MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Just read the last couple of pages since I had fallen behind on this thread and great stuff as always. Man, can the Braves season get anymore snakebitten hopefully they can rebound next season and get back to the series. I'm rooting for the Blues to take it this year.

Thanks, Romy. It's been frustrating to watch the Braves' quest for a three-peat get railroaded by so many injuries. Considering that they've done really well to be where they are but I'm hoping that the next few seasons bring us an enthralling Cubs-Braves rivalry in the NL.

I'm also hoping the Blues win the pennant. Don't know why but I have this feeling that if they make it to the series Colavito will stay but if they don't he leave. I don't think the game accounts for that type of thing but we'll see how it turns out.

Just to let you all know, I'll be creating the fictional community players that will debut in 1960 this weekend.

[Jeff1787]

The American League race is gunna be fun to watch!!

[kenyan_cheena]

The New York Age

MONDAY, 30 AUGUST, 1959

DODGERS LOSE 85TH GAME:
ALSTON GONE?

Story by Louis Greenberg

The Brooklyn Dodgers lost their 85th game of the season yesterday, going down 7-5 to the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. As a result it's now impossible for them to reach the seventy wins that owner Walter O'Malley demanded of the team in order for its field manager Walter Alston to keep his job beyond this season. O'Malley has not made mention of the issue since delivering the ultimatum to Alston during the All-Star break and in the eyes of many he never really believed the team had a chance of reaching the outlandish target. The Dodgers were 28-58 at the break and have gone 15-27 since and are heading towards what would be just the third 100-loss season in the franchise's 76-year history.

The Dodgers almost pulled off an admirable victory yesterday, fighting back from an early 4-0 deficit to tie the scores at 5-5 in the top of the 7th. But in the final analysis they shot themselves in the foot, committing four errors that led to three unearned runs for the Cardinals. Centrefielder Duke Snider's 3-for-5 effort went for nothing, as did a solid outing from starter Don Drysdale (six hits, three earned runs and six strikeouts in six innings).

As yet O'Malley has not replied to or even acknowledged the offer made by a trio of local businessmen last week to purchase the Dodgers from him, the owner having been silent for the last couple of weeks on all fronts. It appears that he is now focused on 1960 and if so the many thousands that follow and support his ballclub will be anxious to see what moves he makes during the coming off-season.

[kenyan_cheena]

MILWAUKEE * WISCONSIN
JOURNAL SENTINEL

Monday 30 August 1959

BRAVES STRIKE EARLY,
HOLD ON LATE TO
COMPLETE SWEEP OF PHILLIES

Story by Lomas Robertson

The Milwaukee Braves secured a three-game sweep of the fading Philadelphia Phillies yesterday, exploding for seven runs in the first four innings before riding out a late comeback to win 7-4. The victory followed Friday's come-from-behind 5-4 triumph and Saturday's 10-1 rout, the Braves now within two games of the 2nd-placed Pennsylvanian ballclub. 3rd baseman Eddie Mathews had a fantastic outing for the home team, the 27 year-old batting 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.

The Braves were in business right away, putting on two in the 1st on a solo homer from Joe Adcock and an RBI-single from Del Crandall, Mathews scoring after he'd singled two batters earlier. They added two more in the 3rd, a trio of singles from Mathews, Wes Covington and Felix Mantilla along with a Crandall sac fly doing the damage. Mathews then brought the near sold-out County Stadium crowd to their feet when he smashed a three-run home run in the 4th to make it 7-0.

The Phillies finally got on the scoreboard in the 6th thanks to a walk, an error by Mathews and a sacrifice fly to right field and then made things a little anxious for the Braves when pinchhitter Tony Taylor hammered a three-run blast in the 7th. But they never threatened in the final two frames and fell to their eighth loss in eleven games. Braves starter Gene Conley was excellent, going eight innings and giving up just five hits and three earned runs to improve to 9-7 on the season.

"I'm proud of the way our guys performed in this series," said Milwaukee's manager Fred Haney. "They really took it to them and kept an aggressive attitude through the whole three games. Can we catch the Cubbies? I don't know but I think 2nd place is doable, no doubt about that."

Yesterday's win ended a superb 5-1 week for the Braves while hosting the National League's top two teams. Not only have they put a major dent in Philadelphia's pursuit of Chicago, they've also made it necessary for the Phillies to start looking over their shoulders. With the adversity they've faced this year, it would be a tremendous achievement if the Braves are able to finish the season in 2nd place.

[kenyan_cheena]

1959 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON
LEAGUE STANDINGS AS AT END OF PLAY,
TUESDAY 31 AUGUST 1959

AMERICAN LEAGUE

1ST: CLEVELAND BLUES 77-53 (.592)
(46-25, 31-28), (.272, 3.68), (628-515)

1ST: DETROIT TIGERS 77-53 (.592)
(35-24, 42-29), (.273, 3.82), (658-583)

3rd: New York Yankees 69-61 (.531), (8.0 G.B.)
(33-29, 36-32), (.277, 4.28), (695-623)

4th: Baltimore Orioles 63-67 (.485), (14.0 G.B.)
(29-35, 34-32), (.251, 3.91), (524-558)

5th: Kansas City Athletics 61-69 (.469), (16.0 G.B.)
(29-35, 32-34), (.250, 4.03), (505-586)

6th: Chicago White Sox 59-71 (.454), (18.0 G.B.)
(30-36, 29-35), (.265, 3.88), (509-555)

7th: Boston Red Sox 57-73 (.438), (20.0 G.B.)
(31-37, 26-36), (.242, 3.90), (537-570)

7th: Washington Senators 57-73 (.438), (20.0 G.B.)
(30-36, 27-37), (.247, 4.58), (594-660)


NATIONAL LEAGUE

1ST: CHICAGO CUBS 81-49 (.623)
(40-24, 41-25), (.253, 3.18), (616-464)

2nd: Philadelphia Phillies 74-56 (.569), (7.0 G.B.)
(38-21, 36-35), (.269, 4.08), (684-605)

3rd: Milwaukee Braves 71-59 (.546), (10.0 G.B.)
(43-28, 28-31), (.272, 3.87), (628-559)

4th: Pittsburgh Pirates 70-60 (.538), (11.0 G.B.)
(40-24, 30-36), (.285, 4.15), (614-602)

5th: St. Louis Cardinals 63-67 (.485), (18.0 G.B.)
(35-31, 28-36), (.242, 4.06), (560-575)

6th: Cincinnati Reds 62-68 (.477), (19.0 G.B.)
(32-36, 30-32), (.268, 4.42), (611-636)

7th: San Francisco Giants 55-75 (.423), (26.0 G.B.)
(27-35, 28-40), (.266, 4.67), (596-655)

8th: Brooklyn Dodgers 44-86 (.338), (37.0 G.B.)
(26-40, 18-46), (.259, 5.49), (551-764)

[kenyan_cheena]

1959 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON
STATISTICAL LEADERS AS AT END OF PLAY,
TUESDAY 31 AUGUST 1959

AMERICAN LEAGUE - BATTING

AVG

1ST: BILLY GOODMAN (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) .352
2nd: Al Kaline (Detroit Tigers) .350
3rd: Harvey Kuenn (Detroit Tigers) .331

OBP

1ST: MICKEY MANTLE (NEW YORK YANKEES) .439
2nd: Al Kaline (Detroit Tigers) .437
3rd: Norm Siebern (New York Yankees) .437

H

1ST: KEN BOYER (DETROIT TIGERS) 160
2nd: Harvey Kuenn (Detroit Tigers) 157
3rd: Al Kaline (Detroit Tigers) 153

RBI

1ST: ROCKY COLAVITO (CLEVELAND BLUES) 96
2nd: Yogi Berra (New York Yankees) 95
3rd: Ken Boyer (Detroit Tigers) 91

HR

1ST: ROCKY COLAVITO (CLEVELAND BLUES) 42
2nd: Mickey Mantle (New York Yankees) 36
3rd: Ken Boyer (Detroit Tigers) 28

AMERICAN LEAGUE - PITCHING

ERA

1ST: DON FERRARESE (CLEVELAND BLUES) 2.44
2nd: Herb Score (Cleveland Blues) 2.83
3rd: Jim Perry (Chicago White Sox) 2.85

W

1ST: RYNE DUREN (KANSAS CITY ATHLETICS) 19
2nd: Bobby Shantz (New York Yankees) 17
2nd: Herb Score (Cleveland Blues) 17

K

1ST: RYNE DUREN (KANSAS CITY ATHLETICS) 269
2nd: Herb Score (Cleveland Blues) 207
3rd: Jim Bunning (Detroit Tigers) 192

IP

1ST: FRANK SULLIVAN (BOSTON RED SOX) 278.0
2nd: Jim Bunning (Detroit Tigers) 267.2
3rd: Whitey Ford (New York Yankees) 266.2

OAVG

1ST: HERB SCORE (CLEVELAND BLUES) .183
2nd: Bob Smith (Boston Red Sox) .216
3rd: Ryne Duren (Kansas City Athletics) .221

NATIONAL LEAGUE - BATTING

AVG

1ST: ROBERTO CLEMENTE (PITTSBURGH PIRATES) .360
2nd: Gus Bell (Cincinnati Reds) .345
3rd: Dick Groat (Pittsburgh Pirates) .342

OBP

1ST: ED BOUCHEE (PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES) .417
2nd: Gus Bell (Cincinnati Reds) .415
3rd: Richie Ashburn (Philadelphia Phillies) .413

H

1ST: ROBERTO CLEMENTE (PITTSBURGH PIRATES) 182
2nd: Gus Bell (Cincinnati Reds) 162
3rd: Dick Groat (Pittsburgh Pirates) 160

RBI

1ST: ERNIE BANKS (CHICAGO CUBS) 112
2nd: Roy Sievers (Philadelphia Phillies) 98
3rd: Jerry Lynch (Cincinnati Reds) 89

HR

1ST: ERNIE BANKS (CHICAGO CUBS) 41
2nd: Frank Robinson (Cincinnati Reds) 35
3rd: Bobby Thomson (Chicago Cubs) 32

NATIONAL LEAGUE - PITCHING

ERA

1ST: BOB ANDERSON (CHICAGO CUBS) 2.46
2nd: Bob Conley (Chicago Cubs) 2.54
3rd: Curt Simmons (Philadelphia Phillies) 2.93

W

1ST: CURT SIMMONS (PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES) 23
2nd: Bob Anderson (Chicago Cubs) 22
3rd: Bob Conley (Chicago Cubs) 21

K

1ST: SAM JONES (ST. LOUIS CARDINALS) 213
2nd: George Witt (Pittsburgh Pirates) 190
3rd: Earl Wilson (San Francisco Giants) 176

IP

1ST: CURT SIMMONS (PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES) 285.2
2nd: Bob Friend (Pittsburgh Pirates) 274.1
3rd: Sam Jones (St. Louis Cardinals) 270.0

OAVG

1ST: BOB ANDERSON (CHICAGO CUBS) .220
2nd: Juan Pizarro (Milwaukee Braves) .225
2nd: Sam Jones (St. Louis Cardinals) .225

[kenyan_cheena]

THE MICHIGAN HERALD

Wednesday 1 September 1959

- Late Edition -

DETROIT DUO SWEEPS
PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARDS

Story by Michael Fredricks

In a great ending to a successful month it was announced this afternoon that the Detroit Tigers had swept the American League's Player of the Month awards. Rightfielder Al Kaline was named Batter of the Month while 28 year-old lefthander Hank Aguirre took out the Pitching award, despite making only four appearances. Following on from Tigers 3rd baseman Ken Boyer winning the award in July Kaline had a brilliant August, hitting .471 with seven home runs and nineteen RBI as the Tigers went 17-10 and ended the month tied for the league lead. As for Aguirre, he was out of action for the second half of August but his efforts in the four games he started were nothing short of extraordinary. He went 2-1 but did not give up a single earned run in 30.1 innings of work as opposition batters only managed to record nineteen hits against him.

Both Kaline and Aguirre were presented with their awards before this afternoon's game against the Red Sox at Briggs Stadium which the Tigers unfortunately lost 12-3 in an ugly performance. The defeat put something of a downer on the celebrations, especially seeing as the Blues defeated New York 8-2 at Yankee Stadium to take sole possession of 1st place.

***

In the National League the Chicago Cubs retained the Pitcher of the Month award with Cy Young favourite Bob Anderson succeeding teammate Bob Purkey. Anderson was 5-2 for the month, his ERA an outstanding 1.48 in 54.2 innings of work. Meanwhile, the miserable season of the Brooklyn Dodgers had a brief respite as veteran 1st baseman Gil Hodges was selected as the Batter of the Month. He hit .356 with eight home runs and 26 RBI on a team that takes an MLB-worst 44-86 record into the final month of the season...

[kenyan_cheena]

The Philadelphia Inquirer

FRIDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1959

PASCUAL GONE FOR SEASON

Story by Tommy Simmonds

With their ambition to reel in the Chicago Cubs and claim the National League pennant already looking impossible the Philadelphia Phillies were dealt a terrible blow yesterday as talented starting pitcher Camilo Pascual suffered a season-ending bicep injury during the game against the Pirates at Connie Mack Stadium. Pascual strained the muscle in the 6th inning with the Phillies leading 7-3. At any other time of the season he'd be out for six to seven weeks but with only four remaining in the campaign he is finished for the year.

The Phillies went on to claim a 7-4 victory with Pascual the winning pitcher. Shortstop Chico Fernandez and catcher Stan Lopata both finsihed the game with three hits and two RBI. However, Phillies manager Eddie Sawyer was more concerned about Pascual and voiced his deep disappointment over the loss of the amiable 25 year-old Cuban.

"He's been one of our best," said Sawyer, shaking his head. "A guy I've grown to rely on and trust that he'll give me his best each time he steps out on the field. We'll miss him down the stretch, no doubt. It was already difficult, now it's gonna be close to unattainable."

The win improved Philadelphia's record to 75-57, still seven games behind the Cubs (82-50) who opened up their home series against the Reds with a 2-0 win.

[kenyan_cheena]

The Cincinnati Enquirer

SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 1959

REDS SMASH CUBS IN CHICAGO

Story by Larry Martelle

The Cincinnati Reds broke an eight-game losing streak against the Chicago Cubs in style yesterday, blitzing the National League leaders 13-5 at Wrigley Field. Leading 5-3 after the 5th the Ohio ballclub blew the game open with three runs in the 6th and five in the 7th, outfielders Frank Robinson and Jerry Lynch both hitting a pair of home runs to lead the Reds to just their sixth win over the Cubs in twenty meetings this season.

Robinson finished the day 2-for-6 with five RBI as he hammered a two-run shot in a three-run 1st and a two-out three-run homer in the 6th. Lynch went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI. He led off the 5th with a home run and then equalled Robinson's efforts with a two-out three-run smash in the 7th. He also hit a double in the 3rd while catcher Smoky Burgess (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI), centrefielder Gus Bell (2-for-4, 3 R) and 1st baseman Bill White (3-for-5) all contributed.

Cubs starter Bob Purkey had his worst outing of the season, giving up twelve hits and eight earned runs in 5.2 innings of work. The win improved Cincinnati's record to 64-69, drawing them level with the St. Louis Cardinals in 5th place. Reds manager Fred Hutchinson didn't hesitate to praise his team's performance.

"Those guys aren't just cruising to the pennant," he said, in regards to the Cubs. "They've still got the Braves and Phillies chasing them so they're out to win each game. Our fellas did a great job today and I have to say it was probably our best win of the season under the circumstances."

[kenyan_cheena]

BASEBALL WEEKLY

Monday 6 September 1959

VOLUME 25, ISSUE 36

CLEVELAND'S LEAD NOW FOUR
FOLLOWING WHITE SOX SWEEP

Story by Michael Jones, published in the
6 September 1959 issue of BASEBALL WEEKLY

The Cleveland Blues and Detroit Tigers entered the final month of the 1959 Major League Baseball season tied for the American League lead at 77-53. But with September just five days old the Ohio ballclub now finds itself four games ahead following a seven-game winning streak that started against Detroit back on August 29 and has continued through visits to New York and Chicago. At the same time the Tigers have entered into an alarming slump, ending last week with three consecutive home losses to the Kansas City Athletics to fall to 1-4 for the month.

Cleveland opened September with an 8-2 domination of the fading Yankees to secure a 2-0 series win, Rocky Colavito producing a 3-for-5, 4-RBI afternoon that included his 43rd home run of the season. The Blues then travelled to Chicago where, after being tested in the opening three games they exploded in the fourth, an 11-4 victory in which Colavito homered again but wasn't the big story. That honor went jointly to the first two men in the lineup, Minnie Minoso and Jay Porter. Leftfielder Minoso was 4-for-5, scoring twice and knocking in two while backup catcher Porter went 3-for-4, also crossing home plate twice and recording two RBI. The team collected eighteen hits in the outing, with only Chico Carrasquel missing out amongst the starters.

Meanwhile, the Tigers looked woeful in the three they dropped to the Athletics, the Missouri ballcub outscoring them by a combined total of 17-6. Cy Young favourite Ryne Duren mesmerised Detroit's lineup in Friday's 9-4 defeat, the former Yankee allowing just one hit while walking five and striking out eleven in eight innings of work. The Tigers took to Kansas City reliever Benjamin Johnson in the final frame, collecting five hits and four runs on just 24 pitches from the 22 year-old.

The Blues are now in the driver's seat to claim their 2nd American League pennant in six years although it's not over yet, by any stretch. Both Detroit and Cleveland are inactive today but tomorrow the Blues continue their extended road trip when they visit Kansas City while the Tigers host the White Sox...

[kenyan_cheena]

THE BALTIMORE COURIER

Wednesday, 8 September, 1959

NIEMAN SMASHES THREE HOMERS
IN WIN OVER YANKEES

Story by Lenny Adams

Yesterday, Baltimore Orioles leftfielder Bob Nieman became the sixth player this season to hit three home runs in a game, the 32 year-old leading his team to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees at Memorial Stadium. The win secured a two-game series sweep for the Orioles and was their fourth in a row. The New Yorkers had come to town fresh from a series sweep of their own while hosting the Senators. Recognised as the leader of Baltimore's offense, Nieman's homers were all solo shots and came in his first three at-bats, the first two coming with two men out. He then added a single in the 8th to end the afternoon 4-for-4.

Starting pitcher Billy Hoeft produced a fantastic effort for the Orioles, holding New York to four hits in eight innings of work. Acquired from the Tigers at the end of July, Hoeft is 6-3 in thirteen starts for the Orioles and improved to 15-12 on the season, his ERA 3.47. Baltimore are now 67-70 while the Yankees fell to 73-64, 9.5 games behind the American League-leading Cleveland Blues (83-53).

[kenyan_cheena]

The New York Age

FRIDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER, 1959

PODRES' ONE-HITTER
SHUTS OUT GIANTS

Story by Louis Greenberg

Brooklyn Dodgers starter Johnny Podres silenced a hostile Candlestick Park crowd yesterday afternoon, throwing a one-hitter to help his team triumph 4-0 over the San Francisco Giants. The game was the opener of the final series of the season between the two teams and Podres could not have produced a better performance. The 27 year-old native of Witherbee, New York walked just one batter and struck out nine, retiring the last sixteen he faced starting from the end of the 4th inning. The Dodgers themselves only came up with six hits but they were enough to put on four runs, 2nd baseman Charlie Neal batting 2-for-4 with a solo home run leading off the 4th.

These two ballclubs may now reside on opposite coasts but the rivalry that exists between them is still as heated as ever. If anything, Brooklyn owner Walter O'Malley's decision to back out of the planned move to California along with the Giants has only intensified it and the meetings between them this season have been hard-fought affairs. The Dodgers lead the head-to-head 10-9 after yesterday's encounter, making the Giants the only team they have a winning record against. With the win Brooklyn improved to 47-91 while San Francisco fell to 59-79.

[Jeff1787]

Not a good year for my Giants...

[TribeFanInNC]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

CLEVELAND'S LEAD NOW FOUR
FOLLOWING WHITE SOX SWEEP

Didn't see that coming - unexpected surprise. Go Blues!

[kenyan_cheena]

THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE

SUNDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER, 1959

BANKS HITS PAIR OF HOMERS
AS CUBS POUND PHILLIES

Story by Brian Davison

Led by a 3-for-5 6-RBI outing from shortstop Ernie Banks the Chicago Cubs decimated the Philadelphia Phillies 14-1 yesterday at a near sold-out Connie Mack Stadium. Banks smashed two home runs including a grand slam in the 4th inning that gave his team a 6-0 lead. It was the third matchup of a four-game series that the Pennsylvanian ballclub was hoping to use to gain some ground on the National League leaders. With the sides splitting the first two games yesterday's result ended Philadelphia's chances of bringing those ambitions to fruition. The Cubs are now 88-52, the blowout victory increasing their lead over the Phillies to eight games with just fourteen remaining in the regular season.

Already a strong favourite to be named the National League's MVP, Banks has taken his game to another level since the calendar ticked over to September. He's hit six home runs in eight games, batting .353 with fourteen RBI during the stretch. On the season Banks is .325 and needs just three more home runs to reach fifty on the season, a category in which he has overtaken Cleveland's record-holder Rocky Colavito (45).

Cubs 1st baseman Dale Long was also in fine touch yesterday, the veteran hitting 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI. He hammered a two-out two-run shot in the 3rd that opened the floodgates for what was to follow while four other players in the lineup collected a pair of hits each, the Cubs finishing the game with nineteen. Bob Conley produced another fantastic effort, the righthander allowing six hits and striking out five in a complete game masterpiece that brought him his 24th win of the season. Conley's ERA is an MLB-best 2.36.

"This was a big win for us," said Banks, smiling. "Not just the scoreline, but in the context of the chase. They win this one and they'd have been just six games behind us going into tomorrow's finale. We've at least guaranteed that they won't make any ground on us through the series, which is what we wanted to achieve."

[kenyan_cheena]

The Cleveland Courier

MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 1959

BLUES WIN THREE STRAIGHT
IN WASHINGTON

Story by Larry Jacobson

Silent for most of the afternoon, the Cleveland Blues batting lineup produced a late surge to send yesterday's game against the Washington Senators into extra innings where the Ohio ballclub prevailed for an exciting 9-7 victory. Trailing 4-0 in the top of the 7th pinch hitter Roger Maris breathed life into Cleveland's chances when he smoked a 1-2 Nelson Chittum fastball over the left field fence for a three-run home run, his 10th of the season. The Senators pushed the lead out to two in the bottom of the frame before the Blues took it for themselves with four runs in the 8th, a Rocky Colavito walk followed by a quartet of consecutive singles to Russ Nixon, Bobby Avila, Larry Doby and Billy Harrell.

But the game wasn't over yet and after the Senators got themsleves within one in the 8th they tied the scores in the bottom of the 9th on pinch hitter Neil Chrisley's two-out RBI single down the right field line. Both teams were kept in check through the 10th and 11th before the Blues hit the front for good with two runs in the 12th, Colavito coming up with his only hit of the game when it mattered most, a double to left. Nixon and Avila both walked to load the bags before Doby's single to the gap in left-centre scored pinch runners Hal Naragon and Carroll Hardy. The Senators went down in order in the bottom of the inning and the Blues were victorious, four hours and fifty-five minutes after the game had started.

Only brought into the game in the 8th inning shortstop Larry Doby ended up taking out the Player of the Game award after his 2-for-3 4-RBI effort. The Blues went deep into their bullpen, using six relief pitchers after starter Don Ferrarese lasted six innings. He only gave up three hits and three earned runs but walked a season-high eight batters.

The victory was Cleveland's third in a row and clinched a 3-1 series win, aswell as pushing their lead over the Detroit Tigers back out to four games after the Michigan team had trimmed it to three late last week. Tomorrow sees the first of seven games between the two ballclubs over the next ten days, matchups that will go along way to determining which of them emerges from this fantastic pennant race as the 1959 American League Champions...

[kenyan_cheena]

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

TUESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER, 1959

RED-HOT BANKS PICKS UP
N.L. PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD

Story by Brian Davison

In an announcement that surprised no one Chicago Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks was named the National League's Player of the Week yesterday. The 28 year-old produced a memorable seven days of baseball, hitting .455 with five home runs and twelve RBI as the Cubs went 4-2 in series against the Giants and Phillies. Four of those five home runs came in the last two games of the Philadelphia series, Chicago winning the first 14-1 but losing the second 12-6.

Banks was presented with the award before yesterday's game against the Pirates at Forbes Field, the Cubs winning 8-3 behind Bobby Thomson's 2-for-5 4-RBI effort. Banks went 1-for-3 with a run scored and two walks. On the season he has 49 homers and 130 RBI and leads all of baseball in both categories. The Texas-born slugger spoke of the pride he feels each time he pulls on a Cubs jersey and how it's been his dream from a young age to lead the ballclub into a World Series.

"51 years is a helluva long time to wait for a Championship," he said. "This club's been down in the dumps in recent times but I feel like we started to turn it around last season and this year, well ... what can you say? It's been an incredible ride, one I'll never forget. The job's not done yet but we're getting closer each day. I just have a feeling in my bones, in my gut, that this'll be the year when the waiting ends."

[kenyan_cheena]

THE MICHIGAN HERALD

Wednesday 15 September 1959

TIGERS WIN SERIES OPENER
IN CLEVELAND

Story by Michael Fredricks

The Detroit Tigers commenced their task of eating into Cleveland's American League lead in impressive fashion yesterday, winning 6-1 in the first of a three-game series in front of a 53,000-strong crowd at Cleveland Stadium. Thanks to a great outing from starter Bob Buhl and timely hitting from the top half of the lineup Detroit reduced the Blues' lead to three games. Buhl did a fantastic job of shutting down Cleveland's potent offense, holding them to just seven hits in a complete game gem. He struck out four batters on 144 pitches with the duo of Willie Mays and Rocky Colavito going a combined 1-for-8.

While Buhl kept Cleveland's bats silent his teammates backed him up when they ventured to the plate, Detroit's premier trio of Harvey Kuenn, Al Kaline and Ken Boyer all recording at least two hits. Leading off Kuenn was 3-for-4 with a run scored while Boyer was 2-for-5 with two RBI (his 100th and 101st of the season) and Kaline went 2-for-4, hammering a two-run home run in the 1st inning to open the scoring. 1st baseman Vic Wertz also homered, hitting a solo shot in the 6th that made the score 3-1.

"We have to forget about this pretty quickly," said Tigers manager Bill Norman. "We're now in a situation where every game is a must-win for us so we just have to focus on tomorrow. If we don't come up with the same effort this win doesn't mean anything."

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS
AS AT END OF PLAY,
TUESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 1959

1ST: CLEVELAND BLUES 86-56 (.606)
2nd: Detroit Tigers 83-59 (.585) (3.0 G.B.)
3rd: New York Yankees 76-66 (.535), (10.0 G.B.)
4th: Baltimore Orioles 70-73 (.489), (16.5 G.B.)
5th: Kansas City Athletics 69-74 (.483), (17.5 G.B.)
6th: Boston Red Sox 64-78 (.451), (22.0 G.B.)
7th: Chicago White Sox 61-81 (.430), (25.0 G.B.)
8th: Washington Senators 60-82 (.423), (26.0 G.B.)