1961 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1961 BC Interior
1961 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Returning to the mix for the 1961 season were the defending champion Wakeman-Trimble squad and the Naval Vets. They were joined by two other entries with new sponsorship, the Douglas Hotel and the Transport Workers Club, who replaced the Eagles and Olson Motors from the 1960 circuit.
The 1961 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League joined forces with the four-team Up-Island Baseball League to institute a partial interlocking schedule on an experimental basis for the campaign.
Douglas Hotel
Naval Vets
Transport Workers
Wakeman-Trimble
INTERLOCKING GAME OPPONENTS / UP-ISLAND BASEBALL LEAGUE
Campbell River
Comox RCAF
Courtenay
Union Bay
(May 13) Three teams opened the interlocking portion of the 1961 Victoria Amateur Baseball League season in stirring doubleheader fashion at Royal Athletic Park. A steady drizzle kept the crowd size down as the Up-Island League entry from Courtenay lost identical 6 to 5 decisions, going down to the Transport Workers in eleven innings to begin proceedings and, then, succumbing to the Naval Vets in the finale. The Comox Valley contingent scored twice in the ninth inning of the opener off starting flinger Les Brice of the Transports to tie the score before playing-manager Art Worth ascended the knoll to extinguish the fire. The winners then pushed across the deciding counter in the second round of overtime when catcher Ron Grant scored from third base after a sacrifice fly by John Balloch.
Schilling, Pratt (L) (5) and Montgomery
L. Brice, Worth (W) (9) and Grant
The Naval Vets punched all six of their markers across in the sixth inning of the late encounter. They sent 12 batters to the dish and capitalized on timely singles by Chuck Bennett and Barry Cosier, two walks and a hit batter to plate the half-dozen tallies. Courtenay, who had led from the second stanza on until the disastrous sixth, threatened in the top-of-the-seventh but reliever Keith Todd, replacing starter Brian Usher, killed the rally after Courtenay had scored a deuce.
Bosomworth (L), Pratt (6), Schilling (6) and Montgomery
Usher (W), Todd (7) and Cosier
(May 16) Des Moseley rang up 17 punchouts, fashioned a four-hit shutout from the elevated portion of the diamond and batted in a pair of runs with a two-bagger as the Douglas Hotel manhandled Wakeman-Trimble 10 to 0 .
G. Brice (L), Ash (7) and Frumerie
Moseley (W) and Lumley
(May 18) Art Worth, both playing-manager and southpaw relief specialist for the Transport Workers, recorded a save as the Workers hung on to defeat the Naval Vets 12 to 11 in a wild-and-woolley affair at Royal Athletic Park.
Udy, Todd (L) (3), Siddons (4), Fuller (4) and Cosier
B. McKenzie, Kilduff (W) (4), Worth (5) and Moody
(May 20) The Transport Workers and Naval Vets carved out victories in doubleheader action at Royal Athletic Park.
The Transports maintained their undefeated record by blowing away Douglas Hotel 8 to 1 in the afternoon lid-lifter. Lefthander Les Brice picked up his second hillock triumph in handcuffing the Hotelmen on six hits.
Harlow (L), Karadimas (4) and Lumley
L. Brice (W) and Grant
The Vets had a two-run homer from Mike Hodge in a four-run seventh inning to edge Wakeman-Trimble 7 to 5 in the late tilt. Gary Liebel had a dinger for the Contractors.
Booth, G. Brice (L) (4) and Weeks, Frumerie (3)
Todd (W) and McCartney
(May 21) Hosting Courtenay, one-run victims in an opening-day doubleheader, squared accounts with Victoria opposition by defeating Douglas Hotel twice, 4 to 3 and 10 to 1, in their interlocking twin-bill. A run in the bottom-of the-ninth-inning gave the Comox Valley squad its first-game victory. The Up-Islanders lit into losing flinger Des Moseley for four tallies in the second inning to breeze to a one-sided victory in the nightcap.
(May 23) Three Douglas Hotel slabsters, including playing-manager Ron Karadimas, were raked for 11 hits as the Naval Vets rolled over the Hotelmen 14 to 4 in Senior Amateur League action. Mike Hodge capitalized on their offerings by belting a double and two singles while teammate Larry Montgomery ripped a trio of singles to accumulate three RBI’s.
Siddons (W), Udy (5) and Cosier
Boudreau (L), Murdoch (2), Karadimas (4) and Lumley
(May 25) The Transport Workers made it four wins without a loss at Royal Athletic Park, taking down the winless Wakeman-Trimble nine 7 to 5. Falling behind 7 to 0 after 6-1/2 innings, the Contractors made it close by posting a five-spot in their half of the seventh panel before the Transports’ Art Worth came to the rescue of Bruce McKenzie to preserve the win.
B. McKenzie (W), Worth (7) and Grant
Ash (L), G. Brice (8) and Frumerie
(May 27) Invading Union Bay took it on the chin twice on their sojourn to Royal Athletic Park as they were clipped 9 to 3 by Douglas Hotel in their first clash before falling 9 to 7 to previously winless Wakeman-Trimble in their late tussle. Des Moseley of the Hotelmen had his blazing heater working well as he struck out 15 Union Bay batters in the opening fracas.
R. McLellan (L), Batton (7) and Gibson
Moseley (W) and Lumley
It appeared as though the Baymen were about to inflict a fifth-straight defeat upon the defending league-champion Wakeman-Trimble nine in the sunset encounter until the Contractors exploded for a five-spot in the seventh stanza to forge ahead. “Bud” Brice singled home the winning run for the W-T’s who were outhit 12 to 9.
Cameron, C. McLellan (L) (7) and Gibson
Ash, Weeks (W) (4) and Frumerie
(May 30) Two runs in the ninth inning salvaged a 4 – 4 tie for the Naval Vets in their clash with Wakeman-Trimble at Royal Athletic Park. The game was suspended after nine innings and will be resumed from that point at a later date.
(May 31) The Transport Workers rolled to their fifth straight victory with a 7 to 1 conquest of the Naval Vets at Royal Athletic Park. Les Brice earned his third mound decision, spinning a five-hitter. Rod Fuller spoiled Brice’s bid for a shutout when he stroked a two-out single in the seventh panel to drive in Ken McCartney with the Vets’ only run. Catcher Jim Moody sparked the Transports at the plate, cracking out a triple and two singles that produced four RBI’s. Steve Bishop was also productive with the baton for the winners, banging out three safeties.
L. Brice (W) and Moody
Usher (L) and McCartney
(June 1) Timely hitting and steady pitching paid off for the Douglas Hotel baseballers in their scuffle with the front-running Transport Workers. Dave Murdoch, with ninth-inning relief assistance from Des Moseley, kept the pace-setters well in check while his mates were pounding out 13 base raps and a 7 to 4 victory. The loss snapped the Transports’ unbeaten streak at five games. Playing-manager Ron Karadimas and Earl Woods both drilled a pair of safeties for the Hotelmen, driving in a brace of counters each.
B. McKenzie (L), Moody (8) and Grant
Murdoch (W), Moseley (9) and Lumley
(June 3-4) It was a very profitable weekend for the Transport Workers. They dumped Wakeman-Trimble in the matinee portion of a Victoria Senior Amateur League double-dip on Saturday at Royal Athletic Park then ventured to Union Bay on Sunday where they stopped the Up-Island hosts 10 to 5 and 4 to 2 in a pair of interlocking matches.
Playing-manager Art Worth was the big noise offensively in the Transports’ 10 to 1 destruction of Wakeman-Trimble in the Saturday curtain-raiser, hammering the horsehide for a home run, double and single, all of which produced six RBI’s. Meanwhile, young Gary Bishop was keeping the W-T’s in check with a nifty five-hitter.
Ash (L), Weeks (6) and Frumerie
G. Bishop (W) and Moody
Douglas Hotel got past the Naval Vets 8 to 6 in the second half of Saturday’s twin-bill. A six-run second stanza by the Hoteliers set the wheels in motion for their triumph.
Moseley (W), Harlow (4), Karadimas (6) and Lumley
Todd (L), Udy (2), Usher (6) and Cosier
Worth saw action twice, in late-inning relief, for a total of three innings in the Sunday doubleheader sweep at Union Bay as Transport starting twirlers Les Brice and Cliff Kilduff turned in fine mound performances before weakening slightly in the late stages.
L. Brice (W), Worth (8) and Moody
Schmidt (L), Lund (3) and Shillito
Kilduff (W), Worth (9) and Moody, Grant (8)
McLellan (L) and Shillito
VSABL Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 8 1 .889 ----
Douglas Hotel 4 4 .500 3.5
Naval Vets 3 3 .500 3.5
Wakeman-Trimble 1 4 .200 5.0
Up-Island Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Courtenay 7 4 .636 ----
Campbell River 5 3 .625 0.5
Union Bay 3 7 .300 3.5
Comox RCAF 1 6 .143 5.0
* imbalanced won-lost totals within each set of standings reflect interlocking schedule results
(June 6) Ninth-inning bases-on-balls were the undoing of the first-place Transport Workers at Royal Athletic Park. The Workers were saddled with their second loss of the season when the Naval Vets, cashing in on four consecutive walks, roared back from a 5 to 2 deficit to pull out a 6 to 5 win. Starting pitcher Jim Moody was sailing along with a three-run cushion as he ascended the hillock to begin the ninth inning. He promptly walked the bases full and was given the hook in favor of Les Brice who proceeded to walk the first batter to face him, narrowing the gap to two runs. Then, Mike Hodge blasted a booming triple to clear the sacks and put the Swabbies in front 6 to 5, a lead they protected in the last-half of the stanza.
Siddons, Todd (1), Udy (W) (5), Usher (9) and Cosier
Moody, L. Brice (L) (9), Bishop (9) and Gunter
(June 9) Brothers Les and George Brice locked horns in a family pitching joust at Royal Athletic Park and, when the dust had settled, it was lefthanded Les and his Transport Worker clubmates who came out on top, registering a convincing 11 to 2 pasting of Wakefield-Trimble. The four-hitter fashioned was Les’ fourth hurling triumph of the year. Losing twirler George didn’t make it past the fifth canto when he was derricked for another Brice, Bud Brice, from a different family.
G. Brice (L), B. Brice (5) and Frumerie
L. Brice (W) and Moody, Grant (6)
(June 10) Rain put a halt to an interlocking fixture at Royal Athletic Park between the Comox Airmen of the Up-Island circuit and Victoria’s Naval Vets, with the score tied 4 – 4 at the end of six innings. The precipitation also wiped out a nightcap fixture between the Comox Valley club and Douglas Hotel of the Capital City loop. Both games will be made up later in the season.
(June 13) 16-year old Bruce McKenzie distinguished himself on the hillock for the Transport Workers, earning the pitching win in a 6 to 3 triumph over last-place Wakeman-Trimble. McKenzie allowed only six hits and two runs before Cliff Kilduff took over mound chores in the eighth inning. The pace-setting Workers won the game for McKenzie with a five-run splurge in the fourth frame.
B. McKenzie (W), Kilduff (8), Worth (9) and Grant
Booth (L) and Frumerie
(June 15) Another call-up from Victoria’s youth leagues proved his worth in senior competition at Royal Athletic Park. 17-year old southpaw chucker George Hemming made his Victoria Senior Amateur League debut a successful one as he pitched into the eighth inning with the lead as his Naval Vets’ teammates held on for a 5 to 4 decision over Douglas Hotel. Hemming was tagged for only three hits while fanning seven during his tenure on the bump.
Hemming (W) Todd (8), Udy (8) and Cosier
Murdoch (L), Moseley (7) and Lumley
(June 17) Appearing on the mound for the first time this season, Dave Emery was nipped with the loss in the continuation of a 4 – 4 tie from May 30 when he allowed the Naval Vets a pair of counters in their first turn at bat in which they claimed a 6 to 4 win over Wakeman-Trimble. Not the least deterred, Emery toed the slab for the regularly-scheduled first half of a doubleheader against the Vets and tossed a four-hitter as the W-T’s prevailed 11 to 2.
Emery (W), G. Brice (7) and Frumerie
Siddons (L), Rogers (1) and Cosier
Meanwhile, Douglas Hotel stopped the league-leading Transport Workers 6 to 2 in the late portion of the double-dip as Des Moseley whiffed 14 and yielded just four hits.
L. Brice (L), Worth (7) and Moody
Moseley (W) and Lumley
(June 20) The big bats of the Wakeman-Trimble sluggers were booming at Royal Athletic Park where the bottom-feeding Contractors bounced the second-place Naval Vets 17 to 8. In a game in which pitching took a back seat to offensive production, the W-T’s clipped the horsehide for 15 base knocks while the Vets pounded out ten safeties. Dave Black had three hits and Norm Curran smashed a two-run homer to highlight a balanced W-T attack. Naval Vets’ Mike Hodge also homered.
Ash (W), G. Brice (8) and Frumerie
Siddons (L), Udy (2), Rogers (5), Todd (7) and Cosier
(June 22) Gary Tuttle’s grand-slam homer in the sixth spasm was the difference as Douglas Hotel defeated last-place Wakeman-Trimble 7 to 3 at Royal Athletic Park to gain a share of second place in the Senior Amateur loop with the Naval Vets. Dave Murdoch, with ten punchouts, yielded seven hits in gaining credit for the bump verdict.
Booth (L), Ash (6), G. Brice (6) and Frumerie
Murdoch (W), Harlow (9) and Boudreau
(June 23) Twenty-seven runs, 25 hits and 11 errors. That was the style of Douglas Hotel’s 14 to 13 win over Wakeman-Trimble at Royal Athletic Park. In this slugfest where the Hotelmen overcame a 13 to 7 deficit with a late surge to grab the victory, Gary Tuttle walloped a ninth-inning double to drive in the winning run.
Harlow, Karadimas (2), Moseley (W) (8) and Boudreau
Usher, Udy (L) (8) and Cosier
(June 24-25) The Transport Workers increased their lead atop the Victoria Amateur Baseball League to four games by winning twice over the weekend in a pair of doubleheaders. On Saturday, the Transports hung on to outlast Douglas Hotel 12 to 10 by scoring four times in the ninth inning. In Saturday’s other tussle, Keith Todd hurled the Navy Vets to a 13 to 2 triumph over Wakeman-Trimble. Todd doled out eight hits and stroked three singles on his own behalf.
On Sunday, playing-manager Art Worth boomed a bases-loaded home run in the first inning and proceeded to pitch the Transports to an 8 to 3 conquest of Campbell River in the opening game of an interlocking twin-bill. Campbell River came back in the nightcap to down Wakeman-Trimble, although getting a bit of a scare in the ninth when the W-T’s, helped by Dave Black’s two-run homer, rallied for three runs with two out.
(June 27) The Transport Workers tried catcher Jim Moody on the mound at Royal Athletic Park and found the transition to be a bit short of successful. Moody shed the “tools of ignorance” to toe the rubber and pitched a respectable five-hitter but found himself on the losing end of a 5 to 2 decision to cellar-dwelling Wakeman-Trimble as his clubmates were unable to capitalize on the nine hits garnered by cashing in counters with ducks on the pond. Norm Curran of the W-T’s drove in three of his team’s five tallies.
Booth (W) and Frumerie
Moody (L) and Grant
(June 28) Playing-manager Gerry Parker showed his charges how to excel as he led the Navy Vets to a 5 to 1 victory over the league-leading Transport Workers. Parker stroked three singles and drove in two runs as the Tars moved into second place in the circuit, two games behind the Transports.
Rogers (W), Todd (7) and Cosier
L. Brice (L) and Moody
(June 29) The McKenzies clashed at Royal Athletic Athletic Park in a Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League joust and, when it was over, Bruce McKenzie had hit and pitched the Transport Workers to a 6 to 1 victory over Kerry McKenzie (no relation) and Wakeman-Trimble. With the win, the Transports consolidated their lead at the top rung of the standings by 2-1/2 games.
K. McKenzie (L), Ash (7) and Frumerie, Weeks (2)
B. McKenzie (W) and Grant
(July 1) The Victoria Senior Amateur League All-Stars had a field day in a holiday doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park, hammering out two victories over the Mount Vernon WA Pioneers. The Capital City sluggers picked on the American squad for 11 to 3 and 16 to 3 wins as they rang up a total of 30 base hits. Larry Montgomery got the Victorians off to a fine start in the opening tussle by launching a three-run tater in the second panel. Joe Patterson contributed three singles.
Evans (L) and Krebs
Murdoch (W) and Moody
Mike Hodge had four hits in the second encounter while teammate Barry Harvey delivered four RBI’s with three safeties.
Letini (L), Moore (2), Jackson (6), Williams (8) and Krebs
Booth (W) and Cosier
(July 4) The Naval Vets and Transport Workers played to a 7 – 7 stalemate in a game that was suspended for continuation at a later date.
(July 6) Wakeman-Trimble, entrenched in last place 7-1/2 games behind the pace-setting Transport Workers, stopped Douglas Hotel from moving up in the standings when they hammered out a 12 to 4 victory over the Innkeepers at Royal Athletic Park. Mike Ash spun a six-hitter in copping the route-going hillock triumph.
Harlow (L), Murdoch (6) and Boudreau
Ash (W) and Frumerie
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 13 5 .722 ----
Douglas Hotel 9 5 .643 2.0
Naval Vets 9 7 .563 3.0
Wakeman-Trimble 5 12 .294 7.5
* imbalanced won-lost totals reflect interlocking schedule results with teams from Up-Island League
(July 7) The Naval Vets climbed to within 2-1/2 games of the front-running Transport Workers as they beat Wakeman-Trimble 9 to 6 at Royal Athletic Park. The margin of victory was provided by Larry Montgomery’s bases-loaded double in the eighth inning that brought in three runs.
G. Brice, Ash (L) (6) and Frumerie
Siddons, Todd (W) (1), Udy (9) and Cosier
(July 8) The Naval Vets and Transport Workers came out on top in Saturday doubleheader action at Royal Athletic Park. The Vets scored a three-spot in the top-of-the-eleventh inning, two of those counters coming on Larry Montgomery’s two-run double, to break a 2 – 2 deadlock and take down Douglas Hotel 5 to 2 in the curtain-raiser. Montgomery had nailed a two-bagger earlier in the game as well.
Rogers, Fuller (W) (7) and Cosier
Moseley (L) and Boudreau
The Transports pummelled Wakeman-Trimble 13 to 5 in the late encounter as portsider Les Brice spun a complete-game six-hitter.
L. Brice (W) and Moody
Booth (L), Weeks (8) and Frumerie
(July 9) A timely two-bagger by Larry Montgomery in the seventh inning produced three runs as Victoria’s Naval Vets trimmed Comox RCAF 8 to 6 in the first game of a Sunday three-team interlocking doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park. Teammate George Graham also played a huge role in the Sailors’ victory, banging out a triple and three singles as well as scoring four runs.
Halgason (L) and Sadler
Usher, Todd (W) (4) and Cosier
The second game of the interlocking twin-bill ended in a 3 – 3 tie between the Up-Islanders and Douglas Hotel of the Victoria circuit. The game will be replayed from the point of suspension only if it has some bearing on the final standings.
Tappay and Denault
Murdoch and Boudreau
(July 11) Losing pitcher Rod Fuller issued a bases-loaded walk in the top-of-the-ninth inning which provided the Transport Workers with the run they needed to take a narrow 2 to 1 win over the second-place Naval Vets. Art Worth threw a five-hitter for the winners, striking out ten and walking seven.
Worth (W) and Moody
Fuller (L) and McCartney
(July 13) The first-place Transport Workers made maximum use of their six hits in doubling Douglas Hotel 10 to 5 at Royal Athletic Park. Les Brice had half his team’s hits, stroking the sphere for three safeties. The win moved the Workers three games ahead of the second-place Naval Vets.
G. Bishop (W), S. Bishop (7) and Grant
Murdoch (L), Harlow (7), Karadimas (8) and Boudreau
(July 15) The Transport Workers clinched top spot and the 1961 regular-season pennant by beating the Naval Veterans twice, once in the completion of a suspended game begun on July 4 and the other in the scheduled first game of a Royal Athletic Park doubleheader. The two losses pushed the Swabbies into third place in the Senior Amateur circuit since Douglas Hotel edged Wakeman-Trimble 6 to 5 in late portion of the double-dip. The Transports scored four times in the continued encounter of July 4, after the Sailors had plated a deuce in their half of the ninth canto, to claim an 11 to 9 victory.
Usher, Todd (4), Rogers (6), Udy (7) Fuller (L) (9) and Cosier, McCartney (9)
G. Bishop, Moody (W) (6) and Grant
The Workers had a dozen runs tucked away in the regularly-scheduled game before the Vets even hit the scoreboard once during a 14 to 6 rout. Art Worth and Barry Harvey slammed round-trippers for the winners.
Bell (W), B. McKenzie (6) and Moody, Grant (6)
Todd (L), Rogers (3), Siddons (5) and Cosier
It took ten innings for the Hotelmen to score the winning run in their walkoff second-game triumph.
Ash (L) and Frumerie
McAdams, Moseley (L) (9) and Rivers
(July 18) In a game that had no effect on the ultimate final standings, lowly Wakeman-Trimble upset the pennant-winning Transport Workers 4 to 1. The pitching victory went to young George Brice who breezed eleven as he chalked up a five-hitter.
B. McKenzie (L), S. Bishop (8) and Frumerie, Moody (6)
G. Brice (W) and Grant
(July 19) Dave Emery gave up only two hits at Royal Athletic Park but he was tagged with the loss in a Senior Amateur outing. Douglas Hotel beat Wakeman-Trimble 3 to 0 despite the fact that Emery struck out ten batters while yielding a single to Stu Mitchell and a two-bagger to Ron Karadimas. Mitchell’s rap knocked in the first run while Karadimas’ blow drove in the other two. Winning chucker Dave Murdoch struck out six and walked three while surrendering five hits.
Murdoch (W) and Rivers
Emery (L) and Frumerie
(July 20) The Naval Vets cashed in on a double-or-nothing gamble in their Senior Amateur game against Douglas Hotel at Royal Athletic Park. The teams played only one game, a 7 to 4 triumph for the Vets, but the Sailors parlayed it into two victories. The foes, battling for the runner-up spot in the circuit, agreed before the game that the winner would also be declared the victor in a previously-tied game. The two wins all but assured the Vets of second place. Rod Fuller, the last of three Navy tossers, was their most effective. Although not credited with the pitching win, he hurled four scoreless frames while giving up two hits.
Moseley (L) and Wetherall
Rogers (W), Udy (4), Fuller (5) and McCartney
(July 22) The Transport Workers and Naval Vets, the two top teams in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League, ended their league schedule with a flourish at Royal Athletic Park by capturing victories in doubleheader action. The Workers downed third-place Douglas Hotel 6 to 1 behind the combined three-hit pitching of Barry Harvey and Les Brice in the opening scuffle.
Harvey (W), L. Brice (6) and Grant
McAdams (L) and Rivers
The Vets polished off Wakeman-Trimble 12 to 6 in the finale, pounding out 14 base knocks in the process. Catcher Ron Frumerie of the W-T’s went yard with a circuit-jack in a losing cause.
Yankoski (W), Siddons (7) and Cosier, Cunningham (4)
Ash (L), Booth (6) and Frumerie
(July 25) George Brice rang up 17 punchouts, walked only two and spaced six opposition hits as last-place Wakeman-Trimble ended the season with a loud farewell, spanking third-place Douglas Hotel 7 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Brice also was productive at the plate, whacking the horsehide for a pair of singles.
Harlow (L), Murdoch (2) and Rivers
G. Brice (W) and Frumerie
Final Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 19 6 .722 ----
Naval Vets 16 10 .615 3.5
Douglas Hotel 11 13 .458 7.5
Wakeman-Trimble 7 17 .292 11.5
* imbalanced won-lost totals reflect interlocking schedule results with teams from Up-Island League
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Douglas Hotel vs Naval Vets (best-of-three series)
(August 8) Douglas Hotel made good use of just two hits, their total output off three Naval Vet hurlers. They parlayed the blows for one run, the insurance counter, in the sixth stanza which gave them a 2 to 0 victory over the Tars in the opener of the Senior Amateur semi-finals at Royal Athletic Park. Five walks by Navy starter and loser George Hemming gave the Hotelmen a one-run lead in the third inning. Keith Todd, off whose deliveries the Innkeepers scored their final tally on singles by Earl Woods and Stu Mitchell, took over mound chores from Hemming before being derricked himself for Pat Rogers in the eighth. Des Moseley went all the way on the bump for the winners. He gave up four hits, walked four and whiffed ten.
Moseley (W) and Rivers
Hemming (L), Todd (3), Rogers (8) and Cosier
(August 9) The Naval Vets deadlocked the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League semi finals at a game apiece by edging Douglas Hotel 6 to 5 at Royal Athletic Park. The Sailors picked up a pair of runs, including the winner, in the top-of-the-fifth canto. A walk, a double by Larry Montgomery and a two-run single by Chuck Bennett accounted for that deuce.
Fuller (W) and Cunningham
Murdoch (L), McAdams (6) and Rivers
(August 10) In a ten-inning thriller at Royal Athletic Park, Douglas Hotel annexed the best-o-three Senior Amateur League semi-finals by nosing out the Naval Vets 3 to 2. Experience triumphed over youth when it pertained to the mound battle between Des Moseley of the Hoteliers and 18-year old George Hemming, toeing the slab for the Swabbies. Hemming piled up 18 strikeouts, walked six and gave up five safeties while Moseley whiffed 15 and handcuffed the Tars on just two hits. Playing-manager Ron Karadimas crossed the dish in the overtime session with the winning tally when Hemming unloaded a wild pitch.
Moseley (W) and Rivers
Hemming (L) and Cosier
FINALS Douglas Hotel vs Transport Workers (best-of-five series)
(August 12) The Transport Workers and Douglas Hotel split their first two best-of-five final games at Royal Athletic Park with the Transports gaining the first decision 5 to 4 and the Hotelmen coming back in the nightcap to grab a 4 to 0 verdict. The Workers broke a 2 – 2 tie and jumped into a 5 to 2 lead with three sixth-inning runs, all unearned, in the first skirmish but the Hoteliers made things close in the ninth when reliever Art Worth, who came to the rescue of starter and winner Les Brice, proceeded to issue a pair of bases-loaded walks before striking out the final batter.
McAdams (L) and Rivers
L. Brice (W), Worth (9) and Moody
Both winning tosser Dave Murdoch and loser Barry Harvey chalked up four-hitters in the late game but it was the timely hitting of Stu Mitchell that decided this clash. The Douglas’ third baseman banged out two singles which produced three runs.
Harvey (L) and Moody
Murdoch (W) and Rivers
(August 16) Winning pitcher Art Worth, the veteran playing-skipper of the Transport Workers, was at his best on the knoll at Royal Athletic Stadium where he pitched his charges to a 2 to 0 conquest of Douglas Hotel in the third game of the Victoria Senior Amateur League final series.Worth faced only 28 batters and had a perfect game going until the fourth frame when Rich McMartin singled and was then retired on a double play. In the sixth stanza, opposing chucker Des Moseley also singled. After that Worth shut the door. He fanned nine and didn’t walk a batter. Moseley didn’t do badly himself, yielding seven hits. His main trouble came from catcher Ron Grant who knocked in both runs, the first with a third-inning sacrifice fly and the last with a seventh-inning single.
Moseley (L) and Rivers
Worth (W) and Grant
(August 17) The Transport Workers added the 1961 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League playoff title to the regular-season pennant as they disposed of Douglas Hotel 14 to 4 at Royal Athletic Park to wrap up the best-of-five finals in four games. The Workers bashed 16 base blows off the trio of Dave Murdoch, Bill McAdams and Ron Karadimas in the one-sided finale. Although nicked for 10 hits, winning chucker Les Brice had a huge cushion to work with in going the distance.
L. Brice (W) and Moody
Murdoch (L), McAdams (3), Karadimas (4) and Rivers
LOWER-ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Ladysmith Red Sox vs Victoria Transport Workers (best-of-three series)
(August 19) The Victoria Transport Workers blasted out 32 hits in a doubleheader sweep of the overmatched Chemainus-Ladysmith Red Sox of the Mid-Island Baseball League at Royal Athletic Park, romping to 14 to 1 and 12 to 2 victories. Jim Moody had three hits in both games for the Victorians.
Brinham (L), Rodger (8) and Bonde
G. Bishop (W), Kilduff (9) and Grant
Rodger (L), Allan (6), Rodger (7), Len Irving (8) and Bonde
G. Brice (W) and Moody
VANCOUVER ISLAND FINALS Campbell River vs Victoria Transport Workers (best-of-three series)
(August 26-27) A technicality mars Victoria Transport Workers’ official claim to the Vancouver Island Senior Amateur baseball championship but it isn’t stopping them from entering the forthcoming provincial finals as the Island’s bona-fide representative. The Transports disposed of Campbell River of the Up-Island League in two straight weekend games over the weekend. Art Worth’s Capital City squad won Saturday’s game at Royal Athletic Park by a 5 to 4 count and followed that up Sunday by trouncing Campbell River 21 to 2 on the home turf of the Up-Islanders. The Workers’ series victory may be ignored because officials neglected to inform Campbell River that three players may be picked up to strengthen the team in the playoffs. Since Campbell River did not enter the B. C. championship tournament, however, it becomes a moot point so the road is clear for the Victorians to proceed as the Island’s representative. Worth used all three of his recruits Sunday. Des Moseley, added to the roster from Douglas Hotel, was the winning hurler. Other additions to the squad were pitcher George Brice from Wakeman-Trimble and infielder Mike Hodge from the Naval Vets.
Compton (L), Third (8) and Graham
L. Brice, Kilduff (W) (5) and Moody
Moseley (W), G. Brice (9) and Moody, Grant (8)
Third (L), Walker (6), Winters (7), Spiers (8) and Graham
(September 2-4) BC SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
In an exciting finish, Kelowna captured the BC Senior Baseball Championship over the weekend edging a never-day-die Victoria nine in the final.
In a Monday morning elimination game, Victoria scored three in the bottom of the ninth inning to pull out a 7-6 win over Maple Ridge.
Merv Minty, Bob Trinder (6), Morley Deans (L) (7) and Ian Jack
George Brice, Art Worth (7) , Des Moseley (W) (9) and Jim Moody
In a classic 16-inning battle in the afternoon, Victoria fell behind 1-0 in the third inning, tied it in the bottom of the ninth and then pushed across a run in the 16th to escape with a 2-1 triumph. Ron Karadimas laid down a bunt with the bases loaded to squeeze in the winner.
Bill Martino (L) and Jack Burton
George Brice, Des Moseley (W) (6) and Jim Moody
They almost did it again in the final. The game was tied 7-7 going into the final frame. Kelowna jumped into a big lead with four runs in the top of the inning, but Victoria came right back with two and had the tying runs on second and third with just one out before they ran out of gas in losing 11-9.
Bill Martino, who had pitched all 16 innings in the afternoon, got the call to try and halt the Victoria rally. The 20-year-old right-hander got Art Worth and Steve Bishop to ground out to end the game.
Les Schaeffer, Bud Engelsby (W) (6), Bill Martino (9) and Jack Burton
Cliff Kilduff, Art Worth (4), George Brice (L) (5) and Jim Moody
Victoria's Des Moseley was voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, having been the winning pitcher in all three Victoria triumphs.
The tourney began Saturday with Kelowna downing Terrace 6-3 and Victoria crushing Maple Ridge 12-2. On Sunday Maple Ridge edged Terrace 2-1 and Kelowna topped Victoria 5-2.