OTD Brooklyn Semipro Rivalry 8/3/1934: With Late Rally Bay Parkway Seizes Victory Over Bushwick at Dexter Park

From the desk: BROOKLYN SEMIPRO RIVALRY

The Brooklyn Citizen, Saturday, August 4, 1934

On Friday, August 3, 1934, in their fourth clash this season, Joe Rosner's Bay Parkway Dukes defeated brother Max Rosner's Bushwicks at Dexter Park.

Behind the strong pitching of Hank Grampp, the Bushwicks appear headed towards a certain victory.  After four scoreless innings, the Dexters plate two runs in the fifth on runs scored by recently signed catcher Charlie Hargreaves (former Brooklyn Dodger) and first baseman Eppie Barnes.  Staked to a 2-0 lead, Grampp continues hurling scoreless baseball through the seventh.

Bay Parkway finally solves Grampp's puzzling efforts with a five-run outburst in the eighth.  After singles by first baseman Gene Rogers and right fielder Bruce Caldwell, pinch-hitter Ike Gould doubles, and Dressen the second baseman singles for three runs, knocking Hank Grampp out of the box.  Facing Art Smith in relief of Grampp, the Dukes score twice more on a walk, a hit by Jim Duffy, and a perfectly executed squeeze-play for a 5-2 lead.

Bushwick picks up an unearned run in the home ninth.  Right fielder Eddie Boland triples and scores on one of three Bay Parkway errors.  Otherwise, Duke's starter Jim "Dizzy" Duffy allows three runs on eight hits (only one for extra bases) and two walks with four strikeouts in a resilient winning effort.

Despite an initial seven exemplary innings pitched, Hank Grampp winds up yielding nine of Bay Parkway's ten hits in a late-inning, albeit a hard-luck loss.  

Bruce Caldwell, in particular, leads the Dukes with a 3 for 5 performance at the plate, and Dizzy Duffy helps his own cause with a double then a single in that big eighth inning. 

Bushwick's second baseman Buck Lai and Grumpp each register a hit and a run batted in. 

The Bay Parkway Dukes now lead the season series against Bushwick, three games to one.

The Brooklyn Citizen, 

Saturday, August 4, 1934

OTD in Brooklyn Semipros 8/1/1935: Bay Parkway Dukes Routed By Local Rival Bay Ridge Club

From the desk: BROOKLYN SEMIPROS

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday, August 2, 1935

"BAY RIDGES TROUNCE BAY PARKWAYS, 15-6, IN NIGHT GAME"

On Thursday, August 1, 1935, in a matchup of local rivals played not more than two miles from where I presently live, the Bay Ridge Baseball Club conquers the Bay Parkway Dukes at Bay Ridge Oval, 15th Avenue at 86th Street.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday, August 2, 1935

With neighborhood pride on the line, at least half the crowd of 4,500 watches on with great delight as the Bay Ridgers trounce the Dukes by a final score of 15 to 6.  All Bay Ridge batters hit safely, and all but one wield multiple hits.  By the game's end, they strike for twenty hits, including 13 for extra bases, against Bay Parkway starter George Smith and relievers Gannett and Lester.  Smith walks three and strikes out four in the loss.

Third baseman Harry Bennett leads Bay Ridge with four runs driven home.  Second baseman Bobby Cummings goes 3 for 5 with a double, a pair of triples, and two runs batted in.  Left fielder Eddie Marsini accounts for three hits, including a double; center fielder Jeff McDonald goes 2 for 4 with three runs batted in, and first baseman Al Ambramowitz collects three hits, including a triple and home run.

In the ninth, Luciano also homers for the Dukes.  Otherwise, Bay Ridge starter Joe Stryker holds Bay Parkway to six runs on eight hits and five walks with eight strikeouts for the win.  In fact, Luciano leads the Dukes with three hits, including two of four Bay Parkway extra-base hits, Rodriguez and Ike Goldstein account for the others.  Meanwhile, the number five-hitter in the lineup and right fielder Bruce Caldwell strikes out four times.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday, August 2, 1935

OTD Brooklyn Semipros 7/20/1934: Bay Parkway Dukes Outlast Bushwick at Dexter Park

From the desk: BROOKLYN SEMIPROS 

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York),

Saturday, July 21, 1934

On Sunday, July 20, 1934, in a battle between brothers, Joe Rosner's Bay Parkway Dukes outslug Max Rosner's Bushwicks at Dexter Park, Woodhaven.

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York),

Saturday, July 21, 1934

In a back and forth affair, Bay Parkway starter Big Ike Gould outlasts both Bushwick starter Mike DeMucchio and reliever Art Smith for the win.  Gould also flashes his leather skills, initially snaring two potential Bushwick hits laced back through the box.  With Bushwick trailing 10-8 in the ninth, Gould snatches yet another comebacker off the bat of third baseman Buck Lai.  Afterwhich, Bushwick shortstop Dutch Woerner triples, bringing to the plate recent center field acquisition Frank Schreich representing the tying run.  With two outs, Gould offers, and Schreich sends a fly deep to center field where George Andrews cradles the ball for the final out.  

Big Ike Gould yields eight runs on eleven hits and two walks with five strikeouts in a winning effort.  Bushwick right fielder Ed Boland poses Gould's biggest threat, going 3 for 4 with a home run; Dutch Woerner and Eppie Barnes also wield multiple hits for the visiting Dexters.

Bushwick's Mike DeMucchio surrenders seven runs on nine hits, and a walk with three strikeouts in just five innings pitched but escapes with a no-decision.  Smith allows three late runs for the loss.  Duke shortstop Roy Tarr goes 3 for 5 with a home run, and right fielder Bruce Caldwell likewise goes 3 for 5 with a double.  The two team up to drive in seven runs for Joe Rosner's Dukes.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle,

Saturday, July 21, 1934

OTD Brooklyn Semipros 7/18/1935: Bay Parkways Defeat The Homestead Grays In First Ever Night Game At Erasmus Field

From the desk: NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE & BROOKLYN SEMIPRO

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday, July 19, 1935

On Thursday, July 18, 1935, not more than two miles from where I presently live, Joe Rosner's Bay Parkway Dukes defeat Cum Posey's Negro National League Homestead Grays in the first-ever night game at Erasmus Field, McDonald Avenue at the Avenue M Station along the Culver Line.

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), 

Friday, July 19, 1935

BAY PARKWAY DUKES vs. 

HOMESTEAD GRAYS

With a new lighting system in place, George Smith starts for the Bay Parkways and is opposed by Tom "Big Train" Parker for Homestead.  The Grays apparently see the ball well as they jump out to a prompt 2-0 lead in the first.  Bay Parkway answers with runs in the third and fourth innings.  The Homestead Grays then take a 3-2 lead in the fifth, but it does not last again.  The Dukes tie the game in the sixth, then erupt for three runs in the seventh for a 6-3 lead.  The teams again traded two runs apiece in the eighth inning, giving Bay Parkway an 8-5 lead and the final margin of victory, but not before Homestead poses one last threat.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, and first baseman Buck Leonard due up, manager Harry Hesse removes George Smith in favor of Al Morris.  Leonard had previously doubled and homered off Smith.  When play resumes, Al Morris strikes out Buck Leonard on three pitches to end the game.  

George Smith yields five runs on seven hits and five walks with ten strikeouts through 8.2 innings pitched for the win.  Four of Homestead's seven hits go for extra bases; left fielder Vic Harris goes 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored; center fielder Ray Brown triples in four at-bats and pitches in relief of Big Train Parker (striking out four with one walk), while Buck Leonard accounts for six total bases.

Homestead starter Tom Parker allows eight runs on seven hits and seven walks with 13 strikeouts in a losing effort.  The slugging Parkways make their hits count as five go for extra bases.  Right fielder Bruce Caldwell leads the Dukes, going 2 for 4 with a double, home run, and two runs scored, and Frank Posnack is 2 for 5 with two doubles and one run scored.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday, July 19, 1935

First Night Game at Erasmus Field, Brooklyn