WINNIPEG SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Arenas
Columbus Club
Dominion Express
Tammany Tigers
Transcona
(May 13) With an estimated crowd of nearly 4,000 jammed into the Wesley Park stands and around the perimeter of the playing field, the Columbus Club baseballers chalked up the first victory of the Winnipeg Senior Amateur Baseball League season at the expense of the defending champion Arenas. It was a decisive win, the final count being 5 to 0. The Clubbers banged out 13 base knocks and took advantage of five costly Arena errors to register their five counters. In the opening panel, the Cee Cee’s drew first blood when shortpatcher Bill Knight singled to drive in Fred Flanagan. A three-run outburst in the third panel, sparked by Tommy Shannon’s two-run single, allowed the Columbus Crew to increase their margin to 4 – 0. Knight doubled in the final tally for the Clubbers in the fifth to end the scoring. Winning heaver “Darky” Bouchard tossed a five-hitter in earning the shutout. Knight and outfielder Carl Franks led the winners with the baton, each garnering three safeties off the slants of losing chucker Bert Stainsby.
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
Stainsby (L) and H. May, Lloyd
(May 15) Making their first appearance as the Tammany Tigers, the former Granite crew reinforced by a number of young baseball colts, took the measure of the Express gang 7 to 3 in a darkness-abbreviated eight-episode encounter at the Wesley Park diamond. The Tigers lit into the offerings of starting and losing chucker Fred Brown for 11 of their 13 base knocks. Winning heaver Buckley Herzog fanned ten, walked four and was nicked for six safeties. The Tammany nine got off to a good start, plating a deuce in the opening canto, thanks to a two-run four-ply clout by Tommy Hood. The lead was maintained throughout the contest as the best the Freighters could do was scoring singletons in the fifth and sixth stanzas. Hood added a pair of singles to his production while Herzog stroked a triad of one-base raps in support of his mound effort. His batterymate, Ron Singbush, singled twice. Pat Cann and third baseman Dion were best with the baton for the Deliverymen with a brace of one-baggers each.
Herzog (W) and Singbush
Brown (L), Jones (7) and Mooney
(May 20) Before 3,000 fans at Wesley Park, the Transconas made their season’s debut in the Winnipeg Senior Amateur Baseball League and registered a 2 to 1 victory over the Tammany Tigers. It was a classic pitching duel between veteran Jack Hind of the ‘Sconas and Tiger rookie Harry McDougall, making his debut in the senior ranks. Although stung with the loss, McDougall did not allow an earned run. He yielded five hits, issued three walks and fanned eight while Hind surrendered six safeties, gave up only one free pass and retired four batters on strikes. The Transconas opened the scoring in the second inning when Jim McCullough singled, stole second and third and romped home when “Buck” Herzog, normally a pitcher but pressed into service as a second baseman, booted Dunc McCorquodale’s ground ball. Transcona tallied their other counter in the third when, with the bases loaded, Herzog once again juggled a hard-hit drive off the bat of Carson McVey and had to settle for the out at first rather than the force-out at home. The Tigers plated their lone marker in the bottom-of-the same frame when McDougall, who had led off with a single, ultimately came around to touch the pan on a poor throw to the plate during a fielder’s choice. Tammany first sacker Johnston, with two singles, was the only player from either squad to achieve plural hit totals.
Hind (W) and Perlman
McDougall (L) and Singbush
(May 24) The Columbus Club and Arenas triumphed in a high-calibre Victoria Day double-bill at Wesley Park. In the morning tilt won their second in succession by defeating the Transconas 4 to 2. The Arenas blanked the Tammany Tigers 4 to 0 in the afternoon event. In each game, it was one big inning that decided the final result. Nearly 7,000 fans attended both holiday games and were treated a pair of first-class exhibitions.
In the first game, the Clubbers staked their new hurler, import “Lefty” Severeid, to a 4 – 0 cushion in the top-of-the-opening panel. The newcomer was a bit shaky to start but got stronger as the game progressed, finishing with a four-hitter to go along with a dozen whiffs and seven walks. The ‘Sconas also uncovered a promising hurler in reliever Art Atkins who blanked the winners on four well-scattered hits after ascending the knoll for losing twirler Pete Huget in the second stanza. Eddie Cass and Tommy Shannon each had two of the ten hits generated by the winners. Keystone sacker Sowerby stroked a brace of singles for the Railroad Towners.
Severeid (W) and Sheppard
Huget (L), Atkins (2) and Perlman
Dunc Irvine fashioned a fine two-hitter to stifle the Tigers in the second bout. Locked in a scoreless pitching duel with losing chucker “Buck” Herzog for six stanzas, Irvine emerged as the winner when his Arena clubmates chalked up all four of their counters in the lucky seventh, on a brace of hits and a pair of Tammany errors. Irvine walked just one and had eight punchouts in recording the shutout win. Herzog also turned in a nice game, fanning ten while yielding six hits and issuing five free passes. There were no batters from either team that managed more than one base hit. Art Frick of the Arenas had the only extra-base blow of the contest, a double.
Irvine (W) and Lloyd
Herzog (L) and Singush
(May 25) Pat Cann’s two-run homer in the top-of-the-eighth inning lifted the Express to a 4 to 3 victory over the Arenas. The Freighters took a 1 - 0 lead in the second spasm but the Arenas came right back with a pair of counters in their half of the frame and boosted their margin to 3 – 1 in the fourth when Bill Siddle connected for a bases-empty round-tripper. The Deliverymen sent a runner around the paths in the fifth to narrow the deficit and the score remained 3 - 2 until Cann’s heroics in the eighth. High-class pitching was again provided by winning tosser Ernie Stokes and complete-game loser, O’Hearn, a newcomer to the league. Stokes gave up five hits and walked only one while fanning five. O’Hearn whiffed ten and was touched for seven base raps while issuing just two free passes to first. Cann had a clean double to go along with his winning four-ply clout. Steve Penu drilled two hard-hit singles while catcher Nelson Mooney had a pair of infield hits. No batter from the vanquished nine had more than one hit.
Stokes (W) and Mooney
O’Hearn (L) and May
(May 27) The Express pulled another game out of the fire at Wesley Park when they scored three times in the eighth episode to beat Transcona 3 to 2 in an exciting Winnipeg Senior Amateur Baseball League contest. The Railroaders jumped into a two-run lead in the initial chapter and looked like winners, maintaining that cushion for seven stanzas. However, the Deliverymen came to life and bunched four hits off losing heaver Jack Hind in the eighth to turn the game around. It was a tough game for the ‘Sconas to lose as they played errorless ball behind Hind while the Freighters made six miscues. Hits were pretty well divided with the Railroad Towners stroking nine and the Express ten. Fred Brown pitched splendid ball for the winners after entering the game in the first round when southpaw chucker Elder, the Express starter, was given the hook after serving up a solo homer to Transcona leadoff hitter Dunc McCorquodale and then walking the following two batters. Brown allowed only one run, an unearned counter, in hurling the balance of the game while breezing seven and giving up nary a base-on-balls. Hind struck out ten and walked one in absorbing the complete-game defeat. A clutch two-run single by Frank Guarnara of the Express in the eighth was the game’s most impactful blow as it chased Nelson Mooney and Steve Penu across the pan with the tying and winning tallies. Mooney led all swatsmiths in the clash with three singles. Teammate Pat Cann nailed a double and a one-base rap.
Hind (L) and Perlman
Elder, Brown (W) (1) and Mooney
(May 29) The Columbus Club, off to a flying start, continued their winning ways when they disposed of the Tammany Tigers 12 to 1 on a cold, windy evening at Wesley Park. Under the adverse playing conditions, the play was ragged as the Bengals made eight fielding misplays and the Cee Cee’s five. The Columbians started their merry-making in the third round when three walks, a hit batsman and two base raps, combined with an error, netted them six runs and took all the pep out of the game. Third-inning Tammany reliever Buckley Herzog stopped further damage until the seventh when a homer by Eddie Cass, a double by Tommy Shannon and a single by Fred Flanagan produced four more to put a bow on it. The only only outstanding feature of the game was the sensational pitching of the Clubbers’ Sid May. The veteran slab artist allowed the Tigers only one hit and did not walk a single opposition batter. On the other hand, starter and loser George Rainford was wild while Herzog also had difficulty in locating the strike zone. Flanagan had three sound blows for the victors while Cass had two. Flychaser Carl Franks also had stroked a brace of one-baggers.
Rainford (L), Herzog (3) and Singbush
May (W) and Sheppard
(May 30) The defending-champion Arenas jumped right back into the first-half pennant race when they did a number on their old rivals from Transcona, bouncing them 9 to 4 in the most desperately-fought struggle of the year. Although the champs were always in the lead, thanks in large part to a two-run, inside-the-park homer by Lawrie Cuthbert in the opening inning, they had to fight their hardest as the ‘Sconas pressed them all the way and only gave up the ghost in the eighth episode when a wild decision at first base gave the Arenas three runs and settled the issue. Neither tosser had much stuff on the ball, the result being that danger threatened in nearly every canto. Winning twirler Dunc Irvine, nicked for ten safeties, was touched up pretty lively at times but managed to tighten up in the pinches. Youthful Art Atkins had control issues which kept him in trouble most of the way. He walked six, hit one batter and yielded nine hits in suffering the defeat. Dunc McCorquodale of the losing nine was the heavy hitter of the night with three sound bingles. Clubmate Jim McCullough and “Bunny” Warren of the Arenas also landed a triad of safeties but they were not of the same clean variety.
Irvine (W) and Lloyd
Atkins (L) and Perlman
(May 31) The Columbus Club maintained their undefeated record in the Senior Amateur League by nosing out the Arenas 5 to 4 at Wesley Park. The Clubbers, outhit by a significant 9 to 4 margin, had Dame Fortune with them and were rather lucky to finish ahead. Only two of their nine tallies were earned. Things started badly for the Arenas in the very first inning when they presented the Columbians with a gift run. They shook that off and took a one-run lead in the second, staying in front for most of the game. A badly misjudged fly ball in the eighth inning that should have been an easy out, paved the way for the Cee Cee’s to plate the tying and winning counters. “Darky” Bouchard pitched for the Columbus Crew and picked up the fortunate pitching win, whiffing 11 and walking five. Alex Ross was the hard-luck loser, fanning ten and issuing five bases-on-balls. Bill Siddle of the vanquished nine was the batting star of the game, launching a solo four-bagger and a pair of singles. Teammate “Bunny” Warren followed with a two-bagger and a brace of one-base hits.
Alex Ross (L) and Lloyd
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
(June 3) The Tammany Tigers clawed a quartet of Express chuckers to pieces as they routed the Freighters 13 to 0 at Wesley Park. The Bengals were very much in their mettle, fielding in faultless style to back the very best of pitching from young Harry McDougall while lacing the offerings of the four Express tossers all over the lot. Every Tiger had at least one bingle but the chief batting honors were carried off by Johnston, the nifty Tammany first sacker, with three sound swats. McDougall earned the shutout win by spinning a five-hitter with four strikeouts and just one walk. At the plate, McDougall, along with his batterymate Ron Singbush, added to the winners’ 13-hit attack with a brace of singles each. “Buster” Jones started on the knoll for the Deliverymen but lasted only four innings in suffering the loss. Art Phillips singled twice for the losers.
Jones (L), Stokes (5), Elder (5), Brown (6) and Mooney
McDougall (W) and Singbush
(June 5) The Arenas took kindly to the offerings of Transcona starting pitcher Jack Hind and pounded their way to a 7 to 1 victory over the Railroaders. Bunching eight solid hits, including a pair of two-run homers, off Hind in the 3-2/3 innings that he toiled on the hill, the defending champions had the ‘Sconas in arrears by seven counters after the fourth frame. Reliever “Lefty” Chafe, displaying great control, put a stop to the bleeding, utilizing a roundhouse curve that kept the winners off balance the rest of the way. Winning slabster Bert Stainsby pitched great ball for the Arenas, allowing only two hits and zero walks while ringing up six strikeouts. He should have had a shutout as he fanned Chafe in the ninth but catcher Bert Lloyd dropped the third strike and threw wildly to first base, allowing Chafe to reach the keystone sack from where he eventually scored on a wild heave. Lawrie Cuthbert registered three solid blows for the victors while Lloyd and “Bunny” Warren both delivered a brace of bingles, with Warren’s pair of base knocks each driving in a run. Playing-manager “Steamer” Maxwell and third sacker “Snake” Siddle, with his third of the season, blasted the early four-ply clouts off Hind.
Hind (L), Chafe (4) and Perlman, McPhail
Stainsby (W) and Lloyd
(June 6) Just when it looked like the Columbus Club diamondeers were about to about to fall from the ranks of the undefeated, the league-leaders pulled defeat out of the fire by scoring three runs, after two had been retired in the bottom-of-the-final frame, to edge past the Express 7 to 6. The teams traded leads throughout the early and middle innings and, after seven rounds of play, were deadlocked at 4 – 4. The Clubbers had a decided 11 to 4 margin in base hits throughout the contest but the wildness of winning chucker “Lefty” Severeid allowed the Deliverymen to stay in contention. With the excitement building up, the Freighters shot two runners across the platter in the eighth to move in front 6 to 4. After drawing a goose egg in their half of the eighth, it looked all over for the Cee Cee’s as darkness was rapidly beginning to envelope the skies. They held the Express scoreless in the top-of-the-ninth and came to bat for the final time with hope and a prayer. After two outs, Severeid kept the flame flickering with a triple down the third base line. Eddie Cass followed with a timely single up the middle to plate the pitcher. Pinch-hitter Herb Foreman drew a walk, the only free pass issued by losing tosser Ernie Stokes, as Cass moved into scoring position. Fred Flanagan’s hard liner bounced off hot corner custodian Ward which gave Cass enough time to round third and score the tying marker. Carl Franks then beat out a slow roller to shortstop as the throw to first was just a trifle late, allowing Foreman to cross the plate with the deciding tally. Severeid’s hitting had a lot to do with winning his own game as he had poled out a long two-run homer in the seventh to along with his last-gasp three-bagger. Cass also belted a round-tripper for the winners, a leadoff shot in the opening canto, while adding another single in addition to his clutch ninth-inning hit.
Stokes (L) and Mooney
Severeid (W) and Sheppard
(June 7) Looking like champions in every aspect of the game, the Columbus Club registered their sixth straight victory in the first-half series by knocking off the Express 11 to 1. For the first five innings, it looked like a repetition of the close fray that the same two foes played the night before as each side picked up one marker but, from the sixth stanza on, the Cee Cee’s got out their war clubs and pummelled the Deliverymen. Winning pitcher “Darky” Bouchard, nicked for seven safeties, opposed Fred Brown on the mound. The Columbians raked Brown for all 11 counters on 11 base blows before he was derricked after two were out in the ninth. Shortstop Bill Knight was the offensive man of the hour for the winners, with four solid safe blows, driving in several runs. Teammates Stu Sheppard, with two doubles, and Carl Franks, with a brace of long singles, also contributed to the slugfest. Gus Guarnera and Steve Penu, each with two base raps, were the only batters from the Freighters able to do much with Bouchard’s offerings, the former slamming a brace of two-baggers.
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
Brown (L), Fairfield (9) and Browne
(June 10) In beating Transcona 6 to 2 at Wesley Park, the Columbus Club band of baseballers set a new record for the Winnipeg Senior Amateur Baseball League, winning for the seventh straight time. The Clubbers annexed the victory by bunching four of their eight hits in the third round which, mixed in with three ‘Scona errors and a walk, allowed them to push across five runs. Sid May turned in another fine pitching performance for the winners, keeping the Railroaders in check all the way. Pitching with veteran intellect, he yielded six safeties, retired seven on strikes and had almost perfect control, walking only one. “Chick” Chafe started on the mound for the losers but received shoddy defensive support and was sent packing in the Cee Cee’s big third canto. His successor, Art Atkins, pitched well for the balance of the game. The Clubbers eight safeties were well divided with only George McGrath picking up more than one. Sam Perlman and Gord Caslake of Transcona both matched McGrath’s output, singling twice.
Chafe (L), Atkins (3) and Perlman
May (W) and Sheppard
(June 13) Outfielder Carson McVey’s three-run homer in the bottom-of-the-ninth session capped off a four-run rally and elevated the Transcona diamond pastimers to a 7 to 4 triumph over the Tammany Tigers. It was a hotly contested fracas which saw the Bengals take a 4 – 3 lead in the eighth after scoring a deuce, the lead tally coming on a controversial call at the dish when catcher Barney McPhail of the Railroaders was called for batter interference. In their final turn at bat, the ‘Sconas knotted the count when Gord Caslake tripled to lead off the frame and later beat the throw home when Tammany first baseman Johnston elected to play the ball to the plate on Dunc McCorquodale’s ground ball. Jim McCullough then beat out an infield hit, moving McCorquodale to second, setting the stage for McVey’s mighty blast. “Chick” Chafe, who pitched for the winners, yielded five hits but did not give up even one walk. Youthful hurler Gamey, making his first appearance in senior-level competition, did creditable work on the hill for the Tigers up to the final spasm. He had poor defensive support, his fielders committing six errors and until the ninth, when the triad of crucial hits were registered against him, had given up just three safeties. Caslake had a single in addition to his three-bagger while McCullough was credited with a pair of one-base raps.
Gamey (L) and Singush
Chafe (W) and McPhail
(June 14) The Tammany Tigers broke the Columbus Club’s seven-game win steak when they administered a 10 to 4 beating to the league leaders before 2,000 fans assembled at Wesley Park. The Bengals pounded losing chucker “Lefty” Severeid’s offerings for 16 hits which included two home runs. It was a tight battle for five frames with the score reading 1 – 1 at this stage. The Tigers broke the tie by scoring three times in the sixth, boosted their advantage with two more in the seventh and the rout was on. Sterling pitching by Harry McDougall, combined by his mates’ splendid defensive support in the pinches, was the main factor in the downfall of the hitherto unbeatables. On the offensive side of the coin, the Tammany tribe bunched 11 of their hits during the final three chapters to blow the game open. Ward McVey and first sacker Johnston delivered three base knocks apiece for the victors while Tommy Hood, Wilf Peltier and Johnny Austman registered two safeties each. Johnston’s total included a bases-empty circuit-clout. Flychaser Moline lashed a second four-bagger for the Ferocious Felines, a two-run shot. No slouches at the plate, the Clubbers managed to acquire nine hits in suffering the setback. Outfielder Carl Franks stung the pill for three safe swats, one of which was a solo homer. Severeid and Eddie Cass each added a pair of one-baggers.
Severeid (L) and Sheppard
McDougall (W) and Singbush
(June 17) The Columbus Club baseballers, for all intents and purposes, clinched the first-half series pennant when they handed the Arenas an 8 to 1 beating at Wesley Park. Theoretically, three teams still have a shot at tying for top spot but the Clubbers would have to lose all three of their remaining games while one of those sub-.500 clubs would have to reel off a winning streak of up to five victories for that to happen. Up until the seventh spasm the teams battled nip-and-tuck with the Cee Cee’s on the long end of a 2 – 1 count. It was in that session that losing heaver O’Hearn weakened, surrendered a trey of tallies before being derricked for Bert Stainsby. Veteran Sid May registered his third mound win of the season in going the route with a seven-hitter. Outfielder Carl Franks of the pace-setters was a one-man offensive wrecking crew against the Arenas, blasting solo homers in his first two appearances at the plate and following this up with a double in the ninth to send three more mates across the dish. May and Eddie Cass helped along in the victory by both gathering a brace of bingles, with a two-bagger included in the output of each. Art Frick singled twice for the losers and drove in their only run.
May (W) and Sheppard
O’Hearn (L), Stainsby (7) and Fingard
FIRST-HALF
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Columbus Club 8 1 .889 ----
Arenas 3 4 .429 4.0
Tammany Tigers 3 4 .429 4.0
Dominion Express 2 4 .333 4.5
Transcona 2 5 .286 5.0
(June 19) The Tammany Tigers duplicated their performance of last week and handed the Columbus Club their second defeat of the season, a 5 to 0 whitewashing. Oscar Wynant, the bespectacled hurler of the Bengals, tamed the Clubbers on six hits, only two of them coming in one inning and then, after two had been retired. He was afforded great defensive backing by his mates who responded whenever the occasion demanded. “Darky” Bouchard, the hitherto undefeated hurler of the Columbus crew, was sent to the hill to stop the Jungle Cats and although he was not hit very freely, nearly all the blows against him came in the pinches. Ward McVey, Frank Hutter and outfielder Moline each picked up two safeties for the winners with one of McVey’s blows being a double. George McGrath singled twice for the Cee Cee’s.
Wynant (W) and Singbush
Bouchard (L) and Sheppard
(June 20) The Arenas registered an 8 to 7 victory over the Tammany Tigers at Wesley Park in one of the most exciting games staged this season by the Senior Amateur Baseball League. With a 7 – 4 lead heading into the ninth, the Arenas appeared to have the contest locked up but the Tammany troupe deadlocked things when pinch-hitter Bob Davis connected for a three-run four-bagger. However, the Arenas could not be denied and, in the bottom-half of the ninth, Art Frick ended the struggle with a single off losing pitcher Harry McDougall that scored Lawrie Cuthbert from third base. Home runs featured the game with four circuit-blows being registered. Bill Siddle nailed his fourth homer of the campaign while the other three belonged to Tiger players. In addition to Davis’ blast, Ward McVey lined a beauty over the fence for the Bengals’ first run while Homer Robertson drilled an eight-inning shot with one aboard. Frick was the most consistent hitter for the winners, gathering four solid swats, including a double. Teammates Greig Warren and Dunbar each delivered two hits. McDougall was combed for a dozen safeties by the Arenas while winning heaver Dunc Irvine was nicked for seven.
McDougall (L) and Singbush
Irvine (W) and Fingard, Lloyd
(June 21) Trotting out new hurler Finley Fairchild to the bump, the Express experienced little trouble in disposing of an indifferent band of Transcona baseballers to the tune of 5 to 1. The Freighters pounded the offerings of loser Jack Hind for 11 base blows and also benefitted from the loose defensive support the ‘Sconas provided Hind. Fairfield surrendered just four hits, the longest one being a bases-clean round-tripper by Jim McCullough in the eighth that averted a shutout for the Railroaders. Art Phillips, Nelson Mooney, Pat Cann and Steve Penu each registered two hits for the Deliverymen. One of Phillips’ raps was a double.
Hind (L) and Perlman
Fairfield (W) and Mooney
(June 22) Sweltering heat didn’t seem to bother the play of the Transcona nine who collected 11 base knocks, many of them coming at opportune times, in overwhelming the Tammany Tigers 13 to 3 at Wesley Park. Play ended after eight innings due to darkness. Portsider “Chick” Chafe pitched effective ball for the Railroaders in going the distance for the heaving win. He allowed only five hits and struck out ten batters. Bengal starter George Rainford walked eight and gave up nine hits before he was kayoed in the seventh spasm. Carson McVey of the ‘Sconas was the hitting star in the contest, banging out a triple, double and single. Teammates Gord Caslake and Jim McCullough aided the cause with two singles each. Catcher Ron Singbush delivered a double and single for the Jungle Cats.
Chafe (W) and Perlman
Rainford (L), Gamey (7) and Singbush
(June 24) The Express band of diamondeers nosed out the Arenas 4 to 3 in a snappy, interesting game enjoyed by some 3,000 fans at Wesley Park. Bunching four of their seven hits in the third inning, the Freighters pushed across three of their four counters, leaving the Arenas behind for the remainder of the contest. Winning chucker Ernie Stokes pitched great ball for seven rounds, only yielding three hits, but had to leave with arm problems in the eighth as Fred Brown took over to preserve the victory. Stokes was the lone player in the tilt to register more than one safety, belting a triple and single. Loser Bert Stainsby was shaky in the early going but got stronger as the game progressed. He helped his own cause by delivering a long, bases-empty home run.
Stokes (W), Brown (8) and Mooney
Stainsby (L) and Fingard, Lloyd
(June 26) The suddenly-vulnerable Columbus Club baseballers suffered their second consecutive defeat when Transcona laid a 4 to 1 setback on them, preventing the Cee Cee’s from totally wrapping up the first-half pennant. Showing their old-time punch, the ‘Sconas, with veteran Jack Hind uncovering a nifty assortment of benders, tamed the front-runners on five hits, all singles. Sid May, back in action after sitting out the early portion of the season in order to umpire, pitched for the Clubbers and, after a poor start, settled down to finish with a nine-hitter. The Railroad Towners did all their scoring in the first and second cantos when they plated deuces in each round. First sacker Jim McCullough led the victors with three hits while teammate Vic Nestor stroked a brace of bingles.
May (L) and Sheppard
Hind (W) and Perlman
(June 27) A 7 to 4 conquest of the Express by the Arenas officially clinched the first-half series pennant for the idle Columbus Club. Neither starting twirler managed to go the route as fifth-inning reliever Bert Stainsby copped the win over Fred Brown of the Expressmen who was yanked in the eighth. Three bunched hits in the second inning, highlighted by Abe Fingard’s long two-run double put the Arenas in front. Ernie Stokes’ four-bagger with the sacks empty in the Express half of the frame reduced the differential to one. Last-season’s champs came back with a singleton in the third on three hits and a sacrifice fly. The Deliverymen, fighting hard all the way, tied the count at 3 – 3 in the fifth on RBI-hits by outfielder Bennett and Brown. The sixth was scoreless but, in the seventh, Ness Wise boosted the Arenas back into the lead with a solo round-tripper. They went on to put the game away in the eighth episode by shooting three runners across the pan, the first two coming as a result of Fingard’s booming triple and the third when Stainsby singled in Fingard. Two hits produced a lone run for the Freighters in the home-half of the panel but that was the extent of the scoring. Fingard’s four-RBI’s were the offensive highlight of the game. He finished with three safeties, sandwiching a single between his double and three-bagger. Stokes was best with the baton for the losers, stroking a single in addition to his circuit-jack.
O’Hearn, Stainsby (W) (5) and Fingard
Brown (L), Fairfield (8) and Mooney
(July 3) Last year’s champions, the Arenas, put themselves into a good position to grab the runner-up spot in the first-half series when they stopped the rejuvenated Transconas 6 to 3. The contest was the first regular-season game in almost a week, following a number of exhibition games against an all-star team from Minneapolis. Although they were able to collect only five hits, the Arenas won by a safe margin because of showing punch in the pinches with two well-timed home runs playing an important part in their victory. Jim Dunbar, the clever Arena shortstop whose brilliant fielding also featured the game, broke a 1 – 1 tie in the fourth frame when he clouted a pitch from complete-game loser Art Atkins for a three-run round-tripper. Catcher Abe Fingard’s solo shot in the seventh helped seal the deal. Bert Stainsby, on the hill for the winners, gave up seven hits, exhibited perfect control and had his spitter breaking nicely. Jim McCullough and Carson McVey had two singles each for the ‘Sconas.
Stainsby (W) and Fingard
Atkins (L) and Perlman
(July 5) Playing-manager Gordon Hudson’s timely hitting enabled the Tammany Tigers to register a 6 to 4 victory over the Express in a snappy Winnipeg Senior Amateur League fixture. Pencilling himself into the starting line-up for the first time this season, Hudson demonstrated that he can still wallop the horsehide by driving in five of the six Bengal tallies. In the fifth round, the Tammany skipper launched a home run with two runners aboard and, in the ninth with the score tied 4 – 4, he cracked a hard game-winning double that sent two more runs across the dish. The contest was a battle all the way and there was really very little, with the exception of Hudson’s timely clouting, to choose between the teams. Oscar Wynant was on the hill for the Ferocious Felines and turned in a fine game, yielding five hits and but two free passes. The Deliverymen started with a youngster by the name of Coop who got along fine for four frames but, after a disastrous fifth, was given the hook. Fred Brown, who began the game as Coop’s receiver, took over mound chores at this point and was practically unhittable for three innings. In the ninth, however, an infield hit, coupled with an error and a hit batter got him into a jam, setting the stage for Hudson’s heroics. Of the seven hits accumulated by the victors, three were stroked by keystone sacker Homer Robertson. Ernie Stokes managed two safeties, a double and a one-bagger, for the Freighters.
Wynant (W) and Singbush
Coop, Brown (L) (6) and Brown, Mooney (6)
(July 6) The Tammany Tiger and Arenas completed their first-half series games at Wesley Park with the Tigers running away with a 13 to 4 decision. The result left both teams deadlocked for runner-up honors. Saving their top-line chuckers for the opening of the second-half series, the Arenas trotted first baseman Lawrie Cuthbert to the hillock and the Bengals battered his offerings freely, mounting up a total of 18 base knocks. Ward McVey with a homer and two singles, Ron Singbush with a double and two singles and initial sacker Johnston with a triad of one-base raps featured the hitting of the winners. Homer Robertson also contributed a four-ply clout and a single while outfielder Moline delivered a triple and single. Winning hurler Harry McDougall went hitless but limited the Arenas to seven safeties, a triple and two singles coming of the bat of Bill Siddle. McDougall was also lit up for an opening-canto round-tripper by leadoff-hitter Ness Wise.
Cuthbert (L) and Fingard
McDougall (W) and Singbush
(July 7) First-half series-winning Columbus Club padded their insurmountable by disposing of the Express 10 to 7 at Wesley Park. After the Clubbers struck for a five-spot in the fourth frame, thanks mainly to Eddie Cass’ grand-slam homer, the Freighters were never able to overcome the handy margin that the winners had built up. Winning tosser Leo Johnson, who fired the horsehide over the platter for the Cee Cee’s during the first six spasms, was nicked for four of the nine safeties garnered by the Deliverymen. Herb Foreman collected three hits as part of the victors’ 12-bingle attack. Cass added a single to his timely four-bagger while Bill Knight delivered a brace of one-base raps. Pat Cann and Nelson Mooney collected two hits apiece for the Expressmen. Mooney’s brace of bingles were both doubles while Cann ripped a two-run homer in the eighth as well as an earlier single.
Russell (L), Fairchild (3) and Brown, Mooney
Johnson (W), Kaye (7) and Sheppard
(July 8) The Dominion Express baseballers defeated Transcona 7 to 3 in a seven-inning final game of the first-half series, pushing the Railroaders into sole possession of the basement. The Freighters took a four-run lead in the opening canto when ‘Scona starting and losing twirler Pete Huget served up three successive pitches that were clouted over the right-field fence for four-ply clouts. Nelson Mooney, Pat Cann and Ernie Stokes launched the triad of four-baggers on three straight pitches with Mooney’s blast, the first of the trio, coming with one mate aboard. After adding a trey in the second stanza for a 7 – 0 lead, the result was virtually decided. Innes went the distance on the mound for the Freighters, yielding eight base raps. Mooney had two singles in addition to his round-tripper.
Innes (W) and Mooney
Huget (L), Chafe (1) and Perlman
FIRST-HALF SERIES
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Columbus Club 9 3 .750 ----
Arenas 6 6 .500 3.0
Tammany Tigers 6 6 .500 3.0
Dominion Express 5 7 .417 4.0
Transcona 4 8 .333 5.0
SECOND HALF
(July 8) The Columbus Club staged a six-run rally after two were out in the fourth frame to open the second-half series with a 7 to 5 victory over the Arenas. A solo homer by Eddie Cass in the sixth spasm gave the winners their seventh counter and ended the scoring. Winning tosser “Darky” Bouchard was touched for six hits while loser Bert Stainsby gave up nine. Second baseman Tony Legoff poked three singles for the Clubbers while Cass drilled a one-bagger to go along with his round-tripper. Stainsby was best with the lumber for the Arenas, stinging the pill for a single in addition to a two-run circuit-clout in the sixth.
Stainsby (L) and Fingard
Bouchard (W) and T. Shannon
(July 10) Rallying in the ninth inning after two were down, the Tammany Tigers pushed across a well-deserved tally to break a 1 – 1 tie and emerge as 2 to 1 victors over the Express. Just when it seemed that the game would go into overtime, Ward McVey registered a clean single and stole second base. Keystone sacker Homer Robertson then poked a dinky fly back of third base, just out of reach of the Express infielders as Ward went racing across the plate with the winning marker. Neither side threatened for the first six innings as goose eggs adorned the scoreboard but, in the top-of-the-seventh, Pat Cann put the Freighters in front with a bases-clean four-bagger. The Bengals tied the match in the eighth episode when catcher Ron Singbush delivered a clutch two-out infield single that plated outfielder Moline from the hot corner sack. Oscar Wynant pitched great ball for the Jungle Cats, yielding only three scattered hits. Losing heaver Ernie Stokes also pitched well for the first seven stanzas before weakening and finishing with an eight-hitter. Wynant had the edge in strikeouts by a 6 to 5 margin. Both hurlers had perfect control, neither issuing a free pass. Robertson and his middle-infield compatriot, shortpatcher Frank Hutter, each with a brace of one-baggers, were the only two hitters in the tilt that achieved plural hit totals.
Stokes (L) and Mooney
Wynant (W) and Singbush
(July 12) Jack Hind pitched turned in a spectacular hurling job at Wesley Park as Transcona defeated the Arenas 4 to 1 in a hard-fought struggle. Walking but one while while surrendering just five scattered hits, two of those to Art Frick, he whiffed twelve of last-season’s champions and, only for an error by one of his mates, would have had a shutout. The ‘Sconas didn’t have much to enthuse over in their victory as they only gathered three singles, but made them count to good advantage. Carson McVey, who had two of the three Transcona bingles, delivered a sharp single to drive in their first run in the opening panel. The Arenas tied the score in the sixth when catcher Alex Olien of the Railroaders, in an attempt to nab losing chucker O’Hearn at third base, threw the pill into left field. The winners ended the scoring in the top-of-the-seventh when McVey and Sowerby crossed the dish on a bingle to the left garden by third baseman Woods.
Hind (W) and Olien
O’Hearn (L), Siddle (7) and Fingard
(July 13) Staging a terrific batting spree in the bottom-of-the-second spasm that netted them seven earned runs, the Express went on to double the Columbus Club baseballers 8 to 4 at Wesley Park. Losing heaver Sid May and reliever “Lefty” Severeid were the victims of the outburst that wiped out an early 3 – 0 lead the Clubbers had achieved on May’s bases-loaded double in the top-half of the frame. Andy Russell hurled for the Freighters and was nicked for ten hits in going the distance. May was lit up for six of the winners’ 13 safeties before his forced exit. Catcher Nelson Mooney, with three singles and a pair of RBI’s, led the Deliverymen offensively.
May (L), Severeid (2) and Sheppard
Russell (W) and Mooney
(July 19) In a sad ending to an exciting game, Transcona was awarded a 9 to 0 victory by forfeiture in their game with the Columbus Club at Wesley Park after manager Jimmy Shannon of the Clubbers refused to send his team back onto the diamond after a near riot. The fireworks began when Carl Franks of the Cee Cee’s was called out at first base in a very close play by umpire Cully Wilson during the last-half of the seventh inning of the game in which the ‘Sconas were ahead 6 – 4. First baseman Jim McCullough of the Railroaders then alertly fired the horsehide over to third base where pinch-runner Tony Legoff was caught off the bag for an ending-inning double play. Franks, incensed by the decision that went against him, went after Wilson and assaulted the arbiter as players poured on to the diamond. With order eventually restored, Shannon’s decision to keep his charges from taking up their defensive posts, the game was forfeited. During the seven innings that were played, the 1,700 fans on hand were treated to some lively baseball. Tommy Shannon, covering the middle pasture for the Clubbers, provided the batting feature with a pair of solo runs. Alex Olien registered three hits for the winners while Gord Caslake delivered a triple and single.
Hind (W) and Perlman
Severeid (L), Bouchard (3) and Sheppard
(July 20) After winning their first two games of the second-half series, the Tammany Tigers were dragged back to earth when the Arenas laid an 11 to 5 thumping on them at Wesley Park. The win for the Arenas also reversed their fortunes after they had dropped their first two encounters. Hammering the offerings of loser Harry McDougall for 13 hits, including a home run, double and single by Art Frick, last season’s champs built up an early lead and never took their foot off the gas pedal. Bert Stainsby, touched up for nine safeties by the Bengals, got the complete-game win with one of his less-than-spectacular performances. Catcher Bert Lloyd of the Arenas aided his batterymate offensively by stroking three singles while “Snake” Siddle ripped two doubles. Topping the willow wielders for the Jungle Cats were first sacker Johnston and Ward McVey with two singles apiece.
McDougall (L), Hill (7) and Singbush
Stainsby (W) and Lloyd
(July 24) The Tammany Tigers came on strong in the late stages of the game to get past the Columbus Club baseballers 3 to 1 in one of the most thrilling games staged at Wesley Park this season. The Clubbers, playing without the services of Carl Franks who was serving the first of a three-game suspension for his behavior in a July 19 game, obtained a one-run lead in the third and held it for six innings but blew several key opportunities to significantly increase that margin. The Tigers, who were outswatted 12 to 6, won by bunching their hits in the seventh and eighth episodes. Young Allan Armstrong followed a two-bagger by Ward McVey and a single by Johnny Austman with a clutch double, driving home both runners for a 2 – 1 lead in the seventh. Back-to-back doubles by first sacker Johnston and McVey in the eighth gave the Bengals their third and final run. Losing tosser “Darky” Bouchard, who tamed the Tigers with ease on one-hit for the first six stanzas, weakened noticeably in the late stages. Continuously in trouble over the course of the game, Oscar Wynant managed to survive to the end to cop the pitching verdict. Aside from McVey’s pair of late-game two-baggers for the victors, the game’s top swatsmith was Eddie Cass of the Cee Cee’s who singled four times in five turns at bat.
Bouchard (L) and Sheppard
Wynant (W) and Singbush
(July 25) The Columbus Club got back on the winning track by doubling the Arenas 4 to 2 in a lively tussle at Wesley Park. The game terminated after eight innings because of darkness. One big inning, the second when the Clubbers plated all of their runs, was the key to their success and pushed the Arenas into the cellar of the league’s second-half series’ standings. Shaky at the beginning in terms of his control, warhorse Sid May found the groove and held the Arenas hitless for 7-2/3 innings, finishing with a three-hitter to earn the pitching win. Complete-game loser, young southpaw Dunc Irvine, pitched well except for the second-spasm when three walks, an error and a two-run double by Eddie Cass created peril that eventually resulted in a four-spot for the winners. Cass, with a single in addition to his two-bagger, led the seven-hit attack for the Columbians and was the lone batter in the game to register two safeties.
May (W) and Sheppard
Irvine (L) and Fingard, Lloyd
(July 26) The high-stepping Express took the measure of the Tammany Tigers 6 to 1 in a rather listless contest at Wesley Park. The Bengals were as meek as lambs against the slants of winning heaver Ernie Stokes whose dancing spit ball was so bewitching that 13 of Ferocious Felines were turned back with a third strike. Stokes yielded just five hits, one of which was very scratchy. Losing chucker Harry McDougall, given poor defensive support in the pinches, was touched for nine bingles, eight of which were one-base raps. The game was really decided in the second round when four Freighters crossed the pan as a result of four errors and three singles, the most impactful one coming off the bat of Gus Guarnara which produced a pair of tallies. Guarnara and teammate “Packy” McFarlane, with a brace of one-baggers, were the only batters in the came with multiple-hit totals.
McDougall (L) and Singbush
Stokes (W) and Mooney
(July 27) Staging one of the noted finishes that featured their play in past seasons, the Arenas came from behind and won a thrilling 8 to 7 game from the Transconas before 2,000 fans at Wesley Park. Trailing 7 to 2 after five rounds, the Arenas notched deuces in each of the sixth, eighth and ninth chapters to nose out the ‘Sconas. Both squads used three chuckers. Starter Jack Hind was the steadiest of the Transcona trio but was pulled in the eighth episode with a 7 to 4 lead. Wilf Anderson took over, inheriting two baserunners, but was ineffective, allowing both to cross the dish, making it 7 – 6. Anderson was also charged with the tying and winning Arena markers in the ninth before “Chick” Chafe was summoned to put out the fire. Sixth-inning reliever Bert Stainsby, the last of the three Arena chuckers, got the win, blanking the Railroaders over four frames. The Arenas had a healthy 15 to 7 margin in base hits as Bill Siddle drilled three doubles, Art Frick singled three times, Bert Lloyd drove in four tallies with a brace of timely singles and Jim McCullough slugged a two-run homer. Siddle’s final two-bagger drove in the tying and winning counters in the ninth. Carson McVey, with two singles was the only Transcona batter to acquire more than one safety.
Borwick, O’Hearn (4), Stainsby (W) (6) and Fingard, Lloyd
Hind, Anderson (L) (8), Chafe (9) and Perlman
(July 29) The Columbus Club further tightened the second-half series pennant race by edging the fast-going Express band of baseballers 4 to 3 at Wesley Park. The Clubbers were deserving winners, holding an 11 to 5 advantage in base hits. Except for the power-swatting of Express first baseman Pat Cann. winning chucker Sid May held the Freighters at bay throughout the match. Hard-hitting Cann kept his team in the game by lighting up the veteran May for a brace of solo homers and a single. Losing flinger Andy Russell pitched himself out of some tight corners to keep the score close. May allowed only one walk, that going to Cann out of respect for his ever-dangerous presence in the lineup, and retired seven of the Deliverymen on strikes. Russell fanned four and gave up two bases-on-balls. Bill Knight, with a double and two singles, and Stu Sheppard, who laced a triad of one-baggers, led the winners at the dish. Fred Flanagan contributed a pair of one-base raps.
Russell (L) and Mooney
May (W) and Sheppard
(August 1) Darkness put a stop to the hostilities at the end of the seventh spasm at Wesley Park but that was more than a sufficient amount of play for the Transcona troupe of pastimers to pound the Tammany Tigers 13 to 7. The win for the ‘Sconas pushed them a half-game ahead of the pack in the crowded second-half series standings. The Railroaders took a stranglehold on the game in the first three innings during which they ran across eight counters to three by the Bengals. Only a four-spot in their final turn at bat made the score appear more respectable for the Tammany nine. “Chick” Chafe had the Jungle Cats tamed for most of the game with his big hook and yielded a total of six hits. Losing chucker Oscar Wynant was driven to cover in less than three innings as Alex Hill took over and went the rest of the way. The duo of twirlers were roughed up for 14 base blows in the free-scoring tilt. Jim McCullough was the offensive star for the winners, collecting four bingles including a four-bagger with one mate aboard. Third baseman Woods followed with three safeties while Dunc McCorquodale delivered a pair. Ward McVey and first baseman Johnston led the Tiger attack with two singles apiece.
Chafe (W) and Perlman
Wynant (L), Hill (3) and Singbush
(August 2) Gerald Mooney’s four-ply clout in the bottom-of-the-seventh spasm, with teammate Greig Warren perched on first, enabled the Arenas to escape defeat and come out of their battle with the Express tied at 4 – 4. Darkness ended the affair at the end of the seventh. The Deliverymen held the upper hand practically all the way after tallying singletons in both the third and fifth frames. As the Arenas prepared to come to bat for what turned out to be their final time, the Freighters were in front 4 – 2. After Mooney launched his two-run to knot the count, two more Arena batters were retired to end the game. Express’ management sprang a surprise by sending B. Browne, who has been performing as a catcher for some years, to the mound. Browne had a sharp curve that bothered the Arenas, particularly when hits were needed. “Slim” Borwick pitched the first five frames for the Arenas but was lifted for pinch-hitter Bert Stainsby in the sixth. Stainsby then took over mound chores for the final two chapters. Stevie Karahan nailed a double and single for the Expressmen who were outhit by a 10 to 6 margin. Catcher Bert Lloyd ripped three singles for the Arenas.
Browne and Mooney
Borwick , Stainsby (5) and Lloyd
(August 3) The Columbus Club diamond troopers took the lead in the race for the second-half series’ pennant by knocking off the Transconas 6 to 2 in a WSABL contest called after eight innings with darkness looming overhead. Timely hitting combined with some loose defensive play by the ‘Sconas enabled the Cee Cee’s to tuck away the victory. “Darky” Bouchard and Jack Hind were the opposing hurlers. The Railroad Towners outhit the Clubbers 10 to 8 but also committed all four of the game’s errors. Those four miscues all occurred in the opening canto and were parlayed by the the winners into a three-spot, a deficit from which the Transcona Troupe never fully recovered. They had their chances but were unable to come through in the clutch, leaving ten baserunners stranded. Gord Caslake hit safely three times in the losing effort while Tommy Shannon tripled and singled for the victors.
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
Hind (L) and Perlman
(August 4) The Arenas defeated the Express 7 to 5 in a see-saw battle at Wesley Park, creating a three-way log jam for the runner-up slot in the second-half series, a half-game behind the Columbus Club. The Freighters outhit their opponents 13 to 9 but also committed six errors to three by the winners. Bert Stainsby of the Arenas and the Express’ Ernie Stokes were the rival hurlers and each was touched up rather freely, particularly in the closing rounds. Over the course of the first eight innings, the lead changed hands on four occasions and entering the ninth the combatants were locked in a 4 – 4 deadlock. The Arenas exploded for a three-spot in the top-of-the-ninth on an error, a fielder’s choice, a double steal and three hits. The Deliverymen came right back in their half of the frame and threatened to pull the game out of the fire by loading the bases with none out. However, a brain freeze caught “Packy” McFarlane edging too far down the line from the hot corner station as catcher Abe Fingard made a perfect snap throw to pick him off. Pat Cann followed with a single to drive in Steve Karahan and reduce the deficit to a deuce. Steve Penu, who had already banged out three solid singles, then caught a Stainsby curveball on the nose, drilling the horsehide between third base and shortstop but the fleet “Snake” Siddle moved quickly to his left, scooped up the sizzling spheroid, tagged baserunner Nelson Mooney who was ambling over from the keystone station, and fired the pill to first base for a game-ending double-play. Gerald Mooney cuffed a triple and a single for the victors. McFarlane matched teammate Penu’s three-hit output for the losers while Cann belted a bases-empty circuit-clout in addition to his one-bagger.
Stainsby (W) and Fingard
Stokes (L) and Mooney
SECOND-HALF SERIES
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Columbus Club 4 3 .571 ----
Arenas 3 3 .500 0.5
Transcona 3 3 .500 0.5
Tammany Tigers 3 3 .500 0.5
Dominion Express 2 3 .400 1.0
(August 8) The Express band of balltossers continued their mastery this season over Transcona when they nosed out the Railroaders 5 to 4 at Wesley Park. It was the fourth time this campaign that the Freighters have prevailed over the ‘Sconas. The Deliverymen led all the way and had a commanding 5 – 0 cushion after six stanzas. Finley Fairfield, the young Express hurler, experienced some control issues late in the game but he pulled through with only six hits being garnered off him. It was a tough game for Jack Hind to lose. He retired 13 batters on strikes, yielded five safeties and had only one bad round, the fourth, when the Freighters nicked him for three tallies. No player from either side gathered more than one hit.
Fairfield (W) and Browne
Hind (L) and Perlman
(August 9) The Columbus Club tightened their grip on top place in the second-half series by defeating the Tammany Tigers 6 to 2 at Wesley Park. The Clubbers were able to claim victory by bunching four hits with a walk in the second stanza to chase across a quartet of counters. Losing heaver “Buck” Herzog’s two-run double in the fourth frame gave the Bengals a temporary sense of hope but that was the extent of their scoring. The Cee Cee’s sewed up the victory with a deuce in the fifth and were deserving winners, playing errorless afield while outswatting the Tammany troupe 10 to 6. “Darky” Bouchard struck out eight in securing the mound verdict and was in trouble in only two rounds. Errol Gillis was the top dog with the lumber for the winners, belting a solo home run and a pair of singles. Herzog had a second two-bagger to go along with his fourth-frame swat.
Herzog (L) and Singbush
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
(August 10) The Arenas jumped into a percentage-points first-place lead in the battle for the second-half series pennant by blanking the Columbus Club 3 to 0 in a WSABL encounter limited to seven innings because of darkness. Although outhit 6 to 4, the Arenas were worthy victors as the came through offensively when bingles meant bacon while the Clubbers were unable to parlay their few opportunities into runs. Winning slabster Bill Siddle was the complete master of the situation when called upon in clutch situations. Losing flinger Sid May also pitched well in this airtight struggle that saw the Arenas open the scoring in the second spasm when “Bunny” Warren delivered a run-scoring single. Lawrie Cuthbert stepped to the dish in the sixth and blasted a bases-empty four-bagger to make it 2 – 0. The final tally came in the seventh when Greig Warren slashed a sizzler that handcuffed third baseman George McGrath for a one-base hit, moved into scoring position on a ground out and scored all the way from the second base when neither middle-infielder covered the keystone sack when May made a pickoff peg. The two leading batters in the clash were teammates Eddie Cass and Errol Gillis of the Cee Cee’s. Cass doubled and singled while Gillis registered a brace of clean singles.
Siddle (W) and Lloyd
May (L) and Sheppard
(August 11) Back-to-back doubles by Art Frick and “Bunny” Warren in the top-of-the-ninth inning broke a 3 – 3 deadlock and gave the Arenas a 4 to 3 victory over the Tammany Tigers at Wesley Park. The win for the Arenas gave them a half-game lead over the Columbus Club in the second-half series standings. Bert Stainsby, who assumed hurling chores in the opening panel after starter Dunc Irvine was given the hook, pitched stellar ball for the victors after inheriting a two-run deficit in a bases-loaded, one down situation. The Bengals wound up with a three-spot in that crucial first frame and should have had four tallies except for the fact that baserunner “Buck” Herzog, perched at second base and somehow in a daze, not only failed to score on a hard-hit clout by Allan Armstrong but, after dashing toward third, suddenly changed his mind and started back toward the keystone sack, apparently under the false impression that Armstrong’s blow had been caught. In any event, his indecision led to his being an easy out at second base which stifled the rally. Despite being nailed with the loss, Oscar Wynant pitched effectively for the Tammanys, except for the final canto. Stainsby whiffed nine and was nicked for five of the six safeties garnered by the Jungle Cats during his 8-2/3 innings of mound toil. Wynant fanned ten and was tagged for nine safeties, two each by Frick and Warren. First baseman Johnston, with three singles, had half the Tiger bingles, while Armstrong gathered two.
Irvine, Stainsby (W) (1) and Fingard
Wynant (L) and Singbush
(August 12) The Tammany Tigers kept in the running for the WSABL second-half series pennant by edging the Express 7 to 6 at Wesley Park. The result tightens up the race and leaves only a game-and-a-half separating the five teams. The contest was a sew-saw affair in which the Bengals, outhit 10 to 9, took advantage of a batch of errors by the Freighters to pull through with the much-needed victory. After the Deliverymen had tied the score at 5 – 5 in the top of the eighth episode through a timely two-bagger by Fred Brown, the Ferocious Felines jumped on losing heaver Ernie Stokes for a pair of tallies in their half of the panel. Young Allan Armstrong broke the tie with a solo four-ply clout and, after Ron Singbush reached base on an infield error, Stokes, now even more unsettled, yielded a couple of hits as Singbush crossed the pan with what would prove to be the winning marker. The Express fought hard in the ninth to pull the game out of the fire and managed to score once before winning tosser Harry McDougall fanned the ever-dangerous Pat Cann to end the game. McDougall stroked three singles in support of his mound effort while Armstrong delivered a triple in addition to his round-tripper. Cann and Brown had two hits each for the vanquished nine.
Stokes (L), Russell (8) and Browne
McDougall (W) and Singbush
(August 14) The Transconas performed a triple play in the fifth inning of their skirmish with the Arenas at Wesley Park but it made no difference in the final result as they dropped a 7 to 3 decision. The victory for the Arena increased their lead over Columbus Club to a full game. With the bases crammed and none out, Greig Warren hit a drive straight at ’Scona second sacker Sowerby who snared the liner and relayed the pill to Jim McCullough to catch “Bunny” Warren off first. McCullough, in turn, relayed the horsehide to the plate, catching Bill Siddle who had tagged up at third and was sprinting for home. Siddle and Jack Hind were the opposing moundsmen and neither was in his best form, both being inclined to be wild. Siddle proved to be the more effective, however, particularly in the pinches while Hind uncorked three wild pitches, the last of which enabled a runner to ramble home. The Arenas took a commanding lead in the opening round when they marked up four tallies and, in the seventh, sewed up the triumph by plating three more. Greig Warren, Lawrie Cuthbert and playing-manager “Steamer” Maxwell each stroked a pair of bingles as part of the winners’ 11-hit attack. The Railroad Towners picked up seven safeties as Gord Caslake led the way with a double and single.
Hind (L) and Perlman
Siddle (W) and Lloyd
(August 15) The Columbus Club kept right on the heels of the Arenas in the battle for the second-half series pennant by nosing out the Express 3 to 2 at Wesley Park. The Clubbers were fortunate to pull out the win as their infield committed six errors. Wildness of the part of losing twirler, Andy Russell, combined with a few timely hits, enabled the Cee Cee’s to come out on top. Winning tosser “Darky” Bouchard gave up six hits while Russell yielded just five but the Freighter chucker hit five batters in addition to walking three. The Deliverymen put up a strong defensive game, turning in two double plays besides reeling off a number of other snappy plays. With the score tied at 2 – 2 in the sixth, Bouchard won his own game by delivering a clean single that scored Bill Knight. Herb Foreman of the winners and the Express’ Frank Guarnara were the only two batters in the game to pick up a brace of hits. Formal’s first blow drove in the first two runs for the Columbians.
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
Russell (L) and Mooney
(August 16) In a long drawn-out affair at Wesley Park, cut short after five and two-thirds innings because of darkness, the Transcona aggregation trimmed the Tammany Tigers to the tune of 10 to 2. Both pitchers of record, winner Wilf Anderson of the Railroaders and the Bengals’ Oscar Wynant, who was kayoed after five frames, were wild and worked very slowly. The Tammany nine was also guilty of several miscues which came with runners on base. Anderson’ six-hit mound effort was backed with almost flawless support by his teammates. A four-spot in the fourth inning, sparked by Jim McCullough’s three-run homer, sent the ‘Sconas on the road to victory. Carson McVey, Sam Perlman and McCullough, who added a single on top of his four-bagger, all registered two hits for the winners. Ward McVey was the lone Tiger to do anything consistently with the stick, lacing out a clean single and beating out a slow roller in the first round.
Wynant (L), McDougall (6) and Singbush
Anderson (W) and McCorquodale
(August 17) The Arenas regained their one-game cushion over the Columbus Club by knocking off the Express 6 to 1 at Wesley Park. A four-run outburst in their first turn at bat gave the Arenas the stranglehold on a positive verdict. Ernie Stokes started on the hill for the Deliverymen but was pounded for seven of the eight Arena hits during the three innings he lasted. Ancient “Buster” Jones, slab artist deluxe of several seasons past, then assumed the hurling duties and did excellent work for the remainder of the contest, surrendering but one single. Bert Stainsby turned in another fine pitching performance for the victors, scattering five hits in a route-going performance. The only blemish on his showing was serving up a solo round-tripper to Pat Cann for the only run garnered by the Express. Rival shortstops Jim Dunbar of the Arenas and the Freighters’ Steve Penu paced their respective aggregations with two singles apiece.
Stainsby (W) and Fingard
Stokes (L), Jones (4) and Browne
(August 18) The Arenas are within a half-game of annexing the second-half series pennant and the right to play the Columbus Club to retain the honors they won last year. A 5 to 2 win over the Express in eight innings at darkened Wesley Park boosted them into this position. The Freighters weren’t outplayed in the contest but the Arenas seemed to always do the right thing at the right time, take advantage of their few opportunities and look like a championship ball team. Both teams managed just four hits as young Finley Fairfield of the Deliverymen struck out seven, walked five and went all the way while the Arena duo of chuckers, winner Dunc Irvine and reliever “Slim” Borwick whiffed a total of three and combined to issue five free passes. Arena outfielder Greig Warren, besides pulling off the defensive gem of the game with a diving catch of catcher B. Browne’s Texas Leaguer, collected two of the winners’ four safeties, one of which was a double. Teammate Bill Siddle delivered a solo home run. Steve Penu singled twice for the Deliverymen.
Fairfield (L) and Browne
Irvine (W), Borwick (7) and Lloyd
(August 19) The Columbus Club kept in the running for the second-half series championship by trouncing the listless Transconas 8 to 3 before 2,500 spectators at Wesley Park. The one-sided affair was a long drawn-out and tedious affair in which the ‘Sconas showed little apparent interest. The Clubbers played errorless afield while the Railroaders booted the horsehide on three occasions. Art Atkins started on the hill for Transcona but was relieved by Jack Hind in the third after the Cee Cee’s had gone in front 5 – 0. Complete-game winner Leo Johnson had serious control issues, walking no less than ten batters, but persevered to the end with a five-hitter and nine strikeouts. Leading the seven-hit attack of the winners were catcher Stu Sheppard, with a two-run homer and single, and middle pasture patroller Tommy Shannon who singled twice, driving in a pair of tallies. Infielder Wilf Anderson clouted a last-gasp, two-run four-bagger in the ninth for the vanquished nine.
Atkins (L), Hind (3) and Woods, McCorquodale
Johnson (W) and Sheppard
(August 21) A 3 to 2 loss at the hands of the Tammany Tigers in a seven-inning, darkness-shortened encounter at Wesley Park stymied the Arenas bid to clinch the second-half series title. The Bengals sent Alex Hill, a young intermediate call-up, to the mound to face the Arenas. He got by, primarily with an abundance of speed, to earn the victory with a five-hitter, walking three and striking out five along the way. “Slim” Borwick started on the knoll for the Arenas and gave up seven of the nine Tammany hits before being replaced by Dunc Irvine with one out in the fourth. The Tigers grabbed a 2 – 0 lead in the top-of-the-fourth when Hill lit up Borwick for a two-run circuit-jack. The Arenas got one back in their half of the session when “Bunny” Warren responded with a bases-empty four-bagger. Both teams exchanged counters in the seventh and final canto to wrap up the scoring. Tod May’s RBI-single gave the Jungle Cats a 3 – 1 cushion while an unearned Arena counter narrowed the gap to a singleton before the third out was made. Playing-manager “Steamer” Maxwell had three of the five Arena base raps. The nine Tiger safeties were well divided with only Tommy Hood garnering more than one, a pair of one-baggers.
Hill (W) and Cockburn
Borwick, Irvine (4) and Lloyd
(August 22) Hits and runs were few and far between as a pair of WSABL also-rans hooked up in a pitcher’s duel at Wesley Park. When the dust had settled, the Express squad of baseballers prevailed 2 to 1 over Transcona to move into a tie with their victims for fourth place in the circuit. Young Finley Fairfield, a slowball artist twirling for the Freighters and Transcona southpaw “Chick” Chafe locked horns over nine innings of snappy play in which each hurler was afforded good support. Chafe yielded only three hits but a little wildness, coupled with the the ability of the Deliverymen to make their hits count, caused his defeat. Fairfield was nicked for five scattered safeties and he was a complete mystery to the Railroaders when runners were aboard. Only his club’s lone error in the final round robbed him of a shutout. A passed ball in the fourth frame allowed “Packy” McFarlane to motor in from third base, giving the Express a 1 – 0 lead. They boosted their lead to a pair in the eighth when Art Phillips led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Steve Karahan’s sacrifice fly. The losers died hard in the ninth but fell one run short. Chafe, with a double and single, was the only player from either side to manage plural hit totals.
Fairfield (W) and Mooney
Chafe (L) and Perlman
(August 23) A 5 to 0 whitewashing of the Tammany Tigers earned the Columbus Club a tie for top spot in the second-half series and a sudden-death clash with the Arenas to decide the issue. Old warhorse Sid May was complete master of the situation on the mound, limiting the Bengals to four scattered hits during the seven innings that were played before darkness intervened. The crafty veteran had his benders working nicely and whiffed nine batters. Losing hurler Harry McDougall, nicked for eight safeties, pitched well for the Tammanys during the six rounds he worked but ragged defensive support put him in several holes. Only one of the five runs plated against him was earned. Eddie Cass and Fred Flanagan did the bulk of the hitting for the victors, each getting a brace of singles.
May (W) and Sheppard
McDougall (L), Rushworth (7) and Cockburn, Singbush
(August 24) Going down to a 7 to 0 defeat at the hands of the Express aggregation ended a very disappointing season for the Transcona diamond pastimers. Expected to be a contender, the ‘Sconas finished dead last in the second-half series standings while the Freighters, with the victory, moved into a tie with the Tammany Tigers for third place. The final score flattered the Deliverymen who were outhit by a 6 to 4 margin. A disastrous fifth frame, in which the Expressman ran across six big counters, was the difference-maker in this clash. Half of their bingles, two fielding misplays by the Railroaders and three walks all contributed to fifth-inning Express explosion. Fred Brown went all the way on the bump to earn the heaving win while loser Art Atkins pitched all but one inning of the tilt, shortened to seven stanzas because of darkness.
Atkins (L), Taylor (6) and Perlman
Brown (W) and Browne
SECOND-HALF SERIES
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Arenas 8 4 .667 ----
Columbus Club 8 4 .667 ----
Tammany Tigers 5 7 .417 3.0
Dominion Express 5 7 .417 3.0
Transcona 4 8 .333 4.0
FIRST-PLACE TIE-BREAKER (best-of-seven series)
(August 26) Veteran flychaser “Doc” Flanagan, who has only figured in about three games for his team this year, broke up a lively clash by lifting two baseballs over the fence before a packed-house of some 4,000 wild-eyed baseball fanatics at the Wesley baseball yard. The pair of round-trippers, each coming with a runner aboard, came in the fourth and eighth episodes and catapulted the Columbus Club to a 5 to 2 opening-game victory in their second-half series playoff round with the Arenas. Winning pitcher, “Darky” Bouchard, was stingy with the hits, allowing only five, but was constantly facing control issues as he gave up five bases-on-balls, hit two batters and was charged with heaving a wild pitch. Loser Bill Siddle gave up nine safeties, walked just two and, other than for Flanagan and Tommy Shannon, both of whom had three hits, had most of the Clubbers baffled. Shannon picked up a double and two singles while Flanagan added a one-bagger to his brace of boomers and finished with four RBI’s. Gerald Mooney singled twice for the Arenas.
Siddle (L) and Lloyd
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
(August 29) The Arenas, playing a great defensive game while clouting the horsehide when bingles meant bacon, evened up the second-half series tie-breaker by chalking up a 6 to 1 conquest of the Columbus Club before 4,000 spectators in a darkness-shortened, eight-inning affair at Wesley Park. The game produced only nine base hits, all singles, with the Arenas gathering five of them. No player from either side had more than one safety. Bill Siddle and Bert Stainsby were the outstanding figures in the Arena victory. The versatile “Snake” had an outstanding defensive game at shortstop while Stainsby went the route on the hillock, holding the hard-hitting Clubbers in check. The issue was pretty well decided in favor of the Arenas when they got to losing tosser Sid May for a four-spot in the third inning. Two hit batters, sandwiched around a walk, loaded the sacks. A groundout delivered the first counter. Lawrie Cuthbert followed with a single to drive in two more. A second out advanced Cuthbert to the keystone station from where he plated the fourth tally when “Bunny” Warren’s sizzler took a bad hop and struck Cee Cee shortstop Bill Knight in the face.
May (L), Severeid (7) and Sheppard
Stainsby (W) and Lloyd
(August 31) Darkness intervened at the end of five innings just as the battle for third-game supremacy between the Catholic Club and the Arenas at Wesley Park was assuming a most interesting stage. The Clubbers, batting last, pushed across a singleton in their final turn at bat to edge the Arenas 5 to 4 to take a 2 – 1 lead in the second-half series tie-breaker. Bonehead plays by both teams figured largely in the scoring of runs yet made the contest more exciting. Winning heaver “Darky” Bouchard got along nicely for the first three rounds, holding the Arenas without a hit. Sporting a 4 – 0 cushion to work with, Bouchard was lit up for a pair of round-trippers in the fourth frame, a two-run shot by “Bunny” Warren and a solo blast off the bat of Gerald Mooney, which reduced the lead to one run. With darkness looming overhead, the Arenas evened the score at 4 - 4 in the fifth on one of the gift tallies that accrued during the contest. In the bottom of the panel, Bill Knight received the benefit of the doubt on an checked-swing and drew a walk instead of striking out. Knight swiped second and scored the deciding run on Stu Sheppard’s one bagger. It was one of three hits that Sheppard garnered during the abbreviated event. He was the only member of either team to collect more than one base rap. Bert Stainsby, who relieved starter Dunc Irvine in the third inning, was the hard-luck loser.
Irvine, Stainsby (L) (3) and Fingard, Lloyd
Bouchard (W) and Sheppard
(September 2) With 5,000 fans looking on, the Arenas once again squared their second-half tie-breaker series with the Columbus Club by earning an important 5 to 2 win. Both teams had ten hits in the fracas but the Arenas, who were never headed after plating deuces in both the third and fourth chapters, connected in the pinches more frequently while the Clubbers only managed to touch up winning heaver Bert Stainsby once when in position to score. “Darky” Bouchard, who had twice beaten the Arenas in this series, was hit hard in this tilt and absorbed the compete-game setback. The winners presented a well-balanced batting attack with everyone in the line-up except Stainsby, acquiring at least one hit. Art Frick and Bert Lloyd each gathered two bingles off Bouchard while Gerald Mooney went long distance with a solo home run. Carl Franks and Jim McGrath did the most damage to Stainsby’s curves, the former stroking three singles and the latter two.
Stainsby (W) and Lloyd
Bouchard (L) and Sheppard
(September 4) The second-half series of the WSABL is still undecided after the Columbus Club and Arenas divided the spoils in their Labor Day doubleheader at Wesley Park. The Clubbers annexed the morning tussle 2 to 1 while the Arenas took the afternoon struggle 3 to 2. Each team has now won three games. Two of the largest crowds that have ever witnessed baseball games at Wesley Park were on deck for this twin-bill, nearly 10,000 fans being present.
The morning game was a pitcher’s battle between the Arenas’ Bill Siddle and Sid May of the Columbians. Both hurlers were in great form but an error by Siddle was instrumental in his defeat. Siddle yielded only four hits, three of them coming in one round, but he was a trifle wilder than normal, walking three, hitting a batter and uncorking a wild pitch. The Arenas pecked away at May’s offerings for seven hits, three of them off the lumber of Lawrie Cuthbert. They opened the scoring in the fourth round when Cuthbert was driven home on Gerry Mooney’s single to the right pasture. The Catholics came right back in their half of the frame to even the count. After Siddle had issued issued a pair of free passes and both runners advanced into scoring position, the Arena tosser failed to hold on to “Lefty” Severeid’s high pop up in front of the plate as Earl Gillis scored from third. The Cee Cee’s plated what turned out to be the winner in the fifth session. Bill Knight and Stu Sheppard opened with sharp singles to left-field. Following a fly out and and a punchout, George McGrath beat out beat out an infield hit as Knight sprinted in with the deciding tally.
Siddle (L) and Lloyd
May (W) and Shepard
The afternoon scuffle was equally exciting as the matinee joust with “Darky” Bouchard and Bert Stainsby locking horns in another barnburner. The Rinkmen, who had a 9 to 8 edge in base knocks, drew first blood when Greig Warren doubled home “Bunny” Warren in the fourth frame. The Clubbers came right back in the fifth, knotting the count on an RBI-hit by Eddie Cass. Then, in the eighth, the Cee Cee’s forged ahead with a run that looked as big as a mountain. With one down, Fred Flanagan singled up the middle, stole the keystone sack and crossed the dish on a long single by pinch-hitter Errol Gillis. With elimination staring them in the face, the Arenas coolly responded. With two retired, Greig Warren drilled his second run-scoring double of the tilt that sent in the tying run. Warren advanced to third on a passed ball and scored the ultimate winner when Art Frick’s short fly fell in for a hit. The Columbians mounted a threat in the ninth as they had the potential tying marker at third base with only one out but a pair of pop fly outs ended the contest.
Bouchard (L) and Sheppard
Stainsby (W) and Lloyd
(September 9) No final series between the first and second-half winners of the WSABL will be necessary as the Columbus Club baseballers rein supreme in both halves and, as a result, are 1922 champions of the circuit after disposing of the Arenas 8 to 2 in the seventh game of a hard-fought, second-half tie-breaker series. The Clubbers, with a wide 14 to 4 margin in base hits, were worthy winners. Holding just a 1 – 0 lead after three innings, they broke the back of the Rinkmen by running across a trey in the fourth fame and compounded the pain for the losers by striking for a four-spot in the bottom-of-the-fifth, just after the Arenas had plated their only two counters in the top-half of that panel. Winning moundsman Sid May hurled in his usual effective manner and did not allow the semblance of a hit in the first four rounds. In the fifth, however, he issued a free pass, hit a batter and yielded two bingles, which accounted for the only two tallies registered against the Cee Cees. No slouch with the bat either, May delivered a double and two singles. Bert Stainsby, who had successfully turned back the Catholics on three occasions during the gruelling, seven-game struggle, just didn’t have enough gas left in the tank to do it a fourth time, surrendering ten of the winners’ 14 base knocks and all eight runs. After sustaining minor injuries to both his pitching and fielding hands, he was forced out of the game as Bill Siddle took over mound chores with one out in the fifth. Eddie Cass matched May’s offensive output with three hits but all of his were one-baggers. Bill Knight and Stu Sheppard added a brace of one-base raps each. Siddle drove in both Arena runs with the first of his two singles.
Stainsby (L), Siddle (5) and Lloyd
May (W) and Sheppard
WINNIPEG COMMERCIAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
Bulman’s
Crescent Creamery
Fruit Exchange
Woods Manufacturing
MANITOBA AMATEUR BASEBALL ASSOCIATION SENIOR LEAGUE
A newly organized five-team senior baseball circuit, known simply as the M.A.B.A. Senior League, appeared on the scene in 1922. Most of the teams and players were from the Winnipeg Intermediate League of a season previous.
The schedule was split into two halves with the winners from each half meeting to determine the overall league champion. In an odd twist of fate, the second-half series pennant winner was determined before the first-half titlist. The upholding of a late protest filed during the first-half forced the replay of a disputed game, which was eventually played after the second-half series was well underway, and the result altered the standings, creating a tie for top spot and forcing a best-of-three playoff.
Elmwood Giants
Norwood Kolts
Portage la Prairie
St. Boniface Sons of Swat
Winnipeg Medicals
FIRST-HALF SERIES
(May 20) The St. Boniface Sons of Swat won the opening game in the newly-formed M.A.B.A. senior league in handily fashion, pinning a 14 to 8 defeat on the hometown baseballers from Norwood. Bob Beddome hauled in the hurling victory by going eight episodes on the rubber before being lifted in the final canto for Gallagher when the Kolts exploded for a last-gasp six-spot. Losing heaver Bill Crowe, Norwood manager McNaughton’s first pitching selection, was driven to cover in the fifth frame. The Sons treated his successor, “Hippo” McConnell with equal disdain, kayoing him in the seventh. Cliff Clarke, who followed on the hill, finally put a halt to the antics of the hard-hitting Saints. Initial sacker Savoie had three hits, including a double, for the winners. Flychaser King followed with a triad of one-baggers. Catcher Derrick Gladu and shortpatcher Morgan both contributed a brace of one-base raps. Norwood infielder Wilson led the vanquished nine offensively with a double and single.
Beddome (W), Gallagher (9) and Gladu
Crowe (L), McConnell (5), Clarke (7) and Browne
(May 24) The Elmwood Giants made a rather auspicious debut in the new M.A.B.A. senior league by drubbing the hosting St. Boniface Sons of Swat 9 to 4. Olie Olien whiffed 12 and did not give away any free passes in copping the complete-game knoll verdict. The Giants pushed five big counters across the pan in the second stanza, thanks in large measure to a bases-loaded triple by Shandre, to take control of the game. Elmwood catcher Alex Olien and third sacker Tony Baril of the Saints shared the batting honors, each acquiring two safeties.
O. Olien (W) and A. Olien
Trender (L), Beddome (2) and Gladu
(May 26) Portage la Prairie opened their season by crushing the visiting St. Boniface aggregation 17 to 0. The large crowd on hand was disappointed by the inept play of the Sons of Swat. The locals pounded a pair of pitchers from the Saints for 18 base blows and were aided in the rout by 11 opposition errors. Portage’s Freeman Dalzell tossed a five-hitter to gain the shutout win.
Beddome (L), Bibeau (1) and Marcoux, Gladu
Dalzell (W) and Bell
(May 26) The Elmwood Giants plated a three-spot in the top-of-the-ninth round to break a 3 – 3 tie and come away with a 6 to 3 victory over the homestanding Norwood Kolts. Outside of the first frame, winning tosser Stickler pitched a solid game, earning the knoll decision over complete-game loser Harold Hultman.
Stickler (W) and A. Olien
Hultman (L) and Raine
(May 27) After losing out in their first two starts in the M.A.B.A. senior league, the Norwood Kolts finally broke into the win column by chalking up a 5 to 2 victory over the Medicals. “Lefty” Roberts checked in with a six-hitter to grab pitching win while starter Harry Julian of the Meds was tagged with the loss. Menlove and Wilson, with two singles each were Norwood’s leading hitters while Mastberg, with a similar quota, was best with the baton for the Sawbones.
Julian (L), Sanderson (4) and xxx
Roberts (W) and Bradley
(May 29) The Elmwood Giants captured their third straight win by clipping the Medicals 20 to 11 in a seven-inning travesty masquerading as a baseball game. Both teams used three chuckers with only Dunc McGregor of the Giants and the Medicals’ “Doc” Rutherford showing any talent to pitch anything but hay. The hitting was frequent and the fielders muffed it just as easy as the batters connected. There were 27 base hits in the tilt with Elmwood collecting 14 of them. The Giants also outfumbled the Doctors 7 to 5. Rival shortpatchers Shandre of the victors and McIvor of the vanquished nine led their respective clubs with three bingles apiece. Shandre laced a triple, double and single.
Nichol (L), Sanderson, Rutherford and McCartney
S. Strome (W), McGregor, Firth and A. Olien
(May 31) With veteran southpaw twirler “Lefty” Nevilles in fine form, the Norwood Kolts cooled of the high-flying Portage la Prairie nine 7 to 3. Although touched for nine hits, two more than Norwood gleaned off the combined deliveries of two Portage twirlers, the savvy portsider always kept danger at a distance and generally made the Plains City batters appear ordinary. He fanned ten and didn’t walk a batter in going all the way. A five-run second inning in which McConnell and “Sonny” Levin both drove in a pair of tallies, put the Colts in the driver’s seat. Riley, who entered the game as a third-inning reliever for starter and loser Jarboe of the Portage nine, had a perfect night at the plate, drilling a triple and two singles in three at-bats. Levin collected two hits, including a double, for the victors.
Jarboe (L), Riley (3) and Millar
Nevilles (W) and H. May
(June 2) In a ragged exhibition of baseball, the Portage la Prairie diamondeers handed the Elmwood Giants their first league setback, nosing out the visitors 11 to 10. Although at no stage of the game did the Elmwood nine have the lead, it was either team’s game up until the final out. Both teams were strong with the willow and weak with the glove. Freeman Dalzell, who was on the knoll for the victorious Portagers, whiffed nine Giant batters, in taking the mound decision over Olie Olien.
O. Olien (L) and A. Olien
Dalzell (W) and Bell
(June 2) A crowd of approximately 1,000 flocked to the St. Boniface College grounds to see a pitcher by the name of Leveque twirl the homestanding Sons of Swat to a masterly 19 to 4 shellacking of the winless Medicals in a senior M.A.B.A fixture. Leveque yielded seven hits, most of them bunched in the fourth frame when the Meds scored three times. The Sons banged out 13 safeties and were the beneficiaries of atrocious defensive play by their foes.
Rutherford (L), Nichol and McIvor, xxx
Leveque (W) and Gladu
(June 3) After suffering defeats in their first two outings, the Norwood Kolts continued their recent winning streak by defeating the St. Boniface Sons of Swat 10 to 7. In reeling off their third win in succession, Norwood grabbed a commanding 7 to 1 lead after three innings. “Lefty” Roberts did excellent work on the hillock for the winners and hurled with an air of confidence. Starter Bob Beddome of the Saints was nailed with the pitching setback. Outfielder McConnell swatted a home run for the Colts.
Roberts (W) and H. May
Beddome (L), Leveque (1) and Gladu
(June 5) Continuing to make up for their poor start to the season, the Norwood Kolts pounded the overmatched Medicals 14 to 4. The teams battled for six stanzas on a fairly even basis with Norwood in front 4 – 3. It was a six-run Colt outburst in the seventh inning that put a bow on this tilt. Harold Hultman pitched for the winners, holding the Eminent Physicians to just two hits while enticing 13 batters to swat the atmosphere. Losing heaver Foltz got along well until the disastrous seventh when Nichol was called in to douse the fire. Catcher Herb May’s big bat had a liking for the spheroid as delivered by the pitching duo of the Meds, connecting for three doubles and two singles. Outfielder Raine had a triad of safe swats while Sonny Levin delivered a triple and single.
Hultman (W) and H. May
Foltz (L), Nichol (7) and Venables
(June 7) The invading Portage la Prairie senior baseballers moved into a tie with Elmwood for top spot in the M.A.B.A. senior loop by defeating the St. Boniface Sons of Swat 9 to 7. It was a heavy-hitting affair with the defensive play of both teams leaving much to be desired. The Plains City squad took an early lead and looked like easy winners after gaining a five-run margin but the Saints kept on their heels in the middle and late stages to make things interesting. Winning tosser Freeman Dalzell, nicked for 11 hits, was able to tighten up in the pinches when his defensive support was down. Young Leveque of the Sons was raked for 13 safeties by the Portages in suffering the defeat. Middle infielders Costigan and Lobb were the heavy swat artists for visiting team, each collecting three bingles, with a pair of two-baggers included in Costigan’s offensive output. Outfielder Burns was the big noise on the Saints’ side of the slate with a triple and a double to his credit.
Dalzell (W) and Millar
Leveque (L) and Marcoux
(June 9) After a delirious battle of alternating fortunes over the course of eleven innings, the Norwood and Elmhurst bands of diamond pastimers were forced by darkness to call off their hostilities with the score deadlocked at 5 – 5. Going into the ninth round, Elmwood held a 3 – 2 lead but, in the top of that canto, the Norwood tribe collected three tallies to roar in front 5 to 3, a margin that appeared bigger than a house. Not to be outdone, the Giants poured across a deuce in the bottom-of-the-ninth to send the tooth-and-nail struggle into overtime. Two rounds of bonus time failed to produce any further scoring. Ole Olien slipped over the slants for Elmwood while McConnell and “Lefty” Roberts shared the knoll duties for the Kolts. Both sides managed six base hits.
McConnell, Roberts (4) and H. May
O. Olien and A. Olien
(June 9) The Medicals nearly broke into the win column but blew a 7 – 0 lead attained after 6-1/2 frames and had to settle for an 8 – 8 tie with the homestanding Portage la Prairie aggregation. The game was called on account of darkness at the end of the 11th inning. Andy Dahl of the Meds and Jarboe of the Plains City nine were the opposing hurlers. The Hospitalists had an 11 to 8 advantage in base hits.
Dahl and Mastberg
Jarboe and Millar
(June 10) A third consecutive 11-inning contest in the M.A.B.A. senior league took place on the St. Boniface college grounds where the Sons of Swat prevailed 14 to 11 over the Norwood Kolts. The teams fought it out evenly practically all the way and were deadlocked at 10 – 10 at the end of the seventh. Goose eggs from both sides continued in the eighth and ninth, sending the tussle into overtime. Once again, in the tenth, zeros adorned the scoreboard. Three consecutive free passes issued by losing heaver Olie Olien of the Kolts in the top-of-the eleventh led to his relinquishing mound duties to Jimmy Keedian. A passed ball followed, sending a Sons’ runner across the dish with the lead tally. Shortstop Morgan then singled to drive in a pair but was out at second base while trying to stretch his bingle into a two-bagger. One more St. Boniface tally followed later in this exciting frame, upping the count to 14 – 10. The Norwood nine managed only a singleton in their half of the second bonus round and the battle was over. Seventh-inning reliever Leveque was credited with the hurling victory.
Bertrand, Leveque (W) (7) and Gladu
Oliver, O. Olien (L), Keedian (11) and A. Olien
(June 13) After battling along with high scores in their last few games, the M.A.B.A. senior leaguers came back to earth when Norwood and St. Boniface dished up one of the best games seen at Norwood Park this season, the home team winning by the score of 1 to 0 after nine innings of airtight baseball. The result was not decided in any sensational manner. The lone tally came simply from two hits and a sacrifice but it looked like a million dollars for the rest of the game. It was the sixth spasm that it all happened. Kolts’ third baseman Jack Seel led off with a one-bagger and was sacrificed to the keystone cushion by Herb May. Dick Martinelli then stepped up to the plate, smashed the pellet for a Texas Leaguer as Seel raced home with the ultimate decider. Both squads managed to swat the sphere for just six safeties as the pitchers dominated. Winning heaver Harold Hultman sent eleven Saints down on strikes while loser Bob Beddome rang up five punchouts. The loss was a hard pill for the Sons of Swat to swallow as they threatened several times, only to be checked by Hultman’s invincible hurling in the pinches.
Beddome (L) and Gladu
Hultman (W) and H. May
(June 14) Possessing a five-run advantage at one point in the game, the Elmwood Giants were forced to generate another five counters in their final turn at bat just to come away with a 12 – 12 draw in their tussle with the visiting Portage la Prairie balltossers that was reduced to eight episodes because of darkness. Heavy hitting and erratic fielding featured the game before a a large number of attendees. Elmwood started the fireworks in the second spasm when they sent six runners across the pan to move in front by five runs. The Plains City nine took control of the match in the middle innings, pummelling the offerings of Giants’ starter “Babe” Wishart, generally an outfielder, for nine tallies and a 10 to 7 lead. They added a deuce to their margin in the top-of-the-eighth but, with the skies beginning to darken, saw it all fall apart in the last-half of the panel as Freeman Dalzell, their ace slabster, tired badly.
Dalzell and Bell
Wishart, Keedian (7), Oliver (8) and A. Olien
(June 16) Portage la Prairie took a firmer hold on first place in the M.A.B.A. senior circuit when they nosed out the visiting Norwood Kolts 8 to 7. The hosts, in arrears by a 7 to 3 count as they came to bat in the bottom-of-the-ninth panel, erupted for five runs to snatch the win and snap Norwood’s winning streak.
Roberts, McConnell (L) (9), Marion (9) and H. May
Jarboe (W) and Millar
(June 16) St. Boniface hammered the horsehide for 11 hits, including two home runs, en route to a 16 to 5 lambasting of the invading Medicals. Highlights of the game were the daring theft of home by bespectacled catcher “Doc” Venables of the Meds plus the back-to-back round-trippers clouted by Saints’ flychasers Burns and Jette in the third inning. Marcoux was the leading hitter for the victors with three bingles.
Stephenson/Stevenson (L), Foltz, Rutherford and Venables
Bibeau (W) and Gladu
(June 17) In a sloppily-played affair at Norwood Park, the Elmwood Giants took full advantage of nine errors by the Medicals to overwhelm the Hospitalists 16 to 10. It was the sixth setback for the Meds who outhit the Suburbanites 8 to 7. Second-stanza reliever Strome of the Giants earned the pitching win over Andy Dahl, who rang up ten strikeouts.
Firth, Strome (W) (2) and A. Olien
Dahl (L) and Venables, Sheppard (8)
FIRST-HALF SERIES
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Portage la Prairie 4 1 .800 ----
Elmwood 4 2 .667 0.5
Norwood 5 3 .625 1.5
St. Boniface 4 5 .444 2.0
Medicals 0 6 .000 4.5
(June 19) The high-flying Portage la Prairie troupe of diamond pastimers increased their first-half series’ cushion atop the M.A.B.A. senior circuit by inflicting a 10 to 6 setback on the Elmwood Giants at Norwood Park. Following a seven-run outburst by the Plains City nine in the second stanza, the result was never in doubt. The Portagers collected 11 base knocks, including a homer and triple by versatile Alex Bell. Freeman Dalzell, considered the ace of the Portage pitching staff, held the Giants hitless in six of the nine frames and finished with a seven-hitter. Aside from Bell’s power hitting, outfielder Mitchell and catcher Millar both delivered a brace of bingles for the winners, a feat duplicated by Olie Olien and shortpatcher Tommy Guinan of Elmwood.
Dalzell (W) and Millar
McGregor (L), O. Olien (4) and A. Olien
(June 20) The Elmwood Giants were handed their second defeat in as many days when they were blanked 4 to 0 by the Norwood Kolts. Veteran portsider “Lefty” Nevilles was in great form in posting the shutout win, stifling the Giants on five scattered hits while not issuing a free pass. Olie Olien, fresh from hurling five innings the evening before, toed the rubber for the Norwood nine and whiffed 11 although he was clipped for a dozen base raps. Outfielder Raine drove in a pair of tallies for the victors with a double and single.
O. Olien (L) and A. Olien
Nevilles (W) and H. May
(June 21) Portage la Prairie chalked up another win in M.A.B.A. senior league play, taking the measure of the cellar-dwelling Medicals 11 to 7 in another heavy-hitting, error-filled clash. The Plains City crew lit up losing chucker Andy Dahl for 13 base knocks including a brace of two-baggers by Alex Bell. Jarboe did the Portage knolling and allowed 12 bingles. Dahl breezed 11 while Jarboe swished six. The Meds were in front 3 – 0 after two sessions of action but things began to unravel for them in the third as the Portagers ran across ten counters over the next four chapters.
Jarboe (W) and xxx
Dahl (L) and xxx
(June 22) Elmwood handed the Norwood pastimers a rude shock at the Norwood grounds when they practically eliminated the Kolts from the first-half series’ pennant chase by taking the long end of a 6 to 3 score. Newly-appointed playing-manager Olie Olien was on the mound for the Giants and held the Norwood nine to eight widely-scattered hits. Kolt starter Harold Hultman was nicked with the defeat. Olien and his batterymate, brother Alex Olien, had three hits each for the Giants.
Hultman (L), Nevilles (8) and Marion
O. Olien (W) and A. Olien
(June 24) In another high-scoring swatfest which has come to define the M.A.B.A. loop in its inaugural season, the invading Norwood Kolts blasted the St. Boniface Sons of Swat 21 to 7. Bespectacled hurler Oscar Wynant, on the mound for the Saints, found the going much harder than with the Tammany Tigers in the Winnipeg Senior Amateur circuit and was walloped for 18 hits in persevering through the nine-inning defeat. His mates made things even more difficult with their inept defensive play which resulted in eight errors. Winning twirler Oliver was raked for ten safeties. The Olien brothers, Alex and Olie, as well as Dunc McGregor and first baseman Jimmy Keedian had three bingles apiece for the winners with the latter two gathering two doubles each.
Oliver (W) and A. Olien
Wynant (L) and Gladu, Leveque
(June 26) After more than a month of consecutive drubbings, the Medicals came to life and snatched a 4 to 2 victory from the league-leading Portage la Prairie clan. Both pitchers of record, winning heaver Sanderson of the Meds, and Portage’s Freeman Dalzell were sharp, with Sanderson yielding four scattered hits and two walks while fanning four and Dalzell racking up 11 strikeouts while walking three and giving up an equal number of base raps. Timely usage of their trio of safeties in the pinches provided to be the winning touch for the Doctors. Catcher Martin of the victors had the lone two-hit performance in the game.
Dalzell (L) and Millar
Sanderson (W) and Martin
(June 27) Elmwood and the Medicals battled to an 11-inning 7- 7 tie at the St. Boniface college grounds in a contest that was ultimately ended by darkness. The stalemate was the fourth 11-inning contest of the season in the M.A.B.A. circuit. After plating a six-spot in the seventh stanza, the Giants took a 7 – 5 lead but the Meds, outhit by a 10 to 8 margin, came right back with a deuce in their half to knot the count. The rest of the game went scoreless. Andy Dahl was the Medicals’ pitching selection and he fared well until the seventh when “Doc” Rutherford replaced him. Olie Olien went the full distance for Elmwood. Shortpatcher Tommy Guinan of the Giants was the big noise at the plate in this encounter, slashing three hits.
O. Olien and A. Olien
Dahl, Rutherford (7) and Martin
(June 28) The Norwood Kolts administered a 16 to 7 whipping on the front-running Portage la Prairie band of baseballers to take over second place in the M.A.B.A. senior loop, a full game behind the Plains City crew. It was another high offense match with both a litany of base hits and errors by both squads. “Lefty” Nevilles, the ancient southpaw, went all the way on the bump to cop the pitching win. He also did well with the hickory, gathering two solid blows. A brace of bingles, combined with a pair of miscues, gave the Norwood team a four-run lead in the third inning and, thereafter, they were never headed. Outfielder Menlove joined Nevilles in acquiring a pair of hits for the victors. One of his blows was a bases-loaded triple. Starting heaver Hart and reliever “Lefty” Gasing both had three safeties for the losers with one of Gasing’s swats being a double.
Hart (L) Gasing (3) and Millar
Nevilles (W) and May
(June 30) The St. Boniface Sons of Swat, showing improvement in their defensive performance, gained revenge for their loss to Elmwood last week by trouncing the Giants 13 to 6. Starting chuckers, Leveque of the winners and Elmwood’s Dunc McGregor, both went the routs. Catcher Gladu of the Saints was the hitting star of the contest with two doubles and a single.
McGregor (L) and A. Olien
Leveque (W) and Gladu
(July 1) In a free-hitting clash at the St. Boniface college grounds. the hosting Sons of Swat moved into a third-place tie with Elmwood by defeating the lowly Medicals 10 to 8. Two Norwood castoffs played a prominent part in the Saints’ victory, winning chucker Cliff Clark/Clarke hurling the entire game and Chuck Stewart fielding flawlessly at the keystone sack. Both newcomers also came up with two hits. The Meds led for the first four innings but after outfielder Jette clouted a three-run homer in the fifth, the home team took a lead from which they were never disposed. The hitting star of the game was first baseman Magill of the Hospitalists who stung the sphere for two doubles and a single.
Poltz (L), Sanderson () and Martin
Clark/Clarke (W) and Gladu
(July 3) Homestanding Portage la Prairie defeated the Medicals of Winnipeg by a score of 7 to 1 in the replay of a tie game played on June 7. At no doubt was the result in doubt as winning pitcher Jarboe held the Meds down to three scattered hits while striking out six batters. The Plains City defenders played well behind Jarboe and reeled off three double plays. Losing heaver Andy Dahl was nicked for nine safeties. One more win for the Portagers will clinch the first-series pennant for them.
Dahl (L) and Venables
Jarboe (W) and Millar
(July 3) A plethora of runs, 22 in total, were sent over the platter in the M.A.B.A. senior league fixture at the St. Boniface college grounds where the invading Norwood Kolts triumphed 12 to 10 over the hosting Sons of Swat. Exploding for nine big tallies in the fifth frame, the Norwood nine took control of the game. Harold Hultman was on the knoll for the winners and, nursing a huge lead, was allowed to go the route despite the fact that he was hit hard in the closing innings. Leveque started on the slab for the Saints but was derricked in the fifth round when the Kolts nailed him for a barrage of hits. Flychaser Trenders of the Sons was the top swatsmith in the tilt with three sound base blows to his credit.
Hultman (W) and H. May
Leveque (L), Beddome (5) and Gladu
(July 6) Scoring nine runs in the first three innings and showing no respect for the twisters of Sanderson and reliever “Dutch” Helfrick, the hosting Norwood Kolts battered the Medicals of Winnipeg 11 to 2 in a one-sided M.A.B.S.A. senior league fixture. The game was a postponed first-half series fixture. “Lefty Roberts hurled gilt-edged ball for the victors, allowing only one hit. Of the 11 safeties collected by the Norwood nine, Elmer Frick and Roberts each stroked a pair.
Roberts (W) and H. May
Sanderson (L), Helfrick (3) and Martin
(July 7) Three St, Boniface pitchers were roughed up unmercifully as the hometown Portage la Prairie seniors annihilated the defensively-challenged Sons of Swat 17 to 1 to officially clinch the first-half series. The Plains City nine banged out a dozen base blows and took full advantage of numerous errors committed by the Saints. Winning flinger “Lefty” Gasing scattered five hits and smashed a home run with two runners on the bases.
Clark/Clarke (L), Bertrand, Baril and Gladu
Gasing (W) and Bell
(July 8) In a postponed first-half series game, the Medicals came up for air long enough to humble the Elmwood Giants 10 to 5. Both teams used two pitchers with the starters, “Doc” Rutherford of the Meds and the Giants’ S. Strome, being the hurlers of record. The Sawbones started the fireworks in the initial round when they ran across a pair of counters and then followed it up with a five-spot in the second spasm.
S. Strome (L), McGregor (4) and Simpson
Rutherford (W), Sanderson (6) and Martin
(August 12) Playing on their home diamond at Norwood park, the Norwood nine won their way to a playoff with Portage la Prairie for first-half series honors when they reversed a previous loss and defeated the Elmwood Giants 9 to 2 in the long-delayed replay of a protested game. Pete Huget started of the mound for the Giants but was hit hard, the Kolts scoring six runs off his offerings. Olie Olien took over after Huget was derricked and went the rest of the way. Winning pitcher Harold Haultman limited the Elmwood batters to four hits and also paced his team at the plate, registering a double and two singles.
Huget (L), O. Olien (2) and A. Olien, Shandre
Haultman (W) and H. May
FIRST-HALF SERIES PLAYOFF (best-of-three series)
(August 23) Norwood got away to a good start in the opening game of their best-of-three series for the First-half series pennant when they defeated hosting Portage la Prairie 9 to 8. The Kolts outswatted the Portagers 12 to 8 as they piled up all of their counters in the middle innings of the clash, abbreviated to eight episodes because of darkness. Harold Hultman went the distance for the winners, walking three and striking out an equal number. Starter “Lefty” Gasing of the Plains City nine, bounced from the knoll in the fifth frame, was saddled with the loss. Tod May led the Norwood nine with the baton, slugging a home run, triple and double while Hultman delivered three singles. “Sonny” Levin and Jack Seel followed with a brace of one-baggers each. “Doc” Bailey launched a long round-tripper for the losers to go along with a single while Portage catcher Millar stroked a couple of one-base raps.
Hultman (W) and H. May, Bradley
Gasing (L), Dalzell (5) and Millar
(August 24) In spite of registering only one base hit, an eighth-inning single by Alex Bell, the Portage la Prairie senior baseballers reaped the benefit of seven Norwood errors to come away with a 5 to 1 conquest of the hosting Kolts, tying their first-half series playoff at a game apiece. Winning twirler Freeman Dalzell went all the way and surrendered just three base raps, including a double and single by Jimmy Bradley. Hard-luck losing flinger “Lefty” Roberts, on the hill for the first six spasms, held the Plains City nine hitless.
Dalzell (W) and Millar
Roberts (L), McConnell (7) and Bradley, H. May
(August 26) In a rubber-match defined by heavy hitting and loose fielding by both teams, Portage la Prairie took the final game for first-half series honors by eking out a narrow 11 to 10 victory over Norwood. Freeman Dalzell was on the hill for the Portagers and while he was tagged for eleven hits, he fanned eight and did not give up a walk. The Kolts used three chuckers with “Lefty” Roberts, the second of the trio, taking the loss. The score was tied 5 – 5 after six spasms but the Plains City contingent broke the game open with a half-dozen tallies in the seventh. Leading the 14-hit attack of the winners were “Doc” Bailey and Alex Bell who both spanked the sphere for a double and two singles. Dick Marinelli cuffed a two-bagger and a one-base rap for Norwood.
McConnell, Roberts (L) (4), Hultman (7) and H. May, Bradley
Dalzell (W) and Millar
SECOND-HALF SERIES
(July 5) The Sons of Swat from St. Boniface captured the opening fixture of the second-half series by administering an 8 to 3 trouncing to Portage la Prairie, the first-half series pennant winners. Bob Beddome, who served up the slants for the Frenchmen, was in stellar form, blanking the visitors in eight of the nine frames while ringing up eight strikeouts. Although he yielded eight bingles, he kept them well scattered except for the fifth frame. Freeman Dalzell started on the knoll for the Plains City aggregation but was hit freely, relinquishing pitching chores to “Lefty” Gasing in the seventh spasm. A sixth-stanza four-ply clout by Tony Baril, the Saints’ third sacker, provided the feature of the game. Catcher Derrick Gladu had three hits in four times up for the winners.
Dalzell (L), Gasing (7) and Millar
Beddome (W) and Gladu
(July 7) Olie Olien fashioned a five-hitter as the Elmwood Giants chalked up their initial victory in the second-half series by dumping the hosting Norwood Kolts 12 to 5. The winners had full command of the situation throughout. Olien was nicked for only one Elmwood safety up until the eighth episode when he began to weaken. Losing flinger “Lefty” Nevilles was combed for 13 base knocks
O. Olien (W) and A. Olien
Nevilles (L) and H. May
(July 10) Eleven errors put the Medicals behind the eight-ball as they were bounced 11 to 4 by the visiting St. Boniface Sons of Swat. Leveque, the Frenchmen’s pitching ace, hurled a five-hitter and was in superb form for all but two innings of the contest. Andy Dahl went the distance for the Sawbones, despite the heartbreaking lack of defensive support. He gave up nine hits and whiffed six batters to Leveque’s nine. Connie Puhan of the Meds banged out the longest drive of the fracas, a two-run homer in the eighth episode.
Leveque (W) and Gladu
Dahl (L) and Venables
(July 14) In spite of being outhit by an 8 to 4 margin, Norwood evened their second-half record at a pair of wins and two losses by clipping Elmwood 7 to 3 in a darkness-shortened eight-inning tilt. “Lefty” Roberts, diminutive southpaw of the Kolts copped the heaving verdict over Olie Olien who fanned 11 but was let down by his mates in the pinch with seven errors. Third baseman Neil of the Giants had a three-RBI double in a losing cause.
O. Olien (L) and A. Olien
Roberts (W) and H. May
(July 15) The Medicals of Winnipeg put up a good fight but remained winless after being edged by the front-running St. Boniface Sons of Swat 6 to 5. In racking up their fourth win of the second-half series, the Saints pulled the iron out of the fire by posting a four-spot in the bottom-of the seventh panel to overcome a 5 to 2 deficit. A single by catcher Derrick Gladu drove in the winning run as the soup-bone of hard-luck losing heaver “Doc” Flanagan wilted badly in that inning. Winning pitcher Bob Beddome, raked for ten hits, outlasted Rutherford who gave up five of the Sons of Swat nine hits in the disastrous seventh.
Rutherford (L) and Magill
Beddome (W) and Gladu
(July 17) Freeman Dalzell, star pitcher for the Portage la Prairie pastimers, turned in a shutout victory over the Elmwood Giants at the St. Boniface college grounds. Although Dalzell was nicked for eight hits, he kept the bingles so well scattered and was accorded such sterling defensive support, that not one Elmwood player managed to cross the platter as the Plains City nine prevailed 8 to 0. The result was never in doubt as the Portagers roared in front 7 – 0 after two innings of play. Olie Olien, derricked from the knoll after six stanzas, suffered the setback. Alex Bell and first baseman Scott of the winners as well as J. Oliver and J. Shandre of the Giants laced out two singles apiece.
Dalzell (W) and Bell
O. Olien (L), Firth (7) and Shandre
(July 19) Pitching for the Norwood senior diamondeers, Harold Hultman fashioned a no-hit, no-run gem as he led the Kolts to an 18 to 0 rout over Portage la Prairie, the first-half pennant-winners. Hultman was invincible from beginning to end, racking up seven strikeouts while issuing just three free passes. The Portages were badly off their game and perpetuated no fewer than ten errors. Losing tosser “Lefty” Gasing and reliever Jarboe were hammered for a dozen base knocks. Catcher Herb May paced the victors with the lumber, blasting a home run and three singles. Hultman drilled a double and one-bagger while Dick Marinelli singled twice.
Gasing (L), Jarboe (4) and Scott, Bell
Hultman (W) and H. May
(July 22) The winless Medicals of Winnipeg dropped their third game in a row, falling 9 to 0 to the visiting Norwood Kolts. “Lefty” Roberts pitched the shutout win, holding the Meds to five hits. Losing heaver Sanderson was clipped for 13 Norwood safeties including a triple by “Hippo” McConnell and two-baggers by Jack Seel, first sacker Menlove and “Sonny” Levin.
Roberts (W) and H. May
Sanderson (L) and Martin
(July 24) The St. Boniface Sons of Swat took a stranglehold on the second-half series title when they disposed of the current runner-up Norwood nine 11 to 7 before a large and enthusiastic band of rooters at the latter’s home grounds. The Saints overcame a 6 – 5 deficit to run across six tallies in the seventh panel and take control of the game. “Red” Beddome did the hurling for the victors, giving up nine base raps while whiffing an equal number. Losing twirler “Hippo” McConnell, derricked in the fateful seventh, fanned ten.
Beddome (W) and Gladu
McConnell (L), Hultman (7) and H. May
(July 26) The Winnipeg Medicals grabbed an unexpected 12 to 8 victory over the first-half pennant-winning Portage la Prairie nine in a game played at Norwood Park. Both teams stroked 11 base hits but eight errors on the part of the Plains City team played a significant role in their defeat. Winning heaver Andy Dahl hurled the first seven innings for the Meds and whiffed ten Portagers. “Lefty” Gasing went the route for the Plains City nine. Keystone sacker Kingbell led the Eminent Physicians at the dish with a triple and two singles. Teammate Johnny Sheppard delivered a double and one-bagger.
Gasing (L) and Metcalfe, Millar
Dahl (W), Rutherford (8) and Magill
(July 27) A large crowd was on hand at the St. Boniface College grounds to cheer on the homestanding Sons of Swat, but went away disappointed after the Elmwood Giants clobbered the current pace-setters 15 to 3. Gordon Kaye held the Saints to six hits in securing the complete-game mound verdict. The Elmwood nine lit into two St. Boniface twirlers for 16 base knocks. Hot corner guardian Jimmy Keedian was the top willow wielder for the Giants, stinging the horsehide for a home run, triple and single. Corner outfielders Wishart and J. Oliver, as well as catcher Alex Olien, gathered two hits apiece. First baseman Marcoux was the lone Son of Swat batter to notch a pair of safeties, both singles.
Kaye (W) and A. Olien
Clark/Clarke (L), Leveque (5) and Gladu, Jette
(July 28) Hosting Portage la Prairie and Norwood played to an eight-inning 5 – 5 tie in a M.A.B.A. fixture in which darkness prevented the playing of the final inning. Portage had the game in hand until the top-of-the-eighth episode when singles by Menlove and Sonny Levin sent three runs across the plate to boost the Kolts into a 5 – 4 lead. In the last-half of the canto, with darkness enveloping the skies, Plains City pitcher Freeman Dalzell came through with a clutch two-bagger, driving in catcher Millar with the tying counter. Dalzell was tagged for nine hits over the course of the clash while “Lefty” Roberts, toeing the rubber for Norwood, allowed six safeties.
Roberts and H. May, Marion
Dalzell and Millar
(July 28) The Elmwood Giants swamped the lowly Medicals of Winnipeg 9 to 1 in a darkness-shortened, six-inning M.A.B.A. senior league affair. Olie Olien pitched for the Giants and was master of the situation at all times, stifling the Sawbones on just three hits while piling up ten whiffs. Olien and his batterymate, catcher Alex Olien, each slapped out three hits in the winning effort.
O. Olien (W) and A. Olien
Sanderson (L) and Martin, Magill
(July 31) Darkness allowed only six innings of play as the “Doc” Rutherford pitched the improved Medicals to a 7 to 6 victory of the hosting Norwood aggregation. “Lefty” Nevilles was resurrected by the Kolts to do the hurling but the old warhorse was unable to dispense the benders in his usual manner and was roughed up for 11 base raps by the Meds. Harold Hultman came to Nevilles’ rescue and finished off the final frame. Connie Puhan stroked three singles for the winners while clubmate, infielder McIvor, added a pair. Shortpatcher Dick Marinelli had two of the six safeties garnered by Norwood.
Rutherford (W) and Magill
Nevilles (L), Hultman (6) and H. May
(August 2) Elmwood and the Medicals played to a 6 – 6 tie in a M.A.B.A. senior league contest played at the St. Boniface college grounds. The game was terminated after seven stanzas because of darkness. Andy Dahl of the Meds and Elmwood’s Olie Olien were the opposing slabsters. Dahl was nicked for four hits while whiffing 13 while Olien gave up seven safeties and fanned 11. Sanderson and McIvor of the Hospitalists as well as Giants’ first baseman Jimmy Keedian all registered a brace of bingles.
O. Olien and A. Olien
Dahl and Magill
(August 3) The winning ways of the St. Boniface Sons of Swat were abruptly halted when the invading Portage la Prairie baseballers, showing a glimpse of their first-half series form, trounced the Frenchmen 11 to 6 right on their home grounds. Freeman Dalzell was credited with the the hillock decision, besting Bob Beddome of the Saints, in what could hardly be called a pitchers’ battle. The Plains City nine, led by shortstop Lobb with four singles, gleaned a total of 13 hits off the slants of Beddome while St. Boniface flychaser Jette, also with four safeties, and catcher Derrick Gladu, who cuffed three bingles, paced the ten-hit production of the vanquished nine. Jette’s sensational night at the plate included a two-run homer in the first inning. The score was tied from the fourth to the sixth stanzas when the Portagers tucked the game away by sending five runners across the dish. “Doc” Bailey’s bases-loaded triple was the big blow of the uprising.
Dalzell (W) and Millar
Beddome (L) and Gladu
(August 4) The Norwood Kolts found another misplaced cog in its machinery when the went down to a 9 to 7 defeat at the hands of the Elmwood Giants in an important M.A.B.A. senior contest. The trouble bean in the opening round when the Giants clouted the offerings of Harold Hultman for four runs and, although the Kolts had the better of things during the middle rounds, the damage was irreparable. Pete Huget started on the knoll for Elmwood but was chased to cover in the third when Norwood scored five times. Olie Olien took up the heaving burden successfully and went the rest of the way for the win.
Huget, O. Olien (W) (3) and A. Olien
Hultman (L) and xxx
SECOND-HALF
SERIES STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
St. Boniface Sons of Swat 5 3 .625 ----
Elmwood Giants 4 3 .571 0.5
Portage la Prairie 3 3 .500 1.0
Norwood Kolts 4 5 .444 1.5
Winnipeg Medicals 2 4 .333 2.0
(August 5) The St. Boniface Sons of Swat increased their narrow lead atop the second-half series’ standings when they administered a 10 to 7 setback on the Norwood diamondeers. The game was a lively offensive clash with 24 hits being registered, 14 by the Saints. For the first six innings, the teams played errorless ball and neither side could score but, in the seventh spasm, runs started coming fast. Catcher Derrick Gladu stroked three singles for the winners. Toddy May ripped a triple and two singles in a losing cause while teammate Jack Seel connected for a double and one-bagger.
Roberts (L), McConnell (8) and H. May
Leveque (W), Beddome (9) and Gladu
(August 7) Nine Elmwood runs in the first two innings was far too much for the Medicals of Winnipeg to overcome as they fell 10 to 3 to the Giants at Norwood park. Third-inning reliever “Doc” Rutherford of the Meds not only stopped the hemorrhaging but whiffed 14 batters in his six stanzas on the hill. Olie Olien copped the mound victory.
O. Olien (W), Oliver and A. Olien
Law (L), Rutherford (3) and McIvor
(August 8) A call-up from the intermediate ranks, pitcher Lawton, got away in fine style in his M.A.B.A. senior league debut as he hurled the front-running St. Boniface Sons of Swat to a 3 to 0 blanking of the runner-up Elmwood Giants. Accorded excellent defensive support, Lawton limited the suburbanites to five hits, walked four, hit one batter and struck out seven in earning the shutout win. He was opposed on the bump by Olie Olien who was also touched for five safeties but was plagued with five errors on the part of his mates. Olien fanned nine, walked four and gave up just one earned run. Outfielders Burns of the Saints and the Giants’ Devitt were the only batters with two hits in the tilt. One of Devitt’s raps was a double.
Lawton (W) and Gladu
O. Olien (L) and A. Olien
(August 9) After being held scoreless just 24 hours previous, Elmwood’s baseball nine came right back and defeated Portage la Prairie 6 to 3 on the Norwood grounds in a M.A.B.A. senior league fixture. Young Gordon Kaye, up from the intermediate ranks, went the route for his second knoll decision in senior company, effectively scattering ten safeties by the first-half series’ winners. Losing tosser Jarboe had some control issues and was nicked for nine safeties. Kaye was the only Giant batter to attain two hits, both singles. Versatile Alex Bell led the Plains City nine offensively with a double and single.
Jarboe (L) and Millar
Kaye (W) and A. Olien
(August 10) The cellar-dwelling Medicals of Winnipeg pulled off a last-inning rally to upset the front-running St. Boniface Sons of Swat 6 to 5. The come-from-behind victory was achieved in the bottom-of-the-eighth inning, after which play terminated because of darkness. Trailing 5 to 2, the Meds erupted for four runs on five hits, including a double by infielder McIvor, in their final turn at bat to make a winner out of “Doc” Rutherford. Both losing chucker Bob Beddome and Rutherford gave up eight hits. Rutherford swished ten batters. Flychaser Lawton of the Saints led the hit parade with a double and two singles.
Beddome (L) and Gladu
Rutherford (W) and Magill
(August 11) The hosting Portage la Prairie band of baseballers maintained their perfect league record on home turf and put another crimp in the quest of St. Boniface to land second-half series’ honors when they doubled the Saints 4 to 2. The Plains City nine banged out nine base hits off losing tosser Lawton while winning chucker Freeman Dalzell limited the Sons of Swat to four.
Lawton (L) and Gladu
Dalzell (W) and Millar
(August 14) Elmwood defeated the defensively-challenged Portage la Prairie nine 7 to 1 to gain the upper-hand in the battle for the second-half series title. The final score flattered the Giants as both teams nicked the horsehide for six base raps while the Plains City squad fielded poorly, committing eight errors. Not a single run that Elmwood scored was earned. Gordon Kaye copped the mound win over “Lefty” Gasing.
Kaye (W) and A. Olien
Gasing (L) and Millar
(August 16) Portage la Prairie won both games of a twin-bill against the Medicals of Winnipeg, slapping down the visiting Meds by scores of 17 to 1 and 15 to 12.
The afternoon skirmish was decidedly one-sided as winning heaver “Lefty” Gasing allowed but four hits. Losing chucker Triller, combed for 13 base knocks, was left on the knoll for the entire nine innings to endure the complete-game whipping.
Triller (L) and Magill
Gasing (W), Bell and Millar
In the evening event, terminated after six stanzas because of darkness, the Plains City crew jumped into a 10 – 0 lead after three chapters but fell behind 12 – 10 in the top of the final canto, only to rebound with a five-spot in their half of the panel to escape with the win. The Medicals used a pair of pitchers while the hosts called upon the services of three chuckers.
Russell, Magill, Helfrick (L), Russell (L) and Magill, Martin
Dalzell, Gasing (W) and Millar
(August 18) The Elmwood Giants clinched the second-half series pennant when they inflicted an 8 to 1 defeat on the cellar-dwelling Medicals. Gordon Kaye, youthful Elmwood tosser, opposed veteran “Doc” Rutherford of the Meds in this skirmish as both hurlers were nicked for seven base raps. Kaye, who breezed eight, pitched a heady game and was seldom in trouble. Six errors by the Hospitalists were the main difference in determining the final result. J. Keedian of the winning nine collected two doubles.
Kaye (W) and A. Olien
Rutherford (L) and Magill
SECOND-HALF SERIES
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Elmwood Giants 8 4 .667 ----
St. Boniface Sons of Swat 7 5 .583 1.0
Portage la Prairie 6 5 .545 1.5
Norwood Kolts 5 6 .455 2.5
Winnipeg Medicals 3 9 .250 5.0
LEAGUE FINALS Portage la Prairie (first-half) vs Elmwood (second-half) best-of-three series
(August 28) The Elmwood Giants, second-half series winners, drew first blood in the M.A.B.A finals by defeating Portage la Prairie 6 to 3 on the St. Boniface College grounds. In arrears by a 3 – 2 count with two retired in the sixth spasm, the Giants exploded for four runs when losing hurler Freeman Dalzell lost his touch and hit two batters as well as surrendering healthy wallops to Morley Weir, Tommy Guinan and Jimmy Keedian. Gordon Kaye went the route on the hill for Elmwood and found himself in trouble during two sessions, the third and fourth, when the visitors gathered in their three tallies. He was touched for five base raps, two of those being singles by Bill Metcalfe. Dalzell gave up eight safeties with Giants’ playing-manager Olie Olien and Weir delivering two apiece.
Dalzell (L) and Millar
Kaye (W) and A. Olien
(August 29) The Elmwood Giants claimed the playoff championship of the 1922 M.A.B.A. senior league by defeating the hometown Portage la Prairie squad 7 to 6, sweeping the best-of-three finals in two straight games. Base hits were plentiful, the homesters banging out 15 while the Giants racked up 11, but the Elmwood victory was primarily due to their ability to deliver in critical situations. “Lefty” Gasing went the distance on the slab for the Plains City nine while Olie Olien, who relieved starter Gordon Kaye after four frames, was credited with the win. Olien and outfielder Hill of the Portagers led their respective aggregations offensively, each cuffing the horsehide for three safe swats.
Kaye, O. Olien (W) (5) and A. Olien
Casing (L) and Millar
BRANDON SENIOR-LEVEL BASEBALL
With the dissolution of the Western Manitoba Baseball League, the independent Brandon Greys remained the powerhouse team from western Manitoba in 1922, with much of their playing agenda coming against semi-pro teams from North Dakota. A portion of the team also played in Brandon’s City League although assuming widely different defensive positions than when they faced stiffer opposition.There was tragedy during a game in Brandon.
Alex Falconer, the Brandon Greys star third baseman and the most popular member of the team dropped dead on the ball field at the Athletic grounds Thursday evening. The tragic end of the ball player came in the very first inning of a game with Leeds, N.D., and almost before the game got underway. Falconer was carried off the field and rushed to the general hospital. Before he reached that institution it was found life was extinct, heart failure being given as the cause of death.
Nearly a thousand spectators saw Falconer run after a ball hit into right field and saw him stumble to the ground. No one realized the seriousness of the situation until the player was carried to the club dugout, and Dr. Carter hurriedly summoned from the crowd. The player was immediately placed in a car and taken to the general hospital, but he never reached that institution alive. The ball game was called off, and later in the evening the entire series with the American team, cancelled.
When the Greys lined-up for their game Thursday evening with the Leeds team, a shift was made in the Brandon team. Falconer was placed in right field, and porter went to third base, with Fenwick sitting on the bench. As the game had hardly commenced before its tragic ending, few persons realized that is was Falconer who was carried off the field as they did not have much opportunity to recognize the third baseman who was playing in the outfield for that game ...
Brandon did not possess a more popular young athlete than the late Alex Falconer. Born in Brandon on April 26, 1896, he spent his life in the centre of athletic activity. He put his whole heart into every game, and his unselfish endeavors and conduct on the field won him thousands of friends. He was particularly prominent in baseball and hockey, playing with the Greys since they were organized in 1919. A consistent hitter and a splendid fielder, the brilliant third baseman was the general favorite of the team, always willing and eager to give his best in the service of his club. He was a member of the C.P.R. team in the Commercial hockey league last winter, and took an interest in bowling and other sports.
The late Alex Falconer was chief clerk in the C.P.R. ticket officer and had been employed there 10 years.
(Brandon Daily Sun, June 16, 1922)
Stories carried in other newspapers suggested the death might have come as a result of an accident which occurred while returning from Minot N.D. on Monday when a car carrying Falconer and six other members of the Greys, while travelling at a rapid rate, "turned turtle". Falconer had received injuries behind the ear and on the forehead. It is thought one of these caused a clot of blood on the brain.
BRANDON CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE
C.N.R
Greys
Senators
SOUTHERN MANITOBA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Morris
Roland
NEEPAWA & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Arden
Franklin
Neepawa
CENTRAL MANITOBA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Rathwell
Treherne
MID-WESTERN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Crandall
Hamiota
Shoal Lake
WINDY CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Boulton
Silverton
Russell
MANITOBA AMATEUR BASEBALL ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP
Elmwood Giants (M.A.B.A. senior League) vs Morris (Southern Manitoba Baseball League) best-of-five series
(September 4) An even break was the outcome of the doubleheader staged at Morris on Labor Day under ideal weather conditions. The home team emerged victorious in the thrilling first contest in which they scored four times in the eighth-inning for a 6 to 5 come-from-behind win. The Elmwood Giants squared matters in the second event by walloping the Southern Manitoba League champions 10 to 3.
In the lid-lifter, the Country Boys lit into the offerings of young Elmwood hurler, Gordon Kaye, for a dozen base knocks before he was yanked after the Giants blew a 5 to 2 lead in the eighth episode. Winning twirler Lataille was roughed up by the Winnipeg Suburbanites in the first two frames but settled down and pitched a solid game thereafter. He was tagged for seven base raps, including two singles by Kaye as well as a double and one-bagger by flychaser J. Shandre. Every member in the Morris line-up had at least one safety as leadoff batter Anderson led the way with a brace of two-baggers and a single. Shortstop “Buck” Hay followed with a double and one-base hit.
Kaye, O. Olien (8) and A. Olien
Lataille (W) and Moir
With their pilot, playing-manager Olie Olien, on the knoll for the second skirmish, Elmwood went out for vengeance and rocked three Morris chuckers for 15 base blows en route to the one-sided win. Meanwhile, Olien swished six and gave up just five safeties, in going the route. First sacker Jimmy Keedian stroked a double and three singles to head the Giants’ offensive thrust. Checking in with a double and a pair of singles was third baseman Morley Weir while catcher Alex Olien singled twice. “Buck” Hay, who began the game at shortstop but ended up as the third twirler for Morris, stroked a brace of singles for the vanquished nine.
Johnson (L), Lataille, B. Hay and Moir
O. Olien (W) and A. Olien
(September 11) It took eleven innings for Morris, champions of the Southern Manitoba Baseball League, to nose out the Elmwood Giants 6 to 5 and take the lead in their series for the championship of the Manitoba Amateur Baseball Association. The lead see-sawed back and forth a few times with Elmwood nudging ahead 5 to 4 in the top-of-the-seventh stanza. Morris evened the score in the bottom-of-the-ninth when catcher Moir opened with a single, moved around to third on a pair of ground outs and scored when lanky outfielder Anderson narrowly beat out a hit to deep shortstop. Both teams drew goose egg as in the first bonus round of play. The Giants also failed to score in the top-of-the second overtime session but in the last-half of the panel, the Morris aggregation got a couple of breaks. With one out, premier backstop Moir ripped his second single of the game and moved into scoring position when Elmwood outfielders McGregor and Oliver presented their best “Alphonse and Gaston” act by both waiting for the other one to take “Buck” Hay’s high fly. Moir followed with a theft of third and, with the corner bags populated, losing heaver Olie Olien, somewhat rattled by the turn of events, uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Moir to romp home with the walkoff winner. Outhit 9 to 8 and having committed all five of the game’s errors, the Country Clan still managed to claim the victory by being excellent opportunists. Slab artist Lataille went all the way on the bump to annex the triumph. First baseman Mike McNulty matched Moir’s two-single performance for the victors while flychaser Wishart was best with the baton for the Giants with a triple and single.
O. Olien (L) and A. Olien
Lataille (W) and Moir
(September 13) Gordon Kaye fashioned a three-hitter against Morris at Wesley Park as the Elmwood Giants dumped the Southern Manitoba League champions 9 to 1 to even up the battle for the Manitoba Amateur Baseball Association senior-division championship at two games apiece. The young Elmwood hurler did not hand out a single free pass and, had it not been for an error in the ninth inning, Kaye would have registered a shutout. The Giants, plating a deuce in their first turn at bat, led from start to finish. They collected seven of their nine hits off starting and losing heaver Lataille who wasn’t at his best after 11 gruelling innings on the hillock just 48 hours previous. “Buck” Hay assumed mound chores for the Morris aggregation in the sixth stanza and went the rest of the way. Morley Weir and Alex Olien each registered a double and a single for the winners while Jimmy Keedian delivered a pair of one-baggers.
Lataille (L), B. Hay (6) and Moir
Kaye (W) and A. Olien
(September 16) Morris will have the distinction of holding the Manitoba Amateur Baseball Association’s senior trophy for 1922. That they are worthy holders of the title was demonstrated on their home turf when they turned back the Elmwood Giants 6 to 4 in the final game of the best-of-five series. Ace slabster Lataille of the Morris nine and Elmwood’s Gordon Kaye were the selections for the pitching clash. Lataille was backed up well by his mates but Kaye lacked steady support. Both squad’s stung the spheroid for eight base hits. The homester’s scored once in the second stanza and took a commanding 5 – 0 lead in the third session when they ran over a four more tallies, largely on the basis of a two-RBI hit by “Buck” Hay. The Giants came on strong in the seventh and eighth episodes to reduce the deficit to a single run but Morris put the game on ice by adding an insurance counter in their half of the panel when middle pasture patroller Jobst came through with a crucial hit to drive in Hay. Jobst, catcher Moir and Hay all had a brace of bingles for the Country Clan, an output equalled by Olie Olien of the Suburbanites.
Kaye (L) and A. Olien
Lataille (W) and Moir