[Jiggs McGee]

JUNE 18, 1962
CARPENTER EXCELS AS CALIFORNIA CATHOLIC WINS COLLEGE WCS

For the first time in their history the California Catholic Crusaders have won an AIAA national championship. The Crusaders baseball team, led by senior pitcher Ken Carpenter, outlasted Rainier College in yesterday's third and deciding game of the finals to win Collegiate World Championship Series. Carpenter, who was the first college player selected in the recent FABL rookie draft, was named tournament MVP after pitching a complete game 2-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Majestics in game two of the series. Earlier in the event Carpenter, who was 8-4 with a 2.57 era during the regular season, pitched the Crusaders to wins over Frankford State and top ranked Georgia Baptist.

Back-to-back homers from Art Gardner and freshman Elmer Simonetta helped Rainier College, which was the host school for the championships, draw first blood in the finals with a 7-3 victory over the Crusaders. Game two was all Carpenter as the senior righthander who will be joining the Toronto Wolves organization next week, fanned 9 and allowed just two hits in going the distance for a 1-0 victory to level the series and force a third game. The Crusaders were on a pilgrimage around the bases in the early going, plating 2 runs in the top of the first inning and 3 more in the third frame before going on to claim the title with a 7-5 victory.

CALVIN, SMITH WIN AMATEUR AWARDS

A pair of infielders captured the top individual amateur baseball awards for the year. Bill Calvin, a third baseman from Maryland State won the Frank Christian Award while New Jersey high school shortstop Lew Smith was named the Adwell Award recipient for 1962.

Calvin, a 22-year-old Ohio native, was a two-time All-American third baseman from the Maryland State Bengals. His name was called by the Philadelphia Keystones with the 19th selection of the FABL draft last week. Brooklyn State sophomore pitcher Cy Boyd, who is draft eligible in 1963, finished second in the Christian Award voting.

Smith, a senior who was born in Brooklyn but played his high school ball in Passaic, NJ, was a 4-year starter at shortstop for his varsity team. He hit .494 this season and nosed out a pair of pitchers in Ellis Porter and Hanson Allen. Smith was selected 16th overall in last week's FABL draft by the Los Angeles Stars. He becomes the first New Jersey high schooler to win the Adwell since Bill Barrett did it back in 1938. Smith also ends a three year hold on the award by pitchers and joins one of Barrett's former big league teammates in Ralph Hanson (1945) as the only shortstops to win the Adwell Award.

Sailors Surge with Nine Game Win Streak; Foresters Still Comfortably Ahead

While Cleveland continues to lead the Continental Association, the other teams in the loop have been trading off huge winning streaks. First, it was the Dallas Berry (.356, 22, 59, 8) led Cincinnati Cannons, who won seven straight. Now it's the San Francisco Sailors and their nine game run of victories.

Sweeps of the Wolves, Kings, and Imperials have allowed the Sailors to improve to 34-24, tied for second with the Cannons and six shy of the Foresters. The only FABL team running with a four man rotation, it seems to be working well for last year's runner up, who have now dethroned the Cougars as the Continental staff with the fewest runs allowed. It's an interesting group, as the top half is a pair of 23-year-old homegrown stars, with the back half both acquired in the Zeke Blake deal which came during spring training.

Charlie Lawson leads the staff, and the second-year starter has decided that sophomore slumps aren't for him. After going 13-8 with a CA leading 2.91 ERA (155 ERA+) and 1.07 WHIP in 1961, Lawson has been almost as good this time around at 6-3 with a 3.08 ERA (148 ERA+) and 1.09 WHIP. Similar numbers match his K% (17 to 16.8), BB% (7.5 to 7.0), and of course his K/BB (2.3 to 2.4), but where he's taken the biggest leap forward is with the longball. If he had a weakness last year, it was the 29 homers in 238 innings, but this season he has just 6 in 90.2, almost cutting his home run rate in half. This had led to a nice decrease in his FIP from 4.03 (89 FIP-) to 3.51 (77 FIP-), as Lawson has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the game. An All-Star lock and potential Allen winner, he's the undisputed ace of the staff, but the performance of the guys behind him is what's allowed the Sailors to come back.

Third year pitcher George Fuller (5-5, 3.07, 45) deserves a record far better then 5-5, as his 148 ERA+ and 1.11 WHIP are top-notch, while he's struck out 45 with 25 walks in 82 innings. Ranked as high as the 17th prospect in FABL, impressive metrics like this were expected, and with a good first half last year he was able to capture an All-Star selection. Getting good results from him and Lawson may have been expected, but I don't think the Sailors front office envisioned how good Hank Lacey (4-2, 3.25, 47) and Zane Kelley (6-2, 3.64, 44) have been. Both longtime Wolves, Lacey lost a CA high 17 games last season, and was under .500 in all but one of the five seasons he pitched as a starter. 43-69 with a 4.43 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, and 672 strikeouts is decent enough for a back end, but he's on track for career bests in ERA and WHIP, and easily the best season of his career. With Kelley, it's even more impressive, as the 36-year-old had a 7.09 ERA (65 ERA+) and 1.80 WHIP in 66 innings last season, walking (39) more guys then he struck out (33). His time in Toronto was even less inspiring then Lacey's, as he had a 4.71 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, and 685 strikeouts in nearly 1,500 innings.
So why are these guys pitching so well?

Defense, baby!

The Sailors defense is among the best in the league, and it all starts with 25-year-old shortstop Carlos Jaramillo. Sure, his .265/.369/.332 (82 OPS+) batting line is reminiscent of his rookie year, not the hitter he's become after, but even when he's not hitting, he can impact the game in multiple ways. His 12.2 zone rating and 1.122 efficiency are reminiscent of a prime Harry Barrell or Skipper Schneider, and the speedy shortstop has swiped 14 bags. He's also walking at a 14.1% clip, nearly three times as high as his 4.9 K%, so even when the singles aren't falling he's able to produce runs. He's scored 35 times and should reach 90 for the fourth consecutive season, continuing to prove why he's one of the most valuable players in the game.

San Francisco hits a bunch too, as they've got plenty of weapons even if Jaramillo can't turn the bat around. His athletic double play partner Heinie Spitler (.349, 4, 30, 9) has an excellent 135 WRC+, former 1st Rounder John Kingsbury (.333, 8, 40, 3) has been on a tear ever since he hit just .214/.290/.375 (70 OPS+) in April, and the disciplined Ray Rogan (.313, 4, 27) has really taken a liking to first base. They probably expected production from that group as well as the veteran Edwin Hackberry (.273, 8, 36, 10), but they have to be pleasantly surprised with 6th ranked prospect Ernie Carter. Acquired from the Kings in 1959 from the Bill Guthrie (.231, 3) trade, Carter took the starting third basemen job from former 2nd pick Bob Gray (.236, 2, 7), and he should have a hammerlock on the hot corner for years to come. The 21-year-old is off to a .338/.361/.466 (111 OPS+) start, logging 10 doubles, 3 homers, and 30 RBIs. A hamstring strain cost him some time in May, but he's hit .383/.397/.600 (153 OPS+) to start the month.

Cleveland may have a large lead right now, but this young San Francisco team has a ton of talent and is still very much in it. The only issue is what they have to deal with this week, as they'll start the week by hosting the team their tied with, the Cannons (34-24), for a three game set. Then after an off day, they'll be in Chicago for three with the Cougars (33-25), who are right on their tail. These are huge games for the red-hot Sailors, and they'll be a true test of if they can return to contention.

*** Pioneers Extend Cushion with Series win over Miners ***

Pittsburgh was on fire, wining eight of nine to get back within five games, but they ran into a tough Pioneer squad on their home turf. The Miners actually got the better of them early, as 23-year-old rookie Clay Buddemeyer (2-3, 4.07, 24) picked up his first win of his career. It's hard to top shutting out a lineup with Bob Bell (.372, 13, 32), Jerry Smith (.325, 12, 43, 6), and rookie sensation Danny Davis (.366, 8, 52). Most pitchers would crumble, but the 23-year-old allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 5 to start the series right with a 5-0 victory.

Unfortunately, their luck ended there, as the Miners dropped two tight games 5-4 and 4-3. They did finish the week off with a series win against the Gothams, matching the Pioneers' wins, so the Miners remain seven out as we approach the draft. For a team that wasn't expected to do much this season, just being above .500 would feel nice, but new manager Harry Barrell isn't satisfied with little wins. Instead, he can look at the blossoming Mike Whisman, who's hit .333/.410/.574 (145 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homers, 36 RBIs, 26 runs, and 23 walks. Or the 23-year-old Pat Simon, who is 5-3 with a 3.28 ERA (142 ERA+), 1.34 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts, getting comfortable in the ace spot. And even leadoff hitter Chuck Draper (.299, 10, 29, 3), who's having a huge power surge in his second full season as a starter.

The youth movement is off to a great start, with big seasons from Dixie Turner (.298, 5, 32, 4), Gale Schmitt (.352, 4, 16, 2), John Moreland (.286, 5, 25), and Ted Mickiewicz (6-2, 1, 4.10, 50). Pittsburgh might not have the firepower of St. Louis yet, but the foundation is in place, and a few untimed injuries could allow the up-and-comers a chance to make some noise. Losing Jimmy Blair (2-1, 2.57, 29) was a major setback, but this young team has shown tremendous grit, and should not be taken lightly. They have a big test to start the week, three games hosting the Chiefs they're tied with, while the Pioneers get the two expansion teams that should offer little resistance. Fed teams will be pulling hard for their new frenemies, but there's a chance this title race could be settled before July.

• Veteran Toronto Wolves outfielder Tom Reed, who is second in the Continental Association batting race with a .365 average on the season, reached a milestone last week as the 31-year-old notched his 200th career homerun.
• Montreal Saints reserve infielder Cecil LaBonte, who once upon a time was a three-time all-star second baseman for the New York Gothams, collected his 750th career rbi recently.
• While all expansion teams expect growing pains, I am not sure anyone imagined the New York Imperials being this bad. The Imps have won just 11 games - every other team in either association has at least double that including the Imperials three expansion cousins- and their .190 winning percentage has them on a pace for a 29-125 season. No professional baseball team has ever lost more than 112 contests in a single year and the worst FABL has witnessed is the 1935 Detroit Dynamos, who bumbled their way through a 43-111 (.279) campaign.
• The Imperials have won just once in their last 17 games and are dead last in the CA in nearly every measurable category.
• Detroit's Cecil Gregg became just the 13th player to collect six hits in a single game since the end of World War II. The 22-year-old outfielder, who is hitting .332 on the season, hit safely in each of his six at bats in the Dynamos 10-9 victory over Boston at Thompson Field on Saturday. Gregg's big outing included two extra-base hits, both doubles, and six rbi's while he also scored twice. It was a tough weekend in the Motor City for the Minutemen, who lost each contest in the three game series by a single run.
• Expect a shake-up in the OSA top 100 prospect list next week as the newly drafted players make their debuts. FABL clubs are all anxiously awaiting news on where their first rounders, including the Los Angeles Suns number one overall selection in high school pitcher Joe Conner, will end up. Meanwhile five of the current top seven on the OSA list are in the big leagues now and will drop off the list in the near future. Included in those five are the current top three led by Pittsburgh's 20-year-old infielder Dixie Turner (.298,5,32). A pair of Federal Association centerfielders in Boston's Frank Kirouac (.267,11,28) and Danny Davis (.366,8,52) of the first place St Louis Pioneers are second and third on the scouting service list of top prospects.

NAHC CLUBS PREPARE FOR ROOKIE DRAFT

The North American Hockey Confederation's annual rookie draft is fast approaching with the New York Shamrocks holding the top selection for the second consecutive season.

A year ago the Shamrocks led off the three round draft by calling the name of Halifax Mariners defenseman Harry Jernigan. Jernigan, one of the few American born players in the Canadian Amateur loop, may challenge for a role on the New York blueline this season but he spent all of last year with the Mariners, helping the Halifax outfit to the best record in the East Division and within one game of a playoff title.

No one from last year's draft class played in the NAHC a year ago but when talking about 18 and 19 year old players that is standard fare. The 1960 draft class was rare in that both Mark Moggy and Hobie Barrell made the jump immediately to the NAHC but the typical path includes an extra year or two of junior before draftees are considered sufficiently prepared for NAHC employment.

The top of this year's draft class is filled with uncertainty, lacking a clear choice for the Shamrocks to select. A year ago most thought that Ron MacKinnon, a gifted teen from Kelowna, BC, might distance himself from the pack but the 18-year-old ran into plenty of trouble with the Hull Hawks, scoring just twice in 39 games and being a healthy scratch more often than not. MacKinnon may have the most potential of any player eligible for the draft but the intangibles may worry the Shamrocks.

Other possible candidates to go first overall include Bruce Callahan, a winger who had 15 goals for Brantford; Kingston left winger Gilbert Desrosiers who averaged more than a point a game for the Cadets, Kitchener Roosters winger Milt Young and Graham Bob, a center for the Verdun Argonauts who led all draft eligible players with 30 goals and 72 points in 57 games last season.

RECENT KEY RESULTS

• It was a quiet week in boxing on this side of the Atlantic but overseas the big news was Scottish pugilist William Findley, who had been making some noise in the United Kingdom with a perfect 24-0 start to his middleweight career, tasted defeat for the first time. The 21-year-old Glasgow native was knocked out by veteran Englishman Ben Mossman in a bout last Tuesday.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

• July 12 heavyweight champion Harry Pratt will make his first defense after knocking out Bert Parks -another champ who was making his first defense- in March. Pratt, who turns 27 later this month, hails from Houston, Tx., and enters the ring with a 28-4 career record. The bout will be held in New Orleans and his opponent will be Walt Phillips, a 25-year-old San Francisco native with a career mark of 34-7.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 6/17/1962

• US Secretary of Defense McNamara spelled out American nuclear strategy in the event a major war came to Europe. McNamara said there would be no city bombing unless driven to it by Soviet action. He also questioned a statement from French President deGaulle, who planned for France to go it alone with her own nuclear weapons and strategy. McNamara worried of the dangers that might create, specifically the possibility that its very weakness might invite a preventative attack on a nation like France by Russia.
• Good news from France but many are afraid to believe it as word comes out that an agreement between the Algerian Moslem nationalists and Europeans of Algeria has been reached. The terrorist Secret Army Organization has ordered an end to the slaughter and destruction that has shaken Algeria for many months.
• The US Labor Secretary has assumed role of chief mediator in a move he hopes will avert a strike against Trans World Airlines by flight engineers scheduled for tomorrow. The engineers had threatened to strike Eastern and Pan Am airlines as well but removed them from their target list after a no-strike plea from President Kennedy.
• The story of the Garden of Eden has been cut from a new "scientific" version of the book of Genesis. The author, a member of the Church of England, says "the whole idea of Adam and Eve won't fit in with evolution."