The United Baseball Association - Page 2

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 12:40 AM

UBA Announces Link With International League

NEW YORK, NY. March 13, 1912 - League President's James Gilmore and William Witman of the United Baseball Association have announced a developmental link with the International League.

Teams will be able to send newly recruited players to the International League to develop their baseball skills. Each team will have a designed affiliate in the league.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 12:41 AM

United Baseball Association Will Hold Draft

NEW YORK, NY. March 15, 1912 - The United Baseball Association issued a bulletin yesterday that was met with both positive and negative reactions.

In the American and National Leagues, amateur players are free to sign with the highest bidder. Proponents of the system say it's just capitalism at work, but many believe it's just the "rich getting richer."

In this new system that the UBA will use, a five-round draft will disperse the best amateur players to professional teams. The draft order will be ordered by the previous seasons record, worst to best. This will allow teams that struggle to enhance their future by having a higher draft selection.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 01:34 AM

Peek Impresses in Spring Camp, Boston's von Bulcher Hurt

PHOENIX, AZ. March 18, 1912 - With the season set to begin in a few short weeks, fans of the brand new ball clubs of the UBA have a very important question; How will my team do? The players who will comprise the rosters are young and raw or former semi-pros. Not one player has major league experience. A select few, such as 3B Will Eberle (Newark), P Ben Stevens (Buffalo), and RF Mike Witmer (Chicago), made names for themselves in their home cities as college and semi-pro players. But the rest of the bunch? They're pure unknowns. And only playing in some real games will show fans what they're made of.

One player who has quickly jumped on the opportunity to prove himself is Tony Peek, the 31-year-old first baseman of the St. Paul club. He's led his team to a 6-5 spring record and is currently leading the league in batting average. Surely fans will hope he continues his great performance during the regular season.

One side-effect of trying so hard to prove yourself is injury. The league as a whole has been healthy, with a few players missing a game or two, and the worst diagnosis before yesterday was just two weeks.

However, Rich von Blucher, second sacker for the Boston club will likely miss the entire season due to a leg injury. While heading to second for a sure double, von Blucher fell to the ground in a heap, clutching his leg and writhing in pain. The 27-year-old was hitting .351 this spring.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 01:42 AM

Lawrence Bostick Out for 5-6 Months

PHOENIX, AZ. March 28, 1912 - Lawrence Bostick, widely regarded as one of the league's best young players, will miss the majority of the 1912 season due to a broken kneecap.

The left-fielder, known from his college days as a very good defensive player, showed his range yesterday in a spring game against Pittsburgh. On a long foul ball down the left-field line, Bostick chased it down and made a fantastic diving catch but landed on his knee very awkwardly. Unable to stand, he was carried off the field. The Whales now have a very big hole to fill in their lineup.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 02:28 AM

Teams Break Camp, Head Northeast

PHOENIX, AZ. April 2, 1912 - The UBA's inaugural season is set to begin in just four days. All sixteen teams broke camp yesterday with their final 19-man roster and headed to the location of their first real game.

After a schedule of 24 games, here are the final spring standings and statistical leaders:

Federal League

	W	L	GB	G
Pittsburgh	18	6	-	24
Chicago	15	9	3	24
Newark	15	9	3	24
Baltimore	13	11	5	24
Buffalo	12	12	6	24
Brooklyn	10	14	8	24
Kansas City	7	17	11	24
St. Louis	6	18	12	24


United League

	W	L	GB	G
Chicago	15	9	-	24
Cleveland	15	9	-	24
Philadelphia	15	9	-	24
Washington	12	12	3	24
St. Paul	12	12	3	24
Detroit	10	14	5	24
Boston	9	15	6	24
New York	8	16	7	24


League Leaders

Batting Average	J. Lutes		0.450	NEW
Doubles	C. Streets		10	PIT
Triples	L. Ahner		2	STL
Home Runs	J. Doss		2	STL
Runs Batted In	C. Abernathy		19	CHO
Stolen Bases	B. Allen		7	CLE

Earned Run Average	K. Mair		0.80	STP
Wins	K. Gary		6	CLE
Strikeouts	D. Shipman		16	CHO

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 02:50 AM

Opening Day Arrives!

CHICAGO, IL. April 6, 1912 - This afternoon, the United Baseball Association's inaugural season kicks off in Chicago. There are eight games today, with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Newark, New York, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Washington also hosting opening day contests.

All eight cities have declared today a half-day holiday. Tens of thousands are expected to arrive at many of the newly constructed stadiums to view the first games of the United and Federal League.

The first game, a contest between the Brooklyn Tip-Tops and the Chicago Whales, begins at 1:30 PM at the north-side Weeghman Park. The new ballpark is located at Addison and Clark Streets.

Weeghman Park was designed by Zachary Davis, who also designed the south-side Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 03:39 AM

In Inaugural Game, Brooklyn Tops Chicago 6-1

CHICAGO, IL. April 7, 1912 - The United Baseball Association's first regular season game was yesterday, a lopsided contest between the Tip-Tops of Brooklyn and the Whales of Chicago at Weeghman Park.

The sun was shining, but it was a rather cold day which might have caused a lower attendance than expected. Still, 5,507 fans arrived to witness the historic game.

Eric Beaton, third baseman for the Brooklyn club, made history by getting the first hit in league history. Interestingly enough, it was a triple! Beaton scored the first run when Job Bruggerman drove him in with a single later in the inning.

Brooklyn put three runs on the board that inning, and Chicago didn't come close to threatening until the 8th, when they scored a run on a 2-out triple. The Tip-Tops added two more in the 9th, making it 6-1, and that's how it would end.

The player of this historic game has to go to Bill Gable, who pitched a complete game and gave up just one run on six hits.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 03:58 AM

Buffalo Uses Speed, Pitching to Take First

BUFFALO, NY. April 22, 1912 - The Buffalo Blues club wasn't expected to be a bad team, but they certainly weren't expected to have the league's best record half-way through the first month of the season.

Buffalo owner Walter Mullen and manager William Trent clearly had a strategy when finalizing their roster for the season. The team's batting average is only 6th in the Federal League, but their pitching has been phenomenal. A 1.97 team ERA, 2 shutouts, and a whopping 28 strikeouts show that the Blues have the best pitching staff through the middle of April.

On offense, when they do get on base, they use their speed to take advantage of pitchers and catchers who aren't paying close attention. Third baseman Ed Frith leads the team with 6 stolen bases.

Buffalo sits on top of the Federal League standings with a 10-5 record.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 04:05 AM

38-Year-Old Joyner Enjoys Twilight Years

BALTIMORE, MD. April 28, 1912 - In the twilight of his career, 38-year-old Steve Joyner of Baltimore recaptured some of the old magic last week and came away with the Federal League Player of the Week Award.

"I've been playing since I was a kid," Joyner told reporters, "but you're never too old to feel the thrill of success."

Joyner outpaced the rest of the league's hitters last week, reeling off 10 hits in 25 at-bats, 2 home runs and 6 RBIs to stake his claim to the award.

This season Joyner is batting .395 with 2 home runs. His totals include 16 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

ryanivr · 04-26-2010, 04:29 AM

Buffalo Continues Hot Streak

BUFFALO, NY. May 1, 1912 - While Buffalo continues to be the hot team, Joe Soles has arguably been the best individual player so far this season, and it's no surprise that Boston is doing so well because of it. The 30-year-old shortstop is leading the league in average, doubles, and runs batted in.

He kicked off the season with a 10-game hitting streak, and while that has ended, he still has only gone hit-less three times in his 22 games played.

On the mound, Bill Gable, the ace of the Brooklyn staff, has been absolutely terrific. While Brooklyn is 4 1/2 games out of first place, he has done everything asked of him. He's gotten the win in every game he's started, finishing April with a 6-0 record. His 12 strikeouts tie him for first in the league.

Federal League

	W	L	GB	G
Buffalo	18	6	-	24
Baltimore	14	8	3	22
Brooklyn	12	9	4 1/2	21
Pittsburgh	13	10	4 1/2	23
Newark	10	12	7	22
St. Louis	9	15	9	24
Chicago	7	14	9 1/2	21
Kansas City	7	16	10 1/2	23


United League

	W	L	GB	G
Boston	13	10	-	23
St. Paul	12	9	-	21
Washington	11	8	-	19
New York	12	10	1/2	22
Chicago	11	10	1	21
Philadelphia	10	11	2	21
Cleveland	9	12	3	21
Detroit	6	14	5 1/2	20


League Leaders

Batting Average	J. Soles		0.407	BOS
Doubles	J. Soles		14	BOS
Triples	E. Beaton		4	BRK
Home Runs	D. Cochrane		2	CHO
Runs Batted In	J. Soles		21	BOS
Stolen Bases	H. Marino		11	BUF

Earned Run Average	C. Kifer		1.05	PHI
Wins	G. Cosey		6	BOS
Strikeouts	D. Decker		12	NEW

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 01:26 AM

Defense, Power Lead St. Paul to 1st Place

ST. PAUL, MN. May 13, 1912 - Just 1/2 game ahead of the Chicago Orphans, the Saints need to keep playing fundamental baseball, something that isn't a new concept to the team.

St. Paul is playing fantastic defense, committing just 15 errors through 32 games, fewest in the league. The pitching staff is the weakest component of the team. Allen Hamann and left-hander Phil Thrift are above average hurlers, but Monty Westberry and Lonnie Timmons have struggled through the first month.

The staff's 31 strikeouts are the fewest in the league, and that means a lot of balls get put into play. Good defense can make a poor pitcher okay, and an okay pitcher great. That's exactly what's happening up north so thus far.

On offense, the team doesn't play small ball. The Saints are 15th in stolen bases, but they make up for it with their power. With 12 home runs, St. Paul has shown the ability to hit a ball far better than any other team, with LF Dalton Irby and 1B Tony Peek leading the way with five home runs between them.

It will be tough for St. Paul to stay on top, but if they keep playing good, fundamental baseball on defense and hitting home runs, they'll just need some decent pitching performances to stay in the hunt for the pennant.

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 01:30 AM

Cooke Pitches Buffalo to Shutout Victory

BUFFALO, NY. May 15, 1912 - The Buffalo Blues posted a 1-0 shutout over Brooklyn today on the strength of a strong performance by Dan Cooke. The Blues pitcher held the Tip-Tops to 3 hits while walking none and fanning 4 in the teams 25th win.

On the season Cooke has compiled a 6-2 mark with a 1.89 ERA in 9 starts. In pitching 57 innings he has 11 strikeouts and 21 walks while limiting the opposition to a .233 batting average.

Buffalo, who has led the Federal League for the majority of the season, sits 1 1/2 games ahead of the Baltimore club after 36 games played.

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 01:51 AM

Orphans 9-1 in Last 10, Take 1st Place

CHICAGO, IL. May 19, 1912 - The Chicago Oprhans entered their first off-day in May yesterday on top of the Columbia League standings. Entering May with an 11-10 record, they've gone 12-5 in May so far, winning 9 of their last 10 games.

To make things more impressive, the entirety of May has been played on the road. Washington, Detroit, Boston, and then New York. After splitting four-game series in both Washington and Detroit, the club really got going by sweeping a four-game series in Boston and then taking four of five at the Bronx Oval.

Yesterday, the team used it's off-day to take a short trip to Philadelphia, where they'll start a four-game series today. After this series, it's off to St. Paul, where they'll play a game on Friday and then a double-header on Saturday. On the 26th, they'll finally head home to face off against Washington in a four-game affair.

St. Paul, who just sit 1/2 a game back, also had off yesterday and start a home series against Cleveland today.

Saturday's double-header between Chicago and St. Paul will be one of the most pivotal days of this young season.

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 03:30 AM

Orphans Take 2 of 3 in St. Paul

ST. PAUL, MN. May 26, 1912 - The Chicago Orphans of the United League took 2 of 3 games this weekend in a series against the St. Paul Saints.

St. Paul's Landgraf Park was home to three games over two days this past weekend. The series was an important match-up in the United League pennant chase. While the season is certainly still young, the two teams entered the matchup just 1/2 a game apart, with Chicago on top.

The first game was an extremely close contest, with the momentum shifting back and forth throughout the game. After two innings, the teams were tied at one. In the bottom half of the 4th, St. Paul pushed another run across to take a 2-1 lead. But Chicago scored one in the 5th, and then again in the 6th, making it 3-2 in their favor.

In the bottom of the 6th, St. Paul needed just one to tie, and a four-pitch leadoff walk by Tony Peek had Saints fans on their feet. But when Briant Hunter attempted to bunt Peek over to 2nd, the ball went right back to the pitcher who swung around and easily got the force-out at 2nd base. Lonnie Cray came to bat next and hit another one back to the pitcher, this one for a 1-6-3 double play.

In Chicago's half of the 2nd, they added to their momentum with a double by Mack Baker. But he wouldn't advance in the inning and was stranded. St. Paul would have another shot.

Bob Bostick, a switch-hitter, led off the inning with line-drive single between third and short. With one out, Dalton Irby worked a full count and then walked, bringing up Alex Rawlins with runners on 1st and 2nd.

On a 2-1 count, Rawlins came through with a base-hit, scoring Bostick and tying the game. Irby moved up the 3rd, and Rawlins was smart enough to move to 2nd on the throw home.

On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Tim Foster hit a deep fly ball to center field, allowing Irby to tag up and score the go ahead run.

The 8th inning was uneventful for both sides, and the Orphans has three more outs left before they officially moved out of first place.

With 1-out, Chad Abernathy came to bat as a pinch-hitter. On a 1-1 count, he hit a hard shot towards the St. Paul first baseman Tony Peek, who surprisingly bobbled the ball allowing Abernathy to reach base.

After striking out the next batter, St. Paul pitcher Ken Mair needed just one more out, but it wouldn't come easy. A single by Mike Witmer put runners on 1st and 2nd. Mack Baker came to the plate next, drew a full count, and then walked, loading the bases.

It was all up to Kirby Shafer. His patience hurt him, as Mair fired in a quick two strikes. The next pitch barely missed, giving Shafer new life. On the 1-2 pitch, Shafer uncorked a swing that would have sent the ball a mile, but he was under it. The ball sailed a mile high, but landed in the mitt of the short stop, ending the game.

St. Paul was again in first place. But a Saturday double-header awaited them.

The first game was a great game, tied at two until the 7th when Chicago put five more runs on the board. The score wouldn't change after that, ending in a 7-2 Chicago win that put the Orphans back in first place by 1/2 a game.

The second game of the double-header was a much better contest. Dave Shipman took the mound for Chicago against Lonnie Timmons of the Saints. The Orphans took an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd after a two-run home run by SS John Barnes.

In the bottom of the 4th, St. Paul answered back after a lead-off single, a walk, and then an RBI double by Brian Hunter. Bob Northern then drove in another run on a ground out to short.

Chicago's half of the 6th saw a one-out double, followed by a single and then a ground out that pushed across the go-ahead run.

The Saints were then anemic on offense until the 9th, when things got interesting. With one out, Buster Berry grabbed a bat to pinch-hit and made it to base on a walk. Bob Bostick then flew out, bringing St. Paul to their final out. However, when Chicago pitcher Dave Shipman attempted to pick off Wayne Coleman, who pinch ran for Berry, he threw the ball away. It bounded off a wall and ended up in the outfield, allowing Coleman to get to 2nd. But Byron Justus didn't come through with the runner in scoring position and grounded out to first to end the game, putting the Saints 1 1/2 games behind Chicago.

St. Paul now heads to Boston for a three game series that starts tomorrow, and Chicago will host the Washington club for four games. That series starts today at 3:05.

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 11:42 AM

Hardt is Player of the Week

BALTIMORE, MD. May 27, 1912 - 24-year-old Lee Hardt sent shock waves through United Baseball Association last week with an eye-popping performance that brought him the Federal League Player of the Week Award.

A newcomer to the league, Hardt made the establishment sit up and take notice, punishing opposing pitchers with a .593 average, 16 hits in 27 at-bats, 1 home run and 3 RBI.

Where the Baltimore Terrapins shortstop goes from here, only the baseball gods know for sure, but Hardt certainly made his mark last week.

It's a two-team race in the Federal League, and Baltimore sits just three games back of Buffalo. If Hardt continues to hit like this, Buffalo will need to watch out. Hardt is currently hitting at a .356 pace with 1 home run and 17 RBIs.

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 07:23 PM

Two Run Away in Federal League, United League Tight

NEW YORK, NY. June 1, 1912 - In the Federal League, just two teams are in the hunt for a shot at the Presidents Cup Series. Buffalo leads the way with a 37-15 record. Their 60 stolen bases lead the league by a wide margin, and their pitching and defense have been stunning.

Baltimore, just three games back, is playing solid baseball. One pitcher in particular, Stephen Kunz, has had a terrific May. He topped off the month with a 6-1 mark and 2.28 ERA in 7 starts, rossing 55 1/3 innings, holding opposing teams to a .246 average.

In the United League, it's still a close race with just two teams falling more than 10 games back. Chicago hasn't necessarily been "great" at anything on a team-wide level, but they haven't been poor in any aspect of the game. Patrick Bunch has been the leader of the pitching staff, starting 13 games, going 9-3 with a 1.92 ERA.

Federal League

	W	L	GB	G
Buffalo	37	15	-	52
Baltimore	33	17	3	50
Brooklyn	24	25	11 1/2	49
Newark	24	26	12	50
Pittsburgh	22	28	14	50
Chicago	20	29	15.5	49
St. Louis	21	30	15 1/2	51
Kansas City	19	30	16 1/2	49


United League

	W	L	GB	G
Chicago	30	20	-	50
St. Paul	28	20	1	48
Cleveland	28	22	2	50
Philadelphia	27	23	3	50
Washington	25	24	4.5	49
New York	24	28	7	52
Boston	19	31	11	50
Detroit	18	31	11 1/2	49


League Leaders

Batting Average	C. Teeters		0.388	BAL
Doubles	R. Word		22	STL
Triples	C. Abernathy		5	CHO
Home Runs	D. Irby		4	STP
Runs Batted In	B. Lee		36	NYG
Stolen Bases	H. Marino		17	BUF

Earned Run Average	J. Walker		1.43	CLE
Wins	P. Bunch		9	CHO
Strikeouts	R. Sullivan		25	BUF

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 09:19 PM

Saints Westberry Stops Wolverines

ST. PAUL, MN. June 14, 1912 - Monty Westberry of the St. Paul Saints blanked Detroit 1-0 on a 1-hit complete-game shutout, striking out one and walking 2.

The 27-year-old southpaw shut them down every inning other than the 3rd, when Ron Agan lined a ball into left-field. All he needed were 93 pitches, 55 of which he threw for strikes, to seal the deal. The win brings a struggling St. Paul club closer to first, where they were for the majority of the early part of the season. Now, they sit in 4th but are still just 3 1/2 games out. Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago sit above them in the standings.

To date this year Westberry has compiled an 8-4 mark with a 3.32 ERA in 15 starts.

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 11:27 PM

Just thought I would remind you all that you should feel free to comment! Any suggestions about what to cover more/less? Anyone rooting for a specific team? Let me know and I'll try to give them some love in the articles. Thanks for reading!

ryanivr · 04-27-2010, 11:43 PM

Bunch Shuts out St. Paul

CHICAGO, IL. June 20, 1912 - It was a razor-sharp performance by Patrick Bunch of the Chicago Orphans against the St. Paul Saints. He fashioned a fine 2-hitter in blanking them 4-0 and chalked up 1 strikeout and no walks.

The win puts the Orphans 6 games ahead of the Saints in the standings, but Cleveland and Philadelphia are just 3 games out.

This season Bunch has a 12-4 record with a 2.01 ERA in 17 starts.

ryanivr · 04-28-2010, 12:46 AM

Palmer Hartman Leads Cleveland in Pennant Chase

CLEVELAND, OH. June 28, 1912 - Every Cleveland Green Sox player and executive would point to one player if they were asked "Who loves baseball the most?" That would be Palmer Hartman, of course.

Hartman, a Spokane, WA native is a 32-year-old righty who is currently the best pitcher in the United Baseball Association. And to make matters worse for his opponents, his teammates think he'll get better.

"Palmer is a baseball rat," said his battery-mate George LaBelle. "He's the first to get here, and the last to leave. That's not hyperbole, either. We usually are asked to get here around 10 AM for a 1:30 game. Hartman, that son of a bitch, gets here at 6. And you know what that means? It means that I have to be here at 6! And I like to sleep!"

LaBelle secretly loves it though, as do the rest of his teammates. Hartman is throwing like a major-league star right now, and he's honestly one of the last expected to do it.

"Palmer made the team because he has a lot of experience, not because we though he would be doing this. I'm not going to lie and say we knew it was coming. We didn't," said Green Sox owner W.L. Murphy. "This is so far beyond our expectations." Considering he went 1-3 with a 3.22 ERA in spring camp games, we believe him.

It would be hard to expect anything close to this. Hartman is leading the UBA with a 1.48 ERA. The next best? Chicago's Dave Shipman, who has a 1.74 ERA thus far. Hartman's 13 W also lead the league.

The Green Sox struggled early in the season, going 9-12 in April. But May, wow. What a month for the Cleveland club, who went 19-10, certainly in large part due to Hartman's 6-0, 1.32 ERA month. Now, Cleveland is tied with Philadelphia at 4 games back, trailing Chicago.

04-26-2010, 01:42 AM	#24
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Lawrence Bostick Out for 5-6 Months PHOENIX, AZ. March 28, 1912 - Lawrence Bostick, widely regarded as one of the league's best young players, will miss the majority of the 1912 season due to a broken kneecap. The left-fielder, known from his college days as a very good defensive player, showed his range yesterday in a spring game against Pittsburgh. On a long foul ball down the left-field line, Bostick chased it down and made a fantastic diving catch but landed on his knee very awkwardly. Unable to stand, he was carried off the field. The Whales now have a very big hole to fill in their lineup. Last edited by ryanivr; 04-26-2010 at 01:46 AM.

04-27-2010, 01:51 AM	#33
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Orphans 9-1 in Last 10, Take 1st Place CHICAGO, IL. May 19, 1912 - The Chicago Oprhans entered their first off-day in May yesterday on top of the Columbia League standings. Entering May with an 11-10 record, they've gone 12-5 in May so far, winning 9 of their last 10 games. To make things more impressive, the entirety of May has been played on the road. Washington, Detroit, Boston, and then New York. After splitting four-game series in both Washington and Detroit, the club really got going by sweeping a four-game series in Boston and then taking four of five at the Bronx Oval. Yesterday, the team used it's off-day to take a short trip to Philadelphia, where they'll start a four-game series today. After this series, it's off to St. Paul, where they'll play a game on Friday and then a double-header on Saturday. On the 26th, they'll finally head home to face off against Washington in a four-game affair. St. Paul, who just sit 1/2 a game back, also had off yesterday and start a home series against Cleveland today. Saturday's double-header between Chicago and St. Paul will be one of the most pivotal days of this young season. Last edited by ryanivr; 04-28-2010 at 12:49 AM.

04-26-2010, 12:40 AM	#21
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	UBA Announces Link With International League NEW YORK, NY. March 13, 1912 - League President's James Gilmore and William Witman of the United Baseball Association have announced a developmental link with the International League. Teams will be able to send newly recruited players to the International League to develop their baseball skills. Each team will have a designed affiliate in the league.

04-26-2010, 12:41 AM	#22
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	United Baseball Association Will Hold Draft NEW YORK, NY. March 15, 1912 - The United Baseball Association issued a bulletin yesterday that was met with both positive and negative reactions. In the American and National Leagues, amateur players are free to sign with the highest bidder. Proponents of the system say it's just capitalism at work, but many believe it's just the "rich getting richer." In this new system that the UBA will use, a five-round draft will disperse the best amateur players to professional teams. The draft order will be ordered by the previous seasons record, worst to best. This will allow teams that struggle to enhance their future by having a higher draft selection.

04-26-2010, 01:34 AM	#23
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Peek Impresses in Spring Camp, Boston's von Bulcher Hurt PHOENIX, AZ. March 18, 1912 - With the season set to begin in a few short weeks, fans of the brand new ball clubs of the UBA have a very important question; How will my team do? The players who will comprise the rosters are young and raw or former semi-pros. Not one player has major league experience. A select few, such as 3B Will Eberle (Newark), P Ben Stevens (Buffalo), and RF Mike Witmer (Chicago), made names for themselves in their home cities as college and semi-pro players. But the rest of the bunch? They're pure unknowns. And only playing in some real games will show fans what they're made of. One player who has quickly jumped on the opportunity to prove himself is Tony Peek, the 31-year-old first baseman of the St. Paul club. He's led his team to a 6-5 spring record and is currently leading the league in batting average. Surely fans will hope he continues his great performance during the regular season. One side-effect of trying so hard to prove yourself is injury. The league as a whole has been healthy, with a few players missing a game or two, and the worst diagnosis before yesterday was just two weeks. However, Rich von Blucher, second sacker for the Boston club will likely miss the entire season due to a leg injury. While heading to second for a sure double, von Blucher fell to the ground in a heap, clutching his leg and writhing in pain. The 27-year-old was hitting .351 this spring.

04-26-2010, 02:50 AM	#26
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Opening Day Arrives! CHICAGO, IL. April 6, 1912 - This afternoon, the United Baseball Association's inaugural season kicks off in Chicago. There are eight games today, with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Newark, New York, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Washington also hosting opening day contests. All eight cities have declared today a half-day holiday. Tens of thousands are expected to arrive at many of the newly constructed stadiums to view the first games of the United and Federal League. The first game, a contest between the Brooklyn Tip-Tops and the Chicago Whales, begins at 1:30 PM at the north-side Weeghman Park. The new ballpark is located at Addison and Clark Streets. Weeghman Park was designed by Zachary Davis, who also designed the south-side Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League.

04-26-2010, 03:39 AM	#27
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	In Inaugural Game, Brooklyn Tops Chicago 6-1 CHICAGO, IL. April 7, 1912 - The United Baseball Association's first regular season game was yesterday, a lopsided contest between the Tip-Tops of Brooklyn and the Whales of Chicago at Weeghman Park. The sun was shining, but it was a rather cold day which might have caused a lower attendance than expected. Still, 5,507 fans arrived to witness the historic game. Eric Beaton, third baseman for the Brooklyn club, made history by getting the first hit in league history. Interestingly enough, it was a triple! Beaton scored the first run when Job Bruggerman drove him in with a single later in the inning. Brooklyn put three runs on the board that inning, and Chicago didn't come close to threatening until the 8th, when they scored a run on a 2-out triple. The Tip-Tops added two more in the 9th, making it 6-1, and that's how it would end. The player of this historic game has to go to Bill Gable, who pitched a complete game and gave up just one run on six hits.

04-26-2010, 03:58 AM	#28
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Buffalo Uses Speed, Pitching to Take First BUFFALO, NY. April 22, 1912 - The Buffalo Blues club wasn't expected to be a bad team, but they certainly weren't expected to have the league's best record half-way through the first month of the season. Buffalo owner Walter Mullen and manager William Trent clearly had a strategy when finalizing their roster for the season. The team's batting average is only 6th in the Federal League, but their pitching has been phenomenal. A 1.97 team ERA, 2 shutouts, and a whopping 28 strikeouts show that the Blues have the best pitching staff through the middle of April. On offense, when they do get on base, they use their speed to take advantage of pitchers and catchers who aren't paying close attention. Third baseman Ed Frith leads the team with 6 stolen bases. Buffalo sits on top of the Federal League standings with a 10-5 record.

04-26-2010, 04:05 AM	#29
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	38-Year-Old Joyner Enjoys Twilight Years BALTIMORE, MD. April 28, 1912 - In the twilight of his career, 38-year-old Steve Joyner of Baltimore recaptured some of the old magic last week and came away with the Federal League Player of the Week Award. "I've been playing since I was a kid," Joyner told reporters, "but you're never too old to feel the thrill of success." Joyner outpaced the rest of the league's hitters last week, reeling off 10 hits in 25 at-bats, 2 home runs and 6 RBIs to stake his claim to the award. This season Joyner is batting .395 with 2 home runs. His totals include 16 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

04-27-2010, 01:26 AM	#31
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Defense, Power Lead St. Paul to 1st Place ST. PAUL, MN. May 13, 1912 - Just 1/2 game ahead of the Chicago Orphans, the Saints need to keep playing fundamental baseball, something that isn't a new concept to the team. St. Paul is playing fantastic defense, committing just 15 errors through 32 games, fewest in the league. The pitching staff is the weakest component of the team. Allen Hamann and left-hander Phil Thrift are above average hurlers, but Monty Westberry and Lonnie Timmons have struggled through the first month. The staff's 31 strikeouts are the fewest in the league, and that means a lot of balls get put into play. Good defense can make a poor pitcher okay, and an okay pitcher great. That's exactly what's happening up north so thus far. On offense, the team doesn't play small ball. The Saints are 15th in stolen bases, but they make up for it with their power. With 12 home runs, St. Paul has shown the ability to hit a ball far better than any other team, with LF Dalton Irby and 1B Tony Peek leading the way with five home runs between them. It will be tough for St. Paul to stay on top, but if they keep playing good, fundamental baseball on defense and hitting home runs, they'll just need some decent pitching performances to stay in the hunt for the pennant.

04-27-2010, 01:30 AM	#32
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Cooke Pitches Buffalo to Shutout Victory BUFFALO, NY. May 15, 1912 - The Buffalo Blues posted a 1-0 shutout over Brooklyn today on the strength of a strong performance by Dan Cooke. The Blues pitcher held the Tip-Tops to 3 hits while walking none and fanning 4 in the teams 25th win. On the season Cooke has compiled a 6-2 mark with a 1.89 ERA in 9 starts. In pitching 57 innings he has 11 strikeouts and 21 walks while limiting the opposition to a .233 batting average. Buffalo, who has led the Federal League for the majority of the season, sits 1 1/2 games ahead of the Baltimore club after 36 games played.

04-27-2010, 03:30 AM	#34
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Orphans Take 2 of 3 in St. Paul ST. PAUL, MN. May 26, 1912 - The Chicago Orphans of the United League took 2 of 3 games this weekend in a series against the St. Paul Saints. St. Paul's Landgraf Park was home to three games over two days this past weekend. The series was an important match-up in the United League pennant chase. While the season is certainly still young, the two teams entered the matchup just 1/2 a game apart, with Chicago on top. The first game was an extremely close contest, with the momentum shifting back and forth throughout the game. After two innings, the teams were tied at one. In the bottom half of the 4th, St. Paul pushed another run across to take a 2-1 lead. But Chicago scored one in the 5th, and then again in the 6th, making it 3-2 in their favor. In the bottom of the 6th, St. Paul needed just one to tie, and a four-pitch leadoff walk by Tony Peek had Saints fans on their feet. But when Briant Hunter attempted to bunt Peek over to 2nd, the ball went right back to the pitcher who swung around and easily got the force-out at 2nd base. Lonnie Cray came to bat next and hit another one back to the pitcher, this one for a 1-6-3 double play. In Chicago's half of the 2nd, they added to their momentum with a double by Mack Baker. But he wouldn't advance in the inning and was stranded. St. Paul would have another shot. Bob Bostick, a switch-hitter, led off the inning with line-drive single between third and short. With one out, Dalton Irby worked a full count and then walked, bringing up Alex Rawlins with runners on 1st and 2nd. On a 2-1 count, Rawlins came through with a base-hit, scoring Bostick and tying the game. Irby moved up the 3rd, and Rawlins was smart enough to move to 2nd on the throw home. On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Tim Foster hit a deep fly ball to center field, allowing Irby to tag up and score the go ahead run. The 8th inning was uneventful for both sides, and the Orphans has three more outs left before they officially moved out of first place. With 1-out, Chad Abernathy came to bat as a pinch-hitter. On a 1-1 count, he hit a hard shot towards the St. Paul first baseman Tony Peek, who surprisingly bobbled the ball allowing Abernathy to reach base. After striking out the next batter, St. Paul pitcher Ken Mair needed just one more out, but it wouldn't come easy. A single by Mike Witmer put runners on 1st and 2nd. Mack Baker came to the plate next, drew a full count, and then walked, loading the bases. It was all up to Kirby Shafer. His patience hurt him, as Mair fired in a quick two strikes. The next pitch barely missed, giving Shafer new life. On the 1-2 pitch, Shafer uncorked a swing that would have sent the ball a mile, but he was under it. The ball sailed a mile high, but landed in the mitt of the short stop, ending the game. St. Paul was again in first place. But a Saturday double-header awaited them. The first game was a great game, tied at two until the 7th when Chicago put five more runs on the board. The score wouldn't change after that, ending in a 7-2 Chicago win that put the Orphans back in first place by 1/2 a game. The second game of the double-header was a much better contest. Dave Shipman took the mound for Chicago against Lonnie Timmons of the Saints. The Orphans took an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd after a two-run home run by SS John Barnes. In the bottom of the 4th, St. Paul answered back after a lead-off single, a walk, and then an RBI double by Brian Hunter. Bob Northern then drove in another run on a ground out to short. Chicago's half of the 6th saw a one-out double, followed by a single and then a ground out that pushed across the go-ahead run. The Saints were then anemic on offense until the 9th, when things got interesting. With one out, Buster Berry grabbed a bat to pinch-hit and made it to base on a walk. Bob Bostick then flew out, bringing St. Paul to their final out. However, when Chicago pitcher Dave Shipman attempted to pick off Wayne Coleman, who pinch ran for Berry, he threw the ball away. It bounded off a wall and ended up in the outfield, allowing Coleman to get to 2nd. But Byron Justus didn't come through with the runner in scoring position and grounded out to first to end the game, putting the Saints 1 1/2 games behind Chicago. St. Paul now heads to Boston for a three game series that starts tomorrow, and Chicago will host the Washington club for four games. That series starts today at 3:05.

04-27-2010, 11:42 AM	#35
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Hardt is Player of the Week BALTIMORE, MD. May 27, 1912 - 24-year-old Lee Hardt sent shock waves through United Baseball Association last week with an eye-popping performance that brought him the Federal League Player of the Week Award. A newcomer to the league, Hardt made the establishment sit up and take notice, punishing opposing pitchers with a .593 average, 16 hits in 27 at-bats, 1 home run and 3 RBI. Where the Baltimore Terrapins shortstop goes from here, only the baseball gods know for sure, but Hardt certainly made his mark last week. It's a two-team race in the Federal League, and Baltimore sits just three games back of Buffalo. If Hardt continues to hit like this, Buffalo will need to watch out. Hardt is currently hitting at a .356 pace with 1 home run and 17 RBIs.

04-27-2010, 09:19 PM	#37
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Saints Westberry Stops Wolverines ST. PAUL, MN. June 14, 1912 - Monty Westberry of the St. Paul Saints blanked Detroit 1-0 on a 1-hit complete-game shutout, striking out one and walking 2. The 27-year-old southpaw shut them down every inning other than the 3rd, when Ron Agan lined a ball into left-field. All he needed were 93 pitches, 55 of which he threw for strikes, to seal the deal. The win brings a struggling St. Paul club closer to first, where they were for the majority of the early part of the season. Now, they sit in 4th but are still just 3 1/2 games out. Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago sit above them in the standings. To date this year Westberry has compiled an 8-4 mark with a 3.32 ERA in 15 starts.

04-27-2010, 11:27 PM	#38
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Just thought I would remind you all that you should feel free to comment! Any suggestions about what to cover more/less? Anyone rooting for a specific team? Let me know and I'll try to give them some love in the articles. Thanks for reading!

04-27-2010, 11:43 PM	#39
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Bunch Shuts out St. Paul CHICAGO, IL. June 20, 1912 - It was a razor-sharp performance by Patrick Bunch of the Chicago Orphans against the St. Paul Saints. He fashioned a fine 2-hitter in blanking them 4-0 and chalked up 1 strikeout and no walks. The win puts the Orphans 6 games ahead of the Saints in the standings, but Cleveland and Philadelphia are just 3 games out. This season Bunch has a 12-4 record with a 2.01 ERA in 17 starts.

04-28-2010, 12:46 AM	#40
ryanivr All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 907	Palmer Hartman Leads Cleveland in Pennant Chase CLEVELAND, OH. June 28, 1912 - Every Cleveland Green Sox player and executive would point to one player if they were asked "Who loves baseball the most?" That would be Palmer Hartman, of course. Hartman, a Spokane, WA native is a 32-year-old righty who is currently the best pitcher in the United Baseball Association. And to make matters worse for his opponents, his teammates think he'll get better. "Palmer is a baseball rat," said his battery-mate George LaBelle. "He's the first to get here, and the last to leave. That's not hyperbole, either. We usually are asked to get here around 10 AM for a 1:30 game. Hartman, that son of a bitch, gets here at 6. And you know what that means? It means that I have to be here at 6! And I like to sleep!" LaBelle secretly loves it though, as do the rest of his teammates. Hartman is throwing like a major-league star right now, and he's honestly one of the last expected to do it. "Palmer made the team because he has a lot of experience, not because we though he would be doing this. I'm not going to lie and say we knew it was coming. We didn't," said Green Sox owner W.L. Murphy. "This is so far beyond our expectations." Considering he went 1-3 with a 3.22 ERA in spring camp games, we believe him. It would be hard to expect anything close to this. Hartman is leading the UBA with a 1.48 ERA. The next best? Chicago's Dave Shipman, who has a 1.74 ERA thus far. Hartman's 13 W also lead the league. The Green Sox struggled early in the season, going 9-12 in April. But May, wow. What a month for the Cleveland club, who went 19-10, certainly in large part due to Hartman's 6-0, 1.32 ERA month. Now, Cleveland is tied with Philadelphia at 4 games back, trailing Chicago.