INTERCOUNTY LEAGUE
(June 19) Brantford strengthened its hold on first place with a 3-1 victory over London Majors. The Red Sox now had a 2 1/2 game lead over London, Oshawa and Kitchener-Waterloo all tied for second.
(August 8) St. Thomas Elgins snapped a three-game losing streak Wednesday with a 5-3 win over Brantford Red Sox. After Elgins had taken the lead with a run in the first inning, Red Sox jumped ahead on Lou LaFontaine's two-run homer in the fifth. St. Thomas regained the advantage in the sixth when Herm Mason smacked a bases-loaded, two-out, double off Brantford starter Clayton Gery. They added a final run in the seventh on a homer by Tom Curran off reliever Spud Bush. Lefty Bill Jamieson got the win, his seventh in 12 decision.
WESTERN CITY SENIOR LEAGUE
(May 20) Freddie Downs smashed a two-run homer in the ninth inning Sunday to give Honest Ed's a 6-5 victory over Columbus Grads in their season opener at Christie Pits. Columbus had taken a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth on back-to-back homers by Couch and Fitzhenry. Major Fukumoto rapped a single to lead off the bottom of the frame for Ed's and Vince Downs followed with a double, but overran the keystone sack and was tagged out. Downs advanced to third on the play and scored on an error. Fred Downs then cracked one over the left field fence for the win.
Flick, O'Brien (L) and Cruickshank
Breakwell, Cunneyworth (W) and Kameoka
(May 22) Harry Collins was the star of the night for Concords in their 8-1 smackdown of Honest Ed's. Collins hurled a four-hitter with ten strikeouts in his mound work while leading the offense with three hits knocking in a pair of runs. Jim Rennie whiffed ten in his five innings of work for the losers.
Rennie (L), Cunneyworth (6) and Kutsukake, Sho Mori
Collins (W) and Thomas
(May 24) Pitcher Russ Cunneyworth blasted a bases-loaded double in the fourth inning Thursday to salvage a 4-4 draw for Honest Ed's in action against Presswoods.
Wilush, Grogan (4) and McFayden
Cunneyworth (W) and Kameoka
(May 26) Rocky Varacelli, a former Honest Ed's outfielder, scored the winning run for Hush AC as they edged Ed's Nisei 3-2 Saturday. After both teams scored twice in the opening round, it was a pitching duel between Castor and Ken Breakwell with the lone Hush run in the fifth making the difference.
Castor (W) and xxx
Breakwell (L) and xxx
(June 5) In his first appearance this season, Ken Ohara slugged a pair of homers and a single to pace Honest Ed's to a 13-9 triumph over Hush AC. The left fielder knocked in five runs. Maw Mori added a homer and a single for the winners but the best effort of the day came from Nick Rico of the AC's who cracked three circuit blows and drove in seven runs for the losers.
Castor, Severnuk (L) (2) and Borthwick
Rennie (W), Vince Downs (6) and Kameoka
(June 7) Joe Wrona and Peter Cowan combined on a two-hit shutout Thursday as league-leading Presswoods blanked Honest Ed's 2-0. Cowan relieved with the bases loaded in the ninth and got a fly out to end the game. Southpaw Jim Rennie was in full control for Ed's until the seventh when a base hit and two walks loaded the sacks and two fielder's choice plays brought in the two markers.
Rennie (L) and Kameoka
Wrona (W), Cowan (9) and McFayden
(June 10) Honest Ed's shaded the league-leading Presswoods 10-9 Sunday with former pro Bill Purcell and first sacker Maw Mori each contributing two hits in the victory.
(June 12) With a 5-4 win over the Columbus Grads, Honest Ed's moved back into positive territory with four wins, three loses and a tie. Ken Ohara and Bill Purcell each had two hits for the winners. Ed's ran up a 4-0 lead before the Grads got on the scoreboard.
Flick, Pikul (3), O'Donnell (7) and Cruickshank, Bergman (7)
Breakwell, Rennie (7) and Kameoka
(June 19) Coach Sub Miike suited up Tuesday to help short-handed Honest Ed's top the Concords 8-3. Miike smaced three hits in four trips including a bases-loaded double. The win moved the club into first place in the Western City Senior loop. Maw Mori and brother Sho Mori each produced two-baggers and southpaw Jim Rennie threw shutout ball after taking over in relief in the fourth.
Repchick, Collins (3), xxx (7) and Thomas
Cunneyworth, Rennie (W) (4) and Kameoka
( ) Presswoods clobbered Honest Ed's 11-2 to gain a share of first place in the Western City League with the Concords. Playing manager Nick Staynor blasted a pair of homers and Bill Weir added a grand slam in the big offense show for Presswoods. Although touched for ten hits, losing hurler Jim Rennie racked up 12 strikeouts.
xxx (W) and xxx
Rennie (L) and xxx
(July 3) A seven-run third inning helped Honest Ed's to a 10-6 win over Hush AC Tuesday at Christie Pits. First sacker Maw Mori was the big gun with three hits, including a double. Ian McPherson had a double and single. Nisei starter Russ Cunneyworth was steady until the fourth when Hush scored four times. The rally was ended when catcher Yuki Kameoka picked off two Hush runners with perfect throws. Ken Breakwell relieved to blank Hush the rest of the way.
Cunneyworth (W), Breakwell (5) and Kameoka
Rico (L), Hemphill (3), Curtan (3) and Borthwick
(July 10) Honest Ed's rapped nine hits and gained 16 walks but still dropped a 9-8 decision to the Columbus Grads Tuesday. Ed's stranded 15 base runners. Jerry Fitzhenry batted in three markers for the Grads with a homer and a single. Bobby Kutner, Lawson Mitchell and Lou Koblinsky added two hits apiece. Mike Kolton pitched for Columbus but was shifted to first base in the ninth as Mitchell took over mound duties. However as Mitchell ran into trouble, Kolton returned to get a strikeout to end the game. Maw Mori was best for the Nisei with a pair of hits and three walks. Reliever Russ Cunneyworth drove in three runs for the losers.
Breakwell, Cunneyworth and Kameoka
Kolton (W), Mitchell (9), Kolton (9) and xxx
(July 14) Concords moved into a first place tie with Presswoods following their 8-5 decision over Honest Ed's Saturday. Three homers, by Stan Kuzwa, Bill Andresik and Gary Schreider, gave Concords the early lead which stood at 8-1 before Nisei rallied for four runs in the final inning. Marcel Angers, on the hill for Concords, registered his fifth victory.
Angers (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Honest Ed's announced the signing of three players from Regent Press of the Nisei Sunday League - Bob Adachi, Roy Tanaka and Frank Nishimura.
(July 21) Concord Tavern came from behind a 2-0 deficit to edge Honest Ed's 4-3.
(July 22) A pair of newcomers boosted Honest Ed's to a 7-3 win over Columbus Grads in Sunday's Western City senior action. Although showing spotty control, Frank Nishimura baffled Grads' batters in his debut going most of the six-inning route. Negro second baseman Jim Franks was the big noise in a six-run first inning blasting a grand slam homer. Franks was in only his second game in place of regular Ian McPherson.
(July 24) Honest Ed's blasted Hush AC 11-4 Tuesday to remain in a tie for second place in the Western City League. Ken Ohara paced the winning attack with a home run and two singles, good for four runs batted in. Maw Mori added a double and two singles and Freddie Downs cracked a four-bagger. Russ Cunneyworth fired a six-hitter for the win, his fourth without a loss.
Cunneyworth (W) and Kameoka
Curran, Dumphy (6) and Varacelli
(July 26) At Christie Pits, Columbus Grads jumped into an eight run lead in the first inning and whipped Honest Ed's 14-9. Joe Deflorio led the hit parade with a grand slam homer. Lou Koblinsky contributed three hits in four trips. Ken O'Hara was tops for the losers with a homer, his fourth of the season, and a single. Jim Franks added a triple and two singles. Mike Flick and Ted Morris combined for the pitching win.
Flick, Morris and xxx
xxx and xxx
(August 6) A ten-run sixth inning powered Honest Ed's to an easy 14-5 victory over Concords. Maw Mori and Bob Adachi each drove in three runs while Sho Mori and Fred Downs had two hits apiece. Newcomer Adachi caught Jim Rennie's six-hitter.
Rennie (W) and Adachi
xxx and xxx
(August 7) In an exhibition match Tuesday, Honest Ed's downed Moss Park of the City Playground League 6-3 at Viaduct Stadium.
(August 8) Another big inning carried Honest Ed's to another victory on Wednesday. Ed's exploded for six runs in the second inning and coasted to a 9-5 triumph over Columbus. Ian McPherson smacked a homer for the winners and Maw Mori drove in three runs. Joe DiFlorio knocked in three for Columbus.
Breakwell (W), Rennie and xxx
Flick (L), xxx and xxx
(August 12) Jim Franks belted his second grand slam of the summer to hand Russ Cunneyworth his fifth victory, a 5-3 decision over Hush AC. Sho Mori added a double and single for the winners.
Cunneyworth (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(August 19) Jim Franks swatted his third grand slam homer of the season Sunday to help Honest Ed's to an 11-7 win over Presswoods in the final game of the regular scheule. Ed's won a coin flip for second place.
PLAYOFFS
(August 21) In the first game of a best-of-five semi-final, Presswoods jumped on Honest Ed's ace Russ Cunneyworth for four home runs, one a grand slam, in just three-plus innings and went on to a 12-1 victory.
Cunneyworth (L), Nishimura (4), Breakwell (8) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(August 25) Fred Downs poked a two-run double in the ninth inning Saturday to give Nisei a 9-8 victory over Presswoods to even the playoff series at a game apiece. Winning hurler Jim Rennie helped his own cause with a homer and a single.
xxx and xxx
Rennie (W) and xxx
(August 26) Presswoods rebounded from an early 3-0 deficit to trample Honest Ed's 10-4 to take a 2-1 game lead in the semi-final series. The winners took advantage of Frank Nishimura's inability to find the plate to take the easy win. Bruce McFayden drove in four runs with three hits to support Jerry Eakin's five-hit pitching. Russ Cunneyworth finished on the hill for Ed's and tried to spark the offense with a homer.
Nishimura (L), Cunneyworth and xxx
Eakins (W) and xxx
(August 28) Ken Ohara's two-run homer in the sixth inning brought Honest Ed's a 6-4 win over Presswoods to force a fifth and decisive game in the semi-final series. Peter Maik's two-run circuit blow put Presswoods ahead in the second inning but Ed's bounced back with three runs in the third. A walk and an error were followed by singles by Major Kukumoto, Sho Mori and Ian McPherson. Jerry Eakins belted a four-bagger with a man aboard to regain the advantage for Presswoods. McPherson clouted the game's third homer to knot the count then Ohara's big clout put Ed's in front to stay. Jim Rennie fanned seven, but was often in trouble with six walks.
Rennie (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September 2) Honest Ed's advanced to the league final blanking 3-0 Presswoods in the deciding game of the best of five series. Jim Rennie shutout Presswoods on four hits in the decisive encounter. He was in trouble in the fourth when Presswoods loaded the bases on three singles with one out. Manager Nick Staynor then flied out to Ken Ohara who made a terrific throw to the plate to catch the runner from third for an inning ending double play. Maw Mori poked a homer for the Nisei and Roy Tanaka and Bob Adachi each had two hits.
Eakins (L) and McFayden
Rennie (W) and Adachi
(September 3) In the opening game of the Western City League finals, Honest Ed's shaded defending champion Concords 10-9 but not before many anxious moments in the ninth inning as Frank Nishimura issued five consecutive walks to force in two runs and had a 3-0 count on Alex Stremicki before regaining form to pump three straight strikes to end the game. Maw Mori drove in three runs with a three-for-four contest. Outfielder George Zock of Concords was thrown out of the game for hurling the ball at a heckling fan at Christie Pits.
Breakwell (W), Nishimura (8) and Kameoka
Rossin (L), Collins (4) and Thomas
(September 6) Honest Ed's is within a game of the Western City League championship after a 7-5 victory over Concord Tavern. Jim Rennie settled down after a rough first inning when he allowed four runs to go the distance for his fourth win of the playoffs. He allowed seven hits. Sho Mori had the big blow for the winners, a two-run homer.
Rennie (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September 8) Concord Tavern avoided elimination notching a 13-6 victory over Honest Ed's in the third game of the Western City final series. Harry Collins picked up the pitching win.
Collins (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September 9) With a 4-1 win, Concords have tied the league final series with Honest Ed's.Three Concord hurlers combined to hold Ed's to three hits. Craig Robertson started for Concords and hurled brilliantly for four innings before an arm injury cut short his day. Jack Rossin took over in the fifth and Marcel Angers relieved in the seventh. Nearly 5,000 spectators were on hand for the playoff game and an exhibition between Presswoods and the NHL All-Stars. Two-run homers by Alex Stremicki and Bill McIlroy accounted for the Concords scoring.
Robertson, Rossin (5), Angers (7) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September 12-13) Honest Ed's Nisei are the 1956 champions of the Western City Senior League winning a sudden death final contest 14-6 in a game which started Wednesday and was completed Thursday. With the scored 10-4, the game was put on pause Wednesday as darkness set in. Fred Downs paced the 12-hit Nisei attack on six Concord hurlers with three safeties. Major Fukumoto, Ian McPherson and Yuki Kameoka each contributed two hits. George Zock had four hits, one a homer, for the losers. Jim Rennie held the defending champions in check after relieving Ken Breakwell. Ed's now move into the city playdowns against the winners of the West Toronto Senior League.
Breakwell, Rennie and xxx
xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx, xxxx and xxx
(September 13) Mahers kicked off the Metro Toronto Baseball Association senior round-robin final series Thursday with a 6-3 decision over Pape Playground. Lefty Lowcock held Pape to four singles and whiffed 12. Chick Kitchen had the game's big blow, a two-run homer for Mahers.
Lowcock (W) and xxx
Bev Bourke (L) and xxx
(September 15) In the round-robin series for the Toronto baseball title, Honest Ed's began with an 8-4 win over Pape as Fred Downs led the attack with four hits and Maw Mori produced three, including a homer. Russ Cunneyworth was the winning hurler.
Cunneyworth (W) and xxx
Fullerton (L) and xxx
(September 16) Mahers topped Honest Ed's 6-4 Sunday as Moe Galand hurled effectively. Home runs told the story as Red Wilson, Les Hutchinson and Hal Short struck circuit blows for Mahers. Maw Mori was best for the Nisei with a homer and two singles.
Galand (W) and xxx
Breakwell, Nishimura, Rennie and xxx
(September 18) Mahers turned back Pape 8-3 Tuesday at Millen Stadium to take another step toward the Toronto baseball championship. Moe Galand powered Mahers to the win with booming home runs in the fifth and ninth innings. Jimmy Cobham and Hal Shorth each had three hits for the Shoemakers. Joe Irvine and Harry Pharoah pounded three apiece for Pape.
Ken Ramsay (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September 20) Mahers captured the Toronto city senior championship and The Star Trophy for the fourth time in six years downing Honest Ed's 4-2 for their fourth straight win in the round robin series. Mahers' ace Jerry Acheson limited the Western City champs to two hits. Both Nisei runs were unearned. Sten Stenoff and Jim Cobham slugged seventh inning homers to provide the margin of victory.
Acheson (W) and xxx
Rennie (L) and xxx
TORONTO NISEI LEAGUE
(May 20) Frank Nishimura fired a no-hitter Sunday to lead Regent Press to a 7-0 shutout of the Sooners. Dave Sakamoto of the Sooners had a no-no going for five frames before Ken Ikeda tripled to start off the sixth. Regent's had just three hits, taking advantage of five errors to pad their output.
Nishimura (W) and Ed Hisaki
D. Sakamoto, Tosh Sakamoto (6) and Doc Tomihiro
(July) In just his second mound chore of the season, Frank Nishimura threw his second straight no-hitter as Regent Press blanked Bussei 7-0 in Norton Nisei Baseball League action. Nishimura fanned 13 and walked five. The victory was marred by an injury to pitching and battings star Bob Adachi. While catching, he was felled by a foul tip and sprained his shoulder. He's expected to be out of action for a couple of weeks.
Tsujiuchi (L), Kumano (7) and Uyenaka
Nishimura (W) and Adachi, Aoki (4)
(September 9) After a long season of postponed games, defaults and general confusion as to the team standings, the Toronto Nisei League closed its regular season Sunday with Christie Sweets capturing the Toronto JCAA Challenge Trophy for the league pennant. Christie down Yamada Studio 9-3 in the final contest.
(September 16) Frank Nishimura tossed his third no-hitter Sunday as Regent Press won the opener of a best-of-three semi-final series with Christie Sweets. Regent batters pounded out 13 hits to build up a 12-1 score. The lone Christie run came in the first inning when Nishimura walked four batters. Tad Miura led the hitters with three safeties.
Nishimura (W) and Adachi
Tanaka (L), Kobayashi (5), Sho Mori (7) and Kameota, Matsuo (4)