1960 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1960 BC Interior
1960 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR-LEVEL BASEBALL
Victoria maintained its four-team intra-city loop from a year previous but, with the formation of a Capital City squad to compete in the eight-team Northwest International Baseball League, most of the elite players from the established loop were raided for the new team, leaving plenty of openings for newcomers in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League.
NORTHWEST INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
The Victoria entry in the 1960 Northwest Baseball League was the lone British Columbia aggregation in the circuit. The new team, composed primarily of established veteran players and sponsored by Page Cleaners, was simply known as the Pages. An eight-team loop to begin the season, the membership was reduced to seven entries early in the campaign with the departure of the Sedro-Woolley Chiefs. No playoffs were scheduled for this league.Aberdeen WA Harborites
Bellingham WA Bells
Centralia WA Pavers
Cheney WA Studs
Sedro-Woolley WA Chiefs *
Seattle Birdland Mardi-Gras Pirates
Tacoma Woodworth Construction
Victoria Pages
* dropped out of league early in the season
GAME REPORTS INVOLVING VICTORIA PAGES
(May 21-22) The Bellingham Bells won three of four matches with the newly-formed Victoria Pages over the weekend, splitting a Northwest International League twin-bill at Royal Athletic Park on Saturday before sweeping a brace of encounters Sunday on their home turf. Errors were a major factor in all four games as fumbles hurt the Victoria squad often in crucial situations. In three of the four encounters, the Capital City Crew had the edge in base hits. The Pages got the campaign off on the right foot by scoring a 10 to 8 win in Saturday’s opener before dropping the second encounter 7 to 3.
Edmondson (L) and Garay
Brice (W), Worth (9) and Cornett
Ramburg (W) and Thompson
Mosely (L) and Moody
Sunday’s sweep in the Whatcom County centre began with a 6 to 0 triumph by the hosts in which winning tosser Dick Rapos pitched a no-hit, no-run game. The Bells followed that up with a 5 to 1 victory in the second tilt as Dick Minice successfully scattered nine hits in claiming the mound decision.
Jacobson (L) and Moody
Rapos (W) and Garay
Booth (L) and Cornett, Moody (1)
Minice (W) and Garay
(May 28) The Victoria Pages squared their record in the Northwest International League to 3 – 3 by taking both ends of a double-dip at Royal Athletic Park from the visiting Sedro-Woolley Chiefs by scores of 5 to 2 and 17 to 3. A solid hitting display paved the way for the sweep by the Victorians. Not to be overlooked, however, were the steady pitching performances by George Brice and Keith Todd and a much-improved defensive display. Brice handcuffed the Chiefs on five hits in the opener, fanning 11 while walking five. Playing-manager Art Worth sparked the Pages’ run-producing rallies by driving in two runs with a double and a ringing triple.
Palmer (L), Whyte (8) and McLennan
Brice (W) and Cornett
Todd, replacing starter Des Moseley on the knoll in the fifth spasm of the nightcap, slammed the door on the Chiefs for the remainder of the one-sided tilt. Every player in the Victoria lineup had a least on hit in the rout. Mike Hodge led the way with three singles and a double, good for six RBI’s while Lyall Corbett drove in four runs with three singles.
Jackson (L), Whyte (2), Silverthorne (5) and Willis, McLennan (6)
Mosely (W), Todd (5) and Moody
(June 4-5) Lean right-hander George Brice won his third game in a row when he pitched the Victoria Pages to a 10 to 3 triumph over the Seattle Birdland Mardi-Gras Pirates in the Sunday portion of a weekend two-game set at Royal Athletic Park. That victory gave the Pages an even break in the series as the Puget Sound club grabbed a 6 to 4 decision Saturday night when Victoria errors gave hard-throwing Fred Wheaton the edge in a pitching match against Gerry Booth. Blanked by Wheaton for the first six innings on Saturday, the Pages connected for two runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings to pull within a run. The Pirates, who were helped along by five Victoria errors, made it 6 to 4 with an unearned run in the to-of-the-ninth. In the last half of the frame, Wheaton, after yielding a one-out triple to Gerry Parker, nailed down the win by fanning the last two batters.
Wheaton (W) and Jackson
Booth (L), Jacobson (8) and Moody
Brice struggled in the early innings of the Sunday game but came on strong as the game progressed and was never in any serious trouble after his mates came from behind in the fourth inning and staked him to a 5 to 2 lead after five innings were in the books. A two-run double by Ron Martin was the key blow in a three-run fourth inning. Mike Hodge extended the lead with a solo inside-the-park homer. Collecting five unearned counters in the eighth panel put a bow on this one.
Mitchell (L), Leslie (4) and Jackson, Stadimore (7)
Brice (W) and Moody
(June 11) Finding the range after a shaky start to the Northwest International Baseball League season, the Victoria Pages reeled of their fifth and sixth wins of the campaign at Royal Athletic Park by beating the powerful Cheney Studs 1 to 0 and 6 to 4. Rated as one of the powers in the semi-pro circuit, the Studs saw their ace pitcher Monte Geiger go down to defeat with two out in the ninth inning of the opener as winning tosser, Dick Fitzgerald, on loan from the Vancouver Mounties of the Pacific Coast League, proved his worth to the Pages by firing a three-hitter. Mike Hodge led off the ninth with a single, was bunted into scoring position by Lyall Cornett, reached third on a wild pitch and touched home on a Stu Mitchell single for the walkoff win.
Geiger (L) and Brown
Fitzgerald (W) and Cornett
The second outing was as sloppy as the first game was tight and saw the Pages commit nine errors and the Studs four. Young Carl Woodcock of Campbell River, on the bump for the Victorians, showed up well on the hillock, demonstrating a fine curve ball and plenty of determination before George Brice came to his aid in the eighth.
Swimley (L), Bren (4) and Brown
Woodcock (W), Brice (8) and Cornett
(June 18) The Victoria Pages settled for a split in their doubleheader with the invading Tacoma Woodworth Construction squad, winning Saturday’s nightcap at Royal Athletic Park 14 to 9 after dropping the afternoon opener 6 to 5. Pages’ mound ace George Brice arrived late for the first game and, by the time he was summoned to the mound in relief of starter Keith Todd in the second stanza, the Victorians were in arrears by a 5 to 0 count. He turned in a sparkling display, ringing up a dozen punchouts, during the remainder of the game as his clubmates battled back to tie the score but had the misfortune of surrendering a lone eighth-inning run which decided the issue and saddled him with the hillock defeat.
Laughlin (W) and Green
Todd, Brice (L) (2), Worth (9) and Cornett
Hitting often, and in the right places, the Pages had little trouble with the Woodworth’s in the second game. Playing-manager Art Worth, coming on as a fifth-inning fireman, was sharp in gaining credit for the victory.
Cozad (L), Rice (4) and Green
Moseley, Booth (5), Worth (W) (5) and Cornett
(June 26) With a number of big-league scouts in the stands at Royal Athletic Park, the Victoria Pages had to settle for an even break in their Northwest International Baseball double-bill with the Centralia Pavers. In the opening tussle, Dave Dowling, a 17-year old high school student, had one bad inning and that was enough for the Pages to collect all the runs they needed for a 6 to 4 decision over the Pavers. Bob Reimer, a Centralia junior high school teacher, showed that teacher knows best in the follow-up clash as he stopped the Pages on six hits as Centralia grabbed a 2 to 0 verdict. George Brice, touched for three Centralia runs in the first inning, held on to record his fourth pitching victory of the season in the matinée tilt, matching Dowling’s nine strikeouts along the way.
Dowling (L) and Bates
Brice (W) and Cornett
In the late skirmish, Reimer, who yielded singles to Art Worth, Lyall Cornett and Ron Martin in the second, fourth and six innings, and also issued three free passes, doled out a lesson in the advantage of keeping hits and walks well spaced. Gerry Booth pitched a fine four-hitter for the Victorians but ran into big trouble in the fourth canto when two singles, a walk and the game’s lone error fashioned the Pavers’ two tallies.
Reimer (W) and Copzatti
Booth (L) and Cornett
(July 1) In spite of giving up three early unearned runs, the Victoria Pages came from behind to nose out the Cheney Studs 5 to 4 in Northwest International League action at Royal Athletic Park. The game was the first of a three-game set at Royal Athletic Park. Timely hitting by Stu Mitchell, Ron Martin and Ron Karadimas sparked Victoria’s win over the highly-regarded Studs. Surprise starter Gerry Booth went all the way in registering the knoll triumph, spacing eight hits.
Erickson, Carnahan (L) (9) and Henderson
Booth (W) and Patterson
(July 2) They didn’t tumble far but the Victoria Pages are still smarting from the double setback administered to them by the Cheney Studs as their three-game series at Royal Athletic Park concluded. The Pages, humbled 5 to 1 and 11 to 6 by the Studs, fell from second spot in the Northwest International circuit into a three-way tie for third place. The Cheney aggregation of pastimers climbed on the usually reliable Victoria pitching staff for 20 base knocks in the twin-bill, tagging George Brice with the loss in the curtain raiser before sending Steve Bishop down to defeat in the concluding caper.
Friend (W), Swimley (7) and McGinnis, Henderson (7)
Brice (L) and Patterson
Kritzonis (W), Hyder (6), Geiger (7) and McGinnis, Henderson (8)
S. Bishop (L), Emery (7) and Patterson
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Bellingham Bells 6 1 .857 ----
Tacoma Woodworths 3 2 .600 2.0
Aberdeen Harborites 2 2 .500 2.5
Centralia Pavers 2 2 .500 2.5
Victoria Pages 7 7 .500 2.5
Cheney Studs 5 7 .417 3.5
Seattle Birdland Pirates 1 5 .167 4.5
(July 9) The Victoria Pages received fine hurling performances from Des Moseley and George Brice as they swept a Northwest International League twin-bill from the Seattle Mardi-Gras Birdland Pirates at Royal Athletic Park. The scores were 6 to 4 and 7 to 4. Moseley struck out seven, walked three and gave up seven safeties in the opener.
McDowell (L), Stern (6) and Barnett
Mosely (W) and Patterson, Cornett (3)
Brice scattered eight hits in recording the win in the nightcap.
Wheaton (L), Mitchell (4) and Raff
Brice (W) and Cornett
(July 16) The Aberdeen Harborites, one of the powerhouses in the Northwest International Baseball League, proved a little too hot for the Victoria Pages to handle at Royal Athletic Park. The Pages dropped both ends of a doubleheader, going down 9 to 6 and 9 to 3, as the Harborites pounded 25 hits off five Victoria pitchers while the Capital City nine was only able to accumulate seven hits for the day’s work. First-game winner Marcel Lachemann of Aberdeen helped his own cause by going yard for a grand-slam circuit-clout in the third inning.
Lachemann (W), Tenney (7), Bardow (9) and Hymes, Cook (3)
Brice (L), Booth (6), Todd (7) and Cornett
Mike Carlin, All-America schoolboy right-hander in 1959, had little trouble after the opening inning to claim the wrap-up event victory.
Carlin (W) and Hymes
Worth (L), Moseley (7) and Montgomery
(July 23) In an error-filled, wild-hitting Northwest International League doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park, the Tacoma Woodworths emerged victorious in both clashes, clipping the Victoria Pages 11 to 5 and 9 to 7. The Pages committed five bobbles in the matinée tilt as the visitors put together a nine-hit spree in the second inning which resulted in a nine-spot on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, winning tosser Larry Laughlin was scattering nine safeties with eight strikeouts in going the distance.
Laughlin (W) and Mawley
Brice (L), Todd (2) and Cornett
Relief pitcher Gerry Hocksley kept the Pages at bay in the last two innings of the nightcap after Victoria closed the gap to 8 to 7 with four runs in the seventh inning.
Rice(W), Hocksley (8) and Green
Moseley (L), Brice (9) and Cornett
(July 29) After keeping their record above the .500 mark for most of the season, the Victoria Pages dipped well below that at Aberdeen when the Harborites clipped them twice, 6 to 1 and 12 to 11. They had lots of chances to win the free-swinging second contest in which playing-manager Art Worth suffered the embarrassment of striking out three times with the bases loaded.
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Bellingham Bells 8 3 .727 0.5
Aberdeen Harborites 11 5 .688 ----
Tacoma Woodworths 7 4 .636 1.0
Centralia Pavers 5 5 .500 2.5
Cheney Studs 7 9 .438 3.5
Victoria Pages 9 12 .429 4.0
Seattle Birdland Pirates 2 11 .154 7.0
(August 13) The Victoria Pages ended their Northwest International Baseball League season on a losing note by absorbing twin losses, 5 to 4 and 13 to 4, at the hands of the Cheney Studs. Hero of the first Cheney win was third baseman Phil Swimley who launched a two-run tater and had three RBI’s.
Geiger, Friend (3), Jacobson (W) (4) and Brown
Todd (L), Brice (3) and Cornett
In the nightcap, Swimley ascended the bump and, in spite of giving up a dozen base knocks, grabbed the win as his clubmates were accumulating 15 safe swats.
Swimley (W) and Brown
Moseley (L), Todd (7), Fuller (8) and Patterson
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
The 1970 circuit remained stable with four entries as a new sponsor, Olson Motors, replaced the Page Cleaners affiliate from 1969.Eagles
Naval Vets
Olson Motors
Wakeman-Trimble
(May 14) The Naval Vets opened the 1960 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League campaign with a narrow 7 to 6 conquest of Wakeman-Trimble in the first game of a Royal Athletic Park double-bill. Both teams nicked the horsehide for a half-dozen base raps. Winning pitcher Grant Udy rang up a dozen punchouts in going the route.
Ash, MacDonald (L) and Weeks
Udy (W) and Woodley
The second opening-day tilt, in which the Eagles duked it out with Olson Motors, ended in a 4 – 4 deadlock after seven innings when darkness enveloped the skies. The Motormen had a slight 9 to 7 edge in base knocks as their manager Larry McKinty was given the heave-ho in the final canto. The Olson’s thought they had plated the winner in the seventh when, with two out and two runners on base, Bob Holness doubled , sending both runners home, but was nabbed at third base trying to stretch the blow into a triple. However, umpire Gordie Perkins ruled that Holness was tagged out before the second runner touched home plate, making the third out. At that point, he called the game.
Menzies, Eddy (6) and Frumerie
Harlow, Murdoch (7) and Lumley
(May 16) The second tie in three league contests occurred at Royal Athletic Park when the Naval Vets and Olson Motors battled to a 5 – 5 stalemate in a contest shortened to seven innings by darkness. The Automen once again outhit their opponent, this time by a 7 to 5 margin, as their clean-up hitter Gary Tuttle cracked out three straight doubles, drove in a run and scored one himself. The only other batter to pick up more than one hit was his teammate Bob Holness who was credited with a pair of singles.
Murdoch, McIntosh (6) and Timbers
Siddons, Trinder (2) and Woodley, Sadler (2)
(May 18) Reliever Mike Ash hurled three shutout innings, giving his Wakeman-Trimble teammates an opportunity to stage a two-run, bottom-of-the-ninth rally and pull out a 5 to 4 victory over the Eagles at Royal Athletic Park. Ash relieved starter Doug Patterson and struck out four while allowing neither a hit nor a base-on-balls. A ninth-inning bobble by Eagles’ shortstop Jim Moody enabled Vic Skinner to score the tying run and then Vince MacDonald plated the winner with some heads-up base running during a double steal. Skinner, Patterson and Jack Gaston each had a brace of safeties for the winners.
Pongran, Menzies (L) (6) and Grant, Frumerie (8)
Patterson, Ash (W) (7) and K. MacDonald, Patterson (7)
(May 20) A five-run eighth inning by Wakeman-Trimble at Royal Athletic Park produced an 8 – 8 deadlock with the Naval Vets, the third tie in five games this season. The W-T’s were fortunate to escape a defeat as they were badly outswatted by a 10 to 4 margin but ten free passes by starter Brent Siddons of the Swabbies gave the Contractors a second lease on life. The Vets had a runner in scoring position in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning when they game was suspended because of darkness. The contest will be resumed from this point at a later date.
Ash and Patterson
Siddons, Udy (9) and Woodley
(May 23) Barry Menzies toiled 13 innings on the hill at Royal Athletic Park to pick up two Senior Amateur League victories for the Eagles. The first encounter, which was the completion of an earlier 4 – 4 tie, lasted four more innings before the Big Birds prevailed 6 to 4 over Olson Motors. Base hits by Don Rasmussen and Don Bell in the 11th panel drove in the winning and insurance tallies.
Menzies, Eddy (6), Menzies (W) (8) and Frumerie
Harlow, Murdoch (7), McIntosh (L) (8) and Lumley
Menzies picked right up where he left off in the second game, pitching scoreless ball up to the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to claim a 4 to 1 conquest of the Motormen. He allowed four hits while the lone Olson’s marker off his slants was unearned.
Menzies (W) and Frumerie
Harlow (L) and Lumley, Timbers (6)
(May 25) With errors figuring in all their runs, Olson Motors handed Wakeman-Trimble a hard-luck 3 to 1 setback at Royal Athletic Park. Dave Murdoch, hurling for the Automen, rang up 12 strikeouts and gave up six hits as he recovered from a shaky start. The three runs charged to losing flinger Kerry MacDonald, who whiffed 11, were all unearned. Chuck Weeks of the W-T’s paced all batters with a double and a brace of one-baggers.
Murdoch (W) and Timbers
K. MacDonald (L) and Patterson
(May 27) Both teams went through three pitchers before Grant Udy of the Naval Vets, in a 4-2/3 innings of relief work, stopped the bleeding for his team as the Vets doubled the Eagles 8 to 4 at Royal Athletic Park. Udy fanned seven, walked none and yielded only one hit, a triple to Les Brice, while on the bump. The big noise at the plate for the victors was catcher Mike Woodley who had two hits, scored a brace of runs and batted in a pair. Teammate Ken McCartney was hot with the stick as well, stroking three safeties.
Dawe, Barnes (2), Udy (W) (4) and Woodley
S. Bishop (L), Pongran (3), Menzies (7) and Frumerie
(May 30) Wakeman-Trimble didn’t get any hits off Brent Siddons at Royal Athletic park but they certainly got some runs. With Grant Udy supplying eighth-inning relief help for Siddons, the tandem pitched a no-hitter for the Naval Veterans who prevailed over the Contractors 9 to 5. The first W-T run came on a walk and two errors in the fourth inning while the final four resulted when Siddons walked six batters in the eighth inning, including five of the first six to face him.
James (L) and Patterson
Siddons (W), Udy (8) and Neil
(June 1) Wakeman-Trimble players had the most hits but Barry Menzies had the last laugh. Menzies, on the knoll for the Eagles at Royal Athletic Park, at no time could claim mastery over the W-T batters. In the eight-inning slugfest, he yielded 19 base blows, at least one every inning, but managed to survive in going the route as the Feathered Flock grabbed a wild 11 to 10 decision over the Contractors. He was able to persevere because his mates also had their hitting togs on, collecting 16 safeties off three chuckers. Victory was finally achieved in the bottom-of-the-eighth chapter when Steve Bishop touched home on an infield out.
Patterson, T. Bishop (3), Anderson (L) (5) and Weeks, Patterson (3)
Menzies (W) and Frumerie
(June 2) Speedballer Ray Trinder provided 5-1/3 innings of solid relief, halting an Olson Motors rally, as the Naval Vets won their fourth in a row by doubling the Motormen 12 to 6 at Royal Athletic Park. When Trinder came to the aid of Vets’ starter Robin Barnes in the second frame, the Olson’s led 5 to 4 and appeared on the path to victory but Trinder changed all that and, in the meantime, pitchers from the Automen started their own downfall because of wildness. In total, the Swabbies were the beneficiaries of 14 bases-on-balls and had a 7 to 5 advantage in base hits.
Barnes, Trinder (W) (2) and Woodley
Harlow (L), Lumley (7), Lezetc (7) and Lumley, Timbers (7)
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Naval Vets 4 0 1.000 ___
Eagles 3 2 .600 1.5
Olson Motors 1 3 .250 3.0
Wakeman-Trimble 1 4 .200 3.5
(June 8) A six-run opening inning was more than enough to stake the Eagles to an 8 to 3 conquest of the Naval Vets, the first setback for the Sailors this season. Bob Eddy gave up six hits and breezed 13 in copping the pitching win. The Vets had their chances, leaving 15 runners stranded as Eddy walked eleven, but weren’t able to dig themselves out of the early hole. Losing flinger Grant Udy surrendered five hits, walked a pair and rang up 11 punchouts. Gary Lawrence and Ray Trinder of the Vets were the lone batters to achieve multiple hit totals, both checking in with a pair of singles.
Udy (L) and Woodley
Eddy (W) and Grant
(June 10) Ron Griffths’ inside-the-park grand-slam tater in the fourth inning powered the Eagles to a 9 to 4 pasting of Olson Motors at Royal Athletic Park. Up until that point, losing pitcher Steve Lezetc had been working on a one-hitter, an earlier single by Griffiths. Les Brice pitched a steady game for the Eagles, who were outhit 7 to 6, although the Olson’s threatened to break through many times.
L. Brice (W) and Frumerie
Lezetc (L), Harlow (4) and White
(June 13) Five walks and a wild pitch in the first inning by losing chucker Brent Siddons started Wakeman-Trimble on the way to a 7 to 4 victory over the Naval Vets. Winning flinger Kerry MacDonald scattered seven hits in going the route.
K. MacDonald (W) and Patterson
Siddons (L), Udy (4) and Woodley
(June 17) Wakeman-Trimble catcher Doug Patterson ripped the horsehide for four base knocks, including a three-run circuit-jack, but it wasn’t enough as the Contractors dropped a 6 to 5 decision to the league-leading Eagles in Victoria Senior Amateur League action. The W-T’s outhit the Big Birds 11 to 9 as Barry Menzies picked up the win, fanning eight and walking three.
Menzies (W) and Grant, Frumerie (7)
James (L), K.MacDonald (9) and Patterson
(June 20) After getting off to a flying start for the season, the stumbling Naval Vets dropped their fourth Senior Amateur League contest in a row, falling 6 to 1 to the pace-setting Eagles at Royal Athletic Park. The Birds, on the other hand, have a five-game win streak and show no signs of letting up. The Feathered Tribe nicked losing hurler Gary Lawrence for ten safeties while winner Les Brice pitched a five-hitter, issuing three walks while striking out four.
L. Brice (W) and Frumerie
Lawrence (L) and Rivers
(June 22) Big Mike Ash made his first mound appearance in more than a month a successful one as he struck out six, walked three and gave up only four hits in hurling Wakeman-Trimble to an 8 to 1 thumping of Olson Motors. Dave Emery and Norm Curran, both making their initial start with the W-T’s this campaign, provided much of the Contractors’ plate power. Curran hit three-for-five including a double, while Emery collected two timely safeties to drive in a pair of runs.
Ash (W) and Patterson
Murdoch (L), Harlow (7) and Lumley
(June 24) Barry Menzies started out like a proverbial house afire and didn’t do so badly the rest of the way either. But the Olson Motors’ duo of Steve Lezetc and Brian Harlow weren’t exactly slacking either so Menzies, pitching for the Eagles, had to settle for a 3 – 3 tie against the Automen at Royal Athletic Park. Menzies swished 15, walked four and gave up only three hits in matching the flinging of the Olson tandem who were nicked for four safeties between them.
Lezetc, Harlow (4) and White
Menzies and Grant
(June 27) With Mike Ash back on the bump for the second successive outing, Wakeman-Trimble gained some more altitude in the standings, knocking off the Naval Vets 13 to 3. Ash had a two-hitter going until the eighth chapter when the Vets lit into him for four more safeties and a three-spot on the scoreboard. In total, he was touched for six hits, two off the bat of Brian Usher, in going the route. With the victory, the Contactors eased into a second-place tie with the Sailors.
Udy (L), Fuller (4), Usher (5) and Woodley
Ash (W) and Patterson
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Eagles 7 2 .778 -----
Naval Vets 4 5 .444 3.0
Wakeman-Trimble 4 5 .444 3.0
Olson Motors 2 5 .286 4.0
(June 29) Taking to the elevated portion of the diamond for the first time this season, young Dave Emery clipped the wings of the pace-setting Eagles, setting a new league strikeout record in the process, as he hurled Wakeman-Trimble to a 12 to 0 whitewashing of the front-runners. It was the Big Birds’ first loss after six straight wins and a tie. Not only did Emery ring up 20 punchouts over the nine-inning route to erase the record of 18 set by George Brice last season, but he also came within a whisker of tossing a no-hitter. With two out in the second inning, Cliff Kilduff became the only Eagle batter to collect a safety when he poled a double into the middle pasture as W-T flychaser Bernie Anderson just missed making a shoestring catch.
Emery (W) and Patterson
S. Bishop (L), L. Brice (6) and Frumerie
(July 1) The Naval Vets suffered their sixth and seventh consecutive setbacks when the were dropped 6 to 5 and 10 to 3 by Olson Motors in a holiday double-bill. Details of the two games and batteries were not published.
(July 4) Olson Motors banged out a dozen base blows in shelling the top-dog Eagles 8 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park to even their record at 5 – 5 for the season and grab a share of second place in the Victoria Senior Amateur loop. Dave Murdoch won his third mound decision for the Motormen, holding the Feathered Flock to six safeties. He struck out nine and shackled the losers in every inning but the fourth when they scored both their runs.
S. Bishop (L), L. Brice (3) and Frumerie
Murdoch (W) and White
(July 6) Catcher Doug Patterson had six RBI’s as Wakeman-Trimble dumped Olson Motors 10 to 7 to move to within one game of the first-place Eagles in the Senior Amateur League standings. Patterson connected for three hits, including a grand-slam homer, in five times at bat in support of his batterymate, winning pitcher Mike Ash.
Ash (W) and Patterson
McIntosh (L), Murdoch (2), Harlow (5) and White
(July 8) The Naval Vets didn’t lose their match with the Eagles at Royal Athletic Stadium but they didn’t win either as they blew a 6 to 1 lead to wind up in a 6 – 6 tie with the Big Birds. The Eagles chipped away at Vet pitcher Gary Lawrence after the Tars had jumped on Barry Menzies for their six counters in the third and fourth innings. A brace of ninth-inning tallies gave the Feathered Tribe their tie before darkness prevented overtime. Top batter for the night was Pete Dawe of the Swabbies who collected three singles and a double.
Menzies and Grant
Lawrence and Woodley
(July 11) The Eagles staved off the challenge from runner-up Wakeman-Trimble to snatch a share of top-spot from them in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League when they posted a 7 to 5 victory over the Contractors to move two full games in front in the circuit. Winning pitcher Barry Menzies withstood an 11-hit W-T attack to garner the hurling decision and improving his record for the season to 4 – 1.
Menzies (W) and Frumerie
K. MacDonald (L), Emery (5), Patterson (6) and Weeks
(July 13) The beleaguered Naval Vets fell once again, this time succumbing to Olson Motors 6 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. The victory for the Motormen moved them into a second-place tie with Wakeman-Trimble. Under siege in the opening panel when the Sailors clipped him for a pair of counters, Brian Harlow gained credit for the hillock victory. He relinquished mound duties in the fifth to Robin Barnes, recently acquired from the Vets, who finished the game in scoreless fashion.
Worboys (L), Udy (5), McAdams (8) and Woodley, Rivers (8)
Harlow (W), Barnes (5) and White
(July 15) Mike Ash, bothered by a pulled tendon in his pitching arm, was nonetheless effective enough to go the route on the bump in hurling Wakeman-Trimble to a 6 to 5 conquest of the league doormats, the Naval Vets, in Senior Amateur Baseball League play. In earning his fifth pitching victory in succession, Ash limited the Swabbies to four hits, all coming in the fifth frame when the Tars plated all five of their counters. It took a deuce in the sixth stanza for the Contractors to pull this one out of the fire as losing chucker Brent Siddons walked in the tying and winning runs.
Ash (W) and Weeks
Siddons (L), Usher (6), Lawrence (6) and Woodley
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Eagles 8 4 .667 -----
Wakeman-Trimble 7 6 .538 1.5
Olson Motors 6 6 .500 2.0
Naval Vets 4 9 .308 4.5
(July 18) 19-year old southpaw Norm Laclair kept the league-leading Eagles hitless for six innings and went to the chalk up a 13 strikeout, one-hitter in pitching Olson Motors to a 6 to 3 win over the Feathered Flock. He had faced only 20 batters when Les Brice touched him up for a double in the seventh stanza. Losing tosser Barry Menzies also had a no-hitter of his own going until the fifth frame but then the Olson’s exploded four four hits and three runs to give Laclair all the cushion he needed
Laclair (W) and White
Menzies (L) and Grant
(July 20) Wakeman-Trimble dumped Olson Motors 13 to 3 to move to within a half-game of the league-leading Eagles. Dave Emery, who set a league record with 20 strikeouts not too long ago, had to settle for 19 this time as he breezed to victory with a seven-hit mound performance. W-T bats rapped 15 hits with Vic Skinner leading the way with two singles, a triple and four RBI’s.
Murdoch (L), Harlow (5), Barnes (6) and White
Emery (W) and Patterson
(July 22) The Naval Vets didn’t break their winless streak which now stands at 11 games but they did manage to avoid losing as they gained a much-appreciated 9 – 9 tie with the Eagles and the chance to win the suspended game when they finish it later in the season. Darrell Lorimer’s eighth-inning single drove in Gary Lawrence with the equalizer.
Menzies, J. Moody (5) and Frumerie
Fuller, Rogers (6) and Woodley
(July 25) Despite stroking only three hits off the slants of hard-luck losing twirler Norm Laclair, the Naval Vets finally put an end to their horrendous winless streak by taking down Olson Motors 6 to 4 at Royal Athletic Park. Laclair, a strong southpaw, had a no-hitter going until the fifth inning but, in the end, his inability to find the strike zone consistently cost him the game. He fanned five but was charged with 12 bases-on-balls, the vast majority of which were hotly disputed by Larry McKinty, skipper of the Car Dealers. The Olson’s also committed seven errors which made things even tougher for Laclair. Meanwhile, winning flinger Grant Edy, who entered the contest as a first-inning reliever, blanked the Motormen though the middle innings but gave up a pair of counters late in the tilt.
Laclair (L) and White
Dawe, Udy (W) (1) and Woodley
(July 27) Wakeman-Trimble barged into first-place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by dumping the Eagles 8 to 3. Both teams had seven base hits but the Contractors bunched many of theirs into a seven-run third inning when they lit up losing chucker Barry Menzies for a triple, two doubles and two singles. Dave Emery of the W-T’s went the route for the win.
Emery (W) and Patterson
Menzies (L), S. Bishop (3) and Moody, Frumerie (3)
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Wakeman-Trimble 9 6 .600 -----
Eagles 8 6 .571 0.5
Olson Motors 7 8 .467 2.0
Naval Vets 5 9 .357 3.5
(July 29) First-place Wakeman-Trimble defeated the cellar-dwelling Navy Vets. No final score, game details or batteries were found in print.
(July 30) Splitting a three-team doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park did nothing to elevate the Eagles in their quest to overtake Wakeman-Trimble and re-gain first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League. After blanking the lowly Naval Vets 4 to 0 to begin the afternoon proceedings, the Big Birds lost 9 to 7 to Olson Construction to remain stagnant in the runner-up position, a game behind the Contractors. Les Brice’s four-hit shutout pitching highlighted the opening game. Dave Rees of the Feathered Tribe nicked losing chucker Grant Udy for two doubles and a triple.
L. Brice (W) and Frumerie
Udy (L) and Cosier
The third-place Olson’s moved to within a game of the Birds with their second-game triumph.
J. Moody (L) and Frumerie
Lawrence (W) and White
(August 1) Terry Clark was the hitting hero and Mike Ash controlled things from the mound as front-running Wakeman-Trimble clinched at least a tie for top spot in the Senior Amateur League by downing Olson Motors 7 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Clark, who hails from the interior, played his final game for the W-T’s before heading home after summer school at Victoria College. He left his mates in grand style, clubbing a triple and a double, all of which produced three RBI’s, in four at-bats. Ash had a no-hitter going until the fifth inning and gave up only two singles in winning his sixth straight game. His hillock performance overshadowed a fine mound job by Brian Harlow of the Contactors who was nicked for just three safeties before being replaced on the bump in the seventh.
Ash (W) and xxx
Harlow (L), xxx (7) and xxx
(August 9) After more than a week of inactivity with Royal Athletic Park being unavailable, play finally resumed in the Victoria Amateur Baseball League. In a one-sided joust that ended the regular-season schedule, the pennant-winning Wakeman-Trimble tribe easily disposed of the lowly Naval Vets 8 to 0, powering their way to victory with a 13-hit offensive attack. Undefeated Mike Ash improved his pitching record for the season to 7 – 0 with a four-hitter.
Rogers (L) and Cosier
Ash (W) and Anderson
Final Standings W L Pct. GBL
Wakeman-Trimble 12 6 .667 -----
Eagles 9 7 .563 2.0
Olson Motors 8 9 .471 3.5
Naval Vets 5 12 .294 6.5
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Olson Motors vs Eagles (best-of-three series)
(August 12) Yielding 13 bases-on-balls proved fatal to the trio of pitchers toeing the rubber for Olson Motors as the Eagles, despite being outhit 10 to 5, emerged as 8 to 3 winners in the opening game of the Victoria Senior Amateur League semi-finals. Rubber-armed Barry Menzies of the Birds took his lumps on the hill but came out on top with his ability to scatter the hitting damage.
Siddons (L), Harlow (2), Boudreau (7) and White
Menzies (W) and Frumerie
(August 14) Playing-manager Jim Moody’s two-hit pitching effort lifted the Eagles to a 4 to 1 conquest of Olson Motors in a rain-shortened, six-inning contest and a two-game sweep of their semi-final series. Moody’s teammates helped pull him out a a few difficult spots by reeling off three double plays. Third sacker Larry Montgomery, who was instrumental in pulling off one of those twin-killings, singled twice and scored both times.
J. Moody (W) and Grant
Murdoch (L), Laclair (5) and White
FINALS Eagles vs Wakeman-Trimble (best-of-five series)
(August 15) Outhit by a 7 to 5 margin, Wakeman-Trimble nonetheless capitalized on six errors by the Eagles to grab a 10 to 4 win in the opening game of the Senior Amateur finals at Royal Athletic Park. Elongated Mike Ash claimed his eighth straight hillock triumph as the Big Birds began to self-destruct defensively before they got going offensively. The game was shortened to seven innings when rain halted proceedings.
L. Brice (L), S. Bishop (5) and Frumerie
Ash (W) and Anderson
(August 17) Wakeman-Trimble went two games up in the Victoria Senior Amateur League finals when they doubled the Eagles 6 to 3 at Royal Athletic Park. It wasn’t until the top-of-the-ninth inning that the W-T’s were able to put a bow on this tussle by putting up a three-spot. Dave Emery copped the pitching win, tossing a four-hitter and retiring 16 batters in succession at one stretch. Veteran outfielder Norm Curran led the victors with the stick, clubbing a triple and two singles.
Emery (W) and Anderson
Menzies (L) and Grant
(August 19) The Eagles staved off elimination in their playoff series with Wakeman-Trimble by humbling the Contractors 6 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Winning pitcher Brian Harlow, secured from Olson Motors for the series, had the W-T’s eating out of his hand, limiting them to three hits before requiring relief help from playing-manager Steve Bishop in the seventh panel. Lanky Mike Ash suffered his first mound defeat of the season after compiling an 8 – 0 record. Dave Rees of the Birds had four of his team’s eleven safeties, two singles, a double and a triple.
Harlow (W), S. Bishop (7) and Frumerie
Ash (L), Weeks (8) and Anderson
(August 24) Four Eagle pitchers issued a total of 16 walks, seven in a wild-and-woolly second inning, and the Big Birds were unable to recover, falling 12 to 8 to Wakeman-Trimble in game four of the finals. The win for the Contractors wrapped up the 1960 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League final series with the new champions copping three out of the four games played. W-T power at the plate was provided by Norm Curran who clipped the sphere for a triple, two singles and a brace of RBI’s. Steve Bishop was best with the baton for the Feathered Tribe, raking the offerings of winning tosser Dave Emery for a triad of timely singles which drove in four counters.
Emery (W) and Patterson
S. Bishop (L), Harlow (2), Menzies (2), J. Moody (2) and J. Moody, Grant (2)