Curse of the Homestretch
Colts Have One Eye on the Pennant, One on the Past
CHICAGO (Aug. 16) -- Lance Mueller has been here before.  The Chicago Colts GM has been in his share of pennant races, but has no pennants to show it.  Instead the club has become notorious for the Chicago two-step: contend, then collapse.  Granted, one gets the sense that this year is different, but that's probably what they said five years ago.
   Founding owners will recall the Colts were the team to beat during 1951's summer heat.  The Horsies rode a 20-3 surge to build an 11-game lead in mid-July of the infant league's inaugural season (see "Can Chicago Be Caught?"), but fell to third place, five games back, with a 23-44 finish (the answer turned out to be yes). 
   In 1956, the Colts were in the thick of a three-way race with Washington and St. Louis, sitting just 1.5 games back on July 16 (see "Banks Sparks Offense, Colts Stay Close"), but finished 25-42 to end the season at .500, 23 games back.
   The next season, in the first year of divisional play, the Colts were one of three teams within five games of the top of the West with two weeks to play, but dropped 11 of their last 14 games to finish 12 games back in a third place tie (see "Maroons Surge to Pennant").
   Of course, one can point to a number of factors that make this year a whole new scenario.  After all, the club left "cursed" Wrigley Field, and their first year in the Southside produced their winningest season in club history.  Secondly, this year's edition of the club features a dominant duo of Billy Pierce and Carl Erskine, a combo that was lacking in previous years.  Thirdly, the lineup features one of the most balanced offenses in league history: only Ernie Banks (.292-24-83) ranks in the top 20 in RBIs, yet the club ranks third in run production.  And finally, the Colts' chief rival, Louisville, just lost its #2 start Herm Wehmeier, for the rest of the season.  The curse reversed?  Only the next six weeks will tell.

Closer Elston Does It With the Bat
Chicago closer Don Elston has had just one at bat this year, but he made it count.  The UL save leader (26) came to the plate against San Francisco on August 10, a knocked a home run off Clem Labine to break a 10-10 tie in the eighth inning.  The dinger gave Elston his eighth win, against just two losses.  The 32-year-old is one of the leading candidates for the year's top reliever.

Wehmeier to Miss Rest of Season
Colonels Repeat Hopes Fading
LOUISVILLE (Aug. 14) -- The Louisville Colonels' hopes of becoming the first West team to defend a Division title suffered a major setback today, when #2 starter Herm Wehmeier was lost for the season with a torn bicep in his throwing arm.  Wehmeier, 34, was a key member of both the 1958 championship team and last year's pennant winners.  The Cincinnati native had his best year in 1960 (23-12, 2.70, 205 K), posting career bests in wins, ERA, and strikeouts, teaming up with ace Johnny Antonelli to lead the Colonels to the first 90-win season in club (and West Division) history.
   Wehmeier, a 20th round selection in the Initial Draft, is in his 11th season with the Colonels, the only team his played for, tallying a 146-111 record with a 3.56 ERA.  His $3 million contract expires after this year, fueling much speculation in the Bluegrass State, compounded by the expansion draft and his injury, about his future with the ballclub.

Lone Star Heroes
Dallas Texans Unveiled, Ticket Sales Brisk
DALLAS (Aug. 10) -- Owner Ben DeGrass introduced his expansion team to local and national media today, unveiling the nickname and logo of the United League's 12th franchise and first in the Lone Star State, as tickets went on sale to a baseball-hungry market.  The Dallas Texans will play their home games at 35,185-seat Turnpike Stadium, conveniently located midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, north Texas' twin metropolises.  "This is the best day of my life," Loretta Swillingham, 53, said as she clutched her Texans season tickets.  Club officials estimated that 5,000 season tickets were sold in the first week, and expect the figure to reach 15,000 before Opening Day next March.

Dallas to Host Inaugural Founder's Cup
The Big D was also chosen to host the first Founder's Cup tournament next July.  The ten-day tournament will pit all 12 UL teams in round-robin and knockout rounds, with the winner awarded a trophy and a cash prize.  The tournament will count as regular season games and will expand the league schedule to 162 games.

Meet the Feds
Boston Welcomes Relocated Gothams
BOSTON (Aug. 15) -- GM Shawn Martin announced the new name and moniker of his soon-to-be relocated New York Gothams.  The Boston Federals will take the field next April when top flight baseball returns to Fenway Park after a three-year hiatus.  The Federals will retain the Gothams primary color, green, but Martin wanted something more fitting with the region's colonial heritage.  The Boston Beacons, an original UL franchise, played in Fenway from 1951 to 1957 before owner Charles B. Qualls moved the struggling franchise to greener fields in Cleveland.  The Gothams will play their last home game at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 27, fittingly, against Cleveland.