Moose Jaw Manager Mike Mellis (2nd from the left) discusses strategy with Curly Boyce (left), Barry Wolstencroft (2nd from the right) and pitcher Lambert "Lefty" Lauer (right).
(The Leader Post, August 16, 1950)
Les Wilder (left) of Weyburn Beavers and Frank Germann (right) of the Notre Dame Hounds, discuss strategy as co-managers of the Southern League All-Stars.
All-Stars lost a 7-1 decision to the defending champion Moose Jaw Canucks.
(The Leader-Post, August 16, 1950)
Three of the Moose Jaw Purity Canuck stars with manager Mike Mellis (right).
Left to right - catcher Stubby Martin, infielder
Barry Wolstencroft and pitcher-outfielder Albert (Lefty) Erfle.
A pair of All-Stars. Mel Torgenrud (left) of Estevan Maple Leafs and Norman Brown (right) of the Notre Dame Hounds.
When the photo was taken, Torgenrud and Brown were teammates on a Southern League All-Star squad. A week later they were opponents as the teams met in the playoffs.
(The Leader-Post)
Above (left to right) - catcher Don Kielman of the Regina Red Sox, right-hand pitcher Harold Allan of the Regina Caps, and catcher Walter "Gus" Kyle also of the Regina Caps.
Below left - Jim Williams, the manager of the Indian Head Rockets apparently without shoes, with catcher Louis Green examining a pair of sandals.
Below - import Koney Williams, who
began the season with a barnstorming
team, joined a host of newcomers on
the Estevan Maple Leafs.
Playing coach Grant Warwick (centre) greets new import hurler Joe Searcie (right) while big Claude "Shuffle" Williams, the jovial first sacker looks on. Searcie is a right-hander.
The Leader-Post, June 10, 1950
Discussing strategy - Elmer Ekdahl (C), Walter "Butch" Buttgereit (P/OF), Nick Metz (IF/mgr) of the 1950 Wilcox Cardinals (The Leader-Post, May 25, 1950)
Above - A familiar site on Saskatchewan diamonds - Doug Bentley trots home to score another run for Delisle. Bentley, the 1949 league batting champion in the Saskatoon & District league (beating brother Max), scores the second Delisle run in action at Cairns Field. Saskatoon Legion catcher Lowell Hanson is shown trapping a throw from first. Legion pitcher Lefty Arnold looks on. Delisle won the game 8-1.
Below - the Weyburn Beavers of the early 1950s (perhaps the 1951 squad which finished atop the Southern standings).
A big thank you to Carole Miller (daughter of Keith Covert) for digging out the photos and to Carole's son Trevor for scanning and sending them along.
The photos were taken in Weyburn with the big grandstand in the background. It was torn down a few years ago and replaced with a metal version. Trevor reports that, when they demolished the structure, they found a bunch of vintage rifle barrels in the concrete. The original had been built in the early 1900s. The players are standing in what is now Tom Laing Park, where the Beavers continue to play.
Left to right - Jim Burge 1B/OF, Keith Covert RHP/C, Baldy Garner 2B
Left to right - Ralph Hogg RHP, George Knox OF/P, Blaine Shupe SS
Left to right - Gaylen Shupe P/INF, Jack Shupe 2B, Les Wilder 1B
Below (L-R) - Keith Covert with MVP Trophy in 1953. Covert in 1988 at his induction into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and, right, Luther "Doc" Hughes, long time manager of the Regina Red Sox and inductee into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.
There's been no published explanation for why the Indian Head Rockets discarded outfielder Lincoln Boyd early in the 1950 season.
Boyd, who played with Brandon Greys in 1949 (hitting .,300 in limited time) and the Atlanta Brown Crackers, went on to join the Regina Caps and had a sensational season, hitting .436 while leading the league in triples and tying for the lead in home runs. He did not have enough at bats to qualify for the batting title.
A former Negro All-American halfback from Alabama A&M,
Boyd went on to play pro ball for a few seasons before disappearing from the public eye.
In 1955, with Clovis Pioneers in the West Texas - New Mexico League, hit .340 .447 .678 with 33 doubles and 44 home runs. The following season he set an incredible individual act with grand slam home runs in consecutive at bats, driving in a total of 11 runs in a 17-12 victory.
Saskatchewan Snapshots Page One >>>