(June 5) The newly established Northern Saskatchewan League kicked off the season with a pair of double-headers.
The North Battleford Beavers and Neilburg Monarchs split their twin-bill at Abbot Field. The visitors took the opener 2-1 with the Beavers roaring back to win the second game 14-6.
Charlie Orr's double drove in both Neilburg runs in the 5th inning following walks to Pat Gibbons and Jackie Stewart. Beavers scored their lone marker in the 7th as Jack Rowley tripled to right field and came home on a single by John Ford. Bob McIntyre was the winning pitcher, allowing six hits while compiling 10 strikeouts. Roy Rowley fired a three-hitter in taking the loss. He also fanned 10.
B McIntyre (W) and xx
R Rowley (L) and xxx
The Beavers erupted for eight runs in the first inning of the second game and coasted to the win. Don Drummond and Jack Rowley drew walks to lead off the inning. Ron Erne, John Ford, Ken Nelson and Jack Caron followed with singles. After Barney Krake's double, Don Gibbons replaced Jackie Stewart on the mound for the visitors. Dean Ward greeted Gibbons with a two-run triple and came around to scored the 8th run on Jack Rowley's infield out. Nelson and Caron each had three hits for the winners. Dean Ward went the distance for the Beavers holding the Monarchs to five hits while allowing seven free passes.
J Stewart (L), Gibbons (1), B McIntyre (4) and xxx
Dean Ward (W) and xxx
(June 5) At Kindersley, the Klippers took both games from Unity in a double-header, 7-6 in 13-innings in the first game and 7-2 in the second. Unity had scored twice in the top of the 13th frame to take the lead, but Kindersley responded with three in the bottom of the inning for the win. Bill Humphries, who relieved started Bentley MacEwen in the 13th, picked up the victory. Irl Flanagan was handed the loss.
Lloyd Rachul went the distance as Klippers took the second game 7-2.
MacEwen, Humphries (W) (5) and xxx
xxx, xxx, I Flanagan (L) and xxx
I Flanagan (L), Stites (3) and xxx
Rachul (W) and xxx
(June 12) Unity and Kindersley split a double-header in a day featuring superb pitching. Unity won the opener 3-2 in extra innings as John Repin drove in the winning run in the 8th frame. Clarence Proctor, who took over for Harold Hunchak in the 8th, registered the win. Gerry Casares gave up just five hits in taking the loss.
Casares (L) and xxx
Hunchak, Proctor (W) (8) and xxx
Bentley MacEwen fired a one-hitter in blanking Unity 3-0 in the second game. He fanned 11 and walked none in the seven inning contest. Ollie Harris allowed just three hits in taking the loss.
MacEwen (W) and xxx
Harris (L) and xxx
(June 12) At Neilburg, it was a day for the hitters and the Monarchs clubbed the Beavers twice, 14-9 and 9-7.
The Beavers started quickly in the first game, scoring three in the first inning on two walks and singles by Art Stone and Barney Krake. Then the Monarchs took over to notch 12 straight runs before North Battleford scored again in the 6th inning on a pair of walks, an error and Ron Erne's homer. Bob McIntyre went the distance to capture the mound victory for Neilburg. He fanned seven and walked six. Dean Ward was the loser in going the route. He walked 11. Veteran Pete Prediger and Pat Gibbons led the offensive each with a double and two singles. Neil Urlacher had two doubles.
D Ward (L) and xxx
B McIntyre (W) and xxx
Neil Urlacher's grand slam homer in the 2nd inning carried Neilburg to a 9-7 win in the second game. Urlacher also collected a double and two singles for a total of six RBI. Newcomer Rich Sheklian, from Roy Taylor's baseball program at the College of Sequoia in California, pitched into the 6th inning for the win. He fanned seven and walked ten. Bob McIntyre finished up. Roy Rowley, who walked seven, took the loss.
R Rowley (L) and xxx
Sheklian (W), B McIntyre (6) and xxx
(June 17) Unity downed Kindersley Klippers 5-1 as Harold Hunchak hurled a six-hitter and fanned 14. He walked just one. Jerry Casares took the loss, allowing seven hits with 10 strikeouts and six walks. The Klippers only run came on Irl Flanagan's homer.
Hunchak (W) and xxx
Casares (L) and xxx
(June 17) At Neilburg, the hometown Monarchs topped North Battleford Beavers 7-5 with Larry Flicek and Glen Thompson each getting two hits. Art Stone belted a pair of homers for the Beavers and Don Drummond had one. Darwin Smith was the winner, Roy Rowley took the loss. Each gave up eight hits.
Rowley (L) and xxx
Smith (W) and xxx
(June 19) North Battleford took both games of a double-header with Unity, 2-0 and 3-2, at Abbott Field. The opener featured a one-hit shutout by lefty Oscar Tesch.
Tesch, who pitches regularly with Turtleford in the Northern Four Baseball League, gave up a single in the 5th inning to spoil his no-hit bid. He fanned 17 and walked 6. He also knocked in the first run. Jack Rowley walked and moved to third on Don MacDonald's single. Tesch's infield grounder to short scored the run. Art Stone, who had singled, scored in the 3rd on a base hit and an error. Bill Stites was the hard-luck loser, allowing just six hits.
Stites (L) and xxx
Tesch (W) and xxx
In the second game, Beavers scored the winner on an error in the 7th inning. Don Drummond walked, was sacrificed to second and, on a steal of third, the throw was off the mark and he scampered home with the deciding run in the 3-2 victory. Beavers had scored first with a run in the 2nd inning. Don MacDonald reached on a single, moved to second on a walk to pitcher Bob Hydukewich and scored on Drummond's single. United took the lead in the 3rd as Tony Keller drove in a pair with a double. Beavers came back with a run in the 5th as Drummond reached on an error and scored on a triple by Art Stone.
Veteran knuckle-ball hurler Les Dean, who relieved starter Hydukewich in the 6th, was credited with the win. It was Dean's first appearance in several seasons. Ollie Harris went the distance for Unity, giving up six hits.
Harris (L) and xxx
Hydukewich, L Dean (W) and xxx
(June 19) At Kindersley, the Klippers and Neilburg split a pair. The home club won the first game 5-3, the Monarchs came came to capture the second game 3-1 in ten innings.
Klippers got nine hits in their opening game win. Leroy Cottingham picked up the win in relief of starter Jerry Casares. Bob McIntyre took the loss for the Monarchs.
B McIntyre (L) and xxx
Casares, Cottingham (W) and xxx
Ivan Prediger's two-run homer in the 10th gave Neilburg the second game victory. Rich Sheklian, who relieved starter Darwin Smith, was the winning pitcher. Bentley MacEwen went the distance for Kindersley compiling 17 strikeouts.
D Smith, Sheklian (W) and
MacEwen (L) and xxx
(June 26) Neilburg Monarchs thrilled the home crowd with two wins over Kindersley, 2-1 and 16-7. Bob McIntyre fired a four-hitter on the mound and scored the winning run in the first game. He had doubled in the first run. Bentley MacEwen lost another tough one, giving up just five hits in registering the loss.
Charlie Orr and Neil Urlacher belted homers to pace the Monarchs in the second game. Daryl Smith was the winning pitcher, Leroy Cottingham, the loser.
MacEwen (L) and xxx
B McIntyre (W) and xxx
Cottingham (L), Rachul (2) and xxx
Daryl Smith (W) and xxx
(June 26) At Unity, visiting North Battleford downed the home club in the first game 10-3 before Unity regrouped for a 15-7 triumph over the Beavers in the second game.
Roy Rowley, up from juvenile ranks, allowed just four hits in pitching the Beavers to the first-game win. He gave up a pair of runs in the first inning when he hit a batter, gave up a triple to Hank Ostrosky and a single to John Repin. In the 3rd, Irl Flanagan doubled and score on an error.
Beavers got on the board in the 2nd inning as Ron Erne doubled in Ken Nelson. They plated three more in the 4th as Nelson doubled and scored on Carmen Keller's single. Don Drummond doubled in two more. Beavers added a pair in the 6th and four in the 7th.
Rowley (W) and xxx
Stites (L), O Harris (6) and xxx
With a 12-run outburst in the first inning, Unity put the second game on ice early. United sent 16 men to the plate. Hank Ostrosky led the offense with a homer, triple and single while Tony Keller chipped in with a double and single. John Fahl had three singles. Ken Nelson paced the Beavers with three hits, including a two-run homer and double.
Dean Ward (L), Ken Nelson (1) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Monarchs continued atop the standings with 7 wins in 9 games, three games up on North Battleford and Kindersley each with 4-5 records. Unity is in the basement with 3 wins and 6 losses.
(June 29) In a day of one-run games, Neilburg shaded North Battleford 8-7 to take top money in the Unity Tournament Wednesday. Beavers reached the final with a 5-4 win over Kindersley and the Monarchs topped Unity 7-6.
Monarchs blew a four-run lead but survived on home runs by Pete Prediger and winning pitcher Darwin Smith to down the Beavers in the final. Rich Sheklian hurled the final two innings to preserve the win for Smith.
Darwin Smith (W), Sheklian and xxx
Ward, John Ford (L) (1), Stone and xxx
A four-run 3rd inning carried North Battleford by the Klippers. A bases-loaded double by John Ford was the big blow. Jack Rowley's 7th inning homer rounded out the scoring. Roy Rowley gave up two runs in the 2nd and another pair in the 9th but in between retired 19 in a row to capture the pitching win. Jerry Casares took the loss.
Rowley (W) and xxx
Casares (L) and xxx
Neilburg came from behind to down Unity 7-6 and advance to the final. Neil Urlacher belted a three-run homer in the 5th for the Monarchs. Bob McIntyre registered the win, in relief.
Sheklian, B McIntyre (W) (6) and xxx
xxx, Harris (L) and xxx
(July 1) Irl Flanagan stole home with the winning run as Kindersley edged North Battleford 5-4 at the Saskatoon Optimist Tournament. In another opening round game, Saskatoon Macs beat Neilburg 7-1. Macs downed Kindersley 4-2 in the final.
(July 3) Neilburg at NB, postponed rain
(July 3) Unity at Kindersley, postponed rain
(July 6) At the half-way mark of the season, Ken Nelson of North Battleford is the league's leading hitter with a .524 mark well ahead of Hank Ostrosky of Unity at .455. The statistics are for games through June 26th. Jerry Casares of Kindersley is 3rd at .400 with Pete Prediger of Neilburg at .393. Art Stone of North Battleford leads in home runs, 3, and total bases, with 23. Stone and Neil Urlacher of Neilburg are tied for the most runs batted in, each with 10.
Ken Nelson NB .524
Hank Ostrosky UN .455
Jerry Casares KI .400
Pete Prediger NM .393
Art Stone NB .367
Neil Urlacher NM .360
Irl Flanagan KI .333
Bob McIntyre NM .333
Don MacDonald NB .333
Bob McIntyre of Neilburg is the top pitcher with a 3-1 record.
(July 10) Neilburg Monarchs shutout Unity in both ends of a double-header at Neilburg 7-0 and 5-0 on two-hitters by Richie Sheklian and Eugene Dextrase. Sheklian fanned six and walked a pair while Dextrase had seven strikeouts and three free passes. Harold Hunchak was the loser in the opener while Ollie Harris took the loss in the second game. Pete Prediger belted a two-run homer in the second game.
Hunchak (L) and xxx
Sheklian (W) and xxx
O Harris (L) and xxx
Dextrase (W) and xxx
(July 10) North Battleford moved into sole possession of second spot with two wins over Kindersley, 5-0 and 6-3. Roy Rowley hurled a five-hit shutout in the opener. Brother Jack knocked in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 5th inning. Three walks, a wild pitch, two errors and a two-run single by Ken Nelson accounted for four runs in the 6th. Leroy Cottingham took the loss giving up six hits and five walks. Lyle Jackson had three hits for the Klippers.
Cottingham (L) and xxx
Rowley (W) and xxx
Kindersley out-hit the Beavers 9 to 4 in the second game, but eight errors led to a 6-3 defeat. Ron Erne had a homer for the Beavers.
Rachul (L), MacEwen (6) and xxx
Percy Bell (W), Bob Taylor (7) and xxx
(July 13) On a day double-digit scoring, it was a bunt single which drove in the winning run as North Battleford shaded Neilburg 11-10 at Abbott Field. With the game tied at 10 in the bottom of the 7th, Ron Erne reached on an error and moved to third on Art Stone's double to left field. Jack Rowley's bunt sent Erne home with the deciding run. Beavers had jumped into an early lead thanks to a five-run uprising in the opening frame. They added four more in the 2nd, taking a 9-2 advantage. Neilburg rebounded with one in the 4th and six in the 6th. The tying run came on a steal of home by Pat Gibbons. North Battleford went up 10-9 in the bottom of the 6th on a bases-loaded walk Skip Krake. Monarchs tied in again in the top of the 7th on a bases-loaded walk to Ivan Prediger. Stone led the Beavers' 13-hit attack with a double and two singles.
Darwin Smith, Sheklian (3) (L) and xxx
Ward, Bob Taylor (6), Percy Bell, Rowley (W) (7) and xxx
(July 13) Kindersley edged Unity 3-2.
(July 17) Neilburg Monarchs brought out the heavy lumber and swept a pair from Unity 12-9 and 10-4. Charlie Orr, Ivan Prediger and Neil Urlacher powered homers in the second game. Ross Morrison and Ollie Harris had four-baggers for Unity. Darwin Smith was the winner in both games, his 4th and 5th triumphs of the season.
Smith (W) and xxx
Irl Flanagan (L)and xxx
Smith (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(July 17) Bentley MacEwen fired a one-hitter as Kindersley salvaged a split of their twin bill with North Battleford taking the second game 1-0 after losing the opener 4-2. The only hit off MacEwen was a second inning single by Art Stone. The left-hander fanned 12. He helped on offense too with two of the five hits off losing pitcher Percy Bell. The only game game in the 5th when MacEwen knocked in Dave Torrens who had singled. Beavers had cut down Torrens at the plate but third baseman Roy Rowley was called for interference.
Bell (L) and xxx
MacEwen (W) and xxx
Kindersley also received outstanding pitcher in the first game as Jerry Casares allowed just four hits while compiling 16 strikeouts. However, miscues in the field proved costly.
Beavers went ahead in the 8th inning as Don MacDonald reached on an error, stole third and scored on a wild pitch. Klippers knotted the county in the bottom of the 8th on a double by Dave Torrens, a single by Casares and an infield out. Errors handed North Battleford the game in the 9th as Barney Krake singled and came around to score when Jerry Flanagan misjudged Jack Rowley's fly ball. Later, Don MacDonald singled in Rowley. Roy Rowley picked up the win, his 4th of the season, allowing just seven hits.
Rowley (W) and xxx
Casares (L) and xxx
Neilburg 11 3 --
North Battleford 8 6 3
Kindersley 6 8 5
Unity 3 11 8
(July 24) North Battleford and Unity split a double-header at Unity. Beavers scored in each inning in the opener to win 12-5, taking advantage of six Unity errors. Don Drummond led the offense with three hits. Losing pitcher Irl Flanagan had a double and homer for Unity.
Bob Taylor (W), Rowley (6) and xxx
Flanagan (L), Hunchak (4) and xxx
In the second game, Unity erupted for seven runs in the 5th inning on four hits, five walks, a hit batsman and an error on the way to a 9-7 victory. Don Fahl and Johnny Repin led Unity each with two hits. Ollie Harris scattered eight hits to gain the win. Don Drummond had a pair of hits for the Beavers, giving him five safeties on the day in seven trips.
Don Anderson (L), Art Stone (5) and xxx
Harris (W) and xxx
Neilburg 11 3 --
North Battleford 9 6 2.5
Kindersley 6 8 5
Unity 4 11 7.5
(July ??) Kindersley Klippers, behind Bentley MacEwen's six-hitter, downed North Battleford 7-2 to take top prize at the Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament. MacEwen fanned 11 in besting Roy Rowley of the Beavers.
MacEwen (W) and xxx
Rowley (L) and xxx
Beavers downed Delisle 5-1 in the semi-final before one of the largest crowds in the history of the tournament. North Battleford topped Dinsmore 8-5 in the opening round as Ollie Harris, with relief help from Roy Rowley, picked up the win. Barney Krake led the offense with three hits.
(July 31) Kindersley moved into a second place tie with North Battleford by take both games from the Beavers at Abbott Field, 8-5 and 9-7. Klippers erupted for five runs in the 5th inning of the opener to secure the win. Leroy Cottingham went the route for the win.
Cottingham (W) and xxx
Ward (L), Nelson (5) and xxx
Kindersley had another big inning in the nightcap, a seven run, first inning, in winning 9-7. Klippers combined three hits, three errors and two walks in the big frame. Lane Jackson had the big hit, a two-run double. Losing pitcher Don Anderson had a two-run homer for the Beavers. Garnet Hannon scored what proved to be the winner with a homer in the 3rd.
Rachul (W) and xxx
Don Anderson (L), Taylor (5), Nelson and xxx
(July 31) Neilburg Monarchs increased their league lead to four games with a split of a twin bill with Unity. Monarchs took the first game 7-6 but dropped the second, 15-10. Glen Thompson belted a grand slam homer to pace the winners. Ivan Prediger added a solo shot. Harold Hunchak homered for Unity. Richie Sheklian went the distance for the win.
xxx and xxx
Sheklian (W) and xxx
Unity won the slugfest 15-10 with Don Stewart picking up the win. Tony Keller had a homer for the winners and Jack Johnson had a homer for Neilburg.
xxx, Stewart (W) and xxx
xxx, Don Gibbons (L) and xxx
(August 7) Kindersley Klippers took a pair from the Monarchs at Neilburg, 6-0 and 5-3, to nail down second place in the Northern Saskatchewan League standings. Right-hander Chuck Holdaway fired a one-hitter for the first game, shutout victory. The lone hit was a double by Glen Thompson in the 6th inning. Holdaway fanned nine. Wally Jackson and Jerry Flanagan each had two hits for the Klippers.
xxx and xxx
Holdaway (W) and xxx
Lane Jackson's three-run homer in the 4th inning was the crucial hit as the Klippers won 5-3 in the second game. Bentley MacEwen held the Monarchs to five hits. Jackson also had a double.
MacEwen (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
FINAL STANDINGS
Neilburg 12 6 --
Kindersley 10 8 2
North Battleford 9 9 2
Unity 5 13 7
PLAYOFFS :
(August 14) North Battleford took first blood in their best-of-three semi-final series with a 4-2 win over Kindersley. Roy Rowley held the Klippers to six hits in gaining the complete-game win. Klippers took the lead in the first inning on a walk to Lane Jackson, a stolen base and a single by catcher Jerry Flanagan. Beavers broke loose for three in the 2nd. After John Ford walked and Ron Erne singled, safeties by Jack Rowley and Don McDonald knocked in runs with Rowley scoring on Don Drummond's sacrifice fly. Ken Nelson drove in an insurance run in the 8th.
Rachul (L), MacEwen (3) and xxx
Rowley (W) and xxx
(August 14) In what was described as one of the best games ever played at Unity, the game between Unity and Neilburg ended in a 4-4 draw after 10 innings. The game was called because of darkness. Ollie Harris pitched for United, Fred Hodgson for Neilburg. Ivan Prediger's triple was the big hit of the game.
Hodgson and xxx
Harris and xxx
(August 21) Unity and Neilburg split a pair of one-run games with the Monarchs taking the opener 5-4 and Unity winning the second game 4-3. Fred Hodgson fired a three-hitter to capture the win in the first game. Bill Stites went the distance as Unity took the second game.
Hunchak (L) and xxx
Hodgson (W) and xxx
Stites (W) and xxx
Rechelo (L) and xxx
(August 21) Kindersley Klippers rode the strong arm of Bentley MacEwen to down North Battleford Beavers 3-2 and 5-3 to advance to the final of the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League. MacEwen held the Beavers to seven hits in notching the first game victory and was even better, a four-hitter, in the second game.
Beavers took the early lead in the opener, scoring a pair in the first inning. Don Drummond and Don MacDonald reached on errors and scored on a single by Art Stone and Ken Nelson's sacrifice fly. Kindersley got one back in the 2nd inning on a walk and singles by Dave Torrens and Wayne Morgan. A pair in the 3rd put the Klippers ahead to stay. Three straight walks, a wild pitch and a safety by Lyle Jackson accounted for the scoring. The winning run came in the 5th when Garnet Hannon walked, was sacrificed to second and scored on Jackson's second hit of the game.
Ward (L) and xxx
MacEwen (W) and xxx
Layne Jackson's two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th proved to be the winning blow in the second game. MacEwen fanned eight in his second win of the day.
Nelson (L) and xxx
MacEwen (W) and xxx
(August 28) Nearly a thousand fans - the largest turnout in years - came to Unity Sunday to watch the Neilburg Monarchs down the home club 5-2 to advance to the league final against Kindersley. Neil Urlacher was the hero for the Monarchs driving in all five runs, four with a 9th inning grand slam homer. The game was scoreless until the top of the 7th when Urlacher drove in the first run for the Monarchs with a triple. Unity went up 2-1 in the bottom of the 8th on Irl Flanagan's bases-loaded double. Ollie Harris reached on a hit, Ed Volk was hit by a pitch and Don Drummond singled. In the top of the 9th, Neilburg loaded the bases as Ivan Prediger singled and stole second. Pat Gibbons walked and Glen Thompson was safe on an error. Urlacher then belted one out of the park for a 5-2 lead. Fred Hodgson was the winner, in relief.
Dextrase, Hodgson (W) (8) and xxx
Stites, Harris (L) (7) and xxx
(September 4) For the second time in two weeks, Bentley MacEwen won both ends of a double-header as Kindersley downed Neilburg 7-1 and 7-4 to take the first two games of the best of five final. MacEwen fired a four-hitter in the first game. Dave Torrens belted a two-run homer in the 4th inning. Lane Jackson, Jerry Flanagan and Len Jackson each had two hits.
Dextrase (L), Hodgson (6) and xxx
MacEwen (W) and xxx
Klippers scored three runs in the 8th inning to take the second game 7-4. Lloyd Rachul went the first six inning for the Klippers with MacEwen taking over in the 7th. Lane Jackson and Garnet Hannon each had two hits for the winners.
Hodgson, Rechelo, Dextrase (L) (7)and xxx
Rachul, MacEwen (W) (7) and xxx
(September 7) Larry Flicek of Neilburg Monarchs is the batting champion of the Northern Saskatchewan League. Final statistics released by league statistician Eldon Elliott show Flicek with a .377 average just ahead of Irl Flanagan of Unity. Pete Prediger of Neilburg was third at .345.
Flicek Larry NM .377
Flanagan Irl UN .375
Prediger Pete NM .345
Flanagan Jerry KI .328
Keller Tony UN .327
Stone Art NB .322
Jackson Lyle KI .311
Jackson Lane KI .304
Repin John UN .304
Thompson Glenn NM .295
Art Stone of North Battleford topped the circuit in runs, with 20, total bases, 32, and tied for the most homers, 3, with Neil Urlacher and Ivan Prediger of Neilburg.
(September 11) Kindersley Klippers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the final frame to edge Neilburg 7-6 to capture the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League championship in three straight games. A single by Jerry Flanagan and doubles by Garnet Hannon and Lyle Jackson provided the tying and winning markers.
Klippers jumped into a 2-0 lead in the first inning with the Monarchs knotting the score in the 4th. Neilburg went up 3-2 in the 5th and each team scored three times in the 6th. Chuck Holdaway, who relieved starter Bentley MacEwen got credit for the win. Bob McIntyre was charged with the loss.
MacEwen, Holdaway (W) and xxx
B McIntyre (L) and xxx