Ec's north island recreation league

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, May 19, 1951

COYOTES, JACKS CO-LEADERS IN NIRL FIRST DIVISION
At the midpoint of the North Island Recreational League First Division two clubs are deadlocked for the top spot... the Dutton Coyotes and the Jackson Jackalopes are the co-leaders with 8-3 records... two games back in the third spot are the New Yerby Yankees at 6-5... both the Coyotes and the Jacks were promoted from the Second Division... Dutton (20-10) won the division last year, whipping Jackson (17-13) by three games... they have continued their redhot rivalry into the First Division... the Kofa Kings (20-10) won the First Division last year, beating back the runner-up Yanks (18-12) by two games... the Union Heights Hackers (16-14) finished in third place, four games off the pace.

Kofa, New Yerby and Union Heights have struggled this year... only the Yankees look like they can challenge the division newcomers, Dutton and Jackson.

1951 NIRL First Division Midseason Standings



1951 NIRL First Division Midseason Batting Leaders

[Eugene Church]

1951 NIRL First Division Midseason Pitching Leaders

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, May 19, 1951

NIRL FIRST DIVISION FIRST HALF RECAP

NIRL First Division 1st Place (Tie)

Co-leader Dutton (8-3) looks like the class of the NIRL First Division this year... pitching seems to be the main element in the pennant race... the Coyotes are led by right-hander Bernie Bartlett (7-3, 2.26 ERA) and they have posted the best pitching numbers with a 2.32 overall ERA... at the plate, Dutton's top guns are LF Karl Krieger (.220 BA) with three homers and 12 RBIs... Krieger is tied for the home-run lead and is tops in RBIs... 1B Peter Wallace (.289 BA) has driven in 8 runs, followed by 2B Tuck Thompson (.302 BA), C Jack Puckett (.457 BA) and rookie SS Bill Harlow (.209 BA) with 6 apiece... Puckett is the top hitter at midseason with a lofty .457 mark and 12 runs scored... Harlow is tied with 3 roundtrippers... a huge plus for the Coyotes is their defense... they are fielding .972, the best in the league by far, thus far... Dutton will have to continue to be at the top of their game to stave off Jackson, New Yerby and Stockdale... it looks like a fine, close race... last year's champ Kofa may still get back into the hunt, if their bats ever perk up and rejuvenate... and the pitching comes around to last year's levels.

[Eugene Church]

NIRL First Division 1st Place (Tie)

Like Dutton, co-leading Jackson (8-3) is an expatriate from the Second Division... but both have given the holdover clubs fits so far... the Jackalopes have one of the better offenses in the division, led by 2B Buddy Boyce (.244 BA) with two homers and 11 RBIs, 1B Tommy Warner (.310 BA) with two homers and 10 RBIs, RF Billy Mann (.333 BA) with 9 ribbies, CF Freddy Barton (.275 BA) with 5 RBIs and 9 runs scored and LF Dan Darragh (.186 BA) with 2 homers, 7 RBIs and 8 runs... Jackson pitching is not quite as good as Dutton's... however, it's still very good at 2.55 ERA... rookie Pat Romanesko (4-1, 1.71 ERA) and Dusty Branson (2-1, 2.61 ERA) have been solid this season, backed up by Jalen McCoy (2-1, 3.00)... McCoy could be the best in the bunch, should he regain his early season form of 1950... the Jacks also fall short of the Dutton Coyotes defensively with a .959 FA.

[Eugene Church]

NIRL First Division 3rd Place

The third place New Yerby Yankees (6-5) have added some quality players this season, but the league talent has improved with the promotion of Dutton and Jackson... the Yanks have trouble scoring runs, but they have the second-best staff with a 2.37 ERA, paced by Jon Cunningham (4-2, 2.57 ERA) and John Metz (2-3, 2.26 ERA)... the most productive batters are rookie 1B Buddy Harding (.244 BA) with 2 home runs and 6 RBIs and C Dwight Carmichael (.294 BA) has six RBIs... last year's batting champion CF John Harper has started off slowly with a .220 BA... Harper batted .363 last year... nobody in the batting order is doing well so far... to be legitimate pennant contenders, they will have to boost the offense and score more runs... the Yankees could play better defense, too... they are near the bottom with a poor .946 FA... New Yerby will probably do no better than third place this season... offense is lacking... defense is questionable.

[Eugene Church]

NIRL First Division 4th Place

Fourth place Stockdale (5-6) has been the surprise team this season... the Mustangs dropped the first six games of the season, but they have been a ball-of-fire lately with five consecutive victories... they have been doing it with their bats, sparked by C Clarence Baker (.194 BA) with three homers, 10 RBIs and 6 runs scored, rookie 1B Andy Kessler (.351 BA) with two roundtrippers, 9 runs and 7 ribbies, rookie CF Jeff Woods (.342 BA) with 6 runs batted in and 8 scored, rookie 2B Kasey Clark (.372 BA) with 11 runs scored and 6 RBIs, 3B Patrick King (.341 BA) with 7 RBIs and RF Ben Wasko (.262 BA) with a pair of homers, 7 runs scored and 5 RBIs... however, the Stockdale staff has been subpar with an awful 4.56 team ERA... only Raymond Koch (2-3, 3.26 ERA) has been adequate this season... to get into the pennant chase, the pitchers will have to do a quick about-face in the second half... another sad factor is the terrible fielding... the Mustangs have a very poor .938 FA, the worst in the league.

[Eugene Church]

NIRL First Division 5th Place

The fifth place Kofa Kings (4-7) were the pride of the NIRL last year... they whipped all comers last year with a stellar 20-10 mark... they did it with standout pitching, strong defense and clutch hitting... pitcher Jeff Davis (14-4, 1.97 ERA) was voted the First Division MVP... nothing has gone well for the Kings... Davis has tanked with a 1-4 record and a 4.12 ERA... rookie Brad Starr (2-2, 2.49 ERA) has replaced him in the starting rotation... none of the hitters are doing well... rookie LF Dane Williams (.190 BA) has been the most productive with 9 RBIs... rookie 2B Bobby Seals (.298 BA) has 5 RBIs... the rest of the lineup has been even more dismal at the plate... RF Joey Mason (.268 BA), Stan Szymczuk (.225 BA), 1B Zach Bailey (.222 BA) and 3B Adam Morris (.245 BA) have all slumped badly this season... the Kings have to find some offense... and they have to hope Jeff Davis can get it together on the hill in the second half... it may be tough for Kofa to stay in the NIRL First Division... relegation may be in their future.

[Eugene Church]

NIRL First Division 6th Place

The last place Union Heights Hackers (2-9) also have fallen on hard times this year... the Hackers came in a solid third last year with a 16-14 mark, 4 games behind Kofa... they possessed a solid offense with RF Robby Neill (25 RBIs), 1B Rich Davis (22 RBIs) and LF Ray Shearer (15 RBIs)... and Morgan Powell (14-9, 2.01 ERA) was a workhouse warrior on the hill... but not so in 1951... Davis (.146 BA) and Neill (.250) have only 4 RBIs each... and Shearer (.133 BA) only one... only CF Adrian Bryant (.350 BA) is doing well with 2 homers and 8 RBIs... rookie 2B Joey Madera (.279 BA) has done fairly well with a pair of roundtrippers and 6 ribbies... on the mound Powell has slipped to 2-3 and a 4.14 ERA... rookie Jimmy Watson has replaced him... the lefty has pitched well with a 1.89 ERA, but he has gotten little run support and is 0-5 record-wise... Union Heights just might be headed to the NIRL Second Division, too.

[Eugene Church]

I hope the recaps will help you get totally immersed in the NIRL.

The recapping really helps me get to know the players and their strengths and weaknesses... as well as get to know the teams.

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, May 19, 1951

JOLIET 1-GAME LEAD OVER AVALON IN NIRL 2ND DIVISION
For most of the first half in the North Island Recreational League Second Division, it was pretty much all the Joliet Green Giants (9-2)... but lately Avalon (8-3) has shown to be a thorn-in-the-side of the Jolly Green Giants... the Oldtimers snapped Joliet's nine-game winning string last weekend and have given them both of their losses this season... it looks like Joliet is the king of the hill this year... Avalon and Theodore (6-5) are playing for second place... West Chester (4-7), Kinston (3-8) and Wafford (3-8) will be fighting to stay out of the cellar.

1951 North Island Recreational League Second Division Midseason Standings



1951 NIRL Second Division Midseason Batting Leaders

[Eugene Church]

1951 NIRL Second Division Midseason Pitching Leaders

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, May 19, 1951

NIRLSECOND DIVISION FIRST HALF RECAP

1st Place: Joliet Green Giants (9-2)

JOLIET 1-GAME LEAD OVER AVALON IN NIRL 2ND DIVISION
For most of the first half in the North Island Recreational League Second Division, it was pretty much all the Joliet Green Giants (9-2)... but lately Avalon has shown to be a thorn-in-the-side of the Jolly Green Giants... the Oldtimers snapped Joliet's nine-game winning string last weekend and have given them both of their losses this season... it looks like Joliet is the king of the hill this year... Avalon (8-3) and Theodore (6-5) are playing for second place... West Chester (4-7), Kinston (3-8) and Wafford (3-8) will be fighting to stay out of the cellar.

No wonder Joliet has dominated the NIRL Second Division this season, they are tops in just about every statistical category... the Green Giants are far and away the best attack with a .333 team batting average, 13 homers and 76 runs scored... Joliet also has the best pitching... Grant Mosher is tops with 9 wins, 1.99 ERA, 69 strikeouts, 90 innings pitched and 2 shutouts... the Green Giants have the top three hitters in the league with Jim Calahan (.432 BA), Zach McDonald (.426 BA) and Tim Lytle (.415 BA) all over the .400 mark... Lytle leads with 6 homers, 14 runs and 14 ribbies... the top five in hits are all Green Giants, led by McDonald with 20... defense may be the only shortcoming... Joliet is third behind Avalon (.986 FA) and Wafford (.969 FA) with a .962 FA... it is really hard to pick anybody else to win the Second Division this season... Joliet has too many strengths... they are hard to beat with a batting order that features Lytle, Johnny Holt, Zach McDonald, Clancy Dupepe, Bradley Stinson and Jim Calahan... plus the league's best pitcher, Grant Mosher.

[Eugene Church]

2nd Place: Avalon Oldtimers (8-3)

The runner-up Avalon Oldtimers have depended on Kirk Kaufman's hurling, strong defense and big innings to nip at the heels of the powerhouse Joliet Green Giants this season... they have even whipped them twice... a six-run first inning won the first game 7-6 in the opening game of the season and a four-run eighth frame took game two 6-3 last weekend.

Kaufman (5-1, 2.38 ERA) is the key ingredient in Avalon's success... he will have to do well in the second half of the season to have any chance of overtaking Joliet... his backup, Dan May (3-2, 5.17 ERA), has not been as effective as he was last year... the Oldtimers will also have to perk up at the plate and score more runs, too... Joliet and Theodore have better offenses... so far, Avalon has been paced by the bats of RF Timmy Billings (.216 BA) with 13 RBIs, 1B Jason Alpert (.300 BA) with 4 homers, 8 runs scored and 9 runs batted in, CF Skyler Johnson (.333 BA) has scored 9 runs and driven in 6, Mark Chandler (.366 BA) has scored 8 runs, 2B Sam Molnar (.304 BA) has scored 10 times and rookie LF Jim Wilson (.295 BA) had added 6 RBIs... Avalon looks like they will wind up in second place.

[Eugene Church]

3rd Place: Theodore Bobcats (6-5)

The third place Bobcats can put runs on the scoreboard... Theodore's primary problem is its mediocre pitching staff... its .955 FA could be improved, too... it will be hard for them to whip Joliet and Avalon... they have tried three starters so far and none of them have stood out... Cliff Young (5-4, 4.00 ERA) has been the most consistent, but the verdict is still out on him... Young, Charley Pride (1-1, 3.78 ERA) or rookie Cameron Keltz (0-0, 4.26 ERA) need to step up and take charge... the Bobcats can't hit their way past Joliet and Avalon with the likes of rookie 1B Bobby Brunow (.311 BA) with 8 RBIs, RF Ivan Orsak (.319 BA) with 7 RBIs, LF Larry Peck (.310 BA) with 7 RBIs, 2B Justin Hines (.227 BA) with 11 RBIs and CF Caleb Carson (.234 BA) with 11 runs scored and 5 runs batted in... third place may be the best the Bobcats can do.

[Eugene Church]

4th Place: West Chester Comets (4-7)

Fourth place West Chester can't hit a lick... pitching is just fair... and they don't field very well (.951 FA)... it's going to another long season for the Comets, who finished fifth last year with a poor 13-17 mark... they may be worse this year.

Dusty Pringle (3-6, 3.50 ERA) is a fairly good starter, but very seldom gets any run support... the offense is dismal with a .197 BA... RF Vic Corelli (.286 BA) is the top batter average-wise, but only has four RBIs... CF Deloy Chapman (.195 BA) has the most RBIs with 8... 1B Lynn Burgess (.256 BA) had 3 ribbies... the rest of the batting order is near or below the Mendoza line... the Comets look destined for the NIRL Second Division basement... they are just a bad ballclub.

[Eugene Church]

5th Place (tie): Kinston Firebirds (3-8)

The fifth place Kinston Firebirds statistically are a better team than their record... they have some sock in their bats and can score runs... heading up the attack are fine hitters like RF Doyle Goodrich (.333 BA) with 4 roundtrippers and 12 RBIs, 2B Fernando De Leon (.364 BA) with 10 runs and 5 RBIs, 1B Matt Herring (.318 BA) with 7 runs batted in and 8 runs scored, rookie SS Danny Brown (.389 BA) has scored 7 times and driven in 5 and CF Johnny Pappas (.233 BA) has knocked in 8 runs... on the surface starter Mick Morrison (3-2, 2.89 ERA) looks like a good starter... but Kinston is absolutely terrible with the gloves... a horrendous .921 FA with 35 errors in 11 games... the Firebirds may be able to escape the cellar with their bats... maybe, but not by much... thank goodness Wafford is in the league... especially if Morrison can get better fielding behind him... last year Kinston tied Joliet for third place with 15-15 records... the Firebirds had much better pitching last season, but they still had lousy defense.

[Eugene Church]

5th Place (tie): Wafford Eagles (3-8)

The key factor in keeping Wafford out of the cellar will be its fielding and its main pitcher Brian Walter... the Eagles handle the glove pretty well with a .969 FA... second to Avalon's excellent .986 FA... except for two bad outings, Walter has been quite effective... despite his 3-6 record, he has a fine 2.41 ERA... the Eagles just need a boost at the plate and on the scoreboard... C Chase Hibbard (.390 BA) is rock-solid at the place with 11 RBIs and 7 runs... and RF Eddie Dixon (.261 BA) is very dependable with 9 runs scored and 8 runs batted in... CF Manny Velasco (.333 BA) has done well at the lead-off spot... and LF Curt St. John (.308 BA) has hit well... but that's all they have... Wafford should be able to sneak out of the basement past the pathetic West Chester Comets... they might even beat out Kinston for fourth place... the Wafford Eagles were fifth in the NIRL First Division last season with a 12-18 record... they were relegated to the NIRL Second Division this year along with Avalon... the Oldtimers came in dead last with a 10-20 mark.

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, May 19, 1951

SEVERAL BIG GAMES THIS WEEKEND IN NIRL
Six games are slated for the two divisions of the North Island Recreational League over the weekend... the highlight games in the NIRL First Division pit third place New Yerby (6-5) at co-leader Dutton (8-3)... and on the road co-leader Jackson (8-3) will try to snap fourth place Stockdale's (5-6) five-game winning string... and game three will be between the fifth place Kofa Kings at home against the last place Union Heights Hackers (2-9).

The top games in the NIRL Second Division will feature second place Avalon (8-3) at home against third place Theodore (6-5), while first place Joliet (9-2) travels to West Chester (4-7) to engage the fourth place Comets... in a battle of cellar-dwellers, Kinston (3-8) will host visiting Wafford (3-8)… the winner will escape from last place.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, May 21, 1951

DUTTON JUMPS AHEAD OF JACKS IN NIRL FIRST
The Dutton Coyotes jumped ahead of the Jackson Jackalopes in the battle for the top spot in the North Island Recreational League First Division standings... Dutton snatched first place with a thrilling 3-2 nailbiter in 11 innings over third place New Yerby, while Jackson fell to the up-and-coming Stockdale Mustangs 8-1... Stockdale won their sixth in a row... in other action Sunday afternoon Kofa edged out Union Heights 5-4.

[Eugene Church]