(Aug 22) Con Munatones had three hits and knocked in three to lead Saskatoon to a 7-6 comeback win over Lloydminster in the opening game of their semi-final series. Curly Williams' three-run homer in the 2nd inning had given the Meridians a 6-3 lead. Tommy Taylor held the Meridians to nine hits and fanned 12 in going the distance on the hill for the Commodores.
Dyer (L) and Milano
Taylor (W) and Herrington
(Aug 23) Jim Lester drove in the tying run and scored the winner as Lethbridge shaded Calgary 2-1 in the opening game of their best-of-seven semi-final series. Lester, who had four hits, singled in Lee Murphy in the 2nd inning to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead. Murphy had singled and moved to third on a pair of passed balls. In the 6th, Lester beat out an infield hit, moved to third on an error and scored on an infield out. Sam Canner tossed a six-hitter to take the mound victory. Willie Walasko allowed just nine hits in suffering the loss.
Canner (W) and Kangas
Walasko (L) and Rex
(Aug 24) Ray Sims allowed just four hits, all singles, as he shutout Calgary 9-0 to give Lethbridge a 2-0 game lead in their semi-final series. Stan Busch led the offense with four hits, including a pair of doubles. John Vaselenak, Arnie Pleasant, Jim Lester and Gord Wesley each had a pair of safeties.
Graves (L), Hobson (4) and Rex
Sims (W) and Kangas
(Aug 24) Lloydminster Meridians scored four runs in the first inning en route to a 7-4 win over Saskatoon to tie their semi-final series at a game apiece. Bill Oakley survived a shaky start to go the distance for the win. The right-hander allowed seven hits and three runs in the first two innings but just two hits the rest of the way. Playing-manger Curly Williams paced the attack with a double and two singles to drive in a pair. Catcher Bob Milano, with a double and single, also drove in two. For the Commodores, catcher Gary Herrington had a double and two singles and shortstop Nate Dancy chipped in with a pair of doubles. Rueben Rodriguez took the loss.
Rodriguez (L), Popkin (1) and Herrington
Oakley (W) and Milano
(Aug 25) Arley Kangas knocked in three runs with a pair of doubles to lead Lethbridge to a 5-2 win over Calgary and a 3-0 game lead in their semi-final series. Dick Montee, on the hill for the Sox, held Calgary to six hits while fanning 10 hitters. Vern Pritchett of the Dodgers gave up just five hits in going the distance but allowed nine bases on balls. Jim Lester and Stan Busch drove in the other runs for the White Sox.
"Lester drew the applause of the fans on more than one occasion as he ranged both to his right and left to gobble up hard smashes and topped balls and rifle his throw over to the sharp fielding Lee Murphy." (Lethbridge Herald)
Pritchett (L) and Rex
Montee (W) and Kangas
(Aug 26) Roland Jones, back in a playing role after resigning as manager, pitched Saskatoon to a 4-2 win over Lloydminster and a 2-1 game lead in their semi-final series. Commodores took an early lead scoring once in the first on two walks, an error and Peter Estrada's single. They added two more in the second inning on a walk to Con Munatones, a triple by Larry Exel and a single by JB Carroll. Curly Williams, who had three hits, knocked in both Meridians' runs in the 5th inning with a bases-loaded single. Commodores notched their final run in the 7th on four straight walks by Ted Richardson.
Richardson (L) and Milano
Jones (W) and Herrington
(Aug 26) Lethbridge White Sox pounded three Calgary hurlers for 13 hits and a 10-3 win over Calgary to take their semi-final series in four straight games. Lee Murphy's three-run homer in the 5th inning broke open a tight game and sent the White Sox into the league final. Lefty Ed Hite allowed just six hits before giving way to Paul Sereduk in the 8th. He fanned seven but had to overcome 12 walks.
Hite (W), Sereduk (8) and Kangas
Graves (L), J. Johnson (5), Casanova (8) and Rex
(Aug 27) Lloydminster downed the Commodores 9-5 at Saskatoon to even their semi-final series at 2 games apiece. Kelly Searcy held the Commodores to eight hits to take the win over Tommy Taylor.
Searcy (W) and Milano
Taylor (L), Popkin (7) and Herrington
(Aug 28) Saskatoon Commodores advanced to the Western Canada League final taking a double-header from Lloydminster Meridians 4-3 and 7-3. Ira McKnight's 9th inning sacrifice fly scored Pete Estrada with the winner in the first game. After falling behind 3-0, Lloydminster had tied the score with three runs in their half of the 8th inning. Two runs came home on Tom McGarry's bases-loaded single. Con Munatones had a bases-loaded single for Saskatoon in the 5th inning as the Commodores scored three times.
Saskatoon overcame a 3-0 deficit in the second game to win 7-3. First baseman Dick Hickerson drove in a pair with a double in a four-run 7th inning and knocked in another with a single in the 8th. Playing-manager Curly Williams drove in two runs for the Meridians in a three-run first inning.
Peters, Popkin (W) (8), Peters (9) and Herrington
Dyer (L) and Milano
Timme, Rodriguez (W) (1), Jones (8) and Herrington
Belche (L), Proctor (7), Richardson (7) and Milano
Final:
(August 30) Right-hander Tommy Taylor fired a four-hitter and fanned 13 as Saskatoon Commodores won the opener of the Western Canada Baseball League final series 4-3. Gary Herrington, who paced the winners with a double and two singles, drove in the winning run in the 7th inning.
Taylor (W) and Herrington
Bolingbroke (L) and Kangas
(August 31) Lee Murphy drove in three runs, Dick Montee fired a five-hitter and Jim Lester supplied the defense as Lethbridge downed Saskatoon 7-3 to even the final series at a game apiece. Murphy, the league's premier power hitter during the regular season, belted a triple and single. Arley Kangas added a homer. Montee had 11 strikeouts in his route-going performance. For the third straight night, Lester was sensational in the field. He scooped up two seemingly sure hits and fired hsi cannon over to Murphy at first to get the outs. The White Sox topped the Saskatoon ace Roland Jones. Bob Bolingbroke, who lost a heartbreaker in the first game, was inserted into the lineup in rightfield. He responded with a pair of hits and a a fine running catch.
Jones (L), Timme (3) and Herrington
Montee (W) and Kangas
(September 01) Saskatoon crushed Lethbridge 13-2 to take a 2-1 game lead in the final series before a crowd of 1,400 at Cairns Field. Con Munatones belted a homer and double. Larry Exel had a triple, two singles and a walk. Winning pitcher Bob Peters, who held the White Sox to seven hits, punched out a pair of hits.
Canner (L), Sereduk (6) and Kangas
Peters (W) and Herrington
(September 02) Bill Lynn and Roland Jones combined to bring Saskatoon to within a win from the Western Canada Baseball League title with a 4-0 victory at Saskatoon. Lynn had a double and triple, drove in a run and scored two. Jones, bombed in Lethbridge on Tuesday, fired a six-hit shutout for the win. He was backed by some outstanding defense with Con Munatones and Nate Dancy each turning in a pair of gems.
Sims (L), Sereduk (8) and Kangas
Jones (W) and Herrington
(Sept 3) Lethbridge White Sox scored two in the 11th inning to top Saskatoon 10-8 and stave off elimination in the Western Canada Baseball League final. Commodores lead the series, 3 games to 2.
Lee Murphy and Arnie Pleasant led off the inning with walks. Sam Canner's single scored Murphy, and Pleasant notched an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Stan Busch. Busch carried the heavy lumber for the Sox with a three-run homer in the 4th and another in the 8th. Conrad Munatones had a pair of homers for Saskatoon.
Hite, Sereduk (8), Bolingbroke (W) (9) and Kangas
Taylor, Rodriguez (5), Popkin (8), Jones (L) (8) and Herrington, McKnight (9)
(Sept 4) Dick Montee, fined for leaving the club to make marriage plans in Billings, Montana, was the winner as Lethbridge trounced Saskatoon 18-4 to even their final series a three games apiece. Montee is to be married this weekend. He went the distance, holding the Commodores to six hits as the Sox pounced on three Saskatoon hurlers for 14 hits. Gord Wesley drove in five runs with a triple, double and single. Arley Kangas had a homer and a triple and John Vaselenak had a triple and two singles.
Timme (L), Peters (2), Hickerson (3) and Herrington
Montee (W) and Kangas
(Sept 5) Lethbridge White Sox completed an improbable comeback with a sensational finish to edge Saskatoon 10-9 in 12 innings to capture the Western Canada Baseball League championship.
Sox, who once trailed in the series three games to one, needed two runs in the bottom of the 9th to extend the contest, then another two runs in the 11th to have a chance for the title. They did that in the 12th when Arley Kangas drove in Stan Busch from second with the winning marker.
Bob Bolingbroke, who came back after just one day of rest following three outstanding relief innings on Saturday, went the distance for the win.
Down 7-5 in the 9th, Sox knotted the count as Gord Wesley drove in Stan Busch with a triple then scored on Jim Lester's single. Saskatoon went ahead 9-7 with two runs in their half of the 11th. But, Lee Murphy thrilled the home crowd with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning. Murphy's spectacular fielding play in the top of the 11th likely saved two runs. The big first baseman made a running one-handed catch of a ball hit down the right field line. His relay to Lester resulted in a double play and stopped the Commodores from a huge inning.
In the 12th, Stan Busch reached base on a two-base fielding error by Nate Dancy. That set the stage for Kangas' winning blow.
John Vaselenak and Lester each had three hits for the Sox. Bill Lynn had a three-run homer and a single for Saskatoon while Con Munatones had a triple and two singles.
Peters, Popkin (8), Jones (9), Peters (L) (12) and Herrington
Bolingbroke (W) and Kangas