Today’s games included a 2-1 pitchers duel, a 10-6 slug fest, a 5-4 nail biter, and a 8-2 rout which was very competitive until the 6th inning. The game stories are listed below. Bullet Joe Rogan turned in the best pitching performance for the New York Black Yankees, and Mike Schmidt was a terror at the plate for the Kansas City Monarchs, going 4 for 5 with 2 HR’s and 5 RBI.
Today’s Player Focus post is on the right fielder for my St. Louis team, Oscar “Heavy” Johnson. Johnson went 5 for 7 in his two games, with a double and a home run. He is slashing .667/1.286/1.952. OK, I know it was only two games, but his Strat-O-Matic card is built on a .430/.600/1.030 slash line, which is still pretty solid.
negroleagueshistory.com
Results
NYC 2 at BIR 1
KMG 10 at DSG 6
WHG 5 at NWK 4
STL 8 at PCG 2
Summaries
NEW YORK AT BIRMINGHAM
NEW YORK AT BIRMINGHAM Black Yankees... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 - 2 9 0 Black Barons.... 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 7 1 Win:Rogan(1-0) Loss:Salmon(0-1) Save:Fingers(2nd)
At the ballpark, the Birmingham fans witnessed a great pitcher’s duel. Bullet Joe Rogan(1-0) finally bested his Birmingham opposite, Harry Salmon(0-1), by the score of 2 to 1.
The game was decided in the top of the 8th inning. After an out was recorded, Charles Blackwell smacked a single. After another out, Blackwell took his lead and swiped second. Willie Wells then was walked intentionally. Eddie Mathews came up and he slapped a single scoring the run. Mathews took second on the throw. New York rapped out 9 hits for the afternoon.
Rollie Fingers got the save, his 2nd. Salmon was tagged with the loss. ‘It wasn’t my best outing, but I’ll take the win’ Rogan said.
KANSAS CITY AT DETROIT
Monarchs........ 2 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 2 - 10 14 1 Stars........... 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 - 6 11 1 Win:Nichols(1-0) Loss:Smith(0-1) Save:McDonald(1st) Homeruns- C.Gehringer-2(2nd), M.Schmidt-2(2nd), B.Dickey(1st), W.Wright(2nd), V.Harris(1st)
Mike Schmidt cracked 2 homeruns and had 5 RBI as the Kansas City Monarchs bested the Detroit Stars 10 to 6 at Mack Park.
Schmidt was really in ‘the zone’. He stroked a one-base hit which brought home a run in the 1st inning, cracked a two-run shot in the 5th inning, ripped a base-hit in the 7th inning and cleared the fences for a two-run home run in the 9th inning. Kansas City ended up with 14 hits for the game while Detroit had 11.
The win went to Kid Nichols(1-0) who allowed 2 runs in 4 and 2/3 innings. Nichols got help from Webster McDonald who earned his 1st save. Hilton Smith(0-1) suffered the loss. He was touched for 3 homeruns in his 5 innings of work.
‘It’s just about getting in a good hitting position and just going out there and being prepared,’ Schmidt said. ‘You try to hit in your own capacity and not do too much. I just try to have a good approach, day after day, game by game, and pitch by pitch.’
WASHINGTON AT NEWARK
Homestead Grays. 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 5 8 0 Eagles.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 - 4 10 2 Win:Cooper(1-0) Loss:Bell(0-1) Save:Wilhelm(1st)
One run was the difference at the ballpark as the Washington Homestead Grays defeated the Newark Eagles 5 to 4.
Obviously without his best stuff, Andy Cooper(1-0) still hung on to pick up the win. He gave up 4 runs in 5 and 1/3 innings. Newark had a chance to come back in the 9th but they came up short.
Hoyt Wilhelm preserved the game for Cooper, recording his his 1st save. The losing pitcher was William Bell(0-1). He pitched 8 and 2/3 innings and surrendered 8 hits and 1 walk.
ST. LOUIS AT PITTSBURGH
Stars........... 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 1 - 8 15 0 Crawfords....... 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 5 2 Win:Day(1-0) Loss:Jones(0-1)
Leon Day went 9 solid innings as the St. Louis Stars defeated the Pittsburgh Crawfords by a score of 8 to 2 at Greenlee Field.
Day(1-0) looked very much in control throughout the day. He didn’t give up much, just 5 hits and 1 walk in 9 innings. St. Louis finished with 15 hits in the victory.
Slim Jones(0-1) absorbed the loss. He got hit pretty hard, allowing 14 hits and 5 walks in 8 innings. ‘All of my pitches were working today,’ Day said. ‘I felt really good out there, and heck, I think I could have gone longer.’