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United
League of
American Base Ball Clubs
est.
1951
LEAGUE
FILE (3/20) ·
HEADLINES
· NEWS
LOG · TRANSACTIONS ·
INJURIES ·
FINANCES
STANDINGS ·
BOX
SCORES · SCHEDULE ·
BATTING ·
PITCHING ·
FIELDING · LEADERS
LEAGUE
RULES · TEAM INFO ·
ROSTERS ·
FREE
AGENTS · TOP
PROSPECTS · TOP
FARMS
TOP
PERFORMANCES ·
RECORD
BOOK · PAST
LEADERS · CAREER
LEADERS
BEGINNINGS ·
CITIES ·
BALLPARKS ·
PLAYER PHOTOS
TOTAL UL
· 1951 ·
1952 · 1953 ·
1954 ·
1955 ·
1956
DRAFTS
4/5 (Season Preview)
· 4/17
· 5/1
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Long Streak Is One Too
Short
Outlaw Dale Just Shy of
Record Batting Streak
ST. LOUIS (Apr. 21)
-- Los Angeles first baseman Dale Long hit safely in his first 14
games this year -- extending his streak to 25 games over two seasons --
before taking the collar in a 10-0 loss to the first place Maroons here
today. The streak was one game short of teammate Roy Campanella's UL
record 26-game hit streak in 1952.
Bob "Smiley" Keegan threw a four-hit shutout, as
Long grounded out, lined out, and flied out in his only three
at-bats. Ironically, Long was standing in the on-deck circle when
Campanella struck out for the game's final out.
Long is picking up where he left off last year, when he had a
breakthrough season of sorts. He hit .308-16-77 in his first full
season as a regular player. He currently leads the league in batting
(.420) and OBP (.484), and ranks fourth in OPS (1.039).
Long has had an interesting career in the United
League. A 28th round Initial Draft pick by the Brooklyn Superbas in
1951, the Springfield, Mo. native was the 'other guy' in the interborough
Doby-Hodges trade that brought Gil Hodges back to Flatbush in 1952.
After two seasons as Vic Wertz' able understudy in Gotham green, Long was
drafted by Los Angeles in the ninth round of the 1955 expansion
draft. As a full-time starter for the expansion Outlaws, Long
developed into a solid hitter, as well as a decent glove man, winning a
Gold Glove at first base. He had two 5-hit games last year and
finished the season with a team-best 183 hits, seven more than teammate
and MVP Campanella.
The Outlaws were very successful away from the Coliseum in
1955 (43-34), a pattern that seems to have reversed in 1956 (3-9).
Just a month into the season, L.A. has already been swept in Louisville,
St. Louis, and Brooklyn, including the fateful blowout that cut Long's
streak short.
Podres
Beans Minoso, Tempers Flare
DETROIT
(April 23) -- Tempers flared and both benches cleared after Detroit's
Johnny Podres beaned Brooklyn's All-Star left fielder Minnie Minoso in the
head in the first inning of today's contest. Second baseman Connie
Ryan led off the game with a blast to right field. As he circled the
bases, Ryan pumped his fist and appeared to say something to the rookie
Detroit starter. Two batters latter, Podres threw high and inside,
and Minoso couldn't react quickly enough to evade the trajectory of the
ball, which hit him in the face. Minoso suffered a broken cheekbone
and will require maxillofacial surgery to correct what would otherwise be
a gruesome disfigurement. "And he ain't that pretty to begin
with," teammate Gil Hodges remarked. "ˇMe lo cuenta a mí!"
jabbed fellow Havanan Sandy Amoros. Hodges was the first on the
scene, as players streamed out of both dugouts. Catfish Metkovich
bitch-slapped Richie Ashburn, but other than that the melee was confined
to jostling and chest-thumping.
Podres was warned, but stayed in the game. Ironically,
Ryan homered off him again in the fifth inning, this time keeping his
mouth shut and his fist to himself. But ironically it was Tom
Gorman's -- not Podres' -- control problems that would cost the game, as
the Sound erased a 4-0 Brooklyn lead with a five-run rally of the Cy
winner in the eighth inning. Gorman walked the bases loaded, then
gave up a two-run single to Dusty Rhodes, a passed ball, and a two-run
homer by pinch hitter Jim King. It was Gorman's fifth loss in as
many starts.
Saturnino Orestes Armas Minoso Arrieta has the second best
batting average in United League history (.326) and is in the hunt to
become the first ULer to reach 1,000 career hits (he ranks third with 847,
15 behind Stan Musial). The 32-year-old Cuban broke his foot last
July, missing 20 games, but still managed to hit .357-16-95, posting
career highs in batting and RBIs and helping Brooklyn to its first
pennant. Minoso was one of four Superbas on the 1955 UL All-Star
team. The others were RF Gene Woodling, SP Tom Gorman, and CL Hoyt
Wilhelm.
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