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Tiger Fan · 01-23-2026, 03:17 PM

JUNE 23, 1975

FEDERAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE CONFIRMS FOUR-TEAM EXPANSION FROM CBL

The worst-kept secret in professional basketball became official yesterday as the Federal Basketball League announced it will admit four clubs from the now-defunct Continental Basketball League, bringing an end to months of speculation surrounding the future of the eight-year-old rival circuit.

The move expands the FBL from 18 to 22 teams and formally closes the book on the CBL, which had operated since 1967 as an alternative professional league. News of the CBL’s impending collapse first surfaced nearly two months ago, with early reports suggesting that as many as eight of its franchises could be absorbed into the established FBL. In the end, the league opted for a more modest expansion.

Joining the Federal Basketball League will be the Cincinnati Steamers, Denver Bighorns, Pittsburgh Ironmen, and San Antonio Outlaws—four of the CBL’s strongest and most stable organizations. Together, they will be tasked with carrying forward what remains of the Continental League’s legacy.

The remaining eight CBL franchises will cease operations. Owners of those clubs are believed to be receiving substantial buyouts as part of the dissolution agreement, and most are said to be satisfied with the terms. There is, however, at least one notable exception.

Kevin Oliphant, owner of the New Jersey Demons, is reportedly exploring legal options in an effort to force his club’s inclusion in the FBL. Ironically, the Demons appear to be the least compelling candidate on basketball grounds, having finished last season with a dismal 19–59 record—by far the worst mark in the CBL.

Federal Basketball League officials declined to comment in detail on the situation, stating only that they were unaware of any legal action currently underway when asked about Oliphant’s reported objections.

With the announcement now official, the focus shifts to how the four incoming clubs will be integrated into the FBL structure and what the expanded league will look like when play resumes in October. What is certain is that one chapter of professional basketball history has closed, even as another begins.

FBL HANDS OUT HARDWARE

The Federal Basketball League also announced its award winners for the 1974-75 season. It comes as no surprise that John Brantner of the St Louis Rockets was named the Most Valuable Player for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall. Only Chicago Panthers hall of famer Luther Gordon, with five, has be named the FBL's MVP more often than the 31-year-old Brantner.

Brantner, who was also named playoff MVP despite being sidelined with a leg injury for the Rockets title clinching game over the Boston Centurions earlier this month, led the league in scoring by more than 10 points per game over his nearest rival. Brantner's 38.5 ppg in 74-75 was the second highest total ever recorded, trailing only his own mark of 39.1 set the previous year.

Joining Brantner on the All-FBL first team was Detroit center Hank Woolley, Minneapolis forward Brooks Brown and guards Scott Gruninger of San Francisco and Wade Muleky of Seattle. The rookie of the year was Gus McIntyre of the Cleveland Bulldogs. McIntyre, an All-American guard out of Central Kentucky, was selected third overall by the Bulldogs in the 1974 draft. The native of Baltimore, MD., started 80 games and averaged over 20 points per game in his debut season.

SUNS SINK, OPEN UP FA WEST TITLE RACE

Not too long ago, it seemed like all four divisional races were set in stone. Now, things have started to tighten up, as not only as the Suns lead shrunk to just 2.5 games, but all six teams are now within single digits of first. Considering, both the Copperheads (13.5) and Kings (12.5) have more room between them and second then the Suns have between them and the cellar.

For LA, they've started to allow more runs, which has led to a 10-12 June as they've cooled since the hot start. The offense isn't the issue, they have plenty of run producers, including triple crown longshot Tom Lally. The reigning Whitney winner, he's leading the Fed with 16 homers and 59 RBIs, pairing it with an elite .315/.392/.549 (162 OPS+) and a 4.9 WAR. He's likely to reach 5 before a third player even gets to 3.5, with just Seattle's Fred Tollefson (4.0) within a win and a half of his total. He's already way passed his home run total from last year, just 12 in 160 games, and he's less then 10 RBIs from his total too. He's never had an issue scoring runs, with back-to-back home run leader Sam Forrester (.278, 13, 54, 17) behind him, but while the losses start to pile up, he's going to need help elsewhere.

Right now, Houston is their closest threat, and for them, it's been the pitching. Johnny Blackburn (7-3, 2.62, 61) was outstanding when Joe McCarthy (0-1, 2.25, 10) was hurt, and now that he's back the Suns might start to sweat. His first start wasn't great, 5 innings with 7 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), and 4 walks and strikeouts, but #2 was the McCarthy that won the Allen award last year. He kept the Millers scoreless for 7, allowing 6 hits and a walk with 6 strikeouts. Add in Jay Hunt's (6-5, 2.08, 65) and Spencer Reese's (8-1, 2.47, 48) breakout, and it's really hard to get runs off of them. It's easier to prevent them, they don't do much scoring, but Stan Francis (.359, 2, 34) is gunning for a batting title and Hank Andrew (.292, 6, 32, 5) and stolen base fiend Johnny Adams (.319, 6, 40, 29) have inflated their RBI numbers because of it. If former Whitney winner John Edwards (.281, 4, 37, 8) can return to form, things could really start cooking, and there is more then enough time to cut a sub-3 deficit.

You can't leave out Minneapolis or Detroit either, even if no one really expected them to be anywhere near first place. Instead, they're just 4.5 and 5 games out, and as we approach July perhaps the two sellers decide to switch gears. For the Millers, it'd be almost unheard of, as they tend to trade away talent when they have it, but the offense can slug and they're scoring more runs then anyone else. Out of the eight spot Julio Castaneda (.266, 14, 54) has developed into one of the games top sluggers, while Carl Kilkenny (.308, 13, 43) and George Fisher (.264, 11, 35) join him in double digits. Only one member of the lineup has less then 5 homers, but it's not all they can do. Bill Powell (.324, 6, 29) collects extra base hits, walks, and balls in play while top-100 prospect Bill Barber (.321, 9, 50) is making a large case for the Kellogg.

Detroit does it the other way, with pitching as opposed to hitting, with all five of the current rotation members sitting with ERAs below 3.60. Led by breakout star Pat Fortier (7-3, 2.36, 40), who is second in the Fed in ERA, they have the 3rd best rotation ERA, but they have now seemed to find the perfect combination. Jack Vander Kooi (5-4, 2, 2.90, 37) has transitioned from the pen to rotation effortlessly, as have Pedro Castro (6-2, 2, 3.48, 32) and Richard Elk (3-3, 3.56, 33), though it is yet to be seen if they can keep it up. The lineup did take a hit too, with Harvey Van Orden (.321, 6, 29) hitting the IL with a sprained ankle, putting a lot of pressure on Buddy Ensey (.360, 9, 48, 8) and Geoff Taylor (.321, 7, 36, 12). If they can hold on for a few more weeks, star infielder Bill Austin (.270, 3, 25, 2) will return, and the Dynamos can try to sever their 16 season postseason drought.

This coming week is a big one, as after dropping three of four to the Dynamos, the Suns have to take on the Millers. Then later in the week, the Dynamos will be in Houston for three, so each series of the week will contain a pair of the top contenders. A huge opportunity for everyone involved, the games will seemingly mean more here, and as we approach July it's nice to see a pennant race materialize itself.

FABL DRAFT WRAPS UP WITH PHASE TWO PICKS

The Federally Aligned Baseball Leagues completed the second and final phase of its annual amateur draft this week, bringing to a close a process that once again highlighted the league’s unique approach to talent acquisition.

As has long been the case, the FABL draft was conducted in two distinct phases. Clubs made their first ten selections back in January, well before the start of the amateur season and prior to the release of any official mock drafts. Rounds 11 through 20 were then held in mid-June, after the conclusion of the College World Championship Series and the end of high school play across the country.

The two-phase format is something of an oddity—even within the Figment Sports Universe—but it is very much by design. By separating the draft and denying clubs access to an OSA mock, the league forces general managers to rely more heavily on their scouting departments and instincts, adding another layer of difficulty to the already challenging, stats-only evaluation process of the Figment Online League.

That structure often produces a surprise or two, and teams are always hopeful of uncovering a late-round gem—perhaps a player who surged late in the spring or only recently appeared on the radar. The Kansas City Mavericks, owners of the first pick in each round after finishing with the Continental Association’s worst record a year ago, believe they may have done just that. With the opening selection of Phase Two in the 11th round, Kansas City chose 18-year-old shortstop Carl Reynolds of Newark, New Jersey. A three-year high school starter, Reynolds is committed to Detroit City College, but OSA scouts believe he has the tools to develop into a reliable big-league shortstop.

Pitching dominated the early portion of the 11th round, with six of the first nine selections used on arms. The headliner was Don King, taken second overall in the round by the Detroit Dynamos. Dynamos scouting director Chuck Cole followed King closely throughout his senior season in the St. Louis High School ranks and has been effusive in his praise, suggesting the 18-year-old has the ceiling of a future staff ace.

With the draft now complete, attention turns to the signing period as each FABL club attempts to bring its 25 selections into the fold. Many of the high school draftees, including first overall pick Pat Cathcart—who holds a scholarship offer from Darnell State—will weigh the appeal of college against the value of their signing bonuses. High school players who opt for college will become draft-eligible again in their junior seasons, while unsigned college juniors will re-enter the pool next year as seniors.

For now, the selections are made, the boards are cleared, and the long process of turning draft picks into ballplayers begins.

Even at 38, Floyd Warner (8-4, 3.77, 54) still has it, but the Los Angeles Stars hurler had a lot of help securing his 250th FABL win. In 6 innings he was charged with 9 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), and a walk, striking out 5 in a 10-6 win over San Francisco. He's been much better on the season, already throwing 4 quality starts with just 1 run allowed. A 7-Time All-Star, 4-Time World Champion, and 1967 Allen Winner, even six more wins would get him to 35th in FABL history, but he's already the Stars franchise leader. He may also lead in starts (534) and innings (3,847.2), but only one other pitcher has reached 200. His 64.8 WAR is best among all Stars pitchers, as are his 2,421 strikeouts, and he's 3rd with 26 shutouts. Warner has started 14 games in 1975 for LA, an effective 8-4 with a 3.77 ERA (104 ERA+), 3.40 FIP (104 FIP-), and 1.22 WHIP.
That's about all the celebrating the Stars did this week, however, as they got the awful news that former Whitney winner Lew Smith (.270, 8, 33, 10) has a partial tear in his UCL that will require surgery. Out for the rest of the season, the 31-year-old shortstop will finish year 12 with just 68 games. It's his lowest since his debut year in 1964, and is just the next thing to go wrong in a 35-36 season. Second basemen Bill Bell (.290, 2, 17, 9) was getting ready to return from his sprained ankle, and instead of joining Smith he'll probably now replace him. A silver lining is Bob Branson (.303, 1, 19, 2), who currently ranks as FABL's 18th best prospect, is a natural shortstop and did well filling in for Bell. Over 14 games out of first, they can focus on giving their former 1st Rounder an extended look before regrouping with a healthy Smith in '76.
Compounding the misery was 1973 All-Star Bill Dunham (7-4, 3.00, 89), who left the second inning of start #15 with an oblique strain. Out for at least the next four weeks, the loss of a staff ace is never easy, especially when he's in the midst of one of his best seasons. In 105 innings the 31-year-old held a 3.00 ERA (130 ERA+) and 2.98 FIP (75 FIP-), with a legitimate chance for not only a trip to the All-Star game, but a potential finalist for the Allen.
The second half of the draft began with Kansas City and finished with Atlanta, as 240 more players were drafted in the 20 round Amateur Draft. 478 of the 480 players selected will need to be signed, as Baltimore worked quickly and secured deals with their 5th and 8th round picks. 5th Rounder Joe Rodgers was first, getting $1,100 to report to Low-A Norfolk. He made his debut on Saturday, 1-for-4 with a solo home run. Prospect lists will adjust a lot as more guys sign, but he's 22nd in the organization due to strong infield defense and a great hit tool. 8th Rounder Jim Everett signed for less, just $300, and will join Rodgers on the Navigators, just watching from the bench.
Atlanta went 7-0 this week, sweeping the Minutemen in Boston and the Clippers at home, opening up a 13.5 game lead over Baltimore. Powering the win streak was outfielder Jack Blair (.333, 6, 50, 18), who went 15-for-28 with 5 doubles, 2 homers, 4 walks, 10 runs, 15 RBIs, and a steal. The obvious Player of the Week, Blair was a perfect 5-for-5 in the Copperhead 12-6 win over the Clippers, and he's running a 14 game hit streak that dates back to June 8th. A candidate for the month's best hitter, he's batted .427/.478/.646 (211 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, 25 RBIs, 19 runs, 8 walks, and 7 steals. Trying to put his slow start to the season completely behind him, he's been instrumental in the Copperheads 18-3 June.
Conti winner Bob Howard (.261, 10, 39, 4) plays for a far different team, but just because his Mavericks are in last, doesn't mean his performance doesn't merit attention. Howard became the first KC hitter to reach double digits for homers, hitting two as he finished his week 12-for-20. That came with 6 runs, 2 doubles, a triple, and 8 RBIs, with each homer winning the game it was hit in. He was key in two thirds of Kansas City's home sweep of Dallas, and is now on pace for 25 doubles, 23 homers, and 88 RBIs.
Bad to worse is how the year went for Pioneer righty Red Kline (0-5, 5.45, 14), as the 1972 All-Star went from rotation to pen to injured. A lengthy absence is expected too, as the 33-year-old tore his flexor tendon, and will not be ready for Opening Day. Early estimates is a 13 month recovery, which would lead to almost a season and a half of missed baseball. His ERA crown in '72 (2.53) now seems like a true outlier, as he already had a career worse 5.45 (71 ERA+) mark. A major injury could spell disaster for his FABL future, and if this is it he'll finish with 1,727.1 innings pitched and an 82-94 record.
One career that is guaranteed to end is Henry Watson (.182, 1), as the Chicago Cougar All-Time home run leader (283) announced 1975 will be his last season. Yet to homer this year, when he's gotten to play it's been awful, as he's just 6-for-33 with a walk and RBI. This is coming after a career worst .200/.249/.322 (67 OPS+) last season, far from the guy who clubbed 30+ homers in the early 60s.
Quickly overshadowed was the news that Tom Lorang (.265, 4, 33, 7) would need an IL stint. A tough first season out of Washington, he's hit just 4 homers in 288 plate appearances, despite still getting a home run friendly park to call home. Walking 52 times has made up for it somewhat, as he still produced a 122 WRC+, but it's not what anyone expected from the future Hall of Famer. Hitting at levels not seen since he was 18, a reset may be best for the 12-Time All-Star, who will not be adding a 13th and first in the CA. He's not the only Cougar lost too, as setup man Leroy Williams (0-2, 3.00, 8; 0-3, 7.40, 9) is dealing with a herniated disc in his back. He'll miss four weeks, while Lorang could be back in three.
Offense has been the recipe for Minneapolis this season, but on Saturday it was the pitching that took center stage. After a brutal 10-hit, 7-run loss in LA, Hank Wagner (4-7, 5.60, 68) shined in front of the Millers home crowd. Disarming a strong Arrows team, he threw a 2-hit shutout with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. A lot has gone wrong for the 27-year-old, but with a major gap between his 5.60 ERA (69 ERA+) and 3.96 FIP (102 FIP-), this start could be the sign of things to come. If Minneapolis wants to capitalize of the Suns struggle, they'll need a rebound from their "ace" as they have not gotten many good starts from their staff.
Those Suns may be cold, but it hasn't impeded Eddie Kellum's (.327, 17, 8) 20-game hit streak. The longest of the season, the last day he didn't get a hit was actually April 21st, as on two separate occasions he had hit streaks ruined by double headers. He did survive the split with the Dynamos on Sunday, 1-for-3 with 2 walks and a run and 1-for-4 with a double, but he may not be as lucky this coming Friday. Sacrificing slug for contact this year, his .327/.371/.393 (115 OPS+) batting line is right in line with his career norms, he's just getting there in a different way. Right now, fatigue may be the only thing to end his streak, as he's about as automatic for a base hit as there gets.
Tough debut for Bob Moore, as the recently turned 25-year-old exited his first FABL start with a sprained ankle. Called up to replace Manuel Andreu (2-9, 5.65, 44) in the rotation, he lasted just 2.2 innings, now expected to miss the next three weeks. Tagged with the loss since his team scored just one run, he allowed 2 hits and 2 unearned runs with a walk and strikeout. A well-traveled 14th Round pick, it's a shame this is what happens when he finally gets his chance, but the bright young righty is now on the 40 and has a chance to regain a rotation spot when he's healthy.
A few pitchers changed hands on waivers, with Dutch Lane (1-5, 7, 3.67, 19) going from Cincinnati to Detroit and Frank Stone (0--0, 0.57, 9) going from Cincy to New York. Now 36, Lane was the Cannons stopper, but he blew 3 saves and loss 5 games, leading to his eventual designation for assignment. A former 17th Rounder, he's managed 1,383.1 FABL innings, with Detroit set to be his fifth FABL team. Stone has far less experience, making his FABL debut at 28 this season. Now 29, he allowed just 11 hits and 1 run with 9 strikeouts in 15.2 innings pitched. The 6 walks and lack of upside must have been enough to suggest it was too good to last.

THE LONG ROAD TO NOWHERE: DRAFT DREAMS AND DIAMOND DRUDGERY

BOSTON — Where do we even begin with this one, folks? I have spent the last few hours staring at the standings, trying to find a way to spin this that doesn’t sound like a eulogy. After a dismal 1-9 stretch in their last ten games, the Minutemen own a 21-43 record. That is the worst record in professional baseball by a full seven games.

Get this: the Minutemen are more games back in the East (25) than they actually have wins (21). It is a staggering achievement of absolute futility. Dick Ward is at least providing some fireworks with 12 homers, but his .212 average makes those blasts feel like lonely islands in a sea of strikeouts. Jim Morton remains the only adult in the room, hitting .312 with 7 homers and 40 RBIs. He is out there playing his heart out, but he is doing it completely alone.

The roster turnover I told you was coming has finally arrived, though not always for the reasons we wanted. The decision to call up Frank Borgen or Mickey Barker to handle third base was made for us when Willie Stephens went down with a torn meniscus in his knee. Now we have Borgen at the hot corner and Barker splitting time at first with Hal Mazur. Borgen is playing just a hair over league average while Barker is a bit under it. The result? A net gain of just about nothing.

Sully’s Stance: Dick Wood’s bat has fallen off a cliff lately, and since he was never going to win a Diamond Award over Dale Raz, expect to see Raz back in the lineup more often. At least Gil Armstrong is back from the trainer's room and holding his own in center. He is only 22, so we can’t expect him to carry the franchise on his back quite yet. The man who really needs to wake up is Charlie Hartsell. He was the top pick in ’72 and at 25 years old, he should be entering his prime. Instead, he looks like he is miles away from the pace he set the last couple of years.

Since the present is so bleak, let’s talk about the future. The amateur draft just wrapped up, and the Minutemen stashed away some fresh faces. Picking 16th in the first round meant we missed out on the true blue-chip, "save the franchise" talent—don't worry, we will surely have a top pick next year at this rate—but the club went with Ollie Edwards, a high school shortstop out of Taylor, Texas.

Edwards put up some nice high school stats that absolutely nobody outside of his immediate family cares about, but the scouts are in love with his strength. They think it will project well at this level, and if the power shows up, he might move off shortstop later on. For now, he is heading to rookie ball. Check back in five years to see if we were right.

In the second round, the club took another prep pitcher from New York named Mule Ricci. I haven’t dug deep enough yet to find out if "Mule" is a nickname or a personality trait, but I do know the scouts are raving about his change-up and slider. His fastball still needs a lot of work, which gives me the nagging fear that we just spent a second-round pick on a future reliever instead of a front-line starter.
Sully’s Stance: My favorite pick of the bunch has to be the third-rounder, a local kid named Irv Feinberg. Irv played his high school ball right here in Boston and hit enough tape-measure shots to lead his team to a state title. He has the power-eye connection that scouts drool over, and frankly, it’ll be nice to have a local name to root for in the system.

The organization went heavy on high schoolers with their first twelve picks, so this is going to be a long, slow build. Word is the scouting department has already started looking at next year’s class. They are probably looking for a college kid who can get to Boston fast because the fans are running out of patience.

The only real lighthouse in this fog is 19-year-old Sal Baldassari. The kid is 8-1 with 110 strikeouts in 92 innings at Low A Arlington. He just got word that he is being promoted to High A Springfield to act as their new staff ace. He is the one to watch, folks. It is just a shame we can’t see Springfield games from the bleachers in Boston. Maybe someday.

Until then, keep the scotch poured heavy. We’re going to need it.

PITCHING—AND A FEW OTHER SURPRISES—KEEP DYNAMOS AFLOAT

There are still a lot of folks around town who think baseball doesn’t start until after the Fourth of July, which probably explains the double take they gave the morning paper when they noticed the Detroit Dynamos were actually over .500.

Not just over .500, either. Two games over. Five games out of first. With June nearly in the books.

Somewhere, a few old-timers nearly spilled their coffee.

This was not how the summer was supposed to go. The Dynamos were coming off a 100-loss season, which followed three straight years of losing 90 or more. The basement had become familiar territory—comfortable, even. After all, last year’s pitching staff couldn’t get hitters out with a written invitation, and that was with Johnny Hoskinson, the lone starter who managed a winning record at 12-11.

Hoskinson is now in Baltimore, which made the outlook even sunnier—if your idea of sunshine involves thunderstorms and possible flooding. The rotation figured to be a patchwork of waiver claims and kids still trying to figure out where the bullpen door was.

Fast forward 70 games, and the jokes have stopped landing.

Somehow—quietly, improbably—the Dynamos’ pitching staff has become the backbone of the club. Pat Fortier, plucked off the wire, is 7-3 with a tidy 2.36 ERA and looks like he’s been in Detroit for years. Pedro Castro has been nearly as good at 6-2 and 3.48, though his last couple of outings suggest he’s human after all. Richard Elk, a 24-year-old rookie who’s been waiting his turn since coming over from Washington, is holding his own at 3-3 with a 3.56.

Add it up and you get a rotation that now owns the third-best ERA in the Federal Association—after being the worst a year ago. Baseball does that to you sometimes. It waits until you’re sure you understand it, then changes the rules.

Nobody here is engraving playoff tickets just yet. A club that lost 100 games doesn’t turn into a pennant winner overnight. But a .500 season? That no longer sounds like science fiction. And if it happens, it would mean a 21-win jump—something Detroit hasn’t seen since 1962, when a miserable ’61 was followed by a near-miss the next year.

Not that pitching has been doing this alone.

ENSEY REWRITES HIS OWN STORY

Buddy Ensey has decided that last season never happened.

The 27-year-old outfielder, an All-Star back in ’72, looked lost in 1974. His numbers dipped, the whispers got louder, and for a few days in February it looked like he might be wearing Los Angeles Suns colors. That deal fizzled, and the Dynamos quietly exhaled.

Good thing.

All Ensey has done since Opening Day is lead the Federal Association with a .360 batting average while slugging at a rate he’s never reached before. On a team that still has trouble scratching out runs, Ensey has been the difference between competitive losses and actual wins. It’s not much of a stretch to wonder where Detroit would be right now if that February trade had gone through.

Probably back where we expected them to be.

A DRAFT THAT BREEDS HOPE

If you’re looking for optimism beyond this season, scouting director Chuck Cole is more than happy to provide it. Cole says—without blinking—that this year’s draft class might be the best he’s overseen in nearly 15 years.

That’s strong talk from a man who usually undersells.

The second phase of the draft wrapped up last week, and Cole can’t stop mentioning Don King, an 18-year-old pitcher from St. Louis who came out of nowhere this spring and became Detroit’s first pick in Round 11. Cole thinks King has top-of-the-rotation written all over him.

He’s not alone. First-rounder George Carney and fifth-round pick Vern Ladd are also pegged as potential front-line starters. Jay Crist, Bruce Fields, and Joe Miller are viewed as solid mid-rotation possibilities. Eight of Detroit’s first 11 picks were pitchers, which tells you exactly where this organization thinks its future lies.

None of them have thrown a professional pitch yet, of course. Promise is easy in June. Delivery comes later. Still, optimism has been in short supply at Thompson Field, and right now it’s finally back on the menu.

BASKETBALL ENDS, HOCKEY DRAGS ON

One final note from the wider sports world: the Continental Basketball League is officially finished. Four of its 12 teams will move into the Federal Basketball League, and that chapter is closed.

Hockey, though, refuses to follow the script.

The Continental Hockey League—long rumored to be on life support—insists it’s staying put. That’s bad news for Detroit Motors fans still dreaming of a Hobie Barrell reunion. Barrell remains under contract in Ottawa, and as long as the CHL survives, so does that deal.

His last game in Detroit ended with a Challenge Cup raised overhead. Anyone hoping for an encore will have to keep waiting.

For now, though, Detroit baseball fans might want to check the standings again. Summer has arrived, and so—somehow—have the Dynamos.

WOLVES SHOW SIGNS OF LIFE

Every baseball season offers at least one week when a struggling club briefly resembles something sturdier than a collection of loose parts. For the Toronto Wolves, last week was that week.

It does not amount to a resurrection. It barely qualifies as a stirring of the pulse. But a 4–2 record, capped by a home sweep of Cincinnati, passes for progress on a team that has spent much of the spring looking as if it were playing the game under protest. If nothing else, it reminded everyone that even troubled ballclubs occasionally stumble into competence.

The week began quietly enough at Dyckman Stadium, where the Wolves dropped the final two games of a three-game set. The lone bright spot came courtesy of Jim Hunter, who picked up just the second win of his FABL career in a tidy 9–2 victory. The two losses that followed were the sort that test a pitcher’s vocabulary. Red Bullock and Stan Terry both pitched well enough to deserve better than 2–1 and 3–1 defeats, only to be undone by an offense that produced six hits in one game and five in the other, while the Imperials’ pitchers did their work with professional efficiency.

That theme carried into Friday night when the Cannons arrived. Lee Humphrey carved out eight scoreless innings, Ray Smith nailed down his fifth save, and the Wolves escaped with a 2–1 win that felt far more fragile than the box score suggested. The lone Cannon run in the ninth was unearned, courtesy of yet another Toronto error—an ongoing subplot that refuses to resolve itself.

Saturday offered something close to joy. The Wolves collected 15 hits and won 7–5, a number that seemed almost excessive by recent Toronto standards. Sunday was less convincing but just as welcome: a 6–3 victory fueled more by patience than power, as five walks compensated for just six hits. When the dust settled, the Wolves found themselves tied for fifth in the East with Cleveland.

It was their first winning week since early May. That alone tells you how modest the bar has become.

Now comes the hard part. Toronto heads out on the road until July 4, staring at nine games in seven days, including doubleheaders against Milwaukee and Cleveland. If the Wolves intend to build on this sliver of momentum, they will need to do something they have not done all season: string wins together.

Errors remain the club’s loudest enemy. Eighty of them so far—easily the most in the Continental Association—have turned manageable innings into extended ordeals. The pitching, while showing occasional signs of coherence, still owns the league’s worst staff ERA at 4.20. Offense offers little relief, with a team line of .245/.315/.656 that lives at or near the bottom of every meaningful category.

Before the season began, it was said that this team would go only as far as its pitching and defense carried it. So far, neither has been willing to shoulder the load for very long.

A Look Down the Line: Vancouver Mounties

The Vancouver Mounties, meanwhile, remain the steadiest reflection of what the Toronto organization hopes to be someday. The Mounties have been part of the system for half a century and have made a habit of winning, collecting nine COW championships and sending a steady stream of names—Sam Orr, Charlie Artuso, Chuck Cole—up the ladder.

After drifting through the 1950s and ’60s, Vancouver has rediscovered its footing, winning the last two COW titles and reaching three straight finals. In a development league built on patience, the Mounties may have found the perfect formula.

Manager Bob Ginger is 59 and has been managing young players for more than a decade, seemingly immune to the temptation of promotion. His preference for working with prospects has become a feature, not a flaw. He is joined by pitching coach Dave Hunt, 56, who has carved out a similar niche, and hitting coach Yamato Hashimoto, 58, who arrived from Japan a few years ago. Together, they form a staff that is collectively old enough to remember when pitchers finished what they started—and young enough, apparently, to keep producing results.

The Mounties sit at 32–25, good for third place in a fiercely competitive COW North.

Among the players to watch is Ron Burch, 20, currently ranked fifth by OSA. His five starts have been adequate rather than eye-opening, and another stretch of mediocrity could send him back to Tuscaloosa by July. Ed Hall continues to intrigue scouts as a potential rotation piece. At the plate, last year’s first-round pick Pat Duffy has been slower out of the gate than hoped, hitting .263/.404/.394 over 221 plate appearances. It was once assumed he might be in Davenport by now; patience, for the moment, has prevailed.

Gene Goodson, a 13th-round pick from two years ago, has been turning heads as a possible late-round success story, while Charlie Sheldon’s ability to handle both infield corners could ease his path upward.

Expect movement in both Davenport and Vancouver once the draft dust settles this week. That, too, is part of the rhythm of the game.

Next time: a closer look at Toronto’s newest draft picks as they begin the long, uncertain walk toward professional baseball.

The Week That Was
Current events from the week ending 06/22/1975

New York City avoids immediate default as emergency measures advance, with state-backed financial controls imposed to keep the city operating while long-term rescue talks continue.
President Ford vetoes farm price-support legislation, warning that higher food prices would worsen inflation and strain consumers already facing economic hardship.
Congress presses ahead with War Powers reforms, citing Vietnam and Cambodia as evidence of the need for clearer limits on presidential use of force.
Inflation shows signs of cooling across North America, though economists caution that high unemployment and weak growth still threaten recovery.
Canada weighs wage and price restraint measures, as Ottawa signals willingness to confront unions and provinces to curb inflation.
Vietnam refugee resettlement expands into smaller communities, prompting both humanitarian praise and concerns about housing and employment capacity.

01-23-2026, 03:17 PM	#1215
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,856	June 23, 1975 JUNE 23, 1975 FEDERAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE CONFIRMS FOUR-TEAM EXPANSION FROM CBL The worst-kept secret in professional basketball became official yesterday as the Federal Basketball League announced it will admit four clubs from the now-defunct Continental Basketball League, bringing an end to months of speculation surrounding the future of the eight-year-old rival circuit. The move expands the FBL from 18 to 22 teams and formally closes the book on the CBL, which had operated since 1967 as an alternative professional league. News of the CBL’s impending collapse first surfaced nearly two months ago, with early reports suggesting that as many as eight of its franchises could be absorbed into the established FBL. In the end, the league opted for a more modest expansion. Joining the Federal Basketball League will be the Cincinnati Steamers, Denver Bighorns, Pittsburgh Ironmen, and San Antonio Outlaws—four of the CBL’s strongest and most stable organizations. Together, they will be tasked with carrying forward what remains of the Continental League’s legacy. The remaining eight CBL franchises will cease operations. Owners of those clubs are believed to be receiving substantial buyouts as part of the dissolution agreement, and most are said to be satisfied with the terms. There is, however, at least one notable exception. Kevin Oliphant, owner of the New Jersey Demons, is reportedly exploring legal options in an effort to force his club’s inclusion in the FBL. Ironically, the Demons appear to be the least compelling candidate on basketball grounds, having finished last season with a dismal 19–59 record—by far the worst mark in the CBL. Federal Basketball League officials declined to comment in detail on the situation, stating only that they were unaware of any legal action currently underway when asked about Oliphant’s reported objections. With the announcement now official, the focus shifts to how the four incoming clubs will be integrated into the FBL structure and what the expanded league will look like when play resumes in October. What is certain is that one chapter of professional basketball history has closed, even as another begins. FBL HANDS OUT HARDWARE The Federal Basketball League also announced its award winners for the 1974-75 season. It comes as no surprise that John Brantner of the St Louis Rockets was named the Most Valuable Player for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall. Only Chicago Panthers hall of famer Luther Gordon, with five, has be named the FBL's MVP more often than the 31-year-old Brantner. Brantner, who was also named playoff MVP despite being sidelined with a leg injury for the Rockets title clinching game over the Boston Centurions earlier this month, led the league in scoring by more than 10 points per game over his nearest rival. Brantner's 38.5 ppg in 74-75 was the second highest total ever recorded, trailing only his own mark of 39.1 set the previous year. Joining Brantner on the All-FBL first team was Detroit center Hank Woolley, Minneapolis forward Brooks Brown and guards Scott Gruninger of San Francisco and Wade Muleky of Seattle. The rookie of the year was Gus McIntyre of the Cleveland Bulldogs. McIntyre, an All-American guard out of Central Kentucky, was selected third overall by the Bulldogs in the 1974 draft. The native of Baltimore, MD., started 80 games and averaged over 20 points per game in his debut season. SUNS SINK, OPEN UP FA WEST TITLE RACE Not too long ago, it seemed like all four divisional races were set in stone. Now, things have started to tighten up, as not only as the Suns lead shrunk to just 2.5 games, but all six teams are now within single digits of first. Considering, both the Copperheads (13.5) and Kings (12.5) have more room between them and second then the Suns have between them and the cellar. For LA, they've started to allow more runs, which has led to a 10-12 June as they've cooled since the hot start. The offense isn't the issue, they have plenty of run producers, including triple crown longshot Tom Lally. The reigning Whitney winner, he's leading the Fed with 16 homers and 59 RBIs, pairing it with an elite .315/.392/.549 (162 OPS+) and a 4.9 WAR. He's likely to reach 5 before a third player even gets to 3.5, with just Seattle's Fred Tollefson (4.0) within a win and a half of his total. He's already way passed his home run total from last year, just 12 in 160 games, and he's less then 10 RBIs from his total too. He's never had an issue scoring runs, with back-to-back home run leader Sam Forrester (.278, 13, 54, 17) behind him, but while the losses start to pile up, he's going to need help elsewhere. Right now, Houston is their closest threat, and for them, it's been the pitching. Johnny Blackburn (7-3, 2.62, 61) was outstanding when Joe McCarthy (0-1, 2.25, 10) was hurt, and now that he's back the Suns might start to sweat. His first start wasn't great, 5 innings with 7 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), and 4 walks and strikeouts, but #2 was the McCarthy that won the Allen award last year. He kept the Millers scoreless for 7, allowing 6 hits and a walk with 6 strikeouts. Add in Jay Hunt's (6-5, 2.08, 65) and Spencer Reese's (8-1, 2.47, 48) breakout, and it's really hard to get runs off of them. It's easier to prevent them, they don't do much scoring, but Stan Francis (.359, 2, 34) is gunning for a batting title and Hank Andrew (.292, 6, 32, 5) and stolen base fiend Johnny Adams (.319, 6, 40, 29) have inflated their RBI numbers because of it. If former Whitney winner John Edwards (.281, 4, 37, 8) can return to form, things could really start cooking, and there is more then enough time to cut a sub-3 deficit. You can't leave out Minneapolis or Detroit either, even if no one really expected them to be anywhere near first place. Instead, they're just 4.5 and 5 games out, and as we approach July perhaps the two sellers decide to switch gears. For the Millers, it'd be almost unheard of, as they tend to trade away talent when they have it, but the offense can slug and they're scoring more runs then anyone else. Out of the eight spot Julio Castaneda (.266, 14, 54) has developed into one of the games top sluggers, while Carl Kilkenny (.308, 13, 43) and George Fisher (.264, 11, 35) join him in double digits. Only one member of the lineup has less then 5 homers, but it's not all they can do. Bill Powell (.324, 6, 29) collects extra base hits, walks, and balls in play while top-100 prospect Bill Barber (.321, 9, 50) is making a large case for the Kellogg. Detroit does it the other way, with pitching as opposed to hitting, with all five of the current rotation members sitting with ERAs below 3.60. Led by breakout star Pat Fortier (7-3, 2.36, 40), who is second in the Fed in ERA, they have the 3rd best rotation ERA, but they have now seemed to find the perfect combination. Jack Vander Kooi (5-4, 2, 2.90, 37) has transitioned from the pen to rotation effortlessly, as have Pedro Castro (6-2, 2, 3.48, 32) and Richard Elk (3-3, 3.56, 33), though it is yet to be seen if they can keep it up. The lineup did take a hit too, with Harvey Van Orden (.321, 6, 29) hitting the IL with a sprained ankle, putting a lot of pressure on Buddy Ensey (.360, 9, 48, 8) and Geoff Taylor (.321, 7, 36, 12). If they can hold on for a few more weeks, star infielder Bill Austin (.270, 3, 25, 2) will return, and the Dynamos can try to sever their 16 season postseason drought. This coming week is a big one, as after dropping three of four to the Dynamos, the Suns have to take on the Millers. Then later in the week, the Dynamos will be in Houston for three, so each series of the week will contain a pair of the top contenders. A huge opportunity for everyone involved, the games will seemingly mean more here, and as we approach July it's nice to see a pennant race materialize itself. FABL DRAFT WRAPS UP WITH PHASE TWO PICKS The Federally Aligned Baseball Leagues completed the second and final phase of its annual amateur draft this week, bringing to a close a process that once again highlighted the league’s unique approach to talent acquisition. As has long been the case, the FABL draft was conducted in two distinct phases. Clubs made their first ten selections back in January, well before the start of the amateur season and prior to the release of any official mock drafts. Rounds 11 through 20 were then held in mid-June, after the conclusion of the College World Championship Series and the end of high school play across the country. The two-phase format is something of an oddity—even within the Figment Sports Universe—but it is very much by design. By separating the draft and denying clubs access to an OSA mock, the league forces general managers to rely more heavily on their scouting departments and instincts, adding another layer of difficulty to the already challenging, stats-only evaluation process of the Figment Online League. That structure often produces a surprise or two, and teams are always hopeful of uncovering a late-round gem—perhaps a player who surged late in the spring or only recently appeared on the radar. The Kansas City Mavericks, owners of the first pick in each round after finishing with the Continental Association’s worst record a year ago, believe they may have done just that. With the opening selection of Phase Two in the 11th round, Kansas City chose 18-year-old shortstop Carl Reynolds of Newark, New Jersey. A three-year high school starter, Reynolds is committed to Detroit City College, but OSA scouts believe he has the tools to develop into a reliable big-league shortstop. Pitching dominated the early portion of the 11th round, with six of the first nine selections used on arms. The headliner was Don King, taken second overall in the round by the Detroit Dynamos. Dynamos scouting director Chuck Cole followed King closely throughout his senior season in the St. Louis High School ranks and has been effusive in his praise, suggesting the 18-year-old has the ceiling of a future staff ace. With the draft now complete, attention turns to the signing period as each FABL club attempts to bring its 25 selections into the fold. Many of the high school draftees, including first overall pick Pat Cathcart—who holds a scholarship offer from Darnell State—will weigh the appeal of college against the value of their signing bonuses. High school players who opt for college will become draft-eligible again in their junior seasons, while unsigned college juniors will re-enter the pool next year as seniors. For now, the selections are made, the boards are cleared, and the long process of turning draft picks into ballplayers begins. Even at 38, Floyd Warner (8-4, 3.77, 54) still has it, but the Los Angeles Stars hurler had a lot of help securing his 250th FABL win. In 6 innings he was charged with 9 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), and a walk, striking out 5 in a 10-6 win over San Francisco. He's been much better on the season, already throwing 4 quality starts with just 1 run allowed. A 7-Time All-Star, 4-Time World Champion, and 1967 Allen Winner, even six more wins would get him to 35th in FABL history, but he's already the Stars franchise leader. He may also lead in starts (534) and innings (3,847.2), but only one other pitcher has reached 200. His 64.8 WAR is best among all Stars pitchers, as are his 2,421 strikeouts, and he's 3rd with 26 shutouts. Warner has started 14 games in 1975 for LA, an effective 8-4 with a 3.77 ERA (104 ERA+), 3.40 FIP (104 FIP-), and 1.22 WHIP. That's about all the celebrating the Stars did this week, however, as they got the awful news that former Whitney winner Lew Smith (.270, 8, 33, 10) has a partial tear in his UCL that will require surgery. Out for the rest of the season, the 31-year-old shortstop will finish year 12 with just 68 games. It's his lowest since his debut year in 1964, and is just the next thing to go wrong in a 35-36 season. Second basemen Bill Bell (.290, 2, 17, 9) was getting ready to return from his sprained ankle, and instead of joining Smith he'll probably now replace him. A silver lining is Bob Branson (.303, 1, 19, 2), who currently ranks as FABL's 18th best prospect, is a natural shortstop and did well filling in for Bell. Over 14 games out of first, they can focus on giving their former 1st Rounder an extended look before regrouping with a healthy Smith in '76. Compounding the misery was 1973 All-Star Bill Dunham (7-4, 3.00, 89), who left the second inning of start #15 with an oblique strain. Out for at least the next four weeks, the loss of a staff ace is never easy, especially when he's in the midst of one of his best seasons. In 105 innings the 31-year-old held a 3.00 ERA (130 ERA+) and 2.98 FIP (75 FIP-), with a legitimate chance for not only a trip to the All-Star game, but a potential finalist for the Allen. The second half of the draft began with Kansas City and finished with Atlanta, as 240 more players were drafted in the 20 round Amateur Draft. 478 of the 480 players selected will need to be signed, as Baltimore worked quickly and secured deals with their 5th and 8th round picks. 5th Rounder Joe Rodgers was first, getting $1,100 to report to Low-A Norfolk. He made his debut on Saturday, 1-for-4 with a solo home run. Prospect lists will adjust a lot as more guys sign, but he's 22nd in the organization due to strong infield defense and a great hit tool. 8th Rounder Jim Everett signed for less, just $300, and will join Rodgers on the Navigators, just watching from the bench. Atlanta went 7-0 this week, sweeping the Minutemen in Boston and the Clippers at home, opening up a 13.5 game lead over Baltimore. Powering the win streak was outfielder Jack Blair (.333, 6, 50, 18), who went 15-for-28 with 5 doubles, 2 homers, 4 walks, 10 runs, 15 RBIs, and a steal. The obvious Player of the Week, Blair was a perfect 5-for-5 in the Copperhead 12-6 win over the Clippers, and he's running a 14 game hit streak that dates back to June 8th. A candidate for the month's best hitter, he's batted .427/.478/.646 (211 OPS+) with 7 doubles, a triple, 3 homers, 25 RBIs, 19 runs, 8 walks, and 7 steals. Trying to put his slow start to the season completely behind him, he's been instrumental in the Copperheads 18-3 June. Conti winner Bob Howard (.261, 10, 39, 4) plays for a far different team, but just because his Mavericks are in last, doesn't mean his performance doesn't merit attention. Howard became the first KC hitter to reach double digits for homers, hitting two as he finished his week 12-for-20. That came with 6 runs, 2 doubles, a triple, and 8 RBIs, with each homer winning the game it was hit in. He was key in two thirds of Kansas City's home sweep of Dallas, and is now on pace for 25 doubles, 23 homers, and 88 RBIs. Bad to worse is how the year went for Pioneer righty Red Kline (0-5, 5.45, 14), as the 1972 All-Star went from rotation to pen to injured. A lengthy absence is expected too, as the 33-year-old tore his flexor tendon, and will not be ready for Opening Day. Early estimates is a 13 month recovery, which would lead to almost a season and a half of missed baseball. His ERA crown in '72 (2.53) now seems like a true outlier, as he already had a career worse 5.45 (71 ERA+) mark. A major injury could spell disaster for his FABL future, and if this is it he'll finish with 1,727.1 innings pitched and an 82-94 record. One career that is guaranteed to end is Henry Watson (.182, 1), as the Chicago Cougar All-Time home run leader (283) announced 1975 will be his last season. Yet to homer this year, when he's gotten to play it's been awful, as he's just 6-for-33 with a walk and RBI. This is coming after a career worst .200/.249/.322 (67 OPS+) last season, far from the guy who clubbed 30+ homers in the early 60s. Quickly overshadowed was the news that Tom Lorang (.265, 4, 33, 7) would need an IL stint. A tough first season out of Washington, he's hit just 4 homers in 288 plate appearances, despite still getting a home run friendly park to call home. Walking 52 times has made up for it somewhat, as he still produced a 122 WRC+, but it's not what anyone expected from the future Hall of Famer. Hitting at levels not seen since he was 18, a reset may be best for the 12-Time All-Star, who will not be adding a 13th and first in the CA. He's not the only Cougar lost too, as setup man Leroy Williams (0-2, 3.00, 8; 0-3, 7.40, 9) is dealing with a herniated disc in his back. He'll miss four weeks, while Lorang could be back in three. Offense has been the recipe for Minneapolis this season, but on Saturday it was the pitching that took center stage. After a brutal 10-hit, 7-run loss in LA, Hank Wagner (4-7, 5.60, 68) shined in front of the Millers home crowd. Disarming a strong Arrows team, he threw a 2-hit shutout with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. A lot has gone wrong for the 27-year-old, but with a major gap between his 5.60 ERA (69 ERA+) and 3.96 FIP (102 FIP-), this start could be the sign of things to come. If Minneapolis wants to capitalize of the Suns struggle, they'll need a rebound from their "ace" as they have not gotten many good starts from their staff. Those Suns may be cold, but it hasn't impeded Eddie Kellum's (.327, 17, 8) 20-game hit streak. The longest of the season, the last day he didn't get a hit was actually April 21st, as on two separate occasions he had hit streaks ruined by double headers. He did survive the split with the Dynamos on Sunday, 1-for-3 with 2 walks and a run and 1-for-4 with a double, but he may not be as lucky this coming Friday. Sacrificing slug for contact this year, his .327/.371/.393 (115 OPS+) batting line is right in line with his career norms, he's just getting there in a different way. Right now, fatigue may be the only thing to end his streak, as he's about as automatic for a base hit as there gets. Tough debut for Bob Moore, as the recently turned 25-year-old exited his first FABL start with a sprained ankle. Called up to replace Manuel Andreu (2-9, 5.65, 44) in the rotation, he lasted just 2.2 innings, now expected to miss the next three weeks. Tagged with the loss since his team scored just one run, he allowed 2 hits and 2 unearned runs with a walk and strikeout. A well-traveled 14th Round pick, it's a shame this is what happens when he finally gets his chance, but the bright young righty is now on the 40 and has a chance to regain a rotation spot when he's healthy. A few pitchers changed hands on waivers, with Dutch Lane (1-5, 7, 3.67, 19) going from Cincinnati to Detroit and Frank Stone (0--0, 0.57, 9) going from Cincy to New York. Now 36, Lane was the Cannons stopper, but he blew 3 saves and loss 5 games, leading to his eventual designation for assignment. A former 17th Rounder, he's managed 1,383.1 FABL innings, with Detroit set to be his fifth FABL team. Stone has far less experience, making his FABL debut at 28 this season. Now 29, he allowed just 11 hits and 1 run with 9 strikeouts in 15.2 innings pitched. The 6 walks and lack of upside must have been enough to suggest it was too good to last. THE LONG ROAD TO NOWHERE: DRAFT DREAMS AND DIAMOND DRUDGERY BOSTON — Where do we even begin with this one, folks? I have spent the last few hours staring at the standings, trying to find a way to spin this that doesn’t sound like a eulogy. After a dismal 1-9 stretch in their last ten games, the Minutemen own a 21-43 record. That is the worst record in professional baseball by a full seven games. Get this: the Minutemen are more games back in the East (25) than they actually have wins (21). It is a staggering achievement of absolute futility. Dick Ward is at least providing some fireworks with 12 homers, but his .212 average makes those blasts feel like lonely islands in a sea of strikeouts. Jim Morton remains the only adult in the room, hitting .312 with 7 homers and 40 RBIs. He is out there playing his heart out, but he is doing it completely alone. The roster turnover I told you was coming has finally arrived, though not always for the reasons we wanted. The decision to call up Frank Borgen or Mickey Barker to handle third base was made for us when Willie Stephens went down with a torn meniscus in his knee. Now we have Borgen at the hot corner and Barker splitting time at first with Hal Mazur. Borgen is playing just a hair over league average while Barker is a bit under it. The result? A net gain of just about nothing. Sully’s Stance: Dick Wood’s bat has fallen off a cliff lately, and since he was never going to win a Diamond Award over Dale Raz, expect to see Raz back in the lineup more often. At least Gil Armstrong is back from the trainer's room and holding his own in center. He is only 22, so we can’t expect him to carry the franchise on his back quite yet. The man who really needs to wake up is Charlie Hartsell. He was the top pick in ’72 and at 25 years old, he should be entering his prime. Instead, he looks like he is miles away from the pace he set the last couple of years. Since the present is so bleak, let’s talk about the future. The amateur draft just wrapped up, and the Minutemen stashed away some fresh faces. Picking 16th in the first round meant we missed out on the true blue-chip, "save the franchise" talent—don't worry, we will surely have a top pick next year at this rate—but the club went with Ollie Edwards, a high school shortstop out of Taylor, Texas. Edwards put up some nice high school stats that absolutely nobody outside of his immediate family cares about, but the scouts are in love with his strength. They think it will project well at this level, and if the power shows up, he might move off shortstop later on. For now, he is heading to rookie ball. Check back in five years to see if we were right. In the second round, the club took another prep pitcher from New York named Mule Ricci. I haven’t dug deep enough yet to find out if "Mule" is a nickname or a personality trait, but I do know the scouts are raving about his change-up and slider. His fastball still needs a lot of work, which gives me the nagging fear that we just spent a second-round pick on a future reliever instead of a front-line starter. Sully’s Stance: My favorite pick of the bunch has to be the third-rounder, a local kid named Irv Feinberg. Irv played his high school ball right here in Boston and hit enough tape-measure shots to lead his team to a state title. He has the power-eye connection that scouts drool over, and frankly, it’ll be nice to have a local name to root for in the system. The organization went heavy on high schoolers with their first twelve picks, so this is going to be a long, slow build. Word is the scouting department has already started looking at next year’s class. They are probably looking for a college kid who can get to Boston fast because the fans are running out of patience. The only real lighthouse in this fog is 19-year-old Sal Baldassari. The kid is 8-1 with 110 strikeouts in 92 innings at Low A Arlington. He just got word that he is being promoted to High A Springfield to act as their new staff ace. He is the one to watch, folks. It is just a shame we can’t see Springfield games from the bleachers in Boston. Maybe someday. Until then, keep the scotch poured heavy. We’re going to need it. PITCHING—AND A FEW OTHER SURPRISES—KEEP DYNAMOS AFLOAT There are still a lot of folks around town who think baseball doesn’t start until after the Fourth of July, which probably explains the double take they gave the morning paper when they noticed the Detroit Dynamos were actually over .500. Not just over .500, either. Two games over. Five games out of first. With June nearly in the books. Somewhere, a few old-timers nearly spilled their coffee. This was not how the summer was supposed to go. The Dynamos were coming off a 100-loss season, which followed three straight years of losing 90 or more. The basement had become familiar territory—comfortable, even. After all, last year’s pitching staff couldn’t get hitters out with a written invitation, and that was with Johnny Hoskinson, the lone starter who managed a winning record at 12-11. Hoskinson is now in Baltimore, which made the outlook even sunnier—if your idea of sunshine involves thunderstorms and possible flooding. The rotation figured to be a patchwork of waiver claims and kids still trying to figure out where the bullpen door was. Fast forward 70 games, and the jokes have stopped landing. Somehow—quietly, improbably—the Dynamos’ pitching staff has become the backbone of the club. Pat Fortier, plucked off the wire, is 7-3 with a tidy 2.36 ERA and looks like he’s been in Detroit for years. Pedro Castro has been nearly as good at 6-2 and 3.48, though his last couple of outings suggest he’s human after all. Richard Elk, a 24-year-old rookie who’s been waiting his turn since coming over from Washington, is holding his own at 3-3 with a 3.56. Add it up and you get a rotation that now owns the third-best ERA in the Federal Association—after being the worst a year ago. Baseball does that to you sometimes. It waits until you’re sure you understand it, then changes the rules. Nobody here is engraving playoff tickets just yet. A club that lost 100 games doesn’t turn into a pennant winner overnight. But a .500 season? That no longer sounds like science fiction. And if it happens, it would mean a 21-win jump—something Detroit hasn’t seen since 1962, when a miserable ’61 was followed by a near-miss the next year. Not that pitching has been doing this alone. ENSEY REWRITES HIS OWN STORY Buddy Ensey has decided that last season never happened. The 27-year-old outfielder, an All-Star back in ’72, looked lost in 1974. His numbers dipped, the whispers got louder, and for a few days in February it looked like he might be wearing Los Angeles Suns colors. That deal fizzled, and the Dynamos quietly exhaled. Good thing. All Ensey has done since Opening Day is lead the Federal Association with a .360 batting average while slugging at a rate he’s never reached before. On a team that still has trouble scratching out runs, Ensey has been the difference between competitive losses and actual wins. It’s not much of a stretch to wonder where Detroit would be right now if that February trade had gone through. Probably back where we expected them to be. A DRAFT THAT BREEDS HOPE If you’re looking for optimism beyond this season, scouting director Chuck Cole is more than happy to provide it. Cole says—without blinking—that this year’s draft class might be the best he’s overseen in nearly 15 years. That’s strong talk from a man who usually undersells. The second phase of the draft wrapped up last week, and Cole can’t stop mentioning Don King, an 18-year-old pitcher from St. Louis who came out of nowhere this spring and became Detroit’s first pick in Round 11. Cole thinks King has top-of-the-rotation written all over him. He’s not alone. First-rounder George Carney and fifth-round pick Vern Ladd are also pegged as potential front-line starters. Jay Crist, Bruce Fields, and Joe Miller are viewed as solid mid-rotation possibilities. Eight of Detroit’s first 11 picks were pitchers, which tells you exactly where this organization thinks its future lies. None of them have thrown a professional pitch yet, of course. Promise is easy in June. Delivery comes later. Still, optimism has been in short supply at Thompson Field, and right now it’s finally back on the menu. BASKETBALL ENDS, HOCKEY DRAGS ON One final note from the wider sports world: the Continental Basketball League is officially finished. Four of its 12 teams will move into the Federal Basketball League, and that chapter is closed. Hockey, though, refuses to follow the script. The Continental Hockey League—long rumored to be on life support—insists it’s staying put. That’s bad news for Detroit Motors fans still dreaming of a Hobie Barrell reunion. Barrell remains under contract in Ottawa, and as long as the CHL survives, so does that deal. His last game in Detroit ended with a Challenge Cup raised overhead. Anyone hoping for an encore will have to keep waiting. For now, though, Detroit baseball fans might want to check the standings again. Summer has arrived, and so—somehow—have the Dynamos. WOLVES SHOW SIGNS OF LIFE Every baseball season offers at least one week when a struggling club briefly resembles something sturdier than a collection of loose parts. For the Toronto Wolves, last week was that week. It does not amount to a resurrection. It barely qualifies as a stirring of the pulse. But a 4–2 record, capped by a home sweep of Cincinnati, passes for progress on a team that has spent much of the spring looking as if it were playing the game under protest. If nothing else, it reminded everyone that even troubled ballclubs occasionally stumble into competence. The week began quietly enough at Dyckman Stadium, where the Wolves dropped the final two games of a three-game set. The lone bright spot came courtesy of Jim Hunter, who picked up just the second win of his FABL career in a tidy 9–2 victory. The two losses that followed were the sort that test a pitcher’s vocabulary. Red Bullock and Stan Terry both pitched well enough to deserve better than 2–1 and 3–1 defeats, only to be undone by an offense that produced six hits in one game and five in the other, while the Imperials’ pitchers did their work with professional efficiency. That theme carried into Friday night when the Cannons arrived. Lee Humphrey carved out eight scoreless innings, Ray Smith nailed down his fifth save, and the Wolves escaped with a 2–1 win that felt far more fragile than the box score suggested. The lone Cannon run in the ninth was unearned, courtesy of yet another Toronto error—an ongoing subplot that refuses to resolve itself. Saturday offered something close to joy. The Wolves collected 15 hits and won 7–5, a number that seemed almost excessive by recent Toronto standards. Sunday was less convincing but just as welcome: a 6–3 victory fueled more by patience than power, as five walks compensated for just six hits. When the dust settled, the Wolves found themselves tied for fifth in the East with Cleveland. It was their first winning week since early May. That alone tells you how modest the bar has become. Now comes the hard part. Toronto heads out on the road until July 4, staring at nine games in seven days, including doubleheaders against Milwaukee and Cleveland. If the Wolves intend to build on this sliver of momentum, they will need to do something they have not done all season: string wins together. Errors remain the club’s loudest enemy. Eighty of them so far—easily the most in the Continental Association—have turned manageable innings into extended ordeals. The pitching, while showing occasional signs of coherence, still owns the league’s worst staff ERA at 4.20. Offense offers little relief, with a team line of .245/.315/.656 that lives at or near the bottom of every meaningful category. Before the season began, it was said that this team would go only as far as its pitching and defense carried it. So far, neither has been willing to shoulder the load for very long. A Look Down the Line: Vancouver Mounties The Vancouver Mounties, meanwhile, remain the steadiest reflection of what the Toronto organization hopes to be someday. The Mounties have been part of the system for half a century and have made a habit of winning, collecting nine COW championships and sending a steady stream of names—Sam Orr, Charlie Artuso, Chuck Cole—up the ladder. After drifting through the 1950s and ’60s, Vancouver has rediscovered its footing, winning the last two COW titles and reaching three straight finals. In a development league built on patience, the Mounties may have found the perfect formula. Manager Bob Ginger is 59 and has been managing young players for more than a decade, seemingly immune to the temptation of promotion. His preference for working with prospects has become a feature, not a flaw. He is joined by pitching coach Dave Hunt, 56, who has carved out a similar niche, and hitting coach Yamato Hashimoto, 58, who arrived from Japan a few years ago. Together, they form a staff that is collectively old enough to remember when pitchers finished what they started—and young enough, apparently, to keep producing results. The Mounties sit at 32–25, good for third place in a fiercely competitive COW North. Among the players to watch is Ron Burch, 20, currently ranked fifth by OSA. His five starts have been adequate rather than eye-opening, and another stretch of mediocrity could send him back to Tuscaloosa by July. Ed Hall continues to intrigue scouts as a potential rotation piece. At the plate, last year’s first-round pick Pat Duffy has been slower out of the gate than hoped, hitting .263/.404/.394 over 221 plate appearances. It was once assumed he might be in Davenport by now; patience, for the moment, has prevailed. Gene Goodson, a 13th-round pick from two years ago, has been turning heads as a possible late-round success story, while Charlie Sheldon’s ability to handle both infield corners could ease his path upward. Expect movement in both Davenport and Vancouver once the draft dust settles this week. That, too, is part of the rhythm of the game. Next time: a closer look at Toronto’s newest draft picks as they begin the long, uncertain walk toward professional baseball. The Week That Was Current events from the week ending 06/22/1975 New York City avoids immediate default as emergency measures advance, with state-backed financial controls imposed to keep the city operating while long-term rescue talks continue. President Ford vetoes farm price-support legislation, warning that higher food prices would worsen inflation and strain consumers already facing economic hardship. Congress presses ahead with War Powers reforms, citing Vietnam and Cambodia as evidence of the need for clearer limits on presidential use of force. Inflation shows signs of cooling across North America, though economists caution that high unemployment and weak growth still threaten recovery. Canada weighs wage and price restraint measures, as Ottawa signals willingness to confront unions and provinces to curb inflation. Vietnam refugee resettlement expands into smaller communities, prompting both humanitarian praise and concerns about housing and employment capacity. __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles Last edited by Tiger Fan; 01-23-2026 at 03:23 PM.