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August 1944
The Senators went 15-14 this month and have nearly dropped out of the race. They finished the month by losing 2-of-3 games to the Red Sox, and the two contenders do not face each other the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the newest Red Sox, pitcher
Mark Ponfick, who was acquired in a trade with the Browns on July 1st, has been simply amazing since coming to Boston. The 40-year-old is having one of his best seasons, and he is 13-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 14 starts, including his only 3 shutouts of the season, since joining Boston. He has also won both AL POTM awards since joining the team.
New Washington shortstop
Tuck Hugley drove in 8 runs against the Indians on August 7th, which is 1 RBI short of the major league record (9). Then 9 days later, Senators catcher
Robert Reed accomplished the same feat also against the Indians.
The Giants went just 13-15 this month, while the Dodgers surged to within 3 games of the lead with a 17-11 record. The biggest matchups came at the end of the month when Brooklyn played 4 consecutive series against the 3rd place Reds and 1st place Giants. Brooklyn made a huge statement by sweeping the Giants in New York by a combined score of 18-6. They then opened a homestand where they won 2-of-3 against the Reds and 3-of-4 against the Giants. That is just half the story, though. In that 4-game series with New York, the first 3 games were decided by just 1 run each.
In the first game of the series,
Remmy Paul and
Guy Muir locked up for a scoreless duel until the bottom of the 9th when first baseman
Willie Young scored from 3rd on a hard grounder with 1 out. In Game 2, the game was again scoreless going into the 9th with
Kyle Stevens and
Max Baxter going toe-to-toe this time. It was New York's turn to win as pinch runner
Willis Meyerink scored from 3rd on a sac fly. The Dodgers had runners on the corners with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, but
Bob Boshernitsan enduced a shallow pop fly off the bat of pinh hitter
Keith Stinson to end the game. Game 3 went to extra innings tied 5-5 until Brooklyn pinch hitter
Wilbur Taylor ended the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the 12th. Game 4 went to Brooklyn 7-2, and the Dodgers then traveled to Cincinnati where they lost the first game of that series on August 31st 1-0 in 10 innings.
That 1-0 loss to the Reds brings up another fact about the Dodgers. Their two aces, Remmy Paul and
Frank Smith, have combined to earn losses or no-decisions in 15 of 28 games where they allowed just 2 or less runs. The 1-0 loss to the Reds on the 31st saw Paul allow no runs and just 4 hits through 8 innings. Back on May 17th, Smith allowed no runs and 4 hits in 8 innings but saw the Dodgers lose 3-2 in 11 innings. Then on July 5th, Smith pitched 11 innings, allowing 1 run on 8 hits, but the team lost 2-1 in 12 innings.
In The News
Aug 15 - Operation Dragoon begins (the Allied invasion of Southern France).
Aug 19/20 - Soviet offensive in the Balkans begins with an attack on Romania.
Aug 20 - Allies encircle Germans in the Falaise Pocket.
Aug 25 - Liberation of Paris.
Aug 29 - Slovak uprising begins.
Aug 31 - Soviet troops take Bucharest.
American League-Pitcher of the Month:
Mark Ponfick (BOS)!
He had a record of 7-1 in 8 games started, with an ERA of 1.39 and 2 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month:
Jessie Holt (BOS)!
He batted .374 in 115 AB, with 5 homers and 23 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month:
Frank Smith (BKN)!
He had a record of 5-2 in 7 games started, with an ERA of 1.31 and 2 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month:
Rudy Young (PIT)!
He batted .471 in 104 AB, with 1 homers and 16 RBI.
Code:
American League Standings
Boston (A) 84 47 .641 -
Washington 69 61 .531 14.5
St. Louis (A) 68 63 .519 16.0
Philadelphia (A) 66 64 .508 17.5
Chicago (A) 63 67 .485 20.5
Detroit 61 69 .469 22.5
Cleveland 55 75 .423 28.5
New York (A) 55 75 .423 28.5
National League Standings
New York (N) 79 51 .608 -
Brooklyn 76 54 .585 3.0
Cincinnati 71 59 .546 8.0
Philadelphia (N) 61 68 .473 17.5
Boston (N) 61 69 .469 18.0
Chicago (N) 60 70 .462 19.0
St. Louis (N) 60 70 .462 19.0
Pittsburgh 51 78 .395 27.5
AL AVG
.351 Jessie Holt, BOS
.348 Tony Monachino, SLA
.345 Steven Bussell, SLA
NL AVG
.373 Pat Vega, BSN
.361 James Lewis, PHI
.353 Foster Hempkins, CIN
AL HOMERUNS
20 Jessie Holt, BOS
18 Allen March, NYA
17 Al Arsenault, BOS
NL HOMERUNS
24 Maurice Misisca, PHI
18 Oscar Vancini, BKN
17 Dewey Mickelsen, CHN
AL RBI
94 Carmack Alford, SLA
89 Al Arsenault, BOS
87 Howard Sheridan, BOS
NL RBI
97 Foster Hempkins, CIN
90 Artie Albrecht, CIN
88 Maurice Misisca, PHI
AL STEALS
40 Hershel Cooley, PHA
39 Leroy Davis, DET
38 Joe Campbell, CLE
NL STEALS
69 Jonny Perly, BKN
40 Fuzz Allen, BSN
38 Bud Breckenridge, PIT
AL ERA
2.48 Bob Bussmann, CHA
2.48 Vance Marx, BOS
2.63 Cotton Simson, SLA
NL ERA
1.81 Remmy Paul, BKN
1.87 Frank Smith, BKN
2.40 Max Baxter, BKN
AL WINS
24 Mark Ponfick, BOS
19 Bill Finley, WSH
19 Cotton Simson, SLA
NL WINS
19 Schoolboy Emberling, CIN
19 Frank Smith, BKN
19 Remmy Paul, BKN
AL STRIKEOUTS
162 Cotton Simson, SLA
157 Bill Finley, WSH
154 Jethro Lee, WSH
NL STRIKEOUTS
174 Vic Gorin, STL
169 Frank Smith, BKN
156 Remmy Paul, BKN