Nebraska Minor League Baseball
Western League 1950
Lincoln Athletics

The Western League in 1950 was a class "A" league. There were three "AAA" leagues, two "AA" leagues and four class "A" leagues in 1950.

Image courtesy Dan Bretta

Western League Standings 1950
President: Senator E. C. Johnson
Standings Wins Losses Games
Back		 Affiliation Attendance Manager
Omaha Cardinals 96 58 -- St. Louis Cardinals 218,393 Al Hollingsworth
Sioux City Soos 89 65 7 New York Giants 143,237 Hugh Poland
Des Moines Bruins 84 70 12 Chicago Cubs 147,549 Charlie Root
Wichita Indians 77 77 19 St. Louis Browns 126,729 Joe Schultz
Denver Bears 75 79 21 Boston Braves 379,180 Earl Browne
Colorado Springs Sky Sox 72 82 24 Chicago White Sox 107,264 Buddy Hassett
Lincoln Athletics 69 85 25 Philadelphia Athletics 68,884 James Deshong
Pueblo Dodgers 54 100 42 Brooklyn Dodgers 91,299 Ray Hathaway
Playoffs:
Wichita beat Omaha 3 games to 0.
Sioux City beat Des Moines 3 games to 2.
Sioux City won playoffs over Wichita 3 games to 1.
BA: Bill Taylor, Sioux City .346
Runs: Danny Holden, Denver, 131
Hits: Chuck Tanner, Denver, 195
RBI's: Tim Whisenant, Denver, 119
HR's: Pat Seerey, Colorado Springs, 44
Wins: Robert Mahoney, Omaha, 20
SO's: Robert Mahoney, Omaha, 162
ERA: Vern Fear, Des Moines, 2.83

Lincoln's Sherman Field was flooded during May. The Athletics had to move a number of their games in response. Attendance fell from 150,000 in 1949 to just about 69,000 in 1950

James Deshong was the manager of the Athletics. He had a tough job with a few good players and a lot of weather adversity. The team wound up in seventh place in the league. They were 6th in hitting, better in fielding and they had two good starters in a four man rotation.

Tom Hamilton set a Western League record with 3 errors in one game and Walt Kellner lost 11 games in a row setting another Western League record.

Roster:

Tom Hamilton led Western League in fielding for a first baseman. The port side slugger was the leading hitter for the Athletics as he batted .294 in 150 games.

George Moskovich also led the Western League in fielding for second basemen. On June 2nd he hit for the cycle. He averaged .282 for the year.

Bob Stewart set a Western League record for short stops with 325 put outs during the season. He batted .245 in 139 games.

Robert Gardner was a regular at the hot corner for 1950. He batted .250 in 155 games.

Putting on the mask for the Athletics in 1950 was Wilmer Shantz. He caught 106 games and averaged .228.

Alternating with Shantz was Robert Day. He played in 94 games and averaged .231.

Outfield:
Thomas Kirk was a regular in the garden for the Athletics. The port sider hit .267 in 155 games.

Another regular in the outfield was Frank Niedowicz. He averaged .276 in 112 games.

Ed Boehm played in 154 games and averaged .263.

Robert Betz tended the outfield for 100 games and averaged .265.

 

Pitchers
Lincoln had two ironmen pitchers in 1950. John Kucab and Mason Bowes were one two in complete games pitched and in innings pitched. Mason was the only Athletic named to the all star team from Lincoln in 1950. He pitched both ends of a double header against Omaha on September 9th. He won both games, 4-3 in the first and 9-8 in the second game in 10 innings. Mason played for three years with the Athletics from 1949-1951. He was present in 2001 to see the return of professional baseball to Lincoln with the Northern League Saltdogs. He was interviewed for an NETV Statewide broadcast. In 1950 he managed a 15-15 record. Kucab averaged .245 at the plate and had a 16-12 record as a pitcher.

Walt Kellner set a Western League post war record with 11 losses in a row. He wound up with an 8-14 record.

Richard Blauman was 3-4 for the Athletics while Robert Palash was 3-6.

Lewis Fauth pitched in 28 games and had a 9-13 record.

James MacFaden pitched in 37 games and had a 7-9 record and Elwood Carey flung from the port side and had an 11-8 record.

Western League All Stars 1950

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