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

OKANAGAN MAINLINE BASEBALL LEAGUE

The 1970 OMBL season saw a partial-interlocking schedule with teams from the West Kootenay Senior Baseball League with the exception of Nelson which chose not to participate. 1970 OMBL regular-season games were set at seven innings duration but reverted to nine innings for the playoffs.

Kamloops Okonots
Kelowna Carlings
Penticton Molsons
Vernon Luckies

(May 2) Travelling to the Okanagan for the first of a pair of interlocking weekend games, the Trail Silver Kings of the WKSBL opened the 1970 campaign with a 6 to 2 conquest of the OMBL’s Kelowna Carlings. The hosting Beermen were shaky afield, committing six miscues in their first interleague match. The Silver Kings managed to plate a run in each of the first four innings despite acquiring just one base hit over that span. Kelowna rebounded for a pair of markers in the sixth on two walks and a double. Len Cederholm’s two-run double in the seventh completed the scoring for the victorious Smelter City nine.

Fischer (W), Doherty and xxx
Burdette (L) and xxx

(May 3) The defending champion Vernon Luckies dropped their 1970 OMBL opener 5 to 3 to the visiting Kelowna Carlings at Polson Park. Fireballing righthander Don Mainland went all the way on the hill for the victorious Regatta Towners, striking out 11 and walking four. A two-run circuit-jack by Len Tweed in the opening panel got the Labatts off on the right foot. Fred Johnston suffered the knoll setback.

(May 3) The Penticton Molsons used 17 walks, five passed balls, one error and nine hits to run up an 18 to 2 annihilation of the visiting Trail Silver Kings in an interlocking tilt at Kings Park. Don Atcheson gave up one run and allowed just four hits before turning the horsehide over to Rick Jaggers in the fourth frame of the seven-stanza blowout. The Peach City squad ran across a dozen counters in the sixth spasm against reliever Rob Paterson. Trail starter “Butch” Dawson was tagged with the loss.

(May 5) The Kelowna Carlings got a pair of homers from shortstop Jerry Richardson and a four-hit pitching effort from Wayne Thompson to shade the invading Penticton Molsons 3 to 2. Richardson connected with one aboard in the opening canto and lit up losing chucker Don Atcheson for a second dinger, a solo shot, in the third.

(May 7) A final-inning bases-loaded walk to Lynn Bylund forced in winning pitcher John Anderson from third base, enabling the Kamloops Okonots to come away with a narrow 3 to 2 victory over the Vernon Luckies in a hard-fought clash at Riverside Park. Both Anderson and his mound adversary, Chuck Bell, went the distance. The opposing slabsters had the upper hand throughout most of this contest as just nine base hits were generated, five by the winners. Gord Beecroft doubled to drive in the first two Okonot runs in the opening canto. Vernon’s initial tally was the result of catcher Dennis Niebergal’s solo four-bagger in the second spasm. An infield error and a wild pitch in the fourth frame allowed the Luckies to knot the count at 2 – 2. The score remained that way until losing chucker Bell lost his command in the closing session, walking three. Rookie Anderson fanned nine in his OMBL debut.

(May 9) The Kamloops Okonots managed just three hits and were forced to use four pitchers as they were clobbered 14 to 4 by the hometown Penticton Molsons. Ken Cormack picked up the hillock verdict over portsider Norm LeClerc.

(May 9) Vernon overcame a 3 – 1 deficit by sending across a trey of tallies in the sixth stanza to defeat the hosting Kelowna Carlings 4 to 3. The victory, the first of the season for the Luckies, was credited to 17-year old Milwaukee Brewers’ signee Wayne Dye although he needed sixth-inning relief help from Fred Johnston. Dye also lashed the game’s lone home run, a solo shot in the fourth frame.

Dye (W), Johnston (6) and Niebergal
Burdette (L), Tanner (6) and Favell

(May 10) Doug Carr drew a base-on-balls to force home Bill Dick with the ultimate winning run in the top-of-the-ninth round as the visiting Penticton Molsons nosed out the Vernon Luckies 5 to 4. The walk was given up by losing pitcher Matt Bonneau who had walked Dick to start the inning. Rick Jaggers, who blanked the Luckies after taking over mound chores in the seventh chapter, picked up the victory.

Atcheson, Jaggers (W) (7) and Jack
Johnston, Bonneau (L) (8) and Niebergal

(May 13) The Vernon Luckies backed up Chuck Bell’s five-hit pitching effort with an 11–hit offensive attack as they whipped homestanding Penticton 11 to 3 in an OMBL contest at Kings Park.

(May 14) Don Mainland’s pitching kept getting stronger while John Anderson’s got worse as the Kelowna Carlings overtook a 4 – 0 third-inning Kamloops lead to defeat the Okonots 7 to 4 in OMBL play at Riverside Park. A two-run homer by Jerome Richardson in the top-of-the-seventh pushed the Carlings in front 5 – 4, turning the tide in favor of the Regatta Towners for the first time in the clash. Mainland pitched a three-hitter and rang up 11 punchouts in going the route. Anderson weakened as the game progressed and resisted attempts from management to be replaced from the fifth inning on until finally getting the hook in the seventh.

(May 17) The Kelowna Carlings erupted for 11 runs in the fourth frame and coasted to a 12 to 4 OMBL victory over the Kamloops Okonots. The fourth-inning Okie meltdown was precipitated by five errors and eight bases-on-balls. The victory, credited to Mike Burdette, advanced the Carlings into top-spot in the four-team circuit.

Evans, Smith (L) (2), Bob Haywood (4), LeClerc (4) and Swaine
Burdette (W), McGregor (7), Rogelstad (7) and Favell

(May 19) Don Favell’s solo homer in the fifth inning snapped a 5 – 5 tie and lifted the Kelowna Carlings to a 6 to 5 victory over the Vernon Luckies in an OMBL match at Elks Stadium. The winning blast came off losing pitcher Chuck Bell after Kelowna had rallied from a three-run deficit in the fourth frame to tie the score. The victory, first of the season for hurler Len Tweed, moved the Carlings one-full game in front of second-place Penticton in the standings. Rick Munk slugged a circuit-clout for the vanquished Luckies.

Johnston, Bell (W) (4) and Niebergal
Tweed (W) and Favell

(May 20) Ripping into the slants of losing tosser Don Rogelstad and reliever Bob Tanner for a half-dozen first-inning counters, the Penticton Molsons coasted to a 10 to 2 conquest of the Kelowna Carlings. Rick Jaggers fired a four-hitter and breezed ten in going the route for the mound triumph. The win moved the Peach City nine into a first-place tie with the Carlings.

Rogelstad (L), Tanner (1) and Favell
Jaggers (W) and Jack

(May 21) The Vernon Luckies romped to an 11 to 3 conquest of the Kamloops Okonots at Riverside Park, handing the Okies their fourth setback in five OMBL games. Wayne Dye gave up six hits, walked four and fanned nine in copping the complete-game pitching victory. One of the blows he yielded was a fourth-frame solo homer by Lynn Bylund. Losing chucker John Anderson allowed eight of the 11 hits garnered by the Luckies before getting the hook after 5-2/3 innings.

Dye (W) and Niebergal
Anderson (L), Le Clerc (6) and Brown

(May 23) Kamloops’ hurler Vince Smith tossed a five-hitter as the hosting Okonots dumped the invading Trail Silver Kings of the WKSBL 11 to 2 in an interleague affair. Smith also helped his own cause by doubling in a run in the sixth. The Okies took full advantage of six fielding miscues by the Kings in taking the one-sided affair, registering seven safeties while sending loser Don Mainland, former Kelowna Carling tosser, to the showers in the fourth.

Mainland (L), Dawson (4) and Cederholm
Smith (W) and Brown

(May 24) Infielder Al Doherty’s bases-empty home run in the eighth inning staked the visiting Trail Silver Kings of the WKSBL to a narrow 6 to 5 win over the Vernon Luckies in an interlocking clash. The Luckies had come from behind to tie the score 5 – 5 in the seventh panel when catcher Dennis Niebergal connected for a solo dinger off winning chucker Dave Fischer. Outfielder Rob Paterson of the victors also went yard with a circuit clout.

Fischer (W) and Cederholm
Stephens (L), Johnston (8) and Niebergal

(May 24) Plating eight counters in the fourth frame, the invading Penticton Molsons went on to bounce the Kamloops Okonots 13 to 10 in an offensively-charged OMBL affair. Rick Jaggers, the second of three Molson heavers, picked up the hurling victory. Glen Evans, who replaced Okonot starter Norm LeClair, was stung with the loss.

(May 26) Jerome Richardson and Don Favell combined to drive in seven runs as the Kelowna Carlings jumped all over three Kamloops’ twirlers for ten hits and ten walks to bomb the Okonots 15 to 3 at Elks Stadium. Richardson picked up three of his four RBI’s in the sixth stanza when he homered with two aboard. Kelowna’s Len Tweed went the distance for the win, improving his record to 2 – 0. Randy Rota, who made two relief appearances during the contest, was charged with the loss. The win lifted the Carlings back into top spot in the OMBL.

Watson, Rota (W) (1), Le Clerc (5), Rota (6) and Swaine
Tweed (W) and Favell

(May 28) The league-leading Kelowna Carlings scored three unearned runs to get past the Kelowna Okonots 6 to 4 at Riverside Park. Outhit 6 to 5 over the course of the game, the Regatta Towners took advantage of some early errors by the Okies to jump in front 5 to 0, a lead they never relinquished. Winning pitcher Mike Burdette had five strikeouts, three fewer than losing chucker Vince Smith.

Burdette (W) and Favell
Smith (L) and Brown, Begg (2)

(May 30) The invading Vernon Luckies dumped the WKSBL’s Grand Forks Mets 7 to 5 in interlocking action at John Donaldson Park. The Luckies came roaring out of the gate and posted a four-spot before the Mets knew what hit them. The Forkers settled down and reduced the deficit to a single counter by posting a trey in the third stanza with the most crucial blow in the outburst being a double by Armando Porco. Walter Sofonoff drove in the tying run for the hosts in the fourth canto but the Beermen went ahead 7 to 4 in the fifth with the aid of two Grand Forks’ errors. The Mets got one counter back in the fifth but were held scoreless for the remainder of the game by winning pitcher Wayne Dye. Starter Dan Rickard/Richert was saddled with the defeat.

Dye (W) and Bell
Rickard/Richert (L), Sofonoff (6) and Hancheroff

(May 30) Rick Jaggers led the way for the visiting Penticton Molsons who beat the Trail Silver Kings of the WKSBL 3 to 1 in an interlocking fixture at Butler Park. Jaggers, on the bump for the Pentictonites, stymied the Silver Kings on two hits, both by outfielder Rob Paterson, in a route-going performance. With the lumber, he doubled off loser Don Mainland to drive in Paul Pederson and John Clark with second-inning runs and followed with a fourth-frame one-bagger that plated the Molsons’ final tally. In addition to Jaggers’ feat with the baton, Pederson and Oggie Jack both had two hits for the victors.

Jaggers (W) and Jack
Mainland (L) and xxx

(May 31) The WKSBL’s Grand Forks Mets evened their record in interlocking action against OMBL competition by edging the Penticton Molsons 7 to 6. Both squads ripped the apple for a half-dozen bingles. The Mets scored the winning marker in the bottom-of-the-ninth panel when Armando Porco touched the dish following a wild pitch. Righthander Brian Hamagami earned the pitching victory.

Atcheson, Jaggers (L) (2) and Jack
B. Hamagami (W) and Hancheroff

(May 31) A late charge by the Trail Silver Kings, aided by the control difficulties of Vernon chucker Fred Johnston, gave the Silver Kings a 7 to 6 win over the Luckies in interlocking play at Butler Park. The Vernonites threatened in every inning except the seventh as starter Chuck Bell and reliever Johnston limited the Silver Kings to two hits over the first six innings although the hosts had managed to put up a four-spot on the scoreboard in the fourth when Bell loaded the bases on three walks and yielded a two-run single to Mario Iachetta and run-scoring sacrifice flies to Dale Payette and Bob Cox. In arrears by a deuce as they came to bat for the final time, the Smelter City nine got things rolling with a double by Keith Healey and a single by Rick Brown. A walk to Len Cederholm loaded the sacks. Mario Iachetta sacrificed, scoring Healey and closing the gap to 6 to 5. Then Johnston’s troubles intensified as he issued consecutive free passes to Lou DeRosa, Bob Cox and Al Richards with the final walk forcing in the winner.

Bell, Johnston (L) (4) and xxx
Payette, Fischer (W) (5) and xxx

After the Caps had grabbed a 2 to 1 fourth-inning lead in the opener, winning slabster Gary Fox of Penticton retired 15 of the last 16 batters to face him, blanking the hosts the rest of the way while his mates, led by Rick Williams’ two-RBI hit and a solo homer launched by Paul Pederson, provided him with more-than-enough offensive ammunition to pull through with the victory. Pederson had a double to go along with his dinger while teammate Ed Folk ripped three one-baggers. Rich Miller had a double and single for Rossland.

Fox (W) and xxx
DeCecco (L), S. McFarland (5) and xxx

Vernon connected for 12 runs in the final four frames in the nightcap, snapping a third-stanza 1 – 1 tie. The Luckies pulverized a triad of Cap tossers for 15 base knocks in the conquest including three each by Russ Keckalo and winning chucker Clark Inglis. Art Field belted a two-run tater for the Golden City squad in the fourth panel.

Inglis (W) and xxx
Brandt (L), Ward (4), Zanussi (6) and xxx

(June 6) One bad inning, the fourth, when three errors, two base hits, a hit batsman and a walk sent five big Kelowna runs plateward, spelled defeat for the WKSBL Rossland Capilanos who fell to the hosting Okanagan squad 8 to 2 in an interlocking match. The win for the Regatta Towners was their seventh straight. Mike Burdette earned the mound victory for the Carlings, going all the way on a six-hitter to improve his won-loss record to 6 – 2. His big help offensively came from Len Tweed and shortstop Jerry Richardson who both went two-for-four at the dish which included home runs from each. Jack Burton also showed up well with the lumber for the winners, ripping the apple for three safeties in four attempts.

Brandt (L), DeCecco (4) and McFarland
Burdette (W) and Favell

(June 7) The second leg of Rossland’s venture into Okanagan-Mainline country was a successful one and saw the Capilanos blank the Vernon Luckies 1 to 0 as Joe Zanussi emerged victorious over Paul Pederson in a classic pitcher’s duel. Zanussi fired a three-hitter and punched out 12 Luckies while Pederson breezed nine and allowed only four hits, one of which was a two-bagger by Zanussi which led to the game’s lone run. Following Zanussi’s leadoff double in the sixth stanza, he moved to third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Don Holmes and romped home when Steve McFarland singled up the middle.

Zanussi (W) and McFarland
Pederson (L) and Jack

(June 7) The Kamloops Okonots picked up their third and fourth OMBL wins by downing the hosting Vernon Luckies 4 to 2 and 9 to 2 in doubleheader action. Randy Rota smashed a two-run homer in the opening inning of the matinee tilt to start the Okie scoring. Ed Begg drove in the final two Kamloops runs with a double in the fourth frame. Southpaw import Bob Bridges, a newcomer to the team, rang up 14 punchouts in garnering the win.

A five-run second inning put the Okonots on the trail to victory in the late contest, reduced to a five-frame affair. Bob Davisson notched the pitching win while Wayne Dye was tagged with the loss.

(June 11) Import Bob Bridges pitched and batted the Kamloops Okonots 2 to 1 victory over the Vernon Luckies at Riverside Park. The husky portsider fashioned a five-hitter to cop the pitching win and produced a two-run homer in the second stanza which provided him with all the runs he would eventually need. Vernon chucker Chuck Bell threw a three-hitter but gave up eight bases-on-balls. Bridges walked three and rang up ten punchouts.

Bridges (W) and Begg
Bell (L) and Niebergal

(June 13) The front-running Kelowna Carlings of the OMBL jumped into a 5 to 2 lead after two stanzas and added a deuce in the final frame to take a convincing 7 to 2 decision from the hosting Trail Silver Kings in an interlocking clash at Butler Park. Winning pitcher Mike Burdette surrendered but one safety, an opening-inning single to Al Richards, collected ten strikeouts, walked one batter and, at one point in the game, retired 17 Trail batters in succession. Dick Gibb and Len Tweed had two hits apiece for the winners while belted a two-run triple.

Burdette (W) and xxx
Cody (L) and Cederholm

(June 14) Interlocking games featuring the travelling Kelowna Carlings at Rossland and Grand Forks were rained out.

(June 14) The invading Penticton Molsons scored seven runs on five hits off starter Reg Main in the first inning and then held on to edge the Vernon Luckies 9 to 8 in the opener of a scheduled doubleheader.

Atcheson/Atchison (W) and Jack
Main (L), Bell (4), Fox (7) and Niebergall/Niebregal

A second game, tied 6 – 6 after six full innings, was called because of rain. Play will be resumed in the seventh inning of this suspended match on June 28 when the combatants are scheduled to clash once again.

Carmack, Fox (6) and Carr
Dye and Niebergall/Niebregal

(June 17) The Vernon Luckies jumped on three Penticton hurlers for ten hits and took advantage of six errors as they pounded out an 8 to 2 OMBL victory over the hometown Molsons. Wayne Dye blasted a home run and triple for the victors. Bill Stevens accounted for the only runs scored by the Peach City nine when he went yard with a two-run dinger in the seventh spasm. Brian Stephen/Stephens of the Luckies scattered five hits in going the distance for the win.

Stephen/Stephens (W) and Niebergal
Carmack (L), Atcheson (2), Williams (4) and Jack

(June 18) A two-run triple by Chris Swaine in the fourth inning erased a 2 – 1 deficit and sparked the Kamloops Okonots to a 5 to 3 triumph over the Kelowna Carlings. Import Rudy Thomas picked up his first OMBL pitching victory with relief assistance from lefthander Bob Bridges who preserved the win. The Okies outhit the visitors 9 to 7 and were aided by Lynn Bylund’s two-run homer off losing chucker Mike Burdette in the fifth panel.

Burdette (L), Harkey (5) and Richardson, Schwab (6)
Thomas (W), Bridges (6) and Begg

(June 20) In the first of their two-game swing through the Okanagan, the Grand Forks Mets imploded defensively as the Kelowna Carlings romped to an easy 7 to 2 victory. Winning flinger Len Tweed held the junior Mets to just two safeties, one of which was a two-run tater by Don Robbie in the fourth chapter. The Orchard City nine made the best of their four base knocks off losing twirler Ron McGregor who walked six, hit two batters and was the victim of six fielding miscues by his mates.

McGregor (L) and Robbie
Tweed (W) and Favell

(June 21) Behind the three-hit pitching of Brian Hamagami, the Grand Forks Mets of the WKSBL made up for their drubbing in Kelowna by doubling the Penticton Molsons 4 to 2 in further interlocking action. “Oggie” Jack had two of the three hits the young Mets’ righthander surrendered, both solo dingers. Don Robbie was strong at the bat for Grand Forks, going three-for-four at the platter.

B. Hamagami (W) and Robbie
xxx (L) and Jack

(June 25) Wilf Tantrum’s two-run homer capped a five-run rally in the fifth inning that pushed the Vernon Luckies past the hosting Penticton Molsons 8 to 6. Chuck Bell went all the way to earn the pitching decision over Don Atcheson, who came on in relief for the Molsons in the fifth frame.

Bell (W) and Niebergal
Carmack, Atcheson (L) (5) and Jack

(June 25) The Kamloops Okonots edged the league-leading Kelowna Carlings 3 to 2 behind the six-hit chucking of Bob Davisson. Bob Bridges smashed a line-drive off the fence late in the eighth inning to break a 2 – 2 tie and drive in the winning tally.

Thompson, Burdette (L) (8) and Favell
Davisson (W) and Begg

(June 27) Fighting back from an 8 to 2 deficit, the Trail Silver Kings of the WKSBL nosed out the visiting Kamloops Okonots 9 to 8 in an interlocking tussle at Butler Park. The Okies pulled into a 2 to 0 lead in the third inning when Lynn Bylund went yard with a two-run ding-dong over the right field fence. The teams then traded deuces before Kamloops pulled ahead by six with a four-spot in the top-of-the-fifth. Things looked bleak for the Silver Kings at this point but they dug down deep and began a comeback in their half of the frame when first baseman Don McLeod ripped a two-run tater to narrow the gap to four. Then in the sixth stanza, losing pitcher Bob Bridges, the third Kamloops’ twirler, walked Ernie Brown, gave up singles to Mario Iachetta and Keith Healey and surrendered a 400-foot triple to McLeod which drove in three tallies, bringing his RBI total to five. A throwing error by Okonot catcher Ed Begg allowed McLeod, caught in a rundown, to scamper home safely on Lou DeRosa’s bunt, tying the score. While McLeod was moving back-and-forth in the hot box, DeRosa kept motoring and made his way to the hot corner sack, plating the tie-breaker when Bridges’ throw to Begg was wide. In addition to McLeod’s powerful bat, Healy notched three safeties for the winners while Bylund and Bridges had a brace of base knocks each for the Okonots.

Thomas, Smith (4), Bridges (L) (5) and Begg
Payette, Fischer (W) (4) and Healey

(June 28) Penticton was credited with three wins over Vernon in OMBL action hosted by the Luckies. Gary Fox and Don Atcheson picked up 10 to 6 and 10 to 4 victories respectively in a regular-scheduled doubleheader. Fox’s opening-game triumph consisted of the last two innings of a June 14 tie game that was suspended by rain.

(July 4) Kelowna collected seven runs in the seventh stanza to roll over hometown Vernon 8 to 1. Jerry Richardson belted a home run for the winners.

Thompson, Burdette (W) (3) and Favell
Marquardt (L) and Niebergal

(July 7) The front-running Kelowna Carlings clinched the 1970 OMBL pennant with a 7 to 1 victory over the runner-up Penticton Molsons. The win gives runaway-winning Kelowna nine their 22nd win against five losses and stretched their lead to nine full games. The pitching win went to Bob Tanner who had a no-hitter going until the sixth inning when he surrendered a solo homer to Rick Williams.

Atcheson/Atcheson (L) and Jack
Tanner (W) and Favell

(July 11) In an error-filled interlocking game in Kamloops, the invading Grand Forks Mets nosed out the Okonots 9 to 8. The Mets managed just four hits to eight for the Okies but were able to run wild on the basepaths against Kamloops’ catcher Jerry Brown who was returning to game action after being sidelined with an injury for more than five weeks.

B. Hamagami, R. Hamagami (3), B. Hamagami (W) (3) and Robbie
Thomas, Smith (L) (5), Bridges (6) and Brown

(July 12) The Kamloops Okonots took both ends of a doubleheader from the visiting Penticton Molsons, 2 to 0 and 6 to 1, in OMBL action. Bob Bridges’ 371-foot solo home run in the first inning was the only counter the Okies needed to prevail in the opener. A six-run second inning, sparked by Dave Murphy’s three-run circuit-clout, propelled Kamloops to victory in the nightcap.

(July 12) Reg Main struck out 18 and scattered five hits in pitching the hosting Vernon Luckies to a one-sided 10 to 2 thrashing of the WKSBL’s Grand Forks Mets in interlocking action. The Luckies pounded a pair of Grand Forks’ pitchers, including starter and loser, Ron Hamagami, for 12 base hits.

R. Hamagami (L), Seminoff (1), R. Hamagami (2), Seminoff (2) and Robbie
Main (W) and Dickson

(July 12) The Kamloops Okonots swept both ends of a doubleheader from the visiting Penticton Molsons at Riverside Park, winning 2 to 0 and 6 to 1. Bob Bridges hit a mammoth bases-empty circuit-jack in the opening panel of the opener to give winning heaver Bob Davisson all the run-support he would need. Norm LeClerc’s RBI-single in the fifth frame drove in an insurance tally. Davisson stymied the Molsons on three hits and whiffed nine in a route-going effort. Ken MacDermott was nicked for eight safeties in suffering the setback.

MacDermott (L) and Williams
Davisson (W) and Brown

The Okonots went on a six-run splurge in the second inning of the finale to take control of that tilt. Dave Murphy lit up losing slabster Don Atcheson for a three-run dinger during the outburst while winning chucker Bridges, who fashioned a three-hitter, drove in the other three markers with a bases-loaded double.

Atcheson (L), Cormack (3) and Williams
Bridges (W) and Brown

(July 14) Reliever Dave Murphy picked up his first OMBL pitching win of the season as the Kamloops Okonots shaded the pennant-winning Kelowna Carlings 3 to 2. Taking over mound duties in the fifth frame with the Okies facing a 2 – 1 deficit, Murphy held the Regatta Towners hitless the rest of the way while his mates battled back with the tying and winning runs in the seventh on Norm LeClerc’s sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single off the bat off Lynn Bylund.

(July 15) The Vernon Luckies built up a 3 – 0 fourth-inning lead and then held on to nose out the Penticton Molsons 3 to 2 in an OMBL clash hosted by the Peach City nine. Catcher Clark Inglis had three hits for the victors and drove in all three of their runs.

Stephen/Stephens (W), Main (7) and Inglis
Carmack (L) and Williams

(July 18) In an interlocking twin-bill played in Kamloops, the homestanding Kamloops Okonots of the Okanagan-Mainline League took a close 3 to 1 decision from the Rossland Capilanos of the West Kootenay Senior loop in their first tussle but lost a 1 to 0 pitcher’s duel in the follow-up affair.

A two-run homer by the NHL blueliner Joe Watson off Caps’ righthander Mike Ward was the difference in the opening fracas. Bob Davisson picked up his fourth mound victory without a loss.

Ward (L) and J. McFarland, DeCecco
Davisson (W) and Begg

Rossland’s Bob Profili drove in Barry Seal with the only tally of the second encounter as Seal grabbed the mound verdict from Dave Murphy in a classic hurler’s battle.

Brandt, Seal (W) (2) and DeCecco
Murphy (L) and Brown, Begg (5)

(July 19) Overcoming a 6 to 4 deficit as they came to bat in the final stanza, the Rossland Capilanos of the WKSBL won a 7 to 6 squeaker from the hosting Vernon Luckies in an interlocking match. A run-scoring single by “Rocky” Cull followed by winning pitcher Al DeCecco’s successful squeeze bunt tied the affair as Cull moved into scoring position at the keystone sack. That set the stage for Art Field’s one-bagger which drove in the go-ahead counter as DeCecco then set the Luckies down in their last turn with the lumber. Vernon’s Reg Main, charged with the hillock defeat, had a three-run homer in a losing cause.

DeCecco (W) and xxx
Main (L) and xxx

(July 19) Kamloops downed the hometown Penticton Molsons twice, taking 4 to 3 and 6 to 3 decisions from the Peach Towners. Rudy Thomas pitched the win for the Okonots in the lid-lifter, holding the hosts to four hits. Flychaser Joe Watson led the way offensively for the winners, stroking two singles as well as a game-winning RBI-double in the sixth spasm.

Watson, better-known for his hockey skills with the Philadelphia Flyers, slammed his third and fourth home runs of the campaign in the nightcap in support of winning heaver Bob Bridges.

(July 23) The Kamloops Okonots routed the cellar-dwelling Vernon Luckies 14 to 2 at Riverside Park. A grand-slam homer by Joe Watson, his fifth tater in the past five games, sparked an eight-run scoring spree by the Okonots in the sixth stanza which put the game on ice. Bob Davisson tossed his fifth win of the season and the 17th of his career in the OMBL without a loss.

Stephen/Stephens (L), Inglis (1) and xxx
Davisson (W) and Brown

(July 26) The invading Penticton Molsons divided the spoils with the Kamloopes Okonots in a Riverside Park double-bill, taking the matinee contest 5 to 2 before dropping the follow-up tilt 1 to 0. Ken MacDermott was the pitcher of record for the Peach City squad in both games.

MacDermott came on as a first-inning reliever to cop the victory in the opening tussle. With the sacks full, losing twirler Vince Smith walked in what turned out to be the winning run in the fifth inning. The Okonots led in base hits by a 6 to 4 count.

Konapaki, MacDermott (W) (1) and Pentland
Smith (L) and Brown

Bob Bridges outduelled MacDermott in the sunset skirmish, limiting the Mols to just two hits. Randy Rota doubled in the first frame and scored the game’s lone run when “Stubby” McLean singled him home.

MacDermott (L) and Pentland
Bridges (W) and Begg

PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Penticton vs Kelowna & Vernon vs Kamloops (best-of-three series)

(July 30) Penticton catcher Oggie Jack scored on a passed ball to cap a four-run, fifth inning which was sufficient to stake the underdog Molsons to a narrow 4 to 3 verdict over the pennant-winning Kelowna Carlings as the OMBL semi-finals got underway. Jack had moved to third base on Bill Dick’s two-run single which had wiped out a 2 – 1 Kelowna lead. Gary Fox held the Carlings to a lone eighth-episode counter the rest of the way, firing a four-hitter for the win. Losing chucker Mike Burdette allowed five Penticton safeties.

Fox (W) and Jack
Burdette (L) and Favell

(July 30) Kamloops hurler Bob Davisson struck out 18 Vernon batters while spinning a five-hitter as the homestanding Okonots took a one-game lead in their semi-final series by edging the Luckies 4 to 3 in a ten-inning thriller. A solid single by Lynn Bylund drove in Randy Rota with the deciding tally in the overtime round of play. Losing tosser Chuck Bell was touched for eight Okie safeties including a bases-empty dinger by Chris Swaine in the opening canto.

Bell (L) and A. Wahlstrom/Walstrom
Davisson (W) and Begg

(August 2) Slugging outfielder Joe Watson, recently declared as the OMBL’s top hitter for the 1970 regular season, drove in two runs and scored the other himself as the Kamloops Okonots blanked Vernon 3 to 0 to bounce the Luckies from the best-of-three semi-finals. Sharing the honors with the NHL defenceman was import portsider Bob Bridges who stifled the Vernonites on a one-hitter. Starter Rick Marquardt of the Luckies, replaced by Reg Main in the third inning after giving up the three-spot, absorbed the loss.

PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS

(August 7) Penticton Molsons of the OMBL decided to forfeit their semi-final series to the Kelowna Carlings and the club’s executive advocated withdrawal from the league in a squabble over re-scheduled playoff dates. Third-place Penticton had defeated first-place Kelowna 4 to 3 in the first tussle of the series, played in Penticton because of field repairs taking place on the Regatta City diamond but league president Jim Treadgold of Kelowna decided to wipe out the result of that contest and start the series anew with the Carlings, by virtue of their first-place finish, hosting the opener.

FINALS (Kamloops vs Kelowna (best-of-seven series)

(August 11) The pennant-winning Kelowna Carlings got the jump on the Kamloops Okonots in the OMBL finals by coming-from-behind for a 4 to 3 victoryat Elks Stadium. After losing pitcher Bob Bridges hit a two-run homer in the top-of-the-ninth to put Kamloops ahead 3 to 2, he loaded the bases on walks in the bottom-half of the panel and then yielded a two-run single to Kelowna’s Bob Goss that ended the game. Glen Harkey copped the complete-game win. Both Harkey and Bridges registered 16 strikeouts. The Carlings had a 9 to 8 margin in base raps.

Bridges (L) and Begg
Harkey (W) and Favell

(August 13) The Kelowna Carlings walked all over the Kamloops Okonots to the tune of 12 to 2 at Riverside Park to take a 2 – 0 lead in the OMBL finals. Len Tweed hit a three-run homer as part of a five-run second inning to help the Carlings jump out well in front. Jerome Richardson capped the hight for the Regatta Towners with a two-run circuit-blast in the seventh stanza. The winners raked three Okie chuckers for a dozen base blows with starter Dave Murphy getting stung with the loss. Mike Burdette, with a two-hitter, was in control all the way for the Labatts.

Burdette (W) and Favell
Murphy (L), Davisson (2), Smith (7) and Begg

(August 18) Bob Bridges struck out 19 batters and limited Kelowna to four hits in pitching the Kamloops Okonots to a 4 to 2 conquest of the Carlings in game three of the OMBL finals. The win for the Okies reduced their deficit in the best-of-seven series to just one game. Kamloops, playing flawless afield, outhit their hosts 6 to 4 but also benefitted from seven Kelowna errors. Dave Murphy’s two-run dinger in the fifth off the slants of loser Len Tweed helped push the Okonots in front 3 – 0. Southpaw Bridges was threatened only once in the game when Carling Jerome Richardson lit him up for a two-run tater in the seventh.

Bridges (W) and Begg
Tweed (L), Burdette (5) and Favell

(August 20) Banging out 13 hits off a pair of Kelowna slabsters, the Kamloops Okonots evened the OMBL finals at two games apiece with a 5 to 3 triumph over the visiting Carlings. Every Okonot in the line-up, with the exception of winning heaver Bob Davisson, had at least one safety. Top swatsmith for the victors was Joe Watson who spanked the spheroid for three base knocks, driving in four runs. “Stubby” McLean also had a triad of bingles and crossed the dish three times. Losing tosser Mike Burdette, sent to the showers in the fourth frame, was replaced by Len Tweed. Kelowna’s Jerome Richardson tried to spark a comeback with a two-run, four-ply clout in the eighth episode but Davisson, who walked two and punched out six, quickly responded by dousing the fire.

(August 25) The invading Kamloops Okonots came from behind twice to finally defeat the Kelowna Carlings 7 to 4 in the fifth game of the OMBL finals. With lefthander Bob Bridges toeing the rubber and checking in with 18 punchouts, the Okies rallied twice with three-spots in both the third and seventh stanzas to cop the victory. The Carlings’ starter and loser, Don Favell, was lifted in the seventh panel in favor of Len Tweed. Bridges walked one and allowed just four hits in going the distance. The Okonots had eight base raps with Joe Watson’s double driving in the tying counter in the seventh. The winning and first insurance tally crossed the pan as a result of an infield error.

(August 27) The string finally ran out for slab artist Bob Davisson who, lifted after allowing a pair of first-inning runs, suffered his first-ever OMBL defeat as the Kelowna Carlings went on to trounce the homestanding Kamloops Okonots 7 to 2 to tie the final series at three games apiece. Reliever Bob Bridges didn’t fare any better than Davisson, allowing 12 hits and five free passes in going the rest of the way. Jerry Richardson, a Kansas City Royals’ draftee, paced the Carlings’ 14-hit onslaught with three singles and a pair of RBI’s. Winning pitcher Mike Burdette allowed seven hits, walked five and fanned 11.

(August 29) With winning hurler Dave Murphy stifling the hometown Carlings on one base hit, the Kamloops Okonots won the 1970 OMBL championship by blanking Kelowna 4 to 0. Murphy registered 11 punchouts and walked three in besting Kelowna’s Len Tweed. Both slabsters went the route. RBI-singles by Lynn Bylund, Don McLean and Murphy propelled the Okies into a 3 – 0 lead in the third inning.

Murphy (W) and Begg
Tweed (L) and Favell

WEST KOOTENAY SENIOR LEAGUE

All four centres represented in the 1969 West Kootenay senior loop maintained membership in the 1970 association of teams, the major difference being that Trail reverted to one entry, that being the newly-named Silver Kings. Overage graduates of the 1969 playoff champion Trail Junior Blazers found their way onto the rosters of other clubs, primarily the Silver Kings and the perennially-competitive Rossland Capilanos. The Nelson Merchants, without a suitable facility to host their contests in the Queen City, opted for a reduced schedule and decided to play their home games at Butler Park in Trail. The Grand Forks Mets also continued in the throes, still as a junior contingent, playing primarily on weekends and in a fewer number of games than the Rossland and Trail entrants.

A novel addition to the 1970 circuit was a the implementation of an unbalanced interlocking schedule of weekend games against teams from Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton of the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League. Nelson did not participate at all in this exchange of tilts. All games, both intra-league and interlocking, were scheduled to be of seven innings duration.

Grand Forks Mets
Nelson Merchants
Rossland Capilanos
Trail Silver Kings

(May 2) Travelling to the Okanagan for the first of a two-game weekend set, the Trail Silver Kings opened the 1970 campaign with a 6 to 2 conquest of the Kelowna Carlings. The hosting Beermen were shaky afield, committing six miscues in their first inter-league match. The Silver Kings managed to plate a run in each of the first four innings despite acquiring just one base hit over that span. Kelowna rebounded for a pair of markers in the sixth on two walks and a double. Len Cederholm’s two-run double in the seventh completed the scoring for the victorious Smelter City nine.

Fischer (W), Doherty and xxx
Burdette (L) and xxx

(May 3) Highly ineffective pitching led to the downfall of the Trail Silver Kings who were smothered 18 to 2 by the Penticton Molsons in the final leg of their weekend jaunt to the Okanagan. Eight bases on balls in the first three innings started the Molsons on the road to victory. A 12-run sixth inning then buried the visitors. Winning pitcher Dan/Don Atcheson/Atchison effectively handled the Silver King hitters in going the route. Trail pitchers surrendered eight walks and gave up four hits which were magnified by five infield errors.

Dawson (L), xxx, xxx (6), xxx (6) and xxx
Atcheson/Atchison (W) and xxx

(May 9) Winning pitcher “Butch” Dawson was in hot water in every inning but the fourth but managed to survive a dozen free passes as the Trail Silver Kings won their 1970 home opener by dumping the invading Rossland Capilanos 9 to 5. Meanwhile, losing chucker Joe Zanussi fanned eight batters and gave up only six hits but his teammates let him down defensively, committing five errors. Dawson was continually dodging bullets as allowed base runners on walks while whiffing six. Rob Paterson had two hits for the winners while Zanussi and Joe Rosse replicated the feat for the Rosslanders.

Zanussi (L) and xxx
Dawson (W) and xxx

(May 14) Taking revenge for their opening game loss in the Silver City, the Rossland Capilanos blasted the visiting Trail Silver Kings 16 to 1 in seven innings at Jubilee Park. On an unseasonably cold and damp evening, strong-armed Al DeCecco came out of semi-retirement to pitch the Caps to their first 1970 win. He surrendered only two hits, struck out six and walked two in going the route. With the lumber, DeCecco nailed a bases-loaded double which drove in three runs. Losing moundsman Dave Fischer was nicked for ten hits while walking six before he was given the hook and replaced by playing-manager Lou DeRosa in the fifth. The Kings’ skipper finished with a flourish by fanning four of the last six batters to face him. Don Holmes had three hits and a pair of RBI’s for the winners while teammates Steve McFarland and Bob Profili both drove in a pair of counters, each with a brace of safeties.

Fischer (L), DeRosa (5) and Cederholm
DeCecco (W) and xxx

(May 15) The Trail Silver Kings doubled the Rossland Capilanos 4 to 2 at Butler Park. Al Doherty outdueled Larry Brandt on the rubber to earn the pitching victory. Dave Fischer drove in two of the Trail runs with a bases-loaded single.

Brandt (L) and xxx
Doherty (W) and Cederholm

(May 17) Utilizing the services of four different pitchers, two of them taking the mound on two separate occasions, the TraiI Silver Kings outlasted the Nelson Merchants, overpowering the Lakesiders 15 to 12 at Butler Park. Al Doherty, who toed the rubber for just one-third of an inning in the opening panel and who came back to the hillock in the seventh after the Merchants had forged ahead 12 to 10 following a grand-slam tater by Ron Harcus in the sixth frame, got credit for the mound decision. The Silver Kings, the visiting team in this affair, came up with five runs on five safeties in the seventh to forge ahead for good. The Merchants had the bases loaded in the bottom of that frame when Doherty struck out their final batter. Trail’s big inning was the fourth when they plated an eight-spot, with catcher Len Cederholm doing most of the damage with a three-run round-tripper. Pacing the Smelter City nine at the dish, besides Cederholm, were Rob Paterson with four hits and five RBI’s and Keith Healey who had a triple and four RBI’s. Harcus, the losing twirler, and Bob McIvor were the only Nelson swatsmiths to acquire two hits.

Dawson, Doherty (1), Dawson (2), Fisher (2), DeRosa (5), Doherty (W) (7) and Cederholm
xxx, xxx, Harcus (L) and xxx

(May 19) Paced by the five-hit pitching of Joe Zanussi plus the heavy hitting of Barry Seal and Mike Ward, the Rossland Capilanos scored a runaway 16 to 2 win over the Nelson Merchants at Jubilee Park. Seal, with two triples and a single, good for five RBI’s and Ward, with four hits including a triple and four RBI’s, gave Zanussi all the muscle he needed to grab the hillock decision. The Nelson hurling trio of loser Terry Severyn, Bob Jeffs and Bob McIvor, were lit up for 11 Rossland safeties. Jeffs had two of Nelson’s five hits.

Severyn (L), Jeffs, McIvor and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx

Mainland (L), Dawson (4) and Cederholm
Smith (W) and Brown

(May 24) Infielder Al Doherty’s bases-empty home run in the eighth inning staked the visiting Trail Silver Kings to a narrow 6 to 5 win over the Vernon Luckies of the OMBL in an interlocking clash. The Luckies had come from behind to tie the score 5 – 5 in the seventh panel when catcher Dennis Niebergall/Niebregal connected for a solo dinger off winning chucker Dave Fischer. Outfielder Rob Paterson of the victors also went yard with a circuit clout.

Fischer (W) and Cederholm
Stephens (L), Johnston (8) and Niebergall/Niebregal

(May 26) Homestanding Rossland clipped the Trail Silver Kings 6 to 4 as Joe Rosse connected for a fifth-inning grand-slam round-tripper to provide the Caps with the margin of victory. Rich Miller added a solo four-bagger in the sixth to cement the victory. A three-run Silver King comeback in the seventh fell short of tying things up.

Doherty (L) and xxx
Brandt (W), DeCecco (7) and xxx

(May 28) Bases-on-balls made a huge difference in the Rossland Capilanos’ 12 to 3 conquest on the winless Nelson Merchants. Losing chucker Bob Jeffs issued eight walks and six of them came back to haunt him as runs. The Caps wasted little time in putting this one to bed by scoring six times in the opening inning with back-to-back triples by Barry Seal and winning pitcher Joe Zanussi highlighting the outburst. Ernie Moisey had two of the four hits surrendered by Zanussi. Seal’s three-RBI performance paced the winners offensively.

Zanussi (W) and xxx
Jeffs (L), Dubasov (1) and xxx

(May 30) The invading Vernon Luckies of the OMBL dumped the Grand Forks Mets in interlocking action at John Donaldson Park. The Luckies came roaring out of the gate and posted a four-spot before the Mets knew what hit them. The Forkers settled down and reduced the deficit to a single counter by posting a trey in the third stanza with the most crucial blow in the outburst being a double by Armando Porco. Walter Sofonoff drove in the tying run for the hosts in the fourth canto but the Beermen went ahead 7 to 4 in the fifth with the aid of two Grand Forks’ errors. The Mets got one counter back in the fifth but were held scoreless for the remainder of the game by winning pitcher Wayne Dye. Starter Dan Rickard/Richert was saddled with the defeat.

Dye (W) and Bell
Rickard/Richert (L), Sofonoff (6) and Hancheroff

(May 30) Rick Jaggers led the way for the visiting Penticton Molsons of the OMBL who beat the Trail Silver Kings 3 to 1 in an interlocking fixture at Butler Park. Jaggers, on the bump for the Pentictonites, stymied the Silver Kings on two hits, both by outfielder Rob Paterson, in a route-going performance. With the lumber, he doubled off loser Don Mainland to drive in Paul Pederson and John Clark with second-inning runs and followed with a fourth-frame one-bagger that plated the Molsons’ final tally. Pederson and Ooggie Jack both had two hits for the victors, in addition to Jagger.

Jaggers (W) and Jack
Mainland (L) and xxx

(May 31) The Grand Forks Mets evened their record in interlocking action against OMBL competition by edging the Penticton Molsons 7 to 6. Both squads ripped the apple for a half-dozen bingles. The Mets scored the winning marker in the bottom-of-the-ninth panel when Armando Porco touched the dish following a wild pitch. Righthander Brian Hamagami earned the pitching victory.

Atcheson/Atchison, Jaggers (L) (2) and Jack
B. Hamagami (W) and Hancheroff

(May 31) A late charge by the Trail Silver Kings, aided by the control difficulties of Vernon chucker Fred Johnston, gave the Silver Kings a 7 to 6 win over the Luckies in interlocking play at Butler Park. The Vernonites threatened in every inning except the seventh as starter Chuck Bell and reliever Johnston limited the Silver Kings to two hits over the first six innings although the hosts had managed to put up a four-spot on the scoreboard in the fourth when Bell loaded the bases on three walks and yielded a two-run single to Mario Iachetta and run-scoring sacrifice flies to Dale Payette and Bob Cox. In arrears by a deuce as they came to bat for the final time, the Smelter City nine got things rolling with a double by Keith Healey and a single by Rick Brown. A walk to Len Cederholm loaded the sacks. Mario Iachetta sacrificed, scoring Healey and closing the gap to 6 to 5. Then Johnston’s troubles intensified as he issued consecutive free passes to Lou DeRosa, Bob Cox and Al Richards with the final walk forcing in the winner.

Bell, Johnston (L) (4) and xxx
Payette, Fischer (W) (5) and xxx

(May 31) Visiting OMBL teams from Penticton and Vernon both chalked up wins against the hosting Rossland Capilanos in a three-team interlocking twin bill at Jubilee Park. Errors played a big part in the double defeat as the Caps booted the ball eleven times in losing 5 to 2 against the Molsons and 13 to 5 in their tussle with the Luckies.
After the Caps had grabbed a 2 to 1 fourth-inning lead in the opener, winning slabster Gary Fox of Penticton retired 15 of the last 16 batters to face him, blanking the hosts the rest of the way while his mates, led by Rick Williams’ two-RBI hit and a solo homer launched by Paul Pederson, provided him with more-than-enough offensive ammunition to pull through with the victory. Pederson had a double to go along with his dinger while teammate Ed Folk ripped three one-baggers. Rich Miller had a double and single for Rossland.

Fox (W) and xxx
DeCecco (L), S. McFarland (5) and xxx

Vernon connected for 12 runs in the final four frames in the nightcap, snapping a third-stanza 1 – 1 tie. The Luckies pulverized a triad of Cap tossers for 15 base knocks in the conquest including three each by Russ Keckalo and winning chucker Clark Inglis. Art Field belted a two-run tater for the Golden City squad in the fourth panel.

Inglis (W) and xxx
Brandt (L), Ward (4), Zanussi (6) and xxx

(June 2) Three hurlers toeing the slab for the Trail Silver Kings issued a total of ten bases-on-balls and made things easy for the Rossland Capilanos who literally walked all over the visitors 9 to 4 at Jubilee Park. The Caps struck for a six-spot in the second panel and never looked back as Barry Seal grabbed the win at the expense of Lou DeRosa. Ron Rebelatto and Mike Ward had two hits each out of the Caps’ total of eight.

DeRosa (L), Richards (2), Dawson and xxx
Zanussi, Seal (W) (2) and xxx

(June 3) Nelson toppled the invading Grand Forks Mets 9 to 4 at Butler Park in Trail as winning pitcher Bryan Dubasov of the Merchants yielded scattered eight hits and fanned ten in a route-going performance. The Lakesiders clicked for four counters in the third spasm and never looked back.

R. Hamagami (L), Rilkoff (6) and Robbie
Dubasov (W) and xxx

(June 4) Mike Ward held the Trail Silver Kings to three runs and drove in three himself in pitching the Rossland Capilanos to a 7 to 3 trimming of the Trail Silver Kings at Butler Park. Ward’s two-run homer in the opening inning off losing twirler Don Mainland got the Caps off to a rousing start. In the second panel, Ward greeted Mainland with a single that drove in Rich Miller after Bob Profili, Joe Zanussi, Steve McFarland and Merv Jensen had already scored. Trail bunched all three of their hits into the fourth frame when Rob Paterson singled, Keith Healey drilled a long triple to the middle pasture and Lou DeRosa connected for a single over shortstop to drive in a brace. An error in the seventh panel allowed DeRosa to plate a third and final Silver King tally after he had walked. Zanussi and Ward were the lone swatsmiths in the contest to manufacture plural hit totals.

Ward (W) and xxx
Mainland (L), Payette (2) and xxx

(June 6) One bad inning, the fourth, when three errors, two base hits, a hit batsman and a walk sent five big Kelowna runs plateward, spelled defeat for the invading Rossland Capilanos who fell to the hosting Okanagan squad 8 to 2 in an interlocking match. Mike Burdette earned the mound victory for the Carlings, going all the way. His big help offensively came from Len Tweed and shortstop Jerry Richardson who both went two-for-four at the dish which included home runs from each. Jack Burton also showed up well with the lumber for the winners, ripping the apple for three safeties in four attempts.

Brandt (L), DeCecco (4) and xxx
Burdette (W) and Favell

(June 7) The second leg of Rossland’s venture into Okanagan-Mainline country was a successful one which saw the Capilanos blank the Vernon Luckies 1 to 0 as Joe Zanussi emerged victorious over Paul Pederson in a classic pitcher’s duel. Zanussi fired a three-hitter and punched out 12 Luckies while Pederson breezed nine and allowed only four hits, one of which was a two-bagger by Zanussi which led to the game’s lone run. Following Zanussi’s leadoff double in the sixth stanza, he moved to third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Don Holmes and romped home when Steve McFarland singled up the middle.

Zanussi (W) and McFarland
Pederson (L) and Jack

(June 7) The Nelson Merchants and hosting Grand Forks Mets divided their WKSBL twin-bill at John Donaldson Park, the Mets taking the opener 6 to 4 and the Merchants rebounding for a 3 to 2 win in the nightcap. The Forkers got to losing pitcher Len Dillon for six runs in the first two frames of the lid-lifter and the Nelsonites were never able to fully recover. Winning tosser Harry Strukoff hurled the first five innings for the Mets to get credit for the win.

Dillon (L) and xxx
H. Strukoff (W), R. Hamagami (6) and xxx

Solid relief pitching by Nelson’s Bob Jeffs preserved the second-game victory for the Merchants and a split of the day’s activities.

Dubasov, Jeffs (W) (2) and xxx
B. Hamagami (L) and xxx

Standings *             W      L        Pct.
Rossland Capilanos      7      6       .538
Trail Silver Kings      7      7       .500
Grand Forks Mets        2      3       .400
Nelson Merchants        2      4       .333

* imbalanced won-lost totals reflect results from interlocking games with OMBL

(June 11) The Trail Silver Kings squeezed out a narrow 2 to 1 verdict over the pesky Grand Forks Mets at Butler Park. A heads-up, unassisted double play by keystone sacker Rick Brown of the Silver Kings in the seventh canto helped preserve the victory for Dave Fischer, now 5 – 1 for the season. All the scoring in this tilt occurred in the first two frames with Fischer, a victim of being hit by a pitch from losing chucker Ron McGregor, touching home with the ultimate winner following second-inning, back-to-back singles by Brown and Al Richards. The Smeltermen had a 4 to 2 edge in base hits as Ron Hamagami picked up both of the Mets’ safeties.

McGregor (L) and Robbie
Fischer (W) and xxx

(June 13) The front-running Kelowna Carlings of the OMBL jumped into a 5 to 2 lead after two stanzas and added a deuce in the final frame to take a convincing 7 to 2 decision from the hosting Trail Silver Kings in an interlocking clash at Butler Park. Winning pitcher Mike Burdette surrendered but one safety, an opening-inning single to Al Richards, collected ten strikeouts, walked one batter and, at one point in the game, retired 17 Trail batters in succession. Dick Gibb and Len Tweed had two hits apiece for the winners while belted a two-run triple.

Burdette (W) and xxx
Cody (L) and Cederholm

(June 14) Interlocking games featuring the travelling Kelowna Carlings at Rossland and Grand Forks were rained out.

(June 17) Scoring five big runs in the in the sixth inning in support of winning tosser Al DeCecco, the Rossland Capilanos went on to pound the Nelson Merchants 7 to 2. DeCecco carried the mail from the fifth canto on after coming to the aid of starter Gord Tench. Former Cap, Bryan Dubasov, absorbed the pitching loss. He also had two of the three Nelson safeties. Big Mike Ward, DeCecco, Rich Miller, Joe Zanussi and Barry Seal all had big hits in the Capilano victory.

Tench, DeCecco (W) (5) and xxx
Dubasov (L) and xxx

(June 18) The Rossland Capilanos made short work of their closest pursuer by rolling over the Trail Silver Kings 6 to 2. The Smokey City crew took a beating both figuratively and literally as Len Cederholm, Don McLeod and Dave Fischer were victims of injuries. Winning flinger Joe Zanussi helped himself with the baton, stroking two base knocks which produced two RBI’s. Bob Profili also drove in a pair. Keith Healey and Rick Brown supplied the hitting power for the Kings. Healey went three-for-three and Brown slapped out a brace of bingles.

Zanussi (W) and J. McFarland, xxx
Fischer (L) and xxx

(June 20) Capitalizing on seven Nelson errors, the Trail Silver Kings routed the Merchants 13 to 3 at Butler Park. Portsider Dale Payette went the distance for the Trailites in taking the mound win. He fanned eight, walked a triad and was nicked for just three safeties, two of which were garnered by Merchant hot corner custodian Ernie Moisey. Al Doherty and Mario Iachetta paced the nine-hit Silver King offensive production with a pair of base hits each.

Dillon (L), Jeffs, Fitzpatrick and xxx
Payette (W) and xxx

(June 20) In the first of their two-game swing through the Okanagan, the Grand Forks Mets imploded defensively as the Kelowna Carlings romped to an easy 7 to 2 victory. Winning flinger Len Tweed held the junior Mets to just two safeties, one of which was a two-run tater by Don Robbie in the fourth chapter. The Orchard City nine made the best of their four base knocks off losing twirler Ron McGregor who walked six, hit two batters and was the victim of six fielding miscues by his mates.

McGregor (L) and Robbie
Tweed (W) and Favell

(June 21) Behind the three-hit pitching of Brian Hamagami, the Grand Forks Mets made up for their drubbing in Kelowna by doubling the Penticton Molsons 4 to 2 in further interlocking action. “Oggie/Oogie” Jack had two of the three hits the young Mets’ righthander surrendered, both solo dingers. Don Robbie was strong at the bat for Grand Forks, going three-for-four at the platter.

B. Hamagami (W) and Robbie
xxx (L) and Jack

(June 23) Mike Ward went all the way on the bump, ringing up eleven punchouts, as the Rossland Capilanos pulverized the Trail Silver Kings 11 to 1. In taking the mound decision from Al Doherty, Ward cracked out three base hits. Teammate Rich Miller collected two safe swats, one of which was a two-run homer. Flychaser Rob Paterson stroked two safeties for the Silver Kings.

Doherty (L), Staats (5), Payette (5), DeRosa (5) and xxx
Ward (W) and xxx

(June 25) Barry Seal’s triple in the seventh panel drove in Bob Profili and Rich Miller, both of whom had singled, to spark the Rossland Capilanos to a 3 to 1 triumph over the hosting Grand Forks Mets. The Caps and Mets had earlier traded runs on triples by Miller and Brian Hamagami with both crossing the plate as a result of a passed ball. Southpaw Joe Zanussi, with eight strikeouts, copped the hurling decision from Dan Richert.

Zanussi (W) and xxx
Richert (L) and xxx

(June 27) Fighting back from an 8 to 2 deficit, the Trail Silver Kings nosed out the visiting Kamloops Okonots of the OMBL 9 to 8 in an interlocking tussle at Butler Park. The Okies pulled into a 2 to 0 lead in the third inning when Lynn Bylund went yard with a two-run ding-dong over the right field fence. The teams then traded deuces before Kamloops pulled ahead by six with a four-spot in the top-of-the-fifth. Things looked bleak for the Silver Kings at this point but they dug down deep and began a comeback in their half of the frame when first baseman Don McLeod ripped a two-run tater to narrow the gap to four. Then in the sixth stanza, losing pitcher Bob Bridges, the third Kamloops’ twirler, walked Ernie Brown, gave up singles to Mario Iachetta and Keith Healey and surrendered a 400-foot triple to McLeod which drove in three tallies, bringing his RBI total to five. A throwing error by Okonot catcher Ed Begg allowed McLeod, caught in a rundown, to scamper home safely on Lou DeRosa’s bunt, tying the score. While McLeod was moving back-and-forth in the hot box, DeRosa kept motoring and made his way to the hot corner sack, plating the tie-breaker when Bridges’ throw to Begg was wide. In addition to McLeod’s powerful bat, Healy notched three safeties for the winners while Bylund and Bridges had a brace of base knocks each for the Okonots.

Thomas, Smith (4), Bridges (L) (5) and Begg
Payette, Fischer (W) (4) and Healey

(June 30) A brace of two-run circuit-clouts, one each by Rich Miller and Joe Zanussi, plus a solo shot by Don Holmes, accounted for all the Rossland scoring in the Capilanos’ 5 to 3 conquest of the Grand Forks Mets at Jubilee Park. The win padded the Caps’ substantial lead atop the West Kootenay Senior circuit. The hillock win went to Al DeCecco who looked as good on the bump as he has all season. Harry Strukoff was stung with the defeat. Holmes and Strukoff were the only batters in the game to acquire two base knocks.

H. Strukoff (L) and xxx
DeCecco (W) and xxx

(July 1) The Nelson Merchants registered their first victory over the Trail Silver Kings this season, outscoring the Silver City nine 5 to 2 at Butler Park. Winning pitcher Bob Jeffs put on a dazzling mound display for the Lakesiders, tossing a three-hitter, ringing up a dozen punchouts while walking just one. Starting hurler Dale Payette of the Kings was tagged with the loss as he breezed eleven, issued six free passes and yielded three safeties. Nelson’s Preston Zeeben and Keith Healey of the Silver Kings had the game’s longest blows, both delivering a three-bagger.

Jeffs (W) and xxx
Payette (L), Clovechuk (6) and Mohs

(July 2) Sparingly used this season, burly righthander Larry Brandt of the Rossland Capilanos made the best of his latest appearance on the hill, coming through with a two-hit shutout in which the Caps blanked the Nelson Merchants 10 to 0. Scoring in each of the first five frames, the Rossland hitters gave Brandt all the cushion he needed. Numerous Nelson errors also contributed to the drubbing. In any event, Brandt struck out 15 in posting the whitewash win. Second baseman Steve McFarland led the way for the Golden City nine, garnering four hits off losing chucker Bryan Dubasov and reliever Bob McIvor. Teammates Mike Ward, Joe Rosse and Bob Profili checked in with two each. Lenny Bousquet had both the Merchant safeties.

Brandt (W) and xxx
Dubasov (L), McIvor (4) and xxx

(July 4) Bob Jeffs put on a strong show of relief pitching at Butler Park as the Nelson Merchants dumped the Trail Silver Kings 5 to 3. Jeffs took over from starter Bryan Dubasov in the opening inning and blanked the Kings after they had scored three times. He fanned eight, walked a pair and surrendered three hits as he posted his second triumph over the Silver City nine in the last four days. A four-run explosion in the second panel lifted the Merchants to victory. First sacker Bob McIvor started the comeback with a solo home run which was followed by two-baggers off the bats of Preston Zeeben and Jim Pickering as well as singles by Terry Severyn and Mick/Mike Fitzpatrick. Rick Brown of the vanquished nine paced all swatsmiths in the contest, garnering three safeties. Teammate Al Doherty had a pair of base knocks, an output replicated by Severyn of the winners.

Fisher (L), Doherty (2) and xxx
Dubasov, Jeffs (W) (1) and xxx

(July 7) Rocking starter Dale Payette for eight runs in the first two frames, the Rossland Capilanos went on to stomp the Trail Silver Kings 9 to 5 at Jubilee Park. The eight-run outburst was significantly helped along by a pair of crucial Trail errors and three walks. The Caps’ ninth counter came when Mike Ward added a solo four-bagger off reliever Rob Paterson in the sixth stanza. Ward had three hits and Steve McFarland two in pacing the Caps at the plate while second baseman Lou DeRosa had a pair of safe swats for Trail. The Silver Kings got to winning tosser Joe Zanussi and reliever Barry Seal for five extra-base blows but were unable to bunch a sufficient number of them to make a winning combination.

Payette (L), Paterson and xxx
Zanussi (W), Seal (6) and xxx

(July 8) A physical altercation between Nelson Merchants’ first baseman Bob McIvor, who had just struck out, and Grand Forks catcher Don Robbie forced plate umpire John Hanik to call the West Kootenay Senior Baseball League game with two out in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning and the Mets in front 6 to 4.

R. Hamagami (W), H. Strukoff (5) and Robbie
Dubasov (L) and xxx

(July 9) It was a case of trying to beat the hosting Trail Silver Kings as well as trying to Beat-the-Clock when the Rossland Capilanos visited Butler Park for a regular West Kootenay Senior League contest. Fortunately, for the Caps, they were able to accomplish both objectives, the result being a 7 to 6 eight-inning triumph over the Kings. With an 11 p.m. curfew in effect in which the lights at the East Trail ballpark would be doused, the score stood at 6 – 6 after seven innings were in the books. However, when Bob Profili scored on Barry Seal’s high hopper over Ernie Brown’s head to give the Caps a one-run lead in the top-of the-eighth canto, that left the Rosslanders with just six minutes left to retire the Kings for their lead to stand up and prevent the score from reverting back to the seventh-inning tie. To their credit, the Smokey City nine did not try to stall and the Caps were able to retire the side in the bottom half of the eighth with less than a minute to spare.

The game itself had controversial moments starting with Trail playing-manager Lou DeRosa’s inability to provide regulation game baseballs. DeRosa threw out two Pony League baseballs to start the game and was immediately called on it by Caps’ coach Don Holmes. Since DeRosa was void of any other horsehide spheres, the game started and things went along smoothly for a while until DeRosa went over to Rossland’s bat rack and helped himself to a bat which he claimed belonged to the Trail club. On DeRosa’s way past home plate, Rossland catcher John McFarland grabbed the bat and, for a few moments, it appeared like fisticuffs might break out. A second incident occurred when Keith Healey, catching for Trail, allegedly interfered with Don Holmes on the base path without possession of the ball and, again, things went to the brink of disaster. Obviously, these distractions played a role in the narrow margin encountered in the countdown to curfew.

In the action on the diamond, Don Holmes produced three RBI’s for the Caps while Rob Patterson was Trail’s top hitter with three singles. Fellow Silver King Dale Payette nailed an offering from Capilano starting pitcher Al DeCecco for a three-run, four-ply tater.

DeCecco, Seal (W) (5) and J. McFarland
Doherty, Mainland (L) (5) and Healey

Standings *               W      L       Pct.
Rossland Capilanos       15      7      .682
Trail Silver Kings       10     14      .417
Grand Forks Mets          5      8      .385
Nelson Merchants          5      9      .357

* imbalanced won-lost totals reflect results from interlocking games with OMBL

(July 11) In an error-filled interlocking game in Kamloops, the invading Grand Forks Mets nosed out the Okonots 9 to 8.

B. Hamagami, R. Hamagami (3), B. Hamagami (W) (3) and Robbie
Thomas, Smith (L) (5), Bridges (6) and Brown

(July 12) Reg Main struck out 18 and scattered five hits in pitching the hosting Vernon Luckies of the OMBL to a one-sided 10 to 2 thrashing of the Grand Forks Mets in interlocking action.

R. Hamagami (L), Seminoff (1), R. Hamagami (2), Seminoff (2) and Robbie
Main (W) and Dickson

(July 14) The Nelson Merchants visited Jubilee Park in the Golden City for a scheduled West Kootenay Senior League game but when they left they probably wished they hadn’t come. The Lakesiders faced a devastating barrage of hitting by the Caps while, defensively, they invaders were woefully inadequate as the final score of 25 to 1 in favor of the homestanding Rossland Capilanos would attest to. Veteran hurler Al DeCecco went all the way for the Mountainmen on a two-hitter, one a homer by Preston Zeeben in Nelson’s half of the fifth. A single by Peter Vipond accounted for the Merchants’ other hit. Headed by rookie Steve McFarland, who went four-for-five at the dish, plus the power hitting of Joe Zanussi and Barry Seal, the Caps produced 17 base knocks. Zanussi had a brace of round-trippers while Seal contributed a homer, triple and single.

Dillon (L), Moisey (5) and xxx
DeCecco (W) and xxx

Ward (L) and J. McFarland, DeCecco
Davison (W) and Begg

Rossland’s Bob Profili drove in Barry Seal with the only tally of the second encounter as Seal grabbed the mound verdict from Dave Murphy in a classic hurler’s battle.

Brandt, Seal (W) (2) and DeCecco
Murphy (L) and Brown, Begg (5)

(July 19) Overcoming a 6 to 4 deficit as they came to bat in the final stanza, the Rossland Capilanos won a 7 to 6 squeaker from the hosting Vernon Luckies in an interlocking match. A run-scoring single by “Rocky” Cull followed by winning pitcher Al DeCecco’s successful squeeze bunt tied the affair as Cull moved into scoring position at the keystone sack. That set the stage for Art Field’s one-bagger which drove in the go-ahead counter as DeCecco then set the Luckies down in their last turn with the lumber. Vernon’s Reg Main, charged with the hillock defeat, had a three-run homer in a losing cause.

DeCecco (W) and xxx
Main (L) and xxx

(July 20) In a high-scoring encounter shortened to four-and-a-half innings because of darkness, the Rossland Capilanos held off a fifth-inning comeback attempt by the Trail Silver Kings to prevail 11 to 10. Steve McFarland picked up two hits and had three RBI’s for the victorious Caps while teammates Merv Jensen and Bob Profili each contributed a brace of safeties with Jensen’s blows driving in a pair. For the Smelter City Gang, Dale Payette and Mario Iachetta both came through with a two-hit performance.

Paterson, Doherty (L) and xxx
Brandt, Zanussi (W) (2) and xxx

(July 25) The Libby MT diamond troopers dropped both ends of a three-team exhibition double-dip in their swing through the West Kootenays, falling to the Rossland Capilanos 8 to 7 in the Golden City before venturing into Trail where they were licked 9 to 1 by the Silver Kings. A grand-slam homer by youthful shortstop Steve McFarland and a fine relief pitching job by Joe Zanussi spelled the difference in the Rossland encounter.

Flores (L) and xxx
DeCecco, Zanusssi (W) and xxx

Playing under the lights at Butler Park, the Silver Kings jumped on losing tosser Steve Loveless for four runs in the second inning and breezed to a one-sided victory. Dale Payette came on in relief in the third canto to earn the hillock win, fanning eleven in five innings of work. Playing-manager Lou DeRosa paced the winners at the dish with two hits, one of which was a run-scoring double during the second-inning uprising.

Loveless (L) and xxx
Clovechuk, Payette (W) (3) and xxx

(July 28) The first-place Rossland Miners finished their regular season on a losing note, going down to the Trail Silver Kings 7 to 6 at Jubilee Park. With the victory, the Silver Kings edged their way into second place in the final WKSBL standings. Winning pitcher Dave Fischer and teammate Bob Mohs had a brace of safeties for the Smeltermen. Trail’s Keith Healey creamed the orb for a three-run circuit-clout in the opening stanza. Joe Zanussi led the Golden City troupe at the platter with a triad of safe swats while catcher John McFarland nailed his first homer of the campaign.

Fischer (W) and xxx
Brandt (L), DeCecco (4) and J. McFarland

Final Standings *         W      L       Pct.
Rossland Capilanos       20      9      .690
Trail Silver Kings       13     17      .433
Grand Forks Mets          6      9      .400
Nelson Merchants          5     10      .333

* imbalanced won-lost totals reflect results from interlocking games with OMBL

1970 B. C. SENIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

(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, for the tournament were blanked 4 to 0 by the Vancouver C.Y.O. diamond pastimers in the opening game of the 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) The West Kootenay Capilanos, 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 aggregation 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

SEMI-FINALS Grand Forks Mets vs Rossland Capilanos and Nelson Merchants vs Trail Silver Kings (best-of-three series)

(August 11) Mowing down the visiting Grand Forks batters one after another, Joe Zanussi pitched the Rossland Capilanos to a 5 to 0 whitewashing of the visiting Mets in the opener of their semi-final series. Zanussi chalked up 11 strikeouts, never walked a batter and surrendered just three hits, two of them to leadoff batter Ron Hamagami. With the bat in his hands, the Cap portsider stroked two doubles and a single in three at bats, scored three times and had a dandy steal of third base. His supporting cast, led by big Don Holmes who banged out a triple and single, was solid as well.

B. Hamagami (L) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx

(August 12) The Grand Forks Mets evened their playoff series with the Rossland Capilanos, dropping the Caps 6 to 2. Righthander Brian Hamagami went the route on a five-hitter to annex the pitching victory over Rossland starter Mike Ward. Hamagami helped his cause by drilling a pair of base hits, good for a brace of RBI’s. Jack Goddard also drove in a couple of counters for the Mets.

Ward (L), Seal (4), Zanussi (4) and xxx
B. Hamagami (W) and xxx

(August 13) A two-run homer by outfielder Rob Patterson in the bottom-of-the-final frame gave the Trail Silver Kings a 4 to 2 walkoff win over the Nelson Merchants in the first game of their WKSBL semi-final series.

Jeffs (L) and xxx
Payette, Mainland (W) (5) and Cederholm

(August 16) A 12 to 8 conquest of the Nelson Merchants allowed the Trail Silver Kings to sweep their semi-final series and advance to the WKSBL finals. Three Nelson errors, mingled amongst a single by Rob Patterson and Bob Mohs’ two-bagger, broke open a close game in the final frame. Ernie Moisey had a solo round-tripper for the Merchants in the sixth spasm.

Payette, Doherty (W) (4) and xxx
Dubasov (L) and xxx

(August 18) A three-run third inning broke a 4 – 4 tie and allowed the Rossland Miners to prevail 7 to 4 over the Grand Forks Mets in the darkness-shortened rubber match of their best-of-three semi-final series. With the five-inning win, the Caps earned the right to enter the league finals against the Trail Silver Kings. Lefthander Joe Zanussi of the Caps went the distance on the bump spinning a four-hitter. Barry Seal sparked the winners offensively with a three-for-three batting mark which included a three-bagger.

B. Hamagami, Strukoff (L) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx

FINALS Trail Silver Kings vs Rossland Capilanos (best-of-five series)

(August 25) The Trail Silver Kings overpowered the Rossland Capilanos 9 to 5 in the opening game of the 1970 West Kootenay Senior League finals. The Silver Kings stroked five hits in the first inning against lukewarm Cap pitching and they never looked back. Rossland starter Al DeCecco had an early exit after getting only one Trail batter out in the initial canto. Barry Seal came on in relief and did a reasonable job of containing the Smelter City hitters as he struggled through the next five innings but, with ace flinger Don Mainland on the hill for the Trailites, too big a hole had been dug. Top hitter in the fracas was rookie Steve McFarland of the Caps who went three-for-four. The Silver Kings had two hits apiece from Ernie Brown and Keith Healey while Rossland’s Rich Miller equalled that output.

Mainland (W) and xxx
DeCecco, Seal (L) (1) and xxx

(August 27) Bouncing back from an opening game 9 to 5 loss, the Rossland Capilanos hammered the Trail Silver Kings 11 to 4 to square the WKSBL finals at a game apiece. A six-run second inning by the Caps set the tone for the remainder of the contest. The Silver Kings’ roster was depleted late in the match by the a pair of sixth-inning ejections, relief pitcher Al Doherty getting the heave-ho for disputing an umpire’s decision at first base while infielder Rick Brown was tossed from the game for arguing too strenuously that a long foul ball, slammed by his brother Ernie, was actually a home run. Art Field, Don Holmes and winning pitcher Larry Brandt had two hits apiece for the winners while Trail’s Rob Patterson and Keith Healey both lit up Brandt for a pair of bingles.

Brandt (W) and xxx
Payette (L), Doherty (2), Fischer (6) and xxx

(September 1) In a game limited to 4-1/2 innings because of darkness and rain, the homestanding Rossland Capilanos once again unveiled their heavy artillery to swamp an uninspired Trail Silver King nine 18 to 2. Winning pitcher Joe Zanussi slugged a three-run homer in the first frame and a grand-slam dinger during Rossland’s ten-run fourth inning. Teammate Mike Ward added three hits, including a two-run tater, and had five RBI’s

Payette (L), Doherty (1), Fischer (3), Paterson (4) and xxx
Zanussi (W) and xxx

(September 2) The Rossland Capilanos put the finishing touches on the West Kootenay Senior Baseball season by ousting the Trail Silver Kings 6 to 2 at Butler Park. The win gave the Caps the final series three games to one and solidified their hold as the loop’s strongest entry, the 1970 title being their fifth in the past six years. Versatile Barry Seal ascended the hill for the perennial champions and came up with a gem of a three-hitter with eight punchouts in this title-clinching contest. His heater was dancing and he had the Silver King batters standing on their tip-toes. He was particularly rough on the Brown boys, whiffing Rick three times and Ernie twice. Rich Miller and Don Holmes nicked losing flinger Al Doherty for two hits each with one of Holmes’ blows being a three-run double. Doherty gave up seven safeties, walked four and struck out eight. Rob Patterson had two of the three Trail safeties.

Seal (W) and xxx
Doherty (L) and xxx

KASLO-SLOCAN-ARROW LAKES SENIOR LEAGUE

Kaslo Caps
Nakusp
New Denver-Silverton Combines

(June 7) Nakusp, in its home opener, whipped New Denver-Silverton 11-5 Sunday led by the strong pitching arm of Derek McQuair and the hitting of Lino Zanier, John O'Brien, Jack James and Gordon Yolland who paced a 13-hit attack. The home squad got on the scoreboard in the opening frame when Allan Hoshizaki cracked a double and raced home on Zanier's single. The Combines tied it in the second with Jack Kelly scoring after reaching with a walk. McQuair prevented further with a pickoff of Nobby Hayashi at third. Zanier batted in Yolland and Hoshizaki in the third as Nakusp went ahead for good. Jack James knocked in two in the fifth to make it 5-1 and Zanier drove in two more with a double in the sixth. Hits by James, McQuair and Hiro Yanagisawa knocked in four runs in the seventh.

J.Kelly (L), J.Nesbitt and xxx
McQuair (W) and xxx

(June 21) Nakusp jumped out to an early 7-0 lead and held on to down Kaslo 9-6. Jack James and Andy Avison each had two of Nakusp's nine hits while Derek McQuair allowed seven safeties in going the distance for the winners. Nakusp scored four in the first inning and added three more in the second.

xxx and xxx
McQuair (W) and xxx

(August 16) New Denver-Silverton took both ends of Sunday's double-header from Kaslo squeezing out a 6-5 win in the first game then running wild with an 18-1 triumph in the second. Ed Elsmore was the hitting star of the opener for the winners while left-hander John Nesbitt was outstanding on the hill in the second game.

M.Ward (L) and xxx
E.Elsmore (W) and xxx

M.Ward (L) and xxx
J.Nesbitt (W) and xxx

PLAYOFFS

(August 23) New Denver-Silverton clobbered Nakusp in the opening game of the best-of-three finals of the Arrow Lakes-Kaslo-Slocan Baseball League.

(August 30) The Combines of New Denver-Silverton trounced Nakusp 10-2 Sunday to captured the league championship in two straight games. It's the third straight title for the Combines. Ed Elsmore scattered four hits in going the route for the victory. He also rapped two hits to help his own cause. Rookie second sacker Phil Angrignon led the winners with three hits.

Elsmore (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

QUESNEL SENIOR LEAGUE

Billy Barker Inn
Hobos
Merchants
Selects *

FINAL STANDINGS           W       L        Pct.
Selects *                14       6       .700
Billy Barker Inn         14       6       .700
Hobos                     6      13       .316
Merchants                 5      14       .263

* Selects awarded first place as per better record in head-to-head games against Billy Barker Inn

PLAYOFFS
Semi-Finals (best-of-five series)

Last-place Merchants eliminated runner-up Billy Barker Inn three games to none.
Pennant-winning Selects disposed of third-place Hobos.

Finals (best-of-five series)

Selects repeated as playoff champions winning three straight games against Merchants.
__________________________________________________________

AWARDS
Joe Weremy (Merchants) – Most Valuable Player
Dale Phoenix (Selects) – Top Batter
Terry Yalowega (Billy Barker) – Top Pitcher
Wayne Inglis (Billy Barker) – Top Catcher
Bob Gassoff (Hobos) – Top Rookie
Jim Alton (Selects) – Best Infielder
Jim Blair (Selects) – Best Outfielder
Bill Fowler (Billy Barker) – Most Popular Player
Jim Blair (Selects) – Home Run Leader