United League Baseball

Maroons Eye Pennant
After Winning Key Series With Chicago, St. Louis Takes Three-Game Lead Into Last 12 Games
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Sept. 15) -- A series win at Wrigley Sept. 1-3 helped the St. Louis Maroons maintain their lead over Chicago and Washington as the inaugural United League season enters its final two weeks. Despite losing seven of their next eight games after winning the first two against the Colts, neither Chicago nor Washington was able to exploit the opportunity. Chicago was 4-4 during the Maroons' slump, and Washington was suffering through a five-game skid in key games against second division Brooklyn and Louisville. The Monuments subsequently won six of seven to join Chicago in a second place tie, but St. Louis has a three-game lead going into the last 12 games.
   Sad Sam Zoldak continued his march toward the League's first Cy Young Award, despite losing to Chicago 5-4 on Sept. 3 on Yogi Berra's three-run homer in the eighth. The loss was Zoldak's first since July 12 and snapped an unbeatedn streak of 11 starts. Sam bounced back to notch his 22nd and 23rd wins over Detroit and Washington, a pair of teams still in the hunt for the UL crown. The Sept. 7 win was a 3-2 squeaker in St. Louis, ultimately won by Del Ennis' RBI single in the eighth, and win #23 on the 13th was a five-hit 11-0 blowout -- Zoldak's third shutout of the year.
   Roy Campanella hit 4 home runs and drove in 10 runs in the first half of the month. Campy was the key man in the 7-3 win at Chicago Sept. 2, and hit 4-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBI in the Sept. 13 blowout that snapped the Maroons out of their 1-7 slump.
   Returning home to Sportsmans Park, the Maroons took a pair from Boston, 3-2 on Friday on Pat Mullin's 10th-inning single, and 3-1 on Saturday on a Pierce-Hansen-Kinder 5-hitter. The two wins coupled with two Chicago losses to Detroit to expand the Maroons' lead (which Chicago had whittled to one game by Sept. 13) to three games.

Coan Out for Season
Leftfielder Gil Coan broke his hand making a catch Sept. 9 and will miss the rest of the season. Coan was a key, if unsung, contributor to the St. Louis offense, batting .294 with 60 RBIs in 119 games. The week before, on Sept. 1, both pitcher Billy Pierce and rightfielder Pat Mullin picked up minor injuries in the 3-2 win over Chicago. Backup catch Jim Hegan was the hero of that game, driving in the winning run with a pinch hit in the ninth.

Magic Number Is 10, But Race is Tight
The Maroons' magic number is 10, but Chicago, Washington, and Detroit are all within four games of first place. Washington is riding a 6-1 crest while the Sound have won three straight, setting up a possible four-team mixup for the season's final "quasi-playoff" week.

Race Wide Open, but Must-Wins Ahead for Contenders
Chicago, Washington, Detroit Poised for Last-Minute Surge
CHICAGO
The league's "slumpiest" team for the last couple months is only three games back and can't be counted out. Opens week with a pair of home games against New York before traveling to St. Louis for two crucial games. Finishes week back at Wrigley for a pair vs. Louisville.

WASHINGTON
Team strengths continue to be pitching (1st in ERA, OBA, and runs allowed) and power (1st in home runs, 2nd in slugging). Could still overtake St. Louis and grab the pennant, but it would require Duke Snider (.304-35-106) to stay hot and Steve Gromek (16-10, 3.56) to snap out of his funk (1-3, 7.23 in last four games). Similar schedule to Chicago this week, with two-game home series with St. Louis and New York either side of a two-game visit to Fenway.

DETROIT
The Sound sit four games behind, and don't have the benefit of head-to-head games with St. Louis. But they do have more home than road games remaining (like Chicago and Washington), and they get to play Louisville AND Boston. The 35-year-old Joe DiMaggio has carried the team in September, batting an incredible .727 (16-22) in his last six games and .489 for the month. The three "Rs" (Roberts, Raschi, and Rush) will have to maintain their solid form.

AROUND THE HORN

78-64 -- 6-7	ST. LOUIS · Lost 4 straight Sept. 3-6, won 3 straight Sept. 13-15... Zoldak 5-hitter Sept. 13 for third shutout, 20th CG... Maglie 0-3, 6.26 in last 7 starts... Kinder 30th save Sept. 15... Coan broken hand Sept. 7, out for season... Cold August: Joost .143, Schoendienst .185, W Jones .212, Mullin .216.
75-67 3 5-8	CHICAGO · 3-12 between Aug. 25-Sept. 10... Won two-game series at Brooklyn Sept. 12-13 (3-1: McCosky, Seminick RBIs in 9th, 6-1: Roe 8-hit CG)... Parnell 2-0, 2.66 in last 3 starts... Wilks 0.00, 11 SV in last 15 games... Hot Sept: Rosen .417, 7 RBI, Berra .386, 9 RBI... Cold Sept: Westlake .114, Lockman .147, Thomson .205.
75-67 3 7-6	WASHINGTON · Won 6 of last 7, including back-to-back shutouts of New York Sept. 14-15 (Koslo, Jansen)... Jansen 2-0, 1.76 in last 4 starts... Koslo 1.78 in last 3 starts... Snider 5 HR, 9 RBI since Sept. 1... H Thompson .385 in last 5 games... Mays .143 in last 9 games... Gordon .133 in last 6 games.
74-68 4 7-6	DETROIT · Won 3 of 4 at St. Louis Sept. 4-7, won three straight Sept. 13-15, including Raschi 2-hit SHO and two wins at Chicago... Raschi/Roberts/Rush 6-1 in Sept.... DiMaggio .727 (16-22) in last 6 games, .489 in Sept., leads batting race (.341, Minoso .333)... Fain .441 (15-34) in last 8 games... Rojek .204 in Aug., .157 in Sept....Priddy .105 (2-19) in last 5 games.
71-71 7 6-7	NEW YORK · Swept Louisville Sept. 1-3, lost 3 of 4 to Brooklyn Sept. 4-7... Church 0-1, 1.93 in 3 Sept. starts... Presko 3-0, 2.35 in last 5 games... Surkont 0-3, 7.89 in last 3 starts... Robinson .420, 17 RBI in last 12 games... Williams .383, 13 RBI in last 13 games... Wertz .293, 12 RBI in last 12 games... Martin .040 (1-25) in last 14 games.
66-76 12 6-7	BOSTON · Won 5 straight Sept. 1-5, lost 7 of 8 since... Lopat 1-3, 6.41 in last 4 starts... Stanky sore elbow Sept. 12 (1-2 weeks), .080 (2-25) in last 7 games... Boone .462 (6-13) in last 5 games... Mantle .400 (8-20) in last 5 games, .381 in Sept.... Abrams .353 in Sept...Torgeson .196 in Sept., .188 since Aug. 1.
65-77 13 9-4	BROOKLYN · 9-2 from Aug. 30-Sept. 10, including 5 straight wins Sept. 2-6... Climbed out of cellar with 6-1 and 5-1 wins vs. Louisville Sept. 14-15 (Hearn 6-hit CG, Shantz 4-hit CG)... Shantz 3-0, 2.00 in last 3 starts... Brissie 2-0, 1.50 in first 2 UL starts... Hutchinson 1.84 in last 5 starts... Doby 13 in last 6 games (Sept. 2-7)... Hot Sept: McCullough .412, Cavarretta .395, Hitchcock .364... Cold: Doby .118 (2-17), 0 RBI in last 5 games, R Jackson .125 in last 6, Souchock .136 in last 6, (4 RBI Sept. 10).
64-78 14 6-7	LOUISVILLE · Swept by New York Sept. 1-3, won 3 of 4 vs. Washington Sept. 4-7, lost 3 straight (2 runs scored) Sept. 13-15... Chambers 0-3, 10.31 in Sept... Donovan 2-1, 2.31 in last 3 games... Cold Sept: Jensen .174, Collins .200, Kluttz .216, Lowrey .222... Ashburn .143 (3-21) in last 5 games, 13 hits shy of 200.
DAY-BY-DAY
Sat Sep 1 WAS 5, BRO 3 - Jansen 8.0, 4 H, Gordon 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, Snider 2-4, HR STL 3, CHI 2 - Pierce inj, Mullin 2-4, RBI, inj, Hegan GW PH in 9th; Rosen 4-5, HR NYG 18, LOU 8 - Robinson 2 HR, 5 RBI, Adams 3-5, 3 R, Williams 2 2B; Kluttz 4-5 BOS 5, DET 4 (10) - Simpson GW PH in 10th, Abrams 3-4, Brown 2-5
Sun Sep 2 BRO 9, WAS 4 - Hearn 6-hit GG, Doby 5 RBI, Minoso 3-5, Cavarretta, Strickland 2 R STL 7, CHI 3 - Campanella 4-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, Musial 3-5, 2 RBI, Joost HR, 2 RBI NYG 13, LOU 2 - Church inj, Robinson 3-5, 4 RBI, Williams 4-5, HR, Noren 2 RBI, 2 R BOS 8, DET 4 - Brown GW GSHR in 9th, Rizzuto 3-3; J DiMaggio GSHR in 3rd
Mon Sep 3 BRO 9, WAS 2 - Shantz 3-hit CG, Westrum, Reiser 3 RBI, Minoso 3-4, 3 R CHI 5, STL 4 - Berra GW 3-run HR in 8th, Zoldak 1st L in 11 GS NYG 9, LOU 2 - Breechen 5-hit CG, 0 ER, Busby 4-5, Williams 2-4, HR, 3 RBI BOS 8, DET 3 - Lopat 8-hit CG, Zernial HR, 3 RBI, Abrams 3-5, Mantle 2-4, HR
Tue Sep 4 BRO 8, NYG 3 - Brissie 7-hit CG, Doby 4 RBI, R Jackson 3-4, 4 R, Minoso 2-4, 2 RBI BOS 5, CHI 1 - Reynolds 6-hit CG, Torgeson 4-5, 2 3B, 2B LOU 3, WAS 2 - Morgan inj, Tebbetts GW RBI in 9th; Goodman 4-5, SB DET 5, STL 3 (14) - Irvin GWHR in 14th, DET bullpen 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R
Wed Sep 5 BRO 10, NYG 6 - Hutchinson 9-hit CG, Woodling, McCullough HR; Williams HR, 4 RBI BOS 5, CHI 1 - Spahn 8-hit CG, 8 K, 2 RBI, Torgeson 2 3B, 2 RBI LOU 2, WAS 1 - Kennedy 7.1, 1 R, Ashburn 3-4, RBI, Dillinger GW PH in 9th DET 9, STL 7 - Irvin 3-5, 2 HR, Elliott 3-5, HR, Scheffing HR; Jethroe 4-4, 2 SB
Thu Sep 6 BRO 8, NYG 3 - Raffensberger 6-hit CG, McCullough, R Jackson, Doby HR CHI 7, BOS 6 - Avila, Thomson HR, Berra 2 R, Lockman 2 RBI; Dom 3-4 LOU 2, WAS 1 - Donovan 8.1, 1 R, RBI, Fox 2-4, RBI; Gromek L, 8.0, 2 R DET 11, STL 2 - Roberts 5-hit CG, Kiner 2 HR, 7 RBI, Scheffing 4-5
Fri Sep 7 NYG 7, BRO 4 - Wertz 2-4, 3 RBI, Yost 2 RBI; McCullough 5-5, Cavarretta 3-4, HR CHI 5, BOS 2 - Parnell 8.0, 2 R, Thomson, Berra HR, Avila 2 RBI; Boone 3-4, 2 RBI WAS 8, LOU 5 - 7-run 5th: Gordon 2-run 2B, H Thompson 2-run HR; Fox 3-5 STL 3, DET 2 - Zoldak 8.0, 2 R, RBI, Ennis RBI in 8th; Fain 2-4
Sat Sep 8 - NO GAMES -
Sun Sep 9 BRO 7, STL 3 - Shantz CG, 2-4, 3 RBI, Souchock HR, Woodling 2-3; W Jones HR WAS 9, CHI 6 (14) - Lollar GWRBI in 14th, Slaughter 4-6, Snider 3-5, 2 HR; Rosen 2B, 3B, HR LOU 6, BOS 1 - Kennedy 7.1, 3 H, 1 R, Valo 3-4, HR, Collins 2-4, 2 RBI, SB DET 9, NYG 7 - J DiMaggio 5-5, Scheffing 3 RBI, Fain, Elliott HR; Robinson 3 RBI
Mon Sep 10 BRO 5, STL 1 - Brissie 3-hit CG, 0 ER, 6 K, Souchock 4 RBI WAS 10, CHI 9 - WAS 5-run 9th, Goodman 4-6, 2 2B, 3 R; Berra 4-5, 3 RBI LOU 3, BOS 1 - Donovan 4-hit CG, 0 ER, Dark 2 RBI, Spahn L, 5-hit CG NYG 6, DET 4 - Robinson 2-2, HR, 2 RBI, SB, Thomas 2-4, HR; Elliott 2-4, HR, 3 RBI
Tue Sep 11 - NO GAMES -
Wed Sep 12 WAS 4, STL 2 - Gromek 7.0, 2 R, 3-4, 2 RBI, H Thompson, Garagiola 2 H, RBI CHI 3, BRO 1 - Parnell 7.1, 1 R; Cavarretta 3-4, Hutchinson L, CG, 1 ER BOS 3, NYG 2 - Garcia 8.0, 2 R, Abrams 3-4, 2 2B, RBI; Hodges 2-4, RBI LOU 13, DET 5 - Lowrey HR, 3 RBI, Jensen 3 RBI; J DiMaggio 3-3, 3 RBI
Thu Sep 13 STL 11, WAS 0 - Zoldak 5-hit SHO, Campy 4-4, HR, 3 RBI, W Jones HR, 3 R CHI 6, BRO 1 - Roe CG, 1 R, Serena 3-4, Westlake HR, 2 RBI; Strickland 3-3 NYG 10, BOS 6 - Williams 3-4, Robinson 2 RBI, 2 R, SB; Mantle 4-5, HR, 3 R DET 3, LOU 0 - Raschi 2-hit SHO, J DiMaggio 2-run HR in 8th; Fox 2-4
Fri Sep 14 WAS 2, NYG 0 - Koslo 7-hit SHO, Snider, McDougald HR in 4th; Church 8.0, 2 R, 9 K STL 3, BOS 2 (10) - Mullin GWRBI in 10th, Maglie 9.0, 2 R, Ennis 2-4, HR DET 5, CHI 3 - Rush 8.0, 1 ER, 2-4, 2 R, Fain 3-4, 2 RBI, Kiner 2-5 BRO 6, LOU 1 - Hearn 6-hit CG, 1 R, Woodling 3-run HR in 6th, R Jackson inj
Sat Sep 15 WAS 3, NYG 0 - Jansen 6-hit SHO, Adcock HR, 2 RBI, McDougald 2-4, RBI STL 3, BOS 1 - Pierce 7.0, 1 ER, Campanella HR, 2 RBI, Musial 2-4; Mantle 2-4 DET 11, CHI 8 - J DiMaggio 4-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, Elliott HR, 3 RBI, Fain 3-6, 3 R, Scheffing 3-5 BRO 5, LOU 1 - Shantz 4-hit CG, 2-run HR in 5th, Cavarretta 2-run HR in 5th