|
 Perfect
Lew
Burdette Throws UL's First Perfect Game
NEW YORK (June 12) -- Brooklyn's Lew Burdette made history today with the first
perfect game in UL history. The 33-year-old Superbas righthander, fresh
off a seven-run drubbing in two-plus innings, dominated the Gothams at Yankee
Stadium, striking out 12, and etching just his second win in his last six
starts. As pinch hitter Tommy Davis flew out to Mickey Mantle in shallow
center, Burdette jumped into the arms of catcher Del Crandall and was soon
riding the shoulders of his teammates and carried off the field.
Burdette was a late draft pick by St. Louis in the 1951
Initial Draft, joined Brooklyn in 1953, where he has posted four 20-win seasons.
The perfect game was sixth no-hitter in UL history, and the first since Johnny
Antonelli's on April 24, 1959.
 Drysdale
One Out from No-No on Same Day
DETROIT (June 12) -- As Lew Burdette was putting
the finishing strokes to his masterpiece in the Big Apple, Cleveland's Don
Drysdale was working on a gem of his own. The Barons' 24-year-old
righthander had Detroit hitters flummoxed all day, and took his no-hit bid into
the ninth inning, where he got Vic Wertz to pop up and Frank Malzone to strike
out before Gil McDougald doubled down the right field line, just beyond the
reach of a charging Gene Woodling. Drysdale then plunked Joe Cunningham
and walked Leon Wagner, loading the bases, before inducing a Wayne Causey
groundout to salvage a 1-0 shutout.
 Colts
Break From the Pack
Sturdivant Leads
Chicago to 12 Straight Wins
CHICAGO (June 15) -- The Chicago
Colts rattled off 12 straight wins to grab first place and build a swift
seven-game lead. Tom "Smoke" Sturdivant allowed just one earned
run in three starts (0.35 ERA), and pitched back-to-back shutouts to win
Player of the Week on June 12. Carl Erskine (2-0, 1.33 in 3
starts) and Don Mossi (3-0, 2.42 in 3 starts) were also red hot, and
closer Don Elston notched six saves.
The Chicago offense was led by a balanced attack, with
no player driving in more than 8 runs, but seven driving in at least
five.
 Martin
Blocks Boston Expansion
BOSTON (June 16) -- New York
Gothams owner Shawn Martin has vetoed the proposed UL expansion team in
Boston next season, sending UL officials scrambling to find a
replacement city and jeopardizing the league’s 1962 expansion plans.
Citizen activists saved Fenway Park from the wrecking ball on the 50th
anniversary of its first game this spring, and city officials
successfully wooed UL officials into awarding one of two expansion
franchise to Boston for the 1962 season.
Martin, a Boston native, sued the United League over
allegations that league president Timothy J. Smith overstepped his
authority in awarding the franchise without the consent of UL owners.
Martin told the Boston Globe he was prepared to obstruct the UL’s
expansion plans until his unspecified demands were met. City officials
in Philadelphia jumped on the news, holding their own press conference
to tout the charms of their own historic ballpark, Shibe Park, their
rich baseball history, and the largest untapped baseball market in the
North American continent.
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EAST
DIVISION |
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BROOKLYN SUPERBAS
Glen Reed |
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CLEVELAND
BARONS
Charlie
Qualls |
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WASHINGTON MONUMENTS
Doug Aiton |
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Brooklyn, which has traded away its #1
rookie pick six years running, is the only team in the league without a
single rookie at bat or inning pitched this year. |
The Baron’s catching corps consists of
35-year-old Yogi Berra and two rookies: Frank House (.203-1-7 in 20
games) and Clay Dalrymple (.231-1-4 in 7 games).
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The Mons lost both of their catchers,
Johnny Romano (4-5 weeks) and Lou Berbert (1-2 weeks) in the span of six
days, forcing a parade of stand-ins to fill in behind the plate. Sammy
Taylor, Bill Serena, Dick Howser, and Dick Cole each tried their hand
with the tools of ignorance in the last five games.
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DETROIT
GRIFFINS
Sean
Holloway |
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NEW YORK
GRIFFINS
Shawn
Martin |
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CF Lee Walls, a 1952 draft pick, is a UL
rookie in his 10th pro season. Walls, 27, spent the last six seasons
with Triple-A Milwaukee, where he averaged (.304-18-63 over the last 3
years).
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Tony Gonzalez, #5 pick this year, debuted
on May 1, and hit .310 with a .929 OPS in 12 games before returning to
his hometown of Central Cunagua, Cuba for a month after the Bahia de
Cochinos revolt.
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WEST
DIVISION |
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CHICAGO
COLTS
Lance
Mueller |
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LOS
ANGELES OUTLAWS
Peter Vays |
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ST LOUIS
MAROONS
Tim Smith |
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Chuck Hinton (.301-1-6 in 32 games), the
20th pick this spring, has the highest average among rookies with at
least 80 AB. Juan “Manito” Marichal was pummeled for a 14.54 ERA in 4
games, and now spends his time in Triple-A Cincinnati.
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Lee Maye (.270-4-20) leads all rookies
with 4 home runs and 14 doubles… Charlie James (.105 in 19 AB) and Jim
Pagliaroni (.188 in 64 AB) both appear to be premature call-ups. |
Floyd Robinson (.287-3-24) leads all
rookies with 24 RBI. 2B Jerry Adair (.114-0-2 in 14 games), demoted
back to St. Paul, has the lowest batting average of any rookie with at
least 30 AB. |
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LOUISVILLE COLONELS
Ben DeGrass |
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SAN
FRANCISCO SPIDERS
John Nellis |
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Ken Johnson not only leads all rookies,
but co-leads the league with 17 saves, and leads all rookies with 27
games, and his 3.38 ERA leads all rookies with at least 10 innings
pitched.
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When rookie Tom Cheney (2-2, 4.24 in 6
starts) went on the DL with a ruptured elbow ligament, it was fellow
rookie Don McMahon (2-2, 5.59, 15 GS, 4 GS) who took his spot in the
rotation.
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BATTING
AVERAGE |
HOME RUNS |
RBI |
OPS |
RUNS
SCORED |
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Granny Hamner, BRO
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.357
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Bobby Brown, BRO |
.331
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Don Blasingame,
STL |
.328
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Billy Goodman,
CLE |
.324
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Joe Cunningham, DET |
.322
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*Bill Skowron,
LOU |
.315
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Hank Aaron, LOU |
.308
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Harvey Kuenn,
CLE |
.307
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Jim Lemon, SF |
.300
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*Willie Mays, WAS |
.300
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Mickey Mantle,
BRO |
16
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Gus Zernial, CLE |
16
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Hank Aaron, LOU |
15
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Dick Kokos, STL |
14
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Willie Mays, WAS |
14
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Bill Skowron,
LOU |
14
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Ernie Banks, CHI |
12
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Harmon Killebrew,
SF |
12
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*Eddie Mathews,
CLE |
12
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Bill Skowron,
LOU |
48
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Granny Hamner,
BRO |
45
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Mickey Mantle,
BRO |
45
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Joe Cunningham,
DET |
44
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Hector Lopez, SF |
43
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Rocky Bridges,
LOU |
41
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Roger Maris, STL |
41
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*Ron Hansen, WAS |
40
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Eddie Mathews,
CLE |
39
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*Willie Mays, WAS |
37
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Willie Mays, WAS |
.981
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Mickey Mantle,
BRO |
.949
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Bill Skowron,
LOU |
.937
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Hank Aaron, LOU |
.933
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Ernie Banks, CHI |
.905
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Granny Hamner,
BRO |
.903
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*Gus Zernial, CLE |
.892
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Joe Cunningham, DET |
.885
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*Ron Hansen, WAS |
.881
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*Bobby Brown, BRO |
.867
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BROOKLYN
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340
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ST. LOUIS
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310
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WASHINGTON
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288
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DETROIT
|
286
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CHICAGO
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284
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LOUISVILLE
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279
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CLEVELAND
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275
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SAN FRANCISCO
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248
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NEW YORK
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242
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LOS ANGELES
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237
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EARNED
RUN AVERAGE |
WINS |
STRIKEOUTS |
RATIO |
RUNS
ALLOWED |
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Bob Miller, BRO |
2.20
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Lew Burdette,
BRO |
2.49
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Billy Pierce,
CLE |
2.55
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Herb Score, STL |
2.76
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Johnny Antonelli, LOU
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2.76
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Pedro Ramos, DET |
2.94
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Bubba Church, LA |
2.99
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Juan Pizarro, SF |
3.14
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*Carl Erskine,
CHI |
3.18
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*Joe Gibbon, NYG |
3.27
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Johnny Antonelli,
LOU |
11
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Don Larsen, WAS |
11
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Carl Erskine,
CHI |
10
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Gene Conley, BRO |
9
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Don Drysdale,
CLE |
9
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*Whitey Ford, BRO |
8
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Bob Friend, NYG |
8
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Bob Miller, BRO |
8
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*Herb Score, STL |
8
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*Tom Sturdivant,
CHI |
8
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Bob Friend, NYG |
155
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Johnny Antonelli, LOU
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141 |
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Herb Score, STL |
129
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Whitey Ford, CHI |
108
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Toothpick Sam
Jones, WAS
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108
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Johnny Podres,
DET |
105
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Gene Conley, BRO
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99
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Don Mossi, CHI
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97
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Art Ceccarelli,
DET |
95
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*Billy O'Dell,
CLE
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95
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Lew Burdette,
BRO |
8.6
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Billy Pierce, CLE
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8.8
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Bob Miller, BRO |
9.3
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Herb Score, STL |
9.5
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*Carl Erskine,
CHI |
10.0
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Don Drysdale,
CLE
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10.1
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Pedro Ramos, DET |
10.2
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Whitey Ford, BRO
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10.4
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Johnny Antonelli, LOU |
10.5
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*Bubba Church, LA |
10.5
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BROOKLYN
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219
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LOUISVILLE
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259
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CLEVELAND
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263
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DETROIT
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273
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CHICAGO
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283
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LOS ANGELES
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284
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ST. LOUIS
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293
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SAN FRANCISCO
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297
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NEW YORK
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301
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WASHINGTON
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317
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BATTER OF THE MONTH |
PLAYER OF THE WEEK |
MILESTONES |
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APR
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Joe
Cunningham, DET |
4/10
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Hank Aaron, LOU
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7/3
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Nellie Fox, CHI |
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MAY
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Bill
Skowron, LOU |
4/17
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Gil
McDougald, DET |
7/10
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1,500th hit (June
12), #4 all-time |
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JUN
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4/24
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Billy
Pierce, CLE |
7/17
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Minnie Minoso, BRO |
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JUL
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5/1
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Mickey
Mantle, BRO |
7/24
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1,500th
hit (June 13), #5 all-time |
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AUG
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5/8
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Lew
Burdette, BRO |
7/31
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Willie Mays, WAS |
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SEP
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5/15
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Lew
Burdette, BRO (2) |
8/7
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300th home run (June
9), #3 all-time |
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PITCHER OF THE MONTH |
5/22
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Hank
Aaron, LOU (2) |
8/14
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Bob Rush, LA |
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APR
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Billy
Pierce, CLE |
5/29
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George
Kell, LOU |
8/21
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100th win (June
15), #20-T all-time |
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MAY
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Herb
Score, STL |
6/5
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Mickey
Mantle, BRO (2) |
8/28
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Leo Kiely, CLE |
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JUN
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6/12
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Tom
Sturdivant, CHI |
9/4
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100th save (May
27), #10 all-time |
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JUL
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6/19
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9/11
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AUG
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6/26
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9/18
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SEP
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9/25
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UNITED LEAGUE CHAMPIONS |
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
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CY YOUNG AWARD
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ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
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1951 |
ST. LOUIS MAROONS
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Ralph Kiner, DET
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Sam Zoldak, STL
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Jackie Jensen, LOU
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1952
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WASHINGTON MONUMENTS
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Jackie Robinson, NYG
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Larry Jansen, WAS
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Stu Miller, WAS
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1953
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WASHINGTON MONUMENTS
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Mickey Mantle, BOS
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Stu Miller, WAS
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Smoky Burgess, BRO
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1954
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WASHINGTON MONUMENTS
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Stan Musial, STL
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Billy Pierce, STL
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Ed Bailey, LOU
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1955
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BROOKLYN SUPERBAS
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Roy Campanella, LA
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Tom Gorman, BRO
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Gene Conley, BRO
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1956
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WASHINGTON
MONUMENTS
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Ralph Kiner, DET
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Johnny Antonelli, LOU
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Frank Robinson, LA
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1957
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BROOKLYN SUPERBAS
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Granny Hamner, BRO
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Gene Conley, BRO
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Roger Maris, BOS
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1958
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LOUISVILLE COLONELS
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Willie Mays, WAS
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Carl Erskine, WAS
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Orlando Cepeda, NYG
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1959
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SAN FRANCISCO SPIDERS
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Granny
Hamner, BRO
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Gene Conley, BRO
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Vada Pinson, LA
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1960
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BROOKLYN SUPERBAS |
Hank
Aaron, LOU
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Gene Conley, BRO
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Joe Gibbon, NYG
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