Mack-men and Bombers split

The fans were fearful of what was to happen, as their team had just limped home after being swept in New York.  Some fans were hoping for revenge, others just wanted to get it over.  On paper the Yankees completely over matched the A's both in pitching and in hitting.  For Philadelphia it was just another long series, more losses, more boos and more booze.
The A's used Bobo Newsom in the opener and were hoping to at least get one win with Bobo on the mound.  He wasn't clowning around, no red noses or clumsy feet, just a hard throwing right hander that was looking to make things right.  Bobo toiled through all 9 innings and it was not in vain as his guys scored 4 times and he was able to hold the hot Yankee bats to just 7 hits and 2 runs.  Kell went 4/4 driving in 2 and scoring 1. A's 4 - Yanks 2

Borowy took the mound for the Yanks in game 2 with an over 4.00 ERA and yet he handcuffed the Snuffy Stirnweiss both drove in 2 and the Yankees triumphed 5-2.

A's hitters for the first 8 innings.  The bright spot of the A's was their FIRST home run of the season, hit by Hayes.  The Yankees with 8 hits, the same as the A's, were able to gave a little help when Kell muffed an easy ground ball that should have ended the inning. The inning did come to an end but it was 2 runs later. Yankees hitters Bill Dickey and

No one foresaw the ugliness of the first game of the double header. The Yankees had fire in the tummy and viciously attacked Christopher in only his 2nd start of the year. He was punished for 2 runs in the top of the first, 3 in the top of the third and then was sent to the showers in the top of the fourth when they hammered him for 5 more. Scheib came in when Christopher's arm fell to the ground with a thump.  He only muttered to himself as he left the field "Damn Yankees, those damn Yankees" (and so it was on that  a future writer was "boinged" with a title for a book).  The Yankees onslaught lasted all through the game. Nick  Etten drove in 5 while Dickey scored 5.  The bombers went an amazing 21 for 47. 17-4

In the tunnels beneath the stadium, the A's felt sick as if the "black plague" or some other killer disease had been brought into the clubhouse. They all sat stunned.  There may have been no joy in Mudville, but in Philadelphia it was much much worse. Many of the fans were already so intoxicated by the end of the first game, they were considering bringing back prohibition for the rest of the day. But out came the A's, wearing the dirty sweaty uniforms they had just been defeated in.  They were seething, to be so humiliated, humbled in their own house. Blasphemy! Jesse Flores came out first, the pitcher led the way, then the catcher and then in order of their position until all were on the field.  A roar went up among the faithful... No one knew what they were saying as their attention was all on the game.  The Yankees took the lead in the first when Keller hammered one to deep left. A huge groan was released, some shouted "Not again, call it now!", but Flores raised his hand and silenced the crowd and then silenced the Yankees. The Yankees eeked another run in the top of the fourth but the A's fought back with one to stay only one down.  In the bottom of the 6th, the A's had three seeing eye singles that had followed Flores double.  A misplayed ball by Lindell in rightfield kept the good guys on the field until 3 runs had scored. Flores was pumped. He now led 4-2. But it wouldn't last for him, too excited, too anxious, he argued over a ball four call putting the tie run at the plate. The A's had already gotten Wheaton up, just in case.  "YOU'RE outta here" explained the ump. "I call the balls and strikes and you are gone". The ump turned to the A's bench, knowing he had been wrong but nonetheless, he was in charge.  No one came out to challenge, just Woody Wheaton ran to the pitcher's mound and began his work.  Wheaton settled it down as he retired the next two Yankees to end the inning.  When Wheaton took the mound in the top of the 9th, he still clung to the 2 run adavantage. He walked the first hitter, cries throughout Philadelphia went up, "WHY, WHY???". But the next hitters went meekly and weakly and game came to an end.  A's 4, Yankees 2.  They got a split of the double header and the series.

--submitted by Orion Bell--

Tribe and Tigers split series in Motown

GAME 1 - Briggs Stadium

Bagby vs Newhouser

Indians 2, Tigers 1

A pitcher's duel for the ages.  Jim Bagby went all 11 innings and gave up just 1 run on 6 hits to best Tiger ace "Prince" Hal Newhouser, "only" went 8.  Al Benton gave up the winning run in the top of the 11 to take it on the chin.  Bagby did it with the bat too, going 3 for 5 including a two out triple in the 11th.  Hockett doubled home Bagby to put the Tribe ahead for good.

GAME 2

Reynolds vs Trout

Tigers 3, Indians 2

Cleveland left 9 on base and squandered an 11 hit performance as Dizzy Trout bent, but never broke.  Trout gave up just 2 runs while going the distance.  Jimmy Outlaw was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate for the hometown heroes.

GAME 3

A.Smith vs Mueller

Indians 9, Tigers 0

A beautiful 1 hitter by Al "the Governor" Smith was supported nicely by a 9 run drubbing of Detroit hurlers.  Smith carried his no hit bid into the 6th when catcher Swift led off the inning with the only hit of the game for Motown.  Kid shortstop Lou Boudreau was 3 for 5 with 3 RBI's.  Leftfielder Heath (2-5), had 4 RBI's of his own.  Ken Keltner had 3 safeties as every tribe batsman had himself a hit.

GAME 4

Harder vs Benton

Tigers 5, Indians 2

After plating 3 runs in the bottom of the first the Tigers never trailed in the second game of this Sunday twin-bill.  Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, fresh off his discharge from Uncle Sam's world tour, was 1 for 2 with 2 walks.  Catcher Swift was 3 for 4.  Greenberg scored 2 runs and taught the Tribe a valuable lesson, "You can walk me if you'd like, but that won't keep me from finding home".  Hank, all of Detroit is glad you are home.  Roy Cullenbine, doing double duty for both the Tribe and Motown hit a 2 run shot to account for all of the former's runs on the day.

Jints take 3 of 4 from Reds in Queen City

GAME 1 - Crosley Field

A.Hansen vs Walters

Giants 4, Reds 2

Back to back RBI singles by George Hausmann and Buddy Kerr in the top of the 9th broke a 2-2 tie and propelled the Jints to victory.  Poor Bucky Walters took his 4th consecutive loss for the hometown Reds.  Mel Ott hit is 3rd homer of the season and had 2 of NY's 4 RBI's.

GAME 2

Mungo vs Heusser

Reds 2, Giants 1

Ed Heusser gave up 7 hits in 8 innings, but somehow found a way to limit the damage to just 1 run.  It's a good thing he was so stingy, because his teammates were only able to provide him with 2 runs.  RBI's by W.Willians and Clay in the bottom of the 5th were all Heusser needed.  Beggs came on and pitched a tenuous, but scoreless 9th to save the game.

GAME 3

Brewer vs Shoun

Giants 7, Reds 1

The visitor's from Gotham broke up a scoreless tie with 4 in the top of the 5th and never looked back.  The top 5 batters in New York's lineup was responsible for 10 hits and 5 RBI's to make Jack Brewer's day on the bump easy.  Leadoff man Mel Ott was 2 for 5 with 3 runs scored.  Billy Jurges knocked in 3 runs from the 5 hole.

GAME 4

Voiselle vs De la Cruz

Giants 5, Reds 2

New York added to their 1 run lead with 4 monster runs in the top of the 7th.  Pitcher Bill Voiselle went 8 2/3 and gave up just 1 earned run (2 total).  On the way he knocked in 2 runs with sacrifices.  Jurges had another big RBI day as well as he chipped in 2 from the leadoff spot.  The Redlegs were polite hosts dropping 3 of 4 to the vistors from back east.

Featured Player: Moe Berg by Tom "Crash" Davis

Moe Berg attended Princeton and was a star thirdbaseman for their baseball team.  After graduation he signed with both the Brooklyn Robins (as the Dodgers were then known) and Columbia Law School.  After his initial season with the Robins in which he batted a paltry .186, he was sent to Minneapolis and Toledo.  He returned to the majors with the White Sox in 1926. When all three White Sox catchers went down with injuries, Manager Ray Schalk looked down the bench and asked in anyone could catch.  Berg replied that he used to think he could but his high school coach told him differently.  Schalk sent him into the game asking him to prove the high school coach wrong.  Berg did and became a fixture at catcher.  He reported late the next two years so that he could finish his studies at Columbia from which he graduated in 1930.  

   In 1934 he went on a tour of Japan with some other baseball players.  During this visit he talked his way into St. Luke's Hospital on the pretense of visiting a patient.  Instead he went to the roof and used a motion picture camera to photograph the Tokyo skyline.  These films were used by General Doolittle in planning his April 1942 air raid on Tokyo, although their contribution was minimal.  

  He continued his playing career until 1939 after which he became a coach for the Boston Red Sox.  One of his most famous students was Ted Williams.  In his second year, Williams wanted to mold himself after Gehrig or Ruth.  Berg encouraged him not to, but to emulate Shoeless Joe Jackson instead.  He told Williams he had the best wrist action he had ever seen and he should use that.

  Berg spoke at least seven languages and some say as many as twelve.  When told this, Senator outfielder Dave Harris famously commented "Yeah, and he cant hit in any of them."

  In 1943 Berg was recruited into the OSS by Colonel "Wild Bill" Donovan (although a general when he retired form active service, Donovan preferred to be addressed as Colonel).  Berg was assigned to the Balkans and spent the next two years moving throughout occupied Europe.  His basic assignment was to meet and seek out European physicists and encourage them to defect.  At one point, he was sent to Zurich to determine how much a particular physicist knew about atomic weapons.  His orders were to kill the man if he thought the Germans were getting close.  Berg determined that they were not and so the physicist lived.   

   Berg returned to the US in April 1945 and resigned from the OSS.  He was awarded the Medal of Freedom which he refused to accept (his sister, with whom he lived the last 12 years of his life, accepted for him after his death).  Although both the White Sox and the Red Sox wanted him to return to coaching, Berg declined.  In the 50's he was hired by the CIA to investigate the Soviet atomic program using his contacts from WWII.  The CIA paid him $10,000 for expenses but got virtually nothing in return.  

   For the remainder of his life, Berg lived off family and friends who tolerated him because of his immense charisma.  He died on May 29, 1972 from injuries suffered from a fall at home.  The nurse attending him said that his final words were "How did the Mets do today?"  (They had won.)  A fitting ending to a man who when once criticized for wasting his intellectual talents on baseball replied, "I would rather be a ballplayer than a Justice of the Supreme Court."

Editor's Note:  If you want to learn more about Moe, read the book written about his life called, "The Catcher Was a Spy".

         

This Week in WWII - by Tom "Crash" Davis

September 1, 1944:  Canadians avenge the Disaster at Dieppe and capture the French town. 

September 2, 1944:  Allied forces enter Belgium
                                     Finland signs an armistice with th Soviet Union and demands the removal of Gernman troops from its soil.

September 2, 1945:  General Tomoyuki Yamashita of the Imperial Japanese Army surrenders to American and Filipino forces at Kiangan, Ifugao, in the northern Phillipines.
                                     The Articles of Surrender are signed by the Japanese and all members of the Allied forces on the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
                                     Ho Chi Minh uses a copy of the American Declaration of Independence provided to him by the OSS to draft his Proclamation of Independence.  He declares himself President of Vietnam and seeks recognition byy the United States but is continually rebuffed by Prsident Truman.

September 3, 1943:  General Sir Bernard Montgomery lands Allied forces at Reggio di Calabria. starting the invasion of mainland Italy.  The Italian governmnt overthrows Benito Mussolini and signs an Armistice with the Allies.. 
                                      Hitler order the evacuation of civlians from Berlin
September 3, 1944.  Th British Second Army liberates Brussels while further south American and French troops enter Lyon.


September 4, 1943:  The Soviet Union declares wa on Bulgaria.
                                      The 503rd Parachute Regiment under General Douglas "Dugout Doug" MacArthur lands and occupies Nadzab, just east of Lae, Papua, New Guinea. Lae falls shortly thereafter.  Australian :Diggers: occupy Salamau 
September 4, 1944:  The British stop Operation Outward.  Operation Outward was the use of hot air balloons to disrupt the German occupation of europe.  The balloons either trailed a long steel wire designed to cut power and phone transmission lines or carried three incendiary bombs.  The first launches had taken place on March 20, 1942.  Outward's greatest success came on July 12, 1942 when one of the steel carrying balloons struck a 110,000 olt power line near Liepzig.  The failure of a circuit breaker caused a fire that destroyed a power station.  By August, 1942, British WRNS (Women's Royal Navy Serivice) were deploying 1000 balloons a day.  Up to 140 women were employed in this "cottage" industry. 

Brownies and Nats split

Game 1 – St. Louis 3 Washington 2

Milo Candini and Nels Potter hooked up in a cracker of pitcher’s duel. Both starters went 8 innings allowing only 2 runs. The game went to the bottom of the 9th all tied at 2. Manager Chisholm brought in Mickey Haefner for a tiring Candini. It did not turn out well. He walked the lead-off hitter Milt Byrnes. Don Gutteridge drilled 2-0 offering to the wall and the Brownies had runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Hot hitting George McQuinn was intentionally walked to fill the bases. Vern Stephens stepped up and lifted a ‘Texas Leaguer’ to left center that no one could catch and the faithful went home happy. Potter earns MVP honors.

Game 2 – Washington 2 St. Louis 1

Another great pitching duel. The Browns scored a run in the first off of Johnny Niggeling. Little did they know that that was all they were going to get. Niggeling went the distance allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 5 walks. Washington’s defense which had been porous, committed zero errors. Manager Chisolm complimented the Brownies on their exceptional grounds crew. Niggeling was also the hitting star. After 1 out in the 7th he lined a double to left center. After a ground out moved him to 3rd, Jerry Priddy hit a sharp grounder to 3rd and it looked like the Brownies would escape the inning. Mark Christman’s throw was low and McQuinn could not scoop it. In came Niggeling with the winning run.

Game 3 (1st of 2) Washington 7 St. Louis 1

So ends the close games. Washington exploded for 3 in the 5th and 1 in the 6th off of Sig Jackucki and cruised to an easy win. Dutch Leonard, no not Hubert Benjamin “Dutch” Leonard – this was Emil John “Dutch” Leonard,  was exquisite. He went the distance allowing 1 run on 5 hits with 4 walks. Sound familiar? Sig took the loss, his first, after two fine starts.

Game 4 (2nd of 2) St. Louis 8 Washington 4

It was St. Louis’ turn to win big. Jack Kramer, who has not looked like the ace of the staff yet this season, got the win thanks to 3 homeruns, 2 by Vern Stephens. Vern also had 5 RBIs on the day. George McQuinn had the other homer and stretched his hitting streak to 14. Early Wynn went the distance for Washington and pitched fairly effectively except for the long balls.

Both teams are now 9-7 on the season.

--submitted by Ron Burnette--

Bucs / Brooks split

GAME  1 – Ebbets Field

Strincevich vs Gregg

Dodgers 8, Pirates 1

Hal Gregg cruised to victory as the Brooks gave him ample offensive support.  Luis Olmo was nifty with the bat going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI’s.  Eddie Basinski scored 3 runs from the two hole and September call-up Fats Dantonio was 2 for 3 with an RBI in his season debut.

GAME 2

Sewell vs C. Davis

Dodgers 4, Pirates 1

Curt Davis went the distance allowing 1 run on 7 hits.  Catcher Mike Sandlock and “the Brat”, Eddie Stanky each had two hits, with the latter also knocking in 2 of Brooklyn’s 4 runs.  Dixie Walker hit his first homer of the season in the bottom of the first to start the scoring off.

GAME 3 – DH Game 1

Ostermueller vs Lombardi

Pirates 6, Dodgers 0

The Buc offense finally got on track by scoring  4 quick runs in the top of the first off of tomato can Vic Lombardi (0-4, 3.77).  The dour one, Fritz Ostermueller had an easy 5 hit shutout day on the bump.  Vince DiMaggio had a 2 hit day with an RBI and a run scored as the Bucs took the first game of the twin bill.

GAME 4

Roe vs Branca

Pirates 2, Dodgers 0

Solo runs in the top of the 2^nd and the top of the 7^th were all Preacher Roe needed, as he picked right up with Fritzie left off.  Brooklyn managed just 6 hits and fanned twice in a game with Dodger manager Durocher accused Pittsburgh’s lefty of illegally throwing a spitter.  Lost in the shuffle was the hard luck 3 hit performance of 19 year old Ralph Branca, who just didn’t get any run support as his team was shutout for the second straight day.  Brooklyn actually out hit the Bucs (6-4), but Pittsburgh strung their hits together and took advantage of 6 walks from Branca.

Player Spotlight: Harry Feldman - New York Giants

Feldman, scoring a run while Mel Ott looks (#4) looks on

Due to his bout with TB as a kid, Harry was labled 4F and was kept out of WWII.  From 1942-45 he pitched for the New York Giants and complied a 34-32 record.  In 1945 he was the anchor of New York's pitching staff throwing 217 innings and going 12-13, 3.27.  At the age of 25 he was just about to head into his prime and prove that he could play with the big boys who were returning from the war, but instead he made a huge career error.  Feldman, along with a handful of others, jumped ship to the Mexican league for a bigger pay day.  That bigger pay day would get him blackballed from major league baseball.  Upon his return to the states he wound up only getting a chance in the minors, where he did little to impress anyone.  In two seasons with the PCL San Francisco Seals he went a combined 17-25 with a 4.36 ERA.  At the time the PCL was considered a third major league by many pundits.  At the age of 30 he was out of baseball.  For Feldman, his stint with the Giants was a dream come true since he grew up in the Bronx and was a high school pitching phenom there.  After baseball he ran his own record store in Fort Smith, Alabama.  Sadly, he died of a massive heart attack at the age of 42, while working on his boat in Oklahoma.

Standings after 12 games (3 weeks)

  National           
                     W   L   Pct    GB  L10  Stk
  44 St. Louis N    11    1 .917     -  9-1   L1
  45 New York N      6    6 .500   5.0  5-5   L1
  45 Brooklyn        5    7 .417   6.0  5-5   L1
  44 Cincinnati      5    7 .417   6.0  4-6   W1
  45 Chicago N       5    7 .417   6.0  4-6   W1
  44 Pittsburgh      4    8 .333   7.0  3-7   W1

  American           
                     W   L   Pct    GB  L10  Stk
  43 Washington      7    5 .583     -  5-5   W2
  44 St. Louis A     7    5 .583     -  6-4   L2
  45 Detroit         7    5 .583     -  6-4   W4
  43 New York A      5    7 .417   2.0  5-5   W4
  43 Cleveland       5    7 .417   2.0  4-6   L5
  44 Philadelphia    5    7 .417   2.0  4-6   L4

Cardinals Winning Streak Ended By Cubs

Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Derringer vs Lanier
St. Louis 5   Chicago 4  (12 Innings)
It was seldom used catcher, Ken O'Dea, who came through with a 12th inning single that plated the winning run for the St.Louis Cardinals and extend their season opening winning streak to 9.  Chicago had taken a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the 8th but was unable to protect it as the Redbirds tied the score that would force the extra innings.

Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Wyse vs Brecheen
St. Louis 8  Chicago 2
After a tight fought game for 6 innings the Cardinals broke the game open with 2 runs in the 7th and 3 more in the 8th.  St. Louis scored 2 runs in the 3rd inning to take a 3-2 lead before the Cubs got within one on an RBI single by Andy Pafko to plate Peanuts Lowrey who had tripled a batter before.  Danny Litwhiler's 2 run single gave the Cardinals some insurance runs in the 7th and RBI singles by Stan Musial, Ray Sanders and Whitey Kurowski closed out the scoring and stretched the Cardinals' winning streak to 10 games. Musial went 4 for 5 in the game and scored 3 times.

Sportsman's Park, St. Louis
Prim vs Munger
St. Louis 10  Chicago 3
The final score does not indicate the quality of the game that was played.  St. Louis led the game 3-2 going into the top of the 8th inning when the Cub's Stan Hack led off the inning with a double and scored the tying run one out later on a Bill Nicholson single.  Hy Vandenberg came on in the bottom of the inning and retired the first two batters before disaster struck.  Vandenberg suddenly lost his control and proceeded to give up a triple, single, single, walk, walk, single, walk, walk and single before the manager finally removed him.  The result was a 7 run inning and St. Louis' 11th win in a row.  Danny Litwhiler had a triple and Homerun to lead the Cardinals attack.

Sportsman's Park, St. Louis

Passeau vs Cooper
Chicago 3  St. Louis 2
All good things must come to the end and for the St. Louis Cardinals it was the outstanding pitching performance but Chicago's Claude Passeau.  The righthander kept the high powered Redbirds in check all game allowing only three hits and nearly tossing a complete game.  His only mistake came in the 6th inning when he got behind in the count to Whitey Kurowski who took advantage and singled in the only 2 runs the Cardinals would get.  After getting the first 2 outs in the 9th Passeau appeared to run out of steam as he gave up a single to Marty Marion and a walk to Pepper Martin and was replaced by Paul Erickson to face a tough out in PH'er Walker Cooper who was trying to tie or end the game and get his brother Mort off the hook for the loss.  It wasn't to be as Cooper flied out to left to end the game and end the Cardinals magnificent run of wins at 11 games.

Jints and Redlegs split 4 game set in Coogan's Bluff

Polo Grounds

GAME  1

Walters vs Mungo

Giants 3, Reds 0

Van Mungo (1-1) threw 4 hit shutout ball over 8 innings before giving way to A.Adams, who pitched a scoreless 9^th.  The game was a scoreless tie until the Jints broke the ice with an RBI single from Schemer.  Back to back groundouts by Lombardi and Reyes added 2 insurance runs.

GAME 2

Heusser vs Brewer

Reds 5, Giants 0

Ed Heusser (1-0) threw 145 pitches in this 6 hit gem.  Top of the order stars Mel Ott and Ducky Medwick posted hits to keep their averages at or near the .400 mark.

GAME 3

Shoun vs Voiselle

Giants 5, Reds 2

Adrian Zabala pitched two scoreless innings in relief to keep the Reds from coming back from 3 runs down.  New York fired the opening salvo with a 3 spot in the bottom of the first, only to be answered back by the Reds who tallied 2 in the top of the second.  Top of the order guys Hausmann and Kerr were the catalysts with 2 hits each.

GAME 4

De la Cruz vs Feldman

Reds 13, Giants 3

Cincy scored a ton of runs, 11 off Giant starter Feldman, to ensure the series split here in the Big Apple.  Shortstop Eddie Miller (3-5, 3 RBI) led a potent offensive attack that registered 13 runs on 17 hits.  Everyone but starting pitcher De la Cruz registered a saftety.  Tipton and Mesner each had 3, with the former scoring 3 runs.  Giant centerfield Whitey Lockman injured himself on a diving catch and will be out for at least 2-3 days.  Lockman was 1-1 when he left the game.  His season average stands at a beefy .429.

Nats take 3 of 4 from Brownies

Griffith Stadium

GAME  1

Muncrief vs Carrasquel

Senators 3, Browns 1

Nats broke a 1-1 tie with 2 runs in the bottom of the 5^th, then relied on the right arm of Alex Carrasquel to hold the Brownies at bay.  RBI singles by Mickey Vernon and Jake Powell proved the go ahead runs.

GAME 2

Jackucki vs Pyle

Browns 6, Senators 1

Junior Stevens error was the difference between Sig Jakucki posting a complete game shutout and just a complete game.  That error led to Washington’s lone run in the bottom of the 6^th.  The Brownies got 4 of their 10 hits from Mark Christman.  Chet Laabs knocked in 2 with a 3 for 5 day.

GAME 3

Galehouse vs Wynn

Senators 8, Browns 6

The Nats were down 4-2 after 6 ½ innings of play, then jumped all over Denny Galehouse for 6 unearned runs in the bottom of the 7^th.  A comedy of errors, walks and some timely hitting by George Case and pitcher Wynn put the Nats in the driver’s seat.  The Brownies fought back with 2 in the top of the 9^th off of Mickey Haefner, who eventually shut the door.

GAME 4

Kramer vs Leonard

Senators 9, Browns 2

The Nats took a close game (3-1) and blew it open with 6 runs in their final 2 at bats.  Dutch Leonard went the distance for his second win of the season and gave up just 2 runs on 6 hits.  Catcher Tony Giuliani knocked in 4 with a single and a big bases clearing triple.