BIRTLE TOURNAMENT
(July 1) In a head-shaking surprise, the Dauphin Redbirds, the cellar dwellers of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League, came to life Friday to capture top money in the $1,500 MSBL Tournament at Birtle. Redbirds whipped Brandon, the league leaders most of the season, 11-5 in the final. Neil Geekie, voted the top player of the tournament, pitched six innings for the win and helped power the offense with a double and two singles. Gerry Shumanski and John Lesyshen each had three hits. Bob Thompson was one of few bright spots for the Cloverleafs with a homer, double and single.
Hodgson (L) Toews (4), Powers (7) and Wright
N.Geekie (W), Kutzan (7), B.Geekie (8), Amy (9) and Smith
Dauphin won a berth in the final crushing Hamiota 10-1 as Bill Geekie went all the way on the mound and drove in three runs with a double and single. Brother Neil Geekie drove in four runs with three singles. While the Red Sox scored just one run, the club had triples by Bob Brooks, Lynn Caldwell and Dallas Smith.
B.Geekie (W) and Don Smith
Kachur (L), Bryan Smith (2), Scott (5) and Woods, Dallas Smith (7)
John Lesyshen cracked two triples and two singles and drove in the winning run in an extra session as Dauphin shaded St. Lazare 10-9. Neil Geekie picked up the win in relief of brother Bill Geekie and starter Bob Kutzan. Ron Falloon had a double, triple and home run for the Athletics.
Kutzan, B.Geekie (6), N.Geekie (W) (6) and Don Smith
Keating, Torres (W) (3) and Baron
Brandon got a semi final win in a tight pitching duel between Bob Thompson, who fired a two-hitter, and Ted Bridgett who yielded just three hits. Brandon shaded Virden 2-1. Thompson fanned 11 without a walk. Bridgett had eight strikeouts and five walks. Cloverleafs got a bye into the semi-final round for finishing in first place for the first half of the season.
Thompson (W) and Wright
Bridgett (L) and Wilton
Virden Oilers upset Riverside 5-3 in the opening round as Ian Whyte led the winners with three hits and Ted Bridgett slugged a homer. Bruce Fowler went the distance for the win.
Fowles (W) and Wilton
Everard (L), Lilley (5), Fisher (7) and C.Seafoot
Hamiota advanced with a 3-2 triumph over Souris scoring the winning marker in the sixth inning. Bryan Smith picked up the win in relief of Leighton Kachur. Cec Dawley took the loss.
Kachur, Bryan Smith (W) (5) and Woods
Dawley (L) and Payne
PENTICTON JACKPOT TOURNAMENT
(July 1) Rain cancelled the final game Sunday between the Vancouver Ramadas and the hosting Penticton Molsons. The two teams split the first-place prize money. Penticton advanced to the final by defeating Salmon Arm 15 – 1 and Vancouver Astorias 4 – 3. The Ramadas received a bye into the final after stopping the Vancouver Longshoremen 14 to 1.
The Kamloops Lelands won the consolation trophy by defeating the Longshoremen Sunday 7 to 1 before rain prevented further play. The Stevedores had eliminated Salmon Arm in a Saturday showdown. Kamloops was forced into the consolation round after dropping their first game to the Astorias 11 – 9. Eleven home runs were hit during the first three games played on Friday in which the Ramadas, Astorias and Molsons prevailed.
NEEPAWA TOURNAMENT
(July 1-2-3) Trailing 1-0 into the fourth inning, Brandon Cloverleafs turned on the power to crush Transcona Atomics 12-4 to capture top prize in the Neepawa Tournament over the weekend. Brandon ran wild in the fourth inning scoring 11 times. Ron Toews, who won the second game in relief, went all the way for the pitching win and socked a two-run homer. Brandon rapped 13 hits. Ron Tweedochlib had a four-bagger for Transcona.
Cloverleafs had come from behind to defeat Fort Rouge 5-2 in the semi-final. Danny Gullett drove in the tying run with single up the middle setting the stage for the big blow, a three-run homer by Maurice Oakes. Gerry MacKay had earlier cracked a homer for Brandon.
In their opener, Brandon dumped South End Sioux 6-1 as Stan Furman tossed a two-hitter and Bill Chapple smacked a three-run homer.
NELSON TOURNAMENT
(July 2-4) Rain spoiled the Nelson baseball tournament. Organizers decided to split the $1,200 in prize money among four teams after only one semi-final game was completed before rains washed out the rest of the competition. Trail had defeated Nelson 4-0 and Vernon and St. John's, Washington, had just begun their contest when the skies opened. Officials shared $1,000 among Trail, Vernon and St. John's with Nelson getting $200.SASKATOON EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT
(July 25) In a game shortened to just six innings because of darkness, Neilburg downed Prince Albert Bohs 4-1 in the opening game of the 1966 Exhibition Tournament. The contest was late starting because of rain. Bill Campbell, an import from Pomona, California, held Prince Albert to two hits in hurling the victory. He had strong support in the field, especially from shortstop Marv Madruga, another California product from Visalia. Madruga, who stole three bases, figured in two of Neilburg's scoring plays. In the third he scored on Brian McIntyre's single and in the fifth he came home on a throwing error. The Monarchs other two markers came in the sixth inning on singles by Neil Urlacher and Pat Gibbons, an error, a sacrifice bunt and Campbell's single. Pete Prediger and Gibbons were the only batters with two hits.
Campbell (W) and P.Prediger
Ferchuck (L) and Dutka
(July 26) In a thriller Tuesday morning, Allan first baseman Ken Haanen smacked an inside-the-park homer in the 11th inning to give the T-Birds a 3-2 win over the defending champion Asquith Braves. Trailing 2-0, Allan had tied the count in the ninth when Asquith hurler Larry Lazecki walked a batter, hit another and made two throwing errors. Bob Babki had given the Braves a 1-0 lead in the second inning drawing a walk and coming around to score on a sacrifice and an error. They made it 2-0 in the third when Ira McKnight knocked in Les Stack, who had doubled. Larry Haylor tossed a five-hitter with ten strikeouts for the win.
Haylor (W) and VonHagen
Travis, Lazecki (L) (4) and McKnight
(July 26) Delisle scored four runs without a hit in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 decision from the North Central All-Stars. Three walks and three errors allowed Delisle to chase home the four counters. All-Stars had taken a 1-0 lead in the third on back-to-back-to-back singles by Ron McLean, Wayne Doll and Ron Muench. They added a second run in the sixth when Lorne Strueby hit a towering triple and scored on Dick Blechinger's sacrifice fly. Delisle had just four hits, two by Bev Bentley. 20-year-old Ron Fyfe held the All-Stars to seven hits and compiled 12 strikeouts for the win.
Fyfe (W) and Bogren
Fouhse, D.Korte (4) and M.Korte
(July 27) Rosetown Red Wings sent 14 men to the plate and scored nine times in the sixth inning Wednesday night en route to a 13-3 whipping of Fulda Flyers. The Wings trailed 3-1 until their big outburst which combined six hits, two by shortstop Don Heit, three errors, three walks and a hit batsman. Chuck Holdaway, who took over for Rosetown starter Ed Anderson in the second inning, went the rest of the way holding Fulda to one hit over 5 2/3s innings for the win. Wings had nine hits and drew 11 walks. Don Anweiler belted a homer for Rosetown and George Thiessen had one for the Flyers.
Anderson, Holdaway (W) (2) and Erickson
Zemiak (L), Suer (6), Hrapchak (6), Robashniuk (7) and
Wempe, Cunningham
(July 28) Neilburg Monarchs jumped on the Allan T-Birds for six runs in the second inning and cruised to a 10-3 victory to enter the Exhibition Tournament final on Saturday. Shortstop Marv Madruga had a big game for the Monarchs driving in four runs with a homer, double and single. Len Breckner added a pair of doubles. Murray Richardson slugged a two-run homer for the T-Birds and Bob Cameron had two doubles and a single.
Bob McIntyre (W) and Wanner
Haanen, Haylor (2) and VonHagen
(July 29) In a slugfest, Rosetown survived a six-run rally by Delisle in the bottom of the fifth and final inning to notch a 15-12 win and a spot in the tournament final against Neilburg. The game was called after five innings to make way for the RCMP's Musical Ride, a major attraction of the grandstand show. Rosetown seemed to have the game on ice after scoring 12 runs in the first two innings but the Wings were hanging in at the finish when Max Bentley, representing the tying run, struck out to end the game. Rosetown had scored seven runs in the second inning on one hit, a triple by Bob Marik, seven walks, a hit batsmen, an error, a stolen base and a wild pitch. Each team had 11 hits with Marik of the Wings knocking in four runs with his triple and single. There were 18 walks issued, nine by each team.
Froelich, Hoult (W) (3) and Erickson
Fyfe (L), MacEwen (2) and Bogren
(July 30) Neilburg Monarchs crushed Rosetown Red Wings 11-2 Saturday to capture the Exhibition Tournament title for the ninth time. They first won the event in 1931. Import hurler Bill Campbell fired a five-hitter and whiffed 14 in holding the Wings at bay. The Monarchs pounded out 15 hits, four by second baseman Glen Thompson. Len Breckner knocked in three runs with a homer, double and single and Campbell helped his own cause with three hits, including a pair of triples. He drove in three runs. Veteran Pete Prediger, in his 32nd Exhibition Tournament, added a booming triple. Shortstop Marv Madruga added two more hits and had three stolen bases. He tied for the tourney lead in hits, with five, and had six stolen bases. Madruga, teammate Breckner, Bob Marik and Don Heit of Rosetown shared the $25 award for most hits. Campbell won the $25 award for the most strikeouts in a single game. The Asquith Braves took home $50 for being selected as the best dressed team.
Anderson (L), Bulatovich (3), Holdaway (6), Marik
(8) and Erickson
Campbell
(W) and P.Prediger, Wanner
LACOMBE TOURNAMENT
(July 28) Wayne Morgan crushed a pair of homers, one a grand slam, and drove in eight runs to lead Kindersley Klippers over North Battleford 12-5 and top money at the Lacombe Tournament. The Klippers scored a pair in the 1st and four in the second and cruised to the win. Don Poindexter, a pickup from Saskatoon, pitched an eight-hitter in going the distance.
Poindexter (W) and D. Jackson
W. Ferguson (L), Hunchak (2), McKee (4) and Doerksen
Kindersley rode the arm of 18-year-old Norm Angelini to reach the final. The left-hander allowed just two hits as Kindersley downed Edmonton 5-1. Joe Ferguson clouted a homer for the winners.
Ewasiuk (L), Hood (7) and Erickson
Angelini (W) and D. Jackson
In North Battleford's 7-1 victory over St. John, Alf Feagin hurled a one-hitter while Carmen Keller took care of the offense with a three-run homer in the 6th. Feagin, from Jacksonville, Florida, went the distance for the first time since joining the Beavers earlier this season.
Chaffins (L), Burlando (6), McLenney (7) and Luck
Feagin (W) and Doerksen
(July 27) In opening action at the Annual Lacombe Lions Tournament, North Battleford Beavers got a one-hitter by Harold Hunchak to blank Fairview, Alberta, Outlaws 3-0.
Hunchak (W) and Doerksen
Fox (L), Doucette (6) and Watchorn
Joe Ferguson pitched and batted Kindersley to a 6-2 victory over Kamloops Lelands. Ferguson hurled a five-hitter and set down 16 by strikeout. At the plate, he blasted a towering homer in the top of the 9th when the Klippers scored three of their six runs.
Ferguson (W) and D. Jackson
Simmons, Feroglia (9) and Kato
Edmonton Colts got by Unity Cardinals 4-3 in 15 innings, the longest contest in the history of the tourney. Vince Rucobo started for Unity and gave way to Ross Stone, with a 10-1 record in the NSBL, who took the loss. Ervin Boehm hit the game's only homer for the Cardinals. Unity out-hit the Colts 12-9.
Labossiere, Murray (W) (9) and Erickson
Ruboco, Stone (L) (8) and May
St. John, Washington, Indians downed Swift Current 8-4.
KAMLOOPS LABOUR DAY TOURNAMENT
(September 3-5) Lynn Bylund batted in winning pitcher Ray Ewing with the winning run Monday as Coquitlam edged Kamloops Lelands 2-1 in the exciting final of the 20th Annual Kamloops Labour Day Tournament. In a pitcher's duel between Ewing and the Lelands' Skip Ivie, the visitors took the lead in the 4th inning as John Haar, back from a stint in pro ball in the Yankees' farm system, laced one off the centre field wall to bring in Bylund.
Ewing keep the host club off the scoreboard until the 7th when first baseman Russ Keckalo singled and advanced on a sacrifice. He scored as Dale Cassell collected his second hit of the day, a towering drive off the screen in right field. Coquitlam got the winner in the eight as Ewing doubled and romped home as Bylund punched one into right field. Ewing, who fanned 13, allowed just four hits in going the distance.
Ewing (W) and Docker
Ivie (L), Hilden (7), Simmons (W) and Leonard
Kamloops reached the final crushing Penticton 25-1 while Coquitlam squeezed by South Burnaby, the defending champions, 3-2. The tournament opened with two games on Saturday as Penticton blanked Vancouver Regents 4-0 and Coquitlam routed New Westminster 11-2. On Sunday, the Lelands topped Vancouver Astoria 5-1 and South Burnaby advanced slipping by St. John, Washington, 3-2.
WESTERN CANADA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
(September 4) Edmonton's Blue Willow Angels have captured the Western Canadian Junior Baseball championship downing Brandon Manco Kings in a best-of-three weekend series. Angels took the first game 10-5 in 11 innings Saturday and edged the hosts 11-9 in the second game.
Brandon took an early 3-0 lead Saturday but the visitors rallied to tie in the fourth and tne went ahead 5-3. Brandon then rallied to tie the count in the 10th. Four Brandon errors in the 11th paved the way for five Edmonton runs.
Ken Ewasiuk went all the way for the win racking up 16 strikeouts. He was a force at the bat as well with four hits in six at bats. Russ Reid took the loss giving up 13 hits. Pete Tchir, Terry Lampert, Don Darling and Ken Lederer each had a pair of hits for the winners. Al Hunter rapped three for Brandon.
In the second game, Edmonton spotted Brandon a 2-1 lead then ran wild for ten runs in two innings to take a huge lead. Brandon rallied for six in the seventh but fell short. Rich Curtis went six frames for the win getting clutch relief support by Wayne Gamble and Lederer.
Ewasiuk (W) and Lampert
Reid (L) and Gray
Furman (L), Buhlin (6) and Gray, Hunter (6)
Curtis (W), Gamble (7), Lederer (8) and Lampert