1954 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1954 BC Interior
1954 Vancouver Island
OKANAGAN MAINLINE LEAGUE
All six teams from the 1953 OMBL returned to participate in 1954 play and were joined by a seventh entry, the Princeton Royals who moved over from the BC Interior League.
(April 19) Oliver Elks made a successful home debut Easter Monday defeating Kelowna Orioles 5-1. Oliver's Bob Radies and Kelowna's Les Hickson engaged in a tight pitcher's duel until the eighth when the Elks broke up a 1-1 draw with four runs. Radies ended up with a sparkling one-hitter. Hickson allowed just five.
Hickson (L) and xxx
Radies (W) and xxx
(April 20) Bob McKinnon was in control all the way with a six-hitter to lead Kamloops Okonots to a 3-1 triumph over Summerland Macs. Centre fielder Bob Saklofsky smacked a triple and two singles for the winners and Frank Rota added a double and single. Shortstop Al Hooker had three singles for the Macs.
B.McKinnon (W) and Slater
Gould (L), Eyre (5) and B.Weitzel
(April 25) Kamloops Okonots delighted the home fans at Riverside Park winning their home opener of the Okanagan Mainline League 5-2 over Penticton Athletics. Third sacker Ron Evenson gave Kamloops a second inning lead driving one over the right field fence with Billy MacDonald aboard with a double. In the fourth, Okonots playing manager John Brkich walked the bases full before left fielder Elmer Mori tied the game with a sharp single. Kamloops regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Evenson brought in Buck Buchanan with a drive to centre. The home club added a pair in the eighth on three hits and a walk. MacDonald led a 13-hit Kamloops attack with two doubles and a single.
Jordan (L), Bowsfield (8) and S.Drossos
Brkich (W), B.McKinnon (6) and Slater
(April 25) In other OMBL action, Vernon blew an 8-0 first inning lead but rebounded and pushed in a run in the ninth to edge Summerland 10-9 with a 17-hit offensive. Playing-manager Vern Dye scored the winner leading off the bottom of the ninth with an infield hit, advancing on an error and stealing third. He came home when catcher Bob Weitzel threw wildly trying to nail Dye at third. Tony Spelay and Bill Petruk led the Canadians' attack each with three hits. Hap Schaefer threw two pitches to get the win. He came into the game in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded, three runs in and one out. Billy Eyre slapped Schaefer's first pitch to shortstop Tony Spelay who threw home to catch Weitzel at the plate. Don Cristante flied to right on his second pitch to end the inning.
G.Eyre, Cristante (W), Gould (L) (8) and R.Weitzel
Dye, W.Spelay (8), Schaefer (9) and Petruk
(April 25) The Kelowna Orioles spoiled the debut of the Princeton Royals in the Okanagan Mainline League by taking a 6 to 4 decision in the Regatta city. Kelowna’s Bobby Campbell, who took over mound chores in the eighth frame with the score tied 4 – 4, earned the pitching win. The Orioles held a ten to four advantage in base hits garnered. Tony Brummet, league batting champion last season with Vernon, smacked a double and two singles for the Birds.
Hay (L) and xxx
Hickson, Smeeth (7), Campbell (W) (8) and xxx
(May 2) Even with ace starter Ted Bowsfield offering a below par effort, Penticton A's trounced Princeton 10-3. The left-hander pitched into the sixth inning, giving up two of the Royals' runs, with seven strikeouts and four walks. Jack Beale took the loss. Lloyd Burgart belted Princeton's first homer of the season connecting in the ninth inning.
Bowsfield (W), Jordan (6) and xxx
Beale (L), Hay (6) and xxx
(May 2) Kelowna Orioles stock took a boost and Vernon's took a jolt when classy first baseman Red Graff decided to join the Orioles. Graff joins Vernon's other kingpin of 1953, catcher Tony Brummet, with Rudy Kritsch's gang.
(May 2) Trailing 5-2, Vernon Canadians rallied for six runs in the fifth inning to down Oliver Elks 8-6 to gain a split of the double-header. Three infield errors and a passed ball helped do the damage with the Canadians getting just three hits in the rally. Les Schaefer, a recruit from Kelowna and Hap's brother, survived several tight spots to go the distance for the victory. Only two of the Elks' runs were earned with four passed balls and two errors figuring prominently in the scoring. Wally Janicki connect for Vernon's first homer of the season with Ray Adams aboard in the first inning.
Radies (L), Schneider (5) and L.Bay
Schaefer (W) and Walters, V.Dye (8)
Oliver took the first game 6-1 behind a five-hitter by veteran Harold Cousins. He was robbed of a shutout by an error in the sixth inning. Fritz belted a homer for the Elks.
Cousins (W) and L.Bay
G.Dye (L) and V.Dye
(May 2) Don Slater's single drove in Len Fowles in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Kamloops Okonots an 11-10 victory over Kelowna Orioles in a wild one at Riverside Park. The lead changed hands six times as the teams combined for 29 hits and eight errors. Down 10-7 in the 8th, Kelowna scored three to tie. Bob Saklofsky had three hits and three runs scored for the winners. Slater knocked in five runs with three singles. Bob Campbell and Joe Connors each had three safeties for the Orioles.
C.Johansen, Campbell (L) (2) and Brummet
McKinnon, Brkich (W) (4) and Slater
Young Bob Campbell of Kelowna is the early batting leader in the OMBL. In games up to and including May 2nd, Campbell sports a .500 average in 10 at bats. Teammate Joe Connors is tied with Al Hooker of Summerland for second at .454. Bob Saklofsky of Kamloops sits at an even .400.
(May 9) Ted Bowsfield shutout Kamloops Okonots on four hits Sunday as Penticton posted a 7-0 victory. The Athletics tagged Kamloops starter Bob McKinnon for 12 safeties, three by right fielder Jerry Barber who crushed a homer, triple and single in four trips to the plate.
McKinnon (L) and Slater
Bowsfield (W) and S.Drossos
(May 9) Two home runs by catcher Tony Brummet sparked the Kelowna Orioles to a 7 to 2 victory over the Princeton Royals in Sunday OMBL play. Don Hickson of ther Birds was the complete game pitching winner. Royals’ outfielder Beale belted a four-bagger in a losing cause.
xxx (L) and xxx
Hickson (W) and Brummet
(May 9) Oliver handed Summerland Macs their third straight setback, winning 9-5 taking advantage of ten free passes issued by the two Summerland hurlers, Francis Gould and Bill Eyre. Tied 4-4, Oliver exploded for five runs in the 8th inning to secure the win. Weeks knocked in a pair in the big inning with a triple and winning pitcher Richie Schnider doubled home two more. Loren Bay drove in three for the winners. Losing chucker Bill Eyre led the Macs' at the plate with three hits, one a three-bagger.
Gould, Eyre (L) (1), Hooker, Seigrist and B.Weitzel
Radies, Snyder (W) (6), Sibson (9) and Leask
(May 16) Kamloops Okonots maintained their hold on first place trouncing the Orioles 9-2 at Kelowna. Johnny Brkich fired a four-hitter for the win.The home club took a 2-0 lead after two innings but the Okonots rang up three runs in the fourth and another three in the fifth and coasted to the win. Ron Evenson had the big blow for Kamloops, a three run homer.
Brkich (W) and xxx
Ingram (L), Kielbiski, Hickson, Campbell and xxx
(May 16) Penticton rallied from a 7-4 deficit with five runs in the ninth inning to dump Oliver 9-7 to hang on to second place in the league standings. Mori led off the final frame with an infield single and advanced as pinch-hitter Aubrey Powell was safe on an error. Joe Postnikoff got a bad-hop single knocking in Mori. Sam Drossos smacked a double for for another marker and Lloyd Burhart drove in another pair with a single. The fifth run came home on an error on Charlie Preen's drive. Ted Bowsfield picked up the win in relief of starter Larry Jordan. Sam Drossos paced an 11-hit Penticton attack with two doubles and two singles.
Jordan, Bowsfield (W) (6) and S.Drossos
Snyder, Cousins (L) (7), Radies (9) and Leask
(May 16) Summerland Macs pounded out 14 hits Sunday while Bill Eyre hurled a five-hitter for the Macs in a 10-2 decision over Vernon Canadians. Shortstop Al Hooker drove in four runs with with four hits to lead the winners. George Dye was the starter and loser for Vernon, giving way to newcomer Kuts Hayashi in the fourth inning.
G.Dye (L), Hayashi (4), L.Schaefer (8) and V.Dye
Eyre (W) and R.Weitzel
W L GB
Kamloops 4 1
Penticton 3 1 0.5
Oliver 3 2 1.0
Vernon 2 2 1.5
Kelowna 2 3 1.0
Summerland 1 3 2.5
Princeton
0 3 3.0
(May 23) At Riverside Park Sunday, the Okonots and Oliver split a twin-bill with the home club winning 11-6 before dropping a 5-1 decision in the second game. Kamloops fell behind 6-0 in the first game before rallying with five runs in the second inning and four in the 6th en route to the win. Len Gatin picked up the pitching win in relief. Ron Evenson led a 13-hit assault with three safeties. Bill Sibson belted a homer for Oliver.
Radies, xxx and xxx
McKinnon,
Brkich (2), Gatin (6) and xxx
Veteran right-hander Richie Schnider quieted the Kamloops bats in the second game going the distance with a seven-hitter and holding the Okonots to a lone tally in the 5-1 Oliver victory. Mickey Martino singled and scored in the first inning for the Elks and scored again in the 5th after reaching on an error. Brother Bill Martino drove in an insurance run in the 6th.
Snyder (W) and xxx
Andreas, Gatin, McKinnon and xxx
(May 23) Kelowna Orioles unloaded a 15-hit barrage on three Vernon hurlers Sunday to roll to a 10-2 win. Bobby Campbell, the 1953 Rookie of the Year, paced the winners with four hits in five trips while shortstop Joe Connors added three safeties. Tony Brummet hammered a two-run homer, his third of the season. Wally Janicki smacked three hits, including his second circuit clout of the summer. Janicki leaves shortly for Rochester, New York for a 10-day course with the Eastman company. Catcher Wally Keckalo got into the lineup for Vernon for the first time after a training injury to collect three hits. Johnny Ingram pitched steady ball for the winners holding Vernon to eight hits.
Ingram (W) and Brummet
G.Dye (L), Hayashi (4), Jackson (7) and Keckalo
(May 23) Princeton defeated Summerland.
(May 29) Penticton Athletics found it easier than expected up against the highly touted Haney Athletics from the lower mainland in an exhibition match at Penticton. The Okanagan Athletics topped the Vancouver area Athletics 5-1 as ace lefty Ted Bowsfield fired a four-hitter to best Baz Nagle who yielded just five. Bowsfield also knocked in what proved to be the winning run driving in Elmer Mori in the second inning. Penticton appeared to be in for a rough night as Bowsfield walked the first batter who then stole second and went to third on an overthrow. Bowsfield then fanned the next nine batters. Haney threatened again in the fifth as Al Dahl singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error. However catcher Sam Drossos picked off Dahl and Bowsfield struck out the next two to end the inning. The visitors got their run in the sixth inning as Larry Walker reached on an error and scored on a long double by Nelson Carr.
Nagle (L) and Wishlowe
Bowsfield (W) and Drossos
(May 30) Big Bob Paetch survived control problems to go the distance with a five-hitter to pace Kamloops Okonots past Summerland Macs 8-1 at Riverside Park. The bespectacled hurler gave up six free passes but had a shutout until the ninth inning when Macs' catcher Bob Weitzel stole home with the only Summerland marker. Bob Saklofsky had a huge day with three singles and a booming home run. He scored three runs and drove in two more. Billy MacDonald also had a four-bagger.
Eyres (L), Christante (8) and B.Weitzel
Paetch (W) and Salter
Kamloops Okonots announced the acquisition of two more players, Ken Nichol an infielder/outfielder from Trail and catcher Chick Ling, the former Larson Air Field star, who just finished a four-game stint with Yakima of the Western International League.
(May 30) Vernon Canadians suffered their third straight shellacking, this time a 16-3 thumping by Penticton Athletics in the Peach City. Athletics scored seven times in the first inning and coasted to the easy win with a 12-hit attack while Wendel Clifton, who belted a three-run homer in the first inning explosion, fired a six-hitter for the win. He fanned 13. Sam Drossos smacked a triple and single scoring three times. Barry Ashley clouted a pair of two-baggers while Aubrey Powell added a double and single. Kuts Hayashi had two hits for Vernon.
Schaefer (L), G.Dye (1), Hayashi (6), V.Dye (8) and Keckalo
Clifton (W). Jordan (7) and Powell
(May 30) Oliver OBC's jumped into an early lead but had to hold off a seventh inning rally by Princeton to come away with a 10-9 decision over the Royals who out-hit the winners 13 to 8. Royals also had the only homer, a three-run shut by Ciccone in the third. After Princeton had taken a 3-2 margin in the top of the third, OBC's rebounded with five big runs in the bottom of the frame and stayed in the lead the rest of the way. Oliver combined a double, a single, two errors, three walks, two wild pitches and a passed ball for the five markers. Don Coy and Mickey Martino led the winners each with two hits. Richie Schnider went all the way for the pitching win.
Hay (L). Beale (3) and Richardson
Snyder (W) and Radies
W L GB
Kamloops 6 2
Penticton 4 1 0.5
Oliver 5 3 1.0
Kelowna 3 3 2.0
Vernon 2 4 3.0
Princeton 1 4 3.5
Summerland 1 5 4.0
(June 2) Bobby Campbell slugged a homer and three singles and Tony Brummet had three hits as Kelowna Orioles crushed Vernon 12-2 at Kelowna. Tom Stecyk collect two hits, one a long drive that fell just inches short of a homer, in his first game for the Canadians.
I.Jackson (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
(June 6) In a game that ended in fisticuffs, Oliver OBC's defeated Penticton 6-2. The Athletics' Doug Moore set the stage for the ninth inning explosion by getting tossed in the first for vigorously protesting a call. Players from both teams came out swinging in the ninth as a Penticton protest escalated. Oliver broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the fifth inning. Bob Radies tossed an eight-hitter for the win while Ted Bowsfield who allowed just four hits took the loss. Bowsfield walked five and hit a batter. Lloyd Burgart of the Athletics belted the only homer.
Radies (W) and xxx
Bowsfield (L) and xxx
(June 6) Summerland at Vernon ?
(June 9) Kamloops used two big innings to whip Vernon 12-6. The Okonots took the lead with a four-run uprising in the third inning, highlighted by Chick Ling's three-run homer, then salted away the win with a seven-run outburst in the 7th as Ron Evenson cracked a bases-loaded double. Each team had ten hits but Vernon committed five errors. The Schaefer brothers, Hap and Les, were the big offensive force for the Canadians, each with three hits.
Andreas (W), Gatin (7) and Ling
G.Dye (L), Jackson (7) and V.Dye
Two Penticton players have been suspended because of an attack on base umpire E.T. Bastian on June 6th at Oliver. Coach Sam Drossos and Lloyd Burgart will sit out Sunday's game with Kamloops plus two further contests.
(June 13) Sunday was Ted Bowsfield Day in Penticton and the young left-hander who recently signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox did not disappoint the home crowd with a sizzling six-hitter and the game-winning hit in a 4-3 victory over Kamloops. With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Bowsfield lashed a two-bagger to plate Elmer Mori with the deciding marker. On the hill, Bowsfield fanned 14.
Brkich (L) and Ling
Bowsfield (W) and Drossos
W L GB
Penticton 6 2
Kamloops 7 3
Kelowna 7 3
Oliver 6 5 1.5
Princeton
2 5 3.5
Vernon 2 6 4.0
Summerland 1 7 5.0
In league statistics up to and including games of June 13, Tony Brummet of Kelowna topped the hitters with a .452 average in 42 at bats edging teammate Bob Campbell at .450. Don Salter of Kamloops, with a .378 mark, was third just ahead of Ted Bowsfield of Penticton at .368. Sam Drossos of Penticton rounded out the top five, sitting at .367. Campbell was tops in runs, 12, and Brummet has the lead in hits, 19, runs batted in, 19, and home runs, 45.
Bowsfield is well ahead of the field in the pitching statistics with five wins in six decisions and 51 strikeouts in just 44 innings pitched. He sports an earned run average of 1.83. Richie Schnider of Oliver has a 3-0 record, Johnny Brkich of Kamloops and John Ingram of Kelowna have each won three and lost one.
June 14) Cece Favell’s bases-loaded single in the seventh inning provided the Kelowna Orioles with a hard-fought 3 to 0 win over the visiting Oliver nine in a game played at Elks Stadium. With the victory, the Birds took over third place in the Okanagan Mainline circuit. Johnny Ingram copped the hurling triumph with a six-hitter, whiffing four along the way.
Radies (L) and xxx
Ingram (W) and xxx
(June 20) After a day which produced 62 hits and 61 runs, Kamloops Okonots and Princeton Royals each went home with a victory. Kamloops ran up a 6-0 lead in the first inning of the opening game but managed to blow the advantage and the game as Princeton roared back with a 21-hit offensive to whip the home club 17-15 in ten innings in the first half of the double-header. Okonots capitalized on four walks and a Chick Ling triple to notch their six first inning counters. Royals responded quickly with Siddoni smacking the first of a homer barrage with a runner aboard and adding two more on fielding miscues to reduce the margin to two runs. Princeton, aided by three errors, exploded for eight runs in the third inning to go ahead 12-6 before Bill MacDonald banged a four-bagger for Kamloops. After the Royals added another pair to make it 14-7, Ling cracked a homer in the fifth for the Okonots' eighth run. In the seventh, MacDonald slugged his second homer with two men on base as part of a seven-run explosion as Kamloops drew even, 15-15. In the 10th, Princeton got a double by Siddoni and singles by Beal and Currie for two runs and the triumph. Loren Bay and J.Markin led the Princeton attack each with four hits.
Whitehouse, Hayes, Currie (W) and L.Bay
Paetch, Brkich, McKinnon (8) and Slater
In the second game it was Princeton jumping out to a big lead then squandering the effort. Royals went up 5-0 in the first inning then Kamloops pounded out 16 hits to trounce the Royals 19-10. Jack Fowles headed a potent offense with four hits, one a homer, and three runs. Len Fowles, who also had a homer, and Don Salter each had three hits and three runs. Bob McKinnon gave up 12 hits but went the route for the win. Royals used five pitchers in an attempt to quell the fireworks. Bob Saklofsky added a four-bagger for the Okonots while Elmer Bay slugged one for the Royals.
Beal, Hayes, Gerin, Whitehouse (4) , Currie (4) and L.Bay
McKinnon (W) and Ling
(June 20) Oliver took both games of a double-header with Vernon, 4-3 in the first game and 14-4, with a 17-hit attack in the second game. In the opener, Ray Adams singled to drive in Tom Stecyk who had doubled, in the top of the 6th inning to knot the count at 3-3. But, the Elks got a single, two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth for the winning run.
G.Dye (L) and Keckalo
Thomas, Martino (W) (4) and Sibson
Elks pushed across seven runs in the second inning of the second game, after falling behind 3-0, to coast to the easy win. Wendell Clifton held Vernon to five hits and rang up 15 strikeouts for the pitching win. Oliver's Richie Schnider was the days's hitter star banging out seven hits in eight trips including five-for-five in the nightcap.
L.Schaefer, G.Dye (2) and V.Dye
Clifton (W) and Sibson
Tony Brummet of Kelowna continues to lead the hitters in the OMBL in statistics up to an including games of June 23rd. The Orioles catcher has a .452 average, thirty points ahead of runner-up and teammate Bob Campbell, at .422. J.Markin of Princeton is third at .420 just ahead of Don Salter of Kamloops, .413, and Jack Fowles of Kamloops at.400.
(June 20) The Kelowna Orioles won a thrilling 2 to 1 eleven-inning battle against the Macs in Summerland on Sunday.
Penticton 7 - 2 --
Kelowna 8 - 3 --
Kamloops 8 - 4 0.5
Oliver 8 - 5 1.0
Princeton 3 - 6 3.0
Vernon 2 - 8 5.5
Summerland 1 - 9
6.5
(June 23) The Kelowna Orioles moved to within percentage-points striking distance of the league-leading Penticton Athletics with an 8 to 3 victory over the Summerland Macs. Catcher Tony Brummet, making his final appearance with the O’s, bowed out in top form, slamming two home runs. Daryl Weitzel poled out a circuit clout for Summerland.
xxx (L) and xxx
Ball (W) and Brummet
(June 23) Vernon Canadians came up with their best showing of the home season Thursday but had to settle for an 11-inning 5-5 tie with Kamloops. The game is to be replayed. Veteran Ike Jackson flashed some of his old-time skills in fanning 11 while permitting only eight hits. Bob McKinnon was touched for 11 safeties including home runs by Ray Adams and Tony Spelay. Chick Ling slugged a two-run homer for the Okonots.
McKinnon and Ling
Jackson and Keckalo
(June 24) Princeton and Penticton put on an offensive show at King's Park Thursday scoring 33 runs on 30 hits as the Athletics prevailed, 19-14. Penticton almost blew an 8-1 third inning lead giving up three in the fourth and another three in the sixth to the Royals. Gordie Jones was the big man for the winners with a pair of home runs and a single. Joe Posnikoff added a homer, double and single. Larry Jordan, who went the five five innings for the win, belted a homer after taking over at third in the sixth. Ciccone had four hits and a run-scoring sacrifice for the Royals.
Beale (L), Hay (3) and Currie (7) and xxx
Jordan (W), Posnifkoff (6) and xxx
(June 27) Kamloops 8 Kelowna 3 ?
(June 27) In an OMBL tilt at Vernon Sunday, the Canadians rallied from a 6-0 deficit to trounce Penticton 15-7. Penticton took a 3-0 lead in the first inning without a hit taking advantage of wildness by Vernon starter George Dye. They got three more in the second before Ike Jackson relieved and began to mow down the A's. Canadians got to Penticton's Larry Jordan for three runs in the third and kept scoring with two in the fourth, three in the fifth and five in the 6th to put the game on ice. They added single runs in the 7th and 8th. Playing manager Vern Dye led the assault with a three-run homer and three singles. Billy Inglis added three safeties. Ray Adams knocked in four runs with a pair of hits and made the defensive play of the game with a diving stab of a hot liner in the seventh.
Jordan (L), Posnikoff (6) and Powell
G.Dye, Jackson (W) (2) and Keckalo
(June 30) Vernon picked up another win Wednesday upending Kelowna 4-1 in a game called after six innings because of rain. Ike Jackson held the visitors to three hits for the win. Canadians had only four hits but made the most of two walks and a single by Hap Schaefer for two runs in the first inning. They added a pair in the sixth on a walk, error, passed ball, three stolen bases and a lone single by Jackson.
Hickson (L), Ingram (6) and Kielbiski
Jackson (W) and Keckalo
(July 4) Vernon and the Royals split a twin-bill at Princeton. Canadians took advantage of a leaky Princeton defense in the first game to post a 9-6 win. Royals made nine errors. George Dye scattered nine hits to register his first win of the summer. Tony Spelay, Wally Janicki and Wally Keckalo each contributed two hits in the Canadians' ten hit attack.
G.Dye (W) and Keckalo
Walker (L), Barber (8) and Bay
Barber pitched a five-hitter for the Royals in the nightcap in Princeton's 12-3 victory. Ceccon paced a 15-hit assault with a homer to highlight a seven-run third inning.
Jackson (L), G.Dye (3) and Keckalo
Barber (W) and Beale
(July 4) In a double-header at Oliver Sunday, the hometown Elks took both games from Kamloops 4-3 and 12-8. In the opener, Wendell Clifton held Kamloops to six hits while the Elks knocked out 13 off Len Gatin. Oliver notched the winner in the final frame as Martino clouted a triple and trotted home on Bill Sibson's single.
Gatin (L) and Ling
Clifton (W) and Sibson
Oliver spotted the visitors an early 7-0 lead in the second game before responding with 14 hits to whip the Okonots 12-8 in spite of two homers by Buck Buchanan. A seven-run fifth inning turned the tide for the Elks. Okonots made five errors in each game while the Elks played flawlessly in the field.
MacKinnon, Gatin (L) (5), Brkich (5) and Ling
Snyder, B.Martino (W) (1) and Radies, Sibson (1)
(July 4) Although they lost 5 to 4 to the visiting Penticton Athletics in an OMBL game at Elks Stadium, the Kelowna Orioles were inspired by the largest crowd of the season. Trailing 3 to 1 going into the ninth inning, the A’s refused to concede defeat and rallied for the narrow win with the winning run being scored on an error. Larry Jordan got the mound decision over Johnny Ingram.
Jordan (W) and xxx
Ingram (L), Hickson (9) and xxx
W L GB
Penticton 9 3
Oliver 10 5 0.5
Kamloops 9 6 1.5
Kelowna 9 6 1.5
Vernon 5 9 5.0
Princeton
4 9 5.5
Summerland 2 10 7.0
(July 7) Kamloops Okonots teased visiting Vernon Wednesday giving up a run in the first inning before turning on the power to demolish the Canadians 17-3 with a 20-hit effort which included five home runs. Ron Evenson belted a pair of three-run homers. Chick Ling also had two four-baggers and Len Fowles added a singleton. But Bob Saklofsky stole the show with a six-for-six day, two of them doubles and another a three-run single. Bob McKinnon hurled a four-hitter in crusting to the victory.
Jackson (L), G.Dye (4) and Kecklo
McKinnon (W) and Slater
(July 7) Penticton spotted Summerland four first-inning runs and another in the second before roaring back to plate eight straight markers and post an 8-5 victory over the Macs. Larry Jordan, who relieved starter Johnny Apolzer in the third fired no-hit ball for seven innings. A three-run 8th inning sealed the deal for the Athletics. George Drossos led off with a walk, made it to third on an error on Gordie Jones' ground ball, and scored on a wild pitch. An error on Lloyd Burgart's easy fly ball allowed Jones to score and a wild pitch let Burgart reach third from where he stole home with the final run.
Eyre, Cristante (8) and B.Weitzel
Apolzer, Jordan (W) (3) and Powell
(July 11) Bill MacDonald smacked a three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give Kamloops Okonots an 11-8 victory over Kelowna. Down 8-6, the Okonots had scored a pair in the seventh on Buck Buchanan's homer to tie. In the ninth, Jack Fowles whacked a grounder between first and second, Buchanan singled and MacDonald hit one into the trees to set off the cheering on the Kamloops bench. Earlier, Len Gatin had slugged a grand-slam homer for the Okonots. Johnny Lingor cracked a three-run homer for Kelowna.
Ball (L), Ingram and Kielbiski
Brkich, Gatin (2) and
Slater
(July 11) Princeton demolished Penticton 20-0 and Oliver defeated Summerland 8-6.
W L GB
Penticton 10 4
Oliver 11 5
Kamloops 11 6 0.5
Kelowna 9 7 2.0
Princeton
5 9 5.0
Vernon 5 10 5.5
Summerland 2 12 8.0
J.Markin of Princeton has taken over the batting lead in the OMBL. Markin, with a .431 average tops Richie Schnider of Oliver, at 417, and Bob Campbell of Kelowna, at .414. A pair of Okonots rank 4th and 5th. Jack Fowles has a .375 average and Don Slate sits at .373.
Snyder tops the pitchers with a 3-0 won-lost mark ahead of John Brkich of Kamloops with three wins in four decisions. Bill Eyre of Summerland leads in strikeouts with 63.
(July 14) John Andres held Vernon to five hits and one run as Kamloops downed the Canadians 4-1 at Polson Park. Ron Evenson's homer in the seventh proved to be the winning run. Chick Ling led a 10-hit attack for Kamloops with three hits in four trips. Vernon's new field marshall, Paddy Petruk, inserted Joe Kornitsky of the Silver Stars and Clare Sproule, late of Rutland Adanacs into the lineupo along with returnee Red Graff who accounted for the Canadians' scoring with a whallop over the centre field fence in the fourth inning.
Andres (W) and Slater
Jackson (L) and Kornistky
(July 14) A ninth inning run-scoring double by John Vanderburgh broke up a scoreless tie at King's Park Wednesday and handed Oliver OBC's a 1-0 triumph over Penticton Athletics. Shortstop Paul Eisenhut has reached with a single and advanced on Don Coy's sacrifice bunt. The double was Vanderburgh's only hit of the game. Wendell Clifton held the Athletics to five hits for the win while Larry Jordan yielded six in taking the defeat.
Clifton (W) and Sibson
Jordan (L) and Powell
(July 14) New field manager Paddy Petruk shook up the Vernon lineup Wednesday and, in spite of another loss, the results were encouraging. The Canadians went down to the Kamloops Okonots 4-1 at Polson Park but were competitive throughout. Ron Evenson's seventh inning homer broke a 1-1 tie and plated the winning marker. Vernon's big threat came in the eighth as they loaded the bases but Neil Andreas fanned Les Schaeffer on four pitches to end the inning. Chick Ling went three-for-four to lead the winners.
Andreas (W) and Ling
Jackson (L) and xxx
(July 18) The Fowles brothers combined for seven hits to lead Kamloops Okonots to a 9-5 win over the Macs at Summerland. Len went four-for-four while Jack smacked three hits. Each had a two-bagger. Bob Paetch overcame a shaky first inning when he allowed four runs to pitch a solid seven-hitter for the win. Okonots had another new face in the lineup. Centre fielder Gordie Beecroft, hero of many games last season, joined the club after getting his release from the pro ranks.
Paetch (W) and xxx
Cousins (L), Eyre and xxx
(July 18) Three Oliver pitchers were unable to stop the Kelowna Orioles in Elks Stadium as the Birds prevailed 8 to 7 over the Elks in a regular OMBL fixture. Both starting hurlers figured in the pitching decision with Kelowna’s Johnny Wishlove getting credit for the win over Bill Martini.
Martini (L), Radies, Clifton (6) and xxx
Wishlove (W), Ingram (9) and xxx
(July 18) Princeton and Vernon divided a Sunday doubleheader with the Canadians winning the opener 8-5 before Royals rebounded with a 12-6 victory in the second game.
Canadians pushed across four runs in the first frame of the opener and had a 6-1 lead before the Royals made it close with four runs in the sixth. Wally Keckalo led the Canadians with three hits in four trips. Wally Janicki drove in three runs from the cleanup spot. George Dye was ejected from the game for having too much to say to the umpires but stayed long enough to get the win.
Barber (L) and Beale
G.Dye (W), Jackson (7) and Keckalo
Princeton jumped on Vernon starter Clare Sproule for five runs in the second inning en route to the 12-6 victory. Elmer and Loren Bay each had five hits and knocked in four runs between them to lead a 16-hit attack for the winners.
Walker (W) and Beale
Sproule (L), G.Dye (4) and Keckalo
(July 21) Penticton over Kelowna, Summerland over Oliver.
W L GB
Kamloops 13 6
Penticton 11 5 0.5
Oliver 12 7 1.0
Kelowna 9 7 2.5
Princeton 5 9 5.5
Vernon 5 10 6.0
Summerland 2 12 8.5
(July 25) Kamloops Okonots supplanted Penticton as league leaders Sunday crushing the Athletics 17-6 at Riverside Park. It was a 5-5 ball game going into the bottom of the sixth when the home team pasted Larry Jordan for six hits and seven runs. Len Gatin did the mound work for the winners and came away with a win in spite of allowing ten hits, six walks and five wild pitches. Buck Buchanan delighted the home crowd with a grand slam homer in the sixth. Len Fowles also had a four-bagger among his three hits. Doug Moore pounded out four hits for the A's.
Jordan (L), Church and Powell
Gatin (W) and Slater
(July 25) Oliver rang up seven runs in the first inning and, with a 16-hit attack, battered Kelowna Orioles 13-3. Bill Sibson led off the big frame with a Texas leaguer and, with one out, Snyder was hit by a pitch and winning pitcher Wendell Clifton knocked in both base runners with a double to centre. John Vanderburgh followed with a long blow over the left field fence for a two-run homer. Frank Fritz, Mickey Martino and McNiven followed with consecutive singles and Kelowna got the second out at home plate. Paul Eisenhut drove in two more counters with a sharp single through the infield and Don Coy singled to score the seventh run. Clifton pitched a steady game scattering seven hits. Coy led the offensive with four hits and Clifton had three. Hank Tostenson had three hits for Kelowna.
Lesmeister (L), Ingram (1), Ball (6) and xxx
Clifton (W) and xxx
W L GB
Kamloops 14 6
Oliver 13 7 1.0
Penticton 11 6 1.5
Kelowna 10 9 3.5
Princeton 6 11 6.5
Vernon 6 12 7.0
Summerland 4 13 8.5
(July 28) Summerland Macs blew a 5-0 first inning lead but rallied with three runs in the 9th to edge Penticton 8-6 Wednesday and pretty well kill the A's hopes of a fourth consecutive pennant.. Summerland got just one hit in the big first inning and A's committed just one error but Mike Church gave up six bases on balls before heading for the showers. Catcher Bob Weitzel knocked in three runs and scored a pair for the winners.
Eyre (W), Cousins and B.Weitzel
Church (L), Getz (1), Jordan and Powell
(August 1) Kelowna topped Vernon Canadians 8-6.
(August 1) With 40 runs for the day, Kamloops Okonots clinched first place in the OMBL with a sweep of a double-header with the shell-shocked Princeton Royals. Okonots took the first game 18-6 before an even better offensive show in the second game when they rang up 22 runs in embarrassing the Royals 22-8 in a seven-inning contest. John Brkich went six-of-nine on the day to lead the Okonots attack aided by Jack Fowles who had six hits in 11 trips and Ron Evenson and Buck Buchanan who each had four. Chick Ling and Gordie Beecroft belted homers.
xxx and xxx
Gatin (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Andreas (W) and xxx
.
(August 4) The Penticton Athletics setback the Kelowna Orioles 9 to 6 in a regular scheduled OMBL encounter in Penticton. Larry Jordan tossed the complete game win for the A’s but was lit up for a fifth-inning grand-slam home run by Kelowna’s Johnny Wishlove.
Ball (L), Ingram (6) and Kielbiski
Jordan (W) and Powell
(August 8) They are the comeback kids. Kamloops Okonots again rebounded from a deep first inning hole to score a 14-10 decision over Summerland. Macs scored eight times in the first inning as Bob McKinnon walked in the first run and hit a batter to force in the second. Two hits resulted in three more runs before Len Gatin took over from McKinnon and allowed three more counters before getting out of the inning. Okonots fought back with two in the first, one in the second and another two in the third. In the fourth Gordie Beecroft smacked a three-run homer to tie at 8-8 and Jack Fowles followed with another four-bagger with Don Slater on base to give Kamloops the lead, 10-8. Jordie Taylor belted a two-run homer for the Macs in the top of the sixth to again knot the count. Okonots quickly replied plating a pair on errors in the bottom of the sixth. In the 8th, Buck Buchanan walloped a towering homer and Len Fowles, who was hit by a pitch, came home on Bob Saklofsky's single. Buchanan, Saklofsky and Slater each had three hits. Bob Weitzel had a three-for-four day for the Macs. The game produced two fist fights. Buchanan and Fred Kato mixed it up at second base after the Summerland second sacker reacted to Buchanan's slide. Similarly, Chick Ling and shortstop Al Hooker got into an argument over a play at the bag.
Cousins (L) and B.Weitzel
McKinnon, Gatin (W) (1) and Slater
W L GB
Kamloops 17 6
Penticton 15 8 2.0
Oliver 15 9 2.5
Kelowna 13 11 4.5
Summerland 7 15 9.5
Princeton
7 16 10.0
Vernon 6 15 10.0
(August 11) Penticton won its third straight, 7-3 over Princeton Royals. Newcomer Mike Church was the winner, showing a complete reversal of form over his previous performance when he was knocked out in the first inning. the 18-year-old from Prince George hurled good six-hit ball fanning seven while helping at the plate with two hits and an RBI.
Barber (L) and L.Bay
Church (W) and Powell
(August 15) McNiven singled in Wendell Clifton with the winning run in the eighth inning as Oliver OBC's shaded Princeton Royals 8-7. Oliver had rallied from a 7-4 deficit for the victory. Don Coy led an 11-hit offensive with throe hits and two scores. Clifton had two hits. Oliver worked two Royals' hurlers for 11 walks. Sidoni had three hits for Princeton and Ciccone belted the games' only homer.
Barber, Curry and Bay
Clifton, Martino (4), Snyder (W) (5) and Radies
(August 22) Oliver OBC's shaded Penticton 2-1 Sunday behind the hurling of Wendell Clifton to take the Athletics out of the running for first place in the OMBL. The result clears the way for the start of the playoffs with Okonots meeting Oliver in one semi-final and Penticton tangling with Kelowna in the other. Oliver got homer runs by Don Coy and Frank Fritz for the victory. Sam Drossos doubled to drive in the only A's marker.
Clifton (W), Snyder and Radies
Jordan (L) and Powell
PLAYOFFS
(August 29) The pennant-winning Kamloops Okonots ran into a hot hurler in the opening game of their semi-final series as Wendell Clifton fired a three-hitter and fanned 12 in a 3-0 victory for the Oliver OBC's. Clifton also helped with two hits. Elks got a run in the first inning as Richie Schnider drove in Paul Eisenhut who had walked and advanced on a sacrifice. They added two insurance runs in the second helped by an error and three wild pitches. Snyder, Clifton and John Vanderburgh paced Oliver’s eight-hit offensive thrust with two base raps apiece.
Andreas (L), MacKinnon (7) and Slater
Clifton (W) and Radies
(August 29) The Kelowna Orioles failed to sustain an eighth-inning rally and dropped the first game of a best-of-three OMBL semi-final series 5 to 2 to the Penticton Athletics. The A’s were in cruise control after building up a 5 to 0 lead following three frames. The Birds tallied single counters in the sixth and eighth innings and had the bases loaded with the potential leading run at the plate when winning chucker Larry Jordan fanned Joe Kaiser to end the threat.
Wishlove (L), Campbell (3) and Roche
Jordan (W) and Powell
(September 5-6) Kamloops Tournament
(September 10) Oliver's Wendell Clifton has been named as the OMBL's Most Valuable Player. League President Harry Maralia announced the selection. Clifton appeared in two games this season with Penticton before transferring to Oliver around the middle of June. The right-hander won six and lost two, led in strikeouts with 85 and had an ERA of 2.50. When he wasn't pitching, he took a turn in the field and shone as a hitter with a 12-game hitting streak and a batting average of .462. Clifton's teammate Richie Schnider was second in the balloting.
(September 12) Oliver Elks won a berth in the OMBL final Sunday downing Kamloops 5-2 to take the best-of-three series in two straight games. The visitors took a first inning lead as Richie Schnider doubled and scored when Kamloops shortstop Len Fowles muffed a ground ball off the bat of Wendell Clifton. They punched out four hits in the second to add two more runs and take a 3-0 advantage. Okonots battled back to score a pair in the seventh helped by three Oliver miscues. In the 9th, Bob Radies singled to drive in a run and then scored himself to give Oliver a three-run cushion.
B.Martino (W), Snyder (6) and xxx
Gatin, Brkich (2) and xxx
(September 12) The Penticton Athletics knocked the Kelowna Orioles out of the 1954 OMBL playoff picture by setting them back 5 to 2 at Elks Stadium. The win gave the A’s the series in two straight encounters. Penticton, although out-hit by a 9 to 7 margin, was better able to capitalize on the scoring opportunities afforded them. The Athletics will now move on to face the Oliver Elks in the league finals.Bill Raptis led the winners at the dish with three base knocks.
Jordan (W) and Powell
Wishlove (L), Ball (8) and Roche
(September 19) Oliver OBC's edged Penticton 3-2 in the first game of the OMBL final series. Athletics had carried a 2-1 lead until Oliver scored a pair in the 8th for the victory. Bill Sibson’s two-run circuit clout off loser Larry Jordan spelled the difference in this hard-fought tussle. Frank Fritz also smashed a home run for the winners. Ironically, Sibson had replaced Fritz at second base for Oliver after the latter had been ejected from the game for a deliberate spiking attempt. Both Jordan and winning chucker Wendell Clifton were nicked for five hits. Clifton recorded 11 strikeouts. Playing-manager Les Edwards of the A’s had a pair of singles and drove in both Penticton runs.
Clifton (W) and xxx
Jordan (L) and xxx
(September 26) Penticton scored the winning run on a steal of home in the 8th inning to nip Oliver 2-1 and send the OMBL final series to a third and deciding game. Sam Drossos opened the 8th with a double down the right field line and advanced to third on an infield out. Les Edwards was given an intentional pass and on the first pitch to Doug Moore he scampered for second and Drossos came roaring in from third as the throw went to second base. The relay home was not in time to nab Drossos. Each team had scored in the fourth inning. Larry Jordan was the winner with a six-hitter while Bill Martino allowed just four safeties in taking the loss.
Jordan (W) and xxxx
B.Martino (L) and xxx
(October 3) The Penticton Athletics unleashed a 20-hit attack Sunday to clobber Oliver 21-3 to win the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League championship. It was a sweet victory for the A's as they defeated former teammate and league MVP Wendell Clifton to win the trophy. Penticton left no doubt about its dominance running up a 13-0 lead before the OBC's got on the scoreboard. The Penticton offensive was aided by an unusually sloppy Oliver defense which made ten errors. Larry Jordan and Sam Drossos combined to hold the OBC's to four hits. Drossos, Les Edwards and Elmer Mori pounded homers for Penticton while Bob Radies provided a highlight for the Elks with a four-bagger.
Clifton, Snyder, Martino, Fritz and Radies
Jordan (W), Drossos and Powell
BC INTERIOR LEAGUE
Returning to the fold for 1954 action in the BC Interior League were the defending champion Revelstoke Spikes, the Rutland Adanacs and the Kelowna Chiefs as well as entries from Kamloops and North Kamloops whose teams had changed names. The only club from 1953 to pass was the Princeton Royals who joined the Okanagan-Mainline League. North Kamloops adopted the name of the Mohawks after playing as the Merchants in 1953. The Kamloops team dropped the name of the Monarchs and began the 1954 campaign as the Okonot Cubs but finally settled on the name Jay-Rays in June. Two new teams, the Vernon Silver Stars and the Okanagan Bluebirds playing out of the Head of the Lake Indian Reserve joined the fray in 1954, bringing the number of entries to seven.
(April 25) Kamloops Okonot Cubs had two big innings, the first and the last, to notch an 8-4 10-inning victory over the Okanagan Bluebirds in their debut in the BC Interior League. Cubs scored three runs in the first inning on a walk, two hits and two errors and the Bluebirds got one back in the bottom of the frame. Kamloops restored the three-run margin with a tally in the fourth. In the seventh, the Bluebirds bunched three hits to plate a pair to trail by just a singleton which they plated in the bottom of the ninth. The Cubs went to town in the extra frame rapping five hits after two were out. With Ken Pratt aboard with a single and Glen Shannon with a two-bagger, Muso Hirowatari drove in the go-ahead run with a single and Paul Prehara followed with another hit to bring in two more runs. Lou Garay finished the barrage with a single to drive in Prehara with the fourth run of the inning. Prehara picked up the win in relief of starter Steve Varanai.
Wilson, Godferson (L) (4) and Cameron
Varanai, P.Prehara (W) (5) and G.Prehara, Hirowatari (5)
(April 25) Rutland's Eddie Gallagher fired a one-hit shutout as the Adanacs topped North Kamloops 2-0 in a sparking pitcher's duel at McDonald Park in North Kamloops. Gallagher, with a no-hitter into the 8th, faced just 29 batters, two over the minimum as he fanned 12 and walked just one. Tom Miyahara and Stan Kato allowed just three hits in a losing cause. Rutland broke a 0-0 draw with two out in the 8th inning getting Carlson aboard on a walk and Eddie Senger with a single. An error on Tony Senger's drive allowed both base-runners to score. Henry Mori got the lone hit of Gallagher in the eighth inning.
Gallagher (W) and Holitzki
Miyahara, Kato (L) (7) and Kato, Yamake (7)
May 2) The Rutland Adanacs garnered ten runs in the fourth inning en route to a 21 to 1 shellacking of the winless Head of the Lake Bluebirds.
(May 9) The Revelstoke Spikes defeated the Head of the Lake Bluebirds 21 to 10.
(May 9) Vernon Silver Stars and Kelowna Chiefs, two new entries in the BC Interior League, met at Vernon Sunday with the Chiefs taking a slim 15 to 14 victory. Chiefs’ Johnny Culos was hospitalised in Vernon overnight after being struck on the head with a pitched ball.
(May 9) For two innings Rutland Adanacs were in the ball game. Lloyd Duggan drew a walk in the second and came home on a single by Jim Stuart to put the visitors ahead 1-0. Then came the third frame and the Okonot Cubs proceeded to run through the batting order with eight hits and helped by two errors came away with an 8-1 lead. They continued to pour it on for an eventual 16-2 victory. Centre fielder Jim Pratt led a potent offense with four hits. Bill Lennox smacked a pair of hits and scored three times. Paul Prehara worked six innings holding Rutland to three hits and helped at the plate with a pair of safeties.
P.Prehara (W), Andreas (7) and G.Prehara
Gallagher (L), Duggan (3) and Holitzki
(May 16) Lefty Pratico swatted a three-run triple in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday to give Revelstoke Spikes an 8-7 win over Kamloops Cubs. With two out, Don Segur and King drew walks and Phil Harding reached on an error to load the bases. Pratico then pounded the ball to deep left centre to clear the sacks and bring the Spikes back from a 7-5 deficit.
Varanai, Prehara (L) (1) and xxx
Tasko (W) and xxx
(May 16) At Riverside Park Sunday, The North Kamloops Mohawks shaded the Okanagan Bluebirds 6-5.
(May 16) Vernon Silver Stars made a winning debut in the Interior League scoring singles runs in the 8th and 9th to shade Kelowna Chiefs 2-1 as Johnny Yarama and Lenny Doggan engaged in a pitching duel. Yarama won it with a three-hitter, Doggan yielded just two in taking the loss. In the seventh, Doggan fanned three straight with the bases loaded. Vernon second sacker Ken Marshall reached on a bunt in the 8th inning and made his way around the bags on a succession of overthrows and scored to tie the count at 1-1. In the ninth, Yarama stole home with the bases loaded with the winning marker.
Yarama (W) and Kornitsky
Doggan (L) and Costa
.
(May 23) The Rutland Adanacs toppled the Revelstoke Spikes from first position in the BC Interior Baseball League at Rutland Park when they won a hard-fought ten-inning contest 7 to 6. The Ads held an early 5 – 0 lead but allowed the Spikes to eat away at the margin and eventually knot the count in the ninth on a circuit clout by catcher Phil Harding. Len Wickenheiser, playing his first game of the season for the Adanacs, had a perfect day at bat, going five-for-five including a double and triple. After singling with one out in the bottom of the tenth, Wickenheiser crossed the platter with the winning marker on Eddie Senger’s one-bagger and an outfield miscue. Lloyd Duggan fanned ten Revelstoke batters to earn the overtime victory.
Olynyk, Jim Tasko (L) (9) and Harding
Duggan (W) and Holitzki
(May 23) There were more errors than hits Sunday as the Kamloops Okonot Cubs defeated Kelowna Chiefs 6-3. The winners had just four hits and the Chiefs only three while the teams combined for ten errors. Paul Prehara and Jim Marshall hurled for the winners.
P.Prehara, Marshall and xxx
Ron Wickenheiser and xxx
(May 23) Jerry Sparrow smacked a grand slam homer and a run-scoring double as Vernon Silver Stars dumped the North Kamloops Mohawks 8-2. Newcomer Normy Ogasawara added three safeties. Johnny Yarama scattered ten hits to register his second win of the season. T.Miyahara took the loss. H.Mori who relieved in the third fanned 12 the rest of the way.
Yarama (W) and Kornitsky
Miyarhara, H.Mori (3) and Kata
May 23) The Rutland Adanacs toppled the Revelstoke Spikes from first position in the BC Interior Baseball League at Rutland Park when they won a hard-fought ten-inning contest 7 to 6. The Ads held an early 5 – 0 lead but allowed the Spikes to eat away at the margin and eventually knot the count in the ninth on a circuit clout by catcher Phil Harding. Len Wickenheiser, playing his first game of the season for the Adanacs, had a perfect day at bat, going five-for-five including a double and triple. After singling with one out in the bottom of the tenth, Wickenheiser crossed the platter with the winning marker on Eddie Senger’s one-bagger and an outfield miscue. Lloyd Duggan fanned ten Revelstoke batters to earn the overtime victory.
Olynyk, Jim Tasko (L) (9) and Harding
Duggan (W) and Holitzki
(May 30) Revelstoke took a 6-1 lead after three innings and coasted to a 7-3 win over the North Kamloops Mohawks. A four-run third inning proved to be decisive. Phil Harding had the big blow, a seventh inning homer for the Spikes. Jim Tasko bested Tom Miyahara for the pitching win.
Miyahara (L) and xxx
Tasko (W) and xxx
(May 30) Vernon Silver Stars posted their third straight win Sunday, 9-4 over the Okanagan Bluebirds. Outfielders Alec Kashuba and Johnny Yarama highlighted the Stars 14-hit attack each with four-baggers. Arnold Gatzke, on the mound for Vernon, allowed only five hits in coasting to the win.
Robins, Gregory (3), Charley (7), Robins (8) and Besette
Gatzke (W) and Kornitsky
May 30) The Rutland ball park was once again the scene of a ten-inning contest but this time the local nine were unable to pull the game out of the fire as the Kelowna Chiefs shaded the home-standing Adanacs 3 to 2. Both teams collected eight base hits. Vic Wickenheiser went the distance to earn the mound win for the Chiefs. He plated the winning run in the extra frame after drawing a walk and completing the circuit on a wild pitch, passed ball and infield error. Rutland first sacker Joe Graf was the game’s top slugger, slamming three hits, one of them a double.
V. Wickenheiser (W) and Culos
Gallagher, Duggan (L) (8) and Holitzki
(June 6) Led by catcher Joe Yanake's four-hit day, the North Kamloops Mohawks downed the Chiefs 5-2 at Kelowna Sunday. Mohawks took the lead in the second inning when winning pitcher Stan Kato cracked a double and came home on Yamake's single. They added a run in the third as Yamake singled and scored on an error. Kelowna narrowed the margin with a run in the seventh, helped by two errors before North Kamloops broke the game open with three runs in the 8th on four hits and a base on balls.
Kato (W) and xxx
Wickenheiser (L) and xxx
(June 6) Playing in a steady drizzle on the Head of the Lake diamond, the Rutland Adanacs won a free-hitting, loosely-played BC Interior League game from the Okanagan Bluebirds 13 to 8. Clare Sproule went six innings on the hill in his first mound duty of the campaign to pick up the win. Joe Graf went 4 for 5 at the platter to lead the Ads offensively. Sproule and Eddie Senger both had three hits while Len Wickenheiser followed with a brace of triples.
Sproule (W), Duggan (7) and Holitzki
Marchand (L), Louis, Robbins and Jones
(June 13) Dick Wickenheiser cracked a bases-loaded homer in the third inning as the Kelowna Chiefs topped the Kamloops Jay-Rays (formerly known as the Okonot Cubs) 8-6. Chiefs, who had just four hits, to 11 for Kamloops, capitalized on walks and a passed ball in their big inning. John Coulas reached when Paul Prehara's third strike pitch got away from his catcher. John Rosses then made base on an error and two consecutive walks pushed across one run with the bases left jammed. Right-hander Steve Varanai relieved Prehara and got two strikes on Wickenheiser before the Chief's slugger parked one well over the left field fence. Chiefs, who had a 6-1 lead after Wickenheiser's blast blew the advantage and needed a pair in the ninth for the victory. Jay-Rays second sacker Bill Lennox was the top offensive player with five hits.
xxx and xxx
P.Prehara, Varanai (L) (3) and xxx
(June 13) A former Silver Star was a one-man show against Vernon Sunday as Rutland whipped the Stars 10-4. Clare Sproule whiffed 17 batters, capping his performance by fanning the side on 12 pitches in the ninth,. He also cracked the game's only homer. Vernon made six errors behind starter Joe Kornitsky who lost despite an eight-hit effort. Catcher Alec Kashuba of the Stars led the hitters with three safeties in four trips.
Sproule (W) and Holitzki
Kornitsky (L) and Kashuba
(June 13) The Revelstoke Spikes maintained their position atop the BC Interior League by downing the hapless Okanagan Bluebirds 8 to 3.
(June 20) North Kamloops shortstop Joe Motokado had a day for the scrap book Sunday as he led the Mohawks to a 16-6 thrashing of Head of the Lake Bluebirds. Motokado smacked a triple, two doubles and two singles and scored four runs to lead a 15 hit attack. Catcher Sam Kato added two doubles and a single and also scored four times, The Mohawks put the game on ice early, with seven runs in the second inning. Sam Aura was shaky in the second and third when he gave up five runs but steady the rest of the way for the win.
Aura (W) and Kato
Louis (L), R.Robbins (3), S.Marchand (6) and Jones
(June 20) Solid pitching and sparkling defense helped the Kamloops Jay-Rays to a 4-1 decision over the Rutland Adanacs Sunday. Steve Varanai scattered nine hits while the Jay-Rays turned three double plays in an errorless effort. Rutland opened the scoring when Len Wickenheiser singled and came home on Clare Sproule's triple to left. The Jay-Rays tied the count in the second when Walt Witt drew a base on balls, advanced on a fielder's choice and scored on the game's only error. The contest remained at 1-1 until the sixth when Bill Lennox was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on Ken Pratt's single and scored on a fielder's choice. They added another in the 8th with Clay Perry driving in Ken Pratt, who had drawn a walk. In the ninth, Varanai doubled and came around to score on Jim Pratt's one-bagger. Rutland first baseman Joe Graf again led the hitters with three hits in four times up.
Gallagher (L) and Holitzki
Varanai (W) and Engelsby
(June 20) League-leading Revelstoke Spikes whipped Vernon 6-1 Sunday behind Jim Tasko who hurled a five-hitter and fanned a dozen. Kuts Hayashi allowed just seven hits with ten strikeouts, but five Vernon errors hurt the Stars chances. First baseman Lefty Pratico started things rolling for the Spikes with a two-run homer in the first inning. Right fielder Jim King collected three hits for the winners and did catcher Joe Kornitsky for the Silver Stars.
Tasko (W) and Chisholm
Hayashi (L) and Kornitsky
(June 23) Kamloops Jay-Rays combined seven hits with six North Kamloops errors Wednesday to post an 8-6 victory. Jay-Rays started fast with a 4-0 lead before the Mohawks got on the scoreboard in the fourth. The visitors then tied the match 6-6 with a four-run outburst in the fifth highlighted by Sam Motokado's bases-clearing triple. Jay-Rays won it in the 8th. Bill Lennox drew a walk, stole second and made third on a wild pitch which saw Tommy Sugden reached first. A drive by Gordon Kusomoto was fumbled at third and a wild throw to first allowed both Lennox and Sugden to score. Earlier, Jim Pratt belted a homer for the winners. Sam Kato of the Mohawks led the hitters with a double and two singles.
P.Prehara, Varanai (W) (5) and Englesby
Kochi, Kato (L) (5) and Kato, Yamake (5)
(June 27) Kamloops Jay-Rays captured their third straight Interior League victory Sunday, 8-4 over Vernon Silver Stars. Steve Varanai hurled a five-hitter for the win while the Jay-Rays laced 12 hits off two Stars' moundsmen. The Rays first two men in the batting order, Bill Lennox and Jim Pratt, combined for six hits and four runs.
Yarama (L), Miyashi (7) and Kashuba
Varanai (W) and G.Prehara
(June 27) Clare Sproule smacked a liner to score catcher Holitzki with the winning run in the 11th inning as Rutland Adanacs shaded North Kamloops Mohawks 4-3. Ed Gallagher went the route for the winners having one bad inning when the Mohawks scored all three of their runs to take a 3-2 lead. In the 8th, Tony Senger laid down a bunt to score Wickenheiser from third to set the stage for the extra innings. Ed Senger led a 15-hit Rutland attack with three safeties. Holitzki, who scored twice, was one of five Adanacs with two hits.
Miyahara, Kato (L) and Yamake
Gallagher (W) and Holitzki
W L GB
Revelstoke Spikes 6 - 1
Kamloops Jay-Rays 6 - 2 0.5
Rutland Adanacs 6 - 3 1.0
Kelowna Chiefs 3 - 4 3.0
Vernon Silver Stars 3 - 4 3.0
North Kamloops Mohawks 3 - 5 3.5
Head of Lake Blue Birds 0 - 8 6.5
(July 4) After spotting North Kamloops a three-run lead in the first inning, Kamloops Jay-Rays rebounded to take a 6-5, 10-inning, victory Sunday as Glen Shannon doubled to score Jim Pratt with the winner. Pratt had an outstanding game with four hits, three runs scored and two sparkling catches in the outfield. Steve Varanai, who relieved starter Paul Prehara in the first inning, went the rest of the way scattering 11 hits for the win. Stan Kato allowed ten hits in being saddled with the loss.
Kato (L) and xxx
P.Prehara, Varanai (W) (1) and xxx
(July 4) Jim Tasko notched his second straight win over Vernon firing a seven-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory for Revelstoke in Sunday's action. Spikes got one in the first inning as Kelly reached on a walk, advanced on a sacrifice and stolen base and scored on an outfield fly. Tasko scored the other in the third when he walked and came home on Don Segur's two-bagger. Kuts Hayashi hurled a four-hitter but was saddled with the loss.
Hayashi (L) and Kornitsky
Tasko (W) and Segur
(July 7) The Rutland Adanacs were victorious over the Kelowna Chiefs 3 to 2 in a seven-inning BC Interior League tussle played in Kelowna.
(July 11) Kamloops Jay-Rays ran up a 10-0 lead at Head of the Lake Sunday and coasted to a 12-7 triumph over the Bluebirds. Jay-Rays had a big second inning, with four hits, two walks and two hit batsmen to put seven runs on the scoreboard. Jack Olsen pitched into the seventh inning to post the mound victory. Bill Lennox, Jim Pratt and Al Collier each had two hits.
J.Olsen, Varanai (7) and xxx
J.Jones (L) and xxx
(July 11) Managing only three safeties off the slants of Lloyd Duggan, the Vernon Silver Stars were beaten 3 to 1 by the Rutland Adanacs. It was the fifth consecutive setback for the light-hitting Stars who wasted three double plays and a superb pitching performance by Johnny Yarama. Not considered an overpowering pitcher, Duggan held the Stars to three hits and rang up 10 strikeouts for the win. Paul Holitzki, Adanac catcher, was the leading batter in this game with three hits.
Yarama (L) and Kornitsky
Duggan (W) and Holitzki
(July 11) Revelstoke Spikes maintained their hold on first place in the Interior League with a 12-6 victory over the North Kamloops Mohawks.
(July 18) In two other high-scoring affairs, Vernon Silver Stars clobbered Head of the Lake Bluebirds 20-1 and North Kamloops Mohawks demolished Kelowna Chiefs 23-13.
(July 18) With a four-run first inning the Revelstoke Spikes rode the 17-strikeout hurling of Jim Tasko to down Kamloops Jay-Rays 5-3 Sunday. Tasko, who had a shutout until the 8th inning, allowed seven hits, three by opposing pitcher Steve Varanai. Right-fielder Kinos led a 10-hit Spikes' attack with three safe blows.
Tasko (W) and Chisholm
P.Prehara, Varanai (1) and G.Prehara
W L GB
Revelstoke Spikes 9 - 1
Kamloops Jay-Rays 8 - 3 1.5
Rutland Adanacs 8 - 3 1.5
North Kamloops Mohawks 4 - 7 5.5
Kelowna Chiefs 3 - 6 5.5
Vernon Silver Stars 3 - 6 5.5
Head of Lake Blue Birds 0 - 9 8.5
(July 25) Kamloops Jay-Rays moved to within a half-game of first place Revelstoke Sunday with a 9-3 victory over the Vernon Silver Stars. Paul Prehara, who relieved starter Steve Varanai in the second inning, allowed just three hits the rest of the way to register the win. Ken Pratt led the winners with a pair of doubles. Bill Lennox of Kamloops and Dick Munk of Vernon each had two safeties. .
Varanai, P.Prehara (W) (2) and Englesby, G.Prehara (6)
Yarama (L), Hayashi (3) and Kornitsky
(July 25) Kelowna Chiefs upset the league-leading Revelstoke Spikes 5-3.
(August 1) Four games Sunday completed the regular schedule in the Interior Baseball League with Revelstoke Spikes winning the pennant by virtue of a 18-7 drubbing of Rutland Adanacs. Kamloops Jay-Rays finished in second place a game back of the Spikes. Kelowna swept both ends of a double-header, 13-1 and 14-6, against the Head of the Lake Bluebirds who finished the season without a victory in 12 games. Vernon Silver Stars upset the North Kamloops Mohawks 15-4.
The Spikes blasted 18 base hits off three Rutland chuckers in cruising to the one-sided victory and the pennant.
Gallagher (L), Sproule (4), Duggan (7) and Holitzki
Tasko (W), Olynyk (8) and Chisholm
W L GB
Revelstoke Spikes 10 - 2
Kamloops Jay-Rays 9 - 3 1.0
Rutland Adanacs 8 - 4 2.0
Kelowna Chiefs 6 - 6 4.0
Vernon Silver Stars 5 - 7 5.0
North Kamloops Mohawks 4 - 8 6.0
Head of Lake Blue Birds 0 -12 10.0
PLAYOFFS
(August 8) At Rutland, the Adanacs shaded the Kamloops Jay-Rays 3-2 in the opening game of a best-of-three semi-final series. Adanacs plated the winning marker in the sixth inning when Bob Morris cracked a double and came home on a two-bagger by Gallagher. Clare Sproule held the Jay-Rays to five hits in going all the way on the mound for the winners. Steve Varanai and Paul Prehara each gave up three hits in sharing the pitching for Kamloops.
Varanai, P.Prehara and xxx
Sproule (W) and xxx
(August 8) The Revelstoke Spikes trounced the Kelowna Chiefs 11 to 1 at Elks Stadium in the first game of the best-of-three BC Interior League semi-final. The Mainliners broke the game wide open with a five-run outburst in the third frame as winning tosser Jim Tasko breezed to victory.
Jim Tasko (W) and xxx
Schaeffer (L), V. Wickenheiser and xxx
(August 15) The underdog Kamloops Jay-Rays advanced to the Interior League finals Sunday defeating Rutland in both games of a double-header, 2-1 and 8-3, to win the best-of-three semi-final series.
In the first game, Kamloops turned two bloop hits into two runs in the fifth inning and the lead stood up until the ninth when Rutland rallied. Ed Senger made first on an error and Lloyd Duggan reached on a bunt. Paul Prehara, who had pitched outstanding ball through eight innings giving up just three hits and no free passes, then walked Clare Sproule to load the bases. Bob Morris flied to right but Clay Perry lost it in the sun and Senger scampered home. After Prehara fanned Wickenheiser for the first out, Holitzki bunted near the plate in what seemed to be a perfectly placed ball. But Ken Pratt, racing in from first base, scooped up the ball inches from the ground and in the same motion fired to third where Allan Collier tagged Duggan for a double-play and the ball game. Prehara allowed five hits overall and fanned ten. Duggan gave up seven hits and struck out nine in taking the loss.
Prehara (W) and Engelsby
Duggan (L) and Holitzki
Kamloops took a big lead in the second game and coasted to the 8-3 triumph and a berth in the Interior League final against Revelstoke. The Jay-Rays rang up five runs in the first two innings. Glen Shannon powered the attack with four hits, one a homer. Jim Pratt also had a circuit clout for the Rays. Len Wickenheiser belted a homer for Rutland. Jack Olson, on the bench for most of the season, held the Adanacs off the scoreboard until the seventh. Paul Prehara finished with two, no-hit innings. Lloyd Duggan started the second game after his tough luck loss in the opener but lasted just two innings.
Olson (W), Prehara (8) and Engelsby
Duggan (L), Sproule (3) and Holitzki
(August 15) Revelstoke took an easy path to the final series as Kelowna Chiefs defaulted the semi-final series after losing the first game 11-1.
(August 22) The first game of the Interior League final was cut short Sunday by rain, but not before Kamloops Jay-Rays made clear their displeasure with the tactics of the Revelstoke manager. With rain coming down and a 1-1 score after five innings, the Jay-Rays got to Spike's hurler Jim Tasko in the top of the 6th. Ken Pratt reached on an error and Paul Prehara singled. With one out, Bill Lennox knocked in Pratt to give the Rays the lead. Jim Pratt then smacked a triple good for two runs. Promptly, the Spike's manger pulled his men off the field. And, with the inning not completed, the score reverted to the last full inning and thus a 1-1 draw. Kamloops argued that the rain was coming down no harder in the 6th than at the start of the game. But, the game was over and the league was faced with a tough decision. Charlie Vernon, in his dual capacity as league president and manager of the Jay-Rays, ruled that the game would be replayed.
(August 29) In an replay of the opening game of the best-of-three Interior League final, Revelstoke prevailed 4-1 with Jim Tasko limiting the Jay-Rays to four hits, one which struck his face as it bounced through the box and another being a pop fly lost in the sun. Phil Harding, who scored twice, led the Spikes with three hits. Lefty Pratico knocked in three of the four runs with a double and single.
P.Prehara (L) and xxx
Tasko (W) and xxx
(September 12) Revelstoke Spikes captured the 1954 Interior League championship Sunday before the home fans outlasting Kamloops Jay-Rays 12-10 to take the best-of-three series in two straight games. The game was played in a steady drizzle. Spikes ran up a 12-4 lead after seven innings and had to hold off a furious rally by Kamloops in the 8th and 9th innings. Jay-Rays scored two in the 8th and four in the 9th and had the bases loaded when Jim Pratt flied out to end the game and the season. Jim Tasko went the distance for the winners giving up seven hits and whiffing 12. Steve Varanai started for the Jay-Rays but was shelled in the first inning.
Varanai, Prehara (1) and xxx
Tasko (W) and xxx
CENTRAL INTERIOR
The 1954 Central Interior Baseball League was also referred to as the Prince George & District Baseball League within that city, the name that the forerunner circuit carried.
(May 20-24) Heavy rains interrupted the holiday baseball tournament at the Civic Centre grounds. On Saturday, the Prince George Athletics nosed out the Merchants 3-2 and Monday morning the Willow River Red Sox shaded the Clear Lake Yanks 3-1. In the afternoon, the Yanks were leading the Merchants 4-0 in the second inning when rain sent the players and spectators to shelter.
(May 30) Prince George Athletics came away with a split of a twin bill at Quesnel with the Lumbermen winning the opener 5-4 but dropping the nightcap 12-0.
Gordon Cruickshank smacked a homer in the second inning to give Athletics the early leader in the first game but Otto Munk belted a two-run circuit shot in the third put Quesnel on top. A's scored twice in the fourth and another another in the fifth on singles by Don Young and Ron Backman. Backman singled again in the eighth and later scored the winning marker. Lumbermen rallied for two in the seventh on a walk, Bill Punt's single and an error.
D.Young, Larsen and xxx
Johnson (L) and xxx
The final game was all Quesnel as a five-run fifth inning put the game on ice. Al Harris led an 18-hit attack with three safeties. Frank Slack went the route for the winners stranding ten runners. He compiled nine strikeouts.
xxx, xxx and xxx
Slack (W) and xxx
(May 30) Quesnel Clippers brought out the heavy artillery Sunday and twice trounced the Prince George Merchants, 20-9 and 19-2. Jim McQuarrie got the Merchants off on the right foot with a two-run homer in the first inning. but the lead was short-lived. The Clippers; big inning was the eighth when they went through their batting order sending eight runs across the plate.
Melnichuk (L), Koppa (5) and xxx
Toews (L) and xxx
In the second game, Clippers spotted the Merchants a run in the first inning before roaring back with six in the second. They went into even higher gear in the sixth frame with a seven run rally off three singles, three errors and a home run by George Tuttle.
xxx
M.Johnson (L), Olson (2), Ranger (6) and xxx
(June 1) With Al Blake of the US Air Force hurling solid ball, Clear Lake Yankees defeated the winless Prince George Merchants 5-3 to take third money in the delayed May 24th tournament. Blake held the Merchants to just four hits while chalking up eight strikeouts.
Campbell (L), Range
and xxx
Blake (W) and xxx
(June 2) Prince George A's edged Willow River 6-5 Wednesday to take first money in the rain delayed May 24th tournament and also notch a win in the league standings. 18-year-old Ken Larsen not only went the distance on the hill for the winners but lashed out a pair of doubles to help the attack.
Chartrand (L), Church (5) and xxx
Larsen (W) and xxx
(June 2) Ludwig's grand slam homer in the seventh inning highlighted the Merchants 10-4 victory over Clear Lake Yankees. Ray Paschal had a three-run homer in the fifth. Marty Johnson went the route on the hill scattering eight hits for the win. Yanks hurt their chances by making six errors.
M.Johnson (W) and Spicer, Hevarin (3)
Pulliam (L) and Ensor
(June 4) Southpaw Sid Delano fired a three-hitter and fanned 13 Thursday as Willow River Red Sox topped Prince George Athletics 5-1. A four-run 8th inning provided the margin of victory. The A's got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning as Larry Jensen smacked one into the automatic home run area on the rim of the fenceless outfield. Sox tired it in their half of the inning as Andy Kuchurian drew a walk advanced to third on a single by Ted Church and romped home on a long outfield fly by Alex Anderson. Willow River got the winner in the 8th as Mike Church reached on an error, stole second and scored on Kuchurian's two-bagger. McIvor's double, a hit batter, a walk and Poulin's two-run single provided some insurance markers. Don Young allowed just six hits in taking the loss.
D.Young (L) and xxx
Delano (W) and xxx
(June 6) Quesnel Clippers moved into sole possession of first place with a sweep of Willow River, 6-5 and 22-4.
(June 6) Quesnel Lumbermen took both games of a twin bill from Clear Lake, 4-1 and 6-5. In the opener, Albert Johnson held the visitors to four hits and rang up 13 strikeouts to best Al Blake of the Yankees.
Blake (L) and Doyle
Johnson (W) and Noble
In the second game, the Lumberman came from behind with two in the ninth inning for the win. The Yanks had taken a 5-4 lead in the 8th inning on a two-run homer by Bruns. Punt opened the 9th for Quesnel with a single and Otto Munk reached on an infield error. On a grounder to the right side, Blake hesitated on a throw to first as the first baseman was off the bag and both runners pounded home.
Slack, Comish (L) (5) and Harris
Glazier (L) and Doyle
(June 7) Harry Astoria's Athletics spotted the Merchants a 6-1 fifth inning lead and then roared back to claim a 9-7 victory Monday night at the Civic Centre. The game featured three circuit shots, Barry McDowell for the A's in the first, Jim McQuarrie with a grand slam for the Merchants in the fifth and Ken Larsen for the A's in the 6th.
Jensen, Larsen (W) and Cruickshank
Ivanco, Range and Weatherall
(June 9) Clear Lake Yankees twice came from behind to registered a 6-5 win over Prince George Athletics at the Civic Centre. A's took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on one hit, two walks and two errors. Yanks, who didn't get a hit until the 5th inning. tied the count in the 6th with Ensor's double the big blow after singles by Scott, Bruns and Doyle. Prince George rebounded to take a 5-3 lead in the seventh but Clear Lake battled back to send three runners home in the 8th to capture the win.
Pulliam, Conrad (W) (2) and xxx
D.Young
(L) and xxx
(June 10) Al Harris of Quesnel Lumbermen is the early leader in the batting race pounding the ball for a .700 average. Gary Tuttle of the Quesnel Clippers leads in home runs with three. Ken Larsen is the runner-up in batting, with a .600 mark and Gordon Cruickshank of the Athletics sits at .545.
Quesnel Clippers 4 - 0
PG Athletics 5 - 2 0.5
Quesnel Lumbermen 3 - 1 1.0
Willow River Red Sox 2 - 3 2.5
Clear Lake Yankees 2 - 5 3.5
PG Merchants 1 - 6 4.5
(June 11) A three-run rally in the 9th inning fell just short Friday night as Clear Lake dropped an 8-7 decision to the Prince George Merchants who nearly gave the game away making eight errors. Ensor of the Yanks had the only homer.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 13) On a rain-soaked Civic Centre diamond, Quesnel Clippers defeated the Prince George Athletics 11-2 and 7-6 to maintain their hold on first place in the league standings. Johnny Koppa held the A's to four hits in the first game while his teammates rapped ten hits, including a homer, four triples and two doubles. The A's made it easy for the Clippers by booting the ball eight times. Gary Tuttle and Irv Follack paced the Clippers to their twin victories. Tuttle collected a homer, two triples and a double while Follack poled a homer and two triples.
Koppa (W) and Festerling
Young (L), Larsen and Cruickshank
The Clippers entered the final frame of the second game with a fat 7-1 lead and almost gave it away as the Athletics rallied for five runs on four hits and three errors. Quesnel out-hit Prince George 13 to 7.
Melnichuk (W) and Festerling
Larsen (L) and Stettner
Quesnel Clippers 6 - 0
Quesnel Lumbermen 5 - 1 1.0
PG Athletics 5 - 4 2.5
Willow River Red Sox 3 - 3 3.0
Clear Lake Yankees 2 - 6 5.0
PG Merchants 2 - 9 6.5
(June 18) Prince George Athletics managed just six hits but took advantage of eight errors by the Prince George Merchants to walk away with an 11-7 victory. Merchants also lost the services of catcher Ed Gerain who fractured his arm sliding into second base. Ken Larsen allowed ten hits but went the route for the pitching win.
Larsen (W) and Stettner
Range (L), Johnson (2) and Gerain, Spicer
(June 18) Willow River took over third place in the standings Friday as Sid Delano fashioned a two-hitter to blank Clear Lake Yankees 6-0.
xxx and xxx
Delano (W) and xxx
(June 20) Quesnel Clippers remained unbeaten taking both games from the Clear Lake Yankees Sunday, 14-6 and 15-0. The Yanks had a 6-1 lead in the first game before the Clippers' bats went to work in the fifth inning to chase Al Blake from the mound and drive in four Quesnel runs. Irv Follack and Gary Tuttle each belted homers in the inning. In the sixth, the shelling continued as the Clippers added seven runs.
Blake, Glazier (L) (5) and xxx
Dion, Koppa (W) (4) and xxx
Yanks' manager Don Doyle called his team off the field in the seventh inning of the second game following a protest over umpires decisions. Steve Melnichuk tossed the shutout in the second game holding the Yanks to just three hits. Oscar Festerling led the assault with two homers. Irv Follack smacked one and Gary Tuttle slammed a triple.
Conrad (L), Blake (8) and xxx
Melnichuk (W) and xxx
(June 23) Mike Church hurled a three-hitter for Willow River as the Red Sox whipped the Prince George Athletics 13-1. Ken Larsen took the loss.
Larsen (L) and xxx
M.Church (W) and xxx
(June 23) The Prince George Merchants got their easiest win of the season as the Clear Lake Yanks defaulted the contest.
(July 1) Al Harris of the Lumbermen is the leading hitter in the Prince George and District League as of June 26th. Harris has a .667 average followed by Gary Tuttle of the Clippers at .447. Kadi Koyama, also of the Clippers, is third with a .400 mark. Three players are tied with the most homers, 5, Follack, Tuttle and Oscar Festerling, all of the Clippers. Johnny Koppa of the Clippers and Sid Delano of Willow River lead the pitchers each with four wins.
(July 2) Clear Lake has notified Commissioner Wilson Muirhead that they will not be able to field a team for the remainder of the season. Friday's regular contest between the Yanks and the Athletics has been cancelled.
(July 6) Baseball resumed after a period of inclement weather and the Prince George Athletics racked up a 7-4 victory over the Merchants. A's took an early lead and were ahead 4-2 after five innings when Fernie Ollinger Jr., the 13-year-old son of the manager, rapped out a double to drive in a pair for a tie. However, the Athletics rebounded with three runs in their half of the sixth to take the contest. Merchants had the bases loaded in the seventh but big right-hander Ken Larsen pitched out of the jam.
Ivanco, Range (L) (5) and Weatherall
McEachnie (W), Larsen (7) and Stettner
(July 9) Clear Lake officially withdrew from the circuit leaving five teams in the loop.
(July 14) With a five-run, first inning the Prince George Merchants went on to down the Athletics 8-6 at the Civic Centre Park. Makarenko pitched the full nine innings for the winners scattering nine hits.
Sauer (L) McEachnie (8) and Cruickshank
Makarenko (W) and Weatherall
(July 18) The Prince George Athletics and the Quesnel Clipper split a pair. Clippers easily took the opener 13-5 behind the solid hurling of Johnny Koppa. In the second game, the A's pounded out 11 hits to take a 9 to 8 victory. Reg McEachnie went the route for the win and helped his cause with a pair of hits.
Larsen (L) and Stettner
Koppa (W) and Festerling
McEachnie (W) and Cruickshank
Melnichuk (L), Koppa (7) and Festerling
(July 21) With a three-run rally in the 8th inning, Prince George Merchants came from behind to top the Willow River Red Sox 7-5. Ray Paschal led off the 8th with a single and two errors allowed Paschal to trot home. Makarenko then hit a high fly to right centre field and Bencher and R.Brommeland did an Alfonso-Gaston act and allowed the ball to drop in safely as two more runs crossed the plate. Red Sox had taken the the lead in the top of the second. Three singles and a walk followed by Andy Kuchurian's triple produced four runs. Merchants came right back with three in the bottom of the second on two walks, two errors and D.Dickson's double. In the 6th, Merchants tied the count at 4-4 as Marty Johnson tripled to score Jim McQuarrie. The Red Sox again went ahead in the top of the 8th as Sid Delano singled and came home on a triple by M.Brommeland. Delano and Ernie Chartrand yielded just five hits between them but seven Red Sox errors help tell the tale.
Delano, Chartrand (L) (6) and Kuchurian
Makarenko (W) and Spicer
Quesnel Clippers 11 - 1
Quesnel Lumbermen 8 - 3 2.5
PG Athletics 10 - 9 4.5
Willow River Red Sox 8 - 9 5.5
PG Merchants 5 -12 8.5
(July 22) Gary Tuttle of the Quesnel Clippers has moved to the front of the pack in the batting race with a healthy .447 average. Teammate Kadi Koyama is second at .408 and D.Dickson of the Merchants follows at .357.
(July 25) Quesnel Clippers and Willow River split a pair of high-scoring games. Clippers took the first game 23-4 while the Red Sox won 10-8 in the second.
(July 25) At Prince George, the hometown Merchants absorbed a pair of beatings, 11-1 and 15-4, at the hands of the Quesnel Lumbermen.
(July 30) In a thriller at Prince George Friday, the Red Sox of Willow River nosed out the Merchants 5-4 as Prince George left the tying run on third in the ninth inning. Sid Delano picked up the win.
Delano (W) and xxx
Range (L) and xxx
(August 1) Quesnel Lumberman failed to gain ground on the front running Clippers Sunday by dividing the double header, dropping the first game 11-10 before rebounding to take the twilight affair 10-8. Hockey star Norm Gronskei pounded out a pair of homers for the Lumbermen in the second contest. The games drew the largest crowds of the season.
(August 1) At Willow River, the Prince George Athletics shellacked the Red Sox 15-1 as Ron Backman blasted a homer, double and two singles for the winners.
Quesnel Clippers 13 - 3
Quesnel Lumbermen 11 - 4 1.5
PG Athletics 11 - 9 4.0
Willow River Red Sox 10 -10 5.0
PG Merchants 5 -15 10.0
(August 2) Monday, the Athletics handed the Prince George Merchants a 14-3 drubbing.
(August 4) Prince George Athletics solidified their hold on third place with another win over the Merchants, this time 7-3. In order to fill out the lineup, the Merchants had their manager Fernie Ollinger at first and drafted their coach, an umpire and the regular score-keeper.
(August 8) Heavy rains shortened both games of a double header Sunday as the Athletics edged the Lumbermen 5-4 in six innings then dropped the second game 9-6 in the five innings played before a torrent of rain send players and spectators scurrying for cover.
In the first game, all the runs came in a wild fifth inning after starting pitchers Don Young and Gene Slack had pitched shutout ball through four frames.
Slack, Comish (5) and xxx
Young (W) and xxx
In the second game, Lumbermen exploded for eight runs in the first inning en route to a 9-6 win.
Blair (W) and Noble
Larsen (L), McEachnie (1) and Stettner
(August 8) At Quesnel, the league-leading Clippers whipped the Merchants 17-6 in the first game of a scheduled twin bill. Rain washed out the second contest. Clippers smoked the Merchants for 21 hits with Don Caine leading the hit parade with four safeties, one a two-run triple, in five trips. Frank Stevenson, Don Gale and George Oliver each collected three hits. Dickson belted a homer for the losers.
Ivanco (L) and xxx
Melnichuk (W) and xxx
Quesnel Clippers 14 - 3
Quesnel Lumbermen 12 - 5 2.0
PG Athletics 14 - 10 3.5
Willow River Red Sox 10 - 10 5.5
PG Merchants 5 - 18 12.0
(August 11) Willow River shaded the Prince George Merchants 8-7.
(August 12) Kadi Koyama, the slugging third baseman of the Quesnel Clippers tops all batters in the Prince George and District Baseball League. Koyama's .377 average is just ahead of Otto Munk of the Lumberman who sits at .368 and Frank Stevenson of the Clippers at .361. Irv Follack leads the league in homers, with eight. Johnny Koppa of the Clippers is the top pitcher, undefeated in eight starts. The top ten (as published in the Prince George Citizen of August 12th) :
| AB | H | AVE | |||
| Kadi Koyama, Clippers | 53 | 20 | .377 | ||
| Otto Munk, Lumbermen | 57 | 21 | .368 | ||
| Frank Stevenson, Clippers | 61 | 22 | .361 | ||
| Gary Tuttle, Clippers | 68 | 26 | .351 | ||
| D. Dickson, Merchants | 58 | 20 | .345 | ||
| Ron Backman, Athletics | 78 | 25 | .321 | ||
| Andy Kuchurian, Red Sox | 81 | 27 | .333 | ||
| Ted Church, Red Sox | 61 | 18 | .295 | ||
| Ernie Chartrand Red Sox | 52 | 15 | .288 | ||
| Irv Follack, Clippers | 73 | 21 | .288 |
[With the at bats and hits shown, Tuttle should have been displayed with a .382 average and, thus, in the lead. Or perhaps there was a typo on Tuttle's at bats. If he had 74 ABs rather than 68, he would have been at .351. Backman, at .321, is shown ahead of Kuchurian, but should have been displayed below him.]
(August 13) Prince George Athletics topped the Prince George Merchants 9-5 Friday.
Quesnel Clippers 14 - 3
Quesnel Lumbermen 12 - 5 2.0
PG Athletics 15 - 11 3.5
Willow River Red Sox 12 - 11 5.0
PG Merchants 5 - 20 13.0
(August 16) Willow River Red Sox plated five runs in the fourth inning to come from behind to top the Prince George Merchants 6-3. Sid Delano fanned nine in going the route for the win.
Delano (W) and xxx
Makarenko (L) and xxx
(August 19) Semi-final games to kick off the best-of-three playoffs are set for two fronts Sunday with the second place Quesnel Lumbermen travelling to Prince George to meet the Willow River Red Sox in a double header at the Civic Centre park. The Prince George Athletics, who finished in third spot, will travel to Quesnel to face the pennant winning Clippers.
Quesnel Clippers 14 - 3
Quesnel Lumbermen 12 - 5 2.0
PG Athletics 15 - 11 3.5
Willow River Red Sox 13 - 11 4.5
PG Merchants 5 - 21 13.5
PLAYOFFS
Semi-finals
(August 22) Willow River and Quesnel Lumbermen divided their playoff twin bill with the Lumbermen taking the first game 8-4 before the Red Sox rebounded to win 7-2 in the twilight contest. The Lumbermen got five-hit pitching from Gene Slack and a three-run rally in the fifth inning and four more in the seventh to sew up the opening contest. They took the lead in the third when catcher Bill Noble was hit by a pitch, advanced on a pair of sacrifices and scored on Norm Gronskei's single. Sox tied it in the second as Andy Kuchurian scored on a sac fly to centre. Quesnel went ahead to stay in the fifth with Noble's homer, Bill Punt's double and a triple by Gronskei the key blows. Willow River threatened in the six before Slack fanned Vaillancourt with the bases loaded. Lumbermen drove Makachuk from the mound with a four-run onslaught in the seventh. Gronskei led off with a triple, scoring on a single by Allan Blair. After Johnson was safe on an error, Noble and Slack followed with safeties. With two out in the ninth, Vaillancourt and Sid Delano both singled and Chartrand belted one to deep centre field. Gronskei sprinted to pull down the hard smash but the umpires ruled the ball had cleared the automatic home run ditch before being caught.
Makachuk (L), Chartrand (7) and xxx
Slack (W) and xxx
In the twilight tilt, Red Sox took the lead in the first inning and were never headed. Andy Kuchurian singled to score Ted Church. They took a 4-0 lead in the fourth on successive homers by Frank Bruder, a two-run shot, and winning pitcher Sid Delano. They added one in the fifth and two more in the ninth. Quesnel got on the scoreboard with a run in the sixth on two hits and an error and got a run in the ninth on Noble's second four-bagger of the day. Delano scattered seven hits for the pitching win. It was Noble's final game with the Lumbermen. The big catcher for the Lumbermen left this week to enlist with the U.S. Army.
Blair, Comish (5) and xxx
Delano (W) and xxx
(August 22) Quesnel Clippers continued their winning ways eliminating Prince George Athletics in two straight games in their semi-final series, 2-1 and 14-2. A's threw a scare into the Clippers in the opener as Don Young locked horns with Clippers' ace Johnny Koppa in a pitcher's duel. Koppa yielded just five hits, one of them a homer by Johnny Berdusco in the first inning. He compiled seven strikeouts. Young gave up six hits and fanned ten. Clippers tied the score in the first and notched the winner in the seventh on two hits and a sacrifice.
D.Young (L) and xxx
Koppa (W) and xxx
In the second game, Quesnel scored six in the first inning and coasted to the win behind the hurling of Steve Melnichuk.
Sauer (L), McEachnie (1), Larsen (7) and xxx
Melnichuk (W) and xxx
(August 29) It will be Quesnel in the finals of the Prince George and District Baseball League. Yes, the Clippers up against the Lumbermen. The Lumbermen gained a berth in the final round Sunday coming from behind to down Willow River 8-4 in the deciding game of the semi-final series. The Red Sox, behind ace lefty Sid Delano had a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning when an error resulted in failure to complete an easy double play and the Sox went to pieces as the Lumbermen took the lead and won by a four-run margin. Gene Slack went the route for the win.
Delano (L) and xxx
Slack (W) and xxx
(September 5-6) Quesnel Lumbermen defeated Willow River 5-3 in a thrilling tournament final to take top money of $200 in the Labour Day Tourney. Sox were in front 3-0 after five innings but the Lumbermen tied it in the seventh and scored twice in the 8th for the win.
Red Sox reached the final with a 6-3 victory over Prince George Athletics. A four-run first inning, on Andy Kuchurian's grand slam homer, provided enough for the triumph. Sid Delano held the A's for four hits for the pitching win.
Delano (W) and xxx
D.Young (L) and xxx
Lumbermen overcame ten errors to upset the Clippers 13-7 in the other semi-final.
Slack (W) and xxx
Dion, Melnichuk (1), Koppa (5) and xxx
The Clippers had earlier defeated the Mohawks, a Japanese team from Kamloops, 13-8. Clippers slammed two Kamloops hurlers for 14 hits while Johnny Koppa tossed an eight-hitter for the winners.
Stan Kato, Ken Kichi (5) and xxx
Koppa (W) and xxx
(September 12) Rain washed out the first two scheduled games of the final series.
(September 19) The Clippers and Lumbermen divided the first two games of the best-of-five series for the league championship. Both contests were decided in the late innings. In a slugfest, Lumbermen took the opener 15-14 in a game which produced 36 hits including a tremendous homer by catcher Bill Noble. It was the longest blast of the season at Quesnel. The Clippers, trailing 11-9, scored two in the seventh inning to knot the count and then moved ahead, 14-11, with three runs in the eighth. Then in the 9th, with two aboard Bill Punt drilled a single through the infield to score Billy Keen. Lloyd Comish came home when Norm Gronskei reached on an error. With the score now 14-13, Otto Munk poked a long single and Gronskei and Punt crossed the plate to give Lumbermen the lead. Comish blanked the Clippers in the last of the ninth and the Lumbermen had the first game of the series. Losing pitcher Johnny Koppa had a homer for the Clippers.
Slack, Comish (9) and Noble, xxx
Koppa (L) and xxx
In the second game, the Clippers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to post a come-from-behind 8-7 victory. They had taken an early lead with three in the first inning and another in the fourth. Lumbermen evened the count in the fifth frame and took a 7-4 advantage with three runs in the seventh. Down by three into the bottom of the final inning, Steve Melnichuk opened with a hit and Lumbermen's starter Lloyd Comish walked the next four to leave the Clippers just one run behind. Albert Johnson relieved Comish with the bases full and none out and got one out but Frank Stevenson smacked a solid single to drive in the tying and winning runs.
Comish, A.Johnson (9) and xxx
Festerling (W) and xxx
(September 26) The final series will go to a fifth and final game. Clippers and Lumbermen split Sunday's double header to leave the teams with two wins apiece. Johnny Koppa hurled the Clippers to a 7-5 triumph in the opening tilt but the Lumbermen roared back to take the second game 14-7.
Lumbermen took the lead in the fifth inning of the opener as Bill Noble knocked in two runs with a single. Four hits, including George Swaine's triple, a walk and an error yielded three runs for the Clippers in the sixth. They made it 5-2 in the seventh as Don Caine singled and raced home on Koppa's smash to left. Koppa went all the way to third and made in home on a fielder's choice. An error and singles by Irv Follack and Caine boosted the margin to 7-2 in the 8th. Lumbermen came through with three in the ninth but fell short.
Koppa (W), Oliver (9) and Swaine
Slack (L) and Noble
The second game was never in doubt as the Lumbermen scored four times in the first inning and romped to the win. Steve Melnichuk gave up five consecutive hits and failed to retired a batter before giving way to Oscar Festerling. Young Albert Johnson survived 12 hits to go the distance for the pitching win.
Melnichuk (L), Festerling (1), Oliver (8), Caine (9) and Swaine
Johnson (W) and Noble
(October 3) A large crowd shivered through freezing temperatures Sunday to watch the Quesnel Lumbermen upset the Quesnel Clippers 5-3 in the deciding game of the Prince George and District Baseball League final series. Oscar Festerling of the Clippers and Albert Johnson of the Lumbermen were locked in a scoreless pitching duel for the first five innings before the winners tallied three times in the sixth. Catcher Bill Noble led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on Bill Punt's single and an error. Norm Gronskei's three-bagger brought in Punt and Gronskei crossed the plate on a fielder's choice. Clippers got on the scoreboard in the seventh on Frank Stevenson's four-bagger. In the 8th, the Lumbermen added a run on a hit and two errors to make it 4-1 but the Clippers plated a pair on a double by first baseman Stevenson to make it 4-3. Lumbermen added an insurance run in the ninth as Billy Keen blooped a single back of shortstop, moved to second on a passed ball and scored when Al Harris punched a single up the middle. Johnson, a June high school graduate, held the pennant winning Clippers to just two hits through seven innings then another pair in the 8th before Gene Slack relieved.
A.Johnson (W), Slack (8) and Noble
Festerling (L), Koppa (7) and xxx
WEST KOOTENAY
(May 23-24) Trail Smoke Eaters captured the opening tourney of the 1954 senior baseball season held Sunday and Monday downing Rossland 10-0 in the final after advancing with a 10-3 triumph over Nelson Maple Leafs. Rossland defeated Fruitvale 12-0. In a junior contest Monday, Rossland blanked Fruitvale 5-0.
Rossland Capilanos scored seven runs in the first inning in their 12-0 win over the Fruitvale All-Stars. Al Latch tossed a two-hitter for the shutout.
Dick Mohoruk displayed fine style in pitching Trail to their easy 10-3 win over Nelson. Lou DeRosa and Fergie Ferguson combined to shutout Rossland in the final. Smokies took home $125 in prize money.
(May 30) Nelson Maple Leafs downed Trail Smoke Eaters 6-2 Sunday in the opening game of the West Kootenay Baseball League. Don McKinnon and Les Hufty combined to hold the Smokies to four hits. Leafs wrapped up the victory in the fifth inning when they scored three times. McKinnon tripled to knock in the first run and came around to score when Dunc Kennedy reached on an error. Kennedy scored the winner on an miscue in the outfield. Frank Hufty doubled in two more runs in the eighth after the Leafs had gone ahead 4-2.
McKinnon (W), L.Hufty (6) and xxx
DeRosa (L), Mohoruk (5), Corrado (7) and xxx
(June 6) A four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth brought Nelson Maple Leafs an 8-7 win over Trail Smokies in the first game of a double-header before a small turnout in cold, damp weather. Leafs clobbered the Smokies 16-7 in the second game with a 17-hit attack in the seven inning contest.
Down 7-4. Nelson opened the bottom of the ninth with three straight singles by Frank Hufty, Bob McNabb and Dunc Kennedy to load the bases and several throwing errors later, it was a tie game with Ken White standing on second base. With two out, Al Larsen whacked the first pitch from Dick Mohoruk for a single to plate White to chalk up the win.
McKinnon, Hufty (W) (7) and xxx
Mohoruk (L) and xxx
Leafs exploded for six runs in the fifth inning and three more in the sixth for the second game victory. Bob Koehle was the big gun for the winners with four hits. Bob McNabb had a three-run, inside-the-park homer. Herb Lovett of Nelson and and Bill Jablonsky of Trail also had four-baggers.
Hufty (W) and xxx
Ferguson (L), DeRosa (5) and xxx
(June 9) A seven-run 8th inning brought Fruitvale an 11-5 victory over Trail Smoke Eaters Wednesday night. Gerry Penner had two hits and scored three times for the winners and Leo Mailey added a triple and single and two runs scored.
(June 14) Nelson Maple Leafs swamped the Fruitvale All-Stars 18-8 Monday night at the Civic Centre grounds. Leafs rode a six-run third inning to the victory. Catcher Swede Larsen led the winners with three hits and Bob McNabb clouted a homer.
Bridge, Seaman (3) and A.Bilesky (6) and B.Johnson
L.Hufty (W), Christensen (6), McKinnon (7) and Larsen
(June 20) Bob Seaman, in his first year up from the junior ranks, held Trail to six hits in tossing a 2-0 shutout for Fruitvale. Louis DeRosa surrendered just seven hits in taking the tough-luck loss.
DeRosa (L) and xxx
Seaman (W) and xxx
(June 21) Nelson announced it was dropping out of the senior baseball league because of the cancellation of games. Rossland Capilanos had called off a double-header scheduled for Rossland Sunday. Frank Hufty, the president of the Queen City club made the announcement and stated the team felt it was doing baseball harm to have so many games postponed. The Leafs plan to carry on with exhibition games.
(June 22) Young Dick Mohoruk struck out 18 Tuesday night as Trail Smoke Eaters captured their first win of the season with a 9-4 win over Rossland Capilanos. The effort came close to the Butler Park record of 21 strikeouts set last year by Pete Boisvert. A comedy of errors in the seventh inning by the Capilanos iced the game for the Smokies. Trail took the lead in the first inning as Ray Hamilton doubled and came home on a two-bagger by Danny Geronazzo. The Caps replied with three runs in the fourth. Red Harrison doubled to drive in Babe LaFace and Pat Frie and plated the third run himself. In the sixth, Smokes regained the lead as Geronazzo walked and Lou Corrado reached on an error beore Reno Zanier rapped a double for a 3-3 tie. Wally Russell advanced Zanier to third with a single and a wild pitch brought him home. In the seventh, Corrado fanned but reached first as the pitch got away from catcher Pete Bourchier who worsened the situation trying to make the throw to first. It sailed into right field and by the time Rossland recovered the ball Corrado and two other base runners had crossed the plate.
Starcevic (L) and Bourchier
Mohoruk (W) and Russell
(June 23) Andy Bilesky doubled in the winning run in the bottom of the final inning to give Fruitvale All-Stars a 7-6 decision over Nelson Maple Leafs in an exhibition game Wednesday. Bill Johnson led the winners with a double and two singles while Frank Hufty smacked a pair of doubles and two singles for Nelson.
(June 23) Nelson Outlaws dropped a 4-2 decision at Metaline Wednesday. Reynolds, hurling for the Americans, held Nelson scoreless until the ninth when the Outlaws managed a triple and two singles to plate both their runs. Metaline, in second place in the Washington-Idaho Baseball League, tucked away he game early with three runs in the second inning. Reynolds, who bested Nelson's Stan Gill, fanned 15.
Grill (L) and xxx
Reynolds (W) and xxx
(June 24) Lou Corrado singled and scored the winning run in the top of seventh and final inning Thursday night as Trail Smoke Eaters bested the Capilanos 6-5 in the season opener at Rossland. The Golden City crew had tied the count in the sixth inning scoring all five of their runs after Trail had taken a 5-0 advantage in the top of the sixth with three markers. Rossland had the bases loaded with two out in the bottom of the seventh when Pat Frie drove a hot grounder to short. Bill Jablonsky made a desperate one-handed stab at the ball and deflected the ball into the glove of second sacker Leo Soligo for the out. Danny Geronazzo and Soligo led Trail's 11-hit attack each with three safe blows.
Geronazzo, Corrado (W) (6), Geronazzo (7) and Russell
Lavorato (L) and Bourchier
(June 26-27) Nelson Maple Leafs and the Fairchild Flyers from Spokane split a pair of weekend games at Nelson. A late rally by Nelson led to an 8-6 win Saturday while the Flyers thumped the Leafs 14-0 Sunday. A second Sunday contest was called because of rain after just one inning of play with the score 2-2.
Nelson rallied from a 6-2 deficit with six runs in the sixth inning to post an 8-6 win over Fairchild in the seven inning contest. Frank Hufty led the Leafs with four hits, including a third inning homer. Les Hufty hurled a six-hitter for the win. Two of the hits were homers by Gil Kuhn and Dick Hack.
B.Gagne, Toby and xxx
Hufty (W) and xxx
Fairchild collected 16 hits, including three home runs, Sunday to crush the Leafs. Cliff Kelly tossed a five-hitter for the shutout. Eight Nelson errors heavily contributed to the outcome. Second baseman Willie Hayes, centre fielder Gil Kuhn and right fielder Bob Hodgson led the winners each with three hits. Third sacker Stan Griffin belted a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Dick Hack clouted a three-run homer in the sixth and catcher Bob Fisher had a solo shot.
McKinnon (L), Hufty (7) and xxx
Kelly (W) and xxx
(June 27) Fruitvale dumped Rossland Capilanos 15-10 in the first of two at Fruitvale.
(June 27) Billy Johnson's three-run homer in the 10th inning carried Fruitvale to a 5-2 victory over Trail in the second game of a double-header at Butler Park Sunday. Before Johnson's blast, the third homer of the game, Julie Bilesky had reached on a error and Stets Gryschuk had singled. Leo Soligo had a four-bagger for Trail in the second and Gerry Penner clouted a two-run homer in the fourth.
(June 29) Nelson Maple Leafs exploded for eight runs in the seventh inning to come from behind for an 9-5 exhibition victory over Trail Smoke Eaters at Butler Park Tuesday night. Lou Corrado's two-run homer in the sixth gave Trail a 3-1 advantage. But in the next frame the Leafs combined three hits with numerous errors, free passes and defensive lapses to trample the Smokies.
xxx and xxx
DeRosa, Ferguson (7) and xxx
(July 3-4) Nelson swept a three-game weekend series from the Hillyard Merchants of Spokane winning 3-2 and 5-4 before trouncing the visitors 16-3.
Les Hufty fired a three-hitter Saturday as the Leafs, blanked until the ninth, scored three times in the last frame for the 3-2 win. Spokane scored a pair in the first inning as Harry Dunlevy clouted a homer after Bob Keady had reached on an error. Bob McNabb opened the 9th with a walk for Nelson and scored the first Leaf marker as Ken White and Marshall Severyn reached on errors. Al "Swede" Larsen then became the game's hero when he clouted a booming two-bagger to send the tying and winning runs home. In the fifth inning, Hufty retired the side on just four pitches.
xxx and xxx
Hufty (W) and xxx
Hufty also started the first game Sunday and was touched for three hits and three runs in the first four innings before giving way to Al Dawson, the pitching sensation from the junior Fairview Athletics, who held the Americans to two hits and a single run the rest of the way as Nelson prevailed 5-4. Nelson collected a pair in the third and another two in the seventh to tie 4-4. In the ninth, Frank Hufty doubled and Ken White singled him home for the victory.
D.Miller (L) and xxx
Hufty, Dawson (W) (5) and xxx
Bob McNabb put on a hitting clinic in the second game Sunday pounding out a pair of three-run homers and two doubles to lead Leafs to the 16-3 triumph. Les Hufty, at first base, collected a double and two singles and pitcher Marshall Severyn got a double and single while holding the visitors to five hits in going the distance on the mound.
xxx and xxx
Severyn (W) and xxx
(July 6) Trail Smoke Eaters handed Fruitvale its first loss of the season Tuesday, a 5-3 setback at Butler Park. Import chucker Bob Weilep held the All-Stars to five hits in registering the mound triumph. John Bridge, the hitting star of the game, gave up eight hits in taking the loss. Bridge belted a homer and double and scored twice for Fruitvale.
Bridge (L) and xxx
Weilep (W) and xxx
(July 8) With 12 runs in the first two innings, Trail Smokies whipped the Capilanos 18-6 Thursday at Rossland. Lou Corrado and Danny Geronazzo clouted homers for Trail while Bert Bertoia had a circuit blow for the Caps. Albert Cronie had two hits and scored four runs for the winners.
Dick Alexander (L), Seth Martin (2) and xxx
F.Ferguson (W) and xxx
(July 11) Trail Smoke Eaters blew a 6-0 lead in dropping a 17-12 decision to Rossland in a slugfest at Butler Park. Bert Bertoia led a 15-hit attack with a triple, two doubles and a single. Shortstop Pete Bourchier had two hits and scored five times. Irv Lavorato added three hits for the winners. For Trail, centre fielder Howie Palmer provided the highlight with a bases-loaded homer in the eighth inning. Johnny Starcevic, with relief help from Irv Lavorato, picked up the win.
Starcevic (W), Lavorato (8) and Frie
Mohoruk (L), Weilep (6), Ferguson (9) and
Russell
(July 11) Les Hufty shutout Fruitvale on three hits Sunday as Nelson Maple Leafs defeated the All-Stars 4-0 in an exhibition match before a near capacity crowd at the Civic Recreation Grounds. Dunc Jamieson's inside-the-park homer in the fifth inning was the big blow. Leafs got their initial run in the second frame on singles by Herb Lovett and Ernie Gare and an infield out. A fourth inning double by Ken White led to the second run and the final marker came in the fifth on a single by Rene Masi, an error and a fielder's choice.
Duncan (L) and xxx
L.Hufty (W) and xxx
(July 13) Young shortstop Billy Jablonsky smacked two doubles, two singles and knocked in a pair to power Trail to a 10-2 thumping of the Nelson Maple Leafs. The Smoke Eaters took a five run lead in the first inning as Trail went through the batting order before Roy Driver could retire the side. Albert Cronie, the Trail third sacker, belted a two-run homer.
R.Driver (L) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 14) Julie Bilesky drove in Danny Geronazzo with the winning run in the 10th inning Wednesday as Trail upended league-leading Fruitvale 6-3. Smokies added two insurance runs as Leo Soligo and Harvey Handley came around to score. Geronazzo led the winners with a homer and two singles. Leo Mailey had four hits and drove in two for the All-Stars. Lou DeRosa, who relieved starter Dick Mohoruk in the ninth, picked up the win.
Mohoruk, DeRosa (W) (9) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 17-18) The Troy Indians from Montana took two of three games in their weekend series with Nelson Maple Leafs. Troy won 13-4 and 13-5 in Saturday and Sunday games while Nelson managed a 7-2 victory Sunday afternoon.
On Saturday, Troy scored four times in the second inning without a hit as the Leafs booted the ball three times and then turned on the power in the third frame belting three homers, by Bill Hogland, Ernie Joirman and Ron Rundell. Troy continued the assault in the sixth when they scored five more times, including Hogland's second circuit blow. The Leafs got into the homer parade in the fourth inning getting round-trippers by Dunc Kennedy, a three-run shot, and Herb Lovett with a solo blast.
Bob Blair (W) and xxx
Dawson (L), L.Hufty (3), Roy Driver (7) and xxx
Sunday afternoon, Nelson scored seven runs in the first inning with Dunc Kennedy's homer the highlight. The game was awarded to Nelson in the bottom of the third as Troy's third base coach was order to the showers but refused to leave the field. It was 7-2 at the time.
McKinnon (W) and xxx
Bill Parker (L) and xxx
Nelson committed eight errors Sunday night and gave up 12 hits including homers by Rich Rust, Bob Bourbeau and Ernie Joirman in falling 13-5. Ken White crushed two homers for Nelson and Keith Harmston added another. Bill Parker went the distance for the pitching win.
Bill Parker (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 19) Fruitvale All-Stars ran wild on the bases and took advantage of sloppy defense by Trail to notch a 7-3 victory Monday at Butler Park. 16-year-old Tony DeRosa, up from the junior ranks, started for the Smokies and his long windup and delivery allowed the A's to run at will. Jack Duncan had a shutout into the seventh in pitching the win for Fruitvale. In the strangest play of the night, right fielder Harvey Handley let a drive go through his legs and out of sight as the runner made a leisurely jaunt around the sacks but was called out for failing to touch third base.
Duncan (W) and xxx
T.DeRosa, L.DeRosa (4), Mohoruk (7) and xxx
(July 22) Rossland Caps played sparkling defensive ball Thursday at Fruitvale to pull out a 6-4 victory over the Stars. Tied at 2-2 after three innings, Caps plated a pair in the fourth and another two in the fifth for the win. Irv Lavorato was in fine form with a four-hitter. Wayne Shute smacked a pair of two-baggers for the winners who had eight hits. Gerry Penner clouted a triple for Fruitvale.
Lavorato (W) and S.Price
J.Bridge, A.Bilesky and A.Bilesky, Shorting
(July 24) The Fairchild Airmen of Spokane humiliated Fruitvale in a twin-bill Saturday taking the first game 8-0 before crushing the host club 18-4 in the second.
(July 25) Colville, Washington, Eagles took both games of the double-header Sunday at Nelson downing the Outlaws 4-3 and 10-7.
The visitors had just four hits off Roy Driver in the opener but four errors hurt the Outlaws. Hal Davis won it holding Nelson to six hits.
Davis (W) and R.Burgess
Driver and Nash
Nelson also out-hit Colville in the second game, but again came away with a loss, this time 10-7. A four-run sixth inning for Colville sealed the deal. Loy Burgess picked up the win in relief. Starter Joe Scherette left the game after being hit by a pitch in the third. The Americans got away to a fast start with two runs in the first inning on three walks and a double. Nelson took the lead in the second as Tom Marshall smacked a bases-loaded triple. The teams were tied 5-5 after five. Trailing 10-5 in the eighth, Nelson scored a pair and had the bases loaded with one out but Alex Abrosimo hit into a double play to end the threat. The Outlaws' Marshall was the day's top hitter with one for two and four walks in the first game and three for five in the second.
Scherette, L.Burgess (W) (3) and Abernathy
Misuraca, Brown (3), Driver (3) (L), Grill (7) and Isackson, Nash (7)
(July 27) Trail scored three in the first inning and coasted to a 9-2 win over Nelson Maple Leafs at Butler Park. Dick Mohoruk and Lou DeRosa combined on a four-hitter for the win while the Smoke Eaters rapped ten hits off Jimmy Todd who went the distance as the Leafs had just nine players.
Todd (L) and xxx
Mohoruk (W), DeRosa (7) and xxx
(August 1) Lou Corrado, the Trail playing manager, saved the day for the Smokies Sunday in a 7-6 win over Nelson Maple Leafs. His homer broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning and, after Joe Postnikoff of the Leafs scored in the ninth to send the game into extra innings, Corrado doubled in the 10th and scored the winner on a single by Harvey Handley. Swede Larsen belted a homer for the Leafs.
Ferguson, Mohoruk (4) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(August 3) Chuck Milne cracked a two-run homer in the top of the final frame Tuesday night to give Rossland a thrilling 2-0 victory over Fruitvale. It was the Caps fifth straight triumph. Milne's blast came with Babe LaFace aboard with a single. Irv Lavorato got the shutout with a four-hitter while loser Jack Duncan also pitched four-hit ball.
Lavorato (W) and C.Milne
J.Duncan (L) and A.Bilesky
(August 4) Trail Smoke Eaters scored in the bottom of the ninth to upset the touring House of David 5-4. Bob Weilep held the bearded ones to seven hits and scored the deciding marker when he reached on a walk and romped home on an infield error. Fans saw a rarity in the fourth as Bill Jablonsky and Ray Hamilton smacked back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches. Rocky Carling slammed a homer for the visitors.
Donovan (L) and Owens
Weilep (W) and Russell, Hackett (8)
(August 7) Colville Air Base shaded Nelson Outlaws 2-1 Saturday in an outstanding pitching duel. Roy Driver fired a three-hitter with 15 strikeouts for Nelson but came away with a loss as Ken Fetter, who had no strikeouts, held the Outlaws to two hits. Each walked just one. The airmen got the winner in the eighth when Bob Dillon and Gil Billington belted doubles. Jim McNabb smacked a homer for Nelson's only run.
Fetter (W) and xxx
Driver (L) and xxx
(August 8) Nelson Outlaws and Nakusp battled to a 4-4, 12-inning draw Sunday at Nelson. The game was halted as several members of the Nakusp team had to hurry home to be at work. Nakusp broke a scoreless tie in the seventh when they got to Johnny Misuraca for four hits and four runs. In the eighth, Alex Abrosimo brought the Outlaws back into the game with a run in and two on as he lifted a fly ball to right field which bounded over Barin Yoshida's head. Yoshida, thinking it was a ground-rule double failed to chase the ball and Abrosimo romped home with an inside-the park homer to knot the count.
xxx and xxx
Misuraca, Driver (7) and xxx
(August 10) Colville Eagles had a night to forget in a 13-1 trouncing at the hands of the Trail Smoke Eaters. Eagles gave up 15 hits and committed eight errors. Bob Weilep pitched five-hit ball with 12 strikeouts until he retired in the sixth. The only run he allowed was an inside-the-park homer by Joe Scherette on a misjudged fly ball which dropped in over the head of the left fielder. Smokies scored in every inning but the eighth. Ray Hamilton's long homer over the left field fence to lead off the fifth was the big blow of the ball game. Weilep was in trouble just once when he walked the first three batters in the third inning. After a brief conference with manager Lou Corrado on the mound, Weilep bore down to fan the next three batters. Berno led the Trail attack with four hits.
H.Davis (L) and xxx
Weilep (W), Ferguson (7) and xxx
(August 12) Les Hufty chucked a neat three-hitter as Nelson Maple Leafs topped Fruitvale 4-2 Thursday night at the Recreation Grounds. Hufty had a shutout until the ninth when two errors and a single accounted for the Fruitvale runs. Bob Seaman yielded just five hits but had control troubles walking seven. The win for Hufty was his 14th of the season.
Seaman (L) and xxx
L.Hufty (W) and xxx
(August 17) Fruitvale A's pounded two homers and rang up five runs in the first inning and cruised to a 13-2 win over Trail Smokies Tuesday night. Andy Bilesky led off the game with a homer and Stets Gryschuk followed a few minutes later with a blast with a mate aboard. Errors and a balk accounted for two more tallies. Bob Seaman limited Trail to five hits for the win. He whiffed 13. Snook Seaman had a third inning homer for the A's.
B.Seaman (W) and Bilesky
Ferguson (L), McIntyre (5) and Handley
(August 22) Irv Lavorato blanked Nelson on two hits as Trail notched a 2-0 victory. Marsh Severyn was a tough luck loser allowing just two hits. The winning run came on an error in the seventh inning.
Lavorato (W) and xxx
Severyn (L) and xxx
(August 30) Nelson Outlaws swept a double-header from Newport Sunday 5-0 and 9-1 getting outstanding pitching from Winston Storgaard and Denny Kraft. Storgaard, with relief help from Ron Nash, tossed a two-hitter in the opener. Both hits came in the fifth inning when Nash came in from shortstop to end the inning before turning things back to Storgaard. Outlaws scored three times in the first inning on hits by Ron Brown, Alex Abrosimo and Storgaard. They added two more in the third when Nash singled, Ken White smacked a double and Stan Grill singled.
Erkhart (L) and xxx
Storgaard (W), Nash (5), Storgaard (6) and xxx
Curve-balling Denny Kraft sent down Newport on five hits in the second game while the Outlaws punched out 11, three by Tom Marshall. Ed Isackson slugged a homer.
xxx and xxx
Kraft (W) and xxx
PLAYOFFS
(September 9) Les Hufty fired a three-hit shutout as Nelson Maple Leafs took the first game of the West Kootenay playoffs 8-0 over Trail. Hufty also led the offense with three of Nelson's ten hits. Leafs broke open a tight, 1-0, game with three runs in the 8th inning and four more in the 9th.
L.Hufty (W) and Larsen
Ferguson (L), McIntyre (8) and Russell
(September 12) Fruitvale topped Trail 10-8 at Butler Park Thursday. Smokies had the bases loaded on three occasions and failed to take advantage.
xxx and xxx
Ferguson (L) and xxx
(September 12) Nelson took the lead in the playoff series with a 10-8 win over Fruitvale.
(September 19) Nelson Maple Leafs assured themselves of at least a tie for the lead in the round-robin playoff series for the West Kootenay title by splitting a double-header at the Civic Recreation grounds Sunday. In the afternoon they edged Trail 11-10 in ten innings, but dropped a five-inning, rain shortened, 5-2, decision to Fruitvale in the evening. With their third loss in the round-robin Trail withdrew from the series.
Leafs blew a five-run lead in the first game, then twice came from behind to tie before winning in the tenth inning against the Smoke Eaters. Catcher Swede Larsen scored the winner on a passed ball by his opposing receiver Wally Russell. Third baseman Bernie Clarkson had given Leafs a chance to win when, with the score 10-8 for Trail, he singled with the bases loaded to tie the count and put Larsen in position to score. Lou Corrado had given Trail that two-run lead in the top of the 10th with a circuit blow with Julie Bilesky aboard. But in the bottom of the frame Les Hufty singled, Bill Haldane walked and Larsen was safe on an error before Clarkson tied the contest. Earlier, Ray Hamilton slugged a homer for the Smokies. Les Hufty was the winning pitcher in relief of Don McKinnon. Joey Jankola went the distance for Trail.
Jankola (L) and Russell
McKinnon, L.Hufty (W) (5) and Larsen
Fruitvale remained in the hunt for the championship with a 5-2 win over the Leafs. Bill Johnson's two-run homer in the first inning gave the A's an early lead. They added a run on three singles in the third and Leo Mailey swatted a homer with Jack Duncan on base in the fourth. Nelson scored in the fifth as Ernie Gare drove in Swede Larsen who had been hit by a pitch. Bernie Clarkson drove in the second run with a long fly ball. Rain forced the game to be called after five innings.
Duncan (W) and xxx
Severyn (L) and xxx
(September 26) Nelson Maple Leafs won the first game of the best-of-three West Kootenay baseball finals Sunday downing Fruitvale A's 9-5. Leafs took the lead in the first inning with Frank Hufty scoring after belting a double. They added another in the third before Fruitvale tied the count in their half of the third on Bill Johnson's two-run triple. Nelson went ahead for good in the fourth turning six straight singles into three runs and adding a singleton in the seventh and three more in the eighth. Les Hufty allowed only five hits and struck out five in going the route for the winners.
Duncan, Seaman and xxx
L.Hufty (W) and xxx
(September 26) Down 5-0, Nelson Outlaws roared back to dump New Denver-Silverton 11-6 to advance to the finals of the West Kootenay playoffs. New Denver-Silverton took the lead with three in the first inning off Stan Grill and added two more in the second. After getting on the scoreboard in the second inning on a walk, stolen base and a single, Ron Brown clouted a homer for the Outlaws in the fourth. In the fifth, George Benwell opened with a double, Tom Marshall walked and stole second and Denny Kraft launched a long fly to plate Benwell. Marshall came home when Ken White singled and Nelson was just a run back. The visitors went ahead 6-4 in the top of the sixth when Jackie James doubled and Barry Morrison followed with a single. The lead was short lived as Nelson sent 11 men to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and scored seven times. Alex Abrosimo knocked in one run, Denny Kraft doubled to plate three, Ron Brown's two-bagger scored two more and Ed Isackson doubled to score Brown. Isackson led the Outlaws with three hits while Jackie James was best for the losers with four safeties.
Gordon (L), Patterson (6) and xxx
Grill, Brown (1), Grill (2), Brown (2), Driver (W) (3) and xxx
(October 3) Nelson Maple Leafs retained their crown as West Kootenay champions Sunday as they downed Fruitvale 6-5 and then Nelson Outlaws 10-0 before a fair crowd of shivering fans at the Recreation Grounds.
In the first game, Leafs fell four runs down before rallying for the victory. The A's took the lead in the third as they touched Les Hufty for five hits and four runs. Leafs rebounded in the fourth with six runs on three hits, two walks and an error. Fruitvale got another in the eighth when Leo Mailey tripled and came home on Jack Duncan's single.
B.Seaman (L) and xxx
L.Hufty (W) and xxx
Marshall Severyn was the story as Nelson took the title with a shutout in the second game. The right-hander had a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a two-hit performance. Leafs racked up 13 hits off Roy Driver and Stan Grill with Frank Hufty leading the way with four hits in five trips. Leafs earned the right to play Kimberley Dynamos for the Kootenay title.
Driver, Grill and xxx
Severyn (W) and xxx
SLOCAN VALLEY - ARROW LAKES
(May 16) The newly-formed New Denver Silverton baseball team opened the 1954 season with a victory, 4-2 over the strong Kaslo representatives playing at home. The visitors took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and were never headed. Using three hurlers, New Denver held Kaslo without a hit until the bottom of the ninth when the home club pounded out three safeties. Ken Gordon went the first four innings without allowing a base runner. Tom Bryan worked two innings and except for two costly errors by his teammates, stayed out of trouble. Tommy Pearson finished allowing the three hits in the final frame as Kaslo got on the scoreboard. The trio fanned 16. Ray Norberg, who took over mound duties for Kaslo in the second inning, racked up 13 strikeouts. Max Yoshida and W. Suryama each had two hits for the winners.
K.Gordon, Bryan, Pearson and xxx
xxx, R.Norberg and xxx
(May 23) In a three-team double-header at Kaslo, the home squad took both ends of the twin-bill downing Nakusp 9-7 in the opener and Nelson Outlaws 12-2 in the second game.
Kaslo jumped into a 7-0 lead after two innings thanks to some sloppy fielding by Nakusp and held on take the 9-7 victory. They scored three in the first inning on one hit, a walk, error, fielder's choice and sacrifice fly. They added four in the second on three errors, two walks and two singles. Nakusp rebounded with runs in the 3rd and 5th before a five-run rally in the 6th. Jackie James' three-run triple highlighted the outburst. Kaslo got the winner in the bottom of the 6th on a hit, walk and stolen base. Dave Shunter led the winners with three hits while Al Short rapped three for Nakusp.
Hale, James (4) and xxx
S.Norberg, R.Norberg (6) and xxx
Kaslo broke open a close contest with six runs in the 8th inning in the 12-2 triumph over Nelson.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(May 24) At Burton Monday, Nakusp downed Edgewood 7-1 behind the solid hurling of Buster Patterson who held Edgewood to three hits in the seven inning contest. Hugo Klien pitched into the 6th to take the loss. Jackie James led the winners with three hits, one of them a double. Al Short had a pair of safeties. Ken Adshead had two for the losers.
Klien (L), K.Adshead (6) and xxx
Patterson (W) and xxx
(May 24) Creston took both ends of a Victoria Day double-header from Kaslo, 4-3 and 5-3.
(May 30) Behind the hitting of Otto Yanagisawa and Jackie James and the pitching of Buster Patterson, Nakusp won its home opener Sunday downing Kaslo 8-5. Yanagisawa, who had four hits, including a double, started the offensive when he drove the first pitch of the game for a clean single. James also had four hits. Shig Kiyono had a pair of safeties, both intended as sacrifice bunts but beaten out for hits. Patterson fired a two-hitter and fanned 14 while issuing nine free passes. Sonny Norberg took the loss pitching just two innings. The game was marred by an injury to Kaslo catcher Dave Shunter who broke a finger on a foul tip in the third inning.
S.Norberg (L), R.Norberg and Shunter, xxx (3)
Patterson (W) and xxx
(June 13) New Denver-Silverton topped Nakusp 9-4 Sunday at Silverton. Kenny Gordon held Nakusp in check until the 6th inning when the visitors scored three times. By this time the host club was up 7-0. Gordon pitched into the 7th frame giving up five hits while setting down 12 by strikeout. Reliever Tom Bryan fanned five more. Jackie James of Nakusp led all the hitters with a homer, triple and single. New Denver used the squeeze bunt to score five of their nine runs.
Hale (L), Patterson (6) and xxx
Gordon (W), Bryan (7) and N.Hayashi
(June 13) Nelson Outlaws picked up a win and a tie in a double-header Sunday at the Civic Recreation Grounds. In the opener, Ken White scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth as Nelson prevailed 5-4 over Kaslo. The game produced 31 strikeouts as Outlaws' starter Johnny Misuraca fanned 14 and reliever Roy Driver added five while Ray Norberg compiled 12 strikeouts for Kaslo. Each team had eight hits.
R.Norberg (L) and xxx
Misuraca, Roy Driver (W) (6) and xxx
Kaslo and Nelson battled to a 7-7 draw in the second game as Misuraca plated the tying marker in the final frame. Tommy Marshall had the big blow, an inside the park homer in the fifth inning. Roy Driver added another 11 strikeouts to his day. Sonny Norberg led the hitters with four hits on the day while brother Ray had three. Ken White topped the winners with three hits, one a triple.
S.Norberg and xxx
Roy Driver and xxx
(June 20) Roy Driver held Nakusp to seven hits Sunday as Nelson Outlaws blanked the Arrow Lakes squad 3-0. He whiffed ten without issuing a free pass. The winners had just six hits off loser Buster Patterson. Nelson got what proved to be the winner in the first inning as Tommy Marshall reached first after catcher Brian Hempseed let strike three get away. Ron Nash then drove him home with the first of his two hits. In the second frame, Stan Donaldson and Johnny Cone drew walks before Ron Brown knocked in a run with a single over second base. The Outlaws picked up their final marker in the seventh on a throwing error and an infield miscue. A scheduled second game was rained out.
Patterson (L) and xxx
Roy Driver (W) and xxx
(June 20) In a double-header at Kaslo, the host team and Clayton, Washington, each came away with a victory. Kaslo won the first game 5-0 while Clayton rebounded to win, 5-1, in the second contest.
(June 25) Nobby Hayashi is setting a torrid pace for batting honours among his New Denver-Silverton teammates. Hayashi has compiled a .600 mark so far and leads the club with 11 stolen bases. Ken Gordon is tops in runs batted in with six. Gordon has a .375 average, Barry Morrison .357, Kenje Hayashi .286, Tom Bryan .250 and Tom Ida .214.
(June 27) New Denver-Silverton trounced Edgewood 14-3 as Ken Gordon powered the winners with a home run and a pair of towering triples. Right-hander Tom Bryan had a three hitter into the 8th inning before Edgewood rattled off four hits in the final two innings to score two of their three runs.
J.Olds (L), xxx (4), Klien and xxx
Bryan (W) and xxx
(July 4) In what was described as the "best played ball game seen in the district in years" New Denver-Silverton squeezed out a 2-0 10-inning victory over Nakusp. Ken Gordon fired a three-hitter to record the shutout. Young Buster Patterson allowed just five hits in going the distance for Nakusp. In the 10th, Patterson walked Kenje Hayashi before Wayne Morrison's long blow scored the first run. An error by Patterson on Andy Avison's hit to the mound send Morrison home with the final marker.
Patterson (L) and xxx
Gordon (W) and xxx
(July 11) New Denver-Silverton jumped into a 2-0 lead in the first inning and rode the five-hit pitching of Ken Gordon to a 5-2 win over Kaslo at Dewis Memorial Park in Silverton. Gordon rang up 12 strikeouts. Andy Avison, Nobby Hayashi and Gordon each had two hits for the winners. Gibby Lind had the game's big blow, a towering three bagger. Lind, who was hurt sliding into third, was unable to continue. Ray Norberg, who allowed eight hits, took the loss.
R.Norberg (L) and xxx
Gordon (W) and xxx
(July 18) Nakusp halted the five-game winning streak by New Denver-Silverton by trouncing the combines 11-5 at Dewis Memorial Park. Ken Gordon, who had put five wins on the board already this season, had a rough day against the Nakuspites. After Jackie James slammed a triple and Fred Johnson whacked a two-run homer, Gordon was relieved by newcomer Bill Guernsey who yielded three hits and a run in the two innings he worked. Buster Patterson pitched steady ball for the win allowing two extra base hits, a triple by Andy Avison and a two-bagger by young Pat Harding.
Patterson (W) and xxx
Gordon (L), Guernsey and xxx
(August 1) In a twin-bill at Nakusp, Nelson whipped the locals 10-2 in the first game while Nakusp rebounded for a 2-1 victory in the second. Stan Grill fired a four-hitter for the Outlaws in the opener. He fanned nine and walked two.
Grill (W) and xxx
Patterson (L), Hale (3), James (6) and xxx
Buster Patterson came back strong in the second game hurling a two-hitter in besting the visitors. Jackie James scored the winner for Nakusp. After getting aboard with a single, he stole second and third and came home on an infield sacrifice by Fred Johnson. Johnson led the winners with a triple and single.
Storgaard, Grill (3), Storgaard (4), Gill (7) and xxx
Patterson (W) and xxx
(August 8) Nelson Outlaws and Nakusp battled to a 4-4, 12-inning draw Sunday at Nelson. The game was halted as several members of the Nakusp team had to hurry home to be at work. Nakusp broke a scoreless tie in the seventh when they got to Johnny Misuraca for four hits and four runs. In the eighth, Alex Abrosimo brought the Outlaws back into the game with a run in and two on as he lifted a fly ball to right field which bounded over Barin Yoshida's head. Yoshida, thinking it was a ground-rule double failed to chase the ball and Abrosimo romped home with an inside-the park homer to knot the count.
xxx and xxx
Misuraca, Driver (7) and xxx
(August 8) At Creston, New Denver-Silverton split a weekend double-dip dropping the first game 4-0 while rebounding to whip Creston 10-2 in the second. Creston southpaw Dale Embree hurled a neat two-hitter in registering the shutout. He fanned 11. Ken Gordon allowed seven hits in taking the loss.
Gordon (L) and N.Hayashi
Embree (W) and xxx
New Denver-Silverton went in front in the first inning of the second contest and never looked back rapping 15 hits in the 10-2 triumph. Bill Guernsey held Creston to seven safeties and just one extra base hit, a triple by Harry Ostendorf who was nabbed at the plate on a double relay from Kenje Hayashi to Bud Leask to Nobby Hayashi at the plate.
Guernsey (W) and N.Hayashi
Gerdarburg (L) and xxx
(August 15) In weekend games at New Denver and Silverton, the Fruitvale seniors and New Denver-Silverton each walked away with a victory. The home squad took the first game 6-5 behind the steady pitching of Ken Gordon who scattered eight hits and struck out seven and carried a shutout into the seventh.
xxx, xxx and xxx
Gordon (W) and N.Hayashi
In the second game, Fruitvale erupted for five hits and four runs in the first inning and coasted to the win, a seven inning affair. Jack Duncan held New Denver-Silverton to six hits in claiming the mound victory. Nobby Hayashi highlighted the locals attack with a run-scoring triple.
Duncan (W) and xxx
Guernsey (L) and xxx
(August 22) Nelson Outlaws downed arch rival Nakusp 9-4 Sunday before a large crowd at Nakusp. The game was called after seven innings because of rain. Outlaws scored in the first frame as Tom Marshall, Ron Nash and Ron Brown reached base before Alex Abrosimo rapped a single. Nakusp rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the inning with Jackie James slugging a three-run homer. Outlaws regained the lead in the sixth as Buster Patterson walked in two runs before Ron Brown smacked a bases-loaded triple off reliever James. Brown, Abrosimo and Win Storgaard each had three hits for Nelson.
Grill, Brown (1), Grill (2) and xxx
Patterson (L) and xxx
(September 6) Fruitvale captured the top prize at the Slocan City Labour Day Tournament downing New Denver-Silverton 9-4 behind the seven-hit pitching of Jack Duncan. Andy Bilesky led the attack with a triple and single.
Gordon (L), N.Hayashi (4) and xxx
Duncan (W) and xxx
New Denver-Silverton won their opening game 2-1 over the Nelson-Slocan squad. Ken Gordon fired a four-hitter for the win in the five-inning contest. Swede Larsen of Nelson-Slocan had the game's longest blow, a triple. Les Hufty took the loss.
Gordon (W) and xxx
L.Hufty (L) and xxx
(September 19) Playing at home, at Vimy park, Kaslo topped Nelson Outlaws 11-7.
D.Kraft (L) and R.Nash
R.Norberg (W) and Sonny Norberg
(September 26) Nelson Outlaws fell behind 5-0 before turning on the offense in an 11-6 victory over New Denver-Silverton to advance to the finals of the West Kootenay baseball playoffs. Roy Driver pitched five-hit ball in seven relief innings for the win. Driver was late arriving being held up an hour at the ferry. New Denver-Silverton started fast by touching Stan Grill for three runs in the first inning before Ron Brown got the last out. Grill returned to start the second inning but again Brown was called in after two runs had scored. Nelson chipped away with a run in the second and added another on Brown's homer in the fourth. In the fifth, Denny Kraft's long fly scored George Benwell who had led off with a double and Tom Marshall, who had walked, came home on Ken White's single. New Denver went ahead 6-4 in the sixth when Jackie James, a reinforcement from Nakusp, doubled and scored on Barry Morrison's single. In the bottom of the sixth, the Outlaws sent 11 men to the plate scoring seven runs before reliever Buster Patterson could retire the side. After Alex Abrosimo singled in Ed Isackson, Denny Kraft knocked in the tying and winning runs with a double. Nelson pounded out 12 hits, three by Isackson. New Denver had nine safeties with James collecting four. Outlaws now meet the winner of the Nelson Maple Leaf - Fruitvale series for the West Kootenay title.
Gordon, Patterson (6) and xxx
Grill, Brown (1), Grill (2), Brown (2), Roy Driver (W) (3) and xxx
CROW'S NEST
(May 23) In the opening game of the 1954 season, Michel Red Sox and Fernie Falcons played to a thrilling 4-4, 10-inning draw Sunday at Fernie. Michel jumped into the early lead on Cliff Salahub's three run homer in the first inning. Falcons responded with singletons in the 1st, 5th and 7th to tie and then went ahead with a run in the 9th. Michael scored in the ninth to force the extra inning.
(May 30) A four-run outburst in the 10th inning, highlighted by Frankie Pierce's three-run homer, brought Fernie Falcons a 7-3 victory over Natal-Michel Red Sox in the opening game of the BC-Montana Baseball League. The homer was one of four hits for Pierce. P.Caravetta added three for the Falcons. Lefty Scott brought cheers from the home crowd at Michel when he fanned the side in the seventh inning after entering as a reliever with the bases loaded.
xxx, Ashmore (W) and xxx
xxx, Scott and xxx
(June 6) Libby, Montana dropped both ends of a split venue double-header Sunday losing 6-2 to the Falcons at Fernie and dropping a 2-1, 11-inning decision to the Natal-Michel Red Sox. In the opener, Fernie scored all its runs in the first three inning by bunching six of their seven hits and taking advantage of some loose defensive play. Pat O'Leary, the Libby starter, then settled down and held the Falcons to just one hit the rest of the way. Lefty Wilf Ashmore got credit for the win with relief help from Bill Komarevich.
O'Leary (L) and xxx
Ashmore (W), Komarevich and xxx
Sox got the winner in the second game on two costly errors. Both starters went the distance with Cliff Salahub of the Sox allowing just eight hits, all singles, while striking out 15. Gehring for Libby yielded nine hits while collecting 10 strikeouts.
Gehring (L) and xxx
Salahub (W) and xxx
(June 20) Kalispell, Montana, Chiefs divided a pair in a split venue twin-bill Sunday in BC. Chiefs came from behind with four runs in the last two frames to eke out a 4-3 win over Fernie Falcons who built a 3-0 lead with one in the fifth and two in the seventh. With two out in the eighth, Chiefs loaded the bases and Overby lifted a pop fly to second base. Shortstop Vic Marasco and second sacker Dick Hawrelak collided with the ball dribbling out of Hawrelak's glove and three runners crossed the plate to tie the score.
In the second game, Natal-Michel pounded out 17 hits in trouncing the visitors 14-2 after Kalispell grabbed the lead with a two-run homer by centre fielder R. Overby in the first inning. From then on, Cliff Salahub kept the Chiefs at bay allowing seven hits overall while striking out 11. Leading the Sox attack were Dino DePaoli, Red Quarin and Salahub each with three hits.
xxx and xxx
Salahub (W) and xxx
(June 27) Fernie Falcons rebounded from a 5-1 deficit to score five times in the last three frames to edge Natal-Michel 7-6 and claim first place in the BC-Montana Baseball League. Reliever Bill Cole received credit for the win.
Scott, Salahub (L) (6) and xxx
Ashmore, Cole (W) (4) and xxx
(July 4) Natal-Michel Red Sox swept both games of an exhibition double-header, 6-4 and 11-7, against the Kimberley Juniors. Rookie R.Joyce led the Red Sox in the opener with a home run, triple and double, half of the Sox hits. Whitaker and Lefty Sadlish held the visitors to six hits. Dixon went the route for Kimberley.
Dixon (L) and xxx
Whitaker, Sadlish and xxx
Red Sox collected 13 hits in the second game as Whalley Krall went the distance on the hill for the win allowing eight hits while fanning 11.
Brown, Dixon (7) and xxx
Krall (W) and xxx
(July 11) Fernie Falcons scored the winner on a passed ball in the 10th inning to nip Eureka, Montana, 6-5. Pearch doubled, went to third on Vic Marasco's single and came home as the pitch got away from the backstop. Eureka had scored five runs in the first three innings off Fernie starter Bill Komarevich then were held without a hit until the 9th. Dick Adams allowed just three safeties over the first three innings but Fernie bunched its hits to score a pair in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth to tie the score. Marasco led the winners with three hits while Mason had three for Eureka.
Adams (L) and xxx
Komarevich (W) and xxx
(July 17-18) Fernie Falcons gained a split of a weekend double-header in Montana. Libby topped the Falcons 11-10 Saturday while Fernie rebounded with a 7-6 victory Sunday over Eureka. In the other scheduled contest Kalispell trounced Michel Red Sox 13-4. The results produced a three-way tie for first place with Kalispell, Libby and Fernie atop the circuit.
(September 5-6) Fernie Tournament Granum, Alberta, White Sox won the $400 top prize in the Fernie Labour Day Tournament with an 8-4 win over Kimberley Dynamoes in the final. Bill Fennessey's three-run homer in the first inning put the White Sox in the lead to stay. Willie Walasko went the distance for the win.
In semi-final games, Granum whipped Creston 12-0 and Kimberley crushed Eureka 18-2.
White Sox had earlier scored a 13-2 win over Blairmore-Pincher Creek. Frank Stone pitched the victory while his mates pounded out 19 hits, including a homer by Earl Ingarfield, the first over the newly-constructed right field fence. Kimberley shutout Fernie 14-0 with Gordie Tench tossing a two-hitter. Tench, pitching for Spokane, was the hero of the Lethbridge Rotary Tournament. Kimberley rapped two Fernie hurlers for 16 hits. Eureka defeated Natal 16-10 and Creston edged Coleman Ravens 8-7 in other contests.
EAST KOOTENAY SENIOR BASEBALL
The Kimberley senior baseball club, now known as the Dynamos, became the seventh team in a loop consisting of five established Spokane WA entries. With Canadian content, the Spokane circuit became known, at least north of the border, as the Northwest International Baseball League.
NORTHWEST INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Kimberley Dynamos, Spokane Boutens, Spokane Builders, Spokane Conley Chemicals, Spokane Hillyards, Spokane Geiger Field Air Force
(June 5-6) Kimberley’s senior baseball season opened on a chilly but enthusiastic note over the weekend when Spokane’s George’s Builders visited Coronation Park for a two-game Northwest International League set with the rejuvenated Dynamos. The hosts captured an 8 to 7 win in the abbreviated Saturday opener but the Builders came back with a vengeance Sunday to clobber the Dynies 12 to 3.
With the late arrival of the Spokane nine for the Saturday skirmish, the game was limited to just five frames. Kimberley’s Elgin Smith, who took over mound chores from starter Milt Martinez in the final canto, earned the pitching win in the closely-contested affair, as he won his own ball game with a four-ply clout in the bottom-of-the-fifth after the Builders’ Bob Huffman had gone yard with a dinger in the top-half of the stanza. Les Lilley also cranked a circuit-jack for the winning nine.
The Sunday affair was close until the seventh spasm when a combination of seven hits, five walks and two errors permitted the Lilac City squad to run wild for a ten-spot. Classy Curt Bloomquist went the route for the victors, yielding eight scattered safeties, one of which was Lilley’s second tater of the series. Portsider Pete Boisvert started for the Generators but was driven for cover in the seventh as righthander Eric Bodin came on but, unable to find the plate, in turn gave way to Smith who finished the game.
(June 12-13) Before large crowds at Coronation Park, the invading Conley Chemicals from Spokane and the Kimberley Dynamos divided the spoils in weekend Northwest International League action. Conley’s nipped the Dynamos 12 to 11 in an extra-inning game Saturday evening with Kimberley shading the visitors 5 to 4 on Sunday afternoon.
The Dynies outslugged the American team by a 14 to 11 margin on Saturday but a couple of costly errors in the sixth frame paved the way for the Spokane victory. Southpaw Jerry Terhaar started on the knoll for the Chemists but got bumped partway through the eighth episode as Dick Jones ascended the bump to bail him out of a jam. Jones went on to hold the hosts off the scoreboard for 2-2/3 innings and won the game for the visitors with a tenth-inning RBI double. Les Lilley socked his third homer of the season for the losers while Bob Anderson and Ken Kimbrough both dialed long distance with dingers for the Conley Crew. Former Trail player Jim McDonald picked up two singles and a double, driving in a brace of tallies for the Dynies.
Another ex-Smokie, lefthander Pete Boisvert, was on the hill for the homesters in the Sunday tilt and held the Chemical Clan to eight scattered hits while fanning ten. He helped his own cause by knocking out two hits and crossed the plate with the winning run in the ninth. After a successful relief effort on Saturday, Jones was sent to the hillock Sunday in a starting role but was derricked to the showers in the seventh after yielding nine hits. His successor, Dean Williams, was nicked with the knoll defeat. Once again. McDonald’s big bat was prominent for the Dynamos, accounting for two singles and a screaming triple.
(June 19-20) Kimberley Dynamos and Spokane Boutens divided a weekend double-header before capacity crowds in the BC city. Boutens took the first game of the Northwest International League series 8-6 Saturday while Kimberley captured the Sunday tilt 5-4. The results left the Dynamos with a 3-3 record.
Big Don Parrott survived 12 hits Saturday to go the distance for Spokane and helped his own cause with three hits, including a pair of doubles. The Boutens came from behind with three in the ninth, highlighted by Bob Bourbeau's homer, for the win. Kimberley had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth but Tony Brummet, who had smacked a two-run homer in the 8th, fanned to end the contest. Jim McDonald, the former Trail star, led the Dynamos with three hits.
Parrot (W) and xxx
Boisvert (L) and xxx
On Sunday, Eric Bodin held Spokane to eight hits and put down a threatened rally in the ninth by fanning pinch hitter Don Parrott, the hitting star of the opener. Ted Robb paced the winners with three hits. Buzz Mellor had a pair. Eddie Fallon and Ralph Aspass each had two for Spokane.
Cossette (L) and xxx
Bodin (W) and xxx
(June 27) A large crowd braved cold and windy weather Sunday as Kimberley Dynamos blasted Spokane Hillyards 12-3 in the first game of a double-header. The visitors bounded back to shutout the Dynamos 3-0 in the second game.
Jim McDonald smacked a triple and three singles to lead a 14-hit attack against lefty Gene Williams. Les Lilley added a three-run homer. Buzz Mellor and Red Matthews each had two safe blows. Dick Lightfoot, Spokane's brilliant centre fielder, slugged a two-run homer for the visitors. Pete Boisvert started for Kimberley but gave way to Elgin Smith in the third inning.
Williams (L) and xxx
Boisvert, Smith (W) (3) and xxx
Kimberley allowed just two hits in the second game but fell to Dick Miller who allowed just three safeties in tossing the shutout. Spokane capitalized on Dynamos errors and the wildness of starter Eric Bodin who started the game by walking the first three batters and loaded the bases in the sixth with three free passes.
Miller (W) and xxx
Bodin (L), Wynn (6) and xxx
(July 3-4) The Kimberley Dynamos stepped out of Northwestern International League play just long enough to register exhibition twin wins against the Lethbridge Niseis of southern Alberta’s Big Six League. The Dynies creamed the visitors 16 to 1 on Saturday and followed up with a 14 to 2 pasting of the Albertans on Sunday.
Elgin Smith handcuffed the Niseis on four singles before bowing out after eight innings of the Saturday opener. Eric Bodin mopped up in the ninth, recording a rare four-strikeout inning when one of his punchout victims reached first on a passed ball. The Generators had only nine hits but 15 walks, along with four errors by the visitors, contributed to the blowout.
Sunday afternoon, Kimberley clipped the horsehide for 21 hits to five by the Niseis. Eric Bodin rang up a dozen punchouts in recording the easy mound victory. Les Lilley had a field day in the series, pounding out a home run in each game along with a triple and double. “Buzz” Mellor’s contribution consisted of a triple, double and three singles while Tony Brummet knocked out a four-bagger and three singles.
(July 11) Don Parrott pitched and batted Spokane Boutens to a 3-2 victory in the first game of a double-header at Kimberley Sunday. The right-hander fired a three-hitter and won his own game with a homer in the third inning. Dynamos had runners on first and third in the final frame when Rusty Wynn hit into a game-ending double play. Pete Boisvert surrendered just four hits in taking the loss.
Parrott (W) and xxx
Boisvert (L), Wynn (9) and xxx
Behind the four-hit pitching of Eric Bodin Kimberley took the seven-inning second game 4-2. Terry Cossette held Kimberley to just five hits but was generous with the free passes. Buzz Mellor and Buck Bouten were ejected in the third inning for fighting. Mellor stole second base and in doing so ploughed over Bouten and the battle was on. Umpire Clarence Sortome also thumbed out Bob Bourbeau in the sixth inning after an argument over a third strike call.
Cossette (L) and xxx
Bodin (W) and xxx
(July 17-18) Kimberley Dynamos and Spokane Builders each scored a one-sided victory in a weekend double-header at Coronation Park. Dynamos took the Saturday affair 12-2 while Builders whipped the Dynamos 24-4 on Sunday.
Eric Bodin held the visitors to seven hits in winning the first game. He fanned seven and helped his cause with two hits. Claude Bell played brilliantly in centre field and led the winners with three safeties. Kimberley got to Spokane's Bud Swan for 13 hits.
Swan (L) and xxx
Bodin (W) and xxx
Spokane had a field day Sunday afternoon rapping out 23 hits, including homers by Bob Kuehl and Frank Viro who each had three hits. Viro's blast was a grand-slam. Already with a big lead, the Builders embarrassed the Dynamos scoring 11 runs in the final frame. Curt Bloomquist was touched for 10 hits, but went the distance for the win. Jim McDonald belted a four-bagger for Kimberley. Andy Port, who entered the game in the sixth inning, slammed a double and single for the losers.
Bloomquist (W) and xxx
Boisvert (L), Smith (3), Wynn (6), Bodin (9) and xxx
(July 24-25) Kimberley Tournament
(July 27-28) The Dynamos and Spokane Geiger Air Force Base split a mid-week series at Kimberley. Geiger trounced Kimberley 14 – 4 on Tuesday evening with the Dynies getting even with a convincing 13 – 2 victory on Wednesday night.
Geiger pounded out 13 hits Tuesday with Dick Gabourel leading the club with three. Bill Kopf held Kimberley to eight safeties.
Kopf (W) and xxx
Boisvert (L) and xxx
Kimberley turned the tables Wednesday smacking 15 hits in the 13-2 triumph. Tony Brummet and Red Mellor slugged circuit blows for the winners. Buzz Mellor knocked in four runs with consecutive doubles and Ted Robb had a triple and two doubles. Jim McDonald added had a three-bagger. Gordie Tench held the visitors to six hits and registered 13 strikeouts for the win. Alex Causley was the only Spokane hitter to get an extra base hit off Tench, a triple in the sixth inning. It was the seventh consecutive double-header split for the Dynamos, in third place in the six-team league. Tench is to line up with the Spokane Builders for the $4,200 Lethbridge Tournament.
xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Tench (W) and xxx
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
George’s Builders 11 4 .733 ----
Bouten Construction 8 5 .615 2.0
Kimberley Dynamos 7 7 .500 3.5
Geiger Air Force Base 6 8 .429 4.5
Spokane Hillyard 5 8 .385 5.0
Conley Chemicals 4 9 .308 6.0
(August 7-8) After seven straight splits in double-header action in Northwestern International League play, Kimberley Dynamos took both ends of the weekend twin-bill with Spokane Conley Chemicals, 6-3 and 9-8.
Pete Boisvert hurled a seven-hitter for the win in the first game as the Dynamos got to Spokane's Dale Farrington for 15 safeties. Buzz Mellor led the hit parade with two doubles and a single. Red Mellor, Ted Robb, Tony Brummet, Jim McDonald and Claude Bell each had two hits. Chief Levi McCormack pounded out a homer and two doubles for Spokane.
Farrington (L) and xxx
Boisvert (W) and xxx
Kimberley rallied with three runs with two out in the bottom of the ninth to tie then scored in the 10th to shade Spokane Conley 9-8. Buzz Mellor drove in the winning marker. Jerry Terhaar, a young lefty, had a comfortable 8-5 lead until Red Matthews and Eric Bodin got to him for consecutive doubles in the ninth. Tony Brummet led the winners with four hits while Matthews added a double and two singles and Jim MacDonald slugged a homer. Chief McCormack again led Spokane smacking a home run and two singles.
Terhaar, Jones (L) (9) and xxx
Tench, Bodin (W) (9) and xxx
(August 14-15) missing
(August 21-22) The Kimberley Dynamos ran their winning streak to five games in the Northwestern International League by copping both ends of a weekend twin-bill with the Spokane Hillyard Merchants. The scores were 6 to 2 on Saturday and 5 to 2 on Sunday. The double victory puts the Mining Towners in a good position to capture second place in the loop.
Winning pitcher Gord Tench held the Hillyards to five hits in the eight-inning Saturday event, shortened because of darkness, while his mates were clouting eleven safe blows off starter and loser George Smith. Southpaw reliever Gene Williams handcuffed the Dynies on one hit after taking over on the bump for the Merchants in the sixth. Tench rang up 11 punchouts and helped his own cause with two timely singles. Andy Port led the Generators offensively with three singles. Playing-manager Harry Dunlevy drove in both of the Hillyard counters, lighting up Tench for a two-run dinger.
Portsider Pete Boisvert started out strong on the slab for the homesters in the Sunday skirmish, holding the Spokane nine hitless until the fifth frame. He finished with a five-hitter while this mates were raking losing chucker Dick Miller for nine base knocks. Kimberley second baseman Ted Robb was the only batter in the game to pick up two hits.
(August 28-29) Facing a team composed of select players from the six Spokane teams in the Northwest International League in a two-game exhibition weekend set at Spokane’s dilapidated Underhill Park, the listless Kimberley Dynamos were clobbered by the All-Stars 22 to 2 on Saturday evening and then buried 18 to 7 on Sunday afternoon.
Gord Tench suffered the indignation of being kept on the hill for the entire Saturday match. Rocked continuously with a barrage of bingles, Tench received absolutely no support from his teammates.
Pete Boisvert and Eric Bodin shared the misery for the visitors in the Sunday fracas and received the same treatment that Tench did on Saturday evening.
Tench (L) and Brummet
Cossette (W), Stoner (4), Orick (7) and Hinz
Farrington (W), Miller (5), Swan (8) and Chalich
Boisvert (L), Bodin (8) and Brummet
EAST KOOTENAY JUNIOR BASEBALL
(August) Golden Baseball tournament