United League of American Base B

West Rallies To First All-Star Win
Chakales Error Keys Four-Run Ninth, Killebrew MVP
1965 ALL-STAR GAME · BOX · LOG
WASHINGTON (June 22) – The West Division blew a four-run lead, then recapture it by plating four runs in the ninth inning to defeat the East 11-8 in the third UL All-Star Game. A crowd of 31,830 packed Griffith Stadium in Northeast Washington D.C. and were treated to a thrilling game. Atlanta’s Harmon Killebrew drove in four runs, including a bases-loaded double, to take Player of the Game honors, but the game turned on a misplayed grounder in the top of the ninth.

The game was tightly contested, with the East matching the West run for run, scoring one in the second and two in the third. Harmon Killebrew got the scoring started with one-out single off East starter Earl Francis to score Hank Aaron, who had reached on a leadoff walk. The East struck back immediately off St. Louis’ Billy O’Dell, who got into a bases-loaded after Dick Allen singled, Felix Mantilla walked, and Jim Gentile singled. After striking out Dick Williams looking, O’Dell induced an Earl Francis flyout, which was deep enough to score Allen. Granny Hamner then flied out to left to end the inning.

In the top of the third, Francis got into a jam of his own, loading the bases on two walks and a single for Killebrew, who drove a 2-0 fastball into the gap in deep left-center for a two-run double. Again, the East equalized in their half with RBI singles by hometown hero Willie Mays and Mantilla. The score held at 3-3 until the fifth, as Cleveland’s Don Elston and San Francisco’s Bennie Daniels each pitched a clean fourth.

But when Brooklyn’s Johnny Kucks took the hill in the top of the fifth, the East’s troubles resumed. Spider outfielder Rocky Colavito hit a leadoff single and scored on Hank Aaron’s double into the right-center gap. Aaron moved to third then scored on successive groundouts by Ernie Banks and Killebrew, and the West had a 5-3 lead. St. Louis’ Billy Muffett pitched a 1-2-3 fifth, retiring the East’s 4-5-6 hitters Mays, Allen, and Mantilla, who had a combined 165 RBI in the first half.

The Occidentals struck again in the seventh, doubling their lead with Billy “Sweet Swingin’” Williams two-run homer off Gray Sox reliever Dick Radatz. It was the only homer of the game, in a notorious pitcher’s park. The West appeared to have the game in hand, leading 7-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, but the East struck back, scoring five times off San Francisco’s Cloyd Boyer. Singles by Joe Torre and Mays and a walk by Dick Allen loaded the bases, and after Mantilla flied out to right, Torre scored on a balk. Joe Cunningham then walked to re-load the bases, and Vada Pinson and Bob Skinner cut the lead to 7-6 with a sac fly and a single, chasing Boyer. Los Angeles’ Frank Baumann took the resin ball, and immediately gave up run-scoring singles to Superbas Dick McAuliffe and Del Crandall, as the East took an 8-7 lead.

Baron reliever Pete Richert, who retired the last two outs in the eighth, game into the ninth in a save situation, but walked Banks and Gene Green. After Norm Cash flied out, Richert was yanked for Boston’s Bob Chakales. Chakales, a former Monument, is one of the league’s highest paid relievers ($5.4 million). He was signed by the Federals to a three-year deal in 1964 after notching 112 saves with Washington. Inheriting two runners with a one-run lead in an All-Star Game in the ballpark of your former club is certainly not the most comfortable environment, and perhaps Chakales suffered from nerves. Whatever the case, he misplayed Bill Sarni’s 1-0 comebacker, turning a potential game-ending double-play into a bases-loading error, inciting a chorus of boos from the Washington crowd. After inducing a bases-loaded popup for the second out, Chak fell apart, gaving up a game-tying single to Bob Allison, a go-ahead walk to Jim Fregosi, and a two-run double to Pete Rose.

Ray Narleski and Russ Kemmerer retired the East in order in the bottom of the ninth, securing the West’s first All-Star victory.

Game notes:

The East outhit the West 14-10, but Curt Flood’s first inning double was the only hit for extra bases.
East pitchers suffered control problems all afternoon, walking 11 to the West’s three.
San Francisco’s Curt Flood was 3-for-3 with a stolen base and run.
Of 16 pitchers in the game, only Billy Muffett and Ray Narleski managed to prevent any baserunners.
Ernie Banks, Norm Cash, and Granny Hamner were the only hitless batters with at least three at-bats.
The game was the highest-scoring of the three All-Star Games, and the second in a row won by the visiting team. The East won 4-3 in Cleveland in 1963 and 8-3 in Los Angeles in 1964.

Barons Poised For Pennant Run?
Friend Joins Rotation, Francis Pitcher of Month
CLEVELAND (July 1) – The Cleveland Barons on June 16 added Bob Friend to an already formidable rotation, and won six of their next seven games to serve notice to the East-leading Brooklyn Superbas that their ninth straight division title is no foregone conclusion. Friend joins Cy Young front-runner Johnny Podres (11-3, 2.06), and June Pitcher of the Month Earl Francis (4-0, 1.50 in hist last 6 starts) on what is being touted as the league's next great rotation.

Friend made an impact immediately, shutting out Dallas on five hits just hours after stepping off the plane from San Francisco, where the Colts had just finished a short series. Not to be outdone, Francis tossed a three-hit shutout the next night. Friend was roughed up a bit in his next start June 25 against L.A., allowing nine hits and four runs, but struck out a season-high 12 and got his seventh win.

The Barons are 12-4 since June 9, and have nearly halved Brooklyn's lead from 14 to eight games in that span. The news that Superba closer Dick Sisler will miss the rest of the year with a back injury makes the second half in the East Division even more intriguing.

No Friend of Mine
CLEVELAND (June 16) -- The Cleveland Barons dealt starters Don Drysdale and John Tsitouris for starter Bob Friend in a six-player deal with Chicago.

Friend was a 16th round pick of the New York Gothams in the 1951 Inaugural Draft. He pitched 13 seasons for the Goth-Feds, and was their ace for much of that stretch, notching double-digit wins seven years in a row from 1955 to 1961, his career year (23-12, 3.30, 347 K). A strained back muscle in his first start in 1963 sidelined him for the entire year, but he came back strong in 1963, winning a career high 24 games and striking out 286. After 13 years with the Goth-Feds, Friend was traded to the Colts in July 1964.

Friend has the best resume of the three starters, but Chicago GM Lance Mueller figures to reduce his payroll while trading quality for depth in his rotation (see The Sporting News Interview below). The veteran Colts front man believes that Drysdale and Tsitouris offer more value dollar. Drysdale just inked a four-year extension at $1.3 million per year, and Tsitouris makes $2.1 million through the end of next year. Both are at least four years younger than Friend, which is another key factor for a club that is seeing its rotation age before its very eyes (see Billy Pierce). By contrast, Friend just signed a four-year extension on June 4 that will make him the fifth highest paid player in the league next year ($7.82 million).

Drysdale and Tsitouris were both first-round draft picks (Drysdale the Colts' 3rd overall in 1956 and "The Greek Freak" the Barons' 7th overall in 1959). Both have been solid if unspectacular (Drysdale is 95-117, 4.39 in 274 starts with a 1.31 WHIP, and has had just one winning season. Tsitouris has fared better, going 47-39, 3.34 in 146 games with a 1.36 WHIP, and won 20 games in 1962),

In March, Cleveland acquired ace Johnny Podres and slugging first baseman Bill Skowron. The addition of Friend signals that the Barons have shifted heavily toward a win-now philosophy, a risky proposition in a division still dominated by the Beast of the East.

The Sporting News has contacted the press relations departments of both ballclubs for official statements regarding the recent trade:

Charlie Qualls
Cleveland Barons GM
The Sporting News Interview

TSN: The fellow who covers Cleveland has been closely following Tsitouris' career, from the days when he was one of the league's top prospects. Does this trade of the 1959 1st rounder essentially amount to an admission that his career is a bust since his (so far only) great 1962 season (20-16, 2.91, 1.23 WHIP)? After all, he has only gotten progressively worse since that season. Does Cleveland hope Friend can help lead the Barons to an East Division title? Where will he fit in the rotation? #2 behind Podres? Where do you think Podres-Barber-Francis-Friend ranks among the league's rotations? Who is the weakest link of the four?

CQ: Of course we would never admit that we're giving up on Sugar Tsits... to his face. We're bummed that he didn't continue the Ace potential he seemed to exhibit early on. But we're not the only squad to have a first rounder go from phat to splat (though it's a little disturbing that that some around here are now referring to the phenomenon as "Getting Staubed").

It's unclear where Bob Friend fits into the rotation
hierarchy. For now, the strategy's "whoever's not
hurt or tired." We fully expect to narrow the gap
from now to the end of the season, but mostly we're
looking to the next few years ahead. But make no
mistake, we're absolutlely giddy over the the pun
potential inherent in his name.

We think our Big Four stacks up against anyone's. We don't see any weak links here. Of course, we'll be monitoring our newest multi- millionaire Friend most closely, but scouts say he's as good as he ever was, if not better. Right now our biggest concern is
injury. With this latest trade, we've basically cut
the last thread on our safety net. What was once a
franchise chock full of promising young arms, is now a four man wrecking crew. But that was the dream all along.

Lance Mueller
Chicago Colts GM
The Sporting News Interview

TSN: The Chicago beat reporter is particularly interested in why Chicago would trade away Bob Friend just after he was signed to a huge new contract and the West Division race appears to be tightening. Also, most scouts rate Friend better than Drysdale, whom most consider a bottom of the rotation guy. Both pitchers have been locked in to four-year extensions, but Drysdale's was a fraction of the cost ($5M vs. $32M over four years). Was this trade a long-term cost-cutting move for Chitown, or does the Colts' front office really think Drysdale will develop into a star?

LM: Well, I considered Friend's cost (btw, initially he was refusing to even negotiate an extension) versus the contract demands of pitchers I considered of greater value and decided he was going to have to go at season's end one way or another. When CQ came calling (after I'd earlier contacted him about Friend's availability) Bob had changed his tune about signing an extension, but I still wasn't going to be able to keep him beyond this year. So we did a sign-and-trade because he'd been so jittery about extensions earlier, just so CLE would know they were getting someone who was sticking around for a few years. Drysdale and Tsitouris were just younger, cheaper arms who could fill bottom of the rotation spots. Despite Friend's skills, he's about a .500 pitcher (and has been most of his career), I figured Donny could do the same for a lot cheaper (and perhaps a bigger home ballpark while help him out a bit). Our expectations for Drysdale are realistic, but considering the top 3 guys in the rotation do most of the heavy lifting, he's going to be a fine fit for the team.