1972 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1972 BC Interior
1972 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
The same four teams from 1971 returned to the fold in 1972 as the Home Service entry adopted the sponsor’s last name instead of his first. A new venue, Lambrick Park, for all league games replaced Royal Athletic Park.
Farmer Construction
Greave’s Movers
Gorge Hotel
Kubicek’s Home Service
(June 4) Farmer Construction exploded for three runs in the first inning and went on to beat Kubicek’s Home Service 4 to 1 as the 1972 Victoria Senior Baseball League kicked off its season at Lambrick Park. A second contest saw Gorge Hotel nose out Greave’s Movers 3 to 2. Both teams had just four base hits in the opener as Bob Mabee grabbed the hillock verdict over Terry Karpiuk. Catcher George Pakos drove in two runs for the Hotelmen with a single and double.
Karpiuk (L) and D. Burrows
Mabee (W) and Pakos
George Brice was the prominent figure in the late tussle. The first baseman-pitcher slammed a two-run homer in the sixth stanza as Gorge took a 3 to 1 lead over the Movers, then left his infield position to pitch late in the game and preserve the for starter Andy Linn after Greave’s had narrowed the gap to one run. Brice’s 340-foot blast over the left-centre field wall came off the Movers’ starting pitcher Rick Cook who was tagged with the loss.
Linn (W), G. Brice (6) and O’Malley
Cook (L), Lister (7) and Robertson
(June 5) George Brice scattered six hits while pitching Gorge Hotel to a 4 to 1 Victoria Senior Baseball League victory over Greave’s Movers at Lambrick Park.
G. Brice (W) and Craig
Drinkwater (L), Cook (5) and Robertson, Moen (2)
(June 6) Kubicek’s Home Service pulled one out of the fire, rallying for three unearned runs in the final inning to edge Farmer Construction 4 to 3 in a Senior League encounter at Lambrick Park. Dave Wallace scored the winning run in the seventh inning on a wild pitch by Bob Mabee. Jim McKay provided the only earned run of the game for the winners with a solo homer in the third inning. Blair Kubicek earned the victory in a relief role after replacing starter Tom Holmes on the bump in the sixth inning.
T. Holmes, B. Kubicek (W) (6) and D. Burrows
Jolly, Mabee (L) (7) and Pakos
(June 7) Kubicek’s rolled to their second victory in two nights, taking down winless Greave’s Movers 7 to 1.
Thompson (W) and D. Burrows
Lister (L) and Robertson
(June 8) Bob Mabee hurled a three-hitter to help Farmer Construction to an 11 to 0 romp of the Gorge Hotel nine at Lambrick Park. Mabee struck out nine and issued only two bases on balls while going the distance. Russ McKee and George Pakos led the swatsmiths from the Contractors. McKee lashed out a single, double and home run while Pakos connected for three singles and drove in four runs.
O’Malley (L), Linn (7) and Rivers
Mabee (W) and Pakos
(June 11) Greave’s Movers recorded their first victory in five starts by splitting a Victoria Senior Baseball League doubleheader with Farmer Construction at Lambrick Park. Pete Jolly yielded just two hits, struck out nine batters and issued only one walk while pitching Farmer to a 13 to 1 triumph in the opening game. Catcher George Pakos paced the Construction Crew with the lumber, collecting two hits, including a home run, while scoring three runs.
Jolly (W) and Pakos
L. Brice (L), Drinkwater (3) and Robertson
Rick Cook hurled Greave’s to their inaugural win in the late encounter, taming the Contractors on two safeties. Gerry Lister provided some offensive ammunition for Cook by slamming a home run.
Cook (W) and Robertson
Mabee (L) and Pakos
(June 13) Les Brice was robbed of his first pitching victory as errors opened the door for three unearned runs which allowed Farmer Construction to snatch a 4 to 2 victory from Greave’s Movers at Lambrick Park. In a disastrous fourth inning, Brice allowed two singles but retired the following two batters to put himself on the cusp of pitching his way out of the jam. However, his mates promptly booted the ball twice in succession and a triad of runners crossed the dish. The tallies were enough for Pete Jolly to claim the knoll decision with a four-hitter. Jolly was particularly tough in the clutch, leaving eight runners from the Movers stranded.
Jolly (W) and Pakos
L. Brice (L) and Robertson
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Gorge Hotel 3 1 .750 __
Farmer Construction 4 2 .667 __
Kubicek’s 2 2 .500 1.0
Greave’s Movers 1 5 .167 3.0
(June 14) The lively bats of Farmer Construction hitters pleased pitcher Pete Jolly to no end at Lambrick Park where the Contractors hammered Gorge Hotel 9 to 3 in a Senior League tussle. George Fuller and George Pakos each smashed three hits as Jolly cashed in on their support to win his third game of the young season, yielding nine scattered hits along the way.
Jolly (W) and Pakos
G. Brice (L), Linn (5) and Craig
(June 15) Southpaw Derek Drinkwater hurled a two-hitter to pace Greave’s Movers to a 4 to 0 Victoria Senior Baseball League victory over Kubicek’s Home Service. Drinkwater swished nine batters and issued only one free pass as he squared his record to 1 – 1 this season. Gerry Lister nailed a two-run homer for the Movers.
Drinkwater (W) and Robertson
B. Kubicek (L), T. Holmes (5) and D. Burrows
(June 18) Gorge Hotel swept a twin-bill from Kubicek’s Home Service at Lambrick Park to move into a first-place tie with Farmer Construction atop the Victoria Senior Baseball circuit. Gorge overcame a 2 to 0 deficit with three unearned counters in the third canto to capture the opener 3 to 2. A two-out error opened the door for Gorge’s three-run rally in the matinée tilt. One run scored when a ball hit by Don Lambourne was bobbled in the infield. George Brice and Mike Embury then followed with run-scoring hits.
Linn (W) and Craig
T. Holmes (L) and D. Burrows
Playing-manager Bob Bowles crashed a solo home run in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning of the nightcap to give the Hotelmen a 2 to 1 victory. George Brice hurled a three-hitter and fanned seven to earn the knoll verdict in this affair. Mike Squire singled home Brice for Gorge’s other run. Walt Burrows held a hot hand with the lumber for Kubicek’s, clipping the horsehide for four hits in six trips over the course of the two games.
Karpiuk (L) and D. Burrows
G. Brice (W) and O’Malley
(June 19) Greave’s Movers struck early for three runs and then held on to shade Farmer Construction 3 to 2 at Lambrick Park. John Yankoski, Dave Morgan and Tom Robertson each connected for a hit to give the Movers a 3 to 1 edge in the third inning. George Pakos scored the first run for Farmer in the second frame with a solo home run and Gord Strongman drove in the second tally with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Cook (W), Drinkwater (6) and Robertson
Mabee (L) and Pakos
(June 20) Farmer Construction climbed back into first place in the Victoria Senior Baseball League by tripping up Gorge Hotel to the tune of 9 to 4. The Construction Crew crashed 12 hits against two Gorge chuckers at Lambrick Park, erupting for three runs in both the third and fifth frames. The third-inning outburst was highlighted by a two-run homer swatted by Frank Morris.
Hill (L), Linn (4) and O’Malley
Jolly (W) and Pakos
(June 21) A second two-hitter in the span of a week by Derek Drinkwater lifted Greave’s Movers to a 4 to 1 Senior League conquest of Kubicek’s Home Service at Lambrick Park. The victory moved Greave’s into third place, a game-and-a-half ahead of the last-place losers. Drinkwater, who punched out four and walked an equal number, had a no-hitter going until the fourth inning when the Servicemen got to him for one run on two singles and a sacrifice bunt. The Movers started fast, plating a deuce in the opening panel on a pair of walks, a single by Dave Morgan and an infield error.
Drinkwater (W) and Robertson
E. Lister (L) and D. Burrows
(June 24) League-leading Farmer Construction trampled Kubicek’s Home Service 7 to 1 in the opener of a double-dip at Lambrick Park. Greave’s Movers helped the Farmer nine extend their lead even further by blanking second-place Gorge Hotel 3 to 0 in the follow-up fracas. Bob Mabee struck out ten and allowed only three hits in the Farmer first-game triumph.
Mabee (W) and Pakos
Karpiuk (L), T. Holmes (5) and D. Burrows
Rick Cook hurled a two-hitter for Greave’s, struck out eight and left nine Gorge baserunners stranded in the sunset event.
Cook (W) and Robertson
G. Brice (L) and O’Malley
(June 26) Pete Jolly and Russ McKee combined their talents to lead Farmer Construction to a 7 to 4 victory over Kubicek’s Home Service. Jolly rang up 11 punchouts and issued only one walk en-route to the four-hit triumph, his fifth win of the season. McKee launched his third and fourth home runs of the campaign to drive in four tallies. John McKeachie also homered for the Construction Crew. Tom Holmes and reliever Terry Karpiuk, who mounted the hill in the fourth, joined forced to whiff 11 and surrender six hits for Kubicek’s.
Jolly (W) and Pakos
T. Holmes, Karpiuk (L) (4) and D. Burrows
(June 27) Russ McKee proved to be an important man at the plate as Farmer Construction edged Gorge Hotel 2 to 1 at Lambrick Park. Infield singles by McKee and Gord Strongman brought in Frank Morris for the first Farmer marker in the third inning. In the fifth frame, McKee belted a home run over the centre field fence to provide the winning margin. Winner Bob Mabee and losing chucker Andy Linn of the Hotelmen each pitched a four-hitter.
Mabee (W) and Pakos
Linn (L) and O’Malley
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 9 3 .750 __
Gorge Hotel 5 5 .500 3.0
Greave’s Movers 5 5 .500 3.0
Kubicek’s 2 8 .200 6.0
(June 28) Pitcher Rick Cook won his fourth game of the season as Greave’s Movers shaded cellar-dwelling Kubicek’s Home Service 3 to 2 in a Victoria Senior Baseball League contest. Cook yielded six hits and struck out seven on the way to his knoll triumph. The hard-luck loser was Mike Finlayson who hurled a three-hitter in his senior debut after moving up from the Babe Ruth ranks. The Movers were aided by a two-base throwing error and a wild pitch as they struck for three runs in the second inning. The lone safety of the frame was a rap by Barry Moen who drove in Marty Martin to start the rally. Moen then scored on the error which enabled Ken Hawkins to reach second base. After a pair of walks filled the sacks, Hawkins scooted home on the wild pitch.
Cook (W) and Robertson
Finlayson (L) and D. Burrows
(June 29) Gord Strongman had a knack for getting on base and his clubmates had a similar flair for bringing him home. Timely hits drove Strongman across the plate four times as Farmer Construction outscored Greave’s Movers 8 to 4 in Senior League play at Lambrick Park. Stan Thame cracked two hits and drove in three runs while Barry Harvey brought in a pair of counters on two hits. The victory, Farmer’s fifth in a row, extended their league lead to 3-1/2 games over the Movers. Tom Robertson clouted a solo round-tripper for Greave’s in the sixth chapter.
Jolly, Mabee (W) (4) and Pakos
Drinkwater (L) G. Lister (5) and Robertson
(June 30) Kubicek’s Home Service and Gorge Hotel will have to wait until July 6 to decide a winner of their game which was suspended after nine innings because of darkness with the teams deadlocked at 5 – 5.
(July 4) Rich Cook tossed a two-hitter as Greave’s Movers trimmed Kubicek’s Home Service 4 to 1 in a Victoria Senior Baseball League game at Lambrick Park. The only hits off Cook, who whiffed seven, were back-to-back singles by Don Burrows and Chris Hall in the fifth inning which produced the lone run for the Servicemen. Cook helped his own cause by singling in a run during a four-run rally in the third inning. The key hit of the outburst, however, was a two-run single by Gerry Lister off the slants of his younger brother Eric Lister.
E. Lister (L) and D. Burrows
Cook (W) and Morgan
(July 5) Mike Embury drove in three runs with two singles and a double as Gorge Hotel stopped pace-setting Farmer Construction 6 to 2 at Lambrick Park. Winning pitcher George Brice handcuffed the Farmer squad with a five-hitter while ringing up eight punchouts. The only two runs charged to him were unearned and came on a long fly ball hit by losing pitcher Bob Mabee that bounced over the outfield fence after being muffed by an outfielder.
G. Brice (W) and Craig
Mabee (L) and Pakos
(July 6) Gorge Hotel and Kubicek’s Home Service settled one deadlock and then went out and created another in their regular-scheduled clash at Lambrick Park. In the continuation of their June 30 tussle, the Hoteliers prevailed 7 to 5 in ten innings. The follow-up match was called after seven frames with the combatants knotted at 10 – 10.
G. Brice, Hill (W) (10) and O’Malley
Karpiuk, T. Holmes (L) (8) and D. Burrows
(July 9) Farmer Construction and Gorge Hotel maintained a one-two position atop the Victoria Senior Baseball League by splitting a doubleheader at Lambrick Park. Gorge, trailing Farmer by two games, won the opener 10 to 2 but dropped an 8 to 3 decision to the league-leaders in the second encounter. George Brice hurled the matinée game win for the Hotelmen, limiting the Contractors to three safeties while breezing eight and walking three. With the baton, Brice smacked the horsehide for a brace of safe swats, including a home run. Gord Strongman of the Construction Crew lit up one of Brice’s offerings for a four-ply clout, his first of the campaign.
Jolly (L), Baier (4) and Pakos
G. Brice (W) and O’Malley
In the finale, Gord Strongman, making his first mound appearance of the season, went the distance for the win, taming the Hoteliers on five base raps. One of the blows he surrendered was a four-bagger by Mike Embury.
Gibb(L), G. Brice (1) and Craig
Strongman (W) and Pakos
(July 13) With one swing-of the bat, Gorge Hotel advanced to within one game of first-place Farmer Construction in the Victoria Senior Baseball League standings. Don Lambourne smashed a two-run double in the fifth inning which snapped a 2 – 2 deadlock and gave the Hotelmen a 4 to 2 conquest of the Farmer aggregation at Lambrick Park. The swat was only one of three hits given up by losing pitcher Bob Mabee. George Brice, twirling for Gorge, allowed seven hits in earning his fifth win.
G. Brice (W) and Lumley
Mabee (L) and Pakos
(July 14) A last-inning walk proved to be just as good as a hit at Lambrick Park where Kubicek’s Home Service upset Greave’s Movers 4 to 3. Pinch-hitter Blair Kubicek drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom-of-the-seventh spasm to give the Garagemen only their third victory in 14 games. Terry Karpiuk struck out nine and allowed five hits in picking up his initial win of the campaign.
Cook, Drinkwater (L) (4) and Morgan
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
(July 16) Kubicek’s Home Service and Greave’s Movers both failed to gain ground on the leading clubs in the Senior Baseball League in doubleheader action at Lambrick Park. Greave’s captured the opener 7 to 3 while the Kubicek’s had their time in the spotlight, trimming the Movers 6 to 4 in the second game. Catcher Dave Morgan and Ken Hawkins each drove two runs and scored once for the Movingmen in the first clash. Winning slabster Derek Drinkwater evened his record at 3 – 3 with a five-hitter.
T. Holmes (L), E. Lister (1) and D. Burrows
Drinkwater (W) and Morgan
Walt Burrows paced Kubicek’s to their fourth win in 16 starts by clubbing three hits, including a triple, and posting 3 RBI’s in the sunset encounter.
Cook (L), G. Lister (3) and Morgan
B. Kubicek, E. Lister (W) and Puritch
(July 17) League-leading Farmer Construction and runner-up Gorge Hotel battled to a 1 – 1 stalemate at Lambrick Park in a Victoria Amateur Baseball League contest suspended after nine innings.
(July 18) Russ McKee provided the only run in spectacular style as Farmer Construction nipped Greave’s Movers 1 to 0 at Lambrick Park. McKee blasted a home run over the centre-field fence during the fourth inning to snap a scoreless deadlock. Gerry Lister of the Movers had a two-hitter going against the league-leaders until that point and finished with six strikeouts and a three-hitter. Bob Mabee twirled the complete-game shutout victory, breezing four batters and allowing five safeties. Neither hurler allowed a base-on-balls.
Lister (L) and Morgan
Mabee (W) and Pakos
(July 19) Gorge Hotel suffered two Victoria Senior Baseball League defeats, one a 12 to 3 thrashing at the hands of Greave’s Movers at Lambrick Park and the other as a result of a committee-room decision. Dave Morgan, normally a catcher for Greave’s, was assigned a turn on the knoll and picked up a five-hit pitching win after getting relief help from Derek Drinkwater. The Movingmen put the game on ice early, pushing across eight first-inning tallies on four hits, five walks and a Gorge error.
Morgan (W), Drinkwater (7) and Robertson
Linn (L), Budd (1), Squire (7) and O’Malley
Meanwhile, top-dog Farmer Construction was awarded a victory after playing Gorge to a 1 – 1 deadlock on July 17. A Farmer protest that the Hotelmen didn’t have enough players was upheld.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 13 6 .684 __
Gorge Hotel 9 8 .529 3.0
Greave’s Movers 9 9 .500 3.5
Kubicek’s 4 12 .250 7.0
(July 20) Last-place Kubicek’s Home Service swept both ends of a twin-bill from Gorge Hotel by scores of 14 to 10 and 13 to 6 at Lambrick Park. They claimed the first-game victory by scoring four runs in the top-of-the-ninth inning to complete a game continued from July 6 when it was halted because of darkness. Bill Wheeler singled, stole a pair of bases and then scored what proved to be the winning run on an error by losing chucker George Brice. Three add-on runs provided all the insurance they needed to seal the deal. Both Brice and Walt Burrows of the winners had earlier traded home runs.
T. Holmes, E. Lister (3), B. Kubicek (7), Karpiuk (W) (8) and D. Burrows
Hill, Mosely (3), G. Brice (L) (8) and O’Malley, Lumley (8)
The nightfall outing was prematurely terminated after five frames because of darkness. The Servicemen lit up four Gorge chuckers for 13 base blows in this abbreviated affair. Terry Karpiuk got credit for the win in this game as well as for the early tussle. One of the five hits he surrendered in this lusty-swatting affair was another home run by Brice.
Mosely (L), Linn (2), O’Malley (3), Squire (4) and Lumley
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
(July 21) The honeymoon effect of their two-game sweep an evening earlier disappeared quickly for Kubicek’s Home Service when they were hammered 18 to 2 by the first-place Farmer Construction squad at Lambrick Park. The Contractors clipped four Kubicek slabsters for 12 hits in the rout, scoring nine runs in the first inning. Power-hitting catcher George Pakos had a fourth-inning dinger as well as a brace of singles for the winners.
T. Holmes (L), Karpiuk (1), D. Burrows (3), E. Lister (6) and D. Burrows, Puritch (3)
Jolly (W), Baier (6) and Pakos
(July 22) Greave’s Movers recorded a 6 to 2 triumph over third-place Gorge Hotel in the first of three games on their schedule for the weekend.
Bowles (L) and O’Malley
Drinkwater (W), Cook (6), Drinkwater (7) and Robertson
(July 23) A 9 to 7 and 1 to 0 doubleheader sweep of league-leading Farmer Construction vaulted Greave’s Movers to within a game-and-a-half of the pace-setters in the Victoria Senior circuit. Dave Morgan and Les Brice each had three hits for the Movers in the curtain-raiser while Farmer swatsmith Russ McKee went four-for-four, including a bases-empty tater in the seventh spasm.
Mabee, Jolly (L) (3) and Pakos
L. Brice, Cook (W) (5) and Morgan
Greave’s Rick Cook limited the mighty Farmer arsenal to just three safeties in copping the shutout win in the finale.
Cook (W) and Morgan
Mabee (L) and Pakos
(July 24) Terry Karpiuk threw a two-hitter to pace last-place Kubicek’s Home Service to a 3 to 1 victory over Gorge Hotel in Victoria Senior Baseball League play at Lambrick Park. Karpiuk punched out 11 in winning his fourth game of the season against five losses. Losing pitcher George Brice absorbed his fourth defeat. Russ Holmes doubled in Bill Wheeler and then scored on a single by catcher Don Burrows to give the Servicemen a 2 to 0 third-inning lead, a cushion they never relinquished.
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
G. Brice and Tarbuck
(July 25) Russ McKee and Gord Strongman provided most of the muscle for Farmer Construction who nipped Kubicek’s Home Service 4 to 3 at Lambrick Park. McKee lashed out a solo dinger in the first inning to stake Farmer to a 1 to 0 lead while Strongman connected for a two-run tater in the third panel. Pete Jolly picked up the win with a four-hitter, fanning four and issuing no walks. Losing tosser Eric Lister was nicked for seven safeties, fanning seven and walking four.
Jolly (W) and Pakos
E. Lister (L) and D. Burrows
(July 26) An early scoring spree lifted Greave’s Movers past Gorge Hotel 13 to 8 in Senior Baseball League play at Lambrick Park. The Movers broke loose for eight counters in the opening stanza of the six-inning affair shortened by darkness. Winning tosser Derek Drinkwater helped his own cause by slamming a two-run circuit-clout during the first-frame outburst.
Linn (L), Budd (1), Squire (6) and Craig
Drinkwater (W), L. Brice (5) and Robertson
(July 27) Kubicek’s Home Service put together a ten-hit barrage and took advantage of five errors to upset second-place Greave’s Movers 8 to 4 at Lambrick Park. It was the fifth triumph for the cellar-dwellers in their last seven outings.
T. Holmes (W) and D. Burrows
Cook (L) and Morgan
(July 28-30) B.C. Senior Amateur Baseball championship tournament
(August 1) A 6 to 2 upset victory over league-leading Farmer Construction by Kubicek’s Home Service allowed winning hurler Terry Karpiuk to square his record on the knoll for the campaign to 5 – 5 after losing his first five outings. The Servicemen had only four hits but were aided to their victory by six Farmer errors. Lee Doney crushed a four-bagger for the vanquished nine.
Karpiuk (W) and Burrows
Mabee (L), Baier, Strongman and Pakos
(August 2) Pitcher Rick Cook scattered five hits and won his eighth game of the season as Greave’s Movers stopped Kubicek’s Home Service 7 to 2 in a Senior League clash at Lambrick Park. The Movers climbed to within two games of first-place Farmer Construction with the win. Greave’s struck early in the contest and plated what turned out to be the winning counter in the second stanza as Cook’s double, sandwiched between singles by Tom Robertson and Ken Hawkins, chased Robertson across the dish with a third run. Don Burrows cracked his first home run of the season for the Servicemen.
Cook (W) and Robertson
T. Holmes (L), D. Kubicek (6) and D. Burrows
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 16 9 .640 ----
Greave’s Movers 14 11 .560 2.0
Gorge Hotel 9 13 .409 5.5
Kubicek’s 9 15 .375 6.5
(August 3) Mike Baier had a perfect night at the plate to help power league-leading farmer Construction to a 17 to 1 romp over third-place Gorge Hotel. Baier connected for five of the 17 Framer base hits to drive in five runs and score four times. Included in his quintet of safeties were a home run, two doubles and a brace of one baggers. Pete Jolly gave up eight hits in winning his ninth decision in eleven starts.
Jolly (W) and Pakos
Linn (L), Mosely (2), Bowles (7) and Tarbuck
(August 6) Greave’s Mover’s picked up two-lopsided wins against Gorge Hotel in a double-dip at Lambrick Park, clobbering the Hoteliers 12 to 1 and 11 to 0. The double victory moved Greave’s to within a game-and-a-half of top-dog Farmer Construction in the standings. Catcher-turned-pitcher of late, Dave Morgan, tossed a five-hitter and crashed a two-run double in the fourth frame of the matinée tilt.
Morgan (W) and Robertson
Squire (L), Rivers (7) and Tarbuck
Rick Cook coasted to the second-game mound victory on a four-hitter. It was his ninth triumph of the season against three setbacks. The Movers pretty well sewed things up in this match with an eight-run first inning. John Yankoski cracked two hits for the winners including a three-run double. Les Brice also collected a pair of safeties and had a brace of RBI’s.
Linn (L), Bowles (2), Rivers (6) and Craig
Cook (W) and Robertson
(August 7) Kubicek’s Home Service helped tighten up the Victoria Senior Baseball League pennant race by dropping league-leading Farmer Construction 3 to 2 at Lambrick Park.The Kubicek’s rallied for two runs in the sixth inning to erase a 2 to 0 deficit and tie the game. With one out, Don Burrows reached first base on an error and advanced to second on a single by Ralph Anderson. Both runners moved another base on a wild pitch. After a second out had been made, Blair Kubicek singled home both runners but was caught in a rundown in trying to stretch his hit into a two-bagger. Bill Wheeler broke the tie in the seventh by singling home Darryl Kubicek with the winning marker.
Mabee (L) and Pakos
T. Holmes (W) and D. Burrows
(August 8) Superb relief pitching by Gerry Lister produced his first victory of the season as Greave’s Movers defeated Gorge Hotel 5 to 1 at Lambrick Park. The win elevated the Movers in the standings to within a half-game of the top rung. Lister, after coming to the aid of starter Derek Drinkwater with one out in the third inning, blanked the Hotelmen the rest of the way. He struck out nine batters, gave up no bases-on-balls and allowed only one hit.
Drinkwater, G. Lister (W) (3) and Robertson
Bowles (L) and Craig
(August 9) Gorge Hotel erupted for six runs in the fourth inning and then held on to defeat Kubicek’s Home Service 8 to 7 at Lambrick Park. The victory snapped an 11-game Gorge losing streak and moved the last-place Hotelmen to within a half game of Kubicek’s. Don Lambourne drilled three hits and Mike Embury a pair of safeties to lead Gorge’s nine-hit attack. Walt Burrows belted a two-run homer in the first inning to get the Servicemen off to a quick start.
Budd, Squire (W) (5) and Craig
Karpiuk (L), D. Kubicek (4) and D. Burrows
(August 10) Farmer Construction wrapped up a first-place finish in the Victoria Senior Baseball league as Pete Jolly collected his tenth pitching triumph of the season. Jolly tossed a three-hitter at Greave’s Movers, struck out four batters and yielded just one walk as the Contractors blanked the Movers 2 to 0 at Lambrick Park. Gord Strongman’s single in the fourth inning drove in Russ McKee, who had doubled, with the only run that Jolly needed in posting the shutout win.
Cook (L), G. Lister (5) and Robertson
Jolly (W) and Pakos
(August 11) Kubicek’s Home Service struck early and breezed to a 12 to 1 decision over cellar-dwelling Gorge Hotel in a Victoria Senior Baseball League game that finished under protest. Tom Holmes pitched a five-hitter in a winning route-going performance. Gorge lodged a protest claiming the use of an ineligible player.
O’Malley (L), Mosely (5) and Craig
T. Holmes (W) and D. Burrows
(August 13) Kubicek’s Home Service combined a split in a doubleheader with verification of an earlier victory to clinch third place and the final playoff berth in the Victoria Senior Baseball League. After dropping a 3 to 1 decision to pennant-winning Farmer Construction in the opening game at Lambrick Park, the Kubicek’s bounced back to take the second clash by a 9 to 4 count. Making it an even happier day for the Service Crew was a confirmation that a protest lodged by Gorge Hotel over a loss to Kubicek’s on August 11 had been withdrawn. George Pakos and Russ McKee launched round-trippers for the Construction Crew in the matinée tussle in support of winning chucker Bob Mabee.
Karpiuk (L) and D. Burrows
Mabee (W) and Pakos
Bob Mabee’s ironman attempt at winning the second contest didn’t pan out as he was driven to the showers as Terry Karpiuk of the Servicemen prevailed despite serving up Russ McKee’s second homer of the day.
Mabee (L), Pakos (6) and Strongman
Karpiuk (W) and D. Kubicek
In a third game at Lambrick Park, Greave’s Movers hammered Gorge Hotel 13 to 5. Ken Hawkins and Dave Morgan both went yard with dingers for the victors.
Drinkwater (W), Morgan (7) and Robertson
Craig (L) and O’Malley
Final Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 19 11 .633 ----
Greave’s Movers 18 12 .600 1.0
Kubicek’s 12 17 .414 6.5
Gorge Hotel 10 19 .345 8.5
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Kubicek’s Home Service vs Greave’s Movers (best-of-five-series)
(August 16) Rick Cook and Tom Robertson combined to give Greave’s Movers an opening-game victory as the Senior Baseball League semi-finals got underway. Cook tossed a four-hit shutout as Greave’s defeated Kubicek’s Home Service 4 to 0 at Lambrick Park. Robertson drove in Ken Hawkins and John Yankoski with a third-inning double to break a scoreless tie.
T. Holmes (L) and D. Burrows
Cook (W) and Robertson
(August 17) Terry Karpiuk pitched a three-hitter and fanned 13 batters as Kubicek’s Home Service edged Greave’s Movers 2 to 1 to square their best-of-five semi-final series at a game apiece.
Drinkwater (L) and Robertson
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
1972 FINAL STATISTICAL LEADERS (source – Victoria Times-Colonist, August 19/72)
Infielder-outfielder Walt Burrows captured the batting crown in the 1972 Victoria Senior Baseball League. Burrows, who plays for Kubicek’s Home Service, finished the season with a .326 average to edge Mike Embury of Gorge Hotel by one percentage point. Power-hitting Russ McKee of Farmer Construction belted nine home runs and scored 27 times to lead the league in both categories. Timely hitting over the course of the campaign by George Pakos of Farmer Construction earned him the runs-batted-in title with 22.
Pete Jolly, also of the pennant-winning Farmer squad, was the circuit’s top pitcher with a 10 – 2 mark. George Brice of Gorge Hotel had the best earned-run average for pitchers at 1.34 and Bob Mabee of Farmer led the loop in strikeouts with 103.
(August 20) The best-of-five semi-final series is deadlocked at two games each after Greave’s Movers and Kubicek’s Home Service divided a twin-bill at Lambrick Park. Greave’s nipped the Kubicek’s 5 to 4 in the early game as the Servicemen melted down defensively, committing six errors. A pair of solo home runs by Walt Burrows of the Kubicek’s were wasted by their shoddy play afield.
T. Holmes (L), Karpiuk (7) and D. Burrows
Cook (W) and Robertson
A dominant two-hit pitching performance by Terry Karpiuk in the wrap-up contest led to a 7 to 0 shutout win for Kubicek’s Home Service over Greave’s Movers and forced a fifth and deciding game. Ralph Anderson led the winners at the plate with three singles while teammate Don Burrows stung the horsehide for a first-inning homer.
Drinkwater (L) and Robertson
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
(August 21) Kubicek’s Home Service are just three outs away from a berth in the Victoria Senior Baseball League finals. They hold a 5 to 0 lead over Greave’s Movers in the fifth game that was suspended because of darkness.
(August 22) A 5 to 2 victory over Greave’s Movers completed the fifth-game semi-final victory for Kubicek’s Home Service in a fracas that took two evenings to complete.
Karpiuk (W), Ron Holmes (5) and D. Burrows
Morgan (L) and Robertson
FINALS Kubicek’s Home Service vs Farmer Construction (best-of-seven series)
(August 23) Kubicek’s Home Service surprised pennant-winning Farmer Construction 10 to 4 in the opener of the Senior Baseball League finals. Kubicek’s, third-place finishers during the regular season, exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to take control of the game. Outfielder Dave Wallace smashed a bases-loaded triple during the outburst and later scored on a single by winning pitcher Tom Holmes. The Servicemen had a 10 to 5 margin in base hits.
T. Holmes (W) and D. Burrows
Jolly (L) and Pakos
(August 24) Playing-manager Barry Harvey swung a mean bat at Lambrick Park as Farmer Construction evened the best-of-seven Victoria Senior Baseball final series at a game each by defeating Kubicek’s Home Service 7 to 5. Harvey connected for two hits in the equalizer which drove in three runs. Winning pitcher Bob Mabee gave the Servicemen a frustrating feeling, leaving ten Kubicek baserunners stranded. Both teams stroked the apple for seven safe swats.
Mabee (W) and Pakos
Ron Holmes (L), T. Holmes (5), Tarbuck (6) and D. Burrows
(August 27) Pennant-winning Farmer Construction and Kubicek’s Home Service remain in a deadlock for playoff honors after splitting a doubleheader at Lambrick Park. Kubicek’s scored four unearned runs to win the first game 4 to 2 and Farmer came back to capture the second joust 7 to 4. Tom Holmes struck out seven, issued two walks and allowed four hits in the opener.
T. Holmes (W) and D. Burrows
Jolly (L) and Pakos
John McKeachie connected for an infield hit with the bases loaded to drive home what turned out to be the winning Farmer run in the seventh inning of the evening encounter. Stan Thame then singled in two insurance markers. Don Burrows had a home run for the Servicemen in a losing cause.
Mabee (W) and Pakos
Karpiuk (L) and D. Burrows
(August 28) Farmer Construction struck hard and early to drop Kubicek’s Home Service 7 to 2 at Lambrick Park to take a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven Senior Baseball League finals. The Farmer aggregation lit into starter Ron Holmes and reliever Eric Lister with five of their seven hits in the first two innings, scoring three runs in each frame to take a commanding 6 to 0 lead. Russ McKee had two base knocks and scored three runs for the winners. Teammate Lee Doney helped by driving in three runs. Don Burrows was best with the stick for the Servicemen with a pair of safeties.
Ron Homes (L), E. Lister (1) and D. Burrows
Thame, Strongman (W) (2) and Pakos
(August 29) Farmer Construction capped their pennant-winning laurels with the Victoria Senior Baseball League playoff title by nipping Kubicek’s Home Service 2 to 1 at Lambrick Park. The Contractors won the best-of-seven final series 4 games to 2. Bob Mabee and Kubicek’s Terry Karpiuk waged a scoreless pitching duel until Farmer came up with two runs in the sixth inning. George Pakos started things by reaching the initial sack on an error and racing home on Gord Strongman’s triple. After Russ McKee grounded out, Strongman scored on a squeeze bunt by playing-manager Barry Harvey. Kubicek’s ruined Mabee’s shutout bid in their half of the sixth when Don Burrows blasted a solo dinger. Mabee finished with eight punchouts and gave up five walks while Karpiuk fanned six batters and issued one base-on-balls.
Mabee (W) and Pakos
Karpiuk (L) and D. Burrows
MID-ISLAND SENIOR BASEBALL
(May 21) Nanaimo Villa and invading Ladysmith played to a seven-inning scoreless standoff at Robins Park as Fitzhenry of the Coal City nine and Ladysmith’s Davidson locked horns in a classic pitcher’s duel with each being touched for just two hits.
(May 24) Nanaimo Villa whipped Ladysmith 8 to 3 in senior baseball action on the home turf of the Oyster Harbour nine. Heading the Villa performances on the diamond were pitcher Bert Webb who went the route for the win and Pat Shepherd who supplied offensive punch with a two-run homer.