Days 61-70: Yukon and Verona deadlocked, Vermont holding first in the topsy turvy American League

Yukon and Verona Ridge continue to be tied atop the National League, with the other teams starting to fall behind further.  The Roadrunners again were the hottest team in the league, going 7-3 this block of games.  The American League continues to be razor close, with four teams with 2 games of each and Pottersville only 4.5 out of first place. 

The Player of the Block this time around is Mike Schmidt, Aliquippa's power hitting third baseman.  Schmidt hit at a .432 clip, belting 5 HRs and driving in 15 over the last 10 games.  No pitcher had a better week than Pohdunkville's Satchel Paige, who throw two complete games, garnered two wins, 14 K's, and only allowed a combined 4 runs.    While looking for a good picture of Satchel, I found this incredible story abut his final MLB appearance, throwing three shutout innings against Carl Yastrzemski and the Boston Red Sox in 1965 AT THE AGE OF 59!



Mike Schmidt on the right, toasting his award
with fellow 3B George Brett of Pottersville

Satchel Paige at age 59, two days before he pitched his final
game in the big leagues.  The nurse and rocking chair were
nice touches added by Kansas City A's owner Charlie Finley. 

Young Satchel Paige in action!

It's probably time to start 'honoring' our duds of the block, Hall of Famers who fared miserably over the last ten games.  Mar-a-Lago's Dan Brouthers stunk it up by going 5 for 32 with 0 HRs and just 2 RBIs.  Backwoods starter John Clarkson was lit up for 24 hits and 20 earned runs (and two losses) in 15 innings. 




 

 

 

Hard to believe for such an imposing batsman, but Big Dan
 Brouthers, is struggling to hit his weight right now

Day 61:  Yukon and Vermont battled to a standstill through 14 innings, until the Polar Bears broke through with a George Davis grand slam in the bottom of the 15th!  This was the longest game in the league so far.  More free baseball in Aliquippa also as the Pohdunkville Pounders edged the hometown Beavers 6-5 in 11 innings, on a walk-off wild pitch from Pedro Martinez.  Eppa Rixey gets his 5th win as Pottersville tops Verona Ridge 8-5.  Windy City stomped Backwoods 11-4, Andre Dawson with 3 hits and Ernie Banks with 3 RBIs.  Bad Axe gets 4 runs in the 8th to top Mar-a-Lago 6-4, with Tony Gwynn contributing three hits.   

Day 62:  Aliquippa's Greg Maddux struck out 10 in a 5-2 win over Pohdunkville.  Vermont's Iron Joe McGinnity gets his first win of the year in a 6-4 win over Yukon.  Verona Ridge rallied in the 8th to overtake Pottersville 8-6.   Don Sutton limited the Doobies to just one run as Backwoods wins 3-1.  Close game in Mar-a-Lago, but the Misogynists held on for a 6-5 win.  Ty Cobb's triple brought home the winning run. 

Day 63:  Vermont rolls over Yukon 7-1 to move into a first place tie in the American League with the Bastards.  Babe Ruth added 2 more HRs to his league-leading total of 26.  Pohdunkville's Satchel Paige twirls a three-hitter to defeat the Beavers 6-1.  Verona Ridge destroys Pottersville 13-3, DH Billy Williams hit safely four times.  Two homers from Mickey Mantle lifted Windy City to a 7-2 win against the Bastards.  Misogynists eke past Bad Axe, as Big Ed Delahanty cranked out 2 homers. 

Day 64:   Lots of offense today!  Backwoods reclaimed first place by dropping Vermont 11-2.  The Big Unit had 14 K's.  Pohdunkville whomps Bad Axe 14-3, Frank Thomas collects 2 homers and 5 RBIs.  The Misers beat the Misogynists (billed as the 'Battle of The Deplorables') 10-4.  Verona Ridge rolled up a 12-1 game on the Beavers, Ralph Kiner hit HRs 23 and 24.  A low-scoring game in Windy City ended when Andre Dawson blasted a walk-off homer to top Yukon 4-3. 

Day 65:  Mike Piazza hit 3 homers in Yukon's 7-4 win over Windy City, matching Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio's feat of three homers in a game.  The Big Train, Verona's Walter Johnson, shut out Aliquippa on just three hits. Mar-a-Lago continues to get strong outings from future Congressman Jim Bunning, who limited the Misers to just 1 run and 5 hits today.  Pohdunkville's ace, Lefty Grove, remains perfect and is now 9-0 after a 12-5 win over Bad Axe.  Vermont gets homers from Charlie Gehringer and Johnny "The Big Cat" Mize to top Backwoods 6-2. 

Day 66:  Vermont and Backwoods set new league records for combined runs and hits (29 and 44 respectively) in a 17-12 slugfest won by the Socialists.  Johnny Mize went 6 for 6, with 3 runs and 3 RBIs.  Joltin' Joe DiMaggio knocked 2 homers and drove in 6 runs!  Every batter in the game but Charlie Gehringer got at least one hit.  In other action, Bad Axe wins 10-9 over the Pounders when King Kelly stroked a walk off single.  Pottersville edges Mar-a-Lago 4-3, giving Bullet Joe Rogan his 4th win.  The Beavers walloped Verona Ridge 19-8, Frank Robinson racked up 6 RBIs.  Windy City beat Yukon 9-7, Hank Greenberg was the star with a HR and 4 RBIs. 

Day 67:  Yukon beats Vermont 11-2 as Three Finger Brown is stingy, spreading 5 hits over 9 innings.  Mar-a-Lago's Mickey Welch moves to 8-6 after their 5-4 win over Pohdunkville.  Aliquippa scored early but the Doobies caught fire late and toke a 9-8 win.  Bad Axe gets two HRs from beloved Tiger TV announcer George Kell in their 7-1 win over Backwoods.  Verona Ridge and Pottersville went 13 innings, with the game finally being decided in Verona's favor by SS Bobby Wallace's home run. 

Day 68:  Game of the day was in Mar-a-Lago as the Pounders and the Misogynists battled.  It was 3-3 after 9 innings, and the Pounders scored in a run in the top of the 10th.  However, the Misogynists parlayed an Eddie Collins walk, an error, a passed ball, and a Harry Heilmann single into the winning runs!  Two dingers from Andre Dawson helped Windy City over Aliquippa 10-6.  Yukon rallied for 5 in the bottom of the 9th to give Cy Young the victory in a 9-8 game with Vermont.  Steve Carlton (2 runs allowed) and Bill Terry (two HRs) led the Roadrunners past the  Misers 3-2.  Bad Axe's Smokey Joe Williams outdueled Backwoods' Big Bill Foster in a classic matchup of star Negro League pitchers with very cool names.  Lumberjacks win it 9-7. 

Day 69:   Bad Axe wins their fourth in a row, 6-2, against the Bastards.  Jimmie Foxx cracked his 26th homer of the season to move to just two behind Babe Ruth.  Pohdunville's Josh Gibson homers and drives in four runs to help Satchel Paige to victory over Mar-a-Lago 5-3.  Vermont gets a big game from Elmer Flick and scores 3 in the top of the 9th to overcome Yukon 8-6.     Robin Roberts of Pottersville has had a forgettable season, but he comes through with a two-hit shutout of the Roadrunners tonight.  Grover Cleveland Alexander had a shutout of his own for Aliquippa, who topped the Doobies 12-0. 

Day 70:   Verona Ridge squeaks by Pottersville 4-3, with Billy Williams driving in Tris Speaker in extra innings to decide this one.  Mar-a-Lago's Rube Marquard stifled Pohdunkville in a 5-2 Misogynist win.  Christy Mathewson, aka Big Six, won his 10th game as Yukon beat Vermont 9-5.  Aliquippa's Mike Schmidt homered and drove in 3 to help the Beavers top the Doobies 11-2.  Bad Axe gets a win for Stan Covelski, 3-2, and Lou Gehrig tops Ty Cobb to be our new batting average leader (.362)