1969 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1969 BC Interior
1969 Vancouver Island
OKANAGAN MAINLINE LEAGUE
Kamloops Lelands
Kelowna Labatts
Penticton Molsons
Vernon Luckies
(May 11) The visiting Penticton Molsons wiped out a 4 – 0 Kamloops lead by scoring four runs in the eighth episode and then added two more in the ninth to eventually triumph 6 to 5 at Riverside Park in one of the two OMBL openers. Both starters, winner Ken Carmack of the Molsons and the Lelands’ Vince Smith, were the pitchers of record. Doug Weeks had two of the seven Penticton base knocks while Ray Shellard rapped two singles for the Hotelmen. “Bud” Atkins connected for the longest of the seven swats hammered by the losers, belting a two-run circuit-jack in the second stanza. Carmack, who pitched all but the seventh stanza during two terms on the knoll, registered 15 punchouts.
Carmack, MacDermott (7), Carmack (W) (8) and Heighton
Smith (L), Clovechok (9) and Begg
(May 11) The defending champion Vernon Luckies opened the 1969 campaign by trimming the invading Kelowna Labatts 9 to 6 at Polson Park. Vern Munk, credited with the pitching win, hurled only part of one inning, the fifth.
Eagleson, Burton (6), McGregor (L) (6) and Favell
Davisson, Munk (W) (5), Main (6) and Inglis
(May 17) The Penticton Molsons made it two straight over the Kamloops Lelands, clipping the visitors 12 to 8 at Kings Park. Ed Folk, one of three heavers used by the Peach Towners, picked up the win while Dave Murphy of the Hotelmen was tagged with the defeat. Folk connected for a two-run dinger off Murphy’s slants in the second spasm. Chris Swaine doubled and singled for the losers.
(May 17) V-Ke
(May 18) P-V
(May 21) Homestanding Penticton came from behind to down the Kelowna Labatts 6 to 4. The Molsons wiped out a two-run deficit by scoring twice in each of the seventh and eighth sessions to come out on top.
McGregor (L) and Favell
Neuls, Atcheson (W) (7) and Heighton
(May 22) The Vernon Luckies went on a first-inning rampage, sending eight runners across the pan, in coasting to a 9 to 5 OMBL conquest of the Kamloops Lelands. It was the fifth consecutive triumph for the defending champion Luckies who have roared out of the gate with explosiveness. The loss for the winless Hoteliers was their third straight. It was a hitters’ game with each team collecting 11 base blows, including two-run taters by the Lelands’ Don Clovechok and Bob Adshead of the Vernonites. Clovechok led all swatsmiths with three singles in addition to his dinger while Adshead added a brace of one baggers, both coming in the big opening canto, to his goner. Reg Main, who assumed knoll chores in the third round, picked up the easy win while Vince Smith, who started on the hill for the Hoteliers, was nailed with the setback.
Gibbons, Main (W) (3) and Fraser
Smith (L), Haywood (2), Murphy (5) and Begg
(May 24) The Kelowna Labatts inflicted a fourth consecutive loss on the visiting Kamloops squad, nosing out the Lelands 10 to 9 at Elks Stadium. The invaders twice had commanding leads, the last of which was highlighted by Randy Rota’s bases-loaded triple, but were unable to hold back the homesters. Dave Murphy, who relieved starter Vince Smith early in the game, was charged with the defeat.
(May 28) A ninth-inning error by Vernon catcher Gord Nuyens enabled Penticton to edge the league leaders 4 to 3. The second-place Molsons had lost two earlier starts against the Luckies.
(May 29) The Kamloops Lelands dropped their third one-run decision of the campaign, losing 4 to 3 to the Kelowna Labatts at Riverside Park. It was the fifth straight loss for the hosts. An error by outfielder Don Clovechok allowed Kelowna the opportunity to score the winning run in the ninth inning. Clovechok misjudged Jack Burton’s high fly and Don Favell followed with a run-scoring single. Ron McGregor, who relieved starter Brian Windjack in the eighth episode, was the winning heaver. Dave Murphy went the distance for the Hotelmen, allowing six hits and only two earned runs. Gerry Robertson and Don Favell picked up two hits apiece for the Regatta Towners while Ray Shellard, with three hits, and Murphy, with a pair, led the Kamloops’ seven-hit offense.
Windjack, McGregor (W) (8) and Favell
Murphy (L) and Begg
(May 31) P-Ka
(June 1) Ka-V
(June 5) The Vernon Luckies handed the Kamloops Lelands their worst beating in recent years, hammering the Hoteliers 14 to 0 in an abbreviated OMBL tilt at Riverside Park. Because of the visitors’ huge lead, the game was called after seven innings. Rick Sugden, Wayne Dye and winning pitcher Bob Davisson each had a pair of base knocks for the Luckies. Davisson collected seven strikeouts and gave up only one hit. Bob Adshead dialed long distance with a four-bagger for the Vernonites.
Davisson (W) and Nuyens
Haywood (L), Atkins (4), Swaine (7) and Begg
(June 7) The Kelowna Labatts exploded for five runs in the bottom-of-the-seventh stanza to take down visiting Penticton 8 to 6. Ken Ray and Gerry Robertson drove in two runs each during the seventh-spasm uprising that helped make import pitcher Herm Johnson a winner. Don Atchison was nicked with the loss.
(June 8) The Vernon Luckies, pace-setters in the OMBL, waxed the Kamloops baseballers for the second time in three days, dumping the hapless visitors 15 to 8 at Polson Park. Reg Main, with seventh-inning relief assistance from Gord Nuyens, pitched the win. Dave Murphy, the losing heaver, was replaced by Randy Rota in the seventh. Gerry Reimer went yard with dingers on two occasions for Vernon. One of his taters was a grand-salami blast. Vince Smith belted a three-run circuit-jack for the vanquished nine. Teammate Chris Swaine went five-for-six at the dish.
(June 11) Front-running Vernon poured on six runs in the fourth frame and went on to stomp all over the hosting Penticton Molsons 12 to 2 to increase their margin atop the OMBL. Winning twirler Bob Davisson of the Luckies tamed the Peach City nine on just two hits. The losing slabster was Ken Carmack.
(June 12) Kelowna crushed the luckless Kamloops Lelands 9 to 0 at Riverside Park in OMBL action. Winning pitcher Herm Johnson of the Labatts stifled the Hotelmen on just two hits. The winners banged out three home runs.
(June 14) At Elks Stadium in Kelowna, the home nine defeated Kamloops Lelands 3-2 on back-to-back home runs by Gary Lawler and Ken Ray in the bottom of the third. Reliever Ken Tweed halted a comeback drive by Kamloops in the ninth.
(June 15) Seventeen-year-old Wayne Dye twirled a two-hitter Sunday to lead Vernon to a 9-2 victory over Kelowna in an Okanagan Mainline League contest at Vernon. The Luckies scored one run in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings and added two in the seventh for the triumph.
W. Dye (W) and xxx
Johnson (L) and xxx
(June 21-22) 1969 B. C. qualifying tournament for Canada Summer games
(June 28) Homestanding Kelowna scored once in the bottom-of-the-ninth chapter to edge the pace-setting Vernon Luckies 5 to 4. It was the first win for the Labatts this season over the visitors and the initial pitching setback inflicted upon Vernon’s ace slab artist Reg Main. Both teams picked up eight base raps. Ken Tweed went all the way on the hill for the Regatta Towners in annexing the heaving victory.
Main (L) and Inglis
Tweed (W) and Favell
(June 29) The Vernon Luckies split a Polson Park doubleheader with Penticton, dropping the matinée tilt 7 to 5 but bouncing back to double the Molsons 8 to 4 in the finale.
Carmack (W) and xxx
W. Dye (L) and xxx
Atcheson (L) and xxx
Main (W) and xxx
(July 6) The Vernon Luckies clinched the 1969 OMBL pennant with a 6 to 1 win over the second-place Kelowna Labatts. Reg Main struck out eight Kelowna batters and fashioned a six-hitter in going the distance for the win. A ninth-inning solo home run by Labatts’ outfielder Gerry Robertson spoiled Main’s bid for a shutout. Vernon third baseman Wayne Dye and former Vancouver Mountie Gerry Reimer slugged circuit-jacks off losing pitcher Len Tweed.
Tweed (L) and Favell
Main (W) and Inglis
(July 12-13) The Penticton Molsons swept a two-game weekend series from a shorthanded Kamloops squad, winning 13 to 5 Saturday night and 9 to 3 on Sunday afternoon. Kamloops played the series without the services of five players when the car they were travelling in broke down in Vernon. The Lelands conceded the Saturday contest in the seventh inning after allowing seven unearned runs.
Haywood (L) and Swaine, Murphy (2)
Atcheson (W), Carmack (5) and Jack
Gary Peacosh decisioned Vince Smith in the Sunday battle for mound supremacy. The Mols had a sight 10 to 9 edge in base hits with one of their blows being a home run by Ken MacDermott.
Smith (L) and xxx
Peacosh (W) and xxx
(July 16) Don Rogelstad hit a ninth-inning single, stole both second and third base, then came home on a passed ball to give the Kelowna Labatts a narrow 6 to 5 victory over the hometown Penticton Molsons. The win capped a comeback that was sparked by Bob Schwab’s three-run homer in the eighth episode, wiping out a 5 to 2 Penticton lead.
(July 17) Ke-Ka
(July 22) In an exhibition game at Calgary, the Vernon Luckies downed the Giants 6-4. Luckies, pennant winners in the the Okanagan Mainline League, used the game as a warm-up for the Lacombe Tournament. They took an early lead, with two in the 1st and another three in the 3rd and led all the way. Outfielder Jerry Reimer, a pro with the Vancouver Mounties last season, led the Luckies' offense with a towering triple and single and score twice. Vernon out hit Calgary 10-6. The big blow for Calgary was Murray Heatley's two-run triple in the 5th.
Carmack, Marquardt (W) (5), Main (8) and Inglis
Taylor (L) , Erhardt (8), Horb (9) and Heatley
(July 24) Kamloops senior baseballers were belted 11 to 2 by the hosting Kelowna Labatts in OMBL action. The Labatts scored in every inning of the seven-stanza contest, tallying eight runs in the first three frames. Starter Vince Smith was the losing chucker. Chris Swaine and George Uyeda had two hits each for the vanquished nine.
(July 26) Dave Murphy singled in two runs in the third inning as Kamloops defeated Penticton 4 to 3 in an OMBL skirmish at Kings Park. The win for Kamloops was just their second triumph of the season.
Feroglia (W) and Swaine
Neuls (L), Carmack (5) and Visser
(July 27) Winning pitcher Reg Main and Bill Wigley hit back-to-back doubles in the bottom-of-the-13th inning to give the Vernon Luckies a 9 to 8 victory over Kelowna in an OMBL clash. The Luckies rapped Don Rogelstad and relief pitcher Bob Tanner for seven runs in the seventh inning but Kelowna came back to tie the game with three runs in both the eighth and ninth cantos. Tanner was tagged with the loss.
Rogelstad, Tanner (L) and Favell
Dye, Main (W) (9) and Niebergal
(July 31) Invading Vernon slugged five home runs in crushing Kamloops 26 to 7 at Riverside Park. Gerry Reimer and Don Archer each went yard on two occasions for the Luckies while Wayne Dye jacked out one tater. Every member of the Vernon nine, with the exception of catcher Clark Inglis, had at least one of one of the 18 base knocks accumulated by the winners. Archer added two singles to his brace of goners while Reimer and Dye rapped three safeties apiece.
Davisson, Main (7) and Inglis
Smith (L), Haywood, Murphy and Begg, Swaine
(August 2) The visiting Penticton Molsons slammed the error-prone Kamloops nine 8 to 2 at Riverside Park. Winning pitcher Bill Neuls was nicked for eight hits but yielded only one after the sixth stanza. Oggie Jack went three-for-five with the baton to lead Penticton’s ten-hit attack against newcomer Rod Laitinen. The Kamloops chucker fanned eight but had serious command issues, doling out 11 free passes. Catcher Chris Swaine had three hits for the losers.
Neuls (W) and Jack
Laitinen (L) and Swaine
(August 3) Cellar-dwelling Kamloops pulled a surprise by tripping up first-place Vernon 10 to 9 at Polson Park. The victory, however, won’t go into the record books as the shorthanded Kamloops club had to borrow two junior players from the Luckies to fill out their roster. Three runs in the top-of-the-ninth inning erased a 9 to 7 Vernon lead and did the trick for the underdogs. A bases-loaded double by 17-year old Wah Fee Low, on loan from Vernon, cleared the sacks and sent the visitors to victory. Brian Shannick and Gord Beecroft belted back-to-back four-baggers for the invaders in the fourth frame.
Beecroft, Smith (W) (7) and Swaine
Main, Dye (K) (3) and Inglis
(August 9) P-Ka
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Penticton vs Vernon & Kamloops vs Kelowna (best-of-five series)
(August 10) Reg Main rang up nine punchouts in hurling the Vernon Luckies to a one-sided 10 to 1 thrashing of Penticton as their bracket of the OMBL semi-finals got underway.
(August 12) The Kelowna Labatts whipped Kamloops 9 to 2 at Elks Stadium in the opener of their semi-final series.
(August 13) Pennant-winning Vernon clipped the third-place Penticton Molsons 5 to 2 to take a 2 – 0 bulge in their semi-final showdown. The Luckies broke a 2 – 2 tie by scoring three counters in the eighth episode. Reg Main scattered seven hits in winning for the second time in the series. Hard-luck loser Bill Neuls gave up just five Vernon safeties.
(August 14 ) A 9 to 4 drubbing of the Kamloops diamond pastimers boosted the Kelowna Labatts into a two-game lead in their semi-final series. Complete-game winner Don Mainland handcuffed Kamloops on four hits, striking out 17 batters in the process. Loser Vince Smith allowed six hits and fanned 12 during the eight innings that he pitched. Gerry Robertson slugged a fourth-frame circuit-clout for the winners.
(August 17 ) Kamloops remained alive for another day by blasting hometown Kelowna 12 to 5.
(August 17) The Vernon Luckies, pennant-winners during the OMBL regular season, defeated Penticton 6 to 1 to eliminate the Molsons from the playoffs in three straight games. Reg Main pitched all three wins in the series. Ken Carmack was the loser in Penticton’s swan song.
(August 19) A three-run ninth inning carried Kelowna to an 8 to 5 victory over Kamloops and gave the Labatts the best-of-five OMBL semi-final series three-games-to-one. Trail product Don Mainland, who took over pitching chores for the Peach City squad in the third inning from Don Rogelstad, survived a shaky start when he walked the first two batters to face him but settled in nicely to cop the hurling verdict. Bob Haywood, who gave up four second-inning runs, was the loser. The Labatts had a 7 to 6 edge in base hits.
FINALS Kelowna vs Vernon (best-of-five series)
LITTLE FOUND IN PRINT FOR THE FINAL SERIES
(August 30-31 – September 1) Kamloops Labor Day weekend tournament
(August 31) Unable to field a full team of eligible players, the Kamloops Okonots were 9 to 0 losers by way of forfeiture in their road game at Vernon. Utilizing the services of two junior players from Vernon, however, the Kamloops squad did manage to narrowly defeat the Luckies 10 to 9 in an exhibition tussle.
WEST KOOTENAY AREA BASEBALL
WEST KOOTENAY SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Slocan City’s stay in the West Kootenay senior circuit was brief, lasting only the 1968 campaign but, in 1969, and after a two-year absence, Nelson finally rejoined the fray and a second junior-aged squad, the Grand Forks Mets, also threw their hat into the ring, boosting the league membership to five. The schedule was once again unbalanced with Grand Forks, playing almost exclusively in doubleheaders, assigned the fewest number of games.
Grand Forks Junior Mets
Nelson Merchants
Rossland Capilanos
Trail Junior Blazers
Trail Smoke Eaters
PRE-SEASON EXHIBITION GAMES
(May 4) The Grand Forks Mets overcame a 4 to 1 deficit to nip the Trail Blazers 8 to 7 in an exhibition contest at Trail’s Butler Park. A five-run fourth inning in which the Mets got to Blazers’ pitching ace, Don Mainland, was the turning point in the fracas. Winning pitcher Harry Strukoff stroked a two-run double during that uprising. Flychaser Rob Paterson belted a two-run dinger for the Trailites.
L. Seminoff, H. Strukoff (W) (2), B. Hamagami (6) and Robbie
Ward, Mainland (L) (4), Fischer (4), Paterson (8) and Larmour
(May 11) Showing almost a flawless defense with which to compliment an 11-hit offense, the Grand Forks Mets concluded their exhibition schedule on a winning note, easily dropping the Nelson Merchants 6 to 2 at James Donaldson Park. The Goddard brothers sparked the Forkers with the lumber, Bill Goddard connecting for four safeties including a pair of doubles while older sibling, Jack, notched three one-baggers. Harry Strukoff recorded his second consecutive hillock triumph for the Mets, yielding only one bloop double during the four frames he worked. Bryan Dubasov, the second of four Nelson hurlers, was tagged with the loss.
Matheson, Dubasov (L) (2), Moisey (4), Jmaeff (7) and Allen
L. Seminoff, J. Seminoff (2), H. Strukoff (W) (3) B. Hamagami (8) and Robbie, Fofonoff (6)
REGULAR SEASON
(May 12) The Trail Junior Blazers and the Nelson Merchants tangled in the West Kootenay Senior Baseball League opener at Butler Park with the Blazers taking a sloppily-played 19 to 11 marathon from the Lakesiders. Walks and errors dominated the contest in which the Merchants doubled the Blazers in the base hit department, holding a 14 to 7 edge. A trio of Trail chuckers, including winner Bob Wasileu/Wasilew, walked 13. The Merchant hurlers gave up four bases on balls but received atrocious defensive support as their mates booted the ball on 13 occasions. Nelson’s Wayne Kew, with three safe swats, was the leading batter in the long drawn-out affair.
xxx, Moisey (L), xxx and xxx
Zaptichny, Wasileu/Wasilew (W), Ward and Larmour
(May 13) Coming up with seven big runs in the top-of-the-first inning off losing twirler “Whitey” Paugh, the Rossland Capilanos never looked back and proceeded to overwhelm the Trail Trail Smoke Eaters 11 to 7 as both of these clubs tasted league action for the first time in the 1969 campaign. Joe Zanussi’s fine relief work helped the Caps maintain the early lead they established.
Larson (W), Zanussi (4) and Cederholm
Paugh (L) and Richards
(May 14) Playing in their home opener after a two-season absence from the senior baseball wars, the Nelson Merchants suffered an 8 to 4 setback at the hands of the Trail Smoke Eaters in a six-inning, darkness-shortened affair. The Merchants dug themselves an early hole and found the uphill battle just too steep to overcome in spite of strong, but brief, relief hurling by Bob Jeffs who was forced out of the game with an injury. Lefthander Dennis Zinio, on the slab for the Silver City nine, went all the way to pick up the mound victory. He yielded six hits, five of them singles, while fanning seven. Nelson starter Bryan Dubasov was tagged with the loss. The Smokies garnered nine hits in the triumph with catcher Dale Schultz the only swatter to pick up more than one safety, stroking a pair of singles.
Zinio (W) and Schultz
Dubasov (L), B. Jeffs (2), Kew (4) and Allen
(May 18) The Trail Blazers embarrassed the invading Grand Forks Mets 12 to 2 in the matinée tussle of a two-game set at Butler Park. The Mets, attired in their sparkling new uniforms, turned the tables of the 1968 B. C. Junior champions in the late encounter, blasting the Blazers 14 to 3. Grand Forks had a defensive meltdown in the opener, the consequence of which was a slew of unearned tallies by the hosts. Hard-throwing right-hander Mike Ward earned the mound victory, scattering four hits, two of which were garnered by John Seminoff. Al Doherty did well at the platter for the winners, collecting a double, single and four RBI’s.
H. Strukoff (L) and Robbie
Ward (W), Doherty (7) and Larmour
A 15-hit splurge at the plate by the visitors made things easy for 16-year old right handed fireballer Brian Hamagami in the sunset event. He fired a three-hitter while registering seven whiffs. Hot corner custodian Jack Goddard was the slugging hero for the Mets, slamming two triples and a brace of singles, good for six RBI’s. First sacker Sam Hancheroff was also dangerous with the baton, stroking four singles.
B. Hamagami (W) and Robbie
Payette (L), Doherty (5), Fischer (6), Mainland (7) and Larmour
(May 19) The Trail Blazers won a close 3 to 1 contest from the visiting Rossland Capilanos at Butler Park. Don Mainland was the winning flinger, helping himself to a bloop single over shortstop with took an odd bounce in front of left garden patroller Barry Seal, allowing a Blazer tally. The Juniors scored their other pair on a two-run throwing error by Rossland second baseman Ivan Bell. The Caps’ lone run was plated by Bob Profili who walked and rounded the sacks on successive hits by Seal and Don Holmes.
Brandt (L), Zanussi and Cederholm
Mainland (W) and xxx
Standings W L Pct.
Trail Blazers 3 1 .750
Rossland Capilanos 1 1 .500
Grand Forks Mets 1 1 .500
Trail Smoke Eaters 1 1 .500
Nelson Merchants 0 2 .000
(May 20) The Trail Smoke Eaters broke open a close game by scoring nine runs in the sixth inning as they went on to bomb the Nelson Merchants 16 to 5. The winning pitcher was “Whitey” Paugh who relieved starter Bob Redhead in the first inning with the bases loaded and two Nelson runs already across. Paugh struck out Neil Shuttleworth to end the Merchants’ threat. He gave up four safeties the rest of the game with the only damaging hit being a three-run homer in the sixth inning by Fred Jmaeff. The Smokies collected 16 hits off three Nelson chuckers in winning their second straight game.
xxx (L), xxx (6), xxx (6) and xxx
Redhead, Paugh (W) (1) and xxx
(May 21) Despite a reasonable mound effort from right-hander Fred Jmaeff, the pitching-strapped Nelson Merchants dropped their fourth in a row, falling 7 to 5 to the visiting Trail Junior Blazers in a WKSBL tussle terminated after five frames when darkness enveloped the skies. The Blazers didn’t put away the Merchants until that the top-of-that-fifth and final canto when flychaser Rob Patterson dialed long distance for a two-run four-master which gave them sufficient breathing room to withstand a mild Nelson rally in the bottom-of-the-same-episode. Al Doherty allowed four hits, walked three and fanned eight Nelsonites in the abbreviated event. Jmaeff gave up six hits, whiffed an equal number and issued just one free ticket. Catcher Norm Larmour swung the heavy wood for the winners, drilling a double and two singles. Merchant outfielder Armando Porco had a bases-empty dinger and a single off the slants of Doherty.
Doherty (W) and Larmour
Jmaeff (L) and Allen
(May 25) The Rossland Capilanos spoiled the home debut of the Grand Forks Mets, trimming the Forkers twice by scores of 7 to 2 and 4 to 2. Southpaw twirler Joe Zanussi stymied Grand Forks in the early skirmish, limiting the homesters to only five hits. The curve-balling portsider ran into trouble only in the fourth inning when Mets’ keystone sacker John Seminoff laced a long double to drive in both of his team’s runs. The Caps accomplished most of their damage in the second frame , scoring three unearned runs. Rossland put the game away in the eighth panel scoring two insurance tallies on consecutive run-producing doubles by Barry Seal and Joe Rosse.
Zanussi (W) and Field
H. Strukoff (L), J. Seminoff (2) and Robbie
Hard-throwing Barry Seal fired a three-hitter in the nightcap as the visitors completed the sweep. Only Sam Hancheroff, with a triple and two-bagger, had any sustained success against Seal. Losing fireballer Brian Hamagami also pitched a great game, surrendering six safeties while punching out seven. Singles by Joe Rosse, Ivan Bell and Joe Zanussi, plus a throwing error by Grand Forks’ catcher Don Robbie, staked the winners to a 3 to 0 lead in the fourth inning. The Mets narrowed the deficit to one run in the sixth stanza on a single by Harry Strukoff, Hancheroff’s three-bagger and a sacrifice fly by Jack Goddard. A seventh-inning two-base error followed by Dennis Ferrey’s single provided the Capilanos with the game’s final marker.
Seal (W) and Field
B. Hamagami (L) and Robbie
(May 27) It took two days for the Trail Junior Blazers to register an official 5 to 4 win over their Smelter City rivals, the Trail Smoke Eaters. The game, begun at Butler Park on Monday evening, was suspended with the teams deadlocked in a 4 – 4 tie. Keith Healey’s two-run double in the fifth frame allowed the Smokies to knot the count before rain halted proceedings. On Tuesday evening, the same two chuckers that had gone the route 24 hours previous, resumed their duel at the East Trail ball yard with the Young Bucks finally prevailing by a single tally as a result on an unearned run. The Blazers’ Rick Brown bunted safely for a single, advanced to third on an error and crossed the pan with the winning tally on another Smoke Eater miscue.
Mainland (W) and Larmour
Zinio (L) and xxx
Standings W L Pct.
Trail Blazers 5 1 .833
Rossland Capilanos 3 1 .750
Trail Smoke Eaters 2 2 .500
Grand Forks Mets 1 3 .250
Nelson Merchants 0 4 .000
(May 28) In a game shortened to five innings by darkness, the invading Rossland Capilanos dumped the Nelson Merchants 10 to 4. Winning pitcher Barry Seal threw a three-hitter in the abbreviated affair, taking the win over Jim Barr. Seal belted a two-run homer in the opening spasm to get himself off to a good start and Don Holmes’ three-run shot in the third put the icing on the cake. Holmes and Ivan Bell both had two base knocks for the Caps while Ron Harcus was the lone Merchant to pick up a brace of safeties, a double and a single.
Seal (W) and Field
Barr (L) and Allen
(June 1) In the first half of a three-team doubleheader hosted by the Rossland Capilanos, ex-Cap Bryan Dubasov same back to haunt his former club in leading the Nelson Merchants to an 11 to 6 conquest of the Mountainmen. In the follow-up contest, against the Trail Smoke Eaters, the Golden City squad fared better, coming out on the long end of a 3 to 2 score. The Merchants picked up a total of 15 base knocks off three Cap hurlers in the opener, capturing their first victory of the season. Ted Allen, Bob Jeffs and Dave Telford picked up three safeties each for the winners while Wayne Kew and blonde, long-haired Dubasov, who was a valuable member of the 1968 Caps, both had a brace. Dubasov came on in relief of Merchant starting chucker Jim Barr in the third inning, holding Rossland to just two hits and no runs the rest of the way.
Barr, Dubasov (W) (3) and Allen
DeCecco (L), Larson (3), Seal (4) and xxx
Joe Zanussi went all the way on a five-hitter in the second tilt to out-duel Trail’s Dennis Zinio. A sixth-inning double by Don Holmes erased a 2 to 1 deficit, driving in Barry Seal and Bob Profili with the tying and winning runs. In the seventh chapter, Keith Healey drove in Lou DeRosa with the initial Smokie counter and plated the second one himself on a Rossland miscue. Capilano middle gardener Rocky Cull saved the game in the final stanza when he made a spectacular running catch of a missile launched off the bat of Healey.
Zinio (L) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(June 2) The front-running Trail Junior Blazers unleashed a 13-hit attack but needed winning pitcher Mike Ward’s run-scoring single in the eighth inning to salvage an 8 to 7 conquest of the Rossland Capilanos 8 to 7. Ward’s one bagger broke a 7 – 7 tie and came with one out after Dave Fischer had doubled and Don McDougall walked. The Blazer right hander collected four hits in the game, three singles and a two-run homer. Shortstop Al Doherty and outfielder Rob Paterson also unleashed four-baggers for the victors, the former drilling a solo shot and the latter connecting for a two-run blast. The Caps had just six hits but made them all count.
Seal, Brandt (L) (2) and xxx
Ward (W) and xxx
(June 3) Building up a 4 to 0 cushion after three innings were in the books, the Trail Smoke Eaters doubled the invading Nelson Merchants 6 to 3 at Butler Park. The Lakesiders enjoyed a slight 5 to 4 margin in base hits but were unable to parlay that advantage into runs. A three-run first inning for the Smokies set the tone for their winning edge. Neither winning tosser Whitey Paugh nor loser Bob Jeffs got past the middle innings on the slab.
B. Jeffs (L), Dubasov (6) and Allen
Paugh (W), Cody (5) and xxx
Standings W L Pct.
Trail Blazers 7 1 .875
Rossland Capilanos 4 3 .571
Trail Smoke Eaters 3 4 .429
Grand Forks Mets 1 3 .250
Nelson Merchants 1 5 .167
(June 4) The high-flying Trail Blazers increased their lead atop the West Kootenay Senior loop with a decisive 10 to 3 mauling of the cellar-dwelling Nelson Merchants. The Juniors left little doubt about the outcome as they collected 15 base blows including a pair of two-run homers. Winning flinger Don Mainland limited the Nelsonites to five hits, four of them singles. Shortstop Al Doherty paced the Blazer offensive thrust, picking up two singles, a two-run homer and three RBI’s. Rob Paterson slugged the other Trail four-bagger. Mike Ward matched Doherty’s three-hit production, securing a double, a pair of one-baggers and a brace of RBI’s. The Lakesiders pushed across their only counters in the third spasm on three singles and Ron Harcus’ double.
Barr (L), B. Jeffs (2), Moisey (4) and Allen
Mainland (W) and Larmour
(June 5) Middle pasture patroller Rocky Cull’s sixth-inning grand-slam circuit-clout highlighted the Rossland Capilanos’ 10 to 5 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters in the Golden City. The homestanding Caps took advantage of 11 hits and nine walks issued by Trail slabman Bob Redhead to outslug the Smokies and close ground in the standings between them and the front-running Trail Blazers. Joe Zanussi won his third of the season with a five-hitter as he punched out three and issued two walks. While Zanussi was mastering the Silver City nine on the mound, Cull was clobbering them at the plate. The Cap flychaser ripped the orb for two singles and a double in addition to his grand salami. Shortpatcher Ron Rebalatto of Trail lit up Zanussi for a two-run dinger in the seventh panel to help make the final score a bit more respectable.
Redhead (L) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(June 8) The Kootenay Senior All-Stars, preparing for a tournament in Victoria, dropped an exhibition doubleheader to the Spokane Valley Indians, a squad of college players, by 7 to 3 and 3 to 2 counts. The All-Stars are part of a five-team mix vying to represent British Columbia at the Canada Summer Games in Halifax come August. Pete Zograsras, a hard-throwing left-hander from Whitworth College, handcuffed the Stars on six hits in the opening game. Rossland’s Barry Seal went the route for the Kootenay club, surrendering nine safeties.
Tom Beall, an Evergreen Conference all-star, hurled a five hitter for the Tribe in the second encounter while Al Doherty of the Trail Blazers suffered the loss. Don Holmes of the Rossland Capilanos and Spokane’s George Cain traded two-run circuit blasts.
(June 9) The lowly Nelson Merchants took home their second win of the season, upending the Trail Blazers 5 to 3 at Butler Park. Copping the mound triumph for the Lakesiders in this action-packed clash was Fred Jmaeff, with eight punchouts, while Mike Ward of the Silver City nine was nailed with the loss. Jerry Kushner’s bases-loaded double in the fourth inning produced the ultimate winning counters. A final-inning dispute between the plate umpire and members of the Blazers resulted in the game being called and awarded to the Nelson nine. Bob Jeffs had two hits for the winners.
Jmaeff (W) and Allen
Ward (L) and Larmour
(June 10) The Trail Smoke Eaters, riding a fine no-hit, no-run pitching performance by Jim Cody, shutout the Rossland Capilanos 3 to 0. The Smokies nicked losing portsider Joe Zanussi for six bingles. Ron Rebalatto’s double, which scored Al Richards, was the only extra-base hit of the skirmish. Reballato then plated the second Trail counter on Lou DeRosa’s RBI single. In the fourth panel, Ernie Brown singled in Dale Schultz with the Smokies’ final marker. Cody rang up eight punchouts in recording his masterpiece while DeRosa added another one-bagger to emerge as the lone multi-hit player in the contest.
Zanussi (L) and xxx
Cody (W) and Richards
(June 11) The invading Trail Smoke Eaters, with winning hurler Dennis Zinio tossing a complete-game five-hitter and breezing six, blanked the Nelson Merchants 6 to 0 at the Civic Centre. A run-scoring double by Neil Wilson in the second inning started the Smokies on their way to a three-run outburst and ultimate victory. Zinio increased the visitors’ lead by blasting a solo four-ply tater in the fifth. Garry Little scored the final Trail run on a double by Dale Schultz in the last frame. Zinio had a brace of one-baggers to go along with his dinger. Teammates Ken Kozlowski and Ron Rebalatto also picked up a triad of safeties for the winners.
Zinio (W) and xxx
Dubasov (L), Moisey (4) and Allen
(June 12) Plating tallies by Len Cederholm in the first inning and by Bob Profili in the sixth, the Rossland Capilanos nosed out the league-leading Trail Blazers 2 to 1 to edge closer to first place. Each team recorded five hits in the hard-fought affair. Don Holmes’ two-out double in the sixth plated Profili with the ultimate winning counter. Larry Brandt was the winning moundsman, going the route while whiffing five. Glen Babcock of the Blazers also went the distance, fanning seven in absorbing the loss. The Caps’ Joe Zanussi, with a double and one-bagger, was the only player from either team to acquire two hits.
Babcock (L) and xxx
Brandt (W) and xxx
(June 15) The Grand Forks Mets unleashed a 12-hit attack and went on to pound the Nelson Merchants 12 to 4 and thus gain a split in WKSBL action played at the Civic Centre in Nelson. The Merchants won the opener 8 to 4, scoring five unearned runs on costly Mets’ miscues. The Lakesiders carried a narrow 7 to 6 margin in base hits during the curtain-raiser but the visitors committed the game’s only three errors which was their undoing. Home runs by winning tosser Bryan Dubasov and Bob Jeffs were also instrumental in the Nelson triumph. Jack Goddard nailed a two-run tater for the vanquished nine.
H. Strukoff (L), L. Seminoff (4) and Robbie
Barr, Dubasov (W) (3) and Allen
John Seminoff was both the pitching and hitting hero in the one-sided finale. He scattered six Nelson hits to grab the win and aided his own cause by slamming three singles which accounted for three RBI’s. The Mets pounced on losing flinger Fred Jmaeff for four first-inning runs and were never headed.
J. Seminoff (W) and Hancheroff
Jmaeff (L), Moisey (2), B. Jeffs (3) and Allen
(June 16) The Trail Smoke Eaters registered their third consecutive shutout, defeating the Trail Junior Blazers 3 to 0 in West Kootenay Senior League action. Winning portsider Dennis Zinio fired a strong one-hitter and recorded 11 strikeouts but five free passes forced him to do a lot of pitching with runners on base. A single by Neil Sanders in the fifth panel spoiled his bid for a no-hitter. Loser Don Mainland of the Blazers gave up just three hits and rang up eight punchouts but seven walks kept him in trouble. Gary Little’s long single drove in Keith Healey with the only run in the game that mattered, giving the Smokies a 1 to 0 lead. Lou DeRosa and Jack Wilson had the other two hits for the winners.
Zinio (W) and xxx
Mainland (L) and xxx
(June 17) Ken Kozlowski pitched a three-hitter and lined a double to pace the Trail Smoke Eaters to a 4 to 1 conquest of the Trail Junior Blazers at Butler Park. Kozlowski, who normally patrols the outfield for the Smokies, made his first appearance on the knoll a successful one, overpowering the Blazers and sending them to their fourth straight loss. The Smoke Eaters collected four hits besides Kozlowski’s two-bagger with playing-manager Lou DeRosa having the most success with the baton, stroking a brace of safe swats. Losing tosser Glen Babcock had control issues in the six innings he hurled, walking six batters.
Babcock (L), Doherty (7) and xxx
Kozlowski (W) and xxx
(June 18) Portsider Joe Zanussi fashioned a two-hitter and breezed 11 in pitching the Rossland Capilanos to a convincing 8 to 1 win over the hosting Nelson Merchants. The Caps lit up a pair of Nelson twirlers for 18 base blows in the one-sided tilt as every Capilano player had at least one hit during the game. Rocky Cull and Bob Proflili both raked losing twirler Bryan Dubasov and reliever Jim Barr for three safe swats. Jim Bielli of the Caps nailed a three-bagger in the seventh but was thrown out at the dish trying to stretch it into a home run.
Zanussi (W) and xxx
Dubasov (L), Barr (5) and xxx
(June 19) By nosing out the Trail Smoke Eaters 4 to 3 at Butler Park, the Grand Forks Mets moved a step closer to clinching a WKSBL playoff spot. Winning slabster Brian Hamagami held the Smokies to just four bingles and rang up six strikeouts. John Seminoff paced the winners’ offensively, figuring in all of their scoring. He drove in half of the Mets’ four counters with a two-run single and scored twice himself. Outfielder Gene Shutek emerged as the co-star of the Grand Forks triumph, singling three times and driving in the winning run.
B. Hamagami (W) and Robbie
Zinio (L), Cody (3) and Healey
Standings W L Pct.
Rossland Capilanos 7 4 .636
Trail Blazers 8 5 .615
Trail Smoke Eaters 7 6 .538
Grand Forks Mets 3 4 .429
Nelson Merchants 3 9 .250
(June 20) The Kootenay Senior All-Stars blew an early 5 to 1 lead and were clobbered 12 to 5 by Vancouver Villa in their opening encounter at the double-knockout tournament being held in Victoria to determine a British Columbia representative for the Canada Summer Games. The Villa swatsmiths lit up two Kootenay tossers for 16 base knocks with shortstop Jim Chapman leading the way with a five-for-five performance.
Stebbings, White (W) (2) and Bird
Zinio (L), Sallaway (6) and Richards
(June 21) The Kootenay All-Stars evened their record at a win and a loss when they doubled the Okanagan All-Stars 6 to 3 at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park. Winning moundsman, left-hander Joe Zanussi, was roughed up for eleven safeties but managed to keep them relatively scattered.
Zanussi (W) and Richards
Tweed (L), Davison, Haywood and Schwab
(June 22) The Okanagan All-Stars came out of the gate in a fury, scoring six times in the first three frames and went on to drop the Kootenay All-Stars 10 to 8, eliminating the vanquished nine from further play in the Canada Games qualification tournament in Victoria.
Sallaway (L), Seal (3), Healey (7) and Richards
Davison (W), Tweed (8) and Schwab
(June 29) The Grand Forks Mets’ attempt to surpass the Trail Smoke Eaters in the WKSBL standings fell short as the Smokies edged the Mets 10 to 8 to gain a split in their twin-bill at James Donaldson Park. The hosting Grand Forks nine captured the opener 6 to 1. Harry Strukoff pitched his finest game of the season in the curtain raiser as he scattered four hits and registered five punchouts in earning his first WKSBL victory. Two bases on balls, a double by Serg Kazakoff and singles by John Seminoff and Brian Hamagami rocked Trail moundsman Ken Kozlowski in the opening panel and sent the Mets into a 4 to 0 lead. Jack Goddard’s base hit in the next inning drove in Don Robbie with a fifth Grand Forks run. The Smelter City gang plated their lone run in the fourth chapter following a two-base error and a single by Dale Schultz. Consecutive singles by Harry Strukoff, Sam Hancheroff and Robbie in their half of the fourth resulted in the Forkers’ final tally.
Kozlowski (L) and Healey
H. Strukoff (W) and Hancheroff
The Mets roared back from a 5 to 0 deficit in the second contest with a seven-run outburst in the fifth inning, highlighted by Jack Goddard’s two-run homer, but could not tame the Smokies in the latter part of the game when the invaders scored five times, primarily because losing tosser Brian Hamagami began issuing walks which were followed by timely hits to Ernie Brown and Keith Healey. The latter Trail swatter was dynamite with the hickory, clipping the orb at a four-for-five clip. Teammate Lou DeRosa chipped in with two hits and scored twice. Goddard had a double in addition to his round-tripper while Mets’ sidekicks Pete Fofonoff and John Seminoff also picked up a pair of hits.
Zinio (W) and Healey
B. Hamagami (L) and Fofonoff, Hancheroff (5)
(June 30) The Trail Blazers took a firmer grip on first place in the West Kootenay Senior Baseball league when they captured a 6 to 5 walkoff win over the Rossland Capilanos at Butler Park. The teams had been deadlocked at 5 – 5 since the fifth inning after Rocky Cull had been squeezed home on a well-placed bunt by Barry Seal. Glen Babcock’s base hit in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning drove in the winning counter for the Blazers. Mike Ward pitched the complete-game victory for the Juniors, wrestling the verdict from Cap reliever Seal.
Brandt, Seal (L) (3) and xxx
Ward (W) and xxx
(July 2) Overcoming an early 2 to 0 deficit, the Nelson Merchants annexed a rare 6 to 2 win over one of their primary nemeses, the Trail Smoke Eaters. A two-run single by Gordie Jeffs in the fourth spasm knotted the count at 2 - 2. Ted Allen’s RBI one-bagger then put the Lakesiders in front to stay. They iced the cake with a three-spot in the seventh when the Smokies botched a couple of bases-loaded, fielder’s choice situations. Bob Jeffs took the hillock decision with a five-hitter over Jim Cody who was nicked for six safeties.
B. Jeffs (W) and Allen
Cody (L) and xxx
(June 7) The Trail Smoke Eaters edged their city cousins, the Trail Junior Blazers, 4 to 3 in the latest battle of the Silver City. Jim Cody captured the mound victory over Mike Ward in a highly-contested Butler Park affair.
(July 8) By taking a 4 to 2 extra-inning win against the hosting Trail Smoke Eaters, the Rossland Capilanos moved another step closer to their fifth straight first-place finish in the West Kootenay Senior circuit. Both winning flinger Barry Seal and losing twirler Dennis Zinio pitched the entire game. An errant throw to first base by Zinio on a bunt by Joe Zanussi allowed base runner Rich Miller to scamper home from second base to put the Caps in front 3 to 2 in the overtime session. After Zanussi swiped second base, he was driven home on “Rocky” Cull’s base hit which tacked on an insurance run. Seal unloaded a disputed two-run circuit-jack for the Rosslanders in the sixth panel.
Seal (W) and xxx
Zinio (L) and xxx
(July 13) The visiting Grand Forks Mets were swept by the Rossland Capilanos 4 to 0 and 11 to 2 in doubleheader action at Jubilee Park. The double-win gives the Caps a three-game bulge over the Trail Blazers in their joust for the regular-season pennant. Southpaw Joe Zanussi threw a three-hitter at the Mets in the opener in recording the whitewash win. Losing flinger Brian Hamagami was nicked for five Rossland hits but a half dozen errors by his mates led to all of the Caps’ runs being unearned.
B. Hamagami (L) and Robbie
Zanussi (W) and Holmes
Down 2 to 1 after four innings of the finale, the Caps exploded for six runs in the fifth and went on to further pad their lead in support of Barry Seal’s stellar pitching. Overall the Golden City squad managed to collect nine hits in the affair while Seal yielded only two safe swats. Ivan Bell’s bases-loaded two-bagger cleared the sacks for the Caps in their fifth frame uprising and was the turning point in the game.
R. Hamagami (L), B. Hamagami (4), R. Hamagami (5), B. Hamagami (5), J. Seminoff (5), B. Goddard (6) and Robbie
Seal (W) and Holmes
(July 14) The Trail Smoke Eaters, after dropping their first two games of the season to their younger brethren, the Trail Junior Blazers, came through with their fourth consecutive win over the Juniors, a finely-pitched 2 to 0 shutout. Both pitchers of record, winning slab artist Jim Cody and losing fireballer Glen Babcock, had the hitters in defensive mode. Cody gave up two hits, one walk and recorded eight strikeouts while Babcock chalked up 17 whiffs, pitched a three-hitter and allowed two bases on balls. Both of the Smokies’ runs crossed the pan in the second inning. After singling, Bob Mohs came around to score an unearned tally on an error. Consecutive singles by Lou DeRosa and Dennis Zinio brought in Cody, who had walked, with the insurance marker.
Babcock (L) and Larmour
Cody (W) and xxx
(July 16) An uninspiring West Kootenay Senior League encounter at Nelson’s Civic Centre saw the first-place Rossland Capilanos crush the bottom-feeding Nelson Merchants 11 to 5. Larry Brandt, toeing the rubber for the Caps, issued seven base hits and fanned an equal number in going the route. Losing slabman Fred Jmaeff was driven to the showers in the second episode, giving up seven counters on seven hits. Triples by Barry Seal and Joe Zanussi sparked the Golden City outburst. NHL’er Larry Mickey followed Jmaeff to the bump but was himself given the hook in the seventh as veteran Les Hufty finished the game on the hill.
Brandt (W) and xxx
Jmaeff (L), Mickey (2), L. Hufty (7) and xxx
(July 17) Entering the home stretch of the league’s schedule, the Rossland Capilanos took a giant step towards the regular-season pennant by turning back the Trail Blazers 14 to 4 at Jubilee Park. Every Cap in the lineup crossed home plate at least once in their balanced show of offense. In the swatting department, Don Holmes banged out three hits while Bob Profili, Barry Seal, Joe Rosse, and Art Field each collected a pair in Rossland’s 12-hit attack with a brace of doubles part of Holmes’ total. Joe Zanussi effectively scattered nine Blazer hits, a trio of them to Dave Fischer and two to Jazz Rosa, in taking the mound win over Mike Ward.
Ward (L), Doherty and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(July 23) Right-hander Larry Mickey hurled a four-hitter and Mel Dorey scored the winning run, leading the Nelson Merchants to a 1 to 0 blanking of the league-leading Rossland Capilanos. An two-out error by the catcher in the fourth panel allowed Dorey, who had tripled off losing chucker Barry Seal, to plate the game’s lone counter.
Seal (L) and xxx
Mickey (W) and xxx
(July 24) The Rossland Capilanos continued to steamroll over West Kootenay Senior League opposition, laying a 12 to 6 drubbing on their closest pursuers, the Trail Blazers, at Jubilee Park in the Golden City. Joe Zanussi effectively scattered 11 hits in besting Mike Ward on the hill. Zanussi’s ability to bail himself out of trouble by bearing down was evident throughout despite not having his best stuff. He fanned eight and walked three, one an intentional pass. He also ripped three base hits. Ward, with a single and double, led the Blazer hitters. Registering two base knocks apiece were Rossland’s Joe Rosse with a three-run homer and double, Bob Profili and Don Holmes with a double and single as well as Trail’s Al Doherty and Neil Sanders who both laced two singles.
Ward (L), Paterson (6) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(July 27) Despite losing an on-field 5 to 1 decision to the Trail Blazers, the Grand Forks Mets were awarded a 9 to 0 forfeiture victory when the Blazers utilized the services of two members of the Nelson Merchants in contravention of WKSBL regulations.
(July 27) Utilizing the services of seven hurlers, each pitching for one inning in preparation for the Canadian Junior championship tournament in Sarnia ON, the Trail Junior Blazers whitewashed the Trail Smoke Eaters 4 to 0 at Butler Park.
(July 28) The Trail Blazers, loaded-up with five reinforcements for their upcoming trip to the Canadian Junior baseball championships in Sarnia ON, lit up losing pitcher Barry Seal for ten safeties as they clubbed the Rossland Capilanos into submission by a 8 to 0 count at Butler Park. The Caps were only able to muster one hit off the combined pitching efforts of three Blazer chuckers, a fluky pop up by Gary Duthie in which two Trail infielders performed a real “Alphonse and Gaston” act, both standing with their hands at their sides while the ball dropped between them. Bob Schwab, one of the pickups from the Okanagan, was the starter and winner. Garnering two hits apiece for the winners were Randy Rota, another Okanagan addition, and Al Doherty.
Seal (L) and xxx
Schwab (W), Babcock, Mainland and xxx
(July 31) The defending champion Rossland Capilanos clinched the 1969 regular-season pennant after shutting out the Nelson Merchants 2 to 0 in a brilliant pitching duel between the Caps’ Joe Zanussi and the Lakesiders’ Larry Mickey. The loss eliminates the Merchants from any chance of qualifying for a playoff spot. Zanussi limited the Nelsonites to just two hits in picking up his ninth win against only one loss. Mickey was touched for five hits, two each by Zanussi and Art Field, and allowed only one earned run which came on an RBI single by Merv Jensen.
Mickey (L) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(August 1) The Trail Blazers won their opening game in the Canadian Junior championships, posting a 10 to 9 victory over the Moncton NB Cubs. A three-run homer by Bob Jeffs, a junior-aged pickup from the Nelson Merchants, sparked a four-run uprising by the Blazers in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning. Mike Ward, the fourth Trail chucker used in the game, picked up the pitching victory.
LePage, Beaton (7), Bourque (7), Chapman (L) (8) and Dupuis
Mainland, Felchner (4), Larmour (4), Ward (W) (9) and Burns
(August 3) The Grand Forks Mets clinched the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Kootenay Senior Baseball league following their doubleheader sweep over the Nelson Merchants at James Donaldson Park. The scores were 7 to 6 and 12 to 2. The Mets stormed from behind a four-run deficit in the eighth panel to tie the score in the lid-lifter, then plated a singleton in the ninth to annex the contest. A bases-loaded single by winning chucker Brian Hamagami and a clutch three-bagger by Jack Goddard sent home the equalizer in the eighth. John Seminoff singled in the ninth for the Forkmen, reached second on an error, stole third and scored the winning run on a wild pitch uncorked by losing pitcher Len Berg. Hamagami was touched for nine Nelson hits while his mates collected 12 off a brace of Merchant tossers.
Jmaeff, Berg (L) (9) and Osis
B. Hamagami (W) and Robbie
An eleven-run sixth inning was the story for Grand Forks in the second joust. The Mets used five slab artists in restricting the Nelson offense to just five hits. Jack Goddard paced the Mets with the stick, banging two singles which brought in three counters and scoring twice in the sixth-canto explosion. Bill Goddard, Don Robbie, John Seminoff and Peter Demoskoff also clipped the horsehide for a brace of safeties. The Merchants were blanked until the seventh when a base on balls, a double by Mel Dorey and a single by Preston Zeeben chased a pair of markers across the pan. Current NHL’er Larry Mickey suffered the pitching loss for the invaders.
Mickey (L), Dorey (6) and Cushner
L. Seminoff (W), R. Hamagami (4), P. Strukoff (6), B. Goddard (6), J. Goddard (7) and Robbie
(August 6) The Nelson Merchants closed out their West Kootenay Senior League campaign on a winning note, whipping the third-place Trail Smoke Eaters 9 to 6 at the Civic Centre grounds. Lots of early scoring via the long ball from both teams defined this clash. Trail’s Rob Reballato started the swatting spree with a two-run, first inning tater. Fred Jmaeff of the Merchants erased that cushion with another two-run dinger which tied the score. Then, in arrears by a 6 to 2 margin as they came to bat in the third panel, Terry Wickstrom of the Lakesiders launched a three-run shot off losing flinger Tom Volpatti. Winning pitcher Bob Jeffs followed with a single which once again deadlocked the match. Jeffs rose to the occasion for a second time in the fourth chapter by ripping another one-bagger which drove in Howie Ridge with the go-ahead marker. They added a pair of insurance tallies in the fifth and blanked the Smokies the rest of the way to end their return-season to the WKSBL in a positive fashion.
Volpatti (L) and xxx
Fitchner, B. Jeffs (W) (3) and xxx
(August 7) Although requiring fifth-inning relief help to preserve the shutout, Joe Zanussi racked up his eighth pitching win of the campaign, tops in the league, as the Rossland Capilanos blanked the Trail Smoke Eaters 3 to 0. Joe Rosse, with a double, and Rocky Cull, with a one-bagger, drove in the three Cap counters off losing hurler Lou DeRosa.
DeRosa (L) and xxx
Zanussi (W), Madge (5) and xxx
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Grand Forks Mets vs Rossland Capilanos and Trail Blazers vs Trail Smoke Eaters (best-of-three series)
(August 10) The hustling Grand Forks Mets upset the pennant-winning Rossland Capilanos 10 to 5 as the league semi-finals got underway. Starting and losing pitcher Larry Brandt of the Capilanos failed to retire a batter in the opening frame and was given an early hook as three Grand Forks hits and a trio of miscues by the Caps staked the Mets to a six-run lead. The Caps chipped away at the deficit, coming to within a deuce before Jack Goddard’s bases-loaded triple followed by a one-bagger off the bat of his younger brother, Bill Goddard, in the third once again widened the spread. Brian Hamagami pitched well in taking the mound win, handcuffing the Caps on six base hits, recording 11 strikeouts while walking four. Jack, the elder, Goddard led the Mets with the stick, picking up three safeties. Kid brother Bill Goddard and Ron Hamagami both came through with a pair of base raps. Don Holmes singled twice for the Mountainmen.
Brandt (L), Seal (1) and Holmes
B. Hamagami (W) and Robbie
(August 10) The Trail Smoke Eaters took the opener of their WKSBL semi-final series by nosing out the Trail Junior Blazers 3 to 3 in a real pitcher’s duel between Dennis Zinio and Al Doherty.
(August 11) In a well-attended playoff game at Jubilee Park in the Golden City, the Rossland Capilanos evened their semi-final series with the Grand Forks Mets, taking a 5 to 2 victory. The Caps roared out of the gate by posting a four-spot in their initial turn at bat. A two-run double by Don Holmes got things underway for the pennant-winners. With those runs in the bank, winning tosser Joe Zanussi rang up 12 punchouts while allowing only three hits in going the route. The winners had five safeties off losing chucker Larry Seminoff and southpaw reliever Ron Hamagami.
L. Seminoff (L), R. Hamagami (5) and Robbie
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(August 12) The Trail Junior Blazers evened the best-of-three semi-finals at a game apiece by downing their city cousins, the Trail Smoke Eaters, 5 to 2.
(August 14) The Rossland Capilanos won their way into the finals of the West Kootenay Senior Baseball playoffs by defeating the Grand Forks Mets 8 to 2 at the Jubilee Park diamond in a game that was curtailed to 5-1/2 innings because of darkness. Larry Brandt was the winner on a well-pitched four-hitter. Brian Hamagami was saddled with the loss, departing from the hill in favor of his brother, Ron, in the fourth. Brian was nicked for seven safeties while Ron gave up two. Rossland’s Art Field clipped the sibling duo for three safeties while teammate Joe Rosse picked up a pair. Jack Goddard stroked two of the Mets’ four hits.
B. Hamagami (L), R. Hamagami (4) and Robbie
Brandt (W) and xxx
(August 14) The Trail Junior Blazers doubled the Trail Smoke Eaters 2 to 1 to put themselves in the WKSBL finals against the Rossland Capilanos. The winning hurler was Mike Ward while the loss was billed to Dennis Zinio.
FINALS Trail Blazers vs Rossland Capilanos (best-of-five series)
(August 18) The defending champion Rossland Capilanos got off on the right foot by nipping the youthful but talented Trail Blazers 2 to 1 in the opener of the league finals. Joe Zanussi earned his 12th hillock triumph of the campaign, including the playoffs, effectively scattering nine Blazer safeties in going the route. Glen Babcock was the loser despite holding the hard-hitting Caps to just five hits. After three scoreless innings, the Juniors erupted for three hits to score their only run of the game. The hosting Rosslanders tied things in the fifth when Art Field crossed the plate after two hits. It stayed that way until the seventh when Capilano leadoff man Joe Rosse rocked Babcock for a booming triple and scored on a passed ball.
Babcock (L) and Sanders
Zanussi (W) and xxx
(August 19) After getting off to a flying start, the Trail Junior Blazers had to hang on for a 9 to 6 triumph over the Rossland Capilanos, a win which squared the best-of-five finals at a game apiece. With winning pitcher Mike Ward homering in the third, the Blazers led 3 to 1. That gap was stretched to 9 to 1 in the sixth when the Juniors plated a six-spot on the strength of five singles, a walk and a double by Rick Brown. The Caps finally got rolling offensively in the seventh following a leadoff walk to Bryan Dubasov, back with the Golden City nine after a stint with the Nelson Merchants. Merv Jensen then doubled. Three singles and an outfield error later, the score was suddenly 9 to 6 but that was the extent of the outburst as a strikeout, force out and ground out ended the threat. The Blazers collected 12 base hits off losing tosser Larry Brandt and reliever Gordie Madge. Garnering a brace of safe swats each for the Trail Juniors were Neil Sanders, Glen Babcock, Rob Paterson and Ward. Bob Profili and Art Field contributed a pair of base knocks for the Caps who clipped Ward for eight bingles and fireman Babcock for one.
Brandt (L), Madge (6) and xxx
Ward (W), Babcock and xxx
(August 21) An 8 to 5 upset defeat on their home turf, at the hands of the Trail Junior Blazers, put the five-in-a-row championship aspirations of the Rossland Capilanos in peril. The Blazers opened the scoring when leadoff hitter Rick Brown started things off by smashing a long four-bagger to the middle pasture but the Caps retaliated in the bottom half of the frame, tying the score following a pair of Trail errors. Al Doherty’s double and a single by Rob Paterson drove in a pair for the Juniors in the third. The Blazers expanded their lead to 5 to 1 in the top-of-the-sixth on a brace of Cap miscues, a single by Glen Babcock and a pair of walks. The pennant-winners exploded for a four-spot in their half of the panel to again deadlock things. The Blazers pulled in front to stay in the seventh round when, with one out, Paterson smashed a two-bagger, Babcock was intentionally walked and Neil Sanders came through with a triple to score both baserunners. Norm Larmour’s single then drove in Sanders to put the final nail in the coffin of the Caps. Babcock, in relief of starter Al Doherty, earned the hillock decision over complete-game tosser Barry Seal of the Mountainmen.
Doherty, Babcock (W) (6) and Larmour
Seal (L) and xxx
(August 25) The end of an era arrived at Butler Park where the Trail Blazers won their third playoff contest in a row from the Rossland Capilanos, a narrow 3 to 2 conquest. After four consecutive West Kootenay Senior League titles, the Caps were dethroned by the hustling band of Juniors. Mike Ward out dueled Rossland ace Joe Zanussi for the pitching victory. Ward tossed a five-hitter while portsider Zanussi was nicked for six safeties. Ward’s opening-inning single drove in Rick Brown with the first run of the game. In the top of the second stanza, Jim Bielli doubled home Art Field to knot the count. Bryan Dubasov followed with a one-bagger which put the Golden City nine in front 2 to 1. It stayed that way until the seventh when three Blazer hits, coupled with two Cap errors, produced the final two counters of the contest. Norm Larmour started the inning off with a single. Another one-bagger, this one by Dave Fischer which was sandwiched around a brace of Rossland miscues, allowed Larmour to cross the dish with the tying marker. A sacrifice and an intentional pass loaded the bases, setting the stage for Glen Babcock’s plate appearance. Zanussi got ahead in the count and was one strike away from retiring the side when Babcock spanked the sphere for the bingle that produced the game-winning tally.
Zanussi (L) and xxx
Ward (W) and Larmour
1969 WEST KOOTENAY BABE RUTH LEAGUE BASEBALL
(July 26) The Interior champion Trail All-Stars, representing the West Kootenay Babe Ruth Baseball League, captured the British Columbia Babe Ruth championship by defeating the Saanich Evening Optimist All-Stars, south Vancouver Island champions, 2 to 1 in the final game of the seven-team provincial tournament held in Kelowna. The West Kootenay squad went undefeated in the double-knockout tourney, taking down Vancouver Inter-Community, Saanich and Coquitlam to capture the “A” side of the event before meeting “B” side winner Saanich once again in the finale. Both games against Saanich were highly tense squeakers in which the Trail aggregation won in their final turn at bat by identical 2 to 1 scores. The eerie similarities in each instance had batting hero, diminutive third baseman Joel Tremblay, driving in Dale Costanza with the winning marker in both dramatic triumphs, coming through with clutch last-inning singles on each occasion. Morley Levick bested Glen Campbell in taking the mound decision, his second victory of the provincials. Levick, guided by the stellar diamond leadership of catcher Gary Picone, was also the winning moundsman in Trail’s initial conquest of the Islanders.
Levick (W) and Picone
Campbell (L) and xxx
SLOCAN-ARROW LAKES BASEBALL LEAGUE
Kaslo-SlocanNakusp
New Denver-Silverton Combines
REGULAR SEASON
(June 1)
(June 8)
(June 15)
(June 22) Twenty years ago, Shig Kiyono was a hard-hitting, smooth-fielding second baseman with the New Denver Senior Baseball club. This year, his son, Tad Kiyono is proving to be one of the best pitchers in the Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League. He held the hard-swatting Nakusp troop of diamond pastimers to three hits in a seven-inning game in which the New Denver-Silverton Combines prevailed 16 to 5. Kiyono left the game with a sore arm in the top of the seventh inning as relieving right-handers Eddie Elsmore and Jack Kelly assumed the pitching chores. The Combines played errorless ball and banged out eleven base hits, one of them a home run by Kelly and another a triple by third baseman Dave Groenhuysen, off two Nakusp chuckers. Centrefielder Doug Nelson was outstanding for the winners, both at the plate and defensively. Kraft and Jackie James led the Nakusp hitters.
xxx and xxx
Kiyono (W), Elsmore, Kelly and xxx
(June 29)
(July 6)
(July 13) Winning pitcher Ed Elsmore and Nobby Hayashi each had two hits Sunday to pace New Denver to a 5-3 win over Nakusp. Elsmore held the host club to just four hits. Derek McQuair took the loss.
Elsmore (W) and xxx
McQuair (L) and xxx
(July 20) Playing at Creston Sunday, Nakusp and the Maroons split a double-header with the home club taking the opener 10-0 behind the two-hit pitching of Duke Guthrie and Nakusp rebounding for a 4-2 victory in the second game. Guthrie, who fanned 11, had a perfect game for seven innings. Doug Huth paced the winners with a homer and two singles. John Thompson and Pete Ugstaad each had three hits. Nakusp catcher Len Folkman got both hits for the visitors.
xxx and Folkman
Guthrie (W) and xxx
Derek McQuair was the winning hurler for Nakusp tossing a six-hitter with seven strikeouts to best Allan Tompkins of Creston who yielded just four hits with seven strikeouts.
McQuair (W) and xxx
Tompkins (L) and xxx
(July 27)
(August 3) Right hander Ed Elsmore pitched the New Denver-Silverton Combines to a 3 to 0 win over the Nakusp senior club before a large crowd at Centennial Park in New Denver, Elsmore was never better as he limited the visitors to five scattered safeties. A fourth-inning bases-laded double by veteran first baseman Andy Avison drove in all the counters for the victors. Glen Rounce started on the bump for Nakusp but was relieved by right hander Derek McQuair at this point. Jack Kelly and Doug Thring had two hits each for the Combines, a feat matched by catcher Len Folkman of the vanquished nine. The win for the Combines clinched the pennant for the fifth straight season. They will meet with runner-up Nakusp once again in a best-of-three final series for the coveted Slocan-Arrow Lakes Senior Baseball championship trophy.
Rounce (L), McQuair and Folkman
Elsmore (W) and xxx
(August 10)
PLAYOFFS
Finals (best-of-three series) Nakusp vs New Denver-Silverton
(August 17) Two fireballing right-handers duked it out in a pitching duel at Centennial Park as the Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball league playoff finals got underway. Eddie Elsmore of the homestanding New Denver-Silverton Combines and Nakusp’s Derek McQuair battled fiercely but, at the end of nine innings, the combatants were deadlocked in a 2 – 2 tie. Elsmore tired in the tenth and was relieved by Jack Kelly who snuffed out a potential rally and held the Nakusp club hitless for the final two frames. In the bottom of the eleventh stanza, Nobby Hayashi and Kelly singled and veteran first sacker Andy Avison drove a sharp single to the middle pasture which allowed Hayashi to cross the pan with the winning counter as the Combines prevailed 3 to 2. In spite of being on the losing side of things, Gordie Yolland , Nakusp’s smooth-fielding shortstop, was a shining light for his squad, keeping them in the game with his fantastic defensive work. Nakusp had taken the early lead scoring in the first inning as D. Hoshizaki reached on an error and came home on singles by Len Folkman and Lino Zanier. The Combines came right back to tie in the bottom of the frame with Doug Nelson romping home. In the sixth, the Combines went ahead when Hayashi doubled and scooted all the way home on a throwing error. Len Folkman singled to drive in Yolland in the eighth to tie the count at 2-2. Nakusp out-hit the Combines 9 to 8. Hayashi had three safeties for the winners and Yolland matched that for Nakusp.
McQuair (L) and Folkman
Elsmore, Kelly (W) (10) and xxx
(August 24) Behind the clutch relief hurling of of fireman Jack Kelly, the New Denver-Silverton Combines dropped the spirited Nakusp nine 10 to 6 to wrap up the best-of-three Slocan-Arrow Lakes Baseball League finals in two straight games. Nakusp jumped into an early lead by chasing starter Tad Kiyono from the hill as Eddie Elsmore assumed mound duties in the third panel. Elsmore, in turn, need relief help from Kelly in the sixth. The fireballing right hander finished the game and allowed only one hit during the four frames that he pitched. Right-handers Glen Rounce and Derek McQuair shared the hurling duties for Nakusp. Speedy right-fielder Harold Mori led the Combines with the baton, crushing a solo home run and a brace of singles. Third sacker Dave Groenhuysen also garnered a triad of safe swats, one of which was a triple. Doug Thring, Nobby Hayashi and Andy Avison followed with a pair of base knocks each. McQuair drilled a double and single for the conquered nine.
Kiyono, Elsmore (3), Kelly (W) (6) and xxx
Rounce, McQuair and xxx