1974 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1974 BC Interior
1974 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
With all four clubs from 1973 returning, the participants agreed to play a limited number of games against the all-star team from the Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League as part of the regular schedule. An arrangement was also set up with Vancouver’s Metro Baseball League to play some interlocking matches, the results of which would also be counted in the standings. Unlike previous seasons, coverage of early-season games within the Victoria press was hit-and-miss with a number of games during May going unreported.
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service
Farmer Construction
Gorge Hotel
Greave’s Moving & Storage
(May 19) Defending champion Farmer Construction and Al’s Home Service annexed wins as the 1974 season of the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League got underway at Lambrick Park. Tom Sallaway pitched a three-hitter as the Contractors dumped Gorge Hotel 5 to 1 in the opening tilt while the Servicemen enjoyed one big inning in their 8 to 4 doubling of Greave’s Movers in the late tussle. After a stint in Saskatchewan last season, Sallaway made an impressive return to the Capital City baseball wars in his outing against the Hotelmen. Glen Wallis banged out the season’s first home run in support of Sallaway’s pitching effort. Loser Bob Mabee was the victim of five errors by his clubmates.
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
Mabee (L) and Bowles
Tom Holmes struck out seven and walked two to earn the complete-game victory for Kubicek’s in the late encounter. The Servicemen piled up all eight of their counters in a huge fourth inning in chasing losing tosser Terry Karpiuk to the showers.
Karpiuk (L), Morgan (4) and D. Burrows
T. Holmes (W) and Simpson
(May 20) Les Brice, returning to the diamond after a one-year retirement, took to the hill and had little trouble in handling the Victoria Firefighter Senior Babe Ruth All-Stars, setting the Firefighters down on two hits as Gorge Hotel prevailed 5 to 1. The Senior Babe Ruthers didn’t get to Brice for a run until the final inning when they got their second hit and took advantage of a Gorge error.
L. Brice (W) and Robertson
Painter (L) and Rogers
(May 22) A well-pitched one-hitter by Gorge Hotel twirler Rick Cook went for naught as his mates played poor defensively in in a 4 to 1 setback by Greave’s Movers. Derek Drinkwater allowed five hits in taking the knoll decision.
(May 24) Defending-champion Farmer Construction showed early signs that they were once again the team to beat as they whipped Al’s Home Service 10 to 1. Glen Campbell got the win for Farmer, their second in as many starts, while Blair Kubicek took the loss.
[9 unreported game results between May 25 and June 1]
(June 2) Al’s Home Service and Gorge Hotel, running third and fourth in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League, stayed put by splitting a twin-bill at Lambrick Park. Al’s tripped Gorge 4 to 1 in the opening encounter and hen dropped a 6 to 0 decision in the second game. Terry Yalowega, in his first start, pitched the first-game victory for the Servicemen, striking out six batters, scattering four hits and allowing only one walk. The lone run he surrendered was a solo home run the catcher Tom Robertson of the Hotelmen.
Yalowega (W) and Simpson
Cook (L) and Robertson.
Gorge’s Bob Mabee proved tough in clutch situations in the finale, fanning six, surrendering an equal number of hits while walking five. Mabee stranded 15 Al’s baserunners and aided in the Gorge scoring with a bases-empty four-bagger in the third inning.
Mabee (W) and Robertson
G. Lister (L) and Simpson
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 5 1 .833 ----
Greave’s Moving & Storage 3 2 .600 1.5
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 3 4 .429 2.5
Gorge Hotel 3 5 .375 3.0
* standings include games with Victoria Firefighter Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars
(June 5) Both while toeing the slab and within the batter’s box, Terry Karpiuk proved his versatility by spearheading Greave’s Movers to a 3 to 1 Senior Amateur League victory over Gorge Hotel at Lambrick Park. Karpiuk, who allowed only two hits and one unearned run while twirling the distance, drove in the first tally and an insurance counter on a brace of singles and a base-on-balls. Back-to-back doubles by Barry Stevens and Walt Burrows produced what turned out to be the winning marker in a two-run seventh inning.
Karpiuk (W) and Morgan
L. Brice (L) and Robertson
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 6 0 1.000 ----
Greave’s Moving & Storage 4 2 .667 2.0
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 3 4 .429 3.5
Gorge Hotel 2 7 .222 5.5
* standings include games with Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars
(June 6) Singles by Gerry Lister and Randy Johnson highlighted a five-run fourth inning that pushed Al’s Home Service past Greave’s Movers 6 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Greave’s pitchers allowed only three hits overall but created their own downfall by loading the bases twice, with walks, in the disastrous fourth. Tom Holmes gave up five hits in going the distance for his second win of the season.
T.Holmes (W) and Simpson
Drinkwater (L), M. Perkins (4) and Morgan
(June 9) Greave’s Movers defeated Farmer Construction 3 to 1 in the first-half of a three-team double-dip at Lambrick Park but gained only a half-game on the league-leaders who bounced back in the second contest to nip Al’s Home Service 7 to 5. Winning hurler Terry Karpiuk helped his own cause in the first game by drilling a sixth-inning single that drove in Dave Morgan with the tie-breaking run.
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
Sallaway (L) and Ron Holmes
Highlighting the second game was the tremendous defensive play by Farmer’s shortstop John Yankoski, who also drove in two runs, and centre-fielder Dave McDonald who had two hits in four trips to the plate.
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
G. Lister, E. Lister (L) (4) and Simpson
(June 9) Two former New York Yankee farmhands, Terry Dreger and Don Rogelstad, pitched the Landmarks and Old Stylers of Vancouver’s Metro Baseball League to 6 to 3 and 3 to 0 interlocking victories over Victoria Gorge Hotel in doubleheader action at Capilano Stadium. Dreger scattered five hits and struck out 11 as the Landmarks struck for three counters in the third inning of the matinée tilt. Al Foreman and Keith Wilson each had two hits and an RBI for the Landmarks. Rogelstad tossed a three-hit shutout in the late outing, whiffing nine along the way. Pete Thiessen tripled and singled, accumulating two RBI’s, for the winners.
(June 10) Greave’s Movers closed to within a half-game of pace-setting Farmer Construction by handing the Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth All-Stars an 11 to 2 setback at Lambrick Park. Mark Perkins went the distance on the bump for the Movers, earning his first win of the season, while helping his own cause with four RBI’s on a home run and a single.
Perkins (W) and Winstanley
Moretti, Ball (L) (3), Jones (6), Halme (6) and Rogers, Carlson (6)
(June 11) Sparked by a strong pitching performance by left-hander Derek Drinkwater, Greave’s Movers took over first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by blasting Farmer Construction 12 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Drinkwater, who had been off form since leading the circuit in strikeouts last season, struck out ten and allowed only two hits. His batterymate, Don Burrows, the league’s leading hitter, bashed out a three-run homer.
Messer (L), Ron Holmes (6) and Ron Holmes, Farley (6)
Drinkwater (W) and D. Burrows
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Greave’s Moving & Storage 7 3 .700 ----
Farmer Construction 6 3 .667 0.5
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 4 5 .444 2.5
Gorge Hotel 3 9 .250 5.0
* standings include interlocking games with Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars and Vancouver Metro League teams
(June 12) John Yankoski and Dave McDonald produced some powerful hitting at Lambrick Park to ignite Farmer Construction to a 7 to 1 conquest of Al’s Home Service. With the victory, the Contractors vaulted into a share of first place with Greave’s Movers. Yankoski stung the sphere for a three-run circuit-clout, a double and a single and drew a base-on-balls as well, scoring four runs. McDonald had three singles and a double and crossed the plate three times.
R. Holmes (W) and Farley
T. Holmes (L) and Simpson
(June 13) Farmer Construction regained sole possession of first place in the Senior Amateur Baseball League by topping Al’s Home Service 5 to 4 at Lambrick Park. It was the second triumph for Farmers in as many days over Al’s. After plating three unearned runs in the opening inning, the Construction Crew allowed the Servicemen to knot the count in the top-of-the-second stanza but moved ahead once more in their half of the frame when John Yankoski tripled and later scored. A singleton in the third, garnered after Ron Holmes doubled and was driven home on a one-bagger by Dave McDonald, turned out to be the winning marker. Glen Wallis picked up the hurling win after relieving Mike Baier in the third inning. Randy Johnson led Al’s with the baton, stroking three singles to drive in a pair of runs.
B. Kubicek (L) and Simpson
Baier, Wallis (W) (3) and Ron Holmes
(June 16) The Budgets of Vancouver’s Metro Baseball League clobbered Al’s Home Service, a Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League club, 10 to 0 in the second leg of an interlocking double-dip as Robbie Kemp hammered a two-run single and a three-run homer. The Vancouver Eldorados nipped the Servicemen 3 to 1 in the opener.
(June 16) Gorge Hotel crawled out of the basement position in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by taking both ends of a doubleheader at Lambrick Park. The Hotelmen tripped Greave’s Movers 1 to 0 in the opener, then collected a 6 to 4 decision in the second encounter. Rick Cook registered his first knoll victory in four tries in the lid-lifter by whiffing eight, scattering four hits and walking a pair.
Drinkwater (L) and Morgan
Cook (W) and Robertson
Garnet Moen paced Gorge’s 14-hit attack in the finale by driving in two runs on a double and two singles.
Mabee (W) and Robertson
Morgan (W) and D. Burrows
(June 17) A 9 to 1 thumping of the Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth All-Stars at Lambrick Park extended the win streak of third-place Gorge Hotel to three games. Les Brice pitched the complete-game victory for the Hoteliers, scattering eight hits, breezing three and allowing one base-on-balls. Tom Robertson and Russ Holmes set the pace for the Gorge hitters. Robertson collected two singles and a double while Holmes recorded a triple and one-bagger.
L. Brice (W) and Robertson
Moretti (L), Ball (2), Irving (4), Rogers (5) and Rogers, Barnett (5)
(June 18) Terry Karpiuk hurled a five-hitter at Lambrick Park to help Greave’s Movers blank Farmer Construction 3 to 0. The shutout win moved Greave’s to within a half-game of the front-running Contractors. Losing pitcher Wayne Messer didn’t yield a hit for the first four innings of the contest but, in the fifth, he relinquished a run-scoring single to Barry Cosier which drove in what turned out to be the winning run.
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
Messer (L) and Ron Holmes
(June 19) Walt Burrows slugged a leadoff home run over the left-field fence to give Greave’s Movers a 1 to 0 victory over Gorge Hotel at Lambrick Park. The dinger, second of the season for Burrows, ruined a fine pitching performance by Gorge’s Bob Mabee who fanned eight while allowing only two hits and two walks. Derek Drinkwater boosted his record to four wins against three losses in hurling a five-hitter for the shutout victory.
Mabee (L) and Robertson
Drinkwater (W) and D. Burrows
(June 20) Shocking four pitchers for 16 hits, including a three-run homer by Wayne Messer, Farmer Construction hammered out an 11 to 8 victory over Gorge Hotel in a Senior Amateur Baseball League game at Lambrick Park. Dave McDonald led Farmer to victory with four singles and two doubles while John Yankoski added a pair of one-baggers and a double.
Ron Holmes, Wallis (W) (5) and Farley
Cook (L), L. Brice (1), Mabee (3), Russ Holmes (5) and Robertson
(June 23) John Haar drove in four runs as the invading Old Stylers of Vancouver’s Metro Baseball League split a Sunday doubleheader with teams from the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League at Lambrick Park in the Capital City. Haar and Terry Stein both had two hits and drove in two runs in an 8 to 6 first-game win over Al’s Home Service but it was pinch-hitter Les Babuin’s two-run double in the top-of-the-seventh inning that won the game for the visitors. Pete Thiessen stole two bases and scored twice for the Vancouverites.
Mickey, Mann (W), (5) and Haar
Yalowega, G. Lister (L) (5) and Simpson
Gen Wallis came up with a pair of crucial hits in the second affair, captured 7 to 6 by Farmer Construction of the Victoria circuit. Wallis doubled in a pair of counters for the Victorians in the fourth frame and brought another brace across the platter with a sixth-inning single. He then touched the pan with the eventual winner on a Barry Moen sacrifice. Ken Markley had three hits and Haar added a two-run round-tripper for the Vancouverites in this tilt.
Williams (L) and Haar
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 10 4 .714 ----
Greave’s Moving & Storage 9 5 .643 1.0
Gorge Hotel 6 10 .375 5.0
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 4 10 .286 6.0
* standings include interlocking games with Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars and Vancouver Metro League teams
(June 24) The Firefighter Senior Babe Ruth All-Stars picked up their first win of the season against Senior Amateur League opposition when they nipped league-leading Farmer Construction 5 to 4. A three-run sixth inning did the trick for the Senior Babe Ruthers who were outhit 7 to 5 by their Senior League brethren.
Campbell (L), Wallis (6) and Ron Holmes
James (W) and Barnett
(June 27) Al’s Home Service notched their third win in four meetings with Gorge Hotel by dropping the Hotelmen 8 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Daryl Kubicek held Gorge batters to four hits to earn his initial pitching win of the season. Dave Wallace and Wayne O’Malley picked up two safeties each for the winners.
Mabee (L) and Robertson
D. Kubicek (W) and Simpson
(June 28) Terry Karpiuk shook off early troubles and went on to post his fourth pitching triumph in Senior Amateur baseball League play as Greave’s Movers defeated Farmer Construction 4 to 1 to move a half-game ahead of the Contractors in the standings. Karpiuk issued a walk and was tagged for two singles and Farmer’s only run in the first inning but allowed only two more hits the rest of the way. The tall right-hander also ignited a three-run rally by the Movers with a leadoff single in the second inning. Martin Winstanley had three safe swats for the victors while teammate Mark Perkins jacked a circuit-clout in the fifth spasm.
(June 29) Al’s Home Service moved into third place in the Senior Amateur loop by downing the Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth All-Stars 4 to 1 at Lambrick Park. Tom Holmes won his third mound victory in five decisions by tossing a two-hitter. Leading the Garagemen with the willow were Dave Wallace and Randy Johnson with two hits each.
T. Holmes (W) and Simpson
Krimmer (L) and Barnett
(June 30) Farmer Construction of the Capital City struck for three runs in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning to defeat the visiting Landmarks 7 to 6 in the opener of a three-team interlocking double-bill but the Vancouver Metro League squad pulled off a split against Victoria Senior League opposition by defeating Al’s Home Service 6 to 2 in the concluding match at Lambrick Park. Al Moir sparked Farmer’s winning burst with a two-run homer that tied the score.
Wragg, Bultitude (L) (5) and White
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
The Landmarks used the same winning formula in the nightcap by rolling across a four-spot in the final frame to break a 2 – 2 deadlock.
Bazaluk (W) and White
B. Kubicek (L) and Johnson
(July 2) Gorge Hotel vacated last-place by upsetting Farmer Construction 6 to 4 in a Senior Amateur League fracas at Lambrick Park. Les Brice survived being raked for ten hits to post the complete-game mound triumph. He helped himself at the plate by connecting for two hits, scoring once and driving in another tally. Dave McDonald recorded a three-for-four hitting performance for the Contractors who dropped out of a tie for first place with Greave’s Movers.
L. Brice (W) and Robertson
Messer (L), Ron Holmes (7) and Ron Holmes, Farley (7)
(July 4) With Tom Sallaway’s one-hitter greasing the way, Farmer Construction slipped into first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by blanking Greave’s Movers 5 to 0 at Lambrick Park. Sallaway whiffed seven and walked five in going the distance. A single by Greave’s Barry Cosier was the only base rap he surrendered. Two infield hits in the fourth frame by Dave McDonald and John Yankoski, sandwiched around a bunt single by Mike Baier, provided the Construction Crew with the only run they needed.
Drinkwater (L) and Morgan
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
(July 7) Hosting Greave’s Movers eased into first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by tripping the Budgets of the Vancouver Metro Baseball League 7 to 4 in the first of a pair of interlocking contests at Lambrick Park. The Budgets also suffered a second setback, a 2 to 1 loss, to Victoria’s Gorge Hotel in the last half of the three-team doubleheader. Don Burrows’ two-run homer in the third inning gave the Movingmen the cushion they needed to capture the opener and move a few percentage points in front of idle Farmer Construction in the standings. His brother, Walt Burrows, and Barry Cosier both had two safeties as part of the Greave’s 10-hit offensive thrust.
Zinio (L), Elliott (3) and Bird
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
The Budgets had a 5 to 3 edge in base hits in their late clash with the Hotelmen but were unable to string hits together.
Grant (L) and Stephens
Mabee (W) and Robertson
(July 8) Gerry Lister hit his second home run of the season as Al’s Home Service dumped the All-Stars from the Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League 13 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Lister’s three-run shot in the first inning started the Servicemen on the road to victory. Ray Moretti of the Firefighters duplicated Lister’s feat with a third-inning three-run tater. The win moved the basement-dwelling Garagemen to within a half-game of third place.
D. Kubicek, Yalowega (W) (3) and Simpson
James (L), Halme (4) and Rogers
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Greave’s Moving & Storage 11 6 .647 ----
Farmer Construction 12 7 .632 ----
Gorge Hotel 8 11 .421 4.0
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 7 11 .389 4.5
* standings include interlocking games with Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars and Vancouver Metro League teams
(July 10) Terry Karpiuk discovered what honest support means at Lambrick Park. Sailing along with a no-hitter, Karpiuk yielded what appeared to be a single to Farmer batter Al Moir, leading off the sixth stanza. Initially charged with a base hit, Karpiuk received a favorable ruling when the official scorekeeper changed the hit to an error after conversing with the outfielder involved in the controversial play. Escaping with the no-hitter, Karpiuk and his Greave’s Movers’ teammates blanked Farmer Construction 6 to 0 to move a full game ahead of the Contractors.
Sallaway (L) and Ron Holmes
Karpiuk (W) and D. Burrows
(July 11) Greave’s Moving & Storage squeezed out a 3 to 2 decision over Al’s Home Service at Lambrick Park to move 1-1/2 games ahead of the pack in the race for top spot in the Senior Amateur circuit. Walt Burrows cracked out his third home run of the season, tops in the league, to start the Movers off in the first inning. Mark Perkins drove in Martin Winstanley with the winning run on a seventh-inning single.
E. Lister (L) and Johnson
Drinkwater (W) and Morgan
(July 14) Al’s Home Service vaulted out of the cellar by travelling two different paths to victory during a Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League doubleheader at Lambrick Park against the former third-place club, Gorge Hotel. The Hoteliers had to forfeit the first game after Russ Holmes was ejected for disputing an umpire’s decision. Al’s then went on to chalk up a 10 to 8 win in the second game on the strength of an 18-hit attack. The leading swatsmiths for the victors were Gerry Lister who banged out a home run, double and single and Randy Johnson who stroked four safeties including a three-bagger.
T. Holmes (W), E. Lister (5) and Simpson
L. Brice (L), Mabee (2) and Robertson
(July 14) Terry Dreger of Vancouver’s Metro League Landmarks came on to surrender only two hits in two innings of scoreless relief work and pick up the victory in a 14 to 13 extra-inning marathon over Victoria’s Greave’s Movers in interlocking action. Al Foreman stung the horsehide for four safeties in leading the Landmarks at the plate.
Greave’s also dropped the second game of the interlocking twin-bill, falling 4 to 0 to the Metro League’s front-running Old Stylers.
(July 15) The Victoria Firefighter’s Senior Babe Ruth All-Stars handed Greave’s Movers a third straight loss, topping the Movingmen 3 to 2 at Lambrick Park. The loss relegated Greave’s nine percentage points behind Farmer Construction in the battle for top spot in the circuit. Terry Painter scattered five hits in grabbing the win for the Stars and also scored the winning run on a wild pitch by losing chucker Terry Karpiuk. George Lomas belted a two-run dinger for the Ruthers while the Movers’ Dave Morgan blasted a solo tater.
Karpiuk (L) and Morgan
Painter (W) and Rogers
(July 17) Following a half-season of self-imposed retirement, George Brice returned to the diamond wars with a vengeance, tossing a one-hitter while pitching Farmer Construction to a 3 to 0 shutout win over Al’s Home Service. Brice fanned 11 in his Lambrick Park return, allowing only two runners on base during the tilt. Daryl Kubicek’s single was the lone safety garnered off the veteran right-hander. The other runner reached base on a dropped third strike by catcher Ron Holmes.
T. Holmes (L) and Simpson
G. Brice (W) and Ron Holmes
(July 21) Terry Karpiuk emerged as the man of the hour at Lambrick Park by leading Greave’s Movers of the Victoria Senior Amateur League to a 2 to 1 decision over the Eldorados of Vancouver’s Metro League in the matinée portion of an interlocking twin-bill. The Eldos bounced back in the evening scuffle to blank Victoria’s Gorge Hotel 5 to 0. Karpiuk stretched his league-leading record to seven wins in eight decisions, striking out 11 in the opener as the Movers assumed a half-game lead atop the Victoria circuit. The right-hander was also potent with the lumber, singling in the second inning in his first at bat. In the fourth, he hit a sacrifice fly that plated Walt Burrows with the tying counter and then, in the sixth, singled home Burrows once more with the winning marker.
Nicholson (L) and Gurvich
Karpiuk (W) and Morgan
Tom Bogue of the Eldorados subdued the Hoteliers on four hits in the finale.
Bogue (W) and Gamlin
Cook (L) and Robertson
(July 22) Gorge Hotel stepped out of last place with a 5 to 1 victory over Al’s Home Service in a Lambrick Park tussle. The loss for the Servicemen relegated them to the cellar position in the Senior Amateur League. Bob Mabee picked up the pitching win by fanning six, walking none and yielding seven hits. The Hotelmen scored all five runs in the third inning as Bob Moisey clouted a run-scoring double, Larry McKinty tagged a two-run single and Mabee finished the scoring by drilling a one-bagger good for two RBI’s.
E. Lister (L) and Simpson
Mabee (W) and Robertson
(July 23) George Brice hurled his second shutout win in two starts to lead Farmer Construction to a 1 to 0 conquest of Gorge Hotel at Lambrick Park. The victory lifted Farmer to a narrow lead over Greave’s Movers atop the Senior Amateur circuit. Brice struck out seven and allowed only three hits. He picked up the only run he needed when Glen Wallis connected for a solo home run in the fifth inning.
L. Brice (L) and Robertson
G. Brice (W) and Ron Holmes
(July 24) Three consecutive one-out doubles by Dave Morgan, Terry Karpiuk and Phil Pimlott in the top of the overtime session resulted in two runs and a 5 to 3 triumph over Al’s Home Service, elevating Greave’s Movers into first place in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League. Walt Burrows hammered out two singles to drive in the other Greave’s markers. Winning pitcher Derek Drinkwater struck out 11 for his seventh victory of the season.
Drinkwater (W) and Morgan
B. Kubicek (L) and Simpson
(July 25) Tom Sallaway’s strong two-way performance spearheaded Farmer Construction to a 4 to 2 victory over Gorge Hotel at Lambrick Park. Sallaway picked up the complete-game pitching win by spacing six hits, fanning nine and scoring the winning run on a single by John Yankoski after doubling in the fourth inning.
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
Cook (L), Mabee (4) and Robertson
(July 28) Bob Mabee was a significant weapon in a Gorge Hotel doubleheader sweep over Greave’s Movers at Lambrick Park. Mabee tossed a four-hit shutout in the early tussle as Gorge snatched a 1 to 0 victory. His timely hitting in the second scuffle led to a 2 to 1 triumph for the Hoteliers. Mabee fanned six in a route-going mound performance to begin the two-game set and singled in the winning run in the seventh stanza.
Karpiuk (L) and Morgan
Mabee (W) and Robertson
Rick Cook, who punched out eight while stymying the Movers on a three-hitter, was the winning flinger in the nightcap but Mabee, again, stole the spotlight when he cracked two clutch doubles in the tensely-fought battle.
Cook (W) and Robertson
Drinkwater (L) and Winstanley
(July 28) Farmer Construction of Victoria divided the spoils in an interlocking doubleheader with teams from Vancouver’s Metro Baseball League. George Brice pitched a two-hitter in a 5 to 1 victory over the Budgets in the opener as teammate Ron Holmes went three-for-four at bat. In the second match, the Eldorados defeated Farmer 7 to 6 as playing-manager Ossie Chavarria was credited with the pitching victory.
Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 16 9 .640 ----
Greave’s Moving & Storage 16 11 .593 1.0
Gorge Hotel 11 16 .407 6.0
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 9 16 .360 7.0
* standings include interlocking games with Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars and Vancouver Metro League teams
(July 29) A 5 to 3 win over Al’s Home Service increased the lead of Farmer Construction atop the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League to 1-1/2 games. The Kubicek’s scored all three of their runs in a fifth-inning outburst but Farmer roared back with a four-spot in their half of the frame and coasted home behind the seven-hit pitching of veteran Des Moseley.
T. Holmes (L) and Simpson
Moseley (W) and Ron Holmes
(July 30) Farmer Construction kept moving forward by taking a 4 to 1 win over Al’s Home Service, their second victory in two evenings against the Servicemen. Mike Baier sparked a three-run first-inning spree for the Contractors with a homer to left-field. Baier later produced three singles to account for half of the Construction Crew’s eight hits. Winning pitcher Tom Sallaway rang up 12 punchouts while hurling a three-hitter.
Sallaway (W) and Ron Holmes
Yalowega (L), G. Lister (1) and Johnson
(August 2-5) B. C. Senior Baseball championship tournament
(August 7) Gorge Hotel clinched the final playoff berth in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League with a 6 to 3 victory over last-place Al’s Home Service at Lambrick Park. Bob Mabee pitched Gorge out of trouble after taking over hillock chores with one out and a runner aboard with the score tied 3 – 3 in the top-of-the-sixth inning. The Hotelmen went on to plate a three-spot in their half of the canto to cop the victory. Third baseman Mike Squire played an outstanding game defensively and also contributed a key two-run double during Gorge’s three-run spurt in the first inning.
G. Lister (L) and Johnson
Cook, Mabee (W) (6) and Russ Holmes
(August 9) With a 3 to 2 victory over Greave’s Movers at Lambrick Park, Farmer Construction clinched the 1974 regular-season pennant, earning a bye into the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League finals. Ron Holmes drove in all three runs for the pennant-winners with a double and single. George Brice scattered four hits to earn the knoll triumph. Three other games, which were to be made up for rainouts, were cancelled because the results would not alter the final standings.
Final Standings * W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 19 9 .679 ----
Greave’s Moving & Storage 16 12 .571 3.0
Gorge Hotel 12 16 .429 7.0
Al’s/Kubicek’s Home Service 9 19 .321 10.0
* standings include interlocking games with Victoria Firefighters’ Senior Babe Ruth League All-Stars and Vancouver Metro League teams
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Gorge Hotel vs Greave’s Moving & Storage (best-of-five series)
(August 11) Gorge Hotel and Greave’s Movers are deadlocked after a playoff doubleheader which opened their best-of-five semi-final series. Gorge won the first encounter 4 to 1 but Greave’s bounced back to collect a 4 to 2 victory in the second game. Russ Holmes led Gorge batters in the opener by driving in two runs on a double during a three-run second inning. He also had a single during his four trips to the plate.
Mabee (W) and Russ Holmes
Drinkwater (L), M. Perkins (2), Drinkwater (4) and Morgan
Phil Pimlott gave Greave’s their winning margin in the second contest with a double that drove in a pair of fourth-inning runs. Garnet Moen posted two singles and a sacrifice fly in chasing across both counters for the Hotelmen.
Perkins (W) and Morgan
L. Brice (L), Cook (4) and Russ Holmes
(August 13) Walt Burrows pasted a two-run homer in the bottom-of-the-sixth inning at Lambrick Park to give Greave’s Movers a narrow 2 to 1 victory over Gorge Hotel and a two-games-to-one lead in the Senior Amateur semi-finals. The Hotelmen had taken a 1 to 0 lead in the top-half of the frame on a bases-loaded base-on-balls to Bob Bowles.
Mabee (L) and Rogers
Karpiuk (W) and Morgan
(August 14) Garnet Moen wielded a decisive bat as Gorge Hotel tripped Greave’s Movers 7 to 4 to force a fifth and deciding game in their semi-final playoff showdown. Moen had four RBI’s with a solo homer and a three-run double.
Perkins, Karpiuk (L) (4), Morgan (5) and Morgan, Winstanley (5)
Cook, Mabee (2), Cook (W) (3) and Rogers
(August 15) Terry Karpiuk came up with a strong two-way performance at Lambrick Park to lead Greave’s Movers past Gorge Hotel 5 to 1 in the deciding Victoria Senior Amateur semi-final joust. Karpiuk pitched a shutout for the first six innings of the match to pick up the knoll verdict and helped the Movers at the dish with a second-stanza home run and a run-scoring single in the fourth frame. Dave Morgan started Greave’s off on the right track by lighting up losing slabster Bob Mabee for a bases-empty dinger in the first inning.
Mabee (L) and Robertson
Karpiuk (W), Drinkwater (7) and D. Burrows
FINALS Greave’s Moving & Storage vs Farmer Construction (best-of-seven series)
(August 18) Greave’s Movers and pennant-winning Farmer Construction split a doubleheader which opened their best-of-seven Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League final series at Lambrick Park. Farmer captured the opener 9 to 5 but Greave’s rebounded to take the late encounter 4 to 1. John Yankoski, who was the leading batter in the circuit during the regular season with a .453 average, and Ralph Perkins each had two hits for the Contractors in their winning first-game effort while Barry Cosier and Dave Morgan of the Movers duplicated the feat.
Drinkwater (L), M. Perkins (2) and Morgan
Sallaway (W) and Williston
Terry Karpiuk went the distance on the knoll for Greave’s in the late tilt. fanning eleven while yielding only two hits and three walks. Cosier led the Movers with the stick, stroking a brace of safeties.
G. Brice (L) and Armstrong
Karpiuk (W) and Morgan
(August 20) Dave Morgan and Terry Karpiuk drove in three runs each to lead Greave’s Movers to an 8 to 2 playoff victory over Farmer Construction at Lambrick Park. The Win gives the Movers a 2 – 1 lead in the best-of-seven final series. Morgan had three singles to drive in his triad of tallies while Karpiuk nailed a home run and double off the slants of losing chucker Tom Sallaway to achieve his trio of RBI’s. Greave’s broke open a tight game with a five-spot in the seventh stanza, keyed by Karpiuk’s two-bagger. Winning tosser Mark Perkins struck out nine batters while allowing three hits and a lone walk.
(August 21) Farmer Construction leaned on the lumber to reduce the Senior Amateur League’s championship series to a best-of-three affair. The Contractors banged out 11 hits in defeating Greave’s Movers 9 to 4 in a darkness-shortened, six-inning fracas at Lambrick Park to square the final series 2 – 2. Catcher Dan Rogers, seconded from the Senior Babe Ruth ranks, and outfielder Dave McDonald each had three hits and two RBI’s for the winners. First baseman Glen Wallis drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double in the second inning. Dave Morgan collected two base raps for Greave’s.
G. Brice (W), Moseley (3) and Rogers
Moretti (L), Drinkwater (3) and Morgan, Winstanley
(August 22) Terry Karpiuk scattered three hits at Lambrick Park to lead Greave’s Movers to a 5 to 0 whitewashing of Farmer Construction and a 3 – 2 lead in the best-of-seven finals. The game ended after five inning with darkness preventing further play. Senior Babe Ruth recruit Roy Moretti drove in two runs for the winners with a double in the fourth inning.
Karpiuk (W) and Moretti
G. Brice (L) and Rogers
(August 25) Greave’s Movers, outhit by an 8 to 5 margin, choked a final-inning Farmer Construction rally to defeat the pennant-winners 3 to 2 and capture the 1974 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League championship four games to two. Terry Karpiuk picked up the pitching win, his third of the series, with eight strikeouts and five bases-on-balls. The Movers were led at the plate by Paul Pimloff who connected for a double and a single with an RBI. The other two Greave’s runs were unearned. Karpiuk’s shutout bid was foiled in the seventh inning when losing chucker Tom Sallaway reached first base on an error. John Yankoski and Mike Baier followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out. Dave McDonald then connected with a single to plate both Sallaway and Yankoski. Karpiuk then dug deep to retire Glen Wallis on a foul out, Dan Rogers on a pop up and Wayne Messer on a strikeout. Baier and McDonald had three safeties apiece for the vanquished nine.
Sallaway (L) and Rogers
Karpiuk (W) and Moretti
MID-ISLAND BASEBALL LEAGUE
Courtenay :
Ladysmith :
Lake Cowichan :
Nanaimo Villas :
FINALS
(July 28) The Nanaimo Villas and Lake Cowichan divided the spoils as the best-of-three Mid-Island Baseball League finals got underway with a twin-bill. The Villas had their problems against southpaw Doug Jubenville in the opener and went down to a 3 to 1 defeat. Jubenville scattered six hits while Al Hill, another portsider, went the distance for the Villas and was tagged with the loss. Hill was touched for just four safeties but were the beneficiaries of three unearned runs. In the nightcap, Nanaimo grabbed an early 8 – 3 lead and hung on for an 8 to 7 victory, squaring the series. Starting tosser Marc Crane earned the pitching win.
(July 31) Lake Cowichan defeated the Nanaimo Villas 3 to 1 at Robins Park in the Hub City in the third and deciding game of the Mid-Island Baseball League finals.