1952 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1952 BC Interior
1952 Vancouver Island
OKANAGAN MAINLINE LEAGUE
A sixth team, the Summerland Macs, joined the Okanagan Mainline Baseball League in 1952, the circuit’s second season of play. The Kelowna team, having dropped its affiliation with the Elks, began the season without a name and were simply referred to as the senior team or the No Names until early July when they announced the adoption of the Orioles as their moniker. With the additional team for 1952, the schedule now calls for each team to play 20 games, up from 16 during 1951 action.
(April 20) Doug Kilburn’s 11th inning single drove in the winning marker and gave the hometown Penticton Athletics a 4 to 3 walkoff win over the Kamloops Elks in the 1952 OMBL opener for both clubs. Youthful Ted Bowsfield toed the rubber for the first seven frames for Penticton, permitting but four bingles while whiffing 13. Winning hurler Les Edwards took over mound chores after that and held the Elks to two hits while fanning three. Len Gatin went the route for Kamloops, yielding ten safeties in the 11 innings he chucked, striking out seven along the way. Kilburn had three hits for the winners. Kaye Kaminishi paced Kamloops with a brace of base knocks.
Gatin (L) and Egely
Bowsfield, Edwards (W) (8) and Powell
(April 20) At Summerland, the Oliver Elks pounded out a 12 to 2 victory over the newcomers to the loop, the Macs. The Elks laced 13 hits against the their hosts while the Macs retaliated with six safeties off winning pitcher Richie Schnider. Paul Eisenhut, Bill Sibson, Mickey Martino and Snyder each had two hits for the Elks.
W), Cousins and Lavik
Day (L), Brawner, Aikens and Metcalf
(April 20) The OMBL team from Kelowna, still unnamed, showed plenty of power and served notice of improvement in several areas as they shellacked last season’s OMBL champions, the Vernon Canadians 10 to 3. Roy Wakabayashi, making his first appearance in senior company following a successful stint with the junior Kelowna Chiefs, handcuffed the northerners for six innings before running into a minor bit of trouble in the seventh and ninth and finished with 12 strikeouts while spinning a seven-hitter. George Dye, also just out of junior ranks, lost his senior debut and was relieved by Joe Fisher in the seventh. Offensively for Kelowna, it was hockeyist Joe Kaiser’s show. Kaiser had a perfect day all around, sparkling at his keystone sack position and hitting for beyond the cycle. He homered, tripled, doubled and lashed out two singles in five trips to the dish. Catcher Brian Roche was second in the Kelowna hitting parade with two hits. Vern Dye, the Canadians’ second-sacker, paced the losers with a triple and a double, good for a pair of RBI’s. The only other Canuck to get two hits was catcher Tony Brummet.
G. Dye (L), Fisher (7) and Brummet
Wakabayashi (W) and Roche
(April 27) Sparked by the pitching and hitting of Richie Schnider, the Oliver Elks dumped their namesakes, the Kamloops Elks, 12 to 7 at Kamloops’ Riverside Park. Snyder surrendered but one hit in nine innings of relief work and also rapped out two singles and a double, driving in four runs, as the Oliverites overcame a 5 to 1 first-stanza deficit and came back to humble their hosts. Snyder came in to relieve starter Ernie Steffen in the first inning after four runs had been tallied by the Elks and not an out recorded. An inherited runner scored a fifth run but Snyder shut the door after that until the bottom of the ninth when the Elks plated a last-gasp pair of markers. Loser Len Gatin was pummelled for 16 safeties including a double and a pair of circuit-clouts by Oliver shortstop Bill Sibson. Mickey Martino, Harold Thompson and Lorne May each had two hits for the winners.
Steffen, Snyder (W) (1) and Bay
Gatin (L) and Egely
(April 27) The Penticton Athletics posted a landslide 18 to 5 triumph over the homestanding Vernon Canadians. The A’s had a shaky start, falling behind 4 to 0 after the opening inning, but then settled down and took over the game, scoring eight times in the third frame. The Athletics rode the combined four hit-pitching of starter Ernie Rucks and winner Lloyd Gilmour and a 22-hit barrage to pummel the Canadians and ride to their second straight victory. Shortstop Willard Burgart and outfielder Ken Nelson paced the Penticton attack, each with a double and three singles in six tries. Pitchers Rucks and Gilmour both had two hits. Vern Dye was the standout hitter for the Canucks, belting a pair of doubles.
Rucks, Gilmour (W) (5) and Powell
Hobson (L), Lupul (4), Brummet (9) and Brummet, Lupul (9)
(April 27) Wally Day threw a three-hit shutout as the neophyte Summerland Macs blanked the Kelowna Nameless Nine 4 to 0. While Day was taming the Orchard City batters, the Macs got to Jimmy Wishlove, a standout with last season’s Kelowna junior Chiefs, with consistent regularity. However, it wasn’t until the eighth that the homesters tucked away the win, adding to their 1 to 0 lead with a trio of insurance markers. Roy Wakabayashi relieved Wishlove but by then the damage had been done. Cleanup swatter Gordie Taylor with a triple and single paced the Macs with the stick. Catcher Frank Metcalfe and outfielder Frank Kuroda both singled twice. Eddie Kielbiski managed two of Kelowna’s three hits.
Wishlove (L), Wakabayashi (8) and Roche
Day (W) and Metcalfe
(May 3) In the first of a weekend home-and-home series, the Penticton Athletics not only defeated the visiting Kelowna squad 4 to 0 but they also celebrated a milestone in interior sports development, being the first Okanagan team to host a night game under the lights. The game itself was strictly a joust between pitchers and saw youthful Ted Bowsfield of the A’s hold the edge over Kelowna’s Wally Lesmeister. Bowsfield wound up as master of the situation pretty well all the way with only an odd threat to spoil his bid for a shutout. He whiffed 17 batters while giving up five hits, all singles. Lesmeister gave a sterling account of himself in his first outing of the season. He held the homesters to six hits but with three of them good for two bases and a couple of them bunched, it was inevitable that Penticton runs would be the net result. Clean-up hitter Bill Raptis was the big gun with the bat for the Athletics, belting out two doubles. Joe Kaiser and Eddie Kielbiski both singled twice for the No Names.
Lesmeister (L) and Roche, Peters
Bowsfield (W) and Powell
(May 4) Back in Kelowna for the finale of the two-game set, the two teams battled to a 6 – 6, nine-inning draw. Kelowna jumped out to an early 3 to 0 lead after two innings but the Athletics got back on even terms when Roy Wakabayashi’s control began to waiver and, by the end of the fourth, the combatants were locked in a 4 – 4 stalemate. Penticton took a short-lived 5 to 4 lead on an unearned run in the fifth, countered by a two-run Kelowna fifth. The final counter was a Penticton run, plated in the top of the seventh, which tied things up for good. The Nameless Nine out hit the Peach City gang 10 to 7. Only two players, Kelowna’s third baseman Eddie Kielbiski and outfielder Jim Lowe, managed to amass two-hit totals.
Rucks, Gilmour (5) and O’Connell
Wakabayashi, Carlson (5) and Peters
(May 4) The Oliver Elks defeated the Vernon Canadians 10 to 1. One bad inning for the Vernonites , the eighth, when the opportunistic Elks struck for eight runs, turned the game into a runaway. Eddie Steffen went the distance on the hill for Oliver, allowing five hits en route to earning the win. The Elks collected ten hits altogether, five off starter Dave White who took the loss and an equal number off reliever Vic Lupul. Harold Thompson was Oliver’s best with the stick, poking out a triple and a single. Shortstop Muzychka and Vern Dye both singled twice for the Canucks.
White (L), Lupul (8) and Brummet
Steffen (W) and Lavik
(May 4) The Summerland Macs trounced the Kamloops Elks 9 to 0 at Riverside Park behind the four-hit, shutout pitching of right-hander Wally Day. The loss was the third straight for the winless Elks. Summerland jumped on loser Len Gatin for a pair of opening inning counters and then, broke the game wide open with five tallies in the fifth. Day had the Kamloops hitters eating out of his hand over the nine-inning stretch. He struck out ten and kept the four Elk hits well spaced. Gordie Taylor of the Macs was the batting star of the game, drilling a two-run homer, a run-scoring double and a run-producing single, all good for four RBI’s. Del Weitzel contributed a double and single for Summerland while Fred Kato, Frank Kuroda and Francis Gould all singled twice. Gatin rapped a pair of one-baggers for the losers.
Day (W) and Metcalfe
Gatin (L) and Egely
(May 11) A grand-slam, inside-the-park, four-bagger in the first inning by outfielder Jim Lowe (left) was the payoff blow as Kelowna’s senior entry in the OMBL ended a two-game losing streak by dumping the winless Kamloops Elks 6 to 3. The quartet of counters gained in the initial frame was all the No Names required as winning pitcher Wally Lesmeister hurled masterfully, tossing a six-hitter and striking out 11 batters. Len Gatin, just about the whole hurling staff for the toppled Elks, also fanned 11 but was nicked for nine hits by the Kelowna crew, two of them for extra bases. Fred Kaiser and Brian Lowe both touched him for a pair of singles. Kaye Kaminishi proved to be the chief thorn in Lesmeister’s side, collecting a pair of one-baggers.
Gatin (L) and Maralia
Lesmeister (W) and Roche
(May 11) The Penticton Athletics took over top spot in the OMBL standings by edging the Oliver Elks 5 to 4 in Oliver. Down 4-2 with the bases loaded and two out in the 8th, playing manager Les Edwards cleared the sacks with a double to provide the winning blow. Young Ted Bowsfield started for the Athletics but was pulled in the seventh after giving up four runs on three hits. Bowsfield fanned 10, but gave up six walks and threw three wild pitches. Ernie Rucks relieved and held the Elks scoreless the rest of the way and was credited with the win. Penticton loaded the bases in the 8th without a hit. Bill Raptis got aboard on an error and Bud Tidball was hit by a pitch. After Sam Drossos reached on a fielder's choice, Jim Boulding was hit by Eddie Steffen to re-load the bases to set the stage for Edwards. Doug Kilburn led the winners with three hits, including a 3rd inning triple. Bowsfield had a double and single. Shortstop Bill Sibson had two safeties for the Elks and knocked in two of Olivers' four runs.
Bowsfield, Rucks (W) (7) and O'Connell
Snyder, Steffen (L) (5)and Bay
(May 11) The Summerland Macs moved into a second-place tie in the OMBL with the Oliver Elks by beating the Vernon Canadians 3 to 1. Summerland’s Wally Day came through with another great mound performance in earning the victory in a relief role. All the Macs’ runs came in one inning and spoiled a nice two-hit pitching job by Doug White of Vernon. The Canucks amassed six hits but were only able to plate a single tally in the game, that coming in the first frame. Vernon leadoff hitter Al Munk was the only batter on either squad who could muster up two hits.
White (L) and Brummet
Brawner, Day (W) (1) and Metcalfe
(May 14) Les Edwards pitched a solid, six-hitter and helped the offense with a 3rd inning home run as Penticton notched its 5th straight win, 6-2 over Summerland Macs. After the Athletics took the lead on Edwards' four-bagger, the Macs responded in the 4th to tie on successive singles by Frank Kuroda and Chuck Aikens and an error by left fielder Ernie Rucks. Wally Day, the losing hurler, put the Macs ahead with a single in the 5th scoring Sandy Jomori but then walked in a run after Penticton had loaded the bases. In the 7th, Penticton went in front to stay. Doug Kilburn drew a walk, stole second and came home when Bill Raptis doubled to deep centre. Raptis then scored on a single by Aubrey Powell. Athletics added a pair in the 8th as Raptis singled in Edwards and Kilburn.
Day (L), Ulmer (8) and Metcalf
Edwards (W) and Powell, O'Connell
(May 14) Kelowna, which had earlier blown leads of 3-0 and 8-6, caught a lucky break in the bottom of the 9th to take a 9-8 decision from Oliver. Johnny Lingor, who had given Kelowna it's first inning advantage with a three-run homer, cracked a sharp single to right field as the leadoff hitter in the final frame. The ball got by Harold Thompson streaking into the cars around the outfield as Lingor scampered around the basepaths to score the winning run. Wally Lesmeister picked up the pitching win in a relief role. Hank Tostenson rapped a triple and two singles for the winners. Bill Sibson clouted a three-run homer for Oliver.
Snyder (L) and Lavik, Bay (7)
Wakabayashi, Carlson (5), Lesmeister (W) (8) and Roche
(May 18) Kelowna’s senior baseball club may have no name as yet but that hasn’t stopped the team from winning games and showing marked improvement over last season. The Orchard City crew jumped all over the Oliver Elks for a convincing 8 to 1 victory, their third league win in succession, to climb into sole possession of second place in the OMBL. Wally Lesmeister was in sparkling form, setting down the hometown Oliver clubbers on five hits, all singles. Lesmeister was also the only member of his team to register more than one safety, garnering a triple and a single. Kelowna roared out of the gate, pouncing on loser P. Thompson for three runs in the opening stanza and relegating the Oliverite to the showers in favour of Eddie Steffen. Lyle Graham and Richie Schnider of the Elks both singled twice in a losing cause.
Lesmeister (W) and Roche
P. Thompson (L), Steffen (1) and Bay, Lavik
(May 18) Breaking out of their four-game winless streak, the Kamloops Elks whipped the Summerland Macs 11 to 4 at Summerland. Elks’ hurler Len Gatin appeared in fine form, limiting the Macs to three hits while whiffing ten in earning the hill triumph. Kamloops collected a total of eight base blows off loser Gil Jacobs and reliever Wally Day with catcher Harry Maralia leading the way with three singles. Outfielder Bill Owens singled twice.
Gatin (W) and Maralia
Jacobs (L), Day (8) and Metcalfe
(May 21) Young Ted Bowsfield gave up three runs in the first inning on a walk, error and homer then allowed just one hit the rest of the way in a brilliant effort as Penticton won their 6th straight, 8-3 over Vernon. The lefthander rang up 18 strikeouts while handing out seven bases on balls. Gordon May had two hits and three walks for the winners and Bill Raptis added a double and single. Bill Nicholson had a four-bagger. Catcher Tony Brummet, who belted the first inning homer for Vernon also had a single to account for the entire Vernon offense.
G.Day (L), Whyte (6) and Brummet
Bowsfield (W) and O'Connell
(May 21) Kelowna's Johnny Lingor, leading off the bottom of the 9th in an 8-8 game with Oliver, singled to deep centre and, as the ball got away from Harold Thompson and streaked into the cars around the outfield, scooted all the way home with the winning run. In the first inning, Lingor blasted a three-run homer to give Kelowna the early lead. Oliver rebounded to tie on Bill Sibson's homer with two on in the 2nd inning. Reliever Bob Carlson pushed Oliver back into the lead in the 5th with a run-scoring triple and added an insurance run when he came around the score to make the count 8-6. But Carlson walked three straight in the eighth to load the bases. Wally Lesmeister relieved, but was nicked for a two-run single to knot the score at 8-8.
xxx and xxx
Roy Wakabayashi, Carlson (5), Lesmeister (W) (8) and xxx
OMBL standings as published in the Kelowna Courier of May 22
GP W L Pct.
Penticton 6 6 0 1.000
Kelowna 6 4 2 .667
Summerland 6 3 3 .500
Oliver 6 3 3 .500
Kamloops 5 1 4 .200
Vernon 5 0 5 .000
(May 25) The front-running Penticton Athletics bested the Kelowna senior baseball team 12 to 10 at Athletic Oval in the Peach City. Penticton batters pounced on the offerings of Kelowna’s Bo Carlson in their first two turns at bat and established a 9 to 1 lead. Carlson got the hook in the second as Wally Lesmeister assumed the fireman’s role. Winning fireballer Ted Bowsfield of the A’s was far from his usual best in this encounter. He was lit up for a three-run circuit-clout by Lesmeister in the second frame and a two-run four-bagger by Johnny Lingor in the fourth which tied the game at 9 – 9. Bowsfield had earlier launched a homer for the Athletics, a bases-empty shot, while teammate Bill Eshelman had provided him with four runs, connecting for a grand slam round-tripper. A brace of seventh-inning runs gave the A’s the margin they needed to prevail.
Bowsfield (W) and Powell, O’Connell (3)
Carlson, Lesmeister (2) and Roche
(May 25) Wally Day pitched his third shutout of the campaign as the Summerland Macs won a close-fought 2 to 0 contest against the Vernon Canadians. Day struck out ten and held the Canucks to three hits. Hard-luck loser Dave White yielded only four hits to the Macs while whiffing six but his mates couldn’t generate any offensive production for him. Macs’ first sacker Francis Gould drilled a resounding triple in the fifth inning to drive in the game’s only two tallies. His teammate, second baseman Rocky Richardson, was the only player in the contest to register two hits. He also excelled at second base trapping five difficult grounders in the absence of Fred Kato.
Day (W) and Metcalfe
White (L) and Brummet
(May 25) The Oliver Elks visited Riverside Park and came away with a 6 to 2 win over the hosting Kamloops Elks. Six Kamloops errors played a major part in the final result. Winning moundsman Richie Schnider spun a six-hitter in going the distance while Bill MacDonald of the homesters, pressed into service time on the hill, did a creditable job and was nailed with the complete-game loss. Harold Thompson led the Oliver squad at the dish with a double and single. Lyle Graham and Don Coy both swatted a brace of one-baggers. Second baseman Art Thompson of Kamloops picked up a pair of doubles.
Snyder (W) and Bay
MacDonald (L) and Maralia
(May 29) The Penticton Athletics’ undefeated record in 1952 OMBL play came to an end Thursday when the Summerland Macs came from behind in the 8th inning with a pair of homers to down the league-leaders 5-3 under the lights at Penticton. Centre fielder Gordie Taylor belted a homer off Les Edwards to tie the count at 3-3. Then with two out, Fred Kato singled and veteran catcher Frank Metcalf lifted one over the centre field barrier to give Macs a 5-3 edge. Gil Jacobs went the distance for the win holding the Athletics to seven hits.
Jacobs (W) and Metcalf
Edwards (L) and O'Connell
(May 29) The Kelowna Courier reported that Joe Kaiser, second sacker of the Kelowna No Names, was leading the OMBL in batting with a .667 average. In a tie for the runner-up in these early-season batting statistics were Oliver’s Bill Sibson and Gordie Taylor of the Summerland Macs who both sport a .467 mark.
(June 1) The Kamloops Elks won for the second time this season as they overwhelmed the Kelowna Seniors 13 to 5 at Riverside Park. Although Kelowna hitters smacked his offerings for 11 hits, winning chucker Len Gatin hung on and was the benefactor of a wild eighth in which his mates made a rout of an otherwise tight game. Wally Lesmeister started out for the Orchard City squad but got into major trouble in the fifth and gave way to Bo Carlson. Carlson was in good fettle and kept the game close until a disastrous eighth put the game out of reach for the visitors. First sacker Mel Ottem collected a pair of doubles and a brace of one-baggers in pacing the Elks’ offensive thrust. Frank Vaselenak, back in Kamloops livery after a season in professional ball, had three hits in four trips to the plate. Catcher Harry Maralia kicked in with a double and single. For the Nameless Nine, Jim Lowe had a double and single while Hank Tostenson ripped a brace of singles.
Lesmeister (L), Carlson (5), Kielbiski (8) and Roche
Gatin (W) and Maralia
(June 1) Penticton scored a pair in the 9th to shade the Macs 4-3 at Summerland. Down 3-2, catcher Kevin O'Connell reached on an error, was sacrificed to second and advanced to third on a single by Mac Collins who promptly stole second. Bill Raptis, who had driven in a run in the 5th, knocked in both to put the Athletics on top. Ted Bowsfield the teenage phenom pitched an outstanding game fanning ten of the first twelve batters. He ended with 18 strikeouts and no walks. The lefty allowed just two hits and all three runs against him were unearned. Wally Day was tagged with the tough-luck loss.
Bowsfield (W) and O'Connell
Day (L) and Metcalf
(June 1) Eddie Steffen pitched the Oliver Elks to a 10 to 4 win over the hapless Vernon Canadians at Oliver. The loss for the Canucks was their seventh consecutive in OMBL play. The Elks pummelled losing hurler Dave White for 14 base blows as Don Coy led the way with three singles. Leadoff batter Bill Sibson delivered two screaming doubles and first sacker John Vanderburgh ripped a double and a single. Steffen stopped the Canadians on four hits while fanning seven.
White (L) and Brummet
Steffen (W) and Sibson
(June 4) A big six-run 5th inning carried Penticton to an 11-5 victory over Oliver Elks. Val Eshelman's three-run homer was a highlight of the uprising. Bill Raptis added a two-run single. Athletics added five more in the seventh as Bill Nicholson and Sam Drossos belted homers. Drossos and Gordie May each had three hits for the winners. Freddie Fritz had three for Oliver.
Cousins (L), Steffen (5), Snyder (7) and Sibson
Edwards (W), Gilmour (5) and Powell
(June 4) Kelowna’s senior diamondeers got back on the winning track with a tight 7 to 6 victory over the Summerland Macs at Athletic Oval Park. The outcome meant a trade in places, with Kelowna replacing the Macs in third spot in the OMBL. Wally Lesmeister, in trouble a few times went the whole route in posting his fourth league victory. Summerland had to use three pitchers with left-hander Gil Jacobs starting out and getting tagged with the loss. The No Namers nicked the Macs’ trio of chuckers for nine hits with clean-up swatter Johnny Lingor accounting for three of them.
Jacobs (L), Rucks (3), Day (7) and Metcalfe
Lesmeister (W) and Roche
(June 5) Kelowna's Joe Kaiser is the big man with the stick in the early going in the OMBL. Kaiser leads in batting average with a .480 mark, in RBI, with 10, and his two homers are also tops in the league. Bill Raptis of Kelowna is the runner-up in average, at .449, and runs batted in, with 9. Richie Schnider of Oliver is third in batting with his .417 average and Doug Kilburn fourth, at .391. Mac Collins of the Athletics is tops in stolen bases, with five to his credit. Ted Bowsfield of the Athletics is the leading hurler, with a 4-0 record and 62 strikeouts. The statistics include games up to and including May 28th.
(June 5) The Kamloops Elks grabbed their third win in eight OMBL starts at Vernon’s Polson Park as they manhandled the inept Vernon Canadians 18 to 3. The Canucks have now gone eight consecutive games without a win. Len Gatin permitted the Canadians only four hits and struck out 11 in his winning mound performance. Losing twirler Dave White started on the hill for Vernon but was roughed up early and replaced by George Dye in the fourth and he didn’t fare any better. Second baseman Art Thompson of the Elks had a huge game at the plate, hitting for the cycle: a homer, triple, double and single in five at bats. Bill MacDonald broke out of his slump by cracking three hits while Kaye Kaminishi slashed two. For the losers, Brian Casey had a brace of bingles.
Gatin (W) and xxx
White (L), G. Dye (4) and xxx
(June 8) The season’s first no-hitter in the OMBL featured the same pitcher who turned the trick last year, 17 year old Ted Bowsfield of Penticton. The slender left-hander chalked up his second no-hit, no-run game of his career in senior baseball in leading the Penticton Athletics to a 2 to 0 win over the Kamloops Elks. The hard-throwing southpaw faced 30 batters and stuck out 17 of them. Bowsfield’s gem over-shadowed a great showing by Kamloops’ twirler Len Gatin who gave up five hits and fanned nine. The A’s scored single counters in the first and eighth frames in taking the contest and maintaining their big gap atop the OMBL. Third baseman Bill Raptis of the Athletics led the hit parade with a double and single.
Bowsfield (W) and O’Connell
Gatin (L) and Maralia
(June 8) The Vernon Canadians finally hit the win column when they plated three bottom-of-the-ninth runs to squeeze past the Kelowna Nameless Nine 7 to 6. Ike Jackson picked up the complete game pitching win even though he was roughed up for 14 base blows by the Peach City crew. Kelowna pitcher Bo Carlson hurled his best game of the season, giving up seven hits, two of them in the fateful ninth, and suffered the loss. With two gone and the No-Namers ahead 6 to 4, the Canadians’ Wally Janicki laced a two-run double which tied the game. After an intentional walk, “Red” Graff nailed a hanging curve from Carlson into short left field to score Janicki with the winning run. Janicki had a single to go along with his game-tying blow to lead the winners at the dish. Eddie Kielbiski contributed a double and two singles for the Kelowna nine while Johnny Lingor had a pair of doubles. Jim Lowe, Joe Kaiser and Cec Favell all singled twice.
Carlson (L) and Roche
Jackson (W) and Brummet
(June 8) Oliver Elks used a four-run second inning to notch a 6-2 win over Summerland Macs at Oliver. Elks combined two hits with two walks and two errors in the big frame. Playing manager Richie Schnider had a solid mound outing scattering eight hits for the win. Wally Day took the loss. Elks put the game away early with their 2nd inning outburst. Right fielder Fleming singled to plate left fielder Mickey Martino before Paul Eisenhut drilled one over third base to make it 2-0. They added two more on Summerland errors. Elks scored another in the 3rd as Martino's triple scored Snyder. The 6th Elks' marker came in the 4th with Lavik making home on a sacrifice fly. Macs got their runs in the 6th with Gordie Taylor's three-bagger chasing home Rocky Richardson and Taylor scoring on Francis Gould's single. Taylor led all hitters with three safeties.
W.Day (L), Jacobs (5) and Metcalf
Snyder (W) and Lavik
(June 11) In team statistics, printed by the Penticton Herald, playing manager Les Edwards is setting the example of how it should be done. In statistics for the first 17 games of the season, both league and exhibition games, Edwards leads the way with a .363 batting average. Doug Kilburn is second at .354. Third sacker Bill Raptis, hitting . 283, is tops in RBI with 17 and hits, 19. In the fielding department, Edwards again heads the team handling 21 changes without a miscue. Ted Bowsfield and Edwards each have a 4 and 1 record in their mound duties. The young lefty leads in strikeouts with 81 to Edwards' 37 but the veteran has issued just 10 bases on balls compared to the 38 for Bowsfield.
AB R H HR BB SO SB RBI AVE
Edwards 22 10 8 2 7 2 0 9 .364
Kilburn 48 10 17 0 5 8 4 8 .354
Burgart 23 6 8 0 1 4 1 6 .348
Collins 48 6 15 0 1 5 6 7 .313
Bowsfield 23 6 7 1 3 3 4 2 .304
O'Connell 33 7 10 0 3 6 0 2 .303
Raptis 67 13 19 110 13 3 17 .284
Powell 30 2 8 0 2 4 0 3 .267
Boulding 36 4 9 0 2 6 5 3 .250
Drossos 58 14 14 0 6 6 4 10 .241
Nicholson 46 10 11 1 9 9 3 7 .239
Gilmour 25 2 5 0 3 9 0 5 .200
May 18 3 3 0 6 9 0 1 .167
Eshelman 13 1 2 1 2 5 0 3 .154
Tidball 44 5 5 1 9 14 1 2 .114
GP IP H R ER SO BB HB WP W L ERA
Nelson 1 2 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Edwards 7 42 1/3 30 11 7 37 10 0 0 4 1 1.49
Rucks 5 16 16 12 3 9 8 0 3 1 0 1.69
Bowsfield 8 54 2/3 28 24 13 81 38 5 9 4 1 2.14
Gilmour 4 15 2/3 10 15 6 9 13 3 6 0 1 3.45
Getz 2 11 1/3 10 18 5 5 12 3 4 0 1 3.97
White 1 4 8 8 4 2 2 0 1 0 1 9.00
Powell G. 1 4 2/3 8 7 5 2 2 0 2 0 1 9.64
(June 11) Lanky Wally Lesmeister of the Kelowna squad threw a nifty two-hitter at the Oliver Elks as the homesters prevailed 2 to 1 in a tightly-contested OMBL game in Kelowna. The win for the Peach City gang maintained their jinx over the Oliverites who have dropped three straight to their neighbour to the north. The contest was strictly a tosser’s duel with veteran Hal Cousins turning in a fine performance, giving up six singles, walking one and whiffing three. Joe Kaiser drove in the initial Kelowna run with a first-inning single. Cec Favell’s fourth inning one-bagger plated the second run for the No Namers. Oliver picked up an unearned run in the top of the ninth but it was too little, too late. Catcher Brian Roche of the Nameless Nine with two singles was the only batter on either team to have a multi-hit game.
Cousins (L) and Sibson
Lesmeister (W) and Roche
(June 11) The Kamloops Elks outlasted the Vernon Canadians 9 to 6 in SMBL action at Riverside Park. The Elks punched out 11 base blows off loser Dave White while the Canadians touched winner Len Gatin for ten. Bill MacDonald and Art Thompson led the Elks’ batting attack with three hits each. Catcher Harry Maralia had a pair of hits including a two-run homer in the third. Outfielder Al Munk was troublesome for Gatin as he lit the Kamloops right-hander up for a double and three singles.
White (L) and Brummet
Gatin (W) and Maralia
(June 15) Kelowna’s senior baseballers, still unnamed, turned almost certain defeat into victory with a five-run bottom-of-the-ninth rally and came out on top of a stunned group of Vernon Canadians 12 to 11. Hank Tostenson’s two-out double off loser Ike Jackson drove in the winner for the Nameless Nine. Tostenson also had a three-run circuit blast in the opening inning. Catcher Tony Brummet launched a two-run shot for the Canadians. Wally Lesmeister won it in relief. Outfielder Cec Favell (right) of the Peach City gang had an outstanding game with the lumber, accumulating five hits in six official times at bat.
White, Jackson (L) (7) and Brummet
Middleton, Carlson (3), Lesmeister (W) (8) and Roche
(June 15) Down 4-1 into the bottom of the 9th, Oliver Elks combined one hit with some loose infield play by Summerland and some daring baserunning to score four times and escape with a 5-4 victory Sunday. With two out and the bases loaded, shortstop Bill Sibson stole home to plate the winning run. The Macs had taken the lead in the 3rd inning as Rocky Richardson's infield out scored Ernie Rucks who had singled. Summerland added a pair in the 6th as Francis Gould drew a walk and Gordie Taylor knocked him in with a two-bagger. Taylor came home on an infield grounder giving the Macs a 3-0 margin. They made it 4-0 in the 7th as Sandy Jomori raced home on a double by Rucks. The Elks finally got on the scoreboard in the 8th. Don Coy, who had walked, crossed the plate on Richie Schnider's double. That set the stage for the thrilling finish. Fleming led off the frame with a roller down the third base line and made it safely to first as pitcher Gil Jacobs juggled the ball. Eddie Steffen drove one in the hole between third and short and the Elks had runners on second and third on the throw-in. Wally Day came in to relieve Jacobs and his error on Paul Eisenhut's bunt loaded the sacks. A walk to Lavik brought home one run still with none out. On a attempted squeeze play Steffen was thrown out at the plate but Sibson drew a base on balls and the Elks had their third marker as Eisenhut scored. Lyle Graham bunted Lavik home for a 4-4 tie and was safe at first on another error. Reliever Richie Schnider tried a sacrifice but Coy was out at home for the second out. While the Macs gathered around first base, without calling time, to discuss the bases-loaded, two-out situation,Sibson streaked home with the winning counter.
Jacobs, Day (L) (9) and Metcalf
Cousins (W), Snyder (9) and Lavik
(June 15) The Kamloops Elks, mired in the second division of the OMBL, proved the bigger a team is, the harder it falls. The Purple and White walloped the league-leading Penticton Athletics 16 to 4 at Riverside Park to move into fourth place in the standings. The wildness of the Penticton moundsmen accounted for the one-sided score. Losing pitcher Richard Getz and his two replacements, Sam Drossos and Bill Raptis, yielded a grand total of 13 bases on balls. Both teams had seven base hits. Bill MacDonald of the Elks led all hitters with a brace of doubles and a single. Art Thompson had a two-run homer for the winners. Raptis and Val Eshelman of the A’s had two hits each off the slants of winning tosser Len Gatin.
Getz (L), Drossos (5), Raptis (9) and O’Connell
Gatin (W) and Maralia
OMBL standings as published in the Kamloops Sentinel of June 16
P W L Pct.
Penticton 12 10 2 .833
Oliver 11 7 4 .686
Kelowna 11 6 5 .545
Kamloops 11 5 6 .454
Summerland 12 5 7 .416
Vernon 11 1 10 .091
(June 18) The defending champion Vernon Canadians, mired in the basement of the OMBL, chalked up their second victory of the 1952 campaign by defeating the Kelowna No Names 6 to 4. The Orchard City crew out hit their Vernon hosts by a wide margin, 13 to 5, but couldn’t capitalize on many of their opportunities. In addition, the Kelownans booted the ball six times. Lanky Rudy Byrtus, a new Vernon twirler, was able to space the numerous opposition bingles such that no big Kelowna inning ensued. Wally Lesmeister hurled a pretty good game all the way for the No Name nine except in the fifth when his fielding support buckled badly and the Canadians scored five runs on three hits and three errors.
Lesmeister (L) and Roche
Byrtus (W) and Brummet
(June 22) Len Gatin allowed only three hits and struck out nine as the Kamloops Elks broke even for the first time this season by downing the hometown Oliver Elks 6 to 3. The victory was the Elks’ sixth against six losses. Kamloops collected seven hits off losing chucker Hal Cousins. The visitors broke an even game open in the seventh with a three-run splurge. Frank Vaselenak and Harry Maralia had two hits apiece for the winners.
Gatin (W) and Maralia
Cousins (L)and Sibson
(June 25) At King's Park, the hometown Penticton Athletics clobbered Kelowna 17-1 as Ted Bowsfield fired a smart four-hitter, with 15 strikeouts, and Sam Drossos clubbed a grand-slam homer. The Athletics had just eight hits but took advantage of nine Kelowna errors. They scored five runs in the first inning on just one hit and five miscues and never looked back. The game marked the first appearance in a Penticton uniform of Grant Warwick of the famous hockey brother trio. Bill Nicholson had two hits and scored four times for the winners.
Lesmeister (L), Zaccarelli (3), Carlson (8) and Roche
Bowsfield (W) and O'Connell
(July 3) The Kelowna team today announced that they will now be officially known as the Orioles.
(July 6) In spite of scoring seven runs in their first turn at bat, the newly-named Kelowna Orioles went on to lose an error-filled slugfest 14 to 8 to the Penticton Athletics at Athletic Oval. The team combined for 16 fielding miscues with the Athletics committing the most, nine. They also took care of all the home runs, one for each error. When the final out was finally made, Sam Drossos, Bill Eshelman and Doug Kilburn of the A’s had lit up the duo of Oriole chuckers for two circuit-clouts apiece. The other three homers were launched by Richie Schnider, Bud Russell and “Nobby” Warwick.
Abbey, Apolzer (1), Snyder (1), Apolzer (W) (3) and Warwick
Lesmeister, Kielbiski (L) (1) and Roche
(July 6) The Vernon Canadians picked up their third OMBL victory by trimming the Summerland Macs 9 to 7 in 11 innings. The Canadians came from behind to tie the game in the seventh inning before sewing it up with a two-run splurge in the second extra-frame. Dave White, with a five-inning relief stretch on the mound in which he allowed only one-hit, was the worthy winner. He bailed out Vernon starter Ike Jackson who had been lit up for all seven Summerland runs. Former Penticton Athletic Ernie Rucks got the starting nod for the Macs and gave up three runs in four innings before being replaced by eventual losing twirler Gil Jacobs. The Canucks started the top of the 11th with back-to-back doubles by Al Munk and Wally Janicki which produced the lead run. Janicki galloped to third on a fielder’s choice and scored the insurance marker on Tony Brummet’s sacrifice fly to left field. Janicki wound up as the game’s hitting star, clubbing five hits in six tries. Brummet followed with a two-for-five performance. Gordie Taylor rapped three base blows for the losers.
Jackson, White (W) (7) and Brummet
Rucks, Jacobs (L) (5) and Metcalf
(July 6) The Kamloops Elks scored three times in the third inning on consecutive two-out doubles by Frank Vaselenak and Harry Maralia to beat the Oliver Elks 3 to 2. The win was Kamloops’ seventh in 13 starts. Doug “Baz” Nagle pitched a four-hitter for Kamloops in the OMBL fixture. Oliver’s Hal Cousins duplicated Nagle’s feat on the mound, allowing only four Kamloops’ safeties. Oliver scored both of their runs in the fifth inning.
Nagle (W) and Maralia
Cousins (L) and xxx
(July 9) Wally Day pitched the Summerland Macs to a 3 to 2 decision over the Kelowna Orioles at Summerland.
xxx (L) and xxx
Day (W) and xxx
(July 9) The Vernon Canadians made it two in a row as they tripped up the league-leading Penticton Athletics 7 to 5 in a ten-inning thriller on the A’s home turf. Vernon’s Dave White pitched the entire ten frames, striking out an even dozen, to pick up the win. Playing-manager Les Edwards of the Athletics tossed the first nine innings and then turned the ball over to young Ted Bowsfield for the tenth. Wally Janicki led off the top of that frame by singling. “Red” Graff sacrificed him to second. With first base open, Bowsfield elected to pitch to Tony Brummet and the burly catcher slapped out a ringing double, scoring Janicki. Vern Dye, the next batter, then poled out a long double which was just inches short of a home run and Brummet trotted in with the insurance run. The Athletics’ Sam Drossos had a home run for the losers, his third in two games.
White (W) and xxx
Edwards , Bowsfield (L) (10) and xxx
(July 13) With Ted Bowsfield fashioning a four-hit shutout and Bill Raptis clouting a three-run homer, double and three singles the Penticton Athletics demolished Oliver Elks 11-0 Sunday. The contest featured a 5th inning rhubarb which threatened to turn into a free-for-all. Trouble started when the A's fiery catcher Kevin O'Connell objected to batter Lyle Graham nudging him with the bat. The pair squared off and umpire Cec Byers found himself in the middle of the fracas. Players from both sides began trading insults and punches and even some fans joined the battle before order was restored with O'Connell and Graham ejected. Sam Drossos banged out a pair of doubles and a single for Penticton. Don Coy had two hits, including a triple, for the Elks.
Bowsfield (W) and O'Connell, xxx
Cousins (L) and xxx
(July 13) Ernie Rucks, playing second base because regular Fred Kato failed to return from a fishing trip, knocked in four runs with a homer and two singles to lead Summerland to a 10-3 trouncing of the Vernon Canadians. Wally Day hurled a six-hitter over the seven-inning contest to register the win.
Byrtus (L), White and Brummet
Day (W) and Metcalf
(July 20) The Kamloops Elks’ sturdy right-hander “Baz” Nagle hooked up in classic pitching duel with Ted Bowsfield of the Penticton Athletics in the Peach City and came out on top 5 to 3 with a five-hit, eight strikeout performance. Bowsfield was equally sharp on the rubber, giving up six hits and striking out 13 Kamloops batters. The game was scoreless until the seventh when Nagle hit a two-run single to give the Elks a 2 to 0 advantage. Nagle crossed the plate later in the inning to increase the lead to 3 – 0. Penticton tied it up in the bottom of the eighth but Kamloops got to Bowsfield for two more counters to provide the game-winning margin. Bill MacDonald and Frank Vaselenak notched two hits apiece for the winners. Mac Collins led Penticton at the plate with a two base-blow output. The longest-clout-of-the-game honours went to Bill Raptis who banged a Nagle offering for a three-run homer in the eighth inning.
Nagle (W) and M. Ottem
Bowsfield (L) and Powell
(July 20) Summerland Macs, helped by 10 Oliver errors, shaded the Elks 6-5 at Summerland. Macs had just six hits, two each by Rocky Richardson and Francis Gould, in notching the victory. Wally Day picked up the win in relief of starter Eddie Steffen. Bill Sibson had a triple and single for Oliver.
Steffen, Cousins (L) (9) and Coulter
Jacobs, Day (W) (5) and Richardson
(July 24) Outfielder Mac Collins and third baseman Bill Raptis lead the Penticton Athletics offense in statistics up to July 16th. Lead-off man Collins is hitting .355 and leads in stolen bases with 20. Raptis is second among regulars with a .328 mark and tops the club with 31 runs batted in. Playing-manager Les Edwards has the best batting mark, .393, but has suited up in just 13 games. Ted Bowsfield is having a sparkling season with a 10-4 record, 205 strikeouts in 127 and 2/3s innings, and an ERA of 1.41.
GP AB R H HR BB SO SB RBI AVE Edwards 13 28 9 11 2 8 3 0 11 .393 Warwick 5 11 2 4 1 2 3 0 5 .364 Collins 30 107 23 38 0 4 11 20 8 .355 Raptis 31 128 19 42 2 15 20 5 31 .328 Kilburn 20 71 16 23 2 5 14 8 12 .324 Russell 13 49 7 14 1 5 12 3 12 .286 Powell 20 52 7 14 0 5 8 1 6 .269 Bowsfield 20 54 13 14 1 7 14 5 10 .259 Boulding 18 40 5 10 0 4 6 5 3 .250 Snyder 8 30 9 7 1 10 6 3 5 .233 Drossos 29 119 26 27 3 8 10 7 26 .227 Eshelman 14 45 8 10 4 5 14 0 12 .222 O'Connell 26 59 11 13 0 11 14 1 4 .220 Nicholson 23 78 20 17 2 20 16 8 13 .218 May 17 43 6 7 0 11 23 0 3 .163 IP H R ER SO BB HB WP W L ERA
Nelson 2 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Raptis 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Apolzer 17.67 15 5 1 14 13 2 2 1 1 0.51
Snyder 10 8 9 1 4 1 1 0 1 0 0.90
Edwards 58 39 16 7 50 13 0 3 5 1 1.09
Bowsfield 127 2/3 59 42 20 205 69 10 23 10 4 1.41
Rucks 16 16 12 3 9 8 0 3 1 0 1.69
Gilmour 19 2/3 14 20 7 13 16 2 6 0 1 3.20
Getz 16 1/3 16 26 10 7 20 3 8 0 2 5.51
White 4 8 8 4 2 2 0 1 0 1 9.00
Powell G. 4 2/3 8 7 5 2 2 0 2 0 1 9.64
Drossos N. 4 2 8 6 2 7 0 3 0 0 13.50
Abbey 0 1 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 0
(July 27) Kelowna 2 Oliver 5
(July 27) An inspired Vernon Canadians baseball team, struggling to get within reach of an OMBL playoff berth, came out on the top side of a 3 to 2 score against the Penticton Athletics at Polson Park. Leadoff hitter Al Munk started things off on the right foot for the Canadians as he belted the second pitch of the game out of the park for a homer and a 1 to 0 lead. Munk later bounced one over the fence for a ground-rule double in the fifth. Penticton tied the game in the seventh with an unearned run but, in the Vernon half of the frame, Wally Janicki took one deep with a mate aboard for a second Canucks’ homer and a 3 to 1 cushion. The Athletics rally in the ninth produced a second run but fell short of knotting the game.
Edwards (L) and xxx
D.White (W) and xxx
(July 27) In his second-last scheduled appearance on the hill for the Kamloops Elks, Doug “Baz” Nagle twirled a three-hitter as the Elks topped the Summerland Macs 5 to 1. Nagle is destined to pitch one more game for the Antlered Tribe before leaving August 8 to join Pocatello, Idaho of the class C Pioneer League. Eleven Macs’ batters were strikeout victims oh his in Summerland. Nagle also handled the bat well in this game, stroking a pair of singles. However, it was his teammate, shortstop Bill Marriott, who did the most damage against losing pitcher Wally Day. Bespectacled Bill hit safely four times in five attempts.
Nagle (W) and Maralia
Day (L) and Metcalf
GP W L GBL Penticton 17 12 5 Kamloops 15 9 6 2.0 Oliver 16 8 8 3.5 Kelowna 16 7 9 4.5 Summerland 18 8 10 4.5 Vernon 16 5 11 6.5
(July 30) Penticton Athletics lead in individual statistical categories in the Mainline Baseball League. Bud Raptis is atop the batting race with a .438 average and leads in runs batted in with 24. Mac Collins has the most stolen bases, 18, and Bill Eshelman has the most home runs, 4. Kamloops Elks, in second place in the league standings, have just one player among the leaders. That's second baseman Art Thompson in a 4th place tie in homers, with two. The statistics include games of July 20th.
Raptis PEN .438
Brummet VER .380
Kaiser KWO .377
Kilburn PEN .357
Taylor SUM .318
Collins PEN .319
Rucks SUM .303
RBI : Raptis PEN 24, Drossos PEN 16, Kaiser KWO 14, Sibson OLE 11, Eshelman PEN 11, Snyder PEN 11, Graham OLE 10, Tostenson KWO 10
SB : Collins PEN 18, Nicholson PEN 8, Snyder PEN 8, Sibson OLE 6, Taylor SUM 5, Brummet VER 5, Rucks SUM 5
Home Runs : Eshelman PEN 4, Drossos PEN 3, Sibson OLE 3, Raptis PEN 2, Nicholson PEN 2, Thompson KLE 2, Kilburn PEN 2, Brummet VER 2
(July 30) The Penticton Athletics clinched the OMBL pennant for the second straight year by whipping the Oliver Elks 15 to 4. Ted Bowsfield was spectacular for eight innings, allowing just two hits and fanning 19, but ran into a streak of wildness in the 9th, walking five straight batters, and needed playing-manager Les Edwards to finish up. Sam Drossos paced a 14-hit attack with a double in the 1st, a triple in the 6th and a three-run homer in the 7th. Bill Raptis knocked in four runs with a homer and single and Grant Warwick added a double and two singles.
Cousins (L), Steffen and Metcalf
Bowsfield (W), Edwards (9) and Powell, O'Connell (9)
(July 31) The Kamloops Elks forfeited their game to the Vernon Canadians when they were unable to field a team for their game in Vernon. The forfeiture will cost the team a $100 fine. The eight Kamloops players who did appear went ahead and played an exhibition game against Vernon and came out on top 4 to 0. Doug “Baz” Nagle tossed a three-hitter in the meaningless contest and will now head south to join a class C farm team of the St. Louis Browns.
(August 3) The Kamloops Elks spotted the Kelowna Orioles single runs in both the first and second innings and then unloaded their heavy artillery to beat Kelownans 7 to 4 at Riverside Park. The win by the Elks was their tenth in 17 starts. Len Gatin gave up seven safeties in picking up the mound win for Kamloops. The Orioles had ten hits off the tandem of loser Wally Lesmeister and reliever Eddie Kielbiski. Bill Marriott led the Elks at bat with a pair of singles and a home run. Kaye Kaminishi and Bill MacDonald each collected two safeties. Cec Favell had a two-run round-tripper and a single for the Birds. Kenny Amundrud pitched in with a pair of one-baggers.
Gatin (W) and Maralia
Lesmeister (L), Kielbiski (5) and Roche
(August 3) The Vernon Canadians continued their late-season push for a spot in the OMBL playoffs when they took down the visiting Oliver Elks 8 to 4. Rudy Byrtus, with a strong relief outing, received credit for the mound win. Al Munk had a brace of one-baggers for the winners as did Mickey Martino for the Elks. Oliver’s Murray Williamson had the game’s only homer.
xxx (L) and xxx
G. Dye, Byrtus (W) (2) and xxx
(August 3) Penticton ended the OMBL season the way they began, with a victory. The Athletics went 11 innings to defeat Summerland 7-5. Playing-manager Les Edwards drove in the winning run as a pinch hitter knocking in Doug Kilburn who had doubled. He later scored an insurance run when Richie Schnider cracked a two-bagger. Johnny Apolzer started for the A's and pitched into the 10th when he gave way to Ted Bowsfield with none out and two runners on base. The young lefty set down all six batters he faced to pick up the win. Sam Drossos had three hits to lead a 13-hit Penticton attack. Sandy Jomori had three of the Macs six hits.
Apolzer, Bowsfield (W) (10) and O'Connell
Day and Metcalf
(August 7) Penticton's Bill Raptis tops the OMBL with a .438 batting average well ahead of the runner-up Tony Brummet of Vernon at .380. Raptis also leads in RBI with 24. Mac Collins of the Athletics has the most stolen bases, 18, and teammate Val Eshelman leads in home runs, with 4.
(August 10) The Summerland Elks posted a 9 to 2 win over the defensively-challenged Kamloops Elks at Riverside Park. Although both teams laced out eight safeties, the Elks committed a grand total of 11 errors which was a major factor in their dismal performance. Wally Day picked up the pitching decision over Len Gatin. Four batters, two from each side, shared hitting laurels. Bill Marriott and Mel Ottem of the Elks as well as Sandy Jomori and Chuck Aiken of the Macs, all had two base knocks.
Day (W) and Metcalf
Gatin (L) and Maralia
(August 10) Dropping an 8 to 4 game to the Oliver Elks, the Vernon Canadians saw their hopes for a playoff appearance evaporate. Rudy Byrtus started on the rubber for the Canucks but after a disastrous first inning in which the Oliverites drilled him for four runs, he was replaced by George Dye. Ike Jackson came in for Dye later in the game. “Red” Graff of the Canadians was the big man with the stick for both teams when he checked in with a triple, double and single in four attempts.
Byrtus (L), G. Dye (2), Jackson and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
(August 13) Summerland Macs moved into sole possession of third place in the final standings trouncing the error-prone Oliver Elks 11-5 at King's Park. The Macs had just nine hits, including a three-run homer by Frank Metcalf and a four-bagger by Frank Kato. 11 Oliver errors made it easy for Summerland. Gil Jacobs scattered nine hits to gain the pitching win. Little Frank Kuroda provided some laughs in the 9th with his antics on the base paths. He drew a walk and promptly stole second, shook the dirt off his uniform and took off for third and made it safely. He was on his way to steal home when the batter went down swinging.
Jacobs (W) and Metcalf
Coulter (L), Steffen and Williamson
(August 14) The Kamloops Elks beat the Vernon Canadians 15 to 14 at Riverside Park to earn their 11th win in 19 OMBL contests. The game, a comedy of errors with each side accruing eight, was called after the seventh inning. After the Canadians had tied the score 14 – 14 in the top of the seventh, third baseman Kaye Kaminishi drew a walk to begin the last half of the frame. An infield error later in the inning allowed Kaminishi to touch home with the eventual winner. Archie Gaber and Johnny Haywood had two hits apiece for the Elks with one of Gaber’s being a home run. Al Munk, Russell “Red” Graff and Hank Farnyk all sported a trio of base raps for the Canucks.
xxx, xxx (L) and xxx
xxx, xxx (W) and xxx
(August 17) The Kelowna Orioles moved into a three-way, third-place tie with the Summerland and Oliver in the OMBL by trimming the Kamloops Elks 10 to 4. Twelve Kelowna hits and six Kamloops errors combined to set the wheels in motion for a rout. Cec Favell slammed a three-run homer off loser Len Gatin in the fourth which staked the Orioles to a lead they never relinquished. Favell, Don Peters and Brian Roche banged three hits each off Gatin while Ed Kielbiski chipped in with a pair of raps. Harry Maralia led the Kamloops hitters with a trio of singles off winner Wally Lesmeister. Bill Marriott, Johnny Haywood and Gatin followed with two hits each. With the three-way deadlock, a tie-breaker will be necessary to determine the last two playoff spots.
Lesmeister (W) and Roche
Gatin (L) and Maralia
Final Standings
P W L Pct.
Penticton 20 15 5 .750
Kamloops 20 11 9 .550
Summerland 20 9 11 .450
Oliver 20 9 11 .450
Kelowna 20 9 11 .450
Vernon 20 7 13 .350
A toss was made for third spot with Summerland winning the pitch. That leaves Oliver and Kelowna to decide fourth place with a sudden-death meeting on neutral ground.
(August 21) The Kelowna Orioles, after a game fight to grab an OMBL playoff spot, reached the end of the trail in abrupt fashion when Ed Steffen of the Oliver Elks tamed them with a three-hitter and a 7 to 0 whitewash. Steffen rang up ten strikeouts and didn't walk a batter. Kelowna may have set a league mark for defensive inability as the infield committed ten errors. Bill Sibson had the game's big blow, a 3rd inning homer. The game was played in Penticton, considered a neutral site. Wally Lesmeister took the loss. Oliver will now face their namesake, the other antlered herd from Kamloops in a semi-final match.
Lesmeister (L) and Roche
Steffen (W) and Coulter
(August 24) Down 1-0 in the 7th inning, Penticton A's erupted for five runs to down Summerland 5-1 to win the sudden-death semi-final and the right to advance to the best-of-three OMBL final series. Bud Russell drew a walk to lead off the 7th and the Athletics loaded the bases as Aubrey Powell singled and Ted Bowsfield worked a base on balls. With one out, Les Edwards pinch-hit and smashed one into right field to score two. Gil Jacobs walked Richie Schnider to re-load the sacks and Sam Drossos followed with a double to push three more runs across the plate. Bowsfield held the Macs to just four hits in going the route for the win.
Jacobs (L) and Metcalf
Bowsfield (W) and Powell
(August 24) The Oliver Elks came through in fine wet-weather form to produce a neat 6 to 0 victory over the Kamloops Elks at damp Riverside Park to eliminate the White and Purple from further playoff action. Hal Cousins received masterful support from his Oliver teammates and shackled the Kamloops water wingers with two soggy singles while his buddies were busy collecting nine hits and a half dozen counters off losing twirler Len Gatin. The
Kamloops herd aided Cousins and their antlered brothers from Oliver by committing no less than seven errors. “Red” Coulter, John Vanderburgh and Don Coy all picked up two hits for Oliver. One of Coulter’s base knocks was a solo homer in the sixth.
Cousins (W) and Coulter
Gatin (L) and M. Ottem
(September 3) Southpaw Ted Bowsfield pitched no-hit ball for the Penticton Athletics but lost to the Oliver Elks 7 to 3 in the opener of the best-of-three OMBL final series. The sad part of his performance was his lack of control. No less than 11 Oliverites reached base without benefit of any effort on their part. Bowsfield walked six batters in the fourth inning alone and saw all six of them come around to score. In addition to the goings-on within the diamond, the base umpire was banished from the game by the league president for taking a swing at a heckling Penticton fan. Eddie Steffen picked up the win going the distance scattering ten hits and compiling 13 strikeouts. Bowsfield fanned 18. Sam Drossos and Richie Schnider belted homers for the Athletics.
Steffen (W) and Coulter
Bowsfield (L), Edwards (4), Bowsfield (5) and O'Connell, Drossos (4)
(September 7) Striking out opposing pitcher Hal Cousins with two runners on base in the last of the ninth, young Ted Bowsfield saved a 3 to 1 decision for the Penticton Athletics and deadlocked the final series with the Oliver Elks at one win apiece. During the ninth-inning save, Bowsfield chalked up three strikeouts but between whiffs, one Elk singled and another worked the southpaw for a walk. Playing-manager Les Edwards of the A’s toiled on the hill for the first eight stanzas and earned the triumph. Cousins came on in relief of losing tosser Ed Steffen midway in the game. Sam Drossos rapped a pair of run-scoring doubles for the winners and was robbed of at least a two-bagger in the 9th when Elks' right-fielder made the defensive play of the game. Ken Fleming raced back into right-centre to make a bare-handed catch of Drossos' long fly ball up against the fence. The A's Bud Russell was the only other batter with more than one hit. The centre-fielder added a pair of one-baggers and scored twice.
Edwards (W), Bowsfield (9) and Powell
Steffen (L), Cousins (5) and Coulter
(September 14) The Penticton Athletics wrapped up a sensational season Sunday with a 6-4 victory over Oliver in the third and deciding game of the playoff final to capture the Okanagan Mainline Baseball League championship and the radio C.K.O.K. trophy. Ace hurler Ted Bowsfield was too much for the Elks as he fired a two-hitter and set down 17 by strikeouts. Jack Mathers, brought in from Grand Forks to hurl the crucial game for the Elks, also pitched outstanding ball allowing just seven hits with 13 strikeouts. Bowsfield gave up a run in the first inning on a walk, single and two sacrifices. Penticton had a big 4th inning to take the lead. Richie Schnider knotted the count with a bases-empty homer and Sam Drossos then reached on an error and Grant Warwick was safe on a fielder's choice. Bill Nicholson delivered a single up the middle and Drossos headed for home. Catcher Red Coulter was waiting for the throw on the third base side of the plate and Drossos hit him head on. By the time Coulter had recovered from the jolt, Warwick had also scored and Nicholson was perched on third and soon came home on Doug Kilburn's long fly to centre. Penticton added single tallies in the 5th and 7th to take a 6-1 lead. However, Bowsfield had control lapse in the 8th. With one out, the lefty walked Mathers and Paul Eisenhut and a run scored when catcher Aubrey Powell let a third strike pitch on Bill Sibson get away. Coulter's single scored Eisenhut and Sibson came home on a wild throw from the outfield. After manager Les Edwards came out for a hurried conference with his young left-hander, Bowsfield settled down and got out of the 8th with a ground ball back to the mound and struck out the side in the 9th. Centre fielder Bud Russell led the winners at the plate with three hits, one a clutch run-scolring triple in the 5th.
Mathers (L) and Coulter
Bowsfield (W) and Powell
17-year-old Ted Bowsfield had a spectacular season. In unofficial statistics, the southpaw finished with 14 wins and six losses, a 1.70 ERA, while fanning 290 batters in 174 2/3s innings. The Vernon, BC native allowed, on average, under four hits per game with 15 strikeouts per nine innings.
BC INTERIOR LEAGUE
The makeup of the 1952 Interior League featured a reduction in teams from seven to five as the season began. The Kamloops C.Y.O. was out as were the teams from Salmon Arm and Peachland, the two weak sisters from the 1951 campaign. Accepted as a new entry was a Vernon franchise, known as the Aces. An existing member of the Interior League, the team from Winfield, also called themselves the Aces. The schedule drawn up was very light and had each team penciled in for just eight games, giving member clubs a generous amount of flexibility for exhibition and tournament action. The inclusion of Vernon gave that city, as well as Kamloops, representation in both the Interior and Okanagan Mainline loops. That scenario would not last, however, as the Vernon Aces were hardly competitive and folded in mid-June after going winless in each of their four league games. The league endured for the balance of the schedule with the four most hardy teams providing competitive action.
(April 27) The opening game of the B.C. Interior League’s 1952 season took place at the Rutland ball park. In a recurring drizzle, diminutive Mits Koga, the Adanacs hurler, set down the Kamloops Okonots, last season’s champions, on three hits and inflicted a 6 to 0 whitewashing. Koga fanned 13 opposing batters. The Ads touched losing twirler Gordon Bregolisse and reliever Bob Brewer for eight hits. Morio Koga and Ken Thompson led the winners at the plate with a brace of hits apiece. The errorless game between the 1951 finalists was an auspicious beginning for the circuit.
Bregolisse (L), Brewer (3) and Anderson
M. Koga and Campbell
(April 27) The Revelstoke Spikes, last season’s Interior League pennant winners, were forced into an extra inning before they could put away the Winfield Aces 6 to 5. Jim Tasko was the winning pitcher in relief of Sam Olynik. Steve Melnichuk went the whole way on the rubber for Winfield.
Melnichuk (L) and xxx
Olynik, Tasko (5) and xxx
(May 4) The Vernon Aces gave the favored Revelstoke Spikes a good account of themselves before falling to the visitors 7 to 3 at Polson Park in Vernon’s opening match in the Interior League. After the Vernonites jumped into a 2 to 0 first inning lead, the Spikes calmly slipped across a total of seven counters during the second, third and fourth frames, driving loser Fred Smith from the hill. Southpaw twirler George Dye took over mound chores in the fifth for the Aces and proceeded to do a superb job as a fireman, limiting the Spikes to two hits and holding them scoreless the rest of the way. Winning moundsman, Jim Tasko, allowed ten hits and fanned 12 of the Aces. Don Segur of the Spikes had a solid four-hit effort for the winners, slashing a double and three singles. Tops for Vernon was Eddie Munk with two singles and a double. Fred Janicki also tagged a pair of safeties.
Tasko (W) and xxx
Smith (L), Dye (5) and xxx
(May 4) Big figures were posted in all offensive departments as the Rutland Adanacs won their second game in the B.C. Interior League when they hammered the Winfield Aces 16 to 1 at Winfield. The Ads slashed out 13 hits, garnered eight walks and stole 11 bases. Mits Koga picked up his second mound triumph, scattering five hits and striking out 12. He also helped himself with the bat, pasting a trio of singles. The tilt was pretty well sewn up in the first frame when the Ads crossed the platter six times, chasing starter and loser Steve Melnichuk from the hill. Tony Senger had a bang-up time at the plate for the winners, driving out four hits including a triple. Doug “Boom Boom” Stranaghan went three for five and strong-armed catcher Bob Campbell singled twice. First baseman Bob Morris had a brace of bingles for the Winfielders.
M. Koga (W) and Campbell
Melnichuk (L), Duggan (1), L. Wickenheiser (7) and Holitzki
(May 11) The Kamloops Okonots made their home debut in the 1952 Interior League a success when they tripped up their traditional arch-rivals, the Revelstoke Spikes, 3 to 2 in 11 innings. Second baseman Ron Evenson scored the winning run in the second extra-frame when Revelstoke complete-game pitcher Jim Tasko overthrew first base on a ground ball roller. Evenson had doubled off the wall earlier in the frame. The loss was a heart-breaker for Tasko who yielded only six safeties throughout the 11 stanzas. Pete Plastiras and, winner in relief, Bob Brewer handcuffed the Spikes with five bingles. Don Segur, with a double and single, and Jim King with a pair of one-baggers led the Spike swatters. Joe Paquette singled twice for Kamloops.
Tasko (L) and Chisholm
Plastiras, Brewer (W) (9) and Prehara
(May 11) The Winfield Aces stepped out and posted their first league triumph as Steve Melnichuk shutout the visiting Vernon nine 4 to 0.
xxx (L) and xxx
Melnichuk (W) and xxx
(May 18) A pitcher’s battle between Ed Gallagher and George Dye featured the B.C. Interior Baseball League game at Rutland when the Adanacs continued on their undefeated way by shutting out Vernon 5 to 0. Dye, a lefthander, fanned ten and allowed only five hits while Rutland’s Gallagher struck out 11 and gave up six hits, all scattered. One of the hits off Dye was a costly one with Bob Campbell belting the horsehide for a two-run triple and the only extra-base hit of the contest. Newcomers Brian Casey and outfielder De Wilde both singled twice for the Aces.
G. Dye (L) and N. Janicki
Gallagher (W) and Campbell
(May 18) Pete Plastiras pitched the Kamloops Okonots to a convincing 10 to 3 victory over Winfield at Riverside Park. The Okonots jumped on Winfield starter and loser A. Matheson for four first-inning runs which featured homers by outfielder Gord Beecroft and first baseman Jack Fowles. They added six more in the third, chasing Matheson from the hill and rudely welcoming reliever Steve Melnichuk. The big Winfield righthander then settled down and pitched no-hit, no-run ball over the final five innings. Although badly beaten in the run column, the Aces outhit the Okonots 11 to 8. Len Wickenheiser led the Aces with a double and two singles and R. Wickenheiser followed with a pair of one-baggers. Beecroft had a single in addition to his opening stanza circuit clout.
Matheson (L), Melnichuk (3) and Sproule
Plastiras (W) and Anderson
(June 1) The Rutland Adanacs were tumbled from the ranks of the unbeaten when they went down to defeat 6 to 2 at the hands of the homestanding Revelstoke Spikes.
(June 1) The Kamloops Adanacs jumped into a three-way share of first place in the B.C. Interior League when they decimated the winless Vernon Aces 15 to 1 at Polson Park in Vernon. Winning pitcher Pete Plastiras pitched a five-hitter for Kamloops. Losing chucker George Dye held the Okonots to two hits for the first six innings but Kamloops broke loose in the seventh for seven counters and scored a further nine in the eighth inning. Second baseman Ron Evensen led the Okonots offensively with three safeties.
Plastiras (W) and Prehara
Dye (L), Wadsworth (8) and Caddon, De Wilde
B.C. Interior League standings after games of June 1
GP W L Pct.
Rutland 4 3 1 .750
Kamloops 4 3 1 .750
Revelstoke 4 3 1 .750
Winfield 4 1 3 .250
Vernon 4 0 4 .000
(June 15) The B.C. Interior Baseball League is still trying to find out what happened to the Vernon Aces. The Rutland Adanacs showed up at Vernon for a regularly scheduled league game but there was no opposition. Rutland was declared the winner by default. The winless Aces are reported to have folded although Vernon officials have neglected to inform the league about it.
(June 15) The Kamloops Okonots extended their Interior Baseball League win streak to four straight at Winfield by pulverizing the Winfield Aces 19 to 1 behind a superb two-hit pitching job by Gord Beecroft. Kamloops’ batting averages were fattened as the Okonots hammered out 18 base hits. First baseman Buck Buchanan led the way with two doubles and two singles. Outfielder Jack Fowles cracked two doubles and a single and fellow fly chaser Jim Pratt picked up three singles.
Beecroft (W) and Anderson, Prehara (5)
xxx (L), Melnichuk and Holitzki
(June 22) The Rutland Adanacs retained their position atop the B.C. Interior League, which they share with the Kamloops Okonots, by defeating the visiting Revelstoke Spikes 7 to 4. Playing in intermittent drizzle, the Adanacs gave their pitcher Bob Campbell, only indifferent defensive support, but garnered a dozen hits to more than makeup for the miscues. Campbell, the strong armed regular catcher for the Adanacs, had no difficulty in adjusting to life on the rubber. He fanned 11 Revelstoke batters and allowed only four hits. Campbell also led the hit parade for the winners, producing a double and three singles. Ken Thompson follwed with a double and a brace of one-baggers. Jim Tasko chucked reasonably well for the Spikes, striking out 12, but allowed an equal number of hits.
Tasko (L) and Chisholm
Campbell (W) and Morio Koga
With the remaining Vernon Aces’ games being defaulted to the opposing teams, the B.C.
Interior League standings have been adjusted as follows:
W L Pct.
Rutland 5 1 .833
Kamloops 5 1 .833
Revelstoke 3 2 .600
Winfield 1 4 .200
(July 13) Bob Campbell was the pitching and hitting star for the Rutland Adanacs as he piloted them to a 6 to 5 win over the Kamloops Okonots at Riverside Park in Kamloops. The Rutland win broke the tie for top spot in the Interior League and gave the Ads sole possession of the penthouse. Campbell blasted a bases-empty home run off the overhand slants of losing chucker Gord Mitchell in the top of the ninth to snap a 5 – 5 deadlock and give Rutland the lead. To make sure that the lead was safe, he then fanned all three Kamloops batters in the last of the ninth. Both clubs had nine hits but Campbell received errorless support in the field and managed to get out of most tough spots. He finished with a total of 11 strikeouts. Campbell and teammate Mits Koga both had two-hit performances for the winners. First sacker Buck Buchanan of the Okonots had a perfect day at the dish with two doubles and a home run. Gord Beecroft also showed plenty of power for Kamloops with two doubles in three at bats.
Campbell (W) and Morio Koga
Bregolisse, Mitchell (L) (6) and Anderson
(July 13) At Winfield, the hometown Aces with Steve Melnichuk and Lloyd Duggan sharing pitching chores, squeezed out a 6 to 5 decision over the Revelstoke Spikes. Sam Olynik and Al Pradolini were on the mound for the visitors.
Olynik (L), Pradolini and xxx
Melnichuk (W), Duggan and xxx
B.C. Interior League standings after games of July 13
W L Pct.
Rutland Adanacs 6 1 .857
Kamloops Okonots 5 2 .714
Revelstoke Spikes 4 3 .571
Winfield Aces 3 4 .428
(July 20) Jim Tasko pitched a superb one-hit shutout in leading the Revelstoke Spikes past the Kamloops Okonots 4 to 0 in Revelstoke. Third baseman Bill Sundberg was the only Kamloops player to garner a bingle off Tasko’s deceptive slants. The Spikes scored all four runs in the eighth off relief pitcher Gordon Mitchell who had assumed mound duties in place of starter Bob Brewer in the seventh. The win for Revelstoke placed them in a second place deadlock with the Okonots and necessitated a tie-breaker game.
Brewer, Mitchell (7) and xxx
Tasko (W) and xxx
(July 21) The Kamloops Okonots claimed second place in the final B.C. Interior League standings by defeating the Revelstoke Spikes 7 to 2 in a tie-breaker match. The win guarantees the Okonots the extra home game, should it be needed, in the upcoming best-of-three semi-final playoff series against the Spikes.
(July 27) Winfield 4 Rutland 21
Final Standings
W L Pct.
Rutland Adanacs 7 1 .875
Kamloops Okonots* 5 3 .625
Revelstoke Spikes* 5 3 .625
Winfield Aces 3 5 .375
* Kamloops defeated Revelstoke in a tie-breaker game for second place
Semi-final playoff games
(August 3) The Kamloops Okonots won the first game of a best-of-three semi-final with the Revelstoke Spikes at Revelstoke 3 to 0 behind the three-hit hurling of Pete Plastiras and Bob Brewer. Plastiras pitched the first seven frames and then handed the horsehide over to Brewer who tossed the final two stanzas. The Okonots opened the scoring with a second inning tally that was unearned and sealed the deal when shortstop Bill Sundberg cracked a two-run round-tripper in the ninth.
Plastiras (W), Brewer (8) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(August 3) The pennant-winning Rutland Adanacs won the first game of a two-out-of-three semi-final by dropping the Winfield Aces 7 to 5. The game ended in the sixth inning on a sour note when the Winfield team walked off the field after their third baseman had been ejected from the proceedings for using abusive language. The Winfield manager stated that they will default the rest of the series to Rutland which means that the Adanacs will be idle until a winner is determined from the Kamloops-Revelstoke series.
(August 10) It took ten innings to clinch it but the Kamloops Okonots persevered to a 6 to 5 triumph over the Revelstoke Spikes to wrap up the semi-final showdown in two straight games. With the first two batters having been retired in the bottom of the extra frame, shortstop Len Fowles slammed a double into right field. Second baseman Ron Evensen then cracked a single down the left field foul line sending Fowles home with the clincher. The Okonots held a 5 to 3 advantage as Revelstoke came to bat in the ninth. That cushion disappeared quickly when Al Pradolini of the Spikes, in a pinch-hitting role, jacked a two-run bomb over the right field fence. Kamloops had a 13 to 8 advantage in base hits. Outfielder Jim King had a pair of bingles off complete game winner Ken Terry while catcher Ron Chisholm joined Pradolini in the home run club. Gord Beecroft headed the Kamloops batters, lighting up loser Jim Tasko for two singles and a double. Jack Fowles, Ken Stewart, Len Fowles and Ron Evensen all collected a pair of base knocks.
Tasko (L) and Chisholm
Terry (W) and Stewart
Finals
(August 24) A ding-dong battle, with the score tied much of the way, featured the opening game of the B.C. Interior Baseball League final, with the Kamloops Okonots coming through with the winning run in the tenth inning for a 9 to 8 decision over the Rutand Adanacs.
The Oks took the lead in the third frame on a three-run homer by Gordon Beecroft but the Adanacs came back to tie the count in the fourth. Scoring four more in the seventh, the Ads chased the Kamloops starting pitcher from the hill as Ken Terry took over. With the game appearing to be on ice, the Ads let the margin slip away with a disastrous eighth when three errors and two Okonot singles deadlocked the match once more. Both teams then tallied single counters before regulation innings were completed. In the top of the extra-inning, leftfielder Jack Fowles of the Okonots singled home Terry with the winning marker. Terry had earlier reached base after singling off loser Bob Campbell. Fowles also had a single to emerge as the only Okonot to garner more than one hit. Rutland held a comfortable 15 to 9 advantage in base knocks. Ken Thompson put together a four-hit game which included a three-bagger. The Koga brothers, Mits and Morio, both rapped three bingles, with one of Morio’s going for two bases. Not to be outdone, third sacker John Naito chipped in with a brace of doubles.
Brewer, Terry (W) (8) and Stewart
Mits Koga, Campbell (L) (8), Mits Koga (10) and Campbell, Morio Koga (8)
(September 7) The Kamloops Okonots won the B.C. Interior Baseball League championship for the second straight year when, at Riverside Park, they completely annihilated the Rutland Adanacs by a lopsided 25 to 5 margin. In picking up the Bob Chalmers Memorial Trophy, the hard-hitting Kamloops squad was basking in the fact that their offense had scored 73 runs in their last four games, all being victories. The Oks came out flying and tallied 11 runs in the first two innings. From there on, it was simply a question of how high Kamloops could go. Big Ken Terry was on the mound for the victors and was never in difficulty, getting fine defensive support from his mates. Rutland’s Bob Campbell, Mits Koga, Ed Gallagher and Morio Koga in turn tried unsuccessfully to stem the tide of the Okonot hits. The only redeeming features for the Ads in this blowout were the home run clouts by Jim Kitaura and losing pitcher Campbell. Len Fowles led the 22-hit Kamloops barrage by clubbing two doubles and two singles. Terry and outfielder Joe Paquette followed with three hits each. Campbell laced a double and a single in addition to his four-bagger in pacing the Adanacs at the dish. Mits Koga contributed three singles.
Campbell (L), Mits Koga (2), Gallagher (4), Morio Koga (7) and Morio Koga, Campbell (4)
Terry (W) and Stewart
TRAIL SMOKE EATERS & WEST KOOTENAY BASEALL
Nelson to Spokane approx. 240 km (149 miles)
Season two of the Trail Smoke Eaters’ resurrection did not begin with the same fervour and optimism that had been present in the previous spring. Gone were many of the core players, the so-called baseball specialists, who had been the backbone of the 1951 team. A greatly altered roster included several junior-aged prospects, seconded to replace the highly competent departees. Most of the hockey players, as year-round residents of Trail, were back, many of whom continued to play softball as well in the crack district fastball circuit. It was hoped that the returning veterans would be able to carry the load for the early part of the season. The philosophy beginning the new campaign was to stick solely with home-grown talent and endure the growing pains normally associated with inexperience. To that end, there were no imports scheduled to appear on the Smoke Eater roster throughout the regular campaign although the hiring of a temporary mercenary for tournament purposes was not ruled out.
As was the case in the initial year of their rebirth, there was no desire expressed by Smokies’ management to join either an established or newly formed league. The freelance approach once again prevailed. They had been strongly courted to join an international loop consisting of entries from the west Kootenay communities of Nelson, Rossland and Fruitvale as well as the Washington state border towns of Colville and Kettle Falls but decided against doing so. Dugout pilot Eric Bishop admitted that the Nelson Tigers aggregation was strong but that the other four teams in the proposed association lacked player depth and would not draw well at the gate in Trail.
Field skipper Bishop carefully scrutinized the bevy of youthful newcomers vying for a spot on the club as workouts began, recognizing that a process of trial and error would probably be in order. Only one new player with extensive experience at the senior level was among those appearing at training camp. First baseman Ray Hamilton of last season’s Saskatoon 55’s had taken up employment at Cominco and established residency in the Silver City. Not unlike the previous month of May, the first visiting team to appear at Butler Park was the varsity edition of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. A two-game set ensued.
(May 9) The Smoke Eater ball club got the 1952 season off to a successful start as they edged the Gonzaga collegians from Spokane 5 to 4. The Trailites, relying on junior talent in the absence of some of their established players, weren’t disappointed in the results. Five junior-aged baseballers, who were in the senior lineup, came up with a good effort. The outfield of Jim MacDonald, Leo Mailey and Busher McIntyre along with shortstop Harold Jones and catcher Sonny Hackett didn’t look out of place. Mailey, whose double in the seventh inning earned the locals three runs, probably increased his stock the most.
xxx (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and Hackett
(May 10) The Zags earned a split in the weekend series when they banged out 12 safeties in escaping with a narrow 12 to 11 win. The free-swinging contest featured an anomaly. Four home runs were hit, two off the slants of winning twirler Cooper Goodwin and one each from the offerings of Trail’s tandem of chuckers, starter Percy Jorgenson and reliever Ed Fitzgerald. Not one of the homers, however, cleared the walls of Butler Park and all these inside-the-park dingers featured hurried sprints around the bases and the exciting action of infielders becoming relay men. Joe Kelly and catcher George Chalich were the Gonzaga swatters while outfielder Jim MacDonald and first-sacker Ray Hamilton responded for the locals who produced ten base hits.
Goodwin (W) and Chalich
Jorgenson, Fitzgerald (L) (5) and Hackett, Anselmo (2), Bishop (6)
(May 13) The Trail baseball club has announced it will not be joining a proposed international league with Rossland, Fruitvale, Nelson, Colville and Kettle Falls. Eric Bishop, manager of the team, said Trail "had nothing to gain and everything to lose in playing in that calibre of a league." Trail has decided to bolster its ranks with one or two imports and play an exhibition season.
(May 15) Pete Boisvert pitched the Trail Smoke Eaters to a 5 to 3 win over the Nelson Tigers at the Civic Centre grounds in the Lakeside City. The Smokie left-hander allowed only six hits and struck out seven. Trail broke up a 3 – 3 tie in seventh inning when they counted a pair of unearned runs. Lui Corrado’s triple gave Trail a 2 to 0 lead in the third inning. Nelson tied the game in the fifth and then both teams pushed across lone runs in the sixth. The Bengals used three chuckers, starter Les Hufty, losing flinger Joe Postnikoff and seventh inning reliever Marsh Sevryn. Julie Bilesky and Corrado led Trail’s eight-hit attack with two safeties apiece.
Boisvert (W) and xxx
L. Hufty, Postnikoff (L) (6), Sevryn (7) and xxx
(May 17) Nelson Tigers registered 12-9 and 10-9 victories across the border Sunday. They won the first game against Kettle Falls and took the 10-9 contest from the Eagles at Colville. Marshall Severyn hurled for the Tigers in the first game and while not at his best was the beneficiary of a six-run rally in the seventh inning.
Severyn, Hufty (7) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Lefty Jimmy Todd made his initial appearance for Nelson in the nightcap and pitched well enough for the win. Les Hufty again relieved and preserved the victory.
Todd, Hufty (7) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(May 18) The Trailites divided their split-venue double-bill in exhibition games involving a couple of Washington state border towns. The locals stopped at Colville and handed their hosts a 7 to 1 pasting in their first contest of the day. They then ventured 8 miles to Kettle Falls where they dropped a 5 to 2 decision to the Roosevelt Lakesiders. Bobby McKinnon took the hill for the Canadian visitors in the opener and allowed only three hits while racking up 12 strikeouts. First baseman Ray Hamilton’s three-run homer in the fifth paced the Smokies to their easy victory over the American squad.
B. McKinnon (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
In the Kettle Falls contest, Silver City starter and ultimate loser Percy Jorgenson had a no-hit game going until the fifth when the homesters plated the first run of the encounter. The Smokies came back to lead 2 to 1 but the Falls crew rallied behind the pitching of winning tosser Wilmer Kyloe to stop the Trail advance while adding three more counters to seal the win.
Jorgenson (L), B. McKinnon (5) and xxx
Kyloe (W) and xxx
(May 22) The locals returned to Butler Park to entertain the Nelson Tigers in second game of their home-and-home series. When the dust had cleared following the closely contested contest, it was the Smelter boys who prevailed with a 6 to 4 win. Relief hurler Pete Boisvert saved the day for the Trailites when he came to the rescue of starter Bobby McKinnon in the top of the fifth after the Tigers had lit up McKinnon for eight hits and a 4 to 2 lead. Boisvert allowed only one hit the rest of the way while the Smokies found their mark in the bottom half of that frame and rang up loser Marsh Severyn for three runs. Julie Bilesky clinched the game for the locals when he homered with the bases empty in the eighth.
Severyn (L) and Larsen
B. McKinnon, Boisvert (W) (5) and Hackett
(May 23) New Denver, with six Japanese players in the lineup, used speed and squeeze plays to upset the Nelson Tigers 3-2 and 2-1 in a morning-afternoon double-header Saturday. Tommy Pearson threw a four-hitter in the 2-1 contest to claim the pitching win.
R.Carmichael, J.Misuraca, Brown and xxx
xxx and xxx
Brown (L) and Nash
Pearson (W) and A. Lind
(May 24) Nelson Outlaws used a five-run third inning to defeat Northport 7-3. Lorne Irwin started for the locals giving way to Garth Clark in the fourth.
Weinkauff (L) and Glasser
Irwin, Clark (4) and Nash
After winning four of their first six exhibition games, the Smoke Eaters then embarked upon their initial tournament challenge of the campaign.
(May 24) Victoria Day Tournament, Fruitvale
Trail, sporting a record of six wins against two losses after the tournament triumph, a string of six more exhibition tilts followed, carrying Eric Bishop’s charges into the opening one-third of June.
(May 29) In coming up with a 13-hit attack to trounce the Trailites 9 to 2, the Nelson Tigers won their first encounter of the season against their arch-rivals, putting an end to the mastery that the Smelter Smokies had held. Les Hufty’s mound effort at the Civic ball park in the Lakeside City sparked the winners. Hufty allowed eight hits, struck out an equal number and never issued a single walk. Junior-aged hurler Harold Jones ran into trouble throughout the contest, handing out eight free passes to go along with the yielding of 13 hits. Dunc Kennedy had a two-run homer in the fifth and an RBI single in the third for the winners .Triples by Swede Larsen and Fritz Koehle also helped the Tigers in snowing under Trail’s regular shortstop who was filling in on the mound.
Jones (L) and Hackett
L. Hufty (W) and Larsen
(May 31) Southpaw Pete Boisvert held the free-swinging Fairchild Air Base crew out of Spokane to four hits as the locals took the opener of a two-game weekend set by a score of 2 to 1. Gil Kuhn’s seventh-inning solo homer was the only run that the Airmen were able to garner. Trail plated both of their counters in the first. Leo Mailey started things off with a single, moving to second when the outfielder misplayed his drive and scored on Harold Jones’ single. First baseman Ray Hamilton then drove in Jones with the second counter by doubling off loser Orin Muse.
Boisvert (W) and Hackett
Muse (L) and Field
(June 1) Nelson Outlaws took both ends of Sunday's twin-bill against Colville Air Base 7-3 and 3-1. Ron Brown held the Americans to four hits and whiffed 12 in the opening win. Nelson pounded out 14 hits. Reni Masi, Ron Nash and Neil McClenaghan each had two hits while Al Hood ripped a long triple.
Drosdowski (L) and Connors
Brown (W) and Nash
Marshall Severyn fired a five-hitter in the second game. Bob Koehle's homer was the big blow of the night.
Winterton (L) and Connors
Severyn (W) and Christensen
(June 1) On Sunday, the Fly Boys made up for their Saturday loss when they pounded the Smokies’ pitching tandem of loser Bobby McKinnon and reliever Lenny Pyne for 14 hits including two homers by Zeke Zajac and one each by Gene McCarthy and Gil Kuhn in a 14-4 victory. Trail’s four-run output came late in the game. Julie Bilesky singled in two runs off winning chucker Jack Parker in the sixth and Ray Hamilton doubled in a pair in the eighth.
Parker (W), Wallington (7) and Field, Kruse (7)
B. McKinnon (L), Pyne (3) and Hackett, Mattison (4)
(June 5) Playing in Nelson, The Trailites had to settle for their first tie of the season as darkness shut off a determined Tiger rally at the end of nine innings with the game knotted at 8 – 8. Fritz Koehle’s single in the bottom of the ninth scored Nelson’s Charlie Christenson with the tying run. It was a bad night for hurlers as walks and poor defensive support saw both starters come out before the session had ended. The visitors out-hit their hosts 10 to 9 but the Lakesiders managed to pull off three double plays while the Bishop Brigade completed one.
Boisvert, B. McKinnon (9) and Hackett
Todd, L. Hufty (2) and Larsen, Christenson (8)
(June 7) In the first of a two-game weekend series at Butler Park, the Smokies rode the left arm of Pete Boisvert in recording an 8 to 1 dismantling of the Nelson Tigers. Boisvert held the Bengals to three hits. Johnny Sofiak’s (left) two-run double in the fourth gave the Trail southpaw some breathing room and then playing-manager Eric Bishop’s three-run homer off loser Marsh Severyn in the sixth sealed the deal. Fritz Koehle scored the lone Tiger tally with a third-inning bases-empty home run.
Severyn (L) , Hufty (8) and Larsen
Boisvert (W) and Hackett
(June 8) Pistol Pete Boisvert took the hill once more in the Sunday encounter and again came away with a complete game mound win as the Silver City gang won an 8 to 5 decision, their ninth triumph of the season. Touched for eight safeties in this game, Boisvert still came away as the individual star of the two-game set as he completed the circuit of 18 innings, earning a total of 21 strikeouts while scattering 11 hits. Scoring twice in the second while adding five more in the third, the locals took a commanding lead which they never relinquished. Trail’s eight base hits were evenly divided with Ray Hamilton’s two-run double doing the most damage against the Nelsonites. Shortstop Harold Jones polished off the Smokie effort for the afternoon when he stole home in the eighth for the final Trail run.
L. Hufty (L), Severyn (3) and Christenson
Boisvert (W) and Hackett
A long break from diamond action ensued as wet weather curtailed play for over three weeks and forced postponement of a visit to the Silver City by the Spokane Solons for a late June series. When conditions became suitable for a resumption of exhibition play, the Trail aggregation was sporting a record of 9 wins, 4 losses and a tie.
(June 9) Fruitvale All-Stars came up with a big six-run second inning en route to a 14-6 pasting of Nelson Outlaws Sunday. Johnny Ferguson held Nelson to four hits and one run until the 9th when Nelson rallied for five runs on three hits and three errors. Leschuk and Grantz led the Stars' 10-hit attack with a triple and single apiece.
Grill (L), Brown (2) and Nash
Ferguson (W) and J.Bilesky
(June 15) Irv Lavorato pitched a no-hitter, the second of his career, Sunday as Rossland Cubs blanked Colville, Washington, Air Base 5-0. The left-hander, a 23-year-old Rossland product recently returned from a pro stint with Stockton in the California League. He hurled a no-hitter for Trail last summer. Lavorato mowed down 15 Airmen via the strikeout route while walking four. The Cubs had ten hits of two Colville pitchers.
xxx, xxx and xxx
Lavorato (W) and xxx
(June 15) The Nelson Outlaws broke even in an exhibition double-header with the Bonner's Ferry Legionnaires Sunday. Nelson took the first game 4-3 as Ron Brown held the Idaho nine to six hits and one earned run while whiffing 13. Stan Donaldson's infield single scored Reg Watson with the winning run in the final inning. Losing pitcher Johnny Murphy had three hits for Bonner's Ferry.
Murphy (L) and Neumeyer
Brown (W) and Nash
The Legionnaires fell behind 6-3 after three innings in the second game but rebounded with eight late runs to win easily, 12-7 behind Sandborn's four-hitter. Legionnaires had nine hits and capitalized on five Nelson errors and 13 bases on balls. Catcher Neumeyer led the offense with three hits
Sandborn (W) and Neumeyer
Misuraca, Irwin (3), Grill (6), Brown (7) and Nash
(June 19) Al Douglas survived a rough start in which he gave up five runs in the second inning to blank Nelson the rest of the way as Fruitvale notched a 7-5 victory. Ken White's grand slam homer highlighted the second inning outburst. Douglas helped his own cause driving in three runs with a three hit day. Garth Clark allowed nine hits in taking the loss.
Douglas (W) and Boisvert
Clark (L) and Nash
(June 21) Nelson got a strong starting effort from lefty Stan Grill Saturday to down Northport 4-1 out-hitting the home club nine to five.
Grill (W) and K.White, Nash (3)
Weilip (L) and Mattson
(June 22) Former Nelson hurler Jack Mathers whiffed 11 Sunday as Grand Forks got a run in the bottom of the ninth to top Nelson 4-3. A double and overthrow led to the winning run.
Clark, Brown (5) and Nash
Mathers (W) and Chernoff
(June 26) In the first of a best-of-three grudge series, Nelson Tigers shaded the Nelson Outlaws 4-3 before the largest crowd of the season, an estimated 800. A disputed run in the third inning proved to be crucial. Tigers' Dunc Kennedy was on third and Bob Koehle on second when Ernie Gare sent a hard grounder to short. Shortstop Reg Watson charged the ball and was bowled over by Koehle steaming for third. Koehle was ruled out for interference and the Outlaws protested that Kennedy, who had crossed the plate on the play, should be sent back to third. After heated exchanges, the run was allowed. Red Koehle came through with what proved to be the winner singling home Swede Larsen in the sixth inning.
L.Hufty (W) and Larsen
Brown (L) and Nash
(June 27) Nelson Tigers crushed their city rivals the Outlaws 13-2 to sweep their best-of-three series in two straight games and will represent the city in the big $2500 Bonspiel Tournament July 11-13. Tigers pounded three Outlaws' hurlers for 12 hits, including seven doubles. Marshall Severyn, feeling no ill effects from a bruised pitching elbow held the Outlaws to just four hits, all singles. Both the runs against him were unearned. Garth Clark, the 17-year-old Creston product, took the loss. Carl Locatelli and Fritz Koehle each had two doubles for the Tigers.
Clark (L), Grill (5), Brown (6) and Nash, Grill (4)
Severyn (W) and Larsen
(July 3) Trail hurler Pete Boisvert met defeat at the hands of the Nelson Tigers for the first time in two years when third sacker Fritz Koehle of the Lakesiders single-handedly destroyed the aspirations of the Smokies’ southpaw. Koehle drove in the first Tiger tally in the first inning with a single then smashed a grand-slam circuit-clout in the third to to put his mates ahead 5 to 4. Then, in the seventh, he clouted a solo homer which broke a 6 – 6 deadlock and gave the homesters a 7 to 6 victory. Joey Jankola of last season’s provincial kingpins made his first appearance in a Smoke Eater uniform this season.
B. McKinnon, Jankola (3), Brown (5), Boisvert (L) (7) and Hackett
L. Hufty (W) and Larsen
(July 5-6) The Spokane Solons of the Twi-Light League had a rude reception across the border in Trail. The Solons were scheduled to play a weekend triple-header with the home town Smokies. In the Saturday night match up, Trail trounced the visitors 29-4 with 19 runs scoring in the 7th inning. Sunday, the Smokies walloped the Solons 21-2 in the first game of the twin-bill using their 16-year-old batboy to hurl the last three innings. Smokes declined to play the third game.
Expecting a tough series from the Americans, Smoke Eaters had arranged a formidable squad including Louis Corrado, just back from vacation, hard slugging Danny Geronazzo and hurler Joey Jankola. As it turned out, Trail didn't need such a dominant squad. In fact, on Sunday the Smokies threw their bat boy into the fray but the visitors still couldn't break through as Louie DeRosa fired two innings of one-hit ball in his relief effort.
A highlight of the huge 7th inning on Saturday was Geronazzo's grand-slam homer. Pete Boisvert was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst going the distance for the win.
On Sunday, Ray Hamilton put the game on ice with a three-run homer in the third. Bobby McKinnon added a two-run blast in the 5th. Jankola started for the Smokies allowing a run and two hits before giving way to DeRosa in the 5th. Bobby McKinnon finished up. The three hurlers combined on a four-hitter.
Spokane, which made nine errors in the first game, had an even worse second contest booting the ball ten times. Trail had 20 hits in the opener, and 15 in the second contest.
Stallworth (L), Cottin (7), Marrier, xxx and Weurch
Boisvert (W) and Hackett
Thomas (L), Johnson (2) and Wuerch
Jankola, DeRosa (5), McKinnon (7) and Hackett
(July 9) The Fruitvale Beavers upset the locals 5 to 3 in a qualifier for the Nelson tourney. Veteran hurler “Fuzzy” Grieves stopped the Trail crew cold with his well spaced six-hit pitching while helping his own cause by scoring three of the five Fruitvale runs. Joey Jankola suffered the loss, surrendering five hits. Trail backstopper Sonny Hackett clouted the only round-tripper of the encounter in the sixth.
Jankola (L) and Hackett
Grieves (W) and Weitzel
(July 13) Bonspiel Tournamment, Nelson
(July 18) Nelson fans are to have an opportunity to see one of the fastest squads in the Interior this weekend when Otto Yanagisawa of Nakusp beings his Kootenay Japanese All-Stars to town for a weekend series with the Nelson Outlaws. The Nisei nine is drawn from Slocan Valley teams and features several players who have played at the Coast or on the Prairies. Manager Yanagisawa saw action with the Asahi club of Vancouver while his pitching staff includes lefty T.Takenaka, formerly of Calgary, K.Hayashi of Merritt, and A.Yano, recently of Picture Butte. Catching will be J.Takeishi, another Calgary product, while the infield has S.Kiyono of New Denver at first base, S.Yano, former Brooks, Alberta star at second base, K.Hashizaki of Nakusp, third base, and H.Hayashi of New Denver at shortstop. Slocan City's T.Nishiomura will be in right field and B.Yoshida of Nakusp in centre. D.Hashimoto of New Denver will cover left field while M.Nishiomura is the utility man.
(July 19) Nelson Outlaws and the Kootenay Japanese All-Stars played to a 4-4 draw Saturday in the first game of a weekend series. Outlaws needed a two-run rally in the bottom of the 7th and final inning to knot the count. Ron Nash singled to knock in Reg Watson, who had doubled, with the tying marker. Watson was cut down at the plate with what would have been the winner. Kuts Hayashi and Ron Brown hooked up in a tight pitching duel until the seventh when Brown retired after losing his control and loading the bases. Denny Kraft came in to strike out Takenaka to end the threat. All-Stars managed just two hits but made the most of five walks, good bunting and fast base-running for their four runs. The game was called after seven innings because of darkness.
K.Hayashi and Tateshi
Brown, Kraft (7) and Nash
(July 19) Veteran “Fuzzy” Grieves of the Fruitvale Beavers extended the Smokies to 12 innings before absorbing an 8 to 7 loss. Irv Lavorato, making his first appearance of the season on the local diamond, garnered the hill triumph in relief of Walter Brown in the tenth. Grieves scattered ten hits while he went the distance for the visitors while Brown gave up six before getting the hook. Single tallies by the Smokies in both the eighth and ninth frames sent to ball game into extra innings. Danny Geronazzo’s inside-the-park circuit-clout won it for the locals in the bottom of the 12th. Harold Jones also clouted a four-bagger for the winners, this one clearing the fence.
Grieves (L) and Weitzel
Brown, Lavorato (W) (10) and Hackett
(July 20) Nelson Tigers downed Trail Smokies for the third time this season pounding out an 11-7 win at Trail Sunday. Harold Jones had given the home club an early lead with a three-run homer in the first inning but Tigers replied with three in the third and three more in the fourth and coasted to the victory. Jimmy Todd went seven innings for the win. Dunc Kennedy had a pair of doubles for the winners.
Todd, Hufty (8) and Postnikoff
Boisvert, Lavorato (5) and Hackett, Corrado (9)
(July 20) Nelson Outlaws broke up a tight game with five runs in the 7th inning and went on to whip the Kootenay Japanese All-Stars 9-2. Stan Grill held the Stars to just five hits while Alex Abrosimo drove in six runs with a bases-loaded triple in the sixth and a bases-loaded double in the 7th. Freddy Stark and Reg Watson each had two hits. For Watson, it was his last game before returning to Vancouver.
Robazza, J.Derocher (8) and Yanagisawa
Grill (W) and Nash
(July 20) The visiting Nelson Tigers went home happy after snatching an 11 to 7 decision from the locals at Butler Park. Harold Jones staked the Smokies to a brief lead when he homered off Nelson starter Jimmy Todd in the opening frame but the Tigers grabbed the lead in the third with a three-spot and never relinquished their grasp for the balance of the night. Shortstop Dunc Kennedy of the Bengals had a brace of doubles, driving in three counters.
Todd (W), L. Hufty (8) and Postnikoff
Boisvert (L), Lavorato (5) and Hackett, Corrado (9)
(July 26) Nelson Tigers downed Spokane's Geiger Field 8-4 Saturday in the opening game of a three-game series. Marshall Severyn scattered nine hits for the win while Nelson took advantage of six errors by the Americans.
Kopf (L) and Eckert
Severyn (W) and Larsen
(July 27) Sunday's double-header produced the largest offensive display in many moons as Nelson and Geiger Field combined for 55 hits, 58 runs and 19 errors as the clubs divided a twin-bill. The Americans scored a pair in the first inning and romped to a 17-6 victory in the first game, smacking 18 hits. Sermons held the Tigers to eight in going the route for the win. He had a shutout for six innings before weakening in the late stages.
Sermons (W) and Eckert
Hufty (L), Severyn (3) and Larsen
The Tigers had a field day in the second game battering three Geiger hurlers for 21 hits in the seven inning contest to run away with a 22-13 triumph. Nelson broke open a 10-9 game with a 12-run uprising in the 6th inning, twice batting around the order. Bob Koehle, Ernie Gare, Fritz Koehle, Frank Hufty and Swede Larsen each had five hits. Geiger's Ed Baker and Tigers' Frank Hufty shared slugging honours on the day. Baker smacked a homer in each game while the speedy Hufty hit safely eight times in 15 trips to the plate. Geiger's Howard Hawkins and Fritz Koehle of Nelson also had homers. Les Hufty took both pitching decisions. He was shelled for the loss in the first and won in relief in the second.
Clark, Phlug (5), Helpher (6) and Eckert
Todd, Hufty (2) and Postnikoff, Larsen (3)
(July 26) Playing in Libby, Montana, the Smokies took it on the chin 5 to 1 in the leadoff game of a three-game series. Fairchild Air Base star “Red” Laing, on loan to the Kootenay River clan, held the visitors to five hits and racked up 11 strikeouts. Bobby McKinnon was hit with the loss. Lee Gehring had the big blow for the winners, a bases-loaded triple in the third inning.
B. McKinnon (L) and xxx
Laing (W) and xxx
(July 27) The second day of the tourists’ stay in Libby was much kinder to their baseball fortunes as the Trailites swept a double-bill, downing the host club 6 to 1 in the matinee game and taking the nightcap 11 to 3. In the afternoon opener, Trail’s Walter Brown pitched three-hit ball in capturing the complete game decision besting Lee Gehring who allowed 12 hits.
Brown (W) and xxx
Gehring (L) and xxx
In the rubber-match, Libby had a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning before the Smokies exploded for 10 runs on just five hits. Busher McIntyre allowed nine hits in doing the distance on the hill for Trail. Pat O'Leary, the Libby starter, was nicked for seven runs before giving way to Don Thompson and Buzzy Spencer. Archie McKinnon, seconded into emergency service, led the Trail attack with a three-run round-tripper. Ray Monroe belted a homer for Libby.
McIntyre (W) and xxx
O'Leary (L), Thompson (7), Spencer (7) and xxx
Only four regular members of the current squad will be heading to Lethbridge, Alberta for tournament action beginning August 9. Hurlers Pete Boisvert and Joey Jankola will make the trip along with second baseman Harold Jones and outfielder Danny Geronazzo. Top-rated mound ace Ted “Kid” Bowsfield of the Penticton Athletics and Fairchild Air Base stars Oren “Moose” Muse and Jack Parker will round out the pitching staff. Five other Fairchild players will join the Smokies including catcher Tommy Field, shortstop Dennis Bell, first baseman Jack Zajac, third baseman Gene McCarthy and outfielder Gil Kuhns.
(August 9) Lethbridge Tournament
(August 9) Marsh Severyn had his fastball hopping Saturday as he limited the visiting Coeur d'Alene Eagles to seven hits in a 5-1 victory. Severyn set down 18 in order from the first to the seventh innings. He lost his shutout in the ninth when the Eagles got back to back doubles for their only run. Opposing pitcher Bill Box, a Pittsburgh Pirates bonus baby, recently back from pro ball, made a mound duel of it for three innings before Nelson got to him for three runs.
Box (L) and Huffman
Severyn (W) and Larsen
(August 10) Nelson Tigers booted the ball seven times Sunday in dropping an 8-5 decision to Coeur d'Alene. The winners had just six hits but took an 8-0 lead before Nelson got on the scoreboard. Fredinberg had a four-hit shutout until the sixth when three walks set the stage for a two-run single by Les Hufty. Eagles third baseman Wilson led the winners with three hits. Les Hufty had three for Nelson.
Fredinberg (W), Box (8) and Huffman
L.Hufty () and Larsen
In late August, a proposed West Kootenay senior baseball tournament involving at least seven entries was mildly endorsed by Smoke Eater manager Eric Bishop. However, the realization that many of his key players would be travelling to the west coast for provincial fastball finals during the suggested time frame more or less cancelled out any hopes of a Trail entry.
Roster of players who performed for the Trail Smoke Eaters at various times during the 1952 season
Anselmo Mushy C, Bell Dennis “Ding Dong” SS, Bilesky Julie 2B, Bishop Eric MGR/C, Boisvert Pete P/1B, Bowsfield Ted “Kid” P, Brown Walter P, Corrado Lui 3B/2B/1B, DeRosa Lou P, Field Tommy C, Fitzgerald Ed P, Geronazzo Danny OF/3B, Hackett Sonny C, Hamilton Ray 1B/C, Hemmerling Ron 2B, Jankola Joey P, Jones Harold SS/2B/P, Jorgenson Percy P, Kuhns Gil OF, Lavorato Irv P, MacDonald Jim OF, McCarthy Gene 3B, Mailey Leo OF, Mattison Gerry C, McIntyre Busher OF, McKinnon Archie OF, McKinnon Bobby P/OF, Muse Oren “Moose” P, Parker Jack P, Pyne Lenny 3B/P, Sofiak Johnny OF, Soligo Leo, Staley Al “Red” 1B, Zajac Jack 1B, Zanier Reno
(August 17) Persistence paid off for the Waneta Hydros Sunday as they blew a 6-1 second inning lead, a 13-9 fifth inning advantage and were down 18-13 before rallying to win the opener of a two-game set 19-18. Rossland's Kelly Campbell paced the visitors with three hits while Les Long belted a homer and double. Bob Walters was best for the Outlaws with four hits, including a triple.
Samsonoff, Benson (3) and Long, Mangus (3), Samsonoff (4)
Hood, Brown (6), Grill (7) and Nash
Nelson rebounded to take the second game 8-4. Stan Grill, losing pitcher in the opener, gave up four runs in the first inning of the nightcap before settling down to blank Waneta the rest of the way. Sonny Benson took the loss. Al Hood got the Outlaws' first marker with a homer in the second.
Benson (L) and Wimmer
Grill (W) and Christensen
(August 22) Fritz Koehle slugged a three-run homer in the first inning to spark Nelson Tigers to a 5-2 win over Rossland Capilanos in a gave called after five innings because of darkness. Koehle's blast followed singles by Ernie Gare and Bill Haldane. Right-hander Marsh Severyn held the visitors to three hits and no earned runs. Tigers got six hits off Dave White, including a second homer by little Bob Koehle which was nullified when he was ruled out for failing to touch third base.
White (L) and Crowder
Severyn (W) and Larsen
(August 27) Six teams have taken up the Nelson Tigers' challenge to compete in a West Kootenay senior baseball tournament. Organizer Carl Locatelli said the seven teams are Trail Smoke Eaters, Nelson Tigers, Nelson Outlaws, Rossland Capilanos, Fruitvale Beavers, New Denver and Waneta Hydros.
(August 31) Coeur d'Alene Eagles wiped out a 4-2 deficit with two runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to dump Nelson Tigers 6-4 in the first game of a two-game series. Bill Box allowed 10 hits but went the route for the win helped by Joe Walsh, Bob Stafford and Don Monson who led a 12-hit attack each with three safeties. Swede Larsen ripped a homer for the losers.
L.Hufty (L) and Larsen
Box (W) and Ogle
(September 1) In the Labour Day contest, Nelson was down 8-3 before erupting for seven runs in the 8th inning to register an 11-9 victory. Highlight of the big inning was Fritz Koehle's tremendous drive to dead centre field with the bases loaded which scored three to put Nelson in the lead 10-8. Swede Larsen had a triple and two singles to top Nelson's 11-hit offensive. Earl Huffman clouted a two-run homer for the Americans. Jimmy Todd overcame shaky defensive play, the Tigers made five errors, to go all the way for the win.
Todd (W) and Larsen
Fredinberg, Monson (8) and B.Huffman
(September 7) Dunc Kennedy singled in the 10th inning to drive in Carl Locatelli with the deciding run as Nelson Tigers slipped by the New Denver All-Stars 5-4 to advance in the West Kootenay playoffs. Tigers now meet the winner of the contest between the Nelson Outlaws and Trail. Tigers had a comfortable 4-0 lead through six innings behind Les Hufty's three-hit pitching when the hustling Slocan Valley squad bunched three hits and three errors for three runs in the seventh. A walk, stolen base, error and sac fly produced the tying run in the 8th. Fritz Koehle and Frank Hufty paced the 12-hit Nelson attack with three singles apiece while Swede Larsen poked a homer and single. Elmer Bay had three safeties for the losers. Takenaka was the fielding star robbing Tigers of two hits with over-the-shoulder grabs in deep centre. Tommy Pearson fanned ten in going the distance for New Denver.
L.Hufty (W) and Larsen
Pearson (L) and Tateishi
(September 10) Rossland and Waneta have set Friday for a replay of their West Kootenay playoff tilt after Tuesday's contest was halted after 4 1/2 innings because of darkness. Rossland had an 8-0 lead at the time. Trail announced the appointment of Red Hunter as the new manager of the Smokies taking over for Eric Bishop who left Monday for a sportscasting post in Vancouver.
(September 17) Trail Smoke Eaters eliminated Nelson Outlaws from the Kootenay playoffs Wednesday with an 8-1 triumph at the Civic Recreation Grounds. Pete Boisvert proved too difficult for the Outlaws as the left-hander whiffed 14 in going the distance for the win. Handley, Busher McIntyre, Ray Hamilton and Bob McKinnon all had two-baggers for the Smokies. Alex Abrosimo belted a triple and two singles to lead Nelson. Outlaws considered but dropped the idea of a formal protest of the contest as three of the Trail players had earlier suited up with Waneta in the playoffs. A highlight for the Outlaws was the work of catcher Ron Nash who threw out all three Trail baserunners trying to steal second base.
Boisvert (W) and xxx
Brown (L) and Nash
(September 21) Nelson Tigers won a spot in the West Kootenay championship final Sunday with an 11-3 win over Waneta Hydros. Tigers ran up a 5-0 lead after two innings and cruised to the win. Don MacKinnon handled the mound duties for the winners.
(September 21) Trail Smoke Eaters defeated Fruitvale 9-5 to win a spot in the Kootenay finals.
(September 28) There were rhubarbs aplenty Sunday as Nelson and Trail faced off in a double-header to decide the West Kootenay baseball championship. Nelson Tigers won the first game 11-6 to tie the series at a game apiece and had evened the scored 5-5 in the finale when the game was halted. Umpire-in-chief Walt Tozer called off the second game in the middle of the ninth inning as excited fans strained their eyes to see the finish. As Trail held a 5-2 lead going into the 9th and the game was called in the middle of the inning, Trail protested that the score should have reverted to the last complete inning and that they should be declared the victors.Tozer argued that because Trail was late showing up for the second game and made it difficult to complete the contest in daylight he could have given Nelson the game by default. He suggested a replay was the fairest route. Trouble started in the first game as Tozer ordered Trail manager Red Hunter off the field for not being dressed in uniform. There was unrest between games as a ten-minute break was called but the Smokies failed to show for a full forty minutes. At the end of the fourth inning Tigers' catcher Swede Larsen took off after Smokies' second baseman Johnny Sofiak. Earlier in the inning Sofiak had leveled Larsen as he slid in from third. Larsen said he "kept thinking about it" and at the end of the inning saw "red" and charged into the Smokies' dugout after Sofiak. Tozer managed to separate the sides and resume the ball game.
In the error-filled opener, the Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the first inning and were never headed. They survived seven errors to take the contest 11-6. Trail out-hit Nelson 13 to 10, but also made more errors, with eight. Bill Haldane scored four times for the winners.
B.McKinnon
Severyn, L.Hufty, D.McKinnon and xxx
Lefty Boisvert held Nelson to four hits in the disputed contest while the Smokies got nine off Marshall Severyn. Boisvert set down 12 by strikeouts.
Severyn and xxx
Boisvert and xxx
(October 1) The Trail Smoke Eaters have agreed to a replay of the second game of Sunday's controversial double-header. The game will be staged at Butler Park in Trail Friday night under the newly-installed floodlights.
(October 3) In a thrilling finish to the season before a packed stadium at Trail, the Smoke Eaters got a 4th inning home run from winning pitcher Pete Boisvert for the only scoring as Trail captured the West Kootenay baseball championship with a 1-0 victory to take the series two games to one. Nelson had a chance to tie in the 9th with two runners on base and just one out but Boisvert got Ernie Gare to hit into a double play to end the game.
L.Hufty (L) and Larsen
Boisvert (W) and Hackett
KOOTENAY BOUNDARY INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Three Canadian teams, from Southern BC, participated in the 1952 Kootenay Boundary International League. Rossland, Fruitvale and Grand Forks joined two Washington clubs, Colville and Kettle Falls. The coverage in the papers was pretty spotty but we have a few of the games.
(May 24) Grand Forks Tournament
(June 8) Grand Forks Cubs took on two American squads on two different diamonds Sunday and came away with both victories, 6-1 over Republic at Curlew and 3-2, in ten innings, over Colville at Firemen's Park in Grand Forks. In the morning game, Alex Dergousoff slammed a three-run homer to highlight the triumph. The afternoon contest was a tight pitcher's duel which produced 26 strikeouts, 15 by Jack Mathers of the Cubs. In the top of the 10th, Colville's third sacker tripled with one out but the next batter hit into a double play to end the threat. In the bottom of the frame Carmichael looped one over third base to reach safely. Alex Dergousoff, running for Carmichael, stole second and came all the way home when Mike Sookochoff banged on out to centre field.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
xxx, xxx and xxx
Mathers (W) and xxx
(June 15) Southpaw Irv Lavorato kicked off Rossland's 1952 season in style firing a no-hitter Sunday in the Capilanos 5-0 victory over the visiting U.S. Air Force nine. It was Lavorato's first game since returning from a tryout with the Stockton club of the California League. He rang up 15 strikeouts and walked four. Rossland punched out ten hits.
xxx and xxx
Lavorato (W) and xxx
(June 20) Rossland scored in just two innings but it proved to be enough as the Caps edged Fruitvale 7-6 Friday evening with a 13 hit attack. Bert Bertoia led the way with three hits and Kelly Campbell and Chuck Milne each had a pair. Seth Martin pitched into the 8th inning for the win needing help from Irv Lavorato when the visitors rallied for three late markers.
McDonald (L), A.Bilesky (6) and Boisvert
Martin (W), Lavorato (8) and Campbell
(July 20) Jack Mathers hurled a one-hitter Sunday as ball fans at Grand Forks were treated to another victory, 5-0 over Fruitvale. Mathers issued just two walks and whiffed 15. Fraser Carmichael, Joe Dergousoff and George Chernoff led the offense each with two hits.
xxx and xxx
Mathers (W) and xxx
Davis (W) and Harbult
Martin (L), Wynn (6) and Campbell
Stu Price had a strong outing, holding Colville to seven hits, as Rossland captured the second game 4-2. He had good control and air-tight support until the ninth when the visitors filled the bases with one out. Price walked in one run but got a ground out and a fly ball to end the threat. Outfielder Ed Crowder was the game's top swatter with three hits. Kelly Campbell drove in three runs with two singles.
Lenoue (L) and Harbult
Price (W) and Campbell
Rossland 8 - 2
Fruitvale 4 - 3
Colville 3 - 3
Grand Forks 1 - 2
Kettle Falls 0 - 6
(July 26) Rossland Caps shaded Nelson Outlaws 6-5. Stu Price hurled the victory for the Capilanos.
(July 27) A four-run first inning set the stage for Grand Forks' offense Sunday as the Cubs pounded out 18 hits in whipping Colville Air Base 19-7. Mike Sookochoff led the winners with two triples and two singles in five at bats. Alex and Billy Dergousoff each added three-baggers. Jack Mathers compiled 19 strikeouts to come within two of the record 21 he fanned five years ago against Republic.
Mathers (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 30) Stu Price beat Nelson Outlaws for the second time this week tossing a four-hitter while Rossland collected 11 safeties in scoring a 12-1 victory. Price fanned 11 to best Stan Grill who took the loss. Chuck Milne slugged a homer for the winners.
Price (W) and xxx
Grill (L), Kraft (5) and xxx
(August 9) In an exhibition game at Greenwood, Rossland Capilanos notched a 5-3 triumph getting a three-run homer from Donny Davis and a solo blast by Gordie "Red" Harrison a homer described as the longest drive ever at the Greenwood park. Harrison also made a spectacular outfield catch in the seventh inning. Stu Price went the route for the win.
Price (W) and Campbell
Toye (L) and Aura
(August 10) Grand Forks eked out a 9-8 victory over Rossland after one of the biggest rhubarbs seen in local play in years. A Grand Forks runner, coming home from third, ran into Caps' catcher Kelly Campbell who was waiting for the tag with the ball firmly in his mitt. The runner wrestled the ball away from Campbell and the umpire reversed his "out" decision to make the "safe" call. A royal rhubarb broke out but the decision stood.
White (L) and Campbell
Mathers (W) and Degousoff
(August 14) Dave White, in his first home appearance, held Fruitvale to four hits Thursday and Rossland doubled up the Beavers 4-2. White rang up eight strikeouts and walked five while collecting two of Rossland's six hits, one of them a two-bagger.
Douglas (L) and Magnus
White (W) and Campbell
(August 19) Rossland topped Fruitvale Beavers 12-9 Tuesday.
D.Davis, D.White (W) (2) and Campbell
xxx and xxx
PLAYOFFS
(September 7) Rossland Capilanos took the opening game of a best-of-three final for the Allan Hotel Cup downing the visiting Fruitvale Beavers 8-4. Caps jumped into a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed. Coach Ed Crowder had his first three batters bunt and the strategy paid off as Donny Davis and Babe LaFace both reached safely and moved up on Max Turyk's sacrifice. After Chuck Milne drew a walk, Kelly Campbell cleared the sacks with a booming double to deep centre. Caps added singletons in the 4th and 5th before another three-run outburst in the 8th. Four hits, one a double by Roy Thomas, combined with a walk and an error pushed the Caps total to eight runs. Davis led the winners with three hits and two scores. Irv Lavorato held the visitors to seven hits for the win.
A.Bilesky (L) and Magnus
Lavorato (W) and Campbell
(September 11) Lou Corrado powered Rossland Capilanos to a 10-6 victory over Fruitvale to capture the final playoff series in two straight games. Caps were awarded the Allan Hotel Cup. Corrado drove in four runs with a homer, double and two singles and Chuck Milne added three hits and scored twice. Caps fell behind 3-2 in the third frame but scored three in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take the lead for good. Stu Price pitched into the seventh for the win.
Price (W), Wynn (7) and Crowder
A.Bilesky and Magnus
ARROW LAKES / SLOCAN VALLEY
(May 24) New Denver, with six Japanese players in the lineup, used speed and squeeze plays to upset the Nelson Tigers 3-2 and 2-1 in a morning-afternoon double-header Saturday. In the opener, Ken Gordon"s double in the final frame brought in the winning run. Tommy Pearson picked up the win in relief.
Pearson threw a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts in the 2-1 contest to claim the pitching win. Walt Thring had three of New Denver's five hits, one of them a two-bagger.
R.Carmichael, J.Misuraca (L) (3), Brown (9) and xxx
Gordon, Pearson (W) (6) and xxx
Brown (L) and Nash
Pearson (W) and A. Lind
(June 8) Tommy Pearson was overpowering Sunday allowing just three hits and setting down 18 batters by strikeouts as New Denver trounced Nakusp 12-1. Dick Hashimoto led a 14-hit New Denver attack with a double and two singles, Walt Thring added three singles and Pearson helped his own cause with a pair of two-baggers.
E.Desrochers (L), Yano (5), Hale (7) and xxx
Pearson (W) and xxx
(June 15) In a benefit double-header at Burton, the home club defeated Edgewood 8-6 in the second game after dropping a 5-1 decision to Nakusp.
Johnson (L) and xxx
Hale (W) and xxx
Robazza (W) and xxx
Boettger (L) and xxx
(June 15) New Denver kept its unbeaten string intact Sunday turning back Slocan City 7-4. Ken Gordon pitched his team to victory allowing only three hits while fanning 15. Nobby Hayashi led a 10-hit New Denver attack with three safeties. Elmer Bay clouted a two-run triple.
K.Gordon (W) and xxx
W.Storgaard (L), E.Gustafson and xxx
(July 1) At the Silverton July 1st celebration, New Denver captured an 11-4 decison from a combined Slocan-Winlaw club. Ken Gordon hurled a five-hitter and fanned 17 in going the distance for New Denver. Jimmy Tateishi led the winners with three hits and Elmer Bay had a triple.
K.Gordon (W) and xxx
A.Bay (L), W.Storgaard and xxx
(July 13) Burton whipped Nakusp 12-10 Sunday to win the Wildfire Cup for July 1st competition. Naksup took the lead with three runs in the first inning on a walk, two doubles, a stolen base and an error. But Burton responded quickly with five runs in the second inning and held the lead the rest of the way. Joe Robazza managed to go the distance for the pitching win.
Hoshizaki (L) and Yanagisawa
Robazza (W) and C.Marshall
(July 18) Nelson fans are to have an opportunity to see one of the fastest squads in the Interior this weekend when Otto Yanagisawa of Nakusp beings his Kootenay Japanese All-Stars to town for a weekend series with the Nelson Outlaws. The Nisei nine is drawn from Slocan Valley teams and features several players who have played at the Coast or on the Prairies. Manager Yanagisawa saw action with the Asahi club of Vancouver while his pitching staff includes lefty TamoTakenaka, formerly of Calgary, Kuts Hayashi of Merritt, and Albert Yano, recently of Picture Butte. Catching will be Jimmy Takeishi, another Calgary product, while the infield has Shig Kiyono of New Denver at first base, Sam Yano, former Brooks, Alberta star at second base, Kaz Hashizaki of Nakusp, third base, and Nobby Hayashi of New Denver at shortstop. Slocan City's T.Nishimura will be in right field and Barin Yoshida of Nakusp in centre. Dick Hashimoto of New Denver will cover left field while M.Nishimura is the utility man.
(July 19) Nelson Outlaws and the Kootenay Japanese All-Stars played to a 4-4 draw Saturday in the first game of a weekend series. Outlaws needed a two-run rally in the bottom of the 7th and final inning to knot the count. Ron Nash singled to knock in Reg Watson, who had doubled, with the tying marker. Watson was cut down at the plate with what would have been the winner. Kuts Hayashi and Ron Brown hooked up in a tight pitching duel until the seventh when Brown retired after losing his control and loading the bases. Denny Kraft came in to strike out Takenaka to end the threat. All-Stars managed just two hits but made the most of five walks, good bunting and fast base-running for their four runs. The game was called after seven innings because of darkness.
K.Hayashi and Tateshi
Brown, Kraft (7) and Nash
(July 20) New Denver and Trail Pirates split a twin bill at Trail. The visitors took the opener 3-2 behind the strong hurler of Tommy Pearson who held the Trail juniors to six hits while collecting nine strikeouts. Nobby Hayashi had two hits for the winners and Jimmy Tateishi clouted a triple. Losing pitcher Charles Catalano had two hits for Trail.
Pearson (W) and xxx
Catalano (L), B.McIntyre (5) and xxx
In another tight contest, Trail took the second game 3-1 behind Busher McIntyre who fired a three-hitter and fanned eight. Trail got a run in the 5th on a double, fielder's choice and sacrifice and added two in the 7th on a fielding error, two hits and a wild throw by the catcher.
Gordon (L), Pearson (7) and xxx
B.McIntyre (W) and xxx
(July 20) Nelson Outlaws broke up a tight game with five runs in the 7th inning and went on to whip the Kootenay Japanese All-Stars 9-2. Stan Grill held the Stars to just five hits while Alex Abrosimo drove in six runs with a bases-loaded triple in the sixth and a bases-loaded double in the 7th. Freddy Stark and Reg Watson each had two hits. For Watson, it was his last game before returning to Vancouver.
Robazza, J.Derocher (8) and Yanagisawa
Grill (W) and Nash
(August 10) New Denver Tournament
(August 17) Trail Pirates and the Arrow Lakes All-Stars divided a double-header with the visitors taking the opening game 7-5 scoring five runs in the 6th inning against three All-Stars' hurlers. Bob McKinnon held the Stars to six hits in twirling the victory. Bill Johnson belted a homer for Trail.
McKinnon (W) and Johnson
James, Desrochers (L) (5), L.Johnson (5) and Yanagisawa
Arrow Lakes took the second game 6-5 with George Marchessault going the seven-inning route for the win besting Pete Boisvert of the Pirates.
Boisvert (L) and Johnson
Marchessault (W) and Yanagisawa
(August 23) Elmer Bay smacked five hits and brother Lorne had four, including two triples, as New Denver collected 25 hits in a 20-11 victory over Nakusp. Jimmy Tateishi also had four safeties for the winners and Walt Thring and Nobby Hayashi each picked up three hits. Tamo Takenaka had two hits and seven stolen bases. Tommy Pearson, who relieved in the fourth, fanned six of the nine batters he faced without allowing a baserunner.
K.Gordon, Pearson (W) (4), K.Kayashi (7) and xxx
xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Elmer Bay topped the hitters for New Denver finishing with a .444 average, well ahead of runner-up W. Thring.
AB R H AVE
Bay Elmer 36 9 16 .444
Thring Walt 40 4 15 .375
Hayashi Nobby 42 17 15 .357
Bay Loren 26 7 9 .346
Tateishi Jimmy 29 10 10 .345
Hashimoto Dick 10 5 3 .300
Takenaka Tamo 27 10 7 .259
Aoyama R. 4 0 1 .250
Pearson Tommy P 36 10 9 .250
Gordon Ken P 33 7 8 .242
Lind Allan C 17 2 3 .176
Hayashi Kuts 18 5 3 .167
Postlethwaite Bill 32 5 5 .156
Kireto Tobo 2 1 0 .000
Oyama J. 6 1 0 .000
Yanagisawa Otto C/MGR 1 0 0 .000
(September 7) Dunc Kennedy singled in the 10th inning to drive in Carl Locatelli with the deciding run as Nelson Tigers slipped by the New Denver All-Stars 5-4 to advance in the West Kootenay playoffs. Tigers now meet the winner of the contest between the Nelson Outlaws and Trail. Tigers had a comfortable 4-0 lead through six innings behind Les Hufty's three-hit pitching when the hustling Slocan Valley squad bunched three hits and three errors for three runs in the seventh. A walk, stolen base, error and sac fly produced the tying run in the 8th. Fritz Koehle and Frank Hufty paced the 12-hit Nelson attack with three singles apiece while Swede Larsen poked a homer and single. Elmer Bay had three safeties for the losers. Takenaka was the fielding star robbing Tigers of two hits with over-the-shoulder grabs in deep centre. Tommy Pearson fanned ten in going the distance for New Denver.
L.Hufty (W) and Larsen
Pearson (L) and Tateishi
CENTRAL INTERIOR LEAGUE (PRINCE GEORGE & DISTRICT)
The Central Interior Baseball League expanded for the second time in consecutive seasons as a second Prince George franchise, the Merchants, entered the fray in 1952. The eight-team loop, however, didn’t last even a month as the Giscome Dodgers, losers of eight consecutive games to begin the campaign, withdrew from the circuit in mid-June. Very few regular season game write-ups appeared in the 1952 editions of the Prince George Citizen although playoff coverage improved immensely. Coverage in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer was more consistent but tended to lack details of the achievements of players from opposing teams.
TeamS in the 1952 Central Interior Baseball League
Giscome Dodgers
Prince George Lumbermen
Prince George Merchants
Quesnel Clippers
Quesnel Lumbermen
Vanderhoof Cubs
West Lake Loggers
Willow River Red Sox
(May 24) The Prince George Lumbermen showed strong early season form when they defeated the Willow River Red Sox 6 to 5 in the final game of the $500 Victoria Day tournament. Playing before a record pre-season crowd for top prize of $250, the Red Sox almost closed the gap in their final turn at bat but Lumbermen centre fielder Don McNiven pulled down the curtain as he made a scintillating catch for the third out with the bases loaded. The Willow River team picked up $150 for finishing second while the West Lake Loggers took third money of $100. The Lumbermen copped the tournament opener 9 to 6 over the Giscome Dodgers while the Scarlet Hose kept pace with a 10 to 2 decision over the Vanderhoof Cubs. In other first-round action, West Lake bounced the circuit’s new entry, the Prince George Merchants, 4 to 1.
A marathon 12-inning game came in the semi-finals when the Lumbermen nosed out the Loggers 6 to 5. Lumbermen’s 16-year old pitcher, Don Young, went the distance in this nail-biter, allowing three earned runs while fanning eleven batters. The Loggers were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, leaving 15 base runners stranded. Len Gatin and Al Bigelow shared mound duties for West Lake with Gatin whiffing 16.
In the tournament finale, the Red Sox came to bat trailing by a pair in the bottom of the ninth. A pair of singles sandwiched around an infield out left runners at the corners. An unsuccessful steal of second attempt left the Redlegs down to their final out. An infield error followed which allowed the Sox to close the gap to one. Another single and a hit batter loaded the sacks and, as the situation grew to even more tense, winning chucker Reg McEachnie induced the Red Sox swatter Dalton to fly out and end the proceedings.
McEachnie (W) and Zloklikovits
Robinson (L), Amos and McIvor
(May 29) In the 1952 CIBL opener, the Prince George Lumbermen spoiled the debut of their city rivals, the Prince George Merchants, by slamming the Entrepreneurs 7 to 1.
(June 1) Two baseball teams with identical names won and lost in a CIBL doubleheader. Just to provide consistency, both final scores were 9 to 4 with the Prince George Lumbermen victorious in the first contest while the Quesnel Lumbermen took the late encounter. The Prince George nine led all the way in the matinee game behind the steady hurling of winner Reg McEachnie. Phil Punt of Quesnel, however, had no problem in solving McEachnie’s offerings, going four-for-four at the dish.
Friesen (L), Johnston (5) and xxx
McEachnie (W) and xxx
Losing twirler Don Young accounted for every Quesnel out during the first three frames by striking out nine. However, the wheels fell off in the fourth inning as the visitors saw Young’s command falter while they rang him up for five hits interspersed with a walk and two errors. Lloyd Comish picked up the complete game win.
Comish (W) and xxx
Young (L) and xxx
Willow River Red Sox vs Vanderhoof Cubs (doubleheader)
Prince George Merchants vs Giscome Dodgers (doubleheader)
(June 1) The West Lake Loggers and Quesnel Clippers divided an evenly-contested doubleheader with West Lake taking the matinee game 2 to 1 and the Clippers gaining a saw-off by virtue of their 7 to 6 second-game victory. The Loggers plated the opening game winning marker in the bottom of the sixth frame when an overthrow to first allowed Holder, who had previously singled, to score from third after two outs had been registered. Al Bigelow earned the mound triumph over Stan Dagneau.
S. Dagneau (L) and xxx
Bigelow (W) and xxx
In the late game, the Clippers were trailing 6 to 0 when they came to life in the fifth, plating four tallies to get back in the contest. Three hits and a costly West Lake error in the sixth gave them three more and the ball game. Irvin Follack had a home run for the Clips in the fifth frame. Another timely hitter for Quesnel was Caddy Koyama whose fifth-inning double drove in a pair of runs.
Amos, S. Dagneau (W) (4) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(June 5) Quesnel Lumbermen vs Quesnel Clippers
Prince George Lumbermen vs Willow River Red Sox
Prince George Merchants vs West Lake Loggers
(June 8) The West Lake Loggers took a pair of games from the homestanding Vanderhoof Cubs, coming from behind to take the opener 4 to 2 and then walking away with the evening game by a 7 to 4 count. Veteran West Lake chucker Hugh Glazier held the Cubs to five hits in the curtain raiser.
Glazier (W) and McDermott
xxx (L) and xxx
The Cubs fell behind early in the second encounter and were never able to get close to the West Lakers. Veteran pitcher Al Bigelow held Vanderhoof in check in hurling the complete game win.
Bigelow (W) and McDermott
xxx (L) and xxx
(June 8) The Quesnel Lumbermen came through nicely on their home diamond, handing the Prince George Merchants a double trimming. The Lumbermen took the opening game 8 to 7 and then came through with a comfortable 8 to 4 triumph in the evening tussle. A three-run homer in the seventh frame by the Merchant’s Prest tied the opening match at 7 – 7. Relief pitcher Albert Johnston, who had come to the aid of Quesnel starter Frank Friesen after Prest’s circuit-clout, put out the fire and then delivered the winning blow with a ringing RBI double.
xxx (L) and xxx
Friesen, Johnston (W) (7) and xxx
In the owl encounter, there was not much doubt as to the result after the Lumbermen provided winning flinger Lloyd Comish with six first-inning runs. Quesnel hammered loser Prest for ten base hits including a two-run triple by Norm Gronskei.
Prest (L) and xxx
Comish (W) and xxx
(June 8) The Willow River Red Sox captured a brace of games from the Quesnel Clippers, eking out 2 to 1 and 5 to 3 wins. In both games, the Clippers were out in front only to see the Red Stockings sneak in with the winning runs in the late innings. The winning marker for Willow River in the first game came during the bottom half of an extra canto on “Bo” McIvor’s RBI single. Andy Kuchurian tossed a three-hitter for the mound win with two of the hits he surrendered coming off the bat of losing chucker Stan Dagneau.
S. Dagneau (L) and xxx
Kuchurian (W) and xxx
The Clippers scored all of their markers in their first two turns at bat in the late encounter, taking a 3 to 0 lead after 1 1/2 innings of play. The Scarlet Hose chipped away at the margin, tying the score and then taking the lead with a three-run sixth inning.
Bader (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
(June 8) Prince George Lumbermen vs Giscome Dodgers (doubleheader)
(June 12) Willow River Red Sox vs Giscome Dodgers
Prince George Lumbermen vs West Lake Loggers
(June 15) The Prince George Merchants handed the West Lake Loggers a resounding 10 to 2 defeat after dropping the top half of a doubleheader 6 to 4 earlier in the day. Vic Wilejto made his pitching debut with the Merchants in the first game and, although he surrendered only one hit, threw the game away on bases on balls and wild pitches. Paul Letendre, normally a position player, went the route on the slab for the winners.
Letendre (W) and xxx
Wilejto (L) and xxx
Newcomers to the circuit, the Merchandisers looked like a serious threat to the league leaders when they lit up Loggers’ pitcher Al Bigelow for eight hits while holding the West Lakers to single counters in the sixth and seventh frames of the second contest. The Retailers backed winning tosser Steve Makarenko with an early offensive outburst that netted them four runs in the opening stanza, a single tally in the second and three more in the third frame.
Bigelow (L) and Doyle
S. Makarenko (W) and xxx
(June 15) The Quesnel Lumbermen had to be content with a saw-off in their brace of games with the Willow River Red Sox. They dropped the opener 6 to 1 but then came back with a 5 to 2 win in the evening tilt. The Red Sox got to losing twirler Albert Johnston for an early lead after an error and three consecutive balk calls plated a first-inning run. Johnston, badly rattled, was nailed for three hits in the second frame which produced another Willow River run.
Johnston (L), Comish (3), Johnston (5) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
Norm Gronskei had a triple and single for the Lumbermen in the finale in support of winning chucker Lloyd Comish.
Comish (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(June 15) Without the benefit of extra innings, the Prince George Lumbermen and Quesnel Clippers battled to a 5 – 5 draw in the opener of their twin-bill. The second encounter, also knotted after the regulation number of innings, saw the Clippers emerge with a 5 to 4 triumph in an extra frame. Both teams had opportunities to pull ahead in the later innings of the first game but chuckers Don Young of Prince George and Stan Dagneau of the Clips, aided by timely defensive plays, were able to escape peril.
Young and xxx
S. Dagneau and xxx
After the Lumbermen had moved ahead 4 to 1 in the first half of the extra stanza of the finale, the Clippers picked up their second counter in the bottom of the canto on a pair of singles and a fielders choice. A base on balls followed and then “Caddy” Koyama settled matters with a three-run walk-off homer. George Oliver also had a four-bagger for the winners.
McEachnie (L) and xxx
Bader (W) and xxx
(June 15) Giscome Dodgers vs Vanderhoof Cubs (doubleheader)
(June 17) The Prince George Lumbermen moved a notch closer to the CIBL lead when they defeated their city cousins, the Prince George Merchants 10 to 2. Former Lumbermen pitcher Ed Bent lasted less than an inning against his old teammates who scored four times before the Merchants knew what hit them. Don Young tossed a five-hitter in securing the mound victory.
Young (W) and Leask
Bent (L), S. Makarenko (1) and M. Makarenko
(June 19) The Giscome Dodgers have thrown in the towel for the balance of the Central Interior Baseball League. Losers of all eight of their league games to date, the Giscome team requested that their franchise be held in abeyance for an indefinite period with the ultimate goal of readmission.
Prince George Merchants vs Willow River Red Sox
(June 22) The Quesnel Lumbermen defeated the Vanderhoof Cubs in both ends of a doubleheader played in Quesnel. The Lumbermen copped the first game 6 to 1 and then walloped the visitors 11 to 2 in the nightcap. Albert Johnston effectively scattered nine hits in earning the mound decision in the opener. Ralph Oliver pounded a two-run round-tripper for Quesnel in the fifth.
xxx (L) and xxx
Johnston (W) and xxx
Lloyd Comish tossed a three-hitter and fanned nine Cubs in taking the second game win. The Lumbermen plated four big runs in the opening frame and then continued to pad their lead throughout the balance of the one-sided contest. Frank Stevenson and Phil Punt were the top Quesnel swatters, each slamming three hits.
D. Wall (L), A. Wall (1), Graham (3) and xxx
Comish (W) and xxx
(June 22) Willow River Red Sox vs West Lake Loggers (doubleheader) – postponed – wet grounds
(June 24) The Prince George Lumbermen staged a last-inning rally to earn a 9 – 9 deadlock with their cross-town rivals, the Prince George Merchants. Reg McEachnie’s single with two out scored Herman Zloklikovits from third base with the tying counter.
Young, McEachnie (5) and xxx
S. Makarenko, Bent (6) and xxx
(June 24) In an all-Quesnel battle, the Lumbermen dropped the Clippers 6 to 3. Winning pitcher Lloyd Comish held the Clips to seven hits while Lumbermen batters combed the offerings of Stan Dagneau and George Bader for a total of 13 base blows. Norm Gronskei and Billy Keen had three-base blows for the winners.
Comish (W) and xxx
S. Dagneau (L), Bader (3) and xxx
(June 29) Doug “Red” Dodd, one of the most popular ballplayers to ever don the uniform of a CIBL team, was back in harness for the West Lake Loggers for the first time this season. His late-inning performance turned a 3 to 1 deficit into a 5 to 3 win for the Loggers over the Prince George Merchants. Dodd played all last season with the Loggers then signed with Saskatoon this year but broke away from them last week to play out the rest of the schedule in Cariboo country. He entered the game in the bottom of the seventh with the West Lakers trailing by two. Facing ten batters, he struck out eight, walked one and didn’t allow a hit. Getting to bat in the ninth, he cracked a double which brought home the tying runs. Starting pitcher for the Loggers was another Saskatchewan redhead, Irl Flanagan, who came west with Dodd. Ed Bent went the full distance for the Merchants and had the ball game in his hand until the fatal ninth when the Loggers plated four counters. Pete Skalicky singled home the winning and insurance runs.
Flanagan, Dodd (W) (7) and Skalicky, Doyle
Bent (L) and M. Makarenko
(July 1) Using three pitchers, all recent arrivals, the West Lake Loggers copped first money in the Prince George Junior Chamber of Commerce Dominion Day tournament. Aside from the two Saskatchewan players, Doug Dodd and Irl Flanagan, the Loggers obtained the services of Kamloops players Len Gatin and Mel Ottem for the tournament. The tourney final, with more than 1,000 fans in attendance, saw the reinforced Loggers defeat the Vanderhoof Cubs, 5 to 4. Earlier in the day, Vanderhoof, after drawing a first-round bye, eliminated the Prince George Merchants 4 to 2. In the opening games, the Merchants had disposed of the Prince George Lumbermen 6 to 1 while the Loggers eked out a narrow 3 to 2 win over the Willow River Red Sox.
(July 6) The West Lake Loggers won both ends of a doubleheader with the Quesnel Lumbermen and ironman pitcher Doug “Red” Dodd captured mound victories in both games for the winning squad. The scores were 5 to 2 and 10 to 6. Dodd fanned 14 and limited the Lumbermen to one hit in earning the first game victory. Losing twirler Frank Friesen’s single was the only hit surrendered by Dodd. Catcher Jack Leask’s overthrow to third base allowed both Quesnel runs to score and prevented Dodd from picking up a shutout.
Friesen (L) and xxx
Dodd (W) and Leask
Dodd whiffed eight Quesnel batters in the second tilt after coming to the aid of West Lake starter Irl Flanagan. Both teams picked up ten base raps with Al Harris of the Lumbermen leading the hit parade with a three for four performance.
Comish, Johnston (L) (3), Friesen and xxx
Flanagan, Dodd (W) and xxx
(July 6) The Quesnel Clippers came up with a split in their double-bill with the visiting Prince George Merchants, dropping the matinee tussle 6 to 1 but rebounding with a heavy hitting performance in the nightcap for a 12 to 6 win. Prince George’s Ed Bent effectively scattered four Clipper hits in a complete opening game mound performance. Nine costly Quesnel errors made it easy for the invaders.
Bent (W) and xxx
Dagneau (L) and xxx
The Clips broke out in a hitting rash and erased a 6 to 0 deficit in the follow-up joust. Don Gale had three hits for the winners including a triple.
Bent, S. Makarenko (L) (5), Andrew (6) and xxx
Venables (W) and Beckett
(July 6) Prince George Lumbermen – 1 Vanderhoof Cubs – 4 (game 1)
Prince George Lumbermen – 7 Vanderhoof Cubs – 6 (game 2)
(July 8) The Willow River Red Sox maintained their position as the top threat in the Central Interior Baseball League when they slammed the Prince George Lumbermen by a 9 to 1 count. Outspoken outfielder Don McNiven of the Lumbermen was ejected from the contest for his uncomplimentary remarks to a spectator.
(July 13) The Prince George Lumbermen will launch protests over the results of the two games played against the Quesnel Clippers. The Lumbermen dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Clippers 5 to 3 and 10 to 5. Basis of the protest is the Quesnel usage of a battery from Vancouver who were supposedly in the area as weekend visitors and had not moved here for summer employment. Winning pitchers, “Bud” Venables and Gil Dagneau, both spun four-hitters. Doug Beckett, Quesnel backstop, led all hitters with a brace of two-baggers and a single in the opener.
Venables (W) and Beckett
Bigelow (L) and xxx
Catcher Doug Beckett drilled a pair of doubles for the Clips in the sunset encounter.
G. Dagneau (W) and Beckett
Berndt (L), xxx (1), Bigelow (5) and xxx
(July 13) At Vanderhoof, ex-Lumbermen pitcher Don Young tossed a two-hit shutout wearing his recently-donned Merchants uniform as the Prince George nine throttled the Cubs 10 to 0. The homesters roared back in the second tilt to throttle the Merchandisers 4 to 2.
Young (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(July 13) Playing in Quesnel, the Willow River Red Sox split a twin-bill with the Quesnel Lumbermen, losing the opener 9 to 8 but capturing the late game 8 to 4. A belated rally in the last of the seventh inning of the lid-lifter pulled the game out of the fire for the Quesnelites. Willow River stranded 11 baserunners as the Lumbermen tightened up in the pinches.
xxx (L) and xxx
Friesen, Johnston (W) (6) and xxx
The Redlegs jumped into an early lead in the late game and maintained the margin throughout, playing flawless ball.
xxx (W) and xxx
Comish (L), Johnston (7) and xxx
(July 20) The Willow River Red Sox still hold a handy three-game lead atop the CIBL after splitting a doubleheader with the Quesnel Clippers. The Sox took the first game 8 to 1 but lost the second 9 to 8. Howie Martin, on the mound for the Red Sox in the opener, had the Clips eating out of his hand most of the way. Only six Quesnel players managed to reach first base.
S. Dagneau (L) and Campbell
Martin (W) and xxx
“Slim” Amos, who started the season with Willow River, pitched the Clippers to the second game victory, doling out seven hits. Leading 8 to 3 as Quesnel came to bat in the seventh, the Red Sox saw their lead disappear with the winning run crossing the plate on a bases-loaded walk. Irvin Follack’s triple was the big blow for the winners in their late rally.
Amos (W) and Campbell
xxx (L) and xxx
(July 20) Vanderhoof and the Quesnel Lumbermen divided their double-dip with the Cubs triumphing 10 to 5 in the curtain raiser while Quesnel prevailed 8 to 5 in the nightcap. The Cubs sewed up the opener by tallying six counters in the fourth frame. Winning chucker Johnson limited Quesnel to five safeties while fanning a dozen.
xxx (L) and xxx
Johnson (W) and xxx
The Lumbermen roared out of the gate in the second fixture, plating six runs in their initial turn at bat. Norm Gronskei of Quesnel and Reinke of Vanderhoof both belted three-baggers.
Friesen, Johnston (W) (4) and xxx
Downey (L), Graham (1) and xxx
(July 20) The West Lake Loggers and Prince George Lumbermen also halved their twin-bill. Prince George took the matinee contest 4 to 1 while the Lakers captured the owl encounter 3 to 0.
Central Interior Baseball League standings after games of July 20
W L Pct.
Willow River Red Sox 14 4 .778
Quesnel Lumbermen 11 6 .647
West Lake Loggers 10 6 .625
Prince George Lumbermen 11 7 .611
Quesnel Clippers 8 6 .571
Vanderhoof Cubs 6 8 .429
Prince George Merchants 7 11 .389
(July 27) The Prince George Lumbermen moved into second place in the CIBL when they defeated the Quesnel Lumbermen twice, the scores being 6 to 1 and 7 to 6 in an eleven-inning squeaker. The winning chucker in both games was former West Lake Logger hurler Al Bigelow. Bigelow garnered nine strikeouts in the opener, allowing only five hits. George Crossetti’s two-run double in the fifth inning broke a 1 – 1 deadlock and sent Prince George into the lead for good.
Bigelow (W) and xxx
Comish (L), Friesen (6) and xxx
In the second contest, Bigelow came to the rescue of starter Reg McEachnie who lasted seven innings when Quesnel tied the score 6 – 6. Taking over in the top of the eighth, Bigelow blanked the Quesnel team for four frames, the last three being consecutive strikeouts in the bottom of the eleventh inning. He also plated the winning run in the top half of that stanza after singling, advancing to second on a sacrifice by Backelin and scoring on Marshall’s single.
McEachnie, Bigelow (W) (8) and xxx
Friesen (L), Johnston (6), Comish (6) and xxx
(July 27) The West Lake Loggers edged into a third place tie with the Quesnel Lumbermen when they split a doubleheader with the Quesnel Clippers. The Loggers dropped the first game 4 to 2 but came back in the late game to win 4 to 1. Lanky Stan Dagneau of the Lumbermen limited the Loggers to two hits in the opener.
S. Dagneau (W) and xxx
Glazier (L), Letendre (5) and xxx
The nightcap featured fine pitching efforts by both “Slim” Amos of Quesnel and Doug “Red” Dodd of Willow River. Amos was touched for four safeties in taking the loss while winning chucker Dodd was credited with a two-hitter while punching out 13 Lumbermen batters by strikeout.
Amos (L) and xxx
Dodd (W) and xxx
(July 27) The Willow River Red Sox consolidated their top place position in the Central Interior circuit with double wins, 5 to 1 and 13 to 7, over the Vanderhoof Cubs at Willow River.
(August 3) The Vanderhoof Cubs won one and lost one in CIBL action at Quesnel but they will get chalked up with two losses as a result of a protest from the Quesnel Clippers. League officials have since awarded both games to the Clippers since Vanderhoof arrived with only eight players. The Cubs filled out their team with a Quesnel player and, after losing the opener 17 to 10, they won the second game 11 to 8.
(August 5) The Willow River Red Sox strengthened their standing atop the Central Interior Baseball League when they defeated the Prince George Merchants 8 to 3.
(August 10) The Quesnel Lumbermen dropped a close 2 to 1 decision to the West Lake Loggers in the opener of a double-bill but roared back to hammer the visitors 20 to 3 in the nightcap. The first match, a pitcher’s duel, saw West Lake’s Doug “Red” Dodd emerge victorious over veteran Frank Friesen of the Lumbermen. Dodd gave up three hits while Friesen was nicked for five bingles including a home run by Pete Skalicky and a three-bagger by Dodd.
Dodd (W) and Doyle
Friesen (L) and xxx
Collecting 22 hits off four West Lake hurlers, the Lumbermen ran away with the late encounter. Doug Dodd again started on the hill for the Loggers but developed a sore finger on his pitching hand which left him totally ineffective. Lloyd Comish took the mound win, experiencing difficulty in only the second frame. Phil Punt picked up five hits for the winners.
Dodd (L), Skalicky (2), Stewart (3), Letendre (4) and xxx
Comish (W) and xxx
(August 17) The Quesnel Clippers dropped two games to the Prince George Merchants and slumped into fourth place tie with the West Lake Loggers for the final CIBL playoff spot. The scores were 5 to 4 and 7 to 5. The Retailers upset double-victory also moved them within range of that elusive last playoff berth although they would have to make a clean sweep of their remaining games in order to stay in contention. The Clippers lost their opportunity to tie things up in their final turn at bat of the first game as big George Oliver was called out at the plate in a close play. The loss was a heartbreaker for Quesnel pitcher Stan Dagneau who yielded but three hits to the Merchandisers.
S. Dagneau (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
Ed Bent got the hill decision over Don Blair in the late game. Blair gave up only four hits but control problems and shaky defensive support by his mates led to his downfall. Bent was nicked for six base raps including a pair by Irvin Follack.
D. Blair (L) and xxx
Bent (W) and xxx
(August 17) Vanderhoof Cubs vs Willow River Red Sox (doubleheader)
(August 21) With only nine scheduled games left to play in the 1952 Central Interior Baseball League, the Willow River Red Sox were proclaimed pennant winners when it became apparent their .800 winning percentage could not be matched. Quesnel Lumbermen and Quesnel Clippers have four and five games respectively yet to play and both teams have a shot at displacing the West Lake Loggers in third place.
W L Pct.
Willow River Red Sox 20 5 .800
Prince George Lumbermen 15 8 .632
West Lake Loggers 13 10 .565
Quesnel Lumbermen 12 10 .545
Quesnel Clippers 11 10 .524
Prince George Merchants 10 14 .417
Vanderhoof Cubs 8 12 .400
(August 24) The Prince George Lumbermen clinched second place in the Central Interior Baseball League by sweeping a doubleheader from the Vanderhoof Cubs. The scores were 6 to 3 and 4 to 2. Floyd Berndt hurled the opening game victory for the Lumbermen and, although his offerings were no great trouble for the Cubs, his infield executed two smart double plays at crucial moments to kill scoring threats by the visitors. Abe Wall and “Slim” Marsh shared mound duties for the Cubs.
Wall (L), Marsh and xxx
Berndt (W) and xxx
A two-run rally in the fifth inning, aided by a pair of Vanderhoof errors, salted the second game away for the Lumbermen although Al Bigelow, Prince George hurler, was in trouble in the sixth.
xxx (L) and xxx
Bigelow (W) and xxx
(August 24) At Quesnel, the Clippers moved into contention for the final playoff spot by downing their home-town brethren, the Lumbermen, twice by scores of 5 to 3 and 8 to 4. The Clips were out-hit 8 to 6 by their city cousins in the matinee tilt but managed to pull through with superior defensive support and by bunching their hits. The heftiest blow of the game was Ivan Follack’s seventh-inning two-run triple which sent the Clippers into the lead.
S. Dagneau (W) and xxx
Johnston (L) and xxx
The Lumbermen were never able to take the lead in the second encounter although they were able to tie things up briefly in the third stanza. The Clips exploded for five big counters in the sixth frame, ignited by Neil Kelly’s triple. Stan Dagneau, pitching his second game of the day, went the route on a seven-hitter to earn the final half of his double victory.
Comish (L) and xxx
S. Dagneau (W) and xxx
(August 31 – September 1) The Willow River Red Sox, 1952 CIBL pennant winners, proved their local superiority before good crowds when they went undefeated through three games to take $250 first money in the Prince George Fall Fair baseball tournament. Prince George Lumbermen, who lost only to the Red Sox, drew down $150 for second place, while the Prince George Merchants took $100 third money and West Lake Loggers settled for the $50 consolation prize.
Final won-lost records of the four CIBL teams qualifying for the playoffs
W L Pct.
Willow River Red Sox 20 6 .769
Prince George Lumbermen 17 9 .654
Quesnel Clippers 14 12 .538
West Lake Loggers 14 12 .538
PLAYOFFS
Semi-finals (best-of-three)
(September 14) The Willow River Red Sox moved into the finals of the CIBL by defeating the Quesnel Clippers 9 to 8 in the opener of their semi-final series and then followed that up with an 8 to 3 win to take the series in two straight games.
The first game was a thriller. Quesnel got off to a flying start, gathering five first-inning runs off Howie Martin. The lead was short-lived, however, as Willow River came back in the bottom of the second inning to score seven big runs with “Bo” McIvor garnering two hits in this frame. The Clippers tied things in the fourth frame on Don Gale’s RBI single and took the lead again in the fifth inning when Rollie Amos tripled and crossed the plate on Irvin Follack’s single. Back came the Sox in the sixth as fiery catcher Willie McDermid singled, stole second and plated the equalizer when Leo Robinson smashed a one-bagger. The seventh and eighth innings were scoreless and the game was finally settled when Ted Church of the Red Stockings drilled a clutch bottom-of-the-ninth single to drive home the winning counter.
S. Dagneau (L) and xxx
Martin (W) and McDermid
The second game was Willow River’s all the way as Mike Church handcuffed the Quesnel nine on a four-hitter. The Red Sox started early with the bats and held a 5 to 0 lead before the Clips could get going. The visitors showed some life in the fifth and scored a pair on three walks and two hits, one of which was a triple by Roy Blair. Willow River clinched matters by scoring three more runs in the sixth. The big gun at the plate for the day was “Bo” McIvor of the Crimson Hose who had five for nine. Rollie Amos of Quesnel went four for eight. Willie McDermid and Leo Robinson of the Sox both stroked four safeties and teammate Andy Kuchurian was next with three base blows. Stan Dagneau, Neil Kelly and Don Gale all had three-hit totals for the Clippers.
xxx (L) and xxx
M. Church (W) and xxx
(September 21) A sizzling two-hit pitching job by Al Bigelow combined with a massive offensive onslaught by his teammates kept the Prince George Lumbermen in the running for the CIBL crown after the Prince George Lumbermen had dropped a 7 to 6 verdict to the West Lake Loggers in the opener of their playoff double-bill. The Prince George aggregation easily prevailed 13 to 0 behind Bigelow’s solid mound performance in the nightcap.
Hugh Glazier was in top form for the Loggers in the afternoon game as he fanned eleven Lumbermen and limited them to five scattered hits. Meanwhile, Prince George’s Reg McKenzie was experiencing control difficulties and issued six free passes. It didn’t help matters that his defense committed four costly errors which enabled the winners to coast to a 7 to 2 fourth inning lead. George Crossetti’s triple in the fifth sparked a four-run rally which got the Timber Crew back in the game but, after that, their offense fizzled. Don McNiven of the Lumbermen and Merv Holder of the Loggers smashed home runs.
Glazier (W) and xxx
McKenzie (L) and xxx
The second game was strictly no contest after the Lumbermen scored twice in the third and sent Hugh Glazier, attempting an ironman stunt, to the sidelines with a six-run barrage in the fourth. A two-run homer by Art Thompson sparked the deluge. Stafford, Logger southpaw, who relieved Glazier, failed to halt the Lumbermen sluggers and they added single tallies in the fifth and sixth and topped it off with three more counters in the seventh. Eight West Lake errors contributed to the rout. Bigelow struck out nine and helped win his own game with a bases-loaded triple.
Glazier (L), Stafford (4) and xxx
Bigelow (W) and xxx
(September 28) The Prince George Lumbermen moved into the CIBL finals when the West Lake Loggers failed to field a full team and forfeited the third and deciding game of the semi-final showdown.
Finals (best-of-five)
(September 28) Immediately following the Prince George semi-final victory by default, the Lumbermen took the field to face the Willow River Red Sox in the opening game of a best-of-five final series. The Lumbermen, committing three errors, all at crucial times, fell to the Redlegs 6 to 2. Spearheaded by the four-hit, eleven strikeout pitching performance of Mike Church, Willow River didn’t let a second-inning run by Prince George bother them as they picked up a pair in their half of the same frame when winning tosser Church doubled home Fred Vaillancourt and Alex Anderson. They added another in the third when Willie McDermid smashed a two-bagger and came in on a solid single by Howie Martin. A wild throw pat third base by Lumbermen catcher Mazaruk allowed two more Willow River runs to cross the plate. Willie McDermid’s triple and an errant heave to the plate accounted for the final Scarlet Stockings run. Prince George’s final tally resulted from a solo homer by Art Thompson in the sixth canto.
Bigelow (L) and Mazarak
M. Church (W) and xxx
(October 5) Play in the Central Interior Baseball League wound up on the sourest of notes when the Prince George Lumbermen failed to show up at Willow River for a scheduled playoff doubleheader with the homestanding Red Sox. The Scarlet Hose, who led the 1952 circuit by a comfortable margin, were awarded the playoff title by default.
CROW'S NEST PASS LEAGUE
(June 4) Offense was the theme as the Crow's Nest Pass League kicked off with a double-header at Natal. Blairmore Canucks took the first game 20-6 while the Natal-Michel Red Sox rebounded with a 10-7 win in the second game. John Dobek and Harry Draper combined on a three-hitter for the Canucks in game one. R.Vejprava led a 14-hit attack with a homer and two singles. Luciente and Pedro Giacamuzzi each ahd three hits. Androlick had a homer for the Red Sox.
Dobek, Draper and xxx
Salahub, Scott and xxx
The second game saw veteran Tom Krall take the mound for the first time in several years and pitch the Sox to the win. Angus Chala fanned 14 in a losing cause.
Chala (L), Blas (7) and xxx
Krall (W) and xxx
(June 8) At Natal, the visiting Fernie seniors sparked by the five-hit pitching of Bill Cole, who fanned 15, came through with a 6-3 win over Natal-Michel Red Sox. Sox starter Bob Greene was forced from the game in the sixth inning with a hand injury. Tommy Krall finished up. Frank Pearce had two hits to lead the winners while the biggest blow of the game came from Alex Letasy who clouted a two-run triple.
Cole (W) and xxx
Green, T.Krall and xxx
Earlier in the day at Fernie, the Red Sox notched a 5-4 win in a make-up game for a postponed contest. Cliff Salahub led the Sox with two hits while Marasco had three for Fernie.
W.Krall, Salahub and xxx
W.Komarovich, Ashmore and xxx
( ) In the Crow's Nest Pass League, Natal-Michel handed Coleman Cubs their fourth straight loss, 12-8. Both teams had 11 hits, with homers by Ben Serafini of the Buffs and rookie Ladek of Coleman. Cliff Salahub and Lefty Scott combined for the pitching win.
xxx, Nakama and xxx
Salahub, Scott and xxx
W.Krall, Serafini and xxx
xxx and xxx
Green, T.Krall and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 6) Angelo Gentile's cellar-dwelling Coleman Cubs made the win column with a bang Sunday as they erupted for eight runs in the first inning and went on to dump the third-place Natal-Michel Red Sox 14-6.
(July 6) Pincher Creek Dominoes and Fernie Falcons split a Crow's Nest Pass doubleheader Sunday at Fernie. The visitors took a 2-1 verdict in the opener while the locals bounced back with a 5-4 decision in the evening game. The afternoon tilt featured a pitching duel between J. Velasco of Pincher Creek and Bill Komarevich of the Falcons. Fernie plated its marker in the second inning on successive singles by Crisafio, Rushcall and Komarevich. With none-out and runners on first and third, the Dominoes pulled off a triple play. After tying the game with a run in the fifth on two singles, Pincher Creek got ther winner in the ninth. With two out, Weidmar tripled and came home on Velasco's looper over first base.
J. Velasco (W) and xxx
Bill Komarevich (L) and xxx
In the second game, Dick Guzzi scattered 12 Dominoes' hits in a 5-3 Fernie victory. Frank Pearce of Fernie was the day's leader swatter with six hits in nine trips to the plate.
xxx and xxx
Dick Guzzi (W) and xxx
(September 25) Red Querrin knocked in the winning run with two out in the bottom of the 11th as the Natal-Michel Red Sox topped the Natal House of Kralls 8-7 in the first game of a three-game series. The House of Kralls is comprised of veteran players headed by Louis Krall the team's manager. Whittaker homered to give the Sox the lead in the bottom of the 8th but the Kralls squeezed in a run in the top of the 9th to knot the count at 7-7. They missed a golden opportunity for the win in the 11th as Tom Krall struck out with the bases loaded.
W.Krall, T.Krall and xxx
Scott, Serafini, Whittaker and xxx
EAST KOOTENAYS
No longer part of a league in 1952, the independent Kimberley Elks still maintained a presence in tournament play as well as during the occasional exhibition game. Creston, a member of last season’s Idaho-Montana-B.C. circuit along with Kimberley, dropped senior baseball in 1952 as per a lack of available players while Cranbrook faded from the picture after the 1950 campaign in favor of softball. Windermere had its own district circuit of two local teams and an entry from Canal Flats.
(June 8) A pitcher’s dream came true for young Eric Bodin when the Kimberley Elks drubbed the Windermere Wilder Loggers 15 to 0 behind Bodin’s no-hit, no-run mound gem. Bodin issued only one walk and that accounted for the lone Logger baserunner in the contest The 19-year old righthander rang up 14 punchouts in the exhibition tilt while his teammates were busy collecting 16 safe blows which included a three-run dinger by playing-manager Walt Gelling and a solo tater by Claude Bell.
(June 15) The Kimberley Elks made their south of the border debut on Sunday and took a 7 to 3 drubbing from the Libby MT nine. Southpaw Bobby Thompson of the Montanans rationed the shorthanded Elks to six scattered hits while the American crew got to Eric “Ike” Bodin for nine safe swats, including a triad of one-baggers by Jim Moore. Rookie Derrel Dixon paced the Elks at the plate with three singles.
(July 1) Windermere Dominion Day baseball tournament
(July 11-13) Nelson first annual bonspiel baseball tournament
JUNIOR BASEBALL
(September 27/28) Vancouver has captured the BC Junior "A" title as the Collingwood Athletics used a potent offense to down Kelowna Chiefs 17-4 and 13-6 to win the provincial championship in two straight. The juniors had 16 hits in the first game and 12 in the second.
Ralph Willey was the big gun in the opening win. He helped Collies into a six-run lead in the first inning with a three-run homer. The blast followed singles by Stan Black, Pete Eades and Ed Sparrow. Right-hander Kerry Parsons held Kelowna to five hits.
In the second game, Collies broke a 3-3 tie in the third inning when Bob Johnson scored on a passed ball. Jack Whyte and Stan Black belted home runs in the 5th and catcher Ed Sparrow added another in the 6th. Sparrow also rapped a pair of doubles. Carl Homenuke and Al Davies combined on a five-hitter. Sunday's triumph gave Collingwood its first provincial ball title in 18 years. Collingwood won the BC senior crown in 1934.
Parsons (W) and Sparrow
Duggan and Culos
Hickson, Duggan (7) and Culos
Homenuke (W), Davies (7) and Sparrow