PWBL: Opening Day, 1950

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 03:49 PM

Whitey Ford displayed callous heartlessness towards the Browns batsmen during his opening day rookie debut. Ford struck out nine, walked one, and allowed a puny five hits and two runs in his eight innings on the mound. The Pale Hose won the contest 4-2 and expect much more of the same when Whitey is chucking.

Spec Shea was on the mound for the Browns and had a fine effort ruined by a trifecta of errors.

Cass Michaels paced the Chicago offense with a pair of hits including a two out, two on, double in the seventh that put the White Sox up to stay. Cass has developed into the teams star player, and after two fine seasons, fans expect even greater things this year from the youngster.

Joe Adcock, the Browns first round selection in the recent ammy draft, debuted in the three slot, had a hit, and scored a run. Roy Campanella, who's been such a disappointment his first two seasons, banged out a pair of hits, including a solo shot off of Ford in the fourth inning. Could this be the breakout season for this exceptionally talented player?

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:01 PM

Red Sox management kept the faith with Leon Culberson and had him hitting cleanup in the Red Sox opening game, 5-2 win, over the Indians. Culberson played right field and went hitless before Rudy York pinch-hit for him in the eighth.

Dixie Howell banged a two out, two run shot, off of Cleveland starter Milo Candini to pace the offensive charge. Boo Ferriss left to cheers after eight innings of sterling work, and didn't allow a single walk on the night, an impressive feat with the likes of Cullenbine, Torgeson, and Stanky in the Indians lineup.

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:05 PM

The A's-Yankees opening day contest featured a clash of the titans on the mound. Yankees hurler, Hal Newhouser, was coming off the greatest season by a pitcher in PWBL history, and A's ace, Ewell Blackwell, ranks fourth among PWBL chuckers in total WinShares over the past four years. The Yankees are defending AL champions and the Athletics are the pick of many to wrest that crown away from the Bronx in the coming season.

The Yankees struck first, scoring two in the second inning, and adding a third run in the next frame. New York held this advantage until the sixth inning when Granny Hamner jacked a two out, grand salami. The A's scored five runs and took a lead they would not relinquish. Final: A's 8, Yankees 4.

Hamner is a consensus choice as the most talented young player in baseball. This blow may well signal his arrival as a star of the first magnitude.

Barney McCoskey started in right field for the Bronx Bombers. Incumbent Hank Sauer, coming off a 34 home run, 111 RBI season, can not be pleased at this development.

Yogi Berra turns twenty-five on May 12th. Look for a breakout year by the Yankees wickedly skilled backstop.

A's tactician Connie Mack seems to be sold on the abilities of Grady Hatton, batting the lefty hitting third baseman in the three hole against Yankees southpaw Newhouser.

Rookie Sam Jethroe, a thirty-two year old veteran of the Negro Leagues, debuted in center field and batted sixth. Jet had a hit and a walk, scored once and drove in a run.

Catcher Don Wheeler, acquired from the Cubs to platoon with Salkeld, also had a hit, a run, and an RBI on the day.

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:11 PM

In the Detroit-Washington opener, the Nats scored three in the eighth, and added three more in the final frame to finish an improbable comeback and score an 8-7 triumph. After a dismal year in '49, the supporters gave their boys a standing ovation as the final out was tallied.

Vic Wertz and Joe Garagiola smacked a trio of hits apiece. Both players also scored a pair of runs but their superb efforts went in vain. Garagiola, in particular, has been lauded for his amazing feats of prowess during spring training, and much is expected of the Tigers gifted young catcher.

Wertz turned twenty-five at weeks end and may well be due for a bustout year. Tigers fans have never let him forget that their affections lie with favorite son Hal Newhouser, the player he was dealt for straight up.

Red Schoendienst delivered a bases-loaded triple for the losers and had four RBI on the day. This total usually suffices for a month of production where Red is concerned. Coming off a season where the veteran infielder hit a perplexing .202, this can only bode well.

Nats rookie shortstop, Danny O'Connell, debuted at shortstop and went hitless. A tight shoulder would remove him from the lineup for two weeks after the following contest. Not the beginning Danny or management would have hoped for but O'Connell is a babe of twenty-three and has many a day ahead to wow the fans.

Final Note: The Tigers scored a pair of runs on wild pitches by Nats starter Early Wynn. Garagiola scored from second on one of these errant throws.

Final Final Note: The Nats scored all three runs in the bottom of the ninth with two outs on the board.

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:17 PM

The Braves scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure a come from behind win over the Reds. Final: Braves 7, Reds 6 in Boston's home opener.

Reds stud rookie left fielder Jackie Jensen found the early going fraught with peril as he went hitless with a trifecta of strikeouts in his debut against big league pitching.

Creaky, old codger Bert Haas rattled off three hits and drove in three runs. Haas would finish the week batting .588. Those ten hits would include five doubles and a triple to give the old-timer a slugging percentage of 1.000. Quite a week for a career .256 marksman.

Third baseman Walt Dropo smashed a two run shot off of Reds ace Sal Maglie and had three hits, a walk, and 4 ribbies on the day. He would depart to New York at weeks end in a blockbuster deal.

After years spent on Major League Baseball's blacklist after defecting to the Mexican League before the 1946 season, Sal Maglie's banishment was lifted and the veteran was drafted by the Reds in the second round and named the opening day starter. Quite a whirlwind of events for "the Barber" to process.

Maglie pitched 8 solid innings and departed with the lead in hand. Closer Andy Hansen proved less than able for the task at hand, as he didn't record a single out, surrendered four hits and walked two batters, while allowing three runs. Thus, Sal was denied a well earned victory.

Maglie also had a pair of hits and scored a run in his return to the bigs.

Maglie and Stengel.

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:24 PM

Holy, Toledo!!! The Pirates scored TEN runs in the top of the seventh to best the Cubbies at Wrigley Field. Final: Pirates 10, Cubs 3.

Johnny Vander Meer took a 3-0 lead into the seventh and was left on the hill to be crucified by manager Charlie Grimm. The Pirates batted around, with Pirates hurler Bill McCahan earning a pair of walks, before Grimm roused from his slumber to pull his ace. By then, the barn door was wide open and the cows had long escaped.

Left fielder Cliff Aberson rocketed a three-run shot off of Vander Meer, and Tommy Henrich clubbed a pinch-hit grand slam to welcome reliever Bill Fleming back to the Windy City, after two years spent in the Motor City as the Tigers closer.

Catcher Clyde McCullough spanked three hits against his old club while hitting in the two spot.

Pirates rookie Bob Borkowski, an unheralded fourth round selection in this years ammy draft, won a platoon role in right field, and had a debut he will never forget, with three singles and a run scored. Borkowski would end the week batting .500 with a double and homerun sprinkled among his six hits.

The Cubs had rookies starting in left, first round selection Don Lenhardt, and center, second round pick Irv Noren, on opening day. Lenhardt drilled a solo shot off Bill McCahan in the second inning, and drew a walk. Noren had a quiet debut at the plate, going hitless.

Pirates starter Bill McCahan is making a name for himself, since arriving from Philly in the Jim Russell deal, allowing just 4 hits and three runs while earning the opening day victory for his club.

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:28 PM

The Cards, the PWBL's standard bearers for excellence, opened the season at the Polo Grounds. Not surprisingly, they exited with a 6-4 win over the Giants.

Musial is back in left and Gil Hodges manning the station at first base. Unlike last year, this will be a permanent arrangement. Hodges had a hit, walk, and RBI on the day. His talents are prodigious and with another spring to polish those skills, the twenty-six year old should blossom into prominence.

Young, gifted backstop Les Moss will be given every opportunity to win the catcher's job over incumbent Clyde Kluttz.

Al Gionfriddo appears to have won the center field job for the defending World Champions. This marks the first time since 1946 with the Pirates that he has opened a season with playing time assured. The Cards will most certainly be delighted with the results as Gionfriddo has one of the sweetest strokes in the game.

Kurowski set the bar for PWBL third basemen with his amazing performance in '49 for the champions. He started where he left off with a brace of hits in the cleanup spot.

Howie Pollet was firing pellets all day, surrendering five hits and three runs in eight innings pitched, while fanning ten Giants hitters.

darkhorse · 08-23-2003, 04:40 PM

When compiling a list of the best pitchers in the game, does the name Strincevich roll off the tongue of the average baseball fan?

Nick Strincevich won the 1949 National League Cy Young Award for the Dodgers and has a 72-50 record in the four years of the PWBL. He has 45 victories in his two years wearing the Dodger blue. In the last four years he has hurled a massive total of 1,225 innings.

Only a belated start to his MLB career will prevent the veteran knuckleballer, aged 35, from totalling Hall of Fame worthy numbers. His 28.9 total WinShares last season are the second highest total by a pitcher in PWBL history.

Dodger center fielder and nine million dollar mogul, Johnny Hopp, had a ghastly '49 season. Seeking to redeem himself, Hopp spent the winter weight training using buckets filled with his cash bonanza. Fit and trim, the speedy outfielder smoked a quartet of hits on opening day, drove in three runs, and keyed a 16 hit attack that paced Brooklyn to a 9-6 win over the Phillies.

Strincevich endured a fitful day on the mound but aided his own cause with three hits, a walk, and a pair of runs scored.

The Professor · 08-23-2003, 11:18 PM

As usual, top-notch stuff!! Looking forward to following the 1950 season in PWBL...welcome to the decade guys!

08-23-2003, 03:49 PM	#1
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	PWBL: Opening Day, 1950 Whitey Ford displayed callous heartlessness towards the Browns batsmen during his opening day rookie debut. Ford struck out nine, walked one, and allowed a puny five hits and two runs in his eight innings on the mound. The Pale Hose won the contest 4-2 and expect much more of the same when Whitey is chucking. Spec Shea was on the mound for the Browns and had a fine effort ruined by a trifecta of errors. Cass Michaels paced the Chicago offense with a pair of hits including a two out, two on, double in the seventh that put the White Sox up to stay. Cass has developed into the teams star player, and after two fine seasons, fans expect even greater things this year from the youngster. Joe Adcock, the Browns first round selection in the recent ammy draft, debuted in the three slot, had a hit, and scored a run. Roy Campanella, who's been such a disappointment his first two seasons, banged out a pair of hits, including a solo shot off of Ford in the fourth inning. Could this be the breakout season for this exceptionally talented player? __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:01 PM	#2
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	Red Sox management kept the faith with Leon Culberson and had him hitting cleanup in the Red Sox opening game, 5-2 win, over the Indians. Culberson played right field and went hitless before Rudy York pinch-hit for him in the eighth. Dixie Howell banged a two out, two run shot, off of Cleveland starter Milo Candini to pace the offensive charge. Boo Ferriss left to cheers after eight innings of sterling work, and didn't allow a single walk on the night, an impressive feat with the likes of Cullenbine, Torgeson, and Stanky in the Indians lineup. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:05 PM	#3
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	The A's-Yankees opening day contest featured a clash of the titans on the mound. Yankees hurler, Hal Newhouser, was coming off the greatest season by a pitcher in PWBL history, and A's ace, Ewell Blackwell, ranks fourth among PWBL chuckers in total WinShares over the past four years. The Yankees are defending AL champions and the Athletics are the pick of many to wrest that crown away from the Bronx in the coming season. The Yankees struck first, scoring two in the second inning, and adding a third run in the next frame. New York held this advantage until the sixth inning when Granny Hamner jacked a two out, grand salami. The A's scored five runs and took a lead they would not relinquish. Final: A's 8, Yankees 4. Hamner is a consensus choice as the most talented young player in baseball. This blow may well signal his arrival as a star of the first magnitude. Barney McCoskey started in right field for the Bronx Bombers. Incumbent Hank Sauer, coming off a 34 home run, 111 RBI season, can not be pleased at this development. Yogi Berra turns twenty-five on May 12th. Look for a breakout year by the Yankees wickedly skilled backstop. A's tactician Connie Mack seems to be sold on the abilities of Grady Hatton, batting the lefty hitting third baseman in the three hole against Yankees southpaw Newhouser. Rookie Sam Jethroe, a thirty-two year old veteran of the Negro Leagues, debuted in center field and batted sixth. Jet had a hit and a walk, scored once and drove in a run. Catcher Don Wheeler, acquired from the Cubs to platoon with Salkeld, also had a hit, a run, and an RBI on the day. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:11 PM	#4
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	In the Detroit-Washington opener, the Nats scored three in the eighth, and added three more in the final frame to finish an improbable comeback and score an 8-7 triumph. After a dismal year in '49, the supporters gave their boys a standing ovation as the final out was tallied. Vic Wertz and Joe Garagiola smacked a trio of hits apiece. Both players also scored a pair of runs but their superb efforts went in vain. Garagiola, in particular, has been lauded for his amazing feats of prowess during spring training, and much is expected of the Tigers gifted young catcher. Wertz turned twenty-five at weeks end and may well be due for a bustout year. Tigers fans have never let him forget that their affections lie with favorite son Hal Newhouser, the player he was dealt for straight up. Red Schoendienst delivered a bases-loaded triple for the losers and had four RBI on the day. This total usually suffices for a month of production where Red is concerned. Coming off a season where the veteran infielder hit a perplexing .202, this can only bode well. Nats rookie shortstop, Danny O'Connell, debuted at shortstop and went hitless. A tight shoulder would remove him from the lineup for two weeks after the following contest. Not the beginning Danny or management would have hoped for but O'Connell is a babe of twenty-three and has many a day ahead to wow the fans. Final Note: The Tigers scored a pair of runs on wild pitches by Nats starter Early Wynn. Garagiola scored from second on one of these errant throws. Final Final Note: The Nats scored all three runs in the bottom of the ninth with two outs on the board. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:17 PM	#5
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	The Braves scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure a come from behind win over the Reds. Final: Braves 7, Reds 6 in Boston's home opener. Reds stud rookie left fielder Jackie Jensen found the early going fraught with peril as he went hitless with a trifecta of strikeouts in his debut against big league pitching. Creaky, old codger Bert Haas rattled off three hits and drove in three runs. Haas would finish the week batting .588. Those ten hits would include five doubles and a triple to give the old-timer a slugging percentage of 1.000. Quite a week for a career .256 marksman. Third baseman Walt Dropo smashed a two run shot off of Reds ace Sal Maglie and had three hits, a walk, and 4 ribbies on the day. He would depart to New York at weeks end in a blockbuster deal. After years spent on Major League Baseball's blacklist after defecting to the Mexican League before the 1946 season, Sal Maglie's banishment was lifted and the veteran was drafted by the Reds in the second round and named the opening day starter. Quite a whirlwind of events for "the Barber" to process. Maglie pitched 8 solid innings and departed with the lead in hand. Closer Andy Hansen proved less than able for the task at hand, as he didn't record a single out, surrendered four hits and walked two batters, while allowing three runs. Thus, Sal was denied a well earned victory. Maglie also had a pair of hits and scored a run in his return to the bigs. Maglie and Stengel. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:24 PM	#6
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	Holy, Toledo!!! The Pirates scored TEN runs in the top of the seventh to best the Cubbies at Wrigley Field. Final: Pirates 10, Cubs 3. Johnny Vander Meer took a 3-0 lead into the seventh and was left on the hill to be crucified by manager Charlie Grimm. The Pirates batted around, with Pirates hurler Bill McCahan earning a pair of walks, before Grimm roused from his slumber to pull his ace. By then, the barn door was wide open and the cows had long escaped. Left fielder Cliff Aberson rocketed a three-run shot off of Vander Meer, and Tommy Henrich clubbed a pinch-hit grand slam to welcome reliever Bill Fleming back to the Windy City, after two years spent in the Motor City as the Tigers closer. Catcher Clyde McCullough spanked three hits against his old club while hitting in the two spot. Pirates rookie Bob Borkowski, an unheralded fourth round selection in this years ammy draft, won a platoon role in right field, and had a debut he will never forget, with three singles and a run scored. Borkowski would end the week batting .500 with a double and homerun sprinkled among his six hits. The Cubs had rookies starting in left, first round selection Don Lenhardt, and center, second round pick Irv Noren, on opening day. Lenhardt drilled a solo shot off Bill McCahan in the second inning, and drew a walk. Noren had a quiet debut at the plate, going hitless. Pirates starter Bill McCahan is making a name for himself, since arriving from Philly in the Jim Russell deal, allowing just 4 hits and three runs while earning the opening day victory for his club. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:28 PM	#7
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	The Cards, the PWBL's standard bearers for excellence, opened the season at the Polo Grounds. Not surprisingly, they exited with a 6-4 win over the Giants. Musial is back in left and Gil Hodges manning the station at first base. Unlike last year, this will be a permanent arrangement. Hodges had a hit, walk, and RBI on the day. His talents are prodigious and with another spring to polish those skills, the twenty-six year old should blossom into prominence. Young, gifted backstop Les Moss will be given every opportunity to win the catcher's job over incumbent Clyde Kluttz. Al Gionfriddo appears to have won the center field job for the defending World Champions. This marks the first time since 1946 with the Pirates that he has opened a season with playing time assured. The Cards will most certainly be delighted with the results as Gionfriddo has one of the sweetest strokes in the game. Kurowski set the bar for PWBL third basemen with his amazing performance in '49 for the champions. He started where he left off with a brace of hits in the cleanup spot. Howie Pollet was firing pellets all day, surrendering five hits and three runs in eight innings pitched, while fanning ten Giants hitters. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 04:40 PM	#8
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	When compiling a list of the best pitchers in the game, does the name Strincevich roll off the tongue of the average baseball fan? Nick Strincevich won the 1949 National League Cy Young Award for the Dodgers and has a 72-50 record in the four years of the PWBL. He has 45 victories in his two years wearing the Dodger blue. In the last four years he has hurled a massive total of 1,225 innings. Only a belated start to his MLB career will prevent the veteran knuckleballer, aged 35, from totalling Hall of Fame worthy numbers. His 28.9 total WinShares last season are the second highest total by a pitcher in PWBL history. Dodger center fielder and nine million dollar mogul, Johnny Hopp, had a ghastly '49 season. Seeking to redeem himself, Hopp spent the winter weight training using buckets filled with his cash bonanza. Fit and trim, the speedy outfielder smoked a quartet of hits on opening day, drove in three runs, and keyed a 16 hit attack that paced Brooklyn to a 9-6 win over the Phillies. Strincevich endured a fitful day on the mound but aided his own cause with three hits, a walk, and a pair of runs scored. __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

08-23-2003, 11:18 PM	#9
The Professor Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: East of East Posts: 3,020	As usual, top-notch stuff!! Looking forward to following the 1950 season in PWBL...welcome to the decade guys! __________________ History isn't really about the past - settling old scores. It's about defining the present and who we are."