1937 Game Reports / BC Interior     

1937 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley   
1937 BC Interior   
1937 Vancouver Island  

OKANOGAN VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE

Penticton, the lone entry from British Columbia in the otherwise all-Washington State 1937 Okanogan Valley Baseball League, played in the northern division of the circuit along with teams representing Oroville, Okanogan and the ultimate division champion from Omak, WA. There were no inter-division games during the regular schedule. Opposing the northern division winner, Omak, in the overall league finals was the Brewster WA club which had earned the southern division laurels.

Teams in the 1937 Okanogan Valley WA Baseball League

Northern Division
Okanogan WA
Omak WA
Oroville WA
Penticton

Southern Division
Brewster WA
Bridgeport WA
xxx
xxx


(April 25)  Penticton started the 1937 campaign with a well-deserved 3 to 1 conquest of the Oroville WA nine at the Recreation Grounds. Norman “Porky” Parkins grabbed the hillock triumph, tossing a five-hitter while ringing up 10 strikeouts. The victors gathered six safeties off the slants of losing twirler Warden who registered 8 whiffs. Bill Benway and Chuck Blacklock were the top willow wielders for Penticton, both picking up a brace of base knocks. Warden helped his mound effort by banging a pair of safeties for the Washingtonians.

Warden (L) and LeMay
Parkins (W) and Kincaid

(May 2)  A three-run third inning propelled visiting Penticton to a 6 to 4 triumph over Oroville. The Americans had a slight 7 to 6 edge in base hits acquired but Penticton’s solid defense, which was flawless, made the difference. Fly chaser Alymer Cousins of the Canucks was the sole swatter in the contest to gather a pair of bingles. “Porky” Parkins fanned 7 in taking the knoll decision.

Parkins (W) and Kincaid
Warden (L), Sanders (7) and LeMay

(May 9)  A “quagmire of mud” Okanogan Valley Baseball League game was stopped in the Washington town of Okanogan at the end of four innings when wet weather rendered completion of the contest impossible. The Americans had a 3 to 2 lead when the game was halted. The teams will play a pair of seven-inning matches next week to make up for the washed-out affair.

Northern Division standings   W     L      Pct.
Penticton                     2     0    1.000
Okanogan                      1     1     .500
Omak                          1     2     .333
Oroville                      1     2     .333

(May 16)  Penticton divided honors with Okanogan in a Northern Division doubleheader played on the home turf of the Washington club. The Canadians won the first game handily, defeating Okanogan 6 to 1, but bowed to the Americans 7 to 5 in the late contest. Penticton hammered 14 base blows off losing chucker Dyer Hampson in the opener. “Porky” Parkins picked up his third win in as many mound starts by tossing a six-hitter. Welland Moore and playing-manager Graham Kincaid of the winners both cracked a double and single while hot corner custodian Easley stroked a brace of one-baggers for the vanquished nine.

Parkins (W) and Kincaid
Hampson (L) and Kelner/Kilner

The hosts had a decisive 13 to 7 margin in base knocks in the late affair and led all the way. Initial sacker Wagner and outer pasture guardian Phillips had three safeties apiece, including a double, for the Washingtonians while Bob Phinney ripped a two-bagger and a single for the visitors.

Hammond (L), Parkins (5) and Watkins, Kincaid
D. Michel (W) and Potvin 

(May 23)  Invading Omak thoroughly trimmed the Penticton squad 10 to 4 in a game in which the hosts fell apart defensively and committed ten errors. The Omak baseballers played fast, clean-cut ball, taking full advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Penticton nine while giving away few in return. Piling on three runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth stanza, the Washingtonians had control of the game throughout. Winning pitcher “Buckshot” Johnson was nicked for 8 safeties while ringing up an equal number of strikeouts. Norman “Porky” Parkins was driven to the showers in the sixth panel, suffering his initial mound setback of the campaign. Leading the Omak offensive attack was shortstop Peterson who stung the pill for a trio of safe blows. Penticton’s Alymer Cousins was equally potent with the stick, slapping out three bingles, as well as pilfering three bases.

Johnson (W) and Nelson
Parkins (L), Moebes (6) and Kincaid

(May 30)  A four-run output in the top of the ninth round proved to be too little, too late as the Penticton diamond pastimers fell once again to the surging Omak, WA contingent to the tune of 11 to 8. It was a hard-hitting affair with 30 base blows being struck, 16 by the homestanding Americans. Every player in the Omak lineup, with the exception of winning flinger Lamb, had at least one base hit. First baseman “Louie” Smitkin led in the power department by smashing a pair of home runs. Keystone sacker Reese followed with a triple, double and single while “Buckshot” Johnson contributed a triple plus a brace of one-baggers. For the Pentictonites, Chuck Blacklock and Clair Baker both came through with a triad of safeties with one of Blacklock’s swats being a three-bagger.

Moebes (L), Hammond (5) and Watkins
Lamb (W), Johnson (9) and Nelson

Northern Division standings   W     L      Pct.
Omak                          4     2     .667
Penticton                     3     3     .500
Okanogan                      3     3     .500
Oroville                      2     4     .333

(June 6)  Penticton senior baseballers dropped their fourth straight Okanogan Valley League contest, a 6 to 5 verdict to red-hot Omak, WA. The triumph for Omak was their third in succession over Penticton. Another late rally by the British Columbia nine fell short. Southpaw Lamb, with relief help from “Buckshot” Johnson, earned the hillock triumph over “Porky” Parkins. Huber and Griffiths both singled twice for the victors while playing-manager Graham Kincaid swatted a triple and one-bagger for Penticton.

Lamb (W), Johnson (8) and Nelson
Parkins (L), Wilson (6) and Kincaid

(June 6)  Okanogan edged Oroville 3 to 2.

(June 13)  With hurler Andy Wilson showing the way, the Penticton diamond pastimers broke out of their four-game slump by taking the Oroville nine into camp 5 to 4. Other than the fifth frame when the visiting Washingtonians plated all four of their counters on a double, three singles, a walk, a hit batter, a fielder’s choice, an error and a passed ball, Wilson had firm control over the invaders, finishing with a six-hitter and 13 strikeouts. However, they did not put the game on ice until their final turn at bat when Alymer Cousin’s clean single drove in Chuck Blacklock with the winning tally. Losing tosser Warden whiffed 11 and was nicked for 9 Penticton safeties as Blacklock led the way for the victorious nine with a home run and single. Bill Benway, Cousins and skipper Graham Kincaid all came through with a brace of safe swats with doubles included in Benway’s and Cousins’ totals. For Oroville, shortstop Perry Bunch drilled a pair of singles.

Warden (L) and Ramsay
Wilson (W) and Earl

(June 20)  Blowing a 7 to 2 lead but then rebounding with a pair of markers in the bottom of the eighth frame, the Penticton seniors held on to capture a 9 to 7 verdict from the visiting Okanogan nine. Wobbly defensive support made things uneasy for winning pitcher Norman “Porky” Parkins who ultimately prevailed  with a seven-hitter in spite of the eight miscues his mates committed. He coolly got out of a ninth-inning  jam with the bases loaded and none retired by inducing a comebacker into a double play and then ended things by serving up a ground out. Fly chaser Marshall laced a triple and single for the Canucks while teammate Wes Watkins connected for a double and one-bagger.

Hampson (L) and Kelner
Parkins (W) and Watkins, Kincaid

(June 20)  Oroville defeated Omak 1 to 0.

Northern Division standings   W     L      Pct.
Omak                          6     3     .667
Penticton                     5     4     .555
Okanogan                      4     5     .444
Oroville                      3     6     .333

(June 27)  Although both teams plated just three earned runs, Okanogan WA crushed Penticton 15 to 5 in a game in which the Canadian contingent made things easy for their Washington hosts by committing a dozen errors. The Okanogan nine clipped the horsehide for 16 base knocks while the visiting British Columbians netted 11 safeties. Winning flinger Dyer Hampson of the Okanogan squad rang up a dozen strikeouts. His batterymate, catcher Kilner, supplied most of the offensive punch by belting a homer, triple and double. Fly chasers Lewis and Phillips also stroked three hits for the winners with a two-bagger included in Lewis’ sum of swats. Alymer Cousins and Bob Phinney paced the vanquished nine at the platter with a trio of safe swats each with one of Cousins’ blows going for a double.

Parkins (L) and Kincaid
Hampson (W) and Kelner/Kilner

(June 27)  Oroville trimmed division-leading Omak 8 to 1.

(July 1)  Penticton’s senior baseball team captured top prize in the three-team Dominion Day tournament held on the home diamond of the Dual Lake pastimers. The hosts disposed of the Cousins Family nine (Verne, Harold, Dan, Eddy, Alymer, Irvine, Francis, Gordon and Warren) from Peachland 5 to 2 in the opening skirmish and then decimated the Vernon squad of the Interior League 17 to 0 in the finale.

(July 4)  Penticton’s senior nine won a clean-cut 6 to 1 decision from Oroville WA on the latter’s diamond in Okanogan Valley League action. Andy Wilson, despite a sore arm, went the route on the hillock for the Lakers to earn the victory with a five-hitter. Bill Benway was the top dog with the lumber for the winners, creaming the orb for three safeties.

Wilson (W) and Watkins
Warden (L) and Ramsay, LeMay (7)

(July 11)  Omak rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to edge visiting Penticton 9 to 8, a victory which clinched the Northern Division pennant for the Washingtonians. It was the fourth time in four meetings that Omak had triumphed over the Canadians this season. In this free-hitting showdown, winning tosser “Buckshot” Johnson gave up 13 safeties while the Americans lit up losing flinger Andy Wilson for 11 base knocks. Shortstop Griffiths picked up a triad of safeties for the winners to lead swatters from both clubs.

Wilson (L) and Watkins
Johnson (W) and Nelson

POST-SEASON EXHIBITION GAMES

(July 25)  Back-to-back homers by Chuck Blacklock and Bill Benway in the sixth canto sparked the Penticton seniors to a 12 to 10 exhibition encounter victory over the Brewster WA nine, southern division champions.  

Federmyer (L), Driesser (7) and Cleveland
Gould, Parkins (W) (3) and Watkins

(August 22)  Penticton edged the Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners, playoff champions of the Southern Okanagan Baseball League, 11 to 10 in a ten-inning exhibition encounter in Penticton. The hosting nine blew a 9 to 3 lead and fell behind 10 to 9 before knotting the count 10 – 10 in the bottom of the ninth stanza. Chuck Blacklock touched home with the winning counter in the overtime session after Beaverdell catcher Earl Christie tossed the horsehide over Ted Staples’ head at the hot corner in an attempt to pickoff Blacklock, Christie’s four-hit performance going for naught as a result of his errant throw. Winning flinger “Porky” Parkins had a “somewhat flukey” grand-slam home run in support of his mound effort while Dick Murray blasted a three-run shot for the Miners.

H. Cousins (L) and Christie
Parkins (W) and Watkins

(August 29)  Scoring the lead and insurance counters in the eighth stanza, Penticton broke a 4 – 4 tie and went on to defeat invading Princeton 6 to 4 in an exhibition clash. Outfielder Marshall and keystone sacker Chuck Blacklock both belted round-trippers for the winning nine while playing-manager Graham Kincaid contributed three safeties. Shortstop Volack led the Mining Towners at the dish, spanking the horsehide for a double and one-bagger.

D. Currie (L) and Stocker
Parkins, Moebes (W) (7) and Watkins, Kincaid (7)

(September 6)  The United Distillers Limited diamondeers out of the Vancouver Senior City Baseball League won the baseball tournament that featured Penticton’s annual Labor Day sports agenda. U.D.L. was hard pressed in defeating the Penticton senior baseballers 5 to 3 in the tournament final in the Fruit Growing community. Southpaw Reg Jowett of the Coast squad earned the mound win over Penticton’s Les Gould. Jowett whiffed 12 while Gould fanned 10. Jowett had a no-hitter through six innings. The U.D.L. aggregation had a narrow 9 to 8 advantage in base hits. Rival outfielders Jackie Sherman of the Distillers and Alymer Cousins of Penticton each picked up a triple and single.

Jowett (W) and Henry
Gould (L) and Watkins 

OVERALL OKANOGAN VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP 
Omak WA (northern division) vs Brewster WA (southern division) 
Best-of-three series

(August 29)  The third and deciding game between Brewster and Omak went down to the wire and saw Omak emerge with a narrow 2 to 1 triumph and the 1937 championship. Winning flinger “Buckshot” Johnson limited Brewster to just three hits. His batterymate, catcher Nelson, had two of Omak’s four safeties, a double and a triple.

Johnson (W) and Nelson
xxx (L) and Cleveland


SOUTHERN OKANAGAN VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE

A new entry from Beaverdell highlighted the opening of the 1937 season. The Oliver club from a season previous had earlier made it clear that they would not participate while another of the 1936 franchises, the Penticton team, found it impossible to organize in time for the anticipated league opening and thereby dropped out, leaving the circuit with five squads to battle for supremacy. The winless Summerland squad was composed entirely of junior-aged players for the last part of the campaign after the senior members of the team abandoned the club in frustration midway through the season.

Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners
Kelowna
Peachland
Rutland
Summerland

Known 1937 League Game Results 

(May 16)  Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners defeated Peachland (final score not known)

(May 23)  Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  6    Kelowna 2

D. Murray, H. Cousins (W) (5) and V. Cousins
Wynne (L) and V. Leier 

Day (Beaverdell) – two-run home run
Rudy Kitsch (Kelowna) – 4 hits

(May 24)  Kelowna  13    Rutland  2

Newby (W), McDonald (9) and V. Leier
H. Wostradowski (L), Bach (6) and J. Holitzki
                
Johnny McDonald and Rudy Kitsch (both of Kelowna) – 3 hits each

(May 30)  Peachland  11    Rutland  9

G. Ekins (W) and Selman
F. Wostradowski, H. Wostradowski (L) (8) and J. Holitzki

“Lark” Alexander (Rutland) – home run
George Ekins (Peachland) – 13 strikeouts
Adolph Holitzki (Rutland), Ted Clements (Peachland), Don Miller (Peachland) – 3 hits each

(May 30)  Summerland lost to Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners (final score not known)

(June 6)  Kelowna  15    Peachland  9

McDonald (W) and V. Leier
G. Ekins (L), Clements and N. Ekins, Selman
         
Ted Clements (Peachland) – a double and 3 singles
Guidi (Kelowna) – 4 hits
Kielbiski (Kelowna) – 3 hits

(June 6)  Rutland  21    Summerland  8

Bach (W), H. Wostradowski (4) and J. Holitzki
Thompson (L) and Kennedy

(June 13)  Rutland  4    Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  1

Murray (L), H. Cousins (2) and Christie, V. Cousins (2)
H. Wostradowski (W) and J. Holitzki

Harold Cousins (Beaverdell) – 15 strikeouts
Henry Wostradowski (Rutland) – 11 strikeouts, yielded just 2 hits

(June 13)  Kelowna defeated Summerland (final score not known)

         Standings                   W     L      Pct.
         Highland Bell Miners        3     1     .750
         Kelowna                     3     1     .750
         Rutland                     2     2     .500
         Peachland                   1     2     .333
         Summerland                  0     3     .000

(June 20)  Rutland  6    Peachland  12

F. Wostradowski (L), Bach and J. Holitzki
G. Ekins (W) and Selman

Archie Miller (Peachland) – 3-run home run plus a single
Ted Clements (Peachland) – a double and two singles

(June 20)  Kelowna  9    Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  5

Newby (W) and V. Leier
H. Cousins (L) and V. Cousins

Harold Cousins (Beaverdell) – 15 strikeouts
Martin Leier, Rudy Kitsch, “Doc” Newby (all of Kelowna) & Verne Cousins (Beaverdell) – 3 hits each

(June 27)  Peachland  7    Kelowna  11

Clements (L) and xxx
Newby (W) and xxx
   
Val Leier (Kelowna) – 4 hits

(July 4)  Summerland  0    Rutland  24

E. Evans (L), Scriver and W. Evans
Martin (W), J. Holitzki (7) and J. Holitzki, Biechel (7)

(July 4)  Peachland  24    Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  10

G. Ekins (W), Clements (6) and Selman
Murray (L), H. Cousins (6) and V. Cousins

Earl Christie (Beaverdell) – solo home run
Don Miller (Peachland) – 4 hits including 3 doubles
Verne Cousins (Beaverdell) – 4 base hits
Ted Clements (Peachland) – 3 doubles

(July 11)  Rutland  1    Kelowna  4

F. Wostradowski (L), H. Wostradowski (7) and J. Holitzki
Newby (W) and V. Leier

Johnny Holitzki (Rutland) – a triple and 3 singles
Val Leier (Kelowna) – 4 singles

(July 11)  Summerland  4  Peachland  12

W. Evans (L) and Clarke
G. Ekins (W) and D. Miller

Williamson (Peachland) – 5 singles
McCutcheon (Summerland) and Ted Clements (Peachland) – a double and 2 singles apiece

         Standings                 W     L      Pct.
         Kelowna                   6     1      .857
         Peachland                 4     3      .571
         Beaverdell                3     3      .500
         Rutland                   3     4      .429
         Summerland                0     5      .000

(July 18)  Rutland  1    Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  3

H. Wostradowski (L) and J. Holitzki
H. Cousins (W) and V. Cousins

Harold Cousins (Beaverdell) – 12 strikeouts
Henry Wostradowski (Rutland) – 3 base hits

(July 18)  Kelowna  9     Summerland  1

McDonald (W), Schlosser (9) and xxx
xxx (L), Gould and xxx

         Final Standings           W     L      Pct.
         Kelowna                   7     1      .875
         Peachland                 4     3      .571
         Beaverdell                4     3      .571
         Rutland                   3     5      .375
         Summerland                0     6      .000

PLAYOFFS

SUDDEN-DEATH SEMI-FINAL  (Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners vs Peachland)

(July 25)  Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  11    Peachland  6  (10 innings)

T. Murray, D. Murray (W) and xxx
G. Ekins (L) and xxx

FINALS  Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners vs Kelowna  (best-of-three series)

(August 8)  Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  15    Kelowna  2

H. Cousins (W) and V. Cousins
Newby (L), Wynne (8) and V. Leier

Harold Cousins (Beaverdell) – 14 strikeouts
Verne Cousins (Beaverdell) – 5 base hits
Earl Christie, Harold Cousins and Dick Murray (all of Beaverdell) – 3 hits each

(August 15)  Beaverdell Highland Bell Miners  7    Kelowna  3

Wynne (L) and V. Leier
H. Cousins (W) and Christie
    
Harold Cousins (Beaverdell) – 17 strikeouts
Dick Murray (Beaverdell) – 3 base hits
Johnny McDonald (Kelowna) – solo home run


CENTRAL OKANAGAN BASEBALL LEAGUE

Kelowna Red Sox
Kelowna Tigers
Rutland Adanacs
Rutland Maroons
Oyama
Winfield

Known 1937 League Game Results

(May 17)  Kelowna Tigers  0    Rutland Adanacs  6
                 Rutland Maroons  2    Oyama  8
                 Kelowna Red Sox defeated Winfield (final score not known)

(May 21)  Kelowna Red Sox  4    Rutland Adanacs  4
                 Rutland Maroons  3    Kelowna Tigers  13
                 Oyama defeated Winfield (final score not known)

(May 28)  Rutland Adanacs  3    Rutland Maroons  4
                Kelowna Tigers 13    Winfield  0
                Kelowna Red Sox  7    Oyama  4

(May 31)  Rutland Maroons  2    Kelowna Red Sox  6
                 Winfield  2    Rutland Adanacs  13
                 Kelowna Tigers 4    Oyama  11

(June 4)   Rutland Adanacs 5    Oyama  0
                Winfield  7    Rutland Maroons  13
                Kelowna Tigers  4    Kelowna Red Sox  13

(June 7)  Oyama  6    Rutland Maroons 5
                Rutland Adanacs  5    Kelowna Tigers  1
                Kelowna Red Sox  10    Winfield  0

Standings                 W     L      Pct.
Kelowna Red Sox           5     0    1.000
Rutland Adanacs           4     1     .800
Oyama                     4     2     .667
Kelowna Tigers            2     4     .333
Rutland Maroons           2     4     .333
Winfield                  0     6     .000

(June 11)  Rutland Maroons  9    Winfield  6
                 Oyama  0    Rutland Adanacs  5
                 Kelowna Red Sox  3    Kelowna Tigers  5

(June 14)  Kelowna Tigers  11    Winfield  6
                 Rutland Adanacs  6    Rutland Maroons  2
                 Oyama  1    Kelowna Red Sox  7 

(June 18)  Kelowna Red Sox  3    Rutland Maroons  5

(June 21)  Kelowna Tigers  13    Rutland Maroons  2
                 Rutland Adanacs  1    Kelowna Red Sox  3
                 Oyama defeated Winfield (final score not known)

(June 25)  Oyama  7    Kelowna Tigers  5
                 Rutland Adanacs  15    Winfield  2

(June 28)  Kelowna Red Sox  4   Rutland Adanacs  2

Final Standings            W     L      Pct.
Kelowna Red Sox            8     2     .800
Rutland Adanacs            7     3     .700
Oyama                      6     4     .600
Kelowna Tigers             5     5     .500
Rutland Maroons            4     6     .400
Winfield                   0    10     .000


PLAYOFFS

SUDDEN-DEATH SEMI-FINAL  (third-place vs second-place)

(July 2)  Rutland Adanacs 4     Oyama  3
              (protest by Oyama upheld forcing a replay)

(July 9)  Rutland Adanacs  10    Oyama  6
              WP – H. Wostradowski     LP – Wynne

FINALS  (best of three series)  Rutland Adanacs vs Kelowna Red Sox

(July 12)  Kelowna Red Sox  5     Rutland Adanacs  4
                WP – Boklage     LP – H. Wostradowski         
                HR – Frank Wostradowski (Rutland)

(July 16)  Rutland Adanacs  13    Kelowna Red Sox  4
                WP – F. Wostradowski     LP – Boklage

(July 19)  Kelowna Red Sox  4    Rutland Adanacs  1
                WP – Boklage     LP – F. Wostradowski         
                HR – Frank Wostradowski (Rutland)
                Kielbiski (Kelowna) – double and single


WEST KOOTENAY BASEBALL OVERVIEW

After a two season absence from intercity competition, a senior team from Nelson was formed and re-joined the fray, entering the newly-formed five-team Kootenay International Baseball League along with entries from Metaline Falls WA, Trail, Salmo, Fruitvale and Rossland.

The other major West Kootenay centre, Trail, had two strong clubs in operation during the 1937 campaign, maintaining its second-year franchise within the semi-pro Eastern Washington Baseball League along with the new nine playing in the Kootenay International circuit. The semi-pro team played only a limited number of games during the initial portion of the EWBL schedule and, although the results of their games counted in the league standings, they were deemed ineligible for the first-half championship. 

Neither of the aforementioned circuits was able to complete the entire season and both disintegrated around mid-August. The KIBL ceased operations because of internal bickering, cancellations, forfeitures and misunderstandings amongst several of the entrants while the EWBL folded as a unit when every club could no longer bear the expenses incurred by overnight road trips and the resulting red ink financial burden. 

Teams in the 1937 Kootenay International Baseball League
Fruitvale
Metaline Falls, WA
Nelson
Rossland
Salmo
Trail Canada Billiards (also played under the name of Tadanac Indians to begin the season)

Teams in the 1937 Eastern Washington Baseball League
Coeur d’Alene ID
Eastern Washington (Medical Lake) State Hospital WA
Kellogg WA
Ritzville WA
Spokane WA Silver Loaf
Spokane WA Sons of Italy
Trail Seniors


KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

The 1937 six-team Kootenay International Baseball League, consisting of five British Columbia teams and a lone club from the state of Washington, started off strong but fizzled out in the latter part of the summer, leaving only the Nelson and Trail Billiards squads as surviving members.

PRE-SEASON EXHIBITION GAME

(May 24)  An Empire Day exhibition senior baseball tilt at Ymir saw the invading Salmo squad turn the tables on their Central Kootenay hosts 11 to 5. The game was replete with plenty of offense as 17 year-old Ray Humble grabbed the mound decision from R. Gille.

Humble (W) and Moore
Gille (L) and Fisher

REGULAR SEASON GAMES

(June 6)  With a number of their playing personnel delayed in transit and ultimately prevented from arriving, the shorthanded Rossland squad utilized the services of some of Nelson’s bench players but still fell to the hosting Lakesiders 5 to 0 as the 1937 edition of the Kootenay International Baseball League got underway. Southpaw Steve Smith held the invading Golden City nine to seven base knocks and fanned 11 batters in copping the mound triumph for the Nelsonites. Rossland’s Jack Burner, a newcomer to the Kootenays from Prince Albert SK, whiffed 5 while being nicked for 14 Nelson safeties. Top swatters in the contest were outfielder “Lefty” Schumacher / Schumaker of Nelson and “Pills” Purcello of the Mining Towners who both stung the horsehide for three safeties.

Burner (L) and Couture
Smith (W) and Richardson

(June 6)  Metaline Falls WA opened the campaign with a tightly fought 6 to 5 victory over the Tadanac Indians.

(June 6)  Salmo eked out a 3 to 2 win over Fruitvale in the debut performance for both KIBL entries.

(June 13)  It took four extra innings of play before playing-manager W. “Scotty” Ross of the Tadanac Indians singled over second base to drive in Joe Benoit with the winning tally as the Tribe prevailed 5 to 4 over the visiting Nelson nine. The Lakeside invaders had led throughout the Kootenay International League contest until the seventh canto when the hosts managed to knot the count at 4 – 4 following a double by shortstop Fritz Holman, a single off the bat of initial sacker Jack Johnson and a Nelson error. The two squads were evenly matched and both gave a sparkling display of diamond showmanship. Louie “Rube” DeMore earned the mound triumph for the Trail-based Tadanac contingent with a sparkling relief effort, entering the fracas in the second canto after starting heaver Walter Holman had been derricked to the showers following a three-run Nelson outburst.

Smith, McInnis (L) (8) and Richardson
W. Holman, DeMore (W) (2) and Fisher

(June 13)  Playing on a rough, poorly-groomed diamond in Rossland, the homesters and visiting Salmo combined for 11 errors in a game in which the Golden City nine prevailed 5 to 3. The Mining Towners plated all five of their counters in the third panel when a brace of Salmo fielding miscues plus timely extra-base blows off the bats off second baseman Gidinski and outfielder Singer swung the pendulum in their favour. Peppery Salmo shortstop Elmer Gibbon cranked a four-bagger and single for the vanquished nine.

Humble (L) and Genest
Burner (W) and Couture

Standings          W     L      Pct.
Metaline Falls     2     0    1.000
Nelson             1     1     .500
Tadanac Indians    1     1     .500
Rossland           1     1     .500
Salmo              1     1     .500
Fruitvale          0     2     .000

(June 20)  The Metaline Falls WA entry captured its third consecutive Kootenay International League victory by taking the hosting Nelson nine into camp 3 to 1. Although Nelson had a slight 7 to 6 edge in base raps, the Lakesiders left 13 stranded runners on base and committed five errors which contributed to a brace of unearned runs for the Washingtonians. Nelson’s “Lefty” Mydansky pitched a creditable game in his KIBL mound debut, fanning 8 while walking only one batter.He also had two safe swats off the slants of winning flinger Charlton as did teammate “Lefty” Schumacher / Schumaker, a feat replicated by first baseman Kenney and outfielder Currie of Metaline Falls.

Charlton (W) and Moberly
Mydansky (L) and Richardson

(June 27)  Shoving the tying and winning runs across the plate in the last half of the ninth inning with two outs, the Metaline Falls WA baseballers edged the visiting Nelson senior aggregation 7 to 6. An errant throw to the plate with the bases loaded by Nelson first sacker Al Euerby to losing pitcher Steve Smith, who was covering the dish, allowed the hosting Americans to erase a one-run deficit and forge ahead for the walkoff victory. The Pend Oreille County nine out hit the Lakesiders 8 to 4. Catcher Moberly of the Washingtonians was the leading batter in the contest, belting the apple for a brace of two-baggers.

Mydansky, Smith (L) (5) and Richardson
Charlton (W) and Moberly

(June 27)  Scoring all five of their markers in the bottom of the opening stanza, Salmo knocked off the invading Tadanac Indians of Trail by a 5 to 2 count. George Niblow went the distance on the hill for the Miners who drove loser Walt Holman for an early shower with their first-canto bombardment.

W. Holman (L), Ross (1) and Fisher
Niblow (W) and Hale

(June 27)  Sensational chucking by “Pills” Purcello, home-grown diamond star, sparked hosting Rossland to its second straight win in the Kootenay International Baseball League, a 7 to 4 verdict over Fruitvale. While his mates were giving losing twirler Carl Loblick a rough ride with seven bunt hits and five runs during the first and second innings, Purcello was busy mowing down the first six Fruitvale batters to face him by the strikeout route. Over the course of the game, he rang up 15 punchouts. 

Loblick (L) and G. Grieve
Purcello (W) and Couture

(June 29)  Eddie Waterer’s one-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning drove in Albert Euerby from second base and broke up a free-hitting game which saw the Nelson seniors prevail over the touring African Zulus 8 to 7 in an exhibition encounter. The two combatants combined to clip the horsehide for 29 hits with the tourists claiming 15 of them. Nelson’s Euerby led all swatters with a four-hit performance. Outfielder “Lefty” Schumacher / Schumaker of the Lakesiders had the game’s only four-ply clout, a two-run shot in the fifth chapter.

Poplo, Bolo (L) (5) and Mackee
Mydansky, Smith (W) (7) and Richardson 

(July 1)  The Nelson seniors erupted for a brace of counters in the bottom of the ninth panel to grab a 4 to 3 win over the barnstorming African Zulus, a second consecutive conquest of the Zulus in three days. Out hit throughout the skirmish by a 12 to 8 count, the hosts began their final turn at bat in arrears by a run as Austin Brennan led off with a triple. After one was retired, Ed Waterer’s squeeze bunt allowed Brennan to cross the dish with the equalizer, Waterer being called safe at first on the play. Jim Niven’s single followed a second out and put Waterer into scoring position. Tommy McInnis then laced the pill between second and first which brought home the winner. McInnis, who began the contest on the knoll but was relieved by “Lefty” Mydansky in the third when the visitors held a 3 to 0 lead, returned to the bump in the ninth after Mydansky developed a sore arm and got credit for the hillock triumph.

LuLu (L) and Lankum
McInnis, Mydansky (3), McInnis (W) (9) and Richardson

(July 1)  Salmo moundsman George Niblow and rival chucker R. Gille of the Ymir nine both fanned an amazing 24 batters in a Dominion Day exhibition fracas in Salmo in which the hosts prevailed 9 to 5.

Gille (L) and xxx
Niblow (W) and xxx

(July 4)  The former Tadanac Indians and recently renamed Trail Billiards nine, now under the sponsorship of Canada Billiards, clobbered visiting Rossland 18 to 2 in a Kootenay International League tussle in the Smelter City. Winning flinger “Lefty” Fairbairn, catcher Bill Fisher, playing-manager W. “Scotty” Ross and fly chaser Joe Benoit of the Billiards Bunch all clipped the apple for a triad of base knocks. One of Fairbairn’s blows was a second-inning home run while teammate Benoit also lambasted the pill over the middle-pasture fence for a dinger. Leading the Golden City aggregation at the dish was Bill Burner who got to Fairbairn for four safe swats including a triple and two-bagger. 

Ladd (L), Burner (2), Purcello (7) and Couture
Fairbairn (W) and Fisher

(July 4)  With newly-acquired starboard moundsman Roy Robinson limiting the invaders to 8 scattered safeties while fanning 13 batters, the Nelson senior ball club scored 10 runs in the opening inning and then coasted to an 18 to 3 pasting of the visiting Fruitvale nine. Tommy McInnis and Gordon Stewart of the Lakesiders as well as second sacker Jensen of the vanquished nine all nailed the horsehide for three safe blows.

McColl (L), Loblick (1) and Bailey
Robinson (W) and Richardson 

(July 4)  Unbeaten Metaline Falls stretched out their win streak to five games when they defeated a shorthanded Salmo squad 8 to 2 in a KIBL fixture played in the Washington state town.

Standings            W     L      Pct.
Metaline Falls       5     0    1.000
Trail Billiards      3     2     .600
Rossland             2     2     .500
Salmo                2     2     .500
Nelson               2     3     .400
Fruitvale            0     5     .000

(July 11)  Knocking the cover off the ball for 24 hits and also aided by the 10 errors committed by their hosts, the Nelson senior baseball club handed the Rossland entry a 25 to 5 trouncing in Kootenay International League play in the Golden City. The triumph for the Lakesiders evened their KIBL record at three wins and three losses. Winning chucker Roy Robinson rang up 17 whiffs in going the route for Nelson. Catcher Gordon Richardson nailed the sphere for a pair of home runs to lead the victors in the power department. Nelson’s Steve Smith and Tommy McInnis also blasted round-trippers.

Robinson (W) and Richardson
Burner (L), Ladd (1) Gelling (7) and xxx

(July 11)  Fruitvale  9    Salmo  8    (10 innings)

(July 14)  Playing flawless afield in spite of the wet diamond, the Nelson seniors continued their hot streak by handing the Trail Billiards contingent an 8 to 1 pasting. “Lefty” Mydansky went the distance on the knoll for Nelson and, after being touched for 8 hits in the first three innings, held the Pool Room Pastimers to 2 hits for the balance of the game. Outfielder Austin Brennan picked up four hits for the winners while teammate Gordon Richardson checked in with a triad of safeties. Hurler Joe “Red” Tulloch, recently released by the Trail club in the EWBL, made his first appearance in the KIBL, in a relief pitching role.

Ross (L), Tulloch (6) and xxx
Mydansky (W) and Richardson

(July 18)  Plating the tying and winning counters in the bottom of the eighth frame, the Trail Billiards squad edged the Nelson seniors 6 to 5 in an exhibition encounter at Butler Park. Tommy Harrison of Trail and Art Ross of Nelson each walloped the apple for a homer.

Smith (L), Robinson and Richardson
Fairbairn (W) and Petrunia

(July 18)  The Rossland baseball nine took the Fruitvale balltossers into camp, pounding their hosts 12 to 8. “Pills” Purcello went the route on the knoll for the winning invaders in spite of some shaky defensive work by his Miner teammates, allowing five hits, walking none and shooting down nine via the strikeout route. 

Purcello (W) and xxx
xxx (L), xxx, xxx and xxx

(July 21)  In a game of extremes which featured both brilliant and loosely-played baseball, the visiting Trail Billiards aggregation took a narrow exhibition game verdict 6 to 5 from the Nelson senior nine. Pitcher “Red” Tulloch of the Billiards Brigade allowed 8 hits but allowed just two earned runs, one being a solo homer by Art Ross, in going the route for the knoll triumph. He also aided his cause with a pair of one-baggers. Losing flinger “Lefty” Mydansky also went the distance on the hill and deserved a better fate than the score indicated. Although he was lit up for 11 Trail safeties, his mates played poor defensively, committing seven errors. Ross had a single in addition to his tater while fly chaser “Lefty” Fairbairn, his teammate, stung the sphere for a double and single.

Tulloch (W) and Petrunia
Mydansky (L) and Richardson

(July 25)  Cellar-dwelling Fruitvale produced the upset of the KIBL, turning back the league-leading Metaline Falls WA squad 10 to 6. The defeat for the Washingtonians was their first in league play.

(July 25)  Salmo upset the Nelson senior nine 6 to 5.

(July 28)  With “Cannonball” Berry, their ace chucker, limiting the Nelson nine to just three scattered singles, the touring Van Dyke Colored House of David baseballers whitewashed the hosting Lakesiders 10 to 0 in an exhibition skirmish. Third baseman Coleman of the Tourists ripped a double and two singles off losing moundsman “Lefty” Mydansky.

Berry (W) and Stockard
Mydansky (L) and Richardson, Brennan (6) 

(August 1)  Rossland handed the top-dog Metaline Falls WA nine their second consecutive KIBL defeat, a stinging 14 to 11 setback.

(August 1)  The Trail Billiards diamond pastimers knocked off Fruitvale 12 to 7.

Standings            W     L      Pct.
Metaline Falls       6     2      .750
Trail Billiards      4     3      .571
Rossland             4     3      .571
Nelson               4     4      .500
Salmo                3     4      .429
Fruitvale            2     7      .222

(August 5)  The touring Washington Browns of Yakima, displaying an impressive brand of ball, clowned their way to an official 10 to 2 victory over the Nelson seniors in an exhibition match at the Recreation grounds in the Lakeside City. McIntosh of the barnstormers cranked a seventh-inning bases-empty home run.

Taylor (W) and xxx
Smith (L), Robinson and xxx

(August 6)  Falling apart defensively in the late innings of the game, the homestanding Rossland diamondeers fell to the Trail Billiards nine 10 to 7. The victory for the Smelter Towners moved them into sole possession of second place in the KIBL. Outfielder “Lefty” Fairbairn of the Pool Hall Regiment lit losing chucker “Pills” Purcello up for three hits, one of which was a circuit-clout.

W. Holman, Ross (W) (3) and xxx
Purcello (L) and xxx

(August 8)  The Salmo entry in the KIBL failed to appear for a scheduled game in Trail against the Canada Billiards squad of the Smelter City.

(August 8)  Nelson base runner Gordon Richardson, representing the potential tying run, was caught in the hot box between first and second base with two out in the final canto for the final out of the game as invading Salmo held on for a narrow 6 to 5 victory over the Lake City aggregation. The Salmo nine, which held a significant 12 to 6 advantage in base hits, had a healthy 5 to 0 lead heading into the seventh panel but the Nelsonites began to chip away at the deficit as Salmo chucker Ray Humble showed signs of weakening. The visitors added another tally but were pressed to maintain their one-run lead, finally squashing the ninth-inning comeback attempt. Humble fanned ten Nelsonites in squeaking out the win. Shortstop Rusty Gibbon and outfielder Howard Moore both registered three hits for the victors which included a two-bagger each.

Humble (W) and Hale
McInnis, Robinson (L) (3) and Brennan

(August 15)  A recent flurry of cancelled games involving four of the founding teams has put the future of the Kootenay International Baseball League in doubt. The Rossland club has apparently withdrawn from the loop for failing to pay league fees and the Fruitvale entry also has exited from the circuit. Now, it appears that both the Salmo and Metaline Falls clubs are balking at traveling for road contests other than between themselves. Games involving Metaline Falls at Trail as well as Nelson at Salmo, scheduled for this date, were both called off. The original six-team association is now left with only the Trail Billiards aggregation and the Nelson squad as viable entries. These two teams met in an unscheduled exhibition game on this date to make up for the absence of action involving the other quartet of teams.

(August 15)  An eighth-inning double to the middle pasture by Roy Robinson, his third hit of the game, followed by a long triple to right field by fly chaser “Lefty” Schumacher broke up a duel of southpaws between Nelson moundsman “Lefty” Mydansky and “Lefty” Fairbairn of the Trail Billiards nine. Before the side was retired, the Lake City baseballers had scored four times to take the Trail Billiards diamondeers into camp by a final score of 5 to 2. The match was considered an exhibition affair, played to make up for the cancellation of the regularly-scheduled skirmishes. Shortstop Fritz Holman led the Trailites with the stick, nailing the apple for a three-bagger and a single.

Fairbairn (L) and Fisher
Mydansky (W) and Richardson

(August 29)  The hosting Nelson senior baseball club ended its 1937 season by dropping a loosely-played 9 to 6 exhibition decision to the invading Trail Billiards nine. Following the game, the Lake City club disbanded for the season. Each club managed to manufacture 10 safeties in another knoll joust between rival ace southpaw chuckers, “Lefty” Fairbairn of the Billiards Brigade and Nelson’s “Lefty” Mydansky. Johnny Cameron, second sacker for Trail, and his infield teammate, first baseman Jack Johnson, both ripped the orb for a trio of safe swats as did Nelson’s Tommy McInnis. Two of Cameron’s base knocks were triples while one of Johnson’s safeties was a two-bagger.

Fairbairn (W) and Petrunia
Mydansky (L) and Richardson

(August 29)  With the Nelson senior baseball club disbanded for the season following their exhibition game loss against Trail Billiards, the final batting statistics for the campaign show that Steve Smith, outfielder and southpaw hurler, had the highest batting average on the team. In 19 games, Smith collected 19 hits in 50 official times at bat for a season’s batting average of .380. Austin Brennan placed second with an average of .353, made up of 18 hits in 51 times at the plate. Tommy McInnis led in runs scored with 21 tallies to his credit while Albert Euerby paced the squad in total bases with 36.


EASTERN WASHINGTON BASEBALL LEAGUE

The 1937 Eastern Washington Baseball League had a split schedule. The Trail team joined the loop as a late entry in early June and played only three games during the first-half of the schedule, being declared ineligible for the first-half title which was eventually copped by the Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers.

The Kellogg WA entry played just one game during the second-half of the schedule before withdrawing from the circuit, leaving six remaining entries. The Ritzville club, doormats for almost all of the campaign, also failed to complete league commitments after mid-July, reducing the original seven teams to but five. Owing to financial difficulties from gates falling below expectations throughout the circuit, the Eastern Washington loop officially folded in mid-August. At the time of dissolution, the Eastern Washington State Hospital nine from Medical Lake had a commanding margin in the last-half of the schedule. With time on their hands as a result of this league shakeup, the Trail senior semi-pros embarked upon exhibition games against touring barnstormers for the duration of the season. 

PRE-SEASON EXHIBITION GAMES

(May 16)  The Trail Seniors divided an exhibition doubleheader in Spokane when they edged out the hosting Boosters in the nightcap 3 to 2 after losing a free-scoring opening game by a 10 to 5 count. Heavy hitting featured the opening tilt as artillery from both sides resulted in four homers, two each by Eddie Gosselman of the Boosters as well as a brace off the lumber of Trail’s Casey Jones, a power-slugging first baseman recruited from Vancouver. A five-run second inning, aided by the wild streak of losing flinger Cliff Bogstie, gave the Spokane nine a lead which they never relinquished. Otto Rosand went the distance on the hillock for the Washingtonians in earning the triumph.

Bogstie (L) and xxx
Rosand (W) and xxx

In the late event, “Red” Tulloch, recently acquired right-hander from Edmonton, turned in a masterly knoll display for the Silver City aggregation as he edged out Spokane’s Ed Ferris in a fierce mound duel. A screeching liner to right field for two bases in the sixth panel by initial sacker Casey Jones drove in “Tick” Hall with the winning counter.

Tulloch (W) and xxx
Ferris (L) and xxx

(May 23)  Ideal baseball weather prevailed as the Trail senior baseball nine triumphed 17 to 13 over the visiting Spokane Boosters in a hard-hitting exhibition encounter at Butler Park. The combatants combined for 33 base blows with the victorious hosts laying claim to 18 of them. Outfielder Jimmy Toole of the Smelter City squad, a recruit from Medicine Hat, clipped the apple for two doubles and a pair of one-baggers. Chipping in with a triad of safe swats each were catcher George Petrunia and shortpatcher “Tick” Hall of the Trail nine while Neil McKain, catcher Warick and keystone sacker Briggs did the same for the Americans. Clouting four-baggers in this offensive tussle were winning tosser “Red” Tulloch of the Trailites as well as Briggs and fellow infielder Eddie Gosselman of the Boosters.

Rosand (L), Ferris (7) and Warick
Tulloch (W) and Petrunia 

(May 24)  A five-run rally in the top of the ninth frame, highlighted by first sacker Jack Cedar’s three-run four-bagger, allowed the invading Spokane Nationals to pull into a 10 – 10 tie with the Trail senior semi-pros, sending the Victoria Day exhibition skirmish battle into overtime. Both contingents put up a deuce on the scoreboard in the twelfth, knotting the count at 12 – 12. Then, in the 13th canto, a bases-loaded throwing error by Spokane infielder W. Cedar allowed “Tick” Hall to touch home with the decisive counter in a 13 to 12 Trail victory. The Washingtonians gathered 23 base blows in this fracas to 22 for the hosting Trailites. Hall and third baseman Clint Hodges had five safeties apiece for the victors while teammate Jimmy Toole as well as outfielder Toldie and keystone sacker Mundy of the Nats each clipped the horsehide for a quartet of bingles.

Soope, Noble (L) and Haynes
Bogstie, Tulloch, DeMore (W) and Petrunia

FIRST-HALF OF SCHEDULE

(June 6)  The Trail baseball nine made their Eastern Washington League debut in Ritzville by walloping the homestanding cellar-dwellers 13 to 4. Pacing the 17-hit Trail offensive thrust were “Tick” Hall and Casey Jones with four safeties each. One of Jones’ swats was a ringing 450-foot home run. Jimmy Toole, Clint Hodges and “Slivers” Decembrini all drilled a brace of hits for the Smelter City nine. Cliff Bogstie went the distance on the bump for the winners, allowing seven hits while whiffing eight batters. 

Bogstie (W) and Petrunia
Crider (L) and Danekas 

Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  5    Spokane Sons of Italy  4
Kellogg Miners  10    Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  2
Eastern Washington State Hospital  4    Coeur d’Alene  2

(June 13)  The Trail diamond pastimers, newest member of the Eastern Washington Baseball League, split a doubleheader in Spokane, losing to the Silver Loaf Bakers 8 to 2 in the first game but regrouping for a narrow 2 to 1 triumph over Coeur d’Alene in the second encounter.  The British Columbians held a 2 to 0 lead in the matinee contest for six innings after plating a pair in their initial turn at bat on “Slivers” Decembrini’s two-run single. In the seventh canto, however, a couple of Trail errors set the stage for a three run outburst by the Bakers who then got to a demoralized Cliff Bogstie for five more in the eighth panel. Decembrini had the hot hand with the stick for the Silver City squad, stroking three base knocks in total. 

Bogstie (L) and Petrunia
Carter (W), Snyder and Joy

The second contest was a classic pitcher’s duel between Trail’s “Red” Tulloch and Merle Stoddard of the Idaho aggregation. Coeur d’Alene opened the scoring with a singleton in the top of the third frame when infielders Roche and Vincent cracked back-to-back doubles. The Smoke Stackers roared back with a brace in their half of the chapter when fly chaser Jimmy Toole singled through the pitcher’s box to drive in Tulloch and “Tick” Hall

Stoddard (L) and H. Naslund
Tulloch (W) and Petrunia

Kellogg Miners  1    Eastern Washington State Hospital  0
Spokane Sons of Italy  7    Ritzville  4 

First-half standings           GP      W     L        Pct.
Spokane Silver Loaf            12     10     2       .833
State Hospital                 10      7     3       .700
Kellogg Miners                 10      7     3       .700
Trail                           3      2     1       .667
Coeur d’Alene                   9      4     5       .444
Spokane Sons of Italy          12      3     9       .250
Ritzville                      10      0    10       .000

(June 20)  The Boge Brothers Bakery nine, pace-setters in the Spokane Commercial Baseball League, paid a visit to the Smelter City and limped back to Washington after suffering 11 to 4 and 14 to 3 setbacks at the hands of the hosting Trail senior semi-pros of the EWBL. The hosts pounded out 30 base knocks in the sweep including a pair of circuit-clouts, one in each contest, by fly chaser Jimmy Toole.  Trail took a commanding 9 to 0 lead after two frames in the opener. Former Edmontonian Russ “Rusty” Wynn, making his debut on the hillock for Trail, cruised to the knoll triumph with a six-hitter. Harry Rothery clipped the orb for three safe raps for the winners while Clint Hodges doubled twice. Joe Stout cranked a round-tripper for the Bakers to go along with a one-bagger while outfielder Hastings drilled a pair of doubles.

Ellingson (L), Stout (1) and Hinkle
Wynn (W) and Petrunia

The pitching tandem of winner Cliff Bogstie and reliever “Red” Tulloch stymied the Spokane nine on just three hits, including a brace of safeties by second baseman Hughie Allen, in the late encounter. The Silver City gang racked up an impressive 18 base blows with “Tick” Hall registering four of them which included a double and four-bagger. Jimmy Toole picked up his second homer of the day to go along with a double and one-bagger while Tommy Harrison smacked a double and two singles. Cy/Si Hinkle of the Boge Brothers contingent and Trail’s Harry Rothery both blasted home runs for their respective nines.

Stout (L), Miller (4) and Hinkle
Bogstie (W), Tulloch (6) and Petrunia 

SECOND-HALF OF SCHEDULE

(June 27)  Playing errorless ball behind the sterling mound work of southpaw chucker “Lefty” Bogstie, the Trail senior nine defeated Coeur d’Alene ID 6 to 3 to capture their first tilt of the Eastern Washington League second-half. The Smelter City portsider yielded seven scattered safeties while whiffing ten. Trail collected its six runs in two bunches of three, in the third and sixth innings. Catcher George Petrunia belted a triple and one-bagger while outfielder Harry Rothery and shortstop “Tick” Hall each ripped the sphere for a double and single in sparking Trail’s 11-hit offense. Fly chaser Repp of the Idahoans lit up Bogstie for a solo circuit-clout. 

Stoddard (L) and H. Naslund
Bogstie (W) and Petrunia  

(June 30)  Back-to-back run-scoring singles by Jimmy Toole and Casey Jones in the bottom of the eighth panel broke a 5 – 5 tie and lifted the Trail senior squad of the EWBL to a 7 to 5 verdict over the barnstorming African Zulus in exhibition action at Butler Park. Noteworthy was the fact that losing pitcher, known as Smith as a member of last year’s Detroit Colored Giants squad, big Bolo, who went the route, did so while pitching in his bare feet. Toole lit up the burly Zulu chucker for three safeties, all singles, during the course of the contest while teammate Eddie Crellin slugged a home run.  

Bolo (L) and Mackee
Wynn, Tulloch (W) (8) and Petrunia 

(July 1)  Untimely errors by the Trail senior nine and bunched hits by the Eastern Washington State Hospital contingent allowed the Medical Lake squad to prevail by a 10 to 4 count in EWBL action at Butler Park. The visitors impressed with their snappy play and consistent hustle. Two circuit-clouts were banged out, Casey Jones of Trail and catcher Prudenti of Medical Lake slamming the dingers. Keystone sacker Manny Rey poked out two doubles and two singles for the winners. Teammate Dahlen, the Medical Lake playing-manager, as well as Jones and “Tick” Hall of the vanquished nine all stung the apple for a trio of safe swats.

Harris (W) and Prudenti
Tulloch (L) and Petrunia                                 

(July 4)  Trail split an Eastern Washington loop doubleheader in Spokane with the Sons of Italy nine. The Canucks took the lid-lifter 8 to 1 but dropped a 9 to 6 decision in the nightcap. Russ Wynn struck out six in fashioning the six-hit victory in the early clash. Third sacker Jimmy Toole ripped four bingles for the victors including a two-bagger. First baseman Casey Jones continued his power hitting by blasting a home run. 

Wynn (W) and Decembrini
Warden (L), Miller and Stan

The Canadians went ahead 2 to 0 in the opening frame of the late encounter on Casey Jones’ two-run double. The Italians plated a single marker in the second frame and went ahead in the third following a two-run homer by Frank Burke. Trail regained the lead briefly but the Sons put the game on ice after scoring twice in both the sixth and seventh rounds. First baseman Jones had another two-bagger plus a single to emerge as the game’s top swatter.

Bogstie (L), Tulloch and Petrunia
Medvid (W) and Stan

Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  11    Coeur d’Alene  6

(July 6)  Four members of Trail’s senior ball club in the Eastern Washington Baseball League were released from the squad by manager Hank Lauriente. Getting their “pink slips” were second baseman Tommy Harrison, catcher George Petrunia, outfielder Harry Rothery and pitcher “Red” Tulloch. The reason given by Lauriente for their being dropped from the team was given as “indifference of attitude toward the game and management.” It is rumoured that three of the four exiles (all but Rothery) have been approached to join the Trail Billiards nine of the Kootenay International Baseball League.

(July 11)  The revamped Trail senior diamondeers handed first-half champion Silver Loaf Bakers of Spokane a 9 to 6 setback in an Eastern Washington circuit fixture in the Silver City. Although the visitors out hit the Trailites by a 15 to 10 margin, Silver Loaf runs were limited by the speed of the homesters afield. Trail pulled off two double plays as well as nipping a pair of Spokane runners at the plate. The winners also had a decided edge in the power department as “Tick” Hall, Casey Jones and outfielder Eddie Crellin each belted a home run. Moundsman Russ Wynn did a stellar job in relief work for the victors, bailing winning tosser Cliff Bogstie out of a fifth-inning jam. Top lumberman in the contest was Silver Loaf catcher Joy who banged out three singles. Middle garden custodian Damon followed with a pair of doubles.

Snyder (L) and Joy
Bogstie (W), Wynn (5) and Hodges 

Coeur d’Alene  4    Spokane Sons of Italy 3
Spokane Sons of Italy  1    Coeur d’Alene  0

Second-half standings          W      L       Pct.
State Hospital                 2      0     1.000
Kellogg                        1      0     1.000
Trail                          3      2      .600
Spokane Silver Loaf            1      1      .500
Spokane Sons of Italy          2      4      .333
Coeur d’Alene                  1      3      .250
Ritzville                      0      2      .000

(July 18)  The Trail senior baseball squad lost an 8 to 4 decision to Coeur d’Alene ID in an Eastern Washington League game played in the Idaho city. Trail led 2 to 1 at the end of four innings but the Americans scored four times in the fifth canto to grab a lead which was never relinquished. Trail’s longest clout was a three-bagger by Jimmy Toole, one of three base knocks that he garnered. Couer d’Alene’s Ole Gillette also stung the sphere for a triad of bingles.

Bogstie (L), Wynn and Decembrini
Stoddard (W) and G. Naslund

Ritzville  3   Spokane Sons of Italy  2
Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  10    Eastern Washington State Hospital  9
Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  13    Eastern Washington State Hospital  11

(July 25)  Trail senior baseballers hammered Ritzville WA 12 to 4 in an Eastern Washington loop encounter in the Smelter City. It was a loosely-played game, the final score not entirely reflective of the action on the diamond. The Washingtonians had a 14 to 11 margin in base hits acquired but were ineffective in bunching their blows after the initial stanza when they plated three of their four counters. Ritzville fly chaser Crider and outfielder Bob Marshall of the hosting nine both slammed home runs. Clint Hodges paced Trail hitters with a double and single. Second baseman L. Jones, Crider and fellow fly chaser Fode of the Ritzville nine all nicked the offerings of winning flinger “Rusty” Wynn for three safeties.

Costello (L) and G. Rowe
Wynn (W) and Decembrini 

Eastern Washington State Hospital  2    Coeur d’Alene  1

Second-half standings          W      L       Pct.
Kellogg                        1      0     1.000
Spokane Silver Loaf            3      1      .750
State Hospital                 5      2      .714
Trail                          4      3      .571
Coeur d’Alene                  2      4      .333
Ritzville                      1      3      .250
Spokane Sons of Italy          2      5      .286

(July 29)  Appearing in nifty new uniforms, the Trail senior baseball nine defeated the touring Van Dyke Colored House of David contingent 7 to 2 in an exhibition tilt at Butler Park. Bob Marshall of Trail and losing flinger Griff Lomax of the Davids both creamed the orb for round-trippers, a runner aboard on Marshall’s blast. The trio in the heart of the Trail batting order, Clint Hodges, Casey Jones and Jimmy Toole, each cuffed the cookie for a double and single while first sacker “Lefty” Porter of the tourists whacked a brace of two-baggers.

Lomax (L), Berry (7) and McCray
Bogstie (W) and Decembrini

(August 1)     Spokane Sons of Italy  12    Eastern Washington State Hospital  7
                      Eastern Washington State Hospital  16    Spokane Sons of Italy  2

(August 2)  Scoring twice in the eighth canto and adding on four more in the ninth panel, the visiting Washington Browns from Yakima fought back from a six-run deficit to tie the hosting Trail Seniors 8 – 8 in an exhibition tilt at Butler Park. It took a superb mound performance by reliever Cliff “Lefty” Bogstie of the Trailitites to finally subdue the Browns in the final round after their uphill battle had produced a five-hit barrage which netted them the equalizer. Darkness prevented any overtime play. The Yakama-based Brownies out hit their hosts by a 15 to 9 margin. Infielders Sherman Davis and Trimble both poked a trio of base raps for the Washingtonians while outfielder McIntosh contributed a pair of doubles. Leading willow wielder for the Smokestack nine was backstop C. “Slivers” Decembrini who cuffed the globe for a two-bagger and a brace of singles.

Wynn, Bogstie (9) and Decembrini
Taylor, Woodson (6) and Caston

(August 8)    Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  10    Coeur d’Alene  5
                     Spokane Silver Loaf Bakers  11    Coeur d’Alene  5  
                    
(August 15)  Coeur d’Alene  5    Spokane Sons of Italy  2
                      Eastern Washington State Hospital  10    Spokane Sons of Italy  4
                      Eastern Washington State Hospital  26    Spokane Sons of Italy  10

Second-half standings          W      L       Pct.
Kellogg                        1      0     1.000
State Hospital                 9      3      .750
Spokane Silver Loaf            5      3      .625
Trail                          4      4      .500
Coeur d’Alene                  3      6      .333
Spokane Sons of Italy          3      7      .300
Ritzville                      1      3      .250

(August 18)  The Trail senior nine avenged two previous defeats at the hands of the Eastern Washington State Hospital squad, handing the Medical Lakers a 9 to 3 whipping at Butler Park. Portsider Cliff Bogstie kept the visitors guessing all the way, allowing eight scattered hits, striking out six and walking four. The Trailites walloped two invading chuckers for 11 safeties, well bunched, to push home runs. Diminutive Clint Hodges of the Silver City aggregation blasted the only home run of the game.

xxx (L), xxx and xxx
Bogstie (W) and xxx

(August 29)  The Trail senior baseball nine dished out one of their finest displays within the Eastern Washington League when they creamed the invading Coeur d’Alene ID regiment 9 to 1 at Butler Park. Corrado “Slivers” Decembrini poled a mammoth eighth-inning circuit clout for the Smoke Stackers.

Iverson (L) and xxx
Wynn (W), Bogstie (7) and xxx

(September 9)  The Colored Washington Browns of Yakima walloped the Trail senior aggregation 9 to 2 in exhibition play in the Silver City. Behind the effective eight-hit pitching of winning tosser Bill Yates, the Browns literally sparkled as they darted around the playing field, handling every chance with effortless ease. Solo home runs by “Tick” Hall and Clint Hodges were the only productive base knocks that the Trail aggregation were able to collect off the willowy Yates. Meanwhile, the Brownies ripped into the offerings of losing heaver Russ Wynn for 12 safeties as first sacker McIntosh and fly chaser Willie Davis led the way with three bingles apiece.

Yates (W) and Caston
Wynn (L) and Decembrini

(September 10)  The Washington Browns scored twice in the sixth inning to hold the hosting Trail nine to a 4 – 4 tie in a Butler Park exhibition match that concluded after eighth frames because of darkness. The contest featured a snappy display of southpaw chucking between Cliff Bogstie of the homesters and fellow portsider Earl Woodson of the Browns. Husky Trail first baseman Casey Jones clouted a couple of round-trippers for the hosts, while lanky outfielder Willie “Steel” Davis of the Colored Barnstormers lit up Bogstie for a circuit-jack in the sixth panel.

Woodson and Caston
Bogstie and Decembrini

(September 11)  The Trail Seniors wound up their 1937 baseball season in colourful style when they defeated the touring Washington Browns 5 to 2 before one of the largest crowds of the year at Butler Park. The Trail victory left the teams all even in their four-game showdown. Each team won and lost one game, and two were tied. The Colored Barnstormers from Yakima plated single counters in both the first and second frames to take an early lead but, after that, winning portsider Cliff Bogstie set them down on a lone base hit and slammed the door on runs the remainder of the contest. In the interim, Trail batters were making their nine timely blows count , grabbing the lead for good in the fifth panel. Jimmy Toole and Bob Marshall led the homesters at the dish with a pair of doubles each while teammates Bogstie and Louis “Rube” DeMore chipped in with a double and single apiece.

Yates (L), Dent (7) and Caston
Bogstie (W) and Decembrini


ARROW LAKES / SLOCAN

(May 1)  Prying the lid off New Denver’s baseball season, the local nine trounced the visiting Nakusp balltossers 21 to 2.

xxx (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx

(May 16)   The Burton seniors took a shellacking at Silverton Sunday as the locals ran up 17 runs while blanking the visitors.

L.Johnson and R.Rees
T.Clever (W) and J.Kelly

(June 22)  Silverton topped Kaslo 11-7.

McGillery (L) and Goodenough
Dumont (W) and Christie


INTERIOR LEAGUE

(May 23)  Trailing 4 to 1 as they came to bat in the top of the ninth inning, the 1937 edition of the Vernon baseball squad rallied for a quartet of tallies and held on in the bottom half of that frame to edge the hosting Salmon Arm nine 5 to 4 as the Interior Baseball League got underway. Timely hits by Pete Korenko, winning tosser George Nuyens, Elmer Crawford and first baseman Robertson sparked the late Vernon outburst. The Salmon Arm contingent loaded the bases in their half of the canto but were unable to push across the equalizer.

Rutten, G. Nuyens (W) (7) and xxx
Calvert (L) and R. Morton

(May 24)  Reaching Zeb Lonzo, veteran Revelstoke pitcher, for 12 hits, the Kamloops baseballers defeated the invading Indians 5 to 2 before a capacity crowd at Riverside Park in the opening game of the Interior Baseball League for both participants. The hosts led all the way after plating a pair of counters in the opening stanza. Rookie right-hander Hal Rogers pitched the first seven frames for Kamloops, whiffing 12 batters and yielding but one safety, in earning the mound victory. Another first-year player, Burt Horne, tossed the final two cantos. Chuck Henderson, Roy Sparks, playing-manager Joe Beruschi and George Wyse each picked up a brace of base knocks for the winners with both Beruschi and Wyse collecting a two-bagger in their total of swats. 

Lonzo (L) and Madalino, Pulley (7)
Rogers (W), Horne (8) and Beruschi

(May 30)  Virtually wasting a plethora of 26 base hits by failing to deliver in the pinches, the Salmon Arm baseball aggregation suffered a 15 to 11 setback at the hands of the Kamloops diamond pastimers in a free-scoring contest played on the home turf of the Shuswap Lakers. The vanquished nine doubled the 13-hit output of the invaders but were atrocious in leaving runners stranded. A nine-run fifth chapter by the Kamloops contingent pretty well settled the issue.

Tordoff (W), Rogers (6), G. Roberts (8) and xxx
J. Morton (L), Haines (5) and xxx

(May 30)  Pitching difficulties, combined with a galaxy of a dozen errors, spelled defeat in glaring letters for the Revelstoke Indians as they emerged on the short end of a 15 to 3 drubbing against hosting Vernon at Polson Park. Both teams stroked the horsehide with gusto as the homesters claimed a 17 to 12 margin of superiority with the hickory. George Nuyens whiffed 12 in going the route on the hillock for the victors. John Nuyens of Vernon and the Indians’ keystone sacker “Shorts” Henderson led their respective nines with three safe swats apiece.

Lonzo (L), Singer (5), Burridge (7) and Madalino/Madallino, Pulley (5)
G. Nuyens (W) and Netzel  

(June 6)  Vernon blanked Salmon Arm 9 to 0 behind the solid five-hit mound work of pitcher George Nuyens. Their victory was aided by the sloppy defensive play of the visitors.  Outfielder Hank Scherle and first baseman Larry Antilla collected two hits each for the winners.

J. Morton (L) and R. Morton
G. Nuyens (W) and Netzel

(June 13)  Although both teams nicked the sphere for nine base knocks, it was the homestanding Kamloops nine that came out on top by an impressive 10 to 4 verdict over the Salmon Arm baseballers. Winning flinger Chuck Holmes rang up 14 strikeouts in going the distance. Playing-manager Joe Beruschi of Kamloops was credited with a home run and a double.

Haines (L), J. Morton (5) and R. Morton
Holmes (W) and Beruschi

(June 13)  The Vernon diamondeers continued their winning ways in the Interior Baseball League, capturing their fourth straight victory with a 4 to 1 conquest of the hosting Revelstoke Indians. Youthful George Nuyens earned the complete game knoll triumph with a five-hitter, fanning 11 along the way. The majority of the winners’ tallies crossed the platter in the fourth round when Frank Netzel’s triple drove in a pair. Outfielder Cecil Ward tripled in another counter in the eighth for Vernon. Ward and fellow fly chaser Hank Scherle had a brace of safeties each for the victors.

G. Nuyens (W) and Netzel
Lonzo (L) and Madalino/Madallino

(June 20)  Despite a belated Kamloops rally that came close to sending the game into extra innings, Vernon hung on for an exciting 5 to 4 win in an Interior League fixture at Polson Park. Rookie George Nuyens, Vernon starting pitcher, hurt his arm in the fourth inning and retired in favor of red-headed Ken Wynne. Frank Netzel’s single staked the Vernonites to a 1 to 0 third inning lead. They piled it on in the fourth when Kamloops fell apart defensively, allowing four more counters. Both squads wound up stroking eight base blows. Kamloops had more scoring opportunities but stranded seven base runners to just one for Vernon. Netzel and Gordon Rutten had two safeties apiece for the winners while third sacker George Wyse led Kamloops at the dish with a triad of base swats, including a double. Losing tosser Chuck Holmes chipped in with a brace of base raps as did Netzel and Gord Rutten of the victors.

Holmes (L) and Beruschi
G. Nuyens, Wynne (W) (4) and Netzel

Standings        W     L       Pct.
Vernon           5     0     1.000
Kamloops         3     2      .600
Revelstoke       1     3      .250
Salmon Arm       0     4      .000

(June 27)  With their triad of hurlers unable to find the plate, Vernon’s unbroken winning streak in the Interior League came to an abrupt halt when Kamloops battered them 14 to 5 at Riverside Park. No less than 12 batters were walked by the Vernon pitchers, paving the way for defeat. The Kamloops nine also belted the ball with authority, ringing up a dozen base hits to seven for Vernon. Outfielder Harry Smith poked a brace of two-baggers for the victors in support of complete-game mound artist Chuck Holmes who whiffed nine.
 
Wynne (L), Rutten (5), Sparrow (6) and Netzel
Holmes (W) and Sparks

(June 27)  SA vs Revelstoke

(July 1)  Playing flawless afield, the Kamloops diamond pastimers rode the steady four-hit pitching of diminutive southpaw Chuck Holmes and blanked the visiting Revelstoke Indians 5 to 0. Joe McKinnon’s single in the second inning drove in a pair of tallies, staking the winners to an early 2 to 0 lead. George Wyse tripled and singled for Kamloops while McKinnon added another one-bagger in the sixth panel. Holmes rang up 11 strikeouts during the contest.

Lonzo (L) and J. D’Arcangelo
Holmes (W) and Beruschi

(July 4)  Invading Kamloops blew open a close contest with a five-run fifth frame en route to a 9 to 6 pasting of winless Salmon Arm.

xxx (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx

(July 4)  Winning pitcher Zeb Lonzo’s double in the sixth inning, one of a pair of two-baggers he cuffed, drove in a pair of runs which allowed the Revelstoke Indians to take the lead and move on to a 6 to 2 trimming of hosting Vernon. The teams split 14 base hits with each collecting seven safeties. Third baseman Harley Dean had a run-scoring single and a home run for the Mainliners while Gord Rutten and Hank Scherle of Vernon both stroked a brace of singles.

Lonzo (W) and J. D’Arcangelo
Antilla (L) and Netzel

(July 11)  A 30-hit slugfest in Salmon Arm saw the visiting Vernon nine edge the homestanding Lakesiders 14 to 13. Vernon had a field day at the dish, combing the offerings of losing flinger Jack Morton for 18 base blows. Larry Antilla secured the knoll triumph for Vernon although the Shuswap Lakers climbed aboard him for a dozen safeties. Despite the hitters’ Roman Holiday, the game was sloppy afield and was not decided until the ninth inning when Vernon secured four runs on numerous errors, a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Elmer Crawford and Pete Korenko led the winners offensively, each stroking a double and a pair of singles. Antilla ripped three singles in support of his victorious mound toiling while catcher John Jones was top dog with the lumber for Salmon Arm, also connecting for a trio of one-baggers.

Antilla (W) and Netzel
J. Morton (L) and Farmer, Jones (2)

(July 11)  The hosting Revelstoke Indians slapped down the surging Kamloops nine 8 to 3 in an Interior Baseball League fixture. The Railway Centre troupe took advantage of nine Kamloops fielding mistakes to take charge of an otherwise even battle. The Tribe had a slight 9 to 8 advantage in base hits acquired. Shortstop Rico Ditomassi led the Mainliners at the dish, clubbing a triple and double. For the vanquished nine, Geordie Roberts poked a two-bagger and single.

Holmes (L) and Beruschi, Sparks
Lonzo (W) and J. D’Arcangelo

(July 18)  Leading 5 to 0 at the end of the seventh inning at Polson Park, hosting Vernon appeared headed for a decisive win over the Kamloops nine. During the fatal eighth canto, however, the Vernonites fell apart and, with the aid of a circus of general miscues, Kamloops scored six runs and finally emerged on top 8 to 6. Both teams stung the pill for ten safeties and both played sloppily afield. First baseman Chuck Henderson of Kamloops and Vernon’s Gordon Rutten had stellar performances at the plate, each connecting for four safe base knocks in five attempts. One of Rutten’s safeties was a two-bagger.

Antilla (L) and Crawford
Horne, Holmes (W) (6) and Sparks, Beruschi

(July 18) 

(July 25)  Kamloops gained a firmer hold on the top spot in the Interior Baseball League by defeating Salmon Arm 11 to 6 at Riverside Park. It was Salmon Arm’s eighth consecutive loss. Kamloops took an early lead and was never in any danger of losing control of the game, outslugging the Shuswap Lakers 14 to 7. Burt Horne struck out 10 and allowed but one free pass in going the route on the hillock for the winners. George Wyse led Kamloops with the hickory, belting a double and two singles. Teammates Roy Sparks, Joe Beruschi, Chuck Henderson, Joe McKinnon and Howard Portman each spanked the sphere for a brace of safeties. Shortstop Bob Morton was the lone batter on the Lakesiders to acquire two base knocks. 

Jamieson (L) and Farmer
Horne (W) and Beruschi

(July 25)  Iron Man hurler Zeb Lonzo set down Vernon on seven hits while ringing up six strikeouts as the Revelstoke Indians blanked the north Okanagan visitors 4 to 0 in the Mainline centre in an Interior League fixture. The Indians went ahead 3 to 0 in their first turn at bat as a result of a pair of Vernon errors, a handy sacrifice bunt and a walk. They plated their fourth counter in the seventh round when third baseman Harley Dean tripled and later reached home on a single by catcher J. D’Arcangelo, his second safety of the contest. Dean also had two hits, singling earlier in the fracas. Veteran George Sparrow went the distance for the Vernonites on the knoll and was nicked for six base raps. Vernon outfielder Hank Scherle led all swatters in the clash, spanking the sphere for a trio of one-baggers.

Sparrow (L) and Netzel
Lonzo (W) and J. D’Arcangelo

Standings          W     L       Pct.
Kamloops           8     3      .727
Vernon             6     4      .600
Revelstoke         5     4      .556
Salmon Arm         0     8      .000

(August 1)  Kamloops remained the hottest team in the Interior Baseball league, knocking off the slumping Vernon entry 8 to 1 at Riverside Park. Geordie Roberts pitched a five-hitter and fanned seven in earning the mound triumph. Leading swatters in the contest were Chuck Henderson of the victors and Vernon’s Frank Netzel who both creamed the orb for a double and one-bagger.

Sparrow (L) and Netzel
G. Roberts (W) and Beruschi

(August 5)  The touring Van Dyke Colored House of David baseball team completely crushed the first-place Kamloops entry in the Interior League 12 to 0 in a one-sided exhibition tilt at Riverside Park. Winning pitcher “Cannonball” Berry loafed through the first few innings but, even then, the Kamloops batters couldn’t touch his offerings. He wound up with a one-hitter and seven strikeouts. Outfielder Worley had three hits for the barnstormers while first baseman Porter hammered a home run and a single.

Berry (W) and McCray/McRae
Holmes (L) and Beruschi, Sparks

(August 8)  Featured by the steady twirling of Larry Antilla, the Vernon baseballers snapped out of their prolonged slump to grab the long end of an 8 to 4 decision from the luckless, lonely Salmon Arm contingent. Antilla handcuffed Salmon Arm on seven safeties, all singles, while ringing up 11 strikeouts. The death knell of the Shuswap Lakers was evident in the very first frame when the Vernonites, aided by a couple of errors, plated four counters. First baseman George Sparrow stroked three singles for the winners while teammate Pete Korenko supplied a pair. Bob Morton, third baseman Harvey and outfielder Hodgson ripped a brace of one-baggers each for the losing nine. 

J. Calvert (L) and Farmer
Antilla (W) and Netzel

Standings          W     L       Pct.
Kamloops           9     3      .750
Vernon             7     5      .583
Revelstoke         5     4      .556
Salmon Arm         0     9      .000

(August 15)  A six-run second inning spelled the difference in Revelstoke’s 7 to 5 victory over hosting Salmon Arm in a loosely-played finale to the regular season. Zeb Lonzo recorded the route-going mound triumph for the Mainliners, whiffing six along the way. Losing pitcher Jack Calvert rang up 8 breezes. Outfielder R. Jamieson of the Lakesiders lit up Lonzo for a triple and single.

Lonzo (W) and J. D’Arcangelo
J. Calvert (L) and R. Morton

PLAYOFFS
SUDDEN-DEATH SEMI-FINAL 
(Vernon vs Revelstoke Indians)

(August 22)  The Revelstoke Indians moved into the finals for the Interior League championship by taking a decisive 7 to 0 decision from Vernon. Zeb Lonzo grabbed the shutout hillock verdict, effectively spacing seven scattered hits. The Mainliners pushed in two runs in the opening stanza, three more in the third and one each in the fourth and eighth. Leading the victors’ batting attack was third sacker Dean who gathered three safeties. Lonzo, Tony D’Arcangelo and catcher J. D’Arcangelo followed with two hits apiece. Frank Netzel and Cecil Ward both stroked a brace of base knocks for Vernon with a three-bagger included in Netzel’s sum of swats.

Antilla (L), Sparrow (3) and Netzel
Lonzo (W) and J. D’Arcangelo

FINALS 
(best-of-three series) 
Revelstoke Indians vs Kamloops

(August 29)  Kamloops grabbed the opener of the Interior League finals 8 to 6 over the Revelstoke Indians in a game defined by an extraordinary number of extra-base blows. The two clubs combined for four triples and four doubles. Overall, Kamloops outhit the Mainliners by an 11 to 8 count. Kamloops struck for a trio of counters in the second stanza and never trailed. Playing-manager Joe Beruschi and George Wyse led the victors offensively, each cracking a double and two singles. Teammate Freddy Portman followed with a two-bagger and single. For the Tribe, “Shorts” Henderson checked in with a triple and one-bagger.

Lonzo (L), Pradolini (5) and J. D’Arcangelo, Pulley
G. Roberts (W), Holmes (7) and Beruschi 

(September 5)  In a game in which the fans swarmed the field as tempers flared, the Revelstoke Indians knotted the Interior Baseball League finals at a game apiece by disposing of visiting Kamloops 11 to 8 after a fight-filled battle. The contest at Revelstoke featured numerous scraps and police were twice called onto the field to restore order. Following one 15-minute melee, Kamloops catcher Joe Beruschi and Revelstoke's "Shorts" Henderson were banished to the showers, Henderson with a broken nose. The Indians overcame an early 4 to 0 deficit and grabbed the lead in the sixth panel. The margin was short-lived, however, as the Kamloops nine turned the tables in the seventh to assume a one-run cushion. The skirmish was decided in the bottom of the eighth stanza when the Railway Centre squad piled on four tallies.

G. Roberts, Holmes (L) (6) and Beruschi, xxx (4)
xxx (w) and xxx

(September 11)  In the deciding game of the B. C. Interior League playoffs, hosting Kamloops soundly whipped the Revelstoke Indians 9 to 1 in the finest display of baseball by the home club during the season. More than three hundred fans journeyed from Revelstoke in the first specially organized train since 1902 for the finale. However, while feelings ran high, the presence of several police officers dampened any enthusiasm for a replay of the second-game shenanigans. Southpaw chucker Chuck Holmes fanned 11 and allowed the Railroaders but four hits in going the distance for the winners. Third baseman George Wyse cracked a two-run round-tripper for Kamloops while playing-manager Joe Beruschi and fly chaser Joe McKinnon both nicked the apple for a brace of safeties with one of Beruschi’s swats going for three bases. “Shorts” Henderson singled twice for the Indians.

Lonzo (L), Pradolini (5) and J. D’Arcangelo, Pulley
Holmes (W) and Beruschi


CROW’S NEST PASS BASEBALL LEAGUE

(May 16)  The Natal Miners pushed across a pair of markers in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat a combined Coleman-Blairmore junior squad 6 to 4 in the season’s initial exhibition game.

Malcolm, Dobek (L), (8) and xxx
Halko, J. Krall (4), T. Krall (W) (7) and xxx

(May 24)  Behind the combined one-hit hurling of Louis and Tom Krall, the Natal Miners whitewashed the Elk Valley Senators 15 to 0 at the Natal ball park. The Miners’ duo rang up 14 strikeouts along the way.

Brandies (L), Wildman (7) and xxx
L. Krall (W), T. Krall (6) and xxx 

(June 24)  The Natal Miners knocked off the previously unbeaten Hillcrest seniors 9 to 8 at Hillcrest.

T. Krall (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx

(June 27)  Claiming their fifth consecutive victory, the Natal Miners bounced Lundbreck by an 8 to 4 score.

xxx (L) and xxx
L. Krall (W), T. Krall and xxx

(July 4)  Behind the three-hit pitching of “Lefty” Brandies, the Elk Valley Senators were able to down the highly-touted Natal Miners 6 to 4. Losing chucker Louis Krall went the distance, yielding seven hits and whiffing 14 Senators. P. Chala of the Miners nicked Brandies for a solo homer in the ninth canto.

L. Krall (L) and xxx
Brandies (W) and xxx

(July 21)  The Natal Miners captured their sixth win  in seven starts, an impressive 14 to 4 thrashing of the Coleman Juniors, and moved a step closer to the Crow’s Nest Pass Baseball League pennant. The Miners lit into Coleman ace starting pitcher “Frenchy” Marconi for 10 hits and 8 runs before he was sent to the showers after five innings of mound toil.

Marconi (L) , Shannon (6) and xxx
J. Krall, Halko (6) and xxx

(August 8)  With a doubleheader sweep over the Lundbreck and Hillcrest junior squads by respective scores of 10 to 3 and 12 to 6, the Natal Miners took a firm hold on the top slot in the Crow’s Nest Pass Baseball League. Fighting for second-place honours are the Blairmore Canucks, Coleman Juniors and the Hillcrest Seniors. The efforts of three Lundbreck hurlers could not stop the advance of the Miners in the opening contest as winning tosser Tom Krall checked the losers on five hits.

xxx (L), xxx, xxx and xxx
T. Krall (W) and xxx

The Miners went to work against starting pitcher Harrington, speedball artist for Hillcrest, in the opening chapter of the late game and, by the third session, had scored seven runs. They continued their assault against reliever Davidson.

Harrington (L), Davidson and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx

(August 15)  The Natal Miners, behind the combined six-hit pitching of brothers John and Tom Krall, trounced the second-place Hillcrest Seniors 12 to 5 in the final Crow’s Nest Pass League game of the regular schedule. The Miners finished the ten-game schedule with nine victories against one defeat. Natal batters lit up a trio of Hillcrest hurlers for 22 base blows. After the Miners plated four runs in the second round, the outcome of the game was never in doubt.

Mills (L), C. Richards, Elick (5) and xxx
J. Krall (W), T. Krall (6) and xxx

(August 29)  The hosting Blairmore Canucks captured a four-team post-season tournament by clipping the Natal Miners 8 to 6 in the tourney final. A five-run seventh inning turned the tide in favour of the Canucks. Earlier,
Blairmore had eliminated Lundbreck while the Miners, 1937 winners of the Crow’s Nest Pass Baseball League championship and the Ken Ringland Cup, were busy edging past the Hillcrest Seniors 5 to 4.

J. Halko, T. Krall (L), J. Krall and xxx
Herman (W) and xxx


EASY KOOTENAY BASEBALL

(July 4)  The Kimberley baseballers scored once in the seventh frame on a run-scoring single by first baseball Dicken, added a pair in the eighth on an RBI triple by hot corner guardian J. Colvin and a tally-producing one-bagger by keystone sacker Brown, and went on to blank the Fernie seniors 3 to 0. Fernie had several scoring opportunities but the Kimberley pitching tandem of Marconi and Sorton were unhittable in the pinches.

Marconi (W), Sorton and Moore
Harrington (L) and Peters