Greater Winnipeg Senior Baseball League
(May 29) The CUAC Blues, a perennial powerhouse in Manitoba Senior baseball, opened the 1955 Greater Winnipeg Senior Baseball League season with a bang Sunday sweeping a double-header from the Winnipeg RCAF Buffaloes, 6-3 and 11-1. A one-hitter by Al Seymour in the second game was a highlight of the day for the Blues.
Pete Thomson allowed just six hits in the first game as CUAC survived five errors. Jim Wilson led the offense with a triple and single, Ab Bruce added two hits, one a double, and Ed Ruml belted a triple. Losing pitcher Fred Langen and Ian MacDonald each had a pair of safeties for the Buffaloes.
Seymour was wild but effective. He struck out 12 and issued 8 free passes. John Kilby's single in the fourth was the lone base hit for the Buffs who scored their only run on two walks and an error. Reg Chopp clouted a homer and two singles for the Blues. Terry Sawchuk and Art Vandel each smacked three singles. Dixon and Heffie handled the mound duties for the losers.
(May 29) St. Boniface Native Sons and Transcona split their twin-bill. The Native Sons won 10-2 after dropping the opener 9-7. A four-run 7th inning paved the way for Transcona's victory. Metro Leontowicz led the attack with four hits. Joe Teres added two singles and Harry Kowalik had a triple. Kowalik, who relieved Joe Lopuck in the second inning, picked up the win. Ron Hogue, who gave way to Fred Dunsmore in the eighth was tagged with the loss. Dunsmore, with a double and two singles, led the Native Sons offense. Gord Simpson, Al Johnson and Reg Abbott each had a pair of hits.
Don Collins and Johnny Warren led St. Boniface to the second game triumph. Collins clouted a home run and single, Warren had two triples and a single. Pete Rettie and Ed Mazur combined on a six-hitter for the Native Sons with Rettie, who left in the 7th, getting credit for the win. Transcona used three hurlers with Cec Saunders taking the loss. Bill Nykoluk had two singles in a losing cause.
(May 31) Aggie Kukulowicz held Transcona to seven hits and registered 15 strike outs as the CUAC Blue came from behind to edge the Railroaders 5-4. Kukulowicz was a force at the plate as well. He led off the 7th with a triple to start a rally climaxed by Terry Sawchuk's game-winning double. Wally Dowgan started for Transcona, giving way to Cece Saunders in the 8th. Don Raleigh added two singles for the Blues. Albert Sekundiak clouted a home run and single and Jerry Marcotte had a triple for the losers.
(May 31) St. Boniface downed the RCAF Buffaloes 9-3 as lefty Ed Mazur held the flyers to three hits. Johnny Warren led the hitters with a two-run homer and two singles. Russ Smith had a homer and single. Don Worsley poked a home run for the RCAF. Cal Munroe starter for the Buffs with Joe Smeeth taking over in the 5th.
(June 5) Ed Ruml belted a homer in the bottom of the 9th inning Sunday to give CUAC Blues an 8-7 win over St. Boniface Native Sons. The league's defending champions came from behind with a three-run rally in the 7th to tie 7-7. Ruml was the offensive star for the winners. He had a two-run triple in the 3rd. Reg Chopp added a two-run double and single. Ken Little and Johnny Warren each had two hits for the Native Sons. Al Johnson helped with a bases-loaded triple in the 3rd and Gord Simpson bashed a two-run homer in the fourth. Milt Kaniuga started for the Blues but needed help from Chuck Groat in the fourth. Pete Rettie went the distance for St. Boniface allowing six hits while fanning nine.
(June 7) The Blues' Pete Thomson allowed Transcona a pair of runs in the first inning then blanked the railroaders the rest of the way as CUAC notched a 9-2 victory Tuesday. A six-run outburst in the 8th inning settled the contest. Jim Wilson's bases-loaded double was the big blow. Thomson allowed just six hits and one free pass. The loss was charged to Harry Kowalik who went the distance giving up nine hits and four walks. Metro Leontowicz had the lone extra base hit off Thomson, a double. Ed Ruml and Ab Bruce had two-baggers for the Blues.
(June 12) Two big innings carried the CUAC Blues to a 12-9 win over St. Boniface. Blues came from behind with four runs in the 7th and six in the 8th to notch the victory. Reg Chopp led the attack with three hits, Ed McDonald had a triple and single and Ab Bruce added a pair of singles. Al Seymour went six innings on the mound for the Blues giving way to Wally Kaniuga, who pitched to just one batter, Aggie Kukulowicz and Pete Thomson. Pete Rettie started for St. Boniface with Fred Dunsmore pitching in relief. Ken Little had a triple and single for the losers while Don Collins poled a long double.
(June 13) Ronnie Hogue fashioned a three-hit performance, with nine strikeouts, in leading St. Boniface to a 5-4 win over the RCAF Buffaloes. The Sons scored all five of their runs in a 4th inning outburst. St. Boniface had but six hits, two by Kenny Nichol. Fred Dunsmore had a triple. Kilvey, Don Worsely and Don Falkman had Buffs' safeties. Al Langman, who got relief from Smith in the 4th, took the loss.
(June 16) St. Boniface exploded with nine runs in the 2nd inning and went on to dump CUAC Blues 13-8 Thursday to halt the Blues' winning streak at six games. Native Sons improved their record to four-and-two. The Sons combined six hits, three walks and an error in the big inning. Joe O'Sullivan went the route for the win over Art Tooth who gave way to Aggie Kukulowicz in the second. Russ Smith, Johnny Warren and Don Collins each had a pair of hits for the winners. Ab Bruce had a double and single for the Blues.
(June 16) Transcona whipped the Buffaloes 13-7. Ron Twerdochlib led the hitters with a triple and two singles. Bill Nykoluk added a triple and double and Cliff Pachal had two singles for Transcona. Harry Matties helped the Buffs with a double and single while Dick Gardner poked out a pair of singles and Red Manley hit a triple. Joe Lopuck, with relief from Cec Saunders in the 8th, was the winning pitcher. Barry Smeeth and Fred Langen hurled for the Buffs.
(June 19) St. Boniface Native Sons plated seven runs in the first two innings and held on for a 9-6 victory over Transcona Sunday afternoon. Don Collins provided the big bat for the Sons with three doubles and a single. Gord Simpson belted a double and three singles. Fred Dunsmore clouted the first home run ever hit out of the new stadium at Transcona. Joe Baron and Gord Miller did the pitching for the winners. Harry Kowalik took the loss. The second game of the scheduled double-header was rained out in the fourth inning with St. Boniface leading 14-2.
(June 21) St. Boniface moved into a tie for first place in the Greater Winnipeg Senior Baseball League Tuesday downing RCAF Buffaloes 6-2 while the CUAC Blues were losing to Transcona. Eddie Mazur handcuffed the Buffs on four hits and fanned 13 in pitching the victory. Ken Little and Ken Nichol led the Sons at the dish each with three singles. Johnny Warren belted a double and single against losing pitcher John Smeeth who gave up 11 safeties. Joe Manley had a double and single for RCAF.
(June 21) Joe Lopuck held the Blues to five hits as Transcona posted an 8-2 victory. Ron Twerdochlib and Art Vandel each had two hits for the winners while Reg Chopp was the offense for the Blues with a home run and single. Jim Groat and Al Seymour handled the pitching for the losers.
CUAC Blues 6-3 St. Boniface Native Sons 6-3 Transcona 3-4 RCAF Buffaloes 1-6
(June 23) St. Boniface unleashed a 14-hit attack to trounce the RCAF Buffaloes 8-2 to take over sole possession of first place. Reg Abbott led the way with three hits while Johnny Warren clouted a home run and Ken Little added a triple and singe. Henry Matties, with a double and single, was best for the Buffs.
(June 23) The CUAC Blues dropped their fourth straight, 5-4 to Transcona. Catcher Jerry Marcotte paced the winners with a double and single. Metro Leontowicz had a triple, Ron Twerdochlib a double and Frank Holliday, two singles. Wally Dowgan picked up the pitching win with relief from Harry Kowalik. Wally Kaniuga and Pete Thomson shared the pitching duties for the Blues with Kaniuga taking the loss.
(June 26) With a sweep of a twin-bill over RCAF Buffaloes, 8-2 and 14-2, the St. Boniface Native Sons maintained their hold on the top spot in the Greater Winnipeg Senior Baseball League. Ken Little and Don Collins each had three hits to lead the attack in the first game. Ron Hogue held the Buffs to just three hits in posting the pitching win. Smeeth went the distance for the Buffs. Ken Nichol blasted four hits and Bruce Hudson had three in the second game for the Sons. Gord Miller and Bob Hansford each had a pair. Joe O'Sullivan and Hansford handled the mound duties for St. Boniface, which broke the game wide open with nine runs in the 2nd inning. Don Dawe went all the way for the Buffs who again had just three hits.
(June 26) CUAC Blues stayed within a half game of the Native Sons with a twin-bill sweep of Transcona, 4-2 and 15-4. Aggie Kukulowicz tossed a six-hitter to the win first game. Harry Kowalik took the loss. Ab Bruce was the hitting star in the second game clouting a bases-loaded triple and three singles. Ed McDonald smashed a triple and two singles and Reg Chopp had three singles. Ed Ruml added a double and single. Art Vandel crushed a home run and two singles for Transcona. Each side used three hurlers in the second contest with Al Seymour, Pete Thomson and Wally Kaniuga going for the Blues and Joe Lopuck, Wally Dowgan and Kowalik hurling for the losers.
(June 28) CUAC Blues regained a share of first place in GWSBL by topping the Native Sons 5-4. Both teams have 9-4 records. Aggie Kukulowicz, who worked 2 and 1/3 innings for the Blues, provided drama for the local fans in the 9th as he loaded the bases before retiring the side. He fanned five in his relief effort. Ed McDonald had the big blow for the Blues with a homer. Al Ingram and Bill Burns each had two hits. Fred Dunsmore had a triple and two singles for the Sons while Ken Nichols and Don Collins had home runs. Wally Kaniuga, McDonald and Kukulowicz worked on the hill for CUAC. Ed Mazur went the distance for the Sons and allowed just six hits, but walked eight.
(June 28) Transcona whipped the RCAF Buffaloes 8-2 as Bob Peacock pitched a seven-hitter while fanning 11. Frank Holliday was the leading swatter with a homer. Al Sekundiak had a triple and single. Cliff Pachal added three hits. Frank Booth gave up 12 hits in taking the loss. Booth and Ian McDonald each had two hits for the Buffs.
(July 5) Aggie Kukulowicz held RCAF Buffaloes to three hits as CUAC scored a 5-1 victory Tuesday night. The right-hander was outstanding with 14 strikeouts and just one free pass. Catcher Ab Bruce, Jim Wilson and Peter Thomson each had two hits for the winners. Don McQueen gave up nine hits in going the distance for the Buffs.
(July 5) St. Boniface pounded out 13 hits in edging Transcona 8-7 as Russ Smith, Don Collins, Fred Dunsmore, Reg Abbott and Bruce Hudson each had a pair. Joe O`Sullivan went seven innings for the win as Dunsmore helped in a relief role. Transcona used four pitchers - Joe Lopuck, Wally Dowgan, Harry Kowalik and Bob Peacock -- to try and stem the tide. Henry Plouffe had a two-run homer for Transcona.
(July 10) Transcona took a pair from the hapless RCAF Buffaloes, 6-2 and 6-4. The winners plated three in each of the 3rd and 6th innings to take the opener. Jerry Marcotte had three hits, one a double, for Transcona while Art Vandel added a double and single. Jim Groat held the Buffs to six hits in claiming the pitching win. Jim Dawes was tagged with the loss.
Joe Lopuck and Wally Dowgan combined on a seven-hitter for the win in the second game. Fred Langen allowed ten hits in taking the loss. Cliff Pachal, Marcotte and Frank Holliday each had two safeties for Transcona. Art Rimer led the Buffs with a triple and single.
CUAC Blues 11-4 St. Boniface Native Sons 10-4 Transcona 7-7 RCAF Buffaloes 1-14
(July 12) With an 8-5 win over Transcona, St. Boniface remained in a tie atop the GWSBL standings. Right-hander Ronnie Hogue allowed just four hits in posting his fourth straight victory. Bruce Hudson knocked in six runs with a pair of hits. Ken Nichol had three safeties. Harry Kowalik started for Transcona but needed help from Bob Peacock in the 7th.
(July 12) The CUAC Blues crushed the RCAF Buffaloes 24-1.
(July 14) Ed Mazur fired a three-hitter in pacing St. Boniface Native Sons to a 6-1 triumph over Transcona Railroaders Thursday night. Joe O'Sullivan and Bob Hansford each had three hits for the Sons. Bob Peacock gave up ten hits and six walks in going the distance for Transcona.
(July 17) The two leading clubs in the GWSBL met head-on Sunday and ended the day with no change in the standings as the teams split a twin-bill. St. Boniface Native Sons trounced the Blues 10-1 in the afternoon contest.
Ed McDonald shackled the Sons on four hits in the second game as CUAC won, 6-2. McDonald also led the hitters with three singles. Frank Yashiro had a run-scoring triple. Joe O`Sullivan, who took over for starter Joe Baron in the 6th, took the loss.
(July 18) St. Boniface Native Sons rapped out 15 hits off two Blues pitchers to shade CUAC 10-9 and take over first place in the standings. The Sons survived a 9th inning scare when the Blues, down 10-5, rallied for four runs. Freddie Dunsmore, although tagged for 10 hits, went the distance for the win. Don Collins and Joe O`Sullivan led the offense with homers. Gord Simpson clouted two doubles and a single and Johnny Warren chipped in with a pair of two-baggers. Dunsmore had three safeties, including a triple. Bill Krantz had a homer and triple for the Blues. Shortstop Reg Chopp added a double and single. Aggie Kukulowicz and Wally Kaniuga handled the pitching for the losers.
(July 19) Transcona knocked off St. Boniface 5-3 Tuesday night as Wally Dowgan scattered seven hits in going the distance for the mound victory. Bill Nykoluk's two-run triple in the 3rd was the big blow for the winners. Pete Rettie, relieved in the 4th by Roland Campbell, took the loss.
(July 24) Led by the slugging of manager Stan Shaley, the CUAC Blues held onto the lead in the senior men`s baseball league Sunday splitting a double-header with Transcona, losing the afternoon game 11-10 while taking the nightcap 8-2. Shaley, forced into action because of a shortage of players, banged out three singles in each game. The opener saw a big comeback by Transcona who trailed 10-6 into the 7th. The Railroaders picked up three in the 7th and two in the 8th for the victory. Joe Lopuck, who relieved starter Jim Groat in the 6th, picked up the win. Jim Wilson went the distance for the Blues. Art Vandel had three hits for Transcona, Metro Leontowicz and Ken Ridley each had a double and single. Aggie Kukulowicz was the offensive force for the Blues with a three-run homer, double and single.
Kukulowicz was a pitching and batting star in the Blues 8-2 victory in the second game. He pitched a six-hitter with eight strikeouts while banging out a double and single at the plate. Ed McDonald clouted a triple. Jerry Marcotte had a double and single for the Railroaders. Wally Dowgan was the losing hurler.
CUAC Blues 16- 7 St. Boniface Native Sons 14- 6 Transcona 11-10 RCAF Buffaloes 1-19
(July 26) Ronnie Hogue and Reg Abbott combined on a one-hit shutout as St. Boniface dumped RCAF Buffaloes 8-0. Hogue started for the Sons but developed a sore arm and left after three innings. The pair fanned 15 batters and walked five. Roy Langan, who went the route, took the loss. Don Collins led a 14-hit attack with a triple, double and two singles. Johnny Warren had three singles and Sid Humphries a double and single.
(July 26) Transcona downed CUAC Blues 4-2 behind Harry Kowalik`s eight-hitter. The Railroaders knocked starter Pete Thomson from the mound in the first inning. Aggie Kukulowicz finished.
(July 27) CUAC`s Pete Thomson put on a pitching clinic Wednesday night as the All-Stars topped St. Boniface 6-4. Thomson came into a bases-loaded situation in the third inning. He fanned the next batter and went on to pitch one-hit ball. Reg Chopp, also of the Blues, led the offense with a triple, double and single. Joe Lopuck started for the All-Stars. Ed Mazur gave up 12 hits in his start for the Sons.
(July 28) CUAC Blues dumped Transcona 6-2 Thursday as Wally Kaniuga held the Railroaders to six hits. Reg Chopp punched out a triple and single and Gerald Krantz helped with a two-bagger and single. Bill Nykoluk belted a homer and single for the losers. Henry Plouffe added a double and single.
(August 2) Ron Hogue made it six straight victories Tuesday night pitching a five-hitter as the Native Sons trounced Transcona 13-2. The right-hander lost opening day, but has been on the winning side ever since. Reg Abbott led a 16-hit attack with four hits, one a double. Ken Nichol added a triple and single. Wally Dowgan was saddled with the loss.
(August 7) St. Boniface Native Sons wrapped up their 5th consecutive senior league pennant Sunday downing the CUAC Blues in both ends of a double-header, 7-6 and 12-8. Ron Hogue continue his winning streak in the first game pitching a six-hitter for his seventh straight win. Bruce Hudson`s bases-loaded pinch hit single in the 9th drove in the winning run. Al Seymour started for the the Blues and lasted until the 9th when Wally Kaniuga came on. Fred Dunsmore had a double and single for the Sons. Hogue helped as well with two singles.
In the night game, Joe Baron and Pete Rettie shared the pitching for the Sons while Kaniuga made his second appearance of the day for CUAC relieving starter Aggie Kukulowicz in the 4th inning. Russ Smith had a double and two singles for the Sons. Johnny Warren, Dunsmore and Hudson all had two hits. Ken Ingram had a pair for the Blues.
(August 7) Transcona took both games of a twin-bill from the RCAF Buffaloes, 4-3 and 17-5. Harry Kowalik won the opener while Wally Dowgan registered the pitching win, with Jim Groat`s relief help, in the nightcap. Bob Dawe was the loser in the first game and Fred Langen and Johnny Zeeben shared mound work for the Buffs in the second game. Al Sekundiak homered for Transcona in the opener. Metro Leontowicz had a triple and single. Gary Starr led the Railroaders in the second game with a triple, double and single. Bill Nykoluk added a triple and two singles, Leontowicz a double and single.
Playoffs :
(August 14) Transcona and CUAC split the first two games of their semi-final series Sunday. Blues took the opener 5-2 as Aggie Kukulowicz held the Railroaders to three hits.
In the nightcap, Bill Nykoluk and Jerry Marcotte each had three hits as Transcona prevailed, 8-4. Wally Dowgan held the Blues to five hits to pick up the win. Al Seymour went seven innings for the Blues, giving way to Pete Thomson in the 8th.
(August 16) Winning pitcher Ed McDonald doubled in the winning run in the 7th inning Tuesday as the CUAC Blues edged Transcona 4-3 to take a 2-1 game lead in the semi-final series. The game was called after eight innings because of darkness. Neither starting pitcher - Wally Kaniuga for the Blues or Jim Groat for the Railroaders - made it through the first inning as each team scored three runs. The winning run came after Reg Chopp reached first on an error, advanced on a single by Gerald Krantz and came home on McDonald`s blast. For Transcona Frank Holliday had the only extra base hit, a triple leading off the first inning.
(August 18) CUAC Blues defeated Transcona 8-4 Thursday to win the best-of-five semi-final three games to one. Blues scored two in the first and four in the second and coasted to the victory. Gerald Krantz, with a double and two singles, led the Blues offense. Pete Thomson, with relief in the 6th by Aggie Kukulowicz, was the winning hurler. Wally Dowgan was shelled in the second. Harry Kowalik finished the game.
(August 21) Pennant-winning St. Boniface and CUAC split the first two games of the best-of-seven final series. Blues took the opener 7-2 and the Sons came out ahead in the second game 12-3.
Al Seymour shut out the Sons until the 9th inning of the first game as CUAC picked up the victory. He gave up nine hits, struck out seven and walked just one. Ronnie Hogue surrendered just seven hits in taking the loss, but the right-hander walked ten. He gave way to Pete Rettie in the 8th. Catcher Ab Bruce led the Blues with three singles.
Down 3-2 after four innings, the Sons erupted for seven runs in the 5th inning of the second game and coasted to an easy win. Ed Mazur went the distance for the pitching triumph. Aggie Kukulowicz took the loss. Al Seymour and Pete Thomson came in to finish up.The game was halted after seven innings because of darkness. Don Collins paced the Sons offense with a triple and three singles. Gord Simpson had three singles while Freddy Dunsmore and Johnny Warren each collected two safeties.
(August 23) Ken Nichol scored on a fielder`s choice in the 6th inning to give St. Boniface a 3-2 victory over CUAC Blues and a two to one game lead in the final series. Trailing 2-1, Don Collins led off the frame with a double and advanced on Nichol`s single. After a walk to Russ Smith, Ken Hansford dumped a single over second base for a tie. Nichol came home as Johnny Warren was thrown out at first. Pete Rettie was credited with the victory. Ed McDonald was saddled with the loss.
(August 26) CUAC Blues took advantage of St. Boniface walks and errors to score seven runs in the first two innings en route to an 8-6 win to knot the final series at two games apiece. Each team had eight hits, but Sons gave 11 walks and made four errors. The Saints took the lead with two runs in the top of the 1st inning. The Blues roared back with four against Ron Hogue in the bottom of the inning. Hogue was chased in the third when CUAC plated three more. Joe O`Sullivan relieved and kept the Blues under control. Sons chipped away with a pair in the 5th and two more in the 7th. The game was called after seven because of darkness. Al Seymour went the distance for the Blues fanning eight with four free passes. Jim Wilson and Ed McDonald each had two-run singles for the Blues. Ken Nichol blasted a two-run homer and single for the Sons. Russ Smith had three singles.
(August 28) St. Boniface Native Sons racked up their second Senior Baseball League championship in three years Sunday defeating CUAC Blues in both ends of a double-header behind the outstanding pitching effort of Ed Mazur. Sons took the best-of-seven series four games to two. The left-hander cruised to a win in the first game, going all the way in the 8-1 victory. He held the Blues to five hits as he fanned six and walked six. Mazur again took the mound in the night game and he lasted until the 8th as the Sons triumphed 10-6. Pete Rettie hurled the final frame and struck out the side to the dismay of 1,500 CUAC fans.
Pete Thomson started the opener for the Blues but was sent packing in the 2nd inning. Wally Kaniuga, Aggie Kukulowicz and Ed McDonald also saw action. Don Collins continued his torrid playoff performance with two hits. In the six games, Collins made 14 hits in 22 at bats. Johnny Warren added three hits while Mazur helped his own cause with a pair of safeties.
In the 2nd game the Sons erupted for seven runs in the third inning and cruised to the win. Blues rallied for three in the 5th and another in the 6th but the Sons put the game out of reach with three more in the 7th.