1969 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1969 BC Interior
1969 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Gorge HotelGreaves Movers
Independents
Lake Cowichan
Transport Workers
The fourth-place Gorge Hotel aggregation which finished 16 games back in the regular season, surprised the pundits by capturing the 1969 Victoria Senior Baseball League playoffs, rebounding from a 3-1 game deficit to knock off the third-place Independents in the seven-game final series.
(May 3) George Brice struck out eight batters and allowed only two hits as the Independents shutout Gorge Hotel 4 to 0 in the 1969 season opener of the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League.
Ron Graham (L), Stan Gibb (3) and Bob Lumley
George Brice (W) and Barry Lewis
(May 4) The Transport Workers proved to be less than congenial hosts at Royal Athletic Park as they gave their guests from Lake Cowichan a cold reception, trimming the Lakers 6 to 4 and 8 to 3 in doubleheader action.
Starting pitcher Pete Jolly of the Transports needed some relief help from Bob Mabee to put out a Cowichan fire late in the opening game as they outhit the invaders 8 to 6. The Lakers had their problems afield, making five bobbles.
Jim Jubenville (L) and Ken Jubenville
Pete Jolly (W), Bob Mabee (6) and Mike McAvoy
The combatants were locked in a 2 – 2 deadlock starting the fourth inning of the second game before the Transports took the upper hand by erupting for a three-spot on three singles, two walks and a Cowichan error. The pitching tandem of starter Harold Cliff and reliever Pete Jolly stymied the visitors on three hits as the Lakers, once again, played poorly on defense, committing four errors.
Tom Nicholson (L) and Gary Davis
Harold Cliff Pete Jolly (W) (4) and Mike McAvoy
(May 5) The Greaves Movers lived up to their name, setting in motion their Senior Amateur Baseball League season’s debut, with a 5 to 3 victory over the Transport Workers at Royal Athletic Park. Lanky first baseman John Rouanzoin spearheaded the offensive attack of the victors, driving in Les Brice, Larry McKinty and John Yankoski with a double in the bottom-of-the-fifth inning, which erased a 3 to 2 Transport’s lead. Playing-coach Barry Harvey of the Workers was the lone player on either side to attain plural hit totals, connecting for a pair of safeties.
Bob Mabee (L) and Mike McAvoy
Les Brice (W) and Bob Bowles
(May 7) John Rouanzoin had four RBI’s as Greaves Movers romped over winless Lake Cowichan 14 to 0 at Royal Athletic Park. A bases-loaded triple and a solo home run accounted for the production. Stan Thame pitched a three-hitter and fanned eight in coasting to the mound victory. Dave Rivers also played a starring role for the Movers, collecting three hits while crossing the dish on each occasion. Greaves 10-hit attack was aided by some shoddy fielding on the part of the Lakers, who committed seven errors.
Tom Nicholson (L) and Gary Davis
Stan Thame (W) and Bob Bowles
(May 8) Winning their second straight game by a huge margin, Greaves Movers blasted Gorge Hotel 11 to 3 at Royal Athletic Park. Larry Montgomery got the winners off to a flying start when he rapped an inside-the-park homer that brought home Bob Bowles and John Rouanzoin ahead of him in the second inning. Gorge bounced back with singletons in the second and fourth frames bur Greaves extended their one-run lead to four in the sixth inning, assisted by two errors and a passed ball. Finishing off in formidable hitting style, the Movers wrapped things up in the seventh with a five-run splurge that included a two-run dinger by Bowles.
George Hemming (W), Rick Cook (5) and Bob Bowles
Doug Hill (L), Al Hurst (7)and Bob Lumley
(May 10) Tom Sallaway twirled a six-hitter as the Independents shaded the Transport Workers 3 to 2.
Tom Sallaway (W) and Lee Doney
Pete Jolly (L) and Mike McAvoy
(May 11) The Transport Workers moved solidly into third-place in the Senior Amateur loop by virtue of 6 to 2 and 3 to 2 wins over the Gorge Hotel pastimers. Bob Mabee of the Transports limited the Hotelmen to just five safeties in the opening-game triumph
Brian Lucas (L), Doug Hill (1) and Bob Lumley
Bob Mabee (W) and Mike McAvoy
A three-hitter by Harold Cliff allowed the Workers to squeak out a win in the second contest.
Harold Cliff (W) and Mike McAvoy
Stan Gibb (L) and Bob Lumley
(May 11) The Independents moved out in front in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League after a doubleheader win over hosting Lake Cowichan. The scores were 7 to 5 and 7 to 1. George Brice, in a relief role, earned the mound decision in the lid-lifter.
Wayne Stewart, George Brice (W) (4) and Lee Doney
Ken Jubenville (L), Rocky Wise (7) and Gary Davis
Des Mosely fashioned a complete-game three-hitter as the Independents rolled to a convincing triumph in the late encounter.
Des Mosely (W) and Barry Cosier
Rocky Wise (L) and Ken Jubenville
(May 12) The Independents mounted a mid-game rally then held off Greaves Movers for a 4 to 2 win that left them as the only undefeated team in the Senior Amateur Baseball circuit. George Brice, working well from the bump, held the Movers to six hits and closed the door after yielding single tallies in the first and second panel. The mound triumph was the second for Brice in as many days and his third of the season. The Independents rallied from behind the two-run deficit with two out in the third when Barry Cosier, Tom Robertson and Lee Doney cracked consecutive singles to plate the first counter. Russ Lamb then delivered a two-run triple to give the winners a 3 to 2 edge. They added an insurance marker in the fourth when Ken Hawkins singled home Tom Sallaway.
George Brice (W) and Lee Doney
Les Brice (L), Rick Cook (6) and Bob Bowles, Gary Bishop (7)
(May 15) A seven-run explosion in the third inning propelled the unbeaten Independents to their sixth straight victory, a 13 to 5 conquest of Gorge Hotel in Senior Amateur League play. After falling behind 1 to 0 after an inning was in the books, the Autonomous nine bounce back for a 3 to 1 lead in the second and then iced the contest with the seven-spot in the third. Winning pitcher Tom Sallaway scattered seven hits while ringing up a dozen punchouts. He also had a good evening with the baton, driving in four runs with a double and single.
Tom Sallaway (W) and Lee Doney
Brian Lucas (L), Stan Gibb (2), Al Hurst (3), Doug Hill (3), Al Hurst (5) and Bob Lumley
(May 18) After dropping their first five games of the campaign, the Gorge Hotel diamond troopers hit the victory column with a two-game sweep of Lake Cowichan by scores of 5 to 0 and 10 to 1. Gorge’s Doug Hill was the story of the opener, uncorking the league’s first no-hitter of the season. Hill struck out 16 of the 24 batters he faced. He missed throwing a perfect game by hitting leadoff batter Joe Saysell in the first frame and outfielder John Popovich in the sixth while walking catcher Gary Davis in the seventh.
Rocky Wise (L) and Gary Davis
Doug Hill (W) and Bob Lumley
The Hotelmen outhit the Lakers 8 to 5 in the follow-up match as Al Hurst recorded the complete-game pitching win.
Jim Jubenville (L) and Gary Davis
Al Hurst (W) and Bob Lumley
(May 19) The Independents keep thundering along in their quest to repeat as champions of the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League. The Self-Sustainers ran their unbeaten streak to seven straight by clipping Greaves Movers 8 to 5 in the opener of a three-team twin-bill. The Movers rebounded to capture the second contest 4 to 2 from the Transport Workers. The matinée joust was close until the fifth and six innings when the Independents chased across two and three runs respectively. Both squads stung the sphere for nine base raps.
Rich Cook (L), Larry McKinty (3), Stan Thame (5) and Bob Bowles
George Brice (W) and Lee Doney
Southpaw Les Brice tamed the Transports on four safeties in the nightcap.
Les Brice (W) and Gary Bishop
Bob Mabee (L) and Mike McAvoy
(May 21) Lake Cowichan continued to flounder in last place in the Senior Amateur Baseball League standings when they absorbed an 11 to 5 drubbing at the hands of the Transport Workers. Playing at Royal Athletic Park, the Transports extended the Lakers’ winless streak to eight games as Cowichan starting pitcher Jim Jubenville and reliever Joe Saysell were tagged for 13 hits. Gord Strongman had Laker hurling pegged best for the Transports, lashing out a single, double and triple. He also combined efforts on the mound with Bob Mabee for a four-hitter. John McKeachie and Bob Butcher, along with Strongman, drove in a total of six runs for the winners.
Jim Jubenville (L), Joe Saysell (4) and Ken Jubenville
Bob Mabee, Gord Strongman (W) (3) and Mike McAvoy
(May 22) The Independents, the juggernaut of the Senior Amateur Baseball League, rolled to an eighth straight victory at Royal Athletic Park to remain undefeated this season. A powerful start and a strong fifth-inning output allowed the Autonomous nine to down the Transport Workers 8 to 6. Storming to a four-run lead in the opening canto, the Independents coasted for three more innings while the Transports whittled away at the lead. With the score knotted at 4 – 4 in the fourth, Tom Sallaway replaced Wayne Stewart on the slab for the Independents and playing-manager Barry Cosier juggled both his outfield and infield. The changes paid off in the fifth with another four-run outburst while the Workers were held to a pair of tallies during the remainder of the battle.
Pete Jolly, Bob Mabee (L) (1) and Mike McAvoy
Wayne Stewart, Tom Sallaway (W) (4) and Lee Doney
(May 25) Sunday was a sweeping day in the Senior Amateur Baseball League as both the Independents and Transport Workers hammered out a pair of victories in action at Lake Cowichan and Royal Athletic Park. The Independents ran their undefeated streak to ten games by clipping the Gorge Hotel balltossers 1 to 0 and 8 to 6 behind the pitching of George Brice and Des Mosely. Brice allowed only two hits in besting Gorge’s Doug Hill in the matinée tilt. Craig Lawrence scored the game’s only run with a fourth-inning steal of home.
Doug Hill (L) and Bob Lumley
George Brice (W) and Barry Cosier
A five-run sixth inning proved to be the Hoteliers’ undoing in the nightcap.
Des Mosely (W) and Barry Cosier
Stan Gibb (L) and Bob Lumley
At Cowichan, the Transports tripped the winless Lakers 5 to 0 and 7 to 4. No game details or batteries were published.
(May 26) Greaves Movers overwhelmed Gorge Hotel at the plate for a 5 to 2 win that consolidated their hold on second place in the Senior Amateur Baseball League standings. Although the Movers are 3-1/2 games off the pace set by the front-running Independents, they have only two losses and have three games in hand on the undefeated Independents. While winning pitcher George Hemming was busy fashioning a one-hitter, Greaves’ batters cracked out seven hits off Gorge slabster Al Hurst. The lone swatsmith from the vanquished nine to get to Hemming for a base blow was John Howe who tagged him for a third-inning inside-the-park homer. Hemming yielded a second counter to the Hoteliers in the final canto when he walked four batters but was able to bail himself out by striking out the side.
Al Hurst (L) and Bob Lumley
George Hemming (W) and Bob Bowles
(June 1) The Independents extended their unbeaten streak to nine games in the Senior Amateur circuit when they swept a doubleheader from Lake Cowichan by scores of 1 to 0 and 9 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. The league-leaders garnered only one safety in the opener as losing chucker Jim Jubenville self-destructed by issuing three consecutive walks in the first inning to load the sacks for George Brice who drove in Ken Hawkins for the only run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Tom Sallaway yielded five hits to the Lakers in grabbing the win as his mates played errorless ball.
Jim Jubenville (L) and Ken Jubenville
Tom Sallaway (W) and Lee Doney
The Independents tagged losing tosser Rocky Wise for an opening-inning four-spot and were never head in the late event as Des Mosely scattered five hits in earning his third win of the season..
Rocky Wise (L) and Ted Evans
Des Mosely (W), George Brice (6) and Lee Doney
Standings W L GB
Independents 9 0 ----
Greaves Movers 4 2 3.5
Transport Workers 5 3 3.5
Gorge Hotel 2 5 6.0
Lake Cowichan 0 10 9.5
(June 2) The ready bat of Larry Montgomery enabled Greaves Movers to claim sole possession of second place in the Senior Amateur Baseball League after he and his teammates downed the Gorge Hotel pastimers 4 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Montgomery delivered a timely double in the third canto which produced three runs, enough for the Movers to capture the contest. Rick Cook gained credit for the pitching win although he required relief help from George Brice in the last inning.
Rick Cook (W), George Hemming (7) and Bishop
Doug Hill (L), Stan Gibb (3) and Bob Lumley
(June 4) Sparked by the bat of Harold Halvorson, the Lake Cowichan nine recorded their first win in 13 starts in slipping by Gorge Hotel 6 to 5 at Royal Athletic Park. Halvorson bashed out a bases-loaded triple in the sixth inning and then scored what turned out to be the winning run on Ken Jubenville’s groundout for a 6 to 4 lead. Stan Gibb brought Gorge to with one run by singling in Daryl Proulx in the bottom of the inning but, in the seventh, Laker reliever Tom Nicholson retired the Hotelmen in order. Nicholson, who took over mound chores in the fourth inning from Jim Jubenville, earned the win.
Jim Jubenville, Tom Nicholson (W) (4) and Ken Jubenville
Brian Lucas (L), Wayne Peters (6) and Bob Lumley
(June 5) All good things must come to an end and the boom was lowered on the Independents at Royal Athletic Park as the Transport Workers inflicted the first defeat of the season upon the Autonomous nine, bouncing them by a 9 to 5 count. A flock of unearned runs in the early innings aided the Transports, who were outswatted by a 12 to 7 margin, trip up the league leaders. Pitcher Bob Mabee went all the way on the bump for the Workers although he appeared on the ropes in the sixth when the Independents struck for four runs. He worked his way out of another jam in the seventh to escape with the victory.
George Brice (L), Tom Sallaway (3) and Lee Doney
Bob Mabee (W) and Mike McAvoy
(June 8) After snapping the victory streak of the front-running Independents, the Transport Workers chalked up a pair of victories over Gorge Hotel, coming away with 2 to 0 and 13 to 2 conquests in double-dip action at Royal Athletic Park. Gord Strongman hurled a five-hitter for the opening game shutout triumph.
Stan Gibb (L) and Bob Lumley
Gord Strongman (W) and Mike McAvoy
Pete Jolly tossed a three-hitter as the Transports breezed to the nightcap win.
Pete Jolly (W) and Mike McAvoy
Doug Hill (L), Al Hurst (1) and Dave Morgan
(June 8) Greaves Motors swept a twin-bill from hosting Lake Cowichan. Final scores, game details and batteries not published.
(June 9) Continuing their recent surge up the ladder, the Transport Workers pounded three Gorge Hotel pitchers for ten hits and eleven runs in the opening inning and went on to post a 16 to 2 shellacking of the Inn Keepers. Pitcher Bob Mabee cruised to the one-sided victory, allowing Gorge batters only three hits. The win moved the Transports to with two-games of the front-running Independents.
Doug Hill (L), Stan Gibb (1), Mark Perkins (1), Brian Lucas (2), Mark Perkins (5) and Bob Lumley
Bob Mabee (W) and Mike McAvoy
(June 11) After cruising along with a string of 12 wins to start the season, the Independents ran into another snag as the fourth-place Gorge Hotel balltossers plated a four-spot in the fifth inning to topple the league-leaders 6 to 3 at Royal Athletic Park. It was only the second loss of the campaign for the Independents. Mark Perkins recorded the pitching victory, surrendering four hits in complete-game style while his mates registered ten safeties off a pair of chuckers from the vanquished squad. Dave Morgan paced the Hotelmen at the plate with a double and three singles in four turns at bat.
Wayne Stewart (L), George Brice (5) and Lee Doney
Mark Perkins (W) and Bob Lumley
(June 12) The Independents are rapidly losing their once-healthy lead atop the Senior Amateur circuit as their losing streak hit three games at Royal Athletic Park where they dropped a 7 to 2 verdict to the Transport Workers. The win for the Transports moved them to within a half-game of the Independents. Pete Duncan picked up the mound decision by tossing a four-hitter to go along with ten punchouts. He aided his own cause offensively by dialing long distance with an opening-inning, two-run circuit-jack. The Workers were worthy winners, lighting up a brace of slabsters from the losing nine for 13 safeties. They also played flawlessly afield, committing not a single error.
Pete Duncan (W) and Mike McAvoy
Tom Sallaway (L), Lorne Bunyan (6) and Lorne Bunyan, Barry Cosier (6)
(June 15) The Greaves Movers baseballers swept a double-bill from the invading Lake Cowichan aggregation, 9 to 0 and 7 to 0, to move into a second-place tie with the Transport Workers. Both squads are a half-game behind the Independents in the standings. The Lakers were badly outclassed in both games and presented an anemic batting attack. John Saysell, Grant Forrest and Ken Brown were the only Cowichan players to collect hits over the course of the twin-bill which totalled 14 innings. Winning slabster Rick Cook spun a nifty one-hitter in the one-sided matinée contest.
Rocky Wise (L) and Gus Ryan
Rick Cook (W) and Gary Bishop
Les Brice blanked the Lakers on two hits in the evening whitewash.
Jim Jubenville (L) and Grant Forrest
Les Brice (W) and Gary Bishop
Standings W L GB
Independents 12 3 ----
Greaves Movers 10 2 0.5
Transport Workers 12 4 0.5
Gorge Hotel 3 13 9.5
Lake Cowichan 1 16 12.0
(June 16) George Hemming’s four-hit shutout pitching powered Greaves Movers to a 3 to 0 victory over Gorge Hotel and the Senior Amateur Baseball League lead on the basis of percentage points. The Independents share the lead in games, with both teams a half-game in front of the Transport Workers. The Movers plated all of their runs in the fifth inning. John Yankoski opened the scoring with a theft of home. Gary Bishop later rode in on a single by Bob Bowles who, in turn, crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice.
Doug Hill (L) and Bob Lumley
George Hemming (W) and Gary Bishop
(June 18) Gorge Hotel exploded for five runs in the bottom-of-the-final inning to nip Lake Cowichan 11 to 10 in a Senior Amateur Baseball League contest at Royal Athletic Park. Grant Forrest of Lake Cowichan and Gorge’s Mark Perkins rattled off grand-slam homers early in the game. Dave Morgan added another homer for the winners while Doug Hill, with a two-run single, and Wayne Peters, with a three-run double, paced the last-inning attack on Laker starter Rocky Wise and reliever Jim Jubenville. Al Hurst claimed the pitching win after relieving Stan Gibb in the seventh inning.
Rocky Wise, Jim Jubenville (L) (7) and Rick Davis
Stan Gibb, Al Hurst (W) and Bob Lumley
(June 20-22) 1969 B.C. senior amateur baseball "Canada Games" tournament
(June 25) The Transport Workers maneuvered Greaves Movers out of first place and handed the opening to the idle Independents at Royal Athletic Park. The Workers doubled the Movers 5 to 4, allowing the Independents to claim top spot by mere percentage points. After a four-run first inning, the Transports failed to connect again off losing twirler George Hemming who retired the side in order over five of the final six innings. His early miseries, however, could not be overcome by his teammates whose offense consisted of an opening-inning single by Les Brice and a run-scoring one-bagger in the second spasm by Larry McKinty. Pete Jolly preserved the victory for starting pitcher Bob Mabee by stepping in during the fourth canto and tossing no-hit ball the rest of the way. Terry Whitman, Barry Harvey and Terry Minnis connected for singles and Art Worth doubled for the victors during their opening-episode splurge.
Bob Mabee (W), Pete Jolly (4) and Mike McAvoy
George Hemming (L) and Gary Bishop
(June 26) A three-team deadlock exists at the top of the Senior Amateur loop after Greaves Movers bounced the Gorge Hotel 10 to 4 at Royal Athletic Park. Technically, the Movers and Independents hold a meager percentage points margin over the Transports but all three squads are tied in games. Rick Cook fanned ten of the Hotelmen in posting the route-going mound victory. Les Brice paced Greaves hitters, connecting for two-baggers in the first and second chapters that produced three RBI’s.
Rick Cook (W) and Gary Bishop
Al Hurst (L), Stan Gibb (2), Doug Hill (5) and Bob Lumley
(June 29) The idle Greaves Movers inherited a tiny percentage points lead in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League when the co-leaders in games, the Independents and Transport Workers, split a Royal Athletic Park doubleheader. The Transports prevailed 3 to 0 in the curtain-raiser 3 to 0 behind the five-hit pitching of Pete Jolly. Wayne Stewart’s eight-hitter carried the Independents to a 3 to 2 second-game victory. Jolly, never in serious trouble in the opener, got all the runs he needed in the fourth when Barry Harvey led off with a triple. Successive singles by Terry Minnis and Bob Butcher, along with an error, plated three counters. Harvey collected three of the six hits off loser George Brice.
George Brice (L) and Barry Cosier
Pete Jolly (W) and Mike McAvoy
Catcher Barry Cosier of the Independents doubled in a run in the first inning and then scored the winning tally in the finale after starting things off with a one-bagger in the third inning.
Bob Mabee (L), Gord Strongman (3) and Mike McAvoy
Wayne Stewart (W) and Barry Cosier
(June 30) Greaves Movers moved a half-game ahead of the pack in the Senior Amateur League by downing the Independents 6 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Les Brice struck out six batters in going the distance for the victory that broke a virtual three-way tie for the lead. Dave Rivers paced the winners at the plate by scoring one run and driving in two others.
Rick Couch (L) and Barry Cosier
Les Brice (W) and Gary Bishop
Standings W L GB
Greaves Movers 13 3 ----
Transport Workers 14 5 0.5
Independents 13 5 1.0
Gorge Hotel 4 15 10.5
Lake Cowichan 1 17 13.0
(July 2) Greaves Motors collected breathing room atop the Senior Amateur Baseball League by downing the Independents 11 to 6 at Royal Athletic Park. The Movers are now one full game ahead of second-place Transport Workers after staving off a determined five-run onslaught by the Independents in the seventh inning. Les Brice filled the gap on the mound in the seventh inning and preserved the victory for Rick Cook who had been spelled by Stan Thame in the sixth. Gary Bishop paced the Movers at the plate by driving in four runs, scoring once and banging out two hits.
Wayne Stewart (L), Harold Williams (2), Tom Robertson (5) and Barry Cosier
Rick Cook (W), Stan Thame (6), Les Brice (7) and Gary Bishop
(July 8) Doug Hill fired a two-hitter to help Gorge Hotel record a 4 to 1 triumph over the third-place Independents at Royal Athletic Park. Hill, who struck out nine batters and allowed just two walks, lost the shutout in the fifth inning when Ralph Anderson connected for a single and then came home on a double by Wayne Stewart. Mark Perkins led Gorge offensively, scoring once and batting in a pair.
Doug Hill (W) and Bob Lumley, Dave Morgan (2)
Wayne Stewart, Rick Couch (L) (2) and Chuck Spittle
(July 9) Barry Cosier paced the Independents to a 5 to 5 Senior Amateur League win over cellar-dwelling Lake Cowichan at Royal Athletic Park. Cosier crossed the dish once and had a pair of RBI’s with a single and a triple. Harold Williams and Craig Lawrence combined to pitch a three-hitter for the victors while the Independents raked nine safeties off the slants of losing chucker Dev Dley.
Dev Dley (L) and Bill Greenwell
Harold Williams (W), Craig Lawrence (5) and Lee Doney
(July 10) Greaves Movers firmed up their grip on first place by downing Gorge Hotel 4 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. George Hemming tossed the complete-game victory, spinning a six-hitter. Greaves took a 3 to 1 lead in the second inning when Larry Montgomery singled in one run and then scored on a triple by Dave Wallace. A fourth-inning Gorge error allowed Bob Bowles to complete the scoring for the winners.
Mark Perkins (L) and Dave Morgan
George Hemming (W) and Gary Bishop, Don Burrows (6)
(July 13) The hosting Lake Cowichan nine were downed twice, 1 to 0 by the Transport Workers in an extra-inning affair which opened the three-team twin-bill and 5 to 1 by Gorge Hotel in the finale. Gord Strongman doubled in the overtime session and scored the winner for the Transports in the matinée tilt on an error by the Up-Islanders. No game details were published relating to the second game.
(July 13) A doubleheader sweep from the Independents by scores of 3 to 0 and 11 to 2 allowed the top-dog Greaves Movers nine to inch ahead of the Transport Workers by a full game in the Senior Amateur League standings. Les Brice struck out six in posting the three-hit shutout win in the opener. Greaves scored all three runs in the second inning on a double by John Yankoski.
George Brice, Holt (7) and Charlie Spittle
Les Brice (W) and Gary Bishop
Yankoski and Gary Bishop led the second-game rout, each batting in two runs while winning pitcher Rick Cook checked the Independents on a five–hitter.
Rick Cook and Gary Bishop
Mike Squires (L), George Brice (5) and Russ Holmes
(July 14) Greaves Motors pulled a bit further ahead of their rivals in the Senior Amateur loop after rolling to a third successive victory over the Independents, a 5 to 4 conquest at Royal Athletic Park. The Movers struck early, counting all their runs in the first two innings. John Yankoski, who relieved winning pitcher Stan Thame in the fourth inning, had two of the winners’ six hits and scored on both occasions.
Stan Thame (W), John Yankoski (4) and Gary Bishop
Bob Stuart (L) and Russ Holmes
(July 15) Mike Embury promptly greeted reliever Jim Jubenville by smacking a two-bagger in the bottom-of-the-sixth frame that brought in Tony Cosier and Bob Lumley with the tying and winning tallies as the Gorge Hoteliers nosed out Lake Cowichan 2 to 1 at Royal Athletic Park. Stan Gibb fanned ten batters in hurling the three-hit victory.
Dev Dley (L), Jim Jubenville (6) and Bill Greenwell
Stan Gibb (W) and Dave Morgan, Bob Lumley (6)
(July 16) Despite having the odds against them, the Independents strolled to a 2 to 0 shutout win over Gorge Hotel at Royal Athletic Park. The Independents committed the game’s only error, banged out three fewer hits than the Hoteliers and also saw nine of their batters bow to strikeouts. Walks provided the difference in this affair as losing flinger Doug Hill issued seven free passes, including a pair that came around to score in the fifth frame. Barry Cosier singled home John Martin with the first tally while Craig Lawrence touched the pan with the insurance counter on a passed ball.
Doug Hill (L) and Bob Lumley
Bruce Rands (W) and Chuck Spittle
(July 17) George Hemming went humming in old-time style as Greaves Motors waltzed 2-1/2 games ahead of the pack in the Senior Amateur circuit by clipping the second-place Transport Workers 3 to 1 at Royal Athletic Park. Hemming fashioned a three-hitter and whiffed 14 in stymying the Transport swatsmiths. Only Terry Whitman proved troublesome to the Greaves’ slab artist. Whitman worked Hemming for a pair of walks, the only two issued to the Transports, and tripled in the sixth inning to set up the Workers’ only run.
Bob Mabee (L), Pete Jolly (6) and Mike McAvoy
George Hemming (W) and Gary Bishop
Standings W L GB
Greaves Movers 19 4 ----
Transport Workers 16 6 2.5
Independents 15 10 5.0
Gorge Hotel 7 17 12.5
Lake Cowichan 1 21 17.5
(July 20) Lake Cowichan was slow to get rolling and it cost the bottom-feeders both ends of a three-team twin-bill at Royal Athletic Park. The Transport Workers shook loose to smack Cowichan hurler Dev Dley for a brace of counters in both the opening and second innings as they marched to a 4 to 1 victory in the curtain raiser. The lone Laker tally came in the fifth canto when winning flinger Pete Jolly ran into control trouble.
Dev Dley (L) and Bill Greenwell
Pete Jolly (W) and Mike McAvoy
In the second game, Greaves Movers didn’t let an early 2 to 0 deficit bother them as they smashed out seven runs in the bottom-of-the-first-inning and went on to paste the Lakers 13 to 5.
Jim Jubenville (L) and Bill Greenwell, Grant Forrest (7)
Rick Cook (W) and Gary Bishop
(July 21) Southpaw Les Brice improved his record to seven wins against one loss by hurling a four-hit shutout to give Greaves Movers an 8 to 0 conquest of Gorge Hotel. The victory at Royal Athletic Park moved first-place Greaves three full games ahead of of its nearest rival, the Transport Workers. The Movers combined six hits and five Gorge errors into the win. A four-run seventh inning, in which the lone hit was garnered by Chuck Bennett, salted the game away for the victors.
Les Brice (W) and Gary Bishop
Doug Hill, Mark Perkins (7) and Bob Lumley
(July 23) Centre fielder Terry Whitman personally accounted for more runs than the opposition as he batted the Transport Workers to a 16 to 4 rout of last-place Lake Cowichan. After grounding out in the opening stanza, Whitman connected safely in each of the next four trips to the platter to drive in seven runs. One of his base blows was a three-run homer. Gord Strongman fanned six and allowed seven raps in going the rote.
Jim Jubenville (L), Tom Nicholson (4) and Bill Greenwell
Gord Strongman (W) and Mike McAvoy
(July 24) Gord Strongman flashed his batting strength at Royal Athletic Park by powering the Transport Workers to a 7 to 4 victory over the Independents. Strongman drove in a run with a first-inning single and then added three more RBI’s with a bases-loaded triple in the second panel. Terry Whitman pounded a leadoff four-bagger in the first inning to start the wheels in motion for the Transports. Bob Mabee gathered in the pitching win by yielding only two earned runs on a six-hitter.
Bruce Rand (L), Rick Couch (2) and Charlie Spittle
Bob Mabee (W) and Mike McAvoy
(July 27) Fourth-place Gorge Hotel broke even with the second-spot Transport Workers in a hard-fought Senior Amateur Baseball League doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park. The Hotelmen packed all of their runs into the final inning of the first contest to down to down the Transports 8 to 5 and then battled the Workers for 14 innings before bowing 4 to 3. Doug Hill sparked Gorge’s last-inning rally in the lid-lifter by driving in two runs with a triple. Two singles,a double and three Transport errors aided in the comeback outburst.
Bob Montgomery (W) and Dave Morgan
Pete Jolly (L) and Mike McAvoy
After 13 innings of a torrid pitching dual featuring Gorge’s Stan Gibb and Bob Mabee of the Workers in the late event, John McKeachie reached first on a walk, advanced to second on Gord Strongman’s sacrifice and then scored the winning run for the Transports on a single by Mike McAvoy.
Bob Mabee (W) and Mike McAvoy
Stan Gibb (L) and Dave Morgan, Bob Lumley (10)
(July 27) In three-team double-dip action at Lake Cowichan, Greaves Movers bounced the Lakers 7 to 1 and the Independents followed by slapping down the hosts 18 to 3. Bob Bowles hit a solo homer in the opening match for Greaves who received two-hit pitching from winner George Hemming and reliever John Yankoski.
George Hemming (W), John Yankoski (4) and Bob Bowles
Rocky Wise (L) and Gus Ryan
The Independents relied upon a steady 17-hit barrage in overwhelming the cellar-dwellers in the owl encounter.
Tom Holmes (W), Rich Couch (3) and Russ Holmes, Barry Cosier (7)
Dev Dley (L), Jim Jubenville (2), Tom Nicholson (3) and Grant Forrest
(July 28) Gorge Hotel played flawless afield but failed to take advantage of five errors by the Independents and dropped a 5 to 4 decision at Royal Athletic Park. The Hoteliers mounted a late rally that was stifled by reliever George Brice. With one out in the final canto and two runners aboard, Brice stepped in for starter Bob Stuart and enticed Bob Lumley to hit into a force out, walked Tony Cosier and then punched out George Holt with the bases loaded. Tony Gage paced the Independents with the willow, spanking the sphere for a home run while teammate Craig Lawrence drove in a brace of runs.
Bob Stuart (W), George Brice (7) and Chuck Spittle
Mark Perkins (L) and Dave Morgan
(July 29) It took an extra inning but the Transport Workers moved to within 1-1/2 games of Greaves Movers after a 4 to 1 victory over the league-leaders at Royal Athletic Park. Pinch-hitter Al Foster connected for a two-run single in overtime to plate the winner and an insurance counter. Terry Whitman followed with a sacrifice to complete the scoring. Gord Strongman struck out six and allowed three hits in recording the mound victory.
Gord Strongman (W) and Mike McAvoy
Les Brice (L) and Gary Bishop
(July 30) The pace-setting Greaves Movers nine bounced Lake Cowichan 9 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park to move two full games in front of the runner-up Transport Workers. Rick Cook garnered the hillock verdict with a five-hitter as he swished eight and walked three in going the distance. Dave Wallace had a pair of singles which produced three RBI’s for the victors.
Dev Dley (L), Rocky Wise (5), Dev Dley (6) and Grant Forrest
Rick Cook and Bob Bowles
(July 31) Greaves Movers blanked the Transport Workers 1 to 0 at Royal Athletic Park to assure themselves at least a tie for first place in the Senior Amateur League. George Hemming gained the hillock victory with a nifty one-hitter in which he fanned six.
George Hemming (W) and Gary Bishop
Pete Jolly (L) and Mike McAvoy
(August 2) The tail-end Cowichan Lakers picked up a win, only their second of the season, as they split a Saturday double-header with the Independents, winning 4-3 before bowing 12-5 in the second game.
Dev Dley and Rick Davis
Rich Couch (L), Bob Stuart (6) and Chuck Spittle
Rocky Wise, John Popovich (4), Tom Nicholson (4) and Davis, Gun Ryan (6)
Bruce Rands (W), George Brice (5) and Chuck Spittle
(August 3) Greaves Movers wrapped up first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League Sunday taking both games of a double-header, both of them in extra innings. Trailing 4-1 against Gorge Hotel, Greaves pushed across the tying run in the seventh and got the winner in the eighth to shade Gorge 6-5. They completed the sweep with a nine-inning 5-3 win over Transport Workers. Les Brice won his own game in the opener, reaching base five times with a single and four walks and scoring the winning run on Gary Bishop's single. He also notched the winner in the second game romping homer on Larry McKinty's single.
Stan Gibb, Bob Montgomery (L) (4) and Dave Morgan
Les Brice (W) and
Gary Bishop
John Yankoski (W) and Bishop
Bob Mabee (L) and Mike McAvoy
(August 6) The Senior Amateur Baseball League season ended with a tie Wednesday at Royal Athletic Park as the Transport Workers and Independents battled to a 6-6 draw in game called after six innings because of darkness. The game had no bearing on the final standings.
Final Standings
Greaves Movers 26 5 ---
Transport Workers 21 10 5.0
Independents 18 12 7.5
Gorge Hotel 9 21 16.0
Lake Cowichan 2 28 23.5
(August 9) The first place Greaves Movers and second place Transport Workers dominated the final statistics in the Victoria Senior Amateur League. Transports' Barry Harvey captured the batting title with a .344 average. Four other Transport players finished in the top 10. Craig Lawrence of the Independents was the runner-up with a .342 mark. Greaves' George Hemming, with an 8-1 won-lost record and Les Brice, also of the pennant winners, at 8-2, emerged as the leading hurlers.
(August 9) Greaves Movers kicked off the 1969 playoffs with a 7-2 victory over the Independents Saturday behind the four-hit pitching of George Hemming. It was the opening game of a best-of-three series.
George Brice (L) and Charlie Spittle
George Hemming (W) and Don Burrows
(August 10) On Sunday, Transport Workers erupted for seven runs in the second inning and coasted to a 7-2 victory over Gorge Hotel in the opening game of their best-of-three semi-final. John McKeachie, Pete Jolly and Terry Whitman each drove in two runs during the five-hit outburst. Jolly allowed just five hits in going the route for the pitching victory.
Bob Montgomery (L) , Stan Gibb (2) and Bob Lumley
Pete Jolly (W) and Mike McAvoy
(August 11) Pitching in his first senior game after graduating from the Connie Mack League program, Ralph Anderson sparked the Independents to a 5-4 victory over league-champion Greaves Movers to even the best-of-three final at a game apiece. Anderson fired a four-hitter for the win. Charlie Spittle's two-run single and run-producing hits by John Martin and Ken Hawkins were key in a five-run outburst in the second inning. Dave Rivers did most of the damage for Greaves driving in three runs with a double in the fifth.
Les Brice (L) and Don Burrows
Ralph Anderson (W) and Charlie Spittle
(August 12) Stan Gibb's fifth inning single drove in Tony Cosier with the game's only run as Gorge Hotel edged Transport Workers 1-0 to tie their semi-final series at a game apiece. Each team collected just three hits with Doug Hill the winner over Bob Mabee.
Doug Hill and xxx
Bob Mabee and xxx
(August 13) The league champion Greaves Movers, who finished five games ahead of the pack during the regular season, were eliminated from the playoffs Wednesday losing 6-0 to the Independents, who took the lead with a run in the third and secured the victory with five runs in the sixth. George Brice held Greaves to four hits in hurling the shutout.
George Brice (W) and Charlie Spittle
George Hemming (L), Les Brice (6), John Yankoski (6), Rick Cook (7) and Don Burrows
(August 14) Gorge Hotel blew a six run lead Thursday then rebounded in the final inning to down Transport Workers 10-6 to win the semi-final series, Gorge took a big lead with a six-run second inning but Transport plated four in the fourth and two in the fifth to tie. A four run outburst in the eighth sealed the victory. Doug Hill picked up the win in relief of starter Stan Gibb.
Stan Gibb, Doug Hill (5) and Dave Morgan
Bob Mabee, Gord Strongman (8) and Mike McAvoy.
(August 17) Behind the four-hit, shutout pitching of George Brice, Independents took the opening game of the league final blanking Gorge Hotel 2-0, scoring both runs in the fifth inning. Stan Gibb took the loss, yielding just three hits.
Stan Gibb (L) and Dave Morgan
George Brice (W) and Charlie Spittle
(August 18) Independents overcame a 2-1 deficit with three runs in the fifth inning, then added a pair in the seventh to down Gorge Hotel 6-2 to grab a 2-0 game lead in the Senior Amateur Baseball final series. Ken Hawkins led the attack driving in two runs and scoring once. George Brice picked up the win in relief of starter Ralph Anderson. Des Mosely hurled the final two frames.
Ralph Anderson, George Brice (W) (4) , Des Mosely (6) and Charlie Spittle
Doug Hill, Mark Perkins (3) and Dave Morgan
(August 19) Brotherly battles are the stuff of legend, but a collision between two on Tuesday at Royal Athletic Park may have been a costly one for the Independents. It might have robbed the club of a 3-0 lead over Gorge Hotel in the best-of-seven final in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League. In the bottom of the seventh inning, with the scored tied 3-3 and only one out, Independents had Ken Hawkins on second base and Barry Cosier on first. On a grounder to shortstop Gorge's Tony Cosier stepped on second for out number two and, while attempting to fire the ball to first for the third out, was hit hard by his older brother. The ball bounced loose and Hawkins raced home for what appeared to be the tie-breaking run. However, interference was called on Barry Cosier, the out was registered and the game, with a 3-3 score, was called because of darkness.
(August 21) Doug Hill allowed just one hit Thursday as Gorge Hotel blanked Independents 3-0 for their first win in the final series. Hill walked three and fanned seven.
Bruce Rands (L) and Charlie Spittle
Doug Hill (W) and Bob Lumley
(August 24) Gorge Hotel, down 3-1 in their final series with the Independents, scratched out a 4-3 extra-inning victory in the completion of an earlier tie game, to stay alive in the best-of-seven series. Independents went up 3 games to none by taking the first game of Sunday's twin-bill 3-0 behind the three-hit, shutout, pitching of George Brice. Brice, John Martin and Barry Cosier each drove in a run.
Stan Gibb (L) and Dave Morgan
George Brice (W) and Charlie Spittle
In the continuation contest, which was halted after seven innings with a 3-3 score Tuesday, Jim Meadows connected for a run-scoring single in the 13th inning to give Gorge Hotel a 4-3 victory. Doug Hill was the winning hurler in a relief role.
Gibb, Doug Hill (W) (8) and Bob Lumley
Des Mosley, Brice (L) (8) and Spittle
(August 27) With Stan Gibb fashioning a two-hit shutout, Gorge Hotel downed the Independents 3-0 Wednesday to force a seventh and deciding game in the Senior Amateur League final series. Leadoff man Tony Cosier and Doug Hill scored first-inning runs on a single, two errors and a passed ball to put Gorge in the driver's seat. Gibb knocked in the third marker with a sacrifice fly in the fourth
Des Mosely (L) and Charlie Spittle
Stan Gibb (W) and Bob Lumley
(August 29) Doug Hill fired a three-hit shutout Friday to pace Gorge Hotel to a 3-0 victory over the Independents in the seventh and deciding game of the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League championship. It was Hill's third pitching victory in the final series after he won both games in the best-of-three semi-final against Transport Workers. He walked two and fanned eight. Playing manager Bob Lumley sparked the offense driving in two runs. He singled in Mark Perkins, who had doubled, in the first and chased home Tony Cosier with a ground-out in the third frame. Dave Morgan's sacrifice fly brought in Cosier with the other Gorge marker.
Doug Hill (W) and Bob Lumley
Bruce Rands (L) and Lorne Bunyan