MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (WEST DIVISION)
All seven entries returned for the 1968 campaign with the only change being the Riverside entry changing their name from the Blues to the Canucks.
(May 16) Cec Dawley and Ted Bridgett combined forces and held the St. Lazare Athletics to seven hits as the Virden Oilers whipped the visitors 7 to 2 in the opening game of the MSBL. Bridgett was credited with the win after relieving Dawley at the end of the fourth inning. Claude Lambert, with ten strikeouts, was nicked with the loss, allowing six of the seven Virden runs. Merv Haney finished the game on the knoll for the A’s. Neither team had a batter who had multiple hit totals. Norm Hemstad of the Oilers and St. Lazare’s Ray Simms both had two-baggers.
Lambert (L), Haney (7) and xxx
Dawley, Bridgett (W) (5) and xxx
(May 21) Bob Neufeld stopped the Hamiota Red Sox on five hits as the Souris Cardinals opened their season on a successful note with a 6 to 3 win. In going the route, Neufeld rang up nine punchouts and walked a pair. Leighton Kachur took the loss, giving up seven hits and three walks while breezing three. Brian Moffatt poked a double and single for the victors while Bob Payne singled twice. Al Robertson blasted a home run for Hamiota.
(May 21) The Riverside Canucks unleashed 13 timely hits and crushed the homestanding Virden Oilers 16 to 4 in a game limited to seven innings because of darkness. The hosts did virtually everything they could to accommodate the invading Riversiders, committing seven errors while their four chuckers issued 11 free passes. Grant Everard, the winning heaver, tossed the first four frames for the Canucks while Mark Fisher toiled on the bump for the other three innings. Oiler starter Ted Bridgett, who was kayoed in the third, was tagged with the loss. Fisher was the Canucks’ top batter, coming through with a double and two singles for three RBI’s. Garth Seafoot laced a two-bagger and single while Bob Ash and Wes Rathwell each stroked two singles. Bob Zarn cuffed a brace of one-base hits for Virden.
(May 23) The visiting Brandon Cloverleafs wilted under a stinging 13-hit attack and committed five errors in falling 11 to 3 to the Hamiota Red Sox. The Sox plated a four-spot in the third, followed by a trey in the fourth, and never looked back. Gord Lyall heaved the first eight innings to secure the win, giving way to Rick Robinson in the ninth. Big Bob Thompson of the Leafs was clipped with the setback. Lynn Caldwell connected two doubles and a single for the Hamiotans while Robinson pounded out three singles and Denny Smith came through with a double and single. Providing the power were Al Robertson who belted a tater to go along with a one-bagger and Mel Smith who launched a dinger. Thompson drilled a brace of safeties for the Cloverleafs.
(May 26) Former Athletic Gary DeBenedetti, a Fresno State import, came back to haunt his old teammates in MSBL action and pitched the Virden Oilers to a 2 to 0 victory over hosting St. Lazare. DeBenedetti had 12 strikeouts and waked three while giving up four hits, all singles. Claude Lambert took over mound chores for Paul Chartrand in the third inning when the Saints’ starting hurler was experiencing control issues, having walked six batters in 2-2/3 innings. Ralph Gardiner, Ron Goethe and Omar Hanson each delivered two safeties for Virden. Ray Simms had two of the four hits garnered by the A’s.
(May 26) The Dauphin Redbirds started off the season on a cloudy note, dropping their opener at home against the Souris Cardinals 4 to 2. Rookie flinger Lew Morrison, who ascended the hillock in the seventh spasm in relief of starter Bill Carpenter, picked up the heaving triumph for the Cards in his first senior outing. Blair Kubicek, a signee to the Redbirds from Victoria, suffered the loss in going the distance. The homesters had a 10 to 7 margin in base hits. Carpenter singled twice for the winners while Bob Buchy, Jerry Shumanski and ex- St. Boniface Maple Leaf Vern Coulter all had two safeties for the losing Redbirds.
Carpenter, Morrison (W) (7) and Couvier
Kubicek (L) and Smith
(May 26) Barry Moffatt singled in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to push across the tying and winning tallies as the Riverside Canucks edged the Brandon Cloverleafs 6 to 5. Grant Everard, combed for nine hits while walking two, fanned ten while persevering to the end for the complete-game mound victory. Ron Toews pitched to only two Riverside batters but was clipped with the loss after relieving Brian Hodgson. The Wheat City nine also stung the horsehide for nine safe swats. Along with Moffatt’s game-winning single, he had a second one-bagger earlier in the game. Bob Thompson had a three-run dinger and a one-base hit for the Cloverleafs while Bill Chapple slugged a solo tater and Bob Wilson singled twice.
Hodgson, Toews (L) (9) and Oakes
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(May 28) A combination of luck and erratic Riverside pitching in the bottom-of-the-eighth inning allowed the Brandon Canucks to score the tying and winning runs without garnering a hit en route to a narrow 5 to 4 victory over the visiting Canucks. It was the first win of the year in three starts for the hosts. Reliever Barry Diller of the Riversiders, summoned to the knoll in a bases-loaded, one-out situation with his team in front 4 to 3, failed to bail eventual loser Russ Reid out of the jam he had created. Reid had filled the sacks on a single to Bob Wilson and a pair of walks before getting yanked. Diller’s first pitch hit Roy McLachlan, bringing in the equalizer, then he walked Mike Repin on five pitches to force in what turned out to be the winning run. The Canucks had led all the way until that turning point and finished with an 8 to 6 edge in base hits. Bob Thompson went the distance on the bump for the Leafs, striking out 11 and walking two. McLachlan had a double and single, along with three RBI’s, for the winners. Garth Seafoot led Riverside batsmen with a triple and single for two RBI’s while Bob Ash singled twice.
Reid (L), Diller (8), Fisher (8) and C. Seafoot
Thompson (W) and Oakes
(May 29) Homestanding Hamiota and the St. Lazare Athletics battled to a 13 – 13 draw in slugfest in which 28 base hits were walloped, 15 by the visitors. The final result was disputed, however, as the Saints discovered and later protested that one of the Red Sox’ runs in the fifth frame, which sent a runner from first base to home on a ground-rule double, should not have counted. Fifth-inning fireman Gary Maxwell will be the winning pitcher if there is reversal while reliever Rick Robinson would be the ultimate loser. Merv Haney led the Athletic batters with four singles and a pair of RBI’s. Claude Lambert hit safely three times and Ray Simms had a brace of safeties with three RBI’s. Lynn Caldwell was the top Sox batter, clubbing a double and two singles to drive home three tallies. Norm Jack followed with three safeties including a double.
Haney, G. Maxwell (5) and Lambert
Kachur, Robinson (6) and Wright
(May 30) The Brandon Cloverleafs scored four runs in the final two innings to edge the Dauphin Redbirds 4 to 3 at Kinsmen Park. Hard-luck loser Blair Kubicek had Brandon hitters eating out of his hand for seven complete frames and had a no-hitter going for 6-1/3 innings. He allowed a single counter in the eighth which temporarily tied the score but went into the bottom-of-the-ninth nursing a 3 to 1 cushion. A Cloverleaf single sandwiched around a pair of walks loaded the sacks and prompted Kubicek’s trip to the showers. Replacement Gary Keating failed to hold the fort and allowed all three inherited runners to score as winning heaver Jack Denbow got the tie-breaking RBI. Denbow went the route for the Leafs and scattered nine Dauphin safeties. Brandon managed just three hits off Kubicek and one off the slants of Keating. Neil Amy and Kubicek hit safely twice for the vanquished Redbirds.
Kubicek (L), Keating (9) and Smith
Denbow (W) and Oakes
(May 30) Rookie chucker Lew Morrison picked up his second MSBL mound triumph as he went the route, limiting the Virden Oilers to three hits while fanning nine as the invading Souris Cardinals prevailed 6 to 3 to remain undefeated. Import Gary DeBenedetti also went the distance, yielding ten base knocks while whiffing a dozen in suffering the loss. The Oilers helped the Cards out by booting the ball nine times. Bob Payne and Jim Neilson had two singles each for the winners.
(June 2) The Virden Oilers unleashed a 14-hit attack in bowling over the previously-unbeaten Souris Cardinals 11 to 6. Ted Bridgett copped the mound victory, scattering seven hits over the first eight innings. The losing chucker was Lew Morrison who entered the game in the seventh spasm when the teams were deadlocked at 5 – 5. Cec Dawley led the Oilers’ onslaught with a triple and single. Skipper Ian Whyte and Norm Hemstad followed with a double and sing each while Ralph Gardiner, Lynn Wright and Bridgett picked up a brace of one-base hits each. Bill Carpenter and Dean Couvier unloaded two singles apiece for Souris.
Bridgett (W), DeBenedetti (9) and Gardiner
Neufeld (L), L. Morrison (7) and Couvier
(June 2) The Riverside Canucks moved abreast of the Souris Cardinals as league leaders by bunching all nine of their runs into three innings and downing the winless Dauphin Redbirds 9 to 8. Both aggregations stroked the sphere for ten safeties. Mark Fisher wasn’t particularly effective in procuring the pitching win, persevering for 5-2/3 cantos before being given the hook, but reliever Grant Everard did a fine job in blanking the Redbirds for the remainder of the game. Souris starting heaver Gary Keating lasted just two innings and was tarred with the loss. Cliff Seafoot laced a two-run homer and single for the Canucks, Barry Moffatt smashed a triple and single and Garth Seafoot two singles. Bob Buchy singled on three occasions for the Dauphinites while Don Smith launched a three-run homer and Pat Fitzpatrick a bases-loaded triple.
Fisher (W), Everard (6) and C. Seafoot
Keating (L), Fitzpatrick (3) and Smith
(June 2) With Donn Feldner toeing the rubber, the Hamiota Red Sox took a 3 to 1 verdict from the St. Lazare Athletics. Feldner gave up four hits, all singles, in going the route. He swished seven and didn’t issue a base-on-balls. Merv Haney of the Saints went 8-1/3 innings on the bump in taking the loss. Norm Jacks slammed a double and single for the Crimson Hose. No other batter from either squad managed plural hit figures.
Feldner (W) and Wright
Haney (L), Lambert (8) and Lambert, Chartrand (8)
(June 3) The Brandon Cloverleafs scored early and often in taking a loosely-played, 27-hit slugfest from the Souris Cardinals by a 17 to 9 count at Kinsmen Stadium. The Leafs used three tossers with Brian Hodgson, the second of the trio, getting credit for the winning mound verdict. Loser Bill Carpenter didn’t make it to the end of the first inning. Brandon swatsmiths had 16 base blows, nine of which were for extra-bases while the Cards clipped the horsehide for five extra-base clouts in their 11-hit accumulation. Bob Thompson, who hurled the final three frames for the Wheat City diamondeers, connected for two doubles and a pair of singles to drive in five runs while teammate Roy McLachlan added four more RBI’s on a solo homer, a triple and a single. Bill Chapple pounded three doubles in tacking on to the lengthy list of offensive contributors. For the beaten Cardinals, Bob Payne slammed a solo, inside-the-park homer and had two RBI’s while Lynn McEvoy and Don Hodgson each counted a double and single.
Carpenter (L), Neufeld (1), Payne (4) and Couvier
Toews, Hodgson (W) (5), Thompson (7) and Oakes
(June 3) The Dauphin Redbirds picked up their first win of the season by outscoring the Hamiota Red Sox 10 to 9 in a game shortened to six innings by high winds and rain. The Redbirds pushed across eight runs in the first two innings and it was enough for them to maintain the lead throughout. They pounded three Hamiota pitchers, including starter and loser Rick Robinson, for 11 hits. Neil Amy, in a relief role, garnered the pitching win with a 3-2/3 inning stint on the knoll. Redbirds’ catcher Don Smith tormented his old team by smashing a three-run round-tripper. Amy and Gerry Shumanski both delivered a double and single. Gord Lyall and Ellis Woods had a brace of one-baggers each for the Scarlet Stockings.
Kubicek, Kemp (2), Amy (W) (3) and Smith
Robinson (L), Kachur (2), Geekie (3) and Wright
(June 6) Dick Limke made his first appearance on the mound for the Souris Cardinals this season and started just where he left off last year. He pitched the first seven innings of a 13 to 2 thumping of the St. Lazare Athletics, scattering five hits and striking out 13 in the easy victory. With a healthy lead, he turned the ball over to Lew Morrison for the final two frames. The Athletics used four chuckers as starter Merv Haney was tagged with the loss. The Cards put the game on ice with a six-spot in the eighth episode. Jim Neilson had a big night at the plate for the victors, clubbing a triple and three singles. Bill Carpenter, Dean Couvier and Doug Armour all had two safeties with a double included in Carpenter’s total of swats. Limke added to things with a two-run circuit-clout.
Haney (L), G. Maxwell (4), D. Maxwell (8), Lambert (8) and Lambert, Chartrand (8)
Limke (W), L. Morrison (8) and Couvier
(June 9) Riverside and Hamiota battled to a 7 – 7 deadlock in a darkness-shortened, eight-inning contest. The hosting Sox had an 11 to 9 edge in base hits. Cliff Seafoot smashed a two-run homer and drove in a third Riverside run on a sacrifice fly. Brother Garth Seafoot, Mark Fisher and relief pitcher Grant Everard all had two hits for the Canucks. Norm Jack and Rick Robinson had a pair of safeties each for Hamiota while Ross Poole belted a double and drove in two runs.
Reid, Everard (5) and C. Seafoot
Lyall, Geekie (7) and Wright
(June 10) In a game where four-ply clouts were instrumental in the scoring, the Souris Cardinals gained revenge for their humiliating loss to the Brandon pastimers a week ago when they got past the Cloverleafs by a 5 to 3 count in an abbreviated eight-inning tussle. The invading Leafs pushed across all three of their runs via the home run route and the Cards got four of their five runs in a similar fashion. Recently-arrived Dick Limke earned his second pitching win, this one as a fireman, after coming to the aid of Souris starting heaver Bob Neufeld in the fourth frame with the Wheat City nine in front 3 – 1. Limke blanked the Brandonites the remainder of the contest while his mates were busy adding deuces in each of the fifth and seventh panels. Bob Thompson, who went the distance for visitors, suffered his second setback of the campaign. Both Limke and Bob Payne cracked out two-run dingers for the Cards with Limke adding a single as well. Bob Wilson launched a two-run tater and Bill Chapple a solo shot for the Cloverleafs while Maurice Oakes added a double and single.
Thompson (L) and Oakes
Neufeld, Limke (W) (4) and Couvier
(June 14) The vastly-improved Virden Oilers trounced the Hamiota Red Sox 11 to 5. Perennial cellar-dwellers over the past few season, the Virdenites picked up their fourth victory in six decisions. Winning twirler Gary DeBenedetti allowed six hits and punched out nine before exiting in the ninth in favor of reliever Fred Cole. Hamiota starter Donn Feldner was stung with the defeat. DeBenedetti and Cole were their own best weapons offensively with DeBenedetti knocking in three runs with a double while Cole stroked a double and a single. Cec Dawley added three singles and Ted Bridgett a pair. Norm Jack was the lone Red Sox player to get two hits, both singles. Flychaser Mel Smith belted a solo dinger in the eighth for the vanquished Scarlet Stockings.
Feldner (L), Geekie (6) and Woods
DeBenedetti (W), Cole (9) and Gardiner
(June 14) Souris’ Dick Limke hammered a grand-slam home run in the eighth inning but it wasn’t enough to stop the Riverside Canucks who prevailed 7 to 6 over the Cardinals. Limke’s blast tied the score but then the Canucks pushed across the deciding counter in the bottom-of-the-ninth to wrap things up in walkoff fashion. Winning tosser Mark Fisher, who came to the aid of Riverside starter Grant Everard in the last frame, got things started with a double off Souris reliever Bob Neufeld. Everard, who remained in the game after relinquishing pitching duties, followed with an RBI-single to end things.
Everard, Fisher (W) (9) and C. Seafoot
L. Morrison, Neufeld (L) (7) and Couvier
(June 16) The Dauphin Redbirds evened their MSBL record at 2 – 2 when they rode the three-hit pitching of newly-arrived import Larry Dierks and blanked the homestanding St. Lazare Athletics 9 to 0. Dierks fanned ten, walked a pair and stopped the A’s on tree scratch singles. He also banged out a brace of one-base hits, Starter Merv Haney, the first of three tossers used by the Saints, was driven from the hillock after three frames and was tagged with the loss. John Lesyshen replicated Dierks in singling twice for the victorious Dauphinites.
Dierks (W) and Smith
Haney (L), Lambert (4), Chartrand (6) and Gutierrez
(June 16) A tally in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning gave the Souris Cardinals a 4 to 3 win over the Riverside Canucks and provided Dick Limke with his third straight pitching win. Both clubs had eight hits in the closely-contested match. Reliever Mark Fisher, who ascended the bump for the Riversiders in the sixth, allowed the winning run and was charged with the loss. Jim Neilson powered three singles in leading the Cardinal batsmen. Cliff Seafoot was the only Canuck batter to register more than one safety, lacing a brace of one-baggers.
Limke (W) and Couvier
L. Lilley, Fisher (L) (6) and C. Seafoot
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Riverside 4 2 .667 ----
Virden 4 2 .667 ----
Souris 5 3 .625 ----
Brandon 3 3 .500 1.0
Dauphin 2 2 .500 1.0
Hamiota 2 4 .333 2.0
St. Lazare 1 5 .167 3.0
(June 17) The Riverside Canucks scored twice in the sixth and added a trey in the seventh to snatch a come-from-behind 7 to 4 win over the visiting Dauphin Redbirds. The Riverside victory boosted them atop the MSBL by a half-game. Russ Reid went the distance on the knoll for the Canucks to cop the win. He gave up ten hits, walked one and struck out seven. Pat Fitzpatrick, the second of a trio of Redbird chuckers, was nicked with the loss. The Dauphin threesome yielded a dozen safeties to Riverside batters. Barry Moffatt and Cliff Seafoot each cuffed three singles for the victors while Garth Seafoot and Wes Rathwell both delivered a pair. Bob Buchy led the Redbirds at the dish with a triad of one-baggers. Don Smith clouted a brace of doubles while Jerry Shumanski and John Lesyshen banged out a couple of singles each.
Kubicek, Fitzpatrick (L) (2), Dierks (8) and Smith
Reid (W) and C. Seafoot
(June 18) Outhit by a 10 to 6 margin, the Hamiota Red Sox nonetheless managed to put together consecutive three-spots in the fifth and sixth innings and came through with a 7 to 4 conquest of the Virden Oilers. Red Sox’ reliever Neil Geekie was the winner while starter Fred Cole of the Oilers took the loss. Norm Jack smashed two doubles and a single in topping Hamiota batters. Ron Goethe slashed a double and single for Virden while Norm Hemstad hit a pair of singles.
Cole (L), Dawley (7) and Gardiner
Lyall, Geekie (W) (5) and Wright
(June 19) Import Larry Dierks held the Brandon Cloverleafs to three hits and drove in the lone run of the game with a fourth-inning single as the Dauphin Redbirds squeezed out a 1 to 0 victory over the visiting Wheat City nine. Locked in a classic pitching duel with hard-luck loser Bob Thompson, Dierks fanned ten and walked a pair in emerging victorious. Thompson was as stingy as Dierks in doling out safeties, yielding three singles, while issuing four free passes and whiffing eight. Brandon’s Mort Wright, with a brace of one-baggers, was the only swatter to acquire two hits.
Thompson (L) and Oakes
Dierks (W) and Smith
(June 19) The Souris Cardinals won their sixth of the season, a 9 to 6 triumph over the slump-ridden St. Lazare Athletics. The Cards pushed eight runs over in the first two innings then coasted to their win. Lew Morrison, with eighth-inning relief help from Dick Limke, picked up the hillock decision while St. Lazare starter, Merv Haney, who both started and relieved, was charged with the loss. Bob Payne had only one hit, a single, but drew an incredible five walks in reaching base every time he stepped into the batter’s box for the winners. The top swatsmiths in the affair were both from the Athletics. Claude Lambert connected for a two-run round-tripper to go along with a double and single while Lou Guay smacked a brace of one-baggers.
L. Morrison (W), Limke (8) and Couvier
Haney (L), Lambert (2), Haney (6) and Gutierrez
(June 20) The Hamiota Red Sox hammered ex-teammate Jack Denbow for 15 hits in blowing past the Brandon Cloverleafs 7 to 4. Ellis Woods started on the hill for the first time this season for the Sox and picked up the win. He gave up all seven Leaf hits before Neil Geekie took over mound chores in the ninth. Denbow persevered to the end without relief and was nicked for three doubles by Mel Smith as well as a single and a brace of two-baggers by 16-year old catcher John Wright. Lynn Caldwell with a double and two singles was the other Hamiota hitter who excelled at the plate. Bob Thompson continued to powder the pill for Brandon, lashing out a double and two singles.
Woods (W), Geekie (9) and Wright
Denbow (L) and Oakes
(June 21) Virden Oilers’ ace slab artist Gary DeBenedetti rang up 20 punchouts on his way to a four-hit shutout as he led the Virdenites to an 11 to 0 thumping of the St. Lazare Athletics. Three of the four hits that the Saints managed off DeBenedetti came off the bat of Garth Sararas. Paul Chartrand took the loss for the Athletics. Norm Hemstad and Ted Bridgett had three safeties apiece for the winners, including two doubles each. Cec Dawley chipped in with a brace of bingles.
Haney, Chartrand (L) (2) and Gutierrez
DeBenedetti (W) and Gardiner, Hanson (9)
(June 21) The Hamiota Red Sox struck for five runs in the top-of-the-ninth inning to trounce the Riverside Canucks 11 to 6. Donn Feldner copped the knoll verdict with ninth-inning assistance from fireman Rick Robinson. Canucks’ starter Doug Eiken, derricked during the ninth-inning storm, was nailed with the loss. Ellis Wood accumulated three safeties for the victorious Sox and Al Robertson nailed a brace of two-baggers. Lynn Caldwell belted a solo circuit-jack while Gord Lyall and Mel Smith singled twice. For Riverside, Cliff Seafoot had three singles while Jim Gailfus and Wes Rathwell each had a double and single. Mark Fisher nailed a two-run dinger in his only plate appearance.
Feldner (W), Robinson (9) and Wright
Eiken (L), Everard (9) and Gailfus, C. Seafoot (9)
(June 23) The visiting St. Lazare Athletics surprised the Riverside Blues by dumping them twice, by scores of 8 to 3 and 7 to 4, in MSBL doubleheader action. Claude Lambert struck out nine Riverside batters and allowed only six hits in the Athletics’ opening-game triumph. Grant Everard suffered the loss, giving up all eight St. Lazare runs before being relieved by Russ Reid in the sixth. Import catcher Jesse Gutierrez got the visiting Athletics off to a quick start with a two-run homer in the second inning the promptly followed that up with three more hits, all singles. Teammate Gary Maxwell delivered a brace of one-baggers. Cliff Seafoot had two singles for Riverside as did Reid.
Lambert (W) and Gutierrez
Everard (L), Reid (6) and C. Seafoot
St. Lazare led from start to finish in the finale as winning moundsman Paul Chartrand scattered seven hits, struck out six and walked five. The Saints banged out 14 base raps off losing flinger Mark Fisher and eighth-inning replacement Les Lilley. Garth Sararas collected three singles for the A’s while clubmates Merv Haney and Ron Falloon picked up two apiece. For the Canucks, Cliff Seafoot hit a double and single.
Chartrand (W) and Gutierrez
Fisher (L), L. Lilley (8) and C. Seafoot
(June 23) Dick Limke belted his second grand-slam homer of the season to power the Souris Cardinals to a 5 to 4 victory over the Dauphin Redbirds. The round-tripper, Limke’s fourth of the campaign, helped him cop his fourth consecutive pitching victory. He gave up six hits, walked none and struck out nine. The Cards had only three hits in the game against losing heaver Blair Kubicek, who toiled the first 4-2/3 innings, and reliever Larry Dierks. Most of their runners reached base on bases-on-balls, nine of which the Dauphin duo of tossers issued.
(June 24) The Brandon Cloverleafs broke out of their three-game losing streak in a big way, hammering the hosting Virden Oilers 14 to 2. Winning heaver Bob Thompson turned tiger on his former mates, scattering seven hits while walking five and fanning five. He also pounded a two-run homer and a single. The Cloverleafs got to losing flinger Fred Cole and two relievers for 15 base knocks, including six for extra bases. Besides Thompson’s accomplishments with the baton, Brandon batters were led by Roy McLachlan with a triple and three singles, good for three RBI’s, and Bill Chapple with a brace of doubles. Doug Mustard clipped the orb for three singles and Maurice Oakes laced a pair. Norm Hemstad lined a couple of two-baggers for the Oilers and Ted Bridgett delivered a brace of bingles.
Thompson (W) and Oakes
Cole (L), Dawley (4), Pilling (6) and Gardiner
(June 25) The Hamiota Red Sox won their fourth straight game, doubling the Souris Cardinals 6 to 3, to strengthen their hold on second place in the MSBL. Red Sox’ import hurler, Don Feldner from Minot ND, stopped the front-running Cards on two hits. Losing chucker Bob Neufeld was responsible for the first five Hamiota counters before departing at the end of the seventh. Ellis Woods and Norm Jack had two safeties each for Hamiota with one of Woods’ raps being a double.
Neufeld (L), L. Morrison (8) and Payne
Feldner (W) and Wright
(June 25) The Brandon Cloverleafs moved into a fourth-place tie with Riverside by edging the cellar-dwelling St. Lazare Athletics 3 to 2. The Leafs, out-hit 7 to 6, scored the winning tally, with more than a little help from the Saints, in their final turn at bat. Maurice Oakes singled to begin the ninth, moved all the way around to third on an overthrow to first base on what should have been a routine groundout by Bob Wilson. Oakes then scampered in with the deciding tally on a wild pitch by losing twirler Claude Lambert. Brian Hodgson went the route on the bump for the Brandon win. He had an early 2 – 0 lead but let that slip away when the Athletics counted singletons in the sixth and seventh stanzas to tie the score at 2 – 2. Lambert replaced St. Lazare starter Merv Haney in the fifth. Dave Bender drilled a double and triple in support of Hodgson while Oakes ripped a pair of singles. Lambert was the A’s best offensive weapon, hitting safely three times.
Haney, Lambert (L) (5) and Gutierrez
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
(June 26) Bouncing back from an early 6 to 1 deficit, the Riverside Canucks blasted the Virden Oilers 10 to 7 to take over sole possession of third place in the MSBL. Grant Everard, in relief of starter Mark Fisher, allowed the Oilers only one run on three hits in 5-1/3 innings on the hill to earn the pitching triumph. Virden starter Gary DeBenedetti was kayoed after five frames with the score deadlocked at 7 – 7. Reliever Fred Cole was nicked with the defeat. Cliff Seafoot, with a three-run tater, and Barry Moffat, with a two-run dinger, supplied the power for the winning Riversiders. Seafoot also connected for a double. Other Canuck swatters of note were Fisher with a double and two singles and the duo of Bob Ash and Russ Reid who stroked two singles each. Norm Hemstad accounted for three of Virden’s eight safeties with a solo home run, a double and a single. Teammate Cec Dawley hit safely twice.
Debenedetti, Cole (L) (6) and Wilton
Fisher, Everard (W) (3) and C. Seafoot
(June 26) The Dauphin Redbirds used five pitchers but were unable to hold down the surging Hamiota Red Sox who came away with a late 10 to 8 victory. The visiting Scarlet Stockings stroked a dozen hits, all singles, while the Redbirds cuffed 11 safeties. Hamiota won the ball game in the ninth. With the score knotted at 8 – 8, Al Robertson, who had singled, scored on a wild pitch and youthful catcher John Wright, who had also reached base with a one-bagger, scored on an infield error. Gord Lyall nabbed the win while import southpaw Larry Dierks, the last of the Redbird quintet of moundsmen, absorbed the defeat. Wright laced three singles for the winners while Lyall, Mel Smith, Lynn Caldwell and Robertson each collected a pair of one-base hits. John Lesyshen slammed a grand-slam four-bagger for Dauphin to go along with two singles, finishing with six RBI’s. Clubmate Don Smith delivered two singles.
Geekie, Lyall (W) (8) and Wright
Keating, Fitzpatrick (3), Amy (5), Kubicek (8), Dierks (L) (9) and Smith
(June 27) In what was described as the best game of the season at Kinsmen Park, the Dauphin Redbirds, behind the three-hit pitching of portsider Larry Dierks, upended the hosting Brandon Cloverleafs 2 to 0 in 12 innings. The marathon tussle featured a classic mound duel between the Redbirds’ import tosser and Brandon’s Ron Toews, both of whom went the distance. Aside from the three bloop singles he gave up, Dierks also issued four free passes while striking out 19 Leaf batters. Toews pitched well enough to win most games but tired in the final inning, finishing with an eight-hitter and five walks while ringing up 11 punchouts. Infielder Scott Wolfe lined a clean double to lead off the Dauphin rally in the third overtime session. Rick Day sacrificed him to third base and Dierks drove him home with a single. Later in the bonus round, Dierks scored the insurance marker when Toews walked Don Smith with the bases loaded. Jerry Shumanski had two safeties for the victors and was the lone player in the fracas to manufacture plural hit totals.
Dierks (W) and Smith
Toews (L) and Oakes
(July 4) Neil Geekie turned on his former Dauphin mates in pitching the Hamiota Red Sox to a 4 to 0 whitewashing of the Redbirds. The win for the Sox, their sixth in a row, moved them into a first-place tie in the MSBL with the Souris Cardinals. In stifling the Birds on three hits, Geekie fanned five and gave up two walks. Losing chucker Larry Dierks went the distance in absorbing the loss, Dierks whiffed eight and allowed only five hits but had control issues, giving up eight bases-on-balls. Gord Lyall of the Crimson Hose was the only batter from either squad to collect more than one hit, spanking the sphere for two singles.
Dierks (L) and Smith
Geekie (W) and Wright
(July 4) The Souris Cardinals roared out of the gate with a four-run opening inning but couldn’t hold the lead as the Riverside Canucks stormed back to eventually hold the hosting Cards to a 6 – 6 draw. Darkness prevented overtime. Dick Limke hurled the entire nine innings for Souris, surrendering nine hits and three free passes while breezing ten Canuck batters. Starter Ross Kinsley and Lorne Lilley shared mound chores for the Riversiders, yielding 11 safeties. Cliff Seafoot pounded a double and single for the Canucks while bother Garth Seafoot, along with Wes Rathwell, singled twice. Dean Couvier belted a three-run round-tripper to lead the Cardinals. Doug Armour nailed a double and single while Jim Neilson, Bill Carpenter and Don Hodgson each lined a brace of one-baggers.
Kinsley, L. Lilley (6) and C. Seafoot
Limke and Couvier
(July 4) After dropping their first three encounters to Virden, the St. Lazare Athletics finally found a way to win and eked out a 3 to 2 victory over the invading Oilers. Paul Chartrand pitched 8-2/3 innings to cop the win, giving up eight hits and three walks while swishing seven. Loser Gary DeBenedetti lasted 6-2/3 innings and allowed nine of the ten hits obtained by the A’s and two of the three runs. Reliever Fred Cole surrendered but one hit and run on a solo homer to Claude Lambert. Lambert had a single to go along with his dinger while Ron Falloon and Chartrand laced two singles each for the Saints. Catcher Jesse Gutierrez drove in an important counter with a triple. Norm Hemstad drilled a bases-empty tater for the Oilers while Ralph Gardiner cracked a pair of singles.
DeBenedetti (L), Cole (7) and Gardiner
Chartrand (W), Lambert (9) and Gutierrez
(July 5) After 11 innings of play, terminated by darkness, the Brandon Cloverleafs and the hosting Riverside Canucks played to a 5 - 5 stalemate. Both teams managed eight safeties. Grant Everard went the distance for the Canucks, fanning nine and walking three. The duo of Jack Denbow and Brian Hodgson twirled for the Cloverleafs, combining for six strikeouts while yielding four free passes. Wes Rathwell was the Canucks top batsman, smacking a three-run homer, a double and a single. Teammate Cliff Seafoot nailed two singles. Dave Bender launched a two-run circuit-clout for the Wheat City nine while Bob Wilson lined a pair of one-base raps.
Denbow, Hodgson (6) and Oakes
Everard and C. Seafoot
(July 5) The Dauphin Redbirds won their fifth game of the season, posting a 6 to 4 win over the cellar-dwelling St. Lazare Athletics. Neil Amy fanned seven batters en route to the mound win. He allowed 11 hits and two walks. Claude Lambert was charged with the loss after toiling the first seven spasms on the bump. He gave up all six Redbird counters on nine hits before relinquishing the slab to Merv Haney. Amy aided his own cause with a triple and single while Alex Sutherland nailed two singles. Ron Falloon hammered a home run for the A’s while backstop Jesse Gutierrez connected for three singles. Lambert and Haney delivered a brace of one-baggers each.
Lambert (L), Haney (8) and Gutierrez
Amy (W) and Day
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Souris 8 4 .667 ----
Hamiota 8 4 .667 ----
Riverside 6 5 .545 1.5
Brandon 5 6 .455 2.5
Virden 5 6 .455 2.5
Dauphin 5 7 .417 3.0
St. Lazare 4 9 .308 4.5
(July 7) The Souris Cardinals outhit homestanding Dauphin 8 to 4 but couldn’t score runs when bingles meant bacon and wound up dropping a 3 to 1 decision to the Redbirds. With the defeat, the Cards also lost their share of first place in the MSBL standings. All the Cardinal safeties were one-base hits while two of Dauphin’s four were timely extra-base blows. Larry Dierks went the distance for Dauphin, fanning ten while handing out three free passes. Bill Carpenter went all the way on the knoll for Souris, whiffing seven and walking four. He slammed three singles in a losing cause while teammate Don Hodgson connected for a pair.
Carpenter (L) and Couvier
Dierks (W) and Kabel, Day (7)
(July 7) In his first mound appearance of the current campaign, Garth Seafoot limited the Virden Oilers to three scratch singles as the Riverside Blues prevailed 8 to 0. Seafoot fanned eight and walked an equal number, experiencing control problems in the early innings but getting stronger as the game progressed. Fred Cole, raked for 11 Riverside safeties, went the distance for the Oilers in absorbing the setback. The Canucks pushed two tallies across in the second inning and upped the score to 6 – 0 by the end of three. They finished the scoring with a deuce in the fifth. Gord Hunter nailed a double and two singles for the winners. Clubmate Wes Rathwell came through with a brace of singles.
Cole (L) and Wilton
G. Seafoot (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 8) Extending their win streak to three games, the visiting Dauphin Redbirds trampled the hapless St. Lazare Athletics 11 to 5 in a 31-hit slugfest. Regular catcher Don Smith of the Redbirds took a turn on the hill, relieving Rick Day in the third inning, and earning credit for the knoll decision. The Saints went through three hurlers in the hard-hitting affair with starter Paul Chartrand taking the loss. Leading the 16-hit Dauphin attack was John Lesyshen who powered a home run, double and two singles. Rollie Secord followed with four singles while Vern Coulter nailed three one-baggers. St. Lazare’s Claude Lambert connected for a home run, double and single and Jesse Gutierrez belted a two-run homer and two singles. Ed Weslowski was also potent with the lumber, cracking three one-base hits.
Day, Smith (W) (3) and Smith, xxx (3)
Chartrand (L), Haney (4), Perron (8) and Gutierrez
(July 9) The front-running Hamiota Red Sox extended their winning streak to eight games by downing the St. Lazare Athletics 9 to 3. Complete-game winning tosser Neil Geekie stopped the tail-enders on four hits while fanning eight and walking one. Claude Lambert also went the route, allowing 12 hits and one walk while whiffing ten in absorbing the defeat. Mel Smith pounded out three singles and a double, driving in four runs, to pace the Sox at the plate. Ellis Woods belted two doubles and Al Robertson lined a double and single. Import catcher Jesse Gutierrez was the top willow wielder for the Athletics, drilling a triple and single.
Lambert (L) and Gutierrez
Geekie (W) and Wright
(July 9) The slumping Souris Cardinals were dealt another blow as the Brandon Cloverleafs knocked all-star pitcher Dick Limke out of the box and romped to an 11 to 0 blowout. Bob Thompson went the route for the invading Cloverleafs, scattering six hits, walking three and whiffing 11 Souris batters. Limke gave up eight runs on seven hits before being replaced by Bob Payne at the end of the sixth inning. He had little help from his mates as they booted the ball seven times. Leading the 11-hit Brandon offense were Brian Hodgson with a solo homer, Doug Mustard with a double and single and the tandem of Bob Wilson and playing-manager Mort Wright who delivered two singles each. Greg Cameron and Jim Neilson were the only Cardinal batters to come up with two safeties with a double included in Cameron’s hits.
Thompson (W) and Oakes
Limke (L), Payne (7) and Payne, Couvier (7)
(July 10) The Riverside Canucks blew a chance to consolidate their hold on second place in the MSBL when they were doubled 4 to 2 by the Virden Oilers. Gary DeBenedetti twirled a four-hitter for the Oilers, fanning six and walking a pair. Ross Kinsley suffered the loss after taking over for starter Grand Everard in the opening panel. Everard faced only two batters, surrendering a solo homer to Ron Goethe and a follow-up single. Kinsley tried desperately for the win, tagging DeBenedetti for a home run. Clubmate Garth Seafoot smacked a double and single. Besides his four-bagger, Goethe contributed a single to the 11-hit Oiler attack. Catcher Ralph Gardiner banged out a double and single and Fred Cole laced two singles..
Everard, Kinsley (L) (1) and C. Seafoot
DeBenedetti (W) and Gardiner
(July 11) The Brandon Cloverleafs, undefeated in their last four starts, added a second consecutive shutout to their win skein by blanking the Virden Oilers 5 to 0. Winning flinger Ron Toews mastered the Virden batters on four hits, two of them from the bat of losing heaver Fred Cole. Toews fanned four and walked six in going the distance. Cole hurled 6-1/3 frames and was charged with all five Brandon markers on six hits. A bases-empty home run by Bill Chapple in the second inning proved to be all the offensive support that Toews would need.
Cole (L), Bridgett (7) and Gardiner
Toews (W) and Oakes
(July 11) The Souris Cardinals got back on the winning track, setting down the lowly St. Lazare Athletics 12 to 7. Bob Payne picked up the win in relief of Bob Neufeld. The duo allowed the A’s eight hits and combined for seven strikeouts, six by Payne. Paul Chartrand, kayoed from the slab after 1-2/3 innings, was nailed with the loss. Dick Limke and Don Hodgson both slammed a double and single for the Cards while Jim Neilson added a pair of one-baggers. Jesse Gutierrez and Ray Simms both stroked a two-bagger and one-base rap for the vanquished Saints.
Chartrand (L), G. Maxwell (2), Chartrand (5) and Gutierrez
Neufeld, Payne (W) (3) and Payne, Couvier (3)
(July 12) The Riverside Canucks put up a five-spot in their first turn at bat and, despite being outswatted by a hefty 12 to 6 margin, held on the edge the league-leading Hamiota Red Sox 8 to 7. It was a double-win for the Canucks despite the fact that the came was called after six innings. The first frame also counted as a tie-breaker for a previous deadlocked game of June 7 when play was suspended. The twin triumphs for the Riversiders created a three-way tie in the league standings as they joined the Souris Cardinals and Hamiota on the top rung of the MSBL ladder. Russ Reid and Lorne Lilley chalked up the mound victories for the Canucks while Donn Feldner was a double loser for the Red Sox. Reid led the winners at the plate with a double and single. Mel Smith sparked Hamiota’s 12-hit attack with two singles and a double. Gord Lyall tripled and singled while Ellis Woods and John Wright each had two singles.
Reid, Lilley (W) (3) and C. Seafoot
Feldner (L), Scott (2) and Wright
(July 14) The Virden Oilers moved into sole possession of fourth place in the MSBL by sweeping a doubleheader from the Dauphin Redbirds. The Oilers scored three runs in the first inning of the matinée tilt and that was enough to squeeze past the Redbirds 3 to 2. The second encounter saw Virden take better advantage of their opportunities as they blanked the visiting Dauphin nine 4 to 0. Both teams managed five safeties in the lid-lifter as winning twirler Ted Bridgett was just a tad more efficient in spacing the hits lodged against him, surrendering single runs in the third and ninth innings while all the offensive damage against loser Larry Dierks occurred in one big frame, the first. Norm Hemstad took care of all the Virden scoring with a three-run circuit-blast in that inning. He also lined a single later in the contest. Catcher Mark Wilton delivered two doubles for the winners. Vern Coulter lined two one-baggers for the Cards. Bridgett fanned 11 and walked three while Dierks whiffed eight and issued six bases-on-balls.
Dierks (L) and Smith
Bridgett (W) and Wilton
Gary DeBenedetti effectively scattered eight hits in the late match to post the shutout victory. He breezed seven and walked four. Losing chucker Gary Keating gave up only four hits and walked an equal number while swishing seven. The Oilers jumped on openings in the third and sixth spasms to deliver a brace of tallies in each frame. The vanquished Redbirds had the only two multi-hit players in this contest. Keating connected for a double and single while Coulter chipped in with two singles.
Keating (L) and Smith
DeBenedetti (W) and Wilton
(July 14) In a one-game affair that counted for two final results, the Riverside Canucks edged the Souris Cardinals 4 to 3 but since the Cards were the first team to forge in front after a complete inning, plating a deuce in the sixth stanza to settle a previous deadlock from July 4, each team walked away with a win and a loss. Dick Limke of Souris was charged with decisions on both sides of the ledger as was Riverside’s Mark Everard. Souris registered eight safeties in the bout to four for the hosting Canucks. Gladwyn Scott, Lynn McEvoy and Dean Couvier cracked two singles apiece for the visitors.
Limke (L) and Payne
Everard (W), Reid (8) and C. Seafoot
(July 14) The invading Brandon Cloverleafs were in Santa Claus-mode at St. Lazare. First, they gave away the opening-half of a doubleheader by default and then, in the second game, booted the ball seven times in losing a 5 to 2 decision to the Athletics. Claude Lambert scattered eight hits in copping the mound decision for the A’s, fanning seven and walking four along the way. Loser Brian Hodgson gave up seven hits and one walk while registering four strikeouts. Rick Dale pounded a two-run homer for the victorious Saints while the Cloverleafs’ Bob Thompson delivered a double and single.
Hodgson (L) and Oakes
Lambert (W) and Gutierrez
(July 17) The Hamiota Red Sox stayed ahead of the pack by a few percentage points by doubling the Brandon Cloverleafs 4 to 2. Glennis Scott tamed the Leafs on five safeties in copping the complete-game win. Bob Thompson, with an eight-hitter, was the loser. Al Robertson found the mark for three singles and drove in two runs to lead the Red Sox offensively. Gerry Holstrom singled twice for the Wheat City nine.
Thompson (L) and Oakes
Scott (W) and Wright
(July 17) Slab artist Dick Limke twirled the Souris Cardinals to a 5 to 1 conquest of the visiting Virden Oilers to keep his squad just a few percentage points behind the Hamiota Red Sox in the MSBL pennant race. Limke went all the way and stymied the Oilers on four hits while fanning ten and walking only one. The Cards raked loser Fred Cole for nine safeties and were never behind. Bill Carpenter lashed out three singles in leading Souris at the plate. Don Hodgson of the victors and Virden’s Cec Dawley both punched out a brace of one-base raps.
Cole (L) and Gardiner
Limke (W) and Payne
(July 17) The Dauphin Redbirds moved into a tie with the Virden Oilers for fourth place in the MSBL by nosing past the Riverside Canucks 2 to 1. Larry Dierks twirled a three-hitter and punched out 11 in taking the close win. Loser Grant Everard was nicked for eight hits while fanning five. Catcher Don Smith finally found the range as he cracked out a double and two singles to lead the Redbird hitting. Teammate Scott Wolfe followed with two singles. The longest blow that Dierks surrendered was a two-bagger to Ross Kinsley.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Dierks (W) and Smith
(July 18) Gerry Holstrom’s tenth-inning infield single with two out drove in Bill Chapple from third base as the Brandon Cloverleafs eked out an 8 to 7 win over the visiting St. Lazare Athletics. The Leafs, in arrears 7 to 6, were forced to plate a run in the bottom-of-the-ninth in order to force overtime. That mission was accomplished when Gerry MacKay, back from season-long retirement, singled and went to second on Dave Bender’s sacrifice, then romped home with the equalizer when Bob Wilson nailed a one-bagger. Brandon held a 14 to 11 advantage in base hits. Bob Thompson, the third Cloverleaf chucker, blanked the A’s for 2-2/3 innings to pick up the win. Fourth-inning reliever Paul Chartrand of the Saints was tagged with the loss. Wilson singled three times for the winners while Chapple nailed two doubles and a one-base hit. Starting pitcher Claude Lambert, who remained in the game after relinquishing hurling chores, led the A’s at the plate with a bases-empty home run, a triple and a single in addition to walking twice. Clubmate Ron Falloon was also deadly with the baton, smashing two doubles and a brace of singles.
Lambert, Chartrand (L) (4) and Gutierrez
Toews, Powers (5), Thompson (W) (8) and Oakes
(July 18) The Souris Cardinals regained the penthouse position in the MSBL by downing the Virden Oilers 4 to 1 behind the three-hit pitching of Bob Payne. Losing heaver Gary DeBenedetti allowed seven safeties. Payne had an 8 to 7 advantage in strikeouts. Dick Limke nailed a double and single to lead Souris at the plate while teammate Doug Armour delivered two singles. Ted Bridgett cracked a solo homer for Virden’s only run.
Payne (W) and Couvier
DeBenedetti (L) and Gardiner
(July 18) A 4 to 2 loss to the Riverside Canucks dropped the Hamiota Red Sox a full game behind the pace-setting Souris Cardinals. Leading from the first inning on, the Canucks had to pull out all the stops as the Red Sox scored twice in the ninth and had two runners aboard before the last batter was retired. Russ Reid was touched for seven safeties in garnering the complete-game win. Hamiota starter Donn Feldner, derricked in the eighth panel, was stung with the loss. There were no batters from either team that managed to amass plural hit totals.
Feldner (L), Geekie (8) and Wright
Reid (W) and C. Seafoot
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Souris 12 7 .632 ----
Hamiota 10 7 .588 1.0
Riverside 11 9 .550 1.5
Brandon 8 9 .471 3.0
Dauphin 8 9 .471 3.0
Virden 8 10 .444 3.5
St. Lazare 6 13 .316 6.0
(July 23) The Brandon Cloverleafs moved into sole possession of fourth place, the final playoff spot, with a 5 to 2 win over the Virden Oilers at Kinsmen Stadium. Fast-working right-hander Bob Thompson got off to a shaky start, surrendering two first-inning tallies but slammed the door on the Oilers thereafter to earn the win with a four-hitter. Thompson fanned nine and walked two. Superb defensive plays by the Virden infield allowed losing flinger Ted Bridgett to go the route. Bridgett allowed seven hits but walked the same number. Gerry MacKay, not missing a beat since coming out of retirement, smashed a triple and a single for the Leafs. Maurice Oakes and Gerry Holstrom banged out two singles each. Gary DeBenedetti, with two singles, had two of the four Virden safeties.
Bridgett (L) and Wilton
Thompson (W) and Oakes
(July 23) With a 6 to 1 conquest of the Hamiota Red Sox, the Souris Cardinals gave themselves a little more breathing room at the top of the MSBL heap. Dick Limke picked up his seventh win of the campaign by firing a five-hitter. He gave up one free pass and set down a dozen Scarlet Stockings on strikes. Losing flinger Glennis Scott was hammered for 13 hits and four walks while recording five strikeouts. The loss for the Sox dropped them two full games behind the Cards and into third-place while Riverside took over the runner-up spot. Dean Couvier stroked a triple and two singles for the winners. Brian Moffatt came through with a triad of one-base raps while Doug Armour and Bob Payne connected for two singles each. Mel Smith cranked a double and single to lead the Hamiotans at the dish.
Scott (L) and Wright
Limke (W) and Payne
(July 23) The Riverside Canucks took over second place in the MSBL standings with a convincing 13 to 2 win over the Dauphin Redbirds. All 15 runs were scored in the first three innings of the abbreviated eight-inning affair. Russ Reid relieved starter Garth Seafoot after two batters had been retired in the first inning to pick up the win. Losing twirler Gary Keating lasted only 1-2/3 innings on the rubber after the Riversiders jumped him for seven runs on seven hits. Cliff Seafoot led the 15-hit offense for the Canucks with a double and two singles, good for five RBI’s. Wes Rathwell, Barry Moffatt, Murray Duncan and Reid all collected a double and one-bagger. John Lesyshen belted two doubles for Dauphin while Don Smith smacked two singles to drive in both Redbird tallies.
Keating (L), Fitzpatrick (2), Buchy (4) and Smith
G. Seafoot, Reid (W) (1) and C. Seafoot
(July 24) For the first time this season, the Brandon Cloverleafs are ahead in the won-loss column. A 5 to 3 victory over the Dauphin Redbirds gives the Leafs a 10 – 9 record and puts them just a half-game behind third-place Hamiota in the standings. Brian Hodgson was credited with the win but needed relief help in the ninth after giving up a triple to Larry Dierks. Bob Thompson came on at that point to register the save. For the second consecutive evening, losing heaver Gary Keating was jolted from the bump early in the contest. Bill Chapple powered a home run and two singles to lead the Cloverleafs at the plate. Maurice Oakes followed with two singles. Gerry/Jerry Shumanski, with two singles, was the only Redbird batter to earn more than one safety.
Hodgson (W), Thompson (9) and Oakes
Keating (L), Fitzpatrick (1), Buchy (7) and Smith
(July 25) The front-running Souris Cardinals improved their chances of copping the MSBL pennant by taking an 11 to 5 decision over the homestanding St. Lazare Athletics. The game was tied 5 – 5 after five frames but the Cards scored six times in the last three innings to put the game on ice. Lew Morrison threw a five-hitter, fanning nine and walking three, to register the complete-game knoll victory. Claude Lambert, who pitched all but the ninth for the A’s, was charged with the loss. Doug Armour and Dick Limke had a pair of singles each for the winners in their nine-hit attack. Lambert lit up Morrison for a three-run circuit-jack in the third canto to spark the Saints offensively.
L. Morrison (W) and Payne
Lambert (L), Chartrand (9) and Gutierrez
(July 25) The Hamiota Red Sox kept their hopes for a second consecutive MSBL pennant alive by taking a 4 to 1 verdict from the slumping Virden Oilers. Neil Geekie, who scattered eight hits and walked three while striking out five, won his fourth pitching decision without a loss. Losing heaver Gary DeBenedetti gave up just five safeties but walked five while swishing seven. He also was the only Oiler to get to Geekie for more than one hit, lashing a brace of one-base raps. Mel Smith was Hamiota’s best with the baton, clouting a double and single.
DeBenedetti (L) and Gardiner
Geekie (W) and Jack
(July 26) The surging Brandon Cloverleafs won their fourth in a row by shading the league-leading Souris Cardinals 7 to 6 in 11 drama-filled innings. Winning flinger Bob Thompson, who took over from starter Jack Denbow in the fourth inning with the teams deadlocked, fought tooth-and-nail with Cardinal hurler Bill Carpenter through six innings of scoreless ball and appeared to be getting stronger as the game wore on, much to the disdain of the visiting Cards. With the score still knotted at 3 – 3 as the teams began a second round of overtime, however, he began to wear down and relinquished a three-spot to the pace-setters on RBI-hits by Dick Limke and Carpenter as well as on a run-scoring wild pitch. When it came time for the Leafs to take their final turn at bat, Carpenter was yanked and replaced on the hill by Limke which, at the time, appeared to be a sound move. The Wheat City pastimers, full of grit, showed no respect for the defending-MVP. Limke faced six batters, five of whom reached base on singles, while walking the other one with the bases loaded. With the score now tied at 6 – 6 and the sacks full a second time in the frame, Limke then unloaded a wild pitch to a seventh Brandon batter, Ron Powers, which allowed Gerry Holstrom to scamper in from the hot corner bag with the walkoff winner. Both teams finished the marathon with 11 safeties.
Carpenter, Limke (L) (11) and Payne
Denbow, Thompson (W) (4) and Oakes
(July 28) Southpaw Brian Hodgson held the Hamiota Red Sox to one-hit, an off-field, chalk-line single by Mel Smith, as the Brandon Cloverleafs kept rolling along with a narrow 2 to 1 victory over the visiting Crimson Hose. The win was the fifth in succession by the Wheat City nine. Hodgson whiffed seven and walked a pair but had to battle right to the end to secure the triumph as losing flinger Glennis Scott was a tough foe, scattering six hits while fanning eight and giving up three free passes. A fifth-inning double by Gerry MacKay, with the score tied 1 – 1, accounted for the winning run with Maurice Oakes crossing the pan. MacKay finished the game with a single as well as his two-bagger while teammate Bob Thompson laced two singles, one of which drove in the Leafs’ first counter in the third canto. The Red Sox tied the score in the fourth, plating an unearned tally on a muffed fly ball.
Scott (L) and Jacks
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
(July 28) The cellar-dwelling St. Lazare Athletics have had the Riverside Canucks’ number all campaign long and finished off their final clashes of the season with a home-field sweep of the Riversiders, 4 to 3 win an 11-inning opener and a ten-inning 5 to 4 triumph in a follow-up tilt. In the matinée event, the Athletics enjoyed a wide 12 to 4 margin in base hits but were unable to parlay their base knocks into a winning run until a second round of overtime. Both pitchers of record, winning heaver Merv Haney and loser Russ Reid, gave up five bases-on-balls. Haney sent ten Canuck batters down swinging while Reid registered 13 whiffs. Catcher Jesse Gutierrez led the A’s with the hickory, pounding a home run and two singles. Claude Lambert cranked three one-baggers while Ron Falloon had a pair. Reid had two of the four Riverside safeties, both singles.
Reid (L) and C. Seafoot
Haney (W) and Gutierrez
The wind-up tussle also required bonus time to reach a verdict after the Canucks scored a desperation run in the ninth to even the count at 4 – 4. Winning chucker Paul Chartrand and loser Grant Everard both went the route as the Canucks outhit their hosts 12 to 10. Ray Simms of the victors was the most impactful swatsmith in this contest, wrapping Reid for a two-run circuit-clout, a double and a single. Marv Gullett added a brace of one-baggers. Riverside’s Reid added three more singles to bring his two-game total to five while clubmates Barry Moffatt, Garth Seafoot and Cliff Seafoot lined two safeties each.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Chartrand (W) and Gutierrez
(July 29) League president Cliff Cory of Virden gave Riverside a win in the second game of their doubleheader of a day previous as St. Lazare used an unregistered player in that game and subsequently the final score goes into the books as a 9 – 0 forfeiture.
(July 29) The Souris Cardinals edged the Dauphin Redbirds 3 to 2 in a MSBL fixture shortened to 5-1/2 innings because of rain. With the abbreviated win, the Cards clinched at least a tie for the 1968 regular-season pennant. Dick Limke secured the knoll triumph by whiffing eight, walking two and surrendering four hits. Larry Dierks suffered the loss, allowing six safeties while fanning two and walking five. Souris pushed all of their runs into the third inning and the Redbirds scored both of theirs in the fifth. Limke smacked a solo home run for the winners while Brian Moffatt contributed two single. Four different players, all stroking singles, shared in the Dauphin offense.
Dierks (L) and Smith
Limke (W) and Payne
(July 31) The Souris Cardinals toppled the hosting Hamiota Red Sox 7 to 1 to finish the regular schedule with a 16 – 8 record and capture the 1968 MSBL pennant. Winning pitcher Dick Limke did not issue a single walk as he allowed only five hits while ringing up eight punchouts. Donn Feldner suffered the defeat, yielding nine base blows while swishing three and walking four. Doug Armour, Limke and Don Hodgson all banged out two singles in pacing the Cards’ hitting attack. Lynn Caldwell’s two-bagger drove in the lone Hamiota marker.
Limke (W) and Payne
Feldner (L) and Wright
(August 1) The Brandon Cloverleafs played just one game but picked up two wins at Kinsmen Stadium. As a result of being ahead 1 – 0 after three complete innings, they were awarded a win in their suspended tie game of July 5 with the Riverside Canucks. Six innings later, they had registered a 2 to 0 triumph over the Riversiders to double their earnings. With the twin triumphs, the Leafs not only forged past the Canucks into the MSBL’s runner-up spot but clinched that position, guaranteeing them home-field advantage in the semi-final playoffs.
It was an unearned tally in the third canto that cost the Canucks the suspended game. Roy McLachlan led off the Cloverleaf half of the frame with a sharp single. Gerry Holmstrom then laid down a sacrifice bunt and Grant Everard, the losing twirler, had trouble finding the handle and threw the ball away attempting to get Holmstrom at first base. The ball sailed into deep right-field and Bob Ash, Riverside right-fielder, with one of the best arms in the league, threw a strike to catcher Cliff Seafoot, cutting McLachlan down at the dish. Holmstrom moved to the hot corner station on the throw to home and scored on Gerry MacKay’s sacrifice fly.
Brandon plated the only other run of the regularly-scheduled game, an insurance counter, in the fifth frame when MacKay drew a one-out bases-on-balls and eventually came around to score on a long single by Maurice Oakes.
Bob Thompson, the Leafs’ big right-hander, was credited with both his eighth and ninth wins while Everard, replaced on the bump in the seventh stanza by Les Lilley, was clipped with both losses. Oakes had a second single for the winners, who were outhit 9 to 6 by the Canucks. Leading batters for vanquished Riverside squad were shortpatcher Murray Duncan, acquired from the Boissevain Border Kings of the South-Central League, along with Russ Reid and Wes Rathwell, who all cuffed the horsehide for a brace of one-base raps.
Everard (L), L. Lilley (7) and C. Seafoot
Thompson (W) and Oakes
(August 1) Although mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, the St. Lazare Athletics made things tough for the scrambling Hamiota Red Sox, laying a 7 to 6 setback on the Scarlet Stockings. Claude Lambert both started and finished the game on the knoll for the A’s but it was youthful Merv Haney, the third Saints’ chucker, who was credited with the close mound victory. Neil Geekie, pulled in the seventh for Gord Lyall, was stung with his first setback of the campaign. The Red Sox, after falling behind in the eighth episode when the Athletics put up a four-spot on the scoreboard, battled back with three of their own in the top-of-the-ninth and came within a whisker of bringing home the equalizer. Lambert cracked his seventh home run of the season to go along with three singles in heading up the St. Lazare swatsmiths. Ron Falloon and Rick Dale rapped a double and single each while catcher Jesse Gutierrez slapped out a couple of singles. Mel Smith doubled and singles for the Hamiotans as Norm Jack, Al Robertson and Lynn Caldwell each added a brace of one-baggers.
Geekie (L), Lyall (7) and Wright
Lambert, Chartrand (4), Haney (W) (7), Lambert (9) and Gutierrez
(August 2) The Virden Oilers kept their flickering MSBL playoff hopes alive as they whipped the slump-ridden Hamiota Red Sox 8 to 5. It was the fourth consecutive loss for the fading Red Stockings. Gary DeBenedetti scattered ten hits in taking the mound verdict in the game that was limited to seven innings because of darkness. The Virden chucker walked four and sent eight batters down swinging. Gord Lyall, who took over knoll chores from Ellis Woods in the opening inning and was subsequently replaced on the bump in the fourth frame by Lynn Caldwell, was tagged with the loss. Lyall was nicked for four runs on six hits and a walk during his tenure on the hill. Jack Day nailed a pair of doubles for the Oilers while Bob Zarn came through with a two-bagger and single. Contributing two singles apiece were Cec Dawley and Norm Hemstad with Dawley’s brace of bingles accounting for two RBI’s. Hamiota catcher Norm Jack lashed out three hits including a triple while Mel Smith and Caldwell had a pair of one-base raps.
Woods, Lyall (L) (1), Caldwell (4) and Jack
DeBenedetti (W) and Gardiner
(August 07) Neil Amy scattered six hits to post his third straight win as Dauphin Redbirds trounced St. Lazare Athletics 14-3 Wednesday at the DMCC grounds to remain in the hunt for a playoff berth. The right-hander got all the support he needed in the first inning as Scott Wolfe led off with a triple, one of two three-baggers on the day, and Gerry Shumanski, Larry Dierks and Alex Sutherland rapped singles, Bob Buchy reached on a free pass and the A's added in an error, all good for five runs. Amy racked up 11 strikeouts and walked three. Paul Chartrand took the loss. Larry McWilliams smacked a double and a pair of singles for the Athletics.
Chartrand (L) and Lambert
Amy (W) and Smith
(August 07) At Virden, the Oilers got a sparkling four-hit performance from import Gary Debenedetti to stop Brandon Cloverleafs 4-0. The winning hurler helped his own cause with a single and double. Bob Thompson, named the league's Most Valuable Player, took the loss with a six-hitter.
Thompson (L) and Oakes
Debenedetti (W) and Wilton
(August 09) Dauphin Redbirds topped Hamiota 5-3 Friday to create a three-way tie for the final playoff slot in the Manitoba Senior League. The Redbirds fell behind 3-0 before rallying with two in the fourth and three more in the sixth for the victory. Larry Dierks settled down after a rough first three frames to pitch shutout ball the rest of the way, holding the Cardinals to seven hits. Gerry Verbiwski was the hero for the winners. In his first appearance of the season with Dauphin, Verbiwski hammered a two-run homer in the sixth inning to provide the margin of victory.
Feldner (L) and Jack
Dierks (W) and D.Smith
(August 11) Dauphin successfully completed its late season surge with a double-header sweep of Virden Sunday to squeeze into the fourth and final playoff slot. Redbirds beat the Oilers 9-8 and 4-2. Dauphin fell behind 4-1 after two innings in the first game but rebounded to take the lead and hold off a late charge by the Oilers for the victory. Pat Fitzpatrick picked up the win in relief of starter Gerry Verbiwski. Fitzpatrick ran into trouble in the eighth and Neil Amy was called upon to put down the threat. John Lesyshen and Gerry Shumanski led the winners each with a pair of hits.
Debenedetti (L), Dawley (6) and Wilton
Verbiwski, Fitzpatrick (W) (2), Amy (8) and Day
In the second game, Dauphin got a pair in the first and another in the third for an early 3-0 lead and battled for a 4-2 victory as Gary Keating held the Oilers to four hits and the Redbirds overcame four errors. Shumanski powered the attack with a pair of doubles in three trips.
Bridgett (L) and Wilton
Keating (W) and Kabel
FINAL STANDINGS W L PCT GBL
Souris 16 8 .667 ----
Brandon 14 10 .583 2.0
Riverside 13 11 .542 3.0
Dauphin 12 12 .500 4.0
Hamiota 11 13 .458 5.0
Virden 10 14 .417 6.0
St. Lazare 8 16 .333 8.0
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS
(August 12) An error by Brandon on the first batter of the game set the stage for a five-run frame by Riverside and a 7-4 victory in the opening game of the Manitoba Senior League playoffs. Murray Duncan's two-run triple highlighted the outburst. 18-year-old Grant Everard on the hill for the Canucks was hit hard in the first inning, giving up three runs, but settled down to hurl steady ball the rest of the way. He racked up 15 strikeouts in besting league MVP Bob Thompson. Thompson had a tough day on the mound but helped the Cloverleafs with a single, double and triple. Tom Town, lured out of retirement late in the season, smacked a tremendous, two-run homer, and two singles for Brandon. The homer cleared the centre field fence, going at least 425 feet. Cliff Seafoot had four hits for the winners, Duncan had a single to go with his three-bagger and Ross Kinsley added a single and double.
Everard (W) and C.Seafoot
Thompson (L) and Oakes
(August 13) The first game of the second semi-final was a runaway as Souris Cardinals clobbered Dauphin 16 to 3 at Souris. The Redbirds briefly had the lead with two runs in the second inning but the Cardinals tied it in the bottom of the second and Bob Payne cracked a three-run homer in the third to put Souris ahead for good. Six runs in the fifth frame put the game out of reach. Brian Moffatt slammed a grand-slam homer in the sixth to rub a little more salt in the wound. Dick Limke, went six innings, compiling ten strikeouts. Payne finished up on the hill.
Buchy (L), Coulter (6) and Smith
Limke (W), Payne (7) and Payne, Couvier (7)
(August 14) Riverside Canucks took advantage of two ninth inning errors to come from behind with two runs for a 5-4 victory and a 2-0 game lead in the semi-final series. Canucks took an early 3-0 lead before falling behind 4-3 after Brandon scored a pair in the eighth and another in the ninth. With two out and Barry Moffatt aboard with a single, Cliff Seafoot's drive to centre was dropped by Bob Thompson and in trying to nab Moffatt churning for home Thompson threw wildly as the run scored to tie the count. Murray Duncan then rapped one to short and the ball took a bad bounce and Seafoot came racing home with the winner. Russ Reid scattered ten hits to register the win. Tommy Town of Brandon had the game's big blow, a two-run homer.
Hodgson (L) and Oakes
Reid (W) and C.Seafoot
(August 20) After rains held up the series for nearly a week, Riverside Canucks pulled off a six-run eighth inning Tuesday to escape with a 6-4 victory and took a stranglehold on the series with their third straight win. With Brandon holding a 3-0 lead and Ron Toews pitching a strong game, the Canucks opened the eighth with a single by Mark Fisher and Gene Cory drew a walk. A two-bagger to right-centre by Ross Kinsley brought in both runners. With one out, Wes Rathwell got a free pass and Cloverleafs manager Mort Wright brought in little lefty Jack Denbow in relief. He promptly hit Barry Moffatt to load the bases and Garth Seafoot smacked a sharp single to right and the throw home took a crazy bounce over the head of the catcher as three runs scored. Cliff Seafoot's drag bunt down the first base line allowed brother Garth to come home to make the score 6-3 for Riverside. Brandon made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth getting one run and loading the bases with two out. But Mark Fisher got a strikeout to end the game.
Everard (W), Fisher (8) and C.Seafoot
Toews, Denbow (L) (8) and Oakes
(August 21) In a reversal of their form of the first game of the series, Dauphin Redbirds got superb pitching from Pat Fitzpatrick to down Souris 7-1 to tie their playoff series at a game apiece. Fitzpatrick had a no-hitter for seven innings before giving up a game-tying homer in the eighth. In a 1-1 draw after eight, Dauphin erupted for six runs in the final frame. Losing hurler Bob Neufeld cracked a homer for the only Souris run.
Fitzpatrick (W) and Smith
Neufeld (L) and Payne
(August 22) Playing at Grandview Thursday, Dauphin scored a pair in the first inning en route to an 8-3 victory and a 2-1 game lead in the series. Neil Amy held Souris to five hits in going the distance for the win.
Payne (L), Hunter (7) and xxx
Amy (W) and xxx
(August 22) Facing elimination, Brandon southpaw Brian Hodgson tossed a seven-hit shutout as the Cloverleafs dumped Riverside 7-0 Thursday. Hodgson fanned nine and walked a pair. The Canucks best chance came in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with just one out. But, third baseman Roy McLachlan made a brilliant stab of a ball hit between third and short and turned it into a double-play. Cloverleafs used a 12-hit attack on a pair of Canuck hurlers.
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
Reid (L), Lilley (6) and C.Seafoot
(August 25) Dick Limke fired a no-hitter, the first in league playoff history, to lead Souris to a 2-0 win over Dauphin to tie their series a two games apiece. Limke was overpowering, racking up ten strikeouts and allowing just two men to reach base on walks. Gary Keating, the tough-luck loser, yielded just three hits, but his teammates committed four errors. Bob Neufeld belted a triple for the winners.
Keating (L) and Smith
Limke (W) and Payne
(August 25) In a 14-inning thriller at Kinsmen Stadium, Riverside Canucks ousted the defending champion Brandon Cloverleafs from playoff action with a 3-2 victory before more than 1,000 fans at Brandon. Canucks won the series four games to one. After six scoreless innings, Murray Duncan led off the 14th frame with a single and moved up on a bloop hit by Ross Kinsley. A sac fly got Duncan to third with one out. Wes Rathwell then laid down a bunt down the first base line to bring in the tie breaking and eventual winning marker. Brandon got a runner aboard in the bottom of the 14th but Riverside got a double play to end the threat. Russ Reid, who relieved in the 13th picked up the win. Grant Everard went 12 innings for the Canucks allowing just seven hits. Ron Toews and Brian Hodgson combined on a six-hitter for the losers.
Everard, Lilley (13), Reid (W) (13) and C.Seafoot
Toews, Hodgson (L) (9) and Oakes
(August 26) Bob Neufeld blanked Dauphin on five hits Monday as Souris took the lead in the playoff series with a 4-0 victory. Cardinals scored the only run they needed in the first inning. Doug Armour, the leadoff batter, singled, advanced on a sacrifice and romped home on Don Hodgson's single. Armour led the Cards with three hits.
Fitzpatrick (L), Amy (2) and Day
Neufeld (W) and Payne
(August 28) Bill Carpenter's homer sparked a three-run first inning and Souris Cardinals dumped Dauphin 6-3 to eliminate the Redbirds from further playoff action. In the fourth, Don Hodgson's double, a single by Gladwyn Scott and a Dauphin error added the winning marker and an insurance run. Carpenter recorded the pitching win for Souris, tossing a six-hitter with five strikeouts and one walk. Doug Armour and Hodgson each had three hits for the winners.
Carpenter (W) and Couvier
Keating (L), Fitzpatrick (4), Coulter (7) and Day
FINALS
(August 30) The Cardinals delighted the home crowd at Souris Friday crushing Riverside 11-0 in the opening game of the best-of-seven final series. Bob Neufeld, who fired a shutout against Dauphin Monday, held the Canucks to six hits and whiffed seven in his second straight blanking. Five Riverside errors figured prominently in the scoring. Dean Couvier led the winners with a double and single.
Fisher (L), Lilley (7) and C.Seafoot
Neufeld (W) and Payne
(September 02) Clobbered 11-0 in the opening game of the final series, Riverside rebounded Monday with a 2-1 victory over Souris to even the series a a game apiece. Canucks pounded Cardinals' ace Dick Limke for ten hits while getting a clutch four-hit effort from southpaw Russ Reid. A record crowd of more than 1,200 saw Riverside break a 1-1 tie with the winning marker with two outs in the eighth inning. A single by Ross Kinsley brought in Cliff Seafoot with the deciding run.
Limke (L) and Payne
Reid (W) and C.Seafoot
(September 04) Riverside scored twice in the top of the first inning and that was all the scoring Wednesday as the Canucks downed Souris 2-0 behind a two-hitter by Grant Everard. The right-hander racked up 12 strikeouts without a walk. Bob Neufeld, coming off back-to-back shutouts, took the loss giving up nine hits. Wes Rathwell, the Canucks' leadoff batter led the offense with three hits. Mark Fisher's bases-loaded single scored both runs.
Everard (W) and C.Seafoot
Neufeld (L) and Payne
(September 06) The Manitoba Senior League final series is tied at two games apiece as Souris Cardinals punished the Riverside Canucks 11-2 Friday. Lew Morrison, back from a hockey clinic with the Flin Flon Bombers, silenced the heavy Canucks' bats on just four hits in the seven inning contest, called because of darkness. Bill Carpenter, the former Winnipeg Goldeye star, led the Souris attack with a pair of tremendous circuit blows. In the third inning he sent one out of the park for a two-run homer and followed with a three-run shot in the fifth inning. Don Hodgson added a single and triple. Riverside committed seven errors, three in the five-run fifth inning. Souris played errorless ball.
Morrison (W) and Payne
Fisher (L), Reid (3) and C.Seafoot
(September 08) With a 5-1 victory over Riverside Sunday, Souris Cardinals are just a game away from the Manitoba Senior Baseball League championship. Bill Carpenter drove in all five runs for the winners. He got the ball rolling in the third inning with a towering home run blast over the left field fence with two men aboard. His double in the fifth brought in two more runs. Dick Limke held the Canucks to six hits in posting the win. He fanned eight and walked a pair.
G.Seafoot (L), Lilley (7) and C.Seafoot
Limke (W) and Payne
(September 10) With a four-run outburst in the seventh inning, the Riverside Canucks topped Souris 7-3 Tuesday to force a seventh and deciding game in their Manitoba Senior League final series. Young Grant Everard again was the pitching hero for the Canucks with a seven-hit effort. He fanned eight and had to pitch out of trouble given eight free passes, five intentional all to Bill Carpenter who has feasted on Canucks' pitching in the series. Lew Morrison went all the way for Souris and was tagged for eight hits. Garth Seafoot led the winners' attack with two doubles and a single. Barry Moffatt added a triple and single.
Morrison (L) and Payne
Everard (W) and C.Seafoot
(September 12) Riverside Canucks have their first Manitoba Senior Baseball League championship. In another dramatic finish, Canucks broke loose for three runs in the eighth and final inning to down Souris 6-3 to take the series four games to three. Tied at 3-3, Mark Fisher started the winning rally with a leadoff single. With one out, Ross Kinsley drew a free pass and Gord Hunter reached on a fielder's choice. Russ Reid followed with a booming three-bagger to bring in two runs. Wes Rathwell singled to chase Reid home. Souris had a chance in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded and none out but reliever Lorne Lilley put out the fire. Grant Everard worked seven innings for the win, his third of the series and fifth in the playoffs. He also pitched 12 innings in a game in which the Canucks defeated Brandon in the 13th.
Everard, Reid (8), Lilley (8) and C.Seafoot
Neufeld (L) and Payne
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Transcona Atomics (east) vs Riverside Canucks (west) best-of-five series
(September 29) Riverside Canucks and Transcona Atomics split the opening games of the best-of-five Manitoba Baseball Association final series. Atomics took the first game 7-5 while the Canucks roared back to win the second, 9-3.
Terry Moore and Bill Moody led the Atomics each with a pair of singles in the lid-lifter. Garth Seafoot drove in four runs for Riverside with a pair of doubles. Canucks, idle for an extended period, booted the ball 10 times.
Bob Hunter (W) and Bill Moody
Grant Everard (L) and Cliff Seafoot
Garth Seafoot again was the big bat as Riverside bounced back to even the series. Seafoot knocked in three runs hitting four singles. Barry Moffat added three hits and winning pitcher Russ Reid helped his own cause with a two-run double. Bob Hunter took the loss.
Russ Reid (W) and Cliff Seafoot
Bob Hunter (L), Al Hunter (6) and Bill Moody
(October 5) Atomics nipped the Canucks 3-1 in Saturday's opening game as Bob Hunter fired a three-hitter for the win. He racked up 13 strikeouts and walked just one. Lorne Lilley took the loss. Cam Hurst hit a double and single for the winners.
Bob Hunter (W) and Al Hunter
Lorne Lilley (L), Ross Kinsley (9) and Cliff Seafoot
Canucks exploded for nine runs in the third inning of the second game and cruised to a 14-2 victory to tie the series at two games apiece. Grant Everard went seven innings before giving way to Ross Kinsley to mop up. Terry Moore started and took the loss for the Atomics.
Grant Everard (W), Ross Kinsley (8) and Cliff Seafoot
Terry Moore, Gary Baxter (3), Al Hunter (4) and Bill Moody, Ernie Single (5)
(October 6) Jack Seitz rapped a pinch-hit double in the bottom of the 11th inning Sunday to drive in the only run of the deciding game of the Manitoba Baseball Association final series. Atomics started the 11th with Larry Chapman smashing a double. Seitz then came in to hit for injured catcher Bill Moody and cracked the game-winner. Last year, Seitz hit a home run to beat Brandon Cloverleafs in the provincial final. Bob Hunter got the mound decision over hard-luck loser Russ Reid. Hunter fanned seven and walked four in posting the shutout. He allowed eight hits. Reid yielded just five hits and also had seven strikeouts. He didn't walk a batter. Barry Moffat of the Canucks was the top hitter with three singles.
Russ Reid (L) and Garth Seafoot
Bob Hunter (W) and Bill Moody, Al Hunter (11)
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE - EAST DIVISION (Winnipeg Metro)
A team from the suburban community of Sanford in the Rural Municipality of MacDonald replaced C.U.A.C. in the 1968 alliance of clubs. It appears that this 1968 league made no attempt to promote itself or the product being played on the diamond. Lack of publicity from within resulted in anonymity/exclusion for this four-team Winnipeg & district senior-level circuit within the sports pages of the Free Press. No arm of the league appeared to be responsible for the reporting of game results and, as a consequence, almost none ever appeared. The result of one solitary regular-season game, played on July 25, did finally merit a snippet buried in the back pages. Once the playoffs began, coverage was almost as minimal. Even the final two games of the championship series were not reported upon although it is known that the Transcona Atomics prevailed over the Balmoral Orioles in seven games. On the other hand, reports from start to finish within the junior loop of the Capital City and environs, were routinely published.
Balmoral Orioles
Transcona Atomics
Sanford/R. M. of MacDonald
St. Boniface
(July 25) Gerald Hogue hammered the horsehide for four singles in leading Sanford to an 11 to 4 conquest of the Balmoral Orioles in an east division MSBL contest. Laverne Mannes earned the hillock triumph while Doug Marks was nailed with the loss. Other than Hogue’s four-hit performance with the baton for the winners, Ron Lagace smashed a home run and two singles, Jack Forsythe delivered three singles and Garth Mannes belted a triple to go along with a one-bagger. Rick Curtis and Art Essery each launched a round-tripper and a one-base rap for the Orioles.
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Transcona 12 5 .706 __
Balmoral 10 7 .588 2.0
St. Boniface 7 9 .438 4.5
Sanford 5 13 .278 7.5
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Sanford/R. M. of MacDonald vs Transcona & St. Boniface vs Balmoral (best-of-seven series)
(September 8) The Transcona Atomics swept a doubleheader from Sanford, by scores of 4 to 0 and 4 to 3, to win their best-of-seven semi-final series 4 games to 2. The Atomics now face Balmoral in the eastern division finals.
Terry Moore fanned 11 and allowed only three hits in recording the opening-game shutout. He was helped by three-hit performance from Ron Twerdochlib and Blair Burnett as well as Cam Hurst’s double and single.
In the second game, ace left-hander Bob Hunter bounced back from a shaky first inning, in which he allowed all three Sanford runs, to ring up 16 punchouts as the ’Sconas plated the winner in the tenth frame. Burnett ripped four singles to lead the Atomics at the plate while Gerry Lavery doubled home the winning run in the bottom-of-the-overtime session. Garth Mannes tripled and had three singles for the Suburbanites.
FINALS Balmoral vs Transcona (best-of-seven series)
(September 19) The Transcona Atomics took a three-games-to-two lead in the eastern division finals when they blanked the Balmoral Orioles 6 to 0. Winning pitcher Bob Hunter helped his own cause with a two-run homer in a game that lasted only 4-1/2 innings because of darkness. Hunter allowed only three hits while striking out 11 batters and walking three.
MANITOBA JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Carman Goldeyes
Fort Rouge Mallards
Legion #141
Portage la Prairie Plainsmen
South End Braves
South End Sioux
St. James Cardinals
SOUTH-CENTRAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
Boissevain Border Kings
Elgin
Glenboro Canucks
Hamiota
Oak River
Rivers Comets
Treesbank Tigers
Wawanesa
LA VERENDRYE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Anola
C.U.A.C. Blues
Grunthal Generals
Niverville
Ste. Anne
Steinbach Millers
Standings to July 2nd
CUAC* 10 - 2
Grunthal 9 - 4 1.5
Ste. Anne* 8 - 3 1.5
Steinbach 7 - 5 3.0
Anola 2 - 11 8.5
Niverville 1 - 12 9.5
* Played to a tie, June 11th
(August 25) The Steinback Millers are champions of the La Verendrye Baseball League. The Millers took six games to sideline the Grunthal Generals in what was supposed to be a best-of-five series for the title.
Millers won the deciding game 7-4. Ace pitcher Marv Hollender was presented with the Sauveur Marcoux Trophy emblematic of the league championship.
Hollender scattered four hits and fanned eight in gaining the mound vicotyr over Vic Bartel, Grunthal's starting catcher, who was forced into mound service when Hank Warkentin was not available. He gave up only six hits but had control troubles, walking ten and hitting two batters.
M.B.A. PLAYOFF TEAMS
NORTH-WESTERN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Angusville Cardinals
Binscarth Cardinals
NEEPAWA & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Neepawa Cubs