ALBERTA MAJOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
(May 31) Edmonton Tigers kicked of the new season with a 7-6 victory over Red Deer at Great Chief Park. Tigers scored a pair in the top of the 9th for the win. Wayne Commodore singled to drive in Tim Young to tie the game and then Doug Drader, who had walked, scored on a slow bouncer to short. Randy Gregg recorded the win in a relief role. Commodore had given Edmonton an early lead with a two-run homer in the second inning. Al Price belted a homer for the Players.
Eramus, Gregg (W 1-0) (7) and Franchuk
Peterson (L 0-1) and Price
Red Deer's Don McLeod strokes one of his two hits against Edmonton Wednesday. Tiger catcher
Orv Franchuk awaits the throw from Tom Erasmus while umpire Neil Montgomery looks on. The
Advocate, Red Deer, June 1, 1978.
(May 31) Barrhead Blue Jays got off to a good start walloping Stony Plain Dusters 13-2. Lorne Niven led the Jays' 15-hit attack with a homer and two singles. Steve McMannon also had three hits, while Burt Haas, Bob Meacham and pitcher John Osborne each contributed a pair. Osborne allowed seven hits, including a two-run homer to Ken Wiebe. Bob Elliott took the loss.
Elliott (L) and xxx
Osborne (W) and xxx
(June 1) Edmonton Tigers and Barrhead Blue Jays battled to an exciting 5-5, 11-inning, draw. The game was called because of darkness. The contest featured a bench-clearing incident prompted by a fight between the Jays Lorne Niven and a couple of Edmonton players. Clint Curtis went the route for the Blue Jays allowing ten hits. Randy Rasmussen got to Curtis early with a two-run homer in the second inning. Barrhead scored with two out in the bottom of the 9th to force the extra frames. Bob Meacham beat out a slow roller to plate Ken Rutan with the tying marker. Barrhead appeared to have taken the win in the 10th as Niven walked and, on a hit-and-run play, Mike Teahen drove one to left field just inside the foul line. Niven scored easily from first. But the Tigers appealed the play, claiming Niven had missed second base. The umpire agreed and Niven was called out.
xxx and xxx
Curtis and xxx
Left - Barrhead's Lorne Niven and Edmonton's Ray Brown exchange punches as the umpire arrives to break up the tussle. Centre - Bob Meacham fouls one off. Right - Steve McMannon scores as Edmonton catcher Orv Franchuk reaches for the throw.
(June 1) Terry Hendley fired a five-hitter giving up just an unearned run to lead Red Deer by Stony Plain 5-1. Dusters took a 1-0 lead in the second inning but Blair Hanna tied it in the 5th with a solo homer, the first hit off Mark Lohius who allowed just six hits overall and rang up 14 strikeouts. Players got the winner in the 7th on consecutive singles by Mel Harvey, Wayne Schneider and Ron Blasetti. They added an insurance run on Ken Nelson's bases-loaded suicide squeeze and put two more on the scoreboard in the 8th.
Lohius (L 0-1) and G.Barrow
Hendley (W 1-0) and Price
Stony Plain Dusters' playing manager Greg Warzecka is gunned down attempting to steal third.
Ken Nelson of Red Deer takes the throw from catcher Al Price. The Advocate, Red Deer, June 2, 1978
(June 2) Lac La Biche Dodgers trounced Stony Plain 12-5.
(June 2) Trailing 7-2 into the 9th, Barrhead Blue Jays exploded for seven runs and stopped a Red Deer rally in the bottom of the 9th for a 9-8 victory at Great Chief Park. Lorne Niven, Gerry Hollett and John Osborne each drove in two runs in the wild 9th frame. Ken Rutan scored what proved to be the winning run as he reached on a base on balls, advanced on a single, stole third and scored on a throwing error. Brian Hamagami survived 159 pitches to go the distance for the win. Five of the runs against him were unearned. He allowed eight hits, including homers to Pete Duncan and Blair Hanna, walked nine and fanned ten. He fanned the side in the 9th. Dennis McAusland took the loss in his first start for the Players.
Hamagami (W 1-0) and Teahen
McAusland (L 0-1), Peterson (9) and Price
(June 3) Reinforcements from Washington State University helped Red Deer Players to a 7-2 win over the Dusters at Stony Plain. Tom Niedenfuer went the distance for the win, with a six-hitter, and Dan Wodrich impressed at shortstop. Niedenfuer, who was injured for much of the season after breaking his wrist, had control problems walking ten batters. Both runs against him came on a homer by Dennis Rathjen in the second inning. Red Deer put the game away in the 5th with a four-run rally highlighted by homers from Al Price and Pete Duncan. Don McLeod led the Players with three hits.
Niedenfuer (W 1-0) and Price
Elliott (L 0-2). Kowalishen (7) and Holt
Edmonton stopped Lac La Biche 6-2.
(June 4) Barrhead split a twin-bill with the Dodgers at Lac La Biche. Blue Jays won the opener 6-2 on a five-hit pitching performance by 17-year-old Barry Kusminski of Wasketanau but dropped the second game by default when Lorne Niven was ejected from the contest and Barrhead had no-one to replace him. The score was tied 13-13 at the time.
Bob Meacham (left) and Mike Teahen each belted a pair of homers during the doubleheader. Ron Chrenek also had a four-bagger. Steve McMannon and Teahen each collected five hits on the day.
xxx and xxx
Kusminski (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 6) A five-run 5th inning wasn't enough for the Red Deer Players as that's all they could muster and dropped a 6-5 decision to the Edmonton Tigers. Outside of the 5th, Tom Erasmus checked the Players on five hits to register the win. Tigers got 11 hits off two Red Deer hurlers. Mel Harvey had the game's big blow, a three-run, inside-the-park homer.
Hendley (L 1-1), Niedenfuer (4) and Price
Erasmus (W) and Gerlach
(June 8) Red Deer's five-run outburst in the third inning, featuring home runs by Pete Duncan and Al Price (right), helped carry the Players to an 8-6 win over Stony Plain Dusters. It was the third win in six starts for the Players with all the wins coming against the Dusters, who are 0-8. Ken Nelson led a 10-hit attack with a three-for-four night. Dennis McAusland was the winning pitcher in relief of starter Jim Peterson. Ken Wiebe belted a homer for Stony Plain.
Lohius (L) and Holt
Peterson, McAusland (W 1-1) (6) and Price
Players' Terry Hendley scores Red Deer's first run following a double error. Dan Wodrich,
with the bat, is jumping for joy while Edmonton Dusters' catcher Dave Holt tries to find the ball.
Edmonton Tigers remained unbeaten with a 5-4 win over Lac La Biche.
(June 9) Mike Teahen had three hits, one a homer, and knocked in three as Barrhead topped Lac La Biche 9-4 Friday. Clint Curtis registered the pitching win. Barney Malpass took the loss.
(June 10) Players and Dodgers split a twin-bill at Lac La Biche. The home club took the opener with three unearned runs in the second inning and a 3-1 victory. Nye Akchurin drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single. Dennis King held the Players to four hits. Terry Hendley allowed just six safeties in taking the loss.
Hendley (L 1-2) and Harvey
King (W) and McDonald
Big Tom Niedenfuer pitched the Players to a 4-2 win in the second game. The 6'5" right-hander held the Dodgers to six hits in winning his second straight and running, to 20, his string of scoreless innings before giving up a pair in the 9th. Catcher Al Price slammed his 4th homer of the season in the second inning to give Red Deer a 1-0 lead. They added three more in the 6th as Terry Hendley singled in Don McLeod, who had walked, and Price drove in Dan Wodrich with a sacrifice fly. Mel Harvey's squeeze bunt scored Hendley. Jeff Milne tripled in the 9th to score Barney Malpass with the Dodgers first run and Zen Chaba singled to plate Milne.
Niedenfuer (W 2-0) and Price
Durrant (L), Akchurin (6) and Malpass
(June 10) Edmonton Tigers rallied to down Barrhead 11-9. Gord Graves drilled a two-run single for the winning blow. Randy Rasmussen bashed a homer for Edmonton. Chet Gray was the winning pitcher, in relief. Blue Jays lost shortstop Bob Meacham with an ankle injury and his departure hurt the club as seven of the Tigers' runs were unearned.
Lane (0-1) Hamagami (5) and Teahen
Gregg, Gray (1-0) and Franchuk
(June 11) Edmonton Tigers erupted for seven runs in the 6th inning and added another three in the 7th to post a 10-7 decision over Lac La Biche for their 6th straight victory. Tom Erasmus allowed nine hits in gaining the mound decision.
Dadswell, Duran (1-3) (6), Malpass (7), Baptista (7) and McDonald
Erasmus (2-0) and Drader
Barrhead and Stony Plain split a double-header with the Blue Jays winning 10-9 and the Dusters gaining their first win, 8-7. Blue Jays took the first game as Lorne Niven homered and Steve McMannon doubled in the winning run in the 10th inning. The Dusters bounced back to capture the second game on Gary Zunino's circuit blow.
Edmonton Tigers 7-0
Barrhead Blue Jays 6-3
Red Deer Players 4-4
Lac La Biche Dodgers 4-6
Stony Plain Dusters 1-9
(June 13) Edmonton Tigers won their 8th straight, without a loss, downing Red Deer 5-3 at Great Chief Park. Tim Young (right) led an 11-hit Edmonton attack with four safeties. Wayne Commodore clouted a homer for the Tigers and Pete Duncan belted one for the Players. Ray Brown pitched into the 9th to pick up the win. He needed help from Randy Gregg who came on with the bases loaded an two out.
Brown (W), Gregg (9) and Drader
McAusland (L) and Harvey
(Photo - Players' Terry Hendley reaches first on an errant throw. Tigers Gord Graves watches the ball roll down the base line. The Advocate, Red Deer, June 14, 1978
At Barrhead, Lorne Niven and Ron Chrenek belted homers as the Blue Jays downed Lac La Biche Dodgers 9-5. Jim McDonald and Zen Chaba had circuit blows for the Dodgers. John Osborne was the winning pitcher, Steve Wallace took the loss.
Wallace (L) and xxx
Osborne (W) and xxx
(June 15) Barrhead Blue Jays crushed Edmonton 9-1 Thursday to snap the Tigers unbeaten streak at nine. The Jays cracked 14 hits, three from Gerry Hollett who had a homer, double and single. Mike Teahen and Steve McMannon also had four-baggers for the winners. Clint Curtis fired a three-hitter for the win. Losing hurler Ron Wiebe allowed five runs before giving way to Chet Gray in the 4th inning.
Wiebe (L), Gray (4) and xxx
Curtis (W) and xxx
(June 17) Pete Duncan (right) slammed a bases-loaded double in the 7th inning to give Red Deer a 5-4 victory over Stony Plain. The three-run blast made a winner of reliever Brian McAusland. Al Price had a solo homer for the Players and Bob Elliott had one for the Dusters. Dan Wodrich, for Red Deer, and Gary Zunino, for Stony Plain, each had three hits.
Conroy (L) and Holt
Peterson, McAusland (W 2-2) (5) and Price
Lac La Biche upset the Edmonton Tigers 5-3
(June 18) Barrhead Blue Jays took a pair from Red Deer, using shutout pitching to take the seven-inning opener 3-0, and bringing out the heavy lumber to crush the Players 15-3 with a 19-hit, five homer, assault in the second.
Scott Hergott (left) in his AMBL debut, blanked the Players on six hits, all singles, in the first game while catcher Mike Teahen took care of the scoring with a three-run homer in the first inning. Mike Foster (right) fired a five-hitter with eight strikeouts in taking the loss.
Foster (L 0-1) and Price
Hergott (W) and Teahen
Blue Jays jumped on Red Deer starter Tom Niedenfuer for five runs in the first inning of the second game, three coming on back-to-back-to-back home runs by Lorne Niven, Mike Teahen and Steve McMannon.
Ron Chrenek and Dale Tilleman (left) also had four-baggers. McMannon, Tilleman, Gerry Hollett and Ken Rutan each had three hits. Keith Van De Keere was the winner in his initial start of the season.
Niedenfuer (L 2-1), McAusland (2), Hendley (5), Johnson (7) and Price
Van De Keere (W), Paiement (6) and Teahen
(June 18) Randy Gregg belted a grand slam homer to pace Edmonton Tigers to a 7-1 victory over Stony Plain in the opener of a double-header at Renfrew Park. Orv Franchuk had a two-run double in the second inning. Ray Brown hurled a four-hitter for the win and maintained his perfect, 0.00, earned run average as the only run against him was unearned.
Lohius (0-3) and Holt
Brown (W) and Franchuk
In the second game, Larry Kowalishen pitched the Dusters to a 2-1 triumph over Edmonton but needed an outstanding throw to the plate by left fielder Greg Barrow in the bottom of the 9th to nab Randy Gregg and preserve the win. Gregg, who drew walks his first three times to the plate, led off the 9th with a double off the centre field wall and was trying to score on a two-out single by Tim Young.
Kowalishen (1-1) and Hold
Erasmus (3-1) and Gerlach
(June 20) Second baseman Ron Blasetti (left) had four hits and knocked in three to lead a 17-hit Red Deer offensive in a 16-7 triumph over Edmonton Tigers.
Harold Johnson added three hits, two of which came in the Players' nine-run 4th inning. He led off the inning with a homer and later pounded a two-run single. Shortstop Dan Wodrich reached base five times on two hits and three walks. Wayne Commodore clouted a homer for the Tigers.
Gray (L), Wiebe (4), Brown (6) and Franchuk
Niedenfuer (W 3-1) and Price
(June 20) Lac La Biche Dodgers topped Barrhead 7-4 Tuesday. Home runs by former Barrhead star Jim McDonald and Barney Malpass led to the victory. Jays out-hit the Dodgers 15-9 but were hampered by poor base running and defensive lapses. Lac La Biche took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a homer by Malpass only to see Barrhead storm back with three runs in the third. McDonald's homer narrowed the lead to 3-2 in the 4th. The Dodgers ran away with the win with a pair of runs in the 7th plus three more in the 8th. Dennis King survived the Jays' 15-hit assault to go the distance for the win. He fanned three and walked five. John Osborne took the loss. Ken Rutan went 4-for-4. McDonald was on base four times with his homer, a double and two walks.
Osborne (L), Lane, Hamagami and xxx
King (W) and xxx
Red Deer shortstop Dan Wodrich puts the tag on Edmonton's Ken Baker on a steal attempt
to end the second inning. Players took a 16-7 victory. The Advocate, Red Deer, June 21, 1978
Edmonton Tigers 10-4
Barrhead Blue Jays 9-4
Red Deer Players 6-7
Lac La Biche Dodgers 6-7
Stony Plain Dusters 2-11
(June 22) A bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Wayne Commodore in the last of the tenth inning gave Edmonton Tigers a 2-1 victory over Red Deer Thursday. Tom Erasmus, a hard-throwing right-hander who has been a thorn in the side of the Players since the beginning of the season, tossed a two-hitter for the win. Terry Hendley took the tough loss.
Hendley (1-3), Foster (10) and Price
Erasmus (W) and Drader
(June 23-24-25) Barrhead Tournament
(June 27) A seven-run outburst in the fifth inning carried the hometown Stony Plain Dusters to an 8-7 victory over Red Deer Players. A grand slam homer by Dave Holt and a two-run shot by Bob Elliott highlighted the uprising. Larry Kowalishen was the winning pitcher with relief from Perry Lychak, who joined the Dusters during the weekend. Players had jumped into a 4-1 lead before the Dusters took over in the fifth. Pete Duncan slammed a three-run homer for Red Deer in the sixth.
Foster (0-2), Hendley (5) and Price
Kowalishen (W), Lychask (7) and Hold
(June 28) The Red Deer Players looked nothing like defending AMBL champions Thursday as they booted the ball nine times in an 18-9 lacing at the hands of the Edmonton Tigers at Great Chief Park. Tom Erasmus survived 11 hits and all nine runs to go seven innings for the win. And, to rub things in just a little more Harold Johnson, released by the Players on Friday, worked a scoreless eighth inning and Chet Gray, whom the Players hit hard in a 16-7 victory last week, did the ninth. Wayne Commodore led the winners with three hits, one a homer. Rick Peterson, and Randy Rasmussen also contributed three hits apiece for the Tigers. Mel Harvey had two hits, two walks and knocked in three for Red Deer.
Erasmus (W), Johnston (8), Gray (9) and Drader, Gerlach (4)
McAusland (2-3), Peterson (3), Hendley (8) and Price, Harvey (9)
(July 1) Red Deer and the Dodgers split a pair at Lac La Biche. The home squad took the opener 3-2 with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh and final inning on Jim Peterson's bases-loaded walk to Rob Baptista. The Players had intentionally walked Steve Wallace to fill the sacks. Jim McDonald accounted for the other two runs for the Dodgers with a first inning homer. Pete Duncan homered for Red Deer.
Hendley, McAusland (3), Peterson (0-2) (7) and Price
Malpass (W) and McDonald
Duncan poked another four-bagger for Red Deer in the second game, his seventh of the season, as the Players scored three in the 11th to down the Dodgers 7-4. Brian McAusland picked up the win in relief working 2 2/3s hitless innings after replacing starter Mike Foster. He also worked four shutout innings in the first game. Barney Malpass took the loss in relief of Clint Dadswell. In the 11th, Terry Hendley and Ron Biasetti reached on errors and Ken Nelson was hit by a pitch. Don McLeod followed with a double, Duncan walked and Al Price hit a sac fly.
Foster, McAusland (3-3) (9) and Price
Dadswell, Malpass (L) (8), Kane (11) and McDonald
(July 2) In a hit-fest at Stony Plain, Red Deer came from behind with three runs in the seventh to down the Dusters 8-6. The teams combined for 24 hits, seven of them homers. Red Deer was forced to start Pete Duncan, who hadn't pitched in close to a year due to arm woes as the rest of the staff had worked on Saturday. He went six innings allowing all six Stony Plain runs on 10 hits, four of them homers. But, the Players belted three of their own, including back-to-back shots by Grant Becker and Don McLeod in a three-run seventh inning which put the Players ahead to stay. Red Deer received an unexpected boost Sunday when Chet Gray, released on Saturday by Edmonton, showed up in Stony Plain looking for work. He picked up the save allowing just one hit over the final three innings. Dave Holt belted his ninth homer of the season for the Dusters in the first inning and Dennis Rathjen hit another in the second. Rod Booker then teed off for a pair, one in the third and another in the fifth. Dan Wodrich also had a four-bagger for Red Deer, a two-run blast in the fourth. McLeod added a double and triple. Duncan and Ken Nelson each had three hits for the winners.
Duncan (1-0), Gray (7) and Price
Rathjen (L), Conroy (8) and Holt
(July 3) Lac La Biche Dodgers and the Players divided a double-header at Great Chief Park at Red Deer with the visitors taking the opener 4-3 and the home squad rallying for an 8-6 win in the second game. Red Deer had a 3-1 lead in the first game but the Dodgers scored once in the sixth and twice in the seventh for the victory. In the seventh, Nye Akchurin walked and Clint Dadswell doubled against loser Jim Peterson. Chet Gray relieved and intentionally walked Jim McDonald but Barney Malpass connected for a sacrifice fly to tie the game and Jeff Milne singled, for his third hit of the game, to put the Dodgers in the lead.
Red Deer got home runs from Don McLeod, Blair Hanna and Dan Wodrich in their comeback win in the second game. After the Dodgers scored three in the top of the seventh to go ahead 6-3, Players rallied to tie with three in the bottom of the sixth and two in the eighth for the victory. Jim McDonald had a four-bagger for Lac La Biche.
Wallace, Kane (W) (2) and McDonald
Peterson (0-3), Gray (7) and Price
King (L), Dadswell (8) and McDonald
Hendley, McAusland (4-3) (8) and Price
(July 4) The Barrhead Blue Jays and Stony Plain Dusters had a blast Tuesday night as the teams scored 54 runs in a game and a half of Alberta Major League baseball. Mike Teahen of Barrhead hammered five homers, three in the first game, as the Jays lost 17-16. He slammed another two in the nightcap which was suspended because of darkness after five innings with Barrhead in front 13-8.
Lorne Niven, Steve McMahon, Ron Chrennek and Brian Hamagami also had circuit blows for Barrhead in the first game. Dave Holt hit a grand slam and Ken Wiebe, Dennis Rathjen and Bob Elliott also connected for the Dusters. Elliott picked up the win relief of starter Perry Lychak. Hamagami was tagged with the loss.
(July 4) Jim McDonald knocked in four runs, two with a homer, as Lac La Biche Dodgers dumped Edmonton Tigers 9-2. Dave Duran scattered five hits and struck out seven for the mound victory. Tigers' Tom Erasmus, who gave up eight hits, took the loss.
Erasmus (L) and xxx
Duran (W) and xxx
(July 5) Catcher Al Price drove in three runs with a homer, triple and single to lead Red Deer to a 4-2 win over Edmonton Tigers. Rangy leftie Mike Foster scattered 10 hits in going the distance for the win. The Players managed just seven hits off Ron Wiebe but bunched three of them in the seventh inning when they scored two runs which proved enough for the victory. Randy Rasmussen was the story for the Tigers with a triple and three doubles. Orv Franchuk added three hits.
Foster (1-2) and Price
Wiebe (L) and Franchuk
(July 5) Tight pitching by Dennis Rathjen and Larry Kowalishen and three home runs by Gary Zunino, two in the first game, led Stony Plain to a double-header sweep of Lac La Biche 6-1 and 6-2. Rod Booker also homered for the Dusters.
Barrhead 14 7 ---
Edmonton 12 11 3.0
Lac La Biche 12 13 4.0
Red Deer 10 12 4.5
Stony Plain 9 14 6.0
(July 6) Stony Plain blanked Red Deer for eight innings while building up a 9-0 lead then held on to down the Players 9-5 Thursday at Red Deer. The Players scored five in the the final frame and had the bases loaded when a liner to third ended the game. Dennis Rathjen had three hits, including a homer, to pace the winners. Bob Elliott also contributed three safeties. The Dusters had scored five in the top of the ninth against reliever Chet Gray on three hits, a pair of walks and two errors. Steve Conroy, who pitched into the ninth, picked up the win.
Conroy (W), McPhail (9), Lychak (9) and Holt
McAusland (4-4), Gray (9) and Price
(July 6) Mike Teahen extended his hitting streak to 28 straight games Thursday as Barrhead Blue Jays downed the Edmonton Tigers 7-5.The Blue Jays got round trippers from Lorne Niven, Dale Tilleman and Ken Rutan. Brian Hamagami, with relief help from Ray Paiement and Keith Van De Keere pick up the win in Barrhead. Randy Gregg went the distance for the loss.
(July 7) Jim Peterson tossed a nifty five-hit shutout Friday in a 4-0 victory for Red Deer over the Edmonton Tigers. It was the first shutout of the season for the Players' pitching staff. The game feature several outstanding defensive plays including a throw by left-fielder Ken Nelson to nail former Player Harold Johnson at the plate in the seventh inning. Nelson also made a fne running grab of a long ball by Orv Franchuk to end the game. Catcher Al Price led the winners driving in all four runs with a homer and two singles. Red Deer had ten hits off loser Ray Brown.
Peterson (1-3) and Price
Brown (L) and Franchuk
(July 7) Barrhead topped Lac La Biche 11-8.
(July 8) Red Deer Border Players split a pair Saturday, losing 12-9 to the Dusters in Stony Plain but taking a 6-2 decision of the Blue Jays in Barrhead. Players fell behind 9-0 after two innings but battled back to tie it in the eighth. However, Ken Wiebe's three-run double and a following single to Dave Holt gave Dusters the win in the opener. Holt had provided the big blow, a a grand slam homer, in a six-run second inning. Don McLeod had a three-run homer for Red Deer. Perry Lychak recorded the mound win, coming in for Mark Lohius in the seventh. Al Price had four hits for the Players. Brian McAusland, pitching with just one day's rest, went the distance for Red Deer.
McAusland (4-4) and Price
Lohius, Lychak (W) (7) and Hold
At Barrhead, Red Deer not only beat the Blue Jays 6-2 they stopped Mike Teahen's hitting streak at 28 games. Chet Gray, recently traded by the Edmonton Tigers to Red Deer, held the Jays to just three hits in posting the win. The Jays lead atop the standings was reduced to 4 1/2 games. Teahen has had an amazing string, batting above .500 while hitting 13 home runs. Last Tuesday, Teahen crushed five home runs in a double-header against Stony Plain. Coach Gary Picone had high praise for his catcher, "Mike's been just super, he's the best all-around player in the Alberta Major Baseball League."
Players rocked John Osborne for six straight hits, good for four runs, in the first inning. Grant Becker, Dan Wodrich and Don McLeod singled before Al Price smacked his ninth homer of the season . Singles by Terry Hendley and Ken Nelson ended Osboorne's day. Wodrich led the winners with three hits.
Gray (W) and Price
Osborne (L), Paiement (1) and Teahen
(July 8) Lac La Biche beat Edmonton Tigers 5-1.
(July 9) Red Deer Border Players have begun showing the form that had been expected at the beginning of the season in taking three of four games over the weekend. Players routed the Lac La Biche Dodgers 21-1 and 8-3 in a twin-bill Sunday after dividing a split venue double-header on Saturday. Red Deer has now won eight of its last 11 games.
In the first gamer rout, Red Deer rapped 21 hits in the seven inning contest with Terry Hendley leading the way knocking in six runs with a four-for-four performance. A nine-run second inning put the game away early. Players started off the frame tih four straight doubles by Al Price, Hendley, Ken Nelson and Ron Biasetti and capped it with Hendley's grand slam homer. Don McLeod hit a two-run show and Colin Trevors added a solo blast. Mike Foster tossed a four-hitter for the win fanning six.
Foster also started the second game and worked three scoreless innings. He made the start as Dave Ruybalid who was supposed to fly into Saturday, failed to show. Grant Becker, in his first mound appearance of the season, worked the final six innings to pick up the win. He held the Dodgers to seven hits, one a homer by Jim McDonald.
Players added 12 hits in the 8-3 triumph with McLeod's three-run double in the seventh the big blow. Biasetti went five-of-eight in the double-bill.
Wallace (L), Kane (2), Erasmus (3), Baptista (4) and McDonald
Foster (2-2) and Price
Duran (L), Malpass (9) and McDonald
Foster, Becker (1-0) (4) and Price
(July 9) Stony Plain crushed Edmonton 18-6 before the Tigers rebounded to beat the Dusters 16-12 in the second game.
(July 13) Red Deer jumped on Barrhead starter Scott Hergot for three runs in the first inning and coasted to a 10-1 victory Thursday at Barrhead. In his debut in the Alberta Major League, Mike Vaughn fired a five-hitter and had a shutout until the seventh. Don McLeod paced a 20-hit attack with four safeties. Ken Nelson, who left the game in the fifth inning with a sprained ankle, Dan Wodrich, Blair Hanna and Terry Hendley each had three. Barrhead was without catcher Mike Teahen, third baseman Lawrence Niven and playing-manager Gary Picone. Niven and Picone were involved in a car accident on the way to the game and both were hospitalized.
Vaughn (1-0) and Price
Hergot (L), Van De Keere (4), Rutan (8) and Hollett
(July 13) An auto accident resulted in serious injuries to Barrhead's Lorne Niven and Gary Picone. Niven suffered a fractured vertebrae in his lower back and is likely to be confined to hospital for at least two weeks. Picone received facial injuries after hitting the windshield of the car he was driving. The pair were returning to Barrhead for a Thursday game when a severe rainstorm near the Devon overpass slowed traffic to a crawl. Picone's vehicle hit the rear of a gravel truck and went out of control crossing the median and eastbound lanes of Highway 16.
(July 15) At Red Deer, the Barrhead Blue Jays clinched the Alberta Major Baseball League pennant for the second straight year with a 10-6 victory over the Border Players. The Jays scored three times off reliever Bruce McAusland in the eighth inning to overcome a 6-5 deficit and then added two more in the ninth off Chet Gray. Mike Foster worked the first seven innings giving up eight hits, including solo homers by Steve McManon and Mike Teahen. Ray Lane went the distance allowing ten hits, one a solo homer by Ken Nelson. He fanned eight and walked only one.
Lane (W) and Teahen
Foster, McAusland (L) (8), Gray (8) and Price
(July 16) A suicide squeeze in the 11th inning gave Red Deer a come-from-behind 9-8 victory over Barrhead and a sweep of Sunday's double-header. Players won the opener 12-6. In the 11th, Ken Nelson reached with a single and went to third on an error. Colin Trevors, who had four hits in the game, laid down the bunt to bring in the winner.
Red Deer had jumped into a 7-3 lead after three innings but Mike Teahen's 18th home run of the season in the sixth inning and a run in the eighth tied the game at 8-8. The teams combined for 37 hits, 20 by Barrhead. Teahen had five hits, while Burt Haas, Ken Rutan and Dale Tilleman each had three. Dan Wodrich had three hits for Red Deer, for the third consecutive game.
In the opener, Red Deer pounded out 18 hits, three each by Wodrich, Don McLeod and Al Price, in the 12-6 victory. Mike Vaughn, working with just two days rest, went five innings allowing just three hits and an unearned run to post the mound triumph. Teahen cracked a three-run homer for the Jays.
Osborne (L), Van De Keere (4) and Teahen
Vaughn (2-0), Gray (6) and Price
Van De Keere, Hamagami (1), Hergot (L) (5) and Hollett
McAusland, Peterson (2-3) (6) and Price
(July 20) In a wild one at Stony Plain, the Dusters slammed ten home runs, five by third baseman Ken Wiebe, in a 14-12 victory over Red Deer. It was a paltry single, however, by Julie Owchar in the eighth inning which produced the winning run. Wiebe and catcher Dave Holt hit back-to-back homers in the first inning to begin the swat-fest. Mark Lohius, who had four hits, smashed a two-run shot in the second. Holt and Gord Tanner each rapped a pair of long balls. Red Deer slammed five homers, two by catcher Al Price. Don McLeod, Dan Wodrich and pitcher Grant Gray added singletons.
Peterson, McAusland (3), Gray (L) (6) and Price
Rathjen, Lychak (W) (8) and Holt
(July 20) At Barrhead, the Jays whipped Edmonton Tigers 13-2 to take a 1-0 game lead in the AMBL semi-final. Ray Paiement went the route with a seven-hit effort for the win. The Jays scored six runs in the first inning and cruised to the win.
xxx and xxx
Paiement (W) and xxx
(July 22-23) Edmonton Tournament
(July 26-27) Lacombe Tournament
(July 30) Edmonton Tigers will be Alberta's representative at the Canadian championships in Regina. Tigers dumped Barrhead 10-3 and 11-0 in a Sunday double-header. The Tigers downed Red Deer 4-1 and 4-3 Saturday to force Barrhead to win both Sunday games to stay in contention. Tigers belted four homers in Sunday's opener, two by right-fielder Wayne Commodore. Randy Rasmussen and Orv Franchuk added four-baggers. Gerry Hollett hit one for the Jays while Dale Tilleman had three hits. Ray Brown was the pitching winner for Edmonton. John Osborne took the loss.
Left - Wayne Commodore touches home after his second homer of the day. Centre - Barrhead's Ray Paiement. Right - Gary Picone (left) and Mike Teahen of the Jays.
(August 5) Barrhead Blue Jays capped a superb season winning the AMBL title with two straight wins over Stony Plain. One of the victories came by default as the Dusters couldn't field a full team as some of their players were at a tournament at Kamloops. The Jays ended up with the league pennant, playoff title and three big tournament victories at Barrhead, Edmonton and Lacombe. AMBL Commissioner announced the selection of Mike Teahen as the Most Valuable Player and Jays' playing coach Gary Picone as winner of the Hustle Award.
SUNBURST BASEBALL LEAGUE
Camrose Cubs
Edmonton Blue Willow Angels
Edmonton Cardinals
Edmonton Dusters
Fort Saskatchewan Red Sox
St. Albert A’s
Westbank Steelers
(August 12-13 & 19) Alberta senior B/intermediate A baseball finals tournament
(August 25-27) Western Canada Senior B/intermediate A baseball championship tournament
WHEAT BELT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Grande Prairie/Beaverlodge Athletics : Bridges Rich 1B, Henniger Doug 2B, Ness Ken P
NORTH-CENTRAL ALBERTA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Barrhead Broncos :
Swan Hills Cubs :
SOUTHERN ALBERTA JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Calgary Broncos :
Calgary Royals :
Calgary Spikes :
Lethbridge Miners :
Medicine Hat Legion Tigers :