SASKATOON TOURNAMENT
(May 23) In the tourney opener, Big Bob Herron helped North Battleford on the mound and at the plate in a 6-5 win over Regina Caps. Herron tossed an eight-hitter while providing a three-bagger in a telling three-run sixth inning. Trailing 4-3, his triple knocked in Louis Green to tie the match and Herron then scored on Ken Nelson's single to put the Beavers in front. Jackie McLeod provided what proved to be the winning punch when he doubled to score Nelson. The Caps narrowed the count in the eighth when Jean Ashley knocked in a run with a long fly to centre field. Ashley had smacked a long homer in the second inning, by far the longest blow seen in Cairns Field this season. Roy Dean clouted a four-bagged for the Beavers.
Buttgereit, Vogt (6) and Kyle
Herron (W) and Green
(May 24) Moose Jaw advanced to the final downing Estevan 7-2 with a 15-hit attack. Archie Templeton went the route for the Maples in spite of giving up 11 hits, one a homer to Jackson. Errors played a large role in the decision with the Maples guilty of just one miscue while Estevan bobbled five plays. Wimpy Stephenson took the loss.
Templeton (W) and Harford
Stephenson (L) and Dubyk
Stevie Wylie topped Lefty Lauer in an outstanding pitcher's duel as North Battleford scored the only run in the tenth inning to notch a 1-0 win over Saskatoon. Centre fielder Ken Nelson drove in the marker. Wylie fired a three-hitter while Laurer, with help from Chuck Holdaway in the tenth, gave up four.
Wylie (W) and Green
Lauer (L), Holdaway (10) and Shirley
The undermanned Moose Jaw Maples carried off the top prize in the Saskatoon Tournament Saturday thumping North Battleford 7-1 in the final. Southpaw Art Worth fashioned a three-hitter for the Maples with the lone run against him resulting from a wild pitch in the fourth inning. Moose Jaw collected ten hits of Johnny Coleman and two more from reliever Les Dean. It was a tight contest until the 7th when Moose Jaw scored three runs, adding two more in the ninth.
Worth (W) and Harford
Coleman (L), L.Dean (7) and Green
GRAND FORKS TOURNAMENT
(May 24) Trail Pontiacs captured top money at the Grand Forks Victoria Day Tournament. Grand Forks took the tourney opener 6-5 over Greenwood. In the afternoon, Louis DeMore's Trail Pontiacs routed Rusty Wynn's Rossland nine 7-0 as Lefty McIntyre tossed the shutout. In the final, Trail broke open a tight game with three runs in the seventh inning for a 5-1 victory. Enzo Mondin, the Pontiacs catcher drove in a pair with a triple to left field and managed to score himself after being caught in a hot box when he stumbled rounding third. McIntyre pitched the win, going 16 innings for the day while Jack Mathers, who pitched both games for Grand Forks, took the loss.
Mathers (L) and xxx
McIntyre (W) and Mondin
FRUITVALE TOURNAMENT
(May 24) The Trail contingent came out on top in the annual Victoria Day baseball tournament held in Fruitvale. The Smokies advanced to the final round in the three-team affair on the strength of close 8 to 7 win over the Nelson Tigers in the semi-final. They then downed the host Fruitvale All-Stars 4 to 1 in the final to take home the first prize money of $125. A four run outburst off loser Les Hufty in the third inning wiped out a 3 to 1 Nelson lead and propelled the Trailites to victory. They finally sent Hufty to the showers in the sixth, taking an 8 to 5 advantage at that point.The Tigers threatened to tie the game in the ninth but relief fireman Bobby McKinnon fanned pinch-hitter Joe Postnikoff with the tying marker on base. Left handed starter Pete Boisvert had a three-run homer for the winners. Swede Larson picked up a two-run shot for the Nelsonites.
Boisvert, B. McKinnon (W) (6) and Hackett
L. Hufty (L), Severyn (6) and Larsen
Fifteen hundred fans were on hand to watch the finale as Pete Boisvert started on the hill again for the Smelter Lads. The Smoke Eaters scored single tallies in the first, seventh, eighth and ninth innings for their win over the host club. The lone Fruitvale counter came in the sixth on a triple by Andy Bilesky and a single by Gordon Grieves.
Boisvert (W) and Hackett
Grieve (L) and A.Bilesky
PRINCE GEORGE TOURNAMENT
(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 Prince George 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 Zloklokovitz
Robinson (L), Amos and McIvor
NOTRE DAME ANNUAL VICTORIA DAY TOURNAMENT
(May 24) First money in Notre Dame College’s annual May 24th baseball tournament stayed in the collegians’ hands when the young Hounds rode roughshod over the Regina Royal Caps 15 – 3 n the tourney final at Lane Field. Every game except for the finale was closely-contested as the five Southern League teams competing showed the strength of the homebrew Saskatchewan talent.
In the payoff game, tall righthander Les Lilley of the Hounds fanned ten and tamed the Royal Cap batters on two hits, one of which was a two-run homer by Jimmy Ross in the ninth frame. Losing heaver Lloyd Wooley was shelled from the bump in the initial inning as Notre Dame piled up seven counters in that stanza. Fourth-year Arts student Walt Becker had three of the winners’ dozen safeties, two of these coming in the big first frame. Playing-manager Frank Germann added a grand-slam circuit-clout in the seventh.
Wooley (L), Harrison (1), Downton (2), Rogers (7) and Lysack
Lilley (W) and Padewski
In qualifying for the final, the Queen City aggregation had to win twice. They started off by shading the Milestone Athletics 2 – 1 before blanking their city cousins, the Regina Red Sox, 5 – 0.
Doug Morden of the Royal Caps and Milestone’s Rudy Barth hooked up in a great hurling duel as Regina’s Bunny Smith figured in both runs for his team. Morden was touched for just three safeties.
Morden (W) and Ross, Lysack (7)
Barth (L) and Gottselig
Towering Pete McMurtry out-pitched Wes Richardson to give the Royals the verdict over the Red Sox. A three-run outburst in the third session sent the Royal Caps on to victory.
McMurtry (W) and Lysack
Richardson (L) and McMillan
The Dogs outlasted the pesky Avonlea Arrows 8 – 7 in punching their ticket to the championship tussle. The Arrows nursed a 7 – 6 lead heading into the seventh spasm before the hosts plated a deuce to take the laurels. Bob McCarthy of the Hounds and Avonlea’s Jim Kirkpatrick slammed round-trippers for their respective squads.
L’Heureux, Mooney (5), Germann (W) (6) and McCarthy, Padewski
Gordon Campbell (L) and Kirkpatrick
CLARESHOLM TOURNAMENT
(May 24) The Nanton Paliminos captured top prize money in the Claresholm tournament defeating Granum 9 – 7 in the final game. Jack Scott and Jake Berger hurled for Nanton while Allie MacDonald and Bob Shearer toiled on the hill for Granum.
Scott, Berger and McKenzie
A. MacDonald, Shearer and Parker
Earlier, Granum had walloped Stavely 14 – 1 in the tourney opener while Nanton had little trouble in defeating the Claresholm Meteors 10 – 5.
ROSEDALE TOURNAMENT
(May 24 – 25) The Brooks Buffaloes walked off with the $400 top prize money in the second annual Rosedale baseball tournament when they walloped Stettler 17 - 4 in the final game. Brooks got off to a whirlwind start in the finale, scoring four runs in the first inning.
Opening-day scores saw Brooks down Rosedale 9 – 0, Stettler trouncing the Calgary Junior Pirates 14 – 4 and Vauxhall eliminating Red Deer 7 – 6.
Stettler received a bye into the championship game while Brooks hammered Vauxhall 9 – 3 just prior to their clash with Stettler in the final. Some 4,000 spectators viewed the two-day event.
LLOYDMINSTER TOURNAMENT
(June 12) Three teams -- Florida Cubans, Saskatoon Gems and Indian Head Rockets -- shared top prize money as rain forced the cancellation of the final round of the Lloydminster tournament.
(June 10) Bev Bentley doubled in Pete Prediger with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Saskatoon a 3-2 victory over Morinville at the Lloydminster Tournament. Chuck Holdaway scattered seven hits to register the win. The Morinville squad featured college players from the Seattle area. The contest drew 2,500 fans.
Morinville 2 Saskatoon 3
Lynch (L), Lee (9) and Clark
Holdaway (W) and Shirley
Jim Morrow held Edmonton to six hits as Indian Head romped to an 11-2 win over the Edmonton All-Stars.
Indian Head 11 Edmonton 2
Morrow (W) and Landrum
Bacon (L), Lakeman (5) and Kulka
Florida Cubans trounced the Edmonton Pontiacs of the Edmonton City League 17-3 with a 16-hit attack. Edmonton helped the Cubans by making 12 errors. Jose "Hippy" Hernandez allowed 11 hits but cruised to the complete-game victory.
Edmonton 3 Florida Cubans 17
Arnold (L) and Macnab
Hernandez (W) and Yzquierdo
North Battleford and Great Falls were rained out with play in the second inning.
(June 11) At the Lloydminster Tournament, Johnny Coleman tossed a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts to lead North Battleford to a 11-2 triumph over Great Falls, Montana, Airlifters and a berth in the tourney semi-finals. Coleman allowed no walks and just two hits after the first inning.
Coleman (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 12) Rain washed out the finals of the Lloydminster Tournament. Three teams - Florida Cubans, Saskatoon Gems and Indian Head Rockets - divided the top prize money. Florida made the final with a 10-5 win over North Battleford. Marcelino Arozarena led the way with a grand slam homer in the first inning. Roy Dean, the Beavers' playing manager, had a two-run blast for the losers. The Saskatoon - Indian Head match was called off with play in the first inning.
Florida 10 NB 5
Arango (W), Hernandez (5) and Yzquierdo
Wyllie (L), Porter (5) and Gree
MOOSE JAW TOURNAMENT
(June 18) : Jim Morrow led a 13-hit attack with a homer and a single as Saskatoon won the tourney opener 5-2 over Moose Jaw. Bob Singleton and Lefty Lauer combined to hold the Maples to seven hits. Archie Templeton took the loss.
Singleton (W), Lauer (8) and Shirley
Templeton (L) and Harford
Regina Caps scored six times in the first inning off starter Steve Wylie and reliever Les Dean and held on to edge North Battleford Beavers 6-5. Dean was untouchable after the first, hurling shutout ball for eight innings. Beavers pecked away at Jack Hannah scoring single runs in the first, second, fifth and eighth before Frank Warren relieved.
Wylie, Dean (1) and Green
Hannah (W), Warren (8) and Kyle
Saskatoon Gems pocketed first prize money at the $4,000 Moose Jaw Tournament Wednesday night out slugging Regina Caps 14-10 in the final. Gems ripped three Caps' hurlers for 17 safeties while Regina collected 13 hits off two Saskatoon moundsmen. Doug and Max Bentley and Jim Shirley each had three hits to lead the Gems. Left fielder Jim Morrow drove in three runs. Cliff Jacobson was the winner in relief of starter Chuck Holdaway.
Holdaway, Jacobson (W) (4) and Shirley
Buttgereit, Warren (L) (4), Wills (7) and Kyle
Exhibition
(June 21) Indian Head Rockets took both ends of Saturday's double-header at Buffalo Park in Calgary, 8-7 in 10 innings, and 8-5.
Cubans 7 Rockers 8
Arango, Hernandez (L) (8) and Izquierdo
McMillar, Marshall (1) and Landrum
Cubans 5 Rockets 8
Cisnero and Izquierdo
Latham (L) and Ford, Landrum (8)
CAMROSE TOURNAMENT
(June 21-22) : The Florida Cubans took advantage of seven Leduc errors to overcome an early 2-0 deficit and take $1,400 first prize money in the Camrose Tournament with a 9-2 win over the Oilers in the final. Jim Ryan, the first sacker with the 1951 winners, Swift Current, belted a 2nd inning homer to post the game's first run. Cubans tied the game in the 4th as Mario Herrera and Leopoldo Reyes scored after reaching base with hits. Florida broke the game wide open with four runs in the 5th as Roberto Barbon knocked in a pair and scored another. Carlos Forten scattered eight hits to get the win. Lefty Belter gave up nine hits in a losing cause.
Forten and Yzquierdo
Belter and Dillman
In semi-final action, the Cubans fell behind 3-0 before rebounding to top Morinville 8-5. Roberto Barbon was the hero for the winners with a homer, triple and single at the plate and and a solid relief effort on the hill .
Arango, Barbon (5) and Yzquierdo
Lee and Clark
Orie Gordichuck and Lefty Belter combined on 5-hitter as Leduc downed the Central Alberta All-Stars 7-3 to advance to the final of the Camrose Tournament. Cook and Karbonic each belted a pair of doubles for the winners.
Gordichuck, Belter (7) and Dillman
Kruger and Ing
In the opening round, Les Whittles clubbed a three-run homer in the bottom of the 6th inning to give Morinville and 6-5 victory over the Edmonton Pontiacs in the tournament opener before 1,500 fans. Whittles added a two-run double in the third and had a single. Rollie Miles had three hits for the losers.
Olson and Macnab
Budnick and Clark
A four-run 7th inning gave the Central Alberta All-Stars a 5-3 win over the Samis All-Stars. Pete Kruger and Dick Latiff each drove in a pair for the winners.
Callihan and Hamilton
Morris and Kruger
In the biggest upset of the day, Leduc Oilers fell behind 7-0 then roared back to trounce the favoured Indian Head Rockets 18-8. Lefty Belter was the winner with five innings of superb relief pitching. Cook had a three-run homer for the Oilers.
McMillar, Brooks (6), Bates (6) and Landrum
McIntyre, Belter (5) and Dillman
The Cubans has just four hits off John Gordy but capitalized on 11 walks and eight Great Falls' errors to beat the Airlifters 8-4. Hippy Hernandez gave up ten hits but managed to go the distance for the win.
Gordy and Thompson
Hernandez and Yzquierdo
NORTH BATTLEFORD TOURNAMENT
(June 26) Regina Caps shaded Saskatoon 4-3 to win top money in the North Battleford tournament. Gus Kyle's seventh inning double knocked in the winning run. Max Bentley paced the Gems with a triple and two singles. Cless Hinckley, in relief of starter Larry Bolger, picked up the win.
Holdaway, Coben (8) and Shirley
Bolger, Hinckley (6) and Lewis
Caps whipped North Battleford 10-4 in semi-final action as Jack Hannah held the Beavers to four hits.
Porter, Wylie, L Dean and Green, Prediger (6)
Hannah and Kyle
In opening games, Regina beat Estevan 3-2 and Saskatoon shaded Moose Jaw by the same score. The win sent the Gems into the final. They scored all their runs in the bottom of the ninth. Jimmy Shields knocked in the winner. Moose Jaw's John Bilbrey walked in the tying run.
Bilbrey and Harford
Singleton and Garcia, Shirley (4)
Buttgereit, Warren (9) and Lewis
Patterson and Monroe
LACOMBE TOURNAMENT
(June 26 ) The Florida Cuban All-Stars took top prize money at the $3,250 Lacombe Baseball Tournament with a 13-2 trouncing of Leduc Oilers in the final. Cubans exploded for eight runs in the 2nd inning and cruised to the victory. Juan Dominguez went the distance for the win pitching a three-hitter. Oilers reached the final with a 7-6 win over the Great Falls, Montana, AirLifters while the Cubans downed the Edmonton All-Stars 7-4.
Dominguez (W) and Ledo
McIntyre (L) and Dillman
Leduc Oilers, Brooks, Great Falls Air Lifters, Central Alberta Kinsmen All-Stars, Morinville, Edmonton, Indian Head.
COURTENAY NATIVE SONS TOURNAMENT
(June 28 - July 1) Victoria Chinooks crushed Courtenay Legion 12-3 to take top money in the Courtenay Native Sons Tournament. Chinooks got a run in the first inning and four more in the third and coasted to the victory. Paul Beck held the Legion to six hits in going all the way for the winners. Ken Wright led an 11-hit assault for the Chinooks driving in five runs with three hits. Don McGee also had three hits and Eddie Dorohoy, who was a defensive standout contributed a three-bagger.
Beck (W) and xxx
McIvor (L), Woods (5), Quinn (6) and xxx
Nanaimo kicked off the event turning back Union Bay 6-4 Saturday night. After Union Bay had jumped into a 2-0 lead, Nanaimo blasted Ron Pratt from the hill in the fifth inning when they scored all six of their runs. Bert Webb went the route for Nanaimo yielding 12 hits to pick up the win.
R.Pratt (L), G.Pratt (5) and xxx
Webb (W) and xxx
Sunday morning, Courtenay Legion shutout the Parksville Loggers 6-0 behind Shorty McIvor's three-hitter. McIvor also knocked in the winning run smacking a triple with Freddy Orr on first base.
xxx and xxx
McIvor (W) and xxx
Sunday afternoon saw an outstanding contest when Victoria Chinooks eked out a 1-0 win over the Cumberland Cubs. The game was delayed for 45 minutes after the fourth inning due to rain. The only run came in the bottom of the seventh inning on Doug Peden's triple and a fly to right by Al Kubicek. Bill Prior fired a three hitter and fanned 13.
Walker (L) and xxx
Prior (W) and xxx
Campbell River moved into the semi-final round by defeating Chemainus Red sox 5-4 in ten innings. Johnny Haramboure drove in Turcotte with the winning run. Chemainus took advantage of a wild spell by Joe Kanik as he walked three batters to lead to a pair of runs and a 4-4 tie.
Woolf (L) and xxx
Kanik (W) and xxx
Courtenay Legion took an 8-0 lead then held off a late Nanaimo offensive to notch an 8 to 5 victory in a contest delayed by rain and darkness. Umpire Gummy Leach stopped play for over an hour in the fourth inning and then suspended play after six innings because of darkness. Play resumed Tuesday afternoon.
xxx and xxx
xxx (L), Webb (4) and xxx
In Tuesday's semi-final action, Victoria Chinooks fell behind by three runs in the top of the first inning but responded with a pair in the bottom of the initial stanza and four in the second to go on to top Campbell River Athletics 8-3. Chinooks wrapped up the scoring with two in the eight on Doug Peden's three-bagger and a sacrifice fly. Don McKinnon scattered seven hits for the win.
Jenkinson (L), Fiscus (2) and xxx
McKinnon (W) and xxx
PRINCE ALBERT TOURNAMENT
(June 29) Gordie Howe's three-run homer and outstanding relief pitching from Chuck Holdaway led the Saskatoon Gems to top prize of $700 in the Prince Albert tournament. The Gems beat the Regina Caps 9-1 before 5-thousand fans in the final of the third annual Kinsmen event.
Holdaway came on with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth. He shutdown the Caps on one hit the rest of the way and aided the Gems cause with a pair of hits. Starter Truman Clevenger took the loss for Regina.
Saskatoon reached the final with a 6-3, 11-inning win over the Great Falls Montana Army Airforce Airlifters.
Saturday night, Roy Taylor's Kamsack Cyclones beat Gull Lake 8-3 to move into the semi-finals only to lose to Regina 8-2.
COURTENAY TOURNAMENT
(June 29 - July 1) Chinooks, leaders in the Victoria Senior League, took first money in the annual Dominion Day $1,000 Tournament in Courtenay. Chinooks topped Courtenay 12-3 in the final as Paul Beck tossed a six-hitter for the winners while the Chinooks were racking up 11 hits. Ken Wright had three of them knocking in five runs. Den McGee also had three safeties and Eddie Dorohoy, a defensive standout in the tourney, added a triple. The Victoria club advanced to the final downing Campbell River 8-3 with Doug Peden driving in three runs with a triple and double. Don McKinnon fired a seven-hitter for the pitching win. Chinooks edged Cumberland 1-0 in their opener behind the 13 strikeoiut performance of Bill Prior.
SASKATOON OPTIMIST TOURNAMENT
(June 30) Saskatoon Gems scored 14 runs in the fourth inning in cruising to an 18-2 victory over Gull Lake. In the wild inning Doug Bentley was headed for a record third trip to the plate in the same frame when Bob Garcia was thrown out to end the slaughter as Bentley was getting settled at the plate. Gems had 15 hits, including a three-run homer by Johnny Walker. Lefty Laurer picked up the win.
Dombowsky (L), Martindale (4), Yeomans (4) and Brown
Coben, Lauer (W) (3) and Shirley
(June 30) North Battleford pounded out 15 hits in trouncing Shaunavon 14-6. Roy Dean and Bob Herron led the batting parade each with a homer and two doubles. Ken Nelson smacked two doubles. Shaunavon pitcher Ron Curby hit a three-run homer in the fifth and shortstop Harold Hatt clubbed a two-run shot in the ninth. There were plenty of strikeouts as Wylie fanned 14 and Curby rang up 12.
Wylie (W) and Green, Prediger (7)
Curby (L) and G. Cowan
(July 1) Estevan scored five times in the second inning and coasted to a 13-1 victory over Sceptre. Pete McLeod led the offensive with four hits and Doug Dickey added three. Ray Patterson fired a six-hitter for the winners.
Patterson (W) and Monroe
Olmstead (L) and Hammil
(July 1) Regina topped Kamsack 4-1 as pitching dominated play. Pete Bruni for the Caps and Johnny Carlson for Kamsack each allowed but four hits. Bruni needed help from Cless Hinckley in the 8th. Butch Buttgereit slammed a homer for the Caps.
Bruni (W), Hinckley (8) and Kyle
Carlson (L) and Achtymichuk
(July 1) Jackie McLeod cracked a ground-rule homer with Bob Herron on base in the fifth inning for the only scoring as North Battleford blanked Saskatoon Gems 2-0 in the semi-final. It was one of just three hits off Jimmy Morrow who went the route for the Gems. Andy Swota, who returned to the Beavers' lineup just in time for the tournament, twirled a four-hitter for the win. He struck out eight and walked only one. Herron made three spectacular catches in the outfield.
Swota (W) and Green
Morrow (L) and Shirley
(July 1) Regina had an easy time in disposing of Estevan 12-2 to win a berth in the tourney final. Caps hammered three Maple Leaf hurlers for 16 hits including a three-run homer by Art Shahzade in the second inning. Young Jack Hannah scattered nine hits for the pitching win. Starter Harry Coe took the loss for Estevan.
Coe (L), Stephenson (7), Frady (8) and Monroe, Dickey (5)
Hannah (W) and Kyle
(July 1) North Battleford Beavers took top prize of $1,200 with a 6-3 decision over Regina Caps in the final of the Optimist Tournament. Caps carried a 2-0 lead after two innings but the Beavers struck for four runs in the third, three coming home on Roy Dean's bases-loaded double and the other on Ken Nelson's single. Winning pitcher Johnny Coleman aided his own cause with a solo homer in the fifth and Jackie McLeod knocked in Roy Dean in the eighth to give the Beavers a 6-2 margin. Caps notched their final run in the ninth. Coleman fanned 12 in besting Larry Bolger who allowed seven hits and whiffed ten in taking the loss. Bolger was the game's leading hitter with three for four with his opening double driving in Regina's second run.
Coleman (W) and Green
Bolger (L) and Ball
ST. PAUL TOURNAMENT
(July 1) For the second year in succession, St. Paul won its own baseball tournament by defeating Two Hills 6 – 4 in a thrilling final that was watched by more than 3,000 fans. It was nip and tuck all the way as the hosts came from behind to win. Reliever Benny Klingspoon saved the day for the victors with a stellar ninth-inning mound effort
Rocholski, Berry (W) (4) Klingspoon (9) and Ferguson
Julian (L) and Pundick
In the semi-finals, Two Hills doubled St. Bride’s 14 – 7 while St. Paul edged Vilna 3 – 2.
WINDERMERE DOMINION DAY BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
(July 1) Kimberley Elks edged the Windermere-Canal Flats All-Stars 3-2 Tuesday to take top money of $300 in the Windermere tournament. Five teams competed before capacity crowds.
Ted Robb, the star of Kimberley's opening game victory, and the top hitter with seven hits in eleven tries in the tourney, singled in the top of the 9th to score Bruce Kerr with the winning run in the tournament final. Kerr had led off with a double. Kimberley had taken an early 2-0 lead in the second inning with the Valley Stars drawing even in the third on Bill Rodke's three bagger. The Stars had two runners aboard with just one out in the bottom of the 9th when the Elks got a double play to end the game. Les Lilley, who pitched the semi-final game, went all the way on the mound for the Elks. Jim Lambree, an import from Nipawin, hurled a solid game for the Stars.
Lilley (W) and Kerr
Lambree (L) and xxx
Ted Robb slammed three consecutive doubles to drive in five runs to pace the Elks to an easy 11-4 win over Revelstoke Pirates in the opening game of the tournament. Eric Bodin held the railway town to six hits in a seven inning affair, the last two innings of which was played in a steady downpour.
xxx and xxx
Bodin (W) and Kerr
In their second title, Windermere made a game of it until the fourth inning when the Elks loaded the sacks on two walks and a hit and Claude Bell put the game on ice with a grand slam homer. The Elks, who had been trailing 2-1, went on to pile up a 13-2 triumph behind the solid hurling of Les Lilley, in his season debut for the Elks.
Anderson (L), xxx and xxx
Lilley (W) and Kerr
CARMAN TOURNAMENT
(July 1) Brandon and Carman tied for top honours in a four-team tournament at Carman. The Greys and Cardinals played to a 1-1 draw in a game called after three innings by adverse weather. Cards trounced Winnipeg 14-4 in the opening game behind a 20-hit attack. Brandon edged Minot 6-5 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Christianson (L) and Louden
Rhodes (W) and McKerlie
Kelly (L) and Massaro
Marota (W) and Robinson
PRINCE GEORGE DOMINION DAY TOURNAMENT
(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.
HANEY TOURNAMENT
(July 6) A 13-inning struggle marked the climax of Haney's exciting baseball tournament Sunday night with the hometown nine winning $300 first place money defeating Coquitlam 6-5 in the final. In the 13th frame, third baseman Jack Cameron bunted to squeeze in the winning run. In the afternoon Haney, behind Merv Minty's fine pitching, downed the Lumbermen 14-2 to advance to the final. Minty also worked most of the nightcap.FOAM LAKE TOURNAMENT
(July 8-9) Minot Mallards trounced Brandon Greys 15-3 to capture top prize of $2,000 in the Foam Lake baseball tournament. The final was called after seven innings because of darkness. Sugar Cain fired a four-hitter for the win. The Mallards wiped out a 1-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and romped the rest of the way.
Jenkins, Wells and Robinson
Cain and Massaro
Minot advanced to the final with a 7-5 decision from Carman.
Green and Massaro
Rhodes and McKerlie, Gallegon
Brandon topped Winnipeg 10-3 to win a spot in the title game.
Strong, Cox and Louden.
Amaro and Robinson
Carman eliminated Winnipeg with a 12-5 win.
Jessup and Gallegon, McKerlie
Finch, McCoy, Bryant and Louden
Brandon and Minot scored opening round victories in the Foam Lake Baseball Tournament. Brandon Greys erupted for five runs in the second inning and held off a late Carman rally to shade the Cardinals 10-9. Minot used the same formula, jumping out to a 6-1 lead, and surviving a late charge to down Winnipeg 6-5.
Scruggs, Marota (W) (3), Butts (8) and Robinson
Brenzel (L) and McKerlie
Price (L) and Louden
Martin (W) and Massaro
YORKTON TOURNAMENT
(July 9) A sudden heavy rainstorm brought the Yorkton six-team invitational tournament to an abrupt end in the fifth inning of the final game in which the Yorkton Cardinals led the Yorkton Red Sox 3 – 2. Upwards of 1,000 fans viewed the three-team round-robin affair.
For the victorious Cardinals, Stan Obodiak clubbed a brace of doubles while Vern Pachal and Al Bucholz stung the horsehide for triples.
(July 10) In the last of a three-game series at Osborne Stadium in Winnipeg, the Chicago American Giants scored a 9-6 victory over the Memphis Red Sox who had taken the first two games, 6-0 and 3-0. Clyde Golden and Williams handled the pitching chores for the winners, holding the Sox to seven hits. James Sheelor paced Chicago with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Sherman Watrous and Marshall Bridges pounded out four-baggers for Memphis.
Golden, Williams and xxx
Brantley, Florin, Kelly and xxx
KAMSACK TOURNAMENT
(July 10-11) Indian Head Rockets whipped the Florida Cubans 13-1 to take the $1,250 top prize in the Kamsack tournament. More than 6-thousand fans watched the final of the 16-team event.
Teams: Indian Head Rockets, Florida Cubans, Carman Cardinals, Grandview, Dauphin Redbirds, Pelly, Notre Dame Hounds, Kamsack Cyclones, Gilbert Plainsmen, Roblin, Preeceville, Gull Lake Greyhounds, Kelvington, Watson, Bowsman and Holar.
FIRST ANNUAL NELSON BONSPIEL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
(July 11-13) Kimberley Elks captured top money of $1,000 in Nelson's first annual bonspiel event Sunday stopping the Kelowna Packers 6-0 in the final. The largest crowd ever to see a baseball game in Nelson, an estimated 1,500, watched the action, the windup attraction in Canada's Eighth annual Midsummer Bonspiel. Elks stopped Fruitvale 6-5 in the tourney opener Friday, then downed Nelson Tigers 8-3 in the semi-final. Nelson stopped the Lethbridge Cubs 7-2 while Kelowna nipped Libby, Montana, 1-0 in 11-innings in other first round clashes.
Len Pyne, Buzz Mellor and Claude Bell were a big part of the offense in the victory over Kelowna in the final. Pyne had two doubles and a single, scored three runs and pitched solid relief for the last two innings. Mellor knocked in three runs with a pair of hits and Bell added two safeties and sparkled defensively in centre field. Les Lilley was touched for five hits in the first four innings but managed to keep Kelowna off the scoreboard to get the win. Wally Lesmeister took the loss.
Lilley, Pyne (8) and Pete Wertz
Lesmeister (L), xxx, xxx and xxx
Errors paved the way for the Elks' Sunday victory over Nelson as Kimberley grabbed a 4-0 lead in the 2nd inning on two hits, a walk and three infield errors with Marsh Severyn on the hill. Pete Boisvert relieved to put out the fire but despite a two-hit, 12 strike out performance, the Elks added two more runs via three more errrors. Len Pyne, Buzz Mellor and Claude Bell led the attack with Pyne going three for four with two doubles and three runs batted in. Bob McKinnon hurled a steady five-hitter for the win.
McKinnon (W) and Wertz
Severyn (L), Boisvert (2) and xxx
On Saturday, 19-year-old Baz Nagle fired a five-hit shutout in a thrilling 1-0, 11-inning triumph for Kelowna over the American nine. A costly bobble by Libby third sacker Buti on a bases-loaded squeeze bunt scored Brian Roche with the only run.
Nagle (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Les Hufty allowed just six hits for Nelson in the Tigers' win over Lethbridge. Swede Larsen and Ernie Gare each had a triple and single to led the offense. Carl Locatelli also had a three-bagger.
Hufty (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Kimberley Elks nipped Fruitvale All-Stars 6-5 Friday to win a berth in a semi-final of the Nelson Invitational Tournament. Buzz Mellor singled and scored the winner on an error in the 7th inning. Len Pyne knocked in three runs with two hits to pace the winners. Lui Corrado had three hits, one a triple, and scored three times for Fruitvale. Andy Bilesky drove in a pair. Curt Bloomquist, of Spokane, for Kimberley and Joe Jankola, of Trail, for Fruitvale, both hurled six hitters with four walks. Bloomquist fanned 12. The teams combined for 10 errors.
Jankoka (L) and Weitzel
Bloomquist (W) and Wertz
INDIAN HEAD TOURNAMENT
(July 16-17) The Florida Cubans won the $1,300 top prize in an All-American final at the Indian Head Tournament. Cubans scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth to edge Hardwood Sports of Baton Rouge 6-4. Julio Bonilla led the Cubans with three hits, all doubles. Jose Hernandez, who came on in relief in the fourth, blanked the Sports the rest of the way to pick up the win. The National Baseball Congress described the event as the first "all-Negro" final in the tournament's history.
Cubans 6 Sports 4
Forten, Hernandez (4) and Ledo
Pickens, Robison (4) and Jackson
Cubans reached the final with a 7-4 win over the host Indian Head Rockets while the Sports beat the Regina Caps 4-2.
In opening draws, Regina Caps downed Edenwold 9-0 and Gull Lake topped Lake Valley 1-0 with the winning run in the 9th inning. Kamsack took a 15-10 slugfest from Mainline and Fairlight got by Gravelbourg 10-6. Indian Head trimmed Wynyard 5-0. Florida Cubans downed Avonlea Shamrocks 9-3 and Baton Rouge Hardwoods whipped Yorkton 14-2.
Weyburn and Royal Caps fought to a scoreless tie Wednesday in a match suspended after 11 innings because of darkness. Thursday morning they resumed the affair with the Caps scoring in the 13th inning to decide it. Beavers featured Gayle Shupe and Ralph Hogg on the mound with the Royal Caps responding with Lloyd Woolley and Lefty Harrison. Caps went on to meet the visitors from Baton Rouge.
Indian Head dropped behind 4-0 before rebounding to top Kamsack Cyclones 8-6.
All-District team:
c - Roberto Ledo (Cubans), Robert Jackson (Sports); p - OB Robison (Sports), Gayle Shupe (Beavers), Lefty Harrison (Royal Caps), Jose D Hernandez (Cubans), Jack Devine (Stars); 1b - Fred Bartels (Caps); 2b - Willie Reed (Rockets); 3b - Leopoldo Reyes (Cubans); ss - Ezequiel Diaz (Cubans); lf - Juan Prats (Cubans); cf - William Breda (Sports); rf - Joseph Brooks (Rockets); u - Gus Kyle (Caps); u - Baldy Smith (Greyhounds)
Teams: Florida Cubans, Baton Rouge Hardwood Sports, Indian Head Rockets, Regina Caps, Fairlight, Kamsack Cyclones, Royal Caps of Regina, Gull Lake Greyhounds, Avonlea Shamrocks, Yorkton Cardinals, Wynyard, Edenwold, Gravelbourg, Mainline of Grenfell, Weyburn Beavers, Lake Valley.
BRANDON INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
(July 17) Winnipeg Giants romped home with first place money in the $3,000 invitational tournament at Brandon. As they did in a 10-inning final in the earlier Brandon tourney, Giants had another sensational finish as they erupted for three runs in the bottom of the 9th to come from behind to top Carman 4-3 in the championship game. Al Spearman allowed just six singles to register the win. Harry Rhodes allowed five hits, including Lester Lockett's long triple in the 9th which scored a pair of runs to tie at 3-3.
Winnipeg walloped Brandon 8-1 in the opening game with lefty Al Bryant holding the Greys to four hits. Willie Scruggs started for Brandon, giving way to Enrique Marota in the 3rd. Carman reached the final with a 10-4 win over Minot. Murray Richardson went the route for the win. John Kelly took the loss. Duke Bowman came on in the 4th to mop up. Brandon shaded Minot 4-3 in the playoff for third money.
(July 18) Minot blasted 19 hits and crushed the Indian Head Rockets 11-2 in an exhibition game at Municipal Park in Minot. Quincy Barbee had five of the hits, all singles, and drove in three runs. Wally Jako of the Mallards had the only homer. Minot scored three in the opening frame off Rolando Garcia and never looked back. Warren Martin held the Rockets to just five hits.
(July 19) The touring Florida Cubans whipped the Yorkton Cardinals 13-4 in an exhibition game at Jubilee Park Saturday evening. Orlando Arango was the pitching and hitting star for the Cubans. While steady on the hill, Arango pounded out four hits, two home runs, a double and a single.
SASKATOON EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT
(July 21) Lefty Johnny Coleman unfurled a two-hit shutout as North Battleford Beavers blanked the understaffed Kamsack Cyclones 7-0 in the opening game of the Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament. Coleman struck out 14 and didn't walk a batter. The Cyclones were forced to play with a make-shift lineup when one of their players' cars developed engine trouble and did not reach Saskatoon in time. Among those stranded on the highway was playing-manager Roy Taylor. Coleman had a no-hitter into the sixth inning when he gave up a double to John Zeeben. Left fielder Bob Herron had a triple and two singles to knock in three runs for the Beavers who had 11 hits off Johnny Carlson. The Beavers meet Saskatoon tomorrow in the four-team, round-robin, event.
Carlson (L) and Philpot
Coleman (W) and Green, Prediger
(7)
(July 22) Jimmy Shields drove in Reg Pendleton in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Saskatoon Gems a 3-2 victory over North Battleford. Big Bob Herron had tripled and scored on an error in the top of the ninth to break a 1-1 tie and put the Beavers in front. In the bottom of the frame, Bob Garcia tripled and scored on a fielder's choice to tie the contest before Pendleton advanced on George Read's single and came home on Shield's swat to centrefield. Read held the Beavers to six hits in posting the win while the Gems got nine hits off loser Andy Swota.
Swota (L) and Green
Read (W) and Garcia
(July 23) In another well pitched ball game, Regina Caps, with just two hits, beat Saskatoon 3-1. Cless Hinckley tossed a three-hitter for the win. Walks hurt the Gems with the three Saskatoon hurlers allowing eight free passes. Caps got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Art Shahzade drew a walk, advanced on two fielder's choices, and scored on Earl Huffman's infield hit. In the fifth, Bob Bennett and Shahzade drew walks and a run came home on Gus Kyle's blooper to right. Two walks, two fielder's choices and an error accounted for Regina's third run in the seventh. Gems got their only marker in the eighth when Jim Shirley tripled and scored on an error.
Holdaway (L), Lauer (5), Jackobson ((8) and Garcia
Hinckley (W) and Bennett
(July 24) North Battleford pushed across a run in the 10th inning on three singles and edged Regina 6-5. Bob Herron led off the extra frame with a hit to centre field and Jackie McLeod followed with a bunt single. The runners moved up on a wild throw on a pick-off attempt and, with one out, Lou Green singled to score the winner. Les Dean held the Caps to six hits to register the win. Jack Hannah was saddled with the loss. Curtis Tate belted a homer for the Beavers and Art Shahzade had a four-bagger for Regina.
L.Dean (W) and Green
Hannah (L) and Bennett
(July 25) Saskatoon Gems whipped Kamsack 15-6 in a game which resulted in sending North Battleford to the final of the tournament. The Gems and Beavers each have 2-1 records but, with runs for and against used as a tie-breaker, the Beavers prevailed. Gems would have won the finals berth except for a letdown in the final inning when they allowed the Cyclones to score twice, thus dropping their runs for and against percentage below the Beavers. The teams combined for 12 errors, seven by Kamsack. Big hits of the game were triples by Max Bentley, Johnny Walker and George Read.
Coben (W), Singleton (4), Read (6), Lauer (7), Read (7) and Shirley
Booker (L), Carlson and Philpot
(July 26) Kamsack shaded Regina 4-3 Saturday morning to end the Caps' hopes of advancing to the tournament final. Steve Stavrianoudakis held Regina to four hits and one run through eight innings before needing help from Johnny Carlson in the 9th. Len Tucker led the winners with two hits and two runs scored. Caps played without sparkplug Gus Kyle who was out of the lineup to attend to business matters in Regina.
Bruni (L) and Bennett
Stavrianoudakis (W), Carlson (9) and Philpot
(July 26) Johnny Coleman ended the Exhibition Tournament as he began it - with a sparkling pitching performance. The left-hander shutout Saskatoon Gems on three hits as North Battleford won the tourney with a 3-0 victory. The Largest crowd of the week and one of the biggest in the long history of the tournament was on hand. Two of the three Beavers' runs were scored as a result of Gems' errors. In the second inning, Jackie McLeod singled to left and scored as a hit to centre field got away from Max Bentley. In the fourth, Curtis Tate singled and Art Stone followed with a base knock to right. Right fielder Len Breckner threw a strike to third base to cut off Tate but Jimmy Shields missed the throw and another run crossed the plate. Ken Nelson belted a homer in the 8th. Coleman fanned seven and, like the opener, did not issue a walk. Cliff Jacobson gave up eight hits in taking the loss.
Bob Herron of the Beavers won the tournament batting title with a .461 average.
Jacobson (L) and Shirley
Coleman (W) and Green
ROSETOWN TOURNAMENT
It was the day of the Rosetown Riot.
(July 30-31) Roblin scored a major upset taking first money of $1,100 at the Rosetown Tournament with a 14-10 win over the Cuban All-Stars in the final. Cubans scored first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the initial frame. Roblin tied it in the bottom of the first and went ahead with two runs in the third. The situation looked gloomy after the Cubans erupted for six runs in the 4th, but Roblin responded with a six-pack in the bottom of the 4th, highlighted by Gove's grand-slam homer, to go ahead 9-7. Roblin added four more in the 5th on just one hit and several Cuban errors to put the contest out of reach. Lee Fisher picked up the win in relief. Roblin rapped 13 hits off three Cuban hurlers.
Cubans 10 Roblin 14
Forten, Fernandez (4), Arango (5) and Ledo
Stevenson, Fisher (5) and Pigg
The Saskatoon Gems downed Kamsack 9-6 to advance to a semi-final match with the Florida Cubans. Gems exploded for six runs in the first inning and never looked back. George Read scattered nine hits in going the distance for the win. John Carlson took the loss. Legs Booker took over from Carlson in the first inning.
Kamsack 6 Saskatoon 9
Carlson (L), Booker (1) and Philpot
Read (W) and Shirley
Cubans won a berth in the final with a 1-0 win over Saskatoon as Ignacio Cisnero fired a one-hitter to best Murray Coben who allowed just two hits. The only run came in the 7th inning on two Saskatoon errors.
Saskatoon 0 Cubans 1
Coben (L) and Shirley
Cisnero (W) and Ledo
In a wild one, the Florida Cubans edged North Battleford 13-12 in 11 innings to advance to the semi-final round. A riot broke out in the 9th inning when the Beavers Louis Green went hard into second base on a force out and Green and Ezequiel Diaz, the Cuban's shortstop, came up swinging. Players from both teams poured onto the field and when a North Battleford player picked up a bat for a weapon, some Cuban players did likewise. One of the Cuban players, Leopoldo Reyes, was clouted with a bat and the North Battleford player, Curtis Tate, was chased from the diamond, across a field to a neighbouring house. The RCMP was called in and took Tate into custody. Reyes was treated in hospital.
Beavers opened with a five-run first inning sparking by Bob Herron's two-run homer. The Cubans pecked away and a home run by Roberto Barbon in the bottom of the sixth sent them ahead for the first time. They led 9-7 after seven innings but the Beavers rallied with four in the eighth to regain the lead, 11-9. The Cubans replied with three more in their half of the eighth to edge ahead 12-11. When the game resumed, the Beavers scored in the ninth to tie at 12-12 to send the game to extra innings. Each team went through three hurlers as the Cubans out hit the Beavers 20 to 12.
Les Dean, J.McLeod, P.McLeod and Green
Forten, Prats, Hernandez and xxx
Roblin used a 15-hit attack to drop the Indian Head Rockets 12-5. Lenny Pigg led the offensive with four hits, a homer, two triples, a single and a walk in five trips to the plate. Andy Porter held the Rockets to seven hits in taking the pitching victory. Lee Fisher and Ridley belted homers for Roblin. Percy Trimont had a four-bagger for the Rockets.
Porter (W) and Pigg
Marshall (L) and xxx
MANDAK TOURNAMENT, MINOT
(July 30) Minot Mallards whipped Winnipeg 10-4 to captured top prize in their own ManDak Tournament. Wally Jako and Quincy Barbee wielded the big bats for the Mallards, Barbee with a homer, triple and two singles. Jako added two doubles and a pair of singles. Dan Wilson had three singles for the Giants. Warren Martin went the distance for the win. In opening action, Winnipeg topped Carman 5-3 and Minot got by Brandon 2-0 on Jonas Gaines' four-hitter. In the playoff for third money, Carman beat Brandon 5-1 as Jerry Cobb held the Greys to three hits.
Winnipeg 5 Carman 3
Spearman (W) and Louden
VanKnoughnet (L) and Gallegos
Minot 2 Brandon 0
Gaines (W) and Massaro
Vasquez (L) and Wells
Brandon 1 Carman 5
Williams (L) and F Robinson
Cobb (W) and Gallegos
Winnipeg 4 Minot 10
McCoy (L) and Louden
Martin (W) and Massaro
ROSETOWN LEGION TOURNAMENT
(July 31) Roblin, Manitoba, scored a major upset in taking top money of $1,100 at the Rosetown Legion baseball tournament. The dark-horse squad up-ended the Cuban All-Stars 14-10 in the final. Cubans had advanced with a 1-0 win over Saskatoon Gems and Roblin whipped Indian Head Rockets 12-5. Lee Fisher, a local boy, was the winning pitcher for Roblin in the final.
Roblin 12 Indian Head 5
Porter (W) and Pigg
xxx and xxx
Roblin 14 Cubans 10
Lee Fisher and Pigg
It was a calm final day after a riot during the opening day of tournament left one player in hospital and another taken into custody by police.
" ... The melee started in the ninth inning when the Cubans were leading 12-11. Louis Green, catcher for North Battleford Beavers, went hard into second during a force-out play and he and the Cuban second-sacker came up swinging. Players of both teams ran onto the field, some of them taking bats as weapons. One North Battleford player was chased across country to a neighboring grain elevator agent's house. The agent's son, armed with a rifle, protected the fugitive from an enraged Cuban until R.C.M.P. arrived. Play was resumed after order was restored and the Cubans went on to win 13-12 in 11 innings." (Canadian Press)
CLARESHOLM TOURNAMENT
(July 31-August 1) Behind the stellar hurling of Don Kirk, Champion walloped Picture Butte 16-2 Friday to capture first money of $500 in the annual Claresholm Tournament. Kirk, a lanky southpaw from Carstairs, fired a one-hitter and whiffed 16 in his outstanding effort. He also helped at the plate with four hits. Champion put the game away early with three runs in the first inning and five in the second. Picture Butte used four pitchers to try and halt the Champion offensive. Joe Miller started and was relieved by Floyd Anderson who gave way to Barney Watson and even catcher Frank Deak took a turn on the hill.
Miller (L), Anderson, Watson, Deak and Deak, Gillies
Kirk (W) and Siler
Champion powered its way into the final of the $1,800 Claresholm Tournament Thursday with wins over Stavely and Granum. They'll meet Picture Butte for top money after the Butte nine scored a pair of wins on Wednesday. Champion bested Stavely 6-4 in Thursday's first game with Sev Pasolli besting Danny Fredricks on the mound.
Fredricks (L) and xxx
S.Pasolli (W) and xxx
Granum defeated Sundail 8-3 with Matt Matthews hurling. Mehalko was on the hill for Sundial.
Matthews (W) and xxx
xxx, Mehalko and xxx
Champion then scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to edge Granum 9-8. Champion jumped into a 5-0 lead in the first inning with Granum knotting the count with five in the fifth. Roger Jensen was the winning pitcher.
Tanner, Shearer and xxx
Jensen (W) and xxx
MANDAK TOURNAMENT
(August 4) Brandon Greys won the fourth and last of the ManDak tournaments with a 2-1 win over Carman in the final. Bus Vasquez was the hero for the Greys. He singled in the bottom of the 9th, stole second and third and scored the winner when the throw to third sailed into left field. Weldon Ridley drove in Leonard Pigg to give Carman an early lead. Clarence King's double tied it in the 6th. Butch Conley, who joined the Cards from the Brooklyn Cuban Giants had a double for Carman.
Jerry Cobb and Pigg
Jenkins and F Robinson
In opening games, Brandon whipped Winnipeg 9-0 and Carman topped Minot 5-1.
" ... In a game ... that saw Carman go into the final, it was another boy from the country that did something that hasn't been done before this season. Frenchy Pantil, a 19-year-old youngster from Notre Dame de Lourdes, Man., stopped Minot with a neat one-hitter. Except fro a second-inning double by Yogi Giammarco, the Minot bats were dead." Winnipeg Free Press
Williams and F Robinson
Finch, Bryant (5) and Louden
Pantil and Kapphahn
Greene and Kennedy
Winnipeg beat Minot 8-1 in the consolation final.
McLean, Greene (2) and Kennedy
Spearman and Louden
MILESTONE TOURNAMENT
(August 6) Despite finishing out of the Southern League playoffs this year, the Regina Red Sox gained some satisfaction by walking off with top prize money at Milestone’s big tournament. In finishing first, the Red Sox played and won three games during the day, taking out some powerful rivals along the way.
First, they turned back the Wilcox Cardinals, with Walter “Butch” Buttgereit on the mound, by a 2 – 0 count. Wes Richardson was the winning moundsman.
Veteran Frank Booth hurled the Scarlet Stockings to a 5 – 2 win over the Milestone Athletics in the semi-final while Richardson was again the winner as the Reginans clipped the Notre Dame Hounds 7 – 3 in the final.
In other games, Notre Dame whipped Rouleau 18 – 3, Milestone turned back Lang 8 – 3, Avonlea beat Yellow Grass 9 – 5 and Notre Dame edged Avonlea 3 – 2.
LETHBRIDGE ROTARY TOURNAMENT
(August 09) The Florida Cubans won $1,400 first prize money in the annual Lethbridge Rotary Tournament with a 2-0 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters. Carlos Forten pitched a five-hitter for the victory. He fanned six and walked a pair. For Trail, 17-year-old Ted Bowsfield was outstanding except for the 5th inning when he gave up all four Cubans' hits and both runs. He walked four and fanned nine.
Bowsfield (L) and Field
Forten (W) and Lido
In semi-final action, the Cubans beat Indian Head 5-3 and Trail erupted for four runs in the third to defeat Worland, Wyoming Indians 7-5.
Leal, Bates (3) and Green
Hernandez and Lido
Muse, Boisvert (7) and Field
Johnson, Stark (3), Brown (3), Stine (7) and Kosich
Trial advanced to the semi-final with a 4-2 win over Great Falls Airlifters as Ace Parker hurled a two-hitter besting John Gordy.
Gordy and Johnson, Ruhl (5)
Parker and Field
There were three shutouts on opening day. Paul Stark fired a no-hitter as Worland blanked Gull Lake Greyhounds 3-0. Indian Head Rockets shaded Swift Current 2-0 and Cubans topped Lethbridge All-Stars 2-0,
NEW DENVER TOURNAMENT
(August 10) The heavy-hitting New Denver club took top money of $50 in the four-team New Denver Tournament. In the opening game the host club squeezed by Nakusp 5-2 as Ken Gordon went the distance for the win. Three times Nakusp filled the bases but Gordon was tough in the clutch. Shortstop Knobby Hayashi sewed up the game with a bases-loaded double in the sixth inning. Jackie James for Nakusp allowed just six hits and no walks but four costly errors cost him the game.
Gordon (W) and xxx
James and xxx
Trail dumped Nelson Outlaws 7-2 behind the hurling of Bobby McKinnon who held Nelson to three hits and compiled 14 strike outs. Ron Brown, who gave up ten free passes, took the loss.
McKinnon (W) and xxx
Brown (L), Grill (6) and xxx
In the final, New Denver put on an hitting clinic to trounce Trail 25-6 and send Trail ace Busher McIntyre to the showers in the second inning. Tommy Pearson had a shutout until the sixth and coasted to the victory, remaining undefeated this season. Nobby Hayashi paced the offense with two doubles and a single, Elmer Bay and Loren Bay each had three hits. Charles Catalano smacked a double and single for Trail.
McIntyre (L), McKinnon (2), Catalano (5) and xxx
Pearson (W) and xxx
National Baseball Congress. Saskatchewan Final :
For four innings the Indian Head Rockets appeared well on the way to forcing a deciding game in their provincial championship series with the Florida Cubans. The Rockets had built a 7-0 lead. It looked liked a complete reversal of the series' opener when the Cubans trounced Indian Head 9-2.
But, Florida scored five in the fifth and nine in the eighth to whip the Rockets 16-11 and claim the Saskatchewan title. There were 28 hits in the game, 14 of them for extra bases. The Rockets committed nine errors. Indian Head's Percy Trimont was the leading hitter with a pair of homers, two doubles and a single in five trips. Hiram Marshall and Winters Calvin also homered for the losers.
(August 6) Florida Cubans 9 Indian Head 2
(August 13) Floridia Cubans 16 Indian Head 11
Barbon, Hernandez (9) and Yzquierdo. Seoane (8)
Bates, Donaldson (5), Trimont (8) and Green, Ford (8)
National Baseball Congress Alberta Final :
Iron man Bill Kucheran pitched the Lethbridge Cubs to a 9-2 win over Brooks Buffaloes in the deciding game of the Alberta championship. Kucheran, in his third complete game of the series, tossed a 5-hitter and fanned eleven. A five-run seventh inning wrapped up the victory for the Cubs. Darwin Walkingshaw's three-run homer was the big blow. Les Colwill also had a homer for the winners. Freddie Schimpf homered for the Buffaloes. Cubs' centrefielder Clarence Yanosik had three hits.
Buffaloes won the opening game of the series 3-2. Cubs forced the rubber game with an 8-3 victory.
All-Alberta team. c - Howard Yanosik (Cubs), Jim McBride (Buffaloes); p - Bill Kucheran (Cubs), Fred Unchelenko (Buffaloes); 1b - Doug Sandell (Buffaloes); 2b - Ed Zemrau (Cubs); ss - Les Colwill (Cubs); 3b - Chuck Pozzo (Buffaloes); lf - Hank Cunningham (Buffaloes); cf - Clarence Yanosik (Cubs); rf - Harley Patterson (Cubs); u - Yosh Fujimoto (Buffaloes); u - Darwin Walkingshaw (Cubs).
(August 20) The Indian Head Rockets downed the Twin Cities Oilers 7-1 at Longview. The start was delayed as the visitors experienced car trouble along the way.
Garcia, Brooks (5) and Ford
Cole, Berreth (4), Sagstuen (5), Yurchak (6) and Lanman
PENTICTON TOURNAMENT
(August 31-September 1) Penticton Tournament. Les Edwards fashioned a four-hit shutout to lead the host Penticton Athletics to top money in the big $1,000 tournament at Penticton. The A's defeated Rutland Adanacs 6-3 in their opening contest and then blanked Kelowna Orioles 5-0 in the final thanks to homers by Lloyd Burgart and Grant Warwick.
Kelowna advanced to the title game with an 8-3 upset win over the powerful South Burnaby Athletics. Wally Lesmeister handled the mound duties for the Orioles and was helped by an outstanding defense which turned three double plays.
Lesmeister also started the final and pitched well until the midway point when he tired and served up a few fat ones. Brian Roche had three of the four Kelowna hits.
PRINCE GEORGE FALL FAIR TOURNAMENT
(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.
COURTENAY LABOR DAY TOURNAMENT
(August 30-September 1) Courtney Legion captured the annual Courtenay Labour Day Invitational Tournament downing Campbell River 3-2 in a five-inning final contest.
Parksville defeated Comox Tigers.
Campbell River, behind the two-hit pitching of Larry Walker, crushed Nanaimo 11-1. The winners pounded out 17 hits.
Courtenay Legion took advantage of a porous Duncan defense to notch a 6-2 10-inning victory. Al Massy of the Legion and Gordie Hubbert of the A's hooked up in a pitching duel that saw the game tied 2-2 after nine innings. Duncan got a run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to the extra frame. In the tenth, Coleman reached on an error for Courtenay, Fred Orr was hit by a pitch and Massy also was safe on an error. Yet another miscuer on Ray Downey's smash brought in a run and Dick Downey followed with a free pass to force in another counter. Junior Chalmers grounded out forcing in the third run of the inning and Bezanson drove in the fourth. Duncan made ten errors.
Union Bay capitalized on three hits and three errors in the fourth inning to plate four runs en route to a 5-3 win over Farmer Construction. Ron Pratt tossed shutout ball for seven innings before allowing the Victoria squad to score three in the eighth.
Victoria Chinooks scored five late runs to down Powell River 7-2. The teams were tied 2-2 through seven frames before Chinooks plated two in the eighth and three in the ninth. Paul Beck held the Rodnays to six hits in picking up the pitching win. Chinooks had a dozen safeties.
Campbell River advanced with a thrilling 8-7 12-inning triumph over Parksville which had rallied to tie the game at 4-4 with a run in the eighth and then came through with three in the bottom of the ninth after Campbell River had scored three in the top of the ninth. With one down in the 12th for Campbell River, Bud Dobson reached on an error and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a ground out. Ty Conti singled to left to break the tie. Larry Walker set the Loggers down one, two, three in the bottom of the frame for his second pitching win of the tourney.
In another ding-dong battle, Courtenay Legion scored in the ninth to shade Union Bay 8-7. Coleman doubled and Lyle McKenzie followed with a one-bagger to drive in the winning run. Shorty McIvor held off the Braves in the bottom of the ninth for the victory.
The Athletics of Campbell River won a berth in the tournament final by defeating Victoria Chinooks 8-5. The A's broke a 4-4 draw in the fourth inning with three successive hits, one of them a homer by Bud Dobson, to go ahead 7-4.
CUMBERLAND TOURNAMENT
(August 30-September 1) Chemainus Red Sox took first money in the Cumberland Tournament shutting out Victoria Plumbers 5-0 in the final. Alan Goldy fired a four-hitter for the winners. Ray Ramsay took the loss allowing just five hits. A dropped fly ball with the bases loaded in the first inning resulted in three runs for the Sox. They had filled the sacks on two hit batsmen and an error.
Port Alberni defeated Vancouver Western Bridge.
Victoria topped Vancouver 3-2. In the sixth inning L.French worked a free pass and romped home with the winning run on Duncan's single.
Chemainus rallied to dump the Cumberland Cubs 9 to 8. A six-run eighth inning for Chemainus tied the game. They got the winner in the ninth. Cubs hurlers gave up nine walks including one which led to the winning marker.
In the consolation round, Cumberland Cubs edged Vancouver Western Bridge 10-9.
Port Alberni, winners in the first round, lost a heartbreaker to Chemainus, 2-1. They missed tying the game in the sixth inning when Walz, who had doubled, missed touching third base when Williamson singled to centre to send him home. Folk pitched a four-hitter for the win.
Cumberland Cubs pounded out 13 hits in trouncing West Cumberland 15-5 in a consolation flight match.
WHALLEY TOURNAMENT
(Aug. 31 – Sept, 1) Tommy Greaves’ Whalley Chiefs carried off first money in the $700 Whalley baseball tournament defeating Vancouver Leckies 6 – 4 in the final. The Chiefs posted three wins during the two-day tourney, beating North Shore 4 – 0 on Sunday and the Vancouver Boilermakers 5 – 3 in semi-final action on Monday. Jack Connell hurled the Chiefs into the championship game Monday afternoon after a shaky first-inning start.
Don Smith fired a five-hitter for Whalley in the final game.
Smith and Lamont
Zailo, Withers (6) and Sikorski
TOURNAMENT SCORES
Whalley 4, North Vancouver 0
Vancouver Leckies 4, New Westminster 2
Vancouver Boilermakers 5, Hammond 1
Vancouver Leckies 4, Vancouver North Stars 2
Whalley 5, Vancouver Boilermakers 3