United League of American Base B

Willie Mays hit his 400th home run and
2,000th hit two days apart. He is the
all-time leader in both categories.

Mays Passes Milestones
Say Hey! Greatest Ever?
WASHINGTON (May 2) -- The "Say Hey" Kid, Willie Mays got his 400th home run and 2,000th hit two days apart, as his express train toward United League immortality continued to chug down the tracks. Mays, , who will turn 32 next week, is the all-time leader in both categories and reached the twin milestones in dramatic fashion. On April 22, Willie homered twice in Washington's 8-2 win over Manhattan, collecting home run #400. Two days later, he rapped out four hits to reach 2,000 hits. Mays is in the final year of his second seven-year contract. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama native was the UL's first ever draft pick in 1951 and is in his 14th season with the Monuments, having won titles in 1952, '53, '54, and '56, and the MVP Award in 1958 .
"It's a shame this league doesn't have some kind of Hall of Fame, because if it did, Willie would be a shoo-in," teammate Jim Hickman said. Mays is hitting .374-7-20 with a 1.204 OPS this season, which puts him on pace for his best season yet. He is eligible for free agency at the end of the year, and the uncertainty of his future status hangs over the club like a dark cloud. According to reliable sources in the nation's capital, Mays is likely to test the free agent waters to see if he can beef up his $12.05 million salary, which makes him the highest paid player in the league.
The Monuments were 84-78 last year, their first winning season since 1958 and a 17-game improvement over the year before. The club added Johnny Antonelli to its rotation this year, and appears poised to make a run for its first pennant in eight seasons.

My Big Fat Greek Labrum
Tsitouris to Take Seven-Month Honeymoon
CLEVELAND (May 2) -- Cleveland Barons ace John Tsitouris will miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum, effectively killing whatever chance the Barons had of mounting a challenge for the East Division crown. Tsitouris, a 20-game winner in 1962, went down on Apr. 21 in the third inning of Cleveland's 3-1 loss to Brooklyn. After going 20-16, 2.91 in his first year as a full-time starter, the 27-year-old Marshville, N.C. native fell back a little last year (12-9, 3.57 in 37 starts). Possible replacements for Tsitouris in the rotation include southpaw Gary Peters (2-1, 1.59 in 9 relief appearances), Bob Sadowski (1-2, 4.78), and Dallas Green (3-0, 1.97 in four starts with Triple-A Pittsburgh.
Cleveland will also miss CF Mack "The Knife" Jones, who tore his rotator cuff the day before Tsitouris' injury and could be out for more than a year. Jones, a first round pick in 1962, hit .292 with a .992 OPS through 21 games.

Outlaws Outlook
by Peter Vays
The Outlaws took a huge leap last year as they went from 70 wins to 89. This year the jump is not expected to be as big but the Outlaws have a couple of reasons to believe that they may take another step forward. The team from last year that won 89 games returns as no starters were lost. Hopefully four factors will play a role in the move ahead this year:
   1 – The biggest change will be the presence of Hank Aaron for an entire season. The Outlaws gave a up a lot to get him but feel they have an elite player and with him and Frank Robinson possibly the best 3/4 combination. A full year of Hank hopefully will add a couple wins to the record.
   2 – Willie Stargell stumbled through his first half season batting .218. That may have made him the least productive corner outfielder / first baseman in the league. The Outlaws are hopeful that his potential is soon realized but for now any step forward could pay dividends in their record.
   3 – Tom Tresh comes back. He won the rookie of the year and showed great promise at short stop then promptly got hit with a huge injury. Tom is expected back a bit into the season and we hope he can pick up where he left off.
   4 – Last year the 4th starter spot was very inconsistent so the Outlaws have brought in x-Outlaw Bubba Church. Bubba is not expected to win 20 games but he is getting good dough to give the Outlaws one solid season from the 4th starter spot.

Every team goes into the new season with optimism but the Outlaws know that improvement is possible but winning the division can only be done if two things happen. One, either father team or the injury devil takes care of the Colts and two the Maroons player development slows down. If both of these things happen then the Outlaws should compete.

L.A. to Host Midsummer Fest
LOS ANGELES (May 2) -- League officials announced today that Arroyo Seco Stadium in Pasadena, California will host the second annual "UL Midsummer Fest" -- the All Star Game and Founder's Cup. The 56,000-seat stadium opened in 1958 and will be upgraded with a streetcar link and 50 luxury boxes in time for the twin midsummer festivities. The Founder's Cup, a 10-day, all-league tournament, was established in 1962, and was joined on the calendar last year by the All-Star Game.

The Federal Report
by Shawn Martin
It has been an exciting month for the Boston Federals. A run at the top of the UL East was short-lived, as Brooklyn re-took the spot at the end of April, though the Feds’ pitchers have been performing great. Chris Short has maintained a sub-1.50 ERA for the month, winning 5 games in the process.
   Tony G – The word out of Mass General Hospital is not good. Starting centerfielder Tony Gonzalez has been under doctor’s care since April 16, when he was drilled in the face by a Gaylord Perry “fastball”. From leaked hospital records, it looks like Gonzalez will be out for at least the rest of the season. GM Shawn Martin has remained quiet on the issue of Tony’s health, stating “the Gonzalez family has asked us to respect their privacy in this time of crisis. We will do just that.” Several Federal players mentioned the rumor that Perry’s pitches seemed to “disappear” and move suspiciously during that game. In college, Gaylord had been known to place substances on the ball before he released his pitch. UL officials have had no comment.
   Helmet Rule – One “trickle-down” effect of Gonzalez’ horrific injury is the debate over batting helmets. The United League has no mandatory helmet rule in effect, but at a May 1 press conference, Boston GM Martin shockingly announced that the Federal franchise would make helmet usage a top priority. Starting June 1, all players currently on the AAA team in Philadelphia will be required to wear helmets, with protective earflap(s). The big-league team will not be required to wear the safety caps this season, though it will be strongly recommended. The rule will be mandatory for the entire franchise for 1965.
   Cepeda Re-signs, Named Captain – Star first baseman Orlando “Cha-Cha” Cepeda has agreed to a four-year extension worth an approximate $17 million before incentives. As a result of this long-term commitment, GM Martin named Cepeda the Federals’ captain at the press conference on Wednesday. “Orlando has such a positive presence in the locker room, and we get so many compliments on the fabulous charity work he does for the Puerto Rican community here in Boston,” Martin said, “I can’t think of a better guy to lead this group of young men than Cha-Cha.” Cepeda is only the third captain in the history of the Gothams/Federals franchise, Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson being the predecessors.
   Collum Traded – Lefty reliever Jackie Collum was traded to division rival Cleveland on 4/16, for 27-year old right hander Dick Drott. “This was purely a financial decision on our part,” Martin stated, “Jackie has been great for us, but his salary/value ratio had been an issue for the past season or so. We had to make a move for the future of the team. Drott gives us a younger alternative, and opens up a spot for Bill McCool when he’s ready.” Some media pundits questioned why Drott was in a Cleveland uniform for the remainder of the month, as the trade was completed in the middle, but both GM Martin and commissioner Smith had no comment.
   Boyer Signed - Former UL World Series MVP Ken Boyer was signed to a one-year deal, adding fuel to the Davey Williams trade rumors. GM Martin stated that Boyer would give the team "needed depth" and a "strong veteran presence."