1979 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1979 BC Interior
1979 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Two of the long-standing franchises in the Victoria Amateur Baseball League were no more in 1979 when Gorge Hotel and Greave’s Moving & Storage withdrew their sponsorships, being replaced by Lumberworld and Quadra Warehouse. The one-year association of Dairy Queen as a sponsor also ended in 1979 with the Cosmopolitan Club taking over the affiliation. The other two entries from 1978, Farmer Construction and Capital Radiators, both returned for another campaign.
Capital Radiators
Cosmopolitan Club
Farmer Construction
Lumberworld
Quadra Warehouse
(May 13) The Cosmopolitans and Lumberworld won Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League season openers at Lambrick Park. The Cosmos topped Quadra Warehouse 8 to 5 and Lumberworld came out on top of Capital Radiators 5 to 1. Paul McLeod hit two doubles to spark the Cosmos offensively while teammate Jim Hrach singled twice. Dean Potter picked up the pitching win with relief help from Doug Bull in the seventh inning. Rick Shenton went all the way on the hillock for Lumberworld, holding the Caps to just three safeties while losing tosser Ross Barnett chucked a five-hitter.
(May 14) Ron Holmes ignited a three-run rally with a double in the second inning and then ascended the knoll in the seventh stanza in relief to help Wayne Krimmer collect the pitching victory as Farmer Construction doubled the Cosmopolitans 4 to 2 in Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League action at Lambrick Park. After Holmes doubled, George Pakos and Glen Smith tagged successive singles, Ken Ball sacrificed and the Cosmos committed an error.
Krimmer (W), Ron Holmes (6) and Smith
Stenseth (L) and Harrison
(May 15) Lumberworld was ahead 20 to 6 when their Senior Amateur Baseball League game against Quadra Warehouse was suspended because of darkness. The game will be completed at a later date.
(May 16) Al Moir came up with a staunch batting effort in leading Farmer Construction to a 9 to 5 Senior Amateur League victory over Capital Radiators at Lambrick Park. Moir pasted a double, a single and a sacrifice fly to drive in a brace of runs and plate a pair of tallies himself. Teammate Mike Baier also drove two runs as Ron Holmes fanned five and gave up five hits in copping the hillock decision.
Barnett (L) and MacBride
Ron Holmes (W) and Smith
(May 17) Capital Radiators picked up their first victory in three tries by tripping winless Quadra Warehouse 8 to 1 at Lambrick Park. Gary White crossed the pan in the fourth frame with what turned out to be the winning run on a passed ball.
Bradley (L) and Alstad
Wedgewood (W) and MacBride
(May 18) Lumberworld and the Cosmopolitans will resume a Senior Amateur Baseball League clash on May 27. The combatants were unable to reach a decision at Lambrick Park when the game was suspended after seven innings because of diminished illumination with the score deadlocked at 6 – 6.
(May 20) George Pakos of Farmer Construction was a one-man wrecking crew in Senior Amateur Baseball League doubleheader action at Lambrick Park. All Pakos did as Farmer won a pair from Quadra Warehouse, 18 to 1 and 9 to 8, was to go five-for-seven at the plate, hit a pair of homers, one in each tilt, drive in eight runs and score five himself. Terry Adams annexed his initial mound triumph in the opener.
Bradley (L), Barnes (3), Jarvis (3) and Alstad
Adams (W) and Smith
Shedding the belly pad, shin guards and mask in the second episode of the finale in relief of starter Wayne Krimmer, Ron Holmes won his second knoll verdict of the campaign.
Krimmer, Ron Holmes (W) (2) and Ron Holmes, Smith (2)
Anderson (L) and Collins
(May 21) Lumberworld laid a 20 to 4 beating on the Capital Radiators in a Victoria Day contest at Lambrick Park. Mark Garrett swung the big stick for Lumberworld with four RBI’s. Mike Squire captured the knoll decision, his first, while Ross Barnett, battered from the bump in the second spasm, was stung with his third defeat.
Barnett (L), Wedgewood (2) and MacBride
Squire (W) and Van Gylswyk
(May 22) Capital Radiators got past the Cosmopolitans 7 to 5 in a hard-hitting Senior Amateur League affair at Lambrick Park. Both squads stung the sphere for 12 base raps and each made four errors. Brad MacBride of the Capitals had rub-scoring doubles in both the third and seventh cantos.
Owens (W) and Barnett
Stenseth, D. Bull (L) (5) and Harrison
(May 23) A sixth-inning solo home run by Ron Holmes tied the score at 3 – 3 and, later in the frame, Don Towner drove in the go-ahead run as Farmer Construction shaded Lumberworld 4 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Towner’s ground-rule double gave Terry Adams a second straight pitching win as Holmes came on to provide solid relief in the seventh.
Cook (L) and Russ Holmes
Adams (W), Ron Holmes (7) and Smith
(May 24) Brad MacBride moved from behind the plate to the mound and was successful in his pitching debut, going the route to claim the hurling victory as Capital Radiators tripped Quadra Warehouse 7 to 3. Duane Pack smashed a double, single and sacrifice fly for the Caps, driving in three runs while McBride helped his own cause by driving in a pair.
Skula (L) and Collins
McBride (W) and Barnett, Alstad (2)
(May 25) Ron Holmes and Mike Baier of Farmer Construction were too much for the Capital Radiators in Senior Amateur Baseball League action at Lambrick Park. Holmes wan his third straight victory on the knoll while allowing the Caps six hits in an 11 to 3 Farmer triumph. Baier drove in three runs with a double and single to set the pattern at the plate. The Radiators committed four errors as Jeff Owens suffered his initial hillock setback.
Owens (L), Wedgewood (5), Aune (6) and Price, Barnett (6)
Ron Holmes (W), Howell (6) and Smith
(May 27) Lumberworld mauled the Cosmopolitans with authority in taking both ends of a two-game set at Lambrick Park. After connecting for 14 base blows in the opener en route to an 18 to 5 blowout, the Wood Retailers came up with 17 more safe swats to crush the Cosmos 17 to 3 in the follow-up tilt. Mike Squire picked up both pitching victories, firing a five-hitter while going the route in the matinée event and then twirling into the sixth frame of the late encounter before handing the ball over to Dan Van Gylswyk to mop up the rest of the way. Catcher Ron Holmes was the leading swatsmith for Lumberworld in the twin-bill, picking up eight base knocks, scoring seven runs and accumulating six RBI’s. Teammate Gary Brooke collected five raps. Brian Meadmore and Mike Laffin hit back-to-back home runs to key and eight-run fourth inning for Lumberworld in the lid-lifter while Wayne Proceviat nailed a circuit-jack for the Cosmos.
Squire (W) and Russ Holmes
Potter (L), Harrison (4) and Johnson
The merry-go-round continued in the owl encounter as the victors clipped the horsehide for 17 bingles to bring their total of the day to 31.
Wenzel (L), D. Bull (2), Potter (5) and Harrison
Squire (W), Van Gylswyk (6) and Russ Holmes
(May 29) Capital Radiators evened their record for the season at 4 - 4, coming from behind to defeat Lumberworld 10 to 6. Playing-manager Randy Price wielded the big bat for the winners with a brace of four-ply clouts. Price unloaded his first dinger in the fifth frame as Capital overcame a 5 to 1 deficit with a seven-run outburst. He followed with a two-run tater in the sixth. Dale Aune went all the way on the hill for the Caps after being raked for five counters in the first three innings. It was his first win of the season. Rick Cook was nailed with his second defeat.
(May 30) Slabster Ed Howell made his first starting assignment in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League a winning one but backstop Glen Smith almost stole the spotlight from his new batterymate. Howell checked in with a six-hit effort at Lambrick Park and a 10 to 5 victory for Farmer Construction over the Cosmopolitans. At the dish, he helped his own cause with a two-run double. Smith, his catcher, was the top dog with the baton, stroking the horsehide for a single, double and home run as the unbeaten Farmer aggregation ran their record to 8 – 0.
Fritz (L), D. Bull (2) and Johnson
Howell (W), Ron Holmes (7) and Smith
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 8 0 1.000 ----
Lumberworld 4 2 .667 3.0
Capital Radiators 4 4 .500 4.0
Cosmopolitans 1 5 .167 6.0
Quadra Warehouse 0 6 .000 7.0
(May 31) Mark Garrett sparked Lumberworld to a 14 to 1 thrashing of winless Quadra Warehouse in a Senior Amateur League match at Lambrick Park. Garrett got the winners off on the right foot in the first inning by slamming a two-run homer. He later singled, reached base twice through walks and batted in four runs. Rick Cook, with a five-hitter, picked up his first mound verdict of the campaign.
Martin (L), Skula (5), Halme (6) and Collins
Cook (W), Long (7) and Van Gylswyk
(June 1) Starting the game with seven successive defeats and only nine players on hand, the Quadra Warehouse crew reached the end of the sixth inning trailing the Cosmopolitans 10 to 7. At that point, one of their players had to rush away to work and the Cosmos were awarded the game by forfeiture.
(June 3) Farmer Construction pounded out 22 hits and scored 23 runs but it didn’t do much for their winning streak because the Capital Radiators came up with 23 base knocks and, more importantly, 25 runs to sweep a wild doubleheader at Lambrick Park. Ron Holmes was stung with both mound setbacks, the first coming in an opening-game relief role and the other as a starter in the second contest.
The Contractors blew a 15 – 3 lead in the curtain-raiser, losing 16 to 15 when the Caps struck for 12 runs in the sixth stanza when Kevin Gill came through with a perfectly-executed suicide squeeze bunt to score Ron Arcuri. Al Moir socked a homer for the Construction Crew in a losing cause.
Wedgewood, Aune (2), Strzlecki (4), Owens (W) (4), Barnett (7) and Barnett, MacBride (7)
Adam. Krimmer (6), Ron Holmes (L) (6) and Smith
Randy Price sparked the Radiators offensively in the concluding skirmish, going three-for-four at the plate and driving in two runs. Brad MacBride banged out a two-run double in the fifth and scored what proved to be the winning marker on an error. In suffering his second pitching loss of the day, Holmes pounded out the game’s only four-bagger.
Ron Holmes (L), Howell (5) and Smith, Ron Holmes (6)
Wedgewood, Aune (W) (1) and MacBride
(June 4) Mike Squire pitched a two-hitter and Gary Brooke cracked four safeties to lead Lumberworld to an 8 to 0 shutout over the Cosmopolitans at Lambrick Park. Squire copped his fourth win in as many decisions in the rain-shortened affair while Brooke fattened his offensive statistics with a double and three singles.
Squire (W) and Van Gylswyk
Stenseth (L) and Johnson
(June 5) The wide gap between the top and bottom clubs in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League was painfully evident at Lambrick Park where front-running Farmer Construction mounted a 15-hit attack and took advantage of nine errors while clobbering the winless Quadra Warehouse nine 22 to 2. Seven of Quadra’s miscues came in the sixth inning as Farmer plated ten counters. Catcher Glen Smith led the batting parade for the victors with his second and third homers of the season, a double and a single to drive in three runs and score five times. Ron Holmes followed with seven RBI’s as a result of a triple, two singles and a sacrifice fly.
Martin (L) and Collins
Adams (W) and Smith
(June 6) The Cosmopolitans came up with 18 base hits to help offset four errors and went on to edge the capital Radiators 10 to 9 at Lambrick Park. Outfielder Tim Crawford set the batting pace for the Cosmos with a three-run homer in the third inning and a double in the sixth stanza that drove home the winning run. He finished with three hits in four at-bats. Teammates Wayne Proceviat and Jim Hrach pounded back-to-back round-trippers in the fourth frame as Doug Bull earned the knoll decision in relief of Dean Potter.
Potter, D. Bull (W) (3) and Johnson
Owens, Wedgewood (L) (4), Aune (7) and MacBride
(June 7) Don Towner and George Pakos each drilled three hits and scored three runs as pace-setting Farmer Construction bounced second-place Lumberworld 10 to 4 at Lambrick Park. Towner launched a brace of home runs while Pakos had one tater. Also connecting for a dinger was Mike Laffin of the Home Retailers.
Howell (W) and Smith
Cook (L), Van Gylswyk (4) and Van Gylswyk, Brouard (4)
(June 10) Unbeaten Mike Squire and fellow slab artist Rick Shenton are helping second-place Lumberworld keep some pressure on top-dog Farmer Construction in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League. The Home Retailers sliced a full game off Farmer’s advantage by sweeping a doubleheader from Quadra Warehouse, 10 to 2 and 8 to 3. Squire boosted his record to 5 – 0 by scattering five hits in the opener. Clubmate Mike Laffin tomahawked a three-run homer in this contest.
Squire (W) and Russ Holmes
Bradley (L) and Collins
Shenton won his second straight decision in the nightcap, surrendering eight hits along the way, one of which was a circuit-clout to Quadra catcher Bruce Collins. Lumberworld playing manager Russ Holmes had three hits in support of Shenton’s pitching.
Halme (L) and Pickering, Collins (2)
Shenton (W) and Russ Holmes
(June 11) Farmer Construction balltossers hung on by their collective fingernails to edge the Cosmopolitans 5 to 4 at Lambrick Park. Outhit throughout the game by a 10 to 8 margin, the Contractors managed to score four times with two out in their final turn at bat to snatch victory from apparent defeat. First baseman Al Moir smashed a double to drive in both the tying and winning runs as Farmer boosted their lead atop the Senior Amateur circuit to two games. Mike Baier lit up losing twirler Doug Bull for a bases-empty round-tripper.
Adams, Ron Holmes (W) (3) and Ron Holmes, Ken Ball (3)
D. Bull (L), Potter (7) and Johnson
(June 12) Capital Radiators rallied late in the game to knock off the hapless Quadra Warehouse squad 8 to 6 in a Senior Amateur clash at Lambrick Park. Duane Pack came off the bench to ignite the rally with a fifth-inning single and finished it with a seventh-inning double.
Wedgewood, Aune (W) and MacBride
Martin (L), Halme (6) and Collins
(June 13) League-leading Farmer Construction launched a home run barrage that fizzled and runner-up Lumberworld went on to score a 7 to 6 victory at Lambrick Park. George Pakos, Al Moir, Mike Baier and Ron Holmes all smashed circuit-clouts for the Contractors who tied the game in the seventh inning. Then, in the eighth episode, batting-leader Russ Holmes of Lumberworld ruined the Farmer thunder by singling home the winning run. Gary Brooke, who was three-for-five with the hickory, swatted a double to start off the eighth, advance to third on a sacrifice by Dan Van Gylswyk and scored on Holmes’ base knock.
(June 14) Bob Barnes provided the firepower that lifted Quadra Warehouse to their first win in 13 starts in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League. Quadra edged the Cosmopolitans 9 to 8 at Lambrick Park. Barnes belted a two-run single in the sixth inning to boost the Quads to within one run of the Cosmos. Then, in the seventh, he unloaded a three-run homer to fuel a five-run explosion that put the Warehousemen ahead to stay. Lorne Halme struck out nine batters in a winning, route-going mound effort. He surrendered taters to catcher Tim Crawford and Wayne Proceviat of the Cosmos while Bruce Collins joined Barnes in going yard with a dinger for the victors.
Halme (W) and Collins
Potter, Harrison (L) (6) and Crawford
(June 17) The Cosmopolitans and Capital Radiators split a Senior Amateur League double-bill at Lambrick Park, the Caps prevailing 6 to 2 in the first skirmish while the Cosmos took the late scuffle 9 to 1. Brad MacBride of the Radiators hurled a three-hitter in the opener, boosting his pitching record to 2 – 0, and drove in two runs with a fifth-inning single. His batterymate, Jeff Owens, added two hits in three trips to the plate.
Stenseth (L) and Johnson
MacBride (W), Wedgewood (7) and Owens
Shortstop Rob Stephens was the story in the nightcap for the Cosmos, smashing a pair of three-run homers, while clubmate Wayne Proceviat launched another tater, his fifth of the campaign. Winning chucker Dean Potter, who ascended the bump in a relief role in the initial canto, blanked the Capitals the remainder of the contest, limiting them to four hits.
Aune (L), Wedgewood (3) and Owens
D. Bull, Potter (W) (1) and Crawford
(June 18) Lumberworld collected two victories in Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League play at Lambrick Park to move into a first-place deadlock with Farmer Construction. The Home Renovation Retailers swamped cellar-dwelling Quadra Warehouse 20 to 7 in the completion of a game suspended on May 15. Winning tosser Rick Cook evened his record at 3 – 3 and teammate Brian Meadmore homered in this tussle.
Cook (W) and Russ Holmes, Brouard (3)
Beveridge (L), Halme (2), Barnes (3), Bradley (4) and Taylor, Pickering (3)
In a regularly-scheduled match, the Woodmen doubled Quadra 8 to 4. Dan Van Gylswyk connected for two hits as Cook registered his fourth hillock victory. A two-run single by Russ Holmes in the third chapter drove in the ultimate winning run.
Cook (W) and Russ Holmes
Martin (L) and Collins
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 11 3 .786 ----
Lumberworld 11 3 .786 ----
Capital Radiators 8 6 .571 3.0
Cosmopolitans 4 8 .333 6.0
Quadra Warehouse 1 14 .067 10.5
(June 19) Swatsmiths from Farmer Construction rampaged to score all their runs in the fourth inning while clipping the Capital Radiators 9 to 1 at Lambrick Park. The Caps enjoyed a brief lead on a second-inning solo circuit-jack by Randy Price but the Contactors stormed back to turn seven base knocks, two bases-on-balls and an error into a nine-spot and the victory. Don Towner ripped a two-run single and Al Moir clubbed a two-run double during the uprising. Terry Adams improved his unblemished pitching record to 5 – 0 with a six-hitter.
Wedgewood (L), Gill (5) and Owens
Adams (W) and Smith
(June 20) Randy Strandlund made a successful debut on the hill, pitching Farmer Construction to a 9 to 4 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League victory over Quadra Warehouse at Lambrick Park. Leading a ten-hit offensive display by the Construction Crew in support of Strandlund were Ron Holmes and Ian Hood with a triad of safeties each. Tom Bradley smashed a home run for the Warehousemen.
Strandlund (W) and Smith
Halme (L), Martin (3), Bradley (5) and Collins
(June 21) Mike Squire played a strong two-way role as Lumberworld bounced the Capital Radiators 14 to 4 in a Senior Amateur clash at Lambrick Park. On the mound, Squire extended his unbeaten streak to six games by tossing a six-hitter. From the batter’s box, he bashed a pair of two-run homers and a run-producing single to help his club close to within a half-game of league-leading Farmer Construction. Tony Long also went long distance for the victors, launching a three-run four-bagger during a ten-run second stanza.
MacBride (L), Aune (3) and Owens
Squire (W) and Russ Holmes
(June 22) Don’t blame Quadra Warehouse for appreciating the presence of the Cosmopolitans in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball league. The cellar-dwelling Warehousemen have won only two games all season and both have come at the expense of the Cosmos. The latest was a 13 to 7 conquest at Lambrick Park. The Cosmos hurt their own cause with five errors. Dan Wiebe, in his first appearance this campaign, took credit for the knoll triumph with three innings of solid relief work.
Potter (L), Wenzel (5) and Johnson
Martin, Wiebe (W) (5) and Collins
(June 24) Two of the top pitchers in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League took it on the chin as the front-running Farmer Construction contingent and second-place Lumberworld aggregation marked time by splitting a Lambrick Park doubleheader. Terry Adams, with five straight victories, suffered his first loss as Lumberworld connected for a 10 to 4 opening-tussle victory. Farmer restored their half-game grasp on top spot by winning the second fracas 4 to 3 in ten innings, dealing Mike Squire his first setback after six successive triumphs.
Rick Cook, boosting his pitching record to 5 – 3 in the curtain-raiser, had a no-hitter going until the Contractors spoiled his bid with a pair of sixth-inning singles. Farmer then broke the shutout spell by lighting up Cook for six straight one-baggers in the seventh stanza but it was far too little to make a difference in the final outcome. Squire sparked the offence of the Renovation Retailers by going three-for-three while Dan Van Gylswyk knocked in three counters.
Adams (L), Krimmer (6) and Smith
Cook (W), Squire (7) and Russ Holmes
In the tenth inning of the nightcap, Farmer copped a walkoff victory when Don Towner singled with one out, moved to third base on Glen Smith’s double and scored on Al Moir’s infield hit.
Squire (L) and Russ Holmes
Strandlund (W) and Smith
(June 25) The Capital Radiators scored eight runs in the first inning in the Senior Amateur clash with the Cosmopolitans at Lambrick Park and they needed them all before emerging with a 14 to 10 decision. The victory for the Caps moved them to within four games of second-place Lumberworld. Dale Aune and Geoff Dickson had two hits each for the Radiators with Aune driving in four runs and Dickson three. Winning pitcher Larry Wedgewood evened his record for the season at 2 – 2.
Wedgewood (W) and MacBride
Proceviat (L), Potter (1), Keller (5) and Crawford
(June 26) Pitcher Doug Bull allowed eight hits but was tough in the clutch as the Cosmopolitans defeated Quadra Warehouse 5 to 1 in a Senior Amateur League tilt at Lambrick Park. Bull, now 3 – 2 on the season, stranded 11 baserunners. He struck out seven and walked two. Three of the base raps he surrendered were knocks off the bat of Quadra’s Bob Barnes. Kirk Unwin was nicked for five safeties in absorbing the loss.
Unwin (L), Halme (5) and Collins, Pickering (6)
D. Bull (W) and Johnson
(June 27) Lumberworld clubbed the Capital Radiators 10 to 5 at Lambrick Park to create a dead heat with Farmer Construction atop the Senior Amateur Baseball League standings. Rick Shenton and Rick Cook combined to hold the Radiators to eight hits, including Randy Price’s fourth homer of the season. Russ Holmes slammed a three-run dinger for the winners in the fourth inning and added a fourth RBI later while Mike Laffin contributed a pair of RBI’s to the Lumberworld offense.
Shenton, Cook (W) (5) and Russ Holmes
Barnett (L) and Owens
(July 28) Ron Holmes and Terry Adams were the big guns in Farmer Construction’s 5 to 3 conquest of the Cosmopolitans at Lambrick Park. Holmes had two singles to drive in three runs while Adams won his sixth game of the year against one defeat by scattering six hits. Wayne Proceviat walloped his sixth home run of the season for the Cosmos, tying him with George Pakos for the lead n that department.
Potter, Keller (L) (5) and Johnson
Adams (W) and Ball
(July 3) League-leading Farmer Construction erased an eight-run deficit and went on to trip Quadra Warehouse 13 to 11 in a sloppily-played Senior Amateur League tilt at Lambrick Park. Al Moir capped a seven-run fifth inning with a two-run round-tripper as the Contractors compressed al of their scoring into the final three innings.
Strandlund, Krimmer (W) (3), Adams (7) and Smith
Martin, Bradley (L) (5) and Collins
(July 4) Trailing 6 to 1 after an inning of play, the Cosmopolitans gnawed away at the deficit and eventually came out on top of the Capital Radiators 8 to 6 at Lambrick Park. Randy Keller pitched no-hit baseball in six innings of stellar relief work to gain the hurling triumph while Wayne Proceviat provided the offensive punch for the winners with three hits, including his league-leading seventh dinger of the season.
Potter, Keller (W) (2) and Johnson
Wedgewood (L) and Barnett
(July 5) Mike Laffin bashed a three-run tater in the sixth stanza to lead Lumberworld to a 10 to 8 verdict over the Cosmopolitans at Lambrick Park. Teammate Gary Brooke also tagged a dinger for the victors as Rick Cook picked up his seventh mound victory in ten decisions.
Keller, Fritz (L) (3) and Johnson
Cook (W) and Russ Holmes
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 16 4 .800 ----
Lumberworld 15 5 .750 1.0
Capital Radiators 9 10 .474 6.5
Cosmopolitans 7 13 .350 9.0
Quadra Warehouse 2 17 .105 13.5
(July 6) Terry Adams fashioned a three-hitter to help boost first-place Farmer Construction to a 5 to 0 victory over cellar-dwelling Quadra Warehouse. It was the seventh win in eight starts for Adams who punched out nine and walked three.
Martin (L) and Collins
Adams (W) and Smith
(July 9) Some outstanding relief pitching by Randy Strandlund made the difference as Farmer Construction defeated the Cosmopolitans 8 to 5 at Lambrick Park. Strandlund, who is 3 – 0 since shifting back to baseball from softball in mid-season, struck out two, walked a pair and allowed no hits after relieving starter Wayne Krimmer in the fifth inning. Ian Hood led the batting attack for the Contractors with three hits in five trips to score twice. Mike Lawless was two-for-three and drove in a run while Mike Baier went two-for-dour and also had an RBI.
Krimmer, Strandlund (W) (5) and Smith
D. Bull (L) and Johnson
(July 10) Brian Meadmore laced a double in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to drive in the winning run as runner-up Lumberworld edged first-place Farmer Construction 6 to 5 at Lambrick Park. Russ Holmes had driven in the tying run earlier in the frame. Ron Holmes led the Construction Crew at the platter with a home run and three RBI’s.
Adams (L) and Smith
Cook (W) and Russ Holmes
(July 11) Kelvin Harrison and Randy Keller bashed bases-loaded doubles in the first two innings and Dean Potter came up with a solid hillock effort to propel the Cosmopolitans to a 6 to 2 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League conquest of Quadra Warehouse at Lambrick Park. Potter fanned nine, yielded just three walks and was did not allow the Warehousemen to score any runs after the third inning.
(July 12) Tom Bradley came up with a timely hit to help lowly Quadra Warehouse upset the Capital Radiators 4 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Bradley, who singled in his first turn at bat, smashed a leadoff home run in the fifth frame to provide the winning run. Tom Martin earned his first pitching win in six starts despite walking ten and whiffing just two.
Aune (L) and MacBride
Martin (W) and Collins
(July 13) Lumberworld took advantage of four Cosmopolitan errors in the third inning to score five times and go on to defeat the Cosmos 6 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Mike Squire picked up his seventh win in a route-going performance.
Squire (W) and Russ Holmes
Fritz (L) and Harrison
(July 14) Capital Radiators claimed both ends of a doubleheader against Quadra Warehouse, 5 to 3 and 20 to 5. Brad MacBride pitched a four-hitter for the Radiators in the opening-game triumph while Randy Price smashed a home run in support of winning tosser Larry Wedgewood in the one-sided follow-up event.
(July 15) Doug Bull ignited the fuse as the fourth-place Cosmopolitans became giant-killers, sweeping a doubleheader, 6 to 4 and 6 to 1, at Lambrick Park to knock Farmer Construction into second place in the Senior Amateur loop, a half-game behind Lumberworld. Bull claimed five-hit pitching victories for the Cosmos, surrendering only one earned run in the two games. Bull punched out seven and walked six in the lid-lifter. Wayne Proceviat led the victors with the lumber, stroking a brace of safeties while driving in a pair of tallies.
D. Bull (W), Potter (7) and Johnson
Krimmer (L), Strandlund (7) and Smith
Bull and Proceviat once again combined their talents in the late encounter to initiate the sweep as the former fanned three and walked two while the latter went three-for-four with the baton, good for two RBI’s.
Strandlund (L) and Smith
D. Bull (W) and Harrison
(July 17) Playing-manager Randy Price set a scorching pace as the capital Radiators topped the Cosmopolitans 10 to 6 in Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League action at Lambrick Park. Price connected for four base knocks, including a pair of doubles, and drove in five runs for the Caps. Clubmate Ron Arcuri contributed three safeties. Rob Stephens went yard for the Cosmos, slugging his fourth dinger of the season.
Aune (W) and MacBride
Potter, Keller (L) (2), Potter (5) and Johnson
(July 18) George Pakos dialed long distance with a three-run circuit-jack to spark Farmer Construction to a 5 to 1 Senior Amateur League victory over Lumberworld. It was the seventh round-tripper of the campaign for Pakos, who added a fourth RBI earlier in the joust. Terry Adams boosted his pitching record to 8 – 2 with the win which elevated the Contractors into a first-place deadlock with the vanquished nine.
Cook (L) and Russ Holmes
Adams (W) and Smith
(July 19) 16-year old Mike Bull made an impressive debut in senior-level competition, pitching the Capital radiators to a 2 to 1 decision over Lumberworld at Lambrick Park. Bull tossed a three-hitter, fanned seven and walked two. The loss dropped Lumberworld out of a tie for top spot with Farmer Construction.
M. Bull (W) and Owens
Barnett, Squire (L) (7) and Russ Holmes
(July 22) The Cosmopolitans swept a Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League twin-bill against Quadra Warehouse at Lambrick Park, knocking odd the cellar-dwellers 6 to 4 in the opener and romping to a 19 to 8 decision in the second tussle. Tim Crawford singled in the winning run in the curtain-raiser.
Beveridge (L) and Collins
Potter (W) and Harrison
Quadra fell apart in the fifth frame of the sunset skirmish as the Cosmos struck for 15 runs on seven hits, eight walks and two errors. Kirk Wenzel led the batting parade for the winners with four hits in five trips to the plate.
Fritz, D. Bull (W) (3), Wenzel (5) and Johnson
Bradley (L), Halme (5), Barnes (5), Collins (5) and Collins, Barnes (5)
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 19 7 .731 ----
Lumberworld 19 8 .704 0.5
Capital Radiators 14 12 .538 5.0
Cosmopolitans 12 16 .429 8.0
Quadra Warehouse 3 24 .111 16.5
(July 23) Capitalizing on three seventh-inning errors by the Capital Radiators, Farmer Construction went on to record an 8 to 7 Senior Amateur League triumph at Lambrick Park. The win increased the Contractors’ lead over Lumberworld to one game. Ian Hood led the Farmer offense with four hits, resulting in three RBI’s. Terry Adams, who was raked for five first-inning counters by the Rads, recorded his eighth pitching victory.
Adams (W) and Smith
M. Bull (L) and Barnett
(July 24) Lumberworld struck early at Lambrick Park and managed to hold on to defeat Quadra Warehouse 8 to 6 to move back to within a half-game of leading Farmer Construction. A five-spot in the second stanza staked the Renovation Retailers to a 6 to 0 lead and they were never headed despite a seventh-inning comeback bid by the Warehousemen, sparked by catcher Bruce Collins’ three-run homer, which fell just short.
Halme (L) and Collins
Cook (W) and Russ Holmes
(July 25) Dean Potter fired a five-hitter to lead the Cosmopolitans to a 7 to 3 upset victory over Farmer Construction at Lambrick Park. The win boosted the Cosmos to within 1-1/2 games of the third-place Capital Radiators in the battle for the final playoff berth. Kirk Wenzel cracked a three-run homer to pace the Cosmo attack. Farmer dropped back into a tie for first-place with the loss.
Potter (W) and Johnson
Strandlund (L) and Smith
(July 26) The Cosmopolitans continued their hot streak by defeating Lumberworld 9 to 3 in a Senior Amateur League tilt at Lambrick Park. The win was the seventh in nine games for the fourth-place Cosmos. Wayne Proceviat boosted his league-leading home run total to eight with a solo blast for the victors.
Squire (L), Van Gylswyk (4) and Russ Holmes
Keller (W) and Johnson
(July 29) The Capital Radiators came closer to clinching third-place and the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League’s final playoff spot by slamming Quadra Warehouse 14 to 4 in the first half of a two-game set before settling for a 6 to 4 win in the sunset skirmish. Playing-manager Randy Price set the pace for the Caps with four hits in six trips to the plate and five RBI’s over the course of the doubleheader. The one bright spot for Quadra in their opening-game drubbing was a four-bagger by Mike Buna.
Martin (L), Bradley (4) and Collins
Barnett (W) and Owens
Barry Wedgewood won his fifth game against four losses in the twilight tussle.
Wedgewood (W) and MacBride
Halme (L) and Collins
(July 30) Designated hitter Glen Smith smashed three home runs to drive in seven counters as Farmer Construction pounded their closest pursuer, Lumberworld, 12 to 9 at Lambrick Park. The league-leaders were forced to rally from deficits twice to pull off the victory. Dan Van Gylswyk stroked a dinger for the losers.
Shenton (L), Squire (6) and Russ Holmes
Adams, Krimmer (W) (2) and Ron Holmes
(July 31) Farmer Construction, a dominant force in past years, clinched first-place and the 1979 Victoria Senior Amateur League pennant by sweeping a pair of decisions from the Capital Radiators at Lambrick Park. Farmer plated a three-spot in the top-of-the-tenth inning, scoring a 13 to 10 victory to complete a suspended game, and then carried on for a 6 to 1 win in the regular matchup. George Pakos’ eighth home run of the season decided the suspended game.
Howell, Ron Holmes (4), Howell (6) Adams (6), Strandlund (8), Krimmer (W) (8) and Smith, Ron Holmes (8)
Aune, Wedgewood (L) (6), Barnett (10) and MacBride, Barnett (8), Owens (10)
Playing-manager Mike Baier had two hits, including a circuit-clout, to spark the Construction Crew in their pennant-clinching tilt.
Howell (W) and Ron Holmes
Barnett (L) and MacBride
(August 5) B. C. Senior “B” amateur baseball championship tournament
(August 8) The Capital Radiators secured the third and final playoff spot in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League by crushing the Cosmopolitans 16 to 3 at Lambrick Park. The loss dropped the Cosmos out of contention and made their final league game unnecessary. Randy Price came up with three hits, including a round-tripper, to drive in six runs for the Capitals while teammate Gary White produced four hits, one of which was a four-bagger, in garnering a pair of RBI’s.
Potter (L), Keller (3), Stephens (5) and Johnson
Aune (W) and Owens
Final Standings W L Pct. GBL
Farmer Construction 23 8 .742 ----
Lumberworld 20 10 .667 2.5
Capital Radiators 17 15 .531 6.5
Cosmopolitans 14 17 .452 9.0
Quadra Warehouse 3 27 .100 19.5
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Capital Radiators vs Lumberworld (best-of-three series)
(August 10) Rick Cook and Mike Laffin made a potent combination in pushing Lumberworld to a 4 to 0 conquest of the Capital Radiators in the Senior Amateur League semi-final series opener at Lambrick Park. Cook spun a five-hit, complete-game shutout victory while Laffin unloaded for a brace of four-ply clouts.
Aune (L) and Barnett
Cook (W) and Russ Holmes
(August 12) Lumberworld earned a spot in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League finals against pennant-winning Farmer Construction by edging the Capital Radiators 5 to 4 in the deciding game of the best-of-three semi-final series at Lambrick Park. The Capitals had forced the series to the limit by tripping Lumberworld 7 to 4 earlier in the day Randy Price sparked the Radiators with the willow in the first game with a three-run tater in the third inning while teammate Gary White contributed three base knocks and scored four runs. Gary Brooke blasted a four-bagger for the losers.
Squire (L) and Russ Holmes
Wedgewood (W) and Owens
Price once again unloaded a dinger with two mates aboard to tie the score 4 – 4 in the top-of-the-sixth stanza of the finale but Capital lost in the bottom half of the frame when, with the bases loaded, Tony Long who had doubled, scored what turned out to be the winning run on a passed ball.
Wedgewood (L), Aune (6) and Owens
Cook (W), Squire (7) and Russ Holmes
FINALS Lumberworld vs Farmer Construction (best-of-five series)
(August 13) Ron Holmes and Glen Smith each came up with a two-run homer to ignite Farmer Construction to a 14 to 5 romp of Lumberworld in the opening game of the best-of-five Senior Amateur League finals. Terry Adams recorded the pitching victory as each team managed to connect for ten hits. Mike Squire tagged a four-bagger for Lumberworld.
Meadmore (L), Brooke (2) and Russ Holmes
Adams (W) and Smith
(August 14) Lumberworld squared the best-of-five Senior Amateur League finals at a game apiece by downing pennant-winning Farmer Construction 9 to 3 at Lambrick Park. Mike Squire earned the pitching victory by spinning a six-hitter. Teammate Mike Laffin drilled a brace of safeties, driving in three counters.
Strandlund (L), Ron Holmes (4) and Smith
Squire (W) and Russ Holmes
(August 17-19) Western Canada Senior “B” baseball championship tournament
Nothing was found in print relative to the completion of the final series although Farmer Construction apparently won the 1979 playoff title to go along with the regular-season pennant.
1979 MID-ISLAND SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
This six-team circuit, wherein games were billed for seven-innings’ duration, encompassed teams from Campbell River, Lake Cowichan and two entries each from Nanaimo and Port Alberni, with the expansion Phillies being the new entry from the latter community. For the previous four seasons, the loop was dominated by the Nanaimo Discosport A’s, the A’s having reeled off four consecutive league titles coming into the 1979 campaign. Accordingly, the Nanaimo Daily News spotlighted their coverage of 1979 league happenings almost exclusively on the A’s to the detriment of the Hub City’s second and equally competitive diamond pastimers, the Villa Canadians. Usage of a designated hitter in league game was permitted.
Teams
Campbell River Athletics
Lake Cowichan Lakers
Nanaimo Discosport A’s
Nanaimo Villa Canadians
Port Alberni Souther Construction 68’ers
Port Alberni Phillies
(May 13) The Discosport A’s of Nanaimo split their Mid-Island League season-opening doubleheader with the Lake Cowichan Lakers at Serauxmen Stadium. The A’s lost the first game 5 to 4 but came back with an impressive 5 to 0 shutout victory in the second contest. Starting pitcher Steve Whittam of the A’s was banished to the showers in favor of reliever Terry Kleisinger after 3-1/2 innings of the opener and was saddled with the loss. The A’s had only six safeties and committed three errors. Ron Andrews and Grant Forrest collected two hits apiece for the triumphant Lakers as Andrews’ brace of safe swats produced three RBI’s. The A’s jumped on Lakers’ starter Brad Palmer in the first inning of the nightcap, scoring a pair. They added two more in the second and one in the fourth. Gordie Dumont and Rocky Kukulak led the way for the winners with two hits each while Gary Yakelashek’s lone bingle drove in a brace of counters. Bruce Willgress pitched a solid game for the A’s, yielding but four hits while fanning five in going the route.
(May 13) The Port Alberni Souther 68’ers captured a pair of 4 to 3 games from hosting Campbell River to open the season. Paul LeBlanc fired a four-hitter while whiffing nine in the opening-game triumph in which the Ports grabbed an early lead and never looked back In the second contest, winning flinger Jim Seredick fanned 14 and collected a pair of hits as the 68’ers rallied for four runs in the top-of-the-ninth, then held off a determined attack by he Rivermen in the bottom half of the chapter that produced three runs. Seredick finished the afternoon with five hits while Brent Speidel collected three.
(May 13) Nanaimo Villa took full advantage of some erratic fielding and anemic hitting by the Port Alberni Phillies to knock off the Alberni nine 6 to 2 and 7 to 1 in opening-day doubleheader action at Mount Klitsma. The Phillies managed just 11 hits in the two-game set with Kirk McGiffin, clubbing three hits including a homer, their only batter to show any effective offensive production. But the real problems were in the field where the Ports surrendered seven unearned runs.
(May 20) The hosting Lake Cowichan Lakers took on the Nanaimo Discosport A’s in doubleheader action and were a bit too hospitable as they allowed the visitors to escape with a sweep of both contests, by 3 to 2 and 2 to 0 scores. Doubles by Mike Forest in the first stanza and Brad Palmer in the second panel of the opening tussle led to a brace of counters as both eventually scored, staking the Cowichan nine to an early 2 to 0 lead. The A’s evened things in the third following back-to-back run-producing singles by Jim Luck and Dan Rogers. A one-bagger by Ted Boe drove in Luck with the eventual winner in the seventh. Rogers was the top willow-wielder in the encounter, going three-for-three at the dish. A’s slabman Bruce Willgress hurled a five-hitter and punched out six in recording his second mound triumph.
In the second game, A’s pitcher Steve Whittam was in top form, twirling a one-hitter in taking the whitewash win. The lone safety he surrendered was a hard-hit single by Ron Andrews to the right side of the infield which the A’s couldn’t handle. The Nanaimo nine scored both of their tallies in the sixth. Second baseman Gordie Dumont started things off by spanking the sphere for a two-bagger. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bruce Willgress, Dumont found himself caught in a pickle when Dennis Clarke’s grass-cutter was fielded by the Lakers’ hot corner custodian and the hot-box rundown began. Fortunately for Dumont and the A’s, the Cowichan catcher unloaded an errant throw during the chase and Dumont scored easily. The A’s added an insurance marker when Jim Luck singled, stole second, advanced to third on an infield groundout and touched home on a successful squeeze bunt by Ted Boe.
(May 20) The Port Alberni Souther 68’ers split two games against the Campbell River Athletics in Mid-Island League action. The first game was all Port Alberni with the 68’ers walking away with a 7 to 0 shutout win behind the one-hit pitching of Doug Brimacombe. Both Jim Seredick and Brimacombe chalked up two hits for the winners. In the late fracas, Campbell River eked out a 3 to 1 win, hanging the loss on 68’ers’ pitcher Doug Hanna. Lon Miles, who went three-for-four at the plate, produced the lone tally for the Ports with a solo home run in the sixth stanza.
(May 23) Two Nanaimo adversaries locked horns at Serauxman Stadium in a Mid-Island Baseball League clash and the Villa Canadians prevailed over their crosstown rivals, the Discosport A’s, 2 to 1. The Villa diamond troopers went ahead 2 to 0 in the fourth frame. Terry Keisinger, the A’s starting heaver, gave up singles to Scott Johnson and Steve Dalman and then walked a batter to load the sacks with no one out. Kleisinger started to work himself out of this jam when he rang up Morgan Baldwin and Murray Bamford on whiffs. But when Ross Cooper followed with a bloop shot along the third base line, A’s hot corner custodian Ted Boe unwisely threw behind him to third base in a late force out attempt instead of taking the sure out at first, allowing Johnson to scamper home from third unscathed. A free pass to Craig Rodway then forced in Dalman with the second Villa marker. The A’s notched their lone counter of the skirmish in the fifth when first baseman Al Hill, just back from the NHL wars as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, went yard with a long solo-dinger. The Villa balltossers appeared ready to increase their margin in the sixth when Cooper and Rodway connected for back-to-back singles but Hill, who at this point had replaced Kleisinger on the bump, showed his best move in picking both runners off.
(May 27) Exhibition game action at Serauxmen Stadium saw the Nanaimo Discosport A’s of the Mid-Island loop get past the visiting Victoria Capital Radiator squad twice, blanking the Capital City aggregation 3 to 0 to begin things and then wrapping up the double-dip with a 3 to 1 conquest of the Ironmen. A third inning sacrifice fly off the bat of Dan Rogers allowed Dave Barker to tag up and score from the hot corner sack with the initial Discosport run in the opener. The A’s plated their final pair of tallies in the bottom-of-the-fifth when Barker singled and was sacrificed to second by Dennis Clarke. After Victoria moundsman Dale Aune hit Rocky Kurulak with a pitch, putting runners at first and second, singles by Jim Luck and Ted Boe drove both runners in. The Nanaimo contingent outhit the Scrap Dealers five to three in the well-pitched match in which the A’s slab artist Steve Whittam dazzled on the hill. .
In the follow-up fracas, the A’s got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Jim Luck walked, advanced to third on a single by Dan Rogers and scored on a wild pitch. They made it 2 to 0 in the second chapter when Dennis Clarke turned a bunt into a base hit, stole second and scored when Dave Barker smashed a double. Discosport’s final tally came in the third when Ted Boe reached base on an error, swiped second, advanced to third on an out and scored on a wild pitch by losing chucker Larry Wedgewood. Dan Rogers and Al Hill split the mound chores for the A’s with the former getting credit for the bump triumph.
(May 27) The Port Alberni Souther 68’ers came out on top in both games of a double-dip against the Lake Cowichan Lakers by scores of 4 to 3 and 7 to 0. Jim Seredick earned the pitching win in the opener after coming to the aid of starter Brent Speidel in the second stanza. Speidel had been lit up for a three-run circuit-jack by Calder of the Lakers, putting the 68’ers behind the eight-ball. They methodically clawed their way back, tying the score in the third on an RBI single by Lon Miles. Doug Hanna’s one-bagger in the fourth drove in Speidel with what turned out to be the winning run. In the second game, the Ports waltzed to the whitewash triumph as winning chucker Paul LeBlanc allowed just two hits and breezed ten. Lon Miles led the 68’ers with the willow, registering three safeties.
(June 3) The Nanaimo Discosport A’s swept a pair of Mid-Island League games from the homestanding Port Alberni Phillies and gained some ground on the league-leading and cross-town rival Nanaimo Villa contingent. While the Canadians were dividing a twin-bill with the Port Alberni 68’ers, the A’s were experiencing little difficulty in disposing of the expansion Phillies, jumping on the Port Alberni nine 11 to 2 in the matinée tussle and then doubling their hosts 6 to 3 in the finale. After the dust had settled following weekend action, the Villa Canadians still led the circuit with an 8 – 1 record, followed by the 68’ers at 7 – 2. The Discosport A’s, having played two fewer games, stood at 5 – 2.
In the matinée contest at Port Alberni, Discosport chucker Bruce Willgress spun a five-hitter in taking the complete-game victory. The Phillies scored both of their counters in the third spasm when Kirk McGiffin, after Tony Powell had reached base with a single, unloaded on a Willgress offering for a two-run round-tripper. The A’s, meanwhile, were busy putting across a pair of runs in the first, another deuce in the third, a triad in the fifth and, finally, a four-spot in the seventh. Key run-producing hits during the early scoring sprees came from Gary Yakelashek, Ted Boe and Ken Brodyk with doubles and Dave Barker with a three-bagger.
The A’s struck quickly in the sunset encounter, plating an unearned opening-frame tally after Rocky Kurulak had reached base with a one-bagger. A bottom-of-the-panel counter plated by Kirk McGiffin, who spanked the horsehide for four safe swats in six at bats during the two games, evened things up. After singling, the Phillies’ slugger made his way around to third and crossed the dish when A’s heaver, Terry Kleisinger, unloaded a wild pitch. Run-scoring singles by Gary Yakelashek and Rick Neff in the third put the visitors from Nanaimo in front 3 to 1, and they were never headed from there. The A’s enjoyed a 9 to 5 edge in base hits during this wind-up scuffle.
(June 6) Intense cross-town rivalry defined the mid-week joust at Serauxmen Stadium in which Discosport A’s dumped the first-place Villa Canadians 15 to 6 in the second battle of Nanaimo this season. The A’s outswatted the Canadians by an 11 to 6 margin and rode the wave of three-run outbursts in each of the first three stanzas and a five-spot in the fourth to build up an insurmountable lead. Errors were costly to both teams in this clash, especially the Canadians, who uncharacteristically booted the ball on ten occasions. The victory for the A’s improved their Mid-Island record to 6 – 2 while the league-leading Canadians fell to 8 – 2. The winners displayed a balanced offensive attack in putting down their adversaries. Al Hill notched three singles while timely blows that sent ducks on the pond homeward bound were stroked by Ted Boe, Bill Bestwick and Hill. Run-producing safeties from the camp of the vanquished nine came off the lumber of Norm Attig, Murray Bamford and Morgan Baldwin. Steve Whittam, who received relief help from Terry Kleisinger late in the game, grabbed the pitching win. The Villa nine used three chuckers in this nightmare for them. Starter and loser Don Slaughter was followed on the bump in the fourth by Grant Thompson who, in turn, was given the hook in the fifth in favor of Ross Cooper.
(June 10) After the Nanaimo Discosport A’s swept a brace of Mid-Island Baseball League games from the invading Port Alberni Phillies, they found themselves breathing down the neck of the the Nanaimo Villa Canadians in their struggle for top spot in the loop. The two wins, by scores of 4 to 3 and 9 to 3, upped the Discosport record in league competition to 8 – 2.
The Phillies, a much-improved ball club, threatened to take the first game after scoring once in each of the opening two innings. A wild pitch by A’s tosser Terry Kleisinger in the first frame allowed Glen Saunders, who had reached base early in the inning on a single, to trot home with their first tally. Glen Kocsis plated the second Port Alberni marker in the second spasm when he, too, nailed a one-bagger and came around to score following a sacrifice and a Nanaimo throwing error. The A’s gained control of things in the fourth, putting up a four-spot on the scoreboard. Designated hitter Ken Brodyk’s run-scoring two-bagger got things rolling in that pivotal stanza. When the Phillies’ Bob Shick touched home in the sixth panel after singling to reach base, things got tense for the homesters but Kleisinger rose to the occasion and shut the door the rest of the way.
Starting pitcher Steve Whittam of the A’s appeared shaky on the rubber in the owl encounter as the Phillies rocked him for a deuce in the top-of-the-first chapter but he settled down after that rough beginning and earned the win, although relinquishing mound chores to portsider Al Hill in the fourth. The Discosport nine plugged away at the early deficit with single runs in each of the first, second and third innings to take the lead. A six-run fourth inning put the A’s well in front and virtually sealed the deal.
(June 13) Continuing their domination over their crosstown rivals, the Port Alberni Phillies, the Souther 68’ers took a 4 to 1 extra-inning decision at Mount Klisma. Four consecutive base knocks off the slants of losing tosser Larry Chand in the ninth inning produced three tallies and the victory. A bases-clearing double by Rick Speidel was the significant blow of the uprising. Fred Voysey led the winners at the dish, garnering three safe swats. Kirk McGiffin and Brent Tall had two hits each for the Phillies. Paul LeBlanc whiffed 14 in going the route for the mound decision.
(June 13) The Villa Canadians blanked the Discosport A’s 1 to 0 as round three between the Hub City foes went into the books at Serauxmen Stadium as a classic battle. The Canadians regained sole possession of top spot in the Mid-Island circuit with the important triumph. The game featured a close pitcher’s duel between Villa’s Don Slaughter and Discosport’s Bruce Willgress. Slaughter had a strong outing, surrendering five well-scattered bingles. The only run of the game came after A’s shortstop Bill Bestwick’s throw to first base on Jim Bayliss’ ground ball pulled initial sacker Al Hill off the pillow in a close play. Bayliss advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on an out and scored when catcher Bruce Molander couldn’t corral a nasty bender from Willgress. The great infield defense displayed in this encounter by the Canadians completely shut down the A’s offense. The loss for Willgress was his first of the season coupled with three wins. The Villa Canadians retain first place with a 10 – 3 showing for the campaign while the A’s are in the runner-up position with an 8 – 3 record, with two games in hand.
(June 16) A group of former professional baseball players, who refer to their team as the “Old Pros”, stopped off in Nanaimo as part of their provincial tour and played a friendly exhibition tilt with the Discosport A’s of the Mid-Island Baseball League before a packed bleacher crowd at Serauxmen Stadium. Although the locals scored a run in their first turn at bat, in the end they were edged 2 to 1 by the veteran band of diamondeers, the 15th conquest they have achieved in as many outings. The game followed a full-day development camp, attended by approximately 160 boys, who received instruction on baseball fundamentals from the ex-pros. Rick Neff’s first-inning single sent Jim Luck home with the lone Nanaimo counter which didn’t stand up long as runs in the second chapter by 36 year old Wayne Norton, former AAA player in the Oakland A’s chain, and Rob Arnold sent the tourists in front for good. Bob Lasko, who pitched for 11 seasons in the New York Yankees’ system, with fifth-inning relief assistance from Arnold, another former Yankees’ farmhand, got the win while left-hander Al Hill, who hurled for the A’s until the sixth, took the loss.
(June 17) The Nanaimo Villa Canadians hit a big snag in their quest to de-throne the Nanaimo Discosport A’s as Mid-Island League champions when they dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Lake Cowichan Lakers by scores of 4 to 3 and 4 to 0. The Canucks, who have led the pack for most of the campaign, saw their record drop to 10 – 5 and are now in peril of dropping into third place in the circuit. The Lakers struck early in both games, leaving the hosting Villa nine in somewhat of a state of shock. A pinch-hit two-run homer by Sheldon Harrington late in the opener gave the Canadians some hope of a comeback but that desire was quickly doused by Cowichan tosser Mike Forrest who whiffed the final three hitters to end the game. Steve Zboyovsky set the Hub City nine down of five hits in taking the second-game whitewash win. Ross Cooper and Don Slaughter were the Canadians’ pitchers of record in the double defeat.
(June 17) With a two-game sweep of the hosting Campbell River nine, the defending champion Nanaimo Discosport A’s jumped into first-place in the Mid-Island Baseball League. The A’s, whose record now stands at 10 – 3, dominated the twin-bill, blanking the hosts 9 to 0 to begin the afternoon before outscoring the Salmon Capital nine 6 to 1 in the nightcap. Rookie Terry Kleisinger tossed a no-hit, no-run gem in the lid-lifter while his mates on the A’s were busy banging out 13 safeties.
In the wind-up encounter, Steve Willgress of the A’s collected the complete-game win with a four-hitter. The Nanaimo swatters stung the sphere for a dozen safeties in this skirmish.
(June 23-24) The Port Alberni Phillies took two of three games from the Campbell River Athletics over the weekend, winning 6 to 3 in Campbell River Saturday and 11 to 0 in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader at Mount Klisma. The invading Athletics rebounded to outlast the Phillies 15 to 10 in the finale.
Reliever Darren Wright picked up the extra-inning knoll triumph in the Saturday clash in Campbell River. Glen Saunders led the way with the baton for Port Alberni in the Sunday opener, stroking a double and single, good for three RBI’s. Doug LaLonde pitched the shutout win. Kirk McGiffin had five RBI’s for the Phillies in the slugfest loss to the Rivermen.
(June 24) Doug Brimacombe fashioned a fine two-hitter and Jim Seredick unloaded for a solo home run in the second inning as the Port Alberni Souther 68’ers annexed a 2 to 0 conquest of the Lake Cowichan Lakers in the matinée game of a Mid-Island League twin-bill. In the wrap-up tilt, Paul LeBlanc raised his league-leading strikeout total to 85, fanning nine Lakers on the way to a 3 to 1 win. Jim Seredick was three-for-three with the hickory in the curtain-raiser, including his dinger, while LeBlanc drove in a pair of runs during his winning second-game mound effort
(June 24) Playing in the Royal City, the Mid-Island League’s Nanaimo Discosport A’s and the New Westminster Auroras of the Metro League split an exhibition double-bill, the A’s taking the opener 3 to 1 but dropping the second encounter 8 to 1. Nanaimo pitcher Bruce Willgress had a stellar outing on the hill in the matinée tilt, holding the Auroras to five hits. Picking up extra-base blows for the winners were Al Hill who smashed a triple into the left centre field alley and Dan Rogers who pounded a two-bagger on a drive into right centre.
The New Westminster swatsmiths came to life in the third chapter of the second contest, staging a five-run outburst which pretty well decided the issue.
(June 27) Jim Seredick and Paul LeBlanc combined on a masterful four-hitter as the Port Alberni Souther 68’ers whipped their city cousins, the Port Alberni Phillies 7 to 2 at Mount Klisma. The win improved the 68’ers’ record to 12 – 4, good for second spot in the six-team loop. Seredick drove in three runs for the winners as the Phillies’ Bruce Bugden was raked for ten hits in absorbing the loss.
(June 27) The Discosport A’s of the Mid-Island Baseball League evened their season series with their Nanaimo cousins, the Villa Canadians, when they downed the slump-ridden Canadians 6 to 4 at Serauxmen Stadium. The A’s made the most of their scoring opportunities in grabbing a stronger hold on first place. At the same time, the free-falling Villas were making some costly errors, the result of which shoved them over the brink into elimination from the Mid-Island pennant race. Portsider Al Hill took the mound verdict with some relief help from Bruce Willgress while Don Slaughter was tagged with the defeat. The losers staged a last-inning comeback attempt that was snuffed out by a double play and a game-ending strikeout. The A’s, having sidelined their crosstown rivals from the pennant chase, still have the second-place Port Alberni 86’ers to worry about as the schedule nears its end.
(July 1-2) Lake Cowichan tournament
(July 15) Needing only a split in their final two games to clinch the league title, the Nanaimo Discosport A’s went one better and downed their closest pursuers, the Port Alberni 68’ers, twice in double-dip action at Serauxmen Stadium. Their 8 to 0 conquest of the Port Alberni nine in the opener earned them their fifth consecutive Mid-Island League championship but, instead of letting up in a meaningless second encounter, the A’s went back on the diamond and came away with a 7 to 3 verdict over the league runners-up. Winning slabman Bruce Willgress was given plenty of run support in the introductory contest as his mates lit up ace moundsman, Paul LeBlanc, of the visitors for a four-spot in the second, a singleton in the third and consecutive deuces in the in the fourth and sixth stanzas.
Discosport designated hitter Rick Neff had a home run, double, three runs scored and three RBI’s to lead A’s offensively in the second clash.
(August 5) In a slugfest at Enderby, Victoria All-Stars got by Nanaimo 15-12 in the second game of a two-game final to win the BC Senior "B" Men's Baseball championship. Nanaimo had blanked Victoria 4-0 in what could have been the championship game of the double knockout tournament. The wild contest featured 32 hits, including seven home runs. Winning pitcher was Terry Adams who relieved in the fifth inning and finished the game. Paul LeBlanc was tagged with the loss. He came on in the seventh inning after pitching a shutout for Nanaimo in the first game.