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United
League of
American Base Ball Clubs
est.
1951
LEAGUE
FILE (3/11) ·
HEADLINES
· NEWS
LOG · TRANSACTIONS ·
INJURIES ·
FINANCES
STANDINGS ·
BOX
SCORES · SCHEDULE ·
BATTING ·
PITCHING ·
FIELDING · LEADERS
LEAGUE
RULES · TEAM INFO ·
ROSTERS ·
FREE
AGENTS · TOP
PROSPECTS · TOP
FARMS
TOP
PERFORMANCES ·
RECORD
BOOK · PAST
LEADERS · CAREER
LEADERS
BEGINNINGS ·
CITIES ·
BALLPARKS ·
PLAYER PHOTOS
TOTAL UL
· 1951 ·
1952 · 1953 ·
1954 ·
1955 ·
1956
DRAFTS
4/5 (Season Preview)
· 4/17
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Debutante's Ball
Record 37 Rookies
Debut, Podres Falters Opening Day
NEW YORK (Apr.
16) -- Thirty-seven players made their United League debuts in the opening
weeks, as a league-wide youth movement achieved a full blossom.
Detroit and San Francisco, who had the two worst records in UL history
last season, account for nearly half of the rookie crop -- or shall we
say, rookie crap. For, if the first 13 days are any indication, the
vast majority of the youngsters are decidedly unready for prime
time. Not that some clubs have much of a choice in the matter, given
the dire state of their pitching staffs, in particular.
Detroit slotted a pair of rookies into the top of its
rotation. Johnny Podres (1-2, 7.84) didn't make it through six
innings in an 11-5 opening day thrashing at Chicago on April 5. And
while Pedro Ramos (1-1, 6.23) looked sharp the next day -- allowing just
two earned runs in eight innings -- in his next start at Brooklyn he
was knocked out in the third inning, trailing 7-0 . The Sound offense
has been a different story, as CF Jim King and SS Alex Grammas have 8 RBI
each through 11 games. King had just one hit in his first four
games, but is batting 8-for-20 (.400) since, and Grammas was 2-for-4 on
opening day and drove in 3 runs in a 6-3 win at Brooklyn on Apr. 10.
Meanwhile Joe Cunningham, young but not quite a rookie, was Player of the
Week for April 17. He is batting .426 with the second best OPS in
the league (1.247).
San Francisco's opening day lineup included five rookies
batting in the 4-8 spots. Of the five, Rocky Colavito, Ken Boyer,
and Dick Williams each hit safely in their first UL at-bat. Through
10 games, Colavito has 3 HR and 8 RBI, and Boyer is batting .333 (14-42),
but none of the others have factored much into the Spider offense.
Meanwhile, the rookie starters, Tom Sturdivant and Herb Score, have
combined to post three losses and an 8.03 ERA in four starts.
Aguirre Cream of Rookie Crap
Elsewhere,
the rookie picture is much rosier. Boston's Hank Aguirre -- the
fourth overall pick and Beacons' fourth starter -- pitched back-to-back
four-hit complete games, and leads the league in ERA (1.00) and Ratio
(6.0). Boston's other rookie starters, Larry Jackson and Tom Brewer
fared almost exactly as well as the Spiders' newbies. And though
closer Dave Hillman earned a save on opening day, he allowed 7 runs in his
next 3 appearances.
Notable debuts:
- Maroons shortstop Luis Aparicio was 3-for-4, including a double,
and scored twice in a 6-5 opening day loss in D.C.
- Chicago's Don Drysdale struck out 11 Beacons in his first start
Apr. 9, a 5-1 loss to Aguirre.
- Los Angeles reliever Ed Roebuck threw a perfect inning in relief
of Curt Simmons, in his Outlaw debut Apr. 6.
- New York shortsop Don Buddin doubled in his first two UL at-bats
(both off fellow rookie Tom Sturdivant) in an 8-3 win at San Francisco
Apr. 7.
- New York reliever Art Ditmar threw three innings, including three
strikeouts, on Apr. 11, as the Gothams lost 12-7 to Washington.
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Jansen won 99 games in his first five years, saving the landmark
win for the second day of the season (Erskine is the ace this
year). Jansen hit a three-run home in the fourth and
cruised to a 6-3 win. But at New York on the 11th, leading
12-1 with one out in the sixth, Jansen heard a pop after Wally
Moon singled and had to leave the game immediately.
Ironically, he pitched just long enough to get the win, which
extended his winning streak to a career high seven games.