United League Baseball

POW-POW Eddie!
Mathews Wins Player of Week Twice
BOSTON (June 30) -- Boston's slugging third baseman Eddie Mathews won his first Player of the Week award on June 20, and wasted no time winning his second, duplicating the honor the following Monday. Mathews had two of the strongest weeks in his young United League career, and became the first player in United League history to win back-to-back Player of the Week awards.
   It all began on June 15, when Mathews (.294-15-54) had his first two-homer game of the year, in Boston's 5-3 win at "the Frank." The Texarkana, Texas native hit just .333 that first 'honorable' week, a low average for a POW-winner, but hit four home runs and drove in 9 runs -- all in a four-game span (three against Detroit). After a couple quiet days, Eddie got hot again against Los Angeles. In a four-game span from June 21-25, Mathews hit 13-20 (.650) with 3 HR and 8 RBI.
   Mathews is redeeming himself for a forgettable May -- perhaps his worst month in baseball since his rookie year -- in which he batted .190 with just 3 HR in 28 games. But his June numbers are from another planet. With one game to go, Eddie is hitting .390 (30-77), with 9 HR and 24 RBI in 23 games. Mathews had a solid campaign in 1954 (.258-21-93), but struck out too much and hit only .258. This year, he is striking out less, walking more, and most importantly, he has raised his average to .294 and boosted his slugging percentage to .556.
   With Mathews' emergence this year, manager Charlie Qualls' dream tandem -- the "M&M Brothers" -- is finally becoming a reality. Mickey Mantle and Eddie Mathews are the most formidable slugging twosome on the circuit. Both are charming, media-savvy, and most importantly, young. Mathews, drafted by Louisville as the first overall pick in 1952, is just 23, a year older than the baby Mantle, who at just 22, celebrated his 100th career home run on June 18 (see sidebar, right), the youngest player (by five years) to reach that milestone.
   Unfortunately for Qualls, the magic combination of Mantle & Mathews has not translated to magic on the field. The Beacons were 6-4 during Eddie's fabulous fortnight, but appear stalled in sixth place, a game under .500, and -- for all their offensive exploits -- continue to suffer the ill-effects of the league's second-worst pitching staff.

Another Monument Toppled
Stu Miller Out for Season with Ruptured Disk
WASHINGTON (June 30) -- Just as Larry Jansen was due to make his first start since suffering a strained rotator cuff in early May, Washington suffered another blow to their four-peat chances, when Stu Miller joined Don Larsen on the season-long DL. Miller ruptured a disk in his back in Los Angeles on June 25 and will miss the rest of the season. Miller (9-4, 2.49) is one of the "Big Three" (along with Jansen and the departed Steve Gromek) who powered the D.C. nine to three straight United League titles.
   The 27-year-old righthander from Northampton, Mass. won the 1952 Rookie of the Year and 1953 Cy Young awards, and was the league ERA champion in each of the Monuments' championship campaigns. His career ERA of 2.46 is best in league history, as is his incredible winning percentage of .706 (77-32), a record sullied by his 16-13 rookie campaign. In 1953 and 1954, Miller compiled a phenomenal record of 52-15 (.776), winning more than three out of every four decisions.
   The loss of Miller comes on top of Don Larsen's season-ending torn bicep muscle on May 21. Larsen (4-6, 4.43), a highly-touted prospect who was promoted to Gromek's old #3 spot in the rotation, was replaced by rookie righthander Warren Hacker, who despite a few quality starts in early June, has gotten worse as the month worn on, finishing the month with a 1-4 record an 4.41 ERA in 6 starts.
   Despite their injury woes, Washington clings to second place, just 3.5 games back of Brooklyn. Carl Erskine and Dave Kolso have almost double-handedly kept Washington in the race. Erskine (13-4, 2.60) is having a breakout year, tied for the lead in wins, and fourth in ERA. Koslo, meanwhile, is enjoying a resurgence to his career. The career of the righthander from Menasha, Wisc. was in decline, or so it seemed, until this year. Koslo won 18 games back in '52, but had won only 8 in the last two seasons, but after first Larry Jansen then Don Larsen went on the DL, Koslo was plugged in the #2 slot and exceeded manager Jay Kaplan's wildest expectorations. In 15 games (10 as a starter), Koslo has compiled a 7-2 record and microscopic 2.05. This despite turning 35 the week before opening day.
   Whether the Monuments can rebound from the loss of Miller is an open question, but the odds are stacked against them, and the pitching options in AAA Baltimore aren't getting any better.

Avila Falls Off Cycle, Out for Season
LOS ANGELES (June 30) -- Fresh off hitting for the cycle, Los Angeles second baseman Bobby Avila suffered a season-ending injury on June 17. Avila completed the 5-RBI cycle on June 3 in a 10-6 win over Chicago, his former team. The 30-year-old Mexican was acquired in the preseason three-for-three deal that also sent Don Newcombe and catcher Jim Hegan to Tinseltown. It was the sixth cycle in UL history and the first in nearly two years. The last player to hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game was Brooklyn's Danny O'Connell on Sept. 27, 1953.

HITTING FOR THE CYCLE

Jackie Robinson, NYG	Apr. 9, 1951
Gus Bell, CHI	May 10, 1951
Gil Coan, STL	Aug. 30, 1952
Larry Doby, NYG	Aug. 31, 1953
Danny O'Connell, BRO	Sept. 27, 1953
Bobby Avila, LA	June 3, 1955

Runnels Leapfrogs Minoso
Brooklyn Keeps Winning
BROOKLYN (June 30) -- Finally crossing the threshold of minimum plate appearances, Superba second-sacker Pete Runnels debuted at the #1 spot on the league batting table, displacing teammate Minnie Minoso. Runnels is hitting .388, Minoso .379, and teammate Gene Woodling is fourth in the league with a .338 average.
The Superbas had an incredible 20-1 run from May 31 to June 21, but have lost three of their last four games (including two shutouts and a 3-1 loss).

Top Performances, Studs & Duds

With the season officially half over, here is a look back at the best individual performances of the first half. Also, a look at each team's biggest surprises -- both good and bad.
BROOKLYN SUPERBAS 48-28 -- 7-3	Top Performance: Gil Hodges drove in 5 runs with a pair of homers and a double on June 21 in a 14-4 win at Briggs Field. Stud: Minnie Minoso has transformed himself from a solid hitter to an MVP candidate. The Cuban is batting .379, leads the league in OPS (1.071), and is on pace to have career highs in nearly every offensive category. Dud: Richie Ashburn, a .298 hitter coming into this season, is batting just .255, with an OBP under .300. The stolen base leader last year (with 71) has swiped only 19 in 32 attempts, the worst SB% of any player with 20+ attempts.
WASHINGTON MONUMENTS 45-32 3.5 6-4	Top Performance: Stu Miller came with two outs of a no-hitter on May 18 before Louisville pitcher Dick Donovan singled for the only hit. Miller struck out 11 and walked none, in the best pitching performance of the first half. Stud: It took an injury to Larry Jansen, but 35-year-old Dave Koslo (2-2, 3.71 in 15 games last year) has emerged as the surprise of the year in Washington. Koslo is 7-2 overall (6-1 as a starter), with a 2.05 in 15 games (10 starts). Dud: Second baseman Cass Michaels earned a starting job with a solid 1954 (.297-6-35 in 111 games), but has failed to produce in '55. In 51 games, the 29-year-old is batting just .230, with no power. His OPS is down 180 points to an anemic .620.
CHICAGO COLTS 44-32 4 6-4	Top Performance: Whitey Ford, Cy Young frontrunner, got off to a fast start, going 5-0 with a 2.06 ERA in April, including back-to-back shutouts, the second of which, a four-hit shutout at San Francisco, was the Colts' best pitching performance of the season. Another Whitey, Whitey Lockman, was 4-for-4 with 5 RBI in a game against New York on April 26. Stud: Catcher Andy Seminick has turned his career around. Lost to L.A. in the expansion draft, he returned to Chi-town in the Newcombe/Avila trade. Heretofore a defensive specialist with a meager bat (.214-6-23 in 52 games in 1954), Andy is batting .313 and slugging .518 (up 120 points). Dud: Gus Bell is batting just .267 (down from last year's career-high .309) and slugging just .433 (a four-year low). His OPS has dropped from .882 (second best on the team) last year to .768, just 13 points over the team average.
ST. LOUIS MAROONS 43-33 5 4-6	Top Performance: Stan Musial turned in the league's top performance of the first half on April 26. "The Man" hit 5-for-5 in a 15-3 thrashing at Los Angeles, including a pair of home runs. Stan had only two home runs in the first 19 games. Honorable mention goes to Billy Pierce, whose 3-hit shutout at New York April 17 was the second best pitching performance of the first half. Stud: Lefty reliever Bob Chipman had a 5.13 career ERA coming into this year, but didn't allow a run until his 11th appearance this year. "Mr. Chips'" 1.10 ERA is the second best among pitchers with at least 15 IP, and opponents are hitting just .197 off him. Dud: Steve Gromek is a strong candidate for Dud of the Year. The former Monument won 27 games last year, but was just 3-7 in 15 first half starts. His ERA has ballooned by a point and a half, and for the first he has more hits than innings and nearly as many walks as strikeouts.
LOUISVILLE COLONELS 41-35 7 6-4	Top Performance: "Toothpick Sam" Jones shut down his former team, St. Louis, with a three-hit shutout on May 16, striking out 10 in a 1-0 win in a duel with the Maroons' Vern Law. Stud: Herm Wehmeier (12-2, 2.55) has become the first legitimate ace in Louisville history. At the midsummer break, he has already established new career highs in wins and strikeouts, and his ERA is a full point better than last year's. Hank Aaron (.341-3-16 in 12 games) was one of the league's hottest players before breaking his wrist on April 12. Unfortunately, Elmer Valo's solid production (and/or an oversight by manager Mark Allen) has kept Hank out of the big league squad despite being fully recovered since mid-May. Dud: Outfielder Hank Bauer, a .307 hitter in the last four years, is batting just .246 in 52 games, with an OBP under .300 and a .369 SLG that is 150 points off last year's figure.
BOSTON BEACONS 38-39 10.5 6-4	Top Performance: Mickey Mantle was 4-4 with 4 RBI on June 4 in the Beacons' biggest win of the year, 17-9 at Louisville. "The Mick" also had four-hit games on June 20 and 25, both against San Francisco, against whom he is hitting .472 with 14 RBI in 36 AB. Stud: Leftfielder Jim Delsing is adjusting well to life in Beantown. A .264 hitter in three seasons with the Colts, Delsing is batting .292, has as many home runs (8) as he had in Chicago, and has raised his OPS 100 points. Dud: Fred Hutchinson never had an ERA higher than 3.55 in four years with Brooklyn. But this year, despite a winning record (8-6), Hutch's ERA has ballooned to 5.39 and opposing hitters are teeing off to the tune of a .320 OBA.
NEW YORK GOTHAMS 37-40 11.5 6-4	Top Performance: Frank Sullivan, in his first start of the year, threw a one-hitter against Detroit on June 3, without a single strikeout. Sully won three straight starts before being replaced in the rotation by the healed Bob Friend. Stud: A perennial minor-leaguer turned light-hitting futility infielder (who can play three positions poorly), Sibby Sisti now leads the Gothams in OPS (.829). His 27 doubles ties him for the league lead and puts him on a UL-record pace (45 by Jim Gilliam in 1954). Dud: Three-time batting champ Jackie Robinson, 36, is showing his age. After batting .340 or better in three of the last four years, the second baseman is hitting just .251, with both OBP and SLG well over 100 points off his '54 numbers.
LOS ANGELES OUTLAWS 33-43 15 5-5	Top Performance: Bobby Avila hit for the cycle against his former Colts mates on June 3. He also stole a base, drove in 5 runs and scored three. Two weeks later his season ended with a torn elbow ligament suffered in an extra-inning loss to St. Louis. Stud: Willie "Puddin Head" Jones (.296-12-46) is proving that 1954 was an aberration. The former Maroon is batting .296, slugging .502, and is on pace for career highs in hits, home runs, and RBIs Dud: Though only a bit player, reliever Bob Miller has fallen flat on his face. After a career year with Brooklyn in '54 (2-0, 1.33 ERA, 2 SV in 16 games), Miller's ERA has ballooned to 6.68 and his Ratio has gone from 9.7 to 15.7.
SAN FRANCISCO SPIDERS 30-46 18 2-8	Top Performance: Jerry Priddy, who was batting only .244 at the time, was a perfect 5-for-5 against fellow expansionists Los Angeles on May 16, including two doubles, a homer, and four runs. Stud: Shortstop Solly Hemus is having a career year (.308-9-22). In just 60 games he has doubled his career HR production, compiled a .401 OBP, and his OPS (.905) is 150 points over his career average. He leads all Spider batters in OBP and OPS. Dud: Joe Collins was the opening day first baseman, ahead of Vic Wertz, but quickly dropped out of the lineup after a .153 April. Collins had a solid 1954 (.287-21-71), but is batting .189, slugging .245, and has yet to break double digits in RBIs (.189-1-7 in 53 games).
DETROIT SOUND 22-53 25.5 2-8	Top Performance: Bob Porterfield, who was 1-10 in his first 15 starts, shut out the Superbas on three hits June 22, ending an eight-game losing streak. In a similar shocking turnabout, Don Mossi, who was 0-5, 5.24 through May, had a three-hit shutout against Louisville on June 1.\| Stud: Second baseman Davey Williams spent the last three years in the minor leagues, but has emerged as a quality hitter after joining Detroit in this year's Reentry draft. Davey is batting .303, is second on the team in batting and hits, and third in OPS. Dud: This was supposed to be Dusty Rhodes' breakout year. After career highs batting, home runs, RBIs, and slugging in 1954, the stage was set for this budding star's emergence. But Dusty has responded by reverting to his 1953 form, which is to say, sucking. A .224 average, .292 OBP, and just 28 RBI in 75 games.