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1967 · 11/1 · 3/1 · 4/1 · 4/16 · 5/1 · 5/16 · 6/1 · 6/16· 7/1 · 7/8

1968 FOUNDER'S CUP
Griffins Romp Through Group Stage
L.A., St. Louis to Meet in Semis
CHICAGO (June 29) -- After 20 games in five days of nearly dawn to dusk baseball at Comiskey Park, only four teams remain standing in the seventh UL Founder's Cup.  While the hosting Colts were the first team bounced from the tournament with two blowouts and a 10-inning shutout, Chicago fans were still treated to some thrilling baseball.  And for 40 bucks for a five-day, come-as-you-wish pass, there is no better bargain in all of baseball.

The last place, but Cup holders Detroit Griffins routed their opponents 31-3 in three Group 1 routs, securing a place in the Founder's Cup semifinals.  Carl Yastrzemski led the attack with two homers and a .429 average, and Joey Jay and Froggy Hands each pitched a low-hit gem.

Willie Stargell was picked the best player in the Group stage, hitting 8-17 with 7 RBIs in four games, but his Gray Sox failed to advance after losing a 12-11 thriller to St. Louis on the last day.  The Maroons will face Los Angeles in a semifinal battle of the league's top two teams after the Outlaws claimed second place in Group 1 with wins over Brooklyn and Dallas, the latter coming after a five-run rally reversed a 5-2 Texan lead.  Meanwhile, Detroit will face San Francisco, who allowed just six runs in four games, highlighted by a Fergie Jenkins three-hit shutout.

Day-by-day highlights:
Day 1 -- Boston's Chris Short beat St. Louis' Lew Burdette on four hits in a 3-1 pitcher's duel
Day 2 -- Joey Jay tossed a two-hit shutout in Detroit's 11-0 whitewashing of Los Angeles 
Day 3 -- Not to be outdone, SF's Fergie Jenkins tossed his own 11-0 shutout of Boston
Day 4 -- Orlando Cepeda tripled, homered, and drove in three in the Feds' 14-7 win over the hosts
Day 5 -- Ron Swoboda homered twice and drove in five to top Willie Stargell's 6-RBI game
 

Group 1		Group 2
July 1 Los Angeles 3, Brooklyn 2 Lee Thomas' two-run single in the fifth reversed a Superba lead, and Fritz Peterson cruised to his league-best 14th win. Detroit 12, Washington 1 Pedro Ramos struck out seven and drove in four runs at the plate in a rout of Rick Wise. DET 1-0  LA 1-0  DAL 0-0  BRO 0-1  WAS 0-1		July 1 Boston 3, St. Louis 1 Chris Short went the distance for a four-hitter, as Bobby Tolan and Bill Freehan slapped RBI hits in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie. Manhattan 8, Chicago 3 The Sox wallopped 15 hits, including five doubles, and Vada Pinson drove in three runs as Jim Hardin beat Billy O'Dell. MAN 1-0  BOS 1-0  SF 0-0  STL 0-1  CHI 0-1
July 2 Detroit 11, Los Angeles 0 Joey Jay threw a 2-hit shutout and the Flying Lions plated seven runs in the sixth in a rout of Jim McGlothllin. Dallas 8, Washington 2 Jerry Johnson's two-run double broke open a 4-2 game in the seventh.  Boog Powell homered and drove in three runs in a Jim Merritt win. DET 2-0  DAL 1-0  LA 1-1  BRO 0-1  WAS 0-2		July 2 St. Louis 2, San Francisco 1 Ray Kline pitched a three-hitter and lost, as Tony Perez and Jim Fregosi homered for the Maroons only runs.  Luke Walker earned a save in his UL debut. Manhattan 11, Boston 5 Rico Carty tripled and homered, driving in four, and Bobby Richardson had four hits in another Gray Sox outburst. MAN 2-0  STL 1-1  BOS 1-1  SF 0-1  CHI 0-1
July 3 Detroit 8, Dallas 2 Froggy Hands held the Texans to four hits in eight innings and three Griffins homered in a third straight rout, as Detroit clinched a spot in the semifinals. Brooklyn 5, Washington 4 Dick Donovan blew a 4-0 lead in the eighth.  Mickey Mantle drove in two and Leon Wagner's two-run homer gave Brooklyn the lead.  The Monuments are eliminated with three losses. DET 3-0  DAL 1-1  LA 1-1  BRO 1-1  WAS 0-3		July 3 San Francisco 11, Boston 0 Fergie Jenkins threw a 3-hit shutout and Billy Williams homered and drove in four runs.  Clete Boyer and Willie McCovey also homered. St. Louis 2, Chicago 0, 10 inn. Joe Niekro and Bob Locker combined for a 10-inning shutout.  Reggie Smith and Tony Perez homered off Dooley Womack in the top of the 10th to seal victory.   MAN 2-0  STL 2-1  SF 1-1  BOS 1-2  CHI 0-2
July 4 Brooklyn 10, Detroit 2 Former Griffin Leon Wagner homered and drove in four against his former club as the Bas chased Pedro Ramos with a 6-1 lead in the second. Los Angeles 7, Dallas 5 Ken Holtzman blew a 5-2 lead as the Outlaws scored five unanswered runs to improve to 2-1.  Felix Mantilla had three hits and Rusty Staub drove in three runs. DET 3-1  BRO 2-1  LA 2-1  DAL 1-2  WAS 0-3		July 4 Boston 14, Chicago 7 Granny Hamner tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Tolan to cap a 72-yard drive late in the third quarter, and Bill Freehan rushed for 93 yards on 20 carries. San Francisco 3, Manhattan 2 George Scott's homer off Bob Anderson in the ninth broke a 2-2 tie.  Roger Repoz drove in a pair in the sixth and Bob Moose won his ninth.   MAN 2-1  STL 2-1  SF 2-1  BOS 2-2  CHI 0-3
July 5 Dallas 7, Brooklyn 2 Marvelous Marv Throneberry cranked a pair of solo shots and Boog Powell added his second of the tourney.  Gaylord Perry went the distance for his sixth win. Washington 4, Los Angeles 3 Cleon Jones was 3-for-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs to led the Mons to their only win in four games.  Tommie Agee homered for L.A., which backs into the semifinals at 2-2 because of wins over DAL and BRO. DET 3-1  LA 2-2*  DAL 2-2  BRO 2-2  WAS 1-3 *2-0 vs. DAL and BRO		July 5 St. Louis 12, Manhattan 11 Maroons eliminated Manhattan with a five-run comeback in the sixth.  Ron Swoboda homered twice and Jim Fregosi had 4 hits.  Willie Stargell drove in six in a losing effort.  Both bullpens pitched like pooh. Chicago 2, San Francisco 1 Sing Sing Singer was brilliant in a combined six-hitter with closer Russ Kemmerer.  Sammy Taylor was 2-for-3 with an RBI.  The Spiders advance with wins over MAN and BOS. STL 3-1  SF 2-2*  MAN 2-2  BOS 2-2  CHI 1-3 *2-0 vs. MAN and BOS
Semifinals		Semifinals
Aaron, Bahnsen on Outlaws' DL Star Slugger, Rookie Hurler Injured in Chicago CHICAGO (July 5) -- The Los Angeles Outlaws advanced to the Semifinals for the third straight year, but paid a heavy price, losing two key players to injuries that could shelve them until September.  In the third inning of the first game against Brooklyn, slugging outfielder Hank Aaron left the game favoring his right shoulder after a diving catch that robbed Glenn Beckert of extra bases.  Doctors after the game diagnosed a dislocated shoulder that will bench the single-season home run king for two months.  Three days later, on the Fourth of July, rookie righthander Stan Bahnsen, who was so impressive in his early starts (1.89 ERA in 4 GS), left the game with Dallas with a strained elbow ligament that will keep him out of the rotation until at least mid-September.  "Bahnsen Burner" was the Outlaws first round pick (10th overall) this year, and was ranked the league's #13 prospect on opening day. The Outlaws have a slim two-game margin over St. Louis in the West, and the race could well come down to which side stays healthiest in the second half.