SENIOR-LEVEL BASEBALL IN ALBERTA
Calgary representation within the Alberta Southern Baseball League ceased to exist in 1929 as just two senior teams in the Stampede City organized and for exhibition-game play only, one of which, the Dodgers, went on to carry the banner for the Cowtown in the provincial intermediate playdowns. Other major centres in the Wildrose province, most notably Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, also abandoned league play with Lethbridge leaving the Southern Alberta circuit while the Gas City abandoned their intra-city loop, leaving Edmonton as the only large metropolitan area having its own Senior A level alliance of teams in 1929.
EDMONTON SENIOR AMATEUR LEAGUE
Chevrolet Cubs
South Side Athletic Association
Stockyard Bulls
Young Liberals
(May 20) A large turnout of fans witnessed the 1929 Senior Amateur League opener in which the defending-champion Chevrolet Cubs were forced to the limit to cut off an eighth-inning rally and nose out the South Side Athletic Association representatives 4 to 3 at the Boyle Street Park. Four runs in the fifth frame gave the Chevies the edge which was just too large a deficit for the young South Siders to overcome despite a spirited attempt that fell just short. The veteran Norman Dodge fanned 11 in hurling the Auto Dealers to the win, besting young “Buck” Eaton in what was a great pitching matchup most of the way. Superb control in the pinches was the decisive factor in the Cub twirler’s triumph. The Cubbies managed to light up Eaton for just four safeties, the most impactful of which was a two-run double by Phil Maher in the four-tally fifth. Stingy with the bingles, Eaton was generous in doling out bases-on-balls, however, as seven of the winners drew a free pass to first base. Dodge was nicked for seven hits but did not issue a single walk. Centre-fielder Henry Loyer of the losing nine, with a run-scoring triple and single, was the tilt’s top willow-wielder.
Dodge (W) and McHugh
Eaton (L) and McDonnell
(May 22) A five-run rally in the top-of-the-sixth and final stanza enabled the Stockyard Bulls to defeat the Young Liberals 11 to 10 in a game that was halted by darkness just after play had started in the seventh spasm. Sailing along with a 10 – 6 cushion, big Bob Brown of the Politicians, who breezed a dozen, suddenly and completely lost the location of the platter and walked the first three batters to face him. With the runways clogged, Bill/Connie Morrison slashed out a single that brought in two runs. Bill Bell followed with another one-bagger that plated a third tally. Some woozy play by the Grit infield was responsible for the tying and lead counters. Fifth-frame reliever George Dame was credited with the hillock triumph. The Bovines had eight safeties with Morrison and outfielder Val Berg both collecting a brace of them, including a two-bagger by each. Brown was nicked for seven safeties.
Ages, Dame (W) (5) and Henning
Brown (L) and Dorsey
(May 26) Behind the superb six-hit pitching of young “Buck” Eaton, the South Side balltossers batted and fielded in great style in hanging up an 8 to 1 win over the Young Liberals. Eaton fanned 11 but had an issue in finding the strike zone consistently, walking seven batters. In the clutch, however, is when he showed his best. Bill Runge, first baseman of the victors, pulled off the defensive play of the game with a barehanded catch while gyrating after a pop up behind the initial station. He also led the South Siders 11-hit offense with three singles off losing chucker Bob Brown. Eaton helped out with a double and one-bagger, an output matched by “Moxie” Rudyk of the Politicians.
Brown (L) and Dorsey
Eaton (W) and McDonnell
(May 27) Garnering a total of 13 timely hits from the offerings of three Stockyard pitchers, the Chevrolet Cubs rolled over the Bulls 11 to 4 at the Boyle Street grounds. Deliberate in his approach, lanky Al Hall toed the rubber for the Chevies and, except for the sixth stanza, was never in serious peril. Hall walked just one and gave up seven safeties, including two singles to catcher Johnny Henning. “Speedy” Wilson laced three singles for the winners while Louis McGillis added a home run with a mate aboard and a one-base rap. Hall was next in line with a double and single.
Dodds (L), Ages (3), Dame (6) and Henning
Hall (W) and McHugh
(May 29) Given a nifty brand of portside hurling from pint-sized chucker Ollie Bullard, the Chevrolet Cubs chalked up their third straight victory by disposing of the South Side aggregation 10 to 5. Bullard held the losers to six safeties and two walks while striking out 13. The hard-hitting Cubs cracked out 15 safe blows off the deliveries of two Strathcona twirlers, most of them coming in the first two frames when they lit up losing hurler “Buck” Eaton for nine bingles and five runs. Topping the hit parade for the victors was Louis McGillis with three singles. Phil Maher followed with a double and a one-bagger.
Eaton (L), Morrison (5) and McDonnell
Bullard (W) and Marshall
(May 31) The Young Liberals tasted defeat for the third time this campaign, falling victim to the Stockyard Bulls 9 to 5 in an abbreviated six-stanza affair. Ava Cruthers, making his first appearance on the mound this season for the Stockyard Squad, held the opposition to seven safeties while losing chucker Bob Brown was combed for ten hits. Both twirlers recorded seven strikeouts. The feature of the tussle was the outstanding performance of speedy Walt Wagner, centre fielder for the Bovines, who smacked four hits including a two-bagger, scored two runs and pilfered five sacks. Shortpatcher Forrest Hale also did well with the lumber, stroking a double and a brace of one-baggers. Emil Martell, with a double and single, was best with the baton for the Grits.
Brown (L) and Quinlan
A. Cruthers (W) and Van Camp
(June 2) Before the largest crowd of the season, the Stockyard Bulls handed the Chevrolet Cubs their first setback of the campaign, a 12 to 9 defeat in a hard-hitting affair at the Boyle Street Park. Hubert “Hub” Thompson, former Cub hurler, played a big part in the downfall of the defending champions. Although nicked for ten hits during the contest, Thompson bore down in the clutch against his ex-mates and accumulated eight strikeouts. The biggest thorn in his side was the bat work of former teammate Athol “Pep” Young who accounted for exactly half of the Bovines’ safeties, stroking four singles and a triple. Accorded less-than-stellar defensive support by his mates who booted the horsehide on seven occasions, Thompson went the full route. Losing heaver Norman Dodge was driven from the mound in the sixth stanza after the Cattlemen had tallied four times as part of a six-run outburst. Walt Wagner and Bill Bell were the big guns in the balanced 14-hit offensive punch displayed by the Stockyards Squadron, each slamming a home run with Wagner adding a double and Bell a single.
Dodge (L), Doherty (6) and McHugh
H. Thompson (W) and Henning
(June 3) In spite of making no fewer than nine errors, the South Side diamond troopers managed to walk off with a slender 7 to 6 conquest of the Young Liberals in an otherwise listless engagement at the Boyle Street diamond. The lead changed hands regularly throughout the contest and it took a two-run rally in the top-half of the ninth inning to pull off the come-from-behind victory and inflict a fourth consecutive defeat upon the Politicians. ”Lefty” Morrison went the distance of the hillock for the victors, yielding nine hits. Fourth-stanza reliever Ray Coatta of the Libs was the victim of the late meltdown after he issued a free pass that was followed by successive singles off the lumber of Bill Runge and “Buck” Eaton. Coatta, in defeat, was the top swatsmith in the clash, stroking a double and two singles.
Morrison (W) and McDonnell
Helm, Coatta (L) (4) and Quinlan
(June 5) Scoring twice in the top-of-the-eleventh inning, the Stockyard Bulls outlasted the South Side baseballers to cop a high-class 8 to 6 victory and move into top-spot in the Senior Amateur League standings. Opposing hurlers, winner George Dame and loser “Buck” Eaton, worked the full eleven chapters on the hillock. Dame held the South Siders to nine safeties, struck out four and allowed one walk. Eaton was nicked for 11 hits and three free passes while fanning ten. A two-bagger by pinch-hitter Bobby Cruthers started the winning rally in the second overtime session. After stealing third base, Cruthers rambled home with the lead tally on Bill Lammie’s clean single. Later in the session, Lammie reached the promised land with an insurance counter on a fielder’s choice. First sacker Bill Bell of the Bovines had a big evening with the bat, connecting for a pair of triples and a single. Lammie had a double in addition to his eleventh-stanza one-bagger while teammate Walt Wagner and Dave Fenton of the Strathcona nine also punched out a two-base blow and a single.
Dame (W) and Van Camp
Eaton (L) and McDonnell
(June 7) The Chevrolet Cubs moved back into a first-place tie with the Stockyard Bulls by overwhelming the winless Young Liberals 13 to 2. From the very outset, victory for the Auto Dealers seemed assured. The defending champions slammed the offerings of Grit starter Ray Coatta all over the Boyle Street diamond to move in front 5 – 0 after two innings. By the end of five frames, they had increased the margin to 10 - 0 and sent Coatta packing. Al Hall, twirling for the Cubs, fanned seven and allowed the Politicians but five meagre safeties in cruising to the complete-game hillock triumph. Phil Maher and Louis McGillis both had four of the 18 hits picked up by the Chevies, with a double included for each of them. Athol “Pep” Young belted a home run and two singles while Ollie Bullard added a triple and one-base rap.
Hall (W) and McHugh
Coatta (L), Helm (6) and Quinlan
(June 9) Hanging up a 9 to 3 triumph over the South Siders in a six-stanza affair terminated by rain boosted the Chevrolet Cubs back into sole possession of top spot in the Senior Amateur loop. For the first three innings, the game was a fairly-even portside hurling duel between Ollie Bullard, diminutive Cub southpaw, and “Lefty” Morrison of the Strathcona squad. In the fourth stanza and beyond, however, the Motormen sluggers solved any mystery of Morrison’s offerings, running across nine tallies in the three rounds. Bullard was touched for but five safe blows, including two singles by Bill Runge, while the Chevies had a 14-hit feast off the slants of Morrison and reliever “Buck” Eaton. Heading the batting barrage of the winners was Mel “Speedy” Wilson with three singles. Ed McHugh slammed a triple and a two-bagger while Louis McGillis delivered a brace of doubles.
Morrison (L), Eaton (4) and McDonnell
Bullard (W) and McHugh
(June 10) The Young Liberals brought their five-game losing streak to a halt by registering a lopsided 13 to 4 conquest of the second-place Stockyard Bulls. Young Freddy Williams, appearing on the hillock for the first time this season for the Politicians, blanked the Bovines for eight episodes but weakened in the ninth when the losers ran across a quartet of counters. The Grits indulged in a veritable orgy of slugging in the seventh and eighth stanzas for 11 markers to put the game on ice. Hugh John MacDonald cracked a pair of doubles and a one-bagger to pace the victors at the platter. Second baseman Clarence Greenlees slammed a two-bagger and a pair of singles while flychaser “Red” Mulcahy walloped a three-run round-tripper and a single. Bill Bell collected a double and single for the Cattlemen.
Williams (W) and Quinlan
Ages (L), Dame (5), A. Cruthers (9) and Henning
(June 12) Getting to losing chucker Ray Coatta for a three-spot in the opening panel and a singleton in the second, the Chevrolet Cubs took command of things and went on to double the Young Liberals 6 to 3. Norman Dodge dished up the slants for the winners and hurled a steady game, holding the Grits to eight hits while his mates combed the offerings of Coatta for 13 base blows, four of them coming off the baton of “Speedy” Wilson who checked in with a double and three singles. Teammate Louis McGillis had a hot bat as well, swatting the horsehide for a triple and a brace of one-baggers. Chevy catcher “Red” Marshall and outfielder Keller of the Politicians both bagged a two-bagger and a single.
Coatta (L) and Quinlan
Dodge (W) and Marshall
(June 14) The Stockyard Bulls, early contenders for the Senior Amateur League pennant, received another rude jolt when they went down to defeat at the hands of the South Side Athletic Association by a 10 to 8 count. The loss for the Yardmen was their second in succession and dropped them two full games behind the pace-setting Chevrolet Cubs. Poor fielding, in critical situations, behind mediocre pitching was largely responsible for their downfall. Each team used a pair of twirlers during the battle. Ageless “Lefty” Roberts, who has seen many a baseball campaign pass into history, started on the hillock for the South Siders and had things under control until the fifth frame when he was derricked nursing an 8 – 4 lead. “Buck” Eaton finished the mound assignment for the victors. “Hub” Thompson, selected to oppose Roberts on the knoll, had an off-night and was yanked in favor of “Specs” Dodds in the fourth round. Middle pasture patroller Henry Loyer of the winning Strathcona squad sent the old apple on excursions to points far out of the reach of the Bovine fielders on four occasions, three doubles and a single the result of his clouting activities. Clubmate Bert Croft hammered a four-bagger while Walt Wagner of the Bovines clipped the horsehide for a double and single.
H. Thompson (L), Dodds (4) and Van Camp, Henning
Roberts (W), Eaton (5) and McDonnell
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Chevrolet Cubs 6 1 .857
Stockyard Bulls 4 3 .571
South Siders 3 4 .429
Young Liberals 1 6 .143
(June 16) After roaring from behind with a singleton in the eighth episode and a three-spot in the ninth to tie the score, the Young Liberals were the beneficiary of a tenth-inning passed ball by catcher “Silver” McDonnell of the South Siders which allowed baserunner “Kaiser” Helm to romp home from third base with the walkoff winner in an exciting 9 to 8 triumph. Helm had reached base on a walk issued by losing pitcher Bob Brown and moved to the hot corner pillow during a pair of ground outs. The victory for the Libs, just their second of the season, was a sore blow for the Southerners to absorb, having out-hit and out-played the Grits. Freddy Williams twirled the entire contest for the Strathcona nine, surrendering ten hits and fanning seven, in earning the mound victory while Brown was tagged for eight safeties while whiffing ten. Hugh John MacDonald of the Politicians as well as middle infielders Bert Croft and Dave Fenton of the vanquished squad all registered a double and single at the plate.
Brown (L) and McDonnell
Williams (W) and Quinlan
(June 17) The pace-setting Chevrolet Cubs battered their way to an easy 14 to 6 triumph over the slumping Stockyard Bulls at the Boyle Street grounds, putting a stranglehold on the top rung of the ladder in the loop. Rangy and shuffling right-hander Al Hall pitched an eight-hitter for the win. For the first five innings, there was not a single hit garnered from his offerings. He weakened considerably in the late stages of the fracas but, by then, had been staked to a wide lead. Bovine starter Logan Blades, nicked for 13 of the 14 safeties gathered by the Chevies, was saddled with the loss. “Speedy” Wilson picked up three hits, including a double, for the winners while catcher Johnny Henning paced the Cattlemen at the dish with a home run and double.
Hall (W) and McHugh
Blades (L), H. Thompson (9) and Henning
(June 19) Playing errorless afield behind the four-hit pitching of “Lefty” Harrison, the South Siders downed the Young Liberals 7 to 4 to close to within a half-game of the second-place Stockyard Bulls. Wildness, in the form of five free passes to first base and a run-producing wild pitch, marred an otherwise fine performance by Morrison. Losing hurler Ray Coatta gave up just six safeties and did not walk a batter but, unfortunately for him, the bulk of the bingles that he yielded were bunched when most of the Scona scoring occurred. Five miscues by his mates also allowed opposition runners to cross the dish. Dave Fenton of the victors, with a double and single, was the game’s top willow wielder.
Coatta (L) and Quinlan
Morrison (W) and McDonnell
(June 21) Turning on an abysmal defensive performance, the Young Liberals were administered a terrific 15 to 2 lacing by the front-running Chevrolet Cubs at the Boyle Street diamond. The beating was mercifully stopped after eight innings had been played. Starting with a four-spot in the opening chapter, the Cubs never let up in their relentless attack and were ably assisted by ten errors on the part of the Politicians. Ollie Bullard dished up the slants for the winners and held the Grits to five scattered blows, two of those coming from the lumber of Jim Kelly, while sending third strikes past 11 Lib batters. Losing chucker Freddy Williams was given a reprieve after six stanzas as “Kaiser” Helm took over mound duties in the seventh. The duo was roughed up for 14 safeties as “Pep” Young led the way with four singles. Louis McGillis also did well with the baton for the winners, launching a home run to go along with a pair of singles.
Bullard (W) and McHugh
Williams (L), Helm (7) and Quinlan
(June 23) The lingering lumber of the Young Liberals, which has been silent most of the season, suddenly burst forth anew at the Boyle Street grounds and beat a merry tune upon the offerings of two Stockyard Bull hurlers for a total of 15 safeties, enabling the Politicians to walk off the diamond with a 13 to 11 verdict in hand. The Grits dominated throughout until the final canto rolled around when, sporting a healthy 13 – 3 margin, they allowed the Bovines to tally eight counters and make things close. Both starting slabsters, Joe Stoetsel of the Libs and the Bulls’ Ava Cruthers, were the pitchers of record although neither lasted the entire contest. Hugh John MacDonald was the big gun with the willow for the victors, slamming a home run, double and single. “Swede” Dorsey and Jim Kelly each contributed three singles while Clarence Greenlees delivered a pair of doubles. Bill Bell stroked a double and single for the losers.
A. Cruthers (L), Murphy (7) and Henning
Stoetsel (W), Williams (6), Quinlan (9) and Greenlees
(June 24) A big sixth-inning rally that netted them six tallies gave the league-leading Chevrolet Cubs an eventual 10 to 7 victory over the South Side aggregation of baseballers. Holding a 5 – 4 lead to begin the fatal sixth spasm, the Scona management yanked starter “Buck” Eaton off the pitching knoll for some unknown reason and the Cubs responded by landing on the offerings of his replacement, “Lefty” Morrison, with a vengeance. The Strathcona squad gathered a dozen hits off winning tosser Norman Dodge, three of them being whacked by catcher “Silver” McDonnell. One of the blows hammered by McDonnell was a home run. Dodge, “Pep” Young and Phil Maher all singled twice as part of the Chevies’ ten-hit attack. Bert Croft and Dave Fenton of the vanquished nine also collected a brace of one-baggers.
Dodge (W) and McHugh, Duggan (3)
Eaton, Morrison (L) (6) and McDonnell
(June 30) The South Side Athletic Association balltossers climbed into second place in the Senior Amateur circuit when they upset the league-leading Chevrolet Cubs 9 to 8. It was a free-hitting encounter in which winning moundsman “Buck” Eaton won his own game in the bottom-half of the ninth canto by poking a run-scoring single to left field. Eaton fanned seven, walked three and gave up 11 hits while opposing slabster Al Hall was nicked for ten safeties while whiffing three and issuing nary a free pass. Bill Runge of the Sconas and the Chevies’ “Pep” Young led their respective squads with the stick, each stroking four base hits. Young’s quartet of raps included a pair of doubles.
Hall (L) and McHugh
Eaton (W) and McDonnell
(July 3) A sharp single to centre field by winning pitcher Ollie Bullard, following John Ducey’s two-base poke in the eighth episode, scored a run which broke a 3 – 3 tie and enabled the Chevrolet Cubs to nose out the Young Liberals 4 to 3. It was the tenth victory of the campaign for the high-flying Garagemen and increased their lead atop the circuit to 3-1/2 games. Both teams nailed the apple for six safeties in the affray that was full of errors. Portsider Bullard fanned six and walked a pair in chalking up his fourth mound triumph. Ray Coatta twirled well in absorbing the defeat. Ducey had an earlier double to go along with his late clout while Hugh John MacDonald of the Politicians was the game’s top swatsmith with a brace of two-baggers and a single.
Coatta (L) and Greenlees
Bullard (W) and Marshall
(July 5) With an 8 to 3 conquest of the South Siders, the Stockyard Bulls moved a full game in front of their victims in the chase for second place in the Senior Amateur League. Out-hit by the Sconas 10 – 9, the Bovines connected for safeties when bingles meant bacon and were in charge all the way after taking the lead in the third inning. Hub Thompson struck out ten batters in going the route for the hillock verdict. Strathcona starter “Lefty” Morrison, ejected from the game in the fifth frame for arguing a check-swing situation, was tagged with the defeat. Thompson stroked a double and a one-bagger in aiding his mound cause.
Morrison (L), Eaton (5) and McDonnell
H. Thompson (W) and Henning
(July 8) Out hitting their ancient foes by a goodly margin made no difference as the Stockyard Bulls were still forced to accept a 14 to 12 defeat at the hands of the runaway-leading Chevrolet Cubs. Lit up for 17 base knocks by the Yardmen, veteran right-hander Norman Dodge outlasted three Bull pitchers to chalk up the win. The wildness of the trio of heavers used by the losers had a lot to do with the final result. While Dodge allowed only two walks, the Bovine triad issued a total of 11 free passes to first base which counted heavily against them. Louis McGillis of the winners spanked the sphere for four of his club’s 11 safeties, two triples, a double and a one-bagger. Logan Blades of the Cattlemen also registered a quartet of safe swats including a solo homer and a three-bagger.
Murphy (L), H. Thompson (3), Dame (6) and Henning
Dodge (W) and McHugh
(July 12) The Young Liberals were forced to bite the dust again as they fell beneath the five-hit pitching of “Specs” Dodds and his Stockyard Bull teammates in suffering a 6 to 2 setback. The victory for the Bovines stretched their hold on second spot to a full game over the South Side Athletic Club. The winners combed the offerings of losing chucker Freddy Williams for ten bingles, six of which were bunched in the fifth and sixth spasms when the Yardmen registered five of their six markers. Not a lone extra-base wallop was poled out in the joust as first baseman Bill Bell of the Cattlemen led the way with the baton, stroking three singles.
Williams (L) and Steckle
Dodds (W) and Henning
(July 14) Bill Bell’s lusty RBI-double in the bottom-of-the-tenth inning allowed Logan Blades to scoot home from second base with the winning counter as the Stockyard Bulls knocked off the league-leading Chevrolet Cubs 6 to 5 under a blazing sun at the Boyle Street ballyard. George Dame unloaded the benders for the winners and although nicked for eight safe blows, two more than lanky opponent Al Hall, managed to keep them reasonably well scattered. The Cattlemen took a 3 – 0 third inning lead and were in front continuously up until the eighth episode when the Cubbies scored twice to deadlock things. A scoreless ninth sent the bout into overtime mode when, after the Chevies had been blanked by Dame in the top-half of the bonus round, Blades wound up on the keystone cushion after singling and swiping the aforementioned sack, setting the stage for Bell’s wallop off Hall. Bell stroked a brace of earlier singles in addition to his game-ending two-bagger.
Hall (L) and McHugh
Dame (W) and Henning
(July 15) Lacking punch when it counted, the tail-end Young Liberals tumbled deeper into the cellar of the Senior Amateur Baseball League when they came up on the short end of a 9 to 3 score against the South Side Athletic Association. “Buck” Eaton twirled for the winners and pitched a steady game throughout. Accorded fine support by his mates, he held the Grits to six hits, striking out five and walking the same number. On the other hand, the Politicians were wobbly afield and were inept with the war club with runners on the basepaths. Ray Coatta, who dished out the benders for the losers, couldn’t be blamed for the defeat considering the poor support he received. Outfielder Sammis of the Sconas and the Libs’ Hugh John MacDonald both checked in with three base hits.
Eaton (W) and McDonnell
Coatta (L) and Steckle
(July 19) Chalking up their twelfth victory in fifteen games, the Chevrolet Cubs waltzed to a 7 to 5 decision over the Young Liberals in a Boyle Street grounds tussle. The contest was close all the way with the Auto Dealers in front the biggest part of the distance in spite of one of their poorest performances of the campaign. Both winning tosser Ollie Bullard, in claiming his fifth knoll victory, and Freddy Williams, who toiled on the hillock for the Politicians, were tagged for nine safeties and the Grits, but for a couple of costly overthrows, had a golden opportunity to upset the Chevies. Second sacker Cam McKinnon of the Liberals emerged as the hitting star of the game, clubbing the horsehide for a double and two singles.
Bullard (W) and McHugh
Williams (L) and Steckle
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Chevrolet Cubs 12 3 .800
Stockyard Bulls 7 6 .538
South Siders 5 7 .417
Young Liberals 4 10 .286
(July 21) The last-place Young Liberals smothered the Stockyard Bulls under a lopsided 21 to 8 count in a forgettable contest that was turned by numerous errors into a debacle. Eighteen bobbles, ten by the losers, defined the sloppy affair. Free-hitting by the Politicians, who registered 17 base blows, sent them in charge from the bottom-of-the-first panel on. Joe Stoetsel, with 11 strikeouts, garnered the knoll victory over Bull starter Hub Thompson who was driven to the showers in the seventh stanza. The veteran Stoetsel, along with teammate Jim Kelly, both singled on four occasions. Fellow Grit Emil Martell doubled twice to go along with a one-bagger.
H. Thompson (L), Dodds (7), Dame (9) and Henning
Stoetsel (W) and Steckle
(July 24) Tallying clusters of four runs in each of the fourth and sixth stanzas, the circuit-leading Chevrolet Cubs clinched a playoff berth with a 10 to 6 conquest of the Stockyard Bulls. Norman Dodge allowed seven hits and gave up one walk in earning the complete-game mound victory. The defensive work of his mates was far below their usual standard which allowed for a number of unearned runs to be scored. The Bovines trotted out three chuckers as loser George Dame was given the hook in the sixth. Dodge belted a triple and single in support of his knoll effort.
Dame (L), Dodds (6), Murphy (7) and Henning
Dodge (w) and McHugh
(July 26) Getting away to a good start and maintaining the momentum with superior fielding than their opponents, the South Siders copped a 5 to 3 decision from the Stockyard Bulls to take over sole possession of second place in the Edmonton Senior Amateur Baseball League. Both sets of swatters pounded out the same number of hits, six in number but the Strathcona squad turned in a better defensive performance which spelled the difference between victory and defeat. “Lefty” Morrison southpawed the hillock verdict over Hub Thompson in the affair. Bob Brown picked up a double and single for the winners.
Morrison (W) and McDonnell
H. Thompson (L) and Henning
(July 28) Wading with determination into the offerings of lanky Al Hall, the only pitcher the Chevrolet Cubs had in uniform, for 20 base knocks, the Stockyard Bulls humbled the league-leaders 12 to 7 at the Boyle Street Park. George Dame served up the slants for the winners, allowing eight hits along the way, several of which were of the scratchy variety. Fattening up his batting statistics to a great extent for the Bovines was flychaser Bill Lammie who owned Hall, pounding him for a pair of doubles and three one-baggers in five at-bats. Dame also gave his mound rival a rough time, collecting a brace of two-baggers and a pair of singles. Louis McGillis was credited with four of the eight Chevy safeties off Dame.
Hall (L) and Marshall
Dame (W) and Henning
(July 29) Piling up a substantial lead midway through the contest, the diamond troopers from the South Side Athletic Club went on to defeat the Young Liberals 9 to 4 and strengthen their grip on second place in the standings. Bob Brown, the Fort Saskatchewan speedball hurler, was on the clay heap for the South Siders and pitched reasonably well in earning the win, limiting the Grits to six hits but doling out six free tickets to the initial sack. His heater was working well as evidenced by the 13 strikeouts that he rang up. Freddy Williams did the hurling for the last-place Politicians and was clubbed for 13 safeties while fanning nine and walking four in going the route. Dave Fenton and Henry Loyer both stroked three singles for the victorious Sconas while Bobby Cruthers added a double and one-base rap.
Brown (W) and McDonnell
Williams (L) and Steckle
(July 31) Despite being hopelessly out of the playoff picture, the Young Liberals played great ball in blanking the pennant-winning Chevrolet Cubs 5 to 0. The tail-enders managed to gather just three hits off losing chucker Al Hall but that triad of safeties all figured in the scoring of runs. Once again, the fielding of the Chevies had a great bearing upon their defeat. Seven boots, most of them on routine chances, were chalked up against them. Veteran slabster Joe Stoetsel struck out ten in earning the shutout mound triumph, rationing the Cubs to five safeties, including a double and two singles by Ollie Bullard. Stoetsel also drove in the only tally that he would ultimately need with a second-stanza double.
Hall (L) and McHugh
Stoetsel (W) and Steckle
(August 2) With each team plating a deuce in their final turn at bat, no winner emerged as the rivals for second place, the Stockyard Bulls and the South Siders, clawed their way to 12 – 12 deadlock in a nine-inning fray. Plenty of scoring developed as each side used a pair of flingers in an effort to cop the bacon in the see-saw fracas. Most of the excitement occurred in the ninth when a pair of resounding smacks, aided and abetted by a monumental muff, sent two Scona runners across the dish in the top-half of the chapter. Then, in the last portion of the canto with darkness closing in, big Bob Brown, on the hill for the Strathcona squad, began to lose his ability to find the strike zone and, after loading the bases with two outs, walked three in succession to force home two runs before the third out occurred. Starting pitcher “Lefty” Morrison of the Cattlemen, with a double and two singles, led the hickory hackers in the clash in which his club was out-hit by a 10 – 7 margin.
Morrison, Brown (5) and McDonnell
H. Thompson, Dame (6) and Henning
(August 5) Playing a steady brand of ball behind the two-hit pitching of “Tiny” Ages, the Stockyard Bulls clipped the Young Liberals 5 to 2 to move to within a half-game of the runner-up South Side balltossers in the battle for the final playoff berth. Ages struck out ten and walked just two in handcuffing the Grits. Speedy centre fielder Val Berg of the winning Bovines swatted a home run and a double to lead his club’s eight-hit offensive attack against losing moundsman Freddy Williams.
Ages (W) and Henning
Williams (L) and Steckle
(August 7) Drawing five free passes to first base from losing chucker “Kaiser” Helm in the third round led to an eight-spot for the Chevrolet Cubs who went on to dump the bottom-feeding Young Liberals 10 to 3 in an abbreviated six-stanza affair. Small, but effective, portside flinger Ollie Bullard served up the twisters for the Motormen and held to Grits to five hits in the darkness-shortened tilt. The Cub hurler fanned 11 batters and assisted himself with the lumber by poling out a circuit-smash and a double.
Helm (L) and Steckle
Bullard (W) and McHugh
(August 9) The Young Liberals put a crimp in the second-place aspirations of the South Siders when they edged the Sconas 3 to 2 in a hard-fought, eight-inning Senior Amateur League encounter that was ended prematurely by darkness. It was anyone’s game all the way and neither team ever enjoyed a margin of more than one run. Heading into the seventh spasm, the South Siders were in front 2 – 1 but a walk, a stolen base and a passed ball sent over the tying marker. Then, in the top-of-the-eighth, a ringing double by peppery shortstop Johnny Dorsey of the Grits, followed by Clarence Greenlees’ single, produced the deciding tally. Venerable right-hander Joe Stoetsel copped the mound verdict after giving up six safeties, whiffing five of the enemy and issuing free transportation to three. Bob Brown, nicked for just five hits while fanning nine and walking only two, absorbed the tough loss. Greenlees clipped the apple for an earlier two-bagger prior to his clutch bingle in the eighth.
Stoetsel (W) and Steckle
Brown (L) and Morrison
(August 11) The chances of the South Side ball club making the playoffs were considerably improved before a record crowd at the Boyle Street grounds when the balltossers from across the broad Saskatchewan River took the Stockyard Bulls for a rousing 11 to 3 ride in a second-place showdown tussle. The Strathcona aggregation jumped all over Bovine starter George Dame and hastily-inserted reliever Ava Cruthers for six tallies in the opening canto and, with a large cushion, played consistently the rest of the way. “Buck” Eaton, on the hillock for the victors, tamed the Yardmen on three hits, all singles, but had difficulty with his control, walking eight and hitting one batter. Piling up 16 base blows off the Bull tandem of chuckers, the Sconas were paced at the dish by Bill Runge and Dave Fenton who both accumulated three hits. One of Runge’s raps was a two-bagger.
Dame (L), A. Cruthers (1) and Henning
Eaton (W) and Morrison
(August 12) Veteran right-hander Norman Dodge was in fine fettle as he pitched the pennant-winning Chevrolet Cubs to a 3 to 0 win over the South Siders in a game that was up for grabs right to the end. The Chevies only had a 1 – 0 lead heading into the eighth episode as losing pitcher Bob Brown was giving them all they could handle. Singletons in each of the eighth and ninth chapters cinched the hard-fought win as Brown’s teammates were once again unable to provide him with needed runs. Each flinger was nicked for five hits during the contest. Dodge whiffed ten of the enemy while Brown caused eleven opposing hitters to wave their ashen clubs in a futile manner three times. Not a single base-on-balls was issued by Dodge while Brown was charitable three times in providing free transportation to first base. Dodge and “Red” Marshall each drove in a run with singles while Stan Moher’s sacrifice squeeze bunt provided the other tally for the winners. Catcher Ed McHugh swatted a triple and single for the Cubs while Dave Fenton paced the Strathcona nine from the batter’s box with a double and one-bagger.
Dodge (W) and McHugh
Brown (L) and Morrison
(August 14) A three-run rally in the eighth and final inning pushed the Stockyard Bulls past the South Siders 8 to 7. The win moved the Bulls a half-game ahead of their rivals in their battle for second-place and the final playoff spot. The Strathconas led most of the way and appeared to have the game in the bag until the disastrous eighth. Darkness thwarted any hope of a comeback at that point. The winners pulled off a rare triple play in the fifth frame when, with Scona runners at first and second, Bovine third baseman Ava Cruthers scooped up “Lefty” Morrison’s ground ball, stepped on the hot corner sack for the first out and went around the horn with keystone sacker Cam McKinnon and first baseman Bill Bell being credited for outs number two and three. Sixth-stanza reliever Hub Thompson claimed the hillock verdict over “Buck” Eaton of the South Side aggregation. Val Berg’s two-run double tied the score while shortpatcher Sammy Thompson plated the winner on Bell’s subsequent groundout.
Eaton (L) and Morrison
Ages, H. Thompson (W) (6) and Henning
(August 16) Hitting opportunely behind a great brand of southpaw hurling by diminutive Ollie Bullard, the Chevrolet Cubs finished their regular season contest with a 3 to 0 whitewashing of the South Side balltossers. The loss for the Strathcona nine dropped them a full game behind the Stockyard Bulls as the two foes struggle for the final playoff position. Outhit 7 – 6 in the hard-fought encounter, the Motormen were able to claim victory by coming through with that extra punch in the pinches, both with the lumber and defensively. Bullard fanned nine and walked a pair while his knoll opponent, “Lefty” Roberts, whiffed five and passed just one. The clash was scoreless until the sixth frame when the Cubs broke the ice with a deuce, manufactured through Stan Moher’s single, playing-manager Ken Duggan’s two-bagger and a couple of infield outs. In the eighth, they registered their final tally on a wild heave after Louis McGillis and Ed McHugh had both singled. Strathcona’s “Silver” McDonnell, with a brace of one-baggers, was the only player in the game with plural hit totals.
Bullard (W) and Marshall
Roberts (L) and Morrison
(August 18) A sudden-death tie-breaker for second place in the standings will be necessary after the South Siders outscored the Stockyard Bulls 13 to 9 in the final game of the schedule to deadlock the combatants. The game was a sloppy affair that failed to meet the expectations of the large crowd that attended. The Bovines kicked the horsehide around for nine miscues while the winners had an even half-dozen bobbles. “Buck” Eaton went the full route on the clay throne for the winners and, although his offerings were belted with great frequency for 14 safeties by the Stockyard swatters, the Cattlemen were served by an equally inept brand of hurling, their triad of twirlers being combed for a dozen base knocks along with seven free tickets to the initial station. Flychaser Henry Loyer gathered three singles for the winning Sconas while Val Berg and John Henning of the vanquished nine both clubbed the apple for a double plus a brace of one-baggers.
Eaton (W) and Morrison
H. Thompson (L), Ages (5), A. Cruthers (6) and Henning
Edmonton Senior Amateur League
Final Standings W L Pct.
Chevrolet Cubs 16 5 .762
Stockyard Bulls* 10 11 .476
South Siders 10 11 .476
Young Liberals 6 15 .286
* Stockyard Bulls defeated the South Siders in a second-place tie-breaker and earned the right to enter the league final playoffs against the pennant-winning Chevrolet Cubs
SECOND-PLACE TIE-BREAKER (Stockyard Bulls vs South Siders)
(August 19) An 8 to 2 conquest of the South Siders earned the Stockyard Bulls a date with the pennant-winning Chevrolet Cubs in the Senior Amateur League finals. Winning pitcher Ava Cruthers allowed only three hits, including a double and single by Dave Fenton. Burly Bob Brown, tagged with the loss, started on the clay heap for the Strathcona aggregation and was given the hook in the last-half of the sixth. Outfielder Berg had three of the seven safeties garnered by the victors.
A. Cruthers (W) and Henning
Brown (L), Roberts (6) and Morrison
Final Series
(August 21) With George Dame tossing a masterful four-hitter, the Stockyard Bulls upset the dope bucket by whitewashing the pennant-winning Chevrolet Cubs 4 to 0 in the opener of the best-of-seven Edmonton senior amateur finals. The Bovine outer pasture crew made a number of outstanding defensive plays in hauling down seemingly safe hits. Outfielder Van Camp led the Stockyarders offensively with a double and two singles.
Dame (W) and Henning
Hall (L) and McHugh
(August 22) Coming from behind, the Chevrolet Cubs evened the city senior amateur playoffs with a 7 to 4 decision over the Stockyard Bulls. After scoring twice in their first time at bat, the Baby Bears fell behind 4 to 2 after two innings were in the books. The fourth, fifth and sixth frames proved productive for the Chevies as they roared back to tie the contest and then assume the lead for good. Reliever Ollie Bullard picked up the mound triumph. Loser Hub Thompson surrendered just five hits but walks, a hit batsman, a passed ball and a wild pitch at crucial times cost him. Van Camp of the Bulls had his second consecutive three-hit performance at the dish.
Dodge, Bullard (W) (2) and Marshall
H. Thompson (L) and Henning
(August 26) George Dame, hurling ace of the Stockyard Bulls, pitched his second shutout victory in two starts when the Bulls defeated the Chevrolet Cubs 6 to 0 at Boyle Street Park. The Bulls outhit and outplayed the Cubs in virtually every department. The Cubbies got off to a horrible start, committing three first-inning errors which led to a pair of unearned counters for the Cattlemen. Although walking six batters, Dame yielded only two singles during the course of the game. Loser Ollie “Lefty” Bullard was nicked for just five hits including a double and single by second sacker McKinnon.
Dame (W) and Henning
Bullard (L) and McHugh
(August 27) The Stockyard Bulls pulled another surprise on the highly-touted Chevrolet Cubs when they literally walked all over the regular-schedule leaders to the tune of 14 to 2 at Boyle Street Park. With winning hurler Ava Cruthers chucking a three-hitter, the Bulls lambasted the offerings of veteran Norman Dodge for an even dozen safeties. Stockyard first baseman Bill Bell was the chief bludgeoner with a home run and a pair of doubles. George Dame had a double and a brace of one-baggers while outfielder Lammie clouted a four-bagger and a single.
Dodge (L) and McHugh
Cruthers (W) and Henning
(August 30) In arrears by four runs and facing elimination, the Chevrolet Cubs turned an almost certain defeat into victory by plating five counters in their last turn at bat to squeak by with an 8 to 7 verdict over the Stockyard Bulls. Darkness shortened this fifth game of the series to only five frames, just long enough for the Garagemen to keep their heads above water. Phil Maher’s double drove in the tying and winning markers in the epic comeback.
Dame, Cruthers (L) (5) and Henning
Bullard (W) and McHugh
(September 1) The Stockyard Bulls are the new champions of the Edmonton senior amateur baseball circuit. This pinnacle was reached when they downed the Chevrolet Cubs 7 to 4 in the sixth game of the city finals. George Dame, this time in the role of a fireman, earned his third mound triumph of the series. A four-run fifth inning sparked the Cattlemen to victory. First sacker Bill Bell of the winners stroked a double and single.
Bullard (L), Hall (5) and McHugh
Dodds, Dame (4) and Henning
ALBERTA SOUTHERN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Reduced to just three teams, the entrants staged a number of doubleheaders involving the entire membership.
High River
Nanton
Stavely
(May 24) Nanton defeated Stavely 11 to 8 but lost to High River 3 to 0.
(June 12) High River annexed a brace of high-scoring contests on their home turf, clobbering Nanton 22 to 9 and finishing the day with a 18 to 8 conquest of Stavely.
(June 19) Stavely broke even in a three-team doubleheader staged on their home turf, defeating High River 7 to 6 before dropping a 4 to 3 decision to Nanton.
(July 8) Nanton retained the leadership in the Alberta Southern League by shutting out High River 8 to 0. Earlier in the day, High River had dumped Stavely 19 to 6.
SOUTHERN ALBERTA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Cardston Maple Leafs
Magrath
Raymond
Spring Coulee Cubs
(June 12) Raymond trounced the homestanding Magrath aggregation 11 to 1 in the Southern Alberta Baseball League opening game. Doug Allred, hurling for the victorious Sugar City crew, was credited with 14 strikeouts while losing twirler George Turner fanned 17 Raymond batters.
(June 14) The Spring Coulee Cubs edged the hosting Cardston Maple Leafs 5 to 4 in the inaugural tilt for each team.
Raisbeck (W) and Mercer
Richardson (L) and McKenzie
(June 18) Playing with a cold, heavy wind hampering play, invading Cardston prevailed 9 to 8 over Raymond. Winning pitcher Ab Cahoon fanned ten batters, two less than his mound opponent Doug Allred.
Cahoon (W) and McKenzie
Allred (L) and Humphries
(June 18) Spring Coulee nosed out visiting Magrath 5 to 4 in a game called after six-and-a-half-innings because of inclement weather conditions. Outswatted by the invaders 8 to 3, the Couleemen capitalized on three walks and a wild pitch by losing chucker R. Blumel, along with the shaky support offered Blumel by his teammates, to cop the victory. Although clubbed for a long homer by outfielder L. McLean, winning hurler “Tiny” Gilchrist was tough in the pinches and escaped some difficult jams.
R. Blumel (L) and E. Blumel
Gilchrist (W) and W. Rice
(June 26) Raymond defeated Spring Coulee 10 to 9 in an error-filled game on the home turf of the winners. The victors committed seven of the game’s 12 miscues. Doug Allred fanned seven in copping the mound triumph. Reed Kirkham of the vanquished Sugar Beet Towners was the mighty swatsman of the day, garnering a pair of three-baggers.
W. Rice, Gilchrist and Mercer, W. Rice
Allred (W) and Humphries
(June 26) Magrath dropped their third consecutive Southern Alberta League contest, falling 12 to 2 to the Cardston Maple Leafs. Richardson, a member of the Cardston R.C.M.P., was on the mound for the Temple City crew while Minion pitched for Magrath.
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Spring Coulee 2 1 .667
Raymond 2 1 .667
Cardston 2 1 .667
Magrath 0 3 .000
(July 1) Hosting Raymond clobbered Magrath 24 to 13.
(July 2) Cardston moved into a first-place tie with Raymond in the SABL standings by trimming Spring Coulee 17 to 7.
(July 10) Visiting Raymond doubled the Cardston Maple Leafs 10 to 5 in an error-filled affair. Only two earned runs, both by Cardston, were plated in the tilt.
K. Allred (W) and Hicken
Cahoon (L) and McKenzie
(July 10) Homestanding Magrath upset Spring Coulee 7 to 5.
(July 17) Cardston captured the 1929 Southern Alberta Baseball League pennant by defeating Magrath 7 to 3.
ROSEBUD BASEBALL LEAGUE
Carstairs
Crossfield
Didsbury
Innisfail
Olds
Red Deer
(May 17) With the score knotted at 9 – 9, seven innings was the most that the hosting Red Deer nine and Innisfail could squeeze in before darkness halted proceedings in the Rosebud League opener. The visitors had to scramble for a singleton in their final turn at bat to gain the tie. A solid two-bagger by third baseman W. Kirkham drove in Foster with the equalizer.
Hall, Thompson and Harney
W. Blades, M. Blades and Robbins
(May 20) Homestanding Red Deer swamped Carstairs 13 to 5. Both squads used two hurlers with the starters being the pitchers of record.
Matheson (L), D’Arcy and Wiggins
Baxter (W), Johnson and Smith
(May 27) Visiting Crossfield rallied for three runs in their final turn at bat to edge Red Deer 7 to 6. Outfielder Bills of the winners had a two-run homer.
C. Guertin (W) and E. Guertin
W. Blades (W) and Smith
(May 29) Hubie Gooder starred at the plate, clubbing a home run and triple, in leading Olds past Carstairs 12 to 9.
D’Arcy (L) and Wiggins
W. Sutherland (W) and Keown
(May 29) Red Deer moved into second spot in the early Rosebud League standings by clipping the hosting Didsbury nine 11 to 7.
(May 30) A failed stolen base attempt in the ninth inning thwarted a comeback attempt by the Olds diamondeers who fell 9 to 8 to hosting Carstairs.
Hansen (L), R. Gooder and Keown
Matheson (W) and Wiggins
(May 31) A dust storm ended the Rosebud League contest after five innings with the one-sided win going to Red Deer 10 to 1 over invading Didsbury. Infielder Baxter clouted a two-run round-tripper for Red Deer.
Devolin (L), Mix and Wilson
Smith (W) and Robbins
(May 31) Innisfail ended the five-game winning streak of Crossfield by taking a 7 to 0 verdict from the Rosebud League front-runners. Play had to be curtailed in the top-half of the sixth spasm because of dust and rain.
Johnston (L), Guertin (3) and Williams
Thompson (W) and Harney
STANDINGS W L T Pct.
Crossfield 5 1 0 .833
Red Deer 4 1 1 .800
Innisfail 3 3 1 .500
Carstairs 3 3 0 .500
Olds 2 5 0 .286
Didsbury 1 5 0 .167
(June 5) Olds took the long end of a 4 to 3 score from homestanding Didsbury.
W. Sutherland (W) and Keown
Mix (L) and Wilson
(June 6) A late comeback attempt by the visiting Olds aggregation fell one run short as they were nipped 7 to 6 by Red Deer. Carl Gebert of the losers stung the sphere for two doubles and a single while teammate Hubert Gooder delivered a two-bagger and a brace of one-base raps.
Hansen, I. Sutherland and Keown
Baxter (W), Embleton (9) and Robbins
(June 6) Pace-setting Crossfield racked up another win, defeating the visiting Red Deer squad 15 to 10.
Blades (L) and Smith
E. Guertin (W) and C. Guertin
(June 12) Committing nine errors, Olds gifted a 4 to 3 Rosebud League decision to hosting Crossfield. Both losing chucker, 16-year old Hubie Gooder, and E. “Lefty” Guertin of the victors allowed just three hits. Gooder had 13 strikeouts while Guertin fanned 11. Olds tallied the only two earned runs of the engagement.
H. Gooder (L) and Keown
E. Guertin (W) and C. Guertin
(June 12) Before the best crowd of the season, invading Innisfail scored five runs in the third inning and went on to snow under the Red Deer balltossers 13 to 9 in a ragged Rosebud League fixture. Shortstop King of the vanquished nine laced two triples and a single.
Thompson (W) and Harney
Nelson (L), W. Blades (4) and Smith
(June 14) Bagging their only hit of the evening, a two-bagger by catcher Wiggins in the eighth inning, Carstairs, with the help of two errors scored twice to break a 1 – 1 tie and defeat Red Deer 3 to 1. The losers managed to pick up just three hits off winning heaver D’Arcy who fanned 12 in going the distance. Hardluck loser Isaacson whiffed ten, during an eight-inning stint on the bump.
D'Arcy (W) and Wiggins
Isaacson (L), Nelson (9) and Smith
(June 21) Turning in one of their best performances of the season, Red Deer turned back the league-leading Crossfield nine 6 to 4. Winning pitcher Isaacson set the visitors down on six hits and cracked our a brace of safeties, one of which was a double.
E. Guertin (L) and C. Guertin
Isaacson (W) and Smith
(June 24) Members of the Red Deer baseball club who played in an exhibition game on June 20 against the touring Texas Colored Giants were relieved of their amateur cards by the A.A.U.C.
(June 27) It took an extra inning for hometown Innisfail to squeeze past Didsbury 3 to 2. The winners, in arrears 2 – 0, forced overtime by launching a two-run comeback in the ninth on three successive hits. The Innisfail victory sends them into the playoffs against Crossfield.
Mix, Devolin (L) (9) and Michael
Freeman, Thompson(W) (6) and Harney
CROW”S NEST PASS BASEBALL LEAGUE
Blairmore
Coleman Tigers
Hillcrest
Michel-Natal BC
Pincher Creek
(May 26) Michel-Natal clobbered the visiting Hillcrest nine 22 to 3. Winning hurler George Sofko went the route and blasted a first-inning three-run homer off losing southpaw Len Beaver.
Beaver (L), Falconer, Dietz and Makin, Dietz, Falconer
Sofko (W) and Zeith
(May 28) Invading Michel-Natal went down to a 6 to 2 setback at the hands of the Coleman Tigers.
Noble (L), M. Sadlish (5) and xxx
Beaver (W) and xxx
(May 29) Pincher Creek lost their home opener to Michel-Natal, falling 7 to 2 to the visitors. The Creek contingent held a 2 – 0 lead until the eighth episode when B.C. squad plated a trey and, then, put the game on ice with a four-spot in the ninth.
Noble (W) and Zeith
Simpson, Hay (L) (8) and Lavasseur
(June 7) Blairmore travelled to Pincher Creek and laid a 10 to 2 shellacking upon their hosts. Winning pitcher Tony Vejprava limited the hosts to five hits. The victors registered 11 hits off four Pincher Creek hurlers.
Vejprava (W) and Gates
Hay/Hays (L), Simpson (5), Sorge/Sorgi, Alexander and Alexander, xxx
(June 7) Darkness forced hosting Hillcrest and Michel-Natal to finish their game tied at 8 – 8 after seven innings of play.
Noble, Sofko (4) and Zeith
Tabor, Falconer (4) and Johnson/Johnston
(June 9) The Twin Towns of Michel and Natal hosted a three-team twin-bill in Michel with the homesters taking a 17 to 7 beating from Blairmore to begin proceedings before coming back in the second encounter to dump Pincher Creek 7 to 4. Blairmore’s John Dicken earned the complete-game mound triumph in the opener. Outfielder Poizzi belted a bases-loaded triple for the winners.
Dicken (W) and Gate/Gates
Krall (L), Noble (1) and Zeith
Lou Krall went all the way on the hill for Michel-Natal in the nightcap.
Simpson (L) and Lavasseur
Krall (W) and Zeith
(June 14) Playing in a continuous drizzle, the Blairmore nine maintained their unbeaten record by taking a narrow 11 to 10 verdict from invading Michel-Natal. Catcher Zeith of the losers was credited with a dubious inside-the-park homer when the horsehide became lost in the high outfield grass.
Krall (L) and Zeith
Vejprava (W) and Dicken
(June 14) A three-run homer by first-baseman H. Ross in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning broke up a tie game and gave hosting Pincher Creek a 13 to 10 walkoff win over Hillcrest. Winning hurler Simpson recorded 13 strikeouts.
Falconer, Beaver (L) and Johnson/Johnston
Simpson (W) and Lavasseur
(June 16) Undefeated Blairmore took an early lead and staved off a five-run rally in the eighth inning to defeat visiting Pincher Creek 8 to 6. John Dicken went the route on the hill for the winners.
(June 21) Homestanding Hillcrest knocked Blairmore from the ranks of the unbeaten, easily winning from the visitors 20 to 11.
Vejprava (L) and Gate/Gates
Beaver (W) and Johnson/Johnston
(June 23) Playing on their home turf, the Blairmore baseball club avenged the defeat they suffered at Hillcrest 48 hours previous by taking down their assailants 12 to 7. The game was replete with base hits, errors and much quarrelling. Tony Vejprava and M. Doncoisne/Doncolane belted home runs for the victors in support of winning tosser John Dicken. The win for Blairmore cemented their grasp on the 1929 league pennant.
Beaver (L), xxx (5), Beaver (8) and xxx
Dicken (W) and xxx
(July 12) Hillcrest upset Blairmore 10 to 8.
Dickens, Boyd and Van Duren
Tabor (W) and Johnson/Johnston
(July 15) Running across seven tallies in the sixth spasm, improving Hillcrest doubled homestanding Blairmore 16 to 8, Catcher Johnson/Johnston belted a home run for the victors.
Buck (W) and Johnson/Johnston
Vejprava (L), Dicken and Gate/Gates
BOW VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Arrowwood
Bassano Bearcats
Blackie
Queenstown
(May 18) In the opening game of the Bow Valley League. Queenstown downed the hosting Arrowwood team 9 to 3. Winning pitcher Conley limited the losers to just three hits.
Conley (W) and xxx
Kay (L) and xxx
(May 22) Homestanding Queenstown clobbered Arrowwood 10 to 1.
(May 26) Blackie travelled to Bassano and came away with an 11 to 8 conquest of the Bearcats. The visitors broke a 4 – 4 tie in the sixth stanza with a pair of counters and put the verdict on ice with a five-spot in the seventh spasm.
xxx (W) and xxx
Bulmer (L) and xxx
(May 29) Homestanding Blackie came out on top of Arrowwood in a hotly-contested Bow Valley League tilt.
Anderson (L) and Burton
Spears (W) and Recor
(May 29) Queenstown took over leadership of the Bow Valley Baseball League by clipping Bassano 13 to 9.
Vockeroth (L), Bulmer (6) and Ralph Burrows
Aldred (W) and Walters
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Queenstown 3 0 1.000
Blackie 2 0 1.000
Bassano 0 2 .000
Arrowwood 0 3 .000
(June 12) Arrowwood journeyed to Bassano and gave the hosting Bearcats a 17 to 4 trimming. Dick Doyle and winning pitcher Bob Anderson clouted home runs for the victors.
(June 22) Blackie and Queenstown had shutout 1 to 0 and 2 to 0 victories over Bassano and Queenstown respectively to get things started in a Bow Valley League tripleheader. Losing twirler Kay of Queenstown yielded just two hits in the opener but was snakebit by errors which allowed two unearned runs.
Anderson (W) and Norton
Kay (L) and Hess
Blackie managed just two hits off losing chucker “Yankee” Plante in the middle encounter but somehow managed to tally the game’s lone marker.
Plante (L) and xxx
Crotty (W) and xxx
The two victors then locked horns with Blackie trouncing Arrowhead 8 to 3.
Crotty (W) and Hess
Guertin (L) and Norton
BIG FOUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Ghost Pine
Nacmine Athletics
Three Hills
Trochu
(May 29) The Nacmine Athletics defeated Trochu 13 to 9 in the Big Four League opener at Drumheller. Winning pitcher Paul Nelson struck out 16 batters.
Bye (L) and Fisher
Nelson (W) and McLaughlin
(June 5) Three Hills beat Trochu 9 to 6.
(June 5) Nacmine won a pair of encounters, edging Ghost Pine 8 to 7 before breezing past Three Hills 6 to 1.
Sparked by catcher Joe McLaughlin’s two-run homer in the ninth canto, the Athletics scored four times to wipe out a three-tally deficit and capture their fist win of the day.
C. Davidson (L) and Hunter
Nelson (W) and McLaughlin
Mollie Helm tossed a three-hitter to stifle Three Hills in the second tilt.
M. Helm (W) and McLaughlin
McNab (L) and Mills
(June 12) Nacmine took a close 7 to 5 decision from visiting Ghost Pine.
C. Davidson (L) and Hunter
Nason (W) and McLaughlin
OTHER ALBERTA LEAGUES/TEAMS/ROSTERS
EDMONTON INTERMEDIATE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Bearcats
C.N.R.
Gregory Tire
Sconas
REGULAR SEASON
(June 18)
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Bearcats 4 1 .800
Sconas 4 3 .571
Gregory Tire 2 3 .400
C.N.R. 2 5 .286
(July 22)
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Gregory Tire 6 5 .545
Sconas 6 5 .545
Bearcats 5 5 .500
C.N.R. 5 7 .417
(July 23) Gregory Tire balltossers went to the top of the heap in the Edmonton Intermediate League when they handed the South Side Sconas an 8 to 6 defeat at the Boyle Street grounds. The Tiremen, sparked by first sacker Don “Lefty” Nickerson’s two-run homer, ran across five runs in the initial panel to take control of the game.
Berg (W) and C. Smith
Lamy (L), Bennett (1) and Garfin
(July 25) With winning slabster “Slim” McMillan ringing up 19 strikeouts, the Bearcats chalked up a 10 to 5 victory over the Gregory Tire nine to move percentage points ahead of the Tiremen in the closely-bunched Edmonton Intermediate League standings.
McMillan (W) and Colville
Berg (L), Nickerson and Henry
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Bearcats 6 5 .545
Gregory Tire 7 6 .538
Sconas 6 6 .500
C.N.R. 5 7 .417
SECOND-PLACE TIE-BREAKER & PLAYOFFS
C.N.R defeated the Sconas in a second-place tie-breaker but the Sconas advanced to the league finals against Gregory Tire as the result of a previous game which had been protested and which had now awarded to the Sconas.
Gregory Tire captured the league crown after claiming a four-game sweep in their best-of-seven final series with the Sconas.
ALBERTA INTERMEDIATE FINALS
(August 14) Battling on even terms, the Calgary Dodgers gained a 5 to 4 decision over the Cardston Maple Leafs by bunching their hits in the first and third innings of the first of a two-out-of-three game series for the Alberta intermediate baseball championship. Close to 2,000 fans from Cardston and district witnessed the nine inning struggle which was a close race from start to finish. Both teams pasted the horsehide for 11 base hits. Scoring twice in the initial canto and adding three more in the third, the Dodgers opened an early 5 to 0 lead. The Leafs plated all four of their counters in the fourth. After that, the pitchers took over and goose eggs filled the scoreboard. Calgary’s Russ Gideon and shortstop Willard Brooks of the Temple City troupe each had three base blows.
J. Gerlitz (W) and Hides
Cahoon (L) and McKenzie
(August 19) The Calgary Dodgers captured the 1929 Alberta Intermediate Baseball championship when they defeated Cardston 4 to 3 at Mewata Park diamond. Johnny Gerlitz, with a six-hitter, picked up his second complete game mound win in the series. Both teams counted a run in the fifth frame after four scoreless innings were in the books. Calgary went ahead 2 to 1 in the eighth but Cardston stormed back in the top of the ninth to plate a pair and take a 3 to 2 lead. Gerlitz then won his own ball game with a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-run homer. He earlier had smacked a fifth-inning triple.
Cahoon (L) and McKenzie
J. Gerlitz (W) and Hides
BUFFALO BASEBALL LEAGUE
Botha
Erskine
Gadsby
Red Willow
Stettler
HORSESHOE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Delburne
Elnora
Huxley
Lousana
CALGARY JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Athletics :
St. Mary’s :
ALBERTA PLAYOFFS
It appears that no Alberta teams registered for the 1929 AABA senior level baseball playoffs. Nothing was found in print to suggest such. The AABA had been ruthless that summer in upholding their so-called amateur standards and had suspended the Red Deer and Drumheller senior teams for playing games against the Texas Colored Giants and House of David. In any event, the playoff focus shifted to the intermediate division. Two southern Alberta entrants, the Calgary Dodgers and the Cardston Maple Leafs squared off for the 1929 intermediate title. Cardston had eliminated Raymond and the Medicine Hat intermediates to reach the finals while the Dodgers had previously knocked out Crossfield after advancing from a series in which Stavely had defaulted. The best-of-three final series was hotly contested.
(June 14) A huge crowd was on hand at Crossfield Exhibition grounds to witness the ball games between the Texas Colored Giants and the club wearing the Crossfield colours. The crowd was the largest ever for a game in the community. Giants won the first game 7-4 while the locals came back to take the second game 3-1. The midway, animal circus and merry-go-round were well patronized and the children had a really good time. The dance at night under the auspices of the baseball club was a grand success.
(June 24) The barnstorming Texas Colored Giants entertained a large crowd at the Wetaskiwin ball park Monday taking on the local Moose in a doubleheader. The Giants won both games, 5-2 and 13-5. Washington of the Giants held the Moose to just four hits in the first game.
Washington and Marshall
Rodvick, Hodson (6) and Craig
The visitors lashed out 16 hits in winning the second game. The Moose, who again started early with a three-run outburst in the first inning, collected 14 hits, but just the five runs. The contest featured some heavy hitting. Marshall, who was the winning pitcher for the Giants, ripped a homer, Harper had two hits, one a triple. Wagner, at 3B, had three hits. For the Moose, Doupe was credited with a triple, two doubles and a single. Craig had a pair of two-baggers and a single. Goldsworthy, the hurler for Wetaskiwin, rang up 14 strikeouts.
Marshall and McKinney
Goldsworthy and Craig