Hank Hammers Into History
Aaron Breaks Season Home Run Record
SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 8) -- Hammerin' Hank Aaron homered into the history books today, cranking his 47th home run to break Gus Zernial's single season record.  "Ozark Ike" hit 46 round-trippers with the Chicago Colts in 1957 and held the record for seven years, the longest reign of a home run king in UL history, but harbored no illusions about the longevity of his record.  Since Gil Hodges hit 40 homers in 1952, 13 other players have hit the 40-homer mark.  Indeed, in 1958, just one year after Zernial set the new standard, Washington's Willie Mays fell just a single dinger shy of tying the mark, and in the last four seasons three players have reached 43.
   Aaron broke the record with 21 games left on Los Angeles' calendar and now sets hit sights on 50.  The only questions now are how many home runs will he end up with, and how long will his record last?

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Ford Pitches 53 Consecutive Shutout Innings
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BOSTON (Sept. 8) -- Orlando Cepeda's two-run homer in the first inning ended Washington Monuments ace Whitey Ford's record run of 53 shutout innings.  Ford's streak began in the fourth inning against Louisville on Aug. 15, and spanned six starts, five of which were complete game shutouts.  The streak began nine days after Ford threw a no-hitter and less than a month after being traded to Washington by Brooklyn.  In 13 starts with the Mons, the 35-year-old "Chairman of the Board" has posted an 11-2 record with a 1.34 ERA and seven shutouts.  His seasonal record of 23-8 with a 1.94 ERA make him a strong candidate for his first Cy Young Award, and his 10 shutouts establishes a new UL record, shattering the former record of eight shared by Stu Miller, Johnny Antonelli, and Billy Pierce.

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Chicago Clinches With 3-2 Win Over Spiders
Colts Books Fourth Straight World Series Date
CHICAGO (Sept. 15) -- The Chicago Colts are perhaps the most discontented four-in-a-row pennant winners in baseball history.  Always the bridesmaid but never the bride, the Colts have lost the last three World Series to the Brooklyn Superbas.  But GM Lance Mueller is hoping 1964 is a different story.  Unlike the last three years, the '64 Colts were the first to clinch a World Series berth, and with two weeks to go, the club holds a 1.5-game edge over Brooklyn for home field advantage.
   In the first three "Chi-Bro" Series encounters, Brooklyn earned home-field by virtue of 10, 4, and 15-game margins and went on to win each Series four games to one.  Of course home field advantage isn't everything.  After all, Chicago has actually hosted 9 of the 15 World Series games (always Games 3-5), but has managed only two wins against seven losses.  In 1962, the Colts took Game One at the Frank, only to lose four straight, including three at home.
   But this year's edition looks stronger.  The Colts are just the third team in UL history ('51 Gothams, '58 Colonels) with three 100-RBI men, and the bullpen is #1 in ERA.  Perhaps most importantly, for once Mueller's club has managed to avoid the injury bug that ravaged the team in year's past.  The club never really had a chance In the 1961 Series, for instance, having lost Billy Pierce and Carl Erskine, their top two starters, to season-ending injuries.

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Mantle Gets $50 Million Pay Day, Bas Re-Up Core
-- Superbas center fielder signs five-year, $9.95 million extension
-- Hamner, Burdette, Conley re-upped

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Team of the Future of the Day
by Charlie Qualls
MANHATTAN - It appears the man with the funny name has a plan to leave the rest of the United League in tears.  Since his introduction to the UL via expansion in 1962, Gray Sox GM Jeff Gurganus has put together a potential powerhouse.  Pitching, youth, depth and balance are the building blocks of what may be the next New York superclub.
    In the beginning, Gurganus made his priorities clear by nabbing four starting pitchers right out of the expansion draft gate.  Jeff noticed that the league in general was suffering from a shortage of hill hucksters, so it was a logical place to start.  The “father” of all available starters, Johnny Podres, was first to try on the gray socks.  20-year old Ray Sadecki was the hottest, youngest prospect available, many thought he would be the first or second pick overall.  The Sox sewed him up in the fourth round.  After that, it became a search for young multi-tooled position players.  Manhattan was helped by their rival expansion team, the Dallas Texans, who were happy to round up high profile veteran types, leaving most of the new kids on the block.  Felipe Alou, Tito Francona and Tony Kubek were among the key under 30 Soxquisitions.
   The expansion Gray Sox knew that some lean years were ahead, but were determined to improve their
situation through draft picks and trades.   Two years later, no one would argue that solid drafting, savvy
trades and a little luck have gotten the ball rolling in Manhattan.  The first key move was trading aging stars for young arms and two extra 1963 first round rookie picks.  Jimmie Hall, Ken Harrelson, and Pete Ward were fitted for Sox drawers in that draft.  A second pair of Sox, starter prospect Dave McNally and first baseman Ed Kranepool were added in later rounds, landing in the middle of an excellent young core.  The 1964 draft sprinkled down a little luck, and Gurganus made the most of it.  With the help of a bonus “sandwich” first round pick, the Sox welcomed sluggers Rico Carty and Tony Oliva to the fold.
   But it was two recent trades that may have cemented the Gray Sox future toehold.  First Gray Sock ever
Johnny Podres was traded to St. Louis for Catcher Joe Torre and reliever Dick Radatz.  Then, current ROY
candidate Jimmie Hall was shipped  for outfielder Vada Pinson.  Torre and Radatz have already proven
themselves at the major league level, Torre in particular seems to have “Future MVP” crocheted into his new gray hosiery.  The Hall/Pinson trade was a bit of a risk, as the rookie Hall is already doing shots with the league’s heaviest drinkers.  But many scouts (including those in Manhattan) are looking at Pinson through “Granny Goggles”, comparing him to a young Granny Hamner.  Pinny’s had five average seasons to start his career, but remember, Hamner got off to a similar slow-ish start before launching his multiple MVP year fun-run.  Gurganus sincerely hopes his scouts know what they’re doing.
   The only question with Manhattan’s starting pitching is which of the myriad of young arms will throw up,
and which ones will throw down.  The Sox easily boast the UL’s most promising young core of starting
hurlers, including six touted pill pushers under 25 and another four under 30.  Sadecki, McNally, Jim
Bouton, Mickey Lolich, Stan Williams and Dean Chance have nothing left to prove in the minors, but how they
adapt to major league hitting will determine the future potency of this team.
   For the time being, the Gray Sox find themselves the least of the East, disappointing, but not surprising
to Gurganus, who understands super squad building takes time.   Add a bevy of young, raw talent, a keen
eye for finances (so far) and another top tier rookie pick in ’65 to the equation, and Jeff will tell you he
doesn’t mind waiting.

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