United League of American Base B

Day of Blowouts and Shutouts
Howser, Callison Make History, Wild Finish at Fenway
MANHATTAN (May 27) -- May 27, 1965 may live on as one of the most momentous days in UL history, owing to a rare planetary alignment of record-breaking hitting performances and a pair of 1-0 games.
   The crazy day began with an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium, in which second baseman Dick Howser and right fielder Johnny Callison became the first teammates in UL history to collect five hits in a game in Washington's 13-1 win. For emphasis, both players homered for their fifth hit. Gray Sox starter Mickey Lolich took the brunt of the abuse, giving up seven hits, including two-run homers by Ron Santo and Willie Mays, and eight runs while retiring only five batters.
   An hour later at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Chicago's Ray Herbert locked horns with Johnny Podres in one of the best pitching duels of the year. Podres pitched a three-hitter, besting Herbert's four-hitter except for one small detail: one of the hits was a Joe Adcock solo blast. It was Herbert's six career shutout and seventh win in eight decisions.
   Under party cloudy skies at Turnpike Stadium in Dallas, 18,000 fans played hooky to see the Texans debone the Catfish. Atlanta rookie Jim "Catfish" Hunter was taken hook, line, and sinker, allowing 10 hits and 8 runs in just 2 innings of work. But the drubbing continued, as Dallas continued to pile on runs off Don Lee, Dave Morehead, and Jim O'Toole. Only Joe Grzenda could put an end to eight consecutive scoring innings. At the end of the day, Dallas weighed in with a 20-4 win, and second baseman Billy Consolo (.238-1-17 in 48 previous games) had 7 RBI in the game, and Bob Bailey was 4-for-4 with two home runs. Consolo's 7 RBI were the most in a game since Detroit's Frank Howard drove in seven with a homer hat trick on June 2, 1963.
    Several hours later, under the lights at Fenway Park, Boston's Chris Short battled Brooklyn's Sonny Siebert through seven scoreless innings in a classic pitcher's duel. Orlando Cepeda's first inning triple and Willie Davis' leadoff single in the sixth, and Gene Freese's leadoff bunt in the seventh were the only hits Seibert allowed going into the eighth, when the Feds managed to manufacture the game's only run without a hit. Siebert walked Davis to lead off the inning, and with a 1-0 count on Bob Skinner, Davis bolted for second. The throw from catcher Del Crandall sailed over shortstop Charlie Neal's head and into center field, and Davis hustled around to score.

The Toughest Call of All
Stalwart Starter Pierce Pulled from Colts’ Rotation
by Lance Mueller
CHICAGO (June 1) – It was the call he never imagined having to make. Colts’ GM Lance Mueller summoned one of the UL’s greatest pitchers to his office today to break the news no pitcher wants to hear. “I could see it is eyes,” said a stoic Pierce, “I could tell it pained him to tell me as much as it pained me to hear I was out of the starting rotation, but considering the way I’ve pitched for the first two months of the season I can’t say it came as that great of a shock.”
Despite reassurances from his fading star that he understood the move, the Colts’ headman still struggled mightily with the decision. “It tore me up, absolutely tore me up,” a visibly shaken Mueller told a crowd of reports in his office. “Billy has been the absolute epitome of a what you want in a player, a teammate, and a team leader. The young men on this pitching staff, as well as his fellow veterans, have turned to Billy for advice and guidance throughout the years and he has never hesitated to lend a helping hand, with both on- and off field matters. More than all of that, I consider Billy a friend, and to have to tell a friend you’re stopping him from doing what he loves best – going out every four or five days and facing down an opposing team – it’s a little heartbreaking frankly.” With that, Mueller waved reporters out of his office, saying, “I just can’t talk about it anymore.”
As for Pierce’s future, there was already news out of the Colts’ organization about that. Pierce is to be moved to the spot starter position as well as taking over long relief for fellow lefty Bud Daley, who will be moved into the #4 spot in the rotation. Word has it that this is not necessarily a permanent changing of the guard, if Pierce performs well in his new role or Daley can’t hold his own in the rotation then there’s a chance Billy will be back as a starter. However you slice it, it’s a sad day for Colts’ fans who just a few short years ago boastfully believed they’d be cheering Pierce on to his 300th win. Now whether Billy will ever reach that magical milestone is just one among the ever growing number of questions surrounding one of the UL’s favorite sons.

Washington to Host Midsummer Classics
NEW YORK (May 31) -- Griffith Stadium will host the third All-Star Game June 22 and the fourth Founder's Cup tournament July 1-10, league officials announced today. The host city of the UL's twin midsummer classics has thus far alternated between West and East. Dallas hosted the inaugural Founder's Cup in 1962 and Cleveland hosted the Cup and the first UL All-Star Game in 1963. Last year's events were held in newly-renovated Arroyo Seco Stadium in Los Angeles. Washington becomes the first of the "original eight" cities to host the events.
For the first time, the league also announced the next host a year in advance, naming St. Louis as the 1966 host. Chicago had been considered but was passed over because Comiskey Park hosted the last AL-NL All-Star Game in 1950.
The Monuments and Maroons are the only UL teams to have played all 15 seasons in the same ballpark (three original clubs relocated and the other three built or moved to new stadiums).

Year
Host Founder's Cup All-Star Game

1962
Dallas WAS 3, LOU 2

1963
Cleveland BOS 4, BRO 0 East 4, West 3

1964
Los Angeles MAN 5, BOS 2 East 8, West 3

1965
Washington

1966
St. Louis