Flashback Friday: 1941 WSL All-Star Game Recap

Last week's Flashback was the preview article for the 1941 Wisconsin State League All-Star Game. This week, the Flashback is the recap of that All-Star Game, which was hosted by the Appleton Papermakers at Spencer Street Field. Gordon McIntyre has the story from the July 15, 1941 edition of The Post-Crescent.

Lefty Kleine Calcimines State League All-Stars
Gives Three Safeties and Papermakers Pound Out 4-0 Win Before 3,600 Fans

With Lefty Herold Kleine hurling 3-hit ball and with the rest of the club playing as if they were the all-stars, the Appleton Papermakers defeated the Wisconsin State league's stars, 4 to 0, here last night in the first such contest in the circuit's brief history.

Kleine, who was batted from the hill in the third frame Saturday night at Green Bay, was in the rarest form last night. In only three innings did he face more than three batters, he fanned 8, walked 3, and hit 1. His three blows were all singles and his biggest feat probably was fanning Gil Neuman, LaCrosse's stellar first baseman, three times straight. Neuman was the top batter among the stars.

Naturally Kleine got a lot of help afield. Gus Gregory came in for several plays that were little short of sensational as he handled difficult chances and tossed out runners. Garrison also figured in one scintillating play while Herb Conyers and Gregory produced the only double play for the winners first base to second base.

Appleton got six hits, the feature blow being a high home run over the left field fence by Herb Conyers in the fourth. The blow came off Jerry Crowley, Green Bay, who worked two innings and was slated as the losing hurler. Gene Joselane of Janesville started the game and gave up two hits in three innings.

Errors Hurt Stars

Appleton's second marker came off Lefty Steinbach, who allowed two hits in two innings. An error helped the Appleton cause. The final two runs came when Rollie Marquardt of Fond du Lac was on the hill but were the direct result of errors by Catcher Harry Wang, Fond du Lac, and Outfielder Schadt, La Crosse.

The all-star hurlers fanned six batters and issued four walks.

Manager Eddie Dancisak and Conyers scored all of Appleton's runs. Conyers got his towering homer in the fourth and Dancisak dented the rubber in the sixth. Eddie singled to center in the sixth and galloped to third when Pat Seerey blasted a single to center. Conyers then hit a fly ball back of short that went so far up it must have had snow on when it came down. Males of Sheboygan, playing short stop, attempted to make the catch and muffed and Dancisak tallied. The next two batters fanned to end the uprising.

Appleton's final two markers, in the eighth, would have labeled Harry Wang, Fond du Lac catcher, as the game's goat if the outcome had been determined by the miscues,

Dancisak worked Marquardt for a walk and stole second with Wang heaving the ball into centerfield and Dancisak taking third. Seerey fanned for the third time in four tries and Conyers drew a walk.

Conyers and Dancisak then worked a double steal with Wang again throwing into center trying for Conyers. When the ball went through Schadt as he came up to cover on the play, Conyers was able to leg it all the way to the plate.

Estimate Crowd at 3,600

The game was played before a crowd estimated at 3,600 persons which included fans, players, team and league officials, and scouts from three other major league teams besides Harold Irelan of the Cleveland Indians, sponsoring Appleton. Many of the spectators invaded the park as early as 5 o'clock to assure themselves choice seats.

Pre-game activities saw the Sons of the Legion drum and bugle corps parade and the usual infield and batting practices. Members of the two squads were introduced and there were a few words by Herman D. White, Eau Claire, president of the league.

Eight umpires worked the contest, four toiling 4-1/2 innings and then giving way to another four. The first quartet saw Harrison at the plate, Balda at first, Weber at second, and Fellows at third. The second quartet saw Chapman at the plate, Palermo at first, Schoenfelt at second, and Hannem at third.

With the Green Bay series now history and with the all-star game down in the books as a 4 to 0 victory, the Appleton Papermakers will return to more prosaic competition tonight when they clash with the Fond du Lac Panthers at Spencer field. Game time will be 8:15.

The Papermakers are tied for first place with Green Bay but as far as Manager Eddie Dancisak is concerned he'd just as soon see the boys step down a notch and relax and enjoy their games again. The pressure has been rather heavy on the locals of late and with Gus Gregory still ailing from the ball he caught in the head, with Joe Tipton out for five or six days with a broken finger, Heller favoring an ankle and McDonnell black and blue from pitched balls last night and with a couple aching fingers - maybe it would be a good thing if it would rain.

Tomorrow night the Panthers are here again and then the Rapids comes to town for another two games. After that the Papermakers take the long swing around the loop and will be gone six days.