1964 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1964 BC Interior
1964 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR LEAGUE
Not unlike previous seasons within this circuit, different sponsorship defined two of the four entries for 1964. Teams representing new sponsors Greave’s Moving & Storage and McLaren Construction graced the diamond at Royal Athletic Park along with standby entries from last season, the defending champion Transport Workers and the Independents. The makeup of the league in 1964 emphasized more youth with many graduates of the Connie Mack program moving up into senior company.
Greave’s Movers
Independents
McLaren Construction
Transport Workers
(May 16) The Independents began the 1964 season by clipping the defending champion Transport Workers 7 to 3 in the matinee portion of an opening-day doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park. George Brice, with a six-hitter, out-duelled Art Worth for the hillock victory and was aided by playing-manager Jim Moody who went yard with a three-run dinger.
Worth (L) and Strongman
G. Brice (W) and Grant
McLaren Construction scored the winning run without the benefit of a base hit in nipping Greave’s Movers 3 to 2 in the sunset tilt.
Holt (L), Christianson (6) and Cosier
Klinick (W) and Cooper, Burrows (7)
(May 18) A 6 to 4 victory over Greave’s Movers left the Independents as the lone undefeated team in the Victoria Amateur Baseball League after long weekend action. George Brice, coming on in relief of starter Bob Mabee who ran into a streak of wildness in the fourth frame, blanked the Movers the rest of the way to earn the pitching decision. Bob Holness stroked a three-run double in the sixth stanza to provide the victory margin.
Mabee (W), G. Brice (4) and Grant
Christianson (L), Udy (6) and Haslam
Despite a fine three-hit pitching performance by Stan Thame, McLaren Construction dropped a 2 to 1 decision to the Transport Workers in the second half of the Victoria Day twin-bill. Winning chucker Gord Strongman of the Transports was even more stingy on the knoll than Thame, limiting McLaren’s to two safeties.
Thame (L) and Cooper, Burrows (4)
Strongman (W) and Brian McKenzie
(May 19) Jim Moody looked more like a one-man gang than manager of the Independents at Royal Athletic Park. Not only did he spin a five-hitter in a 3 to 0 shutout win over McLaren Construction but he clipped the horsehide for a pair of base hits, the first of which drove in the winner.
McAdam (L) and Cooper
Moody (W) and Grant
(May 20) A double by Larry Montgomery in an extra-inning of play drove in playing-manager Herb Wetherall and allowed Greave’s Movers to break into the win column with a 3 to 2 victory over the Transport Workers at Royal Athletic Park. It was Montgomery’s second hit of the night. Gerry Parker drove in the Movers first two tallies with a first-inning single. Des Moseley, pitching for the winners, struck out nine and gave up only four hits. Losing flinger Brent Siddons was nicked for six safeties while ringing up ten punchouts.
Siddons (L) and McAvoy
Moseley and Rawlings
(May 21) Off to a slow start this season, the defending champion Transport Workers staged a two-run uprising in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning to take a come-from-behind 3 to 2 win over the previously undefeated Independents. Playing-manager Barry Harvey looped a short single into left field which scored John Yankoski and Art Worth with the tying and winning markers.
G. Brice (L) and Grant
Rutledge, Kilduff (W) (6) and Brian McKenzie, Strongman (6)
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Independents 3 1 .750 ----
Transport Workers 2 2 .500 1.0
Greave’s Movers 1 2 .333 1.5
McLaren Construction 1 2 .333 1.5
(May 23) The league-leading Independents made the most of three hits, and an inning of wildness, to defeat McLaren Construction 4 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Losing pitcher Stan Thame walked in the Independents’ first three runs and a throwing error allowed them to plate their fourth counter in the fifth frame. Bob Mabee, backed by four double plays, earned credit for the pitching victory.
Mabee (W) and Grant
Thame (L) and Cooper
(May 24) Transports’ catcher Mike McAvoy gave George Holt nothing but trouble as the Workers edged Greave’s Movers 3 to 2 in Senior Amateur Baseball League action. McAvoy collected three hits in five trips to the plate and figured in two Transport runs, one of them the winning tally in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning. Holt, on the knoll for the Movers, watched McAvoy single to drive in John Yankoski for the win after Greave’s tied the game 2 – 2 in the top half of the stanza. Winning pitcher Pete Jolly drove in McAvoy in the fourth frame for the Transports’ second run after McAvoy reached base with a double. Yankoski scored the Workers’ initial marker after a walk, stolen base and Gary Bishop’s single. Dave Rivers drove in Gerry Parker in the sixth panel to register the first run for the vanquished nine and Barry Cosier scored on an error in the top-of-the-ninth for the Movers’ second tally.
Holt (L) and Cosier
Jolly (W) and McAvoy
(May 26) Veteran chucker Des Moseley dug down deep and, in rapid succession, rang up Bob Lumley, Joe Patterson and Larry Johnston as punchout victims in the final canto after two of their McLaren Construction teammates, Mike Hodge and Gerry MacAdam, had set the stage for a comeback by singling to begin the frame. The triad of strikeouts ended the game and preserved a 4 to 1 victory for Moseley and Greave’s Movers and shoved the Contractors into the league cellar. Moseley whiffed eleven in going the distance and allowed only four hits.
Klinick (L), MacAdam (5) and Lumley
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
(May 27) Gary Tuttle picked up all three of Greave’s Movers’ hits and scored both of their runs but it wasn’t enough as the Movingmen went down to a 6 to 2 defeat at the hands of the Independents at Royal Athletic Park. Winning pitcher George Brice was the big thorn in the Movers’ side, limiting them solely to Tuttle’s three safeties in a route-going performance. Bill Hobbis began the Independents’ attack in the first inning, stealing home off Greave’s starter Art Jones. Dallas Lansdell nailed a double in the third spasm to plate Jim Moody and Bob Holness and Norm Curran clouted a two-run round-tripper in the fourth. Lansdell picked up another double in the sixth inning, scoring Curran.
G. Brice (W) and Grant
Jones (L), Udy (3) and Rawlings
(May 28) McLaren Construction took full advantage of a pair of costly throwing miscues by the Transports to humble the Workers 3 to 1 at Royal Athletic Park. Outhit 6 to 4 in the hard-fought scuffle, the Contractors broke a 1 – 1 tie in the fifth frame when Transports’ catcher Gary Bishop unloaded an errant pickoff attempt to the hot corner which allowed Bob Brice to score the go-ahead counter. A two-base throwing error in the sixth stanza placed Larry McKinty on the keystone sack from where the plated an insurance marker on a single by Bowles.
Siddons (L) and G. Bishop
S. Bishop (W) and Lumley
(May 30) McLaren Construction took over third place in the Senior Amateur circuit as they blasted 15 base knocks in trouncing Greave’s Movers 12 to 1. Southpaw Gerry MacAdam kept the Movers at bay by spinning a five-hitter.
Holt (L), Moseley (5) and Cosier
MacAdam (W) and Lumley
(May 31) The Independents suffered just their second setback of the season, both coming at the hands of the Transports, when they were nosed out by the Workers 5 to 4 at Royal Athletic Park. The Transport twirling trio of starter Cliff Rutledge, winner Brent Siddons and veteran portsider Art Worth combined for 15 strikeouts over the course of the battle. Six Independent errors aided the Workers.
Rutledge, Siddons (W) (3), Worth (7) and G. Bishop
G. Brice (L), and Grant, Moody (7)
(June 2) Greaves Movers, the cellar-dwellers in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League drove veteran Art Worth from the mound in the third inning Tuesday night at Royal Athletic Park on the way to a 6-0 victory over the Transport Workers. Greaves grabbed a pair of runs in the second frame as two errors and a walk put Gary Tuttle and Gerry Parker in scoring position and Fred Christianson brought them home with a single. In the third, three straight hits by Larry Montgomery, Ron Stubbings and Gary Tuttle added two more runs. Bruce McKenzie relieved but Parker greeted him with a single for the sixth marker. Des Moseley tossed a three-hitter for the winners and racked up ten strikeouts.
Art Worth (L), Bruce McKenzie (3) and Brian McKenzie
Des Moseley (W) and Jay Rawlings
Independents 5 - 2
Transports 4 - 4 1.5
McLarens 3 - 4 2.0
Greaves 3 - 5
2.5
(June 6) The Transport Workers took advantage of a shaky start by McLaren’s pitcher Steve Bishop, scoring four runs in the first inning en route to a 5 to 3 Senior Amateur League decision over the Construction Crew. Bishop’s wildness cost him a pair of counters in that frame while the other two markers crossed the dish on Keith Dagg’s double. They never looked back after that outburst.
S. Bishop (L), McAdam (4), S. Bishop (8) and Cooper
Siddons (W), Yankoski (9), Worth (9) and Brian McKenzie
(June 7) A 10 to 8 defeat at the hands of Greave’s Movers reduced the lead of the vanquished Independents to a half-game atop the Senior Amateur standings. Bases-on-balls chilled the leaders in the Royal Athletic Park event. Six walks and Don Bell’s two-run single, his third hit of the game, gave Greave’s their come-from-behind victory. The Independents had taken an 8 to 3 lead with a six-run outburst in the fourth frame, an uprising highlighted by Norm Curran’s three-run circuit-jack. Des Moseley, who relieved starter Mike Ash in the fourth, picked up the hurling triumph.
Ash, Moseley (W) (4) and Cosier
McDaniel, Moody (L) (1) and Grant
(June 8) The Independents managed to hold onto first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by staging a last-inning rally to edge McLaren Construction 3 to 2. The Contractors had plated a deuce in the fifth to forge ahead 2 to 1 on RBI singles by Mike Hodge and Bob Lumley. In the final panel, however, the Independents’ Bill Hobbis walked and Bob Holness singled. After Jim Moody’s sacrifice bunt was fielded, the throw to third base on the attempted force out was late, loading the bases. Rick Blake, the next batter, singled up the middle to score both runs and end the game.
Wortman, Klinick (2), Thame (L) (6) and Lumley
Mabee, G. Brice (W) (7) and Grant, Moody (7)
(June 9) The Transport Workers managed only four base hits but crammed three of them into the second inning which was sufficient to squeak out a 1 to 0 Senior Amateur League decision over Greave’ Movers. With one retired in that frame, Barry Harvey slammed a triple down the right-field line. Keith Dagg followed with a lazy one-bagger into the right-field garden as Harvey crossed the dish with the game’s only counter.
Holt (L) and Rawlings
Worth (W) and G. Bishop
(June 10) The pace-setting Independents blanked McLaren Construction 4 to 0 as winning pitcher George Brice stymied the Contractors on two hits. He also knocked in the first three runs for the victors by smacking a bases-loaded double in the fourth frame. Norm Curran’s solo dinger, his third tater of the campaign, accounted for the fourth tally by the Independents.
G. Brice (W) and Grant
S. Bishop (L), Thame (5) and Lumley
(June 11) A 3 to 2 loss to Greave’s Movers lodged McLaren Construction more firmly in the Senior Amateur Baseball League cellar. The setback was even more disappointing in that it resulted from a last-inning meltdown in which their 2 to 0 lead evaporated. The Macs lead came on a two-run single by catcher Jerry Cooper in the top-of-the-seventh stanza. When Greave’s came up for their final licks, an error by the Contractors, a hit batter and a walk gave them life. Dave Rivers then nailed a run-scoring single as Herb Wetherall, representing the potential tying run, was thrown out at the plate. Two more free passes by losing pitcher Lynn Wortman followed, the last of which forced in the tying counter. A pitching change at this point, failed to stop the unravelling as Stan Thame walked the first batter he faced, Ron Stubbings, to force in the winning run.
Billsborough, MacAdam (6), Wortman (L) (7), Thame (7) and Cooper
Benn (W) and Rawlings
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Independents 7 3 .700 ----
Transport Workers 6 4 .600 1.0
Greave’s Movers 5 6 .455 2.5
McLaren Construction 3 8 .273 4.5
(June 13) Walks decided another game at Royal Athletic Park as the Independents strolled to a 12 to 8 decision over Greave’s Movers. The usually-sharp Des Moseley, starting on the bump for the Movers, was plagued with strike-zone issues and handed out nine free passes in the four innings he toiled as the Independents jumped on the handouts for seven of the dozen counters. In total, the Greave’s tossers gave up 13 bases-on-balls to go along with ten safe swats. On the other side, winning pitcher Rick Blake was no mystery to the batters from the Movers as they lit him up for 14 base raps but Blake allowed only six walks. Tops with the lumber in this contest was Barry Cosier of the vanquished nine who drove in four runs on four hits. Norm Curran of the victors had three RBI’s on two hits.
Blake (W) and Grant
Moseley (L), Christianson (6), Ash (8) and Rawlings
(June 14) In a wild, high-scoring tilt at Royal Athletic Park, the Transport Workers inched closer to the front-running Independents by clobbering McLaren Construction 15 to 9. The clutch hitting of veteran Art Worth sparked the the Transports to victory.
Rutledge, Kilduff (W) (4) and McAvoy
Thames, Klinick (L) (5), MacAdam (6), Wortman (8) and Lumley
(June 15) A 5 to 1 conquest of the Independents at Royal Athletic Park allowed the defending-champion Transport Workers to move into a first-place tie with their adversaries. Losing pitcher George Brice was uncharacteristically shaky on the knoll in the third and fourth cantos when the Workers did all their scoring. Brice plunked Brian McKenzie to open the bottom-of-the-third inning. Two successful bunts, an error and a walk scored McKenzie and left the sacks full. Brice the hit John Yankoski to force in another counter and Art Worth accounted for a third tally in that frame with a sacrifice fly. The fourth panel was similar as two walks and an error loaded the bases for Yankoski to uncork a two-run single.
G. Brice (L) and Grant
Siddons (W) and Brian McKenzie
(June 18) The Independents came from behind, scoring five times in the seventh inning, to down Greave’s Movers 7 to 5 at Royal Athletic Park. “Bud” Brice uncorked the big blow in the uprising, a two-run single with the bases loaded. The win moved the Independents a half-game ahead of the Transport Workers in the standings.
Holt, (L), Benn (7) and Rawlings
G. Brice (W) and Grant
(June 20) The fee-swinging Independents took a one-game hold on first-place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by belting out 13 hits in defeating McLaren Construction 10 to 3.
McKay (L), Hodge (8), MacAdam (8) and Lumley, Cooper (8)
Lansdell (W), G. Brice (6) and Moody, Grant (8)
(June 21) The Transport Workers clawed their way within striking distance of the league lead when they doubled Greave’s Movers 6 to 3 in a 13-inning marathon at Royal Athletic Park.
Worth (W) and G. Bishop
Moseley (L) and Cosier
(June 22) The Transport Workers roared into top spot in the Senior Amateur loop by blasting the Independents 9 to 2 in a first-place battle. A six-run sixth inning put the Workers on the road to victory. 16-year old Brian Craig, elevated from the Colt League for this contest, banged out two hits and had four RBI’s for the Transports.
Siddons (W) and Craig
G. Brice (L) and Moody
(June 23) Art Worth turned defeat into victory at Royal Athletic Park in leading the Transport Workers to a 10 to 9 come-from-behind conquest of McLaren Construction. His efforts stood out in a game marked ineffective pitching, loose fielding and other zany happenings. The McLaren brigade at one stage led the contest 9 to 4, scoring eight runs in a wild fourth-inning display. Their splurge came on only three hits but was aided to no end by seven bases-on-balls and an error. After that, John Yankoski the Workers’ third hurler, shut the door and gave Worth an opportunity to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In the sixth stanza, Worth drove in the tying run with a crisp single, stole second base and came around to score the winning run.
Rutledge, Kilduff (3), Yankoski (W) (3) and G. Bishop
Klinick, , Thame (L) (5) and Lumley
(June 24) McLaren Construction overcame a long, dry famine, in riding the wave created by Larry Johnston’s grand-slam home run, to stomp all over Greave’s Movers 11 to 4. Johnston unloaded his grand-salami off the slants of 16-year old Colt Leaguer Brian Lucas, called up for the contest. In addition to his slugging prowess, Johnston also tossed four scoreless innings of relief to earn the pitching win. Vic Skinner accounted for two more McLaren markers with three base hits.
Lucas (L), Holt (4) and Cosier
Udy, Johnston (W) (3) and Lumley
(June 25) After giving up a three hits that netted pair of first-inning runs, Jim Moody settled in quite nicely and allowed only one safety the rest of the way as he pitched the Independents to a narrow 3 to 2 win over Greave’s Movers at Royal Athletic Park. The Independents’ versatile playing-manager showed his adeptness with the baton as well, clipping the orb for a two-run double in the second stanza to tie the score. Then, with two out in the fourth, he singled and moved around to third base on John Balloch’s one-bagger. The throw to the hot corner was wide of its mark which allowed him to scamper home with the tie-breaker.
Moody (W) and Grant
Moseley (L) and Rawlings
(June 28) McLaren Construction rose up the defeat the second-place Independents 12 to 8. Larry Johnston sparked the winners’ 15-hit attack, belting a two-run homer in the second inning while teammate Larry McKinty cracked out three safeties.
Moody (L), B. Brice (2) and Grant
Klinick (W), Johnston (3) and Lumley
(June 29) A 5 to 2 victory over the league-leading Transport Workers vaulted McLaren Construction out of the basement position in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League.
McKay (W) and Lumley
Siddons (L), Worth (4) and Brian McKenzie
(July 3-5) Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball Association invitational tournament
(July 7) The Transport Workers increased their lead in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League to a full game by bating Greave’s Movers 5 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Winning pitcher Art Worth held the Movers to four hits, two each by Gary Tuttle and losing pitcher Des Moseley, and also singled in what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning. Playing-manager Barry Harvey aided Worth offensively by stinging the sphere for a timely two-run single.
Worth (W) and G. Bishop
Moseley (L) and Rawlings
(July 9) Although requiring sixth-inning relief help from Stan Thame, Colt Leaguer Larry McKay held the hungry Independents to three hits and picked up the pitching win as McLaren Construction won their seventh of the season with an 8 to 5 conquest of the second-place squad. Teammates Vic Skinner and Tom Moore had two hits each for the winners with Skinner’s raps resulting in three RBI’s and Moore’s one.
McKay (W), Thame (6) and Lumley
Wortman (L), Moody (5) and Grant
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 12 5 .706 ----
Independents 11 7 .611 1.5
McLaren Construction 7 11 .389 5.5
Greave’s Movers 5 12 .294 7.0
(July 11) George Brice, in his first pitching start since being traded to Greave’s Movers, throttled his former team, the Independents, with 12 strikeouts as Greave’s dominated in a 7 to 1 win. Brice walked two and allowed only a bunt single after the Independents touched him for two hits in the first inning. George Holt had three hits and an RBI for the winners while Ron Stubbings knocked in a brace of tallies with a seventh-inning single.
G. Brice (W) and Cosier
S. Bishop (L), McAdam (5) and Grant
(July 12) The Transports Workers boosted their lead atop the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League to 2-1/2 games, victimizing McLaren Construction 10 to 2. Brent Siddons picked up the pitching victory in a route-going performance, punching out eight and yielding the same number of hits. Barry Harvey struck the big blow for the Workers when he unloaded a three-run homer in the third inning to give his club a 6 to 0 lead. Harvey, John Yankoski and Terry Whitman each had three hits for the winning Transports.
Thame (L), Klinick (3) and Lumley
Siddons (W) and G. Bishop
(July 13) Southpaw Des Moseley and his lowly band of Greave’s Movers’ baseballers held the league-leading Transport Workers to seven hits as he outpitched fellow veteran portsider Art Worth to emerge with a 4 to 2 win in a Royal Athletic Park joust that took two extra innings to complete. Gerry Parker’s triple, sandwiched between singles by Tom Borne and Gary Tuttle, produced the tie-breaking runs.
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Worth (L) and G. Bishop
(July 16) A temporary spell of wildness in the fourth inning cost George Brice and his Greave’s clubmates bigtime as three successive base-on-balls issued by Brice pushed across Gary Bishop, who had led off the inning with a single, with the game’s only run as the Movers fell 1 to 0 to the pace-setting Transport Workers. Brice only gave up four safeties but winning tosser Brent Siddons was even stingier, permitting just two base raps while fanning six.
G. Brice (L) and Cosier
Siddons (W) and G. Bishop
(July 18) An eighth-inning error ruined a fine pitching performance by Larry McKay at Royal Athletic Park where the front-running Transport Workers edged McLaren Construction 2 to 1. The young Duncan Connie Mack pitcher gave up only three hits and two walks while whiffing eight. But with the score tied 1 – 1 and two out in the eighth, “Bud” Taylor walked and pilfered the keystone sack. John Yankoski hit a sharp grounder to second and the throw to first base was wild, allowing Taylor to plate the winning tally. The Transports scored their first run in the fourth frame when Yankoski singled and touched home on Gary Bishop’s double. McLaren’s, who managed six hits to the Transports’ three, scored the counter in the second stanza after Mike Graas doubled and Bob Lumley singled him home.
McKay (L) and Lumley
Douglas, Yankoski (W) (7) and G. Bishop
(July 19) The Independents’ hopes of catching the top-dog Transport Workers received another jolt at Royal Athletic park as they dropped a 4 to 2 decision to rejuvenated Greave’s Movers. Dave Benn and Des Moseley combined to pitch surging Greave’s to their win. Benn was forced out of action when he suffered a knee injury while fielding a bunt in the fourth frame. Moseley, coming on in relief with the score knotted at 2 – 2, blanked the Independents the rest of the way to garner the victory. The Movers plated their tie-breaking run in the sixth when Gerry Parker drew a base-on-balls, moved to third on Gary Tuttle’s double and rode home on a single by George Brice.
Ash (L) and Grant
Benn, Moseley (W) (4) and Cosier
(July 20) With his fastball humming, his curveball snapping and his command of the strike zone working well, righthander George Brice fashioned a two-hitter to lead Greave’s Movers to a 3 to 0 blanking of McLaren Construction at Royal Athletic Park. His mates collected only three hits off the combined off the combined offerings of Grant Udy and Larry Johnston but their timing was excellent.
Udy, Johnston (6) and Lumley
G. Brice (w) and Rawlings
(July 21) Playing-manager Jim Moody kept his Independents within striking distance of the league-leading Transport Workers at Royal Athletic Park as he drove in a run, scored two and picked up two hits to lead the Independents to a 4 to 1 victory over the front-runners. The winners scored all they needed for triumphant tosser Steve Bishop in the opening panel as John Balloch was safe at the dish on a close play following a squeeze bunt by Bob Holness and then Moody, who had reached base on an infield hit, came all the way around to score on a wild peg.
Siddons (L), Rutledge (4) and G. Bishop
S. Bishop (W) and Moody
(July 22) Barry Cosier’s chalk-line single in the eighth inning drove in the tying and winning runs as third-place Greave’s Movers edged cellar-dwelling McLaren Construction 7 to 6 at Royal Athletic Park. The Movers appeared to have the game locked up in the sixth, leading 5 to 3, but the Macs squared the issue on run-producing singles by Larry McKinty and Nick Klinick in the seventh and took a short-lived lead in the top-of-the-eighth when Dave Rivers walked and scored all the way from first base as Greave’s overthrew first base after Tom Moore laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Johnston (L) and Lumley
Holt, G. Brice (W) (7) and Rawlings
(July 23) Lefthander Des Moseley whiffed nine and allowed only two singles as rapidly-rising Greave’s Movers blanked the second-place Independents 7 to 0. Gary Tuttle led the Greave’s offensive attack with three hits and two RBI’s while Larry Montgomery banged in two tallies with a sixth-inning triple.
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Wortman (L), S. Bishop (4), Moody (6) and Grant
(July 27) A trio of slabsters, in conjunction with three catchers, from last-place McLaren Construction combined to deliver a two-hitter and an 11 to 2 conquest of the second-place Independents at Royal Athletic Park. The Independents also used three hurlers but with marked failure. Their triad surrendered nine hits while their mates were dishing up five errors for dessert.
Baker (L), Klinick (W) (4), Lumley (5) and Gregson, Lumley (4), Rivers (5)
Blake (L), Balloch (5), Moody (6) and Grant
(July 28) Greave’s Movers picked up their fifth straight victory by clipping last-place McLaren Construction 6 to 4 at Royal Athletic Park. The recent surge, seven wins in their last eight games, has elevated the Movers to within a game of the second-place Independents. Losing pitcher Nick Klinick held Greave’s to only four hits but three of them were bunched in the second inning when, eroded by some faulty fielding, the victors produced a four-run uprising. Tom Bourne’s two-run single highlighted the big rally. After that, however, 19-year old southpaw Klinick was in complete command. He retired the last 12 batters to face him.
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings
Klinick (L) and Lumley
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 15 7 .682 ----
Independents 12 11 .522 3.5
Greave’s Movers 12 13 .480 4.5
McLaren Construction 8 16 .333 8.0
(July 29) The Independents tightened up the Senior Amateur Baseball League standings by dumping the league-leading Transport Workers 6 to 3 at Royal Athletic Park. Barry Cosier was the big man with the stick for the Independents, driving in two runs with a pair of base hits.
S. Bishop (W) and Grant
Siddons (L), Yankoski (6) and G. Bishop
(August 1) Greave’s Movers, who have surged from the cellar, stretched their winning skein to six games and moved within a half-game of the runner-up Independents as they nipped the Independents 7 to 6. A three-run error in the seventh inning was the difference-maker in this contest. With the score even at 3 – 3, Jay Rawlings of the Movers lofted a short fly ball into the right field garden which was muffed. The error was compounded when the ball was then thrown wild to third bases, allowing three baserunners to scamper home safely. The Independents never fully recovered, although they made it close before bowing 7 to 6. Rick Blake of the Independents was the top swatsmith in the fracas, drilling four hits and driving in three runs.
Ash (L), S. Bishop (7) and Grant
Holt (W), G. Brice (9) and Rawlings
(August 2) The pace-setting Transport Workers tangled with last-place McLaren Construction in doubleheader action at Central Park and had to pull out all stops to escape with an even break. They were blanked 4 to 0 by the four-hit pitching of Stan Thame in the matinee tilt and struggled through 12 innings before squeezing out an 8 to 5 win in the nightcap.
Art Worth, losing pitcher in the opener, gained some measure of revenge as he went on a batting rampage in the second game. Worth slammed four hits in six trips to the plate and batted in three runs, including the winner. He had plenty of offensive help from Gary Bishop and Barry Harvey who both registered three safe swats.
Thame (W) and Lumley
Worth (L) and G. Bishop
Yankoski, Rutledge (W) (10) and G. Bishop
McKay, Johnston (L) (10) and Burrows
(August 3) Greave’s Movers march toward second place in the Senior Amateur Baseball League was halted by the Transport Workers who laid a 6 to 0 whitewashing on them. The Transports came to life in the seventh and final inning to score all six of their runs and rode the four-hit pitching of Cliff Rutledge to annex the victory. Losing pitcher Des Moseley couldn’t do anything right in Greave’s disastrous seventh stanza. Moseley walked six batters and Art Worth took advantage of the situation with a timely double. Mike McAvoy added a two-run single.
Rutledge (W) and McAvoy
Moseley (L), Flanagan (7) and Rawlings
(August 4) After having their six-game win streak snapped, Greave’s Movers bounced back into the win column by blanking McLaren Construction 3 to 0 behind the two-hit pitching of George Brice. The Movers plated their three counters in the second panel. With Gary Tuttle and Jay Rawlings in scoring position, a safety squeeze by Brice was fielded by losing pitcher Grant Udy who threw wild to first allowing Tuttle to cross the dish. Joe Patterson and Dale/Dave Evans followed with RBI singles to end the scoring.
Udy (L), Johnston (5) and Lumley
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings
(August 5) 17-year old Wayne Stewart, a Connie Mack Leaguer, made a successful debut in the senior ranks, pitching a complete-game 1 to 0 victory for the Independents over Greave’s Movers in a match with second-place on the line. The Movers collected seven hits off Stewart but were unable to parlay any of those hits together. The Independents plated the only tally of the game in the opening frame when Steve Bishop singled home Jim Moody.
Stewart (W) and Grant
Holt (L), G. Brice (1) and Rawlings
(August 6) A last-inning rally by McLaren Construction was snuffed out by southpaw reliever Les Brice as the Transport Workers hung on to defeat the Contractors 9 to 7 at Royal Athletic Park. Brice, who just returned to Victoria after playing most of the season in the interior, took over pitching chores from 17-year old Gord Strongman in the seventh stanza with two runners on base, one out and a three-run lead. He walked the first batter he faced, Mike Hodge, but then struck out Ken Gregory. Tom Moore was nicked with a pitch forcing in a run which narrowed the lead to two. With the bases loaded and the potential winning run at first, Brice bore down and whiffed Billy James to retire the side.
Strongman (W), L. Brice (7) and McAvoy
Klinick (L), Moore (3), Thame (4) and Burrows
(August 8) The Independents swept a doubleheader from the league-leading Transport Workers at Royal Athletic Park to move within 1-1/2 games of the defensing champions. Pitchers from the Independents stymied the Transports on seven hits and one measly run over the course of the two-game set as they took the opener 7 to 1 and the nightcap 3 to 0. “Bud” Brice had two hits and scored three times for the Independents in the matinee tussle.
S. Bishop (W) and Grant
Rutledge (L), Yankoski (4) and McAvoy
Gerry MacAdam struck out ten and hurled a one-hitter in the late affair.
L. Brice (L) and McAvoy
MacAdam (W) and Moody
(August 9) Greave’s Movers evened their record at 15 – 15 with a 1 to 0 victory over McLaren Construction as veteran slinger Des Moseley outpointed Connie Mack graduate Larry McKay in a Royal Athletic Park mound joust.
Moseley (W) and Cosier
McKay (L) and Lumley
(August 11) Led by the shutout pitching of 17-year old Wayne Stewart and the three RBI performance of Norm Curran, the Independents beat McLaren Construction 5 to 0 to creep within a game of the first-place Transport Workers. Stewart was nicked for just five hits in going the distance.
Stewart (W) and Grant
Udy (L), Klinick (3) and Lumley
(August 12) The Transport Workers clinched at least a tie for the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League regular-season pennant by slipping by Greave’s Movers 1 to 0. Both pitchers of record, winning tosser Brent Siddons and losing flinger George Brice of the Movers were in fine form, both yielding but two hits. The lone run of the contest came without benefit of a base hit in the Workers’ final turn at bat. John Yankoski and Gord Strongman drew bases-on-balls to begin the frame, then the dangerous Art Worth was walked intentionally with one out to load the bases. Unfortunately for Brice at this point, a passed ball by catcher Jay Rawlings allowed as Yankoski to gallop home with the winner.
G. Brice (L) and Rawlings
Siddons (W) and McAvoy
(August 13) It took a last-inning rally to pull the game out of the fire but the Independents kept their hope for the pennant alive at Royal Athletic Park as Steve Bishop pitched them to a 3 to 1 win over the Transport Workers in the Transports’ final league contest. With one game remaining in the schedule for the Independents, the two teams are separated by a mere half-game. The Workers held a 1 to 0 margin when the Independents came to bat in the top-of-the-seventh but, after Jim Moody and Norm Curran reached base, Rick Blake drove in the tying and lead markers with a booming triple off losing pitcher Art Worth. John Balloch then punched in Blake with an insurance run by singling. One-baggers by Cliff Rutledge and Gary Bishop, plus a sacrifice fly, plated the only run for the losers in the fifth frame.
S. Bishop (W) and Grant
Worth (L) and McAvoy
(August 15) The Independents forced an extra game to decide the pennant in the Senior Amateur Baseball League when they bounced cellar-dwelling McLaren Construction 7 to 1 to draw into a first-place tie with the Transport Workers. Solid pitching by teen-aged Wayne Stewart and some timely hitting made it easy for the Independents. Stewart took over from starter Gerry MacAdam with a 2 to 1 lead in the third inning and pitched seven scoreless innings. He got a comfortable cushion in the fifth when with four runs were plated as Ron Grant drove in a pair, Stewart knocked in one and the other crossed the dish on an error. Rick Blake, Norm Curran and Grant each had two of the Independents’ seven safeties.
MacAdam, Stewart (W) (3) and Grant
McKay (L), Baker (3), Mitchell (6) and Lumley, Gregson (5)
Final Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 19 12 .613 ----
Independents 19 12 .613 ----
Greave’s Movers 15 16 .484 4.0
McLaren Construction 9 22 .333 10.0
FIRST-PLACE TIE-BREAKER
(August 16) The Transport Workers nailed down first place, the 1964 pennant and a berth in the provincial senior amateur championship tournament to be held in September when they crushed the Independents 15 to 4 in the tie-breaker for top spot in the Victoria Senior amateur circuit. Winning pitcher Brent Siddons, staked to a 7 to 1 lead in the second inning, was never in any peril as he got a third strike past 15 batters. Mike McAvoy and Gordie Strongman had three hits each for the winners.
Steve Bishop (L), Wayne Stewart, Al Hurst, and Ron Grant
Brent Siddons (W) and Mike McAvoy
FINAL
Transports 20 - 12
Independents 19 - 13 1.0
Greaves 15 - 16 4.5
McLarens 9 - 22 10.5
VANCOUVER ISLAND SEMI-FINALS Greave’s Movers vs Independents (best-of-three series – winner to face Courtenay for a second Vancouver Island spot in the B. C. championship tournament)
(August 18) The Independents seem to have run into a big letdown following their loss to the Transport Workers for the 1964 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League pennant. Playing at Royal Athletic Park, third-place Greave’s Movers did a number on the I.A.A. squad, whipping them 11 to 2 in the opening game of the Vancouver Island semi-finals. Gary Tuttle led the Greave’s offensive attack, banging out three hits and chalking up four RBI’s. Winning pitcher George Brice held the Independents to six hits and drove in a pair of the Movers’ runs with a first-inning single.
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings
Ash (L), Stewart (2), Hurst (3), Moody (6) and Moody, S. Bishop (6)
(August 19) Behind the superb two-hit pitching of Des Moseley, Greave’s Movers ousted the Independents from playoff contention by taking a 5 to 2 decision from their opponent at Royal Athletic Park and copping the best-of-three series in two straight games. The hustling Movers belted out four runs in the fifth inning and were never headed. Moseley drove in two runs with a double, Joe Patterson touched home after a sacrifice fly and George Brice came home on an error. Gary Tuttle scored on Patterson’s single to up the margin to 5 to 0. The Independents scored their pair of counters in the eighth when Norm Curran launched a home run with Rick Blake on base.
S. Bishop (L), Moody (6) and Moody, S. Bishop (6)
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
VANCOUVER ISLAND FINALS Victoria Greave’s Movers vs Courtenay Luckies (best-of-three series)
(August 23) The hosting Courtenay Luckies divided the spoils with the Victoria’s Greave’s Movers as the teams locked horns in doubleheader play to determine a second Vancouver Island representative in the forthcoming B. C. Senior Amateur Baseball championship tournament. George Brice fashioned a fine five-hitter to pace the Victorians to a 6 to 3 victory in the opener. The Luckies’ Bill Third duplicated the feat in the nightcap to carry Courtenay to a series-tying 5 to 1 verdict.
Joe Patterson’s two-run homer in the second inning started the Movers on their way to victory in the curtain-raiser. Greave’s clinched it with a two-run single by Larry McKinty in the top-of-the-ninth. Brice rang up 13 punchouts.
G. Brice (W) and Cosier
Mosdell (L), Third (9) and Walker
Courtenay teed off on starter Des Moseley for five runs in the sixth inning to pack off the second tilt. A walk, a fielder’s choice and four singles did the damage.
Moseley (L), G. Brice (6) and Cosier
Third (W) and Montgomery
(August 30) The roster is complete for the provincial senior amateur baseball tournament to be held over the Labor Day weekend. Greave’s Movers made it two Victoria clubs in the four-team event as they rode the 16-strikeout pitching of George Brice to a narrow 2 to 1 triumph over the Courtenay Luckies at Royal Athletic Park. Brice overpowered the visitors, tossing a four-hitter in the deciding game of the best-of-three series. Bill Third, on the knoll for the Luckies, was almost as effective as Brice. He yielded only five hits and it was control issues in the sixth stanza that eventually sent him tumbling to defeat.
Third (L), Bosomworth (6) and Montgomery
G. Brice (W) and Cosier
PLAYOFFS
RITHET CUP FINALS Greave’s Movers vs Transport Workers (best-of-three series)
(August 26) The pennant winning Transport Workers downed Greaves 4-1 in the opening game of a best-of-three final for the Victoria Senior Championship and the Rithet Cup. Workers grabbed the lead in the first inning when John Yankoski singled and came around to score on a sacrifice and an error. Barry Harvey notched another for the winners when he singled and, like Yankoski, scored on a sacrifice and an error. Greaves got on the scoreboard in the third as Ron Stubbings singled, stole second and romped home on a hit by Larry Montgomery. But, the Transports added a run in the fourth when Bud Taylor, Yankoski and Harvey loaded the bases and Les Brice grounded out to bring in a run. After Art Worth reached with a walk, Gary Bishop was hit by a pitch for the final Workers' run. Les Brice went the distance for the mound triumph.
Holt (L), George Brice (1) and Jay Rawlings
Les Brice (W) and Gary Bishop
(August 27) Des Moseley put Greave’s Movers back in business, whiffing 15 and holding the mighty Transport Workers to just three late blows, as his mates frolicked to a 7 to 2 success at Royal Athletic Park. The result left the Rithet Cup finals deadlocked at a game apiece. Greave’s tore the game apart in the fifth, scoring four times. Joe Patterson and Barry Cosier drove in two runs each during the winning effort. Moseley had a no-hitter going until the seventh. Terry Whitman broke the spell with a single. Moseley promptly shackled the losers until the ninth when Ron Karadimas singled home Art Worth. The Workers’ final tally came when a tiring Moseley issued four bases-on-balls to force in a marker. By this time, the Movers were sailing along with a substantial lead.
Yankoski (L) and G. Bishop
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
(September 1) Art Worth, old enough to be called “Mister” by some of his youthful colleagues, used his his savvy and left flipper to subdue Greave’s Movers on four spare hits in hurling the Transport Workers to a 2 to 0 conquest and the Rithet Cup, symbolic of the Senior Amateur Baseball championship for the city of Victoria. Always handy with a bat, Worth drove in John Yankoski with the Transports’ second run in the fifth inning by drilling a crisp single. Yankoski also plated the winners’ first counter in the third canto on a Gary Bishop’s sacrifice fly. After reaching first on a free pass from losing chucker Des Moseley, Yankoski moved around to third base on a perfect hit-and-run play with Barry Harvey doing the hitting.
Moseley (L) and Rawlings
Worth (W) and McAvoy
(September 5-7) B. C. Senior Amateur baseball championship tournament
MID-ISLAND BASEBALL LEAGUE GAMES
Chemainus Red Sox
Courtenay Luckies
Ladysmith Eagles
Lake Cowichan Indians
(May 10) Ladysmith and Courtenay kicked off the new season splitting a twin-bill at Courtenay. Lefty Darrell Brinham fanned 15 of 21 batters as the visitors took the opener 4-2, scoring all their markers in the fourth inning. Courtenay was blanked until the seventh and final frame when they scored their two runs.
Brinham and Dale Smith
Innes Bosonworth, Doug Williams (5) and Montgomery
(May 10) Doug McBride of Courtenay had a perfect game into the final stanza when catcher Dale Smith poked a single. Courtenay went on to win 8-0 as Ladysmith made eight errors.
Dale Smith, Dwight Smith, Bob Hlady (5), Terry Smith (7) and Dale Smith
Jamie Walker and Doug McBride
(May 17) "Boos" Bosomworth fired a perfect game Sunday afternoon as Courtenay blanked Chemainus 11-0 in the second game of a double header. Courtenay also took the opener, 7-1. Centre fielder Gordie MacKay saved the day with a spectactular diving catch of Glen Carlson's sinking line drive. Bosomworth played a major role in the offense with a three-run homer in the third inning. Walks and errors hurt Chemainus in the first game as Alf Carter allowed just four hits to Courtenay but yielded ten walks.
(May 23) Chemainus and Ladysmith battled to a 4-4 draw Saturday. Jack Copp drove in two runs in the bottom of the seventh for the tie.
(May 27) Superb pitching highlighted a 2-2 tie between Chemainus Red Sox and Ladysmith Eagles. Lynn Irving of the Sox registered a no-hitter while Mel Ball of the Eagles allowed just two hits.
(May 31) At Lake Cowichan Sunday, the hometown nine and Chemainus Red Sox divided a pair. Indians took the first game 3-2 scoring the winner in the bottom of the tenth inning. Rocky Wise was the winning pitcher although yielding 14 hits. Ralph Glasswick, who allowed just five, took the loss. Lynn Irving twirled a neat three-hitter in the second game as the Red Sox prevailed 9-2. Skip Montgomery led the club with three hits.
(May 31) Ladysmith and Courtenay each came away with a win in Sunday's double-header at Ladysmith. Darrell Brinham won a pitcher's battle in the opener tossing a two-hitter in the 3-2 victory. Dale Smith drove in two runs for the winners and Teddy Sarkissian batted in the other. Jamie Walker had a homer for the losers.
Mosdell (L) and Walker
Brinham (W) and Smith
In the second game, Courtenay took an early 3-0 lead and romped to the victory. Ken Tappy led the winners with three hits. Sarkissian had a homer for the Eagles.
McBride (W), Third (6) and Walker
Ball (L) and Smith
(June 7) Playing at home, Courtenay took both games of Sunday's twin-bill oveer Chemainus 6-1 and 5-2. Jack Mosdell was the winning hurler in the first game besting Lynn Irving. Bill Third was the mound victor in the second game over Bruce Wilson.
(July 12) Chemainus took two from Ladysmith 7-5 and 11-4. Lynn Irving tossed a seven-hitter in the first game while Glasswick held the Eagles to five in the second.
Lynn Irving (W) and Skip Montgolmery
Terry Smith (L), Dwight Smith and Dale Smith
Glasswick (W) and Montgomery
Bob Wilson (L), Jack Copp and Bill Cain