SOUTHERN LEAGUE
All things remained stable as the Southern League headed into the 1974 campaign. Each of the four clubs from the previous season returned to battle against one another in a 24 game per team schedule. Import Gene Gerrard took over as the playing-manager of the Melville Millionaires and, after a year's retirement from the diamond, Larry Tollefson assumed the same role with the Moose Jaw Devons, taking over from Ned Andreoni who had held that post since 1970.
The 1974 season saw the initial third-generation family member become a player in the loop.The patriarch of the Nutzhorn family, Bill, played in the circuit during its infancy years in the thirties. Ray played from the late forties until the early sixties and, in 1974, Scott Nutzhorn made the roster of the Swift Current Indians.
(May 26) The Melville Millionaires bombed the Regina Red Sox 11 to 2 in the 1974 Southern League season opener in Melville. The Millionaires chased Red Sox' starter Pete Rhodes from the mound in the first inning with a three-run flurry and put the game out of reach with a four count off reliever Bob Faith. Second year import, Gene Gerrard, picked up the mound win for Melville. The Moneymen put together a 12-hit attack in the seven inning contest while Gerrard, who went the distance for Melville, held Regina to six hits. Ross Tycoles led the Millionaires hit parade by clouting two doubles and a single. Doug Senyk and Ian Perrin each smashed a triple.
Rhodes (L), Faith (1) and Logan
Gerrard (W) and xxx
(May 27) The defending champion Moose Jaw Devons opened the new campaign with a 4 to 2 win over the Swift Current Indians in a 5-inning, rain-shortened game at Mitchell Field in the Frontier City. The Devons out-hit their hosts 9 to 4. Jim Baba's two-run double sparked the winners.
Rowley (W) and Tollefson
Pusch (L) and Nybo
(May 29) The Moose Jaw Devons lashed out 13 hits for a 13 to 0 romp over the Regina Red Sox in a Southern League game in the Mill City. Warren Mertens, an import pitcher from Minnesota, limited the Red Sox to three hits. Red Sox' starter and loser Howard Singer was sent to the showers in the fourth when the Devons scored six runs to put the game out of reach. Gary Erfle had three hits, including a pair of doubles, for the winners.
Singer (L), Rhodes (4), Johnson (6) and Logan
Mertens (W) and Tollefson, Neal (6)
(May 31) The Regina Red Sox dropped their third straight Southern League tilt 2 to 1 to the Moose Jaw Devons in the home opener for the Queen City crew. The teams played goose-egg ball for seven innings until three consecutive Moose Jaw hits off Sox' chucker Lyle Johnson in the eighth produced a pair of runs. Until that point, Johnson had matched his Devon counterpart Rod Heisler by allowing only one safe hit while mowing down eight would-be hitters. The Redlegs staged a spirited rally in the ninth to cut the Devons' margin in half but it fell short leaving runners stranded at second and third. Heisler went the distance, surrendering three hits while striking out nine. Johnson wound up with a four-hitter and whiffed eleven.
Heisler (W) and Tollefson
Johnson (L) and Logan
(June 2) Improving their quick start to four consecutive victories, the Moose Jaw Devons thumped the Melville Millionaires 13 to 0 at Ross Wells Park. Winning hurler Warren Mertens went seven innings for his second lopsided shutout win before handing the ball over to Brad Devine to mop up over the last two frames. Import Gene Gerrard, pulled in the midst of an eight-run Moose Jaw uprising in the sixth, took the loss. The Devons accumulated ten hits in the game which saw Larry Tollefson go two-for-two.
Gerrard (L), Senyk (6) and Moserek, Holiday (7)
Mertens (W), Devine (8) and Tollefson, Steel (6)
(June 3) The Regina Red Sox dropped their fourth straight Southern League encounter when they took it on the chin 7 to 3 from the Swift Current Indians in Speedy Creek. Regina mound and fielding woes in the fifth inning led to seven Swift Current runs. The Red Sox came back with two runs in the sixth and one in the ninth as it wasn't enough as the Indians' playing-manager Wayne Pusch picked up his first win of the season. Pusch and Tom Inkster both singled twice for the Tribe. Regina's Doug Simon, just back from the United States,jacked one out of the park for his first dinger of the season while shortstop Jerry Zrymiak pounded out a double and two singles.
Johnson (L), Tulloch (5), Johnson (5) and Logan
Pusch (W) and Nybo
(June5) Greg Steele's two-run homer in the seventh inning snapped a 2 - 2 tie and gave the Moose Jaw Devons a 4 to 2 win over the Regina Red Sox in Southern League action at Ross Wells Park. The victory was the fifth consecutive of the season for the Devons and their third straight over their Trans-Canada rivals. Doug Simon's sixth-inning solo four-bagger off winning pitcher Roy Rowley had knotted the score at two apiece. Rowley struck out four and fanned six in picking up his second victory. Howard Singer hurled a strong game in defeat, surrendering but four hits.
Rowley (W) and Tollefson
Singer (L) and Bell, Logan (8)
(June 6) In spite of committing seven errors, the Melville Millionaires picked up their second win of the campaign when the drubbed the first-place Moose Jaw Devons 11 to 4 at Pirie Field. Import chucker Gene Gerrard scattered eight Moose Jaw hits and fanned nine batters in picking up the win. Losing pitcher Brad Devine and Devons' starter Rod Heisler were nicked for 12 hits in the contest that was called after seven innings because of darkness. Mark Bell and Gary Sawchyn both collected two hits as well as driving in two runs each for Melville. Roy Rowley with three hits and Ned Andreoni with two were the top batsmen for Moose Jaw.
Heisler, Devine (L) (3), Andrie (7) and Tollefson
Gerrard (W) and Moserek
(June 7) Playing-manager Larry Tollefson drove in five runs with a triple and double as the Moose Jaw Devons kept merrily rolling along with an 8 to 4 win over the Regina Red Sox. The victory at Mount Pleasant Park increased the Devons' first-place lead in the Southern League to eight points over the idle Melville Millionaires. Warren Mertens, from Bemidji State College in Minnesota, picked up his third win with an eight-hitter while fanning six .Losing pitcher Lyle Johnson whiffed nine Moose Jaw batsmen and gave up ten hits. Johnson and Clark Compton had a two-bagger each for the Reginans.
Mertens (W) and Tollefson
Johnson (L) and Logan
(June 8) The Melville Millionaires scored four times in each of the third and fourth innings to batter the Swift Current Indians 13 to 3 in the opener of a weekend series in the Rail Town. Winning pitcher Brian Fedyk struck out six and gave up seven hits. Swift Current starter Don Szabo took the loss. Lonnie Sannes had a home run and a pair of RBI's for the Indians.
Szabo (L), Schwartz (4) and xxx
Fedyk (W) and xxx
(June 9) Wayne Pusch struck out 14 Melville batters as the Swift Current Indians evened the count with the Millionaires in their weekend wrap-up contest by edging the Moneymen 4 to 2. The Swift Current left-hander also came through with three hits off loser Doug Senyk. Brian Keegan had a four-bagger for the Tribe. Senyk rapped a double and single for Melville.
Pusch (W) and Nybo
Senyk (L) and Moserek
(June 11) After dropping six consecutive games, the Regina Red Sox travelled to Melville and came up with a 6 to 4 win over the Millionaires to pick up their first triumph of the season. Russ Barr worked 5 2/3 innings off the rubber and was credited with the win while import Gene Gerrard was tagged with the defeat. Jerry Zrymiak cracked a third inning triple to drive in a pair of runs and later connected for his first home run of the season. Mark Bell slugged a circuit-clout for the Moneymen.
Barr (W), Currie (6) and Bell
Gerrard (L) and Moserek
Southern League standings (as of end of June 11)
W L T Pts
Moose Jaw Regals 6 1 0 12
Melville Millionaires 3 3 0 6
Swift Current Indians 2 2 0 4
Regina Red Sox 1 6 0 2
(June 12) The Regina Red Sox, fueled by their initial win just one night ago, kept the momentum alive by thumping the Swift Current Indians 7 to 2. New import hurler Doug Overbo pitched seven innings, striking out ten while surrendering six hits, for the win. The Indians' Ross Mahoney touched Overbo for a first inning double and a home run in the fifth. Bill Bell was the top man at the plate for Regina, clouting a triple and double off loser Don Szabo. Stu McLellan had a two-bagger and drove in three Regina runs.
Szabo (L) and Nybo
Overbo (W), Singer (8), Currie (8) and Logan
(June 12) The Moose Jaw Devons widened their first-place lead in the Southern League with a 9 to 7 win over the Melville Millionaires at Ross Wells Park. Rod Heisler picked up his second win of the campaign for the Devons while just-returned, second-year import Steve Clausen was handed the loss. Larry Tollefson was the big man at the plate for the Devons, blasting a grand-slam home run. John Moserek drilled a circuit clout for the Moneymen while Gary Sawchyn had a pair of two-baggers.
Clausen (L) and Moserek
Heisler (W), Rowley (7) and Tollefson
(June 14) A pitcher's duel it wasn't. In nine innings of play, there were 33 runs and 31 hits, Fortunately, for the Regina Red Sox, they gathered the most in both categories to come away with a rather ugly 26 to 7 mangling of the Melville Millionaires. The win extends Regina's winning streak to three games after a dismal start which saw them go down to defeat six consecutive times. Bill Bell had a field day at the dish for the Red Stockings, socking a pair of two-run homers, a double and two singles. Doug Simon matched Bell's two home runs and added a brace of singles.
Fedyk (L), Senyk (4), Holiday (6) and xxx
Johnson (W), Tulloch (6), Faith (8), Rhodes (9), Paisley (9) and xxx
(June 15) The Regina Red Sox ran their unbeaten string to four games as they blasted the homestanding Swift Current Indians 14 to 0 in the opener of a pair of weekend tussles in the Frontier City. Regina was led by the two-hit hurling of chucker Russ Barr and the hitting of outfielder Clark Compton who went four-for-five at the plate. The Red Sox smashed 15 hits off the Indians' starting and losing twirler Les Schwartz and reliever Neil Hogg. Bill Bell had three base raps for the Crimson Hose and outfielder Stu McLellan pasted a pair of doubles.
Singer, Barr (1) (W) and xxx
Schwartz (L), Hogg (2) and Nybo
(June 16) The Melville Millionaires scored three runs in the first inning and went on to edge the Moose Jaw Devons 5 to 4 in Southern League action. Melville's playing-manager Gene Gerrard picked up 12 strikeouts in recording the win over Moose Jaw's Warren Mertens. The Devons out-hit the Moneymen 11 to 6.
Mertens (L) and Tollefson
Gerrard (W) and Moserek
(June 16) The bubble burst for the Regina Red Sox as their winning streak came to an abrupt end when the Swift Current Indians hung a 9 to 5 defeat on the Queen City visitors at Mitchell Field. Ross Mahoney whacked a triple and single to lead the Tribe with the hickory. Teammate Harvey Nybo added a double and single. Doug Simon hit a two-run homer for the losers.
Currie (L), Johnson (8) and xxx
Pusch (W) and Nybo
(June 17) The Regina Red Sox lost their second game in a row, falling to the Moose Jaw Devons 7 to 5 in a fight-filled game at Ross Wells Park. Larry Tollefson of Moose Jaw and Stu McLellan of Regina were ejected in a dugout-clearing brawl in the fourth inning. The winning pitcher was Roy Rowley in relief of starter Rod Heisler. Lyle Johnson took the loss. Jerry Zrymiak homered for the Red Sox.
Paisley, Johnson (6) (L) and Logan
Heisler, Rowley (5) (W), Murray (7) and Tollefson,Steele (4)
(June 18) Putting it all together, the Regina Red Sox dumped the Melville Millionaires 7 to 1 to pick up their fifth win of the campaign. Winning pitcher Doug Overbo drilled a two-run triple in the fourth inning to shoot the Sox into a comfortable lead Regina added three insurance runs in the seventh on Clark Compton's three-run homer. Compton also had a run-scoring single in the fourth frame. Jack Buch and Stu McLellan also had a pair of hits for the Redlegs. Overbo gave up five hits and struck out 15 in earning his second win in two starts.
Clausen (L) and Moserek
Overbo (W) and Logan
(June 21) In their sixth attempt of the season, the Regina Red Sox finally took the Moose Jaw Devons to task, handing the Friendly City visitors a 10 to 1 bruising at Mount Pleasant Park. A big five-run third inning carried the Red Sox to victory. Left-hander Bob Currie pitched the first six innings to get the win. His only mistake was a gopher ball thrown to Larry Tollefson who promptly deposited it over the outfield fence for the Devons' only run. The Red Sox out-hit Moose Jaw 9 to 4.
Mertens (L), Rowley (4) and Tollefson
Currie (W), Barr (7) and Logan
(June 22) The Swift Current Indians moved into a third-place tie with the Melville Millionaires in the Southern League standings with a 6 to 2 win over the Moneymen at Mitchell Field. Wayne Pusch won his fourth game against a single loss in a complete game performance for the Tribe. The Swift Current portsider also slammed a triple and two singles at the plate. Harvey Nybo added a two-run homer for the winners while Brian Keegan had a double and two singles. John Moserek homered for Melville.
Gerrard (L) and Moserek
Pusch (W) and Nybo
(June 24) The Regina Red Sox whipped the Moose Jaw Devons 9 to 5 to record their seventh Southern League victory and take a firm hold on second place in the loop. Doug Simon slammed out three of the Red Sox' eight hits, all singles. Jerry Zrymiak singled twice. Jim Baba and Warren Mertens slammed home runs for the Devons with Baba adding a one-bagger as well.
Faith, Johnson (3) (W), Currie (9) and Logan
Murray (L), Heisler (7) and Gillies
(June 25) Andy Logan hammered in three runs and scored a pair as the Regina Red Sox evened their season's record at 8 - 8 by bouncing the Swift Current Indians 8 to 5 at Red Sox Park. For the first time this season, Logan hit full stride, rifling three singles and a double. The Sox won the game in their half of the eighth when they scored three runs and generally dashed any hopes the spunky Indians had of winning the contest.
Hogg, Lee (9) (L) and Nybo
Overbo, Johnson (8), Faith (8) (W) and Logan
(June 26) Stu McLellan and Andy Logan smashed first-inning home runs to help the Regina Red Sox defeat the Melville Millionaires 7 to 5 in a Southern League game at Pirie Field. Logan also hit a homer in the eighth for the Sox who collected nine hits off losing chucker Brian Fedyk.Doug Senyk went five-for-five at the dish for the Moneymen while Fedyk had a four-bagger.
Currie, Faith (W) and Logan
Fedyk (L) and xxx
(June 26) The Moose Jaw Devons' bats were booming at Ross Wells Park as they knocked in 17 runs off 20 hits to clobber the Swift Current Indians 17 to 5. The Devons hit five of six home runs in this game with Jim Baba and Larry Tollefson each blasting a pair. Ned Andreoni also had a circuit-clout. Wayne Pusch rapped the Indians' homer and was also responsible for serving gopher balls for three of the Moose Jaw dingers. Brad Devine, with eighth-inning relief help, picked up his first Southern League mound win.
Devine (W), Heisler (8) and Tollefson
Pusch (L), Schwartz (3) and Nybo
(June 27) Jeff Gleed uncorked a wild pitch with a runner on third and two out in the top of the ninth to allow the winning run to score as the Moose Jaw Devons edged the Swift Current Indians 3 to 2 at Mitchell Field in Speedy Creek. Larry Tollefson accounted for the other Moose Jaw tallies with a two-run homer while Ross Mahoney hit a solo dinger for the losers. Warren Mertens hurled a four-hitter for the Devons to earn the victory.
Mertens (W) and Tollefson
Gleed (L) and Nybo
Southern League standings (as of end of June 27)
W L T Pts.
Moose Jaw Devons 10 4 0 20
Regina Red Sox 9 8 0 18
Swift Current Indians 4 7 0 8
Melville Millionaires 4 8 0 8
(July 2) Wayne Pusch, the smooth southpaw with the sneaky fastball and rainbow curve, fanned 14 batters en route to pitching the Swift Current Indians to a 6 to 5 win over the Regina Red Sox. The Indians were only able to muster five base hits so the onus fell upon Pusch's shoulders to hogtie the Reginans. While Pusch claimed his fifth win by effectively scattering nine Regina hits, Russ Barr, one of five Queen City hurlers, was shackled with the loss. The one skeleton in the closet for the Sox was their inability to bring men home as they stranded a total of 12 base runners.The Indians scored three runs in each of the second and sixth innings. Dwayne Dekowny had a two-run single for the Tribe in the second frame. Jerry Zrymiak swung the big bat for Regina with a double and two singles while Bill Bell picked up a double and a one-bagger.
Pusch (W) and Nybo
Singer, Barr (2) (L), Johnson (6), Faith (7), Paisley (9) and Logan
(July 2) The Moose Jaw Devons came from behind to defeat the Melville Millionaires 7 to 4 in a Southern League contest at Ross Wells Park. Moose Jaw scored two runs in the seventh on a wild pitch by losing hurler Gene Gerrard and a sacrifice fly by winning chucker Warren Mertens. Then, in the eighth, a triple by Ned Andreoni plated a pair of counters. Mertens was stingy down the stretch, holding the Moneymen hitless after they had tallied three times in the sixth.
Gerrard (L) and Senyk
Mertens (W) and Tollefson
(July 3) Bill Bell of the Regina Red Sox is the current leader in the Southern League batting derby. The Red Sox' third baseman has accumulated 22 hits in 54 at-bats for a .407 average. Bell and Moose Jaw's Ned Andreoni are tied with the most base hits at 22. Larry Tollefson of the Devons and Doug Simon of Regina share the lead in home runs with five each. Tollefson has driven in 20 runs to lead in that category. His teammate Warren Mertens has the most pitching victories with five.
(July 3) The Regina Red Sox gained some measure of revenge for their defeat at the hands of the Swift Current Indians some 24 hours earlier as the Reginans pranced into Speedy Creek and came away with a 4 to 3 squeaker over the Tribe. Jerry Zrymiak, the shortstop with the rifle arm and heavy bat, was the hero of the Red Sox' triumph. Zrymiak unloaded a two-run homer off losing pitcher Jeff Gleed in the eighth inning to sound the Tribe's death knell. At the time, Swift Current held a 3 to 2 lead. Winning pitcher Lyle Johnson went the distance, as did Gleed. Brian Keegan was the big gun for the Indians with a two-run homer.
Johnson (W) and Logan
Gleed (L) and Nybo
(July 4) The Melville Millionaires scored a bottom-of-the-ninth run to edge the Moose Jaw Devons 4 to 3 in Southern League play at Pirie Field. Winning pitcher Steve Clausen went the route on the hill for Melville, surrendering eleven hits and fanning six. Losing pitcher Steve Murray, out of Fresno California, also went the full nine innings, surrendering five base raps while whiffing eleven. Gary Sawchyn smashed two home runs for the Millionaires.
Murray (L) and Tollefson
Clausen (W) and xxx
(July 5) The Regina Red Sox laid a 10 to 1 shellacking on the first-place Moose Jaw Devons at Red Sox Field. The Sox fielded flawlessly in the contest and punched out ten hits. The Devons managed seven hits during the game but committed three errors while their array of pitchers issued nine free passes, four of whom eventually scored. Bob Faith twirled 6 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win. He also ripped a run-scoring double. Jack Buch had a perfect three-for-three with the stick, all one-baggers.
Heisler (L), Rowley (4), Devine (7) and Gillies
Singer, Faith (3) (W) and Logan
(July 7) The Swift Current Indians, behind the stellar five-hit pitching of southpaw Wayne Pusch, blanked the Melville Millionaires 6 to 0 in the matinee game of a Sunday twin-bill in the Rail Town. The Indians lit up loser Steve Clausen for ten safeties, two of them off the bat of Dwayne Dekowny. Dan Ahern had a triple for the Tribe while Vern Neal, Harvey Nybo and Scott Nutzhorn all collected a two-bagger.
Pusch (W) and Nybo
Clausen (L) and xxx
(July 7) The finale of the doubleheader between the invaders from Swift Current and the homestanding Melville Millionaires ended with the Indians prevailing 9 to 7. Vern Neal had a two-run homer and a single for the Tribe. Ed Burgess went two for three at the plate for the Moneymen.
Schwartz, xxx (7) (W) and Nybo
Burgess, Senyk (5) (L) and xxx
(July 9) The Regina Red Sox picked up their eighth win in their last nine starts when they laid a 14 to 2 whipping on the Melville Millionaires in Melville. Russ Barr picked up his second win of the season by limiting the Moneymen to six hits while recording four strikeouts. A six-run explosion by the Reginans in the third inning put the damper on Melville's comeback chances. Jerry Zrymiak and Bill Bell had four-for-five nights at the plate for the Sox while Stu McLellan slashed hits on three occasions. Gary Sawchyn and Randy Sastaunik each had a three-bagger for the Millionaires.
Barr (W), Johnson (8) and Logan
Fedyk (L), xxx (9) and xxx
(July 10) Larry Tollefson cracked two home runs as the Moose Jaw Devons downed the Swift Current Indians 9 to 5 in a Southern League tussle at Ross Wells Park. Tollefson's homers, his sixth and seventh of the campaign, drove in five runs for the Devons. Moose Jaw got an early jump on the Tribe, scoring five runs in the first inning. Dan Ahern had a double and single for the Indians.
Murray, Heisler (3) (W), Devine (6), Mertens (8) and Tollefson
Gleed (L) and Nybo
(July 12) Roy Rowley pitched seven strong innings before requiring relief assistance as the Moose Jaw Devons downed the Swift Current Indians 5 to 3 at Mitchell Field. A couple of firemen, Steve Murray and Warren Mertens, entered the game in the eighth to quell a Swift Current uprising. The trio of Moose Jaw hurlers combined to give up seven hits. Losing chucker Wayne Pusch of the Tribe went all the way on the rubber, surrendering eight base knocks. Gary Erfle led the Devons at the dish with two doubles and a single. The Indians committed six of the game's eight miscues.
Rowley (W), Murray (8), Mertens (8) and Tollefson
Pusch (L) and Nybo
(July 13) The Melville Millionaires took the first game of a weekend set from the Swift Current Indians, downing the Tribe 13 to 4 in Speedy Creek. The Moneymen scored nine runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by winning pitcher Gene Gerrard's grand-slam home run. Doug Senyk jacked a two-run circuit-blast and a brace of singles for the winners.
Gerrard (W) and xxx
Schwartz (L), Sannes (9) and Nybo
(July 14) Jeff Gleed struck out 17 Melville batters as it was payback time for the Swift Current Indians who dumped the Millionaires 8 to 3 in the finale of their weekend series. The Tribe banged out 15 base raps off a pair of Moneymen' chuckers while Gleed limited Melville to five hits. Ross Mahoney had a home run, double and two singles for Swift Current while Tom Inkster laced a trio of one-baggers. Losing hurler Steve Clausen singled twice for the losers.
Clausen (L), Senyk (5) and xxx
Gleed (W) and Nybo
(July 15) The Moose Jaw Devons won their first game of the season at Melville's Pirie Field, drubbing the Millionaires 10 to 0 behind the two-hit pitching of Steve Murray. The Fresno Kid had 12 strikeouts and, at the plate, drove in three runs with two hits. Jim Baba and Ned Andreoni both had three hits which included a double apiece while Larry Tollefson singled twice. The Devons were also aided by ten Melville errors.
Murray (W) and Tollefson
Fedyk (L) and xxx
(July 16) The Regina Red Sox snuck home a run in the 12th inning to nip the Swift Current Indians 2 to 1 in a Southern League game in the Queen City. The win assured the Red Sox of at least a second-place finish in the four-team loop. The game was highlighted by a couple of ironman pitching performances. Doug Overbo for Regina and Wayne Pusch for the Indians both pitched the entire twelve inning route. Overbo struck out 17 Speedy Creekers and gave up eight hits on his way to the win. Losing chucker Pusch fanned 10 Reginans and allowed 13 base blows. Overbo held the Tribe scoreless until Pusch laced a run-scoring single in the ninth inning which nullified the 1 to 0 advantage that the Red Sox had maintained since the fourth frame. The Indians threatened in the 10th and 11th innings but Overbo responded with three consecutive strikeouts in the first extra-frame and a couple more in the top of the second overtime stanza. Regina found the winning touch when fleet-of-foot and heavy-of-bat Doug Simon smacked a double in the 12th inning and then scored on a blooper by catcher Andy Logan.
Pusch (L) and Nybo
Overbo (W) and Logan
(July 17) Roy Rowley struck out 16 batters in pitching the Moose Jaw Devons to a 6 to 4 win over the Melville Millionaires in a seven-inning Southern League game which clinched the pennant for Moose Jaw. Darkness brought about an early termination of the contest. Steve Clausen was nailed with the loss after coming into the game in the third. Starter Gene Gerrard was forced to retire from his mound duties after being struck by a pitch while batting the previous inning. Larry Tollefson's two-single performance led all swatters for the winners.
Rowley (W) and Tollefson
Gerrard, Clausen (3) (L) and Perrin
(July 21) Bob Currie fired a seven-inning no-hitter as the Regina Red Sox sneaked past the Melville Millionaires 1 to 0 in the first game of a Sunday double-bill which will mark the end of the regular schedule for these two squads. Currie's counterpart, Brian Fedyk, pitched a solid game for the Millionaires, allowing but three hits. The Red Sox plated the only run of the game in the second inning when Jerry Zrymiak snuck in from third base on a delayed steal as Millionaires' catcher Ian Perrin ignored him and tried to throw out Glen Vorrieter who was trying to steal second.
Fedyk (L) and Perrin
Currie (W) and Bell
(July 21) A dejected group of Melville Millionaires ended their Southern League regular season by taking a humiliating 23 to 1 pasting at the hands of the home-town Regina Red Sox in the second game of their double-dip. Doug Simon led the Regina offensive onslaught with a pair of home runs, one being a grand salami, plus two singles and a sacrifice fly to drive in eight runs. Stu McLellan also hit a four-bagger for the Red Stockings. Bill Bell, the leading hitter in the Southern circuit, cracked out three singles. Russ Barr, who entered the game in the fourth inning with the sacks full of Melville runners, struck out the side and went on to work four hitless innings for the win.
Senyk (L), Burgess (5), Clausen (5) and Perrin
Singer, Barr (4) (W), Sawa (8) and Logan
Final Standings
W L T Pts.
Moose Jaw Devons 16 6 0 32
Regina Red Sox 15 9 0 30
Swift Current Indians 9 13 0 18
Melville Millionaires 6 18 0 12
Playoff pairings for the semi-final rounds have the pennant-winning Moose Jaw Devons taking on the cellar-dwelling Melville Millionaires while the Regina Red Sox and Swift Current Indians square off in another showdown. Both semi-final groupings are best-of-five affairs while the league championship battle will be a best-of seven match-up.
SEMI - FINAL PLAYOFF SERIES
(July 30) Swift Current pitcher Jeff Gleed smacked a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to lift the Swift Current Indians to a 4 to 3 win over the Regina Red Sox and a one-game lead in their best-of-five Southern league semi-final series. Gleed's perfect swing erased a 2 to 1 Red Sox advantage and gave him his third consecutive pitching win. He finished with a seven-hitter while fanning eleven. Jim Paisley drilled a bases-empty four-bagger in the bottom of the ninth for the Redlegs.
Gleed (W) and Nybo
Overbo (L), Faith (7), Johnson (9) and Logan
(July 31) The Moose Jaw Devons delighted a home crowd by drubbing the Melville Millionaires 18 to 1 to take a one-game lead in their best-of-five semi-final. The Devons bombed the Millionaires with nine runs in the opening inning and coasted to victory. Roy Rowley held the Moneymen to six hits in recording the win over Brian Fedyk. The game was called after six and a half innings when darkness enveloped the skies.
Fedyk (L) and Perrin
Rowley (W) and Tollefson
(July 31) Lyle Johnson pitched a six-hitter and hit a fourth-inning home run to lead the Regina Red Sox to an 11 to 3 win over the Swift Current Indians in the second game of the best-of-five series which is now tied at a game apiece. The Red Sox built up a 7 to 0 lead before the Tribe retaliated with a pair in the bottom of the fourth. Seven fielding miscues contributed to the Swift Current loss hung on the shoulders of starter Wayne Pusch.
Johnson (W) and Logan
Pusch (L), Hogg (4) and Nybo
(August 1) The pennant-winning Moose Jaw Devons scored single runs in each of the three middle innings to tuck away a 3 to 0 victory over the Melville Millionaires in the second game of their semi-final playoff round. Warren Mertens tossed the four-hit shutout for the Devons, taking the decision over Steve Clausen who surrendered eight Moose Jaw safeties. Greg Steele of the Devons was the game's top hitter, going three-for-four at the platter.
Mertens (W) and Tollefson
Clausen (L) and Senyk
(August 2) The Swift Current Indians took a two games to one lead in their semi-final series with a decisive 8 to 4 victory over the Regina Red Sox in the Capital City. Wayne Pusch went the route for the win setting the Scarlet Stockings down on a six-hitter. The loop's premier portsider struck out eight batters. In a surprise move, Red Sox playing-manager Jim Paisley started left-hander Randy Sawa on the mound. Sawa has pitched less than nine innings this season after corrective surgery on an injured shoulder. He looked a mere shadow of his former self as he went 3 2/3 innings to take the loss. The Red Sox mound crew gave up ten hits in the game. The Indians' shortstop, Dan Ahern, collected a home run and single while first sacker Brian Keegan belted a double and single. Catcher Harvey Nybo clinched the win with a three-run homer in the seventh. Paisley was the Red Sox' bright light at the plate with two singles.
Pusch (W) and Nybo
Sawa (L) Paisley (4), Singer (4), Currie (5) Paisley (9) and Logan
(August 2) The strong pitching of the Moose Jaw Devons was just too much for the Melville Millionaires to handle as the Moneymen dropped a 5 to 2 decision to their Mill City hosts and bowed out of their best-of-five semi-final series in three straight games. All three Moose Jaw starters pitched complete games against Melville, holding the Rail Town crew to a total of five runs on 15 base hits. Steve Murray was the latest Devon chucker to stymie the Millionaires as he tossed a three-hitter and fanned eleven. Doug Senyk, Melville's starter, didn't fare as well. He gave up five runs on ten hits. Jim Baba led the Devons with the hickory, slamming three hits in five chances. Clark Gillies picked up a double and one-bagger. The Devons now await the winner of the Swift Current-Regina series to decide the league championship.
Senyk (L) and Gerrard
Murray (W) and Tollefson
(August 5) The Swift Current Indians defeated the Regina Red Sox 6 to 3 to advance to the Southern League's final series against the Moose Jaw Devons. The Indians, who won the best-of-five series in four games, were led to victory by the home run hitting of Vern Neal and Wayne Pusch. Neal drove in three runs with two homers and playing-manager Pusch drove in three more with his lone dinger. Jeff Gleed picked up his second pitching win of the series while Regina starter Lyle Johnson was saddled with the loss.
Johnson (L), Currie, Barr and Logan
Gleed (W) and Nybo
LEAGUE FINAL SERIES
(August 12) A 3 - 3 saw-off was the result of the first game of the Southern League final series held in Moose Jaw. Darkness prevented any extra-inning play. The visiting Swift Current Indians struck first when Vern Neal doubled home a pair of runs in the opening frame. The Devons scored all three of their runs in the third. The Indians then rallied to knot the count in the top of the ninth on Dan Ahern's single. Both starting chuckers went eight innings.
Gleed, Schwartz (9) and Nybo
Rowley, Mertens (9) and Tollefson
(August 18) The Moose Jaw Devons earned a one-game edge as they head into the third game of the Southern League finals against the Swift Current Indians as they staged a two-run uprising in the ninth inning of game two to score a 4 to 2 victory over the Tribe. Hampered by wet weather, the series had been delayed six days. Roy Rowley's double netted the tie-breaker which was followed by Clark Gillies' single, driving home Rowley with the insurance marker.
Mertens (W) and Gillies
Gleed (L) and Nybo
(August 19) Roy Rowley fired a six-hit shutout as the Moose Jaw Devons moved ahead of the Swift Current Indians by two games in their best-of-seven final series with a 4 to 0 triumph at Ross Wells Park. Clark Gillies scored what proved to be the winning run, and the only one that Rowley would ultimately need, when he hit a second-inning single, stole both second and third, and then scooted home on a wild pitch by losing twirler Wayne Pusch. The Devons out-hit the Tribe 8 to 6. Rowley had pin-point control as he fanned 12 and did not issue a single walk.
Pusch (L) and Hogg
Rowley (W) and Tollefson
(August 20) The Moose Jaw Devons took a commanding lead in the best-of-seven Southern League final series following a 9 to 4 triumph in Swift Current. The Devons now lead the series three games to none with one game tied. Brad Devine chalked up the pitching win although he needed relief help from Dan Andrie in the ninth. Greg Steele led the Moose Jaw offense, hammering a double and two singles. Clark Gillies and Kelly Yorga each delivered a brace of one-baggers. For the Tribe, Brian Keegan slapped two singles.
Devine (W), Andrie (9) and Gillies
Hogg (L), xxx and Nybo
(August 21) The Moose Jaw Devons defeated the Swift Current Indians 5 to 1 to win the 1974 Southern League championship series in five games. One of the five games ended in a tie while the Moose Jaw squad won four times. The Devons' Warren Mertens, an import, pitched a brilliant three-hitter and aided his own cause with a pair of singles. The most damaging Moose Jaw blow off losing pitcher Jeff Gleed, who surrendered nine hits in total, was a two-run single by Jim Baba in the fourth inning. The Devons then added three more counters in the fourth. The championship was Moose Jaw's sixth Southern League crown in the past nine seasons.
Gleed (L) and Nybo
Mertens (W) and Tollefson
EPILOGUE
The August 21,1974 championship final turned out to be the very last Southern League game ever played. The Regina Red Sox, Moose Jaw Devons and Swift Current Indians decided to forego the Southern League and become part of a new association of province-wide teams, known as the Saskatchewan Major Baseball League, which was set to begin in 1975. The loss of these teams comprising the backbone of the circuit sounded its death knell. Sadly, the Southern League had come to an end but, since its first game played on May 20, 1931, it had not only left its mark on the history of the diamond sport in the southern part of the province but had provided fans with an entertaining brand of baseball throughout the good times and the not-so-good times when survival struggles threatened its very existence.