Hollywood CA - Chicago shocked the APBA World with a 3-2 series upset of perennial powerhouse, the 1974 World Series Champion, Old Mill Legends.  Chicago now looks to do the same to Hollywood.  While Old Mill is the American League dynasty of the early 70's, Hollywood happens to be the National League version.  Hollywood has been to the World Series, now, 3 of the last 4 years, taking the 73 World Series 4 games to 3 over Old Mill in dramatic fashion.  Hollywood will be looking for a little revenge from the 72 World Series, where Chicago beat them 4 games to 2.  No MWWL has repeated as champion yet which will change in 75.  If history repeats itself, the MWWL trophy should return to Hollywood.  Since inception, the trophy has switched leagues in all but 1 year.

 

1970 : NL Rushcreek

1971: AL Delco

1972: AL Chicago

1973: NL Hollywood

1974: AL Old Mill

1975: ??

 

Rumor has it that this is Hollywood's last hurrah.  Our sources say that Hollywood will be breaking up the team and rebuilding for the early 80's.  One surprise rumor has the release of Goose Gossage once the World Series ends.  Due to conduct unbecoming, which led to a decrease in playing time, Goose has asked for his outright release because he does not want to share closer duties with the "Mad Hungarian" Al Hrbrosky.  Hollywood has repeatedly tried to get Goose's agent on the phone, however all calls have gone unanswered.  With no electronic device that can take a message, the phone at Goose's home just rings and rings.  There is a clause in his contract that was unknown to Hollywood management that allows Goose to be released of his contract immediately following the World Series if he is not used at least 71 innings during the year.  This being the case, this seems like the end of an era in Hollywood and they hope to go out on top.

 

Chicago @ Hollywood

 

Game 1:       Vida Blue vs. Andy Messersmith.  Joe Morgan leads off the game with a double off the centerfield wall.  With 1-out, Andre Thornton chops an infield groundout that moves Morgan to 3rd.  Then a big 2-out Rusty Staub single past former Chicago Demolition Bert Campaneris scores Morgan for an early 1-0 lead!  With Chicago up 1-0 in the top of the second, Boog Powell's poor defensive flip to a covering Messersmith puts Craig Nettles on second with no outs.  Bobby Bonds (with 11-year old son Barry acting as the batboy) lays down a bunt single, moving Nettles to 3rd.  Dave Concepcion steps in and bounces a sure double play ball to Campaneris, who bobbles it for a second, but is able to force Bonds out at second.  On his way back to the dugout you hear young Barry say, "Daddy, you'll never see me lay down a sissy bunt.  I'm gonna hit over 70 homers one day."  You can see Bobby just smile and laugh.  Word is that Barry has started taking some enhancement medication to bulk up for Pee Wee next year....  That groundout plated Nettles for a 2-0 Chicago lead. 
     In the bottom of the 2nd Hollywood gets on the board when Garry Maddox hammers a homerun to lead it off cutting the lead to 2-1.  It stays that way till the top of the 6th when Messersmith walks Thornton to lead off the inning.  That's followed by a Staub infield hit and a Joe Rudi walk to load the bases with nobody out.  Nettles than lines a single to right, scoring Thornton and holding Staub at 3B.  Down 3-1, the Hollywood bullpen begins to warm.  That seem to upset Messersmith cause he buckled down and got Bonds on a lineout to first then Concepcion and Blue both on strikes.    Blue cruises all the way to the 8th when Pete Rose doubles to lead it off.  That's followed by a Bobby Murcer walk which knocks Blue out of the game.  Ken Forsch comes in looking to include Johnny Bench into a DP, and that is exactly what he does.  With 2-out, Forsch is pulled for Sparky Lyle who promptly walks Boog Powell.  That brings up Maddox who comes through with an RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2.  Lyle settles down and closes the door in the 9th to preserve the 3-2 win and giving Chicago upset hopes!!!!  Chicago leads 1 games to 0

 

Game 2:       Doc Ellis vs. Burt Hooton.  With Chicago flying high for the series 1 win, they send Doc Ellis (who is probably already high himself) to the mound.  With 2-outs in the bottom of the 1st, Ellis walks Bobby Murcer.  Bench follows with a double off the wall giving Hollywood a 1-0 lead.  Then Boog steps to the plate...The delivery ... POWELL belts it deep ... RUDI has his back to the wall ... looking up and it's bye-bye baseball.  Hollywood leads 3-0.  Its stays that way until the top of the 3rd when Concepcion leads off with a single, then steals second.  Then Hooton does the unthinkable, he walks Ellis.  Then with runners on the corners and 1-out, Thurman Munson hammers a 2-run double off the base of the centerfield wall.  Thornton than plops a single over second to tie the game at 3.  Here comes Chicago.....It stays tied till the bottom of the 4th when doubles to lead it off.  After Boog walks, Garry Maddox steps in.  The runners take their lead ... the delivery ... and MADDOX connects ... and wow it's far over the wall in left ... ELLIS wishes he had that pitch back.  Hollywood leads 6-3.  They run the score up to 9-3 before Chicago gets 2 back, however it was too late and Hollywood ties the series at 1 game a piece.

 

Hollywood @ Chicago

 

Game 3:       Ed Figueroa vs Dave Goltz.  The game stays scoreless until the top of the 3rd when Derrel Thomas singles and steals second with 1-out.  Campy then reaches on an infield single.  Bill North than follows with an RBI single to put Hollywood up 1-0, but Campy is thrown out at 3rd in the process.  With 1-out and up 1-0, Rose and North play hit-and-run that makes it runners at the corners.  Murcer follows that with a 2-RBI double and scores himself on a Bench single.  When all was said and done, Hollywood was up 4-0.  That proved to be Chicago's undoing as Hollywood continued to poor it on en route to a 12-3 route and a 2-1 series lead. 

 

Game 4:       Andy Messersmith vs. Vida Blue.  Chicago, hoping to tie the series, re-sends Blue to the mound against Messersmith.  Messersmith  gets himself in trouble when with 2-outs, he throws the ball away allowing Nettles to reach 2nd.  The Joe Rudi steps in...The pitch ... RUDI swings ... this one will get a lot of air time ... NORTH gives chase going back ... and it clears the wall! ... home run for RUDI and Chicago leads 2-0!  Last time they gave Blue a lead, he was able to hold it.  Blue continues to mow Hollywood down until the 4th.  After Munson does what Messersmith did earlier, Maddox lands at 2nd.   Blue gets rattled a bit and walks DH Jerry Hairston.  Then Thomas steps in and tries to sacrifice them over, which turns in to a bunt base hit and the bases are loaded with no outs.  Campy delivers a SF and the lead is cut to 2-1.  Blue holds 'em there to preserve the lead, for the time being....In the top of the 6th, with 1-out, Blue walks Hairston again.  Hollywood surprises Blue with a Thomas-Hairston hit-and-run which results in a double in the corner and a tie game!  Blue then becomes unglued.  He walks Campy, then uncorks a wild pitch to North.  North makes him pay with a 2-run double giving Hollywood a 4-2 lead.  It stays that way till the 9th.  Don Kirkwood is greeted by a Bench homer as Hollywood extends the lead to 5-2.  As they head into the bottom of the 9th, the fans begin to exit the stadium.  However, they pause when one time Vampire  Willie Stargell singles to lead it off against Hrbrosky.  Gossage comes in to try and finish the game.  He gets Munson to bounce into a force play.  Then the fans start to head back to their seats when Craig Nettles doubles off the base of the right field wall.  With the fans on their feet, the tying run in Joe Rudi steps to the plate.  He already has 1 homer today.  Infield deep ... the runners take their lead ... quick move to the plate...RUDI wallops this one to center field ... it might be out of here ... MURCER is to the wall he has no more room ... he's looking up ... leaps ... and grabs it!  that one was over the wall ... but MURCER brought it back in for the out and the runners scramble back ... both runners tag...the coach has the windmill churning ... he's trying to score....here comes the throw home....here's the play at the plate ... and he's ... safe...ahead of the ball and RUDI picks up a sac fly and an RBI ... and NETTLES holds at second.  You can hear the Chicago owner in the next booth, "There is no #%$@&^ way he caught that ball.  It was over the ^&%$ wall!"  Then you could hear a big sigh in the stadium, but Chicago cuts the lead to 5-3.   Bonds then singles Nettles home to make it 5-4!!  With Morgan up and 2 outs, lets listen to the call.  First baseman Mike SQUIRES perched right in front of the bag ... and BONDS takes off ... swing and a miss..BENCH fires to second ... and gets him! ... great throw by BENCH  they pay a big price for the attempt!  Hollywood wins 5-4 to take a 3-1 series lead.  NOTE:  Bonds took off on his own, Stray just went standard swing away.  Basically the computer cost him a chance to tie.

 

Game 5:      Burt Hooton vs. Ken Forsch.  Trailing 3 games to 1, Chicago puts their World Series hopes in Forsch.  Hollywood get to Forsch in the 2nd when Boog doubles with 1-out.  Then Maddox is walked, which brings up DH Larry Biittner who singles to load the bases.  Thomas then delivers a big 2-run single to give Hollywood a 2-0 lead.  Chicago fights back with one in the bottom half.  After Stargell doubles and Staub singles, Bonds comes up with runners on the corner.  VAMPIRES playing for the double play ... now the pitch ... BONDS belts this pitch to right center...not deep ... MURCER is in hot pursuit ... and he makes a circus catch! ... now he quickly turns...STARGELL tags and scores to cut the lead to 2-1.  Let's listen into the owner box again, "No *$(^&@ way!  I HATE MURCER!  I can't believe he did it to me again!"  Up 2-1 in the 3rd and 1-out Murcer walks and Bench singles, which brings Boog to the plate.  The pitch...Boog swings...This one has a chance ... high, deep and hard ... RUDI is just a spectator this time ... see ya!  Hollywood leads 5-1!   After scoring on a Munson single in the bottom of the 3rd to cut the lead to 5-2, they have hope that the series is not yet over.  Heading into the bottom of the 5th, Chicago will not give up. Morgan doubles to lead it off and then Munson steps in.  HOOTON working on MORGAN to hold him close ... he doubled to lead it off ... he wheels and deals...a blast to the opposite field ... no doubt about this one ... it's long gone!..way over the fence in right ... home run for MUNSON and Chicago now only trails 5-4!  Trailing by only 1 in the bottom of the 6th, Bonds reaches on a single, which gets Hooton pulled for Larry Demery.   Demery blows the hold when he gives up a 2-out double to Nettles that TIES THE GAME AT 5!!    The game heads to the 9th with a tired Sparky Lyle on the mound.  Hairston singles to lead off the 9th.  After Jerry White comes in to run for him and moves to second on Thomas's groundout.  Then Campy and North are walked to load the bases.  With a short bullpen, Lyle is kept out there.  That proves costly as Pete Rose's double scores 2 to give Hollywood a 7-5 lead.  The microphones caught Rose saying to Concepcion as he was standing on second, "I bet Munson a $100 that we were going to win this series 4 games to 1"  The Commissioners Office needs to watch this guy's gambling habits....Hollywood hands the ball to Gossage in the 9th.  MUNSON facing GOSSAGE with 1-out in the 9th and a runner on 1st, Behind 5-7.  MORGAN two full strides off first ... GOSSAGE now ... grounded to Campaneris..flips to PEREZ at second ... they get him ... over to first ... bang! bang! ... double play! and the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES ARE THE 1975 MID-WEST WINTER LEAGUE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

 

Co-MVPs: 
 Johnny Bench (7-19 5R 3D 1 HR 4 RBI .368 BA .455 OBP)

&

Pete Rose (9-23 4R 2D 2 RBI .391 BA .440 OBP)