United League Baseball

Rojek Gets 6 Hits, Sent to Korea
Detroit Shortstop Sets UL Record, Drafted by Army on Same Day
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (July 13) -- Detroit Sound shortstop Stan Rojek made United League history today, becoming the first player to collect 6 hits in a single game, and in the process driving in 6 runs for the second time in little over a month. One could hardly have chosen a less likely candidate for such a feat. Rojek, a North Tonawanda, N.Y. native and 40th-round draft pick (315th overall), showed flashes of greatness with the Pirates in 1948, when he batted .290, was third in the league in hits and stolen bases, and was tenth in MVP voting. But outside of 1948, Rojek is a career .251 hitter with no power and poor range at shortstop.
   Rojek was thrilled to get a call from the White House in the locker room. Thrilled, that is, until President Truman handed the phone to Secretary of Defense George Marshall, who informed Rojek that he was being traded from Motown to Seoul. "Do you look good in green?" Gen. Marshall jibbed. Rojek was among 25 major- and minor-league players who were drafted into military service for 1952 (see story below). Rojek's number came up somewhere between his fourth and fifth hits. His record sixth hit came in the ninth off Alex Kellner, and drove in Ralph Kiner to complete the scoring in a 13-1 blowout. Detroit is on a 9-2 run and climbed into a tie for fourth.

Can Chicago Be Caught?
After 20-3 Run, 11-Game Lead, Is Pennant Race Over?
CHICAGO (July 14) -- The Chicago Colts won their sixth straight game today, extending their midsummer hot streak to 20 wins in 23 games, which has enlarged their lead to 11 games over second place New York. Today's win came in dramatic fashion. The Colts took a 5-3 lead to the ninth, on a solid five innings by Mel Parnell and quality relief work by Dizzy Trout and Al Brazle. With Ted Wilks on the mound, going for his 17th save, Richie Ashburn (who, like Wilks, received a telegram from the Army the day before), Solly Hemus, and Clyde Kluttz singled, and Jackie Jensen doubled. Nellie Fox' flyout plated a third run, and the visitors took a 6-5 lead to the bottom of the ninth. Mickey Harris induced a Yogi Berra groundout, but Wally Westlake drew a walk and Bobby Thomson singled, putting the tying run on third with one out. Needing only a long out to tie the game, pinch hitter Andy Seminick instead parked one 389 feet to left center, a game-winning three-run blast.
   It's been that kind of season for Lance Mueller's ballclub. After a 14-10 start found them two games off the pace of red-hot Boston on May 1, the Colts went 17-10 in May, edging ahead of New York on May 28. After playing .500 ball in early June, Chicago went on a tear, winning nine in a row June 15-24 and taking a 6.5-game lead into the midsummer break. In July, Mueller's Colts picked up where they left off, sweeping the Superbas at Ebbets (while Boston swept the Gothams at Fenway) and then responding to a 13-5 drubbing by St. Louis with six straight wins over the Maroons and Colonels. The margin between 1st and 2nd is now nearly twice that which separates 2nd from 7th.
   One of the keys to Chicago's success has been the stellar mound work of Saul Rogovin, once described by GM Lance Mueller as his biggest draft day mistake. Some mistake! "If Saul Rogovin was a mistake, my grandma is Marilyn Monroe," St. Louis manager Timothy J. Smith moaned. "Or maybe Bettie Page. Yeah, Bettie Page. Oh man!" Rogovin (13-6, 3.30) is 3-0 in July and 7-2 since May 23. Saul is 2nd in ERA and tied with teammate Parnell with a league-high 13 wins. Parnell's ERA is 1.96 in three July starts, and he is 7-1 in his last 8 decisions. Ace Don Newcombe has overcome a slow start, going 3-0 in his last five starts. Overall, Chicago leads the league in ERA (4.02, 121 ERA+), runs allowed per game (4.51), opponent batting average (.267), and home runs allowed (62, 0.71 per game).
   But the Colts also boast the second best offense (5.7 runs/game). They rank first in home runs and slugging, and second in hits, batting, and OPS. Chicago's 4-5-6 hitters (Yogi Berra, Wally Westlake, and Bobby Thomson), have become the UL's most feared trio, combining for a .308 average, 49 HR, and 143 RBI. At the top of the order, Pee Wee Reese, Bobby Avila, and Whitey Lockman are among the league's premier table setters. Reese has a .384 OBP, has scored 63 runs and swiped 16 bases. Avila has 59 runs and 15 steals. And Lockman is batting .429 vs. righties, with 10 doubles in just 145 at-bats.
   It may be too early yet to crown Chicago the United League's inaugural champions, but consider this: if Chicago plays .500 ball the rest of the season (something they haven't done for more than a two-week stretch all year), New York would have to go 43-24 (.642) and St. Louis 46-22 (.676) to overtake them.

MILITARY DRAFT
Colonel Ashburn Demoted to Private
WASHINGTON (July 13) -- As if a 1-10 skid and a 25-game chasm separating them from first place wasn't bad enough, the Louisville Colonels learned today that they will lose their most productive hitter for all of 1952, thanks to the ongoing UN police action on the Korean Peninsula. And although every team lost at least one player to the military draft, Colonels centerfielder Richie Ashburn, 24, was the highest-profile player to be called to serve his country.
   Uncle Sam drafted a full roster of 25 players for military service in 1952 today. Fifteen draftees are currently on United League rosters, the other ten from minor league teams. The players were drawn completely at random, though ironically, the militaristic 'Colonels' and Washington's team, the Monuments, lost 4 and 5 players respectively. Four of Washington's five draftees were pitchers, including sixth-round pick Hal Newhouser. First place Chicago took a hit, losing 2B Bobby Avila and closer Ted Wilks, while Brooklyn lost their fourth-round pick and highest-drafted pitcher Bobby Shantz. Other notables switching uniforms to drab green next season are Boston catcher Walker Cooper, who, at 36, may not return to baseball; Detroit shortstop Stan Rojek, who ironically set a UL record with 6 hits on the same day he was called up by Uncle Sam; and New York pitching prospect Joe Presko, another sixth-round selection.
   In addition to today's 25 new recruits, nine players will remain on active duty for a second year, including phenom Whitey Ford, who was 9-1 for the Yankees as a rookie in 1950. Players will return to their teams in 1953 if they are still under contract, otherwise they will return to the United League via the 1953 Reentry Draft. The full list of players, listed by UL and minor league, is below.

PLAYERS IN MILITARY SERVICE, 1952
TEAM	UNITED LEAGUE	MINOR LEAGUE
	Hank Majeski, 3B, 33 Walker Cooper, 36, C
	Alex Kellner, 25, SP Bobby Shantz, 24, SP	AA-Sammy White, 21, C
	Bobby Avila, 25, 2B Ted Wilks, 34, CL	AAA-Bill Serena, 25, 3B
	*Phil Masi, 35, C Bud Podbielan, 27, SP Stan Rojek, 31, SS	AA-Bert Haas, 37, 3B
	Richie Ashburn, 24, CF Dale Mitchell, 28, LF	AAA-Ken Holcombe, 31, SP A-Wally Post, 20, RF
	Joe Presko, 21, SP	AAA-Blix Donnelly, 37, RP AAA-Jack Kramer, 33, RP
	Hobie Landrith, 21, C
	Hal Newhouser, 29, RP George Zuverink, 25, RP	AAA-Carl Erskine, 23, SP AA-Kent Peterson, 24, RP A-Frank House, 21, C
No team	Johnny Antonelli, 20, SP Del Crandall, 21, C Whitey Ford, 22, SP Dick Kokos, 23, RF Jim Lemon, 23, RF Johnny Lindell, 34, CF Danny O'Connell, 24, 2B Carl Sawatski, 23, C Preston Ward, 23, 1B
*retiring, will not return to UL

AROUND THE HORN

58-29 -- 9-1	CHICAGO · Best home (31-15), road (27-14), and one-run (13-5) records... 9-1 in July, 20-3 since June 14, 14-2 in last 16 home games... Newcombe 3-0, 1.56 in last 4 starts... Parnell 2-0, 1.98 in last 3 starts... Roe 3-hitter July 12... Avila 22 hits, 17 runs in last 15 games...July batting: Lockman .421, Reese .400, Berra .364-5-13.
47-40 11 5-6	NEW YORK · 9-11 in last 20 home games... League high 183 doubles... Best attendance: 22,300 per game... Swept at Fenway July 3-5... Wynn 3-0, 1.67 in last 3 starts, 8-2, 3.84 in last 10 starts...Blackwell hyperextended elbow July 10 (one week)... Batts .429 (15-35) in July... Robinson .182 (4-22) in last 5 games... Boudreau .100 (2-20) in last 6 games.
44-42 13.5 6-5	ST. LOUIS · League high 33 triples... 9-18 in one-run games... League low .337 OBP and .740 OPS... League low 3.04 W/9... Won 4 straight July 3-7, swept at Chicago July 8-10... Law 2-0, 1.46 in 2 July starts... Jethroe 12 hits, 10 runs in last 8 games, 3-5, 3 RBI on July 11... McCullough .500 (6-12), 2 HR in last 5 games... Coan .150, Schoendienst .143 in last 5 games.
42-46 16.5 8-2	DETROIT · Won 6 straight June 28-July 8... 7-2 in last 9 road games, 57 runs in last 6 road games... 1-6 in extra innings... League high 354 walks... League low 18 stolen bases... Only 3 HR in first half of July, 23 in June... Roberts (3-0, 1.42), Raschi, Rush 6-1, 2.34 combined in 7 July starts... July batting: J DiMaggio .452, 12 RBI, Rojek .342, 15 RBI.
41-45 16.5 5-5	BOSTON · 6-13 in last 19 road games... Swept New York July 3-5... League best 1.22 DP/game, league worst 100 errors (.972)... Spahn 1 ER in last 26 innings (0.35), shut out New York July 3 and Washington July 13, has more shutouts (5) than any other team... Reynolds 1-4, 4.78 in last 5 starts... Team batting .236 in July (Majeski .059, Brown .136, Stanky .219)... Rizzuto lowest OPS in league (.628).
41-45 16.5 5-5	WASHINGTON · League low 64 errors (.981 fielding avg), but also league low 82 double plays... Swept at St. Louis July 3-5... 5-1 in last 6 games, including sweep of Brooklyn July 8-10... Jansen 2-1, 2.08 in July, shut out Boston with 4-hitter June 14... Byerly 0 ER in 26.0 innings... July batting: Adcock .526, Goodman .429, Snider .300-3-10... McDougald .152, Mays .162, H Thompson .172.
41-46 17 2-8	BROOKLYN · Back to 7th after 2-8 skid...Swept by Chicago at home July 3-5 and lost three straight at Washington July 8-10... League high 104 HR allowed, 28 more than WAS (2nd)... Tied with CHI for most CG (32)... Bickford 2.08 in 5 games in relief... Minoso 4-5, 2 doubles July 14, batting .366, leads DiMaggio in batting race by 30 pts... Doby leads team in batting (.385), hits (15), and RBI (10) in July... Campanella 0 HR in 16 games, .182 SLG in July.
33-54 25 1-9	LOUISVILLE · Lost 10 of last 11, swept by Detroit July 3-5, and at Chicago July 12-14... Easter GW RBI in only win (3-2 over New York June 9)... League low 263 walks, 256 strikeouts, .396 SLG... 119 stolen bases, 49 more than STL (2nd)... League high 4.89 K/9... July pitching: Branca 0-2, 11.42, Chambers 0-2, 12.86... Ashburn .129 (4-31) in last 7 games... Valo .560 (14-25) clutch hitting.
DAY-BY-DAY
Tue Jul 3 STL 2, WAS 1 - Zoldak 8.1, 4 H, 1 R, 2-3, RBI; Koslo 6-hit CG, 1 ER BOS 8, NYG 0 - Spahn 8-hitter, 10th win, 4th SHO; Zernial 2 HR, 4 RBI CHI 9, BRO 3 - Rogovin CG, 2 ER, 2 RBI, Rosen 3-4, HR, 3 RBI, Westlake 4-5, 3 R DET 11, LOU 5 - Pafko 2 2B, 3 RBI, Irvin 3-5, 3 R, J DiMaggio 3-4; Ashburn 3-5, 2 R
Wed Jul 4 STL 4, WAS 1 - Maglie 8-hit CG, Pesky 3-4, 3 R; McDougald 3-4, HR BOS 7, NYG 6 - Cooper 2-3, 2 RBI, Brown 2 RBI, Stanky 2-2, RBI; Hodges 2-3, 3 RBI CHI 9, BRO 4 - Parnell CG, 2 ER, McCormick 2-5, 4 RBI, Thomson 2 RBI DET 11, LOU 6 - J DiMaggio 3-5, 4 RBI, Kell, Kiner, Porterfield 2 RBI
Thu Jul 5 STL 5, WAS 4 (10) - Lollar E in 10th, Hutchinson CG, 3-4; Goodman 3-5, 2 RBI BOS 3, NYG 2 - Lopat 8.0, 4 H, 2 R, Torgeson 2-5, 2 R; Hodges HR, Batts 2-3 CHI 6, BRO 3 - Newcombe 8.2, 3 R, 10th win, Berra 3-run HR in 1st DET 9, LOU 5 - Rojek 4 RBI, Kell 3-5, J DiMaggio 2-4, 2 RBI, Kiner 3 R
Fri Jul 6 NO GAMES
Sat Jul 7 BRO 7, WAS 6 - 6-run 5th: Hitchcock 3-run 2B, Souchock 2 RBI; Adcock 3-5, 2 RBI STL 13, CHI 5 - Jethroe 4-6, 3 R, 2 SB, Musial HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, Coan 3-5 NYG 7, LOU 3 - Wynn CG, 3 R, Wertz 2-4, 5 RBI, Robinson, Williams, Hodges 2 R DET 3, BOS 1 - Rush 8.2, 4 H, 1 R, Kiner 2-3, 2 RBI, Irvin 2-4; Mantle 2-3, RBI
Sun Jul 8 WAS 7, BRO 5 - Garagiola 3-run HR in 6-run 8th, Kluszewski 2-3, 2 R; Doby 2 RBI CHI 7, STL 3 - Rogovin 5-hit CG, Berra 2-4, 2 RBI, Reese 2-5; Jethroe, Musial, Mullin HR NYG 12, LOU 2 - Friend 7-hit CG, 1 ER, Robinson 3B, HR, 4 RBI, Yost 3-5; Dillinger 3-4 DET 1, BOS 0 - Roberts 2-hit SHO, 10th win, Scheffing RBI; Spahn 5-hit CG, 1 R
Mon Jul 9 WAS 4, BRO 3 - Jansen 8-hit CG, 3 R, Garagiola 3-4, 2 HR, Goodman 2-4 CHI 12, STL 3 - 9-run 3rd, Berra 2 HR, 4 RBI, Parnell CG, 2-4 2 RBI LOU 3, NYG 2 - Easter GW RBI in 7th; Cox 3-3, 2 R, Robinson 2-3, 2 RBI, SB BOS 7, DET 5 - Garcia 8.0, 3 H, 2 ER, Cooper 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, Zernial 2-4, 2 RBI
Tue Jul 10 WAS 9, BRO 5 - Palica inj, Snider HR, 5 RBI, Slaughter pinch 2-run HR; Doby 2-4, 2 RBI CHI 4, STL 3 (10) - Newcombe 9.0, 2 R, Avila, Lockman RBIs in 10th, Avila 4-5, Lockman 3-4 NYG 8, LOU 3 - Blackwell inj, Bullpen 8.2, 0 ER, Ginsberg 2-2, 3 RBI, Williams HR DET 4, BOS 2 - Raschi 8.0, 5 H, 2 R, 10th win, J DiMaggio 2-3, Rojek 2 RBI, Irvin HR
Wed Jul 11 STL 9, NYG 1 - Law 6.0, 1 R, Jethroe 3-5, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, Musial 3-5, Coan 2-5, 3 R
Thu Jul 12 BRO 4, DET 3 - Hearn 8.0, 3 R, Strickland 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, Souchock 2-2; Kiner HR WAS 11, BOS 2 - Snider 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, Garagiola 3-4, 2 RBI, Kluszewski 3-5, 2 RBI NYG 3, STL 2 - Wynn CG, 2 R, 3-run 9th: Batts RBI single, Ginsberg pinch 2-run 2B CHI 5, LOU 1 - Roe 3-hit CG, 1 R, 2-3, McCormick 3-4, 3 R, Reese 2-5, 2 RBI
Fri Jul 13 DET 13, BRO 1 - Roberts 2-hit CG, 2 RBI, Rojek 6-6, 6 RBI, Kiner 3 R, J DiMaggio 2-3, 2 RBI BOS 5, WAS 0 - Spahn 5-hitter, 5th SHO, Torgeson, Dom 2 RBI, Rizzuto 3-4; Adcock 3-4 STL 6, NYG 1 - Maglie 7-hit CG, 10th win, 5-run 6th: Wyrostek GSHR, Coan 2 RBI, Jethroe 3-5 CHI 13, LOU 5 - Berra 3-4, HR, 3 RBI, Avila 3-5; Collins 3-3, 2 RBI
Sat Jul 14 DET 10, BRO 7 - Priddy 3-5, GW 3-run 2B in 9th, J DiMaggio HR, 3 RBI; Minoso 4-5, 3 R WAS 5, BOS 0 - Jansen 4-hit SHO, Goodman, Slaughter 3-3, Snider HR, McDougald 2 RBI NYG 4, STL 3 - Breechen 8.0, 3 H, 2 R, 10th win, Williams 2-4, 2 R; McCullough HR CHI 8, LOU 6 - Seminick 3-run pinch HR in 9th, Avila HR, 2 RBI; Jensen 2 2B, 3 RBI
Sun Jul 15 NO GAMES