Pierce Out, Colonels Close Gap
Colts Ace Breaks Elbow, Lead Down to Six
CHICAGO (Aug. 30) -- The West-leading Chicago Colts will be without their ace pitcher for the remainder of the season, jeopardizing their playoff and World Series chances.  Pierce (16-7, 2.63) broke his elbow in the third inning at Detroit on Aug. 29 and will be out of commission for 7-8 weeks, wiping out the last month of the regular season, plus any postseason play.
   The injury comes two weeks after Louisville lost its #2 starter Herm Wehmeier for the season.  The dual injuries mean that both club's pennant hopes rely heavily on the pitching depth.  Louisville called up veteran Bobby Shantz to fill Wehmeier's slot.  Shantz (1-1, 8.36) struggled in his first two starts, allowing 8 and 5 runs, but the dominance of Cy Young frontrunner Johnny Antonelli (25-4, 2.56, 281 K) has allowed Louisville to close the gap.  Chicago will likely pull 5th starter Bud Daley (7-8, 4.39 in 25 games, including 18 starts) into the rotation.  Triple-A options include Hersh "Buster" Freeman (13-6, 3.76) and southpaw Bill Henry (7-6, 3.87 in 14 starts), who had a brief stint in the Colts' rotation in 1954 (13-19, 4.15) and 1955.

Colonels Hunt for October
LOUISVILLE (Sept. 1) -- The Louisville Colonels bounced back from a series loss to Chicago Aug. 19-21 that set them 10 games off the pace, winning 8 of their last 10 games to cut the Colts' lead to a very manageable six games heading into the final month.  The Colonels, defending West champions, sliced two games off the lead in the last two days, as Chicago lost a pair in Detroit while the Louies swept the Spiders. 
   The heroes of the 19-10 month were many, including BOM Wally Post (.350-8-31, 1.075 OPS in August) and POM Johnny Antonelli (5-0, 1.36), but also right fielder Hank Aaron (.337-10-22, 1.180 OPS) and closer Cloyd Boyer (1.86 ERA and 7 saves in 10 games).
   Post is the third Colonel to win Batter of the Month honors this year, the first time three different players from the same team have won the honor.  First baseman Bill Skowron and Aaron won back-to-back BOMs in May and June.

Outfielder of Tomorrow Finally Has His Month
Post was once a top 10 prospect, but never broke into the deep Louisville outfield.  Coming into this season, Post's career average was .245 with a lukewarm .745 OPS.  Heading into August, Post was hitting .238-9-23 in 73 games, a most unlikely candidate for Batter of the Month.  But August was a magical time for the 31-year-old Ohioan.  Post belted out 36 hits in 27 games, for a .350 average, incluing 8 home runs and 31 RBIs, more than his season tally in the previous four months.  Wally's biggest day came on Aug. 24, when he drove in 5 runs on 3 hits, including a home run and a double,
in a 7-5 win at Washington. 

"Johnny A" Closes in on 2nd Cy Young
Johnny Antonelli is on the short short list of Cy Young candidates.  The list is so short that his may be the only name on it.  Brooklyn's Bob Miller may have a better ERA, but Johnny A has 10 more wins than Bob, and in fact six more wins than any other pitcher in the league.
   With 20 wins by then end of July, including wins in nine straight starts, Antonelli was on pace to break the UL's single season win record.  A loss and a two no-decisions in his next five starts slowed his pace, but the big southpaw won three straight to go 5-0 for the month in seven starts and extend his season record to 25-4.  His 25 wins matches last year's career high tally and moves him within three of Stu Miller's league record of 28 wins in 1953.

Goodman Hits for the Cycle
ST. LOUIS (Aug. 20) -- Cleveland hitters spoiled St. Louis starter Erv Palica's season debut with a 19-hit, 14-run outburst, but escape with a narrow 14-13 win after nearly blowing a six-run lead.  The star of the game was veteran second baseman Billy Goodman (.347-4-37) who hit collected five hits and hit for the cycle.  Goodman, part of the monster trade that brought the league's all-time hit and win leaders to the Buckeye State, is having one of the finest seasons of his 11-year UL career, spent mostly with the Washington Monuments.  The 35-year-old is second in the league in batting, and is pace for career highs in batting and OBP (.419).  The last ULer to do the cycle was L.A.'s Vada Pinson in 1959.