1953 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1953 BC Interior
1953 Vancouver Island

1953 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League teams

Central Cartage (began season as Orphans)
Eagles
Farmer’s Construction
Page the Cleaners (began season as Individuals)

(May 10) Farmer Construction, the 1952 champions, kicked off the new season in impressive fashion Sunday crushing the Victoria Eagles 15-0 at Royal Athletic Park. Southpaw Bill Garner tossed the shutout yielding eight hits. Garner, who had a brief tryout with the Victoria Tyees in a pre-season game, struck out six and walked five. He contributed two singles in a nine-hit attack against a pair of Eagles' hurlers.

Garner (W) and Shields
Kirchner (L), Ramsay (6) and Kubicek, Savory

(May 11) With another high-octane performance, Farmer Construction won its second game, trouncing the Individuals 16-4.

(May 13) Bill Garner fired a four-hitter Wednesday as Farmer's downed the Eagles 6-3. A four-run outburst for the Construction crew in the seventh inning proved to be the difference. They got a walk, two singles and a pair of doubles to salt away the victory. Pete Ash clubbed a pair of two-baggers for the winners and Lowell Hodges and Bernie Anderson each had a double. For Garner, it was his second complete game win in four days.

Garner (W) and Shields
Davies (L) and Kubicek

Farmer Construction 3 - 0
Orphans              0 - 0
Individuals          0 - 1
Eagles               0 - 2

(May 20) With their fourth straight victory, Farmer Construction is threatening to make a runaway of the pennant race. Farmer's whipped the Orphans 11-4 Wednesday at Royal Athletic Park. However, the league leaders had to come from behind for the win after giving up four runs in the first inning. A highlight of the six-inning contest was the relief pitching of Eddie Corbett who took over from Don Donahue with one out in the first frame and after yielding one hit as the Orphans completed their four-run output, set the losers down on two singles the rest of the way. Lowell Hodges led the winners with a double and three singles. Pete Ash walloped a triple. Andy George pitched well for the Orphans allowing just nine hits in taking the loss. His teammates made nine errors.

Donahue, Corbett (W) (1) and Shields
George (L) and White

(May 21) Stan Davies was a force both on the mound and at the plate as the Eagles notched their first win of the season, 8-6 over the Orphans. The cagey veteran. who gave up four hits, did not allow an earned run as he fanned nine and walked but one over the first seven frames. He lost his bid for a shutout in the seventh when Reg Jackson beat out an infield roller and scored on successive errors. Tiring in the eighth, the right-hander was tagged for five unearned runs on a pair of singles, three errors and four bases on balls. Davies doubled home the first two runs in the second inning and knocked in another in the sixth with a solid single.

N.Nicholson, A.George (4), B.Jenner (6) and J.White
S.Davies (W) and G.Savory

Farmer Construction 4 - 0
Eagles               1 - 2
Individuals          0 - 1
Orphans              0 - 2

(May 22) Page the Cleaners blew a four-run lead then rallied with three in the seventh Friday night to post a 7-4 win over the Orphans. After five scoreless innings, the Cleaning crew took advantage of a pair of errors in the sixth to plate four markers. The Orphans battled back to knot the count in the seventh on four walks, a single by Andy George and a double by Tom Mack. Roy Moody had some anxious moments in the eighth loading the bases before pitching out of trouble without giving up a run. He surrendered seven hits and fanned nine in gaining credit for the win.

B.Jenner, A.George and F.Summer
R.Moody (W) and H.Wetherall

(May 23) Darkness was Murray MacArthur's friend Saturday as the young right-hander posted a no-hitter in the second game of Saturday's double-header at Royal Athletic Park. Eagles whipped Page the Cleaner 13-1. The lone run against MacArthur came in the first inning on a walk, stolen base, infield out and an error. He hit a streak of wildness in the top of the sixth and gave up five runs. However, the game was called before the inning was complete and the score reverted back to the last complete inning. Seven walks and a passed ball gave Page the Cleaner their runs before Ray Ramsay was called upon to retire the final batter, then to find the runs wouldn't count with the early end to the game.

D.Price (L), F.Graham (3) and H.Wetherall
M.MacArthur (W) and A.Kubicek

The powerful Farmer Construction crew demolished another opponent, tagging the Orphans with a 14-3 defeat. Farmer's broke open a tight game with a five-run fourth inning, highlighted by Bernie Anderson's inside-the-park homer. Pete Ash slashed a triple and Gerry Parker had a two-bagger in the fourth while Anderson walloped a triple during the three-run third frame. Cliff Hume won with a seven-hit effort.

C.Hume (W) and J.Shields
A.George (L) and F.Summer

Farmer Construction 5 - 0
Eagles               2 - 2
Page the Cleaner     1 - 2
Orphans              0 - 4

(May 24) Farmer Construction defeated Page the Cleaner.

(June 2) Farmer Construction, the unbeaten leaders of the Victoria Senior Amateur League swept a pair of exhibition contests Tuesday downing Cumberland Cubs 9-0 and shading Campbell River Athletics 4-3. Bill Garner fired a two-hitter in the opener and Lowell Hodges held the home club to just five hits in the second game. Pete Ash was the batting hero for Victoria driving in four runs in the first game with a pair of doubles and then plating the winning run in ninth inning of the second game with a single to bring in Bernie Anderson.

Garner (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

Hodges (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(June 6) The league leaders again scored in double figures smacking the Orphans 12-3 in action at Royal Athletic Park. Bernie Anderson got his second win of the young season in pitching Farmer's to its seventh consecutive victory. In the six inning game, Anderson allowed seven hits while fanning four. He contributed to the offense with a pair of well-tagged doubles. Two-baggers by Stu Mitchell and Anderson, a single by Pete Ash, a walk and an error accounted for four Farmer's runs in the first inning to start the crew on the way to the easy win.

Jenner (L) and Summer
Anderson (W) and Shields

Farmer Construction 7 - 0
Eagles               2 - 2
Page the Cleaner     1 - 3
Orphans              0 - 5

(June 12) Undefeated Farmer Construction reeled off its eighth straight win Friday in its toughest test of the season, edging the Eagles 3-1, with a pair of runs in the seventh inning. Ronnie Martin led off the frame with a home run to deep right field and two walks and a single by Stu Mitchell brought in an insurance marker. Mitchell had doubled and scored the game's first run on Al Marks' single in the second stanza. Eagles tied it in the third helped by a pair of errors. Bill Garner was the winning hurler scattering six hits. Stan Davies, who gave up just five safeties, took the loss.

Garner (W) and Shields
Davies (L), T.Foster (7) and Al Kubicek.

(June 13) Ed Corbett gave up a single to Don Brown, the first batter he faced, then pitched no-hit ball the rest of the way as Farmer Construction clobbered Central Cartage, formerly known as the Orphans, 18-0 Saturday. Corbett's control was ragged as he walked six. Farmer's unleashed an 18-hit assault with Stu Mitchell and Doug Stewart leading the way each with three hits. Bernie Anderson smacked a pair of doubles and Gerry Parker added a triple and single.

Corbett (W) and Glancy
George (L), Mack (7) and Summer

Farmer Construction 9 - 0
Eagles               2 - 3 5.0
Page the Cleaner     1 - 3 5.5
Orphans/Cartage      0 - 6 7.5

(Missing - Page the Cleaner over Orphans, Eagles win over Page the Cleaner.

(June 23) In yet another high-scoring Victoria Senior Amateur League contest, Eagles fattened their batting averages Tuesday with 18 hits in a 14-0 victory over Central Cartage. Stan Cornwall, Stan Christenson and Ron Karadimas paced the winners with four hits apiece. Ray Ramsay fired the shutout, allowing just three hits. He fanned eight and walked two.

Ramsay (W) and Savory, Kubicek (8)
George (L), Constable (5) and Summer

Farmer Construction 9 - 0
Eagles               4 - 3 4.0
Page the Cleaner     2 - 4 5.5
Orphans              0 - 8 8.5

(June 24) Now with ten straight victories, Farmer Construction extended its lead to five games atop the standings downing the second-place Eagles 8-3 Wednesday at Royal Athletic Park. The Eagles' Tom Foster, with a one-hitter in his last start, held the Farmer's to six hits, their lowest total of the season. However, six errors by the Eagles, and the lack of clutch hitting put the club at a huge disadvantage. On three occasions, Eagles left the bases loaded. Ed Corbett was the winning hurler with an eight-hitter.

T.Foster (L) and Kubicek
E.Corbett (W) and J.Shields

(June 25) The winless Central Cartage took another beating Thursday going down 12-1 to Page the Cleaner. It was the team's ninth straight loss. In the last three games, Cartage has scored one run while giving up 44. Cartage hurlers Howard Barker and Charlie Constable held the Cleaners to six hits but issued nine walks and the team made seven errors along with passed balls and wild pitches. Frank Graham had a four-hit effort for the win. Russ Hearn led the offense with three hits.

Graham (W) and Wetherall
Barker (L), Constable (3) and Summer

(June 26) Central Cartage took its worst trouncing of the season a 24-3 embarrassment for its 10th consecutive loss. Cartage actually had a 2-1 lead in the second inning, but Farmer Construction scored four in the bottom of the second and the rout was on. In the sixth inning, Farmer's picked up five hits and eight walks and ran wild in a 13-run inning. Gerry Parker, making his first start of the season, went the distance with a five-hitter for the win.

Barker (L), Mack (2), Constable (5) and Summers
Parker (W) and Anderson

(June 27) Undefeated Farmer Construction whipped Page the Cleaner 10-3 Saturday to extend its winning streak to 12 games. The game was tied 3-3 after five innings but Farmer's broke loose for five runs in the sixth. Bernie Anderson went the route for the winners spacing out seven hits. He walked a pair and fanned seven.

Moody (L) and Woolcock
Anderson (W) and Shields

Farmer Construction 12 - 0
Eagles                4 - 4   6.0
Page the Cleaner      3 - 5 7.0
Central Cartage       0 - 10 11.0

(June 28-July 1) Courtenay Dominion Day Tournament In a thriller, Courtenay Legion playing manager Lyle McKenzie tripled with the bases loaded in the last of the ninth to break a 5-5 tie and hand Legion top money of $600 in the $1,200 Courtenay Native Sons' Canada Day Tournament. The final score was registered as Legion 6, Campbell River Athletics 5. Even with the final run in, McKenzie kept running. Only later did fans figure out why. There was a sports shirt prize offered to the player hitting a homer or triple with the bases loaded. Earl Woods started the rally drawing a walk from reliever Baz Nagle. Lou Coleman beat out a bunt and Freddie Orr received a free pass to fill the sacks and set the stage for McKenzie's dramatic blow into right-centre field.

xxx, Nagle (L) and xxx
xxx and xxx

Farmer Construction, unbeaten in league play, fell to the Campbell River Athletics 7-0 in semi-final action. Stan Dagnault held Farmer's to five hits in tossing the shutout. The A's John Haramboure paced the hitters with three safeties.

Hodges (L) and Shields
Dagnault (W) and A.Telosky

Courtenay Legion qualified for the final squeezing by Union Bay 5-4 in a ten inning thriller. Dick Downey delivered the winning blow, a two-out single, to score Earl Woods.

Massey, McIver (W) (6) and xxx
R.Pratt, Lewis (L) (10) and xxx

The eight-team event saw Union Bay clip Parksville Loggers 15-6 in the opening game. The Braves, reinforced by recruits from the Campbell River Cougars, took advantage of three young Loggers' hurlers for 16 hits and 11 walks. Ron Pratt and Lloyd Lewis combined to hurl a two-hitter for Union Bay.

Charlesworth, Mosdell (1), xxx and xxx
R.Pratt, L.Lewis (W) (4) and xxx

Courtenay Legion eliminated Nanaimo Clippers 5-0.

Campbell River Athletics downed Victoria Eagles 7-2

Bernie Anderson's homer in the sixth inning proved to be the difference as Farmer Construction edged Cumberland Cubs 4-3 in first round action. Lefty Bill Garner, the Farmer's ace, went all the way for the win but had several tough challenges. In the seventh, Cubs loaded the bases with one out as Pearce reached on an error and Patterson and Bannerman both drew walks. A smart double-play erased the threat.

Garner (W) and xxx
Grisdale, Somerville (7) and xxx

(July 3) Art Green held hapless Central Cartage to five hits Friday as Page the Cleaner moved to within a half-game of second place with a 9-2 victory. Green was also a force at the plate with a triple and single.

Jenner (L) and Summer
Green (W) and Woolcock

(July 4) Central Cartage turned in its best game of the season Saturday although dropping its 12th straight league contest, 8-6 to first place Farmer Construction. Barry Jenner pitched his second complete game in two days as he made a valiant effort to snap the Farmer's winning streak but the league leaders broke a 6-6 tie with two runs in the top of the ninth for the victory. Doug Stewart doubled to start the rally and came home with the winner on a single by Gerry Parker who stole second and romped home with an insurance run on a single by Bernie Anderson. Bill Garner went the distance to pick up the pitching win.

Garner (W) and Shields
Jenner (L) and Summer

In the evening game of the twin-bill, the Eagles came from behind with two in the seventh and three in the eighth to down Page the Cleaner 9 to 6. With the scored knotted at 6-6, Frank Graham relieved starter Jim Thompson with two out and the bases loaded in the fateful 8th. He proceeded to walk in two runs and Rookie Wright stole home with the third marker of the inning.

Thompson (L), Graham (8) and Wetherall
Davies, Ramsay (W) (6) and Kubicek

Farmer Construction 13 - 0
Eagles                5 - 4   6.0
Page the Cleaner      4 - 6   7.5
Central Cartage       0 - 12 12.5

(July 5) Farmer Construction defeated Page the Cleaner.

(July 14) Farmer Construction continued its destruction of Victoria Senior League opponents Tuesday thumping the second-place Eagles 15-1 at Royal Athletic Park. Norm Forbes, back from college in Oregon, was a surprise starter for the league leaders and blanked the Eagles on two hits in his five frames of mound work. He also led a 12-hit attack driving in three runs with a pair of doubles and two singles. Farmer's bunched four hits with four Eagles' errors in the third inning when they scored ten times.

Davies (L), Foster (3), Ramsay (5) and Kubicek, Savory (5)
Forbes (W), Anderson (6) and Shields

Farmer Construction 15 - 0
Eagles                5 - 5   7.5
Page the Cleaner      4 - 7   9.0
Central Cartage       0 - 12 13.5

(July 15) In a game which produced a dozen errors, eight by Central Cartage, Page the Cleaner escaped with a 9-3 verdict Wednesday. Cleaners plated three runs in the opening frame and coasted to the easy win. Len Nuttall, who went five innings was the winning hurler. Russ Hearn had a double and single for the winners who had just four hits.

L.Nuttall (W), Graham (6) and Woolcock
George (L) and Summer

(July 16) It was a total mismatch Thursday as Farmer Construction ran its unbeaten streak to 16 games and again, made it look easy, pounding out a 21-8 win over winless Central Cartage. Farmer's jumped on starter Dave Price and successor Dave Wakelyn for eight runs in the first inning. For Farmer's Ed Corbett went five innings to pick up the win. The tail-enders made ten errors.

Price, Wakelyn (1) and Summer
Corbett (W), Garner (6) and Anderson

Farmer Construction 16 - 0
Eagles                5 - 5   8.0
Page the Cleaner      5 - 7   9.0
Central Cartage       0 - 14 15.0

(July 17) A seven-run explosion in the second inning carried the Eagles to a 10-5 victory over Page the Cleaner in a Victoria Amateur Baseball Association Senior League game at Royal Athletic Park Friday night. Second baseman Ron Karadimas started on the mound for the winners and was the beneficiary of the big lead when the Eagles combined three walks, three hits and four errors in frame. The Cleaners fought back with four runs in the third when Karadimas gave up two walks, a single to Herb Wetherall and a double to Jack Milburn which, combined with two errors, produced the four markers. Tom Foster took over for the Eagles and held the losers scoreless until the ninth when the Cleaners notched a singleton.

Karadimas, Foster (W) (3) and Kubicek
R.Moody (L) and Woolcock

(July 18) Central Cartage, losers of 14 straight games, scored two runs in the top of the eighth and final inning and then held off an Eagles' rally in the bottom of the frame to notch its first win of the season, 8-7. Norm Lund got a free pass and Bruce Graham reached when hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up on a passed ball before Lund was thrown out a the plate on Fred McEvey's ground ball. Catcher Al Kubicek, trying to nab McEvey heading for second, threw the ball into centre field allowing both runners to score. In the bottom of the inning, Don Donahue smashed a two-run double to bring the Eagles to within a run, but Dave Wakelyn, who went the route for the winners, got Kubicek on an infield fly to end the game.

In the afternoon game, Farmer Construction racked up its 17th consecutive triumph, 21-1 over Page the Cleaner. Norm Forbes fired one-hit ball and fanned 12 for the winners. He walked eight.

F.Graham (L), Thompson (1) and Wetherall
Forbes (W) and Shields

Wakelyn (W) and Summer
Davies (L) and Savory, Kubicek (5)

Farmer Construction 17 - 0
Eagles                6 - 6   8.5
Page the Cleaner      5 - 9   10.5
Central Cartage       1 - 14 15.0

(July 24) The runaway leaders in the Victoria Senior Amateur League, Farmer Construction, dominated the individual statistics with Lowell Hodges the batting leader with a .431 average well ahead of teammate Gerry Parker, at .379. Both Hodges and Parker gained valuable experience last season playing in the fast Saskatchewan Baseball League for Moose Jaw Maples. Stan Cornwall of the Eagles was third, at .325. Bernie Anderson, a .317 hitter for the Farmer's, leads in runs batted in with 26 and also leads in doubles with eight. The Farmer's Ronnie Martin is tops in runs, with 29, and walks, 25. The Farmer's Ed Corbett and Bill Garner are showing the way for pitchers each with five wins and no losses.

(July 26) The starting lineup has been announced for the Victoria Amateur All-Stars for their annual game against the Victoria Tyees of the Class A, Western International League. Norm Forbes, a college all-star at the University of Oregon, has been selected as the starting hurler. Doug Peden, the all-stars' manager, chose four players each from the Farmer's and Eagles with the ninth coming from Page the Cleaner. Catcher Herb Wetherall is joined by Lowell Hodges at first base, Ron Karadimas at second, Stu Mitchell, third, Rookie Wright at shortstop, and Bernie Anderson, Ken Higgs and Ken Mitchell in the outfield. Last year's game brought in more than $1,700 for amateur programs.

(July 26) With more than 3,000 spectators looking on the Victoria Tyees downed the Victoria Amateur All-Stars 7-1 Sunday in their annual exhibition challenge. Cec Garriott, Granny Gladstone and Jim Clark combined to hold the All-Stars to six hits as the pros enjoyed the day. Even team trainer Jack Boag got into the Tyee lineup coming up as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning and surprising almost everyone with a bunt single to score a run. Gladstone had won applause with a towering home run blast over the centre field fence in the fifth.

Forbes (L), Green (4), Foster (6), Garner (8) and Wetherall, Kubicek (5)
Garriott, Gladstone (5), Jim Clark (7) and Harford

(July 31) Farmer Construction crushed last place Central Cartage 19-0 Friday to rack up their 18th straight league win of the season. The league leaders pounded out 13 hits and were helped by ten Cartage errors. Ed Corbett tossed a six hitter for the shutout. Norm Forbes, the pitcher-outfielder from Victoria who starred this spring in college ball at Oregon, led the offense with a double and a pair of singles.

Corbett (W) and Shields, Glancy (5)
Mosley, Wakelyn (5) and Summer

Farmer Construction 18 - 0
Eagles                6 - 6   9.0
Page the Cleaner      5 - 9   11.0
Central Cartage       1 - 15 16.0

(August 1) Page the Cleaner got a win and a loss and Farmer's again got an easy triumph in a double-header at Royal Athletic Park Saturday. Cleaners downed the Eagles 11-7 in the afternoon contest as they broke away to a four run lead in the first inning and led all the way. Art Green survived 12 hits to go the distance on the hill for the winners.

Green (W) and Woolcock
Ramsay (L), Foster (4), Beck (9) and Savory, Kubicek (3)

Farmer's picked up four runs on three hits, one a triple by Pete Ash, and four errors in the first inning and cruised to the win as the Cleaners made 11 errors. Lowell Hodges gave up just five hits in pitching for the Construction crew. Gerry Parker had a three-run double. The game was called after the sixth inning after the Cleaners, who had been bickering with umpires through the day, grew a little too strong in their complaints and umpire Roy Schneider ended the contest.

Hodges (W) and Shields
R.Moody (L), Thompson and Wetherall, Woolcock (5)

Farmer Construction 19 - 0
Eagles                6 - 7   9.0
Page the Cleaner      6 - 10 11.0
Central Cartage       1 - 15 16.0

(August 2) Unbeaten Farmer Construction added two more wins to its impressive record Sunday winning both games of an exhibition double-header, 7-5 and 7-4, from the Duncan Athletics. With league, exhibition and tournament games, Farmer's has racked up 24 victories in 25 games.. Duncan took the lead in the afternoon game scoring four times in the third inning highlighted by Ralph Thorne's bases-loaded triple. Ralph Branting's three-bagger in the fifth accounted for the final Duncan tally. Farmer's regained the lead in the eighth after pecking away at the offerings of Allan Goldie. Bernie Anderson's homer was the big blow for the winners. Norm Forbes was Lyell Rodger big headache in the second game driving in three runs and scoring another. Doug Williams had three hits for Duncan.

xxx and xxx
Goldie (L) and xxx

xxxx
L.Rodger (L) and Branting, W.Thorne

(Missing Central Cartage win & loss, Eagles win, Cleaners loss)

(August 5) Right-hander Ed Corbett tossed a neat two-hitter Wednesday to help Farmer Construction to its 20th consecutive win without a loss, a surprisingly close 6-1 win over the last-place Central Cartage. Farmer's was ahead just 2-1 after four innings but took over the game with three runs in the fifth. Corbett started the rally with a double and Ron Martin followed with another two-bagger, Lowell Hodges and Bernie Anderson drew walks and Norm Forbes and Stu Mitchell had singles. The lone Cartage marker came in the second inning on a walk, passed ball, infield out and error. With the playoff standings already decided, league officials were uncertain whether to continue with make-up games. .

Wakelyn (L) and Summer
Corbett (W) and Shields

(August 9) The annual battle for the Hart Trophy, emblematic of baseball supremacy between Victoria and Port Angeles is to start on August 15th with a double header at Port Angeles. Eagles won the trophy in 1951 but lost to Port Angelus last season.

Farmer Construction 20 - 0
Eagles                7 - 7   10.0
Page the Cleaner      6 - 11 12.5
Central Cartage       2 - 17 17.5

PLAYOFFS

(August 11) Pennant winning Farmer Construction found playoff action much tougher than the regular season but still pulled out a 5-1 victory, thanks to a four-run uprising in the fifth inning for the team's 21st straight league triumph. Blanked for three innings by southpaw Art Green, Farmer's tied the score at 1-1 on Jack Shields' run scoring single. In the fifth, Ronnie Martin singled up the middle and Lowell Hodges followed with a base on balls. Successive errors on Norm Forbes' sacrifice and Bernie Anderson's short bounder down to first, resulted in three runs and Anderson came home on Gerry Parker's single. Bill Garner went the distance on the mound for the winners giving up seven hits and three walks. He struck out 11.

Green (L) and Woolcock
Garner (W) and Shields.

(August 12) Back from a brief trial in pro ball with Grand Forks of the Northern League, Paul Beck tossed a two-hit shutout Wednesday night as Eagles downed Central Cartage 6-0 in the opening game of their semi-final playoff. Beck struck out 11 and walked two. The winners collected only four hits off Bud O'Brien but were aided by walks and four Cartage errors. A minute's silence was observed at the start of the game in tribute to the late Denny McGee who had been played with the Eagles. McGee, just 23 years of age, drowned August 9th when he slipped on some rocks and fell into the sea. Jeff Worrall, allowed as a replacement, appeared in right field for the winners.

O'Brien (L) and A.Heath
Beck (W) and Kubicek

(August 15) Featuring outstanding pitching and Bernie Anderson's long distance swatting Farmer Construction overwhelmed Port Angeles 15-4 and 14-2 in the first two games of the best-of-five series for the Hart Trophy. The Victoria squad pounded five pitchers for a total of 25 hits in the two games. Anderson, who had a brief fling with the Victoria Tyees, banged out one triple in the first game and three more in the second. Norm Forbes went the distance in the opener giving up seven hits. Bill Garner allowed just five hits in the second game, back by a 17-hit attack which included two doubles and a triple by Forbes and three singles by Stu Mitchell.

Forbes (W) and Shields
McInnes, Hendrickson (4) and Barr, Cameron (8)

Garner (W) and Wetherall
Kerriger (L), Abbott (4), Lenoye (7), Barr (9) and Barr, Cameron (4)

(August 16) After 22 straight league victories, Farmer Construction finally lost one as Page the Cleaner upset the pennant-winners 5-2 in the second game of the best-of-three semi-final series. Farmer's were stopped by lefty Art Green who allowed just five hits. A four run fifth inning put the Cleaners in the driver's seat.

Corbett, Garner (5), Hodges (7) and Shields
Green (W) and Wetherall, Woolcock (3)

(August 18) Central Cartage blew leads of 7-0 and 10-8 as the Eagles roared back with five runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth and final frame to post an 11-10 victory to take the semi-final in two straight games. The losers, who managed to win just two games in the regular season, started out with a five-run, first inning when Tom Foster gave up three hits and three walks. Three more hits in the second off Ray Ramsay produced two runs and a bases-loaded triple by Norm Curran in the fifth completed their scoring. Eagles began their comeback in the fourth as Al Kubicek's two-run double sparked a three-run rally and the winners sent nine men to the plate in the fifth inning scoring five times. Ron Karadimas smacked a two-run double in the sixth and later scored the winning run on an error.

Foster, Ramsay (1), Davies (W) (2), Beck (6) and Kubicek
Wakelyn, O'Brien (L) (5) and Heath

(August 19) Outstanding hurling has advanced Farmer Construction to the final of the Victoria Senior Amateur League. Norm Forbes blanked Page the Cleaner on two hits as Farmer's won easily, 10-0, combining 9 hits, seven walks and three Cleaner's errors. The right-hander struck out nine batters and walked three over the six-inning contest. Forbes knocked in Ronnie Martin with a run in the first inning and the winners took a commanding lead with four runs in the second. Doug Stewart singled to start the inning, Stu Mitchell walked and Ed Dorohoy singled to load the bases. A walk to Jack Shields forced in a run and two more came home as Martin grounded out. Lowell Hodges singled for the fourth run of the stanza.

Green (L) and Woolcock
Forbes (W) and Shields

FINAL PLAYOFF

(August 21) Farmer Construction jumped into the lead in the Senior Amateur Baseball League final series Friday by defeating the Eagles 8-3 in the first game of the best-of-five series. Norm Forbes, who started the game at first base, was the big gun for the winners banging out two doubles and a pair of singles and blanking the Eagles without a hit in the final three innings after relieving starter Lowell Hodges in the seventh inning. Hodges, a first basemen who captured the league batting crown, started on the hill for Farmer's and yielded only Ken Higgs' single through the first five innings but weakened in the sixth when the Eagles scored all their runs on a bases on balls and singles by Jeff Worrall, Rookie Wright and Lyle Cornett. Paul Beck starter for the Eagles and was troubled by wildness, giving up five runs on two hits and six walks.

Hodges (W), Forbes (7) and xxx
Beck (L), Davies (3) and xxx

(August 22) After a pair of high-scoring setbacks the previous week, Port Angeles All-Stars evened up the Hart Trophy series at two games apiece with 7-3 and 2-1 victories at Royal Athletic Park Saturday. The visitors took the thrilling second game in 11 innings. Don Lenoye singled to start the 11th and Merv Cleland followed with a two-bagger but Lenoye was thrown out at home on Dave Cameron's grounder. Cleland, who advanced to third on the play, later scored the winning run on a wild pitch. Ron Aitken allowed just five hits and fanned 12 in going the full 11 innings for the Americans for the win. For Victoria, Bill Garner gave up seven hits and fanned 10 in his second complete game of the day having gone the route in the first game. Although being tagged for 11 hits in the opener, he struck out 16 and issued just a pair of walks.

Farmer Construction jumped into a three-run lead in the opening frame of the first game but the visitors came roaring back with five runs in the third when an error with two out set the stage for Cleland's bases-loaded triple and Lenoye's one-run single for the winning margin.

Lenoye (W) and D.Cameron
Garner (L) and Shields

Aitken (W) and D.Cameron
Garner (L) and Shields

(August 23) Eagles evened the final series at a game apiece downing Farmer Construction 12-7 taking advantage of nine errors by the Farmer's. Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the first inning but needed seven late runs to secure the triumph. Don Donahue, with the Construction crew earlier in the season, gained sweet revenge on his ex-mates going the distance on the mound allowing nine hits and six walks. Lyle Cornett led the winners with a pair of two-baggers. Losing hurler Bernie Anderson led all hitters with three safeties including a homer in the seventh inning.

Corbett, Anderson (L) (1) and Shields
Donahue (W) and Kubicek

(August 25) Farmer Construction opened up an early 4-0 lead and held off a late rally by the Eagles to post a 6-3 victory take a 2-1 game lead in the best-of-five final series. Norm Forbes gave up six hits in going the route for the win. He struck out eight and walked a pair to best Tom Foster, who was hurt by control troubles, walking eight.

Foster (L) and Kubicek
Forbes (W) and Shields, Glancey (7)

(August 26) Farmer Construction added the Victoria Amateur Baseball Association senior playoff championship to its league title by defeating Eagles 5-1 Wednesday to take the best-of-five series three games to one. Lefty Bill Garner pitched the final victory for Farmer's topping right-hander Paul Beck in one of the better games of the season. Although he gave up ten hits, Garner walked only four and was given errorless support while the Eagles handed the winners a 2-0 lead in the second inning when they committed all three of their errors. Beck, who issued eight bases on balls, drove in the Eagles' lone run in the fourth frame after three successive singles had loaded the bases. Eagles missed out on two golden scoring opportunities advancing runners to second and third with one out in the sixth and loading the bases with one away in the seventh. Holding a narrow 2-1 lead after eight frames, Farmer's insured the decision with a three-run outburst in the ninth on three singles and Bernie Anderson's double, the only extra-base blow of the game.

Garner (W) and Anderson
Beck (L) and Kubicek

1953 Comox District Baseball League teams

Campbell River Athletics
Campbell River Cougars
Comox Valley Tigers
Courtenay Legion
Cumberland Cubs
Powell River Rodmays
Union Bay Braves

(May 3) Courtenay Legion was double trouble for Powell River in the season-opening twin-bill taking both games from the Rodmays, 5-4 and 2-1. Fred Clifford was the winning hurler in the afternoon giving up nine hits and four walks while whiffing ten. George Courtnay took the loss allowing eight bingles with nine strikeouts.

Earl Woods knocked in both runs in the evening game to win his mound duel with Art Somervile who had a 1-0 lead until the seventh when he was hit on the pitching hand with a batted ball, lost his rhythm and control and gave up a two-bagger to Woods which produced the tying and winning runs. The lone Rodmay run was batted in by Somerville. Injuries were prevalent during the night contest. Legion bat boy Johnny McKenzie was hit by the practice swing of a Legion hitter and was taken to hospital. His condition was listed as satisfactory. First sacker Garnie Carter was injured going after a low throw and Somerville suffered an injured hand.

Clifford (W) and xxx
Courtnay (L) and xxx

Woods (W) and xxx
Somerville (L) and xxx

(May 10) Behind the brilliant two-hit, shutout pitching of Bill Kolybaba, Comox Tigers downed Union Bay Braves 4-0 Sunday. Opposing hurler Ron Lund collected both safeties. Tigers managed seven hits, with Ray Marshall's triple the biggest blow.

Kolybaba (W) and xxx
Lund (L) and xxx

(May 16) In an exhibition match at Lewis Park Saturday, Comox Tigers edged out Courtenay Legion 4-3. Called in at short notice to replace the Cumberland Cubs, The Tigers were forced to borrow a Legion hurler and catcher to fill out their lineup. Earl Woods and Joe L'Oiseau began the game with the Tigers until reinforcements arrived. Tigers got the winner as Gordon "Pro" Pratt came charging home on Jurgen Schilling's single.

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

(May 17) Campbell River Athletics blew an early 4-0 lead then rallied with three in the ninth to down Union Bay 7-4. A's grabbed a 3-0 lead in the opening stanza as Jack Younger started things with a two-bagger and Jack Cameron followed with a homer and John Haramboure sent one over the fence for another four-bagger. They added a run in the third as Cameron scored on two hits and an error. Braves got on the scoreboard in the third when Ed Shillito smacked a triple and came in on Joe McKay's sacrifice. Union Bay tied it in the eighth on two hits, a walk and a sacrifice. In the ninth, three hits, a walk, a steal and a sacrifice brought in Cameron for the third time with the winner and insurance runs by Haramboure and Joe Kanik. Bob Thulin held the Braves to five hits and fanned ten in picking up the pitching win. Jack Renwick whiffed 13 but took the loss giving up nine hits and four walks.

B.Thulin (W) and xxx
Geary, J.Renwick (1) (L) and xxx

(May 17) A pair of three-run innings carried Courtenay Legion to a 6-0 shutout over Comox Tigers Sunday at Lewis Park. In the sixth, pinch-hitter Earl Woods delivered a sharp single with the bases loaded to score a pair and the Legion added another on an error. In the ninth, Frank Bezanson drove in two runs with a long single and Junior Chalmers doubled to plate the final run. Shorty McIvor and Woods combined on the shutout.

McIvor (W), Woods (6) and xxx
Kolybaba (L), Schilling and xxx

(May 24) Cumberland Cubs upset Courtenay Legion 5-4 Sunday notching the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Trailing 4-3, Cubs rallied as Ben Pearse and Pete Bulatovich singled before relief pitcher Lyle McKenzie threw wildly to third on an attempted sacrifice and Cubs had the tying marker. McKenzie issued an intentional walk to fill the bases and the move seemed sound as Bulatovich was forced at home on Patterson's bunt. However, the next batter, Doug Welch broke up the game with a long single to plate the winner.

Clifford (L), McKenzie (9) and xxx
xxx, Murdock (W) (7) and xxx

Cougars       8 - 2
Legion        7 - 2 0.5
Athletics     4 - 2 2.0
Tigers        2 - 4 4.0
Powell River 3 - 6 4.5
Cubs          2 - 6 5.0
Union Bay     1 - 5 5.0

(May 31) Campbell River Athletics took both ends of an exhibition double-bill from Courtenay Legion taking a 9-7 verdict in the afternoon game and an easy 18-4 romp in the nightcap. The teams battled back and forth in the opener until the A's wrapped it up with a pair in the 8th for the win. With the bases loaded Bill Fredericks teed off on a 3-2 pitch and two runs crossed the plate as Vic Burtt juggled the ball. Johnny Haramboure knocked in three runs with a double and single. Reliever Larry Walker picked up the pitching win.

In the evening game, a wild second inning, helped by six Courtenay errors, resulted in six runs and the Athletics romped home to an 18-4 victory.

Nagle, Walker (W) (5) and xxx
McIvor (L) and xxx

xxx and xxx
Clifford (L) and xxx

(June 13) A masterful three-hit shutout by Earl Woods paved the way for Courtenay Legion's 3-0 win over Campbell River Athletics at Lewis Park Saturday. A pair of runs in the fourth started Legion on the road to the triumph. Frank Bezanson's single was followed by a booming triple by Vic Burtt and Lou Coleman drove in the second run with a single. They added another marker in the fifth.

Fiscus (L), Nagle (5) and xxx
Woods (W) and xxx

(June 13) Campbell River Cougars trounced Cumberland Cubs 13-5.

(June 14) The visiting Powell River Rodmays came from behind in both games Sunday to hand Comox Tigers a pair of defeats, 6-5 in 11 innings and 9-6. Biasutti was the hero for the Rodmays with the extra inning single to bring in Ciprich with the winning marker. George Courtnay went the distance for the win allowing just eight hits. Sloppy play in the field highlighted the evening game as errors accounted for nearly all of the scoring. Trailing 6-3, the Rodmays broke the game wide open with a big 8th inning rally. A single by Biasutti and three errors brought in the first run and Art Sommerville knocked in two more with a single. Rodmays loaded the bases and Alf Nichol put the game on ice with a timely two-bagger. Courtnay, who went all 11-innings in the afternoon, relieved in the ninth and got the final three Tiger hitters in order.

Courtnay (W) and xxx
Kolybaba (L) and xxx

A.Nicol, Somerville (W), Courtnay (9) and xxx
Schilling (L), Pratt (8) and xxx

Campbell River Cougars      11 - 3
Courtenay Legion            10 - 3
Campbell River Athletics     8 - 3
Powell River Rodmays         5 - 6
Comox Valley Tigers          2 - 7
Union Bay Braves             2 - 8
Cumberland Cubs              2 - 10

(June 21) The Braves and Comox Tigers split a Sunday double-header at Union Bay with the home club taking an 11-inning 11-10 slugfest in the afternoon while Comox rebounded with a 6-2 victory in the second game. Gerry Montgomery singled to push across the winning run. Jack Smith of the Tigers had the game's big blow, a home run. Ron Lund picked up the win after Tillman Briggs had gone 10 innings for the Braves. Jurgen Schilling, driven off the mound in the second inning of the first game, was the star of the evening contest tossing a three-hitter. A three-run rally in the sixth inning provided the margin of victory. Jack Smith singled in one run, Roy Moore knocked in another and Ray Smith sent a long fly ball to bring in brother Jack Smith with the Tiger's fourth run. They added two more in the 8th on a triple by Johnny Hawkins, Ray Marshall's ground-rule double and a one-bagger by Moore.

Schilling, Kolybaba (L) (2) and xxx
Briggs, Lund (W) (11) and xxx

Schilling (W) and xxx
Lund (L) and xxx

xxx, Nagle (L) and xxx
xxx and xxx

Farmer Construction, unbeaten in Victoria league play, fell to the Campbell River Athletics 7-0 in semi-final action. Stan Dagnault held Farmer's to five hits in tossing the shutout. The A's John Haramboure paced the hitters with three safeties.

Hodges (L) and Shields
Dagnault (W) and A.Telosky

Courtenay Legion qualified for the final squeezing by Union Bay 5-4 in a ten inning thriller. Dick Downey delivered the winning blow, a two-out single, to score Earl Woods.

Massey, McIver (W) (6) and xxx
R.Pratt, Lewis (L) (10) and xxx

Charlesworth, Mosdell (1), xxx and xxx
R.Pratt, L.Lewis (W) (4) and xxx

Courtenay Legion eliminated Nanaimo Clippers 5-0.

Campbell River Athletics downed Victoria Eagles 7-2

Garner (W) and xxx
Grisdale, Somerville (7) and xxx

(June 28) Playing at home the Powell River Rodmays captured both games of Sunday's double-header, 10-1 and 8-0 over Cumberland Cubs.

(July 5) In a pair of high-scoring affairs, Comox Tigers whipped Cumberland Cubs 12-10 and 13-2 in a Sunday twin-bill. The afternoon game played in hot weather conditions proved to be a scorer;s nightmare with a staggering total of hits and errors and runs. The Cubs took the early lead combining five hits and four errors to put five on the board before the Tigers settled down and scored four times themselves in the third. Comox took an 8-6 lead with four more in the fourth and stayed in the lead the rest of the way.

Tigers punched out 12 hits in the second game jumping into a 10-1 lead and coasting to the win. Roy Moore led the offense with a double, two singles and two walks. Jurgen Schilling went the distance for the win.

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

Schilling (W) and xxx
Nadiski, Grisdale (4) and xxx

Courtenay Legion            11 - 3
Campbell River Cougars      12 - 5 0.5
Campbell River Athletics    11 - 5 1.0
Powell River Rodmays         6 - 7 4.5
Comox Valley Tigers          6 - 9 5.5
Union Bay Braves             4 - 10   7.0
Cumberland Cubs            3 - 13 9.0

(July 10) Charlie Boyd drove in five runs with a bases-loaded double and a two-run homer and pitcher Bud Fiscus cracked a grand-slam homer Friday as Campbell River Athletics clobbered Union Bay 20-7.

Fiscus (W) and xxx
Lund (L) and xxx

(July 11) Courtenay Legion grabbed a 5-1 lead in the third inning and held off a late change by Campbell River Cougars to take Saturday's contest 5-4. Frank Bezanson cracked a homer for the winners and pitcher Shorty McIvor plated the deciding run.

McIvor (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 12) The batting statistics up to and including July 11th, show Charlie Boyd of the Campbell River Athletics leading the pack with a .481 average, ahead of teammate Johnny Haramboure who sits at .456. Boyd, however, has just 27 at bats to 46 for Haramboure. Vern Ferguson of the Cougars, is third with a .420 mark and Courtenay Legion has a pair of .400 hitters, Frank Bezanson at .407 and Earl Woods at .406..

(July 12) Playing in the rain at Campbell River Sunday, the Cougars and Comox Tigers split a double-bill with the home club winning the first game 5-4 and the Tigers taking the second 10-7. Cougars fell behind 4-1 in the first game before rallying with three runs in the fifth to tie and then bringing Thulin home in the seventh with the winning marker. Smoothie Marshall was the winning hurler.

In the second game, Comox trailed 7-5 after five innings but rebounded with four runs in the sixth to take the lead for good. A highlight for the Cougars was Ray Smith's steal of home in the second inning.

xxxx and xxx
D.Marshall (W) and xxx

xxx and xxx
B.Thulin, Turcotte (L) and xxx

(July 12) Lloyd Lewis won the sport shirt but Courtenay Legion won the game. At Lewis Park Sunday, Legion topped Union Bay 12-8 in a game which produced 27 hits, The big one was Lewis' bases-loaded triple for which he was awarded a prize of a sport shirt by Bill Rickson. Earl Woods and Shorty McIvor survived 14 hits to pitch Legion to the victory. Ray Downey of the winners and Lewis and Cy Stevenson of the Braves each had three hits.

R. Pratt (L) and xxx
Woods, McIvor (W) and xxx

(July 15) At Union Bay, Courtenay Legion topped the home club 6-1 behind the solid hurling of Earl Woods. Lloyd Lewis took the loss. Woods also powered the offense with a four-bagger. Lyle McKenzie also had a homer.

Woods (W) and xxx
Lewis (L) and xxx

(July 15) Comox Tigers topped the Cubs 12-7 at Cumberland.

(July 18) Campbell River Cougars stopped Courtenay's winning streak a nine Saturday, upending the Legionnaires 7-4 behind the hurling of Don "Smoothie" Marshall. Legion took an early lead with the Downey brothers, Dick and Ray and Junior Chalmers crossing the plate in the first inning. Joe Korsa started the Cougars comeback driving in two runs in the second and then scoring himself on a wild throw. Both teams scored in the fourth but the Cougars plated a pair in the fifth and another in the seventh for the win.

Woods (L) and Coleman
D.Marshall (W) and McDonald

(July 19) Helped by shoddy fielding by Union Bay, Campbell River Athletics swept Sunday's double-header 12-0 and 8-3. A seven run outburst in the first inning put the game on ice early. Baz Nagle fired the shutout, racking up 14 strikeouts. A's ran up a 6-0 lead in the second game before the Braves got on the scoreboard.

Nagle (W) and Telosky
Pratt (L) and Kennedy

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 19) Ray Downey scored three times to get Courtenay Legion back in the victory column Sunday as the Vets beat the Cumberland Cubs 7-2. Freddie Clifford went the distance on the hill for the winners.

J.Murdock (L) and R.Pearse
Clifford (W) and L'Oiseau

Courtenay Legion            11 - 3
Campbell River Cougars      12 - 5 0.5
Campbell River Athletics    11 - 5 1.0
Powell River Rodmays         6 - 7 4.5
Comox Valley Tigers          6 - 9 5.5
Union Bay Braves             4 - 10   7.0
Cumberland Cubs              3 - 13 9.0

(July 25) Comox Tigers ran up a 6-0 advantage, thanks to some heavy swatting by Bob Gunter, and held off a ninth inning rally by Cumberland Cubs to post a 6-4 triumph Saturday. Comox plated a pair in the second when McCarty doubled in Gunter and Gribling followed with another two-bagger. Gunter made it 4-0 in the third with a two-run double. In the fourth, Jack Smith smacked a triple and Gunter clubbed a homer to complete the Tigers' scoring. Cubs got on the board in the sixth when Ben Pearse drove in Milburn. In the ninth, Roy Pearse knocked in Don Grisdale and a three-bagger by Aitken brought two runs home. But, Jurgen Schilling fanned Ben Pearse to end the game.

Murdock (L) and Pearse
Schilling (W) and Moore

(July 26) In an 18-inning thriller at Lewis Park Sunday, the Comox Tigers edged the Campbell River Athletics 3-2 in a game in which both starters, Gordon "Pro" Pratt and Baz Nagle went all the way. The win assured the Tigers of a spot in the playoffs. The A's got off to a good start with a pair in the top of the first inning as Jack Younger and Charlie Boyd crossed the plate. There was no more scoring until the sixth when the Tigers knotted the count when Roy Moore tripled in Smith and McCarty followed with a single. The teams then battled for 11 scoreless innings before Adrian Smith cracked a triple in the bottom of the 18th frame and Bob Gunter knocked him home with a single to end the marathon.

Nagle (L) and xxx
Pratt (W) and xxx

PLAYOFFS

(August 2) Campbell River Athletics crushed Comox Tigers 12-2 and 14-7 to win the best-of-three semi-final series in two straight in the Sunday double-header at Lane Park. The A's used quick starts to bury the Tigers. In the opener, Campbell River scored five in the first stanza and cruised to the easy win. Baz Nagle hurled solid ball for the winners. A three-run first inning in the second game set the Athletics on the road to victory. Already ahead 8-4, the Athletics exploded for six more in the top of the ninth to win 14-7. Stan Dagneau was the mound winner.

Kolybaba (L), Schilling (5) and R.Moore
Nagle (W) and Telosky

Pratt, Schilling (9) and R.Moore
Dagneau (W) and Telosky

(August 2) Courtenay Legion and the Campbell River Cougars each came away with a win in their Sunday playoff double-header. Trailing 9-5 after seven innings in the opener, Cougars, led by Skip McDonald, rallied for eight runs in the last two frames for a 13-9 triumph. Courtenay fell behind 2-0 in the second inning of the evening game but responded with a big offensive display to win 13-2 in a game which featured six triples, two by the Legion's Ray Downey. In the initial stanza, the Cougars were quick out of the gate with a pair. Harry Thulin led off with a triple and came home on Russ Motion's safety. An error and Dobson's single brought in the second run. Courtenay got one back in their half of the first as Frank Bezanson singled in Ray Downey, who had tripled. In the second, Legion took the lead for good with three runs. They added a singleton in the fourth, two in the seventh and five in the eighth. Bezanson knocked in three runs for the winners with three hits. Fred Orr contributed a double and triple. Vic Burtt for the Legion and Spiers for the Cougars, also had three-baggers./

D.Marshall, H.Enns (W) (3) and xxx
McIvor (L) and xxx

D.Marshall, Thulin (2), Enns (2) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(August 9) Frank Bezanson's routine fly ball dropped in between two outfielders allowing two runs to come home to break a 3-3 seventh inning tie and hand Courtenay Legion a 5-3 victory and a berth in the Comox District League final series. With one out in the 7th , Ray Downey and brother Dick Downey beat out base hits to bring Bezanson to the plate. Cougars had taken a 2-0 lead in the initial stanza on three hits and an error. Harry Thulin singled and advanced as Al Turcotte reached safely as the Legion infield flubbed his sacrifice bunt. Don Marshall's single drove in the first run and a long fly by Skip McDonald plated the other. Courtenay responded with three runs in the second. Bill Moore, the Legion's ball-playing MLA, doubled in one run and Ray Downey's blooper plated two more. Legion booted the ball four times in the last of the third as Cougars tied up the game at 3-3 on Skip McDonald's sac fly. Earl Woods survived seven errors by his teammates to toss a six-hitter for the win. He fanned six and walked one. Marshall took the loss giving up nine hits.

Woods (W) and xxx
D.Marshall (L) and xxx

(August 16) Campbell River Athletics have taken a 2-0 game lead in the best-of-seven Comox League playoff final downing the pennant winning Courtenay Legion 6-2 and 8-5 in a series opening double-header. Baz Nagle was the star of the afternoon contest, limiting the Legion to three safeties while setting down 11 by strikeouts. Both Legion runs scored on passed balls. After Courtenay had taken a 1-0 lead, Athletics tied it in the fourth on Joe Kanik's run-scoring two-bagger and went ahead 3-1 in the fifth on an error and Nagle's long fly ball. After the Legion scored in their half of the fifth, Andy Telosky setup the fourth A's marker with a well-tagged three-bagger. Three Legion errors in the ninth led to another pair of runs.

In the second game, Campbell River scored five times in an wild, error-filled seventh inning and went on to the 8-5 triumph. Stan Dagneau gave up 11 hits and three walks but managed to go the distance for the win, besting Earl Woods who went down to defeat with a six-hitter. Charlie Boyd had a triple for the winners and Vic Burtt smacked one for the Legion.

Nagle (W) and xxx
McIvor (L) and xxx

Dagneau (W) and xxx
Woods (L) and xxx

(August 23) Baz Nagle continued his outstanding hurling in leading Campbell River Athletics to a 4-2 win in the first game of a playoff twin-bill at Lane Field but Legion rebounded to win the second game 8-7. Nagle fashioned his second straight three-hitter and whiffed 12 in his route-going performance. Charlie Boyd's two-run homer in the third proved to be the game winner. Nagle helped his own cause with a two-run double. The evening game saw Courtney faced with elimination, down three games to none in the series and trailing 2-1 after two innings. But, a big four-run third frame spelled the difference. Frank Bezanson singled in Ray Downey to tie the count at 2-2 and Junior Chalmers smacked one to bring in the go-ahead marker. Bill Moore's safety made it 4-2 and the Legion got another on an error. They added a singleton in the fourth to go ahead 6-2. The A's battled back to net a pair in the bottom of the fourth on Stan Dagneau's drive to right centre. Legion scored again in the fifth on a pair of errors for a 7-4 margin before the A's drew to within a run with two in the sixth. Another A's error led to a Legion run and an 8-6 lead in the top of the eighth. In the ninth John Haramboure lashed a triple for Campbell River and came home on Joe Kanik's hit to make it 8-7 with none out. Nagle sacrificed Kanik to second, Bill Fredericks drew a walk but Shorty McIvor got pinch-hitter Andy Telosky on a fly ball and fanned Bill Palek to end the game.

McIvor (L), Woods (3) and xxx
Nagle (W) and xxx

McIvor (W) and xxx
Walker (L), Dagneau (3), Nagle and xxx

(August 30) Campbell River Athletics are the 1953 Comox District Baseball League champions. Sammy Telosky's A's defeated Courtenay Legion 6-1 Sunday to take the best-of-seven final series in five games. Sturdy right-hander Baz Nag el fired a four-hitter, with 13 strikeouts, to post his third win of the playoff final. In the three wins Nagle allowed a total of ten hits while racking up 36 strikeouts. A's won Sunday's game on eight base knocks coupled with four costly Legion errors. The Athletics grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a botched defensive play trying to nab a runner between third and home. Legion got its only run in the second inning as Earl Woods singled and later came home on a bases loaded walk. In the fourth, Jack Cameron's Texas Leaguer brought in Johnny Haramboure who had reached on an error. Cameron knocked in another marker in the sixth to put the A's out front 4-1. Campbell River notched its final two runs in the eighth, Joe Kanik singled in one run and Cameron drove in his third of the day with a long fly ball.

Nagle (W) and xxx
Woods (L) and xxx

With the A's winning the first game, the second became an exhibition contest and the Legion pulled out a 7-4 victory behind the hurling of Shorty McIvor. The Athletics took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as McIvor had control troubles and walked in a run. Ty Conti stole home for the second marker. However, McIvor redeemed himself by punching out a single to bring in the tying runs and an outfield error led to two more. The A's came back to tie at 4-4 with Conti again stealing home. Legion burst forth with three in the top of the fifth to complete the scoring.

Ross, Pratt and xxx
McIvor (W) and xxx

(September 3) Johnny Haramboure of the Campbell River Athletics captured the batting crown in the Comox District League for 1953 with an outstanding mark of .447 in 76 at bats. Earl Woods of Courtenay Legion was close behind with a .436 average and Charlie Boyd of the A's finished third batting .425. Vern Ferguson of the Cougars, .400, and Frank Bezanson of Courtenay Legion, at .371, rounded out the top five.

(September 5-7) Courtenay Native Sons Labour Day Tournament

Comox Tigers captured top money of $400 over the weekend at the annual Courtenay Native Sons Labour Day Tournament. Tigers gained a 1-0 upset victory over the favoured Courtenay Legion in the final . Southpaw Ron Pratt held Legion to four scattered hits in hurling the shutout while Shorty McIvor lost with a one-hitter, his second in two days. A throwing error in the second inning allowed Gerry Montgomery to cross home plate with the game's only run. Montgomery reached with the Tigers only hit of the game and went to second on an error. Skip Montgomery's hard hit ball down the third base line was charged by Lou Coleman who made an outstanding pickup but then heaved the ball high over first base to allow the scoring play.

McIvor (L) and xxx
R.Pratt (W) and xxx

Courtenay had just finished pulling out a thrilling 5-4, 12-inning, victory over Campbell River Athletics. Winning hurler Earl Woods proved the hero with a single to drive in Dick Downey with the winning run.

Nagle (L) and xxx
Woods (W) and xxx

Comox had a scare in its semi-final falling behind Parksville 5-1 in the first inning. The Tigers managed a singleton in the third then broke the game wide open with a six run rally in the 8th on four hits and four Parksville errors. Gordon Pratt allowed just three hits after taking over with one out in the first inning and blanking the Loggers the rest of the way.

xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Kolybaba, G.Pratt (W) (1) and xxx

Campbell River Athletics had won a semi-final berth downing Victoria Eagles 7-3 behind Baz Nagle's three-hit pitching. The hard-throwing right-hander fanned ten in the six inning contest. Sammy Telosky's crew banged out eight hits, five for extra bases, off a pair of Eagles' hurlers. Andy Telosky had the big blow, a homer.

Nagle (W) and xxx
Donahue (L), Davies and Kubicek, xxx

Parksville Loggers trounced Cumberland Cubs 11-2 behind the five-hit pitching of Jack Charlesworth. The Loggers managed just seven his off Jack Murdock but Cumberland errors paved the way for the easy win.

Charlesworth (W) and xxx
Murdock (L) and xxx

Shorty McIvor allowed just one hit in blanking Victoria's powerful Farmer Construction 5-0. A third inning single by Bernie Anderson was the lone safety by the capital city crew. Courtenay Legion got all they needed in the third inning scoring three times on five consecutive hits off Farmer's ace Norm Forbes. The Vets added two more in the eighth on two walks, a single and an error.

Forbes (L) and xxx
McIvor (W) and xxx

In their opening match, Comox combined eight hits and four Nanaimo errors for an 8-4 win over the Sport Centre nine. Gordon Pratt went the distance for the pitching win.

Pratt (W) and xxx
Robinson (L), Webb and xxx

(September 7) Cumberland Labour Day Tournament Alberni copped top prize in the Cumberland Labour Day Tournament defeating Duncan Athletics 8-3. Duncan had reached the final by beating Victoria Skylark Cafe 15-2 and Paige Cleaners 5-0. Lyell Rodger picked up both wins for the Athletics. Tony Folk suffered the loss in the final.

1953 Mid-Island Senior Amateur Baseball League teams

Alberni Athletics
Chemainus Red Sox (dropped out in late July)
Duncan Athletics
Nanaimo Sport Centres
Parksville Loggers
Port Alberni Cubs

(May 3) Duncan Athletics successfully kicked off the new season with a double-header sweep of Red Dunn's Nanaimo entry, 9-8 and 10-6. After falling behind 4-2, Duncan took the lead with a four spot in the bottom of the second highlighted by a homer from Tony Folk and a three-bagger by Wally Thorne. Nanaimo rallied with four in the ninth on two hits, two errors and a walk before reliever Johnny Koppa got a pair of infield outs to end the game. In the second game, Duncan broke a 6-6 tie with a four-run seventh stanza on three hits and two walks for the 10-6 victory. Catcher Ralph Branting was the main man for the winners with five hits on the day while Doug Williams checked in with four hits and three runs. Red Naylor was best for Nanaimo with three hits.

Miles (L) , Biggs and Haslam
L.Rodger (W), Koppa (6) and Branting

Whitehead, Willgress (6), Biggs (L) (6) and Pausche, Haslam
Walton, Folk (W) (6) and Branting

(May 3) Parksville Loggers got off to a good start sweeping their season-opening twin-bill over Chemainus Red Sox.

(May 10) Alberni and the Sport Centres each walked away with a win in the double-bill at Nanaimo. The home club had an easy time in the first game trouncing Alberni 16-2 but the visitors came back to cop the evening event 10-6. Nanaimo managed just seven hits in the opener but took advantage of four Alberni errors and 12 walks. Alberni starter Don Rand issued four walks and yielded four runs in the opening stanza before turning over the mound work to Sweeney. Whitehead went eight strong innings for the winners allowing just six hits. A six-run third inning carried Alberni to the10-6 win in the second game. Doug Miles' towering home run well over the left field fence highlighted the big inning.

Rand (L), Sweeney (1) and xxx
Whitehead (W), Willgress (9) and xxx

Nesbitt (W) and xxx
Miles, Willgress and xxx

(May 10) The teams combined for 26 hits and 10 errors as Duncan trimmed Port Alberni 10-5 Sunday in the first game of a twin-bill at Port Alberni. The home club rebounded to take the evening contest 6-4. In the opener, Clive Walton had three hits and Ralph Branting cracked a triple and single to lead a 13-hit attack to support the complete game hurling of Johnny Koppa. Pederson, Olsen and Walters each collected three hits for the losers. In the second game, Port Alberni overcame six errors to score a pair in the bottom of the seventh for the win. Ivelich tossed a seven-hitter for the winners. Branting had three hits for Duncan, including another three-bagger. Bill Thomas also had a triple.

Koppa (W) and Banting
C.Olsen (L) and T.Powell

L.Rodger (L) and Branting
M.Ivelich (W) and T.Rooney

(May 10) Parksville Loggers disappointed the home fans Sunday in taking both games from the Red Sox at Chemainus 8-5 and 10-4. Catcher Pete Caljouw was outstanding in the first game leading the Loggers to the win with four hits, two runs and three batted in. He also stole home with the bases loaded. The Sox had a 3-0 lead until the fourth when Parksville went ahead with a four-run inning. They added three in the eighth and one in the ninth. In the second game, Loggers jumped into a 5-1 advantage and coasted to the easy triumph.

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

xxx and xxx
Roe (L) and xxx

(May 14) Newcomer Bobby Hobson fashioned a four-hit shutout Thursday to lead Duncan Athletics to a 4-0 win over Chemainus Red Sox. The right-hander fanned seven and issued three free passes. Alan Goldie took the loss, giving up seven hits.

Goldie (L) and xxx
Hobson (W) and xxx

(May 17) Duncan Athletics downed Chemainus 7-5 and 1-0 in their Sunday double-header at Athletic Park. Tony Folk who fired a four-hit, 10-inning, shutout in the second game, was the batting hero in the first game knocking in the winning run in the seventh inning. Red Sox had a 5-4 lead going into the last of the seventh when Russ Roe lost control. With two outs he gave up three walks and then hit a batter to bring in the tying marker. Al Goldie relieved Roe and promptly gave up a two-run single to Folk. The second game was a dandy pitching duel between Folk and Goldie until the Chemainus defense fell apart in the bottom of the tenth on three successive rollers to first sacker Gerry Brooks and Folk came scampering home with the winning run. Folk fanned ten and walked one, while Goldie gave up six hits and fanned three.

Roe (L), Goldie (7) and McEwan
Koppa (W) and Branting

Goldie (L) and Bertrand
Folk (W) and Branting

(May 17) Nanaimo and the Loggers split a Mid-Island Senior League pair at Parksville. The Sport Centres took the first game 10-2 then dropped the evening game 11-8. Bert Webb scattered seven hits and fanned 11 in a route-going effort in the opener for Nanaimo. The visitors jumped into a 5-0 lead in the second game before the Loggers got rolling and dumped Nanaimo 11-8.

Webb (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

(May 24) Nanaimo Sport Centres spotted Duncan a two-run lead in the top of the first inning Sunday at Caledonia Park then roared back to put nine runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning and coasted to a 12-5 decision.. A scheduled second game was rained out. Red Naylor had three hits to lead the winners. Bill Bracewell knocked in three runs with a bases-loaded double and also scored three times. Earl Robinson yielded seven hits and five walks in going the distance for the pitching win.

Rodger (L), Folk (1), Walton (2) and Branting
Robinson (W) and Haslam

(May 24) Chemainus captured its first win of the season Sunday downing Alberni 9-0. A seven-run fourth inning was key to the victory. A scheduled second game was called off because of rain.

(May 28) Helped by seven Chemainus errors, Duncan Athletics erupted for five runs in the eighth inning Thursday to hand the Red Sox another loss, 9-6. Starter Russ Roe had a 6-4 lead before giving up a single and walk to lead of the eighth. Al Goldie relieved but the rally continued with another walk, three errors and two singles. John Koppa picked up the pitching win in relief.

Roe (L), Goldie (L) (8) and McEwan
Hobson, Koppa (W) (7) and Branting

(May 31) Nanaimo Sport Centres and Port Alberni divided their Mid-Island Senior League double-header Sunday. Nanaimo took the first game 10-4 after spotting the home club a three-run advantage in the first inning. In the second game, Port Alberni took a big lead and coasted to an 8-3 victory. Bert Webb tossed a four-hitter for the win in the opener surviving the three-run opening stanza by Port Alberni. Pederson led off with a triple, Cvorich walked and Katrichak drove in both with another three-bagger and scored himself on a sacrifice fly. In the second inning, Nanaimo started its comeback as Mel Biggs drove in a pair and they added another two in the fourth to go in front for good. After the shaky start, Webb retired 22 consecutive batters. A triple by Cvorich provided the last Alberni marker. In the second game, 16-year-old George Willgress had a promising start for Nanaimo with three shutout innings, but Port Alberni took advantage of his lack of control to score three in the fourth. Willgress, who pitched into the sixth, allowed just three hits but walked seven.

Webb (W) and Haslam
Cvorich, Olsen (7) and Powell

Willgress (L), Whitehead (6), Robinson (7) and Pausche, Haslam
Olsen (W) and Powell

(May 31) Johnny Koppa picked up the pitching wins in both games Sunday as Duncan Athletics defeated the Alberni Athletics 7-6 and 11-8. They got the win in the first game in the bottom of the ninth with two out. Charlie Stroulger walked, Tony Folk singled and both scored on Ralph Branting's hit to centre. Alberni had been riding a 6-3 lead until Duncan plated a pair in the eighth, then won it in the final frame.

With near perfect baseball weather, the best crowd of the season turned out for the evening tussle. Although out-hit by the visitors, Duncan went ahead in the first two innings and stayed there. Don Marshall, a big right-hander had trouble with his control and his support was ragged in spots. A four-run eighth inning on three hits, two errors and a wild pitch, proved to be the difference for Duncan.

Nesbitt (L) and xxx
Cessford, Walton (8), Koppa (W) (9) and xxx

Marshall (L) and xxx
Koppa (W) and xxx

(May 31) Parksville Loggers made it look easy in taking both ends of Sunday's twin-bill from Chemainus Red Sox who have lost ten of their eleven league games. It was 7-3 in the first game as Danny Murphy, Parksville's big first sacker got the team rolling with a second inning homer. Del Bertrand had a four-bagger for the Red Sox. In the second game Jack Mosdell cruised to the pitching win after the Loggers scored six times in the first inning and added two more in the second.

Goldie (L) and Bertrand
Anderson, Prior (W) (3) and Caljouw

Roe (L), Verchere (2) and McEwan, Bertrand (6)
Mosdell (W) and Caljouw

(June 3) Earl Robinson fashioned a neat two-hitter Wednesday as Nanaimo blanked Parksville 6-0. It was Robinson's second shutout of the season. The game was scoreless until the sixth when Red Naylor drove in two runs and Robinson hit a long fly ball to bring in Bill Bracewell. In the eighth, Naylor and Marty Martin singled and combined with a brace of bobbles, Nanaimo had three more runs. Lefty Jack Charlesworth allowed just four hits in taking the loss.

Charlesworth (L) and Caljouw
Robinson (W) and Haslam

(June 4) Duncan punched out 11 hits Thursday in downing Chemainus 6-2. Ralph Branting batted in two runs with a double and single and winning hurler Lyell Rodger also knocked in a pair. It was Rodger's first complete game of the season.

L.Rodger (W) and Branting
Verchere (L) and Bertrand

(June 10) Newcomer Ron Gibbons had quite the start for Nanaimo as the Sport Centres whipped Parksville 14-5 on Wednesday at Parksville. Entering the game in the fifth inning, Gibbons proceeded to smack a single, double and triple in three trips to the plate. A seven-run fifth inning sealed the deal for the Centres. Bert Webb fanned ten and allowed seven hits in his complete game victory.

Webb (W) and Haslam
Mosdell (L), Charlesworth (6) and Caljouw

(June 11) With five runs in the third inning on four doubles and a single Duncan Athletics downed Chemainus 8-4 Thursday at Athletic Park. The Red Sox drove Clive Walton from the hill in the first inning when they took a 2-0 lead but the A's had too much offense for the hapless Sox. Tony Folk picked up the win in relief.

Goldie (L) and McEwan
Walton, Folk (W) (1), Koppa (5) and Branting

(June 14) In a pair of slugfests, Duncan and Alberni each scored a win in Sunday's double-header. The games produced a total of 39 runs, 45 hits and 19 errors. Duncan took the first game 6-1 and Alberni got revenge in a big way with a 20-12 victory in the second game. The first game was a tight 2-1 battle until the top of the ninth when Duncan took advantage of Alberni errors to score four unearned runs. Lyell Rodger was touched for ten hits but was tough when needed and went all the way for the win. Clive Walton, in right field, led the winners with three hits. Ed Miskiman had a triple and single. Kimmel had three hits for Alberni. First baseman Doug Miles put on a batting show in the second game driving in seven runs with two homers, a single and three runs scored. David Williamson, second sacker, pounded out four hits and centre fielder Rumney had three. Alberni knocked out a total of 15 hits off four Duncan hurlers. Lyall Cornett led Duncan with three hits and four runs batted in.

Rodger (W) and Branting
Nesbitt (L) and Pezel

Folk, Walton, Rodger (L), Cornett (8) and Branting
Marshall, Rand (1), Stoltz (W) (2) and Crowder

(June 14) Nanaimo's double-header sweep of Chemainus Sunday featured a no-hitter by Earl Robinson as the Sport Centres took the evening game 9-0 after a 10-6 win in the first. Robinson was a one-man band in the second game as he faced just 29 batters, two of them hit by pitches. He fanned 17 and had six assists on ground balls hit to the mound. Nanaimo collected eight hits off Alan Goldie. Red Naylor powered a 12-hit attack in the first game with a single, two doubles and a triple, knocking in four runs and scoring three.

Webb (W), xxx and xxx
Roe, Verchere and xxx

Robinson (W) and Haslam
Goldie (L) and McQuarran

Duncan        11 - 3
Parksville      9 - 4 1.5
Nanaimo         9 - 6 2.5
Alberni         9 - 6 2.5
Port Alberni    3 - 10 7.5
Chemainus     1 - 11 9.0

(June 17) In a game washed out after 4 1/2 innings, Nanaimo posted an easy 8-1 victory over Parksville. A five-run first inning was all the Sport Centres needed. Mel Biggs went four frames for the win.

Prior (L), Mosdell (2) and Caljouw
Biggs (W), Willgress (5) and Haslam

(June 21) The leaders in the Comox District League, the Campbell River Athletics, dropped a 4-3, 10-inning, decision to the Sport Centres in an exhibition game at Nanaimo Sunday. The visiting Rivermen took a three-run bulge in the third inning but the home club battled back with a pair in the fifth and one in the sixth to tie at 3-3. In the tenth, Marty Martin and Ed Senini worked Thulin for free passes and, after a sacrifice advanced the runners, 17-year-old backstop Bill Haslam delivered with a full count and two out. He lashed a drive to left-centre to drive in the winning run. Don Smith, who relieved in the third, allowed just two hits the rest of the way.

Thulin (L) and MacDonald
Willgress, Smith (W) (4) and Haslam

(July 1) Victoria Eagles captured a 7-4 victory from Duncan Athletics in a Canada Day exhibition match at Duncan. A three-run third inning for the Eagles provided the margin of victory.

xxx and xxx
Walton (L), Rodger (3) and xxx

(July 5) Nanaimo and Port Alberni divided the spoils of their Sunday twin-bill with the Sports Centres taking the first game 4-2 and the visitors rebounding to win the second game 7-6 at Caledonia Park. The Port nine jumped into a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning but that's all they would get as Bert Webb settled down to pitch shutout ball the rest of the way. He allowed just four hits. Nanaimo got one back in the bottom of the first then notched three in the sixth for the win. Port Alberni was out-hit 11-4 in the second game but still managed to walk away with the 7-6 triumph besting Don Smith. Bill Haslam and Ed Senini, both of Nanaimo, led the hitters with three hits apiece. Haslam had a single, double and triple.

Olsen (L) and Peterson
Webb (W) and Haslam

Rooney (W) and Peterson
Smith (L) and Haslam

(July 5) Duncan Athletics squeezed out a pair of 6-5 wins over Parksville. The first went 11 innings before the A's pushed across the winner as Dan Hughes singled to bring in Bill Thomas, who had walked. Lyell Rodger picked up the win in relief of starter Tony Folk. In the evening game, it was the other way around with Folk the winning pitcher for a three-hit effort over six innings in relief of Rodger. Rodger scored the winner in the bottom of the ninth inning as Doug Williams came through with a long drive with the bases loaded.

Charlesworth, xxx (L) and xxx
Folk, Rodger (W) and xxx

Charlesworth, Mosdell (L) (7) and Calijouw
Rodger, Folk (W) (4) and Branting

(July 8) 16-year-old George Willgress tossed eight strong innings Wednesday at the Caledonia Grounds as Nanaimo edged Parksville 5-4. The 200-pound lefty needed relief help from Don Smith in the eighth when the Loggers rallied for three runs. The pair held the visitors to four hits.

Mosdell (L) and Calijouw
Willgress (W), Smith (8) and Haslam

(July 12) Duncan Athletics unleashed a 17-hit assault Sunday to crush Alberni 20-4 in the first game of a scheduled double-header. Rain forced postponement of the second contest. Winning hurler Lyell Rodger knocked in three runs and scored three while third sacker Wally Thorne added three hits, three runs and three runs batted in. First basemen Tony Folk contributed three singles and two runs batted in. Thorne and Pete Williams each smacked a three-bagger. Rodger allowed seven hits, struck out 11 and walked four. All four runs against him were unearned as the winners booted the ball eight times. Olsen and Rooney of Alberni compounded their troubles by issuing 11 free passes and the Alberni fielders made ten errors.

Olsen (L), Rooney and Kendrick
Rodger (W) and Branting

(July 15) A nine-run explosion in the fourth inning was part of a powerful offensive display by Nanaimo Wednesday as the Sport Centres trounced the Loggers 14-5 at Parksville. Mario Negrin, Don Gilmore and Bill Bracewell each smacked three hits in the victory. Bert Webb went six innings for the win.

Webb, Smith (6) and Haslam
Prior, Grey (4), Sweeney (6) and Calijouw

(July 15) Chemainus announced its withdrawal from the league due to financial difficulties.

(July 19) In exhibition ball at Athletic Park Sunday, Duncan downed the Victoria Eagles 6-4 in the first of two but the Victoria squad got revenge in the evening encounter with a 16-7 triumph. Clive Walton was a hero in the opener as the left-hander came to the rescue in the top of the ninth with the bases jammed, none out and the dangerous Ed Sheppard at the plate. Walton got Sheppard to tap to the mound, threw home to catcher Ralph Branting for the force at home and the throw to first completed a double play. Walton then got Ken Mitchell to fly to left to end the game. Athletics rapped 14 hits, three by Branting. Gerry Brooks knocked in three runs with a pair of hits. Denny McGee collected three safeties and drove in a pair for Victoria.

Duncan got off to a good start in the second game sending Eagles' starter Stan Christenson to the showers in the first inning as Lyell Rodger, Pete Williams and Ed Miskiman all got hits in the two-run stanza. But Victoria turned on the jets and pounded three Duncan hurlers for 21 hits and capitalized on seven walks and five Duncan errors in the 16-7 thrashing. Lyall Cornett led the winners driving in four runs with four singles. Winning pitcher Tom Foster produced three hits and three runs and Catcher Al Kubicek contributed three hits and two runs. Infielder Ron Karadimas punched out a double and single, drove in two and scored three times.

Ramsey (L) and Savory, McGee
Goldie (W) Rodger (9), Walton (9) and Branting

Christenson, Foster (W) (1) and Kubicek
Walton (L) , Rodger (6), Goldie (7) and Branting

Duncan        18 - 4
Nanaimo        15 - 7 3.0
Alberni        17 - 9 3.0
Parksville     12 - 12 7.0
Port Alberni   12 - 14 8.0

(July 26) Parksville Loggers defeated Duncan over the weekend at Parksville to place them as fourth seed in the playoffs to meet Alberni in semi-final action next Sunday.

(July 26) The visiting Nanaimo Sport Centres split Sunday's twin-bill at Alberni losing the opener 9-4 but taking the second game 12-6. The results assured Nanaimo of a second berth in the playoffs and a date with fifth-place Port Alberni in the semi-finals. In the first game, Alberni took advantage of Nanaimo miscues to plate eight of their runs in two innings to runaway with the victory. Mel Nesbitt was tagged for 13 hits but went the route for the win. Nanaimo broke a 6-6 draw with four runs in the seventh and added two more in the ninth to take the evening game, 12-6. Earl Robinson scattered nine hits for the pitching win.

Webb (L) and Haslam
Nesbitt (W) and Phillips

Robinson (W) and Haslam
Osada, Marshall and Miles

(July 30) The league decided to begin the playoffs on Sunday with Duncan receiving a bye for taking first spot and the McBride Trophy. Also, at the meeting of league officials, an attempt was made by Duncan to secure the services of four Chemainus players who are now idle. Though the meeting agreed that when the Chemainus team disbanded all the players were made free agents, a majority of teams voted against them playing for Duncan. The players involved are Alan Goldie, the Brooks brothers and Proteau.

Tony Folk, the Duncan manager, says the club is to defy the Mid-Island League and play the four Chemainus players it has signed up for the playoffs. Parksville has requested permission to sign another pitcher for the playoffs after right-hander Jack Mosdell left to join Pocatello of the Pioneer League.

xxx and xxx
Goldie (L) and xxx

xxxx
L.Rodger (L) and Branting, W.Thorne

Duncan        18 - 6
Nanaimo        16 - 8 2.0
Alberni        18 - 11 2.5
Parksville     14 - 12 5.0
Port Alberni   13 - 14 6.5

PLAYOFFS

(August 2) Nanaimo is just a win away from moving into the finals of the Mid-Island Senior League playoffs. The Sport Centres whipped Port Alberni 8-0 and 10-4 in Sunday's double-header. Bert Webb held the visitors to just two hits in firing the shutout and Earl Robinson hurled eight outstanding innings in relief as the Sport Centres came from behind to win the second game. A six-run third inning wiped out a 3-0 Port Alberni lead and the Centres coasted to the win.

Peterson (L) and Powell
Webb (W) and Haslam

Olsen (L) and Powell, Rooney (6)
Smith, Robinson (W) (2) and Naylor, Haslam (8)

(August 2) Parksville and Alberni divided their playoff double-bill.

(August 9) The Duncan Athletics warmed up for the playoffs hosting a twin-bill with the Victoria Eagles and taking both games, 13-6 and 7-6. In the evening game, the A's rallied with three runs in the ninth inning for the win. The afternoon contest featured 25 hits, including a pair of homers by the Eagle's Lyall Cornett.

xxx and xxx
Goldie (W) and xxx

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

(August 9) In a thriller at Port Alberni, Nanaimo came from behind a 2-1 disadvantage in the ninth with three runs to edge the home squad 5-3 in the deciding game of the best-of-three semi-final. Mario Negrin launched the rally with a double and Marty Martin tied the game with a three-bagger. Bert Webb was hit by a pitch and Bill Bracewell smacked a triple for the winning run. Port got one back in the bottom of the ninth but fell short.

The second game became an exhibition contest and Sport Centres won that one too, 9-7.

Webb (W) and Haslam
Pederson (L) and Rooney

Robinson, Biggs and Hindmarch
xxx and xxx

(August 9) Parksville Loggers took both games from Alberni to win their series in four games. In a draw, the Loggers won a bye to the final against the winner of Nanaimo & Duncan.

(August 16) Gerry Brooks and Clive Walton were the heroes for Duncan Sunday as the Athletics took the first game of a playoff double-header 7-6. Nanaimo rebounded to win the evening game 9-6. In the opener, Brooks boomed out a two-run double in the eighth inning to bring in the winning run. Walton relieved starter Lyell Rodger in the sixth inning and blanked the Sport Centres the rest of the way to pick up the win. The heated contest resulted in the ejections of Lyall Cornett and Earl Robinson as they got into a pushing match after a close play at second base.

Nanaimo exploded for five runs in the fourth inning and held on to down the A's 9-6 in the second encounter. Duncan made nine errors, five by Doug Williams, to cost them the game. In the big fourth frame, Mario Negrin punched in a pair of runs with a triple and Bob Hindmarch followed with a home run. Singles by Don Gilmore and Bill Bracewell produced another marker. Duncan threatened in the sixth with runners on second and third with none out but Earl Robinson fanned the side to squelch the uprising.

Webb (L) and Hindmarch
Rodger, Walton (W) (7) and Branting

Robinson (W) and Hindmarch
Goldie (L), Folk (4) and Branting

(August 23) Duncan and Nanaimo again split their playoff double-header to force a fifth and deciding game in the best-of-five series. Athletics won 3-0 in the afternoon and the Hub city crew took the nightcap 6-3. Lyell Rodger tossed a four-hit shutout in the first game as the A's got to Bert Webb for all three runs in the seventh inning. Charlie Stroulger led off with a single and came around to score on an error. Gerry Brooks blasted one down the third base line to score a pair. Duncan out-hit Nanaimo 11 to 4 in the second game but seven free passes and five errors allowed the Sport Centres to walk away with the win.

Rodger (W) and Branting
Webb (L) and Hindmarch

Folk (L) and Branting
Robinson (W) and Hindmarch

(August 29) After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first stanza, Duncan Athletics roared back with five runs in their half of the inning and cruised to a 6-2 win over Nanaimo in the deciding game of the best-of-five series. Catcher Ralph Branting punched out three hits to lead the winners and Doug Williams added two hits and two runs. Lyell Rodger pitched shutout ball after the first frame, allowing just four hits to register the pitching win.

Webb (L), Robinson (1) and Hindmarch
Rodger (W) and Branting

(August 30) Duncan Athletics fell behind 9-0 Sunday before making an incredible comeback to shade Parksville 10-9 in ten innings in the opening game of the best of five Mid-Island final series. A's also took the second game, 6-1. The Loggers tagged Alan Goldie for two runs in the first inning of the opening game, added another pair in the second, one in the third and four more in the fourth to set the A's back on their heels. But, not for long. A fourth inning rally brought in six runs and they added singletons in the sixth, seventh and the bottom of the ninth to tie at 9-9. In the ninth Ed Miskiman's sharp single brought in Doug Williams to send the game to overtime. In the tenth, Joe Gergel reached with a single and advanced all the way to third on Al Goldie's sacrifice. With two out, Gerry Brooks smashed one to left field to bring in the winner. In the evening, Duncan wrapped it up in a hurry with a six-run explosion in the bottom of the initial stanza. Tony Folk pitched seven shutout innings before yielding a singleton in the eighth. He finished with a five-hitter while Duncan slammed 11 hits. Gerry Brooks, hero of the first game, led the winners with three hits in the second.

Charlesworth (L), Mosdell, Prior and Calijouw
Goldie (W) and Branting, Stroulger (4)

Charlesworth (L). and Calijouw
Folk (W) and Branting

September 5-7) Courtenay Native Sons Labour Day Tournament

McIvor (L) and xxx
R.Pratt (W) and xxx

Nagle (L) and xxx
Woods (W) and xxx

xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Kolybaba, G.Pratt (W) (1) and xxx

Nagle (W) and xxx
Donahue (L), Davies and Kubicek, xxx

Charlesworth (W) and xxx
Murdock (L) and xxx

Forbes (L) and xxx
McIvor (W) and xxx

In their opening match, Comox combined eight hits and four Nanaimo errors for an 8-4 win over the Sport Centre nine. Gordon Pratt went the distance for the pitching win.

Pratt (W) and xxx
Robinson (L), Webb and xxx

(September 13) Duncan Athletics captured their third straight Mid-Island baseball championship Sunday defeating Parksville Loggers 7-3 to take the best of five series in three straight games. Loggers took an early 2-0 lead, let Duncan tie with two runs in the top of the third then went ahead again with a run in the third, But that was the end of the scoring for the Loggers and the A's took over plating two in the seventh as Charlie Stroulger doubled in Gerry Brooks and Doug Williams and added three in the eighth for the win. Joe Gergel, Lyall Cornett and Lyell Rodger romped home with the eighth inning markers. Brooks and Williams led a 13-hit Duncan attack with three apiece. Rodger settled down after the initial Loggers' offensive to pitch six innings of shutout ball. He yielded just three hits.

The teams played an exhibition game in the evening with Duncan again prevailing, 9-2 with 11 hits against Bobby Prior. Alan Goldie held the Loggers to seven hits while helping the offense with a pair of hits. Ralph Branting also had two. Danny Murray smacked a homer and single for Parksville.

Rodger (W) and Branting
Charlesworth (L) and Calijouw

Goldie (W) and Branting
Prior (L) and Gray