United League Baseball

St. Louis Snags First
Zoldak Untouchable Again, as Clutch Hits Lift Maroons
ST. LOUIS (Aug. 31) -- The St. Louis Maroons completed a three-game sweep of New York today, building a two-game lead over second place Chicago after a 16-4 run. The Maroons climbed into sole possession of first place on Aug. 30, with a 5-4, 11-inning win over the Gothams at Sportsmans Park, while the Colts lost to Louisville 8-1. Stan Musial's two-run homer off Chet Nichols tied the game in the ninth, and after Joe Presko loaded the bases two innings later, Bubba Church came in a walked in the winning run. The sweep was the Maroons' third sweep of New York, against whom they are 11-2 since June 1.
   St. Louis was streaky through much of July, but their present hot streak can be traced to July 29, an 8-6 win at Louisville. That win snapped a three-game losing streak and set the stage for the Maroons' best month of the year. The club went 20-9 in August, including 16 wins in their last 20 games. The key players were Sad Sam Zoldak, who won his second Pitcher of the Month after nearly duplicating his April performance. Zoldak posted a 2.32 ERA in August, and was 6-0 in 7 starts, becoming the UL's first 20-game winner on Aug. 21. His no-decision in the extra-inning game Aug. 30 snapped a string of 10 consecutive winning starts dating from July 17. Zoldak was 8-0 in his first 9 starts, and if you discount May 19-July 12, the lefty is 18-0 in 20 starts. No other pitcher, aside from Ellis Kinder (1.64, 6 saves in 10 games), had a standout performance in August, but many offensive heroes were to be found.
   Top of the list is Stan Musial, who turned in his best month of the season with 8 home runs, 27 RBI and a .337 average. Rightfielder Pat Mullin also had his best month, slamming 5 homers and driving in 25 runs, while leading the team with a .350 average. Third baseman Willie Jones' hot streak extended to a third month. Puddin' Head hit .326 and drove in 15 runs and is batting .366 since June 1.
   August's offensive explosion has turned once-anemic St. Louis into the third most productive offense in the league. The Maroons scored 89 runs in their last 15 games (5.9 per game), and despite below average batting, on-base, and slugging averages, only New York and Washington have scored more runs. The statistics suggest a combination of timely hitting and speed are helping the Maroons squeeze extra runs out of their lineup. The club leads the league in triples and is second in stolen bases. Jones, Mullin, Schoendienst, and Pesky are all batting over .330 with runners in scoring position, and Jethroe, Musial, Coan, and Joost are all in the top 15 in clutch batting. Joost and Musial became the just the second batting teammates to win back to back POWs (Jensen/Fox, LOU 6/4-6/11).
   With 25 games to go, the Maroons have a least 5 more meetings with Chicago, including a critical three-game set at Wrigley Sept. 1-3 that will likely set the tone for the season's final four weeks.

Five Teams in Race Heading Into Final Month
Detroit, New York Gaining Ground
NEW YORK (Aug. 31) -- With just over four weeks to go, there are five teams within seven games of first place, raising the prospect of a multiteam pennant race in the United League's inaugural season. The latest teams to enter the chase are Detroit and New York. Both teams have been streaky lately, but have cobbled together enough wins to close the gap. Detroit swept Chicago at Wrigley Aug. 16-18, slicing their gap from 7.5 to 4.5 games in one fell swoop. After four straight losses to St. Louis and Louisville, the Sound rebounded with four wins, including a sweep of Washington. Bob Rush is 3-0 in his last 5 starts, and Bob Porterfield is 6-2 since July 27.
   New York has followed a similar rollercoaster path, losing 4 of 5 Aug. 18-22, then winning five straight at Boston and Chicago and losing three at St. Louis. Jackie Robinson had his best month so far, batting .383 with seven steals and 26 runs in August, and Early Wynn is 8-2 in his last 12 starts. Of the five contenders, New York must be considered the longshot, with a seven-game gap to bridge and four teams to overtake. Realistically, New York must slice the gap significantly in the first week of September, in which they have the benefit of seven games against Louisville and Brooklyn, seventh and eighth place respectively.

Adding Injury to Insult
Colts Lose Newcombe, Drop Out of First
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Aug. 22) -- Already reeling from their longest losing streak of the year (8 games from Aug. 10-19) and having lost 15 of 17 games, the Chicago Colts suffered a crippling blow on Aug. 22, one that could signal the death knell of their pennant hopes.
   After four straight losses and a torn tricep tendon, Chicago ace Don Newcombe's season is over. The 24-year-old, who was the fourth overall pick in the Initial Draft, will miss 6-7 weeks, effectively shelving him until spring training. After a rough start, Newk seemed to be getting his game on track, going 6-1 in 8 starts from June 23 to July 28. But a 9-6 drubbing at Brooklyn Aug. 2 was the turning point in Newcombe's season. In five August starts, Newk was winless, suffering four losses with an 8.89 ERA, the worst month of any Chicago starter this season. Then in the second inning on Aug. 22, Don's tendon snapped like a rubberband on a pitch to Superbas third baseman Billy Hitchcock. Ironically, Chicago won the game 6-3. As it turns out, the win was one of only six in 28 August games, as Chicago's hard slump continues.
   In mid-July it looked like the pennant race was over, with an 11-game lead, the only remaining suspense seemed to be whether or not Chicago would reach 100 wins. But since the UL News asked the rhetorical question "Can Chicago Be Caught?" on July 16, the Colts are 12-30. In the same six-week span St. Louis is 28-15, Washington is 27-16, and Detroit is 25-16. Yet despite the precipitous fall, Chicago is still just two games behind St. Louis, with at least five head-to-head meetings with which to regain the lead. So despite the evaporation of an 11-game lead, heading into the final month Colts GM Lance Mueller finds his club is a position he would have gladly accepted before the season started, when he characterized his team as a "middle of the pack" club.

The "Duke" is King of August
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 1) -- The Washington Monuments collected their first Batter of the Month, to complement their two POMs, as rightfielder Duke Snider took the league award for August. Snider hit .367 for the month, leading the league in home runs (10), RBI (29, tied with Boston's Walker Cooper), and slugging (.789). The Silver Fox' biggest games were Aug. 2 (4-5, HR, 5 RBI), Aug. 7 (2-4, HR, 5 RBI), and Aug. 17 (3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI). Overall, the 23-year-old Los Angeles native, who was Washington's third round pick, is first in home runs and slugging (.599), and fifth in RBI (97), total bases and OPS. On August 25, Snider became the first player in UL history to hit 30 home runs.

AROUND THE HORN

72-57 -- 11-4	ST. LOUIS · 7-1 in last 8 games... Best home record (46-20), 14-2 in last 16 home games... Second in triples and stolen bases... Second in ERA (4.39)... Second in fielding (.980)... Zoldak 10-0, 2.63 in last 11 starts... Feller beat New York 7-5 in first STL start Aug. 29... August batting: Mullin .355-5-25, Campanella .292-4-20... Musial .476 (10-21), 5 HR, 14 RBI in last 6 games... Schoendienst .529 (9-17) in last 5 games.
70-59 2 4-11	CHICAGO · 4-15 since Aug. 9, losing streaks of 6, 8, and 3 games in August... Lost 7 straight at home, 1-10 in last 11... First (tied) in HR (142), last in doubles, OBP... First (tied) in double plays (145)... Parnell 1 win in last 11 starts, 0-4, 9.25 in last 4 starts... August pitching: Newcombe 0-4, 8.89, Rogovin 2-4, 2.42... Serena .423 (11-26) in last 10, Rosen .375 (9-24) in last 8... Bell .105 (2-19), Reese .190 (4-21) in last 5.
68-61 4 6-8	WASHINGTON · Second-best home record (40-23), worst road record (28-38)... 1st (tied) in HR (142) and SLG (.445), 2nd in runs (720, 5.58/gm) and OPS... First in ERA (4.19), CG (49), and OBA (.265)... First in fielding (.980)... McDougald tied Minoso's UL record 23-game hitting streak July 19-Aug. 13... Jansen 9-2, 2.75 in last 12 GS... Gromek won 7 straight July 24-Aug. 19... Snider .367-10-29 in August... Adcock .483, 11 RBI in last 8 games.
67-62 5 8-6	DETROIT · Swept Colts at Wrigley Aug. 16-18, lost 4 straight Aug. 20-23, won 4 straight Aug. 25-29... Leads league in walks, last in batting average and stolen bases, second lowest HR and OPS... Raschi 5-2, 2.47 in August... Porterfield 6-2, 4.33 in last 8 starts... DiMaggio led team with 5 HR, 23 RBI in August... Kiner .500 (10-20) in last 6 games... Scheffing .053, Priddy .111 in last 5 games.
65-64 7 8-7	NEW YORK · Won 5 straight Aug. 23-27, swept at STL Aug. 29-31... 2-11 in last 13 vs STL... Leads league in runs (724, 5.61/gm), doubles, OBP, and OPS... Friend tendon injury Aug. 27 (3 weeks) and Robinson's finger dislocated by a pitch on Aug. 30 (one week)... Wynn 8-2, 3.76 in last 12 starts... Robinson .383-5-16, 26 runs in August... Williams .361, 10 doubles, 21 RBI in August, 2 HR, 5 RBI vs St. Louis Aug. 31.
60-69 12 8-7	BOSTON · Swept BRO at Ebbets Aug. 25-27... 10-9 (11) loss to NYG Aug. 23 was first extra-inning loss of year (last team to lose XI game)... Tied for last in runs (669, 5.19/gm)... First (tied) in double plays (145), league-high 133 errors... Reynolds 5-2 in last 9 starts, Garcia 1-4, 11.05 in last 5 GS... Hot August: Zernial .317-9-27, Cooper .321, 29 RBI, Mantle .351... Cold August: Torgeson .184, Stanky .230.
58-71 14 8-7	LOUISVILLE · First in batting (.292) and SB (180), fewest strikeouts (376, 8.3%)... Last in runs (tied), slugging (.402) and OPS (.748)... Last in ERA (5.42), walks... First in strikeouts, fewest HR allowed (0.78/9 IP)... Morgan 5-0, 2.94 in August, 2-hit shutout at Brooklyn Aug. 18... McDermott 0-2, 8.84 in last 6 games... Jensen (.376-5-22) led team in hits, doubles, HR, RBI, R, BB, AVG, OBP, and SLG in August.
56-73 16 6-9	BROOKLYN · Swept by Boston Aug. 25-27... Worst home record (28-38), 2-7 in last 9 home games... 4-2 in last 6 road games... Most strikeouts (647-Doby 85, Cavarretta 61, Westrum 56)... Hutchinson 4-2, 1.59 in August... Raffensberger 0-10, 6.45 in last 11 starts... Shantz 1-7, 6.72 in last 10 starts... Minoso (.336) still leads batting race, led team with 7 HR, 25 RBI in August... Hot August: Woodling .368... Cold August: Strickland .156, Westrum .200.
DAY-BY-DAY
Thu Aug 16 LOU 6, BRO 2 - Donovan 8.2, 2 R, Dark 3-4, Fox 2-4, 3B; Strickland 3-4 DET 8, CHI 2 - Porterfield CG, 2 R, Kiner HR, 3 RBI, J DiMaggio, Scheffing 2-4; Berra 3-3, HR NYG 8, WAS 3 - Wynn 4-hit CG, Williams 2-3, 2B, Wertz 2 RBI; Snider HR STL 12, BOS 10 - Mullin 3-6, 4 RBI, Musial 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, Campanella 2 R, 2 RBI
Fri Aug 17 BRO 6, LOU 5 - Minoso 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, Cavarretta 2-4, 3B, Doby 2-3, 3B; Kluttz GSHR in 7th DET 7, CHI 4 - Irvin 3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, Priddy 3-4; Westlake HR, 2 RBI NYG 6, WAS 4 - Boudreaus 2-2, 3 RBI, Robinson, Busby 3-4; Snider 3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI STL 7, BOS 2 - Zoldak 6-hit CG, W Jones HR, 2 RBI, Hegan 2-4, 2 2B, Kolloway 0-3, 2 RBI
Sat Aug 18 LOU 5, BRO 0 - Morgan 2-hit SHO, 1 W, 3 K, Fox 3-5, Collins 3-4, Dark 2-4, 2 RBI DET 4, CHI 3 - Rush 8.0, 2 ER, Kiner 3-4, Priddy 2-4; Westlake, Thomson HR WAS 6, NYG 5 (13) - Gordon GWRBI in 13th, 2 RBI, Adcock 3-5, 2B, 3B, H Thompson 2 RBI BOS 8, STL 7 - Cooper 3-5, Torgeson, Reynolds 2 RBI; Mullin HR, 4 RBI
Sun Aug 19 WAS 5, LOU 4 - Gromek 7.0, 2 R, Lollar 2 2B, 3 RBI, Adcock 2 R; Fox 4-5 DET 9, STL 3 (14) - Masi 2-run 1B, Fain 3-run 2B in 14th, J DiMaggio 3-4; W Jones HR, 2 RBi BRO 14, NYG 7 - Westrum 4-5, 2 HR, 4 R, 6 RBI, Woodling 3-4, HR; Yost 2-4, HR BOS 5, CHI 2 - Spahn 8.0, 2 R, 2-3, Zernial, Brown HR, Stanky 2-4; Serena 3-4
Mon Aug 20 LOU 7, WAS 2 - Donovan 3-hit CG, Dark 3-4, 4 RBI, Easter 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, Lowrey 3-4 STL 7, DET 6 - Mullin 4-5, 4 RBI, Jethroe 2-4, RBI; Fain 3-4, 2 2B, Elliott HR BRO 5, NYG 1 - Hutchinson 7-hit CG, Woodling 3-5, D Williams 2-3, 2 RBI CHI 9, BOS 4 - Dickson 7.0, 4 H, 2 RBI, Berra 4-5, HR, 4 RBI, Rosen 3 R; Abrams 2 RBI
Tue Aug 21 WAS 6, LOU 4 - Koslo 8.0, 2 ER, Mays 3B, HR, 3 RBI, Michaels 3-5, Suder 3-4 STL 2, DET 1 - Zoldak 7-hit CG, 20th win, Mullin 3-4, RBI, Jethroe 3-4, Musial 2-3 NYG 3, BRO 1 - Wynn 8.0, 4 H, 1 R, Hodges 2-run HR in 1st, Thomas 2-4, RBI BOS 9, CHI 2 - Lopat CG, 2 R, Rizzuto 2 R, 2 RBI, Cooper 2-4, 2 RBI, Abrams 2-4, RBI
Wed Aug 22 WAS 6, STL 2 - Jansen 6-hit CG, 1 ER, 7 K, H Thompson, Snider, Garagiola HR; Mullin 2-4 2 RBI CHI 6, BRO 3 - Newcombe inj, Reese 3-4, Avila, Rosen 2-5, Thomson 2-4; Reiser 2 RBI BOS 9, NYG 8 - Boone GW HR in 9th, Zernial 2 HR, 3 R, Abrams 2-3, 2 RBI; Wertz HR, 3 RBI LOU 8, DET 3 (10) - Dillinger GW pinch 3-run 3B in 10th, Hemus 2 R; Priddy 2-3, RBI
Thu Aug 23 STL 5, WAS 2 - Pierce 8.0, 2 R, Musial, Campanella HR, Schoendienst 2-4; Adcock 2-4, HR BRO 13, CHI 6 - Minoso 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, Cavarretta 3-5, 2 RBI, R Jackson HR NYG 10, BOS 9 (11) - Boudreau 3-5, 5 RBI, GW hit in 11th, Wertz 3-5; Zernial 4-4, HR, Stanky 3-4 LOU 4, DET 3 - Ashburn 3-5, SB, RBI, Kluttz HR, 2 RBI, Valo 2-4; Pafko 2-run HR in 8th
Fri Aug 24 STL 7, LOU 5 - Musial HR, 6 RBI, GW 3-run 3B in 9th, Jethroe 2 W, 2 R, SB; Jensen 3-4, Lowrey 3 RBI CHI 6, BRO 4 - Dickson 8.1, 5 H, 3 ER, Berra 2-5, HR, 4 RBI; Reiser pinch GSHR in 9th NYG 13, BOS 0 - Blackwell 3-hit SHO, Noren 3-5, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, Robinson 4-5, 3 R, Williams 4 RBI
Sat Aug 25 BOS 5, BRO 3 - Lopat 8.0, 2 R, Mantle 2-4, 2B, 3B, Stanky 2 R, 2 RBI; Hutchinson 5-hit CG loss, Hitchcock 2-4, HR NYG 9, CHI 1 - Surkont 9-hit CG, 1 R, Yost 2-4, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, Busby 3-run 2B in 6th DET 5, WAS 4 - Irvin 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, Fain 3-3, HR, 2 RBI, Kiner 3-4; Snider 3-5, HR STL 3, LOU 1 - Zoldak 8.0, 5 H, 1 R, Musial HR in 1st, Jethroe 2-run 3B in 2nd
Sun Aug 26 BOS 6, BRO 1 - Reynolds 8-hit CG, 1 R, Boone 3-run HR in 2nd, Torgeson 2 RBI NYG 9, CHI 1 - Wynn 6-hit CG, 7 K, Hodges, Wertz, Batts 2 RBI, Robinson 2-3, SB DET 5, WAS 3 - Raschi 8.0, 2 ER, J DiMaggio 3-4, 2B, HR, Fain 2-4, 2 R; Goodman 3-5 LOU 5, STL 3 - Morgan 8.0, 3 H, 2 R, 10 K, Ashburn 3-5, 2B, SB, Lowrey 2 RBI; Musial 2-4, 3B, HR
Mon Aug 27 BOS 6, BRO 1 - Spahn 3-hit CG, 1 R, Rizzuto 2-4, HR, Cooper 2-5, 2 RBI, Edwards PHR, 2 RBI NYG 12, CHI 5 - Robinson 3-6, HR, 4 RBI, Noren 3-5, Ginsberg 3 RBI, Yost HR, 2 RBI; Dickson 1.0, 8 R, Avila 3-5 DET 6, WAS 5 - Elliott 2-3, 2 RBI, Rush 3-3, Fain 2-4, 2 R; Garagiola 3-4 STL 6, LOU 4 - W Jones 3-run HR in 6th, Coan 2 RBI, Kolloway 2-4; Easter 2-4, 2 RBI
Tue Aug 28 NO GAMES
Wed Aug 29 DET 4, BRO 3 - Pafko GW PH in 8th, Kiner 3-4, Priddy 2-4, 2 RBI, Elliott 2-4, 2 R; Woodling 4-4, 2 2B CHI 9, LOU 2 - Rogovin 4-hit CG, 2 R, Berra, Rosen HR, 3 RBI, Lockman 3-3, McCosky 3-5 BOS 8, WAS 5 - Abrams 3 RBI, Mantle, Zernial, Brown HR, Torgeson 2 R STL 7, NYG 5 - Campanella, Kolloway 2 RBI, Ennis, Coan 2 H, Jethroe SB, 2 R; Boudreau 3-4, HR
Thu Aug 30 BRO 7, DET 3 - Minoso 3-5, HR, 4 RBI, Woodling 3-4, D Williams 3-5, 3 R, Doby 3-5 LOU 8, CHI 1 - Chambers 8.0, 6 H, 0 ER, Jensen 4-4, 2 3B, 4 RBI, Lowrey, Collins 2 H WAS 6, BOS 4 - Perkowski 8.0, 3H, 2 R, McDougald, Adcock, Sauer HR STL 5, NYG 4 (11) - Campanella GW base-loaded BB in 11th, Musial 3-4, HR, 3 RBI; Batts 3-5
Fri Aug 31 BRO 4, DET 2 - Hutchinson 8.0, 5 H, 2 R, 3-3, Westrum HR, 2 RBI; Elliott 2 RBI LOU 5, CHI 3 - Fox, Valo, Kluttz, Dark 2 H, Jensen HR; Seminick 2-run 2B in 9th WAS 8, BOS 5 - Kluszewski 4-5, HR, 3 RBI, Snider 3-5, McDougald 2 RBI; D DiMaggio 2 HR, 4 RBI STL 13, NYG 11 - Pesky 4-5, 3 R, Schoendienst 3-4, HR, Musial 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, W Jones, Joost, Coan 2 RBI; Williams 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, Noren 4 R, Wertz HR, 3 RBI