End of Series 10

The standings:

Division A

Franklins 15 10 .600 ---
Obamas 13 11 .542 1.5
Teddys 13 11 .542 1.5
Kennedys 12 11 .521 2
Ikes 9 15 .375 4.5

Division B

Homestead 15 8 .652 ---
Crawfords 14 10 .583 1.5
X-Giants 14 11 .560 2
Garfields 8 16 .333 6.5
Hilldale 7 17 .291 8.5

Player of Series 10: George Brett, Kennedys
Pitcher of Series 10: Three Finger Brown, Teddys

Series 11:

Franklins at X-Giants (2)

Teddys at Ikes (3)

Obamas at Kennedys (3)

Garfields at Hilldale (3)

Homestead at Crawfords (3)

Series 10: Teddys, Crawfords split

Teddys 13-11, Crawfords 14-10

Pitcher use: Brewer and TF Brown need three games. Rogan and Waddell need two games. Mathis pitched two innings in finale.

Game One: Crawfords 5, Teddys 4
WP: Rogan (3-2)
LP: Joss (2-1)

Game Two: Teddys 7, Crawfords 1
WP: TF Brown (4-1)
LP: Brewer (1-3)
HR: Lajoie (3)

---

The Crawfords pulled out Game One with some late-inning heroics, but Three-Finger Brown was too dominant in the nightcap for them to repeat the trick.

Rube Waddell was superb through seven innings of the opener, and the Teddys used their running game to build a 3-1 lead. But in the bottom of the eighth, the Crawfords broke through for three runs, the last two coming on a pinch-hit single by Home Run Johnson, to take a 4-3 lead.

The Teddys responded with a leadoff walk and a triple by Home Run Baker, but Bullet Joe Rogan stranded Baker at third to preserve a tie. Addie Joss, in for the ninth, got two quick outs, but Oscar Charleston, John Beckwith and Wild Bill Wright strung together consecutive hits to win it for the Crawfords.

Chet Brewer allowed just three earned runs in the second game, but Brown was better, allowed one run on nine hits.

Honus Wagner stole three bases in the series. Tris Speaker drove in four runs, and Nap Lajoie was 4-for-9 with three RBIs, including the only homer of the two-game set. Wright was 6-for9 with three runs and two RBIs.

Series 10: Homestead, Obamas split

Obamas 13-11, Homestead 15-8

Pitcher use: R. Brown and Plank need three games, D. Brown and Nichols need two. Wickware worked one inning in finale.

Game One: Homestead 7, Obamas 5
WP: D. Brown (4-0)
LP: Nichols (3-2)
Save: Bell (3)
HR: F. Robinson (9), Mantle (8)

Game Two: Obamas 20, Homestead 9
WP: Plank (4-2)
LP: R. Brown (3-3)
HR: J. Gibson (10), Boudreau (1), Schmidt (5)

---

Forty-one runs were scored in the two games, and scarcely a reliever was to be seen.

The Obamas held a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh of the opener, but Homestead erupted for four runs, highlighted by a two-run triple by Mule Suttles.

Dave Brown went eight innings for the win, allowing seven hits and four earned runs.

Teammate Ray Brown also went eight bullpen-saving innings in a disastrous start. He was victimized by three bat-arounds and had four innings of at least four runs allowed.

Among the gaudy stat lines put up by the Obamas: Billy Hamilton went 5-for-6 (two runs, one RBI); Jimmy Foxx 3-for-7 (four runs, three RBI, a triple); Lou Boudreau 3-for-5 (five RBI, two runs, a homer); and Mickey Cochrane 4-for-6 (three runs, four RBIs, a double). Every position player had at least one run and one RBI.

Eddie Plank, staked to a seven-run lead before taking the mound, went the distance. He allowed eight runs over the final three frames, six in the seventh inning alone.

Dobie Moore drove in three runs for Homestead.

Suttles was 5-for-8 in the series with three walks, two triples, five runs and three RBIs -- a good series, but barely a match for what some of the Obamas racked up in just one game.

Series 10: Kennedys sweep Hilldale

Kennedys 12-11, Hilldale 7-17

Pitcher use: Gibson and Byrd need three games, Carlton and Winters need two. Fingers pitched in each game, total of 1.3 innings.

Game One: Kennedys 6, Hilldale 3
WP: Carlton (2-2)
LP: Winters (0-4)
HR: Brett 2 (5), Leonard (3), Stearnes (3), L. Brown (1)

Game Two: Kennedys 7, Hilldale 3
WP: Gibson (5-1)
LP: Byrd (2-4)
Save: Fingers (4)
HR: Brett (6), Bench (7)

--

The Kennedys climbed back over the .500 mark and knocked Hilldale into the cellar of Division B in the process.

Steve Carlton dominated Game One, allowing just two hits in eight innings and retiring 12 of the first 13 men he faced. Rollie Fingers worked the ninth and allowed a pair of solo shots.

George Brett hit a pair of homers, good for four runs. Hank Aaron drove in two more for the Kennedys.

Bob Gibson earned his fifth win in the second game, falling one out shy of a complete game. Brett hit another homer and drove in three more runs. Bill Byrd went the distance for Hilldale; four of the runs off him were unearned.

Brett was 5-for-9 the series with three homers, seven RBIs and four runs scored.

George Brett had a big series for the Kennedys, with three home runs and seven RBIs.

Series 10: X-Giants sweep Ikes

X-Giants 14-11, Ikes 9-15

Pitcher use: Mendez needs four games, Ford and Jones need three games, Roberts needs two games. Bunning and Radcliffe worked 1.6 innings in finale, Newhouser and Lemon one each, Smith .3

Game One: X-Giants 5, Ikes 3

WP: Jones (4-1)

LP: Roberts (0-3)

HR: Banks 2 (9)

Game Two: X-Giants 9, Ikes 7

WP: Mendez (3-0)

LP: Ford (3-3)

S: Smith (6)

HR: Mays 2 (4), Snider (6), T. Williams (4), Dihigo (4)

---

Slim Jones ran his record to 4-0 with a complete game five-hitter in the opener,blemished only by a pair of homer runs by Ernie Banks.

The X-Giants scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to break a scoreless tie. It might have been an even bigger inning, but Willie Mays threw out Ben Taylor trying to score and Ted Williams threw out Pop Lloyd at third on Lloyd's two-run double.

The Ike hammered four homers in the second game to the X-Giants' one, but a six-run outburst chased Whitey Ford in the fifth inning. The Ikes made the game close by scoring three times off Double Duty Radcliffe in the eighth and ninth innings before Hilton Smith came in to get Banks for the final out with a man on.

Bill Monroe had three RBIs in the second game, and Mays drove in three with his two homers.

Series 10: Garfields sweep Franklins

Franklins 15-10, Garfields 8-16

Pitcher use: Keefe and Grove need three games, Vance and Galvin need two games. Rusie pitched two innings in finale.

Game One: Garfields 8, Franklins 3
WP: Radbourne (1-0)
LP: Vance (1-2)

Game Two: Garfields 7, Franklins 6
WP: Keefe (3-3)
LP: Grove (3-4)
Save: Rusie (1)
HR: DiMaggio (4), Gehrig (7)

---

The previously hapless Garfields have now won four of five after stinging the Franklins, who entered the series sporting the league's best record.

Aggressive use of personnel marked the Garfields' opening win. Pud Galvin was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the fourth inning. That situation came to naught, but the Garfields racked up seven runs in the next two frames, with Roger Connor and Sam Thompson each driving home a pair of runs.

Old Hoss Radbourne got the win with three innings of one-run relief.

Tim Keefe and Lefty Grove dueled in the second game, with Grove holding the better of it into the bottom of the sixth. But the Garfields tied the score at three in that frame, then broke through with three runs in the seventh and another in the eighth.

Amos Rusie staggered to a two-inning save, allowing three runs in the ninth.

League leaders

Batting

At-bats: DiMaggio (Franklins) 100; Wagner (Teddys) 99

Runs: DiMaggio (Franklins) 27; Morgan (Kennedys), Scales (Homestead) 25

Hits: Brett (Kennedys) 36; Wright (Crawfords), Wagner (Teddys) 33

RBI: Foxx (Obamas) 24; Ruth (Franklins), Suttles (Homestead) 22

2B: Lajoie (Teddys), Speaker (Teddys), 11

3B: DiMaggio (Franklins), Musial (Ikes) 7

HR: Ruth (Franklins) 13; J. Gibson (Homestead) 9

SB: Wagner (Teddys) 4; Collins (Teddys) 3

BB: Ruth (Franklins) 27; Speaker (Teddys) 17

Batting average (66 AB): Gibson (Homestead) .416; Hamilton (Obamas) .403

Pitching

Innings: Hubbell (Franklins) 52.3; Paige (Homestead) 49.3

Hits allowed: Alexander (Teddys) 56; Young (Garfields) 55

Runs: W. Johnson (Obamas) 40; R. Brown (Homestead) 37

Earned Runs: W. Johnson (Obamas) 40; R. Brown (Homestead) 35

Bases on balls: Ryan (Obamas) 25, Brewer (Crawfords) 24

Strikeouts: Ryan (Obamas) 48; Hubbell (Franklins) 42

Wins: Hubbell (Franklins) 5; B. Gibson (Kennedys) 4

Losses: Alexander (Teddys), Young (Garfields), S.J. Williams (Hilldale), Dihigo (X-Giants) 4

Saves: Wilhelm (Ikes), Smith (X-Giants) 5

ERA (22 IP): Donaldson (X-Giants) 2.23; S. Jones (X-Giants) 2.25

Stat update: Kennedys

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA
Aaron 83 18 25 15 6 1 6 0 10 .301
Aparicio 21 4 3 1 0 0 0 1 3 .143
Bench 66 15 22 11 5 0 6 0 5 .333
Brett 92 16 36 20 6 2 3 0 6 .391
Fisk 20 3 4 3 1 0 1 0 4 .150
R Jackson 62 11 17 13 3 2 1 0 12 .274
Killebrew 24 3 6 3 1 0 0 0 6 .250
McCovey 57 6 13 16 0 0 3 0 7 .228
Morgan 86 25 26 12 4 0 3 1 16 .302
Rose 39 6 10 2 2 0 0 0 3 .256
Yastrzemski 58 10 15 15 1 0 3 0 12 .259
Yount 86 12 29 11 5 1 2 0 3 .337

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA
Carlton 38 44 26 26 17 22 1 2 0 6.16
Drysdale 9.6 10 6 5 0 8 1 1 1 4.65
Fingers 5 7 3 3 0 1 0 1 3 5.40
Gibson 39 45 22 22 16 23 4 1 0 5.08
Koufax 10.3 18 13 11 5 8 1 1 0 9.58
Marichal 28.6 47 36 33 13 16 1 3 0 10.36
Niekro 16.3 11 6 6 7 6 0 0 0 3.31
Seaver 45 43 31 29 15 29 2 2 0 5.08

Stat update: Homestead

Hitting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA

W. Brown 82 11 24 12 7 1 7 0 8 .293

Cannady 8 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .125

Gibson 77 23 32 16 7 1 9 0 10 .416

H Johnson 54 7 20 8 1 0 2 0 2 .370

Lyons 6 2 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 .333

McNair 11 2 5 5 0 1 1 0 2 .455

Moore 84 5 19 7 2 1 1 0 2 .226

Scales 81 25 29 14 4 2 8 0 11 .358

C Smith 88 20 28 15 9 0 7 0 10 .318

Suttles 83 13 27 22 4 2 5 0 8 .325

Wilson 74 14 29 14 4 1 3 0 9 .392

Young 24 1 3 3 0 0 0 0 2 .125

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA

Bell 8 10 7 7 2 3 1 0 2 7.88

D Brown 34.3 38 18 18 14 14 3 0 0 4.72

R Brown 35.6 64 37 35 15 12 3 2 0 8.83

Manning 39 40 14 14 9 22 2 2 0 3.23

Matlock 6.6 8 4 1 2 2 1 2 2 1.35

Paige 49.3 53 25 23 11 33 3 1 0 4.20

Salmon 6.3 4 0 0 1 4 1 0 1 0.00

Wickware 9.6 21 18 18 11 3 0 0 0 16.75

Stat update: Obamas

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA

Boudreau 80 8 19 1 8 1 0 0 10 .238

Cochrane 62 4 12 4 1 0 1 0 6 .193

Foxx 78 19 23 24 2 0 7 0 16 .295

Gehringer 91 16 29 7 2 1 1 0 5 .319

Hamilton 67 20 27 4 1 1 2 1 12 .403

Kelley 29 3 8 3 1 0 0 0 3 .276

Lazzeri 7 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .286

Lombardi 26 7 11 11 1 0 5 0 2 .423

Mantle 79 12 18 20 3 0 7 0 11 .228

F Robinson 93 14 19 26 1 2 8 1 2 .204

J Robinson 10 6 3 1 0 1 1 0 3 .300

Schmidt 86 12 20 11 3 0 4 1 11 .233

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA

Chesbro 10 5 3 3 3 2 0 0 0 1.29

Gomez 6.3 13 7 7 2 6 0 2 1 9.95

W Johnson 45 47 40 40 16 23 3 2 0 8.00

Nichols 37 42 17 17 9 14 3 1 0 4.14

Plank 39 44 22 22 15 25 3 2 0 5.08

Ryan 45 37 17 15 25 48 2 1 0 3.00

Walsh 7 12 6 6 3 5 0 1 3 7.71

Willis 4 4 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 2.25

Stat update: Franklins

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA
Cronin 38 6 8 5 2 0 3 0 8 .211
Dickey 60 7 17 11 5 0 2 0 5 .283
DiMaggio 100 27 18 7 7 3 3 0 10 .270
Frisch 36 5 10 3 0 1 1 1 3 .278
Gehrig 91 17 26 21 6 2 6 0 10 .286
Hartnett 29 6 10 8 4 0 2 0 4 .345
Hornsby 92 17 31 20 5 3 2 0 8 .337
Ott 87 14 22 10 2 0 5 1 10 .253
Ruth 71 30 24 22 5 0 13 0 27 .338
Traynor 54 4 8 1 0 2 0 0 3 .148
Vaughn 45 5 5 6 2 0 1 0 10 .111
Waner 21 4 7 2 0 0 1 0 1 .333

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA
Covaleski 9 10 6 6 6 2 1 0 0 6.00
Dean 7.6 3 0 0 3 5 1 0 3 0.00
Feller 40 41 29 23 20 35 2 1 0 5.18

Grove 44.3 38 24 24 19 36 3 3 0 4.87

Hoyt 14 11 6 6 6 5 2 0 1 3.86

Hubbell 52.3 47 18 18 11 42 5 0 0 3.10

Pennock 6.6 16 16 16 12 0 0 2 0 21.59

Vance 33.3 44 23 23 12 34 1 2 0 6.21

Stat update: Teddys

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA
Baker 86 10 26 14 4 1 1 1 7 .302
Bresnahan 54 4 16 7 3 0 0 0 2 .296
Cobb 98 16 30 10 4 3 1 2 8 .306
Collins 90 19 31 3 4 0 1 3 12 .344
Crawford 90 8 25 13 5 3 0 1 5 .278
SJ Jackson 13 3 5 3 1 1 0 0 1 .385
Lajoie 92 16 32 22 11 3 2 0 1 .348
Schalk 27 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 3 .111
Sisler 13 2 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 .385
Speaker 80 19 28 13 11 0 1 0 17 .350
Wagner 99 18 33 11 8 3 0 4 2 .333
Wallace 6 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .167

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA
Alexander 44 56 30 29 16 19 2 4 0 5.93

Bender 5.3 7 1 1 2 2 1 0 3 1.96
Brown 42 29 14 12 13 26 3 1 0 2.57
Joss 11.6 14 3 3 2 8 2 0 0 2.31
Mathewson 36 51 33 29 17 16 1 3 0 7.25

McGinnity 14 18 8 8 8 6 0 0 0 5.14

Rixey 7.3 0 0 0 3 5 1 0 2 0.00

Waddell 33.6 29 18 17 15 23 1 2 0 4.54

Stat update: Ikes

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA

Banks 92 14 20 13 4 1 7 0 3 .217

Berra 50 4 12 7 3 0 2 0 3 .240

Campanella 38 3 8 5 2 0 1 0 2 .211

Doerr 44 3 9 0 1 0 0 0 0 .205

Kaline 36 3 10 3 3 0 0 1 5 .278

Mathews 79 9 21 11 3 2 4 0 11 .266

Mays 91 10 17 10 7 1 2 1 9 .187

Musial 91 16 31 18 3 7 5 0 9 .341

Schoendienst 42 3 8 5 2 1 1 0 1 .190

Slaughter 23 5 10 1 3 0 0 0 2 .435

Snider 59 9 11 10 0 1 5 0 2 .186

T Williams 77 12 23 8 5 1 3 0 16 .299

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA

Bunning 10.3 6 2 2 3 10 3 0 0 1.75

Ford 41.3 33 15 15 19 21 3 2 0 3.27

Lemon 15 16 8 8 3 4 0 1 0 4.80

Newhouser 6.6 13 13 11 11 4 0 1 0 14.84

Roberts 33 35 24 18 12 12 0 2 0 4.91

Spahn 47 47 22 21 17 15 2 3 0 4.02

Wilhelm 6.3 4 2 2 1 3 0 0 5 2.84

Wynn 38.3 35 29 18 17 20 1 4 0 4.23

Stat update: Hilldale

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA

Allen 85 5 20 6 1 1 0 1 5 .235

Bankhead 19 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 .105

L Brown 29 4 8 2 0 0 0 0 7 .276

Carr 16 1 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 .188

Gardner 5 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 2 .400

J Johnson 87 7 14 7 1 2 0 1 5 .161

Leonard 82 10 20 21 6 1 2 0 16 .244

Poles 87 10 20 6 1 3 0 2 7 .230

Stearnes 86 13 22 8 7 0 2 0 10 .256

Torriente 75 14 28 6 7 2 0 0 6 .373

Trouppe 52 4 11 3 2 1 0 1 10 .212

Wells 90 13 28 15 3 1 4 0 5 .311

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA

Byrd 40 50 32 28 13 13 2 3 0 6.30

Cooper 5 3 0 0 3 1 0 0 3 0.00

Dismukes 15.6 13 10 10 8 2 1 3 0 5.74

Hensley 10 10 8 8 3 1 0 0 0 7.20

Powell 11 17 11 11 5 4 0 1 0 9.00

Redding 37 41 32 31 22 21 1 3 0 7.54

SJ Williams 43 39 21 20 18 23 2 4 0 4.19

Winters 31.3 34 19 19 15 12 0 3 0 5.46

Stat update: X-Giants

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA
Baro 9 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 .444
Bell 101 12 25 9 6 0 1 1 4 .248
DeMoss 28 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .036
Dihigo* 51 10 13 10 1 0 3 0 1 .255
Dixon 84 21 31 18 6 4 3 0 11 .369
Donaldson* 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Hill 84 11 17 8 1 0 1 1 10 .202
Lloyd 96 13 24 3 6 1 0 0 5 .250
Mackey 64 4 17 11 1 1 2 0 6 .266
Monroe 88 9 20 14 2 1 2 1 2 .227
Petway 24 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 .083
Radcliffe* 11 3 4 6 1 0 1 0 0 .364
B Taylor 87 11 31 11 3 0 0 1 5 .356
CJ Taylor 9 1 3 2 1 0 0 0 1 .333

*excludes plate appearance while in game as pitcher

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA
Dihigo 43.6 41 15 15 9 15 2 4 0 3.09
Donaldson 40.3 33 14 10 11 20 2 2 0 2.23
R Foster 27 46 28 28 17 14 1 2 0 9.33
Jones 32 20 8 8 8 31 3 1 0 2.25
McDonald 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.00

Mendez 30.6 29 9 8 4 14 2 0 0 2.35
Radcliffe 18 22 10 6 3 2 1 0 0 3.00
Smith 5 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 5 0.00
T Williams 6 4 1 1 2 6 0 0 0 1.50

Stat update: Crawfords

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA
Beckwith 82 19 28 16 5 1 3 1 6 .341
Charleston 94 17 26 17 6 1 5 2 9 .277
Dandridge 88 4 21 9 1 0 0 0 1 .239
Duncan 31 6 7 7 0 1 0 0 1 .226
Hughes 76 10 23 12 5 0 1 0 8 .303
Jenkins 11 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091
HR Johnson 25 4 7 3 1 0 1 0 1 .280
Lundy 61 8 17 5 2 1 2 0 7 .279
Oms 86 16 20 4 3 1 1 1 7 .233
Rogan* 11 2 4 2 0 1 0 0 0 .364
Santop 53 2 14 6 4 1 0 0 1 .264
Warfield 14 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143
Wright 92 15 33 23 3 1 5 0 4 .359

*excludes plate appearances while in game as pitcher

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA
Brewer 39 41 25 25 24 11 1 2 0 5.77

Davis 13 7 1 1 4 2 2 0 1 0.69

Day 25 26 12 10 11 13 2 2 1 3.60
B Foster 44 43 27 25 14 21 3 2 0 5.11
Mathis 8 18 11 10 4 5 0 1 0 11.50
Rogan 25.6 29 14 14 11 17 2 2 0 4.91
Streeter 7.3 8 3 3 3 1 1 0 2 3.68
Trent 37.6 42 19 14 11 11 2 1 0 3.34

Stat update: Garfields

Batting

Name AB R H RBI 2B 3B HR SB BB BA

Anson 38 2 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 .211

Burkett 49 11 23 9 2 1 1 3 6 .469

JCollins 58 7 15 3 0 0 1 0 3 .259

Connor 54 5 8 5 1 0 0 0 3 .148

Davis 51 6 11 4 4 0 1 1 2 .216

Delahanty 87 10 27 10 4 2 1 0 6 .310

Duffy 49 9 13 1 3 0 0 1 3 .265

Ewing 55 1 9 3 0 0 0 1 2 .164

Jennings 58 6 12 6 1 0 1 1 8 .207

Kelly 57 3 14 6 5 0 1 1 3 .246

Thompson 79 12 29 11 2 2 2 0 4 .367

Ward 73 8 22 9 0 0 0 2 4 .301

Pitching

Name IP H R ER BB SO W L S ERA

Clarkson 9 14 7 5 2 2 0 2 1 5.00

Galvin 37 34 16 16 12 12 1 3 0 3.89

Keefe 40 48 22 22 8 24 2 3 0 4.95

Radbourne 7 9 3 3 3 3 0 0 1 3.86

Rusie 4 1 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 0.00

Spalding 4.6 3 3 2 2 0 0 2 0 3.85

Welch 45 49 22 20 19 20 2 2 0 4.00

Young 47 55 22 22 7 18 1 4 0 4.21

End of Series 9

Halfway though the season ....

The standings

Division A

Franklins 15 8 .652 --
Obamas 12 10 .545 2.5
Teddys 12 10 .545 2.5
Kennedys 10 11 .476 4
Ikes 9 13 .409 4.5

Division B

Homestead 14 7 .667 --
Crawfords 13 9 .590 1.5
X-Giants 12 11 .522 3
Hilldale 7 15 .318 7.5
Garfields 6 16 .272 8,5

Player/pitcher of series 9; Martin Dihigo of the X-Giants

Series 10:

Franklins at Garfields(2)

Ikes at X-Giants (2)

Kennedys at Hilldale (2)

Obamas at Homestead (2)

Teddys at Crawfords (2)

Series 9: Homestead sweeps Kennedys

Kennedys 10-11, Homestead 14-7

Pitcher use: Manning and Marichal need two games, Paige and Seaver need three, Drysdale needs one.

Game One: Homestead 11, Kennedys 3
WP: Manning (2-2)
LP: Marichal (1-3)
HR: Morgan (1), Scales (6), Moore (1), Wilson (2), Suttles (5) C. Smith (6)

Game Two: Homestead 17, Kennedys 9
WP: Paige (3-1)
LP: Seaver (2-2)
HR:R. Jackson (1), Brett (3), Bench 2 (6), Aaron (7), Scales 2 (8), C. Smith (7), Wilson (3), Suttles (6), W. Brown (7)

---

The combination of tiny Stars park and the powerful Homestead lineup resulted in some embarrassing pitching lines for the Kennedys.

Homestead scored 28 runs in the two games, pounding out 11 home runs and 29 hits.

The first game was tied at three entering the bottom of the fifth, but then Jud Wilson hit a grand slam off Juan Marichal. Four batters later, Dobie Moore hit a three-run bomb. Max Manning allowed just three baserunners the rest of the way for Homestead.

The second game was a flat-out slugfest, although Satchel Paige managed to get an ugly complete-game victory (9 innings, 13 hits, 9 runs -- all earned -- one walk and seven strikeouts). He allowed three homers in the first inning alone, five total for the game.

But Tom Seaver was even more battered -- 11 runs, 10 earned without retiring a man in the sixth inning. Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax weren't any better.

Tubby Scales was 6-for-11 for the series with three homers, six RBIs and six runs. Jud Wilson had 8 RBIs.

Series 9: Franklins take two of three from Ikes

Franklins 15-8; Ikes 9-13

Pitcher use: Wynn and Feller need three games; Hubbell and Spahn need two games; Ford and Grove need one game. Covaleski pitched one inning in finale, Newhouser and Wilhelm less than one.

Game One: Franklins 3, Ikes 2

WP: Grove (3-3)

LP: Ford (3-2)

Save: Dean (3)

HR: Mathews (4)

Game Two: Franklins 7, Ikes 2

WP: Hubbell (5-0)

LP: Spahn (2-3)

HR: Ruth 2 (13), Ott (2)

Game Three: Ikes 13, Franklins 12

WP: Wynn (1-4)

LP: Feller (2-1)

Save: Wilhelm (5)

HR: Ott (3), Hornsby (2), Gehrig (6), Dickey (2), Banks 2 (7), Snider (5), Wynn (1), Williams (3), Mays 2 (2)

---

The Franklins ran their winning streak to nine before losing a Home Run Derby of a finale (11 dingers)— but the streak ended hard, as the Franklins scored six times in the top of the ninth before falling a run short.

The first game was a taut pitchers duel, with Lefty Grove outlasting Whitey Ford. Eddie Mathews put the Ikes up 2-0 with a homer in the fourth, but the Franklins scored on sac flies in the fifth and sixth to knot it up. A two-single in the ninth by Paul Waner, making his first start of the season, put the Franklins up for the first time, and Dizzy Dean survived a leadoff hit and and an error to put the Ikes away.

The top of the order powered the Franklins in the second game. Babe Ruth homered twice, doubled and drew two walks; he scored three runs and drove in three. Joe DiMaggio and Mel Ott also scored twice. Carl Hubbell got three double plays and went the distance for his fifth win.

Gme Thre was a slugfest. Early Wynn picked up the win by minimizing the damage for eight innings; the Franklins scored in six of the innings, but never more than one. Bob Feller allowed no earned runs through the first five innings, but he did give up a three-run homer to Duke Snide after a Pie Traynor error, and he allowed four more homers in the sixth and seventh innings.

Stan Covaleski allowed another four runs in the eighth, with put the Ikes up 13-6. But Hal Newhouser walked six and allowed three hits; he left with the bases loaded, six runs in and two outs. Bill Dickey, who had homered earlier in the inning, popped up to end it.

Wynn and Newhouser walked 12 men. Ernie baks was 4-for-4 with two homers and a double, three runs and two RBIS; Willie Mays drove home four with his two homers (his first two of season), and Ted Williams had a three-run shot off Covaleski. Lou Gehrig and Dickey had three RBIs each for the Ikes.

For the series, Banks was 7-for-12; Ruth was 3-for-6 with seven walks and six runs scored.

Series 9: X-Giants take two of three from Hilldale

X-Giants 12-11, Hilldale 7-15

Pitcher use: Dihigo needs four games; Donaldson and SJ Williams need three games; Redding and R. Foster need two games; Hensley and Byrd need one game.

Game One: Hilldale 9, X-Giants 1
WP: Byrd (2-3)
LP: R. Foster (1-2)
HR: Dihigo (2)

Game Two: X-Giants 6, Hilldale 1
WP: Donaldson (2-2)
LP: Redding (1-3)
HR: Dihigo (3), Stearnes (2)

Game Three: X-Giants 8, Hilldale 0
WP: Dihigo (2-4)
LP: SJ Williams (2-4)
HR: Mackey 2 (2), Dixon (3)

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Three one-side games featured three complete game victories and three contenders for pitcher of the series honors.

Bill Byrd tossed a six-hitter for Hilldale in the opener, allowing one earned run (on a Martin Dihigo homer). Rube Foster was torched for seven runs in the fourth inning and nine all told. The biggest blows were a pair of two-run doubles from Turkey Stearnes and Judy Johnson.

Cannonball Redding wasn't awful in the second game, but he was not match for John Donaldson. Redding. Two of the six runs Redding allowed were unearned. But Donaldson was brilliant, allowing just three hits (one a Stearnes homer), walking one and fanning five. Dihigo had three RBIs for the X-Giants, two on his second homer of the series.

Dihigo didn't go deep in the finale at the plate, but he pitched a nine-hit shutout -- and went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a walk. Biz Mackey hit a pair of homers, a triple and a single in five at-bats, driving in four runs.

Smokey Joe Williams matched Dihigo shutout frame for shutout frame through five innings, but Mackey homered in the sixth, Rap Dixon hit a three-run shot in the four-run seventh and Mackey abused reliever Eggie Hensley with a three-run bomb in the ninth to turn it into a rout.

Mackey was 6-for-12 in the series with two homers, a triple, three runs and five RBIs.

Series 9: Garfields take two of three from Crawfords

Crawfords 13-9, Garfields 6-16

Pitcher use: Trent and Welch need three games, Young and Foster need two games, Keef and Brewer need one game. Clarkson pitched one inning in finale.

Game One: Garfields 6, Crawfords 3
WP: Keefe (2-3)
LP: Day (2-2)
HR: Thompson (1), Burkett (1)

Game Two: Crawfords 7, Garfields 6
WP: R. Davis (2-0)
LP: Spalding (0-2)
Save: Day (1)

Game Three: Garfields 3, Crawfords 2
WP: Welch (2-2)
LP: Trent (2-1)
Save: Clarkson (1)

---

The Garfields not only broke their second long losing streak of the season, they nearly swept the series with the first-place Crawfords.

The first game was a well-pitched duel between Tim Keefe and Chet Brewer. The Garfields jumped out to an early lead on a homer by Sam Thompson and a squeeze bunt by John Ward in the second inning, but the Crawfords bounced back with three runs in the top of the third.

Keefe stiffened after that, allowing just four safeties the rest of the way. A Thompson triple and George Davis fly ball tied the game in the sixth.

The game turned in the ninth. Jesse Burkett misplayed Louis Santop's single leading off the top of the frame, allowing the big catcher to go to third. But Keefe fanned Dick Lundy, got Ray Dandridge to ground out harmlessly to second, then struck out pinch-hitter Fats Jenkins. Leon Day relieved, and the Crawfords' bullpen woes continued --with one out, Ward and pinch hitter Jimmy Collins each walked, and Burkett hit his first homer of the season.

If that was a heartbreaker for the Crawfords, the second game was for the Garfields. Cy Young held a 6-2 lead into the ninth inning, but the first six men reached for the Crawfords (three off Young, three off Al Spalding). Day held on to the one-run lead, cementing a solid four-inning, no-runs effort by the beleaguered bullpen.

That was the limit of the good news for the Crawfords, as Mickey Welch outdueled Ted Trent in the finale. Welch got 14 groundball outs in eight innings of work and survived another single-error misplay by Burkett.

For the series, Thompson was 9-for-13 with a home run, two triples, three RBI and five runs scored.

Series 9: Teddys sweep Obamas

Obamas 12-10, Teddys 12-10

Pitcher use: Ryan and Mathewson need three games; W. Johnson and Alexander need two games' Chesbro, Brown and Plank need one game. Gomez, McGinnity and Bender each pitched two innings in finale.

Game One: Teddys 5, Obamas 4
WP: Brown (3-1)
LP: Plank (3-2)
HR: Foxx (7), J. Robinson (1)

Game Two: Teddys 10, Obamas 8
WP: Alexander (2-4)
LP: W. Johnson (3-2)
Save: Rixey (2)
HR: Gehringer (1), F. Robinson (8)

Game Three: Teddys 4, Obamas 3 (11 innings)
WP: Bender (1-0)
LP: Willis (0-1)
HR: Mantle (7)

---

Same teams, different parks, different results.

The Teddys roughed up Eddie Plank in the seventh and eighth innings of the opener. The lefty had allowed just three harmless hits through six innings, but the Teddys racked up eight hits in the final two frames. Sam Crawford had a double and a triple with two runs and two RBIs.

Three Finger Brown also went the distance despite late struggles; he allowed solo homers in the eighth and ninth.

The Teddys got going early against Walter Johnson, scoring in all five innings the Big Train worked for a total of 10 runs on 17 hits. The Obamas made a game of it by putting up a five-spot on Pete Alexander in the sixth, and ultimately forced the Teddys to bring Eppa Rixey in to get the last out.

Eddie Collins went 4-for-5 with three runs and two doubles. Honus Wagner and Nap Lajoie each had three RBIs.

Game three was the first computer-driven game of the league, and it didn't go without glitches. In my opinion, the computer manager, which handled the visiting Obamas, messed up the ninth inning.

Problem One: In the top of the ninth, with the Obamas leading 3-1, the CM opted to pinch-hit Joe Kelley for Nolan Ryan. I would have stuck with Ryan, but it's a marginal call, and had I hit for Ryan, I would have used Kelley -- then used Kelley in left as a defensive upgrade for Billy Hamilton.

Instead, the CM wasted Kelley's glove. Worse (Problem Two), it brought in Jack Chesbro to open the ninth. Colby Jack, by my rules, wasn't eligible to pitch in this one, having worked three innings in the previous game. Anyway, Ed Walsh is the assigned closer.

But Chesbro was announced, and I couldn't override that selection. He allowed a single to Home Run Baker, then walked Roger Breshanan. This brought up Shoeless Joe Jackson, who has stayed in after pinch-hitting for Christy Mathewson in the sixth. At this point, (Problem Three) the CM brought in Plank.

Again, I couldn't override this selection. But I couldn't allow Plank to pitch, either. I re-ran the Jackson AB until it resulted in a reading on the hitter's card, then brought in Lefty Gomez. The resulting single will be charged to Gomez on my stat sheets. The CM stuck with Gomez for the blown save. Gomez pitched a scoreless 10th, then gave way to Vic Willis, who allowed single, single, ground out, wild pitch to take the loss in the 11th.

I have yet to figure out how to post the box score and game report to this blog. It's giving me an error reading, and I don't know why. It is my intent to run this league in larger form (162 game seasons) on the computer, but that won't come until this manual league is complete.

I suspect the Chesbro and Plank issues are related to this being, as far as CM knows, an exhibition game. The Kelley-Hamilton issue is debatable managerial stuff. I will not let the CM run the next game I experiment with, at least if it involves a contender.

End of Series 8

The standings:

Division A

Franklins 13 7 .650 --

Obamas 12 7 .632 .5

Kennedys 10 9 .536 2.5

Teddys 9 10 .474 3.5

Ikes 8 11 .421 4.5

Division B

Homestead 12 7 .632 --

Crawfords 12 7 .632 --

X-Giants 10 10 .500 2.5

Hilldale 6 13 .316 6

Garfields 4 15 .211 8

Hitter of the series: Stan Musial of the Ikes

Pitchers of the series: Bill Foster of the Crawfords, Bob Lemon of the Ikes

Series 9:

Kennedys at Homestead (2)

Crawfords at Garfields (3)

X Giants at Hilldale (3)

Obamas at Teddys (3)

Franklins at Ikes (3)

Series 8: Obamas take two of three from Teddys

Obamas 12-7, Teddys 9-10

Pitcher use: Nichols and Waddell need three games, Ryan and Matthewson need two games, Johnson and Alexander need one game. Walsh and McGinnity pitched one inning in finale, Joss two.

Game One: Obamas 3, Teddys 2
WP: W. Johnson (3-1)
LP: Alexander (1-4)

Game Two: Teddys 7, Obamas 5
WP: Matthewson (1-3)
LP: Gomez (0-2)
Save: Bender (3)
HR: Foxx 2 (6)

Game Three: Obamas 6, Teddys 4
WP: Nichols (3-1)
LP: Waddell (1-2)
Save: Walsh (3)
HR: Mantle (6), Lombardi (5)

---

The opening game of this series was marked by the unusual and the dramatic.

Down 2-1 in the fourth inning, the Teddys got Honus Wagner aboard on an error by Charlie Gehringer. Tris Speaker drew a walk. But Nap Lajoie killed the rally by hitting into a triple play, the first triplet-killing of the season.

With the score 3-2 in the ninth, Wagner led off with a triple against Walter Johnson. He tried to score on Speaker's short fly to center, only to be cut down by Mickey Mantle. Lajoie then clouted a triple of his own, but the Big Train fanned Sam Crawford to end the game.

Johnson allowed seven hits and one walk while fanning five for the complete game win, while Pete Alexander struggled in the first two innings, allowing two runs and stranding another five runners in those frames, but settled for a strong eight innings -- eight hits, two earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts.

The Teddys tried to run away with game two, literally. They stole three bases in the first inning against the battery of Nolan Ryan and Mickey Cochrane and added two more in the second. More important, they scored five runs.

But Ryan settled in for five shutout innings after that. Cochrane threw out Eddie Collins on a sixth steal attempt, and Ryan picked off Home Run Baker.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Foxx cranked a two-run homer in the sixth off Christy Matthewson and added a three-run bomb in the seventh to tie the score. But that was a good as it got for the Obamas, as Lefty Gomez allowed single runs in the eighth and ninth.

Game three went to the Obamas on the strength of a five-run third highlighted by Ernie Lombardi's grand slam off Rube Waddell. Kid Nichols shut out the Teddys through six innings but needed help from Ed Walsh, who finally ended things by getting Wagner to ground into his third 6-4-3 DP of the game.

Cobb was 5-for-11 in the series with two doubles, two steals, three runs and two RBIs. Lajoie was 4-for-12 with a pair of triples.

Series 8: Homestead sweeps Kennedys

Kennedys 10-9, Homestead 12-7

Pitcher use: B. Gibson, R. Brown need 3 games; Carlton needs two games; Bell and Wickware need one. Niekro worked two innings in finale; Koufax 2.6 in the two games; Salmon pitched 1.3 in the two games.

Game 1: Homestead 10, Kennedys 9 (11 innings)
WP: W Bell (1-0)
LP: Fingers (0-1)
HR: Aaron (6), Bench (3), Brett (2)

Game 2: Homestead 9, Kennedys 8
WP: R. Brown (3-2)
LP: B Gibson (4-1)
HR: W. Brown (6), Bench (4)
Save: Salmon (1)

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A slugfest series went Homestead's way, as the team designer intended.

The Kennedys jumped out to a big lead early in the first game. George Brett and Hank Aaron hit three-run homers in the first two innings, and the Kennedys held an 8-1 lead into the sixth inning. It didn't help Homestead that star slugger Josh Gibson was sidelined in the first inning when hit by a Steve Carlton pitch.

Homestead put up three runs in the sixth, then knocked Carlton out of the box in the eighth. Sand Koufax came on with one out, two on and an 8-5 lead. He induced Chino smith to hit a fly ball to right, but Aaron muffed it. One out later, pinch-hitter Hurley McNair tripled; Mule Suttles singled; and Homestead led 9-8.

That lead lasted only one batter into the bottom of the eighth, when Johnny Bench greeted William Bell with a homer. The two teams matched zeros in the ninth and tenth before Homestead punched a run in off Rollie Fingers and a weary Bell pitched around a leadoff single in the 11th.

Each team used a pitcher to pinch run, and Homestead even had Ray Brown pinch hit.

Bob Gibson had a miserable time in the second game, yielding nine runs and 15 hits in six innings. Ray Brown, staked to an early lead, absorbed a pounding in the last three innings (six runs in 2.6 IP) before finally giving way to Harry Salmon, who retired Bench with two on to end it.

Tubby Scales was 5-for-9 with three walks in the two game series with five runs scored. Brett was also 5-for-9 with five RBI. Bench has now homered in three straight games.

Series 8: Franklins sweep Ikes

Franklins 13-7, Ikes 8-11

Pitcher use: Lemon, Vance need three games; Wynn, Hoyt and Feller need two games; Newhouser, Hubbell and Spahn need one game. Roberts pitched one inning in finale, Wilhelm two.

Game 1: Franklins 5, Ikes 4
WP: Hubbell (4-0)
LP: Spahn (2-2)
HR: Hartnett (2)

Game 2: Franklins 8, Ikes 5
WP: Feller (2-0)
LP: Wynn (0-4)
Save: Hoyt (1)
HR: Musial (1), Gehrig (5),Berra (2)

Game 3: Franklins 5, Ikes 4 (12 innings)
WP: Hoyt (2-0)
LP: Newhouser (0-1)
HR: Musial 2 (3), Ruth (11), Hornsby (1)

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A close series on the scoreboard turned into a rout in the standings.

Carl Hubbell yielded three runs in the first inning but only one thereafter in the opener for the Franklins. Warren Spahn had a disastrous third inning: Three triples, a homer and a pair of walks added up to five runs.

Lou Gerhig's three-bagger came with the bases loaded and was followed by Gabby Hartnett's homer. Stan Musial hit a pair of triples himself for the Ikes.

The second game turned on a crucial error by Eddie Mathews in the third. That loaded the bases and kept the inning alive for Gehrig's grand slam. The Ikes got two-run homers from Musial and Yogi Berra, but the Franklins tacked on three more runs in the seventh and eighth, including a fifth unearned run.

Bob Feller fanned eight in seven innings of work.

Bob Lemon turned in eight innings of scoreless relief in the third game after Robin Roberts injured himself in the first inning. Combined with two innings in the first game, that gave Lemon 10 scoreless innings in the series -- impressive enough against the Franklins' imposing lineup, but especially so considering he entered with a 10.28 ERA. He left with a 4.24 ERA.

Musial hit a game-tying homer in the eighth and a go-ahead two-run shot in the 10th, but Hoyt Wilhelm blew a save for the first time, giving up back-to-back homers to Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby to open the bottom of 10th.

Dazzy Vance fanned 10 in 9.3 innings. Waite Hoyt wriggled out of a 12th inning jam to set up the winning rally off Hal Newhouser.

For the series, Musial was 7-for-14 with three homers and two triples, five runs and six RBIs. Gehrig was just 2-for-13 but drove home seven runs.