(June 20) Seattle Steelheads came from behind to down Portland Roses 10-6 in the first of two West Coast Negro Baseball League games to be held at Royal Athletic Park at Victoria. Seattle had taken the early lead with four runs in the first inning but Portland battled back to lead 6-5 after six. A run in the seventh tied it for the Steelheads and a four-run outburst in the eighth salted away the victory. Sayler picked up the win in relief.
Jackson (L) and Hardin
Dean, Sayler (W) (6) and Marcell
(June 21) Jesse Owens, the former Olympic spring champion, was the big attraction at Royal Athletic Park Friday as part of the promotion of Negro League baseball with the Seattle Steelheads against the Portland Roses. Owens lost the 100-yard race, but still received quite an ovation from the fans. George Edgelow, riding Laddie, caught Owens at about the 60 yard mark to win handily. With a cool breeze anything but conducive to good baseball, the clubs turned in a spotty exhibition with Portland turning the tables on the Steelheads to win 8-2. Seattle had anothet rough night defensively, making eight errors. Roses rapped 12 hits off Sayler while Overton scattered five hits for the win. Both runs against him were unearned.
Overton (W) and Hardin
Sayler (L) and Marcell
(June 27) Living up to advance notices as a hard hitting club the Pittsburgh Crawfords defeated the Cleveland Clippers 9-7 in the opening of a three-game series at Osborne Stadium in Winnipeg Thursday night. David Pope and Joe Atkins hit homers for the Crawfords. Pope's was on the Amphitheatre roof while Atkins lifted his drive, a two-run homer, over the left centre field wall. Clippers scored five of their runs in the fifth inning when pitcher Fred Johnson bobbled an easy roller with two out.
Garrett and Williams
Johnson, Fernandez and Harris
GOLDEN SPIKE TOURNAMENT, REVELSTOKE
(June 30 – July 1) The Revelstoke Spikes won the Golden Spike Exhibition tournament in the Railroad Town, defeating the Vernon Aces 5 to 0 in the deciding game. Vernon had trimmed the Salmon Arm squad 7 to 2 to qualify for the final game.
MEDICINE HAT KINSMEN TOURNAMENT
(July 1) A young hustling ball club from Sceptre Monday night won the $300 first prize in the Medicine Hat Kinsmen baseball tournament by turning back the city's Tigers 6-0 in the final contest. The tournament was played under a scorching sun and before capacity crowds.
Big star in the Sceptre win was Cliff "Jake" Jacobson, star hurler, who pitched 18 consecutive innings of baseball in two days against the Medicine Hat Tigers and Picture Butte to ring up 6-0 and 4-0 shutouts while allowing only 12 hits. He fanned a dozen and walked just a pair. In the two games Jacobson's team committed only one error and fielded faultlessly.
Monday evening, Jacobson tossed a seven-hitter for the 6-0 shutout win in the championship game against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Sceptre jumped into a 4-0 lead in the first inning, helped by three Tigers' errors. Paton Gracie led off the game with a single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Harry Gracie. Jacobson smacked a hard single to knock in what proved to be the winning run. A single by Clarence Grant combined with three throwing errors plated three more. They added a pair in the sixth when Reinie Lutcher lined a triple to right field to plate Grant and scored himself on a wild throw to the plate. Bill Sailer fanned ten in a losing effort for Medicine Hat.
Jacobson (W) and Grant
Sailer (L) and Teel
Under a blazing sun Monday afternoon, Matt Slavich, the Lethbridge Miners' ace southpaw was brilliant in hurling a three-hit shutout while fanning 14 in a 4-0 win over Picture Butte. Slavich also drove in all four runs with a triple and single. Russ Finley allowed just six hits in taking the loss.
R.Finley (L) and Bohne
Slavich (W) and Tocolli
Medicine Hat Tigers erupted for six runs in the first inning and held off the Lethbridge Miners to notch an 8-7 victory at the Kinsmen Tournament. Miners raised the excitement level in the eighth when Ernie Luciani doubled to score a pair and made the score 8-7. In the ninth, Lethbridge got two on base with just one out but reliever Jock Tennant got a strikeout and a pop-up to end the game.
Stover (W), Tennant (6) and Teel
Kenner, Kucheran (1), Slavich (7) and Tocolli
In the tournament opener Sunday afternoon, Sceptre whitewashed Picture Butte 4-0 behind an impressive five-hitter by Jake Jacobson. Sceptre broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning bunching a pair of hits and an error to go ahead 3-0. They added another in the ninth.
Jacobson (W) and Grant
Malmberg (L), R.Finley and Bohne
The 'Hat team collected the second prize money of $200 and Lethbridge took third place with $150. Picture Butte came last with $100.
(July 6) The Victoria All-Stars and Seattle Matheny-Bacon split a Saturday double-header. The locals took the afternoon encounter 3-2 in 10 innings while the visitors rebounded with a 2 to 0 victory in the nightcap. Vic Dovey's infield hit in the 10th won it for the locals in the first game. Victoria trailed 2-1 going into the ninth when Tommy Musgrave singled with two out and came around to score the tying run. Musgrave fired a three-hitter for the win while the locals collected 13 hits off a pair of Seattle hurlers.
Mundt, Seirer (10) and Southas
Musgrave (W) and Smith
Herb Seirer held Victoria to four hits and rang up 15 strikeouts in pitching the shutout in the second game. It was a scoreless affair until the 8th inning when Seattle bunched three hits for their two runs. Bill Prior took the loss.
Seirer (W) and Southas
Prior (L) and Patterson
(July 16) In the first of a two-game series in Victoria, the Chicago Brown Bombers downed the Cuban La Palomas 6-2 before a big crowd of almost 3,000 fans at Royal Athletic Park. Ed Hamman, who clowned all through the game, was a star of the attraction. Lefty Eddie Thompson was in good form for the winners giving up just an unearned run in the fifth and a single counter in the ninth. He fanned five without a free pass. Three solid base knocks in the first inning, after two were out, send in a pair for the Bombers. They didn't score again until the eighth when three more hits, a walk and a pair of errors send four runs home. Quincy Smith, former member of the Birmingham Black Barons and Kansas City Monarchs, led the winners with a double and three singles.
Thompson (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 17) The Cuban La Palomas earned a split with the Chicago Brown Bombers in their two-game exhibition series at Victoria when they meted out a 6-3 lacing to the Bombers behind the masterful hurling of Jim Bennett. The big right-hander flashed a crackling fastball and a good curve to keep the Chicago nine at bay. Bennett allowed five hits and racked up 12 strikeouts. The Bombers took the lead in the first scoring a pair on two walks and a misplayed bunt. The Cubans went ahead to stay with four in the fourth and added a pair in the seventh.
Bennett (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
RUTLAND TOURNAMENT
(July 18) Kelowna won the annual three-team Rutland Rally and Cherry Festival tournament, defeating the host Rutlanders 6 to 5 in a semi-final match and then blasting Summerland 16 to 4 in the final game.
(July 21) One game was a runaway the other a nail-biter as Saskatoon Army and Navy Vets of the Saskatoon City League and the Bohemians met in a double-header at Prince Albert. In a slugfest in the afternoon, Bohs scored four runs in the first inning and piled it on in trouncing the visitors 13-4. George Menzies led the way with three hits, including a triple. Lefty Logue held Saskatoon to five hits in going the distance for Prince Albert.
xxx and xxx
Logue (W) and xxx
The evening affair was a pitcher's duel between the Vets' Smoky Harrison and the Bohs' Archie Hunter. Prince Albert got both its runs in the first inning, Moose Morash scoring one and Johnny Boden the other. Elwood Matheson got one back for the Vets in the opening frame. Buck Crawford tied the score in the 6th coming home on Leo Kelsey's triple. Kelsey then won the game scoring on Al Barrowclough's single. In the 8th, Buchanan reached third for the Bohs but was caught in a hot box with the whole Saskatoon infield participating in the putout. In the 9th, Logue, on third and coming home, was hit by a fair ball for an out while Arnie Casey was thrown out at third.
Harrison (W) and xxx
Hunter (L) and xxx
SASKATOON EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT
(July 22-27) Behind the four-hit, shutout pitching of Reinie Kembel, Wiseton captured the championship of the Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament and the J.F. Cairns Memorial Trophy Saturday with a 4-0 victory over Viscount. A crowd, estimated at more than 6,500, saw the Goose Lake club notch a comparatively easy win. Kimbel was a one-man show for Wiseton as he pounded out a triple, scored the first run, and fielded nine chances without an error. On the hill he fanned six batters and walked a pair. The Bentley boys secured Viscount's hits off Kembel as Max came through with a double and single and Roy and Bev each had a one-bagger. The winners got eight hits off Bert Olmstead, who went seven innings, and one off Madden who finished up. Bill Fisher, Hudson and Langford Brown each had two safeties for the champions.
Kembel (W) and Derdall
Olmstead (L), Madden (8) and Reg Bentley
Viscount reached the final with a 7-1 triumph over Kindersley scoring five times in the 4th inning on just two hits. Ed Thone went the route for the winners holding Kindersley to eight hits, including Cavanagh's long homer in the 4th. Thone was also a force on offense with a triple and two singles in four trips to the plate. Max and Doug Bentley each had two hits for Viscount. Ernie Dale took the loss. Slim Burke relieved in the 4th.
Dale (L), Burke (4) and Mills
Thone (W) and R.Bentley
The 1941 tournament champions, Wiseton, made the final of the 1946 Exhibition Tournament Friday, downing Cudworth 5-2 as veteran southpaw Lefty Arnold scattered seven hits, fanned 12 and contributed a triple and single to the Wiseton cause. Two runs in the first frame got Wiseton off to a quick start. Dick Piper singled, stole second and scored on Elmore Currie's hit. Bill Fischer accounted for the second run with a triple to left. Cudworth rebounded with a run in their half of the first as McNab singled, stole second, made it to third on an infield out and came home on Mantyka's base knock to right. Wiseton added two more in the 5th as Hudson was safe on an error, stole second and scored what proved to be the winning marker as Currie again drove him across the plate. Langford Brown's single, on a hit-and-run play, brought Currie in with an insurance run. Cudworth added a run in the 6th and Wiseton wrapped up the scoring in the 7th as Brown doubled to drive in Fisher.
Arnold (W) and Derdall
Billesberger (L) and Mantyka
Kindersley broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the 6th inning and held on to down Watson 3-1 in Thursday's feature game of the Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament. The winners opened the scoring with a run in the third on Jackson's single and an outfield error. Watson tied the count in the 5th as Morose doubled, advanced on a wild pitch and came home of Smart's infield safety. Kindersley put the game away in the 6th on an error, three singles and a fielder's choice. Left fielder Campbell had three hits to lead the Kindersely attack.
Androsen (L), Lisohirka (6) and Rea
Dale, Burke (W) (2) and Mills
With six members of the Delisle team in tow, Viscount slipped by Neilburg 3-2 Wednesday in opening round tournament action. Each team plated a pair in the first inning and then were shutout until the 8th when Max Bentley scored the winning run. Neilburg got on the scoreboard when Francis rapped a double and scored on Ottem's single. An infield out brought Ottem home. Viscount opened with a two-bagger by Marcoux, a pair of fielder's choices and Bert Olmstead's infield roller to tie the count. In the 8th, Max Bentley singled to centre and moved to third on an error and infield out. Viscount got the winner as Roy Bentley bunted in front of the plate and Neilburg catcher Pete Prediger threw out Roy at first but the relay was too late to get Max coming in from third. Olmstead was outstanding on the mound for Viscount holding the losers to two hits while striking out 11. Arlo Harris gave up seven hits in taking the loss.
Harris (L) and Prediger
Olmstead (W) and Reg Bentley
Aberdeen out-hit Wiseton 9 to 8, and pounded out four triples and a double Tuesday evening but got thumped 10-3 at the Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament. Down 2-1 after three innings, Wiseton bunched its offensive output in the 4th combining a triple, two doubles, a single and a hit batsmen to score four runs and take the lead for good. Reinie Kembel was the star of the show going the distance for the winners with 11 strikeouts and knocking in three runs with a triple and double. Fred Hassen of Aberdeen led all hitters with three hits, all triples. Starter Ken Boys took the loss.
Kembel (W) and Derdall
Boys (L), T.Folk (5) and Stout, J.Folk
In the opening game of the week-long Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament, Cudworth crushed Rosetown 16-3 Monday to advance to the semi-final round. Centre fielder Nalywayko led a 16-hit attack with three singles and a double. He would have had a homer had he not neglected to touch third base on the home run drive. Cudworth right fielder Frank belted a two-run homer in the 3rd. Billesberger scattered ten hits and fanned 15 in going the distance for the win. Hintze had three singles for Rosetown.
Wright (L), L.Gilkinson (3) and D.Brown
Billesberger (W) and
Mantyka
(July 24) Lethbridge Miners and Sceptre divided an exhibition twin-bill at Adams Park, Lethbridge. Sceptre, with an amazing record of 69 wins and 5 losses in Saskatchewan competition, couldn't solve young righthander Bill Kucheran in the opener. Kucheran allowed just seven hits and a single base on balls in a 3-1 win for the Miners. Ron Miller gave up just seven hits in a losing cause.
Shortstop Freddy Onofrychuck tripled and scored the first run on a fielder's choice. Miners got three singles to score Johnny Klem in the 5th inning and got their third run in the 8th as Ziggy Zasadny scored. Sceptre plated its only marker in the 8th on an error and two safeties.
In the nightcap, Cliff Jacobson shutout the Miners on nine hits in a 2-0 victory for the Saskatchewan club. It was reported to be Jacobson's 31st win of the season, against a single defeat. Lefty Slavich allowed just three hits in taking the loss.
During the latter stages of the second game, fans bombarded Miners' manager Ollie Luciani with calls for Sceptre to stay over or return for another game.
Miller (L) and Grant
Kucheran (W) and Toccoli
Jacobson (W) and Grant
Slavich (L) and Toccoli
(July 25) Sceptre survived a Lethbridge uprising in the bottom of the 9th to down the Miners 6-4 to take the exhibition series two games to one. Sceptre turned four hits into two runs in the 2nd inning then added four runs in the 3rd for a 6-0 lead. Minters broke loose for 4 in the 9th.
Whitney, Jacobson (8) and Grant
Chervinsky, Negrello (3) and Witwicki
(July 26) Picture Butte Royals upset the touring Sceptre nine 6-5 in an exhibition game at Picture Butte. Royals trailed 4-1 in the second inning but knotted the count in the 5th and scored the winner in the 7th.
Miller, Jacobson and Grant
Finley, Malmberg and Erleson, Bohne
(July 27) In an exhibition match at Natal, BC, the Crow's Nest Pass All-Stars upset Sceptre 9-2 behind the three-hit pitching of T. Krall of Natal.
xxx and xxx
Krall (W) and xxx
(July 28) Sceptre bounced back from an exhibition loss on Saturday to take a pair from the Crow's Nest All-Stars 8-5 and 14-10. Cliff Jacobson, the workhorse of the Saskatchewan nine was credited with both wins.
Jacobson (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Jacobson (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
SWIFT CURRENT COMMERCAIL TRAVELLERS TOURNAMENT
(August 1) Gull Lake won top money at the Swift Current Commercial Travellers Tournament Thursday upsetting the powerful Sceptre nine 3-2 in the final. Sceptre broke up a scoreless tie with a pair in the top of the 8th inning. Reinie Lutcher singled to centre and, after advancing on a passed ball, stole third and scored on a wide throw to first on Paton Gracie's grounder. Gracie stole second, went to third on an error and scored on a scorching double to left by brother Harry Gracie. Gull Lake responded in their half of the inning as Shoeneck led off with a single, stole second and went to third on an error and scored on a bunt down the third base line. Down 2-1, Barron reached on an error in the bottom of the 9th and tied the scored when McLeod came through with the longest hit of the game, a triple to centre field. Shoeneck then plated the winner with a Texas leaguer over second to send McLeod home with the deciding run. Lefty Willis held Sceptre to just three hits and fanned 13. Miller gave up just four hits in a losing effort.
Miller (L) and xxx
Willis (W) and xxx
The four-team affair got off to a good start Wednesday morning as Sceptre edged Swift Current 2-1 in a sparkling exhibition of pitching by Stan Kjasgaard for the home team and Cliff Jacobson for Sceptre. Both hurled five-hitters.
Kjasgaard (L) and xxx
Jacobson (W) and xxx
Rain halted the Wiseton - Gull Lake match in the afternoon and Wiseton had to leave for a previous engagement and was not available for a rematch.
Gull Lake then took on Swift Current for a berth in the final and got by the host club 4-3.
Mything, Willis and xxx
Kjasgaard (L) and xxx
BORDER LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
(August 4) Estevan Maple Leafs captured the Border League championship Sunday downing Bowbells 9-4 in the final of the League Championship Tournament. Leafs took an early lead punching out four hits in the opening frame to take a three-run lead which they never relinquished. Don Chapman scattered 12 hits in going the distance for the win.
Strand (L), Kalmbach and xxx
Chapman (W) and xxx
Leafs downed Portal 6-2 in one semi-final and Bowbells defeated Columbus 5-1 in the other. Messer tossed an eight-hitter for Estevan.
Messer (W) and xxx
Scheldrup (L) and xxx
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(August 18) Cleveland Grant scored one run and knocked in another as the touring Texas Colored Giants (AKA Ligon's All-Stars) blanked Prince Albert Bohemians 3-0. In the second inning, O.Grant drive in brother Cleveland with the games' first run. Art Bryant made it 2-0 in the 5th scoring on a triple by Andrew Grant. And "Old Rockin' Chair" Danny Knowles scored on a double by Cleveland Grant.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(August 19) The Texas Colored Giants made it two straight over Prince Albert Bohemians with a 5-4 victory Monday a Bohemian Park. The visitors again got early runs scoring a pair in the first inning as Art Bryant and Archie Walker crossed the plate. This time, however, the home squad quickly replied as Lefty Logue's double knocked in both Arnold Casey and John Boden in their half of the first. Giants went ahead 4-2 in the 3rd with Danny Knowles and Sterling Fuller scoring the runs and plated what proved to be the winner in the 4th as Felix Woodson singled in Cleveland Grant. Bohs struck again in the 6th with Lefty Logue coming home on Chuck Carle's single and they added their final marker in the 7th with Logue driving in Casey. Southpaw Johnny Maroniuk, who relieved in the 5th inning, turned in a sparkling performance allowing just one hit while fanning six over his three innings of work.
xxx and xxx
Olsen (L), Maroniuk (5) and xxx
WEST KOOTENAY TOURNAMENT
(Aug 31, Sept 1-2) Spokane's Hillyard Boosters came from behind with a run in the 9th inning to top Trail 2-1 to take top money of $400 in the West Kootenay Tournament at Butler Park. With two out, Spokane pitcher Bob Goldberg singled over second base and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Don Cobb then smacked one to right field to score Goldberg with the winner. Trail had plated a run in the first inning without a hit. Three walks, one intentional, and a squeeze play scored Mush Anselmo. A disputed call at second base paved the way for the first Spokane marker. Johnny Osso slid under Decembrini's throw and came around to score on an error on a ground ball down the first base line. Goldberg fired a four-hitter for the victory but put himself in trouble with seven walks. .It was a tough loss of Clint McNeil who held the Boosters to seven hits with a big league scout in the stands to watch his performance.
Goldberg (W) and Almquist
McNeil (L) and Decembrini
The Boosters made the final by downing Brown Industries 6-5 in an extra inning thriller. Trailing 5-1 in the 8th, Harry Almquist swatted a grand slam homer to tie the count. The Boosters catcher had driven in the team's first run with a single to left in the initial frame and singled and scored the winner in the bottom of the 10th. He came home on John Presley's single to centre. Home runs by Bing Dahl and Ernie Muzatko had highlighted Brown's early offensive. Almquist and Paul Bergman led a 14-hit attack for the Boosters each with three safeties. Brown Industries collected 11 hits off winning pitcher Jim Forsythe.
Wouters (L) and J.Presley
Forsythe (W) and Almquist
In the consolation final, Brown Industries scored three times in the 9th inning to edge Rossland 8-7 as Youngman clouted a pair of homers and two singles good for four runs batted in. He also scored three times. Casey Jones and Sammy Lappano also belted four-baggers for Brown Industries. Willie Scott paced Rossland with a homer, double and single. Casey Jones held Rossland to six hits in posting the pitching win.
C.Jones (W) and Presley, B.Williams
T.Jones, Purcello (L) and Corrado
(August 30) Trail seniors erased a 4-3 deficit with a six -run 8th inning to take the opening game of the West Kootenay Tournament, 9-4 over Rossland. Veteran lefty Cliff Bogstie had a rough start but yielded just three hits and rang up 16 strikeouts in pitching Trail to the victory. Rossland took a 3-0 lead in the first inning as Archie Scott reached on an error, Louis Corrado followed with a single and Al Lavorato belted a homer to deep centre field. They added a fourth run in the third on a walk, error and fielder's choice. Trail cut the lead with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth. Trail loaded the bases with none out in the 8th but Slivers Decembrini was an easy out on a failed squeeze play. Bill Dimock may have saved the day for the Trailites. He was trapped in a hot box between first and second but managed to scramble back to first safely. Clint McNeil then doubled to right to plate the tying and winning runs. Trail added four insurance markers. Decembrini smacked three hits for the winners.
Bogstie (W) and Decembrini
Ewing, Jones (L) (8), Wynn (8) and Corrado
VERNON LABOUR DAY TOURNAMENT
(September 1-2) The Revelstoke Spikes won the Vernon Labor Day tournament over the weekend. In their first game, they defeated Salmon Arm 7 to 2, earning a bye to the finals where they met the Vernon Aces and demolished them 23 to 3. Vernon had advanced to the finals with a 10 to 6 win over Kelowna. The other two first-round matches saw the Kamloops All-Stars losing to Kelowna 11 to 7 and Vernon taking out Oyama 8 to 2.
COURTENAY LABOUR DAY TOURNAMENT
(September 1-2) The largest crowd ever to assemble for a sporting event in Courtenay was on hand Sunday and Monday for the six-team Labour Day Tournament. Vancouver's Arnold & Quigley and the Duncan All-Stars fought to a 4-4 draw before a crowd of 2,500 in the final which was called in the 6th inning because of darkness. Duncan had rallied in the 5th to scored four times to overcome a 4-0 deficit. Arnold and Quigley had the bases loaded with just one out when the game was called. Tony Folk hurled for the Islanders while McGee handled the pitching for the Vancouverites.
Folk, DeMore and Weaver, C.Stroulger
McGee and xxx
Sunday evening, a crowd of 2,500 sat in as Arnold & Quigley kicked off the tournamernt with an 8-1 victory over Cumberland.
McDonald (W) and Adshead
Baird (L), Tobacco and
Conti
Before about 500 fans Monday morning, the Duncan All-Stars dumped the home team, the Courtenay All-Stars, 5-1 behind the solid hurling of fireballing Tony Folk. It also gave the fans a chance to see a former local star in action again as Chuck Morgan, who now plays under the name Stroulger, performed as the playing-manager for Duncan. Roy Schappert and Gil Bruce led the Duncan attack.
Folk (W) and Weaver
Quinn (L) and James
Early Monday afternoon, with 2,500 fans in attendance, Alberni scraped by Chemainus 7-4.
Murray, Shillito and Hogg, Jackson
Patterson (W) and Kendrick
After a few minutes rest, Alberni went up against Duncan and took and early 4-3 lead before falling under a barrage of hits which brought Duncan an 11-4 victory behind a nifty hurling chore by Lou DeMore.
DeMore (W) and Weaver
Dixon (L) and Kendrick