FORT SASKATCHEWAN TOURNAMENT
(May 21-22) The Edmonton City Police Athletics copped top money in the third annual Fort Saskatchewan senior baseball tournament. Merv Currie was credited with the pitching victory over the hometown Red Sox in the tourney finale. He showed a blazing fastball and had a shutout going until he was relieved of his mound duties in the seventh. His successor Clark Rex, by trade a catcher, was tagged for three runs and the Police rushed Currie back in from right-field to mop up. John Dosen was the luckless starter and loser for the Fort. In the semi-finals, Gord Labossiere pitched the Fort to a lopsided decision over Lamont while Dave Kosteniuk cruised to an easy hillock verdict over the Army & Navy Cardinals. In the opening round, Ed Williams of the Cop Squad had little trouble in securing an 8 to 2 triumph over Gibbons while youthful Dave Dinwoodie hurled the Cardinals to a resounding 17 to 1 bombardment of Amber Valley. Other first-round results saw the Fort turning back Redwater 14 to 5 and Lamont outslugging the St. Josaphat’s Saints 13 to 10.
KIMBERLEY DYNAMOS TOURNAMENT
(June 23-25) For the third consecutive summer a team from Spokane has carried off the top prize in the Kimberley Tournament. The Orphans walloped the host Kimberley Dynamos 11-1 in the final Sunday to take first prize money of $300. The Spokane Builders had won the tourney in 1959 and 1960.
The visitors scored in every inning of the seven inning contest as Dynamo errors and walks played a bit part in the runaway victory, as did some long blows. Spokane third baseman Tom Halvorson cracked a three-run homer in the third and Gerry Skipworth duplicated the feat in the fifth.
Jack Armstrong (L), Carl Johansson (2), Rick Steadman (5) and xxx
xxx and Ken Eilmes
The Kimberley Hobos kicked off the tournament Friday with an 9-2 win over Cranbrook Cubs with Ron Brown pitching for the victory over Wally Tymchyna of the Cubs.
Spokane had an easy time in its opener crushing the Creston All-Stars 14-2 with Spike Grovenor and John Simchuk combining on the hill for the Orphans.
Eric "Ike" Bodin racked up 17 strikeouts as the Dynamos scored three in the first inning and cruised to a 7-4 win over Coleman. Al Roemer smacked a homer for the winners. Howie Gilbert had a four-bagger for Coleman.
Saturday night, the St. John Bombers embarrassed the Calgary Rockets 20-0 in a game called in the fourth inning.
In the first semi-final on Sunday, the Dynamos got five-hit shutout pitching by Rick Steadman to subdue the Hobos 3-0. Mel Johnson, relieved in the fifth by Colin Patterson took the loss. Dynamos won with just six hits, two by Les Lilley, one for two bases.
The Orphans faced their toughest competition in their second game getting by St. John, Washington, 5-0. Steve Bell allowed just five hits in tossing the shutout and contributed a home run. Don Kolb's three-run shot in the eighth put the game on ice.
VIRDEN INVITATIONAL
(June 29) Paced by the hitting of Cliff Seafoot and the relief hurling of Ladd Hutchison, the Riverside Blues captured top money at the invitational baseball tournament at the Virden Agricultural Society's opening day Thursday. The Blues banged out 12 hits to down Wawota 8-3 in the final. Seafoot had four hits, including a first inning round tripper while Hutchison relieved starter Wes Rathwell in the third inning to pick up the win. Morris Seafoot and Don McLean each had two hits for the winners.
The Blues bounced Virden and Reston to advance to the final while Wawota was busy knocking over Oak Lake and Grand Clairiere. George Seamer pitched the first two wins for Riverside. In the first, they rallied for four runs and a 5-4 win over Virden.
CALGARY JUNIOR TOURNAMENT
(July 1-2) Local teams dominated the action at the 2nd Annual Calgary Elks Junior Baseball Tournament at Buffalo Stadium over the holiday weekend. Eight teams, five from outside the city participated. Four of the out of town nines were sent packing after the opening round.
Jim MacDonald's Calgary Indians walked off with the top prize scored a 9-4 victory in the final over the local league leaders, the Pirates. Five late runs broke open a tight game which the Pirates gave away allowing seven unearned runs. Lefty Bob Marik scattered 10 hits in going the distance for the winners.
Indians advanced to the final behind a superb mound effort by Jack Truran in a semi-final. Truran was weaving a no-hitter in the bottom of the ninth against Cranbrook but, with one out, Cranbrook third sacker Terry Staples lined a single to right to break the spell. Indians won, 11-0, with Truran racking up 15 strikeouts.
Pirates made the title game crushing the third Calgary entry, the Orioles, 11-3. A seven-run second inning salted away the win for right-hander Don Finlay. Rookie catcher Gary Saville carried a big stick for the Indians all weekend. In the final he knocked in three runs with a pair of doubles and a single. In the tournament opener against Drumheller, he had four hits.
In other first round action, the Pirates mauled the Kimberley Angels 13-2 as lefty Len Marks fired a three-hitter.
Orioles reached the semi-final edging Medicine Hat 4-3 and Cranbrook clobbered Red Deer 10-4 as Miles Desharnais tossed a four-hitter.
Calgary Indians 4 Drumheller 3 (11 innings)
Petts, Luft (W) (6) and Saville
Rawlysk (L) and Tilley
Cranbrook 10 Red Deer 4
M.Desharnais (W) and Leiman
Smith (L), Filmore (2), Daniels (8) and Bioletti
Calgary Orioles 4 Medicine Hat 3
Viens (W) and Ingram
Buckholz (L) and Senger
Calgary Pirates 13 Kimberley 2
Marks (W) and Birks
Steadman (L), Hutton (7), Heinemann (8) and Fabro
Sunday
Calgary Indians 11 Cranbrook 0
Truran (W) and Worsley
Knight (L) and Leiman
Calgary Orioles 3 Calgary Pirates 11
Weitz (L), Schmelke (2) and Ingram
Finlay (W) and Birks
Calgary Indians 9 Calgary Pirates 4
Marik (W) and Saville
Green (L), Marks (8) and Birks
PRINCE GEORGE TOURNAMENT
(July 2) Maple Ridge won the Prince George Baseball Tournament for the second straight year Sunday defeating Maillardville 6-1 in the final. Larry Walker pitched a six-hitter, hit two singles, batted in a run and scored one for the winners who took home $700 in prize money.
DONNELLY (ALBERTA) TOURNAMENT
(July 15-16) Donnelly Cubs captured first prize money of $500 in their $1,000 tournament over the weekend shading Peace River Stampeders 4-3 in a thrilling final before some 1,500 fans. John Doucette was the hero for the Cubs pitching the final victory and smacking a pair of home runs. Ted Maisonneuve also cracked a four-bagger for the winners. John Czuy of the Stamps brought Peace River within a run in the ninth with another homer. Semi-final games had Donnelly defeating Tangent 5-3 with Ray Stokke knocking out a homer and Peace River trouncing Kinuso 10-0 with Pete Czuy tossing another shutout and blasting a homer.
First day results had Tangent clobbering McLennan 14-1 behind Gilbert Lemoine's pitching and a home run by Robert Lemoine. Donnelly edged Fairview Outlaws 1-0 in the second game despite a two-hitter by losing pitcher Pat Friedel. Kinuso sidelined Falher 12-3. Peace River crushed Barrhead Pontiacs 9-2 as Joe Weremy racked up 15 strikeouts and had a home run.
FALHER (ALBERTA) TOURNAMENT
(July 22-23) As the Donnelly Cubs did a week earlier, Falher won its own tournament Saturday and Sunday slipping by the Cubs 3-2 in the final with more than 1.500 fans looking on. Although threatened by cloudy skies and the odd rain shower, the tourney proved a big success with large crowds for all games. The well-bolstered Falher club won its way into the final by downing Eaglesham 8-1 while Donnelly, behind the hurling of John Doucette edged out Peace River.
On opening day, Eagleshaw topped McLennan 4-2 and Falher, with an 18-strikeout performance by Larry Craig, dumped Beaverlodge Royals 4-1. Donnelly edged Tangent Braves 2-1 and Peace River whipped Edmonton's Army & Navy Cardinals 7-4 as Les Breckner provided the winning blow, a three-run homer in the eighth inning. Joe Weremy belted a pair of homers for the winners while Pete Czuy was the winning pitcher.
SASKATOON EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT
(July 24) Unity Cardinals rode a four-run fifth inning to a 6-4 victory over Delisle in the opening game of the 1961 Exhibition Tournament. The big inning gave Unity a 6-1 margin which Delisle reduced with two markers in the 7th and another in the bottom of the ninth before Erwin Doerksen came on with two on and two out to relieve Ross Stone and fanned Bev Bentley to end the game. Cardinals punched out 14 hits, four by centre fielder Johnny Repin. Stone held Delisle to eight hits, three by Max Bentley.
Stone (W), Doerksen (9) and J.Fahl
Gartner (L) and Wanner
(July 25) North Battleford spotted Asquith a run in the first inning then scored four in the fifth to post a 4-1 decision and advance to the semi-final round of the tourney. Roy Rowley surrendered just five hits, fanned nine and walked one. Losing hurler Lew Hobson rang up 15 strikeouts, but walked five and allowed nine hits. Dave Hallis, the Beavers' first baseman, drove in two runs with a double to deep right-centre while Don Drummond and Barney Krake singled in the other scores. Bev Brooks knocked in Elmer Walker with the lone Asquith marker on an infield out.
Hobson (L) and Brooks
Rowley (W) and Krake
(July 25) Ted Richardson was outstanding in pitching Neilburg to a 5-0 shutout over Govan. The little left-hander yielding just two hits while setting down 16 via the strikeout route. He walked three. As in the previous two games in the tournament, one big inning accounted for the victory as the Monarchs plated all five runs in the fourth inning. Veteran Pete Prediger, playing in his 28th Exhibition Tournament, cracked out two doubles for Neilburg and drove in two runs.
Stroeder (L), M.Danbrook and Strueby
Richardson (W) and P.Prediger
(July 26) First sacker Don Laube powered Melville to an 11-3 triumph over Kindersley. Laube knocked in three runs with a homer, double and single and scored three times as the Millionaires pounded out 15 hits while Cliff Mein held the Klippers to just three while racking up 14 strikeouts. Barry Trapp added a triple and single for the winners.
MacEwen (L), Richard (5) and Flanagan
Mein (W) and Boyle
(July 27) Erwin Doerksen hurled Unity Cardinals to the final of the Exhibition Tournament Thursday. The 20-year-old right-hander twirled a three-hitter and whiffed a dozen as Unity topped North Battleford 5-1. Cardinals collected 13 hits off Jackie McLeod, recruited from Swift Current for the tourney. Third baseman Don Stewart led the attack with four singles in five trips. Doerksen helped at the plate with three hits. Both drove in a pair of runs.
Doerksen (W) and J.Fahl
McLeod (L) and Krake
(July 28) Pete Prediger drew a bases-loaded walk in the tenth inning for the winning run as Neilburg won a berth in the final edging Melville 4-2. Fred Hodgson led off the frame reaching on an error and Erwin Boehm followed with a bunt single. Neil Urlacher's bunt also went for a hit to set the stage for Prediger. Pete's 20-year-old son Ivan then hit a sacrifice fly to deep centre to score an insurance run. Ted Richardson allowed just four hits before leaving in the ninth inning when hit by a pitch. Hodgson didn't allow a hit in his two innings of work. Cliff Mein, who came in for starter Joe Stroeder in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and none out, was the tough-luck loser. He gave up just three hits while racking up 14 strikeouts in his seven innings of mound work.
Richardson, Hodgson (W) (9) and P.Prediger
Stroeder, Mein (L) (4) and Boyle
(July 29) Unity Cardinals nipped Neilburg 3-2 to win top prize of $575 at the Exhibition Tournament. In a well-played final, Rusty Devine tossed five-hit ball for eight innings for the Cardinals before Erwin Doerksen came on in the ninth. Devine fanned 13 and walked two. Unity took the lead in the third inning when playing coach Irl Flanagan, who had singled, scored on a long sacrifice fly by Johnny Repin. Neilburg evened the count in the fourth as Ivan Prediger doubled to score Charlie Orr who had reached on an error. Two runs in the fifth proved decisive for the Cardinals. Chuck Ratley doubled down the left field line and moved to third on a passed ball. Don Stewart singled to plate Ratley and Repin drove in Stewart with a long single which took a bad bounce and gave Larry Flicek trouble in centre field. Monarchs got a run in the eighth and had two base runners in the ninth but couldn't score. Fred Hodgson surrendered just seven hits in taking the loss.
Stewart took the $25 prize for most hits in the tourney, seven. Ted Richardson of Neilburg won $25 for the most strikeouts in a single game, 16.
Devine (W), Doerksen and J.Fahl
Hodgson (L) and P.Prediger
LACOMBE TOURNAMENT
Lacombe : (July 27) Curly Williams led the Medicine Hat Meridians to top prize money of $1,100 in the annual Lacombe tournament. Williams had three hits in each of the semi-final and final games, scored the winning run in the final and belted a homer, triple and double in the semi-final In the 1960 tournament, Williams reached base 14 times in 15 plate appearances.
Alton Arnold went the distance as Meridians shaded Lethbridge 3-2 in the final before 3,500 fans. Williams scored the first run when he slid home forcing catcher John Bartholomew to drop the ball in the collision. The winning run scored in the sixth when left fielder Gerry King belted a towering homer to drive Williams home in front of him.
Arnold and Milano
Warren, McDonald (7) and Bartholomew
Meridians beat Edmonton 8-5 in the semi-final as Williams drove in four runs with his homer, triple and double. He also scored twice. King's two-run homer in the 6th inning proved to be the winning blow. Manager Cliff Pemberton and Mick McNamee each had three hits for Edmonton.
Reuter, Jones (2), Neal (8) and Campise, Henkel (8)
Rebelo and Milano
Lethbridge upset Saskatoon 2-0 in the other semi-final as Willie Walasko fired a five-hitter. Saskatoon came into the tournament as the league leaders in the four-team WCBL. Jim Lester led the Sox with three hits.
Walasko and Garrett
Sutherland, Heise (7), Peters (9) and Herrington
Saskatoon's Tim Cullen was the hitting star of the opening day. The Commodores third baseman drove in eight runs with consecutive grand slam homers in the 3rd and 4th innings as Saskatoon trounced Edmonton's Big Seven All-Stars 14-2. Winning pitcher Cliff Goodrich and outfielder Bob Levingston also had homers for the winners. Dave Kosteniuk and Gord Labossiere poked homers for Edmonton.
All four Western Canada League teams advanced as Lethbridge beat Notre Dame Hounds 7-4 as reliever Jerry Burcher stopped a Hounds' rally in the 6th and batted in the winning runs in the 8th. Burcher and starter Pete Kinney combined for 15 strikeouts. Medicine Hat blanked Calgary Orphans 5-0 and Edmonton edged Philadelphia Stars 2-0 as Cliff Pemberton went 3 for 5 and drove in both runs for the Eskimos. Edmonton had scored another four runs in the 7th, all on walks, but the game was called because of darkness and the score reverted to the last complete inning.
Medicine Hat's Dick Dyer and Eskimos Jerry Merz were the pitching stars. Each tossed a four-hit shutout. Dyer had 11 strikeouts. Wayne Clark's homer was the big blow for the Meridians.
Saskatoon 14 Edmonton 2
Goodrich and Herrington, Tuggle (5)
Currie, Labossiere (4) and Waddle
Calgary 0 Medicine Hat 5
Casanova and Saville, Blaskin (8)
Dyer and Milano
Edmonton 2 Philadelphia 0
Merz and Campise
Drummond, Dawson (7) and Stanfield
Lethbridge 7 Notre Dame 4
Kinney, Burcher (6) and Garrett
Beard and Ross
PEACE RIVER TOURNAMENT
Peace River (July 29-30) : The hometown Stampeders dumped Donnelly Cubs 6-1 Sunday to capture first money in their own tournament. The victory, before more than 500 fans, was powered by John Zahara who smacked three home runs and a single. Pete Czuy was outstanding on the hill with a three-hitter and 11 strikeouts.
John Doucette (L) and Garth Robers
Pete Czuy (W) and Jim Kozie
Stampeders reached the final downing Sexsmith 5-1 and Tangent 13-0. Donnelly Cubs sidelined St. John 7-4 in 12 innings and Dawson Creek Cardinals 10-3.
Stamps kicked off the tournament Saturday morning with their win over the Sexsmith Rainiers as Dave McPhillamey hurled steady ball and the Peace River defence played errorless ball. Zahara poked a homer and two doubles to the lead the winners.
McPhillamey (W) and Jim Kozie
Ken Johnston (L) and xxx
Behind a 12 strikeout performance by Robert Lamoine Tangent Braves sidelined Barrhead Pontiacs 7-1. Noel Chenard belted a round tripper for the Braves.
Lamoine (W) and xxx
Roy Ulmer (L), Jim Grainer (7) and xxx
A pair of four-baggers by Dennis Ferguson of the Dawson Creek Cardinals was the difference as the Cards derailed McLennan 2-1 in one of the tourney's best games. Tony Doll won the tight pitcher's duel with Ben Burnett.
Ben Burnett (L) and xxx
Tony Doll (W) and xxx
The final game on Saturday was a 12-inning thriller as the Donnelly Cubs got back-to-back homers by John Doucette and Ray Stokke in the 12th for a 7-4 victory. Roger Belerine had rapped a homer in the 11th for the Cubs. The teams tied 3-3 after regulation. Doucette went the route on the mound for Donnelly to best Ed Davis.
Ed Davis (L) and xxx
Doucette (W) and Garth Roberts
In the first semi-final, Peace River ran up a 13-0 lead after six innings and the game was called (10-run :mercy" rule). Stampeders' playing coach Joe Weremy slammed the game's only homer and was the winning hurler. Pete Lizotte had four hits for the winners and Frank Brown chipped in with three.
Weremy (W), McPhillamey (5) and Jim Kozie
Gilbert Lamoine (L), Ed Bouchard, Oliver Lemoine, Robert Lamoine, Gilbert Lemoine and xxx
Paced by Don Pasutto's 13-strikeout mound effort and home runs by Garth Roberts and Maurice Chauvette, Donnelly crushed Dawson Creek 10-3 in the other semi-final. A five-run outburst in the ninth put the game away for Donnelly. Rod Gauf had a circuit shot for the losers.
Pasutto (W) and Garth Roberts
Gord Labossiere (L), Nick Miller (9) and xxx
LETHBRIDGE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Lethbridge : (July 30) Meridians whipped Edmonton Eskimos 16-4 to win the 11th annual Lethbridge Rotary International tournament. Mike Jauregui went the distance for the Meridians who took advantage of 14 bases on balls from Eskimo hurlers. Mick Mousalam knocked in five runs with a double and two singles. Mickey McNamee's homer was the lone highlight for Edmonton. Jim Johnson, first of four Edmonton pitchers was the loser.
Jaurequi and Milano
Johnson, Neal (1), Jones (1), Reuter (7) and Campise
Edmonton, with Cliff Pemberton at the helm, ripped Lethbridge 10-1 to win a spot in the final. Casey Jones paced the Eskimos with a homer, two doubles and a single. Chico Slaughter allowed just four hits in gaining the win.
Slaughter and xxx
Jerry MacDonald, Burcher, Warren, Kinney (6) and xxx
In a contest which infuriated the Commodores, the Meridians were awarded a 3-2 victory in a semi-final contest although Saskatoon had erupted for six runs in the 8th inning to take an 8-3 lead.
Barry Arnett's single drove in a run in the bottom of the seventh to give Lloydminster a 3-2 lead. In the top of the 8th, the Commodores began to roll. Before reliever Dick Dyer could put out the fire the Commodores had plated six runs. In the bottom of the inning, Gene Graves, a meticulous and painfully slow workman was on the hill for Saskatoon. He walked Curly Williams and got Jerry King to pop out. With darkness approaching, plate umpire Tom Edwards headed for the Rotary Rules Committee for consultation. Edwards announced the game had been called because of darkness and thus the score reverted to the last complete inning and the Meridians escaped with the win. Darrell Read grabbed the win. Lefty Dan Schneider was the loser.
Darrell Read and xxx
Schneider and xxx
In opening action, Lethbridge's Dave Dowling struck out 18 batters, a tournament record, as the White Sox beat Regina Red Sox of the Southern Baseball League 3-0. Dowling allowed seven hits without issuing a base on balls. White Sox were victims of a triple play in the 5th inning, the second against Lethbridge this season.
Dowling and xxx
Arnie Floyd and xxx
Edmonton shutout Calgary Orphans 8-0 before rains washed out the rest of the opening day games. Tommy Taylor pitched a four-hitter and fanned 14 to lead Edmonton to its shutout win over Calgary. Edmonton had 13 hits off starter Al Dyck. Richie Johnson had four hits for the Esks. Stan Beard was on base five times on three hits and a pair of walks. Casey Jones belted a two-run homer for the winners.
Taylor and xxx
Dyck and xxx
Saskatoon and Missoula, Montana, Highlanders had their game stopped in the top of the 9th with the scored tied 1-1. Former major leaguer Curt Barclay held the Commodores to one run over eight innings while Floyd Thionnet and Gene Graves allowed just one tally to the Highlanders. Barclay had spent a season with the Medicine Hat Mohawks in 1951.
The contest was completed on Saturday. Missoula pushed across a pair in the 13th inning to take a 3-1 lead on a single, hit batter and three walks. But Saskatoon roared back in the bottom of the inning to grab the win. Midge Fazio drew a walk to lead off and Mike Bellas and Tim Cullen followed with singles. Pinch hitter Jim Tuggle walked to force in a run and Mickey McDermott also drew a base on balls to knot the count at 3-3. With the sacks full and none out, Charlie Moore relieved Doug LeBrun. On Moore's first pitch, Lyle Olsen blasted one over the left field barrier, his 6th hit in seven appearances, to give the Commodores a 7-3 victory.
Barclay, LeBrun (9), Moore (13) and xxx
Thionnet, Graves (8), xxx and xxx
Medicine Hat Meridians edged Philadelphia Stars 4-2, holding off a 9th inning rally by the Stars. Tom McKenna went the distance for the win giving up seven hits. He struck out eight. Wayne Clark had a double and single to lead the offense.
Jake Hagin, John Dawson, Charlie Drummond and xxx
McKenna and xxx
PONOKA TOURNAMENT
(August 6-7) Peace River Stampeders downed St. John's Washington 5-1 Monday in the final of the $3,750 Ponoka Tournament. Stamps scored singletons in the Fourth and fifth before putting the game away with a three-spot in the eighth, helped by four errors by the Americans. St. John's pulled off a triple play in the fifth. Pete Czuy pitching into the eighth to register the win. John Doucette finished. St. John's made the trip with just 10 players, onl two of them pitchers.
Swent (L), Haddock (6) and Challich
P.Czuy (W), Doucette (8) and Kozie
Veteran lefty Joe Weremy yielded just five hits as Peace River advanced to the final with a 5-3 triumph over Ponoka. Stamps, who fell behind 3-1 after seven innings, plated a pair in the eighth on singles by Ron Duda and John Doucette to tie and added another two in the top of the ninth for the triumph. Weremy doubled and scored a single by Doucette who came around to score on another base knock. Ray Stokke slammed a homer for Peace River in the second. Ed Williams took the loss.
Weremy (W) and Kozie
Williams (L), Currie (9) and Kulka
St. John's reached the final by downing Calgary Orphans 10-6 thanks to a five-run uprising in the seventh inning. Boyd Svent survived ten hits. three of them home runs, to go the distance for the pitching win. Bill Casanova, Gord Vejprava and Bill Fennessey cracked the round-trippers for Calgary.
Swent (W) and Challich
Burcher, Casanova (7) and Saville, Blaskin (4)
In opening action, Peace River scored seven runs in the sixth and another four in the seventh in clobbering the Prelate, Saskatchewan, Mustangs 13-1. John Doucette went the route for the win. Ponoka ran wild in a 16-5 romp over Kimberley, BC, Dynamos. Calgary stopped Cold Lake Cardinals 5-2 and St. John's topped the Medicine Hat Superiors 8-4. The tournament featured some amazingly good baseball but poor crowds/ Organizers suggested this could be the last year of the tournament.
YORKTON TOURNAMENT
Yorkton (Aug 27, 1961) : D'Arcy Loster pitched Stenen to top prize of $300 in the Yorkton tournament. Loster allowed just one run in 15 innings, including a five-inning one-hitter in the final, a 2-1 victory over Melville. Stenen had earlier downed the Combines 4-1, Hohenloe 7-0 and Kihaly 4-0. A crowd of 1,350 watched the final.
Stenen 4 Springside-Theodore Combines 1
Hohenloe 9 Calder 6
Kihaly 2 Yorkton Red Sox 1
Kronau 4 Yorkton Phillies 0
Moosomin 12 Weekes 8
Melville 7 Donwell 2
Stenen 7 Hohenloe 0
Kihaly 6 Moosomin 3
Melville 2 Kronau 1
Stenen 4 Kihaly 0
Stenen 2 Melville 1
(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.
KAMLOOPS LABOUR DAY TOURNAMENT
(September 3-4) Oliver OBCs pushed across three runs in the late innings Monday to upset Vancouver Boilermakers 6-4 to win top money in the ninth annual Kamloops Labour Day Baseball Tournament.
The two finalists had much different routes to the championship game. Oliver reached with two easy wins, 3-0 on Sunday over South Burnaby Athletics and 15-8 Monday over Vancouver CYO. Boilermakers, who played all their games on Monday, opened with a narrow 2-1 victory over Vernon Carlings and were extended to eleven innings before stopping Kamloops by a 2-1 margin in the semi-final.
Okonots advanced to the money circle by outslugging Maillardville Jubilees 11-10 Sunday. CYOs nipped Vancouver Dufferins 4-3 to gain the other playoff position.
The Oliver victory was their third in nine years. Starter Doug/Stan Dagneau who went seven innings before giving way to Richie Schnider, was credited with the win. Vancouver workhorse Al Mayervich took the loss. He came on in aid of Bob Elliott in the early innings and gave way to Gary Winbow in the late going. Each team had nine hits.
Overshadowing the tournament final was the eleven-inning semi-final cliff hanger between the Okonots and Boilermakers. Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and held it until the seventh when Stan Kato and Al Alexander hit back to back singles to drive in Al Collier with the tying run. Norm Usselman's bases-empty homer decided the issue in the top of the eleventh. Al Mayervich, who relieved left-hander Gary Winbow in the seventh, picked up the win. Ray Scott started for Kamloops and gave up nine hits in nine innings of work.
Okonots needed the aid of a tournament rule and some fine infield play to snuff out a late Maillardville rally to notch their win. They piled up an 11-2 lead but were forced to scramble when Jubilees came up with four runs in the fifth and another four in the eighth. A two-hour tournament game rule cut short the rally and ended the contest at the end of the sixth frame. There were three home runs in the game, Buck Buchanan smacked a grand slam in the fourth inning for the Okonots and import catcher Casey Thompson poked the other for Kamloops. Ken/Stan Stewardson had a four-bagger for Maillardville. More than 20,000 fans took in the two days of competition. More than 4,000 attended the tourney final.
FERNIE LABOUR DAY TOURNAMENT
(September 3-4) Kimberley Hobos captured top money at the Fernie Labour Day Tournament Monday with an easy 16-5 win over the host Fernie club in the final. The tournament drew eight teams, from Pincher Creek, Warner, Fernie, Creston, Coleman, Calgary and the two Kimberley entries.
In the opener on Sunday morning, Fernie topped Pincher Creek 9-4.
Warner, trailing Creston Cruisers 1-0 after six innings, ran wild in the seventh and final frame to win 7-1.
Kimberley Hobos eked out a 2-1 victory over Coleman behind the steady hurling of Colin Patterson. Coleman had a 1-0 lead in the first inning but in the second Hobos notched a pair and that proved enough. John Kosiancic got the first run on a steal of home and during the argument that followed Ed Johnson scooted home from second.
In another dandy game to close out the first round, Kimberley Dynamos blanked Calgary 1-0 with Ike Bodin firing a one-hitter. The only run came in the top of the seventh and final inning. Les Lilley led off with a triple to centre field and Buzz Mellor drove him home with a drive down the right field line.
Fernie Falcons reached the final downing Warner Red Wings 7-2 in the first game Monday, then the Dynamos and Hobos renewed their old rivalry in the second game.
Dynamos took an early 6-2 lead but the Hobos closed the gap with three in the eighth. Dynamos extended their lead with two more in the ninth for an 8-5 advantage but the Hobos plated three in the bottom of the ninth to tie 8-8. In the 11th, Lilley tripled with one out and Mellor followed with a sharp single to bring in the go-ahead marker. The Hobos, however, again rose to the occasion. In their half of the frame, Jim Putsey walked, Moose Ronquist singled and John Kosiancic rapped a two-bagger to bring in the tying run with Ronquist moving to third.
Pitcher Jim Nelson lifted a log fly ball to deep centre field and Ronquist romped home with the winning run.
The final was a loosely played affair with the Hobos cracking out 15 hits to just eight for Fernie while the Falcons booted the ball seven times. Hobos took home $300 for their championship.