OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - All things Figment - from the pages of The Figment Sporting Journal

ayaghmour2 · 02-27-2025, 02:29 PM

Editor's Note: Baseball's sim went a few extra days (to May 1st) on accident, so this issue includes the extra games that were simmed

APRIL 29, 1963
DYNAMOS, FORESTERS RISE TO TOP
Each Win Twice Over Key Rival Last Week

After finishing a game behind the Federal Association pennant winning St. Louis Pioneers a year ago the Detroit Dynamos know every game with the reigning champs carries plenty of weight, even one in the opening month of the season.

The two clubs are once more neck and neck atop the Fed table and the renewed acquaintances with a pair of very brief one game series over the past week. The Dynamos prevailed in both of them, taking an 8-6 win in 12 innings at Pioneer Field early in the week before clobbering Pioneers number five starter Charlie Blake yesterday at Thompson Field in a 9-4 Detroit victory. That leaves the Dynamos, at 13-4, with a half game lead on the Pioneers atop the Fed. Two other clubs, Washington and hard-charging Pittsburgh - winners of five straight- sit two and a half games off the pace.

The Continental Association has a new leader as the Cleveland Foresters won six straight before falling 11-10 in an extra inning slugfest with the New York Imperials yesterday. Included in those six wins were a pair at home over the Kansas City Kings. The Kings dropped four of their last six games and now find themselves looking up at the Foresters, a game and a half back.

Tales From The Den
Wolves Home After Road Trip, Finish April 9-11

Toronto finishes the first month of 1963 FABL season two games under .500 at 9-11. During a month in which the team made two trips to the west coast Hohlt is said not be too worried, at the moment. He expects the team to round into form in May. Returning home 4-7 after a 10 day road trip the team won its last game of April on Tuesday 5-2 over KC who was in town for only one game in a strange scheduling anomaly. The team was 4-3 to start the 4 city trip before losing the last 4 games including being swept by Dallas. One of the 3 losses to Dallas was a pitching gem by Steve Miller who only allowed one hit by Tom Sexton in the 5th. Smith only needed 86 pitches in 1-0 victory. Hohlt was more upset with the Saturday loss when his team rallied with 4 in the top of nine to take a 7-6 lead before Blake gave up a walkoff single to Ed Thompson in the home half. Blake along with many other pitchers have been very inconsistent through the first month. Only Phil Colantuono has be consistent with 3-0, 1.67 in 27 IP. The supposed staff anchors Arnie Smith, George Hoxworth both have early ERAs approaching 7.

With the exception of Chick Reed's .361/.356/.556 9 RBI, Ed Savage at .323/.432/.532 9 RBI the offense has been dormant in twenty games. Of particular concern is Tom Reed who has struggled mightily with a very un-Tom Reed like line of .121/.257/.241 with a mere 3 XBH. Ty Rusconi is also underwater at .137/.154/.216 which will spell more playing time for for Dixie Williams. Wolves are by far the most impotent team at the plate in the CA with an OBP under .300.

Hohlt has been muttering that many on the team did not heed his advice regarding doing off-season work to come into Florida in shape therefore are paying the price now. He has has been unabashed in his criticism of the early season schedule.

A very familiar name wins CA pitcher of the month. Cleveland's Adrian Czerwinski was named the top hurler in the Continental in April marking the 10th time in his career the 38-year-old has been so honoured. The Mad Professor is 4-0 with a 1.04 era to start the season and has moved to within 15 wins of the coveted 300 victory milestone. Two of his April wins came by shutout giving the Foresters long-time ace 53 for his career. Only former teammate Deuce Barrell, with 56, has more shutouts out of any pitcher who was active after 1926.
Frenchy Mack (3-0, 1.11, 20) of St Louis was named the top April hurler in the Fed. The batting awards went to Kansas City's Hank Williams (.333, 8, 16) and Detroit's Ray Waggoner (.433, 6, 18). The top rookies were Keystone outfielder Bobby Phelps (.228, 3, 12) and King pitcher Johnnie Higgins (3-0, 1.61, 19). Both 20-year-olds, Phelps had little competition, while Higgins dueled with sluggers Otis Haldeman (.316, 5, 17), Mark Boyd (.314, 4, 12), and Dode Caudill (.282, 4, 8, 1), as well as the potential consistent .300 hitter Ed Savage (.323, 2, 9).
Dynamo first basemen Joe Holland (.444, 5, 14, 1) and Kings outfielder Pat Davis (.305, 4, 17, 2) took home the Players of the Week awards in their respective associations. Holland was just 8-for-10, as Detroit played just five games, but he was 8-for-10 with with a triple, 2 homers, 5 runs, 4 RBIs, and a walk.
Time for a celebration in Minneapolis. The second year club finally got a victory after starting the season with 13 straight losses. The Millers ended the drought with a 9-5 win over Philadelphia last week but promptly lost five more games and will finish April with a 1-18 record, quite possibly the worst month ever recorded by a Federal Association team since the turn of the century.
Toronto's system took a huge below, as 22-year-old righty Bill Carpenter tore his UCL, and will miss the rest of the season. Taken 6th overall last year, it came in a rough start too, as Carpenter allowed 13 hits, 8 runs, and 2 walks with a pair of strikeouts in 6.2 innings. 23 in May, Carpenter was getting close to FABL ready, but will now wait almost a year before he gets to throw again. A talented innings eater, his stamina will be a question when he returns, as will the stuff. He's got a great slider and curve, which both may not break the same once he's healthy.
Keystone infielder Jim Urquhart (.261, 1, 1) announced he would retire at the end of the season. A longtime Forester, he was taken 15th in 1948, and joined the Keystones in the 1959 offseason. A vet of 1,291 FABL games, he owns a .276/.316/.383 (96 OPS+) career line with 241 doubles, 468 RBIs, and 614 runs.

DUKES ONE WIN AWAY FROM HOISTING CUP

The Toronto Dukes are within one victory of extending their record total of Challenge Cup wins to an even dozen. Toronto, after splitting games three and four at home, beat the two-time defending Cup champion Detroit Motors last night in at the Thompson Palladium to take a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven Cup final.

Detroit took the series opener 1-0 keyed by veteran goaltender Charlie Dell's first career playoff shutout but Toronto rebounded with a 3-1 victory in game two. The series shifted to Dominion Gardens and the hosts pulled ahead in the series thanks to their second consecutive 3-1 victory. Quinton Pollack had a goal and an assist to pace the Dukes, who won despite being outshot 36-22 by the Motors.

Darcy Sill had opened the scoring with his third of the playoffs early in the second period with an assist from regular season scoring champ Hobie Barrell, who has missed the first two games of the series with a leg injury. However, Toronto pulled even ten minutes later when Pollack set up Nick Poulin. The score would stay knotted at one until just shy of eight minutes into the third period when Pollack lit the lamp for just the second time in this season's playoffs. A late empty-net goal from rookie Hank Knackstedt rounded out the scoring.

Game Four became the first of the series to require overtime as Detroit defenseman Robert Ling scored the game winner unassisted at 4:13 of the first overtime period. Toronto had led 4-3 after forty minutes on two goals from Charles Brochu as well as singles from Poulin and Ken Jamieson. Benny Barrell got the equalizer for the Motors early in the third period. It was his second of the game with his brother Hobie Barrell and veteran Nick Tardif also scoring for the Motors.

Tied at two wins apiece, Toronto jumped out quickly in the crucial fifth game. The Dukes silenced the Palladium crowd just 1:43 into the game when Knackstedt, who leads all playoff scorers with 15 points, set up Mitch Moran. A little over ten minutes later the Dukes lead was doubled to 2-0 when Knackstedt once more assumed the playmaker role on a Jamieson goal.

The Motors quickly showed they would not simply roll over as Zack Roy cut the lead in half fifty seconds after the Jamieson goal and before the first period had ended the Motors tied the game on a Jack Chapman goal.

Toronto restored its two goal lead with a pair in the middle stanza. Andrew Williams set up Tim Brooks with the first one before doing the honours himself for the Dukes second goal. Nick Tardif closed the gap to one goal when he scored just before the midway mark of the third period but that would be as close as the Motors would get and Quinton Pollack added some breathing room by scoring for the second time in three games, this one on the powerplay, to put Toronto ahead 5-3. It would end that way as the Dukes, despite being outshot once again, pulled ahead three games to two in the series.

Toronto can wrap up the Cup win with a victory on home ice tomorrow night. If not the series will return to Detroit for a seventh game.

Toronto On Brink

Dukes returned home to the Gardens on a Tuesday evening for Game 3 of the Challenge Cup final. A raucous crowd was treated to another tight checking game in which goaltending decided the final score. The Motors came into town looking to take back an advantage in the series. They seemed to solve the Dukes change to the checking pressure being able to breakout with the puck easily from their own zone. After a scoreless first in which Detroit held a slight advantage in shots, 11-8, Darcy Sill gave the visitors the lead at 1:11 of the second when Hobie Barrell found him alone in the slot to cleanly beat Connelly. Connelly stopped the other 14 shots he faced in the period. Charlie Dell was not tested as often although some the 8 shots he faced forced difficult saves. Poulin pounced on loose rebound off a Pollack shot to tie the score at 1 just over 10 minutes after Sill's goal. The teams left the ice tied after a fast paced second with very few stoppages. The turning point of the game came early in the third when Toronto killed off a Detroit 85 second 5 on 3 man advantage with both Knackstedt, Cooper sitting in the sin bin. Connelly was big part of the kill robbing Detroit time after time in what look like a shooting gallery in the Dukes' end. Toronto seemed to get some jump when Cooper returned to the ice. The eventual game winning goal came on a tip in by Pollack, who has tightly marked in the playoffs, off a Brochu shot. It was only Pollack's second goal of the post season. The Motors continued to swarm the Toronto net where Connelly stood tall, any rebound was quickly cleared to safety by his mates. Knackstedt sealed the deal with an empty net goal at 19:47. Post game, a frazzled Ari Bear, credited Connelly's 35 saves for the win.

Game 4 of the series two nights later was a totally different style of game. The game started with both teams playing what has become normal for games between these two teams, tight checking with no time or space to move the puck. That all changed just past the halfway point of the first period, Nicholas Poulin opened the scoring on a feed from Pollack, Brown at 12;25. Before the fans has settled back into their seats Hobie Barrell tied the score 22 seconds later, then on the next Barrell brothers shift Benny gave the Motors a 2-1 lead. The brother's each assisted on the other's goal. Fans saw a goal scoring explosion in the first 8 minutes of the second with four goals. In the first minute Brochu tied the game from Pollack, Brochu before Nick Tardif restored the Detroit lead at 5:06 while up a man. Seventy seconds after Tardif Ken Jamieson made it 3-3, then Brochu sent thew crowd into a frenzy when he gave the Dukes their first lead of the game at 7:39. Pollack picked up his third helper of the night on Brochu's goal. After this the game returned to a more normal looking game between the Motors and Dukes. There was no further scoring until Benny Barrell's second of the night squared the score at 4 at 2:34 of the third. Both Connelly, Dell shut the door for the balance of the third with Toronto's netminder being the busier of the two between the pipes. With nothing solved in 60 minutes the teams headed to overtime. Detroit ended the game, tied the series, on a slap shot from the point off Robert Ling's stick, that a screened Connelly never saw, making the final 5-4.

Sunday afternoon in Detroit Mitch Moran, recently returned from shoulder injury, gave the Dukes an early lead with Game 4 hero Ling in the penalty box for tripping. Jamieson extend the lead at 12:30 before Zack Roy, Jack Chapman scored to send the teams to intermission tied at 2. Bear was incensed at the Chapman goal claiming offside going into the zone. Tim Brooks gave the visitors the lead again at 3:17 of the second followed by Williams with Broderick off for tripping at 11:21. The third was far more wide open than either coach would have wanted with the goaltenders forced to hold the fort. Tardif got the Motors back to within one when he found a loose puck in the crease off a Ling shot at 9:06. Pollack's 3rd of the playoffs made the final 5-3 on a goal that was a carbon copy of Tardif's, loose puck off a Moran shot. Connelly was again outstanding facing 44 shots.

Coach Bear-"We have to stay in the moment. Do not thinking ahead, if we play the game one shift at a time we will be fine. Even better if Connelly continues to rob Detroit at every turn."

Rockets Surprise, Phantoms Dominate in Divisional Semifinals

The Detroit Mustangs held off the Toronto Falcons to win the Western Division. The final margin was a single game, as the Mustangs won the opener of a two game home series at Thompson Palladium against the St. Louis Rockets. Detroit put on a master class of defense against Bill Melton that may have cost him the scoring title. Melton was 5-for-19 from the floor and only managed 11 points in Detroit’s 88-64 win that saw Melton’s Rockets muster eight points in the second quarter to fall behind by 20 at the half. St. Louis won the back-end of the series, 89-79, in overtime in a playoff warmup.
While Detroit waits out the Falcons-Rockets playoff series, the Rockets continued the momentum by winning Game One in Toronto, 80-79, in a true nailbiter. The game was close throughout, with St. Louis nursing a one-point lead at the half that barely budged in the second half. In a series that gave fans the top two scorers in the league, facing off head-to-head on the floor as well as the scoresheet, both power forwards were the focal points. Fred Lillard led all scorers with 28 points for the Falcons, but they fell a point short. Toronto thumped St. Louis, 102-72, in Game Two, but the Rockets earned their split as the series went back to The Gateway City. St. Louis was ready, as was its fans, winning Game Three, 90-68, as almost 7,000 fans went home happy. Melton had a playoff career high of 37 points in the victory. Game Four was thrilling, as Toronto trailed by 11 points going into the fourth quarter. The Falcons furiously came back with a 25-point final quarter, only to fall a point short, 85-84. The Rockets opened and closed the best-of-five series with one-point victories. Lillard won the battle over Melton in Game Four, 34-29, but Melton won the war with the series win and outscored Lillard over the four-game series, 105-100.
The Eastern Division Semifinal was a lot less interesting. Philadelphia had no problem with New York, sweeping the series in three games. The Phantoms routed the Knights in both games at Keystone Arena before winning a close one in New York to advance. Game One went to the Phantoms, 89-57, blew the game open in the second half after a 13-point halftime lead. Philadelphia center Dan Holland led the way with 27 points. Holland added 36 points in Game Two’s 102-78 win, while Mel Turcotte added 20 points, as the Phantoms shot 47.9% from the field. Game Three was much closer. The Knights had a 41-34 lead at the half and with the Phantoms down by three entering the fourth quarter, Philadelphia took the series with a 28-23 in the final stanza to win, 85-83. Holland was at it again with 22 points to win Player of the Game honors for the third time in the three-game series.
The Divisional Finals have started and both regular season division winners won their openers. Detroit was a bit rusty in the first half of its Game One victory over St. Louis, but by the time the game was done, all five starters were in double figures and the Mustangs won, 93-84. Erv Corwin scored 28 in the win. After Philadelphia’s domination against New York in the East Semis, the Phantoms ran into a buzzsaw with a waiting Boston Centurions team. Boston cruised, 82-46, behind Steve Barrell’s 20 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Philadelphia scored four points in the second quarter, as the game got out of hand by the half.

LEACH POISED TO DEFEND WELTER CROWN AGAINST FORMER CHAMP

Houston, TX — The bright lights of the Sam Houston Coliseum will shine down on two men this Friday night, both in search of glory, both standing at a crossroads in their respective careers. Matt Leach, the reigning American Boxing Federation World Welterweight Champion, steps into the ring for his second title defense, looking to solidify his grip on the division. His opponent, however, is no ordinary challenger. Eugene Ellis, a man whose very name has been etched in welterweight history, is coming for what he believes is still rightfully his.

Leach, the 29-year-old from New York City, has been on a torrid pace since capturing the crown last September in a rousing upset over Britain’s Lenny Shafto. He wasted no time proving his reign was no fluke, dispatching John Wallace in just two rounds in his first title defense. With a career ledger of 33-6-2, Leach is as confident as ever, but he knows he’s in for a different kind of battle against a man who has lived at the top longer than he has.

For Ellis, this is not just another fight. The Seattle native spent half a decade as the division’s undisputed ruler, capturing the title in 1956 and holding it, save for a brief four-month lapse against Lonnie Griffin, until 1961. Now 32, Ellis has heard the whispers that his best days are behind him. Since losing the title to Griffin two years ago, he has fought just four times, winning three and losing once by disqualification. The man they once called the most complete welterweight of his era now has a chance to prove he still belongs among the elite.

At 46-6-1, Ellis brings the weight of experience into the ring, having engaged in sixteen world title fights. The question looming over this bout is whether his legs still have the same spring and whether his hands can still dictate the tempo against a younger, sharper foe.

The bookmakers see this one as near-even, with neither man a clear favorite. Leach has youth and momentum on his side, while Ellis boasts the wisdom and grit of a man who has already conquered the summit once before. Will the night belong to the hungry champion looking to carve out his own era, or will it be a glorious return for a veteran still clinging to past greatness?

Come Friday night in Houston, the answers will unfold under the hot glare of the arena lights. The bell rings at 9 o’clock. Don’t blink—this one has all the makings of a classic.

RECENT KEY RESULTS

Roger Lewis, a 24-year-old San Francisco welterweight, continued his rise up the rankings with a 8th round knock out of T.J. Furlong in Florida over the weekend. Lewis, who is next set to face former champ Dan McMullan in the summer, owns a 20-2-2 record.
It was good news/bad news day for Alvin Franks as the middleweight beat Larry Wilcox by a second round technical knockout to improve his record to 30-13-3 but he suffered a broken bone in his hand in the process. The 27-year-old Columbus, OH., native will likely be sidelined for several months while it heals.

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 04/28/1963

Fidel Castro is meeting Premier Khrushchev in the Kremlin today with a request for more Soviet aid for Cuba believed to be high on the agenda.
US officials are reported somewhat encouraged by Khrushchev's declaration of support for a neutral and peaceful Laos.
An armed clash between two Caribbean neighbours is feared after the Dominican Republic accused Haiti of invading its embassy and Haiti broke of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
22 miners are confirmed dead after an explosion of methane gas in the shaft of a West Virginia coal mine.
The Supreme Court has agreed to enter the controversy over whether the book "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller is permissible artistic expression or legally objectionable obscenity.

02-27-2025, 02:29 PM	#1088
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	April 29th, 1963 Editor's Note: Baseball's sim went a few extra days (to May 1st) on accident, so this issue includes the extra games that were simmed APRIL 29, 1963 DYNAMOS, FORESTERS RISE TO TOP Each Win Twice Over Key Rival Last Week After finishing a game behind the Federal Association pennant winning St. Louis Pioneers a year ago the Detroit Dynamos know every game with the reigning champs carries plenty of weight, even one in the opening month of the season. The two clubs are once more neck and neck atop the Fed table and the renewed acquaintances with a pair of very brief one game series over the past week. The Dynamos prevailed in both of them, taking an 8-6 win in 12 innings at Pioneer Field early in the week before clobbering Pioneers number five starter Charlie Blake yesterday at Thompson Field in a 9-4 Detroit victory. That leaves the Dynamos, at 13-4, with a half game lead on the Pioneers atop the Fed. Two other clubs, Washington and hard-charging Pittsburgh - winners of five straight- sit two and a half games off the pace. The Continental Association has a new leader as the Cleveland Foresters won six straight before falling 11-10 in an extra inning slugfest with the New York Imperials yesterday. Included in those six wins were a pair at home over the Kansas City Kings. The Kings dropped four of their last six games and now find themselves looking up at the Foresters, a game and a half back. Tales From The Den Wolves Home After Road Trip, Finish April 9-11 Toronto finishes the first month of 1963 FABL season two games under .500 at 9-11. During a month in which the team made two trips to the west coast Hohlt is said not be too worried, at the moment. He expects the team to round into form in May. Returning home 4-7 after a 10 day road trip the team won its last game of April on Tuesday 5-2 over KC who was in town for only one game in a strange scheduling anomaly. The team was 4-3 to start the 4 city trip before losing the last 4 games including being swept by Dallas. One of the 3 losses to Dallas was a pitching gem by Steve Miller who only allowed one hit by Tom Sexton in the 5th. Smith only needed 86 pitches in 1-0 victory. Hohlt was more upset with the Saturday loss when his team rallied with 4 in the top of nine to take a 7-6 lead before Blake gave up a walkoff single to Ed Thompson in the home half. Blake along with many other pitchers have been very inconsistent through the first month. Only Phil Colantuono has be consistent with 3-0, 1.67 in 27 IP. The supposed staff anchors Arnie Smith, George Hoxworth both have early ERAs approaching 7. With the exception of Chick Reed's .361/.356/.556 9 RBI, Ed Savage at .323/.432/.532 9 RBI the offense has been dormant in twenty games. Of particular concern is Tom Reed who has struggled mightily with a very un-Tom Reed like line of .121/.257/.241 with a mere 3 XBH. Ty Rusconi is also underwater at .137/.154/.216 which will spell more playing time for for Dixie Williams. Wolves are by far the most impotent team at the plate in the CA with an OBP under .300. Hohlt has been muttering that many on the team did not heed his advice regarding doing off-season work to come into Florida in shape therefore are paying the price now. He has has been unabashed in his criticism of the early season schedule. A very familiar name wins CA pitcher of the month. Cleveland's Adrian Czerwinski was named the top hurler in the Continental in April marking the 10th time in his career the 38-year-old has been so honoured. The Mad Professor is 4-0 with a 1.04 era to start the season and has moved to within 15 wins of the coveted 300 victory milestone. Two of his April wins came by shutout giving the Foresters long-time ace 53 for his career. Only former teammate Deuce Barrell, with 56, has more shutouts out of any pitcher who was active after 1926. Frenchy Mack (3-0, 1.11, 20) of St Louis was named the top April hurler in the Fed. The batting awards went to Kansas City's Hank Williams (.333, 8, 16) and Detroit's Ray Waggoner (.433, 6, 18). The top rookies were Keystone outfielder Bobby Phelps (.228, 3, 12) and King pitcher Johnnie Higgins (3-0, 1.61, 19). Both 20-year-olds, Phelps had little competition, while Higgins dueled with sluggers Otis Haldeman (.316, 5, 17), Mark Boyd (.314, 4, 12), and Dode Caudill (.282, 4, 8, 1), as well as the potential consistent .300 hitter Ed Savage (.323, 2, 9). Dynamo first basemen Joe Holland (.444, 5, 14, 1) and Kings outfielder Pat Davis (.305, 4, 17, 2) took home the Players of the Week awards in their respective associations. Holland was just 8-for-10, as Detroit played just five games, but he was 8-for-10 with with a triple, 2 homers, 5 runs, 4 RBIs, and a walk. Time for a celebration in Minneapolis. The second year club finally got a victory after starting the season with 13 straight losses. The Millers ended the drought with a 9-5 win over Philadelphia last week but promptly lost five more games and will finish April with a 1-18 record, quite possibly the worst month ever recorded by a Federal Association team since the turn of the century. Toronto's system took a huge below, as 22-year-old righty Bill Carpenter tore his UCL, and will miss the rest of the season. Taken 6th overall last year, it came in a rough start too, as Carpenter allowed 13 hits, 8 runs, and 2 walks with a pair of strikeouts in 6.2 innings. 23 in May, Carpenter was getting close to FABL ready, but will now wait almost a year before he gets to throw again. A talented innings eater, his stamina will be a question when he returns, as will the stuff. He's got a great slider and curve, which both may not break the same once he's healthy. Keystone infielder Jim Urquhart (.261, 1, 1) announced he would retire at the end of the season. A longtime Forester, he was taken 15th in 1948, and joined the Keystones in the 1959 offseason. A vet of 1,291 FABL games, he owns a .276/.316/.383 (96 OPS+) career line with 241 doubles, 468 RBIs, and 614 runs. DUKES ONE WIN AWAY FROM HOISTING CUP The Toronto Dukes are within one victory of extending their record total of Challenge Cup wins to an even dozen. Toronto, after splitting games three and four at home, beat the two-time defending Cup champion Detroit Motors last night in at the Thompson Palladium to take a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven Cup final. Detroit took the series opener 1-0 keyed by veteran goaltender Charlie Dell's first career playoff shutout but Toronto rebounded with a 3-1 victory in game two. The series shifted to Dominion Gardens and the hosts pulled ahead in the series thanks to their second consecutive 3-1 victory. Quinton Pollack had a goal and an assist to pace the Dukes, who won despite being outshot 36-22 by the Motors. Darcy Sill had opened the scoring with his third of the playoffs early in the second period with an assist from regular season scoring champ Hobie Barrell, who has missed the first two games of the series with a leg injury. However, Toronto pulled even ten minutes later when Pollack set up Nick Poulin. The score would stay knotted at one until just shy of eight minutes into the third period when Pollack lit the lamp for just the second time in this season's playoffs. A late empty-net goal from rookie Hank Knackstedt rounded out the scoring. Game Four became the first of the series to require overtime as Detroit defenseman Robert Ling scored the game winner unassisted at 4:13 of the first overtime period. Toronto had led 4-3 after forty minutes on two goals from Charles Brochu as well as singles from Poulin and Ken Jamieson. Benny Barrell got the equalizer for the Motors early in the third period. It was his second of the game with his brother Hobie Barrell and veteran Nick Tardif also scoring for the Motors. Tied at two wins apiece, Toronto jumped out quickly in the crucial fifth game. The Dukes silenced the Palladium crowd just 1:43 into the game when Knackstedt, who leads all playoff scorers with 15 points, set up Mitch Moran. A little over ten minutes later the Dukes lead was doubled to 2-0 when Knackstedt once more assumed the playmaker role on a Jamieson goal. The Motors quickly showed they would not simply roll over as Zack Roy cut the lead in half fifty seconds after the Jamieson goal and before the first period had ended the Motors tied the game on a Jack Chapman goal. Toronto restored its two goal lead with a pair in the middle stanza. Andrew Williams set up Tim Brooks with the first one before doing the honours himself for the Dukes second goal. Nick Tardif closed the gap to one goal when he scored just before the midway mark of the third period but that would be as close as the Motors would get and Quinton Pollack added some breathing room by scoring for the second time in three games, this one on the powerplay, to put Toronto ahead 5-3. It would end that way as the Dukes, despite being outshot once again, pulled ahead three games to two in the series. Toronto can wrap up the Cup win with a victory on home ice tomorrow night. If not the series will return to Detroit for a seventh game. Toronto On Brink Dukes returned home to the Gardens on a Tuesday evening for Game 3 of the Challenge Cup final. A raucous crowd was treated to another tight checking game in which goaltending decided the final score. The Motors came into town looking to take back an advantage in the series. They seemed to solve the Dukes change to the checking pressure being able to breakout with the puck easily from their own zone. After a scoreless first in which Detroit held a slight advantage in shots, 11-8, Darcy Sill gave the visitors the lead at 1:11 of the second when Hobie Barrell found him alone in the slot to cleanly beat Connelly. Connelly stopped the other 14 shots he faced in the period. Charlie Dell was not tested as often although some the 8 shots he faced forced difficult saves. Poulin pounced on loose rebound off a Pollack shot to tie the score at 1 just over 10 minutes after Sill's goal. The teams left the ice tied after a fast paced second with very few stoppages. The turning point of the game came early in the third when Toronto killed off a Detroit 85 second 5 on 3 man advantage with both Knackstedt, Cooper sitting in the sin bin. Connelly was big part of the kill robbing Detroit time after time in what look like a shooting gallery in the Dukes' end. Toronto seemed to get some jump when Cooper returned to the ice. The eventual game winning goal came on a tip in by Pollack, who has tightly marked in the playoffs, off a Brochu shot. It was only Pollack's second goal of the post season. The Motors continued to swarm the Toronto net where Connelly stood tall, any rebound was quickly cleared to safety by his mates. Knackstedt sealed the deal with an empty net goal at 19:47. Post game, a frazzled Ari Bear, credited Connelly's 35 saves for the win. Game 4 of the series two nights later was a totally different style of game. The game started with both teams playing what has become normal for games between these two teams, tight checking with no time or space to move the puck. That all changed just past the halfway point of the first period, Nicholas Poulin opened the scoring on a feed from Pollack, Brown at 12;25. Before the fans has settled back into their seats Hobie Barrell tied the score 22 seconds later, then on the next Barrell brothers shift Benny gave the Motors a 2-1 lead. The brother's each assisted on the other's goal. Fans saw a goal scoring explosion in the first 8 minutes of the second with four goals. In the first minute Brochu tied the game from Pollack, Brochu before Nick Tardif restored the Detroit lead at 5:06 while up a man. Seventy seconds after Tardif Ken Jamieson made it 3-3, then Brochu sent thew crowd into a frenzy when he gave the Dukes their first lead of the game at 7:39. Pollack picked up his third helper of the night on Brochu's goal. After this the game returned to a more normal looking game between the Motors and Dukes. There was no further scoring until Benny Barrell's second of the night squared the score at 4 at 2:34 of the third. Both Connelly, Dell shut the door for the balance of the third with Toronto's netminder being the busier of the two between the pipes. With nothing solved in 60 minutes the teams headed to overtime. Detroit ended the game, tied the series, on a slap shot from the point off Robert Ling's stick, that a screened Connelly never saw, making the final 5-4. Sunday afternoon in Detroit Mitch Moran, recently returned from shoulder injury, gave the Dukes an early lead with Game 4 hero Ling in the penalty box for tripping. Jamieson extend the lead at 12:30 before Zack Roy, Jack Chapman scored to send the teams to intermission tied at 2. Bear was incensed at the Chapman goal claiming offside going into the zone. Tim Brooks gave the visitors the lead again at 3:17 of the second followed by Williams with Broderick off for tripping at 11:21. The third was far more wide open than either coach would have wanted with the goaltenders forced to hold the fort. Tardif got the Motors back to within one when he found a loose puck in the crease off a Ling shot at 9:06. Pollack's 3rd of the playoffs made the final 5-3 on a goal that was a carbon copy of Tardif's, loose puck off a Moran shot. Connelly was again outstanding facing 44 shots. Coach Bear-"We have to stay in the moment. Do not thinking ahead, if we play the game one shift at a time we will be fine. Even better if Connelly continues to rob Detroit at every turn." Rockets Surprise, Phantoms Dominate in Divisional Semifinals The Detroit Mustangs held off the Toronto Falcons to win the Western Division. The final margin was a single game, as the Mustangs won the opener of a two game home series at Thompson Palladium against the St. Louis Rockets. Detroit put on a master class of defense against Bill Melton that may have cost him the scoring title. Melton was 5-for-19 from the floor and only managed 11 points in Detroit’s 88-64 win that saw Melton’s Rockets muster eight points in the second quarter to fall behind by 20 at the half. St. Louis won the back-end of the series, 89-79, in overtime in a playoff warmup. While Detroit waits out the Falcons-Rockets playoff series, the Rockets continued the momentum by winning Game One in Toronto, 80-79, in a true nailbiter. The game was close throughout, with St. Louis nursing a one-point lead at the half that barely budged in the second half. In a series that gave fans the top two scorers in the league, facing off head-to-head on the floor as well as the scoresheet, both power forwards were the focal points. Fred Lillard led all scorers with 28 points for the Falcons, but they fell a point short. Toronto thumped St. Louis, 102-72, in Game Two, but the Rockets earned their split as the series went back to The Gateway City. St. Louis was ready, as was its fans, winning Game Three, 90-68, as almost 7,000 fans went home happy. Melton had a playoff career high of 37 points in the victory. Game Four was thrilling, as Toronto trailed by 11 points going into the fourth quarter. The Falcons furiously came back with a 25-point final quarter, only to fall a point short, 85-84. The Rockets opened and closed the best-of-five series with one-point victories. Lillard won the battle over Melton in Game Four, 34-29, but Melton won the war with the series win and outscored Lillard over the four-game series, 105-100. The Eastern Division Semifinal was a lot less interesting. Philadelphia had no problem with New York, sweeping the series in three games. The Phantoms routed the Knights in both games at Keystone Arena before winning a close one in New York to advance. Game One went to the Phantoms, 89-57, blew the game open in the second half after a 13-point halftime lead. Philadelphia center Dan Holland led the way with 27 points. Holland added 36 points in Game Two’s 102-78 win, while Mel Turcotte added 20 points, as the Phantoms shot 47.9% from the field. Game Three was much closer. The Knights had a 41-34 lead at the half and with the Phantoms down by three entering the fourth quarter, Philadelphia took the series with a 28-23 in the final stanza to win, 85-83. Holland was at it again with 22 points to win Player of the Game honors for the third time in the three-game series. The Divisional Finals have started and both regular season division winners won their openers. Detroit was a bit rusty in the first half of its Game One victory over St. Louis, but by the time the game was done, all five starters were in double figures and the Mustangs won, 93-84. Erv Corwin scored 28 in the win. After Philadelphia’s domination against New York in the East Semis, the Phantoms ran into a buzzsaw with a waiting Boston Centurions team. Boston cruised, 82-46, behind Steve Barrell’s 20 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Philadelphia scored four points in the second quarter, as the game got out of hand by the half. LEACH POISED TO DEFEND WELTER CROWN AGAINST FORMER CHAMP Houston, TX — The bright lights of the Sam Houston Coliseum will shine down on two men this Friday night, both in search of glory, both standing at a crossroads in their respective careers. Matt Leach, the reigning American Boxing Federation World Welterweight Champion, steps into the ring for his second title defense, looking to solidify his grip on the division. His opponent, however, is no ordinary challenger. Eugene Ellis, a man whose very name has been etched in welterweight history, is coming for what he believes is still rightfully his. Leach, the 29-year-old from New York City, has been on a torrid pace since capturing the crown last September in a rousing upset over Britain’s Lenny Shafto. He wasted no time proving his reign was no fluke, dispatching John Wallace in just two rounds in his first title defense. With a career ledger of 33-6-2, Leach is as confident as ever, but he knows he’s in for a different kind of battle against a man who has lived at the top longer than he has. For Ellis, this is not just another fight. The Seattle native spent half a decade as the division’s undisputed ruler, capturing the title in 1956 and holding it, save for a brief four-month lapse against Lonnie Griffin, until 1961. Now 32, Ellis has heard the whispers that his best days are behind him. Since losing the title to Griffin two years ago, he has fought just four times, winning three and losing once by disqualification. The man they once called the most complete welterweight of his era now has a chance to prove he still belongs among the elite. At 46-6-1, Ellis brings the weight of experience into the ring, having engaged in sixteen world title fights. The question looming over this bout is whether his legs still have the same spring and whether his hands can still dictate the tempo against a younger, sharper foe. The bookmakers see this one as near-even, with neither man a clear favorite. Leach has youth and momentum on his side, while Ellis boasts the wisdom and grit of a man who has already conquered the summit once before. Will the night belong to the hungry champion looking to carve out his own era, or will it be a glorious return for a veteran still clinging to past greatness? Come Friday night in Houston, the answers will unfold under the hot glare of the arena lights. The bell rings at 9 o’clock. Don’t blink—this one has all the makings of a classic. RECENT KEY RESULTS Roger Lewis, a 24-year-old San Francisco welterweight, continued his rise up the rankings with a 8th round knock out of T.J. Furlong in Florida over the weekend. Lewis, who is next set to face former champ Dan McMullan in the summer, owns a 20-2-2 record. It was good news/bad news day for Alvin Franks as the middleweight beat Larry Wilcox by a second round technical knockout to improve his record to 30-13-3 but he suffered a broken bone in his hand in the process. The 27-year-old Columbus, OH., native will likely be sidelined for several months while it heals. 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 04/28/1963 Fidel Castro is meeting Premier Khrushchev in the Kremlin today with a request for more Soviet aid for Cuba believed to be high on the agenda. US officials are reported somewhat encouraged by Khrushchev's declaration of support for a neutral and peaceful Laos. An armed clash between two Caribbean neighbours is feared after the Dominican Republic accused Haiti of invading its embassy and Haiti broke of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 22 miners are confirmed dead after an explosion of methane gas in the shaft of a West Virginia coal mine. The Supreme Court has agreed to enter the controversy over whether the book "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller is permissible artistic expression or legally objectionable obscenity.