  29
Rocheleau, Det  34  5 24  29

GOALIE LEADERS   GP  W  L  T ShO GAA
Broadway, Tor    34 16 12  6  3  2.59
Brockers, Mon    26 10 12  3  2  2.60
James, Bos       33 17 12  4  4  2.65
Chasse, Det      16  7  7  0  1  2.70
Tremblay, NY     33 12 15  6  2  2.71
Cleghorn, Chi    12  7  4  1  1  2.83
Hanson, Chi      25  9 14  2  2  3.13
Touhey, Det      22  6 14  2  1  3.41

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 19

Detroit 1 at 3 Chicago: The Chicago Packers hand the slumping Detroit Motors their 10th consecutive loss as backup netminder Michael Cleghorn gets the start for the Packers and stops 38 of 39 Detroit shots. Arnold Singleton was the only Motors member to put a puck past Cleghorn, knoting the game at 1 in the opening minute of the second period after Wes Burns gave the home club a 1-0 lead in the first frame. Max Ducharme score twice in the final 7 minutes of the third period to give the Packers their third straight victory.

New York 2 at 4 Boston: Back on the ice after being blanked 6-0 in Chicago on Sunday, the Bees, led by 3-point nights from Jacob Gron and Tommy Hart, doubled the Shamrocks 4-2.

Toronto 5 at 2 Montreal: Montreal has lost three of its last four after the Valiants fell 5-2 to Toronto. Lou Galbraith and Bobbie Sauer each scored just 44 seconds apart midway through the third period to put the game away for the Dukes.

THURSDAY JANUARY 20

Montreal 1 at 1 New York: Defenseman Shel Herron's 4th goal of the season midway through the final period allowed the Valiants to claim a 1-1 tie in New York after Orval Cabbell's league-leading 22nd goal staked the Shamrocks to a second period lead. The game did not feature much offense as the Shamrocks and Valiants combined for just 37 shots on the evening.

SATURDAY JANUARY 22

Montreal 0 at 3 Boston: Oscar James stopped all 24 shots he faced as the Boston netminder earned his fourth shutout of the season, blanking his former teammate Tom Brockers and the Montreal Valiants 3-0. The win moved Boston into a first place tie with Toronto while Montreal has just one victory in their last six outings. All of the scoring came in the final ten minutes of the game with Ray Gustafson, Len Bentley and Wilbur Chandler getting the Boston goals.

Toronto 1 at 3 Detroit: Adam Vanderbilt scored twice to lead Detroit to its first victory since December 21 as the Motors downed Toronto 3-1. Dick Zimmerman of the Dukes opened the scoring just over 2 minutes into the game, but Millard Touhey turned aside the next 29 shots he faced for the victory. The loss leaves Toronto tied with Boston for top spot in the league.

SUNDAY JANUARY 23

Boston 2 at 1 Montreal: The Bees are 5-1-2 in their last 8 games and alone in first place thanks to Ralph Chilton's second goal of the season. It came early in the third period and proved the difference in a 2-1 win for the visitors in Montreal. Robert Stevens opened the scoring for Montreal in the first but Wilbur Chandler tied things up with a short-handed marker in the middle stanza. Boston outshot the Vals 33-18.

Chicago 3 at 3 New York: The Packers stretched their unbeaten streak to five games while the Shamrocks earned their second straight tie in a 3-3 draw at Bigsby Garden. To salvage the point the Packers needed third period goals from Jeremy MacLean and Ed Delarue after New York led 3-1 following the opening 40 minutes. Orval Cabbell scored again for the Shamrocks for his league high 23rd goal of the season.

Detroit 5 at 2 Toronto: Toronto has suddenly dropped 4 of its last 5 games and trails Boston by two points for first place in the NAHC after the Dukes were swept by Detroit in a weekend home and home series. Francis McKenzie scored twice to lead the Motors attack.

UPCOMING GAMES
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26
Boston at Toronto
Chicago at Montreal
Detroit at New York

SATURDAY JANUARY 29
Montreal at Detroit
Toronto at Chicago

SUNDAY JANUARY 30
Boston at Detroit
Chicago at Toronto
New York at Montreal

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Injuries are piling up in Chicago, as Jerry Finch is the next guy to go down, but for the first time all season, the Packers are in playoff position without the advantage of having more games played then their opponent. Both the Packers and Valiants have 35 points as the Pack have won each of their last three games while Montreal has dropped three. The two teams square off on Wednesday, allowing the winner to separate themselves from the loser.
Other teams are beat up as well with Boston battling a lot of injuries and will almost assuredly need to bring at least one player up from Springfield. The New York Shamrocks have lost workhorse defenseman Paul Tetreault for a week or two with hamstring troubles and Coach Nick Hendricks is expecting he may need to ask a forward to fill in on the blueline for the short term.
Unlike in past seasons when former coach Mark Moore preached defense first, Detroit Motors new bench boss Badger Rigney is allowing the club to play a more wide-open style. The resuts were very good until the last month when the goaltending got as cold as the frigid weather outside the Palladium and the Motors have sputterd. The team still is second behind only Boston in goals scored with 122 in 39 games and perhaps the team will get back on track after a pair of weekend wins over Toronto that ended a 10-game losing streak.
Marc T. McNeil of the Montreal Star reports this is the first time in three years a Valiants goaltender has been on a hot streak. That would be Tom Brockers, who is proving he was well worth the cost of veteran defenseman Bryant Williams to land him from Boston.

Dukes Drop Out of First in NAHC --After only one win in their last five outings, the Toronto Dukes find themselves looking up at Boston in the standings for the first time in a couple of months. This week featured a win in Montreal against a resurgent Vals squad followed by two losses to their bitter rivals the Detroit Motors, a team that had been struggling in 1949. Detroit got healthy in a hurry after only getting one point in the previous 11 games dating back to before Christmas.

Toronto's week started with a convincing 5-2 victory in La Belle Province on Wednesday night before 16,635. Montreal opened the scoring when Wayne Augustin was freed up in the slot on passes from Glen Whitley. Although the Dukes had shown a little more spirit the marker seemed to put the team in another gear. Toronto scored 3, bombarding Tom Brockers in the Vals cage with 21 shots in the first. Quinton Pollock, Herb Burdette and Dick Zimmerman all lit the lamp in the second half of the period.

The second period was scoreless, up tempo with very few stoppages. It saw Brockers and Dukes keeper Gordie Broadway both turned back a number of good scoring chances making 14 and 12 saves. The Vals narrowed the gap to one at 3-2 when Adam Sandford beat Broadway on a power play at 3:40 with Toronto's J.C. Martel in the sin bin for high sticking. Toronto answered with a pair of goals from Bobnie Sauer and Lou Galbraith just 44 seconds apart to end any hopes of a Montreal comeback for the fans. Goaltending was superb although Brockers must have felt defenseless facing 52 shots. Montreal Star reporters where amazed that only 5 found the back of the net given the quality of the Dukes chances in the game. Broadway turned aside 25 of 27 that hit the Toronto net.

The Dukes decided to overnight in Montreal before boarding the train bound for Detroit Thursday to prepare for the Saturday night match in Thompson Palladium. In front of smallish crowd the Dukes opened the scoring with Zimmerman's wrist shot beating Millard Touhey on passes from Galbraith and Pollock. Adam Vanderbilt banged home a rebound off of Arnold Singleton's shot while on a man advantage at 6:39. It was the young center's 20th goal of the season.

There was no more scoring in the first although the teams continue to show their distaste for each other with lots of stick work, pushing and shoving after stoppages in play. Vanderbilt's second of the game at 6:46 accouted for all the scoring in the middle frame which again was hard hitting and bordering on dirty. The Dukes continued to press Touhey but could not solve him only to be victimized on a turnover in the Motors zone that sent the Motors Graham Comeau in alone on Broadway with the third goal, which ended up being the last nail in the coffin allowing the Motors to return to the win column with a 3-1 victory.

The Dukes return home Sunday had the fans expecting fireworks at Dominion Gardens. Francis McKenzie's early tally seemed to take some of the steam out of the fans until Galbraith notched his 20th of the season on spectacular end to end rush with just under 2 minutes left in the period.

With the score tied Trevor Parker and Detroit's Remy Emond exchanged pleasantries just before the puck was dropped in the face off circle, then dropped the gloves right after the linesman dropped the puck. Both teams settled down to hockey after the fight, although Brett was told the referee visited both dressing rooms between periods to tell coaches Jack Barrell and Badger Rigney to get control of their players or he would be handing out game misconducts instead of majors if any dirty play or fighting continued in this game.

In an entertaining, clean second period Vanderbilt with his 3rd in two games put the Motors ahead 2-1. The Dukes pulled within one at the 8 minute mark of the third when Alex Lavalliere took a cross crease pass from Bobbie Sauer and then deposited it in wide open goal almost taking the roof off the building with the thunderous ovation. The fans hopes were dashed just over two minutes later McKenzie restored the two goal advantage with his second of the game on a tic-tac-toe from Dixon Butler and Graham Comeau. Coach Barrell pulled Broadway with 90 seconds remaining but could not find the equalizer as the Motors scored two in to the empty net making the final score seem a lopsided 5-2, in a game that was anything but lopsided in fact.

Coach Barrell was upbeat after the week. "Montreal game was a good start to the week although when we get that many shots I fear for the next game. The players begin to believe that they can win games by outscoring the opposition. Nothing is further from the truth, our success is based on dominating defensively, not offensively. We are competent offensively but not elite - back checking, taking players off the puck, sound in our own zone is the recipe for success here. I worry about meeting a team like Detroit that is facing hard times...you know they are going to snap out of it and unfortunately it was against us this weekend. If we had a little more puck luck we could have had taken one of them games, if not both. Now that we are in second place, let's see how we respond in Boston this week. Credit to the Bees. They have gone through a lot of injuries, adversity this season. To be leading late in January is credit to the team and staff."

The Washington Statesmen won Round 1 against the Chicago Panthers in a battle that might just get settled in the league final. Chicago had one hand tied behind its back with top scorer Richard Campbell out with a bruised jaw. Some might say Chicago had both hands tied behind its back, as Joe Hampton dislocated his shoulder in the Panthers' win against New York late last week. Hampton is out for another five weeks. Washington won a defensive struggle, 75-66, leading throughout and never really giving Chicago a chance to pull ahead. The difference was at the free throw line. Chicago committed 25 fouls, putting Washington at the line 30 times, compared to 17 fouls and 8 free shots for Chicago.
Hampton is the top disher for the Panthers and he is third in the league at 10.4 assists per game. This will come as another blow to a team that lost to the Pittsburgh Pilots in the precursor to the Washington game, 81-72. What once was smoke with Campbell out may smolder into a larger fire. While Campbell is about to return and should be back for a big matchup in Detroit on Wednesday night against the Mustangs, that is the first of three games in Detroit over the next two weeks. All of them will be without Hampton, who runs the offense. The 25-year-old Hampton out of Western Iowa, was a first-round pick in 1946 by Hartford, won Rookie of the Year honors in 1946 before jumping to Chicago the next season where he was an All-Star and made the All-FBL First Team. It will be a big enough hurdle for Chicago to clear, provided no one else gets hurt.
Speaking of Detroit, they have been stuck in neutral over the last 10 games at 5-5 after some streakiness around the holidays. Since the middle of December, the Mustangs have not won or lost more than two in a row. Ward Messer has scored in double figures for 23 straight games and a double-double, topping 10 rebounds as well in six straight. In his rookie year, Messer is one of five FBLers in the top ten in points and rebounds, but only Messer and Washington's Ivan Sisco are in the top five in both categories. Messer stands fourth in scoring at 20.1 per game, tied with Sisco, and edges Sisco in rebounds per game. Messer is second at 18.5 and Sisco is third at 18.2.
Things may start looking up for the underachieving Boston Centurions. Since Trenton Griswold took over as coach two weeks ago the Centurions are 3-2 including a big road win in Chicago over the West Division leaders and a home triumph over Philadelphia. Boston was 8-20 before the change with pretty much the exact same roster that tied for the fourth best record in the 8 team American Basketball Conference a year ago.

Code:


FBL STANDINGS
EAST           W  L   PCT  
Washington    23  7  .767
Brooklyn      22  9  .710
Philadelphia  20 12  .625
Rochester     19 12  .613
Baltimore     16 13  .552
Hartford      12 17  .414
Boston        11 22  .333
New York       9 21  .300
Syracuse       5 25  .167 

WEST         W  L   PCT  
Chicago     22  9  .710
Cleveland   19 11  .633
Detroit     16 12  .571
Cincinnati  18 14  .563
Pittsburgh  12 19  .387
Toronto     10 21  .323
Buffalo      9 19  .321

FIGHTING SAINTS TOP CAGE CLUB IN NATION

Western Iowa Stumbles in Section Play

While no one new has entered the top ten in the AIAA rankings the past couple of weeks there is a change at the top for the second week in a row. Western Iowa had replaced Liberty College as the top team in the nation after the Bells were upended by Maryland State, but the Canaries perch at the top was very brief as section play in the always tough Great Lakes Alliance claimed its first victim.

Western Iowa fell from the ranks of the undefeated, ending a 14-game winning streak to start the season with a 50-30 loss at 13th ranked Indiana A&M in their section opener. The Canaries did rebound with a win at home over Minnesota Tech Saturday but the pollsters bumped them from first to third in the rankings.

The new number one is St Blane and while the Fighting Saints are a fixture atop the grid rankings, this is uncharted territory for the Saints cage club which has won 19 in a row after opening the season with a surprising loss to Bardney College. Senior forward Cy Worley leads the Saints in scoring, averaging 11.3 points per contest, but they spread the wealth around with Josh Samuels and Jim Canaday each scoring near double-digits and center Brian Threadgill chipping in with 7.3 ppg and plenty of success on the boards.

Liberty College, with two wins this week and a 20-2 record, moves up one spot to second in the rankings. Fourth ranked Frankford State (22-0) and number #5 Mississippi A&M (16-0) are now the only remaining unbeaten schools after Western Iowa's loss. Darnell State, from the Southwetern Alliance, had been the fouth and final team with a perfect record at the New Year, but the Legislators, after starting the season 10-0, have dropped three of their last five including a section defeat at home against Red River State and have fallen completely out of the top twenty-five.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 10 TEAMS
MONDAY JANUARY 17
#1 St Blane 74 (Cy Worley 22) Strub College 56
#5 Mississippi A&M 67 (Micah Shuman 14) Alabama Gulf Coast 37
TUESDAY JANUARY 18
#2 Liberty College 60 (Gordon, Stillwell 12 each) Alexandria 32
#4 Frankford State 67 (David Aponte 26) Flagstaff State 58

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 19
#9 Coastal California 71 (David Barnes 18) Idaho A&M 35
CC Los Angeles 52 #10 Rainier College 44 (Orlando Zanier 14)

THURSDAY JANUARY 20
Indiana A&M 50 #3 Western Iowa (Charlie Maynard 9) 36
#6 Carolina Poly 58 (Beau Holmes 14) Maryland State 41
#7 North Carolina Tech 51 (Mike Carter) 20 Lexington State 36

FRIDAY JANUARY 21
#5 Mississippi A&M 49 (Vance Torrence 16) St Martin's College 35
#8 Lane State 57 (Carl Casswell 19) Portland Tech 39

SATURDAY JANUARY 22
#1 St Blane 49 (Josh Samuels 13) Centerville 40
#3 Western Iowa 46 (Charlie Maynard 16) Minnesota Tech 35

SUNDAY JANUARY 23
#1 Liberty College 65 (Scott Basile 16) University of New Jersey 58
#8 Lane State 72 (Carl Casswell 19) Northern California 51
#9 Coastal California 62 (Chris Martines 25) CC Los Angeles 60 OT
#10 Rainier College 47 (Joe Simpson 13) Redwood 43

SANITY CODE WILL BREED 'LIARS' SOME FEAR

The outgoing president of the American Football Coaches Organization lashed out at the AIAA and its year-old "sanity code." He said coaches "are fearful we have another prohibition act on our hands."

The AIAA instituted the code a year ago to preserve the amateur aspect of the sport and made some minor modifications at their annual meeting earlier this month as it continues towards its stated goal, which is "complete elimination of recruiting of football, basketball and other athletes," according to the head of the AIAA.

The coaches organization believes all this sanity code will do is "make liars out of us all." He adds that many of the college grid coaches in his organization are fearful they will have another prohibition act because "most of us do not regard it wrong for the regular Scholarship Committee to give a boy with leadership qualities, and with need, help toward his board and room."

He adds the so-called sanity code discriminates against the college athlete. "To gain a scholarship award of more than tuition a nonathlete does not have to be in the upper quarter of his high school or attain a B record, but the athlete does. Thus the sanity code penalizes a boy who wants to play on our teams."

PETRIE SET TO DEFEND MIDDLWEIGHT CROWN AMID MORE CONTROVERSY

This Saturday, a new chapter in the controversial reign of Canadian pugilist Adrian Petrie as the World Middleweight Champion. Petrie takes center stage at Toronto's Dominion Gardens in his first fight since an October bout filled with controversy and is poised to defend his title for the first time amidst a backdrop of lingering dispute.

The 26-year-old native of Montreal, whose contentious split decision victory over Frenchman Edouard Desmarais raised eyebrows and voices, now steps into the ring as the reigning champion. The bout with Desmarais was clouded by protests from the French fighter's camp who vehemently disagreed with the scoring decisions handed down by two Canadian judges. This fracas prompted the American Boxing Federation to intervene.

In a calculated move, the ABF mandated that Petrie's inaugural title defense should constitute a rematch with Desmarais. A surprising twist ensued when Desmarais, instead of accepting the challenge, chose to honor a prior commitment for a third encounter with Frank 'The Tank' Melanson, a battle where Desmarais eventually triumphed earlier this month at Bigsby Garden.

Petrie and his team found themselves at a crossroads. Their quest to secure an opponent for his first title defense, amidst a myriad of possibilities, culminated in the curious selection of Danny Morse. This relatively obscure pugilist from New York City, aged 35, sports a career record of 35 wins, 8 losses, and 1 draw. Importantly, Morse carries an impressive streak of 16 consecutive victories, including 7 knockouts in his last 8 contests. Nevertheless, critics contend that Morse's recent victories have been earned against opponents who fall short of the moniker "top-flight competition."

Petrie's camp defended their choice, arguing that the constricted timeline necessitated a swift decision, and Morse was the most suitable contender with an aligned schedule. However, this choice wasn't without its detractors. Former champion John Edmonds expressed his willingness to face Petrie, while Tommy Campbell, who boasts a record of 21 wins and 1 loss, conveyed his availability to postpone a bout for a shot at the champion. Sadly, no response arrived from Petrie's camp, leaving these potential contenders on the sidelines.

Consequently, the result of these events has left the middleweight division shrouded in a perplexing cloud of controversy. This weekend's match, viewed by many as far from a satisfying showdown, will compel Petrie to showcase his skills against an opponent perceived as inferior. A resounding performance is paramount to restore the luster of the tarnished championship belt.

Meanwhile, Desmarais remains stationed in New York, hinting at a return to his homeland of France. With no immediate plans to fight again on North American soil, it appears that the anticipated Petrie-Desmarais rematch, and a chance to set things right in the minds of any who questioned the original outcome, may remain a distant dream.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

Jan 28- Dominion Gardens, Toronto: World MW champ Adrian Petrie (18-1-1) vs Danny Morse (35-8-1)
Jan 28- Cleveland: MW Davis Owens (16-0) vs Dave Sizemore (21-11)
Jan 29- Bigsby Garden, New York: HW Roy Crawford (25-3) vs Steve Manning (20-8-4)
Feb 11- Bigsby Garden, New York: Former MW champ John Edmonds (27-3) vs Heath Nichols (15-4)
Feb 13- Denny Arena, Boston: Rising WW Danny Rutledge (16-0) vs Ira Mitchell (20-3)
Feb 19- Paris, France: World HW champ Hector Sawyer (59-3-1) vs Alain Noel (44-11-2)
Feb 21- Bigsby Garden, New York: former WW champ Mark Westlake (25-3-1) vs Jack Watkins (24-10)
Feb 26- Philadelphia: John Baker (21-5-1) vs Richard Pounds (15-4)
Mar 18- Detroit: World WW champ Mac Erickson (18-0) vs Rudy Perry (27-4)

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 1/23/1949

China's National government is rallying in what military observers describe as a hopeless effort to defend Nanking from Communist armies. By the end of the week, the nearly defeated government forces asked for a cease fire and immediate peace negotiations.
President Truman is reportedly ready to ask Congress for almost $8 billion payroll taxes next year to finance a vastly expanded social security program that would include Government payment of doctor bills. It would be more than double the $3.2 billion now collected.
More than 100,000 visitors were said to be in downtown Washington for the Inauguration of President Truman.
In his inauguration speech Truman denounced communism as a "false philosophy" and pledged his administration will draw deeply on America's resources to attain "peace, plenty and freedom" throughout the world.
The European press, both Communist and non-Communist, generally agreed that Truman's address foreshadows an all-out offensive against communism.

11-01-2023, 12:19 PM	#817
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,809	January 24, 1949 JAUNARY 24, 1949 WOLVES SIGN FRED BARRELL AS SKIPPER In perhaps the worst kept secret in baseball, the Toronto Wolves officially welcomed Fred Barrell to town as their new manager, filling the final FABL field general vacancy. Rumours have swirled in both Toronto and Detroit since the Wolves cut ties with Bob Call immediately after the conclusion of the season, but the deal was kept quiet until after the FABL draft was completed, allowing Barrell to complete the task of running the Dynamos draft room in his now former role as Scouting Director of the Federal Association club. Barrell, who is expected to meet with the media in Toronto in the next couple of weeks, is presently enjoying some vacation time with his family. He had deep family connections to the Motor City with his brother Rollie owning both the basketball Mustangs and the grid Detroit Maroons but there will also be ties in Toronto as Fred will join his brother Jack, head coach of the defending Challenge Cup Champion Toronto Dukes, as bench bosses in the Canadian city. Fred Barrell joined the Dynamos as Scouting Director prior to the 1946 season after spending time during the war working for the State Department, which included some dangerous missions in France and Germany. Prior to that the Georgia Baptist graduate spent 15 seasons as a big league catcher, starting with the Chicago Cougars before enjoying his best days in Brooklyn alongside several of his brothers as teammates. One of those brothers, 3-time Allen Award winning pitcher Tom Barrell, is now the Brooklyn skipper and will be in the opposite dugout against Fred at some point this season in what may be the first time brothers have squared off against each other as FABL managers. Fred was a three all-star as a player and won two world championship series including in 1931 with the Cougars when he was named WCS Most Valuable Player. He retired following the 1942 season and is tied for fifth all-time in big league games played by a catcher. Scouting is in his blood as his father, the late Rufus Barrell was co-founder of the OSA and another brother, Dan -who was a former teammate in Brooklyn, currently heads up the OSA but Fred felt his true passion now is being on the field as a manager so the Dynamos, despite signing the 43-year-old to a hefty contract extension that included the 1949 season, agreed to allow him to leave for Toronto when the Wolves opportunity arrived. Detroit is expected to make an announcement on who will replace Barrell as the chief of their scouting department in the coming weeks. 1949 FABL DRAFT RECAP Over the next few weeks, we will check in with each of the 16 FABL organizations to get their take on how the opening 10 rounds of the draft went for them. Each FABL club made 10 selections and the remaining 15 rounds will be completed at the conclusion of the high school year and collegiate World Championship Series in June. Players selected in the January phase are not eligible to be signed by FABL organizations until the remainder of the draft has been completed. First up let's stop in and see what Boston Minutemen scouting director Johnny Robards and Willie Kirby, who olds the same role with the Philadelphia Sailors, have to say about their newest additions. BOSTON MINUTEMEN: Scouting Director Johnny Robards (19th year with club) Having the second overall pick really made our first round list extremely short. It was between SS John Wells or RF Rick Masters, we have the #5 rated prospect in all of baseball and he plays SS but we would have not hesitated to select Wells anyway if Masters was first off the board. As it turned out Wells went first overall to Toronto and we happily ended up with Masters who is already drawing power comparisons to Bobby Barrell. While that is a very lofty comparison it is easy to dream on the power potential Masters has shown thus far as an amateur. We fully expect Masters to be a top 10 prospect if not higher when the new rankings are released. The organization will have some long discussions about which level to start the 18 year old at. We of course want to put Masters at a level where he gets challenged but still has the opportunity to develop the power aspect of his game. Organizationally, we have not been as successful at landing the right second round player. This year we may have reached on a player in C Joe Clark but for our organization it was a position of desperate need in a draft that did not yield many high end catchers. Clark is another player that has the potential to muscle his fair share of balls out of the yard. You definitely saw a theme with our early picks and it has become more of an organizational focus over the years. For quite a long time we took power pitchers with the hope of striking gold while excellent hitters were taken around our selections. We have shifted in the last five seasons to really focus on the best hitters available while still putting a premium on power. Boston clubs have never been known for their deep threats and it is something we are actively looking to change through our draft and development process. NEW YORK GOTHAMS: Scouting Director Stan Bayes (8th year) We came into the draft knowing we would be picking higher in the first two rounds than our record deserved. Still I figured that the elite offensive talent would be gone, so we looked to grab the top of the pitching prospects. We had both Vern Osborne and Jorge Arellano as top ten prospects on our board, so we were excited to be able to land both of them in the first two rounds. Osborne features a full complement of quality pitches with sinker/splitter being plus pitches. Arellano is a bit more of a project but has a legit fastball and good command. Both are just out of high school so I would expect them to start no higher than B. They're a few years away but I expect Osborne to be a top 50 prospect. Obviously we would loved one of those power OF bats to land on our doorstep. Still we're happy to get Bert Preble in the 3rd round. We had him as a late first rounder. He's coming out of college and we hope to see him move quickly through the system. As far as who feel might have been a steal for us, well you can take your pick. 2B Harry Murray was early 2nd round on our board and RF Ed Smith was early 3rd. We got them in the 4th and 5th. Both are college kids which was something we focused on hoping to get a few players who are more advanced. These young men will be given every chance to move quickly. All in all, we had a plan and I'm happy that we were able to accomplish most of what we wanted to do. PHILADELPHIA SAILORS: Scouting Director Willie Kirby (20 years with club) Sailors drafting at #15 so we thought the key was to draft best available player where possible in the first few rounds, as we were picking low. As such, we saw good value in CF Ray Hughes at #15 overall. It was between him and 1B Ike Shafer. However, the depth at 1B seemed pretty good in this draft to get that position later, and sure enough, even though Shafer was taken (Cleveland pick 27), we were able to get two good 1B's in round 2 and 3 in Wayne Cottrill and John Williams - both highly rated by our scouts. Another 1B project was obtained in Round 8 in Ned Nelson. The rest of the draft was to fill out our farm system in some positions of need - C and SS, and also hope to pick up a decent pitcher, but not reach for one. We managed to get a couple of catchers who may turn out ok in Jake Moorman and Milt Jenks; and a couple of SS's Bob Helsinger and Herb Ferreiras as well. On the pitcher front, we got an OK pitcher in Ed Patterson; and a wildcard in Rabbit Coffin - who has an awesome name that we just couldn't pass up. It is business as usual in St Louis as far as the baseball operations staff is concerned, but rumours are circulating that FABL President Sam Belton is quietly searching for a new owner that would keep the club in Missouri if current owner Dee Rose were convicted on the multiple state and federal charges he is facing. You have to think that the Cincinnati Cannons, who are reportedly set to name a new General Manager in the near future, are going to give Tony Britten a chance to start the season with the big club. The 22-year-old former Kit Carson University Star is considered the top pitching prospect in baseball by OSA and is pitching very well for a very bad Havana team in the Cuban League. Britten made his big league debut last season, pitching in one game in August for the Cannons, but it did not go well. He got the start against Pete Papenfus and the Chicago Cougars but lasted less than 3 inning and allowed 7 earned runs in an 11-5 loss. Long-time Toronto Wolves pitcher Bob Walls has headed west with news the 37-year-old inked a one year deal with the two-time Bigsby Cup champion Oakland Grays. Walls spent 10 of his 13 FABL seasons with the Wolves but was released after one season with the Brooklyn Kings. He compiled a 116-101 record while also spending time with the Chicago Chiefs early in his career winning a WCS with the Chiefs in 1936 and another with Toronto 4 years later. ROSE LEGAL WOES MAY BE KEY TO SOLVING GRID COLD WAR The rumblings out of St. Louis last week sent shockwaves through the sporting world. Dee Rose, the owner of both the mighty Pioneers and the somewhat embattled Los Angeles Lobos, now finds himself mired in a labyrinth of legal woes that could alter the course of professional football as we know it. These charges, which include tax evasion and fraud, carry with them the ominous shadow of incarceration, and FABL's head honcho, Sam Belton, has made his stance clear: should Rose be found guilty, his stewardship of the Pioneers faces an abrupt and ignominious conclusion. Such developments might appear as dark clouds hanging over the football horizon, but could there be a silver lining to this storm? We find ourselves wondering if this unfortunate situation might just hold the key to finally bringing an end to the prolonged gridiron cold war between the Continental Football Conference and Jack Kristich's venerable American Football Association. As recent history has shown, merger discussions took center stage in Philadelphia at the beginning of this month, coming tantalizingly close to fruition. The crux of the impasse was the CFC's insistence on securing spots for four of their teams, while the AFA, at best, was willing to accommodate three of them, conditional on the Cincinnati Tigers agreeing to a merger with a CFC counterpart. Now, with the Lobos' owner facing the imminent loss of his team, the stars may align to pave the way for unity. The San Francisco Wings, poised to grace us with the grandeur of the new 50,000-seat Golden Gate Stadium come spring, would remain a key piece of the puzzle. In the City of Angels, their forthcoming stadium could potentially house a new AFA franchise, with the Lobos facing the specter of dissolution if Rose's clutches are pried away. In their stead, the electrifying Kansas City Cowboys, boasting the tantalizing talents of Pat Chappell and Mason Matthews, could make a splash in sunny Southern California, becoming the second team. In the bayou, the New Orleans Crescents, once viewed as the stumbling block to a merger, might now have a path forward. Their wealthy shipping magnate owner, William Beauregard, had adamantly refused to entertain the notion of folding his club. However, the prospect of a merger with Cincinnati could rekindle hope. Playing temporarily in the Queen City until Beauregard assembles a stadium in New Orleans that meets AFA specifications would present a pragmatic solution. In a stroke of serendipity, it seems the boiling cauldron that Dee Rose currently finds himself immersed in may well be the needed catalyst to dissolve the icy tensions that have gripped the professional football world for the past three years. A thaw in the gridiron cold war might finally be within our grasp. BEES TAKE OVER TOP SPOT The defending Challenge Cup champion Toronto Dukes had been in first place since Halloween but that came to an end yesterday when the Dukes lost for the second time in as many nights to Detroit while the surging Boston Bees pulled even Saturday evening with a shutout win at home over Montreal and claimed sole possession of first place with a 2-1 victory over the Valiants yesterday. The Dukes had also been swept in a home and home set with the New York Shamrocks the previous weekend making only their midweek 5-2 win over Montreal a point generating outcome from their last five outings. The losses Saturday and Sunday to the Motors were especially perplexing as the Detroit club entered the weekend reeling, losers of their last 10 games and winlees in 31 days. The Bees have lurked over the Dukes shoulders for most of the campaign before finally buzzing to the league lead after a stretch that has seen the Boston six go 7-2-2 since the Christmas break. First place will be on the line Wednesday evening as the next game for the two most successful clubs -in terms of Challenge Cup wins with 7 apiece- tangle in the Hub on Wednesday evening. Code: NAHC STANDINGS GP W L T GF GA PTS Boston 38 21 13 4 116 101 46 Toronto 38 19 13 6 124 102 44 New York 37 15 16 6 96 102 36 Chicago 38 16 19 3 108 123 35 Montreal 38 15 18 5 99 116 35 Detroit 39 14 21 4 122 121 32 SCORING LEADERS GP G A PTS Pollack, Tor 38 19 27 46 Galbraith, Tor 38 20 20 40 Cabbell, NY 37 23 15 38 Vanderbilt, Det 37 22 16 38 Sauer, Tor 38 16 20 36 Chandler, Bos 33 15 21 36 Hart, Bos 37 16 19 35 Tardif, Det 36 15 19 34 Carlson, Tor 35 7 26 33 T Burns, Chi 27 20 12 32 Skinner, Mon 38 14 16 30 Walker, Bos 37 10 19 29 Rocheleau, Det 34 5 24 29 GOALIE LEADERS GP W L T ShO GAA Broadway, Tor 34 16 12 6 3 2.59 Brockers, Mon 26 10 12 3 2 2.60 James, Bos 33 17 12 4 4 2.65 Chasse, Det 16 7 7 0 1 2.70 Tremblay, NY 33 12 15 6 2 2.71 Cleghorn, Chi 12 7 4 1 1 2.83 Hanson, Chi 25 9 14 2 2 3.13 Touhey, Det 22 6 14 2 1 3.41 LAST WEEK'S RESULTS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 19 Detroit 1 at 3 Chicago: The Chicago Packers hand the slumping Detroit Motors their 10th consecutive loss as backup netminder Michael Cleghorn gets the start for the Packers and stops 38 of 39 Detroit shots. Arnold Singleton was the only Motors member to put a puck past Cleghorn, knoting the game at 1 in the opening minute of the second period after Wes Burns gave the home club a 1-0 lead in the first frame. Max Ducharme score twice in the final 7 minutes of the third period to give the Packers their third straight victory. New York 2 at 4 Boston: Back on the ice after being blanked 6-0 in Chicago on Sunday, the Bees, led by 3-point nights from Jacob Gron and Tommy Hart, doubled the Shamrocks 4-2. Toronto 5 at 2 Montreal: Montreal has lost three of its last four after the Valiants fell 5-2 to Toronto. Lou Galbraith and Bobbie Sauer each scored just 44 seconds apart midway through the third period to put the game away for the Dukes. THURSDAY JANUARY 20 Montreal 1 at 1 New York: Defenseman Shel Herron's 4th goal of the season midway through the final period allowed the Valiants to claim a 1-1 tie in New York after Orval Cabbell's league-leading 22nd goal staked the Shamrocks to a second period lead. The game did not feature much offense as the Shamrocks and Valiants combined for just 37 shots on the evening. SATURDAY JANUARY 22 Montreal 0 at 3 Boston: Oscar James stopped all 24 shots he faced as the Boston netminder earned his fourth shutout of the season, blanking his former teammate Tom Brockers and the Montreal Valiants 3-0. The win moved Boston into a first place tie with Toronto while Montreal has just one victory in their last six outings. All of the scoring came in the final ten minutes of the game with Ray Gustafson, Len Bentley and Wilbur Chandler getting the Boston goals. Toronto 1 at 3 Detroit: Adam Vanderbilt scored twice to lead Detroit to its first victory since December 21 as the Motors downed Toronto 3-1. Dick Zimmerman of the Dukes opened the scoring just over 2 minutes into the game, but Millard Touhey turned aside the next 29 shots he faced for the victory. The loss leaves Toronto tied with Boston for top spot in the league. SUNDAY JANUARY 23 Boston 2 at 1 Montreal: The Bees are 5-1-2 in their last 8 games and alone in first place thanks to Ralph Chilton's second goal of the season. It came early in the third period and proved the difference in a 2-1 win for the visitors in Montreal. Robert Stevens opened the scoring for Montreal in the first but Wilbur Chandler tied things up with a short-handed marker in the middle stanza. Boston outshot the Vals 33-18. Chicago 3 at 3 New York: The Packers stretched their unbeaten streak to five games while the Shamrocks earned their second straight tie in a 3-3 draw at Bigsby Garden. To salvage the point the Packers needed third period goals from Jeremy MacLean and Ed Delarue after New York led 3-1 following the opening 40 minutes. Orval Cabbell scored again for the Shamrocks for his league high 23rd goal of the season. Detroit 5 at 2 Toronto: Toronto has suddenly dropped 4 of its last 5 games and trails Boston by two points for first place in the NAHC after the Dukes were swept by Detroit in a weekend home and home series. Francis McKenzie scored twice to lead the Motors attack. UPCOMING GAMES WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26 Boston at Toronto Chicago at Montreal Detroit at New York SATURDAY JANUARY 29 Montreal at Detroit Toronto at Chicago SUNDAY JANUARY 30 Boston at Detroit Chicago at Toronto New York at Montreal AROUND THE LEAGUE Injuries are piling up in Chicago, as Jerry Finch is the next guy to go down, but for the first time all season, the Packers are in playoff position without the advantage of having more games played then their opponent. Both the Packers and Valiants have 35 points as the Pack have won each of their last three games while Montreal has dropped three. The two teams square off on Wednesday, allowing the winner to separate themselves from the loser. Other teams are beat up as well with Boston battling a lot of injuries and will almost assuredly need to bring at least one player up from Springfield. The New York Shamrocks have lost workhorse defenseman Paul Tetreault for a week or two with hamstring troubles and Coach Nick Hendricks is expecting he may need to ask a forward to fill in on the blueline for the short term. Unlike in past seasons when former coach Mark Moore preached defense first, Detroit Motors new bench boss Badger Rigney is allowing the club to play a more wide-open style. The resuts were very good until the last month when the goaltending got as cold as the frigid weather outside the Palladium and the Motors have sputterd. The team still is second behind only Boston in goals scored with 122 in 39 games and perhaps the team will get back on track after a pair of weekend wins over Toronto that ended a 10-game losing streak. Marc T. McNeil of the Montreal Star reports this is the first time in three years a Valiants goaltender has been on a hot streak. That would be Tom Brockers, who is proving he was well worth the cost of veteran defenseman Bryant Williams to land him from Boston. Dukes Drop Out of First in NAHC --After only one win in their last five outings, the Toronto Dukes find themselves looking up at Boston in the standings for the first time in a couple of months. This week featured a win in Montreal against a resurgent Vals squad followed by two losses to their bitter rivals the Detroit Motors, a team that had been struggling in 1949. Detroit got healthy in a hurry after only getting one point in the previous 11 games dating back to before Christmas. Toronto's week started with a convincing 5-2 victory in La Belle Province on Wednesday night before 16,635. Montreal opened the scoring when Wayne Augustin was freed up in the slot on passes from Glen Whitley. Although the Dukes had shown a little more spirit the marker seemed to put the team in another gear. Toronto scored 3, bombarding Tom Brockers in the Vals cage with 21 shots in the first. Quinton Pollock, Herb Burdette and Dick Zimmerman all lit the lamp in the second half of the period. The second period was scoreless, up tempo with very few stoppages. It saw Brockers and Dukes keeper Gordie Broadway both turned back a number of good scoring chances making 14 and 12 saves. The Vals narrowed the gap to one at 3-2 when Adam Sandford beat Broadway on a power play at 3:40 with Toronto's J.C. Martel in the sin bin for high sticking. Toronto answered with a pair of goals from Bobnie Sauer and Lou Galbraith just 44 seconds apart to end any hopes of a Montreal comeback for the fans. Goaltending was superb although Brockers must have felt defenseless facing 52 shots. Montreal Star reporters where amazed that only 5 found the back of the net given the quality of the Dukes chances in the game. Broadway turned aside 25 of 27 that hit the Toronto net. The Dukes decided to overnight in Montreal before boarding the train bound for Detroit Thursday to prepare for the Saturday night match in Thompson Palladium. In front of smallish crowd the Dukes opened the scoring with Zimmerman's wrist shot beating Millard Touhey on passes from Galbraith and Pollock. Adam Vanderbilt banged home a rebound off of Arnold Singleton's shot while on a man advantage at 6:39. It was the young center's 20th goal of the season. There was no more scoring in the first although the teams continue to show their distaste for each other with lots of stick work, pushing and shoving after stoppages in play. Vanderbilt's second of the game at 6:46 accouted for all the scoring in the middle frame which again was hard hitting and bordering on dirty. The Dukes continued to press Touhey but could not solve him only to be victimized on a turnover in the Motors zone that sent the Motors Graham Comeau in alone on Broadway with the third goal, which ended up being the last nail in the coffin allowing the Motors to return to the win column with a 3-1 victory. The Dukes return home Sunday had the fans expecting fireworks at Dominion Gardens. Francis McKenzie's early tally seemed to take some of the steam out of the fans until Galbraith notched his 20th of the season on spectacular end to end rush with just under 2 minutes left in the period. With the score tied Trevor Parker and Detroit's Remy Emond exchanged pleasantries just before the puck was dropped in the face off circle, then dropped the gloves right after the linesman dropped the puck. Both teams settled down to hockey after the fight, although Brett was told the referee visited both dressing rooms between periods to tell coaches Jack Barrell and Badger Rigney to get control of their players or he would be handing out game misconducts instead of majors if any dirty play or fighting continued in this game. In an entertaining, clean second period Vanderbilt with his 3rd in two games put the Motors ahead 2-1. The Dukes pulled within one at the 8 minute mark of the third when Alex Lavalliere took a cross crease pass from Bobbie Sauer and then deposited it in wide open goal almost taking the roof off the building with the thunderous ovation. The fans hopes were dashed just over two minutes later McKenzie restored the two goal advantage with his second of the game on a tic-tac-toe from Dixon Butler and Graham Comeau. Coach Barrell pulled Broadway with 90 seconds remaining but could not find the equalizer as the Motors scored two in to the empty net making the final score seem a lopsided 5-2, in a game that was anything but lopsided in fact. Coach Barrell was upbeat after the week. "Montreal game was a good start to the week although when we get that many shots I fear for the next game. The players begin to believe that they can win games by outscoring the opposition. Nothing is further from the truth, our success is based on dominating defensively, not offensively. We are competent offensively but not elite - back checking, taking players off the puck, sound in our own zone is the recipe for success here. I worry about meeting a team like Detroit that is facing hard times...you know they are going to snap out of it and unfortunately it was against us this weekend. If we had a little more puck luck we could have had taken one of them games, if not both. Now that we are in second place, let's see how we respond in Boston this week. Credit to the Bees. They have gone through a lot of injuries, adversity this season. To be leading late in January is credit to the team and staff." The Washington Statesmen won Round 1 against the Chicago Panthers in a battle that might just get settled in the league final. Chicago had one hand tied behind its back with top scorer Richard Campbell out with a bruised jaw. Some might say Chicago had both hands tied behind its back, as Joe Hampton dislocated his shoulder in the Panthers' win against New York late last week. Hampton is out for another five weeks. Washington won a defensive struggle, 75-66, leading throughout and never really giving Chicago a chance to pull ahead. The difference was at the free throw line. Chicago committed 25 fouls, putting Washington at the line 30 times, compared to 17 fouls and 8 free shots for Chicago. Hampton is the top disher for the Panthers and he is third in the league at 10.4 assists per game. This will come as another blow to a team that lost to the Pittsburgh Pilots in the precursor to the Washington game, 81-72. What once was smoke with Campbell out may smolder into a larger fire. While Campbell is about to return and should be back for a big matchup in Detroit on Wednesday night against the Mustangs, that is the first of three games in Detroit over the next two weeks. All of them will be without Hampton, who runs the offense. The 25-year-old Hampton out of Western Iowa, was a first-round pick in 1946 by Hartford, won Rookie of the Year honors in 1946 before jumping to Chicago the next season where he was an All-Star and made the All-FBL First Team. It will be a big enough hurdle for Chicago to clear, provided no one else gets hurt. Speaking of Detroit, they have been stuck in neutral over the last 10 games at 5-5 after some streakiness around the holidays. Since the middle of December, the Mustangs have not won or lost more than two in a row. Ward Messer has scored in double figures for 23 straight games and a double-double, topping 10 rebounds as well in six straight. In his rookie year, Messer is one of five FBLers in the top ten in points and rebounds, but only Messer and Washington's Ivan Sisco are in the top five in both categories. Messer stands fourth in scoring at 20.1 per game, tied with Sisco, and edges Sisco in rebounds per game. Messer is second at 18.5 and Sisco is third at 18.2. Things may start looking up for the underachieving Boston Centurions. Since Trenton Griswold took over as coach two weeks ago the Centurions are 3-2 including a big road win in Chicago over the West Division leaders and a home triumph over Philadelphia. Boston was 8-20 before the change with pretty much the exact same roster that tied for the fourth best record in the 8 team American Basketball Conference a year ago. Code: FBL STANDINGS EAST W L PCT Washington 23 7 .767 Brooklyn 22 9 .710 Philadelphia 20 12 .625 Rochester 19 12 .613 Baltimore 16 13 .552 Hartford 12 17 .414 Boston 11 22 .333 New York 9 21 .300 Syracuse 5 25 .167 WEST W L PCT Chicago 22 9 .710 Cleveland 19 11 .633 Detroit 16 12 .571 Cincinnati 18 14 .563 Pittsburgh 12 19 .387 Toronto 10 21 .323 Buffalo 9 19 .321 FIGHTING SAINTS TOP CAGE CLUB IN NATION Western Iowa Stumbles in Section Play While no one new has entered the top ten in the AIAA rankings the past couple of weeks there is a change at the top for the second week in a row. Western Iowa had replaced Liberty College as the top team in the nation after the Bells were upended by Maryland State, but the Canaries perch at the top was very brief as section play in the always tough Great Lakes Alliance claimed its first victim. Western Iowa fell from the ranks of the undefeated, ending a 14-game winning streak to start the season with a 50-30 loss at 13th ranked Indiana A&M in their section opener. The Canaries did rebound with a win at home over Minnesota Tech Saturday but the pollsters bumped them from first to third in the rankings. The new number one is St Blane and while the Fighting Saints are a fixture atop the grid rankings, this is uncharted territory for the Saints cage club which has won 19 in a row after opening the season with a surprising loss to Bardney College. Senior forward Cy Worley leads the Saints in scoring, averaging 11.3 points per contest, but they spread the wealth around with Josh Samuels and Jim Canaday each scoring near double-digits and center Brian Threadgill chipping in with 7.3 ppg and plenty of success on the boards. Liberty College, with two wins this week and a 20-2 record, moves up one spot to second in the rankings. Fourth ranked Frankford State (22-0) and number #5 Mississippi A&M (16-0) are now the only remaining unbeaten schools after Western Iowa's loss. Darnell State, from the Southwetern Alliance, had been the fouth and final team with a perfect record at the New Year, but the Legislators, after starting the season 10-0, have dropped three of their last five including a section defeat at home against Red River State and have fallen completely out of the top twenty-five. LAST WEEK'S RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 10 TEAMS MONDAY JANUARY 17 #1 St Blane 74 (Cy Worley 22) Strub College 56 #5 Mississippi A&M 67 (Micah Shuman 14) Alabama Gulf Coast 37 TUESDAY JANUARY 18 #2 Liberty College 60 (Gordon, Stillwell 12 each) Alexandria 32 #4 Frankford State 67 (David Aponte 26) Flagstaff State 58 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 19 #9 Coastal California 71 (David Barnes 18) Idaho A&M 35 CC Los Angeles 52 #10 Rainier College 44 (Orlando Zanier 14) THURSDAY JANUARY 20 Indiana A&M 50 #3 Western Iowa (Charlie Maynard 9) 36 #6 Carolina Poly 58 (Beau Holmes 14) Maryland State 41 #7 North Carolina Tech 51 (Mike Carter) 20 Lexington State 36 FRIDAY JANUARY 21 #5 Mississippi A&M 49 (Vance Torrence 16) St Martin's College 35 #8 Lane State 57 (Carl Casswell 19) Portland Tech 39 SATURDAY JANUARY 22 #1 St Blane 49 (Josh Samuels 13) Centerville 40 #3 Western Iowa 46 (Charlie Maynard 16) Minnesota Tech 35 SUNDAY JANUARY 23 #1 Liberty College 65 (Scott Basile 16) University of New Jersey 58 #8 Lane State 72 (Carl Casswell 19) Northern California 51 #9 Coastal California 62 (Chris Martines 25) CC Los Angeles 60 OT #10 Rainier College 47 (Joe Simpson 13) Redwood 43 SANITY CODE WILL BREED 'LIARS' SOME FEAR The outgoing president of the American Football Coaches Organization lashed out at the AIAA and its year-old "sanity code." He said coaches "are fearful we have another prohibition act on our hands." The AIAA instituted the code a year ago to preserve the amateur aspect of the sport and made some minor modifications at their annual meeting earlier this month as it continues towards its stated goal, which is "complete elimination of recruiting of football, basketball and other athletes," according to the head of the AIAA. The coaches organization believes all this sanity code will do is "make liars out of us all." He adds that many of the college grid coaches in his organization are fearful they will have another prohibition act because "most of us do not regard it wrong for the regular Scholarship Committee to give a boy with leadership qualities, and with need, help toward his board and room." He adds the so-called sanity code discriminates against the college athlete. "To gain a scholarship award of more than tuition a nonathlete does not have to be in the upper quarter of his high school or attain a B record, but the athlete does. Thus the sanity code penalizes a boy who wants to play on our teams." PETRIE SET TO DEFEND MIDDLWEIGHT CROWN AMID MORE CONTROVERSY This Saturday, a new chapter in the controversial reign of Canadian pugilist Adrian Petrie as the World Middleweight Champion. Petrie takes center stage at Toronto's Dominion Gardens in his first fight since an October bout filled with controversy and is poised to defend his title for the first time amidst a backdrop of lingering dispute. The 26-year-old native of Montreal, whose contentious split decision victory over Frenchman Edouard Desmarais raised eyebrows and voices, now steps into the ring as the reigning champion. The bout with Desmarais was clouded by protests from the French fighter's camp who vehemently disagreed with the scoring decisions handed down by two Canadian judges. This fracas prompted the American Boxing Federation to intervene. In a calculated move, the ABF mandated that Petrie's inaugural title defense should constitute a rematch with Desmarais. A surprising twist ensued when Desmarais, instead of accepting the challenge, chose to honor a prior commitment for a third encounter with Frank 'The Tank' Melanson, a battle where Desmarais eventually triumphed earlier this month at Bigsby Garden. Petrie and his team found themselves at a crossroads. Their quest to secure an opponent for his first title defense, amidst a myriad of possibilities, culminated in the curious selection of Danny Morse. This relatively obscure pugilist from New York City, aged 35, sports a career record of 35 wins, 8 losses, and 1 draw. Importantly, Morse carries an impressive streak of 16 consecutive victories, including 7 knockouts in his last 8 contests. Nevertheless, critics contend that Morse's recent victories have been earned against opponents who fall short of the moniker "top-flight competition." Petrie's camp defended their choice, arguing that the constricted timeline necessitated a swift decision, and Morse was the most suitable contender with an aligned schedule. However, this choice wasn't without its detractors. Former champion John Edmonds expressed his willingness to face Petrie, while Tommy Campbell, who boasts a record of 21 wins and 1 loss, conveyed his availability to postpone a bout for a shot at the champion. Sadly, no response arrived from Petrie's camp, leaving these potential contenders on the sidelines. Consequently, the result of these events has left the middleweight division shrouded in a perplexing cloud of controversy. This weekend's match, viewed by many as far from a satisfying showdown, will compel Petrie to showcase his skills against an opponent perceived as inferior. A resounding performance is paramount to restore the luster of the tarnished championship belt. Meanwhile, Desmarais remains stationed in New York, hinting at a return to his homeland of France. With no immediate plans to fight again on North American soil, it appears that the anticipated Petrie-Desmarais rematch, and a chance to set things right in the minds of any who questioned the original outcome, may remain a distant dream. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS Jan 28- Dominion Gardens, Toronto: World MW champ Adrian Petrie (18-1-1) vs Danny Morse (35-8-1) Jan 28- Cleveland: MW Davis Owens (16-0) vs Dave Sizemore (21-11) Jan 29- Bigsby Garden, New York: HW Roy Crawford (25-3) vs Steve Manning (20-8-4) Feb 11- Bigsby Garden, New York: Former MW champ John Edmonds (27-3) vs Heath Nichols (15-4) Feb 13- Denny Arena, Boston: Rising WW Danny Rutledge (16-0) vs Ira Mitchell (20-3) Feb 19- Paris, France: World HW champ Hector Sawyer (59-3-1) vs Alain Noel (44-11-2) Feb 21- Bigsby Garden, New York: former WW champ Mark Westlake (25-3-1) vs Jack Watkins (24-10) Feb 26- Philadelphia: John Baker (21-5-1) vs Richard Pounds (15-4) Mar 18- Detroit: World WW champ Mac Erickson (18-0) vs Rudy Perry (27-4) The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 1/23/1949 China's National government is rallying in what military observers describe as a hopeless effort to defend Nanking from Communist armies. By the end of the week, the nearly defeated government forces asked for a cease fire and immediate peace negotiations. President Truman is reportedly ready to ask Congress for almost $8 billion payroll taxes next year to finance a vastly expanded social security program that would include Government payment of doctor bills. It would be more than double the $3.2 billion now collected. More than 100,000 visitors were said to be in downtown Washington for the Inauguration of President Truman. In his inauguration speech Truman denounced communism as a "false philosophy" and pledged his administration will draw deeply on America's resources to attain "peace, plenty and freedom" throughout the world. The European press, both Communist and non-Communist, generally agreed that Truman's address foreshadows an all-out offensive against communism. __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles Last edited by Tiger Fan; 11-01-2023 at 12:20 PM.