HISTORY OF THE NEW ENGLAND LEAGUE 1946-47

Contributed by Al Kirk

NEL YEARLY STANDINGS 1946-47

1946-47 NEL                                  W   L  PCT.  GB
Fitchburg Pamcos                            19   6  .760  ..
Hartford Pros                               19   8  .701   1
New Britain Newfields*                      11  10  .524   6
Worcester Irish-Americans                   11  13  .458   7.5
Fall River Trojans-Pawtucket Collegians***   4  13  .235  11
Salem Pros-Lynn Pros****                     4  17  .190  13
Manchester British-Americans**               1   2  .333  ..

*The New Britain Newfields played in Bridgeport on the weekends
and in New Britain during the week) 
**The Manchester British-Americans left the league in December
and went independent
***The Fall River Trojans were 4-9 when the franchise shifted
to Pawtucket (The Collegians then folded)
****The Salem Pros were 4-9 when they transferred to Lynn

Round Robin Championship Playoffs
New Britain Newfields were New England League Champions

                       W   L  PCT.  GB
New Britain Newfields  8   3  .727  ..
Fitchburg Pamcos       5   6  .454   3
Hartford Pros          5   7  .417   3.5
Worcester              4   6  .400   3.5

A round robin championship final was decided by owners to be held
after Pawtucket folded and Lynn was ready to call it quits also.
Each team was to play 12 games, four against each club.  It is
not known if New Britain, Fitchburg, and Worcester played their
remaining game after New Britain clinched the championship. (The
Hartford Pros lost to the Bristol Tramps of the Eastern League,
69-74,  in a benefit challenge. This game was set up by local
press to pit both league's leaders during the last week of regular
season play to see who was the best .)

NEL TEAM ROSTERS 1946-47

Incomplete Rosters (*Played with more than one team in the league)

Fall River Trojans - Healy, John Lee, Masterton,  Platt, Sperling,
*Sullivan, Ralph Wicks

Fitchburg Pamcos - Red Allen, Bicknell, Jack Duaraton, Mutt
Johnson, Kane, Bob Kitterman, *John Lee, Sam Lieberman, Frank
Mangiapane, Olds, Quinlinn, Williams

Hartford Pros - Frank Bores, Bob Cady, Verne Cox, Wee Dinnie, *Al
Howard, Bob Hubbard, Paul Klappordt, Dick Kowalski, Mitch Magora,
*Pat Mazzerella, George Pajak, Chick Sposito, Chet Zabek
Coach: Jack O'Brien   (Arena: Hartford Auditorium - 2,000)

Lynn-Salem Pros - Barrese, Birmingham,Cassin, Chandler, Shikas,
Heraty, Kristokas,Landry, Lipson, *Mitchell, Nagle, *Russell,
Frank Seyboldt, *Sullivan

Manchester British-Americans - Alaizi, Cobb, Ermisch, Gavello,
Greene, Hillenski, Murdock, Shodoz, Tarkington, Ed Yost, Zwick

New Britain Newfields - Walt Alesevich, Jack Bowden, Zeke Fazekas,
Flaherty, Ernie Gomez, Mickey Homa, Johnny Issacs, Bobby Lynch,
*Pat Mazerella, Joe Oslai, George Petrovich, Rodin, Len Salata,
Ven Swaller
(Arena: Stanley Arena - 1,000)  

Pawtucket Collegians - Belanger, Ethler, Glancy, Healy, Howard,
John Lee, Billy Rutledge, Sperling, *Ziggy Stezlicki, Ralph Wicks
(It is possible that more of the Pawtucket team was from Fall River)

Worcester Irish-Americans - J. Bornheimer, Ed Budift, Buck Desourcy,
Dolan, Bill Downey, Henenssey, Mort Hill, Hurley, Kasper, Arnold
Jones, Malawka, Ray Manerill, Phil Matrix,  Rasper, Frank Taylor,
*Frank Seyboldt, Shopps, *Ziggy Strezilcki