Semi-Finals:
(August 18) Minot drew first blood in the semi-final with Brandon taking a 7-2 victory behind Sugar Cain's six-hit pitching and a two-run homer by Yogi Giammarco who also had two singles. Zoonie McLean added three singles and Don Corcoran had a double and single.
Jenkins (L), S Williams (4) and Clifford
Cain (W) and Massaro
(August 18) Winnipeg Giants made a remarkable comeback in the bottom of the 9th inning to hold off Carman in the opening game of the best-of-seven semi-final series. The teams fought to a 7-7 draw, called after 10 innings because of a local curfew. Giants, trailing 6-1, erupted for five runs in the 9th to send the game into extra innings then matched the Cardinals with a run in the extra frame.
Carman's Willie Hutchinson had the tilt well in hand for eight innings holding the Giants to six hits and a single run. But, the Giants took over in the 9th. Jesse Douglas led off with a single and, with one out, pitcher Tom Parker also singled. Dan Wilson and Nick Cannuli drew walks forcing in a run. Hutchinson registered a strike out for the second out, but Lou Louden's double to right scored a pair. On the next batter, Lester Lockett, shortstop Sonny Andrews made a nice play to trap the ball but in making the throw to first while on his back, the ball sailed into right field and Cannuli and Louden crossed the plate to tie at 6-6. Harry Rhodes came in to relieve Hutchinson and struck out Al Bryant.
Rhodes led off the 10th with a single and moved around to score on a single and two errors. Giants again rebounded in the bottom of the frame as Gerry Powell reached on an error and raced all the way to third when went wide of first. He scored on a fielder's choice. Sam Hill of Carman was the day's offensive star with two homers, a triple and single in five appearances. Sonny Andrews of the Cards also had a homer.
Hutchinson, Rhodes (9), Porter (10) and McKerlie
Parker, Bryant (10) and Louden
(August 19) Minot bounced back with four runs in the 8th inning to erase a 5-4 deficit and top Brandon 8-5 to take a two-game lead in their semi-final series. Mallards notched their 8th inning runs on an error and two sacrifice flies. Joe Massaro had two hits and two RBI for the Mallards. Jonas Gaines went the distance for the win. With the bases loaded in the 8th, Brandon infielder Skeeter Watkins scooped up a ground ball and attempted to cut down the runner at the plate but the throw was wild and both the tying and winning runs came around to score.
Amaro, Butts (L) (1), TW Richardson (8) and F Robinson
Gaines (W) and Massaro
(August 19) Hal Price fired a three-hitter while his mates rapped out 16 safeties as Winnipeg Giants whipped Carman 12-1. A crowd of 2,000 at Osborne Stadium saw Price throw a no-hitter for the first five innings. He fanned nine and walked four. Price and Cowan Hyde paced the offense with three hits. Sammy Hill homered for the Cardinals.
Jessop (L) and Pigg
Price (W) and Louden
(August 20) Minot belted out 13 hits and pulled off a triple play in their 9-3 playoff victory over Brandon. Mallards hold a commanding 3-0 game lead in the semi-final series. Greys had taken a 1-0 lead in the 3rd inning before 27-hundred fans at Kinsmen Memorial Stadium at Brandon but the Mallards stormed back with three in the 4th and two in each of the 5th and 6th to salt away the win. Warren Martin and Ed Albosta combined on a seven-hitter for the win. With the bases loaded in the 7th inning, Barney Brown of the Greys grounded to John Kennedy at second who made the first out on a force play and threw to first to get Brown as Joe Mitchell scored. When Jose Colas tried to follow Mitchell across the plate, first sacker Quincy Barbee fired to Joe Massaro for the third out.
Martin (W) Albosta (8) and Massaro
Brown (L) and Clifford
(August 20) Chick Longest with a double and three singles led a 17-hit barrage as Carman whipped Winnipeg 13-6 in the second game of the semi-final series. Andy Porter coasted to the win. Outside of the 4th inning when the Giants scored all six of their runs, Porter allowed but three hits.
Walt McCoy (L), Bryant (2) and Louden
Porter (W) and and McKerlie
(August 21) Carman took advantage of seven Winnipeg errors to down the Giants 8-6 and take a 2-1 game lead in the semi-final series. Murray Richardson was the winner allowing just seven hits although he allowed eight free passes. Lyman Bostock had two hits and knocked in a pair for the Cards.
Spearman (L) and Louden
Richardson (W) and McKerlie
(August 21) Minot Mallards won a spot in the ManDak League's final series with a 5-4 win over Brandon to take their semi-final in four straight games. Mallards withstood a 1st inning grand slam homer by the Greys' Joe Mitchell to advance to the championship round. Mallards scored the winning run on a wind-blown double in the 3rd frame. Quincy Barbee and Zoonie McLean each drove in two runs for Minot. John Kelly scattered nine hits for the win.
Kelly (W) and Massaro
Amaro (L) and F Robinson
(August 22) Walt McCoy, driven from the hill in the 2nd inning of his last start, was outstanding as Winnipeg topped Carman 4-2 to square their semi-final series at two games apiece. McCoy held the Cards to six hits and fanned 11 with one base on balls. Giants went ahead in the 2nd when Lester Lockett doubled and Johnny Washington sent him home with a single to centre. In the 5th, Danny Wilson tripled to score Al Spearman and McCoy and Cowan Hyde's single drove in Wilson. For Carman, Jack Schaeffer's double drove in a run in the 5th and Lyman Bostock doubled to score Sam Hill in the 6th. Willie Hutchinson gave up only five hits in taking the loss.
McCoy (W) and Louden
Hutchinson (L) and McKerlie
(August 24) Carman beat Winnipeg 6-4 to gain the drivers' seat in their semi-final series. Cardinals lead 3 games to 2 with one tie. Cardinals took a 6-1 lead in the the top of the 8th inning with a pair of runs. Giants roared back with three runs in their half of the inning scoring on a single by Johnny Washington, an error and a passed ball but failed to get any closer. Gentry Jessop allowed seven hits in going the distance for the win. Hal Price gave up eight hits in taking the loss.
Jessop (W) and McKerlie
Price (L) and Louden, Douglas (9)
(August 25) A brilliant relief performance by Hal Price helped Winnipeg Giants to a 9-8, 11-inning, victory over Carman to send the semi-final series to an 8th and deciding game. Price blanked the Cardinals on one hit for 3 2/3s innings to pick up the win. A single by Al Spearman drove in Johnny Washington with the winning run in the top of the 11th inning. With one out, Washington singled and moved to second on an infield single by Nick Cannuli. After Price flied out, Spearman rapped a single to centre. Lester Lockett and Washington each had three hits for the Giants. Lockett added three runs batted in. In the 8th inning, Butch Conley, attempting to score on a passed ball, was nipped at home as catcher Lou Louden relayed to Price. Carman had a golden opportunity to score in the 10th inning when Butch Conley led off with a double. Sam Hill, asked to sacrifice Conley to third, bunted into the air and Washington grabbed the ball a fraction of an inch above the ground to get Hill and threw to second to double up Conley. Chick Longest fanned to end the inning.
Parker, Price (W) (8) and Louden
Richardson, Hutchinson (L) (3) and McKerlie
(August 26) Gentry Jessup turned in a flawless relief performance as the Carman Cardinals nipped the Winnipeg Giants 5 - 4 to advance into the ManDak League final series with the Minot Mallards. A tremendous shoe-string catch by the Cardinals' Sam Hill in the Giants' half of the 8th inning was the turning point in the game, killing a serious rally and comeback attempt by Winnipeg. Lyman Bostock with a triple and single and Sonny Andrews and Jack Schaeffer with a brace of singles each paced the Cards on the attack. Not a single Giant had more than one hit with Nick Cannuli's triple being their only extra-base rap.
Porter (W), Jessup (8) and Pigg
McCoy (L) and Louden
Final Series:
(August 27) Minot edged Carman 1-0 in the opening game of the ManDak League's final series as Sugar Cain pitched a three-hit shutout in besting the Cardinals' Gentry Jessup. Mallards scored the only run in the 8th inning when Don Corcoran crossed the plate on John Kennedy's fly ball to centre. Corcoran had reached on a fielder's choice and moved to third on a single by Cain. Jessup allowed just five hits in taking the loss. The contest drew nearly 2-thousand fans.
Jessup (L) and Pigg
Cain (W) and Massaro
(August 28) Minot exploded for three runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to down Carman 5-2 before 2,556 fans at Municipal Park. Zoonie McLean's triple drove in John Kennedy with the winning run. An error and Yogi Giammarco's double plated two insurance markers. Duke Bowman added an inside-the-park homer, double and single. John Kelly held the Cards to six hits in picking up the win. He fanned six and walked just one.
Murray Richardson (L) and Pigg
Kelly (W) and Massaro
(August 29) Carman Cardinals shaded Minot 9-8 in a 13-inning thriller in Carman to notch their first win in the ManDak League's final series. Cards plated the winner as Sonny Andrews singled then moved along on a wild pitch, passed ball and a throwing error. It was Andrews' fourth hit of the game. The contest featured 29 hits, 15 by the Cards, and eight errors, four by each side. Mallards wasted homers by Yogi Giammarco, Zoonie McLean and Quincy Barbee. McLean's homer, on the first pitch of the 9th, had brought the Mallards into an 8-8 tie. Willie Hutchinson went the distance for the win.
Murray, Albosta (L) (2) and Massaro
Hutchinson (W) and McKerlie
(September 2) Jonas Gaines tossed a five-hitter and scored the winning run in the 9th as Minot topped Carman 4-3 to take a 3-1 game lead in their final series. Gaines, on the shelf for two weeks with a sore arm, held the Cards to five singles. He opened the 9th with a bunt single and, after moving to second on a sacrifice, scored on Duke Bowman's single. It was one of three hits on the night for Bowman. Yogi Giammarco belted a two-run homer in the 3rd for the Mallards and added a triple in the 6th. A season-high crowd of 26-hundred fans turned out in 53-degree weather at Carman. Carman threatened in the 9th when, with two out, Gaines walked two batters. Sam Hill lined one through the box but John Kennedy made a brilliant back-handed stab to end the game.
Gaines (W) and Massaro
Porter (L) and Pigg, McKerlie (9)
(September 3) A record crowd of 3,407 watched the Minot Mallards trounce Carman 10-4 to capture the ManDak League championship. Down 3-0 after just a half-inning of play, Minot erupted for eight runs on a double and seven singles in their half of the 1st to provide more than enough for the victory. Quincy Barbee led the Mallards with four hits and also knocked in a pair. Sugar Cain scattered eight hits in pitching Minot to the title and helped with a double and single at the plate. Sam Hill of the Cards had the only homer.
Jessup (L), Hutchinson (1) and Pigg
Cain (W) and Massaro