Pot of Gold (1952-

[The_Myth]

It’s March 2, 1952. That was the day. I was to be installed as commissioner of baseball just before the start of spring training that year. We had just come off “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” when Bobby Thompson slugged a home run to put the New York Giants in the World Series, though they lost to the cross-town rival Yankees.

Anyway, there were a few things that I, Mack Burlingame, wanted to do, a few things I felt strongly about.

One, New York should’ve always had three teams. The Yankees were successful, of course, but so were Brooklyn and the Giants. There was plenty of room.

Two, I believed in the future. Television was still a few years from becoming a necessity across America, but the wisest of us knew it was coming. More pressing was the expansion of America’s culture westward. Los Angeles was one of the country’s largest cities, nearly at two million people. San Francisco was growing rapidly. Oakland; Seattle; San Diego; and Portland, Oregon, were also beginning to change. Maybe they weren’t major league cities yet, but we had to pay attention.

And we had to grow the sport even more. Of course baseball was America’s top pastime, but horse racing garnered all the attention in early summer, and boxing was our fiercest competitor with prize fights nearly every weekend. We needed to find ways to turn people away from those activities and become more invested in our game.

So I had big ideas. I wanted westward expansion, but in a measured, careful way. I wanted teams in stronghold cities where they could grow a regional profile for radio station coverage and potential television coverage. I wanted young people to feel that the game was accessible to them. I wanted splashy ballparks whenever possible, child-friendly events, and an organized minor league that reflected the values we wanted to demonstrate for the game.

Most of all, I wanted everyone to have a say. No more monopoly, but a country where baseball was democratic. That’s what owners didn’t want, and so I never got the job.

But imagine. Again, it’s March 2, 1952. The owners of the National and American league clubs agree in majority to install me as commissioner of baseball. My mission is to democratize the great game of the democracy.

Housekeeping:

• I’m using the 20-80 scale.
• Injury frequency is low.
• Talent change randomness is 115. I like just a bit more variation than normal.
• Trade settings are difficulty hard with neutral preference. Very low instances.
• Player evaluation is 40/30/20/10.
• Lineup selection is traditional; it is 1952
• No-first year player draft. No free agency. Development engine on. Neutralized vs real stats to factor into ratings.

And a couple notes on this sim:

• Commissioner mode is on; I'm not controlling any teams. The idea is to change the game and see how the game changes along the way. Performances will dictate how the owners act and what I do. I'll post updates on player and team performance throughout.
• Essentially, for this sim, forget what actually happened after the 1951 season. We're going on 50 years with the same structure in Major League Baseball: two leagues of eight teams each, all located in the same places since 1903. Teams travel by rail, owners know the score. I'm here to shake it up.

[The_Myth]

March 10-12, 1952

My first order of business is to set the spring owners meetings, an opportunity for me to get to know the 16 leaders in a closer environment. I schedule three days in Phoenix, Arizona, a tactical move despite there being more teams headquartered this spring in Florida. I appreciate now-Browns owner Bill Veeck’s decision to move his former Indians’ training to the west because of the racist behavior some of his players endured in Florida. On a smaller note, this sets the tone for my hope for westward expansion. I want the other owners to get used to making these kinds of flights.

The owners, on the whole, aren’t happy with my decision. But while I’m here to work with them, I’m not here to make nice with them. My goal is to improve baseball and not relations with the richest men in the sport.

After an introductory dinner at a prime steakhouse with cocktails and wine, I tell the owners I’ll be meeting with each individually before a larger group discourse session on the final day. I set the schedule and the fat cats set their tee times.

St. Louis Browns - Bill Veeck
1951: 52-102

I schedule Veeck first because I like his maverick style. He believes in baseball as entertainment as much as it is a great sporting challenge. He’s the one who put the ivy in Wrigley Field. He put his Indians on radio back in ‘46. He brought in Larry Doby and challenged backwards segregationists. And he dresses like he’s off to the cabana club.

Now he’s majority owner of the Browns, who are plain miserable (52-102 last season) and attract a paltry number of fans. Last year he signed a three-foot, seven-inch 26-year-old named Eddie Gaedel strictly for publicity. It didn’t help the team, as it drew 5,854 fans per game last season at Sportsman’s Park, capacity 34,000. Nevertheless, Veeck wants to stay in St. Louis, and he’d rather the much more popular Cardinals leave town.

I disagree, though I enjoy Veeck’s creativity and innovation. I tell him I’d like him to explore moving the Browns to another city, and I can help with finding a partner who has more cash. He’s skeptical (he likes to do things himself), but he’ll engage. Still, he wants to stay in St. Louis for the time being.

“Three years Mack, three years in St. Louie and I’ll drive those damned Cardinals out of town. Just give me three.”

“I’ll give you two, Bill. Find me three options within the next three months, and I’ll give you two years to right the ship on the Mississippi. If I’m not satisfied with the progress, we’ll set you up with a fine new home where you can have the whole run of things. I believe in you as the future of this wild game. Trust me.”

“I trust nobody.” He takes a drag from his cigarette, then lifts up his pant leg to put out the butt on his wooden leg. “But I’ll play the game with you. You’re new and funny.”

Cleveland Indians - Ellis Ryan
1951: 93-61

Ryan is a local guy, born in Cleveland and making his bread in insurance. He and a group bought the team from Veeck in late 1949, and has since prioritized beating the Yankees through spending. It seems he wants his local nine to win championships, though he doesn’t meddle in affairs, instead letting baseball men run the show.

“I’m happy just knowing my Indians are playing winning baseball,” Ryan tells me. To be sure, Cleveland has been a good team since 1947, winning a title in ‘48. “I’ve secured rights so that my club will stay in the city for 24 years at minimum, and I even bought out the Indianapolis farm team to increase our stability regionally. I see that regionalism is the way we’re headed; we’re committed to that.”

Ryan is a logical, thoughtful man, but he’s also quietly hellbent on controlling the Rust Belt and creating new fans through radio and television exposure (for example, the Indians just secured a double-A affiliate in Dallas, Texas, a major market). He alludes to having a larger profile than the Chicago White Sox on multiple occasions. There’s a secret darkness about his work.

But as of now, he has no pressing issues - only to ensure his brand grows, it seems.

Chicago White Sox - Grace Comiskey
1951: 81-73

The widow of previous owner J. Louis Comiskey, Grace is savvy and sharp, and the only woman running a franchise in baseball. She wrestled control of the club from the bank in 1940 to keep it in the family, but success hasn’t come with her tenure, with just three winning seasons since that year.

Good news is last year was one of those seasons, as the South Siders finished 81-73. Comiskey tells me she’s happy about the club’s success and attributes it to her baseball folks, but that she’s most proud of the legacy that has been built in Chicago.

“I maintain we are the epitome of class baseball in Chicago,” she says. Hard to argue with that considering the Cubs’ fortunes in years past, but is it anything to truly be proud of?

Anyway, attendance at Comiskey Park increased to 1.4 million total last season, and while the club doesn’t spend that much, there’s reason to be excited about this group. But I don’t get a read on the Comiskeys yet. They seem to be happy with being the Comiskeys. We’ll see.

Detroit Tigers - Walter Briggs Jr.
1951: 73-81

Entrepreneur Walter Briggs had been an owner of the Tigers for more than 30 years before passing away two months ago. His son Walter Jr., or “Spike,” is now running the show.

But there’s uncertainty here. The club was passed into a trust once the elder Briggs died, and the younger Briggs has been informed that there could be a battle ahead, as “prudent man rule” may restrict further investment into the club because of its fragility as part of an estate. Despite that, Briggs Jr. is contemplating organizing a syndicate to buy the Tigers outright.

Amid all this, the club itself performed poorly in 1951, winning just 73 games. It’s the first time Detroit has been on the low side of .500 since 1942.

Summing this up, Briggs Jr. will probably be busy with this control issue. Detroit is a healthy market even with poor fortune on the field, so the Tigers are of low concern here. That said, I don’t want funny business, and if things get stinky, I’ll be ready to help steer things in new directions.

Washington Senators - Clark Griffith
1951: 62-92

The 82-year-old Griffith is synonymous with Washington baseball, for better or worse. He’s well respected by the other owners, and maybe because the other owners know the Senators aren’t ever much of a threat. His team hasn’t won a pennant since 1933, and since 1946 failure has been heavy.

The big issue: Griffith spends little. Very little. He doesn’t have much money to play with, renting out his stadium and giving precedence to the football team in town over his own baseball club. More of a problem: He’s stubborn, wanting control of the club to himself. You can see where this is going.

“I hold true that we’re in fine shape,” he tells me. “The tippest of shape.”

He also loathes the Yankees.

But the writing is on the wall. I tell Griffith that I have to see true improvement in the product, or else the end of Washington baseball is sadly too close to the present.

“Unless you’re Ted Roosevelt, I say you are of scumful sort,” he says.

Try me, Clark.

Boston Red Sox: Thomas Yawkey
1951: 87-67

A bigger personality than most, and certainly involved in his team’s affairs, Yawkey tries to command the conversation. I let him, because more than anything, I’m taking mental notes.

Yawkey comes across as kind-hearted and passionate. He clearly loves his Sox and wants more than anything to win. He has Ted Williams, arguably the top player in the game right now, plus players in their peak like Bobby Doerr, Vern Stephens and Johnny Pesky. But there’s a wrench with Williams: The star was called to serve on active duty in the conflict happening over in Korea. Chances are he’ll have to spend most of the season out there in Pacific.

So Yawkey is upset about the potential of not having Williams around. I tell him he should do what he’s always vowed to do: Spend on talent.

“That’s what I always do,” he laughs. He’s a jolly man.

I’ve heard some whispers that Yawkey and the Sox aren’t very friendly to black players, and further, black people in general. That seems like the opposite of all the complimentary things the owners tell me about Yawkey. I know that if he was close-minded, then opening up that mind might actually prove his team successful in the short- and long-term.

I have no proof myself right now, but I’m interested in following the club’s progress.

Philadelphia Athletics: Roy Mack
1951: 70-84

Onto this impending disaster. Roy Mack is a fool, and it’s clear from his gait before even taking a seat. He and brother Earle run the team now that their father Connie is nearing 90 and essentially out of commission. They drove their brother Connie Jr. out of the club in 1950, but by doing so they have to pay about $150,000 in mortgage payments to Connecticut General Life Insurance Company.

And they couldn’t run the place worse. They spend nothing, have that ballpark Shibe Park in shambles (not to mention the place is the collateral in the mortgage), and run a lackluster farm system. There ain’t much they can do to save American League baseball in Philadelphia.

“Look, we have it all under control,” says Roy. “We just need to make those payments and we’re in the clear.”

I tell Roy I want nothing more than to turn the A’s around. “Philadelphia deserves two healthy franchises,” I say. “It’s a rabid sports town, and we’re all better off with those two clubs.”

He agrees, but I tell him he has work to do. He and Earle need to give me within four months a 10-step plan to fix the Athletics by 1955.

Then Earle stumbles into the room.

“Mr. Burlingame, sir, I just want you to know that my brother and I will do anything to turn it around, ya see?”

“Hey Earle!” Roy screams. “I told you to butt out of this one! I have it covered you lamb rack!”

These guys are buffoons. I’m worried.

New York Yankees: Del Webb
1951: 98-56 | American League Champions | World Series Champions

Well, here’s the big chief in the American League, owner of the World Series champions, and he’s a guy I have to keep track of. Webb is a mousy looking guy who doesn’t say much, but when he does, it carries loud and clear.

He’s the guy who got my predecessor, Happy Chandler, taken out. Apparently Chandler wanted to investigate Webb’s not-so-clean dealings. I’m not a fan of that stuff, either, but I need to pick my battles early. Right now, it’s about listening.

“I think we’re in good standing,” says Webb. “I don’t see any reason to believe you’d be a problem for us in the American League, do you?”

What a heel. He and co-owner Dan Topping run the Yankees like the buttoned-up stars they’re meant to be. To him, when the Yanks are doing well, the league is doing well, and nothing better screw that up. He tells me that the “bumbling idiots” in Philadelphia couldn’t run a puppet show, let alone a ballclub, and finding a new location for the Athletics should be priority. Also, he would love to see the Browns leave St. Louis, though “that’s Bill’s thing. I just hope he has sense to fix it.”

“I’m not in the business for problems,” I tell him, “only solutions. I want a strong league that grows bigger and better. I want good folks and a reputation that precedes itself. We’ll be working on the issues you’ve raised.”

He shakes my hand. “I wish you held these meetings in Florida. I could’ve set you up in the swankiest place. I know people, you know.”

“There will be more meetings, Mr. Webb.”

“They say that. … Steak dinner. Next time.”

[The_Myth]

March 10-12, 1952

Onto the National League

Cincinnati Reds - Powel Crosley Jr
1951: 68-86

Much like Bill Veeck in St. Louis, Mr. Crosley is an innovator unafraid to shake up the establishment. He’s an automobile manufacturer who pioneered in radio and television, a man who brought night baseball to America. His Reds may not be the flashiest sort, and they certainly could spend more money, but they have remained vital to the game’s evolution.

Still, they could be better, not having a winning campaign since 1944. Crosley knows it, too, and while he’s a bit older now and likes to fish more than attend a ballgame, he thinks shaking things up could be good.

“What sorts of ideas do you have, Mr. Commissioner?” he asks. He’s genial, interested, a thinker.

I tell him I’m looking into the horizon. I tell him baseball’s future is nationwide and young, and he agrees.

“It is a young man’s game,” he deduces. “It needs bright lights and good makeup, right?”

He speaks my language.

Chicago Cubs - Philip K. Wrigley
1951: 62-92

The Comiskey family might own the South Side, but the Wrigleys own Chicago. Philip, or P.K., is part of the line of Wrigley succession, and now runs the very chewing gum company that his father ran about 20 years ago, before his death.

The thing is P.K. cares more about gum than baseball.

“I enjoy the sport,” he tells me, “but I much more enjoy making money and living a refined lifestyle.”

At least he’s honest. But he’s good with the Cubs in that he has extended their reach via radio and television. He believes in the power of TV and thinks capitalizing on it is necessary. I obviously agree. But like Crosley in Cincinnati, he can’t bring that sort of ingenuity to the field. Those Cubs haven’t been too good in history, their last good seasons in 1945 and ‘46. They won the pennant in the former year.

Nevertheless, I’d like to see a successful franchise in Chicago.

Pittsburgh Pirates - John W. Galbreath
1951: 64-90

Here’s a mensch. I find little to be perturbed by when it comes to Galbreath, a wealthy man to be sure, but seemingly charitable and good to his people.

Galbreath took over as majority leader in 1950 after coming into the game a few years previous with an ownership group that included Bing Crosby. He loves baseball, just adores it, but doesn’t seem to meddle too much in affairs. He’s also a massive horse racing fan (he meddles in that more). So he’s not out to bring down racing like me, but he is a believer that robust farm systems help grow the game. He brought in Branch Rickey to be his general manager in ‘50, which hasn’t yet paid dividends, but he does have a solid minor league in place now.

The issue with Pittsburgh is it’s a little small town. So is Cincinnati. But both clubs are mainstays in the National League; nothing will move them for the foreseeable future. Certainly not their owners.

Philadelphia Phillies - Bob Carpenter
1951: 73-81

A young man. Carpenter is 36, yet already an eight-year veteran of owning a sports franchise. His family has big money, and he helped save the Phillies from extinction. Since coming aboard, the Phils have built a solid farm system, spent more money, and have even won games. It’s a vastly different club.

The thing with Carpenter, though, is he doesn’t like change. “Players should be seen and not heard,” he tells me.

On the Athletics, Carpenter says he has admiration for Connie Mack, who got him into sports ownership. He hopes the A’s can turn things around in town, but he doubts the meddling brothers. “They’re a wild sort. I’m worried it won’t end well there.” Also, he’d love to see about a new ballpark in Philadelphia, but that he doesn’t want to leave Mack in the lurch.

The Phillies are relatively healthy and a good sort. Glad to see that, so far, the National League has fewer issues to iron out.

Boston Braves - Lou Perini
1951: 76-78

This Boston contractor loves his city and his ballclub, which he owns with two other partners, Joe Maney and Guido Rugo. Problem is the Braves don’t draw. Aside from a three-year period when they brought in over 1 million fans, they’ve consistently been paltry in this arena. In 1950 they drew 944,391. Fine. In 1951? 487,475. Nearly cut in half.

“I’m trying what I can, I assure you,” says Perini. “We have a good young team with a 20-year-old named Mathews. We have some fine pitching. Warren Spahn … it’s a good club, really.”

The guy is heartfelt, and I appreciate his candor. I tell him Boston may be fit for one club, but I’ll help him this year figure it out.

“Have you thought about moving the club?” I ask.

“Well, of course. You have to think about it. But it’s the last thing I want to do.”

They play at Braves Field, which is falling apart down in the western part of the city. I ask if he’s thought about trying to broker a deal to play at Fenway Park, like the Phillies do in Philadelphia and the Cardinals do in St. Louis.

“I’ve never broached the subject to Mr. Yawkey,” he says. “I’m pretty certain he likes things the way they are in town.”

St. Louis Cardinals - Fred Saigh
1951: 81-73

The Cardinals have long been successful and do quite well in St. Louis. In fact, their last season under .500 was 1938. Before that, 1932. Before that, 1924. That’s quite a track record.

“We’re quite proud of the ballclub we have here,” says Saigh, owner for the past few years. That said, his team hasn’t won the National League since 1946, when it won the World Series. For Saigh, that’s an issue.

“We have to be at the top. It’s our nature.”

Saigh, along with Del Webb, led the ouster of my predecessor Happy Chandler. While Saigh doesn’t quite have the same darkness about him as Webb, he certainly knows what he wants - in the Cardinals’ case, it’s to remain vital in the National League. One future hope is to build a new ballpark in St. Louis for his team alone. Also, he’d love to see Bill Veeck and the Browns get out of town.

“You work for me and we’ll be in good shape,” he says. “I’m counting on you.”

Brooklyn Dodgers - Walter O’Malley
1951: 97-60

Mr. O’Malley walks in and immediately says: “Whatever the hell Galbreath is telling you about Branch, it’s a lie. You got it?”

I’ve heard that O’Malley and Branch Rickey have an incompatible relationship. The former low-balled the latter last year, leading to Rickey moving on and then becoming general manager in Pittsburgh. O’Malley doesn’t like a lot of things Rickey did - he’s not even very fond of Jackie Robinson, wild as that sounds.

Nevertheless, he’s not a bad guy … he just doesn’t like Branch Rickey. What he does like are a lot of the things I also like: television, modernization, outward expansion of his franchise’s reputation. The Dodgers are a winning club (though they’ve never actually won a World Series), and he believes they should be represented well.

I’d like to see what else he does with this franchise.

New York Giants - Horace Stoneham
1951: 98-59

Son of Charles Stoneham and owner for 15 years, Horace has done much to push the game forward. He was right there with the Dodgers on integration, he was an early champion of television, and he and Veeck were first to move spring training to Arizona from Florida.

“I believe this game has the upmost potential,” he tells me, “and I’m here to see that through.”

He’s warm and passionate. His team is strong, too, winning the National League last season. But I hear he can be a little too close to his team’s day-to-day business. He says he just can’t stand not to be with the ballclub. I like passion, but baseball men should be baseball men.

Group Discourse

In our group session, I get a real sense of how things go between these men.

The American League is loud but disorganized, while the National League attempts to unify despite some small quibbles. Del Webb keeps quiet and seems to do his business in private, while much of the time Clark Griffith of Washington is on about something he’s proud of, or Ellis Ryan of Cleveland is shouting that his club will beat down the Yankees in 1952. Bill Veeck of the Browns keeps quiet and laughs, though you can sense he and Fred Saigh of the Cardinals don’t get along.

They want to all know what I aim to do, and I say I’m here to shepherd the game into more prosperous times. I tell them that we should find ways to leverage television and an America vastly growing into the suburbs. “This is very much an urban sport,” I say, “but at some point it won’t be a sport for simply the urban.” Some agree, while others don’t seem to love the statement.

Still, I try to keep political early on. No need to ruffle feathers.

When it comes to ruling on matters, we uphold the guideline that states all majority owners in the league affected must be 100 percent in agreement, while all majority owners in the opposite league must at least be at 51 percent agreement.

Essentially, that means that if, say, the Yankees wanted to move to Portland, Maine, they would need every American League owner to sign off on it, while also getting five of the eight National League owners to say yes.

We finish the three days by setting goals our next meeting, which will be in one quarter, during June 1952.

Those goals:

• Create a regional blueprint that recognizes secondary and tertiary cities currently holding or in need of minor league clubs.
• Ongoing: Discuss ideas for rule changes and game tweaks.
• For Mr. Veeck, St. Louis: Present three options for a potential franchise move.
• For Mr. Mack, Philadelphia: Update on 10-step plan to be presented during all-star festivities.

[splat58]

Great stuff. Looking forward to following along. What are you doing with recalc, if anything?

[The_Myth]

For this one I turned off recalc and am going with the engine fully. Never a permanent thing, though, as I could go back and roll just to do it (maybe in three years).

But my thinking here is if my job is to alter the game the way I see it should be altered, why not take the players with me and see how they change?

[The_Myth]

The 1952 season begins on April 15. Before that, we have another month of spring training to run through. I’ll be visiting each club over this period, spending about two days each time. I won’t recap every individual trip, but if anything interesting comes up, you’ll know.

BULLETIN: Brooklyn’s Don Newcombe has been drafted to fight in the Korean conflict.

He told a newspaper in New Hampshire that baseball players shouldn’t be given special treatment, and so he’s off for as long as he needs to be there. Newcombe is 25 and went 20-9 last year with Brooklyn. In fact, over these first three seasons in the majors, Newcombe is 56-28. A terrific pitcher, but duty calls.

TRANSACTION WIRE: The Athletics purchase the contract of Joe Gordon from unaffiliated Sacramento.

The Chicago White Sox bought Whitey Ford from the Evangeline League, and the Cubs purchased the contract of 55-year-old catcher Lefty O’Doul.

Finally, the Boston Braves will be without Warren Spahn until just about opening day thanks to a shoulder injury.

As of March 24, spring standings:

American League

1. New York Yankees - 15-4
2. Boston Red Sox - 11-8
3. Philadelphia Athletics - 11-8
4. Chicago White Sox - 10-9
5. St. Louis Browns - 10-9
6. Cleveland Indians - 8-11
7. Detroit Tigers - 6-13
8. Washington Senators - 5-14

National League

1. Philadelphia Phillies - 12-7
2. Brooklyn Dodgers - 11-8
3. Chicago Cubs - 11-8
4. Cincinnati Reds - 11-8
5. Boston Braves - 9-10
6. New York Giants - 9-10
7. St. Louis Cardinals - 9-10
8. Pittsburgh Pirates - 4-15

As of March 30, another pitching injury for the Braves: Max Surkont out for three weeks with a strained forearm. At this point the Braves might have to go with 21-year-old Gene Conley and unproven starter Ernie Johnson for the first week or so of the season.

April 6: The Red Sox’s Ray Scarborough is on waivers. He recorded a 5.09 ERA last season; I feel like the Braves might want to take a flier on him.

April 8: Most of the larger minor leagues are about to begin their seasons. I won’t change anything this year, but I’m interested in consolidating the minor leagues. Some of my plans going forward aim at doing that; we’ll talk about those plans at the next owners meeting.

April 10: Cincinnati put starting right fielder Johnny Wyrostek on the disabled list. The 32-year-old hit .311/.373/.391 last season for the Reds. He’ll be out six weeks, at least.

Final spring training standings:

American League

1. New York Yankees - 29-7
2. Chicago White Sox - 21-15
3. Detroit Tigers - 17-19
4. Boston Red Sox - 16-20
5. Cleveland Indians - 16-20
6. Philadelphia Athletics - 16-20
7. St. Louis Browns - 16-20
8. Washington Senators - 13-23

National League

1. Philadelphia Phillies - 23-13
2. Brooklyn Dodgers - 20-16
3. Chicago Cubs - 20-16
4. New York Giants - 18-18
5. Boston Braves - 17-19
6. St. Louis Cardinals - 17-19
7. Cincinnati Reds - 16-20
8. Pittsburgh Pirates - 13-23

[italyprof]

The Myth: Please run for President !

[The_Myth]

April 15, 1952: Welcome to opening day, the most glorious of days. The New York Herald Tribune has published its predictions for final standings:

American League

1. Cleveland - 98-56
2. New York - 98-56
3. Boston - 82-72
4. Chicago - 80-74
5. Washington - 68-86
6. Detroit - 65-89
7. St. Louis - 65-89
8. Philadelphia - 62-92

National League

1. Brooklyn - 93-61
2. St. Louis - 86-68
3. Philadelphia - 84-70
4. New York - 81-73
5. Boston - 74-80
6. Chicago - 74-80
7. Cincinnati - 66-88
8. Pittsburgh - 60-94

Top sportswriters believe Cleveland’s Al Rosen will have a superb season with a .319 average and 26 home runs, while many also feel strongly about the 20-year-old Yankee standout Mickey Mantle. There are also high hopes for Jackie Robinson at age 33, a .310 season being predicted. Top pitching performances? Look to the Phillies, where both Robin Roberts and Curt Simmons top writers’ opinions.

Our top prospects in baseball are:

1. 3B Eddie Matthews - Boston Braves
2. SP Jim Bunning - Detroit
3. OF Henry Aaron - Boston Braves
4. CF Dick Hall - Pittsburgh
5. SS Harvey Kuenn - Detroit
6. 2B Al Smith - Cleveland
7. OF Wally Moon - St. Louis Cardinals
8. OF Bob Cerv - New York Yankees
9. 2B Jim Gilliam - Brooklyn
10. SP Larry Jackson - St. Louis Cardinals

For opening day, a full slate of games. I’m planning on a six-city whistle-stop tour for this first week of play:

Today - Boston at Washington, 2:05 p.m.
Tomorrow - New York at Philadelphia Athletics, 2:05 p.m.
April 17 - Philadelphia at New York Giants, 2:05 p.m.
April 18 - Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 2:05 p.m.
April 19 - Detroit at Cleveland, 2:05 p.m.
April 20 - St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 3:05 p.m.

I’ll be taking the 20th Century Limited from New York to Pittsburgh, and it’ll be a tight race to the ball-yard that day. Hopefully we make it on time. I’m planning on a full New York and Boston adventure to begin May, and a St. Louis trip in mid-May.

Sadly I’ll miss the finest pitching duel of the day between the Giants and Phillies (Sal Maglie vs Robin Roberts); instead, I’ll catch Mel Parnell against Connie Marrero, which isn’t very bad at all.

At any rate, I arrive at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., just about 20 minutes before first pitch. And then President Truman tosses the ball from his executive seat into the mitt of Washington backstop Clyde Kluttz, the veteran who came over last season in a trade with the Browns.

You may see me in the photograph published the next day in the Washington Post; I'm two right of President Truman. I wasn't wearing my hat, a bit of a faux pas, some may say.



As for the game, it’s quite the outing for Senators ace Connie Marrero, who tossed himself a complete game with three strikeouts, allowing just three hits in the process. Offensively, both Pete Runnels and Sam Mele struck three hits for the home whites.

Here's a color image of the game from one of those new rooftop still cameras.



After the game I get to the train station, order up a scotch and begin the journey north to Philadelphia.

April 16, 1952: Waking in a hotel room in Philadelphia, and the Inquirer tells me that it was a one-two sweep for the local clubs. The Phillies scored early and often to defeat the Giants, 7-4. Robin Roberts pitched the whole doozy while, how about that, New York’s Bobby Thomson picked up nearly where he left off with a home run. And the Athletics stamped out the Yankees 6-3 at home, backed by Bobby Shantz’s nine innings.

BULLETINS: Cincinnati’s Ken Raffensberger shuts out the Cubs at Crosley … the Cardinals win a thriller against Pittsburgh on a Stan Musial game-winning single in the 11th … Brooklyn takes down the Braves on a two-homer day from Bobby Morgan … Larry Doby homers as the Indians keep the White Sox at bay, 5-4 … and Browns hurler Bob Cain throws nearly the whole thing in a 9-0 gem over Detroit.

April 21, 1952: After a whirlwind week hopping about the country, I’m taking a two-day respite in Chicago before another train ride back to New York. Here’s what we’re seeing after one week of play:



HEADLINES

• The Spirit of St. Louis lives … sort of. The Browns outscored Detroit and Chicago by a total of 32-17, winning two of three at Tiger Stadium and three of four at home against the White Sox. Their attendance? 4,754 per game for four games. Lousy.
• Brooklyn won the battle of New York with a sweep of the Giants over the weekend. Thrilling contests, and Gil Hodges (.400, 4 HR, 5 RBI) is an early MVP frontrunner. Very early.
• The Phillies are 5-2, jumping out to a hot start thanks in part to 25-year-old super-hurler Robin Roberts and 22-year-old hot-shot Curt Simmons. Roberts is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts to one walk, and Simmons is 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA and 15 strikeouts to two walks.
• The best pitching performance this week? The Yankees Vic Raschi went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, giving up just eight hits over two starts to the Athletics.

Attendance leaders:

• American League - New York (23,782 per game), Cleveland (19,298 per game)
• National League - Brooklyn (22,203 per game), St. Louis (13,749 per game)

Attendance trailers:

• American League - St. Louis (4,754 per game), Philadelphia (7,341 per game)
• National League - Cincinnati (6,860 per game), Boston (8,780 per game)

Overall, attendance and revenue is way down from last season, but it’s the first week and a cold April. I’m not thinking about it.