MLB: 1958 and Beyond... - Page 7

kenyan_cheena · 04-29-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

Said this is my own thread, but seems the compliment should go here...you've got a great dynasty going here. Your articles are a perfect length and keep the interest...well done!

Thanks for the kind words, EM. In my last MLB dynasty I probably went overboard on the detail. I think this format of giving little snapshots is more effective and, to be honest, easier to do.

Hopefully you'll sign up when I start taking fictional OOTP community created players into the league for the 1960 season.

EMSoccerCoach · 04-29-2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Thanks for the kind words, EM. In my last MLB dynasty I probably went overboard on the detail. I think this format of giving little snapshots is more effective and, to be honest, easier to do.

Hopefully you'll sign up when I start taking fictional OOTP community created players into the league for the 1960 season.

Would be glad to. I'll probably do something like a Baseball Weekly format, each team gets a report on them with a couple of nuggets. Will see how it works out...right now I'm just trying to get the league set up.

kenyan_cheena · 05-03-2008, 05:45 PM

THE OHIO EXPRESS

Monday, 14 June, 1959

MAYS HOMERS IN FIRST GAME
BACK FROM INJURY

Story by Grady McCallum

Cleveland Blues fans were rejoicing yesterday as the ballclub's star off-season signing Willie Mays returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a groin injury back on April 28. The former National League MVP had a fantastic afternoon, hitting a two-run home run in the 3rd inning and scoring three times in an 8-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox at a near sold-out Fenway Park.

Current American League MVP Rocky Colavito followed up Mays' homer with a solo shot of his own to make the score 4-1, a lead which the Blues never relinquished. It was Colavito's twentieth home run of the season but the real story of the day was Mays, whom even the Red Sox fans applauded in his first at-bat and when he made his way out to centrefield in the bottom of the 1st inning. Mays celebrated his 28th birthday during his time on the sidelines and spoke of how much he was looking forward to getting back into action when interviewed before the game.

"It's like they say, you never know how much you love something until it's gone," Mays said. "It's been real tough sitting back and watching for the last six weeks but I'm fully fit now and ready to do my part. I can't wait to get back out there."

The Blues have remained competitive and, importantly, in touch with 1st place in the league while Mays has been inactive. They were 11-9 when he was injured and went into yesterday's matchup at 33-28. It was clear to see that the Alabama-born slugger's return to the lineup put an extra spring into the step of his teammates, the Blues producing a fine performance in the field. If Mays can stay injury-free the team should remain in contention deep into the season...

kenyan_cheena · 05-03-2008, 05:52 PM

THE ALABAMA TIMES

Wednesday 16 June 1959

YANKEES ROOKIE MCCOVEY HOMERS
IN FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE AT-BAT

Story by James Williamson

Mobile-born New York Yankees rookie Willie McCovey made his Major League debut yesterday and it was certainly one to remember, the 21 year-old hitting a two-out, two-run home run in his first at-bat in the 8th inning. McCovey's blast tied the scores at 6-6 and while the Yankees went on to lose 7-6 to the Red Sox in ten innings it was the talented rookie that everyone at Yankee Stadium was talking about. McCovey had been spoken of in glowing terms when signed during the off-season and after batting .300 with twelve homers and thirty RBI in sixty minor league appearances he was called up this past Sunday.

"I'm disappointed that we couldn't get the win," McCovey said. "That would have made it perfect but I have to say it was a real blast hitting that homer. Felt like I was dreaming when I rounded the bases, all those people in the crowd cheering."

In an exciting matchup Red Sox 3rd baseman Frank Malzone was named Player of the Game as he batted 4-for-5, smashing a two-run homer in the 1st. Hank Bauer (3-for-5, 2 R) and Andy Carey (3-for-5, 2 RBI) both excelled for the Yankees while starting pitcher Bobby Shantz took the loss after going 9.2 innings, giving up a career-high thirteen hits while throwing 134 pitches. Tom Brewer went eight innings for Boston but it was reliever Leo Kiely who recorded the win after 1.2 faultless innings, accounting for New York's final five batters on fifteen pitches.

There are many in the Yankees organisation who believe that McCovey has the potential to be a future MVP candidate. With that in mind it will be fascinating to follow his progress during the remainder of the season.

kenyan_cheena · 05-03-2008, 06:09 PM

The Cleveland Courier

WEDNESDAY 16 JUNE 1959

SCORE LOSES AGAIN

Story by Larry Jacobson

Ace Cleveland Blues starter Herb Score continued what has been an unfortunate month yesterday afternoon, losing his fourth consecutive start as the Blues were defeated 8-4 by the Detroit Tigers. After claiming the American League's Pitcher of the Month award in both April and May Score hasn't been able to buy a win ever since the calendar rolled over to June, the first of those four losses coming on the 3rd of the month.

Yesterday's effort was by no means a terrible one, as after conceeding three runs in the 1st inning Score kept the Tigers scoreless for the next six. When he was replaced following the 7th he had only given up five hits and those three runs while striking out eleven batters. The Blues were only behind by two but the Tigers made it a blowout with four in the 9th, the explosion fueled by a Charlie Maxwell double and an Al Kaline triple. Cleveland's 1-2 punch of Mays and Colavito had a poor afternoon, batting a combined 1-for-8.

While Score hasn't received enough support from his hitters this month, the statistics show that he's come back down to earth considerably after looking unbeatable to start the year:

April: 6 starts, 6-0, ERA 1.91, 47.0 IP, 38 hits, 43 K, 30 BB
May: 8 starts, 6-1, ERA 1.63, 66.1 IP, 33 hits, 65 K, 37 BB
June: 4 starts, 0-4, ERA 5.58, 29.0 IP, 24 hits, 40 K, 22 BB

"Herb is concerned by it," said Blues manager Joe Gordon. "He knows that he set the bar terribly high for himself and it was always going to be difficult to follow that up. But I guess he never would have figured on four straight losses. I know I didn't, but I'm confident he can get through this and come out of it even stronger."

It was Cleveland's third loss in four games and saw them fall to 34-29. After Monday's victory over Boston they had moved to within three games of the Tigers but will need to win today's second and final game of the series to get back there.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS,
AS AT END OF PLAY 15 JUNE 1959

1ST: DETROIT TIGERS 38-25 (.603)
2nd: New York Yankees 34-27 (.557), (3.0 G.B.)
3rd: Washington Senators 34-28 (.548), (3.5 G.B.)
4th: Cleveland Blues 34-29 (.539), (4.0 G.B.)
5th: Kansas City Athletics 31-33 (.484), (7.5 G.B.)
6th: Boston Red Sox 29-33 (.468), (8.5 G.B.)
7th: Baltimore Orioles 28-35 (.444), (10.0 G.B.)
8th: Chicago White Sox 25-40 (.385), (14.0 G.B.)

kenyan_cheena · 05-04-2008, 06:28 PM

The Cincinnati Enquirer

FRIDAY 18 JUNE 1959

BELL AND WHITE EXCEL
IN VICTORY OVER CARDINALS

Story by Larry Martelle

The Cincinnati Reds received a pair of great performances yesterday from centrefielder Gus Bell and 1st baseman Bill White in defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 at Busch Stadium. Bell's 4-for-5 effort was simply the continuation of what has been a brilliant season to date for him as the 30 year-old Louisville native is ranked amongst the leading lights of the National League with a batting average of .357. He homered to lead off the 3rd against the Cards and also scored during a four-run 7th when White (3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI) hit a two-out three-run home run to blow the game open. White has not been a regular in the Reds starting lineup but has made the most of his opportunities, batting .324 with four home runs and 21 RBI.

While Bell and White's bats were swinging hot Cincinnati may have found a solution for their pitching problems as, in his first start of the season and only second of his career, Charlie Rabe pitched a complete game masterpiece, allowing just two hits and two earned runs, also walking four and striking out three. It was the first win of his career and while White was named Player of the Game Reds manager Fred Hutchinson singled out the pitcher for special mention.

"Charlie was just fantastic for us," he said. "Fantastic. That's the type of effort we need more of from our rotation. I'm hoping it'll inspire the other guys to dig deeper and produce."

Yesterday's win may have been a good one for the Ohio ballclub but it was also one of the type they haven't seen enough of. It improved their record to 30-35 and they'll have to keep on coming up with similar outings if they want to get themselves into the pennant race.

EMSoccerCoach · 05-04-2008, 08:07 PM

Absolutely love the format of this...4 or 5 paragraphs and I feel like I know all I need to. McCovey a Yankee? *SHUDDER*

kenyan_cheena · 05-04-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

Absolutely love the format of this...4 or 5 paragraphs and I feel like I know all I need to. McCovey a Yankee? *SHUDDER*

Thanks, EM. Yep, the way I'm doing it with the rookies not starting with their real life teams is really going to create big changes for some franchises. Already we've had the Giants lose McCovey AND Mays (signed by Cleveland as a free agent).

I'll eventually have a storyline when the league votes to introduce a draft but until then I'll be ordering the draft according to how much each ballclub has available for signings when the "in-game" draft comes around. I feel this is the most realistic way to simulate how it really was without actually getting involved in the draft myself as it makes sense that the teams with the most to spend would be able to sign the most talented rookies.

kenyan_cheena · 05-07-2008, 07:52 AM

BASEBALL WEEKLY

Monday 21 June 1959

VOLUME 25, ISSUE 25

AN INGLORIOUS ENDING?

Story by Howard Notts, published in the
21 June 1959 issue of BASEBALL WEEKLY

Back on the 29th of April the baseball world was stunned when the Boston Red Sox waived perhaps the greatest player to ever button up a jersey for the Massachusetts organisation, Ted Williams. They had some justification to do so, as the 40 year-old Williams was struggling mightily with a batting average of .149 on a Red Sox team that was 7-13. Nevertheless, many assumed that "Teddy Ballgame" would remain with Boston until he chose to retire, after a career that had started in 1939 when many of the league's current superstars were still in grade school. Others said that he should have called it quits following the '58 season, when he batted below .300 for the first time in his career.

Red Sox manager Pinky Higgins spoke of how difficult it had been to waive Williams and the man himself had acknowledged that he understood why the decision was made. But he also said he wanted to continue playing and just three days later on May the 2nd his contract was picked up by the Chicago White Sox. The ballclub made it a public announcement, White Sox manager Al Lopez saying he was hoping that Williams would be able to pass on some of his "experience and knowledge" to the younger players on the team's roster.

Lopez gave the impression that Williams would be a permanent fixture on the active roster, and at first that looked to be the case. Williams made his first appearance for Chicago on the 8th of May against the Athletics, coming in to pinch hit in the 8th inning. He took part in eight more games during the next three weeks, starting in only one of them which was against his former ballclub on the 12th, when he batted 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 4-0 White Sox loss. His numbers in those nine games painted a sad picture: 0-for-8, three walks and three strikeouts. Following an ugly 11-4 loss at Yankee Stadium on the 29th, Williams was sent down to the minors for the first time in his career. It seemed that the great "experience and knowledge" experiment was over.

Since then Williams has been promoted and sent back down on two occasions and has played in eighteen games for Chicago's Triple A affiliate the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association, batting .212 with a home run and five RBI. The White Sox are currently sitting at the bottom of the American League at 27-43 and don't look like moving out of the basement any time soon. Considering this, it's quite a sad reality that Williams might play out the final months of his career in relative obscurity.

"It is sad," agreed journalist James Daldry, who covers the Indians as a sports reporter for the Indianapolis Star. "Although Williams hasn't said a word to indicate that he's unhappy. He's one of the most admired players in the history of our sport and most would agree that he doesn't deserve this. But he's turned up to play each day. He's getting along with his teammates, many of whom are young enough to be his children. Yep, it may be that we're seeing an inglorious ending to an incredible career, but he's still enjoying it. He still loves the game like no other."

Williams had said in the past that he'd like to play until the end of the '61 season, when his current contract expires. Most would say that's highly unlikely and if he ends up calling the final curtain on his illustrious career come September, it will be the end of an era in the sport...

kenyan_cheena · 05-08-2008, 02:05 PM

The Philadelphia Inquirer

THURSDAY 24 JUNE 1959

BOUCHEE TORCHES CUBS AS
PHILLIES SECURE SERIES WIN

Story by Tommy Simmonds

Philadelphia Phillies 1st baseman Ed Bouchee became the third player this season to hit three home runs in a single game during his team's 11-1 decimation of the Chicago Cubs yesterday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Bouchee batted 3-for-4 and knocked in a career-high six RBI, all three of his homers coming in the top half of the game. The first was a three-run shot with no one out in the 1st inning, the second a lead-off rocket in the 3rd and the final one a two-RBI effort in the 5th. All three came off Cubs starter Jim Brosnan who was relieved immediately after the third blast with the score 7-1. 3rd baseman Willie Jones then hit his 20th homer of the season, a two-RBI bullet over the right field wall. He was 2-for-5 on the day while rightfielder Willie Post (3-for-5, 3 R) and leftfielder Roy Sievers (2-for-3, 2 RBI) also contributed.

Continuing his impeccable season to date starting pitcher Curt Simmons went the distance, allowing seven hits, walking none and striking out eight in improving to 13-3. He's ranked 3rd in the National League with an ERA of 2.55 and is a certainty to be selected for the All-Star Game, which will be played on July 13 at Cleveland Stadium. The 30 year-old is enjoying his best start to a season and has been one of the primary reason's for the Phillies' success.

The Cubs have been slowly but surely sneaking up on Philadelphia, taking four games out of their lead during the last three weeks. They may have lost the series but are only 1.5 games behind so the Phillies will have to maintain their high standard to retain their position atop the league. They'll be in Cincinnati for three days starting this afternoon where they face a tough test against the streaking Reds before returning home to host the Dodgers to end the month.

NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
AS AT END OF PLAY, 23 JUNE 1959

1ST: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 41-30 (.577)
2nd: Chicago Cubs 39-31 (.557), (1.5 G.B.)
3rd: Milwaukee Braves 38-33 (.535), (3.0 G.B.)
4th: Pittsburgh Pirates 37-34 (.521), (4.0 G.B.)
5th: Cincinnati Reds 35-35 (.500), (5.5 G.B.)
6th: San Francisco Giants 34-35 (.493), (6.0 G.B.)
7th: St. Louis Cardinals 34-36 (.486), (6.5 G.B.)
8th: Brooklyn Dodgers 23-47 (.329), (17.5 G.B.)

kenyan_cheena · 05-09-2008, 09:10 AM

THE OHIO EXPRESS

Thursday, 24 June, 1959

BLUES WIN 6TH STRAIGHT
IN SHUTOUT OF SENATORS

Story by Grady McCallum

The Cleveland Blues achieved their second consecutive series sweep yesterday, following up last week's trio of wins against the Athletics with three more against the Washington Senators. All six wins have come at Cleveland Stadium, the Blues now nine games into a thirteen-game home stand. Yesterday's 5-0 win was built on the shoulders of a masterful performance by starter Herb Score who now appears to have shrugged off losses in four consecutive starts to claim Player of the Game honors in his last two. Score went the distance for the sixth time this season, allowing just three hits, walking seven and striking out eleven in a mesmerising performance. While it was Cleveland's sixth straight win, the defeat was Washington's sixth straight loss, the unfortunate form slump seeing them fall away from the top of the standings.

At the plate Colavito and Mays were fantastic for the Blues, Colavito smashing his MLB-leading 26th home run of the season, a two-RBI shot in the 8th while Mays homered twice, once in the 3rd and then again with two outs in the 5th. Mays batted 3-for-4, scoring three and knocking in three in another great effort. Since he returned to the lineup on the 13th the Blues are 8-2, Mays hitting .357 (10-for-28) with eleven RBI and four home runs in those ten games. Anyone who doubts how valuable the 1954 National League MVP is to the Ohio ballclub need only look at those numbers, the Blues now right in the middle of a three-headed brawl at the top of the American League.

"This has been a great stretch for us," said Cleveland's manager Joe Gordon. "Willie's playing like he was never injured and Herb's back to being Herb. I have to say it's helped that the Tigers have come back to the field a little but I'm not going to downplay the way our guys have been performing. Even so, we have to keep this momentum through until the All-Star break. The last thing I want is for us to fall back to being four games behind again."

During Score's recent struggles Gordon received great service from another of his starters, 30 year-old Oakland native Don Ferrarese. He's 4-1 with a fantastic ERA of 1.80 in the six starts he's made, the first of which was on the 31st of May. Ferrarese is the scheduled starter for today's blockbuster matchup against the Yankees, a game in which a win could very well propel the Blues into a tie for 1st place in the American League...

Top of the American League
as at the end of play, 23 June 1959

1ST: DETROIT TIGERS 42-29 (.591)
2nd: New York Yankees 40-29 (.580) (1.0 G.B.)
2nd: Cleveland Blues 41-30 (.577) (1.0 G.B.)

kenyan_cheena · 05-09-2008, 11:47 PM

MILWAUKEE * WISCONSIN
JOURNAL SENTINEL

Friday 25 June 1959

MATHEWS' WALK-OFF HOMER
SEALS LATEST BRAVES WIN

Story by Lomas Robertson

A one-out walk-off solo home run by 3rd baseman Eddie Mathews brought the 36,015 fans at County Stadium yesterday to their feet in applause as the Milwaukee Braves won for the twelfth time in their last fifteen outings to improve to 39-33 and move to within two games of the National League-leading Philadelphia Phillies. The 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants continued what has been a major clutch streak for the Braves, with seven of those twelve victories coming by a single run.

Rightfielder Hank Aaron was 2-for-5 with a run scored hitting lead-off while 1st baseman Joe Adcock was named Player of the Game after a 2-for-4, two-run two-RBI effort that included a two-out home run in the 5th that tied the scores at 4-4. It was Adcock's 20th homer of the season. In his 6th start Gene Conley went 7.2 innings for the Braves, giving up nine hits and all four San Francisco runs, also striking out four batters. Conley was brought into the rotation from the bullpen back on the 1st of June and has an impressive ERA of 2.53 in 24 appearances. Braves manager Fred Haney spoke of the good fortune the team has had during June, where they are 15-7 and have made up six games on the Phillies.

"It certainly has been a great month for us," he said, following yesterday's exciting win. "There's been a good measure of luck that has helped us out, something that wasn't coming our way earlier on. I think back to mid-May when folks were already writing us off. Those same people are silent now and I have to say their silence is really satisfying. They're the type who will say "I told you so" when we are struggling but when things are going well, you won't hear a peep from them. I can only imagine what they'll be thinking if we're still contending come August and September."

How it looks at the top of the National League,
as at the end of play 24 June 1959

1ST: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 41-31 (.569)
2nd: Chicago Cubs 39-32 (.549), (1.5 G.B.)
3rd: Milwaukee Braves 39-33 (.542), (2.0 G.B.)

JGil050 · 05-12-2008, 02:04 AM

I have been away from these boards for quite a while, but I have found some time to really get into the game again. I must say, I have taken the time to read this thread from beginning to this current point and I love it! You are doing a great job, and each post has just enough to envoke the ability to imagine the era you are in. Cant wait to see how this universe turns out!

kenyan_cheena · 05-12-2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGil050

I have been away from these boards for quite a while, but I have found some time to really get into the game again. I must say, I have taken the time to read this thread from beginning to this current point and I love it! You are doing a great job, and each post has just enough to envoke the ability to imagine the era you are in. Cant wait to see how this universe turns out!

Thanks, JGil. I'm planning on chronicling this dynasty for a long time so I hope you keep visiting to read it.

kenyan_cheena · 05-12-2008, 06:28 PM

The Cincinnati Enquirer

SATURDAY 26 JUNE 1959

REDS' WINNING STREAK REACHES NINE
FOLLOWING WIN OVER PHILLIES

Story by Larry Martelle

The Cincinnati Reds extended their surprising win streak to nine games yesterday with a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in front of a near-capacity crowd of 19,955 at Crosley Field. Having taken all four games against the Cardinals in St. Louis to end last week and going 3-0 hosting Pittsburgh to start this week the Reds guaranteed at least a series split against the National League leaders, following up Thursday's 2-1 twelve-inning victory with one that was not nearly as difficult.

A trio of Reds players powered this win. Leftfielder Frank Robinson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and a solo home run in the 1st while catcher Ed Bailey hit 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a two-run homer in the 8th. Bailey was named PotG with rightfielder Jerry Lynch also having a great day at the plate, batting 3-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a double. Leading 3-2 going into the 8th the Reds scored three in the bottom of the frame to put themselves beyond the Phillies reach, although the Pennsylvanians put on two in the 9th to make it close. Making his third start Reds pitcher Charlie Rabe went seven innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs while striking out a career-high eight batters. The 27 year-old Texan has won all three starts and has an ERA of 2.97 in those games.

When they started this winning run back on the 17th Cincinnati was 28-35 and not looking like getting into the pennant race. Just nine days later they're 37-35 and only 3.5 games behind the Phillies. It's an astonishing and unexpected streak, one that manager Fred Hutchinson hopes they can sustain for some time.

"I could not have asked for better performances from them these last couple of weeks," he said. "If we can keep it up going into the break and beyond, who knows what we can achieve?"

The Reds will complete their four game set with the Phillies tomorrow before hosting the Cardinals in a trio of matchups to end the month...

LFC1892 · 05-12-2008, 11:14 PM

I cant believe I've missed this

Just finished reading the 7 pages, and really impressed with it KC. Congrats, and keep up the great work...

kenyan_cheena · 05-13-2008, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC1892

I cant believe I've missed this

Just finished reading the 7 pages, and really impressed with it KC. Congrats, and keep up the great work...

Thanks, LFC. Like I said to JGil, I plan on keeping this one going for a long time so you can look forward to much more of it.

kenyan_cheena · 05-14-2008, 10:32 AM

The New York Age

SUNDAY, 27 JUNE, 1959

TURLEY OUT FOR SIX WEEKS
WITH BICEP INJURY

Story by Louis Greenberg

The New York Yankees have experienced a considerable setback in their chase for a fifth consecutive American League pennant with starting pitcher Bob Turley suffering a bicep injury during the Bronx Bombers' 12-6 win over the Blues yesterday in Cleveland. The injury occured at the end of the 5th inning with New York leading 3-0, Turley having only allowed two hits while walking five and striking out five.

Admittedly, Turley has been the least impressive of the Yankee starting quartet, his ERA of 4.67 an anomally amongst a group that is otherwise all under four (Shantz 3.89, Ford 3.38, Duren 3.62). Even so, his absence will be a difficult one to fill. Turley is 8-4 on the season in fifteen appearances. It's likely that New York-born Bob Grim will be added to the rotation, the 29 year-old being used in relief up to this point of the season.

"We're gonna miss him, no doubt," said Yankees manager Casey Stengel of Turley. "We've been blessed so far with our starters avoiding injury but this is a tough one. Bobby injured his bicep last year also so he's pretty frustrated by it, to say the least."

Veteran catcher Yogi Berra was fantastic in yesterday's victory, batting 3-for-5 with four RBI, two of which came on a home run in the 7th. On the season Berra is .315 with seventeen homers and 61 RBI, a number that sees him lead the league. The Yankees are now 42-30 and tied for 1st with Detroit (43-31), the Blues one game back at 42-32...

kenyan_cheena · 05-15-2008, 08:18 AM

The Cleveland Courier

MONDAY 28 JUNE 1959

MAYS AND COLAVITO
COMBINE FOR FIVE RBI
AS BLUES TOP YANKEES

Story by Larry Jacobson

Thanks in large part to the fantastic 1-2 punch of Willie Mays and Rocky Colavito the Cleveland Blues won an absolute thriller against the New York Yankees yesterday, the 10-9 victory leading to a 2-2 series split and leaving the two ballclubs tied for 2nd place just a single game behind Detroit. Mays was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, hammering a two-out solo homer in the 1st and an RBI double in the 4th. Colavito added to his MLB-leading home run total, blasting a two-run shot over Cleveland Stadium's right field wall in the 6th inning (his 27th of the season) after having made it back-to-back doubles for the Blues in the 4th with a liner into the corner in right that brought Mays home. Colavito finished 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI and was named Player of the Game.

1st baseman Preston Ward and veteran leftfielder Larry Doby also starred for the Blues, Ward batting 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI while Doby was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Blues starter Herb Score had one of his shortest outings of the season, going just 4.2 innings and conceeding eight hits, six earned runs and two homers. He walked three and struck out six before reliever Cal McLish recorded the win after some solid work through the 6th and 7th.

For the Yankees Mickey Mantle (2-for-5, 4 RBI, 2 HR) and Andy Carey (2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI) excelled but it wasn't quite enough to overcome the Blues. A win would have given New York a two-game break on the Ohio ballclub although manager Casey Stengel was confident that his team will make positive moves when they visit Baltimore to end the month. Yesterday's clash was already the thirteenth of the season between the Yankees and Blues, with the Bronx Bombers leading the series 7-6. A number of the games have been high-scoring, with the Blues reaching double-figures in three of them and the Yankees scoring at least nine runs in a trio of matchups. Yesterday's 10-9 scoreline was identical to another thriller between the two at Yankee Stadium back on the 1st of the month when the Blues scored two in the top of the 9th to take a game-winning lead. Their clashes so far have fascinated the baseball-following public and it's a rivalry that will be one to keep an eye on as the season continues...

captaincarl · 05-15-2008, 09:38 PM

The First-Year Player Draft did not come into being until 1965.

Is there a way to get the incoming rookies to file into the free agent pool and then the teams can sign any player that they want and can afford?

05-03-2008, 05:45 PM	#123 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*THE OHIO EXPRESS* Monday, 14 June, 1959 MAYS HOMERS IN FIRST GAME BACK FROM INJURY Story by Grady McCallum Cleveland Blues fans were rejoicing yesterday as the ballclub's star off-season signing Willie Mays returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a groin injury back on April 28. The former National League MVP had a fantastic afternoon, hitting a two-run home run in the 3rd inning and scoring three times in an 8-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox at a near sold-out Fenway Park. Current American League MVP Rocky Colavito followed up Mays' homer with a solo shot of his own to make the score 4-1, a lead which the Blues never relinquished. It was Colavito's twentieth home run of the season but the real story of the day was Mays, whom even the Red Sox fans applauded in his first at-bat and when he made his way out to centrefield in the bottom of the 1st inning. Mays celebrated his 28th birthday during his time on the sidelines and spoke of how much he was looking forward to getting back into action when interviewed before the game. "It's like they say, you never know how much you love something until it's gone," Mays said. "It's been real tough sitting back and watching for the last six weeks but I'm fully fit now and ready to do my part. I can't wait to get back out there." The Blues have remained competitive and, importantly, in touch with 1st place in the league while Mays has been inactive. They were 11-9 when he was injured and went into yesterday's matchup at 33-28. It was clear to see that the Alabama-born slugger's return to the lineup put an extra spring into the step of his teammates, the Blues producing a fine performance in the field. If Mays can stay injury-free the team should remain in contention deep into the season... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

05-03-2008, 05:52 PM	#124 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	THE ALABAMA TIMES Wednesday 16 June 1959 YANKEES ROOKIE MCCOVEY HOMERS IN FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE AT-BAT Story by James Williamson Mobile-born New York Yankees rookie Willie McCovey made his Major League debut yesterday and it was certainly one to remember, the 21 year-old hitting a two-out, two-run home run in his first at-bat in the 8th inning. McCovey's blast tied the scores at 6-6 and while the Yankees went on to lose 7-6 to the Red Sox in ten innings it was the talented rookie that everyone at Yankee Stadium was talking about. McCovey had been spoken of in glowing terms when signed during the off-season and after batting .300 with twelve homers and thirty RBI in sixty minor league appearances he was called up this past Sunday. "I'm disappointed that we couldn't get the win," McCovey said. "That would have made it perfect but I have to say it was a real blast hitting that homer. Felt like I was dreaming when I rounded the bases, all those people in the crowd cheering." In an exciting matchup Red Sox 3rd baseman Frank Malzone was named Player of the Game as he batted 4-for-5, smashing a two-run homer in the 1st. Hank Bauer (3-for-5, 2 R) and Andy Carey (3-for-5, 2 RBI) both excelled for the Yankees while starting pitcher Bobby Shantz took the loss after going 9.2 innings, giving up a career-high thirteen hits while throwing 134 pitches. Tom Brewer went eight innings for Boston but it was reliever Leo Kiely who recorded the win after 1.2 faultless innings, accounting for New York's final five batters on fifteen pitches. There are many in the Yankees organisation who believe that McCovey has the potential to be a future MVP candidate. With that in mind it will be fascinating to follow his progress during the remainder of the season. __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

05-03-2008, 06:09 PM	#125 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*The Cleveland Courier* WEDNESDAY 16 JUNE 1959 SCORE LOSES AGAIN Story by Larry Jacobson Ace Cleveland Blues starter Herb Score continued what has been an unfortunate month yesterday afternoon, losing his fourth consecutive start as the Blues were defeated 8-4 by the Detroit Tigers. After claiming the American League's Pitcher of the Month award in both April and May Score hasn't been able to buy a win ever since the calendar rolled over to June, the first of those four losses coming on the 3rd of the month. Yesterday's effort was by no means a terrible one, as after conceeding three runs in the 1st inning Score kept the Tigers scoreless for the next six. When he was replaced following the 7th he had only given up five hits and those three runs while striking out eleven batters. The Blues were only behind by two but the Tigers made it a blowout with four in the 9th, the explosion fueled by a Charlie Maxwell double and an Al Kaline triple. Cleveland's 1-2 punch of Mays and Colavito had a poor afternoon, batting a combined 1-for-8. While Score hasn't received enough support from his hitters this month, the statistics show that he's come back down to earth considerably after looking unbeatable to start the year: April: 6 starts, 6-0, ERA 1.91, 47.0 IP, 38 hits, 43 K, 30 BB May: 8 starts, 6-1, ERA 1.63, 66.1 IP, 33 hits, 65 K, 37 BB June: 4 starts, 0-4, ERA 5.58, 29.0 IP, 24 hits, 40 K, 22 BB "Herb is concerned by it," said Blues manager Joe Gordon. "He knows that he set the bar terribly high for himself and it was always going to be difficult to follow that up. But I guess he never would have figured on four straight losses. I know I didn't, but I'm confident he can get through this and come out of it even stronger." It was Cleveland's third loss in four games and saw them fall to 34-29. After Monday's victory over Boston they had moved to within three games of the Tigers but will need to win today's second and final game of the series to get back there. AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS, AS AT END OF PLAY 15 JUNE 1959 1ST: DETROIT TIGERS 38-25 (.603) 2nd: New York Yankees 34-27 (.557), (3.0 G.B.) 3rd: Washington Senators 34-28 (.548), (3.5 G.B.) 4th: Cleveland Blues 34-29 (.539), (4.0 G.B.) 5th: Kansas City Athletics 31-33 (.484), (7.5 G.B.) 6th: Boston Red Sox 29-33 (.468), (8.5 G.B.) 7th: Baltimore Orioles 28-35 (.444), (10.0 G.B.) 8th: Chicago White Sox 25-40 (.385), (14.0 G.B.) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

05-04-2008, 06:28 PM	#126 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*The Cincinnati Enquirer* FRIDAY 18 JUNE 1959 BELL AND WHITE EXCEL IN VICTORY OVER CARDINALS Story by Larry Martelle The Cincinnati Reds received a pair of great performances yesterday from centrefielder Gus Bell and 1st baseman Bill White in defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 at Busch Stadium. Bell's 4-for-5 effort was simply the continuation of what has been a brilliant season to date for him as the 30 year-old Louisville native is ranked amongst the leading lights of the National League with a batting average of .357. He homered to lead off the 3rd against the Cards and also scored during a four-run 7th when White (3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI) hit a two-out three-run home run to blow the game open. White has not been a regular in the Reds starting lineup but has made the most of his opportunities, batting .324 with four home runs and 21 RBI. While Bell and White's bats were swinging hot Cincinnati may have found a solution for their pitching problems as, in his first start of the season and only second of his career, Charlie Rabe pitched a complete game masterpiece, allowing just two hits and two earned runs, also walking four and striking out three. It was the first win of his career and while White was named Player of the Game Reds manager Fred Hutchinson singled out the pitcher for special mention. "Charlie was just fantastic for us," he said. "Fantastic. That's the type of effort we need more of from our rotation. I'm hoping it'll inspire the other guys to dig deeper and produce." Yesterday's win may have been a good one for the Ohio ballclub but it was also one of the type they haven't seen enough of. It improved their record to 30-35 and they'll have to keep on coming up with similar outings if they want to get themselves into the pennant race. __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 05-12-2008 at 06:05 PM.

05-04-2008, 08:07 PM	#127 (permalink)
EMSoccerCoach Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 164 Warnings: 1	Absolutely love the format of this...4 or 5 paragraphs and I feel like I know all I need to. McCovey a Yankee? SHUDDER __________________ Run everything out

05-07-2008, 07:52 AM	#129 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	BASEBALL WEEKLY Monday 21 June 1959 VOLUME 25, ISSUE 25 AN INGLORIOUS ENDING? Story by Howard Notts, published in the 21 June 1959 issue of BASEBALL WEEKLY Back on the 29th of April the baseball world was stunned when the Boston Red Sox waived perhaps the greatest player to ever button up a jersey for the Massachusetts organisation, Ted Williams. They had some justification to do so, as the 40 year-old Williams was struggling mightily with a batting average of .149 on a Red Sox team that was 7-13. Nevertheless, many assumed that "Teddy Ballgame" would remain with Boston until he chose to retire, after a career that had started in 1939 when many of the league's current superstars were still in grade school. Others said that he should have called it quits following the '58 season, when he batted below .300 for the first time in his career. Red Sox manager Pinky Higgins spoke of how difficult it had been to waive Williams and the man himself had acknowledged that he understood why the decision was made. But he also said he wanted to continue playing and just three days later on May the 2nd his contract was picked up by the Chicago White Sox. The ballclub made it a public announcement, White Sox manager Al Lopez saying he was hoping that Williams would be able to pass on some of his "experience and knowledge" to the younger players on the team's roster. Lopez gave the impression that Williams would be a permanent fixture on the active roster, and at first that looked to be the case. Williams made his first appearance for Chicago on the 8th of May against the Athletics, coming in to pinch hit in the 8th inning. He took part in eight more games during the next three weeks, starting in only one of them which was against his former ballclub on the 12th, when he batted 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 4-0 White Sox loss. His numbers in those nine games painted a sad picture: 0-for-8, three walks and three strikeouts. Following an ugly 11-4 loss at Yankee Stadium on the 29th, Williams was sent down to the minors for the first time in his career. It seemed that the great "experience and knowledge" experiment was over. Since then Williams has been promoted and sent back down on two occasions and has played in eighteen games for Chicago's Triple A affiliate the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association, batting .212 with a home run and five RBI. The White Sox are currently sitting at the bottom of the American League at 27-43 and don't look like moving out of the basement any time soon. Considering this, it's quite a sad reality that Williams might play out the final months of his career in relative obscurity. "It is sad," agreed journalist James Daldry, who covers the Indians as a sports reporter for the Indianapolis Star. "Although Williams hasn't said a word to indicate that he's unhappy. He's one of the most admired players in the history of our sport and most would agree that he doesn't deserve this. But he's turned up to play each day. He's getting along with his teammates, many of whom are young enough to be his children. Yep, it may be that we're seeing an inglorious ending to an incredible career, but he's still enjoying it. He still loves the game like no other." Williams had said in the past that he'd like to play until the end of the '61 season, when his current contract expires. Most would say that's highly unlikely and if he ends up calling the final curtain on his illustrious career come September, it will be the end of an era in the sport... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 05-08-2008 at 12:59 AM.

05-08-2008, 02:05 PM	#130 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	The Philadelphia Inquirer THURSDAY 24 JUNE 1959 BOUCHEE TORCHES CUBS AS PHILLIES SECURE SERIES WIN Story by Tommy Simmonds Philadelphia Phillies 1st baseman Ed Bouchee became the third player this season to hit three home runs in a single game during his team's 11-1 decimation of the Chicago Cubs yesterday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Bouchee batted 3-for-4 and knocked in a career-high six RBI, all three of his homers coming in the top half of the game. The first was a three-run shot with no one out in the 1st inning, the second a lead-off rocket in the 3rd and the final one a two-RBI effort in the 5th. All three came off Cubs starter Jim Brosnan who was relieved immediately after the third blast with the score 7-1. 3rd baseman Willie Jones then hit his 20th homer of the season, a two-RBI bullet over the right field wall. He was 2-for-5 on the day while rightfielder Willie Post (3-for-5, 3 R) and leftfielder Roy Sievers (2-for-3, 2 RBI) also contributed. Continuing his impeccable season to date starting pitcher Curt Simmons went the distance, allowing seven hits, walking none and striking out eight in improving to 13-3. He's ranked 3rd in the National League with an ERA of 2.55 and is a certainty to be selected for the All-Star Game, which will be played on July 13 at Cleveland Stadium. The 30 year-old is enjoying his best start to a season and has been one of the primary reason's for the Phillies' success. The Cubs have been slowly but surely sneaking up on Philadelphia, taking four games out of their lead during the last three weeks. They may have lost the series but are only 1.5 games behind so the Phillies will have to maintain their high standard to retain their position atop the league. They'll be in Cincinnati for three days starting this afternoon where they face a tough test against the streaking Reds before returning home to host the Dodgers to end the month. NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS AS AT END OF PLAY, 23 JUNE 1959 1ST: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 41-30 (.577) 2nd: Chicago Cubs 39-31 (.557), (1.5 G.B.) 3rd: Milwaukee Braves 38-33 (.535), (3.0 G.B.) 4th: Pittsburgh Pirates 37-34 (.521), (4.0 G.B.) 5th: Cincinnati Reds 35-35 (.500), (5.5 G.B.) 6th: San Francisco Giants 34-35 (.493), (6.0 G.B.) 7th: St. Louis Cardinals 34-36 (.486), (6.5 G.B.) 8th: Brooklyn Dodgers 23-47 (.329), (17.5 G.B.) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 06-28-2008 at 11:02 PM.

05-09-2008, 09:10 AM	#131 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	THE OHIO EXPRESS Thursday, 24 June, 1959 BLUES WIN 6TH STRAIGHT IN SHUTOUT OF SENATORS Story by Grady McCallum The Cleveland Blues achieved their second consecutive series sweep yesterday, following up last week's trio of wins against the Athletics with three more against the Washington Senators. All six wins have come at Cleveland Stadium, the Blues now nine games into a thirteen-game home stand. Yesterday's 5-0 win was built on the shoulders of a masterful performance by starter Herb Score who now appears to have shrugged off losses in four consecutive starts to claim Player of the Game honors in his last two. Score went the distance for the sixth time this season, allowing just three hits, walking seven and striking out eleven in a mesmerising performance. While it was Cleveland's sixth straight win, the defeat was Washington's sixth straight loss, the unfortunate form slump seeing them fall away from the top of the standings. At the plate Colavito and Mays were fantastic for the Blues, Colavito smashing his MLB-leading 26th home run of the season, a two-RBI shot in the 8th while Mays homered twice, once in the 3rd and then again with two outs in the 5th. Mays batted 3-for-4, scoring three and knocking in three in another great effort. Since he returned to the lineup on the 13th the Blues are 8-2, Mays hitting .357 (10-for-28) with eleven RBI and four home runs in those ten games. Anyone who doubts how valuable the 1954 National League MVP is to the Ohio ballclub need only look at those numbers, the Blues now right in the middle of a three-headed brawl at the top of the American League. "This has been a great stretch for us," said Cleveland's manager Joe Gordon. "Willie's playing like he was never injured and Herb's back to being Herb. I have to say it's helped that the Tigers have come back to the field a little but I'm not going to downplay the way our guys have been performing. Even so, we have to keep this momentum through until the All-Star break. The last thing I want is for us to fall back to being four games behind again." During Score's recent struggles Gordon received great service from another of his starters, 30 year-old Oakland native Don Ferrarese. He's 4-1 with a fantastic ERA of 1.80 in the six starts he's made, the first of which was on the 31st of May. Ferrarese is the scheduled starter for today's blockbuster matchup against the Yankees, a game in which a win could very well propel the Blues into a tie for 1st place in the American League... Top of the American League as at the end of play, 23 June 1959 1ST: DETROIT TIGERS 42-29 (.591) 2nd: New York Yankees 40-29 (.580) (1.0 G.B.) 2nd: Cleveland Blues 41-30 (.577) (1.0 G.B.) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 05-09-2008 at 11:05 PM.

05-09-2008, 11:47 PM	#132 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	MILWAUKEE * WISCONSIN JOURNAL SENTINEL Friday 25 June 1959 MATHEWS' WALK-OFF HOMER SEALS LATEST BRAVES WIN Story by Lomas Robertson A one-out walk-off solo home run by 3rd baseman Eddie Mathews brought the 36,015 fans at County Stadium yesterday to their feet in applause as the Milwaukee Braves won for the twelfth time in their last fifteen outings to improve to 39-33 and move to within two games of the National League-leading Philadelphia Phillies. The 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants continued what has been a major clutch streak for the Braves, with seven of those twelve victories coming by a single run. Rightfielder Hank Aaron was 2-for-5 with a run scored hitting lead-off while 1st baseman Joe Adcock was named Player of the Game after a 2-for-4, two-run two-RBI effort that included a two-out home run in the 5th that tied the scores at 4-4. It was Adcock's 20th homer of the season. In his 6th start Gene Conley went 7.2 innings for the Braves, giving up nine hits and all four San Francisco runs, also striking out four batters. Conley was brought into the rotation from the bullpen back on the 1st of June and has an impressive ERA of 2.53 in 24 appearances. Braves manager Fred Haney spoke of the good fortune the team has had during June, where they are 15-7 and have made up six games on the Phillies. "It certainly has been a great month for us," he said, following yesterday's exciting win. "There's been a good measure of luck that has helped us out, something that wasn't coming our way earlier on. I think back to mid-May when folks were already writing us off. Those same people are silent now and I have to say their silence is really satisfying. They're the type who will say "I told you so" when we are struggling but when things are going well, you won't hear a peep from them. I can only imagine what they'll be thinking if we're still contending come August and September." How it looks at the top of the National League, as at the end of play 24 June 1959 1ST: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 41-31 (.569) 2nd: Chicago Cubs 39-32 (.549), (1.5 G.B.) 3rd: Milwaukee Braves 39-33 (.542), (2.0 G.B.) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

05-12-2008, 02:04 AM	#133 (permalink)
JGil050 Bat Boy Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: MD Posts: 10	I have been away from these boards for quite a while, but I have found some time to really get into the game again. I must say, I have taken the time to read this thread from beginning to this current point and I love it! You are doing a great job, and each post has just enough to envoke the ability to imagine the era you are in. Cant wait to see how this universe turns out!

05-12-2008, 06:28 PM	#135 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	The Cincinnati Enquirer SATURDAY 26 JUNE 1959 REDS' WINNING STREAK REACHES NINE FOLLOWING WIN OVER PHILLIES Story by Larry Martelle The Cincinnati Reds extended their surprising win streak to nine games yesterday with a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in front of a near-capacity crowd of 19,955 at Crosley Field. Having taken all four games against the Cardinals in St. Louis to end last week and going 3-0 hosting Pittsburgh to start this week the Reds guaranteed at least a series split against the National League leaders, following up Thursday's 2-1 twelve-inning victory with one that was not nearly as difficult. A trio of Reds players powered this win. Leftfielder Frank Robinson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and a solo home run in the 1st while catcher Ed Bailey hit 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a two-run homer in the 8th. Bailey was named PotG with rightfielder Jerry Lynch also having a great day at the plate, batting 3-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a double. Leading 3-2 going into the 8th the Reds scored three in the bottom of the frame to put themselves beyond the Phillies reach, although the Pennsylvanians put on two in the 9th to make it close. Making his third start Reds pitcher Charlie Rabe went seven innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs while striking out a career-high eight batters. The 27 year-old Texan has won all three starts and has an ERA of 2.97 in those games. When they started this winning run back on the 17th Cincinnati was 28-35 and not looking like getting into the pennant race. Just nine days later they're 37-35 and only 3.5 games behind the Phillies. It's an astonishing and unexpected streak, one that manager Fred Hutchinson hopes they can sustain for some time. "I could not have asked for better performances from them these last couple of weeks," he said. "If we can keep it up going into the break and beyond, who knows what we can achieve?" The Reds will complete their four game set with the Phillies tomorrow before hosting the Cardinals in a trio of matchups to end the month... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

05-12-2008, 11:14 PM	#136 (permalink)
LFC1892 All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sydney,Australia Posts: 629	I cant believe I've missed this Just finished reading the 7 pages, and really impressed with it KC. Congrats, and keep up the great work... __________________

05-14-2008, 10:32 AM	#138 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*The New York Age* SUNDAY, 27 JUNE, 1959 TURLEY OUT FOR SIX WEEKS WITH BICEP INJURY Story by Louis Greenberg The New York Yankees have experienced a considerable setback in their chase for a fifth consecutive American League pennant with starting pitcher Bob Turley suffering a bicep injury during the Bronx Bombers' 12-6 win over the Blues yesterday in Cleveland. The injury occured at the end of the 5th inning with New York leading 3-0, Turley having only allowed two hits while walking five and striking out five. Admittedly, Turley has been the least impressive of the Yankee starting quartet, his ERA of 4.67 an anomally amongst a group that is otherwise all under four (Shantz 3.89, Ford 3.38, Duren 3.62). Even so, his absence will be a difficult one to fill. Turley is 8-4 on the season in fifteen appearances. It's likely that New York-born Bob Grim will be added to the rotation, the 29 year-old being used in relief up to this point of the season. "We're gonna miss him, no doubt," said Yankees manager Casey Stengel of Turley. "We've been blessed so far with our starters avoiding injury but this is a tough one. Bobby injured his bicep last year also so he's pretty frustrated by it, to say the least." Veteran catcher Yogi Berra was fantastic in yesterday's victory, batting 3-for-5 with four RBI, two of which came on a home run in the 7th. On the season Berra is .315 with seventeen homers and 61 RBI, a number that sees him lead the league. The Yankees are now 42-30 and tied for 1st with Detroit (43-31), the Blues one game back at 42-32... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 05-14-2008 at 12:26 PM.

05-15-2008, 08:18 AM	#139 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,626	*The Cleveland Courier* MONDAY 28 JUNE 1959 MAYS AND COLAVITO COMBINE FOR FIVE RBI AS BLUES TOP YANKEES Story by Larry Jacobson Thanks in large part to the fantastic 1-2 punch of Willie Mays and Rocky Colavito the Cleveland Blues won an absolute thriller against the New York Yankees yesterday, the 10-9 victory leading to a 2-2 series split and leaving the two ballclubs tied for 2nd place just a single game behind Detroit. Mays was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, hammering a two-out solo homer in the 1st and an RBI double in the 4th. Colavito added to his MLB-leading home run total, blasting a two-run shot over Cleveland Stadium's right field wall in the 6th inning (his 27th of the season) after having made it back-to-back doubles for the Blues in the 4th with a liner into the corner in right that brought Mays home. Colavito finished 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI and was named Player of the Game. 1st baseman Preston Ward and veteran leftfielder Larry Doby also starred for the Blues, Ward batting 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI while Doby was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Blues starter Herb Score had one of his shortest outings of the season, going just 4.2 innings and conceeding eight hits, six earned runs and two homers. He walked three and struck out six before reliever Cal McLish recorded the win after some solid work through the 6th and 7th. For the Yankees Mickey Mantle (2-for-5, 4 RBI, 2 HR) and Andy Carey (2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI) excelled but it wasn't quite enough to overcome the Blues. A win would have given New York a two-game break on the Ohio ballclub although manager Casey Stengel was confident that his team will make positive moves when they visit Baltimore to end the month. Yesterday's clash was already the thirteenth of the season between the Yankees and Blues, with the Bronx Bombers leading the series 7-6. A number of the games have been high-scoring, with the Blues reaching double-figures in three of them and the Yankees scoring at least nine runs in a trio of matchups. Yesterday's 10-9 scoreline was identical to another thriller between the two at Yankee Stadium back on the 1st of the month when the Blues scored two in the top of the 9th to take a game-winning lead. Their clashes so far have fascinated the baseball-following public and it's a rivalry that will be one to keep an eye on as the season continues... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

05-15-2008, 09:38 PM	#140 (permalink)
captaincarl All Star Reserve Join Date: May 2003 Location: Barrington, RI Posts: 520	The First-Year Player Draft did not come into being until 1965. Is there a way to get the incoming rookies to file into the free agent pool and then the teams can sign any player that they want and can afford?