Minneapolis Millers - Compiled by Stew Thornley
1946 - American Association, 76-75-1, 4th place - Standings, statistics, and notes follow game-by-game results
Manager: Zeke Bonura, Rosy Ryan, Tom Sheehan
*Scheduled for seven innings
Date Opponent Outcome Record Notes
W 4/17 at Kansas City Blues W 5-4 1-0 Winning pitcher-Wilfrid "Lefty" Lefebvre.  Babe Barna singles home Fred Reinhart with the winning run in the 9th inning.  Zeke Bonura, who was the first Millers player drafted and served in North Africa, is back as player-manager.  Don Schoenborn, Werner Strunk, Frank Trechock, and Russ Rolandson are also back from the service.
Th 4/18 at Kansas City L 6-8 1-1 Losing pitcher-Bob Barthelson.  Joe Bockman breaks a 6-6 tie in the 8th with a 2-run, inside-the-park home run when Reinhart crashes into Trechock (knocking out both Reinhart and Trechock) on Bockman's pop up in short left field.
F 4/19 at Kansas City W 9-3 2-1 WP-Bill Webb.
Sa 4/20 at Milwaukee Brewers W 3-1 (12) 3-1 WP-Woody Abernathy.  Fabian Gaffke knocks in the winning run with an infield single in the 12th.  Abernathy goes the distance.  Tony Jaros debuts as a pinch-hitter for the Millers.
Su 4/21-1 at Milwaukee  L 5-7 3-2 LP-Barthelson.
Su 4/21-2 at Milwaukee W 8-0 (7, darkness) 4-2 2-hitter by Hale Swanson.  Barna hits 2 home runs.  (Both games were scheduled for 9 innings under a new league rule for Sunday doubleheaders.)
Tu 4/23 Kansas City W 3-2 5-2 WP-Lefebvre.  Mayor Hubert Humphrey throws out the ceremonial first pitch before 10,200 in the home opener.  Bill Barnacle's bases-loaded single in the 9th brings in the winning run.
W 4/24 Kansas City W 4-3 (10) 6-2 WP-Webb.  Reinhart draws bases-loaded walk in the 10th to drive in the winning run.
Th 4/25 Milwaukee L 0-3 6-3 LP-Abernathy.
F 4/26 Milwaukee W 6-0 7-3 1-hitter by Swanson.
Sa 4/27 at St. Paul Saints L 6-8 7-4 LP-Barthelson.
Su 4/28-1 St. Paul L 7-13 7-5 LP-Lefebvre.  HR-Gaffke.  10 doubles in game, 7 by the Saints.  
Su 4/28-2 St. Paul L 5-6 7-6 LP-Schoenborn.  Paid attendance for the doubleheader was 15,761 with an estimated crowd of more than 16,000, including pass holders.  Fans lined the field, some within 10 feet of the lines.  All balls hit into the crowd were ruled doubles (24 doubles in the two games, 17 by St. Paul).  Mike Kelley, who had just sold the Millers to the New York Giants but was still team president, moved up a game versus the Saints from later in the season to create a doubleheader and did not turn away any fans, although the police eventually did.    (Bonura was criticized by George A. Barton in the Minneapolis Tribune and Charles Johnson in the Minneapolis Star-Journal for not having relievers warmed up, causing him to leave Lefebvre in too long in the first game and Schoenborn in the second game.)
M 4/29 at St. Paul L 4-5 7-7 LP-Bob Bowman.  Eric Tipton drives in 4 runs for St. Paul
Tu 4/30 St. Paul W 5-3 8-7 WP-Webb.  Barna homers.
Th 5/2 Louisville Colonels L 3-15 8-8 LP-Abernathy.  Sam Mele gets 4 hits for Louisville.
F 5/3 Louisville L 4-9 8-9 LP-Swanson.  HR-Barna.
Sa 5/4 Columbus Red Birds L 6-10 8-10 LP-Alfred "Chubby" Dean.  Kelley releases Zeke Bonura as a player and manager, hires Rosy Ryan to manage.
Su 5/5-1 Columbus W 8-3 9-10 WP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna.
Su 5/5-2 Columbus L 1-4 9-11 LP-Bowman.
M 5/6 Toledo Mud Hens L 5-8 9-12 LP-Webb.  
Tu 5/7 Toledo L 6-7 9-13 LP-Swanson.  Tom Sheehan replaces Ryan as manager.
W 5/8 Indianapolis Indians W 9-2 10-13 WP-Abernathy.  HR-Barna, Dave Garcia.
Th 5/9 Indianapolis W 9-7 11-13 WP-Lefebvre.  Gaffke and Dean released.
Sa 5/11 at Indianapolis, rain
Su 5/12-1 at Indianapolis L 4-12 11-14 LP-Bowman.
Su 5/12-2 at Indianapolis W 8-5 (11) 12-14 WP-Barthelson.
M 5/13 at Louisville W 3-0 13-14 2-hitter by Abernathy.
Tu 5/14 at Louisville L 3-8 13-15 LP-Lefebvre.
W 5/15 at Louisville W 2-1 (6, rain) 14-15 WP-Schoenborn.  Charles Cleston "Bama" Ray, obtained from Jersey City, debuts for the Millers with a hit and a walk in 3 trips to the plate.
Th 5/16 at Columbus, rain
F 5/17 at Columbus, rain
Sa 5/18 at Toledo, rain
Su 5/19-1 at Toledo L 0-4 14-16 LP-Abernathy.
Su 5/19-2 at Toledo W 2-0 15-16 WP-Lefebvre.  Ray hits 2-run homer in the 9th.
Tu 5/21 at Kansas City L 1-4 15-17 LP-Schoenborn.
W 5/22 at Kansas City L 2-3 15-18 LP-Webb.
Th 5/23 at Milwaukee, rain
F 5/24 at Milwaukee, rain
Sa 5/25 Kansas City L 3-15 15-19 LP-Jack Brewer.
Su 5/26-1 Kansas City W 12-7 16-19 WP-Webb.  HR-Ray.
Su 5/26-2 Kansas City L 7-16 16-20 LP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna.
M 5/27 Milwaukee L 2-7 16-21 LP-Lefebvre.
Tu 5/28 Milwaukee L 3-13 16-22 LP-Swanson.
W 5/29 at St. Paul L 5-6 16-23 LP-Brewer.  Tipton breaks a 2-2 tie with a grand slam in the 8th.
Th 5/30 a.m. at St. Paul L 1-11 16-24 LP-Lefebvre.
Th 5/30 p.m. St. Paul W 11-10 17-24 WP-Swanson.  HR-Barnacle, Ray.
Sa 6/1 Indianapolis L 1-3 17-25 LP-Abernathy.
Su 6/2-1 Indianapolis L 2-8 17-26 LP-Brewer.
Su 6/2-2 Indianapolis L 7-12 17-27 LP-Barthelson.  HR-Johnny McCarthy.  (McCarthy missed the first part of the season in a contract holdout.)
M 6/3 Columbus W 7-4 18-27 WP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna.
Tu 6/4 Columbus W 16-8 19-27 WP-Webb.  McCarthy hits grand slam.  Mel Harpuder homers.  Millers sign Francis "Red" Hardy, a righthander from South High in Minneapolis and St. Thomas College in St. Paul.
W 6/5 Columbus, rain
Th 6/6 Louisville W 6-2 20-27 WP-Abernathy.  HR-Harpuder, McCarthy, Frank Danneker, Ray.
F 6/7 Louisville W 7-2 21-27 WP-Brewer.  HR-Barna.
Sa 6/8 Toledo W 12-7 22-27 WP-Phil Oates.  HR-Danneker, McCarthy (grand slam).
Su 6/9-1 Toledo W 4-1 23-27 WP-Lefebvre.  HR-McCarthy.
Su 6/9-2 Toledo W 6-5 24-27 WP-Abernathy.  One-armed Pete Gray playing for the Mud Hens.
M 6/10 St. Paul, rain Game called by rain in the 2nd inning with the Millers ahead 2-0 on a Barna home run.
Tu 6/11 at St. Paul W 4-1 25-27 WP-Brewer.
*Th 6/13-1 at Toledo W 5-0 26-27 2-hitter by Abernathy.  Barna homers.
Th 6/13-2 at Toledo W 5-4 27-27 WP-Webb.  HR-Buster Maynard.
F 6/14 at Toledo W 7-0 28-27 WP-Oates.
Sa 6/15 at Columbus W 3-0 29-27 WP-Brewer.  HR-McCarthy.
Su 6/16-1 at Columbus W 7-2 30-27 WP-Schoenborn.  HR-Danneker.
Su 6/16-2 at Columbus W 10-7 31-27 WP-Lefebvre.  Millers win 14th straight game.
M 6/17 at Louisville L 1-7 31-28 LP-Abernathy.  HR-Barna.
Tu 6/18 at Louisville L 5-8 31-29 LP-Webb.
*W 6/19-1 at Indianapolis W 7-1 32-29 WP-Brewer.
W 6/19-2 at Indianapolis L 1-7 32-30 LP-Schoenborn.  HR-Maynard.
Th 6/20 at Indianapolis L 5-7 32-31 LP-Lefebvre.
Sa 6/22 at Kansas City L 3-5 32-32 LP-Abernathy.  Barna homers.
Su 6/23-1 at Kansas City W 1-0 (11) 33-32 4-hitter by Brewer.
Su 6/23-2 at Kansas City L 6-8 33-33 LP-Lefebvre.
M 6/24 at Kansas City T 3-3 (8) 33-33-1 Called to allow Millers to catch a train.  Oates gives up only 2 hits but walks 12, including 3 in the eighth that were followed by a 3-run double by Charlie Silvera.
*Tu 6/25-1 at Milwaukee W 5-0 34-33 WP-Abernathy.  HR-McCarthy.
Tu 6/25-2 at Milwaukee L 3-12 34-34 LP-Strunk.  HR-Maynard 2.
W 6/26 at Milwaukee L 4-11 34-35 LP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna 2.
*Th 6/27-1 at Milwaukee L 8-11 34-36 LP-Kenny Jungels.
Th 6/27-2 at Milwaukee W 8-1 (8, curfew) 35-36 WP-Webb.
F 6/28 Milwaukee W 5-0 36-36 Oates, not as wild, pitches a 3-hitter.
Sa 6/29 Milwaukee W 7-3 37-36 WP-Brewer.  HR-Ray.
Su 6/30-1 Milwaukee L 6-7 (10) 37-37 LP-Webb.
Su 6/30-2 Milwaukee L 0-9 37-38 LP-Jungels.
M 7/1 Kansas City L 4-8 37-39 LP-Lefebvre.  HR-Maynard.  Teams leave 28 runners on base, 15 by Kansas City.
Tu 7/2 Kansas City W 4-2 38-39 WP-Brewer.  HR-Harpuder 2.
W 7/3 Kansas City L 1-9 38-40 LP-Webb.  HR-Danneker.
Th 7/4 a.m. St. Paul W 5-2 39-40 WP-Abernathy.  HR-Danneker.
Th 7/4 p.m. at St. Paul L 5-6 (10) 39-41 LP-Schoenborn.  HR-Ray.
F 7/5 at St. Paul L 1-8 39-42 LP-Webb.
Sa 7/6 St. Paul L 3-6 (10) 39-43 LP-Brewer.
Su 7/7 at St. Paul W 7-6 40-43 WP-Schoenborn.  HR-Maynard 2.
M 7/8 St. Paul W 5-0 41-43 WP-Abernathy.  HR-Ray.
Tu 7/9 Columbus W 11-0 42-43 WP-Oates.  HR-Barnacle.
W 7/10 Columbus L 2-7 42-44 LP-Brewer.
Th 7/11 Toledo W 5-3 43-44 WP-Jungels.
F 7/12 Toledo L 1-10 43-45 LP-Lefebvre.
Sa 7/13 Indianapolis L 4-5 43-46 LP-Abernathy.  HR-McCarthy.
Su 7/14-1 Indianapolis W 5-4 44-46 WP-Brewer.  HR-McCarthy.
Su 7/14-2 Indianapolis L 0-4 44-47 LP-Oates.
M 7/15 Louisville W 4-2 45-47 WP-Jungels.
Tu 7/16 Louisville L 4-5 (8) 45-48 LP-Schoenborn.  HR-Barna.  Called early to allow Colonels to catch their train.
W 7/17 American Association All-Star Game at Indianapolis W 4-2 Jerry Witte of Toledo hits 3 solo home runs.  Barna represents the Millers in the game.
W 7/17 Millers at St. Cloud Rox (exhibition game) W 8-3 Red Hardy wins.  Barnacle and Don Wheeler, both ex-Northern Leaguers, homers for the Millers.
F 7/19 at Indianapolis L 3-4 45-49 Millers protest game after Sibby Sisti's 1st-inning home run, first called foul, is then ruled a 2-run homer.
Sa 7/20 at Indianapolis, rain
Su 7/21-1 at Louisville L 2-3 45-50 LP-Brewer.
Su 7/21-2 at Louisville, rain
M 7/22 at Louisville L 1-2 45-51 LP-Oates.
*Tu 7/23-1 at Columbus L 1-3 45-52 LP-Abernathy.
Tu 7/23-2 at Columbus W 15-5 46-52 WP-Webb.  HR-Barna 2.
W 7/24 at Columbus, rain
Th 7/25 at Toledo L 8-15 46-53 LP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna.
F 7/26 at Toledo L 2-6 46-54 LP-Oates.
Su 7/28-1 Louisville W 7-3 47-54 WP-Jungels.
Su 7/28-2 Louisville W 6-5 48-54 WP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna 2.
M 7/29 Louisville L 6-9 48-55 LP-Oates.  HR-McCarthy.
Tu 7/30 Louisville L 4-9 48-56 LP-Oates.  HR-Ernie Andres.
W 7/31 Louisville L 4-5 (11) 48-57 LP-Jungels.  HR-McCarthy.
Th 8/1 Indianapolis W 12-6 49-57 WP-Bob Joyce.  HR-McCarthy.
F 8/2 Indianapolis W 5-1 50-57 WP-Lefebvre.  HR-Barna.
Sa 8/3 Indianapolis W 6-5 51-57 WP-Rube Fischer.  Barna breaks a 5-5 tie wth a homer n the 8th.
Su 8/4-1 Toledo W 5-4 52-57 WP-Brewer.
Su 8/4-2 Toledo W 14-5 53-57 WP-Jungels.  HR-Barna 2 (with 6 RBIs), Danneker (with 4 RBIs), Barnacle.
M 8/5 Toledo W 10-6 54-57 WP-Schoenboarn.  Harpuder hits a grand slam with 2 out in the 9th.  Danneker also homers.
Tu 8/6 Toledo L 7-8 54-58 LP-Webb.  HR-McCarthy.
W 8/7 Columbus L 7-11 54-59 LP-Schoenborn.  HR-McCarthy, Lefebvre.  Millers blow 6-0 lead.
*Th 8/8-1 Columbus L 6-9 54-60 LP-Brewer.
Th 8/8-2 Columbus L 2-3 54-61 LP-Joyce.
F 8/9 Columbus L 2-11 54-62 LP-Schoenborn.
Su 8/11-1 at Toledo W 7-6 55-62 WP-Joyce.
Su 8/11-2 at Toledo L 1-5 55-63 LP-Brewer.  HR-McCarthy.
M 8/12 at Toledo W 9-3 56-63 WP-Strunk.  HR-Barna.
Tu 8/13 at Toledo L 11-12 (10) 56-64 LP-Joyce.  Toledo ties the game 11-11 with 7 runs in the 9th.
*W 8/14-1 at Columbus W 11-2 57-64 WP-Oates.
W 8/14-2 at Columbus W 6-4 58-64 WP-Jungels.
Th 8/15 at Columbus W 7-4 59-64 WP-Brewer.
*F 8/16-1 at Columbus L 1-4 59-65 LP-Fischer.
F 8/16-2 at Columbus L 1-5 59-66 LP-Joyce.
Sa 8/17 at Columbus W 5-2 60-66 WP-Jungels.
Su 8/18-1 at Indianapolis W 9-8 61-66 WP-Strunk.  HR-Andres.  Millers score 4 runs in the 9th.
Su 8/18-2 at Indianapolis W 7-2 62-66 WP-Lefebvre.  HR-Bill Lillard.
*M 8/19-1 at Indianapolis W 4-1 63-66 WP-Brewer.
M 8/19-2 at Indianapolis L 3-4 63-67 LP-Strunk.
Tu 8/20 at Indianapolis W 1-0 64-67 4-hitter by Fischer.
*W 8/21-1 at Louisville L 4-5 64-68 LP-Schoenborn.
W 8/21-2 at Louisville L 2-7 64-69 LP-Jungels.
Th 8/22 at Louisville L 5-8 64-70 LP-Oates.
F 8/23 at Louisville W 3-1 65-70 WP-Brewer.  HR-Barna.
Su 8/25-1 at Milwaukee W 8-6 66-70 WP-Fischer.  HR-Barnacle, Andres.
Su 8/25-2 at Milwaukee L 5-7 66-71 LP-Strunk.
M 8/26 at Milwaukee W 11-9 67-71 WP-Bruce Campbell.
*Tu 8/27-1 at Kansas City W 1-0 68-71 WP-Brewer.  Millers get only 1 hit.
Tu 8/27-2 at Kansas City W 5-3 69-71 WP-Joyce.
W 8/28 at Kansas City L 5-9 69-72 LP-Lefebvre.
Th 8/29 St. Paul L 3-7 69-73 LP-Fischer.
F 8/30 at St. Paul W 7-3 70-73 WP-Jungels.  HR-Maynard.
Sa 8/31 St. Paul L 9-17 70-74 LP-Brewer.  Saints get 23 hits.
Su 9/1 St. Paul W 11-9 71-74 WP-Joyce.  Harpuder hits 2 home runs and gets 5 RBIs.
M 9/2 a.m. at St. Paul W 3-2 72-74 WP-Jungels.
M 9/2 p.m. St. Paul W 3-2 73-74 WP-Fischer.  HR-Andres.
Tu 9/3 at St. Paul L 9-10 73-75 LP-Jungels.
W 9/4 Milwaukee W 12-9 74-75 WP-Fischer.  Campbell hits 3-run homer with 2 out in the 9th.  McCarthy also homers.
Th 9/5 Milwaukee W 2-1 (7, rain) 75-75 WP-Joyce.
F 9/6 Milwaukee W 4-1 76-75-1 WP-Brewer.  Millers clinch playoff spot.
Sa 9/7 Kansas City, rain
Su 9/8-1 Kansas City, rain
Su 9/8-2 Kansas City, rain
Playoffs
Tu 9/10 at Indianapolis W 2-1 (12) 1-0 Fischer outduels Paul Derringer as both pitchers go the distance.  Campbell ties the game with a home run in the 7th and knocks in the winning run in the 12th.
W 9/11 at Indianapolis L 1-2 1-1 2-hitter by Johnny Hutchings beats Joyce.  Wayne Blackburn squeezes home the winning run in the 9th.
Th 9/12 at Indianapolis L 3-8 1-2 LP-Brewer.  In Louisville, St. Paul's Tom Sunkel pitches a no-hitter against the Colonels.
Sa 9/14 Indianapolis L 1-8 1-3 LP-Fischer.
Su 9/15 Indianapolis W 4-1 2-3 8-hitter by Joyce.  Lillard, at second base, has 5 put outs and 10 assists without an error and takes part in 4 double plays.
M 9/16 Indianapolis W 7-6 3-3 WP-Lefebvre.  Millers rally from 6-0 deficit and score 3 in the 9th, capped by McCarthy's 1-out, 2-run single, to win and stay alive in the playoffs.
Tu 9/17 Indianapolis L 2-3 3-4 LP-Fischer.  Indians, down 2-0, rally for 3 in the 8th before a crowd of 9,561.
W L Manager
Louisville 92 61 Harry "Nemo" Leibold-Fred Walters (during Leibold's suspension)*
Indianapolis 88 65 Bill Burwell
St. Paul 80 71 Ray Blades
Minneapolis 76 75 Zeke Bonura-Rosy Ryan-Tom Sheehan
Milwaukee 70 78 Nick Cullop
Toledo 69 84 Don Gutteridge-George Detore
Kansas City 67 82 Bill Meyer-Burleigh Grimes (during Meyer's illness)
Columbus 64 90 Charley Root
Leibold was suspended for the rest of the season July 17 for assaulting umpire Forrest Peters during a game, but he was reinstated September 1.
Statistics
Player Games Batting Average Home Runs Runs Batted In Position
Johnny McCarthy 126 .333 16 122 1b
Babe Barna 152 .298 28 112 rf
Frank Trechock 135 .290 0 34 2b-ss
Ernie Andres 90 .287 4 59 1b-3b
Jim Pruett 63 .280 0 32 c
Jim Cookson* 68 .278 0 15 cf
Frank Danneker 111 .272 8 52 2b
Bill Barnacle 102 .269 4 28 3b-lf
Bill Lillard 82 .269 1 25 ss-2b
Bruce Campbell 31 .268 3 13 cf
Cleston “Bama” Ray 102 .267 9 42 rf
James “Buster” Maynard 104 .264 9 45 cf
Don Wheeler 52 .264 0 18 rf-c
Dave Garcia 20 .262 1 9 3b
Mel Harpuder 90 .253 10 32 3b-ss
Fabian Gaffke 18 .250 1 15 cf
Hank Nowak 34 .245 0 7 lf
Russ Rolandson 52 .224 0 15 c
George Savino* 85 .221 0 30 c
Fred Reinhart 9 .211 0 2 lf
Zeke Bonura 9 .200 0 5 1b
Joe Lafata 8 .136 0 1 1b
Tony Jaros 5 .000 0 0 1b
Eddie Skladany 2 .000 0 0 ss
Pitcher G IP W L ERA
Woody Abernathy 22 149 9 9 3.44
Jack Brewer 27 190 14 9 3.46
Bill Webb 38 122 8 6 3.84
Werner Strunk 26 76 2 3 4.62
Rube Fischer 10 59 5 3 4.73
Bob Joyce 12 65 5 3 4.98
Phil Oates 24 119 5 6 4.99
Kenny Jungels 24 126 9 5 5.07
Don Schoenborn 38 104 4 8 5.97
Harold A. "Hale" Swanson 9 34 3 3 6.09
Wilfrid “Lefty” Lefebvre 35 167 11 12 6.41
Bob Bowman 3 19 0 3 6.63
Bob Barthelson 12 43 1 4 7.53
Alfred “Chubby” Dean 2 6 0 1 13.50
Mike Kash 5 10 0 0
Francis “Red” Hardy 5 9 0 0
Mike Mellis 3 8 0 0
Lou Lucier 2 7 0 0
*Cookson’s statistics include games played with Milwaukee in 1946, and Savino’s statistics include games with St. Paul.
Johnny McCarthy led the American Association with 122 runs batted in, and Babe Barna led the Association with 122 runs.