Ah, 1932. The year of the Lindbergh kidnapping, Amelia Earhart in a solo trans-Atlantic flight, Babe Ruth's "called shot" in the World Series and, of course, the sophomore campaign of the Southern League.
Probably the biggest news emanating from the trenches of Southern League members was a complete revamping of the Regina franchises. The Rifles totally disbanded and the two remaining Queen City clubs took on new sponsors which brought about name changes for both. The Balmorals' franchise was passed on to a new operator who immediately re-named the team the Nationals in reference to the National Billiard Parlor. As well, the Shamrocks of last season picked up Wood Hardware of Regina as a sponsor and, not surprisingly, adopted the moniker of that business.
Players from last season's Rifles' contingent made their way to the two remaining Capital City clubs which, in effect, strengthened them both. Also back for another kick at the can in 1932 were the provincial kingpins out of Moose Jaw plus the always competitive group from Milestone, the Soo Line town, known as the Sioux. With the reduction from five to four operating teams, the schedule was increased slightly so that each club now had 18 games as opposed to 16 last season. Only the top two teams would qualify for the playoffs, meeting in a best three out of five series.
The Nationals ended Moose Jaw's one year reign as champions and began a five year dynasty of their own.
The major post-season news came in the form of a two-game series in October 1932 when a group of major-leaguers visited Regina and administered a doubleheader licking on the Southern League amateurs. The big-leaguers wound up their prairie tour later in the same month by stopping off in Moose Jaw and clobbering the local Stars' team.
GAME REPORTS
(May 21) Under wretched weather conditions, the Moose Jaw All-Stars got off on the right foot in defense of their provincial senior baseball championship when they handed the Regina Nationals a 13 to 5 setback in the 1932 Southern League opener. As strong winds blew swirling dust across the diamond in Moose Jaw, outfielders, in particular, were made miserable in attempting to judge fly balls. Until the sixth inning of this lid-lifter, a real hurling duel was witnessed with "Swainey" Swainson of the Nats and Wilf "Lefty" Pennington of the Stars serving up fine displays on the mound. Entering the bottom of that frame, the score was tied 2 - 2, and Alvin Fritz took over mound chores from Swainson. The Stars immediately got to Regina's reliever and, in two big innings, the sixth and eighth, scored a total of eleven runs. Pennington went the route, surrendering nine hits and fanning 12, to get the win. Moose Jaw's Al Phillips belted the first homer of the season and added a single as well. Revere "Babe" Brossard of the Nationals, last season's batting king, picked up where he left off, slamming out three hits including a double.
Swainson, Fritz (6) (L) and Knipfel
Pennington (W) and Toombs
(May 27) Relief hurler Cliff Hogg's wild pitch with two out in the bottom of the ninth spelled doom for the newly-named Wood Hardware club from Regina as they dropped their 1932 Southern League opener to the home-standing Milestone Sioux by a 5 to 4 count. Entering the bottom of the last frame, the Reginans held a slim 4 to 3 lead. Eddie Johnston's clutch single drove in the tying marker and later, with two out and Johnston at third, Hogg uncorked a pitch that Floyd Snell, backstop for the Hardware Men, was unable to block, allowing Johnston to trot home with the winning marker. A newcomer to the Milestone ranks, pitcher Belton "Bill" Vogeli, turned in a good account of himself on the mound. He struck out 13 Regina batters while giving up eight hits. Milestone's stickmen collected 10 safe blows with catcher Dave Clayton leading the way with three safeties. Regina's top swinger was losing hurler Hogg who ripped out a double and two singles.
Young, C. Hogg (6) (L) and Snell
Vogeli (W) and D. Clayton
(May 30) Outhit in the late innings, but having piled up a working margin in the third and fourth frames when they sent losing hurler Floyd White to the showers, Regina's Wood Hardware gained an even footing with Milestone in the Southern League ladder when they handed the Soo Liners a 6 to 4 setback at Park de Young. The victory was the franchise's first in two seasons as last year's club, then called the Shamrocks, went winless in 16 contests. Winning pitcher Chuck Elwood surrendered 10 hits, three each to Dave Clayton, Eddie Johnston and Wylie Lafoy, but for the most part they were well scattered. Andy Young was the hitting star of the evening for the Reginans, drilling a triple and a double.
F. White (L), Shupe (4) and D. Clayton
Elwood (W) and Scott
(June 1) The Moose Jaw All-Stars pocketed their second victory in as many starts in the 1932 Southern League when they disposed of the Regina Wood Hardware nine by an 8 to 5 score. The Woodmen grabbed an early 2 to 0 lead in the top of the second frame when outfielder Andy Young connected for a 2-run homer, the game's only circuit clout, off Moose Jaw starter and eventual winner, veteran Bill Nutzhorn. The Stars immediately responded by pouncing on loser Dave Hogg for five counters in the bottom half of the same stanza, holding the lead thereafter. Fleet outfielder Billy Hodgkinson led the Moose Jaw batting attack with three safe blows, one a triple. Eddie Scott and catcher Oak Toombs added a pair of singles each for the victors. Responding for the Reginans with a brace of one-baggers were Stan Gustafson, Cliff Hogg and Dave Hogg.
D. Hogg (L) and Scott
Nutzhorn (W), Pennington (6) and Toombs, Davis (6)
(June 3) Milestone catcher Dave Clayton's errant throw to first base on a pick-off attempt with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning spelled doom for the Sioux as it allowed Regina Nationals' "Babe" Brossard to race home from second base with the lone run of the game as the Nats squeezed out a 1 to 0 thriller over the visiting Soo Liners. Clayton's misplay came after he had been deadly with his throws all night, catching three Nationals trying to steal bases. This tussle was a pitcher's battle in every sense of the word. Each team used two chuckers, all of whom performed admirably. The Nats' batters poked out only four base blows, all singles, while the Milestone batters fared even worse, collecting only two hits, both by catcher Clayton.
Fritz, Swainson (6) (W) and Quist
Vogelli, Shupe (7) (L) and D. Clayton
(June 7) The Regina Nationals pounded out a convincing 10 to 1 win over the Moose Jaw All-Stars, a victory which pushed the Nats into a first-place tie with the Stars. The Reginans were masters of the situation at all times, taking a four run lead in the first three innings. Making his Southern League debut, Regina pitcher Hec "Mac" McLeod, former Estevan hurler, allowed the visitors but three safe blows, with two of those coming off the bat of "Big Jim" MacDonald. Jack "Jersey" Campbell of the Nats slammed out a double and three singles off Moose Jaw loser Eddie Longmore.
Longmore (L) and Toombs, MaNamee (2)
McLeod (W) and Quist
(June 10) Errors were almost as plentiful as runs at Park de Young as the Milestone Sioux pushed Regina Wood Hardware down into the cellar position in the Southern League with a 6 to 2 victory. A combined total of ten miscues, seven by the Hardware Men, resulted in only one earned run in the entire game. The pitching was decent with both winner Gaylen Shupe and loser Dave Hogg striking out 10. Seventeen year old Shupe had the edge in allowing only four hits while Hogg was nicked for 7. Third sacker Rex Houghtling of the Sioux was the only batter to register two hits in this contest.
Shupe (W) and D. Clayton
D. Hogg (L) and E. Gustafson
(June 13) "Wild Bill" Rodgers returned to baseball warfare at Park de Young and, after toiling nine innings on the mound, emerged with a shutout as he and his Regina National cohorts set down the other Queen City contingent, Wood Hardware, by a score of 4 to 0. Rodgers struck out 11 Hardware batters, allowing only five scattered hits. Cliff Hogg of the Woodmen stuck out 10 and gave up seven hits in taking the loss. Johnny Stoyand and Del Canning of the winners each poked out a pair of singles. Chuck Elwood picked up a double and single to lead the Tool Merchants at the plate.
C. Hogg (L) and Tannahill
Rodgers (W) and Quist
(June 15) Never in danger, Wilf "Lefty" Pennington limited Regina Wood Hardware to three base blows and a solitary unearned run while his teammates took care of business defensively and with the stick resulting in a 6 to 1 Southern League victory for the Moose Jaw All-Stars over the Queen City visitors. The Mill City southpaw hurled masterful ball, whiffing 12 of the Hardware Men. Outfielder Billy Hodgkinson ripped three singles and had two RBI's for the winners.
D. Hogg (L), Elwood (5) and E. Gustafson
Pennington (W) and Davis
(June 15) The Regina Nationals chalked up a 4 to 1 victory over the Milestone Sioux in a closely contested Southern League game at Milestone. Both winning hurler "Swainey" Swainson" and Belton Vogeli, his losing counterpart from the Soo Line town, gave up but four hits with the difference being that the Nats played superior station-to-station baseball, advancing their runners with so-called "good" outs. Outfielder Bill Clayton of the Sioux was the only player on either team to pick up two hits.
Swainson (W) and Quist
Vogeli (L) and D. Clayton
(June 17) After holding a 4 to 1 lead at the end of the sixth frame, Regina Wood Hardware faltered and went down to defeat at the hands of the Moose Jaw All-Stars by a 7 to 4 count. Moose Jaw's "Lefty" Pennington with 2 1/3 innings of relief work picked up the win, decisioning Chuck Elwood who was driven from the Regina hill in the ninth. Stars' outfielder Danny McKenna and second baseman Ralph Dakins of the Woodmen led their respective teams offensively with a brace of hits each. One of McKenna's blows went for two bases.
Nutzhorn, Pennington (7) (W) and Davis
Elwood (L), C. Hogg (9) and Tannahill
(June 17) The Regina Nationals maintained a half game lead atop the Southern League as they took a 6 to 3 verdict from the Milestone Sioux, their second triumph in three days over the Soo Line nine. In spite of fanning eleven Regina batters, loser Gayle Shupe was the victim of some shoddy defense as "Mac" McLeod recorded the mound win over him. The Sioux out-hit their Capital City visitors 9 to 6. Webb Bird had a double and single for the winners while catcher Eric Quist chipped in with two singles. For the Soo Liners, Bill Clayton, Eddie Johnston and B. Mohr each rapped a brace of one-baggers.
McLeod (W) and Quist
Shupe (L) and D. Clayton
Southern League Standings (as of end of June 17)
W L Pct.
Regina Nationals 5 1 .833
Moose Jaw All-Stars 4 1 .800
Milestone Sioux 2 4 .333
Regina Wood Hardware 1 6 .143
(June 20) Hammering the offerings of Floyd White and Bill Vogeli for a total of eleven hits, three of them doubles, the Moose Jaw All-Stars coasted to an easy 9 to 1 victory over the Milestone Sioux in a Southern League game played at the Exhibition Grounds diamond. Wilf "Lefty" Pennington of the homesters mowed down the Soo Line batters with machine-like precision to register his most impressive triumph of the current campaign. He limited the Sioux to three scratch singles, struck out 13 and missed a shutout only through an error. In addition to his fine hurling, Pennington also drilled a pair of run-scoring singles. Al Phillips, Jim MacDonald and Oak Toombs had a double and single each for the Stars with Phillips' brace of raps driving in four runs.
White (L), Vogelli (1) and D. Clayton
Pennington (W) and Toombs
(June 24) Thinking that he was entitled to advance from third base when a pitched ball from Regina Nationals' hurler Alvin Fritz evaded the mitt of catcher Eric Quist and struck the home plate umpire, Moose Jaw All-Stars' baserunner Al Phillips was dead meat at the plate in a bizarre play that dearly cost the Stars as they went down to a 2 to 1 defeat at the hands of the league-leading Nats. Phillips' bonehead play came with only one out in the ninth inning and dampened a potential Moose Jaw rally before almost 1,000 fans at Regina's Park de Young in the anticipated showdown between the two top teams in the Southern circuit. Another runner was situated at second base before the play and was unable to advance following the unusual second out at the dish as the last Mill City batter then grounded out to end the game. Alvin Fritz and "Lefty" Pennington, both pitchers of record, put on a fine display of mound work with Fritz surrendering six hits and Pennington 5. "Babe" Brossard, second baseman of the Pool Hall Boys, had a double and single off the crafty Moose Jaw southpaw. Each team had a mere one earned run. Moose Jaw shortstop Johnny Dawson lit Fritz up for three hits, all singles.
Pennington (L) and Toombs
Fritz (W) and Quist
(June 27) "Swainey" Swainson received stellar defensive support while limiting the luckless Regina Wood Hardware baseballers to one hit as the Regina Nationals steamrolled to a 6 to 0 triumph over their city cousins at Park de Young. Losing pitcher Chuck Elwood's third inning single was the only blow gleaned from Swainson's slants by the Tool Merchants. Nats' outfielder Jack Campbell was the batting star of the night, with four hits in five trips up. Teammate "Babe" Brossard was the only other player to get more than one safety.
Swainson (W) and Knipfel
Elwood (L), Young (8) and Scott
(June 29) "Lefty" Pennington, the diminutive southpaw ace of the Moose Jaw All-Stars, won his fifth game of the season as the Stars whipped the Milestone Sioux 5 to 3 in a Southern League fixture in the Mill City that was called in the first half of the ninth with one out when a dust storm enveloped the playing area. In spite of the eleven run total produced by the two clubs, only Moose Jaw was credited with a single earned run as the Sioux committed six miscues behind the chucking of youthful Gayle Shupe while the locals responded with a trio of fielding blunders. The Friendly City crew took a 3 run lead in the second inning and were never headed. Shupe, Rex Houghtling and Harold Schwindt paced the Sioux offense with two singles each. Alexander "Sandy" Thomson, Oak Toombs and Chuck Robinson spearheaded the Stars with the bat as each of them also poked out a brace of raps.
Shupe (L) and D. Clayton
Pennington (W) and Toombs
(July 5) Jack "Jersey Campbell of the Regina Nationals has the early lead as the top hitter in the Southern League with a .478 average with 11 hits in 23 times at bat. Moose Jaw All-Stars' outfielder Billy Hodgkinson holds down second spot, having 10 hits in 24 tries for .417 mark. Players batting .300 or higher (with a minimum of 15 official times at bat)
AB R H TB Aver.
Jack Campbell (Nationals) 23 6 11 13 .478
Billy Hodgkinson (Moose Jaw) 24 4 10 12 .417
Dave Clayton (Milestone) 31 6 12 12 .387
Oak Toombs (Moose Jaw) 19 6 7 9 .368
Jim MacDonald (Moose Jaw) 26 5 9 11 .346
Danny McKenna (Moose Jaw) 15 4 5 8 .333
"Babe" Brossard (Nationals) 31 6 10 14 .323
(July 8) Playing their first game under floodlights at Park de Young, both the host Regina Wood Hardware and the visiting Moose Jaw All-Stars put on a crowd-pleasing show with the Mill City nine coming out on top 3 to 0. Wilf Pennington, the Stars' southpaw hurler, was in his element performing under the artificial illumination, striking out 12 Wood Hardware batters in seven innings before the rains came and ended the action. The Woodmen managed only three hits off the saavy portsider with third sacker Stan Gustafson accounting for two of them, a single and a double. The Stars scored all three of their runs off loser Cliff Hogg who gave way to reliever Andy Young in the fourth. Catcher Oak Toombs led the All-Stars in the hitting department with a double and two singles. Danny McKenna and Johnny Dawson each had two singles.
Pennington (W) and Toombs
C. Hogg (L), Young (4) and Truitt
Southern League Standings (as of end of July 8)
W L Pct.
Regina Nationals 7 1 .875
Moose Jaw All-Stars 6 2 .750
Milestone Sioux 2 5 .286
Regina Wood Hardware 1 8 .111
(July 11) Batting averages were fattened up at Floodlight Park, much to the dismay of the pitching fraternity, as the Regina Nationals made their hits count to better advantage and handed the Milestone Sioux an 11 to 6 defeat in a Southern League ball fixture. The Nationals nicked loser Gayle Shupe and reliever Wiley Lafoy for 14 safeties while the Soo Liners were collecting 13 off the offerings of winner Alvin Fritz who fanned 11 Milestone batters. Costly errors, seven in all, played a large part in the downfall of the Sioux. Outfielder Johnny Stoyand of the Nats, with a double and three singles in four at-bats, led all players from within the batter's box. Teammate Webb Bird slapped out three singles. Leading Milestone at the dish was Bill Clayton with a double and two singles.
Shupe (L), Wiley Lafoy (3) and D. Clayton
Fritz (W) and Quist
(July 11) Veteran George Haigh returned to the pitching wars, surrendering a dozen hits in 8 1/3 innings, as the Moose Jaw All-Stars eked out a 9 to 7 win over the visiting Regina Wood Hardware. Twenty-five hits and 12 errors tell the tale of this shoddy ball game, interesting only because of the closeness of the score and the refusal of the Reginans to admit defeat. Losing chucker Dave Hogg was bounced from the hill in the initial frame after allowing a trio of Moose Jaw runs. The Woodmen had the tying runs on base in the ninth when Moose Jaw second sacker "Sandy" Thomson caught Regina runner Cliff Hogg at the keystone sack with the "hidden ball" play. Shortstop Johnny Dawson led the Stars' hitters with a 4-hit game, one of which was a double. Outfielder Luther Fritz of the Hardware Men had a three-single night at the plate.
D. Hogg (L), Young (1) and Truitt
Haigh (W), Pennington (9) and Toombs
(July 13) Regina Wood Hardware had another erratic performance, making their usual quota of costly errors, as their city counterparts, the Regina Nationals, reeled in a 13 to 6 decision, a win which further consolidated the Nats' position at the head of the table in the Southern League. The score was knotted after three innings but, in the next few innings, the wheels began to fall off for the Tool Merchants and their fate was sealed. Hec McLeod, although not hurling one of his better games, was still able to pick up the win for the Nats. Starter Carl Wolver of the Woodmen lasted until the sixth and took the loss. Bryan Forster ripped a double and two singles to pace the Nationals from the batter's box. His Nats' sidekick, "Babe" Brossard, had a triple and single while Wolver and shortstop Andy Young of the Woodmen both ripped a double and single.
McLeod (W) and Knipfel
Wolver (L), Craddock (6) and Scott, Snell (9)
(July 13) The Moose Jaw All-Stars kept pace with the Regina Nationals in the Southern League pennant race when they blanked the Milestone Sioux 3 to 0 in the Soo Line town. Of the five hits surrendered by the Stars' chucker Bill Nutzhorn in recording the shutout win, three were garnered by the Sioux third sacker Rex Houghtling. Danny McKenna and Oak Toombs led the Mill City squad offensively as both had a 2-hit game with one of McKenna's blows falling in for a double.
Nutzhorn (W) and Toombs
Vogeli (L) and D. Clayton
(July 14) Scoring five times in the first two innings, the Moose Jaw All-Stars knocked off the Regina Nationals 6 to 2 to move a half game ahead of the Reginans in the Southern League standings. Winner "Lefty" Pennington and loser "Swainey" Swainson both gave up nine hits, the big difference being that Moose Jaw's hits were bunched, producing more runs. Three players from each club had multi-hit production. Webb Bird, Eric Quist and Bryan Forster of the Nats all had a pair of singles, a feat matched by the Stars' Jim MacDonald. Billy Hodgkinson and Johnny Dawson each registered a double and single for the winners.
Swainson (L) and Quist
Pennington (W) and Toombs
Southern League Standings (as of end of July 14)
W L Pct.
Moose Jaw All-Stars 10 2 .833
Regina Nationals 9 2 .818
Milestone Sioux 2 8 .200
Regina Wood Hardware 1 10 .091
(July 16) The Moose Jaw All-Stars lengthened the gap between them and the Regina Nationals in the Southern League when they marked up a win over the Milestone Sioux in the afternoon game of a doubleheader in the Mill City. The twilight affair, a ten inning contest, did not produce a winner as the teams were deadlocked when darkness forced a halt to the procedings.
The opener was a Milestone home game, a make-up affair for a postponement on their home turf. The All-Stars, with some late inning offense, prevailed by a 9 to 6 count as George Haigh picked up his second win of the campaign. The game was sloppily played and neither pitcher was especially sharp. Although the Sioux out-hit the Stars by a 13 to 12 margin, the Friendly City crew had the edge in the power department as Johnny Dawson, "Sandy" Thomson and Al Phillips all cranked out circuit clouts while Wylie Lafoy responded for the Soo Liners.
Haigh (W) and Toombs
Vogeli (L), Wylie LaFoy (7) and D. Clayton
The Stars were lucky to get a 9 - 9 tie in the evening contest as the Sioux knocked Bill Nutzhorn from the mound in the ninth and continued their assault against reliever "Lefty" Pennington, scoring two runs to take the lead. Rising to the occasion, the homesters produced a brace of tallies in the bottom of the frame to knot the count. Batting averages for players on both teams were fattened in this affair. Nutzhorn and Rex Houghting of the Sioux both had triples and a brace of singles to lead their respective teams. Not far behind were Moose Jaw's Al Phillips and Milestone's Eddie Johnston who each poked out a double and a pair of one-baggers. With three singles were catcher Dave Clayton of the Soo Liners and first baseman Jim MacDonald of the Mill City aggregation.
Shupe and D. Clayton
Nutzhorn, Pennington (9) and Davis, Toombs (2)
(July 18) Some fine pitching by Belton Vogeli for the Milestone Sioux was the only redeeming feature of a Southern League mismatch as the Sioux throttled the Regina Wood Hardware 17 to 4 at Regina's exhibition grounds. For six full innings, Vogeli held the Reginans without a hit as the Soo Liners built up an 8 to 0 margin. Dave Clayton, Bill Clayton and Eddie Johnston all collected three hits for Milestone.
Vogeli (W) and D. Clayton
Craddock (L), Young (8), Bennett (9) and Snell
(July 18) Baffled by the sensational two-hit, 9 strikeout mound performance of Hec McLeod, the Moose Jaw All-Stars bit the dust as the Regina Nationals prevailed 4 to 0 in a crucial Southern League encounter for these bitter rivals. The win vaulted the Reginans into a percentage points lead in the standings. Leading by only a single marker entering the ninth, the Bals got to loser Wilf Pennington for three runs, all unearned, to sew up the victory. Pennington gave up only five hits and struck out 10 in a very creditable performance. Nats' outfielder Joe Haberman had two singles to lead all hitters.
McLeod (W) and Quist
Pennington (L) and Toombs
Southern League Standings (as of end of July 18)
W L Pct.
Regina Nationals 10 2 .833
Moose Jaw All-Stars 11 3 .786
Milestone Sioux 3 9 .250
Regina Wood Hardware 1 11 .083
(July 19) The Regina Hardware baseballers threw a scare into the Regina Nationals in a Southern League tilt at the exhibition grounds before succumbing to the league-leaders by a 6 to 5 score. Bunched hits in the third and fourth innings gave the Nationals a lead for which they had to display a litany of tricks to maintain. The Nationals had to pull off a double play in the last of the ninth to eke out the narrow win. It was by far the best exhibition served up by the Woodmen this season. Although tagged with the loss, Andy Young's 12 strikeout pitching performance kept the Hardware Boys in the game. He held the Nats scoreless after the fourth inning. Young also hit well, blasting a double and two singles. "Jersey" Campbell took the hill for the first time this season for the Pool Hall nine and pitched a 9-hitter in earning the win. Leading the Nats with the stick was "Babe" Brossard who picked up three singles.
Campbell (W) and Knipfel
Young (L) and Cummings
(July 20) Well over 2,000 spectators jammed their way into the grandstand at the exhibition grounds in Regina and witnessed a classic as the two top teams in the Southern League fought tooth and nail. When the dust had settled, the Regina Nationals had come away with a 4 to 2 victory over their arch rivals, the Moose Jaw All-Stars. "Swainey" Swainson, bespectacled righthander, set Moose Jaw down on only two hits, fanning 12 along the way, as the Nats gave themselves a little more breathing room atop the Southern circuit. "Lefty" Pennington of the Stars gave up only five hits while whiffing 10 in absorbing the mound defeat. "Pansy" Forster drilled a home run and had a run-producing single for the Nats. Teammate Joe Haberman came through with a double and single.
Pennington (L) and Toombs
Swainson (W) and Quist
(July 20) Unable to field a team for their regularly scheduled Southern League game in Milestone, the Regina Wood Hardware defaulted the game to the Sioux. As well, the club has decided to cease operations for this season and will forfeit their other four games, two each against the Regina Nationals and the Moose Jaw All-Stars. With the forfeitures, it is now impossible for the Moose Jaw squad to overcome the lead held by the Nationals for first place.
(July 21) In their final two games of the 1932 Southern League schedule, the Regina Nationals split a double-bill with the Milestone Sioux. The games were of little importance as no movement in the league standings was possible with the Nats and Moose Jaw already assured of berths in the Southern League playoff final.
The opener was a make-up game and had Milestone as the designated home team. Regina's Walter Alles had the best of Milestone's "Spike" Schwindt in this curtain-raiser which the Nationals took by a 6 to 1 score. Outhitting the Sioux by an 8 to 5 margin, the Nats had 2-hit outputs from "Babe" Brossard, Johnny Stoyand and Alles. Dave Clayton of the Soo Liners bagged a double and single in a losing cause .
Alles (W) and Knipfel
Schwindt (L) and D. Clayton
The Sioux responded for a 6 to 4 triumph in the second encounter as young Gayle Shupe got the pitching win with an 8-hitter. Shupe whiffed nine and had only one bad inning, the fifth, when Regina scored three times. Regular first baseman Webb Bird of the Nationals took the mound after several years of inactivity as a hurler. He was nicked for ten safeties in suffering the loss. Wayne Lafoy led the Soo Liners at the dish with a triple and single. Bill Clayton kicked in with a double and single while Shupe had a pair of singles. Johnny Stoyand was the top producer for the Nats with a brace of one-baggers.
Shupe (W) and D. Clayton
Bird (L) and Knipfel
(July 22) The Milestone Sioux wound up their home Southern League schedule in a blaze of glory when they set down the Moose Jaw All-Stars to the tune of 7 to 4. The game was of the free-hitting variety with neither pitcher looking anywhere near overwhelming. "Doc" Johnston of the Sioux was the leading batter of the evening's hostilities with three safeties, two of which were doubles. Milestone's Wylie LaFoy chipped in with a double and single while Bill Clayton ripped out a pair of singles. Leading the Stars with the stick were Al Phillips and Oak Toombs who both stroked a brace of one-baggers.
Longmore (L) and Toombs
Cleveland (W) and D. Clayton
FINAL STANDINGS
W L Pct.
Regina Nationals 15* 3 .833
Moose Jaw All-Stars 13* 5 .722
Milestone Sioux 6* 12 .333
Regina Wood Hardware 1 17* .056
* totals include 5 forfeited games by Regina Wood Hardware,
two each to the Nationals and Moose Jaw and one to Milestone
LEAGUE FINAL PLAYOFF SERIES
(July 25) An overthrow to first base in the bottom of the ninth inning by Moose Jaw catcher Oak Toombs, following a dropped third strike, allowed Jack "Jersey" Campbell of the Regina Nationals to scamper from the batter's box all the way to third base and eventually score the lone run of game. Losing pitcher "Lefty" Pennington's valiant attempt to snare "Babe" Brossard's pop up bunt, which was narrowly missed, then provided Campbell with the opening to reach home plate as the Nationals won game one of the Southern League finals 1 to 0 over the Moose Jaw All-Stars. The thriiler was witnessed by over 3,000 Regina patrons who got the maximum in entertainment for every cent of their paid admission. In defeat, Pennington was valiant, striking out 14 Reginans with a 3-hitter. Winning chucker "Swainey" Swainson was no slouch either as he limited the Stars, who had the league's highest team batting average during the regular season, to but six hits while whiffing seven. Al Phillips of the losing Mill City crew was the only batter on either team to get two safe blows.
Pennington (L) and Toombs
Swainson (W) and Knipfel
(July 27) The Regina Nationals took a stranglehold on the 1932 Southern League championship as they turned back the Moose Jaw All-Stars 10 to 4 in the second game of the final series. Scoring nine runs in their last three turns at bat to overcome an early 2 to 0 Moose Jaw lead, the Nats deflated the hopes of their hosts to the point that things seemed to go from bad to worse for them each time a crucial situation came up. Hec McLeod pitched a steady 6-hitter for Regina in earning the mound win. Loser George Haigh, in 8 2/3 innings of work, surrendered all eleven hits the Regina nine garnered. Coming away with two-hit performances for the winners were Webb Bird, Joe Haberman and "Babe" Brossard with one of Bird's knocks going for a double. "Sandy" Thomson of the Stars also had a double and single in a losing cause.
McLeod (W) and Quist
Haigh (L), Nutzhorn (9) and Toombs
(July 29) Under the lights at the exhibition grounds, around 4,000 Regina baseball enthusiasts were treated to 15 innings of playoff ball in what oldtimers described as the "Game of Games". Close to one o'clock in the morning, Jack "Jersey" Campbell of the Regina Nationals lined a single to right field off Moose Jaw All-Stars' Wilf Pennington with two down in the sixth extra frame, a hit which allowed Eric Quist to plate the winner and end the hard fought struggle with the Nats on the long end of a 7 to 6 score. Moose Jaw appeared to have the game in the bag, holding a 5 to 0 advantage heading into bottom of the seventh with their ace chucker Pennington cruising along in fine style. Before the inning was over, however, the plucky Reginans had knotted the count. Until the 14th, there wasn't anything that resembled a scoring threat but then the All-Stars counted an unearned tally to take the lead once more. Then, with two out in the bottom of the frame, Bryan Forster's run-producing single tied the game again. That set the stage for Campbell's clutch hit in the 15th which gave the Reginans the series three games to none. Pennington, who was roughed up for 18 Regina hits, struck ot 14 Nats in pitching the entire 15 stanzas. Winning chucker Hec McLeod, who took over in the 12th from "Swainey" Swainson, gave up four of Moose Jaw's 10 hits. Garnering four hits each for the new league champions were "Babe" Brossard and Johnny Stoyand, one of Brossard's raps being a double. Alexander "Sandy" Thomson was top dog with the hickory for the All-Stars, hitting a triple and two singles. The loss for the Stars was especially devastating as it eliminated them from repeating as provincial title holders. With nothing more to lose, the Stars' management filed a protest to have the entire game replayed based upon a third inning play in which an umpire ordered a Moose Jaw runner back to third base on an overthrow.
Pennington (L) and Toombs
Swainson, McLeod (W) (12) and Quist
(August 4) A special meeting of the Southern League executive officially awarded the Regina Nationals the league playoff title after ruling that Moose Jaw's protest was unconstitutional and should never have gone to a protest committee. Ironically, on August 2, the overruled protest committee had sided with the Moose Jaw complaint and had voted to have the original game three result thrown out with a replay to be held in Regina. The Nationals will now face the Estevan Maple Leafs for the title of South Saskatchewan Senior Baseball champions. The Maple Leafs have just completed a gruelling 5-game series with the Swift Current Indians.
SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN SENIOR BASEBALL FINALS
Estevan Maple Leafs player roster for South Saskatchewan championship series
Berner John P/OF, Dupuis Herb C, Elson Sam SS, Enmark Howard OF, Holmgren Herb OF, Krivel Barney OF, McLeod Stu 3B, Rooney Ned 1B, Thompson George 2B, White Elmer "Lefty" P/OF
Regina Nationals player roster for South Saskatchewan championship series
Alles Walter 3B, Armstrong Murray SS, Bird Webb 1B, Brossard R. "Babe" 2B, Campbell Jack "Jersey" OF, Haberman Joe OF, McLeod Hec P, Quist C, Stoyand Johnny OF, Swainson "Swainey" P
GAME REPORTS
(August 8) The Regina Nationals took a long lead on the Border League champion Estevan Maple Leafs in their quest for the senior baseball championship of the southern half of Saskatchewan. The Southern League champs copped both ends of the doubleheader played in Estevan to take a commanding two games to none lead in the best of five playoff affair.
"Swainey" Swainson fanned six while tossing a nifty 4-hitter as the Reginans blanked the host Leafs in the opener by a 4 to 0 count. Swainson also drilled a couple of singles in support of his own cause. Nats' outfielder Joe Haberman smashed a triple and single to lead the offensive attack against loser "Lefty" White.
Swainson (W) and Quist
White (L) and Dupuis
The Nats followed up their earlier success by dropping Estevan 5 to 1 in the late encounter. Estevan native Hec McLeod returned to his old home town and fanned 10 of his ex- teammates while holding the rest to six scattered hits as the Nationals hung the defeat on "Long John" Berner. First sacker Webb Bird of the Nats was the game's top hitter with a double and single.
McLeod (W) and Quist
Berner (L) and Dupuis
(August 10) In a rather listless match for a playoff encounter, the Regina Nationals disposed of the Estevan Maple Leafs at the exhibition grounds, taking the spoils by a 7 to 4 margin and, in doing so, adding the South Saskatchewan senior baseball crown to their list of 1932 laurels. With the victory, the Reginans picked up the new J.T.M. Anderson trophy. The game was not without contoversy, however, as Estevan management lodged a protest on an 8th inning play in which a Regina baserunner was credited with a run after trying to avoid a tag at the plate. Regina's "Swainey" Swainson won for the second time in the series, besting John Berner. His batterymate, Eric Quist, led the Nats from the batter's box with a home run and a pair of singles. Leafs' shortstop Sam Elson also had a four-bagger.
Berner (L) and Dupuis
Swainson (W) and Quist
(August 15) The Regina Leader-Post reported on this date that the protest lodged by the Estevan Maple Leafs over a play at the plate in the third game of their series with the Regina Nationals had been thrown out. As representatives of the south, the Nationals will now take on the Saskatoon Northern Distributers team in a best of five series for the provincial crown. The Distributors just completed a three game sweep of the senior team from Bruno to capture the northern tiara. Regina will host the first two games of the series and the remaining three, if necessary, will be played in Saskatoon.
(August 19) Outfielder Bill Clayton of the Milestone Sioux is the 1932 batting king in the Southern League. Final tabulations published in today's edition of the Regina Leader-Post reveal that Clayton had 23 hits in 63 times at bat for a .365 average and just edged out catcher Oak Toombs of the Moose Jaw All-Stars by one percentage point. Runner-up Toombs laced out 20 hits in 55 at bats and finished at .364. Dave Clayton, Milestone catcher, came in third, slamming the ball at a .353 clip. The Sioux backstop also led the circuit in three categories, runs scored with 13, base hits with 24 and a whopping 15 stolen bases, a total which dwarfed all other pilferers. "Babe" Brossard of the Regina Nationals, last season's batting champ, and Johnny Dawson of Moose Jaw tied for the honor of most total bases, each having 27.
SASKATCHEWAN SENIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Saskatoon Northern Distributors player roster for the Saskatchewan senior baseball championship
Cameron, Fuller Earl OF, Jantz Orlando P, Kalmusky Walter 2B, Kellough Ab 3B, McKenzie Bruce OF, Parsons Garnet OF, Ritchie Jack OF, Rogers Tony SS, Seed Johnny 3B, Sillers Larry C, Wilson "Hobb" 1B, Wood "Cooney" P/OF, Young OF
Regina Nationals player roster for the Saskatchewan senior baseball championship
Alles Walter 3B, Armstrong Murray SS, Bird Webb 1B, Brossard R. "Babe" 2B, Campbell Jack "Jersey" OF, Canning Del OF, Haberman Joe OF, McLeod Hec P, Milne Jimmy 3B, Quist Eric C, Rodgers Bill P, Stoyand Johnny OF, Swainson "Swainey" P
GAME REPORTS
(August 24) Saskatoon's Northern Distributors, as fine a ball team as seen in the Queen City during the summer of 1932, made a valiant but unsuccessful stand against the Regina Nationals in the first two games of the best of five series for Saskatchewan senior laurels.
In a well pitched opener by both chuckers, the Reginans came out on top 2 to 1 to grab a one game lead in the finals. Losing portsider "Cooney" Wood of the Northerners had ten strikeouts to winning hurler "Swainey" Swainson's nine but allowed six hits while the Nats' righthander surrendered but four. Tied 1 to 1 entering the bottom of the fifth frame, the southern champs pulled ahead to stay when Johnny Stoyand singled, moved to second on Webb Bird's base hit, stole third base and then crossed the plate as the Hub City team was executing an infield double play. Outfielder Joe Haberman paced the southerners' offense by stroking a double and single. Saskatoon leadoff hitter Jack Ritchie had a pair of singles in a losing cause.
Wood (L) and Sillers
Swainson (W) and Quist
Regina made it a sweep of the day's activities by bouncing the northeners 4 to 1 in the finale. Jack Campbell sent Regina into an early lead in the fourth inning of the nightcap when he jacked a dinger over the center field fence. The Nats increased the lead in the sixth with another solo run and finished off their scoring with a pair in the seventh. Meanwhile, winning tosser Hec McLeod of the Nats was holding the Distributors at bay. Overall, McLeod had an edge over losing moundsman Orlando Jantz, striking out eleven to the youthful Bridge City hurler's six and conceding only five hits while Jantz was being nicked for nine. Besides his 4-bagger, Campbell also drilled a double for the winners. "Babe" Brossard and Webb Bird both contributed two hits as part of the attack with one of Brossard's going for two bases. With the southern kingpins now in control with a two game series lead, the balance of the playoff now shifts to Saskatoon for completion.
Jantz (L) and Sillers
McLeod (W) and Quist
(August 24) The Regina Nationals successfully defended the Saskatchewan senior baseball championship won by their Southern League mates, the Moose Jaw All-Stars in 1931, when they took the third and deciding game of the five-game series from the Saskatoon Northern Distributors by an 8 to 4 score in 10 innings at Cairns Field. The southerners started off strongly, plating a trio of counters in their first at bat with Johnny Stoyand's leadoff homer providing the spark. The Saskatonians knotted the count in the bottom of the sixth and took a 4 to 3 lead with a single tally in the bottom of the eighth. Playing the ninth frame with rain falling, the Nats tied the contest as Hub City hurler "Cooney" Wood experienced all sorts of difficulty in gripping the slippery baseballs. Credit for the Regina victory has to go to "Wild Bill" Rodgers who replaced Nats' starter Hec McLeod on the mound in the last of the ninth with two runners on and none out. Rodgers kept the Distributors off the scoreboard and blanked them again in the tenth after his mates had collected four runs off the slants of the shaken Wood. Batting honors for the new provincial champions went to shortstop Murray Armstrong who had a double and two singles. Leading the northerners at the dish was catcher Larry Sillers who slapped out a trio of singles. With the Leader-Post cup now in their possession, the Nationals now await an opportunity to vie for an interprovincial championship.
McLeod, Rodgers (9) (W) and Quist
Wood (L) and Sillers
PROPOSED WESTERN CANADA CHAMPIONSHIP
Originally slated to be a four team competition, the first-ever Western Canada senior baseball championship experienced difficulties, primarily financial, from the outset. The idea was to have the Manitoba and Saskatchewan representatives meet in one semi-final while the Alberta and British Columbia champions were to do the same, with the two winners then meeting on the west coast to declare a western Canada champion. Without ever throwing a pitch or batting a ball, the Saskatchewan champions out of Regina were awarded their series as the Manitobans defaulted for whatever reason. The brackets then had to be re-arranged and the Nationals, now tabbed as the Manitoba/Saskatchewan champions were matched against the Alberta champions from Nacmine, a community on the perimeter of Drumheller. The entire best of five series was scheduled to be played in Alberta with the first three tilts at Calgary Stadium. The winner of the series was to then travel to Vancouver to meet the British Columbia winner for the western Canada crown.WESTERN CANADA SENIOR BASEBALL SEMI - FINAL SERIES
Nacmine Athletics player roster for the western Canada senior baseball semi-final series
Andrews, Blake Russell OF, Bogstie Cliff "Lefty" P, Brown Denny OF, Clappison Jack 3B, Hackler John OF, McCoy Art OF, McLaughlin Joe C, Neis Virgil P, Nelson Paul P, Nichols George(Red) C, Parker Bob 1B, Shandro 3B, Swallow John SS, Thompson Johnny 2B
Regina Nationals player roster for the western Canada senior baseball semi-final series
Armstrong Murray SS, Bird Webb 1B, Brossard R. "Babe" 2B, Campbell Jack "Jersey" OF, Forster Brian "Pansy" 3B, Haberman Joe OF, Knipfel Earl C, Rodgers Bill P, Stoyand Johnny OF, Swainson "Swainey" P
GAME REPORTS
(September 14) Although collecting only three hits off the offerings of the Nacmine Athletics' pitching ace, Virg Neis, the Regina Nationals defeated the Alberta title holders 5 to 2 at the Calgary Stadium diamond in the first game of the best of five semi-final of the western Canada senior amateur baseball championship. Neis contributed to his own downfall in the opening inning when he hit two Regina batsmen after two were out. Two runs then crossed the plate following an outfield error. The Nats then added another pair in the second frame when outfielder Johnny Stoyand smacked one of Neis' benders for a 2-run homer. Winning hurler "Swainey" Swainson was nicked for six hits and, although five of them came in two frames, the classy fielding of the Saskatchewanites kept the score down to one run in each case. Nacmine's shortstop John Swallow was the only player to register two hits, his contribution being a run-producing triple and a single.
Neis (L) and McLaughlin
Swainson (W) and Knipfel
(September 15) With a 7 to 5 second game victory over the Alberta champion Nacmine Athletics, the Regina Nationals have edged mighty close to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as they are now only one victory away from capturing the senior baseball championship of the prairies. Cliff "Lefty" Bogstie hurled for the Albertans and, while he struck out ten batters and allowed only six hits, his inability to locate the plate got him into continual trouble. Winning chucker Bill Rodgers of the Nats pitched steady ball all the way and, with the exception of the sixth frame when the Athletics counted four runs on as many hits, he kept the Nacmine hitters off balance with his slow curves. The Reginans struck for three runs in their first turn at the plate and they stayed in front for the entire game. Both leadoff hitters, Johnny Stoyand of the Nationals and outfielder Art McCoy of the Athletics, led their respective teams at the dish with a double and single apiece. Two other swingers, losing pitcher Bogstie and "Babe" Brossard of the Nats, came through with two singles each.
Rodgers (W) and Knipfel
Bogstie (L) and Nichol, McLaughlin
(September 16) It took just three games for the Regina Nationals to assert their right to the senior amateur baseball championship of the prairies. The Nacmine Athletics, Alberta champions, made a valiant effort in game three at Calgary Stadium but, as usual, the Reginans came through in the pinches and marked up a 7 to 3 victory. Regina's "Swainey" Swainson went all the way on the hill to get the pitching win, his second of the series. Athletics' outfielder John Hackler lit him up for a two-run dinger in the top of the seventh which gave the Albertans a short-lived 3 to 2 lead. Once again, the Nationals were outhit, getting only four safeties, but they bunched three of them in the seventh frame, pulled off some smart baserunning, took advantage of a base on balls and an error, and sent five runners across the plate to sew up the victory and claim the prairie crown. Third sacker Shandro of the A's was able to take some consolation in that he was the game's top swinger with a triple and double to his credit. An analysis of the sweep indicates that the Nationals knew how to take advantage of every break that came their way. They became dangerous every time they got on base and it was largely their superior knowledge of the game that brought them victory in three straight games.
Nelson (L), Bogstie (7) and McLaughlin
Swainson (W) and Knipfel
(September 19) The much hyped western Canada senior baseball final series between the prairie representatives from Regina and the B.C. champions from Vancouver failed to materialize, according to today's Regina Leader-Post. Owing to the heavy expenses involved in making a trip to Vancouver and the failure of the west coast delegation to commit to a financial guarantee, the Regina team could not take the risk of not being compensated so are currently in transit back to the Queen city from Alberta.
EPILOGUE TO 1932 SEASON
In spite of the anticipated series with Vancouver for the western Canada crown falling through, the Regina Nationals can lay claim to being 1932 champions of the Prairie Provinces, a great feat in itself and one in which they ran off an impressive string of twelve consecutive playoff victories, three each from the Moose Jaw All-Stars, the Estevan Maple Leafs, the Saskatoon Northern Distributors and the Nacmine Athletics.