1963 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1963 BC Interior
1963 Vancouver Island
OKANAGAN-MAINLINE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Kamloops Lelands
Kelowna Labatts
Merritt Luckies
Penticton Red Sox
Vernon Luckies
(May 12) The homestanding Merritt Luckies opened the new season by sweeping a pair of games from their namesakes, the Vernon Luckies, at Voght Park. The scores were 11 to 1 and 6 to 5. In the seven-inning opener lefthander Larry Webster had little trouble in posting the win, limiting Vernon to just four hits, all singles. The Merritt club pounded out 11 base hits off losing twirler Ron Miciuk including a three-run homer by Doug Weeks.
Webster also earned the hurling victory in the second tilt after coming to the aid of Merritt starter Carl Sheeley in the top-of-the-eighth episode. In arrears by a 5 to 3 count, the hosts put up a three-spot in their half of the panel to take the lead. Triples by Larry Shannon and Weeks, plus a two-bagger by playing-manager Bob Radies, sparked that game-winning uprising. Vernon’s John Kashuba suffered the defeat.
(May 16) Jack Fowles of Kamloops pitched eight innings of no-hit ball but it didn't save the Lelands from an 8-6 defeat by Merritt Thursday in the Lelands' home opener in the Okanagan Mainline Senior Baseball League. Fowles was summoned into the game with no outs in the second inning after Merritt had scored eight times off starter Buddy Schollen and reliever Jim Sather. Kamloops came close with an eighth inning rally highlighted by Buck Buchanan's three-run homer. Lefty Larry Webster went the distance for the winners.
Webster (W) and xxx
Schollen (L), Sather (2), Fowles (2) and xxx
(May 23) Dale Cassel blasted a two-run double in the sixth inning to lead the Kamloops Lelands to a 9 to 7 come-from-behind victory over the Vernon Luckies. Alex Kashuba gave Vernon the jump in the first inning when he pounded a three-run dinger. The Luckies added two more in the second stanza when Jack Wheelhouse connected for another tater with Perry Romeo aboard. The Hotelmen, who had an 11 to 7 advantage in base hits, fought back and finally took the lead with a four-spot in the sixth, in large measure to Cassel’s timely blow. Kamloops’ playing-manager Gord Beecroft, who pitched seven innings of relief, collected the pitching win while Ron Miciuk, who toiled on the hill for the Vernonites over the final six spasms, was tagged with the loss.
Elliott, Miciuk (L) (3) and xxx
Fowles, Beecroft (W) (2) and xxx
(May 25) Bill Martino’s three-run homer in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning lifted the Kelowna Labatts to a 6 to 4 conquest of the Merritt Luckies in a nip-and-tuck battle. It was the first loss of the season for Merritt. Les Schaeffer picked up the mound win while Al Mayervich, victimized by Martino’s swat, suffered the setback. Doug Weeks led the Luckies’ eight-hit offense with three base raps.
(May 26) Newcomer Graham Frizzell, a lanky righthander from Vancouver, struck out 13 Penticton batters and scattered four hits as the Kamloops Lelands triumphed 6 to 2 over the hosting Red Sox. The defeat was the first of the season for the Crimson Hose. Veteran OMBL pitcher Gary Driessen, who managed ten punchouts while allowing seven base raps, was nicked with the loss. Stan Kato’s two-RBI single in the sixth spasm gave the Lelands a comfortable lead while a four-ply clout off the lumber of Ray Fujikawa with one aboard, put the game out of reach for the hometowners.
(May 26) A five-run eighth episode helped lift the Merritt Luckies past the visiting Penticton Red Sox 8 to 2. Portsider Larry Webster rang up 13 punchouts in copping his fourth hurling verdict of the young campaign. Jim Terbasket, derricked to the showers in the eighth after giving up a two-run triple to Russ Graf, was nicked with the defeat. Elroy Jacobs of the Sox lit up Webster for a seventh-stanza solo round-tripper.
Terbasket (L), Jacobs (8) and xxx
Webster (W) and xxx
(May 30) The Kamloops Lelands scored six times in the first three innings en route to an 8 to 6 triumph over the invading Kelowna Labatts. Outfielder Ray Fujikawa was the big noise for the Hotelmen, clouting a brace of circuit-jacks. Playing-manager Gord Beecroft hurled the pitching win but tired badly in the late innings and required relief help from Jack Fowles. Loser Bill Martino was kayoed from the knoll in the third round.
Martino (L), Loring (3), Cliffe (8) and xxx
Beecroft (W), Fowles (9) and xxx
(May 30) The Penticton Red Sox mired the winless Vernon Luckies deeper in the OMBL cellar by clipping the visitors 9 to 4. For the luckless Luckies, it was the fifth consecutive setback.
Kashuba, Miciuk (1) and Brummet
Terbasket (W) and Specht
(May 31) Gord Beecroft of Kamloops leads the batting race in the Okanagan Mainline Senior League with a .600 average after 26 games. Ron Shemanski of Vernon, at .500, is the runner-up ahead of Doug Weeks of Merritt and Jack Burton of Kelowna, tied at .444. Henry Kimura of Merritt leads in runs, with seven. Bill Martino of Kelowna tops the sluggers with three home runs. Larry Webster of Merritt is the leading pitcher followed by Jim Terbasket of Penticton and Bill Martino of Kelowna. Merritt Metros lead the league with a 4-1 record.
(June 6) Penticton Red Sox handed Vernon Luckies their fifth straight loss, 9-4 in action Thursday at Penticton. Jim Terbasket scattered seven hits in going the route for the pitching win.
Kashuba, Miciuk (L) (1) and Brummet
Terbasket (W) and Specht
(June 1-2) Winning streaks were extended in OMBL action during the weekend. On Saturday in Kelowna, the Penticton Red Sox scored their third straight win over the Labatts, toppling them 15 to 2. Southpaw Larry Webster needed relief help from Carl Sheeley, but chalked up his fifth victory, as the Merritt Luckies whipped Kelowna 11 to 1 Sunday in Merritt. Meanwhile in Vernon, the Kamloops Lelands registered their fourth victory in five starts, trouncing the homestanding Luckies 13 to 2.
(June 5) Outplayed for the most part, the streaking Merritt Luckies still managed to protect their OMBL lead by taking a ten-inning, 3 to 2 decision over the hometown Penticton Red Sox. The Scarlet Stockings got to winning chucker Larry Webster for eight base knocks while losing flinger Jim Terbasket yielded just four safeties. Three unearned runs aided the Luckies in garnering the overtime triumph. Webster rang up 17 punchouts while Terbasket managed 14.
Webster (W) and Radies
Terbasket (L) and Spechy
(June 6) Kamloops Lelands scored four unearned runs in the first inning and held off a late rally by Kelowna to post an 8-6 victory Thursday. George Beecroft pitched into the ninth inning for the win. Jack Fowles was called upon to extinguish a three-run Labatts eruption in the final frame.
Martino (L), Loring (3), Cliff (7) and Leonard
Beecroft (W), Fowles (9) and Yanchuck
(June 8) Ray Fujikawa's ninth inning homer was the difference Saturday as Kamloops Lelands shaded Penticton 4-3. Bill Behrens tossed a four-hitter for the win.
Behrens (W) and Yanchuk
Driessen (L) and Jacobs
(June 9) Merritt rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to down Kamloops 8-6 Sunday. The winners pounded out 13 hits. Ray Fujikawa of the Lelands had the only homer. Al Mayervich yielded nine hits in going the distance for the mound triumph.
Mayervich (W) and Radies
Beecroft, Fowles, Behrens, McMeechan, Beecroft and Yanchuk
(June 9) At Kelowna Sunday, Labatts handed Vernon their seventh straight loss, 14-12 in an 11-inning affair. The game featurd five home runs including a two-run, game-winning, shot by Bill Martino in the bottom of the 11th. Vernon outhit Kelowna 20 to 17, but made seven errors.
(June 12) Penticton Red Sox squeezed by Kelowna 4-3 Wednesday night. Jim Terbasket fired a five-hitter for the win besting Cliff Loring of Labatts.
Loring (L) and Pinske
J. Terbasket (W) and Specht
(June 13) Displaying a combination of fantastic control and rippling speed. Merritt’s Larry Webster fanned 14 in pitching the Luckies to a 5 to 3 win over the hosting Kamloops Lelands. It was the seventh mound victory of the year for Webster in as many decisions. Losing chucker Bill Behrens was raked for 14 base knocks by the Merritt swatsmiths. Keystone sacker Steve Yarno banged out the victors. Shortstop “Bud” Allison whacked a solo dinger for Kamloops in the opening chapter.
Webster (W) and Radies
Behrens (L) and xxx
(June 16) Vernon Luckies snapped an eight-game losing streak with an exclamation mark Sunday defeating the league-leading Merritt Luckies 9-1 and 5-3 in a double header. Vernon catcher Tony Brummet powered the winners with a homer in the first game and two more in the second. His knocked in three in the second contest as Vernon rebounded from a 3-0 deficit. Right-hander Ron Miciuk was the winner in the seven-inning opener with a five-hitter. Larry Webster took the loss, his first in eight starts. Bob Elliott fanned 14 in besting Al Mayervich in the nine inning second game.
Webster (L) and Radies
Miciuk (W) and Brummet
Mayervich (L) and Harkleroad, Radies (2)
Elliott (W) and Brummet
(June 20) After a horrendous start to the campaign, the Vernon Luckies have caught fire, reeling off their third win in succession. Their latest conquest was a triumph over the third-place Kamloops Lelands. As well, a previous loss to the Penticton Red Sox was reversed after the Pentictonites were penalized for using an ineligible player.
(June 20) As per the use of an unregistered player by Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon were both awarded wins for losses they had earlier incurred against the Red Sox. The double-defeats knocked the Sox from second-place in the standings into fourth spot.
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Merritt 8 3 .727 ----
Kamloops 5 5 .500 2.5
Kelowna 5 5 .500 2.5
Penticton 4 6 .400 3.5
Vernon 4 7 .364 4.0
(June 22) The Merritt Luckies and the Kelowna Labatts battled to a 3 – 3 tie in a game that was terminated in the tenth inning because of rain. Bill Martino smashed a solo tater for the Regatta City nine while the Luckies’ Bruno Ceccon went yard with a two-run dinger. The game is scheduled to be continued on July 20 when the Merritt club next visits Kelowna.
(June 22) The Penticton Red Sox took full advantage of the error-plagued Kamloops club to register to register a 6 to 4 win over the visiting Lelands. The loss was the fifth straight suffered by the Hotelmen.
Cohen, Behrens (L) (6), Elson (8) and Yanchuk
Terbasket (W) and Specht
(June 23) The Penticton Red Sox upset the league-leading Merritt Luckies 3 to 2 in a pitcher’s duel at Voght Park. Both winning hurler Gary Driessen and Merritt’s Al Mayervich surrendered six hits in route-going performances. The Red Sox never trailed after plating singletons in each of the third, fourth and fifth frames.
(June 23) Pitcher Bob Elliott of the Vernon Luckies put on a one-man show as he pitched and batted his club to an 11 to 4 drubbing of the Kelowna Labatts. Elliott struck out ten and blasted a three-run homer as the rampaging Vernonites continued to turn things around following a miserable start.
Elliott (W) and J. Kashuba
Schaeffer (L), Cliffe, Martino, Scaeffer and Leonard
(June 26) The Penticton Red Sox ended the four-game Vernon win streak when they defeated the Luckies 9 to 3 in an OMBL contest at the Peach City. Rookie pitcher Jim Terbasket again went the distance in stretching his growing number of wins. Terbasket limited the Luckies to six hits and struck out 13. Righthander Ron Miciuk was tagged with the loss.
Miciuk (L) and J. Kashuba
Terbasket (W) and Specht
(July 3) The red-hot Pentcton Red Sox clobbered Merritt’s ace portsider Larry Webster for ten base knocks as they went on to rough up the Luckies 12 to 6. The Sox are breathing down the neck of the Merritt squad and have inched to within a half-game of the league-leaders. Lee Day homered for the winners while Doug Weeks dialed long distance with a two-run tater for the vanquished nine.
(July 4) The homestanding Merritt Luckies edged the Kamloops Lelands 4 to 3 in a fast-moving OMBL tussle at Voght Park. A tired Larry Webster, who pitched the previous evening in Penticton, managed to persevere through a rough opening inning when the Hotelmen scored all three of their runs. However, his mates came right back and knotted the count in their half of the session. Newcomer Ben Webster plated the go-ahead tally in the second spasm when he singled, took second on an error and scored on a pair of groundouts. The Merritt southpaw blanked Kamloops the rest of the way, finishing with a four-hitter. Bill Behrens suffered the complete-game setback.
(July 4) The Kelowna Labatts parlayed 13 base hits into a 13 to 4 OMBL victory over the visiting Vernon Luckies. Home runs were slugged by Kelowna’s Gerry Robertson, Jack Burton and Dan Pinske. Vernon went through four pitchers trying to subdue their opponents while Carl Sheeley gave up ten hits and struck out six in his first start with Kelowna after starting the season with Merritt.
(July 7) With teenage fireballer Barry Elson on the hill, the invading Kamloops Lelands doubled the Vernon Luckies 6 to 3. Elson went the distance, surrendering five hits. Loser Ron Miciuk, who also went all the way, was combed for 11 base knocks, including two home runs by catcher Stan Kato. Jack Wheelhouse blasted a circuit-jack for Vernon.
Elson (W) and Kato
Miciuk (L) and J. Kashubs
(July 7) Former Luckies’ player Carl Sheeley came back to haunt his former teammates while pitching the Kelowna Labatts to a narrow 2 to 1 verdict over Merritt. In a real tight struggle, Sheeley was touched for five hits while losing chucker Al Mayervich was nicked for six safeties. With the score tied at 1 – 1 in the seventh, Kelowna’s Jack Burton singled, stole second and scored the deciding run on the game’s only error.
(July 11) The Kamloops Lelands shaded the Merritt Luckies 3 to 1 at Riverside park as youthful Steve Cohen effectively spaced seven hits to cop the complete-game hurling victory. It was the first time that Kamloops had upended Merritt this season. The Lelands did all of their scoring against losing twirler Larry Webster in the second stanza on run-scoring singles by Ray Fujikawa and Stan Kato plus an errant pickoff throw to first base by Webster.The Hotelmen collected eight safeties off the slants of the Luckies’ ace slab artist.
(July 13) The Kelowna Labatts moved into sole possession of third place in the OMBL by registering a 2 to 1 eleven-inning win over the Kamloops Lelands. Lefthander Carl Sheeley held the Lelands to only five hits and struck out seven. Losing twirler Ray Scott also fired a five-hitter but forced in the winning run when he issued a bases-loaded walk in the second overtime session. Gord Beecroft stroked a double and single for the losers.
Scott (L) and Kato
Sheeley (W) and Leonard
(July 14) Seeking payback for their 3 to 1 setback of three days previous, the Merritt Luckies clipped the visiting Kamloops Lelands 8 to 3. The most impactful hit of the game came in the third chapter when Larry Shannon tripled in three runs. Al Mayervich copped the heaving victory while Barry Elson, the first of three Kamloops’ chuckers, was nailed with the defeat.
(July 14) Vernon blew a five-run lead in the ninth inning and fell 9 to 6 to the invading Penticton Red Sox. The win tightened the Sox’ hold on top spot in the OMBL and pushed the Luckies even deeper in the cellar.
Driessen (W) and Specht, Taylor
Elliott, Miciuk, Campbell and A. Kashuba, J. Kashuba
(July 15) Penticton Red Sox strengthened their hold on first place in the Okanagan Mainline League with an 8-3 victory over Kamloops. Jim Terbasket, the circuit's leading hurler, allowed just four hits and fanned 15 in going the route for the win. Steve Cohen took the loss.
Cohen (L) , McMechan (5), Behrens (8) and Yanchuk
Terbasket (W) and Taylor
(July 20) The Merritt Luckies took two wins from Kelowna, one the completion of a tie game suspended on June 22 and the other a regular league tussle. A two-run homer by Merritt’s Bruno Ceccon in the eleventh inning of the carryover game broke a 3 – 3 tie and gave the Luckies a 5 to 3 decision.
In the regular scheduled tilt, Luckies’ ace hurler, Larry Webster, held the Labatts to only three hits and fanned 13 as Merritt prevailed 3 to 2. One of the swats yielded by Webster was an opening-canto four-bagger by Kelowna’s Wayne Leonard. Carl Sheeley whiffed five and was nicked for six safeties in absorbing the loss.
Webster (W) and Harkleroad
Sheeley (L) and Burton
(July 21) The Penticton Red Sox reclaimed first place in the OMBL by a half-game margin after taking a 7 to 4 verdict from the Merritt Luckies. Gary Driessen pitched the Crimson Hose back in front with a seven-hit mound effort. Loser Larry Shannon was belted for 15 Penticton base knocks.
(July 21) Rebounding from a double-defeat against Merritt, the invading Kelowna Labatts downed the Vernon Luckies 3 to 1 at Polson Park. Les Schaeffer, who took over pitching chores for the Labatts in the third inning, got credit for the win.
Elliott (L) and J. Kashuba
Sheeley, Schaeffer (W) (3) and Leonard
(July 28) The cellar-dwelling Vernon Luckies pounded two Merritt pitchers for 14 hits as they upset the hosting Luckies 8 to 6 in an OMBL clash. Ron Miciuk was the winning pitcher. Merritt starter Al Mayervich was responsible for nine of the Vernon hits in the five innings that he toiled on the bump.
(July 31) With Larry Webster fashioning a stingy two-hitter, the Merritt Luckies snatched back the OMBL lead when they downed the hosting Penticton Red Sox 5 to 1. Touched for four of the five Merritt runs and shunted to the showers in the eighth, Jim Terbasket came out the loser in this latest chapter of his duel with Webster for recognition as the circuit’s top slab artist. Catcher Bob Radies slugged a four-ply clout for the winners.
Webster (W) and Radies
Terbasket (L), Preen (8) and Day
(August 3) Les Schaeffer went the distance in pitching the Kelowna Labatts to a 5 to 1 win over the cellar-dwelling Vernon Luckies. Effectively scattering eight Vernon hits, Schaeffer also was a major offensive cog in the win, driving in four of the five tallies registered by the Regatta City nine. Bob Elliott, replaced by Ron Miciuk in the seventh, was tagged with the loss.
Schaeffer (W) and Leonard
Elliott (L), Miciuk (7) and J. Kashuba
(August 3) Capturing both ends of a double-dip from the visiting Penticton Red Sox by scores of 7 to 5 and 5 to 1 vaulted the Kamloops Lelands back into contention for second place in the OMBL final standings. A pair of singles by “Buck” Buchanan which accounted for two RBI’s and a round-tripper off the bat of “Bud” Allison powered the Hotelmen to the victory in the seven-inning opener. Ray Scott took the pitching decision over Jim Terbasket.
Terbasket (L) and Specht
Scott (W) and Jacobs
A pair of four-ply clouts by Elroy Jacobs and one by “Bud” Allison supplied the offensive thrust for the Lelands in the nightcap. 18-year old Barry Elson distinguished himself by out-duelling wily veteran Gary Driessen for mound supremacy in this affair. Elson spun a five-hitter, struck out eight and had a two-RBI single.
Driessen (L) and xxx
Elson (W) and xxx
(August 4) A home run by Gord Beecroft and a two-run single by “Buck” Buchanan sparked the Kamloops Lelands to their third OMBL victory in two days, a 5 to 4 triumph over the Vernon Luckies. Righthander Steve Cohen needed relief help from Barry Elson in the ninth to sew up the mound triumph. Loser Russ Keckalo was replaced on the hill by Ron Miciuk in the fifth.
(August 4) Pace-setting Merritt continued their drive toward the OMBL pennant by edging the Kelowna Labatts 5 to 4. It was the 14th win for the Luckies against nine losses. Winning heaver Larry Webster rang up 16 punchouts in recording his 12th win of the season. A pair of doubles by first baseman Russ Graf accounted for two of the Merritt runs including the winning counter plated by Bruno Ceccon in the seventh stanza.
Webster (W) and Radies
Sheeley (L), Schaeffer (1) and Burton
(August 6) Penticton Red Sox shaded Kelowna 5-3 Tuesday to move into a second place tie with Kamloops in the Okanagan Mainline Baseball League. The teams are just a game back of league-leading Merritt with each team having one more game on the regular schedule. Jim Terbasket was the winning pitcher with help from Charlie Preen in the eighth. Carl Sheeley took the loss.
Terbasket (W), Preen (8) and Taylor
Sheeley (L), Schaeffer (4) and Culos
(August 10) The Kelowna Labatts finished their 1963 OMBL regular season in fine form by walloping the visiting Kamloops Lelands 10 to 3 at Elks’ Stadium. The Labatts started slowly but came to life in the third inning to square an early 3 – 0 Kamloops’ lead and go on to win easily, pounding three Leland chuckers for 18 hits. Lefthander Carl Sheeley went the distance on the mound for Kelowna, giving up only six hits while fanning five Leland batters. Kamloops started with 17-year old Barry Elson who gave way to another teenage heaver from the lower mainland, 16-year old Steve Cohen in the fourth. Cohen was rocked by the Labatts for 11 hits and seven runs before he was derricked in the eighth and replaced by George Beecroft. Gerry Robertson smashed a two-run homer and a pair of singles for the winners. Teammates Wayne Leonard and Les Schaeffer also cuffed a triad of safe swats. Leonard connected for a brace of doubles and a single while Schaeffer stroked three one-base raps. All of the Kamloops’ tallies resulted from four-ply clouts. “Bud” Allison creamed the second pitch of the game for a solo dinger while Elroy Jacobs delivered a two-run tater in the second spasm.
Elson (L), Cohen (4), Beecroft (8) and xxx
Sheeley (W) and xxx
(August 11) Luck favored but one team Sunday as a pair of clubs named the Luckies battled it out in blistering heat for 11 innings with the 1963 OMBL pennant on the line. The Merritt Luckies took advantage of a throwing miscue to win the pennant with a 3 to 1 victory at Vernon. Merritt southpaw Larry Webster and Vernon’s Ron Miciuk battled tooth-and-nail into the second round of overtime before a two-out wild peg to first base opened the door for Merritt to plate a pair.
As part of a three-team double-dip to complete the regular schedule, Vernon took to the diamond once again and came out as 7 to 6 victors over the Penticton Red Sox. John Kashuba’s ninth-inning solo home run off Chuck Preen gave the Luckies the walkoff win. Rookie outfielder Gord Nuyens, who ascended the hill in the fifth frame after Vernon had used up all of their available pitchers, was credited with the hurling triumph. The Penticton loss left them tied with Kamloops for second place in the final standings, necessitating a sudden-death tie-breaker.
Add the following two sets of batteries.
Webster (W) and Harkleroad
Miciuk (L) and J. Kashuba
Preen (L), Driessen (7) and Taylor
Elliott, Miciuk (5), Nuyens (W) (5) and J. Kashuba, A. Kashuba
SECOND-PLACE TIE-BREAKER (Kamloops vs Penticton)
(August 14) The Penticton Red Sox scored seven runs in their first two turns at bat and went on to dump the Kamloops Lelands 8 to 5 and, in the process, earn second place in the league standings. The Hotelmen had their opportunities, outswatting the Scarlet Stockings 9 to 6 but went on to strand 12 baserunners. Penticton got to Leland starting pitcher Barry Elson for four consecutive hits and two walks to start the game. Reliever Fred McMechan didn’t fare much better as the Hotelmen dug themselves a huge hole from which they were unable to escape. Al Hooker hurled the win for the Sox. Lee Day clubbed a homer and single for the victors while Kamloops’ “Buck” Buchanan delivered three singles.
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Kelowna vs Penticton & Kamloops vs Merritt (best-of-five series)
(August 17) The Kelowna Labatts whipped the Penticton Red Sox 7 to 2 at Elks Stadium in the opener of their OMBL semi-final round. Bill Martino’s two-run homer in the opening canto gave the hosting Labatts a lead they never relinquished. Outfielder Jack Burton collected four singles, driving in a brace of counters, to pace the nine-hit Kelowna attack. Righthander Les Schaeffer went all the way on the knoll for the Labatts, yielding seven safeties. Relief pitcher, Chuck Preen, who replaced sore-armed starter Jim Terbasket on the hill for the Sox, paced the losers at the plate with a brace of safe swats.
(August 18) The underdog Kamloops Okonots collected 17 base hits off two Merritt pitchers as they went on to gain a 16 to 14 win over the Luckies at Voght Park in the first clash of their semi-final playoff series. The lead in this hard-hitting affair see-sawed back and forth with the Lelands finally taking control of things with a huge six-spot in the eighth episode. Jerry Ciochetti had three hits, including a double, for the Hotelmen. Bruno Ceccon blasted a three-run homer for the losers while teammate Doug Weeks launched a solo shot. Shell-shocked relievers, Kamloops’ Gord Beecroft, and Merritt’s Larry Webster, were the pitchers of record.
(August 20) The Penticton Red Sox scored three runs in the last inning to defeat the Kelowna Labatts 4 to 3 and tie the OMBL semi-final series at one game each. Two Kelowna errors in the bottom-of-the-ninth paved the way for the Penticton victory. Al Hooker went the distance for Penticton to earn the pitching win. Bill Martino, Kelowna’s playing-manager, was tagged with the loss although he faced only one batter. Nick Bulach of the Labatts slugged the game’s only home run in the third inning.
Sheeley, Martino (9) and Leonard
Hooker (W) and Taylor
(August 22) 19-year old pitching ace Larry Webster struck out 15 and gave up only one bloop-single to put Merritt back into contention for the OMBL championship. The pennant winners responded to the portsider’s superb mound effort by squaring the best-of-five semi-final at a game apiece with a 3 to 0 triumph over the Kamloops Lelands. The Luckies’ lefty played a vital role in Merritt’s offensive punch as well with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly that drove in Steve Yarno with the only run that would be needed. His brother, second baseman Ben Webster, followed by driving in Merritt’s second tally in the sixth inning. A pair of throwing errors in the eighth episode cost the Lelands a third counter. Playing-skipper Gord Beecroft went the distance on the hill for the Hotelmen, walking five and giving up seven hits.
(August 24) The Penticton Red Sox shaded the Kelowna Labatts 7 to 6 in the Peach City to take a 2 – 1 lead in their semi-final set-to. Gary Driessen went all the way on the mound for the victorious Scarlet Stockings, giving up six hits. Les Schaeffer was nicked with the loss. Penticton took a 4 – 0 lead in the third session when Charlie Preen belted a grand-slam four-bagger. In the fourth frame, the Labatts took advantage of a rash of Red Sox’ errors to tie the score at 4 – 4, a deadlock that didn’t last long as the ultimate winners once again seized control of the game with a trey in the seventh.
(August 25) A wide throw to the plate by spunky Merritt third baseman Harry Kimura in an attempt to catch Kamloops’ baserunner Jim Alton was off target and resulted in the game’s lone run as the visiting Lelands prevailed 1 to 0 to take a 2 – 1 lead in the best-of-five series. With Alton perched at third in the seventh stanza of a scoreless deadlock, pinch-hitter Jerry Ciochetti hit a sharp grounder in the direction of Kimura as Alton broke for the dish. Catcher Bob Harkleroad was forced out of position on the relay home and that was the extent of the scoring. Inspired by having the lead, the Lelands came up with a great defensive performance over the final three frames to hold down the powerful pennant winners. With a season-ending to scheduled starter Al Mayervich, the Luckies were forced to send Larry Webster back to the hill with less-than-adequate rest following his series-tying win. The Hotelmen got to Webster for seven base raps. Meanwhile, the Lelands’ 18-year-old righthander Barry Elson held the Merritt swatsmiths to just three hits.
(August 28) The Penticton Red Sox advanced to the OMBL finals when they got past the Kelowna Labatts 7 to 5 to win their best-of-five series three-games-to-one. The Red Sox came up with three big runs in the top-of-the-seventh inning to break a 3 – 3 tie and take control of the game. Four home runs, three by Kelowna, were hit in the game. Gerry Robertson, Bruce Lofting and Nick Bulach launched four-baggers for the Labatts while Steve Hunter collected the lone Penticton circuit clout. Both squads belted the horsehide for a dozen safe swats. Al Hooker went the distance on the mound for the Red Sox to earn the win while Kelowna starter Carl Sheeley, replaced on the knoll by Les Schaeffer in the seventh stanza, suffered the loss.
Hooker (W) and Taylor<
Sheeley (L), Schaeffer (7) and Culos, Burton
(August 28) “Bud” Allison’s sharp fifth-inning single past second base scored Jim Alton from third base with the ultimate winning run as the Kamloops Lelands defeated the Merritt Luckies 3 to 1 to win their best-of-five OMBL semi-final series three-games to one. Allison later scored an insurance run on Gord Beecroft’s RBI-single. Merritt had taken a short-lived 1 – 0 lead in the second spasm on an outfield error but back-to-back doubles by Elroy Jacobs and “Buck” Buchanan in the Lelands’ half of the frame knotted the count. Righthander Barry Elson tossed a four-hitter to collect the victory over Larry Webster who was nicked for seven safeties.
Webster (L) and Harkleroad
Elson (W) and Kato
(August 31 - September 1-2) Kamloops Labor Day weekend baseball tournament
(August 31 – September 1-2) B. C. senior baseball championship touurnament
FINALS Kamloops vs Penticton (best-of-five series)
(September 4) Kamloops annexed the opening game of the OMBL finals, taking the measure of the Penticton Red Sox 3 to 1 right in the Peach City. Game details were not discovered in print.
(September 7) A pair of clutch singles by seldom-used outfielder George Makortoff turned the tide in favor of the Kamloops Lelands who edged the visiting Penticton Red Sox 4 to 3 to take a two-games-to-none lead in the OMBL finals. Both teams were playing without the services of several regulars. Makortoff drove in the tying run in the sixth inning and the winner in the eighth with his timely blows. It was a nip-and-tuck affair which saw each side rack up seven safeties. Barry Elson grabbed the heaving verdict at the expense of Penticton’s Charlie Preen who whacked a four-bagger in a losing cause.
(September 11) Penticton remained alive with a do-or-die victory on their home turf. No final score or game details have been located to date.
(September 14) Kamloops won the 1963 OMBL championship when visiting Penticton showed up at Riverside Stadium with less than a full compliment of players, resulting in a forfeiture.
WEST KOOTENAY SENIOR BASEBALL
The 1963 edition of the Trail Smoke Eaters, no longer a member of the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball circuit, became part of Spokane’s 1963 Twilight International League, referred to in a snippet from the Spokane Spokesman-Review as a semi-pro loop, along with another B.C. squad from the East Kootenay centre of Kimberley.
SPOKANE INTERNATIONAL TWILIGHT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Fairchild Air Force Base Flyers
Kimberley Combines
Spokane Orphans
Spokane Palmer’s Dairy
Trail Smoke Eaters
Valley Indians
PRE-SEASON
(May 18) The Trail Smoke Eaters opened their home season with a doubleheader sweep against Palmer’s Dairy of Spokane’s Twilight International League. The games capped a long week of hard practice for the rookie team and first-year playing-manager Frank “Skip” Ferguson.
In the curtain-raiser, Trail upset the older Spokane squad 13 to 3 as Morey Johnston/Johnstone pitched a five-hitter in earning the complete-game win. Tom Harry was the big hitter for the Smoke Eaters, banging out three hits. George McIntyre, Don McLeod and Keith Healey each added two safeties in the 15-hit Trail attack. Bob Palmer suffered the loss for the Spokane club while Bill Henry slugged a homer in a losing cause.
In the second tilt, Barry McGillivray pitched the Silver City nine to a 6 to 5 triumph. McGillivray hurled eight innings, striking out ten batters, before Wayne Magee was called in for relief in the ninth. Magee retired the side without allowing a single run. The leading Trail hitter in this contest was Chuck Milne who delivered a pair of safe swats, accounting for four RBI’s. Bill Henry of the Dairymen blasted his second homer of the day in this contest as Don/Hank Harder was tagged with the loss.
REGULAR SEASON
(June 1-2) The Kimberley Combines chalked up twin wins against the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters over the weekend as the two British Columbia teams in the Spokane Twilight International League locked horns at Coronation Park.
Saturday night, with Elgin Smith on the knoll, the Combines walloped the Silver City crew 10 to 4. Smith displayed mid-season form by striking out 11 and allowing only four hits. Losing heaver Jack Ferguson was rocked for a dozen base blows including three apiece by Elmer Garinger and Al Fabro as well as a pair off the bat of Vic Morasco. One of Garinger’s blasts was a two-run tater in the seventh spasm. Smokie outfielder Dave Groutage picked up two of the hits off Smith.
Sunday afternoon, behind the steady pitching of southpaw Jerry Carter, Kimberley outscored Trail 3 to 1. Carter allowed six hits while ringing up ten punchouts. Second baseman Gord Turlik gave the youthful portsider all the runs he needed when he went yard with a two-run dinger in the opening panel. Vic Morasco added another insurance counter in the fourth when he dialed long distance for a solo goner. Trail’s “Butch” Simpson, who got to Carter for a triad of one-baggers, singled home Tom Harry in the seventh stanza for the lone tally garnered by the losers. Wayne Magee went the distance on the hill for the Smelter Towners, surrendering eight safeties. Turlik, Garinger and Morasco each managed two base raps for the victors.
(June 7) The Fairchild Air Force Base Flyers from Spokane paid a visit to Kimberley’s Coronation Park over the weekend, hoping to play a pair of league tussles against the hosting Combines. The Saturday evening clash went off without a hitch as the hosts used home runs by Elgin Smith and Mel Johnson during an 8 to 2 thrashing of the Fly Boys. Eric “Ike” Bodin earned the pitching win and got the bulk of his offensive help from Smith who went three-for-four at the dish. Gord Turlik added a double and single for the winners. Rain washed out the Sunday event which will hopefully be re-scheduled.
(June 8-9) Palmer’s Dairy of Spokane swept a pair of weekend Twilight International League games from hosting Trail, 8 to 1 on Saturday evening and 6 to 0 on Sunday afternoon.
Hank Harder (W) and Rich Robertson
Barry McGillivray (L), George McIntyre (7), Don McLeod (9) and W. Robertson
Fred Neumann pitched the Sunday shutout. Fred Springer and Gene Sigauw of the Dairymen both went four-for-eight during the two-game set.
Fred Neumann (W) and Rich Robertson, Fred Springer (6)
Morey Johnston/Johnstone (L) and W. Robertson
(June 16) Palmer’s Dairy of Spokane knocked the Kimberley Combines out of the Twilight International League lead with a 7 to 5 and 2 to 1 sweep of a twin-bill at Underhill Park.
Hank Harder did a masterful job of scattering 17 Kimberley hits in the opener to escape with the pitching win. Harder helped himself from the batter’s box by spanking the horsehide for three safeties, driving in three runs.
Ike Bodin (L), Van Pratt (4) and Bob O’Brien
Hank Harder (W) and John Jamieson
The nightcap, scheduled for seven innings, took nine to complete. Palmer’s won in walkoff fashion when John Jamieson’s bases-loaded single drove in the deciding run and made a winner out of veteran Socrates Red. The Spokane twirler struck out ten and didn’t walk a single batter in going the route for the victory.
Jerry Carter (L), Ike Bodin (9) and Bob O’Brien, Postnikoff (4)
Socrates Red (W) and Fred Springer, John Jamieson (7)
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Spokane Orphans 2 0 1.000
Spokane Palmer’s Dairy 5 1 .833
Kimberley Combines 3 2 .600
Trail Smoke Eaters 2 4 .333
Fairchild Air Force Flyers 1 4 .200
Valley Indians 0 2 .000
(June 30-July 1) Invermere Dominion Day weekend tournament
(July 6-7) The Kimberley Combines travelled to the Silver City over the weekend and accepted the generosity of their gracious hosts, the Trail Smoke Eaters, by claiming a pair of Butler Park victories, 2 to 1 on Saturday evening and 5 to 3 on Sunday afternoon.
The Combines, a hybrid of the Hobo and Dynamo squads from the East Kootenay mining town, were led in the Saturday tussle by the superb hurling of Eric “Ike” Bodin who rang up five punchouts, walked nary a Smokie batter and didn’t yield an earned run. Allan Guimont went the route for the Smelter Towners in absorbing the loss, walking four and fanning an equal number. The lone Trail tally came in the second stanza when Combine catcher Bob O’Brien overthrew second base on a pickoff attempt, allowing Chuck Milne, who had doubled, to scamper all the way home. The visitors evened the score in the fourth when John Smith tripled and scored on an infield groundout by “Moose” Ronquist. John Stone’s RBI-single in the sixth spasm drove in Gord Turlik, who had banged out a two-bagger, with the winning marker.
Bodin (W) and O’Brien
Guimont (L) and McIntyre
Kimberley’s Joe Postnikoff locked horns with the Smoke Eaters’ Trail’s Wayne Magee in the Sunday encounter with Postnikoff emerging as the victor in the mound clash with a three walk, four strikeout performance. The hosts once again jumped out in front when “Butch” Simpson tagged up and scored on Keith Healey’s sacrifice fly in the opening canto. In the fourth, the invaders knotted the count after “Moose” Ronquist doubled and was driven home on a single by Ed Craft. Later in the frame, catcher Bob O’Brien put the Combines into a 2 – 1 lead with a sacrifice fly that plated Chuck Martin. A solo four-ply clout by Trail’s Chuck Milne in the bottom-half of the panel evened the score. The Kimberley diamond pastimers were the beneficiary of a brace of unearned tallies in the sixth chapter when Mel Johnson’s line drive was fumbled by Healey as both Craft, who had reached base with his second hit of the game, and shortstop Van Pratt raced home. Pinch-hitter John Stone drove in Vic Morasco with the fifth Combine marker in the seventh session. A bottom-of-the-ninth rally by the Trailites fell short although they did add one more run when “Rocky” Cull tripled and touched the pan on Don McLeod’s all-out effort at the plate. Magee issued six free passes and whiffed a pair in being saddled with the setback although, in all fairness, only two of the five counters by the winners were earned.
Postnikoff (W) and O’Brien
Magee (L) and Robinson
(July 9) It took ten innings of exciting baseball action at Butler Park before the Nelson Outlaws, front-runners in the Kaslo-Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League, were able to dispose of the Spokane International Twilight League’s Trail Smoke Eaters 3 to 1 in a hotly-contested exhibition scuffle. After nine rounds, the combatants were deadlocked at 1- 1 but in the overtime session, Trail starting heaver Morey Johnston, pitching with a sore arm, ran out of gas and walked five Nelson batters to force in two runs. Wayne Magee was summoned to the knoll at this point and was able to douse the fire without any further damage. Southpaw Blair Olson, who hurled for the Lakesiders, issued just one base-on-balls, punched out six and allowed four hits. Johnston walked nine in total, breezed seven Outlaw batters and was nicked for six safeties.
Olson (W) and xxx
Johnston (L), Magee (10) and xxx
(July 14) In a busy afternoon doubleheader at Underhill Park, the young Valley Indians posted their first victory of the season in splitting with the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters. The Tribe captured the lid-lifter 6 to 1 but lost the follow-up scuffle 5 to 4.
(July 20-21) The invading Spokane Orphans took a two-game set from the Kimberley Combines over the weekend at Coronation Park. Saturday night before a good-sized crowd, they scored three big runs in the top-of-the-first inning then hung on for a 4 to 2 win. On Sunday afternoon, they edged the Combine Crew 2 to 1 in a great pitching matchup. Winning pitcher Gary Kendall of the visitors subdued the hosting nine on six hits in the Saturday affair. Except for his rough start in the opening canto, losing heaver Eric “Ike” Bodin pitched reasonably well for Kimberley and was effective in spacing the Spokane hits. The main thorns in his side were Jim Hogan and Tom Hoagland who lit him up for three hits apiece. “Moose” Ronquist was best with the baton for the losers, nailing a double and an-RBI single.
Another large crowd was on had Sunday to witness a fine exhibition of hurling between Tom Halvorsen of the Waifs and Joe Postnikoff of the Coalition Brigade. Both slabsters yielded six hits as Halvorsen had his heater smoking, punching out 12. Three of the Spokane hits off Postnikoff were of the scratchy variety. After five sessions of goose eggs on the scoreboard, the Orphans picked up the game’s first counter when Dave Stantus, who had led off the sixth spasm with a one-bagger, crossed the pan on a fielder’s choice. After singling and moving around to the hot corner sack, Halvorsen provided himself with an insurance tally in the seventh spasm on a passed ball. The Combines, bunching three hits, plated their lone marker in the eighth episode. Allan Patterson’s one-base rap drove in Mel Johnson, who had drilled a pinch-hit single and moved to third on a scorcher down the first-base line by Postnikoff. Halvorsen rose to the occasion, however, by ringing up another strikeout to end the rally. Stantus and Hoagland had two hits each for the Washingtonians while Ronquist and Postnikoff of the homesters replicated the feat.
(July 28) Palmer’s Dairy took both ends of a double-dip from the invading Trail Smoke Eaters at Underhill Park. The Dairymen annexed the opener 3 to 0, behind the strong five-hit pitching effort of Socrates Red, then captured the late affair by a 6 to 4 count.
McGillivray (L), J. Ferguson (6) and McIntyre
Red (W) and Jamieson
Guimont (L), McGillivray (7) and Milne
Shryack (W) and Jamieson
(August 3-4) Palmer’s Dairy of Spokane held on to second place in the International Twilight loop when they halved a two-game weekend set with the hosting Kimberley Combines. The Milkmen came back Sunday to win 7 to 0 after dropping a 5 to 4 thriller to the Coalition Crew on Saturday evening. The split left the Combines in third place in the Spokane circuit with a won-loss record of 6 – 5, a game-and-a-half behind the Dairymen, who sport a record of 9 – 5. The Spokane Orphans currently lead the pack win an 8 – 2 mark.
Although he needed relief help from Colin Patterson in the eighth inning of the Saturday scuffle, young southpaw Jerry Carter picked up the slab verdict over Spokane’s Dave Nightser who was given the hook in the seventh in favor of Bob Strall. Trailing 2 – 0 in the bottom-of-the-fifth frame, the Kimberley Clan had knotted the count on a clutch two-RBI, pinch-hit single by John Stone. Given this new life, they forged ahead 3 – 2 in the sixth stanza when catcher Bob O’Brien drove in Elmer Garinger with a hard shot over third base. Playing-manager Elgin Smith’s two-run single in the seventh increased the margin to 5 – 2. Carter retired the first Palmer batter in the eighth before he began to show signs of weariness. Two singles, sandwiched around a second out, began to set the stage for Carter’s exit after stocky Spokane backstop John Jamieson lit into one of his offerings for a two-run double to bring the Creamery Crew to within one run of squaring things. A one-bagger by Strall followed and placed runners at the corners as Patterson was summoned to the knoll at this point to quell the flames. Without delivering a pitch to the plate, however, Patterson and the Combines escaped further peril during the fateful eighth when Strall surprisingly took off for second, only to be caught in a hot-box, while the burly Palmer catcher, camped at the hot corner station, was gunned down dead-on-arrival at the platter on an accurate relay from middle-infielder Garinger.
The one-sided Sunday skirmish saw the gang from the Lilac City rough up losing heaver Eric “Ike” Bodin and third-inning replacement Ron Seredick for a dozen base blows. Jan Shryack went the route on the bump for the visitors. The lone Kimberley batter to show disrespect for the Dairy twirler was “Moose” Ronquist, who lit him up for a brace of two-baggers.
(August 11–12) The visiting Fairchild Air Force Base Flyers and the Trail Smoke Eaters split a weekend series at Butler Park. The Smokies took the Saturday tilt 12 to 7 while the Flyers came back to capture the one-sided Sunday affair 23 to 4.
(August 18) The Valley Indians triumphed twice over the visiting Kimberley Combines, doubling the East Kootenay invaders 5 to 4 before completing the sweep with a 10 to 2 conquest.
Bodin (L), Patterson and O’Brien, Renso
Bob Rich (W) and Gale Pantier
Postnikoff (L) and O’Brien
Gary Luce (W) and Gale Pintier
(August 18) The Spokane Orphans claimed the Twilight International Baseball league pennant as they defeated Palmer’s Dairy 5 to 4 at Underhill Park. The Orphans are 3-1/2 games in front of the Dairymen with two games to play.
Socrates Red (L) and John Jamieson
Gary Kendall (W) and Tom Hoagland
(August 24-25) The Kimberley Combines finished the 1963 season over the weekend by losing two out of three games to the Fairchild Flyers at the Spokane area Air Base. Saturday night, the east Kootenay visitors blanked the Flyers 2 to 0 in a pitcher’s duel between Kimberley’s Elgin Smith and Fairchild’s Neal Walters. John Stone, with a double and single, had two of the four hits garnered by the Coalition Crew off Walters. Smith was nicked for five safeties in posting the shutout win.
Eric “Ike” Bodin was saddled with a pair of Sunday pitching losses in which the Combines fell 3 to 2 and 5 to 3 to their hosts. Bodin deserved a better fate over the course of the afternoon. In the opener, although touched for eight hits, he fanned eight Airmen. Both the tying and winning runs against him were unearned. Winning twirler Dave Bell allowed just three hits while breezing nine.
In the second half of the twin-bill, Bodin came on as a reliever in the second stanza after Kimberley starter Colin Patterson had been rocked for an early three-run round-tripper by Flyer catcher “Skip” Street. Walters, hurling for the Airmen in relief after going the route Saturday night, broke a 3 – 3 tie with a solo circuit-clout off Bodin who received no offensive help from his mates for the balance of the clash. A sixth-inning insurance marker sewed up the victory for the Fly Boys.
KASLO-SLOCAN-ARROW LAKES BASEBALL LEAGUE
(May 19) In a pre-season exhibition match, the Slocan Silver Kings shaded Winlaw 1-0 as Walter Picton and Win Storgaard combined on a seven-hit shutout. Flem Bjerg scored the only run on an overthrow at third base in the fifth inning. Alec Pereversoff took the tough loss allowing seven hits.
Pereversoff (L) and xxx
Picton, Storgaard (W) and xxx
(June 2) Nelson Outlaws broke open a one-run game with a huge third inning Sunday en route to a 20-6 triumph over Kaslo in the season opener for both teams. The Outlaws, behind the solid hurling of Les Hufty were ahead 5-4 in the third inning before a homer by Charlie Burdette, triples by Roy Hammond, Hugh Hooker and Stan Grill ignited the offense. Hammond later added a pair of two-baggers. Hufty, who gave up seven walks and fanned ten, was relieved in the eighth by Dave Grant. E. Davidson went the route for Kaslo, battered by 15 hits. He walked five and fanned nine. Norm Command had the lone extra base hit for Kaslo, a triple.
Hufty (W), Grant (8) and xxx
E.Davidson (L) and xxx
(June 2) Vic Osis and Ken Murakami each rapped three hits Sunday to lead Slocan Silver Kings to an 11-5 victory over Nakusp. Danny O'Neall went the distance for the winners giving up five hits, walking one and striking out 11 Nakusp batters. Garry Wilson was tagged with the loss giving up 12 hits. He walked five and fanned seven.
O'Neil (W) and xxx
G.Wilson (L) and xxx
(June 9) Winlaw broke loose with five runs in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 draw and cruised to an 11-2 win over New Denver-Silverton. Alec Pereversoff started for the winners and allowed just three hits. Pete Kabatoff, who relieved in the sixth inning fanned eight and allowed no hits in going the rest of the way. Ed Elsmore went the route for the losers giving up 10 hits.
A.Pereversoff, P.Kabatoff and xxx
E.Elsmore (L) and xxx
(June 15) Two big innings provided Winlaw with enough for a 9-3 victory over Kaslo Saturday. Pete Kabatoff held the home nine to just four hits while the winners pounded out ten off George Nelson, including a first inning homer by Kabatoff. Winlaw took an early 4-0 lead but Kaslo cut the margin to one run in the sixth on Nelson's left field single. But, Winlaw erupted for five runs in the seventh to put the game on ice.
P.Kabatoff (W) and xxx
G.Nelson (L) and xxx
(June 15) Nelson Outlaws whipped New Denver-Silverton 11-1 in action at the Nelson Civic Centre Saturday. Blair Olson held the visitors scoreless for seven innings for his second victory of the season with a seven-hitter. He fanned seven with no walks. Nelson battered three hurlers for 12 hits and took advantage of 10 walks. The Outlaws scored enough in the first inning for the win. Singles by Mickey Fitzpatrick and Frank Hufty and an intentional walk to Charlie Burdette loaded the sacks and Roy Hammond brought them all home with a three-bagger. Hammond later knocked in another run with a single. Frank Chambers added a triple. New Denver-Silverton got their lone run off Olson in the eighth on a single by Nobby Hayashi, a double by Jack Kelly and a single by Henry Mori.
E.Elsmore (L), J.Kelly (4), S.Towgood (7) and xxx
Olson (W) and xxx
(June 16) The Combines of New Denver-Silverton came to life in the ninth inning Sunday to charge from behind with five runs and a 7-4 triumph over Slocan City Silver Kings. Harold Mori punched out four hits to lead the winners while Jim Hicks added a pair. Vic Osis notched three safeties for Slocan City. Steve Towgood, who relieved started Jack Kelly in the sixth, pitched shutout ball the rest of the way to pick up the win.
Kelly, Towgood (W) (6) and xxx
Storgaard, D.O'Neall (L) (7) and xxx
(June 16) Winlaw topped Nakusp 8-5 taking advantage of the short-handed Nakusp team who were forced to play several juniors to fill out the lineup. Ratkin led the wins with a 3 for 3 day. Don Magnus had a double and two singles for Nakusp.
Pereversoff, Kabatoff and Koochin
Wilson, Roberts and Yanagisawa
(June 23) With Flem Bjerg racking up 17 strikeouts the Slocan Silver Kings trounced Kaslo 15-2 Sunday. Bjerg allowed just six his, walked two and hit a batter. Slocan pounded out 11 hits off a pair of Kaslo hurlers. Vic Osis cracked two three-baggers for the winners.
Bjerg (W) and xxx
Nelson (L), Shimizu (6) and xxx
(June 23) Nelson Outlaws exploded out of the gate with six runs in the first inning and seven more in the second to overwhelm Slocan Silver Kings 15-1 in a league game at Slocan Sunday. Two costly errors with the bases loaded helped the visitors pile on the misery. Third sacker Charlie Burdette cracked a triple and double to lead a 10-hit Nelson attack. Roy Hammond and Les Hufty slammed three-baggers for the Outlaws and Bernie Monteleone added a double. Les Hufty went six innings allowing four hits to pick up the win.
L.Hufty (W), Hagen (7) and xxx
D.O'Neall (L), Storgaard and xxx
(June 23) New Denver-Silverton blew a 7-0 lead Sunday and dropped a 9-7 decision to Winlaw.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
Winlaw 4 - 0
Nelson 3 - 0 0.5
Slocan City 2 - 2 2.0
Nakusp 1 - 2 2.5
New Denver-Silverton 1 - 3 3.0
Kaslo 0 - 4 4.0
(July 7) Nelson Outlaws stormed into first place in the Kaslo-Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League Sunday coasting to a 14-6 victory over Winlaw. Trailing 3-1, Nelson had a six-run outburst in the third inning to set the stage for the romp. Right-hander Les Hufty picked up the win with late help from southpaw Blair Olson who fanned six of the ten batters he faced. Pete Kabatoff went the distance for Winlaw giving up 11 hits and five walks. Bernie Monteleone with a triple and two singles was the big bat for Nelson. Hugh Hooker added a pair of doubles, Frank Chambers had a triple and Charlie Burdette a two-bagger. W. Koochin and J. Shukin each with a double were the best for Winlaw.
P.Kabatoff (L) and xxx
L.Hufty (W), Olson (7) and xxx
(July 7) The Nelson Outlaws had a tougher time than anticipated in putting down Kaslo 7-5 on Sunday. Leading 7-2 into the final frame, the Outlaws were forced to bring in star left-hander Blair Olson to put down a ninth inning Kaslo rally that netted three runs. Home runs by Charlie Burdette and Bernie Monteleone sparked Nelson which ran wild on the base paths with eight steals. Mel Hagen went 8 2/3s innings for the win, giving up eight hits and fanning 13. Olson whiffed the final batter.
Hagen (W), Olson (9) and xxx
Nelson (L) and xxx
(July 7) In a game which produced 30 hits and 14 errors, New Denver-Silverton downed Nakusp, showing off their new uniforms, 19 to 13 at Centennial park in New Denver. Steve Towgood, Eddie Elsmore and Nobby Hayashi cracked two-baggers for the winners.
Noel Wilson, Garry Wilson and xxx
Elsmore, D.Pengelly, S.Towgood and xxx
(July 14) Winlaw dumped Slocan 9-4 in a six-inning affair Sunday. P.Popoff and Alec Pereversoff shared the mound work for the winners combining on a six-hitter but yielding eight walks. Harry Zarchikoff clouted a triple for Winlaw with Bjerg knocking a three-bagger for the losers.
P.Popoff, A.Pereversoff and xxx
G.Bjerg, W.Storgaard and xxx
(July 21) Big right-hander Jack Kelly struck out 16 Sunday as the Combines of New Denver-Silverton crushed Kaslo 22 to 6.at the Silverton Memorial Park. The Combines tagged a pair of Kaslo hurlers for 11 hits and capitalized on 12 Kaslo errors. Andy Avison cracked three doubles for the winners and Nobby Hayashi added three safeties. Norm Command had a pair of hits for the losers.
G.Nelson (L), N.Command and xxx
J.Kelly (W) and xxx
(July 28) Pete Kabatoff fashioned a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts Sunday as Winlaw clobbered Kaslo 11-2. Kabatoff had a shutout until the ninth when the home club connected for its two runs.
P.Kabatoff (W) and xxx
G.Nelson (L), N.Command (9) and xxx
(July 28) Nelson Outlaws remained unbeaten sweeping a twin-bill over Nakusp in the Arrow Lakes community, 7-1 and 3-2. Lefty Blair Olson tossed a three-hitter and fanned 13 in the opener for Nelson. Charlie Burdette and Bernie Monteleone connected for two-baggers for the Outlaws. Noel Wilson replied with a triple for Nakusp. In the nightcap, Nelson was forced to go two extra innings before edging the determined home squad. Frank Chambers led off the ninth with a double and came home on Monteleone's single. Monteleone then notched the winner on a two-bagger by Burdette. Mel Hagen started for Nelson giving way to Les Hufty, who got the win, in the eighth.
Olson (W) and xxx
G.Wilson (L), Patterson and xxx
M,.Hagen, L.Hufty (W) (8) and xxx
G.Jordan (L) and xxx
(July 28) New Denver-Silverton moved into third place in the league standings Sunday with a 9-6 victory over the Slocan Silver Kings. Combines punched out 13 hits while Jack Kelly held Slocan to eight safeties, but walked five. Flem Bjerg and Win Storgaard struck out 11 in handling the mound work for the losers. Big batsmen for the Combines were Steve Towgood, Andy Avison and Gus Stankoven while for Slocan it was Gustafson and Danny O'Neall.
Bjerg, Storgaard and xxx
J.Kelly (W) and xxx
Nelson 8 - 0
Winlaw 6 - 2 2.0
New Denver-Silverton 4 - 4 4.0
Nakusp 3 - 5 5.0
Slocan City 2 - 5 5.5
Kaslo 0 - 7 7.5
(August 4) With Bernie Monteleone and Charlie Burdette cracking home runs, Nelson Outlaws crushed New Denver-Silverton Combines 16-5 Sunday at New Denver. Besides his two-run homer in the sixth inning, Monteleone connected for four singles. Burdette also tagged Jack Kelly for three singles in addition to his grand slam homer in the second. Nelson rapped 18 hits and received seven free passes. Blair Olson twirled a seven-hitter and fanned nine in doing the distance for the Outlaws. Henry Mori led the home crew with a homer and single.
Olson (W) and xxx
Kelly (L) and xxx
(August 11) In the final game of the regular schedule for both clubs, Winlaw handed Nelson its first loss of the season, notching a 4-3 extra-inning victory at Winlaw. The home squad got the win in the bottom of the eighth when Gustafson singled, advanced on a sacrifice and romped home on Koochin's single. Pete Kabatoff held Nelson to just six hits in going the distance for the win. He racked up 12 strikeouts. Les Hufty and Blair Olson allowed nine hits. Bernie Monteleone slugged a two-run homer in the first inning for the Outlaws.
L.Hufty, Olson (L) (6) and xxx
Kabatoff (W) and xxx
(August 11) Sunday afternoon at Kaslo, the New Denver-Silverton Combines blanked the home nine 10-0 behind a three-hit shutout by Steve Towgood who struck out 12. Norm Command took the loss.
Towgood (W) and xxx
Command (L) and xxx
Nelson 9 - 1
Winlaw 8 - 2 1.0
New Denver-Silverton 5 - 5 4.0
Nakusp 4 - 6 5.0
Slocan City 4 - 6 5.0
Kaslo 0 -10 9.0
PLAYOFFS
(August 18) In a sudden-death playoff to decide the final playoff team, Nakusp downed Slocan City 9-6 to gain a semi-final berth against Winlaw. Nakusp jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning as Noel Wilson started with a double followed by Lino Zanier with a two-bagger, Jackie James with a single, Don Magnus, a triple and Mike Rushton a single. Nakusp increased its lead to 8-2 before Slocan battled back with three in the fifth, two coming on Win Storgaard's homer.
G.Wilson (W) and Yanagisawa
W.Storgaard, Bjerg and V.Osis
(August 25) The Nelson Outlaws and Nakusp will battle for the Kaslo-Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League championship as a result of the two sudden-death semi-finals Sunday. The Outlaws walloped New Denver-Silverton 20-2 while Nakusp upset Winlaw 6-4. Slugger Bernie Monteleone led the winners with a two-run homer and a double. Les Hufty and Hugh Hooker added triples and winning pitcher Blair Olson cracked a pair of two-baggers.
Kelly (L), Towgood (5) and xxx
Olson (W) and xxx
Nakusp needed a ninth inning rally to pull out the win over the second place finishers. Winlaw took the lead with two runs in the first inning and Nakusp tied it in the third. Winlaw again went ahead, 4-3, in the eighth. In the ninth, Kaz Hoshizaki doubled in two runs and scored himself to give Nakusp the 6-4 triumph. Grant Jordan went the distance for the win.
Jordan (W) and xxx
P.Kabatoff (L) and xxx
(September 1) Nelson Outlaws put down a ninth inning rally by Nakusp to edge the visitors 5-3 in the opening game of the best-of-three final series. Outlaws had built up a 5-0 lead early in the game before Nakusp put a scare into the home nine with three in the final frame on two singles, a triple and a sacrifice fly. Les Hufty gave up eight hits in going the route for the winners. He fanned nine in posting his seventh win of the season. Bernie Monteleone, who was expected to miss the game because of business commitments, was Nelson's big gun at the plate connecting for three doubles and a single. Nelson got the eventual winning marker in the seventh when Mickey Fitzpatrick singled, moved up on a walk and scored on a single by Frank Hufty. Ed Desrochers and Noel Wilson started the Nakusp rally with ninth inning singles. Lino Zanier brought both in with a booming triple and romped home on a sac fly by Jackie James.
G.Wilson (L), Jordan (3) and xxx
L.Hufty (W) and xxx
(September 8) Playing before a home crowd, Nakusp took the early lead in the second game of the final series scoring in the first inning on a double by Wilson, a sacrifice bunt by Fred Desrochers and a sac fly by Kaz Hoshizaki. After that it was no contest as the Nelson Outlaws captured the championship of the Kaslo-Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League Sunday walloping Nakusp 22-4. Nelson won the best-of-three final in two straight games. League secretary Gus Stankoven presented Outlaws' coach Ron Nash with the Big Bend Lumber Company Trophy. Outlaws clobbered four Nakusp hurlers for 20 hits and left 20 men stranded on base. Blair "Lefty" Olson pitched the victory for Nelson giving up nine hits and a walk while whiffing seven. Nakusp sent four pitchers to the mound in an effort to stop the Nelson barrage. Grant Jordan started but was replaced by Louis DeRosa when the Outlaws exploded for 10 runs and an 11-1 lead in the third inning. DeRosa gave way to Kaz Hoshizaki in the fourth and he gave way to Noel Wilson in the eighth.
Olson (W) and xxx
Jordan, DeRosa (4), Hoshizaki (5), N.Wilson
(8) and xxx
NORTH-CENTRAL SENIOR BASEBALL
QUESNEL
The Quesnel Cariboo-Observer of June 13/63 reported that plans for any senior baseball activity in Quesnel during the 1963 season had been shelved due to lack of a suitable playing facility. The area on which the old ball park was located has now a tourist bureau and museum building. Plans to develop a new site have begun with the grading of what is now known as Alex Fraser Park but the town parks board made it known that some action was expected from the local senior ball players in putting the grounds into usable shape.
BULKLEY VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Hazelton Clippers
Houston
Smithers Tyees
Telkwa
PLAYOFFS
FINALS Smithers vs Hazelton (best-of-three series)
(August 20) The pennant-winning Hazelton Clippers captured the 1963 Bulkley Valley Baseball League championship in two straight games, defeating the Smithers Tyees by identical 3 to 1 scores in both ends of a doubleheader. Wilf Wilson hurled the opening game win for the Clippers, allowing only five hits. Losing heaver Jack Rea was nicked for six safeties. Garry Marshall struck out 13 and tossed a two-hitter as Hazelton triumphed in the second game to win the final series. Laurie Moore gave up just four base raps in suffering the setback.
NORTHWEST B.C. BASEBALL LEAGUE
Prince Rupert Merchants
Smithers Pontiacs
Terrace Lumbermen