MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (WEST DIVISION)
St. Lazare was out and Rolla, North Dakota, 70 miles south of Brandon, was in for the 1969 season.
An impressive landmark occurred in this division of the 1969 MSBL circuit. Outfielder Barry Moffatt of the pennant-winning Riverside Canucks completed a perfect season, stroking at least one hit in every one of his team’s 24 league games as well as their five playoff encounters, a 29-game stretch. Then, in a three-game post-season series against the east division Balmoral Orioles, Moffatt remained hot and connected for safeties in each of the triad of contests in extending his skein to an incredible 32 games.
Brandon Cloverleafs
Dauphin Redbirds
Hamiota Red Sox
Riverside Canucks
Rolla NoDaks
Souris Cardinals
Virden Oilers
(May 20) The visiting Hamiota Red Sox spanked the defending pennant winners, the Souris Cardinals, 13 to 0 in the opening game of the 1969 Manitoba Senior Baseball League schedule. The game ended prematurely after seven innings because of darkness. Winning pitcher Donn Feldner stymied the Cards on just three hits while fanning eight and walking one. Starting pitcher Bill Carpenter, one of three hurlers used by Souris, lasted five innings and took the loss. The Red Sox banged out seven hits and took full advantage of 11 bases-on-balls and nine Cardinal errors. Catcher John Wright paved the way for Hamiota with a triple and two singles while Bryan Smith hit a double and single.
Feldner (W) and Wright
Carpenter (L), Morrison (6), Hall (7) and Boorman
(May 21) The Rolla NoDaks made a slightly less than impressive debut in the MSBL when the took it on the chin 11 to 3 at the hands of the hosting Virden Oilers. Veteran Ted Bridgett, the sandwich hurler between starter Cec Dawley and closer Mike Labossiere, picked up the mound decision. The NoDak’s starting heaver, Petryk, was charged with the loss. Bridgett and Ron Goethe led the Oilers’ 11-hit offense with three safeties each while Labossiere contributed a pair. Playing-manager Harold Neameyer hit safely three times for Rolla while Robert Gailfus belted a first-inning home run.
(May 22) The Brandon Cloverleafs outlasted the Riverside Canucks 13 to 11 in a long-drawn out 24-hit affair at Kinsmen Park. Each team went through three pitchers in an attempt to subdue their foe’s offensive attack. Leaf veteran hurler Ron Powers was credited with the win while Canuck newcomer Wayne Kaplar, a Rivers Comet alumnus, was charged with the loss. An eight-run fifth inning put the Brandonites in charge although they almost gave it all back by allowing the Riversiders a six-spot in the seventh stanza and then needed a trey in the eighth to pull the game out of the fire. The victors were led at the dish by the big bats of Maurice Oakes, who tripled, cuffed three singles and drove in three counters, as well as Roy McLachan, who smashed a three-run homer and added a pair of singles. Gerry MacKay delivered a triple and double while Bill Gray registered two singles. Tom Town had only one safety, a triple, but it was an impactful blow as it drove in the ultimate winning counter. One batter later, 15-year old flychaser Rick McFadyen made his hitting debut as a Cloverleaf with a one-bagger that plated Town with the insurance marker. For the Canucks, Kaplar creamed a double and single while Russ Reid and Barry Moffatt came through with a couple of one-base raps each.
Lilley, Reid (5), Kaplar (L) (5) and C. Seafoot
Hodgson, Owens (5), Powers (W) (7) and Gray, Moody (7)
(May 23) The Souris Cardinals suffered their second humiliating defeat in MSBL play when they were slammed 15 to 2 by the Dauphin Redbirds. Gary Keating worked 5-1/3 innings on the hill for the Sox in recording the win. Sophomore chucker Lew Morrison was tagged with the defeat, leaving the knoll after four complete innings. Catcher Don Smith did the most damage with the baton for the Scarlet Stockings, accumulating nine RBI’s with a brace of taters, a single and a sacrifice fly. One of his dingers was a three-run shot while the other was a grand-salami. Brian Moffatt and Lynn McEvoy both singled twice for Souris.
Morrison (L), Hall (5), Hunter (8) and Hodgson
Keating (W), Fitzpatrick (8) and Smith
(May 25) The invading Brandon Cloverleafs started where they left off three days previous by bombing the Riverside Canucks 21 to 8. Led by the bat of Tom Town, the Cloverleafs went on another hitting spree, going through four Canuck chuckers while piling up a huge total of 22 base knocks. Town had four safeties, including a circuit-clout, a double and two singles, in six tries. Rookie Rick McFadyen slammed a three-run tater and added two singles while Bill Chapple also popped a dinger with two mates aboard to go along with a single. Bob Wilson nailed another four-bagger for the Leafs, their fourth of the tilt, and a single while Bob Thompson chipped in with a trio of one-base hits. For the Canucks, Barry Moffatt had a pair of doubles and a single while Cliff Seafoot connected for a double and one-bagger. First-inning reliever Bob Fitchner made his pitching debut for the Wheat City nine and picked up the mound decision. Russ Reid started on the hill for the Riversiders and was clipped with the loss.
Owens, Fitchner (W) (1) and Gray
Reid (L), Kaplar (1), Lilley (5), Hunter (7) and C. Seafoot
(May 25) The Hamiota Red Sox continued their winning ways, blanking the visiting Dauphin Redbirds 3 to 0. Donn Feldner pitched his second straight shutout victory for the Crimson Hose, spinning a four-hitter. He struck out nine, walked three and hit two other Redbirds. Ex-Souris Cardinal Bob Neufeld went the route on the bump for Dauphin in taking the loss. He gave up eight hits, whiffed six and walked an equal number. Garth Sararas and Lynn Caldwell contributed a pair of singles each for Hamiota.
Neufeld (L) and Smith
Feldner (W) and Wright
(May 27) Playing the perfect hosts, the Virden Oilers bowed to the visiting Riverside Canucks 9 to 1. Ross Kinsley went the distance on the slab for the Riversiders, checking the Oilers on seven hits, to pick up the win. Over the course of his nine-inning stint, he struck out three and walked a pair. Virden starter Mike Labossiere was kayoed from the hill after only 1-2/3 innings and was nicked with the loss. Garth Seafoot and playing-manager Gord Hunter both drove in three runs for the Canucks. Seafoot blasted a homer and double while Hunter laced three singles. Barry Moffatt followed with a brace of one-baggers. For the Virdenites, relief hurler Mark Wilton had a double and single.
Kinsley (W) and C. Seafoot
Labossiere (L), Wilton (2) and Gardiner
(May 27) The invading Brandon Cloverleafs, behind the three-hit pitching of Brian Hodgson, slammed the previously unbeaten Hamiota Red Sox 9 to 2 in an MSBL clash. The win for the Cloverleafs gave them undisputed possession of first place in the loop with a 3 – 0 record. Glennis Scott, the losing heaver, matched Hodgson in toiling the entire nine innings on the knoll. The Leafs combed him for 13 safeties while he issued three free passes and breezed five. Big Bob Thompson led the victors at the plate, driving in four runs by slapping out a double and a couple of one-base raps. Teammate Roy McLachlan had three singles and a double. Al Robertson of the Sox, with a brace of one-baggers, had two of the three hits yielded by Hodgson.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
Scott (L) and Wright
(May 29) The Brandon Cloverleafs won their fourth in a row but it wasn’t easy. The Leafs spotted the Rolla NoDaks an early 8 – 2 lead then chipped away to finally come out on top by a 12 to 10 margin. A five-run sixth-inning got them over the hump. Bob Fitchner, in a long relief stint, won his second mound decision of the campaign. Jim Howsen started on the rubber for Rolla and was charged with the loss. The Wheat City nine continued to spank the sphere with authority, banging out 16 safeties to increase their hit total to 65 in four encounters. Maurice Oakes stroked four singles, Gerry MacKay a triple, double and single and Fitchner, Bill Chapple, Roy McLachlan and Rick McFadyen two singles apiece. Gord Roberge led the NoDaks at the plate with a double and triple while Dennis Burkholder chipped in with a pair of singles.
Howsen (L), Kurtti (6) and J. Gailfus
Owens, Nystrom (1), Fitchner (W) (2) and Moody, Gray (4)
(June 3) The four-game unbeaten streak of the Brandon Cloverleafs came to an abrupt halt thanks to the Souris Cardinals. Behind the pitching of Lew Morrison, along with the power hitting of Brian Moffatt, the Cards humbled their hosts 5 to 3 at Kinsmen Stadium. Morrison, who scattered five hits while walking only three and punching out five, went the distance in gaining the win. Cloverleaf portsider Brian Hodgson was nicked for 11 safeties in taking the route-going loss. He had the help of three Brandon double plays in keeping the score as close as it was. Moffatt’s two-run triple in the seventh stanza put the Cards out in front to stay. He had a single as well and finished with three RBI’s. Teammate Doug Armour singled on three occasions. Maurice Oakes was best with the baton for the vanquished nine, stroking a double and single.
Morrison (W) and Bugge
Hodgson (L) and Gray
(June 5) The Riverside Canucks and the homestanding Hamiota Red Sox battled to a 2 – 2 ten-inning stalemate. The game will be resumed on July 16 when the teams play their next regularly-scheduled contest at Hamiota. The first team to lead at the end of a complete inning will be awarded the game.
Both teams stung the pill for nine safeties in this overtime affair. Grant Everard, in his first appearance of the season, went the distance on the knoll for the Canucks, fanning three and walking two. Don Feldner and Glennis Scott toiled on the bump for the Red Sox. Riverside’s Russ Reid, Barry Moffatt and Gene Cory all hit two singles while Lynn Caldwell and Gord Lyall paced the Hamiotans with a double and single each.
(June 5) The Virden Oilers scored seven big runs in the second inning, erasing a 4 to 0 deficit, on their way to a 10 to 9 conquest of the Brandon Cloverleafs. The game was terminated after eight innings as darkness prevented further play. Oiler starting heaver Ted Bridgett, with seventh-inning help from newly-arrived import Jim Southworth, received credit for the mound victory. Reliever Ron Powers of the Brandonites was clipped with the defeat. He came on to rescue starter Bob Fitchner in the second stanza and was, in turn, driven to the showers in the seventh spasm in favor of Bob Thompson. Norm Hemstad led the 12-hit Virden attack with a two-run homer and a double. Bridgett and Henry Palk connected for a double and one-bagger each while Jack Day slapped out two single. For the Wheat City nine, Bill Chapple hit a triple and single, Bob Wilson a double and single and Tom Town a brace of one-base hits.
(June 5) The Rolla NoDaks rolled into Souris and jumped on Cardinal starting flinger Walter Hall for six runs in the opening canto en route to an upset 9 to 2 conquest of their hosts. Tom Kurtti scattered eight hits, all singles, in going all the way on the slab for the Dakotans. Bob Payne took over hillock duties in the first frame for the losers when Hall was banished to the showers. Jim Berube sparked the Rolla offensive thrust with a two-run homer and a single while Doug Eiken also launched a tater. Playing-skipper Harold Neameyer contributed two singles. Brian Moffatt, with two one-baggers, was the lone Souris swatter to reach plural hit totals.
(June 8) The hosting Dauphin Redbirds and the Virden Oilers divided the spoils in a high-scoring double-dip. The Redbirds pounded the Oilers 15 to 7 in the curtain-raiser while the Virden nine prevailed by a healthy 16 to 5 margin in the nightcap.
A nine-run outburst in the eighth inning of the lid-lifter spelled the difference in the Redbirds’ one-sided victory. Imports Rich Mahlman and Bob Garcia, both Californians, each saw action on the mound for the Birds with Mahlman registering the win as a seventh-inning reliever. The Oilers used four flingers who were raked for 19 base blows with Ron Goethe being charged with the loss. Garcia brought a hot bat with him across the border as he lit into Virden pitching for a double and three singles. Bob Buchy nailed a triple, double and single while Mahlman delivered a three-bagger and two singles. Gerry Shumanski kept the gravy train going with a trio of one-base knocks while Bob Neufeld and Gary Keating added a double and single each. The Oilers’ American import, Jim Southworth, launched a grand-slam homer in the third chapter which gave his team a short-lived lead. Southworth also clipped the horsehide for a single while clubmate Ralph Gardiner singled twice.
Undeterred by the first-game result, the Virdenites turned things around quickly in the finale and scored in every inning of the joust with the exception of the fourth. Five hurlers used by the Redbirds were unable to contain the Oilers’ 16-hit offense. Southworth managed to go the route on the knoll for the win despite being combed for 13 safeties. Dauphin starter Bob Neufeld was tagged with the loss. Mike Labossiere hit a three-run triple and single for the victors while Ralph Gardiner and Norm Hemstad laced three singles apiece. Ted Bridgett chipped in with a brace on one-base hits. The Redbirds’ Ron Low blasted a two-run dinger while Claude Lambert and Garcia slapped out four and three singles respectively.
(June 8) With Dick Limke back in the saddle for the first time in the 1969 MSBL season, the Souris Cardinals clobbered the visiting Brandon Cloverleafs 10 to 1. The Cards plated a deuce in their opening turn at bat and were off and running in support of Limke’s seven-hit knoll debut. Losing heaver Roy McLachlan and rookie Rick McFadyen, neither one considered a regular twirler within the Brandon rotation, shared the mound chores for the vanquished Leafs. Between the duo, they were combed for a dozen Souris safeties as Limke led the way with two doubles and a pair of singles. Brian Moffatt clubbed a four-bagger while Bob Payne contributed three singles. McFadyen topped the Wheat City batters with a double and single.
(June 8) The Hamiota Red Sox travelled to Rolla and swept both ends of a twin-bill from the hosting NoDaks by scores of 12 to 4 and 4 to 2.
In the opening victory, Glennis Scott went all the way on the mound for the Red Sox while Gord Roberge, who worked the first six frames on the hill for the NoDaks, took the loss. Five run explosions in both the sixth and seventh spasms put the game on ice for Hamiota.
The late tilt was more closely contested and wasn’t settled until the late innings. Mel Smith’s seventh-inning circuit-jack put the Red Stockings on solid ground in completing the sweep. Donn Feldner scattered eight hits effectively in securing the route-going win while Rolla starting heaver Doug Eiken, who lasted seven innings on the bump, was clipped with the setback.
(June 11) Riverside’s Mark Fisher scattered seven singles in pitching the Canucks to a 4 to 1 win over the Souris Cardinals. In going the distance, Fisher struck out eight and walked four. Losing flinger Lew Morrison also had a route-going effort, giving up seven hits while swishing seven and walking three. Catcher Cliff Seafoot of the Riversiders lit up Morrison for a double, two singles and a pair of RBI’s. The Moffatt brothers, Barry of the Canucks and Souris’ Brian collected a total of seven singles between the. Barry had three in four times at bat while Brian drilled four in five trips to the plate.
Morrison (L) and Bugge
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(June 11) On the U.S. side of the border, the Brandon Cloverleafs eked out a 5 to 4 win in ten innings over the Rolla NoDaks. The Cloverleafs trailed 4 – 3 heading into the ninth but Bill Chapple doubled home fleet-footed Maurice Oakes with the tying counter. In the overtime round of play, Oakes was again instrumental as he stroked a crucial single to send winning heaver Brian Hodgson in from second base with the run that stood up as the decider. In total, Oakes finished with three safeties including the winning rap in the 10th. Gerry MacKay and Bob Wilson added two hits each for the victors. Hodgson went the distance on the bump, allowing 11 Rolla hits while fanning 11 and giving up three free passes. Jim Howson was charged with the loss, surrendering ten base raps, whiffing 15 and giving up four bases-on-balls. Harold Neameyer and Jim Gailfus topped the NoDaks in the hitting department with two singles each.
(June 13) With import Jim Southworth playing a pivotal role, the Virden Oilers bombed the Hamiota Red Sox 7 to 1 in an MSBL encounter at Virden. Southworth went the distance on the hill to pick up the win over Hamiota’s Don Feldner, who was derricked from the slab in the third canto. Southworth relinquished seven hits while his mates collected a dozen safeties off the slants of Feldner and reliever Al Robertson. Southworth and clubmate Ted Bridgett cranked out round-trippers for the Oilers with Southworth adding a pair of one-base hits as well. Norm Hemstad ripped three singles, Ralph Gardiner a double and single and Merrill Kiliwnik a brace of one-baggers. Robertson and Lynn Caldwell led the Red Sox offensively with a double and single each.
(June 15) Erupting for six runs in the first inning, the hometown Souris Cardinals doubled the Riverside Canucks 10 to 5. Lew Morrison went all the way on the bump for the hosts, scattering seven hits, all singles, while fanning eight and walking ten. Riverside starter Grant Everard was tagged with the setback. He exited in the second stanza in favor of Russ Reid. Doug Armour doubled and singled for the winners while catcher Jack Bugge added a pair of one-base hits. Canucks’ Barry Moffatt led his team offensively with three one-baggers.
Everard (L), Reid (2) and C. Seafoot
Morrison (W) and Bugge
(June 15) The Dauphin Redbirds and Rolla NoDaks split a two-game set in the Dakota town as the Redbirds won the opener 9 to 3 while the hosting NoDaks evened things out with a 12 to 11 triumph in the twilight tilt.
In the matinée clash, the Redbirds scored three runs in the second inning and never looked back. Import Bob Garcia breezed to the knoll verdict, effectively scattering eight hits while walking six and punching out eight. Rolla starter Gordon Roberge absorbed the setback. Californian Rich Mahlman had a pair of singles for the winners. Jim Berube belted a homer for the NoDaks while Jim Gailfus added two singles.
Garcia (W) and Urbanoski
Roberge (L), Burkholder (6) and T. Anderson
In the sunset skirmish, Rick Neameyer of the NoDaks homered in the eighth inning of a slugfest to knot the score at 11 – 11. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, a dropped third strike allowed Rolla’s Dennis Burkholder to reach first base from where he swiped the keystone sack and came around to score the walkoff winner on a timely single by Harold Neameyer. Opening-game loser Roberge returned to the knoll as a fourth-inning reliever for the Dakotans and hung on for the win to square his record for the day. Gary Keating, who assumed mound chores in the sixth after starter Dauphin Bob Neufeld was banished to the showers, was charged with the loss. The Neameyer brothers led the NoDaks offensively. Besides his game-tying dinger, Rich added a double and single while Harold had a second one-bagger to go along with his game-winning one-base hit. Burkholder, Terry Anderson and Mike McDougall added two singles each. For the vanquished Redbirds, Mahlman was once again their most potent batter. He came up with a double and a couple of singles while Keating tripled and singled. Rick Day and John Morrison both added a double and one-bagger to the Birds’ offense while Herb Andres singled on two occasions.
Neufeld, Keating (L) (6) and Urbanoski
Howson, Burkholder (4), Roberge (W) (4) and J. Gailfus, T. Anderson (4), McDougall (6)
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Hamiota 4 2 .667 ----
Brandon 5 3 .625 ----
Virden 4 3 .571 0.5
Souris 4 4 .500 1.0
Dauphin 3 3 .500 1.0
Riverside 2 3 .400 1.5
Rolla 2 6 .250 3.0
(June 16) The Virden Oilers moved into a tie for top spot in the MSBL with the Brandon Cloverleafs by slamming the hosting Hamiota Red Sox 9 to 3 in a game shortened to eight innings because of darkness. Winning chucker Ted Bridgett scattered eight hits, struck out five and walked three. Hamiota starter Neil Geekie was saddled with the loss. Bridgett aided his own cause with two singles which accounted for a pair of RBI’s. Teammate Ralph Gardiner also collected a couple of one-baggers. Al Robertson paced the Red Sox hitting attack by lighting up Bridgett for a two-run tater. Norm Jack added a brace of one-base raps.
Bridgett (W) and Gardiner
Geekie (L), Scott (3), B. Smith (8) and Wright, Jack (8)
(June 17) The idle Brandon Cloverleafs found themselves alone in first place in the MSBL when the Virden Oilers were edged 4 to 3 at home by the Souris Cardinals. With Bob Neufeld coming on in the seventh spasm to record the save, Cards’ starter Bob Payne gained credit for the win. Import Jim Southworth, with 11 punchouts, went the route for the Oilers and was tagged with the loss. Souris outhit their hosts by an 8 to 5 margin. Jack Bugge led the Cardinals offensively with a double and single while teammate Lynn McEvoy and Virden’s Jack Day both stroked a pair of singles.
Payne (W), Morrison (7) and Bugge
Southworth (L) and Gardiner
(June 17) The Riverside Canucks squared their season’s record at three wins and three losses by bouncing the visiting Dauphin Redbirds 8 to 3. Mark Fisher scattered nine hits in earning the pitching decision over import Rich Mahlman. Playing-manager Don Hunter led the eight-hit attack of the Riversiders with a pair of singles and a two-bagger. Barry Moffatt and Gene Cory followed with a couple of one-base hits each. Bob Buchy and catcher Don Smith of the Red Sox both cuffed the horsehide for a double and single.
Mahlman (L) and Smith
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(June 18) The hometown Dauphin Redbirds rallied to edge the Brandon Cloverleafs 7 to 6 in MSBL play. Bob Neufeld copped the mound win over Brian Hodgson as both pitchers of record went the distance. The visiting Brandonites held a 12 to 9 edge in base hits and tallied three runs in the top-of-the-ninth inning to take a 6 – 4 lead only to have the Redbirds duplicate that trick in their half of the stanza. Gary Keating slammed a run-scoring double to reduce the deficit to one and then imports Rich Mahlman and Bob Garcia stroked singles to plate the tying and winning counters. Mahlman also collected another single as well as a double while Garcia and Keating had one more single each. For the Cloverleafs, Hodgson, Maurice Oakes and Bob Wilson all clipped the orb for three singles while Bill Chapple add a pair.
Hodgson (L) and Gray
Neufeld (W) and Smith
(June 19) Outhit by a ten to 6 margin, the homestanding Rolla NoDaks exploded for five runs in the eighth episode to wrap up an 8 to 4 conquest of the Souris Cardinals. Doug Eiken struck out 11 and walked a pair in going the distance for the win. Fourth-inning reliever Bob Payne suffered the loss. Eiken spearheaded the eighth-inning outburst with a three-run dinger and also had a single earlier in the contest. Rick Neameyer added a pair of singles, the last of which drove in a brace of markers, putting the NoDaks in the lead to stay. Doug Armour was best with the baton for the Cardinals, hammering a homer, double and two singles. Brian Moffatt laced a double and single and Greg Cameron chipped in with a brace of one-baggers.
Hall, Payne (L) (4) and Bugge
Eiken (W) and J. Gailfus
(June 19) The Hamiota Red Sox made their first appearance of the season at Kinsmen Park a winning one as they humbled the Brandon Cloverleafs 13 to 2. Red Sox’ pitcher Glennis Scott held the Cloverleafs to four hits in going the distance for the win. He struck out seven and walked a pair. The visitors jumped on losing heaver Roy McLachlan for 11 runs in the 2-2/3 innings he toiled. Ron Powers took over at that point and went the rest of the way. Gord Lyall led the 13-hit Hamiota offense with two singles and a double. John Wright singled three times while Mel Smith stroked a double and single. Al Robertson and Lynn Caldwell added a couple of one-base hits each.
Scott (W) and Wright
McLachlan (L), Powers (3) and Gray, Moody (7)
(June 22) Trailing from the outset of the game, the Riverside Canucks did things the hard way, exploding for five runs in the eighth inning to post a 7 to 4 come-from-behind victory over the Hamiota Red Sox. A two-run circuit-jack by Grant Everard got things going for the Canucks in that fateful eighth. The Scarlet Stockings jumped on winning pitcher Mark Fisher for three runs in the top-of-the-first inning and added their fourth and last counter in the fifth. Losing hurler Donn Feldner was pulled in the eighth episode when the wheels had already come off. He was touched for 12 of the 14 Riverside base knocks. Two relievers followed with Gord Lyall finishing up. Fisher gave up eight safeties and persevered to the end, racking up 11 punchouts while walking three, one of which was intentional. Garth Seafoot had a key two-run double in the winning barrage, one of a brace of two-baggers and a single he acquired. Gord Hunter pitched in with two singles. Glennis Scott, the sandwich chucker in the Hamiota threesome, and catcher Norm Jack led the Crimson Hose at the pan with a double and single each. Teammate Mel Smith stroked a brace of one-base safeties.
Feldner (L), Scott (8), Lyall (8) and Wright, Jack (8)
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(June 22) Behind the steady pitching of Jim Southworth, the Virden Oilers coasted to a 4 to 1 win over the visiting Rolla NoDaks. Southworth scattered three hits, punched out 13 and walked just one in subduing the Dakotans. Right-hander Jim Howson went the distance for Rolla in taking the loss, surrendering eight hits along the way while walking four and fanning eight. Catcher Ralph Gardiner was the top willow wielder for the Oilers with a double and two singles. Playing-manager Harold Neameyer drove in the lone run for the NoDaks with an eighth-inning double.
Howson (L) and J. Gailfus
Southworth (W) and Gardiner
(June 24) With portsider Brian Hodgson keeping the opposition off balance, the Brandon Cloverleafs blanked the Dauphin Redbirds 2 to 0 to consolidate their hold on fourth place. Hodgson and complete-game loser Rich Mahlman locked horns in a torrid knoll joust, leaving the hitters on both sides limited to six safeties, most of which were scattered. The lone exception was the fourth frame when the Leafs got to Mahlman for three of their hits and both of their tallies. Tom Town drove in the duo of Gerry MacKay and Bill Chapple, who had singled, to account for the deuce. Hodgson was the beneficiary of a couple of great defensive plays by his outfielders in preserving his shutout. Rick McFadyen, in the right garden, threw a strike to catcher Bill Gray cutting down Gerry Shumanski who was attempting to score from third base on a caught fly ball. In the ninth, middle pasture patroller Bob Wilson hauled in a long blast by Mahlman that appeared to be long gone. Ron Low of the Dauphinites was the only player in the contest to hit safely twice, both being one-base raps.
Mahlman (L) and Day
Hodgson (W) and Gray
(June 24) The hometown Hamiota Red Sox set down the Souris Cardinals 5 to 2 in MSBL action. Gord Lyall earned the mound decision over the Cards’ Bill Carpenter. Both starting chuckers were hit freely and both made their exits in the eighth chapter. Al Robertson had a double and single for the winners while Bryan Smith, Lynn Caldwell and Lyall all added two singles. Catcher Norm Jack drilled a solo home run in the eighth. Carpenter slammed a double and two singles for the Cardinals. Brian Moffatt delivered three one-baggers, Bob Payne a triple and single and Greg Cameron two singles.
Carpenter (L), Morrison (8) and Bugge
Lyall (W), Scott (8) and Jack
(July 1) Birtle Canada Day senior baseball tournament
(July 6) Herb Andres’ homer in the bottom-of-the-eighth inning with one aboard powered the Dauphin Redbirds to a 4 to 3 win over the Souris Cardinals in MSBL action. The contest marked the first time since June 24th that a regular league game had been played. During that span, ten games were rained out. Bob Garcia picked up the mound decision over the Cards’ ace slab artist Dick Limke. Both hurlers went the distance. Garcia scattered eight hits, struck out six and issued only one walk. Limke, although checking the Redbirds on five hits while breezing nine, handed out five free passes. Next to Andres, Bob Buchy was Dauphin’s most impactful hitter, cuffing two singles. For the vanquished Cards, Doug Armour and Brian Moffatt slapped out a double and single each.
Limke (L) and Bugge
Garcia (W) and Smith
(July 8) In a duel that featured a fine display of pitching, the Brandon Cloverleafs edged the Hamiota Red Sox 2 to 1 to move a half-game past the visiting Sox in the tightly-bunched MSBL standings. Brandon’s Brian Hodgson, behind faultless fielding, checked the Hamiota nine on six singles, issued two walks and sent ten batters down swinging. The defeat was a tough one for Glennis Scott who gave up five singles, registered eight strikeouts, walked three and hit one batter. Gord Lyall of the Red Sox singled to drive in Rick Robinson in the top-of-the-third with the game’s first run. The Cloverleafs tied the game in the fourth when Roy McLachan sprinted in from third on a sacrifice fly by Hodgson. The deciding tally was plated in the fifth frame. After Gerry MacKay walked and moved to second on a single by Maurice Oakes, an apparent triple play was nullified by the umpire who ruled that Scott had trapped Tom Town’s attempted sacrifice bunt, leaving the bases loaded. Mackay eventually scored the winner on an infield ground out after Scott had bore down and whiffed clean-up batter Bob Wilson for the first out of the canto. Oakes and McLachlan led the victors at the plate with two singles each. The Red Sox hits were spread among six different players.
Scott (L) and Jacks
Hodgson (W) and Gray
(July 9) The Riverside Canucks increased their slim first-place lead in the MSBL standings by defeating the invading Virden Oilers 5 to 1. Grant Everard notched the pitching victory over Jim Huff. Both chuckers went the distance and both gave up just four base hits. Everard walked five while fanning four but Huff experienced control issues, walking seven and hitting another, while whiffing 11. Three costly Oiler errors, coupled with the free passes, gave the Canucks the win. The Riversiders picked up all the runs they needed in the opening canto when they plated a deuce without the benefit of a hit. Garth Seafoot put a bow on it in the eighth when he belted a two-run triple. Import Jim Southworth slammed a solo four-ply clout for Virden’s only marker.
Huff (L) and Gardiner
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 10) A grand-slam homer by Bill Chapple in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning broke a 6 – 6 deadlock and propelled the Brandon Cloverleafs to a 10 to 6 walkoff win over the visiting Rolla NoDaks. Fourth-inning reliever Bob Thompson, stepping in for Terry Owens, picked up the pitching win while Jim Howson, who had stifled the hosts without a hit until the fateful ninth after taking over mound chores from Rolla starter Tom Kurtti in the fifth frame, suffered the loss. The Dakotans outswatted the Cloverleafs by a 12 to 8 margin but four errors throughout the contest didn’t enhance their chances. For the winners, Maurice Oakes and Roy McLachlan stroked a pair of singles each. Jim Gailfus and Rick Neameyer slapped out three one-baggers apiece for the NoDaks while Mike McDougall smashed a pair of long doubles.
Kurtti, Howson (L) (5) and J. Gailfus
Owens, Thompson (W) (4) and Gray
(July 10) The front-running Riverside Canucks set back the Virden Oilers 12 to 8 in a slugfest at Virden. The teams combined for 28 hits, 16 by the Canucks, in this batters’ field day. Ross Kinsley, in relief of Riverside starter Lorne Lilley, picked up the win while import Jim Southworth of the Oilers was nicked with the defeat. Gene Cory and Gord Hunter led the Canuck batters with two singles and a double each. Barry Moffatt and Garth Seafoot added a double and single each while Grant Everard delivered a pair of one-baggers. Randy Earle led in the power department with a three-run circuit-clout. For the Oilers. Ron Goethe had a pair of doubles and Jack Day a single and a double. The battery of Southworth and catcher Ralph Gardiner chipped in with a brace of one-base raps each.
Lilley, Kinsley (W) (2) and C. Seafoot
Southworth (L) and Gardiner
(July 10) The Souris Cardinals slammed the hometown Hamiota Red Sox 7 to 1 as Dick Limke scattered five hits in recording the complete-game win. Donn Feldner of the Sox also went the route in suffering the loss. Limke had six strikeouts and walked two while Feldner allowed six hits, issued three bases-on-balls and punched out 11. Nary a player from either team managed to acquire plural hit figures. Bill Carpenter of the Cards and Hamiota’s Bryan Smith had the game’s only extra-base blows, both connecting for doubles.
Limke (W) and Bugge
Feldner (L) and B. Smith
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Riverside 7 3 .700 ----
Brandon 8 5 .615 0.5
Hamiota 6 6 .500 2.0
Virden 6 6 .500 2.0
Souris 6 7 .461 2.5
Dauphin 5 6 .454 2.5
Rolla 3 8 .273 4.5
(July 11-13) Manitoba Baseball Association senior elimination tournament
(July 14) The Riverside Canucks, with Grant Everard leading the way, increased their MSBL first-place standing with a 4 to 3 win over the Brandon Cloverleafs. Although tagged for 13 hits, Everard spaced them effectively and was tough in the clutch, going the distance for the win. The Leafs’ Brian Hodgson, nicked for nine safeties, also went the route in suffering the loss. Everard drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and also added a single. Teammates Wes Rathwell, Barry Moffatt and Ross Kinsley all collected two singles. Tom Town continued his hot streak with the bat for the Cloverleafs, slamming a pair of singles and double. Bob Thompson stroked a double and single while Gerry MacKay and Bob Wilson added two singles each.
Hodgson (L) and Gray
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 15) Dick Limke pitched the Souris Cardinals to a 5 to 1 win over the cellar-dwelling Rolla NoDaks, scattering five hits and ringing up 11 punchouts along the way. He didn’t issue any free passes. Rolla starter Doug Eiken was nailed with the loss, allowing all five Souris runs on six hits before getting the hook in the the eighth episode. Cards’ catcher Jack Bugge led his team at the plate with a double and single. The five NoDak safeties were garnered by five different batters with the longest swat being a two-bagger by Harold Neameyer.
Limke (W) and Bugge
Eiken (L), Roberge (8) and J. Gailfus
(July 15) The Dauphin Redbirds erupted for six runs in the second inning en route to a 13 to 5 pasting of the Brandon Cloverleafs in an error-filled MSBL assignment at Kinsmen Park. The fumble-fingered foes committed a dozen miscues, eight by the vanquished Cloverleafs. Starting heaver Bob Neufeld of the Redbirds, relieved in the seventh by Bob Kutzan, was credited with the win. Bob Thompson, in his first mound start of the season, was kayoed from the hill in the fifth frame and absorbed the setback. Ron Powers went the rest of the way. Import Bob Garcia led Dauphin’s 14-hit barrage with a triple, double and single. Gary Keating collected a double and triple while Rich Mahlman and Lew Morrison added a double and single. Bob Buchy stroked a pair of one-baggers. Third baseman Roy McLachlan smashed a triple and single, good for three RBI’s in pacing the Brandon ten-hit offense. Bill Chapple cuffed a brace of two-baggers while Bob Wilson delivered two one-base hits.
Neufeld (W), Kutzan (7) and Smith
Thompson (L), Powers (5) and Gray, Agar (6)
(July 16) Scoring once in the bottom-of-the-opening inning earned the Hamiota Red Sox one win which was then increased to a twin-triumph situation when they finished with a nine-inning 3 to 1 triumph over the visiting Riverside Canucks. The initial victory resulted from the resumption of a 2 – 2 tie game played on June 5. Al Robertson singled with two runners on base in the first frame to drive in the winning run in this previously-suspended encounter. Despite being outswatted by a healthy 11 to 5 margin, the Red Sox managed to also cop the regular-scheduled contest behind the clutch pitching of Glennis Scott. He was helped immensely by the pitcher’s best friend, the double play, three of which stifled Riverside rallies. The hard-luck losing chucker was Grant Everard whose mates were unable to come through when bingles meant bacon. Robertson had another one-bagger and scored twice for the Sox. Barry Moffatt lit Scott up for four singles to lead the Canuck cause while Ross Kinsley delivered a brace of one-baggers.
Lilley (L) and C. Seafoot
Scott (W) and B. Smith
(July 17) The tail-end Rolla NoDaks won their fourth game of the campaign with an impressive 10 to 2 conquest of the Riverside Canucks. Playing on their home turf, the NoDaks jumped three Riverside chuckers for all ten of their runs in the first two innings. Rolla’s Gord Roberge pitched a solid six-hitter for the complete-game victory while Canuck starter Grant Everard was tarred with the loss. Gary Anderson led the 13-hit Rolla assault with a double and two singles while Tom Kurtti collected a double and single. Dennis Burkholder added a pair of one-baggers. No batter from the Riversiders managed to pick up more than one safety.
Everard (L), Kinsley (2), Mealy (2) and C. Seafoot
Roberge (W) and J. Gailfus
(July 17) The Hamiota Red Sox moved into first place in the tight MSBL race, a half-game ahead of the Riverside Canucks, with a 10 to 2 trouncing of the Virden Oilers. Donn Feldner went all the way on the knoll for the Sox to pick up the mound decision. He scattered seven hits in the abbreviated eight-inning contest while walking four and registering five strikeouts. Import Jim Huff started for the Oilers and was nicked with the loss. Mel Smith led the 12-hit Scarlet Stockings’ offensive thrust with four singles and a pair of RBI’s while Feldner helped himself with three one-baggers. Lynn Caldwell delivered a brace of singles. Norm Hemstad tripled for Virden while Mike Labossiere and Bob Zarn each doubled.
Feldner (W) and B. Smith
Huff (L), Bridgett (2), Huff (8) and Gardiner
(July 18) Import slabster Jim Southworth of the Virden Oilers put on an impressive pitching display in an MSBL assignment against the Brandon Cloverleafs at Kinsmen Stadium. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out 13 and had a no-hitter going for seven complete innings, finally completing the game surrendering one hit and scattering five walks. But, it wasn’t good enough as the Wheat City nine made the most of that one safety, an eighth-inning double by veteran Gerry MacKay, to edge the visitors 1 to 0. Brandon’s left-handed ace, Brian Hodgson, although not as sharp as Southworth, hurled a steady four-hitter while fanning seven and walking one in copping the win. Virden had legitimate scoring threats going in the first, sixth, eighth and ninth cantos but Hodgson and his defensive corps were always able to escape the peril. After MacKay nailed his leadoff two-bagger in the eighth episode, he caught Southworth off guard and promptly stole third. When Maurice Oakes grounded a Southworth delivery in the direction of Virden second sacker Ron Goethe, MacKay sped for home. Goethe threw a strike to catcher Ralph Gardiner and it was obvious that MacKay was going to be dead on arrival. Sliding in high, however, Mackay jarred the horsehide from Gardiner’s mitt when the Oiler backstop went for one one-handed tag.
Southworth (L) and Gardiner
Hodgson (W) and Gray
(July 20) The Riverside Canucks moved back into sole possession of first place in the MSBL when the nosed out the hosting Rolla NoDaks 2 to 1. Wayne Kaplar was the winning slabster for the Canucks, earning a hard-fought pitching verdict over Rolla’s Jim Howson.
(July 20) The Dauphin Redbirds thumped the Hamiota Red Sox 10 to 3 to stay hot on the heels of three teams in front of them in the tight MSBL standings. Rich Mahlman went the distance for Dauphin, yielding only three hits while striking out 11 and walking five. Losing chucker Donn Feldner allowed all ten tallies before being yanked in the eighth chapter. Bob Garcia and Gary Keating led the Redbird offensive charge with a double and single each while Don Smith and Bob Buchy clicked for a brace of one-baggers each.
(July 21) The homestanding Rolla NoDaks erupted for seven runs in the final two innings to grab a 7 to 6 victory over the stunned Brandon Cloverleafs. Tom Kurtti of the NoDaks persevered for the mound win, surrendering nine hits and seven free passes. Cloverleafs’ starting pitcher Terry Owens was coasting along with a cosy 6 – 0 lead until the bottom-of-the-eighth. After walking three batters in succession, he was given the hook and replaced by Ron Powers who was charged with the loss. Kurtti, the first batter to face Powers, emptied the bases with a double, and the comeback was in gear. A two-run single later in the frame added another two tallies. In the ninth, now clinging to just a one-run cushion, Powers appeared to have things under control until a two-out fly ball was lost in the lights by the Brandon right-fielder allowing Rolla baserunner Jim Howson to score the equalizer. Terry Anderson, the beneficiary of the undetected fly ball which fell in for an unexpected single, eventually scored the walkoff winner on a single by Jim Berube. In addition to his gift one-bagger in the ninth, Anderson collected two other singles while Berube also added another. Tom Town and Bill Chapple collected two singles each for the Leafs.
Owens, Powers (L) (8) and Gray
Kurtti (W) and J. Gailfus
(July 21) Dick Limke fanned five, tossed a five-hit shutout and went on a hitting spree in leading the Souris Cardinals to an 8 to 0 conquest of the Dauphin Redbirds. Limke, collecting three RBI’s, slammed a homer, double and single off loser Bob Garcia, who gave up seven hits, whiffed seven and walked four. Fellow Cardinal, Lynn McEvoy, added two singles in helping Limke to the impressive win.
Garcia (L) and Smith
Limke (W) and Bugge
(July 22) The hosting Riverside Canucks stayed one full game in front of the pack by dumping the Rolla NoDaks 8 to 3. The Canucks scored a pair of runs in the opening inning and never looked back. Lorne Lilley picked up the mound decision over Rolla’a Gord Roberge. Both hurlers went the route and both were raked for 11 hits. Deb Mealy led the Riversiders with the lumber, cuffing three safeties while Garth Seafoot collected a pair. Terry Anderson slammed a third-inning solo homer for the NoDaks and added a single. Clubmate Jim Howson stroked three one-baggers.
Roberge (L) and McDougall
Lilley (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 22) For the second time in as many days, the Souris Cardinals shutout their MSBL opponent. The latest whitewashing came in a 1 to 0 thriller over the Virden Oilers which elevated the Cards into second place in the seven-team loop. Bob Payne went the distance in gaining the knoll verdict over luckless Jim Southworth who suffered his second consecutive 1 – 0 setback. Both chuckers gave up six safeties as Payne fanned seven and walked four while Southworth whiffed eight and gave up just one free pass. It was an unearned run in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning that sent Southworth down to defeat. With a runner at first base and two out, Oiler initial sacker Ted Bridgett had a grounder evade him putting runners at the corners. Payne then ripped a single to end it all. Bridgett and teammate Ron Goethe, with two singles, were the only two players from either team to register plural hit totals.
Southworth (L) and Gardiner
Payne (W) and Bugge
(July 22) Catcher Bill Gray’s seventh-inning single over first base drove in the winner as the Brandon Cloverleafs nipped the hometown Hamiota Red Sox 3 to 2. Cloverleaf portsider Brian Hodgson went all the way, on a seven-hitter, to pick up the win over Hamiota’s Bryan Smith who was touched for five safeties. Tom Town drilled a double and single, driving in another Leaf tally. Smith belted a double and single for the Red Sox while teammate Lynn Caldwell stroked a pair of one-base raps.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
B. Smith (L) and Wright
(July 23) Led by the pitching of Wayne Kaplar and the batting of Barry Moffatt, the Riverside Canucks shaded the Dauphin Redbirds 2 to 1. The win for the Riversiders increased their first-place margin over the Souris Cardinals and Brandon Cloverleafs to 1-1/2 games. Kaplar scattered eight hits in gaining the mound decision over Redbirds’ import Rich Mahlman who was tagged for six safeties. Moffatt had a perfect night at the dish for the winners, collecting four singles in as many trips. Mahlman and batterymate Don Smith cuffed two singles each for Dauphin. The Canucks scored their brace of counters on a wild pitch in the opening canto and an eighth-inning RBI-single by Gene Cory. Pinch-hitter Rollie Secord drove in the lone Redbird marker with a ninth-inning one-bagger.
Kaplar (W) and C. Seafoot
Mahlman (L) and Smith
(July 24) Stan Furman made his return to the Brandon Cloverleaf lineup an impressive one as he led his mates to a 5 to 4 win over the Souris Cardinals. Furman checked the red-hot Cards on seven hits in gaining the mound victory over Dick Limke who was nicked for nine safeties before being replaced by Lew Morrison in the top-of-the-eighth. Bill Chapple’s seventh-inning double provided the margin of victory for the Cloverleafs. The timely hit drove in three runs and wiped out a 4 – 2 Cardinal lead. Bob Wilson also got to Limke for a solo homer and a single while Bob Thompson added a brace of one-baggers. Bill Carpenter had a solo dinger and a triple for while teammate Brian Moffatt delivered a pair of singles.
Furman (W) and Gray
Limke (L), Morrison (8) and Bugge
(July 24) The Hamiota Red Sox did all their scoring in the first two innings to edge the Virden Oilers 4 to 3 in a game ended by darkness after eight innings. The Red Sox managed only three hits and booted the ball five times but still came up winners. Glennis Scott went the distance to take the win over import Jim Huff. Mel Smith of the Red Sox, with two singles, was the only batter to come up with more than one safety.
Scott (W) and B. Smith
Huff (L) and Gardiner
(July 25) The Riverside Canucks struck for a pair of runs in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to nose out the Hamiota Red Sox 4 to 3. Riverside’s Grant Everard went all the way on the hill in picking up the mound decision over Red Sox starter Donn Feldner who was replaced by Bryan Smith with out out in the ninth. Hamiota had a small lead throughout the game and it wasn’t until their final turn at bat that the Canucks were able to forge in front. With two retired and the bases loaded, Garth Seafoot drew a walk to force in the tying marker and bother Cliff Seafoot followed with a game-winning single. Aside from his crucial game-ending blow, Cliff added another single as well as a double, driving in two additional runs. Teammate Barry Moffatt finished with a pair of singles. Smith collected a double and single for the Scarlet Stockings while teammates Al Robertson and Gord Lyall both picked up a brace of singles with Robertson’s raps driving in a couple of tallies.
Feldner (L), B. Smith (9) and Jack
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 27) The hosting Souris Cardinals erupted for five runs in the eighth inning for an 11 to 10 victory over the Riverside Canucks. Fourth-inning reliever Bob Payne was the winning pitcher while Lorne Lilley, derricked in the eighth, suffered the loss. Greg Cameron, Jim Neilson and Don Hodgson led the 19-hit Souris assault with a double and two singles each. Doug Armour and Dick Limke added three singles apiece while Jack Bugge collected two. Wes Rathwell clouted a home run for the Canucks while Cliff Seafoot contributed a double and three singles. Barry Moffatt and Garth Seafoot chipped in with a double and single each.
Lilley (L), Rathwell (8) and C. Seafoot
Morrison, Payne (W) (4), Limke (9) and Bugge
(July 29) The hometown Virden Oilers needed an extra inning to dispose of the Souris Cardinals 2 to 1 in a game in which the pitchers dominated. First baseman Ted Bridgett slammed Cardinal hurler Bob Payne’s first pitch in the bottom-of the-tenth inning out of the park for the win. Oiler import Jim Southworth toiled all ten frames in picking up the win. He checked the Cards on three hits, issued one free pass and sent 11 batters down swinging. Hard-luck loser Payne allowed four hits, walked three and struck out five. Nary a player from either team had more than one safety. Other than Bridgett’s game-winning blow, the only extra-base knock of the tilt was garnered by Souris’ Dick Limke, a double.
Payne (L) and Bugge
Southworth (W) and Gardiner
(July 29) The front-running Riverside Canucks consolidated their first-place standing with a 5 to 1 conquest of the runner-up Brandon Cloverleafs at Kinsmen Stadium. Losing heaver Brian Hodgson was coasting with a three-hitter for four complete innings as the Leafs held a 1 – 0 lead. Then came the fifth frame and the heavy-hitting Canucks lit him up for six singles and five runs. Speedy flychaser Barry Moffatt batted twice in that explosive fifth and collected a one-bagger on each occasion, driving in a run. Gord Hunter picked up a double and single to pace the 11-hit Riverside attack. Grant Everard, who went the distance for the win, checked Brandon on seven hits, registered nine punchouts and walked a pair. Jack Denbow, in his first appearance of the season, took over mound chores for Hodgson in the ninth. Hodgson led the vanquished Cloverleafs at the plate with a pair of singles.
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
Hodgson (L), Denbow (9) and Gray, Agar (9)
(July 29) The Dauphin Redbirds moved into a fourth-place deadlock with Hamiota by nipping the invading Red Sox 11 to 9.The Redbirds scored five runs in the opening canto to take a commanding lead but had to pull out all the stops as the Hamiota nine scored six of their own in the final two innings. Dauphin had a 13 to 9 edge in base hits in the clash. Starter Bob Neufeld was the winning tosser while losing flinger Bryan Smith lasted only two-thirds of the first inning before being kayoed. Import Bob Garcia led the Redbirds’ hitting with two doubles, a single and three RBI’s. Gerry Shumanski delivered a pair of one-baggers and a double while Bob Buchy hit a solo homer to go along with a one-base hit. Neufeld added a couple of singles. For the Crimson Hose, Lynn Caldwell, Glennis Scott and Rick Robinson all hit two singles.
B. Smith (L), Lyall (1) and Wright
Neufeld (W), Mahlman (8), Garcia (9) and Day
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Riverside 13 7 .650 ----
Brandon 11 9 .550 2.0
Souris 10 9 .526 2.5
Hamiota 10 10 .500 3.0
Dauphin 8 8 .500 3.0
Virden 7 10 .412 4.5
Rolla 5 11 .313 6.0
(July 30) Dick Limke pitched and batted the Souris Cardinals to a 1 to 0 victory over the hometown Rolla NoDaks in MSBL action. The abbreviated game, called after seven innings because of rain, proved to be a real pitching battle between Limke and Rolla’s Gord Roberge. Limke surrendered two singles, both to Tom Kurtti, walked one and whiffed 11 NoDaks. Roberge was tagged for four singles, walked six and fanned ten. Limke’s third-inning single drove in Doug Armour with the only run of the game. Catcher Jack Bugge had two of the four Souris safeties.
Limke (W) and Bugge
Roberge (L) and McDougall
(July 31) Import twirler Jim Huff picked up his initial pitching triumph as the Virden Oilers dumped the Brandon Cloverleafs 8 to 2 at Kinsmen Stadium. The hard-throwing right-hander tossed a six-hitter and chalked up 16 strikeouts but had difficulty finding the plate, issuing ten free passes. He also led the 15-hit Oilers’ batting attack against loser Jack Denbow and reliever Ron Powers with a triple, double and single. His batterymate, Ralph Gardiner, stroked three singles while Rick Day added a double and a pair of singles. Norm Hemstad ripped a triple and one-base rap. Bob Thompson doubled and singled for the Leafs while Maurice Oakes delivered a brace of one-baggers.
Huff (W) and Gardiner
Denbow (L), Powers (5) and Oakes
(August 1) The homestanding Souris Cardinals grabbed a 4 – 1 lead after three innings and went on to record a 5 to 1 triumph over the Hamiota Red Sox. Lew Morrison scattered four hits, all singles, and fanned nine in pitching the Cards to the win. Losing heaver Glennis Scott was nicked for six safeties. Jack Bugge led the Souris hitters with a double and single. The Red Sox hurt their chances by committing five errors while the Souris nine played flawlessly afield.
Scott (L) and B. Smith
Morrison (W) and Bugge
(August 1) The Riverside Canucks maintained their two-game lead over Souris by defeating the Rolla NoDaks 11 to 2 at Riverside. Lorne Lilley went all the way on the hill for the Canucks, allowing Rolla batters seven hits while walking two and striking out five. Losing twirler Dwayne Retzlaff walked eight and was combed for 11 safeties while swishing three. Riverside’s Barry Moffatt hit safely in his 21st consecutive game by rapping two singles. Cliff Seafoot and Ross Kinsley also stroked a brace of one-baggers for the winners while Gene Cory collected a double and a one-base hit. Gary Anderson was the top hitter for the cellar-dwelling NoDaks, driving in both of their tallies by spanking the sphere for two singles and a double.
Getzlaff (L) and T. Anderson
Lilley (W) and C. Seafoot
(August 3) Souris Cardinals’ Jim Neilson smashed a double in the 13th inning, driving in two runs, to give his team a 3 to 1 verdict over the Riverside Canucks. The result reduced the Riverside lead over the runner-up Cards to just one game in the MSBL standings. Dick Limke went all the way on the knoll for the Cards, limiting the Canucks to five hits while striking out 12 and walking one. Grant Everard toiled the first 11 innings on the bump for the Riversiders. Wayne Kaplar, the third Canuck chucker, was nailed with the defeat. Besides his two-bagger in the fourth overtime session, Neilson also banged out three singles to pace the 11-hit offense for the winners. Limke followed with a brace of bingles while Doug Armour belted the first pitch of the ball game out of the park for a circuit-clout. Garth Seafoot led the vanquished nine with the baton, drilling a couple of one-base hits.
Limke (W) and Bugge
Everard, Reid (12), Kaplar (L) (12) and C. Seafoot
(August 3) The Hamiota Red Sox and the homestanding Rolla NoDaks divided a doubleheader with the Red Sox doubling the NoDaks 4 to 2 in the opener and the Rolla nine rebounding for a 6 to 1 victory in the nightcap.
Donn Feldner picked up the pitching win over Gord Roberge in the curtain-raiser. Dallas Smith led the Red Sox with a double while Lynn Caldwell had two RBI’s.
In the second game, Tom Kurtti copped the hurling victory over Bryan Smith. Rick Neameyer and Roberge led the Rolla offense in this tilt with three and two hits respectively.
(August 3) The Dauphin Redbirds took both ends of a two-game set from the hosting Virden Oilers by scores of 8 to 5 and 4 to 3.
Plating a four-spot in the fifth frame and three more counters in the seventh, the Redbirds had control of the lid-lifter and never trailed. Winning slabster Rich Mahlman surrendered only three hits and walked four while ringing up 15 punchouts. Loser Jim Southworth was raked for seven hits while walking five and whiffing 13. Gary Keating blasted a double and two singles for Dauphin while Herb Andres delivered a brace of singles. Ted Bridgett went yard for the Oilers with a two-run dinger in the fifth.
Mahlman (W) and Smith
Southworth (L) and Gardiner
The teams combined for 19 hits in the twilight tilt with Virden getting the best in that department with ten. Pat Fitzpatrick, who relieved starter Bob Garcia in the seventh inning, got credit for the win while route-going Ted Bridgett was nicked with the setback. Garcia put the Redbirds ahead in the opening panel with a two-run dinger while catcher Don Smith and Andres slammed ninth-inning taters to give Dauphin the come-from-behind edge. Garcia had a pair of doubles in addition to his homer while Andres added a single. Norm Hemstad led the Oilers with three singles while Southworth added two.
Garcia, Fitzpatrick (W) (7), Keating (9) and Smith
Bridgett (L) and Gardiner
(August 5) Virden Oilers’ Jim Huff, utilizing his blazing heater and big bat, sparked his squad of diamond pastimers to a 9 to 3 humbling of the NoDaks at Rolla. The import right-hander allowed six hits, walked three and rang up an impressive total of 21 punchouts in the nine-inning affair. He also drove in a pair of runs on the strength of two singles and a double. Gord Roberge started on the bump for the NoDaks and absorbed the loss. Ralph Gardiner drilled two singles for Virden while clubmate Mike Labossiere slammed the horsehide over the centre-field fence but missed touching third base during his home-run trot and was called out, the hit being ruled a triple. Tom Kurtti drove in a pair of Rolla runs with a double and single while teammates Jim Berube and Gary Anderson added two singles each.
Huff (W) and Gardiner
Roberge (L), Burkholder (5) and J. Gailfus. McDougall (5)
(August 5) The Brandon Cloverleafs travelled to Dauphin and dumped the Redbirds 5 to 1 in an abbreviated seven-inning contest. The Leafs played errorless ball behind portsider Brian Hodgson who yielded seven hits and went the distance in gaining the win. Dauphin’s Bob Neufeld also went the route, giving up nine base raps. Both chuckers recorded four strikeouts and both gave up four walks. Brandon’s Roy McLachlan slammed two doubles while teammate Bob Wilson cuffed a two-bagger and a single. Tom Town added a couple of one-base raps. For the Redbirds, Bob Buchy and Herb Andres each hit two singles.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
Neufeld (L) and Smith
(August 6) The Hamiota Red Sox scored four runs in the fourth inning en route to a 6 to 2 victory over the Dauphin Redbirds in an MSBL tussle in Hamiota. Glennis Scott went the distance in getting the win over the Redbirds’ Rich Mahlman. Scott limited the visitors to five hits, walked one and whiffed eight while Mahlman was tagged for eight safeties while giving up five free passes and registered five strikeouts. Lynn Caldwell doubled and singled for the winners while Norm Jack singled twice. Bryan Smith slammed a two-run triple during the explosive fourth. Mahlman was best with the baton for the Dauphinites, stroking two one-baggers.
Mahlman (L) and D. Smith
Scott (W) and B. Smith
(August 7) In one of their most productive games of the season, the Brandon Cloverleafs humbled the Souris Cardinals 12 to 4 at Kinsmen Stadium. Rookie Terry Owens went the distance on the hillock to garner his first win of the season. The hard-throwing right-hander scattered seven hits and registered four punchouts but struggled with his control, especially in the late innings, and ended up with 11 bases-on-balls. Souris starter Dick Limke wasn’t his usual self and exited in the fifth with a sore flipper. He gave up five runs on four hits with six free passes during his losing tenure. Second baseman Maurice Oakes led the ten-hit Brandon batting barrage with a pair of doubles, one of them driving in three big runs. Catcher Bill Gray, not normally noted for his prowess at the plate, stroked three sold singles. Roy McLachlan slammed a double and single while Brian Hodgson delivered a brace of one-baggers. Jack Bugge and Lynn McEvoy of the Cardinals both dented Owens’ armor for a couple of one=base raps.
Limke (L), Payne (5), Hall (6) and Bugger
Owens (W) and Gray
(August 7) The visiting Virden Oilers enhanced their playoff chances by dumping the front-running Riverside Canucks 6 to 2. The Oilers made the most of four Canuck errors in upsetting the league-leaders. Jim Southworth garnered the mound win over Riverside’s Grant Everard. Both chuckers went the limit and both had six-hitters with identical nine strikeout, four walk performances. Norm Hemstad had a two-run homer for the Oilers while Jim Madder added a pair of singles. Outfielder Barry Moffatt and catcher Cliff Seafoot nailed a brace of one-baggers for the Riversiders. The pair of bingles by Moffatt kept his consecutive string of games in which he has had at least one safety alive at 23 contests.
Southworth (W) and Gardiner
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
(August 8) Barry Moffatt set a consecutive-game hit streak record and his Riverside Canucks clinched first-place and the 1969 MSBL west pennant by overcoming a 7 – 2 deficit to edge the Dauphin Redbirds 8 to 7. Playing on their home turf, the Canucks scored four runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eight to squeak out the victory. Outfielder Moffatt had a line-drive single over first base late in the game to extend his hit streak to 24 consecutive games. Teammate Ross Kinsley provided the hitting power in the pennant-clincher, driving in the tying and winning markers in the eighth episode. For the Redbirds, Bob Buchy clouted a grand-slam homer during a five-run uprising in the top-of-the-seventh. Playing-manager Gord Hunter of the Riversiders was credited with the win after coming to the aid of starter Wayne Kaplar and reliever Lorne Lilley. The trio allowed 14 base hits but the Redbirds didn’t cash in as often as desired, stranding 13 baserunners. Bob Neufeld started on the knoll for the Redbirds and was relieved in the eighth by eventual loser Bob Garcia.
(August 8) The homestanding Rolla NoDaks slammed the Virden Oilers 9 to 2 as winning heaver Tom Kurtti worked the first seven spasms on the hill to garner the pitching win. Curt Walsh mopped up during the final two chapters. The Oilers collected nine safeties from the offerings of the duo. Ted Bridgett was tagged with the loss, giving way to Jim Huff in the fifth inning. Rolla’s Dwayne Retzlaff collected a triple and two singles the lead the 12-hit offense of the winners. Jim Gailfus and Gary Anderson added three and two singles respectively. Leading Virden from the batter’s box was Ron Goethe who cuffed three singles while clubmate Norm Hemstad chipped in with a pair.
Bridgett (L), Huff (5) and Gardiner
Kurtti (W), Walsh (8) and J. Gailfus
(August 10) The Dauphin Redbirds earned at least a tie for the fourth and final playoff berth by sweeping a doubleheader form the visiting Rolla NoDaks by impressive scores of 20 to 2 and 10 to 1. The Dakotans, playing out the string, showed little inspiration.
Bob Garcia went the distance for the winners in the matinée event, giving up eight hits, striking out ten and walking none. Rolla starter Gord Roberge was hammered for 17 of the 21 Dauphin hits before finally exiting in favor of Dwayne Getzlaff in the final frame. Rich Mahlman stung the sphere for four hits, including two doubles, for the Dauphinites. Garcia belted a home run, triple and single. Herb Andres also lit up Rolla pitching for three safe blows. For the vanquished NoDaks, Harold Neameyer banged out a brace of two-baggers.
Roberge (L), Getzlaff (8) and J. Gailfus
Garcia (W) and Smith
Both teams started slowly in the second game before the Redbirds opened the floodgates with two runs in the fourth. By the time the eighth inning was history, Dauphin held an insurmountable 10 –0 lead, Gary Keating tossed a complete for-hitter for the win, striking out seven and walking three. Rolla starter Curt Walsh was tarred with the loss. Andres led the victors offensively with a double and triple while Rich Mahlman and Garcia each had two hits including a double.
Walsh (L), Kurtti (8) and J. Gailfus
Keating (W) and Smith
(August 11) Dick Limke and the Souris Cardinals nosed out the Dauphin Redbirds with Rich Mahlman on the hill, 3 to 2, as both teams finished off the regular schedule.
(August 11) The final game of the regular schedule pitted Brandon at hosting Virden. A missing edition of the Brandon Sun prevents knowledge of the final score or game details but according to the final standings it was a Virden victory, allowing Souris to take the runner-up spot in the standings.
Final standings W L Pct. GBL
Riverside 15 9 .625 ----
Souris 14 10 .583 1.0
Brandon 13 11 .542 2.0
Hamiota 12 12 .500 3.0
Dauphin 12 12 .500 3.0
Virden 11 13 .458 4.0
Rolla 7 17 .292 8.0
FOURTH-PLACE TIE-BREAKER (Hamiota vs Dauphin)
(August 12) The Hamiota Red Sox won the right to meet the pennant-winning Riverside Canucks in the MSBL semi-finals with a sudden-death 6 to 4 win over the Dauphin Redbirds. Glennis Scott, with relief help from Donn Feldner, got the win for the Red Sox while route-going Bob Neufeld of the Redbirds was tagged with the loss. Al Robertson led the winners at the plate with three hits, including a double, while Scott cracked a homer and Lynn Caldwell added a pair of singles. Gerry Shumanski and Gary Keating rapped three safeties apiece for the Redbirds with a two-bagger included in Shumanski’s total. Bob Buchy and Dennis Madrigga clicked for a brace of one-base hits.
Scott (W), Feldner (9) and B. Smith
Neufeld (L) and D. Smith
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Hamiota vs Riverside & Brandon vs Souris (best-of-seven series)
(August 13) The fourth-place Hamiota Red Sox stunned the pennant-winning Riverside Canucks by eking out a 4 to 3 win in the opener of their semi-final series. Donn Feldner went 8-2/3 innings on the slab for the Sox, allowing four hits and four walks while fanning nine, before Gord Lyall and Bryan Smith were summoned to quell the flames of a three-run Riverside ninth. Grant Everard, in a route-going performance, suffered the loss. Both teams had just five base hits. Mel Smith of the Hamiotans had just one of those bingles but it drove in two runs. League batting champion Barry Moffatt continued to harass opposing pitchers as he cracked a pair of singles and drove in a brace of counters while extending his consecutive-game hit streak to 25.
Feldner (W), Lyall (9), B. Smith (9) and B. Smith, Wright (9)
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
(August 13) Playing at Souris, the Brandon Cloverleafs got the jump in their playoff with the Cardinals, coming from behind a first-inning 3 – 0 deficit to score a 4 to 3 decision. Brian Hodgson went all the way for Brandon, giving up seven hits, walking four and sending six Souris batters down on strikes. Towering right-hander Bill Carpenter, kayoed in the fourth frame, was the loser. Wildness attributed to his poor showing as he issued six free passes in his 3-1/3 innings on the knoll during which he gave up all four Cloverleaf runs while yielding five hits. Walter Hall finished up, holding the winners scoreless on one hit. Bob Wilson led the Leaf hitters with two singles, the same offensive output attained by Dick Limke and Jim Neilson of the vanquished nine.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
Carpenter (L), Hall (4) and Bugge
(August 15) The Hamiota Red Sox continued to surprise with a 3 to 0 win over the favored Riverside Canucks in the second set-to in their series. Bryan Smith hurled the complete-game, three-hit shutout for the Sox while Russ Reid, raked for seven safeties, took the loss. No batter from either team had more than one hit. Cracking two-baggers were Gord Lyall of the winners and Riverside’s Barry Moffatt, the 26th straight game he has had at least one hit.
Reid (L) and C. Seafoot
B. Smith (W) and Wright
(August 15) The Souris Cardinals evened up their best-of-seven MSBL semi-final with the Brandon Cloverleafs by blanking the Leafs 6 to 0 before a near-capacity crowd at Kinsmen Stadium. Dick Limke heaved a seven-hitter in the complete-game whitewash, fanning ten and walking three in the process. Losing chucker Bob Thompson was touched for all six Souris counters before Ron Powers took over Cloverleaf mound duties in the eighth. Jack Bugge led the 11-hit Cardinal attack with double, single and two RBI’s while Greg Cameron slammed a pair of one-baggers. Maurice Oakes and Thompson both singled twice for the Wheat City nine.
Limke (W) and Bugge
Thompson (L), Powers (8) and Gray
(August 17) The Riverside Canucks hit the winning path for the first time in their semi-final series with a 7 to 2 verdict over the Hamiota Red Sox. The visiting Sox jumped in front 2 – 0 in the first inning on three hits. They had one more base rap the rest of the way but that was the extent of their offense as winning right-hander Grant Everard mowed them down from the fourth inning on. Hamiota starter Donn Feldner was clipped with the loss, surrendering six of the 12 hits garnered by the Canucks. Barry Moffatt continued his unbelievable hitting streak with a single, double and triple, good for two RBI’s. It was the 27th straight game that Moffatt has hit safely at least once. Garth Seafoot also had three hits, all singles, driving in a pair of runs, while Gene Cory had a double and one-bagger. Everard helped his cause by delivering a couple of one-base hits.
Feldner (L), Lyall (7) and Wright
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(August 17) Brandon Cloverleafs’ Brian Hodgson was repeatedly in trouble at Souris but came out of every confrontation but one unscathed as the Leafs bounced the Souris Cardinals 4 to 1 in the third game of their semi-final series to take a 2 – 1 lead. The Cardinals connected for 11 base hits off Brandon’s ace left-hander, including two in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but ended each frame without a run crossing the plate. Over the nine innings, the Cardinals had runners at third base three times with less than two outs, but failed to score on each occasion. Walter Hall went the distance on the knoll for Souris, surrendering eight hits while breezing three and walking three. Hodgson struck out eight and walked four. Roy McLachlan was the only Leaf to hit safely more than once as he slammed a double and single. Dave Bender cranked out a solo homer in the fifth frame. For The Cardinals, Brian Moffatt and Jim Neilson clicked for three singles each while Doug Armour and Lynn McEvoy hit two apiece. The only time the hosting Cards had the lead was in the opening canto when they plated their lone counter on two walks and an error, the only one committed in the game. The Leafs knotted the count in the third and took the lead in the third on Bob Wilson’s two RBI-base hit.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
Hall (L) and Bugge
(August 18) Behind the shutout pitching of Bryan Smith, the Hamiota Red Sox moved to within one game of eliminating the pennant-winning Riverside Canucks with a 2 to 0 victory. The win gives the Sox a commanding 3 – 1 lead in their best-of-seven series. Both teams managed to acquire only five base hits as pitching was the name of the game in this encounter. Riverside starting heaver Lorne Lilley, replaced on the bump in the seventh by Wayne Kaplar, suffered the loss. Al Robertson singled to drive in Gord Lyall with Hamiota’s first run in the opening episode. Mel Smith plated the final tally for the victors in the fourth on an RBI-single by Lynn Caldwell. Catcher Cliff Seafoot of the Canucks, held hitless in the first three games of the series, collected a double and single. Barry Moffatt continued his hitting streak with another single.
Lilley (L), Kaplar (7) and C. Seafoot
B. Smith (W) and Wright
(August 19) The Brandon Cloverleafs moved one giant step closer to reaching the MSBL west finals with a 4 to 1 victory over the Souris Cardinals at Kinsmen Stadium. The Leafs now enjoy a 3 – 1 lead in the semi-final series. Brandon rookie chucker Terry Owens, with five punchouts, went the distance to garner the mound win over Cards’ ace slab artist Dick Limke who swished nine. Both tossers scattered five hits and issued four walks in the hard-fought duel with Owens hitting one Souris batter. Brian Hodgson singled to drive in Maurice Oakes with the Cloverleafs’ initial tally in the bottom-of-the-first inning. The hosts increased their lead to a pair in the fifth when Dave Bender walked, took second on a theft and moved to third when catcher Jack Bugge overthrew the keystone sack, then scored on Oakes’ line-drive double to right-centre. The Cards narrowed the gap to a singleton in the top-of-the-eighth when pinch-hitter Walter Hall tripled and sprinted home on a sacrifice fly by Doug Armour. The Leafs, however, put the game out of reach in their half of the frame by plating a deuce, compliments of three Cardinal errors, a bases-loaded walk and an attempted squeeze play that was totally screwed up yet somehow gained a tally.
Limke (L) and Bugge
Owens (W) and Gray
(August 20) The Riverside Canucks erupted for six runs in the seventh inning to take a 7 to 4 victory over the Hamiota Red Sox in an eight-inning, darkness-shortened MSBL playoff encounter. The Sox still lead the semi-final series three games to two. Grant Everard, in relief of Riverside starter Russ Reid, was credited with the mound win. Donn Feldner, who gave way to Gord Lyall in the seventh, was tagged with the loss. The Canucks enjoyed an 8 to 4 advantage in base hits and were helped by a pair of costly Hamiota errors in the fateful seventh. Cliff Seafoot belted a pair of four-ply clouts for the winners, a solo blast in the sixth and a two-run shot in the seventh. Playing-manager Gord Hunter stroked a pair of singles and Barry Moffatt drove in a run with a seventh-inning single to keep his consecutive-game hitting streak alive.
Feldner (L), Lyall (7) and Wright
Reid, Everard (W) (7) and C. Seafoot
(August 21) A 5 to 2 home-field loss to the Brandon Cloverleafs eliminated the second-place Souris Cardinals from the MSBL playoff picture. The winning Leafs had an 8 to 7 edge in base hits and put a close 3 – 2 advantage on ice in the eighth inning by plating a pair of additional insurance markers. The Cards had their chances but couldn’t deliver in the clutch, stranding 11 baserunners while the Cloverleafs left only two on the basepaths. Brian Hodgson went all the way for the win, fanning seven and walking four, while Lew Morrison, who also went the route by whiffing four and issuing one free pass, took the loss. Bob Wilson cracked a home run for the winners while teammates Dave Bender registered a pair of doubles and Bob Thompson two singles. Southpaw Hodgson surrendered a double and single to Souris’ Brian Moffatt and two singles to Don Hodgson.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
Morrison (L) and Bugge
(August 24) The Hamiota Red Sox scored twice in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning to snap a 6 – 6 deadlock and emerge with an 8 to 6 triumph over the Riverside Canucks, sidelining the pennant-winners from further playoff action. The Canucks had rallied from a three-run deficit to knot the count in the opening-half of the canto on two hits and a brace of Red Sox’ errors but the homesters came right back to go ahead by a deuce when Mel Smith launched a circuit-jack with brother Bryan aboard. The Riversiders threatened in the ninth and had runners on second and third with none out but winning heaver Glennis Scott, who had ascended the knoll as a third-inning reliever, fanned two in succession and then recorded the final out when covering first base on a ground ball to the initial sacker who was playing deep. The Hamiota offense produced 11 hits off complete-game loser Grant Everard as John Wright lashed three singles. Al Robertson belted a two-run homer in the opening inning and added a single later on. Mel Smith also had a one-base rap in addition to his game-winning dinger. Lynn Caldwell contributed a double and a single. Cliff Seafoot had three hits for the vanquished Canucks and Brian Moffatt, who ran his hitting streak to 29 consecutive games, a pair.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
B. Smith, Scott (W) (3) and Wright
FINALS Hamiota Red Sox vs Brandon Cloverleafs (best-of-seven series)
(August 26) The Brandon Cloverleafs won the opener of the MSBL western division finals, struggling to a 4 to 3 triumph over the invading Hamiota Red Sox. The Leafs were were coasting along with a 4 – 0 cushion behind the two-hit pitching of ace left-hander Brian Hodgson until the top-of-the-ninth when the Sox finally came alive and almost stole the Brandon thunder by staging a comeback which fell just short. Al Robertson drove in John Wright, who had hit a leadoff pinch-hit triple, for Hamiota’s first marker. Two batters later, with the sacks full as a result of a botched fielder’s choice and an error, Ray Simms stroked a single to drive in a pair and moving the potential tying tally to third base. Hodgson retained his composure and fanned Rick Robinson for the first out. Garth Sarasas, pinch-hitting for losing tosser Donn Feldner, popped up to catcher Bill Gray on a muffed squeeze bunt. After Bryan Smith walked to reload the bases, Gord Lyall, who had collected one of the two pre-ninth inning singles off Hodgson, ended the Red Sox’ hopes of stealing this one by grounding out to second base. The Leafs had seven hits to five acquired by the visitors. Bill Chapple clouted a brace of doubles and Bob Thompson launched a solo tater as well as a two-run single. Dave Bender added a pair of one-base hits. Hodgson registered five strikeouts and issued three walks while Feldner struck out 11 and gave up five free passes.
Feldner (L) and B. Smith
Hodgson (W) and Gray
(August 28) With a final score more reminiscent of a football game, the Hamiota Red Sox squared the MSBL west finals by routing the Brandon Cloverleafs 26 to 6. The Wheat City nine did all their scoring early in the contest on three-run homers by Bill Chapple in the opening canto and by starting heaver Bob Thompson in the third. Using a bevy of position players as relievers, including infielder Roy McLachlan who was charged with the loss, the Cloverleafs gifted Hamiota with 15 bases-on-balls. Rapping out four safeties apiece for the victors, in support of winning flinger Glennis Scott, were Gord Lyall and Al Robertson. Scott helped himself by banging out a triad of safeties.
(September 2) Rebounding following a horrific shellacking in the second game of the finals, the Brandon Cloverleafs, behind the shutout pitching of Brian Hodgson and the slick defensive play of third baseman Roy McLachlan, humbled the Hamiota Red Sox 6 to 0 at Kinsmen Stadium. The win for the Leafs gave them a 2 – 1 edge in series’ wins. Hodgson scattered four hits, all singles, walked one, hit one batter and sent seven Sox down on strikes. McLachlan, meanwhile, robbed the Hamiotans time and time again with his superior glove work and quick thinking. Losing chucker Donn Feldner, nicked for seven of the eight Leaf safeties, had nine strikeouts and walked four before departing in the eighth when the Leafs were busy adding a deuce to their winning total. A four-run explosion in the fifth frame had sent the Brandonites on the road to victory. A two-run double by Bill Chapple was a key blow in that outburst. Catcher John Wright of the Red Stockings was the lone player in the tilt to hit safely twice, slapping out two singles.
Feldner (L), M. Smith (8) and Wright
Hodgson (W) and Gray
(September 4) The fourth game of the MSBL west finals, hosted by Hamiota, ended in a 5 – 5 stalemate. Darkness prohibited play beyond eight innings. Terry Owens of the Wheat City nine and the Red Sox’ Glennis Scott locked horns in the barnburner. Owens checked the Sox on six hits, all singles, while Scott was nicked for nine Brandon safeties. Tom Town had a double and single to head the Leafs’ hit parade. No member of the Crimson Hose had plural hit totals.
Owens and Gray
Scott and Wright
(September 7) The Hamiota Red Sox spanked the offerings of Brandon left-hander Brian Hodgson for 10 safeties but when the smooth-working portsider really needed a crucial out, he was up to the task and came through in the clutch as the homestanding Cloverleafs walloped the visitors by a deceptive score of 8 to 2 to grab a stranglehold on the final series. The Sox had several solid blows but weren’t able to parlay them into runs, leaving 13 baserunners stranded. In sharp contrast, the Wheat City pastimers managed three fewer hits than their foes but most were timely. Hodgson fanned 11 batters and issued only three walks. Losing heaver Donn Feldner was given the gate in the fourth canto after surrendering the first six Leaf tallies. Gord Lyall finished on the hill for the Hamiotans. While Hodgson was busy pitching himself out of jam after jam, teammate Maurice Oakes was taking care of the bulk of the victors’ hitting attack. Oakes drove in a pair of runs with a line-drive double in the second inning and added three singles. Tom Town had given the Cloverleafs a 2 – 0 lead with an opening-canto one-bagger. Third baseman Roy McLachlan also drove in a pair of markers with a seventh-inning single. Lyall and Al Robertson stroked two singles each for the Scarlet Stockings.
Feldner (L), Lyall (4) and Wright
Hodgson (W) and Gray
(September 9) The Hamiota Red Sox, behind the clutch hitting of playing-manager Al Robertson and the steady pitching of Bryan Smith, staved off elimination in the MSBL west finals with a 10 to 4 victory over the Brandon Cloverleafs. Brandon still holds a 3 games to 2 edge in the series. Smith checked the Leafs on four hits, struck out eight and issued two free passes. Starter Terry Owens, replaced in the eighth episode by Ron Powers, was tagged with the Brandon loss. Robertson unloaded a bases-loaded triple in the seventh spasm to wipe out a 3 to 2 Cloverleaf margin. Then, in the eighth, once again with the sacks occupied, he drove in two additional tallies with a hard-hit single which sent middle pasture patroller Bob Wilson of the Wheat City nine crashing into the fence. Catcher John Wright collected a double and single while Glennis Scott and Lynn Caldwell aided the Hamiota cause with two singles each as Caldwell’s swats resulted in a pair of RBI’s.
Owens (L), Powers (8) and Gray
B. Smith (W) and Wright
(September 11) The Brandon Cloverleafs scored three runs in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning on a pair of singles, a hit batsman and two costly errors to post a 4 to 3 come-from-behind victory over Hamiota Red Sox. The win wrapped up the MSBL west finals and gave the Leafs the 1969 championship. Brian Hodgson allowed seven hits, had just one strikeout and walked three in grabbing the mound decision over luckless Glennis Scott. The Hamiota right-hander was tagged for 11 hits, issued five free passes and breezed 11.
Heading into the final inning the Red Sox held a cozy 3 to 1 lead and it appeared that a game seven was on the horizon. But, such was not to be the case. Scott plunked pinch-hitter Tom Town in the left arm with a slow curve to start the comeback. Gerry MacKay was caught looking on a called third strike for the first out. Bob Wilson followed with a sharp grounder to third baseman Lynn Caldwell which had double-play written all over it but the horsehide evaded Caldwell, leaving Terry Owens, pinch-running for Towns, and Wilson at second and first respectively. Maurice Oakes promptly sliced a single down the right-field line that outfielder Ray Simms played perfectly and threw to the plate in an attempt to cut down Owens. The ball beat Owens but took a bad hop over catcher John Wright and the run scored. Of more importance, however, was the fact that Scott neglected to back up the throw to home which allowed Wilson, who started at first, to trot home to tie the score. Meanwhile, Oakes kept on chugging and motored into second base. With the game on the line, Scott punched out Bob Thompson for the second out but then had to face Bill Chapple, the regular-season RBI leader in the seven-team circuit. Rather than issuing an intentional walk with first base open, Scott elected to pitch to Chapple and the move backfired when the Cloverleaf shortpatcher ripped a solid single to plate Oakes, ending the game and the series. The game-winning bingle for Chapple was his third one-bagger of the game. MacKay had a triple and one-base hit while Oakes finished with a brace of singles. Mel Smith slammed a double to go along with two singles for the Red Sox.
Scott (L) and Wright
Hodgson (W) and Gray
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (EAST DIVISION)
This Winnipeg and district loop ballooned in membership from four to nine teams in 1969 as C.U.A.C. re-joined the fray and new entries from South End, Woodridge, Warren and Steinbach, defending champions of the LaVerendrye Baseball League, were accepted into the circuit. The defending champion Transcona club began the campaign with their familiar Atomics’ moniker but, in early July, changed their team name to the Blues. Coverage within Winnipeg newspapers continued to be spotty at best, diminishing as the season wore on. By the tome the semi-final round of the playoffs rolled around, it disappeared completely.
Balmoral Orioles
C.U.A.C. Blues
Sanford/R. M. of MacDonald Mets
South End Sioux
St. Boniface Saints
Steinbach Millers
Transcona Atomics/Blues
Warren Pirates
Woodridge Braves
(May 25) The homestanding Steinbach Millers were rudely introduced to the eastern division of the MSBL when they were clobbered 14 to 3 by the Transcona Atomics. Winning pitcher Paul Chartrand throttled the Millers on just two hits while infielder Jack Seitz supplied the bulk of the muscle with two home runs and six RBI’s. Ron Funk was the losing hurler.
(May 25) Laverne Manness pitched Sanford to a 19 to 2 thrashing of Woodridge as brothers Garth and Stuart as well as cousin Clayton, all of the Manness clan, each slugged a home run. Gerald Hogue belted a fourth round-tripper for the winners.
(May 25) The South End Sioux plated all their runs in the second inning to down CUAC 6 to 1. Winning pitcher Gary Benson scattered seven hits, fanned 11 and went two-for-three at the plate. CUAC starter Danny Yackoboski, yanked in the second stanza in favor of John Kosowan, was the losing chucker. Terry Pickering was CUAC’s leading slugger going three-for-four.
(May 25) Balmoral erupted for five runs in the top-of-the-ninth inning to edge St. Boniface 6 to 5. Vern Nichols, the first of three Oriole twirlers, earned the mound decision over Bill Predinchuk.
(May 27) St. Boniface came from behind to edge the hometown Steinbach Millers 5 to 3. The Millers jumped into a quick three-run lead in the opening canto but St. Boniface chipped away at the lead and eventually drew even. With the score knotted at 3 – 3 entering the final frame, the Saints used the squeeze bunt successfully on two occasions to plate the winner and an insurance marker.
(May 28) Transcona nipped Sanford 2 to 0 behind the four-hit pitching of portsider Bob Hunter who fanned 17 and issued five walks. Gerald Hogue, the loser, was tagged for just five hits as he whiffed six and walked five. Al Hunter swatted a double and single to help his brother along.
(May 29) Jimmy Silver stroked three hits to lead the South End Sioux to a 6 to 2 victory over Steinbach. Wayne Bell recorded the pitching decision over Hank Warkentin. Brian Reimer collected three of Steinbach’s eight hits.
(May 29) The Transcona Atomics used the timely hitting of brothers Al and Bob Hunter to defeat the pesky Woodridge nine 4 to 1. Brock McConachy twirled a four-hitter for the win. Woodridge led 1 – 0 until the fifth frame when Al Hunter ripped a two-run single. In the seventh, Bob Hunter drove in another brace of tallies with a one-base rap. Dave Saulnier had two hits and an equal number of stolen bases for the winners.
(May 30) The six-hit pitching of Ellis Woods and the hitting of Jack Forsythe paced Sanford to a 6 to 3 triumph over Balmoral in MSBL east action. Oriole starter Doug Marks was the loser. Forsythe had four safeties for the winners including three doubles.
(June 6) Bob Hunter drilled a pair of singles and struck out 16 as Transcona rolled to their fifth straight MSBL east win, an 8 to 2 conquest of St. Boniface. Also collecting two singles apiece for the winners were Dave Saulnier and Gary White. Hunter allowed five hits. The losing pitcher was Bill McNamee.
(June 8) The South End Sioux scored two wins in MSBL east action, dumping the Woodridge Braves 18 to 13 and then nipping St. Boniface 9 to 8. Don Fisher was credited with the pitching win over Woodridge. Dan McCowell belted a home run and two singles for the winners. Seventh-inning reliever Wayne Bell copped the win over the Saints and stroked a brace of singles. Jack Ritchie slammed a solo homer and a single for the losers.
(June 8) The Sanford Mets overcame CUAC 11 to 10 in ten innings and thrashed the Warren Pirates 18 to 1 in a three-team double-bill. Laverne Manness, in relief of Elgin Gromnisky, snared the mound victory from John Kosowan in the Mets’ narrow victory over CUAC. Stuart Manness and Gerald Hogue of the winners both connected for a triple, double and single.
Ellis Woods went the distance on the knoll in posting the win over the Pirates, aiding his own cause by stinging the horsehide for a double and two singles. Teammate Ben Comeau added four singles, good for four RBI’s.
(June 8) After being clobbered by Sanford, the Warren Pirates got some measure of revenge by dumping the Woodridge Braves 6 to 1. Marcel Charbonneau secured the pitching win while Don Chezick suffered the loss.
(June 12) The Sanford Mets out-battled the South End Sioux 4 to 2 to take over sole possession of second place in the MSBK east. Gerald Hogue earned the pitching win as he scattered eight hits, fanned four and walked two. Dennis Gautron helped Hogue to the complete-game win by belting a triple and two singles. Teammate Ron Legace had a double and single. Al Dyker slammed three singles for the Sioux.
(June 12) Transcona won their sixth straight game by drubbing the CUAC Blues 11 to 0. Brock McConachy allowed only four hits in pitching the shutout win. He fanned seven and walked five. Danny Yackoboski, who was clipped for ten hits in the 7-1/3 innings he toiled, was nailed the loss. Jerry Lavery cranked out a three-run homer for the winners while Dave Saulnier delivered a double and single and Gary White a pair of one-baggers. Len Williams had three of the four CUAC hits, all singles.
(June 12) The Woodridge Braves thrashed St. Boniface 13 to 4. Denis Daigneault gave up ten hits and three walks but struck out seven in taking the hillock verdict from Bill Predinchuk. Bill Zaporzan and Dan Belisle both launched two-run dingers for the victors. Hansford belted a three-run shot for the Saints.
(June 15) George Querel hurled a three-hit shutout as the CUAC Blues picked up their second win in eight starts, edging the Steinbach Millers 1 to 0. Losing flinger Marv Hollender was also touched for only three hits but was the victim of an unearned run.
Steinbach then ventured to Sanford where the R. M. of MacDonald Mets laid an 8 to 5 setback on them. Ellis Woods went the distance for the Mets, scattering seven hits. Ron Ginter was the loser. Mike Mutcheson had three hits for the Millers.
(June 15) Warren downed South End 6 to 2 as junior call-up Brian Gwizon tossed a six-hitter for the win. Myron Zbyradowski hit three singles and had three RBI’s to lead the Warren hitters. Losing heaver Barry Epps yielded eight hits while whiffing seven. Don Fisher had a pair of hits for South End.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transcona 7 0 1.000 ----
Sanford 7 1 .875 0.5
Balmoral 6 1 .857 1.0
South End 4 4 .500 3.5
St. Boniface 3 5 .375 4.5
Woodridge 2 5 .286 5.0
Warren 2 5 .286 5.0
CUAC 2 6 .250 5.5
Steinbach 0 6 .000 6.5
(June 17) The Sanford Mets from the R.M. of MacDonald trounced the South End Sioux 9 to 4 in MSBL east action. Gerald Hogue, who took over mound duties from starter George Klassen in the sixth stanza, picked up the victory. Gary Benson went the distance for South End. Jack Forsythe ripped a double and single for the winners while Garth Mannes singled twice. Providing the power for Sanford was Wayne Acheson who launched a two-run tater. Sandy Stephens responded with a two-run dinger for the Sioux and added a single. Ted Findlay and Al Dyker added two safeties apiece for South End.
(June 17) The Saint Boniface Saints clipped the Warren Pirates 9 to 6 to move into a third-place tie with South End. Starting heaver Bob Ulrich earned the knoll verdict and was ably assisted by Don Craw who lashed out two solo circuit-clouts and a single.
(June 17) Steinbach finally broke into the win column with a come-from-behind 7 to 4 win over CUAC in Winnipeg. CUAC led until the ninth when Steinbach erupted for four runs and erased a 4 – 3 deficit. Second-inning reliever Richard Hildebrandt pitched five-hit ball for eight innings to secure the win. Rick Hefford paced the winners with the baton, swatting four singles. Terry Hrycyk was the losing heaver. Earl Kreutzer, Ray Rosner and Mike Mutcheson all stung the sphere for three safeties in the Miller 17-hit attack.
(June 19) Ralph Rempel’s two-run homer in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning broke a 6 – 6 tie and lifted the Steinbach Millers to an 8 to 6 come-from-behind conquest over the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald. Laverne Manness blew a 6 to 2 Sanford lead in absorbing the loss.
(June 20) Hosting Balmoral inflicted Transcona with their first loss of the season, a 7 to 3 setback.
(June 22) Brock McConachy spun a four-hitter in pitching the Transcona Atomics to an 11 to 2 thumping of the Balmoral Orioles. Don Frolek was tagged with the loss.
(June 22) The Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald edged Warren 3 to 2.
(June 24) The Transcona Atomics, current pace-setters in the eastern division of the MSBL, will represent the circuit in the M.B.A. Canada Summer Games qualifying tournament in Brandon. The ‘Sconas struck for four first-inning runs off losing heaver Garth Manness and stunned the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald 17 to 4 to secure their spot in the tourney. Terry Moore cranked out a three-run homer in the opening canto to set the stage for the Atomics’ win. Moore turned tiger again later in the encounter and delivered a grand-slam shot. Cam Hurst slugged a third round-tripper for the winners to go along with a double. Claude Lambert, who tossed the first 6-1/3 innings for Transcona, was the winner.
(June 24) The CUAC Blues nosed out the Warren Pirates 6 to 5 as John Kosowan scattered seven hits in picking up the pitching victory. Gord Reid was charged with the loss. Kosowan doubled to lead off the eighth inning and came around to score the winning run when Ken Eliuk singled.
(June 24) Starter Pete Peters and reliever Richard Hildebrandt combined to pitch Steinbach to a 5 to 2 triumph over St. Boniface. The duo scattered seven hits as Hildebrandt got credit for the win. Saints’ hurler Bill Predinchuk, replaced by southpaw MacLamey in the third inning, was tagged with the loss. MacLamey pitched six innings of hitless ball and connected for four of the seven St. Boniface safeties off Miller pitching.
(July 2) Transcona, under its new name, the Blues, kept on winning as they defeated their closest rivals, the Sanford Mets 4 to 3. Jim Pettapiece hurled the win for the ‘Sconas and Ellis Woods suffered the setback. Bob Terhost connected for three singles and drove in two runs in support of Pettapiece. Cam Hurst also had two RBI’s for the winners with a brace of one-base raps. Stuart Manness ripped three one-baggers for the Mets.
(July 6) The sizzling Steinbach Millers captured their fourth victory by upsetting front-running Transcona 11 to 4. Led by the pitching of Ron Funk and four hits off the bat of Brian Reimer, the Millers came on strong late in the game to surprise the hosting Atomics. Funk gave up nine hits, including a pair of early home runs, but was never in any trouble after the third inning.
(July 6) Erv Chezick limited Warren to four hits as Woodridge rolled to an 8 to 3 triumph in MSBL east action. Aaron Ross sparkled at the plate for the Braves, clouting two triples and a single.
(July 8) Steinbach came from behind a 9 – 0 deficit to stun Balmoral 10 to 9. The win was the Millers fifth in a row after losing their first six games of the season. Steinbach had 13 hits and were aided by six Oriole errors. The winning twirler was Marv Hollender who came on in relief of starter Pete Peters. Doug Marks, the second of three hurlers for the Birds, suffered the loss. Rick Cruise belted a solo homer for the Millers. A clutch two-out single in the eighth by Earl Kreutzer tied the game and set the stage for Mike Mutcheson’s game-winning hit, a sharp one-bagger up the middle. Art Essery blasted a grand-slam four-bagger for Balmoral.
(July 10) Wayne Bell rang up nine punchouts and walked six in tossing a no-hitter as the South End Sioux blanked the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald. Ellis Woods, combed for 11 safeties, suffered the loss. Al Dyker contributed a two-run homer and two singles to the winning cause while Bell laced three singles.
(July 11-13) Manitoba Baseball Association senior elimination tournament
(July 16) Ellis Woods of the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald scattered four hits, walked five and struck out ten in pitching a complete-game 7 to 1 win against the Warren Pirates. Losing flinger Dick Elias and two relievers from the Pirates were combed for 12 hits by the Mets.
(July 17) The league-leading Transcona Blues battered the Sanford/R. M. MacDonald Mets 14 to 4 as winning pitcher Claude Lambert limited the losers to seven hits while recording nine punchouts. Ron Twerdochlib cranked a homer and a single for the victors while teammate Al Hunter contributed two singles and a double. Paul Chartrand followed with a double and one-bagger. Stuart Manness laced a triple and two one-base hits for the vanquished nine.
(July 17) The St. Boniface Saints erupted for five runs in the fourth inning and went on to stop the Steinbach Milers 12 to 7. Gerry Brisson’s bases-loaded double accounted for three of the Saints’ counters in their explosive fourth. Winning pitcher Bill McNamee yielded six hits, three of which were garnered by Mike Mutcheson. Losing heaver Hank Warkentin was yanked in the sixth stanza.
(July 22) Steinbach whitewashed the Woodridge Braves 7 to 0.
(July 22) The Sanford Mets waltzed away with a 14 to 9 triumph over Woodridge in an MSBL east slugfest. Leading the offensive barrage for the winning Mets was Jack Forsythe who hammered four hits including a triple to drive in four runs. Ellis Woods chipped in with three safeties, one of which was a three-bagger, to earn five RBI’s. Ron Legace and Garth Manness added two hits each. Legace was credited with the pitching victory although he needed relief assistance from Laverne Manness. Gord Yvon of the Braves, who took over from starting heaver Neil Schmidt, was nicked with the loss. Rollie Charriere hit safely five times for Woodridge.
(July 24) The R. M. of MacDonald Mets who play out of Sanford continued to hammer opposition in the MSBL east division by clouting the Steinbach Millers 14 to 7 in an abbreviated seven-inning contest, called because of darkness. Lavern Manness copped the hurling triumph over Marv Hollender. Ellis Woods and Garth Manness each recorded three hits for the winners with Woods driving in five runs. Hollender stroked four safeties for the Millers.
(July 27) The visiting South End Sioux were scalped twice in twin-bill action at Steinbach, falling 5 to 3 and 1 to 0 to the hosting Millers. Portsider Ron Funk did double-duty on the knoll for the Millers scattering seven hits to win the opener over Wayne Bell and then tossing a five-hitter in the finale for the shutout triumph over South End’s Bruce Bennett. Pete Peters led the Steinbach attack with three hits in the matinée match while Ray Rosner stroked two singles, one of which drove in the lone run of the game, in the nightcap.
(July 31) The Transcona Blues clipped the Woodridge Pirates 11 to 5 in MSBL east play. Terry Moore slugged a two-run homer for the ‘Sconas while teammate Bill Hanson cuffed two singles and a double. Mike Chaurut belted a pair of doubles for the losers. Paul Chartrand bested Bob Chezick for the pitching decision.
(August 5) Steinbach bombed the invading Woodridge Braves as winning pitcher Richard Hildebrandt scattered seven hits in earning the mound decision over “Chico” Daigneault of the Braves. Brian Reimer slapped out four safeties for the Millers while Rich Martens delivered a triad of safe swats. Gord Yvon stroked two hits for the Woodridge nine.
(August 18) Former Tulsa Oiler and Winnipeg Goldeye Bill McNamee fashioned a no-hit, no-run pitching gem as the St. Boniface Saints blanked the Woodridge Braves 5 to 0. The 28-year old right-hander rang up 13 punchouts and walked two in going the distance. Archie Curtis banged out two doubles and drove in four of the five St. Boniface runs. Gord Yvon, who had 11 strikeouts, was the losing hurler.
(August 19) The Woodridge Braves trounced the Steinbach Millers 12 to 4 as both clubs ended their portion of the MSBL east regular schedule. Erv Chezick copped the pitching win over Marv Hollender.
Final Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transcona 17 2 .895 ----
Balmoral 18 3 .857 ----
Sanford 15 9 .625 4.5
Steinbach 12 10 .545 6.5
St. Boniface 10 10 .500 7.5
South End 10 13 .435 9.0
CUAC 8 14 .364 10.5
Woodridge 4 16 .250 13.5
Warren 2 19 .095 16.0
PLAYOFFS
QUARTER-FINALS Balmoral vs Steinbach & St. Boniface vs Sanford (best-of-three series)
(August 24) The Balmoral Orioles scored twice in the eleventh episode on a wild throw to shade the Steinbach Millers 7 to 6 in the opener of their MSBL east quarter-final series. Steinbach had sent the game into overtime on a ninth-inning RBI-single by Ray Rosner.
(August 24) St, Boniface shutout Sanford 6 to 0 in the first tilt of their playoff series.
(August 27) Mike Mutcheson sprinted home from third base on a passed ball in the bottom-of-the-sixth inning with what turned out to be the winning run as the Steinbach Millers eked out a 2 to 1 victory over the Balmoral Orioles. The decision squared the best-of-three MSBL east quarter-final series at a game apiece. Mutcheson doubled with one out and moved to third on Ray Rosner’s single. Marv Hollender copped the pitching win while Rick Cruise was nailed with the loss
(August 27) The St. Boniface Saints advanced to the MSBL east semi-finals by blanking the Sanford Mets 3 to 0. The victory gave the Saints a sweep of the best-of-three MSBL east quarter-final series. Bill McNamee struck out 18 and tossed a three-hitter in earning the shutout knoll triumph.
(August 29) Balmoral and Steinbach battled to a 4 – 4 deadlock in what was intended as the rubber match in their quarter-final series. Darkness prevented play beyond seven innings.
(September 3) A 4 to 1 conquest over the gritty Steinbach Millers allowed the Balmoral Orioles to advance to the MSBL east semi-finals against the St. Boniface Saints.
SEMI-FINALS St. Boniface vs Balmoral
Balmoral wins series – no game results found in print
FINALS Balmoral vs Transcona
Balmoral wins MSBL east championship – no game results published in Winnipeg Free Press
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE EAST-WEST FINAL Balmoral Orioles (East) vs Brandon Cloverleafs (West)
With the MSBL east finals taking so long to complete, the proposed east-west MSBL best-of-five final series was reduced to a sudden-death, winner-take-all showdown match.
(September 27) The Brandon Cloverleafs, waiting in the wings for over two weeks for an MSBL east division champion to be declared, had their patience rewarded at Kinsmen Stadium where they captured the 1969 east-west MSBL championship by virtue of a 6 to 1 win over the Balmoral Orioles. Smooth-throwing southpaw Brian Hodgson, pitching in less-than-ideal conditions, came up with a stellar mound performance for the victorious Leafs. He struck out an even dozen Oriole batters, issued only one walk while scattering six hits and was only one out away from registering a shutout. In addition to his prowess on the knoll, Hodgson stroked two solid singles. Vern Nichol, Balmoral’s starting heaver, was charged with the loss. He gave way to Doug Marks with one out in the fifth. The Wheat City aggregation, considered visitors in the sudden-death contest as per a coin toss, came up with nine base knocks. Besides Hodgson's productive bat, Maurice Oakes stroked two timely singles, accounting for three runs and Bob Wilson drove in a pair of tallies with a double and single. For the east-division representatives, Laurie Langrell slammed a towering triple in the ninth inning and scored the Birds only counter on Cal Croy’s single. Both squads left six baserunners stranded while the O’s committed five errors compared to none by their western-division counterparts.
Hodgson (W) and Gray
Nichol (L), Marks (5) and Hodgins
M.B.A. SENIOR PLAYOFF GAMES
QUARTER-FINALS
(July 20) A tenth-inning home run by first baseman Bob Allen gave the Neepawa Cubs a 4 to 3 win over the Boissevain Border Kings in the first game of a best-of-three M.B.A. senior playoff. Neepawa needed a two-out run-scoring single by Don Martin in the ninth to force the extra round of play. Ron McKinnon allowed seven hits to pick up the pitching win. Boissevain used two chuckers, starter Bob Goldie and reliever Clair Burton who absorbed the loss.
(July 26-27) One game down in their best-of-three M.B.A. senior playoff series as a result of a 1 – 0 loss on their home turf a week previous, the Binscarth Orioles travelled some 500 miles for a do-or-die encounter and, hopefully more, with the Polar League’s Thompson Reds. They battled tooth-and nail on Saturday through 12 innings of a 12 – 12 draw wherein the game was suspended because of darkness. Sunday afternoon, the teams went at it again. Finally, in the 19th inning, the Orioles scored two runs to win 14 to 12 and square the series. Garth Neville was the winning pitcher.
In the series’ rubber match that followed, the Orioles opened up an early two-run lead and added another in the sixth, increasing the cushion to three only to see the Reds storm back with a deuce in the seventh but failing to score the equalizer. The game and series ended that was as Dale Gies notched the pitching win.
Binscarth now advances to the M.B.A. senior semi-finals with Neepawa as its opponent.
(July 29) The Vita Mallards took a one-game lead in the best-of-three M.B.A. senior playoff with a 7 to 5 win over the Pilot Mound Pilots. Maurice Cesmystruk and Bill Mateychuk slammed home runs for the winners while Rod Collins hit one for Pilot Mound. Peter Shpak was the winning pitcher.
(August 3) The Vita Mallards advanced to the second round of the M.B.A. senior playoffs against Angusville with an 11 to 7 conquest of the Pilot Mound Pilots.
SEMI-FINALS
(August 10) Garth Neville pitched a two-hitter and sparked the visiting Binscarth Orioles to a 12 to 0 shellacking of the Neepawa Cubs. The Orioles win was their second in succession in the best-of three series. In the opening game at Binscarth, Neville twirled a three-hitter and stopped the Cubs 4 to 0. Binscarth now advances to face the winner of the Angusville-Vita series in the M.B.A. senior finals.