United League of American Base B

New Ace Rises in West
Mahaffey Leads Outlaws in 12-4 Run
LOS ANGELES (June 1) -- Young Outlaws righthander Art Mahaffey has put his 22-loss 1962 season behind him, and is emerging as the ace the Los Angeles staff so desperately needs. Mahaffey is 7-1 with a 1.79 ERA in his last 8 starts, after posting a 5.67 ERA in his first 6 starts. Mahaffey's surge has been a key factor in the Bandits' 12-4 run.
   Mahaffey, the 17th overall pick in the 1960 draft, posted a 12-22 record last year, his first full season in the major, despite a respectable 4.27 ERA. Rookie southpaw Denny Lemaster has also emerged as a quality starter in May, posting a 2.78 ERA after a 5.33 April.
   It has been a month of highlights for Los Angeles hitters as well. Shortstop Tom Tresh took Player of the Week honors May 20, hitting .500 and driving in eight in 22 at bats. And superstar slugger Frank Robinson hit the season's first homer hat trick on May 27, all three off Billy Pierce, after hitting just seven round-trippers in his first 49 games. Robinson hit a career-high 37 home runs last year.

Francis, Tsitouris Give Barons Hope
Cleveland Wins Nine Straight
CLEVELAND (June 1) -- Earl Francis and John "The Accidental" Tsitouris posted two of the circuit's top four ERAs in May, leading the Cleveland Barons to a 20-9 May and keeping hope alive in the Mistake by the Lake. Francis was 3-0, 1.99 ERA in six starts and Tsitouris was 3-0, 2.08 in seven starts, and Cleveland won nine straight in the middle of the month, as they managed to overcome a mediocre 14-15 start and keep pace with the first place Superbas in May.

Cleveland to Host Inaugural UL All-Star Game
CLEVELAND (June 1) -- The league announced today that planning for the inaugural United League All-Star Game was completed and the city of Cleveland would host the first edition of what league officials hope becomes an annual contest. Plans to stage an all-star gala showcasing the league's top talent foundered in the UL's early days and were only resurrected last summer during the inaugural Founders' Cup tournament. At a press conferenece at the league's midtown Manhattan headquarters, League President Timothy J. Smith told reporters that the same city would host both the All-Star Game and the Founders' Cup, saying the decision by the league Board of Trustees made economic sense because only one venue would need to be prepared for both events, which will take place a week apart this year in the middle of the season. Trustees were undoubtedly lured by the league's largest stadium. Municipal Stadium holds 78,000, though the Barons are averaging less than 13,000 per game through 34 home dates.
   All-Star teams will be announced a full week before the game, which will be played June 22. The first Founders' Cup was won by the Washington Monuments in Dallas last year. This year's eight-game tournament will run from July 1-10 at Municipal Stadium.

Johnny A Joins 3,000-K Club
LOUISVILLE (May 29) -- Johnny Antonelli reached a major milestone today, joining certain Hall of Famer Billy Pierce as the only pitchers to notch 3,000 strikeouts in their careers. Antonelli, 33, is in his 10th season with Louisville and 11th overall (he was drafted by Brooklyn). The three-time Cy Young Award winner is in the last year of a multi-year contract and has been rumored in trade talks. Antonelli struck out 372 in 1956, his first Cy year, and has surpassed 300 in each of the last three seasons, including 353 last year when he also posted a career low 2.35 ERA.