The
NEVADA DUSTERS
The Story of a Major League Baseball Franchise
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Phillies @ Dusters
October 2-4, 1962
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Hudson Plans Ahead
Al Childress, Las Vegas Sun
In spite of being caught up in all the hubbub and hoopla of the Nevada Dusters' run for the NL pennant, owner and general manager Conn Hudson realizes that it's not too soon to be thinking about 1963. To that end he has quietly gone about negotiating contracts with players he feels are key components of the ballcub. Two weeks ago he signed outfielder Lee Maye to a three-year extension worth $2,200,000, including a one-year team option for $2.5 million. One week ago Hudson inked a deal with Johnny Blanchard that will pay the slugging catcher $4,400,000 for the next four years. And yesterday, middle infielder Jerry Adair signed a four-year extension at $3,750,000-a-year. Hudson is showing that he's not afraid to fork out the big bucks. Only half-jokingly, he explains that if he doesn't sign them now it will just cost him more later, especially the way Blanchard, Adair and Maye have been producing.
But Hudson will have to part with even bigger bucks if he wants to keep two more of those "key components." Ace Bob Shaw, who is making a strong bid for the Cy Young with his 22-3 record and 2.41 ERA, is being paid $1,100,000 this year. To keep him, however, Hudson will have to pay ten times that much next season. Shaw is asking for $10.8 million in '63, and it's not likely he come off that price by very much. Then there's third baseman Clete Boyer, earning $3.7 million this year, asking for five million in 1963. For the past couple of days, some have speculated that the Dusters might try to acquire veteran third-sacker Frank Malzone, who was recently released by the Boston Red Sox. Hudson could pick up Malzone and pay him just $2.7 million next year. But the organization has shown no interest in Malzone, and insiders say it never will happen. Hudson, they say, is loyal to his players, and all other things being equal, is more likely to keep Boyer even if it means paying twice as much as Malzone would cost.
If Hudson does sign Boyer, however, Shaw won't fit into the team budget, especially considering the disappointing home gate receipts this year. Realistically, the limit is a $35,000,000 payroll -- regardless of a pennant or not -- and signing Boyer will put Hudson close to that limit. I suspect the Dusters will go with a 1963 starting rotation of Joe Horlen, Dave McNally, Tony Cloninger, Jim Bouton from AAA Bakersfield, and ... who knows? Shaw has had a superb season, and deserves to be one of the top-paid hurlers in the league. He has done so well, in fact, that he may have pitched himself right out of a Dusters uniform.
 Jackie Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962
Philadelphia Phillies (71-85) @ Nevada Dusters (97-56)
October 2-4, 1962
Horizon Field, Las Vegas, NV
DL: Pete Richert (SP), ankle stress fracture, three days. Roger Repoz (CF-Montana Wolves), broken ankle, 35 days.
SIGNINGS
Jerry Adair (2B/SS) signed a four-year extension at $3,750,000.
Philadelphia Phillies Game 1 starting lineup:
[October 2, Game 1]
The two teams combined for 29 hits in what turned out to be a slugfest -- and one of the most exciting games of the season. It didn't look like it would be exciting early on, however, as the Phillies jumped out to a commanding 7-1 lead in the 3rd inning. Roy Sievers victimized Nevada starter Joe Horlen in the 1st with a three-run homer. In the Philadelphia 3rd, Sievers and Johnny Callison singled and Horlen walked Wes Covington to load the bases for Jimmie Coker, who hit a grand slam -- only his fifth long ball all year. Vic Power's two-run shot in the home 5th made it 7-3, but the Phillies got both of those runs back in the top of the 6th, sending Horlen to the showers. In the 7th, with Dallas Green relieving Philly starter Jim Owens, Powers hit an RBI single and Lee Maye cranked a three-run homer to right, closing the gap to 9-7. In the 9th, with two out and men on second and third, Ben Naylor sent Gordy Coleman to the plate to pinch hit for Hector Lopez (0-for-3), and Coleman fired a single through the hole, scoring two and tying the game. The game remained tied until the bottom of the 12th, when a two-out double by Jerry Adair plated Clete Boyer, and the Dusters won 10-9, their biggest comeback victory of 1962. Power was 2-for-5 with a walk, three runs, and three RBIs, Lee Maye 2-for-6 with two runs scored and three ribbies, and Boyer finished 3-for-6 on the day.
Lineup: Power, Maye, Williams, Lopez, Boyer, Blanchard, Adair, Hubbs, Horlen
Record: 98-56
Dusters 10, Phillies 9
 [October 3, Game 2]
Game 2 started much as yesterday's contest had -- with the Phillies taking an early lead, this time scoring four runs in the first frame against Nevada starter Dave McNally. Three of the runs scored on a Don Demeter homer. Could the Dusters pull off another come-from-behind victory? They got one run out of a bases-loaded situation in the 2nd, and in the 5th Hector Lopez drew a walk from Philly starter Chris Short before Billy Williams bounced one off the scoreboard in deep centerfield, making it 4-3. Each team scored a run in the 7th, but in the 8th the Phillies broke the game open as Demeter's solo homer was followed by a two-run shot off the bat of pinch-hitter Tony Gonzalez. The Dusters made it 8-5 in the bottom of the 8th when Cam Carreon singled and moved to third thanks to back-to-back wild pitches by Philly reliever Jack Hamilton, scoring on a Mack Jones single. But that was all the offense Nevada could muster. McNally suffered his eighth loss to go with ten wins, Williams collected his 32nd homer, and Carreon, catching in place of Johnny Blanchard, went 2-for-4 on the day. The Dusters remained 6.5 games ahead of the Pirates -- the only other team no mathematically eliminated from the NL pennant race -- who fell to the Colt .45's by a score of 5-4.
Lineup: Power, Lopez, Williams, Boyer, Adair, Schaive, Tresh, Carreon, McNally
Record: 98-57
Phillies 8, Dusters 5
[October 4, Game 3]
With seven games left to play, and 6.5 games ahead of Pittsburgh, the Nevada Dusters needed just one win to clinch the NL pennant, but the Phillies, who had hit five home runs in the first two games of the series, appeared capable of continuing with the long ball assault, adding three more to the total today -- all off the bat of left fielder Johnny Callison. Callison put the Phillies up 1-0 in the 1st with a solo shot; after that, Nevada starter Bob Shaw (22-3) held the line long enough for the Dusters to surge ahead 3-1 in the 6th. After a Hector Lopez homer tied the game, the Dusters loaded the bases; pinch hitter Gordy Coleman drew a walk and a run scored. Then Johnny Blanchard tagged up at third and scored on a sac fly by pinch hitter Mack Jones. But doubles by Billy Klaus and Don Demeter put Philadelphia back on top 4-3 in the top of the 7th, and in the 8th Callison added to the lead with his second solo blast. In the bottom of the 9th a Tom Tresh triple scored Vic Power, and then Tresh tied the game when reliever Jack Baldschun threw a wild pitch. In the 10th Callison hit his third solo home run, and it looked as though the Nevada fans would have to postpone their celebration. Clete Boyer opened the bottom of the 10th with a double before Johnny Blanchard cranked his 36th homer of the season to deep center. The Dusters had won the game, 7-6 -- and the National League championship to go with it. Blanchard was mobbed at home plate and the crowd of over 15,000 rocked Horizon Field. The celebration spilled out into the streets of Las Vegas and went on into the late hours.
Lineup: Power, Maye, Williams, Lopez, Boyer, Blanchard, Adair, Schaive, Shaw
Record: 99-57
Dusters 7, Phillies 6
NL: (1) Nevada, 99-57, (2) San Francisco, 94-65, (3) Pittsburgh, 92-65
AL: (1) Minnesota, 94-63, (2) New York, 95-64, Baltimore, 89-68
 Nevada Dusters financial update:
Average Attendance: 14,133 ..... Revenue: $42.9M ..... Profit: $14.5M ..... Cash: $18.1M ..... Team Payroll: $28.3M
Around the leagues:
MIN--Bob Hendley (P), hand stress fracture, two weeks.
HOU releases Al Cicotte (P).
BOS releases Frank Malzone (3B).
KCA releases Don Hoak (3B).
KCA releases Carl Sawatski (C).
HOU signed Jim Constable (P) for $320,000/1 yr.
Philadelphia Phillies at Nevada Dusters
October 4, 1962
TOP OF THE FIRST
Bob Shaw takes the mound for the Dusters.
Tony Taylor popped up to the shortstop. <--->
Ted Savage struck out. <--->
Johnny Callison homered around the foul pole in right. <--->
Roy Sievers flied out to right. <--->
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the first, Philadelphia leads 1 to 0.
BOTTOM OF THE FIRST
Art Mahaffey takes the mound for the Phillies.
Vic Power singled to right. <--1>
Lee Maye singled to center. <-21>
Billy Williams struck out. <-21>
Hector Lopez flied out to left. <-21>
Clete Boyer grounded to short. <-21>
0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, and 2 left on base.
At the end of the first, Nevada trails 1 to 0.
TOP OF THE SECOND
Tony Gonzalez walked. <--1>
Clay Dalrymple grounded to the second baseman. <-2->
Billy Klaus walked. <-21>
Ruben Amaro grounded to the third baseman for a double play (5-4-3). <-2->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
In the middle of the second, Philadelphia leads 1 to 0.
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND
Johnny Blanchard popped up to the first baseman in foul ground. <--->
Jerry Adair flied out to right. <--->
Johnny Schaive grounded to the shortstop. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the second, Nevada trails 1 to 0.
TOP OF THE THIRD
Art Mahaffey grounded to second. <--->
Tony Taylor popped up to short. <--->
Ted Savage grounded to third. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the third, Philadelphia leads 1 to 0.
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD
Bob Shaw struck out. <--->
Vic Power singled to left. <--1>
Lee Maye grounded to first, forcing the runner at second. <--1>
Lee Maye stole second. <-2->
Billy Williams struck out. <-2->
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
At the end of the third, Nevada trails 1 to 0.
TOP OF THE FOURTH
Johnny Callison popped up behind home plate. <--->
Roy Sievers grounded to first. <--->
Tony Gonzalez singled over the first baseman. <--1>
Clay Dalrymple struck out. <--1>
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
In the middle of the fourth, Philadelphia leads 1 to 0.
BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH
Hector Lopez grounded to second. <--->
Clete Boyer struck out. <--->
Johnny Blanchard walked. <--1>
Jerry Adair singled through the left side. <-21>
Johnny Schaive grounded to first base. <-21>
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 2 left on base.
At the end of the fourth, Nevada trails 1 to 0.
TOP OF THE FIFTH
Billy Klaus struck out. <--->
Ruben Amaro grounded to second. <--->
Art Mahaffey struck out. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the fifth, Philadelphia leads 1 to 0.
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH
Bob Shaw grounded to the third baseman. <--->
Vic Power grounded to second. <--->
Lee Maye popped up behind home plate. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the fifth, Nevada trails 1 to 0.
TOP OF THE SIXTH
Tony Taylor flied out to right. <--->
Ted Savage grounded to first. <--->
Johnny Callison singled to right. <--1>
Johnny Callison went for an extra base and was thrown out at second. <--->
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the sixth, Philadelphia leads 1 to 0.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH
Billy Williams lined out to center. <--->
Hector Lopez homered over the right field fence. <--->
Clete Boyer singled through the hole. <--1>
Johnny Blanchard walked. <-21>
Jerry Adair singled through the left side. <321>
Gordy Coleman pinch hit for Johnny Schaive. <321>
Gordy Coleman walked, scoring a run. <321>
Mack Jones pinch hit for Bob Shaw. <321>
Mack Jones flied out to center field. <321>
Johnny Blanchard tagged up and reached home, scoring a run. <-21>
Vic Power grounded to short. <-21>
3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, and 2 left on base.
At the end of the sixth, Nevada leads 3 to 1.
TOP OF THE SEVENTH
Claude Raymond came in to pitch for the Dusters. <--->
Cookie Rojas came in to play Second Base. <--->
Tom Tresh came in to play Center Field. <--->
Roy Sievers grounded to second. <--->
Tony Gonzalez singled to right field. <--1>
Clay Dalrymple walked. <-21>
Billy Klaus doubled in the left field gap, scoring a run. <32->
Wes Covington pinch hit for Ruben Amaro. <32->
Wes Covington struck out. <32->
Don Demeter pinch hit for Art Mahaffey. <32->
Don Demeter doubled in the left field gap for two RBIs. <-2->
Tony Taylor lined out to left field. <-2->
3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
In the middle of the seventh, Philadelphia leads 4 to 3.
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH
Don Elston came in to pitch for the Phillies. <--->
Mel Roach came in to play First Base. <--->
Bobby Wine came in to play Shortstop. <--->
Tom Tresh singled to left. <--1>
Tom Tresh stole second. <-2->
Billy Williams walked. <-21>
Hector Lopez popped up to second. <-21>
Clete Boyer grounded to second for a double play (4-6-3). <-2->
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
At the end of the seventh, Nevada trails 4 to 3.
TOP OF THE EIGHTH
Bill Dailey came in to pitch for the Dusters. <--->
Ted Savage struck out. <--->
Johnny Callison homered over the left field fence. <--->
Mel Roach singled to left. <--1>
Tony Gonzalez grounded to second for a double play (4-6-1). <--->
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the eighth, Philadelphia leads 5 to 3.
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH
Johnny Blanchard flied out to right. <--->
Jerry Adair struck out. <--->
Cookie Rojas popped up to short. <--->
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the eighth, Nevada trails 5 to 3.
TOP OF THE NINTH
Clay Dalrymple walked. <--1>
Billy Klaus struck out. <--1>
Bobby Wine popped up behind home plate. <--1>
Dick Allen pinch hit for Don Elston. <--1>
Dick Allen struck out. <--1>
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, and 1 left on base.
In the middle of the ninth, Philadelphia leads 5 to 3.
BOTTOM OF THE NINTH
Jack Baldschun came in to pitch for the Phillies. <--->
Bubba Morton pinch hit for Bill Dailey. <--->
Bobby Malkmus came in to play Shortstop. <--->
Bubba Morton singled to center. <--1>
Vic Power grounded to first, forcing the runner at second. <--1>
Tom Tresh tripled to center, scoring a run. <3-->
The Phillies brought the infield in.
Jack Baldschun threw a wild pitch - a run scored. <--->
Billy Williams popped up to short. <--->
Hector Lopez grounded to second. <--->
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
At the end of the ninth, the game is tied at 5.
TOP OF THE TENTH
Barney Schultz came in to pitch for the Dusters. <--->
Tony Taylor singled to right field. <--1>
Ted Savage struck out. <--1>
Tony Taylor was picked off first. <--->
Johnny Callison homered around the foul pole in right. <--->
Mel Roach grounded to third. <--->
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, and 0 left on base.
In the middle of the tenth, Philadelphia leads 6 to 5.
BOTTOM OF THE TENTH
Clete Boyer doubled in the right field gap. <-2->
Johnny Blanchard homered into the center field bleachers for two RBIs. <--->
DUSTERS WIN: 7-6
& WIN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + R H E
Phillies (PHI) 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 1 6 10 0
Dusters (NEV) 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 2 7 12 0
PHILADELPHIA ab h bb r hr bi k sb avg
T. Taylor (2B) 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253
T. Savage (RF) 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 .258
J. Callison (LF) 5 4 0 3 3 3 0 0 .259
R. Sievers (1B) 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306
M. Roach (1B) 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .288
T. Gonzalez (CF) 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 .314
C. Dalrymple (C) 2 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 .242
B. Klaus (3B) 3 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 .208
R. Amaro (SS) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .198
W. Covington (PH) 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .268
B. Wine (SS) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226
B. Malkmus (SS) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .207
A. Mahaffey (P) 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .123
D. Demeter (PH) 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 .295
D. Elston (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
D. Allen (PH) 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .302
J. Baldschun (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
TOTALS 36 10 4 6 3 6 9 0
2B: B. Klaus (21), D. Demeter (22)
HR: J. Callison 3 (21)
PHILADELPHIA ip h bb hr r er k pit ERA
A. Mahaffey 6.0 7 3 1 3 3 4 91 3.61
D. Elston 2.0 1 1 0 0 0 1 25 2.27
J. Baldschun 1.0 4 0 1 4 4 0 18 4.84
TOTALS 9.0 12 4 2 7 7 5 134
NEVADA ab h bb r hr bi k sb avg
V. Power (1B) 5 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .297
L. Maye (CF) 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .302
T. Tresh (CF) 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 .224
B. Williams (RF) 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 .314
H. Lopez (LF) 5 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 .320
C. Boyer (3B) 5 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 .279
J. Blanchard (C) 3 1 2 2 1 2 0 0 .234
J. Adair (SS) 4 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .290
J. Schaive (2B) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244
G. Coleman (PH) 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .309
C. Rojas (2B) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
B. Shaw (P) 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .067
M. Jones (PH) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .227
C. Raymond (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500
B. Dailey (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
B. Morton (PH) 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256
B. Schultz (P) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
TOTALS 37 12 4 7 2 7 5 2
2B: C. Boyer (13)
3B: T. Tresh (2)
HR: J. Blanchard (36), H. Lopez (25)
NEVADA ip h bb hr r er k pit ERA
B. Shaw 6.0 3 2 1 1 1 4 70 2.38
C. Raymond 1.0 3 1 0 3 3 1 31 5.47
B. Dailey 2.0 2 1 1 1 1 3 32 2.43
B. Schultz 1.0 2 0 1 1 1 1 17 2.79
TOTALS 10.0 10 4 3 6 6 9 150
WP: B. Schultz (7-1)
LP: J. Baldschun (6-7)
Attendance: 15,491
Time: 2:59
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