MLB: 1958 and Beyond... - Page 14

kenyan_cheena · 08-10-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

Well now you ruined it

If I can keep things as flowing as you have here, I'll be quite pleased.

Thanks for the compliment, EM. I'm looking forward to following your Alliance dynasty and am sure it will be a great read.

kenyan_cheena · 08-12-2008, 03:18 AM

***

Thursday, 23 September, 1959

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
1959 REGULAR SEASON

Cleveland Blues
(91-59)

@

Detroit Tigers
(89-61)

Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

***

The Detroit Tigers play host to their Lake Erie rivals the Cleveland Blues this afternoon in what will be the final regular season meeting between the two ballclubs, save for them ending up finishing tied for 1st place in the league. They've contested an extraordinary pennant race this season, with the last four weeks in particular filled with drama and excitement. After the Blues appeared to break it open by jumping out to a four-game lead early in September Detroit has clawed their way back and pulled within a single game of Cleveland's lead following Tuesday's victory in the second matchup of this four-game series. But the Blues pushed that lead back out to two games with a 4-1 win yesterday.

If Cleveland are victorious this afternoon they'll be three games ahead with three remaining in the season and would need no more than a win for themselves or a loss from the Tigers over those final three games to claim the American League pennant. Detroit's cause was given a fantastic boost earlier today when it was announced that Blues rightfielder and the AL's leading home run hitter Rocky Colavito would not be suiting up for the game, having suffered an undisclosed injury in yesterday's clash. His place in the lineup will be taken by Roger Maris. 1958 American League Rookie of the Year Milt Pappas starts the game for the Tigers while Cleveland will go with Don Mossi, making it a duel between two of MLB's most talented young hurlers and a rematch of their clash from September 15, which Pappas prevailed in...

(Following are selected excerpts from the broadcast of the game on Detroit radio station WWJ Newsradio 950)

TOP OF THE 1ST - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and no doubt it will be interesting to see if the Tigers can take advantage of his absence. Well, they're just about ready to go now and Minnie Minoso steps into the batter's box for the Blues. Pappas with the wind up, the pitch, and it's down and away for ball one...

...count is 2-1 now and Minoso swings on the pitch, a weak grounder to Bolling at 2nd and that's one down for Cleveland here in the 1st.

* ...Ward ahead in the count 3-1 now. Pappas waits for the signal and delivers ... and there's ball four, just inside the plate. Preston Ward jogs down the line to 1st and the Blues have a man on with one out.

* ...and one can only speculate if the Tigers would be so close if Mays had been available for the whole season. The 1-2 pitch from Pappas and a base hit. My, Mays smoked that one down the left field line and he turns the corner at speed. Ward is safe at 3rd and Mays is at 2nd standing up. He really connected nicely on that pitch.

* ...Nixon grounds it weakly to shortstop and Ward went with the pitch! Martin fires it over to 1st and gets the out but the Blues have scored a run here in the 1st. I think if he'd hit it cleanly Martin might have had a chance to gun down Ward on that play but he got a great jump from 3rd. Mays still at 2nd and there's two down now as Maris approaches the plate...

* ...and one has to wonder what the Blues will do with the two of them this off-season. Pappas with the 2-0 pitch and Maris grounds it to Bolling and the inning is over. But a good start there for the Blues and they lead 1-0 midway through the 1st...

BOTTOM OF THE 1ST - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...Maxwell swings on the 1-1 pitch and that one's deep to right-centre, Maris tracks it down and makes the catch near the warning track and that's the first out of the inning for the Tigers.

* ...Bolling's swinging at the first pitch he sees and that's a base hit for the Tigers! The crowd goes wild and Bolling stops a few steps between 1st and 2nd, Minoso fielding the ball in left.

* ...Mossi with the pitch now and Kaline hits a sharp grounder to Ward at 1st. The throw to 2nd gets Bolling but they can't turn the double play! That's two down for Detroit with Kaline at 1st.

* ...and in my estimate he has a good chance of being named MVP, regardless of who represents the American League in the World Series. Boyer swings at the 1-0 pitch and that's a shallow shot to centrefield. Mays camps under it and makes the catch, ending the inning.

----------
END OF THE 1ST - CLEVELAND BLUES 1, DETROIT TIGERS 0
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TOP OF THE 2ND - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...Avila swings and cracks it to the gap in left-centre! He got all of that one! Maxwell tracks it down but Avila is easily safe at 2nd and the Blues have their leadoff man on base. That's their second hit and second double of the game after Mays smacked one in the 1st.

* ...Carrasquel with the weak grounder to short and once again the Blues sent the runner! Chico is out at 1st but he moved Avila over to 3rd and the Blues are in a good pisition to score again.

* ...2-1 on Harrell now, and the 3rd baseman swings at the pitch and grounds it straight to 1st. Wertz steps on the bag but Avila crosses home plate and the Blues are now ahead 2-0! The crowd doesn't like it and they're letting their feelings be known. Apparently we've got almost 50,000 of them here this afternoon and it certainly sounds like it.

* ...and the Blues pitcher connects, a flyball to right and that ends the inning. Mossi flies out but another effective frame for the Blues as they score another run.

BOTTOM OF THE 2ND - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...and Harrell dives and comes up with it! He's up and guns Kuenn out at 1st! My, what a great play by the Cleveland 3rd baseman! One out for the Tigers here in the 2nd.

* ...the 1-2 count and Mossi strikes him out! Wertz goes down swinging in his first at-bat.

* ...Martin with a blooper to right on the 1-1 pitch. Maris makes the catch and the Tigers go down in order in the 2nd.

----------
END OF THE 2ND - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 0
----------

(to be continued)

TribeFanInNC · 08-12-2008, 10:22 AM

If Cleveland blows this, I'm gonna scream. Of course, as a Cleveland sports fan, I'm half expecting this to happen.

kenyan_cheena · 08-12-2008, 11:54 PM

(continuation)

TOP OF THE 3RD - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...Minoso swings on the 1-2 pitch and grounds out for the second time in the game, Wertz scooping up the ball just a few steps from 1st base.

* ...and Ward strikes out swinging at a ball that was down and away! That's the first strikeout of the game for Pappas.

* ...that's a liner to left and it falls safe! Mays is on board with a single. He's 2-for-2 after doubling in the 1st inning.

* ...swings on the pitch and connects, clearing the infield. That's another hit for the Blues and Mays is hustling for 3rd. He makes it standing up and Cleveland has runners on the corners with two out. Nixon with a single there, the fourth hit of the game for the Blues.

* ...and give his side a 3-0 lead. The 1-1 pitch and Maris grounds it to Wertz at 1st, ending the inning. Big, relieved cheer from the crowd there as the Tigers get out of that jam.

BOTTOM OF THE 3RD - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...Lau takes a big cut at the 1-2 pitch and finds air. That's two strikeouts now for Mossi.

* ...weak grounder to the left side of the mound from Pappas. Harrell is onto it and makes the throw to 1st for the second out of the inning.

* ...swinging at the first pitch he sees and it's straight to Avila, who tosses the ball to Ward. Maxwell's 0-for-2 after flying out to lead off the 1st and after a quick bottom of the 3rd the Blues are still up 2-0.

----------
END OF THE 3RD - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 0
----------

TOP OF THE 4TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...sharply hit grounder to Martin but he has no trouble with it and that's one down here in the 4th, Avila 1-for-2 now.

* ...looked like it caught part of the plate but the umpire hasn't seen it that way and Carrasquel's on his way to 1st base. Some booing from the crowd after that decision.

* ...struck him out looking! My, Harrell was frozen by that breaking ball!

* ...and that one's past Lau. Carrasquel takes 2nd on the passed ball...

...a safe hit should score him but Mossi swings and misses! Another strikeout for Pappas! The Blues are done here in the 4th.

BOTTOM OF THE 4TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...Bolling connects but it's straight to Carrasquel. One down for the Tigers, Bolling grounding out for the first time.

* ...and that's a base hit for Kaline, a single to shallow right. he just got enough on that for it to clear the infield.

* ...the full count pitch now to Boyer. Mossi winds up, delivers, Boyer swings and cracks it into centrefield! It falls some ten yards in front of Mays and the Tigers are threatening now, runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

* ...Kuenn swings and lines it straight back to Mossi! The throw to 1st, double play for the Blues! Boyer was caught about five feet off the bag and couldn't get back in time. That ends the inning and I guess you can hear it, the complete change in the crowd from the excitement before Kuenn's liner to the disappointed silence after it. The Blues holding a 2-0 lead going into the 5th.

----------
END OF THE 4TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 0
----------

TOP OF THE 5TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and Minoso grounds out for the third time. All three have been to different fielders, Bolling gunning him out in the 1st and Wertz putting him out in the 3rd. He had nice contact on that pitch but Martin scooped it up nicely.

* ...a liner over the infield for Ward and that's a base hit. He's on board for the second time this afternoon after walking in the 1st.

* ...and it's a harmless grounder to Martin, who flips it to Bolling for the out at 2nd. Mays is safe at 1st but that's two outs now for the Blues.

* ...Nixon swings on the pitch and Bolling gobbles that one. The throw to 1st and that's the end of the inning, Nixon 1-for-3 now. Pappas getting out of another potential jam there.

BOTTOM OF THE 5TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...swings and lines it to shallow centre, base hit for Wertz! The Tigers have their leadoff man on for the first time today.

* ...a grounder to 2nd, Avila gets Wertz but can't turn the double play! Billy Martin is safe at 1st.

* ...Lau cracks that one to the gap in left-centre and it falls safely! Martin turns the corner but stays at 2nd, Mays tracking it down quickly. The crowd is cheering as they sense a rally coming here. The Tigers are now in the same position as they were in the 4th, two men on with one out.

* ...Pappas showing bunt and he connects, but Mossi is on it quickly and Martin is out at 3rd! A nice bit of fielding there by the Cleveland hurler. Lau is on 2nd and Pappas on 1st, two down for the Tigers now.

* ...hard hit grounder from Maxwell. Oh! Avila makes the diving stop and throws from his knees! It's in the dirt and gets past Ward! Lau is sprinting for home and makes it! The Tigers score and are now just down by one run! Pappas made it to 3rd standing up and Maxwell also reached on Avila's error. The crowd is going crazy right now!

* ...and Bolling with a chance to tie it up right here. The 1-2 pitch, Bolling swings and grounds it straight to Avila! This time he makes no mistake with the throw and the inning's over, but the Tigers have pulled back one run.

----------
END OF THE 5TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 1
----------

(to be continued)

EMSoccerCoach · 08-13-2008, 12:08 AM

A brilliant way to do this nail-biter...good decision

kenyan_cheena · 08-13-2008, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

A brilliant way to do this nail-biter...good decision

Thanks, EM. I did a similar thing in a previous dynasty but it was for a three-game series in late May between two division leaders. I got halfway through the second game before deciding to can the entire dynasty. The play-by-play was a bit more detailed and I probably bit off more than I could chew. But that wasn't the reason for stopping the dynasty. Overall, the whole thing was too detailed and it would have taken me a long time to get through a single season continuing it in the format I was using.

I think it's okay to do it for a game like this, which has so much riding on it. I'll probably do the same thing for some of the World Series games, depending on how exciting they end up being.

EMSoccerCoach · 08-13-2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Thanks, EM. I did a similar thing in a previous dynasty but it was for a three-game series in late May between two division leaders. I got halfway through the second game before deciding to can the entire dynasty. The play-by-play was a bit more detailed and I probably bit off more than I could chew. But that wasn't the reason for stopping the dynasty. Overall, the whole thing was too detailed and it would have taken me a long time to get through a single season continuing it in the format I was using.

I think it's okay to do it for a game like this, which has so much riding on it. I'll probably do the same thing for some of the World Series games, depending on how exciting they end up being.

I hear you. The "too detailed" thing is my greatest fear with my dynasty. I've got some team reports going now for the end of spring training, doing it like Baseball Weekly with a few quick hits per team. I THINK that should work as a general format, written every 2 weeks of game time.

Keep it up, anxious to see how your season unfolds.

kenyan_cheena · 08-13-2008, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

I hear you. The "too detailed" thing is my greatest fear with my dynasty. I've got some team reports going now for the end of spring training, doing it like Baseball Weekly with a few quick hits per team. I THINK that should work as a general format, written every 2 weeks of game time.

Keep it up, anxious to see how your season unfolds.

I'm actually planning to ease back quite a lot on the detail after this season. When I started this dynasty I had intentions of covering maybe six seasons by the end of this year but I fell into the trap of getting carried away with the excitement of the '59 campaign.

In future my plan will be to sim through the whole season, only stopping to take note of the standings and stats leaders at the end of each month and then when the season is over I'll go back to the beginning and pick out maybe a half-dozen incidents from each month to write about. The key to it is being very selective in regards to what I write about and what I include in each post.

kenyan_cheena · 08-13-2008, 05:16 AM

(continuation)

TOP OF THE 6TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and that makes it four pitches he's fought off now. Pappas with the full count delivery and Maris pops it up. Lau is camped out under it and makes the catch. That's one out for the Blues here in the 6th. Maris not having the happiest of times at the plate so far. He's 0-for-3 now.

* ...the 1-1 pitch and Avila smokes it down the left field line! He creamed that one and it's rolling to the wall. Avila pulls up at 2nd for a double, his second of the game! My word, he connected cleanly on that pitch. That makes him 2-for-3 in the game. Looks like some activity now in the Tigers bullpen.

* ...and Carrasquel grounds out to 3rd, Boyer with a rope-like throw over the diamond to 1st. Two down now for the Blues with Avila in scoring position.

* ...Harrell waiting on the pitch now, Pappas throws and it's a hit! That one clears the infield and drops in left! Avila's being sent home by the 3rd base coach and he scores with ease. Oh, my! The Blues are in front by two again at 3-1 and this crowd does not like it one bit! That's Harrell's second RBI of the afternoon after he brought Avila home in the 2nd on a groundout to 1st base.

* ...Mossi with the grounder to 3rd and Boyer makes the throw to 2nd to get Harrell and end the inning. But the Blues scored another run and now lead 3-1.

BOTTOM OF THE 6TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...but that's a ground ball to 1st and Wertz gathers it in, takes a few steps and plants his foot on the base, Kaline now 1-for-3 after that out.

* ...the 1-2 pitch to Boyer, swung on and crushed to right field! That one's out of here! A home run for Ken Boyer and the crowd erupts! The Tigers trail by just one run again! My, oh, my, Boyer got all of that pitch and it cleared the first half-dozen rows, at least! He touches home plate now and acknowledges the crowd's applause before disappearing into the dugout. That's Boyer's 33rd homer of the season and 109th RBI!

* ...Kuenn hammers that pitch to right field! It's going back, back, but Maris is under it and takes the catch a few yards from the wall. Wow, we nearly saw back-to-back home runs there!

* ...and Wertz swings at the first pitch. That's a routine flyball to left and Minoso only has to take a few steps to his right to glove it.

That's the end of the inning but Ken Boyer has put a real charge into this crowd with that home run! Hopefully it's something they can build on but they'll need a good 1-2-3 inning here to back it up.

----------
END OF THE 6TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 3, DETROIT TIGERS 2
----------

TOP OF THE 7TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and the numbers for Pappas: six innings pitched, seven hits and three earned runs. He walked two batters and struck out three and threw 107 pitches. Don Lee just about ready to deliver his first pitch of the game now...

...and that flyout continues an unfortunate afternoon for Minoso. He's now 0-for-4 and each time he's come to the plate he's been leading off an inning. His at-bats have come in the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th. Quite extraordinary.

* ...the 1-2 to Ward and he strikes out! My, Lee blew that one right by him! That's the second time he's struck out today.

* ...Mays with a grounder back to the mound and the ball bounces off the edge of Lee's glove and rolls toward 3rd! Mays hustles down to 1st and beats the throw from Boyer! Great hustle from the former Giant!

* ...Nixon waits on the pitch. Lee with the wind up, the delivery, Nixon swings and sends it to right! It drops wide of Kaline and is rolling to the wall! Mays got a great jump and he's rounding 3rd and going for home! Nixon pulls up at 2nd and Mays scores, the throw cut off by Boyer! My, my, once again the Blues have pushed their lead out to two runs! They're up 4-2! Nixon's 2-for-4 with two RBI. How costly will that bobble from Lee prove to be, I wonder?

* ...and he swings at the first pitch, a flyball to centrefield. Kuenn makes the catch and Maris is still without a hit in this game at 0-for-4. He shakes his head as he makes for the dugout but his team are in a pretty strong position here with a 4-2 lead as we arrive at the 7th innings stretch...

BOTTOM OF THE 7TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...and that's a base hit for Martin! A flyball to short left. Mossi is unhappy about that because he had an 0-2 count on him there.

* ...Lau lays down the bunt and it's a nice one! Martin advances to 2nd and the Tigers catcher is out at 1st but they've got a runner in scoring position.

* ...and Alusik grounds the first pitch he sees right back to Mossi. That'll be his only action of the game and it was over in an instant, which is a shame for him. Ttwo down now for the Tigers. They really needed a batter at-bat there from the pinch hitter and it's now up to Maxwell to try and bring Martin home.

* ...the 2-2 pitch from Mossi, Maxwell swings and misses! Mossi gets his third strikeout of the game. That's the end of the inning and this crowd is venting their frustration, a number of boos descending down upon the field. The Blues are now just six outs away from having themselves a three-game lead on top of the American League with three games left in the season.

----------
END OF THE 7TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 2
----------

(to be concluded!)

TribeFanInNC · 08-13-2008, 03:39 PM

Detroit hasn't given up, but the Blues keep answering back. Great game. I've had a feeling of impending doom most of the game, but I'm starting to feel a little better about it.

But the fat lady hasn't sung yet...Go Blues!

kenyan_cheena · 08-14-2008, 04:14 AM

(conclusion)

TOP OF THE 8TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and Avila smacks it down the left field line! That's a base hit, his third of the game after he doubled twice earlier. My, he's having a great afternoon for the Blues. Not the best start for Lary.

* ...Doby swings on the 2-2 offering and misses! That's a strikeout for Lary and one down for the Blues. A disappointing at-bat for the pinch hitter after he was up 2-0.

* ...a routine grounder to 2nd, Bolling stepping on the bag to get Avila but doesn't make a throw to 1st. Harrell is safe there.

* ...and Gordon wouldn't have left him in the lineup if he wasn't going to pitch him in the bottom of the inning. Mossi takes a cut at the 1-2 pitch and hits nothing but air. Two strikeouts for Lary and that's the end of the inning. It'll be interesting to see how Mossi goes in the bottom of the frame...

BOTTOM OF THE 8TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...and Billy Moran is taking the field at shortstop for the Blues, replacing Doby in the lineup.

...Bolling swinging at the first pitch and connects, that one going to left where Minoso makes the easy out. No doubt Tigers manager Bill Norman would have wanted more from that at-bat.

* ...the 2-2 to Kaline and he connects on it, the shot following the same path as Bolling's all the way to Minoso in left. Two down now for the Tigers and understandably the crowd is becoming pretty anxious.

* ...homered in his last at-bat but grounds out to Avila at 2nd to end the inning. Boyer is now 2-for-4 in the game and Don Mossi has pitched eight fantastic innings for the Blues. We probably won't see him in the 9th but he's been great for Cleveland this afternoon.

----------
END OF THE 8TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 2
----------

TOP OF THE 9TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and a great diving catch from Kaline to rob Minoso of a base hit! The crowd really loved that effort from the rightfielder! Once again Minoso leads off an inning and once again he fails to reach base, the Cuban 0-for-5 today.

* ...it's popped up to the infield, Martin is under it and makes the out. That's two down for the Blues and Ward trudges back to the dugout.

* ...and Mays grounds that one straight back to Lary, the throw to 1st and that's three out for Cleveland. A good, quick inning for the Tigers but now they face the daunting task of scoring at least twice to realistically keep their season alive...

BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...Gordon bringing Tom Acker in from the bullpen. Mossi's final numbers in the game are very impressive, I must say: in eight innings he gave up eight hits, just one earned run and struck out three batters. He threw 98 pitches and I don't think anyone here would begrudge him the win if the Blues go on to be victorious.

...Mays is under it and makes the grab for the first out of the inning, Kuenn 0-for-4 now. He worked the count well, got his pitch but just couldn't connect cleanly on it.

* ...Wertz swings and cracks it into the outfield! It falls to the right of Maris and he's on it, the throw to Avila. That's one on board for the Tigers, this crowd imploring them to rally! That was Wertz's second hit of the game.

* ...the full count delivery from Acker now, and it's down and inside and Harris takes 1st! My, the Tigers have two on and the winning run at the plate now! A great at-bat there from Harris!

* ...and he looks nervous, without a doubt. Now he goes into his wind up, delivers and Lau smokes it to right! It bounces a few yards in front of Maris and he rips a throw back to the infield! This stadium is really shaking now as the Tigers have bases loaded with just one out! Pumpsie Green's been brought in to run for Lau and Nixon is coming out to talk to Acker now, I guess to give him some time to compose himself...

* ...and Noren's swinging at the first pitch and connects! It looks to be fading foul but Minoso is getting near it - OH, MY! He dropped it and it's a fair ball! It bounced maybe a foot inside the foul line and Wertz is going to score from 3rd! Minoso guns it back to the infield but Harris is safe at 3rd, Green at 2nd and Noren 1st! The bases are still loaded with only one out and the Tigers trailing by just one run at 4-3! My, my, we are in for an incredible finish here!

* ...runners going with the pitch and Maxwell grounds it to Moran! Harris got a great jump from 3rd and has scored! We're all tied up at 4-4! The crowd is just going crazy! Unbelieveable! The Blues got the out at 2nd but couldn't turn the double play! The Tigers have guaranteed that this game will go to extra innings! The winning run is just ninety feet from home plate!

* ...and Maxwell takes 2nd on the pitch, Nixon not bothering with a throw.

...Bolling swings and grounds it to 2nd, the throw to 1st and he's out. That's the end of the 9th inning and we're all tied up at four a piece! What a great rally from the Tigers!

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END OF THE 9TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 4
----------

TOP OF THE 10TH - CLEVELAND BLUES

* ...and no doubt he'll be disappointed about it but he has to focus on the task at hand, which is regaining that lead. Morgan with the pitch and Nixon hits a sharp grounder to 2nd. Very nice pickup from Bolling and that's one down. My, this Tigers team looks hungry and ready to win this game now! The crowd has really put a charge into them!

* ...and Maris could not have had a worse outing. That grounder back to Morgan sees him now 0-for-5.

* ...Avila with the grounder to Boyer and he makes the throw over the diamond for the third out! I think that's nine batters retired in a row for the Blues now, Detroit coming through right when they needed to!

BOTTOM OF THE 10TH - DETROIT TIGERS

* ...some would have taken him out but Gordon has decided to keep him in. Acker with the wind up, the pitch, and Kaline creams that pitch to centrefield! It's going back, but it's going to fall short and Mays makes the catch at the warning track. One down for the Tigers.

* ...2-2 on Boyer now and he fights off a high fastball. Boyer homered in the 6th to reduce Clevleand's lead to 3-2 and he also singled in the 4th. He's 2-for-4 on the day. The 2-2 pitch, Boyer swings and has absolutely crushed that ball! HOME RUN! HOME RUN!! The Tigers win! Holy, moly, I can't believe it! Ken Boyer with the home run to left-centre has won the game for the Detroit Tigers and they are still alive! My god, this is incredible! Boyer's teammates are mobbing him at home plate and the crowd is celebrating like we've just won the pennant!

I really cannot believe what we've just witnessed! The Tigers have literally saved their season with a rally for the ages! We're just one game back, folks, with three still to play. And you know what I say to that? I say bring on those Yankees because this team is more than ready for them!

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END OF THE 10TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 5
----------

***

Cleveland Blues
1 1 0, 0 0 1, 1 0 0 (0) - 4 / 9 / 2
DETROIT TIGERS
0 0 0, 0 1 1, 0 0 2 (1) - 5 / 11 / 1

Willie Mays (CF, Cleveland Blues): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B
Russ Nixon (C, Cleveland Blues): 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 1 2B
Bobby Avila (2B, Cleveland Blues): 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B
Billy Harrell (3B, Cleveland Blues): 1-for-4, 2 RBI

Ken Boyer (3B, Detroit Tigers): 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR
Vic Wertz (1B, Detroit Tigers): 2-for-4, 1 R
Charlie Lau (C, Detroit Tigers): 2-for-3, 1 R

Don Mossi (SP, Cleveland Blues): 8.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 98 PI
Milt Pappas (SP, Detroit Tigers): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 107 PI

Game time: 3:46
Attendance: 49,779 (Briggs Stadium)

***

TribeFanInNC · 08-14-2008, 12:20 PM

Well, who didn't see THAT coming. I knew pulling Mossi was a bad idea. Even fake Cleveland sports are snakebit. Well, hopefully we can still hold them off, but the wheels seem to be off the cart at this point.

kenyan_cheena · 08-15-2008, 01:32 AM

Hey, TribeFan, are you interested in having a fictional player in my dynasty? Click on the link below if you are. That invite is open to anyone else who hasn't signed on but would like to, also.

MLB: 1958 and Beyond...: Sign-up Thread

kenyan_cheena · 08-15-2008, 08:17 AM

THE OHIO EXPRESS

Saturday, 25 September, 1959

DRAMATIC AFTERNOON
HAS BLUES ONE WIN
FROM PENNANT

Story by Grady McCallum

A win over the Boston Red Sox coupled with a heartstopping Yankees victory over the Detroit Tigers has seen the Cleveland Blues take a two-game lead in the American League pennant race with just two days remaining in the season. The two matchups took place yesterday afternoon with the Blues jumping out to an early 5-0 lead before holding on to defeat the Massachusetts ballclub 6-4 at Fenway Park. Two hours later the epic clash between the Bronx Bombers and Detroit came to an end with the Yankees prevailing 11-9 in ten. It was the second extra innings game in a row for the Tigers following Thursday's classic matchup against the Blues, in which they rallied from a 4-2 9th-inning deficit to win 5-4. Sadly for them, everything they gained in that classic was erased yesterday as the Yankees revelled in the role of spoiler in what has been a riveting pennant race.

Playing centrefield in relief of the rested Willie Mays, Roger Maris made up for his disappointing 0-for-5 afternoon in Thursday's game by hitting two home runs and batting 4-for-4 with four RBI. The Blues also received a great performance from starting pitcher Don Ferrarese, the lefthander going 8.1 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs. He walked six and struck out six, throwing 117 pitches as he improved to 16-7 on the season. Even so they had some anxious moments in the final inning as Pete Daley's two-run bomb to deep left-centre was followed by a two-out Pete Runnels double. Leon Wagner represented the tieing run but he struck out swinging to end the game.

Meanwhile, Tiger fans were still on a high following Thursday afternoon's victory, a win that brought their team back from the abyss that would have been a three-game deficit with three left in the season. They came out to Briggs Stadium expecting that fantastic momentum to carry them to a big win over the Yankees. However, New York was not about to roll over and make it easy for them. They took a 1-0 lead in the 1st but the Tigers struck back with four in the 2nd, a walk and two singles scoring Vic Wertz before Harvey Kuenn had the crowd on their feet with a two-out three-run home run. The Yankees' retort was immediate, a four-hit three-run 3rd that tied the scores, Bob Turley, Gil McDougald and Tony Kubek all singling to start the frame.

It remained tied up until the top of the 6th when the Yankees regained the lead through a Hank Bauer solo home run. The Tigers scored twice on four hits in the bottom of the same inning to make it 6-5 but the drama was only starting. New York scored twice in the 7th to retake the lead, rookie 1st baseman Willie McCovey cracking a two-RBI single to left field. They were still in front when the bottom of the 8th arrived but Ken Boyer had the crowd in raptures when he led the inning off with a solo shot to left-centre, tieing it up again at 7-7. After Charlie Maxwell and Vic Wertz were dismissed in quick time the Tigers came up with four consecutive singles that put two more runs on the scoreboard, the inning ending when Gail Harris flied out to deep right field.

And so the Tigers took a two-run lead into the 9th. When Norm Siebern popped out to 1st and Yogi Berra grounded out to 3rd they were one out from victory. But McCovey came up with his third hit of the game, a single to right that was followed by a moment that sucked all the air out of Briggs Stadium, a two-run homer by Andy Carey. Mickey Mantle flied out to right to end the inning but the Yankees had tied it up for a third time. The Tigers once again came close to winning it. After Al Kaline walked, Ken Boyer flied out and Charlie Maxwell grounded into a fielder's choice. But Vic Wertz's long single to the gap in left-centre had Maxwell at 3rd, just ninety feet from victory. But Billy Martin grounded out to send the game into the 10th inning.

Once there the Yankees delivered the knockout blow in the shape of a McDougald triple that scored pinch runner Willy Miranda. McDougald then scored himself on Kubek's sac fly to left, making it 11-9. Charlie Lau walked to lead off the inning for the Tigers and give them some hope but it quickly vanished when Bolling flied out, Kuenn grounded out and Milt Bolling flied out to centre to end the game. The reality that their team's season-long quest was all but over hit the crowd hard and the stadium was shrouded in a blanket of silence as the 45,582 in attendance made their way to the exits. Harvey Kuenn's 4-for-6 four-RBI effort had been for nought, as had been Boyer's 3-for-5 and Lau's 3-for-4 two-RBI outings and starting pitcher Jim Bunnings near eight innings of work. The win was the eighth in the last nine days for the Yankees.

The Blues could clinch the pennant as early as this afternoon as all that is needed out of these final two days is one Cleveland win or one Detroit loss to see it happen. It would be their third pennant in twelve years following 1948's World Series-winning campaign and '54's 111-win season...

American League standings
as at end of play, Friday 24 September 1959

1ST: CLEVELAND BLUES 92-60 (.605)
2nd: Detroit Tigers 90-62 (.592) (2.0 G.B.)
3rd: New York Yankees 84-68 (.553) (8.0 G.B.)

CatKnight · 08-15-2008, 04:15 PM

Looking really good for Cleveland at this point. Detroit put up a good fight, but I think the Blues OR Yankees will take at least one of the last two.

The Cubbies are going to be tough though. My money's on them.

kenyan_cheena · 08-15-2008, 10:23 PM

The Cleveland Courier

SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 1959

- LATE EDITION -

BLUES WIN PENNANT!

Story by Larry Jacobson

The Cleveland Blues have finally clinched the American League pennant following a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox this afternoon at Fenway Park. It was a tense, tight encounter, the Blues taking a 2-1 lead into the 9th where they scored three timely runs, two of them on a two-out double by Rocky Colavito. Starting pitcher Gary Bell had a fantastic outing for the Blues, the 22 year-old showing a maturity beyond his years to throw eight innings of five-hit ball. He also walked five and struck out five, throwing 110 pitches on the way to his 12th win of the season.

Relief pitcher Hal Woodeshick came up with a great finish to the game for Cleveland, striking out all three batters he faced in the 9th and getting Red Sox catcher Sammy White looking at a vicious breaking ball to end the game. The Blues players converged in the middle of the diamond and celebrated their triumph. Willie Mays and Rocky Colavito carried manager Joe Gordon on their shoulders but when the excitement had died down some thirty minutes later he spoke of the imposing task ahead of them.

"The Cubbies have been incredible all year," Gordon said. "We're gonna have to be at our absolute best to defeat them. Obviously the key will be to defend our own turf and win those first two games. If we can then pinch one in Chicago I'll like our chances going back home. We won't worry about that right now, though. These boys have made me so proud and for tonight at least, they deserve to celebrate a little bit."

"It really is a dream come true," said an emotional Colavito. "You know, last year was great for me individually with breaking the home run record but when it was all over it did feel a bit hollow because we didn't challenge for the pennant late in the season. This year has been fantastic, being part of a team that has contended all the way through and seen off an amazing challenge from the Tigers. This is why we play the game."

"I never really thought it would happen in my first year here," said Willie Mays. "You know, I had some great seasons with the Giants and I felt that the Blues had a great nucleus in place to challenge the Yankees. But winning the pennant this year was even more than I could have hoped for. Everyone knows I was part of that Giants team that broke Cleveland's heart back in '54 but I'll be doing everything I can to bring the city a World Championship this year."

The news of Cleveland's triumph reached Detroit in the 6th inning of their game against the Yankees, which they won 6-3, Harvey Kuenn breaking a 3-3 tie with a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th. Tomorrow is the final day of what has been an amazing regular season. Game one of the World Series is scheduled for Wednesday in Cleveland...

08-12-2008, 03:18 AM	#262 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	***** Thursday, 23 September, 1959 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 1959 REGULAR SEASON Cleveland Blues (91-59) @ Detroit Tigers (89-61) Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Michigan ***** The Detroit Tigers play host to their Lake Erie rivals the Cleveland Blues this afternoon in what will be the final regular season meeting between the two ballclubs, save for them ending up finishing tied for 1st place in the league. They've contested an extraordinary pennant race this season, with the last four weeks in particular filled with drama and excitement. After the Blues appeared to break it open by jumping out to a four-game lead early in September Detroit has clawed their way back and pulled within a single game of Cleveland's lead following Tuesday's victory in the second matchup of this four-game series. But the Blues pushed that lead back out to two games with a 4-1 win yesterday. If Cleveland are victorious this afternoon they'll be three games ahead with three remaining in the season and would need no more than a win for themselves or a loss from the Tigers over those final three games to claim the American League pennant. Detroit's cause was given a fantastic boost earlier today when it was announced that Blues rightfielder and the AL's leading home run hitter Rocky Colavito would not be suiting up for the game, having suffered an undisclosed injury in yesterday's clash. His place in the lineup will be taken by Roger Maris. 1958 American League Rookie of the Year Milt Pappas starts the game for the Tigers while Cleveland will go with Don Mossi, making it a duel between two of MLB's most talented young hurlers and a rematch of their clash from September 15, which Pappas prevailed in... (Following are selected excerpts from the broadcast of the game on Detroit radio station WWJ Newsradio 950) TOP OF THE 1ST - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and no doubt it will be interesting to see if the Tigers can take advantage of his absence. Well, they're just about ready to go now and Minnie Minoso steps into the batter's box for the Blues. Pappas with the wind up, the pitch, and it's down and away for ball one... ...count is 2-1 now and Minoso swings on the pitch, a weak grounder to Bolling at 2nd and that's one down for Cleveland here in the 1st. * ...Ward ahead in the count 3-1 now. Pappas waits for the signal and delivers ... and there's ball four, just inside the plate. Preston Ward jogs down the line to 1st and the Blues have a man on with one out. * ...and one can only speculate if the Tigers would be so close if Mays had been available for the whole season. The 1-2 pitch from Pappas and a base hit. My, Mays smoked that one down the left field line and he turns the corner at speed. Ward is safe at 3rd and Mays is at 2nd standing up. He really connected nicely on that pitch. * ...Nixon grounds it weakly to shortstop and Ward went with the pitch! Martin fires it over to 1st and gets the out but the Blues have scored a run here in the 1st. I think if he'd hit it cleanly Martin might have had a chance to gun down Ward on that play but he got a great jump from 3rd. Mays still at 2nd and there's two down now as Maris approaches the plate... * ...and one has to wonder what the Blues will do with the two of them this off-season. Pappas with the 2-0 pitch and Maris grounds it to Bolling and the inning is over. But a good start there for the Blues and they lead 1-0 midway through the 1st... BOTTOM OF THE 1ST - DETROIT TIGERS * ...Maxwell swings on the 1-1 pitch and that one's deep to right-centre, Maris tracks it down and makes the catch near the warning track and that's the first out of the inning for the Tigers. * ...Bolling's swinging at the first pitch he sees and that's a base hit for the Tigers! The crowd goes wild and Bolling stops a few steps between 1st and 2nd, Minoso fielding the ball in left. * ...Mossi with the pitch now and Kaline hits a sharp grounder to Ward at 1st. The throw to 2nd gets Bolling but they can't turn the double play! That's two down for Detroit with Kaline at 1st. * ...and in my estimate he has a good chance of being named MVP, regardless of who represents the American League in the World Series. Boyer swings at the 1-0 pitch and that's a shallow shot to centrefield. Mays camps under it and makes the catch, ending the inning. ---------- END OF THE 1ST - CLEVELAND BLUES 1, DETROIT TIGERS 0 ---------- TOP OF THE 2ND - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...Avila swings and cracks it to the gap in left-centre! He got all of that one! Maxwell tracks it down but Avila is easily safe at 2nd and the Blues have their leadoff man on base. That's their second hit and second double of the game after Mays smacked one in the 1st. * ...Carrasquel with the weak grounder to short and once again the Blues sent the runner! Chico is out at 1st but he moved Avila over to 3rd and the Blues are in a good pisition to score again. * ...2-1 on Harrell now, and the 3rd baseman swings at the pitch and grounds it straight to 1st. Wertz steps on the bag but Avila crosses home plate and the Blues are now ahead 2-0! The crowd doesn't like it and they're letting their feelings be known. Apparently we've got almost 50,000 of them here this afternoon and it certainly sounds like it. * ...and the Blues pitcher connects, a flyball to right and that ends the inning. Mossi flies out but another effective frame for the Blues as they score another run. BOTTOM OF THE 2ND - DETROIT TIGERS * ...and Harrell dives and comes up with it! He's up and guns Kuenn out at 1st! My, what a great play by the Cleveland 3rd baseman! One out for the Tigers here in the 2nd. * ...the 1-2 count and Mossi strikes him out! Wertz goes down swinging in his first at-bat. * ...Martin with a blooper to right on the 1-1 pitch. Maris makes the catch and the Tigers go down in order in the 2nd. ---------- *END OF THE 2ND - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 0* ---------- (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 08-12-2008 at 03:20 AM.

08-12-2008, 10:22 AM	#263 (permalink)
TribeFanInNC Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 112	If Cleveland blows this, I'm gonna scream. Of course, as a Cleveland sports fan, I'm half expecting this to happen. __________________ Dog Days Baseball: Blackwood Werewolves (retired) Career 728-415 record, 6 Larch Division titles, 1973 Kennel Cup Champions eMLB: Los Angeles Dodgers (fired) Career 161-163 record

08-12-2008, 11:54 PM	#264 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	(continuation) TOP OF THE 3RD - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...Minoso swings on the 1-2 pitch and grounds out for the second time in the game, Wertz scooping up the ball just a few steps from 1st base. * ...and Ward strikes out swinging at a ball that was down and away! That's the first strikeout of the game for Pappas. * ...that's a liner to left and it falls safe! Mays is on board with a single. He's 2-for-2 after doubling in the 1st inning. * ...swings on the pitch and connects, clearing the infield. That's another hit for the Blues and Mays is hustling for 3rd. He makes it standing up and Cleveland has runners on the corners with two out. Nixon with a single there, the fourth hit of the game for the Blues. * ...and give his side a 3-0 lead. The 1-1 pitch and Maris grounds it to Wertz at 1st, ending the inning. Big, relieved cheer from the crowd there as the Tigers get out of that jam. BOTTOM OF THE 3RD - DETROIT TIGERS * ...Lau takes a big cut at the 1-2 pitch and finds air. That's two strikeouts now for Mossi. * ...weak grounder to the left side of the mound from Pappas. Harrell is onto it and makes the throw to 1st for the second out of the inning. * ...swinging at the first pitch he sees and it's straight to Avila, who tosses the ball to Ward. Maxwell's 0-for-2 after flying out to lead off the 1st and after a quick bottom of the 3rd the Blues are still up 2-0. ---------- *END OF THE 3RD - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 0* ---------- TOP OF THE 4TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...sharply hit grounder to Martin but he has no trouble with it and that's one down here in the 4th, Avila 1-for-2 now. * ...looked like it caught part of the plate but the umpire hasn't seen it that way and Carrasquel's on his way to 1st base. Some booing from the crowd after that decision. * ...struck him out looking! My, Harrell was frozen by that breaking ball! * ...and that one's past Lau. Carrasquel takes 2nd on the passed ball... ...a safe hit should score him but Mossi swings and misses! Another strikeout for Pappas! The Blues are done here in the 4th. BOTTOM OF THE 4TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...Bolling connects but it's straight to Carrasquel. One down for the Tigers, Bolling grounding out for the first time. * ...and that's a base hit for Kaline, a single to shallow right. he just got enough on that for it to clear the infield. * ...the full count pitch now to Boyer. Mossi winds up, delivers, Boyer swings and cracks it into centrefield! It falls some ten yards in front of Mays and the Tigers are threatening now, runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. * ...Kuenn swings and lines it straight back to Mossi! The throw to 1st, double play for the Blues! Boyer was caught about five feet off the bag and couldn't get back in time. That ends the inning and I guess you can hear it, the complete change in the crowd from the excitement before Kuenn's liner to the disappointed silence after it. The Blues holding a 2-0 lead going into the 5th. ---------- *END OF THE 4TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 0* ---------- TOP OF THE 5TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and Minoso grounds out for the third time. All three have been to different fielders, Bolling gunning him out in the 1st and Wertz putting him out in the 3rd. He had nice contact on that pitch but Martin scooped it up nicely. * ...a liner over the infield for Ward and that's a base hit. He's on board for the second time this afternoon after walking in the 1st. * ...and it's a harmless grounder to Martin, who flips it to Bolling for the out at 2nd. Mays is safe at 1st but that's two outs now for the Blues. * ...Nixon swings on the pitch and Bolling gobbles that one. The throw to 1st and that's the end of the inning, Nixon 1-for-3 now. Pappas getting out of another potential jam there. BOTTOM OF THE 5TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...swings and lines it to shallow centre, base hit for Wertz! The Tigers have their leadoff man on for the first time today. * ...a grounder to 2nd, Avila gets Wertz but can't turn the double play! Billy Martin is safe at 1st. * ...Lau cracks that one to the gap in left-centre and it falls safely! Martin turns the corner but stays at 2nd, Mays tracking it down quickly. The crowd is cheering as they sense a rally coming here. The Tigers are now in the same position as they were in the 4th, two men on with one out. * ...Pappas showing bunt and he connects, but Mossi is on it quickly and Martin is out at 3rd! A nice bit of fielding there by the Cleveland hurler. Lau is on 2nd and Pappas on 1st, two down for the Tigers now. * ...hard hit grounder from Maxwell. Oh! Avila makes the diving stop and throws from his knees! It's in the dirt and gets past Ward! Lau is sprinting for home and makes it! The Tigers score and are now just down by one run! Pappas made it to 3rd standing up and Maxwell also reached on Avila's error. The crowd is going crazy right now! * ...and Bolling with a chance to tie it up right here. The 1-2 pitch, Bolling swings and grounds it straight to Avila! This time he makes no mistake with the throw and the inning's over, but the Tigers have pulled back one run. ---------- *END OF THE 5TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 2, DETROIT TIGERS 1* ---------- (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 08-21-2008 at 04:03 AM.

08-13-2008, 12:08 AM	#265 (permalink)
EMSoccerCoach Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 164 Warnings: 1	A brilliant way to do this nail-biter...good decision __________________ Run everything out

08-13-2008, 05:16 AM	#269 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	(continuation) TOP OF THE 6TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and that makes it four pitches he's fought off now. Pappas with the full count delivery and Maris pops it up. Lau is camped out under it and makes the catch. That's one out for the Blues here in the 6th. Maris not having the happiest of times at the plate so far. He's 0-for-3 now. * ...the 1-1 pitch and Avila smokes it down the left field line! He creamed that one and it's rolling to the wall. Avila pulls up at 2nd for a double, his second of the game! My word, he connected cleanly on that pitch. That makes him 2-for-3 in the game. Looks like some activity now in the Tigers bullpen. * ...and Carrasquel grounds out to 3rd, Boyer with a rope-like throw over the diamond to 1st. Two down now for the Blues with Avila in scoring position. * ...Harrell waiting on the pitch now, Pappas throws and it's a hit! That one clears the infield and drops in left! Avila's being sent home by the 3rd base coach and he scores with ease. Oh, my! The Blues are in front by two again at 3-1 and this crowd does not like it one bit! That's Harrell's second RBI of the afternoon after he brought Avila home in the 2nd on a groundout to 1st base. * ...Mossi with the grounder to 3rd and Boyer makes the throw to 2nd to get Harrell and end the inning. But the Blues scored another run and now lead 3-1. BOTTOM OF THE 6TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...but that's a ground ball to 1st and Wertz gathers it in, takes a few steps and plants his foot on the base, Kaline now 1-for-3 after that out. * ...the 1-2 pitch to Boyer, swung on and crushed to right field! That one's out of here! A home run for Ken Boyer and the crowd erupts! The Tigers trail by just one run again! My, oh, my, Boyer got all of that pitch and it cleared the first half-dozen rows, at least! He touches home plate now and acknowledges the crowd's applause before disappearing into the dugout. That's Boyer's 33rd homer of the season and 109th RBI! * ...Kuenn hammers that pitch to right field! It's going back, back, but Maris is under it and takes the catch a few yards from the wall. Wow, we nearly saw back-to-back home runs there! * ...and Wertz swings at the first pitch. That's a routine flyball to left and Minoso only has to take a few steps to his right to glove it. That's the end of the inning but Ken Boyer has put a real charge into this crowd with that home run! Hopefully it's something they can build on but they'll need a good 1-2-3 inning here to back it up. ---------- *END OF THE 6TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 3, DETROIT TIGERS 2* ---------- TOP OF THE 7TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and the numbers for Pappas: six innings pitched, seven hits and three earned runs. He walked two batters and struck out three and threw 107 pitches. Don Lee just about ready to deliver his first pitch of the game now... ...and that flyout continues an unfortunate afternoon for Minoso. He's now 0-for-4 and each time he's come to the plate he's been leading off an inning. His at-bats have come in the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th. Quite extraordinary. * ...the 1-2 to Ward and he strikes out! My, Lee blew that one right by him! That's the second time he's struck out today. * ...Mays with a grounder back to the mound and the ball bounces off the edge of Lee's glove and rolls toward 3rd! Mays hustles down to 1st and beats the throw from Boyer! Great hustle from the former Giant! * ...Nixon waits on the pitch. Lee with the wind up, the delivery, Nixon swings and sends it to right! It drops wide of Kaline and is rolling to the wall! Mays got a great jump and he's rounding 3rd and going for home! Nixon pulls up at 2nd and Mays scores, the throw cut off by Boyer! My, my, once again the Blues have pushed their lead out to two runs! They're up 4-2! Nixon's 2-for-4 with two RBI. How costly will that bobble from Lee prove to be, I wonder? * ...and he swings at the first pitch, a flyball to centrefield. Kuenn makes the catch and Maris is still without a hit in this game at 0-for-4. He shakes his head as he makes for the dugout but his team are in a pretty strong position here with a 4-2 lead as we arrive at the 7th innings stretch... BOTTOM OF THE 7TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...and that's a base hit for Martin! A flyball to short left. Mossi is unhappy about that because he had an 0-2 count on him there. * ...Lau lays down the bunt and it's a nice one! Martin advances to 2nd and the Tigers catcher is out at 1st but they've got a runner in scoring position. * ...and Alusik grounds the first pitch he sees right back to Mossi. That'll be his only action of the game and it was over in an instant, which is a shame for him. Ttwo down now for the Tigers. They really needed a batter at-bat there from the pinch hitter and it's now up to Maxwell to try and bring Martin home. * ...the 2-2 pitch from Mossi, Maxwell swings and misses! Mossi gets his third strikeout of the game. That's the end of the inning and this crowd is venting their frustration, a number of boos descending down upon the field. The Blues are now just six outs away from having themselves a three-game lead on top of the American League with three games left in the season. ---------- *END OF THE 7TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 2* ---------- (to be concluded!) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

08-13-2008, 03:39 PM	#270 (permalink)
TribeFanInNC Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 112	Detroit hasn't given up, but the Blues keep answering back. Great game. I've had a feeling of impending doom most of the game, but I'm starting to feel a little better about it. But the fat lady hasn't sung yet...Go Blues! __________________ Dog Days Baseball: Blackwood Werewolves (retired) Career 728-415 record, 6 Larch Division titles, 1973 Kennel Cup Champions eMLB: Los Angeles Dodgers (fired) Career 161-163 record

08-14-2008, 04:14 AM	#271 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	(conclusion) TOP OF THE 8TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and Avila smacks it down the left field line! That's a base hit, his third of the game after he doubled twice earlier. My, he's having a great afternoon for the Blues. Not the best start for Lary. * ...Doby swings on the 2-2 offering and misses! That's a strikeout for Lary and one down for the Blues. A disappointing at-bat for the pinch hitter after he was up 2-0. * ...a routine grounder to 2nd, Bolling stepping on the bag to get Avila but doesn't make a throw to 1st. Harrell is safe there. * ...and Gordon wouldn't have left him in the lineup if he wasn't going to pitch him in the bottom of the inning. Mossi takes a cut at the 1-2 pitch and hits nothing but air. Two strikeouts for Lary and that's the end of the inning. It'll be interesting to see how Mossi goes in the bottom of the frame... BOTTOM OF THE 8TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...and Billy Moran is taking the field at shortstop for the Blues, replacing Doby in the lineup. ...Bolling swinging at the first pitch and connects, that one going to left where Minoso makes the easy out. No doubt Tigers manager Bill Norman would have wanted more from that at-bat. * ...the 2-2 to Kaline and he connects on it, the shot following the same path as Bolling's all the way to Minoso in left. Two down now for the Tigers and understandably the crowd is becoming pretty anxious. * ...homered in his last at-bat but grounds out to Avila at 2nd to end the inning. Boyer is now 2-for-4 in the game and Don Mossi has pitched eight fantastic innings for the Blues. We probably won't see him in the 9th but he's been great for Cleveland this afternoon. ---------- *END OF THE 8TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 2* ---------- TOP OF THE 9TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and a great diving catch from Kaline to rob Minoso of a base hit! The crowd really loved that effort from the rightfielder! Once again Minoso leads off an inning and once again he fails to reach base, the Cuban 0-for-5 today. * ...it's popped up to the infield, Martin is under it and makes the out. That's two down for the Blues and Ward trudges back to the dugout. * ...and Mays grounds that one straight back to Lary, the throw to 1st and that's three out for Cleveland. A good, quick inning for the Tigers but now they face the daunting task of scoring at least twice to realistically keep their season alive... BOTTOM OF THE 9TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...Gordon bringing Tom Acker in from the bullpen. Mossi's final numbers in the game are very impressive, I must say: in eight innings he gave up eight hits, just one earned run and struck out three batters. He threw 98 pitches and I don't think anyone here would begrudge him the win if the Blues go on to be victorious. ...Mays is under it and makes the grab for the first out of the inning, Kuenn 0-for-4 now. He worked the count well, got his pitch but just couldn't connect cleanly on it. * ...Wertz swings and cracks it into the outfield! It falls to the right of Maris and he's on it, the throw to Avila. That's one on board for the Tigers, this crowd imploring them to rally! That was Wertz's second hit of the game. * ...the full count delivery from Acker now, and it's down and inside and Harris takes 1st! My, the Tigers have two on and the winning run at the plate now! A great at-bat there from Harris! * ...and he looks nervous, without a doubt. Now he goes into his wind up, delivers and Lau smokes it to right! It bounces a few yards in front of Maris and he rips a throw back to the infield! This stadium is really shaking now as the Tigers have bases loaded with just one out! Pumpsie Green's been brought in to run for Lau and Nixon is coming out to talk to Acker now, I guess to give him some time to compose himself... * ...and Noren's swinging at the first pitch and connects! It looks to be fading foul but Minoso is getting near it - OH, MY! He dropped it and it's a fair ball! It bounced maybe a foot inside the foul line and Wertz is going to score from 3rd! Minoso guns it back to the infield but Harris is safe at 3rd, Green at 2nd and Noren 1st! The bases are still loaded with only one out and the Tigers trailing by just one run at 4-3! My, my, we are in for an incredible finish here! * ...runners going with the pitch and Maxwell grounds it to Moran! Harris got a great jump from 3rd and has scored! We're all tied up at 4-4! The crowd is just going crazy! Unbelieveable! The Blues got the out at 2nd but couldn't turn the double play! The Tigers have guaranteed that this game will go to extra innings! The winning run is just ninety feet from home plate! * ...and Maxwell takes 2nd on the pitch, Nixon not bothering with a throw. ...Bolling swings and grounds it to 2nd, the throw to 1st and he's out. That's the end of the 9th inning and we're all tied up at four a piece! What a great rally from the Tigers! ---------- *END OF THE 9TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 4* ---------- TOP OF THE 10TH - CLEVELAND BLUES * ...and no doubt he'll be disappointed about it but he has to focus on the task at hand, which is regaining that lead. Morgan with the pitch and Nixon hits a sharp grounder to 2nd. Very nice pickup from Bolling and that's one down. My, this Tigers team looks hungry and ready to win this game now! The crowd has really put a charge into them! * ...and Maris could not have had a worse outing. That grounder back to Morgan sees him now 0-for-5. * ...Avila with the grounder to Boyer and he makes the throw over the diamond for the third out! I think that's nine batters retired in a row for the Blues now, Detroit coming through right when they needed to! BOTTOM OF THE 10TH - DETROIT TIGERS * ...some would have taken him out but Gordon has decided to keep him in. Acker with the wind up, the pitch, and Kaline creams that pitch to centrefield! It's going back, but it's going to fall short and Mays makes the catch at the warning track. One down for the Tigers. * ...2-2 on Boyer now and he fights off a high fastball. Boyer homered in the 6th to reduce Clevleand's lead to 3-2 and he also singled in the 4th. He's 2-for-4 on the day. The 2-2 pitch, Boyer swings and has absolutely crushed that ball! HOME RUN! HOME RUN!! The Tigers win! Holy, moly, I can't believe it! Ken Boyer with the home run to left-centre has won the game for the Detroit Tigers and they are still alive! My god, this is incredible! Boyer's teammates are mobbing him at home plate and the crowd is celebrating like we've just won the pennant! I really cannot believe what we've just witnessed! The Tigers have literally saved their season with a rally for the ages! We're just one game back, folks, with three still to play. And you know what I say to that? I say bring on those Yankees because this team is more than ready for them! ---------- *END OF THE 10TH - CLEVELAND BLUES 4, DETROIT TIGERS 5* ---------- * Cleveland Blues 1 1 0, 0 0 1, 1 0 0 (0) - 4 / 9 / 2 DETROIT TIGERS 0 0 0, 0 1 1, 0 0 2 (1) - 5 / 11 / 1 Willie Mays (CF, Cleveland Blues): 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B Russ Nixon (C, Cleveland Blues): 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 1 2B Bobby Avila (2B, Cleveland Blues): 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B Billy Harrell (3B, Cleveland Blues): 1-for-4, 2 RBI Ken Boyer (3B, Detroit Tigers): 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 HR Vic Wertz (1B, Detroit Tigers): 2-for-4, 1 R Charlie Lau (C, Detroit Tigers): 2-for-3, 1 R Don Mossi (SP, Cleveland Blues): 8.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 98 PI Milt Pappas (SP, Detroit Tigers): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 107 PI Game time: 3:46 Attendance: 49,779 (Briggs Stadium) * __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

08-14-2008, 12:20 PM	#272 (permalink)
TribeFanInNC Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 112	Well, who didn't see THAT coming. I knew pulling Mossi was a bad idea. Even fake Cleveland sports are snakebit. Well, hopefully we can still hold them off, but the wheels seem to be off the cart at this point. __________________ Dog Days Baseball: Blackwood Werewolves (retired) Career 728-415 record, 6 Larch Division titles, 1973 Kennel Cup Champions eMLB: Los Angeles Dodgers (fired) Career 161-163 record

08-15-2008, 01:32 AM	#273 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	Hey, TribeFan, are you interested in having a fictional player in my dynasty? Click on the link below if you are. That invite is open to anyone else who hasn't signed on but would like to, also. MLB: 1958 and Beyond...: Sign-up Thread __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 08-15-2008 at 03:58 AM.

08-15-2008, 08:17 AM	#274 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*THE OHIO EXPRESS* Saturday, 25 September, 1959 DRAMATIC AFTERNOON HAS BLUES ONE WIN FROM PENNANT Story by Grady McCallum A win over the Boston Red Sox coupled with a heartstopping Yankees victory over the Detroit Tigers has seen the Cleveland Blues take a two-game lead in the American League pennant race with just two days remaining in the season. The two matchups took place yesterday afternoon with the Blues jumping out to an early 5-0 lead before holding on to defeat the Massachusetts ballclub 6-4 at Fenway Park. Two hours later the epic clash between the Bronx Bombers and Detroit came to an end with the Yankees prevailing 11-9 in ten. It was the second extra innings game in a row for the Tigers following Thursday's classic matchup against the Blues, in which they rallied from a 4-2 9th-inning deficit to win 5-4. Sadly for them, everything they gained in that classic was erased yesterday as the Yankees revelled in the role of spoiler in what has been a riveting pennant race. Playing centrefield in relief of the rested Willie Mays, Roger Maris made up for his disappointing 0-for-5 afternoon in Thursday's game by hitting two home runs and batting 4-for-4 with four RBI. The Blues also received a great performance from starting pitcher Don Ferrarese, the lefthander going 8.1 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs. He walked six and struck out six, throwing 117 pitches as he improved to 16-7 on the season. Even so they had some anxious moments in the final inning as Pete Daley's two-run bomb to deep left-centre was followed by a two-out Pete Runnels double. Leon Wagner represented the tieing run but he struck out swinging to end the game. Meanwhile, Tiger fans were still on a high following Thursday afternoon's victory, a win that brought their team back from the abyss that would have been a three-game deficit with three left in the season. They came out to Briggs Stadium expecting that fantastic momentum to carry them to a big win over the Yankees. However, New York was not about to roll over and make it easy for them. They took a 1-0 lead in the 1st but the Tigers struck back with four in the 2nd, a walk and two singles scoring Vic Wertz before Harvey Kuenn had the crowd on their feet with a two-out three-run home run. The Yankees' retort was immediate, a four-hit three-run 3rd that tied the scores, Bob Turley, Gil McDougald and Tony Kubek all singling to start the frame. It remained tied up until the top of the 6th when the Yankees regained the lead through a Hank Bauer solo home run. The Tigers scored twice on four hits in the bottom of the same inning to make it 6-5 but the drama was only starting. New York scored twice in the 7th to retake the lead, rookie 1st baseman Willie McCovey cracking a two-RBI single to left field. They were still in front when the bottom of the 8th arrived but Ken Boyer had the crowd in raptures when he led the inning off with a solo shot to left-centre, tieing it up again at 7-7. After Charlie Maxwell and Vic Wertz were dismissed in quick time the Tigers came up with four consecutive singles that put two more runs on the scoreboard, the inning ending when Gail Harris flied out to deep right field. And so the Tigers took a two-run lead into the 9th. When Norm Siebern popped out to 1st and Yogi Berra grounded out to 3rd they were one out from victory. But McCovey came up with his third hit of the game, a single to right that was followed by a moment that sucked all the air out of Briggs Stadium, a two-run homer by Andy Carey. Mickey Mantle flied out to right to end the inning but the Yankees had tied it up for a third time. The Tigers once again came close to winning it. After Al Kaline walked, Ken Boyer flied out and Charlie Maxwell grounded into a fielder's choice. But Vic Wertz's long single to the gap in left-centre had Maxwell at 3rd, just ninety feet from victory. But Billy Martin grounded out to send the game into the 10th inning. Once there the Yankees delivered the knockout blow in the shape of a McDougald triple that scored pinch runner Willy Miranda. McDougald then scored himself on Kubek's sac fly to left, making it 11-9. Charlie Lau walked to lead off the inning for the Tigers and give them some hope but it quickly vanished when Bolling flied out, Kuenn grounded out and Milt Bolling flied out to centre to end the game. The reality that their team's season-long quest was all but over hit the crowd hard and the stadium was shrouded in a blanket of silence as the 45,582 in attendance made their way to the exits. Harvey Kuenn's 4-for-6 four-RBI effort had been for nought, as had been Boyer's 3-for-5 and Lau's 3-for-4 two-RBI outings and starting pitcher Jim Bunnings near eight innings of work. The win was the eighth in the last nine days for the Yankees. The Blues could clinch the pennant as early as this afternoon as all that is needed out of these final two days is one Cleveland win or one Detroit loss to see it happen. It would be their third pennant in twelve years following 1948's World Series-winning campaign and '54's 111-win season... American League standings as at end of play, Friday 24 September 1959 1ST: CLEVELAND BLUES 92-60 (.605) 2nd: Detroit Tigers 90-62 (.592) (2.0 G.B.) 3rd: New York Yankees 84-68 (.553) (8.0 G.B.) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

08-15-2008, 04:15 PM	#275 (permalink)
CatKnight Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 235	Looking really good for Cleveland at this point. Detroit put up a good fight, but I think the Blues OR Yankees will take at least one of the last two. The Cubbies are going to be tough though. My money's on them.

08-15-2008, 10:23 PM	#276 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*The Cleveland Courier* SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 1959 - LATE EDITION - BLUES WIN PENNANT! Story by Larry Jacobson The Cleveland Blues have finally clinched the American League pennant following a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox this afternoon at Fenway Park. It was a tense, tight encounter, the Blues taking a 2-1 lead into the 9th where they scored three timely runs, two of them on a two-out double by Rocky Colavito. Starting pitcher Gary Bell had a fantastic outing for the Blues, the 22 year-old showing a maturity beyond his years to throw eight innings of five-hit ball. He also walked five and struck out five, throwing 110 pitches on the way to his 12th win of the season. Relief pitcher Hal Woodeshick came up with a great finish to the game for Cleveland, striking out all three batters he faced in the 9th and getting Red Sox catcher Sammy White looking at a vicious breaking ball to end the game. The Blues players converged in the middle of the diamond and celebrated their triumph. Willie Mays and Rocky Colavito carried manager Joe Gordon on their shoulders but when the excitement had died down some thirty minutes later he spoke of the imposing task ahead of them. "The Cubbies have been incredible all year," Gordon said. "We're gonna have to be at our absolute best to defeat them. Obviously the key will be to defend our own turf and win those first two games. If we can then pinch one in Chicago I'll like our chances going back home. We won't worry about that right now, though. These boys have made me so proud and for tonight at least, they deserve to celebrate a little bit." "It really is a dream come true," said an emotional Colavito. "You know, last year was great for me individually with breaking the home run record but when it was all over it did feel a bit hollow because we didn't challenge for the pennant late in the season. This year has been fantastic, being part of a team that has contended all the way through and seen off an amazing challenge from the Tigers. This is why we play the game." "I never really thought it would happen in my first year here," said Willie Mays. "You know, I had some great seasons with the Giants and I felt that the Blues had a great nucleus in place to challenge the Yankees. But winning the pennant this year was even more than I could have hoped for. Everyone knows I was part of that Giants team that broke Cleveland's heart back in '54 but I'll be doing everything I can to bring the city a World Championship this year." The news of Cleveland's triumph reached Detroit in the 6th inning of their game against the Yankees, which they won 6-3, Harvey Kuenn breaking a 3-3 tie with a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th. Tomorrow is the final day of what has been an amazing regular season. Game one of the World Series is scheduled for Wednesday in Cleveland... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 08-15-2008 at 10:25 PM.

08-15-2008, 10:58 PM	#277 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer