Minneapolis Millers Game by Game Results: 1941-1950

Minneapolis Millers - Compiled by Stew Thornley

1950 - American Association, 90-64-1, 1st place - Standings, statistics, and notes follow game-by-game results

Manager: Tommy Heath

*Scheduled for seven innings

Date

Opponent

Outcome

Record

Notes

Tu 4/18

at Milwaukee Brewers

W 6-5 (6, rain)

1-0

7-hitter by Millard "Dixie" Howell. HR-Johnny Kropf.

W 4/19

at Milwaukee, cold

Th 4/20

at Milwaukee, cold

Sa 4/22

at Kansas City Blues

W 7-2

2-0

Winning pitcher-Adrian Zabala.

Su 4/23-1

at Kansas City

L 3-11

2-1

Losing pitcher-Wes Bailey. HR-Charlie Workman.

*Su 4/23-2

at Kansas City

W 7-1

3-1

4-hitter by Hoyt Wilhelm in his Millers debut. HR-Kropf.

Tu 4/25

Kansas City, snow

W 4/26

Kansas City, cold

Th 4/27

Milwaukee, cold

F 4/28

Milwaukee

W 4-1

4-1

5-hitter by Howell. HR-Workman.

Sa 4/29

Milwaukee, snow

Joe Lafata obtained from the Giants.

Su 4/30

at St. Paul Saints, cold

M 5/1

St. Paul

W 4-1

5-1

4-hitter by Wilhelm.

Tu 5/2

at St. Paul, rain

W 5/3

St. Paul, rain

Th 5/4

at St. Paul

W 3-2

6-1

WP-Howell. Giants call up Harold "Tookie" Giilbert. Jack Harshman rejoins Millers.

F 5/5

St. Paul, rain

Su 5/7-1

at Columbus Red Birds

L 2-4

6-2

LP-Wilhelm. HR-Bert Haas.

*Su 5/7-2

at Columbus

W 2-0

7-2

WP-Zabala.

M 5/8

at Columbus

L 6-9

7-3

LP-Bailey. Strick Shofner breaks tie in 8th with 3-run inside-the-park home run.

Tu 5/9

at Toledo Mud Hens

W 9-6

8-3

WP-Don Robertston. HR-Harshman, Haas 2, Kropf, Dave Williams.

W 5/10

at Toledo

L 3-5

8-4

LP-Dave Barnhill.

Th 5/11

at Toledo

L 0-7

8-5

LP-Zabala.

F 5/12

at Indianapolis Indians

L 4-10

8-6

LP-Wilhelm. HR-Haas.

Sa 5/13

at Indianapolis

W 9-7

9-6

WP-Howell (4-0). HR-Howell, Harshman.

Su 5/14-1

at Louisville

L 0-7

9-7

LP-Robertson.

*Su 5/14-2

at Louisville

W 2-1 (9)

10-7

WP-Bill Ayers.

M 5/15

at Louisville

L 3-4

10-8

LP-Barnhill.

Tu 5/16

at St. Paul, rain

W 5/17

Columbus

L 3-5

10-9

LP-Zabala. HR-Bill Jennings.

Th 5/18

Columbus

W 8-3

11-9

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Harshman, Carvel "Bama" Rowell.

F 5/19

Columbus, rain

Sa 5/20

Toledo, rain

Toledo leading 3-1 in the 4th when the game is rained out.

Su 5/21-1

Toledo, rain

*Su 5/21-2

Toledo, rain

*M 5/22-1

Toledo

W 3-2

12-9

WP-Ayers. HR-Haas.

M 5/22-2

Toledo

W 6-0

13-9

2-hitter by Zabala. HR-Williams.

Tu 5/23

Louisville Colonels

W 8-2

14-9

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Bob Brady 2.

W 5/24

Louisville

W 10-2 (6, rain)

15-9

WP-Howell (5-0). HR-Jennings.

Th 5/25

Louisville

L 0-9

15-10

LP-Frank Fanovich.

F 5/26

Louisville

L 2-12

15-11

LP-Les Klesitz. HR-Brady.

Sa 5/27

Indianapolis

L 9-11

15-12

LP-Whitey Konikowski. HR-Harshman, Williams, Jennings.

Su 5/28-1

Indianapolis

W 11-5

16-12

WP-Wilhelm. Lafata hits grand slam in a 7-run 8th inning.

*Su 5/28-2

Indianapolis

L 2-9

16-13

LP-Ayers. Monty Basgall hits grand slam for Indianapolis.

M 5/29

at St. Paul

W 6-3

17-13

WP-Howell (6-0).

Tu 5/30 a.m.

at St. Paul

W 10-3

18-13

WP-Konikowski. HR-Mylon "Mike" Vukmire, Kropf.

Tu 5/30 p.m.

St. Paul

W 28-9

19-13

WP-Zabala. HR-Lafata 2, Harshman, Workman, Jennings. Lafata drives in 8 runs. Millers tie record for runs in game, set by Milwaukee May 23, 1944 in 28-0 win over Toledo.

W 5/31

at St. Paul

W 3-1

20-13

WP-Ayers.

Th 6/1

Kansas City

L 8-16

20-14

LP-Barnhill. HR-Harshman 2, Vukmire.

F 6/2

Kansas City

W 9-6

21-14

WP-Fanovich. Harshman hits grand slam.

Sa 6/3

Milwaukee

W 7-6

22-14

WP-Howell (7-0). HR-Lafata. Millers move into first by percentage points.

Su 6/4-1

Milwaukee

W 8-6

23-14

WP-Bailey. HR-Williams, Harshman, Workman, Lafata.

*Su 6/4-2

Milwaukee

W 8-5

24-14

WP-Ayers. HR-Workman.

M 6/5

at Milwaukee

L 6-7 (11)

24-15

LP-Ike Pearson. HR-Harshman, Ray Dandridge.

*Tu 6/6-1

at Milwaukee

W 2-1

25-15

WP-Fanovich. HR-Lafata.

Tu 6/6-2

at Milwaukee

W 9-6

26-15

WP-Wilhelm.

W 6/7

at Milwaukee

W 10-7

27-15

WP-Konikowski. HR-Kropf 2.

Th 6/8

at Kansas City

L 5-6

27-16

LP-Pearson. HR-Workman. Hardy knocked out of the game without retiring a batter. Haas goes 5 for 5 with 2 doubles, a home run, and 4 RBIs.

F 6/9

at Kansas City

T 3-3 (10)

27-16-1

Game called to allow teams to catch a train.

Sa 6/10

Kansas City

W 5-4

28-16

WP-Fanovich. HR-Brady.

Su 6/11-1

Kansas City

W 15-12

29-16

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Brady, Williams, Jennings.

*Su 6/11-2

Kansas City

W 12-3

30-16

WP-Howell (8-0). HR-Haas.

M 6/12

St. Paul, rain

Game rained out in the 4th. St. Paul built a 9-0 lead and led 11-7 when the game was stopped. Seven homers were wiped out by the rain: 2 by Earl Naylor and 1 by Cal Abrams of St. Paul, and 2 each by Phil Tomkinson and Kropf of Minneapolis.

Tu 6/13

at Columbus, rain

W 6/14

at Columbus

L 1-2

30-17

LP-Ayers. HR-Haas.

Th 6/15

at Toledo

W 4-2

31-17

WP-Fanovich. HR-Haas.

F 6/16

at Toledo

W 10-6

32-17

WP-Howell (9-0). HR Harshman, Brady 2, Howell, Rowell.

Sa 6/17

at Toledo

W 10-4

33-17

WP-Zabala. HR-Harshman.

Su 6/18-1

at Indianapolis

L 3-4

33-18

LP-Ayers. HR-Haas, Dandridge.

*Su 6/18-2

at Indianapolis

L 1-2

33-19

LP-Wilhelm.

M 6/19

at Indianapolis

L 0-5

33-20

LP-Fanovich.

Tu 6/20

at Indianapolis

L 4-5

33-21

LP-Pearson. Millers in three-way tie for first with Indianapolis and Louisville.

W 6/21

at Louisville

L 5-6

33-22

LP-Pearson. HR-Rowell.

Th 6/22

at Louisville

W 5-4 (13)

34-22

WP-Konikowski.

F 6/23

at St. Paul

L 2-8

34-23

LP-Ayers.

Sa 6/24

at St. Paul

W 6-4

35-23

WP-Bailey.

Su 6/25

St. Paul

L 5-12

35-24

LP-Pearson.

*M 6/26-1

Kansas City

L 7-14 (9)

35-25

LP-Fanovich. HR-Workman, Jennings, Vukmire. Whitey Ford goes the distance for Kansas City on an 11-hitter. Blues break 7-7 tie with 7 runs in the 9th.

M 6/26-2

Kansas City

W 10-7

36-25

Barnhill wins in relief of Wilhelm, who left with no out in the 4th, and strikes out 12 over the last 5 innings. Williams hits the first pitch, from Spec Shea, in the last of the first for a home run. He comes up later in the inning and again hits the first pitch from Shea for a home run, becoming the sixth player in the American Association to hit 2 homers in an inning and the first since Lin Storti of Minneapolis on August 26, 1939.

Tu 6/27

Milwaukee

W 8-7

37-25

WP-Howell (10-0). Marlin Stuart of Toledo pitches perfect game, beats Indianapolis 1-0

W 6/28-1

Milwaukee

L 0-7

37-26

LP-Wilhelm. Millers held to 1 hit by Chet Nichols.

*W 6/28-2

Milwaukee

W 10-9

38-26

WP-Ayers. HR-Jennings, Brady.

Th 6/29

at Milwaukee

W 4-3

39-26

WP-Konikowski. HR-Williams. Millers break a 1-1 tie in the top of the fourth when Rowell doubles and scores on a single by Jennings. The Minneapolis Tribune report said that Milwaukee center fielder Bob Addis lost Rowell’s fly in the lights, but Sam Levy, in the Milwaukee Journal, maintained it was a nighthawk that caused the ball to drop safely: “The bird, dipping in over center field with a mate in the fourth inning, mistook a fly ball for something to eat. With Bob Jaderlund, right fielder, camping under Bama Rowell’s easy fly, the hawk pecked at the ball, deflecting it from its course. Center fielder Bob Addis, standing near Jaderlund, then attempted to catch the fly but it took a crazy spin and fell to one side for a trick double.”

F 6/30

at Milwaukee

W 5-2

40-26

WP-Bailey.

*Sa 7/1-1

at Kansas City

L 4-5

40-27

LP-Pearson.

Sa 7/1-2

at Kansas City, rain

Su 7/2-1

at Kansas City

W 5-2

41-27

WP-Ayers. HR-Jennings.

*Su 7/2-2

at Kansas City

W 11-1

42-27

WP-Barnhill.

M 7/3

at St. Paul, rain

M 7/4 a.m.

St. Paul

W 11-9

43-27

Pearson wins in relief of Howell. HR-Dandridge, Haas, Kropf, Howell.

M 7/4 pm.

at St. Paul

W 3-2

44-27

WP-Konikowski. Haas hits 2 home runs; his second home run, leading off the 9th, breaks a 2-2 tie.

W 7/5

St. Paul

L 4-8

44-28

LP-Wilhelm. HR-Harshman.

Th 7/6

at St. Paul

W 6-1

45-28

2-hitter by Barnhill, who strikes out 11, giving him 44 strikeouts in the last 26-2/3 innings.

F 7/7

Indianapolis

W 6-1

46-28

WP-Ayers. HR-Dandridge, Jennings. Millers take first place by percentage points over Indianapolis.

Sa 7/8

Indianapolis

W 5-3

47-28

WP-Fanovich. HR-Williams.

Su 7/9-1

Indianapolis

L 2-8

47-29

Howell loses first game. HR-Harshman.

*Su 7/9-2

Indianapolis

W 7-6

48-29

WP-Pearson. HR-Williams, Harshman 2, Kropf.

M 7/10

Louisville

W 6-5

49-29

WP-Zabala. HR-Jennings, Harshman. Giants send John "Spider" Jorgensen to the Millers.

Tu 7/11

Louisville

W 10-4 (7, rain)

50-29

WP-Barnhill. Barnhill strikes out 8 amid controversy over scratched baseballs turning up whenver he pitches.

W 7/12

Louisville

L 3-6

50-30

LP-Ayers. HR-Kropf. George Wilson breaks up tie game with a grand slam in the 8th. Giants send Kirby Higbe to the Millers.

Th 7/13

Louisville

L 2-6

50-31

LP-Konikowski

F 7/14

Columbus

W 12-6

51-31

WP-Fanovich. HR-Lafata, Dandridge.

Sa 7/15

Columbus

L 2-10

51-32

LP-Zabala. HR-Jennings.

Su 7/16-1

Columbus

L 4-8

51-33

LP-Higbe. HR-Kropf. Higbe and Jorgensen make Millers debuts.

*Su 7/16-2

Columbus

L 3-9

51-34

LP-Pearson. HR-Jennings.

*M 7/17-1

Toledo

L 2-3

51-35

LP-Bailey. HR-Kropf, Dandridge.

M 7/17-2

Toledo

W 7-2

52-35

Barnhill wins, strikes out 9, and homers.

Tu 7/18

Toledo

L 2-4

52-36

LP-Fanovich. HR-Jennings.

*W 7/19-1

Toledo

W 5-3

53-36

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Jake Early.

W 7/19-2

Toledo

L 7-9

53-37

LP-Konikowski. HR-Early, Williams.

Th 7/20

St. Paul

L 3-9

53-38

LP-Higbe. HR-Dandridge 2, Jennings.

F 7/21

St. Paul

L 1-6

53-39

LP-Barnhill.

S 7/22

at Louisville

L 0-1

53-40

LP-Ayers.

Su 7/23-1

at Louisville

L 2-11

53-41

LP-Wilhelm. HR-Early, Haas.

*Su 7/23-2

at Louisville

L 2-3

53-42

LP-Konikowski.

M 7/24

at Indianapolis

L 6-7 (12)

53-43

LP-Higbe. HR-Jennings.

Tu 7/25

at Indianapolis

W 4-2

54-43

WP-Howell (11-1) in first start in more than two weeks.

W 7/26

at Columbus

L 0-3

54-44

LP-Ayers.

*Th 7/27-1

at Columbus

W 3-1

55-44

Higbe pitches 7-inning no-hitter. HR-Kropf.

Th 7/27-2

at Columbus

W 6-1

56-44

6-hitter by Barnhill, who strikes out 7.

F 7/28

at Columbus

L 0-10

56-45

LP-Bailey.

Sa 7/29

at Toledo

L 4-9

56-46

LP-Konikowski. HR-Williams, Rowell.

Su 7/30-1

at Toledo

W 9-6

57-46

WP-Ayers. HR-Jennings.

*Su 7/30-2

at Toledo

W 5-0

58-46

6-hitter by Howell (12-1). HR-Kropf, Howell.

Tu 8/1

Louisville

L 7-8

58-47

LP-Higbe. HR-Haas.

W 8/2

Louisville

W 7-6

59-47

WP-Bailey. Millers score 2 in the last of the 9th.

Th 8/3

Louisville

L 1-12

59-48

LP-Wilhelm. HR-Jennings.

F 8/4

Indianapolis

W 4-2

60-48

WP-Ayers.

Sa 8/5

Indianapoliis

W 5-4

61-48

WP-Zabala. Kropf ties the game in the 8th with a home run. Pete Milne's triple scores the go-ahead run. Kropf makes catch against the wall to end the game.

Su 8/6-1

Indianapolis

W 16-7

62-48

WP-Higbe. HR-Haas 3, Kropf, Jennings, Jorgensen.

*Su 8/6-2

Indianapolis

L 7-12

62-49

LP-Konikowski. HR-Jorgensen, Williams, Haas. Bob Lennon debuts as a pinch-hitter.

M 8/7

at St. Paul

W 6-2

63-49

WP-Barnhill. Dandridge's 3-run homer in the 8th gives the Millers a 4-2 lead. Williams also homers.

Tu 8/8

Columbus

L 0-2

64-50

LP-Ayers. Millers shut out on 5 hits by Harvey Haddix.

*W 8/9-1

Columbus

L 7-8

63-51

LP-Higbe.

W 8/9-2

Columbus

L 6-14

63-52

LP-Zabala. HR-Jennings, Rowell.

Th 8/10

Columbus

W 6-0

64-52

No-hitter by Dixie Howell (13-1). HR-Early.

F 8/11

Columbus

W 9-0

65-52

2-hitter by Wilhelm.

Sa 8/12

Toledo

W 16-15 (10)

66-52

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Zabala, Brady 2, Lafata. Millers score 6 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to tie the game. Lafata's 2-out homer in the 10th wins the game.

Su 8/13-1

Toledo

W 8-6

67-52

WP-Pearson. Jorgensen's 3-run homer with 2 out caps a 4-run 9th inning.

*Su 8/13-2

Toledo

W 6-3 (9)

68-52

WP-Higbe. Rowell hits 3-run homer in the 9th.

M 8/14

Toledo

W 2-1

69-52

WP-Fanovich. HR-Milne.

W 8/16

at Louisville

W 8-5

70-52

Barnhill wins in relief. HR-Early. Millers get 18 hits and take over first place by 1/2 game over Louisville.

Th 8/17

at Louisville

W 10-3

71-52

HR-Higbe. HR-Rowell. Millers get 13 hits.

F 8/18

at Louisville

W 13-2

72-52

WP-Wilhelm. Millers get 20 hits, including 4 each by Milne and Rowell. Early homers.

Sa 8/19

at Indianapolis

L 4-5

72-53

LP-Fanovich. HR-Haas. Indians score 3 in the 9th.

Su 8/20-1

at Indianapolis

W 13-4

73-53

WP-Ayers.

*Su 8/20-2

at Indianapolis

W 5-3

74-53

WP-Barnhill. HR-Brady, Milne.

M 8/21

at Columbus

L 2-3

74-54

LP-Higbe. HR-Rowell.

Tu 8/22

at Columbus

L 0-3

74-55

LP-Wilhelm.

W 8/23

at Columbus

W 8-2

75-55

WP-Howell (14-1). HR-Kropf.

Th 8/24

at Toledo

W 8-1

76-55

WP-Zabala. HR-Haas.

F 8/25

at Toledo

L 2-10

76-56

LP-Higbe. Millers lose on a 6-hitter by 45-year-old Walter "Boom Boom" Beck in Beck's first appearance of the season.

Sa 8/26

St. Paul

W 10-8

77-56

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Jorgensen 2, Kropf. Jorgensen's second home, with a runner on base, wins the game in the 9th. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, “The ball sailed across Nicollet Ave., crashed through the heavy plate glass door of an appliance shop [Johnston’s Appliance] and set off the burglar alarm.”

Su 8/27

at St. Paul

L 6-7

77-57

LP-Ayers.

M 8/28

St. Paul, rain

*Tu 8/29-1

at Milwaukee

W 4-1

78-57

WP-Fanovich.

Tu 8/29-2

at Milwaukee

L 3-5

78-58

LP-Wilhelm.

W 8/30

at Milwaukee, rain

*Th 8/31-1

at Milwaukee

L 8-14

78-59

LP-Howell (14-2). HR-Jennings, Jorgensen.

Th 8/31-2

at Milwaukee

W 6-5 (7, curfew)

79-59

WP-Wilhelm. HR-Jorgensen, Williams.

Sa 9/2-1

at Kansas City

W 5-0

80-59

WP-Zabala.

*Sa 9/2-2

at Kansas City

W 4-0

81-59

WP-Barnhill.

Su 9/3-1

at Kansas City

W 10-2

82-59

WP-Bailey.

*Su 9/3-2

at Kansas City

W 2-1

83-59

WP-Ayers.

M 9/4 a.m.

at St. Paul

L 3-4 (11)

83-60

LP-Pearson. HR-Dandridge.

M 9/4 p.m.

St. Paul

L 1-5

83-61

LP-Wilhelm.

*Tu 9/5-1

St. Paul

W 5-4 (10)

84-61

WP-Barnhill. HR-Jennings.

Tu 9/5-2

St. Paul

W 9-8

85-61

WP-Wilhelm. Millers score 3 in the last of the 9th. Dandridge ties the game on a 2-run single and later scores the winning run after Jennings hits a grounder that rolls through second-baseman Jack Cassini's legs. Dandridge comes home from second and crashes into catch Steve Lembo, knocking the ball loose to score the winning run.

*W 9/6-1

Kansas City

W 6-4

86-61

WP-Bailey. HR-Dandridge, Jorgensen.

W 9/6-2

Kansas City

W 7-4

87-61

WP-Zabala. HR-Williams, Milne. Ray Dandridge is voted the American Association Most Valuable Player. Teammate Bert Haas is second. Solly Hemus of Columbus is third.

Th 9/7

Kansas City

W 7-0

88-61

3-hitter by Higbe. HR-Kropf, Haas.

F 9/8

Kansas City

W 8-4

89-61

12-hitter by Wilhelm. Millers clinch the pennant as Indianapolis loses to Toledo.

*Sa 9/9-1

Milwaukee

L 3-8

89-62

LP-Ayers.

Sa 9/9-2

Milwaukee

W 7-3

90-62

WP-Barnhill. HR-Jennings.

Su 9/10-1

Milwaukee

L 5-6

90-63

LP-Ed Wright. HR-Haas.

*Su 9/10-2

Milwaukee

L 4-6

90-64

LP-Bailey.

Playoffs

Tu 9/12

Columbus, rain

W 9/13

Columbus

L 4-5 (13)

0-1

Pearson loses in relief of Higbe. Higbe homers. Red Birds tie game with 3 in the 9th.

Th 9/14

Columbus

L 0-7

0-2

6-hitter by Haddix beats Barnhill.

F 9/15

Columbus

W 4-1

1-2

5-hitter by Wilhelm.

Su 9/17

at Columbus

W 6-2

2-2

WP-Ayers. Early's grand slam in the 8th gives Millers a 5-2 lead. Ayers follows with a drive into the seats that pops out. Heath asks umpire Bill Jackowski to ask left-fielder Larry Miggins if the drive was a home run. Miggins admits that it was, and Ayers is granted a home run.

M 9/18

at Columbus

L 2-3 (10)

2-3

LP-Zabala. Haddix goes the distance on an 8-hitter. Columbus ties the game in the 9th off Zabala and wins in the 10th.

Tu 9/19

at Columbus

L 3-8

2-4

LP-Wilhelm.

Manager

Minneapolis

Tommy Heath

Indianapolis

Al Lopez

Columbus

Rollie Hemsley

St. Paul

Clay Hopper

Louisville

Mike Ryba

Milwaukee

Bob Coleman

Toledo

Eddie Mayo

Kansas City

Joe Kuhel

Statistics

Player

Games

Batting Average

Home Runs

Runs Batted In

Position

Bob Lennon

.364

John “Spider” Jorgensen

.330

3b-ss-of

Bert Haas

141

.318

106

1b-rf

Pete Milne

.312

Ray Dandridge

150

.311

2b-3b

Bill Jennings

145

.285

Dave Williams

138

.280

Tookie Gilbert

.278

Joe Lafata

.272

of-1b

Bama Rowell

.259

Phil Tomkinson

.258

Johnny Kropf

155

.254

George McDonald

.250

Bill Lutes

.250

Jake Early

.247

Mylon “Mike” Vukmire

.247

ss-3b-2b-of

Bob Brady

.237

Jack Harshman

.230

Charlie Workman

.214

Joe Konitzki

.091

Pitcher

ERA

Ike Pearson

2.61

Dave Barnhill

140

3.60

Bill Ayers

177

4.37

Frank Fanovich

104

4.50

Kirby Higbe

105

4.71

Millard “Dixie” Howell

145

4.78

Adrian Zabala

130

4.92

Hoyt Wilhelm

180

4.95

Whitey Konikowski

4.99

Don Robertson

5.23

Wes Bailey

5.49

Ed Wright

6.59

Les Klesitz

8.31

Dave Williams led the American Association with 113 runs. Ray Dandridge was named Most Valuable Player.