Cup Series Begins Tomorrow

2005-II Hoverter-Reed Cup

Named after Harrisburg's two greatest baseball Mayors, this trophy will go to the team that captures this annual round robin. If no team wins two games the Cup remains in the Giants trophy case. The participants are chosen from the teams that performed best in the
2005-II season versus the Giants. On Monday, November 14th, the St. Louis Stars of 1930 will take on the 1937 New York Yankees with the winner challenging for the Cup on Wednesday evening versus the Giants. The loser will play the Giants on Tuesday.

Here is how the teams qualified based on performance (W-L and scoring margin) during the season:

Major League Negro League
1937 New York Yankees 4-1 +31 1930 Saint Louis Stars 3-0 + 17
1934 Saint Louis Cards 4-1 +6 1945 Cleveland Buckeyes 3-0 + 13
1930 Philadelphia A's 4-1 +5 Washington Potomacs ECL 3-0 + 8

1930 Saint Louis Stars
In 1930, the Stars won both halfs of the NNL season. The Saint Louis Stars won the first half and the Detroit Stars won the second half. The St. Louis version compiled the best overall record (69-24 .742) and beat the Detroit version in a 7 game post season playoff. The Stars were led by MVP Willie Wells, slugger Mule Suttles, versatile Ted Radcliffe, and pitchers Slap Hensley, Ted Trent and Leroy Matlock.

To earn the Cup invite, they swept the Giants three straight in mid-October. After winning two low scoring games (3-0, 2-1) they needed to win by a wide margin the third in order knock the Cleveland Buckeyes out of the Cup spot. The Stars responded with with an 18-5 romp. Double Duty Radcliffe caught the first game of the doubleheader and pitched the second.

Key Stats
Willie Wells .403, 15 HRs, 17 steals in perhaps a Triple Crown season
Cool Papa Bell .362 with 15 steals
Mule Suttles .422, 12 HRs in a limited role having played in both NNL & NAL
Double Duty Radcliffe .293 as a hitter and 9-3 as a hurler
Hensley 18-7
Trent 11-2
Matlock 10-3
Wells, Bell, Suttles, Hensley, Russell were all All Stars
Mgr Johnny Reese

1937 New York Yankees
This team won 102 games in '37 and 409 games during their four year run as World Champs. They finished 13 games ahead of the 2nd place Tigers. This was the original Bronx Bombers team managed by Joe McCarthy. They won a subway series with the rivals from across the Harlem River, the New York giants, in five games. They earned their way here by outscoring the Harrisburg Giants by 31 runs in winning 4 of 5.

Key stats
Gehrig .351 37 159
Dickey 332 29 133
Joe 346 46 167
Crosetti with 127 runs scored was 4th on team!
Gomez 21-11 2.33
Ruffing 20-7 2.99
Murphy 13-4, 10 saves

Harrisburg Giants
The Giants, of course, are a composite of players from their tenure in the Eastern Colored League plus several players from before and after. The Giants compiled a 129-96 .573 record during their four year stay in the major Negro Leagues. The Giants feature eight players named to the 1952 Pittsburgh Courier All-Time Negro League All Star team.

11/14 St. Louis (Hensley 18-7) v New York (Ruffing 20-7)
11/15 Harrisburg (Gardner 13-11) v St L (Trent 11-2) or NY (Gomez 21-11)
11/16 Harrisburg (Corbett 20-3) v StL (Trent 11-2) or NY (Gomez 21-11)

2-0 wins cup, 1-1 leaves it with Giants

Next game: 1/2/06 to begin the 2006-I season.