 |
 |
| TIE = This Is England: They have been doing things this way for a thousand years and they aren't going to change because you are here. |
| Home | About the HNBA | Constitution | Forum | League Home | Utilities | Owners | Traded Picks | Downloads | Great Performances | Test History |
 |
26 December, 1926 |
As players, arbitrators, and team representatives arrive for today's salary arbitration hearings, a sense of anxiety can be felt across Home Nations Baseball Association. Only the arbitrator, a man who will never hit a home run or pitch a no-hitter, will determine the winners and losers, while onlookers settle in for a restless night of sleep. General managers and owners can feel satisfied that, at least when the decisions are announced tomorrow, they will have a better understanding of their financial picture heading into the offseason.
Fans of the HNBA, supporters of the various clubs, pundits and the curious gathered at the Royal Albert Hall to witness the HNBA First Year Player Draft. The early assessment was that there was a lack of talented bowlers, but some stars and sleepers existed from which clubs could fill weak areas in their squads. The Sussex Sharks had the first pick of the draft.
While most people thought they knew who the first selection of the draft was to be, there is always an air of suspense in the hall until the commissioner, The Ol' Gaffer, announces that selection. "With the first selection in this year's draft the Sussex Sharks select Starting Bowler Case Patten." Although the selection was cheered by the many of the Shark supporters in attendance, it stunned a great many pundits and Shark supporters as well. It started a draft with many twists and turns.
As is the custom following the final test match, His Majesty, King George V, presents the Royal Medallion of the Tested to each squad's MVP.
For the champion Hawks, it was a close call between SS Arky Vaughn and 1B George Sisler. Both had nearly identical statistics, but the nod went to George Sisler. Sisler had 28 hits, with 6 doubles and 4 four balls. He hit .242 with 1 .480 OBP, 697 slugging, scored 12 runs and drove in 16. He also had 5 steals.
For the Steelbacks, the award went to 2B Cupid Childs. Childs hit .321 with a .413 OBP scored 9 runs and stole two bases.
It was a hard fought battle for both
teams to make it this far. But as the saying goes, to the victors go
the spoils: Hampshire got the Home Nations Baseball Association World
Test trophy today with a 6-1 victory over Northamptonshire at Rose
Bowl. The Hawks won their 4th championship after taking the series with
the Steelbacks 4-2.
"They've got grit!" one fan told a Sky Sports scribe, "They know how to
win when they have to. They're the World Cup Champions!"
The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first place
finish in the Celtic Cornish Division and a 98-64 won-loss record.
The Hawks tried to set the tone early in the Rose Bowl by jumping on George Ruth with 4 in the first. They scored another in the third and chased Ruth to the showers in the 4th with 4 more tallies and a 9-0 lead, From there Phillippe just let the defense prevail as Hampshire won match 1, 9-2.
In match 2 it was again Hampshire who scored first with 2 runs in the third. However Northamptonshire battled back with a a pair of single runs in the 6th and 7th. That pushed the match to extra time where McAleer singled home the winning run in the 13.
As the test moved to County Ground, Hampshire scored first as they plated 3 in the third around doubles from Tobin and Vaughn. The Steelbacks rebounded quickly to score 2 in their half of the third. However, the key blow was a solo four-ball by bowler Jim Rooker, which put Northamptonshire ahead 4-3 in the 7th and they closed it out from there to lead 2 matches to 1.
The excitement level was high for match 4 as George Ruth took the mound for a Steelbacks team known for home wins. Things soured in the 2nd. After retiring Sisler to lead off the inning Ruth immediately called out the physio. It wasn't long before both were headed to the clubhouse. Whether it was that the Steelbacks suffered a let down, the quiet atmosphere from a stunned set of supporters or Deacon Phillippe's stuff, but Northamptonshire could muster oly three singles as the Hawks won easily 5-0.
Match 5 was viewed by both squads as a must win. Northamptonshire didn't want to go back to the Rose Bowl needing to win 2, nor did they want to lose two at home where the supporters have been outstanding. The Hawks could think of nothing better than going home with the lead. The capacity crowd at Country Ground was still settling in when Alan Trammell slammed a 2-run four ball to give the Steelbacks and Leon Carore a 2-nil lead. The Hawks got 1 back in the third on a Sisler double and a Walker single. But with the Steelback supporters cheering every strike it was all Cadore as he shut down the Hawk offense into the 7th. After two quick outs, O'Farrell reached on an error by Boeckel. That seemed to break Leon's rythmn and the Hawks jumped quickly. Rice singled, Tobin doubled, Sisler singled and Walker hit a 3-run four ball and suddenly in was 6-2 Hawks. Northamptonshire got one back in the bottom of the 9th, but they would be going back to the Rose Bowl one match from elimination.
19,800 Hawks supporters packed the Rose Bowl hoping this would be the final test match. Northhamptonshire scored first on a single, a botched sacrifice, two walks and a fielder's choice. It turned out to be their best offense. The Haws scored 3 in the 4th when Vaughn worked a 15 pitch base on balls. Daily singled, Wisterzil doubled, Rawlings singled and Coleman singled for a 3-1 Hawk advantage. A run in the 5th and 2 more in the 7th was more than Coleman was going to need as he limited the Steelbacks to 5 singles. It was on to the celebration.
The 1926 World Test match will feature each league's most successful club. The Northamptonshire Steelbacks, coming off their 4th British Cup will face 5 time Celtic Cup winner, Hampshire Hawks. These clubs have meet in the World Test twice before, with each winning once. In the inaugural campaign, the Steelbacks bested the Hawks enroute to the first of their 2 consecutive World Cup titles. They met again in 1923, with the Hawks winning the second of their three straight World Cup titles.
So who will it be in 1926? Northamptonshire comes in hot, having swept to wins in both the Divisional Test and Lesague Test matches. While not unbeaten in test matches, Hampshire comes in with the HNBA's best record and best offense and are playing with quality at the moment. Two clubs with storyed histories. This has the makings of a classic test.
The British League Test matches feature both wild card squads as both Northamptonshire and Surrey were able to dispatch the two Division title winners.
The Celtic League Test matches feature the top two teams in the Celtic this season. Cornish rivals Hampshire and Somerset will renew their battles with the Celtic Cup on the line.
Playoff baseball generates a reaction in every fan. To the fan of the perennial loser, it's a time to moan again about their team's misfortune. To the fan whose club defines success by the number of World Test championship trophies lining their clubhouse walls, anything short of the ultimate victory is a disaster. This is playoff baseball. Baseball lovers can't help but be consumed by it in some way or another. There is nothing better than playoff baseball.
These Divisional Test battles will
unfold later today:
Surrey Brown Caps versus Kent Spitfires
Northamptonshire Steelbacks versus Leicestershire Foxes
Glamorgan Dragons versus Hampshire Hawks
Somerset Sabres versus Larne Pirates
After 162 games the composition of the test matches is still unknown. All the questions exist in the Celtic League. In the Cumbria Division, Limavady, Lancashire and Larne all finished tied at the top of the table. Also the second wild card spot was level between Clontarf and Glamorgan. The Cumbria squads will play each other once until the tie is resolved. Clontarf and Glamorgan will have a one match playoff after the Cumbria Division is decided.
Limavady had an opportunity to clinch the division on the last day holding a 1 game lead over Lightning and the Pirates. However, they fell to Larne 7-6 in 10 innings.
The British League was not without its excitement on the last day. Worcestershire had moved to within a game of both Northamptonshire and Surrey. A victory over Warwickshire and a loss by either the Steelbacks or the Brown Caps would have forced a playoff in the British as well. However, the Royals were stopped on 2 hits by the Bear's Pinkey Hawley and both Northamptonshire and Surrey won their matches.
As has been been the story all season, the batsmen not the bowlers have been the story in 1926. Down 6-3 in the 8th inning, the British scored 3 to level the match and another 3 in the 10th to beat the Celtic side 9-6 at the Rose Bowl, in a match that saw 25 hits.
Showing their usual quality it was the Steelback batsmen with the key hits. Cupid Childs had the bases clearing double off Pirate substitute Bill Landrum in the 8th to level the match. Chick Stahl's two run four ball off Sabre closer Trevor Hoffman was the winning blow in the 10th. Gentile drove in Childs with the insurance score.
In a losing effort, Larne CF Vada Pinson was awarded the Man of the Match. Pinson was 2 for 3 with a four ball and four RBIs.
It's that time of the season again, when
the best of the best battle it out for Home Nations Baseball
Association bragging rights.
Yes, its time for the annual All-Star game!
The British All-Stars will take on the Celtic All-Stars in a
star-studded showdown.
Leading the way for the British All-Stars will be:
C J. Bard (LEI)
C M. Nokes (ESS)
1B J. Judge (WOR)
1B J. Gentile (SUR)
2B R. Hornsby (WAR)
2B C. Childs (NOR)
3B G. Brett (LEI)
3B A. Beltre (ESS)
SS B. Klaus (LEI)
SS L. Bowa (KEN)
CF T. Speaker (WOR)
CF W. Mays (NOT)
LF K. Williams (SUR)
RF C. Stahl (NOR)
RF R. Sierra (LEI)
SP S. Jones (NOT)
SP J. Pfeffer (LEI)
SP E. Siever (WOR)
SP B. McDonald (KEN)
SP J. Key (LEI)
MR G. Knight (YOR)
CL T. Gordon (NOR)
MR J. Enzmann (KEN)
MR J. Qker (SUR)
MR J. Rincon (SUS)
While the Celtic will feature these star players:
C J. Estrada (BUC)
C C. Bennett (SOM)
1B G. Sisler (HAM)
1B A. Pujols (CLO)
SS J. Jordan: (SOM)
CF C. Tovar(LAN)
3B D. Hansen (LUR)
3B B. Dillinger (PEM)
SS A. Vaughan (HAM)
SS E. Johnson (LAN)
RF B. Abreu (BUC)
CF J. Statz (LIM)
RF R. Ibanez (PEM)
RF J. Tobin (HAM)
CF V. Pinson (LAR)
SP C. Buffinton (GLA)
SP K. Nichols (BUC)
SP R. Ford (CLO)
SP D. Phillippe (HAM)
SP J. Coleman (HAM)
MR T. Hoffman (SOM)
CL B. Landrum (LAR)
MR M. Myers (HAM)
MR J. Brantley (BUC)
MR M. Murakami (PEM)
For the squads of the HNBA, springtime in 1926 is over. Clubs have questions to answer as the heat of the races begin. The 1926 campaign already has some surprises and the exciting set of matches up to the trade deadline, two months hence, will seperate the pretenders from the contenders.
So far 1926 has been the year of the offense. Team batting averages are the highest in HNBA history, led by The Hawks incredible .302 team mark. George Sisler is again on the chase for that elusive .400 season. His .434 mark paces the batsmen.
Of course, if the batsmen are happy the bowlers are not. League ERAs are up 10% over last season, as the bowlers struggle. Still some bowlers have still prospered. Northamptonshire's Juan Pizarro is 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA. Hampshire's Joe Coleman is 9-0, The Outlaws' Sad Sam Jones is 7-3, with 1.89 ERA and Bull's Russ Ford is 6-3 with 1.92 ERA. So dominant attacks from the bowlers is possible.
The big surprise is - what is wrong with the Bulls? The defending champions have struggled from the start. They are 22-27, in 5th position in the Cornish, a full 13 games behind Hampshire. One only has to look at the batsmen. While the rest of the league is feasting, Clontarf has a team average of .216 which is clearly the worst (can you say Team Mendoza?). GM Wolfson has just dealt their third best batsman,CF Happy Felsch (hitting .223). While only 6 back from the wild card, there is serious concern in northern Ireland this season.
Clontarf is not the only World Test participant in trouble. British cup holder Warwickshire has fallen further than their Celtic counterpart. The Bears are 19-30, bottom in the Midlands table. In Warwickshire's case, it would appear that the a drop in the quality of their bowlers is their difficulty. With only Sussex holding a worse record at the moment, the Bears must pass most of the squads to be able to return to the cup matches.
There are some constants in the HNBA. Northamptonshire looks to have returned to challenge as the British's best squad. In addition to Pizarro, Jim Rooker looks to have returned to form as a top drawer starting bowler. The talk of the league continues to be RF Chick Stahl who is leading the Steelbacks on offense. With the Essex slump this month, The Northants have opened up a 4 game advantage over Surrey. The Brown Caps have also returned to championship form.
The Celtic is still paced by Hampshire. We noted their .302 team average, and they will get all-star RF Sam Rice back from a 10 month injury. That will certainly not be good news for the Celtic bowlers who have to face the Hawks. Pembroke and Somerset are chasing, albeit 7 back, but they also set the wild card pace as the Cumbria squads still can't consistently challenge the Cornish sides.
In the crucial next 2 months, decisions made on the pitch and maybe the boardroom will be key. Despite some tough starts, it would appear that only Sussex could be ruled out of the cup chase. Despite their starts the Bears and Bulls clearly have opportunities, if they can answer the questions being asked of them. After the all star match we should be able to sort out the contenders and thus determine the buyers and the sellers for the trade deadline.
The exciting times of summer are upon us.
The offseason is over at last. Spring
training has come and gone and it is now time to play ball.
The 1926 Home Nations Baseball Association season begins today. Some
teams have changed, but the game is still the same.
Another great baseball season is here and you can check out these teams
on this year's Opening Day schedule:
Warwickshire Bears @ Nottinghamshire Outlaws
Derbyshire Phantoms @ Leicestershire Foxes
Yorkshire Phoenix @ Worcestershire Royals
Essex Eagles @ Surrey Brown Caps
Sussex Sharks @ Middlesex Crusaders
Larne Pirates @ Lurgan Setters
Buckie Whalers @ Limavady Greyhounds
Hampshire Hawks @ Glamorgan Dragons
Gloucestershire Gladiators @ Pembroke Red Foxes
Few things are settled in spring training, despite the laid back, carefree atmosphere. Clubs will be confronted with the possibility that some of their younger talent might be ready for the professional ranks, while some of their older mainstays might be slowing. Roster spots will be fought over, trade possibilities will bubble, clubs will get a chance to evaluate their minor league rosters, and have an early glimpse of their upcoming squad.
The 1925 HNBA winter meetings was held at the Celtic Manor in Newport Wales. Host to the 2012 Ryder Cup, the Celtic Manor was ideal for the HNBA GMs to get together, play some golf, drink some single malts and discuss the state and direction of the HNBA.
Between all the meetings, on and off the course, there were some deals discussed. Player agents were certainly at the pubs looking to pitch their clients. Marquis Grissom and Tito Francona are the two biggest names on the market.
| Club News |
This is the day the Home Nations Baseball Association waits all season for, as today begins the World Test Match. The HNBA couldn’t have scripted the match any better as two of the league’s most popular clubs face each other. The Northamptonshire Steelbacks versus the Hampshire Hawks, or Northampton versus Southampton. This will be the third time the two clubs meet for the World Cup, and will be the rubber match with each club taking home the Cup once. Let’s break this match-up down into its key areas and see who has the advantage.
It’s tough to gauge a match up between two clubs who haven’t faced each other, and who have no common opponents. That said, the Hawks get the edge here mostly due to depth. The Hawks have a deep team and can throw a lot at you in most areas. They have different players who will start depending on the handedness of the opposing pitcher, and are well equipped to deal with injuries.
The teams are closely matched in the area of opening bowlers. Hampshire’s 3.26 starter’s ERA was good for 3rd in the Celtic League, and the Northant’s 3.58 starter’s ERA was good for 4th in the British League. However, the Northants’ best bowler sits on the DL right now, and Babe Ruth can only carry the team so much. The Northants are living off a strict 3-man rotation right now, and any injury could kill their chances. The Hawks, however, have a full compliment of 5 bowlers they trust with post-season starts.
Ask any manager what he wants from his bullpen and he’ll answer consistency and dependability. The back end of the Northant’s bullpen epitomizes these two characteristics. Setup man Jay Howell & Closer Tom Gordon might be the best at what they do in the history of the HNBA. The Hawks, on the other hand, have some question marks in the Closer’s role since Bruce Sutter lost the handle on his stuff and was demoted. Al Epperly has filled the role so far in the post-season, but sits on a 5.79 post-season ERA. As a whole for the season the numbers are almost the reverse of the Starters' ERAs. The Northants have a 3.38 Bullpen ERA which was good for 3rd in the BL, and the Hawks have a 3.54 ERA in the bullpen, good for 6th in the CL.
Man for man Hampshire has superior defenders at every position except maybe CF, and that’s close. The comparison holds even when factoring in Hampshire platoon players. A look at every statistical department for defense shows the Hawks are just better.
In 1926 the Hampshire Hawks hit at a near unimaginable .294 pace that makes the second place Northants’ .274 look hit starved. Led by the HNBA’s first .400 player in George Sisler the Hawks also led the league with a .356 OBP. The Steelbacks were again the bride’s maid in this stat with a .353 OBP. Clearly both teams can hit, but the Hampshire offense has played at a level that is the stuff of legends.
You might be waiting for me to wax poetic about the mighty bat of Babe Ruth, and certainly that is one intangible advantage the Northants hold. However, the main intangible on the table is that the Northants are red hot, and have yet to lose a game in the test matches. Despite their best SB and all-star caliber OF sitting on the DL, they have played their best baseball of the season. If they keep playing as they have so far in the Tests, we could be looking at a huge upset.
While a piece of me would love to predict an upset by the Northants, I just don’t see it. Hampshire has once again put together the best team in the HNBA, and done so in a season where parity was king. Look for an early end to the Northants’ post season winning streak, and an eventual 4th World Cup for the Hampshire Hawks.
It was an interesting year for the Worcestershire Royals, and definitely what could be summed up as a year of change. Starting before the 1925 draft and ending just before the deadline, the Royals made changes at C, SS, 3B, RF, and 3 of 5 starting pitchers. The highest risk move was probably moving on from Carlos Zambrano, but the Royals organization is in hopes that Alan Anderson and the resulting #1 pick will pan out well in the future. In making all of these moves, the Royals were able to have a very successful season, being eliminated from the playoffs only on the last day of the season. They managed to lead the British league in ERA, and were 3rd best in all of the HNBA behind Clontarf and Hampshire. They also scored enough runs to put together the best Pythagorean record in the British league, and were second only to Hampshire in all of the HNBA. Team management is hoping that a good off-season (draft and other roster moves) will result in a first playoff appearance for the Royals under the current GM.
HAMPSHIRE (Times) - The Hawks will once again battle the Steelbacks for the 1926 World Cup. It will be a contest of pitching and fundemental baseball as the Hawks and Steelbacks rank 24th and 23rd respectfully in four balls. However, they rank first and second in average with the Hawks flirting with .300 most of the season before ending at .294 as compared to the Steelbacks .274. The Hawks also hold held a season record for only surrendering the stumps 531 times all season. (230 better than the next best and 320 better than Northamptonshire). Hampshire also stole twice as many bases as Northamptonshire.
The bowlers for Hampsire were equally impressive. Their team ERA of 3.27 was second while the Steelbacks were 10th at 3.57. The Hawks also led the HNBA in opponents batting average allowing the opposition to hit only .226 as compared to the Steelbacks .249. Also the Hawks 15 shutouts was league best.
Finally on the defensive end, the Hawks committed the second fewest errors in the HNBA with 116 as compared to the Steelbacks 144.
Without knowing the history of the two clubs, it would certainly point to the Hawks as the favorites and they have been established in that role by the punters. However, relative records usually mean little in this matchup. Ruth has been particularly effective against the Hawks over the years and figures to get 3 starts. The view here is that for the Hawks to win they must win at least one against Ruth. Figuring that to happen then it should be the Hawks in 6.
Yesterday the Northamptonshire Steelbacks completed a series sweep of the Surrey Brown Caps in the British League Test Match. The 4 game sweep gives the Northants their 4th British Cup in the first seven seasons of Home Nations Baseball Association history. The sweep is the second of this post season for the Northants who remain undefeated in the 1926 Test Matches. Lets take a game-by-game look at this series.
In this first game Babe Ruth came out
getting outs while the offense piled it on. Ruth would go the full 9 IP
and only allow 1 run on a Jim Gentile single in the 4th. The
Northants’ offense would put up runs in 6 of the 8 frames
they hit in, and 4 Northants had a two hit game. Basically, the Brown
Caps were never in this game from start to finish.
Player of the Game- NOR SP George "Babe" Ruth
Surrey got off to a quick start in this
game. Max Flack led off the game with a solo HR for the Brown Caps.
Then RBI singles by Dean Palmer & Ethan Allen gave Surrey a 3-0
after the top of the first. That was the last time they would score off
Leon Cadore. In the bottom of the 1st the Northants would answer right
back scoring on a double by Chck Stahl, a single by Phil Weintraub, and
a 2 run single by Jimmy McAleer. The Northants would go into the 2nd up
4-3. In the bottom of the second Leon Cadore would triple to lead off
the inning, and would be driven in by a Cupid Childs sacrifice fly. The
game would remain 5-3 into the 9th. At that point, Jack McKeon would
hand over the game to Flash Gordon who would allow a lead off double in
the 9th, but Flack would be thrown out trying to stretch it into a
triple. Gordon would then strike out Pete Rose, and get Ken Williams to
fly out to lock down the save.
Player of the Game- SUR RF Max Flack
The game would see the Northants draw
first blood in the top of the 2nd. Muddy Ruel would hit a one out bases
loaded sac fly to score Phil Weintraub. Surrey would answer in the
bottom of the 4th with a Ken Williams solo HR. However, in the top of
the 5th inning the Northants would simply blow it open. In the inning
they would collect 3 walks, 5 singles, and 2 doubles scoring a total of
8 runs and taking a 9-1 lead. The brown Caps would add 4 runs over the
next 4 innings while the Northants would only collect 1 more. However,
the game was all but lost after the explosive 5th inning. The crowd was
out of it, and Northants pitchers were on cruise control.
Player of the Game- NOR 1B Phil Weintraub
The Northants would storm out of the
gate putting up 3 runs in the top of the 1st on 3 hits and 1 walk. The
Brown caps would get one in the bottom of the inning as Ken Williams
hit a solo shot off Babe Ruth. However, Ruth himself would answer in
the top of the second picking up a solo shot off Surrey ace Dazzy
Vance. The Northants didn’t take their foot off the gas
picking up 4 more runs in the top of the third while Ruth kept sitting
down Brown Caps. When all was said and done, the northants had put up
11 runs on 10 hits, & Ruth had another dominant post season
complete game win under his belt. Most importantly all the Northants
players had a chance at holding the coveted British Cup which they were
taking back to Northampton for the 4th time.
Player of the Game- NOR SP George "Babe" Ruth
NOR SP George
“Babe” Ruth
Bowling 2W, 18IP, 1.50ERA, 9K, 3BB, 11H, 1HR
Hitting 1/5, 4BB, 2R, 1HR
Today the Northamptonshire Steelbacks host the Surrey Brown Caps in the first game of the best of seven British League Test Match. This marks the second time the Coastal Division rivals meet for the British Cup. In 1923 it was the Northants defeating Surrey in six games. This season it is a match of the two BL wild cards, and should be an entertaining series. Let’s look at the key areas of the game and who has the advantage.
The Northants get their second consecutive favorable match up in the Test matches. They dominated the Brown Caps in 1926 winning 13 of 18. With home field advantage one has to look at the Northants’ 52-29 home record. Despite being 40-41 on the road the Northants were 7-2 at Surrey’s Brit Oval. The Northants have to be welcoming the Brown caps to County Ground with open arms, and glad to see the Spitfires fall.
Babe Ruth alone was 5-0 against Surrey with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.14 Whip. With the announcement of the Northants going to a 3-man rotation the Northants will send Ruth up against Surrey 3 times. In all Surrey will face a lefty 5 times in this series. This could expose a huge disadvantage, as Surrey was 10-24 this season against lefties. A close look at the Surrey lineup shows thar every hitter except Juan Uribe struggled against Northants’ lefties. All this only exacerbates the struggles of Surrey pitchers against the Northants’ lineup.
The parts are similar in talent and performance. That said the Northants simply have a clearer structure to their bullpen and a clearer bridge to their closer. Both clubs have talented closers who produce saves. Surrey’s Jeff Gray had 29 saves this year and is 2nd all time with 204. However, the Northants’ Flash Gordon had 30 this season, and is 1st all time with 211. Gordon simply has better stuff and movement on his pitches while Gray is more of a control pitcher out of the pen. Gordon also steps up his game in the postseason not giving up a run in 4 of his six post season appearances. Gordon has a 0.92 post-season ERA with 18 saves and a 4-2 record.
When one goes man for man through the lineups it’s close but clear that the Northants hold an advantage in defense. It starts with C Muddy Ruel, who was the 1925 defender of the year at backstop. The Northants hold an advantage at 3 of the 4 infield positions. The outfield sees the Northants with a slight advantage at CF and RF.
The Northants had the second best offense in the BL for 1926 scoring 4.9 R/G. The Brown caps were 4th with 4.7 R/G. However head to head the Northants outscored Surrey 89-67. A look at the lineups shows a clear hitting advantage for the Northants. 6 of the 8 regulars in the Northants’ lineup hit .300 or better against the Brown Caps. Of the 8 Brown Caps’ regulars only Max Flack hit .300 or better against the Northants. The numbers are significantly better for Surrey against Northants righties, but with the move to a three man rotation for the Northants, Surrey will get a steady diet of lefties Babe Ruth & Jim Rooker with a minimal amount of a tough righty in Leon Cadore mixed in.
This area is fairly consistent when the Northants are involved. The impact of the mighty bat of bowler Babe Ruth is always hard to quantify. He hit .316 during the season with 12 HR, and a 1.183 OPS. He has 5 career post season home runs to date and getting three starts in this series could place his bat squarely in center stage at some point.
This would be a very different article had the Kent Spitfires taken care of Surrey. That said, every thing about this match-up favors the Northants, and we should see them hoisting the British Cup when it’s over.
Yesterday the Northamptonshire Steelbacks completed a 3 game sweep of the Leicestershire Foxes. The sweep was no cakewalk for the Northants as the Foxes fought hard in all three games. For the series the Northants outscored the Foxes by only 4 runs. Let’s have a closer look at this great series game by game.
Babe Ruth dominated this game from start to finish. The Northants’ bowler went the full nine only allowing 1 run to the Foxes. Jeff Pfeffer pitched well through 7 for the Foxes allowing only 1 run on a Phil Weintraub single. However in the 8th Pfeffer got into trouble allowing another Weintraub RBI single. George Riley would come in and commit an error on a Jimmy McAleer ground ball that allowed the Northants to score their third & final run. That was all Ruth would need as the Nothants took home field advantage away from the Foxes. Player of the Game- NOR SP George Ruth
The key to this game was the Northants getting to Foxes’ opener Jimmy Key early. In the first inning it was an Alan Trammel single that scored Cupid Childs & Chick Stahl. In the second it was Northants’ bowler Leon Cadore helping himself with a single to score Jimmy Slagle. In the third a leadoff HR from Trammel put the Northants up 4-0. Then in the 5th, Muddy Ruel doubled in Phil Weintraub for what proved to be the game winning RBI. The Foxes picked up a run in the 5th when Johnny Wyrostek singled in Sparky Adams.. Then in the 7th the Foxes cut the deficit to 1 after singles by Ray Schmandt & Josh Bard put up 3 more runs.. In the bottom of the 9th the Northants would call on their closer Flash Gordon. He would deliver, sending the series back to Northampton with the Northants needing only one victory to take the match. Player of the Game- NOR SS Alan Trammell
Once again the Northants would score first, and score early. In the bottom of the 1st the Northants put up two runs on singles by Trammell & McAleer. However, the Foxes would answer back in the top of the 3rd. putting up 3 runs on a single by Billy Klaus, a single by Adams, a double by Bard, and a double by George Brett. The Northants immediately answered back as Stahl hit a solo HR in the bottom of the 3rd to tie it up. The top of the 4th would see the Foxes answer right back as Klaus would single in Willie McGee from 2nd. The Foxes would hold the lead until the bottom of the 6th. That inning the Northants would put up 3 on a 2 run HR by Weintraub, and an RBI single by. The 6-4 lead would not last long as the Foxes tied the game when C Josh Bard hit a 2 run HR in the top of the 7th. The tie would hold until the bottom of the 9th when the Northants would get the bases loaded with only 1 out. Jimmy Slagle would then hit a walk off sacrifice fly for the Northants to complete the sweep. Player of the Game- LEI C Josh Bard
NOR RF ChickStahl- 6/12, 2BB,2B, HR, 5R, 1RBI This result of this series should be of little surprise to anyone. The Northants match up well with the Foxes. They took the season series from the Foxes 8-4. They were particularly good at Grace Road. Beating the Foxes 5 of 6 at their home park. This was one of the few road parks where the Northants held an advantage. When the series went back to County Ground with the Northants up 2-0, it was all a foregone conclusion as the Northants were 52-29 at home this season.
The Dragons started out at the bottom of the Cornish Division and maybe all of the Celtic league. When Mr. Charlie Buffinton came off the DL, that sparked my team to start winning, We hoped to be close to making the playoff. Because of the salary cap last year the team traded George Brett to get under the cap figuring all hopes of having a chance to try for a play off spot out of this world until at least 1927, but with the addition of Frank Robinson the team was looking to the future, with the hopes of another good pick in the in the 1927 draft section making a stronger team.
| British Standings | ||||
| Midlands Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Leicestershire Foxes | 95 | 67 | .586 | - |
| Worcestershire Royals | 90 | 72 | .556 | 5.0 |
| Nottinghamshire Outlaws | 80 | 82 | .494 | 15.0 |
| Yorkshire Phoenix | 78 | 84 | .481 | 17.0 |
| Warwickshire Bears | 69 | 93 | .426 | 26.0 |
| Derbyshire Phantoms | 59 | 103 | .364 | 36.0 |
| Coastal Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Kent Spitfires | 96 | 66 | .593 | - |
| Northamptonshire Steelbacks | 92 | 70 | .568 | 4.0 |
| Surrey Brown Caps | 92 | 70 | .568 | 4.0 |
| Essex Eagles | 86 | 76 | .531 | 10.0 |
| Middlesex Crusaders | 70 | 92 | .432 | 26.0 |
| Sussex Sharks | 65 | 97 | .401 | 31.0 |
| Celtic Standings | ||||
| Cumbria Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Larne Pirates | 85 | 79 | .518 | - |
| Lancashire Lightning | 84 | 80 | .512 | 1.0 |
| Limavady Greyhounds | 83 | 81 | .506 | 2.0 |
| Durham Dynamos | 73 | 89 | .451 | 11.0 |
| Lurgan Setters | 72 | 90 | .444 | 12.0 |
| Buckie Whalers | 59 | 103 | .364 | 25.0 |
| Cornish Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Hampshire Hawks | 98 | 64 | .605 | - |
| Somerset Sabres | 94 | 68 | .580 | 4.0 |
| Glamorgan Dragons | 91 | 72 | .558 | 7.5 |
| Clontarf Bulls | 90 | 73 | .552 | 8.5 |
| Pembroke Red Foxes | 78 | 84 | .481 | 20.0 |
| Gloucestershire Gladiators | 69 | 93 | .426 | 29.0 |
Tris Speaker hit the baseball with consistency all month long and was voted the British's Batter of the Month for July. The Worcestershire center fielder batted .460 and posted 1 four ball, 17 RBIs and 20 runs scored. He also drew 18 walks for a .561 OBP. This year Speaker has socked 134 hits in 362 at-bats for a .370 average with 5 four balls. He is getting on base at a .464 pace and his totals also include 62 RBIs and 69 runs scored.
There was little doubt around the British that George Winter would be awarded Pitcher of the Month honors for July. Today, they made it official, naming the 29-year-old Worcestershire Royals starter the latest honoree. He thoroughly dominated the hitters who stood in against him, holding them to a .206 batting average while fashioning a 1.68 ERA in 6 starts. His record for the month was 5-1 in 48.1 innings of work. So far this season Winter has a 10-10 record with a 2.53 ERA.
Phil Weintraub> certainly made his presence felt in the British in July. The gifted first baseman for Northamptonshire ripped opposing pitchers for a .352 batting average and was the top votegetter for the Rookie of the Month trophy. He won it by going 32-91 in 25 games with 3 four balls, 17 RBIs and 17 runs scored. For the year Weintraub is batting .302 with 113 hits and 11 four balls. He has scored 59 times and driven in 68.
In July, George Sisler swung a sweet bat and put together a solid month to win the Celtic Batter of the Month. The Hampshire first baseman batted .419 with 1 four ball, 22 RBIs and 20 runs scored. In the 1926 season Sisler is hitting .418 with 7 four balls.
When Charlie Buffinton takes the mound, a Glamorgan victory is usually the result. At least that's the way it was in May. He excelled with a 5-0 mark and a 2.30 ERA in 5 starts, tossed 43 innings, fanned 31 and held opposing batters to a .239 average. That's why the Dragons starter was honored today as the Pitcher of the Month by the Celtic. In 1926 Buffinton has a 15-3 record with a 2.26 ERA.
Glamorgan's Frank Robinson was voted July's Celtic Rookie of the Month by baseball officials after putting together a fine month-long performance. The 20-year-old left fielder really attacked the baseball, putting up 21 hits, 11 four balls, 26 RBIs and a .231 average while playing in 25 games. So far this year Robinson is batting .257 with 29 four balls.
Surrey Brown Caps 30-year-old left fielder Ken Williams hit his way to a .418 batting average and the British Batter of the Month award in May. He had 5 four balls, 21 RBIs and 25 runs scored for the month. In his season totals, Williams has 7 four balls, .354 BA, .463 OBP, 31 RBIs and 39 runs scored. He has played in 49 games.
Jeff Pfeffer of Leicestershire had a tremendous May with a 5-0 mark and was chosen the Pitcher of the Month in the British. Pfeffer restricted opposing hitters to 40 base hits and a .230 batting average. He rang up 20 strikeouts in 47.2 innings of work, surrendered 13 walks and crafted a 1.32 ERA. This season Pfeffer has worked 87.1 innings with 53 strikeouts en route to a 8-2 record and a 2.37 ERA.
Almost everyone agreed -- fans, teammates, peers -- and HNBA sportwriters, too -- that Geoff Jenkins was worthy of the British Rookie of the Month award. In the month of May the Middlesex left fielder was a bigtime threat. The 23-year-old Middlesex left fielder played in 27 games and hit .327 with 5 doubles, 1 triple and 7 four balls. Jenkins also scored 18 times and drove in 20 runs. For the season, Jenkins is hitting at a .283 clip with 12 four balls, 36 RBIs and has scored 29 runs. He has 52 hits, 18 walks and a .345 on-base percentage.
June's British Batter of the Month trophy was claimed by first baseman Frank Thomas of the Sussex Sharks. Last month he compiled a .343 batting average with 8 four balls, 29 RBIs, 20 runs scored and a .467 on-base percentage. On the season, Thomas is batting .264 with 14 four balls and 55 RBIs. He has played in 78 games.
Juan Pizarro is the latest British Pitcher of the Month award winner. The Northamptonshire starter stood out on the hill time and again last month and finished up June with a sparkling 5-1 record. In 6 starts last month, he fanned 51, walked 12 in 46 innings and posted a 1.17 ERA. Pizarro held opposing teams to a .211 batting average when he was on the mound. So far this season Pizarro has a 12-3 record with a 1.69 ERA.
June was a month to remember for Northamptonshire first baseman Phil Weintraub and it was capped off today with the announcement that he was named the winner of the British Rookie of the Month award. Weintraub compiled a .319 batting average and .476 on-base percentage last month. In 27 games he piled up 30 hits, 3 four balls, 16 RBIs and 12 runs scored. Presently Weintraub is batting .286 with 8 four balls and 51 RBIs. He has played in 76 games and scored 42 times.
In June, Larne Pirates: center fielder Vada Pinson claimed the Celtic Batter of the Month award. The 25-year-old swung with confidence, hitting .373 with 9 four balls, 29 RBIs and 21 runs scored. For the season, Pinson is hitting at a .325 clip with 16 four balls, 63 RBIs and has scored 47 runs. He has 101 hits, 13 walks and a .350 on-base percentage.
The elite pitcher this past month in the Celtic was Lefty Tyler of the Glamorgan Dragons. He stood head and shoulders above the rest, finishing June with an extraordinary 5-1 record and a 2.81 ERA. The Dragons star twirler made 6 starts and surrendered 41 hits in 48 innings. He struck out 32 and walked 24. To date this season, Tyler has a record of 7 wins and 7 losses and a 4.26 ERA. He has appeared in 16 games and struck out 89 in 124.2 innings.
In June, Lurgan left fielder Jeff Heath took the Celtic Rookie of the Month honors. In 24 games he hit .347, collecting 35 hits, 5 four balls, 24 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He also chalked up 10 walks and a .405 OBP. This year Heath has hit at a .295 pace and produced 49 RBIs, 11 four balls and scored 48 runs.
Surrey Brown Caps 30-year-old left fielder Ken Williams hit his way to a .418 batting average and the British Batter of the Month award in May. He had 5 four balls, 21 RBIs and 25 runs scored for the month. In his season totals, Williams has 7 four balls, .354 BA, .463 OBP, 31 RBIs and 39 runs scored. He has played in 49 games.
Jeff Pfeffer of Leicestershire had a tremendous May with a 5-0 mark and was chosen the Pitcher of the Month in the British. Pfeffer restricted opposing hitters to 40 base hits and a .230 batting average. He rang up 20 strikeouts in 47.2 innings of work, surrendered 13 walks and crafted a 1.32 ERA. This season Pfeffer has worked 87.1 innings with 53 strikeouts en route to a 8-2 record and a 2.37 ERA.
Almost everyone agreed -- fans, teammates, peers -- and HNBA sportwriters, too -- that Geoff Jenkins was worthy of the British Rookie of the Month award. In the month of May the Middlesex left fielder was a bigtime threat. The 23-year-old Middlesex left fielder played in 27 games and hit .327 with 5 doubles, 1 triple and 7 four balls. Jenkins also scored 18 times and drove in 20 runs. For the season, Jenkins is hitting at a .283 clip with 12 four balls, 36 RBIs and has scored 29 runs. He has 52 hits, 18 walks and a .345 on-base percentage.
May's Celtic Batter of the Month trophy was claimed by first baseman Al Oliver of the Durham Dynamos. Last month he compiled a .378 batting average with 6 four balls, 22 RBIs, 19 runs scored and a .426 on-base percentage. During the 1926 season Oliver has hit .320 with 7 four balls and 36 RBIs. He has played in 48 games and scored 28 times.
Which Celtic hurler dominated in the month of May? According to the voters who decide the Celtic Pitcher of the Month award, it was Walter Johnson of the Gloucestershire Gladiators. He put together a record of 6-1 with an ERA of 1.89 in 7 starting assignments. In addition, he struck out 53 in 62 innings. This season Johnson has a 7-6 record with a 2.59 ERA in 13 starts.
May was an exceptional month, especially for rookie Dick Hoblitzel. The first baseman for the Pembroke Red Foxes performed like a veteran and was named the best newcomer in the Celtic. He captured the honor by hitting .392 in 28 games with 38 hits, 3 four balls and 14 RBIs. Thus far in 1926 Hoblitzel is batting .373 with 3 four balls, 19 RBIs and 33 runs scored.
Bill Terry of the Middlesex Crusaders was named the British's best batter for his fine performance in April. He compiled a .396 batting average and .477 on-base percentage during the month. In 23 games he piled up 36 hits, 5 four balls, 17 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
The Pitcher of the Month for April has been picked and the British award went to Northamptonshire hurler, Juan Pizarro. During the month, Pizarro was impressive with a 1.93 ERA and 4 wins and 1 loss. In 51.1 innings he struck out 49 and gave up 39 hits and 11 walks.
Phil Weintraub of the Northamptonshire Steelbacks has been honored as the top Rookie in the British. In April he delivered 26 hits, 2 four balls, 15 RBIs and 16 runs scored. He hit .321 with a .451 OBP.
In April, Bobby Abreu beat the baseball like a drum the entire month and netted the Celtic Batter of the Month award. In 22 games the Buckie right fielder hit .372 with 11 four balls, 28 RBIs and 23 runs scored.
When Kid Nichols takes the hill, he's a good bet to nail down the victory for the Buckie Whalers. At least that's the way it was in April. He excelled with a 6-0 mark and 2.22 ERA in 6 starts. In 52.2 innings, he fanned 33 and walked 14. That's why he was honored today as the Pitcher of the Month by the Celtic.
The Celtic Rookie of the Month trophy has been awarded to Frank Robinson of the Glamorgan Dragons. In April he played in 22 games, recording a .295 batting average with 7 four balls, 21 RBIs and 22 runs scored.
|