INTERCOUNTY LEAGUE
In March, 1953 the Galt Terriers of the Intercounty League advertised in The Sporting News in an effort to attract some talent for the new season.
(April 16) St. Thomas Elgins announced the signing of right-handed pitcher John Pollock. The 22-year-old is from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
(April 18) Oshawa Merchants announced the signed of Chuck Aleno, the top RBI man in the Florida State League last season. Aleno spent parts of four seasons in the majors with Cincinnati. His pro career began in 1937.
(May 12) The president of a manufacturing plant in St. Thomas is trying a baseball comeback with the local club of the Intercounty League. In 1948 and 1949, Stuart Lare pitched for the Montreal Royals, the top farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
(May 15) League commisioner John Gillies has ruled that lefty hurdler Jackie Bowes is not eligible to play in the Intercounty League this season. Gillies said Bowes had earlier signed a contract with Spartansburg of the Tri-State League. Guelph Maple Leafs had appeal to the Cleveland Indians, who hold Bowes' professional rights, to have the 23-year-old place on the voluntary retired list. The young pitcher has been ordered to report to Sherbrooke of the Quebec Provincial League.
(June 3) Russ Evon's two-run homer in the final frame gave London Majors the 8-4 win over the Terriers at Galt. London had trailed 4-0 until the 7th when they rallied to tie. The big hit for the Majors in their four-run frame was a bases clearing blow by Jim Halkard. It was their 7th win in nine games.
Jack Brumm, Ray Butler (W) (7) and xxx
Hec Beaton (L), Strong (9) and xxx
Kitchener Panthers rallied to edge Oshawa Merchants 8-7. The Panthers trailed 7-2 going into the bottom of the 7th when they scored a pair, then added three in the 8th to tie. In the 9th, Alex Kvasnak beat out a bunt and came around to score on Jack Kinner's double. Mel Duncan allowed 14 hits but went the distance for the win, his third consecutive victory. John Walter took the loss.
Walter (L) and xxx
Duncan (W) and xxx
(June 4) The Galt Terriers announced a roster shake-up, dropping four regulars and signing up another three.
Dropped were catcher Howie Haack, pitchers Othello Strong and Felix Henry and outfielder Haig Lavery. Coming in to bolster the club are outfielder Ed Steel, with Triple-A experience in the Pacific Coast League, Lillord Cobb and lefty hurler from Detroit and Sam Claypoole who played part of last season with Galt, before being loaded to Waterloo. He started the 1953 season with Olean of the Pony League.
London 9 3 .750
Brantford 9 4 .692
Kitchener 8 4 .667
Guelph 7 5 .583
Waterloo 4 7 .364
Oshawa 5 9 .357
St. Thomas 4 8 .333
Galt 3 9 .250
(June 10) Brantford Red Sox shaded Galt 2-1 in a 15-inning affair. Catcher Shanty Clifford was the hero for the Red Sox scoring both runs. Galt's lone marker came in the 1st inning on back to back doubles by Andy Turowski and Ted Kaiser.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
London Majors blanked Guelph Maple Leafs 6-0 as Jack Brumm fired a five-hitter. Gordon McMackon, Russ Evon and Jerry Jack each had two hits for the winners. Gerry Wilson had the only homer.
xxx and xxx
Brumm (W) and xxx
Waterloo downed Oshawa 8-4 with newcomer Dick Sposato, a right-hander, gaining the win. Each club used three pitchers.
Sposato (W), xxx, xxx and xxx
xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Mel Duncan allowed just two hits in leading Kitchener Panthers over St. Thomas Elgins 6-1. Duncan had a no-hitter into the 7th when Jim Trew singled to centre field to break the spell. Dick Welker and Irv Ler had doubles for Kitchener,
Duncan (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 11) Butch Lawing's two-run homer in the 8th inning paced Oshawa Merchants to a 3-2 victory over London Majors. Lawing had earlier belted a pair of doubles. His four-bagger broke up a tight pitching duel between Bill Best of the Majors and Bud Ripplemeyer of the Merchants. Ripplemeyer, a new Oshawa recruit, hurled a three-hitter in his Intercounty debut.
Ripplemeyer (W) and xxx
Best, Gerry Burke (8), Reg Butler, Tommy White and xxx
Rolly Larouche shutout Kitchener on eight-hits as the Waterloo Tigers scored a 3-0 triumph. LaRouche, who came to the Tigers last week in a trade with Kitchener for second baseman Jim Juldoon, fanned ten in his first start of the season. Wally Beggs took the loss. Bruno Casanova and Ed Sokol each drove in a run for the Tigers in the 2nd inning and Larouche knocked in the final run in the 7th.
Larouche (W) and xxx
Beggs (L), xxx and xxx
(June 15) Bud Ripplemeyer pitched and batted Oshawa to a 6-5 win over Brantford Red Sox. Ripplemeyer helped his own cause with the homer and single.
Ripplemeyer (W) and xxx
George Fisher, Alf Gavey (L) and xxx
Galt Terriers edged St. Thomas Elgins 4-3.
Waterloo Tigers upended London 5-1 to cut the Majors league-leading margin to just a half-game. It was the third straight loss for London. Don Penny held the Tigers to just five hits in a route-going performance for the Majors but he walked seven and committed a balk. London's only run came in the 5th on Russ Evon's triple.
Penny (L) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Kitchener strengthened its hold on second place with a 6-5 win over Guelph. Wally Beggs pitched into the 9th to claim the mound victory.
Beggs (W), Chuck Fedors (9), Bill Allan (9) and xxx
Marty Kaiser (L), xxx and xxx
(June 23) London Majors moved back into sole possession of first place with a 6-2 win over Brantford. Tommy White was a pitching and hitting star for the Majors. On the mound, he relieved starter Bob Penny in the 6th with a 2-2 score and the bases loaded. He allowed just one hit the rest of the way. He also singled in a pair of runs in a four-run rally in the 6th inning. Stan Lipka, the Red Sox skipper, was ejected in the 9th inning after an argument with umpire Weber.
Penny, Tommy White (6) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Waterloo Tigers won their fourth straight, an 11-7 triumph over St. Thomas. It was the 15 loss in 21 games for the Elgins. Billy Flick led the offense driving in four runs with four hits. Pitcher George Yorke knocked in two with a triple in the 2nd.
Don Summers (L), Bob Stormes (6), Jim Gifton, Bill Byham and xxx
George Yorke (W) and xxx
(June 26) A last minute infusion of new capital has saved the Galt Terriers from dropping out of the Intercounty League. The club, a power in the loop for 34 years, has been suffering through a season of poor weather and poor play. Galt has won just five of 19 games.
The Terriers climbed out of the league cellar with a 9-4 win over St. Thomas.
Oshawa topped Kitchener 5-0.
Waterloo whipped London 7-1.
Brantford topped Guelph, 5-2.
(June 29) Galt Terriers had 11 hits and took advantage of 11 walks to down Guelph 8-4. Andy Turowski, Ed Steele, Glen Skov and Art O'Conner each had two hits for the winners. Skov, making his first start, had a pair of doubles. Pete Gray and Merv Rich each had two hits for Guelph. Pete Koval registered the pitching win, his second straight. John Clark took the loss.
Koval (W) and xxx
Clark (L) and xxx
Waterloo moved to just a half-game back of the leading Kitchener Panthers with its 8th consecutive victory, 5-4 win over Oshawa. Gord Ariss scattered six hits to claim the win. He was in big trouble in the 2nd inning when he loaded the bases with none out, but was saved by a triple play.
Arris (W) and xxx
Rippelmeyer, Gerrigner (L) (6) and xxx
In a pitcher's duel between Brantford's George Copeland and London's Bob Penny, the Red Sox won 2-1. Brantford scored both its runs in the 2nd inning as Ron Hodara scored on a hit and Luther Clifford came home on an error. Jim Halkard's homer in the 4th accounted for all the London scoring.
There's unrest in St. Thomas. It appears the Elgins are looking for a new president and vice-president as the top two officials have resigned their posts. The actions followed a vote by stockholders to dismiss manager Bob Beamish. Tommy White of London is the new playing manager.
(July 4) The Waterloo Tigers downed the league-leading Kitchener Panthers 3-2 Saturday to tighten the race for the pennant in the Intercounty loop. Brantford remained 1 1/2 games back while Waterloo climbed to two games out and London just 2 1/2 off the lead. Waterloo took the early lead with two runs in the second inning and scored the winner in the 5th as right-fielder Augie Herchenratter singled in second baseman Bruno Casanova. Hurler Gord Ariss checked the Panthers on six hits for the win. Bill Allen took the loss.
Allen (L) and xxx
Ariss (W) and xxx
London whipped Oshawa Merchants 8-3. Russ Evon was instrumental in the London victory scoring three runs with a homer, double and two singles in four trips to the plate. Bob Penny allowed seven hits in gaining the mound victory. Al Triechel took the loss.
Penny (W) and xxx
Triechel (L) and xxx
Guelph Maple Leafs topped St. Thomas Elgins 8-5. Ken Yount was the story as Guelph beat St. Thomas. He fired a four-hitter while knocking in a pair of runs with two singles. George Carruth belted a three-run homer in the 1st inning and Eddie Napier had a solo shot in the 3rd.
Yount (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Galt Terriers defeated Brantford 10-9. Centre-fielder Tex Kaiser led the way for Galt with three hits, a homer, double and single. Pitcher Zeb Eaton, outfielder Glen Skov and second sacker Andy Turowski also had four-baggers for the Terriers. Jeep Jessup, who relieved Eaton in the 8th picked up the win.
Eaton, Jessup (W) (8) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 6) In the annual All-Star game, the stars topped the Kitchener Panthers. One-armed Pete Gray, of Guelph Maple Leafs, twice saved the Stars with a sterling defensive play and a 10th inning, bases-loaded single to drive in the first two runs. With one out in the 7th inning, Gray caught Irv Ler's fly ball with runners on second and third and threw out Harry Psutka at homer.
Mel Duncan went the route for the Panthers allowing eight hits. Butch Lawing, Oshawa outfielder, and Gray were the only players with two hits.
xxxx and xxx
Duncan (L) and xxx
(July 8, 1953) According to The Sporting News, Springfield Cubs of the International League signed Mike Mellis, former Jersey City moundsman, to bolster their staff. In 1952, Mellis managed the Oshawa club of the Inter-County League. In 1950 he pitched for Moose Jaw Canucks of the Southern League.
(July 9) London Majors made some changes as they prepared to face Galt Terriers in an Intercounty match posponed from June 17th. The team announced the acquisition of outfielder Jack Kinney, cut loose by Kitchener last week, and infielder Bob Witt. Majors have released outfielder Gerry Mack.
(July 9) Galt Terriers trounced the Majors 12-5 at London with a 15-hit assault against five London pitchers. Mike Pontarelli had the big blow, a three-run homer in the 2nd inning.
xxx and xxx
xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Oshawa Merchants dumped Guelph 8-2 behind the hurling of Bud Ripplemeyer. Eddie Drapcho fared well until the 6th inning when the Merchants broke a 1-1 tie on a triple by Herman Mason off reliever John Clarke.
Drapcho, Mason (6) and xxx
Ripplemeyer (W) and xxx
Waterloo shutout Brantford 2-0 as George Yorke pitched the gem and help at the plate driving in both runs with a double in the 2nd inning.
Yorke (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 12)
Guelph 5 Kitchener 3
Brantford 3 Oshawa 2
Galt 13 St. Thomas 7
London 6 Waterloo 0
(July 14) Lou Marciano, brother of heavyweight boxing champ Rocky Marciano, signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was sent to Three Rivers of the Quebec Provincial League. Marciano had played in one game with Oshawa
(July 27)
Oshawa 3 Kitchener 2 (10)
Galt 12 St. Thomas 4
Brantford 26 17 .605
Waterloo 24 16 .600 0.5
Kitchener 25 17 .595 0.5
London 24 19 .558 2
Oshawa 21 22 .488 5
Galt 20 21 .488 5
Guelph 17 23 .425 7.5
St. Thomas 10 32 .238 15.5
(July 28)
Guelph 5 Waterloo 3
Galt 3 London 1
Kitchener 17 St. Thomas 1
(July 31)
Oshawa 13 Guelph 3
Kitchener 5 Brantford 4 (12)
St. Thomas 7 Waterloo 5
Kitchener 27 18 .600
Waterloo 26 18 .591 1/2
Brantford 27 19 .587 1/2
London 24 21 .533 3
Oshawa 23 24 .480 5
Galt 21 23 .477 5 1/2
Guelph 20 24 .455 6 1/2
St. Thomas 12 33 .267 15
(August 1)
(August 3)
London 3 Guelph 0
St. Thomas 6 Oshawa 4
Kitchener 7 Waterloo 3
Galt 7 Brantford 1
London 4 Brantford 2
Oshawa 9 Galt 2
Kitchener 1 Guelph 0 (13)
Kitchener 29 19 .604
Waterloo 27 19 .587 1
Brantford 28 21 .571 1.5
London 26 22 .542 3
Oshawa 25 25 .500 5
Galt 22 25 .468 6.5
Guelph 20 27 .426 8.5
St. Thomas 14 33 .298 14.5
(August 9)
Waterloo 6 Kitchener 1
Oshawa 5 St. Thomas 4
Galt 7 Guelph 5
Kitchener 31 20 .608
Waterloo 29 20 .592 1
Brantford 29 22 .569 2
London 28 22 .560 2.5
Oshawa 27 25 .519 4.5
Galt 23 26 .469 7
Guelph 20 30 .400 10.5
St. Thomas 14 36 .280 16.5
(August 12)
Guelph 8 Galt 0
Kitchener 4 London 3
Brantford 14 St. Thomas 1
Waterloo 9 Oshawa 3
(August 17)
Kitchener 1 Oshawa 0
Waterlool 17 Galt 7
Guelph 7 Brantford 6
(August 24)
Kitchener 3 Galt 2
Guelph 8 London 7
Oshawa 4 Brantford 3
St. Thomas 3 Waterloo 1
(Sept 1)
In semi-final action, Waterloo topped London 5-4 to take a 2-0 game lead in their best-of-nine semi-final series. In the opening game of their series, Brantford beat Kitchener 8-5.
(Sept 7)
Kitchener beat Brantford 7-0. The Red Sox lead the series 3 games to 2. London defeated Waterloo 6-2 to tie the series at 3 games apiece.
(Sept 11)
Kitchener whipped Brantford 10-3 to win the semi-final series 5 games to 4.
(Sept 15) Behind the six-hit pitching of lefty Bill Allen, the Kitchener Panthers downed Waterloo Tigers 6-1 in the opening game of the best-of-nine Senior Intercounty Baseball finals. Allen, a former pro hurler for the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association, survived eight walks to register the win. He also fanned eight. Tigers' playing manger Hank Biasatti gave up four runs on 10 hits over the first 4 1/3 innings to take the loss. George Yorke took over mound duties.
The big blow for the Panthers was Mel Duncan's three-run triple in the 6th inning. It was Duncan's third hit. He drove in five runs. Waterloo loaded the bases with two out in each of the 7th and 8th innings but Allen got Intercounty batting champ Billy Flick to pop up each time.
Allen (W) and xxx
Biasatti (L), Yorke (5), Biasatti (6), York (6) and xxx
TORONTO VIADUCT SENIOR LEAGUE
(July 28) Bests, the Japanese-Canadian nine, likely set a Viaduct Baseball League record Tuesday with 19 stolen bases in a 13-6 victory over Honest Ed's. Shig Akada sparked the winners with three hits, three steals and a pair of runs batted in. Bill Aoki added two hits and two steals for Bests who got the early jump with seven runs in the second inning.
WEST TORONTO SENIOR LEAGUE
(June 14) Ted Gibula, who couldn't win a spot with the Presswod Juniors, fired a two-hitter Sunday in his debut in senior ball with Milwaukees. His new club crushed Westerns 10-3. Ron Hastings cracked a three-run homer in the first frame to set Milwaukee on the way to the big victory. Ken Kirkwood doubled in a pair in the seventh and Doug Bolton knocked in a pair. For Westerns, Maw Mori tripled in the fourth for a run and Joe Brown drove in a marker in the same inning.
(July 28) There's a three-way tie for second place in the West Toronto Senior loop after Tuesday action at Earlscourt Park as Brants edged Westerns 6-5 and Industrials topped West Yorks 5-4. Brants, Industrials and West Yorks are all tied for the second slot 4 1/2 games back of first place Mahers.
Bobby Kutner was the hero for Brants clouting a three-run homer to tie the game then stealing home with the winner. Maw Mori and Sub Miiki each had two-baggers for the losers. Lefty Moore allowed West Yorks only four hits in a sparkling mound performance. The southpaw starred at the plate as well with three hits.