OCTOBER 9, 1950
GOTHAMS BLAST CLEVELAND 18-3 TO EVEN SERIES
The New York Gothams bats broke out in a big way yesterday as their bats exploded for 18 runs on 21 hits and pounded the Cleveland Foresters 18-3 to even the World Championship Series at two wins apiece. This after the Gothams dropped a 4-1 decision to the Foresters in the third game.
The Gothams 18-3 victory is the highest single team run total in a WCS game since the Cleveland Foresters won game seven of the 1934 World Championship Series over the Gothams by the exact same 18-3 score. The 21 runs combined by the two clubs matches that game and the total from the seventh game of the 1938 series when the Chicago Chiefs outscored the Brooklyn Kings 11-10.
Despite the blowout loss the Foresters suggest they are very happy to be tied in the series and confident in sending their ace Adrian Czerwinski to the hill today against Lefty Allen. Czerwinski won game two over Allen on three days rest and will be attempting to do the same to give the Foresters a stranglehold on the series as they return to Cleveland for the sixth and, if necessary, seventh games.
Saturday's third game saw Ducky Davis scatter 8 hits over 8 innings of work before handing the ball to reliever Ollie White. White, who had 3 saves in last year's WCS 7-game loss to the Chicago Chiefs, notched his first of this series but he did make it interesting in allowing two base runners in the bottom of the ninth before retiring Roosevelt Brewer and Walt Messer on outfield fly balls to preserve the 4-1 Cleveland victory. Davis had held the Gothams off the scoresheet until the 8th inning when their lone run came on a Flipper Robinson rbi single.
Joe Brown was a bit of a surprise choice to get the start for the Gothams ahead of Buddy Long, who had an impressive 16-5 regular season record. Brown could not be faulted for the loss - he only allowed 5 Cleveland hits in his seven innings of work but they included a 2-run homer off the bat of Jim Urquhart in the fifth frame after Eddie Morris had singled. For Urquhart, a 23-year-old rookie, it was just the second big league homer he has ever hit as he managed just one in 577 at bats for the Foresters this season. Morris and Urquhart combined on Cleveland's opening run in the third inning when Morris hit a lead-off triple and was plated by Urquhart's sacrifice fly.
Heading into game four the big concern in New York was the disappearance of the Gothams big bats. Walt Messer was 1-for-14, Red Johnson was 2-for-9 and George Cleaves, after going hitless in Cleveland, was 2-for-10 and Cleaves game three double was the only extra base hit the three could muster.
The narrative certainly changed following a game four that saw the Cleaves go 5-for-5 with a homer and 4 rbi's, Messer go 3-for-4 with a triple and 3 rbi's and Johnson get his first extra base hit of the series -a double- and score twice. Seeing second baseman Roosevelt Brewer add a homer and 5 rbi's on 4 hits and even starting pitcher Ed Bowman get into the act at the plate with a double and 2 singles ended the worry about the New York offense. The question now was could they do it again and could they get to Foresters ace Adrian Czerwinski in today's pivotal 5th game.
As for the Foresters, well, they said all the right things after the loss and how they were happy to be tied with their ace set to pitch the next game but one can't help but wonder what sort of impact it might have on the Cleveland psyche when you pile the worst WCS loss in 17 years with that awful collapse from last season when they blew a 3-games to none lead against the Chicago Chiefs to lose the series. It will be interesting to see how the Foresters respond today at Gothams Stadium.
- George Cleaves had 5 hits in game four, tying a record for most hits in a WCS game. Joining Cleaves with 5 in a contest are T.R. Goins, Danny James, Frank St. Pierre, Jimmy Whipple, John Oliver and John Cook.
- Roosevelt Brewer's 5 rbi's in the fourth game were one shy of the WCS record 6 set by Bernie Trumaine for the 1915 Boston Minutemen.
FIGHTING SAINTS SETTLE FOR TIE WITH WHITNEY COLLEGE
If last week's near miss against North Carolina Tech was not proof enough, a tie against a Whitney College eleven they hammered by 45 points a year ago should confirm that this year's edition of St Blane football is not up to par when compared with recent seasons. The sophomore-dominated Engineers deserve full credit for leaving St Blane Stadium with a 17-17 tie, causing most of the 56,748 fans on hand in Latrobe, Pa. to shake their heads in disbelief. It was no fluke. Whitney College, a 20-point underdog, simply outplayed the Saints in every category -including an overpowering fighting spirit and confidence.
The Fighting Saints did manage to crack the top ten in the first college poll of the season but just barely. Rome State, which used its size advantage on the line to overpower Liberty College 20-3 for its second triumph of the season and extended the unbeaten string of the Centurions to twenty-two straight games. The other service academy, Annapolis Maritime, also had a big game as the Navigators charted a course to a 17-3 victory over St. Magnus and evened their season record at 1-1.
Detroit City College improved to 2-0 and holds down the number two spot in the polls as the Knights, trying to bounce back from a disappointing 5-4 season a year ago, blanked Academia Alliance outfit Grafton 21-0. The grasping fingers of lanky end Marv Friederich led the Knights as the sophomore gave a dazzling display of pass catching, both from his and Grafton throwers. Friederich scored the opening touchdown on a 22-yard reception and later the glue-fingered Friederich broke the back of the Scholars offense with 3 interceptions- deep in Detroit City College territory- in the end zone, the DCC 5 yard and 25 yard lines.
Other games of note saw North Carolina Tech down Noble Jones College 19-6 despite a strong showing from Colonels junior quarterback Charlie Barrell. Cumberland improved to 3-0 with a 10-3 victory over Carolina Poly while another big passing day from Babe Parilli lifted Central Kentucky to its fourth straight victory, an easy outing in a 31-0 whitewashing of Cleveland. Out west the two northern California schools each improved to 3-0 with non-conference victories as Redwood shutout Minns College 21-0 while Northern Cal topped Sunnyvale 20-3.
WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS
EAST
St. Blane 17 Whitney College 17
Sadler 29 Garden State 10
Henry Hudson 24 Dickson 10
George Fox 13 Brooklyn State 7
Brunswick 20 St. Pancras 0
St. Patrick's 34 Ellery 3
Potomac College 23 Huntington State 0
Strub College 35 Boston State 21
Empire State 6 Lakeview (OH) 0
New York Maritime 17 Bigsby College 3
SOUTH
Rome State 20 Liberty College 3
North Carolina Tech 19 Noble Jones College 6
Annapolis Maritime 17 St. Magnus 3
Cumberland 10 Carolina Poly 3
Western Florida 20 Georgia Baptist 7
Miami State 23 Penn Catholic 10
Central Kentucky 31 Cleveland 0
Maryland State 20 St. Ignatius 10
Mississippi A&M 33 Commonwealth Catholic 0
Opelika State 10 New Orleans Baptist 7
Alabama Baptist 33 Bluegrass State 20
Eastern State 44 Chesapeake State 21
Alexandria 47 Petersburg 7
Cowpens State 16 Richmond State 7
Baton Rouge State 16 Pineville 0
Columbia Military Academy 21 Bulein 9
Coastal State 41 Charleston Tech 0
Mobile Maritime 10 Lexington State 3
MIDWEST
Detroit City College 21 Grafton 0
Central Ohio 43 Pittsburgh State 10
Lincoln 8 Wisconsin State 0
Minnesota Tech 24 College of Omaha 24
Indiana A&M 16 Western Iowa 6
Lambert College 28 Eastern Oklahoma 13
Iowa A&M 20 Iowa Northern 3
Lawrence State 23 Boulder State 10
Northern Minnesota 33 Topeka State 14
Central Illinois 19 Weston 6
Charleston (IL) 17 Central Carolina 17
Wisconsin Catholic 24 Eastern Kansas 10
SOUTHWEST
Lubbock State 21 Northern Mississippi 14
Darnell State 43 Oklahoma City State 34
Red River State 7 Bayou State 6
Texas Gulf Coast 35 Daniel Boone College 28
Amarillo Methodist 14 Arkansas A&T 7
Texas Panhandle 30 Idaho A&M 16
Ferguson 20 San Antonio State 7
Payne State 35 St. Matthew's College 3
College of Waco 47 Canyon A&M 14
Valley State 19 Abilene Baptist 19
South Valley State 49 El Paso Methodist 7
WEST
Rainier College 21 CC Los Angeles 13
Spokane State 23 Coastal California 14
Redwood 13 Lane State 7
Northern California 13 Pierpont 10
Portland Tech 24 Custer College 20
College of San Diego 26 Mile High State 24
California Catholic 41 Golden Gate University 21
Sunnyvale 28 Minns College 20
Provo Tech 48 Utah A&M 31
Western Montana 13 Cache Valley 7
Tempe College 48 Flagstaff State 17
Wyoming A&I 34 Colorado Poly 7
San Francisco Tech 52 Kit Carson University 14
PALADINS HOLD OFF FINCHES IN SHOWDOWN
A battle of a pair of unbeaten teams in American Football Association weekend action lived up to its billing as the Pittsburgh Paladins held off the Cleveland Finches, claiming a 20-16 victory on their home turf at Pittsburgh's Fitzpatrick Park. The game featured a pair of terrific quarterbacking performances with Dusty Sinclair continuing to be the difference since joining the Paladins this season from Los Angeles. The former Travis College star threw for 339 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Paladins to victory, overshadowing a solid day by Cleveland passer Rick McKowen, who threw a pair of touchdown strikes as part of his 258 yard passing day.
The Finches led 10-7 at the break but a pair of Cleveland turnovers late in the third period and early in the fourth led to pair of Pittsburgh scoring drives. The Finches, now trailing by 4 points as time wound down, had a promising drive for the winning score snuffed out in the final minute when Chris Marzella intercepted a McKowen pass at the Pittsburgh 17 yard line, allowing the Paladins to takeover possession and run out the clock.
Elsewhere, the St Louis Ramblers improved to 4-0 and moved a game up on Cleveland in the American Conference with a 38-7 drubbing of the New Orleans Crescents. The only other remaining undefeated team to join the Ramblers and Paladins are the Washington Wasps, who ran their record to 3-0 with a 34-24 victory over the struggling two-time defending AFA champions from Chicago. Speaking of struggling, the Detroit Maroons dropped to 1-3, falling 21-3 to the San Francisco Wings. The Maroons have been outscored 102-27 this season.
The Los Angeles Tigers lost for the first time this season, dropping a 14-10 road decision to the Frigates in Philadelphia. Finally, at Minutemen Stadium in Boston, Archie Rawlings threw for 212 yards and 3 scores to lead the visiting New York Stars to a 41-24 victory over the host Americans.
NAHC SET FOR SEASON OPENER
The North American Hockey Conferderation is just days away from lifting the curtain on its 42nd second. The loop -the oldest professional sports league this side of FABL- commences its 1950-51 campaign with a single game on Wednesday when the Toronto Dukes host the New York Shamrocks. The Dukes won back-to-back Challenge Cups in the spring of 1948 and 1949 but will have something to prove this time around after being knocked out in the semi-finals last season by the Montreal Valiants, who would go on to win their first Cup since 1927-28.
The Dukes head into the regular season on a roll as after a slow start to the preseason that saw Toronto earn just a single point from their first three outings, the Dukes reeled off four straight victories to finish with the best preseason record in the loop. Heading in the other direction, if exhibition games are any factor, are the Chicago Packers. The Packers began the preseason slate with four straight wins but then proceeded to lose each of their final three games including back-to-back lobsided losses to the Boston Bees.
***Ticket Drive in Motor City Pays Off ***
The Detroit Motors attendance has lagged behind other NAHC clubs in recent season but a push over the summer by club owner John Connelly Jr., coupled with what is hoped to be a bright future filled with plenty of young talent, saw the Motors sell a league-high 12,634 season tickets according to numbers released last week by the league. Thompson Palladium has a seating capacity of 15,000. The only team to sell less than 10,000 season ducats was the Boston Bees, a team that won five Challenge Cups in the past decade but has had its struggles of late and finished dead last in the league last season.
Code:
NAHC FINAL PRESEASON STANDINGS
TEAM GP W L T PTS
Toronto 7 4 2 1 9
Chicago 7 4 3 0 8
Montreal 7 4 3 0 8
New York 7 3 2 2 8
Detroit 7 2 4 1 5
Boston 7 2 5 0 4
SCORING LEADERS
NAME GP G A PTS
Pollack, Tor 7 5 7 12
Carlosn, Tor 7 7 4 11
Savard, NYS 7 6 3 9
Vanderbilt,Det 7 2 7 9
T. Burns, Chi 7 2 6 8
Cabbell, NYS 7 2 6 8
Mahoney, Chi 6 5 2 7
Hartnell, NYS 7 2 5 7
Kennedy, NYS 7 2 5 7
Chandler, Bos 7 1 6 7
Sauer, Tor 7 0 7 7
NAHC PRESEASON RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK
TUESDAY OCTOBER 3
Toronto 3 at Boston 2: Les Carlson 2G,1A, Quinton Pollack 1G,2A, Bees 5th consecutive loss
Detroit 6 at New York 3: Harry Remington 3G,1A and Adam Vanderbilt 1G2A for Detroit
Montreal 3 at Chicago 2: Adam Sandford 1G,1A, Brad Carter 43 saves for Montreal. Chicago ends 4 game winning streak.
THURSDAY OCTOBER 5
New York 1 at Detroit 1: Graham Comeau Detroit goal, Ryan Kennedy New York goal
Toronto 2 at Montreal 1: Les Carlson 1G,1A. Quinton Pollack game winner in third period
Boston 5 at Chicago 2: Wes Chandler 3A, John Bentley 2G,1A for Boston
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6
Montreal 1 at New York 5: Shamrocks 4 goals in first 14 minutes. Geoff Hartnell 2G,1A
Chicago 0 at Boston 5: Packers had just 16 shots on Pierre Melancon. 5 different Bees scored
Detroit 2 at Toronto 5: Quinton Pollack 1G,1A for Toronto to take preseason scoring lead.
UPCOMING GAMES
START OF REGULAR SEASON
WEDNEDAY OCTOBER 11
Toronto at New York
THURSDAY OCTOBER 12
Montreal at Boston
SATURDAY OCTOBER 14
Detroit at Boston
Montreal at Chicago
SUNDAY OCTOBER 15
Boston at Detroit
Toronto at Montreal
Chicago at New York
Dukes Begin Regular Season Next Week -- The icemen of Toronto have finished their tune-up games before beginning the regular campaign on Wednesday in New York against the Shamrocks. In seven preseason games the Dukes went 4-1-2 scoring 23 times while allowing 19.
After what was said to be spirited training camp in Porcupine, Ont., where players were fighting for jobs both figuratively and on the ice. Locals who showed up to the workouts and scrimmages said some the fisticuffs reached the level of the brawls between miners on Saturday nights in the numerous watering holes around the area.
Coach Barrell did not seem to mind the extracurricular activities on the ice saying it showed how valuable a job is in the NAHC along with some hangover from the early playoff exit in April. Barrell definitely wants his team to set the pace physically this season, there were times last season when the team was close to getting run out of the rink when the opposition took it to the Dukes.
The Dukes look like they will open the season, in which they play their first five on the road, with 2 goaltenders, 9 defensemen and 11 forwards with one open spot on the 23 man roster. Brett has learned that pairings on the back end will be headed by J.C. Martel and Tim Brooks who are expected to play big minutes against the other team's big line, followed by Clyde Lumsen and Chad Roy probably matching opponents second line. That leaves Charlie Brown, along with newcomer Miles Norman making up the third pairing. The biggest difference the fans will notice is that the tandem of men in between the pipes, Broadway will be joined by rookie Charlie Dell. The Dukes have severed ties with longtime backup Terry Russell who was instrumental in two Challenge Cup runs. The move was not unexpected as Broadway at 36 is not getting any younger, with Dell in Toronto along with Scott Renes in Cleveland the Dukes seem to set for a smooth transition in net.
Up front it looks like the lines with be:
Charette-Pollack-Carlson
Parker-Sauer-Cameron
Lavalliere-Brisebois-Zimmerman with Lou Galbraith and Phillipe Dubois serving as 10th forward, 7th defenseman.
The surprise there is Lou Galbraith coming off a 25 goal season not fitting into the top nine forwards. The Dukes look like putting the puck into the net will not be a problem. It also expected that Barrell will again stress keeping the puck out their net.
Coach Barrell "I know we can score, I have stressed since day one of camp our main focus has to be stopping the other team from scoring. I want to see a little more edge in our game, we got pushed around far too often last season. I want to play tough, hard hitting hockey, not dirty as some teams I will not mention here are known for in the NAHC. Guys in a Dukes uniform will finish every check. Funny how many times that causes the puck to turnover. We had a good camp, preseason I am looking forward to starting the games that count. We sent a couple of guys to Cleveland I will be keeping a close eye on."
SAWYER TO SET RECORD IN EPIC SHOWDOWN
The stage is set for a historic night in the annals of boxing as World Heavyweight Champion, Hector Sawyer, confirms his date with destiny at Lake Erie Arena in Cleveland on December 9th. This momentous occasion will mark Sawyer's 17th consecutive title defense, a feat that surpasses the legendary welterweight George Grainger's record of 16 defenses set in the 1920s.
Since his ascent to the heavyweight throne on January 15, 1940, Sawyer, known far and wide as "The Cajun Crusher", has been a force to be reckoned with in the ring. His dominance knows no bounds, with a professional record standing at an impressive 64-3-1. Even amidst the dark clouds of war, Sawyer's indomitable spirit shone bright, as he showcased his skills in countless military exhibitions.
Sawyer's journey to the record books reached its zenith on July 4th at Gothams Stadium, where he secured an emphatic 11th-round knockout victory over Cannon Cooper to equal Grainger's illustrious record. Now, with history beckoning, the 36-year-old Sawyer will step into the ring once more, aiming to etch his name in boxing folklore for eternity.
However, standing in Sawyer's path to immortality is a formidable challenger in the form of Brad Harris. At a youthful 22 years of age, Harris, hailing from Akron, Ohio, boasts an impressive record of 19-0-1. Despite his relative obscurity on the boxing scene -Harris cut his teeth earning most of his victories against fighters with little potential- but he has stepped up to face strong opponents recently including a 9th round TKO of Dan Miller a year ago and another TKO win over ring veteran Matt Price in the spring. The Miller result is the only common opponent for the pair, as Sawyer had an 8th round TKO win over Miller in January 1949 at Santa Ana Stadium, before what remains the largest crowd ever to witness a professional fight.
While Sawyer remains the favorite according to early odds, the specter of youth and ambition looms large. Harris's relentless drive and unwavering determination make him a formidable adversary, capable of delivering an upset of monumental proportions. As the countdown to December 9th begins, the world waits with bated breath to witness a clash of titans and the crowning of a new era in boxing history.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- Oct 11 - Vernon, CA.- Veteran Heavyweight Scott 'The Chef' Baker (23-5-3) meets Barry Scott (20-7)
- Oct 14- Atlanta, GA.- former heavyweight contender Pete Sanderson (41-11-2) faces Emmett Seals (25-16-2)
- Oct 15 - Dominion Gardens, Toronto - former middleweight champ Adrian Petrie (20-3-2) meets Jerry Roberts (25-10-2)
- Oct 18 - San Francisco, CA- Heavyweight contenders Cannon Cooper (31-6-1) and Tommy Cline (17-3) meet
- Oct 19- Denny Arena, Boston- Boston heavyweight Roy Crawford (32-6) faces Canadian Phil Easton (30-6-2)
- Oct 22 - Lewiston, ME.- Heavyweight Bill Sloan (19-3) meets Harvey Winter (22-6-1)
- Oct 26- Cincinnati, OH- Unbeaten heavyweight contender Joey Tierney (20-0) faces Mike McFarland (21-11-2)
- Oct 27- San Francisco, CA- middleweight contender Millard Shelton (29-5) faces Dan Atkin (28-11-2)
- Oct 28- Thompson Palladium, Detroit - welterweight veteran George Gibbs (27-6) meets William Stevens (10-3-1)
- Oct 31- Atlanta, GA.- former welterweight champion Mac Erickson (22-2) faces Brian Pierce (17-3)
- Oct 31- St.Paul, MN - middleweight contender Davis Owens (23-1) meets Henry Alder (36-24-5)
- Oct 31 - Lakeside Auditorium, Chicago: Middleweight contender Bill Boggs (21-3-1) faces Jack Rainey (29-10-1)
- Dec 9 - Lake Erie Arena, Cleveland: World Heavyweight Champion Hector Sawyer 64-3-1 defends his title against Brad Harris (19-0-1)
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 10/08/1950
- The United Nations has given clearance for American troops to proceed across the 38th Parallel for final victory over the Korean Communists.
- As UN troops under the command of Gen. MacArthur cross the 38th, the United States and Britain assured Russia and Communist China that American forces moving through North Korea would not advance beyond the Korean border.
- Panama's offer to turn over six military bases to the United Nations for military purposes is almost certain to be accepted if a U.N. Army is created. The bases were built by the United States during World War II.
- Defense department officials estimate the total outlay in military spending this year would run for $35 billion to $40 billion. Congress has already appropriated more than $26 billion to a defense department which is working for the first time since the last war with a budget that has no ceiling.
- Idaho, with two senators, two representatives and a governor to be elected this year, is a prize for which the Republicans and Democrats are fighting desperately.
- Senate Investigators suggest there is strong evidence that Al Capone's power did not die with him in 1947. "We think we have found strong evidence that the Capone syndicate is still operating (in Chicago) and in other parts of the country," said the Chairman of the Senate Crime Investigating Committee.