PLAYER of the MONTH

The Player for the Month of May 1944 is the SS of the Brooklyn Belligerents Lou (Old Shufflefoot) Boudreau, 
the first overall pick in 1938.  Lou has been a dependable shortstop for Brooklyn missing only three 
games in the past four seasons.  In May Lou batted .411 (53-129) with a slugging percentage of .643 which 
included thirteen doubles, one triple and five home runs.  Lou was walked 23 times during the month, 
scored 29 runs and collected 19 RBI.  He had at least one hit in 22 of 28 games he played in; which 
included a thirteen game hit streak; he also had at least two hits in fifteen games including one four 
hit and one five hit game.  Lou also had four game winning RBI in May and raised his batting average 
from .302 to .375.

Other Player of the Month Candidates:

1B	Phil (Mickey) Weintraub of North Dallas the 21st person drafted in 1933 is now in his second 
stint with the team after being released in 1938 only to be resigned in 1942.  Phil batted .387 (43-111) 
with a slugging percentage of .622 with eight doubles, three triples and four home runs.  He also 
finished with 31 runs scored, 14 RBI and was walked 21 times.

1B	Frank (Buck) McCormick of Montgomery who batted .361 (35-97) with a slugging percentage of .711 
which included seven doubles and nine home runs.  Frank also knocked in 28 teammates and scored 24 runs.

LF	Jim Russell the 21st overall pick in 1942, now in his rookie season batted .350 (35-100) with a 
slugging percentage of .620 in May.  Jim hit seven doubles, four triples and four home runs to go with 
his 22 runs scored and 20 RBI.

The Pitcher of the Month of May 1944 is the Starting Pitcher of the Montgomery Burns Mort Cooper who was 
the third overall pick in 1938 and a 19 game winner back in 1942.  Mort looks ready to surpass that 19 
wins this season and may push Bucky Walters for the DBS record of 23 wins in a season.  Mort came into 
the month with a record of 1-0 but and ERA of 6.00 and was able to lower his ERA to 3.05 with his stellar 
performance in May.  Mort was 5-0 in May with an ERA of 1.91 allowing 10 earned runs in 47 innings of 
work.  Mort struck out 32 opponents while only walking thirteen with 38 hits for a WHIP of 1.09.  He 
started six games in May with two complete game shutouts, one against St. Louis and one against Muskegon

Other Pitcher of the Month Candidates:

RP	Mike Ryba of Montgomery, in his second stint with Montgomery after originally being signed by 
Pawtucket as a Free Agent in 1935.  Mike was 1-0 with nine saves in May with an ERA of 1.74 allowing four 
earned runs in 20.66 innings.    

SP	Hank Borowy of Montgomery who was the fifth pick in 1942, was 4-1 with an ERA of 2.15.  Hank 
allowed nine earned runs in 37.66 innings in five starts with one complete game shutout and twenty 
strikeouts. 

SP	Ken Raffensberger of Harlem who was 5-1 in may in seven starts with three complete games.  
Ken was the 16th pick in the 1939 draft and had an ERA of 3.08 in may with seventeen earned runs in 
49.66 innings.  Ken struck out 35 opponents while walking eleven batters and allowing 47 hits.