NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN LEAGUE

(May 26)   Veteran left-hander Ross Stone put an exclamation mark on opening day firing a no-hitter as Unity Cardinals swept Biggar Nationals 8-4 and 6-0.  Stone rang up 14 strikeouts and walked just one in his masterpiece in the second game.  Second baseman Jim Shaw collected three hits against losing pitcher Bob Thompson. 

Thompson (L) and xxx
Stone (W) and xxx

Larry Haylor scattered six hits in winning the first game beating Don Poindexter.  Stone provided the offense in this one with two hits, one a homer. Mel Dahlseide also had a four-bagger and Irl Flanagan went three-for four.

Poindexter (L), Proctor (7) and xxx
Haylor (W) and xxx

(May 26)  Cam Sternig blasted four homers, two in each game, as North Battleford crushed the Monarchs 16-8 and 8-0 at Neilburg.  The Beavers unleashed a 14-hit attack in the first game, led by Sternig's big bat. Winning pitcher Gerry Lister had three hits, one of them a homer.  Dave Hallis also had a circuit clout.  Manny Primeau and Carmen Keller each added two hits.

Lister (W) and xxx
Don McIntyre (L), xxx and xxx

Sternig's two homers and Primeau's homer and single proved enough for the second game victory. Lyle Bradley fired a three-hitter for the shutout win.

Bradley (W) and xxx
Chuck Nesbitt (L) and xxx

(May 26)  Saskatoon and the Klippers split a twin-bill at Kindersley.  The home team took the first game 3-2 and the Commodores walloped the Klippers 18-4 in the second game.  Jerry Flanagan drove in all three runs for the Klippers in the opener as Harold Hunchak bested Ron Fyfe on the mound. 

Fyfe (L) and xxx
Flanagan (W) and xxx

Edd Tabashniuk tossed a five-hitter in the Saskatoon victory. Rich Johnstone took the loss giving up all 12 runs in five innings. Ron Wallace had three hits, including a two-run homer in the 7th inning.  Ed Lukowich also had three safeties. Lane Jackson was the only Klipper with two hits.

Tabashniuk (W) and xxx
Rich Johnstone (L), xxx and xxx

(May 29)   In a thriller at Saskatoon, the Commodores came from behind to tie in the bottom of the 9th, fell behind in the top of the 10th, then scored a pair in the last of the extra frame to down Unity 6-5.  Down 4-1 after seven innings, Commodores got three hits and scored a pair in the 8th and tied it 4-4 in the 9th on one hit and an error.  But Unity went ahead in the 10th as Irl Flanagan drove in Jim Shaw, who had singled.  Saskatoon started quickly in their half of the 10th as Ed Lukowich led off with a single and Fred Maxemiuk followed with another one-bagger. Reliever Larry Haylor fanned Al Mitchell and Ron Wallace while Maxemiuk stole second. Bob Brown then lofted a high fly to right field which was dropped by Glenn Miller as the tying and winning runs came around to score. Reliever Ron Fyfe recorded the win allowing just an unearned run on three hits, with 11 strikeouts and no free passes, in six innings worked. Unity starter Ross Stone had fired a three-hitter over six innings before giving way to Haylor.  Ian Mitchell led Saskatoon's 10-hit effort driving in three runs with a triple and two singles. Lukowich had a double and two singles. Dick Schmidt had a double and two singles for the Cardinals.

Stone, Haylor (L 1-1) (7) and Doerksen
I. Mitchell, Fyfe (W 1-1) (5) and Gizen

(May 29)   Gerry Lister hurled a six-hitter to lead North Battleford to an 8-2 win over Biggar Nationals. He fanned nine and walked just one in picking up his second straight victory.  Don Poindexter took the loss. Beavers led 2-0 after two innings and wrapped up the contest with five runs in the 3rd.  Dave Hallis and Carman Keller led the attack each with two hits. Brian Hicke had a double and single for the Nationals.

Lister (W 2-0) and xxx
Poindexter (L 0-2) and xxx

NB Beavers           3  0  ---
Unity Cardinals      2  1  1.0
Saskatoon Commodores 2  1  1.0
Kindersley Klippers  1  1  1.5
Neilburg Monarchs    0  2  2.5
Biggar Nationals     0  3  3.0

(June 2)   In two sloppily played games, Saskatoon Commodores took a pair from Neilburg 9-0 and 7-4. The teams combined for 11 errors in the first game and 12 in the second. Left-hander Ron Fyfe had a five-hit shutout in the first game which was scoreless until the 6th inning when Saskatoon erupted for five runs. They added four in the 7th. Fyfe was superb with 15 strikeouts and two walks.  After loading the bases in the 9th, Fyfe struck out the side.

Edd Tabashniuk and Ken Haanen combined on a four-hitter in the second game. Robert Goulet gave up just nine hits in taking the loss.  Ed Lukowich led the Commodores with three hits.

D. McIntyre (L) and Blair
Fyfe (W) and Brown

Goulet (L) and Blair
Tabashniuk (W), Haanen (9) and Gizen, Bogren (9)

(June 2)   North Battleford Beavers gave up four runs in the first inning then responded with six in the second and that was all the scoring as the Beavers downed Unity 6-4 in the first of two.  Greg Dvorak, a weekend arrival from California, pitched shutout ball after the first frame to capture the win. His bases-loaded triple was the highlight of the six-run uprising.  Larry Haylor took the loss. Jim Shaw had a two-run homer for the Cardinals.

Unity's Ross Stone fired a four-hitter for a 1-0 shutout in the second game besting Gerry Lister who allowed just six hits. Stone fanned eight and walked only one. The only run was scored in the second inning. Glen Miller opened with a single, moved to second on an error, was sacrificed to third and scored on Ervin Boehm's safety.

Dvorak (W) and McKnight
Haylor (L), Rucobo (4) and Doerksen

Lister (L) and McKnight
Stone (W) and Doerksen

(June 2)   At Biggar, Kindersley whipped the Nationals 8-2 and 18-1. Harold Hunchak tossed a four-hitter in the first game as Wayne Morgan led a 15-hit attack with a triple and a pair of doubles. Lane Jackson, Wally Jackson and Jerry Flanagan each had two hits. Ed Gosselin had little trouble in the second game throwing shutout ball in his six innings of work as the Klippers' offense exploded for 24 hits and 18 runs. Morgan completed a day for the scrap book with five hits.  Garnet Hannon also went five for five.  Ron Goldade added four hits, Wally Jackson added three and Ernie Swyrota had a homer and a single. 

Hunchak (W) and D. Jackson
Proctor, Poindexter (L) (5) and Von Hagen

Gosselin (W), Hannon (7) and D. Jackson
Thompson (L), Proctor (5) and Von Hagen

NB Beavers           4   1  ---
Saskatoon Commodores 4   1  ---
Unity Cardinals      3   2  1.0
Kindersley Klippers  3   1  1.5
Neilburg Monarchs    0   4  3.5
Biggar Nationals     0   5  4.0

(June 5)   At Biggar, lefty Ron Fyfe shutout the Nationals on five hits as Saskatoon won 7-0. Playing coach Ron Wallace, who handled the club in the absence of manager Spero Leakos, led the Commodores with three hits, one a double. Don Parenteau paced Biggar with three hits.  Bob Thompson allowed ten hits in being saddled with the loss. 

Fyfe (W) and xxx
Thompson (L) and xxx

(June 5)   North Battleford's newcomer, Greg Dvorak, gave up just four hits and fanned 14 in blanking Kindersley 7-0.  Zeke Markowsky did most of the damage against his former club by collecting three hits, one a solo homer.

Dvorak (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(June 5)   Vince Rucobo was outstanding in pitching Unity to a 3-1 victory over Neilburg.  He allowed just five hits and rang up 19 strikeouts.  Don McIntyre also pitched well, giving up just five hits, but five errors by his fielders made the difference.

McIntyre (L) and xxx
Rucobo (W) and xxx

(June 9)   In two superb seven-inning pitching duels, North Battleford took a pair from Saskatoon.  Beavers scored a run in each of the first two innings of the first game and hung on for a 2-1 decision and scored a single run in the bottom of the final frame to take the second game 1-0. Gerry Lister and Greg Dvorak teamed up to hold the Commodores to just six hits on the day.  Lister gave up four hits and fanned 13 in first game before he needed help from Dvorak to get the last out with the bases loaded. Commodore starter Ron Fyfe was hit on the ankle by a drive off the bat of Jim Johnston in the 2nd inning and had to leave the game.  He could be lost to the club for up to two weeks. Dvorak fired a two-hitter, and struck out 13, to get the shutout in the second game.  Dave Middleton, a new import making his first appearance for Saskatoon, matched Dvorak allowing just two hits with the only run against him unearned. 

Fyfe (L), Tabashniuk (2) and Bogren
Lister (W), Dvorak (7) and McKnight

Middleton (L) and Bogren
Dvorak (W) and McKnight

(June 9)   Kindersley Klippers gave up just one run in sweeping a double-header from Unity 3-0 and 3-1. Gary Houston made his first start for Kindersley and was successful with a three-hitter for the shutout to best Ross Stone who suffered his first setback on a six-hitter.  Veteran Harold Hunchak topped Vince Rucobo in the second game. Hunchak tossed a four-hitter while Rucobo lost with a three-hitter.

Stone (L) and Doerksen
Houston (W) and D. Jackson

Rucobo (L) and Doerksen
Hunchak (W) and Goldade

(June 9)   Biggar Nationals pounded out 30 hits on the day to crush Neilburg Monarchs 15-5 and 12-2.  The versatile Don Poindexter was the hero for the Nationals. The team's playing manager led the assault with two homers and two singles in the first game and a homer and three singles in the second. He also hurled the second game and fired a three-hitter.  Don Parenteau had a homer and double in the opener while Brian Hicke added two doubles and a single. Larry Flicek clouted a homer for the Monarchs. Bob Thompson was the winner in the first game. Lee Von Hagen poked a four-bagger for Biggar in the second and Chuck Martin added a triple. Don McIntyre walloped a homer for the Monarchs.

Thompson (W) and Dyck
D. McIntyre (L) and Blair

Poindexter (W) and Dyck
R. McIntyre (L) and Blair

(June 12)   Neilburg Monarchs, led by Pat Viner's four-hit pitching, snapped a seven-game losing streak Wednesday night trouncing Biggar Nationals 10-2. A big six-run 2nd inning carried Monarchs to the win.  Jim Dubey had three of Neilburg's 13 safeties, including a double. Larry Flicek had a two-run triple and Viner, Tony Blair and Pat Gibbons each had two hits. Irl Davis was the losing pitcher.

Pat Viner (W) and xxx
Earl Davis (L), xxx, xxx and xxx

(June 12)   Unity Cardinals shaded Kindersley Klippers 6-5 in an error-filled contest at Unity.  Cardinals had six hits and six errors while the Klippers had six hits and made five errors. Wayne Morgan of Kindersley was the top hitter with a three-run triple in the 4th inning.  Larry Haylor, who picked up the win with relief help from Vince Rucobo, helped with two hits for Unity.  Al Paganucci took the loss.

Haylor (W), Rucobo () and xxx
Paganucci (L) and xxx

(June 12)   Ian Mitchell laid down a squeeze bunt with the bases loaded to score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning as Saskatoon got by North Battleford 7-6 in hotly disputed contest at Cairns Field.  In the 9th, Beavers' manager Ken Nelson declared he was playing the game under protest.  Gerry Lister ran afoul of the spit ball rule. Jim Johnston of the Beavers was a main participant in a bat-throwing incident and the right-hander was part of an old-fashioned rhubarb with Commodores' manager Spero Leakos. 

Saskatoon's winning effort in the 9th began with Ken Haanen's third hit of the game, a single to left. Bob Lewis followed with a sacrifice down the third base line but the throw to first eluded first sacker Peter Duncan and Haanen ended up at third and Lewis at second. Greg Dvorak issued an intentional walk to Bob Bjornson before fanning Al Mitchell.  Brother Ian, who had struck out three times and made an error earlier in the game, then laid down a bunt to hand the victory to relief pitcher Dave Middleton.

Duncan, Lister (L) (4), Dvorak (9) and McKnight
Simon, Middleton (W) (8) and Bogren

(June 16)    After losing their first seven games of the season, Neilburg Monarchs have now won three in a row after capturing both ends of a twin-bill, 2-1 and 7-3, over Unity Cardinals.  New import hurlers Pat Viner and Mike Wendt led Monarchs to the victories. Viner won his second in as many starts with a six-hitter in the first game.  His bat was equally as impressive as he belted a homer in the bottom of the 7th inning for the deciding run. Viner compiled nine strike outs and walked just one. Erwin Doerksen's homer accounted for the only run for the Cardinals.  Ross Stone gave up nine hits in taking the loss. Larry Flicek had a double and two singles for the Monarchs. In the second game, Brian McIntyre clouted a homer and single and John Dubey added three singles to lead Neilburg to the win.  For Unity, Glen Miller poked a homer and double.  Wendt bested Vince Rucobo for the mound decision.

Stone (L) and xxx
Viner (W) and xxx

Rucobo (L) and xxx
Wendt (W) and xxx

(June 16)  Saskatoon Commodores swept a double-header from Biggar Sunday, 9-2 and 4-3, to move into a tie for first place with North Battleford. Ron Fyfe sparkled in the opener firing a two-hitter and helping at the plate with a pair of safeties.  The game was scoreless for four innings before the Commodores erupted for five runs in the 5th inning and another four in the 7th. Ken Haanen led the offense with a triple and double.  Saskatoon needed two extra innings to win the nightcap. They scored the winner on an error with two out in the 9th inning of the scheduled seven-inning contest. Commodores managed just five hits off Bob Thompson and reliever Irl Davis.  Dave Middleton picked up the win with late relief help from Scott Simon. Haanen again led the attack with a pair of hits.  Don Poindexter had three for the Nationals.

Fyfe (W) and xxx
Zaichowsky (L), xxx (7) and xxx

Middleton (W), Simon (9) and xxx
Thompson, Davis (L) (6) and xxx

(June 16)   North Battleford and Kindersley split a twin-bill. Beavers won the opener 10-4, Klippers captured the second game, 9-6.  Kindersley's Gary Houston was the losing pitcher in the first game, but came back to capture the win in relief in the nightcap.  A seven-run, 3rd inning was key in North Battleford's victory. Cam Sternig's bases-loaded double was the highlight of the big frame. Klippers unleashed a 13-hit attack to win the second game.  A two-run single by Garnet Hannon keyed a four-run 3rd inning for the winners.

Dvorak (W) and xxx
Houston (L) and xxx

xxx (L) and xxx
xxx, Houston (W) and xxx

(June 17)   Saskatoon Commodores rapped 13 hits and took advantage of six Biggar errors to demolish the Nationals 15-1 at Cairns Field to take over sole possession of first place, a half-game up on North Battleford Beavers. Second baseman Bob Bjornson led the attack driving in four runs with a double and three singles. He also scored three times. Winning pitcher Scott Simon, who tossed a four-hitter, knocked in three runs with a pair of hits, one of them a double. Shortstop Randy Munch accounted for three runs with a sacrifice, an infield hit and when hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 3rd. Simon fanned ten and walked two in his route-going effort.

Poindexter (L), Thompson (3), Proctor (5) and Chatham, Von Hagen (5)
Simon (W) and Brown, Thiessen (7)

(June 19)   Cam Sternig's two-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning was the winning blow as North Battleford Beavers topped Unity 4-2 to take over first place in the NSBL. The blast handed Greg Dvorak his 5th pitching win of the season.  Manny Primeau had two singles and Zeke Markowsky ripped a double for the Beavers. Jim Shaw belted a first inning homer for Unity. It was a tough loss for Cardinals' Larry Haylor who scattered seven hits. 

Haylor (L) and xxx
Dvorak (W 5-0) and xxx

(June 19)  Neilburg topped the Commodores 7-4 in a rain-shortened affair, ended after five innings.  Saskatoon had a 4-2 lead but let the margin slip away in the 4th when the Monarchs scored five times to take the victory.  Jim Wendt picked up the win, in relief of starter Don McIntyre.  Glen Brockhoff had two hits, a double and single, for the winners.

McIntyre, Wendt (W) (4) and xxx
Tabashniuk (L), Middleton (4) and xxx

(June 19)   In a wild one at Kindersley, the hometown Klippers escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 9th inning to edge the Biggar Nationals 11-10.  With four runs already in and the sacks full, Gary Houston was called in to relieve and fanned Irl Davis to preserve the victory. Garnet Hannon belted a two-run homer in the 2nd for Kindersley. Jerry Flanagan added two doubles and a single. For Biggar, Don Parenteau had three hits, one a homer, and Stan Stefanowski knocked in four runs with a homer and single. Both sides had 11 hits.  Harold Hunchak was credited with the win.

Hunchak (W), Paganucci (9), Houston (9) and xxx
Zaichowsky (L), Davis (5) and xxx

(June 23)  Shutout pitching and a heavy hitting offense carried North Battleford to lopsided wins in both ends of a double-header at Biggar, 8-0 and 23-0. Gerry Lister fired a one-hitter in the first game.  Bob Graham's two-out single in the 7th spoiled Lister's bid for a no-hitter.  Zeke Markowsky led the attack with a homer and two singles.  Jim Johnston and Don Hilsendager each had two hits. Pete Duncan allowed just three hits in the second game and cracked a grand slam homer.  Cam Sternig led the assault on four Biggar hurlers with five hits, two of them doubles. Markowsky had four safeties while Duncan and Ira McKnight each had three. 

Lister (W) and xxx
Davis (L) and xxx

Duncan (W) and xxx
xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx

(June 23)   Shutouts were also on the menu at Kindersley as the Klippers blanked Neilburg 2-0 and 4-0. Al Paganucci had a five-hitter and no walks to capture the win in the first game.  Pat Viner of the Monarchs also had a five-hitter, but he added five free passes.  Ron Goldade provided the only run the Klippers needed, with a homer. Gary Houston got the shutout in the second game with a three-hit performance. He fanned 11. Wayne Morgan, with a two-run homer and Lane Jackson, with three hits, including a solo homer, led the offense against Mike Wendt.. John Dubey had two hits for the Monarchs.

Viner (L) and xxx
Paganucci (W) and xxx

Wendt (L) and xxx
Houston (W) and xxx

(June 23)   At Unity, Scott Simon blanked the Cardinals with a three-hitter as Saskatoon took the nightcap 1-0 after losing the opener 8-2.  Simon and Vince Rucobo locked horns in a tight pitching duel before the Commodore ace emerged the winner on an unearned run in the top of the 8th inning.  Catcher Bryant Bogren reached on an error and moved to second on Simon's bunt single.  He scored on an overthrow of first base on a ground ball off the bat of Randy Munch. Rucobo finished with a four-hitter and 14 strikeouts. 

In the first game, Dave Middleton was cruising along with a three-hitter and a 2-0 lead until the roof fell in during the 6th inning. Jim Shaw and Lyle May worked Middleton for walks and Larry Haylor beat out a bunt to load the bases.  Erwin Doerksen tied it with a two-run single.  Ross Stone was safe on another bunt single and Ervin Boehm doubled home two more.  With Ron Fyfe in to relieve, May belted a two-run double.  Stone threw a five-hitter for the win.  Ken Haanen singled and scored on a triple by Ed Lukowich for the first Saskatoon run and Munch had the other as he doubled and scored on another single by Haanen. 

Middleton (L), Fyfe (6) and xxx
Stone (W) and xxx

Simon (W) and Bogren
Rucobo (L) and xxx

NB Beavers           11   3  ---
Kindersley Klippers   9   4  1.5
Saskatoon Commodores 10   5  1.5
Unity Cardinals       6   8  5.0
Neilburg Monarchs     4   9  6.5
Biggar Nationals      2  13  9.5

(June 26)   Unity Cardinals exploded for five runs in the first inning and went on to an 8-6 victory over Biggar. The big blow in the inning was a three-run double by Dick Schmidt.  Cardinals had just four hits but took advantage of 11 bases on balls.  Larry Haylor, with help from Vince Rucobo, picked up the victory.  For Biggar, Lee Von Hagen had three hits and Brian Hicke added a pair of doubles.

Bob Thompson (L) and Von Hagen
Haylor (W), Rucobo and xxx

(June 26)   The Beavers and the Monarchs fought to an 8-8 draw in a game called after ten innings because of darkness at Neilburg. Monarchs erased 4-1 and 8-4 North Battleford leads to pull even with a single run in the bottom of the 9th inning.  Cam Sternig crushed a pair of home runs for the Beavers and Larry Flicek had two for the Monarchs. John Dubey had a homer, double and single for Neilburg while Ira McKnight chipped in with three hits for the Beavers.

Dvorak, Lister and xxx
Viner, Wendt and xxx

(June 26)   Saskatoon Commodores rode the strong arm of Ron Fyfe to a 4-1 win over Kindersley Klippers. The lefty gave up just three hits before giving way to reliever Scott Simon with one out in the 9th. Randy Munch led the Commodores' offense with a two-run homer and a single. 

Hunchak (L), Paganucci (5) and O'Sullivan
Fyfe (W), Simon (9) and Bogren

NB Beavers           11   3  ---
Saskatoon Commodores 11   5  1.0
Kindersley Klippers   9   5  2.0
Unity Cardinals       7   8  4.5
Neilburg Monarchs     4   9  6.5
Biggar Nationals      2  14  10.0

(July 1)  Unity Cardinals crushed the North Battleford Beavers 11-1 to win top money in the Northern Saskatchewan league's annual Dominion Day tournament.  Bill Welcher, a new import, making his first start for Unity, pitched seven innings of shutout ball before turning over mop-up duties to Larry Haylor. Greg Dvorak took the loss.  A six-run 8th inning put the game out of reach.  Jim Shaw, named the tourney's most valuable player, led the Cards with two hits, one a triple.  Erwin Doerksen added three singles.

Welcher (W) and xxx
Dvorak (L), Lister and xxx

Playing before the home fans, Unity reached the final with an 8-4 victory over Saskatoon Commodores. Cardinals rang up three runs in the first inning and another five in the third and coasted to the win.  Ross Stone went the distance for the mound decision.  Ron Fyfe took the loss. Dick Schmidt's two-run triple was the big blow for the Cards.

Stone (W) and xxx
Fyfe (L), xxx (3) and xxx

Cards downed Kindersley 4-0 in their opening game behind Vince Rucobo's three-hit shutout.  He struck out ten and also hit a double and scored a run. Gary Houston was charged with the loss.

Rucobo (W) and xxx
Houston (L) and xxx

North Battleford won it's opening round match 5-2 over Biggar as Pete Duncan held the Nationals to five hits. Irl Davis took the loss. After Biggar had taken the early lead with a run in the 3rd, the Beavers stormed back with four runs in their half of the frame. Ira McKnight drove in two with a single and Cam Sternig plated two more with a double. Beavers won a bye to the final.

Duncan (W) and xxx
Davis (L) and xxx

In other opening round action, Saskatoon Commodores got a brilliant two-hitter from Scott Simon to blank Neilburg Monarchs 1-0. The left-hander fanned 16 in the seven-inning contest and drove in the only run with the single.  Losing pitcher Mike Wendt allowed just four hits. 

Simon (W) and xxx
Wendt (L) and xxx

(July 3)   North Battleford maintained its one-game margin atop the standings taking a 9-4 decision from Neilburg. A five-run 3rd inning proved decisive. Winning pitcher Pete Duncan and Jim Johnston each had two hits for the Beavers.  Manny Primeau blasted a two-run triple in the 8th. Greg Dvorak pitched the final 1 2/3s innings for the winners striking out the first four men he faced on 12 pitches. Don Poindexter made his first appearance for the Beavers after his acquisition from Biggar.

Viner (L) and xxx
Lister, Duncan (W), Poindexter, Duncan, Dvorak (8) and xxx

(July 3)   At Biggar, Lyle May sparked the Unity Cardinals to an easy 12-4 win over the Nationals. May had three hits, including a three-run homer. Ernie Lawton and Erwin Doerksen each added three hits. Don Swyryda paced Biggar with three safeties.

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 3)   Saskatoon topped Kindersley 8-2 to stay just a game off the NSBL lead.  Dave Middleton went the distance for the win and Scott Simon led the attack driving in four runs with a double and two singles.  Ed Lukowich, the Commodores' right-fielder went hitless but scored four times as the Klippers made five errors. Commodores collected eight hits off losing pitcher Al Paganucci.

Middleton (W) and xxx
Paganucci (L) and xxx

NB Beavers           12   3  ---
Saskatoon Commodores 12   5  1.0
Kindersley Klippers   9   6  3.0
Unity Cardinals       8   8  4.5
Neilburg Monarchs     4  10  7.5
Biggar Nationals      2  15  11.0

(July 5)   Unity won its third straight as Vince Rucobo fired a five-hitter to lead the Cardinals to a 4-2 win over Kindersley.  Cards had seven hits off losing pitcher Harold Hunchak. Irl Flanagan and Ross Stone each chipped in with two hits for the winners while Dick Schmidt and Larry Haylor each had a triple. Ron Goldade rapped a triple and double for the Klippers.

Hunchak (L) and xxx
Rucobo (W) and xxx

(July 7)   Saskatoon Commodores scored three in the 3rd inning and held on for a 3-2 win over Unity Cardinals. After the first two batters of the third were retired on grounders, Commodores got four consecutive hits to score the three runs.  Randy Munch, Ken Haanen and Ed Lukowich each rapped singles before Bob Bjornson's fly ball, which centre fielder Mel Dahlseide appeared to misjudge in the strong wind, fell for a hit. Unity got on the board with a run in the 7th and rallied in the 9th as Irl Flanagan worked Scott Simon for a walk and Erwin Doerksen followed with a single. Lyle May sacrificed the runners into scoring position and losing pitcher Ross Stone lined one to left to drive in the Cards' second run.  Doerksen, tried to score from second but Haanen relayed the ball to third baseman Al Mitchell who rifled a throw to catcher Bryant Bogren to nail the Unity outfielder at the plate.  Scott Simon, who had a no-hitter until Flanagan doubled in the 7th, limited the Cards to five hits while compiling nine strikeouts and issuing one free pass.  Commodores collected ten hits off Stone, including a triple and two singles by Haanen and a two-run triple and single by Bjornson.

Stone (L) and xxx
Simon (W) and Bogren

(July 7)    The Beavers swept a double-header from the last-place Biggar Nationals by scores of 12-0 and 5-1 at North Battleford. Greg Dvorak blanked the Nats on three hits in the opener to chalk up his sixth win without a loss.  He struck out 13 and gave up a single base on balls. Manny Primeau had a double and a pair of singles for the winners. Ira McKnight, Don Poindexter and Dvorak each had a double and single.  Gerry Lister fired a two-hitter in the nightcap.  He rang up ten strikeouts.  Poindexter had two hits for the Beavers and Ira McKnight drew three walks to boost his league-leading total to 22.

Davis (L), Hoult (4) and xxx
Dvorak (W 6-0) and xxx

Zaichowsky (L) and xxx
Lister (W) and xxx

(July 7)   At Neilburg, the Monarchs and Kindersley split the decisions, with the hometown club taking the first game 7-4 and the Klippers rebounding for a 7-6 win in the second game. Pat Viner stopped the Klippers on six hits in the opener. He fanned 11 and walked one.  Al Paganucci took the loss. John Dubey led the winners with two doubles and a single. Jerry Flanagan bashed a homer for Kindersley. Paganucci belted a homer and single and Flanagan added three singles to lead the Klippers to the win in the second game. Tony Blair had a homer for the Monarchs and Dubey rapped a pair of doubles and a single.

Viner (W) and xxx
Paganucci (L), Hunchak (5), Houston (6) and xxx

Wendt, McIntyre (L 0-5) (6) and xxx
Houston (W 4-1) and xxx

(July 10)   Dave Middleton yielded just three hits and rang up 13 strikeouts Wednesday as Saskatoon Commodores blanked Neilburg Monarchs 5-0.  Shortstop Randy Munch was the Commodores' sparkplug with singles to ignite Saskatoon rallies in the 1st and 8th innings when the Commodores scored all their runs. Eight Neilburg errors, all but one coming in the two crucial innings aided the Saskatoon offensive.  Only two of the runs off losing pitcher Pat Viner were earned as he limited the winners to five hits.

Viner (L) and Dubey
Middleton (W) and Bogren

(July 10)   An 8th inning single by Erwin Doerksen scored Ervin Boehm from second base and handed Unity Cardinals a 2-1 victory over North Battleford.  Losing pitcher Pete Duncan had bashed a homer in the top of the 8th to tie the contest at 1-1. Unity took the lead in the first inning when Lyle May doubled, stole third and scored on catcher Ira McKnight's wild throw. Vince Rucobo, who relieved starter Bill Welcher in the 6th, was credited with the win.  The pair combined on a seven-hitter and eight strikeouts.  Duncan gave up eight hits and fanned 11. May led the Cards with his double and single. Cam Sternig had the big bat for the Beavers with a triple and two singles.

Duncan (L) and McKnight
Welcher, Rucobo (W) (6) and xxx

(July 10)   Kindersley came from behind to top Biggar 3-2.  The Nationals took a 2-0 lead but couldn't hold it as the Klippers chipped away with single runs in the 5th, 6th and 8th for the win. Gary Houston, who relieved Harold Hunchak in the 6th, picked up the win. Irl Davis took the loss. Ron Goldade had two hits for the winners and Wayne Jackson added a triple. Don Swyryda drove in both Biggar runs with a double in the third inning.

Hunchak, Houston (W) (6) and xxx
Davis (L) and xxx

(July 14)   Neilburg Monarchs topped Biggar Nationals 11-5 as winning pitcher Mike Wendt scattered eight hits and fanned 15. Loser Bob Zaichowsky allowed ten hits, issued seven walks and had 11 strikeouts. Don McIntyre rapped a double and single for the Monarchs while Tony Keller had a homer and single for the Nationals.

Zaichowsky (L) and xxx
Wendt (W) and xxx

(July 15)   Don Poindexter struggled with his control, walking eight, but held Saskatoon to four hits as North Battleford blanked the Commodores 4-0.  Poindexter needed help in the 9th when he walked two and had a 2-0 count on Bob Brown with no outs. Greg Dvorak was called upon to relieve and completed the base on balls to Brown to load the sacks, but retired the next three in order to preserve the win and the shutout. The only run the Beavers needed came in the 2nd inning when Ira McKnight reached on an error, went to second on Cam Sternig's single and scored on a double by Don Hilsendager. Zeke Markowsky's two-run single in the 4th made it 3-0 for North Battleford and Pete Duncan blasted a homer over the left-centre field fence in the 5th inning. Beavers collected eight hits off Scott Simon who fanned 12 and walked five.  Entering Monday's game, Simon had a record of 3-0 with a remarkable earned run average of 0.79 with just six walks but 40 strikeouts in 34 innings.

Poindexter (W), Dvorak (9) and McKnight
Simon (L 3-1) and Bogren, Brown (7)

NB Beavers           15   4  ---
Saskatoon Commodores 14   6  1.5
Kindersley Klippers  11   8  4.0
Unity Cardinals      10   9  5.0
Neilburg Monarchs     6  12  8.5
Biggar Nationals      2  19  14.0

(July 17)   Unity Cardinals downed Kindersley Klippers 7-6 in 10 innings. Cards plated the winner when the Klippers' Gary Houston walked three consecutive batters before Erwin Doerksen drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Houston (L) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 17)  At North Battleford, Pete Duncan tossed the shutout as the Beavers whipped the Commodores 6-0. Scott Simon was the loser.

Simon (L) and xxx
Duncan (W) and xxx

(July 18)   At Neilburg, the Monarchs rallied from a 5-0 deficit with six runs in the 6th and another in the bottom of the 7th to shade Kindersley 7-6 in a game called after seven because of darkness.  It was the second one-run loss in two days for the Klippers, having dropped a 7-6 decision to Unity on Wednesday. Pat Viner survived five errors by his teammates to pitch a three-hitter for the win. He had five strikeouts and issued just one base on balls. Viner helped the offense with two hits as did Glen Brockhoff and John Dubey. Ernie Syrota's three-run homer was the highlight of a five-run 4th inning for the Klippers. Gary Houston took the loss giving up four hits and five walks in his two innings on the hill.

Hunchak, Houston (L) (6) and Goldade
Viner (W) and Dubey

(July 19)   

(July 19)   Bill Welcher and Larry Haylor combined on a two-hitter as Unity Cardinals crushed Biggar Nationals 9-0 Friday.  Welcher received credit for the win with relief help from Haylor in the sixth.  Irl Davis yielded 11 hits in taking the loss. Lyle May and Mel Dahlseide each slammed three singles for Unity. Dick Schmidt had a triple and single. Chuck Martin had both hits for Biggar.

Davis (L) and xxx
Welcher (W), Haylor (6) and xxx

(July 21)   North Battleford Beavers stretched their lead atop the NSBL standings to 3 /12 games Sunday with a double-header sweep over Kindersley, 4-1 and 15-0.  Greg Dvorak pitched a five-hitter for the win in the first game. Ira McKnight's homer highlighted a three-run 7th inning for the Beavers. Al Paganucci allowed just seven hits in taking the mound defeat.

Dvorak (W) and xxx
Paganucci (L) and xxx

In the second game, North Battleford clouted two grand-slam homers to cruise to the 15-0 victory. Winning pitcher Gerry Lister aided his own cause with a bases-loaded blast and a single while holding the Klippers to just three hits in hurling the shutout. He compiled 12 strikeouts, but walked six. Manny Primeau crushed a grand slam homer in the third and Cam Sternig added a three-run shot.

Lister (W) and xxx
Houston (L), Hunchak (3), Gosselin (5) and xxx

(July 21)  At Biggar, the Nationals and Neilburg split the pair with the visitors taking the opener 3-2 and the Nationals winning the second 7-6.  The Monarch's Pat Viner was the winning pitcher in the first game taking over for starter Bill McIntyre in the 5th inning. The pair combined for 15 strikeouts. Viner helped the offense with a double and scored the winning run in the 9th inning. Tony Blair added two hits for the winners.  Chuck Martin had three safeties for Biggar. 

McIntyre, Viner (W) (5) and xxx
Hoult (L) and xxx

Biggar responded with a one-run triumph in the second game as Clarence Proctor went the distance with an eight-hitter for the win.  Martin and Irl Davis each had two hits for the Nationals.

Wendt (L), McIntyre (5) and xxx
Proctor (W) and xxx

(July 25)  See Lacombe Tournament   

(July 26)   Saskatoon Commodores plated three in the first inning and coasted to an 8-1 triumph over the error-prone Biggar Nationals who made seven miscues.  Ron Fyfe and Edd Tabashniuk combined on a five-hitter with Fyfe, who worked seven innings, getting credit for the win.  Ed Lukowich knocked in the winning run with a two-run single in that initial frame. Ken Haanen had just one hit but scored three times and stole three bases, including a clever theft of home.

Davis (L) and Chatham
Fyfe (W), Tabashniuk (8) and Bogren

NB Beavers           18   4  ---
Saskatoon Commodores 15   7  3.0
Unity Cardinals      12   9  5.5
Kindersley Klippers  11  12  7.5
Neilburg Monarchs     8  13  9.5
Biggar Nationals      3  22  16.5

(July 26)   One member of the Neilburg Monarchs was killed and two others injured in a car accident Friday as they were returning from Edmonton after playing for Kindersley at the Lacombe Tournament.  Pitcher Pat Viner, of California, died in the accident. Fellow American imports John Dubey and Mike Wendt were injured.

(July 28)  See Kindersley Tournament  

(July 31)  The cellar-dwelling Biggar Nationals pulled the upset of the 1968 NSBL season by edging the league-leading North Battleford Beavers 8 to 7 before a hometown crowd. It was only the fourth win in 26 starts for the Nationals who are already eliminated from a playoff berth. The Nats came back from a 7 to 2 deficit to surprise the Beavers, counting 4 runs in the eighth inning and two more in the bottom of the ninth. The winning tally was produced by Irl Davis' sacrifice fly after a walk to winning pitcher Clarence Proctor had forced in the tying counter. Proctor relieved Davis in the fifth and the two allowed seven hits. Pete Duncan suffered the loss despite striking out 13. Brian Hicke led Biggar at the plate with two hits in five official trips while Bob Hoult added a triple. North Battleford's Cam Sternig went three for four including a homer while fellow Beavers, Gerry Lister and Ira McKnight, each had a brace of base raps.

Duncan (L), Dvorak (9) and McKnight
Davis, Proctor (5) (W) and Chatham

(July 31)  The second-place Saskatoon Commodores were beaten 4 to 1 by the Unity Cardinals in an NSBL encounter played in Unity. The Cardinals picked up eight hits during the game in which they never trailed. In spite of the loss, the Commodores pulled off the league's first triple play of the season. The Redbirds' Vince Rucobo held Saskatoon to five hits in notching the mound decision. He fanned twelve and walked three. Scott Simon, who was relieved in the eighth, was tagged with the loss. Rucobo and Ed Ralston each had two singles to pace the Unity offensive. Bryant Bogren had a pair of one-baggers and Ed Lukowich a triple for the visitors from the Hub City.

Simon (L), Hebert (8) and Bogren
Rucobo (W) and May

(July 31)  In a battle for the fourth and last playoff spot, the Kindersley Klippers dumped the Neilburg Monarchs 10 to 4. With the victory, the Klips now have a three-game bulge over the Monarchs. Al Paganucci was the winning twirler for Kindersley, going all the way while scattering six hits. He whiffed nine and walked four. New import hurler, John Reha from Williston, North Dakota was the losing chucker. Reha and Len Bacombe of Fresno, California joined the Neilburg squad as replacements for their recently lost imports. Jerry Flanagan led the 14-hit Klipper attack with three hits, including a double. Garnet Hannon and Bill O'Sullivan each had a double and single while Lane Jackson and Ed Gosselin contributed two singles apiece. Glen Brockhoff led Neilburg with three base blows, one of which fell in for two bases. In his NSBL debut, Bacombe had two hits including the game's only home run.

Reha (L) and D. McIntyre
Paganucci (W) and O'Sullivan 

(August 1)  Jim Shaw's bases-loaded single in the fifth inning was sufficient to give the Unity Cardinals a 3 to 1 win over the Biggar Nationals in NSBL play. Shaw's hit, only the fourth of the game for the winners, preserved the pitching victory for Bill Welcher. Unity's Welcher fanned 10 and surrendered four hits. Bob Hoult was the losing pitcher. He was relieved by Clarence Proctor in the eighth inning. Welcher collected the encounter's only extra-base hit, a double.

Welcher (W) and xxx
Hoult (L), Proctor (8) and xxx 

(August 4)  The Unity Cardinals pulled into a second-place tie with the Saskatoon Commodores when they swept a doubleheader from the Neilburg Monarchs by scores of 9 to 3 and 5 to 0. Redbird chucker Vince Rucobo started the afternoon's proceedings by stopping the visitors with a five-hitter. Loser Don McIntyre gave up ten base blows. Lyle May blasted an inside-the-park homer and picked up a single to lead the Cards at the dish. Teammate Jim Shaw had a trio of singles while Rucobo drilled a pair of one-baggers. Larry Flicek's triple and a two-bagger by Brian McIntyre were the big hits for Neilburg off Rucobo.

D. McIntyre (L) and xxx
Rucobo (W) an xxx

Ross Stone fired a one-hitter, giving up only Glen Thompson's sixth-inning single, to earn the complete game nightcap triumph. Lyle May picked up a brace of one-baggers for the Cards in support of Stone's superlative mound outing. Neilburg's Chuck Nesbitt, stung for seven base hits, was saddled with the loss.  

Nesbitt (L) and xxx
Stone (W) and xxx

(August 8)  Jim Kocourek's run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh frame allowed the Biggar Nationals to earn a 2 - 2 tie with the Saskatoon Commodores in an eight-inning, darkness-shortened contest at Biggar. The Commodores had held a 2 to 0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth before the Nationals, cellar-dwellers in the circuit, responded with single tallies in the sixth and seventh. Saskatoon out-hit Biggar 11 to 10 as Ron Fyfe and reliever Al Hebert of the Saskatonians were nicked for a pair of doubles and a single by Brian Hicke. Dave Hawes and Wayne Barton each had a pair of singles for the Nats. Nationals' starter Clarence Proctor and fireman Irl Davis surrendered a triple and single to Fred Maxemiuk of the Commodores while clubmates Ron Wallace and Bob Bjornson chipped in with a brace of singles each.

Fyfe, Hebert (6) and Bogren
Proctor, Davis (7) and Dyck

(August 9)  Harold Hunchak made sure that the North Battleford Beavers didn't hold any pennant-victory celebrations at his expense. The steady Right-hander limited the league-leading Beavers to three hits and struck out 12 as his Kindersley Klippers edged North Battleford 2 to 1. Hunchak allowed singles to Don Poindexter and Zeke Markowsky as well as a two-bagger to Ira McKnight in stopping the Beavers while the Klips rapped loser Greg Dvorak for seven hits. The loss was Dvorak's first of the season. He struck out 13 Klippers. Ed Gosselin's solo homer in the sixth inning broke a 1 - 1 deadlock and propelled Kindersley to the triumph.

Hunchak (W) and xxx
Dvorak (L) and xxx

(August 11)  The visiting Saskatoon Commodores handed the Neilburg Monarchs a double taste of defeat as they took out their hosts by a narrow 2 to 1 margin in the matinee of a twin-bill and then followed up with a 13 to 1 throttling of the Monarchs in the second encounter of the day. Scott Simon hurled a neat two-hitter for the Commodores in the opening game to lead the Saskatonians to their narrow verdict over the Monarchs. The Commodores collected single runs in the first and sixth innings against the tough hurling of Don McIntyre who allowed only three hits in taking the loss. The Monarchs scored their lone run in the fourth frame. Simon struck out 11 and walked two while McIntyre fanned seven and gave up six free passes. Randy Munch and Bob Bjornson hit doubles for the winners. 

Simon (W) and xxx
D. McIntyre (L) and xxx

Not to be outdone by his pitching mate, Saskatoon's Dave Middleton copied Simon's act in the second game, also firing a two-hitter, while the Commodore offense was busy overwhelming the Monarchs, clouting 10 hits against loser Bob Goulet and reliever McIntyre.

Middleton (W) and xxx
Goulet (L), D. McIntyre and xxx    

(August 11)  The Kindersley Klippers took a Sunday double-dip from the Biggar Nationals by scores of 5 to 4 and 14 to 1 in Biggar.  Although out-hit in the opener, the Klippers won the game on the basis of Wally Jackson's two-run double in the top of the seventh. Al Paganucci picked up the mound win over the Nationals' Irl Davis who also went the distance.

Paganucci (W) and xxx
Davis (L) and xxx

Garnet Hannon supplied three hits, including a homer, to give Kindersley pitcher Ed Gosselin all the cushion he needed to record the win in the follow-up encounter. Clarence Proctor was the loser.

Gosselin (W) and xxx
Proctor and xxx 

(August 11)  The North Battleford Beavers and Unity Cardinals split a brace of games played in the Beavers' home park. North Battleford took the opener 3 to 0 and lost a 10-inning marathon, 6 to 3 to Unity.  Gerry Lister threw a three-hit shutout for the Beavers in their first game victory. North Battleford smashed eight hits in defeating the Cardinals. Lister also supplied the main hitting power for the Beavers with a double and single which drove in two of the three runs, including the winner. Zeke Markowsky and Ira McKnight added a double each.

xxx (L) and xxx
Lister (W) and xxx

Unity's Vince Rucobo allowed only four hits in the day's final game but was extended to the tenth inning before claiming victory. He got relief help from Bill Welcher in the extra frame. Pete Duncan, who had relief help from Greg Dvorak in the fateful 10th, was tagged with the loss. Ed Ralston provided the winning punch with a three-run triple down the first base line. Jim Shaw of the Cardinals had three hits in the game, including a home run and a double.

Rucobo (W), Welcher (10) and xxx
Duncan (L), Dvorak (10) and xxx

(August 12)  The Kindersley Klippers let a 3 to 0 lead slip away from them in the bottom of the ninth inning, only to roar back for a pair of tenth frame counters as they walked away with a 5 to 3 win over the hosting Saskatoon Commodores. Edd Tabashniuk allowed only three hits in going the 10-inning distance at Cairns Field but his Commodore mates committed six errors behind him. Tabashniuk struck out seven and walked six batters. Winning pitcher Gary Houston struck out 17 Commodores but allowed 11 hits in the game. The Klips also committed six fielding miscues, five of them in the bottom of the ninth which allowed Saskatoon to temporarily knot the count. Failure to come through offensively with runners on base also led to the Commodores' downfall as they stranded 15 men. Randy Munch had three singles while Tabashniuk and Scott Simon came through with a pair each, all in a losing cause.

Houston (W) and O'Sullivan  
Tabashniuk (L) and Bogren

(August 13)  Ross Stone faced only 29 batters, two over the minimum, as the Unity Cardinals whitewashed the Saskatoon Commodores 5 to 0 at Cairns Field. Stone showed near-perfect control, walking but one while allowing only a single to Saskatoon's Ken Haanen. Ten Saskatoon batters walked away from the plate after fanning on Stone's one-hit offerings. Ron Fyfe was charged with the loss after toiling on the hill for five frames. Unity catcher Lyle May had three hits for the winners, a double and two singles. Erwin Doerksen followed with a double and a one-bagger.

Stone (W) and May
Fyfe (L), Hebert (8) and Bogren

(August 13)  The North Battleford Beavers clinched the 1968 NSBL pennant as they manhandled the Neilburg Monarchs 18 to 7 in a game which was called after 6 1/2 innings. The Beavers lashed out 19 hits and were aided by 10 Neilburg errors. Greg Dvorak was credited with the pitching win, striking out twelve while allowing ten Monarch hits. He aided his own cause with a pair of singles at the plate. Brian McIntyre was the losing hurler as the Beavers pummelled his slants unmercifully in the abbreviated contest. Cam Sternig led North Battleford in the hitting department with a double and three singles while Jim Johnston had a double and a pair of singles. Catcher Ira McKnight also had three hits, all singles.  

B. McIntyre (L) and Flicek
Dvorak (W) and McKnight

(August 14)  The Unity Cardinals eliminated the Kindersley Klippers from any chance of finishing second in the final NSBL standings when they downed the Klippers 3 to 1 at Unity. Bill Welcher picked up the win with seventh-inning relief help from Vince Rucobo. Harold Hunchak was tagged with the loss. The Cards collected ten hits while the Klips banged out eight. Erwin Doerksen of the Redbirds had the game's only extra-base hit, a three-bagger, and added a single for a two-hit performance at the platter. Erv Boehm, Dick Schmidt and Ed Ralston all had a brace of one-baggers. Wayne Morgan notched three singles to lead Kindersley from the batters' box while Lane Jackson added two singles.

Hunchak (L) and O'Sullivan
Welcher (W), Rucobo (7) and May  

(August 14)  North Battleford manager Ken Nelson became an active player for the first time in a number of years as he took the mound against the Neilburg Monarchs and lasted four innings before giving way to reliever Gerry Lister as the Beavers took a 7 to 3 decision from the Monarchs in an NSBL game shortened to 6 1/2 innings by darkness. Nelson was deadlocked in a 3 - 3 duel with 16-year old Eric Lister of Neilburg when both were relieved in the fifth inning. Gerry Lister, older brother of the Neilburg starting hurler, was the eventual winner while reliever Chuck Nesbitt took the loss for the Monarchs. Pat Gibson, Nesbitt and Don McIntyre had a double each for the Monarchs while Cam Sternig smashed a triple for the Beavers. Pete Duncan added two singles for North Battleford.

E. Lister, Nesbitt (5) (L) and D. Mcintyre
Nelson, G. Lister (5) (W) and McKnight

(August 15)  A bases-loaded double by Wayne Barton was the key blow as the South defeated the North 6 to 2 in the annual NSBL all-star game played at Unity. Barton, a member of the Biggar Nationals, delivered his timely hit in the sixth inning when the South broke open a tight battle with four runs. The South team, composed of players from the Kindersley Klippers, Saskatoon Commodores and Biggar, never trailed in the game which was a benefit contest for the Neilburg Monarchs. One Monarch player was killed and two others hurt in an automobile accident. The North squad, which had players from the Unity Cardinals, North Battleford Beavers and Neilburg, could only manage six hits off winning pitcher Al Paganucci of Kindersley and reliever Ron Fyfe of Saskatoon. The South collected 11 hits off four North pitchers. Ed Gosselin of the Kindersley Klippers was the game's top hitter with a single, double and triple.

(August 16)  The Unity Cardinals closed out the 1968 regular campaign on a home run spree as Jim Shaw, Lyle May and Larry Haylor all went yard as the Redbirds coasted to an 8 to 1 thrashing of the Neilburg Monarchs. Haylor was the winning chucker, striking out six, while Don McIntyre was hit with the loss. Ross Stone drilled three singles and Ervin Boehm two as the Cards piled up 13 hits. Pat Gibbons had a brace of one-baggers for the Monarchs.

Haylor (W) and xxx
D. McIntyre (L) and xxx

(August 16)  Morris Wilson, a 20-year old call-up from junior ranks, handcuffed the Saskatoon Commodores on two hits while pitching the North Battleford Beavers to a 4 to 1 win over their Bridge City hosts in the final league game of the NSBL season. Wilson struck out six batters and did not issue a walk as veteran Beaver catcher Ira McKnight guided him to victory. Loser Edd Tabashniuk allowed all four North Battleford runs before Dave Middleton came on as a fireman in the seventh.

Wilson (W) and McKnight
Tabashniuk (L), Middleton (7) and Brown  

NSBL final standings ( as published in the August 17 edition of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix)
                    W     L    Pct.     GBL
North Battleford   22     7    .759     ----
Unity              20    10    .667     2 1/2
Saskatoon          17    11    .630     4 1/2 
Kindersley         16    13    .552     6
Neilburg            8    21    .276     14
Biggar              4    25    .138     18

---

LEAGUE  SEMI - FINALS

(August 18)  The North Battleford Beavers took control of the game in the seventh inning and went on to hammer the Kindersley Klippers 7 to 1. The Beavers trailed 1 to 0 after four frames, fought back to tie the game in the fifth and, then, broke it wide open with five runs in the seventh inning and one more in the eighth. Greg Dvorak went all the way on the hill for the Beavers, fanning 13 Kindersley batters while surrendering six hits. Loser Al Paganucci struck out eight Beavers before being relieved during North Battleford's big seventh-inning uprising. Zeke Markowsky hit three singles for the Beavers while Jim Johnston and Don Hilsendager added a pair each.

Paganucci (L), Houston (7) and O'Sullivan
Dvorak (W) and McKnight

(August 18)  Portsider Ross Stone held the Saskatoon Commodores to three hits over six innings of play as the Unity Cardinals opened their NSBL semi-final series by edging the Hub City visitors 2 to 0 in a rain-shortened game. Stone was aided by a nine-hit Unity offense led by Lyle May and Erwin Doerksen who both had a pair of singles off the slants of losing chucker Dave Middleton. Ed Lukowich had two of Saskatoon's three base raps, a double and a single

Middleton (L) and Bogren
Stone (W) and May

(August 22)  Wielding the heavy lumber at the dish, the Unity Cardinals pounded out 15 hits off two Commodore twirlers to take a 13 to 0 verdict from the Saskatonians while assuming a two games to none lead in their playoff encounter. Import Vince Rucobo limited the Hub City crew to two hits in earning the complete game shutout win. He struck out 12 Commodores and walked only one. Saskatoon starter Ken Haanen was tagged with the defeat. Catcher Lyle May provided much of the run-scoring punch for the Cardinals, driving in six runs.

Haanen (L), Tabashniuk (6) and Tabashniuk, Bogren (6)
Rucobo (W) and May

(August 23)  In a game played in Kindersley, Gerry Lister fashioned a five-hitter and hit a three-run homer to lead the North Battleford Beavers to a 5 to 2 victory over the Kindersley Klippers in the second game of their semi-final tussle. Lister added a fourth run-batted-in with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning as the visitors took a 2 to 0 series lead. Pete Duncan added a double and single and stole a pair of bases for the Beavers. Harold Hunchak was hit with the mound loss. Wayne Morgan picked up a pair of singles for the Klips.

Lister (W) and McKnight
Hunchak (L) and O'Sullivan

(August 23)  The Saskatoon Commodores lashed ten hits off losing hurler Ross Stone as they won the third game of their semi-final showdown with the Unity Cardinals, decisioning the Redbirds 4 to 3. Unity now holds a two games to one lead in the series. The Commodores got a superb mound performance from import Scott Simon who went the distance, allowing only five hits to the usually power-hitting Cardinals. Randy Munch was the big noise at the plate for Saskatoon, driving in three runs, including the winner, with a double and single. Catcher Bryant Bogren also had a double and single while Bob Brown added a pair of singles. Jim Shaw was the only Unity player to get more than one hit off Simon, hitting a double and single.

Stone (L) and May
Simon (W) and Bogren

(August 24)  The Kindersley Klippers battled back from a 1 to 0 deficit and rode the seven-hit pitching of Gary Houston to take a 3 to 1 verdict from the North Battleford Beavers. The win, in North Battleford, was Kindersley's first of the series. They still trail the Beavers two games to one. Houston struck out eight batters en route to the mound victory while losing twirler Greg Dvorak, who allowed nine hits, fanned twelve. Al Paganucci was the hitting hero for the Klippers, driving in the winning run with a single. He also picked up a double. Wayne Morgan drove in the tying marker with a two-bagger and scored the winner. Lane Jackson picked up a brace of one-baggers for the winners.  

Houston (W) and O'Sullivan
Dvorak (L) and McKnight

(August 24)  Dave Middleton, a 20-year old native of El Centro, California, hurled a brilliant no-hitter in game four of the playoff series which saw his Saskatoon Commodores eke out a 1 to 0 win over the Unity Cardinals, a victory which squared the series at two games each. Middleton, who attends San Diego State College along with fellow import chucker, Scott Simon, was never sharper. He fanned 18 batters and issued but a lone free pass as only two Unity runners reached base. Other than the seventh frame base on balls, the only other Redbird runner to reach first base came on a dropped third strike by Saskatoon catcher Bryant Bogren in the first inning. Loser Bill Welcher was not the easiest pitcher in the world to get a hit off either. Unity's import chucker held the Hub City contingent hitless until the sixth frame when Fred Maxemiuk led off with a single. After one batter was retired, Ian Mitchell clouted a double and Maxemiuk raced home with the only run of the game.

Welcher (L) and May
Middleton (W) and Bogren

(August 25)  Kindersley's never-say-die Klippers are back in the thick of their playoff series. The Klippers, who finished fourth during the regular NSBL campaign, spotted the visiting North Battleford Beavers two runs and then roared back to win a 10-inning thriller 4 to 2 when Wally Jackson clouted a two-out, two-run homer. The Klips and the Beavers have now won two games apiece in the best-of-seven series. Al Paganucci gave up six hits and struck out nine in going the distance for Kindersley while loser Peter Duncan, who also pitched a complete game, allowed five hits and fanned ten. Lane Jackson also homered for Kindersley. Don Poindexter had a pair of singles for North Battleford.

Duncan (L) and McKnight
Paganucci (W) and O'Sullivan

(August 25)  The Unity Cardinals held off a late Saskatoon challenge to pick up a 5 to 4 hometown win in the fifth game of a best-of-seven semi-final. The Cards now sport a three games to two advantage. The Commodores entered the ninth inning trailing 5 to 1 and came up with three runs before Unity's Ross Stone was summoned to the hill to put out the fire and preserve the triumph for starter Vince Rucobo. Ron Fyfe, the first of three Saskatoon hurlers, suffered the loss. Three Redbird players each picked up a brace of base knocks. Catcher Lyle May had a three-bagger and double, Ed Ralston a double and single and Erwin Doerksen, a pair of one-baggers.

Fyfe (L), Tabashniuk (4), Haanen (8) and Bogren
Rucobo (W), Stone (9) and May

(August 26)  The North Battleford Beavers regained their stride to take a three games to two lead in their best-of-seven NSBL semi-final series with the Kindersley Klippers. The pennant-winning Beavers humbled the Kindersley squad 6 to 2 in North Battleford. The Klippers lit up winning chucker Gerry Lister hard enough, but not often enough as they rapped five doubles and one single. The Beavers touched loser Harry Hunchak for ten hits, including a two-run homer by third baseman Cam Sternig in the sixth inning. Sternig also blasted a two-run double to finish up with four runs-batted-in. Lister struck out 11 Klips over the nine-inning route and allowed only three walks. Hunchak fanned five and walked one in eight innings. Catcher Ira McKnight of the Beavers had three singles while first sacker Don Poindexter drilled a double and single. Garnet Hannon had a pair of doubles for Kindersley while Jerry Flanagan, Al Staples and Wally Jackson had a double each.

Hunchak (L) and O'Sullivan
Lister (W) and McKnight

(August 26)  Import pitcher Dave Middleton likes the hero mantle he earned by pitching a no-hitter in in game four. Just to make sure he wasn't forgotten all too quickly, he added further heroics to his resumé to force a seventh game in the NSBL semi-final between his Saskatoon Commodores and the Unity Cardinals. Scott Simon and Ross Stone were locked in a pitchers' duel when Middleton entered the game with his timely contribution, an eighth-inning pinch-hit which drove in the winning run as the Commodores nipped the Redbirds 2 to 1 at Cairns Field. Simon, the San Diego lefty, threw a two-hitter and recorded 13 strikeouts in putting down the Cardinals. He allowed only one walk. While dismaying Unity batters, Simon was not having the same problem when he got to the plate. He stroked three singles off Stone's slants in three official trips. Portsider Stone was not to shabby in defeat, however, as he limited the Saskatonians to seven base blows, three of which came in the fateful eighth when the winners plated both their runs.   

Stone (L) and May
Simon (W) and Bogren

(August 27)  The Kindersley Klippers, after suffering defeat in their first two games of the NSBL semi-final with the North Battleford Beavers, have come back to force the issue to a seventh game, following their 3 to 1 do-or-die win over North Battleford in game six. The clubs battled through 5 1/2 scoreless innings before the Klippers came alive with a single homer off the bat of Garnet Hannon in the bottom of the sixth followed by back-to-back dingers in the bottom of the seventh. The Beavers single reply came in the eighth inning. Hannon's circuit clout provided the spark the Klips needed as Lane Jackson and Ron Goldade followed suit with back-to-back four-baggers in the next frame .Winning chucker Gary Houston was in command all the way for Kindersley, striking out 12 Beavers while giving up five hits. Rookie Morris Wilson of the Beavers gave up nine hits and fanned five while going the route. Ed Gosselin collected three of the Klipper hits, all singles. Pete Duncan had a pair of singles for the Beavers. 

Wilson (L) and McKnight
Houston (W) and Flanagan

(August 27)  Import left-hander Vince Rucobo gave up only six hits and left ten Bridge City base runners stranded as the Unity Cardinals advanced to the NSBL finals with a seventh game, 4 to 0 whitewashing of the Saskatoon Commodores. Unity scored a single run in the bottom of the opening frame and it stood up until they added three more in the seventh on two Commodore errors and a pair of passed balls. Losing hurler Dave Middleton, who recorded a no-hitter when last on the mound, gave up eight hits while his mates committed six errors behind him. He fanned six while Rucobo struck out 12 batters. Catcher Lyle May and first baseman Erwin Doerksen had a pair of singles each for the Cardinals, with Doerksen knocking in the winning run.

Middleton (L) and Bogren
Rucobo (W) and May

(August 29)  Californian Greg Dvorak held the Kindersley Klippers to four hits while whiffing 13 as the North Battleford Beavers moved into the NSBL final series with a 6 to 0 win over the visiting Klippers in the seventh game of their semi-final set-to. The hometown Beavers wasted little time in making their intentions known, grabbing a three-run lead in the first inning and adding three more in the sixth for insurance. Jim Johnston and Manny Primeau both had a pair of singles for the winners off the slants of complete-game loser Al Paganucci.

Paganucci (L) and O'Sullivan
Dvorak (W) and McKnight

---

PLAYOFF FINAL

(August 30) The Unity Cardinals jumped on starter Gerry Lister for seven runs in the first four innings and never looked back as they clobbered the pennant-winning North Battleford Beavers 12 to 3 in the opening game of the NSBL final series. Bill Welcher gave up ten hits and struck out six in recording the win for the Cardinals. Ed Ralston led the Redbirds at the platter with a home run and a single. Ervin Boehm, Jim Shaw and Welcher added a pair of singles each. Don Hilsendager, Pete Duncan, Cam Sternig and Manny Primeau of the Beavers all had a brace of one-baggers in a losing cause.

Welcher (W) and May
Lister (L), Wilson (5), Poindexter (6) and McKnight

(September 1)   Vince Rucobo pitched a six-hitter and fanned 14 as Unity took a 2-0 game lead in the final series with a 4-1 victory over the Beavers. Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the third on Jim Shaw's run-scoring double and Lyle May's single. Ira McKnight homered for the only North Battleford run in the fourth before Ernie Lawton doubled to score Ed Ralston in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-1 for Unity. Two walks and an error produced the final Cardinals' run in the 5th.

Duncan (L) and McKnight
Rucobo (W) and May

(September 2)   Greg Dvorak pitched North Battleford to its first win of the final series with a two-hitter as the Beavers notched a 3-0 victory at North Battleford.  Ross Stone allowed just five hits in taking the loss. Don Hilsendager doubled in the 3rd and scored on Jim Johnston's single to give Dvorak all the offense he needed. Duncan increased the lead in the 6th scoring on an error after reaching with a single.  Cam Sternig's second hit scored Manny Primeau in the 8th inning for the final marker. Dvorak fanned 11 and walked five

Stone (L) and May
Dvorak (W) and McKnight

(September 3)   Pete Duncan's infield pop-up, with the bases loaded and two out in the top of the 9th inning, dropped between three Unity infielders scoring two runs to give North Battleford a 3-1 victory to even the final series at two games apiece.  Tied at 1-1, Don Hilsendager opened the 9th with a walk and advanced on an error on an attempted sacrifice by Greg Dvorak. Winning pitcher Gerry Lister moved the runners along with a sac bunt and losing pitcher Larry Haylor walked Jim Johnston to load the bases. Vince Rucobo relieved and got Don Poindexter to hit into a force play with Hilsendager out at home. But, the Beavers got lucky and Duncan's easy out turned into the game winner. Lister hurled a seven-hitter for the mound triumph.

Lister (W) and McKnight
Haylor (L), Rucobo (9) and May

(September 5)   Greg Dvorak fired a three-hitter, for this third straight shutout, to best Vince Rucobo as North Battleford edged Unity 1-0 to take a 3-2 game lead in the best-of-seven final series. Dvorak, who collected the league pitching award after Thursday's game, struck out 12 and walked six and didn't allow a runner past second base in spite of wildness in the first two innings. The only run came in the 6th inning as Bob Duncan singled, moved to second on a infield out and to third on a fielder's choice.  Dave Hallis singled to score Duncan.  Don Poindexter was presented with the league batting championship trophy, finishing the regular season with a .396 average.  Cam Sternig also received a trophy for hitting the most homers, nine in regular play. Both Dvorak and Rucobo left after the game to return to California to resume their college studies.

Rucobo (L) and May
Dvorak (W) and McKnight

(September 6)   Cam Sternig powered the North Battleford Beavers to the Northern Saskatchewan League championship in a stunning comeback to take four straight games after dropping the first two in the best-of-seven final.  Sternig ripped a pair of two-run homers and two singles to lead a 20-hit attack as the Beavers clobbered Unity Cardinals 11-1.  The homers gave the Beaver third baseman a total of 17 on the season, including playoff and exhibition games. Catcher Ira McKnight had five singles.  Pete Duncan fired a four-hitter for the mound victory and helped his own cause with a triple and three singles. Ross Stone lost his fourth straight playoff game in allowing 12 hits in pitching into the fifth inning.  The only Unity run was unearned.

Duncan (W) and McKnight
Stone (L), Haylor (5) and May

---

MID-WEST LEAGUE

(May 20)   Saskatoon T-Birds of the Mid-West League captured the Maymont Victoria Day Tournament Monday defeating Wilkie 13-9 in the final.  Shelly Gautschi pitched into the 8th inning for the win before giving way to Gary Delorme. Harvey Grummett and Ken Johnston belted homers for the winners.

xxx and xxx
Gautschi (W), Delorme (8) and xxx

(May 22)   In a game which produced 46 strikeouts, Torchinsky T-Birds shaded Asquith 9-8 in 12 innings to kick off the Mid-West schedule..  Winning pitcher Ken Johnston singled in Rick Yano, who had led off with a double, for the game-ending tally.  The Braves struck early when they send 12 men to the plate in the top of the first inning and scored seven times on four hits and two T-Bird errors.  Garth Miller, Cliff Shockey and Larry Pavaloff each drove in a pair. The T-Birds pecked away with two-run rallies in the bottom of the first and the second innings and three in the fourth, sparked by Harvey Grummett's triple.  They tied it in the 6th and the teams battled through five scoreless frames before Johnston's game winning hit.  Grummett led the Saskatoon attack with a triple and double, two runs scored and two runs batted in. T-Birds' hurlers recorded 27 strikeouts as starter John Anderson fanned 12 in 5 1/3 innings, Murray Dobrowsky had five in 1 2/3s and Johnston 10 for the rest of the contest.  For the Braves, Marcel Richard whiffed nine in four innings and Larry Lazecki, who pitched the last eight, fanned ten.

Richard, Lazecki (L) (5) and xxx
Anderson, Dobrowsky (6), Johnston (W) (8) and xxx

(May 22)  Merle Brynes had three hits to lead Eston to an 11-8 win over Dinsmore.

xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx

(May 26)   Dinsmore Dynamos and the T-Birds split a twin-bill at Cairns Field.  With a six-run 2nd inning, T-Birds took a 10-8 win in the opener while the Dynamos won the second game 8-1.  Saskatoon had a 9-2 margin after two innings of the first game but the visitors rebounded with a six-run explosion in the 4th inning to narrow the lead to 9-8. T-Birds added their final run in the 5th. Shelly Gautschi went the route for the win, giving up six hits.  T-Birds had 11 hits. Ken Johnston led the attack driving in three runs with a double and triple.

Rex McPhail drove in four runs, with three of Dinsmore's 13 hits, to lead Dynamos to the second game victory.  Dale Icherman tossed a seven-hitter with nine strikeouts for the win. Ken Johnston took the loss.

xxx and xxx
Gautschi (W) and xxx

Icherman (W) and xxx
Johnston (L), Anderson (5) and xxx

(May 26)   Eston Ramblers clobbered Rosetown 14-0 as Grant Beckstrand tossed a four-hit shutout.  The game was called after five innings because of rain. Mike Fitzmaurice and Blythe Irwin led the attack each with a homer and two singles. Lorne Massie took the loss.

Massie (L) and xxx
Beckstrand (W) and xxx

(May 29)    Asquith Braves trampled Rosetown Redwings 14-1 with Garth Miller, Murray Eddy and Larry Pavaloff each collecting two hits in the Braves' 11-hit attack. John Hemstead allowed just three hits and fanned eight in the game shortened to five innings because of darkness.  Ray Massie was tagged with the loss.

Hemstead (W) and xxx
Ray Massie (L), Lorne Massie (4) and xxx

(May 29)   Eston won its third straight, 3-1 over Dinsmore behind the seven-hit pitching of Reg Andrews and a pair of hits by Jim Byrnes.  Albert Wasicase's solo homer accounted for the only run for the Dynamos. Ed Anderson gave up eight hits in taking the mound defeat.

Anderson (L) and xxx
Andrews (W) and xxx

(June 2)   John Anderson fired a two-hit shutout Sunday to give Torchinsky T-Birds a 5-0 win over the Redwings and a split of a twin-bill  at Rosetown. The home club won the opener 5-4 with a three-run rally in the 7th inning. Both hits off Anderson were first inning safeties while the T-Birds had six hits off loser Ray Schultz. Rosetown had just two hits, both by Ken Peterson, in the first game, but managed to come back from a 4-2 deficit for the win. Lorne Massie recorded the victory.

Yano, Gautschi and xxx
Lorne Massie (W) and xxx

Anderson (W) and xxx
Schultz (L) and xxx

(June 2)  John Hemstead led the Asquith Braves to a sweep of a double-header over Dinsmore, 9-2 and 8-1. Hemstead blasted a two-run homer in the first game and a solo shot in the second.  Murray Eddy hurled the victory in the first game. Barry Ellis, who had a homer for the Dynamos, gave up 13 hits in taking the loss.  Marcel Richard tossed a seven-hitter for the win in the second game. Dale Icherman was the loser, giving up nine hits.

Eddy (W) and xxx
Ellis (L) and xxx

Richard (W) and xxx
Icherman (L) and xxx

(June 5)   Larry Lazecki's four-hit, 15-strikeout performance, led Asquith Braves to a 3-1 victory over Torchinsky T-Birds Wednesday at Cairns Field. T-Birds took the lead in the top of the first inning as Dale Thiessen drew a walk to lead off, advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Ken Johnston's single to centre.  Braves rebounded in the third as Les Stack reached on an error and scored on another miscue on a grounder back to the mound. Braves scored what proved to be the winner in the 4th inning as Jack(Jock) Cleghorn led off with a walk and scored on Elmer Walker's single to left field. Asquith added an insurance marker in the 5th as Bev Brooks singled to drive in Stack. 

Lazecki (W) and xxx
Gautschi (L) and xxx

(June 5)   At Dinsmore, the Dynamos downed Rosetown 11-6 as winning pitcher Eddie Anderson helped the offense with a three-run homer.  Lorne Massie was the losing hurler.

L. Massie (L) and xxx
Anderson (W) and xxx

(June 9)   Import hurler Bob Burchfield tossed a no-hitter Sunday as the Eston Ramblers swept a double-header from the Saskatoon Torchinsky T-Birds 6-2 and 5-2 at Cairns Field.  Burchfield fanned 14 and walked 4 in the seven-inning first game.  He allowed a run in the first inning when Dale Thiessen scored from third on a wild pitch. The other marker came in the third when Burchfield walked Ken Johnston with the bases loaded to plate losing pitcher Walter Bolechowski. Merle Byrnes led the Eston offense with a pair of doubles. Blythe Irvine had a single and double and Jim Byrnes contributed a two-run single.

Burchfield (W) and xxx
Bolechowski (L) and xxx

In the second game, the teams had a total of just eight hits as the the Ramblers managed the 5-2 victory. Jim Byrnes got two of them for Eston and drove in a pair of runs. Grant Beckstrand and Mike Fitzmaurice combined on a four-hitter for the win. Ramblers got just four hits off losing pitcher Murray Dobrowsky and reliever Ken Johnston.

Beckstrand (W), Fitzmaurice and xxx
Dobrowsky (L), Johnston and xxx

(June 9)   At Rosetown, the Redwings and Dinsmore Dynamos split a twin-bill.  Barry Ellis fired a four-hitter and blasted a three-run homer and a single as Dinsmore took the opener 11-1. Darwell Green and Al Erickson each had two of Dinsmore's 12 hits.

Ellis (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

Pinch-hitter Ron Gillies belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the 7th inning to give Rosetown, out hit 12-3, a 5-4 victory in the second game. Lorne Massie was the mound victor. Ed Anderson had a pair of doubles for the losers.

xxx and xxx
Massie (W) and xxx

Eston      5  0  ---
Asquith    4  1  1.0
T-Birds    3  5  3.5
Dinsmore   3  6  4.0
Rosetown   2  5  4.0

(June 11)   Asquith Braves scored a pair in the first inning and never looked back in recording a 7-1 victory over Torchinsky T-Birds.  John Hemstead's single and a double by Bev Brooks brought in the opening tallies and Brave hurlers held the T-Birds to five hits and just a solo marker. Larry Lazecki, who relieved Larry Pavaloff in the third inning after the Asquith starter was ejected from the game, gained credit for the win. Elmer Walker, Bob Cameron and Hemstead each had two hits for the winners. Dave Anderson had two hits and scored the only run for the T-Birds. Jim Farley took the loss.

Pavaloff, Lazecki (W) (3) and xxx
Farley (L) and xxx

(June 12)   Blythe Irvine powered Eston Ramblers to an 18-7 thumping of the Rosetown Redwings. Irvine blasted a grand slam homer, a three-run shot and a single to account for seven runs batted in.  Merle Brynes added three hits. Reg Andrews was the winning hurler over Ken Peterson.  Doug Galenza and Dave Baron each had a pair of doubles in a losing cause.

Andrews (W) and xxx
Peterson (L), xxx and xxx

(June 16)  Greg Goldade's grand slam homer in the top of the 5th inning gave Eston Ramblers a 4-3 victory and a sweep of their double-header with the Braves in Asquith. Ramblers trounced the home club 16-4 in the opener. Goldade came up with the sacks full after Marcel Richard had issued an intentional walk to Merle Byrnes. Goldade responded by smashing a circuit clout with two out to erase a 1-0 deficit built on Bob Cameron's first inning homer for the Braves.  Ramblers pounded out 16 hits in the first game with Leon Chamberlain leading the way with four hits.  Winning pitching Bob Burchfield fired a three-hitter, all singles.  Bentley MacEwen, the first of three Asquith pitchers, suffered the loss.

Burchfield (W) and xxx
MacEwen, xxx, xxx and xxx

Beckstrand (W) and xxx
Richard (L) and xxx

(June 18)   Rosetown Redwings nipped the Torchinsky T-Birds 13-12 at Cairns Field getting the final out at second base as Ken Johnston of the T-Birds tried to stretch his three-run single into a double. The relay came from left fielder Ron Hay to shortstop Dennis Johnson to second baseman Doug Galenza.  Rosetown had scored four in the top of the 9th to go ahead 13-9. Lorne Massie was battered for 18 hits but managed to go the distance for the win.  Murray Dobrowsky took the defeat.  Ken Peterson and Ron Gillies paced the winners each with three hits.  Harvey Grummett led the T-Birds with five hits in six trips to the plate.  Al Martin had four safeties, including a pair of doubles. 

L. Massie (W) and xxx
Dobrowsky (L), Gould (4) and xxx

(June 19)   Eston Ramblers extended their undefeated streak to nine games whipping Dinsmore Dynamos 11-1.  Merle Byrnes led the attack with three hits and winning pitcher Bob Burchfield added a pair. 

xxx and xxx
Burchfield (W) and xxx

(June 19)   Torchinsky T-Birds erupted for four runs in the 9th inning to down Asquith Braves 10-9.  Harvey Grummett's two-out single drove in Murray Kemp with the winner. Earlier, Kemp belted a bases-loaded double to tie the count at 9-9.  Kemp, called up from the White Sox of the Saskatoon Midget League, had two doubles in his first appearance of the season.  Barry Sawchuk and Ken Johnston each had four hits for the Birds while Bob Cameron blasted a three-run homer against his former teammates. John Anderson went the distance for the pitching win.  John Hemstead, the last of three Asquith hurlers, was the loser.

xxx, xxx, Hemstead (L) and xxx
Anderson (W) and xxx

(June 23)   Asquith Braves handed Eston its first loss of the season, a 5-2 decision in the second game of a double-header. Ramblers had won the opener 7-5 getting a grand slam homer from winning pitcher Bob Burchfield. Murray Eddy pitched a six-hitter for the win in the second game.

Burchfield (W) and xxx
Lazecki (L) and xxx

xxx and xxx
Eddy (W) and xxx

(June 23)   Dinsmore and Saskatoon T-Birds split a pair. Shelly Gautschi tossed a six-hitter to best Eddie Henderson for a 7-5 T-Birds victory while Larry Bacowie came through with a two-hitter in the nightcap to beat Doug Cowie as Dynamos scored an easy 12-1 decision.

Henderson (L) and xxx
Gautschi (W) and xxx

Bacowie (W) and xxx
Cowie (L) and xxx

(June 25)   Five hits by Barry Sawchuk, including two in a seven-run 4th inning, led the T-Birds to a 10-2 win over Rosetown Redwings Tuesday night at Saskatoon.  Sawchuk drove in three runs with a double and four singles. Doug Cowie scattered eight hits for the win.  He struck out five and walked six. Ken Johnston had three singles for the T-Birds.  Lorne Massie, who allowed 15 hits, was saddled with the loss.

L. Massie (L) and xxx
Cowie (W) and xxx

(June 26)   Eston won its 11th game in 12 starts taking an 11-7 decision from the hometown Dinsmore Dynamos Wednesday.  Bob Burchfield was the winning pitcher, over Barry Ellis.  Both team had 12 hits with Mike Fitzmaurice belting a homer for the winners.

Burchfield (W) and xxx
Ellis (L) and xxx

(June 27)   Asquith left-hander Murray Eddy hurled a no-hitter, the second in the Mid-West League this summer, as the Braves whipped Rosetown 8-0.  It was Eddy's third win of the season without a loss. Elmer Walker had a triple and single to lead the Braves at the plate. Ray Schultz took the loss.

Schultz (L) and xxx
Eddy (W 3-0) and xxx

(July 7)   Eston Ramblers clinched first place in the Mid-West League Sunday sweeping a double-header from the Torchinsky T-Birds 7-3 and 26-3.  The twin victories gave Eston a five-game lead over Asquith Braves who have only four games left to play in the 18-game schedule.  Bob Burchfield fired a three-hitter for the win in the first game while Mike Fitzmaurice chalked up the complete game win in the second with a five-hit performance. Jim Byrnes paced the Eston assault on five T'Bird hurlers with four hits.  Murray Steeves and Fitzmaurice each had three safeties. Merle Byrnes had one hit and five walks.  Garth McLeod bashed a homer. For the T-Birds Rick Yano belted a pair of homers. Doug Cowie and Kent Gould were the losing hurlers.

Cowie (L) and xxx
Burchfield (W) and xxx

Gould (L), xxx, xxx, xxx, xxx and xxx
Fitzmaurice (W) and xxx

(July 7)   Dinsmore and Asquith divided a twin-bill at Eagle Creek Park. Braves won the first game 11-10 with the Dynamos rebounding for a 14-12 win in the second. Garth Miller and Bev Brooks each rapped a homer and a double to lead the 11-hit Asquith attack in the first game. John Hemstead was the pitching winner.

Hemstead (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

In the second game, Ed Anderson was the winning pitcher for Dinsmore aided by a nine-run explosion in the second inning off loser Dale Burwell.  Dale Beattie bashed a homer and single for the Dynamos. For the Braves, a six-run rally in the 7th inning on home runs by Les Stack, John Hemstead and Garth Miller fell just short as the Braves dropped the 14-12 decision. Hemstead had two homers in a three-for-three performance.

Burwell (L) and xxx
Anderson (W) and xxx

(July 11)   Asquith clinched second place in the Mid-West League defeating the Torchinsky T-Birds 11-5 at Exhibition Park.  Braves, with a 9-6 record have a three-game lead on Dinsmore, who have only one game remaining.  John Hemstead hurled the victory.  Les Stark paced the attack with three hits and rookie Jerome Rak had a pair.

Hemstead (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 14)   Asquith Braves downed the Redwings, 6-1 and 7-5, in a double-bill at Rosetown. Les Stack who bashed a homer in the second game, paced the Braves in the opener with three hits. John Hemstead and Terry Rak each had a pair.  Bentley MacEwen picked up the pitching victory. Murray Lawson took the loss. Ron Hay went four for four in a losing cause.

MacEwen (W) and xxx
Lawson (L) and xxx

Ernie Cherkowski had three hits, one a double, for Asquith in the second game while Bev Brooks added a double and single.  Larry Lazecki was the winning pitcher. Gord Moore had three hits for Rosetown.

Lazecki (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 15)   In an exhibition match Monday, Unity Cardinals of the Northern Saskatchewan League shaded Eston Ramblers 4-3 on Vince Rucobo's sacrifice fly to score Lyle May in the 9th inning. Bob Welcher was the winning hurler over Bob Burchfield. 

Welcher (W) and xxx
Burchfield (L) and xxx

(July 16)   Torchinsky T-Birds wound up the regular season on a winning note Tuesday downing Asquith Braves 7-3 at Cairns Field.  Rick Yano and Al Martin each had two hits to lead the T-Birds attack.  Shelly Gautschi hurled a six-hitter for the win.  Murray Eddy, the first of three Braves' pitchers, took the loss.

Eddy (L), xxx, xxx and xxx
Gautschi (W) and xxx

PLAYOFFS

(July 18)  Dinsmore took the opening game of a best-of-three semi-final ...

(July 21)   Eston Ramblers crushed Dinsmore 12-1 to even their best-of-three series at a game apiece. Bob Burchfield was the winner over Barry Ellis. Merle Byrnes led the Ramblers with three hits.

Ellis (L) and xxx
Burchfield (W) and xxx

(July 24)   The Eston Ramblers dumped Dinsmore 11-1 Wednesday night in the deciding game of a best-of-three semi-final series and will face Asquith Braves in the Mid-West final. Greg Goldade led a 14-hit attack for the Ramblers with a two-run homer and a single.  He also took a turn on the mound hurling the last inning in relief of winning pitcher Bob Burchfield.  The pair combined to hold the Dynamos to three hits.  Rolly Leavins was tagged with the loss.

Burchfield (W), Goldade (9) and xxx
Leavins (L) and xxx

 

 

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