DECEMBER 24, 1962
DRILLERS STUN WILDCATS, CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTHThe Houston Drillers’ remarkable second season reached new heights Sunday as they secured a spot in the American Football Association playoffs with a commanding 23-13 road victory over the West Division champion Chicago Wildcats. The win was the Drillers’ sixth in a row and solidified their place as one of the league’s top teams heading into the postseason.
“Making the playoffs is nice,” said quarterback Miller Bogert, “but we have much more in mind.”
Bogert, a former Wildcat who set a modern football record with 27 touchdown passes in 1960, has been the catalyst for Houston’s resurgence. After injuries limited him during the Drillers’ difficult 3-11 expansion season, he returned to full strength in 1962 and led the team to a 10-4 record, including a perfect 7-0 mark on the road.
Houston’s late-season push included five consecutive road victories, highlighted by wins over the St. Louis Ramblers—who finished just one game out of a playoff spot—and the 11-3 Wildcats.
Chicago was without its starting quarterback, Chip Finch, who suffered a dislocated knee the previous week. With Finch sidelined, the Wildcats turned to backup Mike Zupancic, who struggled mightily, completing only two of ten passes for 12 yards.
Bogert, on the other hand, delivered when it mattered, completing 17 of 27 passes for 174 yards and a key 21-yard touchdown strike to Bill Castell just before halftime. That score gave Houston a 10-7 lead and helped erase an earlier miscue when Bogert’s pass was intercepted and returned 49 yards for a Chicago touchdown by defensive back Joe Massaro.
Houston’s defense dominated, holding Chicago to just 1-for-11 on third down conversions. Defensive end John Padgett was particularly disruptive, sacking Zupancic four times and recording three additional quarterback hits.
The Drillers also found success on the ground, with halfback Phil Patton delivering a standout performance. Cast off by Pittsburgh, Patton has flourished in Houston’s system, and his 134-yard effort on 19 carries—including a 27-yard touchdown run in the third quarter—sealed the victory.
With the win, the Drillers will face the Wildcats again next Sunday in the AFA West Division Finals. Houston has already proven they can beat Chicago once—now, they’ll need to do it again to keep their dream season alive.
YANKS MAKE PLAYOFFS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1955The Boston Americans set a franchise record for victories in a season, capping off an 11-3 campaign and their first playoff berth since 1955 with a 23-10 victory over the Philadelphia Frigates. Next up for the Americans will be a date with the second place New York Stars. The Stars, winners of each of the last two AFA championship games, had some ups and downs this season including a pair of two game losing streaks but finished off the campaign with three consecutive victories including a 33-0 blasting of Buffalo yesterday. Boston and New York split their two regular season contests with each club prevailing on the road.
Elsewhere the St Louis Ramblers playoff hopes were snuffed out following a 24-17 loss on the road in San Francisco. The Ramblers need a win to force a tiebreaking scenario with the Houston Drillers for the second playoff slot in the West Division but a late touchdown drive gave the Wings the victory and ended the Ramblers post-season hopes.
Jerry Walsh ran for 141 yards to secure the league rushing title and lead the Washington Wasps to a 42-7 pounding of the Pittsburgh Paladins. The Wasps join Buffalo and Detroit tied for the worst record in the league, all at 4-10. The Red Jackets were blanked by the New York Stars as mentioned earlier while Detroit downed Los Angeles 19-5 on the west coast. Los Angeles Tigers linebacker Greg Reed had 9 tackles in the season finale against Detroit allowing the fifth year pro to set a modern AFA record for tackles in a season 158. That gave him one more than Detroit's Scott Cross 1952 total of 157.
In the final game of the weekend Elvin McGoldrick ran for 143 yards and a touchdown to lead the Kansas City Cowboys past the Cleveland Finches 31-10.
DECEMBER 22, 1962 – FIRST BLEMISH FOR KING AS TWO JUDGES CALL MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT AGAINST QUISENBERRY A DRAW
George Quisenberry is the two-time reigning Bologna Boxer of the Year, but he opened 1962 losing the Middleweight Championship to Lyman King. The belt has looked like it has fit King for a lot longer than 11 months. King has acquitted himself very well since taking the title in January. He has not dropped a single professional fight and entered the fight ready to put the cherry on top of a Bologna Boxer of the Year award himself.
After the January loss, Quisenberry did some soul searching. While he never said he was thinking of hanging up the gloves, he wanted to take stock of his professional career and re-commit himself to his craft. Quisenberry re-entered the ring in September and won his bout by knockout, declaring himself ready for a rematch with King.
The lead-up to this fight was billed as the “Fight of the Decade” with a long-time former champion and an undefeated current titleholder. One would expect a fight of this magnitude to be held in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, or Chicago, but Los Angeles hosted this fight, continuing a Manifest Destiny of sorts with title fights heading westward. This year, there have been championship fights in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Now, the biggest sporting events have reached the West Coast, with the San Francisco Sailors hosting the World’s Championship Series in the FABL.
Even the referee was experienced. Dunk McGuire, an old hand who first judged a title fight almost 15 years ago, was selected for the assignment. The scene was set with Tinseltown types in their fancy dress. It was more of a red carpet than a slab of concrete where folding chairs seated the well-heeled. Movie stars and the who’s who of Hollywood were rubbing elbows with sports legends like the great Bobby Barrell, who attended the bout and had a ringside seat next to his son Ralph and his nephew Charlie, both members of the Los Angeles Stars.
In the mix of the fur coats and cigars, McGuire grabbed the microphone has it was lowered from above and called the fighters to the center of the ring. King and Quisenberry had fought before and were familiar with each other, but they still strained to hear and stay attentive with the buzzing crowd.
King came out smoking in the first round, tattooing Quisenberry right away. He started with an uppercut and a couple of hooks to make his statement, while the challenger was just missing with his offerings. After a clinch, Quisenberry tried to make hay, but connected on a low blow, which earned a warning from McGuire. Quisenberry started fast in the second round with an uppercut of his own, but King withstood that punch and connected late on an uppercut and a hard hook that almost caused Quisenberry to drop a knee to the canvas.
Quisenberry took the third and fourth rounds and the pivotal change in momentum happened about a minute into the third round when he drilled King with a straight right hand. King was floating around the ring, and that punch stopped him in his tracks. King was not the same for the rest of the round, as Quisenberry landed a combo and a hook before the end of the round. King returned to the corner with some visible swelling under his right eye. In the fourth round, Quisenberry continued to capitalize with another right and another combo.
Entering Round Five, as both fighters could lay claim to two rounds, but King’s eye stood to become a problem going forward. With every punch in the vicinity, there was worry for King’s eye getting worse. With every punch that King could potentially slip, another fan was convinced he could not see the next one coming. With a long way to go, King had to survive long enough to get his own punches in.
King had a good sixth round and a good eighth round. In between, Quisenberry dominated the seventh round, as the second half of that round proved to be some of Quisenberry’s finest work on the night. Quisenberry landed an uppercut that gave King a vacant look in his eyes. Another uppercut left King gasping for air. On a night that neither fighter earned a knockdown, the fight would be won in the trenches, inch by inch.
King tried to move ahead in the ninth round, connecting on a couple of nice punches, but Quisenberry was able to deflect and defend well. Quisenberry held the line until he found some rhythm midway through the tenth, letting a couple of hard jabs loose before he capped his assault with a hook. King worked upstairs and downstairs in the eleventh round, unleashing a hard right hand to the head while also burying a shot in Quisenberry’s ribs that seemingly knocked the wind out of the challenger.
Quisenberry’s favorite punch on the night was his jab, which he landed over 150 times in the bout. Not only did the jab set up other punches, but it was effective on its own as a culminating shot to score big points. The biggest punch in the twelfth round was a jab by Quisenberry that stunned the champion. In the thirteenth round, King barely saw a stinging uppercut by Quisenberry, though referee McGuire did not think to pause the fight to have the ringside physician take a closer look.
Quisenberry thought he did enough to win the fight. King did as well, with the added adversity of his swollen eye that his corner could not calm down in the second half of the fight. The fans were divided as well. Leaving it in the hands of the judges, no one knew what was going to happen.
Two of the three judges called the fight a draw, 143-143, while the third judge called it for Quisenberry, 145-142. The draw satisfied no one and a third fight was basically in the offing as the players’ camps departed the ring. For King (41-0-1), it was the first blemish on his record and while he left the ring with the belt, the only reason he kept the belt was because he survived an early battering at the hands of Quisenberry (39-2-4). Quisenberry was not able to go for the kill at a few critical moments in the fight and could not take advantage of King’s swollen eye.
Did this fight live up to the “Fight of the Decade”? Absolutely, though the next fight of the decade is only a few months away.
BOLOGNA’S BIG BOPPERS
Round 1: King, 1-0 (1:29 hook/side)
Round 2: King, 3-1 (K: 1:23 cross, 2:25 uppercut, 2:39 hook/head; Q: 0:19 uppercut)
Round 3: Quisenberry, 3-0 (1:04 right, 1:37 combo; 2:48 hook)
Round 4: Quisenberry, 2-0 (0:51 right, 1:58 combo)
Round 5: King, 1-0 (1:06 uppercut)
Round 6: None
Round 7: Quisenberry, 2-0 (1:47 uppercut; 2:43 uppercut)
Round 8: Quisenberry, 3-2 (K: 2:41 uppercut/head, 2:57 left; Q: 0:11 right/head, 0:54 right/jaw, 2:27 left)
Round 9: King, 1-0 (1:15 hook/midsection)
Round 10: Quisenberry, 1-0 (1:56 hook/head)
Round 11: King, 2-0 (1:20 right/head, 2:14 right/ribs)
Round 12: Quisenberry, 2-1 (K: 1:37 left hook/body; Q: 0:33 right/ribs, 1:51 jab)
Round 13: Quisenberry, 1-0 (1:09 uppercut)
Round 14: King, 1-0 (0:56 cross/face)
Round 15: None
TOTAL: Quisenberry 15, King 12
RECENT KEY RESULTS
- 31-year-old Lenny Shafto, who ever so briefly held the welterweight title last summer, has returned to his native England and was back in action for the first time since August loss to Matt Leach in what was his first title defense. Shafto knocked out Spaniard Jose Alfaro in the 8th round of a bout in London last week.
OILMAN CLASSIC PREVIEW
By Tank TippettWell, here we are again, folks. Another New Year's spectacle is almost upon us, and this one has all the makings of a classic. When No. 1 meets No. 2, the old "Game of the Century" talk starts bubbling up, and it’s no different this time as the unbeaten Lubbock State Hawks take on the surging Mississippi A&M Generals in the Oilman Classic down in Houston. With the nation’s top two teams squaring off, there’s more than just bragging rights on the line—this one’s got a national title hanging in the balance.
Lubbock State has steamrolled its way through the Southwestern Alliance, flexing its muscle week after week with a punishing ground game and a defense that gives up yards about as willingly as a banker parts with a dollar. Their lone close call came early in the season when they edged East-West Classic-bound Central Ohio 13-10. Since then, it’s been a steady march toward perfection, with a suffocating defense and a backfield duo that has given opposing coaches nightmares.
*** Hawks Poised for Glory—Or Another Heartbreak? ***
Lubbock State Quarterback Tom Bosak is as steady as they come, completing 55 of 103 passes for 837 yards, seven touchdowns, and just a single interception. But make no mistake—this team is built on the legs of senior Rich Gingrich and junior Paul Coddington. Gingrich, a workhorse with 1,344 yards on the ground, softens up defenses while Coddington delivers the knockout punch—his 1,026 yards and 14 touchdowns prove he knows how to find the end zone. Add in sophomore end Red Cuyler, who has hauled in 20 passes for 503 yards and six scores, and you've got an offense that keeps defenses guessing.
But the real key to Lubbock State’s dominance has been its ball-hawking defense. The Hawks seem to have a knack for jarring the ball loose at the most opportune times, and the veteran trio of linebacker Tom Wilson and safeties Brett Morrison and Thurman Weimer leads a unit that has made a habit of stuffing even the most potent rushing attacks. That should come in handy against a Mississippi A&M squad that leans heavily on the run.
The biggest question for the Hawks? Whether they can finally shake off their New Year’s Day woes. They’ve claimed four of the last five Southwestern Alliance titles but have nothing to show for it in Houston, dropping three straight Oilman Classics to Deep South opponents before last year’s letdown in the Lone Star Classic. Their last taste of national glory came all the way back in 1916 when they shared the top spot with Liberty College. Could this be the year they stand alone?
*** Generals Charging Into Unfamiliar Territory ***
While Lubbock State has been a regular on the big stage, Mississippi A&M is the upstart, the Cinderella story nobody saw coming. The Generals entered the year as an afterthought in the Deep South Conference, but after an upset victory over heavily favored Cumberland, they find themselves on the doorstep of history. A win here would not only secure their first football national championship but cap off a banner stretch for A&M athletics—the school captured its first AIAA basketball and baseball titles in 1961.
At the heart of the Generals’ rise is their thunder-and-lightning backfield of Dave Witcher and Gary Bender. Witcher, a senior, led the nation in rushing with 1,716 yards and found paydirt 18 times. If he gets rolling, watch out. Bender, a junior, is no slouch himself, chewing up 1,309 yards this season. Mississippi A&M keeps it simple—run, run, and run some more. And with sophomore quarterback Hal Schraufnagel throwing only when absolutely necessary (just 52 attempts all season, 30 completions, zero interceptions), it’s safe to say this offense won’t be airing it out in Houston.
Defense is where Mississippi A&M hopes to turn the tide, and they’ve got the horses to do it. Junior pass-rusher Clinton Bucy is a one-man wrecking crew, racking up six sacks, while senior linebacker Reuben Spell is the kind of sure tackler that can shut down an opposing run game before it ever gets started.
The Prediction: So what gives? Can Lubbock State finally exorcise its New Year’s demons, or is Mississippi A&M destined to complete its fairy-tale run? The oddsmakers have Lubbock State as a four-point favorite, likely due to the Hawks playing close to home, but something about this game smells like an upset. The Hawks haven’t faced a runner as explosive as Witcher all season, and if he gets loose, A&M could control the tempo from start to finish. I like the Generals to pull off the shocker in a bruising battle.
TANK TIPPETT PREDICTION: Mississippi A&M 20, Lubbock State 17.
27 Selected in Active Rule-5 Draft
I'd be surprised if even half these guys last until Opening Day, but FABL GMs were active in this year's Rule-5 draft, with 11 teams selecting a combined 27 players. The Chiefs and Dynamos selected four each, while the Miners and Sailors both lost six. After seeing just two players selected last season, you'd have to combined the last few to come close to the action we saw this year. With expansion happening after the Rule-5 draft last year, most teams had more stocked organizations, but after losing a lot of depth, teams were more willing to take a chance this year on young talent outside the organization.
Leading the way was the New York Imperials, who took 23-year-old lefty Bob Brown with the drafts first pick. A member of the Imperials Continental expansion partner Wranglers, Brown was selected in last year's expansion draft from Toronto. The former 4th Round pick debuted at 21 for the Wolves in 1961, so if he makes the Opening Day roster it won't be for a FABL debut. With 73.2 innings of experience, he has a 5.86 ERA (78 ERA+) and 1.79 WHIP, walking 48 with 53 strikeouts. His 1-8 record in 23 games (10 starts) leaves a lot to be desired, and he struggled on the Wranglers' AAA team too. 9-13 in 30 starts, he had a 4.69 ERA (82 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, and 107 strikeouts in 194 innings pitched. Despite that, there's a lot to like about Brown, who has a lethal fastball/changeup mix. The fastball tops out at 97, and he's had no issues overpowering hitters when he's in the zone. The stuff is great, and he maintained a strong 8.0 BB%. Giving up 40 home runs is going to ruin anyone's ERA, and if he can just figure a way to keep the ball in the park, he could end up the Imps best starter this season.
Another notable player came with the 6th pick, as 46th ranked prospect George Wagner was the 4th player selected. Going from the Sailors to the Minutemen, the former 8th overall pick now has a chance to patrol the outfield with graduated #2 prospect Frank Kirouac (.279, 21, 90, 8). With a full 40, the Sailors couldn't make room for Wagner, who split time between AA and AAA. Great at both levels, he hit .364/.490/.584 (194 OPS+) in AA and .308/.410/.602 (176 OPS+) in AAA. He spent more time there, 91 to 45 games, but the AAA time is more impressive even with the lesser triple slash. In 415 PAs he cracked 27 homers, good for sixth in the league despite a shorter season. A talented slugger, there wasn't room for him in either corner this season, and now he has a shot to earn an Opening Day job with the Minutemen.
A complete list of players selected can be found below:
Round 1
Round 1, Pick 1 - New York Imperials: RP Bob Brown from the Dallas Wranglers.
Round 1, Pick 4 - Los Angeles Suns: 2B Ray Fowler from the Pittsburgh Miners.
Round 1, Pick 5 - Montreal Saints: SP Leo McDonald from the San Francisco Sailors.
Round 1, Pick 6 - Boston Minutemen: LF George Wagner from the San Francisco Sailors.
Round 1, Pick 8 - Chicago Chiefs: SP Ed Funk from the Boston Minutemen.
Round 1, Pick 9 - Toronto Wolves: LF Tom Sexton from the Pittsburgh Miners.
Round 1, Pick 12 - Philadelphia Keystones: SP Buddy Adams from the San Francisco Sailors.
Round 1, Pick 13 - Chicago Cougars: 2B Pete Meany from the Washington Eagles.
Round 1, Pick 15 - Cleveland Foresters: SP Marty Czyzewski from the Chicago Cougars.
Round 1, Pick 17 - Kansas City Kings: C Art Biggs from the Pittsburgh Miners.
Round 1, Pick 18 - Detroit Dynamos: SP Harl Thompson from the San Francisco Sailors.
Round 2
Round 2, Pick 1 - New York Imperials: SP Charlie Christianson from the San Francisco Sailors.
Round 2, Pick 5 - Montreal Saints: 3B Harry Phillips from the Los Angeles Suns.
Round 2, Pick 6 - Boston Minutemen: SP Mario Saucedo from the Chicago Cougars.
Round 2, Pick 8 - Chicago Chiefs: RF John Howard from the Pittsburgh Miners.
Round 2, Pick 13 - Chicago Cougars: LF Ray Dotson from the Detroit Dynamos.
Round 2, Pick 15 - Cleveland Foresters: LF Dave Merrill from the Los Angeles Stars.
Round 2, Pick 17 - Kansas City Kings: C Lyman Chandler from the Pittsburgh Miners.
Round 2, Pick 18 - Detroit Dynamos: CF Glenn Johnson from the New York Gothams.
Round 3
Round 3, Pick 1 - New York Imperials: SP Bill Moody from the San Francisco Sailors.
Round 3, Pick 5 - Montreal Saints: LF Dom Hudson from the Kansas City Kings.
Round 3, Pick 6 - Boston Minutemen: SP Eddie Fox from the Los Angeles Stars.
Round 3, Pick 8 - Chicago Chiefs: 2B Don Kinney from the Pittsburgh Miners.
Round 3, Pick 17 - Kansas City Kings: C Stan Richardson from the Los Angeles Stars.
Round 3, Pick 18 - Detroit Dynamos: CL Art Andrews from the New York Gothams.
Round 4
Round 4, Pick 8 - Chicago Chiefs: SP Bobby McGough from the Chicago Cougars.
Round 4, Pick 18 - Detroit Dynamos: LF Yank Taylor from the Boston Minutemen.
Dynamos Add Holland, Keylon in Cost Cutting Move
Looking to free up some salary space, the Washington eagles parted with two quality bench pieces to acquire two prospects, a FABL bench bat, and a lot of cash. The most notable player involved is first basemen Joe Holland, who turned 25 in late September and despite seeing his playing time slip away, is an excellent hitter. A four year player, he's started over 100 games just once in his career, but he's a career .289/.387/.506 (137 OPS+) hitter with 65 doubles, 65 homers, and 227 RBIs. Last season was his first with a WRC+ below 135, as he hit just .262/.360/.438 (103 OPS+), ceding playing time to superstar rookie George Whaley (.321, 21, 63, 5), who matched Holland's career best in homers in just 69 games.
Holland, who was taken 1st in the 1956 draft, will go to Detroit with another former high pick, Brad Keylon. Keylon was 4th in 1953, and had a nice five year run as the starter before Howdy Oakes (.322, 13, 78) took over this season. Keylon, 31, has had an above average OPS+ in each of his six FABL seasons, hitting above .300 in five of his six seasons. This includes a .337 that won the 1959 Fed batting title, and Keylon was an All-Star in each of his five seasons starting. Even in a limited role this year, he hit a productive .333/.391/.470 (119 OPS+), but the now 22-year-old Oakes hit a much better .322/.411/.527 (138 OPS+), while also offering better defense. Keylon's availability has been known for some time, and those in the Dynamos organization have voiced interest in him since he was first made available.
Holland and Keylon may have hoped for a starting role once they were informed of their trade, but it appears instead both will move into a rotational role for Detroit. As good as Holland is as a hitter, being a first base only limits his value, and he's certainly not going to displace superstar Ray Waggoner (.355, 30, 109). Instead, Holland is expected to join a rotation between Waggoner and the three outfielders -- Cecil Gregg (.302, 19, 110, 10), Ed McNaugton (.314, 13, 72, 30), and Bill Morrison (.304, 10, 51, 11) -- while also providing depth should Morrison, or another outfielder, get hurt during a pennant race. Keylon meanwhile will compete with Lew Mercer (.209, 7, 51, 7) for the starting job, who is no 35 and coming off arguably the worst season of his career. If his best day's are surely behind him, Keylon is an improvement on backup Ed Holt (.312, 1, 18), who they picked up on waivers in April, and included in this swap.
Washington's priority was saving money, shedding around $200k, but they also added the Dynamos 9th ranked prospect Glenn Johnson. Taken in the Rule-5 draft, Johnson is a recently turned 26-year-old who the Eagles will have to keep on the roster all season, else he'd be returned to the Gothams. A former 8th Rounder of the Keystones, he was part of the big package for Jorge Arellano (15-9, 4.03, 156), and spent his 1962 season with the Gothams AAA club, hitting .232/.345/.472 (124 OPS+) with 20 doubles, 25 homers, and 66 RBIs. An excellent gap hitter, Johnson should rack up the doubles, and he's got the raw power for home run stop. Right now, he just doesn't make enough contact, as he's often swinging and missing at strike three. With great defense, he'll be able to stick in center, and OSA thinks he's got pop to hit over 30 homers in a season. He doesn't share the youth of most prospects, but he's an interesting piece, and there's much more room for him in Washington's outfield then Detroit's.
The Eagles also picked up $50,000 in cash and AAA righty Virgil Farrell, who was added to the 40 to protect his selection in the Rule-5 Draft. While not a highly rated prospect, he does have a nice fastball/splitter mix, and he did well in a swingman role with the Newark Aces. Recently 25, Farrell was 5-5 with 4 saves, a 2.68 ERA (139 ERA+), and 1.27 WHIP, walking 65 with 83 strikeouts. Acquired by the Dynamos as a minor league free agent, he's returning to the organization that took him 10th in 1956, but decided not to keep him after the draft. Six years later he's back, and will offer cheap depth to a team with a lot of quality young pitchers.
*** Foresters Sign Chief Lewis ***
The rumored deal between the Foresters and Chief Lewis was made official a few days after the Rule-5 draft, as the longtime Gotham and Eagle outfielder will earn a $90,000 contract as a member of the Cleveland Foresters. A former 11th Round selection of the Gothams, Lewis debuted in 1949, and has appeared in each season since. A veteran of 1,783 FABL games, the 1956 World Championship Series MVP owns a career .269/.358/.399 (105 OPS+) batting line with 376 doubles, 115 triples, and 92 home runs. Lewis added 1,134 runs, 689 RBIs, and 949 walks, swiping 216 bases and accumulating exactly 50 wins above replacement.
1962 was a bit of a down year for Lewis, as he snapped a streak of three consecutive above average offensive seasons. 37 before Opening Day, he hit just .247/.318/.388 (80 OPS+) with 27 doubles, 62 RBIs, 61 walks, and 93 runs. He did slug 14 homers, reaching double digits for the first time in his career, but with just 11 steals he snapped a streak of five consecutive seasons with 20 or more steals. A streak that didn't snap was walking more then he struck out (54), something he's done every year since he became a regular in 1952. That level of discipline is huge, and with his eye, defense, and baserunning, he's a complete player that can provide a talented Foresters team with plus-level depth. He's elite defensively in right, and can handle third, second, and center well too. With a crowded outfield, expect him to move around plenty, but if an injury strikes they'll be able to overcome it.
*** Wolves, Eagles Swap Positional Players ***
Trade action hasn't been too often in the 1962 offseason, but we got two deals from the Eagles right before the end of the year. This time it was smaller, as the Wolves sent minor league outfielder Al Clark to the Eagles for defensive specialist Dick Rabkin. Just 23, the middle infielder debuted in 1961, and spent all of the 1962 season in Washington. Splitting time between second and short, he made 550 trips to the plate, hitting a useful .293/.331/.402 (87 OPS+) with 24 doubles, 10 homers, and 69 RBIs. A light hitter, 10 homers is actually a bit of surprise, as Rabkin is generally more of a singles hitter. He doesn't have a great eye either, just 30 walks to 88 strikeouts, but his value doesn't come from his impact at the plate. Instead, he offers outstanding defense at both second and short, something Toronto prioritizes. Both incumbents Phil Story (.274, 10, 60, 8) and Jesse Taylor (.277, 14, 73, 16) are excellent defenders, and they have another young infielder to join them. With an option left, the hard working Rabkin could be sent down and kept as depth, as Toronto looks to get more out of his bat.
For Rabkin, it's not the first time he's been traded, as the former 13th overall pick was once property of the Detroit Dynamos organization. He spent just six months with the Dynamos, traded to the Eagles for John Herron and Ed Patzer. Now the return is 22-year-old Al Clark, an excellent defensive outfielder who Washington could have taken in the Rule-5 draft. Not FABL ready, trading for him instead works better, as they'll be able to stash the former 9th Rounder in the minors. Like Rabkin, he's also been traded before, going from the Keystones to Wolves with Charlie Davidson for former #1 pick Les Ledbetter. A natural center fielder, Clark is great in all three spots, something you can't say about the Eagles current outfield. They all hit better, but Clark has tremendous range, and works the count well. Ranked as the 212th best FABL prospect, Clark hit .236/.359/.374 (96 OPS+) in AA, adding 13 doubles, 11 homers, and 76 walks. Projected as a fourth outfielder, he's a useful bench option, and since the Eagles were looking to move on from Rabkin, it was a nice low-risk pickup that could at least be an excellent fourth outfielder.
Tales From The Den
Wolves Emerge Unscathed From Rule 5 Selections
You could almost hear although you could certainly sense the felling of relief that the Wolves had no one plucked from their organization during the annual Rule 5 draft. This draft opens up drafted players mostly with 4 or 5 professional experience who have yet been put on protected 40-man roster. There are some other way in which players qualify for Rule 5 such as a player signed as a free agent who is not on the 40-man. There was a true sense the 4 expansion teams that entered the FABL last season the Rule 5 would be a busy draft. The surprise was that there were only 78 players picked in 4 rounds. Sources tell Brett that were shocked that they did not lose any players along with the Imperials, Wranglers, Suns, Millers not being busier overall in this draft. Wolves expected to lose a number of players off the Buffalo roster where there were 13 players exposed, 12 of whom were under 30.
The Wolves did make on selection, Tom Sexton, a 27 year old 1B/OF who was taken from Pittsburgh's AAA affiliate in St. Paul. He could fill the need for power hitting bat from the right side after a year where he has a line of .277/.307/.500 with 32 HR 108 RBI. Sexton was a first round selection, 8th overall, by the Chiefs in 1953 out of high school in Canton, Ohio.
The front office is now taking a short break for the holidays. The word around the office is that now they know what they have plans for Spring Training can begin in earnest, mostly figuring out which minors leaguers to invite to main camp. Looking at the roster overall the gap will be as stated earlier, mostly in the pitching staff both in the starting rotation, along with the bullpen. Brett expects that all of starters Jimmy Blair, Charlie Davidson, along with relievers Stan Boone, Bob Campbell from Buffalo's championship team to be in spring camp fighting for big league jobs. Lee Loeffler is being rumoured to be moving to the 'pen should there will probably be at least one spot in the rotation open to start 1963. In relief it would appear that only Zeke Blake, Loeffler are guaranteed jobs so at least two spots are to be contested for the trip north in April.
In the field most jobs appear to be secure for the end of 1962 with a starting lineup looking something like this:
C- Rusconi with Curtis or Williams as backup. Rusconi can also serve as a 4th OFer which give other options to Hohlt.
1B- Reed with Sexton being given lots of chance to prove himself in the spring. Sexton has to remain on the Wolves roster or be return to Pittsburgh.
2B- Phil Story with Koval as backup
3B- Fisher with Wells in reserve
SS- Taylor
LF- If Reed moves to first then Carl Clark, Fred Hardin would battle for the starters role. Hardin's injury history is causing some level of concern.
CF- Sid Cullen
RF- Ed Savage who impressed in September. Wolves fans have to hope that the positive from the bat offset the negative impact in the field.
The OF changes dramatically if Rusconi is both C, backup OF.
All of this is speculation at this point with injuries, trades changing the plans as they occur over the next three months. Trades are said to already be in the works
- As you'd expect with a team that one the pennant, the Sailors were hit hard in the Rule-5 draft. It wasn't for a lack of trying, they packed up their 40-man roster to the max, but they still lost six players. This includes the highly touted slugger George Wagner and 23-year-old righty Leo McDonald, with the latter an option to crack the Saints Opening Day rotation.
- To make room for their Rule-5 selections, one of the players the Foresters DFA'd was Otis O'Keefe. Less useful with Chief Lewis now in the mix, O'Keefe will be looking for somewhere else to continue his 14-year career. O'Keefe hit a decent .282/.368/.453 (104 OPS+) in 280 PAs this season, and owns a .276/.356/.418 (114 OPS+) line in 1,901 games with the Saints and Foresters. A consistent hitter, he's had a sub 90-WRC just once, sub 100 just three times, and owns 286 doubles, 70 triples, 182 homers, 975 runs, 929 RBIs, and 840 walks.
- Washington's activity on the trade market was alluded to most of the offseason, as they've been both shopping depth pieces and targeting center fielders. In both of their deals, they were able to save a little cash while acquiring talented defensive outfielders in both deals.
- TWIFS head columnist announced his Hall-of-Fame ballot, explaining how it was "almost impossible" to select "just five players" on a worthy ballot full of stars. Irwin continued by saying "as a Chicago sportswriter I couldn't help but vote for Leo Mitchell and Skipper Schneider, and it brought me great pain to leave off talented stopper David Molina this year."
- Irwin continued by explaining how FABL should right the wrong of the last two votes, leaving Walt Messer short of qualification for the hall. "The reason the ballot is so crowded is we refuse to let in some of the great's of the game. Walt is one of the best sluggers in the game, and the hall feels empty without him.
- Finishing the ballot is George Garrison and Adam Mullins, but Irwin realizes those two may have to wait a little longer. "When you're under the 50% mark, it's hard to get a big bump at once. Both are truly deserving candidates, but we'll need voters to shift the way they select who's deserving if these multi-time All-Stars will get their named enshrined with the greats of the game."
NAHC STARS TOO MUCH FOR DETROITA way to slow down the Detroit Motors was finally discovered. Combine all of the best players in the league into one team. That worked as the two-time defending Challenge Cup champs were dumped 4-1 by the NAHC Stars in the annual all-star game. That result, although it will not count in the official standings, snapped a five game winning streak for the Motors and was one of just two December games the club has lost as they prepare for a Christmas/Boxing Day home and home showdown with the Toronto Dukes. The Motors, who lead the NAHC with 42 points in 30 games, have a six-point bulge and three games in hand on the second place Chicago Packers. Not counting the All-Star game, Detroit is 8-1-1 on the month. The Packers had some struggles early in the month but the team that boasts of the top two scorers in the NAHC in Ken York and Pete Bernier has six wins and a tie in its last seven games.
As for the All-Star contest, York continued his point production setting up a pair of goals for the All-Stars in their 4-1 victory. Chicago's Danny Connaughton, Charles Brochu and Nick Poulin of Toronto and Boston's Jimmy Rucks scored for the all-stars while Alex Guindon had the lone Detroit marker. Defense was never a consideration in the wide-open affair that saw just one minor penalty called as the NAHC stars outshot Detroit 81-45. Detroit's Sebastien Goulet played just 30 minutes but faced 52 shots. Goulet was beaten just twice while Charlie Dell allowed one goal on the 28 shots he saw with the final NAHC tally into an empty net.
NAHC RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 19 Oscar James made 43 saves to nearly still a game for the Boston Bees, who were outshot 45-14 by Chicago. Ray Weller and John Trumbull scored for the winners with Luke Mongeau netting the lone Boston goal.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 20
Boston 3 at Detroit 8: A big night for a number of Detroit Motors with Alex Monette leading the way with a goal and 3 assists in an 8-3 thrashing of Boston. Benny Barrell, Jake Clark and Darcy Sill each had 3 points while veteran Motors captain Nick Tardif scored twice.
Toronto 2 at Montreal 5: Defenseman Mark Moggy scored once and added an assist in the opening period as Montreal took a 2-1 lead after twenty minutes and went on to win 5-2 for its third straight victory. The Dukes are winless in four.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 22
Chicago 4 at Montreal 1: The Packers are unbeaten in six games after a 4-1 road victory in Montreal. Conn Maguire and Pete Bernier each had a goal and an assist with both Ken York and John Lucas collecting two helpers.
New York 3 at Toronto 3: The injury riddled Shamrocks had a 5-day break to try and get healthy and they returned to action with a 3-3 draw in Toronto. Quinton Pollack scored his 8th of the season with just over four minutes remaining in the game to earn the single point for the hosts.
SUNDAY DECEMBER 23
Toronto 4 at Boston 3: Charlie Brown had three assists including one on Joe Pelkey's third period game winner as the Dukes trimmed Boston 4-3.
Montreal 1 at Detroit 3: The Motors improved to 8-1-1 in December with a 3-1 victory over Montreal. Alex Guindon had two assists to lead the Detroit attack with all four goals coming in the third period including Hobie Barrell's 17th of the season for the Motors.
Chicago 4 at New York 2: Chicago won its fourth consecutive game as they try to keep pace with Detroit. Randy Katic had a goal and an assist to lead the Packers who fired 68 shots on beleaguered New York netminder Alex Sorrell.
UPCOMING GAMES
TUESDAY DECEMBER 25
New York at Boston
Montreal at Chicago
Toronto at Detroit
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 26
Detroit at Toronto
THURSDAY DECEMBER 27
Boston at New York
SATURDAY DECEMBER 29
Detroit at Montreal
Chicago at Toronto
SUNDAY DECEMBER 30
Boston at Chicago
Montreal at New York
Dukes Still Trying To Find The Key At Christmas
Toronto's struggles on the ice continue as children await the arrival of Santa Claus. The Dukes fans, players, staff are wishing for a winning streak to close out 1962 extending into 1963 under the tree, Over the last five games the team has posted a record of 1-2-2 with the only win coming in the last game which snapped a two week winless streak. The team is now clinging on to the last playoff spot by two points over the NY Shamrocks. Fans are trying to remember the last time the team was fighting for a playoff berth going into the New Year. The team is still below the breakeven point with a record of 11-13-7 for 29 points in 32 games.
The common refrain on the streets is "What's wrong with the Dukes?"
The last five games began at home with the Bs in town on a Saturday night. Bear had been reworking the defensive system over the 5 days off before the game. The work seemed to pay off as the team looked more sound in their own zone. On this night Connelly was not left to own devices for extended periods of time due to defensive zone lapse or turnovers. For the first time in December a Toronto netminder faced less than 30 shots in a game. The games was a low event affair with both teams clogging up the ice limiting chances. Each team scored in each period in a game that ended 3-3. Brooks, Williams, Brochu registered the goals for the home side while Gariepy, Bertrand with two replied for Boston. Bertrand's goals were back breakers for Toronto as one was score in the last minute of the middle frame the tying goal was score on the power play with 4:20 left in the game.
A true test of the Bear's new system would come the next night at the Lakeside Aud against the high flying Packers led in scoring by Ken York, Pete Bernier. Toronto held the high scoring Packers to only 3 holding both York, Bernier off the score sheet, Dukes took a 2-1 lead early in the third on Brochu's 9th from Pollack. Chicago was not to be denied, with Brooks off for holding Matt McGrath knotted the score at on pretty passing play that left MacPhee no chance. McGrath was not finished, he scored the game winner less than eight minutes later at 13:30 making the final Chicago 3, Toronto 2. Winless in three the Dukes travelled to Montreal to be tested by the Vals. Tim Amesbury gave the Dukes an early 1-0 lead, unfortunately that was the last lead of the game for the visitors. Montreal scored 4 straight Drury, Moggy, Adamle, Gregg to make it 4-1 before the game was 25 minutes old. Amesbury's second of the night made it 4-2 before Thibault finished the scoring with less than three minutes left in the game. With the winless streak now at five the Dukes sought break the streak with the Shamrocks visiting Dominion Gardens. In a surprisingly wide open game with NY, who usually play a stifling checking game, shots on goal totaled 71 with NY testing Connelly 37 times, Like the Boston game each team tallied once in every period. This time it was the Dukes who tied the game late with Pollack's 8th while skating 5 on 4 at 15:47 of the third. Concern over the winless streak was evident on the concourse between periods and also on the bench as players often had their heads down on the bench between shifts.
Denny Arena was the site in which the Dukes finally picked up 2 points in a game for only the second in December. Boston did not make it easy. Lou Turner, a callup from Cleveland, opened the scoring while up a man at 5:38. It was Turner's first NAHC goal after a junior career with the Verdun Argonauts. Spencer Quinn gave the Dukes a 2-1 lead after 20 in response to Drolet's goal that had tied the game. There were also 3 goals in the second with Boston scoring twice to leave the score deadlocked at 3 after 40 minutes of play. The third period was tight checking with neither team able to break through the other's defense until another callup, Joe Pelkey put the disc past James with under 7 minutes to play. MacPhee kept the puck out of the net over the remaining time to left the losing burden from the team's shoulders. The dressing room was as joyous post game as it has been in a long, long time.
Coach Bear-" This has been been a very trying first half of the season. We play well for 40 to 50 minutes a game then get burnt during those 10 to 15 minute lapses. I cannot remember when the we had a full 60 minute game without lapses. The win was big, guys were starting to choke their sticks pressing for goals, we had not been scoring the big goal at the right time before tonight. Maybe that will turn the tide. Two big games coming up, home and home with Detroit starting Christmas Day in the Gardens then in Detroit on Boxing Day. We have to be ready to go for a full 60 against the Motors. This could a season turning point."
Full Court Press: December 10-23, 1962- It has been a full month since the Detroit Mustangs have emerged victorious. The losing streak has now reached 11 games and the Mustangs that were hot to start the year are now looking up at not only Toronto, but also St. Louis. Speaking of St. Louis, the Rockets have faced the Mustangs seven times in Detroit’s losing streak and that has single-handedly propelled the Rockets to second place and a 15-11 record. Detroit did not just lose all seven games against St. Louis, the average losing margin was 14.9 points and only one of those losses were by less than 10 points. A bright spot for Detroit is first-round draft pick Jack Salyer returned against Philadelphia on Saturday night and dropped 20 points to tie teammate Dick Murray to lead Detroit in scoring, but Detroit still lost, 76-70. In the same game, leading scorer Erv Corwin only managed eight points on 4-for-17 shooting for his only single-digit performance of the season to date.
- Boston keeps on winning and the Centurions are threatening to run away and hide in the Eastern Division. The lead over New York is now nine games, as Boston won seven of eight in the last fortnight. The only loss was an uncharacteristically absent performance in New York in an 82-62 loss, its only loss in four head-to-head matchups over the last two weeks. Wally Moorehead wore the goat horns for Boston, going 4-for-12 from the field for eight points and turned the ball over six times. The Cents redeemed themselves twice since then, as Boston won the next night in the Big Apple, 82-61, and won back at Denny Arena on Sunday, 98-76, where Boston shot an amazing 49.5% from the field. Overall, it has been hard to find any fault with this bunch, who lead the league in rebounding (51.3/game, blocked shots (6.2/game), and the Centurions have the top scoring defense in the league, allowing only 70 points a game.
- Toronto still leads the Western Division, but the edge is now only a half-game on St. Louis and both teams faced off twice in the past three days. The anticipated matchup of the top two men on the scoring leaderboard did not come to fruition. Toronto’s Fred Lillard, who leads the league with a 22.4-point scoring average, held up his end of the bargain, but St. Louis’s Bill Melton (21.4 ppg) missed both matchups with a broken finger. Melton should return to action in the next week or two. St. Louis won at home, 76-71, on Friday night, while Toronto returned the favor to win its home game, 89-82. Solly Morris, in the lineup for the injured Melton, matched Lillard with 20 points and paced everyone with 14 rebounds in only his eighth start of the season. Two nights later, Lillard had his revenge, winning the scoring battle against Morris, 34-23, as Toronto used a 32-14 second quarter to pad a lead in a game the Falcons won by seven points. The Rockets will spend the next two weeks playing Detroit three times and Toronto twice, while the Falcons have four dates with the last place Chicago Panthers. The smart money is on the Falcons widening its lead and strengthening its hold on the top spot in the West.
HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE HAS MAMMOTHS OFF TO HOT START Redwood University has enjoyed plenty of success in rest years with 10 straight trips to the AIAA tournament and two West Coast Athletic Association titles in the past three years. It would have been three straight had the Mammoths not missed out on last year's section tittle due to a tiebreaker with Lane State as each went 12-4 but the Emeralds won their head to head meeting.
Redwood had plenty of offensive firepower a year ago and they have only improved in that department this season as the Mammoths are leading the nation in scoring with an average of 67.1 points per game, which is clearly helping to fuel their 10-0 start that has Redwood ranked 3rd in the current AIAA top twenty-five.
The scoring this season has come primarily from a pair of new starters in Len Urbaniak and Ron Bohall. Urbaniak, a junior guard, averaged 6 points per game off the bench a year ago but has stepped up nicely to replace the graduated Jim Paul - a second round pick of Philadelphia in the summer FBL draft. Urbaniak is leading the team in scoring averaging more than 14 points per game including a career 21 in a recent win over Canyon A&M. Bohall is a true freshman, a Los Angeles native considered to be one of the top twenty recruits in the country. He immediately stepped into a starting role at small forward and is averaging 13.4 points per game, which leads all freshman in the nation. Bohall scored 19 points in the Mammoths lone game last week, a 70-48 crushing of Cache Valley.
It is early but the impressive start has Redwood supporters thinking about a return trip to Bigsby Garden in March. Redwood, winners of the 1947-48 National Championship, reached the national semi-finals in back to back years in the spring of 1959 and 1960.
Central Ohio, which beat Elyria 51-30 in its lone game last week, leaped over the Mammoths and back into second in the weekly rankings. Like the Aviators, preseason number one North Carolina Tech is a perfect 7-0 and the Techsters, who posted victories over St Gordius and Springfield State last week, continue to hold down the number one ranking.
The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 12/23/1962
- An airlift bringing freedom to 1,113 Cubans captured after the Bay of Pigs invasion 20 months ago is underway with hopes all the captives would be in the United States by tomorrow. Leading them off the first plane to land at Homestead Air Force base near Miami was the Washington lawyer who had aided in negotiations with Cuba for their release.
- Tension are heating in the Congo as university students in Katanga shouting "Down with Kennedy" stormed into the grounds of the United States consulate, ripped down the American flag and broke all the windows. It was in response to the announcement in New York that the US will supply more military equipment to bolster the United Nations campaign to end Katanga's secession.
- Prime Minister Macmillan faces a nation disturbed and divided over his decision to switch Britain's H-bombs from its air force to submarines and to link this deterrent with North Atlantic Treaty organization. Meanwhile France began a study of the American offer to provide Polaris missile carriers for France's embryonic nuclear strike force.
- Russia has called Kennedy's offer of the Polaris missiles to both England and France a pretext for turning NATO into the fourth atomic power.
- Russia has dropped Valerian Zorin, its hardline negotiator, as head of its United Nations delegation. Zorin was apparently tripped up by the Kremlin's soft-line switch in the Cuban crisis.
- A longshoremen strike has tied up shipping operations all along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. President Kennedy's call for the union to postpone the walkout for 90 days went unheeded.