Minneapolis Millers - Compiled by Stew Thornley
1944 - American Association, 54-97, 7th place - Standings, statistics, and notes follow game-by-game results
Manager: Rosy Ryan
*Scheduled for seven innings
Date Opponent Outcome Record Notes
W 4/20 at Kansas City Blues, rain
Th 4/21 at Kansas City W 15-2 1-0 Winning pitcher-Otey Clark.
F 4/22 at Kansas City, mud and rain
Sa 4/23 at Milwaukee Brewers L 2-3 1-1 Losing pitcher-Vern "Turk" Curtis.
Su 4/24-1 at Milwaukee L 0-11 1-2 LP-Loren Bain.
*Su 4/24-2 at Milwaukee L 0-16 1-3 LP-Roy Mosley.
M 4/25 at Milwaukee, rain Claude Horton leaves defense job in Texas to join the Millers.  He had broken his collarbone in mid-1943 when he fell off his bicycle.  Mike Kelley also makes a deal to get Babe Barna from Louisville (with his outright purchase depending on his status with the Army).  Barna was sold to the New York Giants in 1941, sold to the Boston Red Sox in 1943, and then shipped to Louisville.
W 4/26 Kansas City L 0-1 1-4 LP-Clark.
Th 4/27 Kansas City W 2-1 2-4 WP-Mosley.  Millers get only 1 hit, a bloop single by Jim Cookson in the 8th as part of a rally that ties the game 1-1.  Millers win in the last of the 9th on 3 walks and 2 sacrifices with Eddie Lichenstein drawing a bases-loaded walk to force in Ab Wright with the winning run.
F 4/28 Kansas City W 13-5 3-4 WP-Horton.  Freddie Vaughn and Bill Schaedler homer.
Sa 4/29 Milwaukee L 2-7 3-5 LP-Bain.
Su 4/30-1 Milwaukee, rain
*Su 4/30-2 Milwaukee, rain
M 5/1 Milwaukee L 4-5 3-6 LP-Curtis.
Tu 5/2 St. Paul Saints, rain
W 5/3 at St. Paul, rain
Th 5/4 St. Paul, rain
F 5/5 at St. Paul, rain
Sa 5/6 Louisville Colonels W 7-4 4-6 WP-Clark.  HR-Schaedler.
Su 5/7-1 Louisville W 4-0 5-6 WP-Curtis.  HR-Wright.  Barna and Hank Nicklasson collide chasing a fly ball.  Both are knocked out.  Nicklasson breaks two bones in his lower left leg, ending his professional baseball career after 11 games.
*Su 5/7-2 Louisville W 2-0 6-6 WP-Bain.
M 5/8 Indianapolis Indians W 6-3 7-6 WP-Charles "Lefty" Johnson.  HR-Frank Danneker, Bob Dill.
Tu 5/9 Indianapolis W 9-8 (10) 8-6 WP-Curtis.  Wright homers and drives in 6 runs.   Barna homers (1).  Dill's 2-run, 2-out single in the 10th wins game.
W 5/10 Indianapolis W 2-1 9-6 WP-Clark.  HR-Dill, Jack Aragon.
Th 5/11 Toledo Mud Hens L 0-9 9-7 WP-Bain.
F 5/12 Toledo L 4-17 9-8 LP-Curtis.
Sa 5/13 Toledo L 4-5 9-9 LP-Bill Sahlin.
Su 5/14-1 Columbus Red Birds L 1-12 9=1- LP-Clark.  HR-Schaedler.
*Su 5/14-2 Columbus W 10-9 (11) 10-10 WP-Mosley.  Danneker hits 2 homers.  The first one ties the game in the 7th, the second ties the game in the 9th.  Vaughn also homers.
M 5/15 Columbus L 4-11 10-11 LP-Bain.
Tu 5/16 Columbus L 3-5 10-12 LP-Sahlin.  HR-Schaedler.
Th 5/18 at Louisville L 0-12 10-13 LP-Clark.
F 5/19 at Louisville L 3-6 10-14 LP-Curtis.
Sa 5/20 at Louisville L 2-4 10-15 LP-Bain.
Su 5/21-1 at Indianapolis L 4-5 10-16 LP-Curtis.
*Su 5/21-2 at Indianapolis L 2-3 10-17 LP-Horton.
M 5/22 at Indianapolis, rain
Tu 5/23 at Indianapolis L 2-11 10-18 LP-Sahlin.  Millers are swept by last-place Indianapolis.
W 5/24 at Columbus L 1-3 10-19 LP-Bain.
Th 5/25 at Columbus, rain
F 5/26 at Columbus W 18-6 11-19 WP-Curtis.  Wright homers.  Danneker and Cookson each gets 4 hits.
Sa 5/27 at Toledo W 6-1 12-19 WP-Clark.  HR-Vaughn, Wright.
Su 5/28-1 at Toledo W 6-5 13-19 WP-Bain.
*Su 5/28-2 at Toledo L 1-2 13-20 WP-Mosley.  HR-Vaughn.  Curtis passes Navy physical and will become the 41st Miller to join the military; Barna awaiting word from West Virginia draft board.  (Curtis ended up pitching the entire season for the Millers and led the league in innings pitched.)
Tu 5/30 a.m. St. Paul W 5-2 14-20 WP-Curtis.
Tu 5/30 p.m. at St. Paul L 8-12 14-21 LP-Horton.  HR-Vaughn.
W 5/31 St. Paul W 4-3 15-21 WP-Clark.  Barna returns to the starting lineup for the first time since his injury in the collision with Niklasson.  Barna hits a 2-run homer in the 7th for a 4-3 win.
Th 6/1 at St. Paul, rain
F 6/2 St. Paul L 5-7 15-22 LP-Curtis.  
Sa 6/3 Toledo L 9-10 15-23 LP-Harold "Chief" Wonson.  HR-Barna (3).  A teacher at Blake School, Wonson joins the Millers after school lets out and will leave the team after Labor Day to go back to teaching.
Su 6/4-1 Toledo W 16-9 16-23 WP-Curtis.  HR-Barna 2 (5).
*Su 6/4-2 Toledo, rain Game stopped by rain in the 2nd inning.
M 6/5 Toledo, rain Millers get Elon "Chief" Hogsett from the Tigers.  Wright is on the trading block after being suspended by Rosy Ryan "for the good of the team."  Ryan says Wright has a bad attitude.
Tu 6/6 Columbus, postponed All American Association games are postponed for the observance of D-Day.
W 6/7 Columbus W 4-3 17-23 WP-Curtis.
Th 6/8 Columbus L 6-11 (8, rain) 17-24 LP-Bain.  Barna hits grand slam (6th home run).
F 6/9 Indianapolis L 2-3 17-25 LP-Clark.
Sa 6/10 Indianapolis L 3-4 17-26 LP-Sahlin.  Wright is sold to the Boston Braves.
Su 6/11-1 Indianapolis, rain
*Su 6/11-2 Indianapolis, rain
M 6/12 Louisville L 3-6 (5, rain) 17-27 LP-Curtis.  HR-Vaughn.
Tu 6/13 Louisville, rain
W 6/14 Louisville W 6-4 18-27 WP-Hogsett.
*Th 6/15-1 Louisville L 5-10 18-28 LP-Bain.  HR-Dill, Hugh Todd, Bill Ebranyi.
Th 6/15-2 Louisville L 4-6 18-29 LP-Sahlin.
Sa 6/17 at Columbus W 5-4 19-29 WP-Bain.  Barna hits 3-run homer (7th home run).
Su 6/18-1 at Columbus W 3-2 20-29 WP-Curtis.
*Su 6/18-2 at Columbus L 4-8 20-30 LP-Wonson.
M 6/19 at Columbus L 4-14 20-31 LP-Horton.
Tu 6/20 at Toledo L 0-2 20-32 LP-Clark.
W 6/21 at Toledo L 6-14 20-33 LP-Hogsett.  HR-Vaughn.
Th 6/22 at Toledo W 9-2 21-33 WP-Curtis.
F 6/23 at Toledo L 1-7 21-34 LP-Sahlin, who walks 11 batters.  HR-Vaughn.
Su 6/25-1 at Louisville W 4-1 22-34 WP-Clark.
*Su 6/25-2 at Louisville L 2-11 22-35 LP-Curtis.
M 6/26 at Louisville L 4-10 22-36 LP-Hogsett.
Tu 6/27 at Louisville W 19-9 23-36 WP-Hogsett.  Vaughn hits inside-the-park home run that rolls to the flag pole in center field 485 feet away.
W 6/28 at Indianapols W 7-5 24-36 WP-Bain.
Th 6/29 at Indianapols W 5-3 25-36 WP-Curtis.
*F 6/30-1 at Indianapols W 7-3 26-36 WP-Clark.
F 6/30-2 at Indianapols L 3-9 26-37 LP-Sahlin.
Su 7/2 St. Paul W 3-2 27-37 WP-Greg Lippold.
M 7/3 at St. Paul W 2-1 28-37 WP-Bain.
Tu 7/4 a.m. at St. Paul L 0-2 28-38 LP-Clark.
Tu 7/4 p.m. St. Paul L 5-12 28-39 LP-Curtis.
W 7/5 St. Paul L 0-13 28-40 LP-Sahlin.
Th 7/6 at Kansas City L 3-5 28-41 LP-Wonson.  Blues snap 13-game losing streak.
*F 7/7-1 at Kansas City L 5-6 28-42 LP-Hogsett.
F 7/7-2 at Kansas City L 1-8 28-43 LP-Bain.
Sa 7/8 at Kansas City L 2-10 28-44 LP-Curtis.
Su 7/9-1 at Kansas City L 1-6 28-45 LP-Clark.
*Su 7/9-2 at Kansas City W 14-5 29-45 WP-Hogsett.  HR-Danneker, Vaughn.
M 7/10 at Milwaukee L 1-3 29-46 LP-Hale Swanson.
*Tu 7/11-1 at Milwaukee L 2-9 29-47 LP-Lippold.
Tu 7/11-2 at Milwaukee, rain Game called by rain in the top of the second with Milwaukee leading 2-0.
*W 7/12-1 at Milwaukee L 0-6 29-48 LP-Clark.
W 7/12-2 at Milwaukee L 5-7 29-49 LP-Bain.  HR-Barna (8).  Game suspended after 8 innings with Milwaukee leading 7-5 when the lights go out and cannot be repaired.  Game is resumed July 13 at 10 a.m. (the time that had been scheduled for the "swing-shift" game that day) with the regularly scheduled game played following the completion of the scheduled game.
Th 7/13 at Milwaukee W 10-3 30-49 WP-Swanson.  HR-Aragon 2, Vaughn.
*F 7/14-1 at St. Paul L 1-5 30-50 LP-Sahlin.
F 7/14-2 at St. Paul L 5-8 30-51 LP-Hogsett.
Sa 7/15 St. Paul W 9-5 31-51 WP-Curtis.  HR-Danneker.  Mike Kelley Night held in St. Paul to commemorate his 50 years in baseball.
Su 7/16-1 at St. Paul L 2-4 31-52 LP-Clark.
*Su 7/16-2 at St. Paul W 4-1 32-52 WP-Lippold.
M 7/17 St. Paul L 0-1 32-53 LP-Bain.  Loy Camp pitches 1-hitter, giving up only a 1st-inning single to Vaughn.
Tu 7/18 Milwaukee W 3-2 33-53 WP-Swanson.
*W 7/19-1 Milwaukee L 3-4 33-54 LP-Curtis.  HR-Barna (9).
W 7/19-2 Milwaukee L 2-6 33-55 LP-Sahlin.
Th 7/20 Milwaukee L 0-10 33-56 LP-Clark.
*F 7/21-1 Milwaukee W 2-1 34-56 WP-Lippold.  HR-Vaughn.
F 7/21-2 Milwaukee L 1-15 34-57 LP-Bain.
Sa 7/22 Kansas City W 9-6 35-57 WP-Swanson.  HR-Barna 2 (11), Danneker, Mike Blazo.
Su 7/23-1 Kansas City W 5-2 36-57 WP-Curtis.  HR-Barna 2 (13), Vaughn.  Barna's first home run, which landed on the roof of a building across Nicollet Avenue, breaks a scoreless tie.  His second home run, over the scoreboard in right-center, breaks a 1-1 tie in the 8th.
*Su 7/23-2 Kansas City L 0-5 36-58 LP-Sahlin.
M 7/24 Kansas City W 5-1 37-58 WP-Clark.
Tu 7/25 Kansas City W 5-3 38-58 WP-Lippold.
W 7/26 American Association All-Star Game at Milwaukee W 18-0 Cookson and Curtis represent Minneapolis in the game.  All-Stars execute triple play.
F 7/28 Louisville L 4-6 38-59 LP-Bain.  Joe Vosmik joins the Millers.
S 7/29 Louisville W 9-8 39-59 WP-Hogsett.  HR-Vaughn.
Su 7/30-1 Louisville L 6-14 39-60 LP-Swanson.  HR-Danneker 2.
*Su 7/30-2 Louisville L 0-6 39-61 LP-Lippold.
M 7/31 Indianapolis L 3-5 39-62 Curtis strikes out 10 but loses.
*Tu 8/1-1 Indianapolis L 4-5 39-63 LP-Lippold.
Tu 8/1-2 Indianapolis W 8-2 40-63 WP-Bain.  HR-Vaughn (17), Barna (14).
*W 8/2-1 Indianapolis W 7-2 41-63 WP-Clark.
W 8/2-2 Indianapolis W 6-3 42-63 WP-Swanson.  Millers buy first-baseman Harley Boss from Chattanooga Lookouts.
Th 8/3 Indianapolis L 0-6 42-64 LP-Sahlin.
*F 8/4-1 Columbus L 1-5 42-65 LP-Curtis.
F 8/4-2 Columbus L 6-7 42-66 LP-Lippold.  Otey Clark sold to Louisville.
Sa 8/5 Columbus W 7-0 43-66 WP-Bain.  Barna hits grand slam (15).
Su 8/6-1 Columbus L 0-4 43-67 LP-Swanson.
*Su 8/6-2 Columbus W 7-3 44-67 WP-Hogsett.  HR-Barna (16).
M 8/7 Toledo L 1-8 44-68 LP-Sahlin.
*Tu 8/8-1 Toledo L 4-6 44-69 LP-Lippold.
Tu 8/8-2 Toledo L 4-7 44-70 LP-Ebranyi.  Vaughn sent to the Washington Senators for cash and a player.  Vaughn will stay with the Millers the rest of the season unless Washington sends a player "whose qualifications will meet with the approval of Owner Mike Kelley and Manager Rosy Ryan."
W 8/9 Toledo L 0-7 44-71 LP-Bain.  Millers shut out for the 17th time this season.
*Th 8/10-1 Toledo W 7-5 45-71 WP-Hogsett.  HR-Danneker.
Th 8/10-2 Toledo L 2-3 45-72 LP-Swanson.  HR-Barna (17).
Sa 8/12 at Indianapolis, rain
Su 8/13-1 at Indianapolis L 6-7 45-73 LP-Lippold.  Barna gets 4 hits, including 2 home runs (19).
*Su 8/13-2 at Indianapolis L 1-7 45-74 LP-Bain.
*M 8/14-1 at Indianapolis L 1-4 45-75 LP-Swanson.
M 8/14-2 at Indianapolis L 5-6 (10) 45-76 LP-Swanson.
Tu 8/15 at Louisville L 3-6 45-77 LP-Wonson.
W 8/16 at Louisville L 1-10 45-78 LP-Lippold.
Th 8/17 at Louisville, rain
*F 8/18-1 at Louisville W 3-0 (9) 46-78 WP-Curtis.
F 8/18-2 at Louisville L 2-8 46-79 LP-Bain.  Otey Clark, who was sold to Louisville, beats the Millers.
Sa 8/19 at Toledo L 5-6 46-80 LP-Swanson.  Shortstop Pedro "Paddro" Gomez, acquired for Washington for Vaughn, plays first game for the Millers.  Gomez strikes out four times.
Su 8/20-1 at Toledo L 0-3 46-81 LP-Wonson.
*Su 8/20-2 at Toledo L 1-12 46-82 LP-Lippold.  Gomez strikes out 5 more times in the doubleheader before drawing a walk.
M 8/21 at Toledo W 16-4 Bain is the winning pitcher, but the game is eventually ruled no contest.  HR-Blazo, Aragon, Barna 2 (21).
*Tu 8/22-1 at Columbus W 4-3 Curtis wins, but the game is ruled no contest.  Columbus protests the use of Paddro Gomez, who started the game and came out in the second inning.  On August 25, American Association president George Trautman rules that the Minneapolis wins on August 21 and August 22 (first game) are no contest because Gomez, who played for Washington, joined the Millers after the August 15 deadline for acquiring major league players.  All statistics count, but the games are removed as wins for the Millers and as a loss for the Mud Hens and Senators.  Gomez played five games for the Millers.  As Preston Gomez, he later managed the Havana Sugar Kings and in the major leagues with San Diego, Houston and the Chicago Cubs.
Tu 8/22-2 at Columbus W 6-4 47-82 WP-Swanson.
W 8/23 at Columbus L 2-22 47-83 LP-Lippold.  HR-Barna 2 (23).  Sixth time this season Barna has hit 2 homers in a game.  Barna is now tied with Milwaukee's Bill Nagel, who has been out with an injury.
Th 8/24 at Columbus L 7-8 47-84 LP-Bain.  Millers score 2 in the top of the 9th off Ken Burkhart for a 7-6 lead, but Columbus scores 2 in the last of the 9th.
F 8/25 at Columbus L 2-5 47-85 LP-Curtis.
Su 8/27-1 St. Paul, rain
*Su 8/27-2 St. Paul, rain
*M 8/28-1 at St. Paul L 0-6 47-86 LP-Swanson.
M 8/28-2 at St. Paul W 9-2 48-86 WP-Bain.  HR-Todd.
*Tu 8/29-1 St. Paul L 2-7 48-87 LP-Curtis.
Tu 8/29-2 St. Paul L 3-14 48-88 LP-Lippold.
W 8/30 Kansas City, rain
*Th 8/31-1 Kansas City, rain
Th 8/31-2 Kansas City, rain
F 9/1-1 Kansas City W 5-3 49-88 WP-Curtis.  HR-Ebranyi.
*F 9/1-2 Kansas City W 8-4 50-88 WP-Swanson.  HR-Barna (24).
Sa 9/2 Kansas City W 4-2 51-88 WP-Bain.
Su 9/3-1 Milwaukee L 1-8 51-89 LP-Wonson.
*Su 9/3-2 Milwaukee L 5-7 51-90 LP-Hogsett.  HR-Danneker.
M 9/4 a.m. St. Paul L 1-12 51-91 LP-Swanson.  HR-Todd.
M 9/4 p.m. at St. Paul L 10-11 (10) 51-92 LP-Swanson.  HR-Aragon.
Tu 9/5 at St. Paul L 6-8 51-93 LP-Curtis.
*Th 9/7-1 at Kansas City L 4-6 51-94 LP-Wonson.
Th 9/7-2 at Kansas City W 11-2 52-94 WP-Swanson.
F 9/8-1 at Kansas City W 5-2 53-94 WP-Bain.
*F 9/8-2 at Kansas City L 9-11 53-95 LP-Sahlin.
Sa 9/9 at Milwaukee W 7-4 54-95 WP-Curtis.
Su 9/10-1 at Milwaukee L 2-17 54-96 LP-Swanson.
*Su 9/10-2 at Milwaukee L 5-7 54-97 LP-Hogsett.
W L Manager
Milwaukee 102 51 Charley Grimm-Casey Stengel
Toledo 95 58 Ollie Marquardt
Louisville 85 63 Harry "Nemo" Leibold
St. Paul 85 66 Ray Blades
Columbus 86 67 Nick Cullop
Indianapolis 57 93 Donie Bush-Bernard "Mike" Kelly
Minneapolis 54 97 Rosy Ryan
Kansas City 41 110 Jack Saltzgaver
Statistics
Player Games Batting Average Home Runs Runs Batted In Position
Hank Nicklasson 11 .405 0 1 ss
Fred Vaughn 125 .321 17 62 2b
Jim Cookson 141 .305 0 42 cf
Babe Barna 106 .298 24 85 lf-rf
Hugh Todd 96 .289 4 43 rf
Joe Vosmik 39 .279 1 16 lf-p
Bob Dill 112 .275 3 46 lf
Bill Schaedler 36 .270 4 14 rf-1b
Frank Danneker 142 .268 14 51 ss-3b
Mike Blazo 142 .267 2 63 3b-ss-c
Ab Wright 32 .267 4 15 lf
Bill Ebranyi 134 .256 4 39 1b-p
Jesse “Roy” Pinkston 5 .250 0 0 lf
Larry Bettencourt 29 .246 0 7 of-3b
Harley Boss 27 .241 0 9 1b
Sam Rooney 9 .240 0 2 3b
Joe Frantz 7 .231 0 4 2b
Tommy Padden* 69 .228 1 13 c
Arne Berge* 57 .204 0 13 ss-2b
Jack Aragon 127 .199 7 43 c
Arnold Lehrman 24 .192 1 9 ss
Clarence “Casey” Dowling 7 .167 0 0 of
John Dowling 4 .125 0 1 lf-c
Eddie Lichenstein 12 .100 0 1 3b-ss
Paddro Gomez 5 .000 0 0 ss
Dick Meyers 6 .000 0 0 3b
Pitcher G IP W L ERA
Vern “Turk” Curtis 44 249 15 17 4.01
Otey Clark* 32 211 12 14 4.01
Harold A. “Hale” Swanson 20 110 8 10 5.07
Loren Bain 35 197 11 17 5.44
Roy Mosley 16 40 2 2 6.08
Harold “Chief” Wonson 38 122 0 6 6.20
Bill Ebranyi 7 17 0 1 6.35
Wayne Johnson 10 18 1 0 6.50
Bill Sahlin 40 118 0 14 6.71
Claude Horton 13 32 1 3 6.75
Elon “Chief” Hogsett 31 87 5 7 6.83
Greg Lippold 20 73 4 10 8.38
Bob Bowman* 13 12 1 0 12.00
Norm McCormick* 5 8 0 0
Joe Hanzlik 2 5 0 0
Mike Kash 2 4 0 0
Charles “Lefty” Johnson 1 6 0 0
Joe Vosmik 1 4 0 0
*Padden’s statistics include games played with St. Paul in 1944, Berge and Clark’s statistics include games with Louisville, Bowman’s statistics include games with Milwaukee, and McCormick’s statistics include games with Kansas City.
Babe Barna led the American Association with 24 home runs, Jim Cookson led the Association with 47 stolen bases, and Vernon Curtis led the Association with 249 innings pitched.