United League Baseball

Champs Seize Early Lead
Maroons Five Games Up After One Month
CHICAGO (April 30) -- An 8-1 spurt has lifted the defending champion St. Louis Maroons to a five-game lead in the United League's second season. St. Louis entered last week's series in Detroit tied with the Sound, but after a three-game sweep there, two of three wins over Brooklyn at home, and a pair of wins here at Wrigley Field, the Maroons have left their nearest competition five games behind.
Willie "Puddin Head" Jones has been the Dark Reds offensive star, slamming seven round-trippers and driving in 19 runs, helping to compensate for Roy Campanella's slow start (.200-1-6). Leadoff man Sam "Jet" Jethroe is red-hot (.367, 14 runs, 8 stolen bases), as is Stan Musial (.293-4-16).
But it's the pitching staff that has separated St. Louis from the pack. The Maroons ERA of 3.97 and opponents average of .256 are the league's best. The starting rotation of Zoldak, Pierce, Maglie, and Feller combined for a 12-3 record and 3.75 in April, led by last year's Cy Young winner "Sad" Sam Zoldak, who is 4-0 after 5 starts, and Sal "The Barber" Maglie, whose 2.40 ERA is third best in the league. Even 36-year-old closer Ellis Kinder is in top form, notching six April saves with a 2.08 ERA.

"Ozark Ike" Powers Beacons
BOSTON (April 30) -- Beacon outfielder Gus Zernial earned Player of the Month honors after the hottest spell of his UL career. Zernial slammed 10 home runs in April, putting him well ahed of his 33-homer pace of a year ago, and also led the league in RBI, slugging, and OPS.
"Ozark Ike" started the year 0-for-8 before busting out with a 5-for-6 game on April 11. Six days later at Fenway, in the Beacons' home opener against Washington, Gus bashed three home runs, becoming only the second player to hit a homer hat trick in UL history. The 27-year-old Beaumont, Texas native added two-homer games on April 23 and 29 to bring his April tally to 10, three more than any other player.
Boston is tied for second with the second best offense and third best pitching in the league. Ace Warren Spahn (1-4, 4.93) is having another rough spring, but the bottom half of the rotation, Eddie Lopat (3-1, 2.14) and Frank Hiller (3-0, 4.30 filling in for the injured Allie Reynolds), is picking up the slack. Lopat is second in the league in ERA and Spahn is tied for fifth in strikeouts.

Fain Gets 6 Hits
BOSTON (April 30) -- Stan Rojek was in Pusan April 15, but sent a congratulatory message over Armed Forces telegraph to teammate Ferris Fain, who joined Rojek and Clyde McCullough as the only players in UL history to collect six hits in a game. Fain led Detroit in a 15-9 rout of Chicago at Briggs Stadium, with the 29-year-old first baseman collecting six of the Sound's 17 hits.
The Sound later won five straight, including a sweep of Washington, to move into a first place tie, but then lost seven straight to fall back into the pack of five teams within a game of .500.

Cuban Rookie Takes Pitching Honors
NEW YORK (May 1) -- New York Gothams' 20-year-old Cuban phenom Mike Fornieles took Pitcher of the Month honors for April, after posting the league's best ERA (1.78) in his first four major league starts. The Havana-born rookie threw a 6-hit shutout in his UL debut April 10, and completed eight innings without an earned run April 26. Forny has been one of the few bright spots in the Gothams' pitching staff. Three starters (Wynn, Loes, and Friend) have ERAs above 5.00, but all have come around of late, as the Gothams have won seven straight, climbing to a second place tie. The G-Men let in only 12 runs in their last six games. Offensively, the star once again is defending batting champion Jackie Robinson, who leads New York in batting (.371), hits (33), and runs (15).

AROUND THE HORN

16-5 -- 12-3	ST. LOUIS · League best 3.97 ERA, 89 runs allowed (4.2 per game), .256 OBA... League best .988 fielding avg (10 errors)... 9-2 on the road... Won 5 straight Apr. 13-18, 8-1 since Apr. 22... Zoldak 4-0, 3.29, Maglie 2.40, Kinder 2.08, 6 SV... W Jones .290-7-19, Schoendienst .410, Jethroe .367, 8 SB, Campanella .200-1-6... Coan .462 in last 5 games.
11-10 5 8-7	BOSTON · League best .300 batting avg, .380 OBP... League high 25 errors... Sweep at Chicago Apr. 23-25... Lopat 3-1, 2.14 (2nd best ERA)... Hiller 3-0 in 4 starts... Zernial .354, 10, 26, 1.217 OPS* (*leads league)... R Boone .395, D DiMaggio .380, 9-18 (.500) in last 5 games... Stanky .176 (0-14 in last 6 games).
11-10 5 9-6	NEW YORK · 2-7 from Apr. 14-23, won 7 straight since... Fornieles, Loes in 2-1, 6-1 wins over Detroit Apr. 26-27, Blackwell beat Louisville 4-1 Apr. 29... Fornieles 2-1, 1.78 (1st in ERA)... Blackwell 4-0, 3.31 in first 4 starts, 23 Ks... Loes 1-3, 6.41 in first 4 starts... Robinson .371-4-13 (3rd in batting), .429 in last 5 games... Ginsberg .412 (7-17), 7 RBI in last 5 games... Doby, Yost 14 RBI (team lead).
10-11 6 7-8	BROOKLYN · League best 131 runs (6.2 per game), 27 home runs, and .466 slugging, .824 OPS... League high 10 complete games (Hutchinson, Raffensberger 3)... Hutch 3-1, 2.91... Simmons 1-3, 5.88 in last 4 starts... Meyer inj Apr. 29 (3 wks, bicep), Stephens (85%, 5 wks, bicep)... 3 batters in top 5 OPS (Jackson .411, Woodling .362-6-22, Hodges .333-6-16)... Minoso .361, Reiser .347.
10-11 6 7-8	DETROIT · League high 117 pitching strikeouts (5.8 K/9), league worst 124 runs allowed... Won 5 straight Apr. 18-22 (tied for 1st), then lost 7 straight Apr. 23-29... Roberts 4-2, 3.47... Raschi 6.16, Rush 8.28... Irvin leads team with .361 avg, 16 RBI... Tipton .197 (.091 in last 7 games), Elliott .189, Marion .100 (2-20) in last 5 games.
10-11 6 7-8	LOUISVILLE · League low 97 runs (4.6 per game), league best 24 double plays... Won 4 straight Apr. 24-27, lost 3 straight since... 10 HR in first 6 games, 8 HR in last 15... Houtteman 3-1, 2.79, 3 CGs... Kennedy 1.13 in 8 relief appearances... Branca 0.00, 4 SV in 6 games... Jensen leads team with 5 HR, 13 RBI... Bauer .425... Mathews .192 (10-52) 0 HR, Sauer .226, 1 HR in 53 AB.
9-12 7 6-9	CHICAGO · Worst home record (3-8), lost last 5 home games (swept by BOS, 2 losses to STL)... Newcombe 3-1, 3.13... Westlake .412, Lockman .349... Berra .429 (6-14), 2 HR, 6 RBI in last 5 games... Seminick .102, 2-41 (.049) in last 13 games... Temple .129... Thomson .182 in last 5 games.
7-14 9 4-11	WASHINGTON · 2-10 since Apr. 19 (0 or 1 runs four times)... League high 21 stolen bases (Mays 7, Snider 6)... Suder inj (80%, 4 wks, pulled ACL)... Gromek 2.77 in first 6 starts... F Smith 0-2, 21.22 ERA in first 7 games... Mays leads team in batting (.333), HR (4-tied), RBI (19), and runs (19)... Lollar .471 (8-17), 3 HR, 7 RBI in last 6 games... H Thompson .111, 1 HR in 63 AB.
DAY-BY-DAY
Monday, April 15 WAS 8, NYG 7 - Snider HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, McDougald 3 RBI, Slaughter 3 R; Yost 4 RBI STL 6, BOS 3 - Maglie 8.0, 1 ER, Ennis 3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI; Kuenn 3-4, 3 RBI DET 15, CHI 9 - Fain 6-6, DiMaggio, Marion 4 RBI; Parnell 1.0, 9 R BRO 5, LOU 3 - Hutchinson 8.0, 2 R, R Jackson 2-3, 2 RBI; Valo 3-4
Tuesday, April 16 NO GAMES
Wednesday, April 17 BRO 12, DET 4 - Raffensberger CG, Woodling 2 HR, 7 RBI; Marion 3-4 LOU 5, CHI 4 - 3-run 9th: Easter HR, Fox 2-run 2B; Thomson 3-5 BOS 8, WAS 5 - Zernial 3 HR, 7 RBI; Lemon, Kuenn inj; Slaughter 3-4 STL 5, NYG 3 - Feller 8.0, 3 R, Wyrostek 2 RBI, Campy HR; Doby 2-4, 2 RBI
Thursday, April 18 DET 12, BRO 5 - Roberts CG, 8 K, 2 RBI, Fain 2 RBI, Metkovich pinch 3-run HR LOU 5, CHI 1 - Garver 3-hit CG, 1 R, Fox 3-4, HR, Jensen, Kluttz HR WAS 13, BOS 3 - Gromek 8-hit CG, Mays 3-6, HR, 4 RBI, 9 others: 1 RBI each STL 4, NYG 3 - Zoldak 8.0, 2 ER, 2-4, Coan 2-4, GSHR in 4th; Robinson 2-4
Friday, April 19 DET 5, BRO 2 - Raschi 8.0, 4 H, 2 R, 8 K, Kiner 2-run HR; Woodling 2-4 CHI 2, LOU 1 - Rogovin 8.1, 1 R, Westlake 2-3, RBI, Delsing RBI; Jensen 3-4 BOS 5, WAS 3 - Garcia 8.2, 3 R, Torgeson, Morgan 2 RBI; Goodman 2-5 NYG 5, STL 4 - Blackwell 8.0, 3 R, 11 K, Yost GSHR in 5th, Robinson 2-4, HR
Saturday, April 20 BRO 8, BOS 5 (10) - 4-run 10th, Reiser, Nieman 2 RBI; Torgy 3-3, Zernial 2 RBI DET 1, WAS 0 - Gray 3-hit SHO, 6 K, Irvin 2-4, Elliott RBI; Koslo 3-hit CG loss STL 5, LOU 1 - Maglie 3-hit CG, 1 R, Musial HR, 2 RBI, Kolloway HR NYG 7, CHI 5 - 4-run 9th: Thomas pinch GWRBI, Robinson 3-6, 3 RBI
Sunday, April 21 BOS 6, BRO 5 - Hiller 8.0, 3 ER, Mantle HR, 4 RBI; Woodling HR, 2 RBI DET 7, WAS 5 - Tipton 3 RBI; Garagiola 3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI LOU 5, STL 2 - Morgan 8.2, 2 R, 6 K, Dark, Jensen 2-5; Campanella 3-4, RBI CHI 5, NYG 4 (12) - Logan GWRBI, Thomson 4-5, Reese, Lockman, Westlake 3 H
Monday, April 22 BRO 4, BOS 3 - Raffensberger 7.1, 3 R, Westrum 2-run HR, Hodges 2-3 DET 2, WAS 0 - Roberts 5-hit SHO, 9 K, RBI, Irvin RBI; Goodman, Mays 2-4 STL 3, LOU 2 - Feller 8.0, 2 R, 2-4, W Jones 2-4, GWHR in 5th, Jethroe 3-5 CHI 5, NYG 2 - Thomson 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, Lockman 3-3; Doby 2-run HR in 6th
Tuesday, April 23 BRO 14, NYG 3 - Souchock 3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, Hodges 3-4, 6 RBI, Minoso 3-4 BOS 12, CHI 3 - Zernial 3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, McCullough 3 RBI; Westlake 4-4, HR WAS 9, LOU 7 - 8 runs in last 2 inn: Snider, H Thompson, Lollar HR STL 7, DET 3 - Zoldak CG, 3 R, Jethroe 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, Schoendienst 3-4; Irvin 3-5
Wednesday, April 24 NYG 10, BRO 8 - Ginsberg GSHR, 5 RBI, Doby 3-5; Hodges 2-5, HR BOS 7, CHI 6 - R Boone 3-5, 2 RBI, Morgan, Mantle 2 R; Temple 3B, 4 RBI LOU 7, WAS 5 - Kluttz 3-4, HR, 3 RBI, Dark 3-5, Bauer 2 RBI; Snider 4-5, HR STL 10, DET 5 - Pierce CG, 2-4, Musial 3-5, HR, Coan 2 RBI; Marion 3-4, 2 RBI
Thursday, April 25 NYG 3, BRO 2 - Wynn 8.0, 2 R, Wertz 2-3, HR, Ginsberg, Thomas 2-4; Reiser 4-5, HR BOS 8, CHI 6 - HR: Zernial, Morgan, Mantle, Kuenn, McCullough; Reese 4-5, 3 R LOU 5, WAS 4 - Castiglione pinch GWRBI (first UL hit), Fox 2-4, 2 R; McDougald HR STL 10, DET 4 - Maglie 8-hit CG, W Jones 2 HR, 4 RBI, Kolloway 2 RBI
Friday, April 26 CHI 3, WAS 1 - Newcombe 8.2, 6 H, 1 R, Temple 2-4; Gromek 5-hit CG loss BRO 13, STL 3 - Hodges 4-4, 2 HR, Woodling HR, 3 RBI, Rizzuto, R Jackson 3-5 NYG 2, DET 1 - Fornieles 8.0, 5 H, 0 ER, Boudreau 2-2, RBI, Wertz GWPH in 8th LOU 4, BOS 1 - Garver 8.1, 8 H, 1 R, Hemus 2-run 2B in 7th; Abrams 2-4, 2B
Saturday, April 27 CHI 5, WAS 4 (11) - G Bell GWRBI, Lockman HR, 2 RBI; McDougald HR, 3 RBI STL 6, BRO 5 - W Jones GW 2-run HR in 7th, Joost 2-run 3B in 6th; R Jackson HR NYG 6, DET 1 - Loes 5-hit CG, Batts 3-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, Robinson 2-5, 2 RBI LOU 5, BOS 3 - Houtteman 8.0, 5 H, 3 R, Mathews 2 RBI, Sauer, Easter 2 H
Sunday, April 28 CHI 5, WAS 1 - Parnell 5-hit CG, McCormick 3-4, 2 RBI, Berra HR, 2 RBI; Gordon HR STL 3, BRO 2 - Pierce 8.0, 2 H, 1 R, Jethroe GWRBI in 9th; Minoso HR in 9th NYG 8, DET 4 - Friend 7-hit CG, Thomas 3- run HR, Williams 2 RBI; Fain 2-4, HR BOS 11, LOU 2 - Lopat CG, R Boone 4-5, 3 RBI, DiMaggio 4-5; Bauer 4-4
Monday, April 29 BRO 13, WAS 7 - R Jackson 3-5, 3 RBI, Woodling 3-5, Hamner 3 RBI; Slaughter 3-4 STL 6, CHI 4 (10) - Lipon GW PH in 10th, Jethroe 4-6, Musial 2 RBI; Berra 3-5, 2 RBI NYG 4, LOU 1 - Blackwell 8.0, 7 H, 1 R, Robinson 3-4, Yost 2-4; Sauer HR BOS 6, DET 5 - Zernial 3-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, D DiMaggio 3-4, Irvin 4-5, HR, 3 R
Tuesday, April 30 WAS 14, BRO 3 - Lollar 3-5, HR, 4 RBI, Adcock, Gordon 3-5, Mays 3 RBI STL 11, CHI 6 - Feller 5-hit CG, Coan 4-4, HR, 3 RBI, Wyrostek 4 RBI, W Jones 3-5 NYG 8, LOU 3 - Wynn CG, Noren 3-5, 3 RBI, Doby 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, Robinson 2-4, 3 R DET 6, BOS 4 - Roberts 8.1, 2 ER, DiMaggio 3-3, 2 RBI, Priddy 2 RBI; Keunn 2-run 3B