Circuit clouts  Official Newsletter of the United League
LEAGUE FILE (3/17) · CONTRACTS · INFO · HISTORY · FORUM
1967 · 11/1 · 3/1 · 4/1 · 4/16 · 5/1 · 5/16 · 6/1 · 6/16· 7/1 · 7/8 · 7/20 · 8/1 · 8/16 · 9/1 · 9/14 · 9/24 · 10/1

L.A., Manhattan Win First Pennants
Gray Sox Jet Past Cleveland, Outlaws Win Comfortably
MANHATTAN (Oct. 1) -- The 1968 World Series will feature a pair of first-timers.  The Los Angeles Outlaws and Manhattan Gray Sox won their respective divisions this week and will face off in the 12th United League championship series.
   The newcomers reached their destinations through very different routes.  Los Angeles led the West Division all year and was the league's most dominant team, falling just one game shy of 100 wins.  They clinched with more than a week to go and finished nine games ahead of Atlanta and St. Louis.  Manhattan, on the other hand, was barely over .500 at the all-star break and was six games behind on Sept. 1.  But the Sox peaked at just the right time, going 16-2 in their last 18, including 5-1 against Cleveland, and won a series of clutch games down the stretch to overtake the Barons.
   Los Angeles has been one of the stronger teams in the West Division in recent years, posting four winning seasons in the last five, and finishing second in 1963, 1966, and 1967.  The club nearly stole the pennant from Chicago in 1966 with a late surge to a then-record 93 wins that pulled them within two games of the Colts.
   Manhattan, on the other hand, had not had a winning season in six previous campaigns, and finished in the top half of the East Division only once, in their inaugural season, 1962.  In four of those six years, Manhattan ranked dead last in runs scored, and just two years ago, in 1966, the Sox had their worst season, going 69-93, just 1.5 games out of the cellar.
   The Series will be the first between expansion teams.  Los Angeles joined the league in 1955 and Manhattan entered seven years later.

Commissioner Hails Parity
NEW YORK (Oct. 15) -- Commissioner Timothy J. Smith, speaking at league headquarters in Vienna, Austria, hailed the new era of parity in the league and called the just-completed season the best ever.  Expcerts:  "I would say parity is here.  Six different teams played in the last three World Series, two first-timers playing in Series for the first time, and for only the second time we've had four different champions in four years -- the last time was 1956-59.  First losing seasons for Superbas and Colts in aeons, after 15 combined pennants between them.

"Plus, don't forget that Boston was in the hunt down to the end and we had the closest pennant race in UL history.  Top it off with some huge milestones (Mantle's 500th home run, Antonelli's 300th win), some great individual performances, and arguably the best rookie season ever (Bob Moose), and I'd argue that this was the most interesting and exciting season in UL history.  "Here's to more in '69!  About time that little team from Saint Louie returned to glory, don't you think?"

Griffins Fans Ask:  “Are You STILL On Dope?"
"Our Team STILL Sucks and has ALWAYS Sucked.”
by Sean Holloway
VIENNA and DETROIT (October 21) -- What more could you ask for from the United League?  Thrilling pennant races, rookies tearing up the stat sheets, cagey veterans being cagey (and wily).  Two new teams in the World Series, and that annoying Glen Reed guy nowhere to be found.  Life is good according to the Commish.  Heck, the Commish would even argue that “this was the most interesting and exciting season in UL history."  However, just as the Commish attempted to put in an order of Tafelspitz (boiled beef), Gerostete Leber (calf’s liver with herbs in butter), some Mehlspeisen (cakes and puddings), and a glass of Obstler (alcoholic drink made of various fruits), he found his voice drowned out by howls of derision and protest way back in Detroit as Griffin fans went through the roof.

In 1968, the Griffins could do no right, and did it with the usual aplomb.  Griffins batters struck out more than any other team in the UL, while the pitching staff was last or near-last in just about every category.  What makes this so disheartening to fans is that the Griffins turn in this same kind of stellar performance *every* year.

No one knows for sure what is happening, and it’s clear that upper management is clueless.  GM Sean Holloway was seen at the UL All Star Game on his rotary phone with Chinese herbal experts on one line and Haitian voodoo doctors on another.  “It’s clear there’s a cancer or curse in this clubhouse.  No matter what we do, we just can’t get the same performance out of players that other teams do regardless of age, development level, or ratings.  It just doesn’t make sense.”  To rub salt into the wound, 1968 saw more insult to injury when, by some freak accident, the entire Griffins organization was injured and unable to play and/or work for several games.  Pedro Ramos is rumored to be out for the next 20 years or so, and it got so bad that GM Holloway even had to lace them up before he himself was injured sprinting away from angry Griffins fans after leaving Kiner Field after yet another loss.

GM Holloway seems resigned to suffering another terrible season next year, what with half his team out and not available anytime soon.  Thus, what was supposed to be a year where Detroit figured to flirt with .500 has now become a lost season before it even starts.  Rumors are rampant that the long-suffering GM will retire soon, but the Griffins front office refuses to comment.  Since Holloway’s tenure has been just like Obstler – cheap and well-flavored – it would not surprise this intrepid reporter if the retirement notice comes during the offseason, as that would at least give the Griffins a chance to find a new GM before 1969 begins.  Mehlspeisen my ass…..

International League Shocks Teams and Fans, Cancels Playoffs
Havana Declared Champion
by Jeff Gurganus
International League Commissioner Aidan Smith – the eldest child of United League Commissioner Timothy Smith and heir apparent to the family run baseball business – announced that the league had cancelled its four team playoff due to economic concerns and Havana, having the best regular season record at 86-46, would be crowned 1968 league champion.

It would seem that the league’s Austrian-based economists and financial forecasters are predicting a dramatic downturn in the world economy in the 2008 to 2010 timeframe caused by a greed-driven breakdown in the financial markets, reckless consumer spending and uncontrolled government debt.  “This could be the big one” said Smith.   “We’re talking historic type proportions with the words recession and depression being thrown out around the globe.”

As a result, the league cancelled this year’s playoffs and is considering a new format for next year.  “It seemed like the prudent thing to do.  How could we make our fans buy playoff tickets today when they will be trying to keep their houses and feed their families after spending themselves into years of consumer debt forty years from now?  I just couldn’t live with myself” Smith added.

With the announcement, Havana has won the Governor’s Cup four times in the league’s six years of existence – and lost the cup the other two years in the finals to Houston and Philadelphia respectively.  [Not sure what happened in 1962]  Officials from other teams were less than understanding.  As one note, “I don’t know why they keeping handing Havana titles.  They already have communism, what else do they need?”

While the league is considering alternatives for next year, rumors suggest the league will return to a divisional format for 1969 with the playoff structure still a work in progress.

 

DAY BY DAY: EAST DIVISION PENNANT RACE
Sept. 24 CLE 85 69 -- MAN 85 69 --	Niekro Freezes Feds, Mantle Bashes Barons MAN 7, BOS 1  Phil Niekro went the distance, allowing just four hits, and Ken Harrelson hit a pinch hit three-run homer to bury the Feds at Yankee Stadium.  Willie Stargell was 3-for-4 with a double.   BRO 10, CLE 1  Mickey Mantle homered and drove in four runs, and Glenn Beckert was 4-for-5 as the Superbas chased Johnny Podres in the fifth inning of a 10-1 rout.
Sept. 25 MAN 86 69 -- CLE 85 70 1	Johnson Pulls Up Sox MAN 4, CLE 3  Bob Johnson's pinch single off Stan Williams drove home pinch runner Felipe Alou for the winning run with one out in the ninth, after his brothers Jesus and Matty both reached base in the top half but failed to score.  Cleveland struck first on Chuck Hinton's RBI single and Curt Flood's RBI groundout in the third.  Earl Francis, pitching on one day's rest, pitched 3.1 shutout innings before yielding to Ted Bowsfield, who squandered the lead in the three-run fifth.  Vada Pinson tripled home Whitey Ford, who had walked, and scored on a wild pitch.  Then Bobby Richardson singled and scored the go-ahead run on Joe Torre's double.  Bernie Allen's sac fly tied it in the sixth, and the score held at 3-3 until the ninth.  The Barons threatened in the top half after Roy McMillan's leadoff single.  With Jesus Alou pinch running, Matty Alou hit into a fielders choice, and Jesus was injured on the play.  After Cecil Upshaw relieved Ford, Johnny Roseboro flied out to deep right center, and Matty Alou moved to second on Johnny Callison's walk.  But with two outs and two on, Chuck Hinton hit an easy hopper to short.  Ford held the Barons to seven hits in his longest outing in 12 Manhattan starts.
Sept. 26 CLE 86 70 -- MAN 86 70 --	Dick Ties Sox in Knots CLE 8, MAN 4  Dick Williams drove in five runs on three hits, and two Manhattan errors led to four unearned runs, as Cleveland ended Bob Anderson's six-win streak.  Joe Torre broke a bone in his hand during a collision at second, is expected to miss roughly one week.  Backup catcher Joe Azcue hit a two-run triple in the sixth.  Don Larsen won back-to-back starts for the first time since May 12.  The teams are tied with four games to go.
Sept. 27 MAN 87 70 -- CLE 86 71 1 *magic #=3	Ward's 4 RBI Erase Matty Alou Slam, Sox in First MAN 7, CLE 6  Pete Ward slapped a line drive up the middle that drove home Vada Pinson to give the Gray Sox a 7-6 win and a one-game lead in the East with three games to play.  The gamer was Ward's fourth RBI of the day, coming after a pair of solo homers.  The speedy Pinson manufactured a pair of runs on the day.  In the third he reached on Frank Thomas' error, then stole second, moved to third on Rico Carty's groundout, and stole home.  In the ninth, he walked, stole second, moved to third on Stargell's groundout, and scored on Ward's frozen rope. Matty Alou's grand slam off Bob Grim in the eighth inning tied the game 6-6, as the Gray Sox blew a 6-2 lead.  The hosts had scored in the first three innings, building a 4-0 lead on RBI singles by Willie Stargell, Joe Hardin, Vada Pinson swipe of home, and a solo homer by Pete Ward.  Roseboro put the Barons on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth, but Ward's RBI single restored the four-run lead.  Three Cleveland singles made it 5-2 in the sixth, but Ward homered again an inning later.  Sox starter Jim Hardin scattered nine hits in seven innings, but got into a jam in the eighth, serving up singles to Bernie Allen, Frank Thomas, and Curt Flood.  Hardin left the game with the bases loaded and two outs, but Alou, who entered the game as a pinch runner in the seventh, took Grim's third pitch for a 472-foot ride that tied the game 6-6.  It was only the sixth home run in Matty's five-year UL career. Cleveland will host Boston for the season's final series, while Manhattan travels to Washington.
Sept. 28 MAN 88 70 -- CLE 86 72 2 *magic #=1	Niekro Wins 20th, Magic Number is One MAN 4, WAS 2  Rookie Phil Niekro notched his 20th win with five innings of two-hit ball, and Pete Ward drove in two runs with a pair of singles, as the Gray Sox sliced their magic number to one with a 4-2 win and Cleveland's loss to Boston.  Ward's RBIs give him seven in the last three days and 19 in his last 16 games.  Pinson had two hits and a walk and scored twice, and Dick Radatz got his 16th save with a perfect ninth.  Niekro is the first Gray Sox to win 20 games since their inaugural season in 1962 (Johnny Podres).   BOS 9, CLE 1  Cleveland lost for the fourth time in five days, as Podres was again roughed up and left before finishing five innings.  Rocky Colavito homered and drove in three and Bill Freehan added a pair of RBIs, as the Federals scored three in the first and six in the fifth.  Podres was 13-6, 1.74 through Aug. 11, but was 4-4, 4.90 in his last 11 starts.
Sept. 29 MAN 89 70 -- CLE 87 72 2	Gray Sox Win Pennant on 13th Inning Homer by Ward MAN 7, WAS 6 (13)  Pete Ward's solo homer in the 13th clinched the East Division title, as Manhattan edged Washington 7-6 for their 10th win in 11 games.  The Monuments jumped all over Joe Gibbon -- Brant Alyea's two-run homer highlighted the four-run first -- and led 6-1 after three innings.  But the Sox used three singles, two wild pitches, a hit batsman, a walk, and a sac fly to score three in the fourth and cut the lead to 6-4.  Ward's solo homer in the fifth cut the lead to one, and the game remained 6-5 until the ninth inning, when four straight walks by Jack Aker and Rod Gardner forced home the tying run.  Manhattan's leadoff men reached in the 10th, 11th, and 12th, but failed to score, and Gardner appeared to have the 13th inning in hand after strikeouts of Bob Grim and Willie Stargell.  But Ward drove the first pitch 391 feet to left center for his second homer of the game and fourth in three days.  Grim allowed just one hit and no runs in four innings of work.   CLE 2, BOS 1  Don Larsen was stellar, allowing just three hits in seven innings, and Johnny Callison tripled and scored a run, but it was too little, too late, as Cleveland was eliminated on the next-to-last day of the season.  Gary Nolan pitched well for Boston and took the hard-luck loss with a compete game seven-hitter.
Sept. 30 MAN 90 70 -- CLE 87 73 3	Anderson Sharp in 18th Win, Sox Prepare for World Series MAN 11, WAS 0  Bob Anderson pitched eight shutout innings to improve to 18-10 and Bobby Richardson was 4-for-5 with four runs as the Sox celebrated their pennant with an 11-0 romp in the nation's capital.  Tony Oliva and Willie Stargell homered.  Joe "The Immortal" Azcue, subbing for the injured Joe Torre, hit 5-for-19 (.263) with three RBIs in five games. BOS 8, CLE 1  The Barons finished the season on a sour note, suffering their third rout in a week, as Orlando Cepeda drove in three runs and hit his 47th home run and Mike Cuellar went the distance for a six-hitter and his 16th win.  Boston was tied for first on Sept. 16 but nose dived out of the race by losing 10 in a row.