1938 Amateur World Series

Last updated

1938 Amateur World Series
John Moores Cup 1939.jpg
The John Moores Cup
Tournament details
CountryGreat Britain
Venue(s)5 (in 5 host cities)
Dates13–20 August
Teams2
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain (1st title)
Runner-upFlag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Tournament statistics
Games played5
1939  

The 1938 Amateur World Series was the inaugural Amateur World Series, the first edition of the tournament that would eventually become the Baseball World Cup. Originally known as the John Moores Cup, it was contested by the United States and Great Britain over a series of five games from August 13 to 20 in five different cities in England. The tournament was won by Great Britain, four games to one.

Contents

Two future Major League Baseball players, Mike "Lefty" Schemer and Mizell "Whitey" Platt, participated in the tournament on the United States team.

Background

After managing to include baseball as a demonstration sport at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, International Baseball Federation (IBF) president Leslie Mann, sought to establish an international tournament for national teams (which, at that time, were entirely composed of non-professional amateur players, in the spirit of the Olympics). Mann had first tried to set up a tournament between the national teams of the United States and Japan in 1937, but was prevented by the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War that same year. [1]

Instead, Mann wrote to John Moores, president of the British National Baseball Association (the precursor to the modern British Baseball Federation) to organize a tournament between the U.S. and Great Britain teams. Though baseball was not overwhelmingly popular in Britain, Moores' efforts to develop baseball in Britain had earned the admiration of many prominent American baseball executives, including National League president John Heydler. [2]

Moores had established a friendly working relationship with the U.S Amateur Baseball Congress (USABC) sent six players across the Atlantic as baseball instructors the year before. [3] Mann had long hoped to establish an international tournament "that would be emblematical of the World's title, the same as the Davis Cup is to Tennis; the Ryder Cup to Golf; the Stanley Cup to Hockey." [3]

The USABC held trials for the United States national team in Lincoln, Nebraska, with over fifty young players in attendance. [4] England selected their team mostly from the professional Yorkshire-Lancashire League, which in those days was attracting crowds of 10,000 people, though many of the players were Canadian. [2]

Participants

Venues

United Kingdom England adm location map.svg
Location dot red.svg
Location dot green.svg
Location dot blue.svg
Location dot orange.svg
Location dot purple.svg
1938 Amateur World Series (England)
CityStadium
Location dot red.svg Liverpool Wavertree Stadium
Location dot green.svg Kingston upon Hull Old Craven Park
Location dot blue.svg Rochdale Spotland Stadium
Location dot orange.svg Halifax The Shay
Location dot purple.svg Leeds Headingley Stadium

Tournament summary

Game 1

August 13, 1938 at Wavertree Stadium in Liverpool
Team123456789 R
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0000001203
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 0000000000
WP: Ross Kendrick   LP: Virgil Thompson
Home runs:
GBR: Danny Wright
USA: None
Attendance: 10,000

The first "test match" was played at Wavertree Stadium in Liverpool on August 13. Before a crowd of 10,000, Canadian-born ace Ross Kendrick struck out 16 American batters, out-dueling curveballer Virgil Thompson. Britain's Danny Wright hit a home run in the seventh inning; in the eighth, Sam Hanna doubled off of Thompson to knock in Sid Bissett, and Larry Marsh singled to bring in player-manager McNeil for a 3–0 Great Britain win. [5]

Game 2

August 15, 1938 at Old Craven Park, Kingston upon Hull
Team123456789 R
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0100501108
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 2000002206
Home runs:
GBR: Sam Hanna
USA: None
Attendance: 5,000

On August 15, the series moved to Old Craven Park in Kingston upon Hull, the home of Hull Kingston Rovers rugby league club. The US opened the scoring with two runs from George Binger and Tommy O'Rourke. Great Britain's Danny Cadorette scored in the second, and a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run homer by shortstop Sam Hanna, saw Britain firmly take the lead. The U.S. scored two more runs in the seventh and eighth, but a rally in the ninth was cut short when O'Rourke was caught out, leaving two men on base, and delivering Britain the 8–6 win and putting them on the cusp of a series victory. [5]

Game 3

August 17, 1938 at Spotland Stadium, Rochdale
Team123456789 R
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0000000000
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 1100003005
WP: Clyde Dean   LP: Sid Bissett
Attendance: 1,000

The third game of the series was played at Spotlands, home of Rochdale A.F.C., and turned out to be the United States' sole victory. However, this game attracted only about 1,000 spectators, due to uncertain weather and the lack of Britain's U.S.-born players. The U.S. shut out Great Britain 5–0, in a game noted for its defensive plays on the side of the Americans. [5]

Game 4

August 19, 1938 at The Shay, Halifax
Team123456789 R
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 01030000X4
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 00000000X0
WP: Ross Kendrick   LP:
Home runs:
GBR: Chummy McNeil
USA: None
Attendance: 5,000

The best-of-five series then moved to The Shay in Halifax, home of Halifax Town Football Club. Despite hopes of the biggest crowd to date, the game drew only 5,000 spectators. Again, Kendrick shone for the British side, striking out 12 and allowing only three singles. McNeil homered in the second to put Britain ahead. In the fourth, Hanna walked, Kendrick singled, Cadorette got on base through an error. Wright singled to bring home Hanna and Kendrick, then Benson singled to score Cadorette. Controversially, the game was called during the ninth inning due to bad light, giving Great Britain the 4–0 win and clinching the title. [5]

Game 5

The world champion Great Britain team GB national baseball team 1938 AWS.jpg
The world champion Great Britain team

The fifth game of the series was played the next day in Leeds at the Headingley Stadium, the home of Leeds Rugby League Club. The game did not attract much interest, and Britain won 5–3 in six innings, after which the game was called due to rain. [5] [6] [lower-alpha 1]

Final standings

Pos.TeamWLRSRA
1Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 412014
2Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 141420

Rosters

[9]

Notes

  1. No linescore for Game 5 is provided by Smyth. [5]

Related Research Articles

1974 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

1986 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children aged 10 to 12 years old, held in the Eastern United States. Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. The Series was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania; while the postal address of the organization is in Williamsport, the Series itself is played at Howard J. Lamade Stadium and Volunteer Stadium at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">USA Baseball</span> Governing body for amateur baseball in the United States

USA Baseball is the national governing body for baseball in the United States, and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization is responsible for the selection of the United States national team for various international competition, including the senior professional team, the collegiate national team, the various youth national teams, and the women's national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Baseball Federation</span> International baseball governing body

The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) is the former worldwide governing body of baseball. It has since been superseded by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), and continues to exist as the WBSC's baseball division. Between 1944 and 1975, it was known by its Spanish-language name, as the Federación Internacional de Béisbol Amateur, or FIBA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baseball World Cup</span> International baseball competition

The Baseball World Cup (BWC) was an international baseball tournament for national teams around the world, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). First held in 1938 as the Amateur World Series (AWS), it was, for most of its history, the highest level of international baseball competition in the world. Even after it was supplanted in this regard in 2006 by the modern World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Baseball World Cup was still considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship, along with the WBC and the Summer Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Baseball Classic</span> International baseball tournament

The World Baseball Classic (WBC), also referred to as the Classic, is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the sport's global governing body, and organized in partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The winning team is awarded the World Baseball Classic Championship Trophy. It is one of the two main senior baseball tournaments sanctioned by the WBSC, alongside the WBSC Premier12, but is the only one to grant the winner the title of "world champion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States national baseball team</span>

The United States national baseball team, also known as Team USA represents the United States in international-level baseball competitions. The team is currently ranked 2nd in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The United States has won many international tournaments, many of which are now discontinued. Most notably the team won the Olympic baseball tournament in 2000, and the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada national baseball team</span> National sports team

The Canada national baseball team represents Canada in international baseball. They are overseen by Baseball Canada, the governing body of baseball in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italy national baseball team</span> Team representing Italy in baseball competitions

The Italy national baseball team represents Italy in international baseball competitions. The Italian national team was ranked 16th in the world as of 2022. The team is managed by Mike Piazza, a former New York Mets player and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amateur baseball in the United States</span> United States baseball

Amateur baseball is baseball in which the players either are not paid for playing, or receive only a modest stipend or employment arranged by the team's boosters. Amateur baseball is played in the United States by players of all ages, from young children to adults.

Baseball is a growing minor sport in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 22,500 people playing in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch Fehring</span> American sportsman (1912-2006)

William Paul "Dutch" Fehring was an American football and baseball player, coach, and administrator. Fehring was president of the United States Baseball Federation, and briefly, the World Amateur Baseball Federation, better known as FEMBA, during its split from the International Baseball Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Mann (athlete)</span> American baseball player (1892–1962)

Leslie Mann was an American athlete and sports administrator. He played college football and professional baseball, and went on to coach football, baseball, and basketball. He was the founder and first president of the International Baseball Federation (IBF), the predecessor to the modern World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Britain national baseball team</span> National baseball team representing the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The Great Britain national baseball team is the national men's baseball team of the United Kingdom. It is governed by the British Baseball Federation, and is also a member nation of the Confederation of European Baseball.

The 1939 Amateur World Series was the second Amateur World Series (AWS), an international men's amateur baseball tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation. Great Britain did not defend the AWS title it had won in the inaugural event the previous year. The tournament took place, for the first time, in Cuba. It was contested by the national teams of Cuba, Nicaragua and the United States, playing six games each from August 12 through August 26. Cuba won its first AWS title – the first of what would be a record 26 titles by the time the series ended in 2011, 22 more titles than the next closest nation.

The 1942 Amateur World Series was the fifth edition of the Amateur World Series (AWS), an international men's amateur baseball tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation. The tournament took place, for the fourth consecutive time, in Cuba. It was contested by four national teams playing twelve games each from September 26 through October 20 in Havana. Cuba won its third AWS title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaime Mariné</span> Baseball executive

Jaime Mariné y Montes was a Cuban baseball administrator and soldier. He is best known as the second president of the International Baseball Federation (IBF) from 1940 to 1943. Mariné, nicknamed "El Catalancito," was also a close associate of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Ross Kendrick was a Canadian-born baseball pitcher who was active during the golden age of baseball in the United Kingdom. He played for Great Britain in the inaugural 1938 Amateur World Series.

References

  1. Guthrie-Shimizu, Sayuri (2012). Transpacific Field of Dreams: How Baseball Linked the United States and Japan in Peace and War. University of North Carolina Press. p. 171. ISBN   9780807882665.
  2. 1 2 Riccardo Schiroli (2019). The Game We Love (PDF). World Baseball Softball Confederation. p. 21.
  3. 1 2 Leslie Mann (1940). Baseball Around the World. International Amateur Baseball Federation. p. 19.
  4. Mann, p. 23
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Smyth, Ian. "Baseball Put to the Test — And England beats the U.S." (PDF). Baseball Research Journal (24). Society for American Baseball Research: 131–133. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2023.
  6. Schiroli, p. 21
  7. "Who's Who in the England Team" . Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  8. "Doc Holden". 14 March 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  9. Leslie Mann (1940). Baseball Around the World. International Amateur Baseball Federation. p. 25.

Bibliography