1964 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1964 BC Interior
1964 Vancouver Island
OKANAGAN MAINLINE LEAGUE
Kamloops Lelands
Kelowna Labatts
Merritt Luckies
Penticton Red Sox
Vernon Luckies
(May 3) The Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League kicked off its 1964 season with the hosting Vernon Luckies doubling their namesakes from Merritt 6 to 3. Vernon’s Russ Keckalo rapped out three base hits, including a double, to drive in five runs in support of complete-game winner Ron Miciuk. Teammate Johnny Kashuba went yard with a solo dinger in the bottom-of-the-fourth to break a 2 – 2 tie and put the northern Luckies in front to stay. Youthful right-hander Dennis Rutter, raked for 11 hits, was tagged with the pitching setback.
(May 7) Second baseman Jim Alton combined his dazzling defensive talent with a solid line-drive double in the eleventh inning to spark the Kamloops Lelands to a 2 to 1 season-opening victory over the Kelowna Labatts at Riverside Park. Aside from being a key figure in a pair of double plays that the Lelands came up with during the bonus innings to thwart Kelowna scoring threats, Alton delivered the payoff blow that sent Ray Fujikawa across the pan with the deciding counter. Wayne Leonard’s single had driven in Jack Burton, who had tripled, to give the Labatts a third-inning 1 to 0 lead before playing-manager Gord Beecroft of the Hotelmen smacked a sharp one-bagger in the seventh, sending home Dale Cassell with the equalizer. The Beermen had a decided 10 to 5 edge over their hosts in the base-hit department as losing tosser Jack Denbow had a no-hitter going for the first six spasms. Portsider Denbow walked five while winning heaver Barry Elson issued just two free passes. Burton had a single and double in addition to his three-bagger while Jerry Ciochetti stroked a brace of singles for the victors.
Denbow (L) and xxx
Elson (W) and xxx
(May 9) Homestanding Kelowna used three eighth-inning runs to defeat the Penticton Red Sox 5 to 3. In arrears 3 to 2, the Labatts stroked four consecutive singles to knot the count and scored what proved to be the winner on a sacrifice by Les Brice. Red Sox pitcher Bob Elliott had a one-hitter going until the roof fell in during the eighth-inning meltdown. “Bud” Englesby started on the hill for Kelowna but left for the ultimate winner, Les Schaeffer, in the sixth.
(May 10) The Merritt Luckies squared matters for an earlier loss to their Vernon namesakes by taking an 11 to 8 verdict in their clash at Voght Park. Struggling to an 8 – 8 stalemate over the first six innings, the Copper Towners called upon rookie Dave Beishaw to deliver a two-run single in the seventh to put them if front for good. Merritt claimed 12 hits off starter Darryl Douglas and losing reliever Ron Miciuk. Southpaw Larry Webster yielded four hits, walked two and struck out eight in going the distance for his first mound triumph of the campaign.
(May 13) After dropping behind 4 – 0 in the opening inning and trailing throughout, the Penticton Red Sox struck for three runs in the eighth inning to pull out a 5 to 4 win over the visiting Vernon Luckies. Carl Sheeley settled down after a shaky start to blank Vernon the rest of the way and earn the pitching win. Dropping the heart-breaking decision for the Luckies was Ron Miciuk. Penticton cut the early Vernon lead and set the stage for the late-game comeback with earlier singletons in the second and sixth stanzas.
Miciuk (L) and Nuyens
Sheeley (W) and Day
(May 16) The Kamloops Lelands put together an 18-hit offensive attack to stomp the Penticton Red Sox 15 to 2 at Riverside Park. Versatile Elroy Jacobs made his presence felt in the Lelands’ lineup for the first time this season as he clouted a three-run goner in his first time at bat, nailed a run-scoring single in the fourth, doubled in a counter in the seventh and then, in the eighth episode, collected his sixth RBI by running out a hard belt for an inside-the-park homer. Keystone sacker Jim Alton joined Jacobs in the four-bagger club with a two-run, seventh-inning tater. Barry Elson, who had a pair of two-run singles, spun a three-hitter for the easy complete-game victory. One of the hits he surrendered was a bases-empty round-tripper to Larry Hale.
Sheeley (L), Preen (4) and Hale
Elson (W) and Kato
(May 16) Portsiders Jack Denbow and Larry Webster locked horns in a tight pitchers’ duel in the Regatta City with the Kelowna Labatts emerging as 5 to 2 victors over the Merritt Luckies. The game was decided in the bottom-of-the-fifth frame when the Labatts took advantage of two Merritt errors and three singles to plate a four-spot. Tony Brummet slugged a solo four-bagger for the losers.
(May 17) A narrow 6 to 5 win in ten innings by the Kamloops Lelands sank the homestanding Merritt Luckies into the OMBL basement with a 1-3 won-loss record. Fifth-inning reliever Derek McGillivray won his own game by pounding a ground-rule double in the first round of overtime to score Ray Fujikawa from second base. McGillivray’s two-bagger was the sixth hit given up by losing chucker Larry Webster. Merritt, desperately short of chuckers, sent Webster back to the hill less than 24 hours after he gone the route against Kelowna. The Luckies managed ten hits including a two-run dinger by Bruno Ceccon off the slants of Kamloops starting heaver Bill Cliffe.
Cliffe, McGillivray (W) (5) and Kato
Webster (L) and Cade
(May 17) An eleven-run outburst in the ninth inning propelled the invading Kelowna Labatts to a 19 to 9 win over the Vernon Luckies in a wild, error-filled game at Polson Park. Both clubs collected 17 hits but nine Vernon errors gave the Regatta City squad the margin of victory.
(May 21) With the availability of pitching arms limited, Kamloops’ playing-manager Gord Beecroft took the bull by the horns, ascended the knoll for his charges and came away with nine strikeouts and a three-hit shutout as the Lelands mauled the invading Vernon Luckies 11 to 0. It was the fourth straight victory for the rampaging Hotelmen. At the plate, Beecroft was equally effective, belting a homer in the third inning, driving in another run with a single in the sixth and drawing a walk which resulted in another tally in the sixth. His batterymate, Stan Kato, also went deep with a four-ply clout. Third baseman Dale Cassell delivered a two-run double and a run-scoring single. Losing chucker Ron Miciuk was derricked from the bump in the fifth in favor of Darryl Douglas after the Labatts fell behind 8 to 0.
Miciuk (K), Douglas (5) and J. Kashuba
Beecroft (W) and Kato
(May 23) An 8 to 7 conquest of the visiting Kamloops Lelands at Elks Stadium gave the Kelowna Labatts a share of first place in the OMBL. Bill Martino came through with a clutch hit in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to snap a 7 – 7 deadlock and drive home the winning marker. Kelowna’s Jack Fowles had a four-for-five batting performance against losing twirler Barry Elson. Les Schaeffer also contributed a major share to the Labatts’ offense with a three-run round-tripper and a single. Southpaw Larry Webster, recently recruited from the Merritt Luckies, picked up the pitching win in a relief role.
(May 24) The Vernon Luckies suffered their fifth straight loss when they dropped a 9 to 5 decision to the Penticton Red Sox.
(May 30) Matching eight runs with eight errors, the Kamloops Lelands used a ten-hit attack to whip the Penticton Red Sox 8 to 5 at Kings Park. Jumping on returnee Jim Terbasket for three hits in the first frame, Kamloops counted four runs, paced by Ray Fujikawa’s two-run double. Fujikawa also lit Terbasket up for for a solo dinger in the fifth frame and drilled another two-bagger in the ninth for a three-hit performance. Barry Elson gave up seven hits in registering the mound win.
Elson (W) and Kato
Terbasket (L), Kozak (5) and Dagg
(May 30) The Kelowna Labatts kept pace with Kamloops by virtue of a 5 to 3 win over invading Vernon at Elks Stadium. The victory for the Labatts maintained their half-game margin over the second-place Lelands.
(May 31) Cellar-dwelling Vernon unleashed an 11-hit attack to upset the visiting Kamloops Lelands 6 to 1. Outfielder Garth Gill slammed a double and two singles, driving in a pair of runs, to break the Luckies’ six-game losing streak and give right-hander Ron Miciuk his second mound win of the season. Miciuk tossed a three-hitter and struck out six.
Beecroft (L), Cliffe (5) and Kato
Miciuk (W) and J. Kashuba
(May 31) The Merritt Luckies picked up their second triumph of the season with a decisive 14 to 6 conquest of the Penticton Red Sox at Voght Park. Playing-skipper Russ Graf led his charges with a three-hit effort including a two-run, inside-the-park homer. Larry Shannon yielded nine base raps in going all the way for the hurling victory.
Kozak (L), Sheeley (5), Hooker (5) and Dagg
Shannon (W) and Cade
(June 4) The Kamloops Lelands staged a repeat performance of their season opener by nosing out the invading Kelowna Labatts 2 to 1 at Riverside Park. It was the sixth win in eight starts for the Hotelmen who moved past the Regatta City squad into top spot with the triumph. Collecting eight strikeouts while walking four, winning twirler Barry Elson copped his fourth win on a five-hitter. Kelowna opened the scoring in the fifth frame when Jack Burton powered a drive into the middle garden that plated Richard Bullock. Kamloops knotted the count in the sixth, capitalizing on three errors by a ruffled Labatt infield. Elson won his own ball game with an eighth-inning, RBI-single that plated George Makortoff. Middle pasture patroller Jerry Ciochetti paced the winners’ nine-hit offensive thrust against losing heaver Larry Webster with three hits including a double.
(June 10) Leading from start to finish after pushing across four counters in the opening session, the Penticton Red Sox copped an easy 9 to 1 OMBL victory over the last-place Vernon Luckies at Kings Park.
(June 17) An 11 to 5 Penticton triumph over the Kelowna Labatts in the Peach City allowed the idle Kamloops Lelands to take over sole possession of top spot in the OMBL, a half-game in front of the Regatta City nine.
(June 20) The Kelowna Labatts nosed out the visiting Kamloops Lelands 3 to 2 in a ten-inning squeaker at Kings Park to temporarily take over top rung on the OMBL ladder. Outhit by an 8 to 4 margin, the Labatts managed to win on the strength of some luck plus the daring base running of winning heaver Les Schaeffer. With two retired in the bonus round of play, Schaeffer drew a walk and, sprinting in overdrive, galloped past second base and headed for third when teammate Les Brice followed with a single off the slants of losing tosser Al Simmons. As several infielders from the Hotelmen scrambled clumsily for the relay from outfielder Ray Fujikawa, Schaeffer never broke stride and kept on motoring past the hot corner station to cross the pan with the winning run, leaving the startled Lelands in a state of disbelief. Fujikawa belted a bases-empty homer for Kamloops.
Simmons (L) and Kato
Schaeffer (W) and Burton
(June 21) The Merritt Luckies knocked the Kelowna Labatts out of a short-lived lead atop the OMBL by splitting the proceeds of a double-bill with the visitors at Voght Park. After taking the seven-inning opener 6 to 1, the Kelownans were doubled 8 to 4 in the nightcap. Reliever Les Brice saved the day for the Labatts in the lid-lifter after coming to the aid of starter Larry Webster, who started off by giving up three singles and a walk in the opening inning. Brice gave up only four safeties during the remainder of the contest.
Webster, L. Brice (W) (1) and Burton
Kohlwes (L), Yarno (3) and Brummet
Webster tried a comeback in the second game but had even less success, heading for the showers after falling behind 3 - 0. Back came Brice but this time he was nicked for the loss after Russ Graf’s game-deciding sacrifice fly in the fifth broke a 4 – 4 tie. Infielder Larry Shannon went the distance on the mound for Merritt’s fifth win in nine starts.
Webster, L. Brice (L) (1), Schaeffer (8) and Burton
Shannon (W) and Brummet
(June 21) Cellar-dwelling Vernon kept Penticton in fourth place with a 3 to 2 victory behind the ten-strikeout pitching veteran import right-hander Gary Driessen.
(June 25) The league-leading Kamloops Lelands posted their third shutout victory of the season at Riverside Park when they blanked the Merritt Luckies 6 to 0. Right-hander Barry Elson won for the sixth time in eight decisions by spinning a five-hitter with four walks and ten strikeouts. Elson never allowed a Merritt runner past second base after the first inning. The game was close until the bottom-of-the-eighth when the Hotelmen struck for four runs off losing hurler Steve Yarno. “Buck” Buchanan had a run-scoring double and a single for the winners.
Yarno (L) and xxx
Elson (W) and xxx
(June 27) Kelowna Labatts pitcher George Brice lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning Saturday when the ball got lost in his pants. The bespectacled hurler had set down 26 men, allowing only a seventh inning walk, when shortstop Gord Nuyens of Vernon Luckies came to the plate. Nuyens hit the first pitch back to the mound and, at first, Brice seemed to come up with the ball. But, it just disappeared. After Nuyens had reached first base, Brice found the ball in his trousers. The play had no effect on the score - 9-0 for Kelowna, but robbed Brice of no-hit glory. Brice, from Victoria, was on a weekend holiday in the Interior and was prodded to suit up with the Okanagan Mainline team.
(June 28) Seven Merritt errors led to seven unearned run for the Penticton Red Sox who went on to crush the Luckies 10 to 2. Carl Sheeley picked up his fourth win against two losses while rookie Ron Moen of the Copper Towners was nailed with the loss. Bob Parker had four hits for the winners while Steve Hunter accumulated 5 RBI’s on three base hits. Ben Webster and Steve Yarno both had a double and a pair of singles for the Merritt aggregation.
(July 1) The Penticton Red Sox scored in every inning but the fifth in annexing a lopsided 18 to 4 win over the visiting Merritt Luckies. Steve Hunter and Lee Day smashed home runs for the victorious Sox.
Kohlwes (L), Smith (5) and Harkleroad
Terbasket (W) and Day
(July 2) A 9 to 4 conquest of the invading Kelowna Labatts in a rain-drenched OMBL tussle allowed the Kamloops Lelands to increase their lead atop the circuit. Lanky right-hander Al Simmons surrendered hits in winning for the second time. He was ably assisted by batterymate Elroy Jacobs who pounded a pair of home runs off losing chucker Les Brice. The Kelowna left hander gave up nine hits and walked two in absorbing the loss. Wayne Leonard belted a four-bagger for the Labatts in a losing cause.
(July 4) Playing for his third OMBL team this season, left hander Larry Webster held Kelowna in check as the Penticton Red Sox coasted to a 5 to 1 win over the homestanding Labatts. The win vaulted the Sox into second place in the circuit while Kelowna dropped to third. Webster struck out 16 and yielded just five hits, the only damaging one being a first-inning home run off the bat of Labatt playing-manager Jack Burton. Penticton catcher Al Richards also went yard with a second-spasm tater.
Webster (W) and Richards
Martino (L), Englesby (4) and Burton
(July 5) In OMBL doubleheader action at Merritt, the southern Luckies took the first game 1 to 0 before Vernon responded for an 11 to 2 triumph in the twilight tilt. The matinée joust featured a classic hurling duel between Burt Asay of the northern Luckies and Merritt’s Bill MacAdams. Each chucker gave up just two hits. The hosts scored the game’s lone tally in the second stanza when Bob Harkleroad singled, stole second, advanced to third base on a groundout and touched home on Bill Kohlwes’ sacrifice fly.
The second game was a complete turnabout of fortunes starting from the fourth frame when the visitors pushed across six counters. Vernon racked up 15 base hits against loser Ron Moen and reliever Larry Shannon. Gary Driessen scattered seven hits in going the full distance for the victors.
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Kamloops 11 5 .688 ----
Penticton 8 7 .533 2.5
Kelowna 9 8 .529 2.5
Merritt 6 8 .429 4.0
Vernon 5 11 .313 6.0
(July 8) In a log drawn-out OMBL fracas, twice interrupted by rain and twice by power failures, the Penticton Red Sox finally eked out a narrow 7 to 6 over the Vernon Luckies. Fifth-inning reliever Jim Terbasket chalked up the pitching win while Darryl Douglas, taking over pitching chores for Vernon in the second stanza, was charged with the loss. Luckies’ Johnny Kashuba hammered the horsehide for a home run.
Asay, Douglas (L) (2) and Nuyens
Sheeley, Terbasket (W) (5) and Hale
(July 11) Penticton moved to within 1-1/2 games of league-leading Kamloops by edging past the the Lelands 2 to 1 at Riverside Park. With the score tied at 1 – 1, the Red Sox scored the winning counter in the eighth on an RBI-single by Jim Terbasket. Winning flinger Larry Webster, in a relief role, held the Hotelmen to a single hit in the five frames that he toiled on the bump. Al Simmons was nicked with the setback.
(July 11) The Kelowna Labatts exploded for six runs in the second inning but had to hang on to get by the invading Merritt Luckies 10 to 9. Bill Martino and Dan Pinski went deep with dingers for Kelowna while Larry Shannon and Bill Kohlwes blasted taters for the Luckies.
(July 11-12) The Kelowna Labatts grabbed a win and a loss during weekend OMBL action. A 10 to 9 win over the Merritt Luckies on Saturday snapped a two-game losing streak for the Labatts. Rookie second baseman Richard Bullock broke a 9 – 9 tie by driving in the winning run in the ninth.
Another losing streak began on Sunday in Vernon when the hosting Luckies triumphed 6 to 3 over Kelowna Labatts.. The weather was hot and so were tempers as Kelowna’s Bill Martino and Perry Romeo of Vernon were involved in a seventh-inning rumble after a spiking incident at the hot corner. Gary Driessen recorded 13 strikeouts while giving up nine hits in earning the knoll victory. Loser Les Schaeffer was combed for 13 safe swats by the Luckies. LeRoy Bond picked up a double and single for the winners.
Schaeffer (L) and Burton
Driessen (W) and Nuyens
(July 12) A 6 to 0 setback at the hands of the hosting Merritt Luckies sliced the first-place margin of the Kamloops Lelands to a mere half-game. Bruno Ceccon triggered Merritt’s triumph with an opening-inning homer off losing chucker Barry Elson. After the Luckies had upped their lead to 5 – 0 in the third, Elson was kayoed from the hill as Jack Fowles took over mound chores. In hurling the five-hit shutout, Bill MacAdams tasted victory for the first time this season.
(July 18) The Merritt Luckies defeated the Penticton Red Sox 6 to 4 in the Peach City. Steve Yarno pitched a strong game for the invaders, striking out ten. He had a shutout going until the eighth episode when he gave up four walks and three hits as the Red Sox scored all their runs. Bill Kohlwes launched his second round-tripper of the campaign for Merritt.
(July 18) Steve Yarno struck out ten and walked nine as he pitched the Merritt Luckies to a 6 to 4 win over hosting Penticton.
Yarno (W) and Harkleroad
Terbasket (L), Webster (4) and Richards
(July 18) Visiting Kamloops downed Kelowna 4 to 1.
Beecroft, Simmons (W) (5) and Jacobs
Schaeffer (L) and Culos
(July 19) The last-place Vernon Luckies defeated the visiting Penticton Sox 3 to 2 in a ten-inning thriller on Sunday. First baseman Russ Keckalo belted a solo homer in the bottom-of-the-overtime round of play for the walkoff winning run.
Sheeley (L) and Hale
Douglas (W) and Nuyens
(July 19) A 5 to 3 win at Voght Park over the visiting Kelowna Labatts evened the won-loss record for the victorious Merritt Luckies to 9 – 9 and moved them closer to securing a playoff spot. Bill MacAdams picked up his third consecutive win against no losses. Les Brice drilled a two-run homer for the vanquished nine.
STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Kamloops 13 7 .650 ----
Penticton 10 9 .536 2.5
Merritt 9 9 .500 3.0
Kelowna 10 11 .476 3.5
Vernon 7 13 .350 6.0
(July 21) Elroy Jacobs drilled a three-run homer in the fifth inning to cap a 9 to 3 Kamloops’ victory over the Merritt Luckies, a win that sent the league-leading Lelands four full games in front of the runner-up Penticton Red Sox.
Veteran Jack Fowles also sparkled with the lumber for the winners, driving in three runs with a double and single. Barry Elson garnered the pitching win over Luckies’ starter Ron Moen.
(July 23) Kamloops dropped Merritt for the second time in 48 hours, registering an 8 to 3 conquest of the visiting Luckies. With the score knotted at 3 – 3 in the eighth, the Lelands used four base hits, a hit batter and an error to score five big runs and sew the game up.
(July 23) The Kamloops Lelands came within one game of clinching the OMBL pennant with an 8 to 3 win over the Merritt Luckies.
Shannon, Yarno (L) (7) and xxx
Fowles (W) and xxx
(July 25) Single runs in the third and sixth sessions were enough to boost the Kamloops Lelands to a 2 to 1 triumph over the homestanding Penticton Red Sox, landing the Hotelmen the 1964 OMBL regular-season pennant. The titlists picked up five hits off losing chucker Larry Webster while winning tosser Gord Beecroft, with eighth-episode relief help from Barry Elson, was nicked for just four safeties, one of which was a solo home run by veteran Al Hooker.
Beecroft (W), Elson (8) and Kato
Webster (L) and Richards
(July 25) The Vernon Luckies maintained their slight hope for a playoff berth by upending the hometown Kelowna Labatts 5 to 3. Right-hander Gary Driessen checked the Regatta City squad on five hits. One of the base raps Driessen surrendered was a four-ply clout to the Labatts’ Wayne Leonard. Portsider Les Brice, lit up for ten base knocks, was saddled with the loss.
Driessen (W) and Nuyens
L. Brice (L) and Burton
(July 26) The travelling Penticton Red Sox shaded the Merritt Luckies 3 to 2 in a hard-fought OMBL clash at Voght Park. Playing-manager Russ Graf drove in both Merritt tallies with a long single in the opening panel. Winning pitcher Jim Terbasket tripled in the second spasm and crossed the pan on Steve Hunter’s sacrifice fly to halve the deficit. Al Hooker’s sacrifice fly tied it in the eighth and Terbasket followed in the same frame with an RBI-single to win his own game. Terbasket yielded eight hits while losing heaver Bill MacAdams gave up six.
(July 26) The Vernon Luckies bunched seven runs in the first four innings to cop their second weekend game by tripping up the pennant-winning Kamloops Lelands 8 to 5. Both teams belted the horsehide with authority, each accumulating a dozen base knocks. Darryl Douglas was the winning chucker in relief of starter Burt Asay.
Makortoff (L), Beecroft (L) (6), Elson (7) and Kato
Asay, Douglas (W) (7) and Kashuba
(July 29-30) Lacombe annual baseball tournament
(July 29) The Penticton Red Sox blanked the Merritt Luckies 7 to 0 on Jim Terbasket’s four-hitter. Terbasket struck out ten and walked four in going the distance.
Shannon (L) and Harkleroad
Terbasket (W) and Richards
(August 2) Vernon qualified for the final playoff OMBL playoff spot by taking 1 to 0 and 7 to 6 victories over Merritt in a battle of teams called the Luckies, relegating the losers to the cellar position in the final standings. Vernon plated the opening-game’s lone run in the second stanza and maintained the margin throughout the contest. Merritt had runners at second and third base in the seventh spasm when winning pitcher Gary Driessen was not called with a balk which the vanquished nine maintained was a valid claim. A protest was lodged relative to the non-call.
MacAdam (L) and Harkleroad
Driessen (W) and Kashuba
A bottom-of-the-ninth comeback allowed the Vernon nine, who had trailed 6 – 4 as they came to bat for the final time, to snatch the victory from apparent defeat.
Douglas, Asay (W) (9) and Nuyens, Kashuba (5)
MacAdam, Yarno (L) (4) and Harkleroad
(August 2) All but counted out of the playoff picture just six weeks ago, the Vernon Luckies edged their namesakes from Merritt for fourth place in the final OMBL standings with twin triumphs at Polson Park. Vernon’s Gary Driessen and Bill MacAdams of Merritt locked horns in the opener, won by the northern Luckies 1 to 0. Perry Romeo’s second-inning single drove in Ron Miciuk, who had doubled, with the game’s only run.
With the final playoff spot up for grabs, Vernon took an early 2 – 0 lead in the sunset skirmish only to have the southern Luckies move ahead with a four-spot, highlighted by Bruno Ceccon’s two-run dinger. The lead see-sawed back and forth over the course of the game with neither side seizing control for very long. With the score tied 6 – 6 in the bottom-of-the-ninth, relief pitcher Burt Asay won his own game with a run-scoring single, giving Vernon a 7 to 6 victory.
(August 5) With Larry Webster giving up just four hits and ringing up 17 punchouts, the Penticton Red Sox posted a 3 to 1 win over the Kelowna Labatts in the final OMBL regular-season game. The Scarlet Stockings collected seven safeties off the slants of losing chucker “Bud” Englesby.
Englesby (L) and Culos
Webster (W) and Richards
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Vernon vs Kamloops & Kelowna vs Penticton (best-of-five series)
(August 6) Combining a 12-hit barrage with five Vernon errors, the pennant-winning Kamloops Lelands swamped the visiting Luckies 9 to 3 in the opener of their semi-final series. The Hotelmen got to veteran right-hander Gary Driessen for three runs in the second frame, wiping out a 1 – 0 deficit, and never looked back. Scattering seven hits with eight strikeouts, Barry Elson went the route for the win.
(August 7) Jumping into a 2 – 0 lead in the opening inning and adding another pair in the seventh, the Penticton Red Sox downed the visiting Kelowna Labatts 4 to 1 in the opener of their OMBL semi-final series. Jim Terbasket yielded just five scattered hits and rang up ten strikeouts on the way to the win while Kelowna's Les Schaeffer was tagged with the loss. Shortstop Steve Hunter homered for the Red Sox.
Schaeffer (L), Martino (7) and Leonard
Terbasket (W) and Richards
(August 9) The Kamloops Lelands edged a stubborn band of Vernon Luckies 6 to 5 at Polson Park, widening their lead to two games in the best-of-five series.
(August 13) First baseman “Buck” Buchanan’s two home runs plus the stellar relief pitching of Al Simmons were instrumental in the Kamloops Lelands’ 9 to 3 triumph over Vernon in the third and final game of their semi-final series. With the victory and the sweep, Kamloops qualified for the OMBL finals. Buchanan dialed long distance with a three-run blast in the opening panel against losing heaver Darryl Douglas and added a solo shot in the fourth. Meanwhile, Lelands’ starting twirler Barry Elson was lifted in the third, nursing a 3 to 2 lead, as Simmons was summoned to quell a potential Vernon uprising. For the first 4-1/3 innings that he toiled so effectively in relief, nary a batter from the Luckies reached base and eight of them fell in the strikeout bin. He eventually garnered the win by punching out ten as well as yielding two hits and a pair of walks while his mates were busy expanding their lead.
Douglas (L) and Nuyens
Elson, Simmons (W) (3) and xxx
(August 22) Penticton erupted for seven runs in the top-of-the-seventh inning to crush Kelowna 8 to 1 to win their best-of-five OMBL semi-final series three-games-to-one. Southpaw Larry Webster of the Red Sox allowed the Labatts only three harmless singles as his mates raked three Kelowna pitchers for 13 hits. Two-run homers off the bats of Al Richards, Joe Kozak and Steve Hunter in the fateful seventh broke the game wide open.
Webster (W) and Richards
Schaeffer, Englesby (7), Martino (7) and Culos
PLAYOFFS
FINALS Penticton Red Sox vs Kamloops Lelands (best-of-five series)
(August 27) Import right-hander Al Simmons fanned ten and fashioned a four-hitter in pitching the Kamloops Lelands to a slim 1 to 0 win over the Penticton Red Sox as the OMBL finals got underway. After the Peach City crew mounted bases-loaded threats in each of the two opening frames which were quelled by Simmons, veteran “Buck” Buchanan staked the homesters to a lead with a solo homer in the bottom-of the second. Backed by superb defensive work from his mates, Simmons took control of things at that point and limited the Sox to just a lone single the rest of the way, finishing with ten strikeouts, as Buchanan’s blast stood up as the only offense Simmons would need. Losing southpaw heaver Larry Webster also turned in a quality knoll effort, whiffing nine while effectively spacing ten base raps.
(August 30) The Penticton Red Sox bounced back with an upset 3 to 2 win over the Kamloops Lelands to square the OMBL finals at a game apiece. Sailing along on the four-hit pitching of Barry Elson, the Lelands had a 2 – 0 cushion until the eighth episode. Steve Hunter’s double and Al Richards’ second single produced the first Red Sox’ run. Pinch-hitter Frank Kozak’s bunt down the third base line with Richards at first and none out caught Kamloops’ third baseman Dale Cassell by surprise, forcing him to make a hurried throw to first base, one which went past Randy Doiven, covering the bag, dribbling into right field. The result was that outfielder Ray Fujikawa’s hard throw back into the infield, struck the base umpire on the head as Richards plated the tying counter while Kozak wound up on third base. Playing-manager Gord Beecroft, who along with Elroy Jacobs had given the Lelands the lead with solo home runs, called on Al Simmons to turn off the rally. Two outs and a pair of walks later, Kozak rambled home with the deciding counter on a wild pitch. Lefthander Larry Webster then completed his fourth frame of no-hit relief to earn the mound decision.
(September 2) Helped considerably by opposition errors, the homestanding Kamloops Lelands blanked the Penticton Red Sox 10 to 0 to take a 2 – 1 lead in their best-of-five OMBL final series. Six Penticton errors paved the way for seven unearned Kamloops runs in the one-sided contest. The Lelands tagged left-hander Larry Webster for ten hits before he was relieved by Carl Sheeley in the sixth inning. Barry Elson, who took over pitching chores for Kamloops in the fourth frame, was credited with the pitching win.
Webster (L), Sheeley (6), Hooker (7) and Richards
Simmons, Elson (W) (4) and Kato
(September 3) Starting like gangbusters and tightening up just in time to chop off a potent Penticton rally one short of the all-important equalizer, the Kamloops Lelands became kings of the OMBL castle once more. A 5 to 4 conquest of the Penticton Red Sox at Kings Park ended the 1964 final series in four games with the Hotelmen having won three of those clashes. The Lelands erupted for a pair of homers and four runs in the opening canto and coasted to the eighth episode before experiencing any serious static from the Peach City nine. Kamloops made effective use of the one-two pitching punch of Al Simmons and Barry Elson to subdue the Red Sox. For Penticton, Jim Terbasket opened on the knoll and was nicked with the setback, surrendering two-run dingers to Ed Cannon and Ray Fujikawa during the first-inning fusillade. Simmons was also greeted with a four-base reply in the bottom-half of the session when the Scarlet Stockings’ Bob Parker went yard with the sacks unoccupied but that was the extent of the damage mounted by the homesters until late in the joust. A disastrous boot by shortpatcher Steve Hunter of the Sox in the top-of-the eighth put a Kamloops baserunner in scoring position, allowing Elson the opportunity to drive in a crucial fifth run for the playoff titlists with a single off reliever Carl Sheeley. The Crimson Hose fought back valiantly in their half of the stanza only to come up a run short. With the sacks loaded, a fielder’s choice, a walk and a sacrifice fly reduced the Penticton deficit to a singleton. In the ninth, Elson coolly retired the Red Sox in one-two-three fashion to end the game and the finals.
Simmons, Elson (W) (4) and Kato
Terbasket (L), Sheeley (4) and Richards
(September 5-7) Kamloops Labor Day weekend tournament
SLOCAN-ARROW LAKES SENIOR LEAGUE
(June 7) Rookie hurler Lloyd Waterer led Nakusp to a 9-3 win over Winlaw in its league opener Sunday. Straight up from Junior ball, Waterer went the full nine innings with a six-hit effort and nine strikeouts. Long blows by Waterer, Lino Zanier and Don Magnus powered the offense. R. Koratoff took the loss, also allowing six hits. He fanned seven and walked five.
R.Koratoff (L) and xxx
Waterer (W) and xxx
(June 28) Nakusp blew a 5-2 lead, but rallied in the seventh with four runs to top Slocan City 11-8 in Sunday action at Nakusp. Eddie Smith, Alan Hoshizaki and Brian Hoshizaki each had three hits to pace the winners. Lloyd Waterer, who came on in the fifth inning, picked up the pitching win. R. Phillips and J. Wood each had two hits for Slocan City.
N. Jeffs, R.Cherenko (4), W.Storgaard (7) and Osis
P. Savage. Waterer (W) (5) and H.Yanagisawa
(July 4) Saturday at Slocan Park, Nakusp rang up its third straight win crushing the host nine 19-10 with Brian Hoshizaki, Mike Rushton and Lloyd Waterer providing the punch at the plate. Nakusp belted 16 hits, to just eight for the losers.
P.Popoff, F.Jmaeff, N.Zaitsoff and W.Cherenko
Savage, B.Hoshizaki, D.McQuair and H.Yanagisawa
(July 5) After running up 19 runs Saturday, Nakusp had to settle for just two on Sunday at New Denver, but still came away with a victory, 2-1 over the Combines. The thriller featured a pitching duel between Lloyd Waterer, who picked up his third win of the season, and Jack Kelly. Waterer yielded just four hits, but hit five batters. He fanned six. Kelly gave up just five hits, hit a batter and struck out eight. Brian Hoshizaki and Alan Hoshizaki led the winners each with two hits. Mike Rushton drove in the winning run.
Kelly (L) and W.Wright
Waterer (W) and Yanagisawa
(July 12) A two-out double in the bottom of the ninth inning drove in the winning counter as Winlaw shaded Nakusp 2-1 Sunday in Slocan Valley-Arrow Lakes baseball action. Sam Fillipoff knocked in the winner with a sharp drive to score Alec Pereversoff who went the distance on the hill for Winlaw besting Lloyd Waterer for Nakusp, which suffered its first loss of the season.
Waterer (L) and xxx
Pereversoff (W) and xxx
(July 26) Slocan Silver Kings erased an early 4-0 deficit to rally for a 7-6 victory to end Winlaw's four game winning streak. Reg Cherenko, who relieved starter Win Storgaard in the fifth, picked up the win. The pair were combed for 11 hits while the winners gained just seven off Alec Pereversoff and Pete Kabatoff. Doubles by F.Bjerg, T. O'Neall, Vic Osis and Reg Cherenko powered the Silver Kings.
Storgaard, R.Cherenko (W) (5) and xxx
A.Pereversoff, Kabatoff (L) and xxx
(August 2) Even with four players and their coach sidelined, and an injury during the game, Nakusp came through with a 15-7 triumph Sunday to capture the championship of the Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League. Timely hitting by Hiro Yanagisawa and Lino Zanier and strong pitching relief by Lloyd Waterer paced Nakusp to the crown. Waterer took over for starter Pat Savage in the second inning and held New Denver to four hits the rest of the way. Nakusp had Jackie James, Ed Smith, Brian Hoshizaki and coach Fred Desrochers down with the mumps and Derek McQuair away. They lost Dave Walker in the third inning when hit in the eye by a pitch and taken to hospital. After five stitches, he was reported to be doing fine. The semi-final playoffs were set to begin August 9th.
Nesbitt, Kelly and Wright
Savage, Waterer (W) (2) and H.Yanagisawa
NORTH OKANAGAN BASEBALL LEAGUE
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct.
Revelstoke 10 2 .833
Grindrod 8 4 .667
Golden 8 4 .667
Falkland 8 4 .667
Enderby 3 9 .333
Westwold 3 9 .333
Celista 2 10 .167
EAST & WEST KOOTENAY SENIOR BASEBALL
CAN-AM TWILIGHT INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
This eight-team circuit, with Spokane WA as its hub, became known as the Can-Am Twilight International Baseball League in 1964. Four new entries began the season as part of the expanded loop, Cranbrook and Nelson from within the Kootenays of B. C. as well as St. John WA and Kellogg ID from south of the border. Both Kellogg and a holdover team, Palmer’s Dairy of Spokane, dropped out of the alliance and were eventually replaced by the Spokane Valley Indians and the Coeur d’Alene ID Lakesiders, who were both given clean slates rather than being saddled with the won-lost records of the teams they supplanted. NORTHERN DIVISION
Cranbrook Canucks
Kimberley Dynamos
Nelson Braves
Trail Smoke Eaters
SOUTHERN DIVISION
Coeur d’Alene ID Lakesiders (late entry replacing Kellogg ID)
Kellogg ID Metalworkers (dropped out of league and was replaced by Coeur d’Alene ID Lakesiders)
Spokane Orphans
Spokane Palmer’s Dairy (dropped out of league and was replaced by Spokane Valley Indians)
Spokane Valley Indians (late entry replacing Spokane Palmer’s Dairy)
St. John WA Indians
(May 20) A midnight curfew forced the Can-Am Twilight International League opener between the hosting Trail Smoke Eaters and Nelson Braves to end in a 3 – 3 tie after 16 complete innings of play. Locked in a 1 – 1 stalemate after eight sessions of play, both squads plated a deuce in the ninth to send the contest into overtime. The game was nearly marred by a player riot in the tenth inning after third baseman Wayne Kew of the Smokies was hit on the wrist by a pitched ball. Catcher Frank Chambers of the Braves and Kew began a shoving match as players from both dugouts swarmed the home-plate area where several participants were knocked down. Order was eventually restored without any ejections and the scoreless bonus sessions began to mount up. Nelson starting pitcher Les Hufty, a veteran in the senior ranks for some 15 years, had a perfect game for five innings but left the game in the ninth after surrendering four of the eight Trail base raps. Blair Olson and Miles Desharnais completed the game for Hufty in the hurling slot. Wayne Magee started on the knoll for the Silver City nine and also departed after the ninth. He was nicked for three of Nelson’s six hits while walking an equal number of batters. Southpaw Barry McGillivray pitched the rest of the game for Trail. Former Vancouver Dufferin Stan Stewardson made his debut with the Smelter City aggregation and starred at the keystone sack.
L. Hufty, Olson, Desharnais and Chambers
Magee, McGillivray and xxx
(May 23) The Cranbrook Canucks and Trail Smoke Eaters split the proceeds of a Can-Am Twilight International League doubleheader played at Butler Park in east Trail. The visiting Canucks ran roughshod over the Smokies 13 to 0 in the seven-inning matinée encounter but the Smelter City gang rebounded in the nightcap to notch their first win of the season 9 to 4.
Rookie pitcher Melvin Babcock of the Trail tribe was easy prey for the East Kootenay invaders in the opener. Three walks, a hit batter and a single netted the visitors a brace of first-inning tallies. In the second spasm, Babcock failed to retire even a single batter and was yanked after walking two more and giving up a single to load the bases. Reliever Wayne Magee was ineffective, surrendering three more hits as Cranbrook plated a five-spot to jump in front 7 – 0. By the time Magee finished four innings of mound toil, the homesters were in arrears by ten tallies. Another rookie chucker, Keith Muirhead, surrendered the final three Canuck counters in the seventh.
xxx (W) and xxx
Babcock (L), Magee (2), Muirhead (6), Kissock (7) and xxx
Portsider Barry McGillivray helped the Silver City nine atone for their inept performance in the lid-lifter as he scattered seven hits and rang up a dozen punchouts in the finale in a route-going performance. Co-starring with McGillivray for the victors was Keith Healey who went yard twice with four-ply clouts. His first dinger was a three-run shot in the fourth frame while his second tater, a solo shot, was blasted in the seventh. Also instrumental in the Trail offensive surge was Stan Stewardson who stung the spheroid for a triple and three singles, accounting for two RBI’s.
xxx (L) and xxx
McGillivray (W) and xxx
(May 30-31) The Trail Smoke Eaters clobbered the Kimberley Dynamos in a pair of weekend games, taking the measure of the Mining Towners 10 to 3 on Saturday before coming back to post a convincing 10 to 2 triumph on Sunday.
Right-hander “Whitey” Paugh went all the way on the hill for the visiting Smokies in the Saturday tilt as his mates sent losing chucker Jim Nelson to the showers with a six-hit barrage in the second stanza which, combined with three walks, accounted for seven tallies. Hard-hitting outfielder Keith Healey had three hits for the victors, including a double, while fellow flychaser Bill Thompson stroked four singles. Ron Seredick was a one-man offensive show for Kimberley, lighting up Paugh for a brace of round-trippers which accounted for all the Dynamiters’ scoring. He smashed a two-run out-of-the-parker in the fourth and then went yard with a solo goner in the sixth.
Paugh (W) and xxx
Nelson (L), xxx (2) and xxx
Portsider Barry McGillivray effectively scattered nine hits to tame the hosts in the Sunday clash. Keith Healey staked Trail to a 1 – 0 lead with a bases-empty dinger in the opening panel. Then, in the third frame, big Don Holmes lit into one of losing chucker Elgin Smith’s offerings for a grand-salami tater, a clout which broke the backs of the dispirited Dynamos.
McGillivray (W) and xxx
Smith (L) and xxx
(June ) Nelson Braves took a pair from Cranbrook Canadians 14-2 and 4-1.
(June 3) Barry McGillivray stymied the Nelson Braves on two hits, both singles, as the Trail Smoke Eaters blanked the Queen City visitors 5 to 0 at Butler Park. In going the route, the talented southpaw fanned nine and walked two. Between losing pitcher Blair Olson and third-inning reliever Les Hufty, the Lakesiders gave up a whopping 14 hits and issued three free passes. McGillivray helped his cause by delivering three singles. Wayne Kew launched a solo four-ply clout for the Trailites and had a bunt single as well. Keith Healey belted a pair of run-scoring doubles and Terry Clark singled twice.
Olson (L), L. Hufty (3) and xxx
McGillivray (W) and xxx
(June 3) The Kimberley Dynamos had a big five-run third inning and went on to defeat the Cranbrook Canucks 9 to 3. Kimberley playing-manager Elgin Smith, splitting the hurling chores with Jerry Carter and Joe Postnikoff, was credited with the pitching win while Cranbrook starter Wally Tymchyna, who gave up five walks and one hit during the Dynamos’ third-spasm splurge, was saddled with the setback. Mike Russell and Darryl Jarrett launched eighth-inning round-trippers for the Dynies off Canuck reliever Bob Carter. Joe Postnikoff and Mel Johnson both checked in with a brace of bingles for the victors.
(June 11-12) The travelling St. John WA Indians and the Kimberley Dynamos both had a win and a loss in a pair of weekend encounters at Coronation Park. The Tribe scalped the Dynies 11 to 6 Saturday night but dropped a close 5 to 4, ten-inning decision in the Sunday tilt which resulted in a protest by the Washingtonians.
Both clubs had ten hits in the Saturday half of the weekend set-to but the hosting Kimberley nine had a defensive meltdown, serving up five unearned runs on six errors. Jim Chubb went all the way on the hill for St. John to take the pitching win, striking out eleven along the way. Jerry Carter, driven from the knoll for Mike Russell in the fifth frame, was the losing heaver. Mike Shea and Hal Brunstad had a pair of hits each for the Indians while middle pasture patroller Jim Spencer went deep with the game’s lone four-bagger. Elgin Smith led the Dynamos offensively with three base raps while Mel Johnson and Jim Nelson each picked up two safeties.
The Sunday affair was a tooth-and-nail battle in which the Dynamos jumped into a 2 – 0 first-inning lead. The visitors clawed out singletons in each of the fourth and sixth rounds to draw even. No further scoring took place during regulation time which sent the contest into a bonus round of play. In the top-of-the-overtime panel, the Whitman County pastimers put together three hits and a walk to plate a pair of counters for a 4 – 2 cushion. The Dynies fought back in their half of the panel and, with one run in, one retired and the bases loaded, losing chucker Dave Bell plunked Mel Johnson with one of his offerings, sending Johnson to first base to force in the tying marker. The St. John management claimed, however, that the errant pitch had deflected off Johnson’s bat and was thus a foul ball but when the plate arbiter stuck with his call, a protest was lodged. As a judgement decision by the umpire, the chances of the protest being upheld by the league moguls in next to none. In any event, with the score now deadlocked, the winning run crossed the platter on the very next play when Indians’ catcher Gale Pintler threw wild to the initial sack in a futile attempt to pick off Johnson. Joe Postnikoff, who came on in the seventh in relief of starter Elgin Smith, copped the heaving victory. Jim Nelson led the Kimberley hit parade with a triad of safe swats. “Moose” Ronquist and Postnikoff each picked up a pair. Hal Brunstad and Jon Johns had three hits each for the Tribe.
(June 14) Spokane Palmer’s Dairy and the Spokane Orphans both swept weekend doubleheaders in Can-Am Twilight International Baseball League action.
Norm Harding went five-for-seven at the plate and turned in a route-going mound performance to pace Palmer’s to an 18 to 2 victory in the first game at St. John. In the second tilt, “Skip” Street’s eighth-inning homer lifted the Dairymen to a 5 to 4 win.
The Orphans downed Kellogg ID 8 to 1 in the opener of their two-game set and romped to a 22 to 2 conquest in the late event.
(June 14) The homestanding Kimberley Dynamos surprised the North-Division pace-setting Nelson Braves by upsetting the Lakesiders 6 to 5.
(June 14) Stylish Barry McGillivray copped his fourth pitching win of the season as the Trail Smoke Eaters split a doubleheader with the hometown Cranbrook Canucks. On the knoll for the first game, McGillivray rang up 16 punchouts and surrendered two hits as the Smelter City nine blasted the Canucks 13 to 1. The late encounter, a seven-inning bout hampered by intermittent rain, saw Cranbrook triumph 8 to 4 as John Drysdale went the distance for the hurling victory.
In the matinée scuffle, import Ron Dillon had a homer in his debut for the winners while teammate Keith Healey nailed a pair of doubles.
McGillivray (W) and Dillon
xxx (L), xxx and xxx
After falling behind 3 – 0 in the opening canto of the follow-up fracas, the Canucks clawed their way back into contention and eventually took control of things with a five-spot in the sixth spasm. Drysdale whiffed eight in his winning performance.
Paugh, Kozlowski (L) and Dillon
Drysdale (W) and xxx
(June 17) Stan Stewardson’s double in the tenth inning chased across Doug Lynd with the only run of the game as the Trail Smoke Eaters came away with a 1 to 0 win over the invading Nelson Braves. The extra-inning clash featured a classic pitching duel between the Smokies’ Barry McGillivray and Blair Olson of the Braves. McGillivray struck out 15 Nelsonites, walked five and gave up only two hits while Olson, relying primarily on a tantalizing curve, was nicked for four safeties, two off the bat of catcher Ron Dillon. Olson registered nine punchouts and, like McGillivray, gave up five bases-on-balls.
Olson (L) and xxx
McGillivray (W) and Dillon
(June 18) Veteran playing-skipper Elgin Smith hurled a two-hitter and struck out 14 in leading the Kimberley Dynamos to a 4 to 1 victory over the Cranbrook Canucks. The win was the second in succession for Kimberley, current cellar-dwellers in the North Division of the Can-Am loop. The Dynamos drew first blood in the opening panel when Mel Johnson stroked the first of seven Kimberley hits off losing chucker Wally Tymchyna, stole second and romped home on Joe Postnikoff’s single. They added a pair in the second stanza when Harold Cox launched a two-run circuit-jack with Smith aboard. Smith had a no-hitter going until the top-of-the-sixth spasm when Bob Carter hit a blooper into the right garden, advanced to second on a fielding error and crossed the dish when Pete Leiman stroked Cranbrook’s second and last hit. The Dynamos rounded out the scoring in the bottom-of-the-sixth when Smith drew a walk and moved around to third on an error by Tymchyna. Colin Patterson’s well-executed squeeze bunt allowed Smith to score.
Tymchyna (L) and Spengler
Smith (W) and xxx
(June 20) Palmer’s Dairy of Spokane and the Trail Smoke Eaters divided the proceeds of their twin-bill at Butler Park, the Washingtonians blanking their hosts 3 to 0 in the lid-lifter while Trail pummelled the Dairymen 13 to 0 in the sunset skirmish.
Spokane’s Dan Bell handcuffed the Silver City nine on five hits and didn’t walk anyone in the early fracas. “Skip” Street doubled home former Kimberley player Gord Turlik in the first inning with the only run that Bell would need. “Whitey” Paugh, raked for nine hits by the Dairymen, suffered the pitching setback. Import catcher Ron Dillon, with two singles, was the lone Smokie swatsmith to achieve plural hit totals.
Bell (W) and xxx
Paugh (L) and Dillon
Barry McGillivray rang up 14 punchouts and gave up only four hits as the Smoke Eaters gained revenge in the nightcap. Losing pitcher Norm Harding struck out ten but gave up 12 hits. Four-spots in each of the fifth and sixth chapters sewed up the victory for the hosts.
Harding (L) and xxx
McGillivray (W) and Dillon
(June 20-21) The invading Spokane Orphans swept a two-game series from the Kimberley Dynamos during the weekend to remain unbeaten after four contests in the Can-Am Twilight International League. The Orphans won 14 to 2 on Saturday and then took a 7 to 6 decision on Sunday. Dave Stantus with two homers, one in each contest, and Dick Washburn, who collected six hits in nine times at bat, led the Orphans to the sweep.
Behind the steady six-hit pitching of Steve Bell who fanned nine, the Spokane squad romped to the easy victory in the Saturday tilt. Gary Luce, Jim Hogan and Ernie Smith had three hits each for the winners while Mel Johnson and “Moose” Ronquist each delivered a brace of safeties for Kimberley.
Sunday, with Jerry Carter on the mound, the Dynies looked like a different ball club and had a 6 – 4 lead over the South Division leaders after six sessions. The Orphans, however, were not to be denied and plated a trey in the eighth episode, the deciding tally resulting from Washburn’s fourth hit of the game. Gary Kendall, in relief of starter Tom Halvorson picked up the hurling decision. Shortpatcher Melvyn Johnson spanked the sphere for a brace of two-baggers in pacing the East Kootenay diamondeers at the dish.
In other Can-Am action on the weekend, the Cranbrook Canucks took two from the St. John WA Indians 5-0 and 10-9, while the Nelson Braves were sweeping a doubleheader from the Kellogg ID Metalworkers, 12-1 and 19-1.
(June 24) The visiting Trail Smoke Eaters squelched the Nelson Braves 9 to 2 in Can-Am Twilight International League action. Trail’s Stan Stewardson, pitching for the first time since 1961, gave up only three hits. Nelson starter Blair Olson, raked for seven of Trail’s 13 hits, was the losing chucker. The Smokies took a 1 – 0 lead in the first frame when Stewardson singled in in Keith Healey, who had doubled. The Braves evened things up in the second spasm when Len Bousquet drove home Mike Laughton. After that, the invaders took the lead and never looked back.
Stewardson (W) and Dillon
Olson (L), L. Hufty (4), Dorey (7) and xxx
(June 24) Bob Rich held the Valley Indians to just one hit Wednesday as Spokane Indians notched a 9-1 victory. John Miller paced the winners with a three-run homer in the first inning and Fred Sackett tripled in the sixth to bring in three runs.
(June 27-28) The hosting Kimberley Dynamos took a two-game weekend set from the Coeur d’Alene Lakesiders by scores of 2 to 1 and 7 to 0.
(June 28) Spokane Orphans received outstanding pitching Sunday to dump Nelson 13-1 and 6-0 in Can-Am Twilight League action. Steve Bell pitched a four-hitter in the first game and Gary Luce followed with a two-hit shutout in the second. Tom Hoagland led the winners with an eight-for-eight day at the plate.
(June 28) With a pair of hard-fought victories over the visiting St. John WA Indians, the Trail Smoke Eaters took over top spot in the North Division of the Can-Am Twilight International Baseball League. Trail’s Morey Johnston was awarded both pitching wins, hurling the first six stanzas of a 2 to 1 Smoke Eater win in the opener while ascending the knoll to go the route in a 7 to 6 evening-game triumph. Don McLeod scored Trail’s first counter in the fifth frame of the opening game. After hitting a three-bagger, McLeod was driven home on Jody Chesham’s single. St. John knotted the count in the top-of-the-sixth while powerful Ron Dillon doubled home Keith Healey with the winning counter in the bottom-half of the same inning. Reliever Wayne Magee ascended the knoll in the seventh and saved the victory for Johnston.
xxx (L) and xxx
Johnston (W), Magee (7) and Dillon
The Washington-state visitors jumped into an early 3 – 0 lead in the second encounter but the Smelter City squad created a stalemate in the third on RBI-singles by Don Holmes and Don McLeod plus a St. John fielding miscue. The score remained tied until the sixth when the Indians plated a deuce to regain the lead. The Smokies responded with a trey in the seventh, the tying and winning tallies crossing the dish on Johnston’s bases-loaded double.
xxx (L) and xxx
Johnston (W) and Dillon
(July 1) The Trail Smoke Eaters dropped a 17 to 2 decision to the arch-rival Nelson Braves in a three-hour marathon at Butler Park. After falling behind 2 – 0 in the opening canto, the Braves put the game on ice by running across seven counters in the sixth stanza. First-inning reliever Miles Desharnais blanked the Smokies after entering the game, earning the win in the process.
xxx, Desharnais (W) (1) and xxx
Johnston (L), Paugh (5), Magee (6) and Dillon, xxx
(July 4) The Trail Smoke Eaters nosed out the Coeur d’Alene Lakesiders in a single game at Butler Park. The fixture, originally scheduled as the first of a doubleheader, counted as two wins for the Silver City nine as the Idahoans opted out of a second clash and decided to go double-or-nothing. Larry Kissock went 8-2/3 innings on the knoll to cop the pitching win over Coeur d’Alene’s John Hippler.
Hippler (L) and xxx
Kissock (W), Johnston (9) and xxx
(July 5) Spokane Indians ran their record to 8-0 Sunday sweeping a double-header from St. John, Washington, at Underhill Park. A two-run double by Gary Luce and Steve Bell's seven-hit pitching paced the Orphans to a 3-1 victory in the first game. In the second, Bob Rich tossed a two-hitter in blanking St. John 4-0.
Chubb (L) and Pintler
S.Bell (W) and Brown
Dave Bell (L) and Pintler
Rich (W) and Eilmes
(July 8) The Nelson Braves, with former Trail third baseman Wayne Kew in the line-up, continued their late mastery over the visiting Smokies by doubling the Smelter City invaders 12 to 6. The Braves, with 11 base knocks, scored four in the seventh and added three more in the eighth to take control of the game. Miles Desharnais, who entered the fracas in relief of starter Blair Olson in the seventh stanza with the score tied at 5 – 5, earned the mound win. Junior call-up Dennis Zinio pitched well in relief for the Smokies after ascending the hill in the third round but faded in the late innings. Ex-Smokie Kew had two safeties against his former mates. Tom Bird nailed a solo dinger for the Smoke Eaters while teammate Don McLeod had a two-run, inside-the-park round-tripper.
Magee, Zinio (L) (3) and xxx
L. Hufty, Olson (6), Desharnais (W) (7) and xxx
(July 8) After spotting the Valley Indians a 4-0 lead in the first two innings, the Spokane Indians rebounded Wednesday to take a 7-4 victory for their 10th straight win in the Can-Am Twilight play. Indians rallied with three in the third and three more in the fourth. Steve Bell homered for the victors.
(July 10) The Trail Smoke Eaters narrowly edged past the league’s newest entry, the Spokane Valley Indians, 8 to 7 at Butler Park. Although nicked for ten hits, Don McLeod persevered on the knoll for the complete-game win. Heading into the ninth inning, the Trailites held a comfortable 7 – 3 lead but the Washingtonians rallied for four counters, one a home run by Jim Albi/Albo, to tie the score. In the bottom-of-the-ninth, McLeod singled, moved to second on Larry Kissock’s one-bagger, stole third and plated the walk-off winner on Jody Chesham’s sacrifice fly.
Kennedy, xxx (7) and xxx
McLeod (W) and xxx
(July 11) The Trail Smoke Eaters increased their North Division lead by sweeping a doubleheader from the hosting Coeur d’Alene Lakesiders by scores of 8 to 1 and 11 to 4. Morey Johnston struck out five and earned the pitching win in the seven-inning opener, limiting the homesters to three hits. Catcher Ron Dillon had a brace of bingles for the winners.
Johnston (W) and Dillon
xxx (L) and xxx
The Smoke Eaters roared out of the gate in the late encounter, establishing an 8 – 0 lead after two innings of play. Regular catcher Ron Dillon pitched his first-ever game and showed remarkable control, walking only one while giving up four hits. Dillon, along with teammate Don McLeod, launched home runs for the Silver City squad. Outfielder Keith Healey connected for a pair of hits and drove in two runs.
Dillon (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(July 12) The Spokane Orphans, who find the Can-Am Twilight International League their own private oyster, rambled to two more triumphs at Underhill Park. The unbeaten Waifs smashed the Cranbrook Canucks 5 to 0 and 15 to 3 behind five-hitters pitched by Steve Bell and Gary Kendall. Tom Hoagland clouted a two-run homer for the Spokane squad in the late game. The league-leaders took advantage of six Cranbrook errors to score all their runs in the matinée clash.
Drysdale (L) and Cherkowski
Bell (W) and Eilmes
The Spokane aggregation exploded for 11 runs in the fifth inning of the sunset skirmish to put the result on ice.
Gogal (L), Sedran (5) and Cherkowski, Taylor (5)
Kendall (W) and Brown
(July 12) The Spokane Valley Indians and Nelson Braves divided two games at Gonzaga University. The Tribe captured the opener 6 to 4 and Nelson romped to a 13 to 0 verdict in the second scuffle. The Indians have a 1 – 2 league mark after joining the circuit last week. Winning pitcher Terry McGruder slammed a two-run double and scored on an infield hit to help the Valley nine register their first league victory.
Olson (L) and Berdine
McGruder (W) and Springer
Nelson scored eight runs in the first three innings to wrap up the seven-inning nightcap. Veteran Les Hufty blanked the Indians on three hits.
L. Hufty W) and Chambers
Hanneman (L), Norres (1), Albo (3), Ellis (7) and Kennedy
(July 15) The Nelson Braves edged out the Trail Smoke Eaters 3 to 2 at Butler Park to move ahead in their season’s series four games to three. With early-season pitching ace Barry McGillivray no longer available after having signed a pro contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Trail manager Mushy Anselmo had to rely upon his “Kiddy Korps” of chuckers to fill the void on the knoll. It was a close battle all the way with Nelson scoring all three of their runs in the seventh inning after falling behind 1 – 0 in the third round when Smokie outfielder Bill Thompson crosses the pan following a trio of one-baggers. The seventh-spasm rally by the Braves came as a result of four base raps and a Trail error, all of which allowed Burdette, Mickey Fitzpatrick and Bill Burdenie to score and sending southpaw starter Dennis Zinio of the Smeltermen to the showers. The junior-aged Zinio was replaced by another youthful chucker, 16-year old Gordie Madge, who was able to douse the fire without any further damage. The Smoke Eaters closed the gap to 3 – 2 in the bottom-of-the-ninth when Don McLeod belted a triple off winning hurler Miles Desharnais and scored on an infield error. However, the last-gasp rally fell just short when Desharnais retired the dangerous Larry Kissock to end the game.
Desharnais (W) and xxx
Zinio (L), Madge (7) and Dillon
(July 16) The Kimberley Dynamos exploded for 15 runs in the first and second innings to humble the invading Cranbrook Canucks 19 to 5 in a North Division Can-Am encounter at Coronation Park that was terminated after seven innings. Winning hurler Mike Russell succeeded starter Mel Johnson on the hill in the third inning and was, in turn, provided relief assistance from Joe Postnikoff in the ninth. Sam Calles and Harvey Nash both hammered the horsehide for four safeties, including a double each. Erv Spengler of the Canucks connected for the game’s lone home run, driving in two runs in the fourth. Bob Carter, tagged with the loss, was yanked after one inning but his replacement, Bim Brehm, didn’t fare any better.
(July 18) The front-running Spokane Orphans tasted defeat for the first time this season when they were edged 7 to 6 by the hosting Trail Smoke Eaters. Creaming the orb for 17 base knocks in the second match, the Orphans got right back on the winning track by dumping the Trailites 15 to 5. The split left the Orphans well in front of the circuit with an 11 – 1 record. The Smokies rallied for a brace of tallies in the seventh inning of the lid-lifter for the come-from-behind win. Trail infielder Don McLeod slugged a two-run homer to help his team score five times in the sixth inning of the first game after catcher Ken Eilmes doubled in three Spokane runs to help the visitors build a 5 – 0 lead. Don Holmes doubled in the deciding runs for the Smeltermen in the bottom-of-the-seventh.
Bell (L), Luce (7) and Eilmes
Johnston, Magee (3), Madge (W) (7) and Dillon
The Orphans tallied eight times in the seventh inning to clinch the twilight tilt. Two-run dingers by Dave Stantus and Fred Sackett highlighted the explosion. Jim Hogan socked a solo tater for the Spokane gang in the opening canto. Don McLeod launched his second four-bagger of the day for the Smokies, a bases-empty shot in the opening canto while clubmate Keith Healey delivered another solo, this one coming in the seventh.
Rich (W) and Eilmes
Madge (L) and Dillon
(July 19) The league’s newest entry, the Spokane Valley Indians, took a doubleheader from the visiting Kimberley Dynamos 7 to 4 and 6 to 5 at Underhill Park. Both victories came as a result of late-inning eruptions. The Tribe wrapped up the opener by plating four markers in the final three frames.
Smith (L) and James
Hanneman (W) and Halter
A brace of seventh-inning tallies gave the Valleymen a win in the second encounter.
Carter (L) and Ronquist
McGruder (W) and Springer
(July 22) The homestanding Nelson Braves moved past the Trail Smoke Eaters into top spot in the North Division by virtue of a 6 to 4 win over the Smokies in a Can-Am encounter shortened to six innings because of rain. The loss for the Smokies dropped their record to 15 – 9 for a percentage of .625 while Nelson now boasts a record of 14 – 7 for a .667 percentage. The Trailites held a 4 – 2 lead heading into the bottom-of-the-fourth frame of the abbreviated contest before the roof fell in on youthful starter Gord Madge who was raked for a deuce by the Lakesiders before departing with the base loaded in favor of southpaw Dennis Zinio. The bespectacled Trail portsider surrendered a two-run double to Mike Laughton before retiring the side. Frank Chambers had two safeties for the victors while big Don Holmes picked up two of the eight Trail base raps.
Madge (L), Zinio (4) and Dillon
Desharnais, Olson (W) (4) and xxx
(July 22) Gary Luce single scored Dave Stantus with the game's only run Wednesday as Spokane Orphans shutout the Valley Indians 1-0 at Gonzaga University. It was the 12th win in 13 games for the league leaders. Tom Halvorson fired a four-hitter in blanking the Indians. After leadoff batter Steve Pratt singled Halvorson retired 21 men in order. The Valley crew put runners at first and second with one out in the ninth before second sacker Jim Hogan started a double play to end the game.
Busch (L) and Halter
Halvorson (W) and Eilmes
(July ) Kimberley Dynamos split a double-header with Coeur d'Alene Lakesiders taking the opening game 7-3 but losing 5-4 in the second.
(July 26) Steve Bell, Dave Stantus and Gary Kendall paced the Spokane Orphans to two Can-Am Twilight International League victories, by scores of 7 to 0 and 12 to 5, over the Nelson Braves. Bell pitched a five-hitter in blanking the Braves in the matinée fracas while Kendall hurled a seven-hitter in the windup joust and supported his own cause by lashing out a pair of four-baggers, good for three RBI’s. Stantus collected five hits over the course of the double-dip, including a grand-slam four-ply clout and drove in five runs.
STANDINGS *
NORTH DIVISION W L Pct. GBL
Trail Smoke Eaters 16 9 .640 ----
Nelson Braves 14 9 .609 1.0
Cranbrook Canucks 14 10 .583 1.5
Kimberley Dynamos 8 15 .349 7.0
SOUTH DIVISION W L Pct. GBL
Spokane Orphans 15 1 .938 ----
Spokane Valley Indians 3 3 .500 7.0
Coeur d’Alene Lakesiders 2 7 .222 9.5
St. John Indians 2 10 .167 11.0
* unbalanced won-loss totals result from non-inclusion of Kellogg ID and Spokane Palmer’s Dairy game results.
(August 8) A doubleheader split with the invading Kimberley Dynamos left the Trail Smoke Eaters still with a half-game lead atop the Northern Division of the Can-Am Twilight International League. The East Kootenay team took the first game 8 to 6 but Trail bounced back in the second encounter to prevail 11 to 4. Bob Neale copped the pitching win for Kimberley in the seven-inning opener while starter Gord Madge of the Smokies was tagged with the loss. Trail had a 9 to 8 advantage in base hits as “Rocky” Cull, “Butch” Simpson and Bill Thompson each checked in with a pair of safeties.
Neale (W) and xxx
Madge (L), Magee (6) and Dillon, Cull (8)
Portsider Dennis Zinio pitched the Smokies to the win in the late affair. “Butch” Simpson went four-for-five at the dish for the winners while Don McLeod delivered a triple and single. Mel Johnson and “Moose” Ronquist were best with the baton for the Dynamos, each drilling a pair of one-baggers.
Orr (L), Neale, Smith and xxx
Zinio (W) and Dillon
(August 8) Steve Bell's two-hit pitching and a 13-run outburst in the first two innings carried the Spokane Orphans to a 15-0 victory over Coeur d'Alene in the first game of a Saturday double-header. Orphans also took the second game 2-1 as Ken Eilmes singled home the winning run and Tom Halvorson fanned eight in three innings of relief work.
Andy Aoki (L) and Terry Taylor
Steve Bell (W) and Ken Eilmes
Ted Anderson (L) and Taylor
Gary Kendall, Tom Halvorson (W) (5) and Jim Brown
(August 9) The Valley Indians rallied for four runs in the final frame Sunday but it wasn't enough as they fell 9-7 in ten innings to St. John. But, a three-run fifth inning was enough in the second game for a 5-3 triumph for the Indians
Sterling, Chaffins (W) (9) and Daly
McGruder, Amend (L) (6) and Kennedy, Halter
Hanson (L) and Pinter
Gallegos (W) and Halter
(August 12) Sparked by the big bat of third baseman Dick Washburn, the Spokane Indians rolled to their 18th win in 19 games with a 12-3 romp over the Valley Indians. Washburn drove in six runs with a two-run triple and a pair of singles. Ken Eilmes contributed a double and single. University of Idaho star Gary Luce went the first seven innings for the win.
Luce (W), Halvorson (7) and Eilmes
Hanneman (L), Ervin (3), Busch (7), Amend (9) and Halter
(August 15) The Nelson Braves clinched the North Division pennant with a 4 to 2 win over the cellar-dwelling Kimberley Dynamos at Coronation Park. The Braves jumped out in front in the opening panel when Mike Laughton went yard with a two-run dinger off the slants of losing slabster Jim Nelson. Al Roemer singled in the third to drive in Laughton with a third Nelson tally. The Dynamos didn’t hit he scoreboard until the sixth stanza when Bob Neale sprinted in from third on Jim Nelson’s sacrifice fly. After the Lakesiders padded their lead with a singleton in the seventh, the Dynies started to get to winning twirler Miles Desharnais but could only muster one run over the course of the final three spasms despite leaving the bases loaded twice. Roemer stroked three hits for the winners while Laughton and Bill Burdenie registered two each. Nelson, Darryl Jarrett and Bob O’Brien all delivered a brace of safe swats for the vanquished nine.
(August 15) The hosting Spokane Valley Indians divided a twin-bill with the Trail Smoke Eaters as the Can-Am League regular schedule wound down. Trail captured the opening tilt 10 to 6 but dropped the second contest 11 to 5. The split left the Smokies just percentage points behind the Nelson Braves in the battle for first place in the North Division final standings. Jack Briggs did an outstanding job in relief to earn the pitching victory in the matinée fracas after taking over from starter Wayne Magee in the third inning. Catcher Ron Dillon had four hits, including two doubles, for the Smokies. Don McLeod homered and drilled a pair of singles while Morey Johnston delivered a double and one-bagger. Outfielder Neil Pettigrew was best with the lumber for the Tribe, stroking a two-bagger and a brace of singles.
Magee, Briggs (W) (3) and Dillon
McGruder (L), Ervin/Irwin (6) and Kennedy
Slabster Busch of the Valleymen went the distance on the hill to defeat the Smelter City nine in the seven-inning nightcap, allowing Nelson to annex the North Division pennant. Al Scott’s three hits and two RBI’s paced the Indians’ batting attack.
Zinio (L), Briggs (5) and Kissock
Busch (W) and Springer
(August 19) Tom Halvorson fired a four-hitter Wednesday to help Spokane Orphans to a 4-1 victory over the Valley Indians for their 19th win in 20 league games. Jim Hogan and Ed Fiskland each collect two hits and drove in a pair for the winners. Halvorson fanned seven in posting his fourth win without a defeat.
Halvorson (W) and Eilmes
Ervin (L), Amend (7) and Halter, Kennedy (7)
NORTH DIVISION
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Nelson Braves 16 10 .615 ----
Trail Smoke Eaters 18 12 .600 ----
Cranbrook Canucks 15 11 .577 1.0
Kimberley Dynamos 10 18 .355 7.0
PLAYOFFS
NORTH DIVISION
SEMI-FINALS Cranbrook Canucks vs Trail Smoke Eaters (best-of-three series)
(August 22 – 23) The Trail Smoke Eaters and Cranbrook Canucks split their first two playoff encounters over the weekend. The Smokies copped the series opener on Saturday night 14 to 13 in a three-hour marathon at Butler Park. The Canucks bounced back for a 9 to 7 triumph Sunday on their home turf. The teams combined for 35 base hits in the Saturday tilt with Cranbrook picking up 18 of them. Three chuckers hurled for Trail with sixth-inning reliever Don McLeod getting the win. John Drysdale struck out nine Smoke Eater batters in taking the route-going loss.
Drysdale (L) and Kuntz
Zinio, Madge (3), McLeod (W) (6) and Dillon
The Canucks, facing elimination in the Sunday encounter, overcame a 7 – 3 sixth-inning deficit and came on strong with a six-spot in the seventh spasm to even the series.
Johnston (L) and Dillon
Sedran (W) and Kuntz
(August 30) The Cranbrook Canucks were awarded the final game of the North Division semi-finals when the Trail Smoke Eaters failed to field a team.
FINALS Cranbrook Canucks vs Nelson Braves (best-of-three series)
(September 2) Staging an unbelievable comeback in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning, the Nelson Braves overcame a 7 – 0 deficit by scoring eight runs for an 8 to 7 walkoff victory over the Cranbrook Canucks as the North Division finals got underway. Canucks’ starter, import Larry Oddy, was breezing along with a substantial lead until the Braves took their final turn at bat. An error and three consecutive walks gave Nelson their first run. Second baseman Bernie Monteleone then cleared the sacks with a triple to bring the score to 7 – 4, driving Oddy to the showers. Another American, Tom Crocia, replaced Oddy at this point, but was ineffective. Two walks, sandwiched around a passed ball, set the stage for a double by Charlie Burdette which narrowed the deficit to 7 – 6. Nelson catcher Bill Burdenie followed by laying down a perfect bunt as Al Roemer raced in from third base with the tying tally while Burdette moved over to the hot corner sack. With fire in his eyes, energy in his legs and larceny in his heart, Burdette glided progressively into a hefty lead off third and daringly sprinted homeward in a successful theft by plating the deciding marker. The loss for Cranbrook was devastating as it wasted a three-run homer by John Drysdale and a two-run dinger off the bat of Ernie Cherkowski.
Oddy, Crocia (L) (9) and xxx
Desharnais (W) and Burdenie
No further playoff results have been located.
WEST KOOTENAY JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Creston Maroons
Fruitvale
Rossland Capilanos
East Trail Pirates
(June 26)
STANDINGS W L Pts.
Rossland 6 0 12
East Trail 4 2 8
Fruitvale 1 5 2
Creston 0 4 0