MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
The Souris Cardinals, champions of the 1963 South-Central Baseball League, abandoned that circuit and, looking for greener pastures, joined the 1964 MSBL, boosting the membership within the loop to seven entries.
Brandon Cloverleafs
Dauphin Redbirds
Hamiota Red Sox
Riverside Blues
St. Lazare Athletics
Souris Cardinals
Virden Oilers
(May 21) Brandon Cloverleafs upended the 1963 pennant winning St. Lazare Athletics 8-1 on opening night in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. Tommy Town belted a bases-loaded double in the first inning to set the 'Leafs on the way to the victory. Gary Keating fired a three-hitter for the win. Dave Pearson allowed just eight hits in taking the loss. The import right-hander fanned 13. Town and Bobby Wilson each drove in three runs for Brandon.
Pearson (L) and Jamieson
Keating (W) and Veale
(May 21) Riverside Blues opened the 1964 season on a positive note with a 4-2 triumph over Souris Cardinals in spite of being held to just three hits. Cardinals had the bases loaded with just one out in the bottom of the 9th before reliever Eddie Evans fanned a pair to secure the win. Evans had taken over for starter Lorne Lilley in the 8th. Bill Carpenter went the distance for Souris. Each team made three errors.
Lilley (W), Evans (8) and C Seafoot
Carpenter (L) and Gullett
(May 24) Bob Thompson and Irv Skelton combined on a two-hitter as Virden Oilers shaded St. Lazare 2-1. Dave Pearson had another tough-luck night as he suffered the loss in going the route with a four-hitter. The winning run scored on a disputed played in the 8th inning. Oilers loaded the bases with one out. Second baseman Leon Garinger fielded a grounder and threw home for a routine force play. However, it was ruled that catcher Ross Jamieson had failed to touch the plate.
Thompson, Skelton (W) (6) and Attwood
Pearson (L) and Jamieson
(May 24) Riverside Blues erupted for four runs in the first frame but had to battle to down Hamiota 12-9 as the Red Sox bounced back to tie on three occasions. Garth Seafoot paced the Blues' 12-hit attack with three hits, including two doubles. Eddie Evans picked up the win in a relief role. Don Lee took the loss. Don Smith, Gord Lyall and Al Robertson each had three hits for Hamiota.
McConnell, Lee (L) (3), Woods (6) and Don Smith
Groves, Evans (W) (3) and Kinsley, C Seafoot (9)
(May 24) Dauphin Red Birds scored in every inning in demolishing Brandon Cloverleafs 30-6. The Red Birds exploded for 13 runs in the 3rd inning. Stan McPhee and Tom Podrushky each had four hits. McPhee's outburst included three doubles. Pitcher Neil Amy had three safeties. The lone highlight for the Cloverleafs was a three-run homer by Bob Wilson. Amy was handed the win.
Smith (L), McLaughlin (3), Ross (3), Birns (4), Hunter (5) and Veale
Amy, Kutzan (W) (4) and Oakes
(May 26) Virden spotted Souris an early 5-0 lead before roaring back to down the Cardinals 7-6 for their second straight one-run victory. Reliever Bill Cairns was the winning pitcher and knocked in the decisive run in the final frame. Bill Chapple had a homer and single for the Oilers. Doug Lund added a triple. Catcher Bruce Gullett, who moved from behind the plate to the mound in the 5th inning, was the losing pitcher.
Morrison, Hincks (2), Gullett (L) (5) and Gullett, McWilliams (5)
Bridgett, Cairns (W) (4) and Attwood
(May 27) St. Lazare Athletics fell behind 7-0 then had two huge innings, a 9-run 3rd and an eight-run 5th, to whip Dauphin 20-11. Ray Simms was the winner in relief and helped the offense with three hits as did Leon Garinger and Barry Rowlie. Ross Jamieson added a triple and single and Dave Pearson a double and single. Bill Berezinski had three hits for Dauphin.
Wayne Geekie, Podrushky (L) (4), Amy (7) and Oakes
Sauter, Simms (W) (5) and Jamieson
(May 28) A five-run first inning helped carry Brandon Cloverleafs to a 17-6 win over Souris. Gerry MacKay had three hits and two walks in five plate appearances for Brandon. Tommy Town, Bob Wilson and Warren Veale each added three safeties. Wilson had two doubles and Veale a triple. Don Summer and two hits, including a triple. Wayne Janz had two triples for Souris. Gary Keating survived 12 hits to pick up the win. Don Hunter took the loss. 15-year-old Dave Jones pitched the final inning for the Cardinals and put down the Cloverleafs in order.
Hunter (L), Armour (2), Jones (8) and Gullett
Keating (W) and Veale
(May 29) Virden Oilers won their 3rd straight game to open the 1964 season defeating Riverside 12-8. Norm Hemstad led the attack with a homer and triple. Doug Lund had three singles, Ted Taylor a pair of doubles and Ian White a double and single. Irv Skelton, who relieved starter Bob Thompson in the 5th inning, received credit for the win. Doug Groves took the loss. Barry Moffat, Gene Cory and Bob Ash each had two hits for the Blues.
Lilley, Groves (L) (3), Evans (7) and xxx
Thompson, Skelton (W) (5) and xxx
(May 30) Ron Toews, a high-school sensation, fired a three-hit, complete game to lead Brandon to a 15-2 triumph over Hamiota. Toews accented his performance with a homer and double at the plate. After giving up a two-run homer to Al Robertson in the first inning, Toews calmed down and pitched shutout ball the rest of the way. Gerry MacKay had a homer and double for the Cloverleafs and Tommy Town had three hits.
Toews (W) and Veale
B Smith (L), Woods (6), Van Buskirk (7) and Don Smith
(May 31) Garth Seafoot scattered eight hits as Riverside topped St. Lazare 6-2 in the first game of a double-header. Gene Cory paced the offense with three hits. Dave Pearson took the loss, his 3rd straight defeat.
Pearson (L) and Garinger
G Seafoot (W) and C Seafoot
Riverside bounced back in the second game to notch an 8-7, 11-inning, victory over the Athletics. St. Lazare newcomer Dick Limke tossed six shutout innings but the Blues erupted for seven runs in the 7th off relievers Ray Simms and Wade Sauter. Riverside plated the winner on consecutive doubles by Wes Rathwell and Garth Seafoot. Bob Ash was the big gun for the winners with five hits. Barry Moffatt added a three-run homer. Limke had a three-run blast for St. Lazare.
Limke, Simms (7), Sauter (L) (7) and Garinger
Groves, Evans (W) (2) and Kinsley, C Seafoot
(May 31) Dauphin pounded out 18 hits to hand Virden a 14-7 defeat in the first game of a twin-bill. Neil Amy and John Lesyshen each had three hits to lead the attack. Amy went six innings to pick up the pitching win.
Cairns (L), Moyer (2) and Attwood
Army (W), Kutzan (7) and Oakes
Oilers took the second game, 4-3 in 12 innings. Irv Skelton went the route for the win giving up nine hits. Neil Geekie allowed just four hits in taking the loss as walks put him in trouble for both the tying run in the 9th inning and the winner in the 12th. Ted Taylor had had two hits for the Oilers and Stan McPhee had three for the Red Birds.
Skelton (W) and Attwood, Cairns (7)
Neil Geekie (L) and Oakes
(May 31) Souris Cardinals took a 9-0 lead then held off a late rally by Hamiota to score a 9-8 victory. The Red Sox roared back with five in the 8th and three in the 9th. Brian Hodgson had hurled seven shutout frames before tiring. Bruce Gullett had a homer and two singles for the Cards.
McConnell (L), Woods (5), Lee (5), M Smith (6) and Don Smith
Hodgson (W) and Gullett
(June 2) Lefthander Gary Keating won his third straight scattering nine hits as Brandon topped Virden 5-4. Keating, who fanned eight, had a 9th inning scare as the Oilers scored two and had the tying run on base before Keating shutdown the rally. Bob Wilson poked a homer and single for the Cloverleafs. Bill Chapple had a homer for the losers.
Keating (W) and Veale
Attwood (L), Bridgett (8), Fowler (9) and Taylor
(June 3) A five-run outburst in the 6th inning carried Dauphin Redbirds to an 11-7 win over Souris. Gerry Shumanski and Johnny Lesyshen each had three hits to lead the 16-hit attack for Dauphin. Bill Berezinski, Stan McPhee, Larry McDougall and Morris Oakes had two apiece. Bob Kutzan blanked Souris over the last four innings to capture the pitching victory. Stan Furman took the loss.
Furman (L), McCartney (8) and Gullett
Amy, Kutzan (W) (5) and Oakes
(June 4) Riverside Blues climbed into sole possession of top spot in the Manitoba Senior League with a convincing 13-3 win over Brandon. Blues took a 4-run lead in the first inning and extended it to 10-0 before the Cloverleafs managed to get on the scoreboard. Lorne Lilley held Brandon to nine hits in taking the win. He had ten strikeouts and three walks. Garth Seafoot blasted three hits, including a triple, to lead the Blues. Cliff Seafoot and Wes Rathwell also clouted three-baggers. Jack Denbow gave up ten hits in going the distance for Brandon. The Cloverleafs hurt their cause making eight errors.
Lilley (W) and C Seafoot
Denbow (L) and Veale
(June 5) St. Lazare jumped into an early lead and coasted to a 13-6 win over Souris. Dave Pearson belted a two-run homer and a pair of doubles to pace the attack. Orv Walker, who pitched into the 8th inning for the win, added two doubles and a single. Wayne Janz led the Cardinals with a pair of doubles. Souris starter Don Hunter took the loss.
Orv Walker (W), Pearson (8) and Isaac Walker
Hunter (L), Morrison (6) and Gullett
(June 5) Hamiota Red Sox rode a 9-run first inning, which included grand slam homers by Mel Smith and Lynn Caldwell, to a 15-9 win over Virden. Gord Lyall, who started on the hill for the Red Sox, helped the offense with a pair of doubles and a single. Denny Smith had a double and single. Doug Lund led the Oilers with a three-run homer and a pair of singles. Norm Hemstad and Ted Taylor each produced a home run and single. Gary Van Buskirk, who reliever in the 3rd inning, was the winner.
Thompson (L), Cairns (1), Skelton (4) and Attwood
Lyall, Van Buskirk (W) (3) and Dallas Smith
(June 7) Riverside Blues rocked Bill Carpenter for 12 hits to down Souris 12-3 to maintain their lead atop the Manitoba Senior League standings. The game featured five homers, all in the first inning. Cardinals took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on home runs by Carpenter and Bruce Gullett but the Blues charged back in the bottom of the first frame with five runs as Gene Cory, Gord Hunter and Wes Rathwell belted four-baggers. Eddie Evans held Souris to eight hits to take the win. He fanned ten.
Carpenter (L) and Gullett
Evans (W) and C Seafoot
(June 7) Down 6-4 after six innings, Hamiota exploded for two runs in the 7th and five in the 8th to beat St. Lazare 11-6. Athletics out-hit the Red Sox 14-13, but helped the visitors with six errors. Gord Lyall led the attack with three hits, with Denny Smith and Dallas Smith with two apiece. Dave Pearson and Garth Sararas each had three hits for the losers. Brian Smith, the third hurler for Hamiota, picked up the win.
Lee, Woods (2), Bryan Smith (W) (6) and Dallas Smith
Pearson (L), Isaac Walker (8) and Jamieson
(June 9) Hamiota scored in all but one inning to trounce Souris 23-3. The Red Sox, who had a 15-0 lead after four innings, pounded out 24 hits, five by Denny Smith. Gord Lyall drove in five runs with two homers and a double and Al Robertson clubbed a three-run homer and double. Mel Smith chipped in with a two-run homer and single. Wayne McConnell worked eight innings for the win.
Morrison (L), Hunter (2), Jones (5), Armour (7) and Gullett
McConnell (W), Lee (8) and Dallas Smith
(June 9) Fred Chabiel blanked Virden on six hits as St. Lazare notched a 6-0 victory. He fanned nine and issued just two bases on balls. Oscar Walker's homer in the 3rd inning was all the Athletics needed. Isaac Walker and Dave Pearson led the winners with three hits apiece. Bob Thompson gave up 11 hits in taking the loss.
Chabiel (W) and Jamieson
Thompson (L) and Attwood
(June 10) A three-run rally in the 7th inning gave Hamiota a 6-4 win over the hometown Cloverleafs. It was the 4th straight win for the Red Sox. Gary Van Buskirk held Brandon to six hits to register the win. He finished with eight strikeouts and two walks. Gord Lyall continued his torrid pace with a double and two singles to lead the offense. In the last four games, Lyall has 12 hits. Lynn Caldwell's single knocked in the winning run and an insurance marker in the 7th. Gary Keating, who gave up 10 hits, took the loss for Brandon.
Van Buskirk (W) and xxx
Keating (L) and xxx
(June 14) Bill Carpenter had a no-hitter into the 9th inning, settling on a two-hitter, to pitch Souris to a 2-0 win over Virden. Bill Chapple and Doug Lund had back-to-back safeties in the 9th to spoil Carpenter's gem. The former Winnipeg Goldeye got out of trouble with three infield outs to protect the shutout. He compiled 11 strikeouts while issuing a single base on balls. Carpenter, Doug Armour and Gary Fallis each had two hits for the Cardinals.
Cairns (L), Thompson (3) and Taylor
Carpenter (W) and Gullett
(June 14) California collegian Fred Chabiel went the distance with a six-hitter as St. Lazare topped Brandon 8-4 in the opening match of a double-header. Oscar Walker led the offense with three hits while Dave Pearson and Ray Simms each had a pair. Losing pitcher Ron Toews clouted a homer for the Cloverleafs.
Toews (L) and Veale
Chabiel (W) and Isaac Walker
St. Lazare exploded for seven runs in the first inning and cruised to a 12-5 victory over Brandon in the second game. Oscar Walker, who had three hits in the opener, belted a triple, double and single in the nightcap. Leon Garinger also had three hits. Dave Pearson went the route for the win. Jack Denbow took the loss.
Denbow (L) and Veale
Pearson (W) and R Jamieson
(June 14) Dauphin and Riverside split a twin-bill with the Red Birds winning 9-8 in the first game with the Blues bouncing back for a 6-3 win in the second. Dauphin scored seven runs in the 4th inning to take an 8-1 lead in the opener, but had to hold off the Blues in the late innings for the win. Riverside had the bases loaded with one out in the 9th but fell short on an unusual play. The game ended as Wes Rathwell laid down a bunt on an attempted squeeze play. Cliff Seafoot, charging toward home, tripped on the ball and crashed into Rathwell injuring his teammate. A chipped bone is expected to keep Rathwell out of the lineup for some time. Bill Berezinski swung the big bat for Dauphin with five hits, one of them a homer. Stan McPhee had three safeties. Barry Moffatt had three for the Blues. Neil Geekie survived 13 hits to take the win.
Neil Geekie (W) and Oakes
Evans (L) and C Seafoot
Garth Seafoot belted a two-run homer in the 4th inning to help the Blues to a 6-3 triumph in the second game. Lorne Lilley went the distance for the win. He allowed seven hits. Neil Amy gave up just six hits in taking the loss. Barry Moffatt and Bob Ash each had two hits. Bill Berezinski, with five hits in the opener, added two more in the second game.
Amy (L) and Oakes
Lilley (W) and C Seafoot
(June 15) Mel Smith fired a five-hit shutout as Hamiota trounced the Oilers 13-0 at Virden. It was the third straight game the Oilers have been blanked. Smith also helped the Red Sox at the plate with a double and two singles. Lynn Caldwell and Porky Smith belted homers.
Mel Smith (W) and Don Smith
Attwood (L), Cairns (9) and Taylor, Cairns, Lund
(June 19) A three-run 6th inning carried St. Lazare to a 6-3 win over Souris. Isaac Walker tossed a four-hitter for the win. He fanned 12. Dave Pearson led the attack with three hits. Bill Carpenter was the loser in a route-going performance.
Carpenter (L) and Gullett
Isaac Walker (W) and Jamieson
(June 19) Bryan Smith was strong on the hill and at the plate as Hamiota topped Dauphin 11-4. Smith allowed just five hits and fanned eight. He led the offense with three hits. His younger brother Mel Smith also had three safeties.
Bryan Smith (W) and Don Smith
Neil Geekie (L), Amy (5), Kutzan (8) and Oakes
(June 21) Virden's Bob Thompson had a no-hitter through six innings in throttling the Riverside Blues 4-1. Thompson finished with a two-hitter and registered 11 strikeouts in taking the win. And, he provided enough offense to win with a two-run homer in the 4th inning. Blues scored their only marker on a walk, a sacrifice and an error. Ed Evans allowed just four hits in a losing cause.
Thompson (W) and Attwood
Evans (L) and Kinsley, C Seafoot (6)
(June 21) Two big innings provided Dauphin Redbirds with enough for a win over St. Lazare. The Redbirds scored four in the 2nd and 7th innings to capture a 9-7 victory. Bob Kutzan survived 13 hits and a bases-loaded, one-out, situation in the 9th to take the win. Slyulk had three hits to lead the Dauphin attack. Fred Chabiel had four hits, including a double, for St. Lazare.
Kutzan (W) and Oakes
Pearson (L), Chabiel (7) and Jamieson
(June 21) Dick Limke impressed in his debut with Souris pitching seven innings of shutout ball as the Cardinals downed Brandon 5-0. Limke relieved starter Don Hunter in the 3rd inning and allowed just three hits the rest of the way. Gary Keating gave up six hits in taking the loss.
Keating (L) and Veale
Hunter, Limke (W) (3) and Gullett
(June 23) The cellar-dwelling Souris Cardinals tripped up the Hamiota Red Sox 8-6. Doug Armour and Dick Limke led the attack each with three hits. Don Hunter pitched into the 7th inning for the win.
Hunter (W), Limke (7) and Martin
Van Buskirk (L), Mel Smith (3) and Don Smith
(June 24) Brandon took an 8-0 lead and coasted to a 10-5 win over Dauphin. Gerry MacKay belted a triple and two singles to lead the offense. Bob Allen went the distance for the win. He had a shutout through six innings. The Redbirds scored all their runs in the 7th. Stan McPhee clouted a homer and double for the losers.
Allen (W) and Veale
Neil Geekie (L), Kutzan (4) and Oakes
(June 25) The pitching was superb, the fielding proved disastrous as Bobby Thompson fired a four-hitter but made three errors in the bottom of the 9th inning to hand Souris a 3-2 win over Virden. Oilers had a 2-0 lead when Wayne Janz led off the 9th for Souris with a bunt. Thompson fielded the ball and threw wide of first. Bruce Gullett followed with a pop up but Thompson collided with his catcher Bob Atwood and dropped the ball. Thompson then fielded Bill Carpenter's bunt and again threw wild as Janz scored the first Souris run. Don Hunter's sacrifice fly tied the score and Carpenter notched the winner on a suicide squeeze bunt by Clark Mitchell. Thompson wasted an effort where he allowed just four hits, fanned 14 and walked one. Carpenter allowed six hits in going the distance for the win. He had 12 strikeouts.
Thompson (L) and Attwood
Carpenter (W) and Gullett
(June 25) A bases-loaded triple by Bob Wilson in the 8th inning was the spark as Brandon came from behind to top Riverside Blues 8-7. Cloverleafs trailed 4-2 before Wilson's key blow. A walk and Warren Veale's third hit of the game scored two more and Brandon survived a three-run rally by Riverside in the 9th to capture the win. Bob Ash had a triple and two singles for the Blues. Gary Keating registered the win in a route-going performance. Eddie Evans took the loss.
Evans (L) and C Seafoot
Keating (W) and Veale
(June 25) St. Lazare plated three runs in the first inning and four in the second and cruised to a 7-1 victory over Hamiota. Fred Chabiel, who had a shutout into the 8th inning, fired a seven-hitter for the win. Catcher Ross Jamieson led the attack with three hits.
Chabiel (W) and Jamieson
Lee (L), Phillips (2), Bryan Smith (5) and Don Smith
(June 26) Import pitcher Dick Limke was the story as Souris downed Riverside Blues 5-1. The American ace fired a tidy three-hitter with seven strikeouts and led at the plate with a homer and two singles. He gave up a run in the first inning then blanked the Blues the rest of the way. Wayne Janz and Al Roney each chipped in with a pair of hits. Lorne Lilley went the route in a losing cause.
Limke (W) and Gullett
Lilley (L) and C Seafoot
(June 26) Hamiota Red Sox fell behind 4-0 before roaring back with eight runs in the 4th inning to coast to a 15-7 win over Dauphin Redbirds. Mel Smith was a leader on the mound and at the plate. He picked up the pitching win in relief and led the attack with three hits. Gord Lyall, Al
Robertson and Buck Mathison each banged out two hits. Gerry Shumanski belted a homer for the Redbirds.
Caldwell, Mel Smith (W) (3), Don Smith (6) and Don Smith, Dallas Smith (6)
Jim Geekie (L), Kutzan (4), Neil Geekie (7) and Oakes
(June 28) Hamiota topped Brandon 12-3. Al Robertson paced the offense with three hits. Starter Gary Van Buskirk was the winner, Ron Toews took the loss.
Van Buskirk (W), Bryan Smith (6) and Don Smith
Toews (L), Allen (5) and Veale
(June 28) Riverside and St. Lazare split a twin-bill. The Athletics exploded for nine runs in the 6th inning to trounced the Blues 18-8. St. Lazare punched out 26 hits and took advantage of nine Blues' errors. Fred Chabiel led the parade with five safeties while Garth Sararas and Ross Jamieson each had four. Oscar Walker and Wallace Fleury each had three. Dave Pearson was the winner over Garth Seafoot.
Riverside came back to take the second game 7-5 as Lorne Lilley scattered seven hits for the win. Bob Ash laced three hits, including a triple and double while Lilley added a homer and double. Ross Kinsley also had a four-bagger. Isaac Walker took the loss.
Garth Seafoot (L), Gord Hunter (3), Morris Seafoot (6) and Cliff Seafoot, Kinsley (5)
Pearson (W), Sauter (8) and Jamieson
Lilley (W) and Kinsley
Isaac Walker (L), Chabiel (8) and Jamieson
(June 28) Dauphin took a pair from Virden 11-3 and 11-5. In the opener, Jim Geekie allowed just seven hits in registering the win. Stan McPhee poked a homer and two singles and Neil Amy drove in four runs on three hits. Henry Palk was the big noise for the Oilers with a two-run homer. Doug Lund chipped in with three hits.
Bill Berezinski had four hits and Roland Secord three as Brandon topped the Oilers 11-5 in the second game. Neil Geekie tossed a six-hitter for the win. Irv Skelton took the loss.
Jim Geekie (W) and Oakes
Thompson (L), Cairns (8) and Attwood
Neil Geekie (W) and Oakes
Skelton (L), Cairns (7) and Attwood
(June 29) Southpaw Jack Denbow survived nine hits and six Brandon errors to pick up his first win of the season in a 12-6 win for the Cloverleafs over Souris Cardinals. Ted McLaughlin led the offense with three hits while Warren Veale and Orv Shaw each contributed a double and single. George Morrison was the losing pitcher.
Denbow (W) and Veale
Morrison (L), Hunter (1), Bowles (4) and Gullett
(July 1) Birtle Canada Day $1,500 baseball tournament
(July 3) Souris Cardinals had just three hits but used two walks, a sacrifice and a pass ball to score in the bottom of the 9th to shade St. Lazare 2-1. Bill Carpenter took the pitching decision with a seven-hitter. Dave Pearson was the hard-luck loser. Bruce Gullett, Doug Armour and Gary Fallis each had two hits for the winners.
Pearson (L) and Isaac Walker, Jamieson (7)
Carpenter (W) and Gullett
(July 3) Gerry MacKay's 10th inning homer, one of three hits for MacKay, gave Brandon a 6-5 win over Riverside. Garth Seafoot almost won it in the bottom of the 9th for the Blues but his long smash hit the top of the fence and stayed in the park for a double. The Blues got the first two batters on in the bottom of the 10th but a double play got the Cloverleafs out of trouble. Mort Wright's 8th inning homer brought Brandon into a 5-5tie. Cliff Seafoot belted a first inning homer for Riverside and Gord Hunter put the Blues in front with a four-bagger in the 6th. Gary Keating picked up the win in relief. Lorne Lilley took the loss.
Toews, Keating (W) (8) and Wright
Lilley (L) and C Seafoot
(July 3) Virden Oilers erupted for seven runs in the 3rd inning and cruised to a 10-4 win over Hamiota. Bob Attwood was the winner in relief. Ian Whyte banged out three hits for the Oilers and Henry Palk and Ted Bridgett each had two. Wayne McConnell took the loss.
Cairns, Attwood (W) (5) and Bridgett
McConnell (L), Woods (3), Phillips (4), Lee (6), M Smith (9) and Don Smith
(July 5) Don Smith's 1st inning grand slam was the key blow in a 6-run outburst as Hamiota downed Brandon 12-7. Smith also had a triple and single. Gary Van Buskirk scattered 11 hits to capture the win. Ron Toews collected three hits for the Cloverleafs.
Allen (L), Page (1), Keating (7) and Veale
Van Buskirk (W) and Don Smith
(July 5) Riverside Blues rode a 3-run 5th inning to a 6-5 victory over Dauphin. Ed Evans, with relief help from Garth Seafoot in the 8th, chalked up the win. Neil Geekie went the route in taking the loss. Evans and Gene Cory each had a double and single for the Blues.
Evans (W), G Seafoot (8) and C Seafoot
Neil Geekie (L) and Basaraba
(July 5) Riverside shaded Dauphin 3-2. Lorne Lilley, who relieved starter Garth Seafoot, registered the win. Cliff Seafoot punched out three hits to lead the Blues. Bill Geekie had a double and two singles for the Redbirds.
Garth Seafoot, Lilley (W) (4) and Cliff Seafoot
Bill Geekie, Kotzan (L) (2) and Kabel
(July 5) Virden Oilers, blanked for eight innings, erupted for five markers in the 9th to downed St. Lazare 5-1. Oilers took advantage of three walks, a balk and a hit batsman to post the win. Bob Thompson fired a four-hitter for the win. Fred Chabiel, who took over in the 3rd, was tagged with the loss.
Thompson (W) and Attwood
Jones, Chabiel (L) (3), Isaac Walker (9) and Jamieson
(July 7) Jack Denbow carried a shutout into the 9th inning in pitching Brandon to a 4-1 triumph over Souris. Denbow held the Cardinals to seven hits, fanned ten and didn't allow a base on balls. Denbow also was a star on offense with two hits and a run batted in. Dick Limke allowed just six hits in taking the loss.
Limke (L) and Gullett
Denbow (W) and Wright
(July 7) Bryan Smith allowed just a second inning run as Hamiota Red Sox got by Riverside 4-1. Smith gave up seven hits and had right strikeouts. Ed Evans fanned nine in taking the loss. Al Robertson paced the Sox with three hits. Lynn Caldwell drove in three runs with a pair of safeties. Garth Seafoot topped the visitors with a triple and single. Gord Hunter belted a homer for the Blues but it turned into a single as Hunter missed second base and was called out.
Evans (L) and C Seafoot
Bryan Smith (W) and Don Smith
(July 7) Virden Oilers scored in the bottom of the 7th to gain an 8-8 draw with St. Lazare in a contest called at the end of the 7th because of darkness. Doug Lund belted a three-run homer and double for the Oilers. Dave Pearson led the Athletics with two doubles and a single. Ross Jamieson added three singles.
Isaac Walker, Chabiel (3), Jones (7) and Jamieson
Fowler, Attwood (3), Thompson (7) and Bridgett, Attwood (7)
(July 10) Virden beat Riverside for the 3rd time this season taking a 9-2 decision at home. Bobby Thompson held the Blues to seven hits in taking the win. Thompson and Doug Lund belted homers for the Oilers and Henry Palk added three hits. Cliff Seafoot had four hits, including two homers, for the Blues.
Evans (L), Lilley (4) and C Seafoot
Thompson (W) and Attwood
(July 12) Souris took a pair from Dauphin, 6-3 and 5-1. In the opener, Dick Limke tossed a five-hitter and helped at the plate with two hits. The Cardinals built up a 6-0 lead before the Redbirds broke Limke's bid for a shutout with three in the 7th inning. Neil Geekie was the losing pitcher in spite of matching Limke with a five-hitter.
Neil Geekie (L) and Murray
Limke (W) and Gullett
(July 12) Cardinals swept the twin-bill behind Bill Carpenter's six-hitter. He compiled 11 strikeouts and walked just one as Souris prevailed, 5-1. Bob Kutzan allowed just seven hits in taking the loss. Doug Armour had a double and single for the Cards. Johnny Lesyshen had three hits for the Redbirds.
Kutzan (L) and Murray, Berezinski (8)
Carpenter (W) and Gullett
(July 12) Hamiota scored the winning run on a passed ball in the 10th inning to top St. Lazare 3-2. Mel Smith opened the frame with a single and moved to third on two walks. He scurried home as the ball got away from the catcher. Bryan Smith went the route for the win. Mike Jones, who relieved starter Dave Pearson in the 10th, took the loss. Mel Smith and Al Robertson each had two hits for the Red Sox. Isaac Walker punched out three hits for the A's with brother Oscar adding a triple.
Bryan Smith (W) and Don Smith
Pearson, Jones (L) (10) and Jamieson
(July 12) Riverside Blues had a big 7th inning to take an 11-5 decision from Virden. Trailing 5-3, Riverside exploded for eight runs and coasted to the win. Garth Seafoot's bases-loaded double was among the fireworks in the Blues' 7th. Wes Rathwell and Ed Evans each had three hits. Doug Lund had a trio for the Oilers. Seafoot went the distance for the pitching win.
Attwood, Cairns (L) (7), Bridgett (7) and Bridgett, Taylor (7)
G Seafoot (W) and C Seafoot
(July 13) Dauphin scored all its runs in the 6th inning to take a 5-4 decision from St. Lazare. Johnny Lesyshen and Maurice Oakes each had three hits to lead the attack. Winning pitcher Bill Geekie aided his own cause with a pair. Dave Pearson and Mike Jones each had three safeties for the Athletics.
Chabiel (L), Isaac Walker (4) and Jamieson
Bill Geekie (W), Kutzan (9) and Oakes
(July 13) Mel Smith and Lorne Lilley put on an outstanding pitchers' duel as Hamiota edged Riverside 1-0 in ten innings. With two out in the 10th, reliever Ed Evans walked Sam Phillips and Smith, his mound opponent. Bryan Smith, who had hurled a ten-inning win the previous day, singled to plate the only run. Mel Smith allowed just four hits to register the win. The Red Sox got just five hits off Lilley and Evans.
Lilley, Evans (L) (7) and C Seafoot
Mel Smith (W) and Don Smith
(July 13) The game at Brandon had seven scoreless innings before the visiting Virden Oilers broke out for three runs en route to a 4-1 victory. Bob Thompson fired a five-hitter, with 13 strikeouts, for the win. Gary Keating gave up just four hits in taking the loss.
Thompson (W) and Taylor
Keating (L) and Wright
(July 14) Riverside Blues plated four in the opening frame and eight more in the 3rd and cruised to a 15-6 win over Souris. Cliff Seafoot paced the 15-hit attack with three safeties. Wes Rathwell, Bob Ash, Barry Moffatt and Gord Hunter each had a pair. Bruce Gullett had the big bat for Souris with a three-run homer and double. Garth Seafoot went eight innings to capture the win.
G Seafoot (W), G Hunter (9) and C Seafoot
Bowles (L), D Hunter (3), Gullett (9) and Gullett, Martin (9)
(July 14) Tommy Town drove in six runs with a pair of homers and two singles to lead Brandon to an 11-0 blanking of Virden Oilers. Jack Denbow fired a six-hitter for the shutout. Irv Skelton went all the way for the Oilers giving up 12 hits.
Denbow (W) and Wright
Skelton (L) and Attwood
(July 15) Hamiota clinched a playoff berth dumping Dauphin 9-3. A six-run 6th inning was key for the Red Sox. Gary Van Buskirk scattered nine hits for his 5th win of the season. Dallas Smith and Bryan Smith each had two hits for the winners. Neil Amy and Bill Berezinski each collected three for the Redbirds.
Neil Geekie (L), Kutzan (7) and Oakes
Van Buskirk (W) and Don Smith
(July 16) Winning pitcher Dave Pearson doubled with two out in the 9th inning and came around to score the game's only run on an error as St. Lazare topped Brandon 1-0. Pearson, the A's playing manager, scattered seven hits for the win. Hard luck loser Gary Keating gave up just five hits in taking the loss. Brandon had a golden opportunity in the second inning with the bases loaded and none out. Pearson, however, got a force play at home then a double play to get out of the inning.
Pearson (W) and Isaac Walker
Keating (L) and Wright
(July 17) Dick Limke held Dauphin to five hits and fanned 16 as Souris topped the Redbirds 9-2. Doug Armour led the 15-hit Souris offensive with three singles. Wayne Janz had two hits, one a triple and Bruce Gullett added a double and single.
Limke (W) and Gullett
Kutzan (L), N Geekie (4) and Kabel
(July 17) Five errors proved to be the downfall for Brandon as the Cloverleafs dropped a 4-2 decision to Riverside. Lorne Lilley and Ed Evans combined on a six-hitter for the Blues. Brandon featured an import battery, Americans Jim Howser on the mound and Jim Gailfus behind the plate. Howser pitched a six-hitter in being saddled with the loss.
Howser (L) and Gailfus
Lilley (W), Evans (8) and C Seafoot
(July 17) Virden Oilers rallied with three runs with two out in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie Hamiota 8-8. The game was called because of darkness. Bill Chapple belted a triple to score two and came across with the tying run on Ted Bridgett's single. Henry Palk followed with a ground-rule double and Norm Forsyth drew a walk to load the bases, but reliever Gary Van Buskirk got a strikeout to end the game. Bob Thompson went the distance for the Oilers with 12 strikeouts. Gord Lyall had three hits for Hamiota. Mel Smith clouted a homer and Bryan Smith added a triple. Thompson and Doug Lund blasted homers for the Oilers.
Bryan Smith, Mel Smith (3), Van Buskirk (9) and Don Smith
Thompson and Attwood, Bridgett (4), Taylor (6)
(July 19) Gary Van Buskirk gave up a homer on his first pitch of the game then, with relief held in the 8th, blanked Riverside the rest of the way for a 6-1 Hamiota victory. The decision clinched the pennant for the Red Sox. Buskirk faced a bases loaded situation with one out in the 8th inning when Bryan Smith relieved and got a double-play to escape the jam. Gord Lyall punched out three hits to held the offense. Wes Rathwell had the home run for the Blues. Ed Evans gave up 11 hits in going the distance for the loss.
Van Buskirk (W), Bryan Smith (8) and Dallas Smith
Evans (L) and Seafoot
(July 19) Ron Toews tossed a five-hitter to lead Brandon to a 2-1 triumph over Dauphin in the first game of a double-header. He compiled eight strikeouts and walked one. Bill Geekie gave up just seven hits in taking the loss. Tom Town had a pair of doubles for the winners.
Bill Geekie (L) and Kabel
Toews (W) and Veale
Cloverleafs banged out 14 hits in the second game to secure a 12-3 victory. Ted McLaughlin clouted a triple and two singles to pace the attack. Greg Borotsik, who had a double and single in the opener, added a triple and double. Jack Denbow had a triple and single. Denbow was the winning pitcher, in a relief role. Bob Kabel was best for Dauphin with a double and single.
Kutzan (L), Geekie (6) and Oakes
Page, Denbow (W) (3) and Veale
(July 19) Fred Chabiel and Bill Carpenter put on a pitching clinic at St. Lazare as the hometown Athletics shaded the Cardinals 1-0. Chabiel was the winner on a three-hitter. He had nine strikeouts and three walks. Carpenter allowed just five hits while compiling 11 strikeouts. He issued one base on balls. Catcher Isaac Walker scored the only run when he reached on an error, stole second and came home on Ray Simms' single.
Carpenter (L) and Gullett
Chabiel (W) and Ike Walker
(July 20) In a game which produced 28 runs, 31 hits and 12 errors, Souris Cardinals dumped Hamiota 18-10. Cards jumped into an early lead with six runs in the opening frame and four more in the 2nd. Bill Carpenter led the assault with five hits and Doug Armour added three, including a triple. Gord Lyall had three hits for the Red Sox. Don Hunter survived 12 hits to go the distance for the win.
Woods (L), Mel Smith (2), Phillips (4), Lyall (6) and Don Smith
Don Hunter (W) and Gullett
(July 20) St. Lazare had a 23-hit attack to demolish Dauphin 20-2. Athletics plated seven in the first inning, four in the 3rd, five in the 5th and three in the 7th to coast to the win. Isaac Walker had a big day with a homer, double and two singles. Oscar Walker, Dave Pearson, Fred Chabiel and Leon Garinger each had three hits. Mike Jones picked up his first win of the season with a four-hitter. Bob Kabel belted a homer for Dauphin.
Jones (W) and Ike Walker, Garinger (6)
Neil Geekie (L), Kutzan (1), Amy (4) and Oakes
(July 21) Virden Oilers kept alive their hopes of a playoff spot with a come-from-behind win over Souris. Oilers scored a pair in the 8th inning to notch a 3-2 triumph. Frank Navosel drew a walk and Oilers loaded the sacks on singles by Ron McLaren and Ted Taylor. Norm Hemstad singled to score the tying and winning runs. Bob Thompson held the Cardinals to four hits and fanned 14 in registering the win. He helped at the plate with a triple.
Limke (L), Carpenter (8) and Gullett
Thompson (W) and Lund
(July 21) Riverside catcher Cliff Seafoot was named the Most Valuable Player of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. The Blues and the cellar-dwelling Dauphin Redbirds each placed three players on the first team all-stars. Brandon first sacker Tommy Town was selected for the fourth straight year. Third baseman Lynn Caldwell of Hamiota was the only other player to return from the 1963 squad. Three are back for a third season after a one-year absence -- Seafoot, Dauphin shortstop Gerry Shumanski and Redbird outfielder Bill Berezinski. The top pitchers were Lorne Lilley of Riverside and Bob Thompson of Virden. Oscar Walker of St. Lazare captured the second base slot with Bob Wilson of Brandon and Bob Ash of Riverside gaining outfield spots.
(July 22) Brandon Cloverleafs clinched a playoff berth with a 21-6 whipping of Virden Oilers. A nine-run 1st inning put the game away early. Gerry MacKay led the offensive with two doubles, a single and two walks. Ted McLaughlin also had three hits. Bob Wilson, Greg Borotsik, Orv Shaw and Bob Lees, a catching recruit from Rivers, each had a pair of safeties. Norm Hemstad had a two-run homer for the Oilers. Starter Ron Toews got the win for Brandon. The short staffed Oilers had pitcher Bob Attwood out with injuries and Irv Skelton working out of town. Bob Thompson hurled last night. Doug Fowler started and gave way to Ted Bridgett in the first inning, but had to resume mound duties in the 3rd when Bridgett left with arm woes.
Fowler (L), Bridgett (1), Fowler (3) and Lund, Seafoot (5)
Toews (W), Keating (6), Page (9) and Lees, Borotsik (7)
(July 24) St. Lazare clinched a playoff spot with a 12-2 victory over Virden Oilers. The decision eliminated both Virden and Souris from post-season action. Dave Pearson fired a six-hitter and fanned ten to capture the win. Virden allowed ten unearned runs and they booted the ball six times. Oscar Walker kicked off the Athletics offense with a homer in the first inning. He later added a triple. Ted Taylor had a homer for the Oilers.
Pearson (W) and Ike Walker
Thompson (L), Skelton (8) and Lund, Taylor (5)
(July 24) Gary Van Buskirk held Dauphin to three hits in notching his 7th win of the season, 8-2 over Dauphin. Lynn Caldwell clouted a homer and single for the winners. Gord Lyall had a triple and single. Bob Kutzan allowed nine hits in taking the loss.
Kutzan (L) and Oakes
Van Buskirk (W) and Don Smith
(July 26) The pennant-winning Hamiota Red Sox took it on the chin, but it took an all-star squad to do it. Sox were trounced 14-3 in the fourth annual all-star contest. The contest featured three homers, including a grand slam by Brandon's Tommy Town as the stars erupted for seven runs in the third inning. Bob Wilson also had a homer in the frame. Dallas Smith, the Red Sox centre fielder accounted for all their scoring with a three-run blast in the 8th inning. Lorne Lilley blanked the Sox for the first four frames giving way to Bill Carpenter for the final five. Cliff Seafoot, selected as the league's Most Valuable Player, punched out six straight hits for the all-stars.
Lilley (W), Carpenter (5) and Seafoot
Van Buskirk (L), Lee (1), Woods (3), B. Smith (3) and Don Smith
(July 27) St. Lazare wrapped up the regular season schedule with a 6-3 win over Hamiota, the Athletics 5th straight victory. Isaac Walker, who took over for starter Fred Chabiel in the first inning, went the rest of the way for the win. Chabiel took a line drive off his pitching hand had to leave the game. Gord Lyall of the Red Sox had two hits in three trips to edge the A's Dave Pearson for the batting title. Lyall finished at .447 while Pearson, with one hit in three trips, fell to .440.
Chabiel, Ike Walker (W) (1) and Jamieson
Mel Smith (L), McConnell (7) and Don Smith
PLAYOFFS :
(July 29) St. Lazare took advantage of five Brandon errors to score seven unearned runs and down the Cloverleafs 9-6 in the opening game of their best-of-seven semi-final series. Mike Jones was the surprise starter for the Athletics. He pitched in and out of trouble to pick up the win, in spite of ten walks. Fred Chabiel relieved in the 8th inning and finished up. The Walker brothers led the offense. Catcher Isaac Walker belted three hits including a triple. He was thrown out at the plate trying for an inside-the-park homer. Oscar Walker, who impressed with some slick fielding at second base, had a triple and single and was robbed of another extra-base hit when Bob Wilson made a brilliant over-the-shoulder catch at the centre field fence.
Jones (W), Chabiel (8) and Isaac Walker
Keating (L) and Veale
(July 29) Riverside Blues upset the pennant-winning Hamiota Red Sox 4-3 in the opening game of their semi-final set. Blues plated a pair in the 8th inning to win after Mel Smith had given the Red Sox a 3-2 lead with a three-run homer in the 4th. Garth Seafoot survived the Smith homer to go the distance for the victory. Bryan "Porky" Smith took the loss.
Garth Seafoot (W) and Cliff Seafoot
Van Buskirk, Bryan Smith (L) (6) and Don Smith
(July 30) Held to just three hits, St. Lazare used a suicide squeeze to break a 2-2 tie and score the winner in the 5th inning to shade Brandon 3-2 and take a two-game lead in the semi-final series. Dave Pearson hurled a six-hitter for the victory and laid down the bunt which scored Isaac Walker with the deciding marker. Jerry Page, making his first start for the Leafs, allowed just three hits but walked eight, including three in the first inning when the A's score twice. Bob Wilson had a two-run homer in the 2nd to account for the Cloverleafs scoring. He also had a pair of singles. Walker had a double and single for the A's.
Page (L) and Borotsik
Pearson (W) and Jamieson
(August 1) Riverside Blues rallied for a run in the bottom of the 9th to tie then rode Wes Rathwell's homer in the 10th to shade Hamiota 5-4 to take a 2-0 game lead in their best-of-seven series. The Red Sox had taken an early lead on Dallas Smith's homer and after falling behind had regained the league on Al Robertson's four-bagger in the top of the 9th. With two out in the bottom of the 9th, the Blues loaded the sacks on two walks and an error. A base on balls to Barry Moffatt forced in the tying run. Riverside got a single to leadoff the 10th but a double-play appeared to end the threat. Then Rathwell boomed his homer and the Blues had their win. Robertson was the leading hitter for the Red Sox with three hits. Lorne Lilley went the distance for the win.
Bryan Smith, Mel Smith (L) (7) and Don Smith
Lilley (W) and Seafoot
(August 2) Hamiota Red Sox surprised Riverside 4-1 with catcher Don Smith taking up mound duties. Smith, who had pitched only four innings during the regular season, fired a five-hitter and fanned eight in going the route for the win. He had a shutout until the Blues pushed across their only run in the 9th. Red Sox broke a scoreless tie with a pair in the 5th and added two more in the 8th. Bryan Smith smacked three hits to lead the attack. Ed Evans gave up 11 hits in taking the loss.
Evans (L) and Seafoot
Don Smith (W) and Dallas Smith
(August 4) In an exciting and controversial finish at Brandon, the Cloverleafs scored in the bottom of the 9th to down St. Lazare 5-4 for their first win in the semi-final series. Mike Jones, who had blanked Brandon on one hit since relieving starter Fred Chabiel in the 5th inning, lost control in the 9th walking the first two batters on nine pitches. Isaac Walker came in to relieve and Gerry MacKay promptly moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. With Tommy Town at the plate, the Athletics chose to walk the Cloverleafs' first sacker. Walker's first two pitches were balls but just slightly off the plate. On the third pitch, Town reached out and belted the ball into centre field for the game-winning hit. St. Lazare argued loudly that Town had stepped out of the batters' box to reach the pitch.
The Athletics had their chances in the top of the 9th. They had three hits but had the potential winner cut down at the plate. Brandon had taken the lead in the 2nd inning as Bob Wilson tripled and scored on a single by Ron Toews. The A's roared back with three in the 3rd as Oscar Walker had a triple and brother Isaac Walker smacked a double. Brandon came back with a singleton in the 4th and with two hits and a double steal and took the lead in the 5th as Town drove in Don Sumner and MacKay. In the 7th, a walk, a hit and a wild pitch tied the contest. Oscar Walker had three hits to lead St. Lazare and was brilliant in the field as he figured in eight putouts and started three double plays.
Chabiel, Jones (L) (5), Isaac Walker (9) and Jamieson
Denbow (W) and Borotsik
(August 5) Fans were treated to an outstanding day of pitching as Brandon knotted its semi-final with St. Lazare at two games apiece with a 1-0 victory. Both pitchers, Gary Keating for the Cloverleafs and Dave Pearson for the A's, fired three-hitters. Keating fanned eight and walked one. Pearson had seven strikeouts and allowed six bases on balls. Gerry MacKay was the offensive star as he walked in the 3rd inning, stole second and third and romped home on a sacrifice fly by Ron Toews.
Keating (W) and Borotsik
Pearson (L) and Jamieson
(August 5) At Riverside, it was a day for the hitters as the teams combined for 28 safeties as Hamiota tied its series with the Blues with a 12-6 victory. Surprisingly, both pitchers - Bryan Smith for the Red Sox and Lorne Lilley for the Blues -- went the distance. Smith was the hitter star blasting a pair of homers. Lynn Caldwell also had a four-bagger for the winners. Caldwell, Al Robertson and Dallas Smith each had three hits.
Bryan Smith (W) and Dallas Smith
Lilley (L) and Cliff Seafoot
(August 7) Ron Toews, a high school student from Plum Coulee, hurled Brandon to within a game of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League finals. Toews fired a five-hitter as the Cloverleafs downed St. Lazare 3-1 to take a 3-2 game lead in the best-of-seven semi-final series. Athletics took the lead with a run in the first inning but then were blanked the rest of the way by the young right hander who fanned twelve and walked three. Fred Chabiel allowed just seven hits in being saddled with the loss.
Oscar Walker drew a walk as the game's leadoff batter and scored on an error and a sacrifice fly. Brandon got on the scoreboard in the 5th inning as Don Sumner reached on an error and Gerry MacKay drove him him with a single and scored himself on Ted McLaughlin's safety. McLaughlin drove in an insurance run in the 8th inning with his third hit of the game. It followed a single by Toews and MacKay's sacrifice. Toews had a one-hitter into the 8th when the A's threatened with a pair of hits. A double-play erased the threat. The first two men in the 9th reached safety before Toews bore down for two strikeouts. An infield hit loaded the bases before Toews got Chabiel to pop-up to end the game.
Chabiel (L) and Isaac Walker
Toews (W) and Veale
(August 7) Hamiota Red Sox took a 3-2 lead in their series with Riverside notching their 3rd straight win, 12-2. The Sox pounded out 18 hits, three each by Al Robertson and Bryan Smith. Dallas Smith bashed a homer. Don Smith, Gord Lyall and Lynn Caldwell each had two. Don Lee, a surprise starter for the Sox, scattered nine hits for the win. He had a shutout for five innings before allowing single runs in the 6th and 7th.
Garth Seafoot (L), Evans (3) and Cliff Seafoot
Lee (W) and Don Smith
(August 9) Hamiota Red Sox, once down 2 games to none, topped Riverside 11-10 for their fourth straight win to capture the semi-final set in six games. The Sox jumped into an 11-5 lead and held off a Blues' rally in the 8th. Lynn Caldwell led the hitters with three safeties. Bryan Smith bashed a two-run homer. Cliff Seafoot belted a pair of homers for the Blues and Ed Evans chipped in with three hits. Reliever Don Smith was the winning pitcher.
Van Buskirk, Don Smith (W) (3), Bryan Smith (8) and Dallas Smith
Hunter (L), Evans (5) and Cliff Seafoot
(August 9) St. Lazare forced a seventh and deciding game in its semi-final with Brandon by taking a 7-4 victory. The Athletics came back from a 4-2 deficit with a four-run outburst in the 5th inning to notch the win. Oscar Walker and Ray Simms opened the inning with singles and came around to score on a single by Isaac Walker and an error. Dave Pearson doubled for another run and scored himself on a single by Mike Jones. Jones went five innings to pick up the win. Simms had four hits to lead the offense.
Page, Denbow (L) (5) and Borotsik
Jones (W), Isaac Walker (6), Pearson (7) and Jamieson
(August 11) Dave Pearson blanked Brandon on five hits and St. Lazare moved on to the Manitoba Senior Baseball League final with a 6-0 victory over the Cloverleafs before 1,000 shivering fans at Brandon. The A's playing manager fanned seven and walked five. Isaac Walker had a triple and two singles for the winners and Pearson added a double and two singles. Gary Keating look the loss.
Pearson (W) and Jamieson
Keating (L), Toews (5) and Veale
FINAL :
(August 14) In a wild one at Hamiota, St. Lazare Athletics, down 12-2 after three innings, roared back to top Hamiota 14-12 in the opening game of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League final. A five-run outburst in the 7th inning brought the A's to within a run of the Sox and three in the 8th meant a victory. The game was called after eight because of darkness. After St. Lazare starter Fred Chabiel had been battered for 11 runs in the first two innings, Mike Jones took over and allowed just four hits and a run the rest of the way. Don Jamieson led the A's with four hits. Wayne Sauter had a bases-loaded triple. Bryan Smith had a double and two singles for the Sox.
Chabiel, Jones (W) (3) and Ross Jamieson
Bryan Smith, Van Buskirk (L) (7), Don Smith (8) and Dallas Smith
(August 16) Hamiota bounced back from a tough first-game loss to whip St. Lazare 10-0 to even their series at a game apiece. Sox broke a scoreless tie with an 8-run 6th inning. Five of the runs were unearned as the Sox took advantage of St. Lazare miscues and five walks. Mel Smith held the A's to seven hits in going the route for the win. He helped the attack with a triple. Dave Pearson took the loss.
Mel Smith (W) and Don Smith
Pearson (L), Sauter (9) and Ross Jamieson
(August 18) Hamiota Red Sox fell behind 2-0 in the first inning but came back to down St. Lazare 5-3 to take a 2-1 game lead in the final series. Gary Van Buskirk pitched seven innings to capture the win. He gave up just four hits. Don Smith worked the final two innings. Mike Jones went the distance, allowing seven hits, to take the loss. Mel Smith and Gord Lyall each had two hits for the winners. Dave Pearson had a homer and single for the A's.
Jones (L) and Ross Jamieson
Van Buskirk (W), Don Smith (8) and Don Smith, Dallas Smith (8)
(August 25) Bryan "Porky" Smith was a hero on the mound and at the plate as Hamiota shaded St. Lazare 3-2 to move to within a game of the Manitoba Senior Baseball title. Smith fashioned a three-hitter and drove in the winning run in the top of the 9th inning. Mel Smith doubled to lead off the Red Sox final frame and moved to third on a single by Ellis Woods. He beat the throw to the plate as brother Bryan grounded to shortstop. The Sox had taken the lead in the 4th on a double by Dallas Smith, a single by Al Robertson and a wild pitch. St. Lazare rebounded with a pair in the 5th. Ray Simms and Ross Jamieson had singles and a walk loaded the bases. One run scored on Fred Chabiel's sacrifice bunt and another one came in on a passed ball. Hamiota knotted the count in the 6th as Gord Lyall doubled and came home on an error and a passed ball.
Bryan Smith (W) and Don Smith
Pearson (L) and Jamieson
(August 26) Hamiota Red Sox rallied for three runs in the 8th inning and held on for a 4-4 draw with St. Lazare. Trailing 4-1, Buck Mathison started the 8th for the Sox with a single and moved to second as Don Smith drew a base on balls. Al Robertson's sinking liner to right plated one run. With the bases loaded, Lynn Caldwell singled to drive in two more and tie the count. Caldwell had three hits to lead the winners. Dave Pearson had a trio of safeties for the Athletics.
Jones, Chabiel (8) and Isaac Walker
Mel Smith, Lee (4), Bryan Smith (9) and Don Smith, Dallas Smith (4)
(August 27) St. Lazare roared from behind with seven runs in the 7th inning and held on to down Hamiota 9-6 to send the Manitoba Senior final to a 7th and deciding game. Gary Van Buskirk and the Red Sox had a 4-2 lead after six innings before Garth Sararas began the rally with a double. Bryan Smith drew a walk before Isaac Walker's sacrifice fly drew the A's to within one. Dave Pearson's single and Oscar Walker's double drove in two more and St. Lazare had the lead. Three walks and safeties by Mike Jones and Wade Sauter added to the onslaught. Isaac Walker registered the win switching to the mound from his catching position in the 7th frame. Oscar Walker led the A's with a triple and double.
Van Buskirk, Bryan Smith (L) (7), Dallas Smith (7), Robertson (7) and Dallas Smith, Don Smith (7)
Chabiel, Isaac Walker (W) (7) and Isaac Walker, Jamieson (7)
(August 28) A five-run, 3rd inning proved to be key as Hamiota Red Sox downed St. Lazare 9-6 to win the best of seven series for the Manitoba Senior Baseball title. With a fourth game in four nights, the clubs had some unusual choices as starters. Gord Lyall, with just five innings during the regular season, picked up the win for Hamiota, pitching into the 6th inning. Don Jamieson, who did not pitch at all during the regular campaign, started for the Athletics. St. Lazare fought back from the 5-0 deficit with a pair in the 4th and another two in the 5th. They had their chances in the 6th, but came away with nothing after having two runners cut down at the plate, one of them on a brilliant play by second baseman Al Robertson. Robertson was also a hero on the mound as he came in with the bases loaded and none out in the 7th and promptly fanned two before Mel Smith made an outstanding catch in left field to end the threat. Smith led the Sox offense with three hits while Ellis Woods and Lyall each contributed a pair. Isaac Walker led the Athletics with three hits, including a double, the game's only extra base hit. Fred Chabiel and Ray Simms each had two hits.
Don Jamieson (L), Pearson (6) and Isaac Walker
Lyall (W), Mel Smith (6), Robertson (7) and Don Smith
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Hamiota Red Sox (MSBL winners) vs Transcona Atomics (Winnipeg Metro Senior League champions) best-of-five series
(August 30) The hosting Hamiota Red Sox, showing the wear of seven games in seven days, absorbed a double setback from the Transcona Atomics as the provincial senior baseball finals got underway. The Metro Winnipeg champions romped to a 21 to 5 triumph in the opening game and then squeezed out a 7 to 6 extra-inning conquest in the second encounter. Terry Moore and Howie Hughes were the big guns for the Atomics in the sweep. Moore nailed down the first game win with four innings of relief and then hurled the entire ten chapters in the wrap-up tilt. Hughes hammered four home runs in the double-dip, two in each contest, and drove in seven runs.
Transcona shelled Hamiota starter Brian Smith in the first inning of the opener and continued with the heavy stick work on two relievers. They held a comfortable 11 – 0 cushion when the Sox finally came alive in the fifth and kayoed starter Bob Audette. Dallas and Denny Smith each had two hits for Hamiota while Audette and Moore had three apiece for the winners. Moore and Norm Rogoski belted homers to go along with Hughes’ pair. Rogoski, Don Bamburak, Cam Hurst, Len Harvey and Larry Hart all checked in with a brace of bingles for the Atomics.
Audette (W), Moore (6) and Ingram
B. Smith (L), Lee (1), McConnell (6) and Don Smith
The visitors jumped into a 4 – 0 lead in the finale before the Scarlet Stockings rallied in the mid-innings for a 5 – 4 lead. The Sox, facing a one-run deficit, had to do it again in the bottom-of-the-ninth with a tying counter that forced overtime. Audette scored the winning run as he was hit by a pitched ball, was sacrificed to second by Hurst and came home on Ron Twerdochlib’s single. Hamiota loaded the bases in the bottom half of the bonus round but couldn’t plate the equalizer as compete-game winner Moore fanned the final batter. Moore whiffed six and walked three as fourth-inning reliever Mel Smith of the Crimson Hose, who allowed just two runs in six innings before the extra frame, was dinged with the defeat. Hughes whacked his round-trippers in the third and seventh frames and they accounted for two tallies each time. Moore checked in with another tater while it was Twerdochlib’s second safe swat of the tilt that broke it up. Hamiota out-hit the winners 14 – 11 with Brian Smith, Gord Lyall, Dallas Smith and Buck Mathison each stroking a brace.
Moore (W) and Ingram
Van Buskirk, M. Smith (L) (4) and Don Smith
(September 6) The Transcona Atomics captured the provincial senior baseball crown in Winnipeg when they split a twin-bill with the invading Hamiota Red Sox. The Sox grabbed a 7 to 3 verdict in the matinée tussle but the Atomics literally slammed the door in the nightcap as they scored a 3 to 0 triumph on the strength of a magnificent no-run, no-hit performance by winning heaver Bob Audette. The series marked the first time the Metro and Manitoba Senior loops had completed a post-season playoff.
Gary Van Buskirk, shelled a week previous, came back strong to hurl Hamiota’s victory in the curtain-raiser. He kept ten hits well scattered while fanning and walking three. Barry McFarlane was the loser on a nine-hitter. Al Robertson socked a triad of bingles for the Red Sox while Don Smith collected a pair. Transcona’s Howie Hughes, who had a homer field day at Hamiota, nabbed the only extra-base blow of the fracas, a double.
While he was spinning the second skirmish no-hitter, Audette had to work hard to thwart the threat of seven Hamiota baserunners. He walked four and three other reached base on errors but these occurrences were spaced such that not a runner got past second base. He fanned ten over the nine-inning route. Mel Smith was the loser as he gave up seven hits, fanned a pair and walked three. Ron Twerdochlib was the lone Transconan to hit safely twice. Audette scored the first two counters for the Atomics. He drew a first-inning base-on-balls and scored later in the frame on a single by Hughes. In the fifth, he singled and came around to touch the pan on two Hamiota errors.
(September 6-7) Kenora Labor Day weekend tournament
WINNIPEG METRO SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
With the exception of the Stonewall Flyers, every team from the 1963 circuit returned to the fold for another campaign in 1964. As in previous seasons, reporting of regular-season games within the Winnipeg print media was limited with the results for some teams seldom being published.
Balmoral Orioles
Carman Cubs
Precious Blood
RCAF
Transcona Atomics
Vita Mallards
(May 31) With former Winnipeg Goldeye Leon McClinton providing the pitching and curler-turned-slugger Terry Braunstein delivering the offensive punch, the defending champion Carman Cubs got things rolling in the 1964 Metro Baseball League campaign by edging the Transcona Atomics 5 to 4. McClinton out-pitched losing chucker Bob Audette, throwing a five-hitter, while Braunstein went three-for-four at the plate. The Cubs erupted for all of their tallies in the sixth spasm. Bob Wasslen scored what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch. Audette was nicked for eight safeties in going the route. Former ‘Scona player Gerry Mercier had two hits against his former mates. Bobby Leiter led Transcona with the baton, clubbing a brace of doubles while teammate Ray Bamburak contributed a pair of one-baggers.
In another league debut, the visiting Vita Mallards swept a doubleheader from the RCAF nine 6 to 2 and 15 to 0.
In the opener, Vita collected nine hits while the Airmen slashed five safeties. Gerry McAlpine picked up the mound decision with relief assistance from Joe Psooy while John Sims took the loss.
Bill Fosty hurled a neat two-hitter to cop the win in the nightcap. Bob Green absorbed the loss as Russ Zuchman, with three hits in four trips, and Dennis Guenther, with a pair of triples, led the offence for the Ducks.
(June 2) The Vita Mallards staged a late comeback to earn a 5 – 5 tie with the Transcona Atomics in a Metro Senior League contest that was terminated after eight innings because of darkness. Joe Psooy went all the way on the bump for the Mallards while Danny Yackoboski and Barry McFarlane shared mound duties for the “Sconas. Vita’s Hal Westberg stroked two doubles while the Atomic batters were led by Howie Hughes who clipped the sphere for a three-bagger and single.
(June 3) The Transcona Atomics showed no mercy in posting a 19 to 1 triumph over the overmatched RCAF squad. George Dawson allowed six hits and breezed four in notching the complete-game mound victory. John Davis of the Fly Boys had two of the six hits off Dawson. The Atomics walloped four home runs in the tilt. Howie Hughes had a homer, triple and single, Cam Hurst a grand-slam dinger to go along with two singles, and Len Harvey as well as Ron Twerdochlib who both ripped a tater and one-bagger.
(June 5) The Vita Mallards pulled into a first-place tie with Precious Blood with a come-from-behind 13 to 11 conquest of the Carman Cubs. The defending champions jumped into a five-run lead in the opening canto but the Mallards scratched back with a seven counters in the fifth and sixth to pull away. Vita outhit Carman 14 – 8. John Kosowan copped the pitching decision over former Goldeye Leon McClinton. Bill Storozuk, Don Craw and Wally Hyra were the big hitters for the Ducks while playing-manager Art Vandel and Ed McDonald led the Cubs’ offense.
(June 7) Bob Audette and Terry Moore pitched the Transcona Atomics into second place in the Metro Senior Baseball League at Provencher Park. The ‘Sconas garnered a pair of wins, by scores of 13 to 3 and 10 to 2, from Precious Blood in doubleheader play.
Audette, displaying good control, gave up six hits while swishing 16 and walking three in winning the afternoon encounter. Howie Hughes, Bobby Leiter and Ken Ingram were the top swatsmiths for the victors in this contest. Hughes and Leiter both smashed three-run homers in the Atomics’ seven-run third inning and both were two-for-three at the dish. Ingram chipped in with a three-for-five performance and a pair of RBI’s. Leiter knocked in five runs and Hughes three. John Helston continued his heavy hitting for Precious Blood as he banged out a solo homer and triple in four trips while clubmate Ray Gariepy launched a two-run circuit-jack.
Moore stole the show in the nightcap as he allowed only three hits while ringing up 14 punchouts. He was also two-for-five from the batter’s box. Hughes maintained his hot stroke with the baton for Transcona in this event, going three-for-six while Norm Rogoski added a couple of raps in three tries. Leiter had a triple which was the only extra-base blow of the game.
(June 9) The Vita Mallards chalked up their fourth win an a row in the tough Metro Senior circuit, edging the Precious Blood diamond troopers 10 to 8 at Chalmers Park. Gerry McAlpine and John Kosowan teamed up on the knoll to halt the Pee-Bee’s on seven hits with McAlpine getting credit for the win. Bill Predenchuk was nailed with the loss. Hal Westberg had three of Vita’s 15 base knocks while Bill Storozuk had a pair, including a two-run homer.
(June 10) The five-hit hurling of Leon McClinton lifted the Carman Cubs to a 9 to 1 win over the Balmoral Orioles in Metro Senior League action. Gerry Bolin’s grand-slam four-bagger in the seventh stanza was the big blow for the Cubs. Ed McDonald added a two-run tater while Gary White picked up three hits. Morley Hanford led the vanquished nine with two singles while John Paul ripped a double. Balmoral scored in the ninth to avert the shutout.
(June 14) The Transcona Atomics move to within a game of the front-running Vita Mallards by blanking the defending champion Carman Cube 7 to 0. At the same time, the Mallards were dividing the spoils of a twin-bill with the Balmoral Orioles, dropping the lid-lifter 6 to 1 before rebounding for a narrow 5 to 4 triumph in the finale.
Red-hot heaver Terry Moore registered his second triumph of the season against no losses in pitching a three-hit shutout for the ‘Sconas, whiffing 15 along the way. At the plate, Moore was equally effective, clouting a homer and two doubles. Leon McClinton was stung with the hillock setback. Bobby Leiter had three singles for the Atomics and Cam Hurst a pair. McClinton cannoned a triple for Carman and Cliff Pennington a two-bagger.
Bill Wylie pitched well for the Orioles in the opener at Vita, going the distance to beat Bill Fosty and hand the Ducks their first setback.
In the late half of the double-dip, which was a thriller, Vida’s Walter Hyra delivered a clutch double in the bottom-of-the-ninth panel to drive in Hal Westberg with the winning run and break a 4 – 4 deadlock. John Kosowan earned the knoll triumph.
(June 15) The defending champion Carman Cubs evened their record for the season at 3 – 3 by dropping the winless RCAF crew 8 to 3 at the Air Force nine’s Whytewold Road Park. Leon McClinton, pitching his second game in as many nights, was the winning flinger while Jack Reed of the Airmen was saddled with the loss. Jack Seitz laced four safeties for the Cubs.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Vita Mallards 5 1 .833 ----
Transcona Atomics 4 1 .800 0.5
Precious Blood 4 3 .571 1.5
Carman Cubs 3 3 .500 2.0
Balmoral Orioles 2 4 .333 3.0
RCAF 0 6 .000 5.0
(June 21) The Transcona Atomics moved into a first-place tie with the Vita Mallards by defeating the Carman Cubs 6 to 0 at Carman. Bob Audette registered the pitching victory, holding the Cubs to just five well-spaced singles while fanning four and walking seven. He was backed by sharp defensive play from his mates, who reeled off three double plays. Leon McClinton took the loss. Norm Rogoski led the ten-hit Atomic attack with a triple and two singles. Audette followed with a double and a single while Don Bamburak chipped in with a brace of one-baggers. Terry Moore belted his third homer of the season to further up the score. Ed McDonald singled twice for the Cubbies.
(June 23) The Transcona Atomics strung together 25 hits for two dozen runs and a decisive 24 to 6 victory over the RCAF in Metro Baseball League play. The win was the Transcona’s sixth in succession after losing their opening game. Dennis Frederick went the distance on the hill for the Atomics, adding a double and a pair of singles to the overwhelming ‘Sconas’ offense. Teammates Len Harvey, Gary Shaw, Larry Hart and Ken Ingram matched Frederick’s trio of safeties with Harvey having a triple among his sum of swats. Al Tuttle banged out three singles for the Airmen.
In another Metro Senior tilt, the co-leading Vita Mallards collected 13 base knocks for a one-sided 17 to 2 romp over Precious Blood. Bill Fosty allowed just three hits in pacing the Mallards to their decisive victory. Bill Predenchuk suffered the loss. Ed Chesko wielded the big bat in the Mallards’ lineup, belting two triples, one with the bases loaded. Don Cram and Jack Shuba added doubles. Playing-manager Gerry Brisson hit a double and triple for the Pee-Bee’s.
A third encounter on the agenda for the evening had the Balmoral Orioles outslugging the Carman Cubs 12 to 9. Don Wylie turned in a stellar relief performance for Balmoral, allowing the Cubs only two hits after taking over hurling duties from starter Doug Marks after three innings. Cece Dawley and Bob Marks each hit a brace of singles for the Birds while Gerry Mercier’s three singles led the Cub attack.
(June 25) The Transcona Atomics and hosting Balmoral battled 11 innings to a 5 – 5 tie in a Metro Senior Baseball League clash that was halted by darkness. Transcona pitcher Barry McFarlane claimed nine victims on strikes while surrendering seven hits. His mates collected eight safeties off the slants of the Orioles’ George Ledochowski, who whiffed eight. Dan/Don Frederickson had two hits for the ‘Sconas while teammate Don Bamburak chipped in with a double. Bob Marks and Andy Alexiuk each had a brace of bingles for the Birds with one of Alexiuk’s blows being a double.
(June 28) Precious Blood swept a pair of games from the Carman Cubs, by scores of 6 to 4 and 4 to 3.
Bill Predenchuk hurled 4-1/3 innings in relief of Alex Schurko to register the victory in the curtain-raiser, allowing three hits and fanning four while on the bump. Ray Norman clipped the horsehide for three doubles to lead the Pee-Bee’s offensively.
In the second contest, Gary Edwards slammed a game-winning tater to give “Curly” LeClerc the pitching win in relief of Murray Kolesar. Ray Brunel poked a double and single for the victors while Gerry Mercier belted a dinger for the Cubbies.
In other Metro Senior League action, infielder Larry Hart made a rare mound appearance for the Transcona Atomics and turned in a magnificent performance as he threw a no-hitter against the RCAF squad as the ‘Sconas romped to an east 11 to 1 conquest of the Fly Boys at Provencher Park. Hart whiffed 14, walked one and had an unearned run scored against him when Alex Sereda drew a base-on-balls, advanced to third and scored when catcher Ken Ingram’s pickoff throw was well off its mark and sailed into the outfield. Don Bamburak nailed a double and a pair of one-baggers for the victors while Ingram and Howie Hughes each hit three singles.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Vita Mallards 7 1 .875 ----
Transcona Atomics 7 1 .875 ----
Precious Blood 7 5 .583 2.0
Balmoral Orioles 4 4 .500 3.0
Carman Cubs 4 7 .364 2.0
RCAF 0 11 .000 8.5
(June 30) The Vita Mallards took over sole possession of top spot in the Metro Senior circuit when they blanked the winless RCAF nine 10 to 0 at Chalmers Field. Wally Kaniuga starred on the hill for the Ducks in going the route for the win. He received help at the plate from Hal Westberg, who raised his batting average to .500 with a two-for-two performance. Clubmate Ron Kruchak went two-for-four. Ernie Single was the Airmen’s top batter, tagging Kanuiga for three hits.
(July 1) Neepawa Dominion Day baseball tournament
(July 3) The Transcona Atomics blanked the Vita Mallards 5 to 0 to break their deadlock with Vita and take sole possession of the top rung in the Metro Senior loop. Barry McFarlane hurled six innings to pick up the win. He allowed three hits, walked on and fanned six while toeing the slab. Larry Hart mopped up the final three frames and yielded one hit while breezing a pair. Losing twirler Joe Psooy went the route for the Ducks, yielding five safeties, walking five and hitting two batters. The ‘Sconas jammed five runs into the opening panel, with Len Harvey’s bases-loaded triple being the most impactful blow, to gain the triumph. Jack Shuba hit a pair of singles for Vita.
In other Metro Senior League action, Precious Blood won their third in a row by downing the Orioles 6 to 4 at Balmoral. Alex Schurko improved his pitching recored to 3 – 2 by copping the win while Jake McDougall was slammed with the loss. Skipper Gerry Brisson led the Pee-Bee’s attack with a brace of bingles and four RBI’s. Gary Edwards, “Curly” LeClerc and Wilf Gatin also hit safely twice for Precious Blood while the Birds’ Laurie Langrell, John Paul and Dave Marks duplicated the two-hit output.
(July 5) The Transcona Atomics continued their winning ways in the Metro Senior Baseball League by defeating the Balmoral Orioles 6 to 0 and 18 to 5 in a twin-bill at Provencher Park.
In the curtain-raiser, Terry Moore fanned 15, walked five and allowed just two singles in winning his third game for the Atomics. The loser was Doug Marks who was raked for 11 hits, all singles, while ringing up five punchouts. Howie Hughes led Transcona at the plate with three singles while Len Harvey and Larry Hart each poked a pair.
The winning heaver in the nightcap was Bob Audette, who toiled seven stanzas and fanned five while giving up seven safeties and three bases-on-balls. Barry McFarlane hurled the final two frames allowing one hit while whiffing five. Gordon Potter, the first of three Oriole chuckers, absorbed the defeat. Norm Rogoski and Hughes paced the way for the slugging band of ‘Sconas with two-run dingers and a single each. Cam Hurst also poled a two-run tater for the winners while Moore contributed a double and a brace of one-baggers, good for five RBI’s. Not to be outdone, Len Harvey added to the 14-hit Transcona outburst, slamming a double and three-bagger.
In another doubleheader, the Carman Cubs downed the Vita Mallards 6 to 0 and 2 to 0 at Vita. Leon McClinton, ex-Goldeye, hurled both games for Carman with donuts appearing on the scoreboard for the hosting Ducks over 18 consecutive innings.
In the matinée fracas, McClinton allowed four singles and fanned seven to earn the hillock verdict over Bill Fosty. Ron Braunstein clouted a two-run circuit-jack for the Cubs while Ed McDonald delivered a brace of bingles, driving in three counters.
McClinton replicated his four-hit shutout performance in the late skirmish, once again keeping the Mallard safeties to one-baggers. Joe Psooy pitched well for the Ducks but was nailed with the loss. Gerry Mercier poked a double and single for Carman and picked up an RBI.
(July 7) Paced by the four-hit pitching performance of John Kosowan, the Vita Mallards upset the front-running Transcona Atomics 7 to 4 at Chalmers Field. It was the second loss of the season for the ‘Sconas in eight games. Kosowan struck out 11 batters in earning his third victory of the campaign against no losses. The losing hurler was Larry Hart who replaced starter Terry Moore in the second stanza. Hart was nicked for 11 hits while fanning three and walking one. Kosowan also fared well at the plate, smashing two singles which brought in two important runs. Teammate Wally Hyra belted a triple and single while Jack Shuba chipped i with a double and single. Howie Hughes launched his fourth round-tripper of the season for the Atomics.
(July 8) Appearing vulnerable for the second straight evening, the pace-setting Transcona Atomics were silenced 9 to 1 in Metro Senior League play at Provencher Park. The Orioles clubbed 15 base blows, including a two-run homer and a pair of singles by Andy Alexiuk, plus four singles by Laurie Langrell. George Ledochowski was the winning twirler on a tidy six-hitter while Gary Baxter was stung with the defeat.
(July 10) Responding positively from a short-term funk, the Transcona Atomics posted victory number 11 against three defeats in the Metro Senior League as they whitewashed Precious Blood. The ‘Sconas were sparked by a pair of junior call-ups. Winning heaver Glen Corn, one of those seconded, twirled a four-hitter while fanning nine and walking three. All four hits he surrendered were singles, two of them coming off the bat of Gerry Brisson. Transcona’s Norm Rogoski had a brace of one-baggers as did another junior, “Buzz” Lamond.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Vita Mallards 9 2 .818 ----
Transcona Atomics 10 3 .769 ----
Precious Blood 9 5 .643 1.5
Balmoral Orioles 5 7 .417 4.5
Carman Cubs 4 7 .364 5.0
RCAF 0 13 .000 10.0
(July 12) Leon McClinton of the Carman Cubs collared his seventh pitching victory of the campaign in the Metro Senior loop as he knocked the short-handed Transcona Atomics out of top spot with a 5 to 4 win. McClinton set the Atomics down on five hits. The Cubs pushed across the winning run in the ninth when Gary White scored from third base on Terry Braunstein’s ground ball to deep shortstop. Ed McDonald slashed out three singles to pace the Carman attack. He drove in one run and scored another himself. Young Dan Yackoboski was the losing twirler. So short-staffed were the ‘Sconas that field manager Alf Sobkowich was forced to play himself. Handling the hot corner position, he hit a two-run single and scored a run.
(July 14) The Transcona Atomics got back on the winning track in the Metro Senior Baseball League by defeating the Balmoral Orioles 5 to 3. Classy moundsman Bob Audette of the ‘Sconas was as sharp as he has been all season, tossing a three-hitter while fanning nine and giving up only three walks. The losing chucker was Don Wylie who was nicked for 11 bingles while whiffing three and walking an equal number. Audette also starred at the platter, smacking a bases-loaded triple and a single. Ron Twerdochlib, Gary Shaw, Len Harvey and standout junior call-up Bob Hunter had two singles each.
In other league action, Leon McClinton chalked up his eighth victory against five setbacks as he pitched the Carman Cubs to a narrow 5 to 4 triumph over Precious Blood. Bill Murray was tagged with the loss. McClinton withstood a last-inning rally by the Pee-Bees’s that fell one run short and finished with a seven-hitter. Dan Allen helped the big Lefthander by belting a two-run homer in the third panel while Ray Gariepy did the same thing for the Churchmen in the final canto.
A third Metro clash featured the pace-setting Vita Mallards locking horns with the RCAF nine on the home turf of the Airmen. The visiting Ducks maintained their margin atop the loop by trimming the winless Fly Boys 14 to 5. Marcel Charbonneau yielded nine hits in earning the hillock conquest while his mates were collecting nine base raps off the duo of Limber and Jack Reed.
(July 15) Cliff Pennington had an auspicious debut as a moundsman in the Metro Senior Baseball loop as he held the RCAF baseballers to just three hits as the Carman Cubs rolled over the Airmen 6 to 1. The Cubs scored three runs in the first inning and added one in each of the second, fourth and seventh innings. Les Maunder led the Carman batters with a double and three singles, driving in three runs. Teammate Gerry Mercier poked two singles.
Precious Blood improved their record to 10 – 6, while solidifying their hold on third place in the Metro Senior circuit, by dumping the Balmoral Orioles 7 to 4. Bill Predenchuk punched out nine in picking up his fifth win against two defeats. He also helped himself with the baton, stroking a couple of one-baggers. Teammates Gerry Brisson and Ray Brunel also had a brace of safeties. Morley Hanford stroked three safe raps for Balmoral.
(July 16) The Transcona Atomics moved to within .035 percentage points of top spot place in the Metro Senior Baseball League when they humiliated the first-place Vita Mallards 11 to 0. Portsider Terry Moore pitched his fourth shutout in four games for the ‘Sconas, whiffing 17 to raise his four-game punchout total to 62. Moore allowed the Mallards only two hits in running his scoreless string to 37 innings. The Atomics mauled Vita’s ace chucker John Kosowan for six runs on eight safeties through the first six frames and then lit up reliever Wally Kanuiga for an additional five tallies in the next two stanzas. The loss for Kosowan was his first in five decisions. Leading the hit parade for the Transconans were Bob Audette who belted a double and a home run as well as Howie Hughes with a single and his fifth tater of the campaign. Ron Twerdochlib followed with a triple and a two-run single while Cam Hurst and Ken Ingram pitched in with two singles each.
In the evening’s only other game, the Carman Cubs blanked the Balmoral Orioles 4 to 0 at Carman Stadium. Workhorse Leon McClinton picked up his ninth win in 14 decisions in leading the Cubs with a three-hit, ten strikeout mound effort. His batterymate, Gerry Mercier, provided much of the hitting power as his brace of one-baggers drove in three of the four runs.
(July 17) The Transcona Atomics vaulted into sole possession of first place in the Metro Senior loop by shading a surprisingly-tough RCAF contingent 2 to 1 at Provencher Park. Barry Epps, recruited from the junior ranks, toed the rubber for the Atomics and allowed eight hits, walked four and whiffed six in garnering the route-going victory. Newcomer Doug Tincock was on the slab for the Airmen and impressed in his first league outing, yielding eight Transcona safeties while fanning eight and giving up four free passes. The ‘Sconas went ahead 1 – 0 in the third inning when Len Harvey crossed the pan on a ground out by Barry McFarlane. Keith Argue tripled in the fifth for RCAF and scored on Tom Davis’ infield single. The winning counter came in the sixth when McFarlane romped home on a ground out by Norm Rogoski. Tom Davis added a double to his single and Argue drilled a single to go along with his three-bagger for the Fliers.
(July 20) The Vita Mallards re-gained first place in the Senior Metro circuit by edging the Transcona Atomics 4 to 3. The ‘Sconas led 3 – 1 in the top-of-the-eighth but the Mallards bunched four hits for a pair of counters on a clutch two-run single by Russ Zushman to knot the count at 3 – 3. After Zuchman moved into scoring position, winning flinger Joe Psooy then delivered another single to drive in the tie-breaker. Psooy allowed seven safeties and breezed three in out-decisioning Bob Audette who tossed a six-hitter and swished 11.
(July 21) The Balmoral Orioles downed the bottom-feeding RCAF baseballers 7 to 2 to hand the Airmen their 18th straight loss of the season. Winning chucker Doug Marks went the distance on the knoll for the Birds, striking out ten and allowing seven hits. Marty Roy, combed for 11 Balmoral safeties, took the loss. Ross McKenzie, Bob Marks and Laurie Langrell had a double and single each for the winners while Peter Genyk stroked a pair of one-baggers. Roy was the Fliers’ leading hitter with three solid singles.
Leon McClinton of the Carman Cubs improved his pitching record to 10 – 5 as he stymied the Vita Mallards 3 to 2 to knock the losers out of first place. McClinton, with six punchouts, tossed the first seven innings before giving way to junior call-up Bob Hunter who blanked the Ducks in the final two frames, whiffing four in the process. The Cubs pushed across the winning tally in the seventh when first baseman Pete Stemkowski, another seconded player from the junior ranks, drilled his third single of the contest, stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield ground out. Losing flinger John Kosowan, with eight strikeouts and six bases-on-balls, went the distance on the hill for the Mallards.
(July 22) Precious Blood moved to within a game of first place in the Metro Senior Baseball League by blanking the Carman Cubs 4 to 0. The Pee-Bee’s, now sporting a 14 – 7 record, managed nine hits and Carman four. Murray Kolesar boosted his pitching record to 3 – 1 in going the distance for the shutout win. The Cubs’ ace slab artist, Leon McClinton, absorbed the loss. Gary Greves, Ray Brunel and John Helston all had a brace of bingles for the Churchmen with Greves’ pair of safeties including a triple. Terry Braunstein hit safely twice for Carman, now 9 – 10 for the season.
(July 23) Terry Moore pitched the Transcona Atomics back on top of the Metro Senior League standings by throwing a six-hitter in leading the ‘Sconas to a 13 to 5 whipping of the Vita Mallards. The win puts the Atomics back in the lead with a 15 – 6 record, followed closely by the Mallards at 14 – 6 and Precious Blood at 14 – 7. Moore, experiencing some difficulty with a sore arm, allowed six hits and three earned runs as he went the distance, ringing up 13 punchouts. The win boosted his season’s record to five victories and no defeats. Transcona garnered 18 base blows off losing heaver Marcel Charbonneau who went all the way for Vita. Five players shared the hitting honors for the winners. Don Bamburak whacked a double and three singles, Len Harvey two doubles and a single, Gary Shaw a triple and two singles, Ron Twerdochlib a pair of two-baggers while Moore walloped a homer and single. Jack Shuba, with a double and single, was best with the lumber for the Ducks.
(July 24) A replay of an 11-inning tie game from June 25 between the Transcona Atomics and Balmoral Orioles still failed to produce a winner as the teams were forced to terminate the match after eight frames because of darkness tied at 5 – 5. Junior recruit Barry Epps and Bob Audette shared mound duties for the ‘Sconas and yielded nine Balmoral safeties. Don Wylie went six stanzas for the Orioles before turning the ball over to Don Marks. The tandem surrendered 13 base raps. Don Bamburak led the Atomics blasts with three singles while Bob Audette and junior call-up Brian Stastook added a triple and single each. Archie Curtis, John Paul and Laurie Langrell stroked two singles apiece for the Orioles.
In another Metro skirmish, the Carman Cubs handed the RCAF their 18th consecutive defeat when they clipped the Airmen 11 to 3. Leon McClinton, with relief assistance from Ron Braunstein, claimed his 11th victory in 17 starts for the Cubs. Terry Braunstein helped McClinton with a single and home run while Cliff Pennington added three singles.
(July 27) The Transcona Atomics took hold of first place in the Metro Senior League by dumping third-place Precious Blood 7 to 2. The hero for the Atomics was winning heaver Barry McFarlane who chalked up a seasonal high of 19 punchouts. He gave up three hits and walked five. Alex Schurko took the loss, giving way to Bill Predenchuk in the third stanza. The Transconans walloped four circuit clouts in the contest. Cam Hurst belted two of them as well as a single. Don Bamburak and Len Harvey also launched dingers while Gary Shaw added a pair of singles.
A 4 to 3 loss to the Carman Cubs, coupled with Transcona’s victory, slid the Vita Mallards back into second spot in the Metro circuit. Carman’s win was their eighth in their last nine starts. Reliever Eddie McDonald ended Vita’s last-gasp rally in the ninth inning on one pitch after coming on to bail out starter and winner Ron Braunstein. Braunstein yielded seven Mallard safeties in his first mound start and also drove in a brace of Cub tallies. John Kosowan was nailed with the loss. Marcel Charbonneau was the leading swatsmith for the Ducks, stinging the sphere for a triad of bingles.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transcona Atomics 16 6 .727 ----
Vita Mallards 14 7 .667 1.0
Precious Blood 14 8 .636 1.5
Carman Cubs 12 10 .545 3.5
Balmoral Orioles 8 11 .421 7.5
RCAF 0 22 .000 16.0
(July 28) Precious Blood climbed past Vita into second place in the Metro Senior Baseball League standings, bouncing the Mallards 6 to 2. The victory improved the Pee-Bee’s to a 15 – 8 record, a half-game ahead of the 14 - 8 Ducks. Vita’s Joe Psooy was working on a perfect game against the Churchmen until the sixth spasm when the roof caved in. With a single by Ray Gariepy, a two-bagger by John Helston and a flurry of errors doing the damage, Precious Blood bolted into a 3 – 2 lead and never lost their momentum. Psooy gave up seven hits and fanned six in taking the loss while the Pee-Bee’s “Curly” LeClerc, who was touched for six safeties while whiffing eight, grabbed his fifth win against one defeat. Gerry Brisson had two of the winners’ seven hits.
In another Metro League fracas, the Transcona Atomics padded their league lead with an 11 to 6 win over the hapless RCAF contingent. Young Bob Stuart, up from the junior league, was raked for six hits in the first two innings on the bump but then settled into a groove and tossed hitless ball the rest of the way to grab the win. Marty Roy of the Fly Boys, combed for 11 hits, was nicked with the loss. Both chuckers showed some pop with the bat. Stuart cracked a solo homer and Roy, a three-run triple. Gary Shaw, with a two-run double and a pair of singles, as well as Bob Audette and Don Bamburak with two one-baggers apiece, also starred for the Atomics. Alex Sereda had a double and single for the RCAF squad.
A third scuffle of the evening saw Carman mathematically clinch at least a tie for the fourth and final playoff spot with a 9 to 3 win over the Balmoral Orioles. Leon McClinton tossed a three-hitter for the Cubs to run his record to 12 – 6. The three runs against him were unearned. George Ledochowski absorbed the loss. The Baby Bears collected a dozen base knocks, three apiece by Gary White and Cliff Pennington. One of Pennington’s hits was a four-bagger.
(July 29) The Vita Mallards got back on the winning track by clobbering the cellar-dwelling RCAF club 15 to 0. The game was called after five innings. Wally Kaniuga held the Airmen to two hits in gaining the knoll triumph over Ernie Single. The Ducks packed 14 base knocks into the abbreviated tussle as Rudy Pankiewich led the way with a triple and double. Clubmate Sonny Dunlop followed with a double and single while Eddie Chesko, Don Craw, Joe Psooy and junior pick-up Al Lucko each chipped in with a brace of singles.
(July 30) An 8 to 1 win over the Carman Cubs at the Cubs’ new home park, the CUAC grounds, sewed up first place and the 1964 Metro Baseball League regular-season pennant for the Transcona Atomics. Bob Audette went all the way on the hillock for the ‘Sconas, allowing five hits, walking one and fanning 14. The win brought his pitching record for the season to 5 – 2. Audette also belted a double and a couple of one-baggers to lead his club with the lumber. Leon McClinton hurled the first six frames for Carman and was nailed with the loss, his seventh against 12 victories. Don Bamburak clubbed a home run, Larry Hart swatted a double plus a single and Gary Shaw poked three singles for the Atomics. Gerry Mercier, with a double and single, was best with the baton for the Cubbies.
In other action, Precious Blood downed the RCAF 9 to 2, assuring themselves at least a tie for second place in the circuit. Murray Kolesar, the fireballing surgeon, surrendered only three hits and struck out nine Airmen to take the pitching win. Gary Greves led the plate-attack for the Pee-Bee’s with two triples, a double and a single against losing hurler Bob Wedge. John Helston and Ray Gariepy each tagged Wedge for a double and single.
SECOND-PLACE TIE-BREAKER
(August 4) The Vita Mallards had no trouble in disposing of Precious Blood 9 to 1 at Provencher Park in their sudden-death tie-breaker for second place in the Metro Senior Baseball League. Both clubs had finished the regular schedule with identical 17 – 8 records. Winning heaver John Kosowan limited the Churchmen to just four hits, all singles, while fanning nine and walking one. The Ducks jumped on Pee-Bee starter Bill Predenchuk and reliever Alex Schurko for 13 base knocks. Kosowan led the Vita batters with two doubles and a single while Hal Westberg and Joe Marquette pitched in with three singles each. The Mallards now head into the semi-finals against the Carman Cubs while Precious Blood meets the pennant-winning Transcona Atomics.
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Carman Cubs vs Vita Mallards & Precious Blood vs Transcona Atomics (best-of-five series)
(August 5) The Transcona Atomics took a one-game lead in their best-of-five Metro Senior League semi-final when they edged Precious Blood 2 to 1 at Provencher Park. A cloudburst after six innings ended a spectacular pitching duel between the Atomics’ Terry Moore and “Curly” LeClerc of the Churchmen. Moore surrendered three hits, struck out ten and walked five. LeClerc allowed just two safeties, punched out five and issued one free pass. The Pee Bee’s opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Ray Gariepy galloped home from second base on an RBI single by playing-manager Gerry Brisson. The Atomics came charging back with single counters in the fifth and sixth spasms. The winning run occurred without the aid of a hit when a wild throw to first base on Gary Shaw’s ground ball allowed Moore, who had reached base on a walk, to scoot across the pan.
In the other semi-final opener, the Carman Cubs walloped the Vita Mallards 11 to 2 at the RCAF grounds to forge ahead in their series. The Cubs, who came on strong in the latter stages of the schedule to snare the final playoff berth, showed utter disdain for the high-fling Mallards, crushing them under a 12-hit offense which included a brace of circuit-jacks. Workhorse southpaw hurler Leon McClinton went the route on the bump for the victors, limiting the runner-up Ducks to seven safeties. Joe Psooy was tagged for a dozen safeties and was saddled with the pitching setback. Gerry Bolin led the Cubs’ offensive barrage with a home run and single. Jack Seitz hit safely twice and scored two runs while McClinton added a solo tater. Wally Hyra was the lone Vita batter to pick up two hits, both singles.
(August 7) Bill Fosty won the battle of playing-managers when he pitched the Vita Mallards to a narrow 4 to 3 win over Leon McClintock and the Carman Cubs, deadlocking the semi-final series at a game apiece. Fosty allowed nine hits and struck out five to gain the pitching victory while McClinton gave up 11 safeties and whiffed six in taking the loss. An RBI single by Jack Seitz drove in Ron Braunstein, who had tripled, to give Carman an early 1 – 0 lead but before they could add another deuce to their total, they fell behind 4 to 1. Vita bounced ahead in the fifth frame when they scored all their runs. With two out, successive singles by John Kosowan, Fosty, Rudy Pankiewich, Marcel Charbonneau and Jack Shuba plated the quartet of tallies.
(August 9) The Precious Blood baseballers, facing elimination after losing the first half of a twin-bill 3 to 2 to the Transcona Atomics, came to life in the fifth inning of the nightcap with a pair of counters and went on to win 4 to 0. They currently trail two games to one in the semi-final showdown.
Bob Audette surrendered six safeties and struck out nine for the opening-game win but the offensive heroes for the ‘Sconas were Len Harvey and Ken Ingram. Harvey stroked his second double of the game in the seventh stanza which plated the tying run, then raced home on Ingram’s one-bagger for the winning tally. Ingram’s single was his second of the game and matched the output of outfielder Ron Twerdochlib who also stroked a pair of one-baggers. Losing heaver Bill Predenchuk lasted 7-2/3 innings on the hill for the Pee-Bee’s before giving way to “Curly” LeClerc. Jack Richie had a brace of bingles for the Churchmen.
With Ray Brunel fashioning a fine six-hit pitching effort, Precious Blood stayed alive with the shutout win in the finale. The victors also stroked six safeties off loser Barry McFarlane as Gary Greves led the way with a triple and single. A two-bagger by Wilf Gatin was the other big blow for the Pee-Bee’s.
In the other semi-final bracket, the Carman Cubs became the giant killers of the playoffs when they rapped Vita pitchers for 27 safeties in two games in sweeping a doubleheader from the favored Mallards by scores of 15 to 4 and 12 to 0 to win the series three games to one.
Les Maunder’s first-inning grand-slam homer got the Cubs off on the right foot in the opener and, with winning pitcher Ed McDonald spinning a seven-hitter, the Mallards were never able to come back. Jack Seitz drilled three singles for the victors. John Kosowan and Joe Psooy toiled on the knoll for the Ducks with Kosowan absorbing the loss.
In the second tilt, Seitz went four-for-five with a pair of singles, a double and a triple. Winning flinger Leon McClinton toed the rubber for the first seven spasms before giving way to Ron Braunstein who mopped up. McDonald and Cliff Pennington belted second-game four-baggers for the Baby Bears.
(August 13) The Transcona Atomics advanced to the Metro Senior League finals at Provencher Park by doubling a determined Precious Blood nine 4 to 2 to capture the best-of-five semi-final series in four games. The “"’Sconas were only able to muster six safeties of losing flinger Bill Predenchuk and “Curly” LeClerc of the Pee-Bee’s but they got great hurling from Bob Audette who also allowed six hits but was more effective in scattering the bingles. Catcher Ken Ingram and third sacker Howie Hughes each slapped out two base raps for the winners who now meet the Carman Cubs for the league championship.
FINALS Carman Cubs vs Transcona Atomics (best-of-seven series)
(August 16) The Carman Cubs, fourth-place finishers during the regular season, surprised pennant-winning Transcona by sweeping a two-game set from the Atomics as the Metro Senior Baseball League finals got underway. With workhorse portsider Leon McClinton doing double duty, the Cubs registered 9 to 2 and 5 to 3 victories over the favored ‘Sconas at Provencher Park. McClinton fanned nine batters and gave up 16 hits during his 18-inning marathon stint on the elevated portion of the diamond.
Dan Allen provided the offensive punch for the Cubs in the lid-lifter as he belted a three-run homer off losing twirler Dan Yackoboski in the fifth panel which erased the Atomics’ 2 – 0 lead, garnered on Larry Hart’s two-run dinger in the opening canto, and then slammed a two-run triple in the ninth off reliever Barry McFarlane. Ron Braunstein was also impactful for the winners with the baton, drilling a pair of run-producing singles.
In the second encounter, it was the Cubs turn to score twice in the first inning which they did on a two-run dinger by Braunstein off Transcona’s ace southpaw Terry Moore who went undefeated during the regular season. By the time the fifth inning was over, the red-hot Baby Bears had built up a 5 to 0 cushion as Braunstein drove in two more with an RBI single. Gary White co-starred with Braunstein, scoring two important runs with three hits. Transcona came on late, getting a two-run tater from Larry Hart, but it wasn’t nearly enough to shake the confidence of McClinton. Hart had a triple to go along with his round-tripper while teammate Howie Hughes pounded a double and two singles.
(August 19) The Carman Cubs maintained their two-game lead over the Transcona Atomics in the Metro League finals when they overcame a 3 – 0 deficit to earn a 3- 3 tie before a crowd of 3,000 at Provencher Park. The game was called after seven innings because of darkness. Terry Braunstein’s two-run pinch-hit single in the sixth started the Cubbies on the road back from apparent defeat. Leon McClinton, looking for his third win of the series, went the distance for the Cubs, allowing eight hits, retiring three batters on strikes and walking one. The ‘Sconas used two hurlers, starter Bob Audette who gave up eight hits, fanned three and walked just one, as well as Terry Moore who came on in the seventh. Cliff Pennington and Gerry Mercier had two hits apiece for Carman while Howie Hughes belted a double and one-bagger for the Atomics.
(August 23) The Transcona Atomics regained some of their self-respect in Metro Senior League circles by scoring a convincing 5 to 0 victory over the Carman Cubs at Provencher Park. Even with the win, the pennant winners find themselves behind the eight-ball by a two-games-to-one deficit. Winning flinger Bob Audette twirled a seven-hitter, breezing four and walking three in whitewashing the Cubs. Losing heaver Leon McClinton gave up ten safeties while fanning four and walking two. Catcher Ken Ingram put the ‘Sconas out front in the third stanza when he tattooed a McClinton offering for a three-run tater. A deuce in the ninth panel put the game on ice. Audette helped his own cause by walloping three safeties while Norm Rogoski belted a double and single. McClinton and Ron Braunstein both had two singles for the Cubs.
(August 24) The Transcona Atomics squared the Metro Senior League finals at two games apiece by doubling the Carman Cubs 12 to 6 in a free-hitting affair. Infielder Larry Hart, pitching for the first time in a month, went 6-1/3 innings in the rain-abbreviated affair to earn the mound victory. Terry Moore mopped up and only had to hurl 2/3 of an inning before the game was called. Cliff Pennington was the starter and loser for the Cubs. Ed McDonald and Ron Braunstein followed as relievers. The Atomics dropped their bomb in the fifth frame when they scored nine times to put a bow on it. Ron Twerdochlib punched out a trio of one-baggers for the ’Sconas while Howie Hughes and Don Bamburak both checked in with a brace. Shortpatcher Jack Seitz led the Cubs with the hickory, also stroking three singles while teammates Gerry Bolin and Gerry Mercier clipped the horsehide for a double and single each.
(August 25) The Transcona Atomics edged the Carman Cubs 8 to 7 to move to within a victory of claiming the Metro Baseball League’s championship. Bob Audette, the second of three Transcona pitchers, emerged with the hillock verdict. Audette took the mound with one out in the third inning, relieving Terry Moore. He, in turn, was replaced by Larry Hart in the fifth. The three Atomic amigos were nicked 14 base knocks while losing chucker Leon McClinton, who went the distance, was raked for 20 base blows. Norm Rogoski scored what turned out to be the winning counter when he went long distance with a sixth-inning tater. In addition to his solo dinger, Rogoski registered a double and single. Clubmate Cam Hurst had earlier gone yard by clouting a two-run round-tripper while adding a triple and single later on. Ken Ingram contributed to the slugfest with a double and two singles. For the Cubs, Ron Braunstein poked a double and two singles while Gerry Bolin, Jack Seitz and Gary White added a brace of one-baggers each.
(August 26) The Transcona Atomics captured the 1964 Metro Baseball League crown by dumping the defending-champion Carman Cubs 8 to 5 at Provencher Park. The ‘Sconas scored three times in the third inning, plated a four-spot in the following frame and added a singleton in the sixth spasm while the Cubbies ran across all five of their tallies in a big fifth stanza, sparked with two-run singles by Eddie McDonald and Jack Seitz. Winning heaver Barry McFarlane lasted on the bump until the Carman explosion in the fifth when he was derricked for Terry Moore who tamed the Baby Bears the rest of the way. Pitching in his seventh game of the series, workhorse flinger Leon McClinton ran out of gas and was clipped with the setback. Bob Audette had three RBI’s for the winners and Tom Trosky a pair while reliever Moore lit up McClinton for a sixth-inning solo circuit-jack.
SOUTH-CENTRAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
With the 1963 champion Souris Cardinals abandoning the circuit for the Manitoba Senior League, the South-Central loop accepted a trio of new entries. Joining the 1964 loop were Elgin and the Rivers Comets, both former members of the Mid-Western Baseball League and a club representing Treesbank, a community at the junction of the Souris and Assiniboine Rivers.
Belmont
Boissevain Border Kings
Brandon Canucks
Elgin
Glenboro
Oakland Braves
Rivers Comets
Treesbank
(May 17) Invading Elgin and the Rivers Comets, both new entries in the South-Central Baseball League, locked horns in the opening game for both clubs. In the closely-contested battle, the Comets nosed out their former Mid-Western League foes 3 to 2 as pitcher Cam White recorded the mound victory. Deb Mealy, who went to the mound to replace Elgin starter McRae when the score was tied 1 – 1 after five innings, was saddled with the loss. With the score knotted at 2 – 2, Rivers came up with the winning run in the bottom-of-the-eighth episode on a single by Neil Reeves and Ed Collinson’s second triple of the game. Rookie outfielder Darrel Branson had two safeties for the Comets in his first game in senior company.
(May 19) With the pitching tandem of Carl Cunningham and Ron Powers combining to serve up a masterful one-hitter, the Brandon Canucks opened their South-Central Baseball League campaign with a 13 to 0 romp over Glenboro at Kinsmen Stadium. Cunningham worked the initial five innings to get credit for the win. He handcuffed the visitors on no hits while fanning three and walking one. Powers gave up the lone Glenboro hit, a Texas League single, whiffing one without issuing a free pass. The winners raked losing flinger Garth McIntyre and his successor, Greg Arason, for nine hits. The bulk of the damage was inflicted upon McIntyre who was bombed for ten runs on six hits and five walks in his 1-2/3 innings of toil on the bump. Glen Edwards and Cunningham set the pace for the Wheat City nine at the dish as both connected for a pair of singles. Bill Fairbairn slammed an inside-the-park home run while Powers and Ben Harper each belted triples. Arason collected the lone Glenboro hit.
McIntyre (L), Arason (2) and Hilhorst
Cunningham (W), Powers (6) and Gray
(May 24) Rivers swept both ends of a three-team double-bill, whitewashing Glenboro 9 to 0 in an afternoon tilt and then downing Treesbank 9 to 4 in an evening encounter. The Comets’ Rod Graham toiled on the hillock for the first six innings of the early joust to cop his first win of the season.
In the evening half of the double-dip, Rivers used three chuckers who, collectively, allowed the Treesbank batters just two safeties. Cam White, the third of the trio, was credited with the win. Wes Walker went three-for-five with the lumber for the Comets and had a theft of home.
(May 24) Elgin defeated Belmont 7 to 5 in a South-Central Baseball League tilt.
(May 24) The Brandon Canucks steamrolled their way to their second straight triumph of the new campaign as they trampled the hosting Boissevain Border Kings 10 to 1 in a sloppily-played match. Brandon pitchers Russ Reid and Jim Ganske combined to choke the Border Kings on just two hits while Boissevain hurlers Bob Gouldie and Glen Lamb were shelled for 11 base knocks. The homesters committed eight errors while the Canucks bobbled the ball on four occasions. Glen Edwards paced the Wheat City batters with a brace of doubles while Bill Fairbairn had a two-bagger and single and Al Josephson a pair of one-baggers. Del Pringle and Clare Burton had the Boissevain safeties.
(May 26) The Oakland Braves were the latest victim of the Rivers Comets, dropping a narrow 8 to 7 verdict to the unbeaten Comets. Reliever Ed Collinson, who ascended the hill in the sixth stanza, earned the pitching win. Solid defensive play on the part of the Rivers nine kept them in the game as the Braves showed lots of power at the plate.
(May 26) The Brandon Canucks maintained their unbeaten status in the South-Central Baseball League as they nudged the Elgin nine 8 to 7 at Kinsmen Stadium. The Canucks led throughout most of the tilt although Elgin rallied for a three-spot in the top-of-the-eighth to briefly take a 7 - 6 lead but the Brandonites pushed across a deuce in their half of the chapter to pull out the victory. Playing-manager Ron Powers was credited with the mound triumph as he relieved starter Carl Cunningham in the eighth. Veteran Deb Mealy was stung with the loss after ascending the knoll in the sixth for starter Larry Moen. The visitors had a slight 11 to 10 edge in base knocks. Moen and Mealy combined for 11 strikeouts and two walks while the Canuck twirlers fanned five and didn’t issue any free passes. Glen Edwards and Dave Bender both collected three hits for the winners. One of Edwards’ knocks was an inside-the-park homer while Bender’s sum of swats included two triples. Moen clouted a brace of three-baggers for Elgin while teammate Norm Reid contributed a triple and single.
(May 27) The high-flying Rivers Comets reeled off their sixth consecutive South-Central League victory when they bombed the previously-unbeaten Brandon Canucks 15 to 4. Ed Collinson, riding the support of a 12-hit offensive attack by his mates, withstood the chilly weather and the Canucks for six innings to get the win. Mike Brandon had the hot bat for the Comets, stroking four safeties in five times at bat with a booming home run and four RBI’s.
(May 31) A come-from-behind 15 to 12 conquest of the visiting Boissevain Border Kings allowed the league-leading Rivers Comets to maintain their unblemished record in league play. The hosting Comets banged out 18 base blows in the contest in which the hitters had the upper hand. Rod Graham earned his second pitching triumph of the campaign, taking over from starter Cam White in the fourth frame. Bill Whitton went three-for-four at the plate for the winners with three RBI’s to his credit.
(June 2) Bill Mowatt came up with a double to drive in Don Barr and give hosting Glenboro a slim 9 to 8 South-Central League win over Elgin in ten innings. The visitors led 6 – 5 until the bottom-of-the-ninth inning when Greg Arason drove in the tying run with a two-bagger. Elgin then jumped ahead 8 to 6 in the top-half of the overtime session. Glenboro responded when Barr laced a two-out double with two aboard to knot the count once more, setting the stage for Mowatt’s clutch bingle. Reliever Charlie Hilhorst copped the mound win after taking over from starter Harry Lalonde in the tenth frame. Deb Mealy, who took over for Norm Reid in the fourth frame for Elgin, took the loss.
(June 2) The Brandon Canucks capitalized on seven Belmont errors at Kinsmen Park to pound out a decisive 19 to 9 triumph over the visitors. It was the Canucks’ fifth win in six South-Central League starts. Starting twirler Jim Ganske needed relief help from Carl Cunningham in the eighth inning to pick up the win. Ganske surrendered 13 of the 16 Belmont bingles. Starter Allan Williamson worked 7-2/3 innings on the bump for the Prairie Lakers and was tagged with the loss after being bombed for 17 runs on 14 hits. Reliever Dennis McCutcheon gave up two hits and two runs. Catcher Bill Gray led the winners offensively with a triple and a pair of singles while Dave Bender backed him up with a three-bagger and a double. Steve Hyrich paced Belmont with a home run, triple and a single while Carl Myers banged out a triple and a pair of singles. Elwood Myers smashed a triple and single while Dan Hyrich and Williamson each hit a double and single.
Williamson (L), McCutcheon (8) and McLellan
Ganske (W), Cunningham (8) and Gray
(June 4) Rivers trounced the homestanding Boissevain Border Kings 9 to 3 as Ed Collinson went the route on the hill for the Comets, scattering seven hits in earning his third win.
(June 4) Catcher Rex Martin put the tag on Brian Johnson as he tried to stretch a triple into a home run with two out in the bottom-of-the-ninth to give the Oakland Braves an 8 to 7 South-Central baseball League win over Glenboro. Murray Bridges went the route and scattered 12 hits to gain the win. Harry Lalonde, the third of four Glenboro heavers, was nailed with the loss. Alan Powers set the pace for the Braves at the plate with a single and a home run while Brent Hodgins blasted a double and single and Neil Cline a pair of one-baggers. Walter Hilhorst, Don Barr, Hank Thornborough and Lalonde each hit safely twice for Glenboro.
Bridges (W) and Martin
McNiven, C. Hilhorst (4), Lalonde (L) (9), Arason (9) and B. Thorborough
(June 5) The Brandon Canucks pounded out 17 base knocks off a trio of Treesbank tossers to trounce the visitors 17 to 3 at Kinsmen Stadium. Tall southpaw Russ Reid worked five full innings on the knoll for the Canucks to grab the win. Treesbank starter Keith Elder was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits, before getting the hook in the third. Bill Fairbairn set the swatting pate for Brandon with a grand-slam home run and a pair of singles while catcher Bill Gray clouted a two-run dinger. Ben Harper connected for a triple and two singles and Al Josephson a triad of one-baggers. Stan Yawney was the only Treesbank player to have plural hit totals, banging out a brace of singles. Teammate Morley Cullen had the longest blow for the losers, a triple.
Reid (W), B. Josephson (6) and Gray
Elder, Everard (3), Couling (5) and Cullen
(June 7) A short-handed Belmont contingent was annihilated 26 to 0 by the Rivers Comets. Cam White copped the pitching win with a three-hitter while his mates were combing a deleted Belmont pitching staff for 19 safeties. The win was the eighth straight for the league-leaders.
(June 7) The Oakland Braves scored six runs in the eighth inning to upend the Brandon Canucks 14 to 10 in a South-Central League encounter played at Nesbitt. The Wheat City baseballers inadvertently aided Oakland by committing eight errors. Merv Rodgers, who took over mound chores from Ed Patterson in the sixth stanza, earned the hillock triumph. The loss was tagged on portsider Russ Reid who relieved starter Jim Ganske in the eighth inning. Lorne Martin led the Braves with the baton, chalking up four RBI’s with a pair of singles and a double. Teammate Jack Granger backed the attack with a double and one-bagger. Roy McLachlan was the big gun for the Canucks as he drove in three runs with a triple and a pair of singles.
Ganske, Reid (L) (8), R. Powers (8) and Gray
Patterson, Rodgers (W) (6), A. Powers (8) and Fisher
(June 7) Glenboro journeyed to Elgin and were handed a close 4 to 3 setback in a South-Central League encounter. Veteran pitcher Deb Mealy was credited with the mound victory while Greg Arason was nicked with the loss.
(June 9) Belmont clipped hosting Treesbank 7 to 5.
(June 11) The Brandon Canucks handed the Rivers Comets their first loss of the South-Central Baseball League season as they came up with a tense and hard-fought 2 to 1 triumph at Kinsmen Stadium. With the win, the second-place Canucks moved advanced to just one game behind the front-runners. Brandon’s Carl Cunningham, displaying his mound mastery, went the distance and scattered five hits to earn the victory. Steady Eddie Collinson of the Comets also went the route, yielding six safeties, in absorbing the loss. Trailing 1 to 0 after three innings, the Canucks counted twice in the fourth to move ahead for good. Brian Josephson led off with a single and Bill Fairbairn lined a double to score Josephson. Then Al Josephson drilled a line shot off the shortstop’s glove allowing Fairbairn to cross the pan on the error. Ben Harper had two hits for the winners whole Collinson was the big gun for the Comets as he lashed out a single and a double.
Collinson (L) and Lees
Cunningham (W) and Gray
(June 14) The Brandon Canucks kept hot on the heels of the front-running Rivers Comets by trampling the hosting Glenboro diamond troopers 10 to 3. Big southpaw Russ Reid went the route for the Canucks and was never in any serious trouble as he checked Glenboro on just six hits. He sent nine batters back to the dugout on strikes and surrendered five walks. Harry Lalonde, who took over from starting hurler Charlie Hilhorst in the opening panel, was tagged with the loss. Lalonde was replaced by Al Greer in the fifth frame while Greg Arason came on in the eighth to finish the game. Al Josephson was the top willow-wielder for Brandon, stroking a double and two singles while Glen Edwards followed with three singles. Ron Westcott, Brian Josephson and Reid each connected for a pair of hits. Arason and Doug McNiven both collected a pair of singles for the South Cypress towners.
Reid (W) and B. Josephson
C. Hilhorst, Lalonde (L) (1), Greer (5), Arason (8) and H. Thornborough
(June 14) The Rivers Comets bounced back from their first defeat of the season to crush homestanding Belmont 20 to 6.
(June 21) Brandon’s Carl Cunningham out-dueled veteran Elgin moundsman Deb Mealy as the invading Canucks slipped by the Grasslanders 1 to 0.
(June 21) A bases-loaded single in the bottom-of-the-fifteenth inning by Earl Johnson gave hosting Glenboro an 8 to 7 triumph over Belmont in a South-Central League battle. Glenboro trailed heading into the bottom-of-the-ninth but Bill Mowatt singled to drive in the tying run and send the game into the bonus sessions. After five scoreless rounds of overtime, Johnson finally ended proceedings with his walkoff bingle in the sixth bonus session. Hard-throwing Harry Lalone went the full 15 innings to earn the marathon win. He was tagged for 13 hits while he whiffed a dozen and issued only two walks. Allan Williamson, who took over from Dennis McCutcheon in the tenth chapter, absorbed the loss. The winners rang up 19 base blows, 14 of these off the slants of Williamson who was derricked from the knoll after loading the sacks in the 15th and setting the stage for Johnson’s heroics against reliever Don McGill. Johnson was the big gun at the plate, delivering four singles and a pair of doubles. Al Greer laced four one-baggers and catcher Hank Thornborough added three. Setting the pace for the visitors were Jack McLellan and Williamson who each collected three hits.
McCutcheon, A. Williamson (L) (10), McGill (15) and McLellan
Lalonde (W) and H. Thornborough
(June 21) The pace-setting Rivers Comets improved their record to 10 wins against one loss by downing Treesbank 14 to 4. John Russell, back in the lineup after recovering from an arm injury, started on the hill for the Comets and worked easily for the first four frames, surrendering three hits while walking one, before handing the horsehide over to Cam White in the fifth.
(June 24) The Brandon Canucks remained in close pursuit of the South-Central League-leading Rivers Comets as they pounded out 13 hits and took advantage of 11 errors to trounce Treesbank 20 to 5 at Kinsmen Stadium. The visitors stunned the Canucks in the early going as they pounced on young Dan Brown for five runs on four hits in the first inning. The Brandonites recovered, however, to plate a singleton in their half of the panel before adding seven more counters in the second spasm. Winning heaver Ron Powers, who took over from Brown in the first, worked on the bump until the eighth and completely throttled the invaders as he kept them hitless. Brian Jorgenson mopped up in the final two frames and gave up one hit. Losing flinger Keith Elder didn’t manage to complete two innings before the Wheat City nine lit him up for eight tallies on four hits. Terry Everard took over and was promptly promptly roughed up for 11 runs on six bingles before Glen Couling was summoned to finish the game. Middle pasture patroller Bill Fairbairn had a big night in the batter’s box, ripping into the trio of Treesbank twirlers for a triple, double and single. Ben Harper and Powers each added a brace of one-baggers. Dean Otto banged out a triple and Dave Criddle to lead Treesbank.
Elder (L), Everard (2), Couling (6) and Criddle
Dan Brown, Powers (W) (1) B. Josephson (8) and Dave Brown, Brownlee (6)
(June 24) John Russell continued his return to form by hurling the Rivers Comets to a 14 to 4 triumph over Treesbank. It was the Comets’ 11th win in 12 South-Central League starts this season.
(June 26) Belmont used six different pitchers in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding as they were clobbered 24 to 10 by the Oakland Braves in a South-Central League fracas played at Wawanesa. Elwood Myers was the one bright spot for Belmont as he banged out five hits in five trips to the plate.
(June 26) Scoring runs in bunches, homestanding Glenboro bounced the Boissevain Border Kings 14 to 5 in a South-Central Baseball League match. The hosts jumped on Border King starter Mark Pugh for a six-spot in the fourth frame and then won going away with offensive outbursts in the sixth and seventh episodes. Greg Arason and Harry Lalonde shared pitching chores for Glenboro. Lalonde was also impactful in the hitting department, socking a triple and a homer while teammates Don Barr ripped three singles and Bill Mowatt a brace of two-baggers.
(June 29) Still stinging from an earlier 14 – 10 defeat at the hands of the Oakland Braves, the Brandon Canucks built up an early 9 – 0 lead then went on to whip the plucky Braves 14 to 4 at Kinsmen Stadium. Big southpaw hurler, Russ Reid, went the distance to chalk up the win. He scattered nine hits, whiffed eight and walked four. Oakland starting tosser Alan Powers was stung with the defeat, surrendering seven runs in 2-1/3 innings. Reliever Dennis Avery fared not much better as he was clipped for six runs on seven hits before giving way to Neil Cline in the seventh. Marv Robinson paced the Brandon batters with a pair of triples while Bill Gray ripped a triple and a double. Reid aided his own cause with a double and single. Brent Hodgins was the lone Oakland player to have more than one safe swat, stinging the sphere for a triple and single.
Powers (L), Avery (3), Cline (7) and R. Martin
Reid (W) and Gray
(July 8) The Brandon Canucks missed their chance to move into a tie for top spot in the South-Central Baseball League at Kinsmen Stadium when they were surprised by the Boissevain Border Kings 7 to 2. Boissevain wasted little time in climbing all over Brandon starting heaver Randy Earl, collecting six of their runs in the first three innings. The Border Kings were quelled by Carl Cunningham, who took over for Earl in the fourth and checked them on one run and two hits the rest of the way. Bob Gouldie, Boissevain’s 18-year old ace, went the route to pick up the mound decision. The slender right-hander scattered nine hits while fanning four and issuing the same number of free passes.
Gouldie (W) and Turner
Earl (L), Cunningham (4) and Brownlee
(July 13) A double by winning pitcher Dennis McCutcheon in the bottom-of-the-eighth chapter drove in speedy David Graham to give Belmont a close 5 to 4 victory over the Oakland Braves. Both squads clipped the orb for four safeties and both pitchers of record went the distance. McCutcheon fanned six while losing chucker Brent Hodgins whiffed five.
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Elgin vs Brandon Canucks & Glenboro vs Rivers Comets (best-of-three series)
(July 17) The pennant-winning Rivers Comets clobbered Glenboro 9 to 0 in the first game of their semi-final showdown.
(July 17) The Brandon Canucks grabbed a one-game lead in their best-of-three semi-final series at Elgin as they edged their hosts 4 to 3. Although the game was played on their opponent’s home turf, the contest was considered a Brandon home game. Winning chucker Carl Cunningham served up a two-hit masterpiece in going the route for the Canucks on the knoll. He fanned four and didn’t issue a base-on-balls but three consecutive errors almost cost Brandon the game. Leading 2 – 0 after three innings, the Wheat City gang booted the ball three straight times in the fourth frame and, coupled with a single, Elgin sent a trio of baserunners across the pan to forge ahead 3 – 2. The Canucks tied it up in their half of the chapter and picked up the winning tally in the seventh spasm. Veteran slab artist Deb Mealy, who ascended the knoll in the third stanza in relief of Elgin starting heaver Lawrence Reid, was charged with the loss. Roy McLauchlin, Ben Harper and Dave Bender had a brace of bingles each for the victors.
L. Reid, Mealy (L) (3) and Couvier
Cunningham (W) and A. Josephson
(July 19) The Rivers Comets, who breezed through to win the South-Central Baseball League pennant, found out that the playoff trail is tougher as the plucky Glenboro crew bounced back from a first-game loss to upset the Comets 3 to 1 and square the series. 17-year old Charlie Hilhorst out-dueled Cam White as the hosting Glenboro squad banged out a dozen safeties. Hilhorst scattered eight hits in going the distance, fanning seven and walking two along the way. White fanned three and walked one. Both chuckers were at their best with ducks on the pond, coming through in clutch situations to strand baserunners. Hank Thornborough led the Glenboro batters with a pair of singles while Bill Mowatt and Harry Lalonde each drove in a run. Ed Collinson belted a triple for Rivers while White batted in the lone run.
White (L) and Lees
C. Hilhorst (W) and H. Thornborough
(July 19) The Brandon Canucks steamrolled their way into the South-Central League finals by whipping the Elgin baseballers 9 to 3 to take the semi-final series in two straight games. The Canucks had to come from behind an early deficit for their win. They trailed 2 – 0 after two innings but knotted the count in the third and pushed across five unanswered tallies in the fourth frame and never looked back. Portsider Russ Reid tossed the first six innings to garner the win, yielding two runs on four hits while fanning two and walking a pair. Ron Powers finished the game, yielding one run on one hit. Losing chucker Deb Mealy didn’t last four innings, giving up five runs on six hits. Don Hodgson finished up and was tagged for four runs on six hits. Ben Harper and Bill Fairbairn paced the Brandon offensive attack as they each collected three singles and drove in five runs. Glen Edwards added a brace of bingles including a double. Hodgson and Ted Code both nailed a two-bagger for the vanquished nine.
Reid (W), Powers (7) and A. Josephson
Mealy (L), D.Hodgson (4) and Couvier
(July 21) The pennant-winning Rivers Comets prevailed in the third games of their semi-final series against Glenboro. No final score, game details or batteries found in print.
FINALS Brandon Canucks vs Rivers Comets (best-of-three series)
(July 27) The Rivers Comets took a one-game lead in the best-of-three South-Central Baseball League finals as they nudged the Canucks 2 to 1 in a tight pitching duel at Rivers. Ed Collinson annexed the mound victory over Carl Cunningham. Collinson gave up six hits and three walks as well as driving in the winning run. Cunningham was tagged for four hits and walked six batters. Collinson’s game-winning blow, a double, came in the bottom-of-the-ninth panel with two mates aboard, one as a result of a walk and the other an error.
(July 30) A 3 to 1 win by the Brandon Canucks over the Rivers Comets at Kinsmen Stadium squared the final series at a game apiece. The hosting Canucks spotted the Comets a first-inning run then pounded out eight hits to collect the win. The game was terminated after 6-1/2 innings because of darkness. Ron Powers went all the way on the hill for the Wheat City nine, choking the Comets on five hits. Young Rod Graham also went the distance for Rivers in absorbing the loss. Bill Fairbairn and Bill Gray had two hits apiece for the winners. One of Gray’s blows was a double. Neil Reeves tripled for the vanquished nine and was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it into an inside-the-park homer.
Graham (L) and Wareham
Powers (W) and Gray
(August 4) The Rivers Comets made their debut in the South-Central Baseball League one not to be forgotten. They walked off with the league pennant and capped their efforts on their home turf as they defeated the Brandon Canucks 8 to 5 to win the best-of-three league final two games to one. Playing before a large home crowd, the Comets had to do it the hard way. They were down 5 – 0 after 2-1/2 innings but struck back for three runs in the bottom-of-the-third. They then took the lead with four more in the sixth and were never in any trouble as the Canucks ran out of gas. Fiery Ed Collinson staggered through a shaky start on the hill to check the Brandonites on seven hits. He went all the way, ringing up ten punchouts while walking just one. Ron Powers, who relieved Carl Cunningham in the fourth frame, was tagged with the loss. He yielded nine of the 15 Rivers’ base knocks. Wes Walker paced the winners with three hits including a double while Mike Brandon, Rod Graham, Neil Reeves, Larry McCulloch, Scott Wareham and Collinson each checked in with a brace of bingles. Marv Robinson was the lone Canuck to pick up two safeties.
Cunningham, Powers (L) (4) and Gray
Collinson (W) and Wareham
M.B.A. PROVINCIAL PLAYOFFS
SOUTH-SECTION SEMI-FINALS Rivers Comets vs Cartwright (best-of-three series)
(August 14) The Rivers Comets tied the best-of-three MBA provincial playoffs as they downed Cartwright 4 to 1 on Ed Collison’s big bat. Collinson’s game-deciding triple drove in three runs and, on an overthrow, allowed him to race home with a fourth Rivers’ counter. Pitchers from both teams were on the beam and both went the distance. Winning tosser Ron Powers, a playoff pickup from the Brandon Canucks, gave up two walks and struck out four. Losing flinger Brian Hodgson walked one and had seven strikeouts.
(August 19) The Rivers Comets advanced to the south-section finals of the MBA playdowns as they nudged Cartwright 2 to 1 two win the south semi-final two games to one. Veteran heaver Deb Mealy, seconded from Elgin for the playoffs, took over for Rivers starting tosser Ed Collinson in the fifth inning and gained credit for the decision. He threw no-hit ball, fanning three and walking a pair. Brian Hodgson went all the way on the hillock for the vanquished nine, whiffing four and passing three. The Comets held a slight 7 to 6 edge in base hits. Rivers’ catcher Bob Lees blasted a first-inning solo homer to give the Comets the lead then Mealy drove in the winning counter with a triple in the sixth stanza. Collinson added a pair of singles for the winners while Hodgson replicated the batting output for Cartwright.
Hodgson (L) and Gwynne
Collinson, Mealy (W) (4) and Lees
SOUTH-SECTION FINALS Rivers Comets vs Melita Beavers (best-of-three series)
(August 27) The Rivers Comets, facing elimination from the Manitoba Baseball Association playoffs, staged a last-gasp rally on their home turf to edge the Melita Beavers 5 to 4 and tie the south-section finals at a game apiece. Trailing 4 – 1, Rivers scored four times in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to pull the game out of the fire. Deb Mealy was the winning chucker as he shutout Melita in his four innings of relief on the bump. Ron Powers started and was nicked for six hits and all four runs. Mealy managed to scatter five bingles while fanning four and walking one. Melita’s Jim Neilson went the full nine innings in suffering the loss as he rang up nine punchouts, walked nine and allowed nine hits. Mealy won his own ball game with some late heroics. Neil Reeves and Bob Lees started the late rally with singles and Wes Walker drew a base-on-balls to load the sacks. After Reeves was nailed at the plate on a fielder’s choice force out, playing-manager Cal Allan singled to plate Lees, narrowing the gap to a pair. Mealy then came through with a bases-loaded triple for the walkoff win. Mealy and Walker each had two safeties for the victors while Allan Adolph/Adolphe and Neilson both socked a triple and single for the Beavers.
(August 30) The Melita Beavers moved into the Manitoba Baseball Association finals at Rivers by taking a frantic 5 to 3 extra-inning verdict over the Comets in the rubber-match of the south-section finals. Melita now faces the north-section winning Elphinstone aggregation in the provincial finals. Trailing 3 to 1 going into the ninth inning, the Beavers came up with some neat heroics to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. They scored a pair to knot the count and added another deuce in the top-of-the-overtime session on the strength of a two-run dinger. John McGee relieved starter Allan Adolph/Adophe in the second spasm and yielded only one run the rest of the way in earning the mound victory. Ed Collinson suffered the setback and, after being lit up for the tie-breaking tater in the tenth, was kayoed for Deb Mealy who finished the frame. Melita’s Ross Dobbyn tripled in a run and romped home with the tying counter on a throwing error in the ninth. In the bonus round, Gary Gordon gained a free pass and Bill Hainsworth followed with a two-run shot that won it. McGee, Hainsworth and Adolphe all had two hits for the winners. Mealy drew three walks and hit safely twice for Rivers. Collinson also tagged a brace of base raps for the Comets.
Adolph/Adolphe, McGee (W) (2) and R. Dobbyn
Collinson (L), Mealy (10) and Lees
PROVINCIAL MBA FINALS Melita (south) vs Elphinstone (north) best-of-three series
NORTH-WESTERN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Angusville
Elphinstone
Erickson
Foxwarren
Rossburn
Russell
Shoal Lake
Strathclair
(September 6) Elphinstone broke up a 1 – 1 deadlock with a pair of runs in the seventh inning and went on to clip the Melita Beavers 4 to 1 in the opener of the Manitoba Baseball Association North-South final. Stan Furman surrendered only four hits and struck out 11 batters to record the mound decision. Allan Adolph/Adolphe went the route for the Beavers. He whiffed nine and gave up six hits. Don Risto was the big gun with the baton for the winners as he blasted a two-run homer in the seventh to break up the game. Catcher Ross Dobbyn hit a triple and double for Melita.
Adolph/Adolphe (L) and R. Dobbyn
Furman (W) and M. Kiliwnik
(September 9) Stinging from a 4 – 1 first-game setback, the homestanding Melita Beavers battled back to square the best-of-three MBA North-South final series as they trampled Elphinstone 10 to 1. Moundsman Jim Neilson was in command all the way for Melita as he checked Elphinstone on four hits and rang up 11 punchouts. Stan Furman, who was collared with the loss, gave way to Curnnie Chuchmuch in the eighth canto. Furman’s teammate’s didn’t help matters as they booted the ball on six occasions. Allan Adolph/Adolphe opened the scoring for Melita as he smashed a circuit-clout in the second inning. Three successive bunts in the fourth frame added what proved to be the winning runs.
Furman (L), Chuchmuch (8) and M. Kiliwnik
Neilson (W) and R. Dobbyn
(September 13) Elphinstone erupted for nine runs on four hits in the third inning at Brandon’s Kinsmen Stadium then coasted to a 16 to 7 romp over the Melita Beavers to capture the 1964 MBA North-South tiara. The newly-crowned champions had their first seven batters reach base and come around to score as they took advantage of four walks and two errors. The Beavers battled back with a four-spot in the fourth frame and three in the fifth but it was too late. Stan Furman took over the pitching chores from Currnie Chuchmuch in the fourth inning to preserve the mound decision. He fanned ten batters in the six innings he toiled. Hard-throwing Jim Neilson started his second consecutive game for Melita but just didn’t have it and was derricked for John McGee during a hectic third spasm. Chuchmuch and Furman aided their own cause with four hits each. John Spak and Merril Kiliwnik each added a brace of safeties for the winners with one of Spak’s blows being a three-run inside-the-park round-tripper in the ninth. McGee, Everett Barker, Gary Gordon, Ross Dobbyn and Bill Hainsworth all rapped out a pair of hits for the Beavers.
Elphinstone won the North-Western Baseball League title then gained their berth in the North-South final series by ousting the Neepawa Cubs of the Neepawa & District loop in straight games. Melita downed Sinclair of the Pipestone-Albert League then surprised the Rivers Comets of the South-Central circuit in three games.
Chuchmuch, Furman (W) (4) and M. Kiliwnik
Neilson (L), McGee (4) and R. Dobbyn
NEEPAWA & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Arden
Birnie Braves
Eden
Neepawa Cubs *
Neepawa Farmers
*1964 league champions