Sim Date: Oct. 4,
1951
 VS. 
7-RUN 1ST
INNING GIVES OUTLAWS 9-2 WIN;
AVILA HOMERS TWICE;
CRACKERJACK
WCP WILL GO 7 GAMES
Oct 4, 1951
[Boxscore]
ARLINGTON, TX:
The Chicago Outlaws pounced on Texas
Aggie starter Bob Rush in the 1st inning,
driving him from the game after tagging him for 6 hits and 2 walks before
the 2nd out had been made. Chicago scored 7 earned runs in that wild
1st inning, 6 off of Rush and another off of Red
Munger, coasting to a 9-2 win while Tom
Poholsky earned his second win of the playoff series.
Chicago's Bobby Avila came to the plate 5 times and
reached base every time, with 2 home runs, a double, and 2 walks.
Poholsky, a big 22-year-old righthander, doesn't throw any trick pitches,
preferring to stick to the classic trio of fastball, curve and
change. But that doesn't mean he can't fool batters. His
fastball is especially sneaky because he throws it with a deceptively easy
motion, and he constantly changes speeds on all three of his
deliveries. Although he is still a raw youngster, he has already
impressed observers with his coolness on the mound, even to the point of
throwing his slow curve for strikes when he's down 0-2 in the count.
Poholsky certainly kept the Aggies guessing today, lasting the full nine
innings while giving up only 1 earned run on 4 hits and 3 walks. The
final game of the Crackerjack Wild Card Playoff will be
played tomorrow. Although the teams have not yet announced their
planse, anticipated starters are Carl Sheib (15-10, 4.17) for Chicago and
Howie Fox (12-11-1, 3.67) for Texas.
 VS. 
TORNADOS STAY ALIVE
WITH GUMPERT 1-HIT SHUTOUT;
CALIFORNIA BEATS FRISCO, 3-0, TO FORCE GAME
7
Oct 4, 1951
[Boxscore]
FRISCO, TX:
The California Tornados kept their championship hopes
alive by beating the Frisco Eagles in Game 6 of the
Peanut League Wild Card Playoff, thanks to outstanding
pitching by Randy Gumpert. The tall righthanded
middle reliever was an unlikely starter, having started only 6 games
all season. But he shut out the powerful Eagles lineup for
9 innings, giving up only 1 hit and 1 walk. Except for an infield
error in the 3rdd inning that allowed Bobby
Doerr to reach base, no Eagle reached base safely until
Doerr singled in the 6th inning. Gumpert shut down
the Eagles the rest of the way except for an 8th inning walk to
Charlie Keller. None of the 3 Eagles baserunners
made it past 1st base. Although Gumpert's primary pitch is a decent
fastball, he also boasts an excellent screwball that is especially
effective against lefthanded batters. Eddie Stanky
was 3 for 5 and scored twice for the Tornados, and George
Kell was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Chuck
Stobbs pitched creditably for the Eagles, giving up only 2 earned
runs and 6 hits in 8 innings, but he also had occasional control
problems that led to 6 walks. The deciding game of the series will
be played tomorrow. Tentative starters are Jim McDonald (2-3-2,
2.99) for Frisco and Fred Hutchinson (13-13, 3.69) for
California.
VS.
HODGES DRIVES IN 5 IN
AGGIES 14-3 WIN;
TEXAS TAKES LEAD IN CJ WCP, 3 GAMES TO
2
Oct 2, 1951
CHICAGO, IL: The Texas
Aggies won 2 out of their 3 games on the road in the
Crackerjack Wild Card Playoff, and are now just 1 win
away from advancing to the League Championship Series. Texas beat
the Chicago Outlaws in Game 3 by the score of 9 to 6,
with Ed Pellagrini contributing 2 home runs and 6
RBI. Sam Mele homered for the Outlaws. [Boxscore] Chicago evened
the series at 2 wins apiece with a 6-4 victory in Game 4, thanks in part
to 3 runs scored on passed balls. Gil Hodges hit
his 2nd home run of the WCP in Texas' losing
cause. Chicago first baseman Sam
Mele was injured in the game and will miss the rest of the
Wild Card Playoff. [Boxscore] The Aggies came
roaring back in today's game with 14 runs on 14 hits and 4 walks, rolling
over the Outlaws in a 14-3 blowout. The game was over almost before it
started, with Texas scoring 10 runs in the 3rd inning. Gil
Hodges hit a grand slam home run in that big inning, and later
added an RBI double to bring his RBI total to 5 for the day.
Ed Pellagrini drove in a run and now has 10 RBI in the first 5
playoff games. Don Newcombe gave up only 1 earned run in 9 innings
and recorded his second win of the series. [Boxscore] The series will
resume in Texas on October 4. The Outlaws need to win both of the
final games in Arlington to keep the Aggies from
advancing to the League Championship Series.
VS. 
EAGLES TAKE 2 OF 3
GAMES IN CALIFORNIA;
MCDONALD FLIRTS WITH NO-HITTER IN GAME
3;
FRISCO NOW LEADS PEANUT WCP, 3 GAMES TO 2
Oct 2,
1951
CALIFORNIA, MD: The Frisco Eagles won
2 out of 3 games in hostile territory, and now lead the California
Tornados 3 games to 2 in the Peanut League Wild Card
Playoff. In the first game played in the Tornados' stadium,
Frisco starter Jim McDonald carried a no-hit
shutout into the 7th inning despite occasional control problems that
led to 4 walks. Protecting a 3-0 lead, McDonald opened the 7th
inning by walking Elmer Valo on 4 straight pitches.
Valo stole second, but McDonald retired the next batter for the first out
of the inning. Ray Coleman then hit a ground ball
up the middle for a single that drove in Valo, ending McDonald's
hopes for both a shutout and a no-hitter. All of Frisco's runs were
scored on home runs, thanks to Eddie Yost's solo homer in
the 2nd innning and Ralph Kiner's 2-run shot in the
3rd. [Boxscore] The
Tornados came back yesterday to tie the series with a 7-1 win.
Frisco starter Mickey McDermott suffered his second
ineffective outing of the playoff series, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and 5
walks in 6 innings to take the loss. Ray Coleman
drove in 3 runs for California, and Hal Lanier pitched a
complete game victory. The Eagles suffered a double blow, not only losing
the game but also losing shortstop Eddie Joost to an
injury that is expected to keep him out of action for about 2
weeks. [Boxscore]
However, backup shortstop George
Strickland made Eagles fans forget about Joost's injury
today by going 2 for 3 and driving in all 3 of Frisco's runs in their 3-1
win. Joe Dobson earned the win, giving up only 1
run on 2 hits and 3 walks in 7 innings. Ewell
Blackwell took the loss for California. Ray
Coleman drove in California's sole run, giving him at least one
RBI in 4 consecutive playoff games. [Boxscore] After a day off,
the series goes back to Texas for Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7, with
Frisco needing only to win 1 of 2 games at home to advance to the League
Championship Series.
VS.
OUTLAWS BEAT TEXAS,
10-3, IN GAME 2;
CRACKERJACK SERIES NOW TIED
Sept. 28,
1951
ARLINGTON, TX: The Chicago Outlaws
beat the Texas Aggies today by the score of 10 to 2 to
tie the Crackerjack League Wild Card Playoff Series at 1
win apiece. In yesterday's series opener, the hometown Aggies took
an early 3-1 lead in the 2nd inning when Gil Hodges hit a
solo home run and Ed Pelligrini hit a 2-run homer with
Dale Mitchell on base. With ace Don
Newcombe on the mound, Texas was able to hang on for a 5-3
victory. Newcombe earned the win with 7 innings of work,
giving up 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. Bobby Avila
hit 2 solo homers in Chicago's losing cause. [Boxscore] Today the
Outlaws evened things up with a 10-3 pounding of the Aggies.
Rickie Ashburn, Bobby Avila and Dick
Sisler each had 3 hits in the game, and Sisler hit 2
triples. Chico Carrasquel doubled and homered for
Chicago. Dale Mitchell went 2 for 4 with a home run
for Texas. Tom Poholsky pitched 8 innings for
Chicago for the win, and Bob Rush was tagged for the loss
after giving up 6 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings. [Boxscore] After a day off,
the teams will meet for the first of 3 games in
Chicago.
VS.
TORNADOS, EAGLES
SPLIT FIRST 2 WCP GAMES;
PEANUT LEAGUE SERIES NOW MOVES TO
MARYLAND
Sept. 28, 1951
FRISCO, TX: The
Frisco Eagles and California Tornados
split their first two games in the Peanut League Wild Card
Playoff. In yesterday's 8-4 California win, the Tornados
gave Frisco starter Mickey McDermott a rough time,
scoring 6 runs on 8 hits and 4 walks in the first 4 innings. Tornado
starter Ewell Blackwell lasted 7 1/3 innings and got the
win, giving up 4 earned runs on 7 hits and 4 walks while striking out
7. Although their team didn't win, Frisco fans did get to see
veteran star Charlie Keller, who may be playing his
final season, hit a monsterous pinch-hit 3-run home run with 2 outs
in the bottom of the 7th. [Boxscore] The Eagles evened
the score today in a 10-7 victory that saw both teams combine for 27
hits, including 6 doubles, 1 triple and 5 home runs. California
built a 7-4 lead by the 5th inning, but Frisco came
back with 6 runs. With the score tied 7-7 going into the
bottom of the 8th, Dom Dimaggio drove in
the go-ahead run when Solly Hemus
tagged and scored on Dimaggio's fly out. Eddie
Joost followed with a two-run homer to pad the lead to
10-7. Hemus went 3 for 4 with a home run for
Frisco in today's game, scoring 2 runs and driving in 3.
Bill Howerton had 3 hits in 5 at bats for California,
including a home run, and scored 3 times while driving in 2 runs. [Boxscore]
After a day off for
travel to Maryland, the series will resume with 3 games in California's
park.
The 1951 regular season is
over!
VS. 
 VS. 
CALIFORNIA BACKS INTO
PLAYOFFS AS CARPS LOSE;
QUASKY FALLS SHORT WITH 6-5 LOSS ON FINAL
DAY
Sept. 24, 1951
QUASQUETON, IA: The race
for 3rd place between the California Tornados and
the Quasqueton Quillback Carpsuckers went down to the
final game of the season. California had clinched at least a tie for
3rd place with a 3 game lead and only 3 games left to play, but then
proceeded to lose the next two games to the Altoona
Warriors. Meanwhile, the Quillbacks won their first two
games against the Virginia Cardinals, and went into the
last game of the season trailing the Tornados by 1 game. One more
Quasky win coupled with one more California loss would have sent the two
teams into a 1-game playoff for the second year in a row. California
could have clinched the final playoff berth by winning, but Altoona
completed the sweep by downing the Tornados, 7 to 2. [Boxscore] Quasky couldn't
capitalize on the opportunity, however, suffering a 1-run loss at the
hands of the Cardinals. [Boxscore] The
Tornados will now travel to Frisco for the Wild Card Playoff
series.
 VS.
CHICAGO WINS 8TH IN
ROW, CLINCHES 3RD PLACE;
KNIGHTS ELIMINATED BY 5-3 OUTLAW
WIN
Sept. 23, 1951
[Boxscore]
CHICAGO, IL:
The race for 3rd place in the Crackerjack League came down to a
season-ending 3-game series between the two contenders, the D.C.
Knights and the Chicago Outlaws. Yesterday
Chicago took a 1-game lead with 2 left play, beating the Knights by the
score of 7 to 5. The Outlaws delivered the final blow today, beating
the Knights 5 to 3 to claim the final playoff slot. Chicago will now
head south to Texas to play the Aggies in the Wild Card Playoff
series.
 VS. 
KANSAS CITY CLINCHES
CRACKERJACK TITLE;
BERRA DRIVES IN 4 AS MONARCHS BEAT LIGHTS,
5-4
Sept. 22, 1951
[Boxscore]
 VS. 
MUDCATS CLINCH 1ST
PLACE IN PEANUT LEAGUE;
BELL HITS 3-RUN HOMER IN 9TH FOR 6-3 WIN OVER
BOMBERS
Sept. 22, 1951
[Boxscore]
JANSEN
& MUSIAL NAMED TOP AUGUST PLAYERS
 
Sept.
12, 1951
RALEIGH, NC: The VBG Commissioner's office has announced the Players
of the Month for August.
Larry
Jansen of the Quasqueton Quillback Carpsuckers
received his second Pitcher of the Month Award of the
season after recording 6 complete game victories in the month, including 5
in a row. His record for the month was 6-1 with an ERA of
2.52. Jansen ranked 3rd in the VBG and 1st in his league in lowest
batting average allowed (.182), 1st in the VBG in lowest on-base average
allowed (.236), 2nd in the VBG and 1st in his league in lowest slugging
average allowed (.243), and 1st in the VBG in fewest baserunners allowed
per 9 innings (8.0). His 60 2/3 innings pitched were the most in
either league. Jansen had the best Runs Created ERA in his league
(1.68) and best Component ERA in both leagues (1.41). [Game Log] (Honorable
Mention: Vern Bickford, West Park; 3-1, 2.06)
Stan
Musial of the Spoon River Mudcats received
Position Player of the Month honors for August after
batting .407 with a .500 on-base average and .814 slugging average.
He led both leagues in on-base average and slugging percentage, and missed
leading the VBG in batting average by only .002. Musial tied for the
VBG lead in hits with 46, runs scored with 30, and home runs with
10. He topped the VBG in total bases (92) and extra base hits
(21). Musial was remarkably consistent, reaching base safely by a
hit or error in every game during August. [Game Log] (Honorable
Mention: Sam Jethroe, D.C.; .358/.440/.725; 20 XB hits, 79
TB)
 VS. 
BICKFORD NO-HITS MONARCHS;
WEST PARK BEATS KANSAS
CITY, 5-0
Aug. 4, 1951
[Boxscore]
CLEVELAND, OH:
Vern Bickford of the West Park War
Eagles pitched a no-hit shutout against the Kansas City
Monarchs today, as the War Eagles beat the defending champions by
the score of 5 to 0. Bickford relied mostly on sliders and
curveballs, with occasional fastballs and changeups mixed in, to
shut down the KC attack. Only 4 Monarchs reached base when
Bickford scattered three walks and one hit batsman. However, two of
those four baserunners were immediately erased when the next batters
grounded into double plays. Bickford was a model of efficiency,
needing only 97 pitches to last the full 9 innings.
Ferris Fain and Cliff Mapes both homered
for the War Eagles.
VS.
DOBSON PITCHES NO-HITTER;
EAGLES BEAT BOMBERS,
2-0;
July 28, 1951
[Boxscore]
FRISCO,
TX: Joe Dobson of the Frisco
Eagles pitched a no-hit shutout in the second game of today's
double header, beating the Oak Ridge Bombers 2 to 0 while
facing only the minumum 27 batters in his 9 innings of work. As
usual, the big righthander relied mostly on his nasty curve while working
in enough fastballs and changeups to keep the Bombers from adjusting
to his breaking pitches. Unlike a lot of pitchers who have adopted
trick pitches in the past 5 or 6 years, Dobson won't have anything to do
with novelty deliveries and sticks with the basics. But when his
curveball is working, his no-nonsense approach is more than
sufficient. As one scribe commented, "Having had a closeup
of the Dobson curve, the writer wonders how hitters ever get a piece of
it." The Bombers must be wondering that same thing tonight.
Dobson retired the first 10 batters before walking Gil
McDougald with 1 out in the 4th. Dobson erased McDougald,
however, by getting the next batter, Roy Campanella, to
hit into a double play. Roy Smalley walked to start
the 6th inning, but was thrown out in another double play. Both of
Frisco's runs were scored in the bottom of the 6th. Bobby
Doerr doubled with 1 out and Solly
Hemus followed with a walk. Mickey
Owen singled down the right field line to score Doerr with Hemus
advancing to 3rd base. Dobson grounded into a force
at second but drove in Hemus for the second run. With today's
victory Dobson improved his record to
14-8.
CRACKERJACKS TAKE EARLY LEAD, HOLD ON FOR 5-3
WIN;
LATE PEANUT LEAGUE COMEBACK FALLS SHORT;
DON NEWCOMBE NAMED
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Newcombe
July 6, 1951
[Boxscore]
CINCINNATI,
OH: The Crackerjack League won the 1951
Midsummer Classic, after taking an early 3-0 lead against the
winningest pitcher in
the Peanut League and hanging on for a 5-3
victory. Playing on an unseasonably cool 62-degree day in Cincinnati,
the Crackers opened the game in impressive style. Starter
Don Newcombe moved through the top half of the Peanut
lineup with little trouble, retiring three of the four batters he
faced. On the other hand, 13-game winner Mickey
McDermott, starting for the Peanut League, was not so fortunate
as the Crackerjack batters jumped on him in the bottom of the
1st for 2 runs. With 1 out, Pee Wee
Reese tripled and then scored when Jackie
Robinson followed him with a double. Bobby
Thomson then hit a screaming liner to left field that could
have been the 3rd consecutive extra base hit, but it was hit
right at Gus Zernial who made the 2nd
out. Monte Irvin then hit a line shot down the
right field line that drove in Robinson. After walking
Ferris Fain to put runners on 1st and 2nd, McDermott got
out of the inning on another hard hit ball when Walker
Cooper hit a line drive to deep right field that was caught on
the run by Ralph Kiner. Newcombe
continued to shut out the Peanut League batters before leaving the
game for a pinch hitter, giving up 1 hit and 1 walk in 3 innings
while striking out 2. The Crackers got to McDermott again in the 3rd
inning with a run on a double by Bobby Thomson and single
by Walker Cooper. McDermott pitched 3 innings,
giving up 3 earned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks, striking out
1. Larry Jansen took over for McDermott in the 4th
inning and shut down the Crackerjack hitters. Jansen allowed no runs
on 3 singles and no walks while striking out 5. Although
he allowed 3 hits, he only faced 10 batters in 3 innings because one
runner was removed by a double play and Thomson was erased when he
was hit with Fain's batted ball. Meanwhile,
Mel Queen took over the Crackerjack pitching duties
in the 4th. With 1 out in the top of the 4th, Stan
Musial pulled one of Queen's pitches down the left field line for
a towering blast that stayed just inside the foul pole for a solo home
run, putting the Peanut League on the board. Queen kept the Peanuts
scoreless for the remainder of his 3-inning stint, and after 6 complete
innings the Crackers were still in the lead, 3 to 1. Peanut League
pitcher Max Lanier took over from Jansen to start the
bottom of the 7th inning and quickly got into trouble. Pinch hitter
Willie Mays led off the inning, and at first it looked
like Lanier would make quick work of the rookie outfielder when
Mays went into an 0-2 hole. But Mays, showing the
discipline of a veteran, calmly took a pitch for a ball and then and
fouled off 4 straight pitches before surprising the defense with a
swinging bunt. Mays gave the Peanuts their first look at his speed
as he beat out the throw for a leadoff single. After Johnny
Pesky sacrificed Mays to 2nd, Lanier got Jackie
Robinson to hit a weak grounder to the left side of the
mound. Lanier fielded the ball but then dropped it, and runners were
safe at 1st and 3rd on his error. Lanier then walked Bobby
Thomson and the bases were loaded with only 1 out.
Randy Jackson pinch hit for pitcher Billy Pierce
but popped out for the 2nd out, bringing up lefthanded hitter
Ferris Fain to face the southpaw Lanier. Fain, who
had walked in his two previous trips to the plate, went the opposite way
with the first pitch he saw from Lanier and lined it into left center for
a single that drove in 2 runs and also drove Lanier from the mound.
Eddie Lopat came in to put out the fire and retired
Clyde McCullough for the 3rd out. Neither
team scored in the 8th, and the Crackerjacks were leading 5 to 1 going
into the 9th inning. With Allie Reynolds on the
mound for the Crackerjacks, Stan Musial led off the
Peanut half of the 9th with a fly out and the situation looked
grim for the visitors. But Eddie
Robinson started a rally with a double off the wall in
right center. That brought up Robinson's Frisco Eagles teammate
Andy Seminick, who drove the ball deep into the left
field stands for a 2-run home run that narrowed the Crackerjack lead to
5-3 with only 1 out. But Reynolds regrouped and retired the last two
batters to close out the win. In a short post-game ceremony on the
mound, Crackerjack League manager Tony Musso was
presented with the Midsummer Classic Trophy. Crackerjack starting
pitcher Don Newcombe was recognized as Most Valuable Player
of the Midsummer Classic.
1951 Players
of the Month
PITCHERS
April: Larry Jansen, Qua
(2-3, 1.99, 32 K, 4.57 K/W, 2 shutouts)
May: Virgil Trucks, GI
(3-1, 1.71, 37 K, 8.9 runners/9 IP)
June: Bud Podbielan, Chi
(4-0-1, 0.62, 9.0 runners/9 IP)
July: Ken Raffensberger, SR (4-0,
1.72, 28 K, 4.0 K/W, 4 CG
Aug: Larry Jansen, Qua (6-1, 2.52, 6 CG,
8.0 runners/9 IP)
Sept:
POSITION PLAYERS:
April: Jackie
Robinson, KC (.388/.495/.635, 8 HR, 7 SB, 20 R)
May: Jackie
Jensen, WDD (.355/.422/.711; 11 HR, 9 SB, 86 TB)
June: Monte Irvin, Cin
(.394/.484/.654; 41 H, 31 RBI, 6 SB, 1.000 FA)
July: Sam Jethroe,
DC (.364/.486/.648, 8 SB, 4 triples, 1.000 FA)
Aug: Stan Musial,
SR (.407/.500/.814; 46 H, 10 HR, 92 TB, 21 XBH)
Sept:
About the VBG
Welcome to the
Vintage Baseball Guild. This centralized league is simulated on
Diamond Mind Baseball (v9)
and began with the 1927
season.
Commissioner: Darrell Hanson
Commissioner Emeritus:
Eric Lowder
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