Sat, 27 Nov 1999
Titans 6, Upper-Deckers 5:
Getting revenge in a game that was nearly a repeat of their last meeting, the
Tri-City Titans (1-5) jumped on the Burke Upper-Deckers (3-3) for six runs in
the first three innings; then hung on to win, 6-5. The Titans snapped an HBWRL
record 17 game losing streak; although they nearly set another record, by
becoming the first team to blow six run leads in consecutive games. (The Titans
lost their last game, 14-12 to Burke, after leading 8-2, when Don Drysdale gave
up two unearned, 9th inning runs). Titans starter Bob Gibson did well to
protect the 6-0 lead that his team staked him to, save for a two run single by
Yogi Berra. Berra "drove in" another run, although he got no RBI, on a Joe
Cronin error. Still, the Titans led 6-3, and seemed to have the game in hand,
when Gibson left with two out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 8th
inning.
But Titans reliever Drysdale (see above parenthetical note) nearly made history
repeat itself. He served up two walks; and both runs later scored on singles.
That made it 6-5 Titans after eight. In the bottom of the 9th, Drysdale again
allowed the first two base runners to reach; and Burke had the winning run at
first base with none out. But Drysdale then retired Arky Vaughan, Paul Molitor,
and Jackie Robinson in order, to earn the save and give the Titans their first
win in 18 games. It was the 6th straight win for road teams. The Titans last
victory also came against Burke. In that game, the Titans torched Ron Guidry
for seven 1st inning runs and hung on to win, 9-5. The Titans have scored 18
runs in their last 18 innings, while allowing 19. Also, they are 2-4 (.333)
all-time against Burke; 3-17 (.150) against all other teams.
The result leaves a four way tie for 1st place, with new relevant tiebreakers.
The Reps now lead, and the defending champion Powers remain 2nd. The Chips are
3rd and the Red Dawgs fell from 1st to 4th place despite not playing. That will
change, however, when the Red Dawgs and Powers--who entered the "week" 1-2,
square off next. The winner will have sole possession of 1st place.
Hits: Upper-Deckers 19, Titans 17
Winning pitcher: Gibson
Losing pitcher: Walter Johnson
Save: Drysdale
Doubles: Charlie Gehringer, Al Simmons, Harry Heilmann, Johnny Mize
Error: Cronin
Upcoming games:
Myers Red Dawgs (3-2, Whitey Ford) at Karas Powers (3-2, Addie Joss)
Silicon Valley Chips (3-2, Christy Mathewson) at Minneapolis Reps (3-2, Mordecai
Brown)
Four Records Set or Tied as Upper-Deckers Score 10
Unanswered Runs
Upper-Deckers 14, Titans 12:
In a game that set or tied fourHBWRL records (see below), the Burke
Upper-Deckers (3-2) rallied from 8-2 down, scored 10 unanswered runs to lead
12-8, and hung on to beat the Tri-City Titans (0-5), 14-12. It was the Titans'
17th consecutive loss. It was also the 5th straight win for road teams. The
wildness of the game started immediately. Paul Molitor led off with a single
off of Titans starter Sandy Koufax. Then Jackie Robinson's two run homer made
it 2-0 Burke. But the Titans stormed back with four runs each in the 2nd and
3rd innings, to lead 8-2. Willie Mays' bases loaded double capped that rally.
But Mays would later make two costly errors.
The Titans led 8-7 after five innings. But Mark McGwire's two run single, also
off of Koufax, gave Burke the lead, 9-8. Burke extended its lead to 12-8,
capping a 10 run rally. But the Titans were not through. Joe Cronin, who
homered and drove in four runs, led a four run 6th inning for Tri-City, and it
was 12-12 after 6. Relievers Nolan Ryan (Upper-Deckers) and Don Drysdale
(Titans) quelled the riots, and it was still 12-12 after 8. But with two on and
nobody out in the top of the 9th, Mays misplayed a routine fly ball. That
allowed two unearned runs to score, and gave Burke a dramatic 14-12 win. It
also created a five way tie for 1st place, with five teams at 3-2. The Red
Dawgs retained 1st place by tiebreaker. It was an exciting conclusion to a
parody (not parity) filled first mini-season. Best of all, the teams rematch to
start the next mini-season, followed by a battle of the top two teams!
Records Set or Broken:
Titans: 17 straight losses (HBWRL record)
Upper-Deckers: Rallied from six run deficit to win (ties HBWRL record)
Titans: 12 runs scored (most ever for losing team in an HBWRL game)
Both teams: 26 runs combined (HBWRL record)
Hits: Upper-Deckers 27, Titans 19
Winning pitcher: Ryan
Losing pitcher: Drysdale
Homeruns: J. Robinson, Cronin.
Double: Mays
Caught stealing: Harry Heilmann, Cronin.
Errors: Mays 2
First, Powers Create Four Way Tie
Fri, 26 Nov 1999
Powers 4, Red Dawgs 0: With great pitching from Stan Coveleski and an historic
1st inning, the defending champion Karas Powers (3-2) created a four way tie for
1st place with a 4-0 win over the Myers Red Dawgs (3-2). The Reps and Chips are
also 3-2. After Dawgs starter Eddie Plank retired Honus Wagner to start the
game, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson tripled. That was followed by Kiki Cuyler's RBI
double. After Chuck Klein was retired, Frank Thomas hit a two run homer. That
three run inning was the first in history to include one of each kind of extra
base hit--a homerun, triple, and double. It also made Jackson, who is 2nd in
the league all-time in doubles, the all-time league leader in triples, with two.
There have been more triples at Fenway Park than at all other parks combined.
Five teams are now separated by 1/2 game (much like in the AFC Central, against
the spread). Also, road teams have now won four straight. Before that, home
teams had won four straight. BNext, the Upper-Deckers look to create a five way
tie in the mini-season 1 finale, against the Tri-City Titans.
Hits: Powers 13, Red Dawgs 6
Winning pitcher: Coveleski
Losing pitcher: Plank
Homerun: Thomas
Triple: Jackson
Double: Cuyler
Stolen bases: Fred Clarke 2
Caught stealing: Cochrane
Upcoming game (1st mini-season finale):
Burke Upper-Deckers (2-2, Joe McGinnity) at Tri-City Titans (0-4, Sandy Koufax)
Tue, 16 Nov 1999
Red Dawgs 9, Upper-Deckers 1: Hank Greenberg drove in five runs as the Myers
Red Dawgs (3-1) got off to their best start ever with a 9-1 drubbing of the
Burke Upper-Deckers (2-2). By tiebreakers, the Dawgs are in 2nd place while
Burke is in 3rd. However, five teams are separated by only one game. Burke
rallied from an 8-0 deficit in hits to tie it at 11-11, but the Dawgs got the
momentum back and ultimately outhit Burke, 20-12. They also benefited from five
walks; three of them by Burke starter Chief Bender, who allowed five runs in six
innings of work. The result concludes Week 4 and sets up key showdowns to
conclude the 1st mini-season.
Doubles: Greenberg, George Sisler, Barry Bonds, Jackie Robinson
Error: Frank Baker
Mon, 15 Nov 1999
Reps 3, Titans 0: The Minneapolis Reps (2-2) created a log jam at the top, with
five teams separated by one game, with a 3-0 shutout of the Tri-City Titans
(0-4). The Titans have now lost 16 straight games, which doubles the previous
record of eight. The Titans got good pitching from newcomer Eddie Cicotte, but
were unable to capitalize during two critical innings. They twice had the bases
loaded with less than two out against Reps starter Greg Maddux, but could not
get any run support for Cicotte. Cicotte made just one mistake--a hanging
breaking ball with two on and nobody out to Babe Ruth in the top of the 6th.
Ruth hit it well over the the right field wall, accounting for all of the game's
runs. The winner of the upcoming game will get at least a share of 1st place,
as Week 4 concludes with two fast-improving teams squaring off.
Hits: Titans 12, Reps 9
Winning pitcher: Maddux
Losing pitcher: Cicotte
Save: Robin Roberts
Homerun: Ruth
Double: Rickey Henderson
Caught stealing: Henderson, Bill Dickey
Upcoming game:
Myers Red Dawgs (2-1, Hippo Vaughn) at Burke Upper-Deckers (2-1,
Chief Bender)
Fri, 12 Nov 1999
Powers 3, Chips 2: The defending HBWRL champion Karas Powers (2-2) rallied for
three unanswered runs, two of them unearned on a critical error by Ty Cobb, to
hand the Silicon Valley Chips (3-1) their first loss of the season. The Chips
have nonetheless won 12 of their last 14 regular season games, with both losses
by one run. The Chips led 2-1, with Honus Wagner at first base and one out in
the bottom of the 7th. Chips starter Jack Chesbro pitched to former Chip
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson, who sent a routine fly ball to center field. Ty Cobb
bobbled it; Wagner and Jackson made him pay with their speed. Wagner scored and
Jackson ended up with a three base error. On the next pitch, Kiki Cuyler's fly
ball to deep right was caught by Lefty O'Doul, but deep enough to score Jackson.
Powers starter Urban Shocker then retired the Chips in the 8th and 9th to win
for the 4th time in five career starts. It was a live-by-the-sword,
die-by-the-sword result for the Chips--three of their four games have been
decided by one run or in extra innings. It was also the 4th consecutive game
won by the home team.
Upcoming games: Minneapolis Reps (1-2, Greg Maddux) at Tri-City Titans (0-3,
Eddie Cicotte)
Myers Red Dawgs (2-1, Hippo Vaughn) at Burke Upper-Deckers
(2-1, Chief Bender)
Fri, 12 Nov 1999
Reps 6, Powers 2:
Breaking open a 3-2 game with a three run 8th inning, the Minneapolis Reps (1-2)
scored their first runs of the year in an upset of the defending champion Karas
Powers (1-2). Roy Campanella's two run homer had given the Reps an early lead,
before Chuck Klein's sac fly made it 2-1. No sooner had the Reps gotten their
two run lead back, than Rogers Hornsby attoned for an error with a solo homer to
make it 3-2. But Jim "Catifsh" Hunter, in relief of Carl Hubbell, allowed three
runs in the 8th as the Reps sealed the win. Hunter, who had been the
frontrunner for Season 13 Man of the Year, perhaps lost a step. Said Powers GM
J. Karas, who seems to talk like Yogi Berra ever since Berra left the team for
Burke: "It's a lot like Peter Warrick, where he was going to win the Heisman,
but now not. He didn't dunn good. But his ex teammate Warrick, I mean Dunn,
Dunn did Dunn good." .
Always enlightening.
The game concludes Week 3. Week 4 starts with a rematch of last year's World
Series--the Powers and Chips; and ends with a battle for 2nd place, between
Burke and Myers.
Hits: Reps 18, Powers 14
Winning pitcher: Rube Waddell
Losing pitcher: Hubbell
Save: Bob Feller
Wed, 10 Nov 1999
Red Dawgs 6, Titans 1: Trailing 1-0 in the 6th inning, the Myers Red Dawgs
(2-1) scored six unanswered runs in three innings, to hand a record 15th
straight loss to the Tri-City Titans (0-3). The Dawgs' attack was keyed by Nap
Lajoie, who was 3-3 with three RBIs; and Mickey Cochrane, who drove in Lajoie
once, then drove in himself with a solo homer. The Dawgs now have 2nd place by
tiebreaker over the Burke Upper-Deckers, who are also 2-1. They will meet in
Week 4 in a battle for 2nd place! Meanwhile, up next is a rematch of the World
Series of two seasons ago. The Reps have not scored a run yet this year; they
take on the defending HBWRL champion Powers in the conclusion of Week 3.
Hits: Red Dawgs 10, Titans 10
Winning pitcher: Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander
Losing pitcher: Lefty Gomez
Homeruns: Cochrane, Hank Aaron
Double: Lajoie
Caught stealing: Harry Heilmann
Upcoming game:
Karas Powers (1-1, Carl Hubbell) at Minneapolis Reps (0-2, Rube
Waddell)
Fri, 5 Nov 1999
Chips 4, Upper-Deckers 1 (13 innings): George Brett's three run blast in the
bottom of the 13th off of Rollie Fingers ended a pitchers' duel and marathon, as
the Silicon Valley Chips (3-0) took sole possession of first place, beating the
2nd place Burke Upper-Deckers (2-1), 4-1. It was the Chips' second straight win
in extra innings. They allowed just one run in each game. The Chips have also
won 11 of their last 12 in regular season play. Jim Palmer pitched nine
innings, allowing only a run in the first inning and nine hits, and struck out
nine, in a valiant effort for Burke. For the Chips, starter Christy Mathewson
allowed just one run in six innings--also for a no-decision. In addition, Dizzy
Dean pitched five innings of shutout relief for the Chips. It was the longest
game of the young season, and ended in a manner worthy of a battle for 1st
place.
1 out when winning runs scored
Game Winning RBI: Brett
Hits: Chips 16, Upper-Deckers 12
Winning pitcher: Tom Seaver
Losing pitcher: Fingers
Homeruns: Brett, Ken Griffey, Jr.
Double: Jim Rice
Stolen bases: Paul Molitor 2
Error: Arky Vaughan
Upcoming games: Tri-City Titans (0-2, Lefty Gomez) at Myers Red Dawgs (1-1,
Pete Alexander)
Karas Powers (1-1, Carl Hubbell) at Minneapolis Reps (0-2, Rube
Waddell)
Wed, 3 Nov 1999
Powers 7, Titans 0: Ed Reulbach was masterful in a four hit shutout, and Kiki
Cuyler hit a three run homer as the Karas Powers (1-1) handed the Tri-City
Titans (0-2) a record 14th consecutive defeat. Cuyler's homer came with none
out in the top of the 1st off of hapless Titans starter Warren Spahn, who
allowed seven earned runs in just under seven innings of work. Honus Wagner led
off the game by walking on a 3-2 pitch, followed by a Joe Jackson single. Then
Cuyler's homer made it 3-0 Powers. That was all the "help" that Reulbach, who
never allowed a Titan to reach third base (and second base only once) needed.
The result concludes Week 2. No game tomorrow, but tune in on Friday for a
battle of the unbeatens, as Silicon Valley and Burke battle for league
supremacy!
Hits: Powers 13, Titans 4
Winning pitcher: Reulbach
Losing pitcher: Spahn
Homeruns: Cuyler, Gabby Hartnett
Error: Wagner
Mon, 1 Nov 1999
Chips 3, Red Dawgs 1 (10 innings): In a tense ("the tensest!") game in which
the result matched the dramatic subplot result, the Silicon Valley Chips (2-0)
outlasted the Myers Red Dawgs (1-1), 3-1 in 10 innings. Stan Musial accounted
for all three Chips' runs, hitting a solo homer off Whitey Ford in the 2nd
inning to give the Chips an early 1-0 lead; and a two run homer off Ron Guidry
in the 10th inning to win the game. Mickey Cochrane's solo homer accounted for
the Dawgs' only run. The game also featured a grudge match that was 80 years in
the making. Chips starter Carl Mays killed Dawgs shortstop Ray Chapman with a
pitch in 1919. But, this being the day after Halloween, Chapman was perhaps
"still spooked," and Mays was in top form, as Chapman went 0-3. Mays was
masterful in his debut as a starter, allowing just one run on six hits in 9.2
innings. Dizzy Dean retired Cochrane to record the final out and get the save.
The Chips (for the moment) have sole possession of 1st place. They lead Burke
by 1/2 game.
Hits: Chips 12, Red Dawgs 6
Winning pitcher: C. Mays
Losing pitcher: Guidry
Save: Dean
Homeruns: Musial 2, Cochrane
Doubles: Nap Lajoie, Barry Bonds
Stolen base: Rod Carew
Caught stealing: Tris Speaker, Frank Baker, Johnny Bench
Error: Baker
Upcoming games:
Minneapolis Reps (0-1, Mordecai Brown) at Burke
Upper-Deckers (1-0, Cy Young)
Karas Powers (0-1, Ed Reulbach) at Tri-City Titans (0-1, Warren
Spahn)
Thu, 28 Oct 1999
Upper-Deckers 2, Powers 1:
In a tightly contested pitchers' duel with a dramatic finish, the Burke
Upper-Deckers (1-0) scored runs in the 7th and 8th innings to beat the defending
champion Karas Powers (0-1), 2-1. "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's homerun in the 4th
inning was the only "mistake" made by Burke starter Walter Johnson, who held the
Powers to just six hits. Jackson's left field counterpart, Jim Rice, returned
the favor by homering over Jackson's head, to the upper-deck, in the 7th. That
made it 1-1. Then with last year's MVP, Ken Griffey Jr., at first base, Mickey
Mantle's routine single was misplayed by the Powers' Fred Clarke. Mantle ended
up at third, and Griffey scored an unearned run. Griffey and Mantle combined
for six hits, tying the Powers' team total.
The Powers had a chance to win in the bottom of the 9th. With 1 out, Kiki
Cuyler singled; as did Chuck Klein. But Johnson got former Upper-Decker Frank
Thomas to hit into a game ending double play. That tagged Powers starter Addie
Joss with the loss, despite the fact that he allowed only one earned run in a
complete game effort.
Next "week": 80 years ago, Carl Mays killed Ray Chapman with a pitch. Now,
Chapman gets a long awaited chance for revenge, as Mays is the starting pitcher
for the Chips, against rookie Chapman and the Red Dawgs. Mays played for the
Red Dawgs last year, so the game is laced with (non-Socratic) irony of the J.
Henry Waugh type. The winner will have at least a share of 1st place. We'll
see you then!
Wed, 27 Oct 1999
Chips 5, Titans 4:
The Tri-City Titans scored three unanswered runs to rally from a 5-1 deficit,
but ultimately lost their 13th straight as the Silicon Valley Chips (1-0) edged
them, 5-4. The result snaps a five game losing streak for the Chips. Prior to
that, the Chips had won eight straight. Both teams' centerfielders made
critical errors in the game. In the bottom of the 4th, the Chips led 1-0 with
runners on 2nd and 3rd and none out. George Brett's routine single was
misplayed by Willie Mays, allowing Brett to take second and two runs to score.
The second (unearned) run proved to be critical, as the Chips needed all five
runs to win.
With one out in the top of the 9th, Harry Heilmann hit a ball in the gap that Ty
Cobb made a diving try for. He came up short, and it was ruled a two base error
for Heilmann in a tough break for Cobb. The next batter, Hank Aaron, grounded
out to second, moving Heilmann to third. That put the tying run at third base
with two out in the ninth inning for Titans newcomer Johnny Mize. Although Mize
was 2-5 on the day, he struck out during this at-bat, as Juan Marichal went the
distance and the Chips hung on to win.
Hits: Chips 15, Titans 14
Winning pitcher: Marichal
Losing pitcher: Bob Gibson
Homerun: Al Simmons
Double: Joe DiMaggio
Caught stealing: Mike Schmidt, Johnny Bench
Errors: W. Mays, Cobb
Upcoming game: Burke Upper-Deckers (Walter Johnson) at Karas Powers (Addie
Joss)
Dawgs Run Circles Around Reps
Tue, 26 Oct 1999
Red Dawgs 5, Reps 0: The Myers Red Dawgs (1-0) improved to 3-0 on opening day,
and stole more bases (3) than they did all of last season (1), with a 5-0
pounding of the Minneapolis Reps (0-1). The game was not even as close as the
score would indicate, as the Reps never got a runner as far as third base, and
reached second base only once. Wilbur Cooper pitched a shutout for the newly
speedy Dawgs, who scored single runs in five different innings, including the
first three. George Sisler, acquired from the Titans during the draft, led the
Dawgs' offensive attack, going 3-5 with a run scored, an RBI, and two stolen
bases.
Hits: Red Dawgs 17, Reps 5
Winning pitcher: W. Cooper
Losing pitcher: Ed Walsh
Stolen bases: Sisler 2, Barry Bonds, Eddie Collins
Caught stealing: Ray Chapman
Error: Collins
Upcoming games:
Tri-City Titans (Bob Gibson) at Silicon Valley Chips (Juan Marichal)
Burke Upper-Deckers (Walter Johnson) at Karas Powers (Addie Joss)
Click here to view results of Season 13 Games:
October 26 - November 27,1999 (~)
