Saturday, July 15, 1961
JACKS CLAIM 2ND SUPREME LEAGUE TITLE
It took them quite a few years, but the Jackson Jackalopes (20-8) finally captured their second Supreme League pennant... the Jacks won the inaugural season in 1955, came in second and almost repeated in 1956... and in 1959 they were the runner-up... this season they played steady ball the entire year and pretty much hit their way to the pennant... second in the standings was the Delta Stars (18-10)... the Stars were doomed by a disasterous 1-5 start at the beginning of the season... they never managed to make up for that... going into the final weekend, they still were close challengers... third place Meraux's (15-13) season was wrecked by a 1-5 run in May... the Tigers still had a chance at the title on the last weekend, but fell twice to champion Jackson.
Jackson and Delta both had strong bats and a good offense... the Stars also had good pitching... the Jackalopes copped the pennant despite its poor fielding and pitching... Delta and Meraux had good defense and fine pitching, but they still came up short in the standings.
The Supreme League Most Valuable Player Award went to Delta's fine southpaw Johnny Goodman, who chalked up a 9-3 record with a 3.18 ERA... he fanned 73 batters in his 99 innings, walked 35 and held teams to an impressive .228 BA... Goodman is 24 years old.
The Supreme League had a Triple Crown winner... center fielder Lynn Parker hit for power, average and drove in runs in abundance... the 20-year-old topped the league with a .388 BA, 7 homers and 34 RBIs.
Teams Season Recaps
Around the towns in the Supreme League... Jackson's bats took them to the league championship this year... top to bottom in the batting order they could drive in runs... they didn't hit for high average, but they got the runs across the plate, sparked by first baseman Nate Perkins (.242 BA) with 28 ribbies... second baseman Chris O'Neal (.409 BA) batted in 19 runs and center fielder Matt Coleman (.274 BA) and right fielder Lawrence Chapman (.281 BA) drove in 18 apiece and catcher Harper Lovejoy (.333 BA) added in 16... Denny McCain (7-3) was the dependable ace of the mound staff... Donnelle (6-2) wasn't really that good this year, but he gave them just enough pitching to win... and though his stats are not that impressive, reliever Doyle Jenkins (2-0) contributed a lot from the bullpen... he played vital part in 9 victories... doing the right thing at the right time sometimes wins you a pennant... Jackson is 60-30 in its 7 seasons in the South Island Leagues... the Jackalopes have the best overall record in the leagues' history.
On paper the most talent-laden team in the Supreme League just might have been the Delta Stars (18-10)... they had the best stats in the league... the Stars did everything well... however, Jackson claimed the title on the field... center fielder Lynn Parker won the Triple Crown with a .388 BA, 7 homers and a league record 34 runs batted in... and he had plenty of help from second sacker Buzzy Roberts (.317 BA/30 R) and right fielder Jimmy Carter (.276 BA/ 20 RBI/20 R)... Delta had the Supreme League MVP pitcher Johnny Goodman (9-3), along with Eric Pahler (5-5)... they were a solid mound tandem the entire season... yeah, buddy, the Stars were really good statistically... historically, Delta has performed well in the Supreme League for 7 years... the Stars came in second in the standings in 1957 and 1958... that was their best seasons... Delta is 56-44 in its 5 years, all in the South Island Supreme League.
The Meraux Tigers (15-13) had the best mound corps in the league with Bobby McNew (9-3/3.41 ERA) and Tommy Kitchen (5-6/2.61 ERA)... they kept the Tigers in every game... they also had the very capable Angelo Zarrella (1-4/1.59 ERA) in the bullpen... however, Meraux was meek at the plate... they had trouble scoring runs and ranked dead last... their top guns were 1B Alton Ragsdale (.320 BA/4 HR/21 RBI), catcher Remi Melancon (.343 BA/1 HR/16 RBI), shortstop Don Fontenot (.305 BA/1 HR/16 RBI) and left fielder Aaron Mettler (.307 BA/3 HR/11 RBI)... more offense and the Bengals might have roared loudly this year in the Supreme League... Meraux started off in the South Island Secondary League in 1957 like a ball of fire and won promotion to the Supreme League... the Tigers even took the Supreme League crown in 1958... they have never had a losing season... Meraux has posted the best record in the league with a sparkling 49-30 mark in its 5 years in the South Island Leagues.
Fourth place Braxton (14-14) went 1-5 in June and that ruined their season... the Bruins possessed decent pitching from Emile Delhomme (7-6/3.72 ERA) and Kevin Stokes (7-4/4.04 ERA), but nothing in the relief corps... Braxton was only fair at the plate with catcher Mike Bryan (.309 BA/2 HR/19 RBI), first baseman Lionel Chauvin (.220 BA/5 HR/16 RBI) and left fielder Steve Andros (.312 BA/1 HR/14 RBI)... the Bruins were just an average team this season... they really didn't have any standout players... Braxton spent 1955 to 1959 in the Secondary League... they won it in '59 and moved up to the Supreme League, but have not fared very well overall in both leagues, playing under .500 ball (42-48).
Hope was rampant for the Grin Hill Smileys (13-15) heading into the 1961 season... the Smileys won their first-ever pennant in the South Island Secondary League in 1960 and moved up with the big boys, but they faltered and came in 5th in the standings... Grin Hill ran into better pitching this season and had trouble scoring... mound work was good from Jay Logan (3-6/3.81 ERA), who set a new record with 102 Ks in 106 innings... Matt Moore (4-1/3.45 ERA) was dependable, too... poor relievers hurt the team a lot... the most productive bats were right fielder Cliff Lebreton (.278 BA/3 HR/20 RBI), first sacker Nico Pocorello (.303 BA/13 RBI)... center fielder Slim Smiley (.310 BA/2 HR/10 RBI) and left fielder Lim Smiley (.304 BA/11 RBI) performed well... overall in the South Island Leagues Grin Hill has just been so-so... the Smileys have only gone 48-53 in their 7 seasons.
The Mystic Mariners have had rough sailing in the Supreme League since they hauled in the pennant their first year in 1957... the Sailors are a very poor 35-45 in the league history... Mystic (12-16) staggered in sixth this year, troubled by a lack of offense... the mound staff was fairly good... and the Mariners were the best defensive team in the league... Chris Foyle (5-5/4.21 ERA) and John Hudson (5-4/3.68 ERA) performed in fair fashion, but the bats were subpar... they did not have a .300 hitter... second baseman John Dailey (.291 BA/20 RBI), shortstop Casey Carter (.291 BA/2 HR/14 RBI), third baseman Bobby Cieslak (.299 BA/13 RBI) and first baseman Frank Gullo (.243 BA/3 HR/13 RB) were just average at the plate.
The Zebulon Zips (10-18) have been in the Supreme League since 1957 with little success... the Zips are just 35-44 in those 5 seasons... this was their worst season... they wound up in 7th place... Zebulon had terrible pitching this year with a 5.17 ERA... Chad Hooker (3-2/3.98 ERA) and Duck Davis (4-8/4.89 ERA) were the best of the worst... the relievers were horrible... however, the Zips could zap the ball and score runs... they just couldn't get anyone out... standouts at the plate were second baseman Eddie Rabbitt (.361 BA/2 HR/19 RBI), right fielder Mickey Campbell (.328 BA/1 HR/23 RBI), catcher Tubby Ernst (.317 BA/1 HR/22 RBI), center fielder Lester Lambert (.354 BA/1 HR/13 RBI), third baseman Terry Humphries (.291 BA/1 HR/16 RBI) and Alex Henderson (.389 BA/1 HR/12 RBI).
What a story the last place New Yerby Yankees (10-18) are... they have the best overall mark in the South Island Leagues... in 5 seasons the Yanks are 51-28 with 3 pennants... they copped the Secondary League flag in 1958 and jumped up to the Supreme League in 1959 and won the title two years in a row... then tumbled badly this year all the way to last place and got themselves sent back to the Secondary League... the pitching was atrocious (5.40 ERA)... Vito Parnelli (6-4/4.23 ERA) and Kenny Hersh (2-2/6.57 ERA) were the best they had to offer... the bullpen was absolutely lousy... but the Yankees could hit and score runs with the likes of catcher Kent Clemenceau (.340 BA/3 HR/25 RBI), shortstop Dom DeLuca (.327 BA/2 HR/21 RBI), center fielder Clayton Delaney (.304 BA/1 HR/17 RBI), Whitey Powell (.323 BA/13 RBI) and first baseman James Madison (.266 BA/3 HR/14 RBI)... it's stunning what happened to New Yerby this year... totally unexpected.
Supreme League Batting Leaders
Supreme League Pitching Leaders
