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ayaghmour2 · 02-20-2025, 12:31 PM

APRIL 1, 1963

Previewing the Federal Association

In our first of a two-part special, the team at TWIFS is previewing the 20 FABL teams and predicting the order in their association with they will finish, as well as a little information on the team. Today, we'll take a look at the Federal Association:

1. St Louis Pioneers: I feel cheap doing this almost every year, picking the team that won the pennant last season, but I just can't put anyone but the Pioneers first. Even last year I recognized that a pennant was winnable for them, but there was no way to predict just how dominant Frenchy Mack (25-5, 2.06, 288), Billy Hasson (20-9, 3.11, 185), and Steve Madden (16-10, 3.40, 143), or that Danny Davis (.352, 26, 96) would look like a seasoned vet and not a scared rookie. Pair that with the obvious success of Whitney Winners Bob Bell (.386, 46, 120) and Jerry Smith (.304, 27, 100, 14), and it's not hard to see why they were so great last year. This year something will go wrong, that's just how baseball is, but they're so deep that even if Bell and Mack didn't play a single inning this year, they could still compete. Both Danny Daniels (11-13, 4.56, 144) and Charlie Blake (15-10, 4.45, 147) are capable of taking steps forward, and slugger Steve Schultz (.302, 31, 117) may be on the cusp of stardom. Top to bottom, this team is loaded with talent, and they've got four top-50 prospects in the farm, with 20-year-old Harry Johnson ranked 8th, giving them another potential ace just waiting for a big league shot. Dethroning this team is going to be a grueling challenge for the nine teams below them, and if I was a betting man I'd push my coin towards the Pioneer logo as the team known for repeating will capture two Federal Association flags in a row for the third time in four tries.

2. Washington Eagles: Washington is this year's St. Louis, as if they ended up winning the Fed I wouldn't be too surprised. They're not nearly as deep as St. Louis, but Tom Lorang (.386, 35, 125, 6) might actually be better then Bell and all George Whaley (.321, 21, 63, 5) did after being called up is hit 21 homers in 69 games. Jimmy Brown's (.296, 24, 89) rookie breakout was overshadowed by Danny Davis, and parting with Brad Keylon (.333, 4, 18) was easy now that 22-year-old Howdy Oakes (.322, 13, 78) is arguably the best catcher in FABL. All these guys are stars, and none of them will enter the season at 23. Their oldest projected everyday player is Ralph Weatherbee (.271, 6, 60, 9), and the fifth year vet won't turn 27 until August. This young lineup is positioned well for perfectly timed breakouts, and if enough breaks their way, they could outscore everyone else. It will all come down to the rotation, as while talented, it's inexperience may not play as well. There's no Lorang or Whaley, but Bob Bell (13-10, 4.70, 132) is a lot better then the numbers look, and if I had to pick one guy without an All-Star appearance that would get one this year, it'd be him. Former top-10 prospect Owen Lantz (13-8, 4, 3.72, 112) had a productive rookie season, and as long as he keeps the ball in the park the wild Jim Stewart (14-7, 3.76, 157) is someone you want pitching every fifth day. The deck may be stacked against them this year, but this team is built for the long haul, and could be a nightmare for competitors as we continue in the 60s.

3. Detroit Dynamos: Another team that would be little surprise if they finish on top, the Detroit Dynamos came just a single game shy of a miraculous pennant comeback. The scourge of the 50s, the next generation of Dynamos is just as scary, with Ray Waggoner (.355, 30, 109) one of the early favorites for the Whitney. A natural outfielder, he's at first, with young outfielders Ed MacNaughton (.314, 13, 72, 30) and Cecil Gregg (.302, 19, 110, 10) in center and right, and 4-time champ Bill Morrison (.304, 10, 51, 11) in left. Elsewhere, Joe Reed (.293, 31, 114, 8) has established himself as one of the top shortstops, while Dick Tucker (.315, 20, 103) and Virgil Ewing (.285, 17, 101) provide serious thump in the bottom half of the order. That gives you an idea how deep they are there, and they have the distinction of being one of the most well rounded squads. The pitching lacks a Hasson or Mack, or even a Madden, but Jim Norris (18-7, 4.18, 122) and Paul Anderson (16-5, 2.89, 129) are sturdy and reliable arms. The back half is solid too, but I'm not overly confident in a 38-year-old John Jackson (13-14, 3.70, 133), Bud Henderson (8-7, 4.65, 68) seems likely to fall somewhere between the Detroit (6-3, 3.18, 46) and LA (2-4, 7.17, 22) version, and the now $170k man Howie French 13-8, 3, 3.99, 112) ended up in the pen. While not an obvious weakness, they may struggle against a team like St. Louis who can hit and pitch. I wouldn't count them out, they're a serious contender, but in a long season the thinnest of margins can be the difference between glory and an early vacation.

4. Philadelphia Keystones: There are a lot of tremendous 1-2 punches in a lineup, but it's hard to top the Harry Dellinger (.363, 27, 76, 25) and Buddy Miller (.354, 26, 100) duo in the City of Brotherly Love. Three may be a crowd, but Andy Parker (.313, 18, 97) is trying to squeeze into the mix, as the recently turned 23-year-old actually ranks three spots higher then Miller on the current top-20 list. If that wasn't enough, they also have veteran All-Stars Marshall Thomas (.267, 5, 24, 3) and Lloyd Coulter (.278, 43, 132), one of the few teams that has a wide range of ages contributing. With a lineup that good, the pitching is the key, as it's what let them down last year and what brought them a title in 1961. Jorge Arellano (15-9, 4.03, 156) was solid, but William Davis (12-10, 4.65, 148), Tom Robinson (8-11, 5.75, 119), and Joe Kienle (10-7, 5.08, 60) al had significant down seasons. They have a serious spring competition going for spots, as aside from Arellano and breakout righty Tom Elliott (8-5, 1, 3.54, 80), it doesn't seem like anyone is guaranteed a turn. The variability in the rotation makes it tough to see them finishing on top, but give two complimentary stars on offense some support and there's really no stopping them. You just have to hope to score enough runs to survive.

5. Pittsburgh Miners: Part of me wants to call the Miners the first contender that's not really a contender, but they have some serious young talent. 21-year-old Dixie Turner (.282, 12, 69, 8) was a Diamond Defense award winner as a rookie, and with an improving bat he has all the tools to be among one of the most valuable players in the sport. As you know by now, having a Barrell is a plus too, and the 22-year-old Reid (.261, 16, 80) had a productive rookie season, and he's a potential .300 hitter from both sides of the plate you can plug in anywhere on the infield. John Moreland (.309, 10, 75, 8), Frank Selander (.285, 14, 78, 11), and Mike Whisman (.308, 22, 99) are all solid contributors, but until Turner hits his peak, they lack the star power or collection of almost stars to be a true threat. On top of that, the rotation isn't quite where they need to be, but a full season of Jimmy Blair (2-1, 2.57, 29) is a good start, and Pat Simon (16-8, 3.69, 126) did his best impression of an ace last year. It's murky behind that, but they have a deep farm system that could easily acquire an arm or two should one of interest be available. For now, keep an eye on Clay Buddemeyer (7-10, 4.45, 100), who could fill out a dangerous trio of southpaws. 24 in May, he's an innings eater with great stuff, and is just a few command issues away from being a top pitcher.

6. Boston Minutemen: I think this is where things start to level off, and there may be more room between 5th and 6th then there will be between 1st and 5th. The best of the rest, I debated between Boston and New York for a while, but in the end I'm a Frank Kirouac (.279, 21, 90, 8) truther who still believes that Don Griffin (15-6, 1, 3.23, 118) is an ace. And that's enough to make the difference for me! Boston is still a few bats and arms away from contention, but Joe Kleman (.308, 14, 78, 8) continues to be a top shortstop, a healthy Bill Tutwiler (.312, 5, 50, 9) can win you baseball games, and Ed Wise (.247, 30, 97, 7) can change the game with a bomb, a walk, or even a steal. The staff is somewhat of a mess, but Bob Green (6-4, 3.84, 74) has wipeout stuff. Ray Gonyea (11-16, 5.55, 150) does too, except when he's giving up 500 foot blasts, as back-to-back 30+ homer seasons have prevented him from establishing himself in FABL. Conversely, they have his opposite in Bob Hollister (10-14, 11, 4.45, 56), who's all control and no stuff. It's an interesting group of arms, but each guy has a weakness that could sabotage their season. Even Griffin. It's tough for imperfect teams to win, and even tougher when the competition is as good as it is now.

7. New York Gothams: On a different trajectory, the Gothams are a young team on the way up, aside from team legend Hank Estill (.272, 17, 63), most of the guys worth their salt are on the younger side. 23-year-old Tom Brizzolara (.322, 13, 78, 7) has a stake for FABL's top catcher, while rookie All-Star Isaiah Redbird (.324, 12, 78, 7) put together a 5 (5.4) WAR season like it was nothing. And even if he's not a top player at his position, Joe Anderson (.311, 13, 78) is starting to look like John Kingsbury (.350, 22, 113, 13) lite. There's a drop off after that, but 25-year-old third basemen Frank Arnold (.326, 5, 95) gets overlooked for not having the traditional pop of someone at the hot corner, and fellow 25-year-old Otto Pilkerton (.294, 14, 87, 8) had a 113 WRC+ last year and won a Diamond Defense award in center two years ago. Like Boston, the pitching is their weakness, as their best pitcher is a guy coming off a brutal season. Clarence Reimer (8-16, 5.19, 150) is a far better pitcher then the stats suggest, but allowing 29 homers in 34 starts did him in. Someone else needs to step up, my first thought Chuck Kleiman (11-9, 4.35, 116), but they have no shortage of high-upside young arms all waiting for a chance to prove they belong in the big leagues.

8. Chicago Chiefs: Looking to actively sell, the Chicago Chiefs unloaded in the deadline, and I'd expect more of the same in 1963. It won't push them behind the expansion teams, but expect contenders to look at Irv Clifford (.279, 66), Al Padgett (.284, 24, 87), Doc Zimmerman (.312, 13, 87, 5), and Vern Osborne (13-11, 5.30, 126). Ed Bloom (.284, 12, 53, 10) and Rod Shearer (.305, 20, 88, 13) aren't going anywhere, which is enough to keep them out of the cellar, and their rebuild has already harvested some success. Joe Siniscalchi (.311, 10, 42), acquired from the Kings, was great in his 57 game debut, while former Cougar prospect Bob Starr is just 22 and potential elite defender out in center. Both are getting regular reps in The staff has a top young stopper in Dutch Lane (9-8, 24, 3.18, 72), and I'd like for them to place 23-year-old Fred Moore (6-3, 1, 4.43, 45) in their opening rotation. But the most interesting young player is John Thomas (7-4, 2.61, 56), who turned 20 this February. His 12 start debut at 19 was electric, and I'm anxiously waiting in anticipation for his encore. Despite all the promise, it's tough to rely on an unproven staff, and they're destined for plenty of growing pains as the rebuild continues.

9. Minneapolis Millers: There's really one reason why the Millers are 9th and the Suns are 10th. No, not a coin flip. In fact, an 18-year-old.

Not your average 18-year-old, John Edwards is already better then at least 75% of the guys that took a PA for the Millers last season. The 3rd pick last season, I believed he could have gone straight to Minneapolis had they wanted, and he managed to hit an alright .223/.326/.334 (89 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 5 triples, 4 homers, 24 RBIs, 36 runs, and 45 walks. The average was low, but he worked at bats well and and struck out just 25 times in 344 PAs. A plus defender as well, he might be their best defender out in center too, as last year's starter Dick Sheehan (.321, 9, 63) belongs in a corner. Him and Hugh Pate (.263, 18, 68, 9) were really their only hitters of value, so if Edwards joins they might actually have a respectable outfield. Looking for talent elsewhere is tough, and I cannot believe just how awful Joe McDowell (6-18, 6.78, 89) was last season. I'd expect better from him and Bill Smith (7-18, 5.36, 157), but their is just not much going for them on the mound. I was surprised Minneapolis didn't take chances on many players in the offseason, but they'll have a long season to try to find the right pieces to finish their puzzle.

10. Los Angeles Suns: Rounding things out is the Los Angeles Suns, though they actually have a talented young player to build around. That would be all-world glovemen Bill Bell (.293, 15, 67, 15), who was named the Suns' lone All-Star in their inaugural season. 24 in July, the Chicago native had an above average 112 WRC+ while playing outstanding defense at second, short, and third. I wouldn't bet on him becoming a top hitter, but his speed and range will more then make up for any shortcomings with the bat. Besides, Gary Romeo (.303, 6, 45, 8) and Mickey McClure (.284, 13, 63) were the best they had, and there's no obvious solutions in the farm. Russ Hawkins (.286, 15, 76) and former #1 pick Stan Czerwinski (.288, 16, 71) are solid role players, but the lineup can't compete with the Minutemen and Miners, let alone the Pioneers and Keystones. What they do have, is a decent enough pitching staff, as while not top arms you can certainly do worse then Doc Carver (12-12, 4.67, 125), Red Burtch (7-11, 4.73, 111), and Grant Davis (8-9, 4.95, 66). They're all on the right side of 30, and could be holding down rotation spots as the rest of the team gets better around them. One guy to watch is the wildly effective Frank Carey (3-10, 13, 4.96, 62), who has some of the best stuff in the game. Whether it's coming in the rotation or pen is yet to be determined, but despite the organization being as young as it is, they've done a good job gathering pitching talent.

Tales From The Den
Wolves Prepare For Start of 1963

Toronto's baseball club has started the exhibition season at 11-2. It is a good sign although everyone worth their salt knows spring is time for experimentation, these games do not count where it matters, in the regular season. At the plate there have been good signs from LF Chick Reed's .370/.438/.815 4Hr 7 RBI, 2B Phil Story .500/.538/.708 1.247 OPS. CF Sid Cullen .320/.393/.800 3HR 8 RBI. Still rounding into form are Tom Reed who's main focus this spring has been working on defensive skills at 1B, new acquisition Dick Rabkin who is struggling at the plate against many pitchers who will not be in the FABL come Opening Day next week.

On the mound the starters have not been going very deep with Hohlt saying they will ramp up over the next week. If the goal of the spring was to find a supporting cast for Zeke Blake, who is still working on a new pitch, then it has been successful. Two players from last year's Nickels have stepped up in limited innings, Bob Campbell, Charlie Davidson, making for a tough call before the team starts the 162 game schedule next Tuesday in LA. The odds are one of the two will start the season in AAA.

The Wolves pared their roster down to 26 one over the limit. Front office officials say the decisions were tough but necessary due to the shortened time span of spring training. With only 3 weeks to prove they belonged in Toronto made evaluation much more difficult than in previous years. The team announced that P's Danny Horne, Sam Morgan, Jimmy Blair, Stan Boone, Wilson Pearson, C Al Curtis, SS Mel Hart, OF Frank Hardin, OF Babe Herman have been sent to Buffalo.

Wolves are said to searching for a bullpen lefty as Fred Clark, 34, has been getting shelled all spring. For a team that is full of lefthanded hitters, southpaws for mound duty are a scarce resource. Work on setting minor league rosters will become a major focus for the front office.

Kansas City and LA linked up on a minor trade, as the Kings sent catcher Stan Richardson back to the Stars. As a Rule-5 pick, he would have had to spend the entire season on the active roster, but by releasing him, the Kings can now acquire his rights and stash him in the minors. A defensive specialist, the 27-year-old Richardson made his name with the independent Charleston Blue Legs before joining the Stars organization last February. Not much for his bat, he hit just .270/.296/.358 (84 OPS+) in AA, but he's among the game's best in blocking and framing.
LA receives a AA player in return, acquiring speedy infielder Joe Sturgill. The former King 9th Rounder swiped 13 bases between AA and A, putting up WRC+ of 129 and 126. Capable at first and second, he's a decent enough bat, but like Richardson, not much is expected from him at the plate.
Montreal is ecstatic with the production they've gotten from their top prospect Henry Woods, as the 20-year-old catcher has hit .350/.364/.650 with 2 homers and 3 RBIs. Taken with the 3rd pick of the 1961 draft, earning an Opening Day spot would complete a quick ascent for Woods, who projects to enter the season as the game's #5 prospect.
If Woods makes the team, it would end a nice run at catcher for Garland Phelps. The 33-year-old veteran is one of the top offensive catchers, stringing together four consecutive seasons with at least 500 PAs and a WRC+ above 110. An 11-year vet, Phelps owns a career .282/.370/.417 (114 OPS+) line with the Cougars and Saints.
Injuries continue to strike pitching staffs, as the Miners and Stars both lost notable pitchers. Pittsburgh will be without young lefty Clay Buddemeyer with shoulder inflammation. Lucky for them, it's a mild case, but the former 7th Rounder will miss Opening Day. It should be a short stint, but it's a tough break for a team looking to figure out their long-term staff.
Meanwhile, the Stars injury is more severe, as they will be without 22-year-old Jim Schoolfield for at least the rest of the season. The righty tore his UCL, potentially putting his status for 1964 Opening Day in question too. A high octane pitcher, he has a high speed fastball and does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. The issue lies in his command, and as with any elbow injury, there's always a risk in a drop of command.
Cleveland lost another arm too, as after Pearson and Young, now Matt Hope will go under the knife. A 22-year-old non-roster invitee, Hope had a chance to take Young's spot but now he'll undergo a procedure to clean up elbow inflammation. An overpowering short-inning arm, he has four plus-plus pitches, and struck out 65 hitters in 76.2 innings pitched.

MOTORS BOUNCE BACK IN BIG WAY
Barrell Nets 5 Points in Rout of Montreal

A five game losing streak to end the season was apparently nothing to worry about for the Detroit Motors, as Hobie Barrell scored three times and added a pair of assists as Detroit routed Montreal 8-3 in the opening game of their best-of-seven semi-final series. Barrell becomes the first player to collect five points in a single playoff game since his teammate Alex Monette did it two years ago in the finals.

Barrell's outburst came with Monette, his usual center, sidelined for the season and ended a slump that saw the NAHC's scoring leader collect just one point in the final six games of the regular season. Barrell scored once on the power play, once shorthanded and the final time at even strength as Detroit dominated Montreal in the series opener. Colin MacMillan and Nick Tardif each had three points for the Motors while Scott Dudek replied with a pair of goals for Montreal. The Motors, who finished tied with Montreal at 82 points during the season, will look to take a two games to none lead in Wednesday's second game before the series shifts to Montreal.

Saturday night in Chicago the first place Packers extended their unbeaten streak to nine games with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Dukes in the opener of their semi-final series. Archer Cook and Guy Bernier gave Chicago a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes and Tommy Gordon extended the lead to three with his goal late in the middle frame. Nick Poulin got one back for Toronto early in the third period but Ken York restored the three goal margin with a powerplay later in the final stanza. Chicago outshot Toronto 39-18. Game two is set for tomorrow night in the Windy City.

FINALISTS NAMED FOR NAHC AWARDS

He may not have won another scoring title but 40-year-old Quinton Pollack of the Toronto Dukes is once more a finalist for the McDaniels Trophy, presented annually to the Most Valuable Player in the North American Hockey Confederation. Pollack has won each of the last two McDaniels Awards and he owns nine of them in total, but he will be hard pressed to claim his tenth. Pollack did finish second in scoring with 79 points this season but will be up against the scoring champ. That would be Hobie Barrell of Detroit, as the 22-year-old lead the NAHC in goals with 42 and points with 83. Joining the two prolific scorers as finalists will be another 22-year-old. That would be Montreal Valiants sensational defenseman Mark Moggy. Moggy was rookie of the year two years ago and last season won the Dewar Trophy as the top defenseman in the league.

Moggy is the favourite to become the first two-time winner of the Dewar Trophy and is joined as finalists by his Montreal teammate Jean Tremblay along with Robert Ling of Detroit, who was just the second defenseman in NAHC history to score twenty goals in a season.

The finalists for the Juneau Trophy, presented annually since 1927-28 to the league's top goaltender are Toronto's Mike Connelly, two-time winner Nathan Bannister of Montreal and veteran New York Shamrocks goaltender Alex Sorrell, who is also a two-time winner with his awards coming in back to back seasons beginning in 1950.

The Harvey McLeod Trophy is presented to the top rookie and the finalists are a pair of Toronto Dukes in Andrew Williams and Hank Knackstedt along with Dick Pepe of Montreal. Finally the finalists for the Yeadon Trophy for gentlemanly play are Benny Barrell of Detroit, Chicago's Matt McGrath and Ken Jamieson of Toronto.

Full Court Press: March 25-31, 1963

The Western Division will come down to the wire. The top three teams have made the playoffs, but the order is still up for some debate. Toronto has nine games left and still holds a 1-1/2-game lead after a tough week playing its closest divisional brethren. The Falcons held up well in three games against Detroit, furiously trying to come back from a 13-point deficit only to lose, 103-100 before winning the next two against the Mustangs later in the week. The turning point came after the Falcons loss on Tuesday night in St. Louis, 92-70. Coach Irvin Lewis, the long-time captain of the Falcons, held a closed-door meeting with the team after the game, as the division suddenly felt like it may slip away. The two wins against the Mustangs, highlighted by Fred Lillard’s 37 points in Toronto’s 101-82 win on Sunday night, showed Lewis has impeccable timing.
The St. Louis Rockets are making their push, joining the Mustangs in a tie for second place after a clean sweep in their four games this week. The winning streak is up to five games, but the remaining schedule is going to be tough. With ten games remaining, the Rockets have nine games against playoff teams, including five against Detroit and three with first-place Toronto. The all-important Division Semifinal bye is in the balance and while Toronto just needs to run the clock out, the Rockets are poised to have the final say. Toronto and Detroit only meet once during the rest of the regular season.
In the Eastern Division, Boston officially clinched, and the Centurions have won five straight. Philadelphia has a very good chance to hold on to the second spot in the division, as the Phantoms stand three games ahead of New York. New York has to hope Philadelphia slips on its own because the two teams will not play each other until the playoffs. Which team will have home-court advantage will work itself out, and it definitely means something. Both teams are under .500 on the road, with Philadelphia 17-19 away from Keystone Arena and New York playing to a 15-21 record on the road.

AIAA CAGE TOURNAMENT MOVES TO NEW YORK CITY
None of the Number One Seeds Reach Semi-Finals

It was a weekend of surprises as the college basketball championship tournament narrowed its field down to the four finalists. Shockingly, none of the number one seeds qualified making this just the second time since 1949 that has happened.

The two Great Lakes Alliance schools that earned number one berths were the first to fall as both were eliminated Thursday evening. Fifth seed Flagstaff State outscored Midwest number one seed Indiana A&M by 13 points in the second half to give the Firebirds a shocking 51-48 upset of one of the best teams in the nation. At the same time in the East Region, Annapolis Maritime -another fifth seed- knocked off Western Iowa 56-46 to advance to the quarterfinals.

The other two number ones would fall on the weekend as Coastal California, behind 21 points from senior guard Bill Mebane, tripped up Carolina Poly 43-39 to advance from the South Region. Meanwhile in another matchup of a South Atlantic Conference school against one from the West Coast Athletic Association the eastern section gained its revenge for the Cardinals loss to the Dolphins and Maryland State had a surprisingly easy time knocking of West Region top seed Lane State 54-42.

The national semi-finals will be played Saturday at New York's Bigsby Garden with the AIAA tournament championship game going two nights later. It will see Coastal California face Maryland State in the opener followed by the Cinderella 6th seeded Mobile Maritime Middies facing North Carolina Tech in the nightcap.

RECENT KEY RESULTS

31-year-old middleweight George Hatchell battled a rising star in the sport to a draw in Chicago on Friday evening. That would be Ed Eads, a 25-year-old who hails from Texarkana, TX., and is now 22-1-1. As for Hatchell, the former two-time world champion has been on a downward spiral since losing a 1962 title shot against Lyman King. Hatchell proceeded to lose to both Hugo Canio and Guy Williams before the draw with Eads.

UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS

May 3- Welterweight champion Matt Leach will face former champion Eugene Ellis in Houston. Leach, a 29-year-old New York City native, is 33-6-2 and will making his second defense since winning the title from Lenny Shafto last September. The 32-year-old Ellis, 46-6-1 alternated with Lonnie Griffin as welterweight champ for much of the last half of the 1950s. The two staged many thrilling battles for the crown but Ellis has not had a title shot since losing for the last time to Griffin two years ago. It will be the first time the Seattle native faces Leach.
June 20- Heavyweight Champion George Galleshaw will put his title on the line against former champion Steve Leivers at Bigsby Garden in New York City. Galleshaw held the title for 18 months beginning in 1960 before losing it in a shocking upset to Bert Parks but he regained the crown last November and successfully defended his title in February against Will Flowers. Galleshaw enters the fight with a 36-2-1 record. Leivers, 34, held the title for a spell in the mid-1950s, taking it from another Englishman Joe Brinkworth and making two successful defenses before losing to Brad Harris in 1957. He is 43-2-1 and will be facing Galleshaw for the first time.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 03/31/1963

The US announced it will "take every step necessary" to prevent hit-and-run raids on Communist Cuba from US territory. The joint announcement from the State and Justice departments said preliminary evidence indicates recent raids by Cuban refugees were not launched from United States territory. It also notes such attacks by exiles might actually strengthen the Soviet position in Cuba rather than weaken it.
A military takeover in Guatemala that sent President Miguel Fuentes into exile appears to have blocked any chance of a Communist election victory in the Central American republic.
The defense department announced that 1,350 doctors will be drafted this summer for the armed services. It is necessitated because an insufficient number of medical school graduates have volunteered for active duty immediately following internship.
A 114-day newspaper strike in New York ended with the roar of the presses and the sounds of 19,000 newspaper employees back at work.

02-20-2025, 12:31 PM	#1083
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,011	April 1st, 1963 APRIL 1, 1963 Previewing the Federal Association In our first of a two-part special, the team at TWIFS is previewing the 20 FABL teams and predicting the order in their association with they will finish, as well as a little information on the team. Today, we'll take a look at the Federal Association: 1. St Louis Pioneers: I feel cheap doing this almost every year, picking the team that won the pennant last season, but I just can't put anyone but the Pioneers first. Even last year I recognized that a pennant was winnable for them, but there was no way to predict just how dominant Frenchy Mack (25-5, 2.06, 288), Billy Hasson (20-9, 3.11, 185), and Steve Madden (16-10, 3.40, 143), or that Danny Davis (.352, 26, 96) would look like a seasoned vet and not a scared rookie. Pair that with the obvious success of Whitney Winners Bob Bell (.386, 46, 120) and Jerry Smith (.304, 27, 100, 14), and it's not hard to see why they were so great last year. This year something will go wrong, that's just how baseball is, but they're so deep that even if Bell and Mack didn't play a single inning this year, they could still compete. Both Danny Daniels (11-13, 4.56, 144) and Charlie Blake (15-10, 4.45, 147) are capable of taking steps forward, and slugger Steve Schultz (.302, 31, 117) may be on the cusp of stardom. Top to bottom, this team is loaded with talent, and they've got four top-50 prospects in the farm, with 20-year-old Harry Johnson ranked 8th, giving them another potential ace just waiting for a big league shot. Dethroning this team is going to be a grueling challenge for the nine teams below them, and if I was a betting man I'd push my coin towards the Pioneer logo as the team known for repeating will capture two Federal Association flags in a row for the third time in four tries. 2. Washington Eagles: Washington is this year's St. Louis, as if they ended up winning the Fed I wouldn't be too surprised. They're not nearly as deep as St. Louis, but Tom Lorang (.386, 35, 125, 6) might actually be better then Bell and all George Whaley (.321, 21, 63, 5) did after being called up is hit 21 homers in 69 games. Jimmy Brown's (.296, 24, 89) rookie breakout was overshadowed by Danny Davis, and parting with Brad Keylon (.333, 4, 18) was easy now that 22-year-old Howdy Oakes (.322, 13, 78) is arguably the best catcher in FABL. All these guys are stars, and none of them will enter the season at 23. Their oldest projected everyday player is Ralph Weatherbee (.271, 6, 60, 9), and the fifth year vet won't turn 27 until August. This young lineup is positioned well for perfectly timed breakouts, and if enough breaks their way, they could outscore everyone else. It will all come down to the rotation, as while talented, it's inexperience may not play as well. There's no Lorang or Whaley, but Bob Bell (13-10, 4.70, 132) is a lot better then the numbers look, and if I had to pick one guy without an All-Star appearance that would get one this year, it'd be him. Former top-10 prospect Owen Lantz (13-8, 4, 3.72, 112) had a productive rookie season, and as long as he keeps the ball in the park the wild Jim Stewart (14-7, 3.76, 157) is someone you want pitching every fifth day. The deck may be stacked against them this year, but this team is built for the long haul, and could be a nightmare for competitors as we continue in the 60s. 3. Detroit Dynamos: Another team that would be little surprise if they finish on top, the Detroit Dynamos came just a single game shy of a miraculous pennant comeback. The scourge of the 50s, the next generation of Dynamos is just as scary, with Ray Waggoner (.355, 30, 109) one of the early favorites for the Whitney. A natural outfielder, he's at first, with young outfielders Ed MacNaughton (.314, 13, 72, 30) and Cecil Gregg (.302, 19, 110, 10) in center and right, and 4-time champ Bill Morrison (.304, 10, 51, 11) in left. Elsewhere, Joe Reed (.293, 31, 114, 8) has established himself as one of the top shortstops, while Dick Tucker (.315, 20, 103) and Virgil Ewing (.285, 17, 101) provide serious thump in the bottom half of the order. That gives you an idea how deep they are there, and they have the distinction of being one of the most well rounded squads. The pitching lacks a Hasson or Mack, or even a Madden, but Jim Norris (18-7, 4.18, 122) and Paul Anderson (16-5, 2.89, 129) are sturdy and reliable arms. The back half is solid too, but I'm not overly confident in a 38-year-old John Jackson (13-14, 3.70, 133), Bud Henderson (8-7, 4.65, 68) seems likely to fall somewhere between the Detroit (6-3, 3.18, 46) and LA (2-4, 7.17, 22) version, and the now $170k man Howie French 13-8, 3, 3.99, 112) ended up in the pen. While not an obvious weakness, they may struggle against a team like St. Louis who can hit and pitch. I wouldn't count them out, they're a serious contender, but in a long season the thinnest of margins can be the difference between glory and an early vacation. 4. Philadelphia Keystones: There are a lot of tremendous 1-2 punches in a lineup, but it's hard to top the Harry Dellinger (.363, 27, 76, 25) and Buddy Miller (.354, 26, 100) duo in the City of Brotherly Love. Three may be a crowd, but Andy Parker (.313, 18, 97) is trying to squeeze into the mix, as the recently turned 23-year-old actually ranks three spots higher then Miller on the current top-20 list. If that wasn't enough, they also have veteran All-Stars Marshall Thomas (.267, 5, 24, 3) and Lloyd Coulter (.278, 43, 132), one of the few teams that has a wide range of ages contributing. With a lineup that good, the pitching is the key, as it's what let them down last year and what brought them a title in 1961. Jorge Arellano (15-9, 4.03, 156) was solid, but William Davis (12-10, 4.65, 148), Tom Robinson (8-11, 5.75, 119), and Joe Kienle (10-7, 5.08, 60) al had significant down seasons. They have a serious spring competition going for spots, as aside from Arellano and breakout righty Tom Elliott (8-5, 1, 3.54, 80), it doesn't seem like anyone is guaranteed a turn. The variability in the rotation makes it tough to see them finishing on top, but give two complimentary stars on offense some support and there's really no stopping them. You just have to hope to score enough runs to survive. 5. Pittsburgh Miners: Part of me wants to call the Miners the first contender that's not really a contender, but they have some serious young talent. 21-year-old Dixie Turner (.282, 12, 69, 8) was a Diamond Defense award winner as a rookie, and with an improving bat he has all the tools to be among one of the most valuable players in the sport. As you know by now, having a Barrell is a plus too, and the 22-year-old Reid (.261, 16, 80) had a productive rookie season, and he's a potential .300 hitter from both sides of the plate you can plug in anywhere on the infield. John Moreland (.309, 10, 75, 8), Frank Selander (.285, 14, 78, 11), and Mike Whisman (.308, 22, 99) are all solid contributors, but until Turner hits his peak, they lack the star power or collection of almost stars to be a true threat. On top of that, the rotation isn't quite where they need to be, but a full season of Jimmy Blair (2-1, 2.57, 29) is a good start, and Pat Simon (16-8, 3.69, 126) did his best impression of an ace last year. It's murky behind that, but they have a deep farm system that could easily acquire an arm or two should one of interest be available. For now, keep an eye on Clay Buddemeyer (7-10, 4.45, 100), who could fill out a dangerous trio of southpaws. 24 in May, he's an innings eater with great stuff, and is just a few command issues away from being a top pitcher. 6. Boston Minutemen: I think this is where things start to level off, and there may be more room between 5th and 6th then there will be between 1st and 5th. The best of the rest, I debated between Boston and New York for a while, but in the end I'm a Frank Kirouac (.279, 21, 90, 8) truther who still believes that Don Griffin (15-6, 1, 3.23, 118) is an ace. And that's enough to make the difference for me! Boston is still a few bats and arms away from contention, but Joe Kleman (.308, 14, 78, 8) continues to be a top shortstop, a healthy Bill Tutwiler (.312, 5, 50, 9) can win you baseball games, and Ed Wise (.247, 30, 97, 7) can change the game with a bomb, a walk, or even a steal. The staff is somewhat of a mess, but Bob Green (6-4, 3.84, 74) has wipeout stuff. Ray Gonyea (11-16, 5.55, 150) does too, except when he's giving up 500 foot blasts, as back-to-back 30+ homer seasons have prevented him from establishing himself in FABL. Conversely, they have his opposite in Bob Hollister (10-14, 11, 4.45, 56), who's all control and no stuff. It's an interesting group of arms, but each guy has a weakness that could sabotage their season. Even Griffin. It's tough for imperfect teams to win, and even tougher when the competition is as good as it is now. 7. New York Gothams: On a different trajectory, the Gothams are a young team on the way up, aside from team legend Hank Estill (.272, 17, 63), most of the guys worth their salt are on the younger side. 23-year-old Tom Brizzolara (.322, 13, 78, 7) has a stake for FABL's top catcher, while rookie All-Star Isaiah Redbird (.324, 12, 78, 7) put together a 5 (5.4) WAR season like it was nothing. And even if he's not a top player at his position, Joe Anderson (.311, 13, 78) is starting to look like John Kingsbury (.350, 22, 113, 13) lite. There's a drop off after that, but 25-year-old third basemen Frank Arnold (.326, 5, 95) gets overlooked for not having the traditional pop of someone at the hot corner, and fellow 25-year-old Otto Pilkerton (.294, 14, 87, 8) had a 113 WRC+ last year and won a Diamond Defense award in center two years ago. Like Boston, the pitching is their weakness, as their best pitcher is a guy coming off a brutal season. Clarence Reimer (8-16, 5.19, 150) is a far better pitcher then the stats suggest, but allowing 29 homers in 34 starts did him in. Someone else needs to step up, my first thought Chuck Kleiman (11-9, 4.35, 116), but they have no shortage of high-upside young arms all waiting for a chance to prove they belong in the big leagues. 8. Chicago Chiefs: Looking to actively sell, the Chicago Chiefs unloaded in the deadline, and I'd expect more of the same in 1963. It won't push them behind the expansion teams, but expect contenders to look at Irv Clifford (.279, 66), Al Padgett (.284, 24, 87), Doc Zimmerman (.312, 13, 87, 5), and Vern Osborne (13-11, 5.30, 126). Ed Bloom (.284, 12, 53, 10) and Rod Shearer (.305, 20, 88, 13) aren't going anywhere, which is enough to keep them out of the cellar, and their rebuild has already harvested some success. Joe Siniscalchi (.311, 10, 42), acquired from the Kings, was great in his 57 game debut, while former Cougar prospect Bob Starr is just 22 and potential elite defender out in center. Both are getting regular reps in The staff has a top young stopper in Dutch Lane (9-8, 24, 3.18, 72), and I'd like for them to place 23-year-old Fred Moore (6-3, 1, 4.43, 45) in their opening rotation. But the most interesting young player is John Thomas (7-4, 2.61, 56), who turned 20 this February. His 12 start debut at 19 was electric, and I'm anxiously waiting in anticipation for his encore. Despite all the promise, it's tough to rely on an unproven staff, and they're destined for plenty of growing pains as the rebuild continues. 9. Minneapolis Millers: There's really one reason why the Millers are 9th and the Suns are 10th. No, not a coin flip. In fact, an 18-year-old. Not your average 18-year-old, John Edwards is already better then at least 75% of the guys that took a PA for the Millers last season. The 3rd pick last season, I believed he could have gone straight to Minneapolis had they wanted, and he managed to hit an alright .223/.326/.334 (89 OPS+) with 11 doubles, 5 triples, 4 homers, 24 RBIs, 36 runs, and 45 walks. The average was low, but he worked at bats well and and struck out just 25 times in 344 PAs. A plus defender as well, he might be their best defender out in center too, as last year's starter Dick Sheehan (.321, 9, 63) belongs in a corner. Him and Hugh Pate (.263, 18, 68, 9) were really their only hitters of value, so if Edwards joins they might actually have a respectable outfield. Looking for talent elsewhere is tough, and I cannot believe just how awful Joe McDowell (6-18, 6.78, 89) was last season. I'd expect better from him and Bill Smith (7-18, 5.36, 157), but their is just not much going for them on the mound. I was surprised Minneapolis didn't take chances on many players in the offseason, but they'll have a long season to try to find the right pieces to finish their puzzle. 10. Los Angeles Suns: Rounding things out is the Los Angeles Suns, though they actually have a talented young player to build around. That would be all-world glovemen Bill Bell (.293, 15, 67, 15), who was named the Suns' lone All-Star in their inaugural season. 24 in July, the Chicago native had an above average 112 WRC+ while playing outstanding defense at second, short, and third. I wouldn't bet on him becoming a top hitter, but his speed and range will more then make up for any shortcomings with the bat. Besides, Gary Romeo (.303, 6, 45, 8) and Mickey McClure (.284, 13, 63) were the best they had, and there's no obvious solutions in the farm. Russ Hawkins (.286, 15, 76) and former #1 pick Stan Czerwinski (.288, 16, 71) are solid role players, but the lineup can't compete with the Minutemen and Miners, let alone the Pioneers and Keystones. What they do have, is a decent enough pitching staff, as while not top arms you can certainly do worse then Doc Carver (12-12, 4.67, 125), Red Burtch (7-11, 4.73, 111), and Grant Davis (8-9, 4.95, 66). They're all on the right side of 30, and could be holding down rotation spots as the rest of the team gets better around them. One guy to watch is the wildly effective Frank Carey (3-10, 13, 4.96, 62), who has some of the best stuff in the game. Whether it's coming in the rotation or pen is yet to be determined, but despite the organization being as young as it is, they've done a good job gathering pitching talent. Tales From The Den Wolves Prepare For Start of 1963 Toronto's baseball club has started the exhibition season at 11-2. It is a good sign although everyone worth their salt knows spring is time for experimentation, these games do not count where it matters, in the regular season. At the plate there have been good signs from LF Chick Reed's .370/.438/.815 4Hr 7 RBI, 2B Phil Story .500/.538/.708 1.247 OPS. CF Sid Cullen .320/.393/.800 3HR 8 RBI. Still rounding into form are Tom Reed who's main focus this spring has been working on defensive skills at 1B, new acquisition Dick Rabkin who is struggling at the plate against many pitchers who will not be in the FABL come Opening Day next week. On the mound the starters have not been going very deep with Hohlt saying they will ramp up over the next week. If the goal of the spring was to find a supporting cast for Zeke Blake, who is still working on a new pitch, then it has been successful. Two players from last year's Nickels have stepped up in limited innings, Bob Campbell, Charlie Davidson, making for a tough call before the team starts the 162 game schedule next Tuesday in LA. The odds are one of the two will start the season in AAA. The Wolves pared their roster down to 26 one over the limit. Front office officials say the decisions were tough but necessary due to the shortened time span of spring training. With only 3 weeks to prove they belonged in Toronto made evaluation much more difficult than in previous years. The team announced that P's Danny Horne, Sam Morgan, Jimmy Blair, Stan Boone, Wilson Pearson, C Al Curtis, SS Mel Hart, OF Frank Hardin, OF Babe Herman have been sent to Buffalo. Wolves are said to searching for a bullpen lefty as Fred Clark, 34, has been getting shelled all spring. For a team that is full of lefthanded hitters, southpaws for mound duty are a scarce resource. Work on setting minor league rosters will become a major focus for the front office. Kansas City and LA linked up on a minor trade, as the Kings sent catcher Stan Richardson back to the Stars. As a Rule-5 pick, he would have had to spend the entire season on the active roster, but by releasing him, the Kings can now acquire his rights and stash him in the minors. A defensive specialist, the 27-year-old Richardson made his name with the independent Charleston Blue Legs before joining the Stars organization last February. Not much for his bat, he hit just .270/.296/.358 (84 OPS+) in AA, but he's among the game's best in blocking and framing. LA receives a AA player in return, acquiring speedy infielder Joe Sturgill. The former King 9th Rounder swiped 13 bases between AA and A, putting up WRC+ of 129 and 126. Capable at first and second, he's a decent enough bat, but like Richardson, not much is expected from him at the plate. Montreal is ecstatic with the production they've gotten from their top prospect Henry Woods, as the 20-year-old catcher has hit .350/.364/.650 with 2 homers and 3 RBIs. Taken with the 3rd pick of the 1961 draft, earning an Opening Day spot would complete a quick ascent for Woods, who projects to enter the season as the game's #5 prospect. If Woods makes the team, it would end a nice run at catcher for Garland Phelps. The 33-year-old veteran is one of the top offensive catchers, stringing together four consecutive seasons with at least 500 PAs and a WRC+ above 110. An 11-year vet, Phelps owns a career .282/.370/.417 (114 OPS+) line with the Cougars and Saints. Injuries continue to strike pitching staffs, as the Miners and Stars both lost notable pitchers. Pittsburgh will be without young lefty Clay Buddemeyer with shoulder inflammation. Lucky for them, it's a mild case, but the former 7th Rounder will miss Opening Day. It should be a short stint, but it's a tough break for a team looking to figure out their long-term staff. Meanwhile, the Stars injury is more severe, as they will be without 22-year-old Jim Schoolfield for at least the rest of the season. The righty tore his UCL, potentially putting his status for 1964 Opening Day in question too. A high octane pitcher, he has a high speed fastball and does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. The issue lies in his command, and as with any elbow injury, there's always a risk in a drop of command. Cleveland lost another arm too, as after Pearson and Young, now Matt Hope will go under the knife. A 22-year-old non-roster invitee, Hope had a chance to take Young's spot but now he'll undergo a procedure to clean up elbow inflammation. An overpowering short-inning arm, he has four plus-plus pitches, and struck out 65 hitters in 76.2 innings pitched. MOTORS BOUNCE BACK IN BIG WAY Barrell Nets 5 Points in Rout of Montreal A five game losing streak to end the season was apparently nothing to worry about for the Detroit Motors, as Hobie Barrell scored three times and added a pair of assists as Detroit routed Montreal 8-3 in the opening game of their best-of-seven semi-final series. Barrell becomes the first player to collect five points in a single playoff game since his teammate Alex Monette did it two years ago in the finals. Barrell's outburst came with Monette, his usual center, sidelined for the season and ended a slump that saw the NAHC's scoring leader collect just one point in the final six games of the regular season. Barrell scored once on the power play, once shorthanded and the final time at even strength as Detroit dominated Montreal in the series opener. Colin MacMillan and Nick Tardif each had three points for the Motors while Scott Dudek replied with a pair of goals for Montreal. The Motors, who finished tied with Montreal at 82 points during the season, will look to take a two games to none lead in Wednesday's second game before the series shifts to Montreal. Saturday night in Chicago the first place Packers extended their unbeaten streak to nine games with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Dukes in the opener of their semi-final series. Archer Cook and Guy Bernier gave Chicago a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes and Tommy Gordon extended the lead to three with his goal late in the middle frame. Nick Poulin got one back for Toronto early in the third period but Ken York restored the three goal margin with a powerplay later in the final stanza. Chicago outshot Toronto 39-18. Game two is set for tomorrow night in the Windy City. FINALISTS NAMED FOR NAHC AWARDS He may not have won another scoring title but 40-year-old Quinton Pollack of the Toronto Dukes is once more a finalist for the McDaniels Trophy, presented annually to the Most Valuable Player in the North American Hockey Confederation. Pollack has won each of the last two McDaniels Awards and he owns nine of them in total, but he will be hard pressed to claim his tenth. Pollack did finish second in scoring with 79 points this season but will be up against the scoring champ. That would be Hobie Barrell of Detroit, as the 22-year-old lead the NAHC in goals with 42 and points with 83. Joining the two prolific scorers as finalists will be another 22-year-old. That would be Montreal Valiants sensational defenseman Mark Moggy. Moggy was rookie of the year two years ago and last season won the Dewar Trophy as the top defenseman in the league. Moggy is the favourite to become the first two-time winner of the Dewar Trophy and is joined as finalists by his Montreal teammate Jean Tremblay along with Robert Ling of Detroit, who was just the second defenseman in NAHC history to score twenty goals in a season. The finalists for the Juneau Trophy, presented annually since 1927-28 to the league's top goaltender are Toronto's Mike Connelly, two-time winner Nathan Bannister of Montreal and veteran New York Shamrocks goaltender Alex Sorrell, who is also a two-time winner with his awards coming in back to back seasons beginning in 1950. The Harvey McLeod Trophy is presented to the top rookie and the finalists are a pair of Toronto Dukes in Andrew Williams and Hank Knackstedt along with Dick Pepe of Montreal. Finally the finalists for the Yeadon Trophy for gentlemanly play are Benny Barrell of Detroit, Chicago's Matt McGrath and Ken Jamieson of Toronto. Full Court Press: March 25-31, 1963 The Western Division will come down to the wire. The top three teams have made the playoffs, but the order is still up for some debate. Toronto has nine games left and still holds a 1-1/2-game lead after a tough week playing its closest divisional brethren. The Falcons held up well in three games against Detroit, furiously trying to come back from a 13-point deficit only to lose, 103-100 before winning the next two against the Mustangs later in the week. The turning point came after the Falcons loss on Tuesday night in St. Louis, 92-70. Coach Irvin Lewis, the long-time captain of the Falcons, held a closed-door meeting with the team after the game, as the division suddenly felt like it may slip away. The two wins against the Mustangs, highlighted by Fred Lillard’s 37 points in Toronto’s 101-82 win on Sunday night, showed Lewis has impeccable timing. The St. Louis Rockets are making their push, joining the Mustangs in a tie for second place after a clean sweep in their four games this week. The winning streak is up to five games, but the remaining schedule is going to be tough. With ten games remaining, the Rockets have nine games against playoff teams, including five against Detroit and three with first-place Toronto. The all-important Division Semifinal bye is in the balance and while Toronto just needs to run the clock out, the Rockets are poised to have the final say. Toronto and Detroit only meet once during the rest of the regular season. In the Eastern Division, Boston officially clinched, and the Centurions have won five straight. Philadelphia has a very good chance to hold on to the second spot in the division, as the Phantoms stand three games ahead of New York. New York has to hope Philadelphia slips on its own because the two teams will not play each other until the playoffs. Which team will have home-court advantage will work itself out, and it definitely means something. Both teams are under .500 on the road, with Philadelphia 17-19 away from Keystone Arena and New York playing to a 15-21 record on the road. AIAA CAGE TOURNAMENT MOVES TO NEW YORK CITY None of the Number One Seeds Reach Semi-Finals It was a weekend of surprises as the college basketball championship tournament narrowed its field down to the four finalists. Shockingly, none of the number one seeds qualified making this just the second time since 1949 that has happened. The two Great Lakes Alliance schools that earned number one berths were the first to fall as both were eliminated Thursday evening. Fifth seed Flagstaff State outscored Midwest number one seed Indiana A&M by 13 points in the second half to give the Firebirds a shocking 51-48 upset of one of the best teams in the nation. At the same time in the East Region, Annapolis Maritime -another fifth seed- knocked off Western Iowa 56-46 to advance to the quarterfinals. The other two number ones would fall on the weekend as Coastal California, behind 21 points from senior guard Bill Mebane, tripped up Carolina Poly 43-39 to advance from the South Region. Meanwhile in another matchup of a South Atlantic Conference school against one from the West Coast Athletic Association the eastern section gained its revenge for the Cardinals loss to the Dolphins and Maryland State had a surprisingly easy time knocking of West Region top seed Lane State 54-42. The national semi-finals will be played Saturday at New York's Bigsby Garden with the AIAA tournament championship game going two nights later. It will see Coastal California face Maryland State in the opener followed by the Cinderella 6th seeded Mobile Maritime Middies facing North Carolina Tech in the nightcap. RECENT KEY RESULTS 31-year-old middleweight George Hatchell battled a rising star in the sport to a draw in Chicago on Friday evening. That would be Ed Eads, a 25-year-old who hails from Texarkana, TX., and is now 22-1-1. As for Hatchell, the former two-time world champion has been on a downward spiral since losing a 1962 title shot against Lyman King. Hatchell proceeded to lose to both Hugo Canio and Guy Williams before the draw with Eads. UPCOMING MAJOR FIGHTS May 3- Welterweight champion Matt Leach will face former champion Eugene Ellis in Houston. Leach, a 29-year-old New York City native, is 33-6-2 and will making his second defense since winning the title from Lenny Shafto last September. The 32-year-old Ellis, 46-6-1 alternated with Lonnie Griffin as welterweight champ for much of the last half of the 1950s. The two staged many thrilling battles for the crown but Ellis has not had a title shot since losing for the last time to Griffin two years ago. It will be the first time the Seattle native faces Leach. June 20- Heavyweight Champion George Galleshaw will put his title on the line against former champion Steve Leivers at Bigsby Garden in New York City. Galleshaw held the title for 18 months beginning in 1960 before losing it in a shocking upset to Bert Parks but he regained the crown last November and successfully defended his title in February against Will Flowers. Galleshaw enters the fight with a 36-2-1 record. Leivers, 34, held the title for a spell in the mid-1950s, taking it from another Englishman Joe Brinkworth and making two successful defenses before losing to Brad Harris in 1957. He is 43-2-1 and will be facing Galleshaw for the first time. The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 03/31/1963 The US announced it will "take every step necessary" to prevent hit-and-run raids on Communist Cuba from US territory. The joint announcement from the State and Justice departments said preliminary evidence indicates recent raids by Cuban refugees were not launched from United States territory. It also notes such attacks by exiles might actually strengthen the Soviet position in Cuba rather than weaken it. A military takeover in Guatemala that sent President Miguel Fuentes into exile appears to have blocked any chance of a Communist election victory in the Central American republic. The defense department announced that 1,350 doctors will be drafted this summer for the armed services. It is necessitated because an insufficient number of medical school graduates have volunteered for active duty immediately following internship. A 114-day newspaper strike in New York ended with the roar of the presses and the sounds of 19,000 newspaper employees back at work.