Legends of Cooperstown News-October, 2001

Brooklyn Trolley Dodger second baseman Rogers Hornsby is often regarded as the greatest right-handed hitter of his era, if not of all time. In the Opening series of the 2001-02 Legends of Cooperstown season, he made believers of Mountaintop fans. The Rajah slammed 5 home runs and hit .625 in the series, as both he and his teammates wore out Wallbanger's pitching in a convincing 4 game sweep at Ebbet's Field.

Buck Ewing and Cool Papa Bell stole 11 bases between them in a 3-1 series win by the Kansas City Monarchs over the Virginia Generals. Ewing single-handedly won game 1, when he broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 9th by stealing 2nd and 3rd and then scoring when King Kelley threw the ball away for an error on the play.

In other Opening Day Series', Babe Ruth and Gabby Harnett led the Boston Americans to a 3-1 series win over the Rochester Live Oaks at Fenway Park. St.Louis and Scranton battled to a 2-2 series split at Sportsman's Park, in a series dominated by excellent pitching, as both teams posted team ERA's under 3.00.

The historical first trade in the Legends of Cooperstown league is surely one for the ages. The New York Giants dealt popular catcher Bob Uecker to the Cleveland Spiders, in exchange for catcher John Edwards and cash considerations. In an interview with Giants General Manager Steve Felson, he stated "The New York Giants, looking to pick up cash to fund their ballpark concession stands, have traded Bob Uecker to Cleveland for John Edwards and cash considerations of $24.67, to be paid only if Uecker reaches 200 hits on the season. The Giants ownership now feel they have the financial resources neccessary to name a managerial staff in the near future."

Can there be a more fitting first trade, then one involving Mr. Baseball? This deal is sure to propel the Giants to the front row of the LOC National League. In other trade news, the Newark Eagles dealt 1B/OF Don Mincher and OF Bob Allison to the Kentucky Eclipse for CF Jimmy Wynn and OF Al Ferrara.

Joel Horlen was selected as the first draft choice in the second phase of the LOC startup draft, the season set of 1967, by Chuck Sutton and the Virginia Generals. But just who is Joel Horlen and why wasn't he as big a household name as some of the other great pitchers of his era.

   As a right-handed pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, Horlen won 10 or more games 7 years in a row, in a career that spanned 12 seasons from 1961 to 1972. The steady hurler's finest season came perhaps in 1967, when he led the American League in ERA, Winning Percentage, Shutouts, Hits per 9 innings, and Baserunners per 9 innings, culminating a dominant season when he fashioned a no-hitter vs the Detroit Tigers on September 10th. He missed out on a perfect game by only 1 error committed by his teammates.

   Jim Lonborg of the Boston Red Sox, the 2nd player chosen in the 11th round by Josh Raup's Cleveland Spiders, won the AL Cy Young award in 1967 with Horlen finishing a close second in the balloting. Many say that Joel should have won the award, but he did finish an amazing 4th in the American League MVP voting and he was named to the 1967 All-Star Team. He is a fitting first player taken in the LOC season draft.

   Joel Horlen is currently the pitching coach for the San Jose Grizzlies,
the AAA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.