MAY 14, 1951
STATESMEN HALFWAY TO CAGE REPEAT
Lead Toronto 2-0 in League Finals
The Toronto Falcons were cruising along with an unbeaten record through two rounds of the Federal Basketball League playoffs but the Falcons flew right into a wall that was the defense of the Washington Statesmen as the defending league champions grounded the high-flying Falcons with a pair of dominant performances to open the finals.
While Toronto was sweeping Detroit and first place Rochester on the West Division side of the playoff bracket, Washington -after earning a bye in the opening round- had its hands full with the Boston Centurions before eventually claiming the best-of-seven set in six games.
In a rematch of last year's title series, one that went the full seven games before Washington prevailed with a win on its home court, the Statesmen made a huge statement in the opening contest of this year's title series against the Falcons. Lon Porter of Toronto had been a dominant force in the middle for the Falcons in each of the first two rounds, but Washington's Ivan Sisco was more than up for the task of containing the Toronto big man. Sisco would outscore Porter (29-18) and outrebound him (16-15) in a dominant 92-69 victory at the National Auditorium. The Statesmen jumped out to a 26-11 first period lead and never looked back.
Game two, also in Washington, was a defensive struggle but once more dominated by the hosts. Washington built a 12 point lead in the first period of a sloppy shooting affair and went on to win 68-47 in the lowest scoring game so far this post season. Neither club had much success shooting as the Statesmen connected on just 26% of their field goal attempts but the Falcons were just dreadful. The most accurate team in the regular season went just 19-for-94 from the field and Porter was held to just 10 points -his lowest total in the playoffs.
The series now shifts to Toronto for the next two games and an opportunity for the Falcons to get back in the series. The big question is can they solve Washington's defense as the club that allowed the fewest points against in the regular season has smothered Porter and the Falcons so far in the finals.
SMOOTH SAILING! SAILORS LEAD CA
Philadelphia. A City of Contrast With Both the Best and Worst of Baseball
Any talk of the Philadelphia Sailors embarking on an extensive rebuild after making the decision to throw former batting champs Marion Boismenu and Ed Reyes overboard has been silenced by the on-field performance of what has to be the most surprising team in baseball in the early going. The Sailors nine-game winning streak may have come to an end in the nightcap of a twinbill against the Cincinnati Cannons yesterday, but a month into the season few would have expected it to be the Sailors with the best record in baseball.
Joe Scott, a 27-year-old who hit just .245 last season, is one of many Sailors off to a surprising start. The 27-year-old has taken over first base duties and is batting an impressive .315 while giving the Sailors four homeruns, double the total Ed Reyes provided in 88 games at first base a year ago. 24-year-old George Rutter, a second year outfielder, is also batting over .300 and providing some pop to an offense that normally delivers very little. Vets Cotton Dillon and Les Cuhna are also off to better than average starts while 25-year-old Billy Forbes, who was an all-star last year, is enjoying a terrific start as well.
The Sailors always seem to get the most out of their starting pitching and usually find success with arms that did not live up to expectations elsewhere. Lou Robertson would be exhibit A in that regard. The 36-year-old was waived by the Brooklyn Kings after a 9-10, 4.33 season out of the pen a year ago. The Sailors signed him, making it five different teams in the past five years for veteran righthander. He had spent most of his career in the pen but the Sailors have Robertson in their rotation and he has rewarded the confidence displayed by rookie manager Billy Rose by going 3-1 with a Continental Association best 1.54 era through five starts.
Few expected the hot start and likely few expect it to continue all season but the Sailors have captured the attention of Philadelphia fans for their quick start, especially while the cross-town Keystones are off to the worst start in either association. While everything has gone right for the Sailors, things could not be much worse than they are right now at Broad Street Park. The Keystones pitching has been awful and while the homers are still flying out of the park, the Keystones have the worst on base percentage in the Federal Association and are just 6th in runs scored. Second year outfielder Don Berry (.287,8,16) has had a terrific start and Hank Koblenz (.274,7,16) is still hitting longballs, but beyond that there has been very little to cheer about for Keystones fans.
SURGING SAILORS SEPERATING FROM THE PACK
When the season started, nobody thought the Philadelphia Sailors had much of a chance to win the Continental Association.
When they then waived Marion Boismenu (.263, 1, 1) and Ed Reyes (.150), both who could have fetched a prospect or two, on the eve of Opening Day, that chance managed to become slimmer.
But as we start the week of May 14th, all seven Continental clubs are looking up on a 19-7 Sailors squad that has already built a comfortable five game lead as they look to run away with the association to capture their third pennant in five seasons.
No team is hotter then the Sailors, who won nine straight before Cannons breakout starter Harry Thomas (3-1, 2.92, 20) held the second ranked offense to just one-run in the second half of a double header. Philly allowed four runs, including two from Jackie James (1-1, 4, 1.35, 7), who despite the blemish has made Philly fans completely forget that David Molina (1-3, 4, 10.26, 7) used to be their elite stopper. James has been outstanding in his 15 appearances, tossing 20 innings with a 1.35 ERA (327 ERA+) and 0.80 WHIP as a Rule-5 pick from Brooklyn. Funny enough, he's not the only Kings castaway that Philly has squeezed value from, as 36-year-old waiver claim Lou Robertson (3-1, 1.54, 15) has somehow managed to lead the league in ERA, almost flawless in his 41 innings so far. He has yet to allow more then three runs in a start, and this unheralded duo has been a crucial component of FABL's #1 pitching staff.
The offense has been equally impressive, with the 2 through 7 hitters all batting above .285, led by star center fielder Billy Forbes (.350, 2, 16, 7), who could be the next Sailor to win a batting title. He has plenty of support with George Rutter (.310, 4, 21, 2), Joe Scott (.315, 4, 21, 1), and Cotton Dillon (.303, 2, 14, 1) driving him in, while even eight hole hitter Les Cunha (.320, 2, 12) has more then pulled his weight as he's on track for his fourth 154 game season. Even Rip Lee (.227, 2, 7, 7), the lone hitter below .285 in the lineup, has impacted the game in other ways, tied for 2nd with Forbes (and others) in steals while sporting a solid .320 on-base percentage and plus play at the hot corner (1.8 ZR, 1.037 EFF). About everything has gone right for the Sailors so far, and it may be time to start taking the recent cellar dwellers seriously.
The coming week is a big one, as they'll be home for all seven contests, including a double header to end the week with the last place Stars (10-17). Off to start the week, they host both Montreal (15-13) and Brooklyn (14-14) before hand, teams that are relatively close to them in the standings. Pushing down two potential contenders before picking on a struggling Stars team that can't keep runs off the board could lengthen the already large division lead they hold, with their eyes set on double digits before the calendar flips to June.
TALES FROM THE LAIR
Things Are Getting Dark For The Wolves -Toronto returns home to Dominion Stadium after enduring a 5-12 road trip. On this trip they were outscored by a 94-60. One would think that scoring on average 3.5 runs per game should be enough to keep a team around .500 but not when the opposition is averaging close to 5 runs a game. In the 5 wins on the trip the team scored 40 of the 60 runs they had over the last two weeks.
Over the past week the team lost a game to finish a series in Chicago, then dropped 2 of 3 in Montreal followed by 3 of 4 in Cleveland. In the two losses in Montreal they scored 1 run in two games on 7 hits before taking the Thursday game 5-1. The team stretched their winning streak to two with a 6-5 win at Foresters Stadium before dropping the last three of the four game set 14-4 and then 8-2 and 5-4 in a Sunday doubleheader. The last loss summarizes the entire road trip. Up 4-1 going into the bottom of the ninth Lou Jayson comes in for a save then promptly gives up 4 runs on 5 hits be snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Coming home for the balance of May this team is at a cross-roads. Can the Wolves accomplish their season's goal of being competitive with the current roster? Or is it time for a total changing of the personnel at the FABL level?
The team is dead last in the league in runs scored, and pitching is only middle of the pack. Fielding is a little better although errors at critical times are still costing the team games. Things have to change but the question remains, where to start? The obvious place is the bullpen where as a group their ERA is 8.12 with 3-4 record, along with a maddening 5 blown saves. Brett has learned the John Marsh has been designated for assignment with Charlie Zimmerman summoned from Buffalo to take his place. Manager Barrell has to start the turnaround on this homestand, he has his hands full.
The news is not all bad Tony Ballinger won Player of The Week in Buffalo. He is making it tough to keep him in AAA with a line of .353/.417/.667. Jim Waters, Joe Curtis also won the same award in AA, A showing there is talent in the pipeline.
A 5-3 record finally has the Gothams moving in the right direction. The veteran squad shows no concerns as yet, however, they do realize the need to keep within shouting distance of league leaders St. Louis and Detroit.
A bit of fun this week as 37 year old Joe Brown hit his first career homer. Brown was met by a dugout of indifference following his unexpected trot around the sacks. Joe sat quietly enjoying his moment before his mates surrounded him with slaps on the back. The home run was also the 100th hit of Brown's career.
Red Johnson seems to be waking from his early season slumber, smacking three homers himself this week.
Roosevelt Brewer continues his strong start and is now 3rd in the FA with a .371 average.
Down on the farm, top prospect, 18 year old Earl Howe is hitting .318 and a .915 OPS at single A Albany. One wonders when the first overall pick in the 1950 draft may move up to Reading in AA.
PACKERS FIND NEW COACH
The Chicago Packers concluded their search for a new bench boss with news that Chad Fillman will take over as the head coach of the team that finished with the worst record in the North American Hockey Confederation last season. The 63-year-old Winnipeg native will be making his first foray into the NAHC, replacing Ed Hempenstall, who was fired at the conclusion of the regular season after seven seasons at the helm in the Windy City.
Under Hempenstall the Packers peaked with a first place finish during the regular season in 1947-48 but were then upset in the semi-finals by the fourth place New York Shamrocks. Hempenstall would guide the Packers to the playoffs each of his first six seasons with the team but only once did they advance to the finals. Chicago remains the only active NAHC club to never win a Challenge Cup and after a dreadful 9-44-17 showing -the worst performance in the club's modern history- the decision was made to make a change.
Little is known about Fillman in the pro ranks but he is well known for his defense-first focus from his many years of coaching in Western Canada.
WAVE OF SIGNINGS BY CUP CHAMPS
A number of Montreal Valiants players had more than just their second consecutive Challenge Cup win to celebrate as immediately after the finals were completed, with the Vals downing Boston in a thrilling seven game finals, Montreal management signed many of the key contributors to the two Cup wins to contract extensions.
The signings included 35-year-old goaltender Tom Brockers, who has reupped with the club on a one year deal. Brockers, who played in 58 games and posted a 2.18 goals against average during the regular season, was named to the league's First All-Star team and is a finalist for the Juneau Trophy, an award he has already won on four other occasions. Fellow First-Team All-Star selection Shel Herron also signed a 1-year deal while 33-year-old center Clarence Skinner, fresh off a 16-point performance in the playoffs, has committed to Montreal for the next three seasons.
Other Valiants to ink extensions were defensemen John McDonald, Lee Webb, Alex Peters and Cory Findlay along with forwards Paulie Mosca and Jimmy Backus.
KEYSTONE ALLIANCE DISBANDS, MIDWEST EIGHT FORMED
One of the original conferences in collegiate basketball has fallen by the wayside with news that the Keystone Alliance will no longer exist. The section, which at its peak was home to 19 Pennsylvania schools, had 13 members this past season but has not been a factor on the division one college basketball landscape for decades.
The conference disbanded with the news that three of its more successful members in Erie, Berwick and Bethlehem College had decided to bolt to join the newly minted Midwest Eight. The other ten former members will play as independents next year. The Keystone Alliance, like each of the other AIAA basketball conferences, received an automatic bid for its champion to play in the AIAA tournament but no Keystone school has won a tournament game since 1930 and the conference had never seen a team advance past the second round of the national tournament.
The automatic bid formerly reserved for the Keystone Alliance will now go to the champion of the Midwest Eight, a collection of schools from Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
RECENT KEY RESULTS- Jim Ward continues his ascent up the middleweight ranks with his latest win, a unanimous decision in a 10-rounder as the feature event at Bigsby Garden last Thursday night over Adrian Petrie. Petrie (21-4-3) is the Montreal born fighter who won the world title under somewhat dubious circumstances when he earned a decision on his home soil over the late Edouard Desmarais in 1948 but lost the title to Desmarais shortly after in a rematch. Ward, a 28-year-old New Yorker, was recently named the #3 contender in the middleweight division to Millard Shelton's crown by This Week in Figment Sports. Ward, who has won his last 11 outings, now sees his record improve to 28-3 including some impressive wins over Tommy Campbell, Davis Owens and Brooks O'Connor.
UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS- May 17- Miami, Fl- veteran middleweight Bob Hinkle (29-10-1) faces Jersey Jerry Miller (19-15)
- May 17-Los Angeles, CA- veteran welterweight Willis May (25-8-2) vs Michael Holloway (22-12-3)
- May 18- Keystone Arena, Philadelphia: former welterweight champion Mac Erickson (22-4) vs Danny Julian (29-3-2)
- May 24- St Paul, Mn- former middleweight contender Nick Harris (32-8-1) vs Andy Jackson (25-7-3)
- May 25 - Lakeside Auditorium, Chicago - HW contender Cannon Cooper (33-6-1) vs John Howe (41-17-1)
- June 8- Buffalo, NY: World Welterweight champion Danny Rutledge (23-1-1) makes his first tile defense against Ben Burns (20-0)
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 5/13/1951
- Secretary of Defense Marshall told Congress that MacArthur had to go, the dismissal was necessary because of his "wholly unprecedented" public displeasure "with the foreign and military policy of the United States." Marshall also suggested MacArthur's proposals would risk "an all-out war with the Soviet Union."
- President Truman stuck to his guns on the political and military strategy in Korea, warning critics that the US might lose her allies, wreck the United Nations and be forced to wage a lone and deadly war against communism if we launched a large-scale attack on China.
- South Korean forces pushed the ends of the battle line in Korea northward while U.N. armored patrols probing for withdrawing Reds.
- At Iceland's request, American troops have been sent to that country for the announced purpose of aiding Iceland's defense under the North Atlantic alliance.
- Opposition leaders and secret police waged a gun battle on the streets of Panama City and President Arnulfo Arias charged a vast subversive plan to overthrow his government was underway. The leader of the opposition was wounded and escaped to the United States-controlled Panama Canal zone a block away.