United League Baseball

Monuments Nearly Clinch
Gromek, Jansen Injuries Fail to Slow Drive to Pennant
WASHINGTON (Sept. 16) -- September injuries to 1-2 starters Steve Gromek and Larry Jansen were nary a speed bump in the Washington Monuments' drive to the pennant. The Mons were 7-7 in the first half of the final month, enough to maintain a 12-game lead with just 13 games to play. Gromek suffered an elbow injury in a 4-2 extra-inning loss at Detroit on Sept. 2. Five days later, #2 starter Larry Jansen broke his hand in St. Louis. The 31-year-old Oregonian was struck in the fourth inning by a Johnny Wyrostek line drive that broke two bones in his hand. Gromek (18-9, 2.83) and Jansen (22-7, 3.31) are the top half of the most dominant rotation in the league's short history. Harry Perkowski (4-1, 3.76) picked up the slack with a 2-0 record and 2.08 ERA in three starts.

Jackie, Ted Get Hot
Gothams Eye First Division
Second baseman Jackie Robinson and leftfielder Ted Williams got hot in September, helping to lift the sagging Gothams back to sixth place and in position to move up another spot or two in the final weeks. Robinson (.354-25-92) is closing in on a repeat batting title and is a strong MVP candidate, leading the league in batting, slugging, and OPS, and second only to teammate Williams in runs. Jackie hit a red-hot .510 (25-49) in 14 September games, driving in 21 runs, and hitting six home runs. Robinson won the batting title in 1951 with a .371 average and 164 hits, despite missing about 40 games to a groin tear early in the season. On Sept. 9, he won his second POW of the season, and fifth overall.
Ted Williams (.328-26-93), one of last year's top performers with the third best OPS, started off 1952 with an extended slump that saw him batting only .276 on June 1. But since then, the Splendid Splinter had a 21-game hitting streak, and has batted .337 or better for four straight months. He is currently fifth in the league in batting, but probably too far behind to mount a serious challenge to Robinson.
Williams and Robinson were New York's first two picks in the Initial Draft, forming a formidable duo in the heart of the Gothams' order. But in the highly competitive United League, the Gothams have failed to live up to expectations, finishing fifth in 1951 and struggling in the second division again this year. Next season Williams is going off to war, Robinson's contact expires, and both players will turn 34, raising questions about the direction of the club in coming years.

Double Triples
Reese, Michaels Enter Record Book
WASHINGTON (Sept. 12) -- History was made here today at Griffith Stadium when Chicago's Pee Wee Reese swiped three bases and Washington's Cass Michaels committed three errors in a game. Reese led off the game with a walk, and promptly stole second and third before scoring on Gus Bell's groundout. After being caught stealing in the fifth, Reese led off the ninth with a single, and stole second. Reese was not the first to steal three bases in a game, but his name goes in the book as the player who has done it most recently (Brooklyn's Billy Hitchcock stole three bases on Sept. 17, 1951).
Washington utility infielder Cass Michaels also had a record day, but one he'd rather forget. Michaels, a solid .316 hitter with 30 RBI in 87 games, started the game at shortstop for the resting Gil McDougald, and committed errors in the second, fifth, and eighth innings. The first two bloops turned out to be harmless, but the third boot put leadoff man Wally Westlake on base, and he eventually scored, tacking on an insurance run, and Chicago went on to win 4-2.

Campy Hits in Record 26 Straight Games
It's been a rough year in St. Louie. The Maroons have suffered major injuries to several key players, including all three of their 1951 All-Stars (Zoldak, Kinder, and Musial). To make matters worse, slugging catch Roy Campanella was in a hitting funk for much of the year. Campy was hitting .243 on July 31, the anniversary of his trade from Brooklyn. But since then, the 29-year-old former Dodger has hit .351 with 30 RBI in 37 games. The highlight of the Maroons season was Campanella's 26-game hitting streak from Aug. 13 to Sept. 13. The streak was the longest in UL history, surpassing 23-game streaks by Gil McDougald (twice), and Minnie Minoso. The streak ended on Sept. 14 when Campy grounded out in a pinch at-bat in the tenth inning of a 5-4 loss to Boston.

Change to Draft Lottery Announced
The United League today announced an alteration to the off-season draft lottery. The lottery is intended to discourage teams from intentionally tanking in order to get higher draft picks. Last year, the bottom three teams were entered into the "3-2-1" lottery, with three chances for the last place team, two for seventh place, and one for sixth. For the coming draft lottery, which will take place after the conclusion of the season Sept. 30, the league will introduce a "4-3-2-1" system, giving the fifth place team a shot at the #1 pick. In another change, the first four picks will all be determined by lottery. Last year, only the #1 pick was randomly drawn, with the second and third picks going to the remaining teams in reverse order of finish. That essentially guaranteed the last place team a #1 or #2 pick. Under the new system, the last place team has a chance (albeit very small) of dropping as far as the #4 pick. The Reentry Draft and Rookie Draft will each have separate lotteries, both using the same system.

NEW SYSTEM (4-3-2-1, pick all)
Finish	#1 pick	#2 pick	#3 pick	#4 pick
8th place	40%	31.6%	20.6%	7.8%
7th place	30%	30.8%	26.2%	13.0%
6th place	20%	24.1%	31.8%	24.1%
5th place	10%	13.5%	21.4%	55.1%

OLD SYSTEM (3-2-1, pick #1 only)
Finish	#1 pick	#2 pick	#3 pick
8th place	50%	50%
7th place	33%	50%	17%
6th place	17%	0%	83%

AROUND THE HORN

87-54 - 7-7	WASHINGTON ·
75-66 12 7-8	DETROIT ·
74-68 13.5 9-5	ST. LOUIS ·
71-71 16.5 8-6	BOSTON ·
69-73 18.5 5-10	BROOKLYN ·
67-75 20.5 9-5	NEW YORK ·
63-78 24 5-9	LOUISVILLE ·
60-81 27 7-7	CHICAGO ·
DAY-BY-DAY
Sunday, September 1 BOS 2, BRO 0 - Bickford 6-hit SHO, Brown 3-3, 2 3B, RBI; Hutchinson CG, 9 H NYG 7, CHI 6 - Robinson GSHR in 5th, Busby 3-3; Berra 2 HR, 3 RBI, Westlake 3-5, HR STL 5, LOU 0 - Raffensberger 3-hit SHO, 9 K, B Young 3-5, Wyrostek 2 RBI DET 4, WAS 3 (10) - Bridges GWRBI, Prtrfld 9.0, 3 R; Miller 8.1, 13 K, Michaels 3-4
Monday, September 2 BOS 8, BRO 3 - Hiller 7-hit CG, 2-4, 2 RBI, Mantle 2-4, 3 RBI; Jackson HR, 3 RBI NYG 17, CHI 1 - Church 2-hit CG, Robinson 2-3, HR, 4 RBI, Williams, Wertz 3 RBI STL 6, LOU 3 - Minner 8.0, 3 R, Mullin GSHR, Stephens 3-5; Bauer 3-4, HR DET 4, WAS 2 (10) - Edwards GWHR in 10th, Roberts 9.0, 2 R; Slaughter 3-5
Tuesday, September 3 BRO 4, BOS 3 - Gorman 8.0, 2 ER, 2 RBI, Westrum 2-4, RBI; Brown 2-4, HR, 3 RBI NYG 10, CHI 3 - Blackwell 8.0, 3 R, Robinson 2 HR, 4 RBI, Noren 4-5, 3 R, 2 RBI STL 17, LOU 11 - W Jones 4-5, HR, 4 RBI, Wyrostek 3-5, Campanella, Ennis HR WAS 2, DET 1 - Jansen CG, 1 R, 7 K, Mays 2-4 RBI, Gordon RBI; Gray CG, 2 R, 8 K
Wednesday, September 4 CHI 9, WAS 4 - Dickson CG, Westlake 3-4, Ryan 3-4, 2 RBI; Snider 3-4, HR, 3 RBI BRO 4, STL 3 (10) - Woodling GW PH, Doerr 2-run HR in 1st, Minoso 2-5, 2 SB, 2 R DET 3, NYG 2 - Raschi 8.0, 2 R, Metkovich 2-4, 2 RBI, Atwell 2-4; Busby, Batts 2-3 BOS 4, LOU 3 - Hermanski 2-run PHR in 9th, Spahn CG, Brown 2-3; Chiti 2-3, 2 R
Thursday, September 5 WAS 5, CHI 2 - Miller 8.0, 2 R, McDougald 2-4, HR, Gordon 2-3 STL 7, BRO 4 - Raffensberger 8.0, 5 H, 3 R, Coan 3-5, Stephens, Mullin 2 RBI NYG 9, DET 8 - Busby 3-5, 2 SB, Robinson 3-3, Yost HR, 3 RBI; Metkovich, Fain 2 RBI BOS 13, LOU 5 - D DiMaggio 3-5, 4 RBI, McCullough 3-5, Torgeson 3-5, HR, 3 R
Friday, September 6 CHI 7, BRO 1 - Rogovin 5-hit CG, Berra 2-5, HR, Westlake 2-3, 2B; Gernert 2-4 WAS 6, STL 1 - Perkowski 8-hit CG, Adcock 4-4, Mays 3-5, 2 SB, 3 R, Goodman 3-4 LOU 6, DET 3 - Mizell 8.1, 2 R, Jensen 3-4, 2 SB, 3 R, Bauer HR; DiMaggi 2-4, RBI, R BOS 6, NYG 3 - McCullough 2-4, 2 RBI, Philley 2-3, 2 R; Robinson 3-4, Poholsky 3 RBI
Saturday, September 7 CHI 6, BRO 5 - Gernert 3-4, Rosen, Seminick HR, Bell 2-3; Runnels 4-4, Woodling 3-4 WAS 14, STL 3 - Kluszewski 3-5, HR, 4 RBI, Lollar HR, 4 RBI, McDougald 3-6, 3 RBI LOU 5, DET 3 - Branca 8.0, 5 H, 3 R, Fox 3-4, 3 RBI, Lowrey 2-4, Valo 2-3; Kell 2 RBI NYG 12, BOS 1 - Church CG, 5 H, 0 ER, Yost 4-4, Batts 4 RBI, Robinson 3-5, HR, 3 RBI
Sunday, September 8 DET 11, BRO 5 - Rhodes 2 HR, 4 RBI, Metkovich GSHR in 2nd, Fain 2-3, 3 R
Monday, September 9 DET 5, BRO 0 - Porterfield 5-hit SHO, 9 K, Fain 2-5, Kell 2-4, RBI, Marion 2 RBI LOU 3, CHI 1 - Morgan 8.1, 1 R, Easter HR, 2 RBI, Lowrey 2-3 WAS 6, BOS 5 - Goodman, Palica 2 RBI; Torgeson 3-4, HR, 2 RBI STL 6, NYG 0 - Pierce 4-hit SHO, 7 K, W Jones, Crowe 3-4, Wyrostek HR
Tuesday, September 10 BRO 7, DET 3 - Simmons 7-hit CG, Minoso 4-5, Jackson HR, 3 RBI CHI 8, LOU 4 - Parnell 6-hit CG, 5 HR: Westlake, Thomson, Berra, E Robinson, Bell BOS 5, WAS 4 - Lopat 8.0, 3 R, 7 K, Mantle 2 RBI; Mays 3-5, Gordon 2 RBI STL 6, NYG 5 (10) - Stephens GWHR, Crowe 2-3, HR, 2 RBI; Williams 2 HR, 4 RBI
Wednesday, September 11 WAS 5, BRO 4 - Mays 2-4, 2 RBI, Kluszewski 2 RBI, McDougald 2-3; Hodges 3-4, HR STL 6, CHI 2 - Minner 4-hit CG, 1 ER, Coan 3-5, Jethroe 2-5, HR, 2 R, Campy 2-4, 3B NYG 10, LOU 4 - Loes 6-hit CG, Robinson HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, Wertz HR, 3 RBI BOS 13, DET 2 - Bickford CG, McCullough 4-5, Stanky 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R
Thursday, September 12 WAS 5, BRO 4 - Perkowski 8.0, 4 H, 3 R, Mays 3-5, HR, SB, Slaughter 2 RBI CHI 3, STL 2 - Newcombe 8.0, 1 ER, Westlake, Berra 2-4, RBI, Reese HR, 2 R NYG 10, LOU 5 - Batts 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, Williams, Boudreau 2 RBI, Sauer 2-4, HR DET 9, BOS 3 - Raschi 8-hit CG, Marion 3-4, 3 RBI, Kiner 2-4, HR, Metkovich 2-4
Friday, September 13 CHI 4, WAS 2 - Dickson 8.0, 4 H, 2 R, Reese 2-3, 3 SB; Michaels 3 E STL 4, BOS 3 - Pierce 7-hit CG, 9 K, Jethroe 2 RBI, Ennis HR, Campy 26g HS DET 3, NYG 1 - Porterfield 7.0, 3 H, 1 R, Irvin 3-5, 2 RBI, Fain 2-4, HR, Rhodes 2-5 BRO 5, LOU 4 (10) - Nieman GWPHRBI, Hutchinson 7-hit CG, 7 K, 2 RBI; Chiti 2 RBI
Thursday, September 14 CHI 2, WAS 1 - Parnell 8.1, 6 H, 1 R, Westlake 2-4, RBI, E Robinson GWHR in 8th BOS 5, STL 4 (10) - Torgeson GWSF, Mantle HR; W Jones 3-3, Coan, Stephens HR NYG 7, DET 3 - Williams 3-5, HR, 3 R, Doby 3-4, HR, 3 RBI; Kiner 3-4, HR LOU 16, BRO 5 - Sauer GSHR, Hemus 4 RBI, Fox 3-4, 3 RBI; Souchock 3-4, HR
Friday, September 15 STL 7, WAS 6 (13) - Hegan GWPHRBI, Stephens HR, 3 RBI, Jethroe, Mullin 3 H NYG 6, BOS 5 - Robinson 2-2, GWRBI, Boudreau 3-4, 3 RBI; Dom, Clyde 2-3, RBI LOU 1, DET 0 - Mizell 8.0, 5 H, 0 R, Easter HR in 2nd, Klein 2-3; Marion 2-3, 7g HS BRO 12, CHI 8 - Amoros 4-5, Jackson 3-6, HR, Burgess 3 RBI; Reese 3-5, 2 R