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Tiger Fan · 11-02-2023, 02:09 PM

JANUARY 31, 1949

PIONEERS 1949 DRAFT RECAP

The FABL Amateur Player Draft is akin to a spin of a roulette wheel. For as many options as there are, the ball only lands on one number.

For the two-time defending FABL champion St. Louis Pioneers, that wheel might have a hundred options available. What many bird dogs feel are the cream of the crop are generally already selected before the final pick of the first round; therefore, the opportunity for players who appear to have more clear-cut, made-for-FABL talent are slimmer.

At least the Pioneers had their first-round pick this year; they traded their first-round pick in last year’s draft to Cleveland for Hiram Steinberg. The Foresters selected 2B Jim Urquhart with that selection, and many experts feel the youngster is destined for stardom. That said, it is clear that the Pioneers, with two championship flags, would accept that trade every single time.

All that said, here is a brief, definitely premature synopsis of the Pioneers’ 1949 draft class, based on what scouts within the organization had to say about these prospects.

Round 1 (#16): RF King Brucker: “He’ll win multiple batting championships. Let’s get that out of the way right now. His approach to hitting is scientific. He studies pitchers, picks up on even the slightest of tells, and can adjust during an at-bat. That he has the physical ability that is as quick as his mind…that’s why he’ll win multiple batting championships. Every contact he makes with the ball is loud. The only bit about his high school career that is strange is that he did not walk more (just 12 walks in ‘48). For a kid who hit over .500 in his entire high school career, that is strange. He preys on pitcher mistakes and did that early in counts. He will have to be more selective in the pros, but he has the eye to do that. He is also very fast on the bases, which should increase his value with St. Louis’ ballpark. It’s clear he’s been drafted as Al Tucker’s replacement. But, in my view, he’ll be better than Tucker. If he can learn the nuances of the game from Tucker, he’ll be a perennial Whitney Award candidate. One other thing: He’s a naturally-born leader, something that has been made a priority from the team office. Find leaders, and ensure that this golden era of Pioneers’ baseball is more the way things are done, rather than a moment in history.”

Round 2 (#32): SP Ed Wingerter: “He’s a local kid, grew up in Benton Park. We’ve known about him since he was ten and pitched an no-hitter for an entire season. He had his own regular section in the Star-Times. Makes sense…the Pioneers lost 97 in ‘40. What else was (STST columnist Clarence) Keenan going to write about? So even though his family moved to Ohio right before high school, we kept tabs on him. He throws hard for his age; heck, he throws hard for the FABL now. His stuff is almost as good as anyone on the current staff right now. He throws a split-finger pitch–Dick Long and Tony Dixon also throw it–that hitters don’t know what to do with. Sure, professional hitters will be tougher. But we watched him as a 14-year-old throwing that pitch against grown men in The Khoury Men’s League. He’s not big (5’7, 140 pounds), and he’s quiet…but don’t let that fool you. There’s a fire in that kid. He forces hitters to change their approach, because he gets so many groundballs. He’s perfect for their park. The fit of Big Ed (that’s what he was called in the Khoury) in St. Louis is perfect, in my opinion. Sure, I may be rooting for the kid…but when you consider his makeup, his approach, his stuff, and his home ballpark…he has Allen potential. I’m not sure he’d have that in other organizations. But if he develops, this kid can be something special.”

Round 3 (#48): SS Herbert Crawford, Jr.: “Remember what I said about the club trying to bring in guys who have leadership skills? Here you go. He played well at San Fran Tech (.300/.390/.503, 11-40, 27 SB, 32-23 BB-K), which plays a pretty tough schedule. He’s also a switch-hitter, and can slide around the infield. That said, this is where I disagree with the team office on something. Crawford, in my view, wasn’t the best player on the board. Is he good? Sure. But the draft is where you are trying to gain the most talent for the long-term, right? There are three guys taken in the fourth round I would have selected before Crawford, had I been making the final decision. One of them, (George) Walker, is also a middle infielder, and one I put way ahead of Crawford. Another, (Mills) Watson, is closer to contributing to a big-league club than anyone else. We put a left fielder (Jim McBride) in center all last year; we managed to get away with it, but that lightning can’t strike twice. I get that there is a bit of a lack of infield talent in the organization right now. So taking Crawford isn’t the worst move. But at the same time, he’ll be 21 on April 1st. We just traded for Win Hamby. It’s possible that our infield may be set for the next several years. So what do you do with Crawford? I guess trade him, eventually. So, to sum up…is he talented? Definitely. Was there better value for the organization here? Definitely.”

Round 4 (#64): CF Larry Lewis: “I don’t get this one. This felt reactionary to missing out on Watson, who I know was high up. This is where trying to fill a perceived need (organizational depth/talent in the infield) gets in the way of getting the best talent. At the same time…how many centerfielders are we going to draft? We’ve got (George) Atkins already in the organization, right? We have Mike Spear. Red Hinton, who could be up with the club this season. We’ve got McBride playing in center now, even if he shouldn’t be. Now, if it were me…you know, I have no idea. I was going to say I’d take Watson in the third, and hope Crawford falls to the fourth, but I don’t know. The same questions I ask about this pick, I’d ask about Watson. And Hinton is better than either Watson or Lewis. Lewis is fine. He’s another collegiate player who produced, runs really well, can play defense, has an incredible work ethic. I don’t know how he finds footing in this organization, given what it looks like in the outfield right now.”

Round 5 (#80): P Jake Giles: “Look, you gotta have pitchers at some point, right? At this stage, any pitcher is a dart throw. Giles produced a heckuva lot in high school. He also fits that whole leadership profile, and everyone connected to him raves about his work ethic. So, in terms of trying to make it, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who will try harder. And he’s a lefty with an excellent splitter. So, he’s got as good a shot as any pitcher taken at this stage to make it.”

Round 6 (#96): SS Tom Clement: “Clement is a younger infield prospect (17) than Crawford. He’s another kid with outstanding work ethic. The team office emphasized intangibles, which makes some sense. If you’re throwing darts, and these kids all have at least some talent…you want kids who will keep plugging away when things get tough. And they’ll get tough for Clement. If we were looking for pure talent, we should have gone with Bob Brown, who went a few picks later.”

Round 7 (#112): P Glenn Moor: “Another lefty, another dart throw. See what I said about Giles.”

Round 8 (#128): CF Ed Howell: “This draft would look a LOT different if George Atkins had a good ‘48 season. I think that’s obvious. Howell is another solid college player with all the intangibles. In fact, he has ALL of them: Leadership, work ethic, intelligence…he’s not even greedy. He could fit in as a fourth outfielder, and do it faster than most in the organization.”

Round 9 (#144): P Dean Crawford: “He’s HUGE, standing six-foot-six. It’s strange to take a high school pitcher who lost seven games, and allowed over a runner on base per inning over the last two seasons. But here we are. Look, he’s another kid with extraordinary work ethic. He’s got a great arm, and whereas the organization has tried to get groundball pitchers, and Crawford has a tendency to induce a lot of fly balls…if he makes it, he’d be pitching a lot of games in a park where flies go to die. He may have as much volatility as any pitcher in the organization…could make the bigs, or flame out in Mobile.”

Round 10 (#160): 2B Jack DiPasquale: “This may turn out to be a win of a pick in a few years. DiPasquale performed well at Sunnyvale; he’s a patient hitter, and could hit over .300 with 70 walks a year. He is also considered to be one of the best defenders in the draft. With Bill Freeman at 32, DiPasquale could be well-situated to replace him.”

PHILADELPHIA KEYSTONES DRAFT IMPRESSIONS- From Scouting Director Harry Dunn (18th season)

We usually go for the best player available, not positional need, but I think we accomplished both with Don Berry. We considered other players at the #4 pick mainly because there were so many strong prospects in this draft. But Berry gives us a potential power-hitting corner outfielder. As you might know, we have a right fielder who has established a very high standard with this club, and I am not making any comparisons, but having a power-hitting corner outfielder is part of our plan.

A departure for us in this draft was the selections of several collegiate players. We normally prefer high-schoolers because we can bring them into our system early and teach them the Keystone Way. But this year, we picked six collegiate players in our first ten picks, including all of our first four - Berry, Sam Ivey, Bill Bloom, and John Cochran.
I was surprised that John Cochran was available in the fourth round. In Cochran, we have another shortstop we can add to the mix for our future, combined with last year's second-rounder, Red Ellis, another college-level player when we drafted him. We also need pitching, who doesn't? I was pleased to get one of the starters we targeted for our second pick, which was the 20th overall pick. We did not see a pitcher worthy of the number four overall pick, but I had four on my top ten list and I was glad when Ivey was still there.

We will see at which level these new players will start, but we have to sign them first [chuckles]. There will be nothing holding the top picks back from starting at a challenging level. Pushing 21-year-olds and 22-year-olds is very different than putting 17- and 18-year-olds in a new situation. Confidence is a fickle thing, but there is a lot of growing in those four years both physically and mentally.

Looking at the Cuban Winter League the Boston Minutemen see some positives with club officials noting they have a few guys that have shown a bit of growth. Back in '46 the Minutemen drafted both Yank and Danny Taylor with the hopes that they would be a power force in the Boston lineup in the near future. While Yank is the #10 prospect in all of baseball that made it all the way to single A last season, it is Danny that has brass taking notice. Danny was drafted as an outfielder but was quickly moved and trained as a first basemen as the organization was concerned if his glove would be good enough to play outfield in the FABL. In class "B" last season Danny hit .330 with 18 homers and 99 RBI's. In the Cuban League it was much of the same as Danny has connected for 9 long balls and 30 RBI's in 35 games. Taylor's teammate Mel Campbell, who was acquired from Cincinnati back in 1943, is showing a bit of promise as a 24 year old. Mel, who hit 10 long balls at AA last season has already hit 8 in winter ball. Mel could be a favorite to break camp as the backup to Van Ness to start the season.
The Keystones on the other hand are not as thrilled with their prospects playing in Manzanillo this winter. Samuel Harris tossed a three-hitter recently, but by and large, they are not playing very well (the prospects or the team, which is currently in last place).
Same story in Havana with the Detroit Dynamos youngsters but they are gaining experience that can only help when camps break in Florida in March. Dynamos Assistant General Manager Harris Dixon was in Havana recently but feels that 22-year- old Jack Miller, last June's second rounder out of Red River State, will likely need a few months in AAA before he is ready for Detroit and Roy Schaub, another top 100 prospect, has not pitched much, but based on the struggles in a small sample, that might be a good thing. Catcher Crab Crowley is also not playing much but 7-for-15 at the plate means he will get consideration for the backup catcher role, something he has spent a little time doing already. Unfortunately most of the other players that have stood out in Havana are Cannons prospects, led by Tony Britten, Nick Remilard and Dan Scurlock.
Gothams prospect Billy Moody has set a new Cuban League record for homeruns with his 15th of the season. There are still 3 games remaining but he already has one more than current Chicago Cougars third baseman Otto Christian hit two years ago in the Carribean. Moody, a center fielder, is a 24-year-old 1942 second round draft pick of the Gothams, who also hit 15 homers during the summer while playing for AAA Toledo although he missed half the season with hamstring troubles. In addition to Moody, Gothams scouts have been delighted to see that pitchers Butch Lindsay and Jimmy Maness have performed well.

PACKERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB

The slow start to the season that had the Chicago Packers fearing they may not even make the playoffs after boasting the league's best regular season record a year ago, appear to be fully a thing of the past as the Chicago club has posted an 11-2-2 record since December 22 and moved into a third place tie with the New York Shamrocks.

The Packer push was slowed with a loss in Toronto yesterday, as the Dukes try to keep pace with Boston for first place, but time for the two of them at the top of the league may be short-lived if the Packers charge continues. Chicago has 19 games remaining in their season, as does Toronto with Boston having twenty left to play. The Packers are 9 points off the pace but 15 games ago they were 19 points out of first place.

Code:

  NAHC STANDINGS
          GP  W  L  T  GF  GA  PTS
Boston    40 22 14  4 124 109  48
Toronto   41 21 14  6 136 110  48
Chicago   41 18 20  3 120 133  39
New York  39 16 16  7 103 108  39
Detroit   42 15 22  5 136 132  35
Montreal  41 15 21  5 103 130  35

SCORING LEADERS GP  G  A  PTS
Pollack, Tor    41 19 29  48
Galbraith, Tor  41 24 20  44
Cabbell, NY     39 24 16  40
Vanderbilt, Det 40 24 16  40
Hart, Bos       39 18 21  39
Chandler, Bos   35 17 22  39
Sauer, Tor      41 18 20  38
T Burns, Chi    30 22 14  36
Carlson, Tor    38  8 28  36
Tardif, Det     36 15 19  34
Skinner, Mon    41 15 18  33
Rocheleau, Det  37  5 28  33

GOALIE LEADERS   GP  W  L  T ShO GAA
Broadway, Tor    37 18 13  6  3  2.60
James, Bos       35 18 13  4  4  2.70
Tremblay, NY     35 13 15  7  2  2.73
Brockers, Mon    29 10 15  3  2  2.83
Cleghorn, Chi    13  8  4  1  1  2.85
Chasse, Det      17  7  8  0  1  2.93
Hanson, Chi      27 10 15  2  2  3.12
Touhey, Det      25  7 14  3  2  3.31

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26

Boston 1 at 4 Toronto: Boston stay alone in first place was short-lived as the Toronto Dukes pulled back into a tie for top spot in the NAHC with a 4-1 win at Dominion Gardens. Lou Galbraith scored twice to pace the hosts with both coming in the third period including an empty netter in the closing seconds. The Dukes outshot the Bees 34-19.

Chicago 5 at 2 Montreal: The Packers unbeaten streak reached six games while Montreal is winless in 5 following a 5-2 Chicago victory. The Valiants led 2-1 after twenty minutes but three second period goals sent Chicago on to victory.

Detroit 4 at 4 New York: The Motors earned a point and are unbeaten in three games after a 4-4 tie with the Shamrocks in New York. A strange run for the Greenshirts who have tied each of their last three games. They will take this one as it required a pair of third period goals off the stick of Sam Furr to salvage the single point.

SATURDAY JANUARY 29

Montreal 0 at 6 Detroit: Montreal managed just 15 shots on Millard Touhey and he stopped all of them as Detroit blanked the visiting Valiants 6-0 and are unbeaten in four games after that dreadful 11 game winless streak. The Vals have now won in their last six and lost four straight.

Toronto 3 at 5 Chicago: There seems no slowing down the Packers, who beat Toronto 5-3 and are now 11-2-2 since December 22. Meanwhile the Dukes have dropped five of their last seven. Tommy Burns scored twice and has 22 goals in 29 games this season.

SUNDAY JANUARY 30

Boston 7 at 4 Detroit: Five second period goals, with Craig Simpson assisting on three of them, lifted the Boston Bees to a 7-4 victory at Thompson Palladium. Tommy Hart scored twice and added an assist to help the Bees stay tied for first with Toronto.

Chicago 2 at 5 Toronto: The Dukes snapped the Packers seven game unbeaten streak with a 5-2 victory that allows Toronto to stay even with Boston atop the NAHC standings. Lou Galbraith scored twice while Chad Roy had a goal and 2 assists to lead the Dukes offense.

New York 3 at 2 Montreal: Three third period goals including Laurel Albers unassisted game winner with just over nine minutes remaining lifted the Shamrocks to a 3-2 victory, snapping a stretch of 3 straight ties for New York. Montreal, meanwhile has just one win in its last ten games.

UPCOMING GAMES
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2
Boston at New York
Detroit at Chicago

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 3
Chicago at Detroit
Montreal at Toronto

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5
Montreal at Boston
Toronto at New York

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 6
Boston at Toronto
Chicago at New York
Detroit at Montreal

Dukes Triumph Twice in Three - Sharing the Summit in NAHC

In a week that saw the Toronto Dukes step back into the limelight, two wins in three games have catapulted them back into a tie for first place with the formidable Boston squad in the North American Hockey Confederation. As the week began with an eagerly anticipated showdown against Boston on Wednesday evening, fans gathered at Dominion Gardens to witness what was billed as a classic. Surprisingly, the venue wasn't filled to the rafters despite the immense media hype. However, the game did not disappoint.

In typical fashion, the encounter was a closely contested affair, marked by stifling defensive play from both sides. Dick Zimmerman struck first for Toronto, tapping in a rebound just five minutes into the game. But the relentless Wilbur Chandler answered for Boston, evening the score at one, squeezing a rebound past Dukes' netminder Gordie Broadway just over two minutes later. The first frame drew to a close with both teams putting up an impenetrable wall in front of their nets.

The second period witnessed Toronto's forwards finding more room to maneuver, and they were rewarded when Bobbie Sauer unleashed a wrist shot that eluded Boston's goaltender, Oscar James. This strike, orchestrated with the assistance of NAHC's leading scorer, Quinton Pollock, and Herb Burdette, gave Toronto a 2-1 lead. With 12 shots on goal in the period, the Dukes matched Boston's total for the first two periods. The Bees, trailing 2-1 entering the final stanza, had no choice but to open up, aiming to level the game. However, this shift in strategy proved costly as Lou Galbraith executed a flawless poke check on Conn Cundiff at the Bees' blue line, allowing him to break free and elevate a shot, doubling Toronto's lead. A second goal from Galbraith in the dying moments, an empty-netter with just 7 seconds left, sealed a 4-1 victory for Toronto.

The stage shifted to Lakeside Auditorium for a Saturday night showdown against the Chicago Packers, and the atmosphere was electric with a raucous crowd of 17,329 in attendance. The first period was characterized by tight checking from both teams, and Toronto failed to capitalize on two power-play opportunities. The period ended in a scoreless deadlock. The game took a swift turn in the second period, with four goals scored on 29 shots. Chicago's Jesse Santoro and Max Ducharme found the back of the net, with Tommy Burns contributing a last-minute goal for the Packers. Les Carlson answered for the Dukes, but Tommy Burns scored his second to give the Packers a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.

Herb Burdette narrowed the gap early in the third, but Matt Jewitt re-established Chicago's two-goal advantage. Toronto fought back swiftly, with Trevor Parker notching a goal just a minute later. The Dukes relentlessly pressed Michael Cleghorn in Chicago's net but couldn't find the equalizer. Tommy Burns' second goal at 16:20 secured a 5-3 win for the home team in a highly entertaining match.

The Dukes weren't done, as they faced the Packers once again on Sunday afternoon, this time in front of a crowd of 14,236 fans. The Dukes came out with guns blazing, with Lou Galbraith lighting the lamp a mere 14 seconds into the game. Although Leon Seguin equalized for the Packers five minutes later, the period ended tied at 1, despite the Dukes' dominant play and a staggering 19 shots on goal.

The second period saw Toronto continue to dominate, and they were rewarded with two goals, both courtesy of Galbraith, who now shares the league lead with 24 goals, and Bobbie Sauer's 18th. Trevor Parker extended the Dukes' lead to 4-1 early in the third, but Ed Delarue managed to claw one back for the Packers. Toronto's suffocating defensive play in the third allowed them to secure a 5-2 victory, with Chad Roy's desperation clear finding an empty net with just 14 seconds left in the game.

In the words of Coach Jack Barrell: "It's a welcome return to winning form after the recent slump. Our victory over Boston on Wednesday was crucial, even though the crowd turnout was slightly lower than expected. Weekday nights can be tough for fans juggling work and family, but those in attendance witnessed a remarkable game, reminiscent of playoff hockey. Holding Boston to less than 20 shots is no small feat.

Gordie Broadway, who has been our bedrock, continues to provide us with a chance to win every night. He currently leads the league in goals against average and saves, with 945 stops, nearly 100 more than any other goaltender. Some of this can be attributed to his 37 appearances in our 41 games. When I ask if he wants a game off, his response is always the same: 'Are you kidding? My job is to stop pucks.'

Our split with Chicago was a bit disappointing, especially conceding five goals on Saturday. We need more performances like the one against Boston. Defensive hockey is winning hockey in the NAHC. Knowledgeable fans, like those in Toronto, appreciate a closely checked game more than an 8-7 shootout. With seven weeks left in the season, I want us to transition into a more playoff-style mode, with a focus on defense. Our players might be looking to the skies, wondering when I stopped preaching about defensive play, but it's time to introduce a few new wrinkles into our game. We need to work on these adjustments to avoid becoming too predictable in both ends of the ice."

STATESMEN DOMINATE THE EASTERN FRONT

As we reach the midway mark of the 1948-49 Federal Basketball League season, one thing is abundantly clear: the Washington Statesmen have thrust themselves into the East Division's driver's seat and are steadily pulling away from the competition. With a remarkable 12-game winning streak under their belt, the Statesmen are in danger of turning this divisional race into a one-horse show.

Just a fortnight ago, the East Division was a tangle of contenders, a fierce battleground where multiple teams vied for supremacy. However, the Statesmen's sizzling surge has altered the landscape significantly. Their closest pursuers, the Brooklyn Red Caps, have put together an impressive run of their own, securing victory in 8 of their last 10 clashes. Yet, they find themselves trailing the relentless Washington outfit by 2.5 games. Where once their were four challengers for the division crown now only one other team, the Red Caps, is within a six-game reach of the formidable Statesmen.

The basketball aficionados will recognize this tale of fierce competition, for it's a narrative that's been etched in the annals of basketball history. Washington and Brooklyn have been at the forefront of this East Division dogfight, a rivalry that has endured and now thrives in the Federal Basketball League. In six consecutive championship clashes in the former American Basketball Conference, including last season's bout where Brooklyn triumphed, these two titans have crossed swords. And though the league has been absorbed by the Federal loop, the ferocity of their encounters has not waned. They've met twice already this season, both bouts transpiring in November, with the Red Caps emerging victorious each time. The stage is set for three more showdowns before the season's curtain call on April 21, but the next chapter in this epic saga won't be penned until the close of February.

Washington's offensive machinery is powered by the towering tandem of Ivan Sisco and Charles Hooper, imposing figures who anchor the frontcourt. But the Statesmen aren't a one-note symphony. Scoring depth abounds with Reid Wilkinson, Raymond Emerson, and Michael Leftwich, all boasting double-digit averages. On the opposing side, the Red Caps possess a well-rounded starting lineup, with each member contributing to the score sheet. Yet, it's the wily six-time ABC playoff MVP, Ivory Mitchell, who orchestrates their backcourt with finesse, guiding his team through the ebb and flow of the game.

Rochester and Philadelphia, while not to be discounted entirely, must grapple to regain their footing in the divisional race. With the Statesmen's relentless pace, it's conceivable that the race for the top spot in the East might slip away, forcing these clubs to shift their focus towards securing playoff berths and fending off the looming threat from the fifth-placed Baltimore squad. As the season unfolds, the East Division offers a captivating spectacle, with the Washington Statesmen emerging as the dominant force, a formidable squad aiming to etch their name in the annals of Federal Basketball League history.

Code:


FBL STANDINGS
EAST           W  L   PCT  
Washington    26  7  .788
Brooklyn      24 10  .706
Rochester     20 13  .606
Philadelphia  21 14  .600
Baltimore     17 16  .515
Hartford      14 18  .438
Boston        13 22  .371
New York      10 23  .303
Syracuse       5 27  .156 

WEST         W  L   PCT  
Chicago     23 10  .697
Cleveland   20 13  .606
Cincinnati  21 14  .600
Detroit     17 14  .548
Pittsburgh  12 20  .375
Toronto     11 22  .333
Buffalo     10 21  .323

NOBLE JONES COLLEGE ENTERS TOP TEN

The Deep South Conference is often overshadowed by the big three basketball powers in the Great Lakes Alliance, South Atlantic Conference and West Coast Athletic Association but this week the Deep South joins the SAC and WCAA with two members in the top ten while the GLA is restricted to just Western Iowa.

Mississippi A&M has been there all along and the Generals are a perfect 17-0 on the season with section play slated to begin next week. They played just once last week but it was a dominating effort as A&M crushed Darnell State 71-48. This week the Noble Jones College Colonels join the Generals in the top ten as the Georgia school picked up a pair of wins last week and now has won 11 straight, improving their record to 14-3, good enough for number nine in the latest collegiate rankings after coast power Rainier College was bumped out due to a poor conference start with 3 losses -to Lane State, Coastal California and CC LOs Angeles- in their first five section games.

St Blane, at 21-1 after defeating Alabama Gulf Coast and St Martin's College last week, remains number one and the path to enter the tournament as a number one seed appears very clear. The Fighting Saints have six games remaining on their schedule with a home contest against Eastern State (19-6) on February 13 being their only ranked opponent.

However, unranked teams can also poise a challenge. Just as Liberty College which was shocked 64-54 by Valley State, an Arizona school that plays in the South Border Conference, has won 1 tournament game since 1928 and is just 9-9 on the season. Last Tuesday the Gunslingers went into Philadelphia and managed to take the then second ranked Bells to overtime before proceeding to dominate the extra five minutes by outscoring the Bells 14-4 and claim a 10-point win in what might just be the most surprising result of the AIAA season.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 10 TEAMS
MONDAY JANUARY 24

TUESDAY JANUARY 25
#9 Noble Jones College 60 (Joseph Bosco 15) College of Cairo 37
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26
Valley State 64 #3 Liberty College 54 (Gordon 15) OT
#6 Mississippi A&M 71 (Leveau and Randle 15 points each) Darnell State 48

THURSDAY JANUARY 27
#1 St Blane 50 (Cy Worley 15) Alabama Gulf Coast 42
#2 Western Iowa 55 (Charlie Maynard 15) Central Ohio 46
#5 Carolina Poly 62 (James Halle 26) Cowpens Sate 53
#8 North Carolina Tech 65 (Mike Carter 19) Central Carolina 57
#9 Noble Jones College 54 (Mike Miller 16) St Patrick's 44

FRIDAY JANUARY 28
#4 Frankford State 60 (David Aponte 22) Tallmadge State 28
#7 Lane State 79 (Carl Casswell 29) #11 Rainier College 52 (Thomas Abbott 18)

SATURDAY JANUARY 29
#1 St Blane 53 (Buster Reynolds 15) St Martin's College 45
#2 Western Iowa 62 (Willy Ludwick 28) St Magnus 47
#5 Carolina Poly 56 (James Halle 27) Alexandria 49
Columbia Military Academy 57 #8 North Carolina Tech 54 (Mike Carter 17)

SUNDAY JANUARY 30
#7 Lane State 58 (Casswell, Porter 14 each) Redwood 45
#10 Coastal California 77 (Tony Linclon 17) Portland Tech 69 OT
#10 Rainier College Spokane State

DESMARAIS MAKES HEADLINES AS PETRIE DISMISSES MORSE

Dominion Gardens, Toronto, Ont. --“Imposter!” The shouts came from several rows deep in the folding chairs that made up the ringside seating at Dominion Gardens last Saturday night. A singular voice repeated himself with the same word, but this time heavily accented, “Imposteur! Vous êtes un imposteur!”

It was none other than Edouard Desmarais and his management, staging a spectacle in Toronto at the end of the Adrian Petrie-Danny Morse Middleweight title fight. Those sore feelings are a by-product of their recent clash in Montreal last October. In the immediate aftermath, Desmarais was more than honorable in agreeing to fulfill a prior commitment in boxing Frank Melanson, but it turns out the pot was simmering to a slow boil.

Desmarais dispatched Melanson three weeks ago and it appears the Fighting Frenchman has his sights trained directly on the Adrian Petrie, a man who won by the controversial decisions of two hometown judges. Though the jingoism was initially dismissed by many, it left a black mark on the sport of boxing and has since caught on to become a cause célèbre.

Of course, the more Desmarais likely thought about it – or more likely, his handlers thought about it – a very lucrative payday may go by the boards if Desmarais decamps for France without a belt or at least another attempt at retrieving that belt from an “imposter”, as he put it.

In the meantime, there was a title fight on this night. The annals of history will likely treat the fight as the undercard to the shenanigans after the bout. The fight itself barely lasted long enough for the crowd to get comfortable in their seats.

Adrian Petrie tried to carry on and defend his new title against a relative unknown, New York’s Danny Morse. Morse has been around the block, but he is not a top contender, as evidenced by his 35-8-1 record entering the bout. With the contested victory and the choice of challenger earning quite a bit of criticism, the chip on Petrie’s shoulder was growing by the day.

Morse was up for the fight, and he knew his way around the ring, with a decided advantage of experience with more than twice the number of professional fights under his belt. But as the crowd soon found out, just because one has more experience does not necessarily make them better.

The fight began with Morse motioning Petrie to came at him. Petrie, he of the large chip on his shoulder, obliged and landed a jab that amounted to a love tap, followed by a cross that caused Morse’s eyes to glaze over. Once they clinched, Petrie leaned into him with his shoulder, earning a stern warning from referee Jerry Rowe.

In the second round, Morse had his single best moment with a combination that stunned Petrie and knocked him back. Petrie countered with an effective hook to the jaw that opened a cut on Morse’s lip and came in for more. Sensing a chance to capitalize, the Canadian unleashed a torrent of punches with the highlights a devastating hook that caused Morse to recline against the ropes. As the bell sounded, both fighters continued to brawl. It was clear in the lead-up to the fight what Petrie’s motivation was, but Morse was content to brawl, all night if he had to do so.

However, thirty seconds into the third round, there would be no more brawling, at least in the ring. Petrie had momentum at the end of the second round and carried it over to the third, likely with instructions from his corner to get it over with. Petrie approached Morse like a cat with Morse’s head as the ball of yarn. Petrie stood close before launching a hook flush on Morse’s face, which caused the challenger to leak from his right eyebrow.

Referee Rowe paused the fight to have the ringside doctor look at Morse’s eyebrow and despite the protests from Morse’s corner, Rowe stopped the fight and ended the in-ring festivities. For all of the flak Petrie has received, and perception of Morse (35-9-1) as a tomato can, Petrie definitely did what he was supposed to do. He dispatched an inferior opponent.

From the fracas after the bout, Petrie (19-1-1) motioned to Desmarais, as if to tell him he had 12 rounds left in him tonight and it would not matter to him if Desmarais tapped in for Morse. Good for Petrie. He has used all of this criticism and suspicion of an ill-gotten title to his advantage. Everyone at the Gardens seemed to understand this inescapable fact: Petrie was speaking the truth when he pointed his gloved right hand at Desmarais and said, “Vous êtes le prochain!”.
He repeated in English, “You’re next!”

BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPERS
Round 1: Petrie, 1-0 (0:30 cross)
Round 2: Petrie, 2-1 (P: 1:21 hook/jaw, 2:02 hook; M: 0:47 combo)
Round 3: Petrie, 1-0 (0:26 hook/eyebrow)
TOTAL: Petrie 4, Morse 1

OTHER BOUTS LAST WEEK

Roy Crawford, who remains the best veteran fighter to never get a title shot, added to his win total with a unanimous decision over Steve Manning in New York over the weekend. The 30-year-old Boston native ups his record to 29-3 and was listed as the #2 heavyweight contender earlier last month in the TWIFB quarterly boxing rankings. He has faced most of the big names in the division over the years but so far has not received a call from Chester Conley to face Hector Sawyer.

One other fight of note in Cleveland saw rising local middleweight Davis Owens run his record to 17-0 with an impressive win over Dave Sizemore. Sizemore, a 29-year-old Massachusetts fighter, has run into some tough times of late with 4 losses in his last six trips inside the ring but prior to that and earned some impressive wins earlier in his career including a second round knockout of John Edmonds, who briefly held the world title. Owens is likely not quite ready for a title shot but is closing in on cracking the TWIFB quarterly list of the top six fighters in each division.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

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 1/30/1949

The peaceful surrender of Peiping to the Communists happened to begin with week, in a move separate from that of the Chinese government which is still seeking a nationwide peace with the hopes of stopping short of total surrender.
Russia calls the projected North Atlantic pact a part of a British-American plan for a new war, adding it is a plot against the United Nations and has as its object the establishment of British-American domination of the world by force. President Truman plans to submit the pact, which will like the US and Canada with the European Union in a defense arrangement, to Congress very soon.
President Truman says his "bold new program" for global peace and prosperity represents a four-year policy which will have to be developed as time goes on.
Britain, France, Belgium, Holland and the Netherlands announced plans to establish a Council of Europe and gave de facto recognition to Israel.
25,000 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers have announced plans to stage a strike against 15 Western railroads this week.
Rainier College in Washington state has fired three professors from the school in the aftermath of a controversy over their present or former Communist Party membership.
First sample deliveries to New York City dealers of RCA's new sixteen-inch direct-view tube table television receiver began yesterday. Most local dealers are convinced that supply of the 16" sets will be very limited for quite some time.

11-02-2023, 02:09 PM	#818
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,857	January 31, 1949 JANUARY 31, 1949 PIONEERS 1949 DRAFT RECAP The FABL Amateur Player Draft is akin to a spin of a roulette wheel. For as many options as there are, the ball only lands on one number. For the two-time defending FABL champion St. Louis Pioneers, that wheel might have a hundred options available. What many bird dogs feel are the cream of the crop are generally already selected before the final pick of the first round; therefore, the opportunity for players who appear to have more clear-cut, made-for-FABL talent are slimmer. At least the Pioneers had their first-round pick this year; they traded their first-round pick in last year’s draft to Cleveland for Hiram Steinberg. The Foresters selected 2B Jim Urquhart with that selection, and many experts feel the youngster is destined for stardom. That said, it is clear that the Pioneers, with two championship flags, would accept that trade every single time. All that said, here is a brief, definitely premature synopsis of the Pioneers’ 1949 draft class, based on what scouts within the organization had to say about these prospects. Round 1 (#16): RF King Brucker: “He’ll win multiple batting championships. Let’s get that out of the way right now. His approach to hitting is scientific. He studies pitchers, picks up on even the slightest of tells, and can adjust during an at-bat. That he has the physical ability that is as quick as his mind…that’s why he’ll win multiple batting championships. Every contact he makes with the ball is loud. The only bit about his high school career that is strange is that he did not walk more (just 12 walks in ‘48). For a kid who hit over .500 in his entire high school career, that is strange. He preys on pitcher mistakes and did that early in counts. He will have to be more selective in the pros, but he has the eye to do that. He is also very fast on the bases, which should increase his value with St. Louis’ ballpark. It’s clear he’s been drafted as Al Tucker’s replacement. But, in my view, he’ll be better than Tucker. If he can learn the nuances of the game from Tucker, he’ll be a perennial Whitney Award candidate. One other thing: He’s a naturally-born leader, something that has been made a priority from the team office. Find leaders, and ensure that this golden era of Pioneers’ baseball is more the way things are done, rather than a moment in history.” Round 2 (#32): SP Ed Wingerter: “He’s a local kid, grew up in Benton Park. We’ve known about him since he was ten and pitched an no-hitter for an entire season. He had his own regular section in the Star-Times. Makes sense…the Pioneers lost 97 in ‘40. What else was (STST columnist Clarence) Keenan going to write about? So even though his family moved to Ohio right before high school, we kept tabs on him. He throws hard for his age; heck, he throws hard for the FABL now. His stuff is almost as good as anyone on the current staff right now. He throws a split-finger pitch–Dick Long and Tony Dixon also throw it–that hitters don’t know what to do with. Sure, professional hitters will be tougher. But we watched him as a 14-year-old throwing that pitch against grown men in The Khoury Men’s League. He’s not big (5’7, 140 pounds), and he’s quiet…but don’t let that fool you. There’s a fire in that kid. He forces hitters to change their approach, because he gets so many groundballs. He’s perfect for their park. The fit of Big Ed (that’s what he was called in the Khoury) in St. Louis is perfect, in my opinion. Sure, I may be rooting for the kid…but when you consider his makeup, his approach, his stuff, and his home ballpark…he has Allen potential. I’m not sure he’d have that in other organizations. But if he develops, this kid can be something special.” Round 3 (#48): SS Herbert Crawford, Jr.: “Remember what I said about the club trying to bring in guys who have leadership skills? Here you go. He played well at San Fran Tech (.300/.390/.503, 11-40, 27 SB, 32-23 BB-K), which plays a pretty tough schedule. He’s also a switch-hitter, and can slide around the infield. That said, this is where I disagree with the team office on something. Crawford, in my view, wasn’t the best player on the board. Is he good? Sure. But the draft is where you are trying to gain the most talent for the long-term, right? There are three guys taken in the fourth round I would have selected before Crawford, had I been making the final decision. One of them, (George) Walker, is also a middle infielder, and one I put way ahead of Crawford. Another, (Mills) Watson, is closer to contributing to a big-league club than anyone else. We put a left fielder (Jim McBride) in center all last year; we managed to get away with it, but that lightning can’t strike twice. I get that there is a bit of a lack of infield talent in the organization right now. So taking Crawford isn’t the worst move. But at the same time, he’ll be 21 on April 1st. We just traded for Win Hamby. It’s possible that our infield may be set for the next several years. So what do you do with Crawford? I guess trade him, eventually. So, to sum up…is he talented? Definitely. Was there better value for the organization here? Definitely.” Round 4 (#64): CF Larry Lewis: “I don’t get this one. This felt reactionary to missing out on Watson, who I know was high up. This is where trying to fill a perceived need (organizational depth/talent in the infield) gets in the way of getting the best talent. At the same time…how many centerfielders are we going to draft? We’ve got (George) Atkins already in the organization, right? We have Mike Spear. Red Hinton, who could be up with the club this season. We’ve got McBride playing in center now, even if he shouldn’t be. Now, if it were me…you know, I have no idea. I was going to say I’d take Watson in the third, and hope Crawford falls to the fourth, but I don’t know. The same questions I ask about this pick, I’d ask about Watson. And Hinton is better than either Watson or Lewis. Lewis is fine. He’s another collegiate player who produced, runs really well, can play defense, has an incredible work ethic. I don’t know how he finds footing in this organization, given what it looks like in the outfield right now.” Round 5 (#80): P Jake Giles: “Look, you gotta have pitchers at some point, right? At this stage, any pitcher is a dart throw. Giles produced a heckuva lot in high school. He also fits that whole leadership profile, and everyone connected to him raves about his work ethic. So, in terms of trying to make it, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who will try harder. And he’s a lefty with an excellent splitter. So, he’s got as good a shot as any pitcher taken at this stage to make it.” Round 6 (#96): SS Tom Clement: “Clement is a younger infield prospect (17) than Crawford. He’s another kid with outstanding work ethic. The team office emphasized intangibles, which makes some sense. If you’re throwing darts, and these kids all have at least some talent…you want kids who will keep plugging away when things get tough. And they’ll get tough for Clement. If we were looking for pure talent, we should have gone with Bob Brown, who went a few picks later.” Round 7 (#112): P Glenn Moor: “Another lefty, another dart throw. See what I said about Giles.” Round 8 (#128): CF Ed Howell: “This draft would look a LOT different if George Atkins had a good ‘48 season. I think that’s obvious. Howell is another solid college player with all the intangibles. In fact, he has ALL of them: Leadership, work ethic, intelligence…he’s not even greedy. He could fit in as a fourth outfielder, and do it faster than most in the organization.” Round 9 (#144): P Dean Crawford: “He’s HUGE, standing six-foot-six. It’s strange to take a high school pitcher who lost seven games, and allowed over a runner on base per inning over the last two seasons. But here we are. Look, he’s another kid with extraordinary work ethic. He’s got a great arm, and whereas the organization has tried to get groundball pitchers, and Crawford has a tendency to induce a lot of fly balls…if he makes it, he’d be pitching a lot of games in a park where flies go to die. He may have as much volatility as any pitcher in the organization…could make the bigs, or flame out in Mobile.” Round 10 (#160): 2B Jack DiPasquale: “This may turn out to be a win of a pick in a few years. DiPasquale performed well at Sunnyvale; he’s a patient hitter, and could hit over .300 with 70 walks a year. He is also considered to be one of the best defenders in the draft. With Bill Freeman at 32, DiPasquale could be well-situated to replace him.” PHILADELPHIA KEYSTONES DRAFT IMPRESSIONS- From Scouting Director Harry Dunn (18th season) We usually go for the best player available, not positional need, but I think we accomplished both with Don Berry. We considered other players at the #4 pick mainly because there were so many strong prospects in this draft. But Berry gives us a potential power-hitting corner outfielder. As you might know, we have a right fielder who has established a very high standard with this club, and I am not making any comparisons, but having a power-hitting corner outfielder is part of our plan. A departure for us in this draft was the selections of several collegiate players. We normally prefer high-schoolers because we can bring them into our system early and teach them the Keystone Way. But this year, we picked six collegiate players in our first ten picks, including all of our first four - Berry, Sam Ivey, Bill Bloom, and John Cochran. I was surprised that John Cochran was available in the fourth round. In Cochran, we have another shortstop we can add to the mix for our future, combined with last year's second-rounder, Red Ellis, another college-level player when we drafted him. We also need pitching, who doesn't? I was pleased to get one of the starters we targeted for our second pick, which was the 20th overall pick. We did not see a pitcher worthy of the number four overall pick, but I had four on my top ten list and I was glad when Ivey was still there. We will see at which level these new players will start, but we have to sign them first [chuckles]. There will be nothing holding the top picks back from starting at a challenging level. Pushing 21-year-olds and 22-year-olds is very different than putting 17- and 18-year-olds in a new situation. Confidence is a fickle thing, but there is a lot of growing in those four years both physically and mentally. Looking at the Cuban Winter League the Boston Minutemen see some positives with club officials noting they have a few guys that have shown a bit of growth. Back in '46 the Minutemen drafted both Yank and Danny Taylor with the hopes that they would be a power force in the Boston lineup in the near future. While Yank is the #10 prospect in all of baseball that made it all the way to single A last season, it is Danny that has brass taking notice. Danny was drafted as an outfielder but was quickly moved and trained as a first basemen as the organization was concerned if his glove would be good enough to play outfield in the FABL. In class "B" last season Danny hit .330 with 18 homers and 99 RBI's. In the Cuban League it was much of the same as Danny has connected for 9 long balls and 30 RBI's in 35 games. Taylor's teammate Mel Campbell, who was acquired from Cincinnati back in 1943, is showing a bit of promise as a 24 year old. Mel, who hit 10 long balls at AA last season has already hit 8 in winter ball. Mel could be a favorite to break camp as the backup to Van Ness to start the season. The Keystones on the other hand are not as thrilled with their prospects playing in Manzanillo this winter. Samuel Harris tossed a three-hitter recently, but by and large, they are not playing very well (the prospects or the team, which is currently in last place). Same story in Havana with the Detroit Dynamos youngsters but they are gaining experience that can only help when camps break in Florida in March. Dynamos Assistant General Manager Harris Dixon was in Havana recently but feels that 22-year- old Jack Miller, last June's second rounder out of Red River State, will likely need a few months in AAA before he is ready for Detroit and Roy Schaub, another top 100 prospect, has not pitched much, but based on the struggles in a small sample, that might be a good thing. Catcher Crab Crowley is also not playing much but 7-for-15 at the plate means he will get consideration for the backup catcher role, something he has spent a little time doing already. Unfortunately most of the other players that have stood out in Havana are Cannons prospects, led by Tony Britten, Nick Remilard and Dan Scurlock. Gothams prospect Billy Moody has set a new Cuban League record for homeruns with his 15th of the season. There are still 3 games remaining but he already has one more than current Chicago Cougars third baseman Otto Christian hit two years ago in the Carribean. Moody, a center fielder, is a 24-year-old 1942 second round draft pick of the Gothams, who also hit 15 homers during the summer while playing for AAA Toledo although he missed half the season with hamstring troubles. In addition to Moody, Gothams scouts have been delighted to see that pitchers Butch Lindsay and Jimmy Maness have performed well. PACKERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB The slow start to the season that had the Chicago Packers fearing they may not even make the playoffs after boasting the league's best regular season record a year ago, appear to be fully a thing of the past as the Chicago club has posted an 11-2-2 record since December 22 and moved into a third place tie with the New York Shamrocks. The Packer push was slowed with a loss in Toronto yesterday, as the Dukes try to keep pace with Boston for first place, but time for the two of them at the top of the league may be short-lived if the Packers charge continues. Chicago has 19 games remaining in their season, as does Toronto with Boston having twenty left to play. The Packers are 9 points off the pace but 15 games ago they were 19 points out of first place. Code: NAHC STANDINGS GP W L T GF GA PTS Boston 40 22 14 4 124 109 48 Toronto 41 21 14 6 136 110 48 Chicago 41 18 20 3 120 133 39 New York 39 16 16 7 103 108 39 Detroit 42 15 22 5 136 132 35 Montreal 41 15 21 5 103 130 35 SCORING LEADERS GP G A PTS Pollack, Tor 41 19 29 48 Galbraith, Tor 41 24 20 44 Cabbell, NY 39 24 16 40 Vanderbilt, Det 40 24 16 40 Hart, Bos 39 18 21 39 Chandler, Bos 35 17 22 39 Sauer, Tor 41 18 20 38 T Burns, Chi 30 22 14 36 Carlson, Tor 38 8 28 36 Tardif, Det 36 15 19 34 Skinner, Mon 41 15 18 33 Rocheleau, Det 37 5 28 33 GOALIE LEADERS GP W L T ShO GAA Broadway, Tor 37 18 13 6 3 2.60 James, Bos 35 18 13 4 4 2.70 Tremblay, NY 35 13 15 7 2 2.73 Brockers, Mon 29 10 15 3 2 2.83 Cleghorn, Chi 13 8 4 1 1 2.85 Chasse, Det 17 7 8 0 1 2.93 Hanson, Chi 27 10 15 2 2 3.12 Touhey, Det 25 7 14 3 2 3.31 LAST WEEK'S RESULTS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26 Boston 1 at 4 Toronto: Boston stay alone in first place was short-lived as the Toronto Dukes pulled back into a tie for top spot in the NAHC with a 4-1 win at Dominion Gardens. Lou Galbraith scored twice to pace the hosts with both coming in the third period including an empty netter in the closing seconds. The Dukes outshot the Bees 34-19. Chicago 5 at 2 Montreal: The Packers unbeaten streak reached six games while Montreal is winless in 5 following a 5-2 Chicago victory. The Valiants led 2-1 after twenty minutes but three second period goals sent Chicago on to victory. Detroit 4 at 4 New York: The Motors earned a point and are unbeaten in three games after a 4-4 tie with the Shamrocks in New York. A strange run for the Greenshirts who have tied each of their last three games. They will take this one as it required a pair of third period goals off the stick of Sam Furr to salvage the single point. SATURDAY JANUARY 29 Montreal 0 at 6 Detroit: Montreal managed just 15 shots on Millard Touhey and he stopped all of them as Detroit blanked the visiting Valiants 6-0 and are unbeaten in four games after that dreadful 11 game winless streak. The Vals have now won in their last six and lost four straight. Toronto 3 at 5 Chicago: There seems no slowing down the Packers, who beat Toronto 5-3 and are now 11-2-2 since December 22. Meanwhile the Dukes have dropped five of their last seven. Tommy Burns scored twice and has 22 goals in 29 games this season. SUNDAY JANUARY 30 Boston 7 at 4 Detroit: Five second period goals, with Craig Simpson assisting on three of them, lifted the Boston Bees to a 7-4 victory at Thompson Palladium. Tommy Hart scored twice and added an assist to help the Bees stay tied for first with Toronto. Chicago 2 at 5 Toronto: The Dukes snapped the Packers seven game unbeaten streak with a 5-2 victory that allows Toronto to stay even with Boston atop the NAHC standings. Lou Galbraith scored twice while Chad Roy had a goal and 2 assists to lead the Dukes offense. New York 3 at 2 Montreal: Three third period goals including Laurel Albers unassisted game winner with just over nine minutes remaining lifted the Shamrocks to a 3-2 victory, snapping a stretch of 3 straight ties for New York. Montreal, meanwhile has just one win in its last ten games. UPCOMING GAMES WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2 Boston at New York Detroit at Chicago THURSDAY FEBRUARY 3 Chicago at Detroit Montreal at Toronto SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5 Montreal at Boston Toronto at New York SUNDAY FEBRUARY 6 Boston at Toronto Chicago at New York Detroit at Montreal Dukes Triumph Twice in Three - Sharing the Summit in NAHC In a week that saw the Toronto Dukes step back into the limelight, two wins in three games have catapulted them back into a tie for first place with the formidable Boston squad in the North American Hockey Confederation. As the week began with an eagerly anticipated showdown against Boston on Wednesday evening, fans gathered at Dominion Gardens to witness what was billed as a classic. Surprisingly, the venue wasn't filled to the rafters despite the immense media hype. However, the game did not disappoint. In typical fashion, the encounter was a closely contested affair, marked by stifling defensive play from both sides. Dick Zimmerman struck first for Toronto, tapping in a rebound just five minutes into the game. But the relentless Wilbur Chandler answered for Boston, evening the score at one, squeezing a rebound past Dukes' netminder Gordie Broadway just over two minutes later. The first frame drew to a close with both teams putting up an impenetrable wall in front of their nets. The second period witnessed Toronto's forwards finding more room to maneuver, and they were rewarded when Bobbie Sauer unleashed a wrist shot that eluded Boston's goaltender, Oscar James. This strike, orchestrated with the assistance of NAHC's leading scorer, Quinton Pollock, and Herb Burdette, gave Toronto a 2-1 lead. With 12 shots on goal in the period, the Dukes matched Boston's total for the first two periods. The Bees, trailing 2-1 entering the final stanza, had no choice but to open up, aiming to level the game. However, this shift in strategy proved costly as Lou Galbraith executed a flawless poke check on Conn Cundiff at the Bees' blue line, allowing him to break free and elevate a shot, doubling Toronto's lead. A second goal from Galbraith in the dying moments, an empty-netter with just 7 seconds left, sealed a 4-1 victory for Toronto. The stage shifted to Lakeside Auditorium for a Saturday night showdown against the Chicago Packers, and the atmosphere was electric with a raucous crowd of 17,329 in attendance. The first period was characterized by tight checking from both teams, and Toronto failed to capitalize on two power-play opportunities. The period ended in a scoreless deadlock. The game took a swift turn in the second period, with four goals scored on 29 shots. Chicago's Jesse Santoro and Max Ducharme found the back of the net, with Tommy Burns contributing a last-minute goal for the Packers. Les Carlson answered for the Dukes, but Tommy Burns scored his second to give the Packers a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. Herb Burdette narrowed the gap early in the third, but Matt Jewitt re-established Chicago's two-goal advantage. Toronto fought back swiftly, with Trevor Parker notching a goal just a minute later. The Dukes relentlessly pressed Michael Cleghorn in Chicago's net but couldn't find the equalizer. Tommy Burns' second goal at 16:20 secured a 5-3 win for the home team in a highly entertaining match. The Dukes weren't done, as they faced the Packers once again on Sunday afternoon, this time in front of a crowd of 14,236 fans. The Dukes came out with guns blazing, with Lou Galbraith lighting the lamp a mere 14 seconds into the game. Although Leon Seguin equalized for the Packers five minutes later, the period ended tied at 1, despite the Dukes' dominant play and a staggering 19 shots on goal. The second period saw Toronto continue to dominate, and they were rewarded with two goals, both courtesy of Galbraith, who now shares the league lead with 24 goals, and Bobbie Sauer's 18th. Trevor Parker extended the Dukes' lead to 4-1 early in the third, but Ed Delarue managed to claw one back for the Packers. Toronto's suffocating defensive play in the third allowed them to secure a 5-2 victory, with Chad Roy's desperation clear finding an empty net with just 14 seconds left in the game. In the words of Coach Jack Barrell: "It's a welcome return to winning form after the recent slump. Our victory over Boston on Wednesday was crucial, even though the crowd turnout was slightly lower than expected. Weekday nights can be tough for fans juggling work and family, but those in attendance witnessed a remarkable game, reminiscent of playoff hockey. Holding Boston to less than 20 shots is no small feat. Gordie Broadway, who has been our bedrock, continues to provide us with a chance to win every night. He currently leads the league in goals against average and saves, with 945 stops, nearly 100 more than any other goaltender. Some of this can be attributed to his 37 appearances in our 41 games. When I ask if he wants a game off, his response is always the same: 'Are you kidding? My job is to stop pucks.' Our split with Chicago was a bit disappointing, especially conceding five goals on Saturday. We need more performances like the one against Boston. Defensive hockey is winning hockey in the NAHC. Knowledgeable fans, like those in Toronto, appreciate a closely checked game more than an 8-7 shootout. With seven weeks left in the season, I want us to transition into a more playoff-style mode, with a focus on defense. Our players might be looking to the skies, wondering when I stopped preaching about defensive play, but it's time to introduce a few new wrinkles into our game. We need to work on these adjustments to avoid becoming too predictable in both ends of the ice." STATESMEN DOMINATE THE EASTERN FRONT As we reach the midway mark of the 1948-49 Federal Basketball League season, one thing is abundantly clear: the Washington Statesmen have thrust themselves into the East Division's driver's seat and are steadily pulling away from the competition. With a remarkable 12-game winning streak under their belt, the Statesmen are in danger of turning this divisional race into a one-horse show. Just a fortnight ago, the East Division was a tangle of contenders, a fierce battleground where multiple teams vied for supremacy. However, the Statesmen's sizzling surge has altered the landscape significantly. Their closest pursuers, the Brooklyn Red Caps, have put together an impressive run of their own, securing victory in 8 of their last 10 clashes. Yet, they find themselves trailing the relentless Washington outfit by 2.5 games. Where once their were four challengers for the division crown now only one other team, the Red Caps, is within a six-game reach of the formidable Statesmen. The basketball aficionados will recognize this tale of fierce competition, for it's a narrative that's been etched in the annals of basketball history. Washington and Brooklyn have been at the forefront of this East Division dogfight, a rivalry that has endured and now thrives in the Federal Basketball League. In six consecutive championship clashes in the former American Basketball Conference, including last season's bout where Brooklyn triumphed, these two titans have crossed swords. And though the league has been absorbed by the Federal loop, the ferocity of their encounters has not waned. They've met twice already this season, both bouts transpiring in November, with the Red Caps emerging victorious each time. The stage is set for three more showdowns before the season's curtain call on April 21, but the next chapter in this epic saga won't be penned until the close of February. Washington's offensive machinery is powered by the towering tandem of Ivan Sisco and Charles Hooper, imposing figures who anchor the frontcourt. But the Statesmen aren't a one-note symphony. Scoring depth abounds with Reid Wilkinson, Raymond Emerson, and Michael Leftwich, all boasting double-digit averages. On the opposing side, the Red Caps possess a well-rounded starting lineup, with each member contributing to the score sheet. Yet, it's the wily six-time ABC playoff MVP, Ivory Mitchell, who orchestrates their backcourt with finesse, guiding his team through the ebb and flow of the game. Rochester and Philadelphia, while not to be discounted entirely, must grapple to regain their footing in the divisional race. With the Statesmen's relentless pace, it's conceivable that the race for the top spot in the East might slip away, forcing these clubs to shift their focus towards securing playoff berths and fending off the looming threat from the fifth-placed Baltimore squad. As the season unfolds, the East Division offers a captivating spectacle, with the Washington Statesmen emerging as the dominant force, a formidable squad aiming to etch their name in the annals of Federal Basketball League history. Code: FBL STANDINGS EAST W L PCT Washington 26 7 .788 Brooklyn 24 10 .706 Rochester 20 13 .606 Philadelphia 21 14 .600 Baltimore 17 16 .515 Hartford 14 18 .438 Boston 13 22 .371 New York 10 23 .303 Syracuse 5 27 .156 WEST W L PCT Chicago 23 10 .697 Cleveland 20 13 .606 Cincinnati 21 14 .600 Detroit 17 14 .548 Pittsburgh 12 20 .375 Toronto 11 22 .333 Buffalo 10 21 .323 NOBLE JONES COLLEGE ENTERS TOP TEN The Deep South Conference is often overshadowed by the big three basketball powers in the Great Lakes Alliance, South Atlantic Conference and West Coast Athletic Association but this week the Deep South joins the SAC and WCAA with two members in the top ten while the GLA is restricted to just Western Iowa. Mississippi A&M has been there all along and the Generals are a perfect 17-0 on the season with section play slated to begin next week. They played just once last week but it was a dominating effort as A&M crushed Darnell State 71-48. This week the Noble Jones College Colonels join the Generals in the top ten as the Georgia school picked up a pair of wins last week and now has won 11 straight, improving their record to 14-3, good enough for number nine in the latest collegiate rankings after coast power Rainier College was bumped out due to a poor conference start with 3 losses -to Lane State, Coastal California and CC LOs Angeles- in their first five section games. St Blane, at 21-1 after defeating Alabama Gulf Coast and St Martin's College last week, remains number one and the path to enter the tournament as a number one seed appears very clear. The Fighting Saints have six games remaining on their schedule with a home contest against Eastern State (19-6) on February 13 being their only ranked opponent. However, unranked teams can also poise a challenge. Just as Liberty College which was shocked 64-54 by Valley State, an Arizona school that plays in the South Border Conference, has won 1 tournament game since 1928 and is just 9-9 on the season. Last Tuesday the Gunslingers went into Philadelphia and managed to take the then second ranked Bells to overtime before proceeding to dominate the extra five minutes by outscoring the Bells 14-4 and claim a 10-point win in what might just be the most surprising result of the AIAA season. LAST WEEK'S RESULTS INVOLVING TOP 10 TEAMS MONDAY JANUARY 24 TUESDAY JANUARY 25 #9 Noble Jones College 60 (Joseph Bosco 15) College of Cairo 37 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 26 Valley State 64 #3 Liberty College 54 (Gordon 15) OT #6 Mississippi A&M 71 (Leveau and Randle 15 points each) Darnell State 48 THURSDAY JANUARY 27 #1 St Blane 50 (Cy Worley 15) Alabama Gulf Coast 42 #2 Western Iowa 55 (Charlie Maynard 15) Central Ohio 46 #5 Carolina Poly 62 (James Halle 26) Cowpens Sate 53 #8 North Carolina Tech 65 (Mike Carter 19) Central Carolina 57 #9 Noble Jones College 54 (Mike Miller 16) St Patrick's 44 FRIDAY JANUARY 28 #4 Frankford State 60 (David Aponte 22) Tallmadge State 28 #7 Lane State 79 (Carl Casswell 29) #11 Rainier College 52 (Thomas Abbott 18) SATURDAY JANUARY 29 #1 St Blane 53 (Buster Reynolds 15) St Martin's College 45 #2 Western Iowa 62 (Willy Ludwick 28) St Magnus 47 #5 Carolina Poly 56 (James Halle 27) Alexandria 49 Columbia Military Academy 57 #8 North Carolina Tech 54 (Mike Carter 17) SUNDAY JANUARY 30 #7 Lane State 58 (Casswell, Porter 14 each) Redwood 45 #10 Coastal California 77 (Tony Linclon 17) Portland Tech 69 OT #10 Rainier College Spokane State DESMARAIS MAKES HEADLINES AS PETRIE DISMISSES MORSE Dominion Gardens, Toronto, Ont. --“Imposter!” The shouts came from several rows deep in the folding chairs that made up the ringside seating at Dominion Gardens last Saturday night. A singular voice repeated himself with the same word, but this time heavily accented, “Imposteur! Vous êtes un imposteur!” It was none other than Edouard Desmarais and his management, staging a spectacle in Toronto at the end of the Adrian Petrie-Danny Morse Middleweight title fight. Those sore feelings are a by-product of their recent clash in Montreal last October. In the immediate aftermath, Desmarais was more than honorable in agreeing to fulfill a prior commitment in boxing Frank Melanson, but it turns out the pot was simmering to a slow boil. Desmarais dispatched Melanson three weeks ago and it appears the Fighting Frenchman has his sights trained directly on the Adrian Petrie, a man who won by the controversial decisions of two hometown judges. Though the jingoism was initially dismissed by many, it left a black mark on the sport of boxing and has since caught on to become a cause célèbre. Of course, the more Desmarais likely thought about it – or more likely, his handlers thought about it – a very lucrative payday may go by the boards if Desmarais decamps for France without a belt or at least another attempt at retrieving that belt from an “imposter”, as he put it. In the meantime, there was a title fight on this night. The annals of history will likely treat the fight as the undercard to the shenanigans after the bout. The fight itself barely lasted long enough for the crowd to get comfortable in their seats. Adrian Petrie tried to carry on and defend his new title against a relative unknown, New York’s Danny Morse. Morse has been around the block, but he is not a top contender, as evidenced by his 35-8-1 record entering the bout. With the contested victory and the choice of challenger earning quite a bit of criticism, the chip on Petrie’s shoulder was growing by the day. Morse was up for the fight, and he knew his way around the ring, with a decided advantage of experience with more than twice the number of professional fights under his belt. But as the crowd soon found out, just because one has more experience does not necessarily make them better. The fight began with Morse motioning Petrie to came at him. Petrie, he of the large chip on his shoulder, obliged and landed a jab that amounted to a love tap, followed by a cross that caused Morse’s eyes to glaze over. Once they clinched, Petrie leaned into him with his shoulder, earning a stern warning from referee Jerry Rowe. In the second round, Morse had his single best moment with a combination that stunned Petrie and knocked him back. Petrie countered with an effective hook to the jaw that opened a cut on Morse’s lip and came in for more. Sensing a chance to capitalize, the Canadian unleashed a torrent of punches with the highlights a devastating hook that caused Morse to recline against the ropes. As the bell sounded, both fighters continued to brawl. It was clear in the lead-up to the fight what Petrie’s motivation was, but Morse was content to brawl, all night if he had to do so. However, thirty seconds into the third round, there would be no more brawling, at least in the ring. Petrie had momentum at the end of the second round and carried it over to the third, likely with instructions from his corner to get it over with. Petrie approached Morse like a cat with Morse’s head as the ball of yarn. Petrie stood close before launching a hook flush on Morse’s face, which caused the challenger to leak from his right eyebrow. Referee Rowe paused the fight to have the ringside doctor look at Morse’s eyebrow and despite the protests from Morse’s corner, Rowe stopped the fight and ended the in-ring festivities. For all of the flak Petrie has received, and perception of Morse (35-9-1) as a tomato can, Petrie definitely did what he was supposed to do. He dispatched an inferior opponent. From the fracas after the bout, Petrie (19-1-1) motioned to Desmarais, as if to tell him he had 12 rounds left in him tonight and it would not matter to him if Desmarais tapped in for Morse. Good for Petrie. He has used all of this criticism and suspicion of an ill-gotten title to his advantage. Everyone at the Gardens seemed to understand this inescapable fact: Petrie was speaking the truth when he pointed his gloved right hand at Desmarais and said, “Vous êtes le prochain!”. He repeated in English, “You’re next!” BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPERS Round 1: Petrie, 1-0 (0:30 cross) Round 2: Petrie, 2-1 (P: 1:21 hook/jaw, 2:02 hook; M: 0:47 combo) Round 3: Petrie, 1-0 (0:26 hook/eyebrow) TOTAL: Petrie 4, Morse 1 OTHER BOUTS LAST WEEK Roy Crawford, who remains the best veteran fighter to never get a title shot, added to his win total with a unanimous decision over Steve Manning in New York over the weekend. The 30-year-old Boston native ups his record to 29-3 and was listed as the #2 heavyweight contender earlier last month in the TWIFB quarterly boxing rankings. He has faced most of the big names in the division over the years but so far has not received a call from Chester Conley to face Hector Sawyer. One other fight of note in Cleveland saw rising local middleweight Davis Owens run his record to 17-0 with an impressive win over Dave Sizemore. Sizemore, a 29-year-old Massachusetts fighter, has run into some tough times of late with 4 losses in his last six trips inside the ring but prior to that and earned some impressive wins earlier in his career including a second round knockout of John Edmonds, who briefly held the world title. Owens is likely not quite ready for a title shot but is closing in on cracking the TWIFB quarterly list of the top six fighters in each division. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS 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 1/30/1949 The peaceful surrender of Peiping to the Communists happened to begin with week, in a move separate from that of the Chinese government which is still seeking a nationwide peace with the hopes of stopping short of total surrender. Russia calls the projected North Atlantic pact a part of a British-American plan for a new war, adding it is a plot against the United Nations and has as its object the establishment of British-American domination of the world by force. President Truman plans to submit the pact, which will like the US and Canada with the European Union in a defense arrangement, to Congress very soon. President Truman says his "bold new program" for global peace and prosperity represents a four-year policy which will have to be developed as time goes on. Britain, France, Belgium, Holland and the Netherlands announced plans to establish a Council of Europe and gave de facto recognition to Israel. 25,000 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers have announced plans to stage a strike against 15 Western railroads this week. Rainier College in Washington state has fired three professors from the school in the aftermath of a controversy over their present or former Communist Party membership. First sample deliveries to New York City dealers of RCA's new sixteen-inch direct-view tube table television receiver began yesterday. Most local dealers are convinced that supply of the 16" sets will be very limited for quite some time. __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles Last edited by Tiger Fan; 11-02-2023 at 02:12 PM.