1970 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1970 BC Interior
1970 Vancouver Island

VANCOUVER INDUSTRIAL LEAGUE

League composition within the Vancouver Industrial Baseball League remained at six teams for the 1970 season as two entries from 1969 exited the circuit but were quickly replaced by a pair of new teams. The National champion Vancouver Villas squad of a 1969 left the Industrial League in 1970 to join, as the renamed Burnaby Villas, the revived Western International League, an alliance with six Washington state entries. Also leaving the Industrial League circuit in 1970 was the Burnaby franchise. Joining the six-team loop in 1970 were New Westminster and the Realtors.

C.Y.O.
Longshoremen
Merchants
New Westminster
North Vancouver
Realtors

(May 19) C.Y.O. defeated the Longshoremen 3 to 1 in an Industrial League contest at the Powell Street grounds. Bob Elliott was the winning pitcher but needed relief help from Larry Webster to record the final out. Bert Mazarroba, who was relieved by Rod Akzaniak in the fifth, was charged with the hillock setback.

Elliott (W), Webster (7) and Lowery
Mazarroba (L), Akzaniak (5) and Ricketts

(May 24) Brian Windjack rapped a two-run double in the second inning of an IBL contest at the Powell Street grounds to spark the New Westminster nine to a 5 to 1 victory over North Vancouver.

(May 25) Jim Heighton and John Stellic powered powered the Longshoremen to their first IBL victory of the season, a 7 to 2 thumping of the Merchants. Heighton drove in three runs with a homer and two-bagger while Stellic hammered out a two-run double.

(May 26) North Vancouver came up with clutch hits in blanking the Realtors 4 to 0 in an Industrial League game at the Powell Street grounds. Dan Calli hurled a four-hitter for the shutout mound victory.

Calli (W) and Sullivan
Mann (L) and Schwab

(May 29) The C.Y.O band of diamondeers moved into sole possession of first place in the Industrial Baseball League with a 6 to 2 triumph over North Vancouver at the Powell Street grounds.

Nichol (L), Kitchen (5) and Sullivan
Mosher, Kirk (W) (3), Webster (6) and Stevens

(May 31) Dave Kirk belted a pinch-hit home run in the bottom-of-the-seventh-inning to propel C.Y.O. to a 3 to 2 win over the Longshoremen in an Industrial League fracas at the Powell Street grounds.

Mazarroba, Akzaniak (L) and Schick
Elliott (W) and Stevens

(June 1) Larry Mann used his reliable arm and a solid bat at the Powell Street grounds as he led the Realtors to a convincing 8 to 0 whitewashing of the New Westminster nine. Besides hurling a two-hitter for the hillock verdict, Mann contributed three runs on two doubles.

Morgan (L), Duncan (5), Sharp (6) and Love
Mann (W) and Schwab

(June 2) Jim Heighton’s solo home run in the fifth inning was the game’s lone run as the Longshoremen prevailed 1 to 0 over North Vancouver at the Powell Street grounds. Pitchers of record, winner Rod Akzaniak and loser Dan Calli, were stingy in yielding safeties, each being nicked for just three hits.

Calli (L) and Sullivan
Akzaniak (W) and Schick

(June 4) North Vancouver dumped the hapless Realtors 7 to 1 in an Industrial Baseball League contest at the Powell Street grounds. Ken Newcombe scattered five hits in going the distance on the bump for the winners. The North Van nine clipped the horsehide for 14 hits off a triad of Realtor chuckers. Bill Green led the way with the baton, stroking three base blows, one of which was a a home run.

Newcombe (W) and Sullivan, Binns (6)
Smith (L), Hanson (3), Bayne (4) and Schwab

(June 5) Brian Frederickson scored all three runs as C.Y.O. shutout the Realtors 3 to 0 in an IBL clash at the Powell Street facility. Larry Webster pitched a three-hitter for the victory as C.Y.O. retained possession of top spot in the six-team circuit.

Webster (W) and Stevens
Magnowski (L), J. Schwab (4) and S. Schwab

(June 7) The Realtors dug their own grave in losing 2 to 1 to the Merchants in an Industrial League game at the Powell Street grounds. The Property Sales Agents were leading 1 to ,0 in the fifth chapter when they committed back-to-back errors. Ron Frederick then doubled both runners home to give the Retailers the winning margin. A fine four-hit pitching effort by loser Larry Mann went for naught thanks to those unearned markers.

Mann (L) and Gamlin
Hargreaves (W) and Keller

(June 8) New Westminster found out how badly walks can hurt a team when they were bombarded 13 to 0 by the Longshoremen in Industrial League play. Three New Westminster pitchers walked nine of their opponents and six of them came around to score. John Koshan and Jim Heighton were the big guns at the plate for the Dockworkers, each driving in three runs as Heighton recorded a pair of doubles. Bert Mazarroba scattered three hits in earning the shutout mound verdict.

Gauthier (L), Duncan (2), Martin (5) and Love
Mazarroba (W) and Schick

(June 11) Strong pitching carried the Longshoremen to a 5 to 1 win over the Merchants at the Powell Street grounds. Winning hurler “Duke” Fairbrother struck out nine in six innings before a sore arm forced him off the slab. Speedy Sam Kobayashi had two hits for the winners and stole four bases. Teammate Gordie Webb drove in a pair of markers. The win allowed the Dockworkers to climb past the Merchants into third place in the IBL.

Fairbrother (W), Akzaniak (7) and Schick, Rickets (7)
Dreger (L), Bobain (2) and White, Keller (7)

(June 12) The C.Y.O. band of baseballers ran their IBL record to eight wins against a single loss when they scored three runs in the first inning and hung on to defeat North Vancouver 3 to 2. Bob Elliott drove in two of the winners’ three counters with a double while Brian Fredrickson singled in their opening counter. Dave Kirk was the winning pitcher but he had control problems and needed relief assistance from Larry Webster in the fifth.

Kirk (W), Webster (5) and Stevens
Elson (L) and Sullivan

(June 14) Winning for just the second time this season, the Realtors edged past the Longshoremen 3 to 2. A three-run round-tripper by Ron Turner in the opening panel lifted the Property Salesmen to victory. The Stevedores left nine runners stranded as winning flinger Larry Mann, notching a five-hitter, walked seven and saw his mates commit three errors behind him.

Mazarroba (L) and Schick
Mann (W) and Schwab

(June 16) A two-hitter by Bill Bayne allowed the Realtors to register a 3 to 0 triumph over New Westminster in Industrial League baseball at the Powell Street diamond. Ron Turner swung the hot bat for the winners with two hits and a pair of RBI’s. Losing pitcher Leo Gauthier gave up only five hits but was victimized by three unearned runs.

Bayne (W) and Schwab
Gauthier (L) and Love

(June 17) First-place C.Y.O. registered ten safeties to just four for the Merchants but it took a bases-loaded walk to Keith Frew by reliever Mike Mitzel to force in the winning run in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning in a tight 7 to 6 victory. Three singles and an intentional walk had knotted the count and loaded the bases with two out, setting the stage for the run-scoring free pass to Frew. Mike Keller had staked the Merchants to an early lead with a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Hargreaves (L), Mitzel (7) and Keller
Mosher, Webster (W) (5) and Stevens

(June 18) Nine first-inning counters by the Merchants proved far too much for the North Vancouver nine to overcome as they fell 14 to 4 to the Retailers in Industrial Baseball League play. Terry Schuss and and Mike Keller hit solo home runs for the victors in support of winning pitcher Terry Dreger who fanned eleven in coasting to the easy mound triumph.

Dreger (W) and White
Newcombe (L), Calli (1), Nichol (2) and Binns

(June 19) The Realtors pilfered ten bases, four by Ron Turner, as they clobbered first-place C.Y.O. 7 to 1 at the Powell Street grounds.

(June 21) The Longshoremen edged the Realtors 4 to 3 at the Powell Street grounds to move into third place in the Industrial Baseball League. Strong-armed Rod Akzaniak pitched a three-hitter, whiffed 14 and issued five walks in copping the hillock win. Brook Bellum unloaded a two-run homer for the Dockworkers while teammate Brent Carpenter, with a brace of one-baggers, drove in the other two runs for the winners.

(June 22) Timely hits off the bat of third baseman Dick Burns launched North Vancouver to an easy 6 to 1 victory over the Merchants in an Industrial League fixture. Burns ripped a single in the second frame, a double in the sixth spasm and drove in three runs for the evening. Strong pitching by Barry Elson, who struck out six and walked one while fashioning a five-hitter, handcuffed the fourth-place Retailers.

Elson (W) and Sullivan
Hargreaves (L) and White

(June 23) C.Y.O. used an unbeatable combination of power and good pitching to overwhelm the Longshoremen 11 to 0 in IBL action at the Powell Street grounds. The league-leaders slammed a dozen base blows to go along with a three-hit mound performance by winning tosser Dave Kirk who fanned seven and belted a solo homer. Teammate Paul Peterson also homered while Rick Mosher had three hits and three RBI’s.

Kirk (W) and Stevens
McLellan (L), Fairbrother (1) and Schick

(June 24) Brook Bellum creamed his second home run of the week, a three-run blow in the fifth inning, propelling the Longshoremen to a slim 7 to 6 victory over the Realtors at the Powell Street grounds. Outhit by a healthy 11 to 6 margin, the Stevedores made the most of their opportunities in support of winning pitcher Bert Mazarroba.

Mazarroba (W), Akzaniak (6) and Schick
Gamlin (L), Bazaluk (5), McDonald (5) and Carr

(June 25) North Vancouver conceded their IBL contest to the Longshoremen after falling behind 20 to 1 with just 4-1/2 innings of play in the books. The Dockworkers piled up 16 hits against four North Van chuckers in the abbreviated contest and were the beneficiaries of nine bases on balls. Graham Frezell spun a three-hitter in taking the bump verdict.

Newcombe (L), Nichol (1), Kitchen (3), Adams (3) and Sullivan
Frezell (W) and Schick

(June 26) The Merchants moved to within two games of second spot in the IBL by trouncing the Realtors 9 to 3 at the Powell Street grounds. Terry Schuss got the Retailers off to a flying start with a two-run homer in the opening inning. After the Realtors tied it up, Darryl Fenton put the Merchants ahead to stay in the second frame with a two-run circuit-clout. Dick Hargreaves tossed a six-hitter to grab the hillock decision over starter Larry Mann of the vanquished nine.

Hargreaves (W) and White
Mann (L), Bayne (2), Gamlin (4) and Schwab

(June 29) Darkness halted the Industrial League fixture at the Powell Street grounds after six innings but not before Brent Carpenter launched a three-run homer to give the Longshoremen a come-from-behind 5 to 3 win over the New Westminster aggregation. Grant Frezell, pitching in relief of starter “Sandy” McLellan and Bert Mazarroba, picked up the hillock win. Ken Duncan, the victim of Carpenter’s blast, was saddled with the loss.

Kieler, Duncan (L) (4) and Love
McLellan, Mazarroba (5), Frezell (W) (6) and Schick

(June 30) C.Y.O. doubled North Vancouver 6 to 3 as Larry Webster, in a relief role, picked up his sixth victory of the campaign against one loss.

Calli (L), Kitchen (6) and Sullivan
Elliott, Webster (W) (6) and Stevens

(July 1) Newcomer Keith Commons, in his first start of the season, threw a two-hitter while breezing ten as he pitched the second-place Merchants to a narrow 2 to 1 conquest of league-leading C.Y.O. Shortstop Ron Peterson of the Retailers provided Commons with all the offense he needed by doubling home a run in both the fourth and sixth innings.

Webster (L) and Stevens
Commons (W) and Keller

(July 2) The Merchants jumped into second place in the IBL standings by blanking New Westminster 6 to 0 at the Powell Street grounds. Darryl Fenton put the Retailers in front early, slamming a three-run tater in the opening panel. Teammate Gary Miller hit a solo dinger in the second spasm and singled home the final Merchant run in the third. Dick Hargreaves went the distance for the win, giving up only three hits, walking none and ringing up ten strikeouts.

Hardigen/Hartigan (L), Duncan (4) and Ferrari
Hargreaves (W) and White

(July 3) The Longshoremen regained second spot in the Industrial Baseball League by defeating the Realtors 5 to 2 at the Powell Street grounds. Losing pitched Larry Mann, on in relief of Jim Huck, hit three Dockworker batters in the seventh panel as the winners plated a three-spot to take the game. The Stevedores’ Brent Carpenter and Thiessen of the Realtors both launched four-baggers in the contest.

Denbow, Frezell (W) (6) and Schick
Huck, Mann (L) (6) and Schwab

(July 5) Larry Webster was the man of the night as C.Y.O. edged the Longshoremen 1 to 0 in an IBL skirmish at the Powell Street grounds. Webster was outstanding on the bump, allowing only four baserunners until he tired in the last frame when, with two out, he loaded the bases and was relieved by Bob Elliott who recorded the final out. Webster fanned 14 and walked three in picking up his seventh win. In addition, he drove in the game’s only run with a single in the second stanza.

Akzaniak (L) and Schick
Webster (W), Elliott (7) and Stevens

(July 6) North Vancouver turned on the power to smother the Realtors 10 to 2 in an Industrial League match played on the Powell Street diamond. The victors amassed 15 base blows in the one-sided affair. Bill Green belted two home runs for the North Shoremen, a solo shot in the in the second and a three-run poke in the third. Catcher Rick Mark added two doubles and a pair of RBI’s to the winning cause.

Elson (W) and Mark
Bayne (L), Gamlin (1), McDonald (3) and Schwab

(July 7) Every player in the Merchants’ lineup had at least on hit but this was barely enough to edge the stubborn Longshoremen 8 to 7 in IBL play at the Powell Street grounds. The Retailers jumped into a 6 to 0 lead in the opening panel as they sent 12 batters to the plate. The Dockworkers kept chipping away, however, finally tying the score in the bottom-of-the-seventh on a two-run homer by Gordie Nishi. In the top-of-the eighth stanza, Peter Jensen drilled a run-scoring single, the Merchants’ 18th hit, to drive in the winning tally.

Hargreaves, Mitzel (W) (6), Peterson (8) and Keller
Frezell (L) and Schick

(July 8) New Westminster catcher Ken Love nailed a triple and two singles in sparking his mates to a 12 to 6 thrashing of the Longshoremen at the Powell Street grounds. Richie Chambers and Brian Windjack aided the New Westminster cause with two RBI’s apiece. “Duke” Fairbrother drilled a round-tripper for the Stevedores.

Denbow (L), Mazarroba (4), Akzaniak (4) and Schick
Babuin (W) and Love

(July 9) Larry Mann pitched no-hit ball for the first six innings in leading the Realtors to a 2 to 0 blanking of New Westminster. Mann gave up just one hit, a a seventh-inning single by “Buzz” Merrick. Tough-luck loser Ken Duncan allowed only three hits but his free passes proved costly. Twice, in the third and fifth spasms, he walked Mark McDonald who moved into scoring position as Ron Turner then came through with one-baggers on each occasion to plate McDonald with the only two counters in the game.

Duncan (L) and Love
Mann (W) and Schwab

(July 10) The Merchants moved to within a half-game of the league-leading C.Y.O. squad as they pounded the Realtors 10 to 0 at the Powell Street grounds. Terry Dreger went the route for the Retailers, scattering four hits and punching out six. Teammate Ron Frederick had four hits and two RBI’s to lead the victors offensively. Ten bases on balls issued by a trio of Realtor chuckers aided in the rout.

(July 12) C.Y.O. won the battle for first place in the IBL by dumping the Merchants 6 to 0 at the Powell Street grounds. The Retailers had climbed to within a half-game of penthouse-dwelling C.Y.O. but Bob Elliott cooled them off with a brilliant one-hitter. Keith Frew drove in three runs for the winners in providing the big bat for Elliott.

Commons (L), Hargreaves (3) and White
Elliott (W) and Stevens

(July 13) Dave Kirk pitched and batted the top-dog C.Y.O. diamond pastimers to a 4 to 3 win over the last-place New Westminster nine in Industrial League play at the Powell Street grounds. Kirk provided the winning run in the bottom-of-the-fourth stanza with a long home run, breaking a 3 – 3 tie, after New Westminster catcher Ken Love had ripped one of Kirk’s fastballs for a three-run dinger in the top half of the frame. Kirk breezed a dozen en route to his fourth hillock victory while walking just one. He also drove in one of three C.Y.O. counters in the opening spasm.

Hardigen/Hartigan (L) and Love
Kirk (W) and Stevens

(July 14) Third baseman Dick Burns launched a two-run homer in the top-of-the-seventh inning to lead North Vancouver to a 3 to 1 win over the Longshoremen in IBL action at the Powell Street grounds. Barry Elson of the North Shoremen fanned seven and walked one in gaining his sixth mound win of the season on a three-hitter.

Elson (W) and Mark
Frezell (L) and Schick

(July 15) C.Y.O. moved to within a half-game of clinching first place in the Industrial Baseball League by blanking the second-place Merchants 2 to 0 at the Powell Street grounds. Larry Webster captured his eighth mound triumph of the campaign with a three-hitter. He whiffed 12 and walked only three. Dave Kirk scored both runs for C.Y.O., the first after doubling in the third chapter and the second after singling and stealing second base in the sixth.

Dreger (L) and Keller
Webster (W) and Stevens

(July 16) Idle C.Y.O. clinched first-place in the IBL as the Merchants, runner-up in the circuit, dropped a 4 to 3 decision to the lowly New Westminster contingent of balltossers at the Powell Street grounds. The Retailers had their chances but stranded eight baserunners. Winning pitcher Les Babuin was constantly in trouble as he gave up seven hits and walked six.

Babuin (W), Hartigan (7) and Ferrari
Mitzel (L), Hargreaves (4) and White

(July 17) The long ball was evident at the Powell Street grounds where the pennant-winning C.Y.O. aggregation stayed hot with an 8 to 4 doubling of the Realtors. C.Y.O. scored five times in the opening inning, the big blow coming off the bat of winning chucker Bill Grant who delivered a two-run circuit-blast. Teammate Paul Peterson launched a solo shot in the fifth panel to go along with a pair of doubles. Grant Cadell had a two-run round-tripper for the Realtors.

Mosher (W) and Stevens
Magnowski (L), McDonald (1), Bayne (5) and Gamlin

(July 20) Having already clinched first-place in the regular-season standings, the C.Y.O. baseballers padded their insurmountable lead with an 8 to 0 blanking of the cellar-dwelling New Westminster diamond crew. Bob Elliott, toeing the rubber for the winners, limited the losers to just three hits in going the route, fanning 14 along the way. Larry Webster helped Elliott’s cause with three RBI’s, two of which resulted from a sixth-inning home run which came with one mate aboard.

Martin (L), Love (3), Duncan (6) and Ferrari
Elliott (W) and Lowery

(July 21) The double play ball was prominent as the Longshoremen and Merchants battled to a scoreless 0 – 0 draw before their IBL game at the Powell Street grounds was called because of darkness. The Retailers made a brace of twin-killings while the Dockworkers snuffed out three Merchants’ scoring chances with the double play.

Akzaniak and Schick
Hargreaves and White

(July 23) Gord Nishi’s three RBI performance paced the Longshoremen to a 4 to 1 win over the pennant-winning C.Y.O. nine in IBL play at the Powell Street grounds. Nishi hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning to drive in the Stevedores’ first tally then singled in two more markers during a three-run third-inning uprising. Winning slabman Grant Frezell limited the vanquished pastimers to five safe knocks.

Grant (L) and Stevens
Frezell (W) and Schick

(July 28) Behind the one-hit pitching of Bert Mazarroba, the Longshoremen knocked off the Realtors 4 to 1 in IBL action at the Powell Street grounds.

Mann (L), Bazaluk (2), Gamlin (6) and Schwab
Mazarroba (W) and Schick

(July 28) The highly-rated Burnaby Villas, last season’s Canadian senior champions while members of Vancouver’s Industrial League, took a one game lead in the Lower Mainland amateur baseball finals by blanking Vancouver C.Y.O. 3 to 0 at Central Park. Winning slab artist Bill Stebbings allowed the C.Y.O. nine just two hits, both singles by catcher Howie Stevens, in a superlative mound performance. Losing chucker Larry Webster gave up only three hits but was the victim of a three-run Villa fifth frame. Jim Gulbranson’s two-run double was the key blow in that inning.

Webster (L) and Stevens
Stebbings (W) and Caig

(July 29) Vancouver C.Y.O. portsider Larry Webster, relieving starter Bob Elliott in the fifth panel, won his own game in dramatic fashion, belting a final-inning 345 foot home run off a hanging curve ball delivered by opposing moundsman Gord Whyte, which lifted the Industrial League pennant-winners to an upset 4 to 3 victory over the Burnaby Villas in the second tussle of the Lower Mainland finals. The C.Y.O. win at the Powell Street grounds tied the best-of-three series at one game each. The victors outswatted the heavily-favored Burnaby squad by a 10 to 6 margin. The Villas scored all three of their runs in the fifth on doubles by Jim Chapman and and Stew Winrob, a walk to John Haar and a single by Don Archer.

Noble, Whyte (L) (4) and Bird
Elliott, Webster (W) (5) and Stevens

(July 31) Vancouver C.Y.O. captured the third and deciding game of the Lower Mainland senior baseball finals at Queen’s Park by blanking the powerful Burnaby Villas 2 to 0 to win the series two games to one. The Industrial League pennant-winners scored the winning run in the third inning on Paul Peterson’s triple and Keith Frew’s single. Frew also singled home the second C.Y.O. counter, an unearned tally, in the fifth. Winning pitcher Dick Hargreaves, a pickup from the Merchants in the IBL, entered the game in the second panel in relief of a fatigued Larry Webster and tossed six innings of scoreless ball, fanning eight along the way. He was in trouble only once, in the third inning, when the Villas loaded the bases with none out. But, Hargreaves retired the side without any damage on a force-out at home, a strikeout and an easily-catchable fly ball to the outfield. C.Y.O. will now represent the Lower Mainland at the B.C. senior championship tournament slated for August 7 – 9 at Kelowna.

L. Webster, Dick Hargreaves (W) (2) and xxx
xxx and xxx

LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS (best-of-five series)

(August 2) A huge seven-run outburst in the seventh frame lifted the Longshoremen to a 10 to 5 upset win over pennant-winning C.Y.O. as the two combatants squared off in the opening joust of their best-of-five semi-final series at Capilano Stadium. Gord Nishi drove in three runs for the winners with a sacrifice fly in the third and a two-run double in the seventh.

Akzaniak (W) and Schick
Mosher, Elliott (L), (7) and Stevens

(August 3) Ron Peterson slammed a bases-empty homer in the seventh inning at the Powell Street grounds which propelled the Merchants to a slim 2 to 1 win over North Vancouver in the first game of their semi-final showdown. Peterson, who also collected a double, scored the Retailers’ opening run on a double by Ron Frederick. The North Shoremen outhit the victors by a 5 to 3 margin.

Calli, Nichol (L) (2) and Cannon
Dreger (W) and Keller

(August 4) Regular-season pennant winning C.Y.O. dropped a 4 to 2 decision to the Longshoremen and now trail in the best-of-five semi-final series two games to none. The Dockworkers were the beneficiaries of three unearned runs in the first inning and added an insurance counter in the fifth canto on a solo circuit-clout by Brent Carpenter.

Grant, Webster (L) (1) and Lowery
Frezell (W) and Schick

(August 5) Darkness forced a halt to the Industrial Baseball League semi-final game with the Merchants and North Vancouver deadlocked 2 – 2 after seven innings of action at the Powell Street grounds.

Hargreaves and White
Elson and Cannon

(August 6) Although both squads stroked five safeties, it was the Merchants who came through in the clutch with their sum of swats as they doubled North Vancouver 6 to 3 to move within one win or a tie of capturing their semi-final series. Terry Schuss drove in three runs for the victors on a sacrifice fly and a double.

Green (L), Calli (4) and Sullivan
Dreger (W) and White

(August 7-8-9) B.C. senior baseball championship tournament at Kelowna (Vancouver C.Y.O. representing the Lower Mainland)

BC SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

(August 7) Playing throughout a steady drizzle, the Kelowna Carlings of the OMBL dumped the Quesnel All-Stars 9 to 3 in the opening tournament match. The Carlings got to losing pitcher Pete Swanson and reliever Lorne Rodenets for ten safe blows.

(August 7) The West Kootenay Capilanos, sporting a nucleus of players from the Rossland W.K.S.B.L. club with the same name, yet without the services of the league’s top pitcher and hitter, Joe Zanussi, were blanked 4 to 0 by the Vancouver C.Y.O. diamondeers in an opening round game of the five-team double-elimination B. C. senior tourney being hosted by Kelowna. The Capilanos had plenty of scoring opportunities, stranding ten baserunners and having one thrown out at the plate in a close play, but failed to deliver with the bat when bingles meant bacon. Vancouver hurler Rich Mosher gave up just three safeties and fanned a dozen but struggled at times with his command, issuing six bases on balls. Starting chucker Barry Seal of the Caps was nailed with the defeat when, after pitching no-hit ball into the fourth, he allowed three C.Y.O. runs after three singles and an error and was given the hook. A two-run single by shortstop Paul Peterson of the Lower Mainlanders in this stanza was the telling blow of the contest. Al DeCecco finished up on the hillock for the vanquished nine, yielding another run in the fifth but was almost untouchable after that.

Mosher (W) and xxx
Seal (L), DeCecco (4) and J. McFarland

(August 8) Hosting Kelowna dropped a 7 to 1 decision to the Victoria All-Stars as Gord Strongman, Mike McAvoy and George Fuller all launched homers in support of the five-hit pitching of winning slabman George Brice.

(August 8 Vancouver C.Y.O. overcame a 3 to 0 deficit to defeat the Victoria All-Stars 5 to 3 and move into the championship bracket of the B.C. senior baseball championships. The Capital City crew grabbed a 1 to 0 first-inning lead and increased it to 3 to 0 in the sixth on a two-run homer by Gord Strongman off Larry Webster. But C.Y.O. mounted its comeback on run-scoring singles by Webster and Al Forman in the seventh and capped the drive, in the eighth, on hits by Howie Stevens and John Kochan.

(August 8) The West Kootenay Capilanos, the aggregation of Rossland pastimers augmented with four players from the Trail Silver Kings and one each from the Grand Forks Mets and Nelson Merchants, were ousted from the B.C. senior baseball tournament after splitting a brace of games. In their early clash, the Caps bounced the Quesnel All-Stars 10 to 5 but were unable to survive a three-run seventh inning outburst by the OMBL champion Kelowna Carlings in their second encounter and were edged 3 to 2.

Although requiring relief help in the ninth, Nelson pickup Bob Jeffs was in complete control on the hill in the opener. He surrendered four hits in his eight innings of toil on the bump, struck out five and walked three. He also led the Caps with three base raps while teammate Rich Miller chipped in with a pair.

Jeffs (W), DeCecco (9) and J. McFarland
Phoenix (L), Rodonets (6), Yalowega (9) and Inglis

Lefthander Dale Payette, seconded by the Caps from the Trail contingent of baseballers, thwarted the Carlings for the first six frames of the second contest, allowing only one runner as far as third base. Weakening in the seventh after one had been retired, he gave up singles to Bob Adshead and Doug Favell which, combined with an outfield error, plated a brace of markers for the hosting Regatta Towners. Another one-bagger, this one by Doug Moore, drove in Favell with what turned out to be the winner. Payette finished with nine strikeouts and averaged just 13 pitches per inning in a losing cause. Winning chucker Len Tweed whiffed seven and walked one as the Carlings registered a narrow 8 to 7 edge in base hits. Adshead had three safeties for the Brewery Boys while Bob Jeffs picked up a pair to lead the losers.

Tweed (W), Burdette (9) and xxx
Payette (L) and J. McFarland

(August 9) An all-star team from the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League climaxed a strong comeback by blasting Vancouver C.Y.O. 15 to 3 in the final game of the British Columbia senior baseball championships. With their back to the wall after losing to the Vancouver squad a day previous, the strong-hitting Victoria nine were forced to play three games on this final day of the tournament to win the right to represent the province in the Canadian championships. After eliminating the host Kelowna Carlings in the loser’s bracket final 11 to 5 earlier in the day, the Victorians continued their comeback by stopping the previously-unbeaten C.Y.O. aggregation 6 to 3 in their second contest, forcing a deciding game. The Islanders unleashed a 15-hit attack against the Lower Mainlanders in the sudden-death finale, scoring seven times in the opening stanza and forcing C.Y.O. to use four pitchers. Outfielder Gord Strongman batted .524 in the three-day, double-knockout tournament. He hit homers in all five games the winners played and batted in 14 runs. Strongman had five RBI’s on the basis a single, double and home run in the game against Kelowna. He added another three RBI’s in Victoria’s 6 to 3 doubling of Vancouver and three more in the lopsided championship game.

(August 10) The Longshoremen advanced to the finals of the Industrial League playoffs with an 8 to 2, six-inning darkness-shortened win over C.Y.O. at the Powell Street grounds. C.Y.O. finished first during the regular schedule but were unable to put together a win in the semi-finals as the Stevedores took three straight in their best-of-five series. Brook Bellum, with two hits and three RBI’s, along with Sam Kobayashi with three safeties and a brace of RBI’s, paced the Longshoremen to the victory. Bert Mazarroba picked up the complete-game mound win with a six-hitter. Gruhn belted a solo four-bagger for the Dock Workers.

Mazarroba (W) and Schick
Mosher (L), Elliott (3) Webster (6) and Lowery

(August 11) Keith Commons pitched a six-inning no-hitter as the Merchants blanked North Vancouver 6 to 0 at the Powell Street grounds to win their best-of-five semi-final series three games to none with one game tied. Commons fanned eight and walked two as he faced 22 batters, one over the minimum. Terry Schuss had three hits for the winners in support of Commons while Ken MacKenzie/McKenzie drove in a brace of markers with a pair of singles.

Commons (W) and Keller
Elson (L), Kitchen (5) and and Sullivan

FINALS (best-of-seven series)

(August 13) Darryl Fenton slammed a two-run homer in the fifth inning in leading the Merchants to a 3 to 1 conquest of the Longshoremen in the opening game of the Industrial Baseball League finals. Ron Peterson’s double in the first inning drove in Fenton with the game’s first counter. A solo circuit-clout by “Duke” Fairbrother in the second frame tied the game but Fenton’s dinger put the game away for winning pitcher Dick Hargreaves who tossed a five-hitter and whiffed eleven.

Akzaniak (L) and Schick
Hargreaves (W) and White

(August 14) The Merchants jumped into a two-game lead in the best-of-seven IBL finals after edging the Longshoremen 3 to 2 at the Powell Street grounds. Terry Dreger was the big gun for the Retailers, pitching a four-hitter and driving in the winning run with a second-inning double. Ken MacKenzie/McKenzie singled home the winners’ first two runs in the opening frame.

Dreger (W) and White
Frezell (L) and Schick

(August 16) Two-run homers by John Wilson and Terry Dreger enabled the Merchants to outslug the Longshoremen 10 to 9 at the Powell Street grounds and take a three-games-to-none lead in the IBL finals. Wilson slugged his tater in the opening stanza while Dreger’s blast came in the fifth when the Merchants rallied to overcome an 8 to 6 deficit. Gord Nishi of the Dockworkers also clipped the horsehide for a round-tripper.

Mazarroba, Akzaniak (L) (1), Frezell (5) and Schick
Peterson (W), Mitzell (6) and Keller

(August 17) In a slugfest of singles and doubles, the Merchants annexed the 1970 Industrial Baseball League championship, taking a 10 to 7 decision from the Longshoremen. The Retailers took the best-of-seven finals in minimum length, capping the IBL season with this triumph which was called after six innings because of darkness. The combatants split 26 base knocks right down the middle with ten of the blows falling in for doubles. Pitchers of record in the clash were the starters, winner Dick Hargreaves and losing twirler “Duke” Fairbrother. Al Forman swung the biggest stick for the winners with three safeties while Ron Peterson, Darryl Fenton, Ken MacKenzie/McKenzie and John Wilson drove in two runs apiece. Fairbrother ripped three hits in support of his mound toiling. The Merchants put the issue beyond doubt after plating a five-spot in the top of the final panel.

Hargreaves (W), Mitzel (6) and White
Fairbrother (L), Mazarroba (6) and Schick

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

The Burnaby Villas, known in 1969 as the Vancouver Villas when they were champions of the Vancouver Industrial Baseball League, were the lone Canadian entry in this 1970 seven-team circuit with semi-pro overtones, revived after 15 years in mothballs.

Bellingham WA Steelers
Burnaby Villas
Cheney WA Studs
Seattle Boosters
Seattle Central
Seattle Doors
Snohomish WA Royals

The schedule consisted of 20 games, 10 at home and 10 away. The Villas played their home games at Central Park and had hopes of playing some games at Capilano Stadium in July and August. Two former New York Yankee farm hands, John Haar and Ken Myette were team manager and pitching coach respectively. All of the Villas players are from BC and most played together last summer when the team was in the Industrial League and won the provincial championship. Most of the players graduated from local minor leagues and now attend American colleges on scholarships. The WIL announced several innovations in its rules in an effort to speed up the games :

* No pitches thrown for an intentional walk.

* A pinch hitter may be used for the pitcher throughout the game.

* A pinch runner may be inserted for the pitcher at any time and for the catcher after one or two are out to prevent delays in putting on the catching gear.

* A pitcher is allowed only 60 seconds to warm up at the start of an inning.

* A team ahead by eight runs after seven innings is declared the winner.

(June 21) Bellingham 8 Burnaby Villas 7

(June 28) Burnaby Villas split a double-header Sunday with Seattle Boosters as Vancouver was reintroduced to the Western International League, which provided semi-pro ball 15 years previous. Villas took the opener 7-0 behind the six-hit pitching of right-hander Bill Stebblings who pitched college ball at Chico State in California earlier this year. Tom Bird and Norm Caig provided the big hits, each with two-run blows. Don Archer rapped three hits. Brad Meyring held the Villas to four hits in the second game as Seattle scored four times in the first inning en route to a 5-1 victory. Bill Noble took the loss. Greg Anderson cracked a two-run homer for the winners.

Fisher, Becknall (6) and Rick Bird
Stebbings (L) and Tom Bird

Meyring (W) and Hull
Noble (L) and Caig

(June 30-July 1) In exhibition action, the Burnaby Villas divided Wednesday's double-header with the Victoria All-Stars, winning 3-0 before dropping a 1-0 decision. Villas were blanked 10-0 Tuesday by the Bellingham Bells.

(July 5) 21-year-old right-hander Bill Stebbings again shone for Burnaby as the Villas swept a twin-bill with Seattle Doors at Central Park. Stebbings handcuffed the Americans on three-hits for his second consecutive shutout as Villas won 2-0 in the opening game. Left fielder Stew Winrob scored the winning marker in the sixth when he singled, stole second, took third on an infield out and scored on a wild pitch.

Villas also took the second game, after going without a hit for five innings. Burnaby broke through against Ray Paar with five runs in the last two innings for a 5-4 victory. Trailing 4-1 in the seventh, Paar walked the bases loaded before reliever Craig McNeely was summoned to pitch to playing coach John Haar. On a full count, Haar lined a triple to tie the game. Don Archer followed with a single for the winning run.

MacDonald (L) and Jones
Stebblings (W) and Bird

Paar, McNeely (L) (7) and Jones, Miller (6)
Rogelstad, Whyte (W) (7) and Bird

(July 11-12) Burnaby Villas ended a three-game WIL road trip Sunday by salvaging a 5-2, 10-inning victory over Seattle Boosters. With the count knotted 1-1 going into the extra frame, Norm Caig led off the 10th with a homer. After John Haar had doubled in Jim Chapman with the second run of the inning, Don Archer unloaded a two-run shot. Earlier Jim Jardine had connected in the sixth inning to provide the Villas with their first run of the game. Gordy Whyte picked up the win in relief of starter Dave Rogelstad.

Rogelstad, Whyte (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

Saturday, Cheney Studs swept both games of a twin-bill, 2-1 and 3-2. In the first game, Bill Hayerlo yielded just four hits in going the route for the winners. Bob Noble took the loss. In the second game, former Vancouver Mountie, Dick Fitzgerald pitched the Studs to the triumph. John Varga drove in all the runs for Cheney with three hits, one of them a triple. Bill Stebbings absorbed his first loss of the campaign after pitching two shutouts.

Nobel (L) and xxx
Hayerlo (W) and xxx

Fitzgerald (W) and xxx
Stebbings (L) and xxx

(July 18-19) With their big bats humming, Burnaby Villas grabbed three wins over the weekend at Central Park. On Sunday they edged Snohomish Royals 5-4. Stew Winrob, the left fielder, provided Villas with the lead in the fifth with a three run homer, then drove in the deciding run in the sixth with a double. Winning pitcher Don Rogelstad struck out 13 before needing relief help from Gordon Whyte.

Mills (L) and Armstrong
Rogelstad (W), Whyte (9) and xxx

In Saturday's double-dip against Seattle Central, shortstop Jim Chapman's grand slam homer gave Villas a 5-3 victory in the first game. The second game was halted after five innings with the Villas ahead 14-1. Four Villas, including winning pitcher Bill Stebbings, cracked circuit blows. Jim Gulbranson, John Haar and Chapman had the others. For Stebblings, it was his fourth win of the season.

Carleton (L) and Lindeman
Nobel (W), Whyte (7) and Caig

Stebbings (W) and Bird, Caig (3)
Hyjzaki, Martin (1) and Lindeman

Webster (L) and Stevens
Stebbings (W) and Caig

Noble, Whyte (L) (4) and Bird
Elliott, Webster (W) (5) and Stevens

L. Webster, Dick Hargreaves (W) (2) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(July 31, August 1-2) Burnaby Villas reached the semi-finals of the Washington State Tournament in Bellingham Sunday by winning three weekend games. After losing to Eugene, Oregon, 4-1 on Friday, Villas got a complete game effort from Gordy Whyte on Saturday to blank Snohomish 1-0. The lone run game in the eighth inning when catcher Tom Bird doubled, was sacrificed to third and scored on a passed ball.

On Sunday, Don Archer's seventh inning grounder drove in Stew Winrob with the winning marker as Villas downed Eugene 4-3. Ken Myette picked up the win in relief of starter Don Rogelstad.

Bob Noble's pitching and the hitting of Bob Cox and Jim Chapman led the Villas to a 6-2 triumph over Richland, Washington. Chapman and Cox each drove in a pair of runs while Nobel allowed just four hits in going the distance.

(August 3) Cheney Studs pounded out ten hits and capitalized on five errors by Burnaby Villas to crush the Canadian entry 12-5 in the semi-finals of the Washington State tournament in Bellingham.

(August 4) Second baseman Dave McKay paced Burnaby Villas to a 7-6 win over Bellingham Steelers Tuesday in the American city. McKay went 4-4, driving in three runs, two of them coming on a home run in the second inning. He also scored twice.

Rogelstad (W), Zinio (7) and Bird
Cankarar (L) and Gustafson

(August 9) A pair of wins in Snohomish Sunday moved Burnaby Villas into second place in the Western International League standings. Third sacker Jim Jardine led the way in the first game with two home runs and seven runs batted in as Burnaby beat the Snohomish Royals 8-3. Jardine also cracked a four-bagger in the second game as Villas romped to a 10-2 win over Seattle Central. Saturday, in Seattle, the league-leading Cheney Studs downed the WIL All-Stars 1-0.

Whyte (W) and Bird
Mills (L) and Armstrong

Zinio (W) and Caig
Carleton (L), Radosovitch (7) and Lindeman

(August 15-16) Burnaby Villas closed out their Western International Baseball League home season at Central Park sweeping the Bellingham Steelers 9-7 and 9-0 on Sunday after dropping a pair to Cheney Studs, 11-8 and 9-5 on Saturday. John Haar led the Villas on Sunday slamming a three-run homer in the first game and then hurling a two-hitter for the shutout in the nightcap.

Fitzgerald (W), Schuly (6) and Callas
Rogelstad, White (5) and Caig

Angel (W) and Mezich
Stebbings (L) and Bird

Crawford (L) and Messer
Zinio (W), Whyte (7) and Bird

Camrar (L) and Crawford
Haar (W) and Bird

PACIFIC COAST JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE

New Westminster
North Shore
Vancouver Realtors
Victoria

(August 14) The Vancouver Sun reported that the Pacific Coast Junior Baseball League would hold a double-knockout tournament at Queens Park Stadium starting this evening. The league formed too late to play a regular season and will consider the tournament winner as the 1970 champion to advance to play the winner of the West Kootenay Junior League for the BC Championship August 22-23. So far we've been unable to find any news of the tournament. The four teams noted were the Vancouver Realtors, North Shore, Victoria and New Westminster.