1960 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1960 BC Interior
1960 Vancouver Island
OKANAGAN-MAINLINE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Added to the mix in 1960 were the Merritt Metros which increased the membership in the circuit to eight teams.
Kamloops Okonots
Kelowna Labatts
Merritt Metros
Oliver OBC’s
Penticton Red Sox
Summerland Macs
Trail Smoke Eaters
Vernon Carlings
(April 24) Last season’s pennant-winning Oliver OBC’s notched two narrow victories from the overall champion Kamloops Okonots by scores of 8 to 7 and 4 to 3, the result of the finale coming after a ten-inning struggle.
Bill Martino scored the winning run for the homestanding Oliver nine in the opener when a balk was called against losing heaver Jack Fowles of Kamloops in the bottom-of-the-seventh stanza. Gary Driessen was the winning chucker. In the second game, Don Coy, in a pinch-hitting role, drove in the tenth-inning winner. Martino copped the mound decision in this scuffle while Jack Meldrum was tagged with the defeat.
(April 24) The hosting Merritt Metros, newcomers to the 1960 circuit, were crushed 15 to 7 in their home opener by the Kelowna Labatts. Les Schaeffer went the distance for the Regatta City squad, scattering nine hits. Losing flinger Bill Chapman was raked for 14 base raps, three of which were garnered by mound opponent Schaeffer.
(April 24) The Vernon Carlings swept into Summerland and blanked the hosting Macs 4 to 0 to begin proceedings and then shaded the Applemen 2 to 1 in the twilight tilt. The knoll victories went to Jim Staff and Ron Miciuk and the setbacks to Al Hooker and Don Cristante respectively.
(May 1) The Merritt Metros managed only one hit in the first game of an OMBL doubleheader but still managed to topple the Oliver OBC’s 1 to 0. Invading Oliver bounced back to gain a split by taking a narrow 4 to 3 verdict in the sunset skirmish. Metro right-hander Larry Ovington fired a three-hitter in the lid-lifter and collected his club’s only safety, a long two-base blooper to left-centre in the sixth spasm. He advanced to the hot corner sack on a sacrifice and plated the game’s only run on a wild pitch by tough-luck loser Gary Driessen. Bill Martino, with relief assistance from Driessen, scattered nine hits to pick up the hillock triumph in the late encounter. Reg Moffatt was nicked with the setback.
(May 1) The Kamloops Okonots rolled out the heavy artillery and blasted their way to a convincing come-from-behind 12 to 6 victory over the visiting Kelowna Labatts. Trailing 5 to 4 until the seventh stanza, Kamloops broke loose for a six-spot to break the contest wide open. The Okies launched three round-trippers in their conquest, two by first baseman “Buck” Buchanan and one off the bat of Matt Yanchuk. Each team went through three hurlers before the final outcome was decided. The pitching victory was credited to Bill Geefs who toiled 3-1/3 innings on the hill while fellow reliever Les Schaeffer, who lasted only part of an inning, took the loss.
(May 1) The homestanding Vernon Carlings snatched their third victory by blanking the Penticton Red Sox 3 to 0. Jim Staff allowed only two hits in earning his second straight shutout win. Staff fanned seven and had a no-hitter going until the eighth episode. Alex Kashuba belted a solo homer for the winners in the second inning.
(May 7-8) The Trail Smoke Eaters got their first taste of action in the 1960 loop when they travelled to Kamloops for a weekend doubleheader and took it on the chin twice, falling 12 to 5 to the Okonots in a Saturday night affair before bowing 15 to 3 in a one-sided Sunday afternoon bout. Right handed tosser Gord Beecroft went all the way on the bump for the Okies in the Saturday contest, scattering eight Trail hits. Smokie starter Bob Seaman was clipped with the loss. Third baseman Bill Wall hit a grand-slam homer for the victors and teammate Bob Radies clouted another round-tripper, this one with one aboard.
Seaman (L), J. Ferguson and Hackett
Beecroft (W) and Anderson
The Sunday scuffle was deadlocked 3 – 3 after six spasms but the hosts put up a trey in the the seventh to go in front 6 – 3 and then iced the result with a big nine-spot in the eighth episode. Winning twirler Harley Nerdrum allowed eight hits before being relieved in the eighth. Al Pollock was the loser. Radies and Jack Fowles slammed the horsehide for three safeties apiece in pacing the Okies with the baton. Clubmate Barry McDowell supplied the power with an eighth-inning four-ply clout with two on.
Pollock (L), Gould (7), J. Ferguson (8) and Hackett
Nerdrum (W), Fowles (8) and J. Yanchuk
(May 8) In a weird double-dip at Summerland, the Macs decimated the visiting Merritt Metros 22 to 1 in the curtain-raiser, which was terminated after five frames as a merciful act to the invaders. Despite the humiliation of the opening-game massacre, the Jekyll & Hyde Metros seemed like a different squad altogether in the wind-up event as they turned the tables on the Summerlanders, blanking them 6 to 0. Don Cristante went the route for the Macs in the opener, limiting the Merritt baseballers to just four safe swats. Metro starter Larry Ovington, driven into exile early, was tagged with the loss. Ovington, losing heaver in the runaway first fracas, returned to the slab in the second joust and whitewashed the hosts on five hits to square his pitching record for the day.
(May 8) A solo homer by Greg Jablonski helped the Kelowna Labatts to a 5 to 2 win over the Oliver OBC’s. With the score tied at 2 – 2 in the sixth, Jablonski ripped into a Gary Driessen offering and sent it long distance to put the Labatts in front for good. Jack Lipp tacked on a brace of insurance tallies in the seventh with a line-drive double. Ray Scott allowed one walk, struck out seven and gave up four hits in out dueling Driessen for the victory.
Driessen (L) and Hocksteiner
Scott (W) and Burton
(May 8) The Vernon Carlings bounced the Penticton Red Sox for the second consecutive time, scoring three runs in the opening canto en route to a 7 to 2 conquest of the Scarlet Stockings. Winning slabster Ron Miciuk allowed just five hits, one of which was a bases-empty tater to losing flinger Bud Englesby.
Miciuk (W) and Schmidt
Englesby (L) and A. Richards
(May 14-15) Andy Bilesky’s Trail Smoke Eaters quieted their critics, at least temporarily, over the weekend as they swept a two-game series from the travelling Kelowna Labatts. The Smokies scored an 8 to 5 victory Saturday night before running away with Sunday’s fixture at Butler Park 9 to 0. In the Saturday clash, the Smokies allowed the visitors a second-inning 4 – 0 edge before whittling it down and turning it into a triumph by plating deuces in each of the fourth and fifth frames before putting a bow on things with a trey in the sixth. Sixth-inning reliever Al Pollock didn’t allow a Kelowna base runner and struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced to pick up the win. Loser Ray Scott, who went the distance, gave up 11 hits and was the victim of three errors. Ab Cronie’s double and single drove in three runs for the Trailites. Busher McIntyre, Pinoke McIntyre, Sonny Hackett, Owen Mailey and starting hurler Jack Ferguson brought home the other Smokie counters. Labatt first sacker John Smart had two RBI’s in a losing cause while catcher Jack Burton, Les Schaefer and Frank Fritz added single RBI’s.
Scott (L) and Burton
J. Ferguson, Pollock (W) (6) and Hackett
The Sunday set-to was all Trail from start to finish with the Smeltermen putting up deuces on the scoreboard in each of the first, second and third chapters. “Lefty” Gould spun a four-hitter in whitewashing the Beermen as his mates provided near flawless defense behind him. The loss was pinned on the southpaw flipper of Jack Denbow who was derricked in the third panel for Les Schaeffer. Rookie Gary Morris doubled and singled, driving in four runs for the winners who benefited greatly through a bevy of free passes, eight alone being issued by starter Denbow. Leadoff batter Harvey Handley walked three times and scored on two of them. Busher McIntyre walked twice and added a single for an RBI while Pinoke McIntyre had a brace of RBI’s.
Denbow (L), Schaeffer (3) and Burton
Gould (W) and Handley
(May 21) The Trail Smoke Eaters started their three-game weekend jaunt to the Okanagan off on a winning start by outlasting the hosting Penticton Red Sox 12 to 10 in a Saturday evening encounter.
(May 22) Penticton dropped their second of the weekend, falling 12 to 10 to the front-running Vernon Carlings. The Red Sox suffered through pitching problems as the hosting Carlings struck for five first-inning counters. Charlie Preen, the last of a trio of chuckers used by the Orchard Towners, was charged with the loss. Hot corner custodian Lee Day went yard with a dinger for the Crimson Hose.
Kozak, Englesby, Preen (L) and A. Richards
Staff, Miciuk (W and Schmidt, J. Kashuba
(May 22) The Oliver OBC’s made a firm bid to catch the pace-setting Vernon Carlings by dumping the travelling Trail Smoke Eaters 11 to 3 and 6 to 5 in a Sunday doubleheader. Ace moundsman Gary Driessen led the OBC’s to their first-game win, limiting the visitors to seven safeties. Oliver was never behind in this contest and banged out 14 base blows against a trio of Smelter City chuckers with starter Bob Seaman being nicked with the defeat.
Seaman (L), Pollock, J. Ferguson and Hackett
Driessen (W) and Hocksteiner
Seaman was also charged with the second-game loss after Oliver first baseman John Vanderburgh spearheaded his team’s three-run ninth-inning effort which erased a 5 to 3 deficit. Richie Schnider, in relief of Bill Martino, took credit for the knoll victory in this encounter.
Seaman (L) and Hackett
Martino, Schnider (W) and Hocksteiner
(May 22) The Kamloops Okonots overcame a faltering start yet manufactured a ninth-inning run to shade the Merritt Metros 5 to 4. Okonot shortstop Stan Kato executed a perfect squeeze bunt in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to plate the winning counter from third base. The Metros had tied the game 4 – 4 on Russ Graff’s solo homer in the top half of the frame. Winning slabster Larry Jordan was touched for seven safeties in a route-going performance. The Okies managed just five hits, one of which was a four-ply clout by Buck Buchanan, off the combined slants of Reg Moffatt and losing chucker Bill Chapman.
Moffatt, Chapman (L) (3) and Aura
Jordan (W) and Anderson
(May 28-29) The first-place Vernon Carlings slipped past the hometown Trail Smoke Eaters 6 to 3 on Sunday afternoon to gain a split in their two-game weekend set. The Smokies captured the opener 8 to 2 Saturday night at Butler Park. In Saturday’s Trail victory, Carling losing tosser Ron Miciuk faced ten batters and surrendered four runs in the opening canto before finally retiring the side. Leo Mailey, who had opened the inning with a single, ended it with a long fly ball to left fielder Tony DeRosa. Vernon pecked away at the early deficit, finally cutting it in half in the top-of-the-seventh but the hosts put the game out of reach with deuces in the their half of that frame and the eighth as well. Smokie stalwarts Mailey and Addy Tambellini each had a pair of hits in support of winning heaver “Lefty” Gould.
Miciuk (L) and Schmidt
Gould (W), Pollock (7) and Hackett
After three scoreless sessions of the Sunday tilt, Vernon took control of the game, chalking up six counters during the middle innings. Winning twirler Jim Staff singled home the first Carling run in the fourth frame and added another one-bagger in the sixth. Ray Adams was the top willow wielder for the victors, cuffing three singles while Tambellini collected two of the Smoke Eaters’ five safeties.
Staff (W) and Schmidt
J. Ferguson (L), Seaman (6), Pollock (6) and G. McIntyre, Handley (5)
(May 29) The Penticton Red Sox swept both ends of a doubleheader, 7 to 1 and 10 to 3, from the invading Kamloops Okonots. With winning slabster Bud Englesby holding the Okies scoreless after giving up a singleton in the top-of-the-opening inning, the Red Sox broke the matinée game open with three-spots in the fourth and sixth panels. Starter Larry Jordan, the first of the Kamloops chuckers was nailed with the setback. Charlie Preen of the Pentictonites and the Okonot’s Buck Buchanan traded four-baggers in this match.
Jordan (L), Geefs, Anderson and J. Yanchuk
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
The hosts snapped a 3 – 3 tie in the bottom-of-the-third inning of the concluding event by plating a single run then marched into a commanding lead with a four-spot in the fourth. Preen launched his second tater of the day as well as earning the pitching victory in a relief role. Fellow Scarlet Stockings’ Lee Day and Doug Moore also belted dingers as Okie starter Gord Beecroft was tagged with the loss.
Beecroft (L), Fowles and B. Anderson
Young, Preen (W), Englesby and A.Richards
(May 29) Kelowna blasted home five runs in the second inning and hung on for a comfortable 10 to 6 OMBL victory over the hosting Summerland Macs. Although raked for 14 hits, Jack Denbow survived the route in earning the win. Carlton Sheeley of the Summerlanders, who also gave up 14 base raps, absorbed the loss.
(May 29) Twenty runs split evenly over two games earned the homestanding Oliver OBS’s 10 to 2 and 10 to 0 wins over the Merritt Metros. Gary Driessen hurled the opening-game triumph for the OBC’s, besting Larry Ovington. Bruno Ceccon went five-for-five at the plate for the victors, slamming a three-run homer which put Oliver in front to stay. The second-game was a one-sided, listless affair as Bill Martino shutout the Metros on two hits. Reg Moffatt was charged with the loss.
(June 4-5) Late-inning outbursts were the name of the game for the hosting Trail Smoke Eaters as they downed the cellar-dwelling Summerland Macs twice over the weekend at Butler Park. Saturday evening, the Smokies fell behind 4 to 0 early but managed to deadlock the count 5 – 5 by the end-of-the-fourth, then added icing to the cake by adding four runs in the seventh to ultimately win 9 to 6. In Sunday’s rematch, the Smeltermen counted a brace in the bottom-of-the-eighth to gain a 4 to 2 triumph. Al Pollock, who ascended the elevated portion of the diamond in the fifth frame in relief of starter Bob Seaman, was credited with the win in the curtain-raiser. Don Cristante, who began on the hillock for the Summerlanders, was kayoed in the fourth but not before smashing a bases-empty four-bagger, the only round-tripper of the game, in addition to a single. Busher McIntyre went three-for-four at the dish for the Silver City nine and also had a daring theft of home. Macs’ southpaw reliever Carlton Sheeley was the victim of the four-run Trail eruption, sparked by Sonny Hackett’s double, in the seventh and was painted with the loss.
Cristante, Sheeley (L) (4) and O’Neill
Seaman, Pollock (W) (5) and Hackett
Sunday afternoon, the whole show was stolen by ex-Summerland portsider, Lefty Gould, who won his third game against no losses. The crafty Gould effectively spaced seven hits and came within two outs of going the route for the Smokies. Sheeley, who was derricked in the opening panel, was nicked with the defeat once again. McIntyre continued his heavy stick work for the winners with a run-scoring double and a one-base hit. Gary Morris followed with a pair of one-baggers.
Sheeley (L), Cristante (1) and O’Neill
Gould (W), Pollock (9), J. Ferguson (9) and Handley
(June 9) Hometown Kelowna pounced on Summerland chuckers for 20 base hits to clobber the Macs 17 to 6 in an OMBL tilt. Husky Frank Fritz pounded a pair of three-run homers for the Labatts while skipper Hank Tostenson stung the sphere for a circuit-clout, a double and a single. For Summerland, Al Hooker registered three safeties.
(June 10) Hitting in the clutch and taking advantage of seven opposition miscues, the Penticton Red Sox shaded the visiting Kelowna Labatts 6 to 5 in OMBL action. Bud Englesby went the distance on the bump for the third-place Red Sox, inflicting the defeat upon Ray Scott. Kelowna took an early 4 to 0 lead but let it slip away. The ultimate winning tally was scored in the eighth.
Scott (L) and Burton
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
(June 11) The Trail Smoke Eaters began a three-game weekend road trip by dropping a 5 to 1 verdict to the Kelowna Labatts. Frank Fritz belted a home run and a single to lead the victors’ eight-hit offensive output against losing flinger “Lefty” Gould. Winning heaver Les Schaeffer was combed for ten Trail safeties, including a second-stanza solo dinger by Bill Johnson, but kept the remaining raps well scattered.
(June 12) A pair of superb pitching efforts by Trail Smoke Eaters’ slab artists went down the drain as the Smelter Towners were nipped 2 to 1 and 1 to 0 in a two-game set in Summerland. The hometown Macs had only two hits all day, both in the opening tussle, as second-game loser Jack Ferguson was beaten on three errors in spite of pitching a no-hitter. The twin triumphs elevated the Summerlanders from the basement to sixth place in the OMBL standings. Despite a 5 to 2 edge in base raps in the first encounter, the Trail aggregation and Bob Seaman went down to defeat. Veteran hurler Al Hooker grabbed the complete-game win for the Applemen.
Seaman (L) and Hackett
Hooker (W) and O’Neill
Iron-man Hooker remained on the bump for the late skirmish as well and blanked the Smokies on just two hits while the visitors frittered away Ferguson’s near gem with an unearned counter in the seventh canto.
J. Ferguson (L) and Hackett
Hooker (W) and O’Neill
(June 12) The Oliver OBC’s whipped the Penticton Red Sox 8 to 1 to move a half-game in front of the Vernon Luckies in the standings. Playing on their home turf, the OBC’s spotted the Red Sox a second-inning run, then slammed the door and rolled up eight tallies of their own, five of those coming in the fourth inning when they counted six hits including doubles by Richie Schnider and Paul Eisenhut. Gary Driessen picked up the win with a five-hitter.
Englesby (L), Preen (4) and A. Richards
Driessen (W) and Hocksteiner
(June 12) A split of their double-dip with the Merritt Metros dropped the Vernon Luckies a half-game behind the Oliver OBC’s. The homestanding Luckies captured the opener 9 to 3 before falling to the Metros in the second game by the same score. Vernon’s Jack Charlesworth pitched into the fifth frame of the seven-inning opener to garner the knoll triumph. The Luckies had an 11 to 8 edge in base hits.
Irving (L), Ovington (2) and Cade
Charlesworth (W), Staff (5) and Brummet
Merritt batters pounded three Vernon heavers for ten safeties in the follow-up skirmish, scoring five runs in the third inning and four markers in the fourth. Winning pitcher Bill Chapman limited the Luckies to six safeties in a route-going effort.
Chapman (W) and Cade
Miciuk (L), Staff (3), Charlesworth (4) and Brummet
(June 16) The Penticton Red Sox broke a 3 – 3 seventh-inning tie with a lone run in the eighth and a deuce in the ninth to double the hometown Kelowna Labatts 6 to 3. Middle pasture patroller Charlie Preen was the Sox’ leading batsman with two singles. Rick Wickenheiser and Hromi Ito led the Labs offensively with a double and single each. Bud Englesby garnered the mound decision over Ray Scott.
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
Scott (L) and Burton
(June 18-19) The visiting Oliver OBC’s strengthened their grip on first place in the OMBL with a pair of weekend conquests of the Trail Smoke Eaters. Neither of the Oliver wins came easy. On Saturday night at Butler Park, it took the front-runners 11 innings to shade the Smokies 1 to 0 and, on Sunday afternoon, the visitors were forced to come-from-behind an early 2 – 1 Smoke Eater lead to earn a 4 to 2 triumph. The marathon Saturday game featured an epic pitching joust between Gary Driessen, the Wenatchee wonder-boy, of the OBC’s and Trail’s beefy right-hander Bob Seaman. Both were in top form and each appeared to get stringer as the game progressed. Driessen, generally conceded as being the top chucker in the league, walked just two and rang up a dozen punchouts. Seaman whiffed eleven and issued only three free passes. Both were nicked for just four safeties in toiling the entire 11-inning route. Oliver’s Bill Martino provided the only hit that mattered, latching onto a Seaman delivery for a solo home run in the top-of-the-second overtime session to provide the lone run of the game.
Driessen (W) and Hocksteiner, Radies (6)
Seaman (L) and Handley
Martino proved his versatility by ascending the knoll for the second fracas and getting credit for the six-hit victory with 8-1/3 innings of solid pitching. Driessen came on the record the final two outs. The OBC’s trailed 2 to 1 until the top-of-the-eighth episode when playing-manager Richie Schnider nailed a two-out, two-run double to put his charges in front by a run. The Oliver skipper then added a third RBI in the ninth, drilling a single to plate Bruno Ceccon with an additional insurance tally. Ceccon banged out four singles in five trips for the victors. Shortstop Elroy Jacobs cracked a double and triple to spice the visitors’ attack. Smokie second sacker Bill Jablonski slapped the game’s only home run, a second-stanza solo blast while teammate Bruno DeRosa picked up a brace of bingles.
Martino (W), Driessen (9) and Radies
J. Ferguson (L), Pollock (7), Seaman (8) and Johnson
(June 19) Jim Staff limited the Kamloops Okonots to just four hits as he pitched the Vernon Carlings to a convincing 7 to 3 OMBL victory. Staff rang up six punchouts while improving his record to five wins against no defeats. Harley Nerdrum was the losing tosser. The hard-throwing right-hander allowed nine hits and nine walks. The Okonots committed four errors to just one for the winners.
Staff (W) and Brummet
Nerdrum (L) and Anderson
(June 19) A three-run opening canto got the Kelowna Labatts off-and-running as they went on the bounce the Merritt Metros 8 to 5. Second baseman Gerry Goyer led the Labatts with the lumber, swatting a home run and a single. Len Stirling was Merritt’s top batter with a two-bagger and a single. Southpaw Jack Denbow, nicked for a dozen safeties, went all the way to annex the mound win while Metro starter Larry Ovington, driven to the showers in the seventh, was saddled with the loss.
Ovington (L), Chapman (7) and Cade
Denbow (W) and Burton
(June 25-26) The Penticton Red Sox divided the spoils with the hosting Trail Smoke Eaters in a pair of one-run nail-biters played at Butler Park over the weekend. The Orchard City nine, outswatted by a healthy 9 to 4 margin, still managed to eke out a 5 to 4 triumph in the Saturday evening clash while it took ten innings for the Smeltermen to square things with a 3 to 2 conquest in the Sunday afternoon affair. In the Saturday opener, the Smoke Eaters assumed an early 3 to 1 lead on Addy Tambellini’s two-run circuit-clout and maintained that cushion until the fifth when Penticton’s Lee Day drove in a pair of counters to create a 3 – 3 stalemate. The sixth spasm was where the wheels came off for the hosts as the Red Sox plated a deuce on the strength of a leadoff single, four walks and a hit batter. Trail, using a long list of pinch-hitters in the ninth stanza, tried desperately to send the game into extra innings but managed only one run off complete-game winner Bud Englesby who fanned Tambellini with the bases loaded to end the game.
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
Gould (L), Seaman (6), Pollock (6) and Hackett
Tambellini atoned for his game-ending strikeout on Saturday night by launching an overtime line-drive tater over the right-field fence to put an end to the Sunday proceedings. Seventh-inning reliever Al Pollock was the beneficiary of the Trail first baseman’s solo blast, garnering the hillock victory over Charlie Preen who went the distance for the Sox.
Preen (L) and A. Richards
J. Ferguson, Pollock (W) (7) and Hackett, G. McIntyre (6)
(June 26) The Vernon Carlings took full advantage of sloppy fielding by the Merritt Metros to post 21 to 2 and 11 to 5 victories in an OMBL twin-bill hosted by the losers. Johnny Kashuba went all the way on the bump for Vernon in the early contest, limiting the Metros to just three hits. Alex Kashuba and Jack Wheelhouse cranked out four-baggers for the Carlings in the onslaught.
J. Kashuba (W) and Brummet
Irving (L), Ovington (3) and Cade
The Metros roared out of the gate in the return match and looked to be on their way to sweet revenge, taking a 5 to 0 lead, but Vernon got untracked and, by the end of the sixth stanza, had tied things up. Then, in the eighth, the Labatts exploded for a six-spot to put a bow on it.
Staff, Miciuk (W) (4) and Brummet
Chapman (L), Ovington (6) and Cade
(June 26) The Kamloops Okonots took both ends of a doubleheader from the homestanding Summerland Macs by scores of 5 to 4 and 7 to 2.
(July 1-2) Penticton-Oliver Dominion Day weekend tournament
(July 9) Junior call-up Bruce Rowland held the Trail Smoke Eaters to eight hits in leading the hometown Penticton Red Sox to a 5 to 2 OMBL victory. Rowland walked five and fanned an equal number in his complete-game debut. Al Pollock, who is also of junior age and a member of the Trail junior Pirates as well as the senior Smokies, was tagged with the loss, allowing eight hits while breezing 13 and walking two. Larry Burgart, Al Richards and Chuck Preen paced the Red Sox’ hitting attack with a pair of safeties each.
Pollock (L) and Hackett, Gould (9)
Rowland (W) and A. Richards
(July 10) Trail and Merritt split their two-game set as the hosting Metros prevailed 6 to 5 in the lid-lifter while the travelling Smoke Eaters regrouped for a convincing 10 to 1 triumph in the twilight tilt. Merritt won the matinée match when speedy Jim Holmes scored on reliever Jack Ferguson’s throwing error to first base in the bottom-of-the-ninth.
Pollock, J. Ferguson (L) (7) and Handley
Chapman (W) and Aura
Right-hander Bob Seaman limited the Metros to just five hits as the Smokies easily annexed the finale.
Seaman (W) and Handley
Irving (L), Best (4) and Aura
(July 10) Oliver took two close games at Summerland, coming out on top by scores of 3 to 1 and 5 to 4.
A two-run homer by Bill Martino was enough to give the OBC’s the opening-game win as winning pitcher Gary Driessen stymied the Macs on four hits. The Apple Towners deserved a better fate in the sunset skirmish, out-hitting Oliver by a 7 to 4 margin and holding a 4 to 3 lead on the scoreboard heading into the ninth. Driessen came on in relief in the eight episode to snatch the mound verdict in this tilt, banging out a home run in the process.
(July 10) The Penticton Red Sox shrugged off a stuttering start on their home turf and rolled to a comeback 7 to 5 triumph over the Kamloops Okonots in OMBL action. Kamloops led until the eighth inning when the Crimson Hose exploded for four funs on back-to-back singles by Chuck Preen and Al Richards and a brief spell of wildness by losing heaver Harley Nerdrum. Bud Englesby notched the pitching victory.
Nerdrum (L) and Anderson
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
(July 14) The Kelowna Labatts drew closer to an OMBL playoff spot by smashing the third-place Penticton Red Sox 16 to 8. The Labs displayed plenty of muscle in this clash on their home turf, banging out five home runs. Second baseman Frank Fritz did most of the damage, creaming the orb for a brace of three-run shots. The other Kelowna four-baggers came off the bats of catcher Jackie Burton and outfielders Rich Wickenheiser and John Smart. Third baseman Nick Bulach showed the most consistency, stinging the sphere for four hits in five trips to the plate. For Penticton, Lloyd Burgart with a double and single, had the best batting record while Chuck Preen followed with a pair of singles. Les Schaeffer copped the hillock decision over young Bruce Roland.
Roland (L), Preen (5) and A. Richards
Schaeffer (W), Denbow (9) and Burton
(July 15) Jumping into an early lead and taking advantage of a slow-to-unwind Kelowna team, the Penticton Red Sox avenged their setback of an evening previous by hanging on for a 7 to 6 OMBL victory. Bud Englesby, in serious trouble on a couple of occasions, pitched six-hit ball for the Scarlet Stockings in grabbing the win. Labatts’ starter Ray Scott, yanked in the sixth spasm, was charged with the loss.
Scott (L), Denbow (6) and Burton
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
(July 16-17) The invading Kamloops Okonots, struggling to catch a spot in the playoffs, improved their chances immensely with a sweep of weekend tussles at Butler Park against the Trail Smoke Eaters. Saturday night, the Okies triumphed 8 to 6 and on a hot, sweltering Sunday afternoon, came out on top in ten innings by a 6 to 4 count.
The Smokies led 6 to 0 after five frames of the Saturday event but their pitching folded down the stretch, allowing the visitors a trey in the sixth and a big five-spot in the seventh. The Sunday tilt was a nip-and-tuck affair with neither team taking control of the game during regulation time. With the score tied at 4 – 4 after nine innings, the foes headed into a bonus round of play and the Okonots went ahead by a run when Buck Buchanan lit up complete-game losing twirler Bob Seaman for a run-scoring double. Stan Kato then singled to drive in Buchanan with an insurance tally. Winning heaver Harley Nerdrum set the hosting Smeltermen down in the bottom-of-the-tenth to preserve the hard-fought victory.
(July 17) Under searing heat and with tempers flaring, the Vernon Carlings journeyed into Oliver for a first-place showdown with the OBC’s and parlayed five home runs into a clean sweep of a doubleheader with 3 to 1 and 12 to 6 victories. Jim Staff stifled the hosts on four-hits in the seven-inning opener as his mates got to loser Gary Driessen for seven base knocks including bases-empty dingers by outfielder Jack Thompson and first sacker Russ Keckalo. The second tilt featured plenty of offense as both teams rang up 14 safeties. Oliver racked up six markers in the fourth frame, highlighted with a grand-slam circuit-jack by Chuck Aikens, to take a healthy 8 to 3 lead. The hard-hitting northerners stormed back, however, with three in the fifth, five in the sixth and a singleton in the eighth in coasting to the win as winning flinger Ron Miciuk blanked the OBC’s the rest of the way. Keckalo had a second homer for the day in this contest while teammate Alex Kashuba blasted a pair of dingers off losing slabster Bill Martino. This game was marred by two brief player skirmishes with the second being touched off when Oliver’s Elroy Jacobs was spiked in the sixth stanza.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Vernon 14 4 .778 ----
Oliver 16 6 .727 ----
Kelowna 13 9 .591 3.0
Kamloops 12 9 .571 3.5
Penticton 9 13 .409 7.0
Merritt 7 13 .350 8.0
Trail 8 15 .348 8.5
Summerland 6 14 .300 9.0
(July 22) It was a field day for the hitters in Penticton as the hometown Red Sox blasted their way from behind an 8 to 0 deficit to take a 19 to 14 verdict over the Vernon Carlings. Persevering through an 18-hit enemy barrage in going the distance was Penticton’s Bud Englesby. Vernon used a pair of position players as relief pitchers after starter Ron Miciuk was jolted off the hill for an early shower in the third chapter. Jack Wheelhouse, the second of the Labatt mound trio, was nicked with the loss. The Sox scored ten runs in a wild third inning, sparked by Steve Hunter’s two-run tater and a bases-loaded blast by Doug Moore.
Miciuk, Wheelhouse (L) (3), Keckalo (6) and Brummet
Englesby (W) and A. Richards
(July 29) Oliver’s Bill Martino hurled and batted the OBC’s to a 4 to 2 conquest of the hosting Penticton Red Sox. The big right-hander scattered eight hits in earning the knoll decision over Bud Englesby. His bases-empty dinger in the top-of-the-ninth provided the OBC’s, clinging to a 3 to 2 lead at the time, with an important insurance marker. Martino earlier had put his club out in front with a sharp two-run single in the sixth.
Martino (W) and Radies
Englesby (L) and A. Richards
(July 31) Jack Wheelhouse slammed out two home runs to lead the front-running Vernon Carlings to a sweep of a double-bill over the Oliver OBC’s. The Carlings took both games by identical 3 to 2 scores, the second in ten innings. The twin wins increased Vernon’s lead to 2-1/2 games over second-place Oliver.
Schnider (L) and Radies
Staff (W) and Brummet
Wheelhouse accounted for all of his team’s runs in the second encounter, slamming a bases-empty tater in the opening panel and a two-run dinger in the overtime session. Jim Staff earned both pitching victories for Vernon, the second as a tenth-inning reliever. The OBC’s were without their slab artist Gary Driessen so playing-skipper Richie Schnider ascended the knoll for both narrow losses.
Schnider (L) and Radies
Miciuk, Staff (W) (10) and Brummet
(July 31) The weekend doubleheader between the Merritt Metros and Trail Smoke Eaters was cancelled because of the forest-fire situation in the Okanagan.
(July 31) Southpaw Jack Denbow spaced six hits neatly as he led the Kelowna Labatts to a 2 to 0 shutout victory over the homestanding Kamloops Okonots. The Labatts bunched three of their five hits off returning veteran Len Gatin in the third inning to score the only runs of the game.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Vernon 17 6 .739 ----
Oliver 16 9 .640 2.0
Kelowna 14 9 .609 3.0
Kamloops 12 10 .545 4.5
Penticton 12 13 .480 6.0
Merritt 7 13 .350 8.5
Trail 8 15 .348 9.0
Summerland 7 16 .400 10.0
(August 1) The Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League upheld an earlier decision that the Penticton Red Sox must forfeit five games because of using unregistered players. Two victories against Kelowna, two with Merritt and one with Summerland were reversed.
(August 2) The Penticton Red Sox have withdrawn from the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League in protest over the handling of player registrations by league president H. J. Maloney. The Sox claim they do not have an ample number of registered players to complete their remaining three game on the schedule. The withdrawal came at a four-hour league meeting where the executive reduced from five to four the number of wins taken away from Penticton for the use of unregistered personnel earlier in the campaign.
(August 4) Shortstop Jack Wheelhouse, flexing his muscles of late, blasted another brace of four-ply clouts to lead the front-running Vernon Carlings to a lop-sided 15 to 6 victory over the Kelowna Labatts. Helped by the recent surge in power exhibited by Wheelhouse, Carlings’ right-hander Jim Staff breezed to his 11th victory in 12 pitching decisions. Ray Scott, the first of three Kelowna chuckers, took the loss. Tony Brummet and Alex Kashuba also launched round-trippers for the winners.
(August 7) The Vernon Carlings clinched the 1960 OMBL regular-season pennant by taking both ends of a doubleheader from the fourth-place Kamloops Okonots. The hosting Vernonites nosed out the Okies 5 to 4 in the matinee clash and completed the sweep with a 10 to 6 conquest in the sunset skirmish.
Jim Staff improved his won-loss record to 12 – 1 by spinning a four-hitter in the first bout.
Gatin (L) and Anderson
Staff (W) and Brummet
The Carlings connected for three home runs in the twilight tilt.
Nerdrum (L), Gatin (8), Fowles (8) and Anderson
Miciuk, J. Kashuba (W) (4) and Brummet
(August 7) Wily Jack Denbow completely handcuffed the Metros as he led the third-place Kelowna Labatts to a convincing 3 to 0 win over homestanding Merritt. Denbow limited the hosts to just three scattered hits, all singles, while workhorse Larry Ovington, raked for nine hits, took the loss.
Denbow (W) and Burton
Ovington (L) and Aura
PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS W L PCT. GBL
Vernon Carlings 21 7 .750 ----
Oliver OBC’s 19 9 .679 2.0
Kelowna Labatts 17 10 .630 3.5
Kamloops Okonots 15 13 .536 6.0
(August 14) The travelling Trail Smoke Eaters and the pennant-winning Vernon Carlings split an OMBL doubleheader at Polson Park with the hosts taking the opener 7 to 6 before losing the 11-inning nightcap 12 to 11.
Trail pitcher Bob Seaman clouted a home run, albeit in a losing cause, in the opening scuffle. John Kashuba notched the heaving triumph,
The Kashuba brothers, Alex and John, both dialed long distance with four-ply clouts for the Carlings in the late event as Jack Ferguson of the Smokies was credited with the pitching victory over John Kashuba.
(August 14) The Oliver OBC’s wound up the OMBL schedule in glory when they handed the Summerland Macs a double setback by scores of 9 to 4 and 6 to 3. Gary Driessen was the winning pitcher in the opener while Al Hooker was stung with the loss. Bob Radies pounded out a double and a three-run homer for the victorious OBC’s.
Bill Martino fashioned a six-hitter to stop the Macs in the late tilt, handing Carlton Sheeley the setback. A four-spot in the seventh spasm, highlighted by singles from John Vanderburgh and Paul Eisenhut as well as a two-bagger off the bat of Driessen, lifted Oliver to the win.
(August 19) The Kelowna Labatts drubbed the Merritt Metros 17 to 6 in the Regatta City to complete the OMBL schedule. Southpaw Jack Denbow went six innings on the hill for Kelowna to earn his eighth win of the season. Ray Scott hurled the last two frames of the eight-inning encounter. Dave Besse, who was both the Metro starter as well as a reliever in the seventh inning, suffered the loss. Frank Fritz smashed a home run for the winners, increasing his league lead in that department.
Besse (L), Chapman (1), Besse (7) and Aura/Ayre, Parker (3)
Denbow (W), Scott (8) and Burton
(August 21) The Summerland Macs and Merritt Metros closed out their regular-season commitments in the OMBL by dividing the proceeds of a double-dip at Voght Park. The visiting Apple Towners captured the opener 9 to 8 while the Metros squeezed out an 8 to 7 triumph in the finale. In the seven-inning lid-lifter, the Macs ran eight runners across the pan in the first inning only to see the hosts charge back and tie the score 8 – 8 in the third session. Summerland plated what proved to be the deciding tally in the fifth frame. Reliever Al Hooker annexed the heaving verdict at the expense of Merritt’s Larry Ovington.
Bill Chapman tossed a seven-hitter to capture the knoll triumph in the nightcap while Hooker, once again in a relief appearance, was tagged with the defeat after uncorking a wild pitch that allowed Len Stirling to cross the dish with the walkoff winner.
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Kelowna vs Vernon & Kamloops vs Oliver (best-of-three series)
(August 21) The Vernon Carlings outlasted the Kelowna Labatts to capture a 9 to 7 victory in the opening game of their OMBL semi-final series. Jim Staff, who had a 12 – 1 record during the regular season, was kayoed from the hill in the second stanza and was responsible for the first six runs given up to Kelowna, three of them by Frank Fritz on a three-run homer in the first frame. Ron Miciuk took over after Staff’s exit and stabilized the pitching while the Carlings began to plough their way back into contention. The losing heaver was Ray Scott who was tagged for all 15 safeties secured by the Vernonites during the 6-1/3 innings that he toiled. The only extra-base knocks collected by the victors were by shortpatcher Jack Wheelhouse, who slapped out a brace of doubles.
Scott (L), Schaeffer (6) and Burton
Staff, Miciuk (W) (2) and Brummet
(August 21) A surprisingly-strong Kamloops Okonots’ team came through with some power hitting to upset the Oliver OBC’s 15 to 8 in the first game of their best-of-three semi-final series. The Okies who finished a rather wayward fourth during the regular season, pounded two OBC pitchers for seventeen hits to take the win going away. Jack Fowles, who relieved Okonot starter Harley Nerdrum in the third, gained credit for the win while Gary Driessen, who opened for Oliver, was charged with the loss.
Nerdrum, Fowles (W) (3) and Yanchuk
Driessen (L), Martino (6) and Radies
(August 25) The pennant-winning Vernon Carlings ousted the Kelowna Labatts from the OMBL playoff picture. No final score, game details or batteries were found in print.
(August 28) Reverting to the use of their favorite weapon, the home run ball, the Oliver OBC’s snatched a rain-spattered 6 to 4 victory from the outstretched arms of the Kamloops Okonots at Riverside Park to square their best-of-three OMBL semi-final series at one game each. Bill Martino blasted two round-trippers, both with one teammate aboard, to pace the potent Oliver lineup. The hard-throwing righthander also turned in a commendable six-inning performance on the hill, allowing but two hits. His seven free passes, however, forced him to give way to Gary Driessen in the seventh stanza after he loaded the bases and allowed the Okies to threaten with two runs. Driessen easily put out the fire to preserve the win. Dependable Len Gatin started and went the route for Kamloops. He gave up nine base raps and walked four in a losing cause. Flychaser Paul Eisenhut also went yard for the OBC’s with a solo dinger in the seventh spasm.
(August 28) The Vernon Carlings advanced to the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League finals by shading the homestanding Kelowna Labatts 5 to 4 to win their semi-final playoff round in two straight contests. Jim Staff needed ninth-inning relief help from Ron Miciuk to annex the knoll decision over Les Schaeffer. Jack Wheelhouse and Russ Keckalo launched four-ply clouts for the victors while clubmate Alex Kashuba stroked a pair of singles. Big gun with the lumber for the Labatts was catcher Jack Burton who clipped the horsehide for a home run and single.
Staff (W), Miciuk (9) and Brummet
Schaeffer (L) and Burton
(September 4-5) Kamloops Labor Day weekend baseball tournament.
(September 11) The Oliver OBC’s blasted four Kamloops’ hurlers for 18 hits and a 14 to 8 conquest of the Okonots to move into the OMBL finals against the Vernon Carlings. The game was a slugfest with home runs coming from Bill Martino of the winners as well as Gord Beecroft, Jack Fowles and “Buck” Buchanan of the vanquished Kamloops nine. Neither starter was around at the end as fireman Gary Driessen copped the mound decision from Fowles.
FINALS Oliver vs Vernon (best-of-three series)
(September 18) Righthander Gary Driessen held the pennant-winning Vernon Carlings to seven hits as the Oliver OBC’s came through with a 5 to 2 win in the opening game of the OMBL finals. The teams were tied 2 – 2 heading into the seventh stanza when Oliver’s Bruno Ceccon drove in three tallies with a bases-loaded hit to put the OBC’s in front. Jim Staff of Vernon, who had a 12 – 1 won-loss record in the regular season, was the loser.
(September 25) Coming through with a 12-hit barrage, the Oliver OBC’s posted an 11 to 7 victory over the Vernon Carlings to capture the 1960 OMBL championship. The hosting OBC’s jumped into a 4 – 0 first-inning lead and were never headed. Spacing 11 hits over the course of the game and bearing down in the pinches, Gary Driessen went the distance for the Oliver win. Jack Charlesworth, the first of three Carling tossers, was tagged with the defeat..
ARROW LAKES / SLOCAN
As in the previous two seasons, no senior baseball league comprising teams from the Kaslo-Slocan-Arrow Lake communities was in existence. Junior activity, however, did garner minimal coverage.
(June 5) The Nakusp Juniors motored to Kaslo on Sunday and walked away with victories in both games of the double-header. A powerful attack and Garry Wilson's pitching brought a 13-3 win in the opener while Malcolm Gregory provided the winning pitching in the second game. One big inning in each game was enough for Nakusp to take home the victories. They plated eight runs in the third frame of the first game while sending home 11 runs in the fourth inning of the second, a seven-inning affair. Wilson fanned 14 while allowing just four hits. Nakusp pounded Norm Command for 12 hits and took advantage of nine walks. Gregory yielded five hits in the nightcap. Everyone on the Nakusp roster got a chance to play, even coach Otto Yanagisawa who went in as a pinch-hitter.
N.Command (L) and xxx
G.Wilson (W) and xxx
M.Gregory (W) and xxx
F.Linn (L) and xxx
(June 26) An item in the Nelson News on Saturday fired up the Nakusp Juniors who went on to upset the Nelson Junior Outlaws 3-1 on Sunday in Nelson. The newspaper report suggested Nakusp would be a mere formality for Nelson who were scheduled to take on Rossland the following day. Garry Wilson fired a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts to chalk up the win. Nakusp got a pair in the first inning on singles by Pete Gunn and Ken Radford and an error by the Nelson catcher. In the fifth, Wilson walked and moved to second on a sacrifice by Dale Morehouse and scored on a infield out.
G.Wilson (W) and B.Horrey
xxx and xxx
WEST KOOTENAY BASEBALL LEAGUE
The loop shrank to three teams in 1960 with the departure of the Fruitvale entry. The Caribou, formerly of Castlegar, moved to the adjacent southern community of Kinnaird
Kinnaird Caribou
Nelson Outlaws
New Denver-Silverton Indians
(July 10) The New Denver-Silverton Indians captured both ends of a doubleheader from the Kinnaird Caribou to take over sole possession of second place in the West Kootenay circuit. In the matinée portion of the twin-bill, the Indians rallied in the seventh inning to push across a brace of markers on George Nelson’s bases-loaded single to win 7 to 6. Knobby Hayashi went the route on the knoll for the New Denver-Silverton diamond pastimers, yielding 13 base hits, to annex the win. Mike Zaitsoff, who was nicked for eight safeties, was the hard-luck loser. Right-hander Ken Mori twirled a two-hitter in the seven-inning nightcap, facing just 23 Kinnaird batters as the Tribe prevailed 8 to 1. The only tally that the Caribou were able to acquire came on a solo home run by George Wanjoff. Tony Jablonski, raked for eight base raps, was the losing heaver.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Nelson 4 0 1.000 ----
New Denver 4 4 .500 2.0
Kinnaird 2 6 .250 4.0
KOOTENAY JUNIOR BASEBALL
(June 5) In "Under 21" ball at Kaslo Sunday, the Nakusp nine walked away with both games of the double-bill. Garry Wilson was a star of the opener as Nakusp rang up a 13-3 victory scoring 11 times in the third inning. Wilson allowed just four hits, whiffed 14 and walked three. Nakusp collect 12 hits off Norm Command who also issued nine free passes while fanning eight.
Malcolm Gregory yielded just five hits in the seven-inning second game. He got six strikeouts and walked five. The winners collected ten hits.
(June 26) Nakusp traveled to Nelson Sunday and pulled an upset downing the locals 3-1 after a report in the Nelson News Saturday indicated the the game with Nakusp would be a walkover for the Nelson squad, set to take on Rossland the following day. Garry Wilson, the Nakusp ace, set down the home nine on one hit while striking out 11 in seven innings of work. Nakusp got on the scoreboard in the first inning when singles by Pete Gunn and Ken Radford, plus an error, allowed a pair of runs. Nelson's lone marker came in the first stanza as well. Nakusp's final marker came in the fifth when Wilson walked, Dale Morehouse sacrificed and Wilson scored on a fielder's choice.
(August 24) CYO Giants downed the East Trail Pirates 10-8 in action at Butler Park. Allan Bunn paced the winners driving in four runs and scoring the deciding marker on Luciano Luchin's single. Bruno Forlin knocked in Jim Porcellato with an insurance run. Ivan Bell picked up the mound triumph over Morey Johnson.
EAST KOOTENAY SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Cranbrook Cubs
Creston Cruisers
Kimberley Dynamos
Kimberley Hobos
(May 26) The Dynamos opened the 1960 EKSBL season with a 3 to 2 win over their arch-rivals from Kimberley, the Hobos, at Coronation Park. The Dynies jumped ahead 3 – 0 in the opening panel when Al Roemer got to starter and losing pitcher Jim Nelson for a two-run double while an infield hit by Joe Connors allowed the third tally to cross the dish. At this point, Hobo manager Dave McLay gave Nelson the hook and sent Bob Fisher to the hill to quell the uprising. Fisher went on to close the door, blanking the Generators the rest of the way on three hits. Meanwhile complete-game winner Eric ”Ike” Bodin, except for the fourth frame when two hits and an error produced a pair of counters, was busy silencing the Tramps. At one point in the game, Bodin retired 17 Hobo batters in succession. Roemer emerged as the top swatsmith in the affair, banging out three base knocks, two of which were doubles. For the Bums, Ed Brown connected for a two-bagger and one-base hit.
(June 2) After a wobbly start, the Kimberley Dynamos came on strong to capture an impressive 7 to 4 victory over the visiting Cranbrook Cubs. Eric “Ike” Bodin captured his second mound conquest of the campaign in two attempts. Ken Edwardson launched an early-inning fourmaster for the Kimberley nine in support of Bodin. Del Renso, filling in for Charlie McCarthy behind the plate, punched out three hits, including a double, for the Kimberley squad.
(June 12) Travelling to the Apple Centre for Sunday doubleheader action, the invading Kimberley Hobos came away with 7 to 5 and 4 to 2 triumphs over the Creston Cruisers. Elgin Smith annexed the hurling verdict in the opening game of the sweep, in relief of starter Derrel Dixon. Bob Fisher went all the way to gain credit for the pitching decision in the follow-up tussle. Mel Folkman earned the dubious distinction with being charged with both Cruiser losses, the first in relief of Gerry Mesenchuk. Vern Kuntz came through with a circuit-clout in the opener and a game-winning, two-run single in the nightcap. Mesenchuk delivered a homer in each of the two games while Creston teammate Don Vigne dialed long distance and drove one over the fence in the initial encounter.
STANDINGS W L Pts.
Kimberley Hobos 4 2 8
Kimberley Dynamos 2 0 4
Cranbrook Cubs 2 2 4
Creston Cruisers 1 5 2
(June 14) The front-running Kimberley Dynamos eked oy a 6 to 3 extra-inning win over their scrappy intra-city rivals, the Hobos. A three-run round-tripper by Ray Merryfield settled the issue in the overtime session. Bob Carter, taking over mound chores after five frames for starter Eric “Ike” Bodin, worked himself in and out of numerous jams to earn credit for the knoll triumph. Elgin Smith went all the way on the bump for the Hobos, surrendering only seven hits while ringing up 13 punchouts.
(June 16) The Kimberley Hobos belted their city cousins, the Dynamos, 16 to 9 at Coronation Park.
(June 19) The hosting Creston Cruisers nudged the first-place Kimberley Dynamos 6 to 4 to earn their third win of the season. The loss for the slumping Generators was their third in a row after winning their first five starts. Sloppy defensive work was the primary cause of their downfall.
(July 12) A 10 to 3 thumping of the second-place Cranbrook Cubs clinched the 1960 EKSBK pennant, the fourth consecutive, for the visiting Kimberley Dynamos. The defending champions rattled Cranbrook hurling for 15 base blows while Dynamo chucker Eric “Ike” Bodin was capturing his fifth win against two defeats with a five-hitter. Top swatsmith for the Generators was flychaser Al Roemer who went four-for-five at the platter.
(July 14) Seeking a victory that would wrap up second place in the final standings, the travelling Cranbrook Cubs made the jaunt to Coronation Park in Kimberley where they edged 8 to 7 by the pennant-winning Dynamos in the final game of the season. The Dynies plated the winning tally in the bottom-of-the-ninth session after Sam Calles, playing in his first EKSBL game, pounded out a double to lead off the frame. He advanced to the hot corner station on Ray Merryfield’s single and came romping home with the deciding marker on a wild pitch. Eighth-inning reliever Lynn Hanson, the third slabster used by the Kimberley crew, copped the mound decision.
Final Standings W L Pts
Kimberley Dynamos 9 3 18
Cranbrook Cubs 6 6 12
Kimberley Hobos 6 6 12
Creston Cruisers 3 9 6
1960 EKSBL first all-star team (July 30/60 – Kimberley Bulletin)
Manager – Dave McLay (Kimberley Hobos)
Catcher – Ken Kuntz (Cranbrook Cubs)
Pitcher – Eric “Ike” Bodin (Kimberley Dynamos)
First base – Gerry Mesenchuk (Creston Cruisers)
Second base – Colin Patterson (Kimberley Hobos)
Third base – Vic Morasco (Cranbrook Cubs)
Left field – Al Roemer (Kimberley Dynamos)
Centre field – Elgin Smith (Kimberley Hobos)
Right field – Ray Merryfield (Kimberley Dynamos)
(July 30) The EKSBL all-stars showed too much power for the shorthanded Nelson Outlaws of the West Kootenay circuit in an exhibition tilt staged at Coronation Park in Kimberley, blanking the Nelsonites 8 to 0. The Stars used five different chuckers during the whitewash with starter Eric “Ike” Bodin of the Kimberley Dynamos, who tossed the first four frames, securing the knoll victory. Wayne Doll and John Drysdale, a pair of heavers from the Cranbrook Cubs, along with Bob Fisher of the Kimberley Hobos and Miles Desharnais of Cranbrook, followed Bodin to the hill in that sequence. In the meantime, the East Kootenay gang was ripping into the offerings of Blair Olson and Win Storgaard for 13 base knocks. Big guns at the plate for the all-stars were Cranbrook’s Vic Morasco and Ken Kuntz who both clipped the horsehide for a double and two singles. Another Cub stalwart, shortstop Bim Brehm, belted a solo home run.
CROW’S NEST-NORTHERN MONTANA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Coleman Pucksters
Eureka MT
Fernie Falcons
Kalispell MT Lakeside Air Base
Kalispell MT Video Chiefs
Whitefish MT
(May 29) The Coleman Pucksters played host to the Eureka MT team and downed the visitors 6 to 4 in an afternoon tilt and again to the tune of 16 to 2 in an evening contest.
(June 5) The Fernie Falcons took both ends of a Crow’s Nest-Northern Montana Baseball League doubleheader, defeating the Lakeside Air Base of Kalispell MT 16 to 5 and 11 to 3. The double victory gave the Falcons a 4 – 0 record in league play. In the opener, Jim Polomark of Fernie scattered four hits and struck out 11 of the Airmen in going the route for the win.
Fernie’s Bill Ingram had a no-hitter going in the nightcap before he weakened in the final frame to allow the visitors their only hit of the game. This, combined with a walk, two hit batters, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch gave the visitors both their runs. Ingram had 13 strikeouts in going the distance.
(June 5) The invading Kalispell Video Chiefs used the home run and a solid defense in winning a twin-bill by scores of 15 to 7 and 7 to 5 from the Coleman Pucksters. John Churla and Bill Fraser had home runs for Coleman in the late contest.
(June 12) The Fernie Falcons continued their winning ways in the Crow’s Nest-Northern Montana Baseball League when they defeated the homestanding Eureka MT senior baseballers 8 to 2 and 3 to 2 in doubleheader action.
Jim Polomark got credit for the hurling victory in the first game as he limited Eureka to just four hits while ringing up 15 punchouts.
The scheduled seven-inning evening tussle required extra innings to declare a winner. Two hits and a sacrifice fly produced the winning counter for the Falcons. The winning tosser was Jack Marasco who allowed eight scattered hits and fanned 14.
(June 26) The hosting Fernie Falcons and the Kalispell Video Chiefs divided the spoils in a Crow’s Nest-Northern Montana double-bill with the Falcons taking the matinée tilt 9 to 3 but dropping the sunset event 7 to 0. Winning pitcher Jack Marasco stymied the Chiefs on six hits in the opener and aided his own cause with three hits and two RBI’s.
Southpaw Jay Dunckel, in his first game with Kalispell, blanked the Falcons on two hits in the twilight tussle.
(July 10) The visiting Coleman Pucksters clipped the Kalispell Video Chiefs 9 to 3 in the lid-lifter of a two-game set but were clobbered by the Montanans 18 to 2 in the finale.
Coleman’s Tom Bubniak yielded just two hits in the opener while fanning 15 but wildness on his part allowed the hosts to score three runs. Middle pasture patroller Gilbert had three base knocks for the Pucksters.
Teasdale of the Coleman nine was nicked with the pitching loss in the second-game blowout.