1955 held at Clearwater, Florida.
Champion – Raybestos Cardinals, Stratford, Connecticut
Runner Up – Clearwater Bombers, Clearwater, Florida
After being so close for a while now, the Raybestos Cardinals finally reached the summit. They won their first National Crown and defeated the Clearwater Bombers in doing so. The Bombers were knocked into the losers bracket and had to win three straight to claim the crown. They defeated the Trenton Democratic Club of Baltimore 2-0 in 10 innings. Then in the first final, the Bombers won another 2-0 battle behind John Hunter’s 3-hit shutout and Harry Hancock’s double. But, when it came down to the Final game for the title, Howie Wieland hurled the 10 inning 2-0 victory and for good measure, he delivered the double that produced the two runs. Hunter went 9 innings in the final game and Eddie King came in to pitch the 10th inning and gave up the winning runs and was charged with loss.
- MVP – John Hunter, Clearwater Bombers
- Batting Leader – Marion Cook, Standard Parts – .500
- Home Run Leader – Ben Karrless, Lackland AFB War Hawks – 1
- Home Run Leader – George Adam, Raybestos Cardinals – 1
- Home Run Leader – Jim Ellis, Clearwater Bombers – 1
- Home Run Leader – Frank Binkley, State Farm Insurance – 1
- Home Run Leader – Palmer, Coca Cola – 1
- Home Run Leader – Perry, Yellow Cab Merchants – 1
- Home Run Leader – Tony Pagluica, Raybestos Cardinals – 1
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
P – John Spring, Raybestos Cardinals (3-1, 36 IP, 34 K, 3 Shutouts)
P – Harvey Sterkel, Merchants
P – John Hunter, Clearwater Bombers (4-0, 44 IP, 47 K, pitched the winners bracket final, winning 1-0)
C – Ernie Bertolini, Trenton Democratic Club
1B – George Adam, Raybestos Cardinals
2B – Don Miles, State Farm Insurance
3B – Billy Wojie, Raybestos Cardinals
SS – Nolan Whitlock, Clearwater Bombers (.318)
OF – Bob Sprentall, Clearwater Bombers (.304)
OF – Frank Binkley, State Farm Insurance
OF – Jim Ellis, Clearwater Bombers
UTIL – Tony Pagliuca, Raybestos Cardinals
HONORABLE MENTION
P – Clarence “Buck” Miller, Standard Parts (2-2, 24 IP, 41 K)
P – Howard Wieland, Raybestos Cardinals (2-0, 17 IP, 18 K, Pitched 2-hit shutout and drove in both runs in 2-0 championship)
P – Eddie King, Clearwater Bombers (2-1, 10 IP, 15 K)
C – Marion “Rabbit” Cook, Standard Parts (8-16, 3 RBI)
2B – Jerry Curtis, Clearwater Bombers
SS – Jack McLeod, Raybestos Cardinals
OF – Bill Baroff, Raybestos Cardinals
OF – Ray Gawerecki, Hanley’s Real Estate
OF – Ben Karass, Lackland AFB
OTHERS
Herb Dudley (1-0, 12 IP, 12 K)
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Raybestos Cardinals, Stratford, CT (6-1) (North Atlantic)
2. Clearwater Bombers, Clearwater, FL (6-2) (Defending Champ)
3. Trenton Democratic Club, Baltimore, MD (4-2) (Central Atlantic)
4. State Farm Insurance, Bloomington, IL (4-2) (West Central)
5t. Standard Parts, Memphis, TN (3-2) (Southwestern)
5t. Haney Real Estate, Omaha, NE (2-2) (Western)
7t. Yellow Cab Merchants, Denver, CO (2-2) (Rocky Mountain)
7t. Coca Cola, Sacramento, CA (2-2) (North Pacific Coast)
9t. Roth’s Rangers, Clearwater, FL (2-2) (Host)
9t. Hilliard’s Cafe, Houston, TX (2-2) (Texas)
9t. Canton YMCA, Canton, NC (1-2) (Southern)
9t. Lackland AFB War Hawks, San Antonio, TX (1-2) (Air Force)
13t. McAllister Studebakers, Albuquerque, NM (0-2) (Cactus)
13t. Hispano Americana, Manzanillo, Cuba (0-2) (Cuba)
13t. New Bar, St. Paul, MN (0-2) (Northern)
13t. Flame Show Bar, Detroit, MI (0-2) (East Central)
17t. Shamrock Tavern, Longview, WA (0-2) (Northwestern)
17t. Kodak Park AA, Rochester, NY (0-2) (Mid Atlantic)
NOTES
South Pacific Coast Champ – Anderson Furniture, San Diego, CA did not attend. Fisher Brothers, Montreal, Quebec were supposed to go in place of Canada Champ – Lew Kanes, Windsor, ON but could not attend. US Army Champ – First Army, Fort Monmouth, NJ did not attend. US Navy Champ – Submarine Bs, New London, CT did not attend.
